《Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG》 0. Alive Again 0. Alive Again ¡°I¡¯m alive...again?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fluttered open, though he quickly regretted it as the sun¡¯s rays pierced his eyes, in the way that it would after a good night¡¯s sleep. He brought up an arm to shield himself, rolling over onto his side. As he did, the world froze before him. Roll your dice. ¡°...¡± He tried to open his mouth to speak, but he couldn¡¯t. As much as he willed his mouth to open, it refused to move. Nothing moved. Master Time had brought his attention to the world, allowing Adam to roll his character before he could set off on his journey. ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Mistress Fate said, pouring some sugar into her tea. ¡°He¡¯s already in the world.¡± ¡°Is that my fault?¡± Master Time asked. ¡°Who was it that-¡° Chaos cleared his throat. ¡°Thank you, Master Time.¡± Mistress Fate smirked, stirring the sugar into her tea. ¡°Yes, thank you. I¡¯m ever so grateful whenever you stop time for me.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Master Time disappeared to his own realm immediately after, not wanting to get caught up in their mess. He had already given so much power to the world, even if it was just a drop in the bucket compared to what he could do. Still, there were ruled to be followed, Laws to uphold. ¡°Must you always bother him?¡± Chaos asked her. ¡°Bothering him? I never bother my dearest Master Time. If I was bothering him, you¡¯d know.¡± She smiled innocently, a smile which hid the deaths of countless worlds. Chaos sighed. ¡°Am I to remain here?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Mistress Fate replied, nodding her head. ¡°If something interesting happens, please call for me.¡± She placed down a cup of tea for Chaos, and left him unsupervised with the newly made world. Chaos picked up the tea cup and sipped the tea. It was sweet. So sweet. He could feel an itch begin to invade him, and he cast his eyes towards the world once again. Roll your dice. ¡®How am I meant to roll the dice if I can¡¯t move?¡¯ ¡®With your mind, obviously.¡¯ Adam had forgotten what the voice sounded like the moment it had pierced his mind, but that wasn¡¯t important in the moment. He willed the dice to move within his mind. Rolling 4d6d1 = 12 (1, 2, 4, 6) 4d6d1 = 15 (1, 3, 6, 6) 4d6d1 = 17 (1, 5, 6, 6) 4d6d1 = 16 (1, 5, 5, 6) 4d6d1 = 15 (1, 4, 5, 6) 4d6d1 = 12 (1, 2, 4, 6) ¡®Holy!¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe the rolls.. ¡®I have never rolled so well in my entire life!¡¯ He blinked, mentally, because he was still frozen in time, and wondered if maybe something had gone wrong. ¡®Did I do something wrong in my previous life that I...¡¯ He eventually recalled how he came to be reborn into his third life, and the rolls sweetened the bitterness he felt. 12, 12, 15, 15, 16, 17. These rolls were a little too good for his liking. Adam could only think about what kind of life he was going to live, and how Mistress Fate might come for him after giving him such stats. ¡®You won¡¯t ask me to die again, will you?¡¯ The thought flowed out there, into the nothingness, and though Mistress Fate heard his worries, she decided against responding to him at the moment. Instead, she sipped her tea as she focused on countless other realms. Adam sighed, mentally, and shook his head, mentally. ¡®I guess there¡¯s no point worrying about that for now.¡¯ [Hello there.] ¡®Hey.¡¯ Adam looked at his dice rolls for a little while, thinking about how he should assign them. The rolls were great, and he could do whatever he wanted with them. Even if someone replaced the 17 with an 8, he would still have great stats. If he wanted to, he could become a Guardian once again. That was his favourite class, though he really enjoyed the Warrior Wizard hybrid he had started off with. The only issue was, he wanted to be able to resurrect people. He had had enough death. ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ Adam had only just realised that he had heard something else whilst lost in thought. ¡®Hello?¡¯ [Hi.] He could hear something in his mind, a presence which was strange and foreign, and vaguely familiar. It was right there, in the back of his head, gnawing at him. ¡®Who the hell are you?¡¯ [I¡¯m Bell.] ¡®You mean, the god? The God of Chaos?¡¯ [That¡¯s Belle, he has an e at the end of his name. I¡¯m just Bell, ring ring, you know?] ¡®And that makes you different?¡¯ [Of course it does. There¡¯s one less letter in my name.] ¡®Of course it does,¡¯ Adam repeated, rolling his eyes, mentally. ¡®Well, what are you doing in my head?¡¯ [I¡¯m living in it.] ¡®Rent free?¡¯ [I wouldn¡¯t mind that. The prices for people¡¯s minds have been doubling every decade.] ¡®Hey, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡¯ Adam recalled the property prices before he died the first time. He had been your average everyday kind of guy, and there was no way he could afford to buy a house like his parents had done a generation before. ¡®But, uh, what are you doing here?¡¯ [I¡¯m the system.] ¡®The system? You mean, like a role playing game?¡¯ [That¡¯s right.] ¡®So are you the Bell system, or is Bell just your name?¡¯ ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound a like a nothing kind of well.¡¯ [Don¡¯t worry about it.] ¡®I wasn¡¯t worrying about it, but now that you tell me not to worry about it...¡¯ [No, seriously, it¡¯s okay. Why don¡¯t you pick your Skills and stuff?] ¡®...¡¯ Adam remained suspicious, but what could he do? He couldn¡¯t force Bell to speak if he, she, they, it didn¡¯t want to. Skills Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation Tools Smithing Languages Aldspeech, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken Weapons Simple, Martial Armour Light, Medium, Heavy He didn¡¯t know what Aldspeak was, but assumed it was the basic tongue of the humans in the region since he couldn¡¯t find a similar option. ¡®Did they give me more options?¡¯ [Yes. Due to the fact that you didn¡¯t get to pick your Background, and because you have no idea what it is, they have given you two additional choices.] ¡®That¡¯s rather nice of them.¡¯ He assumed that he wouldn¡¯t know what the catch was yet. ¡®I get features from both a martial class and a magic class, but I am not getting additional hit points?¡¯ [You will gain maximum hit points every level, but you are considered to only be a single class.] ¡®Bell.¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®This Tricks list is...¡¯ [You are no longer restrained by class specific spells. You have access to every spell.] Adam needed a moment to think about what he had just heard. He was able to access every class to acquire spells? ¡®Bell, isn¡¯t that overpowered?¡¯ [In some ways, yes.] ¡®What¡¯s the catch? I want to know.¡¯ [Your XP thresholds for each level have increased.] ¡®How much have they increased?¡¯ [You don¡¯t want to know.] ¡®...¡¯ [...] ¡®Fine.¡¯ Adam was finishing up his sheet, picking the spells he thought would be most useful to him at the time. He was considering which tool he wanted to take, but decided to take up smithing since he had taken the dwarven language as one of his options. Features Darkvision, Feyblooded, Multicultured Martial Features Martial Arts, Tough Spirit Magical Features Spellcasting, Spellbook Being a half elf gave him the first three features, which amounted to being able to see in the dark, having some resistance against charms and sleep effects, and additional choices for various skills. Martial Arts gave him the strength to fight without weapons, just in case he was ever without a blade, something he could fall back on. Tough Spirit allowed him to take a breath during the fight to shrug off some damage, and would allow him to survive at lower levels. Spellcasting and Spellbook do exactly as it says on the tin. He had the ability to spellcast, and he had a spellbook. Then it was time to pick his spells, and this was when he needed to concentrate. [What are you going to pick?] ¡®Give me a few minutes.] Bell waited. And waited. And waited. Adam needed to think about his choices, since he had so many options, but very few he could truly select. Every time he thought about this Trick or another, he fell back to three choices. [Your choices are... interesting.] ¡®I will take that as a compliment.¡¯ Tricks Stabilise, Guidance, Flame Bolt 1st Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar Stabilise, so that he could get to his companions and make sure they don¡¯t die right away. Guidance, to assist people with their skills. Flame Bolt, for a ranged attack option. Tricks were spells which he could cast infinitely. They were quite weak in comparison to gated spells, which required one to pass a gate before they could cast them. Typically, this required a caster to level high enough in order to be able to cast them. The combination of Martial Arts and Flame Bolt would allow him to deal with most issues, even if he was butt naked. If he couldn¡¯t speak he wouldn¡¯t be able to use Flame Bolt, but at least his fists could speak for him. If he couldn¡¯t use his hands, then he could kick. If he was tied up, then it sounded like a rough night for him. His gated spells were far more difficult to choose, but he went with a few classics he liked. Most were utility, or defensive in nature. His single offensive spell, Hex, allowed him to deal more damage to someone, but it was also used for utility due to the debuff attached to it. [It seems you¡¯ve completed your choices. Have you thought about the kind of weapon you want to use?] ¡®I¡¯ll have to go with what I picked before.¡¯ [Sword and board?] ¡®There¡¯s something romantic about a sword, don¡¯t you think?¡¯ [Please don¡¯t romance a sword, you¡¯re not a Bard.] ¡®I should have picked Bard.¡¯ Inventory Chain mail, sword, shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, backpack, bedroll, (10) torch, (10) ration, tinderbox, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope. [Are there any questions?] ¡®Yeah, ca-¡® 1. No Longer Dead 1. No Longer Dead Adam gasped for air as the world began to move again, and once more his eyes burned as the sun pierced his eyes. He brought his arm over his shield his eyes, before the burning sensation soothed. Through his teary eyes he could see a ruined stone wall all around him, though it only went up a metre and a half at the highest. He was in the process of rolling onto his front, but reached up to grab at the wall instead, and hoisted himself up. Looking over the ruined wall he saw he was atop a hill, one which overlooked a large forest around it. However, off to his left was a wall which wasn¡¯t ruined, surrounding a large town. ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s so much bigger than Red Oak,¡± he said, whistling. ¡°Red Oak was what, ten, fifteen thousand people? What did they feed this town?¡± Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 11 (8) ¡°Must be at least double the size,¡± Adam said, sure that he was correct. Wolves howled in the distance, and Adam took that as a sign that he should get his butt moving. He checked his pack to see if he had everything which he had picked, form his weapons to his tools, before he realised something. ¡®It¡¯s really cold.¡¯ He looked down to see he was butt naked. ¡°...¡± ¡®Won¡¯t the guards arrest me like this?¡¯ Then he checked his pack again. ¡°And I don¡¯t have any gold? Hey, Bell! Did you stiff me?¡± [No, the rest of your items are in the other ruin.] Adam threw a look aside to the other ruined wall nearby, and then climbed over towards it. There he found his chain mail, a large pile of clothing, a set of smithing tools, a pouch full of coin, and the hilt of a sword. He first changed into his clothes, and then froze. ¡°Hold on, Fate Born didn¡¯t give me any extra proficiencies for tools.¡± [That¡¯s because you are the tool.] ¡°...¡± [You may choose two additional tools.] ¡°Also, I realised something else.¡± [What?] ¡°I forgot to take the best trick, Tricks.¡± Adam cringed visibly, biting his lower lip. It was the best trick, and he half cursed himself for taking Guidance instead of Tricks. [I can¡¯t change that now.] ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± [I can, but I won¡¯t.] ¡°...¡± Adam finished changing into his clothes and armour, attaching his sword belt around his waist, tapping the pouch which was at his side. With that, he was ready to start his adventure. [You¡¯re not going to pick your proficiencies?] ¡°I¡¯ll make you wait for it.¡± [...] With that, Adam continued along his path. He made his way through the forest, rushing through it so he could get to civilisation. He found a dirt path which led generally towards the town, so followed it until he was out of the forest and then out onto the road. He leapt onto the road, feeling the hard stone under his boots, and looked towards the town. ¡°Man, it feels good to be alive!¡± He whistled as he jaunted over towards the large town. The town walls were thick and hard, made of heavy stone. It was easily five metres high, with a few small towers running along the perimeter. At the front was a thick, wooden gate, and a pair of guard in chain mail, carrying spears at their side. They also wore tabards, coloured red and there was a tree imprinted onto it. Adam didn¡¯t think anything of it as he approached them. ¡°Hullo,¡± the guard called out. ¡°What brings you to Red Oak?¡± ¡°Good mor-¡° Adam looked up to judge the time quickly. Survival Check D20 + 1 = 11 (10) ¡°Good afternoon,¡± he said, correcting himself. ¡°Well I¡¯ve come to Red Oak...¡± He stopped. ¡®Red Oak?¡¯ He blinked a few times at the guard, wondering if it could be the same Red Oak that he knew. ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± the guard asked, taking off her helmet to reveal her beautiful face. She was strongly built, with long brunette hair, and a handsome smile. Her eyes were a deep, piercing green, like the most enticing field that you would find in a musical about romance, the female lead pressing herself against the lone tree which appeared from nowhere to speak about her forbidden love. Adam wasn¡¯t sure why, but he could definitely feel that she rolled a fifteen on her hotness check, what with her pearly white smile and beautiful eyes. ¡°She gets that a lot,¡± the other guard smiled as she took off her own helmet. She wasn¡¯t quite as pretty, but that didn¡¯t mean she could crack mirrors. She looked very similar to the other guard, with her brunette hair and piercing green eyes, but her face was slightly more gaunt, and there were small scratch marks against her cheek. ¡°Shut up,¡± the beautiful guard said, jabbing the woman beside her with her elbow. ¡°So what brings you to Red Oak?¡± ¡°Adventure,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m here to join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°You want to pave your own path, is that it?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, Adam Fate.¡± ¡°Marie,¡± the beautiful guard said, before motioning with her head to the other guard beside her, ¡°and this is my sister, Mary.¡± ¡°Marie and Mary?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Mom wasn¡¯t very creative with her names,¡± Mary said. ¡°Not that our father was any better. Harold, Harry, and Harri. Can you imagine being called Harri?¡± Adam could hear the inflection at the end, and he assumed how it was spelt. ¡°Right, uh...¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Right, sorry. Gate fee is a copper coin.¡± Adam reached into his pouch and pulled out a gold coin. ¡°Do you have any change?¡± The guard looked at the gold coin. ¡°Do you only have gold on you?¡± Everything hit Adam, causing him to pause as he looked at the hundreds of buildings ahead of him, unable to see passed the crowd towards the town centre. He hadn¡¯t seen a large town like this in a while, not since he was in the giant town, which was built for many tens of thousands of giants, though it couldn¡¯t be compared to a human town. Quest: Join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild Reward: +100XP The words shone ahead of him, causing his eyes to twitch around them, before they faded away. ¡®Well, that was the plan...¡¯ He marched forward, a warm feeling of excitement carrying his steps. The electricity of adventure rushed through him, spurring him passed the thin, tall buildings of Red Oak. They were made of wood, of course, and some had bits and pieces of red oak. A window frame here, a door frame there, and some just had a single plank across the front, right above the door frame. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 5 (3) He also noticed the walking sticks some people carried, made of red oak too. Most people also wore a club at their side, and now and against he found someone with a club made of red oak. He hadn¡¯t noticed the various other trinkets people carried with them, or their red oak rings which very few people wore. As he walked past certain shops, he also saw sign boards made of red oak, with either the name or a symbol etched or painted into it. The designs were of varying levels of intricate, but instead of getting lost in them, he shook his head and continued forward through the bustling main road, dodging and weaving his way to the centre of the town. ¡°...¡± He stepped aside towards a side road, realising a mistake he had made. He had no idea where the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was. He looked about, trying to find someone who could help him, before seeing an older man sitting at his doorstep and smoking. His pipe was made of red oak, obviously. ¡°Excuse me, do you know where the Adventurer¡¯s Guild is?¡± Adam asked, not approaching too closely. He was a large half elf, adorned in heavy armour, with various weapons at his side. He understood that he didn¡¯t give off the friendliest impression. ¡°Right I do,¡± the old man replied, nodding his head. ¡°You head to the centre, take a left on to Labour Road, and follow it down. You can¡¯t miss it, not unless your eyes are as bad as mine.¡± The old man smirked at his joke, sucking at his pipe and half laughing and choking on the smoke. ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pouch. The old man held out a hand and shook his head. ¡°No need to worry about that, lad. You take those coins and buy yourself a nice drink, you hear?¡± The old man looked to Adam in his fairly shiny armour, his blade gleaming. ¡®Look at this whipper snapper. I bet he¡¯s only just stopped suckling on his mother¡¯s teet. At least she raised him well.¡¯ ¡°I will.¡± Adam chuckled. He nodded his head. ¡°Thank you again.¡± ¡®Wow, everyone¡¯s so nice here.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected that the people here would be so kind and helpful. Even the guard hadn¡¯t tried to stab him after walking across the sight of seeing her sister keeling over as though she had been struck. He followed the instructions, marching towards the town centre where there were buildings made purely out of red oak. He could see that each had a guard standing outside of it, making sure no one untoward was stepping into the buildings. There was a fountain in the town square, where people refilled their waterskins, and others dropped in coins to pray for good fortune or for the demise of their most hatred enemies. ¡°Please make Billy fall over,¡± a young boy said, having spent his hard earned allowance. Adam could only respect the youngster¡¯s faith, and wondered if the gods were listening in to trip over Billy. He thought back to the gods he had met. ¡®More than likely.¡¯ There was another large building off to one side, made purely of wood, though Adam only barely glanced at it as he found the sign he was looking for. He looked along Labour Road to see a large number of crafters, from woodworkers to leather workers. ¡®Why¡¯s it called Labour Road and not Crafter¡¯s Road?¡¯ He shrugged his shoulders. ¡®Not like I¡¯m in charge of naming roads.¡¯ With that, he followed the path along for a few minutes. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 16 (14) He narrowly dodged a pick pocket, slapping their hand as he continued along. It was the same little shit who had made the prayer earlier. ¡°I hope you trip over,¡± Adam whispered to the young boy, but continued along his way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he caught me!¡¯ The boy rubbed the back of his hand, shocked that he had been caught. He was certain that he had rolled well on his dice check, if that was a thing in this world, but it appeared that Adam had rolled much better. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild stood tall. It was made of stone for the first floor, and the next three floors were made of wood, getting slightly smaller as it approached towards the top, giving certain roguish classes a decent way to climb up, but also giving the people on the higher floors a better vantage point to see oncoming people. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 4 (2) Adam didn¡¯t see the faint etching on the top floor, or the faint runes which created a defensive spell against any intruders. What he did see, was a large field to one side, with targets far to the back, and a small field were a couple of adventurers and guards were trying out their skills against one another. Behind the smaller field was a stone building connected to the side of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He walked up to the heavy, red oak doors, and pushed on them. They were fairly plain, though he recalled that they were engraved with quite the sight in the other world, in his last lifetime. To his right were adventurers drinking and eating, a bar beyond them, and to his left were a few adventurers playing games, and a wall covered with posters for various requests. ¡®Wow. This place looks just like the Adventurer¡¯s Guild I knew. Is this really Red Oak, or did the universe find that this was the greatest way of formatting Adventurer¡¯s Guilds?'' Ahead of him was the counter, which was currently blocked off by a group of burly men. Each were adorned in heavy furs, covered from their neck down in the fur cloak. He confidently approached the counter, standing behind the group as he waited for his time. The sensation of queueing filled his British bones, causing him to relax. He almost closed his eyes as he thought about how it made him feel right at home. The burly men muttered between one another, speaking in low growls and grunts in their own language. ¡°The sheet¡¯s all filled out, so why don¡¯t you step around back and we¡¯ll get the test started soon.¡± The voice was a familiar and feminine. ¡®Isn¡¯t that...¡¯ As the burly men stepped aside, Adam saw the sight of a tall and young woman, close to twenty or so years of age. She had long red hair, loosely draped past her shoulders, and down her back. She wore a simple outfit, a red shirt that went down passed the counter where Adam dared not to peek. Her face held an earthly beauty, with sprinkles of freckles all over her face. ¡°Good afternoon. I¡¯m Emma, receptionist of the Red Oak branch,¡± she said, seeing as she had never seen this freshly armoured fellow before. ¡°How may I help you, stranger?¡± she asked in a practised tone which was meant to sound cheerful and sweet. ¡®Emma?¡¯ Adam blinked, looking through his helmet to see the familiar face. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Emma smiled, waiting for him to speak. Adam was in a state of shock, and he shook his head, catching glimpses of the burly men who had stepped to the side to mutter between one another and wish their youngest good luck in his exam. Adam froze. The moment passed as he half darted forward, causing the burly men to turn on instinct. One grabbed his shoulder, another grabbed at his outstretched arm and hooked it back. They had moved seamlessly, not a word passing between them, but catching him expertly in unison. The burly men looked towards Emma, seeing as this wasn¡¯t their home, and they weren¡¯t the kind to make a mess in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Adam¡¯s heart pounded wildly, his hand still outstretched. He was so close, close enough to touch. ¡°Excuse me, what are you doing?¡± Emma asked, her voice cold, not matching the smile on her lips. ¡®Who the hell is this kid trying to make a mess? Does he have a death wish?¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t paying attention, as his heart continued to pound, thunderous within his chest. He was sweating too, a cold sweat, one coming from extreme shock. It was like he had been punched out of the blue. His throat was parched, but he swallowed whatever shock he had. The young man, who had been stepping into the back room, had stopped when he heard the commotion. He was tall and strongly built, wearing heavy furs of white and grey, contrasting with his eyes, and his dark hair which fell down towards his shoulders. At his side was an axe, and tied to his left arm was a shield. On his forehead was a tattoo, a pattern of blue diamonds, and at the centre of his forehead, a single blue circle. Though it was tattooed, he didn¡¯t forget that face, he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Jurot!¡± What? Whaaaaat? What''s going on? It''s the same, but different? Who saw it coming? 2. The Test I 2. The Test I "Who are you?" Jurot asked, staring at the heavily armoured young man who was reaching out for him. He didn¡¯t think twice about it, since the stranger was currently being restrained by a pair of Iyrmen, and another three remained nearby. ¡®What kind of idiot would cause trouble for a group of Iyrmen?¡¯ Emma and the adventurers were staring at Adam, who was still in shock. Emma glanced at the Iyrmen, who threw her a look. So far, it didn¡¯t seem like the stranger had any ill intent, but they couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Jurot, son of Surot. It¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked desperately, wanting to confirm his suspicions. The other Iyrmen threw looks between one another, sharing the same thought. Jurot hadn¡¯t spent much time outside the Iyr, not long enough to make any friends. He had been with his father, mostly, and every so often with his aunt. It could have been a passerby that they assisted, but they couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jurot exclaimed, crossing his arms. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot!¡± His voice reverberated throughout the entire Adventurer¡¯s Guild, making sure everyone knew who he was, and who led his family. The opportunity to exclaim such a thing came rarely, and he took every moment to relish the moment. Adam relaxed within the grip of the Iyrmen, and reached up towards his helmet. The Iyrmen let him go, seeing that he wasn¡¯t making any aggressive movements. He revealed his face to them all. The people around gasped, staring at Adam. They had taken note of him due to his antics, but now their eyes were firmly glued to the sides of his head, to one certain area in particular. ¡°It¡¯s an elf!¡± an adventurer shouted, standing up and pointing, his shock getting the best of him. Another adventurer backhanded him. ¡°It¡¯s a half elf, you twit! Can¡¯t you use your eyes for once?¡± Other adventurers looked towards the half elf, some with intrigue, and others with darkness in their eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a leaf ear,¡± someone growled from the corner, clenching his fists tight, breaking the game tile within his hand. One of his adventuring companions put her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. ¡°And you¡¯re going to make trouble in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡± She glared at him. ¡°If you have a death wish, do it when we¡¯re not around.¡± The man grit his teeth, wishing he could shove his fist through the bastard half elf¡¯s face, but he leaned back. ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid,¡± he said, looking at his companion. ¡°We can find another time. Take it easy,¡± the woman said. ¡°You owe me a silver piece for a new tile.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met a half elf,¡± Jurot said, looking to Adam, seeing the leaf shaped ears at his side. ¡°You might not know me, but man do I know you,¡± Adam said, a wide smile on his face. He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Son of Surot, and Son-¡° Adam stopped, realising what he had done. His emotions had gotten the best of him, and he had spilled out so much. He stared at Jurot, who had caught the first bit of his mother¡¯s name, and saw the suspicion grow within the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Jurot waited, wanting to hear the rest. He was certain he had never met with half elf before, and he wasn¡¯t sure if his parents knew any half elves so intimately. The stranger had been so confident speaking to him, as though they had known each other for a while. Adam reached up to rub his face, shaking his head. ¡®What the hell am I doing?¡¯ He continued to rub his forehead, wiping down his face, trying to wipe away his stupidity. ¡°Nothing, nothing...¡± Adam cleared his throat, trying to change the topic. ¡°I hope we can be good friend,¡± Adam said, reaching out his hand. ¡°Are you strong?¡± Jurot asked, still staring into the half elf¡¯s eyes. The other Iyrmen were as suspicious as he, but they waited. They knew it was best to wait for another to continue to speak, so that they could take the rope that the half elf provided and strange him with it. Proverbially, of course, since they would actually use the cold hard steel at their side. ¡°Not as strong as you,¡± Adam replied back with a chuckle, trying to ease the tension in the air. He flashed the nicest smile he could, like a businessman. Persuasion Check D20 + 2 = 4 (2) However, like a businessman, he had something to hide. Jurot¡¯s Iyrman senses told him something was up, that Adam was trying to hide something from him. Jurot didn¡¯t shake Adam¡¯s hand, raising his brow towards the half elf. ¡°Then I do not know if we can be good friends.¡± How was one meant to be friends if they weren¡¯t strong? What happened if he was pinned under a dragon, would the half elf be able to assist him? He¡¯d just get himself killed. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just have to see,¡± Adam chuckled, pulling his hand away. ¡°I¡¯ve come to take the exam as well.¡± He looked towards Emma, who had been watching the half elf interact with the Iyrmen. ¡°Is that alright?¡± Emma wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, but seeing as the tension had been defused, she returned back to her cheery, but professional, self. ¡°You will need to fill out the form, but you can take the test at the same time. Two test takers today? My, my, you don¡¯t get to see that often.¡± She smiled, though even she was suspicious about this half elf. ¡°How do you know of Jurot?¡± an Iyrman asked. Adam didn¡¯t recognise him, though he has sure he had seen the tattoo on the man¡¯s forehead before as a blanket on an Iyrman¡¯s hut. He was tall, with slightly tan skin, and built like an Iyrman. He was lean, and carried at his side a pair of swords. ¡°I¡¯m a man of Fate,¡± Adam replied back, using whatever wits he had remaining after the shock of finding Jurot alive, and that he had seemingly returned to the world before he had left, though it was vastly different than before. ¡°The gods helped me to know of him.¡± Technically it was the truth. The Iyrman just nodded, as though what he had said had explained everything. The Iyrmen did not pretend to understand the gods. Instead, they followed the will of the various gods, and followed their own rites in accordance to the god¡¯s laws. Emma had already taken out the sheet of paper for Adam, a single sheet which asked for general information, with a box at the bottom to put in anything he¡¯d like to reveal to the guild. ¡°This is the form which needs to be filled out. Do you know how to read and write?¡± It was a silly question, since Adam was a half elf, but she had to ask anyway. Adam dropped his pack aside, covering it with his blanket, and Jurot did the same. He kept his axe to his side, but placed the javelins, which had been hidden under his heavy fur coat, into the coat and placed it atop his pack. ¡°All I want you to do is walk the length of the field, and then I¡¯ll ask you to jog, before finally running. Keep going until I tell you to speed up, or until you feel like you can¡¯t run any more.¡± Paul waited at one end. ¡°Take your positions.¡± Paul motioned a hand on either side of the field. Adam looked to Jurot, who stood on the right side of the field, so he went to the opposite side. Constitution Save D20 + 4 = 14 (10) D20 + 4 = 17 (13) D20 + 4 = 15 (11) Adam started off at a decent pace, mostly matching Jurot. They walked for a few minutes before Paul shouted out for them to speed up, where they both fell into a jog. Jurot was glancing at Adam to see how well the half elf was doing, jogging for a few minutes together. Adam managed to match pace with him, even though he was wearing heavy armour. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be as weak as I thought. Was he lying about being weaker than me? How can he keep up with me?¡¯ ¡°Alright, get to running! I want you running as hard as you can!¡± Paul¡¯s voice cut through the air, and the pair began to quicken their steps. Adam could already feel his breath hitch within his chest after a minute or two of running, but he continued to run. As they continued to run laps, Jurot was speeding ahead. He was three laps ahead before Adam slowed, jogging to a halt near Paul, keeled over as he held onto his knees. His breathing was hard and heavy, and he dropped down and rolled onto his side. ¡°Stick a fork in me, I¡¯m done,¡± Adam managed to pant out, removing his helmet. His skin was full of sweat, though not as much as one would have expected considering he was being toasted in his armour. Paul glanced at Adam, seeing his fine features. ¡®A half elf?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected to meet a half elf, not after what happened all that time ago. However, his attention wasn¡¯t held by Adam for long as he continued to count Jurot¡¯s laps. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± Paul eventually said when Jurot was most of the way back towards him. Jurot skidded to a halt beside him, covered in sweat. He was panting quite heavily too, but the look in his eyes was that of a man on a runner¡¯s high. He had just gotten into the zone, and probably could have gone for another hour if Paul would have allowed him. ¡°You both did well,¡± Paul said, marking something down on some paper. ¡°Considering you were wearing heavy armour, you did well. Jurot, I didn¡¯t see you wanting to slow down any time soon. Seems you¡¯ve inherited the Will of the Iyrmen.¡± Paul chuckled. Jurot smiled. ¡°This much is nothing,¡± he said, puffing out his chest with pride. ¡°If I can¡¯t do this much, how could I call myself an Iyrman?¡± First Test Complete +10XP ¡®I get experience for completing these kinds of tasks?¡¯ ¡°You two can take a few minutes to rest up, and then we¡¯ll move to see how strong you are.¡± Paul went to stand beside their things, keeping an eye on them. He had been keeping an eye on them during the test, sometimes glancing aside, but he really didn¡¯t have anything better to do at the moment. ¡°I hate running,¡± Adam said, panting for air still. ¡°I like walking, maybe even a little jog, but running?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Unless I¡¯m chasing after something or running away, I hate it.¡± ¡°We need to practise so that we can chase things down or run away,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Otherwise, you may not be able to run very far.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t swimming be the default?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I like swimming, it¡¯s so much more fun. You can float in the water, pretend you can do water magic, and swimming feels so much nicer.¡± ¡°Are you half a sea elf?¡± Jurot asked, wondering why Adam liked swimming so much. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Adam replied back. He had no idea what kind of half elf he was. ¡°Maybe part of my blood is sea elf? I like eating fish too, so maybe I do have some sea elf in me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know your own heritage?¡± Jurot asked, half in shock. He had never met anyone who didn¡¯t know their own heritage, though he had also grown up in the Iyr, where you learnt at least a hundred stories by the time you turned five years old. ¡°Maybe not,¡± Adam replied back. ¡°All I know is that I¡¯m alive, laying in a patch of grass, sweating my balls out.¡± ¡°To not know one¡¯s heritage is to embrace a type of death,¡± Jurot said. Adam turned his head to look at Jurot. ¡°I never expected something so profound coming from you.¡± ¡°It is something the Chief always says,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°To not know your story means that it will be lost to history, dead.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not dead. I¡¯m living and breathing, isn¡¯t that proof of it?¡± Adam stared up at the young Iyrman. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Jurot nodded his head, understanding the sentiment behind Adam¡¯s words, even if he didn¡¯t wholly agree to it. ¡®Though, technically I don¡¯t have a history...¡¯ Adam thought about his presence in the world, and what kind of story his body had before. He shook his head. ¡®No, no. I do have a history.¡¯ He recalled his past life, flashes of it entering his mind. ¡°My memories,¡± he said, looking to Jurot. ¡°I still have my memories of my life, my existence.¡± Adam eventually stood up, stretching slightly as he did. ¡°I¡¯ve met you, meaning you will tell my story now, so that I may never die.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± the Iyrman said, nodding his head. ¡°If an Iyrman speaks of you, you will never die.¡± Adam looked up towards the sunny sky, seeing how clear it was. ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m getting a little sick of dying.¡± Jurot looked at Adam with a curious look, his eyes filled with questions. There was something about what Adam had said which made the back of his brain tingle. ¡®Just what is he talking about?¡¯ 3. The Test II 3. The Test II ¡°Alright, rest time is over,¡± Paul said, calling for the pair. ¡°Grab your packs, we¡¯re heading over to the melee field.¡± The two grabbed their packs, with Adam giving a quick glance into his pack to see if everything was unperturbed, and having seen that nothing was obviously moved, he followed the Vice Master to the other field on the opposite side of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. A few people were sparring with one another, and someone was watching, drinking some ale from a small cask. Paul clapped his hands to gather their attention. ¡°We¡¯re going to need the field for these two youngsters.¡± The other adventurers looked over to Jurot and Adam, seeing the Iyrman¡¯s tattoos and nodding towards him. ¡°An Iyrman? Why do you even need to test him?¡± an adventurer asked. ¡°Formality,¡± another adventurer replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll fail the test, but they still need to do it.¡± ¡°I think you mean bureaucracy,¡± the tipsy adventurer corrected. ¡°Can¡¯t it be a bit of both?¡± Paul cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m trying to be polite.¡± He raised his brows expectantly. The other adventurers finished with their sparring and stepped aside, though didn¡¯t leave. Paul looked at them all, and they avoided his gaze, whistling innocently. Paul turned to face the pair behind him. ¡°Are you two fine with an audience?¡± ¡°Let them see the glory of the Iyr!¡± Jurot exclaimed, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied simply. ¡°If any of you interrupt,¡± Paul said, raising a clenched fist. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The tipsy adventurer sipped on his cask in response. Paul led them to the rocks near the back of the field. There were six of them, from a small rock about the size of a person¡¯s head, to a rock that was the size of an entire person¡¯s torso. ¡°It¡¯s a simple test. Lift up the rock, step forward ten steps, drop the rock. Start from the smallest and work your way up.¡± There wasn¡¯t much more he needed to say. ¡°After you,¡± Adam said, motioning a hand. Jurot nodded, grabbing the smallest rock, stepping forward ten times before dropping it. He looked to Paul, who nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯ve passed the first rock, take a breather.¡± Paul¡¯s eyes went to Adam. ¡°You can pick it up and drop it back where Jurot picked it up.¡± Athletics Check D20 + 5 = 7 (2) Adam squat down to grab the rock, and as he lifted it up, it slipped through his fingers, causing him to drop it on the floor. He looked back to Paul. The Vice Master raised his brow. ¡®Is that sword just for show?¡¯ He wrote something down on the paper while the other adventurers chuckled between themselves. Adam looked at his hands and then the rock. ¡°Uh, I guess my hands were sweaty?¡± ¡®There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t pick this up! I have almost maxed out strength!¡¯ ¡°Whether you can pick it up or not also matters,¡± Paul said. ¡°If you pick something precious up during a quest and drop it, well...¡± Adam flushed red. ¡®Well, damn. That¡¯s just like my terrible luck, isn¡¯t it? Even with these godly stats, I¡¯m going to end up dead somehow because my luck is so crap.¡¯ ¡°Can I try again, please?¡± Adam asked. Paul nodded. ¡°Go ahead. I need to see how strong you actually are too.¡± Adam squat down and lifted the rock up again, this time concentrating on his grip. He slowly shambled his way back towards where the rock originally lay, like a duck carrying an egg. ¡®Come on, Adam! Get it together! You can do this!¡¯ It was time to pick up the second rock, which Jurot managed with ease. His thighs strained slightly, his arms flexing, his back pulling taught. He lifted the rock up, carrying it like his precious baby, and stepped forward ten steps. Then he dropped his precious baby and flexed his pectoral muscles to everyone, smirking smugly at Adam. Adam stretched and cracked his neck. ¡°Come on, Adam. Come on.¡± He tried to psyche himself up. He squat slightly, wrapping his arms around the rock, and then tried to lift it up. Unfortunately for him, his thighs twitched and he almost dropped the rock. Instead, he fell over to his side. The adventurer sipping on his cask spat out some of his ale, almost snorting on the alcohol as he watched Adam drop to his side. Paul had to clench his jaw in order to stop himself from laughing, though the other adventurers didn¡¯t even try to keep their laughter inside. Jurot raised his brow, not at all impressed by the half elf. He had thought Adam could do at least that much, but it seemed that his hopes had been too high. ¡°What the hell!¡± Adam pulled off his helmet, red in the face. He stared at the rock, daggers shooting out of his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can¡¯t beat you damn it!¡± He looked back at Paul for a moment, but dared not to look at what his expression was, instead he stared down at the rock again. ¡®Damn it! Should I use Guidance? No, I shouldn¡¯t reveal that too soon. Then again, I am going to reveal the fact that I have Flame Bolt later...¡¯ He sighed. ¡°A half elf?¡± Another adventurer whistled. ¡°Don¡¯t see many of them around.¡± Paul threw them a look which quickly shut them up. ¡°Do you think you can continue?¡± Adam gave a thumbs up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He rolled onto his side and then hopped onto his feet, only to stumble and fall onto all fours. ¡®Okay, no more athleticism from me for today.¡¯ Thoroughly embarrassed, he hid his shame by donning his helmet. He grabbed his shield too, and felt for his wizard¡¯s die, his arcane focus, before then drawing his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll face the pair of you,¡± Paul said, drawing his sword. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hold back just because I¡¯m an old man.¡± He smirked at the two eager youngsters, blade in hand, eager to play with them. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 14 (13) Adam was trying to think about how he should approach the fight. ¡®I could probably with a-¡® Jurot roared like a lion, muscles flexing as he turned red. The veins in his forehead bulged, spit flying out from the force of his mighty roar, his hand firmly gripped around his axe. He didn¡¯t wait for Adam as he leapt forward, swinging his sword down with all his might. Even Paul was taken aback by the sudden assault of the Iyrman, having prepared a number of moves to beat down the first attacked, but he managed to gather his bearing. His sword flew threw the air, hitting Jurot right in his forehead with his pommel. However, Iyrmen didn¡¯t allow someone to strike them for free, as Jurot¡¯s axe cleaved into the breastplate. Paul grunted as he felt the axe sink into the metal, scratching it quite harshly as Jurot attacked with a heavy blow. The sound of steel on steel made the adventurers grin, an excitement filling the air. ¡°Two gold on Paul,¡± an adventurer said. ¡°Obviously Paul¡¯s going to win, you idiot.¡± ¡°Four copper for your two gold?¡± the tipsy adventurer asked, still having some wits about him. ¡°Nevermind.¡± The adventurer shrivelled up, pouting at everyone. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so eager to fight, Jurot,¡± Paul said, chuckling to himself. He was chuckling because it was obvious how Jurot was going to react to a fight, and he shook his head at his own foolishness. ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re having quite the conversation by yourself,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though shouldn¡¯t you also pay attention to me? I¡¯m heart broken!¡± ¡®I should use Hex just yet, I don¡¯t want to give away all my cards.¡¯ Attack (Flanking) D20 + 5 + 1 = 7 (1) Critical miss! Adam¡¯s cheek came back to bite him in the ass, as he circled around Paul to try and attack him from his flank, he swung back with his longsword. However, this was the first time he had ever used this longsword, and it hadn¡¯t been long since he had been in this body. That, coupled with the gentleness numbness in his hand from carrying the rocks from earlier, his blade slipped out of his hand, flying backwards away from him, and clattering against the rock. Adam looked back at the sword in disbelief, staring at the shame of his critical miss. ¡®What? But why would you do this to me? Haven¡¯t I failed enough? What is this suffering you give to me, Mistress Fate?¡¯ A single tear ran down his cheek, hidden by his helmet. ¡°Should you really be looking away?¡± Paul asked, his blade gleaming as it shot towards Adam¡¯s head. Adam brought up his shield just in time, the blade clattering off of his shield, but it snaked through the air, poised to strike his leg, but Adam quickly skid backwards away from it. The blade whistled as it spun around, and struck Jurot across the side of his elbow, causing his axe to narrowly miss Paul. Attack (Flanking) D20 + 5 + 1 = 17 (11) Hit! D6 + 4 = 9 (5) 9 damage! Adam had been embarrassed by his luck all this time, causing him to sigh. Still taking the flank behind Paul, he clenched his fist. ¡®Damn! Being so low levelled really sucks!¡¯ He threw out a punch towards Paul. Since he had lost his sword, it would have been awkward to get it considering how close he was, and he couldn¡¯t leave Jurot behind to face Paul alone. Paul smiled when he saw Adam¡¯s fist, barely stopping aside to try and dodge it. However, Adam¡¯s fist managed to strike into the man¡¯s shoulder, the blunt impact dispersing through his armour. ¡®What was that?¡¯ Paul quickly turned so that his side was to Adam, not stupid enough to reveal his back to an Iyrman, but now taking note of the new threat which had emerged. ¡°That was one hell of a blow!¡± Paul laughed, preparing to strike once again. Health: 12 -> 2 Two clean blows struck Adam clean, his blade rushing around his shield like a stream. Paul was no joke, his abilities were that of a great warrior. He jabbed Adam¡¯s shoulders, though held back as to not cause too much damage, in order to give them both a chance to deal with him. However, the experience between them was no small gap. It was like the pair were facing an insurmountable mountain, one which held the keys to their future. Jurot wound up for another blow, but Paul stepped aside, Jurot¡¯s axe now aimed towards Adam. Jurot, understanding that it wasn¡¯t in his best interest to attack Adam, flexed the muscles in his forearm, and planted his feet firmly as he pulled his entire torso back, stopping the axe from striking towards his ally. Even after those two jabs, Paul managed to strike Jurot in the back of his head with the pommel of his sword. Jurot fell down, no longer enraged as he tried to cling to consciousness. He failed, passing out before them. Paul turned to face Adam properly, finally viewing him as a worthy threat. ¡®That fist of his is-¡® Attack D20 + 5 = 25 (20) Critical hit! 2D6 + 4 = 14 (4, 6) 14 damage! Paul¡¯s thoughts were quickly cut off. As Jurot had fallen to the ground, having stopped his attack from striking Adam, the half elf had already prepared to strike Paul. When Paul turned to face him, there was already a shadow of a fist approaching his face. Adam punched Paul right in the older man¡¯s mug, partly due to his embarrassment clouding his judgement. Paul managed to tilt his head slightly down to avoid the blow from striking his nose too hard, and Adam¡¯s fist slammed against the man¡¯s hard skull, the ache spreading through his fist like wildfire. Paul stepped away from Adam, and sheathed his sword. He reached up and set his nose back into place, wincing slightly, before looking to the half elf again. ¡°That was quite the hit.¡± ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Adam said, dropping down to check on Jurot. ¡®What¡¯s he doing?¡¯ Paul wondered. Medicine D20 + 1 = 2 (1) Adam checked Jurot¡¯s pulse. He waited. And waited. Still, he felt nothing, not even the slighted throb. ¡°Jurot?¡± came out a panicked gasp from the half elf¡¯s lips. ¡®There¡¯s no way he died again...¡¯ He continued to try and find the Iyrman¡¯s pulse, but there was nothing. ¡°Jurot!¡± Panic set into Adam as he saw the lifeless form of Jurot. ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam grabbed the Iyrman and started to shake him, feeling his own body grow sickly cold. ¡®Again? What? How? How did he manage to die again? Damn it! No! Fuck! Not like this! Jurot!¡± JUROT NOOOOOOO NOT AGAIN! 4. The Test III 4. The Test III He couldn¡¯t believe it. Jurot, dead. Again. Adam hadn¡¯t even managed to go on a quest with the Iyrman yet. ¡®How did he manage to die even quicker than last time?¡¯ His body grew freezing cold. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Paul asked, his voice cutting through Adam¡¯s thoughts. The older man grabbed onto Adam¡¯s wrists, pulling them away from Jurot. ¡°If you keep that up, you¡¯ll snap his neck.¡± ¡°You!¡± Adam glared up into Paul¡¯s eyes, seeing how they stared down at him curiously. ¡°He¡¯s just unconscious,¡± Paul said, raising his brow. ¡°Though if you keep doing whatever you¡¯re doing, then he might really die.¡± He noticed the glare in Adam¡¯s eyes, and wondered why the half elf had been so angry. Adam stared up at Paul in shock, suddenly taken aback by the revelation. ¡®What?¡¯ Constitution Save D20 + 4 = 16 (12) Adam took off his helmet, stumbling towards the side of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He dry heaved in the corner, feeling his chest tighten. Relief set into his body, his cold body slowly growing warm again. [Did you really think Jurot had died again? You really are built differently.] ¡®It¡¯s built different.¡¯ Regardless of what Bell was saying, Adam was still surprised that he had thought that Jurot had died right away. ¡®Did I fail my roll?¡¯ Right, he didn¡¯t have any ability to distinguish that kind of thing yet. ¡®Is there an Appraisal feature?¡¯ Paul watched curiously, wondering what had gotten into Adam. ¡®Did he really think it was that easy to kill an Iyrman?¡¯ Paul paused to think for a moment. ¡®Well, I am pretty strong.¡¯ The Vice Master knelt down and gently shook Jurot awake. ¡°I should have probably aimed somewhere else...¡± Jurot awoke, seeing Paul¡¯s bruised face. Paul smiled down at him, having grabbed Jurot¡¯s axe as it was about to cut into his breastplate. ¡°Did we pass?¡± Jurot asked, vaguely recalling what happened. ¡°With flying colours,¡± Paul said. Third Test Complete +50XP ¡°What happened to your face?¡± ¡°The half elf got me good after you went down,¡± Paul said, helping Jurot up. ¡°Though your team work could have been better, you didn¡¯t fight too poorly.¡± Paul wondered what other magic Adam knew, but since he wasn¡¯t willing to reveal it, he couldn¡¯t ask. ¡®If you weren¡¯t holding back, I wonder what kind of surprise you would have shown me.¡¯ ¡°How did Adam get you?¡± Jurot asked, seeing Paul¡¯s face. That didn¡¯t look like a blow with a sword¡¯s pommel. He recalled how Adam was punching Paul after he had lost his sword. ¡®Losing your weapon during a fight, how atrocious. Wait...¡¯ ¡°He punched your face?¡± Paul nodded. Jurot stared up at Paul, wondering if he was joking. Seeing that Paul wasn¡¯t telling him the punchline, he assumed that the punch was real. He looked over to Adam, who was leaning up against the Adventurer¡¯s Guild building. ¡°What did you do to him?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Paul replied back. ¡°Give him a second.¡± Whatever it was that was bothering Adam, he needed to deal with it. ¡°We¡¯ll do the ranged test once you¡¯re well.¡± Adam looked back to Paul and nodded. ¡°I think I¡¯m alright.¡± Adam grabbed his sword, sheathing it. He caught Jurot¡¯s gaze, and nodded towards the Iyrman. ¡°Good fight.¡± Adam reached out a hand. Jurot shook it, nodding his head back to Adam. ¡°You as well, Adam son of Fate.¡± Paul let them around back, though a thought crossed Adam¡¯s mind. ¡°How come we¡¯re doing the ranged test now? It would have made more sense if we did it before the rock lifting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how adventures go. You need to be able to handle the unpredictability of life when it comes at you.¡± Paul then leaned in. ¡°I think that¡¯s a bunch of bullshit. The original Guild Masters of old made the test long ago and they probably didn¡¯t think too hard about the order.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Retroactive reasoning.¡± Paul nodded as they went to the ranged field. There was someone who had appeared in the short while they had gone, currently throwing daggers at the targets. As they noticed Paul and the newbies, they took the daggers out of the targets and slunk away into the shadows. Everyone could still see them, but it was the intention which was important. ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see how you do when the target isn¡¯t immediately before you.¡± Paul completely ignored the figure watching them, not even explaining them to Jurot and Adam. Jurot grabbed his Javelins, but looked to Adam. ¡°Do you want to go first?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer,¡± Adam said. Jurot had been unconscious not long ago, so it wouldn¡¯t have been fair. ¡°I¡¯m good to use Flame Bolt?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Go ahead, we¡¯ve made the targets fire resistant.¡± ¡°That was quick,¡± Adam joked. ¡°How come?¡± ¡°So many people have Flame Bolt, that it was becoming an issue. Red oak might be slightly resistant to fire, but it has its limits.¡± ¡°Has the guild ever burned down?¡± ¡°Long, long ago.¡± Adam stretched his arms ahead of him. ¡°Alright.¡± He held out his hand, and tried to figure out a cool way to call out his Flame Bolt. He thought about how he had punched Paul in the face, and his Martial Arts feature. He held out his hand, forming a fist with the wizard¡¯s die within it. ¡°Fire Fist.¡± Fire flowed all around his fist, ready to take flight. Attack D20 + 4 = 16 (12) Hit! D6 = 6 (6) 6 fire damage! The fire shot out of his hand, flying towards the target in front of him. It remained in the shape of a fist, until it struck the target towards the centre. ¡°Ho! Pretty good.¡± Paul wrote something down on the paper. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can hit all three?¡± ¡°The half elf knows magic!¡± ¡°Of course he knows magic, he¡¯s an elf.¡± ¡°Only half.¡± tried to ignore the audience. ¡°Fire Fist!¡± ¡°I would love to, but I don¡¯t have a pearl,¡± Adam admitted. Paul placed down the pearl, having waited to see whether or not Adam had his own pearl. He was slowly forming his opinions about the half elf. His armour was new and shiny, and he didn¡¯t seem used to fighting with his sword. He was much better at punching, and his magic was pretty strong. Of course, he could just be having a bad day. ¡®And he didn¡¯t have a pearl to cast the spell. This must be his first journey out of his own village or town? He¡¯s definitely not a noble either, more than likely he¡¯s a commoner, but what kind of commoner gets new chain mail and a longsword?¡¯ Adam took the pearl and tossed it up, feeling its weight. He didn¡¯t really know why he did it, but it seemed like the right thing to do. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Paul asked, having never seen anyone check a pearl the way Adam did. ¡°Nothing.¡± Adam cleared his throat. He removed his helmet and picked up the red oak ring in order to appraise it. ¡°Hmm.¡± He could definitely feel a slightly magical aura coming from it, and he tried to see if there were any engravings on it to see if he could identify it through that. Arcane Lore D20 + 4 = 5 (1) It was completely blank, with nothing which gave up what it was. Yet, for some reason, Adam felt a protective force from it. It was just a feeling. ¡®Probably a Ring of Protection?¡¯ He thought about how cool it would be if he managed to identify it without much effort, but before he opened his mouth to speak, he recalled how he had misdiagnosed Jurot earlier. ¡®I can¡¯t just trust my gut, I need to verify it.¡¯ He placed the ring down on the table and inhaled deeply. He grabbed the pearl in one hand tightly, and the ring in his other hand. He could feel it, the warm sensation of magic running through his veins. His magic formed near his heart, and the arcane power ran though his veins, circling around towards his heart again. He could feel the slightly electric feeling through his finger tips. Adam slowly fell into a zen like state, where it was just the feeling of the power running through his veins keeping him company. Paul remained silent enough to allow Adam the best state of mind, giving him no excuse to fail identifying the object. ¡®He¡¯s definitely got some magic,¡¯ Paul said. ¡®He didn¡¯t try casting anything on me either, otherwise my amulet would have triggered.¡¯ He could feel the amulet glued between his breastplate and his chest, which was still cool. If it had gone off, it would have become warm, and whatever spell which had tried to affect him would have dissipated. Spell (Ritual) Identify Red Oak Storage Ring This ring has a dimensional space of 1 cubic metre. It can hold up to 30 kilograms of items. If the ring is overloaded, it is destroyed, and the contents are spilled forth, unharmed. It cannot store living creatures. ¡°You know,¡± Adam began, trying to figure out how to reveal how much he knew about it, ¡°you have to admire certain inventors and scholars. They invent something, a ring which you can store things, and instead of calling it something like an interspatial or interdeminsional ring, they keep things simple. It¡¯s a ring made of red oak which can store things, a Red Oak Storage Ring. It can hold up 30 kilograms worth of items as long as it can fit into 1 cubic metre.¡± Paul nodded his head. ¡°I have confirmed that you can cast Identify.¡± Paul wrote something down on a piece of paper, and then placed it away. ¡®It¡¯s very rare we have someone who can identify. I wonder if he¡¯d be interested in a deal.¡¯ Insight Check D20 + 1 = 8 (7) Adam wasn¡¯t sure what Paul was thinking deeply about, but he recalled what he had done in his previous life. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve confirmed it, can we talk?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Talk? About what?¡± Paul stared down at the half elf. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°With your Identify spell?¡± Paul wondered if his thoughts had been read, but his amulet was still cool. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll be here to Identify any objects which require it now and again, and you¡¯ll pay me for it.¡± Adam continued to smile politely. ¡°What¡¯s your price?¡± Paul asked, taking the ring and tapping it onto the table. ¡®Ho? It seemed like he had this in mind already?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s the going rate for Identify these days in this town?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The guild has a large need for it, and the time for the wizards is quite precious. They usually charge fifty gold coins.¡± ¡°Fifty gold coins?¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise. ¡°Wow. Well, that does sound about right. A Healing Potion goes for roughly fifty gold, doesn¡¯t it? And it¡¯s about as good as a Cure Wounds.¡± Adam nodded his head, thinking about how the price matched. ¡°How much are you willing to charge?¡± Paul asked. Even if it was fifty gold coins for each item, the fact that they could save some time by going to one of their own, which they could tax too, was preferable. ¡°Let¡¯s call it thirty gold coins for each identify, but I get my own room and as much as I want.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You will also need to provide me with a pearl, and after ten items Identified, I get to keep the pearl too.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that closer to forty gold coins for each casting then?¡± ¡°I only want to own the pearl after the first time. If I lose the pearl, you will provide me with another pearl, but I won¡¯t take it away unless you give it to me.¡± Adam continued to smile. ¡°So it¡¯s forty gold coins for the first ten items, and then thirty gold coins for the items after...¡± Paul continued to tap the ring on the table. ¡°We have to provide you with your own room permanently, and as many meals as you like.¡± Food wasn¡¯t expensive at all, and they had more than enough rooms. ¡®He wants safety and stability as an adventurer? Elves are so weird.¡¯ ¡°Permanently?¡± Adam thought about it. ¡°If one of us wants to break the contract, we¡¯ll need to pay the other party fifty gold coins. I¡¯ll be able to Identify when I¡¯m not busy, unless it¡¯s an emergency and you need something verified that instant.¡± ¡°Sounds quite unreliable,¡± Paul said. ¡°It¡¯s in case I am busy with other matters. If you feel like I¡¯m getting too many benefits and not working hard enough, then you¡¯re free to pay the fifty gold coins and break the contract. If I feel like I¡¯m being swamped with too many requests, I¡¯ll need to save up the coin and I¡¯ll pay the fifty gold.¡± Paul nodded his head. Even if he only identified a handful of items every year, it was always good to have another option available to them. ¡°I¡¯ll have Emma write up the contract.¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ll sign it once I¡¯ve read over it.¡± Adam smiled wider. A roof over his head, food in his stomach, that was all he really needed. However, he wasn¡¯t going to be a laze about who only appraised various magical items, he had so much he wanted to do. ¡°Let¡¯s introduce you to Master Thundersmith then,¡± Paul said as he stood up. ¡°Ah, actually...¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that you¡¯ll get along.¡± Paul frowned slightly. ¡°Why not?¡± Adam raised his brow curiously. ¡°He¡¯s a dwarf,¡± Paul said, as though that explained everything. ¡°...¡± Adam waited for Paul to elaborate. ¡°So?¡± Paul stared at Adam. ¡®Is he an idiot?¡¯ Wait. Paul wouldn''t kill Jurot. Would he? The bromance lives! Spoiler For now. [collapse] Also, I swear I was meant to have this out yesterday, but I was just too tired. I didn''t mean to leave you on a cliff hanger for so long. 5. The Test IV 5. The Test IV First Optional Test Complete +20XP With the test complete, and the deal made, Adam felt a wave of relaxation flow over him. ¡®What a roller coaster of emotion. I meet Jurot, think he¡¯s died before me again, and then I get a place to live and eat so I don¡¯t have to worry about my living...¡¯ He almost shook his head, but was afraid he¡¯d be caught by someone and they¡¯d think he was weird. Paul led Adam back to Emma at the reception. He nodded at her, handing her the piece of paper he had been writing on. She scanned it quickly, writing something on her own piece of paper, before burning Paul¡¯s notes. ¡°You can take him to speak with Master Thundersmith,¡± Paul said. Emma gave Paul a look, which passed along a message. She understood the dynamics between elves and dwarves, and wasn¡¯t sure if Adam would be alright. Paul took the message and nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll check on our Iyrman, see if he¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I see that you did well on your tests,¡± Emma said, smiling politely at Adam. ¡°I think I did fine. I embarrassed myself quite a bit, but I think I earned something back at the end.¡± Adam sighed. Even now, he was still annoyed at himself for failing to pick up those rocks, and for tossing away his sword. ¡®AAAAAH!¡¯ He tried to drown out the embarrassment with internal screaming. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Emma asked, seeing the way his face had scrunched up, as though he had bitten into a raw lemon. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°So, to Master Thundersmith then?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked quite hard today, are you sure you don¡¯t need a rest?¡± Emma asked. Though she was suspicious of Adam, she still was worried about his health, considering he had been accepted into the guild. ¡°I¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯m tougher than I look.¡± Adam flexed slightly, but his chain mail covered his entire body, so it appeared to Emma that he needed to deliver a load. Emma escorted him out of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, leading him through the loud road towards a building not far away from the guild. It was mostly by itself, whereas other buildings were either bunched up right beside each other, or had a couple of metres of space, this building had enough space that another building could be propped up right beside it, and someone would have enough space to lounge around between them. It was made of stone, as one would expect, but it was far smoother than any other building he had seen in the town so far. If someone had told Adam that the building had been transported from Earth, he wouldn¡¯t have questioned it. He could hear the sound of someone striking steel, which reverberated through Adam. It was warm, soothing. ¡°Master Thundersmith?¡± Emma called out. ¡°I have someone I¡¯d like to introduce to you.¡± Emma and Adam remained outside, the woman not daring to step into a dwarf¡¯s forge without being welcomed to. Ting. Ting. Ting. Silence followed. The heavy patter of foot falls approached the thick red oak door, before it opened up to reveal a short, stout fellow. He was as wider than the average man, but far shorter. His beard fell down to his gut, braided at the sides. He had tan skin, and black hair, which was curled down towards his back, being kept tame by a metal ring at the back of his skull. His grey eyes glared at Adam for a moment. He wore dark overalls, and carried in his hand his hammer. It was silver, with bits of green metal woven through it. ¡°An elf? Ya bring to me forge, a leaf ear?¡± The dwarf¡¯s voice was full of venom, ready to kill. His hand gripped his hammer tighter, ready to bash bone instead of steel. Adam raised his brows in surprise. Thundersmith hadn¡¯t been so obviously hostile to him in his last life. ¡°Only half of me was forged by the seed of elves,¡± he said in dwarven. Thundersmith stared at Adam, hand still gripping his hammer tightly. Emma also turned to look at Adam, her receptionist face slipping into utter confusion.Visitt for the latest updates ¡°?¡± ¡®?¡¯ Neither of them had ever been in such a situation before. It was as though an alien had come down and had started to speak about how spears were great weapons to arm the masses with due to how simple and easy they were to use quickly, whereas learning the art of a sword was a little more difficult, and far more expensive for the common man. Yes, it was technically correct, but he was missing the general point that it was a shock that there was an alien which had come down to speak casually with people. Thundersmith blinked once. He blinked again. He shook his head, his beard swaying slightly, before he stared up at Adam. ¡°What in tha salt mother¡¯s tits did ah just hear?¡± He looked to Emma. She had never heard any sort of obscenities ever escape from the dwarf¡¯s mouth, so she was even more shocked. ¡®Master Thundersith cursed, and I just heard a half elf speak dwarven.¡¯ Emma looked to Adam. ¡°You... know dwarven?¡± ¡°Well, yeah.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders casually, staring at the two of them. They continued to stare at him, mouths agape. If they had bet their fortunes on whether Adam could speak dwarven, they would have been on the street begging for copper coins. ¡°What?¡± Emma asked, not yet recovered from the mental blow. ¡°You can speak dwarven?¡± She had to ask again in order to confirm. ¡°Yeah. Why?¡± Adam looked between the pair of them. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Ah heard him right, did ah?¡± Thundersmith looked to Emma, wondering if his young ears had failed him. He was only two hundred years young, not yet able to enter the ancient tombs of his people. ¡°I think you did, Master Thundersmith,¡± Emma replied back, barely able to keep her manners. ¡°An elf?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So,¡± Adam said, finally able to speak once he was done chuckling, ¡°aren¡¯t I meant to be smithing?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Did he really just segue from blasphemy to smithing so casually?¡¯ The pair thought. Emma blinked at him, wondering what she had done to deal with a troublesome one like him. ¡®Is this divine punishment?¡¯ Thundersmith threw a glance towards Emma, looking at her face to judge it. She caught his look and slowly nodded her head. ¡°It seems ah¡¯ll have to.¡± ¡°I hope Master Thundersmith takes into consideration that Adam, though he may be a half elf, is a member of our guild.¡± ¡°Business is business, as long as ya pay tha gold, ya don¡¯t have ta worry about a thing.¡± Thundersmith stood up, placing his hands against his back to help stretch it. ¡°Ya speak dwarven and know how ta smith? That dwarf, he teach ya how to smith as well?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Thundersmith almost fell onto his back, and Emma almost choked on air upon hearing his answer. Did Adam truly exist in their world? Was this all a fever dream? Adam blinked at them, wondering what had happened between the two groups. He tried to form a connection between the hatred of elves and dwarves to parallels with Earth. It didn¡¯t take long for him to make a list of three obvious examples. ¡°So...¡± Adam waited for instructions. ¡°Just... just pick a rod and smith a dagger.¡± Thundersmith waves his hand to dismiss Adam. ¡°Don¡¯t go telling anyone that my good smithy allowed a half elf inside, especially that ah allowed him to use ma forge.¡± He threw a look to Emma. ¡°Confidentiality is our speciality, Master Thundersmith. You of all people should know that.¡± Emma nodded her head. ¡°I will be leaving Adam in your care.¡± Though she wanted to stay, just in case something happened, she had to trust Master Thundersmith, who had been in Red Oak for longer than she had been alive, and she assumed he wouldn¡¯t go and commit murder right near the guild, especially not to one of its members. Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 4 = 10 (6) Adam stripped out of his armour first, since it would be difficult to smith in it, and grabbed a rod from a pile, feeling its weight first. He tossed it up, and felt the way it landed into his hand. ¡®What the hell is he doing?¡¯ Thundersmith wasn¡¯t sure he had ever seen anyone toss a rod to check what it was like. Lift it up? Sure. Check its weight? Obviously. Throw it up and feel how it landed on your palm? Never. Adam then started the grindstone, and once it was up to speed he checked the sparks which flew out once he placed the rod¡¯s edge against it. He was checking to see what kind of alloy he was working with, and figured it was good enough to make a dagger which wouldn¡¯t bend, though it would be slightly brittle. Thundersmith understood his intentions once he saw Adam check the sparks. ¡®So, you actually know how to check the composition of ah¡¯r rods?¡¯ Even if he didn¡¯t want to admit it, it was true that Adam had some skill. Not a lot of skill, just some skill. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 4 = 21 (17) Smithing Check (Dexterity) D20 + 2 = 12 (10) Adam brought the rod to the fire, heating it up until it was the appropriate colour, before pounding it into shape with a hammer. He could already feel the burn of the effort within his forearm, the slightly numbness of his hand, but he tried his best to control his strength. Hitting it too lightly would make this take too long, and hitting it too hard could apply irreversible damage. Thundersmith watched as Adam struck the dagger, forming it¡¯s shape over a long while. He didn¡¯t need anything too spectacular, just something with could be used to show that he had some smithing ability. Adam¡¯s arms were aching by the time he was done with shaping the dagger. He continued to pound the dagger until it was flat, though the blade itself was quite thick towards the base. Adam had formed a handle by twisting the other end of the rod, and he looked at Thundersmith. ¡°A bit of leather would do a lot of good,¡± he said, not enjoying the feeling of the dagger handle. He eventually sharpened the blade against the grindstone, and offered it to the smith, who took it. Thundersmith eyed the dagger up for a moment, before stabbing a wooden block nearby. It was a fairly simple design, and it was of average quality, though the finishing was quite nice. ¡°It¡¯s nah dwarven make, but it¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still too much praise for the likes of me. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to bear such great words.¡± Adam chuckled, bowing his head slightly. Thundersmith was still shocked, unable to contain his surprise. A half elf, showing him respect? ¡®My heart isn¡¯t strong enough to handle this.¡¯ He held out the dagger. ¡°Take it, lad.¡± Adam accepted it, before the dwarf grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something on it quickly. He handed it to Adam and dismissed him with a wave of his hand. He needed to drink himself to sleep, unable to bear with what had happened in the last couple of hours. Thundersmith slammed the door shut behind Adam, who had his armour within his arms. ¡°...¡± ¡®I wonder what he was working on.¡¯ He realised he didn¡¯t see whatever the dwarf had been working on, and there was no evidence he had been working on anything, except for the fact he had heard the smith pounding something with his hammer. ¡®Ah well, guess I¡¯ll ask next time.¡¯ Second Optional Test Complete +20XP What''s wrong with being an elf? 6. My Boy Jack 6. My Boy Jack The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was much more lively in the evening, though it fell to silence the moment Adam stepped inside. The several groups of adventurers stared at the half elf, wondering how that had come to be. They hadn¡¯t heard of half elves coming by, not around here anyway. Adam noticed Jurot, nodding his head towards the Iyrman, before walking to the reception. Emma was currently writing something down, checking and double checking some guild matters, before glancing up to see Adam. ¡°Good evening,¡± Adam said, smiling a playful smile. ¡°Good evening,¡± Emma replied, smiling her receptionist smile. ¡°I see you¡¯re well.¡± ¡°Yeah, Thundersmith didn¡¯t stab me with the dagger I made,¡± Adam said, revealing the dagger, placing it on the counter. He also placed down the letter, which Emma took and scanned quickly with her eyes. ¡°Then allow me to be the first one to congratulate you,¡± Emma said, taking the dagger and putting it aside. ¡°Your tags should be created by the morning.¡± She was confident in her estimations because the letter had said two things. The first was that Adam was okay at smithing, and the second was that Thundersmith needed to sleep before he made the tags, and that they would be handed over a little after dawn. ¡°Great.¡± Quest Complete Join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild +100XP Adam¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment towards the words which appeared ahead of him, enough to cause Emma to notice, but she didn¡¯t mention anything about it. ¡°Tomorrow morning I¡¯ll also explain to you the general rules, what¡¯s expected of you, and the stamp system.¡± She reached down and grabbed a sheet of paper. ¡°However, here is a quick cheat sheet which you can skim through to get a general gist of it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, taking it. He folded it in half as Emma brought out another piece of paper. It was already folded in half, and as Adam opened it up to read, he realised what it was. He did a quick skim through of it as well. ¡°Do you have a pen I could borrow?¡± Emma handed him a quill and some ink, which he used to sign the paper, and handed it over to the guild worker. ¡°Welcome to the guild, Adam,¡± Emma said with a gentle smile. This one was genuine, as it was always exciting to have a new member join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. The other adventurers nearby had heard what she had said, but they weren¡¯t sure how they should respond. Typically, they would raise their glasses in a toast, but Adam was a half elf. They were all raised hearing certain stories about the elves, and so there were many mixed feelings about the matter. Jurot, on the other hand, walked over to Adam. ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said, reaching out a hand. Adam smiled, shaking the young man¡¯s hand. ¡°You too. Looks like we¡¯re both going to have our anniversary on the same day.¡± ¡°I hope everyone can congratulate our newest members together,¡± Emma said, smiling a most terrifying smile towards the other adventurers. They raised their glasses and grumbled something, with a few of them raising their glasses towards Jurot, ignoring the half elf. ¡°You two must be tired. Luckily for you, dinner will be served soon. If you need to head into your room, let me know and I will hand you your key. Whenever you leave the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, you should return the key, so that it isn¡¯t lost. These belong to you permanently, as long as our various deals stand.¡± Though she was speaking about the deals the guild had with both the Iyrmen and Adam, she was looking towards Adam. ¡°The deal with the Iyrmen?¡± Adam asked, having not recalled this in his previous life. ¡°The Iyrmen each have permanent rooms within our guild,¡± Emma said. ¡°All of them?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How many rooms do you have in this guild?¡± Emma couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°We have six available for them at all times,¡± she said. ¡°Usually they move in groups of five, but they might also have a guest with them so we keep an extra one that we keep on hand.¡± ¡°Do you still have six now that I¡¯ve taken one?¡± Adam asked. He didn¡¯t know that the Iyrmen had made such a deal with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but it did make sense. The Iyrmen were a powerful force, and so of course they¡¯d have preferential treatment here. ¡°We just made one of our other rooms unavailable,¡± Emma said. ¡°This has been one of the easier deals.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that I wasn¡¯t too much of a bother.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Well, I think I should probably go have a bath since my armour is already off. Can I get my key?¡± Emma slid it over towards him. The key was fairly small, and had a small red oak keyring with the number 96 etched on it. Adam darted towards his room silently, without anyone hearing him. The cloaked figure from earlier in the day had watched him dash back towards his room, covered in his blanket. ¡®Whoa. He¡¯s a half elf? How is he so jacked? Is he an Iyrman?¡¯ Adam sighed once he was back in his room. He sat down on his bed and dried his clothes using his Flame Bolt, before finally changing into his clothes. He made his way down to the common room, where he saw a large number of adventurers eating and drinking. Some glanced over his way, a few he recognised from earlier in the day. The adventurer who had been constantly sipping alcohol spat out the alcohol he was currently drinking. ¡°How can a half elf be so strongly built?¡± ¡°I thought his name was Adam?¡± ¡°If you say it should be Jack, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°...¡± The other adventurers each eyed him up, trying to gauge his strength. He looked naturally stronger than almost every adventurer here, and so many of them were wondering if they needed to step up to teach him his place. Those thoughts quickly dissipated when Jurot appeared behind him, slapping the half elf¡¯s back. ¡°What a powerful back you have as well!¡± Jurot declared, grinning wide. ¡®I still need to keep an eye on you, so don¡¯t get too far away from me.¡¯ Adam rubbed his back gently, not feeling the intent behind Jurot¡¯s skinship. He glanced at the reception, where there was no longer the pretty face of Emma, and instead an older man. He had short hair, salt and pepper like Paul, and he wore a breastplate too. He seemed to be a hardened adventurer, though Adam didn¡¯t recognise him from his last life. However, he had been briefed about who Adam was, and the deal which had been made. ¡®To think I have to look after an elf...¡¯ Still, he was a guild worker. He noted the mood around the guild, and made sure to emanate a vicious presence out, in case anyone had any bright ideas about starting any bother within the guild. With the warning in place, the adventurers went back to their meals. Some had to swallow their rage with their food and alcohol, whereas others were only slightly interested in Adam and his fey heritage. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Jurot said, his stomach growling moments later as though he had planned it. They both found a bowl and started to pour themselves some meat stew, with vegetables Adam faintly recognised. There was also some bread, which he and Jurot topped up on. He ate silently beside Jurot, glancing between all the adventurers for a moment, before returning to his stew. Jurot, all the while, stared at Adam. ¡°Adam son of Fate, why did you become an adventurer?¡± Adam dipped some of the bread into his stew. ¡°Freedom and gold,¡± Adam replied back. ¡°No. The romanticism of adventure.¡± He smiled. ¡°There are plenty of ways to make gold, but there are things you can only experience as an adventurer.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°There are many ways to make gold, but very few which give you freedom such as adventuring.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also the family aspect to it,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Family aspect? It is difficult for adventurers to have families until they retire.¡± ¡°No, not that kind of family. The family of a party. To leave your back to someone you can trust. You can join the army or the guard, and you can find it there, but then you¡¯re at the whims of a captain and the government, barking at you like you¡¯re a dog. As an adventurer, you can have that, all the while choosing to do as you please.¡± Jurot nodded again. This he understood. A family, like the Iyr. ¡°I hope that you find your family one day.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly, but he felt a coolness within his chest. He looked to the guild worker he had never seen before. Then he recalled how Thundersmith had been so hostile. He looked to Jurot, thinking about how he had gone to the Iyr previously. Suddenly, in this familiarly strange world, he felt all alone. ¡°Me too.¡± I felt kinda down at the end of the chapter. Also, I''m going to try and change the way I do chapters. I''ll be putting out 3 chapters of roughly 2k words daily. There may be a few days where I write more chapters. I just find it easier to write 3 chapters of 2k words, than 2 chapters of 3k words. Don''t ask me how this works. 7. The Terrible Twosome 7. The Terrible Twosome Adam couldn¡¯t taste his meal any longer, and so quickly ate. There was a morsel of doubt which he had consumed with his food, forming a knot within his chest. He excused himself quickly, and Jurot, who had seen the darkness encroach on the half elf¡¯s face, let him go. ¡®Adam son of Fate, your business is your own.¡¯ However, he understood he had his own business too. Adam retired to bed, falling onto it. He did not pull the blanket over himself, instead embracing the coolness of the air, staring at the ceiling. [What are you thinking about?] ¡°Life,¡± Adam said. ¡°In a sense.¡± [What about life are you thinking about?] ¡°The last time I went to the Iyr, it was to bring Jurot home. I was invited by the Iyr because of his death, and assisting in guiding him home. This time I made a bit of a mess with our first interaction, but more importantly... I¡¯m not really wanted in the Iyr, am I?¡± [Do you regret Jurot living?] ¡°Bell, you sure say some stupid shit for a system.¡± [...] ¡°I¡¯m glad he¡¯s alive, but...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°This isn¡¯t a time loop. Things have changed. There are things that I know and things that I don¡¯t know. Jurot looks a little older, and his forehead is tattooed. I assume it¡¯s something about being an Iyrman, but last time the pattern was only on his blanket and his shield. I assume the Iyr is still near enough the same place, but what if it¡¯s changed? What¡¯s all this about elves and dwarves, and elves and orcs? Where¡¯s James? What about George and Fotti? What about Iromin? Since when did he carve statues?¡± [Did he carve statues last time?] ¡°... I don¡¯t know.¡± [...] ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡± [What is the point?] ¡°The friends that I made before. Can I make them again this time? Will Entalia be willing to trust me in this life? What about Joti?¡± Adam reached up to his face, covering his eyes. ¡°Back when I made a deal with Belle, he said I¡¯d be the one to die. But...¡± He shut his eyes tight. ¡°Since this world is so new, doesn¡¯t that mean...¡± [...] ¡°The world that I knew. The people I met. Aren¡¯t they dead too? So am I the only one whose alive?¡± He pressed his fingers tight against his skull, marking his skin red under his fingers. [...] Adam eventually calmed down, sighing. ¡°How much XP do I have?¡± [240XP.] ¡°Oh? That¡¯s quite a lot for one day. You said I could spend experience on acquiring new features? How much is Tricks?¡± [200XP.] ¡°Oh. I should have bought that before I bathed.¡± Adam shook his head. It would have made drying his clothes an absolute breeze, and he didn¡¯t need to dash back to his room. ¡°I¡¯ll buy it.¡± XP 240/240 -> 40/240 Spell Acquired Tricks ¡°Stabilise, Guidance, Flame Bolt, and Tricks.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve covered all the bases.¡± There was still a knot within chest, but he did feel lighter. ¡°I¡¯ve had quite the day today...¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Good night, Bell.¡± [Good night, Jack.] ¡°...¡± When he awoke in the morning, he donned his armour and strapped his blade to his side. He clutched at his arcane focus, which was always within arm¡¯s reach somewhere. His heavy steps revealed his presence to the adventurers in the morning. Many had already finished their breakfast and chosen their quests, others went elsewhere to relax and spend their coin, rather than alongside other brutish and sweaty adventurers. Jurot waved at Adam, sitting in the corner and mid way through his second breakfast. ¡°Adam son of Fate, come.¡± Adam had nothing better to do, so he grabbed a bowl of porridge and a few boiled eggs, before sitting down beside Jurot. He salted and peppered his eggs, and slightly salted his porridge. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am an Iyrman,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Half and half is fair.¡± ¡°I should mention that yesterday I dropped my sword, but it wasn¡¯t the only thing which dropped.¡± Adam winked. Persuasion Check D20 + 4 = 17 (13) Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly, but nodded. ¡°That is true.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Then, let¡¯s sign the contract and get to picking our first quest.¡± The pair signed away their names to the template contract, where Tom first wrote their names in the party members section, had them both sign it, and then confirmed the signing. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve formed a party. Do you have a name in mind?¡± ¡°Half Elf and Iyrman,¡± Adam said as a choke. ¡°Iyrman and Half Elf,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°It was a joke,¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot. ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯re calling ourselves such a boring name.¡± ¡°There is no need to think too deeply about our name,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We should spend less time thinking of a name, and more time picking a quest.¡± ¡°A name is what we go by. You have pride in the name Jurot, don¡¯t you? Ju of the Rot family, Jurot son of Surot. Isn¡¯t this the same?¡± ¡°In a way,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Then let¡¯s pick something which embodies us both. Something like...¡± ¡°Muscle and Elf.¡± Adam almost choked on air. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Elf and Muscle?¡± ¡°Still no.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This is much harder than I expected.¡± ¡°Something cool, like...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The Two...¡± He had a word he wanted to say, but he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted it to be associated with him. ¡®This really is harder than I expected.¡¯ Tom watched the two of them think of a name right in front of the reception. ¡°Immortal Duo,¡± Adam said. ¡°Immortal Duo?¡± ¡°We will be immortalised once people hear of our deeds, our stories.¡± At first, Jurot had thought perhaps Adam had a bigger ego than he, but as he heard the reasoning, he slowly nodded along. ¡°Our stories will be told for generations!¡± ¡°Until the end of days,¡± Adam said, smiling. Tom had gone through quite some harsh training to become a guild worker. He had to learn how to use a variety of weapons. He recalled having fought Paul until he was half dying countless times. He was beaten to a pulp repeatedly. He had to learn hundreds of rules to recite back at the drop of a pin. Due to all his training, he was able to stop his face from cringing at their terrible name. ¡°I¡¯ll write that down, shall I?¡± Tom asked, keeping his voice even, not giving anything away. ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied. ¡®Oh, by the gods...¡¯Discover new chapters at novelhall.com 8. Bread and a Snack 8. Bread and a Snack ¡°Allow me to explain to you how to take quests,¡± Tom said, having just recovered from the mental damage. ¡°You may choose any quest your rank allows for. Once you¡¯ve chosen your quest, inform the person at the reception about the quest you want to take. Once we¡¯ve confirmed that you are able to take the quest, we will give you a small tag to place on the quest on the wall to show that someone has claimed it.¡± Tom revealed a small wooden tag with a copper coloured symbol. Adam turned to Jurot. ¡°What do you think? Which quest should we take?¡± ¡°You¡¯re letting me pick?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Why not? I don¡¯t really mind what we pick, but I might choose something you don¡¯t like.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders casually. Seeing that Adam was giving him the power to choose, Jurot stepped up towards the large wall littered with posters. Adam stood near him, making sure everyone else saw how he was standing beside an Iyrman, just in case they had any ideas. ¡®It¡¯s probably not just elves and dwarves. I feel like there are some humans who don¡¯t like elves either. I should probably figure out why soon.¡¯ He had felt the way some people looked at him, and had thought there was something odd going on. Jurot tapped a posted his solid finger. ¡°This one,¡± he said. ¡°Boar Hunting,¡± Adam said. ¡°Offers at least three gold per boar, not bad.¡± ¡°It depends on how big the boar is. Larger boars also come with larger tusks, which the guild takes into consideration, not just the meat.¡± ¡°Right, for alchemy and stuff?¡± ¡°Right, for alchemy and stuff.¡± Jurot nodded, wondering if he had made the right decision in teaming up with the half elf. ¡°We¡¯ll take the Boar Hunting quest,¡± Adam said, approaching Tom. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that you are able to take the quest,¡± Tom said, handing over a tag with a copper symbol. The copper symbol meant that a part was tackling the quest, but it didn¡¯t give any specifics beyond it. ¡°Usually, when you fail a quest you might need to pay a fee. However, Copper Rank quests don¡¯t have such a stipulation, unless under certain circumstances when you¡¯ll be told.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Let me grab my stuff and we can head out,¡± Adam said, tossing the tag to Jurot as he went to go and grab his pack. Jurot raised his brow, wondering why Adam needed to go and grab his pack as they were only going a few miles away. Quest Boar Hunting Reward 50XP Adam, on the other hand, knew how it was for life to turn to hell within the span of a few seconds. ¡®Best to be prepared,¡¯ he thought, grabbing his pack and hoisting it onto his back. He placed a few items into the warddrobe, since he didn¡¯t need everything, but he took most of his adventuring gear with him. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Adam said, fully adorned in heavy chain mail, a blade at his side, a shield on his back, a pair of hand axes within arm¡¯s reach, his pouch, and his large backpack. He was like a child about to go on a school trip, except it was a trip which could easily kill him if he let down his guard. ¡°...¡± Jurot turned, wordless. He led Adam out the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and followed the road towards the centre of town. The Iyrmen watched as Jurot and the half elf followed the road towards the centre, one of them soon entering the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He caught Tom¡¯s eye, who then invited him around back. ¡°Keep an eye on the half elf,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°There¡¯s something up with him.¡± ¡°I will take that into consideration,¡± Tom said. ¡°However, there¡¯s only so much we can do, even for you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just asking you to keep an eye on him. If something happens to Jurot, please let us know.¡± ¡°We will, of course.¡± Tom nodded. The Iyrmen weren¡¯t sure about Adam as of yet. There was something off about him, but they couldn¡¯t quite place it. ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said as Jurot tried to veer off towards the main road to leave the town. ¡°There¡¯s something we need to do.¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°What?¡± Jurot turned back to look at him. ¡°Did you leave behind something?¡± ¡°No, no, nothing like that.¡± Adam continued to look around, trying to spot someone. He clasped his hands together. ¡°I just need a little assist for this first.¡± Spell Guidance D3 = 3 (3) Perception Check D20 + 2 + 3 = 20 (15) His eyes scanned along the town before he found a young boy. He had dirt all over his face, and wore ragged clothing. His hair was dark, a dirty dirt blonde, but there was something more to him. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, isn¡¯t that right Jurot?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°You as well, Adam, Jurot.¡± She smiled at them. She had hoped they came around more often, even if she couldn¡¯t charge them exorbitant prices. Adam waved a goodbye, leaving first. Jurot nodded his head in her general direction and followed after him. As they stepped outside, Adam smirked. He handed Jurot a bun, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Jurot didn¡¯t say anything, instead he grabbed the bun and bit into it. ¡®Soft. Thick. The bun is pretty good too.¡¯ ¡°Do you understand now?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Some bread and a snack for me,¡± Jurot said. Jurot¡¯s thoughts fell away from his control for a moment. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get to hunting.¡± Adam chuckled. He touched the bag with the jam buns, cooling them using Tricks so that it would still be fine later on. ¡®Should have probably thought about that.¡¯ Jurot continued to lead them as they ate the soft and fluffy bread. His thoughts soon came back to the task at hand, stepping with confidence as they approached the gate. There they saw a pair of guards, the same guards Adam had seen previously. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the young man from yesterday,¡± Marie said, smiling down at Adam. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the beautiful Marie, and her beautiful sister, Mary.¡± ¡°The cheek! You can¡¯t be saying that to guards.¡± ¡°My mother didn¡¯t raise no liar,¡± Adam said. ¡°What do you think, Jurot? You¡¯re an Iyrman, you can¡¯t lie.¡± Jurot nodded, but didn¡¯t say more. ¡°You see?¡± ¡°Right, right. Well, off to adventure are we?¡± Mary spotted the tags. ¡°Both of you are new, huh? I didn¡¯t expect you to have three stamps already.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m very talented.¡± ¡°Do you have your copper?¡± ¡°That I do,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Enough to head on back.¡± ¡°Well good luck to the pair of you, though I¡¯m not sure you need it, Jurot was it?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°If you come across anything too dangerous, make sure you run away. A bit of gold isn¡¯t worth your life, alright?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no dishonour in running when you¡¯re a Copper Rank adventurer, you hear?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Are you sure? You¡¯re not going to tell me that you aren¡¯t a coward, and that nothing can take you on, it¡¯s just a Copper Rank quest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fan of living,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°If I wanted to die, I¡¯d have chosen another way than to die to a few boars.¡± ¡°Boars are quite touch, so be careful. If you come across one which is too big to handle, just toss some rations and run back here.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, whose face was blank. He hadn¡¯t replied to the women when they were talking about running away. ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll be heading out now. Come on, Jurot.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better come back safe and sound!¡± the guard sisters shouted after them as they left. ''Did you really just set off our death flags?'' Mary and Marie out here trying to kill our protagonists... 9. Horny Boar Slaying 9. Horny Boar Slaying ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked as he followed Jurot along the large road out towards the forest. ¡°What do I think about what?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Mary and Marie. How do they compare to Pam?¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but smirk at Jurot. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Jurot remained looking ahead, deep in thought. ¡°I think you need to find yourself a woman.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your mind is full with women.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a health young man, of course my mind is full with women.¡± ¡°Is it full with women when you draw your sword? Is that why it slips?¡± ¡°That might be why, yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I think Pam is prettier,¡± Jurot said, eventually. ¡°I thought so.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Jurot couldn¡¯t help but feel he had been trapped by Adam in some way. However, he had already thought too much, so he let the thought fall away. Silence encompassed them both as they approached the forest. ¡°Have you hunted boar often?¡± Adam asked, wondering if there were any boars near the Iyr. ¡°Many times. We hunt boars once a year as a family,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Once you turn eight, you may join your family on the yearly hunts. I have slain a few recently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool. I¡¯ll have to follow your lead then. Any tips?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die. Kill it.¡± Jurot was entirely sincere in his response. It was the typical response of an Iyrman. Someone would eventually learn how to slay something when they face it, and so what were the use of tips? Adam nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll use my Flame Bolt on it from afar until it gets into range. Is that alright?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about how we kill it. We will make plenty of gold regardless of how we slay it, as long as we don¡¯t completely ruin it.¡± ¡°Do we get a bonus for bringing it back without much damage?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Bringing it back will give us plenty of gold. Whatever bonus we receive for its quality is minimal in comparison.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As they approached the forest, Jurot stopped often to check the ground and the bushes. He was looking for something which gave him any hints of a boar having been here recently. Adam waited for him to do his business, as he didn¡¯t have many ways he could assist. The forest sounds accompanied them as Jurot led them in, the sounds of birds tweeting in the distance, the branches swaying, the sound of chain jingling and jangling. Every so often Adam would step on a twig, which would give up their position to anything further away, but Jurot didn¡¯t say anything about it. He understood that people couldn¡¯t be as well footed as he, an Iyrman. ¡°Boar tracks,¡± Jurot said, pointing to the ground. Survival Check D20 + 1 = 7 (6) Adam looked down at the tracks and blinked. ¡°If you say so.¡± ¡°Fresh. No more than two hours old.¡± ¡°Must be an early riser. Is that normal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t die. Kill it.¡± Adam grabbed his die in one hand, just in case. As they made their way back, Adam remained on high alert. His eyes flashed from tree to tree, from the ground to the sky. His fingers twitched, at the ready to draw his blade should he need to. ¡®This must be the first time he has been out. He sounds so wise, but does not act like it.¡¯ Jurot would sometimes glance back towards Adam, seeing the way the half elf was so tense. ¡®Being low level isn¡¯t fun at all...¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes continue to glance from here to there, glancing everywhere. ¡®Jurot died just like this last time. I need to make sure we¡¯re okay this time, even if means abandoning the boar and coming back empty handed. No bear is going to kill him this time, regardless of how terribly punny its name is.¡¯ "Jurot, I''m serious. If a bear or two appears, we drop the boar and run. There''s no need to die to a bear. We can''t die to anything less than a dragon, otherwise I won''t be able to rest in peace!" Adam grew colder and colder, a sense of dread taking root deep within him. ¡®Where are you, you bastard?¡¯ ¡®Coward¡¯s talk,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®I need to stay with him. Adam son of Fate, what are your motives?¡¯ ¡°Jurot?¡± Jurot replied with a short grunt, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure if it was a commitment to what he said. ¡®Don¡¯t be like that, Jurot...¡¯ The half elf sighed, hoping that Jurot had taken his words to heart. ¡°Won¡¯t it be cool if your story ended by facing a dragon rather than a bear?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s survive long enough so that we can face a dragon and live, alright? Hell, a dragon might not be a good enough story...¡± Adam continued to glance all around them. ¡°...¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was talking about. He wanted to run away from a bear to slay a dragon? ¡®You¡¯re a strange one.¡¯ They finally came across the stone of the road, and could see the stone of civilisation not too far away. Adam¡¯s shoulders dropped and he let out a sigh of relief, though kept glancing back towards the forest as they left. Adam wasn¡¯t sure how many hours had passed, but he was sure it was more than just two or three hours. When they approached the gate, they saw that the shifts had changed to another set of guards. ¡°Isn¡¯t that them?¡± ¡°Right. Iyrman and cheeky chain boy.¡± ¡°Ho! Seems you¡¯ve made it in one piece!¡± The guard waved towards them. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam shouted back. ¡°I expected as much,¡± a guard said. ¡°If you¡¯re with an Iyrman, chances are high that you¡¯ll come back safe and sound.¡± ¡°Unless you feel like dying a glorious death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure dying to a boar is glorious,¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°How¡¯s the shift?¡± ¡°Not bad, not bad.¡± The guards looked at the boar. They noted the wounds on the creature. ¡°It¡¯s a little burnt, and there¡¯s a bit of a gash, maybe from a javelin?¡± ¡°The killing blow though,¡± the other guard said, pointing to the wound near the neck. ¡°A sword.¡± The guards noticed that Adam was the only one with a sword. They looked to Jurot. ¡°Did he kill it?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Well now!¡± The guard nodded his head. ¡°Good job! I didn¡¯t expect someone to outshine an Iyrman on their first quest.¡± ¡°Thank you, but Jurot would have been fine without me.¡± Adam smiled, reaching down towards his pouch to get his gate fee. He looked to Jurot, whose hands were busy. ¡°I¡¯ll pay your gate fee since it¡¯s awkward for you.¡± ¡°No need,¡± a guard said. ¡°Iyrmen don¡¯t need to pay the gate fee in Red Oak.¡± ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not stupid enough to charge them.¡± Adam felt as though there was something more than that, but he just nodded. Currency 7CP -> 6CP ¡®Looks the Iyrmen have some tax free incentives. I should become an Iyrman too.¡¯ Just a bit of banter between the lads before some brotime. 10. Quest Complete 10. Quest Complete The walls of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild invited them in, the warmth spreading out towards them. Their sense of accomplishment helped quicken their steps as they approached the desk. Emma blinked at Adam and Jurot, seeing the boar over his shoulders. ¡°Welcome back,¡± she said, flashing her practised smile. ¡°I see you¡¯ve managed to complete your first quest.¡± Adam smiled, throwing up a thumbs up. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I will complete the transaction,¡± Emma said, looking at the boar. ¡°Will you please bring it around back?¡± She grabbed some paper and led them to the room behind, which was quite large, and made completely from thick stone. There were a few wooden columns in the centre, though they were covered in notes. Around the place were a few weapons too of various disrepair. Some were fine, whereas other weapons were completely chipped and ruined. There was a large stone table, and a few stools around to sit on. Emma waved her hand towards the table where Jurot lay the boar. He cracked his neck and stretched his shoulders, feeling the gentle ache. Emma leaned in towards the boar, reaching out with the back of her pen to follow a line she had drawn in her mind. She circled around it, writing down some notes on her paper. She leaned in close towards the tusks, and then towards where it had been wounded. Her eyes fluttered for a few moments as she calculated everything together. ¡°I have confirmed that you have completed the quest. Do you wish to keep a portion of the meat?¡± ¡°A small portion,¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot. ¡°What do you think?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I want to eat it for dinner.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be eating well tonight and tomorrow morning,¡± Emma said. ¡°I¡¯ll send Margh the news.¡± ¡®Oh, right. Margh! I knew someone was missing.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll portion some of the meat for you. If you¡¯d like, you can ask Margh to cook it separately on the grill. We have a few herbs that you¡¯ll be able to use as well, since you¡¯ve taken a quest which allows the guild to feed its members.¡± Emma smiled, making sure they understood that they would be rewarded properly for helping the guild out with a boring quest. ¡°That sounds good! I should go and get some butter too.¡± Adam nodded, thinking about grilled boar meat. He hadn¡¯t tasted it before, but butter and some herbs would make most things taste good. ¡°The boar you have slain will earn you twelve gold total, this includes the price for the meat, the tusks, and the bounty for slaying it.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. He was glad to make so much gold in one go. Of course, it wasn¡¯t like he was going to be able to swim in the gold, and in reality it wasn¡¯t that much, but since he had very few bills, it meant he could steadily earn coin and create a pot for his savings for emergencies. Emma brought them to the front desk once again. She prepared the coin for them, as well as their stamps. Quest Complete Boar Hunting XP Gained +50XP 70XP -> 120XP Stamps Gained +1 3 -> 4 Currency Gained +5GP +4SP 14GP, 6SP -> 19GP, 10SP Adam beamed with a sense of achievement as the two of them passed their first quest together. He looked to Jurot with a large smile on his face. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, quickly casting Tricks on the jam buns to make them warm, before handing one to Jurot. Jurot stared at the jam bun for a moment before accepting it. He waited for Adam to take a bite, but then ate it once Adam started to eat it. It was warm, soft, and tasted fairly fresh still. ¡®How can it be so warm? Why is it not that stale?¡¯ Jurot continued to eat it until it was done, not even thinking about whether it could be poisoned. Adam finished it too, tasting how warm and sweet it was. ¡°After we finish a hard day at work, shouldn¡¯t we reward ourselves?¡± Adam said innocently. ¡°Next time, let¡¯s head to the bakery so we can order it fresh.¡± Adam wiggled his brows towards Jurot, before putting his helmet back on, feeling the gaze on his ears. ¡°Making two trips is inconvenient,¡± Jurot said, licking his lips to finish tasting all the jam. ¡°That¡¯s true, though isn¡¯t it worth it if we can order from the baker fresh?¡± Adam¡¯s voice remained as innocent as it could. ¡®Order from the baker...¡¯ Jurot thought about it for a moment, spending as much time as most Iyrmen did thinking. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam chuckled, shaking his head slightly. ¡°What quest should we take tomorrow?¡± Jurot blinked at the half elf. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will find someone through the guild,¡± Emma said as she sighed. She reached up to rub her brow. ¡®These two are too reckless. Just how much trouble are you intending to bring to the guild?¡¯ ¡°Then we¡¯ll leave it to the dependable guild,¡± Adam said, smiling at Emma. He could understand why Emma was currently annoyed by what he had said, and he had to make sure he took her concerns on board. ¡®If a guild worker, who knows how strong we are, tells us to be careful with something...¡¯ He didn¡¯t want this life to end so quickly. With that, Adam went up to bathe. As he did, the other adventurers watched him. One almost stood up, but their partner pulled them down. ¡°Calm down, idiot,¡± she whispered. ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± She pulled him back down. Adam bathed quickly and ate even quicker. Since they had slain the boar, they had a few extra slabs of meat. He didn¡¯t spend much time savouring it since he could feel the intense glares of other adventurers with his helmet off. ¡®Damn, they really don¡¯t like half elves...¡¯ Adam quickly returned to his room, saying a quick good night to Jurot. He didn¡¯t want to aggravate the others too much. ¡®I should eat earlier, or maybe later?¡¯ He sighed. He dropped onto his bed and stretched. ¡°Bell, show me how much XP I need to buy another trick.¡± [You can buy another trick for 400XP.] ¡°Whoa, so much?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°How much do I have?¡± [120XP.] ¡°Wasn¡¯t it only 200XP last time?¡± [Yes.] ¡°...¡± [It has increased because you already have plenty of tricks at this level.] ¡°So does that mean my next trick will be cheaper once I level?¡± [The price will return to 200XP once you level.] ¡°I see. So the higher levelled I become, then the cheaper things become? Or is it just that it resets the price?¡± [Yes.] ¡°Yes to both?¡± [Yes.] ¡°Huh. Makes sense...¡± Adam wondered if he should try for another trick. ¡°How much to level up?¡± [1000XP.] He whistled. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s a lot. Alright, well...¡± He took a moment to think. ¡°A trick might be nice, but the level would give me more health, won¡¯t it?¡± [Your health will increase by 13.] ¡°Double...¡± He clicked through his teeth. ¡°I think I should wait for that then. The extra health will be too useful, and I will be able to learn new spells. Or should I pick the greater martial abilities?¡± Adam yawned. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll think about it when I have enough XP. Good night, Bell.¡± [Good night, Adam.] 11. Seeing Double 11. Seeing Double ¡°Wait, 1000XP? You mean 1000 big ones?¡± Adam said as he woke up, sitting up in his small guild room. The light of dawn was already peeking in through the small window above. [That¡¯s right.] ¡°That¡¯s crazy...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°With that much XP, shouldn¡¯t I be closer to Level 3? [You were warned earlier.] ¡°I guess, but still...¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°Damn. That¡¯s a lot of XP...¡± He had thought to take it fairly easy, but if it really did require double the amount of experience to level up, he might have to work a little harder. ¡°Isn¡¯t my third life meant to be full of fun and hot babes?¡± He decided to wash away his depression, taking an extra bath early on. He made it even hotter than typical, and he lay there, like a chicken being cooked in the foamy water. The soap at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was extremely basic, so he couldn¡¯t enjoy the nice smells of the soap he used to use in his first life. ¡®I should make a soap business...¡¯ He thought about how difficult it would be to make soap. ¡®No, wait. Couldn¡¯t I use Tricks?¡¯ He put the thought into the back of his mind. Adam made his way down, wearing his chain mail and his helmet. He didn¡¯t want to bring too much attention to the fact he was an elf right away in the morning, though it would give him a different type of attention. In the corner he saw Jurot, who was currently tearing into some boar meat. The Iyrman saw Adam and nodded his head. He continued to chew on the boar meat. ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam said, taking a seat opposite the meat devouring Iyrman. ¡°Are you healed up?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied after finishing the bit of meat in his mouth, before returning to devouring more meat. ¡°Ready to hunt some boar?¡± Adam asked, glancing over to see some bread and soup on offer. He didn¡¯t see Margh anywhere, and realised he hadn¡¯t seen her since he had been reborn. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied after Adam had returned with some food. It was rude to reply when one was eating meat after all. Adam removed his helmet, noticing the various looks once he did, but tried to ignore them. He dipped the bread into the stew before eating it. There was the boar meat, as expected, but also a few hard vegetables which had softened slightly. Once they had finished breakfast, Tom walked over to them. ¡°I had heard you were looking for some assistance with your quest?¡± He looked at Jurot and Adam curiously. He had sworn they had finished a quest the day before, but they were apparently going on another quest? ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head at the receptionist. ¡°We¡¯ve hired two porters for you, so they should be here soon. The fee for setting it up is two silver coins, to be paid before you leave.¡± ¡°Might as well do that now,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pouch. Currency 6SP -> 4SP ¡°I will pay half,¡± Jurot said, reaching into his own pouch to pay a single silver piece. He was a man with his own pride. Currency 4SP -> 5SP Adam put on his helmet once he was done eating, and went out to stretch his legs after eating. Jurot followed him, though they found two well built men approaching the guild, carrying a palanquin made of thick wood, not red oak, though it appeared to be quite sturdy and could easily carry a few boars. The two men were near identical, both tall and strongly built, like a labourer rather than a fighter, with dark eyes. They wore labourer¡¯s clothes, but carried with them several javelins strapped to their sides, a dagger near their belt, a staff on their back, a helmet and a small shield. When they saw Jurot, they dropped down the palanquin. ¡°Are you Jurot?¡± one asked removing his helmet to reveal his dark hair, which was partly brown and partly red like a conker. ¡°I am Jurot son of Surot!¡± Jurot exclaimed loudly, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest in pride. ¡°Jeremiah,¡± the man said, extending a hand. ¡°Jeremy,¡± the other man said. ¡°My friends call me Remy.¡± ¡°My friends call me Jeremy,¡± Jeremiah said. Jurot shook their hands. ¡°This is Adam son of Fate,¡± he said, motioning to Adam. Adam shook their hands as well, feeling their strong grip. ¡°Your nicknames are a little awkward,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°We get that a lot,¡± Jeremiah admitted. ¡°Even though we look like, we¡¯re actually not twins.¡± Jeremy smiled. ¡°Really?¡± Adam said, looking between the pair. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 5 (3) ¡°You both look the same to me. If you told me you were twins, I¡¯d believe it.¡± Jurot reached up and pointed towards their faces. ¡°They¡¯re different,¡± he said, confidently. He and Jurot would both eat the same bread as the tread the same path. ¡°Should we only do hunting and slaying quests for the first few months?¡± Adam asked as they ate the bread and the cousins ate their tarts. ¡®First few months?¡¯ Jurot finished his bread before answering. ¡°I like to fight. Do you wish to slay boars daily?¡± ¡°Until we gain more experience, then we can slay bears and other creatures too.¡± ¡°Daily?¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°Maybe. It depends on how you¡¯re feeling. If we get bored, we can switch it up to something else. I don¡¯t have many skills which can assist in hunting down creatures, but I can fight.¡° He could also Identify, but that would leave Jurot lonely. ¡®What is this guy talking about?¡¯ Remy looked to his cousin, Jeremy. ¡®Did he say he wanted to slay creatures daily?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s a psychopath!¡¯ ¡®We should be careful around him.¡¯ ¡®Does he want to adventure every day too?¡¯ ¡®Seems like it.¡¯ ¡®Without a break?¡¯ ¡®Seems like it.¡¯ ¡®Does he wish to visit Lord Sozain?¡¯ ¡®Seems like it.¡¯ ¡®Wow.¡¯ ¡®Those tarts were nice thought.¡¯ ¡®That was really nice of him¡¯ ¡®Well, maybe he¡¯s a nice guy after all?¡¯ ¡®Seems like it.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll be slaying a few boars today,¡± Adam said, turning back to look at the cousins, who were still formulating their opinions about the half elf. ¡°We¡¯ll be trusting in you to carry them back. If we manage to kill a few hundred, we¡¯ll carry a few too,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly. ¡°Understood!¡± the pair replied back, exchanging another glance. ¡®Do you think he¡¯ll really try to kill that many boars?¡¯ ¡®I believe it.¡¯ Jurot led the way forward as he had done so the previous day. As they approached the forest, the cousins showed how in sync they were. Whenever there was a small drop or climb, the two of them would move, stop at the perfect distance to allow the other person to catch up or push ahead, and then continued along. Jeremy, who took the front of the palanquin, kept his eyes on the trail. Remy, who was at the back, looked around every so often to make sure nothing was creeping up on them. Their priorities were their life first, their job second. ¡°Boar tracks,¡± Jurot said not long after they had entered the forest. ¡°Smaller than the one we faced yesterday. They¡¯re fresh.¡± ¡°The more the merrier, I say.¡± Adam didn¡¯t even bother looking at the tracks, instead looking back to the cousins. ¡°Ready to work?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Adam donned his shield to his arm, grabbing his die in the same hand. The cousins held the palanquin still, ready to place it down if they were in danger. A palanquin was expensive, but their lives weren¡¯t so cheap. As they crept onward, Jurot motioned a hand for them to stop. He pointed to an area ahead of them, and through the trees, they could see a brown and grey shape moving. ¡°Let¡¯s do it,¡± Adam whispered. Jurot kept his hand up, shaking his head. ¡°There¡¯s more than one.¡± They''re already sus of Adam. I wonder how they''ll react when they find out he''s a half elf... At least he bought them some dessert =) 12. Boars, More 12. Boars, More As Adam waited, he could see how the colours passed the trees, before another set of brown and grey appeared, moving in the same direction. ¡°Two?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. Adam turned back to the cousins. ¡°Drop the ¡®quin and grab your javelins.¡± ¡®Did he say ¡®quin to be cool?¡¯ ¡®Seems like it.¡¯ The pair accepted the task, gently placing down their palanquin silently, before grabbing the javelins at their side. They each had three javelins, though one would have been their preferred amount. Adam turned from looking at them to looking at Jurot, only to find him gone, vanished out of existence. It was like he had never existed the first time. ¡®What?¡¯ He blinked, half thinking the Iyrman had been a figment of his imagination. He looked around, only spotting Jurot further ahead, stalking the boars like a panther. He had donned his shield on his left hand, but held out a javelin in his right. Adam blinked. ¡®Wow, did he really leave me along to go and fight the boars without me?¡¯ He stepped forward, hearing the gentle jangling of his armour, before stopping. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 10 (9) Jurot gripped his javelin tight in his vice grip, thinking about whether to rage. ¡®No, there is no need.¡¯ He had given the others enough time to prepare, and so he tossed the javelin with all his might. The javelin whistled through the air, striking a boar square in its hind leg, causing it to squeal. The squeal marked the moment when they could no longer prepare. Jurot returned to Adam, though was followed closely by the two boars charging after him. Attack D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 9 (4)(1) 9 damage! Adam readied himself as two more javelins whistled past him, though one of them barely missed his helmet, causing him to duck aside slightly. ¡°Sorry,¡± one of the cousin¡¯s said, though he wasn¡¯t sure which. One javelin struck a tree nearby, splintering the wood, whereas the other struck against the wounded boar¡¯s side. The boar squeal wildly in pain, and stumbled over it as it continued its charge. Adam, seeing that the boars were already close, and with the fear of Jurot falling in combat against the boars, leapt forward, drawing his sword. Adam skewered the boar as it charged forward, his blade piercing through the skull and falling out the other end. ¡°Ra!¡± Adam exclaimed like a savage beast, feeling his heart pound. There was something about being on the receiving end of a charge which filled a man with vigour and a touch of fright. Just a touch. The other boar shifted its momentum towards Adam, aiming to gorge this man of metal. Adam pulled his sword, carrying the dead boar with it, but then side stepped as he let the dead boar slip, tripping the charging boar. He had wanted to use the dead boar a shield, but realised they didn¡¯t want to damage the boar too much, otherwise their pay would be affected by the poor quality. Jurot drew his axe in a fluid motions, hacking into the back of the boar, before stepping around it so it couldn¡¯t flee. He didn¡¯t feel the need to rage at the moment, as Adam was the one who was currently taking its attention. Attack D20 + 5 = 18 (13) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 8 (3)(1) 8 damage! Two more javelins flew past Adam again, though only one of them found purchase in the creature¡¯s side. The poor creature cried out in pain as the javelin struck through from one side to the other. Adam winced slightly, hoping that he could put it out of its misery. Taking a blow from both Jurot and another, and yet still not falling? What a tough little thing. With a heavy blade in his hand, Adam pierced through the boar¡¯s skull, pushing through to the other side. This time he saw the life fade from the creature¡¯s eyes as it slumped, dead. He pulled his blade out, seeing the red of the blood and the bits of brain matter. ¡®Eugh.¡¯ Victory! Boars +40XP XP 120 -> 160 He wiped his blade on the grass nearby, trying to clean it. All the while, the two porters began their real work. They grabbed their javelins, and Jurot went to grab his too, before they placed the boars into the palanquin. ¡°That was easier than I expected,¡± Adam said, using his Tricks to clean his blade properly. ¡°We can slay some more,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Did anyone get hurt?¡± Adam asked, glancing around at them all. ¡°No,¡± Remy said. ¡°We kept out of the way.¡± Jeremy and Remy exchanged high fives between one another. Jurot shook his head. ¡°We were fortunate.¡± ¡°I guess we can slay more then. I didn¡¯t really spend any magic during that fight either.¡± ¡®Magic?¡¯ The cousins looked at him. ¡°I will find more tracks,¡± Jurot said, also unfulfilled by this fight. The boars had been smaller than the boar from the previous day, and were in no way fun to slay. Once the porters were done pulling up the boars, they lifted up their palanquin with ease, huffing slightly. ¡°It¡¯s the first week of First Dawn, but during the second and third weeks, the undead begin to rise.¡± Adam continued to blink at Jurot behind his helmet. ¡°I see...¡± He had no idea what Jurot was talking about. ¡®The undead rise? I don¡¯t remember this. Well, except for that one time...¡¯ Yet as he thought about what Jurot said. ¡°The undead rise yearly during the second and third weeks?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When did you leave the Iyr?¡± ¡°A month ago, before the Beast Wave.¡± ¡°Right. A month ago. Before the...¡± Adam blinked again. He shook his head. ¡°Did you say Beast Wave?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam kept blinking. His brain kept restarting, as though his brain was crashing with every word coming from Jurot¡¯s lips. ¡°Right, uh...¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what he should ask about. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but he wasn¡¯t sure where he should start. ¡°Anyway, your mother... did she...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to ask this politely. ¡°Did she... eat more food before you left the Iyr?¡± Jurot squinted his eyes to think. ¡°Yes. Mother made sure to build herself stoutly for strength! She said she needed to recently in order to bear the hope of the future.¡± He nodded his head. Adam chuckled. ¡°I see. Right. How about we go and slay a boar and offer it to your mother?¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°That is a good idea.¡± ¡°Should we go soon?¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°No. We will be needed to deal with the undead.¡± Adam wondered how he could get Jurot to take him to the Iyr. ¡°What about clearing up the undead on the way to the Iyr?¡± It was the best logic he had. ¡®Come on, Jurot...¡¯ ¡°We can do that,¡± Jurot replied. ¡®Adam son of Fate, why are you so eager to go to the Iyr?¡¯ He paused for a moment, staring into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°There are small village communities on the way to the Iyr. Usually a few Iyrmen are sent to assist.¡± ¡°Then we can support them on the way, and celebrate the fact you¡¯ve become an adventurer.¡± ¡°A Copper Rank adventurer is no high feat for an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam leaned in. ¡°Perhaps not to an Iyrman, but isn¡¯t that only because you were born in the right place at the right time? Random villagers would find it difficult. Are you telling me that Jurot son of Surot won¡¯t even return to his home to pay his gratitude to his family for raising him so well now that he¡¯s taken the first step to being a great warrior?¡± Persuasion Check D20 + 4 = 18 (14) Jurot pursed his lips together and looked aside, slightly ashamed with how Adam had put it. ¡°I should return to the Iyr soon.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡®Wow, he is truly evil to the Iyrman.¡¯ ¡®Seems like it.¡¯ ¡°Should we bring a few people along?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t ask us!¡¯ ¡°I will speak with my uncles,¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Right, they should also be thanked for their hard work too.¡± Adam sighed. ¡®That was easy.¡¯ He sighed a little deeper. ¡®Though I should probably level quickly, but if we take too long, we might miss the birth.¡¯ The anxiety of death loomed over Adam still. ¡°Should we go tomorrow?¡± ¡°We can. It would be best to go when the undead begin to rise. Once they rise, we can be sent out to the villages on the way back through the guild.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let Emma know once we get back with these boars.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡®I still need to keep an eye on you. Is this a good idea? No, it would be best to speak with the elders once I return.¡¯ With that, Adam''s first steps were decided. He had to make sure that Sonarot and Lanarot we''re safe. Since things had changed, that meant that the situation back in the Iyr could be worse. If something was wrong with Lanarot¡¯s birth... Adam shook his head, looking away. ¡®Enough! There¡¯s no need to think about things like that...¡¯ ¡®Suspicious!¡¯ He had to make sure that Sonarot and Lanarot we''re safe. It seems the author has raised a pair of death flags. 13. Meat and Bread 13. Meat and Bread On the way back to the town, Adam remained on high alert. He was still fresh for a fight, but the sense of dread from the anxiety of death loomed like a shadow over him. ¡®I need to gain more experience,¡¯ he thought, though quickly shook his head to throw the heads away. Once they cleared the forest, Jurot¡¯s steady back leading the group of three, they breathed in and sighed in relief. They approached the gates, where a pair of guards greeted them. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Iyrman and the cheeky young man?¡± ¡°I think it is. What are you lot doing out here?¡± The guards tilted their heads and then their bodies slightly, seeing the top boar on the palanquin, which was pinned by the roof to the dead boar under it. ¡°We were working today,¡± Adam said. ¡°Working? Today? Didn¡¯t you work yesterday?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, we did.¡± ¡°So you worked again today?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°...¡± The guards looked between one another. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So we can earn money.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you earn any yesterday.¡± The guard¡¯s tone was curious as he stared at Adam. ¡°We did.¡± Adam nodded in response. ¡°Did you spend it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t spend much.¡± ¡°Then why did you work today?¡± ¡°So we could have more money to spend.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you an adventurer?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam nodded once again. ¡°Oh, you must be saving up for better equipment.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± The heavily armoured half elf chuckled. ¡®Is it really that weird to work daily?¡¯ The guards nodded between one another. ¡°Makes sense I say,¡± one said. ¡°Since you didn¡¯t spend much coin, do you have the fee to enter?¡± the other guard asked. Adam turned back to the cousins. ¡°Do we pay for you too?¡± ¡°If you want us to carry the boars back to the guild.¡± Remy smiled wide. ¡°A cheap price to pay.¡± Currency 7CP -> 4CP ¡°Either way, Their boots struck the stone floor, but was drowned out by the noisiness of the town. As they made their way the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, a few people glanced in their general direction, seeing the bloodies boars within the palanquin. The sight of a heavily armoured adventurer wasn¡¯t new, but the man jangling through the town stood beside a towering an Iyrman, causing a few to peer at him with keen eyes. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild welcome them with its open doors, warmth, and the cold stare of adventurers glancing Adam¡¯s way. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡°Welcome back,¡± Emma said, looking to the porters behind Adam and Jurot. ¡°Did you hunt well today?¡± ¡°Very,¡± Adam replied back with a nod of his head, his armour jangling. ¡°Heave!¡± ¡°Ho!¡± Remy and Jeremy placed the palanquin down before them, stepping aside. ¡°Seems like I have a lot of appraising to do,¡± Emma said with a true smile, not a practised smile which she was used to. It was always fun to have work to do. There was only so much writing she enjoyed, and seeing so many words caused her eyes to spiral. The porters carried the boars around back, with Jurot and Adam arriving once the last boar had been placed down. Two boars lay on the large stone slab with the other two on the floor nearby. Emma went about the checks as she had done so previously, nodding to herself now and again. She blinked a few times, settling her thoughts. ¡°They¡¯re wonderful boars,¡± she said. ¡°Sixteen gold coins, quite a tidy sum for boar hunting. We will part out some meat for you as well.¡± Adam whistled, smiling. ¡°Sixteen gold, huh? That¡¯s quite the pretty penny.¡± Adam looked to Jurot and rubbed the man¡¯s elbow with his own. ¡°Think about how many jam buns we can buy.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°What did you say the pay was?¡± Adam asked, looking at the cousins who were definitely not twins. ¡°Eight silver coins each,¡± Remy said. ¡°Sounds good to me. We¡¯ll take it off from the total?¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot, who nodded once more. They followed Emma around to the front once again, where she handed them their coins. She piled the eight silver coins separately for each of the porters, which came out to the same amount as the guild¡¯s cut. She also stamped their tags, which were already beginning to fill out. Quest Complete Boar Hunting XP Gained +100XP 200XP -> 300XP Stamps Gained +1 4 -> 5 Currency Gained +6GP +4SP 19GP, 8SP -> 25GP, 12SP Adam could feel his pockets grow heavy. The feeling caused his lips to twitch into a smile, and he could barely help himself from humming. ¡°Make sure you two come back tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think, considering your hard work, I¡¯ll offer you a gold piece each. What say you, Jurot? Do you think they deserve it?¡± ¡°I will definitely bring it.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s order a lot of bread to go with the meat too! Four jam buns, and four of your best loaves.¡± ¡°All of our loaves are the best,¡± Pam said quickly, though she quickly stepped to the side to grab four hot loaves from nearby. It was light, soft and airy, and was patterned atop with light and dark stripes. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked, staring down at it. ¡°Red tiger loaves,¡± she said. ¡°They don¡¯t look very red.¡± ¡°Wait until you open it!¡± She smiled. ¡°They are two silver pieces each.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Must be some good bread.¡± ¡°You asked for our best loaves.¡± ¡°You said all your loaves were the best?¡± ¡°These are the best of the best!¡± Pam declared, crossing her arms like Jurot. ¡®They must be the best,¡¯ Adam thought, seeing as though she had taken the Jurot stance. ¡®They must be the best,¡¯ Jurot thought, seeing as though she had taken the Imrat stance. ¡°Then we¡¯ll take four of them!¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll go halves this time.¡± ¡°I will pay,¡± Jurot said, placing down six silver coins. ¡°Four jam buns, four red tiger loaves.¡± Pam smiled wider. ¡°Thank you for shopping here!¡± Jurot nodded his head, unable to say anything to her beaming smile. ¡®S-scary.¡¯ Adam felt his soul fill with the romance in the air. ¡®I¡¯m full.¡¯ They enjoyed their jam buns in the fresh air, which tasted even sweeter to Adam who had seen the romance blooming. He turned to see Remy and Jeremy keeping their jam buns in the thin parchment. ¡°You¡¯re not going to eat it?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll save it for our wives.¡± ¡®If they knew we ate tarts and jam buns without them...¡¯ The pair exchanged a look between one another. ¡°Hmm.¡± Adam stared up at both of them. ¡°You two are manly. Don¡¯t worry about it, those jam buns are for you.¡± He held out two silver coins for them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you buy some more for your family?¡± Currency 12SP -> 10SP ¡°W-we can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Take it as a tip for today¡¯s hard work. I want you to make sure your wives are happy. Happy wife, happy life. Happy life, happy strife.¡± ¡°Strife?¡± ¡°Strife, as in, work.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I wanted it to rhyme.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I understand that it was terrible, but I wanted to do it anyway.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, licking his lips, ¡°but I had to say it anyway.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Hey, do you see what I¡¯m seeing?¡¯ ¡®Yeah.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Do you think he¡¯s going to work us hard tomorrow? ¡®He might.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s follow him for a while before we judge him.¡¯ ¡®If he¡¯s a good guy, let¡¯s cling closely.¡¯ Adam said his goodbyes, putting his helmet on properly to hide his identity again. He set Jurot away first to take the meat, before he went to have a bath in peace. He sighed as he sunk in the heat. ¡°There¡¯s so many things to be done. Not just Sonarot and Lanarot, but everyone else too. Freya¡¯s still dormant, probably. Entalia...¡± He sighed deeper, rubbing his face. ¡°Who would have thought I would be missing you teasing me so much?¡± [Everyone you¡¯re missing is a woman.] ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Adam grumbled at Bell. ¡°What about Joti, huh?¡± He sighed again, sinking deeper into the bath. ¡°I¡¯ve made a few promises, and though they were in my last life...¡± His heart sank deeper than he did. ¡®Freya¡¯s still going to be all alone.¡¯ He frowned. He had no reason why he should help them. The people he knew are gone, but the memories of them were still set deep within his heart. 14. Eating Bread and People 14. Eating Bread and People Adam awoke in a sombre mood. He exhaled deeply within his small room, before hopping out of bed, dropping into a deep squat. He fell into deep thought, as though meditating. ¡°Ha!¡± He shot up into a stand, punching his fists up towards the ceiling, his fists cutting through the air with a mighty swoosh. ¡®Let¡¯s work hard today too! Money money money! Let¡¯s go!¡¯ He out hyped his sadness, quickly heading to the bath to start the day off right. The warmth of the bath always calmed his soul. ¡®I wish I had some tea...¡¯ He swallowed down the sadness of missing the taste of the tea his mother, the food that she made. Even the terrible meat and potatoes his father made, he missed that too. He didn¡¯t miss his brother¡¯s attempt at beans on rice though. He donned his heavy chain, feeling how it pressed down against his body. He grabbed the sword belt, staring at it for a long moment. He unsheathed his sword, staring at the blade, seeing his amber eyes against the steel. The unfamiliar eyes stared back at him, filled with grim determination. He blinked, trying to force his eyes to lighten up, before sheathing the blade and strapping it to his side. His noisy steps were drowned out by the noisiness of more adventurers gossiping and chin wagging between one another. He glanced over to see Jurot, who was eating some bread, deep in thought. Adam brought a bowl of meat stew and bread, sitting down opposite Jurot. He ate the salty stew, dipping the soft bread inside, staring at the Iyrman. His arms were crossed, emphasising his powerful biceps, and his face was contorted in a mixture of annoyance and numbness. Jurot suddenly opened his eyes to glare at Adam, with a wickedly vicious look in his eyes. Adam¡¯s eyes widened slightly, his jaw frozen half way into biting the soggy bread. Their eyes continued to meet. A long moment of silence later and Jurot blinked several times. ¡°Adam son of Fate,¡± he said. ¡°Jurot son of Surot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes. You?¡± Jurot glanced upwards, thinking about his dream last night. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°A nightmare.¡± ¡°What about?¡± Adam asked, chewing into the bread. ¡°...¡± Jurot tilted his head, squinting his eyes. He started to think again, which was difficult for him to do so in rapid succession. ¡°Softness.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Softness?¡¯ Adam stared at Jurot, who did not elaborate on the word. The question mark in Adam¡¯s eyes did not leave, but that did not stir Jurot one bit. The glances of the other adventurers caused Adam to finish his meal earlier than he would have liked. He approached the board, checking the various quests. Appearing busy typically meant others wouldn¡¯t try to bother someone. ¡°Have you picked a quest?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Let¡¯s just stick with boars until we get bored,¡± Adam said, smiling at Jurot. Jurot nodded, applying their small wooden tag to the poster before they set out on foot. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, whispering towards the Iyrman. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you don¡¯t seem to mind that I¡¯m a half elf.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam waited for Jurot to elaborate, but he remained silent for a while longer. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t you at least tell me?¡¯ Adam shook his head. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Iyrman,¡± Jurot replied back simply. ¡°...¡± ¡°Right, but what does that have to do with you treating me well?¡± ¡°We Iyrmen do not care for your race. What matters to our people is who you are as a person. We have no qualms with any race in particular. Beast, man, undead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s manly as hell,¡± Adam said, tapping Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯re so cool.¡± ¡°I am the perfect temperature to fight,¡± Jurot said, flexing his muscles to Adam in an attempt to relax him. ¡°We Iyrmen are always at the perfect temperature to fight.¡± He reassured the half elf again. ¡°Not quite what I meant, but that¡¯s good to know.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°We¡¯re heading to the bakery?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Once the-¡° Adam noticed Remy and Jeremy approaching towards them. ¡°Guess we¡¯re going now.¡± The pair¡¯s muscles were rippling as they carried their palanquin. Their sweat glistened, but their faces were eager with large grins. They could taste it, the sweetness of a gold coin. ¡°You¡¯re looking lively,¡± Adam said, smiling at the men. ¡°We¡¯re ready to make gold!¡± Remy declared. ¡°Gold!¡± Jeremy laughed like a hyena. ¡°...¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Just how poorly were you treated that you¡¯re excited about one gold coin?¡¯ Remy and Jeremy could alright taste the sweet ale they were going to buy with the extra silvers which would break from the gold. ¡°Ah!¡± Remy managed to pull himself out of his stupor. ¡°We have someone who is willing to work as a porter.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°My cousin¡¯s nephew,¡± Remy said. ¡°He¡¯s a young lad, but build like an Iyrman.¡± Jurot raised his brow at the comparison. ¡°Only Iyrmen are built like Iyrmen.¡±Visitt for the latest updates ¡°What about me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Not built like an Iyrman, but very good.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean no disrespect.¡± ¡°How young is he?¡± ¡°Fifteen.¡± ¡°Jurot, don¡¯t call any woman a cow.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad.¡± ¡°Cows are great. Very meaty. Lots of milk. Delicious.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, but no woman wants to be called a cow. What if I called you a dog, would you like it?¡± ¡°Dogs are great beasts, very loyal companions.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Just trust me on this?¡± ¡°I think Pam is very much a-¡° ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam cut him off quickly. ¡°I¡¯m saying this for your own good! There are some things you can¡¯t say! Like calling an Iyrman a coward, or a woman half of that.¡± ¡°Half a coward?¡± Adam sighed. Luckily for him, Remy and Jeremy were approaching. Behind them was a man with a baby face and short dark hair. He was built as wide as a bull, and was thick with muscle all over. On his back were two wooden boxes, tied to one another in a way so that they were leveraging each other. He had three javelins at his side, as well as a hatchet and a buckler. ¡°Heave!¡± ¡°Ho!¡± The cousins placed down the palanquin. ¡°That¡¯s your nephew?¡± Adam asked, staring at the baby faced stranger who was as tall and as wide as he. ¡°He is, isn¡¯t that right, Nobby?¡± Nobby nodded. ¡°You¡¯re fifteen?¡± Nobby nodded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t talk much,¡± Remy admitted. ¡°What have you been feeding this kid? Did you jack him up on some TRT?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s ate a few tarts,¡± Jeremy said. Jurot walked around Nobby, nodding his head. ¡®He has more talent than me. Did he have any Iyrmen parents? Or maybe some giant blood?¡¯ He looked into Nobby¡¯s eyes. ¡°Will you train to become a warrior?¡± ¡°Nobby isn¡¯t the kind to fight,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°He can toss a couple of javelins well enough, but that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°If he learns to channel his rage, he will be stronger than me.¡± Jurot turned to the cousins with sparkles in his eyes. ¡°Ehehe,¡± Remy chuckled nervously. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s thankful for the compliment, but Nobby¡¯s just a boy.¡± ¡°A strapping boy, with powerful muscles.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°If he became a warrior, he would bring great honour to his family.¡± ¡°We¡¯re worried about food on the table, not our honour,¡± Remy said, chuckling nervously still. ¡°Nobby¡¯s a good kid, but he¡¯s a little slow. He might be able to join the guard and assist in the future, but for now he¡¯ll just be a porter.¡± ¡°We could train him,¡± Adam offered. ¡°We could train him when we¡¯re not questing. It¡¯ll give us something else to do. We¡¯ll train him in exchange for his labour.¡± ¡°No,¡± Nobby said, his voice low and childish. ¡°I need money.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°What do you need money for?¡± ¡°Dad is sick.¡± ¡°Nobby¡¯s father, my cousin¡¯s husband, came down with something not long ago.¡± Remy sighed. ¡°He¡¯s been managing with a few herbal drinks, but it¡¯s not going to get better like that. We¡¯ve been dropping a few coins here and there, but it¡¯ll take a while still.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear. What kind of sickness is it?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Jeremy. ¡°It¡¯s got some name which a scholar is able to say, not we working folk. They say it needs magic of the second gate. It¡¯s about a hundred gold coins to fix him up, which is already quite a cheap price for that sort of magic. Nobby¡¯s been working for a short while, but adventurer¡¯s pay a little more for porters so we thought we could bring him along.¡± Adam whistled. He was only a quarter of the way there himself, but that with with a high paying job. ¡°That is a lot of money.¡± He turned to look at Jurot, who nodded his head. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll pay in you cold hard silver, you don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Adam wondered how long it would take him to get to Level 3, which was when he¡¯d be able to learn the spell to help Nobby. ¡°We¡¯ll pay you eight silver coins, but if you do especially well, we¡¯ll increase that to a gold.¡± Adam held out his hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± Nobby said, taking Adam¡¯s hand and shaking it. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Is what true?¡± ¡°That you¡¯re an elf.¡± Adam looked at Nobby and nodded his head. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t take my money.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You won¡¯t eat me neither?¡± ¡°I- excuse me?¡± ¡°They say elves eat people.¡± Adam turned to Jurot. ¡°They do?¡± ¡°I have heard that too.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever eaten a person. I won¡¯t eat you, Nobby.¡± Adam chuckled. Introducing Nobby, future god slayer! 15. Great, More Boar 15. Great, More Boar Nobby wasn¡¯t sure if he trusted Adam yet, though he hadn¡¯t seen the man¡¯s ears yet. Still, his uncles told him that he would be able to earn a lot of money working for the half elf, and so he needed to trust in his uncle¡¯s words. He bit into the lemon tart, tasting the sourness, before it was cut by the sweetness. He chews it slowly, letting the pastry crumble in his mouth. Adam glanced back at Nobby now and again, biting into his own bread. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea to bring Nobby along, but since the boy needed work and they were going to be paying him roughly double what others would, it was probably best for the youngster to follow the adventurers. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy eating the bread, Nobby,¡± Adam said. ¡°All of it should be eaten before we get to the forest.¡± They approached the gates where Marie and Mary were on duty. As the group stepped forward, passing the guards, they glanced at Adam and Jurot. ¡°Working?¡± ¡°Again?¡± Adam chuckled at them. ¡°We¡¯re still young men, we should be working this hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ve met any adventurer as queer as you two,¡± Mary said. ¡°No offence.¡± Her eyes fell to Jurot. Jurot nodded. ¡°Isn¡¯t it great?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We get to eat delicious bread and then see our most beautiful Marie and Mary every morning. Isn¡¯t it the best kind of life?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You still haven¡¯t learn from your cheekiness have you?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡°We should drag you into a cell for obstructing our duties.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to drag me at all,¡± Adam said, giving them a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯m very willing to be taken away by you two.¡± Marie and Mary turned as red as their hair through their helmet. Marie threw a light punch towards Adam, who ducked under it. ¡°We should get to adventuring!¡± Adam stepped back, waving at them. ¡°Ah, wait.¡± He held out the basket to them. ¡°Would you like any before we go?¡± ¡°Buttering us up with bread?¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯m buttering you up with my sweet words, and I¡¯m thanking you with the bread.¡± ¡°Hmph. Seriously, kids these days.¡± Marie took a jam bun. ¡°Since you¡¯re offering.¡± Mary also took a jam bun. ¡°Are you single?¡± ¡°Mary!¡± ¡°What? He¡¯s a good kid.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s ugly under the helmet.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± Mary asked, raising her brow as he bit into her jam bun. ¡°Oh dear, it seems I was caught. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m very ugly behind the helmet. That¡¯s why my words are so sweet and I¡¯m trying to seduce you through pastries.¡± Adam laughed. Mary blinked at Adam. The logic was completely sound. ¡°Is that so? Well if you¡¯re too ugly, I might have to decline.¡± ¡°Ah! My heart.¡± Adam clutched at his chest before chuckling again. ¡°Unfortunately for me, I¡¯m not single.¡± ¡°Oh? Who are you married to?¡± ¡°Or is there someone you¡¯re courting?¡± Marie looked at the bread. ¡°A baker perhaps?¡± Adam could feel a glance from Jurot. ¡°No, no.¡± He looked to Jurot. ¡°I definitely am not trying to court the baker. Definitely not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Remy said quickly. ¡°He¡¯s not!¡± Jeremy added. Marie and Mary looked to Jurot, who glanced aside. He had crossed his arms when they had mentioned the baker. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°No, no.¡± He turned, his cloak flapping behind him. He looked over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m married to my job.¡± He marched away from them. Persuasion Check D20 + 4 = 22 (18) Adam almost coughed up blood at how cringe that was, but the others stared at him as he walked towards the forest, a basket hung over his elbow. ¡®Cool,¡¯ Nobby thought. The young man followed after Adam. Jurot thought about what Adam did, the way he looked over his shoulder and spoke with such drama. ¡®Married. To my job. Married. To my job.¡¯ Marie and Mary exchanged a glance. ¡°Even if he¡¯s a little ugly, he¡¯s a sweet kid.¡± ¡°Maybe he isn¡¯t ugly? Maybe he¡¯s too beautiful? Think about all the looks you get.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Sometimes my beauty is a curse.¡± Marie sighed. Mary kicked her sister. Adam¡¯s entourage eventually caught up, with Jurot taking the lead quickly. As they approached the forest, they finished up the last part of the bread. They scrunched up the parchment and Adam buried it, hoping that it wouldn¡¯t be considered to be littering. He tied the basket under his backpack, which fit nicely into it. Remy and Jeremy dropped their palanquin once again, as silently as they could. Nobby removed his backpack, placing it on the floor. They grabbed their javelins, and Jurot did the same. The group each readied themselves, slowly approaching. Adam remained behind them, clutching his die. He didn¡¯t want to approach in case his armour gave him away. Jurot had both javelins in hand, and the porters followed suit. Adam, on the other hand, remained behind with a Flame Bolt about to leave his lips. Jurot gave the signal by winding his arm back and tossing a javelin. Other javelins followed, with Adam ready to blast a Flame Bolt forward. Spell Flame Bolt D20 + 4 = 9 (5) D20 + 4 = 8 (4) Miss! Jurot¡¯s first javelin missed, followed by another which struck a tree off to one side. However, six javelins found their mark, striking the Great Boar in the side. It screeched in deep pain. ¡°Fire Fist,¡± Adam called out, feeling the magic run through his veins. It was only when he saw the size of the creature properly that he understood the gravity of the situation. He gasped, swinging slightly too wide as his Flame Bolt went wide, splashing against a tree trunk harmlessly. ¡®Sheesh, you¡¯re one hell of a big boy.¡¯ [Nice shot.] ¡®Shut up.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) The five javelins were stuck in the Great Boar¡¯s side, one of them even pushing through to the other side. It was already shaking, on its last legs. It stepped towards Jurot, about to gore him, but another javelin whistled through the air, a tone of death as it pierced through the Great Boar¡¯s head. The Great Boar twitched, dropping down in front of Jurot, whose axe was raised in hand. Victory! Great Boar +80XP XP 300 -> 380 ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Everyone turned around to look at Nobby, who squinted at the boar. ¡°Is it dead?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is.¡± Jurot returned his gaze back to the Great Boar. He looked at each of the javelins, noticing which javelin had pierced through deepest. His heart had pounded wildly, the adrenaline running through him, but before he could rage, the Great Boar had fallen between his feet. He sheathed his axe and went to pick up his javelins. The porters followed Jurot, picking up their javelins too. ¡°Good job, Nobby,¡± Remy said. ¡°Well done, lad,¡± Jeremy said, patting Nobby¡¯s back. ¡°You really are strong,¡± Adam said, smiling at Nobby. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so good at throwing javelins either.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nobby said, feeling a warmth rush to his cheeks. Adam sighed. ¡°I was useless,¡± he said, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Sometimes it is that way,¡± Jurot said, feeling the same uselessness as Adam. He had struck the beast once, from stealth, and it had died too quick for a true battle. ¡°How much do you think we¡¯ll get for it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Great Boar has a bounty of twenty gold, a sell price of forty for its meat and tusks.¡± Jurot looked down at it. So we split it in half, take away the tax, that¡¯s twenty seven gold a piece.¡± Adam turned to the porters. ¡°Though I think we should give out some bonuses since we barely did anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Remy said. ¡°We did so well because the Iyrman kept it at bay.¡± ¡°And our backs were protected by you,¡± Jeremy added. He understood what his cousin was doing. They needed to remain in the pair¡¯s good books so they could continue working for them. ¡°Even so,¡± Adam said. ¡°You should accept the tip.¡± ¡°Okay, yes,¡± Nobby said. The cousins looked at their nephew and then laughed. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Come, Nobby. Let¡¯s get our stuff.¡± Remy pat the boy¡¯s back. ¡°Even though the Great Boar is dead, we need to stay alert.¡± Jeremy led him back, keeping an eye around the forest. Jurot began to butcher the Great Boar to make it easier for them to carry it back. Adam left him to it, keeping an eye out for him and the porters, glancing from side to side, massaging the side of his neck awkwardly. Spell Guidance 1D3 = 3 (3) Perception Check 1D20 + 2 + 3 = 15 (10) ¡°I¡¯ve heard lots of nasty business about elves,¡± Remy said when he brought the palanquin with his cousin. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re half bad, mister.¡± ¡°More than half good,¡± Jeremy added. ¡°Never heard of adventurers buying their porters tarts or jam buns, ¡®specially not before the job.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so,¡± Adam said, chuckling. The porters found a tree to relax against, keeping an eye around for any danger with Adam. Nobby tried to look around too, though quickly grew bored. His eyes followed an imaginary line of wind, going from branch to branch between trees. As time passed, Adam yawned, stretching. He started to walk around the camp, his armour jangling slightly, which caused him to stop when he caught the noise, before continuing again. He needed to stretch his legs, otherwise they¡¯d fall asleep. As he reached down to grab his knees, stretching out his back and legs, he saw something out of the corner of his eyes. A giant black mass of fur, rushing towards him. It was large, and far more nimble than he had expected. As the blackness approached, threatening to tackle Adam, it roared a bellowing roar, revealing its toothy maw. ¡®Oh, shi-¡® Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Nobby critically hit that Great Boar like he wanted to murder its entire family. 16. Wrong Place, Wrong Time 16. Wrong Place, Wrong Time ¡°Porters! To arms!¡± Adam exclaimed as the mass of black fur charged at him, snarling at the half elf. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) The half elf had no time to don his shield, grabbing his sword with both hands in a tight grip, forgoing his magic. He could have pulled away from the charging bear, but the last time he and Jurot fought against a bear, Jurot had taken many heavy blows in his stead. ¡°Not this time, you rat bastard!¡± Adam exclaimed, the heat of his rage pushing the cold of his fear which had set in for a moment. Attack D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 5 = 7 (1)(1) 7 damage! Adam swung wildly at the large bear with his blade, cutting across its bare chest. He stepped between it and Jurot, facing down the snarling beast as it readied to snap its jaw against his neck. [Finally.] Adam narrowed his eyes, not in the mood for Bell¡¯s quips. Jurot grabbed his axe and leapt into action, hacking into the side of the bear as it tried to bite Adam, instead bring its attention to him. It snarled as Jurot¡¯s axe struck its side, with Jurot roaring at it, his face and body quickly turning turning red in rage. The bear swiped a claw towards Jurot, also enraged by this new being, but seeing as he wasn¡¯t wearing a full sheet of metal, its focus was completely on Jurot. Its stomach growled for flesh, and as Jurot grunted in pain as he was cut by the knife like claws, he growled louder as the bear sank its teeth against his side, cutting into his flesh. ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam wailed, clutching his blade tighter. Jurot grit his teeth, ready to brawl with the bear. Three javelins whistled through the air, one which struck off Adam¡¯s shoulder, and another which pierced the bear¡¯s side, causing it to roar in pain. It shuddered in pain as another struck the back of its knee, causing it to drop to the side, letting Jurot go. Attack (Flanking) D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 5 = 12 (4)(3) 12 damage! Adam stared down into the bear¡¯s eyes as it tried to pull away. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come here,¡± Adam said, gripping the hilt of his sword above his head, the sword tip right against the bear¡¯s skull. He forced the blade into the bear slowly, never leaving the bear¡¯s gaze as he pierced through its thick skull, into its brain, and then through to the ground behind its skull. Victory! Black Bear +40XP XP 380 -> 420 The sword remained within the ground, Adam pushing it down. He shook slightly, unable to control his anger. He remained staring down at the black bear, his eyes glued to its dead form. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, resting a hand on the half elf¡¯s shoulder. Adam inhaled deeply. He pulled out his sword, exhaling as he did so. ¡°You don¡¯t like bears?¡± Jurot asked. Adam turned his head to look at Jurot. ¡°No,¡± he said, his voice quiet. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly, as though he understood. Of course, he didn¡¯t. No one did. Adam stepped away for a moment. Nobby stared at the half elf¡¯s back, twiddling his thumbs. He approached cautiously, one step every few seconds. ¡°Um, mister?¡± Nobby called out, feeling his thoughts eat out his chest. His father always told him that a man had to be honest, and to live with integrity. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked, turned back to look at Nobby quickly. Nobby flinched. ¡°A-about the fight before...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I threw the javelin... and it hit you.¡± ¡°Oh, that?¡± Adam looked at the whimpering titan. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Sometimes it happens when you¡¯re in a fight. Nothing bad happened because of it, so don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± Adam walked over and pat the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You did a great job acting so quickly as you did.¡± Nobby continued to frown, still ashamed of what he did. ¡°Look,¡± Adam said. ¡°This is your first time. You were really stressed out. You did amazing when it came to slaying the Giant Boar, and not so amazing when it came to the bear. That¡¯s just how life is sometimes. Next time, we¡¯ll do better. Right?¡± ¡°Okay, yes,¡± Nobby said, nodding his head slowly. Adam looked to Jurot and the other porters. ¡°I¡¯m glad we brought you all along. How much does a black bear go for anyway?¡± Jurot stared at it. ¡°Thirty gold.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, thinking about how much gold he¡¯d be able to make. ¡°We¡¯ll split that properly with everyone too. Let¡¯s start heading back soon, before another bear comes clambering towards us.¡± Jurot had mostly finished with the Great Boar, so the porters went about fitting it in their various storage. ¡°You alright?¡± Adam asked Jurot, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the Iyrman replied back. Adam was sure that Jurot would have said the same thing if he was on death¡¯s door. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are, but let¡¯s not hurry into death, shall we?¡± Mana 2 -> 1 Spell Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) Jurot felt a warmth suddenly invade his body. The claw wound against his torso, and the bite wound against his side began to heal. He looked at Adam with a raised brow. ¡°You can heal?¡± ¡°One of my few spells,¡± Adam said. ¡°Come on.¡± Adam lifted the bear up, grunting slightly as he did. ¡®Damn, it¡¯s pretty heavy.¡¯Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com Jurot grabbed the bear, helping Adam carry it. ¡°If something comes, we will drop it and run,¡± he said. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, smiling. The journey back was fraught with danger, the danger of absolute safety. Adam remained on guard, his eyes snapping this way and that way. The porters¡¯ eyes were also scanning across the forest, though Nobby¡¯s eyes were barely focused on finding danger, but following an imaginary line along the branches above. When they finally reached the road, they sighed in relief, all but Jurot. ¡°Almost there now, lad,¡± Remy said, staring back at Nobby. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Nobby said. He was sweating profusely as he carried his box, his feet aching too, but this was a normal feeling for a hard day¡¯s work. It was the gold which fuelled his steps every forward. ¡°By the gods,¡± a guard said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Iyrman again?¡± ¡°That was rough,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine carrying such heavy things daily.¡± He looked to the porters. ¡°You really are worth every copper.¡± ¡°It becomes easier the more you do it,¡± Remy said. ¡°Only a little,¡± Jeremy added. Once Emma had assessed the creatures, she smiled at them. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you both working hard, though you should be careful. A black bear and a Great Boar in a single day is quite the achievement. You should slow down, though, otherwise some of the adventurers might think oddly of you.¡± ¡°I might take a rest tomorrow, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. Quests Complete Great Boar Hunting Black Bear Hunting XP Gained +180XP 420 -> 600 Stamps Gained +2 5 -> 7 Currency Gained +40GP +5SP 24GP, 11SP -> 64GP, 16SP ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Could I get some copper pieces? Also, we promised the guards some meat from the boar, if you can sort that out.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Emma said, making a note. Currency 16SP, 4CP -> 15SP, 14CP Adam looked at Jurot. ¡°How much should we pay the porters?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll agree with whatever you choose.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Due to the fact that we¡¯re flush with gold coins, let¡¯s pay the cousins five gold coins, the youngster four gold coins. I think they deserve that much.¡± He didn¡¯t want the cousins to feel slighted that they were paid the same as their nephew. Jurot nodded. Currency 64GP -> 57GP The porters stared at the gold coins. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Remy asked. ¡°This is more than we expected.¡± ¡°How much did you expect?¡± Adam asked, chuckling. ¡°Two gold coins each,¡± they said. Adam laughed. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find that we might be feeling too elated today. We might not pay you such a large bonus next time. It¡¯s partly because you introduced us to a star porter.¡± Adam patted the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I hope your father feels better soon.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Nobby nodded. ¡°Will you be working again tomorrow?¡± Remy asked. ¡°Probably not. I think we finally deserve a break.¡± He looked to Jurot. ¡°Right?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I would like to buy a battleaxe.¡± ¡°Handaxe not cutting it?¡± ¡°Yes. I would like a meatier weapon. Handaxe is also good for throwing.¡± Adam thought about what he needed to do. He had panicked when he saw Jurot take a beating from the black bear. ¡°I have something I need to buy too.¡± He smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll call for your services another time then,¡± Adam said. ¡°However, it is time for jam buns.¡± Adam followed Jurot to pay for the jam buns. Pam was there, checking on the various bread they had left. When she spotted the adventurers, she blushed slightly. ¡°Welcome back. How did it go today?¡± ¡°It went great,¡± Adam said, wrapping his arm around Jurot¡¯s shoulders. ¡°We slew a black bear and a Great Boar today.¡± ¡°Wow! Really?¡± She looked to Jurot. Jurot nodded. ¡°Jurot was hit pretty bad, but since he¡¯s an Iyrman, he¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Jurot declared, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that,¡± Pam said, seeing the marks on Jurot¡¯s side. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said. Adam placed down a few silver coins. ¡°Give us whatever red tiger bread, jam buns, and tarts you can give us for this much.¡± Currency 16 SP -> 11 SP ¡°Coming right up!¡± Pam also grabbed some more buns and tarts than she should have. Her eyes sometimes fell to Jurot¡¯s side and chest, where the obvious traces of his meeting with the bear were. ¡°Oh? Very generous today,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re our valued customers,¡± Pam said. ¡°We feel valued!¡± Adam bit into a jam bun, holding out some for Jurot. ¡°Please do come again!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll come by during the next quest. Probably in a few days, since we¡¯ll be taking a break.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting patiently.¡± Pam smiled. The porters all shared in the jam buns and tarts. Adam made sure that they had some to take back home too, giving them the bread too. He ate a single jam bun with Jurot, before bathing and retiring to his bed in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He yawned, laying atop his bed. ¡°Bell, you owe me two proficiencies, right? I know what I want.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Take that, bear! Not this time! Wait, where''s the herbearvore? ... 17. Day Off, Off Day 17. Day Off, Off Day When he awoke in the morning, Adam leapt right out of bed. He smiled wide, dropping down into a squat before lightly working out in his room, bathing, and heading down to the common room of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He wore his full armour, keeping his ears hidden from prying eyes, though many already knew about his skin condition. ¡°Morning, Jurot,¡± Adam said, sitting opposite him once he had grabbed some leftover stew from the night before. ¡°Good morning,¡± Jurot replied, finishing some of his meat. ¡°Are you going to train today?¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°I don¡¯t think I will,¡± Adam said, looking at his chain mail. ¡°I did a little in my room, though I might train in the evening. Eating all this boar isn¡¯t going to do well for me if I don¡¯t burn it off.¡± ¡°Burn it off?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam said, chuckling. He dipped his bread into the soup of the stew, which was approaching staleness, but with the salty soup of the stew it was bearable. ¡°What kind of battleaxe are you going to buy?¡± ¡°One which can kill,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I hope so.¡± Adam chuckled some more as he continued to eat. ¡°I will go buy some bread,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Would you like to come along?¡± Adam stared up at the Iyrman, who was staring deep into his eyes. ¡°No, no. I think I won¡¯t today, but then you can eat some on my behalf. I hear Iyrmen have two stomachs.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It¡¯s a figure of speech.¡± Jurot grunted in response before leaving. Adam finished up with his meal quickly before heading out. He didn¡¯t want any of the adventurers to mess with him, especially since there was that guy before giving him a nasty stinky eye. ¡®That guy really doesn¡¯t like me, huh? I need to be careful without Jurot.¡¯ Adam walked through the main road, glancing around to find a specific shop. Spell Guidance 1D3 = 2 (2) Persuasion Check D20 + 2 + 2 = 7 (3) As he glanced around for the shop he needed, he noticed that he couldn¡¯t find it amidst all the bustling people, shouting buyers, and the busy labourers. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Adam said, holding out a coin for an urchin. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a clothes shop.¡± The urchin grabbed the coin, which was still within Adam¡¯s grip. Strength Check D20 + 4 = 15 (11) The urchin tried to pull it out of Adam¡¯s fingers, but they were gripped tight. ¡°Down the road, within twenty buildings,¡± the little urchin said, motioning her head. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam let go of the coin, which caused the urchin to almost tumble back, but they were well balanced and quickly scampered off. He approached the clothing shop, which was quite small, and was tended to by an older man. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam said as he stepped inside. ¡°Morning,¡± the old man said, sitting beside piles of cloth. ¡°I¡¯m here to buy a few clothes.¡± ¡°Here I thought you were going to buy another sword.¡± ¡®What a charming guy.¡¯ Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a few set of basic clothing, and another set of thick traveller¡¯s clothes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get you measured up then shall we? Can¡¯t do that with your amour on.¡± ¡®Well, you¡¯re not wrong.¡¯ Adam took off his helmet right away, not thinking about his ears. The old tailor glanced his way, eyes quickly scanning the young, handsome, half elf face. ¡®A leaf ear?¡¯ His mind stopped working for a moment, causing him to stare at Adam. Adam noted the gaze, having become familiar with them. He turned his head to look at the older man. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The half elf could still feel her gaze from behind, though hurried to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He wrapped his cloak around the tools, not wanting to reveal the supplies to anyone. Once he was safely within the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, he dropped his supplies off in his room, and approached Tom at the counter. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam said. ¡°Morning.¡± Tom¡¯s reply was as neutral as it could be. ¡°Hey, uh...¡± Adam leaned over the counter slightly. ¡°Do you guys buy things on behalf of adventurers for them?¡± Adam¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. ¡°Yes,¡± Tom replied back with a nod. ¡°What is it that you need?¡± ¡°Clothes,¡± Adam replied back. ¡°Clothes?¡± ¡°Yes. I need a few set of clothes. I currently only have a single pair, and it¡¯s annoying to constantly wash them and dry them before I wear them everyday, and it¡¯s a little awkward to only own one pair of clothing.¡± Tom blinked at him. First, Adam worked nearly daily. Second, he wanted more clothing? ¡°We can do that...¡± ¡°I tried to buy some, but the people didn¡¯t really like me.¡± Adam tapped the side of his helmet where his ears would be. ¡°Right. We are willing to do that for you. How much do you have to spend?¡± ¡°How much is it for the various clothing?¡± ¡°A common set of clothes runs ten silver coins, a set of traveller¡¯s clothing is fifty.¡± ¡°Two sets of common clothing then.¡± He placed down two gold coins on the counter. Currency 47GP -> 45GP ¡°We will take your measurements.¡± Tom led him around back, letting him strip down before he measured Adam¡¯s body. ¡®It¡¯s always a surprise to see his build.¡¯ Tom shook his head, going back to measuring the half elf. ¡°We will have your clothing in the next three days.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I knew I could trust the guild.¡± Adam returned back to his room, checking on his supplies. ¡°I should get to brewing then,¡± he said, stretching out his neck. He checked the herbs he had brought too, trying to figure out how he was meant to use them together. Mana 2 -> 1 Alchemy Check D20 + 2 = 7 (5) Since he couldn¡¯t use Guidance to help him, he had to focus. He pinched a few herbs and sprinkled them into the bottle. He boiled some water, pouring it over the herbs, watching as the liquid started to turn green. He seeped the herbs for a short while before they became a light green. He inhaled deeply, feeling his mana begin to flow through his veins before it flowed towards the bottom of the bottle. His brow began to sweat, his forehead pounding as he concentrated on slipping in as much mana as he could. ¡°Come on...¡± he whispered, still pouring in only the tiniest amount of mana into the potion. Finally, the water swirled in on itself, mixing itself together, before it fell still. He panted, placing down the potion as he wiped his brow. It had taken him a few hours, but he had finally made a potions. Congratulations! Minor Potion Created. Heals for 1D3+1 HP. XP Gained 600 -> 610 ¡°...¡± He stared at the potion he had created for a long moment, before he finally sighed. ¡°Really? My first potion is this bad?¡± He rubbed his sweaty forehead. ¡°I guess it is my first time...¡± He shambled his way down to the common room when it was dinner time, seeing the various adventurers all around. There were far more than he expected, but he found Jurot in the corner and approached him. ¡°Nice battleaxe,¡± Adam said, staring down at Jurot¡¯s side, where a brand new battleaxe lay. It was well made, though quite simple in design. Built for function, not form. His previous trusty handaxe had been strapped on the other side of his waist. ¡°It is good,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. He was eating a fresh piece of bread with his soup. ¡°I have healed well today.¡± ¡°Up to hunt something tomorrow?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes. We may come across undead soon during our hunt.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Adam sent a message to the porters through the guild, before finishing his meal and heading to bed. He hadn¡¯t been able to do much today, and the potion hadn¡¯t been to his liking. However, he was growing closer to Level 2 by the day. 18. Boar, Bread, Filler 18. Boar, Bread, Filler Adam awoke early, staring up at the ceiling. He hopped out of bed, dropped into a deep squat. ¡°Today. Today I¡¯m killing all the boars.¡± He leapt up to stretch out his legs and swung around his arms. ¡°All the boars!¡± He made his way down, seeing Jurot eating. They exchanged light greetings, with Adam quietly eating breakfast. ¡°Look at them, going on a quest again,¡± came the voice of an adventurer. ¡°Trying to show us up.¡± ¡°Too young, too eager.¡± Adam ignored them, and Jurot only glanced over in their general way, causing them to quieten. ¡°How many boars should we slay today?¡± Adam asked. ¡°At least four,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Let¡¯s get to it.¡± The pair went out, leading the porters to the bakery. ¡°Is it your turn to pay?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°I will pay.¡± ¡°Good morning, Jurot, Adam,¡± Pam said. ¡°Off to work today?¡± ¡°We are, we are,¡± Adam said, glancing to Jurot for a moment. Jurot motioned to a few pieces of bread, slightly more expensive than typical bread, before heading out with Nobby and the cousins. He didn¡¯t say much to Pam, who waved at them as they left. ¡®I need to do something to help,¡¯ Adam thought. With the pair of them barely meeting, only for a few seconds at a time for bread, nothing would happen. ¡®What am I to do, what am I do to?¡¯ However, his focus quickly turned to Nobby and the cousins. ¡°How¡¯s your father?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sick,¡± Nobby replied back simply. ¡°Then let¡¯s work hard today.¡± Adam reached over and pat Nobby¡¯s shoulders. He eventually walked over to Jurot. ¡°What do you think? How much are we paying them?¡± ¡°You can decide.¡± Jurot didn¡¯t care too much as long as he made a few gold. With him working so much, he was making enough gold to send back to the Iyr, enough to bring him honour to his family¡¯s name. ¡°We¡¯ll call it a gold for each head, and if we do get a fourth boar, an additional gold?¡± Jurot nodded his head. It was more than a fair price, and since they were aiming to get four boars, it was good to incentivise that. Jurot led them forward, using his expertise of the past week to find some boars for them to slay. They had become so used to slaying the boars now, that they managed to kill the boars with the assistance of several javelins, then a single moment of Jurot fighting it in close combat. A third and fourth boar were quickly found and slain, allowing them to return quickly and Victory! Boars +50XP XP 610 -> 660 Quest Complete Boar Hunting XP Gained +50XP 660 -> 710 Stamps Gained +1 7 -> 8 Currency Gained +16GP, 5SP 45GP, 11SP, 14CP -> 61GP, 16SP, 13CP He noticed that he hadn¡¯t earned as much experience as he should have, though he expected that was to stop him from farming too much from doing the same thing. ¡®So you want me to explore life, huh? So what if I want to live my life slaying boars? I¡¯ll slay a million boars!¡¯ Once the porters were paid, they went to eat some jam buns, and Jurot and Adam went to drink to celebrate. ¡°Boar slaying again tomorrow?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sounds good. We might become the Boar Slayers rather than the Immortal Duo.¡± ¡°Then we will become the Boar Slayers,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound very exciting.¡± ¡°You can slay a thousand boars, and they will call us Boar Slayers. You slay one dragon, and they will call us Dragon Slayers.¡± The air was tense and thick still, as the lumberjacks reached for the buns, dropping down their hard earned coins, and slowly slipped away. Adam followed them as they stepped past, his gaze following them through his helmet, a faceless nightmare. When they lumberjacks disappeared, Adam snapped his head back to Pam. ¡°That was hilarious,¡± he said. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam laughed, finding the discomfort of the lumberjacks hilarious. He understood why they were wary, coming face to face with a heavily armoured adventurer and an Iyrman. His words had been troublesome for them, but that didn¡¯t matter to him. They had come here first after a hard day at work, and their jam buns were going to be stolen by a pair of adventurers? ¡°You have to take care of the common man,¡± Adam said. ¡°So the common man takes care of you.¡± ¡°Even though they¡¯d overcharge you when they work with you?¡± ¡°...¡± Pam smiled nervously. ¡°So what do you want today?¡± She still wasn¡¯t so sure about Adam. He was weird, even though that should have been the case as a faceless armoured adventurer, he was weirder than that. ¡°We¡¯ll go with whatever desserts you have on offer. I¡¯ll order six.¡± ¡°Coming right up,¡± she said. She brought six wild berry tarts. ¡°That¡¯s three silver.¡± Currency 15SP -> 11SP ¡°A tip,¡± he said, taking five of the tarts. ¡°You can have the last one.¡± ¡°Oh, uh, are you sure?¡± she asked. ¡°Jurot, why don¡¯t you-¡° Adam turned to see Jurot having scarfed down the tart already. ¡°...¡± Jurot swallowed the tart, taking a sip from his water skin. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam blinked at Jurot. ¡°Nothing. Nevermind.¡± The half elf sighed. ¡°It was a pleasure seeing you. We might be leaving tomorrow or the day after, so we won¡¯t be back for some time.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you order some bread since you¡¯ll be gone for too long and you¡¯ll miss it?¡± Pam quickly said, adopting her business smile. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, placing down a gold coin. ¡°A bread basket, then, since we might not be back for a while.¡± Currency 76GP -> 75GP Pam smiled and quickly disappeared away around back. ¡°You should have ate a little slower,¡± Adam said, glancing at Jurot. ¡°You could have spent time with Pam.¡± Jurot squinted his eyes, thinking about what Adam had said. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied back simply. Adam shook his head, but smiled. ¡°Next time, alright?¡± He pat Jurot¡¯s back. ¡®Does he know?¡¯ Jurot thought. After a long moment, he narrowed his eyes. ¡®It must be his elven eyes.¡¯ Pam returned with a giant basket of bread, the smell of the freshly baked goods filling the air with a deeper, richer smell. Adam nodded his head, picking up the basket. ¡°See you around,¡± he said, nudging Jurot with his elbow as he walked out. Jurot threw a glance back towards her. ¡°Good bye,¡± he said. ¡°Good bye, Jurot. Come back soon.¡± Pam flashed the winning smile of a baker. Jurot¡¯s heart disarmed as he took a mighty blow deep inside, before he quickly turned and followed Adam away. It was rare to see an Iyrman flee. ¡°We¡¯ve brought tarts,¡± Adam said, sharing out the desserts to all the men. ¡°Here.¡± Adam held out the basket to Remy. ¡°Share the bread amongst yourselves.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Remy said, accepting the basket. Adam was a queer one, in all the right ways. He had begun to accept Adam for his peculiarity, though had been worried when he saw the looks of the lumberjacks who had stepped out. ¡°Nobby, take good care of your father, alright?¡± Adam pat the large teen¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Once we¡¯re back, we¡¯ll probably be needing a strong young man like you, and we¡¯ll be paying good coin for it.¡± ¡°Okay, yes,¡± Nobby said, nodding his head. Adam chuckled. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll be seeing you.¡± Adam waved at the porters as he withdrew, returning back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Jurot followed Adam back, staring at the half elf¡¯s back. ¡®...¡¯ Even now, Jurot wasn¡¯t sure why Adam wanted to head to the Iyr. Yet, every man has his secrets, human or otherwise. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Literally a filler chapter! Or is it? 19. Rising Undead and Warhammer 19. Rising Undead and Warhammer The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was nearly silent this morning. Even with a room full of rowdy adventurers, they knew when to keep their mouth shut. One of those times was when Tom held out a piece of parchment, with Vice Master Paul standing right behind him. An announcement. However, Adam was looking out to Paul, only just realising he hadn¡¯t seen the Vice Master in some time. ¡®Huh. Where have you been, Paul?¡¯ It was still unnerving to see Paul so full of joy and life, in comparison to his previous life where he was far more solemn and grey. Even so, Adam couldn¡¯t help but smile at Paul¡¯s current demeanour. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all been waiting for this announcement,¡± Tom said, staring at the parchment in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s official. The undead have begun to rise.¡± The adventurers roared with joy, pumping their fists out into the air. They hollered and howled like baboons. Jurot had remained standing with his arms crossed, silent like death. Adam glanced at him, wondering why he wasn¡¯t as excited as the other adventurers. Then, like it had been rehearsed, the adventurers grew silent, leaving a moment of pause to allow Tom to continue. ¡°The excursions have begun. We already have a few parties in mind to send out to deal with the protection of the various settlements nearby, and some which will assist the nearby fort. Then there¡¯s the matter of the undead hot spots, which we¡¯ll assign groups of parties to. Those who haven¡¯t been picked may take any undead request as they come in, though you should be quick since they¡¯ll sell out like hot cakes.¡± ¡®Hot cakes! I should have bought some of those!¡¯ Adam shook his head slightly, thinking about all the various breads and pastries he should be trying in this world. The bread had been alright, some of it had been some of the best bread he had ever had, but the desserts were what he was aiming for. ¡®I should create a food review service...¡¯ ¡°We will have a list up on the wall of the parties we have chosen from all those who had put their names down. I hope that you will behave accordingly. The prices for various things might go up, but you¡¯ll also be making a lot more money in this time. If you cause trouble, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild will be having a word with you.¡± Tom¡¯s lips made a smile, but his eyes were as neutral as always. The unnerving smile caused the adventurers to think twice about how much they¡¯d be drinking for the next few weeks. Without saying goodbye, Tom turned and stepped aside, having much better things to do than to babysit all the adventurers. Jurot followed after him, with Adam stepping up after the Iyrman. ¡°We wish to take the route along the villages towards the Iyr,¡± he said. Tom nodded towards Jurot. He had been informed by the Iyrmen previously about the matter, so he had prepared all the right paperwork. Showing favouritism wasn¡¯t best for the guild, but when it came to the Iyrmen in this town, there was no need to think twice about assisting them. Tom, of all people, understood how easy his life was because his neighbours were an army of thousands of highly skilled warrior people. The amount of work which had been saved due to the Iyrmen could be piled high in this entire room. So what if they wanted him to spend an hour or two this week to assist? He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to deny an Iyrman¡¯s wishes. ¡°The pay will be sent by the villagers, and it will be up to them how much you will receive. That was the condition set in order to allow you to head to the Iyr.¡± Tom looked up at Jurot, waiting for his approval. Yet, instead of nodding his head, Jurot turned to Adam. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡®?¡¯ Tom blinked, turning his head to Adam. ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°As long as they don¡¯t scam us. We should keep my skin condition a secret from them, though. If they find out I¡¯m, you know...¡± Adam twitches his ears, only to realise they were hidden behind his helmet, and so pointed to where they would be instead. ¡°They might not pay us much.¡± Jurot nodded, turning back to face Tom, staring him in his confused eyes. ¡°It is acceptable.¡± ¡°I have confirmed that you are willing to accept the quest,¡± Tom said. ¡°Once the letters arrive at the end of the month, I will have the rewards prepared.¡± ¡°Oh, before I leave.¡± Adam glanced around to see if any adventurers were paying attention. He leaned in over the counter. ¡°Is there an adventuring party known as Dark Harvest?¡± Tom nodded his head. ¡°There is.¡± ¡°Would you mind describing them to me?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Just in case I have the wrong party.¡± ¡®Suspicious!¡¯ ¡®Suspicious!¡¯ Tom nodded his head slowly. ¡°They¡¯re made up of a halfzer, a devilkin, a half orc, a feynt, and a gnome.¡± Adam nodded the entire time until he heard about the gnome. ¡®A gnome?¡¯ Though it did sound like the party he knew. ¡°Well, would you mind passing on a message to them for me in case they ever swing by?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Tom said, bringing out a letter. ¡°Please tell them that if they are ever heading up north into the Snowlands, that I would be willing to go with them as a porter. Tell them that I, you know, have certain abilities.¡± Adam winked, only to realise he was still wearing his helmet. ¡°I winked, but I¡¯m sure you know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± Tom nodded in return. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like me to add?¡± Thundersmith sighed. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing ah don¡¯t like about ya Iyrmen, that ya sometimes cater ta elves, but no one¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°Is it not the way,¡± Jurot said, ¡°to judge someone based on their race.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Thundersmith grumbled. Adam was already scanning the area, trying to find a decent warhammer that he could use. Spell Guidance 1D3 = 1 (1) Perception Check D20 + 2 + 1 = 14 (11) It wasn¡¯t hard to find warhammers, they were favourite weapons of dwarves everywhere, though it was a hard selection. ¡°Which is your cheapest warhammer?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t dare claim I can afford most of the items you make.¡± ¡°Ah don¡¯t sell cheap warhammers.¡± ¡°A good thing I wasn¡¯t asking for a cheap warhammer, otherwise I would have made it. Which warhammer is your most affordable for a Copper Rank adventurer who is still wet behind his pointy leaf ears?¡± ¡°Ah don¡¯t sell ta Copper Rank adventurers.¡± ¡°Then perhaps to a man with a good heart, master Thundersmith. If this was about my life, I would have gotten a decent warhammer from anywhere, but I¡¯m currently on a quest to defend a few villages from undead. We¡¯re no longer talking about my no good life, but the life of civilians. Master Thundersmith, please, if you would be so kind.¡± Thundersmith¡¯s lips twitched, his brows furrowed. ¡®This no good half elf.¡¯ He marched his way to a warhammer which he had tossed aside, something he hadn¡¯t quite finished yet. ¡°Ah¡¯m not selling this ta ya, cause it¡¯s not a warhammer ta be sold under me name. Yeh¡¯r going ta leave sixty gold on tha table, and yer going ta take it with ya.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. Currency 75GP -> 15GP Adam counted out each coin, in case the dwarf would threaten him for paying incorrectly. Thundersmith had half expected Adam to leave. ¡®How in the rock did he manage to earn so much coin? It¡¯s only been a week!¡¯ He spent most of his time smithing, and so didn¡¯t really hear much about outside his forge, other than maybe once a month. Yet, Adam placed down the coin. Thundersmith could no longer run away. He placed the warhammer down on the table, and Adam lifted it up. It was a well made warhammer, one which could easily be seen as dwarven made. There was no obvious flaw within the warhammer, but he was sure that there was something, somewhere, which Thundersmtih didn¡¯t like. Perhaps it was the shape of one of the knobs, or maybe it was because it was a fraction of a millimetre too thin somewhere, and so the dwarf had thrown it away. To a human or a half elf, like Adam, this was a great weapon. Adam felt he weight of the warhammer, swinging it twice, feeling the way it dislodged the air around him. ¡°It was my pleasure doing business with you, master dwarf.¡± ¡°Aye, it was.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Oh Thundersmith, how adorable your racism is. Wait a second. Warhammer? Is the author making a statement about how for some reason racists are attracted to a niche hobby which is currently milking them dry for so much money, all the while they worship a god emperor who failed in his goals in life? No. No I''m not. He just bought a warhammer, that''s all. 20. Noble Iyrmen 20. Noble Iyrmen ¡°Adam son of Fate,¡± Adam said, extending a hand to formally introduce himself to the Iyrmen. Each was tall and strong, built either like an ox, or like a panther, but each so powerful in their own right. ¡°Argon,¡± the leader of the Iyrman group said. He was tall and broad, with long black hair which fell to his shoulders. He looked to be the oldest, in his late thirties or early forties. The greatsword at his back was almost as big as he, with a long grip that was about as long as Adam¡¯s wrist to forearm, and the blade itself was as wide as the crossbar, a flat, solid thing that was sharpened at the edges. The entire hilt was wrapped in bandages, which hid how the grip met the crossbar. ¡®Cool.¡¯ ¡°Tazwyn,¡± she said. ¡°I heard that you are decent at slaying boars.¡± The woman smiled. She was one of the few who had ginger hair rather than dark hair, and she had freckles all over her face. She wielded a sword and shield, and was adorned in plate mail rather than the furs of the Iyrmen. ¡°I¡¯m not bad,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°It¡¯s only thanks to all those who assisted me.¡± ¡°Eshva.¡± She was much shorter than Argon and Tazwyn, but built just as wide. She had dark hair, cut short. At her side were two warhammers, each of which looked just as amazing as his own, but there was something else about them, though he wasn¡¯t able to gather as the next person introduced themselves. ¡°Kandal.¡± Kandal was built like a typical Iyrman, though his eyes seemed dead. He had a large greataxe on his back. ¡°Dargon,¡± the last Iyrman said. He looked just like Argon, but slightly younger, and slightly thinner. His greatsword was much more normal, not quite as long, but the black gem which formed the pommel seemed to give out an ominous energy. The order that we were introduced denotes our ranks, so if I¡¯m not around, Tazwyn is next in charge and so on.¡± Argon glanced towards Dargon, grunting something. ¡°My youngest brother is tasked with your safety, however, so stay with him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still stronger than the both of you together,¡± Dargon said, glancing at Jurot first, and then Adam. ¡°I can tell,¡± Adam said, glancing at them all. They each were Steel Rank adventurers, with a number of stamps. Argon had the most, with Tazwyn having the second most, and the rest all had a similar amount of stamps, about fifteen to twenty. ¡°Since we are facing undead, it is best you bring a blunt weapon.¡± Argon glanced at Jurot, who had forgotten to buy one due to the fact he heard Adam speak dwarven. ¡°The majority of the undead will be skeletons of some kind. If there is another type of undead, we will deal with it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll stay out of your way when that time comes.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Do not stress yourselves. Our goal is to protect the people by vanquishing the undead, not by dying to the undead.¡± Adam glanced at Jurot for a moment. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll definitely live, you can bet on that.¡± ¡°Good. We shall leave soon. Tazwyn, we will need a blunt weapon for Jurot.¡± Argon placed a hand on Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You are too inexperienced to fight such beings with your family¡¯s weapon.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Jurot nodded his head, accepting the fact that he was too weak. It wasn¡¯t a dishonour to fight with another weapon, but he did want to bring honour to his family¡¯s weapon. Kandal placed a hand on Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Another time.¡± The two shared their bond through their weapons. Axes were their favoured weapons. Jurot¡¯s fighting style was that of an axe and shield, though sometimes he did forgo the shield. He was sure his parents would be annoyed by the fact, but sometimes he needed his other hand free for something else. Once the warhammer had been bought for Jurot, one which was made from a local smith, and had been appraised by Tazwyn to be decent, they set out from the town. They took the main road westward, which was what Adam remembered from his last life too. Quest Defend the Three Villages Reward 300XP ¡®The Iyr seems to be in the same place.¡¯ However, with everything being so different, he wasn¡¯t sure if he should completely commit to that thought yet. Argon took the lead, with Tazwyn at the rear. Kandal and Eshva remained at the sides, with Dargon remaining near the young pair. They had moved into position wordlessly, with a practised discipline. ¡®Damn, these Iyrmen are too cool!¡¯ They followed the main road for a long while, with some of the Iyrmen leaving silently to a patch of grass here and there, or to a nearby tree, grabbing a few things, before they returned. Hours passed before they could see a carriage up ahead, making its way to Red Oak. There were six armoured riders, two in front, two a the side, two behind. The two armoured riders at the side started to ride forward, towards the group of Iyrmen, who stepped to the side of the road. However, as the riders neared, they stopped a short ways away, within a javelin¡¯s throwing range. They wore heavy plate, with a spear in their grip, and a sword at their side. Their spears gave an unnatural sheen, catching the sun and reflecting it like they were piercing through the rays of light. Their armour was stamped with a lion¡¯s head. The armoured riders caugh Argon¡¯s gaze, and they nodded their heads slowly at the Iyrmen, with Argon nodding his head in return. The riders waited for the carriage, before taking their place at the side, and they continued on. The carriage stopped before it would pass the group of Iyrmen. The symbol on the side of the carriage was a shield of red, with a golden lion painted on it. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have fought,¡± Argon said. ¡°Duke Lionheart is not a stupid man.¡± ¡°Well, if he wanted to kill me, I¡¯m sure he could have.¡± ¡°Yes, we would have had difficulty defending you against his knights.¡± ¡°Defending me?¡± Adam asked, staring at the Iyrman. ¡°We are to bring you to the Iyr,¡± Argon said. ¡°No one will stop us, not without a fight.¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise. ¡°Well, thank you.¡± Adam glanced back at the gradually smaller carriage. ¡°A Duke moving along with only six knights? Isn¡¯t that-¡° ¡°There are things we shouldn¡¯t say,¡± Argon said. ¡°Let us move on.¡± ¡°A Duke, huh?¡± Adam said, wondering how much he could say. ¡°Just how high of a rank is a Duke anyway?¡± ¡°It is lower than the King and Queen,¡± he said. ¡°Higher than the Prince.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Whoa, so he wasn¡¯t just anybody?¡± ¡°He is Duke Lionheart, Warden of the West Fort.¡± ¡°West Fort, huh? Where¡¯s that?¡± ¡°To the West.¡± Adam blinked. ¡®I swear, is this guy British too?¡¯ He smirked. ¡°How close is that to the Iyr?¡± ¡°It is slightly north of our lands.¡± Seeing how vague the Iyrman was being, Adam chuckled. ¡°Do you have much business with the Lionhearts?¡± ¡°We have defended their fort in previous generations, but the last few generations of Lionhearts have distanced themselves. During the war with the elves, they were the loudest proponents to fight.¡± ¡°So he doesn¡¯t like elves?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe he has any opinions about elves. He merely wishes to write his name down in history. He fought well against the elves, but that is all. The war did not last long enough for him to cement himself.¡± ¡°I get the feeling that he and I will not be getting along.¡± ¡°He will no doubt speak of your sighting, though it will be with the aim to criticise the Iyr.¡± ¡°Ah, well, sorry about that.¡± ¡°You did nothing wrong.¡± Argon couldn¡¯t help but shake the dark feeling within his gut. ¡°I do not believe anything will come of it. The King now, though greedy to also write his name in history, will not dare to point his sword towards the Iyr.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard the Tale of the Blackwater Crisis?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! What is a Duke doing so many miles away with only six knights at his side? Hmmmmmmmmmm. Side Story – Blackwater Crisis I Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis I ¡°Retreat!¡± King Solomon shouted through the whipping winds, raising his Redslayer high into the air. The world was a cold white, covered in snow, but all could see the red of the sword. Redslayer, the blade which had tasted the blood of the ancient wyrm, Mighty Blaze of the Eastern Desert. ¡°Retreat!¡± The call of retreat could barely be heard, but the soldiers could see the path the red blade was taking, and they followed it. A hundred soldiers, each great warriors in their own name, retreated back. Yet, there remained two groups which did not retreat. ¡°Your Grace, we will watch your back!¡± John, the youngest of the Royal Guard, exclaimed after his King. His sword shook within his hand, his heart pounding with adrenaline. His eyes were squarely fixed on the creature in the sky. ¡°Protect your Liege¡¯s back!¡± shouted the Commander, Roger Whiteblade, remaining at the King¡¯s side as they retreated together. Five Royal Guards remained beside John, each as young as he, and each as terrified. Their teeth were chattering, but not because of the snow and frost stuck to their brows, but the fear of the wyrm above them. It was Antalia the Silver, a wicked beast who had already frozen dozens of their brethren during the course of the battle, now standing like ice statues. The myriad of looks of fear belonged in a museum, for who knew that the human face could make so many faces? Yet they had trained since young for this, the chance of honour and glory. Their shaking swords remained out, ready to stab at the creature when it came too close, and yet it flew off, away from the singing javelins which trailed after it. The Royal Guard turned to see who it was that dared to throw the javelins at the skywyrm. Of course, it was them. Tall and broad, each as strong as two men, they were the savages from the west. For generations their ancestors fought with the civilised people of the Kingdom, and yet, here they stood, side by side with their once most hated enemy. ¡°The silver wyrm flees!¡± a savage shouted in their gutteral language. ¡°Chase it! Do not let it escape!¡± ¡°The glory will be mine today, Kasomin!¡± one of the tusked savages cried with glee. ¡°Shakrat, do not cry when my blade pieces its heart!¡± The human savage was cackling with joy, the heat of battle clouding his mind as it did all Iyrmen. They had tasted the blood of the dragon, and now it was time to finish it. The civilised men could not understand the roars of the beastly folk of the west, but watched as they chased the dragon, like children hounding down the last cookie. ¡°How do they know no fear?¡± John asked, turning back to Randal, who was standing on snow which was quickly yellowing. ¡°Fuck if I know, but I ain¡¯t gonna ask them neither!¡± Randal said, his common birth slipping out in his words. He was one of the very few commoners in the Royal Guard. ¡°Mind your words, Randal! You¡¯re a Royal Guard!¡± Kendrick said, sheathing his sword as he watched the wyrm flee. He was the Captain of the small squad, though he was more of a babysitter than anything else. His insides were still cold. ¡®Who would have thought my first incursion would have been against a wyrm? Arya bless me.¡¯ Off in the distance, there were still the drakken, who were engaged with the rest of the Iyrmen, though were quickly falling to the savage¡¯s blades. The Royal Guard wasn¡¯t interested in continuing the battle, their role was to make sure nothing continued back for the next short while, though it seemed no drakken was coming their way, not when they had a wall of savages to face. Yet, if the Royal Guard returned too quickly, they would be shamed. ¡°Let¡¯s hide,¡± Randal said, motioning his head to the nearby wall, kicking off some piss from his boot. ¡°Hide? We¡¯re-¡° ¡°Royal Guard, I know, but I don¡¯t wanna die today.¡± Randal shook his head, walking away from Kendrick. ¡°The King¡¯s safe for now, so let¡¯s hold out while we can.¡± Randal rounded the corner to find one of the savage people of the west. ¡°Holy shit.¡± ¡°Mind your-¡° Kendrick stopped, looking at the redness around the white snow. ¡°Elaveil¡¯s tits! How can a man bleed so much?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but curse at the sight before him. The savage man was tall and broad, as expected, but he was also one of the tusked savages, though he seemed to have some human blood mixed within him. The savage was pale skinned, slightly blue and grey, though it was quickly losing colour. His forehead, which had a tattoo of several moons, was pulsing, barely managing to keep consciousness. The entire area around him was red, tinted with his blood. The savage glared at the six Royal Guards, though his glare was weak, and he was shaking wildly. Not due to fear, for no savage knew fear. ¡°George, patch the boy up.¡± Kendrick winced at the sight of the youngster. They were roughly his age, but for some reason, the savage looked to be younger. ¡°I am no boy,¡± the savage man said, panting with effort. ¡°I am Akrat, son of-¡± Akrat fell down onto his face, unconscious. ¡°He¡¯s a gonner,¡± Randal said. ¡°I say we bury him.¡± ¡°Six Royal Guard burying a savage? How would that look?¡± Kendrick shook his head. He picked the savage up and carried him towards a nearby building, which had been emptied during the fight. He placed the savage down onto the table, looking down at the half orc. ¡®Who¡¯d have thought I would have helped one of your kind out?¡¯ George, the medic of the group, tore apart the savage¡¯s furs to reveal a chiselled physique. ¡°By the gods! What a specimen!¡± His eyes lit up with delight. Kendrick smacked George across the back of his head. ¡°Stop being so queer and get to work. You can touch him all you want once you patch him up.¡± ¡°Hey, Charles, pass me the good wine.¡± George started to get right down to business. ¡°The good wine? Why do you want the good wine?¡± Charles pulled his cloak over his wine skin, the one which he kept his good wine within. If he was going to die, he was going to make sure he had a good drink before he the gods took him. ¡°I know you haven¡¯t watered it down, that¡¯s why! Now pass it over!¡± George held out his hand, wiggling his fingers expectantly. Charles looked to Kendrick with his pleading eyes, but Kendrick just nodded his head. ¡°This savage better pay me back, otherwise I¡¯ll gut him,¡± he grumbled, relinquishing his good wine. A little part of his soul died as he did. ¡°You¡¯ll be glad,¡± Kendrick said. ¡°My father once told me that a savage always pays back his debts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Randal said, nodding his head. ¡°My uncle once helped an Iyrman in the wild. He was all bleeding and dying, though he uncle didn¡¯t tell me what he was bleeding to. Anyway, the Iyrman came back half a year later, handing a magical sword.¡± ¡°Easy there. You¡¯ll open up your wounds again.¡± George said, glancing over to the savage man. ¡°Akrat, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Akrat, son of Ikrat,¡± the half orc grunted with only the slightest accent. ¡°Do you savage men get hungry?¡± George asked, breaking some rations and handing it over. It was a hard biscuit, and there were also some dried fruits. ¡°Iyrman,¡± Akrat corrected. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I am Iyrman. Not savage man.¡± ¡°Right. Do you Iyrmen get hungry?¡± Akrat snatched the food. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, before wolfing it down in two bites. ¡°Drink?¡± Charles asked from next to the fire place. He held out the last bit of his not so good wine, which he had filled with snow to make it last a little longer. However, it was barely any good now, so he no longer wanted it. Akrat nodded, and caught the wine skin before drinking it down. It was cool, which wasn¡¯t preferred, but he didn¡¯t care. It was barely as good as the tavern piss that the Iyrmen usually bought. ¡®Why do they like things that taste so bland?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re a hungry fella, ain¡¯t you?¡± Randal said, hidden in his cloak. ¡°Me ma always said I was a hungry bastard after a nip.¡± Akrat looked at Randal, glanced down towards the sword at his side, but then turned to George. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Nothing important.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± Randal frowned. ¡°I am Akrat, son of Ikrat. I thank you, men of Blackwater.¡± Akrat stared at the three, raising his hands together in respect. ¡°We¡¯ll take your thanks,¡± George said. ¡°I never would have guessed that you would speak our language better than some of us,¡± Charles said, looking to his red haired companion. ¡°Oi.¡± ¡°We are taught when young,¡± Akrat said. ¡°We must speak the language, since we are allies.¡± ¡°Allies?¡± George asked, finishing his biscuit. ¡°You¡¯re part of the Kingdom, just like any one of us. We have a duty to help each other out, hence why we saved you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Akrat said. ¡°We Iyrmen are free. We are not part of Blackwater, and you are not part of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Those are treasonous words,¡± George said, reaching down to his side. Akrat did not react as the medic brought out some dried fruit, offering some to the Iyrman, who accepted some. ¡°These are the words of the First Treaty of the Iyr and Blackwater.¡± Akrat ate the dried fruit, then glanced down at his wounds. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that,¡± George said, biting into some more of his dried fruit. The door opened and Kendrick stepped inside with a featherless bird of the Snowlands. He saw Akrat with a sword in his hand, drawn in his direction. ¡°You finally woke up, I see,¡± he said, dropping the dead bird. ¡°Charles, Timothy managed to find something for you to cook.¡± ¡°Damn, how does the bastard do it?¡± Charles shook his head, before grabbing the featherless bird and cutting into it so he could part it properly to cook. ¡°Slept well?¡± Kendrick asked, taking his seat beside the fire. ¡°It was fine.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be heading back soon,¡± Kendrick said, having a nibble on his rations. ¡°We¡¯ll head back to the fort, then we can each see our families.¡± ¡°I must slay a wyrm for my family,¡± Akrat said, thinking about his older brother. ¡°You¡¯re going to slay a wyrm?¡± Kendrick chuckled. ¡°You and what army?¡± ¡°You,¡± Akrat said. The six Royal Guard stared at Akrat, blinking at him. Timothy and John had just stepped inside when he had said that. ¡°What did he just say?¡± a feminine voice cut through the air. Akrat turned to Timothy, who had remained in the shadows. Timothy only spoke once a day, and it seemed she had chosen now to speak up. ¡°Timothy¡¯s a girl?¡± Randal gasped. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Casually slipping in the first side story? Side Story – Blackwater Crisis II Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis II ¡°Begging your pardon, Captain, but isn¡¯t this fucking crazy?¡± Charles asked, trekking through the light snow beside Kendrick. Due to the retreat of the dragon, the snow would no longer fall down quite as harshly. ¡°Mind your language,¡± Kendrick said, shaking his head. Kendrick¡¯s eyes fell to Akrat, who was walking beside Randal. He understood why Charles was questioning him, and why he was giving the look like his Captain was crazy. ¡°He¡¯s an Iyrman with a debt to pay. There¡¯s no need for us to decline.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t the King be angry?¡± Charles asked, wanting to return back to civilisation so he can taste the sweet nectar he has been wishing for. ¡®I bet everyone¡¯s celebrating right now...¡¯ ¡°We are to cover the retreat. We have covered it, but we need to make sure it remains safe.¡± It was a bunch of nonsense, of course, but Charles couldn¡¯t refuse his Captain¡¯s orders. ¡®If we really can slay a dragon...¡¯ Kendrick¡¯s fingers twitched with excitement. ¡°Where did you get that sword?¡± Akrat asked, glancing towards the large sword which Randal held. It wasn¡¯t quite a greatsword, but it wasn¡¯t far off. The hilt was long and had been made of Black Ivory, a popular wood for Iyrmen, and had been carved with a pattern which had been derived from the Lak family. ¡°Why are you askin¡¯ about that?¡± Randal asked, shocked. ¡°There¡¯s somethin¡¯ more important! Timothy! Since when were you a girl?¡± Randal stared at Timothy, staring at her. Timothy was short, lithe and nimble, moving with feline grace. Randal had always thought it was weird as to why he liked Timothy so much, but it all made sense. Timothy was a girl. Timothy remained silent, slowly pulling away from Randal, before she finally disappeared from his sight, though it was just her great skill in stealth which had allowed her to transition against the tree mid walk as Randal passed it. ¡°The sword is an Iyrman¡¯s sword,¡± Akrat said, trying to catch the red haired¡¯s attention once more. ¡°It was given to my uncle by an Iyrman,¡± Randal replied simply, blinking as he tried to find Timothy. ¡°Which Iyrman?¡± ¡°Uh, I think his name was... Fulrak, Fukrak, uh...¡± Randal had memorised the name many years ago, but since he never thought about it, it now danced on the tip of his tongue. ¡°Firlak,¡± Akrat said, nodding his head. ¡°Ah, Firlak! That was it!¡± ¡°I know the story,¡± Akrat said, nodding his head once again. ¡°Your uncle, Ranolf the Hunter, saved Firlak after he had clashed with a bandit group, Gordon¡¯s Hands. Firlak managed to slay three of them, but fell to poison. Your uncle appeared not long after and saved him. Firlak never forgot, and had returned to pass along Blackfyre, the sword within your hand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! How did you know that?¡± Randal gasped, hearing the name of his uncle, and the name of his sword. He hadn¡¯t heard the names in a while, his uncle having passed away a few years ago. ¡°I heard the story when I was a boy,¡± Akrat replied back simply. ¡°I heard that Iyrmen learn a hundred stories before they¡¯re ten, is that true?¡± Randal knew how much a hundred was, though only barely. ¡°No,¡± Akrat replied, shaking his head. ¡°Oh.¡± Randal frowned. ¡®It makes sense that the stories are exaggerated.¡¯ ¡°We learn at least a thousand.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Randal lips grew into a boyish smile. ¡°They say the Iyrmen always help the wee folk out on the road.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Randal understood that the Iyrman wasn¡¯t going to continue. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The common people are weak. There is no honour in their suffering. We must ease their suffering, so that they can become strong, like us.¡± Akrat flexed his muscles. He wore the typical furs and cloths of an Iyrman, which meant much of his body was on display. ¡°I heard suffering makes people stronger,¡± Randal said, recalling how all the politicians and Lords spoke about suffering making one stronger while they sipped out of their golden chalices. ¡°Sometimes.¡± Akrat understood the sentiment of the words, but he was an Iyrman, so could smell bull shit from a mile away. ¡°Do you guys really eat your children?¡± Akrat blinked, staring at him questioningly. ¡°No, we do not. Who speaks such ills of the Iyr.¡± His lips formed a taut frown. ¡°Me ma said if I was bad, that you would eat me.¡± Randal recalled the tales from when he was young. He realised, as an adult, that it must have been a lie, but it was best to ask while the Iyrman was in front of him. ¡°We do not children.¡± ¡°What about adults?¡± ¡°For survival,¡± Akrat said, nodding his head. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then do you train your children from birth? I heard that the Iyrmen are so strong because you¡¯re born with a sword in your hand right when the angelbird delivers you under the chimney.¡± Akrat blinked again, unsure of what he was talking about. ¡°We are not delivered under chimneys.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have chimneys?¡± Randal asked, gasping. ¡°We do,¡± Akrat replied, wondering what Randal was talking about. ¡°Children of the Iyr grow up within the walls of the Iyr, playing as they wish until they are six years old, hearing the many tales of their families. They will not know the suffering of an empty stomach, or the suffering of not having a family. If a child is sick in the Iyr, they will not remain sick for long. If they pass before their time, they are brought back to live a true life.¡± Timothy walked closer, leaning in to listen in on their conversation. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Wow! That sounds so fantastical,¡± Randal said, struggling with the word. Everyone else understood the absurdity of what the Iyrman was saying. Bringing people back to life? That was something which was frowned upon, but more importantly, it was also extremely expensive. ¡°I have heard the tales of your Kingdom,¡± Akrat said. ¡°That you allow your children to starve.¡± He had struggled to believe the tales from the Iyr, but he also knew Iyrmen did not lie. ¡°Some children live on the streets,¡± Randal said, nodding his head. ¡°Some children have no mother or father. Some do, but they were probably kicked out. Some can¡¯t afford to feed another mouth, and so...¡± ¡°They¡¯re abandoned,¡± he said. ¡°A child can be kicked out a family or abandoned? Is that what it means to be civilised?¡± Akrat tilted his head. He meant no ill will by his words, they were a genuine question. ¡°Well, we are civilised.¡± Randal frowned. ¡°You are civilised because you cannot protect your children?¡± Akrat was unsure of what the word truly meant considering the context of their conversation. ¡°Hey! Our Kingdom¡¯s pretty good!¡± Randal frowned deeper. ¡°They say the Southerners sacrifice their children, we don¡¯t do that!¡± Akrat shook his head. ¡°Sacrificing children? That is terrible.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how much he should believe Randal, but would put it into the back of his mind to bring back to the Iyr. George wasn¡¯t sure if he should speak up about certain historical events, but decided against it. John threw him a look, and George avoided his gaze. ¡°Me ma and pa always looked after me, though. That¡¯s why I¡¯m so big.¡± Randal puffed up his chest with pride. He was slightly taller than the Iyrman, and slightly wider too. ¡°You are very big.¡± Akrat nodded his head, staring at Randal¡¯s body. ¡°Your father must have potent seed, and your mother, child bearing hips.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Randal nodded his head proudly, smirking. ¡°Hey, enough with such useless chatter.¡± Kendrick rubbed his face. ¡°Anyway, you guys really love your kids, huh?¡± He exchanged a look with George, who avoided both the looks of John and Kendrick. George caught Charles smirking up at him. ¡°We of the Iyr had almost been brought to death,¡± Akrat said. ¡°We are still recovering. To lose one child could mean the death of a thousand others.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you lucky that the Kingdom created that peace treaty with you?¡± Kendrick asked, finally managing to score some points for his home. ¡°No,¡± Akrat said. ¡°Your Kingdom was very lucky we created a peace treaty with it.¡± ¡°Everyone knew you were on your last legs.¡± ¡°We created a peace treaty with you and immediately sent hundreds of our people to fight the giants. Even now, we of the Iyr could send thousands to take over your Kingdom.¡± ¡°Those are treasonous words,¡± Kendrick said, clenching his fists. He wasn¡¯t about to draw his sword against an Iyrman, though. ¡°It is not treason, but the truth. It is only because of the Iyr that the Kingdom of Blackwater exists. Our grandparents assisted your King¡¯s grandfather fifty years ago, dealing with the giants and the silver wyrm Gantalia. Your men remained to defend, but they did not need to defend when the Iyrmen slew all the enemies.¡± Unfortunately for the drakken, they had missed something. It was a small mistake. Kendrick inhaled deeply, and brought his entire attention to one of the drakken. ¡°For the King!¡± Kendrick exclaimed, the battlecry spurring on all the Royal Guard, boosting his five other companions. It spurred John, who dropped to a knee and caught a downward swing, his the flat side of his sword digging against his palm. Randal behind him swung wildly to cut into a drakken nearby, spraying the kneeling Royal Guard and the caught drakken soldier with the blood of the second. The drakken soldier watched as his companion was cleaved nearly in two. ¡®These sheep sleepers are fucking crazy!¡¯ George had been defending quite well, allowing Charles to catch a few jabs at the two soldiers ahead. After he had formed a rhythm, and hearing the signal of his Captain, he smiled. He tossed his mace towards the drakken, who swung wildly at it, his face full of confusion. George grabbed the drakken¡¯s face. ¡°I will pray for you,¡± he said, feeling his mana rush towards his hand. The blackness seeped out of his fingers and then all across the drakken¡¯s face as it peeled off. The drakken screamed in the most terrible pain, trying to pull away from the man¡¯s hand, before George let him drop. The drakken threw off his helmet, revealing his ashy flesh which was being caught by the soft wind, before he dropped dead, his bony skull dropping against the stone floor. The drakken soldier beside watched in terror. ¡°Oh my-¡° Charles grabbed the drakken¡¯s mouth, forcing his blade through the chink of the drakken¡¯s armour, and pierced through his ribs with his blade. Kendrick, having given the signal, had forced his attention to the silent drakken, who reached up with his blade to defend himself. The other drakken beside him, grinned and stepped forward. ¡°Sorry,¡± came a whisper along his ear, before he felt a thin blade pierce through his neck, causing him to gurgle out blood. He dropped his sword and grabbed his neck, feeling the hot crimson. The drakken beside him quickly side stepped, but with the step, the heavy blow which clattered against his blade, caused him to fall onto his back. He saw Timothy¡¯s figure for a moment before a blade pierced through his face, and all went dark. The Captain had barely managed to catch his two soldiers die passed the Deathsinger, who was still grinning wildly. He inhaled deeply and blasted out black, poisonous smoke. ¡°Retreat! Retrea-euck!¡± He choked on the blade which had emerged from the smoke. He stepped back, grabbing at his throat with one hand, spitting out blood onto the snowy ground. He gurgled out a gasp as another blade slipped through his back, and turned to see Bili behind him, eyes full of rage. The three armoured drakken were being beaten by the unarmoured drakken, managing to pierce through a couple, but falling to their blades quickly. George had rushed to the unarmoured drakken which had fallen, quickly healing them so they wouldn¡¯t immediately die. With the soldiers dead, the unarmoured drakken turned to face Akrat and the others. George could see the looks of the unarmoured drakken, and quickly stepped back away from the unconscious drakken he had been tending to. He kept his shield up, but did not reach for his mace. Charles remained beside him. Timothy remained beside her Captain, a pair of daggers in her hand. Kendrick remained at attention, counting the unarmoured drakken, who would be easily dispatched by his Royal Guard if it came to blows. John remained beside Randal, who was wiping his blade against the snow, and activated its fire to rinse the blood off his blade. The living drakken continued to hold their weapons tightly, unsure of how things would play out. The only thing which could be heard was the squelching of blood as Bili continued to stab down at the dead Captain, crying something aloud in drakken every few stabs. Akrat watched the young drakken, not caring that there were many drakken still eyeing him suspiciously. ¡°Are you angry?¡± Akrat asked the young drakken. ¡°Yes,¡± Bili said, keeping his blade within the Captain, panting for air. ¡°Good.¡± Akrat smiled. ¡°He is dead now. There is no need to waste your anger on his corpse.¡± ¡°He tried to hurt my elder sister. He tried to kill her.¡± His eyes were full of angry tears. ¡°Now he is dead. Slain by your blade.¡± Bili shook his head. ¡°You killed him.¡± ¡°Your blade took the kill,¡± Akrat said, not upset at the fact the glory was stolen by the boy. He had channelled his rage, but it was not personal. ¡°He died too easily,¡± Bili said, his lips quivering. ¡°He did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still angry. I want to kill him again.¡± Bili stabbed the corpse again. ¡°You should use your rage on something else. If you keep stabbing him, you will ruin your blade.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to interrupt,¡± Captain Kendrick said, ¡°but we are being eye balled right now.¡± Kendrick stepped towards Akrat, and the woman with the spear quickly stepped towards her brother. ¡°Bili, come to me,¡± she said, not wishing to speak in drakken in case they thought she was plotting something. Bili continued to pant, but he would not disobey his sister. He quickly stood up, turning his back to the Deathsinger without a thought, and returned to his sister, hugging her tight. She grabbed his head and brushed his hair, holding the spear firmly in her other hand. The drakken were almost no different to humans, save for the scales which covered half their bodies, and the tiny horns on their heads. However, these differences were already too much for other races, which were always eager to separate others from themselves. Even though many Iyrmen were humans, just like those of the Kingdom, they were always considered a different type of human than the civilised Kingdomfolk. Akrat sheathed his sword, completely calm. The Royal Guard kept their blades in hand, save for George, who held up his shield still. ¡°Will you help us?¡± Bili asked, having calmed down. ¡°I have offered to help,¡± Akrat said. ¡°Though I will not force you to draw your blades for your freedom.¡± He glanced around, checking the dead soldiers. His eyes noted the way they had died, the blows to their armour, and who had killed them. ¡°Whether you wish to become our allies, or our enemies, or you wish to remain neutral...¡± He picked up a shortsword made of a black metal, blacksteel, Akrat had surmised, and cleaned it. He sheathed it into its scabbard and held it out to Bili. ¡°That is up to you.¡± Bili pulled away from his sister and accepted the blade, looking down at the scabbard, before drawing a little of the blade. The blacksteel stared at him, ready for blood. ¡°We can¡¯t fight,¡± Bili¡¯s sister said. ¡°We¡¯re no soldiers.¡± ¡°You fight well enough,¡± Akrat said, glancing down at her spear. ¡°I have offered my help, and that is all I can do, for now.¡± Akrat wasn¡¯t interested in helping those who weren¡¯t interested in helping themselves. ¡°I thought our goal was the dragon?¡± Captain Kendrick asked, sheathing his sword. He had guessed that Akrat couldn¡¯t call for peace all the while he had his sword drawn. ¡°It is.¡± Akrat nodded. ¡°The dragon? You mean him, don¡¯t you? Dark Wing?¡± Bili stared up a Akrat, clutching the blade tight within his grip. ¡°Daegyar?¡± Akrat asked, recalling the title of the dragon. Bili nodded, his eyes hopefuly. ¡°Is it he who binds you?¡± ¡°He came before I was born,¡± Bili said. ¡°He enslaved us and made us into his minions. We¡¯re his slaves.¡± Bili swallowed. ¡°We heard the Deathsingers had come, and so we tried to run away. The soldiers found us and...¡± ¡°Right, the Iyrmen did rush off here after Antalia,¡± Kendrick said, nodding his head. ¡°You¡¯re not here for Daegyar?¡± Bili frowned, biting his lower lip. ¡°We are here to slay a dragon,¡± Akrat said, crossing his arms. ¡°Antalia, Daegyar, or Rogryaen, it matters not.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll help us kill Daegyar?¡± Bili asked quickly, gripping the shortsword tighter. Akrat turned to Kendrick. ¡°What say you, Captain? To free the Black Hill Tribe and slay Dark Wing Daegyar? Is it not a good tale?¡± Akrat grinned wide. ¡°Liberating a people under the name of the King,¡± Captain Kendrick rubbed his chin. ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡± ¡°The King¡¯ll definitely promote us!¡± Randal grinned stupidly. ¡°I bet he¡¯ll give us a raise too.¡± ¡°Our goal isn¡¯t a raise, but to help the people,¡± John said, but even he could feel his heart pound with excitement. ¡°I¡¯m no hero,¡± Charles said, shaking his head. ¡°This is getting crazier by the second. We should return back so we can rest up and drink, before we¡¯re sent out to die again.¡± ¡°If we slay a dragon, what kind of drink would the King reward you with?¡± George pat Charles¡¯ back. ¡°You never know, he might even open up a bottle of one hundred blukvin for the honoured Royal Guard who slew Dark Wing.¡± Charles found himself being seduced by George¡¯s honeyed words. ¡°I doubt it,¡± he said, though he was finding himself warming up to the idea. ¡°Even so, you¡¯ve never tasted drakken alcohol, have you?¡± Charles closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t want to continue, to risk his life to slay a dragon. He was no hero, he just wanted to go back to a soft bed. If he could have a warm body beside him, that would be nice too. ¡®No, no, I shouldn¡¯t get swept up by that bastard¡¯s words.¡¯ George remained silent, his hand on his companion¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Charles sighed. Kendrick glanced to Timothy, who was looting the dead bodies for any blacksteel daggers. ¡°Seems like everyone agrees.¡± ¡°We will train you and lead you against the dragon,¡± Akrat said. ¡°We will slay Dark Wing, and you will be free to tell the tale for generations!¡± The woman frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that...¡± ¡°Zili, it¡¯s a Deathsinger.¡± Bili looked up at her. ¡°If he can¡¯t do it, who can?¡± ¡°We...¡± She stared into her brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°We need to return to the village,¡± Zili said. ¡°We¡¯ll speak more there.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sorry! I was trying to fix my sleep! Originally this chapter was meant to be about 2-3K words and I just got so into it. I had to remove an entire scene from it too... Side Story – Blackwater Crisis III Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis III ¡°We have pushed back the drakken for now, but we will need to reinforce North Fort,¡± King Solomon said, looking over the battle map. His silvery hair had been cut short at the start of the war, but had grown back to its medium length during the campaign against the drakken and the skywyrms. Commander Roger sat at his side, motioning to the gold coin on the map. ¡°King¡¯s Sword should still be pressuring Black Sword, the one known as Mirin.¡± His auburn hair had been cut short during the start of the war as well, though it had remained short due to his weekly grooming. ¡°We should send another hundred soldiers his way since the fort should be safe.¡± General William said, taking a small grey block from where the North Fort was, and pushed it up to the gold coin. It was hard to pick up the block with his armoured fingers, but he had grown used to it over the years. ¡°We need all the soldiers at the fort,¡± Lady Blackheart said, motioning to the small red wooden cubes beyond the fort. ¡°The Iyrmen are bloodthirsty, and I do not believe they will return any time soon. If the fort is attacked by the dragon as it out paces them, we will need as many soldiers as we can gather to defend ourselves. This Antalia is a relative of the dragon which had attacked previously, and should know the weaknesses of our fort.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it your responsibility to equip the fort against all threats?¡± General William asked, looking towards the pale skinned and black haired Lady. He was similarly black haired, though his skin was tanned from being out in the sun and the fields, living the soldier life. ¡°If you are unable to equip the fort, then perhaps I should be given command until it is up to the task of holding back a dragon?¡± ¡°You seem to have forgotten how many wars we have fought,¡± Lady Blackheart said. ¡°Though we have received assistance during those wars, some even by your hand, it was only after we were able to defend the Northern Passage for weeks as your soldiers marched up towards an untouched Northamber, General. The fort has been torn apart nearly ten times in the last century, and once we Blackhearts had taken control of it, it has yet to be breached.¡± ¡°Do not forget whose blood the Blackhearts share, General,¡± King Solomon said, staring at the map still. Though he liked the General, there were times his words slipped too far. The General coughed into his fist. ¡°I meant no disrespect, your Grace.¡± The General and Lady Blackheart had been like this ever since the war ten years ago, and even at peace they would often be at each other¡¯s throats. ¡°Cousin, please forgive his words,¡± King Solomon said. ¡°The General has a point, but I understand that you have been working hard to defend the North since our Grandfather¡¯s time.¡± King Solomon tapped the map. ¡°Once this war is over, I will send funds to further strengthen the North Fort. The North Fort has been under siege countless times since the founding of the Kingdom, and it is time that we spend the resources to make it more powerful.¡± ¡°Such a promise will need to pass through the Court,¡± Lady Blackheart said. ¡°I hope that your Grace will remember these words and the sacrifices we of the north have made. The other three forts collectively have yet to face the threats we have faced.¡± The King nodded his head. He understood how much of a pain in the ass it would be, but it was true that North Fort had been attacked the most. The West Fort was mostly for show, though it did possess a large navy, just in case. The East Fort and South Fort were just big enough to deal with a threat for a few weeks, long enough for the army to arrive, but the North Fort was much more difficult to march towards and assist as quickly, and its enemies were far more dangerous. ¡°I will believe in the North Fort¡¯s ability to hold out, and in the ability of the Iyrmen to keep the drakken at bay for some time. Send the Ironfist Company to support King¡¯s Sword and the Swordbearers Battalion.¡± General William raised his brows for a moment, but bowed his head. ¡°As you wish, your Grace.¡± He looked to a soldier nearby, handing out a badge to them. ¡°Sir, yes sir!¡± The soldier quickly retreated to find Sergeant Ironfist, who was no doubt drinking himself into a trained stupor. ¡°We will form another Battalion to be sent to North Fort,¡± the King said. ¡°Our goal was to destroy their forward base and drive back the silverwyrm. The Iyrmen who have gone north are aiming to slay it for glory, which is fine by me. If they slay it, then the greatest threat is dissipated, and we can force Dark Wing into a peace, and claim tribute from his hoard.¡± ¡°We can only pray for the Iyrmen to slay it,¡± Commander Roger said, staring down at the map, his eyes focused on the various different blocks. Each block was a company, and the larger blocks were a battalion. The golden coin represented the King¡¯s Sword and his Swordbearers Battalion, the greatest force in their possession. They would have been useful against the silverwyrm and the drakken under his command, but they had another task to deal with. ¡°If they don¡¯t slay it, we will receive a fresh batch of a hundred Iyrmen, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Lady Blackheart said, referring to the treaty. ¡°That was the deal,¡± King Solomon said, recalling the treaty which had been signed before his birth during his grandfather¡¯s time. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s a win for us. An Iyrman is worth five soldiers, so you¡¯d have two fresh Battalions supporting you.¡± The King picked up a small red block, which always defined the Iyrmen, those who were so thirsty for blood, and placed it at the fort on the map. Lady Blackheart smiled. ¡°I will still pray for their success so that the war ends quickly.¡± A hundred Iyrmen were a great boon, but the end of the war was a greater boon. King Solomon nodded, glancing towards the Majors who had remained silent. The table was for the four of them, the King, the Commander of the Royal Guard, the General, and the Fort Master, who held the same rank as the General. There was also another seat, but the Iyrmen had continued their fight, so their representative was missing. However, now that the general plan of action was called for, the Majors could finally speak. ¡°I gave my word to him that I would bury him peacefully,¡± King¡¯s Sword said. ¡°I have buried him secretly, but I have claimed his blade as proof.¡± King¡¯s Sword had fought quite the battle against Black Sword, and through their battle to the death, there was a level of mutual respect. Black Sword had asked simply to be buried away from all the war, from all the noise, a place where no one would find him. It was not something the King¡¯s Sword could do, for Dark Wing would easily find the body, but he had made sure none had seen where the Black Sword had been buried, slaying the people who had dug the grave. ¡°You¡¯re far too good to be King¡¯s Sword,¡± King Solomon said, smiling still ever so widely. ¡°I will respect the wish, and I shall accept the blade.¡± The King reached down to take the sword into his hand, feeling its great magic. How King¡¯s Sword resisted the allure of the weapon was beyond him, but he had complete faith in the man, his closest ally. ¡°I am glad you are pleased, your Grace.¡± King¡¯s Sword bowed his head once again, standing at the King¡¯s motion. ¡°Pleased? I¡¯m rather annoyed,¡± the King said, rubbing his forehead. He sighed dramatically. The others looked up at him, their eyes curious and slightly worried. The Majors each exchanged glances between one another. ¡°Do you know how hard it is going to be to reward you for this?¡± The King placed the sword at his side, inhaling deeply as he felt his strength grow. The magic within the sword was slowly filling him, coursing through his body. ¡°I only did what was expected of me, your Grace.¡± King¡¯s Sword smiled. He had done something which other King¡¯s Sword may never be able to beat. He had taken the artefact and had handed it to the King. That alone would put him down in history, never to be forgotten. ¡°I want to make it so that you aren¡¯t so formal, but that would only bring me trouble.¡± The King shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°What are your commands?¡± King¡¯s Sword asked. ¡°My commands are to celebrate! Dark Wing will soon come for peace! With this, I will return to the capital with the Swordbearers Battalion and the Royal Guard. The rest of the army will remain here under the command of Lady Blackheart and General William,¡± the King said, making sure to name them in order of importance. ¡°General William, you are to act as her Second General, as you have done for me.¡± ¡°As you wish, your Grace,¡± General William took a knee as the King waved an invisible sword over his shoulders, committing him to his role. He understood that he would be under Lady Blackheart, as was expected. At the North Fort, it was only right for him to be under its Master¡¯s call. ¡°I will make a request of the King to also take along Sir Florence, Knight of Death, with him on the journey back,¡± Lady Blackheart said. ¡°Though he is not as powerful as your King¡¯s Sword, I would feel relieved if you were to take his squad with you.¡± Sir Florence was someone who could be spoken in the same breath of King¡¯s Sword. He was classed as the second greatest warrior in all the land, after King¡¯s Sword. Some would say the Red Knight was his equal, but they had never clashed sword. The Death Knight Squad was also extremely powerful, and the King recalled the tournament where Commander Roger had been brought to a stalemate by the Death Knight Squad¡¯s Second. ¡°With the Swordbearers and King¡¯ Sword, my journey will be safe enough. Sir Florence should remain here, at your side, defending the King¡¯s Fort. It would keep my mind at peace.¡± Lady Blackheart bowed her head. ¡°I will do as you command.¡± The Lady had to offer the escort back, as part of being a good noblewoman, and the King had to refuse, since it was meant to be a gesture of good faith. There had been a moment where he was going to accept, just to see what would happen, but it would induce too much panic. ¡°Now...¡± The Kind raised the Blacksword. ¡°I command you all to drink!¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I''m still trying to fix my sleep... Wow, everything seems so fun and light. Haha, seems like this story isn''t going to be dark at all =) 21. Hungry 21. Hungry ¡°An elf, in our lands?¡± one of the Knights grumbled towards the other.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Dark tidings,¡± the other Knight responded. The Knights glanced between one another for only a moment, before returning back to their duty, riding along the carriage. Duke Lionheart looked down at his hand, towards the ring on his finger. It was made of gold, with the sigil of his house on the flat edge, that of a standing lion. He circled the ring around his finger using his thumb. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I didn¡¯t bring my Lionguard,¡¯ he thought. He could only wonder how much blood would have been shed. He had no faith in his siblings, who would be using this opportunity to try and take his seat, so he left his Lionguard behind, a warning to any who would dare to go against him. His siblings had their own Knights, as expected of them, but none were as brilliant as his Lionguard, the six greatest Knights in the west, and none as fanatical. ¡°Goddess Elaveil, I hope that you balance out their emotions,¡± the Duke prayed, smiling slightly. A Duke moving alone through the land with only six Knights, it was unheard of. Yet, that was his pride as the man with the lion heart. It was a declaration. Come, if you feel like you have the guts. I only need so few Knights to deal with the likes of you. Though they weren¡¯t the Lionguard, they were each powerful Knights. If any of his Lionguard fell, they would be replaced by one of the six around him. The strength of the Knights would fall, but only by the smallest amount. The Duke reached down towards the pommel of his sword, which had been shaped into the head of a lion, feeling its ridges through his gloves. He stopped shifting his ring around with his thumb, distracted by the blood lust he was emanating. His Lionblade was hungry. ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, glancing towards the Iyrmen. ¡°This has been a wonderful tale so far, one of the best I¡¯ve ever heard. Yet, I can¡¯t help but wonder...¡± He narrowed his eyes towards the muscled people around him. ¡°So far it hasn¡¯t really revealed why the King wouldn¡¯t dare to point his sword at the Iyr.¡± Dargon exchanged a look towards Argon, smirking at his older brother. ¡°You should enjoy the tale,¡± the Iyrman said, ¡°while you still can.¡± ¡°I feel like it¡¯s going to have a very tragic ending,¡± Adam replied, frowning. ¡°There is no need to spoil yourself, young man,¡± Tazwyn said, patting his shoulder. ¡°Enjoy it. You will only get to hear the tale once before you know the ending.¡± Adam glanced at the female Iyrman, seeing the look in her eyes. They definitely viewed Adam as a young duckling, innocent and naive of the world. Adam turned to Jurot, who remained silent. He didn¡¯t want to ruin the story for Adam, for the first time was precious. ¡°If you hear the tale¡¯s ending, you will be unable to sleep,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°So let¡¯s end it here for the day.¡± ¡°I want to hear more though.¡± Adam¡¯s frown continued to grow. It was just getting to the good part. ¡°At least tell me this, did he slay Dark Wing? If I don¡¯t know that much, then I won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spoil yourself.¡± Tazwyn slapped his shoulder gently, as though admonishing him, before laughing and continuing on. They veered off the main road, heading further into the forest proper, where there was a small encampment of half walls, like those he first saw when he had awoken in this world. The Iyrmen made their camp with an experienced quickness. They grabbed their blankets, which were patterned with the same patterns as their forehead tattoos, and used the blankets as roofs, as well as to cover themselves. Each Iyrman had two blankets, one thin, one thinner. Dargon started the camp fire, and Adam noted there were two Iyrmen missing. Eshva and Kandal were gone, though Argon and Tazwyn remained. As Adam dropped down, grabbing his bedroll, he turned to see Jurot with a small block of wood and a knife. The Iyrman was cutting into it, formed a rough shape. He blinked. ¡°You can carve wood?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied back. ¡°It is the trade I learnt.¡± ¡°I can show you if you like?¡± Adam cast the spell once he had been given the go ahead, not daring to mess with an Iyrman¡¯s food without permission. Dargon bit into the meat, and pulled back, chewing slowly. Argon and the other Iyrmen glanced over his way, wondering how he¡¯d respond. ¡°What is this?¡± Dargon asked, tasting flavours he hadn¡¯t tasted before. There was something off about it, but he wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°It tastes like chicken tikka masala, but this is boar and it¡¯s not quite as creamy, unfortunately.¡± Dargon nodded his head slowly. ¡°It¡¯s very... very spicy,¡± he said, licking the phantom tingling on his lips. It was something which he had never tasted before, and something which he¡¯d need to consume properly in order to create an accurate assessment. More importantly, Dargon and the other Iyrmen pulled their hands away from their weapons. All still wondered why the half elf wanted to go to the Iyr. They were trying to piece together where he was from to create a profile for him in order to make it easier for themselves to figure out his motives, and the food would allow them to narrow it down. ¡°We will take watch,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°You two can sleep in peace.¡± She threw a glance towards Dargon. ¡°It¡¯s definitely from the south east,¡± Dargon said. ¡°Very far east.¡± The flavour profile matched those far from the south east. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s from the east, he¡¯s too pale.¡± Tazwyn shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s given us more questions than answers.¡± ¡°At least he likes our stories,¡± Dargon said. When the Duke¡¯s carriage had arrived at the gates, the guards remained standing upright, filled with pride as they displayed their banners. A guard blew a horn, and a procession of more guards walked out to greet the Duke, standing at attention with their companions. The Captain of the Guard, Harold, approached the carriage¡¯s side. He was a middle aged man, with salt and pepper hair, and a magical sword at his side. He was no match for any of the Knights who loomed over him, but he¡¯s at lead spill their blood. The Duke stepped, seeing the guards all around them. ¡®I¡¯m sure the Countess knew I was arriving at this time.¡¯ He glanced to Harold. ¡°I¡¯m here to meet with the Countess.¡± ¡°Countess Redoak has asked us to accompany you, your Grace,¡± Harold said, not introducing himself since he hadn¡¯t been asked for his name. ¡°There is no need,¡± the Duke said, intentionally making it difficult for the Captain. The Countess had no doubt ordered him to accompany the Duke, but that was no matter to him. ¡°As you wish, your Grace,¡± the Captain replied, understanding what the Duke was trying to do. The other guards looked at their Captain, but the Captain rather liked his head connected to his neck. The Duke marched with his Knights through the streets, causing all the people to step aside for him. He marched as though it were Lionsgate. ¡®Most likely this is the least likely place he¡¯d be from my calculations, so he should still be here.¡¯ His eyes were focused on the people, trying to find the traitors, as well as the most dangerous weapon against him. ¡®Just what did I have do to deserve an older brother like you?¡¯ As he marched ahead, a few more armoured individuals appeared. The leader wore breastplate, stamped with the sigil of the Redoaks, that of an oak tree, and he had at his side a magical sword, which was gifted to all of the Oakguard. ¡°Sir Merrick Crimsonbark, Seventh Branch of the Oakguard!¡± the Knight declared loudly, causing the warriors behind him to stamp their feet and exclaim with him. ¡°At your service!¡± The Duke sighed, seeing how the Countess was playing her game. If he dismissed the guard, it would be difficult. A Captain of the Guard was easy to dismiss, but one of the pillars of the Redoak family, that would be more difficult to deal with. There was no need to aggravate the woman further, since he still required her assistance. ¡®I wonder how she¡¯d feel if I slew him?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! This Duke is a little... weird. By weird, I of course mean, psychopathic. 22. Massacre at Rock Hill 22. Massacre at Rock Hill ¡°You really won¡¯t continue the story?¡± Adam asked, grumbling as he followed the Iyrmen through the thick forest. He focused on not tripping over the various trigs and bushes all around. ¡°You will hear the rest of it in due time,¡± Tazwyn said, smiling back towards Jurot. ¡°You must not rush a good story,¡± Jurot said, repeating the words he had heard countless times within the Iyr. He glanced at Adam, understanding the itchiness the half elf was feeling. Hearing half the story would have drove him wild too, but he was in the fortunate situation of having heard one of the most important stories countless times. It was never boring to hear the stories again as everyone recounted it differently. The substance didn¡¯t change, but the way the person orated certainly brought out different emotions. The main road continued through it the thick forest, dividing it forest into two. The right side had been cut quite some ways, about a hundred metres, and there was a fence which ran along it, whereas the left side was forty metres away, with no fence. The left forest was the same forest he and Jurot had been adventuring within, and seeing as that the forests continued along the main road for so long, Adam couldn¡¯t help but realise their large size. It was most of the way through their day when Argon grunted something to Tazwyn. She looked to Eshva and Kandal, who slipped away, disappearing into the trees. ¡°Be careful,¡± Argon said to the pair of youngster, not elaborating further. The group continued along, though Jurot and Adam stepped slightly closer together, fingers creeping towards their weapons, and Dargon stepped back slightly, becoming their shield from behind as his role entailed. It was long later when the bushes swayed and the two returned, seeing Adam with his blade drawn, and Jurot with his axe. Jurot had only done so because he had heard the steel being drawn beside him. The two Iyrmen grunting something to Argon, causing Jurot to place his axe aside, and the group continued along as though nothing happened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adam asked. ¡®I really need to learn their tongue.¡¯ ¡°A Watcher,¡± Argon replied back, as though that explained everything to Adam. ¡°A what now?¡± ¡°The Order of Wings,¡± Argon elaborated, though that didn¡¯t elaborate anything to Adam. ¡®Seriously, this guy.¡¯ When they approached the camp site, with its half walls and a lightly lit fire, five figures were revealed. Each was adorned in armour, carrying a variety of weapons at their side. ¡®Adventurers?¡¯ Adam thought at first, but seeing them caused him to doubt his initial assessment. There was an older woman, in her early forties, with tan skin, brown eyes, and short red hair, which was sprinkled with grey. Her armour was full plate mail, nearly pure black, except for the years of wear and tear painted all across it. At her side was a helmet, fashioned with a peculiar pattern of some avian. Adam noted the longsword, warhammer, and shortsword within arm¡¯s reach. The other four were wearing breastplate, grey in colour, with a bird¡¯s face printed on the front, and their helmets were plain and typical. They were much younger than the woman in black, in their late teens and early twenties. Two women and two men, the youngest being a boy in his mid teens, barely a man. Each wielded a variety of weapons, just like the older woman. ¡°Greetings, Sir Magpie,¡± Argon said with reverence, bowing his head slightly as he waited outside the camp. ¡°Greetings, Iyrmen,¡± the older woman said, flashing a smile. ¡°I should have expected we¡¯d meet, considering the time of year.¡± She motioned an arm towards the camp, inviting them to sit. Adam glanced between them all, noting the symbols on their breastplate. ¡°Order of the Wings, I see,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Very on brand.¡± Jurot, on the other hand, was beaming as he stared at them. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot!¡± ¡°Sir Magpie,¡± the woman replied. ¡°An Iyrman who has just left the nest, I see.¡± She looked to Adam. ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°Fate? You respond like an Iyrman, but you don¡¯t seem like one considering you¡¯re keeping your face covered. Do you have something to hide?¡± Magpie joked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied back, raising his helmet to reveal his face, with his feyful features on full display. The youngest glared at Adam and reached for the sword at his side, but found the butt of Sir Magpie¡¯s warhammer pinning his hand to the hilt. ¡°I was afraid something like that would happen,¡± Adam said with a light chuckle. ¡°I see you don¡¯t like elves.¡± The half elf raised his brows. ¡°You bas-¡° The boy yelped as Magpie pushed the butt of the warhammer against the back of his hand a little harder. Adam raised his brow, having not expected such a hostile reaction right away. ¡°I hope you take no offence,¡± Sir Magpie said. ¡°He has yet to complete his training.¡± ¡°Well he¡¯s very lucky he wasn¡¯t able to draw his sword, otherwise I would have had to help him complete his training.¡± Adam clapped his hands together and chuckled lightly. Sir Magpie raised her brows in surprise towards Adam, having not expected such words. ¡°You¡¯d fight one of us?¡± ¡°He¡¯s no Iyrman,¡± Adam said, glancing at the young man, before returning his gaze to Magpie. ¡°I hope you take no offence.¡± Adam¡¯s lips grew into a wider smirk, beaming at them playfully. ¡°Bast-¡° The boy yelped once again, wincing as Magpie dug the butt in deeper. ¡°Enough,¡± Magpie said, withdrawing her warhammer. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you draw your sword with me beside you.¡± She glared at the boy who withdrew under his mentor¡¯s sight. ¡°I get a lot of suspicion cast on me, but this is the first time that someone is outright hosti-¡° Adam paused for a moment to think. ¡°Well, no, there¡¯s that one guy from before too...¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the few survivors from the massacre,¡± Sir Magpie said, as though that had explained everything. ¡°A hundred thousand or so,¡± the red haired woman said. ¡°It was on the edge of the Kingdom, and people preferred Red Oak over it.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Adam blinked. One hundred thousand people? Almost all of them dead, just like that? In three days?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There was no reason.¡± The boy growled, clenching his teeth, his brows twitching in rage. ¡°Every side has two stories,¡± Adam said, looking to the Iyrmen. They would know, considering how many Iyrmen they had lost. ¡°The King had placed five thousand soldiers at Rock Hill, and a thousand in Red Oak,¡± Argon said. ¡°There were another five thousand who were going to head to Ever Green, where the previous King¡¯s Sword retired.¡± ¡°The previous King¡¯s Sword retired to Ever Green?¡± Adam asked, though quickly brought his curiosity back to the massacre. ¡°Why did the King move so many soldiers towards the towns near White Forest?¡± Adam assumed Ever Green was near the elves too. ¡°Surely he understood what that would look like.¡± ¡°The reason which had been publicly stated was to strengthen the south against invasions.¡± Argon shook his head slightly. ¡°The King provoked the elves,¡± Magpie said, adding more twigs to the fire, ¡°and the elves retaliated against what they thought was a build up to an imminent invasions. No doubt they didn¡¯t want the King to solidify a foothold against them.¡± ¡°They were tolerant of the army at Rock Hill and Ever Green before they were reinforced.¡± Argon nodded his head. ¡°Every town and city has some protection, partly against the beasts, and against other threats as well. They were cautious of Ever Green, which is within a week¡¯s march towards their lands, but were probably relaxed once Sir Merry had retired there.¡± Argon spoke the name respectfully, giving it the highest honour. ¡°Sir Merry? Is that the name of the King¡¯s Sword?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The previous King¡¯s Sword,¡± Magpie correction. ¡°He no longer holds the title.¡± ¡°The elves wouldn¡¯t dare to attack Ever Green with such a presence,¡± Jurot said, recalling all the stories about Sir Merry. ¡°He may be the strongest in all the land.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, blinking at him. ¡°The strongest? Even compared to the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°It is what I have heard,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They say Chief Iromin would find it difficult to face him.¡± ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Adam blinked. ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Sir Merry was always friendly with the elves,¡± Argon said. ¡°He had an elven lover. However, the King had called for the eradication of all elves within the towns and cities once the war began.¡± ¡°What happened to the elves? What about Sir Merry¡¯s lover?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, finding the current King to be quite the distasteful fellow. ¡°They were slaughtered in four of the regions, though I¡¯m sure none lay a hand on Nariabelle, the White Cloak,¡± Argon said, adding the same level of reverence as he had used when speaking about Magpie and Sir Merry. ¡°Those in the north managed to escape persecution, for the north was far removed from the war.¡± ¡°One of the few wars they were far removed from,¡± Tazwyn said, sharing a look with Magpie, who smiled at the joke. ¡°Even if there was an army building up at their border, why did the elves react so viciously?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They didn¡¯t need to be so sensitive, unless something like that happened before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Magpie said. ¡°When they first took claim to the south west, not so far from the Iyr, they remained as the Iyr had. The old Aldmen had begun to build up some towns near them, including Red Oak, and had launched an attack against the elves suddenly. I¡¯m sure there are still elves alive who lived through that time, though I¡¯m sure you know more about how elves age than I do.¡± ¡°Either way, I¡¯m not an elf from that way, so you should keep your hands and steel to yourself,¡± Adam said, looking at the boy. He shrunk under Adam¡¯s gaze, glancing aside. ¡°You really aren¡¯t from around here,¡± Magpie said. ¡°No one would dare bother the next Magpie.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on being this weak for the rest of my life,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s why I have Jurot here.¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°He¡¯s one of the few who will be able to keep up with me.¡± Magpie laughed, shaking her head. ¡°You¡¯re cocky, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°When you die as many times as me, you change.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve died before?¡± Magpie squinted at him, wondering if he was telling the truth. ¡°Twice,¡± Adam said, smirking at her. ¡°Both at the hands of a god, for only a god would dare slay me!¡± Adam threw his head back in laughter, his laughter filling the forest. He turned to Jurot, only to realise he wouldn¡¯t get the joke. ¡°Nevermind,¡± he said, wiping away a tear from his eye, still chuckling. ¡°I hope your boy won¡¯t go slitting my throat in my sleep. If the gods find out he thinks he¡¯s a god, they may get angry.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t do anything with me here,¡± she said. ¡°You sure are a queer one, Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a half elf, what do you expect?¡± He clasped his hands together in a light prayer. ¡°I just hope the lot of you like me as much as I like you.¡± Spell Guidance 1D3 = 2 (2) Charisma Check D20 + 3 + 2 = 16 ¡°We have nothing against your kind,¡± she said, placing a hand on the boy. ¡°You need to let go of the hatred in your heart. Remember, we are to remain neutral, always, even if you meet an elf, including the very same elf who had slain your parents. The moment you swear your oaths, you cannot draw your sword so lightly.¡± Adam leaned in. ¡°Tell me more! What are you? What¡¯s the history behind the Order of Wings? What¡¯s this neutral stuff around? Are you going to go beyond the wall, or something? Is Magpie a title? Are you passing it down to your disciple? What about the others?¡± Adam bombarded her with one question after the other. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Magpie thought. ¡®He¡¯s a tourist.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! From Blackwater Crisis to the Massacre at Blackhill, Adam sure is learning a lot about the world. There''s no way the author is hinting at something. Right? 23. Stories For Another Time 23. Stories For Another Time ¡°To think I have to share camp with a leaf ear,¡± the boy said, grumbling to himself as he stared at the half elf, who was staring at him in return. Magpie placed a hand on the boy¡¯s head, rubbing it gently. ¡°Are you planning on cutting his throat?¡± ¡°No,¡± the boy said, shaking his head. He melted against her head, feeling the warmth of her touch. ¡°If I did that, I¡¯d be shaming you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If you end up shaming me, I¡¯d never hear the end of it from Sparrow.¡± Magpie narrowed her eyes. ¡°If he ends up teasing me because of you, I¡¯ll have you run ten laps around capital.¡± The boy frowned, knowing that she¡¯d be true to her word. ¡°I won¡¯t slit his throat.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Magpie looked back towards the other three for a moment. ¡°None of you are from Rock Hill, so I can trust that you won¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°I might,¡± the young man said. ¡°He talks a lot of nonsense. The madman should be put out of his misery.¡± ¡°You¡¯re free to try and take a swing at someone surrounded by six Iyrmen,¡± Magpie said. ¡°One of them is a boy, still. Besides, can¡¯t you handle them?¡± ¡°One of them, I¡¯m sure. One with the boy who has just come out of his nest? Maybe. There are six Iyrmen I count, and five of us.¡± ¡°We¡¯d be slain before we draw our blades,¡± the oldest of the young women said. ¡°Especially you.¡± She looked at the young man beside her who might be stupid enough to start a fight with the Iyrmen. ¡°Shut up, Jane.¡± The young man frowned. ¡°No one asked you. Why do you always have to sour my mood?¡± ¡°Why do you have to say stupid shit?¡± Jane asked, raising her brow. She looked to Magpie, shaking her head. ¡°Do you really want little Jon to be guided by someone like Rick?¡± ¡°Who else am I meant to ask?¡± Magpie asked. ¡°I¡¯ve spent years training the three of you to look after him, so don¡¯t start any trouble, especially not with the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You always treat the Iyrmen with respect,¡± Rick said, leaning back against the wall. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They always treat us with respect,¡± Magpie said. ¡°If it¡¯s one force you can rely on, it¡¯s the Iyr. If anything were to happen in the future where you need help, retreat to the Iyr. They¡¯ll take good care of you, and will make sure Magpie won¡¯t end up like Starling and Blackbird.¡± Rick shook his head, recalling their tale. ¡°A hundred more years and the Order will be nine again,¡± Rick said. ¡°One hundred and ten,¡± Jane said. ¡°Not that it matters. I don¡¯t think nine would be that much more powerful than seven, considering how rarely we meet.¡± Rick was sick of all the rules and traditions, but he wasn¡¯t despicable enough to spit on Magpie¡¯s efforts. ¡°That¡¯s only if the world will still be well in a hundred years,¡± Magpie said. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why the Order of Wings was formed.¡± Magpie sighed, recalling how many times she had to warn them all. ¡°Should I bring you tall to Robin? She¡¯ll make sure you never forget.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jane and Rick sat up quickly, recalling the last time they had met Robin. She had seemed like a sweet aunt, but when Magpie had asked the woman to teach them... ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Magpie smiled, seeing the look of fear in their eyes. It did annoy her slightly, since they didn¡¯t fear her in the same way. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll take watches as normal tonight.¡± ¡°Do we even need to take watch when we have the Iy-¡° Rick was cut off by a flick against his forehead, which he nursed by rubbing it gently. ¡°What did I just say?¡± Magpie narrowed her eyes. Rick glanced aside. Adam looked at the group, which was sitting not so far from he and the Iyrmen. ¡°Naming your members after a bunch of birds is a little too corny, don¡¯t you think?¡± Adam threw a glance to Jurot, who was still carving his block of wood. ¡°Do you not know the tales of the Order of Wings?¡± Jurot asked, stopping his woodcarving to look at Adam.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com An older woman came rushing up towards the gate, adorned in thick clothes, with a shield at her side, and a staff on her back. ¡°Iyrmen!¡± she said, before looking towards the heavily armoured warriors. ¡°Magpie, isn¡¯t it?¡± Her dark eyes were wide with surprise. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Magpie said, chuckling. ¡°We were around nearby, so thought we might come and assist in your trouble.¡± ¡°Welcome, welcome,¡± the older woman said, motioning with a hand to invite them into their village. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the gate fee.¡± ¡°Oh, how nice,¡± Adam said, having reached into his pouch, but withdrew his hand. ¡°Had I known we¡¯d get a visit from a member of an Order, I would have kicked my nephew out of his room.¡± The older woman glanced towards a nearby guard, who nodded his head and quickly went to do just that. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± Magpie said. ¡°Though we¡¯d appreciate some accommodation.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± she said, bringing them towards the centre of town, where there were a few stone buildings and a small crowd forming like pigeons ready for bread. There were many grateful eyes peering at the group, though Adam could see a young woman with dark hair glaring at the group. She had a small bow at her side, as well as two clubs. He continued to glance around and noticed just how many people were armed. Some held spears, though most had blunt objects of some kind, even those who were in their early teens. ¡°Chief Herida,¡± the woman finally said, shaking their hands eagerly. ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam said, shaking her hand. He could see the calluses on her veiny hands. ¡°Jurot, son of Surot.¡± Jurot bowed his head towards her, shaking her hands respectfully. He could sense her strength in comparison to the other villagers. The Chief looked to Adam for a long moment, words glued to her throat, but she swallowed them down. ¡°Careful,¡± Jon said. ¡°He¡¯s a-¡° Magpie slapped the boy across the back of his head. ¡°Go get situated with the Wings,¡± she said, shaking her head. She threw a glance towards Adam, nodding her head slowly. Adam nodded his head in return, glad that someone she was quick with her hands. ¡®She must be used to disciplining idiots.¡¯ He admired the form she had used when slapping the boy¡¯s head. The Chief glanced between them, but remained silent. She understood that there were some things which needed to remain a secret. ¡°I have emptied rooms for the Iyrmen and the Adventurers here,¡± she said, motioning with a hand to a large building, though there was a man stepping out from the building opposite it, grumbling at the guard from before. ¡°Please make yourselves at home.¡± The Chief smiled politely. Adam and Jurot made their way inside the building, finding a small room which they could sleep in. There were a pair of beds, with enough space between them for one to stand comfortably, but not for the two of them to do so side by side. Adam dropped his back and stretched his back. ¡°Oh man. It¡¯s good to be in a proper house.¡± ¡°It dulls the sounds of nature,¡± Jurot said, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he meant that positively or negatively. Adam was about to remove his helmet, before freezing. ¡°I should probably keep my helmet on.¡± He didn¡¯t want to worry the villagers, considering that they were one of the closer villages towards White Forest. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There is no need. You are here with we Iyrmen.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, seeing the look of confidence on his face. ¡°Alright.¡± Adam took off his helmet and stretched his neck from side to side. He stepped out with Jurot, though kept his shield and weapons at his side. ¡°Elf!¡± a guard exclaimed, readying his spear. His eyes were full of shock and confusion, seeing the half elf beside the Iyrman. ¡°Only half,¡± Adam replied back, shaking his head. Several horns began to reverberate through the village. ¡°Undead!¡± called several people, with the villagers growing into a greater panic, heading towards the walls. Adam raised his brow at the guard, who was staring at the half elf suspiciously still. ¡°Well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who do you hate more?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam will one day hear the end of the tale. I''ve been wanting to doodle the map some more. I should be writing more, but I can''t help it. 24. Undead Assault I 24. Undead Assault I ¡°Come,¡± Dargon said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. The guard stared at Adam, uncertain. The undead were the biggest threat, but an elf in their village? It was inconceivable to think they had allowed one of their kind inside. Eshva bolted past them, cutting their sight for a moment. Adam donned his helmet and grabbed his shield, following Dargon and Jurot to where Eshva had sprinted towards. The guard followed as well, not wanting to let the elf out of his sight. Guards remained on the wall, shooting their bows towards the mass of undead. The villagers remained nearby, staffs, spears, and clubs on hand. There were a few villagers with large shields, with the two at each end ready to lift the shield, and the three in between with brooms in hand. ¡®Brooms?¡¯ Then it came. The rattling of undeath which would soon be upon them. ¡°Open the gates,¡± Dargon commanded to the guards, who straightened at the sound of the Iyrman¡¯s voice. He grabbed his greatsword, throwing a casual glance back to Adam and Jurot. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Adam stared at Dargon, raising his brow. ¡°Why do we want the gates to be open?¡± Adam asked, grabbing his warhammer. Jurot pulled up his shield and warhammer too, too young to fight with his pride in this battle. ¡°How else are we going to destroy them?¡± Dargon replied, as though it were obvious. The gates opened and the undead continued to pile into the pits. There were mostly skeletons, those of man and beast alike. Sprinkled within the undead were zombies, though their stinking rotten flesh had yet to permeate towards them. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Eshva and Dargon charged on ahead, grinning wildly like savage beasts. They roared with excitement, almost losing themselves to their mindless rage. Eshva blasted apart several skeletons in a single swipe, using her warhammers with unrestrained abandon, smashing in skulls, ploughing through skeletons like they were made of glass. Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com Dargon wound his greatsword behind him, before swinging it through several skeletons in a single swipe, causing bones to scatter everywhere, though mostly within the village. As the Iyrmen fought, the villagers would quickly step forward with their large shields and brooms, only slightly though, for none dared to draw too close to the Iyrmen. Then began to brush the bones away from the battlefield, with several members trailing after them, wielding staffs to protect the few who were on sweeping duty. Adam blinked. As bones rained down around them, a few skeletons managed to stumble past the pair of Iyrmen, wielding rusted blades and spears. The Iyrmen were dealing with the majority of the undead, leaving the few skeletons, which managed to slip past, to the younger generation. The villagers retreated, hiding behind their wooden shields, funnelling the undead to the two awaiting warriors. Adam inhaled deeply, readying himself, with warhammer in hand. His heart pounded wildly, preparing for the first blow. The two skeletons then bolted towards Adam and Jurot, who remained some steps behind the open gate, allowing the few skeletons to pour in to their awaiting doom. Unfortunate, Adam¡¯s excitement got the best of him as he raised his shield, only for the skeleton to stab right through the side, striking the half elf against the chest. Health: 13 -> 9 ¡®Oops.¡¯ Adam flexed through the blow, exhaling deeply. ¡®Come on, Adam! Look alive!¡¯ Attack D20 + 5 = 16 (11) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 8 (2)(2) Vulnerability exploited! 16 damage! Adam brought his dwarven made warhammer down on the skeleton like the wrath of an unmerciful god, the bones splintering and bursting downwards, bouncing away towards the awaiting people, who were watching the fight keenly in case they were needed. XP: 810 -> 820 Adam had been prepared, stepping forward as a skeleton prepared its staff to strike him, only to find Adam¡¯s warhammer smashing up against its face. XP: 870 -> 880 Another skeleton took the chance to swing towards the half elf with its shortsword, which was on the verge of shattering, but Adam brought up the butt of his warhammer to block it, causing it to chip. The dance had begun now, as Adam moved naturally, like a ballet dancer during a performance. Attack D20 + 5 = 12 (7) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 7 (1)(2) Vulnerability exploited! 14 damage! XP: 880 -> 890 ¡°It¡¯s rude to play with the dead, Jurot,¡± Adam said, watching as Jurot¡¯s warhammer found itself stuck between a pair of broken ribs. ¡°Watch out!¡± came a voice from the crowd, before Adam ducked under his shield, two blows clattering off his shield harmlessly, though he watched as a staff and an axe managed to force Jurot to step back. Attack D20 + 5 = 16 (11) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 7 (1)(2) Vulnerability exploited! 14 damage! XP: 890 -> 900 Adam swiped upwards with his warhammer, breaking through the bone, watching the ribs break like breadsticks under his warhammer, creating some space between himself and a skeleton. ¡®Concentrate, Adam.¡¯ Jurot let out a calm exhale, but gripped his warhammer harder. Instead of using the warhammer, he punched through the skull of the skeleton ahead of him, blasting the bones aside. XP: 900 -> 910 ¡°That¡¯s one way to do it,¡± Adam said, readying to swipe the skeletons around with his warhammer, trying to keep his rhythm before they were swarmed the group. He had almost lost count of the skeletons. Bones clattered up against his side as half the ribs of another skeleton were blasted from Jurot¡¯s side, who had almost fallen to a knee. ¡°Careful!¡± The guard from earlier took a second swipe with a secondary club he had wrestled off of one of the civilians. ¡®Why the hell did they give me a spear?¡¯ He flipped the clubs in his hands, readying them for another strike. They were now three, with four skeletons soon to be upon them, though one was swaying, ready to topple over at any moment. There was a growl from behind the skeletons. ¡°Everything okay?¡± Dargon¡¯s voice cut through the battle, boosting the morale of the guard beside them. ¡®Right, there¡¯s an Iyrman right there.¡¯ This was the thought of the entire crowd, which surged with strength. Jurot responded with a near howl. ¡°Okay!¡± The voice boomed, causing the villagers to shout out to one another with clearer commands. Adam squatted before a skeleton, which swiped across where his torso had been with its blade. ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Adam confirmed, readying his blow, following the rhythm of the dance. Adam heard a soft grunt beside him, his eyes snapping to the side. Jurot grit his teeth, dropping his warhammer, which thudded onto the ground. He grabbed the spear, which was firmly lodged in his gut, feeling the hot wet blood against his fingers. He crumpled like paper. ¡°Jurot!¡± Now there were four skeletons beset upon Adam and a guard, who had drawn his spear against the half elf, with Jurot bleeding out between them at their feet. The rhythm had broken. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I thought I would die before finishing the tale of Blackwater Crisis, but it looks like Jurot might. 25. Undead Assault II 25. Undead Assault II Adam inhaled deeply, feeling the chill of fear start to overtake his heart. The villagers behind him gasped, one of them almost dropping their broom. Their confidence had fallen with the Iyrman, who had dropped from the skeleton¡¯s brutal blow. Mana: 2 -> 1 Spell Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) Attack D20 + 5 = 13 (18) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 10 (4)(2) Vulnerability exploited! 20 damage! XP: 910 -> 940 Adam exhaled calmly from behind his shield. ¡°Jurot!¡± His voice cut through the air, causing Dargon to step back towards the gate. ¡°Get your ass up! Why are you letting these skeleton bastards drop you?¡± Though his words were harsh, they were filled with the raw power of magic. Jurot¡¯s eyes snapped open, feeling the hot wet at his side. His eyes remained unfocused for only a moment, but he naturally grabbed for the handle of the warhammer in front of him, which still felt dirty to him. The handle was still warm, the leather having conformed slightly to his grip. Without a second thought, he swung it upwards into the crotch of the skeleton, causing the bones to burst everywhere. ¡°You know magic?¡± the guard asked, striking with his two clubs, shattering one of the skeletons. ¡®Of course he knows magic! He¡¯s one of them!¡¯ The skeletons had heard the half elf¡¯s exclamation and had felt the healing energy emanating from him. They aimed their blows towards Adam, but one of their skulls found its way atop the wall. Adam¡¯s had swiped upwards with his warhammer, causing the bones to bounce off the shield and off the raging Iyrman beside him. Dargon glanced back to see Jurot back on his feet, gritting his teeth and ready to fight. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jurot replied back, tightening his grip on the warhammer. He could still feel the warhammer in his hand, so that meant he was still okay. Another two skeleton had slipped past the worried Iyrman, who was focused on the three zombies which had managed to stumble their way towards him. ¡°You should have stayed dead,¡± Dargon growled, grabbing his sword and swinging it around in a circle around him, tearing into the thick undead skin with his blade, cutting each in half. Attack D20 + 5 = 9 (4) Miss! XP: 940 -> 960 ¡°Are you alright?¡± Adam asked, managing to catch the skeleton¡¯s spear with his warhammer, but with Jurot on his mind, he could barely pull his warhammer back in time. Adam ducked under the bones, which clattered from his side against him and the skeleton he was facing. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot growled in response, completely overcome within his rage again. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com The guard had shattered the skeleton in front of him too, and they were all feeling it now. They had grown tired, though they could see just how much the undead had thinned thanks to the Iyrmen and the guards shooting blunthead arrows. Health: 9 -> 7 Attack D20 + 5 = 15 (10) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 12 (5)(3) Vulnerability exploited! 24 damage! Health: 7 -> 3 Tough Spirit 2D6 + 1 = 11 (4, 6) Health: 3 -> 13 XP: 960 -> 980 Adam raised his warhammer towards the skeletons, which had slipped through once again. It seemed these would be the last few, but he heard a scream in the distance, and he glanced aside for only a moment to see what had happened. In that moment of neglect, the skeleton managed to slam a mace against his side. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Adam began, gripping his warhammer harder, ¡°in such a rush to die!¡± As the skeleton brought its mace up to attack, Adam forced his warhammer across the mace, forcing it into the skeletons bones, slamming it apart. Bones clattered as the guard blocked a blow with one of his clubs, before striking through the skeleton with both clubs, even managing to force the club against the skeleton at his side too. The scream had unnerved Jurot, who brought up the warhammer to block the skeleton¡¯s blade. In that moment, he managed to glance aside. He wasn¡¯t here to kill skeletons, he was here to protect the people, and he was failing to do that. Not only was he failing in his task, he had even been struck down. The rage within him continued to boil. There were only two skeletons now, enough for them to easily deal with, but that would cost them precious seconds. Adam knew the pain of losing someone by only seconds. ¡°You two head to the screams!¡± Adam opened himself up, stepping back away from the skeletons. Seeing the easy hit, the skeletons struck forward, though Adam managed to block one of them with his shield, striking their weapon aside. The blade clattered against his shoulder though, causing the grip on his warhammer to slacken slightly. ¡®Fuck! That really hurts!¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply and flexed his muscles, regaining his lost health. ¡°I¡¯ll handle these two boney fucks! Go!¡± The guard didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He would go and help his people, and leave this elf to deal with the last two skeletons. Due to the screams, the attention of the villagers had been drawn away too, and some had broken their formation to flee either away or towards the screams. Jurot, having seen Adam take a heavy blow, but then grow mightier, turned and bolted towards the screams. ¡°Don¡¯t die!¡± Jurot growled, rushing towards the screams. Health: 13 -> 3 ¡°Look alive, kid,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ve got work to do.¡± Unfortunately for Adam, with the death of the large bestial skeleton, most of the skeletons could be dealt with by the villagers, who were overwhelming the last few skeletons. Jurot panted, hunched over, putting some of his weight onto the warhammer. Even now, he could still feel the phantom wound left behind from the skeleton. Adam reached down to his own wound, feeling the light blood trickling. ¡°Ooh. Ah.¡± He hissed as he felt the wound throb with his touch. He began to remove his armour, though glanced to Jon and Rick at his side, before getting up and walking over to Jurot. ¡°Looks like our job went well,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded at the half elf. ¡°Thank you for healing me, Adam.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Adam replied, patting him on the back. ¡°It was a good fight, eh?¡± ¡°A good fight.¡± Jurot nodded. He noticed the redness against Adam¡¯s armour. ¡°You are injured.¡± He had recalled Adam looking quite healthy when he had left the half elf. ¡°Yeah, I am. I was going to heal up, but I saw the boy was down, so.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. The villagers quickly approached the group of warriors, checking on their wounds. A few brought over alcohol and bandages. Adam removed his armour quickly as Jurot grabbed onto the supplies, assisting in mending Adam¡¯s wounds. He still wore his helmet, not wishing to alarm the villages nearby. He was heavily wounded, a single strike away from death, and even if he did help them, sometimes hate ran deep. ¡°You know how to treat people?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°We of the Iyr learn this to assist our comrades.¡± Jurot wrapped the bandages around Adam tight, before then checking his own wounds. ¡°Jon!¡± called a familiar voice. ¡°Rick!¡± Magpie rushed over to see the two of them being treated. ¡°Magpie, we-¡° Magpie ran over to them and slapped the pair of them atop their heads. ¡°Who told you to flee from the battle as you please?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t flee from the battle, we-¡° Magpie grabbed Rick¡¯s head and pushed it down. ¡°Do you think you can talk back to me after what you did?¡± She snapped her head to Jon. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you later.¡± ¡°You should leave him alone,¡± Adam said. ¡°After all, he had gone down in the fight.¡± ¡°He what?¡± Magpie turned to Jon again. ¡°The half elf-¡° Magpie whacked him across the top of his head again. ¡°Not only did you run away, you were even knocked down? You damned fool!¡± She whacked him again, before giving Rick another backhand for good measure. ¡°Just you wait when this is all over!¡± The other members of her entourage remained far away from her wrath. ¡°It¡¯s alright though,¡± Adam said, giving her a thumbs up. ¡°I healed him when I came around.¡± ¡°You healed him?¡± ¡°Yeah, I used my magic to bring him up.¡± ¡°You used your magic?¡± Magpie asked. ¡°Yeah, my last bit of Mana too.¡± Magpie¡¯s eyes fell to Rick again. ¡°What did I teach you for? How did someone else manage to bring Jon back up before you?¡± Magpie clenched her fist and Rick turned his head away, bracing for impact. However, Magpie marched off to Adam. ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°I bet saving the future Magpie has its benefits, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Adam smirked, chuckling behind his helmet. Magpie stared at him for a long moment. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Yes it does.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam saving people left, right, and centre. 26. Level 2 26. Level 2 ¡°Are you two okay?¡± Tazwyn asked as she approached the group. Her plate mail had been scuffed up, the sign of a good battle. Adam glanced her way, giving her a thumbs up. ¡°Pretty good.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, finishing with his bandages. ¡°How did it go?¡± Tazwyn glanced at their bandages and noted their general, dishevelled appearance. ¡°Seems like it was hard fought.¡± ¡°It was fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°A little touch and go at points, but it ended up fine.¡± Tazwyn wasn¡¯t used to his phrases, but from the tone of voice she could tell that it went well. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°I went down,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Adam healed me.¡± ¡°Watching an Iyrman¡¯s back is hard work,¡± Tazwyn said, glancing towards Adam. It was a compliment, in a way. ¡°Keeping up with him is much harder. If I had taken the blows he took, I would have been dead.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Again, I mean.¡± Tazwyn squinted at him, but slowly nodded her head. ¡°Do you make it a habit of dying?¡± ¡°Not if I can help it.¡± Adam stretched out his neck. ¡°How did it go on your end?¡± ¡°Well,¡± she replied, simply. ¡°As I expected.¡± Adam chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°It seemed the one side where there was no foreign assistance fell first,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°It was expected, but I didn¡¯t think you would be here before us.¡± She recalled the giant bestial skeleton she had fought, which had taken a little more effort than usual. ¡°I may be no Iyrman, but I am dependable.¡± Adam crossed his arms and pushed out his chest as Jurot would. Jurot crossed his arms and nodded his head, affirming his words. ¡°There they are,¡± Dargon called out, waving a hand. ¡°I see you¡¯re both still alive.¡± Adam waved a hand in return. ¡°Right back at you, Dargon. How¡¯s Eshva?¡± ¡°Sad,¡± Dargon said. ¡°The enemy are all gone.¡± Dargon threw a grunt to Tazwyn, who grunted back. ¡°Most of the horde was full of humanoids, so there should be no more major attacks.¡± ¡°No more major attacks? What about the other villages?¡± Adam asked. He was partly worried for the villages, and partly worried they¡¯d turn back. ¡°The magic is drawn at different rates, so it may be that they have yet to face the undead, or that they have taken the full force of the undead hoard.¡± ¡°Will they become overwhelmed? It was quite rough, even with the assistance of so many Iyrmen and Magpie.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Tazwyn said, shaking her head. ¡°Very few are killed during the attacks. If the undead do break through, the villagers can lead them through the traps they had lain.¡± ¡°Traps?¡± Tazwyn motioned to the roofs of the buildings around them. Perception D20 + 2 = 13 (11) Atop the roofs were various villagers, each holding small rocks or bundles of wood. Adam hadn¡¯t seen them before, but considering how little damage had been done to the village, it made sense that they had some form of plan to deal with the undead who would inevitably manage to seep through the gates or climb over the walls. ¡°The zombies are the greater threats, so we focus on them. The skeletons are much easier to deal with, so they are let in.¡± ¡°These villagers sure have thought of everything,¡± Adam said, impressed. Everyone eventually returned to the centre of town, where the other Iyrmen had already sat down to rest. The villagers brought out some vegetables and meat, which the Iyrmen tore into like beasts. There were a few drinks bought as well, and the people began to play their drums and dance around the fire. Children were brought out of their homes, partaking in the festivities. ¡°You¡¯re an elf,¡± a feminine voice called out from beside Adam. Adam glanced back towards her to see a woman he had noted before, with a shortbow and two clubs. She had chestnut hair and dark eyes. ¡°Only half,¡± Adam said. He had brought his helmet up slightly to eat the food, but once she had spoken to him, murmurs filled the area. Seeing it was too late, he removed his helmet to reveal himself. ¡°Why are you here?¡± She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, clenching her fist around her bow. ¡°I¡¯m making my way to the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°There was coincidentally a quest on the way to help the nearby villages.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t your people kill everyone in the nearby town?¡± ¡°I,¡± Adam emphasised, ¡°came to kill a bunch of undead in your village, yes.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°I meant when I was a little girl. I heard your people killed those people in Rock Hill. I had a few cousins there. They¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°If you can name one,¡± Adam raised a finger, ¡°just one, of my family members who was part of it, I¡¯ll give you ten gold.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an elf, though. They say your people are all evil and vicious. That you took all those people as slaves.¡± ¡°First of all, I¡¯m a half elf. Secondly, I¡¯m from very far away. Not every elf participated in that massacre.¡± Adam shook his head, thinking about how many people have talked to him about it. The woman continued to glare at him for a moment, and nodded her head slowly. ¡°Thank you for helping us.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said, dismissively. Then he glanced her way, furrowing his brows. ¡°Excuse me?¡± She stepped away, sitting down to eat by her lonesome. Adam wasn¡¯t sure what had just happened, but having recalled her gratitude, he smiled. The food of gratitude tasted so much sweeter than normal food. Most people ignored Adam, with a few villagers throwing suspicious glances, but no one made any overtly hostile moves towards him throughout the evening. Adam retired early, laying back against the bed. ¡°Hey, Bell? You there?¡± ¡°Just give me a chance! I don¡¯t want to stay here my entire life! I want to go out, to explore! I want to see things I¡¯ll never get to see in this small town! I want to see dragons! I want to see the Iyr! I want to see the Dragonlands up north!¡± Hearing her words did cause Adam to soften slightly. She was stuck in this small village. From what he had seen, it wasn¡¯t like she got along with the others. She had been sitting and eating alone, and whenever he saw her, she was always alone. Alone. ¡®Well, she was the only person to thank me.¡¯ He wondered if perhaps she had done so because she wanted to leave? Adam reached up and rub his helmet. ¡°Wait a second.¡± Adam walked about thirty steps away, before turning around on his heel. He donned his shield and raised it. ¡°Shoot me.¡± ¡°What?¡± The young woman blinked at him. ¡°You said you¡¯d do whatever you need to, right? Shoot me.¡± Adam stood firm behind his shield. The young, dark haired woman wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing, but she dropped her pack and spear, and grabbed her bow. She shot the arrow, which clattered off the floor under him. ¡°I¡¯m not warmed up!¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You missed your only shot, and now you¡¯re dead. Do you think things in the forest will just wait for you to warm up? We¡¯re not going on no picnic.¡± Adam stared at her. ¡°...¡± She bit her lower lip, and this time she drew her bow again. She inhaled deeply and shot again, the arrow barely glancing off the side of the shield. ¡°Dead again,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. She grit her teeth again before knocking another arrow and shooting quickly, the arrow singing through the air. Health: 26 -> 20 The arrow slid off the top of the shield, and Adam tilted his head as the arrow struck the side of his helmet, barely missing his eyes. The villagers gasped. The woman blinked, staring up at Adam. ¡®Is that good or bad?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure, as she technically almost blinded her benefactor, and the person who would grant her freedom. Adam put his shield aside and looked at the young woman. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said, turning and walking off into the forest. The young woman quickly followed after, and the villagers glanced between one another. Jurot followed too, wondering what Adam would do. The villagers quickly followed after the Iyrman, confident that they could ask the Iyrman for assistance, just in case something were to happen. Adam glanced around, finding a rock set into the earth some ways away from the village. He looked all around and found a tree some twenty steps away, and walked over to it. Adam grabbed his javelin with both hands and struck the bark off the tree diagonally, before doing so again but in the opposite way, making a cross. ¡°You¡¯re going to practise every single day,¡± Adam said, admiring his handiwork. ¡°Once you¡¯re done with this tree, mark another, and practise some more. One hundred shots a day.¡± ¡°What?¡± The young woman stared up at him, confused. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll return. It might be in a week. It might be in a month. It might be in a year. One day, I¡¯ll take you away from here.¡± He turned to look at her. ¡°But today is not that day.¡± ¡°You... you won¡¯t take me?¡± Her shoulders fell down. ¡°Not today.¡± ¡°You¡¯re... you¡¯re just saying that.¡± Tears began to form in her eyes. ¡°You won¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°I will, as long as I am alive. If I die, then blame our bad luck.¡± The half elf chuckled lightly. ¡°However, I assure you, I will come back one day if I am alive. Shoot a hundred shots every single day, and don¡¯t miss a day, not unless there¡¯s actual danger.¡± ¡°You... will you really come back?¡± She stared up at him, still with teary eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, unsure of whether he could say no to such pretty eyes. ¡®Don¡¯t simp, Adam.¡¯ ¡°How can I believe you?¡± He glanced to Jurot. ¡°What say you, Jurot? Should we take her?¡± ¡°She¡¯s too weak.¡± Jurot shook his head. If she had been training her entire life, and if she had been better with a bow, perhaps. However, as she was, she was just dead weight. ¡°Then we¡¯ll come back to see if she¡¯s gotten any good. What do you think?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. The villagers exchanged looks between one another. Jurot, an Iyrman, had spoken. ¡°You might not believe my word, but what about the word of an Iyrman?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Practise. If you¡¯re no good by the time we return, we won¡¯t take you. If you¡¯re barely good enough, I¡¯ll take you and train you. You¡¯re no Nobby, but you aren¡¯t terrible.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Brittany.¡± Adam almost snorted with laughter. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Another Brit, huh?¡± Adam chuckled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Another Brit? Pog! Also the poll is in reference to chapters 24 and 25 in their formatting. 27. Roles 27. Roles ¡°Are you really not going to tell me the next part of the story?¡± Adam grumbled, staring up at Dargon. He had been waiting for the continuation of the Blackwater Crisis for a while now, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel they were going to do the same thing when it finally reached the ending. Dargon just smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush, Adam, son of Fate.¡± It was rare that someone was so enticed by the stories of the Iyrmen in this way. Many others liked the stories, though some no doubt believed them to be fairy tales, but Adam seemed so eager to learn more about the Iyr. The sweet sensation of denying him sweet release filled his soul. ¡°The more you wait, the greater it will feel,¡± Tazwyn said, noting the look in Dargon¡¯s eyes. ¡®Have we been bullying Dargon too much? He¡¯s finding too much pleasure in denying the boy.¡¯ ¡°What if the mood passes?¡± Adam asked, glancing away, obviously annoyed by their refusal to continue the story. ¡°Is there ever a time where you won¡¯t have a mood for a good story?¡± Tazwyn asked, glancing back towards Adam. ¡°If I was on death¡¯s door,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear a story when I¡¯m dying, probably.¡± ¡°What would you like at that time?¡± Argon asked, having not expected Adam to speak about his death so easily. Most preferred not to talk about dying or death, especially their own, but Adam was quite open. ¡®Did you really die so many times?¡¯ ¡°I want to hear the voices of my family,¡± Adam said, nodding is head to himself. ¡°I want them to tell me that they¡¯ll live happy and healthy without me, so I can die in peace.¡± The Iyrmen hadn¡¯t expected it to be so awkward and sappy. Kandal threw a quick glance to Adam. ¡®How manly.¡¯ He nodded his head slowly, understanding the want for a large family. ¡®A hundred grandchildren...¡¯ Kandal wondered how many children he would need to sire for so many grandchildren. ¡®If I have ten, and they have ten...¡¯ ¡°How will your family tell you to live happily and healthily if they are in danger?¡± Dargon asked, shaking his head. ¡°Do you not want to go down in a fight?¡± Argon asked, throwing a look to his brother, wondering why he brother would ask such a stupid question. ¡°Why would I want to go down in a fight?¡± Adam¡¯s voice was full of confusion. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an Iyrman? We¡¯re not all as manly as you guys!¡± ¡°Then how do you wish to die?¡± Tazwyn asked, wondering if that was meant to be a compliment. ¡°I want to go peacefully, after living a wonderful and long life, surrounded by all of my family. I want to see at least a hundred grandchildren before I die.¡± Adam paused for a moment to think. ¡°No, I want a thousand great, great, great grandchildren!¡± Adam looked up to the sky, pointing up towards it. ¡°You hear that, Sozain? If I die too young, I¡¯ll come and haunt you!¡± The Iyrmen stared at Adam, blinking at him. They could only imagine someone being so drakkenhearted. Even the Iyrmen dared not provoke the wrath of the gods. ¡°You are a dangerous young man,¡± Dargon said. ¡°If you bring down the gods¡¯ ire, even we won¡¯t help you,¡± Tazwyn said, shaking her head. ¡°Even though you¡¯re the Iyrmen? Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re mean to do?¡± Adam smirked at his terrible joke. Charisma Check D20 + 3 = 17 (14) The Iyrmen just shook their heads. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the God of Death or the Goddess of War, we would be willing to fight by your side.¡± ¡°Really? It just so happens that I quite like the God of Death and the Goddess of War.¡± There was something wrong about the statement he had just made, but he didn¡¯t catch it. ¡°I like the Goddess of Balance too.¡± ¡°The Goddess of Balance as well?¡± Tazwyn asked. ¡°Why?¡± She wasn¡¯t one of the Divines the Iyrmen prayed to typically. ¡°She¡¯s the reason why I died last time,¡± Adam said. The Iyrmen blinked. ¡°You died because of her and so you like her?¡± ¡°Ah, well...¡± Adam looked up for a moment. ¡°Not quite. I think she was quite nice to talk to when I spoke with her. Her father asked me to die for her sake, and...¡± Adam glanced to Jurot and then looked away. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to keep a promise of mine. Still, I think it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡®He always says such impossible things,¡¯ Tazwyn thought. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be lying. Is there something wrong with his mind?¡¯ Dargon noticed the look in Tazwyn¡¯s eyes and nodded his head. He would need to keep a closer eye on Adam, who spoke such wondrous words full of mystery. Eshva drew her warhammers quickly, causing Argon to raise a hand. The Iyrman growled something in their language. Tazwyn, having heard the growl, drew her sword, moving to the side, and Kandal grabbed his mighty greataxe and swung it twice, warming up his muscles. Argon remained up ahead, not yet reaching for his greatsword. ¡°Looks like Baktu has some issue with your words,¡± Argon said, motioning with his hand. Dargon stepped in front of Adam and Jurot. ¡°We need to leave,¡± he said, pointing away from the Iyrmen and the unseen terrors which had caused them to take action. ¡°What? What is it?¡± Adam asked as he followed Jurot, who hadn¡¯t even thought to disobey the Iyrman. Jurot looked to Adam, blinking at him. ¡®What are you thinking, Adam? Do you think you could go against someone like Dargon?¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡°Whatever.¡± He waited with the two Iyrmen, crossing his arms as well. His fingers tapped along his arms. Sometimes they could hear the sounds of the combat, screeching, growls, roars of both beast and man. ¡°Thank you for healing me, Adam.¡± Jurot eventually said, feeling the thick tension coating the air. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to die yet, not until we face a dragon.¡± ¡°That would be a good story to tell.¡± Jurot couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Is that why you want to face the trikro?¡± Dargon asked. ¡°To die a decent death?¡± The Iyrman understood that feeling, though they had just had a conversation about how Adam wanted to die. Did he say that as a joke? ¡°I don¡¯t want to face it!¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Well, I mean...¡± He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind the experience...¡± Adam though about how much experience he would earn from assisting in defeating the two trikro. It seemed the system counted any effort to assist, so if he attacked with earnestness, he¡¯d gain some experience from the fight. ¡°Once they¡¯re back, I¡¯ll continue telling you about the Blackwater Crisis,¡± Dargon said, feeling bad for the half elf. Adam frowned. ¡°I just don¡¯t want anyone to die. I was the one who wanted to go to the Iyr.¡± He could feel the guilt slowly eat at his heart. ¡°No one could have expected this,¡± Dargon said, trying to relieve the boy¡¯s worries. Adam grit his teeth, looking down at the floor. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have come so soon...¡± It was his selfish desire to take Jurot back to the Iyr to see Sonarot. At the same time, he wanted to make sure they were okay. He shook his head again, trying to get rid of the terrible thoughts which were plaguing him. ¡°You should have more faith in we Iyrmen,¡± Dargon said. ¡°We aren¡¯t as weak as you think.¡± Before Adam could reply, a horn was blown in the distance. It was carried along a breeze, from where they had fled from. Dargon pulled away from the tree. ¡°Come,¡± he said, leading the way back. The scene was carnage. Trees had been uprooted, the earth beneath displaced. Bushes had been burnt to bits, and another area had a pool of black ooze, which still bubbled. Two large creatures lay dead. They were giant lizards, but with three heads, scales which were black as starless night covered their bodies, though some had been cut and blasted apart, and a few had been crushed. They were about as tall as Adam, but twice as long as he was tall. Each head was almost the exact same, though Adam couldn¡¯t see too well since they had been cleanly cut and were bunched together. The Iyrmen were injured, as one would expect if they heard that four Iyrmen had gone against two trikro. They were covered in burn marks, melted flesh, and deep cuts through their bodies. Tazwyn looked the best out of all of them, though her armour had taken a harsh battering from the fight, with deep cuts in her armour, and there were some bits which had holes through it from acid. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re all well,¡± Adam said, sighing with relief. He rushed towards them. ¡°I can heal those with melted skin.¡± He reached in to grab his die. The Iyrmen allowed him to heal them, since they didn¡¯t believe he would try anything against them. Though they were wounded, and quite heavily so, they were still powerful enough to slaughter him like he were a sheep. Mana: 3 -> 0 Spell Cure Wounds 1D6 + 3 = 7 (4) 1D6 + 3 = 4 (1) 1D6 + 3 = 4 (1) The Iyrmen gave their thanks as he healed the three who were unarmoured. ¡°We don¡¯t mind our skin being marked,¡± Argon said. ¡°Though we prefer blade marks and such against marks from the elements. The skin becomes too tender, and it becomes difficult to move.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can patch you up that well,¡± Adam said. ¡°I do have a healing potion for anyone who still needs it.¡± ¡°Healing potions are expensive to those who are new to adventuring,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°Keep it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only fifty gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, it cost me about five gold or so.¡± ¡°You made it?¡± Tazwyn asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied back. Tazwyn exchanged another look with Dargon, who shrugged his shoulders. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Blackwater Crisis continuation confirmed? Side Story – Blackwater Crisis IV Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis IV ¡°I didn¡¯t expect so many drakken,¡± Captain Kendrick said, seeing the hundred or so villagers who had remained behind. He wiped the fresh drakken blood off of his sword, and even Randal had squat down to wipe the sword clean using the snow, melting it to rinse his blade as he had done before. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Akrat pulled his sword out of a soldier¡¯s chest, letting the drakken soldier drop down. Bili stood behind him, his blade black still, not yet wet from blood, but ready to fight. The villagers stared at the white cloaked Royal Guard, and their worst nightmare, a Deathsinger. Even now, seeing how they outnumbered the warriors, the villagers didn¡¯t like their odds. ¡°I am Akrat, son of Ikrat.¡± The Deathsinger sheathed his blade. ¡°I have come to slay he who is known as Dark Wing.¡± The villagers stared at the Deathsinger, shocked. A few of them carried spears, ready to fight, though with unsteady hearts. They knew the tales, the songs passed down through their ancestors. ¡°Black Rock Tribe, we have come in peace,¡± Akrat said. ¡°My sword is sheathed, but I am ready to draw it.¡± He stared up at the tribe, wondering if they would dare to draw their spears. ¡°My companions beside me are strong, and the boy behind me, he will not draw his blade against me.¡± Akrat spoke with such conviction, as though it were fact. ¡°We have no qualms against you, Deathsinger. We ask that you leave us in peace.¡± The village chief stepped forward. She was tall, like most drakken, and well built. She had long black hair, and black eyes, like that of the night. ¡°I will leave you in peace, but will he?¡± Drakken and Iyrmen. Both were warrior people, but the difference had always been who and what they fought for. The conviction of the drakken had always been to those they had revered, the skywyrms, those who ruled the heavens. Yet, their conviction was never the same as the Iyrmen. The Iyrmen always fought for one thing, their people. Their lives. Their deaths. Their freedoms. They always fought for their family, though, to live as their own masters. ¡°You¡¯ve already come here, so our lives are forfeit,¡± the drakken chief said, sighing. ¡°Dark Wing will learn of this treachery soon, though with your heads, we will be spared.¡± The Royal Guard remained standing with their hands ready on their sheathed weapons. They dared not draw their blades yet, waiting on the Iyrman¡¯s lead. ¡®Damn, I was promised a good drink...¡¯ Charles glanced around between the drakken, seeing their faces. The heavily wrinkled faces of those a step away from their coffin, and those who were still suckling on their mother¡¯s teat. ¡®Looks like their best were conscripted to the army...¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Akrat said. ¡°If you bring our heads, Dark Wing may forgive you.¡± There was no denying that, so the Iyrman didn¡¯t try to deny it. ¡°Though he will see how few of you remain.¡± The drakken chief sighed again, reaching up to brush her brow. Her eyes were tired. Tired of war. Tired of life. ¡°It will be our death either way.¡± ¡°He will help us!¡± Bili shouted. ¡°He¡¯s a Deathsinger! He said he would help! He won¡¯t save us, but he¡¯ll help us!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t save us, but you¡¯ll help us?¡± The chief¡¯s eyes fell across the Iyrman¡¯s eyes once again. ¡°Only you can save yourself,¡± Akrat said. ¡°I will help you to save yourself. Our goal is the death of Dark Wing, for the glory it provides. The gold within his hoard, that is merely a bonus.¡± The drakken villagers remained watching the Deathsinger, glancing every so often towards the heavily armed and amoured warriors at his side. Their odds grew ever smaller as seconds passed, realising the war machines in front of them. A Deathsinger, and the White Cloaks. ¡°The Black Rock Tribe is willing to listen to what you have to say, Deathsinger.¡± Akrat nodded, following the chief. The Royal Guard followed him, glancing around at the villagers. ¡°So, what do you have to drink?¡± Charles asked. Kendrick glared at Charles. He was doing his best to give off an aura which demanded respect, but Charles was a damned buffoon. ¡°What? Liberation is thirsty work.¡± When drinks and food were brought to them, Kendrick and Timothy stared at the food. George brought out an amulet, and started muttering his prayers over the food, just in case it was poisoned. Akrat, without a single bit of fear, grabbed the flat bread and bit into it, grabbing a cup of wine and finished it with a single gulp to wash it down. He growled as he felt the heat of the alcohol burn the back of his throat, and with that, the Royal Guard reached for their blades. The Iyrman burped. ¡°It is the first time I¡¯ve had drakken fire,¡± Akrat said. ¡°It was as good as my uncle said.¡± Akrat returned back to the food and drink. Seeing the Iyrman so eagerly consuming the food, the Royal Guard relaxed. John picked at some of the food, trying to see what it was. It was meat of some kind, vegetables of some kind, and the drink was... Charles coughed up, having sipped the drakken fire. ¡°Sozain take you! That burns like a bitch!¡± He kept coughing, trying to find some water, for once. ¡°Mind your language,¡± Kendrick said, almost backhanding his foul mouthed companion. ¡°We are still Royal Guard.¡± ¡°What do you two think?¡± George asked. ¡°...¡± Timothy replied. She glanced at Kendrick. ¡°I don¡¯t know about liberation or nothin¡¯. I¡¯m not here to think, I¡¯m here to swing me sword.¡± Randal continued to feat upon the meal which had been given to him. ¡°Then we¡¯ll fight.¡± Kendrick looked to Akrat. ¡°You have our blades, Iyrman.¡± ¡°We will slay the dragon,¡± Akrat said, nodding his head. He looked to the drakken, already seeing which few would accompany them. They were slim pickings, but they were enough to make a start on dealing with the few drakken soldiers which may be around. They awoke the next day, having a night full of rest. Akrat had assured them that the drakken would leave them in peace, but they still took watch, all but Akrat, who slept peacefully the entire night. When he awoke in the morning, Akrat went for a run, then trained with his blade, before calling the villagers together. He had already figured who he would train to take with them, a total of twelve drakken. Bili was part of the twelve, and so were two other youngsters, a boy and a girl. The rest were in their early fifties, past their prime, but had decent builds. ¡°We will begin your training,¡± he said, speaking to all the villagers. ¡°We don¡¯t have long, so I will drill into your the basics of combat.¡± He turned to the dozen he had picked. ¡°The twelve of you will assist us in our journey to kill Dark Wing. For now, I will teach you basic formations, as well as the basics of how to use spears. You will each use a spear and a shield, and you will have a shortsword at your side.¡± The Royal Guard watched as Akrat drew on the ground, revealing a few of the Iyrmen formations. Kendrick narrowed his eyes, noting the similarities between the formations on the ground, and those the Iyrmen had employed throughout the war. ¡°The Black Sword is dead!¡± came a shout through the village. ¡°The Black Sword is dead!¡± The villagers looked at the stumbling soldier, who had managed to retreat from the battle with the Swordbearers. He dropped down onto his knees, panting for air. A long moment of silence hung in the air. The villagers all looked to the Deathsinger, whose face was filled with a smile. There had been a single obstacle in his goal to kill Dark Wing, a warrior he would been slain to. If Kendrick and Akrat had joined forced, Akrat would have still bet on the Black Sword, but now that obstacle had suddenly disappeared. ¡°Black Sword is dead,¡± Akrat said, looking up the sky. ¡°What a battle it must have been.¡± His curiosity filled him, causing his body to shake with excitement. He wanted to hear the story. ¡°Can we... can we really do it?¡± a villager whispered, asking no one in particular. ¡°It¡¯s too good to be true.¡± The villagers couldn¡¯t have expected such luck. It was as though the gods were telling them that they were on the drakken¡¯s side. They all looked towards the Iyrman again, who was still shaking. They walked over to him, glancing down towards the various formations. Akrat stopped shaking, inhaling deeply to calm himself. ¡°This is the raging bison formation,¡± Akrat said, returning back to explaining the various tactics to the villagers. The handful of soldiers who had come saw the Deathsinger, stared at their chief in confusion, before a few villagers explained the situation to them. ¡°A Deathsinger...¡± ¡°Helping us?¡± The soldiers glanced between one another. They had been fighting against the Deathsingers for some time, and no they were told they were allying with them to fight against the skywyrm which ruled them. They sat down to listen. ¡®The wind is blowing another way for our people,¡¯ the chief thought, closing her eyes. She could finally see it, a single ray of hope through the dark shadow which had loomed over them for generations. With the news of the Black Sword¡¯s death, Dark Wing would be busy for a few weeks. He would be trying to find a new lair, and would be aiming to move all his hoard, as well finding the items he would be willing to part with. The chaos of it all had given Akrat a chance, a chance to help the tribes here unite under a single banner, and to fight against the dragon. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! It''s finally here! Side Story – Blackwater Crisis V Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis V Two weeks later, Akrat and the Royal Guard had set off, followed by the soldiers who had returned. There were a dozen soldiers who had joined them, with three youngsters too. They made their way to a nearby outpost, which would house close to thirty soldiers, whose morale would be low, giving them a unique opportunity. ¡°Seriously...¡± Charles sighed, crossing his arms. ¡°What, we¡¯re going to slay a dragon and everyone¡¯s suddenly going to welcome us as heroes?¡± He took a sip of drakken fire, which the drakken had provided. He had been joking to the Captain earlier about wanting to do this, but he was outvoted by the rest anyhow. ¡°That¡¯s the plan, isn¡¯t it?¡± George asked, chuckling. He stood in front of the three youngsters. Bili, Rok, and Rak, who were adorned in thick clothing and leathers. The youngest, and least equipped, had been assigned to Charles and he, waiting for the signal. Charles raised his brow to George, sipping on his ale again. ¡°With these kids at our side? They should be back home, suckling on their mother¡¯s teat.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t drink so much,¡± George said. ¡°We¡¯re about to fight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m drinking.¡± Charles shook his head. ¡°If they can¡¯t suck on their mother¡¯s teat, I can suck on mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man,¡± the youngest, a boy called Rok said. He, as well as his sister Rak, had volunteered to come. ¡°How old are you? Ten? Eleven?¡± Charles asked, glancing between the three of them. ¡°I¡¯m almost thirteen,¡± Rok said, crossing his arms and standing taller, trying to tip toe. He had a spear which was far too long for him to hold, and a shield slightly too big and heavy, and a shortsword, which was perfectly sized. ¡°A boy still,¡± Charles said, eyeing the three up in their equipment. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°That is my choice to make.¡± Rok¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I need to be here. Deathsinger is helping me, I must save myself.¡± Bili grabbed the hilt of his shortsword. Charles looked at George, who shrugged at him, before Charles sighed and sipped more of his ale. ¡°Gods, damn it.¡± ¡°He wants to fight for his people,¡± George said. ¡°It¡¯s admirable.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that desperate that we need children like them on the battlefield.¡± Charles looked away. ¡°They have the face of my brother, George.¡± George wasn¡¯t sure what he could say. If Charles was going to mention his brother, then that was the end of the conversation. He placed a hand on Charles¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Then let¡¯s keep them at our side,¡± George said. ¡°We need to make sure they aren¡¯t killed. That¡¯s why we were assigned the easiest job.¡± ¡°I¡¯m even less of a babysitter than I am a hero,¡± Charles said, sipping some water. He could feel the gentle buzz, the slight ache in his throat. He closed his eyes shut tight, trying to forget. A horn echoed from the small outpost, and the sounds of shouting and screaming filled the area. The signal had been given. ¡°Come on,¡± George said, donning his shield. The pair of them, along with their trio of drakken, waited for a few moments. George dropped to his knee, muttering a prayer to the gods, before the drakken could feel vitality fill them. They snuck their way around to one side of the outpost, where Timothy had pulled dropped down two ropes. Akrat and Timothy had gone ahead to slay a few of the soldiers on watch, before Akrat would then open the gates. As the gates opened, the rest would charge in through the front, whereas Timothy would sneak around the back, picking off the archers, and dropping down the ropes for George and Charles and their small unit. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Charles said, with Bili following on the rope beside him. As he climbed onto the wooden rampart, he glanced around. He motioned a hand behind him, seeing the soldiers fighting with the Iyrman and his allies near the centre. There were others near them, shouting between one another, and making their way to the battlefield. They only had the time to don a helmet, grab a spear, and a shield. One had tried to put on some mail, but had tied it around his waist instead. Charles rushed forward, before leaping up behind them. The soldiers heard the thud behind them, and as they turned around, the soldier which had lagged behind gagged as he spat out blood. Charles pulled his blade out of the soldier¡¯s chest, letting him drop beside him to reveal his body to the four soldiers which remained. ¡°Hello there,¡± Charles said, readying his blade. The drakken roared and screeched, rushing forward to meet him in combat. One was shot down by an arrow, from a keen eyed Timothy, who thinned out one of the soldiers for the group, before moving away to find another spot. Charles clashed with a spear, stepping aside to try and dodge another, which struck a shield beside him. ¡°Can I ask you to surrender?¡± George asked, looking over his shoulder with a gentle smile. He held his mace in hand, swinging it wildly towards the soldier. ¡°Be careful, he¡¯s-¡° The soldier couldn¡¯t finish his sentence as he brought the shield above his head, the shield quivering under the mighty blow. He fell back from the force of the blow, shock causing him to freeze. Charles felt a spear pierce through his side, but he did not falter. He grabbed the head of the soldier who had stabbed him, and forced his longsword through the underside of her jaw and through her skull. His blade pushed through the resistance, cutting into the brain, before he pulled back and ducked under a spear, letting the body fall. A spear clattered against the side of his helmet, the bottom half of the spear blade cutting into his cheek and nose where his flesh had been exposed. The fierce pain throbbed as wet crimson fell down his face, but he didn¡¯t waste time thinking about the pain as he swung his blade high, cutting through a soldier¡¯s shin, causing them to wail in pain and drop. A heavy blow hit his side from the same soldier, and he forced his blade through their thigh, causing them to scream and wail in pain. Charles gasped as a spear cut through his back, and the soldier under him brought up their blade to strike him. He managed to move aside, though the blade cut through his shoulder, causing his grip to falter slightly. Charles coughed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a sword?¡± He grabbed the soldier¡¯s head who was under him and brought the blade through their skull. ¡°What?¡± the soldier asked, before he felt a blade pierce through his back. Charles rolled onto his side and slashed the soldier who remained standing, cutting at his leg, causing them to wail and drop. ¡°Surrender!¡± the soldier cried, begging for mercy. Charles blinked once, seeing the dead face of Rok. He drove his sword through the drakken¡¯s throat. He let go of his blade, which was lodged in the soldier¡¯s throat, and rolled onto his back. Blood pooled out from him, and he hacked up some spit to the floor beside him. A cut through his shoulder, a spear through the back, just under his breastplate, and his side. He looked up to see a young man, a familiar face, with a bloodied sword in hand. ¡°Akrat,¡± Charles said, his eyes going blurry. ¡°Charles!¡± Akrat dropped beside him. ¡°I have come, Charles. I have come.¡± When George had come to the battle, dropping Rak off to one side, he had shouted to Akrat, who quickly scrambled up a building to try and find them. ¡°It looks like,¡± Charles coughed, ¡°I won¡¯t be there to fight that dragon, huh?¡± ¡°No, Charles.¡± Akrat said, shaking his head. ¡°I cannot save you. Are you cold?¡± Akrat fought his quivering jaw. ¡°Yeah. Get me my drink, will you?¡± Charles had no strength left in his arms, and his breath was growing more ragged as the seconds passed. Akrat brought the wineskin to Charles¡¯ lips. Charles sipped through it, and he coughed. ¡°Still burns like a bitch.¡± He coughed some more, feeling the burn in his throat, which took away the pain from everywhere else. ¡°I told you not to bring the kids to the battle.¡± ¡°They wished to fight,¡± Akrat said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to let them die. Rok, Rok¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°Even I cannot save them all,¡± Akrat said, looking down at Charles. ¡°You saved Bili.¡± Charles looked to the young drakken, but he saw another face. A face young, and full of happiness. ¡°Yeah,¡± Charles said, smiling. ¡°This time, I saved him.¡± His mind was growing foggier, a chill seeping through his entire body. His heart no longer pounded like a drum, but quivered like a faltering trumpet. He tried to laugh, but ended up hacking. ¡°I was never cut out to be a hero.¡± ¡°I will guide your soul to the Iyr,¡± Akrat said. ¡°You died an Iyrman¡¯s death.¡± ¡°An Iyrman, huh? That doesn¡¯t...¡± Charles¡¯ smile remained on his face, but the light faded from his eyes. Akrat stared down at those lifeless eyes for a moment, recalling his promise. He reached up and closed the dead man¡¯s eyelids. He looked to Bili, whose eyes were full of tears. ¡°Are you angry?¡± the Deathsinger asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Bili whispered, nodding his head. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Get them!¡± called some soldiers from nearby, who had managed to gather their armour and weapons. Akrat grabbed his blade and turned to face them, his eyes completely white, his face red. He had failed in his task of bringing glory to Charles, though the man died an Iyrman¡¯s death. Now it was his responsibility to guide his soul back to the Iyr, where it may rest a warrior¡¯s rest. He gripped his sword tighter. Only the warm blood of life could deal with the chill of death. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! :( 28. Second Village 28. Second Village Adam rubbed his eyes, trying to rub the wetness away from them. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Charles was going to be so manly.¡± Adam shook his head, trying to shake the romantic sorrow out of himself. Jurot nodded his head slowly, having shared the same feeling with the half elf when he had first heard the story. He had expected Charles¡¯ death, due to the way the story had changed to focusing on Charles, but he never would have expected the way he died, or why he did so. ¡°Why did he do it?¡± Adam asked, throwing a glance towards Dargon. ¡°Why did he fight so hard for the drakken?¡± ¡°It is explained later,¡± Dargon said, his lips almost twitching into a playful smile. ¡°How much later?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about Dargon not continuing the story after he was promised the tale. ¡°The next chapter,¡± Dargon assured. ¡°When will you tell me about it?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at the Iyrman, who seemed to be running away from his promise. ¡°Another time,¡± Dargon said, looking at the dead trikros. ¡°We should find a place to settle and sleep.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, fine...¡± Adam grumbled quietly, but he helped them clear the area before they continued their way. The forest seemed much quieter now, with the looming deaths of the trikros unsettling them all. It wasn¡¯t their deaths, but their presences, which had caused the entire forest to grow silent. Soon, the life of the forest began to return, the sounds filling the area. When evening had come, they had found a place to set up camp, a place which had a few fences buried into the ground, and a small pit for a fire. Nearby, there was also a stream for them to fill their waterskins, and to provide water for their meals. Dargon cooked something light, using their rations this time, as well as some of the trikro meat. The meat was quite tough, though was extremely fatty. Adam took a bite, froze for a moment, and then slowly put the meat back into the bowl. Spell Tricks Once he had flavoured it to taste like roasted beef, he returned to eating it. It was weirdly chewy, like jelly. The texture left much to be desired. The Iyrmen looked at him, their lips trying to keep still, but they couldn¡¯t help but enjoy his struggle. There was something about seeing others struggle innocently which brought joy to people. ¡°We should be at the village by late afternoon,¡± Argon said. ¡°We won¡¯t break much tomorrow. The village may be in trouble if we delay too long.¡± Tazwyn snapped a cracker in half and bit into it. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the trikro, we would have made our way closer tonight. We could have pressed on until we were there.¡± ¡°We should have brought Onmar,¡± Tazwyn said. Argon nodded his head, but it was too late for that now. They had refrained from bringing the Iyrman in order to allow Jurot to grow without so many boons beside him. Once they had finished eating, they began to take their wartches. Adam, as per usual, didn¡¯t take watch, leaving it to the Iyrmen. He wasn¡¯t sure if they trusted him to take watch yet and there was no point in keeping appearances. Adam slipped into his bedroll and threw a look over to Jurot, who had his blanket wrapped over himself, the familiar blue diamonds and circle knitted along the edges. ¡°Just how many stories do you have like that in the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Many,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Most Iyrmen learn a few hundred at least, but there should be at least a hundred thousand. Only a few know the exact number.¡± ¡°At least a hundred thousand?¡± Adam almost whistled in surprise. ¡°Jeez. Why do you have so many stories?¡± It was a rhetorical question, but Iyrmen did their best to answer such questions anyway. ¡°So we are never forgotten,¡± Jurot said, recalling how they had almost completely died out so many years ago. ¡°Not all Iyrmen leave the Iyr, but those who do, bring back at least ten stories. Usually, it¡¯s many more stories, and some return with tales of other great warriors.¡± Jurot smiled, thinking about all the foreign heroes he had heard about. ¡°There are many tales of other warriors, those which we have kept within the Iyr. Some have been lost due to the loss of their people, but we keep them.¡± He thought about Blackwater Crisis, and some of the stories which came after. ¡°Brandon the Bold. Lira of Everglade. Melon.¡± ¡°Melon?¡± Adam asked. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that name was different to the other too. ¡°Melon.¡± Jurot nodded, recalling the tale. ¡°The greatest slime to ever live. They say it came from another world. It was a slime who created its own kingdom, Monster Heartland, before it was eventually destroyed. We didn¡¯t believe in the story first, but then...¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, leaning in closer. It reminded him a story which he knew of, though he hadn¡¯t read it all before he had died. Jurot¡¯s eyes flashed past Adam, before he glanced away. ¡°I cannot say,¡± he said, noting the looks of the other Iyrmen. There were a few stories entrusted to the younger generation, but they could not speak them so carelessly to outsiders. Adam leaned in further, staring harshly at the Iyrman. ¡°You can¡¯t just stop half way through! Come on!¡± He squinted his eyes towards Jurot. ¡®What is with all these damn Iyrmen and not finishing their tales?¡¯ ¡°I cannot say,¡± Jurot said, shaking his head and rolling over, as though finishing their conversation there. Adam sighed. ¡°If it were anyone else, I¡¯d annoy them until they told me.¡± The half elf leaned back in his bedroll. Up above, he could see the stars. They were foreign stars, though he hadn¡¯t paid too much attention to the night sky in his first life. There were several oddities in the sky, like the green and blue streaks which appeared across the sky. He knew not what they were, but he stared at their mystical beauty. ¡°Hey, Jurot?¡± Adam eventually called out minutes later. ¡°Yes, Adam?¡± Jurot replied, still looking aside. ¡°If I die a manly death, will you tell people my story?¡± Adam continued to stare at the stars. Jurot turned to look at Adam once more. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I will.¡± Omen: 1, 2 When they awoke in the morning, Adam trekked to the nearby stream to rinse himself off. He had kept clean by bathing every so often, and with his magic. However, today he was lost in his thoughts. An emptiness filled his core. He inhaled deeply before dunking himself into the stream, feeling the cold invade him like a thousand daggers, before he pulled back up, gasping for air. He scrambled out of the stream and panted, looking down at his underclothes which stuck to him like a second layer of skin. Spell Tricks ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Jurot asked as Adam dried himself off using magic. Adam turned to look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die a manly death,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want to live a lovely, long life. You¡¯d better not let me die, Jurot.¡± Jurot squinted slightly at Adam, with eyes full of disappointment. Last night, Adam had gained some respect from the Iyrman, but the half elf was beginning to lose it. Still, Jurot did not forget how well Adam had fought against the undead. ¡®Is he the kind of person whose words don¡¯t match their actions? Is he what they call a-¡® ¡°Jurot, hurry up and bathe! We¡¯re not waiting for you all day!¡± Tazwyn shouted from afar, making her rounds around the perimeter of the camp. Jurot swiftly disrobed, dropped his equipment, and tossed himself into the stream. What was the use of thinking? The Iyrman remained within the stream for a few moments, the cold attacking whatever thoughts he had, before marching out of the stream and grabbed at his clothes, fresh of body and mind. ¡°Need some help?¡± Adam asked, raising his hand. Jurot nodded, not wishing to take any more time. Spell Tricks Adam dried Jurot off. The trek to the village was rushed, with Eshva keeping an eye out for any dangers. There was a sense of urgency within the Iyrmen today, which hadn¡¯t been there before. After meeting the trikro, they seemed to be plagued by something. ¡°How long until we get to the village?¡± Adam asked, trying his best to keep pace with the Iyrmen. He was glad his Constitution was so high, otherwise he would have struggled. Adam lifted up the lumber, but found it sliding against his armour. The journey had taken quite a toll on him, his feet throbbing with each step, having been unable to rest properly this day with how much they had rushed. He groaned, placing down the lumber, and then began doff his heavy armour. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jurot asked, noting Adam trying to strip in the middle of the village. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just need to take off my armour to make this easier for myself.¡± Jurot nodded, going back to moving the piles of wood and bones to where they were needed. He kept an eye on Adam, not to admire his glorious physique, with how his various muscles would tug and strain as he lifted the items around, but to make sure he wasn¡¯t overexerting himself needlessly. Once Adam had doffed his armour, he glanced around through his helmet. ¡®Is it weird to keep my helmet on? I don¡¯t want to panic anyone.¡¯ He recalled Jurot¡¯s previous words when they were resting at the first village before the undead horde had arrived. He sighed, taking off his helmet. A few people nearby glanced his way, wanting to see the face of the Iyrman who was helping them, before continuing along their way. They froze, quickly snapping their heads towards Adam. ¡°An elf!¡± someone exclaimed, with the villagers around reaching for their weapons. Shock and panic filled the nearby area, with people grabbing the nearby children, and others quickly drawing their staffs and daggers. Adam sighed, rubbing his forehead. ¡°I...¡± he began, before exclaiming, ¡°am only half an elf!¡± His voice was full of annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m with the Iyrmen so just relax and accept my help!¡± Athletics Check D20 + 4 = 12 (8) He marched up to a bundle of wood and lifted it up over his shoulder, before storming away to the wall which they were reinforcing and fixing. The other villagers stared at him, and soon the Chief forced his way onto the scene. ¡°There really is an elf,¡± the Chief said, gasping. ¡°I just thought I was drunk.¡± He had been drinking a little to celebrate throughout the day, so his mind was slightly abuzz. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with the Iyrmen,¡± Adam said, dropping the wood and massaging his shoulder. ¡°I came here to help.¡± ¡°The Iyrmen, you say?¡± The Chief squinted his eyes. ¡°How can I believe you.¡± ¡°I walked in with them, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes. I wore the chain mail.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± The Chief said. ¡°You¡¯re that fellow. I was wondering why you were keeping your helmet on.¡± The Chief nodded his head, glancing towards Adam¡¯s weapons at his side, a longsword, and a warhammer of fine make. ¡°Alright, well, don¡¯t do your elfy things here. We¡¯re good, simple folk.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try and channel my human side today,¡± Adam said, dryly, before going back to work. ¡®Seriously. These guys are always complaining about elves, but what the hell did I ever do to them?¡¯ As evening approached, the Iyrmen who had gone to hunt, returned with a boar over each shoulder, and a string of birds and small creatures around their waists, which swayed with each step. They dropped the meat at the centre of town, where the villagers had already begun the fires to cook. ¡°Did you really go out to slaughter a family of boars?¡± Adam asked, noting the six boars they had returned with. ¡°Yes,¡± Argon replied, simple. Adam glanced at the assortment of smaller animals, before just nodding his head. ¡°We¡¯re eating well tonight.¡± Soon the villagers gathered together, beginning to drink and dance. There was the thrum of drums, the squeals of wooden flutes, and the strumming of the only lyre. ¡°Undead, undead, undead. No, no, no. Dead, dead, dead.¡± The children clapped their hands too, with the youngest few looking around, wondering what the hell was going on, but clapping along anyway. Adam retreated to a dark corner, where a half elf could sulk and eat in peace. Jurot planted his rump beside him, digging into his food quietly, looking about to all the villagers. ¡°I had expected us to fight the undead, so I¡¯m a little disappointed.¡± Adam admitted. ¡®If I had helped the villagers with the undead, then maybe they could have viewed we feyfolk a little brighter.¡¯ ¡°We missed the fight, but fighting isn¡¯t the only goal.¡± Jurot slurped some of the soup. Adam glanced at the Iyrman, blinking at him. He sipped the soup, unable to follow Jurot¡¯s words with anything coherent. The soup was well salted, with the smallest amount of cracked pepper. There were a handful of herbs which flavoured the meat. The other Iyrmen retreated from Chief at the centre to the dark corner where Adam and Jurot had been eating. ¡°We will remain for the night and make haste to the next village,¡± Argon said. ¡°They may not have yet to face the undead threat.¡± He could feel it deep within himself. There was something wrong. Adam yawned, patting his stomach. ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t wait to get to the Iyr. My feet hurt from all this walking through the forest, and fighting undead is fun and all, but it doesn¡¯t inspire me. Killing something which has already lost once isn¡¯t fun.¡± ¡°Did your feet not hurt when we were hunting boars?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°We spent a lot of time travelling on a proper road, and we got to rest at a proper place with a nice hot bath...¡± Adam threw his head back. ¡®I wish I could summon my tower.¡¯ His heart wept. ¡°You¡¯re very soft,¡± Jurot said, biting into a cracker which he had saved for the day, eating it with the smallest bit of cheese had had remaining from his rations. ¡°Of course I am,¡± Adam replied back, raising his brow towards the Iyrman. ¡°I¡¯m a Br-,¡± he cleared his throat, ¡°a half elf!¡± Jurot chewed on his after meal snack, and nodded his head slowly. ¡®Half elves must be like that.¡¯ Though he couldn¡¯t blame Adam, he wanted to return to the Iyr too. He liked the towns and villages, but nothing was like the Iyr. ¡®I wonder if mother is well.¡¯ Once they had retired for the night, Adam sleeping in the same room as Jurot for both his and the villager¡¯s sake, he looked up at the ceiling. Everything had felt so easy recently, with the Iyrmen assisting him. ¡®Hey, Bell.¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®Can you see the future?¡¯ [No.] ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Adam remained silent for a long moment. ¡®Okay.¡¯ [...] He refused to elaborate further, instead closing his eyes to fall asleep. For a moment, he wondered if Bell could peek into his more intimate thoughts. He hadn¡¯t really tested out the system much. Now, in the safety of the village, he imagined something he dared not to admit, something graphic and lewd. He waited for Bell¡¯s response. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Do you think Bell could see? 29. A Friend? 29. A Friend? Omen: 2, 4 ¡®At least it¡¯s twice as good as yesterday,¡¯ Adam thought. His previous Omen had hurt his soul, and he pretended it didn¡¯t exist. Though it was decent if he came across something, if it was only to be used for himself, it was fairly useless. The villagers all waved at the Iyrmen, calling out their goodbyes to the warriors who were setting off. Adam remained far enough away to not bother them, understanding that he wasn¡¯t being cheered on by the villagers. He sighed, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. ¡®Seriously? Why didn¡¯t you warn me about this discrimination?¡¯ [You never asked.] ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to be so untrustworthy.¡¯ [Don¡¯t blame me for your own failings.] ¡®I understand my failure well enough, Bell. I put my trust in you, and that¡¯s where I failed.¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡®Though, really, what other race would I have picked?¡¯ Adam glanced aside, trying to think about the various races. ¡®Human would have been so boring,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Though I would have been welcomed enough. If I had chosen drakken, I would have been part dragon, which was cool.¡¯ However, he came to the conclusion that being a half elf had too many benefits which were too good to pass up. Once again, they were travelling through a thick forest. The Iyrmen, though still moving with urgency, seemed more casual about how they moved through the forest. Whereas Eshva used to disappear now and again to scout ahead, she remained with the rest of the party instead today. The Iyrmen grunted to one another more often, even having full blown conversations between one another. ¡®We must be getting close to the Iyr,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Otherwise, why would they all be speaking so eagerly between one another? Should I press for the continuation of the story?¡¯ Adam decided against it, just in case it was interrupted by something. As the late sun peered over head, they eventually came across a river. Near the river was a small camp site of earth and wood, with a large fire at the centre. Adam began to remove his armour, wanting to take a dip in the river, which was so much larger than the stream from the other day. This was a full blown river, one which was slow moving here. ¡°Stepping beyond the river is Greater Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The forest from the river onwards is under the control of we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, recalling their conversation about the forest previously. ¡°So we¡¯ll be in the Iyr once we step past?¡± ¡°Not in the Iyr, but it is land which belongs to us.¡± Jurot began to strip down too, wanting to take a dip in Iyrman waters. The fact it was Iyrman water rather than foreign water filled him with a strange sense of delight. He was a stone¡¯s throw away from home. ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Adam glanced along the large river, seeing how far it stretched, and the land beyond it. ¡°The border is the river then?¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Yes. It used to be the hills a few miles further, but it expanded beyond many years ago.¡± He flashed a knowing smile, wondering if Adam would pick up the pieces in the future. Before Adam could ask, they could hear it. The unmistakable sound of weapons being unsheathed. The two reached for their own weapons, looking back, noting the Iyrmen with their weapons raised, their eyes glued to something. Adam had just removed his chain, but his shield was nearby still, reaching for it as his eyes followed the gazes of the Iyrmen. A new, strange figure had appeared. Adam turned to glance at them, noting the figure dressed in a breastplate, carrying at their side a longsword, made of some kind of gem, strapped by the finest of silks. They were tall and lean, but not like those of the Iyrmen, and the way they walked was so graceful. Along their back was a long cloak of silver, outlined in the bluish silver of mithril, as though the metal had cooled over the hem of the cloak, with near invisible runes of magic embroidered within it. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the figure said as they sat near the group, which remained ready to fight with their weapons drawn. Their voice was as sweet as a summer day, and so familiar. The Iyrmen nodded their heads in a hello, but did not sheath their blades. Jurot was stepping back towards Adam, who had stopped reaching for his sword and shield. The figure removed their helmet, placing it down beside themselves. Her eyes were slightly slanted, with an emerald shimmer. Her nose was thin and straight, going down like an arrow tip, and her lips were even thinner. Elongated ears jut out the side of her head straight upwards, though was pointed like a leaf. Her hair was long, like liquid copper that fell down to her shoulders. An unnatural beauty that Adam had seen a few times before. An elf, most would think. Her emerald eyes fell to Adam, and she smiled a beautiful smile, completely calm in the face of five deadly Iyrmen. ¡°The stars have graced our path, oh dearest-¡° ¡°Entalia!¡± Adam exclaimed, unable to contain his excitement. His lips formed a wide grin. Entalia stopped midway through her words, having begun an elvish greeting. To cut an elf off was a great dishonour. However, she was focused on something else. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Man, I¡¯m so glad to see you!¡± Adam laughed, causing the Iyrmen to glance back at him too. ¡®Did he say Entalia?¡¯ Argon threw a look to Tazwyn, who confirmed his thoughts with a nod of her head. She, too, had heard the name. Judging by how the elvish woman had frozen for the moment, they could see Adam had tapped into something. The half elf tried to recall how they had met last time. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a little too soon? I swear we met later.¡¯ Entalia remained smiling at the half elf, feeling the gazes of the Iyrmen return to her. They were about as shocked as her. ¡°I expected the Iyrmen to know what I was, but I didn¡¯t expect you to know who I was.¡± ¡°I¡¯d never forget you,¡± Adam said, chuckling, only further confusing the people. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect us to meet so soon like this.¡± ¡°You know her?¡± Jurot asked, his axe out and ready for battle. ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± Adam nodded his head, giving him a thumbs up. ¡°We¡¯re frien-¡° Adam paused. ¡°Ah, wait. No, I mean...¡± The Iyrmen glanced back at Adam, who was rubbing his chin. Even Entalia was being swept away by his pace. ¡°I know her, like the way I know you and your family?¡± Adam said, tilting his head. It was the truth, technically. ¡°From my recollection, this if the first time we¡¯ve met,¡± Entalia said. ¡®He doesn¡¯t smell familiar, and I¡¯ve never smelt his ancestors before either.¡¯ She was sure that this was their first meeting, unless he had scried on her. ¡®He¡¯s too weak for that, though.¡¯ ¡°Maybe for you.¡± Adam kept chuckling, grinning wide at her. ¡°How do you mean?¡± Entalia¡¯s eyes narrowed, her brow twinging at his annoying grin. It was a grin she preferred to have, one which meant she knew things others didn¡¯t. ¡°I am Adam,¡± he said. ¡°Son of Fate.¡± The half elf stared into her eyes knowingly, wondering if she had caught on. ¡°You can make magical weapons?¡± The dragon leaned in, keeping him within arm¡¯s reach. He had mentioned he was able to make magical weapons in his previous life, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to be able to at this moment. ¡°Uh, I can soon?¡± Adam replied, pulling slightly away from her. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Entalia crawled forward over the log, like a panther, looming over him. ¡°I think I¡¯ll learn it soon.¡± Adam continued to pull away, almost laying on the log. ¡°So, you can¡¯t?¡± Entalia tilted her head like a kitten, forming a small frown. ¡°Not right now, but I will be able to soon.¡± Adam remained under her, and quickly crossed his chest with his arms. ¡°How soon?¡± Entalia¡¯s eyes suddenly flared up with greed. ¡°Uh...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes until they were almost completely shut, and looked away from the domineering gaze of the dragon woman, who was still an otherworldly beauty. ¡®Bell, redeem the last Tool Proficiency you owe me.¡¯ There was a moment of silence, before he recalled how he shouldn¡¯t trust the system entirely. ¡®For Enchanting Tools.¡¯ [Done.] ¡°I can now,¡± Adam said. Entalia blinked. ¡°What? You can do what now?¡± ¡°Enchant.¡± ¡°Why can you do it now?¡± Entalia leaned in even closer, her nose almost pressuring against his as she stared deep into his eyes. He seemed like such a fun little toy. ¡°I...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°You should let me keep some secrets, Entalia. I¡¯ve told you so many things already. Even as a dragon, you shouldn¡¯t be so greedy.¡± His maiden heart thundered as he remained pinned under a dragon. ¡°Can you really enchant now?¡± Entalia continued to glare into the half elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam almost squeaked. His entire body was flush with heat and redness, like a grilled tomato, though far more desirable to a dragon. ¡°Hmm.¡± She glared at him suspiciously, still far too close. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a sword soon which you can enchant. It¡¯ll be made of Rubicule, probably.¡± She pulled away, giving him some space. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be that good though.¡± Adam cleared his throat, sitting up slightly as the cool wind brushed against him. ¡°Even if it¡¯s utterly trash, that¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ll just have to charge you more.¡± She smirked. In truth, she didn¡¯t care about the enchantment at all, but more about the magical nature of it. With a magical weapon, she¡¯d be able to track him well. Adam finally sat up, reaching up to his chest. ¡°I hope in this life we can be good friends once again, Entalia,¡± Adam said, rubbing his heart, which was still trying to calm down. ¡°You¡¯re interesting enough,¡± Entalia replied. ¡°If you¡¯re not speaking utter auroch turd, then we¡¯ll be good friend. Even if you are speaking nonsense, you sound pretty fun to be around. You¡¯re like an Iyrman with your tales, except no one will mind if I scoop you away to keep.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need for that,¡± Adam said, smiling nervously. ¡°Just swing by whenever you want to chat.¡± ¡°Well, I got much more than I expected on this journey.¡± Entalia stood up, stretching out her neck. ¡°Those Iyrmen are still wary of me, so I¡¯ll show them mercy and get going.¡± ¡°It was good to see you again, truly.¡± Adam smiled. Even now, after her threats, he was filled with delight. ¡°It was nice to meet you, Adam, son of Fate.¡± With that, she leapt up into the and spun, her body morphing into a mass of silver, blasting Adam with air. Strength Save D20 + 5 = 15 (10) Adam fell back off the log, raising his arm to protect his face from the windy onslaught. Once it had calmed, he looked up to try and see her. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 18 (16) Under the light of the stars and the disappearing sun, he saw the familiar gleaming silver scales. It was similar to the first time they met, catching barely a glimpse of her. Quest Complete Inform Entalia about the World Ending Threat + 100XP XP: 60 -> 160 ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, blinking. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise that it was a quest.¡± He glanced around, noting that a pair of trees had fallen nearby. The Iyrmen had rushed towards him, checking to see if he was okay. "What did you speak of?¡± Argon asked, his fingers wrapped around the handle of his greatsword. He still had reason to draw it. "Something I need to inform your leader of,¡± Adam said, stretching out his back. "Is that why you wanted to come to the Iyr?" Argon asked, keeping his fingers wrapped around the handle still. "It was half the reason." Adam nodded, yawning as tiredness filled him. "What is the other half?¡± "To see the baby." Argon¡¯s eyes met Tazwyn, and his fingers tightened around the handle of his greatsword. "The baby?" Jurot asked, tilting his head. Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Return of Dragon Mommy GF! 30. Late Arrival 30. Late Arrival ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to know the silverdrakken,¡± Argon said in their tongue, throwing a glance back towards the half elf. The group were trekking their way along the river, through the dense forest. The rushing river provided them just enough cover that their words wouldn¡¯t be caught beyond the group. Adam was currently talking with Dargon and Jurot, not paying attention to the Iyrmen. ¡°Who would have expected that?¡± Tazwyn replied, shaking her head. ¡°He may have come to the Iyr on her behalf.¡± Someone meeting a dragon so close to the borders of the Iyr had alarmed the Iyrmen. They would need to pass along the information soon. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. She wasn¡¯t acting when she revealed her surprise.¡± Argon recalled the reason why Adam said he had come, which seemed to set off some alarm bells. If he was going to meet Entalia, he would have been more forthcoming after meeting her. ¡°Could they really just be friends? Who is just friends with a dragon?¡± They both knew many people who were just friends with dragons, but they were those highly skilled or powerful. ¡°Old flames?¡± Argon suggested. ¡°With him?¡± Tazwyn asked, her voice dismissive. ¡°He is handsome enough.¡± ¡°He is, but is that enough for that woman? She has a pick from more than a million men where she¡¯s from, several thousand who could snap the boy like a twig, by steel or sorcery. Why would she pick some half elf still wet behind the ears? His blade is still unmarked by the blood of a worthy foe.¡± Tazwyn restrained her voice, trying to not sound too harsh, though Adam would most likely not understand what she was saying. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a tale about an elf and a dragon?¡± Argon asked, half serious. It was one of the most popular tales in the Iyr, one of the few which had become the oral canon within the Iyr. ¡°There are more tales about Iyrmen and dragons,¡± the heavily armoured Iyrman refuted. She grew up hearing a dozen stories about Iyrmen and dragons, and the offspring they produced. There were many half dragons which walked with Iyrmen blood, though very few ever stepped foot in the Iyr. ¡°He¡¯s also a half elf, not an elf.¡± Argon shrugged his shoulders, conceding the point. ¡°He has also said so many ridiculously things.¡± ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s just stupid?¡± Tazwyn tried to remember all the things he had said to her, like how he had died several times before. ¡°Or crazy.¡± ¡°Or too smart for us to comprehend.¡± ¡°Dangerous.¡± Argon couldn¡¯t help but agree. ¡°More importantly, he seems to know Sonarot¡¯s condition.¡± Tazwyn could hear the worry in the man¡¯s voice. ¡°Which is impossible,¡± she reassured. Argon could feel something within his gut which was telling him something was wrong. Though, when he had been grabbing his blade the night before, his gut had told him not to draw it. Tazwyn had been with him for so many years, that she was in tune with his thoughts. She knew he wouldn¡¯t draw his blade that night, but she was fully prepared to try and stop him. If he had wanted to kill Adam, it would have been difficult for her to stop it alone. ¡°Unless he had been to the Iyr previously...¡± Argon whispered. He thought about the recent news in the Iyr. ¡°Which visitors have we had recently?¡± ¡°No half elves,¡± Tazwyn replied, confirming his thoughts. ¡°Unless he was disguised.¡± ¡°...¡± Argon conceded the point again. It was the stupidest thing he had said for some time, but he wanted to cover all the bases. There was something he was missing, something which was gnawing at him. ¡®Should I really bring him to the Iyr?¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to your brother for the moment,¡± Tazwyn said, patting his back. He had been thinking too much. Argon nodded his head. ¡°We¡¯ll keep a closer eye on him too.¡± Eshva and Kandal had been listening in on the conversation, taking on the words. Dargon had kept Adam and Jurot busy by talking about various different Iyrmen materials for weapons, having recalled Adam could smith. Since his brother needed time to speak with Tazwyn privately, he had to provide a distraction. ¡°I still hope to work with Iyr Ivory,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is beautiful. I¡¯ve held it once, when I was first learning my trade.¡± He recalled learning under his mentor, who had allowed him to touch all kinds of previous wood. Iyr Ivory felt so heavy, more like marble than wood. He tapped the wooden boar in his pocket, which was still quite rough, though it was coming along well. ¡°Once you reach Mithril Rank, eh Jurot?¡± Dargon chuckled. ¡°Though you might want to reach Gold Rank. Iromin has become so stingy with it.¡± Dargon frowned, recalling how his mother had tried to redeem some wood, but had been denied for a few years. Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com threw a glance back to Dargon¡¯s tag. Steel Rank, which was below Mithril and Silver. ¡°Mithril? That¡¯s some time away, isn¡¯t it? Just how many Mithril Rank Iyrmen are there that you don¡¯t have enough Iyr Ivory for them?¡± Dargon just smiled, winking at Adam. He wouldn¡¯t be able to reveal the number, even if he wanted to. He didn¡¯t want to scare the boy, but it was also because Adam¡¯s threat rating had increased. Adam stared up at Dargon, wondering what that had meant. He wondered how many people were in the Iyr too, but asking that question after meeting with a dragon did seem a little suspicious. ¡®Should I have explained it better to them? Meeting with a dragon isn¡¯t the craziest thing in this world.¡¯ ¡°Nothing,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Adam asked. He shook his head, furrowed his brows, and then prepared himself. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± the Chief said. ¡°She didn¡¯t charge us.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Adam blinked. ¡®What?¡¯ He glanced around the village. ¡°Are you missing any people?¡± Had she stolen a few people to toy with? Perhaps some children as payment? ¡°Other than the dead, no.¡± The Chief shook her head, staring at Adam¡¯s face curiously. ¡°She... she didn¡¯t ask for anything?¡± Adam blinked repeatedly. ¡®Entalia. Not charging?¡¯ She was a dragon, and dragons weren¡¯t the most selfless creatures. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it...¡± he whispered under his breath. ¡°She didn¡¯t ask for anything. We tried to pay her for her service, but she didn¡¯t accept anything. She didn¡¯t even accept any of the furs we offered her, or the food, or even some of our wooden instruments, make by Mo himself.¡± The Chief shook her head. ¡°...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes suspiciously, deep in thought. He looked up to the sky, looking at the clouds overhead. His lips formed a taut frown. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± The Chief stared at Adam, wondering what he was thinking. ¡®Is the beautiful elf woman going to come back and demand something outrageous?¡¯ The way Adam was reacting caused her to think twice about the matter. Adam reached up to rub his eyes with the sides of his wrists, shaking his head slightly. ¡°I get the feeling she¡¯s going to charge me.¡± ¡°Why would she do that?¡± The Chief furrowed her brows and tilted her head slightly. She wasn¡¯t following Adam¡¯s logic. Adam stared at the Chief for a moment. ¡°It seems I can¡¯t escape her in this life either.¡± The Chief glanced to the Iyrman but then looked back to Adam. ¡°You should be glad. She is beautiful and a great fighter.¡± Adam blinked again, wondering how the conversation had turned. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for someone beautiful who is a great fighter.¡± ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ Argon blinked. The Chief narrowed her eyes slightly, and stood a little taller. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking for anything. I¡¯m still young.¡± He could see the look in her eyes, and it was not he liked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I go around to various inns and sow my seed into a thousand fields or something?¡± The Chief looked at Adam as though he were made of cow dung. ¡°I see. You¡¯re one of those.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m not! I just don¡¯t want anyone right now!¡± Adam¡¯s cheeks took a rosy flush, slightly embarrassed by his crudeness. ¡°You should settle down quickly,¡± the Chief said. ¡°You¡¯re a grown man, and handsome too. You might be a half elf, but there are many women who dream of being with an elf. You¡¯re no Iyrman, so you don¡¯t have to prove yourself. It¡¯s about time you find someone, settle down, and have four or five children.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Adventurer,¡± Adam said, wondering why he was currently having a talk about marriage with the Chief. ¡°I, you know, adventure.¡± ¡°In this day and age, even Adventurers settle down young.¡± The Chief threw a look to Argon, who had figured out what she was trying to do. He decided against assisting her, keeping himself out of the conversation. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°I want to explore the world with Jurot. I want bromance, not romance.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯ve chosen an Iyrman to be with you, then that¡¯s fine too. They¡¯re quite strong and dependable.¡± She smiled at Argon, who nodded his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that either!¡± Adam turned red hot in the cheeks and stormed off. ¡°I¡¯ll go and help.¡± ¡°What a shame,¡± the Chief said. ¡°I have two granddaughters his age.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to marry an elf into your family,¡± Argon said, looking at the back of the half elf. ¡°Considering you¡¯re a part of Central Aldland.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem too bad,¡± she replied. ¡°As if the King holds much sway here. The Iyr is just a hearty leap away. Even if we live near the Iyr, it¡¯s always nice to have something else going for us. You are equally as impressive as you are terrifying. A half elf would be mysterious enough to bring in visitors. Have you seen my great grandchildren? They¡¯re cute, but they aren¡¯t going to be making anyone swoon when they¡¯re older.¡± Argon shook his head, understanding that the woman was going to drag him into a conversation he would be ill equipped at handling. ¡°We will go find some food for you. Tazwyn will remain behind to assist with the village.¡± ¡°Thank you, as always.¡± The Chief smiled, and pat Argon¡¯s head as he bowed down for her. The Chief was twice his age, and he had met her when he was still a teen. He always swung by the village on the way back, regardless of which way he approached the Iyr, making sure that everyone here was fine. ¡®I let down my guard,¡¯ the Iyrman thought. ¡®I will ask to be stationed at this village next time.¡¯ 31. Balrog the Bane I 31. Balrog the Bane I ¡°What happened?¡± Jurot asked, carrying a bundle of plants towards the wall. ¡°Apparently Entalia came around and helped out,¡± Adam said, grabbing a bundle and following him to the wall. ¡°Then the Chief started to talk to be about marriage.¡± He was still suffering from whiplash. He thought about how much he owed to Entalia, then how much he¡¯d need for a dowry for marriage. ¡®I¡¯m already so poor...¡¯ Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Chief Merl always talks to interesting travellers about marriage.¡± He even recalled a few weeks ago when he passed by the village and the woman tried to marry him off to one of her granddaughters. ¡°She has tried to marry her children and grandchildren into the Iyr.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the dream,¡± Adam said. He wondered if he should try and find a nice Iyrman to marry. There were no doubt plenty of beautiful women in the Iyr, especially those who were strongly built. Adam cleared his throat, pushing away the heat in his cheeks. ¡°One of her children,¡± Jurot placed the planks down next to a pile, using the moment to recall the name, ¡°Fort, married into the Iyr.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked, placing down the planks too, ignoring the looks from the villagers. ¡°How did she manage that?¡± ¡°A few years ago, a few Iyrmen were stationed here around this time. The numbers of undead were particularly high that year, so the Iyr had made sure at least three Iyrmen were dispatched to the various villages around. When the undead came, Fort made sure to stand side by side with the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± Adam said. A villager standing side by side with Iyrmen? ¡®He must have been one hell of a prodigy.¡¯ ¡°He fell within minutes,¡± Jurot said, walking back to grab some more planks to move. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°He did not run,¡± Jurot said, smiling. ¡°When an Iyrman stands by your side, it is safe to run. He decided to die at an Iyrman¡¯s side. He did not die, though. When the tale had been brought back to the Iyr, an Iyrman made her way to the village to beat him.¡± Adam blinked. He had heard so many ridiculous things today, so he wasn¡¯t sure if he heard that right. ¡°An Iyrman came to the village to beat Fort? The guy who almost died by the side of Iyrmen?¡± Jurot nodded his head, smiling at how romantic it was. ¡°She made sure to beat him every day for a week.¡± ¡°What happened to him? Did he die? I can¡¯t imagine anyone living after being beaten for a week.¡±Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°No, they married,¡± Jurot said. Adam shook his head, trying to shake the ridiculousness out of his ears. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Jurot said, understanding that Adam was no Iyrman. ¡°When I say beat him, I mean that she came to test his fortitude.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t narrow it down, Jurot.¡± Jurot blinked at Adam. ¡°She took her fist,¡± he held out his fist, ¡°and punched Fort repeatedly.¡± Jurot punched the air, cutting through it with his great strength. ¡°Right. Jurot, I¡¯m going to be honest, I¡¯m still very confused.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what he should say, not wishing to offend the Iyrman. ¡°If he died too quickly, it would be difficult to have children,¡± Jurot said, as though it were obvious. ¡°So Iyrmen beat their husbands and wives before they marry?¡± Adam asked. He certainly hadn¡¯t heard about this in his previous life. ¡°No, of course not,¡± Jurot replied, furrowing his brows at Adam. ¡°That¡¯s barbaric!¡± ¡°Right, sorry.¡± Adam squinted, wondering why he was apologising. Jurot shook his head. ¡°She told him that if he was still willing at the end of the week, then she would marry him.¡± ¡°So... he just let her beat him?¡± Every time Jurot elaborated his point, Adam spiralled further into confusion. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He tried to fight back, but he was fighting an Iyrman.¡± Jurot shrugged. ¡°He had no chance.¡± ¡°So he was beaten by an Iyrman in public every day for a week? Then he could marry her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Balrog¡¯s eyes met hers, understanding that this raid was going to be more difficult. The seven of them were outnumbered by the villagers, but they were all weary from fighting the undead and working all day, and more practised with fighting undead, not well trained bandits like he and his fellows. Balrog threw a glance back to one of his men. ¡°I thought you said the village was clear,¡± he said. ¡°Why do I see an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Was clear when I scouted here, boss, I swears,¡± the man in the leathers whimpered. He had a shortbow in hand, and a pair of daggers across his belt, which wrapped around his chest. ¡°You¡¯re lucky it¡¯s only one Iyrman,¡± Balrog snarled, his eyes flashing to Jurot, ¡°and a pup.¡± Jurot kept a firm grip on his axe, but Tazwyn¡¯s grip also remained on his shoulder. ¡°A friend of yours?¡± Tazwyn asked, throwing her gaze back towards Adam. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. He scanned the group. ¡°Though I have heard of another one of their men. Where¡¯s Moonblade?¡± Balrog smiled. ¡°You sure talk a lot for a boy, huh? Does he talk for you, Iyrman?¡± Balrog spoke with little respect to the Iyrman, but he wasn¡¯t going to start disrespecting her either. He didn¡¯t live this long by making enemies of the Iyr. ¡°He is a guest,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°He speaks for himself, but his words are backed by my sword.¡± ¡°A mighty fine sword it is,¡± Balrog said. ¡°I¡¯m not here for steel though, I much prefer gold.¡± He glanced at the villagers. ¡°Well, silver and furs, considering where I am.¡± ¡°A tribute?¡± Tazwyn asked, her eyes narrowing. ¡°So close to our land?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not your land, is it?¡± Balrog said, a small smile appearing on his face. ¡°There¡¯s no need for any fighting here today, Iyrman. We take a small tribute of coin and furs, and we leave. No need to get messy.¡± Tazwyn remained quiet for a moment. If there was a fight, she would be able to take on Balrog, she was sure of that. The others, however, were each stronger than Adam and Jurot, and much stronger than the guards and villagers. The wall here didn¡¯t provide much protection, and if they were to fight, many of the villagers would be wounded, or worse. It was one matter to have a village near the Iyr pay tribute, but for there to be such a heavy loss so close to the border, especially with the village which had always been so accommodating to them. ¡®I can¡¯t allow any blood here to be spilled.¡¯ Argon would never forgive her, but more importantly, she would be unable to forgive herself. ¡°I heard that you had some kids in your employ,¡± Adam said, breaking the silence. Tazwyn threw a glance towards Adam, wondering what he was talking about. ¡®Did I make a mistake in giving him my backing?¡¯ Balrog froze, the grin on his face twisting slightly. ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± For a moment, he wondered if Adam knew. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you do?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Smuggle children?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Balrog licked his lips. ¡°How did you find that out? Don¡¯t you know that it¡¯s dangerous to know too much?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a smart boy,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s why I am standing next to an Iyrman, and you¡¯re standing next to dead men.¡± ¡°You should be careful, boy.¡± Balrog reached down towards his axe, which permeated with the deaths of hundreds of smart boys like Adam. ¡°Not even nobles take that kinda tone with me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked, tilting his head slightly. ¡°And which nobles are they?¡± He reached down towards the hilt of his sword, not stepping back from Balrog. Last time, he had killed Balrog with ease, but last time he was much more powerful. ¡°They say the loudest mice are killed first,¡± Balrog began to draw his axe. ¡°Uh, Boss,¡± one of his men called out from behind, a hand on their own weapon. ¡°What?¡± Balrog growled, glancing back at him, only to notice the four Iyrmen surrounding them from behind. Two had drawn their mighty greatswords, each able to split a man in half under the strength of the Iyrmen. Another¡¯s greataxe was ready to hack a man to bits. The last, a woman with the most wicked grin on her face, drew her warhammers, which were ready to break their bones. ¡°Oh balls.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Should I stop centring things in the middle so the reading is more fluid? Next chapter you''ll see what I mean. Huh, what? No, no. There''s definitely no fighting next chapter. =) 32. Balrog the Bane II 32. Balrog the Bane II The Iyrmen remained standing close by, their weapons gripped tightly within their hands. The looming Iyrmen baked over them like a shadow of death atop the bandits. ¡®I should have brought Mattias along,¡¯ Balrog thought, his eyes scanning between the Iyrmen. ¡®No, I should have brought them all.¡¯ The tense atmosphere had disappeared. No longer did the villagers cower in fear, but with the numerous Iyrmen in sight, they clutched at their weapons more confidently. A couple of guards even stepped forward, but Tazwyn raised her hand off Jurot¡¯s shoulder and motioned them back. The Iyrmen were here, so they would need to take responsibility for dealing with the bandits. There was no need to outnumber them, for a good fight would be lost. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, ¡°do you remember this guy?¡± Jurot was overcome with his rage and shame, which clouded his thoughts. He didn¡¯t question how Adam knew, too busy focused on the flashing images of when he was young. Even now, if it wasn¡¯t for the ghost of Tazwyn¡¯s grip, he would have charged in to die already to wash away the shame he had brought to his father. Balrog was focused on the Iyrmen totally now. ¡®I could take one of them on,¡¯ Balrog thought, his eyes flashing across the Iyrmen. Yet, he also knew that each of the Iyrmen around him could slaughter the rest of his men like sheep. ¡®Carter and Daryl might last for a few moments, but those new guys¡¯ll die before I blink.¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t we end things here?¡± Balrog asked, pulling his hand away from the hilt of his axe, not wanting to remind the Iyrmen of whose grip he had torn the weapon from. ¡°We¡¯ll hand over some tribute for the village to get back on its feet, and we¡¯ll leave with the understanding that the Iyrmen are protecting this village.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let them go,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯ve kidnapped children. We need to save them.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted to Argon, hoping the Iyrman would be spurred to act due to his word. ¡°We smuggle children, sure, but who said we have any right now?¡± Balrog asked. ¡°Iyrmen, let¡¯s just end things here, peacefully, without blood,¡± the bandit urged, trying to settle the Iyrmen down. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m just going to let you go?¡± He drew his sword, but Tazwyn quickly grabbed his shoulder. ¡®Who the hell is this crazy bastard?¡¯ Balrog thought. ¡°That¡¯s not how it¡¯s done in this land.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding something.¡± Adam cracked his neck. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this under the eyes of the law or the gods! I¡¯m doing it because I won¡¯t let you go, you no good bastard! Release the children!¡± Balrog hadn¡¯t drawn his axe yet, and seeing how the Iyrman had stopped the boy and had sheathed their weapons, he sighed. ¡®Phew. Looks like I¡¯ll be getting out of this alive.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, feeling the strength of the Iyrman¡¯s grip against his shoulder increase. ¡°I am stopping your death.¡± Tazwyn squeezed his shoulder through his armour. ¡°We can¡¯t have you die before we step into the Iyr.¡± ¡°How much tribute do you offer, Balrog the Bane?¡± Argon asked. Adam threw the Iyrman leader a look. ¡°What? Hey! What are you doing?¡± He hadn¡¯t expected Argon to offer Balrog a way out. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ ¡°Since he has offered peace before he has drawn his axe, we should settle matters here.¡± Argon shook his head. ¡°This is how it¡¯s done in this land as Iyrmen.¡± ¡®What the hell is he talking about?¡¯ Adam looked to Jurot desperately. ¡°Jurot! They have a bunch of children captive!¡± ¡°We have not seen the children,¡± Jurot said, still glaring at Balrog. ¡°We can¡¯t act without purpose.¡± His eyes met Argon¡¯s for a moment and the boy looked away. Even if he wanted to attack, he couldn¡¯t. He¡¯d shame Argon, who had been kind enough to assist them. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Jurot, but you must bite your anger and shame here.¡¯ Argon remained staring at Balrog, waiting. Even he had to bite his anger. The Iyr had rules, and the rules should be followed. Even the axe in Balrog¡¯s hands wasn¡¯t good enough grounds to attack him, not when the man had yet to spill blood. ¡®Damn it! I can¡¯t believe the Iyrmen are...¡¯ Though, could Adam blame them? He wasn¡¯t exactly trustworthy. It seemed more like he was fighting for fame. Adam, son of Fate, slayer of Balrog. ¡®Shit.¡¯ Adam inhaled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Iyrmen to run from a fight,¡± Adam spat, pushing Tazwyn¡¯s hand from his shoulder, and he stepped forward, sword in hand. He reached into his pocket to grab his die too, keeping it within his shield hand. ¡°You would fight alone?¡± Jurot asked, throwing a look to Adam in shock. ¡®It wasn¡¯t long ago you had said you didn¡¯t want to die. What are you doing, son of Fate?¡¯ ¡°I would prefer if you fought by my side, Jurot, but it¡¯s more important that you return to the Iyr alive.¡± Adam inhaled deeply again. ¡°However, I can¡¯t let them leave so freely. If they want to leave, it¡¯ll have to be when I¡¯m dead!¡± Adam gripped his blade tightly in his hand. He couldn¡¯t just let Balrog go, not when he knew that the bandit had kidnapped a bunch of children. No, he wasn¡¯t sure that there were a bunch of children, but did that matter? Even if there was only a slightest chance, he had to act. Tazwyn and Argon exchanged a look, unsure of what Adam was doing. Adam surely had no proof the bandit had children, and yet he was going to step forward and risk his life. ¡®How troublesome,¡¯ the pair thought. Even Balrog tossed Argon a look, unsure of what was happening. ¡°I heard he speaks for himself, but that he¡¯s backed by your swords. So as long as we don¡¯t kill him, we can leave?¡± ¡®Adam¡¯s guaranteed by us, but can we let him fight and get beaten?¡¯ Argon threw a look to Tazwyn, nodding his head slowly. Tazwyn stepped forward. ¡°Adam, yo-¡° Tazwyn began, only to be cut off by the enraged Adam. ¡°Fuck! What a shit story this would be to tell!¡± Adam exclaimed. ¡°Jurot! Is this going to be a part of your story? That you let a bunch of bandits go? Not just any bandit, but the same bandit which had shamed your father? Do you have no shame?¡± Though the words were meant to shame Jurot into action, shame quickly filled Adam. Tazwyn drew her blade once again, stepping up to Adam. ¡®Damn it! I should have stopped him!¡¯ Omen: 3, 14 ¡°One hit!¡± Adam grit his teeth, quickly sliding to face Tazwyn down. ¡°One hit!¡± Tazwyn paused as Adam stared into her eyes, watching as he crept cautiously around. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jurot, if you get to him, I can guarantee you one hit.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes remained focused on Tazwyn, who remained steady ahead of him. She was like a mountain, one he couldn¡¯t even dare to climb. ¡°The Iyrmen definitely won¡¯t let you die! If you get to him, I¡¯ll definitely allow you to land a hit!¡± Jurot remained like a statue. He understood that if he stepped forward, he¡¯d be admonished by his elders. By attacking Balrog, he¡¯d be undermining his leader¡¯s words. Considering how close they were to the Iyr, it would be a greater shame, and in front of all these villagers too. ¡®One hit.¡¯ He clenched his fists together, shutting his eyes tight. ¡°Adam.¡± When he called for Adam, even the villagers waited with bated breath. The grip on their weapons tightened, and the area grew cooler, even with the sun beating down above them. Argon and the other Iyrmen waited too. ¡®Jurot...¡¯ Argon¡¯s fingers twitched. ¡®You¡¯re no longer a child, Jurot. You have the tattoo of your family, the same as your father before you. Your blue circle, your blue diamonds. The moment you left the Iyr to make a name for yourself, you were no longer under the protection of the Iyr.¡¯ Attack D20 + 5 + 1 = 19 (13) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 10 (3)(3) 10 damage! Adam caught the blow with his own sword, managing to barely save the bandit¡¯s life, though the fire almost licked the man¡¯s cheek. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tazwyn asked, surprised to see that he¡¯d dare to catch her blow. ¡®No, that¡¯s not surprising at all.¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s already surrendered! Don¡¯t waste your time!¡± Adam¡¯s voice quivered. ¡®Why the hell did I save this guy?¡¯ Tazwyn sighed, stepping away to move towards another bandit. The bandit below dropped his axe, panting for air. He had seen his life flash before his eyes, with the angel of death becoming him into the afterlife. ¡°No,¡± he spluttered as his eyes rolled back into his skull and he fell limp. Balrog pulled away, pushing one of his comrades onto Argon. The muscled mountain of a man turned and bolted, hearing the sound of a blade piercing through mail, bone, and mail again. A soft gargled choke betrayed his comrade¡¯s death. ¡®That bastard! Why did he tell us to wait near the Iyr? I should have known! I should have known!¡¯ Argon kicked the bandit off of his blade, dashing after the fleeing Balrog. ¡°Balrog the Bane!¡± Argon roared. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? Come and fight, you coward!¡± Other bandits fled past him, but he didn¡¯t care. Balrog was the greatest foe here, and he¡¯d be the worthiest to wet his blade. Jurot turned to chase the fleeing bandits, but Adam grabbed his shoulder. ¡°No, Jurot. We must remain behind to protect the village.¡± Jurot turned to stare at Adam, his eyes full of bloodlust still. ¡°You would stop me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had your fun, and we¡¯ve done our part.¡± Adam said, sheathing his sword. ¡°Now we have to trust that they can save the children.¡± Jurot¡¯s brow still twitched, his veins throbbing, his face red hot with rage. He exhaled, letting the rage go, turning to watch the fleeing bandits. Mana: 3 -> 2 Spell: Sleep 7D6 = 17 (1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 5, 6) Adam threw out his hand towards one of the fleeing bandits. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± The magic flooded through his veins, shooting out towards the fleeing bandit, who felt it invade his bones. Fortunately, Adam¡¯s sleep was unable to take root within his mind, and he shook his head, continuing to flee. He dared not to look back. ¡®Don¡¯t look back! Just run! Mattias!¡¯ Balrog turned, catching the swiping greatsword with his axe, his muscles tensing up with pain. ¡°Damn it! You god damn Iyrman bastard!¡± Argon and Balrog met once more in combat, for most Iyrmen had the ability to move swifter than the typical man, and even those who were trained in the art of combat. The Iyrman brought up his blade, having nearly disarmed Balrog. His body screamed at him to slay the bandit where he stood, and his muscles tensed together in order to sink his magical greatsword deep into the man¡¯s side, to cleave through bone, all the way towards his heart. ¡°Argon! The children!¡± Adam exclaimed. ¡°Argon!¡± The Iyrman¡¯s blade cut through the bandit¡¯s shoulder, having aimed to cut down to slay the man quickly, but he forced his muscles to obey his thoughts, stopping the blade from sinking too deeply into the man¡¯s shoulder. He had cut in about four finger¡¯s width. He exhaled, pulling his blade out of Balrog, who dropped to the side, drooling. The villagers had watched the bloodbath play out. The dance of death was hypnotising. They had heard the rumours, of course, and though they had often seen them spar with their own people, and destroy the undead, this was the first time they could see the true strength of the Iyrmen, who lived just beyond the river. They had never seen the Iyrmen face someone alive, especially not someone with the reputation of Balrog the Bane. Yet, even he and his warriors, who had come to threaten them for tribute, folded under the might of the Iyrmen, who could cleave through grown men like they were pups. ¡°Take watch!¡± the Chief exclaimed, quickly trying to take command of the villagers. ¡°On the wall!¡± a guard added, trying to assist the Chief in spurring the villagers. The bandits disappeared into the forest from whence they came. Yet, behind them stalked the Iyrmen, who allowed the bandits to flee, moving from shadow to shadow. Kandal¡¯s greataxe yearned for more blood. He left a trail behind him, allowing the others to follow. Dargon, who had focused on making sure Jurot didn¡¯t die, followed too, wanting a proper fight. The trikro had made a hole within his second heart, the second heart all Iyrmen possessed, the heart which beat for a good fight. Behind him was Eshva, who could smell it, the sweet scent which was carried on the wind. ¡®More fight!¡¯ Adam pat Jurot¡¯s shoulder, unaware that an Iyrman had set his sights on the half elf. ¡°You know, I only had him miss you,¡± Adam said. ¡°You cut him with your own strength.¡± ¡°You had him miss me?¡± Jurot stared at Adam, unsure of whether he should believe the half elf. Still, he had told Jurot that he¡¯d be able to manage one hit, and he did. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he was going to cleave through your shoulder, but I used my powers to have him miss.¡± The shadow of death stepped closer to Adam, ready to cut him down. ¡°Well, at least the Gar family will get their axe back.¡± Tazwyn stepped between the pair of youngsters and Argon, whose had his blade firmly gripped in hand. ¡°Go,¡± she said in their tongue. ¡°Step aside,¡± Argon managed to grunt through gritted teeth. ¡°If there are children as he said, you will need to stop Kandal and Eshva from going too far.¡± Tazwyn gripped her blade tighter. ¡°Go.¡± Argon turned, dashing away from Tazwyn and the two young men. He would need to deal with Adam later, though having heard Oshgar¡¯s name, he wondered just how much the half elf knew. Tazwyn sighed. Argon would have sustained some injuries from facing Balrog, but even then, could she have been able to stop him? She threw a look back to Jurot and Adam. ¡°Can you see the future?¡± Jurot asked, bringing up his axe to see the blood. He smiled wide and hugged the handle. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, squeezing Jurot¡¯s shoulder, not realising he had almost been cleaved in half. ¡°I just know my past.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell mother and father!¡± Jurot continued to grin wide. Adam found his throat clog up. ¡°I¡¯m sure your mother will love to hear the story.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I thought about cutting this chapter into two right when Jurot seemed to get hit, but I think you guys deserve it in one chapter. 33. Deals and Death 33. Deals and Death At the village, Tazwyn stitched Balrog¡¯s shoulder together. Jurot held it in place, remaining focused on the body parts. The woman had burnt the flesh together, something she had to practise after years of travelling with Argon, and she had mastered it once Dargon joined the party. As much as Argon and Dargon loved to fight, like the foolish brothers they were, Argon still liked to have his younger brother around. ¡®He¡¯s to bring back our last tale, should anything happen to us,¡¯ is what he had told her. Tazwyn was still not fooled by Argon¡¯s words. Though they were true, she knew it was because Argon wanted to groom his younger brother into a greater warrior than even himself, and he trusted the three of them to assist, each with a different virtue. ¡°Tazwyn?¡± Jurot asked, suddenly. ¡°Yes?¡± Tazwyn replied, coming back to her senses. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Tazwyn noted how she was sewing over the last stitch several times. ¡°I was just lost in thought.¡± Jurot nodded, not that he understood how that felt. When Jurot thought beyond a certain point, he¡¯s lose the thought, rather than allowing him to get lost in thought. Tazwyn checked once more to see if Balrog was dead, but it seemed he was tougher than even she expected. She cut the switch and pulled away to admire her handiwork. Even Jurot spent a few moments to see what she did, in order to keep the information stored away for a time when he may require it. Adam collapsed down beside them, stretching his entire body, which pulled taut like an arrow, before he fell on the floor. ¡°Oof. Today was one hell of a day, huh?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± Tazwyn said, looking to the half elf beside her. She hadn¡¯t been sure how to approach the matter, but considering Argon had been seconds away from swinging his blade at the half elf, she decided she could be slightly tactless. ¡°Should have done what?¡± Adam replied, throwing her an innocent look. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have forced a fight.¡± Tazwyn¡¯s eyes narrowed at he half elf, who seemed comfortable to display his ears for the world to see after Entalia had assisted the village.Visitt for the latest updates ¡°It ended up alright in the end, didn¡¯t it?¡± Adam crossed his arms behind his head and lay against them. ¡°It did, but you still shouldn¡¯t have done that. We had guaranteed the protection of the village, and you almost caused us to fail it.¡± ¡°You guaranteed the village, but you didn¡¯t guarantee the village.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°What use is protecting a village when we can¡¯t protect children?¡± ¡°What children?¡± Tazwyn¡¯s voice remained even, though she wanted to burst. ¡°Your madness should have its limits, son of Fate.¡± ¡°Madness?¡± Adam asked, incredulously. He paused to think about it for a moment. ¡°I suppose it does seem like madness, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d be willing to bet your life on whether the children were kidnapped.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, staring into her eyes. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°If we find out that there are no children, will you take your life?¡± Tazwyn continued to meet his gaze. Adam inhaled deeply, before sighing. He tilted his head, trying to think about how he could appease her. ¡°If there are no children, I¡¯ll go with you to the Iyr. Once I meet with Sonarot and the Chief, you can take me prisoner. If you choose to kill me, then you can kill me.¡± He stared up at the early evening sky. ¡®Sonarot and the Chief? Why did he mention her name first? Is she more important than even the Chief?¡¯ Tazwyn narrowed her eyes, trying to get a read on the half elf. He didn¡¯t appear to be lying, and even if he was, could he stop the five of them pinning him down? ¡°Why do you want to meet mother?¡± Jurot asked, rubbing his thumb along the block of wood, trying to visualise what he wanted to carve. ¡°Right now?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°We¡¯re meant to be on watch to protect the people,¡± the half elf said, still laying back on his arms. ¡°I must carve something today to show mother and father,¡± he said. ¡°I managed to draw blood from Balrog the Bane.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips formed the widest smile as he stopped carving the wood. ¡°Hehehe.¡± He returned to carving the wood, which would soon take shape as a scale mail which had been cut in a specific place at the side. ¡®Did he just...¡¯ Adam blinked. ¡°I hope you are willing to give up your weapons if we find out there were no children,¡± Tazwyn said, growing more with unease as she stared at the half elf. ¡®He¡¯s too smart for us and crazy,¡¯ she finally thought. Adam squinted his eyes towards her, but if the Iyrmen wanted to take away his weapons, how would he even resist? ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Your die, too.¡± There was little use of forcing him to relinquish his weapons if he could also cast spells. ¡°Sure, though I don¡¯t want to be welcomed into the Iyr as a prisoner.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°I don¡¯t want Sonarot to see me walk into the Iyr like a prisoner. If you marr my first meeting with her, even Sozain won¡¯t save your soul.¡± Adam glared at Tazwyn. ¡°Okay,¡± Tazwyn replied, seeing the glare. ¡®Seems like you are crazy enough to start something.¡¯ The Iyrman wasn¡¯t sure what Sonarot meant to him. ¡®Perhaps she had met the half elf during her adventure? Did he fall in love with her?¡¯ She glanced between the boys. ¡®No, they¡¯re roughly the same age, so he probably didn¡¯t meet with her.¡¯ ¡°However, if there are children, I want you to apologise to me,¡± he grumbled. ¡°¡°No, actually, I don¡¯t care about an apology. If there are children, I hope you can speak of my heroicness in front of Sonarot and the other Rot family members. Speak truthfully, obviously, but I want you to emphasise how manly I was.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smile at the thought. ¡°You should ask Kandal for that.¡± ¡°I feel like it¡¯d be better if it came from you,¡± Adam said. ¡°After all, you¡¯re the babysitter. Dargon may have been the one to look after us during our travels, but you were the one who was left behind to look after us today, and you are the second in command, and the most clear headed.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ll talk about how manly you were.¡± ¡°Great, great!¡± Adam grinned wide, chuckling. ¡°I hope you mention how I warped Fate in order to help Jurot, otherwise he would have been cleaved by Balrog the Bane.¡± ¡°One hit,¡± Jurot said, giggling to himself as he continued to carve the block of wood. Tazwyn sighed, rubbing her pulsing forehead. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it if the children exist.¡± Hours later, a shout cut through the air. ¡°Iyrmen! The Iyrmen have returned!¡± Adam slurped up the last of the soup and turned to look at Tazwyn. She stood, motioning a hand for him to walk up ahead. Adam sauntered his way towards the wall. Something twinged at the back of his skull. ¡®What if there are no children?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 34. Death and Deals 34. Death and Deals His heart pounded wildly. ¡°Run!¡± Carter shouted, his screeching voice cutting through the near silence which ran through the camp. ¡°Get up, you bastards!¡± ¡°Carter, why are you shouting like a damn dog?¡± Mattias asked, emerging from his tent. A rain of red splattered across him as Carter¡¯s torso, from his left hip to his right pec up, dropped down between his boots. Mattias drew his sword swiftly, his body reacting before his mind could process what had happened, catching the greataxe with his glowing white longsword. His arms felt like glass shattering, his boots digging into the earth beneath. ¡°What? What is an Iyrman doing here?¡± ¡°You must be Mattias the Moonblade,¡± Kandal said, his lips formed a savage smile. ¡°I am Kandal, son of Randal!¡± The behemoth of an Iyrman did not pull his greataxe back to wind up for another blow, but instead forced it harsher against the blade. ¡°To arms!¡± Mattias shouted, sliding back from the force of the Iyrman¡¯s push. ¡°To arms, you bastards!¡± The other bandits had heard Carter¡¯s screams and had already grabbed their weapons, emerging from their tents, tossing away their playing cards, tossing aside their drinks. A few of them had been out, working the fire, before they saw Kandal cut an adult man in half right before them. They tentatively reached for their weapons, glancing between one another to see if the others were willing to fight. ¡°It¡¯s just one Iyrman! Quickly!¡± Mattias slid back further, slowly being forced towards the cave wall. Mattias wore a breast plate, with bits of pieces of armour which covered the rest of his body, yet he didn¡¯t feel as though it would be good enough to deal with this son of Randal. ¡®Gods, damn whoever fed this bastard!¡¯ Mattias grunted, leaping up to drop kick Kandal, who hadn¡¯t expected such a manoeuvre. Moonblade took the moment of surprise to roll away and create some space, hopping onto his feet once again as he grabbed his blade with both hands. Another bandit swiped at the Iyrman with their greataxe, which was made of some kind of dark steel, but Kandal swayed aside, punching the bandit¡¯s face, before grabbing the handle of his own greataxe with both hands again. ¡°More!¡± The Iyrman leapt towards Mattias, who stepped in to crash against the handle of the large weapon, pinning his arm guard against the bottom of the curved blade of the greataxe. He slashed at Kandal weakly, unable to gather the momentum, but still cutting into the Iyrman¡¯s skin. It drew blood, though it barely made the Iyrman bloodier considering how much blood he was already painted in. Kandal roared with laughter, causing Mattias to look up at his howling face. ¡°More!¡± Kandal roared, wanting to be soaked in blood before he slew them all. ¡®I told you, Balrog, I told you! No good comes from being near these fucking savages! Why didn¡¯t you listen?¡¯ Mattias¡¯ heart pounded wildly, instilled with fear of the Iyrmen. Another bandit took the chance to leap onto the back of the laughing Iyrman, shortsword in hand ready to stab, but he jabbed downwards to block a greatsword meant to remove his legs from the knees down. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late, Eshva was trying to pass me.¡± Dargon grinned wide, glancing between the bandits with his greatsword in hand. Eshva wailed like a banshee, darting out of the trees with her trusty warhammers in hand. Her eyes noted two prey, an equal distance between the head of her warhammers and their skulls, but they were on opposite sides from one another. Moonblade retreated back to his companions, the seven bandits forming a semicircle. ¡°We need to hold them off for...¡± Moonblade fell silent. ¡®They followed Carter all the way here? Did they...¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to be getting any support,¡± the bandit with the shortswords said. His arms were throbbing, as though he had been pushing a cart the entire day. ¡®So these are Iyrmen.¡¯ He swallowed. ¡°I regret calling you Moonbitch now.¡± Moonblade sighed, glancing between the three Iyrmen. Three Iyrmen against seven of them. ¡°We have no qualms with you, Iyrmen.¡± He could hold Kandal for a moment and allow three to pile on each one. ¡°No!¡± Eshva roared, stepping forward. ¡°No! Fight!¡± She snarled before leaping towards two bandits, flailing her warhammers. ¡°Fight!¡± ¡°Moonblade¡¯s yours,¡± Dargon said to Kandal, winding his greatsword back over his shoulder as he leapt forward, using his entire strength to try and cleave the bandits in half. ¡°Stop!¡± Argon shouted, emerging from the bushes. He had followed the trail of heavy footprints, and the blood which had been dripping out from Kandal most of the way. Eshva stopped her warhammer from caving in a bandit¡¯s chest completely, his mail already dented from the first blow she had managed to land right before Argon had saved him. The cave was lit by the light from outside, opening up into a room which was roughly twenty steps long and fifteen steps wide. There were six children, each tied up by manacles at their ankles, with chains connected between each of them. The chains would allow them to move roughly three steps between one another before it was pulled taut. An elf pulled back towards the corner, hiding behind the large human boy in front of her, who stared up at the Iyrman in utter shock and fear, before he noted the tattoos. ¡°I-Iyrman?¡± the boy gasped. The other humans, each boys, stared up at the Iyrmen, their eyes full of shock, before it was replaced by hope. ¡°I-it¡¯s an Iyrman!¡± The boys knew the tale of the Iyrmen, they had grown up on them. Of course, they were also a savage people, but they had been taught one thing. If an Iyrman fights for you, you¡¯ll be safe. Though the stories had changed recently, they still recalled how powerful the Iyrmen were. Their eyes beamed up towards Argon. The dwarven girl, who was tied at the other end, so she was far enough away from the elf, stared up at him. ¡°Are ya here ta save us?¡± Her voice was barely a whisper. ¡°This is no business of yours, Iyrman,¡± Mattias said, swallowing as stealthily as he could, his hand around the handle of his blade. ¡°I¡¯ve sated your curiosity, so we can leave it here.¡± Argon stared at the six children. He inhaled deeply, his entire muscles tensing, causing Mattias¡¯ fingers twitched, before he relaxed again. He felt the heat build within him, and he slowly turned his head to stare at Mattias. Argon remained silent, just staring at Mattias. Mattias remained standing as tall as he could, catching the Iyrman¡¯s glare with his own. He was still mostly fresh, in comparison to Argon, who had been in a fight with his leader, and had run so far to the cave. If push came to shove, he¡¯d take the children hostage. Yet, as he thought about what he could do, the several ways he could live, no strength poured into his arm which was poised to draw his blade to cut the Iyrman down. His entire body had grown heavy by the pressure the Iyrman was exuding, seeing how the man¡¯s brow was twitching. The pressure filled the entire room, deafening the silence. It was hours later when they returned to the village. Adam stood at the gate, seeing the Iyrmen emerge. First came Kandal with his chest high, who was allowed to lead the procession, followed by Moonblade, whose arms were tied in front of him, the rope trailing back towards the second prisoner. Since he had been denied the Right of Kill, he had been rewarded the Right of Lead. Argon hadn¡¯t wanted to hear Kandal complain all the way back, so gave up the right to his companion, even though it was his as the leader of the group. He trailed behind the last prisoner, leading the second procession. Eshva sulked beside him, but she stood tall, in order to be a good role model to the pair of girls who stuck close to her. The dwarf noted how the warhammers were of fine make, and the elf understood that Eshva would bask her in blood for the various rituals she would need. ¡°That¡¯s no Knight, that¡¯s an Iyrman!¡± Dargon fell into hysteric laughter at the punchline of his joke, almost crying. The boys laughed too, one of them even slapping his knee. Two of them didn¡¯t get the joke, but they laughed anyway. ¡°He¡¯s no Knight!¡± the large boy said, trying to not cry. ¡°He¡¯s an Iyrman!¡± another said, before falling into a fit of weeping giggles. ¡°An Iyrman!¡± ¡°There he stood, a strong silhouette, like a statue cut by the hands of Chief Iromin,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°What?¡± Tazwyn threw a look towards him, furrowing her brows. ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to help you figure out how to speak of my manliness.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I, unironically, laughed so hard at that joke and I don''t why. 35. Warnings Given 35. Warnings Given Quest Complete Defend the Three Villages + 100XP XP: 360 -> 460 Quest Complete Defeat Balrog the Bane and Rescue the Children + 200XP XP: 460 -> 660 Quest Complete Jurot¡¯s Shame + 240XP XP: 660 -> 900 ¡®Hold on a second, Bell.¡¯ [Okay.] ¡®Yo-¡® [A second has passed.] ¡®You must think you¡¯re real funny.¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®I swear, you...¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply, rubbing his forehead. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s an extra two hundred XP that just randomly appeared.¡¯ [That was the experience for assisting in defeating the bandits in combat.] ¡®I didn¡¯t get a notification.¡¯ [You did.] ¡®I did?¡¯ [You were too busy concentrating on Jurot.] ¡®Oh, right. I didn¡¯t want him to die in front of me...¡¯ Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡®Still, that¡¯s a lot of experience. How come I received more XP for helping Jurot land a hit on Balrog than dealing with a large group of bandits?¡¯ [Wasn¡¯t helping Jurot more important than defeating Balrog?] ¡®And saving the children?¡¯ [Isn¡¯t it?] Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. If the other Iyrmen hadn¡¯t been around, would he have gone to fight Balrog to save the children? ¡®I¡¯m too weak for that sort of thing right now.¡¯ His lips formed a frown, not liking the fact the system had already figured him out. Tazwyn stared at Adam, wondering why he was so solemn again. ¡®Just what are you thinking, son of Fate?¡¯ She still couldn¡¯t figure him out. Shouldn¡¯t he be happy now that the children were safe? He had risked his life to protect them. Her eyes quickly snapped to Argon, whose dark gaze was firmly glued to Adam. Adam, blissfully unaware that an Iyrman was glaring at him, walked over towards the elf and the dwarf girls, both of whom were screeching at each other in their own languages beside Eshva, who seemed to be enjoying the screeching as though it were death metal. Adam tried to ignore what they were saying, wondering how the pair of them knew so many vile words at their age. ¡°You damn rock muncher, just you wait until I get a bow in my hands!¡± the elf girl screamed, waving her tiny fist at the dwarf. She was short and thin, with long silver hair, which fell down to her lower back, and eyes of amethyst. ¡°You damned leaf licker, what are you singing about? I¡¯ll grab my hammer and smack you across the face!¡± The dwarf girl was almost her opposite, other than being short. She was stouter, with slightly paler skin, and eyes which were almost obsidian black, the same as her short hair, which was cut in a bob. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying! I recognise that word anywhere! Rock muncher! Iron sucker!¡± ¡°You bi-¡° ¡°Enough!¡± Adam eventually shouted, trying to catch their attention. ¡°Shut your damn mouths, otherwise I¡¯ll spank the pair of you!¡± The two girls, who didn¡¯t even reach Adam¡¯s waist with the tops of their heads, turned to the man covered in chain, just like those who had kidnapped them. Seeing him in his heavy armour, the jangling chain which wasn¡¯t of dwarven make, and behind his helmet, which made him more like a statue, they withdrew behind Eshva, hugging her powerful arms. The Iyrman smirked to herself, flexing her arms, showing off to the two girls. ¡®Hehe.¡¯ ¡®Why is he so angry?¡¯ Tazwyn thought, understanding the half elf less and less. The girls were to scream at one another, as elves and dwarves should. Adam removed his helmet, having donned it to not scare the boys, due to what they probably had heard about elves. He revealed his pointed ears, glancing down towards the elf and dwarf girl. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ The dwarf girl gasped, staring up at him in shock. ¡°You¡¯re a leaf ea-¡° ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t spank you right in front of the Iyrmen?¡± Adam dropped his helmet beside him, and began to undo a glove. ¡°It¡¯s only because of me the Iyrmen came to help you, you know. They wanted to pay off Balrog and his goons, leaving you to your fate. I was the one who convinced them to help.¡± He stared down at the familiar face of the dwarf girl. ¡°The only reason you¡¯re here to admire Eshva¡¯s powerful biceps is because of me, and don¡¯t you forget it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here,¡± the elf girl said, pointing to the dwarf girl. ¡°The dwarf bitch is bullying me!¡± She stuck out her tongue at the dwarf. ¡°Hey! Watch your language!¡± Adam¡¯s brow pulsed, wondering how these two could hate each other so much that they¡¯d be screaming at one another with so much profanity. ¡°Excuse me, dearest worldly half cousin, whose path is-¡° ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Adam tossed his glove beneath his feet, wondering how these two could be so damn annoying. He inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. He had allowed himself to fall into their pace, which was something he couldn¡¯t do as an adult. The elf girl stared at Adam in shock that he¡¯d interrupt her, narrowing her amethyst eyes at him. ¡®Well, what could I really expect from him? He is a half blood.¡¯ Adam dropped to one knee before the elf girl and smiled as warmly as he could, as though he didn¡¯t want to toss some cereal at her. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°I am from Green Vale Under The Sixth Star,¡± the elf girl said, puffing out her chest in pride. She smirked at Adam, waiting for him to fall before her and prostrate himself. Adam blinked, rubbing his earlobe. ¡°Excuse me?¡± The elf girl blinked at him in return. ¡°Green Vale Under The Sixth Star,¡± she repeated, annunciating each word. ¡°Near One Trickle Beside Sun Rock.¡± She was sure he¡¯d fall down and prostate this time, after all, it was Green Vale Under The Sixth Star, and not a place like Three Tears And Two Hearts. ¡®Eugh, I bet he¡¯s from Three Tears And Two Hearts.¡¯ Adam shook his head. ¡®Green Vale? Sixth Star? Trickle? Sun Rock? How the hell do elves name things in this world?¡¯ It was only then he recalled how the first town he had set foot in was called Red Oak. ¡°Are you even an elf?¡± the girl asked, pulling behind Eshva again, squeezing at her thick bicep and tricep with each hand, unsure of this strange half elf before her. ¡®Hehe.¡¯ ¡°Only half,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve spent pretty much all my time in human lands.¡± Seeing how she had withdrawn, Adam shifted his focus to the dwarf, who looked so familiar. The little one pulled further behind Eshva, even taking a step towards the elf girl. Her eyes were squinted with dwarven suspicion, which took years to dispel. ¡°Little miss dwarf, are you by any chance a Thunderhammer?¡± Adam asked, wondering if she¡¯d open up after hearing her name. He recognised her almost immediately, but it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to confirm. After all, last time it wasn¡¯t an elf girl who had been captured. ¡°Tha¡¯s right!¡± Thunderhammer squeezed Eshva¡¯s shoulders. ¡°He must be with tha bandits!¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Do you by any chance know Thundersmith in Red Oak?¡± he asked, using the most harmless voice he could muster. ¡°That which once belonged to the bandits.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°They would have loot, wouldn¡¯t they? I guess I did help a little.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have known about the children either, if not for me.¡± ¡®Next time they tell me bring a half elf, I¡¯ll refuse,¡¯ Argon thought. ¡°Plus, there¡¯s the matter of our little bet.¡± Adam threw a look to Tazwyn, his lips completing a smug smirk. ¡°I will keep my side of the bet,¡± she assured, wondering why he would need to confirm. She was an Iyrman, whose words weighed heavier than all the gold within the Iyr. ¡°Then, honestly, I don¡¯t know. How much should go to Jurot and I, considering we aren¡¯t anywhere within the same realm as powerful as either of you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°Even now, Dargon could slice through either of you like he was slicing through bread.¡± Adam blinked at her. ¡°Whoa, whoa.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°No need to be so harsh. Did I annoy you guys too much?¡± ¡®Did you only just figure that out?¡¯ Tazwyn thought, but she just sighed. ¡°You will have twenty percent,¡± Argon said, ignoring Tazwyn¡¯s look. She hadn¡¯t recalled two important matters about the loot. ¡°Twenty percent? That isn¡¯t so bad.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, having caught on to why he was being offered so much. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can complain, anyway. You two could easily carve through me like you were carving a cake.¡± ¡°Do you feel it¡¯s too little?¡± Argon asked. ¡°I think there¡¯s quite an important discussion to be had. Last I recalled, Balrog was using an axe which once belonged to the Gar family.¡± Even now, the two Iyrmen were surprised with how much Adam knew of the Iyr and its going ons. ¡°The axe will be returned to the Gar family,¡± Argon informed. ¡°I¡¯m sure, the axe should return to where it belongs. I hope that the Gar family knows who it was who assisted in returning the axe to them.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°However, aren¡¯t we both missing something else?¡± Argon slowly nodded his head. ¡°You speak of the Moon Blade.¡± ¡°Yes, the Moon Blade.¡± ¡°It will also belong to the Iyr.¡± ¡°So you get both magical weapons and most of the loot?¡± Adam tutted at Argon. ¡°I did some stuff too, ya know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not enough to gain the Moon Blade.¡± ¡°Even though I helped save six noble children? Not just noble children, but an elf and dwarf child too. It would be far too dangerous to claim recognition for it, so I won¡¯t ask for that, but will you really hand over only one fifth of the loot?¡± ¡°Even so, it is too much to ask for the Moon Blade.¡± ¡°Is it, really? I would hope the Iyr be fair in their distribution of weapons,¡± Adam said, before noting how Argon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Alright, alright. It¡¯s not like I can fight you for more. At the very least, I want to study it, you¡¯ll give me that much, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Study the sword?¡± Argon¡¯s brows furrowed even deeper. ¡®What? What is he trying to day?¡¯ ¡°Are you an Enchanter?¡± Tazwyn asked, leaning in close, whispering the words. She understood how this was information which shouldn¡¯t be said so freely. ¡°Yeah.¡± Argon and Tazwyn blinked. They threw each other another look. ¡®He¡¯s lying, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Argon stared at Tazwyn. ¡®He¡¯s crazy, but hasn¡¯t he been telling the truth so far?¡¯ Tazwyn replied. ¡°Though, we keep that between us, alright?¡± Adam said, casually. ¡°Entalia knows too, but I don¡¯t want it spreading around.¡± Argon sighed. Adam had said so many ridiculous things, that he wasn¡¯t sure if he should be so surprised. ¡°How did you know the children were in Balrog¡¯s care? I don¡¯t believe he is someone to allow that kind of information to leak.¡± ¡°Did you forget?¡± Adam asked, sitting up straight as he crossed his arms under his chest. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate! It was divined to me!¡± He laughed. Argon wasn¡¯t sure if he should pursue the matter further. Adam was an enigma, something beyond his comprehension. If Tazwyn couldn¡¯t deal with Adam, then he didn¡¯t expect himself to fare any better. ¡®So, this is how Tazwyn feels.¡¯ ¡°We will part the loot once we are within the Iyr,¡± Tazwyn said. ¡°Alright.¡± Adam yawned, stretching out his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to sort it out. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll short me, anyhow.¡± ¡°Since it all ended up well, we will leave this matter at just a warning,¡± Tazwyn said, staring at him. ¡°Don¡¯t do this again.¡± ¡°Once I¡¯m strong enough, I¡¯ll be sure to let you Iyrmen fail as many children as you want in the future.¡± Adam laughed. Argon narrowed his eyes again, glaring at Adam. ¡°It was just a joke,¡± Adam laughed. ¡®I should stop playing with fire.¡¯ ¡°If you try to use Jurot again, it will not end up with simple words,¡± Tazwyn warned. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I hear your warnings, Iyrmen. However, one day Jurot and I will be the best of friends. We will move together to deal with issues like this ourselves. I hope, when that day comes, you will leave us to our business.¡± ¡°You believe you and Jurot are so close?¡± Argon asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot and I are almost like strangers, though we¡¯ve known each other for a couple of weeks now.¡± ¡°Do you believe he¡¯d wish to be your friend?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I hope so,¡± Adam admitted. He frowned, wondering if Jurot would be his friend. He had planned on going on quite the journey with Jurot, adding to his story. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, then I won¡¯t help him with Pam.¡± ¡°Pam?¡± Tazwyn asked, looking to Argot. She hadn¡¯t heard the name when they were briefed about the situation. Adam smirked. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I wonder what next chapter will entail? Could it possibly be? The end of Blackwater Crisis? 36. Walls of the Iyr 36. Walls of the Iyr Omen: 2, 15 The morning was full of life and cheer, as the villagers thanked the Iyrmen profusely. There was more dancing, drinking, and singing. Even the young were getting in the mood, with parents slipping the tiniest amount of alcohol to the noisy brats. Even Adam, who the villagers remained weary of, had been thanked by several people. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought elves were so bad,¡± one lied. ¡°Aye to that! I always says you leaf ears are pretty as you are good,¡± another lied. Eventually, the Chief appeared, an innocent smile on her face. She grabbed onto Adam¡¯s large hands and shook them. ¡°Even when you fought, you thought to look after us wee folk,¡± she said, before pulling his hands towards a building. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to-¡° ¡°Oh?¡± Adam called, looking over his shoulder. He dug his feet into the ground to stop the woman from pulling him along. ¡°I think that was Jurot,¡± Adam said, pointing over his shoulder to the Iyrman who was currently talking to the boys. ¡°I should really go, I don¡¯t want to make an Iyrman wait.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Chief Merl began, holding onto his hands tight. ¡°I¡¯m sure he can wait while you meet my-¡° ¡°What was that?¡± Adam called out behind him. ¡°I really should be going. Thank you so much for the food, and I hope that you can get the walls sorted out. I¡¯ll try and swing by some day to check up on the village and make sure there aren¡¯t any bandits about.¡± Adam smiled and quickly retreated from the woman, saving his chastity. ¡°What a shame,¡± the Chief said, sighing as she watched him go. ¡°Merl had just started to feel better.¡± She shook her head, walking in to the building to see her recovering granddaughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry dear, but it looks like the Iyrmen needed him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, grandmother,¡± the beautiful young woman said. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again, if the Lord of Fate allows it.¡± ¡°Is the elf man really going to join us?¡± a boy said, cautiously eyeing up Adam as he approached before looking up at Jurot. ¡°Adam is a good man,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He bet his life to save you.¡± ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you been paying attention?¡± another boy said. The story had been told several times, but the boys were more eager to hear the actual fight, rather than what happened before it. ¡°Of course you¡¯re a Baron¡¯s son.¡± He rolled his eyes. The boy frowned. ¡°Our Knights are still highly valued in East Aldland.¡± ¡°Everyone knows we up north have the best Knights,¡± the Count¡¯s son replied. ¡°Nu uh.¡± ¡°Yes we do.¡± ¡°What about King¡¯s Sword?¡± ¡°King¡¯s Sword doesn¡¯t count. He¡¯s the King¡¯s Sword!¡± The Count¡¯s son shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, we have the Knight of Death.¡± ¡°Well, he doesn¡¯t count either.¡± Adam watched as they quickly went from complaining about him joining them to power ranking the various Knights of the Region, from the Knight of Death, to the Knight of Flowers, to the Mountain Knight. Once they were ready to leave, the Iyrmen took their positions. Argon at the front, the children behind him. Eshva covered the left flank, Kandal the right. Tazwyn brought up the rear of the children. The prisoners remained behind Tazwyn some ways, followed by Jurot and Adam, and finally Dargon. They walked along the bridge above the river, before stepping onto the land of the Iyrmen. The moment they passed the river, Adam felt a fuzziness within him. Even the children, who had been discussing how the Mountain Knight could obviously defeat the Knight of Flowers, since the Knight of Flowers was still quite young, stopped talking. They glanced around, trying to find why they were sensing a fuzziness. Adam glanced around too, trying to get a sense of things. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Wisdom Check D20 + 1 = 3 (2) ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Dargon asked, smiling to himself. ¡®How does it feel, stepping on our lands?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted, not understanding the fuzziness within him. It was like he was being tickled through his navel, but there was also a feeling of the gentlest feather crossing along the back of his neck. ¡°But I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Dargon said, patting Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re in our Iyrlands now.¡± He, like Kandal, enjoyed the company of the half elf. He was as queer as he was enjoyable to be around. It wasn¡¯t a boring journey, partly due to the half elf¡¯s eccentricity. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± came a sweet, soft, tender voice. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you, yet.¡± Adam shuddered, unsure of whether he should feel glad she was taking Balrog away, or if he should be terrified he might be taken away with her. The bald woman turned to look at him, smiling warmly, like a sweet aunt. Adam quickly glanced aside. ¡®If I can¡¯t see her, she can¡¯t see me.¡¯ Mattias had remained still, having noticed both women were much older than Kandal and Argon, who had already instilled a deep rooted fear within his heart of the Iyrmen. ¡®If Argon says they¡¯re stronger, then I¡¯ll just have to believe it...¡¯ ¡°Thank you,¡± Argon said, bowing his head towards the women, who disappeared with the bandits as quickly as they had appeared. Adam threw a glance towards Jurot, whose brow was covered with sweat, his eyes beaming brightly. He was still staring at where they had disappeared too, trying to keep them within his sight for even a sliver of a second longer. ¡°Who were they?¡± Adam asked, unsure of whether he should have asked. ¡°They,¡± Jurot began excitedly, before noting Dargon¡¯s look, ¡°are those who patrol the borders of the Iyr.¡± His voice had gone from excited, to a practised calm, though it was filled with reverence. Adam glanced between the pair of Iyrmen, seeing how Dargon was smiling innocently. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, understanding that he should press further. ¡®The aunt probably used her body as a weapon, and the other one...¡¯ The savage woman had somehow exuded no murderous intent, but Adam had noted the look in her eye. ¡®No, she probably was just directing it towards the other two.¡¯ The boys glanced between one another, before beginning to try and rank them between all the Knights. As they continued their journey, the road began to dip slightly, following the sun. The forest, which had grown light for the past hour, soon became sparse, with small bundles of trees a stone¡¯s throw away from one another. In the distance, they could see it. A giant wall, which stretched from one horizon to the next, following the curves of the hills. The bottom of the wall was made of earth and rock, and was about as tall as Adam. At the top of each hill was a tower, though it was covered by cloth, coloured similarly to the walls. Spell Guidance 1D3 = 2 Perception Check D20 + 2 + 2 = 15 (11) Unfortunately for Adam, he couldn¡¯t spot whether each tower was manned, as the cloth hid that from him, though no doubt if there was someone manning the towers, they would easily be able to see him, along with miles of the Iyrlands. The wall reminded Adam of a certain great wall, though he wondered how many miles this wall went on for. ¡°Nice wall.¡± Jurot smiled, proudly, nodding his head. ¡°It¡¯s the East Wall, or the Front Wall. Made generations ago, when the Iyr was gifted these lands. It took an entire generation to make it.¡± He glanced at Dargon, hoping he hadn¡¯t made a mistake. ¡°With a wall like this, I don¡¯t think anyone would dare to fight the Iyr,¡± Adam said, glancing along it. ¡°How long is it?¡± ¡°Long,¡± Jurot said, still glancing at Dargon. ¡°The wall runs all along the hills,¡± Dargon said. ¡°From coast to coast. Our lands extend beyond the wall, but the wall protects all our people behind it.¡± He stopped to admire it. Even after all these years, and the countless times he had seen it, he could only feel jitters in his stomach. These were the very walls which had protected him as a child, before he could protect himself with his sword. It wasn¡¯t just these walls which protected him, but those who roamed along the borders of the Iyr too. He wouldn¡¯t dare to claim he had become a shield for the Iyr, not like them, but he was an Iyrman, and he¡¯d spill blood once anyone breached the walls. ¡°It represents the Front Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Beyond these walls, we will see the Iyr. My home.¡± He shared the same feelings as Dargon and the other Iyrmen. He hadn¡¯t seen the wall from this side often, having only left the Iyr a handful of times when he was younger. The first time he had come by, he had been sleeping on his father¡¯s back, so he hadn¡¯t seen it. He had cried and screamed to his father, who had taken him outside to see it, where he had admired it for hours. ¡°Front Iyr?¡± Adam asked, his lips twitching slightly. ¡°Is it because it¡¯s the frontier?¡± ¡°It is Front Iyr because it is the front of the Iyr,¡± Dargon said, but he smiled at the joke too. ¡°Every visitor who comes to meet with we Iyrmen sees this first. Every approaching army which wishes to invade our lands, must first come to pass the wall.¡± Dargon knew of only a handful of beings who would be able to surpass the wall, but none would dare come. ¡®No,¡¯ he thought, thinking about a few days ago. ¡®There is one.¡¯ ¡°Didn¡¯t you affirm that no one would be stupid enough to war with the Iyr?¡± Adam asked, staring at the wall. Unless someone came from the heavens above, none would be able to manage these walls. The Iyr would see the armies coming from miles away from the outposts. ¡®No, wait...¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Those two Iyrmen from before, how did they...¡¯ ¡°The current King wouldn¡¯t dare to war with the Iyr,¡± Dargon said. ¡°Those from distant lands may decide to, though they would need to first rush through the Kingdom, or try to land along the coast before they march up to our walls.¡± ¡®Or they¡¯d have to come from the sky.¡¯ ¡°Speaking of which, you still haven¡¯t finished that story.¡± Adam squinted at him, crossing his arms like a petulant child. ¡°You promised...¡± Dargon chuckled, glancing towards Kandal, sharing a look with him. ¡°Once we¡¯re in Front Iyr, proper.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Okay, Blackwater Crisis next chapter? Maybe? Also I want to post up multiple chapters, but I keep writing so many words. Even this chapter was becoming too long, so I had to split it up! I hope you guys like hearing the thoughts of other characters to contextualise stuff! 37. Weapons of the Iyr 37. Weapons of the Iyr Even the children admired the walls. The dwarven girl nodded her head, enjoying the earth and stonework. ¡®Not bad, not bad,¡¯ she thought. ¡®It¡¯d be difficult for ours to get through.¡¯ She could imagine the walls lined with Iyrmen. ¡®Impossible, maybe.¡¯ The elf girl stared at it, wondering why they used stone. They could have just moved the hills around, then asked the trees to create another layer of defence. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ They weren¡¯t elves, so of course they couldn¡¯t ask nature to move. The boys eyed up the walls, trying to recall how big their castle walls were. Being children, it was hard to estimate. Half the size? Double the size? Somewhere between there. Once they were all done admiring the walls, they followed the path forward. Part of the path beside them gently sloped further downwards, save for the path which led right to the gates. The gate itself was made of a giant slab of wood, twice as tall as Adam, and six Adams wide. Argon exclaimed something in their tongue, his voice echoing off the walls, before the ground began to shake. The slab of wood began to shift as it opened up horizontally, only to reveal another slab of wood, which was moving in the opposition direction, before they met half way and the light peeked through. The gate was about twenty thirty paces deep, which caused Adam¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡®That¡¯s a big tunnel.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure how deep a gate should have been, but he hadn¡¯t seen any gates as deep as this one. As they stepped through it, the light shone against the opened pathway, which was surrounded on either side by sheer walls, each which was slightly taller than the wall, which couldn¡¯t be seen very well previously due to the angle of the land. The path gently sloped upwards for roughly half a mile, towards another set of heavy gates. Adam glanced on either side, at the huge walls which swallowed the path. ¡°Is this the pit of death?¡± Adam asked. He could only imagine how many archers could stand on those hills, raining down arrows on anyone with dark plans. The other Iyrmen couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly at his words. The entire Iyr was like this, designed to let the enemy know just how futile it was to try and invade. Of course, this area had been built a long time ago, and had yet to see use, but it was more than good enough to showcase to the nobles and the processions which tried to enter. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, noting how no one was willing to answer the question. ¡°It is.¡± The gates at the top were already open by the time they arrived, which had another path which led to a village some quarter mile away from them. Adam¡¯s shins were already aching from the gentle incline, and he couldn¡¯t imagine how much the children were hurting. The village was surrounded by a wooden fence, creating its boundary. There were a few towers which were propped up, and Adam could see tiny shadows within them. As they approached Front Iyr village, a few people stepped out to meet them. ¡®Where were the people which opened the gates?¡¯ Adam wondered, having not seen anyone up until this point. ¡®Was it magic? Hidden Iyrmen?¡¯ He thought back to the two women who had appeared out of nowhere. Five figures approached them, each as imposing as any Iyrmen they had met, save for the two from earlier. Four of them wore Steel tags on their persons, from necklaces to bracelets, each carrying a spear and sword, though one carried a spear and axe. The fifth, the leader, was a silver fox of a man, with a chiselled jaw, greyish hair which fell to his shoulders. At his side was a flail, though none could think it was impractical, as his Adventurer¡¯s tag hung loosely across his bare chest, glinting the blueish silver of mithril. ¡®A Mithril tag? Whoa...¡¯ Adam and the children noticed it right away, staring at it with a mixture of awe and respect, as one would when they met such a powerful figure. ¡°Argon,¡± the Iyrman said, greeting the leader. They clasped hands, before the leader glanced over the newcomers. For a moment, his dark eyes fell across Adam, pausing for less than a breath on him, before they continued along the rest of the party. He said something in their tongue, and Argon smiled. ¡°I am Lykan, but we should wait on greetings, I think,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°You must all be so weary. Come, allow me to invite you to our humble village. I will lead you to your lodgings.¡± He turned, allowing the other Iyrmen to take their positions around the group, before they were led forward. As they stepped through the wide main road, Adam glanced around to see the various buildings. Half were made of earth, and half were made of wood. Those within the centre were mostly made of earth, stone at the base, earth above, standing strong and tall. As he walked past the small towers, he could see teens manning them, staring over at the new arrivals, before returning their attention to all around them. ¡®Why are there children on lookout?¡¯ There were many Iyrmen walking around, adorned in their cloths and furs, going about their business. Adam could only wonder how many Iyrmen there were. Most seemed to be either Bronze or Steel, though there were some which didn¡¯t wear any tags. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought, glancing between everyone. Almost everyone within the village wielded a spear, staff, and axes, and carried a bow with them. Some carried greataxes, but there were very few blades he could count, and they were only on those who were Bronze or Steel. The flail the leader held was the most exotic weapon within the walls. Children all gathered to stare at the strangers who had arrived, pointing and whispering between one another. They wore cloths and furs too, some even wearing minor pieces of jewellery. Almost all carried a wooden weapon at their side. Adam didn¡¯t understand their language, so could only assume what they were saying, though quite a few were glancing towards Amaerabyl and Thunderhammer. ¡®Right, they must be the first dwarves and elves they¡¯ve ever seen.¡¯ Adam noted the lack of tattoos on most of the children, though a few of the teens were tattooed with the main symbol of their family, but not the secondary symbols. As they stepped towards the centre buildings, Adam¡¯s head snapped to what he first assumed was a hill, but he had only just taken the time to look at it properly. It was no hill, but a fort. ¡°Is everything in the Iyr designed around stopping invaders?¡± Adam asked, glancing all around them. He had yet to spot anyone who was unarmed, save for a few of the youngest children. ¡°Not everything,¡± Lykan said. ¡°Only most things.¡± ¡°Why are there so many children at the first point of contact?¡± Adam had expected this to be an outpost, rather than an actual village. Was the Iyr relaxed due to the fact it hadn¡¯t been invaded in hundreds of years? ¡°That is not a worry for you, Adam,¡± Lykan said, smiling calmly as the young man. Adam¡¯s eyes fell on the handsome man. ¡°I don¡¯t recall giving you my name.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be so rude,¡± the Iyrman said. He motioned a hand towards two large buildings. ¡°The children will take the building to the left, and the rest can take rest in the building to the right.¡± The children looked up at all the Iyrmen. The boys had stopped whispering between one another when they had approached the gates, and had walked through the Iyr with their heads held high. However, their grace was broken when they heard they were separating from the Iyrmen who had saved them. ¡°I understand you¡¯re close,¡± Lykan said, dropping to a knee, ¡°but there are others who wish to speak with you and tell you of their tales. There are plenty of children who will play with you as well, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Lykan turned to the nearby children, smiling at them, but they understood it wasn¡¯t a request. ¡°Right!¡± an Iyrman teen said. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely play with you!¡± ¡°Right, isn¡¯t that-¡° Adam paused, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You would slaughter them?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Jurot, ten to one! Ten to one!¡± ¡°During Blackwater...¡± Jurot stopped, recalling how the story hadn¡¯t been finished. ¡°What? What about Blackwater? You mean Blackwater Crisis?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, glaring at the Iyrman, who avoided his gaze. ¡°You will hear it soon, for Dargon has promised it to you. I cannot take that away from him.¡± Jurot crossed his arms. Adam grit his teeth, becoming annoyed. ¡°Even so! Nevermind one hundred thousand, what if there were five hundred thousand soldiers? With their population, they could easily bring out five hundred thousand soldiers, maybe even a million.¡± Jurot shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Their army size is closer to fifty thousand, sixty if we include the knights of various households.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I expected more.¡± ¡°That is their professional army,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°Though those who are elite, are probably six thousand? And those who could pose some threat to an Iyrman, around a thousand?¡± Jurot tilted his head, trying to recall what he had learnt. ¡°How do you know so much about the army and its size?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re all taught the estimates of the army sizes, and how many soldiers could be raised if there was ever a war. They wouldn¡¯t leave their forts unmanned, so they would only field twenty thousand of their main army, and they would raise another one hundred thousand immediately from the nearby towns.¡± ¡°Why are you speaking so casually about it?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°I¡¯d be terrified to hear about all of this. Even if the Iyrmen are strong, being outnumbered so much, it¡¯s not like you have a machine gun or anything.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡®Right, I need to be careful.¡¯ ¡°Even if they brought a hundred thousand, the Iyr would win.¡± ¡°Sure, behind your walls. What if they remain at the walls of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Even if we met in the open field, the Iyr would win.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Jurot, are you crazy? You¡¯d be outnumbered ten to one, minimum!¡± Jurot raised his brow, smirking smugly at Adam. He knew so many things about the Iyr which Adam couldn¡¯t possibly know. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re confident, I assume you guys have a few secret weapons at your disposal.¡± Adam thought about the woman they had met, Shaool. ¡°How many people are as strong as Shaool in the Iyr?¡± ¡°I cannot tell you that,¡± Jurot said, smiling ever wider. ¡°How many are as powerful as Shaool in Aldland?¡± Jurot furrowed his brows, going deep into thought. ¡°Hmm. As powerful, and more powerful?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Adam leaned in intently. He had listened to the power ranking from the boys, but hearing it from Jurot seemed more official. ¡°Ten?¡± Jurot said. ¡°I can only assume her strength. I know of her grandniece, and the tales which she has told me.¡± Adam coughed. ¡°Excuse me?¡± He kept coughing. ¡°You¡¯re telling me, out of twenty million people, only ten could match Shaool?¡± ¡°From the people, yes,¡± Jurot nodded, recalling the various guardians of the land who would easily raise that number. ¡°If we include magical artefacts and such.¡± ¡°Jurot, are you messing with me?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Is Shaool the strongest in the Iyr?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said, raising his brow. ¡°The Chief and the Great Elders are more powerful.¡± Adam blinked, rubbing his eyes, then blinked once again. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Adam had forgotten the existence of the Chief and the Great Elders. ¡°So what, that¡¯s... eight people in the Iyr, ten in Aldland?¡± Adam stared at Jurot¡¯s smirk. ¡®Wait. Are there more people as strong as Shaool?¡¯ Jurot tried his best not to reveal anything, but he couldn¡¯t help but smile. Oh, how little Adam knew. Once he was given permission to head into the Iyr, he¡¯d see something which would no doubt shock him. Eight people? Adam had met someone else that day as powerful as Shaool, a woman with the skull of a deer. Jurot had no idea how many of them there were, but he assumed greater than ten, since that was how the Iyr always formed their units, using bases of ten, just like Aldland. Adam continued to stare into Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡®Wait, that woman with the deer skull...¡¯ Adam shuddered. ¡°Well, if there are even a handful more as powerful as Shaool, maybe I was worrying for no reason.¡± Jurot giggled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Okay, for sure. Next chapter is Blackwater Crisis! I swear! Side Story – Blackwater Crisis VI Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis VI King Solomon had only just returned to his castle, and yet he was swamped with paperwork. Though he had gained a great deal of influence through the war, he had to immerse himself in the various matters of the Royal Court, capitalising on the influence. A King¡¯s work was never done, after all. ¡°The drakken have become strangely quiet,¡± Master Whiteheart said. He was the brother of the Lord of Westfort, and held a seat on the council. He, along with the relatives of the other Lords and Ladies of the various forts, remained at the capital city to act as one of the council members, who would look after the Kingdom¡¯s issues whilst the King was at war and assist him in running the Kingdom during times of peace. ¡°Do we know why?¡± Solomon asked. He had expected them to grow quiet, but to not contact them either? ¡°We believe they¡¯re fighting between one another,¡± The Queen replied, taking her place beside the King. She was tasked to keep an eye on the council members, taking on the King¡¯s role when he was at war, so the King had no worries about the various advisers acting up, but she would remain on the council when he returned for a short while to assist. ¡°The Iyrmen¡¯s doing?¡± Solomon assumed, tapping his finger on the table edge, feeling it¡¯s hard wood. ¡°We aren¡¯t certain,¡± Whiteheard said. ¡°Lady Blackheart is not entirely forthcoming with the matters beyond the fort.¡± ¡°Lady Blackheart is more than willing to allow any of your soldiers beyond the wall to check for themselves,¡± Master Blackheart said, smiling. ¡°Shall I send a messenger bird to let the good Lady know the soldiers of Westfort, who have been behind the walls since the beginning of the war instead of in the rest snow of battle, are to arrive soon?¡± ¡°There is no need for that,¡± Master Whiteheart said, smiling innocently. ¡°Our soldiers are still to defend against the orcs on the other side of the mountain.¡± The mountain which cut right through the orc¡¯s lands and the drakken¡¯s lands. ¡°Indeed,¡± Blackheart said. ¡°I recall Lord Whiteheart is not entirely forthcoming with the matters beyond the wall.¡± ¡°We will need to prepare for Daegyar and Rogryaen,¡± the King interrupted. The two always bickered with one another, and he would need to stop them from acting up. ¡°Shall we first throw a celebration?¡± Master Blueheart asked, admiring the two men as they fought one another. Master Blueheart¡¯s influence on the council was perhaps second to the King, considering the role her family played with trade on the seas. ¡°We will raise the coin required, if the King is willing to accept.¡± ¡°We will throw a celebration to lift the people¡¯s spirits,¡± King Solomon said. ¡°Since the North has been at war, their contribution will be decreased, and it will be picked up by the other four regions.¡± He was not willing to accept Blueheart¡¯s offer, for it would have been too awkward to gift her more favours. ¡°We will set forth the budget, your Grace.¡± Master Redheart smiled, rubbing a gold coin with her thumb. Blackheart to the North, Whiteheart to the West, Blueheart to the East, and Redheart to the South. These Hearts were those who were the Lords of their own regions, and were the keys to the success of his grandfather¡¯s time. Whiteheart descended from Bronwyn the White, a man who wore pure white armour, and carried with him a blade equally as white. He had been tasked with Westfort, to fight against the orcs. Blueheart descended from Sea Queen Joriel, someone who was distantly related to the current King, and was in charge of the second largest city after the capital, as well as the sea to the east. She took command of the fleet, making sure the east and south were safe on the seas. Redheart descended from Fargo the Blood Sword, who was the first to bend the knee, before assisting in conquering the Sea Queen. Redheart would keep the south safe from the savages. Each were his greatest threats, and equally, his greatest allies. ¡°Once the Iyrmen return, we should reward them.¡± The King tapped his fingers on the table further, trying to think. ¡°Isn¡¯t the fight a good enough reward?¡± Whiteheart asked. He was familiar with the Iyrmen, considering how many times their ancestors had clashed in the past. His family was perhaps the most familiar with the Iyrmen, who were the greatest threat to their south, whereas the orcs were the greatest threat to their north. Their home was safe between the mountains, cut off from the other regions by the giant mountain range, and Westfort was the only place they could be assaulted with any real efficacy. As such, the King had the least amount of influence in the West. ¡°Even the Iyrmen know the value of gold,¡± King Solomon said, noting the look in Whiteheart¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a good idea to keep them on our side.¡± ¡°We should reward them with a portion of the dragon,¡± Whiteheart offered, jabbing at the King. ¡°No,¡± King Solomon said, obviously. ¡°They will keep whatever loot they manage to find. If we skimp them on battle loot, they may be less likely to send decent aid in the future.¡± ¡°They must send a hundred men, as part of the treaty, regardless,¡± Whiteheart said. ¡°As per the treaty,¡± Blueheart added, whose people had never faced the Iyrmen. ¡°Yes, but they could easily send a hundred of their weakest, and then we would have lost a great power.¡± ¡°As you wish, your Grace.¡± Whiteheart smiled, retreating from the matter. King Solomon didn¡¯t like the smile, but he knew that Whiteheart wouldn¡¯t start any trouble for the moment, not while the King had won the war. ¡°We still need their help, in case any of the savages of the south begin to act up, or the giants wish for another war,¡± the King¡¯s eyes fell to Whiteheart¡¯s, ¡°or the orcs decide to attack.¡± ¡°Of course, your Grace.¡± Whiteheart bowed his head once more. The King was revealing just how much faith he was putting in the Iyrmen, outsiders. Such information would be quite demoralising to the people, as well as shameful for the other Hearts of the region. The Kingdom was still new, and as such, was still able to be broken, piece by piece. It was around that time the drakken, many miles to the north, were crying out with joy. ¡°Hurrah! Hurrah!¡± cried the drakken, who had taken over several villages and outposts nearby. They had forced the weary villagers and soldiers to surrender and join their resistance, or to die in battle. However, the mood between the Royal Guards and the Iyrman was chillier than the fresh snow falling from above. The loss of Charles, who provided much needed light, had caused a rift between the party, especially after the disagreement between whether to cremate him or bury him. Iyrmen were buried, but the Royal Guard were cremated. Akrat gave in, as he had not known Charles for as long, but he had passed the story of Charles through the drakken, who would continue to sing it. Akrat sipped the drakken ale, feeling the burn in his throat. He remained standing alone, atop the watch tower. He looked all across the landscape, illuminated by the star light. He thought for a long moment, dragged down by Charles¡¯ death, and his story. ¡°It still bothers you,¡± Captain Kendrick said from below, leaning back against the wall. He sipped some drakken ale, coughing immediately afterwards. ¡°No,¡± Akrat said, still sipping the drakken ale, which burnt at his throat. ¡°It is no bother.¡± Kendrick chuckled. ¡°No bother, huh?¡± He continued to drink the fiery ale. ¡°When I first met Charles, I didn¡¯t particularly like him. I know what the Commander was doing when he sent these idiots to me. Even so, they¡¯ve grown on me the past few years.¡± He had finished mourning for his companions. ¡°I heard the tale of what happened to his family, to his brother. George told me.¡± ¡°Nasty business,¡± Kendrick said, shaking his head. ¡°Politics.¡± ¡°I did not know that your people did such things to one another. To scheme and plot, to take over the family¡¯s land.¡± Akrat shook his head. ¡°The land of the Iyr belongs to all Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Belongs to all, huh? Then how are you going to live in peace?¡± Kendrick still wasn¡¯t used to the Iyrman. ¡°By spilling blood.¡± ¡°So you also slay one another for land? Then what¡¯s the difference between you and I?¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t do that,¡± Akrat said, leaning back to look at him, his brow raised. ¡°We Iyrmen don¡¯t kill one another.¡± ¡°You just said.¡± ¡°No.¡± Akrat stared down at him. ¡°If anyone wishes to war with the Iyr, we will slay them. We Iyrmen don¡¯t kill one another.¡± ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s not what I was asking.¡± Kendrick drank more of his ale and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ¡°I meant, what happens if an Iyrman becomes an adult and wants a house.¡± ¡°They must make a request, or earn it through battle or coin,¡± Akrat replied, simply. ¡°What if they want a house belonging to another.¡± George continued to struggle in the creature¡¯s grip, but he felt something grab at his ankle. He looked down to see Akrat, who had found a safe place for Bili, and was climbing up using George¡¯s armour as they flew over the wall. ¡°I am Akrat, son of Ikrat!¡± Akrat exclaimed, wrapping his legs around George¡¯s chest, and he grabbed for his sword. ¡°I have come for you, Daegyar!¡± He stabbed the creature, forcing his blade through it. Daegyar¡¯s scream echoed through the mountain range, and it was the last thing some of them heard before they died, and it dropped the pair of them. They tumbled off the other side of the mountain, before landing at a large clearing of rock. Akrat roared like a tiger, leaping into action right away. Daegyar had landed, and was turning to try and blast the Iyrman with its breath, but the maelstrom of death was upon him. Akrat¡¯s blade pierced through its scales, digging in deep as it splattered wet crimson all over him. ¡°Yes!¡± he exclaimed, tasting the blood. The excitement was too much for him, and he couldn¡¯t resist the allure of the dragon. ¡°I will take it! That heart of yours!¡± He howled with laughter. ¡®Of course it just had to be a damn Iyrman!¡¯ Daegyar felt the blade in its side, but it spun wildly, striking Akrat with its massive tail. Akrat coughed as he was struck, slamming up against the rocks at the side. He looked up to see Daegyar bearing its mighty claw down upon George, whose shield barely managed to block the blow, though George was slowly being crushed underneath its great strength. George grit his teeth, glancing aside for a moment to see the blur that was Akrat, who leapt onto the back of the dragon, driving his blade in deep once again. ¡°You damn Iyrman!¡± Daegyar turned its head, only to feel the death magics of the medic invade through his scales again. ¡°Akrat!¡± George exclaimed, filling the Iyrman with his healing strength. ¡°Careful!¡± George¡¯s magic had its limits, and he only had a single gem to bring back one person immediately from a fight. ¡°I will slay you today!¡± Akrat¡¯s heart pounded wildly, filled with the excitement of battle. All he could see was the dragon, and in this moment, he aimed slay it. George was here, and he would claim the tale as his too, and the others would soon arrive. The dragon snapped at Akrat, biting into his thigh, but it gave Akrat the chance to dig his blade into its eye. Daegyar flung Akrat aside, swallowing his blood as the world went black to his left. ¡°You! How dare you cut into my eye! You scum! You¡¯re nothing before me!¡± George dove over to Akrat, grabbing at his chest. ¡°Oh, Lady of Life, fill my companion with life,¡± he prayed, filling Akrat with more strength. Akrat inhaled deeply, renewed by the magics which filled him, before he flexed his muscles, his rage pumping through his heart. He leapt back onto his feet and roared, gripping his blade tightly. ¡®I need to make sure he stays alive,¡¯ George thought, knowing he¡¯d die if the Iyrman fell. As long as Akrat was alive, there would still be hope. Hope that Charles¡¯ death wasn¡¯t in vain. ¡®This time, this time I won¡¯t abandon you.¡¯ ¡°Die!¡± Akrat darted to the dragon, who aimed to slay the Iyrman with its tail, but the orcish Iyrman leapt over it, stabbing it where the tail met its body, sinking deep into its thick scales, drawing dark blood. George followed into the fray, filling them with magical might. He couldn¡¯t remain too far away, otherwise the dragon would come for him, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to heal Akrat with his greater magic. The safest place in this battle was beside the dragon, for at least the Iyrman would be there. The dragon blasted the pair with poison, which filled their lungs. George coughed up blood, finding his vision fading. He brought up his shield to block the blow of the dragon¡¯s tail, skidding aside, though his bones were quivering. All the while, Akrat attacked, like a savage beast. He could feel it, his heart pumping wildly to try and assist him in slaying the creature. Akrat was spitting up blood, his veins bulging as the poison invaded his body. Yet, each time he was about to welcome the blackness of death, he felt a strong hand against his back, filling him with greater strength. ¡°Come!¡± Akrat exclaimed. ¡°Come Daegyar!¡± The dragon focused its attention the Iyrman, who shielded the priestly warrior with his body. He whittled them both away, slowly, but even he could feel the heaviness set within his giant body. The hand at Akrat¡¯s back became softer, before Daegyar finally let out another blast of poison, which set deep inside Akrat¡¯s lungs. He coughed up blood, his eyes rolling back into his skull, but the hand propped him up, and he was filled with vitality. ¡°Coward! Come back and fight!¡± Akrat exclaimed, before hearing a clang behind him. He turned, seeing George on his knees before him, his hands laying loosely on the ground beside his knees. His face was dark, veins a purple black, with blood dripping out of his eyes, ears, and lips. His breath did not come to him. ¡°Akrat,¡± came the ragged breath, blood dripping further down his chin and onto his armour. ¡°George!¡± Akrat could hear the form of Daegyar flee, away from the nightmares that were the two men, leaving a trail of blood to follow. The Iyrman dropped down in front of George, grabbing onto his cheeks. George couldn¡¯t even see the Iyrman, but hearing the muffled voice, and feeling the hot hands on his cold cheeks, caused him to smile. ¡®He¡¯s still alive.¡¯ Akrat had thought George was safe behind him. He had his healing magic, but the Iyrman hadn¡¯t realised it had all been sent to him as the man slowly died behind him. ¡°Take good care of....¡± George¡¯s life faded from his eyes, but the smile did not. Just like that, he died. Akrat stared at the face for a long while, seeing the smile, the bloodshot eyes, the sickened skin which had been beset by the poison. ¡°George! Akrat!¡± called John. ¡°George! Akrat!¡± When the forms finally appeared over the mountain top, it was revealed to be John, Bili, and the two other young drakken, as well as three of the five older drakken who hadn¡¯t fallen. John walked over, seeing the gruesome form of George. ¡°By the gods...¡± ¡°Where are Captain Kendrick and the others?¡± Akrat asked, not having turned to face them. He had heard the steps and counted each one. ¡°What happened to George?¡± John asked, looking at their dead companion. He almost dropped to a knee, sick in the stomach. ¡®He¡¯s dead?¡¯ ¡°Where are they?¡± Akrat repeated. He knew John had a healthy set of eyes, so of course he¡¯d know what happened. ¡°They,¡± John blinked repeatedly, trying to remember why they had separated, ¡°went down to find Randal and Timothy.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°They fell.¡± Akrat remained focused on George for a long moment. His cool skin filled him with a sickness. ¡°Stay here,¡± he said. ¡°The dragon will not return.¡± With that, he left the group, heading out to find the others. John turned to the drakken, fighting the quiver at his lips. ¡°Take watch,¡± he said to the others. He had no idea what else to tell them. He knelt down beside George, sweet George, who had always treated them kindly. Akrat found them, Kendrick, the guide and another drakken soldier, looming over a pair of bodies. An unconscious Timothy lay atop Randal, whose arms were wrapped around Timothy protectively, his head propped up by a rock, wet with blood. ¡°Randal¡¯s gone,¡± Kendrick said, finally speaking for the first time in a while. ¡°He leapt after Timothy, grabbing her as she fell. She¡¯s unconscious, but with George¡¯s healing, she¡¯ll be as good as gold.¡± His jaw was set together, his eyes steeled. Akrat¡¯s face twitched into anger for just a moment, and he clenched his fists. ¡°George is dead.¡± Kendrick had heard the words, but he dared not to look at Akrat. If an Iyrman said it, it must have been true, but for the moment, he couldn¡¯t accept the death of two of his companions, not this quickly. ¡°We fought Daegyar,¡± Akrat said. ¡°The dragon fled, heavily wounded. He did not shame his family.¡± He had to say the words, for he had witnessed it. Kendrick remained looking at Randal for a long moment, then at Timothy¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t blame Akrat, who had almost died to save George when he couldn¡¯t. He turned to face Akrat, his eyes burning. ¡°At least he did not die alone.¡± ¡°No,¡± Akrat said. ¡°Iyrmen do not die alone.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Okay so this chapter and next chapter are chunky bois. I have cried so many times writing these chapters. Hopefully it won''t be too depressing for too long! =) This side story is taking a lot out of me, so I hope you''re enjoying it! Please don''t forget to favourite and rate and comment! Side Story – Blackwater Crisis VII Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis VII They buried George and Randal together. The drakken remained silent, allowing the others to mourn. They were not so close with the deceased, and some of them had been beaten by the pair, but they understood what it meant to the Royal Guards and the Iyrman. ¡°I will go alone,¡± Akrat said, finally, turning to face the others. ¡°Without George, the rest of you may die. Daegyar is injured, and I can finish this alone. You must live to tell the tale.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not your choice to make, Iyrman.¡± Kendrick turned from the graves, his gaze falling to Akrat. ¡°The blood which was spilled, it was from my men, and the price needs to be paid by my sword.¡± ¡°We no longer have George¡¯s magic, Randal¡¯s great strength, and Timothy is injured too. Our strength has decreased too much. I have failed to protect you, and I will continue to fail.¡± Akrat shook his head, unable to accept any more deaths on his hands. ¡°John, tomorrow, you¡¯ll return with Timothy. The drakken will guide you back.¡± Kendrick didn¡¯t even look back to John, keeping his eyes focused on Akrat. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Captain,¡± John said. ¡°Charles, George, Randal, they were my comrades too.¡± ¡°Take her back,¡± Kendrick said, turning to face John, holding out Randal¡¯s sword. ¡°You and Timothy will return and send word back. The Kingdom may think we¡¯re dead, but you will inform them of what happened. Take a few weeks to rest up, and return to North Fort. I¡¯m not asking you, John. It¡¯s an order.¡± John grimaced, staring at the sword, the same sword Akrat had wished buried, but the Captain had requisitioned for Timothy, who the man had given his life for. He clenched his fists. ¡°Yes, Captain,¡± he said, shamefully. Not only would he be unable to get his revenge, but he¡¯d have to carry the sword, which should be driving itself into Dark Wing¡¯s heart. They made camp for the night, the solemness taking them. The group took watch two at a time. Dark Wing would not return, not when he was so heavily injured. Akrat was half dead, but it would not dare to fight two warriors who were still at their peak strength, each with a magical weapon. Midway through the night, Bili squealed out. Akrat leapt up into action, grabbing his blade, tossing his blanket aside. ¡°Akrat?¡± called a familiar voice, who had noticed the blanket as the flames illuminated it. Akrat¡¯s eyes snapped to the person who called out to him, his eyes seeing through the darkness with ease due to his orcish blood. ¡°Tamin?¡± Standing before him was another Iyrman, one with a white circle on his forehead, and white arrows heading outwards. He was a human about his age, who wielded a longsword made of a fusion of bone and metal, which was currently at the throat of Bili. There were three other Iyrmen as well, each with their weapons at the ready. The Royal Guards and the soldier drakken had spurred into action immediately, grabbing their weapons to face their foes. Kendrick faced an Iyrman which wore the skull of a deer, wielding a pair of shortswords made of bone. John faced another Iyrman, who had his staff out ahead of him casually, knowing that he could easily beat the boy, whereas the two drakken soldiers were facing one who used a spear, poised like a viper ready to kill. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you here,¡± Tamin said, letting the boy go, and stomping over to embrace Akrat. ¡°I did not expect you either,¡± Akrat said as they hugged. ¡°I have not seen you since the battle.¡± ¡°I did not see you after we chased the silver wyrm,¡± Tamin said. ¡°I almost thought you had died.¡± ¡°No,¡± Akrat said, smiling slightly. ¡°Thanks to the,¡± he was about to state the name the Iyrmen called them, but quickly replaced it with Aldspeak, ¡°Royal Guards.¡± The other Iyrmen sheathed their weapons when they had heard, seeing how these people seemed to be allies. They still didn¡¯t approach the camp, however. Kendrick sighed, having felt as though he was seconds from death. He stared at the man with the deer skull, noting the pattern on his forehead. A black tilted cross, and several eight pointed stars. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Akrat asked. ¡°We are chasing Rogryaen,¡± Tamin replied, his lips forming a smile. ¡°Why do you look,¡± he said, motioning to Akrat, ¡°like shit.¡± ¡°We are chasing Daegyar,¡± Akrat replied, his lips forming the same smile. The Min and Rat families had been old rivals. Even their older siblings, Kasomin and Shakrat, clashed like two savage stags against one another. Tamin glanced around, noting the company he was keeping. Kendrick was strong, about as strong as he, but none of Akrat¡¯s companions could match the other three Iyrmen at his side. ¡°Your story will be more impressive than mine,¡± he said, the pair clasping forearms. ¡°Shall we share stories in the morning?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Akrat replied, nodding his head. He invited them to share the camp with them, which they accepted. They first slept, with the Iyrmen assisting on watch. They also healed Timothy, who glanced around in shock. ¡°Sleep,¡± Kendrick said. ¡°Just go to sleep.¡± Timothy nodded her head slowly, closing her eyes to sleep. She was still light headed, unable to remember much. When they awoke in the morning, they shared a meal and their stories, with Timothy finding out what happened. ¡®Five Deathsingers,¡¯ Bili thought, blinking. ¡®Wow...¡¯ He was admiring all of them, seeing their powerful forms. ¡°You buried them like Iyrmen,¡± Tamin said, ruminating on the words. Charles had been accepted as an Iyrman, though he was cremated, and the two had been buried like Iyrmen. Akrat had accepted them as Iyrmen, which was well within his right as an Iyrman, and such news would need to be brought to the Iyr. ¡°Once we deal with Rogryaen, we will return to the Iyr to pass on the story.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Akrat said, nodding his head. As much as they were rivals, they were both still Iyrmen. ¡°We will leave you to Daegyar,¡± Tamin said, once they had exchanged their stories. He clasped the Iyrman¡¯s forearm again, saying his goodbyes. ¡°You won¡¯t join us?¡± Kendrick asked, glancing at all the Iyrmen. ¡°If we join forces, we could take on both dragons.¡± ¡°This is not my story,¡± Tamin said, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t take this away from you.¡± Akrat smiled. ¡°Then let us mee-¡° ¡°Dragon!¡± a drakken soldier exclaimed, pointing up to the sky. From the heavens emerged a dark dragon, swimming through the air. His scales glittered a mesmerising blue, as though he were made of lightning, and he opened his long maw. ¡°Rogryaen!¡± Tamin exclaimed, his eyes beaming up at the sky wyrm, drawing his blade of bone and steel. The other Iyrmen each drew their weapons, as lightning rained down from the heavens. The drakken each leapt aside, as Timothy withdrew to a nearby tree, readying her bow. Her fingers were unsteady, still affected by the fact that George had died, and that she had dropped and caused the death of one of her companions too. Kendrick drew his sword, which glowed slightly as the magic ran through it, and John lit the blade of his fallen comrade alight. Their rage would not allow them to run this fight, but it was not the only rage which would cry into the heavens. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve come for your death, oh Lightning Sun!¡± Tamin declared, his teeth bared like a beast. ¡°You will be slain today by me, Tamin, son of Setmin!¡± The dragon landed on the mountain¡¯s wall, talons crushing into it as it turned to face them. ¡°You¡¯ve been following me long enough, little boy,¡± he said, trying to recover his lightning. His head snapped aside, as two of the Iyrmen ran up along the wall on either side of him, and then bore into his side with their weapons. Rogryaen howled in pain, battered by staff and spear, before its body nearly froze from the inner power of the pair, who jabbed deep into him and tried to seize his body for a moment. The dragon swiped its tail towards the pair of them, feeling the burning of two wounds, but they flipped over the attack with ease. ¡®These Iyrmen are more powerful than I expected, I should settle this quickly.¡¯ Rogryaen leapt into the air, his powerful wings on either side of him as he circled around towards the drakken, who had fled to one side. He crashed atop them, crushing the two adults, and almost tore into a young drakken boy with a shortsword, but he felt something pierce his hind leg. A pair of shortswords pierced into his leg, causing him to shake violently and almost fall aside as the magic ran through them, causing his scales to dry and flake. The skulled Iyrman kept one of his blades inside the dragon, stabbing him once again. Tamin and Akrat both charged together, blades in hand, cutting into the creature¡¯s side, slashing its stomach open as it howled in pain. They were spurred on by their rage, Tamin with a wild grin, and Akrat with his face contorted in utter rage. A dragon had come to quench his rage. They weren¡¯t the only few channelling their rage, as two more blades cut through the dragon, piercing through its back, causing it to screech out wildly, the entire area shaking with its mighty cry. ¡°Bastard dragons!¡± Kendrick cried, recalling the snapped head of Randal and the gruesome appearance of George. ¡°I¡¯ll slaughter you!¡± John¡¯s blade cut in deep, and the fire spread through the wound, and soon the dragon¡¯s blood started to pour all over the few who had struck it. ¡®I thought I could get at least two free blades from the pair which weren¡¯t Deathsingers, but it seems I¡¯ve made a mistake.¡¯ The young drakken trio looked around, staring at all the wealth. ¡°Wow...¡± They took some gems for themselves, since they were told they can take a few things. ¡°Here,¡± Akrat said, handing a shortsword to Bili. ¡°It is of a basic enchantment, but it will grow with you.¡± Akrat also found him a set of breastplate armour, a pair of braces, and a shield, each with a basic enchantment. Though they were numerous, Akrat decided not to take too much for himself. Bili accepted them, having not expected it. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°These come with a responsibility,¡± Akrat said. ¡°You must live up to that.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kendrick walked over to Timothy, who turned around to look at him. It wasn¡¯t as though he could sneak up on her, but he still felt a little sad about how easy it was for her to pick up on him. He held out the necklace, before placing it on her. ¡°It¡¯ll save you in your direst hour. If it ever goes off, just run.¡± Timothy nodded her head slowly, before hugging him quickly. Kendrick smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you get back safe and sound, alright?¡± Timothy looked up at him, seeing the look of grim determination in his eyes. She frowned, but nodded slowly. With everyone equipped, and the items gathered, mostly gems and magical weapons, they returned back to the village, leaving the dragon to take the rest of his hoard and settle elsewhere. When they settled in the village, they sorted through all the rewards, parting all the gems so that each group had their own treasure. ¡°Will you take my share back to the Iyr?¡± Akrat asked. ¡°I will.¡± Tamin nodded his head. ¡°Take our share too,¡± Kendrick said, handing over a few gems from his Royal Guard. Tamin looked to Akrat, who nodded his head, and the Iyrman took the gems. ¡°I will speak the tale,¡± Tamin said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kendrick replied. They retained a few gems for themselves, though he handed his to Timothy. They rested for a few days. Though the songs were sung, and the people celebrated, with the drakken feeling the liberation running through them, the three Royal Guards remained solemn. ¡°Good luck, Akrat,¡± Tamin said, shaking the man¡¯s forearm. ¡°I will speak of your tale when I return.¡± ¡°There is no better respect,¡± Akrat said, shaking Tamin¡¯s forearm, before his group set off. Akrat watched, seeing the four Iyrmen go with their treasure and stories. Kendrick and the other Royal Guards watched them too. Kendrick knew this would be the last time they¡¯d meet. ¡°We will slay Daegyar,¡± Akrat said, renewed now that he had this blade at his side, claimed from a dragon which surrendered to him. What a tale it was already, but it did not calm the rage within his other heart. ¡°Yes,¡± Kendrick said, nodding his head. ¡®Or I¡¯ll die trying.¡¯ Akrat turned to Bili. ¡°We will go alone,¡± he said, speaking to the young drakken. The other two of the trio had accepted that they would be left behind, but Bili was still pouting. ¡°You have a responsibility now, with that armour and that weapon. You must protect the people. If we are gone and Daegyar attacks, it will be up to you.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Bili said, nodding his head. ¡°Come back, Deathsinger.¡± ¡°I will, and I will tell you the tale.¡± Akrat smiled. He took the boy¡¯s shortsword, and handed Bili his old sword, the sword which had been given to him by his mother, Ikrat. ¡°I will return to swap blades with you again, so wait for me.¡± Bili smiled. ¡°I will.¡± With that, he left, taking with him the Captain, John, and Timothy. It would be only those four who would slay Daegyar. This time everything had changed, because now they would have no distractions, either around them, or within them. They followed Akrat¡¯s lead, going back to where they had met Daegyar last time. Arkat had told them his plan, and though it was dangerous, they had accepted the risk. They were once again on the same ridge, which caused Timothy to stop. ¡°I won¡¯t let you drop,¡± Kendrick said. She nodded her head, but she could feel the anxiety attack her heart. She remained sandwiched between John and Kendrick, who formed a shield around her front and back. If she would fall, Kendrick would step forward to grab her. ¡°Are you a little mouse again?¡± Kendrick teased, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Relax.¡± Timothy almost smiled, but they heard a harsh exhale escaping Akrat¡¯s lips. She pursed her lips together, clenching her fist. All fell silent for a moment. They waited for a breath, before the poison mist washed over them. The Royal Guard dropped to a knee, leaning up against the wall as they inhaled deeply before the poison came against them. It invaded them, but this time, they did not care as it set within them. Even as the dragon fear tried to take them, they pushed it off, and even if it had taken them, they would have rested up against the mountain. Timothy shuddered, feeling the poison fill her. She glanced over the edge, which caused her to panic once again, seeing the white mist. ¡°I am Akrat son of Ikrat,¡± Akrat exclaimed, roaring through the mist, digging his blade into the dragon, ¡°and I have come to kill you, Daegyar!¡± Daegyar howled in pain, having not expected the Iyrmen to charge through the mist towards him. He blasted the poison mist away with his powerful wings, snarling as Akrat glued to his side with his blade. Timothy shook her head, the roar of the Iyrman focusing her. She reached out, the bow forming in her hands as she drew the bowstring back, aiming it up towards the dragon. With no arrow, she let the string loose, which let out a wisp of magic, which flew through the air. ¡®One.¡¯ It struck Daegyar¡¯s side, though barely tickled his black scales, but the message had been sent. Even this little mouse, known as Timothy, was going to fight this time. Akrat roared, as Daegyar flew out of reach of two blades, the dragon carrying him off. ¡°Come Daegyar! Let us fight to the death! I swear to you, only one of us will live this day!¡± The dragon roared. ¡°You have made a mistake, Deathsinger! I shall slay you and then your foolish whelps who have followed you this way!¡± He carried Akrat off, over the mountain wall. ¡°You can try!¡± Akrat brought out a shortsword, the very same he had taken from Bili, before stabbing the dragon in the side, using it to keep him pinned to the dragon. He pulled his lightning blade out of the dragon, before jabbing Daegyar constantly as they flew around. Daegyar had tried to take the Iyrmen away far enough so they wouldn¡¯t be intruded upon, but the blade was piercing so deeply within, and the lightning was surging through his entire form, causing him to twitch and quiver. Blood continued to spill from him, and it eventually dove downwards, towards a rocky clearing, trying to slam Akrat across the stone. Akrat leapt off, grabbing his sword with both hands, before facing the dragon, which still had Bili¡¯s sword within it. ¡°You are alone now, Deathsinger,¡± Daegyar snarled, landing on the stone, trying to not twitch in pain. He roared, the roar echoing all along the range, travelling to the three Royal Guards. ¡°Alone?¡± Akrat cracked his neck before roaring, adding to the echo, and charged forward towards the dragon. He ducked under its talon, moving to its side, where it would be blind. However, Arkat knew that the dragons had a greater sense, and so as the dragon brought its claw to where he was, having thought the Iyrman would be tricked by its psuedo blindness, he tore into the talon with his crackling sword. Daegyar wailed in pain. ¡°Deathsinger!¡± Their clash almost echoed throughout the entire mountain range, with Akrat fighting with the spirit of the three dead Royal Guard. As the dragon blasted him with poison again, and crashed against him with teeth and claw, he did not yield. Daegyar¡¯s wounds were heavy, but he was still a mighty dragon against a young Iyrman. He continued to slam down against the Iyrman, cutting into flesh deeply once again, though Akrat didn¡¯t seem to falter. ¡®Soon! Soon you will fall, Deathsinger!¡¯ Akrat¡¯s vision blurred, and he could barely grip his sword. He tried to leap over a talon, but was slammed down into the ground by it. He stabbed Daegyar, but he was slowly being crushed under it. ¡®No! No! I am so close!¡¯ He thought about the promises he had made, which fuelled him for another stab, but he could hear the snapping of bone as he was crushed. He snarled as his eyes narrowed, his vision blurring. In his last moments, all he could see was the blackness of death, whose name was Daegyar. ¡®Two.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! And it''s still not done? Side Story – Blackwater Crisis VIII Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis VIII Reader discretion is advised. An arrow clattered off the dragon¡¯s neck, and his long neck curled to look at Timothy, who was drawing the bow back again to attack. She was knelt against the rock behind Daegyar. ¡®Three.¡¯ Timothy let loose another arrow, which splattered against the dragon¡¯s scales. ¡°Another rat comes to play,¡± Daegyar snarled, turning to face Timothy. However, he reached up a heavy claw. ¡°Watch, little rat! I will slay your Deathsinger first, and then-¡° ¡®Four¡¯ The arrow struck against Daegyar¡¯s claws, causing him to snarl, turning to face the woman. However, emerging from the rocks to Daegyar¡¯s side appeared two warriors, each with a magical blade in hand, and one with two magical swords. ¡°Daegyar!¡± cried Kendrick, but before he could say anything, John charged forward with both blades in hand, ready to swing them. Daegyar turned, struck by a fifth arrow formed of magic, but he charged towards John. John thrust both of the blades like a pair of horns, though was knocked aside by a huge claw. Kendrick swept around, bringing his blade down harshly against the dragon¡¯s tail. ¡°Today is the day you die!¡± Kendrick exclaimed, rolling forward as he followed the tail, managing a glancing blow against Daegyar¡¯s side as he turned to face him. John coughed, but leapt back into action, fuelled by his rage. He pierced his blades through the dragon¡¯s hide, feeling hot blood pour all over him. Both had seen the dead Iyrman, though they dared not mourn the death now. More arrows struck Daegyar, but Daegyar paid them little mind, as the two warriors beside him were a larger threat. The Deathsinger had brought him low, but one of these fellows, he with the two swords, was still a whelp. Both were still affected by the poison, so their bodies did not move as quickly or as sharply as they preferred, but they continued to hack into the large beast, which crashed up against them. John let out a primal roar, cutting into the dragon¡¯s tail, almost cleaving it through with the might of both swords, though it was drowned out by Daegyar¡¯s screams. Daegyar snarled, bringing a mighty claw down at John, who blocked the blow with both swords, though was brought low to his knees. He shook under the dragon, with Kendrick swinging wildly, striking and clattering up against the dragon¡¯s scales. ¡°Daegyar!¡± exclaimed a voice and Akrat leapt onto the back of the creature, driving his blade in deep to it. Kendrick stared at Akrat in shock for a moment, but he drove his sword deep into the dragon¡¯s side, who had turned towards the approaching Deathsinger. ¡®The Deathsinger was not dead?¡¯ Daegyar quickly turned, crashing his claw against John¡¯s side to take him out of the fight. John¡¯s armour gave in, feeling the bone taking out a chunk of his thigh, and he crashed back against a rock. He gasped for breath, his vision blurry, the world around him becoming more of a dream than reality. Daegyar spun, striking Kendrick in the side, who fell towards John, though gripped his blade tight still. ¡°Deathsinger!¡± the black dragon cried, screeching into the air as another arrow struck it. He reared his long head back, tossing Akrat before him, before blasting the trio with his poisonous breath, which was no longer as harsh. Unfortunately for Daegyar, Akrat was heavily wounded, and so had dropped down when he was tossed. The poisonous breath rolled over him, blasting the two. Timothy shot another arrow at Daegyar¡¯s neck, her eyes wide as both Kendrick and John turned purple and blue from the poison invading them. Blood began to pour out of their nostrils and ears. ¡°You¡¯re on your last legs, Deathsinger! I will give you a worthy death!¡± Akrat tried to stand, barely able to crawl as he shook. He pushed his sword into the ground and tried to stand. ¡®Just one more hit! Baktu! I ask for one more hit!¡¯ Daegyar opened his wings wide, blasting Akrat with wind, but the Deathsinger remained standing, and it charged in forward. ¡°Ha!¡± Kendrick roared, leaping off of Akrat¡¯s back, blade in hand as he soared towards the dragon¡¯s open maw. He pierced the dragon¡¯s jaw, with body and blade. Daegyar screeched as a blade struck through his mouth, barely missing his tongue as it glued to his face, like a tiny horn. John pierced the dragon with both blades against his side, gripping it tightly. Timothy leapt down, rushing to Kendrick as Daegyar began to ascend, almost falling aside from the lack of strength. John remained glued to the dragon¡¯s side, refusing to let go. She scrambled up to Kendrick, grabbing the necklace to put onto her Captain. ¡°No,¡± Kendrick coughed. ¡°Akrat.¡± Timothy stared at him, but she nodded, turning to Akrat who was still unable to stand. He coughed up blood. Timothy placed the necklace around his neck, and stared at him. Kendrick raised his sword, striking Akrat with all his might, for how else was a man to kill an Iyrman? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ak-,¡± his voice cut off as the necklace burst and he was pushed back, rolling away from them. The necklace filled Akrat with vitality, allowing him to stand. ¡°Daegyar!¡± he roared, before he opened his eyes wide and stared around. He first glanced at Kendrick, who was on his front. A boom echoed, and the dragon fell from the sky, landing between a set of rocks nearby. It twitched, but could not move. ¡°No!¡± Daegyar wailed, weakly. ¡°Akrat,¡± Kendrick called, coughing up blood. ¡°Akrat.¡± Akrat quickly approached, turning the Captain over. ¡°I am here, Captain Kendrick.¡± ¡°Akrat,¡± Kendrick coughed, staring up at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die alone.¡± ¡°No Iyrman dies alone,¡± Akrat said, removing the man¡¯s helmet. ¡°I will fight to bring you back to the Iyr.¡± Timothy¡¯s tears were pouring down her cheeks as she stared at her dying Captain, whose face was pale and purple, his veins completely black. The armour around him had been torn apart by the dragon¡¯s teeth, and blood was pouring out of the holes. Kendrick smiled at her. ¡°You were never officially accepted into the Royal Guard,¡± he said. ¡°You can walk away from this.¡± He could feel the blood entering his lungs. ¡°Promise me, Akrat. Promise me that you¡¯ll take good care of her.¡± ¡°I promise you, I will take good care of her.¡± Akrat bowed his head. ¡°Tell John,¡± Kendrick struggled with the words, trying to declare them as he coughed, ¡°he¡¯s Captain.¡± He looked back up at Timothy, his lips twitching into a smile. Blood poured from the corners of his lips as he fell forever still. Akrat closed his eyes, bowing his head. He stood, turning to see Daegyar still twitching, gasping for breath. He and Timothy approached the dying form of Daegyar. John lay there, crushed under Daegyar. His left side was bloodied, from the explosion of magic from the sword. He had called the blade to his hand, but he didn¡¯t grip the blade. His right arm was splayed out, trying to reach for Randal¡¯s sword beside him, but even so, he had no strength to lift it. ¡°Captain John,¡± Akrat called, dropping to a knee beside the Royal Guard, removing his helmet to reveal the sickening appearance of the young warrior. John¡¯s lips twitched, tears falling down his face. Akrat¡¯s form was already blurry, but through the tears, the blurred form was made worse. ¡°Akrat.¡± ¡°I cannot save you,¡± Akrat said, his voice cold and regretful. He had been given the necklace, denied the right to die. ¡°Daegyar is still breathing,¡± he said. ¡°I can feel it.¡± Timothy aimed an arrow at the dragon, but Akrat pulled the bow aside. He looked down to his sword, patting the handle. ¡®This isn¡¯t our story.¡¯ The Iyrman walked over to John¡¯s right, and pulled Randal¡¯s sword to his hand. He held the young man¡¯s hand, helping him grip it. ¡°Is it Randal¡¯s sword?¡± John asked, hopeful. ¡°Yes,¡± Akrat replied, forcing the blade through into Daegyar, who shuddered, and finally fell still. John smiled. ¡°Will I be able to see them? Charles. George. Randal. Captain Kendrick?¡± ¡°I will bring you to the Iyr,¡± Akrat assured.ViiSiit for latest novels ¡°I¡¯m a hero too, huh?¡± John asked, gritting his teeth, forcing himself to smile. ¡°Yes,¡± Akrat said. ¡°Well done, John, Slayer of Daegyar.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t worth it,¡± he admitted, frowning now that he had no strength to smile. ¡°I wish we had returned.¡± John¡¯s eyes glazed over, and a small smile appeared on his face, thinking of better days. Timothy dropped before him, brushing his hair gently, until the life in his eyes faded. She closed his eyes, no longer afraid of seeing or touching the poisoned appearance of her comrade. She had wished she had sent Kendrick off like this too. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± Akrat said, looking at the still dragon, having been killed by their efforts. He had promised them the glory, and they had all died. ¡°It wasn¡¯t worth it,¡± Timothy agreed. They buried the warriors, with Timothy unable to weep any longer. Akrat cut the dragon¡¯s head with Randal¡¯s sword, and he made a make shift sled for the dragon¡¯s head, tying it to the raft as he dragged it. When they returned to the village, they saw the head of Daegyar, which had ruled over them for so long. The villagers swarmed the Deathsinger and the woman, cheering for them. ¡°I have returned,¡± Akrat said, looking down at Bili. ¡°I stayed here to fight,¡± Bili said. ¡°Soldiers came and I fought them.¡± ¡°Akrat!¡± Shakrat exclaimed, reaching for his sword, his eyes wide in utter shock. He watched as his brother was cut down by a man in a white cloak, that of the Royal Guard. Kasomin placed a hand on Shakrat¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Wait,¡± he said, stepping forward quickly, leading Shakrat forward before he could protest. As they approached the front, pushing aside the crowd, they saw the scene before them. Four guards, each dead, with Akrat being dragged away, and an unconscious pregnant woman being dragged away too. ¡°What is-¡° Kasomin began. ¡°Unhand them!¡± Shakrat roared, drawing his sword high before stepping towards the inner city. By this point, a dozen guards had arrived, as well as an additional ten Royal Guard. As they saw the approaching Iyrmen, they drew their weapons and stepped forward to meet them. ¡®Damn it, Shakrat.¡¯ However, Kasomin couldn¡¯t blame him, after all, his brother was currently being dragged away, bleeding profusely. The Royal Guards remained focused as the two Iyrmen approached, a tusked one enraged, with his sword drawn. Of course it was a tusked one who was causing issues. The other guards looked at the Royal Guards to see if they were going to engage. ¡°What is the meaning of this,¡± Kasomin asked, eventually drawing his sword. ¡°Enough!¡± The King stepped forward onto the scene, surrounded by ten Royal Guard, looking out to the scene. ¡°You will sheath your weapons, all of you!¡± He threw out a hand towards his guards, who did as he commanded. Master Whiteheart appeared, watching the scene unfold. ¡®What a delicious feast.¡¯ He almost smiled. ¡°Explain what happened immediately!¡± The King demanded. ¡°The Iyrman stepped into the inner city with his weapon, and he had brought back a traitor,¡± Commander Roger said, ¡°so I cut him down.¡± ¡°A traitor?¡± the King asked, before realising he had just said he had cut down an Iyrman. ¡®I told you to subdue the Iyrman, not cut him down!¡¯ ¡°Timothy came with her blade into the inner city,¡± the Commander said. The King inhaled deeply. That was not something which could be forgiven so easily. A Royal Guard who had, without permission, walked into the inner city with her blade at her side. The Royal Guard could not break this rule, not unless they had been given permission. This would be used against him by the others, no doubt. ¡°The punishment for treason is execution,¡± Master Whiteheart said, standing tall, his hands behind his back. The King narrowed his eyes. ¡°They are heroes of our country, and you ask for me to execute them?¡± ¡°The laws must be obeyed, hero or otherwise.¡± ¡°You would execute an Iyrman?¡± Kasomin shouted towards the King, his brow pulsing too. ¡°Do not stop me, Kasomin! I won¡¯t allow them to shame my brother like this.¡± Shakrat¡¯s rage threatened to consume him. ¡°He won¡¯t d-¡° ¡°You dare to speak your tongue in front of the King?¡± Whiteheart shook his head. ¡°Your Grace, they could be planning to attack you.¡± ¡®Damn it, Iyrmen. Why are you making this so difficult for me?¡¯ The King inhaled deeply. ¡°You two are no longer welcomed within the capital! I do not know of what you spoke, but I hold you Iyrmen in high regard, so I will only ask that you leave, peacefully. Guards, escort them out at once!¡± This is all he could do. Any more, and there could be a greater tension. ¡°You!¡± Shakrat gripped his blade tighter, but Kasomin pulled him back. ¡°Word will be sent to the Iyr about this matter!¡± Kasomin declared. ¡°We walked in to see one of ours wounded by a Royal Guard! When the King was-¡° ¡°Enough!¡± Whiteheart shouted. ¡°Do you believe this is the Iyr, where you may do as you please? The King has ordered for your removal! If you do not wish to go peacefully, we will force you out by spear tip!¡± The guards stepped forward, their spears at the ready. Two of the Royal Guard stepped forward, taking command of the guards. Kasomin pulled Shakrat back, seeing the rage about to boil over. ¡°Come, Shakrat. We must send word back to the Iyr. I do not believe the King would be foolish enough to execute your brother.¡± Shakrat barely managed to keep himself calm, but he nodded his head, sheathing his sword. ¡°Do you see how blatantly they challenge your authority?¡± Whiteheart said. ¡°The Iyrmen come with no respect! They stepped into the inner city with their weapons. Now they dare declare what you can and cannot do.¡± The King grit his teeth. If only they had allowed him to save face. ¡°The laws are clear, Iyrmen! Those who break the laws must be held accountable! The Iyrman will be executed immediately!¡± Shakrat turned, glaring at the King, reaching for his sword, but Kasomin grabbed onto his elbow quickly. ¡°You cannot do this!¡± Kasomin shouted at the King. ¡°The treaty is clear! The Iyrmen must be tried in the courts of their home!¡± ¡°The Iyrman committed treason! He has broken one of our sacred laws! He should be held accountable!¡± ¡°Akrat is an Iyrman! The treaty is clear!¡± Kasomin shouted, hoping the King would listen. ¡°I have the greatest respect for Iyrmen, but there are limits you cannot cross!¡± Solomon understood he couldn¡¯t fight the Iyrmen. ¡°I will ask you to leave this city immediately! Inform your Chief of the matter, and tell him I will grant him an audience to discuss the matter!¡± Kasomin grit his teeth. ¡°I will watch your brother¡¯s death,¡± Kasomin said, placing a hand on Shakrat¡¯s shoulder, who was seconds away from paving the streets red. The King grit his teeth again. ¡°You will leave immediately, Iyrmen! Guards! Escort them out! If they do not obey, you have my permission to subdue them!¡± The pair of Iyrmen almost snap. To think he wouldn¡¯t allow them to see the last moment, to hear the last words. ¡®He wants to declare war this badly?¡¯ Shakrat roared, grabbing at his sword, but Kasomin grabbed the man. ¡°If you draw your sword now, who will inform the Iyr?¡± Kasomin asked, feeling his own rage crash through his body. ¡°We must return, Shakrat.¡± As he dragged Shakrat away, who was unable to even think, he found one of the associates in the crowd of people, and brushed his cheek with two fingers. ¡°The matter of the execution, I will leave it to you, Master Whiteheart.¡± King Solomon exhaled, rubbing his forehead. He stepped back, heading to the palace. ¡®I need a drink.¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t this the perfect moment?¡¯ Whiteheart thought, seeing the entire crowd. ¡°Execute them at the top of the hour,¡± he said to one of his workers. Shakrat slammed his fists on the earth outside the capital city, alarming the guards nearby, who kept a close eye on the Iyrmen. ¡°You would have me stand outside, unable to watch my brother¡¯s last moments? Hear his last words?¡± ¡°Would you have me declare war? Who are we? Elder Peace?¡± Kasomin asked, crossing his arms, digging his fingers into his bicep and tricep. ¡°Undoubtedly, your brother killed the four guards, and he wore his weapon around his hip. Undoubtedly, if your brother is executed, the King has broken the treaty. We must return to the Iyr.¡± Shakrat slammed his head into the earth, clenching his fists. How could he just stand here? How could he not go in and fight? ¡°Kasomin! My little brother!¡± He closed his eyes, slamming his head further against the earth. He recalled the first moments his brother walked. The first time he had swung his sword. The first kill. ¡°Kasomin.¡± He continued to slam his head down on the earth, before standing, half dead. He roared, drawing his sword, ready to spill blood. Kasomin, having heard the request from the tone of Shakrat¡¯s voice, drew his sword to beat the man unconscious. He would not be able to remain conscious and allow his brother to die. ¡®How cruel of you, Shakrat. Why must I hear the news alone?¡¯ ¡°Akrat, I¡¯m scared,¡± Timothy said to Akrat¡¯s barely conscious body in the other cell. They had been dragged to the cells, so dark and dingy. Foreign sounds clattered against the walls. Akrat panted heavily, barely alive from the wound. It had been wrapped up in a hurry, and Akrat couldn¡¯t help but feel enraged he had allowed someone to strike him down from behind. He struggled against the bindings on his feet and arms. ¡°Come with me, traitor!¡± A guard grabbed Timothy by her hair, dragging her away. ¡°Akrat! Akrat!¡± Timothy called, sobbing as she was dragged away. What could she do? ¡°Akrat, save me!¡± Akrat snarled, tossing himself forward towards them, slamming his head against the bars, watching them drag her away. He could only hear her sob, recalling how confident he had been not a half hour ago. He could hear the sobbing for some ways, before there was nothing. He heard soft words from afar, but they were a mumble. The sound of his blood dripping down his forehead hit the floor. They came for him too, arms grabbing him, helping him up. They dragged him out, the evening sun falling down, and he could barely see the flickering fires which had been lit to illuminate him. The crowd was a blur, one he did not look towards. He searched for her body, but could not find it, save for the blood on the block. He did not trust them to give him his last words, so he inhaled deeply, and shouted. ¡°I am Akrat, son of Ikrat, and I have brought shame to my family! The blood of my unborn child shall be paid! They did not bring shame to their family!¡± He dropped down, his head in the block which would guide the sword. ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ he said, looking at the fresh blood, feeling it against his neck. It was so cold. Whiteheart gave a nod to the guard, who drew out his sword and stepped towards the Iyrman. ¡°The blood of his unborn child?¡± The King had watched from atop the palace, and his stomach dropped. ¡°St-¡° he tried to shout as the guard swung the blade across, cutting the Iyrman¡¯s head. ¡®How did they not tell me she was pregnant? What did we do?¡¯ He rubbed his forehead. He needed to at least show some good will, trying to salvage what little he could. ¡°Take their weapons and send them back to the Iyr.¡± In all his years, he had never felt this feeling which struck deep inside his core. He had used his gut to guide him this entire time, working on keeping the Kingdom together, but this time he felt as though he had committed the worst mistake. ¡°Expand the guard,¡± the King said, ¡°double it. Increase the Swordbearers as well.¡± Kasomin remained sitting outside the city walls, the unconscious body of Shakrat behind him, and another five figures, dressed all in darkness, standing around him. He stared at the five pieces of papers in his hands. ¡°Are you sure those were his last words?¡± he asked, not wanting to believe it. He revealed it to the shadows, who nodded their heads. Kasomin placed a hand on his forehead, covering his teary eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shakrat. I shouldn¡¯t have stopped you.¡± This was a betrayal he¡¯d never be able to fix. He could have stepped back, to let Shakrat die the most honourable way, and he could have returned to the Iyr alone. ¡®No, they could have killed me on the way back, then what kind of nonsense would they spread?¡¯ ¡°Spread the tale,¡± Kasomin said. ¡°Tell all what truly happened. Tell them, the Iyr does not forget.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I''m sad. Not because it still isn''t done, but because, you know. 38. Honest Men 38. Honest Men ¡°What a queer young man,¡± Lykan said. ¡°He wishes to meet Sonarot and speak with the Chief? In that order?¡± The Elder tapped his finger along the table. He was surrounded by Argon and Tazwyn, both of whom had been speaking of what had occurred since they had left the Iyr in order to bring back Jurot and assess Adam. ¡°What would you assess his threat?¡± Lykan asked, trying to do his due diligence as the Front Iyr Elder. ¡°Low, but there¡¯s too many unknowns,¡± Argon replied. ¡°He certainly isn¡¯t as powerful as any of us, but he¡¯s too mysterious,¡± Tazwyn agreed. ¡°You haven¡¯t gathered why he wishes to speak with Sonarot?¡± Lykan continued to tap the table with his finger. ¡°No.¡± ¡°And he somehow knew that Sonarot was pregnant...¡± Lykan whispered. It was impossible. Even Jurot didn¡¯t know his mother was pregnant, and no one who knew would have let it slip when they went out. Even he had only found out when Jurot made his way out the Iyr, it was one of the few key things to note during the young Iyrman¡¯s departure. ¡°There is a chance he may attack Sonarot.¡± Tazwyn slowly nodded her head. Even though Adam said he wouldn¡¯t, they still didn¡¯t know what or who he was. They would need to be careful. ¡°We will let him pass,¡± Lykan said. ¡°We need to know what it is which would cause a feyblood to come all this way to the Iyr.¡± There was a chance he was a spy for the elves, but even so, Adam wouldn¡¯t be able to gather much, save for the amount of people who were within the Iyr, which would be useful for the outsiders, and the Iyrmen. Argon nodded his head. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve all done well.¡± He reached over and pat their heads, smiling down at them, like they were his children. ¡°It was a good idea to send you along.¡± ¡°What of the village?¡± Argon asked. ¡°I will send ten to assist,¡± Lykan said. Argon raised his brows in surprise, but nodded his head. ¡®If ten are sent, then they will be fine.¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± Lykan waved his hand. ¡°I will go and speak with this half elf. I should at least meet him properly to check whether he truly poses no threat.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam gasped, his eyes growing wide. ¡°The King killed him? But! That! He!¡± His jaw opened, flabbergasted. ¡°He died? He¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°Dead,¡± Dargon said, nodding his head. He, along with the other Iyrmen, had eaten dinner with the half elf in the common room, continuing the story which was known as Blackwater Crisis. ¡°How did we go from John slaying a dragon, to the marriage between Timothy and Akrat, to them dying? And she was pregnant too? What a bastard King! I can¡¯t believe he would kill two heroes of the Kingdom just like that!¡± Adam slammed his fists down on the table. Jurot was also gritting his teeth, his brow pulsing in anger. Every time he heard the story, especially that particularly scene, it enraged him dearly. ¡°It is a betrayal the Iyrmen have never forgotten!¡± ¡°What an idiot King! King Solomon the Wise? He¡¯s more like a fool!¡± ¡°That is what Aldland calls him,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We call him King Solomon the Wise.¡± Adam looked up at Jurot, his eyes full of confusion. ¡°You what?¡± Dargon cleared his throat and glared at Jurot, who glanced aside. ¡°We will continue the story another time.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you still not done with the tale?¡± Lykan asked, stepping into the common room. The smell of dinner still permeated throughout, though the food had long been taken away. Kandal and Eshva had remained too, as this was one of their favourite tales. They wished dearly for the next part, which always enticed them. ¡°Even though he promised to tell me, he hasn¡¯t completed it,¡± Adam said, glaring at Dargon, trying to get him into trouble for teasing him so much. Dargon chuckled nervously. ¡°I will keep my promise, Adam, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Iyrmen always keep their promises,¡± Lykan said, walking over to the table. The Iyrmen each stood to pay their respects to the Elder, and Adam followed suit, but Lykan waved his hand. ¡°Remain seated,¡± he said, staring down at Adam. ¡°We need to talk.¡± The other Iyrmen shuffled out of the town, whereas Jurot threw a look back. ¡®I want to talk with the Elder too.¡¯ He frowned, wishing he was there in Adam¡¯s place. Adam watched as the Iyrmen leave, before his eyes fell across the Elder, who sat opposite him, placing his flail behind him against the wall. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 15 (13) The half elf leaned back slightly, glancing all around. He couldn¡¯t quite place his finger on it, but he was sure they weren¡¯t alone. He could feel the burning sensation of the longsword at his side, as well as the die in his pocket. ¡®How would they help me anyway?¡¯ Lykan smiled at Adam. ¡°I heard that you wish to speak with Sonarot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. He would need to reply as unassuming as possible. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have so much to tell her.¡± ¡°Of the threat?¡± ¡°That, and more.¡± ¡°What is your main goal in coming to the Iyr?¡± ¡°To see Sonarot.¡± ¡°What of this threat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secondary goal.¡± ¡°Is he a Great Elder?¡± Adam squinted his eyes, trying to gather how the Iyr worked. ¡°No, he¡¯s a Minor Elder.¡± ¡°What does he mine?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed there aren¡¯t any orcs around.¡± He was too embarrassed about his joke to further continue asking about the Iyr. ¡°The orcs remain deeper in,¡± he said. ¡°Why? Is it some kind of class system? Are they not allowed to be a part of the Front Iyr?¡± Adam tilted his head. It¡¯s not that,¡± Jurot said, frowning. ¡°There is no class system within the Iyr. The people at the top always change, that is the tradition. No two families hold the same position one after another, not unless there is a special circumstance. There is too much competition. The Iyr has the Chief, Chief Iromin, and the Six Great Elders. Elder Story. Elder Peace. Elder Wrath. Elder Forest. Elder Teacher. Elder Gold. Elder Peace is a Devilkin.¡± ¡®Devilkin?¡¯ Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°So what is a Minor Elder.¡± ¡°Minor Elders refer to the various other Elders. There are the Village Elders and the Elders who work for the Great Elders, who may be required to leave the Iyr in order to deal with certain matters.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°What do they do exactly?¡± ¡°Elder Story keeps our stories, including stories lost to we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Stories which were buried?¡± Adam asked. Jurot stared up at him and slowly nodded his head. ¡°Yes. Only the other Great Elders and the Chief may request the buried stories.¡± He stared at Adam, squinting his eyes. ¡®How do you know about that?¡¯ ¡°What about the other Elders?¡± ¡°Elder Peace keeps the details of alliances, and is the only one able to declare war, which hasn¡¯t happened in generations. Elder Wrath leads the armies during any wars or skirmishes. Elder Forest takes care of the infrastructure of the Iyr. Elder Teacher is in charge of generational training, making sure traditions are kept, but our skills updated. Elder Gold manages the finances.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, nodding his head as he listened to the explanations. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°The Six Great Elders and the Chief are our greatest force,¡± he said. ¡°Each Great Elder, except for Elder Story, was a Gold Rank Adventurer.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°How many people are as strong as them in this land?¡± He had asked about Shaool previously. Jurot let out a soft exhale, looking at Adam as though he were a little boy, a smug smirk on his face. ¡°The previous King¡¯s Sword might be able to match five of the Great Elders or the Chief. The current Knight of Death could too.¡± ¡°Five of the Great Elders?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Right, you said Elder Story wasn¡¯t a Gold Rank Adventurer.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Almost every Iyrman who leaves achieves Bronze Rank,¡± he said, subtly changing the question. ¡°If they return at Bronze Rank, it means they need to take on responsibilities of their families, or they have decided to give their lives to the Iyr and allow someone else the glory. Many reach Steel or Silver, and some reach Mithril and Gold. We send ten Mithril Rank Iyrmen to assist the Kingdom¡¯s army, as well as the ninety Steel Rank Iyrmen and ten Silver Rank Iyrmen for the one hundred soldiers which the Iyr sends to the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Oh, right. The Iyrmen made up a part of the Kingdom¡¯s army.¡± He recalled the story. ¡°I wonder how you guys made up after the execution of Akrat.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t going to fall for that. "Aldland has close to forty thousand professional, full time soldiers. Ten thousand are under the command of the King. One hundred Companies. One of these Companies is completely comprised of Iyrmen, and another ten Companies are led by the ten Mithril Rank Iyrmen. The other nobles have their own armies, but only the rulers, the Kings and Queens, of the Blackwater dynasty can have units comprising of Iyrmen, as per the treaty." ¡°The treaty?¡± Adam squinted slightly, wondering how much more he could gleam from his friend. Jurot glanced aside. ¡°Yes. The Mithril Rank Adventurers are only supplied to the army during active war.¡± ¡°Is the Kingdom at active war now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°To who?¡± ¡°The Aswadasad Kingdom to the south.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°They are currently warring for a group of islands. The two Kingdoms do not send their armies to one another, they fight on the seas or on the islands.¡± "Are Iyrmen any good on the sea?" "On a ship, we can fight," Jurot replied. "Well, anyway, how long are we staying here?¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should keep teasing Jurot, who was glaring at him suspiciously. ¡°A few days,¡± Jurot assumed. ¡°Unless it¡¯s an emergency, we are to spend time here to relax and recuperate, and to assist the Front Iyr if there is need.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Actually, since we¡¯re staying here... is there some way I can smith something here using some Iyrman metals, and maybe a wood of the Iyr?¡± ¡°You may be able to. What are you willing to trade?¡± ¡°I could make two weapons. One for the Iyr, one which I¡¯ll keep.¡± ¡°I will go ask. What weapons are you wishing to make?¡± ¡°Whatever the Iyr needs, and an axe.¡± ¡°An axe?¡± Jurot looked at the longsword and warhammer at his side. ¡®Do you want all three weapons?¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, smiling innocently. ¡°An axe.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The main story continues! Thankfully, Adam didn''t do anything suspicious at all in this chapter! Nothing suspicious at all... 39. The Gift 39. The Gift Omen: 5, 10 Adam woke up bright and early, as most Iyrmen did. He was sitting down and eating with the other Iyrmen in the common room. ¡°You won¡¯t continue the tale today?¡± Adam asked Dargon, squinting his eyes at the man accusatorily. ¡°You should concentrate on making your axe,¡± Dargon replied, smiling back innocently. Adam frowned, returning back to his bread and fish, as well as the platter of fruit. There were also a large number of vegetables, coloured almost like a rainbow, which the Iyrmen would eat towards the beginning and end of the meal. Once they were done, Jurot led Adam out, towards a small warehouse. ¡°The Elder has said you must first make an axe for the village.¡± ¡°Makes sense.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, understanding that the Iyr would ask him to make an axe for them first. ¡°You may use any of the materials in the middle row, not the bottom or top,¡± Jurot said as they stepped into one of the warehouses, which was a fairly small building. This one was full of ores and various ingots, with shelves at three levels. The ores at the bottom seemed to hold some gems within them, and the top ores were sparkling slightly with different colours. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Adam looked at the metals which were available to him. They seemed to be fairly typical, nothing out of the ordinary, save for a couple of small rocks which had the slightest hint of purple. ¡°What¡¯s the best ore to use from the middle?¡± Jurot glanced around, squinting his eyes. He was more of a wood person than a metal person. ¡°This?¡± He revealed a dark chunk of rock. ¡°What¡¯s it good for?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Making a decent weapon,¡± Jurot said, earnestly. After all, this was the basis of most Iyrmen¡¯s weapons, so it should be good. ¡°Then I¡¯ll use that to make the first axe. Is there an ore here which will create a nice pattern on the axe for the second axe?¡± Adam looked at the purple rocks. Jurot threw him a look. ¡°Do you wish to prioritise aesthetics? It is a weapon first and foremost.¡± ¡°Are you underestimating my skill?¡± Adam threw a look back at him, his brow raised. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°You can mix in some of the blue ore.¡± Jurot revealed a small block of blue. ¡°It will make the axe slightly heavier, but it is easy to work with.¡± ¡°What is this purple stuff?¡± Adam lifted up the purple rock, which was only the side of his pinky, and felt as heavy as cardboard. ¡°It is puthral,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It¡¯s a very good metal, but very hard to work with.¡± ¡°Can I use it?¡± Adam asked, tossing it in his hand. ¡°You can,¡± Jurot said, unsure of whether Adam would be able to work it. Adam smiled. ¡°Good. It¡¯ll make a nice axe.¡± Jurot nodded his head approvingly. ¡®When it comes to smithing, he¡¯s no coward.¡¯ With that, Adam made his way to the forge to begin making the axe. He noted all the eyes he was getting, considering he wasn¡¯t completely armoured any longer, and so everyone could see his leaf shaped ears. Smithing (Intelligence) D20 + 4 = 11 (6) Omen: 5, 10 -> 5 10 + 4 = 14 Adam sketched out a quick design on the ground, but found it difficult. The Wills of Fate stopped by to see how stupid he was, tugging Jurot towards him. Jurot blinked, looking at Adam, who was poorly drawing in the ground. ¡°Here,¡± Jurot said, having brought some paper and a small stick of charcoal at the tip of a wooden stylus. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said, quickly sketching a simple design for an axe. ¡°I¡¯ll need to make a handle too, but I¡¯m no good at wood stuff...¡± He tapped his chin. He looked to Jurot. ¡°Hey, Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Will you make the handle for the axe, please?¡± Adam asked, politely. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you make it yourself?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m no good at that sort of thing. It¡¯s something for the Iyr, isn¡¯t it? Do you want it to be terrible?¡± Jurot remained silent for a moment. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Smithing (Strength) D20 + 5 = 12 (7) With that, Adam went to work on forging the axe head, melting the ore, before folding the metal in on itself to spread the impurities throughout the entire axe head, reducing its chance of being utter garbage and shattering on first impact. He worked steadily, and though it wasn¡¯t his best work, not that he had much practise considering it was only his second time, it eventually formed as a general shape of an axe head. It was a little awkward to create the axe eye, but that would be Jurot¡¯s problem. Smithing (Dexterity) D20 + 4 = 17 (13) Spell Flame Bolt ¡®I won¡¯t allow anyone to see how embarrassing this was.¡¯ Adam turned his head to see Jurot staring at him, raising his brow. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°The handle will need to have a slight curve to it,¡± he said, quickly sketching out a basic axe, one used by the Franks, before sketching out the outline of the handle too. ¡°Whatever other designs you want to add, you can go ahead. In fact, you should add your family¡¯s design onto it somewhere, so people will forever remember that the handle was made by the son of Surot.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips twitched into a smile and he nodded. Adam was weird, so he didn¡¯t have to think too much on the matter. ¡®I¡¯ll make a great handle.¡¯ Smithing (Strength) D20 + 5 = 20 (15) Adam then started to smelt the ores together, mixing the purple puthral with the dark ore. Once they had formed together well, he folded the metal on itself several times. This time, he¡¯d focus on doubling the number of time he had folded it in comparison to the previous day, which was already causing his arms to throb angrily, but it would be worth it. He focused completely on his task, though stray thoughts would sometimes slip into his mind. ¡®Please don¡¯t be shit,¡¯ he thought, pounding away at the axe head. By evening it had come along well, and Jurot¡¯s handle was beautiful too. It was made of a purple wood, and had been etched at the bottom with the design of his family, and the top of it had some faint designs which carried all the way to the bottom, though he was careful not to mess with the grip of the axe. As Adam slot the handle into the axe, they both glanced at one another. The axe head slid all the way down to the halfway point. Jurot stared at the handle, which he had painstakingly carved. ¡®I carved too much off the top.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a very nice carving,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why don¡¯t I use it for the next axe I make?¡± He tried to reassure Jurot, who stared at the handle as though he had been betrayed by it. ¡°It can remain a club,¡± Jurot said, storming off, embarrassed that he was the one to fail this time. He returned with the same wood, and began to carve at it carefully, focused on not ruining it this time. Smithing (Dexterity) D20 + 4 = 18 (14) Since the axe head was fine, Adam began to sharpen and polish it. As he did so, it revealed the pattern, wavy purple lines which only shone when the light was caught. ¡°Have you finally finished?¡± Argon asked, walking over to him. He noted Jurot in the back, focused on his carving. ¡°We just need the handle and it¡¯ll be done,¡± Adam said, revealing the axe head. Argon blinked as he stared at it. ¡°May I hold it?¡± Adam handed it over for Argon to hold. It was lighter than it appeared, owing to the fact that he had used puthral ore, one of the most beloved ores of the Iyr. ¡°Why did you choose puthral?¡± Argon asked. ¡°It looked pretty,¡± Adam replied, earnestly. ¡°Where did you learn to work it?¡± ¡°Right here,¡± Adam pointed to the forge. Argon nodded his head slowly. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can be surprised any more.¡¯ ¡°Jurot said you were going to enchant it.¡± He had met Jurot at the warehouse, having seen the Iyrman¡¯s dejection evident all over his face and body. ¡°Yeah, I need to ask Sonarot when I meet her.¡± ¡°Is that why you came? To ask her to use the Enchanting Shrine?¡± ¡°Partly?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Oh, well, no. I didn¡¯t know she could give me permission to enchant it. I came to tell her something, and I thought, since we had the time, I might as well make her a gift. It just so happens that she would allow me to make a better gift.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gifting this to Sonarot?¡± Argon asked, raising his brow. ¡°An enchanted axe?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m gifting it to the, you know,¡± Adam glanced around, checking for Jurot, ¡°baby,¡± he whispered, seeing that Jurot was deep in focus on his handle. Argon narrowed his eyes, handing the axe head back. ¡°Is that why you had Jurot make the handle? To give as a first gift?¡± ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t tell him. I don¡¯t think he knows about the you know what.¡± ¡°He definitely doesn¡¯t know about the you know what.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep it a surprise for him too.¡± Adam winked. Argon nodded and left. ¡®This entire time... was he telling the truth? Is he really here just to talk with Sonarot?¡¯ Argon understood how Tazwyn felt this entire time. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just a chill chapter today. 40. The Quest, Complete 40. The Quest, Complete ¡°There¡¯s another wall?¡± Adam asked, staring up at it. It went from the horizon on his left, to the horizon on his right, right before the mountain truly began. Adam had been impressed by the first wall, but this was another beast entirely. It wasn¡¯t just that it was made of stone, or that it was easily five times as tall as he at a conservative estimate, but the fact there was a rushing river which threatened to sweep away any creature which came within five steps of it. Suddenly he felt naked without his armour, which was being carried by Kandal in a large backpack made of wood. He had been told it would have been a harsh journey with it, so Kandal was going to carry the chain mail on his behalf. He thought nothing of it. Spell Guidance 1D3 = 1 (1) Perception Check D20 + 2 + 1 = 6 (3) He muttered a few words, trying to spot any other features, any outposts the Iyrmen may have, but was unable to see anything against the rocks. ¡®That¡¯s probably intentional,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Damn. The Iyr might really be impossible to invade.¡¯ The raging river gave him pause, glancing over towards it. With how steep the mountain was, the rushing river actually sprayed all the way to the group, which stood easily twenty paces away from it, which was as close as they dared to stand. ¡°Since you¡¯re not going to continue the story, will you at least tell me why you left the children behind?¡± Adam asked. He was interested in hearing more about the tale. ¡®Did King Solomon manage to march his army all the way here? What would he have said?¡¯ ¡°The Front Iyr is where they will remain until they are picked up,¡± Argon said. ¡°That is best for them. The Front Iyr is a much easier place for outsiders. If the children are brought to Big Iyr, they will be overwhelmed.¡± ¡®Big Iyr?¡¯ ¡°The story will be told to you in due time, Adam,¡± Dargon said, smirking at the half elf. Adam grumbled, but he followed the Iyrmen further in. They started their ascent up the mountain, as as the hours passed, Adam was glad that Kandal was carrying his chain mail. It truly would have been a gruelling journey if he had worn his armour. Though the armour would have distributed well all over his body, he could only imagine how much he¡¯d want to cut off his feet by the end of the trek. As the late sun began to crest beyond the mountain, they finally approached what Adam assumed to be the Big Iyr. ¡°Another set of walls?¡± Adam gasped, finding another set of walls far more impressive than the last. ¡°Just how many walls do you guys have?¡± Adam cried out, staring at the large walls before him. ¡°This is not a wall,¡± Argon said. ¡°It¡¯s a fence,¡± the other Iyrmen continued. Jurot smirked, finally able to say the joke to his first person. It was something all Iyrmen wished to say, and he managed to say it so young. Adam squinted his eyes at the Iyrmen. It was definitely a wall, a wall made of mountain, with a large gate upfront. The gate was at least six times as tall as him, and the gate was slightly smaller, flanked by six statues, three on each side. Two Iyrmen stood tall on the walls, which made them look like little dolls. They wore thick cloaks, and carried with them their family¡¯s weapons, as well as a longbow. They, too, were like statues. A third Iyrman sat in the room above the large wooden doors. She climbed up and stood atop the walls, crossing her arms as she stared down at them. ¡°We have returned,¡± Argon declared, staring up at her. The Iyrman eyed the group up, noting the stranger in the chain mail, before nodding her head. ¡°Open the gates!¡± she shouted. The doors shook open, the might of eight Iyrmen forcing it so. These were Iyrmen who were nearby during the call, and had taken it upon themselves to assist. There were ropes which led upwards from the doors, no doubt to a contraption which would open the gates easily. ¡®Do they do it the hard way on purpose?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Of course they do, they¡¯re Iyrmen.¡¯ The woman dropped down to greet Argon, speaking in their tongue some ways away. She glanced at Adam, before nodding her head, returning to her conversation with Argon. Adam was too busy staring at the Iyr to pay attention to them. The Iyr was huge, bigger than the village he had recalled in his last life. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ The Iyr was built partly in the side of the mountain, a few tunnels leading elsewhere, small cliffs overlooking the Iyr and the houses. There were hundreds of large square blocks built ahead of him, before the walls blocked off the next layer. ¡°This is Big Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah, you aren¡¯t kidding,¡± Adam said. There were thousands of people all moving around, with children scampering about, whacking each other with paper weapons. Some of the children had heard the shout and noticed the returning Iyrmen. They wasted no time in dispensing with their games to rush up to the returning Iyrmen, all squealing excitedly in their language, no doubt asking for gifts. Argon and the others pulled out small items made of bone, mostly just decorations or jewellery, but there a few bones which were decorated with a design. ¡°Bones?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot replied, kicking off his sandal boots and quickly finding the cushions and stools for everyone. ¡®Mother must have been eating a lot of bread. I should go and slay that boar with Adam.¡¯ Adam removed his boots, before stepping inside, onto the blanket which lay on the floor. The room was fairly bare, though it was quite large, with several large crates inside to store things and to be used as furniture. There were a few shelves about, full of various pots and pans, and each wall had at least one axe pinned to it. Jurot brought the large cushions and some blankets, placing them over the crates, which he slid into position so they could sit down comfortably. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to return so soon,¡± Sonarot admitted, looking to her son, smiling at him. ¡°Did you miss me so much?¡± ¡°Adam wished to speak with you,¡± he said, flushing a little more. ¡°He knew of your name.¡± Sonarot threw a look towards the half elf, who was quite the handsome young man. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met,¡± she said. She gave a quick nod of the head to Argon, who nodded back to her, and the pair understood what it meant for Argon to be there. Her entire focus fell back on to Adam, who was unarmed, and wore a longsword and warhammer at his side. Adam glanced to Argon, who had his arms crossed, staring at Adam. Unbeknownst to Adam, the man held a small gem within his hand, just in case. He wasn¡¯t sure how much he should say in front of the man, but he had already let a few things slip out. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve never met me, I suppose,¡± Adam eventually said. ¡°Have you met me?¡± Sonarot asked, smiling politely. ¡°In another life.¡± Sonarot¡¯s brows raised for a moment, before relaxing. ¡°I do not know how elves live. They are quite rare, even for us Iyrmen.¡± Her lips formed a playful smile. ¡°I¡¯m only a half elf,¡± Adam said. Even now, he wasn¡¯t getting sick of the joke. ¡®Does he say that every time?¡¯ Argon wondered. ¡°A whole son to your parents, no?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I¡¯m the only one of my people,¡± Adam admitted, his lips quivering slightly. He pushed away the thoughts for the moment. Sonarot¡¯s playful smile quickly fell away, leaving a sorrowful frown. ¡°I am sorry to hear that. I wish you a thousand children.¡± ¡°Speaking of children,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°I... I have a lot of things to tell you, but I suppose I should speak of my request. I have come to ask for permission to use an Enchanting Shrine.¡± Jurot pulled the axe out of his pack, which had been wrapped up in some furs. Adam would have placed it in his pack, but his was full of fear already, as well as his precious spellbook. He unwrapped it, revealing the weapon to his mother, his lips forming a wide grin, proudly presenting it to her. ¡°What a fine weapon,¡± Sonarot said, picking it up. She felt the softness of the wood, and noted the patterns, the same patterns she had seen hundreds of times. ¡°Jurot, did you make this handle?¡± she asked, as though she didn¡¯t already know the answer. ¡°I did,¡± he said, nodding his head proudly. Of course his mother would instantly recognise his craftsmanship, though the design of his family was also a dead give away. ¡°What of the blade?¡± she said, noting the purple which glinted off the light. She knew Jurot didn¡¯t have such ability, for the blade was definitely of Iyrman make. It held small amounts of puthral, which was hard to work with, but would make the weapon lighter. It was made to be easily thrown, but there was no doubt it could cleave into a man¡¯s skull. ¡°I made it,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly. ¡°You?¡± she asked, staring at Adam for a moment. ¡®How can we know how to work puthral so well?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± Sonarot stared into Adam¡¯s eyes for a long moment. ¡°For who?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes twitched down to her stomach before they returned to Sonarot¡¯s eyes. ¡°For Lana.¡± For Lana. Sonarot smiled slightly, but her mind was keenly aware of all the weapons nearby. The blade at the half elf¡¯s side, as well as the warhammer. There was Jurot and his axes, who would be able to match the half elf, and would react at her word in an instant. Then there was Argon, who had his greatsword at his back, and more than likely was fiddling with one of the many gems of the Iyr which would restrain Adam. ¡®Should we kill him?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wait. Jurot didn''t die before he met his mother? ??? 41. A Story to be Told 41. A Story to be Told ¡°I am certain this is the first time we have met, Adam, son of Fate,¡± Sonarot eventually said, unsure of whether they should kill the half elf. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve met me,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°You have met me before?¡± Sonarot asked, quickly picking up what he was saying. ¡°In another life.¡± Adam felt a little silly saying it, but it was the truth. Sonarot continued to feel the smooth handle within her grasp, feeling the pattern of her family. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Adam swallowed. He threw a glance to Jurot, and then returned his gaze to Sonarot. ¡°I...¡± Being confronted by the question, he wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°I, uh...¡± ¡®Two swings,¡¯ Sonarot thought. ¡®No, three.¡¯ Three would kill the boy, she was sure of it. However, she¡¯d leave Argon to that matter, since he was clutching one of the gems in his hands. He flashed it to her, letting her see it through her peripheral vision. Red. ¡®Magic?¡¯ she thought, staring at the half elf. ¡®Well, he is feyblooded.¡¯ ¡°Last time...¡± Adam glanced towards the ground. ¡°Our meeting now is different. Very different. Last time you welcomed me, but that was because...¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot, then to Argon, who remained stone faced, and finally back to Sonarot, who waited patiently. He sighed, unable to figure out what he should say. ¡°Anyway, I would like to enchant an axe for Lana,¡± he said, pausing for only a moment, ¡°my little sister.¡± ¡°Your little sister?¡± Sonarot asked, staring at him, confused. She had thought it was for Lanarot, whose name was only known by her brother and sister, and by her deceased parents, who had asked her to name her child such many years ago. Not even that old Jarot knew the name she had picked out, but that was only because it was fun to not tell him. ¡°She had lost her brother before she was born,¡± he said, staring into Sonarot¡¯s eyes. ¡°So I became her older brother.¡± Sonarot, even in her tired state, understood what he was saying, reading between the lines. She softened slightly. ¡°You have quite the story to tell. Let¡¯s eat, and you can tell us over food.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure who or what he was, but considering how much he knew, it was dangerous not to ask, and there seemed to be something more to the story than he cared to say in his tense state. ¡°I will, but I need to speak with Chief Iromin first, though Asomin is fine too.¡± Adam then wondered if Asomin held the same sway as he had previously. Jurot threw a look to Adam. ¡°Why Asomin?¡± He wondered why he needed to speak with the grandson of the Chief. ¡°He¡¯s not so bad,¡± Adam replied, smirking at Jurot. ¡°Nor are Rendor or Gidian. Gorot, Mirot, Nirot, and Turot are pretty good too.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve told him quite a lot about our family and the Iyr, haven¡¯t you?¡± Sonarot said, reaching up to brush Jurot¡¯s hair gently. Adam¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but twitch as he saw the sight. He was glad to see it, the way the pair of them behaved to one another. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± He narrowed his eyes, the distance between his hand and axe begging to be shortened. ¡°You know a lot about our family.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very hospitable,¡± Adam admitted. He could see the gears turning in Jurot¡¯s mind. This entire time, he had thought Adam was suspicious, but this had really set off his gut. ¡°I never mentioned their names.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe you did.¡± Adam nodded his head, agreeing with the Iyrman. ¡°Sonarot did, though.¡± ¡°No, mother didn¡¯t.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes twitched, filling with fury. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lie to Iyrmen.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one day, Jurot, but today isn¡¯t that day.¡± He kept smiling as Jurot glared at him. Then he returned his gaze to Sonarot. ¡°I will speak with you and Chief Iromin together, if you prefer.¡± Sonarot stared at Adam long and hard. He knew so much about her family, and yet, she knew nothing of him. ¡®Dangerous,¡¯ she thought. ¡®He¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Argot waited for the signal, wondering what Sonarot would call for. However, Adam had said something earlier, something which had piqued her interest. ¡°I will call for a meeting,¡± she said, nodding her head slowly. She stood, placing a hand on her stomach. Adam almost stood up, but realised he was still a stranger, so looked to Jurot, who was glaring at him. ¡°What are you doing? Your mother needs your help.¡± Jurot squinted his eyes, but quickly stood to assist his mother, who seemed to be having trouble. ¡°Mother, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Jurot. I¡¯ve just been tired recently.¡± Adam looked to Sonarot with his brows raised. ¡®Not quite a lie, but even now she¡¯s not going to tell him?¡¯ ¡°Do you need to rest?¡± he asked, before switching to their tongue to say something else. Sonarot let out a soft scoff at his words, brushing his hair. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s alright.¡± Jurot shouldn¡¯t kill Adam, yet. Jurot squinted back at Adam suspiciously, but Argon had stepped between them, making sure there was going to be nothing hapenning between the pair. Adam glanced at Jurot and Argon, who had followed, still unsure of the half elf. After some time, the Chief stepped out. He was an older man, with long hair which was dyed red, streaks of white breaking up the redness. He was clean shaven, with a strong jaw, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes. He was fairly lean for an older man, and walking with the floating grace of a butterfly. He was dressed in the finest of silks, black like starless night, with golden thread which darted all along the hem, the thread forming some kind of patter. At his side was a longsword, the very same longsword he had seen in his previous life, made of a fusion of bone and metal. The Chief had expected to speak with the half elf, though there was a chance he would have died. They had given him enough trust to speak with Sonarot first, and now that he had kept their trust, it was only right to speak with him. Adam sighed, flashing a smile towards the familiar face. ¡°Chief Iromin,¡± he said, greeting the older man. ¡®This time I¡¯m not as strong as last time, so he probably won¡¯t ask for a fight.¡¯ ¡°You must be Adam, son of Fate,¡± he said. His voice was like ash, airy and with little substance, but it burned with passion. He reached out a hand to shake Adam¡¯s, who accepted. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, again,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly. Once again he felt the firm handshake, which betrayed the great pool of strength the older man possessed. ¡°I see you¡¯re as strong as ever.¡± Iromin narrowed his small eyes. ¡°We have never met,¡± he said, firmly. ¡°You have never met me,¡± Adam said, before throwing a look to Sonarot. ¡°I come with news of a potential threat to the Iyr, and one hell of a story.¡± Iromin nodded his head slowly, understanding what he meant, even if he didn¡¯t know what hell was. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said, leading the half elf towards the courtyard. Adam looked back to Sonarot, who didn¡¯t step forward. ¡°Sonarot should hear this too.¡± Iromin beckoned her to follow too, before they stepped into the courtyard. It was more like a garden, with four stone paths which converged towards a large gazebo. As they sat, Adam glanced around, noting they were the only three here, or at least, that¡¯s what he saw. ¡®I wonder if there are Iyrmen in the shadows.¡¯ He didn¡¯t bother trying to look too hard, as there was no need for so many Iyrmen when the Chief would be enough to kill him in the span of seconds. ¡°What is it that brings you so far away from your home,¡± Iromin said, staring at the half elf. He reached down into a box, and began to place out various dried snacks, as well as pouring some water, which was flavoured with bits of vegetables from the cold box he kept under the seats. ¡°The God of Chaos, and a death,¡± Adam said, ¡°but that¡¯s the story, and I should probably begin with the warning. A question. To the west, in the forest, is there an obelisk, and around it, a forest of purple corruption and ooze?¡± ¡°I cannot speak to you of the obelisk, but there is no purple corruption or ooze,¡± Iromin replied, wondering how Adam knew of the obelisk. It was safeguarded by the secret town of the Iyr. ¡°Good, good,¡± Adam said, nodding his head and sighing in relief. ¡°However, if there ever comes a day when corruption appears, I ask of you, no, I beg you, to send either an entire army to destroy it. The army needs to be full of people whose minds and bodies are resistant to being controlled by other entities. If you can¡¯t do that, then run. Run very far away, and warn as many people as you can.¡± Iromin raised his brow towards the young man, wondering how he could ask an Iyrman to run away from such a threat. ¡°It was a story that your grandson chose to...¡± Adam paused, rubbing his forehead. ¡°No. I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.¡± He glanced between Sonarot and Iromin. ¡°There are some secrets which can¡¯t leave the conversation between us.¡± ¡°That is a role for Elder Story,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I cannot promise you that the secrets will remain between us.¡± Adam glanced to Sonarot. ¡°Can I trust Elder Story?¡± ¡°It is up to Elder Story whether they allow the story to circulate within the Iyr.¡± Adam remained quiet for a long moment. ¡°Then the question isn¡¯t whether they will circulate the story, but whether I can trust them with the story. No offence, but I don¡¯t know this Elder Story. I know you, and I know the Chief, you¡¯ll understand what I mean by that once you hear my story.¡± Sonarot wasn¡¯t sure what he was asking, exactly. ¡°I trust Elder Story, as all Iyrmen trust the Great Elders and Chiefs. They would not be our Great Elders or Chiefs if we didn¡¯t trust them.¡± ¡°It was a stupid question, I know, but I needed to hear it from you.¡± Adam leaned back in the seat. ¡°So, where is this Elder Story?¡± ¡°I will lead you to Elder Story,¡± Iromin said, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll send for a palanquin.¡± Iromin quickly sent for a palanquin, which was raised by a pair of Iyrmen, who assisted Sonarot into it before they began to follow the Chief. The other Iyrmen who had travelled with Adam here had left, leaving them to their business. The Chief led the group towards the side of the first layer of the Iyr, heading near the gate of the Big Iyr, but into a tunnel, which wrapped around and went upwards on a light incline. They walked for a few minutes, the path illuminated by tiny gems which gently glowed in the dark, runes connected each together. Then they came to a courtyard, no larger than those he had seen thus far, with a field of various flowers and herbs all about them. The wall opposite was covered by vines. Adam inhaled the air deeply, feeling the refreshing aura. ¡®Whoa!¡¯ The aches within his body soon disappeared, and he could even feel a tingling within him, feeling the magic in his body surge. The pair of Iyrmen took their place opposite one another next to a particular section of the wall with a path leading towards it. Adam glanced between them, and Iromin motioned a hand to the path. Adam walked over to it, and Iromin motioned for him to sit. He did so, and remained quiet. ¡°You may begin your tale,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°My name is Adam, son of Fate, and this is my third life.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Do you think Adam will die next chapter? 42. Relief 42. Relief ¡°I only wanted to do one thing,¡± Adam said, rubbing his eyes. ¡°I wanted to make sure, this time, I brought him back home.¡± Quest Complete Jurot, Alive + 200XP XP: 900 -> 1100 Inform the Iyr of the Impending Doom + 100XP XP: 1100 -> 1200 ¡°That is quite the tale,¡± Sonarot said, looking deep into Adam¡¯s eyes, which had twitched slightly aside to read his status. It was an unbelievable tale, even to the Iyrmen. They brought back stories of other cultures in order to create a picture for the world outside the Iyr, but this was in a world of its own. More importantly, Adam had revealed a great many secrets of various beings, including the frost bridge of the giants. The Iyrmen had never known how the giants were able to outpace them in the Snowlands. They could move hundreds of miles in a single day, but with the theory of this frostbridge, things became clear. ¡°I don¡¯t really mind if you don¡¯t believe me,¡± Adam admitted, feeling the relief spill over his body. ¡°I just wanted you to know why I¡¯m here.¡± Sonarot nodded her head slowly, thinking of the many inconsistencies within his story, including his motivation behind trying to bring Jurot back when he also risked Jurot¡¯s life against Balrog the Bane. Yet, the fact that he knew about Jurot and Balrog¡¯s story, seemingly without Jurot revealing it to him, was something which pointed to his words being true. There was the chance of him being able to read minds too, which could have helped him know a few things. Yet, there was the fact that he knew a lot about the Iyr, even though it certainly had changed considering his last life. ¡°You know a lot, son of Fate. To go from meeting the gods, to facing the corruption, to defeating a giant Chief due to your chaotic abilities. You know about much about our people and our customs, though they seem to have changed slightly from your previous life, but there are some things which would have been impossible to know. To think you know that Surot is missing, which only a few people know.¡± This was something which would have been hard to know, even with being able to read minds. ¡°Missing, not dead?¡± Adam asked. He was sure in his last life the man had been presumed dead. ¡°I do not believe he is dead, yet. My husband is strong.¡± The Iyrman smiled. ¡°Whether I believe you or not...¡± She reached up and brushed his hair. ¡°I do. Or perhaps I don¡¯t, but I will live as though I do.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s the best I could ask for.¡± He could feel butterflies in his stomach as she brushed his hair. ¡°Thank you for returning my son to me alive, Adam.¡± Wisdom Save D20 + 2 = 22 (20) Adam could feel his emotions rage within him for a moment, but he pushed them away. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely return him alive from now on, even if it costs me my life. I¡¯ve died twice as many times as him, so I¡¯m used to it.¡± Adam puffed up his chest heroically, grinning wide. It was partly a joke, but he did have the intention of helping Jurot out. ¡°No, Adam. Please return to me as well. Lanarot will need a brother as kind and as intelligent as you.¡± Sonarot smiled, brushing along his cheek with her soft, warm hand. It was warm and motherly, and filled Adam¡¯s heart. The half elf glanced aside, avoiding her gaze. ¡°I will.¡± His words were empty. ¡°Promise me.¡± Adam remained silent, but Sonarot pulled his head to her bosom, hugging her tight. ¡°I promise,¡± he said. She eventually pulled away, smiling at him. "You are always welcome in our home, Adam.¡± "Thank you." Adam glanced aside, trying to hide the redness of his face by leaning back away from her. ¡®Damn it! This is so embarrassing...¡¯ The Chief threw Adam a look, wondering what he should do, but he nodded his head. He understood Sonarot¡¯s intentions, of wanting to keep him close to confirm things. At least, that¡¯s what he thought she was doing. They returned back home, though it was already approaching morning at the time. Even so, the trio were refreshed, as though they had slept through the night. ¡®I feel like this is something I shouldn¡¯t know about...¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about the garden. He hadn¡¯t heard Elder Story and hadn¡¯t been introduced to him either. As they approached the house, they glanced through the courtyard to see Jurot cooking a slab of meat, sticking out his tongue as he concentrated. ¡°Smells good,¡± Adam said, approaching the Iyrman. He was grilling a bunch of meat over some hot rocks, slathered in some kind of fat and herb mixture. "You weren¡¯t back, so I cooked,¡± Jurot said, simply. Sonarot smiled. "I will have to eat some fruit and vegetables today due to my condition." "Are you alright, mother? Should I get a blanket? A pillow? A medicine master?" Jurot rushed over to his mother to help her to take a seat at a bench. "No, I''m fine, it''s just some minor business. In a few days I will be fine to drink and eat as I please." She smiled innocently towards her son, brushing his cheek tenderly. "Hmmm." Jurot looked to Adam, unsure if he should allow Adam near his mother while she was not feeling well. "Jurot, your friend Adam is very nice. I hope you two become good friends." She continued to rub his cheek. "We¡¯ll become the best of friends, mother!" Jurot assured his mother, nodding his head. ¡°Adam, let''s fight!" Jurot snapped his head back, ready and eager to become the best of friends with Adam. "I don''t know. Right now I want to make the axe for a gift and then..." Adam rubbed his chin. "I should find a way to make money?" "You may use an enchanting shrine to enchant the axe for Lana. You will need some gems for the enchanting... do you have some?" ¡°No,¡± Adam said, thinking about how much money he had. ¡°I should have thought about that.¡± Currency 15GP, 15SP, 13CP ¡®I forgot how poor I was...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing his head. ¡°We will give you the gems required.¡± ¡°Uh, well, you don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Adam replied awkwardly, still feeling her hand on top of his head. Gorot stared at Sonarot, wondering why she was going to hand over hundreds of golds worth of gems. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ ¡®Did Adam really seduce my mother?¡¯ Jurot wondered, glancing between the pair. He stared at Adam, wondering how he had managed to do so. ¡®He¡¯s not as strong as father, even if he has such powerful muscles.¡¯ "There is no need to rush in this life,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Take your time. Since you can enchant, you should enchant weapons and make money that way.¡± ¡°I can just do that?¡± Adam said, raising his brow. He hadn¡¯t expected it to be so simple. ¡°If you want to use the enchanting shrines of the Iyr to make enchanted items, you can. If you wish to sell the items, there are a few conditions." "What are they?" "First, the items must be offered for sale to the Iyr before anyone else. Second, if sold outside, the Iyr takes 10%. If you wish to use our family''s wealth, then we will be paid the amount which was given to make the item, and 10% of the total price as well." "Hold on, that''s too much maths,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°Let''s say I borrow one hundred gold. I make a weapon that''s worth two hundred. I give you one hundred gold, then another twenty for the debt of the gems, the Iyr twenty, and sixty for myself?¡± "You will make more than two hundred gold from enchanting, but your maths is correct.¡± "Oh, so I can just borrow money from you to fund the procedure as long as I can pay you back first...¡± Adam nodded his head. "You can sell through the Adventurer''s Guild or the Merchant¡¯s Guild. Have you revealed that ability to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡± "No." "Then we can deal with it through the Merchant''s Guild on your behalf. We can''t say it was made by an Iyrman, so the price won¡¯t be as high, but it should still sell for a large amount.¡± "I should do that then." Adam looked to Jurot, who was barely following the conversation as he plated up the meat for everyone on a large clay platter. "How about I enchant our weapons?" "We are too weak to rely on enchanted weapons." Jurot shook his head. It was taught within the Iyr that one must rely on themselves first before their equipment. It was dangerous to do so otherwise. "Your friend is trying to give you a gift, are you really going to deny it?" Sonarot asked, staring at Jurot disappointedly. "I thank you in advance, Adam," Jurot said, handing over his axe immediately. ''Was Jurot a momma''s boy?'' Gorot looked to Sonarot. He grunted something quietly. "Isn''t he too young for you?" "He will be family of ours soon. Treat him well." ''What did this young man do to seduce sister Sonarot?'' "Then I¡¯ll begin enchanting today!¡± Adam declared, full of motivation to make the best axe ever. ¡°After you eat,¡± Sonarot said as Turot brought her some fruit and vegetables. ¡°After I eat.¡± Adam nodded. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Finally. 43. Little Paw 43. Little Paw ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered, staring at the large shrine ahead of him. The shrine was tucked some ways away from the town, through a winding tunnel in its own intimate corner. The shrine was made of sturdy standing stones, encircling a large patterned floor. The entire area, not just the stones, ere engraved with ancient symbols Adam couldn¡¯t comprehend. The sun shone from above, providing them with light and warmth, and its power. ¡°To use the shrine you must place the gems on the stone,¡± Zijin said, patting a stone, ¡°and must remain within the with the weapon touching the altar at all times.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°Seems simple enough.¡± ¡°Someone will check on you every short while to make sure you haven¡¯t killed yourself,¡± said the orcish Iyrman. ¡°How lovely.¡± Adam stepped up towards the shrine, rubbing his hand all along the stone. Though it looked rough, it was smooth to the touch, like a pebble. ¡°How old is this?¡± ¡°As old as the Iyr,¡± Zijin replied, simply. ¡°How many shrines are there?¡± Adam asked. There was no way a place like this only had one shrine, not when there were so many Iyrmen with tons of magical weapons. Zijin smiled a toothy smile, but did not answer the half elf¡¯s question. ¡®Right, what a stupid question.¡¯ Adam just nodded his head in understanding. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to leave it as I found it.¡± ¡°Many thanks, son of Fate.¡± ¡°I guess I should get to enchanting then.¡± Adam stretched his neck, readying himself for a long day of enchanting. ¡°I will bring a stool.¡± ¡°A stool?¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°It would be best.¡± Adam raised his brow towards the orc, who left. He placed the gems down on the stones, each worth at least fifty gold pieces, one on each of the six standing stones, and a seventh on the floor, right at the centre. Zijin returned, placing down the stool, before leaving Adam be. Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 4 + 2 = 14 (8) Omen: 7, 12 -> 7 12 + 4 + 2 = 18 Adam sat on the stool and gently rested the axe head on the gem. He inhaled deeply, before channelling his Mana into the axe. As the sun beat down from above, he could feel the heat fill him, before the runes around him glowed gently. The gems began to crackle with might as the glowing runes pulsed like a heartbeat, light rippling through the runes towards the axe. The rhythmic pulsing continued, filling the axe with great power. He clutched the weapon tight within his hand, feeling the strength within it. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ The magical power surged through him and the axe. He remained on the stool for hours, concentrating on the axe, though it felt like only moment passed before the gems cracked, turned to dust, and followed the light of the runes, before engraving itself on the axe. The gem dust settled on the dark steel of the axe, almost invisible. ¡°Whoa.¡± It was the only word he could think of as he stared down at the axe. ¡°Wait, did I just spend three hundred and fifty gold and not make an enchanted weapon? What happened?¡± A moment of silence passed. ¡°Hey, Bell?¡± [Yes?] ¡°Did I just waste the three hundred plus gold?¡± [No. You must concentrate for a few more days and expend more Mana for the gem dust to settle deeper within the weapon.] ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. He stepped out, almost walking into an Iyrman. She was tall, wearing the heavy furs of the Iyr. She grunted at him and nodded. ¡°Did you enchant well?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Ah, she must have been checking on me to make sure I didn¡¯t die.¡¯ ¡°Many fortunes, elf.¡± ¡°Half,¡± Adam replied, ¡°but you too.¡± The Iyrman nodded, escorting Adam away from the shrine and towards the town, back to the Rot family. ¡°You been here for long?¡± Adam asked, casually. The Iyrmen threw him a confused glance. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, you know, in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°My entire life.¡± ¡°Have you ever left the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Handaxe You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D3 slashing + 1D3 fire damage. Quest Complete Lanarot¡¯s Gift XP Gained +600 XP: 700 -> 1300 First Weapon Enchanted +200 XP: 1300 -> 1500 Would you like to name the weapon? ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, staring at the text for some time. ¡®Damn it. I suck at names.¡¯ He thought long and hard, thinking about what he could name it. ¡®It has to be something cute. Something like... like...¡¯ He smiled. ¡°Little Paw.¡± Little Paw (Handaxe) You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D3 slashing + 1D3 fire damage. Adam had no idea if the enchantment was any good, but he smiled wide. He quickly rushed back to Sonarot, alarming the Iyrman who was keeping an eye on him, though they quickly followed behind to make sure he wasn¡¯t going to cause any trouble. ¡°Sonarot! It¡¯s done!¡± Adam declared, knocking on the door. ¡°Oh my,¡± Sonarot said, staring at the handaxe, taking it from Adam to admire and appraise it. ¡°This axe is...¡± ¡°Good? Bad?¡± Adam just smiled, figuring it was fine at least. ¡°It¡¯s very good.¡± Sonarot hadn¡¯t expected Adam to be so good at Enchanting. ¡°This weapon is worth at least one thousand five hundred gold, perhaps more with the right bidder.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Whoa.¡± Adam held onto his chin and smirked. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m really talented, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You are,¡± she said. ¡°Very.¡± She pet his head gently. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it until it¡¯s time to gift it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°If you are this good, would you be willing to create magical weapons for Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam had taken the axe, which still needed a sheath of sorts. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t mind at all.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go speak with a few people,¡± she said. When Jurot returned later that afternoon, having played with his friends, he noted the axe. Adam smirked at him and held it out. ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± ¡°Can I swing it?¡± Jurot asked, excitedly. His fingers were twitching, eager to grab the axe. ¡°Sure.¡± Adam chuckled. Jurot grabbed it and started to swing it within the room, as though he were warming up his shoulders. He could definitely feel its power through his swings, noting the flames which sparked between each swing. ¡°You made this?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°You are very good at Enchanting.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I am.¡± He was rather proud of the axe. ¡®It¡¯ll be hard to beat.¡¯ Jurot spent the evening swinging the axe, until his mother finally forced him to return it. The next day, when he awoke, he ate breakfast with Sonarot. Jurot ate with some other Iyrmen opposite them in the courtyard, with a devilkin within arms reach. However, Adam was distracted by another Iyrman who approached them as they ate their steak and vegetables. He was an attractive Iyrman, who carried at his side a pair of shortswords, and a small pack on his back. ¡°Many greetings,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°I am Sodul, son of Sadul.¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam replied, certain he would be forgetting all these Iyrmen names. ¡°I have heard that your Enchanting skills are great. Are you willing to enchant a shortsword?¡± ¡°That depends,¡± Adam said, clasping his hands together, licking the meat juices off his lips greedily. ¡°Can you afford it?¡± He smirked. Sodul looked to Sonarot for a moment before he looked to Adam. ¡°Ah! This must be an elven joke, to ask an Iyrman if they can afford a price.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s half a joke. What kind of enchantment are you looking for?¡± He quickly moved on from his terrible joke, wondering if Jurot and Sonarot caught it. They had heard it plenty of times already, but he felt proud of this one. ¡°A similar enchantment that you have made recently. A Minor Grade enchantment and fire damage.¡± ¡®Minor Grade? I guess that means a +1?¡¯ Adam nodded his head. ¡°I can do that.¡± ¡°Depending on its strength, we will pay you more for the enchanting.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll get right to work then.¡± The man bowed his head, handing over one of the swords. It was made of dark steel, with small orange flecks within the darkness. He also handed over seven tiny rubies, each the size of Adam¡¯s pinky. ¡®Damn, that sword is nice.¡¯ Adam admired it for a moment. ¡®Is this the start of my Enchanting arc?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Yes. Yes it is. Also, yes, I am still trying to fix my sleep. I will probably have made a lot of mistakes but I wanted to get a chapter out. 44. Fire Fang 44. Fire Fang Once he was finished with breakfast, Adam wasted no time in enchanting the sword. He made his way back to the shrine to begin his work, noting the Iyrman who was tailing him. As he stepped through the Iyr, he noted many children rushing all around. Some were glancing his way, pointing towards him, with his pointed ears pointing outwards. ¡®Have these kids never seen an elf before?¡¯ Adam thought for a moment. ¡®Oh. Probably not.¡¯ He heard the screeching of a young boy, a boy no more than two years old, laying on his back and punching the air as he screamed. A woman remained beside him, watching him throw his tantrum, not saying a word. Being a Brit, Adam did what every Brit would have done. He completely ignored the situation and continued on, as did most of the Iyrmen nearby. He could have judged the parents for the tantrum of their child, as one might have expected of him, but his wallet was not yet that heavy. The half elf threw a quick glance back towards the Iyrman who followed him, stone faced as any other Iyrman. He was about to say something, but decided against it, recalling the small talk he had tried to make with the other Iyrman not long ago. ¡®Looks like even children of the Iyr are just children,¡¯ Adam thought. Though they were a people much different to himself, at least their children behaved like children. He looked up towards the open sky, and then to all the buildings around them. It was rare to see a lone Iyrman, as most spent their time with other Iyrmen, their families and friends. ¡®It¡¯s not a bad place to raise a child.¡¯ He thought of his home, which was different in so many ways. Here, within the safe walls of the Iyr, the children were free to grow up as children, with little worry about anything else. His thoughts strayed for a moment, towards the sister he hadn¡¯t met, the sister he¡¯d never meet. Once he approached the shrine, with the sun beating overhead illuminating the various runes, he stood, staring at the shrine. For a long moment he stayed like this, causing the Iyrman behind him to wonder what the half elf was doing. Adam slapped his cheeks, letting out a burst of noise, before he shook the rest of his body and limbered up for enchanting. ¡°Come on, Adam,¡± he urged himself. ¡°There¡¯s enchanting to be done.¡± Adam placed the various gems on the stones, before placing the last in the centre of the shrine. He sat on the stool, which had remained from the day before, and placed the tip of the sword against the gem. Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 4 + 2 = 24 (18) The hours passed by suddenly as he seeped his Mana into the blade, allowing the gems to sear their patterns onto the blade. They were near identical to the previous runes which had been patterned on Little Paw. He exhaled and made his way back to the Rot family. ¡°Are you alright?¡± the Iyrman asked. It was a new Iyrman, one he had never seen before. She was beautiful, in her mid forties or so, and her hair was shaved on the side of her head, with long braids falling down to her back. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam asked, wondering why she was asking. ¡°You seem uncertain,¡± she said, her voice soft. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I suppose,¡± Adam said. ¡°What can I complain about?¡± She nodded her head. She had heard from the Iyrman that he had seemed to be quite frustrated in the morning, so was making sure he was fine at the end of the day since he was done with enchanting. ¡°Did you enchant well today?¡± Sonarot asked, inviting Adam to sit beside her as the meat was cooked. She was eating a little meat today, though had an entire platter of various, what appeared to be, potatoes. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, sitting down beside her. ¡°If I¡¯m lucky the next few days, I¡¯ll be able to complete it in around the same time.¡± Sonarot nodded her head slowly, wondering if Adam knew how ridiculous his statement sounded. If she hadn¡¯t seen him enchant such a fine weapon in three days, she would have thought him a liar. His tale about dying twice was more believable. Adam bit into the meat, but he couldn¡¯t taste anything. It was well spiced and salted, but he was deep in thought. In his last life, he had told Lanarot he would return soon, but that Lanarot no longer existed. He hoped that she would live a decent life, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel something tighten in his gut. He glanced to Sonarot beside him, thinking about how she was in his previous life. The Sonarot in his previous life had lost her son and husband, and the Lanarot of that life had lost two brothers and a father. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Sonarot asked, noting the melancholy on his face. ¡°Just stuff,¡± Adam replied. Sonarot just smiled, allowing him to keep his thoughts to himself. If he didn¡¯t want to speak about his thought, she wasn¡¯t going to force him. ¡°I won¡¯t die,¡± Adam said, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Not this time.¡± Sonarot reached up to brush his hair. ¡°I hope death comes to you late.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. ¡°Late, huh?¡± A thought crossed his mind. ¡®I wonder if I can become immortal.¡¯ He kept that thought away from Bell. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, getting up on his feet. ¡°Today should be the last day I work on this sword.¡± Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 4 + 2 = 8 (2) Omen: 14, 16 -> 14 16 + 4 + 2 = 22 Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon? Adam hadn¡¯t expected the sword to be so easy to enchant. He had been so lucky due to his Omen, but that led to an issue. He was conflicted. The sword would be brilliant, far more brilliant than the weapon he made for Lanarot. ¡®No way. I refuse. It can¡¯t be better than the weapon I made for Lanarot.¡¯ He refused to spend any experience to make it better. Enchanting successful! Shortsword You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D3 slashing + 2 fire damage. XP: 1500 -> 1700 ¡®It¡¯s pretty much the same, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Adam thought for a long moment. ¡®No, this is ever so slightly worse due to critical hits.¡¯ He smiled, feeling much better about the axe now. ¡®I should have spent more time on the axe...¡¯ Would you like to name the weapon? ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ He stared at he sword, seeing the dark steel with flecks of orange throughout. Fire Fang (Shortsword) You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D3 slashing + 2 fire damage. ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± the Iyrman this day asked. Once again, it was someone completely new to him. It was a handsome man in his early fifties, which surprised Adam. No doubt this man would be one of the strongest in the Iyr, and yet he was stuck babysitting Adam? ¡°I am,¡± Adam said. ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The older man nodded his head and left it at that. He had heard the unbelievable tale of Adam making a weapon in three days, and he had been asked to check on him this day to see if he could repeat such a miracle. Even glancing at the sword, he could feel it was a decent enchantment. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Adam said, revealing the sword to Sonarot. ¡°Jurot, go bring Sodul,¡± Sonarot said, before inviting Adam to sit beside her. ¡°Did it go well?¡± Adam held out the sword for her, which she accepted, admiring the blade. ¡°It¡¯s near identical to the axe.¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to create such enchantments so quickly, especially to keep them at a similar strength.¡± Sodul appeared. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be done so soon,¡± he admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t charge you for an early delivery,¡± Adam joked, chuckling. Sodul examined the sword. ¡°I will spend the evening with the blade and will return with payment in the morning.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll rip me off.¡± The half elf yawned, suddenly feeling the lethargy take him. ¡°I¡¯ve been working so hard, so I think I¡¯ll call it an early night.¡± ¡°Rest well, Adam,¡± Sonarot said as Jurot went to admire the sword. It may not have been an axe, but a good weapon was a good weapon. Adam lay on the blanket, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°All I¡¯ve done is eat some delicious food and enchant some weapons,¡± Adam thought. ¡°I should try and get to know the Iyrmen better...¡± He thought about how rude it was that he came to the Iyr and didn¡¯t immerse himself. ¡®Though, I guess making the sword for Sodul was a good thing. I wonder how much gold I¡¯ll make.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sorry, I haven''t been able to sleep well recently. So begins the slice of life arc. I wonder how long it will last for our fortunate protagonist... 45. Payday 45. Payday ¡°Eight hundred gold?¡± Adam gasped, staring at the large pouch full of his payment. It was bulging, with many angular bulges within it. ¡°It is the gold offered by the Iyr,¡± Zijin said, passing the pouch to Adam. Adam wasn¡¯t sure why the orcish Iyrman had come to offer him the coin, but feeling how heavy the pouch was, he didn¡¯t care. He slipped his fingers into the bag, feeling the roughness of the various gems, as well as the smoothness of the gold coins. What a glorious feeling it was. Currency 15GP -> 65GP (17) Tiger Eye Adam hadn¡¯t expected so much money, but as he thought about it, he tried to analyse how much Fire Fang sold for. Considering the gems they had given him, seven gems each worth fifty gold each, plus the fees for using the shrine. ¡®Roughly one thousand and three hundred?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure if that was a decent amount, but feeling the bulge of the pouch, he emptied it into his own pouch. ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam said, fondling through the coins and gems. ¡°I¡¯m rich.¡± ¡°As an Adventurer, you should be careful,¡± Sonarot said, staring at him with her brows raised. ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam replied back, nodding his head. Adventuring was extremely expensive. From hiring guides, to inn costs, to buying rations, information, armour, weapons, magical components, healing potions. Even though he had almost a thousand gold, he knew it would be blown through quickly. A new set of armour would set him back a few hundred gold, and once he made more coin, he¡¯d be able to buy greater, and far more expensive, armour. Then there were the gems used for resurrection. ¡°You should be celebrating,¡± Sonarot said, noting the look on his face. ¡°Not even Iyrmen make so much coin when they¡¯re so new to adventuring.¡± ¡°I should celebrate,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure how I should be celebrating.¡± He wasn¡¯t in a town, where he could go and buy some delicious food and some ale, he was in the Iyr. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea to save your money for now,¡± Zijin said, revealing his wisdom as an Elder. Sonarot opened her mouth to protest, only to wonder what kind of advice was about to leave her lips. She had accepted Adam, and so she needed to take responsibility for him within the Iyr. ¡°I will request for some more meat tonight, as well as some cheese.¡± Adam smiled, though it did not reach his eyes, which squinted slightly. The cheese of the Iyr was a little too flavourful for his taste. ¡°It will be different cheese this time,¡± Sonarot assured, smiling up at him innocently. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I will have Jurot show you to the nearby river,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I will find some clothing in your size.¡± ¡°Ah, oh?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Right. Thank you.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. He was fine wearing his current clothes, though understood that Sonarot was politely asking him to bathe. Luckily for him, he had a spell that dealt with such issues, but he was missing the feeling of bathing. Jurot returned not long after finishing his morning training and checked up on his mother. She was still sick and needed assistance, so he remained nearby in case something happened. Adam stared at the small blocks of cheese curiously. He picked one up and popped it into his mouth, courageously. He chewed it slowly, before realising it had quite a mild flavour. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, bobbing his head approvingly. ¡°Pretty good.¡± Sodul brought out the meat from his bundle, which Adam didn¡¯t recognise one bit, and sliced it into thin strips. The thin strips were cooked as is, though in some fat mixed with herbs, whereas the rest of the meat was spitroasted over the fire, slowly being turned. It was covered in some kind of spice mix, one which Adam vaguely recognised from his second life. He glanced around, looking at Sonarot first, then to Jurot, then to Sodul. Even now, it surprised him to be here. He wasn¡¯t sure how he should feel about it all. Jurot muttered something to his mother in their tongue, and she smiled, brushing his hair gently. ¡°I know, but you need to eat it,¡± she said. Jurot sighed. He wasn¡¯t a fan of the particular mix of herbs due to the orange root which was used. Sodul¡¯s family preferred it, whereas Jurot found it to taste far too earthy. Still, his mother had told him to eat it, so he would. Adam, who had no idea what they were talking about, smiled. Seeing this interaction in this life filled his soul. ¡®You know what, Belle? Killing me wasn¡¯t a bad idea. I meant the second time. First time too, I guess?¡¯ [...] Once the strip of meat was cooked, Adam was first to be offered the meat. ¡°Thanks for the food,¡± he said, almost like a prayer, before biting into the meat. It was fatty and herby, exactly as he imagined. As far as he was concerned, it was some of the best meat he had eaten in his current life, but considering he had barely spent a month in this world, it wasn¡¯t the highest of praise. It was definitely good, though. He ate the thin strips, before wrapping it around the cheese block and eating it together. Jurot threw Adam a queer look, wondering what he was doing. Meat wrapped around cheese? What madness was that? Jurot wrapped the meat around the cheese block and bit into it. He chewed it slowly, tasting the way the juices of the meat mixed slightly with the cheese. ¡®It¡¯s fine.¡¯ Some wine was brought out, and Adam sipped along it as they began to chat. Sodul began a story, which reminded Adam that he had yet to hear the end of the Blackwater Crisis. Adam eventually wrapped the meat around the cheese block before holding it near the fire, allowing it to melt the cheese a little. He paid close attention to what Sodul was saying, bringing the hot meat and melted cheese to his mouth. Constitution Save D20 + 4 = 13 (9) Health: 26 -> 25 ¡°Ooh! Ah!¡± Adam panted, feeling the slight burn on his tongue. He sucked in the air quickly through his lips before chewing the melting cheese and meat together. He swallowed it together, panting out to try and cool his tongue. Save for the burning on his tongue, it tasted much better than he had expected. He ignored the gazes of the Iyrmen, who were looking at him as though he were some kind of alien. ¡®Oh,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I am an alien.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! That''s a lot of gold. He needs to spend half of it on gems for the resurrections spells though... 46. Iyrmen Training 46. Iyrmen Training ¡°You should take good care of your health,¡± Sonarot said, drinking some tea in the corner. She was opposite the newly awakened pair of young men, who were currently brushing their teeth. Adam glanced her way, nodding his head slowly. ¡°I should?¡± he replied, cautiously, unsure of what she was trying to do. ¡°Jurot, why don¡¯t you take Adam with you to train?¡± Sonarot smiled at her son. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head. Adam had spent almost a week within the Iyr and he hadn¡¯t been training, which meant he¡¯d be growing rusty. A blade unused was not a useful blade. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, grabbing the small stick with some plant fibres tied to it, placing it down. The Iyrmen brushed their teeth using such an item, and had a small cream which they applied to their teeth before they brushed their teeth with their contraption. It was quite sour and bitter, but it made Adam¡¯s teeth feel as good as new. ¡®This thing is more effective than toothpaste back home.¡¯ Once he was done brushing his teeth, he followed Jurot around back to the courtyard, where there were already a few other Iyrmen, a few of which Adam recognised. There was another with the trio of Iyrmen he had seen around Jurot, an orcish Iyrman. As Adam eyed up the pattern on the orc¡¯s forehead, he realised it was familiar, extremely so. ¡°Let me introduce you,¡± Jurot said, motioning a hand to a handsome, bronze skinned Iyrman. ¡°This is Amokan. The Kan family is one of the oldest families within the Iyr. They have had two Chiefs lead the Iyr.¡± Amokan had long, dark hair which fell to his upper back, a square jaw which was freshly shaved. At his side was a shortsword, though Adam noted most Iyrmen carried secondary weapons within the Iyr, so he wasn¡¯t sure if it was the Iyrman¡¯s family weapon. Amokan shook Adam¡¯s forearm with a strong grip, nodding his head in greeting. ¡°I have heard many things of you, son of Fate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have yet to have the pleasure,¡± Adam replied back. ¡°Two Chiefs, huh? That¡¯s quite a feat from one family.¡± ¡°I hear you are strong,¡± the orcish Iyrman cut in, staring at Adam. He wanted to get right to business. He was near bald, save for a short strip of hair above the top of his skull, with a shortsword at his side. ¡°Strong is a relative term,¡± Adam replied, unsure of how to respond to the orc. He wanted to get the glare away from him, seeing how eager the orc was to fight. The orcish Iyrman narrowed his eyes. ¡°I am Timojin, son of Tijin.¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± he replied, shaking Timojin¡¯s forearm. ¡°I recognise your name. Are you Zijin¡¯s nephew?¡± ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Timojin stressed, ¡°is my uncle, yes.¡± ¡°Right, sorry,¡± Adam coughed. ¡°Elder Zijin.¡± Adam nodded his head. He¡¯d need to keep in mind all the titles, for it wasn¡¯t good to disrespect Iyrmen, even if accidentally. ¡°Kitool, daughter of Citool,¡± a pretty Iyrman said, bowing her head slightly. Her head was shaved at the sides, towards the top of her head, which was cut fairly short. She wore fairly simple clothing, marked with her family¡¯s patterns on the hems, and carried at her back a staff. She bowed her head in greeting. ¡°That¡¯s not confusing at all,¡± Adam replied, chuckling slightly. He noted the harsher way she pronounced her own name, assuming that they were two different names. Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 13 (10) ¡°Kitool? Kitool. Ool.¡± Adam said aloud, trying to remember why that name sounded so familiar. ¡°She is the grandniece of Shaool,¡± Jurot said, a small smile appearing on his face. ¡°Shaool?¡± Adam replied, trying to recall the name. How many Iyrmen had he met? She wasn¡¯t one of the few who came with him to the Iyr. Then his brows raised upwards quickly. ¡°Oh! Shaool!¡± Adam¡¯s head snapped to Kitool, full of shock.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°I have heard you have met my grandaunt,¡± Kitool said, smiling slightly, but quickly dropping it. ¡°We did,¡± Adam replied, recalling the woman who had appeared suddenly from the trees behind him. He shuddered. Kitool¡¯s lips twitched into another smile, and she bowed her head slightly. ¡°My grandaunt makes sure the borders of the Iyr remain safe. It is my honour to be her grandniece.¡± ¡°I hear she¡¯s extremely powerful.¡± Kitool¡¯s lips kept twitching, but it was obvious she was trying to not let it get to her. ¡°I hear the same.¡± Even as the woman¡¯s grandniece, Kitool barely knew about the elder woman¡¯s recent tales. ¡°Stop being so humble,¡± the devilkin woman beside her said, elbowing Kitool. ¡°I¡¯m Jaygak! I hear you¡¯re an armoured warrior like me.¡± She was a little shorter than Adam, but well built. At her side was a shortsword too. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, noting how refreshing Jaygak was. ¡°Though, I can use magic too.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, seeing the hopeful gaze of the youngster. It shone far too brightly. ¡°I¡¯ll need to take it easy today anyway since I haven¡¯t trained in some time.¡± Turot smiled wide and joined Adam as they began to train, excited to join the older few. He threw a look back to the other children, a smug smile on his face. Athletics Check D20 + 5 = 21 (16) They ran several laps around the courtyard, starting off at a jog before sprinting. Eventually they grabbed the few rocks in the corner, carrying them around to the opposite side and dropped them down. Turot didn¡¯t grab the rocks, instead carrying a pack full of stuffs. They also squat and leapt upwards, training their legs and leaping abilities, as that would always be useful. The Iyrmen finally grabbed their various weapons to swing them close to a hundred times, with Turot using a club which was fairly light to practise swinging like an axe. They ran once again before stretching. Once they had finished their workout, Timojin and Amokan volunteered to spar one another that day. Timojin and Amokan both wielded greatswords, which seemed to be a popular weapon in the Iyr. ¡°I hear you use a longsword,¡± Jaygak said as the pair readied themselves for sparring. ¡°I do,¡± Adam replied, ¡°though I can use any weapon.¡± ¡°A longsword isn¡¯t bad,¡± she said, resting her arm between the hilt of her sword and her thigh. ¡°It¡¯s romantic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Begin!¡± Jurot declared, cutting off their bonding. Amokan and Timojin both roared, eagerly ready to face one another. The pair met in harsh battle, their steel thundering together. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to fight so seriously,¡± Adam said, blinking at them. They seemed to want to kill another. ¡°They¡¯re always like that,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°They¡¯ve been fighting each other since they were little boys.¡± Amokan swiped across where Timojin¡¯s head was, who ducked and swung wildly backwards, causing Amokan to leap over Timojin¡¯s swipe. ¡°Why do they have such a rivalry?¡± Adam watched as they tried to kill one another. ¡°Amokan¡¯s goal is to become Chief of the Iyr,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It just so happens that Timojin wishes for the same.¡± ¡°How many children wish to grow up to be the Chief?¡± Adam asked, feeling as though it would be a popular goal. Turot and the other children cheered and gasped at the spar. Though they were used to it, they still enjoyed the fight. ¡°Children?¡± Jaygak paused to think for a long moment as the pair battled. ¡°At least half. How many at our age? Ten or twenty.¡± ¡°So few?¡± Amokan managed to catch a heavy swing, though he slid backwards from the heavy blow. ¡°Being Chief is something not everyone can do, but there are also those who wish to be one of the Great Elders.¡± Amokan barely managed to dodge a wild swing, and he thrust forward against Timojin¡¯s side, only to barely clatter off the man¡¯s muscular side. Timojin brought his greatsword down, aiming to split the man¡¯s head in half. Adam stood taller, his heart pounding wildly. His body wanted to move forward, but he was too shocked to move. The greatsword stopped a finger¡¯s width from cutting into Amokan¡¯s head, causing his long hair to float, as Timojin¡¯s muscles strained furiously to keep the blade at bay. Adam let out a sigh of relief, staring at the pair of Iyrmen. ¡°I¡¯m really glad I didn¡¯t spar now.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The harem begins? 47. Iyrman Curiosity 47. Iyrman Curiosity ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jurot asked, staring down at Adam. Adam was squatting, his eyes glued to the oven ahead of him, where an Iyrman was currently baking bread. ¡°Thinking.¡± ¡°Your friend is queer,¡± Timojin said, staring at the squinted eyed half elf. ¡°Can you judge someone after a day?¡± Jurot asked, shaking his head. ¡°My gut tells me he¡¯s queer.¡± ¡°Last time I trusted your gut, I almost died,¡± Amokan said, chuckling lightly. ¡°Last time you trusted my gut, you brought back a fattened boar for your family,¡± Timojin grunted. ¡°And a delicious boar it was.¡± Amokan nodded his head, licking his lips at the thought of the taste. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jaygak asked, squatting beside Adam, staring at the oven which was creating a large number of fluffy breads for the various families. ¡°Food.¡± ¡°I guessed that much.¡± ¡°An oven like this can make a great many food, but there are a few I¡¯m thinking about.¡± ¡°Food from your home?¡± Jaygak asked, throwing him a quick glance. Adam nodded, sighing slightly. It was one thing to use Tricks to flavour his food, but it was another to feel the food within his mouth, the textures of his favourite foods which he¡¯d be unable to eat again. Timojin suddenly felt a little awkward about his comment. Adam, who had revealed that he no longer had a family, was missing the taste of home. Amokan threw the orcish Iyrman a look, admonishing him in the most smug way possible. ¡°What kind of food?¡± Timojin asked. ¡°Breads and more,¡± Adam said. ¡°Flat breads of a certain kind, but there¡¯s also something I want to make, but I¡¯m not sure if there are the appropriate ingredients.¡± ¡°Which ingredients are you looking for?¡± ¡°Tomatoes.¡± Ever since he had arrived within this world, he had noted that a few of the fruits and vegetables he was used to weren¡¯t in the world, or at least, they weren¡¯t in this land. ¡°Tomatoes?¡± Jaygak asked, the word foreign to her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a type of fruit, a nightshade specifically,¡± Adam said, standing tall. ¡°Something which can be made into a sauce by being cut up and cooked in a particular way.¡± ¡°Do you make the sauce in an oven?¡± Jaygak stood up beside him, tilting her head. ¡°No, a pot or pan. Once it¡¯s cooked, you can spread it over some flat dough, and then you sprinkle some cheese all over it.¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°Pizza.¡± ¡°Pizza?¡± Jurot was trying to imagine what kind of food Adam was trying to describe. Adam threw Jurot a look, one full of smugness. It was a look Jurot had thrown to him whenever he knew something the half elf didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely certain how to make the dough I¡¯m thinking of, but it should be fine either way.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make this pizza,¡± Jaygak said, feeling some vague sense of familiarity with what he was talking about, but she couldn¡¯t quite place it. ¡°So you need dough, cheese, and this thing called tomatoes?¡± ¡°We need a few tomatoes, but we¡¯ll also need some oil and salt for the sauce, and the mild cheese I ate previously. You can use other cheese, I guess, but I think the mild cheese would go well with the pizza.¡± Jaygak assumed Adam had wanted the mild cheese without him mentioning it. The stronger cheese was an Iyrman favourite, but that was only because they grew up on the cheese. ¡°We have everything but this tomatoes you speak of. What are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯re...¡± Adam thought for along while. ¡®Do tomatoes even exist in this world?¡¯ ¡°I would have to taste the various fruits and vegetables in order to figure it out.¡± ¡°What do they look like?¡± ¡°They¡¯re red, usually about the size of an apple. They¡¯re green when they grow and they turn red when they¡¯re ready to be eaten, depending on the type of tomato. Though, I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re on this land, or if they grow the same way outside of my home.¡± ¡°We can bring some fruits and vegetables for you to check,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I¡¯ll go speak with Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam said, suddenly feeling a little awkward. ¡°we don¡¯t really need to bother the Elder. I could make it another time once I¡¯ve found a tomato.¡± Adam wondered how much damage he was taking internally, sighing once again to calm himself. With that, he began to taste the various fruits and vegetables. The Iyrmen waited patiently, eating and roasting some of the vegetables he had finished tasting, not wanting the food to go to waste. Their families soon joined, eating and chatting as Adam tasted the various fruits and vegetables. The story was explained to them, and the anticipation of the Iyrmen grew. The flavours of the various fruits and vegetables were all familiar and foreign in many ways to his tongue. He found many different tastes, some of which surprised him. There was a fruit which tasted awfully like chocolate, one he¡¯d need to keep in the back of his head, though it seemed to be one of the exotic fruits. ¡°No!¡± Jurot shouted as Adam brought a seed to his lips. Adam sat up in surprise. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. It¡¯s poisonous.¡± ¡°How poisonous?¡± Adam quickly placed it down. ¡°It will not kill you, but it will pain your stomach for the entire night.¡± Adam nodded. The half elf cut into a large fruit which looked like a red pumpkin, and he bit into it. He was struck by a tang, and then a slight sweetness. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, surprised. The Iyrmen near him glanced his way. He ate another piece, feeling the way the soft skin gave in, and tasted the seeds too. ¡°It¡¯s slightly different than what I¡¯m used to, but this is definitely the same flavour and feel as a tomato.¡± ¡°That¡¯s from the south,¡± Jaygak said, smiling. ¡°From the land of my ancestors.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can do them proud, but I¡¯ll do my best to try and make a pizza.¡± Omen: 5, 7 ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t feel very lucky today, and I¡¯ll need some time to remember how to make the pizza properly.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll wait,¡± Jaygak said, nodding her head. The Iyrmen dispersed, excited that Adam had finally found the last ingredient he needed. Adam returned to the Rot family house, and Turot stepped in too. He stared at the half elf. ¡°Can I have some pizza too?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to make some great pizza.¡± ¡°Turot, go bring Adam a stylus and a book,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It¡¯s best to prepare the recipe beforehand.¡± Turot quickly scampered away, before returning with a small book and a stylus a few moments later. The stylus was essentially a mechanical pencil, where the long strip of rock could be slowly pushed out by twisting the body of the wood. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, taking the pencil and book. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to eat this pizza,¡± Turot said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait either,¡± Sonarot said. Adam spent the rest of the evening trying to remember how to make pizza. It wasn¡¯t a difficult process from what he recalled, but he wanted to make sure he didn¡¯t miss out something obvious. There were too many Iyrmen to please. Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 5 (2) He stared at the recipe for a long while. There was something off about it, but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. He sighed, placing the book aside before he turned in for the night. Adam pulled the blanket over his head, going deep into thought. ¡®These Iyrmen are more eager than me. If I fail...¡¯ He tried to shake the negative thoughts out of his head, but the stress filled his entire body. ¡®Belle, how much experience does it cost to reroll?¡¯ [100.] He wondered if he¡¯d really spend so much experience trying to make pizza of all things. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I wasn''t kidding when I said it was the slice of life arc. 48. No Pineapples 48. No Pineapples Omen: 2, 18 When he awoke in the morning, he checked the recipe once again now that he had a fresh mind to work with. Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 22 (19) ¡°Oh,¡± he said. He began to rewrite the tomato base, which he had accidentally used a recipe for a soup. ¡®A tomato soup base would have been awful.¡¯ With the recipe fixed, he began the day by brushing his teeth and then training with the other Iyrmen. They ran around the courtyard, which they would use to cook not long later, before they went off to the stream to wash up. Adam had forgotten the men and women of the Iyr bathed together, so he remained off to one side, washing up quickly. He spent most of his time in thought about the pizza he was going to make. Once they had returned, Adam in his Iyrman clothing, he tied a piece of cloth around his forehead like a bandanna. He needed it to catch his sweat and keep his hair at bay, but also because he thought it would help his cooking in spirit. The excitement within him rushed around like a raging river, which quickly fell away as he stepped into the courtyard to see the families waiting for him, ready to see his work. There were the Rot, Ool, Gak, and Kan families, as he had expected, but there was also a family of orcish Iyrmen, the Jins. He hadn¡¯t expected the Jin family, which weren¡¯t part of the four families which lived in this block, but he should have expected them. He glanced around, not spotting Zijin about, though Elders did have to work to do. He didn¡¯t see Gorot either, and this entire time he had yet to meet Mirot or Nirot. Adam blinked twice and inhaled deeply. ¡°Alright!¡± He slapped his cheeks slightly to hype himself up. ¡°I figured out the ingredients and the tools I need!¡± He explained the ingredients and utensils he¡¯d need to his Iyrmen companions, who brought back the various items he had asked for. They had brought back some dough for him which had been made in the last few days, as well as some which had been made fresh in the morning, but also ingredients to make some more fresh dough there. They had also brought along eggs, which were quickly scrambled and cooked, and they were each spiced separately. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Jaygak asked, watching him spice the various small portions of eggs. ¡°We have salt, but I don¡¯t know if you have pepper,¡± he said. ¡°They say that S and P are an investment in your future.¡± Adam chuckled to himself, before he saw the look of confusion on Jaygak¡¯s face. He shook his face. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand how good, or bad, that joke is.¡± He sighed. ¡°I should stop making jokes no one will understand.¡± Adam ate each small portion of egg with the spices, before coming across pepper, towards the end. It was one of the exotic spices the Iyrmen possessed, meaning it would be difficult to use it often in his food. He loved pepper on his eggs, and it was such a staple spice for him. Cooking D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Adam began with the dough first, mixing together the various ingredients, kneading the dough until it was slightly sticky but mostly smooth, before allowing it to proof for the next hour. Then he began with the base, which would be the most difficult part of the recipe. He was using a different ingredient than he was used to, as it wasn¡¯t quite like the tomatoes he was used to. Cooking D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Omen: 2, 18 -> 2 18 + 1 = 19 He didn¡¯t trust himself, so he weaved his Omen, which bended the strands of Fate, taking away the good fortune from a random being within the world in order to allow him to make a decent sauce. He diced the fruit and began to cook it down, adding in the smashed pulp of the fruit in it too. He added in a liberal amount of salt and pepper, tasting it as he went along. It was different than what he was used to, since there was no basil and the oil wasn¡¯t what he was used to, but it was fine enough. He cut into the fresh dough he had made, which had grown twice as large, and used a bottle the Iyrmen had brought to roll it out. He spread the sauce all along it, going towards the edge, but leaving about a thumb¡¯s width from the edge, before he crumbled some cheese all along it. ¡®Damn, I wish I would have checked for basil now, but I don¡¯t want to leave it for too long.¡¯ During the time it took for him to cook the sauce and make the dough, the Iyrmen had brought over one of their ovens and had already begun burning some wood. Cooking D20 + 1 = 21 (20) Adam pushed the first paddle into the oven, which was battering heat into the pizza from all sides. He stared at the pizza for a long while, watching the way the dough expanded along the edge, puffing up. Some of it became darkened by crispiness, and the cheese had melted, slightly browning as well. Adam quickly brought the paddle under the pizza pie and pulled it out. The smell of the pizza had long filled the air, and the Iyrmen waited with bated breath. Adam could smell it clearest of all, the beautiful smell of pizza. It was similar to what he remembered, though not quite exactly the same. Adam glanced around, noting all the people who were waiting. He smiled and then went about cooking the rest of the pizzas he had prepared. Timojin had arrived just in time for Adam to add some of the meat over the last pizza he had prepared. ¡°Will you allow us to make the pizza for ourselves?¡± Elder Zijin asked, licking his lips. ¡°This pizza was more than worth offering all of our fruits and vegetables.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°All should experience the love known as pizza.¡± Zijin nodded and quickly left. ¡°No wonder this sounded so familiar,¡± Jaygak said, smiling wide. She was delighted, and had melted against the floor, like a piece of cheese on the pizza. ¡°It¡¯s similar to tabba.¡± ¡°What¡¯s tabba?¡± Adam asked. Jaygak giggled slightly, opening her mouth for q uip, but seeing the look from Jurot, kept her lips shut for a moment. ¡°Tabba is similar to this, but we don¡¯t use sauce. It¡¯s flatbread with cheese and certain fruit, though some people put vegetables on it.¡± ¡°That does sound a lot like pizza. I know some pizza is made without sauce, but I like the sauce too much.¡± Adam kept his eyes on the pizzas in the oven, making sure they didn¡¯t get burnt. ¡°The devilkin soldiers of old used to bake it on their shields when they were out campaigning.¡± Adam squinted his eyes, recalling history from his first life. ¡°Oh, tabba. I think I know of tabba.¡± ¡°You know tabba?¡± ¡°It might be a different type of tabba, but I¡¯ve heard of soldiers doing that thousands of years ago.¡± Jaygak nodded, smiling, though her eyes were sad. ¡°It was a very long time ago.¡± ¡°Who would have though that this world...¡± Adam realised what he was saying, and then saw Jaygak and Kitool stare at him curiously. He bit into the rest of his pizza, keeping his mouth shut as he chewed. Eventually, a few more ovens were brought and Iyrmen were bringing dough from earlier in the day, and began to make another pot of the sauce using the large red fruit. Some other families had brought some of the red pumpkin they had in stock, all to have a taste of this pizza they had heard about. As Timojin bit into the meaty pizza, he nodded his head. ¡°This,¡± he began, swallowing the rest of the pizza down in a single bite, ¡°is good.¡± ¡°What can¡¯t you add on to pizza?¡± Kitool asked, finishing her slice. ¡°Whatever doesn¡¯t taste good,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Well, depending on who you ask, you can¡¯t use pineapple either.¡± ¡°Pineapple?¡± Kitool asked, having never heard of the fruit before. ¡°An apple on a pine?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how it got its name, but its a delicious fruit which can be quite harsh on the tongue. I¡¯m not pizza racist, so I quite like it on my pizza.¡± Adam wondered if he could go around the world and bring back all manner of fruits and vegetables. Oh how he missed the globalisation of his previous world. ¡®It would be a good way of making money. Bring back exotic fruits, grow them, and sell them to the nobility? I could even bring pizza to them...¡¯ The pizza party was in full swing as there were five ovens cooking close to ten to fifteen pizzas at any time. Adam was offered a slice from each pizza, but he waited until everyone else had managed to eat a slice before accepting some of the pizzas the Iyrmen made. It was growing late in the evening, and about two dozen families had rotated through the courtyard, introducing themselves to Adam and joining the party, eating their pizzas, before leaving to allow another family in. ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad you allowed us all those fruits and vegetables now?¡± Jaygak asked Zijin, rubbing her full stomach. As one of the driving forces of bringing pizza to the Iyr, she had managed to steal more portions of pizza. He grabbed onto her skull and swayed it, half bullying the young Iyrman. He chuckled lightly. She just smiled up at Zijin, who could already sense that she was plotting some kind of nonsense, which he would have to turn away from, as long as it wasn¡¯t too bad. ¡°Ah!¡± Sonarot gasped. She looked down to see a wetness down her thighs and all over the chair she sat on. ¡°Elder Zijin!¡± Zijin inhaled deeply before roaring something in their tongue, and quickly the party fell silent, before the Iyrmen began to move. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam''s Omen is killing people and he''s out here using it to make decent pizza. 49. Relief 49. Relief The entire courtyard was in a rush, with Iyrmen swiftly clearing the area. The Iyrmen families which had been around eating pizza were quickly putting out the oven and moving the children away, returning back to where they had come from. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adam threw a look to Sonarot, who was being helped by Zijin, with two Iyrmen standing near her to keep people away. Turot and Jurot stared at Sonarot, confused. They were unsure as to what was happening, as no one had bothered to tell them anything. Jurot had been kept in the dark that Sonarot was pregnant, and Turot knew that he needed to not bother his aunt so much, but seeing her in trouble worried him. Kitool and Jaygak quickly confronted the pair, trying to lead the pair away. ¡°We should leave them in peace,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Come on, Turot, I¡¯ll carry you around the Iyr on my shoulders.¡± Jaygak lifted the young boy up onto her shoulders with ease. Turot didn¡¯t want to leave, but he understood that he shouldn¡¯t be here considering how the other Iyrmen were acting. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Jurot asked, who trusted Kitool, but it wasn¡¯t enough for him to leave his mother. ¡°Great fortune.¡± Kitool flashed a rare smile, disarming Jurot. Amokan placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We should leave her in peace, son of Fate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m staying,¡± Adam said, feeling the strong Iyrman¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°Jurot¡¯s staying too.¡± ¡°It is not your place to stay here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your place to tell me where to go.¡± ¡°This is the Iyr,¡± Amokan said, firmly. ¡°If Sonarot wants me to leave, I¡¯ll leave, but you and no other Iyrman is going to tell me to leave her.¡± Amokan stared at Adam for a long moment, and Timojin stepped beside him. The pair of them stared down Adam, and the tension in the air grew. The pair of Iyrmen had noted that Jurot was stronger than them now, and Adam was probably equally as strong as their older friend. Adam stared at the pair, but without his armour and weapons in hand, it would be difficult to deal with them. Then again, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to start a bother within the Iyr. He was a stranger, and Sonarot was currently giving birth, something quite important within the Iyr. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t do this,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°It¡¯ll only stress her out.¡± ¡°Step back, son of Fate,¡± Timojin said. ¡°Your pizza was good, but it isn¡¯t your place to force yourself into this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to start a fight in the Iyr, even if I could beat the pair of you,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Though, perhaps not without my armour and weapons.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, noting how Jurot was staring at him too. ¡°You should stay with your mother. Hold her hand until it¡¯s over.¡± Jurot squinted his eyes, unsure as to why Adam was trying to command him to do things, but nodded his head anyway. The Shamans of the Iyr were upon the scene, dressed in their heavy cloaks. Dark green, with a golden hem, like a uniform. Each wielded various weapons made of wood, though there were two wielded metal weapons at their side, and they also wore two amulets with Sozain¡¯s symbol. They had been preparing for a while for this eventuality, so it didn¡¯t take long to arrive on the scene, having been called by one of the Iyrmen. They forced most of the Iyrmen away, with Turot staring at them for a short while before Jaygak took him away, and Adam returned to the Rot house, with Amokan, Kitool, and Timojin. ¡°Who would you like for us to call?¡± a Shaman asked her. She saw Jurot trying to force his way forward, puffing out his cheeks as a Shaman kept him back. She reached out a hand for Jurot, who took it, and he sat beside her. She didn¡¯t want him to see her like this, but since he had come to her, she couldn¡¯t push him away. ¡°You can inform the rest of the family, but they shouldn¡¯t come.¡± She breathed deeply to try and calm herself. She smiled slightly, thinking about how annoyed her father in law would be. Soon, word was sent to the Rot estate deeper within the Iyr, and a Shaman stepped into the Rot family house. ¡°Sonarot has called for you,¡± the Shaman said, looking at the half elf who was embracing an axe on his lap as though it were a child. He vaguely noted the other three Iyrmen, who were keeping an eye on the stranger., Adam smiled, quickly leaping onto his feet and swiftly stepped out. The Shaman stepped in front of him, cutting him off. ¡°You should leave the axe behind.¡± The Shaman wondered why Sonarot would call for the stranger, but it was not his place to ask. Adam glanced down towards the axe. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ It was a terrible idea to rush towards a pregnant woman with an axe. He placed the axe on the table and rushed out to Sonarot¡¯s side, who reached out to hold his hand. ¡°I would have liked for her to have been born on the second,¡± Sonarot admitted, squeezing the young men¡¯s hands. ¡°The second?¡± Adam asked, squeezing her hand gently. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The second day of the second month,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is a lucky day.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what day she¡¯s born,¡± Adam said, ¡°she¡¯ll be lucky either way.¡± Sonarot smiled. Adam had no idea if the birth was going well as the minutes passed by. The various Iyrmen around spoke in their own tongue, grunting and growling a few words here and there. Water was brought, as well as various blankets and towels, and the Shamans remained on high alert. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 10 (8) Sonarot sighed, seeing the way the pair were arguing and making the others wait, embarrassed that they would act so immature. ¡°Come, give it!¡± Sonarot demanded, holding out her hand. ¡®What am I going to do with these two?¡¯ Jurot handed it over to his mother, handle side out. She grabbed the handle and placed one of Lanarot¡¯s hands on the handle, allowing the babe to accept it, before holding the axe back up to her son. He took it from his mother, understanding that it was dangerous to keep near a baby. ¡°Her first gift is such a treasure. Wouldn¡¯t it be best if there was a story with the axe?¡± Sonarot asked, staring up at her son. ¡°Adam created most of the blade and enchanted it, and you created the handle. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if you created a story with it too?¡± She was more worried that the axe wouldn¡¯t be used for some time, and a young girl having a magical axe was a little awkward. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, nodding his head slowly. ¡®Looks like all of Jurot¡¯s brains remained with his mother.¡¯ Jurot stared at the axe for a long moment. A story? "I can do that." He could already feel the excitement. Adam looked at the tiny girl within Sonarot¡¯s arms, squatting down beside her. ¡°Is she okay? Is she healthy?¡± "She is fine,¡± a Shaman said, as confused as every other Iyrman here. ¡°She will become a strong warrior like her older brothers." Sonarot kissed the girl¡¯s head again. "Turot is not yet strong,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about Turot,¡± Sonarot said. She reached up for Adam¡¯s hand, who felt the weak hand of a mother who had just given birth. "I hope that you will guide her as well." Adam glanced aside, feeling his cheeks flush with deep heat, completely red. ¡°Yeah...¡± Jurot looked to Adam, his eyes wide. ''Is he trying to replace me?'' "If there''s anything you need for your health or Lanarot''s, please let us know, ¡°Adam urged. ¡°We''ll bring you whatever you need." "What if I need the heart of three manticores? Or the heart of a hydra?" Sonarot joked. "We''ll get them," Adam confirmed. He turned to Jurot. "Right?" "Yes, we will!¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°Or we will die trying." "No, we won''t die trying,¡± Adam snapped at him. ¡®This idiot! What the hell is he saying?¡¯ ¡°If we can''t get them, we''ll try again another time. Lanarot needs her older brother, what are you saying? Are you so eager to abandon your little sister?¡± Jurot remained silent, narrowing his eyes at Adam. The other Iyrmen soon showered the girl and Sonarot with all manner of gifts, from tiny cups and plates, to bundles of cloths, to toys which she would need in the future. Adam and Jurot watched from afar, not noticing the Chief who was on the rood above them, checking in on the scene. ¡°You knew my mother was going to have a child,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You also knew Lanarot¡¯s name.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Adam said. ¡°Will you tell me how?¡± ¡°One day.¡± Jurot frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t trust me, but I already told Sonarot and the Chief. They haven¡¯t killed me yet, so I assume they¡¯re fine with me.¡± Adam stared out to Sonarot and Lanarot. ¡°You should stand beside them.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stand beside us too? Mother has accepted you as Lanarot¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°There are some things which are worth more than gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°I was desperate to head to the Iyr with you, and only you. Now that I¡¯ve completed my most important tasks, I want to partake in the fruits of my labour. I want to see you all, together.¡± Jurot was still extremely suspicious of Adam, but his mother had never done him wrong. Since she seemed to trust the half elf, he would need to be careful with his suspicions. He went to his mother, sitting beside her. He stared at the tiny form of Lanarot, wondering if she¡¯d be alright in the Iyr. All the other babies he had seen were much bigger than her. He didn¡¯t realise most babies were this small when they were born, and that he had seen every baby after a week or two. Adam rested up against the wall, seeing the Iyrmen admire the tiny little girl, glad to hear of the expansion of the Rot family. When Turot had arrived, bringing Gorot with him, he stared down at Lanarot, unsure of who she was, but his face turned into a bright smile when he was told who she was. Quest Complete: The Siblings Meet XP Gained: +200 XP: 1700 -> 1900 Adam smiled, wondering when he¡¯d be able to see Mirot and Nirot with them all too. ¡®She said that Surot might be missing instead of dead,¡¯ Adam thought. However, exhaustion filled him, and he passed out against the wall opposite the Iyrmen. The Chief stared down at the half elf, still wondering if he should kill the stranger. He knew far too much. ¡®Will I really disregard the rules of the Iyr at this age?¡¯ Iromin shook his head. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I was really happy writing this chapter, and quite relieved. Next chapter is probably an interlude or the completion of Blackwater Crisis. Side Story – Blackwater Crisis IX Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis IX ¡°You worry too much, your Grace,¡± Master Whiteheart said. ¡°The Iyrmen must be tired of war as well, and they won¡¯t just give up the alliance for a single Iyrman.¡± Master Whiteheart held a small smile on his face. He had finally pressured the King into executing an Iyrman, something with the other Hearts hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°It¡¯s not just a single Iyrman,¡± the King said. ¡°We broke the treaty, and had slain the Iyrman¡¯s wife and child.¡± ¡°The child was yet born,¡± Whiteheart replied, simply. ¡°She was granted the rank of Royal Guard when we heard she had died, and she was awarded her several honours. No Royal Guard is to marry and have a child, these are the oaths sworn, and she had broken them. It is reasonable to execute a traitor.¡± ¡°They were oaths she did not swear.¡± The King¡¯s worry only increased. He believed himself to be a fair and just King, and yet, he had executed two great heroes of his Kingdom. There must have been other ways to deal with the situation. ¡®If only you hadn¡¯t drawn your blade, Iyrman.¡¯ ¡°Will the Iyrmen really go to war over a single Iyrman?¡± Master Blueheart asked. ¡°You had the foresight to return the weapons, though was it really necessary to send the bow?¡± ¡°The bow had appeared after the girl was killed,¡± Solomon replied. ¡°Executed, your Grace,¡± Whiteheart said, smiling. ¡°It was a hidden weapon, perhaps meant to assassinate you with?¡± The King sighed. ¡°The matter is done. The guard must be doubled.¡± The King returned to the matter at hand. ¡°You had said it yourself, Master Whiteheart, she could have tried to assassinate me. Will you really deny such an increase of guard?¡± The King stared into Whiteheart¡¯s eyes. His slip of the tongue has cost him. ¡°No, your Grace.¡± He bowed his head. It was a small price to pay in order to have exerted influence over the King, strengthening his position against the man. Suns passed the land by, creating looming shadows. The Chief remained silent for a long while, staring at the gaunt Shakrat and Kasomin. He had listened to the tale which Kasomin had returned with, alongside the various others who were permitted to listen. They sat within the small glade, which refreshed the Iyrmen around. ¡°Those bastards!¡± Tamin exclaimed, slamming his fists onto the ground. ¡°After what Akrat had done for them! He wore his blades into a city, and they executed him?¡± No one could blame the young man for his outburst. He had been so excited to hear the tale, but when he saw his brother return, he refused to allow the story to be told without him. ¡°Their laws are strange, but they are still their laws,¡± The Chief said. ¡°We should obey them as best we could.¡± Yet, they could see it. The rage which built within their Chief. The Chief turned to face them, the Six Great Elders, each older than he. He was almost fifty, just a little older than the current King, and he was the weakest of all the leaders within the Iyr. Elder Wrath. Elder Teacher. Elder Gold. Elder Forest. Elder Peace. The last was Elder Story, who remained within their tiny cave, which the story had been spoken beside. No living Iyrman had seen Elder Story before, not even the Chief. Each of the Great Elders, save for Elder Peace and Elder Story, had their faces contorted in rage. Yet, none spoke, for none of them could speak on this matter, not even the Chief. They stared at Elder Peace, who wore a long cloak made of white dragon scales, from his time up north, vanquishing a dragon the Kingdom had never heard the name of. At his sides were two blades, each made of the dragon¡¯s fangs. The Great Elder hadn¡¯t drawn them to kill for years, not since he became Elder Peace. Within his fingers were beads. One hundred beads, which were rounded, and two which were square. One white, which he was currently thumbing, and one red, which he did not touch purposefully, not since he had inherited the beads. ¡°The treaty is clear,¡± he called, in his raspy voice. ¡°The Iyrmen are to assist the Kingdom in its time of need, providing a hundred soldiers of our choosing, and sending an adviser. For each war which had come to the land, the Iyrmen provided such soldiers. No less than fifty Iyrmen have died in these wars, their stories to be told for generations.¡± The other Great Elders nodded their heads silently, agreeing with the statement, but waited with bated breath. ¡°In exchange, we will no longer spill blood as we had done, with the wars exhausting the lands of man outside our borders. Our lands are to be governed by ourselves, by we Iyrmen. The Kingdom will not encroach on our sovereignty. This is clear.¡± The nods continued, and they continued to wait. Even as Tamin¡¯s tears fell down his cheeks, he did not dare to interrupt Elder Peace with anything more than just silent sobs. ¡°An Iyrman who has broken the law of the Kingdom, will not escape punishment. However, they will be returned to the Iyr, to face a jury of our peers. It is the right of the Iyr to punish our own. This is clear.¡± Shakrat trembled. He wanted to hear the words. He wanted to feel the sensation within his forehead burn. He had heard the tales, of the Iyr truly going to war. Yes, the Iyrmen helped with the wars of the Kingdom, but these were not their wars. They would fight in the wars, and such wars would go down as wars they participated in, but they were not wars of the Iyrmen. ¡°The price of our unborn child must be paid in blood,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°This is clear.¡± His fingers rubbed the red bead. Shakrat, Tamin, and Kasomin filled rage, able to finally unleash it. They roared, and the roar echoed throughout the Iyr. Iyrmen who slept awoke, their tattoos flashing with heat as war was called. On the top of a mountain far to the north of the Kingdom, two figures played dragon chess. One of them was losing badly, though his companion was playing casually. He, who was losing, stood. ¡°I must return,¡± he said, his voice cool and raspy. ¡°Return?¡± the other figure replied, staring up at the man who had saved his life countless times. ¡°There is war.¡± ¡°Who is stupid enough to go to war with the Iyr?¡± He scoffed, shaking his head. ¡°The Kingdom of Blackwater,¡± came the cold reply. The man dropped the piece within his hand. ¡°What?¡± He stared up at his companion, knowing he wasn¡¯t lying, for no Iyrman lied. ¡°Solomon, you damn fool! What have you done?¡± He rubbed his forehead, shaking his head. He had paved the way for his descendants, and yet it had been ruined just like that. ¡°Take me with you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to ride on my back!¡± Gantalia growled from nearby, crossing his arms. He had been lazing around, but when he noticed the air changed, he had been paying keen attention to the pair. ¡°If he wishes to come, then he may come,¡± the Iyrman said, grabbing his axes, which seemed to be made out of ice. These were the very same axes which had almost cut Gantalia¡¯s neck clean off decades ago. ¡°Grr, fine,¡± the dragon replied, readying to shift into his dragon form in order to carry the pair back. ¡°Don¡¯t expect me to get involved in your squabbles! I won¡¯t join unless it¡¯s fun!¡± Many miles away, in the capital of the Kingdom, the one hundred Iyrmen stationed in the army leapt out of their beds. ¡°What are you doing?¡± a soldier asked them, rubbing his eyes. ¡°We are leaving,¡± the Iyrman replied. ¡°Leaving?¡± The soldier blinked. ¡°You can¡¯t just leave, not without permission from the King.¡± ¡°We do not follow the words of your King any longer,¡± the Iyrman replied, going to gather his equipment. ¡°What madness do you speak?¡± The soldier stood up, reaching for the blade at the side of his bed. ¡°That¡¯s desertion!¡± ¡°Step aside,¡± the Iyrman said, not yet reaching for his blade, ¡°or I¡¯ll cut you down.¡± There was a tense moment as the Iyrman gathered his supplies. The one hundred Iyrmen were buddied with a hundred other soldiers from the Kingdom, but they doubted any of them could fight the Iyrmen one on one, or even two on one. They stepped aside, letting the Iyrmen leave. ¡°No longer allies?¡± The soldiers glanced between one another before they quickly sent word to their King. Back within the Iyr, Elder Peace stared at the trio of young men, who were raging. They screamed and wailed, howling. Shakrat¡¯s father had remained outside the glade to listen to the story, and even he, who was almost always so stoic, covered his wet eyes. ¡®War had not been called in these children¡¯s lifetime,¡¯ Elder Peace thought. ¡®To think, how young I had been when it had been called last.¡¯ Elder Peace was in charge of declaring war and peace, perhaps the hardest task within the Iyr, but now it was within Elder Wrath¡¯s command to set the pace. ¡°Send word to the surrounding villages in the morning,¡± Elder Wrath said, beginning to draw the map using a stick, moving along the dirt. He began with the Iyr first, before drawing in the river, the hills to the northeast, and the various villages and towns. Groups of ten were formed to pass on the message to the villages. An experienced Iyrman, at least in his forties, surrounded by those in their mid twenties or thirties. ¡°When we march, Chief, Elder Forest, you will take five hundred warriors to Westfall. If they do not surrender, you will slaughter them all and take the town. From there, you will cover the main army¡¯s northern flank.¡± ¡°The King will be expecting to speak with me,¡± the Chief said. ¡°He believes me to be the leader of the Iyr.¡± ¡°We of the Iyr do not care for their sensibilities any longer,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°You are the only one capable enough to secure the northern hills.¡± The Chief merely bowed his head. He was no longer the figure who held the highest powers, which were typically afforded to him, as the Iyr was in a time of war. Elder Wrath stared at the map, and his mind was full of what paths to take. ¡°Elder Teacher, you will be required to head to the south to deal with Five Bends, and then to the east to deal with Red Oak. Elder Peace and I will form the main army. We will march east and destroy a town.¡± ¡°I will create a supply line to the north east, the east, and the south east,¡± Elder Gold said, taking on Elder Forest¡¯s role since she would be needed to the north. The other warriors of the Iyr were beginning to step out to meet at the centre of the Iyr. Warriors who had only just returned from war, ready to fight for the Iyr once again. Warriors with hair of white and silver, whose blades hadn¡¯t been wet since the birth of their grandchildren. ¡°Father, what are you doing?¡± Shindal asked, staring at her silver haired father. ¡°Preparing for war,¡± Candal grunted, wrapping his cloak around himself. He retrieved the necklace, a small black gem at the end of the chain. It would not be needed, but since he was planning on going to war, he may as well wear it on. ¡°War? With your arm?¡± The woman grabbed onto her father¡¯s arm, trying to stop him, but she knew just how stubborn he was when it came to a great fight. It was already a miracle he had remained here since he was crippled. ¡°Greatpapa, what are you doing?¡± came the voice of a young boy, who rubbed his eyes. He had heard the roars of the Iyr, something which had awoken him from his deep sleep. He had dreamt of mountains made of ivory, and a sword made of ruby. ¡°To war, my boy,¡± Candal said, brushing the boy¡¯s hair with his singular hand. His face was a wide grin, full of excitement. ¡°War?¡± The boy stared up at him, having only seen these smiles when his greatpapa had spoken about his old tales when he was half drunk on ale, insisting he wasn¡¯t drunk at all. ¡°Will you die?¡± ¡°I may.¡± ¡°Whatever the case may be, we will need to send soldiers to Westfort,¡± Blackheart said. He didn¡¯t want to suggest it, but it was the right thing to do. Westfort was the closest fort to the Iyr, and they would no doubt be attacked soon. ¡°Westfort should be fine,¡± King Solomon said. ¡°The fort is great, and the Iyrmen will have to attack through sea, hill, mountain, and forest. Our dear capital, on the other hand...¡± The King motioned to the open plains which the Iyrmen could easily cross. ¡°The Iyrmen will be surrounded by several thousand soldiers from all flanks if they try to march through the plains,¡± Whiteheart said. ¡°They have already attacked Westhall and Goldvale, but there are still several more settlements. Westhall will manage to push back the Iyrmen. Five hundred Iyrmen against Westhall? Westhall has Sir Gord the Giant and hundreds of great warriors. They were forged by slaying a hundred savages each.¡± ¡°Goldvale has Sir Jori the Gold, who has her Golden Sons,¡± Master Redheart smiled. ¡°One hundred warriors, each ready and willing to fight to the death. Even Kings of old dared not to march to Goldvale so easily.¡± The King nodded his head slowly. The Iyrmen were impressive, but there were many within the Kingdom who were equally as impressive. ¡°We will raise call forth the banners and raise as many arms as we can. The matter of pay will be discussed another time, but I will still urge for pay and a half.¡± The Council had all agreed on the war, it was the smaller details which they fiddled with. However, as they reconvened the day after, in a heated discussion of pay, King¡¯s Sword marched in. ¡°King¡¯s Sword, it isn¡¯t appro-¡° King¡¯s Sword dropped to a knee, bowing his head. ¡°Westhall has fallen, your Grace.¡± The entire Council stared at the kneeling warrior, the greatest within the entire Kingdom. ¡°Fallen?¡± ¡°Westhall has fallen, and-¡° ¡°Your Grace!¡± Commander Roger dropped to a knee towards the King. ¡°Goldvale is lost.¡± A chill took throughout the Council Room as the various members stared at the kneeling pair, their mouths agape. The King blinked repeatedly, before looking to the other Hearts. Whiteheart was still unsure of what King¡¯s Sword said. ¡°Goldvale is lost?¡± Redheart whispered, unable to believe it. ¡°What do you mean, lost?¡± ¡°The city is lost, Master Redheart. Word was sent that the Iyrmen had taken it.¡± ¡°What madness do you speak, Commander?¡± Redheart stood, slamming her hands onto the table. ¡°Goldvale has stood for hundreds of years! No one has ever breached the walls of Goldvale! Even the Iyrmen avoided it when they were at war previously!¡± Her usual cunning demeanour had dropped. ¡°Westhall could not have fallen,¡± Whiteheart said, shaking his head. ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been a day.¡± ¡°Westhall and Goldvale are lost,¡± the King whispered. He stared at the other Council members. Now, none would dare deny his words. When they had fought with the Iyr previously, they had never stepped out so eagerly out of their walls. When they went to war, they barely stepped past Five Bends. ¡°Send word to the other towns immediately! We are to march to-¡° The King froze, his eyes wide. Within his mind came a voice, a familiar voice. He had heard the voice many times within his mind. It was the voice of a young Iyrman, one who he had kicked out not long ago. ¡°Surrender, or die,¡± Shakrat whispered into the King¡¯s ear from hundreds of miles away. ¡°Your Grace?¡± King¡¯s Sword stared up at the King. ¡°Iyrman, you must understand why I executed Akrat,¡± the King said. The Council members threw a glance between one another. ¡°Your Grace?¡± King¡¯s Sword called. ¡°Since you have declared war, we are willing to oblige,¡± the King said, finishing his reply to the Iyrman. He turned back to the council members. ¡°The Iyr has sent their message, and I have sent a reply. We march to the Iyr!¡± The King rode for war, with his Royal Guard and King¡¯s Sword at his side, the Swordbearer Battalion, and as many men as they could muster within three days. It was rushed, for typically it would take longer than a week to gather the bulk of the soldiers, and a few more weeks to deal with logistics. Yet they had heard that another dozen villages were snuffed out, and that Red Oak was currently under siege. Red Oak was a huge loss, as it was such a powerful town, and was a key town against the Iyr. ¡°Deadwood too?¡± The King gasped, his head in his arms. ¡°How is it that one of our greatest barriers against the Iyr has been destroyed, and the other two are under siege?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen will meet us on the field if they are not cowards, and we will slaughter them,¡± King¡¯s Sword said. ¡°We will teach them what it means to go against our Kingdom.¡± ¡°They should have been satisfied with the mercy shown to them a half century ago,¡± Commander Roger said. ¡°They will soon fall under the heel of our great Kingdom.¡± ¡°If only it were so easy,¡± the King replied. He stared down at the map, alarmed at how much ground the Iyrmen had made. It should have taken them weeks to get to Deadwood, and yet they had already put it under siege? ¡®How is it possible?¡¯ Already, the Iyrmen had set the pace of the war. Knowledge that the towns had been destroyed had already circulated, and the pay raise for soldiers had boosted the young men¡¯s want for a fight. The King had left with a thousand soldiers, but it had become nearly four thousand as he went by the various towns and villages nearby, equipping most new recruits with helmets, spears and shields. As he marched his army west, his army was further emboldened by two Battalions, one from Eagle Wing, and another formed of mercenaries. Yet, as they marched, the King saw a shadow loom above them. Flying high above them, heading towards the west, was a dragon. Iyrmen lay, covered in blankets which moulded them to the world. They wrote down what they saw in a book, appearing simultaneously on another hundred books. Each group of ten had someone with a book, who would inform the rest of what was written within the book. Ten towns were currently being spied upon, and they would send messages back and forth. The long stretches of plains were also being spied upon, in case there was anything trying to slip past the watchful gaze of the Iyrmen. Sometimes, red would appear on the page, and all those with the books would speak of what appeared, for this was a message from Elder Wrath, telling them of new plans he had formed. If a blue message appeared, the Iyrmen would retreat, returning back to the Iyr, but they so hoped that a blue message wouldn¡¯t appear. Their blood lust was yet to be sated, even after the slaughter of thousands of people. A message had been sent through the book not long ago, mentioning a certain being, one the Iyrmen had been familiar with. The very same being soon dropped, appearing at the end of a forest, where, no more than a few hours of flight, the Iyrmen lay siege to two large towns to the south and south east. One figure leapt off the back of the dragon, greeting the various Iyrmen. Some wore the very same white cloaks of dragon scales as he, and there was even one who had fought a dragon with him. Another shuffled off of it, grunting in pain. ¡°I¡¯m too old for dragon riding,¡± the older man said, before noting he was surrounded by hundreds of old men, each eager to battle. ¡°Good afternoon.¡± The Iyrmen nodded to him, whilst the old Iyrman with the pair of axes went to greet the Great Elders. Seeing as he was showing his respects, Elder Wrath sighed in relief. It would have been awkward if this old hero of the Iyr wished to cause trouble. He was glad to see the old hero was still an Iyrman at heart. ¡°I apologise for intruding,¡± Garld said to the Elders. He looked to Elder Peace, though it was no longer the Elder Peace he knew. ¡®Well, it has been fifty years. No doubt she¡¯s having fun slaughtering thousands of dragons in her next life.¡¯ ¡°You are always welcome, Garld Blackvatr,¡± Elder Peace said, brewing some tea for the older man. ¡°It is a shame we must meet this way.¡± ¡°It is, truly,¡± Garld said. ¡°I can only apologise for the trouble we have caused you.¡± ¡°Have you come to ask for peace?¡± Elder Peace asked, sipping on the tea. ¡°I¡¯m just an old man now,¡± Garld said. ¡°Can I truly as you for peace? I have no place in this war.¡± He sipped on the tea, which calmed him. ¡°I have come to make a difficultly simple request. Please, I beg of you, do not take the life of my family.¡± The old man bowed his head deeply. ¡°It is a difficult request.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Garld said. ¡°It is the only request I make. If it pleases you, if one of my blood must die, I will trade my life.¡± Elder Peace sipped at the tea. ¡°As long as we do not kill your family, we may do as we please?¡± Garld nodded, understanding what a terrible request it was. He knew how many people would die in this war, and he knew which side would take the largest loss. Elder Wrath stared at his fellow Great Elder, seeing the Iyrman deep in thought. He would have refused the request, but he supposed that was why he was Elder Wrath. ¡®I don¡¯t envy you one bit.¡¯ ¡°Very well,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°For the sake of our friendship. If it must be that a life of your family is needed, your life will be taken.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Peace,¡± Garld said, sipping his tea. ¡°I have had to suffer from losing my children to war. If I were to lose my grandchildren too...¡± Elder Peace nodded. ¡°The Iyr understands the pain of losing its children.¡± ¡°I apologise once again,¡± Garld said. ¡°I should have made it clearer to those damn brats. I told them hundreds of your stories, but it seems that I didn¡¯t drill it hard enough into them.¡± ¡°The die has been cast,¡± Elder Peace said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Next chapter will also be thicc too, and it will be the last chapter of the Blackwater Crisis! Also, I edited this chapter twice, and added in about 1000 words. There''s so much happening! Side Story – Blackwater Crisis X Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis X The King stared at the wall of Iyrmen ahead of him. His scouts had not seen signs of the Iyrmen, and yet they had suddenly appeared along the hills, with East Wing behind them, yet they seemed unbothered by such a fact. ¡°They¡¯ve sent a bunch of old men to fight us?¡± King¡¯s Sword said, in utter disbelief. Each man was at least ten years his senior, and some were as old as his father, who could barely walk. ¡°An old Iyrman is a deadly Iyrman,¡± King Solomon said. He noted the Iyrmen¡¯s equipment, for each of them wore cloaks of varying colours, though they were grouped by such. Those with yellow cloaks stood to one side, those with black cloaks beside them, and so on. Their weapons varied wildly, on the other hand, from spears, to staffs, to blades, made of a myriad of materials. ¡®Just how many dragons have you slain, Iyrmen?¡¯ He continued to gaze all along the Iyrmen, noting two cloaked figures who were casually sitting and drinking tea with a pair of Iyrmen, who finished their cups and began to make their way down. Elder Wrath and Elder Peace walked side by side, without any other Iyrman to follow them, going down towards the King and his army. ¡°King¡¯s Sword, Commander, come with me,¡± the King called, riding forward to meet with the pair of Great Elders. He was keenly aware of the blade at his side, the very same blade which he had been gifted by King¡¯s Sword. It filled him with great power and confidence. The Royal Guards glanced between one another, wondering if it was fine to allow their King to leave with so few men. ¡°It should be fine,¡± one said. ¡°King¡¯s Sword and Commander Roger are two of the most powerful warriors here.¡± The King looked down at the Iyrmen, who stepped about twenty paces in front of the bottom of the hill, staring down at them from atop his horse. ¡°I¡¯ve heard great tales about the Iyrmen,¡± the King said, bowing his head to the Great Elders. He should have expected to meet them, but had thought that he would meet with the Chief, who he had met before. ¡°You can only imagine my disappointment to hear that you would so suddenly slaughter my people.¡± ¡°Save your propaganda for your own people, whoever remains once we are done,¡± Elder Wrath grunted. ¡°You can only imagine my excitement to hear that you would break the treaty.¡± King Solomon just bowed his head slowly. ¡°Your man commit treason by marching into the capital armed without my permission. It is forbidden. He took command of my Royal Guard, with their bloods on his hand, and brought back the last living Royal Guard, pregnant with his child, another act of treason, with him to blame.¡± Elder Wrath almost snapped in a rage at the King, but Elder Peace stepped forward, placing a hand on Elder Wrath¡¯s shoulder. He understood what Elder Wrath wanted to say, but it would have only escalated the issue. He was aware of all the Iyrmen ready to burst given the chance. Oh how badly they wanted to make these golden fields red with blood. ¡°That was not in the treaty,¡± Elder Peace said, his voice calm and low. ¡°The treaty was clear. I am certain you¡¯ve read of it, as have I, dozens of times in the past few days. Iyrmen were to be tried within the Iyr, by our own, for any crime they committed.¡± ¡°The law is very clear on the matter,¡± Solomon replied. ¡°Treason is to be judged by the King and the royal family, alone.¡± ¡°We followed your rules and laws, and had they been broken, the treaty made it very clear how the such a crime would be punished.¡± Elder Peace shook his head, understanding that the King couldn¡¯t give in order to save face. ¡°He marched and fought for a hundred days for you,¡± Elder Wrath said, being careful not to allow his tone to falter. ¡°He pushed back Antalia the Silver. He forced Rogryaen of the Lightning Sun back. He slew Daegyar the Dark Wing, whereas your King¡¯s Sword only managed to slay the dragon¡¯s Commander.¡± Elder Peace allowed Elder Wrath his simmering rage. He hadn¡¯t been able to fight this entire way, and he was so hungry for blood. The Great Elder needed time to cool off, to get his thoughts out, finally. ¡°He fought for the Kingdom, as expected of an Iyrman,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°He returned your Royal Guard to you only when his body was battered and bruised, and yet you killed him.¡± Elder Wrath narrowed his eyes. King Solomon understood that he was only angering them further with his words. He didn¡¯t wish to fight the Iyrmen, even if they had slain so many of his people. ¡°I am certain we outnumber you,¡± the King said, trying to appeal to their intelligence. ¡°At least three to one,¡± Elder Wrath replied. ¡°It is closer to four to one,¡± Elder Peace acknowledged. The King stared up at all the Iyrmen once more, each of whom were ready to fight to the death. He certainly did outnumber them, four to one as the Iyrmen had said, but most of his soldiers were naive children. In front of him were hardened veterans, each worth at least two or three of his own men, and willing to fight until the bitter end. "His name was Akrat," the King said, bowing his head. "I met him once before, five years ago. It was at the Battle of Westhall, though it appears that the results of that battle are now irrelevant. I saw him there, a young man no older than twenty. He fought like one of yours, like an Iyrman.¡± The King recalled the battle from long ago and sighed. ¡°When he came to the inner city, armed, with a pregnant Royal Guard, by whatever means that occurred, he spat on my authority. He commit treason by taking command of my swords without permission, killing them to pursue his own means. It was not just he who I killed that day, but another, one of my own. It was a hard choice to make, but it was a choice that had to be made. Do you truly wish to war over one Iyrman?¡± The figure from above, who was sitting and playing dragonchess with the other hooded figure, sighed, shaking his head. ¡®Really, did I raise such a fool?¡¯ ¡°One Iyrman?¡± Elder Wrath growled, with Elder Peace bowing his head slowly. ¡°We will go to war over a single Iyrman, for any fool of a King who-¡° ¡°Stay your tongue!¡± Commander Roger exclaimed. ¡°You!¡± Elder Wrath snarled, glaring at Commander Roger. ¡°What else would I call him but a fool of a King? A King who dared to earn the ire of the Iyrmen and then try to spin a tale! He should be so lucky we have allowed him to live for so long! If it were not for-¡° Elder Peace placed a hand on Elder Wrath¡¯s shoulder, watching as he shook violently. ¡°It was not a single Iyrman, oh King of Blackwater. You slew a brother of the Iyr, yes, but you also slew a sister of the Iyr.¡± Elder Wrath inhaled deeply. ¡°And the soul of our unborn child cries! This unjustice shall be paid by blood!¡± The roaring of a thousand Iyrmen echoed along the hills, the howls of their rage filling the plains. The King¡¯s horse pulled aside, and the King slipped off as the beast fled away, running through the plains. King¡¯s Sword and Commander Roger managed to leap off their own beasts to stand beside their King, not thirty paces from the other Iyrmen. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the King said, managing to stand. ¡°I broke the treaty that my grandfather, Garld Blackvatr the Wise, signed, and now our armies meet.¡± He stared at the pair of them, seeing the staff and the greatsword upon the Great Elders¡¯ backs. ¡°I heard tales of the Iyrmen when I was but a boy. You were all savages, beasts, and that you could fight in a war until you were passed dying. Iyrmen were both vilified and deified. When I was born, I heard that there was a war which had started the same day. The War of Third Ice." Elder Wrath nodded. "I know of it,¡± he said. The King stared into the Iyrman''s eyes for a long moment. "I heard the only reason my grandfather had managed to survive the war because of an Iyrman. Within our Kingdom he goes by many names, but the most popular is White Wolf of Northblood." "Razfan," Elder Wrath replied. "He fought with two axes, each beautiful as they were deadly, seemingly made of ice.¡± "Frostaxe, Icemaiden," Elder Wrath said, nodding his head slowly. "They say he slew King Votr, the one known as the Mighty Giant King." "That is not the entire tale,¡± Elder Wrath said. "Is it not true?" ¡°The Iyrman you executed, Akrat son of Ikrat, his grandfather died to Gantalia during the bout. It allowed Razfan to slay the King, and forever earned the service of the great silver wyrm.¡± The King swallowed. He had heard that an orcish Iyrman kept the dragon at bay, but hadn¡¯t realised the connection would be so relevant this day. He looked all along the Iyrmen once more. Those of the white cloaks all bundled together, but there were three who stood side by side, near the hooded figures playing chess. He noted the weapons on the three, the late afternoon sun barely revealing them. ¡°They say Razfan was only thirty years old." "He was twenty five," Elder Peace corrected, understanding why the Kingdom would try to minimise the accomplishment. "That would put him in his mid seventies this day, if he were alive." "Yes." The King glanced all around once more, not just to those he feared the most, but every other Iyrman around. ¡®War with the Iyr? What a fool I was.¡¯ Elder Peace almost smiled, seeing the look of eternal regret. ¡°We come, not for the blood of all your people, but for justice. You have already lost thousands of your people, and the Iyr has expanded, both in land and population.¡± ¡°Population?¡± the King asked. ¡°The culling does not extend to the children, who have been adopted into the Iyr. They will be raised accordingly to our traditions, as Iyrmen.¡± King Solomon bowed his head, though noted the word he had used, which caused him to shudder. ¡°I see. It is good to hear that the youth of my Kingdom are safe.¡± ¡°They are no longer a part of your Kingdom,¡± Elder Peace said sternly. The King bowed his head, understanding that the only way he¡¯d be able to retrieve them was to take them back during the Iyr¡¯s surrender. He blinked at the thought of the Iyr surrendering. ¡°What justice is it that you seek?¡± ¡°Your unconditional surrender.¡± The King swallowed carefully, staring at the older Iyrman with the staff upon his back. He wore thick clothing, and held within his hand beads, rubbing his finger and thumb along a red bead. ¡°You should be careful with your words, Iyrman,¡± Commander Roger growled. ¡°We outnumber you four to one, and your army is but a bunch of decrepit old men! I could cut the pair of you where you stand!¡± ¡°You¡¯d be hard pressed to stop us from killing your King before he managed to scurry back to your front line,¡± Elder Wrath replied, simply. ¡°Peace is preferred,¡± Elder Peace stated, raising his voice the slightest amount. ¡°You would not believe our words, not unless you saw it.¡± Elder Peace placed a hand on Elder Wrath¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°Since peace is what we wish for, then perhaps we should speak to that regard.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept your terms,¡± the King replied. How could he? What would happen to his people? If it was a conditional surrender, perhaps they¡¯d be able to negotiate something reasonable, but an unconditional surrender. ¡°I am open to discussing your surrender.¡± ¡°You believe you can defeat us,¡± Elder Peace said, cracking the smallest of smiles. ¡°Do not take it wrongly, oh son of Blackwater. Though we wish for peace, many of ours hunger for blood, and even if we talk of peace, it will only be proceeding a slaughter of thousands more. You should first be informed of our strength, as taking Westhall, which you had defended all those years with ease, had fallen so quickly. Perhaps you do not believe it, for you haven¡¯t seen it, so we shall show you. What say you, King of Blackwater, to watch a series of duels?¡± ¡°Duels?¡± The King asked. ¡°This is a war, Iyrman. We are not here for sport.¡± ¡°Perhaps for you it isn¡¯t,¡± Elder Wrath replied, throwing a quick glance to Elder Peace. He certainly hadn¡¯t expected Elder Peace to offer something so fun. ¡°We will have a series of duels, at least ten, but we will stop once you wish to surrender. If you win the majority of them, we will surrender, unconditionally. If we win the majority of them, we will continue this war, and we will march our way to your capital, and slay half the population, leaving them to the whims of the various Lords.¡± ¡°You sound confident in your victory,¡± the King said, wondering what the Iyrman was planning. ¡°I¡¯d be a fool to decline a chance of peace through the lives of a handful of Iyrmen.¡± His voice was full of bravado, but his heart was unnerved. The knot which had unfurled had returned, tight within his gut. ¡°We will allow you to seek counsel, and we shall remain for a short while before we begin the slaughter of your soldiers,¡± Elder Peace said. The King bowed his head, returning to speak with his General and Majors, the soldiers formed a protective wall around them. ¡°If we are able to defeat the Iyrmen through these duels, we can cause their unconditional surrender,¡± King Solomon said, eager for the duel. This way, they would only lose a handful of Knights at worst, rather than hundreds of their own. ¡°Do you believe they would surrender so easily?¡± King¡¯s Sword said. ¡°What if it is a ploy?¡± ¡°Iyrmen have held true to their word thus far,¡± Solomon said. ¡°Call forth the greatest Knights we have, at least ten, but we may need more.¡± ¡°Allow me to fight for you, your Grace,¡± called a voice from one of the Majors who had arrived from Eagle Wing. He was a handsome man in his forties, adorned in breast plate armour with the sigil of his town, his ancestral blade at his side. ¡°Sir Harvey the Eagle,¡± King Solomon said. ¡°I should have expected you would step up. Your family has always been full of great Knights, and in the last wars, has always been a bastion of hope for the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Your words honour me, your Grace.¡± Sir Harvey bowed his head. ¡°I will fight too, your Grace,¡± called another warrior, not a Knight, but a man with chain and a blade made of shimmering silver. ¡°I do not recognise you, great warrior,¡± the King said. Shakrat pulled out the Commander¡¯s guts, roaring out. ¡°Akrat! The shame brought to you has been paid by blood!¡± He tore apart the Commander¡¯s intestines, before his arms dropped to his side, his head rocked back, falling unconscious. Elder Peace calmly pulled Shakrat away from the Commander, and Elder Wrath stepped forward. Elder Peace carried the unconscious Iyrman back, whereas Elder Wrath grabbed the Commander¡¯s body. ¡°What are you doing?¡± King¡¯s Sword asked. ¡°You still hold the body of our Akrat,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°Unless you mean to say you can keep the body of those you butchered, but we can¡¯t keep the body of those we butcher?¡± Elder Wrath¡¯s lips twisted into the most despicable smile. ¡°These are duels for peace,¡± King Solomon said. ¡°Isn¡¯t this unbecoming.¡± ¡°No,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°This is the appetiser for the next slaughter.¡± ¡°Have you already forgotten the terms?¡± Elder Wrath asked. ¡°Once we have won the duels, we will continue the slaughter.¡± ¡°That is three points to the Iyr,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°Unless you are so civilised to believe that your dead Commander had brought it to a draw using his torn guts?¡± The King glared at Elder Peace, but did not say a word. The next was an Iyrman against one of the Knights from the capital, a veteran of several wars. The Iyrman used a spear, though she had left her own behind. ¡°You, hand me your spear,¡± she said, pointing to a soldier in the crowd. The soldier stared at her, shocked. He had almost stepped forward to hand over the spear, but was stopped by his King¡¯s words. ¡°What need of you of such a spear?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to sully my spear,¡± the Iyrman replied, simply. The King¡¯s brow pulsed. Their words grated on him, from one Iyrman to the next. Elder Peace shook his head. ¡°Mingal.¡± She glanced back towards Elder Peace, seeing the look within his eyes, and bowed her head. She grabbed her spear. ¡°I will return soon.¡± She had done as she said. The fight had been quick, her spear raining down against the Knight. She had quickly cut the tendons of the Knight, and had done as Elder Peace had requested. She made sure the soldiers could see her toy with the Knight, who they had known to be one of the greatest within the capital. Yet, here he was, on his knees, begging for mercy, to end his suffering. The came an Iyrman, adorned in a breastplate, with two longswords in hand. One longsword engulfed the mercenary in flame, and the other decapitated his screeching head, allowing silence to fall through the plains. The next Iyrman used no weapons. The battle was over within a single blink of the eye, as the Iyrman grabbed onto the Knight¡¯s throat, and the Knight fell still in an instant, his skin turned completely black. The next duel was almost the same, with the Iyrman charging forward and slamming her two fists into the Knight¡¯s chest, causing him to fly back. Then, she stood still, allowing the Knight to strike her, before his skin turned completely black and he was gasping for breath. She battered the Knight with her fists, until he was a mess of broken bones. ¡°May I continue to the next bout?¡± she asked, politely, as though she were asking for another slice of cake. Elder Peace nodded his head. He would have denied it, but seeing the look of hopelessness on the King¡¯s face had changed his mind. One by one, the greatest warriors in the King¡¯s armies fell. Only the Commander had managed to beat an Iyrman within an inch of their life, but it had been a young Iyrman, and the soldiers soon understood why this armour was so confident whilst outnumbered four to one. ¡°Ten points to the Iyr,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°Do you wish to continue?¡± The Iyrmen¡¯s blood lust had only increased, and their mood had risen greatly. They watched silently as the Knights and mercenaries were dismantled, but the soldiers of the Kingdom could feel the way they revelled in it. Ten duels had passed, and each had resulted in the Kingdoms loss. Some of the Iyrmen had stepped forth to speak with Elder Wrath, hoping he¡¯d be willing to allow them to expand the scope of the duels, but this was Elder Peace¡¯s domain. ¡®Impossible,¡¯ the King thought, still unable to believe his eyes. The Iyrmen were powerful, that was for certain, but for them to be able to deal with their strongest warriors so systematically. He stared at Elder Peace for a long moment, seeing the knowing look within the older Iyrman¡¯s eyes. This entire duel, it had been a warning to him. ¡®This is the Iyr,¡¯ the King thought. Those tales his grandfather had told him, he had thought they were greatly exaggerated. Yet, this entire time, they were true. Every last one of them. ¡°Your Grace, the morale of the army has been shaken,¡± King¡¯s Sword said. Even he had no words to help his fellow soldiers, as he had quickly understood the gravity of the situation. ¡°How could it not be shaken?¡± King Solomon whispered, sighing. His hope had been battered with each duel, having lost ten great warriors. Each Knight he had lost was a mighty force for his Kingdom, and not just his Kingdom, but specifically to the Blackwater family. ¡°I will regain the morale,¡± King¡¯s Sword said, stepping forward. ¡°Come, Iyrmen! Bring forth your greatest warrior if you dare!¡± Even if they lost ten duels and the Iyrmen had won, if he could slay one, then the morale of the army would return. They would meet in a battle immediately after, for the Iyrmen would have won. Several Iyrmen stepped forward, most from the lot of thirty Iyrmen who had been numbered. Since King¡¯s Sword had asked for their strongest, it was only respectful to answer in king. However, the Iyrman with the pair of axes made of ice, stepped forward. The Iyrmen who had stepped forward, stepped back, leaving three Iyrmen to claim the title of the greatest warrior. ¡°Falgak, daughter of Fetgak,¡± an Iyrman said, adorned in full armour, with a sword and shield. Her armour was purple, made of puthral. The blade at her side, though sheathed, seemed to be made of out some sort of dark gem. ¡°Bozkat, son of Eskat,¡± said another Iyrman, who wielded a large glave made of shimmering silver, with a shaft of white wood. It was simple in design, but as the moon caught the edge, it seemed to vibrate. ¡°Razfan, son of Uzfan,¡± the Iyrman with two axes said, crossing his arms together, staring down at King¡¯s Sword. King¡¯s Sword hadn¡¯t heard of the first two, though he had no doubt they were powerful. However, he had certainly heard of the last Iyrman. Razfan, White Wolf of Northblood. Standing in front of him, the Iyrman wasn¡¯t as imposing as he expected. The Iyrman¡¯s eyes faint, staring down at him. No, not staring down at him, but through him. The Iyrman had come here because it was his duty to come here, but he had long lost the need to spill blood. Razfan, White Wolf of Northblood, was bored. ¡®Bored?¡¯ King¡¯s Sword thought, his mind going blank for a moment. ¡®He dares to look so dejected at the prospect of facing me?¡¯ He had almost stepped forward, when there came a shout from behind, and a horn was blown. He dared to glance back, seeing where the other soldiers and the Iyrmen were looking. In the distance, they could see it. It was a small speck, but as it drew near, the thousands of people standing, understood the danger. It was as dark as death, with a wing span which could put a town under its shade. Long thought mystical, the arrival of a beast, which hadn¡¯t flown over these lands in centuries, filled the soldiers of the Kingdom with alarm. ¡°What is that?¡± King Solomon gasped, staring at the creature as it flew over them. It circled around, and they noted that there was another figure upon its back. As the giant black bird fell, the soldiers formed together, readying their weapons. King¡¯s Sword had stepped towards his King, drawing his blade. Yet, no Iyrman moved. The beast flew low, before it stopped, landing on a nearby hill. As it stopped to land, the wind thundered across the grass, tearing it with its force. Hopping off the giant bird was a man in his late eighties, a man who had spent the last fifty years away from the Kingdom. He wore a heavy cloak and thick scars all across his body, each from a different weapon, as well as marks from the elements. At his side was an axe roughly carved out of dark rock, and a shield made of dark scales. On his forehead, there was a tattoo. A single blue circle, followed by rows of blue diamonds. ¡°Looks like I wasn¡¯t late,¡± he said. ¡°I thought you were dead,¡± Falgak said, the Iyrmen approaching one another. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint.¡± The Iyrmen grabbed one another¡¯s forearms, and the new Iyrman quickly scanned the area, before approaching the pair of Great Elders. He bowed his head, greeting them respectfully. ¡°I apologise for taking so long. The others will arrive in thirty days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you have many stories to tell,¡± Elder Peace said, greeting the stranger. All the while, Gantalia was glaring at the huge black bird. Such beasts had long been forced away from the Kingdom¡¯s lands, and they had dared never to return due to the various dragons who had hunted them for sport. ¡°Last time I was on this land, peace had been signed,¡± Jarot said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to return like this.¡± He threw a look to Gantalia and then to Razfan. ¡®I¡¯m sure his entrance must have been more spectacular.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve returned,¡± Tarot said, approaching his brother. ¡°How strong you¡¯ve grown, little brother,¡± Jarot said, embracing him tight. ¡°I never once doubted that you¡¯d be able to take lead of the family.¡± Tarot looked to the Rukh, before glancing back up at his brother, raising his brows. Jarot looked to the silver dragon, and then back to his brother, before they both sighed. King¡¯s Sword stared at the giant Rukh, which was currently nesting atop the nearby hill, staring at all the prey it could feast on. The King watched the Iyrmen size one another up. His heart was heavy, his body filled with a cold sweat. ¡°We will surrender,¡± the King said. His voice had cut through the silent air. ¡°We will give you the land from the hills of the Iyr, to a javelin throw beyond Five Bends. I will formally apologise to the Iyrmen, and make a formal declaration that we have wronged you. I will also surrender the Drakkenslayer of my ancestor, Kal Blakvatr.¡± Elder Peace stared at him for a long while. ¡°Unconditionally?¡± Elder Peace asked, for it was the only thing which mattered to him. The King swallowed. He could only pray that his good will had been portrayed. ¡°Unconditionally,¡± he said, his voice almost cracking. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA There is only one more chapter! Okay, maybe two, but I swear it''s almost at the end! Side Story – Blackwater Crisis XI Side Story ¨C Blackwater Crisis XI ¡°Take your Sword Bearer Battalion and your Royal Guard, and march towards Deadwood,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°You will inform them personally of your surrender, and they will relay the information to the other towns and cities. Return by the end of the week, or we will march on your capital.¡± The King, confused, nodded his head and marched towards Deadwood, with his Sword Bearer Battalion, King¡¯s Sword, and his Royal Guards. He watched as a group of ten Iyrmen followed, each keeping roughly a hundred paces away from them. ¡°We still out number them three to one,¡± a Major said. ¡°Did you see what they did to our greatest warriors?¡± ¡°Do you truly believe all their men are as strong as those?¡± ¡°Their strongest weren¡¯t even part of the duels.¡± ¡°Do you really think they were the strongest? It was just a show.¡± ¡°What about the Iyrman and the big bird?¡± The various leaders turned to look at the huge bird, which was currently being admired by several Iyrmen, who had only heard of the creature through stories. ¡°Looks delicious,¡± one of the Majors said. ¡°Delicious,¡± another replied. Elder Wrath and Elder Peace called the Iyrmen together. Elder Peace threw a glance to Elder Wrath, and then bowed his head. ¡°I will leave the soldiers to you.¡± Elder Wrath couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile as he approached the soldiers. ¡°I see you¡¯re all still eager,¡± Elder Wrath said. The Majors straightened, though General William stepped forward, taking the lead. ¡°We hadn¡¯t expected to surrender so quickly, without much bloodshed.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t expect such cowardice either, but your King wasn¡¯t as foolish as we thought,¡± Elder Wrath said, his tongue loose. ¡°You should be more respectful of the King,¡± General William said. ¡°He affords you such respect.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you see and hear respect from the words of your King, and see and hear disrespect from we of the Iyr, doing so as you please.¡± Elder Wrath glanced all along the Majors, seeing how eager they were for a fight, and the soldiers in a mixture of terror and excitement, though many more were terrified than excited. ¡°Should I ask for respect from our prisoners, or should we begin our justice?¡± General William stared at Elder Wrath, noting how the Iyrmen had readied themselves, having formed ranks. They hadn¡¯t been asked to surrender their weapons, the soldiers each holding onto their spears and shields, and they had just begun to set up a camp nearby, under the watchful gaze of a few Iyrmen. ¡°Now, now,¡± General William said, his eyes glancing between Elder Peace and Elder Wrath. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°Our culling is to begin,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°Since the Majors are so eager, should we begin?¡± General William didn¡¯t reach for his blade, trying to find the words to try and calm the Iyrmen. ¡°To arms!¡± a Major exclaimed, and the soldiers each quickly formed ranks. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t do this,¡± General William said, still staring at the Elder, who stood only fifty paces away. The Iyrmen roared, charging forward as they drew their weapons. The front line, several hundred men strong, crashed up against the soldiers of the Kingdom. The King was blissfully unaware of the slaughter behind him. He marched his soldiers to Deadwood, to see a hundred soldiers on its walls, and six trees, each planted roughly twenty paces from the wall, and were almost as tall. The Deadwood defenders blew a horn as a Major stepped up to see the King approach with his hundreds of soldiers. ¡°Our King has arrived!¡± shouted the Major. ¡°Open the gates! Quickly!¡± ¡°Open the gates!¡± came the confirmation. ¡°Your Grace, be careful, the Iyrmen are still around!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Major,¡± called the King. He threw a nod towards the Iyrmen nearby who had trailed them the entire way over the last three days. ¡°We have surrendered to the Iyrmen.¡± The Major narrowed his eyes at the King, but seeing the King¡¯s Sword at his side, the Major merely bowed his head. ¡°Would the good Lady be willing to put up with us for the night?¡± the King asked. ¡°She¡¯s dead, your Grace,¡± the Major said. ¡°Dead?¡± King Solomon stared up at him. ¡°She was assassinated a week ago.¡± The King swallowed. It hadn¡¯t taken long for Lord Deadwood to invite the King inside, explaining the situation to one another. The King hadn¡¯t expected the Iyrmen to be capable of assassinating the Lady, not considering the defences of the town. ¡°I will ask that the various Priests be willing to send word to the capital,¡± the King said, rubbing his head. ¡°What message should we send?¡± ¡°We should inform them of our unconditional surrender.¡± The King marched his army back to the plains, their steps heavy. Even the Sword Bearer Battalion had been affected by the soul crushing existence known as the Iyrmen. What they saw was a most gruesome sight. A large mound had been created, and there were still a few hundred bodies which needed to be buried. The thousands of soldiers he had left behind were nowhere to be seen, save the few hundred dead. There were a few dozen small mounds which had been created since his departure, and another few which were made of the soldier¡¯s equipment. The Rukh remained nearby, swallowing a few of the bodies whole. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± the King called, marching his way to Elder Peace and Elder Wrath, who were currently sitting and drinking tea with the two cloaked figures. ¡°The culling has begun,¡± Elder Peace said, simply, sipping at his tea. ¡®The culling?¡¯ King Solomon shuddered at the word. He had surrendered unconditionally, but he hadn¡¯t expected a mass execution. ¡°It is a shame they ran midway through the battle,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°Many Iyrmen are still hoping for a good fight.¡± ¡°Is this some kind of game to you?¡± King Solomon asked. Elder Wrath almost grinned. ¡°A game? Elder Peace, what do you think?¡± ¡°Your Kingdom must pay the price of betrayal,¡± the Elder said. ¡°You still have a debt to pay.¡± ¡°If I had known you would have slaughtered my men, I would have fought.¡± The King clenched his fists, feeling Blacksword at his side call for him. ¡°If you had fought, those at your side would not be here today.¡± Elder Peace motioned a hand to the Sword Bearer Battalion. ¡°You are unchained, with more than five hundred of your most loyal warriors at your side. Your surrender had allowed them to return to their families, but did you think of us as little mice?¡± Elder Wrath glanced all around them to see the soldiers, each on edge. ¡°If you wish to denounce your surrender, I will send along most of the Iyrmen here to your capital, and we may continue our war.¡± Elder Peace had been rubbing the red bead for weeks now, even after the surrender. He knew that the war had yet to end, for this was not a land where the King¡¯s word was law. ¡°I told you he was lying,¡± an Iyrman from behind said, taking a dagger from another Iyrman. ¡°They broke their word once already, why did you expect any better?¡± He was speaking in the Kingdom¡¯s tongue, obviously meant for the King to hear. The King grit his teeth, but he bowed his head. ¡°I surrendered unconditionally, that has not changed.¡± ¡°No, but you wish to posture as though you are a greater King that you are,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°You should know, it was your Majors who wished for a fight. Your General had been reluctant, but if we had allowed him to live, you would have thought we were willing to show mercy.¡± ¡°Oh dear,¡± one of the cloaked figures said, standing up. They pulled back their hood and stared down at the King. ¡°Solomon, didn¡¯t I tell you to think about your actions?¡± Solomon stared at the older man for a long moment, his eyes growing wide. ¡°Grandfather?¡± King¡¯s Sword bowed his head, staring at the older man. He had almost knelt, but a King¡¯s Sword only knelt to one man. ¡°I see you¡¯re both doing well.¡± Garld pat his grandson on his shoulder. ¡°I had thought you were doing so well, especially with the various wars. I had half a mind to congratulate you whilst you were up north, but I thought against it.¡± His gentle, warm smile faded slightly. ¡°I thought I told you about the Iyr?¡± ¡°The greatest key to the Kingdom is that of the Iyr,¡± Solomon said, repeating what his grandfather had told him when he was a boy. ¡°I can only regret the matter now.¡± ¡°Once the debt has been paid, we may negotiate a new treaty, but it will be done in good faith.¡± Garld sighed. He could see his son in Solomon. Solomon had been a much greater King than his father, save for the singular mistake which had caused the Kingdom¡¯s fracture. Solomon bowed his head, ashamed. He hadn¡¯t expected his grandfather to be alive, but the meeting was marred by the shame he had caused. He never wanted his grandfather to see him like this. ¡°You¡¯ve done well to keep him safe,¡± Garld said to King¡¯s Sword. ¡°It is my honour,¡± the man said, bowing his head. He hadn¡¯t expected to meet the great King of Blackwater, Garld the Wise. His decisions had allowed his family to take command of the entire region, hundreds of miles in every direction, for generations to come. Garld went around to speak with the Sword Bearer Battalion, speaking to them about their families. The entire battalion was made of the children of the various nobles, mostly from Central Aldland, but quite a few were from North Aldland too. ¡°Has the message been sent?¡± Elder Peace asked. ¡°It has,¡± King Solomon replied, defeated. The Iyrmen also sent word to their various companies, leaving a single company behind to remain around the towns and cities, and the rest split into two. Half of them would return to the Iyr, and the other half would pretend to return to the Iyr. In less than a month, the Kingdom had been torn apart. The Iyrmen, with the King¡¯s army, marched towards the capital. It had been a grueling journey, taking no more than a week, but they could see the huge walls of the capital. There were hundreds of men on the walls, all ready with bows. There were no more than a hundred, as many of the young men, and a few of the women, had joined the army. Gantalia glanced about, sniffing the air. He narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly as he went deep into thought. ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°Your King has returned,¡± Solomon declared. ¡°Open the gates!¡± He rode towards the gates, with a few of his Royal Guard. King¡¯s Sword remained, sword drawn. ¡°Why did your man attack me?¡± Solomon asked, staring at Elder Wrath. Elder Wrath raised a brow, before pointing towards the palace. There, where torches once lay, were two rotting heads. One of an orcish Iyrman, and another, his bride. The King swallowed, bowing his head. He placed a hand on King¡¯s Sword¡¯s arm, having him sheath his sword. The King quickly made way to the secret chambers to try and find his family, leaving the Iyrmen to deal with the bodies and heads of the deceased Iyrmen. He found no one in the secret chambers. Panic filled the King as he checked the other areas, followed by King¡¯s Sword, before returning to find the Masters. ¡°Where are they?¡± the King glared at them. ¡°Where are who?¡± Master Redheart asked. ¡°The Queen, the Prince, and my grandchildren. Where are they?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen them in some time,¡± she admitted. ¡°What did you do to them?¡± The King growled, unable to contain his rage. ¡°Do not think any of your family will be safe after laying a hand on my family!¡± ¡°Well said,¡± an Iyrman said, having appeared from nowhere. The King turned to face the Iyrman, but King¡¯s Sword had already drawn his blade. ¡°Your family is safe,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°They will be returned to you soon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Solomon stared at the Iyrman, who he didn¡¯t recognise. ¡°You have them?¡± ¡°Your family was abducted within the first few days, and have been kept safe. The one you call Master Blackheart was escorted to safety as well, for I heard he is your cousin.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve held them this entire time?¡± Solomon asked. ¡°Your grandfather has asked for their lives to be guaranteed, and we of the Iyr have promised such,¡± the Iyrman said, simply. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me?¡± Solomon stared at the Iyrmen, filled with disbelief. The Iyrman smiled. ¡°The confusion only helped destabilise the situation.¡± The King stared at the Iyrman, who remained standing there, ignoring the threatening King¡¯s Sword. Could he have sent King¡¯s Sword to save them? Could he have sent anyone to save them? ¡®These Iyrmen are terrifying.¡¯ ¡°Now that you have your throne, it is time,¡± the Iyrman said, leading the King and King¡¯s Sword back to the throne room. He had surprising understanding about the palace¡¯s layout. The King sat down upon his throne, surrounded by various nobles, who would bear witness. Elder Peace stepped forward, holding out a sheet of paper, which the King would need to speak into law. This was the first time the King had read it. ¡°I, King Solomon of Blackwater, take full responsibility for breaching the treaty signed by my family and the Iyrmen. I also accept the responsibility fo the ensuing war, and the costs associated, including the price for the Iyr¡¯s help in restoring the Blackwater Monarchy. As compensation for the war, the Iyr will be ceded territory from the Forest of the Iyr up to Five Bends. The Iyr will also be given compensation in the form of ten thousand gold a year for one hundred years, and the famed blade of Kal Blakvatr, the Drakkenslayer. Those who rebelled against the crown, Blueheart and Redheart, will step down from their positions.¡± The King stared at the paper for a long while, seeing the last few requests. Elder Peace nodded his head. ¡°For the price of breaching the treaty, all those related to Whiteheart, and all the citizens of West Fort, will be handed to the Iyr. The Iyr will be given West Fort for a period of ten years.¡± The King fell silent for a long while, before he looked to Garld, who sighed, and nodded his head. ¡°Minor Prince Gerald, and Minor Princess Annabethe, will be handed to the Iyr.¡± The announcement was sent throughout the Kingdom, Priests sending word to all the other towns and cities. ¡°They won¡¯t accept this,¡± King Solomon said. ¡°We have considered the aftermath, which has been included within the debt,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°You must explain to the Prince about the matter of Minor Prince and Minor Princess.¡± ¡°Do you swear you will not harm them, Elder Peace?¡± King Solomon asked. ¡°If I hear you¡¯ve hurt them, I don¡¯t care about the price to be paid, but I will march on the Iyr.¡± Elder Peace looked to Garld. ¡°They will grow up in the Iyr, as Iyrmen. They will be raised the same as any other Iyrman, and that includes the rights and responsibilities of the Iyr which will be formed on their bodies and mind.¡± The King bowed his head, rubbing his forehead. Losing so much gold would hurt, but it wasn¡¯t anything that would destroy his entire Kingdom, but to lose his grandchildren, it was a matter he would be unable to explain to his son. ¡°We will get to work,¡± Elder Peace said, turning to Elder Wrath and nodding his head. ¡°Work?¡± the King asked, wondering what the Iyrmen were plotting. ¡°We will take West Fort at once,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°We will take our compensation.¡± Shakrat was being kept aside, restrained by bundles of rope and cloth. They had made sure his head was protected as he was bound. Elder Peace made sure to gather the bodies of both Akrat and Timothy, placing them within coffins, before he and hundreds of Iyrmen, returned back to the Iyr. Elder Wrath took the remaining soldiers to West Fort, leaving behind a company of Iyrmen to make sure the King kept to his word. He had lost all trust from the Iyrmen, and so they would keep him close. They were also tasked with protecting the Iyr, as the rumours of the Iyrmen¡¯s prowess seemed farfetched, even if they were coming from the Sword Bearer Battalion. ¡°Darling,¡± the Queen said, finally returning to her husband. ¡°My Queen,¡± Solomon said, embracing her tight. Jarot went off to get some food from nearby, partaking in the celebratory feast, which was to lift the mood of the capital in order to prepare for war. ¡®He didn¡¯t even wait for me,¡¯ Jarot thought, thinking about how Elder Wrath had gone to West Fort. ¡®Should I take Big Crow?¡¯ A week passed, and news came to the King. West Fort had fallen. The dragons and the Iyrmen had made quick work of the fort, apparently by assassinating the family of the Whitehearts in the night, before they assaulted in the late hours of the night. A big black bird was seen dragging away all kinds of people, before it feasted on the dead. South Fort had heard the news, and had instantly send word of their intention to follow the King¡¯s decree. The Redhearts, who didn¡¯t live within South Fort, surrendered their position within their city, and were exiled from the land. The Bluehearts refused to obey, and had their armies ready for the war. They had sent word to the nearby Kingdoms on their ships, but by the time they returned, East Fort had been taken. The mercenaries who had been hired tried to fight to take back the city, but were quickly put down, and they surrendered. The returning troops had learnt of the situation. The Bluehearts had been assassinated within their homes within a week of the Iyrmen¡¯s appearance outside the city. The Iyr had gained a thousand children from the war, and thousands of slaves. They were brought back to the Iyr. When the Void Month came, the blood of the slaves spilled in the darkness of the Iyr, all unbeknownst to almost all Iyrmen. ¡°Baktu, Baktu, Baktu,¡± came the chants from deep within the Wild Iyr, where the thousands of slaves were Shakrat finally came conscious from his ragefever, and the ten Iyrmen tasked with looking after him for the months he had been taken, spoke the tales. He watched as two of the children played. Arykan, a boy who was beginning to show a resemblance to that man already, and Salgek, who shared the same blood, but was being raised in another group. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Kasomin asked, rubbing the stump of his leg knee. ¡°My brother and sister refused to come home,¡± Shakrat said. ¡°No,¡± Kasomin said, ¡°but your nephew did. Will you not see him?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bear to face him,¡± Shakrat replied, his voice dull. ¡°You¡¯ve washed away the shame, Shakrat. At least let him see your face, the face of he who had regained the honour of his father.¡± Shakrat remained silent for a long while, and Kasomin left him to his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Shakrat said, finally. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°To the north,¡± Shakrat replied, staring at the children still. ¡°I want to see the north that he saw. I want to see them, the people he saved. They must know the tale.¡± Kasomin nodded his head. ¡°I would like to see it too, the north which had been saved by your brother.¡± The pair of Iyrmen left the Iyr, never to step foot in their home again. Once the Blackwater Crisis had ended, King Solomon made his way through the land for the next year, establishing his rule in each town and city, surrounded by a hundred Iyrmen and a hundred of his Royal Guard, which had been formed from the disbanded Sword Bearer Battalion. The Iyr assisted in picking the new rulers of each region, and with the rule firmly established, they returned home, with no Iyrman stepping foot within the Kingdom for the next fifty years. It was Chief Tamin and Elder Peace, who was once named Arykan, who would create the next treaty with King Solomonson, only once the giants had come to threaten the Kingdom again. They joined forces with those called the Black Rats, a group formed of humans, orcs, and drakken, who fought with great savagery, to push back the giants. But that is a story for another time. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! A story I will never write because no one likes the side stories! It''s finally done! That took so long! Did I tell you guys it was meant to be three chapters, roughly ten thousand words total? This side story ended up being 46,499 words. A little more than 10,000... The entire story is 171K words. So it''s roughly, what, a quarter of the current story? I really enjoyed writing it though, honestly. I know that a lot of readers didn''t like to read it, but I hope it revealed a lot about the Kingdom and the Iyr to you all. The last bit glossed over a bunch of stuff, but that''s all for you guys to theorise. 50. Dangerous Thoughts 50. Dangerous Thoughts Adam stared at Dargon, whose lips were twitching in a smug, knowing smile. He wasn¡¯t sure why the Iyrman was so excited, but he glanced to Kandal and Eshva, who had been overjoyed to hear the tale of their ancestor¡¯s fights. Dargon had done well in mentioning Tova¡¯s fight in detail, but also the ensuing battle. The pizza had gone down well in the Iyr, to the point that his old Iyrmen companions had barged in to politely ask if they could taste some. With the power of pizza looming over their heads, Adam had traded the taste of pizza for the end of the story. It was a steep price to pay, but he couldn¡¯t deny them the taste of his favourite food, for he had a heart. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly as he chewed on the end of the story. ¡°I can see why the current King wouldn¡¯t dare to pick a fight with the Iyr.¡± Adam was still worried, but considering how the Iyrmen had glossed over how they had managed to assassinate the various nobles within their own homes, and how they had abducted the Queen so easily without anyone knowing. ¡®These guys are terrifying,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if they would still be able to do as they pleased. ¡°Still, you should be careful, being outnumbered and all.¡± ¡°The Iyr hasn¡¯t been truly threatened over a thousand years,¡± Dargon said, biting into a pizza slice. ¡°Even if the Kingdom outnumbers us a hundred to one.¡± ¡°If it is ever threatened, we will fight for it,¡± Tazwyn said, as though that was all there is to it. She finished the pizza with all the vegetables, before biting into some sliced meat she had prepared. ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t happen any time soon,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t even have Fireball.¡± The Iyrmen threw him a queer glance as he went into thought, but continued to enjoy their pizza. He would always say things which surprised them, but they were getting used to it. ¡°What happened to the Prince and Princess?¡± Adam asked. They had just mentioned it in passing, but it had alarmed him. ¡°They were adopted into the Iyrmen families,¡± Amokan replied simply, taking lead in the conversation. ¡°Right, but which families?¡± Adam glanced his way. Amokan had been listening in intently to the story, even though his family had not been mentioned once during the tale. Jurot smirked smugly at Adam once again, before catching Amokan¡¯s gaze. The pair exchanged a conversation with their eyes. ¡®Don¡¯t tell him.¡¯ ¡®I won¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll find out?¡± Tazwyn said, barely able to contain her smile. ¡°I thought Iyrmen were straight talkers,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°How disappointing.¡± The Iyrmen glared at Adam, feeling his words swing at their pride. Eshva growled quietly, gritting her teeth to stop herself from snapping at him. ¡°You are not close enough to the Iyr,¡± Amokan said, plainly. ¡°If you spar with us, we will tell you,¡± Timojin assured, biting into some of the meat Tazwyn had brought. Amokan threw the orcish Iyrman a look. ¡°You would say it so simply?¡± ¡°Adam may be an outsider, but his gift was better than ours,¡± Timojin replied, sternly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed.¡± ¡°Do I look like I know how to enchant? If I were stronger, I would have brought a dragon¡¯s fang!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s spar with him so we can grow stronger!¡± The pair of Iyrmen butt heads together, while Kitool placed a hand on their shoulders. ¡°Stop embarrassing yourselves in front of the half elf.¡±ViiSiit for latest novels Adam chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Dargon, I didn¡¯t hear mention of one of your ancestors.¡± Dargon had been so smug the entire time, yet there was little mention of any of his ancestors within the story. ¡°You did,¡± Dargon replied, simply. ¡°I did? When?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t figured it out?¡± Dargon asked, throwing the same smug smile to the half elf. ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Adam paused for a long while. ¡®Who was it that could have been...¡¯ Adam rubbed his chin gently. ¡°Wait a second. Greatsword. Greatsword...¡± Adam squinted his eyes, staring suspiciously at the Iyrman. ¡°Was it Elder Wrath?¡± Dargon grinned wide, crossing his arms as he jut out his chest. ¡°It took you long enough.¡± Kitool threw Adam a look, wondering what she should say. ¡°Did you figure out my ancestor?¡± ¡°Your ancestor?¡± Adam stared at her, narrowing his eyes. His first thoughts went from one Great Elder to the next. ¡°Elder Peace?¡± Kitool¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. ¡°It is my honour to be the daughter of such a fine name.¡± Dargon threw a look to Tazwyn, and then back to Adam. ¡°You did not know?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a drakken Kingdom, no,¡± Adam replied. Dargon threw another look to Tazwyn, who was staring at Adam. ¡°What?¡± the half elf asked. ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of Drakkenlen or Queen Silvari?¡± Tazwyn asked. ¡°Neither,¡± he replied. ¡®Heh, Queen ah da norf.¡¯ He shook his head, smirking at himself. ¡®Too bad the last few seasons were absolute dog.¡¯ Tazwyn¡¯s eyelashes fluttered violently, trying to think about what Adam was saying. ¡®What?¡¯ This was more unbelievable than him saying he had died several times already. Even Jurot, who had been with Adam when they had met the Queen, was giving Adam a suspicious look. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked having snapped out of his thoughts, noting all the Iyrmen staring at him. ¡°You don¡¯t know Queen Silvari?¡± Jurot asked, leaning in close, staring deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, of course not!¡± Adam pulled back away from the Iyrman, whose face had been far too close for his liking. ¡°How am I meant to know the Queen?¡± ¡®He doesn¡¯t know?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°Have you finally finished the tale?¡± a weak, feminine voice called from behind. The voice caused Adam to snap his head in her direction. Sonarot was using a cane to walk as she stepped through the Rot family door, before slowly falling onto the rocking chair beside it. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Adam asked, scrambling up to stand at her side. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, sighing slightly. ¡°She was such a little fighter, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Jurot stared at his mother, but he recalled the sight of her giving birth, and his face contorted into an expression of tamed horror. ¡°She¡¯s going to be strong,¡± Adam assured her. ¡°After all, she¡¯s a daughter of the Rot family, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ Sonarot only smiled at the words. ¡°Did they mention the Rukhs?¡± ¡°They did,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°Back then, the Rot family was at its peak. Jarot had done much for it, though he had left the Iyr for fifty years.¡± Speaking about Jarot was quite weird to her lips, considering it was the name of another member of the Rot family. ¡°Jarot had returned only to inform the Iyr of quite some news.¡± ¡°What kind of news?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tale for another time,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°You must be tired.¡± ¡°Tired? Me?¡± Adam stared at her for a long while. ¡°Sonarot, I¡¯m not the one who gave birth. It feels weird that you should say that about me.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were but a feeble mage?¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°I will be returning to rest soon, I just wanted to see my little Lanarot.¡± ¡°Do you need help?¡± Adam asked. She extended a hand and Adam took it, helping her walk to the Ool family, where Lanarot was currently sleeping. The little girl was still so tiny, with a wrinkled face, like a raison. Even so, to Sonarot, she was the cutest little thing in the world. ¡°Hey,¡± Jaygak whispered. ¡°You should do something before he steals your mother.¡± Jurot threw her a glare, which caused her to retreat beside Kitool. ¡°Mother is kind,¡± he said, simply. ¡°Adam may be weird, but I am his good friend.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t trust him?¡± Jaygak asked, squinting her eyes at him. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him, but I¡¯m still his good friend.¡± ¡°Jurot, you sure still say some stupid things, even after-¡± Jaygak ducked under the cloth which Jurot had snapped at her. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Next chapter will be an interlude, I think? The Iyr seems to have some people who can think at least. Interlude – Worries Interlude ¨C Worries ¡°I¡¯m not sure we should trust him,¡± Elder Gold said, adorned in her plate mail. At her neck was an amulet, with the symbol of Baktu, Lord Sozain. At her back was her trusted weapon, a long sickle, black as death. ¡°He is unknown to us, and even his intentions are too mysterious.¡± ¡°He has not yet harmed our people,¡± Elder Forest replied. ¡°How can you be so quick to suspect?¡± Elder Forest tapped her finger along the table in front of them, sipping the rest of her tea. She was also adorned in plate mail, a large glaive against her back, the blade shimmering purple. ¡°He used an enchanting shrine of ours to form a gift,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°He is here to drain our resources.¡± ¡°He has paid the fees, and as you said, he created a gift, did he not? The daughter of the Rot family has received a gift near unrivalled on her birth as her first gift.¡± Elder Forest understood why Elder Gold was worried, since it was in their domain to keep an eye on the wealth of the Iyr. ¡°A gift which was too great,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°Yet, by his own words, not good enough.¡± ¡°Yes. He has shown his intentions to create a better weapon, perhaps to use against the Iyr.¡± ¡°What say you, Chief Iromin? You¡¯ve met the boy. You¡¯ve heard of his tale, a tale which we have requested, and yet have been denied.¡± ¡°A possibility of the Iyr¡¯s destruction?¡± Elder Wrath shook his head. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Like the Chief, he wore clothing of the Iyr, unarmoured, but with a warhammer at his side. The Great Elders turned to face the Chief, who remained silent for a long while. The appearance of such a figure within the Iyr had been noted, but his actions had been far too mysterious. ¡°I trust in my judgement,¡± Chief Iromin said, though it did not need to be stated. ¡°He will grow to become dangerous. His mind is coherently incoherent. He speaks of death, as though he has experienced it multiple times, and he knows things he couldn¡¯t possibly know. We cannot forget he has spoken of the Frostbridge of the giants.¡± ¡°A theory,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°A theory which the Iyr had created and yet could not prove hundreds of years ago, and yet, here comes a half elf, who knows so much about us, even the birth of a girl, even knowing her name, which we did not. He has come with the theory which the Iyr had created and could not prove long ago, and yet, he speaks of it as though he¡¯s seen it.¡± ¡°The Chief speaks true, Elder Gold, Elder Wrath, surely you can admit that much,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°He is curious,¡± Elder Gold admitted. ¡°We have to be careful. The Chief, too, believes he could be dangerous. If that is that case, we should kill him before he grows.¡± ¡°No,¡± Chief Iromin said, firmly. ¡°We cannot.¡± ¡°She has not yet accepted him formally,¡± she replied to the Chief. ¡°Informally, she has,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°Until it has been confirmed, we cannot act out of place.¡± The Chief crossed his arms. ¡°The half elf has been accepted as Lanarot¡¯s brother, I have heard it with my own ears, and I believe that Sonarot accepts the responsibilities which comes with it.¡± ¡°A nephew...¡± Elder Gold sighed, shaking her head. ¡°For now, we must treat him so.¡± Elder Gold stared at the Chief for a long moment. ¡°Just what did you hear, Iromin?¡± ¡°Something unbelievable,¡± he admitted. ¡°Yet you believe it?¡± ¡°I believe it as much as I disbelieve it. Even he is uncertain of the threat.¡± ¡°What of his connection to the silver wyrm?¡± Elder Wrath asked. The sight of the dragon so close to the Iyr had alarmed him. ¡°I have heard recently that he has no idea about her true identity.¡± A long moment of silence passed through the elderly Iyrmen. ¡°He does not know her true identity?¡± Elder Wrath asked. ¡°Surely you jest, Chief,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°Even a child of the Kingdom knows who she is,¡± Elder Forest added. Elder Peace squinted her eyes at the figure, before stepping forward. She wore the clothing of the Iyr, which covered her pale red skin. Her horns peeked out of her dark hair. ¡°Where is your Chief?¡± the elf asked, her voice so smooth. ¡°When it comes to matters of peace, is it within my domain,¡± Elder Peace replied, staring at the elf. She understood that her appearance was not something many within this land liked, but she had earned the role with her blood, sweat, and the blood of others. The elf woman did not respond, though the elf girl bowed her head, not daring to look at the beautiful elf woman. The elf woman raised a finger, and magic engulfed the young elf, before she was carried towards the elf woman. A tense moment passed, as the Iyrmen stared at the trees, Elder Peace at the female elf, whose beauty was unmatched in the entire land. The elf¡¯s eyes then fell to Harold for a long moment, who had remained silent the entire time. The elf raised her hand, and magic engulfed Harold from head to toe, and vines full of thorns wrapped around him, piercing him. ¡°We will remember this, Iyrmen,¡± the elf said, before she stepped into the trees, the little girl waving her hand as she followed, and the presence of the elves disappeared, instantly. Harold flexed, before his arm tore away from the vines, and he grabbed at the vine, before he tossed the writhing vines aside. His body was cut, but he didn¡¯t seem bothered at all. Elder Peace offered him a vial, but he shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I should accept her intentions.¡± He couldn¡¯t blame her, after what happened all those years ago. ¡°I have heard the tale of your relationship,¡± Elder Peace said, wondering how much he would reveal to her. ¡°Since the meeting has passed by peacefully, I should return,¡± he said, sighing. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back as he fell into thought. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°The pleasure was all mine,¡± Harold replied. ¡°Though...¡± The words had slipped out of his lips, and he wondered just when he had become so meek. ¡°Perhaps we could make a trade?¡± Elder Peace¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°What is the trade you are willing to offer?¡± ¡°I will be willing to spar with any Iyrman, for the price of a magical weapon. Spears are preferred, but swords or axes are fine, too.¡± Elder Peace stared at Harold for a moment, feeling the Iyrmen behind her fill with excitement. ¡®Why would you do this to me?¡¯ ¡°We will return to the Iyr and discuss your trade. I cannot give you an answer.¡± Harold bowed his head, and with that, returned back to his small village. ¡°Gramps! Gramps!¡± called a voice through the small hut. ¡°Harold¡¯s back!¡± ¡°You little shit!¡± shouted back an older voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to show him proper respect? That¡¯s Sir Harold to you!¡± The old man stumbled out to see Harold, whose face was pensive. The look of his face said it all. ¡°Go make the tea.¡± The boy quickly rushed back to find the tea, the good tea which his grandfather hid, and began to boil the kettle. ¡°What are you thinking, Sir Harold?¡± the Chief asked, walking over to the man who was around his age, and yet held so much more responsibility. Harold sat down on a trunk, and looked up to the sky again. ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± he said. The Chief stared at Harold for a long while. ¡°Should I call for them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Harold said, returning to his thoughts as he stared at the sky. He closed his eyes, feeling the rain of that day once again. The villagers gathered, young men and women, as well as a few elderly, who waited before Harold, who was lost in his thoughts. Harold sighed, looking to the villagers before him. ¡°We will begin training properly. From now on, you will train daily for a period of one hour, and those of you who can handle it, two.¡± The villagers stared at Harold, who had been training them reluctantly for some time, but seeing the way he stared at them, they swallowed nervously. The Chief reached down to brush his grandson¡¯s hair, pulling him close. Sir Harold willingly decided to train the villagers, something which the Chief had never wished for, even though he wanted his village to hold its own. ¡°Is everything okay, gramps?¡± the boy asked. ¡°No,¡± Chief said. ¡°May Lord Sozain have mercy on our souls,¡± he whispered. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! No more short stories, and the next Interlude probably won''t come for a long while! Now begins the arc of Adam trying to gain the trust of the Iyrmen? 51. The Great Plan 51. The Great Plan ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam called out one morning. ¡°Let¡¯s become rich together.¡± Jurot sipped the last remaining portion of his soup, tasting the saltiness. He stared at Adam for a long while, silent. ¡°I can¡¯t create the handles of the weapons, but I can make the rest of the weapon. I¡¯ll leave the wooden sections of the weapons to you. Then I¡¯ll enchant them. You can test the weapons out, and If the weapon is decent, and I have enchanted it well, you could put your seal of approval on it. That way it¡¯ll sell for a much greater price.¡± ¡°How much would you offer me?¡± Jurot asked, staring at the half elf. ¡®He wants to use the name of the Iyr to make a name for himself?¡¯ ¡°One tenth of the profit I make for your craftsmanship, and an additional tenth if you attach your name to it.¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°We should probably ask for permission from your mother too.¡± Jurot remained staring at Adam for a long while. ¡®Is that why he wanted to be my friend? He wanted to use my name to make money?¡¯ Still, if Adam was selling off the weapons using his craftsmanship, then he¡¯d be able to spread his name through it too, and make a large amount of gold doing so. ¡°That¡¯s too complicated,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Make it twenty percent, whether or not I attach my name to it or give my seal of approval.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Adam said, raising a hand out to shake Jurot¡¯s. ¡®Twenty percent is a large cut for someone barely working,¡¯ Jurot thought. He was certain Adam would have denied the offer, that way his hands would be clean of the matter. ¡®To think you would actually agree.¡¯ However, the die had been cast. Jurot had said he would do it, and so, he shook Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°What weapon should we make?¡± Adam asked. He wasn¡¯t sure what the culture was like, exactly, and so would need to rely on Jurot¡¯s knowledge. ¡°Most weapons will have a buyer within the Iyr, but swords, spears, and axes are popular outside the Iyr too.¡± Omen: 12, 15 ¡°Let¡¯s make an axe,¡± Adam said, considering Jurot¡¯s family. ¡°Does your family have enough gems?¡± He still needed gems for enchanting, since gems channelled his magic. ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own gems?¡± Jurot stared at him, squinting at Adam, suspicious. ¡°Oh, right, I do...¡± Adam paused for a moment. ¡°If I use the gems of your family, won¡¯t you make an additional cut?¡± Jurot stared at Adam, blinking at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to be rich?¡± He was understanding the half elf less and less as they spoke. ¡°Sure, but I don¡¯t mind increasing the Rot family¡¯s wealth while I¡¯m at it.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be bothering you guys often, so I might as well earn your favour with cold, hard cash.¡± ¡®I should stop thinking about you making any sense,¡± Jurot thought. They approached Sonarot, who was relaxing under the shade outside. She was holding Lanarot to her chest, who was fast asleep. ¡°Hey, Sonarot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I was planning on making some magical weapons to make some money. Is it okay if I borrowed some gems and materials from the Rot family? I¡¯ll pay you back and give you a cut of the profits.¡± Sonarot bowed her head slowly at him. ¡°You may,¡± she whispered. The courtyard was strangely quiet, though there were a handful of Iyrmen about. It seemed that the arrival of Lanarot had changed the air in the courtyard. Though the Iyrmen were eager to play, they did so quietly, as to not disturb the baby. The children went off to play in the nearby courtyard. Adam leaned in to stare down at Lanarot, seeing her tiny, wrinkled, face, which reminded him of an alien. She was snoozing lightly, gasping for each breath as she slept. He smiled at her. Adam followed Jurot, who went to requisition some wood and ore using his family¡¯s name. Elder Zijin noted Adam nearby, but didn¡¯t mention anything about the matter. He found some wood and ore, and the pair made their way to a forge. Smithing (Intelligence) D20 + 4 = 15 (11) Smithing (Strength) D20 + 5 = 7 (3) Omen: 12, 15 -> 15 12 + 5 = 17 Smithing (Dexterity) D20 + 2 = 20 (18) XP: 1900 -> 1910 ¡®Hmm? I get experience for that?¡¯ Adam thought. He was certain he didn¡¯t receive experience last time for creating Lanarot¡¯s axe. ¡®Weird.¡¯ He had forged the head of the axe using the ore. It was fairly basic iron, which was used to make most weapons in the Kingdom. Jurot revealed the handle of the axe, which he had carved exquisitely with an intricate pattern of the Iyr. There was a circle at the base, with many diamonds move all along the axe to form a grip. The handle itself was made of a popular wood within the Iyr, though was considered to be quite basic. Adam finished the axe by fitting it together and then practised a few swings with it before handing it to Jurot, who went through the various patterns that he practised in the morning. ¡°Good work,¡± Adam said, sharpening the blade. Jurot nodded, watching Adam polishing the axe. It was awkward, doing so little work and yet being paid so much. Something about the situation caused his heart to grumble at him. ¡°Adam,¡± called a familiar voice. Adam¡¯s head snapped to the Chief, who awaited for him at once side. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you free?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°At the very least, it¡¯s true to me.¡± Elder Gold remained silent for a long while. She had half expected him to be lying. He would have been kicked out the Iyr, and she would have been done with this matter. The story which he had told would have been dismissed as untrustworthy, or an outright lie. She exchanged a look with the Chief, who remained focused on Adam. He had only half believed the story himself, but to hear that it was true from his lips, and knowing that the spell had taken a hold within his mind, it changed a few things. ¡°Do you think it could be an illusion?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°That you were put under a spell?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°The things I¡¯ve seen...¡± He placed a hand on the table in front of him, squeezing it. ¡°The things I¡¯ve felt. All of it could have been an illusion, and perhaps, even now, you¡¯re all illusions too.¡± Adam stared up at Elder Gold, deep into her eyes. ¡°However, it was real to me.¡± ¡°Why did you bring the news to the Iyr? Why not bring it to the Kingdom?¡± ¡°I wanted to warn you,¡± he said. ¡°That creature, it¡¯s too dangerous to be left alone. If it does appear in this world, then I hope the Iyr will do something about it, or at the very least, you will warn the world about the threat. I don¡¯t expect the world to band together and defeat it, I don¡¯t have that much faith in people.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°In terms of why I didn¡¯t bring it to the Kingdom, well, perhaps I should have?¡± ¡°What your intentions in the Iyr?¡± Adam let out a soft exhale, clasping his hands together on the table. ¡°In my previous life, I was treated quite well by the Iyr, specifically by the Rot family. I hope that, in this life...¡± Adam swallowed, glancing aside. ¡°It¡¯s rather embarrassing.¡± Elder Gold remained glaring at Adam. ¡°I want to make sure that my little sister grows up well,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve lost a little sister, and I¡¯ve even lost Lanarot once. I can¡¯t let it happen again.¡± ¡°And if the Iyr chooses to reject you?¡± Elder Gold asked, glaring at him. ¡°Whether or not the Iyr accepts me, it is irrelevant to that.¡± Adam returned the glare. ¡°Only Sonarot can stop me.¡± The Chief threw his head back and burst out into laughter. He shouted something in the Iyrman¡¯s tongue. He slapped the table and repeated the words. Elder Gold sighed, waving her hand to Adam. ¡°You may leave.¡± Elder Forest was snickering, almost ready to burst too. Elder Wrath just grinned wide, staring down at Adam for a long moment, before glancing towards Elder Gold, his eyes holding an joke only known between them. ¡°Baktu bless you,¡± Adam said, bowing his head, before looking to the Chief. The Chief nodded and Adam left, returning back to the Rot family house. ¡°What do you think?¡± Chief Iromin asked. ¡°He spoke true under the effects of your spell.¡± ¡°Perhaps it is true to his heart, but his heart could change,¡± she replied. ¡°You were the one to propose this solution, are you telling me you¡¯re going to break your word now that you¡¯ve found that you were wrong?¡± ¡°Even as the Chief, you should be careful with your words.¡± The Chief placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°You may continue to watch him, I will not stop you. However, that is all I will permit.¡± ¡°Did you even need to say that?¡± Elder Gold huffed. ¡°I will admit, he¡¯s not as bad as I first thought.¡± It was already late in the evening, so the people of the Iyr were joining together to eat dinner in their courtyards. Once Adam had returned to the courtyard, he noted the various families coming together. Tomojin was sitting nearby too, as per usual. Lanarot was currently eating from her mother¡¯s teet, her eyes tired. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I heard you were taken by the Chief. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Adam said, thinking about how stressful the situation was. The magic which had taken hold of him disappeared. ¡°Elder Gold didn¡¯t even drop the spell.¡± ¡°The spell?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡®Elder Gold?¡¯ ¡°Zone of Truth, I think,¡± he said. Sonarot tilted her head slightly. ¡°Did you meet with the Great Elders?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Adam wondered if all the Great Elders were human. ¡°What did they ask?¡± ¡°They were suspicious of me,¡± Adam said. ¡°They wanted to make sure what I told you and the Chief was true. I made the Chief laugh too.¡± Sonarot raised her brow, but Adam didn¡¯t elaborate. He wasn¡¯t sure if it had been good or bad. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! And so begins Adam''s plan to become rich! 52. A Walk in the Iyr 52. A Walk in the Iyr Omen: 3, 4 Adam stared down at the soup for a long while, staring at the murky liquid, coloured by the herbs and meat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jurot eventually asked, but only after his mother elbowed him gently in the side. He had watched Adam for the past couple of hours, noting his terrible mood, but had left him be. feeling unlucky today,¡± the half elf replied. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to begin enchanting.¡± He continued to stare into his bowl. He had wanted to enchant desperately. It would help in equipping the pair of them with better gear. Jurot stared at Adam, wondering if the connection to luck was an elvish thing. His mother elbowed him again. ¡°What do you mean? Why do you feel unlucky?¡± ¡°Do you remember when we met Balrog?¡± Adam asked. Jurot¡¯s lips grew into a large smile. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I do.¡± He recalled the feeling of cutting into the man. He wondered when his father would return so he could tell the story. ¡°I told you I¡¯d make sure you could land a hit on him. Well, if I was as unlucky as today, I wouldn¡¯t be able to guarantee that.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°So you will be unable to enchant because you cannot guarantee that it will go well?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adam said, sipping the last of the soup, careful to not choke, in case his luck affected the rest of his life. Sonarot stared at her son, reaching up to brush his hair, which caused him to bow his head slightly. ¡®Oh, how my boy is growing up so fast.¡¯ She hadn¡¯t expected him to understand Adam¡¯s worries, but it seemed she didn¡¯t have to be too worried. ¡°Will you be unlucky in everything?¡± Jurot asked, wondering how it worked. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t want to risk it.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Why don¡¯t you walk around with Turot today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Since Lanarot¡¯s birth, he¡¯s been receiving less attention than usual.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I suppose I should. He¡¯ll be looking after Lanarot whenever we¡¯re gone, so I should treat him well.¡± Sonarot smiled, as Adam confirmed he would be returning often to take care of Lanarot. Once they finished their breakfast, Adam went to find Turot, who was playing with the other children of the Gak, Ool, and Kan families. ¡°Hey Turot,¡± he called. The children instantly stopped playing and turned to stare at Adam. He was a half elf, and though he spent some time with their older siblings, they hadn¡¯t met him properly. Turot walked over to him. ¡°Yes?¡± The boy stared up at him with his dark eyes. ¡°I was just wondering, would you be able to show me around the Iyr?¡± Turot stared up at Adam, his eyes quickly brightening up. ¡°Okay!¡± With that, Turot set off, marching out of the estate and down the road. Adam followed him, wondering where they were going. As they made their way through the Iyr, a few other children looked at Turot, who was leading the half elf around. The Iyrmen children began to point at them, mumbling something to each other. Turot let out the smuggest smile he could muster to the other children. ¡®Oh?¡¯ Adam thought, noting the behaviour between them. ¡®Is he showing off that he knows a half elf? I really shouldn¡¯t spoil him too much...¡¯ He continued to think about the matter for a short while. ¡®Though, wouldn¡¯t that increase his status? No, not just his status, but the status of the Rot family? Wouldn¡¯t the other Iyrmen be more eager to help them? Then that popularity could be used to increase Lanarot¡¯s popularity, couldn¡¯t it? They¡¯d be more willing to help her...¡¯ ¡°Look!¡± Turot declared, snapping Adam out of his thoughts. The half elf¡¯s feet had followed Turot some ways, until they arrived near the river, but at a different section than he was familiar with. Adam looked where Turot pointed to see a number of water mills spaced some ways from one another. ¡°Oh!¡± Adam said, excitedly. He hadn¡¯t expected there to be such technology in the Iyr. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 20 (18) ¡°What¡¯s that watermill for?¡± he said, noting the weird smell in the air. Not just that, but there was a small bird on one of them, staring right at him. ¡°It makes paper,¡± Turot said. Adam¡¯s ears twitched. ¡®Paper?¡¯ He recalled how Turot had casually brought him a small book to use for his recipes. ¡°Can it be used for wizards?¡± ¡°Not this one,¡± Turot said. ¡°This mill is children¡¯s paper.¡± ¡°Children¡¯s paper?¡± Adam asked. For half a moment he thought Turot meant they were making children into paper, only to realise that it was to make paper for children. ¡°You make paper only for children?¡± Turot nodded his head. ¡°We get lots of paper.¡± He rushed up towards one of many cabins to the side, hidden away by trees. An Iyrman opened up the door. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Book, please,¡± Turot said. ¡°Did you run out?¡± ¡°I had to give mine to Adam,¡± Turot said, pointing to the half elf. The Iyrman stared at Adam, nodding his head at the half elf, before grabbing a small book and handing it to Turot. ¡°Thank you,¡± Turot said, putting the book in his robes. ¡°Why does the Iyr give so much paper to the children?¡± Adam asked once Turot returned. ¡°So we can write and draw,¡± Turot replied, staring up at Adam. ¡°What do you use paper for?¡± ¡°To write and draw, but I also use it for my spells.¡± ¡°We have some paper mills which make that kind of paper, but it¡¯s for scrolls.¡± Turot narrowed his eyes, suddenly unsure if he was allowed to be mentioning things like that to Adam. He turned and then started to march off somewhere else. Adam followed him, wordless, letting the boy set the pace. ¡°This is Stone of Chief,¡± Turot said, revealing a dark gem the size of a bull which was lodged into the mountain side. Adam blinked at it. ¡®Whoa! How much gold would that be worth? A hundred thousand? More?¡¯ ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked, staring at it. It seemed to be a giant gem, with nothing else of note, though he wasn¡¯t familiar with gems. Perception Check D20 + 2 = 12 (10) He didn¡¯t notice the bird on a branch above him. ¡°It is a magical tree,¡± Turot said. ¡°When its fruits fall, they are offered as prizes to Iyrmen.¡± ¡°What do they do?¡± ¡°They increase one¡¯s innate ability,¡± the orcish Iyrman said. ¡°Depending on the fruit, one would grow stronger, more agile, tougher, more intelligence, a greater will, or become more likeable.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, suddenly perking up, a smile on his face. ¡°Each Great Elder and Chief are gifted one once they are sworn,¡± Turot said, recalling what he had been told. ¡°Oh, cool,¡± Adam said. ¡°Perhaps I should aim to become a Great Elder.¡± Turot gave Adam the look, but he decided to humour Adam anyway. ¡°Which Great Elder?¡± ¡°Elder Peace?¡± Adam said, staring down at Turot, who narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°No, no. Perhaps I¡¯ll aim for Elder Story?¡± Turot¡¯s face shook from side to side, and he stared at Adam as though he had just slapped the boy in the face. The orcish Iyrman beside him placed a hand on the hilt of his blade. The lizard perked up its head, staring at Adam with a curious look. Adam¡¯s cheeky smile quickly dropped, eyes darting between the pair of Iyrmen. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Elder Story is not sworn in,¡± Turot said. ¡°They¡¯re not?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Turot said, blinking up at Adam. ¡°Why would they be sworn in?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they be?¡± ¡°Little Turot,¡± the orcish Iyrman said, ¡°you should return home.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Turot said, heeding the word of his elder. Adam followed after the boy, only to be caught by the Iyrman, who placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You should come with me.¡± Adam tensed up when he was touched, but he relaxed, nodding his head. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to decline, nor did he feel confident enough. He followed the Iyrman to one of the Elders, having Adam sit down and wait as they talked. ¡°You should return to the Rot family,¡± the Elder said, shaking her head, a small smile on her face. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Adam asked, slowly standing up. ¡°Takrat does not understand that you wouldn¡¯t know such things, and he doesn¡¯t get your humour.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, sighing in relief. ¡°Takrat?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± the orcish Iyrman replied. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that a coincidence.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Takrat asked. ¡°I¡¯ve recently heard the tale of Akrat, son of Ikrat.¡± ¡°Blackwater Crisis?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Takrat recalled Adam was staying with the Rot family, so it was more than likely to be one of the first tales he¡¯d hear. ¡°That is a tale of my family, yes.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Akrat was very manly. I cried a few times throughout.¡± Takrat nodded his head. ¡°I should be going,¡± Adam said, awkwardly retreating as he retuned back to the Rot family. ¡°He recognised the runes of the Drakken Tree,¡± Takrat said. ¡°I will let Elder Forest know,¡± the Elder said. ¡°He¡¯s suspicious.¡± The Elder stared at Takrat. ¡°Leave him be. I heard he met with the Great Elders recently. Do you think they¡¯d let you intrude on the matter?¡± Takrat grunted, frowning. A bird landed on his shoulder, and he rubbed its head gently with a finger. Then, it flew off, returning back to its cave. When Adam returned to the Rot family, Sonarot pat the seat beside her. ¡°I see Turot got you in trouble.¡± Adam just chuckled. ¡°Oh, no, it was me and my big mouth.¡± Sonarot asked it was a phrase from his homeland. ¡°Well, I heard you went to touch the Peace Pillar.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t touch it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Was I meant to?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Touching the Peace Pillar is not allowed.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Adam said. Sonarot continued to stare into his eyes. He knew what she wanted him to confirm, and as the seconds passed, he began to sweat. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Turot bullying Adam was really funny to me. Though... What''s with all the animals checking Adam out? Charima: 16 Oh, that''s why. 53. A Cool Weapon 53. A Cool Weapon Turot grumbled something at Adam, sniffling. The young boy was currently eating a buttered bun, sometimes dipping it into his meat soup, which formed his breakfast. ¡°He called you a betrayer,¡± Jurot said, biting into some cheese, which had been denied to Turot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Turot,¡± Adam said, staring down at the young Iyrman. He was still young, in his mischievous years, so of course he would touch the pillar which he wasn¡¯t allowed to. He hadn¡¯t expected Adam to betray him, though. Adam had expected the night to calm him down, but it seemed that Iyrmen continued to simmer in their rage, something he should have expected. ¡°Lying is bad, you know?¡± Adam said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying,¡± Turot grumbled, sniffling still. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s lying by omission.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t lie by mission!¡± He cried, his face twitching into anger. ¡®How adorable,¡¯ Adam thought. He was eating two breakfasts that morning, one for his stomach, one for his heart. Jurot stared at Turot and shook his head, eating the cheese which should have been the boy¡¯s. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to lie, Turot.¡± Cheese which did not belong to him tasted the best. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie!¡± Turot squeezed the bread tight in his hand, about to toss it, when Sonarot grabbed his wrist, gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Turot.¡± Sonarot pulled him up onto her lap and kissed his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re going to answer properly next time when I ask you, yes?¡± Turot sniffled once more, but relaxed his grip on the mangled bread. ¡°Yes...¡± ¡®I should try and get back his favour somehow,¡¯ Adam thought. He bit into the cheese, which was thankfully mild. ¡®I need to keep him on my side if I want to be accepted by the Rot family.¡¯ He continued to eat the cheese, noting Turot¡¯s covetous gaze. ¡°Do you like cheese?¡± Adam asked, trying to hide his smile. Turot narrowed his eyes, looking away. He bit into his bread angrily. Adam stared at the bread for a moment. ¡°Here, let me do something for you,¡± Adam reached over, waving his hand over the bread. Spell: Tricks ¡°There,¡± Adam said. ¡°What did you do?¡± Turot asked, bringing his bread to his chest, having thought Adam would take this from him too. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a bite?¡± ¡°Is it poison?¡± Turot asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d be stupid enough to poison an Iyrman in his own home, surrounded by two people who could hack my head off?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. Turot narrowed his eyes, his face scrunching to suspicion. Sure, no one would dare to do that, but Adam had betrayed him once before. ¡°No, Turot, it isn¡¯t poisoned.¡± Turot looked to Sonarot, who nodded her head, before he bit into the bread. Sonarot believed Adam wouldn¡¯t try anything funny, either. The boy¡¯s eyebrows dropped as he broke apart the bread and ate it. He stared at the bread, looking it up and down, before tearing into the centre. He said something in his tongue, mouth still full of bread, his face filled with confusion. ¡°Cheese?¡± Sonarot asked, turning to look at Adam. ¡°Magic is a wonderful thing,¡± Adam said. ¡°I flavoured some of the food when we were making our way. I thought, since he can¡¯t eat cheese, I could flavour his bread for a moment.¡± ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Tricks?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°He flavoured some food to taste like chicken tikka masala,¡± Jurot said. ¡°A dish from his home. It was nice.¡± Adam stared at Jurot, brows raised. ¡°How did you remember that?¡± ¡°You told me,¡± Jurot said, simply. ¡°Why would I forget?¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it.¡± Adam smiled slightly. Turot kept eating the bread, but soon it returned back to tasting like bread. He stared at Adam with wide eyes. ¡°You can do that again?¡± Turot asked, raising the bread towards Adam. ¡°Maybe another time, when you aren¡¯t being punished.¡± Adam didn¡¯t want to undermine Sonarot any more than he already had. Children needed to be punished properly. To his surprise, the Iyr didn¡¯t hit their children. He thought that they would, and they wouldn¡¯t make excuses about it, dismissing it as spanking, but they were much nobler than he had expected. ¡°Okay,¡± Turot relented after a moment, still staring at his bread, wondering if he could find some cheese in it. He was still unsure how Adam had flavoured it, and then kept an eye on the half elf. ¡®Must be an elvish thing.¡¯ Once he had earned Turot¡¯s favour again, he went off to enchant. He followed another Iyrman, still to be watched. He noted a large number of small creatures about, which seemed to be very common in the Iyr. Sonarot had finished making the meat and vegetable soup, pouring it for each of them. There was also some bread, as there always was, and some cheese. ¡°I heard you had a lot of fun with the children this morning,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Katool was especially happy.¡± Adam¡¯s face soured. ¡°It¡¯s hard being an adult,¡± he mumbled. Sonarot tilted her head in confusion, and the other Iyrmen gave him a side glance. Today he was escorted by another Iyrman, but he wasn¡¯t in the mood for small talk. ¡°You understand me, don¡¯t you?¡± Adam said to the axe, rubbing along the handle and then the head. ¡°I would have used Omen, but...¡± He placed the axe down and sat on the stool, sighing out his worries before he began enchanting. Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Omen: 1, 14 -> 1 14 + 6 = 20 Once again he pulled the Thread of Fate, causing a bard¡¯s lute to snap during his performance, causing all the people to jeer. He quickly scooped up his hat, full of copper coins, and slipped away, sighing. Once he was done with the enchanting, he rubbed along the axe¡¯s head. Adam could feel the magic already form within the axe, which was warm to the touch. ¡°Fire?¡± Adam wondered, staring down at the axe head. He brushed the handle tenderly, before carrying it back to the Rot family. He continued to add to his recipe book that night, adding in fish fingers, which he wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to make. ¡®Fish, cut up in rectangles, breaded... right?¡¯ Omen: 8, 11 Sonarot threw him a glance, wondering how lucky he was that morning. Adam paused for a long moment, trying to use maths to figure out the average quality of the weapon if he used the 11. Adam smiled, nodding his head. This morning he was prepared to face against Katool and the other other children. ¡°Bring it,¡± he said. Spell: Guidance 1D3 = 3 (3) Athletics Check D20 + 4 + 3 = 18 (11) This time he ran laps around them during catch the Iyrman, and when it came time to toss the balls at the target, he hit the centre more times than not. He stared down at the children, who had been unable to keep up. Katool stared up at him, seeing the wicked grin on his face. ¡®M-monster,¡¯ the child thought. ¡°You¡¯re in a good mood,¡± Amokan said, sitting down beside Adam as he bathed. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, recalling the beating he had given the children. ¡°In the best mood.¡± ¡°Are you feeling lucky?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Quite.¡± ¡°How powerful is your magic?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°I¡¯m just at the First Gate,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should be close to Second Gate spells soon, but I¡¯m not sure.¡± Amokan slowly nodded his head, unsure if he should believe the half elf. He was strong, physically, could he truly be so close to Second Gate spells at his age? If he was, then he¡¯d be far more powerful than Amokan and the other Iyrmen had assumed. Adam clapped his hands together once he was at the shrine, and he grabbed onto the axe handle. ¡°Come on! Big money! Big money!¡± he shouted, eagerly, causing the Iyrman assigned to keep an eye on him to peek in to see what he was doing. Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 20 (14) [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Oh, this time you¡¯re asking me?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Right, well, let¡¯s spend...¡¯ Just how amazing did he want this weapon? He didn¡¯t want it to be the best weapon he had made to date, he wanted Little Paw to be amazing in its own right still. ¡®100?¡¯ Battleaxe Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 + 1D3 slashing + 1D3 fire damage. You gain the ability to cast Flame Bolt. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®Whoa, that¡¯s a cool weapon.¡¯ Cool Weapon (Battleaxe) Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 + 1D3 slashing + 1D3 fire damage. You gain the ability to cast Flame Bolt. ¡®Wait, no, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡¯ XP: 1910 -> 2150 He stared at the battleaxe, annoyed. ¡®Damn it, Bell!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! adam: *really wants to be a part of the iyr some way* also adam: *ends their children''s whole careers*ViiSiit for latest novels 54. A Great Axe 54. A Great Axe He continued to stare at the axe for a long while. ¡®It is a pretty cool weapon, though.¡¯ He shook his head, returning back to the Rot family, axe in hand. ¡°Look!¡± Adam said, showing the axe to them. It was a fairly typical axe, save for the beautiful design and the runes on the axe head. Jurot was currently writing something down in a book, and Turot was reading something in the corner. Sonarot was currently feeding Lanarot. The woman stared at him, noting how he had made the weapon in three days, like before. ¡°What a beautiful axe,¡± she said, unable to be surprised by him any longer. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°It¡¯s got a secret.¡± ¡°A secret?¡± Turot asked, leaning over his book to stare at the axe. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you attune to the weapon first?¡± Adam didn¡¯t want to spoil the secret right away. ¡°Attune?¡± Turot asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°You need to meditate with it first for a while,¡± Adam said. ¡®Right?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡°How long?¡± Turot asked. ¡®How long?¡¯ [An hour.] ¡°An hour.¡± ¡°How do I do it?¡± Turot continued to stare at the axe, his eyes beaming. ¡®How does he do it?¡¯ [He must meditate with the weapon.] ¡°You have to meditate with the weapon.¡± The excitement from his face dropped, as though he had just been told he needed to eat the last bits of carrots off his plate. ¡°I can¡¯t meditate,¡± Turot said. ¡°I¡¯m only a little boy.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what he should say. ¡®At times like this, shouldn¡¯t I try and support him?¡¯ Jurot stared at the axe, seeing the runes on the axe head. ¡°How about you attune to it first?¡± Adam offered, handing it to Jurot. ¡°It¡¯s the axe we made together.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, taking the axe. He wasn¡¯t going to mention how he did very little, as this was the deal they made together, and the deal he had accepted. He headed into the courtyard, settling down in a corner, holding the axe with one hand, resting it over his lap. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Jaygak asked, appearing beside Adam. She was helping to prepare dinner this evening. ¡°He¡¯s attuning to the axe.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jaygak said, before she squinted at it. ¡°The axe you forged the other day?¡± ¡°I managed to enchant it since, and it has a secret.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you been enchanting it for only four or five days?¡± ¡°Three days,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°You finished enchanting it in three days?¡± Jaygak asked, tilting her head, her hair falling along her horns. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, simply. She stared at him long and hard. ¡°Is that an elvish joke?¡± ¡°No?¡± Adam glanced her way, before noting the surprise in her face. ¡°Is that quick?¡± Jaygak blinked at him. ¡°I can see why you¡¯re Jurot¡¯s friend,¡± she said. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She shook her head and sighed. ¡°What does the axe do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Did you hear what he said?¡± Jaygak asked to Kitool, who was playing with her adorable little sister, Katool, who glanced at Adam and then scrambled over onto her sister¡¯s front, hugging her tight. ¡°What did he say?¡± Kitool asked, holding her sister up with an arm. ¡°He enchanted the weapon in three days, he says.¡± Kitool threw a look to Adam, a suspicious look in her eyes. ¡°You enchanted the axe in three days?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you all excited to see what the weapon can do?¡± Sonarot asked, butting into the conversation. She understood their suspicion, but they¡¯d need to see it first hand to believe it. ¡°Well...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯ve taken such good care of me. If I charge you, I¡¯d lose too much sleep.¡± ¡°The weapon you¡¯d make, it would be worth at least a thousand gold, maybe two.¡± Jurot looked to his mother, who nodded her head. ¡°We can afford it.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s a lot of money, but there are things more important than gold. I mean, we¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yes, we are,¡± he said, staring at his mother for support, ¡°but this is another matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not charging you, and that¡¯s that!¡± Adam crossed his arms, drawing a line. His raised voice had caused Lanarot, who had been slowly drifting to sleep, to stir and cry. ¡°There, there,¡± Sonarot said, bringing the girl to her bosom. ¡°You¡¯re so difficult, Adam,¡± she said, shaking her head at him. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it, I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam replied, cheekily, though he felt a little bad about making Lanarot cry. Sonarot stared at him for a long while. She recalled his tale, and then stared at her boy, who was still alive in this life. ¡°Then, at the very least,¡± she said, reaching up to brush Adam¡¯s hair, ¡°you¡¯ll call me aunt, won¡¯t you?¡± Adam¡¯s cheeks flushed, feeling her tender hand against his hair. ¡°Uh, sure?¡± Jurot¡¯s friends watched, only to think about how they should have offered it to him first. ¡°Then that makes us cousins,¡± Jurot said. He wasn¡¯t going to question his mother¡¯s decision. ¡°Aren¡¯t you meant to be my brother?¡± Adam asked, cheekily. ¡°Since Lanarot is my sister too?¡± ¡°In the eyes of the Iyr-¡° Jurot began. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said, cutting off her son quickly. ¡°That is the case.¡± She stared at Jurot, brushing his hair too. ¡°However, that is only within the Rot family, and in the eyes of the Iyr, you are a nephew of our family.¡± ¡°I feel like that means something important,¡± Adam said, catching on to the other Iyrmen staring at him. ¡°It means you are forever welcome in our home,¡± Sonarot said, pulling him for a quick hug. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, feeling the warmth of her hug, before he quickly pulled away. ¡°I should have told you from the beginning that I was going to enchant a weapon for free.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gifted us so much, how could we possibly offer you anything less than this?¡± Sonarot brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°It also means you¡¯ll have a reason to stay here often, and none will suspect you.¡± Adam raised his brows wide. ¡°That sounds important. Are you going to get into trouble?¡± ¡°Trouble? These are matters of the Rot family. I will inform Elder Zijin tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him you¡¯ve accepted him!¡± She turned and ran off, with Kitool following after her, to make sure she wasn¡¯t going to start any trouble. ¡°I can no longer take it back even if I wanted to,¡± Sonarot joked, watching Jaygak rush off. Jaygak wondered if she should try and cuddle up beside Adam, since she had lost the opportunity to invite him in as a nephew. ¡°He¡¯s not so bad, besides not having horns.¡± Kitool threw her a look, before shaking her head. ¡°What do horns have to do with this?¡± ¡°I bet you¡¯d be into him if he had horns.¡± Kitool sighed, shaking her head. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing which matters.¡± ¡°Horns.¡± ¡°Power.¡± ¡°Horns are powerful.¡± All the while, the Iyrman who had been watching the exchange, slunk away, heading towards the Chief. ¡°Chief Iromin,¡± called the devilkin Iyrman, who wore thick furs, a maul against his back. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned, Elder Teacher,¡± the Chief replied, grabbing the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you so soon.¡± ¡°We were quite lucky on our hunts. Though, I returned and found something interesting. The son of the Rot family can use magic.¡± Chief Iromin blinked. ¡°I am certain he is unable to.¡± ¡°I saw him shoot fire into the sky with my very own eyes, bolts of fire. Flame Bolt, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Chief Iromin furrowed his brows, wondering how Jurot could have done such a thing. ¡®Adam was making a weapon...¡¯ ¡°That wasn¡¯t the most surprising thing,¡± Elder Teacher continued. ¡°There is a man of elven blood who was accepted as a nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°You have heard it?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Elder Teacher confirmed. ¡°I have as many eyes as I have ears, and as many ears as I have horns.¡± ¡°You should tell Elder Gold,¡± Iromin said, smiling. Elder Teacher noted the look in the Chief¡¯s eyes. ¡°Just what happened in the Iyr while I was gone?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Well, that was easy. 55. Two Magic Weapons? 55. Two Magic Weapons? Omen: 2, 14 ¡°Will you begin today?¡± Sonarot asked as Adam awoke. ¡°I should,¡± Adam said, noting his Omen. Once again, he aimed for a minimum number for the enchanting, as it was the most important weapon he had to make to date. ¡°I will prepare the items,¡± Sonarot said. Adam went about his daily routine, this time joining Jurot and the others during training, watching as Kitool and Jaygak sparred with one another. Kitool used both fist and staff, whereas Jaygak used her sword and shield. During breakfast, Turot raised his bread to Adam. He was allowed some cheese, but he wanted his bread to be flavoured. Spell: Tricks ¡®That was easy,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about how he had been accepted into the family, and how easily Turot was trusting the half elf to not poison him. ¡°Here,¡± Sonarot said, revealing an axe made of a red and silver metal, with a handle made of a dark wood. She also handed Adam a number of gems, similar to those he had used previously, but also a single amethyst. ¡°I wish you the best of luck.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. With that, he left to enchant. Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Omen: 2, 14 -> 2 14 + 6 = 20 (14) Adam plucked one of the Threads of Fate in order to empower the weapon. The beastly jaws barely missed the woman¡¯s neck, clamping against her shoulder instead. The dwarf beside her slammed his warhammer against the savage blue wolf¡¯s head, causing it to drop beside them, as they continued to strike into it. He sighed, feeling the drain of magic. He had concentrated on trying to instil the weapon with a healing enchantment. Once he was done with enchanting, he returned to the Rot family estate. ¡°Jurot and the others are assisting the Iyr,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°They will be busy for the next three days.¡± ¡°What are they doing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They are helping to cut down and plant trees.¡± ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is that normal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam remained at her side, eating the slab of meat. ¡°Iyrmen eat well,¡± he said, noting how much meat he had managed to eat. ¡°Next week is fish,¡± she said. ¡°Jurot and the others will need to hunt if we want to eat more meat.¡± ¡°Fish isn¡¯t so bad,¡± Adam said, wondering if he should introduce one of his favourite foods. Adam wrote down more recipes in his book, before going to sleep. Omen: 4, 16 This morning he played with the children. Katool would stare at him suspiciously, but Adam decided to go easy on them. There was no need to bully children, no matter how fun it was. This time a child had brought a ball which had been stitched together out of eight pieces of leather. ¡°Do you know how to play kickwall?¡± Turot asked Adam. ¡°No? What is it?¡± ¡°You kick the ball at the wall,¡± he said, grabbing some chalk and drawing on the wall. ¡°You get more points if you hit this part,¡± he said, motioning to a circle the size of his head, and then he drew a large oblong around it, ¡°less points if you hit this, and if you hit the wall outside the chalk, you lose points.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. Athletics Check (Dexterity) D20 + 2 = 11 (9) Adam managed to score a few points, but lost most of them from kicking the ball outside the chalk. ¡°It seems I¡¯m no good.¡± He helped the children count their points, managing to come in second place. Katool was the best at the game, managing to strike the inner circle several times, and only missing the chalk once. ¡°You¡¯re very good,¡± Adam said. Katool nodded her head slowly, before stepping behind Turot. ¡®Is she really that scared of me?¡¯ Adam rubbed the back of his neck. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ As the children redrew the lines to be bigger, Adam thought about the ball. He recalled what the Elder had called it and shuddered. ¡°Let¡¯s play some football.¡± ¡°Football?¡± Adam scrunched up his face in disgust. ¡°Sockball.¡± ¡°Oh, sockball!¡± Turot nodded and then put together the two markers, before he kicked the ball at the wall, only for another child to kick it after. ¡°You have to wait until after Katool. If you miss the wall, you¡¯re out.¡± Adam thanked Elaveil within his heart. ¡®I¡¯m okay if this is called sockball.¡¯ Once he had missed the first shot, quite purposefully, he said his goodbyes and went to enchant. Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Omen: 4, 16 -> 4 16 + 6 = 22 (16) Adam pulled on the Thread of Fate. Jurot grabbed the rope, which chafed against his arm, tearing into his skin, and pulled it hard. The tree shook violently, threatening to fall upon Jaygak, who managed to pull back just in time with Jurot¡¯s assistance. Adam sighed, feeling the numbness within his mind. Enchanting for so much did take a toll on his body. ¡®I should be careful,¡¯ he thought, only to think about how amazing the weapon would be once he was done. ¡°Was football a game you played often?¡± Sonarot asked over dinner that day. As she had said, they had swapped over to fish, which had been roasted over some fire. The smell of it had filled the air, but the spices were more fragrant, thankfully. ¡°Not that often,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I played it a little as a child and sometimes during my lunch break in school.¡± Sonarot nodded her head slowly, trying to paint a picture about Adam¡¯s previous life. ¡°Did you play kickball often?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes, when I was a child. I was best at sockball.¡± ¡°Will you play with us tomorrow?¡± Turot asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, forming a wrap using the fish and some vegetables. ¡°What will you enchant on the blade?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Something cool.¡± ¡°Cool?¡± Adam just smiled. ¡°Yeah, something cool.¡± Sonarot had brought some gems for him to enchant, another amethyst, which would allow him to enchant the blade with something more powerful. ¡®Hey, Bell, how much is it for Frostbite?¡¯ [200XP.] ¡®Sounds good.¡¯ XP: 2150 -> 1950 Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted it to deal cold damage, but he did think it would be cool if it did, not because of the pun, but so he could cover the opposite base as Jurot. He focused completely on his weapon for the next three days, going about the same routine he had thus far. Omen: 13, 17 Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 9 (3) Omen: 13, 17 -> 13 17 + 6 = 23 (17) The dwarf, who was still so far away, waded through the shallow stream. A large eel emerged, its snapping jaws clamping around his calf to drag him down, only to find dwarven steel. The dwarf slammed his warhammer against the beast, storming up to the river bank in a rage. Omen: 3, 17 Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 26 (20) Omen: 18, 20 Mana: 3 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 7 (1) Omen: 18, 20 -> 18 20 + 6 = 26 (20) The Threads of Fate continued to be tugged by the half elf. A young woman, horned, with rocky grey skin, reached back to catch her companion¡¯s hand, only to slip, and the pair tumbled down into the abyss of the ravine. Adam panted, his head throbbing. The exhaustion was beginning to pile up, heavy within his mind. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Another 500. There¡¯s no need to skimp on my own weapon.¡¯ XP: 1950 -> 1450 Adam stared at its statistics. He had to rub his eyes in order to make sure he wasn¡¯t just seeing things. XP: 1450 -> 2050 Great Enchantment Learnt! XP +200 XP: 2050 -> 2250 ¡°Twin Fangs.¡± He was too shocked by the last effect of the weapon. His lips formed a wide grin and he rushed back to the Rot family, trying to not spring as he power walked. ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam called, seeing Jurot reading a book to Turot. ¡°Come, quick!¡± Even though he had asked Jurot to come quick, he dashed beside the Iyrman. ¡°You need to attune to the sword.¡± Jurot stared at the sword, before looking up at Adam. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, before he grabbed the sword and went off to the corner of the courtyard outside. ¡°Another weapon?¡± Jaygak said. ¡°How have you not gotten bored?¡± ¡°I feel a little sick, but I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°You should be careful. Even as a half elf, you still may be struck by a magical sickness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°So what does this sword do?¡± Adam smirked, waiting for Jurot. ¡°Now, hold out your hand, and call forth its name!¡± Adam declared, dramatically ¡°What is its name?¡± ¡°Twin Fangs!¡± Adam crossed his arm, smirking wide. Jurot did as Adam commanded. ¡°Twin Fangs.¡± A second blade appeared within his free hand, and he quickly gripped around the handle. It was almost identical to the other sword, except the runes were more yellow than blue. ¡°It summons another sword?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Adam grinned wide. ¡°Two swords for the price of one! BOGOF!¡± He threw his head back in laughter. Twin Fangs Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing + 1D6 cold damage. Upon stating the command word, creates a duplicate of the weapon. Only one duplicate can be made. The duplicate has the same statistics, but deals fire damage instead of cold damage. The duplicate lasts until dismissed or the one who stated the command word is knocked unconscious. Jurot stared at Adam long and hard. It was such a powerful enchantment, something he hadn¡¯t expected Adam to be able to enchant. ¡°How did you enchant such a powerful enchantment?¡± "I have no idea!" Adam laughed again. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said, feeling the second blade in his hand. ¡°It is warm.¡± ¡°Right, never mind.¡± Adam shook his head, still smiling. "Let us show mother." Jurot now understood that was the genius of his mother, who had invited Adam to be a nephew. Adam nodded, following Jurot to the small cabin. As they approached, they noted a Shaman step out, who stopped when they saw the pair approaching. Jurot caught the Shaman¡¯s eye and stopped, clutching both weapons tight in his hand. Adam glanced at the Shaman, the cabin, to Jurot, and back to the Shaman. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Sonarot is sick,¡± the Shaman said. Adam swallowed, the throbbing in his head only growing more prominent. ¡°Sick?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! And so ends the slice of life arc? 56. Clear Minds 56. Clear Minds ¡°It has been a week since the birth, and she has shown signs of a sickness,¡± the Shaman said, staring at the foreigner. ¡°What kind of sickness?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is nothing for you to be concerned about.¡± The Shaman, who was one of the most beautiful devilkin women Adam had ever seen, narrowed her eyes at the half elf. She was adorned in long robes, with the symbol of the Shamans all along the hem, and she carried a large staff in hand, one with a large number of runes, mostly of Death. Adam¡¯s brow pulsed, and he clenched his jaw. ¡°Nothing for me to be concerned about?¡± The pounding in his head continued, not just from his exhaustion, but from the rage filling him. ¡°Will mother be fine?¡± Jurot asked, staring at the Shaman. They were almost a glare, but Jurot wouldn¡¯t hold any animosity against a Shaman. ¡°We will need to form a party to find the herb, otherwise, I cannot say that she will be able to survive,¡± the Shaman replied. Adam¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡®Sonarot wasn¡¯t sick in my previous life, was she? No, no. Did she get sick because things have changed in this world?¡¯ Adam threw a glance to Jurot. ¡®A life for a life?¡¯ ¡°I will go,¡± Jurot said, clenching the blades harder within his grip, but not showing any outward emotion. His face was statuesque. The Shaman nodded her head. ¡°I will tell the Elder.¡± She turned, swiftly making her way to speak with Elder Zijin, to inform him of the news. ¡°I will go too,¡± Adam said, his voice ringing clearly. The Shaman stopped. ¡°You will go?¡± She threw a look over her shoulder, eyeing the boy up. ¡°I¡¯m a nephew of the Rot family,¡± Adam said, his voice shaking. It felt weird to say, but if it helped him get on the expedition, he needed to get rid of the jitters. The Shaman looked to Jurot and muttered something in their tongue. Jurot nodded in response, confirming the words. ¡°You may come, nephew,¡± the Shaman said. ¡°We leave in the morning.¡± ¡°Can we see her?¡± Adam asked, not wanting to go without seeing her state. The worry ate at his gut. ¡°No,¡± the Shaman said, turning. ¡°Sonarot requires her rest this evening.¡± ¡°What if something happens when we¡¯re not looking.¡± ¡°We are always looking,¡± the Shaman replied, cryptically, as she walked away. Adam wasn¡¯t sure if she meant they were watching Sonarot or him. He caught the sight of Jurot, who was completely tense. Adam sighed, placing a hand on Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We should rest for the journey. We¡¯ll say our goodbyes in the morning.¡± Adam and Jurot pulled away, heading back to the Rot family estate. Lanarot, who had been with her mother, had already been moved to another cabin, one of the other family members taking care of her. ¡°Aunt is sick?¡± Turot asked, staring at the pair of them. Jurot had informed him of the matter right away. ¡°She is,¡± Jurot said, grabbing Turot¡¯s night clothes. Adam dropped down against the wall, staring at the floor in front of him. ¡®It can¡¯t be any normal sickness if they¡¯re sending out a group of Iyrmen.¡¯ ¡°Will aunt be okay?¡± Turot¡¯s lower lip quivered as Jurot assisted him into his attire. ¡°She will be fine,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I will be going with the group.¡± Adam shut his eyes tight, trying to think about his previous life. ¡®No, she definitely wasn¡¯t sick.¡¯ ¡°Adam will be going too,¡± Jurot informed the boy, helping him rinse his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be alone?¡± Turot asked, staring down. His sister had gone on a hunt, his mother had gone to follow his uncle, and his father was tasked with guard duty. Aunt Sonarot, due to giving birth, had been freed of all obligations for six months, and so took care of the boy. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jurot said, holding the boy¡¯s face so they stared into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°The house of the Rot family will be left to you. Can you handle the responsibility?¡± Turot stared into Jurot¡¯s eyes, his lower lip still quivering. ¡°I can,¡± he said, his voice firm. ¡°Good. Uncle Gorot won¡¯t return soon, so you will need to work hard.¡± Jurot placed his forehead against Turot¡¯s. ¡°Okay,¡± the boy said, closing his eyes. Adam remained against the wall, his knuckles against his forehead. ¡®Is there a chance she was sick when I left to meet with the giants?¡¯ A cold sweat covered the half elf. He had been relaxing within the Iyr for so long, and now Sonarot was sick? Without him realising? ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Omen: 15, 17 When morning came, the mood within the estate was sour. Adam bathed in the river quickly, slipping on his chain mail, and double checked his items. He left behind most of his wealth in the Iyr, keeping it wrapped in a blanket in the Rot house. He took with him a couple of gems, and some of his coin, just in case. Jurot waited for Adam outside, having much less to prepare, before they stepped into the cabin. There was a Shaman there, settled in the corner. This Shaman was much older, in his mid fifties or so, and was currently writing something at the desk. Sonarot was laying in a pile of blankets, positioned in the most comfortable manner possible. She lay there, sweat pouring down her face, pale as a ghost, save for the green veins which seemed to pulse against her skin. ¡°Mother,¡± Jurot said, falling to her side and holding her hand. It was near freezing cold, and so wet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you,¡± she said, her voice raspy. ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, mother.¡± Jurot rested his forehead against the back of her hand. ¡°We will return soon.¡± ¡°It''s dangerous south. Be careful.¡± Adam knelt down beside her, feeling her cold hand within his own. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say in the moment. He hadn¡¯t seen her so weak before, not even when she was giving birth. ¡°You too,¡± her rasped whisper came. ¡°Come back to me safely, even it it means without the herb." "We will return, mother," Jurot said. Adam nodded his head in response to her words, but his throat was clogged up. "We will head to the southern plains on our ship,¡± the leader of the expedition said. He was an older orcish Iyrman, wearing the clothes of the Iyr, and wraps up to his forearm. At his forehead was a tattoo of a red cross, with yellow hollowed ovals to its sides. At his back was a spear, which was made out of a blue steel, with runes which glittered in the morning sun. There was also a Shaman, the same devilkin he had seen the day before, who remained silent. ¡°Are you going to be wearing that?¡± Dargon asked. ¡°What?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Your chain mail.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°On a ship?¡± ¡°A ship?¡± Adam said, glancing towards the orcish Iyrman. ¡®Right, he did say...¡¯ ¡°We will be travelling by river. You should not wear your armour.¡± Adam stared at Dargon, blinking at him. ¡®Oh.¡¯ ¡°It would be a mistake,¡± the leader said, staring at Adam. Adam pulled his chain mail off, feeling naked without it. ¡°I can keep my shield, though, right?¡± Dargon nodded his head. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry,¡± he said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s back. ¡°We will make sure you return.¡± Adam noted that the orcish Iyrman was quite old, and so was another of the Iyrmen who had come with them. ¡°Just how strong are those two?¡± Dargon smiled in the same way Jurot had. ¡®These Iyrman are all so damn annoying with their smugness!¡¯ "You are a nephew of the Rot family,¡± the leader said as they made their way to the ship. ¡°How did you manage that so quickly?" "I told a great story." Adam smiled. "A great story?¡± Dargon said, staring at the half elf. ¡°Tell us!" Adam shook his head. "I can''t, not yet." "Why not?" Dargon asked. "It is not a story I can tell anyone." "You have told Sonarot? Though we had met first?¡± Dargon pouted, only to grin immediately after. "I trust her." "You do not trust us?" "Hmm.¡± Adam stared at Dargon for a moment, before smiling. ¡°I trust you all too, for you are all Iyrmen, but she... I owe her a debt from another life." He winked. "Another life?" Jurot asked. ¡®Was he serious?¡¯ The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together in his mind. Adam just smiled. "I''ll tell you when the time is right, Jurot. I just don''t think you trust me enough for it." Jurot stared at him. "So, I¡¯m sure you were all adventurers. What rank did you all reach?¡± ¡°Steel,¡± came the voice of two of the Iyrmen, though Adam knew that Dargon was Steel too. ¡°Silver,¡± came the voice of another two. The Shaman did not state her rank, but the last two, the leader of the expedition and the other older Iyrman, remained silent. ¡®They must be stronger than Silver,¡¯ Adam thought. They grabbed their things and set out, heading towards the front gates of the Iyr. As they approached, Adam noted a few familiar faces. Turot stood there, along with the other children of the three families. He was adorned in his Iyrman garb, arms crossed. His eyes were a steely glare. Jurot dropped to a squat and placed his hands on the boy¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You must take good care of the family while we are gone.¡± He squeezed Turot¡¯s shoulders gently. ¡°Yes!¡± Turot said, his voice clear. ¡°If its in your hands, I don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Jurot smiled wide, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. The Iyrmen then marched towards the wall. Adam gave Turot a nod, who replied with his own nod. They headed to the gate, which shuddered open as the Iyrmen opened it. ¡°Cousin Jurot!¡± Turot¡¯s voice rang in the air. ¡°Come home safely!¡± Jurot did not respond as he stepped out the gate. ¡°Cousin Adam! Come home safely!¡± Turot shouted. Adam hadn¡¯t expected to be called by the boy. ¡®Come home safely,¡¯ Adam thought, before smiling. ¡°Come home safely!¡± The other children cried, with the group of children repeating the phrase, even long after their voices could not be heard. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Will he come home safely? 57. Leaving the Iyr 57. Leaving the Iyr ¡°Is he really going to risk his life for someone he has known for only a few weeks?¡± the Shaman asked, glancing towards Dargon. ¡°Is that so surprising?¡± Dargon asked, marching forward alongside her. Adam was far ahead, out of earshot from their conversation, though they spoke in their own tongue, so they doubted he could understand. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If Turot, the boy who shouted after us as we left, was killed by Red Oak, what would you do?¡± Dargon asked, casually. ¡°I¡¯d do what any Iyrman would do,¡± the Shaman replied, simply. She wondered why he even needed to ask such a ridiculous question. ¡°It is the way of the Iyr,¡± Dargon said, nodding his head. ¡°Just how much blood would we spill for the life of one of our children?¡± ¡°They must never forget what happens if they dare to bare their fangs towards us,¡± the devilkin Shaman said, but she understood his point. The Iyr would do ridiculous things in the eyes of others. Dagon stared at Adam¡¯s back. ¡°Adam came to the Iyr for the sake of Sonarot and her newborn child.¡± The Shaman furrowed her brows. ¡°He arrived before the girl¡¯s birth.¡± Dargon nodded his head. "How did he know?¡± Dargon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°His past life?¡± He thought about it, wondering if Adam¡¯s nonsensical words were true. Tazwyn seemed to believe so. ¡®This is a great chance for you to prove yourself to us, Adam.¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t believe that, do you?¡± ¡°I had to keep an eye on him on the way,¡± Dargon said. ¡°Including Tazwyn, whose discerning eyes are much better at this sort of thing. There was a moment where I thought his intentions were impure, when we came across Balrog, but thanks to him, my story has only become greater.¡± Dargon watched as Adam scanned the trees around them. Then his eyes fell to Jurot. ¡°And, of all the people, it was he who allowed Jurot to wash away the stain of his past.¡± The Shaman stared at the pair of young men ahead of them. She understood what it had meant for Jurot to be able to finally gain closure on the matter of the past. She bowed her head. Lykan stood ahead of the gates, waiting for the ten to approach. He had received news from the Main Iyr about the task at hand, and had already prepared the items the Iyrmen would need. Not just the Iyrmen, but also that youngster. He shook his head slowly. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long and you¡¯ve already...¡± ¡°Elder Lykan,¡± the orcish Iyrman, Okvar, greeted the Elder, and paid his respects. ¡°I have received word,¡± the Elder replied. ¡°Please, come and rest. The equipment will be prepared and you may set out in the morning.¡± Lykan glanced down towards Jurot and Adam. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you both like this.¡± ¡°It is my mother who is unwell,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I will go and bring back the herb, as expected of me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to her.¡± Adam said. ¡°Is it a coincidence that she fell sick once you had arrived?¡± Elder Lykan asked, the other Iyrman staring between the pair. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have fallen sick.¡± ¡°You sound very confident.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I saw it,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°She shouldn¡¯t have fallen sick.¡± Lykan stared down into Adam¡¯s eyes for a long while, before he turned and led the group forward to their lodgings. Adam and Jurot would have to bunk up together, which was expected of them. Adam dropped his pack to the side and then sat down on the bed, sighing. ¡®We¡¯re going to waste a day walking to Front Iyr...¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± called Okvar, who knocked on the door and waited. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Come,¡± he said. Adam stepped out to see the Iyrman holding out a shirt made of dark scales. ¡°A scale shirt, for protection,¡± Okvar said, handing it over. Adam took it from him, staring at it. It was well made, but that was to be expected. It was much lighter than his chain mail, by quite a large amount, but it wouldn¡¯t provide him as much protection. ¡°This is for me?¡± ¡°As long as you wear it, and don¡¯t keep too many things on your person, you should be able to swim if you fall.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, smiling. He noted it only required two straps towards the waist. ¡°You will be handed a helmet tomorrow morning before we go as well.¡± ¡°Good evening, Elder Lykan, I apologise for bothering you. I was just wondering if perhaps I could trade for some gem dust to be used in my spells?¡± ¡°What do you need it for?¡± Elder Lykan asked, staring at the half elf with a cold look. Adam shuddered. The man had Amokan¡¯s eyes, who had looked at him quite fondly in the Iyr. ¡°I need it for a spell of mine.¡± ¡°Which spell?¡± ¡°Find Familiar.¡± ¡°You would dare summon a familiar in the Iyr?¡± Lykan raised his brows, amused by what he was hearing. ¡°No, I¡¯m not that stupid, like how I¡¯m not stupid enough to do anything to my aunt.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes glazed over with a glare. Elder Lykan stared at him, noting the look in the half elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Very well.¡± He stood. ¡°I will finish the tale another time.¡± ¡°Aw,¡± the children grumbled. The Elder took the half elf to his own abode. ¡°How much do you need?¡± Currency: (2) Tiger Eye -> (1) Tiger Eye ¡°That¡¯s a lot of familiars.¡± ¡°I have no doubt he¡¯s going to get killed a few times.¡± ¡®He?¡¯ Lykan just nodded. He disappeared into his home and returned not even a minute later. The Elder handed him the gem¡¯s worth in gem dust, which would allow him to summon his familiar five times, as long as he had the other components to the spell. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, nodding his head, before turning on his heel and swiftly marching away. Omen: 13, 14 Adam awoke in the morning to eat a light meal, though the Iyrmen were ravenous. He noted that Wujyn and Rokat both had acquired a similar armour to him, a shirt made of dark scales. ¡°I wish you the best of luck,¡± Lykan said, shaking each of their forearms, including Adam¡¯s. ¡°Come home safely!¡± the children shouted, watching as they made their way out towards the death trap. The group made their way to the river beyond the wall, where it raged. The Shaman then reached into her cloak and pulled out a small toy boat. She whispered a few words and it expanded into the river, though it was somehow still within the raging water. Adam stared at the river boat ahead of him, which was etched with all kinds of runes. Inset within the sides of the boat were at least a dozen gems, each worth at least a hundred gold pieces, with another large set of gems set within figurehead of the boat, which was carved like a dragon. There was a small sail too. ¡°Nice boat,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will use my magic to power the boat, but there may be times where you will be required to row,¡± Lokat said. ¡°Would I be able to power it with my magic?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said. ¡°How many spells can you cast?¡± ¡°Three, though only those at the level of Find Familiar.¡± ¡°You may power it twice at the beginning of the day, and I will power it beyond.¡± Adam nodded, hopping onto the boat with the others. They put away their packs below deck, though the Iyrmen each kept their weapons nearby. Lokat grabbed Adam¡¯s hand, which made him freeze for a moment, before she brought it to the figurehead. ¡°Expend your magic,¡± she said. ¡°Right,¡± he said. Mana: 3 -> 2 The gems flashed for a moment as the sails unfurled above him and the boat blasted forward, much quicker than he expected. ¡°Woo!¡± Adam exclaimed like a little boy. Constitution Save D20 + 4 = 24 (20) Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Will he leave safely? 58. Legends of Old 58. Legends of Old Adam managed to keep his breakfast down as they barrelled their way along the river. They were definitely moving much quicker than just walking as they followed the raging river. ¡°Sit,¡± Lokat said, as she grabbed a hand hold on the sail. Adam fell back against the side, grabbing onto a handhold. The boat eventually slowed, though was still moving at a much quicker pace than walking. ¡°Brace!¡± Lokat called. Adam did as she asked, and the boat floated in the air for a moment, before dropping down into the river once again as they crested over a small waterfall. The boat passed by the village outside the Iyr, the villagers swiftly gathering around. They stared as the boat swept by, waving at the Iyrmen as they passed. As they continued along the river, Okvar noted something in the distance above them. ¡°Careful,¡± he said, motioning his head up towards the flying creature above them. ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked, squinting his eyes. Spell: Guidance 1D3 = 1 (1) Perception Check D20 + 3 = 12 (9) He could barely managed to make out the rough shape of the creature, which seemed to be feline, with large wings and a thick tail. ¡°Manticore,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°Manticores?¡± ¡°It must be hunting,¡± Okvar said. ¡°So close to the Iyr?¡± Rokat asked, staring up at it. ¡°It must be desperate.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s desperate, will it attack us?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We can only hope so,¡± Wujyn said. The hours passed as they continued to ride on the boat, before Lokat started to slow down the boat. ¡°We must leave soon,¡± she said, before she stopped the boat by dropping the anchor, allow the people to get off before the boat shrunk into her palm. ¡°Does it need to recharge?¡± Adam asked. Lokat didn¡¯t respond, instead stepping beside Okvar. ¡°We will head to the nearby inn,¡± he said, turning to lead the party. The other Iyrmen each took their places, with Argon bringing up the rear, behind the pair of young men. Once again, the Iyrmen were surrounding the youngest pair. ¡°An inn?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Dargon said. They followed one of the small streams of the river, before finding large walls around the top of a hill. It was less of an inn as it was a small village of a couple hundred people. There was someone out on watch, who rung a bell, and then another person appeared, loading up a bolt. Once the guards saw who it was, they nodded their heads towards the Iyrmen. ¡°What¡¯s with all the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°We are on a special task for the Iyr.¡± ¡°What kind of special task?¡± Okvar tossed up a small pouch to the guard, who snatched it out of the air with a practised swipe. He glanced through the pouch and nodded his head. ¡°Come on in, Iyrmen. No funny business.¡± The gates opened to reveal a fence which sectioned off one half of the village, and a path leading to a large inn with some stables nearby. The buildings were made of stone, which surprised Adam considering how much it would have cost, though there were a handful of wooden buildings. The Iyrmen approached the inn, slamming the doors open. There were already a few visitors here, about three dozen, and they glanced towards the Iyrmen. A travelling inn was home to all kinds of seedy individuals, a good place to escape from the law, and to do all kinds of dodgy dealings. Even so, seeing almost ten Iyrmen appear, the ne¡¯er do wells within the inn returned back to their shade. Okvar approached the innkeeper, a man in his forties, who narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Iyrman. ¡°Iyrman,¡± he said in his gruff voice. Okvar placed down a pouch full of gold coins and gems, worth over a hundred gold coins. ¡°Five rooms, ten meals.¡± The innkeeper peered through the pouch and nodded his head. ¡°You keep your hands away from your weapons, you hear?¡± ¡°We do not need our weapons to spill blood.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go causing trouble in my inn. I¡¯m just an honest man trying to make a decent living for myself, like my granpapi before me.¡± Okvar just nodded his head. ¡°Bertha! Ten meals for a bunch of Iyrmen, now!¡± A bell rung from behind him to confirm the order, and the Iyrmen stepped to the side. ¡°They don¡¯t like Iyrmen around these parts, do they?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Keep close,¡± Okvar said. ¡°They might try and lay a hand on you.¡± Adam glanced around, before Dargon tapped the table in front of him. ¡°You might see something you shouldn¡¯t,¡± he said, nodding his head slowly. Okvar rubbed his chin. ¡°It would be a close fight. Neither of them have fought in some time, but the Chief regularly practises.¡± ¡°He will no longer have his equipment, so the Chief would win,¡± Wujyn said, simply. Okvar nodded. ¡°If it was at his peak, only a handful of Iyrmen could have faced him with a chance of winning,¡± Okvar admitted. ¡°He¡¯s that strong?¡± ¡°The most dangerous time for the Iyr was back when he was King¡¯s Sword,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°Now, that danger has passed. He does not hold as much love for King Gerald as he had the previous King.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He retired,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°The current King tried to coax him back to no avail. However, there is a deeper rift between them now, after what happened at the massacre." ¡°The King¡¯s Sword had something to do with it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sir Merry did not, which was the issue,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°He retired, and he held much love with the elves. He would never raise his sword against them, and the King still tried to war with them. The elves destroyed Rock Hill, but they wouldn¡¯t dare to march towards Ever Green, not with Sir Merry at its doorstep.¡± ¡®Damn, he sounds so cool.¡¯ ¡°We shouldn¡¯t talk about it so openly,¡± Okvar said, noting the looks from the other people around them. Omen: 2, 9 When morning came, Adam noted all the greenery around the town. There were so many parks, and the buildings each held a small garden. ¡°Whoa, what a beautiful place,¡± Adam said as they stepped out. ¡°Ever Green has been affected by the elves long ago,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°They say Ever Green was once home to an elven town, but it had long fallen before the humans stepped on this land,¡± Okvar said. They made their way to South Fort on their boat, though this time Lokat took charge of the boat the entire day. They moved swiftly, much quicker than they had previously. However, they still needed to march for hours to head to South Fort, and by that time, Adam¡¯s entire body was aching. Constitution Save D20 + 4 = 5 (1) Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 The party was greeted by a large town surrounded by a dozen small forts, and wall which went all the way to the horizon, but Adam didn¡¯t spend any time admiring it. Instead, he followed them to the inn before passing out. Omen: 4, 7 Exhaustion: 1 -> 0 "It''s dangerous beyond here," the guard said unenthusiastically. It was a stupid thing to say to Iyrmen, but he had to say it. The Iyrmen, who had bought a carriage from the fort at an exorbitant price, began their journey forward. There were four horses which pulled the long carriage. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Okvar said. ¡°Once we are within the town, we will speak about our next steps.¡± ¡°Is the herb out in this plain?¡± ¡°Somewhere,¡± Okvar replied. ¡°I will be able to find it, but we should make a base within the town first,¡± Lokat said. ¡°The Plains Terror?¡± Jurot asked, leaning in to listen to them intently. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The what now?¡± ¡°The Plains Terror,¡± Dargon replied, simply. ¡°It is the name for the reasons as to why this plain is uninhabited.¡± ¡°And what are those reasons?¡± ¡°Magic. Beasts. Magical beasts. Curses. Legendary creatures which lurk in the shadows.¡± Dargon shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Too many things.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°You could have told me that before, you know?¡± Adam stared out the carriage, seeing the empty plains. They continued along to the plains, where there seemed to be no life. Things seemed so tense, though Adam wasn''t sure why. An Iyrman had told him the next part of the journey would be dangerous, so he took the matter seriously. Hades flew freely above and around them, and Adam would take to his senses every so often, but he found nothing of note. It was midway through the day when the Iyrmen felt it, the hairs on their necks standing up. Even Jurot, the youngest of the Iyrmen, could feel it. ¡°Jump!¡± Okvar exclaimed as the Iyrmen tore into the carriage with their mighty weapons to open up a path for the youngest pair. The horses cried in terror as the earth beneath rumbled. Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 59. Nature Sucks 59. Nature Sucks Jurot had barely managed to leap over the vine as it broke through the bottom of the carriage, the horses whinnying in terror as giant vines wrapped around them and pulled them down into the trembling, cracking ground. ¡°Oh shi-¡° Adam¡¯s voice was cut off as he was swept up by the thick vine, which had emerged from the ground and wrapped around his body. Beside him, he watched as Hades dissipated from being struck by the tip of the vine. ¡°You bastard!¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 7 (6) Adam reached for his blade as the vine wrapped around him, as thick as any man he had ever seen. He barely managed to draw it before the vine closed a loop around him, pinning an arm to his side. Attack D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Miss! He slashed against the vine, only to find his blow glancing off the side of it. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Jurot roared wildly, aiming a blow with his axe, cutting deep into the side of it. The deep cut still wasn¡¯t enough for Adam to free himself, unfortunately, and it wrapped around him tight. Health: 26 -> 17 Adam¡¯s bones clicked as the vines slowly crushed him, and the vine slammed against Jurot, causing him to slide back from the heavy blow. ¡°Adam!¡± Argot shouted, swinging his blade wildly towards the vine, cutting deep into it. The other Iyrmen around also cut at the heavy vine, finally freeing the boy as he dropped down, the vine now cut into long strips as though it were a courgette. ¡°Follow the path!¡± Okvar exclaimed as the ground continued to rumble. ¡°Go!¡± The vine retreated into the earth as Adam and the Iyrmen ran, but from where the vine had sprouted, more greenery emerged. Bushes and trees emerged from the ground, stalking them as they fled. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Adam gasped, glancing over his shoulder. They were quicker than the emerging forest. ¡°To safety first,¡± Okvar shouted, leading them away from the forest which was emerging. He turned and cut a projectile which had come from the forest forming from the earth. ¡°Keep going!¡± ¡°We will fight!¡± Jurot shouted, turning around. ¡°To safety!¡± Okvar snapped at him. ¡°We will follow.¡± Jurot grit his teeth, but did not argue. For a moment, he had lost himself to the blood lust, but he wasn¡¯t here to fight, but to find a herb for his sick mother. He turned and fled, with Adam following beside him. Athletics Check D20 + 5 = 18 (13) As they continued, the earth around them continued to shift and shake, with brush appearing all around them. Adam summoned his fiery blade in his other hand, cutting apart anything which appeared in front of him. ¡®God damn trees, coming in my way!¡¯ Jurot, lost in his thoughts about his mother, tripped on a vine as it emerged from the ground. Adam slid to a halt, reaching down with a hand, only to see a tree charge towards him. Attack (Flanking) D20 + 5 + 1 = 23 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 4 = 10 (1)(5) Vulnerability exploited! 15 damage! ¡°What the fu-¡° Adam swiped at it with his fiery sword, cutting deep into the bark as it crumbled against his blade. ¡°Come on!¡± Adam sheathed his icy blade, understanding it probably wouldn¡¯t help him as much as the other blade. He grabbed onto Jurot¡¯s forearm and assisted him up as they rushed away. Athletics Check D20 + 5 = 7 (2) As Adam leapt over a vine, a bush leapt up at him, tackling him to the ground. Jurot swiped his axe hurriedly at the bush, barely cutting off a handful of twigs. The bush thwacked him with its twigs, barely managing to harm the Iyrman. Attack (Flanking) D20 + 5 + 1 = 14 (8) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 4 = 15 (5)(6) Vulnerability exploited! 21 damage! ¡°I¡¯m all for conserving nature, but you¡¯re really beginning to piss me off,¡± Adam huffed as he tore into the bush, cutting it in half as the flames spread throughout it. He rolled away and scrambled to his feet, noting the brush around them shambling towards them. ¡°A Forest Awakening,¡± Jurot panted. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It happens once a century during Duskval,¡± Jurot said as they continued to flee. ¡°So we were unlucky?¡± Jurot stopped, raising a hand. ¡°There¡¯s someone here,¡± he whispered. Then he slowly tilted his head upwards. Adam followed his gaze, only to see a large creature, its body as big as him, barely an arms reach away. ¡°Kya!¡± Adam screamed like a little girl as he saw the large spider, dark shelled, with spikes as big as his finger emerging from its legs. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 18 (17) The spider opened it¡¯s spiky maw and hissed. Adam gripped the fiery sword tight and leapt into the air, stabbing upwards as terror filled his bones. ¡°Fuck! Jurot! Fuck!¡± Adrenaline coursed through him as a cold sweat fell across him. Attack (Flanking) D20 + 5 + 1 = 14 (8) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 4 = 9 (4)(1) Vulnerability exploited! 9 damage! Jurot roared as his rage consumed him, and he gripped his blade tight with both hands as he leapt up. He brought his axe down on its open maw, where a web was forming, and he through its head and half way into the body, cleaving it into two halves. The creature dropped on top of him as Adam stumbled aside, panting for air as his heart pounded wildly. Victory! Giant Spider +100XP XP: 2550 -> 2650 Jurot glanced around quickly, before exhaling. The rage left through his muscles, and he sheathed his axe. ¡°Good job,¡± Adam said, thumping his chest with the side of his fist. ¡®I almost shat myself.¡¯ He kept gasping for air. ¡°This axe you enchanted is very good,¡± he said, smiling. Adam smiled. ¡°My ear hurt from your screaming.¡± Jurot smiled wider. Adam frowned. Jurot continued to glance around, before he noted a large webbed mass. He walked towards it, and Adam followed, not wanting to be left alone with the giant spider corpse. The pair glanced between one another, before Jurot pressed his axe against it, rolling it back and forth to create a cut, and he tore the webs apart. The form of a little girl began to slip out from the hole, only for Jurot to grab her, pulling her out, and holding her out ahead of him as though he was holding a baby with a soiled diaper. Adam blinked at her. ¡°A devilkin?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°A demon.¡± He motioned his finger towards her greyish skin and horns, which were slightly wider than the devilkin horns he had become accustomed to seeing within the Iyr. ¡°They are extremely rare.¡± ¡°How rare?¡± ¡°They were thought to be extinct,¡± Jurot admitted. He noted her skin, which seemed to be almost rocky in certain places. ¡°They really do have rocky skin,¡± he said, feeling it against his bare palm. ¡°Demons and man once fought. They are some of the first stories of the Iyr. Demons brought the Iyr to ruins during the First Culling.¡± Adam stared at Jurot for a long moment. ¡°So what are you going to do to her?¡± He felt the tenseness in his muscles. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jurot said, slowly placing the girl down. ¡°That is a tale of old, and she is a little girl.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d say that.¡± Adam looked down at her, noting how she was sleeping peacefully, her breath gentle. ¡°I think I might be-¡° ¡°Hah!¡± declared the girl, who stared at the ceiling above her. ¡°How dare a mere spider believe it could defeat the great me!¡± Adam shook his head and glanced down towards the girl, who sat up, crossing her arms. ¡°Hello?¡± The girl stared at the two men ahead of her. ¡°Who are you?¡± She glanced around. ¡°Where¡¯s...¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I do love nature, but sometimes a flame thrower is needed. 60. Myths of Old 60. Myths of Old The girl looked back to the pair, who were staring down at her. ¡°You dare stand while I sit?¡± Adam looked to Jurot, exchanging a quick glance, before looking back at the girl. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, at the same time. ¡°How dare you.¡± ¡°Is that how you should speak to your saviours?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh? You two sure are cocky! To think you would dare to say I needed saving!¡± She huffed. ¡°You did,¡± Adam said. ¡°The spider would have consumed you if we had not arrived,¡± Jurot added. ¡°I was merely napping! You think some measly spider could defeat the great me?¡± She tried to hop onto her feet, but found that she didn¡¯t have as much strength as she expected, and so, as regally as she could manage, scrambled to her feet. ¡®She must be some rich kid,¡¯ Adam thought. He wondered how the demon¡¯s society was. ¡®Do they even have rich kids? What if she¡¯s the Demon Lord¡¯s kid?¡¯ He stared down at her, his gaze now curious. ¡°You two should kneel before me at once!¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You! You dare to refute the Demon Lord?¡± Adam coughed. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Hmph! If it wasn¡¯t for the fact I had to spend all my energy against that bastard, I would have spanked you at once!¡± She grit her teeth. ¡°That bastard Hero and his companions...¡± She clenched her fists together and shook them above her head. ¡°Just you bastards wait! Once I find a way back to my world, I¡¯ll beat your asses!¡±¡± ¡°So you lost against the hero?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If they weren¡¯t cowards and had outnumbered me four to one, I would have beaten them! They speak about justice, but they still didn¡¯t fight me one on one!¡± She clicked her teeth with her tongue. ¡®This girl is utterly delusional,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Thinking she was transmigrated to another...¡¯ ¡°Are you okay, little girl?¡± Jurot asked, reaching down to rub her head. ¡°You must have hurt your head.¡± ¡°Get your stinkin¡¯ paws off me you dirty ape! I¡¯m not a little girl, I¡¯m the Demon Lord!¡± She slapped his hands off of her. ¡°I think she hurt her head,¡± Jurot said, glancing to Adam, whose eyes were narrowed at the girl. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, eyeing her up. ¡°She might really be the Demon Lord.¡± Jurot turned to Adam, blinking at him. ¡°Did you hurt your head?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You may refer to me as Empress Lucy!¡± She placed her hands on her sides, confidently. ¡°If you think I¡¯ll fall for that trick, you underestimate me.¡± ¡°What trick?¡± ¡°The trick where I tell you my real name.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your real name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s...¡± Her face scrunched up like she bit into a lemon. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you.¡± Adam squinted his eyes. ¡®A demon named Lucy?¡¯ ¡°I feel like I could take a guess, though you aren¡¯t quite the same race.¡± ¡°Hah! You wish you knew my name!¡± She smirked smugly. Adam raised his brows. ¡°Do you want to try me, kid?¡± ¡°Call me kid one more time, I dare you.¡± ¡°You need to chill, Lucifer, otherwise-¡° Adam stopped, only to see Lucy cringe visibly at hearing the name. ¡°That... d-definitely is not it! Not it! Definitely not!¡± She scrunched up her face at him, trying to not die from the cringe of hearing her full name. ¡®How does he know? Only my parents knew what my name was.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s atrocious,¡¯ Adam thought, shaking his head. ¡®It¡¯s the name of the devil, not a demon. Why is the mythology in these worlds all mixed up? What kind of terrible lore is this? Someone fucked up in world building.¡¯ ¡°Anyway!¡± Lucy quickly cut the air in front of her, trying to forget she had heard her real name. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to say it! Though, it, definitely, no, not my real name!¡± "They do?'' Adam asked, having not seen or heard of orcs or devilkin in the Rot family. Jurot simply nodded. ¡°They are cousins of mine, the same as Nirot and Turot.¡± "Hmph." The tiny Demon Lord turned away from him, not willing to be let herself be coerced by such words. "I can guarantee that the Iyr is great,¡± Adam said. She ignored him, done with the matter. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°What are your plans?" Lucy glanced back his way. ¡°I will find my demons and take my role as the Demon Lord, of course!¡± ¡°The demons in this world will be different than those you know,¡± Adam said. ¡®Or, perhaps not? Jurot pretty much spotted she was a demon right away...¡¯ ¡°Yes? So?¡± Lucy tilted her head. ¡°So instead of being a Demon Lord and constantly fighting for a bunch of people you don¡¯t know, why don¡¯t you first learn about the world and... relax?¡± "Huh?" Lucy raised her brow. ¡®A Demon Lord, relaxing? Is that allowed?¡¯ "I mean, you no longer have an army at your disposal, or any Generals, and there¡¯s no real point, is there?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Well...¡± The tiny Demon Lord rubbed her chin, squinting her eyes as she fell deep into thought. ¡®He does make a good point...¡¯ "Plus, you must be really weak right now." Adam had started off barely being able to survive against a boar, though at his level, he was sure he¡¯d be able to handle one with ease. "Did you just call me weak?¡± Lucy gasped. ¡°I''m strong! I can take the pair of you right now!" "Don''t kid yourself,¡± Adam said, staring at her with a raised brow. ¡°It will only get you killed,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You are in no position to fight.¡± "Tch,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re completely wrong...¡± Lucy understood she wasn¡¯t in a position to fight, she wouldn¡¯t even beat the pair of these brats, nevermind anyone meaning to kill her. She sighed. ¡®If only you were here...¡¯ Adam stared at her. She must have been so lonely by herself. ¡®How she managed to survive so long without help is beyond me, but I really can¡¯t leave her be.¡¯ He tapped his arm gently as he thought. Lucy¡¯s lower lip trembled as she lost herself in thought. ¡°How about you come with us?¡± Adam offered. ¡°The Iyr should probably hear about your story.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Lucy stared at the half elf, and then to Jurot. ¡°Wait! Are you both enamoured by my good looks? You fiends!¡± She covered herself up with her arms, even though she had nothing to hide. Adam¡¯s brow pulsed and he flicked her forehead. ¡°You look like you¡¯re a ten year old, kid! If you make another joke like that, I¡¯ll spank you!¡± ¡°What? I knew it! You just wanted an excuse to touch my butt!¡± She pointed an accusatory finger at Adam. His brow pulsed a little harder and he rolled up a sleeve. ¡°Jurot, grab her.¡± Spell: Guidance 1D3 = 2 (2) Intimidation 10 + 4 + 2 = 16 ¡°Get your stinkin¡¯ paws off me you dirty ape!¡± Lucy cried aloud as Jurot grabbed her. "Wait! Stop! S-stop!" Adam clenched his fist, and glared down at her. ¡°Are you done messing around?" He wasn¡¯t feeling particularly glad he was threatening a young girl, but she was a Demon Lord, so she¡¯d be able to handle some threat. Lucy felt Jurot¡¯s strong grip around her. ¡®How is this guy so damn strong?¡¯ ¡°Y-yeah...¡± "Good." Lucy glared at the pair of them, with Jurot eventually letting her go, seeing as they weren¡¯t fighting any longer. Silence filled the air, and the tension between them rose. Lucy was glancing between the pair, wondering if she could dart away when they weren¡¯t paying attention. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m-¡° Her stomach growled, causing her to flush. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what you think it was.¡± ¡°So it was a fart?¡± Adam asked. Lucy drop kicked him, or at least, she tried to drop kick him. As she leapt up, she stumbled backwards, and landed on her bottom, letting out another noise from another orifice. She turned completely red. ¡®Kill me now!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The title if this was a Japanese light novel: I Was Reincarnated Once Again Into a Fantasy World Where I Decided to Raise an Adopted Sister and the Ten Year Old Demon Lord Who Wants Me to Be Her General, but I Just Want to Live a Slice of Life Adventure With Dice Rolls! 61. Forest Found 61. Forest Found There''s a mistake in previous chapters which gets rectified in this chapter. ¡°That was a powerful far-¡° Jurot stopped once he felt Adam¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡®Jurot, what the hell are you saying? She¡¯s just a kid!¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes twitched at the Iyrman, trying to send his thoughts to the Iyrman. Jurot stared stared back at the half elf who was admonishing him, recalling how it had only been moments since the half elf had threatened to beat a ten year old girl. Adam cleared his throat, glancing slightly at the little demon girl, who was curled up into a ball. She was adorned in loose clothing which wrapped her from head to toe, and a long cloak. She didn¡¯t have anything else on her, no pack, no food, nothing. ¡°Oh boy, I sure am hungry,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pack to find his rations. ¡°We had just-¡° Jurot began, only to be cut off again. ¡°Oh boy,¡± Adam repeated, staring at Jurot, staring at him with the look he had only just given, ¡°I sure am hungry!¡± He raised his brows, trying to send his intent with his facial expression. ¡®Why are you looking at me like that, son of Fate?¡¯ Jurot thought, blinking at his companion. Adam brought out a set of his rations, revealing the dried fruits and smoked meats for the girl. ¡°Here,¡± he said. ¡°How do I know it¡¯s not poisoned?¡± Lucy asked, peeking through the cracks of her fingers, her hands still hiding the rest of her face. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam tilted his head, smirking. ¡°Jurot, do you see how this mighty Demon Lord is afraid of some rations? You know, I hear little children are afraid of their fruits and vegetables.¡± ¡°Who said I was afraid!¡± Lucy snatched the rations and shoved them into her mouth. If they truly had wanted to harm her, they wouldn¡¯t have used poison, something which she was resistant to. She ravaged the rations with her teeth, like a wild beast. Once she was done, she stared up at Adam. ¡°What?¡± the half elf asked. ¡°Do you have any more?¡± ¡°Do I have any more, what?¡± ¡°Food.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m looking for the magic word.¡± Lucy squinted at him, before saying something which sounded like grinding bones and the scream of a flayed goat. Adam blinked. ¡°What?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± ¡°You wanted a magical word, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lucy furrowed her brows at him. ¡°Not that kind of magical word.¡± ¡°Do I look like I know Divine Magic?¡± She rolled her eyes. Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. If you¡¯re asking someone for something, what do you say?¡± ¡°Oi, you, hand it over.¡± She held out her hand. ¡°I mean if you¡¯re not the Demon Lord.¡± ¡°Why would I speak like I¡¯m not the Demon Lord?¡± Lucy narrowed her eyes. ¡°I meant respectfully, you little brat!¡± Adam scowled, rolling up his sleeves again. ¡°Jurot!¡± Jurot stepped forward, but Lucy pulled back. ¡°Hold on! Don¡¯t you dare touch me!¡± Lucy cried, pulling away from Jurot. ¡°Please! Please give me more food!¡± Adam beamed at her brightly. ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± He offered her another set of rations. She rubbed her stomach once she was done, having eaten four days of rations, two from Adam, two from Jurot. ¡°The food in this world isn¡¯t so bad,¡± she said, licking her lips. ¡°We should get out of here,¡± Adam said, glancing to Jurot. He had no idea what to do, so would leave it to the Iyrman. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Lucy leapt onto her feet, though she quickly tumbled. She still wasn¡¯t fully recovered from the poison of the spider. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Adam said, squatting down in front of her so she could climb onto his back. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to carry me,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯m the great me! I wasn¡¯t even carried by my parents!¡± Her body was full of pride, but the pair could see the look on her face, which darkened the area. Adam and Jurot glanced between one another. ¡°You¡¯ll slow us down, so hurry up and get on my back.¡± ¡°Just you wait until I get older! I¡¯ll be the one to spank you!¡± She then stepped up towards Adam, who stepped away, staring at her with a disgusted look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel comfortable knowing you want to touch my butt,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°What! Y-you!¡± She turned completely red. ¡°You were the one who wants to touch my butt! Pervert! Gross!¡± She thumped his armour with her fists, her face completely red. ¡°Alright, alright, sheesh,¡± Adam said, grabbing her wrists. ¡°When you get older, you should pay me back for saving your life, and the huge meal you just had.¡± ¡°Tch! You fiend!¡± She climbed onto his back. ¡°Enough with this nonsense! Let¡¯s go find Mara!¡± ¡°A shame to your story, or would you have been sad?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. Dargon frowned. ¡°Do you think we wouldn¡¯t have wept for you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a joke,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Now that I¡¯m surrounded by Iyrmen, will I die?¡± Dargon just nodded, whereas the other Iyrmen exchanged glances, having thought they had understood Adam as they had travelled, but hadn¡¯t expected such cheekiness. ¡°Who is the guest?¡± Okvar asked, staring at the girl. ¡®A demon?¡¯ "Ho ho, Iyrmen!¡± Lucy scrambled off his back and then stepped forward, standing tall as the shortest among them all, and crossed her arms, like an Iyrman. ¡°You may bow before the great me! I am Lucy, the greatest Demon Lord!¡± "A Demon Lord?¡± Okvar asked, staring down at the girl. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ "That''s right!¡± She grinned wide. ¡°Bow before my magnificence." The Iyrmen stared at her as she grinned smugly at them. However, they noted how she was sweating, her eyes darting between them all. ¡®How handsome!¡¯ Lucy thought, her heart racing. ¡®Look at those muscles! That orc man and that horned lady are strong! I¡¯ll make them into my Generals for sure!¡¯ "You guys seem quite strong, I will allow you to join me!" The Iyrmen¡¯s eyes all fell to the youngest pair, who had brought back quite the surprising guest. "Actually,¡± Adam began, rubbing his chin. ¡°If you wanted to gather an army, the Iyrmen are your best bet." Jurot, and the other Iyrmen, nodded their heads, agreeing with Adam, even though they were still waiting for the youngsters to tell them what was going on. "Oh? They''re not so bad." Lucy continued to stare at them, ogling the orcish and devilkin Iyrmen. "Not so bad?" Adam asked, glancing down at her. ¡°Most of the Iyrmen are between Jurot and Dargon, but when it comes to the active Iyrmen, this is pretty much the average composition,¡± Adam said, making an educated guess from what he saw back at the Iyr. ¡°There are more people as strong as the orc and horned ones?¡± Lucy asked. ¡®What is he saying?¡¯ ¡°If I had to take a guess,¡± Adam said, glancing between the Iyrmen. ¡°I¡¯d say there are at least a hundred about Okvar¡¯s level, and maybe a thousand around Lokat, and several thousand around Dargon¡¯s,¡± Adam said, motioning to each Iyrman. ¡°You think I¡¯m stupid enough to believe that?¡± Lucy asked, raising her brow at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born yesterday.¡± "Once we head back to the Iyr, you''ll see." Adam smirked. Jurot smirked too. ¡®A hundred at Okvar and Wujyn¡¯s level?¡¯ Even though he didn¡¯t know much about the deeper secrets of the Iyr, he knew at least how many legends who had retired within the Iyr. Okvar hadn¡¯t expected Adam to be so accurate in what the Iyrmen had shown him. None of the Iyrmen corrected him, keeping their secrets. After all, only Okvar and Wujyn knew the true extent of the Iyr¡¯s strength, thanks to their rank. ''He¡¯s joking right?¡¯ Lucy thought, eyeing up the Iyrmen. ¡®So many at such a level? That¡¯s impossible...¡¯ ¡°We will camp the night here,¡± Okvar said, nodding his head at the other Iyrmen. ¡°We will continue to the city in the morning. We will set watches, Jurot with I, and Adam with Wujyn. You may sleep, Demon Lord, for no one will bother you with us around.¡± Lucy stared up at Okvar, an orc, wondering how impudent she should be considering their great strength. She noted the others, the humans, but they seemed to be under Okvar¡¯s bidding. ¡°Since you seem to care for me so much, I will listen!¡± ¡®How is it that an orc is commanding these humans? What kind of world am I in?¡¯ "Would you mind if I take the first or last watch?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I really don¡¯t like being woken up midway through my sleep.¡± He smiled awkwardly. ¡°Jaknuu, you may take first watch with Adam.¡± Okvar nodded. It didn¡¯t matter if Adam wanted to take a separate watch, and there was no need to deny such a simple request. It was best that they were all at their strongest in such a foreign place. "Lucy, here," Adam said, handing her one of the blankets the Iyr had given him for the journey, one with a small pattern of the Rot family printed onto it. "Good job, Captain," Lucy said, wrapping the blanket around herself as she leaned up against a tree. "If you need anything, just ask." Adam smiled. ¡®Captain?¡¯ "Of course, it''s only right that you should be subservient to me, the greatest Demon Lord!" Adam flicked her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Demon Lord Lucy." "Hmph!¡± She rubbed her forehead. The girl dropped up against a tree and passed out instantly. "Is she really the Demon Lord?¡± Dargon asked. ¡°I think so,¡± Adam said. "It is hard to believe, even from your lips,¡± Dargon admitted. "Yeah, I know, but..." Adam looked at the little demon girl. "We both have something in common." "What is that?" "You''ll find out one day." Adam smiled. He leaned his head back. He hadn¡¯t expected to learn something so interest on that day. There were others, just like him. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! You might be thinking... Dargon? Wasn''t it Argon who was with Adam. I messed up the names. Dargon, the little brother of Argon, had come along on the journey. My bad. 62. Forgotten Gods 62. Forgotten Gods He dreamt that day, a dream which was real. The moment he had fallen into the world of dreams, he found himself in a familiar world of darkness, which gave way to the stars about him. He turned on his heel, seeing the various figures, each staring at him like he were some kind of beast in a cage. ¡°A stranger in our lands,¡± one said. ¡°One of many,¡± another added. He recognised the pair of them, who seemed to be leading this inquisition. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see that you¡¯re well, Miss Elaveil,¡± Adam said, noting the appearance of the godly being, so familiar, and yet so strange. His eyes could barely take note of any features, as though he was forgetting what he saw immediately as he saw it. glanced to see the boy on the throne of black, terribly jagged. ¡°Long time no see.¡± ¡°You know of us?¡± Elaveil asked, her voice so sweet and melodic. ¡°Of course I do,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°I know of you and Sozain well, we¡¯ve spoken before. I also know...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted to find him, but instead, he saw another figure. ¡°Lady Arya? What are you doing here?¡± Adam blinked at her. ¡°You know me as well?¡± Arya asked, her appearance easily seen and easily forgotten. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, dropping to a knee and bowing his head. ¡°Lady Arya, Goddess of Swords. You had given me your strength, and I am not the the type to forget my favours, even in my next life.¡± ¡°Goddess of Swords?¡± Arya asked, staring at the kneeling young half elf. ¡°I am the Goddess of War.¡± ¡°Goddess of War?¡± Adam asked, before glancing around, noting all the other gods. He vaguely remembered them, but the one he was looking for wasn¡¯t around. ¡°Where¡¯s Bandlor?¡± Elaveil and Sozain exchanged a look, one which had caused their siblings to tense up for a moment. ¡°How do you know that name?¡± Elaveil asked. Her voice was the same as before, but it held a greater weight on his shoulders, as though she was pressing him down with her tone. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± Adam said, standing against the pressure. ¡°I asked my question first. Where is he? Bandlor should be here, standing alongside you. Hey, Bel-¡° It had only taken a moment for the stranger to appear, cutting into the domain. It was a knightly figure, adorned in the whitest of whites, and his blade was so close to cutting Adam apart, not even a finger¡¯s width away from his face, only held back by a dark string which had caught the blade. ¡°How rude,¡± Sozain said, his finger raised from the arm rest on the throne. ¡°Did you think I would allow you to cut a guest of mine right before me?¡± ¡°This is a matter above you,¡± the stranger in white replied, simply. His tone of voice was even, but it was full of authority. Adam blinked, looking at the string on the blade, which was so thin, and yet could easily hold back the being which was still pressing his blade forward, trying to cut him. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± The knightly figure remained glaring down at Adam, and Adam tried to recall who he had pissed off in his previous life. He continued to dwell on the matter, and the entire time, the figure¡¯s body was tense, trying to break through the black thread. ¡®Looks like Sozain is protecting me for now, so I guess I can continue?¡¯ Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re doing alright, Miss Elaveil.¡± Adam smiled a genuine smile. ¡°If you weren¡¯t I would have been particularly pissed off.¡± Elaveil stared down at one of the various anomalies which had appeared. ¡°Will you explain yourself, young man?¡± ¡°Well, your fath-¡° Adam was cut off by the stranger in white having appeared beside him, who seemed to have cut through the thread of blackness, only for his sword to be caught by another sword, near identical to his own, but it was completely black. ¡°How rude,¡± Sozain said, staring at the stranger in black who had appeared. ¡°Why are there so many who are breaking into our space while we siblings are speaking with our guest?¡± ¡°You may say such words, but it¡¯s because of me that this boy still lives,¡± the stranger in black, who had caught the stranger in white¡¯s blade, said. ¡°Do you really believe Lord of Order could lay a hand on this boy if I didn¡¯t want him to?¡± Sozain asked, raising his brow. The stranger in black did not respond, but he remained clashed with the stranger in white. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lord of Order asked. ¡°What is expected of me,¡± his black twin responded, a wild grin on his face. ¡°You speak of the other worlds within another ribbon?¡± Elaveil asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, but sure.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Who asked you to die for me?¡± Elaveil couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Your father,¡± Adam replied, as Lord of Order managed to force his blade to the half elf¡¯s neck, though he remained frozen as Elaveil¡¯s scales appeared beside him, perfectly balanced. ¡®Father?¡¯ The gods had thought the same thing in that moment. A brother and a father, forgotten due to the whims of higher powers. ¡°It seems you don¡¯t want me to speak about their father, Order,¡± Adam said, staring at the blade, so close to his skin, almost touching him. ¡°This is a matter far above us,¡± Lord of Order said. ¡°Such things must remain buried.¡± Adam¡¯s ears twitched at the phrasing. ¡°I can¡¯t even speak of their father?¡± ¡°You know of our father?¡± Elaveil asked, keeping her finger raised, her scales keeping Lord of Order at bay. ¡°I do,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m here. He¡¯s the reason I died the first and second time.¡± ¡°How many lives have you lived?¡± Sozain asked. He was interested due to the fact he was the God of Death. ¡°This is my third life,¡± Adam said. ¡°My first life was on earth, my second was on this planet, but on another ribbon, and this is my third...¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡®Does that mean Belle doesn¡¯t exist in this world? Is he missing?¡¯ His eyes fell to the pair before him, the strangers he didn¡¯t know. ¡®Lord of Order and Chaos?¡¯ ¡°We should speak another time,¡± Elaveil said, straining to keep the stranger at bay. He grew more powerful as Adam spoke about her father. ¡®They really do not want us to know more about him?¡¯ ¡°What about him?¡± Adam asked, pointing to the stranger in white. ¡°Won¡¯t he try and kill me?¡± ¡°He will not bother you,¡± Elaveil assured. ¡°Order must be maintained,¡± Lord of Order said. ¡°Are you on my side then?¡± Adam asked the black fellow. Lord of Chaos refused to reply. ¡°He will not bother you,¡± Sozain repeated after his sister. ¡°Tell me, Adam, son of Fate.¡± Sozain wondered if he should ask. ¡°Are you the son of that Fate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a name,¡± Adam said, though he smirked. ¡°Though, I do pay my respects to Her.¡± Sozain had almost relaxed, but hearing the last few words caused him to tense up. ¡°Then, we will leave you on your way.¡± ¡°Before I go,¡± Adam said, glancing at Lord of Order and Chaos, shaking his head. ¡°Even with the pair of you, you can¡¯t replace him.¡± The pair of them remained silent. Adam laughed, wondering when he had grown so brave. He stared at the gods and goddesses once more. ¡°Belle,¡± Adam said, his last act of bravery. ¡°Belle?¡± Sozain asked, his finger raised. Hundreds of black threads formed around Lord of Order and his blade, which had pressed against Adam¡¯s throat, so close to cutting into the half elf. ¡°The name of your father,¡± Adam said. ¡°Belle, the God of Chaos and Order, and don¡¯t you forget it.¡± He threw out the peace sign towards the two Lords. ¡°Dueces.¡± Lord of Chaos smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam''s been hanging around with the Iyrmen for too long, thinking he can talk smack against gods. 63. The Guardian 63. The Guardian Adam gasped as he awoke, completely covered in sweat. He saw the Iyrmen staring at him, raising their brows. Adam reached up to grab his neck, recalling the sword which had gone through it. ¡°Fucking hell,¡± he said, rubbing his neck. ¡°It would have been embarrassing if I died a third time.¡± The others stared at him with a curios look, especially Lucy, who was confused as to what he was talking about. ¡®Dying a third time? Did he hit on his head?¡¯ Then she thought for a moment. ¡®Did he really die twice?¡¯ She partly believed it because she had been whisked away to this world, and, he was probably stupid enough to die twice. They ate breakfast quickly and made their way through the forest, with the Iyrmen leading once more, taking their positions as they had done previously. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re all alive,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hear the forest needs to be awakened by sacrificing living things.¡±Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°Yes,¡± Okvar replied. ¡°The more potent the life, the greater the forest.¡± He glanced around. ¡°Whatever the forest found, it must have been bountiful.¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot, who quickly moved his eyes away. ¡°Right, well, let¡¯s hope it¡¯s no one we know.¡± ¡°Stop talking about nonsense, and let¡¯s go find Mara.¡± The guilt eat away at Adam. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t help himself. ¡°Hey, Lucy, you don¡¯t think that Ma-¡° Health: 26 -> 21 Lucy¡¯s response was more violent than he expected as she kicked him right in the back of the knee, causing him to stumble forward. ¡°Do you think my Mara is going to lose to a bunch of trees? I¡¯ll have you know, Mara was the most powerful demon in my command!¡± Lucy huffed, clenching her fists. "She was?" "She was as strong as me!¡± Lucy declared, lying. ¡°She also knew how to cook and clean! How scary!¡± "Scary?" Adam rubbed the back of his knee. "Yeah! How can she be so strong and so good at other useful things? It''s not right! If she''s strong, she should be a terrible cook like me!" Lucy clenched her fists tighter. ¡°And how can she have such big ti-¡° "Sounds like she was the strongest demon,¡± Adam said. "That''s right!¡± Lucy puffed out her chest. ¡°There''s no way she¡¯ll lose to a bunch of trees." ''I''ve got a bad feeling about this.'' Adam thought, frowning. ''There¡¯s no way it¡¯ll be so obvious, killing off Mara to form the forest. No, no, this isn¡¯t a shitty story.¡¯ The forest ended up become denser with each step, and the Iyrmen tread carefully forward. "We should just chop the bushes up ahead!" Lucy grumbled, hugging Okvar tight from behind as he carried her. "We shouldn''t disturb the forest as it awakens," he admonished. "Huh? Why not?" Lucy asked. She took his words to heart, since he was so handsome and strong. "Otherwise we will be beset," Wujyn said. ¡°A forest which has only just awakened has great terrors hidden within it.¡± "Oh? Hmm...¡± Lucy fell into thought, eventually agreeing with them. ¡°These Iyrmen sure are smart. Isn''t it unfair if they''re smart and strong?" "They grow up on their stories and learn about history through them." Adam smiled. "That''s how Jurot knows so much too." "Hmm. I should marry an Iyrman and have them join me. Plus, it seems they''re all so damn hunky too. Unfair!" Adam chuckled. "You like hunky men? Then wait until you get to the Iyr. Almost all the men and women are that hunky." "Seriously? Nice! This Demon Lord approves! I want a harem of hunky men and women to worship me! If they¡¯re really that hunky, I¡¯ll let them carry me around the Iyr." Adam chuckled. ¡°Wait,¡± Lokat said, stopping. The other Iyrmen stopped an instant later. ¡°Why have we stopped?¡± Lucy asked. Lokat stared at the forest ahead of her for a long while. "The Guardian is ahead." "Guardian?" Adam asked. "That which has been tasked to protect the forest for the next century." Adam¡¯s ears twitched slightly. ¡®A Guardian, huh? Sounds pretty powerful.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t heard about a Guardian before. "Oh," Lucy said. "Let''s go meet it! If it''s strong, I''ll bring it to my side!" She grinned wide. "We should pay our respects," Lokat said, cautiously. Adam wondered what kind of being it was that it made Lokat, with all these Iyrmen, pause. Lokat stepped forward, now leading the way, and within moments, they were stepping into a large grove, one which certainly hadn¡¯t been in front of them. There was a large tree which was sat down, relaxing under the sun. "I have guests," it said slowly, its words coming out in their own pace. It was a tree, but it had arms and legs, and a face etched onto the bark. "You!" Lucy snarled like a vicious beast, leaping off of Okvar to try and attack the tree ahead. "You! I''ll kill you!" Okvar grabbed at the girl, keeping her at bay as she snarled. "It will be diffi-" Lucy continued to snarl, her entire body convulsing with rage. Her neck grew taught, staining and bulging as she struggled. The tree reached over with a finger, a long branch, and touched her forehead, which caused the little demon girl to convulse once more, before she grew limp, snoring lightly. "Oh, there''s no need for that, young half fey," it said. Adam¡¯s fingers were wrapped around the hilt of his magical sword, staring up at the tree. Even now, he could feel its great strength. It was like he was facing against one of the many gods. He was in its domain, and he was fairly sure he¡¯d be unable to fight it, especially at his level. "Shall we speak?" it asked. "We are Iyrmen,¡± Lokat said. ¡°We wish for peace." "Hmm.¡± It remained silent for a long while. ¡°Some come bearing weapons used to fell my trees." "Sometimes chopping down trees saves forests,¡± Adam said, still staring at the creature. "Lucy," Adam said. "You damn fucker! I''ll cut you down! Just you wait! I¡¯ll burn this entire forest down!" She managed to find enough strength to crawl towards the tree. "Lucy." "Bastard!" Lucy thumped her fist against the tree. "You can still save her," Adam said, dropping to a knee beside her. "Let her go! I¡¯ll kill you all, you bastard trees! Just you wait!" She continued to thump the tree, trying to gather her strength. Adam sighed, letting Lucy throw her tantrum. After a few minutes, she lay there, unable to even raise her arm to attack the tree. "Are you a Demon Lord?" Adam asked. "What are you talking about right now? Mara, she¡¯s right there! You need to save her." "Are you a Demon Lord?" Adam repeated. "I''m not a Demon Lord,¡± she said. ¡°I''m the Demon Lord." "Can you beat a dragon?" "Tch!¡± Lucy panted for breath. ¡°Of course I can." "Right now?" "Obviously not now, you bastard! I''m just a little girl." Lucy covered her eyes with the back of her arm. "How about in eight years?" "Eight years?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°As long as I train hard, sure." "Good. You, Jurot, and I, are going to slay an evil dragon and bring it''s heart here." "What?" "Mara can be replaced.¡± ¡°She¡¯s irreplaceable, you no good bastard!¡± ¡°I mean in the forest. We can swap her out for a dragon¡¯s heart.¡± "We can? Is that right, tree bastard? Can Mara be saved?" "Her life force will be drained, but if you bring a dragon¡¯s heart, you can save her.¡± "Hmph! We demons are strong! You better pay us back!" Lucy growled. "We must apologise, but it had to be done." "Bastard! I''ll kill you!" "Lucy, relax. He''s not an enemy." "He''s my enemy." "Do you want to save Mara or not?" Lucy refused to look at Mara at the moment. "I''ll definitely save you, Mara! You hear? Just you wait!" Adam rubbed his forehead. "Relax. We''ll get to it in time." "You... You don''t understand. Mara is the only one I know in this world. She, she''s..." Lucy began to shake, and covered her eyes with the back of her arm again. Adam wanted to tell her everything was going to be fine, but he couldn¡¯t find the strength. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Quests Complete Meet the Demon Lord + 100XP Promises Made (Demon Lord) +100XP Meet the Guardian +100XP Promises Made (Guardian) +100XP XP: 2650 -> 3050 ¡®I should check how much it is to level...¡¯ "It seems that some visitors have arrived," the Guardian said, cutting Adam¡¯s thoughts. "We should go and see who it is,¡± Jurot said, who had watched the entire scene unfold. ¡°We must declare the forest has been claimed by the Iyr.¡± ¡°Lucy, you should say here,¡± he said. "Don''t tell me what to do,¡± she grumbled from the ground. "I''m serious, Lucy. If you come, things will become difficult." Adam felt that the appearance of a demon might alarm the people. "Hmph! Are you saying that if they see the Demon Lord that it''ll cause problems!" "Yes.¡± "Ah, right..." Lucy looked to Mara. "Right, I should stay here and protect my Mara..." "Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Leave it to your Generals to deal with the rest, alright?" "Right." ¡°Remember the Iyrmen¡¯s warning,¡± Adam said to the tree. ¡°If anything happens to her, don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be able to stop me.¡± The tree remained silent. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Who could it be? 64. Trash Talking 64. Trash Talking Adam rubbed his forehead, thinking about Lucy and Mara. Jurot noted how the half elf was deep in thought, and left him to them. They followed the path the parting trees had revealed, moving swiftly through the forest. ¡®To think my first meeting with Mara would be marred like this,¡¯ he thought, trying to keep the other, much darker thoughts at bay. Lucy¡¯s friend, who was definitely more than just a simple friend, was now a battery for the forest. ¡®How depressing.¡¯ Yet, before he could think too deeply, they stepped out of the tree line to see an army of many hundreds, perhaps a thousand, soldiers. Each were adorned in chain mail, with spears and blades, ready for war. Many were setting up their camp, but there were a few dozen on guard, keeping an eye out. The pair stared at the soldiers, and the soldiers who were on duty, stared at them. One soldier quickly stepped forward, inhaling deeply. ¡°Halt! This territory has been claimed by King Justinian Blackwater!¡± Her voice boomed through the entire area, causing the other soldiers within the camp to quickly scramble into formation. ¡°This forest has already been claimed by the Iyr!¡± Jurot exclaimed back, proudly. He wasn¡¯t going to let the Kingdom claim something which the Iyrmen had already claimed. The soldier remained silent for a moment, ruminating on his words. She motioned to another soldier, nodding her head, and the other soldier quickly left to one of the tents which had already been set up. A familiar figure appeared, in his armour of white and gold plate mail. His hair was sun kissed, and his eyes were ocean blue. The sword at his side was beautiful, the pommel shaped into the head of a lion. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the Iyrman and the elf,¡± the Duke said, staring at the pair of them. His eyes remained focused on the elf, and at the mention of Adam¡¯s race, the soldiers tensed up, readied to fight. ¡°I beg your pardon, Duke Lionheart, but I am a half elf,¡± Adam corrected, flashing a sweet smile. ¡®What the hell is the Duke doing here?¡¯ Suddenly, this situation had become so much more difficult. ¡°I have heard that you are staking your claim for this forest on behalf of the Iyr,¡± Duke Lionheart said. ¡°The forest has already been claimed by the Iyr,¡± Jurot repeated, his voice clear. The Duke glanced between the pair. ¡°We should discuss this. Why don¡¯t you come into our tent and we can talk?¡± The Duke extended a hand back towards the tent, inviting them to follow. It was a piece of advice, but could easily be seen as a threat. ¡°The Chief will come to speak with you, Duke Lionheart,¡± Jurot said, his voice even. It was a piece of advice, but could easily be seen as a threat. ¡°That is good news,¡± the Duke replied. ¡®Of course it wouldn¡¯t be so easy,¡¯ he thought. He had commandeered these soldiers in his name from the South Fort. ¡°The claims seem to have been made at the same time.¡± ¡°Considering that we were here before you, and were almost the forest¡¯s fuel, that seems unlikely,¡± Adam said, daring to speak up. ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t get on the Duke¡¯s radar, but the facts need to be established now, in front of all the soldiers. Though, I probably should have said it respectfully. Damn it, I really should have kept my mouth shut.¡¯ ¡°Such a matter will be discussed soon,¡± the Duke said, smiling. With that, he turned and marched back to the tent. Adam placed a hand on Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come, let¡¯s return back to camp,¡± he said, turning and leaving. Once they were far enough away, he rubbed his forehead. ¡°I fucked up.¡± Jurot glanced at the half elf. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I think we might be in for a bad time,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t trust my luck one bit. Mara turned into fuel for the forest, and now that Duke bastard can state a half truth that the Iyrmen claimed the forest alongside an elf blooded bastard.¡± He continued to rub his forehead. ¡°Politics,¡± Jurot said, his lips forming a frown. ¡°That¡¯s no good.¡± ¡°Yeah, you aren¡¯t kidding...¡± Adam shook his head. His brow was pulsing from the stress of everything. ¡°Jurot, be real with me for a moment.¡± ¡°I am always real,¡± Jurot said, raising a hand, wiggling his fingers, double checking his statement. ¡°I meant, be serious with me for a moment.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I your brother?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it properly once we¡¯re back at the Iyr, alright? After meeting with a Demon Lord, I think it¡¯s time.¡± Jurot nodded his head, leaving Adam in peace. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s been a little too long?¡± Adam asked, as he stepped back into the grove, where Lucy lay unconscious beside Mara. ¡°Nevermind.¡± Adam walked over to the Demon Lord and squatted down beside her. ¡°Did you beat her up again?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the tree said, sitting on the opposite side, away from the demon women. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you can blame her, can you?¡± Adam said, placing a blanket under Lucy¡¯s head. ¡°She is weak for now, but she will soon become a threat. I will not be so lenient then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t show up in front of her, or have me by your side,¡± Adam said, not accepting that it might hurt her again. ¡°You speak with a light tone,¡± it said, staring at Adam. ¡°Is it because you are a stranger in this world, like her?¡± ¡°You can tell?¡± Adam asked, glancing towards the tree. ¡°I can,¡± it replied, simply, refusing to elaborate on how it knew. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, staring back at the unconscious demon girl. ¡°I was alone. I had been torn away from my family and friends, all due to the machinations of the gods. Well, one in specific.¡± Adam continue to stare at the demon girl, and then to Mara, her friend. Jurot paid close attention to Adam¡¯s words, piecing them together within his mind, the puzzle almost solved. ¡°I¡¯m a little jealous, though,¡± the half elf admitted. ¡°Lucy came with someone. Mara, her closest companion, had somehow come into this world with her.¡± He sighed. ¡°Then, soon after, Mara was torn away from her. She¡¯s dying, right in front of her eyes, and she can¡¯t do anything to help.¡± Adam threw a glance to Jurot for a moment, before staring back at the girl, brushing her hair. ¡°That feeling of helplessness. I¡¯ve felt it before.¡± Jurot could hear the raw emotion the half elf¡¯s voice, noting the look in Adam¡¯s eyes. It was lonely. ¡°That¡¯s why, even if she keeps slapping you, you better take it.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this, Guardian. In ten years time, you¡¯ll be strong.¡± He continued to brush her hair with his finger. ¡°In ten years time, I¡¯ll be stronger.¡± ¡°I have taken your words to heart,¡± it said. ¡°Good, because she¡¯s my friend.¡± Adam threw a nod to Jurot. ¡°So is Jurot, and I¡¯m not in the business of letting people bully my friends for free. You paid the price for trying to kill us, but I was nice, and gave it to you cheaply. Don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be so cheap next time.¡± ¡°You should be careful threatening me in my home,¡± it said. Adam smiled. ¡°Right now, Jurot is beside me. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll let you kill me. If you kill any of us, well, you better pray you find another thousand Guardians somewhere, because the Iyr does not fuck around.¡± It remained silent. Adam exhaled, sitting beside the unmoving tree beside him. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a normal tree, or a tree which could move. He leaned back against it, relaxing. ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t talk so much smack to the tree...¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Last chapter he was trash talking gods, but now suddenly he''s afraid of a tree? ... I''m also four chapters ahead on Patreon! This month I''m leaving pledges off so you can pledge $1 and get access to all the chapters ahead. I am aiming to be many more chapters ahead by the end of the month! 65. Deals to Be Brokered 65. Deals to Be Brokered When night came, the tree being knelt before a bush, which glowed, before it was full of blue flowers, which glowed gently under the moonlight. ¡°Is that the Blue Moon Rose?¡± Adam asked, breaking the awkward silence which had hung in the air over the past few hours. ¡°Yes,¡± it said. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be poison, is it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I know I was threatening you and all, but I am going to assist in defending your forest when need be.¡± ¡°You will?¡± It stared at Adam. ¡°Well, yeah,¡± he replied, simply. Even Jurot threw a look to Adam, recalling Adam¡¯s conversation about the forest and the tree. "Then I will replace it,¡± it said. Adam blinked. The tree did nothing to the bush. ¡°Was that a joke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help himself as he threw his head back, laughing wildly like a hyena. He slapped his knee, trying to stop himself from crying. ¡°Holy! I didn¡¯t expect a tree to tell me a joke! You know, treeguy, you aren¡¯t so bad. What¡¯s your name, anyhow?¡± ¡°I have no name,¡± it said. ¡°Then let¡¯s call you Oakson.¡± ¡°I am not an oak.¡± ¡°What are you then?¡± Adam asked. He knew very little about wood. ¡°Death ivory,¡± the three replied. ¡°Death ivory?¡± Jurot asked, suddenly perking up. ¡°I had never seen death ivory before.¡± His eyes were beaming at the tree. ¡®Right, he¡¯s a wood nerd.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s call you Big Ivory then.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Big Ivory replied. Adam sighed, staring at the roses. ¡°That was much easier than I expected,¡± Adam admitted. Jurot stared at the roses and smiled. ¡°When we return...¡± ¡°When we return?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We will have a great story to tell. I will regale mother of the tale.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Right,¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t forget all the parts with me, alright? I was a bit of a hero, wasn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°I will not forget,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°Isn¡¯t this my first true Iyrman tale?¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin in thought. ¡°You have been in a tale before, but this is the first where you did much for the Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The first as a nephew of the Rot family.¡± Adam flushed slightly, filling with embarrassment. ¡°Make sure you make me sound cool, alright?¡± The half elf grinned wide, thinking about what he had done. ¡®I was pretty heroic, wasn¡¯t I?¡¯ They went to sleep, the forest somehow the perfect temperature to sleep, slightly cool even with their blankets. They didn¡¯t keep watch, though Big Ivory did leave them alone to sleep, as to not antagonise Lucy with his presence. Omen: 10, 10 Adam yawned as he awoke, sleeping through a most restful night. ¡°Good morning,¡± he said, rubbing his eyes. Spell: Tricks He cleaned himself off right away with his spell, and stretched out his body. ¡°Morning,¡± Lucy said, rubbing her eyes. ¡°Did you just use magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you clean yourself up?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Quickly, servant, heal me at once,¡± Lucy demanded from the boy. Adam blinked at her. ¡°Please,¡± she added. ¡°Good enough.¡± Spell: Tricks Jurot was currently training, going through a routine of callisthenics, and swung his axe a few times. Adam decided to join him, though they were quickly interrupted by a whisper floating on the wind. ¡°Some more guests have appeared,¡± Big Ivory¡¯s words whispered along the breeze. Lucy grit her teeth, narrowing her eyes, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Adam exchanged a look with Jurot before they followed the path formed by the parting trees. Adam whistled as he saw the soldiers, easily double the amount he had seen previously, though they were on the other side of the forest this time. The soldiers here wore chain armour, just like those he had seen from the Kingdom, though they wore beautiful cloaks over their backs. Some were red, and a handful were a dark purple. ¡°What are you doing here, strangers?¡± A soldier stepped forward, raising a hand towards them to stop them from coming closer. ¡°This forest has been claimed by Shen Khal.¡± ¡°First it was a King, and now it¡¯s a Shen Khal?¡± Adam glanced over to Jurot. ¡°You think too much, Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a half pessimist and half realist,¡± Adam replied, smirking. ¡°It¡¯s part of my heritage.¡± ¡°If they do kill Okvar and the others, the Iyr will respond. It is up to Elder Peace if there will be a full war.¡± ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t come to that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing the Iyrmen at work,¡± Lucy said. Adam shook his head. The Iyrmen did not return that night. The Iyrmen did not return the night after. With each passing day, Adam grew more and more nervous. His insides were churning. Though his life was currently idyllic, training in the morning, bathing in a lake, and then talking or thinking until the day passed by. ¡°It seems your chief has arrived,¡± Big Ivory said, his voice drifting along the wind. Adam¡¯s gut was still heavy as he heard Big Ivory¡¯s voice. It had been roughly a week since he had last heard of the other Iyrmen. He hoped the Chief had better news. The pair made their way out, coming to the edge of the forest, where they saw a little over a hundred Iyrmen, with a few familiar faces. ¡°You¡¯ve held down the fort well,¡± Argon said, reaching out to shake their forearms. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you,¡± Adam admitted, also greeting the other three Iyrmen. ¡°Where is my brother?¡± Argon asked, noting that the other Iyrmen who had been sent out with his brother weren¡¯t about. ¡°About that...¡± ¡°They have not returned,¡± Jurot said, bluntly. Argon let out a soft hum, narrowing his eyes. He was smart enough to put the pieces together, though Tazwyn rested a hand on his shoulder, calming him. Adam glanced at the Chief, and noted the devilkin beside him, whose forehead held a familiar pattern. A purple tilted cross, with hollowed hexes at the side. She also wore robed of the Iyr, with a staff at her back. Then his eyes fell across the other Iyrmen, realising something. Argon and his cohorts were the youngest Iyrmen about. His eyes then fell to the hundreds of soldiers, who were tense. Elder Ivory, who was watching from deep within the forest, mused on their thoughts. ¡®I see now why Adam showed little fear.¡¯ ¡°We will continue to discuss the matter later, Duke,¡± the Chief said. ¡°We must first settle the facts of the matter with our own.¡± The Duke kept his head held high as he spoke to the Chief. ¡°I hope to hear a reasonable response soon, Chief.¡± The Chief, and the devilkin beside him, walked to the pair. ¡°Jurot, Adam,¡± he greeted the pair, ruffling Jurot¡¯s hair, and placing a strong hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I see you are well.¡± ¡°We were safe within the forest,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to see you,¡± he said, glancing across all the Iyrmen again. ¡°All of you.¡± ¡°Do you have ill news?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°It seems they have come across trouble after they sent the message,¡± the Chief said, glancing to the devilkin beside him. ¡°We had a little trouble with the southerners too,¡± Adam said. ¡°What kind of trouble?¡± ¡°They said the Iyr couldn¡¯t claim this land, and that the two of us should have surrendered to them until the issue was sorted out. They were open to coming to blows.¡± The Chief¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot, who nodded his head. ¡°They asked you to surrender?¡± the devilkin asked. ¡°They did,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate, nephew of the Rot family.¡± The woman bowed her head, holding out a hand to take his. ¡°Elder Peace,¡± she replied, simply. Adam blinked. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Elder Peace.¡± He bowed his head respectfully. ¡°Let us discuss this matter within the forest,¡± Elder Peace said. The Chief left for a moment to inform the Duke that they will return to speak. ¡°We should settle our affairs before you leave,¡± the Duke said. ¡°We will settle our affairs once we settle the matters with Aswadasad,¡± the Chief said. ¡°If you need assistance, we are willing to help,¡± the Duke said. ¡°It is only right we should help our neighbours.¡± ¡°You would ask an Iyrman to share their prey?¡± the Chief replied. ¡°It is Iyrman business, and must be settled by Iyrmen. We will need to first meet with the original Iyrmen who were within this forest, and then we can discuss the matter.¡± The Duke retreated from the matter, allowing the Iyrmen to leave. Even if he did outnumber them ten to one, he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to aggravate the Iyrmen when so many of them outmatched even him. The Iyrmen then disappeared into the forest, where they were taken to the grove where Lucy waited with Mara. The Iyrmen stared at the pair of demons for a moment, and Lucy stared at them in return, noting all the older men and women. ¡°You must be the Iyrmen!¡± she said, excitedly. She leapt onto her feet, staring at all of them in awe. ¡°Yes,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°Oh, right,¡± Adam said, having forgotten her for a moment. ¡°We should probably explain everything.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! WARNING: Next chapter is hype. 66. Deals Brokered 66. Deals Brokered The five of them, Lucy, Adam, Jurot, and the two leader of the Iyr, sat down to speak. Jurot explained a few things in their tongue first, before then speaking in Aldspeech. Adam just nodded along to the story, confirming everything. The entire time, Lucy was cuddling up beside Elder Peace. Then, once the story was told, the Guardian appeared, much to the Iyrmen¡¯s delight. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you,¡± Big Ivory said. ¡°You as well,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°First, we will need to deal with the Aswadians and the Aldish, before we can speak of the deal.¡± ¡°It is understandable,¡± they replied in their slow voice. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, looking out to the Iyrmen. ¡°Just how strong is this group?¡± ¡°Strong,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°Very!¡± Lucy agreed. She had her eye on twelve of them in particular, each of them the oldest. ¡°No wonder the Iyrmen are so powerful with those twelve leading.¡± ¡°The ten only lead this company,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Chief Iromin and Elder Peace lead within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Why did they bring the strongest Iyrmen?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to bring hundreds to deal with the others?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°They didn¡¯t what?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°They didn¡¯t bring the strongest,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The other ten are part of the strongest, but there are others within the Iyr who match them. They were not brought along.¡± Lucy blinked at him, and then turned to Adam, who was slowly nodding his head. ¡°What?¡± Adam realised just how few faces he recognised from the hundred Iyrmen. ¡°So, how strong are they? Are the other ten Mithril Rank?¡± Jurot remained tight lipped. ¡°No,¡± the Chief said. ¡°They are Gold Rank.¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°Right,¡± he said, staring at the Chief. ¡°So are the others Mithril Rank?¡± ¡°There are a few Steel Rank and Silver Rank here, but there are ninety Mithril Rank, and ten Gold Rank.¡± ¡°How many Gold Rank Iyrmen are there within the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Enough that you may sleep peacefully within its borders,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°Even I do not know,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The only beings who know the true strength of the Iyr are the Chief, the Great Elders, and a handful of others. Not even Gold Ranks know, if they refuse to know.¡± Lucy remained completely silent, growing pale. ¡°You are the Demon Lord?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she squeaked. ¡°From another world?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°She is a friend of ours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, these two are my Generals!¡± Lucy quickly stepped beside Adam and hooked her arm around his. ¡°I am not your General,¡± Jurot stated, clearly. ¡°What? You totally are!¡± ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot!¡± Jurot declared. ¡°I am not your General.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not your Generals, but your friends,¡± Adam said. ¡°Friends?¡± Lucy had thought he was kidding previously. She flushed slightly. ¡°Hmph. I don¡¯t need friends, especially not a human!¡± ¡°Well, I guess we¡¯re not your frie-¡° ¡°If you¡¯re going to insist, I suppose I¡¯ll allow you both to be my friends!¡± Lucy grabbed his arm tighter. "Thank you so much for the opportunity, your Grace,¡± Adam said, ruffling her hair. ¡°You are most welcome.¡± ¡°We should speak with the Aswadians,¡± the Chief said, glancing to Elder Peace, who bowed her head. The Iyrmen all moved, with Lucy remaining behind with Mara. ¡°Will you guarantee Lucy¡¯s protection within the forest?¡± Adam asked as they left. ¡°Okvar had done so.¡± ¡°If Okvar has guaranteed it, then it is guaranteed by we all,¡± the Chief replied. It felt like an eternity as the other Iyrmen were brought back. They were battered and bruised, and many noticed that the captives had lost a fair amount of weight. Argon grit his teeth as he saw his brother return in such a state, though Dargon threw a cheeky smirk at his brother. The other Iyrmen remained calm at the sight of their wounded brethren, who understood the risks when it came to coming here during such a turbulent time. It was then they saw Lokat. Elder Peace let out another soft sigh. The Iyrmen tensed up, understanding the situation. Lokat approached Elder Peace, muttering something in their tongue. Elder Peave reached up and rubbed the woman¡¯s cheek gently. Adam noted the familiar symbol on Lokat¡¯s forehead. A purple tilted cross, with hollowed hexes at the side. ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± Adam let the words slip out, covering his mouth immediately after. The Captain, and all the other soldiers, noted the tattoos on their foreheads, and how they matched. ¡®Oh, fuck.¡¯ ¡°Then is it war?¡± the Chief asked, reaching for the blade at his side, which was so eager to cut through the soldiers ahead of them. ¡°There is no need for war,¡± the Captain said, quickly, feeling his throat grow dry. ¡°We-¡° ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you,¡± the Chief replied, his eyes falling to Elder Peace. ¡°The price must be paid,¡± she said, simply. ¡°Three hundred of your soldiers.¡± The Captain swallowed again, his heart beginning to pound, feeling the coolness, even though the sun was so bright as it beat down on them. ¡°Do you understand why the price of blood tripled?¡± Elder Peace asked, simply. ¡°We tortured your Iyrmen, and one of your family members?¡± ¡°You tortured our Iyrmen, so the price was doubled.¡± Elder Peace rubbed Lokat¡¯s cheek again. ¡°One of them was a Shaman.¡± The Iyrmen reached for their weapons, ready to spill blood. ¡°It is not because she is my daughter, that I have demanded a greater price, but because she is a Shaman of the Iyr. You should not lay your hands on a Shaman of the Iyr, for they are precious to us.¡± The Captain stared at Elder Peace for a long while. His brows was full of sweat, which poured down over his eyes. ¡°Three hundred against your one hundred and war will be avoided?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°Then we will settle the matter of the forest.¡± The Captain bowed his head. ¡°It will be done.¡± He glanced to his side, to the woman who had brought back the Iyrmen. ¡°Amina,¡± he said, taking off the purple band on his arm, handing it to the woman. ¡°You will take command upon my death.¡± The soldier bowed her head, taking the band. ¡°Yes, Captain.¡± ¡®Captain! Why are you leaving me to deal with this mess? Don¡¯t die!¡¯ ¡°Do not make the same mistake as me. Once this is over, return to the Shen, and inform him of everything.¡± He grabbed her arm, squeezing it. ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°You should pass on a message from us as well,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°So that all misunderstanding may be resolved.¡± Amina swallowed. The Captain brought out the three hundred soldiers, which included himself, for he was the Captain who led them to their deaths. None of the three hundred soldiers were those descended from Iyrmen, as they had stepped back from the fight. The Iyr had their rules, and even the children born outside understood it, even if they were not tattooed. Adam had never imaged he¡¯d see three hundred soldiers, each heavily armoured, with weapons made of great steel, trained for years to be killing machines, be simply slaughtered like chattel. He couldn¡¯t even feel his heart beat. It hadn¡¯t taken a minute, but the entire area was paved red with rivers of blood. The soldiers watched as almost a quarter of them were gone in the blink of an eye. None of them dared to step forward. Jurot, on the other hand, was gleaming with joy as he stared at the blood bath. ¡®Yes! Hahaha!¡¯ Once the matter was dealt with, Elder Peace brought out a piece of paper, and dipped her quill in the dead Captain¡¯s blood. She wrote a message, handing it over to Amina immediately after. The Iyrmen looted the bodied right in front of the soldiers. Some soldiers had stepped forward, but Amina shouted something in their own language, which some of the Iyrmen understood. ¡°If anyone steps forward to disrupt the Iyrmen, you have my blessing to kill the stupid bastards!¡± ¡°The Iyr has claimed this forest,¡± Chief Iromin said, once they were done looting. ¡°Tell your Shen, if he wishes to take it, he may do so, but the price is the blood of one hundred thousand soldiers.¡± Amina¡¯s eyes fell across the Iyrmen, who were still in high spirits. None were even remotely injured, but she had expected as such. Pretty much everyone here recognised a handful of the Iyrmen, each Gold Rank or Mithril Rank, and the tales which they were associated with. Amina retreated with her army immediately, forfeiting the forest. ¡®Captain, I told you not to mess with the Iyrmen.¡¯ The Iyrmen approached the forest, where they found Lucy, who had followed them out, hugging a tree. She was as pale as a ghost, sweating profusely. Her eyes caught Adam¡¯s. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked, stepping up to her. Lucy did not respond, instead grabbing Adam¡¯s arms with a vice like grip, standing behing him, hiding away from the other Iyrmen. ¡®Mother. Father. The Iyrmen are scary!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I feel like there''s going to be some diplomatic ramifications for just killing hundreds of soldiers right within their borders... 67. Wise Counsel 67. Wise Counsel The Iyrmen returned into the forest, where the Chief and Elder Peace listened to the tale from the tortured Iyrmen. Somehow, even after their torture, they could speak with clarity about the situation. ¡°On our return, we were caught by the soldiers, and were kept in a ditch,¡± Okvar admitted. ¡°We did not want to cause a diplomatic incident.¡± ¡°Did any of you break during the torture?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°What had you told them?¡± ¡°The Iyr has claimed the forest,¡± Okvar said. ¡°All matters relating to the forest will be discussed by the Chief.¡± The other Iyrmen nodded their heads, agreeing with the statement. ¡°They tried to ask about specifics within the forest, but we replied the same,¡± Okvar said. ¡°What was the extent of their torture?¡± ¡°Beatings, starvation, but not much else,¡± Okvar said, casually. Adam blinked at him. He couldn¡¯t believe just how light the Iyrman¡¯s tone was. ¡°Some of the soldiers asked for more, but the Captain kept the beatings reasonable,¡± Lokat said. ¡°Some had lost family members in the war over the islands.¡± ¡°Even so,¡± the Chief said, ¡°harming a Shaman isn¡¯t reasonable. We should have killed more.¡± ¡°We leave their Priests be,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°I have sent a message to their Shen, and depending on their response, I will set forth new rules in dealing with the Aswadians.¡± The Chief nodded his head, leaving it be, as it was not within his domain. Of course, he could debate the matter with Elder Peace, but there was no need to. It was rare he would give his opinion on a matter, a right afforded to him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked his Iyrmen companions who had been missing. ¡°We¡¯re okay,¡± Dargon replied, eating some fruit provided by the forest. ¡°Being captured and tortured is to be expected. Adam blinked again, unsure of just how to take what he had just learnt. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this right now, if I was captured and tortured, I¡¯d let slip whatever they wanted to hear. It wouldn¡¯t necessarily be true, but I¡¯d want to them to stop.¡± The Iyrmen nodded their heads, understanding where he was coming from. After all, Adam was no Iyrman. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well though,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°To think you were right beside us this entire time...¡± He narrowed his eyes, annoyed that he was so weak. ¡°We should speak with the Duke,¡± the Chief said, excusing himself. ¡°I know that it¡¯s important to deal with the forest, but will we be returning back to the Iyr soon?¡± Adam asked. ¡°My aunt is still sick.¡± ¡°We will form a party to return with you in the morning,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Thank you.¡± The Chief and Elder Peace left to speak with the Duke, taking with them many of the Iyrmen, including Jurot, Okvar, and Lokat. ¡°I should have been the one to escort Adam,¡± Argon said, grabbing onto his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you!¡± Dargon grumbled. ¡°Your dear little brother was busy being tortured and you were having fun sparring with King¡¯s Sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said you should have gone!¡± Argon shook his brother by his shoulders. The pair continued to fight brotherly for some time before Tazwyn dragged Argon away. ¡°Have you forgotten he was starved? Stop bullying your little brother.¡± Dargon chuckled once his brother had left. ¡°Do you see how he shows off? He got to have fun with King¡¯s Sword, then tried to speak about his virtues!¡± Adam smiled slightly in response. ¡°That¡¯s just how big brothers are.¡± ¡°You speak as though you are a younger brother.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I was the oldest.¡± ¡°How many siblings did you have?¡± ¡°I had a younger brother and sister, though, I also had a baby sister I never got to meet.¡± ¡°Imprison Iyrmen?¡± The Shen said, annunciating each word as though it pained him. He turned to Kalya, who was a beautiful woman, and equally as intelligent as she was beautiful, or so he had thought. ¡°We imprisoned their warriors, eight of them, and they slaughtered three hundred of our soldiers. Three hundred. One of them was a Shaman, which we, for some reason, tortured. They have their Chief, one of their greatest warriors, equivalent to their King in their culture, and Elder Peace, who is responsible for declaring war, who saw what we had done.¡± ¡°If we capture their Chief and Elder Peace, it would be a bargaining chip to use against them,¡± General Halwe replied. ¡°That forest is too valuable to give up, my Shen. We cannot allow it to slip through our fingers to the hands of Aldland. It is too close to our land, and will make future wars more difficult.¡± The Shen couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing from the Counsel members, or the General. ¡®I truly must be dreaming,¡¯ he thought. ¡°I have heard their tales, father,¡± a young woman said from beside the Shen. None dared to reprimand her for speaking, as they all knew how much the Shen doted on his daughter. ¡°There have been a number of times that our family was threatened within our Kingdom, and all but one was solved by the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I recall the tales as well, daughter,¡± the Shen replied. ¡°The only crises not solved by the Iyrmen was the singular crisis against them.¡± ¡°It was only because of the Gladiator King that they were unable to dethrone us,¡± the young woman said, tapping her finger on the table. ¡°The war ended in a draw, but it was the closest we had gotten to losing our Kingdom to Aldland.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve beaten the Iyrmen before, we can beat them again,¡± General Halwe said. ¡°We beat them because they were busy in two other wars,¡± the Shen said, almost losing his patience. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the Iyr we were facing, but a unit of Iyrmen under Aldland¡¯s command.¡± ¡°They have only sent a hundred Iyrmen to the forest, and we have Veisswing and his sister, Princess of the Red Desert, who could be upon them in a day.¡± The Shen rubbed his forehead, willing to entertain them. ¡°How many soldiers can we call?¡± ¡°At least thirty thousand,¡± General Halwe replied. ¡°We have sent ten thousand to the islands, so we cannot bring more to the north. We could drive up another one hundred thousand soldiers, though they would be fresh.¡± ¡°Lambs to the slaughter,¡± the Shen replied. ¡°There are at least six wyrms which would respond as well,¡± Kalya said, who had some relationship with a seawyrm. ¡°Wyrms?¡± Shen Hussun rubbed his forehead. ¡°Wyrms? What are wyrms going to do against the Iyrmen? How many have they collectively killed in the past century? They are born and raised to slay wyrms, and not just wyrms, but all great creatures.¡± He stared between them all. The others remained silent as the Shen stared at them. They were surprised to see how overtly hostile he was to their suggestions. ¡°Let¡¯s say we go to war with the Iyr, and say we do win. We would lose what? A dozen villages? A handful of towns and cities. We would lose the wyrms, certainly, and then who would keep those others in check? Would even a single soldier be able to step through Southern Aldland towards their home?¡± He glanced between them. ¡°What do we get in return?¡± He stood up, bracing himself against the table as he leaned over it. The other nobles remained silent, not daring to look away from him. ¡°If you did not speak, I would not confuse you for fools,¡± the Shen said. ¡°If you wish to war with the Iyr, you are free to do so, but I will not offer them my head so easily.¡± ¡°My Shen!¡± The General stood, bowing his head deeply. ¡°Will we really kowtow before them? They are no longer the monsters of the past! Our people have grown strong under the care of your family. They cannot dare to think about trying to fight with us!¡± ¡°You are free to offer your head to them, Halwe, but I will not. They have come with an offer of peace, and have already punished the disobedient Captain. We were to blame, it is very clear. I have read the letter, and you have heard it, or will you tell me your ears are cut off? They brought a hundred warriors. A hundred warriors! We outnumbered them twenty to one, and they slaughtered three hundred of our soldiers. These weren¡¯t fresh recruits, but those who had been in the army for years.¡± ¡°The Iyrmen cannot match our elite units, my Shen!¡± General Halwe urged, taking great pride in his warriors. ¡°We have one hundred Black Hands, each equal to Mithril Rank! There is the East Scimitar and the West Scimitar, who are equal to King¡¯s Sword to the north.¡± ¡°Dealing with their own matters,¡± Shen replied, simply. ¡°What are our Black Hands against the Iyrmen they rummaged from their home? Do you think these Iyrmen are the best of the best? Even now, as we speak, there are two Gold Rank Iyrmen within a thirty minutes walk from this very room! How many Gold Rank Iyrmen slumber within our cities? Ten? Twenty? What of all those who are Mithril Rank? At least another twenty! This doesn¡¯t include those who return back to the Iyr, to speak of the outside world! To train the next generation!¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible for there to be too many more Iyrmen at that level, my Shen. We still outnumber them ten to one.¡± ¡°Are you a damn fool? Do you think we are the only ones with agreements with the wyrms? Have you forgotten the last time the Iyr went to war with Aldland? Have you forgotten how many Rukhs flew over our skies? Have you forgotten how the Iyr brought three wyrms with them? Think about all the wyrms who once plagued our lands and left. They were driven away by Iyrmen, and they dare not return. Yet, do you think Iyrmen would allow wyrms to leave peacefully without a deal made?¡± ¡°My Shen, I beg of you! Just a chance to prove ourselves! They would not run from a duel.¡± The Shen dropped to his seat, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Very well,¡± he said, wishing to show them the futility of their thoughts. ¡°We will invite them to our coliseum. General Halwe, you will be responsible for finding ten warriors which the Iyrmen will face. If your warriors can win three times our of ten, I will award your family with three castles, a town, and the title of Shen¡¯s Hand.¡± ¡°Thank you, my Shen,¡± General Halwe said, full of awe, prostrating himself before the Shen. ¡°Go, write it,¡± Hussun said to one of his many aides, before he grabbed his own paper and quill. ¡°My Shen?¡± General Halwe asked as Shen Hussun began to write a letter. ¡°We will send them the Bronze Midnight Spear as an apology,¡± the Shen said, already knowing the aftermath of the deal which would be sent to the Iyrmen. ¡°They say they have claimed the forest? We will supply them whatever sandstone they require without the typical taxes involved, and we will not charge gate fees to any Iyrmen for the next decade.¡± The other Counsel members stared at the Shen, confused. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! "My right fist is known as Diplo, and my left is known as Macy," Elder Peace said. 68. Level Three! 68. Level Three! Adam hadn¡¯t expected to feel such relief as he returned to the Iyr, the walls filling him with comfort. ¡®Ah, so this is how Iyrmen feel,¡¯ he thought. It was an awkward feeling, though he wasn¡¯t sure if he could accept it. It had taken almost a week to return, sailing upriver back to the Iyr. They had avoided the towns and cities on the way back, though Adam hadn¡¯t asked why. He was too busy thinking of Sonarot, hoping she was fine. It was late afternoon by the time they returned back to the Front Iyr, where all the children had lined up to see the returning few. They were clapping and cheering, excited to see the return of so many legendary Iyrmen. They were too busy staring at the legends, they didn¡¯t notice the stranger among the returning group. ¡°You¡¯ve returned safely,¡± Lykan said, greeting the almost two dozen Iyrmen who had returned. The Mithril Rank Iyrmen each bowed their heads to the Elder, even though they could easily gut the man, and even the Gold Rank bowed her head. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, flashing a smile to the handsome Lykan. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you return too,¡± Lykan said, shaking the half elf¡¯s forearm. ¡°Is Sonarot fine?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have not received news otherwise,¡± Lykan replied, simply. ¡°The herb should be processing at this very moment.¡± ¡°Well, since we¡¯ve returned...¡± Adam smirked. ¡°Do you want to hear our story?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lykan said, smiling. ¡°I do.¡± The group were led to the centre where food had been gathered for their return. Once they were comfortable, Jurot and Dargon were tasked with telling the story, Dargon stopping when Jurot spoke of what happened when they went missing, and Jurot stopping when Dargon spoke of what happened when they continued to the town. The children remained silently, sitting completely still, like little walls. Upon hearing the torture of the Shamans, they gasped, barely able to believe that it had happened, and they jeered noisily. ¡®Wow,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®They don¡¯t censor anything, do they?¡¯ ¡°A Demon Lord?¡± Lykan asked, glancing towards Lucy, who remained beside Adam, looking all about the small village. ¡®This is the Iyr? I thought there would be more...¡¯ She was still half terrified of the Iyrmen, but there was a deep sense of disappointment within her. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°You understand that we cannot allow her into the Main Iyr,¡± Lykan said. ¡°A stranger who claims to be the Demon Lord.¡± He wondered what Adam would do, since he seemed to be so close with this stranger. ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pack, taking out a letter. Lykan took the letter, opening it and scanning it with his eyes. He read it twice, before folding the letter and placing it into his pocket. ¡°How did you do it?¡± ¡°I asked nicely,¡± Adam replied, smiling at the Elder. ¡°So the Chief has already fallen for your charms,¡± Lykan said, as though it were a matter of fact. ¡°I do have sixteen Charisma,¡± Adam joked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. Lucy had been reluctant to leave Mara behind, but Adam had managed to convince her to come to the Iyr. If there was anyone with the ability to bring back a dragon¡¯s heart, it would be an Iyrman. He didn¡¯t want her to be alone, and he also didn¡¯t want her to see Mara¡¯s predicament, which was a most terrible sight. He also didn¡¯t trust Big Ivory. Convincing the Chief to write the letter had been so much easier. Adam had simply asked for him to write a letter allowing Lucy inside the Main Iyr, and he had written it then and there. ¡°You¡¯re a curious one, Adam, son of Fate,¡± Lykan admitted. He had met so many people, but none were as mysterious as Adam. ¡°Even now, I don¡¯t understand you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more simple than you think,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Simple, but strange.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lykan said, smiling slightly. ¡°You are.¡± The children all swarmed Lucy once the story was done, some babbling in their own tongue, others mumbling their questions. ¡°Is it true?¡± a child asked. ¡°Are you a Demon Lord?¡± another clarified. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Lucy declared. ¡°I am the Demon Lord! I will raise an army and claim my realm in the future!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to defeat you!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯ll be me!¡± Lucy stared at the children. ¡®W-what?¡¯ Adam stared at her, and let out a soft sigh, smirking at her. Lucy stormed forward towards him, but after a step, she quickly stopped, noting the other Iyrmen about. They hadn¡¯t moved, but she had sensed their intent spike towards her the moment she had taken a step forward. ¡®Are they going to kill me?¡¯ She glanced between them all before looking to Adam, staring up at him for support. ¡°Sonarot, you should meet Lucy,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lanarot, come see the Demon Lord too.¡± The children gasped when they heard her title, glancing between one another. ¡°The Demon Lord?¡± Sonarot asked, her brows furrowed towards the half elf. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°So she claims.¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°She¡¯s from another world.¡± Sonarot smiled, tilting her head slightly. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I think-¡° ¡°I definitely won¡¯t try to take over the Iyr,¡± Lucy said, quickly, staring between the Iyrmen. She noted the gazes of the children, who stared at her as though she was prey. ¡°Yes?¡± Sonarot said, staring at the girl. Lucy stared at Adam. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I definitely won¡¯t, ever. I swear.¡± Her brow was covered with sweat. She had followed Adam all the way to the estate, but as she had, she noted all the Iyrmen about. The older Iyrmen were almost all roughly the strength of those that were called Mithril Rank, and she had spotted dozens of them around, and she had only just stepped into the Iyr. ¡®This place is terrifying.¡¯ ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s eat and hear Jurot regale the tale. Once we¡¯re done, I¡¯ll let you know my story.¡± Quest Complete: Save Sonarot XP Gained: +200 XP: 3050 -> 3250 ¡®I wonder if I have enough experience to level...¡¯ Adam tried to think about the amount of XP it had required last time. ¡®Hey Belle, can I level?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Oh. I should have levelled up before.¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¯ [You didn¡¯t ask.] ¡®...¡¯ Level up! XP: 3250 -> 1250 Health: 26 -> 39 Mana: 3 -> 8 Gained two spells! ¡®I really should have levelled up before...¡¯ Jurot sat and went through the tale, speaking of everything which had happened to them once they had left the Iyr. Upon mention of how they met the Demon Lord, the children cheered and clapped their hands excitedly. Lucy swallowed nervously. The children were far too excited to hear about the meeting with the Demon Lord, which caused them to look at the demon girl beside them. Once more, she was like a prey to them. The story continued, revealing the meeting with the Guardian, which made the children cheer louder. Jurot gave a few moments of pause for the children to murmur between themselves about how much they wanted to beat the Guardian. Lucy sighed in relief now that she was no longer in their sights. Once the mention of Lokat¡¯s torture appeared, the children gasped. ¡°We should kill them!¡± Raygak declared, before snarling in the infernal tongue, no doubt cursing. Jaygak grabbed her little brother and pulled him to her side, giving him a noogie. He squealed, trying to pull away from his sister, complaining in the tongue of the Iyrmen and the devilkin. ¡°Be quiet,¡± Jaygak said, before pulling the boy onto her lap, which caused him to fall silent as he rubbed the top of his head. ¡®The Iyrmen really are normal,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®In a crazy way.¡¯ Once the story was told, and the meats and cheeses were finished, Jurot and Adam were allowed to retreat for the night. ¡°Citool,¡± Sonarot called. ¡°Do you wish for me to take care of Lanarot?¡± the woman replied. ¡°Yes, please. Turot as well. There is some business which needs to be dealt with.¡± ¡°That nephew of yours?¡± Citool asked, raising her brow. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied. Citool nodded, taking Turot¡¯s hand in her own. Turot pouted, having wanted to speak with the Demon Lord, but he followed Citool, who was like a second mother to him. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! She''s safe and sound! And Jurot didn''t die? What is going on? FYI! Patreon is going to be 10 chapters ahead in about three hours after this chapter goes live! You can access it for as little as ¡ê1 this month only! 69. Principled Rich Man 69. Principled Rich Man Omen: 8, 11 Jurot lay there, ruminating on what Adam had told him last night. Jurot wasn¡¯t sure what to make of it, and after a few minutes of thinking about Adam¡¯s tale, he let out a soft sigh and let it go from his mind, sitting up to see his mother, Adam, and Lucy. ¡°Whoa! Whoa! How are you so juicy?¡± Lucy asked, grabbing onto Adam¡¯s arms and his pecs. She hadn¡¯t noticed his physique, which was quite powerful for someone with elvish blood. ¡®I need to make him my General!¡¯ ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, trying to push her away from molesting him. ¡°Now that the emergency has been settled, we should probably figure out our next steps.¡± ¡°Our next steps?¡± Jurot asked, staring at the pair of them in their comedy act. ¡°Aunt and Lanarot are safe, and we can¡¯t spend all our time in the Iyr. Didn¡¯t you leave the Iyr in order to adventure?¡± ¡°Jurot decided to set out on his own,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Usually Iyrmen leave with another, adventure until they rank up and then part ways, but he wanted to go alone.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I was a little older than the others, so I wanted to go alone and leave them in their preferred pairs.¡± ¡°So it should have been Amokan and you, but since Timojin is close to him, you let their bromance develop?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, assuming the definition of bromance. ¡°Instead, I will follow you.¡± ¡°You want to follow me?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Your story is interesting. There is no Iyrman with a story like yours. If I am beside you, then I will be the first Iyrman to have such stories.¡± Jurot smirked, revelling in his ingeniousness. ¡°Well I¡¯m going to stay here!¡± Lucy declared. ¡°This is the best place to train. Once I¡¯m strong enough, I¡¯m going to...¡± She fell silent and thought about what she wanted to do. ¡°Do something?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for a little while longer, and then we¡¯ll leave.¡± He had thought about how he was going to adventure with Jurot, but since he decided it himself, Adam didn¡¯t need to think about it. ¡°Oh, right. Since I¡¯m a nephew of the Rot family, is there something that¡¯s expected of me? Do I need to pay dues? Do I need to help around the Iyr?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how the relationship worked with him as a nephew. ¡°We Iyrmen must pay at least one tenth of our treasure back to the Iyr, though we usually send more,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You are just a nephew of the Iyr.¡± ¡°So I don¡¯t have to pay dues?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°There is no need for that.¡± Adam crossed his arms. ¡°It feels weird that I won¡¯t be paying dues. I¡¯ll send back a tenth of my earnings back too.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Though that involves maths.¡± He shuddered. ¡°What if I created magical weapons now and again for the Iyr?¡± Sonarot stared down at the boy, wondering why he was so eager to pay them. ¡°You can speak with an Elder about the matter, and they can discuss it with the Great Elders and the Chief.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that, then,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°First, let¡¯s go play with Lanarot. She probably forgot our faces.¡± Jurot and Adam surrounded the tiny basket Lanarot slept in. ¡°Hello little Lana,¡± he said. ¡°Did you sleep well? We didn¡¯t get to talk properly yesterday.¡± She stared up at him. ¡°Did anyone bully you while we were gone?¡± Adam asked. The Iyrmen threw him a curious glance. ¡°Just a bad joke, don¡¯t mind me,¡± Adam said, noting how they were glaring at him. ¡°A joke?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°How is that a joke?¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°It¡¯s like if I were to say our fighting power has gone down now that an Iyrman is here. It¡¯s a ridiculous thing to say, obviously wrong, which is why it¡¯s funny. It¡¯s more a joke about the person saying the joke being an idiot.¡± Lucy stared at him. ¡°You are an idiot.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°So this is Lanarot,¡± Lucy said, staring down at the baby. ¡°You did all that for her?¡± Having heard his tale, Lucy wondered why he had done so much for someone he barely knew. ¡®Was he really serious about helping Mara?¡¯ ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s my precious little sister, and Jurot¡¯s precious little sister too.¡± ¡°She is fortunate,¡± Sonarot said, and almost immediately, Lanarot began to cough and cry. ¡°And hungry.¡± She pulled her baby up to her teet and began to feed her. ¡°Ooh!¡± ¡°Ya!¡± The children bounced excitedly, and Adam glanced over to see the disapproving looks of Jurot and the others, who wouldn¡¯t be able to train as hard with the children. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I need a little bit of a break today, so I¡¯ll train with the children. I will show you some exercises from my home.¡± Upon hearing that Adam was going to reveal exercises from his home, even Timojin¡¯s eyes began to gleam. It was on this day Adam introduced the Iyr to star jumps. Timojin glared at Adam, his hopes dashed. It was on this day Adam introduced the Iyr to burpees. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucy asked from beside the half elf. She was sitting in the stream, admiring the bodies of all the hunky Iyrmen about. ¡°I hate burpees,¡± Adam admitted, having refused to lead the exercises after revealing the technique. He understood why the Iyrmen would like the exercise, but he hated it with a deep passion. Once they returned back to the estate, Sonarot revealed a large pouch. ¡°Adam, your axe has been sold.¡± ¡°My axe?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Cool Weapon.¡± Adam coughed slightly, nearly taking damage from hearing the name. ¡°Oh, right. How much I make?¡± ¡°One thousand and five hundred gold,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°We¡¯ve already taken what you owe us.¡± ¡°Nice. So that would be...¡± Adam tried to do the maths in his head. ¡°Three hundred gold to Jurot, and one thousand and two hundred gold for me.¡± ¡°Jurot¡¯s share?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much?¡± Jurot asked, noting the look from his mother. ¡°It¡¯s what we agreed one,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Jurot, you will accept so much coin?¡± Sonarot asked. Jurot began to sweat under his mother¡¯s stare. It was as though he was being crushed by a heavy weight. ¡°No.¡± Adam glanced at Sonarot. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a fair price. Jurot¡¯s wood work is amazing, and he also checks the quality of the weapon. His experience with that sort of thing is worth a lot. It might end up that I make something awful, in which case, I probably won¡¯t auction it.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you lose lots of gold?¡± Sonarot asked. "I will create decent weapons. If I end up making basic weapons, I might be sell them to the guild or another organisation, as basic gear for adventurers rather than auctioning them." "Very principled, aren''t you?" "That''s the goal." Adam smiled. "I''m principled, even if I am poor. Well, was poor." Currency: 65GP, (16) Tiger Eye -> 165GP, (38) Tiger Eye ¡®I¡¯m freaking riiich.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! He''s riiich! Unlike me... Slice of life arc begins! 70. Investments 70. Investments ¡°Right, hold on,¡± Adam said, rubbing his head. ¡°I should give some money to the Iyr too.¡± ¡°We have already taken out what you owe,¡± Sonarot stated. ¡°As your nephew, I should give more, should I?¡± Adam smiled. Sonarot sighed, placing a hand on his. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Adam. I trust that you will treat the Iyr well, so don¡¯t worry about the money. Use that money to fund your adventures, so that you can return to me safely.¡± Adam felt the warmth of her hand. ¡°Well, I guess I should save up for plate mail...¡± Adam paused to think. ¡°How much is plate mail?¡± ¡°One thousand and five hundred gold, or so,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Really?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°How much for dwarven made plate mail?¡± ¡°Double or triple that price.¡± ¡°Must I also return the item upon my death?¡± Adam asked, recalling the rules about dwarven made items. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was confusing that with something else, though. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°I should probably stick with normal plate mail then,¡± he said. He felt how heavy his pouch had become, near bulging with the coins. He kept his gems in his pack, but it was becoming quite full and heavy with all the gems. Then he noted the warhammer, tucked away in the corner. ¡°Oh, right. I should probably enchant this too. How much will it cost to use the shrine if I want to enchant a weapon without selling it?¡± ¡°As a nephew of the Iyr, you may contribute one hundred gold to use the shrine,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Done!¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Hmm. I could probably enchant stuff using my gems, but I do want to save them for future use. I should probably find higher value gems too. I need a pearl for Identify too.¡± ¡°That is a simple matter to fix,¡± Sonarot said, brushing his hair. ¡°Are there Iyrmen weaponsmiths?¡± Adam asked, only to blink hard. ¡®What a stupid question.¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said, carefully. ¡°There are many.¡± ¡°Can I pay an Iyrman smith to make a sword for me? I¡¯d want Jurot to make a wooden grip for it too. I¡¯ll enchant it and use it as my main weapon.¡± Jurot wanted to speak up, but his mother stopped him with a look. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯d like,¡± Sonarot said, brushing his hair some more. ¡°What of your current sword?¡± Adam felt awkward with her brushing his hair, but he didn¡¯t want to stop her. ¡°I was going to hand it to Lucy.¡± ¡°Yuck,¡± Lucy said, grimacing at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want a sword, I want an axe.¡± ¡°I can make you an axe instead,¡± Adam said, nodding his head, having not caught on to the issue. ¡°Really? I mean a huge one, one as big as an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Can you even hold one that big?¡± ¡°It was an exaggeration, obviously,¡± she replied, raising her brow at him. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll smith you one.¡± ¡°Are you any good?¡± ¡°I can be.¡± ¡°Fine, since it¡¯s from a friend.¡± She stopped her smile from encroaching on her lips. Adam chuckled. "I''ll make you a great one, but that means that I''ll need to work only when I feel lucky." "When you feel lucky? Isn''t that nebulous?¡± She stared up at him with a raised brow. "I can tell you how I feel after I wake up,¡± Adam said, with the pair of Iyrmen nodding to confirm. ¡°I don¡¯t feel very lucky today, but I want to make you a great greataxe.¡± "Hmm.¡± She stared up at him suspiciously. ¡°Fiiine." "You are generous, Adam. Are you perhaps naive?" Sonarot asked, teasing him. "Maybe I am,¡± Adam admitted, chuckling. ¡°I trust my friends and my aunt dearly, though." "Then I will speak with Saerat, as she is well versed in making swords.¡± ¡°Rat?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said, smiling. "Jurot, go and ask Saerat if she would be willing to help at my request.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should go instead, but since Sonarot was asking, he decided against protesting. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot said, quickly leaving. ¡°Oh, and tell her that I¡¯d be willing to enchant a weapon for her if she makes me a sword and hands over some gems,¡± Adam called after, with Jurot grunting in response. ¡°Come,¡± Sonarot said, bringing him outside so they could eat breakfast. ¡°Are you sure you should be moving about so much?¡± Adam said, worried. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long ago you were sick...¡± ¡°I am resting well,¡± she said. ¡°Is there anything you need? A blanket, some food, or something else? Since you¡¯re resting, leave it to me.¡± ¡°Since you are offering, there is something I do need,¡± Sonarot admitted. ¡°What is it?¡± "Some ale," she said. "Excuse me?" "When I was pregnant, I wasn''t able to drink..." Sonarot smiled innocently. Adam blinked, having not expected Sonarot to ask for alcohol. ¡°Right, I¡¯ll go, uh, ask?¡± "If you go to the warehouses, you can ask someone there and they will assist you.¡± "Alright." Adam hopped onto his feet. "I''ll be back in a jiffy." He did as Sonarot asked, heading to the warehouse. ¡®Alcohol, huh?¡¯ Adam quickly fed Lucy, too, who went to digest the Mana by relaxing under the sun. ¡°You sure are pretty chill considering you almost wet yourself when you saw them massacre so many hundred soldiers,¡± Adam said, biting into the meat. Lucy raised a brow at him for a moment, her eye peeking open as she stared at him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pick a fight with the Iyr,¡± she replied, simply. Adam continued to eat, dwelling on what she said, before nodding his head. He sped his way to the shrine to begin enchanting. Mana: 5 -> 4 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Omen: 14, 18 -> 14 18 + 6 = 24 He plucked a Thread of Fate. The man, who had quickly acclimated to this new body of his, plunged his blade deeply into the side of the manticore, as the woman managed to slip away under the trunk of the tree, towards her darling son. He was sure that she wasn¡¯t going to make it, but he felt something odd at that moment. ¡®Did someone shift her fortune?¡¯ he thought, glancing aside, unknowingly staring at the Iyr, though it was far beyond the horizon¡¯s horizon. ¡°Azazel?¡± the woman called from within the tree. ¡°Is it safe?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the stranger said. ¡°It is.¡± As she stepped out, she noting how he was dripping blood from head to toe, though he had never seemed to mind that. However, more surprising, was the smile on his face, the second smile she had seen since she had met him a couple of months ago. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± the man said. ¡°Nothing at all.¡± Mana: 4 -> 3 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Noting that he was still fine, and still had a pretty decent Omen roll, Adam continued to enchant. It was dark by the time Adam crept back towards the estate, noting a few Iyrmen about, though he was escorted by someone who was assigned to him that day. When he returned, he saw Lucy staring at the stars above. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam whispered. Lucy snapped back to reality and stared at him. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She had sensed something which had gazed at the Iyr earlier that day, and though the gaze had fallen quickly, it still unnerved her. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, looking back at the stars, looking beyond them. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Adam could see she was deep in thought, so left her be, heading towards the Rot family estate. As he stepped inside, Jurot and Sonarot opened an eye. ¡°No, I will slay the Demon Lord,¡± Turot mumbled in his sleep. ¡°You are back late today,¡± Sonarot whispered. ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Adam replied quietly, carefully shutting the door behind him. ¡°I was feeling really good about the weapon so I spent some extra time today.¡± ¡°You gave Lucy your magic too. You must be careful.¡± Sonarot pet his head. ¡°There is food in the cupboard.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not that hungry.¡± Adam had worked hard today, which had filled him up. ¡°There is food in the cupboard,¡± she repeated, smiling at him. Omen: 1, 10 Adam wondered if he should enchant. ¡®Well, the average should still be pretty good...¡¯ He trained with the others lightly again. Mana: 8 -> 5 ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Adam asked, feeding Lucy with some of his mana. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she said, rubbing her stomach as she napped under the sun. Mana: 5 -> 4 Enchanting D20 + 6 = 18 (12) [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Sure, let¡¯s spent 100.¡¯ XP: 1250 -> 1150 Dagger You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D3 piercing + 1D3 radiant damage. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡°No.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure he should since it wasn¡¯t his weapon. XP: 1150 -> 1450 ¡°How was it?¡± Sonarot asked as he returned. Adam revealed the dagger, handing it to her. ¡°It¡¯s a great dagger, that¡¯s for sure.¡± He had expected it to be greater, considering how well he had rolled, but realised he didn¡¯t have any spells which inflicted radiant damage. ¡®Did the DC increase?¡¯ Omen: 2, 5 ¡°I feel really unlucky today,¡± Adam said in the morning. ¡°Since you won¡¯t be enchanting, why don¡¯t you take a break? You¡¯ve been working too hard.¡± Adam could feel how light headed he had become after spending so much time working. ¡°I think you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just, when I enchant, it feels like the day is passing by so quickly. Each day that happens, I¡¯m close to seeing my new sword!¡± Sonarot brushed his hair, smiling at him. ¡°There is no need to rush.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I am once again asking for your rating support. Please don''t forget to like and sub- I mean, rate and favourite! My precious 5 star rating is gone because of some 1 chapter 1 star trolls :( You never know, I might even give you a surprise soon! 71. A New Weapon 71. A New Weapon Adam spent that day relaxing, assisting Sonarot with what she needed, as well as keeping an eye on the children. ¡°It¡¯s rare to find someone who spends time looking after the younger lot proactively,¡± Citool said to Sonarot over a light lunch. ¡°Aren¡¯t I lucky to have claimed him?¡± Sonarot said, smiling at the envious adults, each of whom wanted Adam to be their nephew. ¡°Why did you accept him so easily?¡± Citool asked, daring to ask the question the other adults wanted to. Sonarot smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± she replied. ¡°Perhaps one day he will explain it to you.¡± Meanwhile, Adam was drawing on the floor with some chalk, along with the other children, each of whom were drawing either weapons or creatures which had been told to them in stories. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked Raygak, staring down at the long sausage. ¡°It¡¯s a dragon,¡± the boy said. Adam stared at it. He squinted his eyes and tilted his head. ¡°Oh, yes, I see.¡± He nodded his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯m going to ride one when I grow up,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to slay it?¡± ¡°If it doesn¡¯t listen.¡± Adam coughed, trying to hold in his laughter. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will listen to the great Raygak. You know, I¡¯ve actually ridden a dragon before.¡± The children all stopped and turned to stare at him, before throwing looks to Turot. After all, Adam was his cousin, so they couldn¡¯t say certain things, otherwise they¡¯d get into trouble. Turot crumbled under the pressure. ¡°You have?¡± he asked, trying his best not to sound doubtful, but Adam did say something ridiculous. ¡°Yeah. I rode...¡± Adam wondered if he should mention Entalia¡¯s name, since she was alive and well in this name, but in a very different way. ¡°I rode a dragon. She was a good friend of mine.¡± ¡°She was?¡± Turot asked. ¡°You have a dragon friend?¡± ¡°He had a dragon friend,¡± Katool said. ¡°Not any more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to the girl. ¡°I had a dragon friend, but that was in another time.¡± Spell: Guidance 1D3 = 2 (2) Dexterity Check D20 + 1 + 2 = 12 (9) Adam quickly sketched out what Entalia had looked like, which the children thought looked brilliant and so life like, though it wasn¡¯t a great sketch. Citool threw a glance to Sonarot. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t lie to the children.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°If he does lie to the children, I will speak with him.¡± Citool and the other Iyrmen stared at her, noting what she had said. Their eyes fell back to Adam, a curious figure. ¡°Hey!¡± Jaygak barged in during the late afternoon. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re listening to Adam,¡± Raygak replied. ¡°I can see that,¡± Jaygak said, grabbing her brother, who had tried to flee the moment she stepped towards him, but suffered under another noogie. ¡°I¡¯m just telling them about my favourite fiction from my home,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it boring to be with the children?¡± Adam shook his head and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of whether it¡¯s boring or not, which it isn¡¯t, but a matter of enjoying my time before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Too late for what?¡± ¡°Children grow up so fast. If you don¡¯t cherish this time, when they¡¯re always so eager to speak and play with you, then you¡¯ll regret it forever.¡± Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure what to say, as it was something her parents often said to her too. ¡°We play with them sometimes.¡± ¡°When was the last time you played with them?¡± ¡°The other day when we trained together.¡± Adam shook his head, sighing with disappointment. ¡°That¡¯s what you call playing?¡± ¡°What else am I meant to do? Play sockball?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, blinking at her. ¡°That¡¯s for children.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Do you guys not have adults who play in sports?¡± ¡°We wrestle and fight,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Sockball is for children.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, children who grow up playing football usually become professionals when they¡¯re older. They become world famous.¡± ¡°World famous?¡± Jaygak asked, and the other Iyrmen each paid greater attention to his words. ¡°Yeah. There are some football stars who were known in pretty much every country in the world.¡± Citool looked to Sonarot, expecting her to keep to her word. Sonarot sighed, making her way over to Adam. ¡°They believe you are lying because they have not heard of your story.¡± Once Adam was done with the weapon, he wiped his brow, which was full of sweat. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s use 100 again.¡¯ XP: 1450 -> 1350 Dagger You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon. You gain a +2 bonus to damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D3 piercing + 1D3 necrotic damage. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡°No.¡± XP: 1350 -> 1700 Adam finally returned back to the estate where he saw the tiny orc girl staring up at him with her dead eyes. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Adam said, staring down at her. Saerat held up the sword, which was completely white, with a wavy pattern along the blade. ¡°Your sword.¡± ¡°What fortunate timing! I was done with the last dagger today too.¡± Adam went to grab her daggers, revealing them to her. He grabbed the sword, the handle of which was made of white wood, wrapped around with white leather. He wavy pattern on the blade glimmered under the later afternoon sun. At the bottom of the pommel, there was the same symbol of the Rat family, silver, with the smallest hint of red. Along the hilt was the familiar pattern of the Rot family, silver, with the smallest hint of blue. The children all gathered around to stare at it. ¡°It¡¯s whitesteel!¡± Kalokan gasped, staring at the beautiful blade. She was Amokan¡¯s younger cousin, the twin of Damokan, who was also admiring the blade. Jurot waited, smiling at the children, keeping his arms crossed. The children continued to admire the weapon. Jurot waited, his smile fading slightly. The children stared at the glimmering metal of the blade. ¡°There¡¯s Iyr ivory too,¡± he eventually said, frowning. ¡°Oooh!¡± the children replied, having not noticed the wood, though they heard that Iyr ivory was extremely rare. Jurot sighed. ¡®Laygak would have noticed...¡¯ ¡°What a beautiful sword,¡± Sonarot said, admiring the blade. She was glad that Saerat had listened to her suggestion about picking the best materials to work on the sword. She ruffled her son¡¯s hair gently, glad that he had taken his time on the tiny amount of Iyr ivory. ¡°So cool!¡± Adam grinned wide, slashing the air around to test its balance. It was slightly heavier than the average sword, but since he held such beastly strength, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°How rare are these materials?¡± ¡°Iyr ivory is the most rare wood, alongside Iyr ebony,¡± Jurot admitted, tilting his head towards his mother. This entire time he had to keep it a secret that he was working on the wood from everyone. ¡°How wonderful,¡± Sonarot said. She knew that Iyr ivory was one of the woods Jurot had wanted to work with, and she hadn¡¯t expected he¡¯d be able to so soon. ¡°Whitesteel very rare,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Mithril Rank rare.¡± Adam coughed. ¡°Are you Mithril Rank?¡± Adam stared at Saerat, who was in her... Well, he wasn¡¯t sure. She definitely wasn¡¯t old, since she had no wrinkles, but she was either fourteen or forty, and he wasn¡¯t sure which. ¡°No,¡± Saerat replied, staring at the daggers. She could feel the energy coursing through them, especially the light dagger, which held a slightly more powerful enchantment. She hadn¡¯t expected him to enchant them with so much extra strength. She was going to wow him with the materials, but she ended up being overshadowed. She was now glad she had managed to push back against the protests from her family. ¡°How did you get these materials?¡± Adam asked, wondering if he¡¯d get into trouble. ¡°I will return,¡± Saerat said, refusing to answer before walking off. Adam blinked, watching her walk away. ¡°Did I anger her?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She was going to bring the gems once she had received her daggers.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Whitesteel and Iyr ivory are extremely rare,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If you ever get into trouble with Iyrmen, reveal the weapon and they will pause for a moment for you to explain how it came into your possession. Remember that the symbols are from our families, it could save your life if I am not with you.¡± Adam took his words to heart. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! First burpees and now the Olympics? Thus begins Adam''s enchanting adventure as he enchants weapons, mothers, and children. Just letting you know but I am FIFTEEN CHAPTERS AHEAD on Patreon. Have you noticed that everything has been on time for a week? That''s right, I think I fixed my sleep! Also, what''s with all this Omen stuff? Foreshadowing, perhaps? 72. Considerations 72. Considerations The children remained around him, admiring the sword. Adam held out the blade to each of them so they could touch it. They bounced eagerly, shouting in their tongue to one another excitedly. Even Taygak, Jaygak¡¯s younger cousin, who didn¡¯t like him one bit, was eagerly admiring the blade. She touched the silvery waves of the blade, pulled her finger back, expecting him to tell her off, before touching it some more when he nodded his head. Turot stared at Adam long and hard, a suspicious look in his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Why did Saerat make a sword?¡± he asked, tilting his head. ¡°I asked her to.¡± Turot¡¯s lips formed a frown. ¡°What¡¯s the...¡± Adam realised his folly. ¡°Oh. Right. Sorry.¡± He brushed Turot¡¯s hair. ¡°Next time I¡¯ll make sure I ask for an axe.¡± Turot¡¯s eyes remained narrowed. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Saerat eventually returned, holding up a small cloth bag. Within it were six round gems. Currency: (2) White Pearl, (1) Silver Pearl, (1) Pink Pearl, (1) Gold Pearl, (1) Black Pearl ¡°Nice,¡± Adam smiled, accepting the pearls eagerly. ¡®I needed one for Identify.¡¯ ¡°The pearls are worth a hundred gold each, the Black Pearl is worth five hundred.¡± Adam stared at the pouch, which was worth a thousand gold. ¡®I¡¯m riiicher.¡¯ ¡°Rat owes one favour,¡± Saerat said, nodding her head. ¡°Great!¡± Adam said, nodding his head in return. He was still admiring the pearls, which were so beautiful. He wasn¡¯t sure if he could bare to part with them. Lucy cleared her throat, having watched the entire scene from afar. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Adam had forgotten she was around. ¡°I need to buy some materials for your greataxe.¡± ¡°You can buy some from the warehouses,¡± Sonarot offered. ¡°You will need to make a contribution to the warehouse, and whoever is working at the warehouse will guide you to which materials you will be able to buy. Jurot, why don¡¯t you take Adam and help him?¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head. He wondered if Adam would allow him to carve the wood required for the greataxe. ¡°Sweet,¡± Adam replied, smiling. He strapped his sword at his side, wrapping it around his side. ¡®I should get some white leather for a belt...¡¯ ¡°You need some white leather to make a belt,¡± Lucy said, staring at the sword at his side. ¡°The sword belt clashes with the white.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly, wondering if she was reading his mind. ¡°What kind of enchantment do you want on your axe?¡± Lucy sat up, suddenly more interested in the conversation. ¡°I want it to turn into a pendant, no, a ring, so I can wear it with me rather than lumbering around with a huge axe. I want it to fire up too.¡± Adam blinked, wondering how she had came to think of those enchantments together. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do my best. I¡¯m not sure about the ring enchantment, I¡¯m not that great at enchanting.¡± Upon hearing what Adam said, Saerat turned and left, leaving the other Iyrmen to stare at him. ¡°I definitely want the ring enchantment!¡± Lucy threw up her fists and waved them around. ¡°Axes are heavy!¡± ¡®Hey, Bell, how difficult would that be?¡¯ [You will need to average 21 across the entire enchanting process and spend 500XP.] ¡®Sheeeeesh.¡¯ Adam let out a soft sigh, staring down at the demon girl throwing a tantrum. ¡°Alright, fine. It¡¯s going to take forever, though, so don¡¯t blame me.¡± ¡°You can take your time,¡± Lucy said, hopping onto her feet. ¡°I¡¯ll wait since we¡¯re friends.¡± Adam shook his head. He placed his pearls away into the blanket, grabbing a few of his Tiger Eye gems in order to pay for the items he needed. Jurot led Adam to the warehouse, and Lucy followed after them, since it was going to be her axe. She noted the Iyrman which was following them, but didn¡¯t say anything about it, assuming they were for her. The Iyrman on duty, a man only a little older than Adam and Jurot, crossed his arms as he stared at the trio. ¡°He¡¯s a nephew of the Rot family,¡± Jurot said, understanding the suspicion. The Iyrman stared at Jurot¡¯s tattoo for a moment, then his eyes fell to Lucy, who was smiling innocently at the Iyrman. ¡°She¡¯s a guest, and the materials are for her weapon,¡± Jurot explained. The Iyrman held out his hand. ¡°How much do you want to spend?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I brought six Tiger Eye gems,¡± Adam said. Jurot stared at him. ¡°You want to spend six Tiger Eye gems?¡± ¡°He has used his right as the nephew of the Rot family to procure the items, and the Rot family is willing to vouch for him for one of our smitheries,¡± the Chief replied, simply. He had only recently returned, leaving Elder Peace to deal with the Aswadasad issue. ¡°And what a good nephew of the Rot family he was, procuring a sword!¡± Elder Gold spat. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that he cares little about the matters of the Iyr. I will use my right as Elder Gold to deny him.¡± ¡°Chief Iromin, since when have you allowed yourself to fall for an outsider?¡± Elder Wrath grinned. ¡°It is not a matter of allowing myself to fall for him, but that he is an impressive young man who is bringing forth great boons to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Do you truly believe he was responsible for the Big Ivory Forest?¡± ¡°He was the one to name it.¡± ¡°Naming something and bringing something into life are two very different things.¡± ¡°Elder Peace seems to like him,¡± Elder Forest said, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s just you and Elder Wrath who haven¡¯t taken a liking to him yet.¡± ¡°I hear he often plays with the children of the estate,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°He is trying to win the hearts of the young! He¡¯s a fiend, I tell you!¡± Elder Gold declared. Elder Teacher raised his brows at her. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°I have heard what the children have to say, and it¡¯s mostly positive.¡± ¡°They are children, of course they will like those who play with them!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he a follower of Baktu?¡± Elder Teacher asked. ¡°Why are you so suspicious of him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something off about him,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°Not only that, you say he met with the gods?¡± She stared at the Chief. ¡°He did,¡± the Chief confirmed. ¡°I wrote him a letter to allow the Demon Lord within the Main Iyr.¡± ¡°Which is also troublesome,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°After which, he told me he had dreamt he met with the gods, and that...¡± Iromin paused, realising he shouldn¡¯t give that part of the story, before continuing. ¡°Baktu gave an indication that he has a special relationship with the Iyr.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a dream, a coincidence,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true. He understood he needed an excuse as to why he knew that secret.¡± ¡°A secret how many Iyrmen know?¡± Chief Iromin asked. ¡°Everyone knows Baktu favours us, but that he personally keeps his gaze on us?¡± ¡°He¡¯s too smart for his own good,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°He knows too much.¡± ¡°There are times when people meet the gods,¡± Elder Forest said, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not out of the ordinary.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Gold agreed. ¡°One or two at a time, not so many of them, and especially not those two Lords.¡± ¡°If Lord of Order was trying to kill him, he must be a threat,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°I understand why Lord of Order tried to kill him,¡± Iromin admitted, though from his look, they understood he couldn¡¯t say why. ¡°I agree with Elder Wrath, he is too dangerous to be left alive,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°He has yet to show himself as a threat,¡± Elder Teacher intervened. ¡°If what he said is true, it was Baktu who allowed him to live, with Baltu¡¯s assistance.¡± Iromin looked to Elder Forest, who had yet to give her vote, but before she could, the Great Elders and the Chief froze. A crimson snake appeared. It slithered from the end of the courtyard towards them over the course of a minute. It slid up to the table, and across it, before it slithered away. The Chief glanced at Elder Gold. ¡°Well? Will you deny it?¡± Elder Gold sighed, resting her head into her hands. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°How could I?¡± Iromin glanced to Elder Wrath expectantly, who shook his head. ¡°Good,¡± the Chief said. ¡°The matter is settled, and I will not hear it again until you bring something substantial forward.¡± ¡°For what it¡¯s worth, I was going to vote against it too,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°He¡¯s a half elf. We require those who know the tongue of the elves, and I am sure he would be willing to assist us in that regard.¡± ¡°Mark my words,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°He will be a bane to the Iyr.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam wants to make cool weapons, oblivious to the pair of Great Elders who want to kill him. What''s with the snake? Patreon is just getting further and further ahead! Dare I say how many chapters I want to be ahead? 73. A Great Axe 73. A Great Axe Omen: 13, 14 Adam stretched, yawning as he did. ¡°Oof. What a day to be alive.¡± He smiled, hearing the soft pitter patter of rain outside. ¡°Are you going to start smithing my greataxe?¡± Lucy asked from the courtyard, basking in the rain. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll try and make it look good, but enchanting is most important.¡± ¡°I will create the best handle,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°Of course, since you¡¯re both my friends,¡± Lucy said. Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 4 = 14 (10) With Lucy¡¯s assistance, Adam and Jurot figured out the rough shape of the weapon she wanted. Mana: 8 -> 0 She then remained laying at one side, digesting the mana. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 5 = 8 (3) Omen: 13, 14 -> 14 13 + 5 = 18 Adam pulled on the Thread of Fate, shifting the fortune of a young bard, who sung a lovely song for her patron, one made which him weep. He managed to control his strength well, not ruining the head as he forged the axe. Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 4 = 8 (4) Omen: 14 -> 0 14 + 4 = 18 Adam pulled on the Thread of Fate again, only to shift the fortune of a young guard, who also wished to impress who she admired, only to slip into the puddle of mud and embarrass herself. He stared at the axe head, feeling the burn within his forearms. ¡°It looks good,¡± Lucy said, staring at the head of the axe, which was round with a slight point, and on the opposite side was a small dagger like head. It was dark, but the purple glimmered under the sun, though it still needed to be polished. ¡°I¡¯ll finish it tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sharpen it poorly.¡± Jurot was still concentrating on the handle of the axe, and the pair left him be. Omen: 8, 17 Mana: 8 -> 0 Lucy remained to one side as she had done the previous day, basking in the sun. Smithing Check (Dexterity) D20 + 2 = 4 (2) Omen: 8, 17 -> 8 17 + 2 = 19 Once again he plucked the Thread of Fate. The young urchin boy relaxed casually against the barrel, noting the figure adorned in full plate mail. The boy¡¯s heart thundered within his chest as the Knight¡¯s gaze passed him by, pausing for a moment over him, before the Knight continued to look around. His heart did not stop thundering, even after he eventually took the role of guiding another person within the town of Red Oak. Once Adam finished polishing the axe head, he noted he blemishes within the axe. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ He had managed to forge it well, but there were a few parts where he hadn¡¯t properly dispersed the puthral ore. Jurot frowned as he handed the wooden handle over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I was unable to apply the pattern correctly, so I shaved it off.¡± ¡°Do you need more time?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°If I carve any more into it, it will be unusable.¡± ¡°Damn. Want me to buy some more purple wood.¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°I will do better next time. You cannot waste your gold because I failed.¡± ¡°Alright. I didn¡¯t exactly do the best either, but it¡¯s usable.¡± Adam fit the head and the handle together. ¡°It looks good,¡± came a soft voice from beside them. The pair glanced over to see a tall, beautiful demon woman. The pair blinked. ¡°Lucy?¡± Adam called. Lucy smirked wide, tossing her hair behind her ear. ¡°Bow before me, mortals,¡± she demanded. She was tall, almost as tall as Adam, though was still quite thin. Her body was lean, her skin grey with a hint of purple, and a stony texture in certain places like before. Adam then held up the greataxe¡¯s handle to her. ¡°Hurry up and test it out.¡± Lucy frowned, but took the weapon. She swung it around, feeling how it cut through the air. If she had been shorter, it would have been awkward to wield, but since she was back to her normal size, it was fine to use. Considering the metal, she thought it would be a touch lighter, but it was still easy to use. ¡°It¡¯s fine, I guess.¡± Adam squinted at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t like our first gift to you, you can hand it back.¡± ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t like it?¡± She glanced aside, hugging the greataxe tight to her chest. ¡®So that¡¯s why she called them traitorous,¡¯ Adam thought. Lucy squinted her eyes at him suspiciously, feeling a heavy buzz in the back of her mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Adam said, turning on his heel quickly and retreating back to the Iyr. ¡°Oooh!¡± The children clapped as she swung it around. Then, suddenly, the weapon disappeared. Kitool blinked, and Amokan stared at where the weapon had been in the last moment. ¡°Can it disappear into another realm?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°That kind of effect is powerful,¡± Amokan said, his eyes falling to Adam, who was smirking. ¡°Nice ring,¡± Jaygak said. Timojin¡¯s lips formed a small smile too, having noted the appearance of the ring too. ¡°Looks like I managed to figure it out before you,¡± Jaygak teased her friend, rubbing her elbow against Kitool¡¯s side. Kitool nodded her head. ¡°There are such times.¡± ¡°This weapon is grea-¡° Lucy cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, I guess it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°You know, friends can compliment each other,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good, I guess,¡± Lucy said, her tail swaying from side to side, peeking out from her pants for once, before hiding away. ¡°Now I should probably enchant my...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just...¡± Adam had spent over two months in this world, and he had finally established a base for himself in the Iyr. He was rushing a great many things, but there was one thing he didn¡¯t even bother to check. ¡°Are you going to share with us?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can,¡± Adam admitted. Seeing the seriousness on his face, Amokan and Kitool grabbed Jaygak¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What?¡± she gasped, innocently. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to do anything.¡± Her tail swayed from side to side, betraying her inner thoughts. ¡°Actually, it might be good to ask you guys,¡± Adam said, before retreating to the room to retrieve the item. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± He held up the broken hilt made of a metal unfamiliar to him. The Iyrmen stared at it, but Lucy gasped. ¡°Oh! That looks amazing!¡± She reached up to grab it, but Adam gripped it tight. Athletics Check D20 + 5 = 9 (4) Somehow Adam managed to keep it within his grasp. ¡°Oh, come on, I wanna see!¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°Then use your words.¡± ¡°Lemme see it!¡± ¡°Manners?¡± ¡°Come ooooon!¡± Adam blinked at her. ¡°Please lemme see.¡± He let go of the hilt right away, causing her to fall back. She stared at the hilt, almost as though it were that ring. ¡°Whoa,¡± she whispered. ¡°It feels like holysteel!¡± ¡°Is that good or bad?¡± Adam wondered, considering that holy things were meant to be poisonous to her kind, or he assumed that was how it worked. "It''s slightly tingly to my hands, but this thing is nice!¡± She brushed along it gently. ¡°You can probably make it into an artefact." Adam blinked again. ¡°An artefact?¡± ¡°Is it truly so powerful?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I felt holysteel once before, when that bas-¡° She froze, glancing to the Iyrmen around her. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°How did it come to your possession?¡± Sonarot asked, changing the topic. Adam narrowed his eyes for a moment, falling into deep thought. He caught Sonarot¡¯s eyes. ¡°I had it the day I came here.¡± Sonarot nodded her head slowly. ¡°Let¡¯s eat, shall we?¡± Once again, she changed the topic, allowing them to move on in peace. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam casually changing the fate of people. Tut tut. Also, I love Lucy so much. She''s kawaii as hell. RIP Loli Lucy, you will be missed. Can we get some Fs in the comments? 74. Thou art my greatest creation! 74. Thou art my greatest creation! Omen: 9, 18 ¡®Hey, I was wondering, how come my bonus is so low?¡¯ [It is +1.] ¡®Shouldn¡¯t it be higher?¡¯ [No.] ¡®I¡¯m Level 3 now, and I have a +1 bonus? That is ridiculous.¡¯ [...] ¡®Can I increase my bonus?¡¯ [At your Level, you can increase the Trained Bonus to +2 for 1000XP.] ¡®A steep price, but very fair. I¡¯ll upgrade the Trained Bonus to +2.¡¯ With that, Adam began his routine, training with Jurot and the others, with Lucy joining them too, practising with her large axe, even practising utilising the ability to dismiss her weapon and resummoning it into her hand between strikes. Once he was done with his morning routine, Adam checked his equipment. There were a large number of items he had kept, including two axes, a dagger, several sets of clothing, and... ¡°Why do I have four boar tusks?¡± Adam whispered. Currency: 165GP, 15SP, 13CP, (30) Tiger Eye, (1) White Pearl, (1) Silver Pearl, (1) Pink Pearl, (1) Gold Pearl, (1) Black Pearl He was filthy rich. Even after using one of the White Pearls he had gained from Saerat, he had over two thousand gold in gems. ¡°I should do something with these tusks...¡± Then he looked at his dagger. ¡®Though, I should probably do something with that too?¡¯ He wondered what kind of enchantments he could place on his weapons. ¡®Oh, right. I should probably enchant my sword while I have the time. So many enchantments...¡¯ ¡°Where are you going?¡± Sonarot asked, spotting Adam carrying his blade, his pockets full of gems. ¡°I was going to enchant my sword,¡± he admitted. ¡°You have only just finished enchanting Lucy¡¯s axe,¡± she said, staring up at him. ¡°You¡¯re working too hard.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Well, you know...¡± Sonarot stared deep into his eyes, waiting for his response. ¡°I feel really lucky today so I thought...¡± Sonarot sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t stay out too late,¡± she warned. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, rubbing the back of his head before heading out to enchant. First, he went to the warehouse, finding an Iyrman on duty. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed here,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°I¡¯m a nephew of the Rot family,¡± Adam said. The Iyrman narrowed his eyes suspiciously. ¡°Do you have any proof?¡± Adam stared at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Then you must leave.¡± ¡°What kind of proof do I need?¡± ¡°You may bring a Rot or an Elder with you.¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°Oh. I see.¡± He wondered if he should bring Jurot along. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± called a familiar voice. Adam glanced back over his shoulder. ¡°Oh, Elder Zijin,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I was here to trade some gems out.¡± ¡°You want to trade gems?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°I need some gems which are worth more so I can enchant my sword,¡± Adam said, tapping the blade at his side. ¡°A sword?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know...¡± Adam glanced aside. ¡°I forgot.¡± ¡°You forgot the weapon of your family?¡± ¡°Well, you know, I just always used a sword, so...¡± The Elder side and shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d break their hearts like that.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t happen again...¡± Adam flushed, feeling like a little child who had been caught stealing biscuits. ¡°You can trade gems with families,¡± Zijin said. ¡°No need to come to the warehouses.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, that does make sense...¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°It¡¯s awkward for you to go to the warehouses alone, so bring someone else along. Any other Iyrman will do, as long as they¡¯re willing to sign for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thank you,¡± Adam said. ¡°What kind of gems are you looking for?¡± ¡°Anything worth the same as a white pearl. I have tiger eyes to trade.¡± ¡°Tiger eyes are quite popular,¡± Elder Zijin said, nodding to the Iyrman on duty, who disappeared. ¡°Yeah, no kidding. I have about thirty after all the enchanting I¡¯ve been doing.¡± Adam gasped as his magic nearly drained from him in its entirety, and his muscles seized. His body flashed hot for a moment, before flashing cold. He coughed wildly as he felt something invade his body. But as quickly as it had come, the moment passed. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ He gasped for air. ¡®Okay, maybe I shouldn¡¯t keep enchanting?¡¯ He resolved himself to complete the last parts, to expend some XP and to name it. XP: 900 -> 400 Adam stared at its statistics and began to laugh, remaining on the floor, clutching the sword to his chest. ¡®Is he crazy?¡¯ the Iyrman asked, who had rushed to him, but noting how he seemed fine, had left him be. ¡°I dub thee, Lightsear!¡± Adam declared, pointing the blade up to the sky. ¡°Thou art my greatest creation!¡± He glanced to the side to the see the Iyrman, who was pretending that he couldn¡¯t see the half elf, and he quickly glanced back up to the sky. ¡®How embarrassing.¡¯ XP: 400 -> 900 Great Enchantment Learnt! XP: 900 -> 1100 It was quite late, and though he was exhausted, the half elf rushed back to the estate. ¡°It went well?¡± Jurot asked, staring at Adam as the half elf clutched at his knees, panting for air. Adam gasped in response, before holding the blade out to him, and made vague motioned with his hand, though Jurot understood that he¡¯d need to meditate with the weapon. Adam dropped to his side, and the other Iyrmen glanced his way. ¡°It¡¯s never boring with your nephew around,¡± Citool said. Sonarot sighed, rubbing her forehead. ¡°He needs to learn to relax.¡± Once Jurot was done meditating with the weapon, he could feel its raw strength coursing through him. ¡°It¡¯s quite powerful,¡± Jurot said, cutting into a wooden target which had been prepared for him by the others. The wood gave in with little resistance, and he noted how the wood wasn¡¯t just cut by metal, but by the force of light too. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s more than quite powerful.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam said, grinning wide. ¡°Now let me beat you up.¡± Jurot stared at Adam, holding the blade tightly in his hand. ¡°...¡± ¡°Just trust me.¡± Jurot stared at Adam, silently. Adam stared at Jurot, silently. ¡°Okay.¡± Attack (Unarmed) Hit! 1D6 + 6 = 9 (3) 9 damage! Adam struck Jurot in his gut, feeling his hard abs resist against his blow. Jurot didn¡¯t so much let out a single grunt. ¡°Is he...¡± Citool stared at Adam as he wound up another blow. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He is.¡± Attack (Unarmed) Hit! 1D6 + 6 = 12 (6) 12 damage! Jurot coughed, reaching down to hold his gut, and prepared for the next blow, which did not come. The other Iyrmen stared at Adam. They were surprised to see Adam attacking Jurot, though seeing as Jurot had agreed, none stepped in. However, they were more surprised to see how much strength each of Adam¡¯s fists packed. ¡®Didn¡¯t he say he was weak?¡¯ Timojin thought, feeling the excitement fill him as he stared at the muscular half elf. ¡®I want to fight!¡¯ Amokan placed a hand on Timojin¡¯s shoulder. ¡®You can fight after I have a round.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m going to fight him first,¡¯ came the response, wordless. Kitool sighed. ¡®Stop it, the pair of you.¡¯ ¡®Damn, he¡¯s pretty strong,¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡®His muscles aren¡¯t just for show.¡¯ ¡°Now, attack with it,¡± Adam urged. Jurot didn¡¯t bother asking for an explanation, before he cut into the wooden target with ease again. Jaygak and the others didn¡¯t notice much of a difference, but Jurot, who was wielding the weapon, and Lucy, with her keen eyes, noted that the blade had grown more powerful. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is an amazing weapon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What else does it do?¡± Jaygak asked. Lightsear (Longsword) Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing + 2D6 radiant damage. Upon reaching half Health, deals an additional 1D6 radiant damage. Can morph between a ring and weapon at your command. ¡°It can turn into a ring too?¡± Lucy gasped. ¡°Hold on! Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s a better weapon than mine?¡± She stormed up to him. ¡°I was much luckier this time!¡± Adam declared. Lucy tried to snatch the weapon, only to realise Jurot was still holding it, so she quickly reached up to brush her hair. ¡°I want to play with it too.¡± ¡°You can play with it once Jurot¡¯s done with it,¡± Adam said, though Jurot held it out to her so she could meditate with it. ¡°You always surprise me,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Your abilities are greater than I imagined, even after thinking they were greater than I originally imagined.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I was just lucky this time. I need to make another item to sell, I¡¯m running out of gems.¡± Sonarot sighed silently. ¡®What am I going to do with you?¡¯ ¡®Should I mention the magical sickness which came over me?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, never mind.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam: I was so guilty letting Jurot die in front of me, so I brought him back. Adam: Now let me beat him up. Sonarot: ??? 75. Golden Trouble 75. Golden Trouble ¡°Reckless,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°Of course, he is young,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Have you forgotten your own youth?¡± Elder Gold raised her brow. ¡°What kind of recklessness have I undertaken in my youth?¡± Iromin narrowed his eyes. ¡°Well, perhaps you were not reckless in your youth, but most Iyrmen are.¡± ¡°He is no Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yet.¡± Elder Gold sighed. ¡°You are unbelievable. You did not even exercise your right on Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°He was laughing too hard.¡± Iromin popped the snack into his mouth. ¡°Are you not getting bored of bringing him up?¡± Elder Forest asked. ¡°Or is it that you have fallen for him?¡± ¡°Mind your words, Elder Forest,¡± she spat. ¡°We should move on to the most important matter,¡± Chief Iromin said. ¡°Who will possess Bronze Midnight?¡± ¡°Shall we offer it a reward for a tournament?¡± Elder Forest asked. ¡°Though we should at least offer Okvar first rights to buy it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°It should remain within the Iyr to be used as a reminder to any future Shen.¡± Elder Wrath sighed. ¡°It does make the most sense.¡± ¡°You are too eager to war,¡± Elder Peace said, though she brushed his back gently to try and cheer him up. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Shen to be so wise,¡± Elder Wrath admitted. ¡°You may lead the Iyrmen to fight in the coliseum,¡± Elder Peace offered. Elder Wrath perked up. ¡°I may?¡± He looked to Iromin. ¡°I would not dare to deny that right to you,¡± Iromin replied. Elder Wrath howled with wild laughter. ¡°Yes! I will show them their folly! May I take whoever I please?¡± ¡°As long as they are Mithril Rank or higher,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Take at least two Gold Rank with you,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°You must win all eleven bouts.¡± ¡°Then, may I have Bronze Midnight?¡± Elder Wrath asked. ¡°If you win all ten, yes,¡± Chief Iromin said. Elder Gold shook her head. ¡°Be careful, it could be a ploy.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Elder Wrath said, sighing wistfully. Omen: 5, 10 Adam awoke, feeling a tenseness within his body. ¡®Maybe I didn¡¯t fight off the disease properly?¡¯ He took it easy that day, playing sockball with the children, before he bathed in the cool stream under the beating sun. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I just realised I don¡¯t have enough money to buy plate mail.¡± ¡°You do not?¡± Jurot asked, recalling how he had so many great gems. ¡°I don¡¯t want to spend most of my gems, so I won¡¯t be able to afford it.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to spend gold, then of course you won¡¯t have the ability to afford it.¡± ¡°Not what I meant, but I understand your point.¡± He sighed. ¡°I should make a few more weapons and sell them. I really want plate mail before we go.¡± Jurot grunted an affirmation in response. ¡°Oh! What if I enchant your javelins?¡± Adam recalled an enchantment for a javelin. ¡°They are not my main weapon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The axe you have enchanted is great enough.¡± ¡°Well, your family doesn¡¯t just use an axe,¡± Adam said, noting the circle on Jurot¡¯s forehead. ¡°What about your shield?¡± ¡°My shield?¡± Jurot asked, having not expected Adam to mention it. He recalled all the times his father had told him about how the shield was as important as the axe. His face twitched slightly, pushing back the thoughts of his father¡¯s status, as he had done so this entire time. ¡°Yeah. I could try and make it so it¡¯s easier to don in combat, so you don¡¯t have to waste much time.¡± ¡°That would be useful,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. He could even use wood to create the shield. Adam began to think deeply about the shield, wondering what kind of enchantments he could put on the shield. It was useful to defend oneself with a shield, but what if someone could deal damage with it? ¡®A spike?¡¯ he thought for a moment, before shaking his head. ¡®No, that¡¯s silly.¡¯ ¡°Magic is so useful,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I understood that it was, but to see it in action beside you, and to have felt it with Cool Weapon.¡± ¡°Cool Weapon,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°What if...¡± 1st Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Sleep, Summon Familiar 2nd Mirror Image, Suggestion Adam noted his spells. ¡®Mirror Image might be nice. It would make it difficult for someone to hit him.¡¯ Then he noted the other spells. Adam smiled. Then he began to snicker. Finally, he started to laugh. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Jurot, Jurot,¡± Adam said, slapping his knee. ¡°Imagine someone wants to kill you, and after they hit your shield, you can tell them to stop and they will!¡± Adam thought it was the funniest thing, but Jurot and the others stared at him. He eventually stopped laughing, and fell deeper into thought. ¡°What about Thunderwave?¡± ¡°Thunderwave?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Say someone hits your shield, and you can blast them back with a Thunderwave, or maybe thunderous might like another spell may.¡± ¡°Would it be loud?¡± ¡°Unfortunately so,¡± Adam said, but he noted Jurot smile slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know the spell, though. Is there a chance there¡¯s a Thunderwave scroll available to purchase in the Iyr?¡± ¡°I will check,¡± Jurot said. When the pair arrived, and they listened to his spell list, they both tilted their heads. ¡°He cannot have that combination of spells,¡± they confirmed. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not an ordinary mage.¡± They stared at him, wondering how he had the gall to show off to them. ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Adam said, quickly noting how arrogant he sounded. ¡°I¡¯m not...¡± Adam looked back to Sonarot. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can say.¡± Sonarot nodded her head. ¡°The Chief knows of what he speaks of.¡± ¡°It is not the Chief who is speaking to him,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell the story if the Chief doesn¡¯t require it,¡± Sonarot stated, firmly. ¡°I will not have you interrogate Adam when he has been so kind to us.¡± ¡°This is not an interrogation,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°I am merely meting out punishment, as is within my right.¡± ¡°Alright, relax,¡± Adam said, raising his hands. ¡°My spells are unique in the sense that I gain spells like a learned mage, but I can access spells from everywhere, from Medicine Men, to Shamans, to Guardians, like yourself.¡± Elder Gold almost scoffed, before recalling everything she knew about him. ¡®He might be telling the truth.¡¯ ¡°Adam has been assisting our family for some time now,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He has created two magical items for my family, and is creating a third.¡± ¡°A third?¡± ¡°Yeah, a shield,¡± Adam said. ¡°The items he has sold previously, he has also given a share to my Jurot.¡± Elder Gold glanced to Jurot. ¡°You can make magical items?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, as calm as he could. ¡°I do,¡± Adam said. ¡°He creates the wooden parts of the item, I create the rest, usually, and enchant them. Then he gets a cut of the profits, two tenths.¡± ¡°Why does he get so much?¡± ¡°I say it¡¯s because I can¡¯t create the wooden parts and that it¡¯s for his expertise in knowing what a great weapon is, but it¡¯s mostly because he¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°Brother,¡± Sonarot said, clearly. ¡°That too.¡± ¡°A brother? I thought you were a nephew of the family?¡± Elder Gold looked to Sonarot. ¡°He is Jurot¡¯s brother,¡± she said. ¡°Is that true?¡± Elder Gold¡¯s cold gaze fell onto Jurot. Jurot stared up at Elder Gold, his eyes slightly narrowed. He remained silent for a long while, deep in thought. ¡°It¡¯s a simple question, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elder Gold asked, casting a suspicious glance back at Adam and Sonarot. Jurot swallowed. He still wasn¡¯t sure if he should call Adam his brother. He hadn¡¯t known Adam for long, and he was quite weird, but he was certainly kind to the Iyrman. He was especially kind to his mother and baby sister, and even played with Turot. Not just Turot, but also the other children, and was polite to his friends. ¡°He,¡± Jurot began after swallowing deeply, ¡°had the option to run.¡± Elder Gold¡¯s eyes fell back onto Jurot. ¡°The earth was closing around me, and he had cleared the jump when I did not.¡± Jurot blinked, recalling the scene. ¡°He called for me and followed me down. I wouldn¡¯t have died, but I could have. He had the option to remain behind, just like when mother was ill. If mother says he is my brother, then he is my brother. If he is not my brother, Elder Gold, what is he?¡± Elder Gold nodded her head. ¡°Then there is no need for his punishment.¡± She couldn¡¯t pursue the matter further since Jurot had said so much. ¡°Why did you need the spell?¡± Elder Gold eventually asked the half elf. ¡°I needed Thunderwave to empower his shield. I was going to make him able to cast it through his shield.¡± Elder Gold was starting to get tired of being surprised by his ridiculous statement. ¡°How much would that cost?¡± ¡®How much would it cost?¡¯ [Four hundred gold.] ¡°About four hundred gold, in gems, of course.¡± ¡°Why in gems?¡± Elder Gold asked. Adam tried not to respond like a snarky little brat. ¡°I need the gems to enchant the shield.¡± ¡°How much would the Rot family pay you?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. Elder Gold narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been very nice to me, I don¡¯t want to charge them.¡± Elder Gold. ¡°What about for the Iyr?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Supply the shield, the gems, and then pay me a fair price after I enchant it.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a price in mind?¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll stub me on payment, and even if you did, what am I going to do?¡± ¡°We will not stub you on payment,¡± Elder Gold said, assuming what he meant. ¡°Then I will ask you to make a Thunderwave shield when you are done with Jurot¡¯s.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°So I¡¯m not in trouble?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too sad, I might slip up again,¡± Adam said, chuckling. Upon seeing Elder Gold¡¯s face, he fell silent. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam keeps playing with fire. He might get a crown of molten gold soon... I''m almost twenty chapters ahead! Check out my Patreon to find out if Adam dies or not! 76. Mighty Roar 76. Mighty Roar ¡°She really doesn¡¯t like me,¡± Adam said, watching Elder Gold leave. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing Adam¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°She is worried for the Iyr. You are an enigma, something we cannot understand. Even though you¡¯re treating us kindly, there will be many others in the Iyr who will be wary of you. They do not know your story.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about making it awkward for you. I didn¡¯t mean to get you all in trouble.¡± ¡°There was no trouble,¡± Sonarot said. She walked to Jurot to rub his face and brush his hair as well, trying to calm him down. Jurot was sure he¡¯d be in deep trouble, but sighed in relief as his mother smothered him in affection. He was glad the situation was resolved, mostly due to his mother¡¯s actions. His words had also formed a shield for Adam. The other Iyrmen exchanged glances between one another, sending wordless messages. They had learnt many new things about Adam, things which continued to surprise them. ¡°I don¡¯t like him,¡± Elder Gold said, sitting before the other Great Elders during the evening meeting. She has been stewing on her thoughts for hours, and her suspicions had only grown.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Here we go again,¡± Elder Forest said, rolling her eyes, bringing up some tea to her lips. ¡°He shows no respect for the rules!¡± ¡°Are we going to spend another evening speaking about him?¡± Chief Iromin asked, reaching for a snack. ¡°Or are we going to discuss preparations for the festival?¡± ¡°I have dealt with the preparations for the festival,¡± Elder Gold replied. ¡°Each Elder understands what must be done, and it will move as smoothly as it had done the each festival as before.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also passed on the message about the athletic events,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°A fair prize has been offered.¡± His eyes fell to Elder Gold. ¡°I have dealt with the matter of the ovens. The excess food will be dealt with accordingly,¡± Elder Forest said, before her eyes fell onto Elder Gold. ¡°There is also that matter which we need to speak of,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will accept, we just need to ask him for his permission.¡± His eyes fell to Elder Gold as he bit into his snacks. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll accept too,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°I believe he would be willing to spread it under his name if we offered it.¡± Elder Gold noted how everyone threw their gazes her way. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Someone will need to ask him,¡± Chief Iromin said. Elder Gold¡¯s eyes flashed between the each Elder. ¡°You want me to ask him?¡± ¡°You are Elder Gold,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°It falls under your responsibility.¡± Elder Gold continued to glance between them all, full of shock. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. I refuse!¡± Omen: 11, 20 ¡°Will you begin enchanting today?¡± Sonarot asked, placing down a shield as Adam finished his morning meditation. ¡°I should,¡± Adam said, smiling at her. ¡°I¡¯m feeling extremely lucky.¡± He noted the shield, which was quite tall, and rounded at the top and bottom. ¡°Will you be back on time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. If the beginning of my enchanting goes right, I¡¯ll have to continue.¡± ¡°I will have food ready for you,¡± she said, brushing his cheek and kissing his forehead. Even now her affection was awkward for Adam, but he accepted it. ¡°Here,¡± Sonarot said, dropping some gems into his hand. ¡°I was just going to use my gems,¡± Adam admitted, feeling the warm gems in his hand. ¡°You are making a shield for my darling Jurot.¡± The older Iyrman smiled, closing the half elf¡¯s fingers over the gems. Adam noted that the Tiger Eyes were slightly larger than those he previously used, and she had handed over a gem he hadn¡¯t seen before, which almost looked like a golden ball. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± he said. ¡°Adam is leaving again?¡± Turot asked, watching the half elf go with the shield Sonarot had brought from the family vault. ¡®We haven¡¯t played yet...¡¯ ¡°He is,¡± she said, simply. ¡°He¡¯s enchanting a shield for cousin Jurot?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Can he really make it so it¡¯s like Thunderwave?¡± Turot remembered the weapon which had allowed him to cast Flame Bolt. He had played with it a little, as did the other children. Flame Bolt was a Trick, however. ¡°What do you think?¡± Turot stared up at her, deep in thought. ¡®His enchanted weapons have been strong. Even cousin Jurot thinks they are amazing.¡¯ If Jurot had thought the weapons were amazing, they must have been so. Sonarot allowed him to think in peace, sitting down in her chair as she began to knit. ¡®A shield isn¡¯t a weapon,¡¯ Turot thought. ¡®A shield is a shield. Shields are important. Shields are hard.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the boy admitted after a few minutes. Sonarot smiled. ¡°Then let¡¯s wait and see.¡± Turot grabbed his book and began to write and draw in it beside her as she knitted. For once, he didn¡¯t play with the other children in the morning. Instead, he tried to write down and sort his thoughts in his book, as he had been taught. Mana: 8 -> 6 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 24 (17) ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, panting slightly. ¡°This shield is going to be amazing!¡± He grinned wide, before noting the loss of extra Mana. ¡®Hmmm.¡¯ Mana: 6 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 13 (6) Omen: 11, 20 -> 11 20 + 7 = 27 As he plucked the Thread of Fate, a dwarf fell, slamming up against the human mage, who quickly wrapped himself around his pack, managing to save it in time. However, the dwarf¡¯s hammer fell to into the ravine. The group looked between one another before descending into the ravine, unwilling to leave behind something which could be used to track them. Constitution Save D20 + 5 = 17 (12) Health: 30 -> 24 The other Iyrmen watched as Adam was struck by more thunderous force, their eyes wide. The children continued to shriek noisily, clapping their hands as they watched the force of the thunderous might shoot out. ¡®It has two charges?¡¯ The Iyrmen thought, staring at the shield in shock. Even Sonarot, who had invested a large amount of funds into the shield, hadn¡¯t expected it to be so powerful. ¡°Adam, this-¡° Jurot froze up, tensing his body, noting how Adam¡¯s shoulder had twitched, readying to strike him. Attack (Unarmed) Hit! 1D6 + 6 = 11 (5) 11 damage! Constitution Save Voluntary failure! Health: 24 -> 17 A third thunderous force blasted from the shield, crashing against the half elf. This time, the muscular half elf was flung back as the thunderous force struck him. He landed on his side and coughed, before the cough turned into laughter. There were two things the Iyrmen learnt that day. The first was that Adam somehow managed to enchant the shield with three charges of a magical effect, one which was extremely potent. It wasn¡¯t a Thunderwave, but it was still extremely impressive. The second was that he could tank three Thunderwaves back to back, and still sit up and laugh. Timojin and Amokan both filled with excitement, but Kitool placed a hand on their shoulders, trying to calm them down. The children cheered and clapped excitedly as Adam stood, his clothes torn apart from the force of the magic. ¡°Me next,¡± Turot shouted, quickly rushing up to the shield to try and punch it. Adam quickly grabbed the boy. ¡°Now, now, hold on,¡± he said, holding Turot up in his arms. ¡°You can¡¯t get hit by that.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± Turot asked, his body tense with excitement. ¡°No, it¡¯ll kill you,¡± Adam warned, though the boy would have been safe if he had tried it. ¡°Oh,¡± Turot said, body drooping from disappointment. ¡°You were hit three times. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam said, brushing the boy¡¯s hair gently. ¡®Turot¡¯s worrying about me? How cute.¡¯ However, his body was full of a deep ache from the constant blows. Jurot stared at Adam. ¡°It was not Thunderwave, but its might was similar.¡± ¡°Similar? It¡¯s more powerful,¡± Adam said. Mighty Roar (Shield) Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to your defence when wielding this shield. On a hit by a creature next to you, you may command a thunderous force to blast it. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 3d6+3 thunder damage and is pushed away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn¡¯t pushed. The shield contains 3 charges and regains 1D3 charges every dawn. The Iyrmen around, from the parents of the children, the few who had heard the thunderous noise, and Elder Zijin and Elder Gold, who had been informed that Adam had finished enchanting, all heard the abilities of the shield. ¡°It contains an enchant to boost my defence, and allows me to cast magic, and it can recharge the magic daily.¡± Jurot sounded out everything which had been told to him, but even still, he could not believe it. ¡°What a wonderful shield,¡± Sonarot said, bringing Adam in for a tight hug. This shield wasn¡¯t something she had expected. ¡°Are you feeling well after enchanting?¡± ¡°Just fine,¡± Adam replied, glancing to the side as she continued to hug him tight. ¡°How much?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Three times a day,¡± Adam said. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°How much will it cost me?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You provided the gems to make it. It probably wouldn¡¯t have been so good without the gems.¡± ¡°You will not charge?¡± Jurot asked, unsure if he should accept. ¡°No.¡± Adam placed a hand on his shoulder and pat it. ¡°We¡¯re friends, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jurot stared at Adam long and hard, unsure of what to say. He nodded his head. ¡°Allow us to at least hand you some more gems for enchanting,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Our family isn¡¯t so poor that we can¡¯t do that much.¡± Adam made a sour face, wondering how he could refuse but he found it difficult to deny Sonarot. ¡°Fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll accept some set of gems for one enchanting.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t ask for more?¡± Sonarot asked, staring down at him. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You¡¯ve treated me well, and I can¡¯t forget that the shrines played such a large role in how amazing the shield turned out. Plus, the experience I¡¯m gaining from making these shields is going to help me in the future, and since Jurot and I will be adventuring, it¡¯ll probably save my life.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. He had said it last time, and he still meant it. Sonarot sighed. "I''m not sure we can accept so much for so little." "Why not?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We''re family, aren''t we?¡± He fought off the heat in his cheeks. ¡°Didn''t I tell you? I''ll definitely protect Jurot until Diamond Rank." Sonarot smiled, reaching up to brush his hair. "You''re much more dependable than I thought. Jurot, what a lovely friend you have. You¡¯ve been talking about adventuring and fighting, and here he is creating such magnificent items for you. Do you know what he''s done for you?¡± Jurot flushed red, noting the other people around. "I understand..." Adam smiled, only to note the appearance of the Great Elder, who had been awaiting outside until she heard the thunderous noise. ¡°What did I do this time?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam''s an M? Also, come on, that''s a cool name for a shield. 77. Gold and Gems 77. Gold and Gems Elder Gold noted the looks she was receiving from all the Iyrmen, and those who had appeared from the side to see what was happening, quickly retreated back to minding their own business. ¡°The Iyrmen were warned and the children were evacuated, so there was no trouble caused by the noise,¡± Elder Gold said. Adam¡¯s eyes flashed wide. ¡®Oh fuck!¡¯ For a moment he thought she was being sarcastic, but he glanced around and found that Citool and Lanarot weren¡¯t around. Sonarot pat his back gently. ¡°I had them sent away and the nearby estates were informed.¡± Adam wiped his brow. ¡°I¡¯m not half as intelligent or as wise as my statistics suggest,¡± Adam joked, only to realise he hadn¡¯t told anyone about his system properly. ¡°Never mind,¡± he said, noting Sonarot¡¯s confused expression. ¡°The shield is amazing,¡± Elder Gold said, taking it from Jurot and admiring it. ¡®A shield even a third as good as this would assist the Iyr greatly.¡¯ ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I am thankful to Sonarot for the ge-¡° ¡°Aunt Sonarot,¡± Elder Gold corrected, her eyes still glued to the shield. ¡°Right.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I am thankful to aunt Sonarot for the gems, and the Iyr for their shrines.¡± Elder Gold¡¯s heart beat evenly as she kept her emotions in check. ¡°You only spent two days enchanting to make this shield?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elder Gold continued to keep her emotions in check. ¡°How did you manage that? Such a fine shield would have taken weeks, if not months, to create.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam said, before noting the shocked expressions of the Iyrmen. ¡°I mean, I was just lucky, that¡¯s all.¡± Elder Gold tried not to let his words get to her. ¡°Then you¡¯d be able to create a similar shield to this for the Iyr?¡± ¡°Sure, though it might take a while. Like I said, I was very lucky in creating that shield.¡± Elder Gold¡¯s forehead throbbed, but she remained calm as the half elf tried to anger her. ¡°Then what about handing us this shield? We will pay for it, of course.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°That shield is for Jurot.¡± ¡°We will pay you five thousand gold,¡± Elder Gold replied. ¡°In whatever gems you¡¯d like, and we will return the gems used by the family to them.¡± Elder Zijin stared at Elder Gold, surprised that she¡¯d offer so much for the shield. ¡°I refuse,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Five thousand gold is a lot of gold,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°I know,¡± Adam replied. Elder Gold stared into the half elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Six thousand gold?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Seven thousand gold?¡± Adam sighed, shaking his head. ¡°How much gold do you think this shield is worth?¡± Elder Gold asked, her forehead throbbing. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s not for sale.¡± ¡°Elder Gold is offering you a lot of coin,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You should accept the offer. It will assist you in creating better items in the future.¡± Adam felt her rubbing his shoulder, trying to get him to give in. ¡°One hundred thousand gold.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elder Gold stared at him, gripping the shield tighter in her grasp. ¡°That shield was made for Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I made it specifically for Jurot. It was made with the intention to protect him. I already refused to sell it to you, but you kept pushing the matter. This isn¡¯t a matter of buying a shield, but the cost of your arrogance and the price of Jurot¡¯s life. Ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine gold for Jurot¡¯s life, and one gold for your arrogance.¡± Adam¡¯s brow also throbbed as he glared at Elder Gold. ¡°If you can¡¯t pay that much, then you can,¡° Adam noted the children around him, ¡°buzz off.¡± Sonarot had almost moved to cover his mouth, but she didn¡¯t want to restrict Adam¡¯s freedom, even if it meant he¡¯d get punished. Still, she didn¡¯t expect him to disrespect Elder Gold right to her face. Elder Zijin was filled with shock, doing his best to not burst out in laughter as he bit his lower lip, his teary eyes falling onto the Great Elder. Jurot¡¯s eyes remained firmly fixed on his mother, not daring to look aside. ¡®Adam! You crazy bastard! You¡¯re going to get us killed!¡¯ Lucy, who had been watching from the side, pressed herself against the wall, trying to hide within the shadow over her. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die!¡¯ ¡®This boy!¡¯ Elder Gold stared down at Adam, her heart pounding wildly. ¡°You should be careful with how you speak to me, son of Fate. I am a Great Elder of the Iyr.¡± ¡°You should see the way I speak to gods,¡± Adam said, staring up at her. Sonarot quickly grabbed her mouth, laughing and coughing into her palm at his words. Her other hand squeezed his shoulder and tried to pull him back. ¡°You have been working too hard,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s best to get the boring stuff out of the way in the beginning, you know?¡± Adam smiled at her innocently. ¡°Once you are done with the enchanting, it will be time for the festival. You will be relaxing during it, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll rest once I¡¯m done with the shield.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Sonarot hugged him tight again, rested her head against his. ¡°It is important to rest, Adam.¡± ¡°I understand...¡± Adam wrapped his arms around her. ¡®What kind of a shitty nephew am I?¡¯ Elder Forest crossed her arms as she watched Elder Gold find herself a shield. Elder Gold ignored her, which only caused the Great Elder to smirk. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± Elder Gold said, finding a large shield, one which was thinner towards the bottom. ¡°Oh, how the mighty have fallen,¡± Elder Forest said, her smirk growing. Elder Gold picked up a few gems, each worth a few hundred gold a piece, and turned to face the other Great Elder. ¡°I heard he made you look a fool.¡± ¡°He did,¡± Elder Gold admitted. ¡°Right in front of Elder Zijin too.¡± Elder Forest smiled. ¡°You should have expected the response.¡± ¡°I underestimated his love of the Rot family.¡± ¡°The Chief warned you not to aggravate him. He¡¯s well within his rights to make a fool of you.¡± ¡°And so he did,¡± Elder Gold said. The corner of her lips twitched into a smile. Currency: (5) Tiger Eye -> (25) Tiger Eye (1) White Pearl, (1) Silver Pearl, (1) Pink Pearl, (1) Gold Pearl, (1) Amber, (1) Jade, (4) Garnet, (2) Amethyst, (1) Diamond (100GP) -> (2) White Pearl, (2) Silver Pearl, (2) Pink Pearl, (2) Gold Pearl, (2) Amber, (2) Jade, (5) Garnet, (4) Amethyst, (2) Diamond (100GP) (1) Black Pearl -> (2) Black Pearl ¡°You¡¯re giving me all these?¡± Adam asked, noting the other gems which were laying beside the shield she had brought. The Iyrman who took his measurements quickly retreated. ¡°The rest of your payment,¡± Elder Gold said, not mentioning the extra payment which would be handed to the Rot family. ¡°I expect the shield to be well made.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Whatever you say, boss.¡± His brain had stopped working after realising his wealth had more than doubled to over four thousand gold. ¡°I will check on you once you are done,¡± she said, waiting for him to leave with the items she had brought. Adam picked up the shield and the gems, which lay on the inside of the shield. He stared at Elder Gold, wondering if she was going to reveal it was all a prank, before he slowly stepped away from her, towards the shrine. He glanced back, seeing that she had already turned and was leaving to finish some of her own business. Mana: 6 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 22 (15) It was in the dead of night when he finished enchanting, using all the beautiful gems Elder Gold had given to him. He lay there, under the shield, feeling its warmth. ¡®How the hell did she know about all the pearls?¡¯ he thought. Omen: 14, 14 Mana: 8 -> 6 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 21 (14) Mana: 6 -> 2 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 21 (14) XP: 1200 -> 700 Thundershield (Shield) Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to your defence when wielding this shield. On a hit by a creature next to you, you may command a thunderous force to blast it. The creature must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the creature takes 4d6+4 thunder damage and is pushed away from you. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn¡¯t pushed. The shield contains 3 charges and regains 1D3 charges every dawn. XP: 700 -> 1300 Intelligence Saving Throw D20 + 3 = 18 (15) Health: 39 -> 27 Adam coughed as his muscles strained under the assault within his mind again, though resisted the effects of the disease. His body flashed hot, then cold, before finally laying there, panting as he filled with sweat. ¡°Ah, fuck,¡± Adam panted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to enchant twice in one day unless I get god tier rolls...¡± ¡°May I see the shield?¡± Elder Gold asked, appearing from the darkness. Adam screamed. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam keeps flirting with death. At some point it''s going to get him killed. 78. Family Festivities 78. Family Festivities Omen: 2, 3 ¡°Come,¡± Sonarot said, tying Adam¡¯s collar button. Adam stood there awkwardly, as though they were preparing to go to a wedding. He was suited in a new attire he hadn¡¯t expected, something made of the finest cloth, white, with a blue collar, the family¡¯s tattoo stitched along the sleeves. A weird, unsettledness filled his gut as she fixed up his clothing, before going off to do the same to Jurot, who was wearing the same clothing as Adam. Adam stared down at the sleeves, and then to Sonarot and Jurot. ¡®Should I really be here?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if it was right for him to barge into the family. He shook his head, pushing away the thoughts. Lucy was outside, wearing some fine clothing made of white and blue too, except no pattern was stitched into the sleeves. ¡°What¡¯s this festival for anyway?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s the last week of Dawnval,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°We are thanking it for treating us well.¡± ¡®That¡¯s kinda cute.¡¯ Once Sonarot was done fixing the trio¡¯s appearance, she visited one of the other families, and then returned with Lanarot, who was wearing some new clothing, also made of fine cloth, though she was also strapped to Sonarot, resting against the woman¡¯s arm. ¡°Who is this little cutie,¡± Adam said, leaning in to look at Lanarot, who was cuddled up to her mother. Lanarot saw Adam from the corner of her eye and jerked around to look up at him. She stared up at him for a few moments before reaching up with a tiny, chubby hand. Adam let her grab onto his finger, which she squeezed and held tight. The tiny little girl smiled at him, cooing. ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re the cutest, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam smiled wide, melting under the first smile he had seen from the tiny little girl. Lanarot kept smiling and cooing until she finally saw a strand of hair fall nearby, and she reached for it instead, ignoring Adam. ¡®I can die happy now,¡¯ Adam thought, before he stared up at the sky. ¡®No. I need to make sure she grows up well first.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re thinking about something stupid, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lucy asked, punching his arm lightly. ¡°Probably,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Whoa, who is this handsome young man.¡± Turot had appeared, wearing the same outfit as the two young men, his hair swept to one side, rather than the ruffledness it usually was. ¡°Turot, son of Mirot!¡± he proudly declared. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, chuckling as he pat the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s have fun today, alright?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Our festival lasts the entire week,¡± Sonarot said, throwing Adam a look. ¡°The entire week?¡± Adam asked, surprised. ¡°You Iyrmen sure party hard.¡± ¡°You will be relaxing the entire time.¡± Sonarot stared at him. ¡°I can¡¯t enchant the entire week?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°But...¡± Sonarot sighed, shaking her head. ¡°You need a woman.¡± Adam coughed. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are young and full of will. You need a woman to calm you down so you¡¯re not overworking yourself. I can¡¯t bother you all the time, I am your aunt, so you need a wife who will make sure you stop coughing up blood every time you enchant.¡± Her eyes held a knowing look. ¡°I¡¯m fine, seriously,¡± Adam said, glancing to the side. ¡°If you collapse again, I will not let you use the shrines,¡± she warned, though Adam already had permission from Elder Gold. Adam glanced aside again. ¡°Okay, okay...¡± The other Iyrmen all around were also wearing their best clothing. Amokan was with his younger cousins, the twins Damokan and Kalokan, each wearing matching clothing. Kitool and her younger sister Katool also wore matching clothing, though the younger Katool also wore a ribbon around her forehead. Then there was Jaygak and Raygak, who were with their cousins, Taygak and Saygak. Taygak was staring suspiciously at Adam, who quickly glanced aside. Once they passed along their greetings, the adults allowed their children to leave. The youngest group followed Taygak, who was the oldest of the children, and she led them away. ¡°Come,¡± Jurot said to Adam. ¡°I will guide you.¡± Adam nodded, following Jurot out, noting that the others broke off from one another too. Kitool and Jaygak went together, and Amokan went to Timojin, who was beside another pair of orcish Iyrmen, both little girls. ¡®Sisters?¡¯ Adam wondered as they left. A large number of temporary buildings had been set up in the pathways of the Iyr, though some were available in the various estates near the centre too. Adam sniffed the air, and his mouth began to salivate. He could smell it, the sweet scent of pizza. He followed it to find four separate estates each working dozens of ovens to create pizza near the centre of the Main Iyr, whereas the outer edges had the fried foods of the Iyr. ¡°Son of Fate,¡± called an Iyrman Adam did not recognise. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Son of Fate!¡± another called from the opposite side, motioning with her hand. ¡°Come.¡± ¡°Son of Fate,¡± came the voices of many others, and Adam glanced all around. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adam said, wondering if he was in a nightmare all of a sudden. Jurot motioned to their stalls. ¡°They are making pizza. They want you to taste it, since you were the one to invent it.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Damn. That¡¯s going to suck.¡± ¡°It is best to adventure in Dawnval and Duskval,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Some people adventure in Nightval.¡± ¡°When it¡¯s all snowy?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°I believe Nightval is for rest, but there are many Iyrmen who adventure during the months.¡± ¡°Of course they would.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°The others will leave to adventure after the festival,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Amokan and Timojin, and Kitool and Jaygak.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam said, having not heard such news. ¡°How come?¡± ¡°That was the time they chose to adventure,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They are eighteen, like me, and so will leave soon.¡± ¡°Shall we ask them to join us then?¡± ¡°Three Iyrmen in one group?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I know they¡¯re both martials like you and I,¡± Adam said, noting Jurot¡¯s look. ¡°We can have a Priest as our fifth.¡± ¡°Five in a party?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°It is rare.¡± ¡°I think five is nice. I prefer six, honestly, but five is nice too.¡± ¡°Why do you prefer six?¡± ¡°Less chance of dying,¡± Adam admitted. Jurot nodded. ¡°Still, having two women join us... isn¡¯t that a little weird?¡± Adam said, wondering how their dynamic would change with two women around. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Well, you know, because they¡¯re women.¡± Jurot stared at Adam, waiting for him to explain. ¡°We can¡¯t, you know, be bros with them around.¡± ¡°We will be brothers regardless of who joins us, Adam,¡± Jurot said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, completely missing what he was talking about. ¡°Never mind,¡± Adam said. ¡°I assume Priests are highly sought after?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± "What if it was three Iyrmen in a party? Would any Priests join a group like that?¡± ¡°Those who pray for Law, Death, or War will definitely be enticed. Those of other domains may as well, but it is less likely.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Is Sozain still the God of Death?¡± Adam asked. He hadn¡¯t heard their titles last they spoke. ¡°Lord Sozain, Baktu, is still the God of Death,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°Do you not refer to the gods as Lords and Ladies?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°No, but I probably should show those three some respect. Actually, I met them recently.¡± ¡°You met the gods?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Do you remember when we met Lucy?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°That night they came to me in my dreams, or they took me to them whilst I was dreaming.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They were checking me out. Hey, did you know Bandlor¡¯s no longer the God of War?¡± Adam asked, still surprised by the fact. ¡°You had mentioned the name Bandlor in your tale, but I did not recognise it. Wahtu, the one you call Lady Arya, has always been the God of War.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± Adam said, raising his brows in surprise. ¡°Damn. I liked Bandlor. I hope he¡¯s doing okay.¡± The half elf noted a beautiful Iyrman to one side. She had bronze skin, and long dark hair, braided down towards her lower back. She was beside two young girls, also bronze skinned with dark hair, each eating small fried balls off of a stick. ¡°Hey Jurot, who is that,¡± Adam said, elbowing the Iyrman at his side. He squinted his eyes, noting the tattoo on the woman¡¯s forehead. ¡°Hold on, isn¡¯t that...¡± Join my ! (There may be some art of Adam and others in the Discord.) Thus begins the festival arc! Adam is totally going to enjoy the festival and not get side tracked, right? 79. The Party 79. The Party ¡°Ilyakan,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Amokan¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°How the hell are the Kans so damn attractive?¡± Adam then looked to Jurot, who was quite a specimen of a man too. ¡°Why are most Iyrmen so damn pretty? It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an elf,¡± Jurot replied, bluntly. ¡°Only half,¡± Adam said, brushing his hair back. ¡°Jurot, introduce me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, stepping towards the beautiful woman. ¡°Wait! I haven¡¯t prepared myself yet,¡± Adam called out, but it was too late. ¡°Sister Ilyakan,¡± Jurot called, waving at her. The woman turned, smiling as she saw Jurot. ¡°Brother Jurot,¡± she said, her voice almost raspy. ¡°It¡¯s been some time.¡± ¡°It has,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to my brother.¡± He turned, motioning to Adam, who was leaning back at the wall, a hand at his waist, the other holding his chin. Jurot stared at him. Adam, suddenly feeling embarrassed, cleared his throat and walked over. ¡°Hello there,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°The Enchanter,¡± Ilyakan said, smiling as she slowly bowed her head. ¡°Oh? Have I enchanted you already?¡± Adam smiled a pained smile, regretting being born. [Ew.] ¡®Shut up.¡¯ She stared at him, tilting her head slightly. ¡°I am an Iyrman, I cannot be enchanted. I have heard you are able to enchant weapons.¡± ¡°Yes, I can. I do, rather,¡± Adam said, motioning to the white blade at his side. ¡°I have heard that you are well skilled. You¡¯ve recently made a powerful shield, and you have traded it for puthral plate mail.¡± She smiled. ¡°Oh? Has news travelled so far?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Elder Gold asked me to enchant a shield, and so I did.¡± ¡°I am learning to enchant as well,¡± Ilyakan admitted. ¡°My skills are not as great as yours.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, raising his brows in surprise. ¡°You know magic?¡± ¡°I do,¡± she said. ¡°I am a Priest.¡± ¡°A Priest, you say,¡± Adam said, his eyebrows raising in surprise. ¡°We were looking for a Priest in our party.¡± ¡°I was going to leave with my cousin and Timojin,¡± she admitted. ¡°Ah, well that is a shame,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°I would have loved the company.¡± ¡°I am sure you will find someone to join you since you are so skilled. There are many rumours running through the Iyr about the son of Fate.¡± Adam smiled nervously. ¡°What kind of rumours?¡± ¡°They say you met a dragon.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You have?¡± ¡°Yes, Entalia,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s a...¡± Adam wondered if she would be considered an old friend. ¡°Actually, now that I think about it, she was meant to pass me something to enchant.¡± Ilyakan stared at Adam, unsure if he was joking. She looked to Jurot, who nodded his head slowly. ¡°You are very interesting,¡± she said. ¡°I would love to hear your tale.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m allowed to say it yet.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Once I¡¯m stronger, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to say it without making the gods angry.¡± She furrowed her brows, unsure of what he meant. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that there are Priests in the Iyr, but I guess it makes sense.¡± He recalled seeing a few within the Iyr, though had though they were Guardians. ¡°Which God do you follow?¡± ¡°Baktu,¡± she said. ¡°Every Iyrman prays to Baktu, and some to Wahtu or Ritetu.¡± ¡°Is Ritetu Lady Elaveil?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°Ritetu isn¡¯t so bad either, but I prefer Baktu and Wahtu personally too.¡± She slowly nodded her head, not willing to say she didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°A shame. Do you know any Iyrmen who are heading out to adventure soon? I want to have a full squad of Iyrmen so I can sleep peacefully at night.¡± Ilyakan smiled. ¡°There is my cousin, Izyakan,¡± she said. One of the girls behind her, who was chewing a small dough ball, mumbled something as she ate. Ilyakan turned back and replied in their language, and it was then Adam wondered if he should have learnt their tongue. ¡°An Iyrman may state a preference, but ultimately it is up to the Priest to revive whoever they wish,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°So if I revive you guys, you won''t be mad at me?" Adam asked, wanting to confirm. ¡°You can revive people?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I will be able to one day, I think,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will not be angered,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Me neither,¡± Jaygak said. Kitool bowed her head. ¡°Is that a yes, you will be angry, or yes, I won¡¯t be.¡± ¡°I will not be angry. It is up to the Priest if they wish to revive us.¡± "If you can heal and revive, why do we need a Priest?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather have a true Priest rather than someone like me,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°It will be our fortune to battle alongside you,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Great! Let¡¯s aim for Gold Rank together then!¡± Adam grinned wide. "Gold Rank won¡¯t suit me,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Steel will be high enough for me.¡± ¡°I aim for Silver Rank,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I do not believe I can reach Mithril.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What?¡± He hadn¡¯t heard of Iyrmen belittling themselves so earnestly. ¡°Well, I mean, Jurot and I are aiming for Gold Rank, so you can just join us.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You¡¯re aiming for Gold Rank.¡± Jurot nodded. "We will assist you for as long as we can." Kitool bowed her head. "Gold Rank is the dream for most Iyrmen. Many stop at Steel or Silver Rank, depending on their adventures.¡± "Why?" "There is sometimes a need for such people within the Iyr. Those of Steel and Silver Rank have different obligations to those of Mithril and Gold Rank. Steel and Silver afford certain freedoms and more than enough honour.¡± ¡°Some Iyrmen choose settle down young too, for the sake of their families,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Others are unlucky, or try to make a name for themselves alone.¡± "Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Cool. Well, if you want to be Gold Rank, I''ll help. Anyway, since you''ll be joining us, why don''t I enchant your weapons? If you have the enchanting materials, I can enchant your weapons, or you can just owe me a favour." "I cannot afford such a price,¡± Kitool admitted. ¡°My family cannot spare the gold.¡± "Same with mine,¡± Jaygak admitted. ¡°I have my armour, and that''s about it." "Does your family have any enchanting materials?" They glanced between one another before shaking their heads. "Well, I still have enough for two more weapons at least. Hand them over and I''ll enchant them." "We cannot afford it," Kitool said. "Can¡¯t afford it? It¡¯s free!¡± Adam grumbled. He felt awkward trying to force it on them, but this was about his life. "We¡¯ve seen the enchantments you make, Adam,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We can¡¯t afford something like that, even as favours.¡± ¡°Since when did you become so shy?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow to Jaygak. ¡°Jaygak, Kitool, we¡¯re friends. More importantly, this is a matter of my life. I''ll enchant your weapons, and you''ll each owe me two favours. How about that?" The pair remained silent. Jaygak seemed to almost break, but Kitool threw her a look. "Come on! Why are you two being so distant? We¡¯re going to be team mates, and you never know, I might grow horns and I¡¯ll become a Gak or something.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m going to be enchanting our Priest¡¯s weapon too, so don¡¯t worry too much for it.¡± Jaygak looked to her friend, wondering what she was going to say. ¡°If the favour shames my family, I will refuse it,¡± Kitool said. "I won¡¯t be asking for something like that, and if it does shame your family, I''ll understand your refusal.¡± Adam smiled, though felt weird about pressuring them. ¡®This is a matter of life and death, idiot.¡¯ "Then allow me to thank you," Kitool said, bowing her head. "Don''t expect a great enchantment, but I will try my best.¡± Adam smiled wide, but his smile quickly dropped. ¡°What?¡± Jaygak asked, noting his face. Adam sighed. ¡°Aunt Sonarot is going to be so mad...¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I am over 20 chapters ahead on Patreon! I am still figuring out cool bonuses for those of you with big wallets. 80. Adam Armoured 80. Adam Armoured The alcohol in the Iyr burnt Adam¡¯s throat deeply. He let out a soft gasp as the four of them sat and drank. Timojin and Amokan lay before them, passed out from drinking too much. ¡°The alcohol here ain¡¯t so bad,¡± Adam said, tasting how sweet it was. ¡°Very peachy.¡± Jurot sipped from his small cup, placing it down beside him. ¡°You should be careful drinking too much.¡± His face was flush from the alcohol. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Around them the men and women of the Iyr danced together, some with their partners, some with whichever Iyrmen they could grab, and others with their rivals. The children drank their juice and pretended to be drunk, and other children wrestled one another, before tiring themselves out and falling asleep. Turot was wrestling with Damoqan, who was slightly older and so had a small advantage over the boy. Turot dropped down beside Jurot, panting for air. He had won three times out of ten, which satisfied him. Adam brought down a cup of water for the boy and he drank at it. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Turot replied, sighing. ¡°Turot, I need your help with something,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes?¡± Turot looked up at Adam, his tiny ears twitching. ¡°I will help!¡± ¡°I need you to help me convince aunt Sonarot, okay?¡± ¡°Convince?¡± ¡°Yeah. I want to enchant and she¡¯s going to be mad at me.¡± Turot¡¯s face drooped. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d help, right?¡± Adam squeezed the boy¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Right?¡± Turot began to sweat slightly, shutting his eyes tight. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ If he didn¡¯t help, they would call him a liar. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bully our little Turot,¡± Jaygak said, picking Turot up and placing the boy on her lap. ¡°If he bullies you, tell us, okay?¡± Jaygak pulled his cheeks gently. ¡°Okay,¡± Turot replied, squirming on her lap. ¡°This is why I said you need a woman,¡± Sonarot said, gently rocking Lanarot in her arms. Adam and Turot were knelt before her as she told them off. ¡°You have too much will in you, didn¡¯t I say so?¡± Sonarot stared down at the pair. ¡°Turot, go and change.¡± Turot quickly rushed off to change into his pyjamas, and Adam remained there, hands on his knees, his head bowed. Sonarot sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from enchanting, but I want you to also enjoy the festival.¡± ¡°Yes, aunt,¡± Adam said, quietly. ¡°Did you enjoy your first day?¡± nodded his head. ¡°It was fun. The food was delicious.¡± Adam rubbed his stomach, which was full of all kinds of pastries and fried foods. There were a few sweets in the Iyr, though they were mostly for the children. ¡°Do you have any new recipes you want to reveal to the Iyr?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°To be honest, most of them are already in the Iyr,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°There are a few I have in mind, but I have no clue how they¡¯re actually made. The other stuff isn¡¯t really suited for festival food, but I¡¯m figuring out one of my favourites.¡± ¡°You should worry more about these things than enchanting. Even Jurot practises his javelin throws, not just his axe and shield.¡± Adam just nodded his head, too tipsy to think about her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I can¡¯t be too angry since you are enchanting for the Gak and Ool family.¡± She brushed his hair gently. ¡°Do you have enough gems?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Elder Gold paid me quite a lot last time.¡± Sonarot brushed his face gently before letting him go. ¡°If you need anything, you may come to me.¡± ¡°Yes, aunt,¡± Adam replied, before getting changed himself and falling asleep. Omen: 15, 16 Jogak stared at his daughter as she handed over her sword to the half elf. He sighed, rubbing the scar across his face, which throbbed angrily at him. She had fought him on this matter, and he couldn¡¯t help but think it was going to bring shame to his family, to have their weapon enchanted for free. His eyes found Citool¡¯s, who seemed to have suffered from the same fate. The woman just bowed her head slowly, allowing the matter to pass. They had to let their children go. It was time for them to make their own mistakes. Adam stared at the sword, the hilt of which was made from a beautiful red gem, with a yellow cloth tied around it, matching the Gak family tattoo of a red cross with yellow tilted kites. Kitool¡¯s staff was fairly plain, though Jurot was admiring it, nodding his head. There were two pieces of cloth tied to it as well, blue and red, matching Ool¡¯s own tattoo. It was still early in the morning, and the festival was going to be in full swing once noon came by, but Adam would be able to enchant and make it whilst it was still at its height. He put away the staff first, and then carried the sword out with him, with his handful of gems. ¡°Take care, and do not spend all day enchanting,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s useful.¡± ¡°You will still need the items to trade on hand, but the Iyrmen will not bother you as long as you keep it on you.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Thank you.¡± The half elf returned to the estate, cleaned up, and changed into a fine outfit which was near identical to the outfit from the day before, except the colours were inverted, save for the Rot family pattern on the sleeves. ¡°Adam,¡± called Jurot within moments of him head towards the centre. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, greeting his companion. ¡°How did enchanting go?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Well.¡± Adam nodded, smiling. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan for today?¡± He glanced around, finding a place selling some flat bread and some greasy food, making a wrap, which made the Iyrmen stare at him. ¡°We could join the fights,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There is a prize on offer.¡± ¡°A prize?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What kind of prize?¡± ¡°A weapon made by an Iyrman smith which is enchanted by an Iyrman enchanter,¡± Jurot said. Adam was half way through biting his food before he froze. ¡°You what? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that? I wouldn¡¯t have enchanted so many items!¡± ¡°Your weapons are great,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They would have easily matched the weapon created as the prize.¡± ¡°Yeah, but, it would have been cool, you know?¡± Adam bit into his food sadly. ¡®Damn it! I could have had a cool axe.¡¯ ¡°The competition would have been fierce,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Hey, Adam!¡± Lucy cried out from afar before storming his way, carrying a different stick of food in between each set of fingers. ¡°I heard you already made your party!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°You promised we¡¯d adventure together!¡± Adam stared down at her. ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± She glared at him. ¡°Can she even come along?¡± Adam asked, turning to Jurot. ¡°You say she¡¯s a demon, isn¡¯t that an issue?¡± ¡°She can be seen either as a devilkin or a drakken and devilkin child. In this land she may be caught as a demon or hunted, but East Aldland and the Aswadasad Kingdom are more accepted of devilkin generally.¡± ¡°We should head to...¡± Adam thought about what had happened down south. ¡°Nevermind.¡± Lucy grumbled, eating each different food. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay here and train then.¡± She glanced around to all he hunky Iyrmen, smiling wide. Adam narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Is that okay, Jurot? I realised I never really asked if she could stay here.¡± ¡°She is a friend of ours,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She may remain here. If she wishes to train with Iyrmen, then she must work for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Work?¡± Lucy frowned. ¡°Once I become the Demon Lord, I¡¯m outlawing work.¡± ¡°You should work while you¡¯re in the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be known as Lucy, the Ungrateful Demon Lord.¡± ¡°Hmph! Obviously!¡± She continued to bite into her food. ¡°If I hear you¡¯re messing around, I¡¯ll tell everyone your real name,¡± Adam said. Lucy choked on her food, coughing. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare! You promised!¡± ¡°As long as you behave,¡± Adam warned, staring down at her. ¡°Once your name slips here, it¡¯ll spread like wildfire.¡± ¡°You! Just you wait until I regain my strength!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± Adam laughed. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Lucy Loli = No Bullyable = Yes Adam finally has some new armour! Haha, it''s not like that he''ll need that soon in the Iyr. Right? Right? The slice of life arc isn''t ending yet, is it? 81. The Fight Begins 81. The Fight Begins Omen: 11, 13 Mana: 8 -> 5 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 24 (17) Adam spent the morning enchanting Jaygak¡¯s sword, before heading out to quickly bathe and change into the same set of fine clothing as he had done the first day of the festival. ¡°It¡¯s time!¡± Timojin declared once Adam joined them, his eyes full of excitement. ¡°Time for what?¡± Adam asked, glancing between the pair of young men who were staring at Adam with beaming eyes. ¡°The last two days were for enjoying ourselves and consuming all the food,¡± Amokan said. ¡°The spars begin today!¡± Timojin grinned wide, leaping onto his feet, eager for a fight. ¡°Let us spar, son of Fate!¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Adam said, raising a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m just a weak little mage boy.¡± ¡°We wish to face you!¡± Amokan exclaimed, causing the Iyrmen nearby to glance their way. ¡°We know you are stronger than you suggest! We¡¯ve seen the strength of your fists, your great abilities with enchanting, and we have heard how you are brave though you pretend not to be!¡± Adam glanced aside, trying to deflect the words away from him. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not that...¡± Adam noted Sonarot staring at him, with Lanarot within her arms. The girl was playing with a ribbon, sucking on it. The ribbon was tied to Sonarot¡¯s finger so she could pull it away from the baby, reducing the chances of choking. ¡®Seriously,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Did you have to call me out in front of my aunt and little sister?¡¯ Adam sighed, reaching up to rub his head. ¡°Damn it...¡± He stared up at the pair. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to lose in front of my sister.¡± ¡°There is no dishonour in losing against an Iyrman,¡± Amokan said, leaping onto his feet beside Timojin. ¡°Come, Adam! Face me!¡± ¡°Face me!¡± Timojin butt in, the pair pushing each other from shoulder to shoulder. Adam sighed again. ¡°Since it¡¯s a spar, does that mean I have to hold back?¡± ¡°You need not hold back against me!¡± Timojin said. ¡°Nor me!¡± Amokan said, the pair still wrestling each other with their shoulders. Adam tapped his knee. He could probably face them and win, but he didn¡¯t want to fight the Iyrmen. He noted all the eyes on him from their noisiness. ¡®Hey, Bell. How much is it to get the Martial options and my Archetype for it?¡¯ [600XP total.] ¡®That was much cheaper than I expected.¡¯ [They are abilities within your preferred option.] ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam hummed, letting the Iyrmen wait, tapping away at his knee. Even strangers were becoming invested in this fight, staring at the half elf, muttering between one another. ¡°Can I wear my armour and use my magical sword?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If it means you will fight!¡± Timojin said, far too excited now to let him run. ¡®I¡¯ll spend the XP on Onward Soar and the Archetype.¡¯ [Which Archetype?] A long list appeared in front of him and Adam scanned through them with his eyes, which caused the Iyrmen to stare, wondering why his eyes were twitching. For a moment they thought he had become sick. ¡°Adam?¡± Sonarot called out, wondering if the enchanting had finally gotten to him. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just thinking.¡± He was reading through the list, trying to find the same Archetype as last time. ¡®Eastern Blade, please.¡¯ [Which language would you like to pick?] ¡®The Iyrman¡¯s tongue.¡¯ XP: 1300 -> 700 Gained Onward Soar! Gained Iyrian language! Gained Warrior Spirit! Adam then noticed that more eyes had fallen onto him. ¡®I want to win, but using all my abilities would be a little mean, right? No, no, it¡¯s their fault for pressuring me to fight.¡¯ Adam paused and thought for a moment. ¡®Hold on. Couldn¡¯t I use this to my advantage? I should use this opportunity to impress my little Lanarot.¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°Then,¡± he declared, pointing towards the duo, but also passed them. ¡°I¡¯ll face the four of you!¡± Timojin stared at him. ¡°The four of us?¡± ¡°Amokan, Timojin, Jaygak and Kitool!¡± Adam wondered if he¡¯d be able to face them at his level, but considering his spells and abilities, he¡¯d at least make a good show of it. It didn¡¯t matter about winning or losing, but about making a good story. Lanarot was still too young to remember, but she¡¯d hear the story about how her elder brother went against four Iyrmen at once and fought valiantly. ¡®I¡¯ve been pretending to be a coward for too long, so I should at least begin my fighting debut with a bang.¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Timojin and I are some of the best fighters of our age.¡± ¡°Jurot, be careful! Sonarot called, brushing her daughter¡¯s hair. Lanarot could hear the sounds from afar, hearing the clashing of blades and the sound of her brother¡¯s laughter. She didn¡¯t know what they were, but the sounds drew her attentions. ¡®I cannot embarrass mother,¡¯ Jurot thought, gripping his axe tight within his hand and raising his shield. His strike now was more methodical than reckless, as he cut across Amokan¡¯s chest during a large wind up, bringing his shield to Timojin¡¯s greatsword. He caught Timojin¡¯s blow and downed Amokan, who went down with a wild grin on his face. ¡°Is he okay?¡± Adam asked, noting just how eager the Iyrmen were for killing one another. ¡°He is fine,¡± Wujyn assured. ¡°He will not die this day.¡± Now it was Jurot and Timojin, who were both sizing one another up, circling away from Amokan¡¯s unconscious body, which someone picked up and pulled aside to bandage. ¡°You have grown much stronger,¡± Jurot admitted, missing a swipe with his axe, whereas the greatsword managed to cut the top of his shoulder, causing the boy to grunt. Amokan was more like a wild beast, always swinging his sword back for the heaviest of blows, even if it meant he rarely hit, but when he hit, he would strike gravely. Timojin, on the other hand, aimed to strike true with his greatsword, clashing with Jurot¡¯s axe and shield, whilst stepping aside to prepare for another blow. However, Jurot was too eager to fight, and so swung wildly, striking down onto Timojin¡¯s blade, which shuddered under the impact, the sound of steel striking steel filling the air, like music to the Iyrmen¡¯s ears. Even Lanarot cooed happily at the sound, smiling as she heard it. ¡°Your brother is winning,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Mama is going to make a Tiger Eye.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t count my nephew out yet,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why he¡¯s a candidate for Chief in a few decades.¡± His words were like a premonition, as he managed to cut through Jurot¡¯s side, causing blood to spray out, though Jurot managed to cut into the orcish Iyrman in return with his axe. Timojin slid back, his vision blurry, but he charged forward. Jurot cut across the Iyrman¡¯s side, causing him to drop to a knee. He had nearly fallen unconscious, and were he a human like Jurot, he would have dropped. However, his orcish blood gave him a second wind, and he swung his blade wildly with one arm, almost dislocating his shoulder. Jurot managed to bring his shield up, but the blow was so heavy, that the blade¡¯s side glanced off of Jurot¡¯s head, causing him to drop, eyes rolled back as his mouth foamed. ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam shouted, as Timojin planted his blade into the ground and leaned against it, the victor. ¡°Oi! Jurot! Our sister¡¯s watching!¡± Mana: 5 -> 4 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) Jurot grunted as life filled him, and he reached up to his head, which was throbbing wildly. He grinned wide, staring at the battered Timojin, who was seconds away from falling. ¡°That was a good fight!¡± Jurot declared, laughing wildly, and the Iyrmen cheered. Amokan was eventually brought back from unconsciousness, opening his eyes to see Timojin standing. Timojin grinned down at Amokan, who laughed. Turot walked up to Jurot. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the boy asked, resting his hand on Jurot¡¯s head where he had been hit, trying to put pressure onto it. Jurot smiled. ¡°I am fine,¡± he said, but felt something churn within his gut. He recalled the voice which had filled him with magic, bringing him back up to consciousness. ¡®Our sister¡¯s watching,¡¯ it had said. Jurot sighed, understanding the feeling in his gut. It was a feeling he hadn¡¯t quite felt before. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to lose,¡¯ he thought. There was a difference between not wanting to lose and wanting to win. Adam puffed out his cheeks. Currency: (19) Tiger Eye -> (18) Tiger Eye ¡°You can earn it back tomorrow during your fight,¡± Wujyn said. Adam noted Sonarot handed over a gem to Elder Zijin too. ¡°I will,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can¡¯t lose in front of Lanarot.¡± Wujyn smiled. Jurot remained alone to drink, and Adam didn¡¯t bother him. Instead, he focused on how he was going to win tomorrow. There was one spell which would help him most, but he didn¡¯t dare to take it. When night came, Turot was fast asleep in bed. Sonarot was out, sleeping in the cabin with Lanarot, or trying to. Jurot, Adam, and Lucy drank and stared up at the stars. Jurot stopped at the door, blocking Adam¡¯s way. ¡°You must win,¡± he said. ¡°Our sister will be watching.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Is Sonarot an S? It''s okay since Adam is an M. The rolls for Jurot were so terrible, it was insane. He missed by 1 multiple times, and Timojin barely squeaked out the victory. 82. The Fight Ends 82. The Fight Ends Omen: 3, 9 ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, smiling at her. ¡°They don¡¯t feel lucky today, though.¡± Sonarot tilted her head, staring at him, but she brushed his cheek. ¡°Will you win?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. He prepared his spells, eyeing up one of the spells, but he decided against using it. The Iyr had heard of the news, that Adam, son of Fate, was going to face Amokan and Timojin. It wouldn¡¯t have been great news, except many of the Rot, Jin, and Kan families were going to be there. When Adam arrived, he noted the pair of young Iyrmen. ¡°Hey,¡± he called out. ¡°How come you guys are using magical weapons too?¡± Upon their backs were beastly greatswords, and even from where Adam stood, he could feel the great strength in their magic. Amokan grinned wide. ¡°Our family is also our strength!¡± he declared proudly. Timojin was too excited about wielding one of their greatest weapons that he barely replied. Though each weapon was powerful, they were too inexperienced to use them to their full effects, but they would still act as magical weapons with a minor bonus. ¡°Isn¡¯t that shameless?¡± Adam asked, even though he was going to be using a magic weapon too. ¡°You too are a member of the Rot family, no?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°You had used their resources to assist you.¡± Adam grumbled quietly, understanding their point. ¡°You two...¡± He grabbed his sword. ¡°You always mention that you¡¯re going to be the Chiefs, but let me tell you, I won¡¯t allow you! Today is the day that dream dies!¡± Adam, annoyed by how they constantly bugged him about fighting, finally snapped. The Iyrmen around all gasped upon hearing his words. ¡°I, Amokan, son of Okkan, will become Chief of the Iyr!¡± ¡°I, Timojin, son of Havajin, will become Chief of the Iyr!¡± ¡°I refuse!¡± Adam declared in front of the other Iyrmen. His heart beat wildly. ¡°It¡¯s obvious who will become Chief of the Iyr!¡± The Iyrmen waited with bated breath. They couldn¡¯t believe what he was saying, and even Sonarot wondered if she should stop him from digging a hole which was too deep to climb out of. ¡°Do you think you have the capability?¡± Amokan asked, drawing his greatsword, gripping it tight. He sighed, feeling its great strength fill him. ¡°Who ever said I wanted to be Chief of the Iyr?¡± Adam asked, staring at him. ¡°It will definitely be my adorable baby sister.¡± Sonarot coughed, causing Lanarot to look up at her. ¡°How embarrassing,¡± she whispered, her cheeks turning red. ¡®Should I be happy that he¡¯s so eager to play?¡¯ Chief Iromin stared at the half elf, his lips twitching into a smile as he brushed his chin. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to say something so embarrassing.¡± ¡°Lanarot will become Chief!¡± Adam declared. ¡°If she wants to be, that is.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Jurot will become the world¡¯s first Diamond Rank Adventurer too! Just you wait, you¡¯ll all be hearing a thousand stories from him when he¡¯s old and retired! And even my little cousin Turot, he¡¯ll be Elder Peace. You hear that? Two members of the Rot family in power, you¡¯d better mark my words!¡± Turot¡¯s lips formed into a cheeky smile as he was mentioned, and he began to clap, causing a few other Iyrmen to clap in solidarity with him. ¡°What of you?¡± Timojin asked, already feeling the itch to fight crawl through him. ¡°What do you wish to become, if not Chief? A Great Elder?¡± ¡°In order to make their dreams come true, I will aim for the highest rank within this entire world.¡± Adam raised his sword towards the sky. ¡®If I want to live a peaceful life, then there¡¯s only one thing for me...¡¯ ¡°I will become Unrivalled Under the Heavens!¡± ¡°Unrivalled Under the Heavens?¡± Timojin asked, feeling something stir within him. Amokan whispered the words, feeling something stir within him too. ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ ¡°I will be the strongest in this entire world! That way if anyone dares to bully my little sister, I¡¯ll beat them! Even the gods will think twice before daring to bully her! You think I¡¯ll let you guys bother me again in this life?¡± Adam pushed away the embarrassment of his words. ¡°Are you listening, Baktu? Wahtu, Ritetu, don¡¯t you forget it either. Even if I do like you, I won¡¯t forgive any of you.¡± ¡°What kind of madman challenges the gods?¡± Elder Wrath asked, barely able to contain his laughter. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t laugh,¡± Elder Teacher said, understanding just how difficult his role had become after Adam¡¯s declaration. ¡°Lanarot, look at your brother,¡± Sonarot said, holding the ribbon in front of the little girl before snapping it away. Lanarot¡¯s eyes were most unfocused as they stared ahead of her, seeing all the shapes. Sonarot held her cheeks, making sure she wouldn¡¯t look away. ¡°Wujyn,¡± Adam called. ¡°Ten Tiger Eyes! Do you dare to take the bet?¡± ¡°I dare, son of Fate!¡± Wujyn shouted back at him. Shadows loomed. A one armed man sat on the top of a building, holding a young devilkin teen on his lap, who was sitting peacefully as he stared at the half elf. ¡°What a fool of a boy,¡± the old, one armed Iyrman said, his lips curling into a smile. Shaool stood not far from him, her cloak billowing in the breeze. ¡°We were all so lively in our youth as well.¡± She glanced towards the devilkin man, who reached down to rub his grandchild¡¯s head, all while his other grandfather held him close. ¡°Enough to challenge the gods?¡± the devilkin man asked. The one armed man reached to rub his elbow stump, his face contorting in pain. ¡°He is in for a rude awakening.¡± ¡°We will see,¡± Shaool said, her eyes glued to the boys. donned his shield, clutching his die in his hand with it, staring at the pair before him. The two Iyrmen before him were ready to burst. He inhaled deeply, swallowing his nerves. ¡°Now, come!¡± he shouted. Attack D20 + 7 = 23 (16) D20 + 7 = 23 (16) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 5 = (6)(5) Damage resisted! 11 damage! As he swung his blade down, Adam struck the Iyrman across his head with the pommel of his sword, knocking him down, the magical greatsword dropping harmlessly beside Adam¡¯s foot. The Iyr cheered, clapping for the conclusion of the fight, and many Iyrmen began to hand over their gold to one another. Mana: 4 -> 3 Spell: Cure Wounds 1D6 + 4 = 6 (2) Adam dropped to his knee and placed a hand on Timojin¡¯s head, quickly healing the Iyrman. ¡°You still had more magic?¡± Amokan asked, watching as Adam healed his rival. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, simply. Amokan leaned back, holding onto the wound at his side, which had closed over but was still throbbing. Timojin groaned as he awoke, rubbing his head. The ache in his head pounded, and he looked up to the half elf. ¡°Good fight,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I am well,¡± Timojin rolled onto his back. ¡°I did not manage to strike you once.¡± ¡°Magic, am I right?¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Next time you should ban it.¡± Timojin just chuckled. ¡°I would rather lose to you at your strongest.¡± Adam smiled. Jaygak and Kitool stared at Adam, filled with shock. Not only them, but the other Iyrmen too. Not only did he still have Mana, but the pair didn¡¯t even manage to land a single hit on the half elf. ¡°He¡¯s not so bad,¡± the one armed man said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet him.¡± ¡°It will only deepen their resolve,¡± the last Iyrwoman, who had been watching silently the entire time, said. She would have been a beautiful woman if it wasn¡¯t for the huge scar across her left eye and down the side of her neck. ¡°If he wants to become Chief, then perhaps he¡¯ll need to challenge the gods as well?¡± The one armed Iyrman laughed. Elsewhere, Iromin was staring at the two young Iyrmen who had been beaten. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope he remains our ally,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°He will only grow more powerful if we leave him be.¡± ¡°Did you expect him to be so strong?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°No,¡± Elder Gold admitted. ¡°Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have traded the puthral.¡± She smiled. ¡°Did you think he was going to be so strong?¡± Iromin stared at the half elf. ¡°No.¡± Adam fell down beside Sonarot, panting for air. He was covered in sweat. If Amokan had landed any of his blows, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d have all of his limbs intact. ¡°Amokan is scary,¡± he admitted. ¡°You did well,¡± Sonarot said, brushing his wet hair. Adam looked down towards Lanarot, who was sucking on a ribbon. He reached down with a finger. ¡°Did you see?¡± Adam asked as Lanarot reached up to grab his finger. ¡°Your big brother won.¡± At the end of the fight, a few Iyrmen children flocked to him. Some of them were shouting at him in their language, which he now understood. ¡°Pat my head!¡± ¡°Give me ribbon!¡± ¡°Tell me your story!¡± ¡°I want to fight too!¡± ¡°Magic me! Magic me!¡± One, a young boy with black hair and blue eyes, was staring at his sword. ¡°Can I hold your sword, please?¡± he asked in Aldspeak. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, handing the sword over. The boy stared at it long and hard, rubbing his hand tenderly along it. ¡°Do you like swords?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, not even looking up at him. He was enamoured by the blade, and refused to look away even for a second. Adam caught Jurot¡¯s eyes. The Iyrman nodded his head, and Adam returned a nod. Quest Complete: Defeat the Future Chiefs of the Iyr +300XP XP: 700 -> 1000 Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! If Amokan landed a single hit, it would have been rough. Ilyakan regretting going with her handsome cousin now. 83. The End of the Festival 83. The End of the Festival Adam hiccuped, sipping away at the peachy alcohol. ¡°You guys ain¡¯t so bad, you know!¡± ¡°How will I become the Chief when your sister will become the Chief?¡± Timojin sniffled, drowning himself in alcohol. Amokan was about to reply, only to fall back as he passed out, the cup slipping from his grasp. Shikan sighed, watching the trio as they had bonded over their drinks. ¡®Should I delay their departure?¡¯ he thought, wondering what his wife would have done. ¡®Darling, come home soon.¡¯ Tijin completely ignored his son, instead sharing a drink with Shikan and Jogak. All three of them were the Seconds of their families, though Shikan was actually meant to be the First of his family, but his wife was far more wild. ¡°We have to let them go freely,¡± Jogak said, even though it pained for him to say that. ¡°At least your boys will be with Ilyakan.¡± ¡°She is intelligent and wise,¡± Shikan admitted. ¡°She might very well become the First of the main branch,¡± Tijin said. ¡°Hajin should be able to take over as First if she puts in the work.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Jogak sipped the rest of his wine. ¡°Why did he have to seduce my daughter, that elvish bastard!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the horns,¡± the pair replied. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him!¡± The pair slapped the back of his head, causing him to sober up. ¡°You¡¯ve drunk too much,¡± Tijin said, picking up the wine bottle and finishing off the rest. ¡°How fortunate you are, to have such a fine enchanter to help your daughter.¡± ¡°Hey, Citool is also fortunate,¡± Jogak said. The trio sighed. ¡°Should I ask on behalf of Amokan?¡± Tijin asked. ¡°No,¡± Shikan replied. ¡°Ilyakan will be beside him, and that alone should be enough.¡± Tijin sighed. ¡°Let us hope they return safely, those foolish boys of ours.¡± ¡°What about my daughter?¡± Jogak grumbled. ¡°Your daughter was smart enough to join Jurot and Adam,¡± Shikan reminded the devilkin. ¡°Why is it that the girls of that generation are smarter than the boys?¡± Tijin grumbled. ¡°They¡¯re so hard to deal with.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how the dice rolls sometimes,¡± Shikan said, sighing. ¡°Citool is so lucky with her daughter,¡± Jogak said. ¡°She¡¯s so sweet and polite.¡± The men nodded their heads, sharing more drinks with one another. ¡°I want to be the Chief!¡± Timojin cried, slamming the floor beside him, finishing the rest of his wine. ¡°If Lanarot doesn¡¯t want to become Chief, you two can keep fighting over it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Really?¡± Timojin sniffled. ¡°Sure!¡± Adam declared. ¡°Lanarot can become whatever she wants!¡± He raised his cup and drank the rest of it. Constitution Save D20 + 5 = 20 (15) Jurot watched as Adam embarrassed himself in his drunkenness. He sat with his mother, who was knitting a blanket, Kitool, and Jaygak. Citool was spending the night looking after Lanarot. ¡°Isn¡¯t he too strong already?¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying,¡± Lucy said, sitting behind them all, laying down as she stared at the skies. ¡°Why does he know so much magic when he¡¯s already decent with a sword? That should be my thing! I¡¯m obviously the main character!¡± ¡°Everyone is the main character of their own story,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I know, but that¡¯s not fair. It should be me, the future Demon Lord!¡± Lucy coughed as she almost choked on her drink, having drunk it while laying down. ¡°I just hope he doesn¡¯t do anything too crazy while you all adventure,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He¡¯s not like you all. You were all taught some sense, being born in the Iyr, but he¡¯s not from around here.¡± Jurot glanced towards his mother before looking back at the girls, who noted the look, understanding that the pair knew something they didn¡¯t. ¡°He did say something about challenging the gods, and how he doesn¡¯t want them bothering him in this life,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We should wait for him to speak with us,¡± Kitool said. ¡°There is no need to rush such matters.¡± Even so, even she couldn¡¯t help but be interested in what Adam had to say. ¡°Please take good care of my boys,¡± Sonarot said, brushing their hair. ¡°Jurot, make sure you look after these two too.¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot said. Jaygak stared at the sword, noting how the red gem which formed the hilt was more vibrant than before. ¡°This is for me?¡± she asked, staring at Adam, unsure if she should accept such a great weapon. ¡°Obviously,¡± Adam replied. ¡®It gave me so much XP too.¡¯ Jaygak took the weapon from him, rubbing a hand along the blade. She remained silent, but she heard Kitool clear her throat from beside her. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be cashing in that favour one day,¡± Adam said, smirking at her. ¡°I started your weapon too.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kitool replied, bowing her head. ¡°I was really lucky in enchanting today, so I managed to enchant your weapon too, but I¡¯ll need more time.¡± Kitool just bowed her head. ¡°So what happened to your arm anyway?¡± Adam asked, staring at the bandages. ¡°Deep thought,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I am fine.¡± ¡°Want me to heal you? I still have some Mana.¡± ¡°It has been dealt with,¡± she said, brushing his hair. ¡°Alright.¡± Since she didn¡¯t want to say, he would respect her decision. ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam whispered in he night when they were about to sleep. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What happened to aunt¡¯s arm?¡± Jurot fell silent, and Adam noted the young Iyrman wince. ¡®Why won¡¯t anyone tell me?¡¯ Omen: 4, 19 Mana: 8 -> 7 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 10 (3) Omen: 4, 19 -> 4 19 + 7 = 26 (19) Jurot wrestled with another Iyrman, full of frustration. As the Iyrman grabbed around his neck, Jurot tensed his neck, before he managed to wrap himself around the Iyrman¡¯s thigh and he rolled over on top of them, managing to slap out of their headlock, before pinning them under him. He roared like a mighty lion after having won the bout, managing to lose some of the guilt from hurting his mother. Omen: 6, 18 Mana: 8 -> 7 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 25 (18) XP: 1300 -> 800 XP: 800 -> 1400 XP: 1400 -> 1600 Adam had spent the last two days enjoying the quietness of the festival, skipping all the challenges which most people were excited for. He didn¡¯t want to meet with strangers while he was receiving so much attention for his embarrassing fight earlier. When night had come, Adam handed the staff over to Kitool, who thanked him before admiring it. Seekerstaff (Quarterstaff) You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 bludgeoning damage. Contains 3 charges. Spend 1 charge to mark a target you can see within 30¡¯ of you for 1 hour. You will know the direction of the target for 1 hour. You may only choose one target, and can expend an additional charge to increase the duration by 1 hour. Regains 1d3 charges every dawn. Kitool was surprised to hear how powerful the staff was. After all, it was about as powerful as Jaygak¡¯s blade, though it held a different ability within it. ¡®So that is what you expect from me.¡¯ Kitool bowed again, thanking him once again. ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Adam said, smiling awkwardly. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that between we friends, alright?¡± ¡°We should speak about our departure,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Right. When were you planning on leaving?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Originally, we were to leave tomorrow morning,¡± Tomorrow morning,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Oh, jeez. That¡¯s quick.¡± ¡°Come on! I want to use my new sword!¡± Jaygak said, excitedly, rubbing the hilt of her enchanted sword. Adam noted the looked in their eyes, which was eager to leave, but they stared at him. Adam¡¯s eyes fell to the tiny little girl who was sleeping in the cot beside her mother. ¡®Why did I spent all this time enchanting? I should have spent it spoiling Lanarot!¡¯ Adam cursed himself. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like I could do much when she¡¯s so young...¡¯ ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°Let¡¯s leave tomorrow morning.¡± He sighed, thinking about how he should have spent more time enjoying the festival. ¡®Next time I duel, I won¡¯t say anything too cringe.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The slice of life arc is ending? Really? Noooo! 84. Leaving Again 84. Leaving Again Omen: 2, 9 ¡°You didn¡¯t make me a magical weapon,¡± Turot said, frowning as he stared up at Adam. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too young to have a magical weapon?¡± Adam asked, petting his head. ¡°You gave cousin Lanarot a magical weapon!¡± Turot stomped his foot, his lower lip whimpering up at Adam. ¡®Oh, right. I did do that, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ Adam glanced to the side. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m going to get you something really nice that you can use. Even though Lanarot has an axe, she can¡¯t use it, right?¡± ¡°Right...¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why, when I return, I¡¯ll make sure to get you something really special, okay?¡± Adam rubbed his head. ¡°Okay.¡± Turot hugged Adam¡¯s leg. ¡®Damn it! Turot¡¯s so adorable too!¡¯ He rubbed Turot¡¯s head. The other children all remained near their own siblings, saying their goodbyes. The various Iyrmen each promised to bring them back gifts. ¡°Adam,¡± Sonarot called, holding a bundle in her arms. She handed it over to the boy once he had come. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°A blanket?¡± Adam said. Sonarot smiled, rubbing his cheeks with her warm hands. ¡°You must return safely.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Adam said. Sonarot then went to Jurot, hugging him tight before repeatedly kissing his forehead. ¡°Look at my young handsome man. You will return to me safely too, won¡¯t you?¡± Jurot glanced aside, his lips twitching into a smile as she smothered him with affection. ¡°Yes, mother. I will return with many gifts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the gifts for your little sister, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot said. Lanarot, who had been fast asleep when they had prepared to leave, was brought by Citool, who had been looking after the baby during the night. ¡°Good morning, sleepyhead,¡± Adam said, reaching out with his finger, which she grabbed. ¡°Ooo,¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°We¡¯re going to be going soon,¡± Adam said, staring down into her dark eyes, which stared up to see him. She reached up to try and grab his face, but he was out of reach. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you so much. Don¡¯t grow up too quick without us.¡± Adam could already feel how lethargic his body was becoming in order to not leave the little girl behind. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me, okay?¡± ¡°Oo.¡± Jurot looked down at her once Adam was done saying his goodbyes. ¡°Grow up strong and healthy. Do not worry mother.¡± Adam glared at Jurot. ¡°I will definitely return, so wait for me.¡± He leaned in to kiss the girl¡¯s forehead, as his mother had done for him. Lanarot cooed up at him and grabbed his hair when it came into view. Sonarot tickled the girl¡¯s hand and slowly unlatched her from her brother. Then she held the baby out to Adam. Adam brought the baby to his chest, the girl jerking slightly as she saw the purple and silver before her, admiring the shiny beauty. Adam leaned down and rested his cheek against her forehead. ¡®Light,¡¯ Adam thought. She smelt of milk. Her hair was loose and thin, tickling the half elf¡¯s cheek. Her forehead was extremely hot. He could even feel her rapid heart beat. ¡°I promise to come back this time.¡± He kissed her forehead too, before quickly finding it awkward, and handing the girl back to her mother. Amokan smiled as Adam approached the group. ¡°You promised to return.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Adam said. Amokan stared at Adam long and hard, but he nodded his head. ¡°If it¡¯s you, I can believe it.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°Not even death will stop me from returning.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Amokan raised his brows. ¡°You should be careful challenging the gods.¡± ¡°The gods should be careful challenging me,¡± Adam said, before placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s what it means to be Unrivalled Under the Heavens.¡± Amokan wanted to refute the statement, but he was too busy admiring how manly Adam was. Timojin laughed, slapping the pair against their backs. ¡°Let us go!¡± Lucy punched Adam¡¯s arm, gently. ¡°Hey, bring me something back too.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t start any trouble in the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as stupid as you,¡± Lucy grumbled, but she grabbed his arm. ¡°Hey, you two are my friends, so don¡¯t die! We still need to save Mara.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam said. ¡°Train hard, alright?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me!¡± The group made their way out, heading towards the main gate of the Iyr. They weren¡¯t the only Iyrmen leaving, there were also a few from other families, some from the main family, others from the branch family, each forming into groups. Some were leaving alone, others were leaving in pairs or trios. Adam threw his head back, inhaling deeply as the sun beat down across his face through his helmet. He wanted to shout, but he clenched his fists together hard, before relaxing them. In this life he wanted no regrets. He wanted to stay behind, to watch his little sister grow, to not leave her side as he had done in his last life. He just wanted her to grow up happy and healthy. Yet, there were still things to be done. There were two damsels in distress, a young baby who was cursed, hunted by a dragon, and another who was fast asleep, with her brother missing. He exhaled. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, before stepping forward. They arrived at Front Iyr by late afternoon, where there were plenty of Iyrmen all about waiting for them. A large feast had been put together, with Iyrmen sharing wine between one another. Amokan and Timojin fought one another for entertainment, but Adam didn¡¯t pay too much attention. Instead, he sat on the top of a building, drinking and eating in peace. Amokan fought wildly, and Timojin¡¯s methodical approach had won out. ¡°Why are you all alone?¡± Elder Gold asked, standing beside him. ¡°Is it a habit of yours to sneak up on unsuspecting young half elf men?¡± Adam asked, glancing up towards her. ¡°No, but I could make it into a habit if they¡¯re all as charming as you.¡± Adam coughed, having not expected the Great Elder to flirt with him. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°When you fought that day, you said plenty of outrageous things.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Elder Gold smiled. However, instead of asking the more important question, she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use Thunderwave?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I got into so much trouble for taking it and adding it to my spellbook. Could you imagine the trouble I¡¯d get if I used it against a pair of Iyrmen?¡± Elder Gold remained standing beside him, looking over the flames as they flickered from the fire pit. ¡°You are far more dangerous than I expected.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hope you return safely.¡± Omen: 3, 7 The group continued to the village where Chief Merl waited for them at the gates, noting the large influx of Iyrmen. Her eyes fell on some familiar forms, and she quickly rushed up to the two groups. ¡°Oh my, I didn¡¯t expect you all,¡± she said, holding Argon¡¯s hands first, before then moving to Dargon. ¡°Are you alright? I heard what they did to you.¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Dargon replied. ¡°I am sorry for worrying you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you,¡± she said, noting Jurot, before seeing the large man in puthral. ¡°We missed each other the last few times, but I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well.¡± Jurot bowed his head. ¡°Thank you for your worry, Chief.¡± ¡°Who is this?¡± she asked, staring at the huge man with the puthral armour. ¡°He¡¯s no Iyrman if he¡¯s still wearing his helmet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Adam said, taking off his helmet, revealing his half elf face. She raised her brows in alarm first, then surprise, then recognition. ¡°Oh! The young man who helped us back then!¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± he said. ¡°An old friend of mine came to help your village first, but then, you know who came.¡± ¡°Balrog,¡± Jurot said, smiling. ¡°I remember, I remember,¡± the Chief said, smiling up at Adam. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well.¡± Adam hadn¡¯t expected her to be so warm. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re well too.¡± ¡°Come, let me introduce you to someone,¡± she said, taking Adam¡¯s hand in hers. Adam, oblivious to her intentions, let her lead him away, only to remember what was happening. ¡°Oh, wait, I-¡° However, before he could finish his words, he stared up to see an extremely beautiful young woman. She was short and wore fairly typical clothing for villagers, save for her fur belt. At her back was a spear. She had dark hair and dark eyes, almost like an Iyrman. ¡°Merl, this was the young man I was talking to you about. Do you remember? The elf and Balrog.¡± the Chief said. ¡°The stranger who came with the Iyrmen,¡± Merl said in a firm, but low voice. She held out her hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, stupidly, taking her hand in his and gently shaking it. ¡°I¡¯m Adam. Son of Fate. Like, the god, but above the gods, you know?¡± She smiled awkwardly, with the same polite smile most women gave to guys saying weird things. ¡°Right, well, I should get back to work.¡± ¡°Right, uh, yeah,¡± Adam said, quickly turning and walking away. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jurot asked, seeing Adam sitting with his head in his hands. ¡°Jurot, I¡¯m so god damn cringe,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want to go back to the Iyr.¡± Jurot had seen the encounter between Adam and Merl, whose beauty was unmatched in the entire village. ¡®Cringe,¡¯ he said, correctly putting together the definition. He recalled when Adam met Ilyakan and he was doing... whatever it was he was doing. ¡®Cringe.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! How the hell is there another hottie? Extra chapter today? Yes. I have a Gold Rank Patron so I thought I should be nice. 85. Puny Walls 85. Puny Walls ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Argon said, placing his hands on his brother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, you¡¯re the one heading south,¡± Dargon joked. Argon narrowed his eyes, but they shook forearms. ¡°Next time we meet, I will defeat you,¡± Amokan said. ¡°Bring it,¡± Adam said, shaking his forearm. ¡°We will meet again,¡± Timojin said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Do not lose before then.¡± ¡°If I lose, I lose, but at least it won¡¯t be to you.¡± Adam smirked. Timojin laughed. The others exchanged their goodbyes with one another, and soon they each left. Okvar led them south towards Ever Green, and Wujyn led Adam and the rest towards Red Oak. They continued to travel for days, stopping at the second village and then at Lipetal, where Adam met a familiar face he had completely forgotten about. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Brittany.¡± She narrowed her eyes at him, nodding her head. She could feel that she had been forgotten. ¡°I¡¯ve been practising.¡± ¡°Show me,¡± Adam said, following her to see a number of trees full of marks, before someone had the bright idea of making a target they could pin to a tree instead. ¡°Not bad,¡± Adam said. ¡°So you¡¯ll take me with you?¡± Brittany asked. Adam turned and looked to Jaygak and Kitool, before glancing back to Brittany. ¡°Do you think you could beat them in a battle?¡± ¡°No,¡± Brittany said, staring at him like he was an idiot. ¡°There¡¯s a high chance they die out there, and you think you can do better than them?¡± ¡°I understand the danger!¡± Brittany urged. ¡°I want to go out into the world! I want to leave this small village and explore the land! I want to see the mountains! I want to see the sea!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam said. ¡°Now is not the right time. It¡¯s only been a few months, and you need to keep training. We, uh, the Iyrmen have trained for years to go out and explore. I¡¯m not saying you can¡¯t go out and explore as you are right now, I¡¯m saying that you can¡¯t protect yourself, and I definitely can¡¯t protect you. I promised you that I will take you to adventure, to see the world for yourself, but give me time.¡± He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. Brittany sighed and bowed her head. She didn¡¯t protest, instead going off to dwell in her thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s the story between you two?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Jilted lovers?¡± Adam glanced back to Jaygak. ¡°That¡¯s what you thought that was?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Jaygak said, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°So what¡¯s the story?¡± ¡°Some village girl wants freedom, and she thinks I¡¯m the path towards it.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°I am one path, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°My path is more difficult than she realises, and I¡¯m not sure I should bring her out when she could die so quickly, not while I¡¯m this weak.¡± Jaygak nodded her head, understanding the sentiment behind what he said. ¡°Do you plan on taking Lanarot out of the Iyr with you to see the world?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°One day.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Kidnapping children is a terrible crime in the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to kidnap her!¡± Adam snapped. ¡°I, as her older brother, will plan a trip to the outside world. It will be done according to the rules of the Iyr, or, I will speak to Sonarot about it and see what she thinks. This will be once I¡¯m powerful, and with the ability to send her back quickly if something goes wrong.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯re an Expert, you might be able to take her out,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Expert?¡± ¡°When mages can cast Fireball, and when warriors can strike like lightning.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. They relaxed in the village for the day before heading out to Red Oak. Omen: 2, 9 The huge walls of Red Oak invited them. ¡°It¡¯s been too long,¡± Adam said, staring at the stone walls. In comparison to the Iyr, the walls of Red Oak were so puny. Kendal and Eshva sighed, having expected a fight on the way through the forest, but they had been lucky, or unlucky, and had come through unmolested. Rokat and Wujyn shook their heads at the pair. ¡°It¡¯s obvious we wouldn¡¯t have fought anything,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°What beasts would dare come to so many Iyrmen, especially a group led by a Mithril Rank?¡± Wujyn smiled, avoiding Adam¡¯s stare. ¡®I knew it!¡¯ Dargon gave them his sympathies too, patting their shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll fight another time.¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips twitched, but she knew better than to reveal the secret. She just smiled up at him. ¡°Fine, keep your secrets,¡± Paul said, chuckling. Jaygak and Kitool noted that the boys weren¡¯t there, and that the other devilkin were missing. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Pam gasped, staring at the pair. Adam, in his infinite wisdom, put his helmet back on. She stared up at Adam for a moment, not recognising him, but her eyes then fell back to Jurot. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Iyrman¡¯s metal?¡± Pam asked, staring at the armour. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, pulling up his helmet to reveal just his face for a moment, before pushing it back on. ¡°I hear it¡¯s rare! How did you get it?¡± she asked, admiring the metal. She had never seen such a beautiful armour before. ¡°I impressed the Iyrmen,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had your jam buns, so let¡¯s order a few. Right, Jurot? You missed them too, didn¡¯t you?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take, uh, a basket of bread, and about...¡± Adam placed down two gold coins. ¡°However many jam buns we can buy with the remainder.¡± ¡°Are you going to return the basket?¡± Pam asked, squinting at him. ¡°Of course,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll pop by in the morning and return it then.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she said, going off to fill a basket with bread. Adam rubbed Jurot¡¯s elbow. ¡°Come on, say something.¡± ¡°It smells the same,¡± Jurot said. Adam blinked. ¡®Why are you mentioning smell, you creep.¡¯ Adam sighed, noting Jurot¡¯s ears had turned slightly red. ¡®Ho ho ho!¡¯ Currency: 100GP -> 98GP ¡°Make sure you come back and order some more bread soon, okay?¡± Pam said, waving at them as they left. When they finally returned, with the devilkin women gorging themselves on bread and buns on Adam¡¯s insistence, they noted how Kitool and Jaygak were chatting with Paul in their tongue. Braun was also at the counter now, having taken over the next shift. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, waving a jam bun. ¡°Did you pass?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Adam placed down the basket. ¡°Then let¡¯s celebrate!¡± He ate another jam bun, though had already eaten three so was beginning to feel a little sick. They drank in peace too, with Adam glancing at Paul. ¡°Do I have some work?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see,¡± the Vice Master said. ¡°So, about your armour.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty?¡± Adam replied, smirking up at him. Paul could see Adam wasn¡¯t going to reveal his secrets, so he sighed and shook his head. Even Jaygak and Kitool refused to say anything about it. Eventually, Adam made his way to the desk. ¡°Good evening, Braun. Our party is looking for a Priest, are there any looking for a partner? They can be new, or they can have a few quests under their belt already, we don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joining with the Iyrmen?¡± he asked. ¡°The Iyrmen, Kitool and Jaygak, are joining us, Jurot and I,¡± Adam said. Braun narrowed his eyes, but nodded. ¡°Your party¡¯s name is Eternal Duo?¡± Adam coughed. ¡®Oh, gods. Did I really name it that?¡¯ ¡°Uh, can we change that?¡± Braun nodded. ¡°Give me a second,¡± Adam said, returning to the others. ¡°Hey, we need to figure out a new name for our party.¡± Kitool bowed her head. ¡°We have spoken of it.¡± ¡°You have?¡± ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Jaygak said, smirking up at him. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a cool name. Who figured that out?¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± the pair said. Adam smiled, staring at Jurot. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been thinking you¡¯re really good at naming things. I should come to you more often.¡± Jurot nodded his head. Adam went to change the party¡¯s name, changing it to Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°Oh, and one more thing.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I have to admit, when I imagine myself in Jurot''s shoes, my naming abilities increase by 20%. 86. Unbearable 86. Unbearable Omen: 1, 9 ¡°Heave!¡± ¡°Ho!¡± The porters, who were cousins that appeared to be twins, dropped their palanquin. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned!¡± Jeremy, also known as Remy, said. ¡°Our prayers were successful,¡± Jeremiah, also known as Jeremy, said. ¡°Did you pray for my safe return or the gold in my pockets?¡± Adam asked, shaking their hands. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the pair said, before laughing. Adam smiled. ¡°Good. Now, let me introduce you to the party. This is, as you know, my brother Jurot. These are the most magnanimous Kitool, and the most... Jaygak.¡± Adam leaned in to whisper. ¡°Be careful, she¡¯s not human.¡± ¡°We know,¡± Remy said. ¡°She¡¯s an Iyrman.¡± Jeremy nodded, enthusiastically shaking their hands. ¡°It¡¯s our blessing to porter for three Iyrmen.¡± He gave a look to Remy, who smiled and nodded in return. ¡®We¡¯re definitely not dying today.¡¯ ¡°Well then, shall we?¡± Adam asked, motioning a hand towards the main road. ¡°Sorry about Nobby,¡± Remy said. ¡°He had some family business to attend to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Adam said, nodding his head, smiling slightly. ¡®Let¡¯s hope he¡¯s doing alright.¡¯ He chuckled lightly. They went to the bakery, where Jurot placed down the basket to one side. ¡°Are you here for your prework bread?¡± she asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°Didn¡¯t you just come back yesterday?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be slaying a few bears today.¡± Kitool and Jaygak were staying near the sides, glancing at the bread, before they noted the posture Jurot had taken. They glanced between Jurot and Pam, before catching each other¡¯s eyes. Jaygak smirked playfully, but Kitool shook her head. Jurot paid for the bread and the group all ate the jam buns. ¡°So you do this every time you quest?¡± Jaygak asked, noting the looks she was getting from the people around. At first they were terrified, quickly stepping aside, but noting her tattoos, the people quickly calmed. ¡°Every time,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s our prework ritual. Our post work ritual too.¡± Jaygak nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good ritual,¡± she said, licking her lips. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, smiling. Jurot and Kitool took the lead, helping one another in order to track their prey. Jaygak and Adam kept an eye out, leaving the two to track. ¡°It¡¯s a lovely day, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, looking up at the clear sky. Jaygak nodded. ¡°The summers are hotter to the south, but they get pretty good around these lands too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the heat too much,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯m much more used to clouds and rain.¡± ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°The Greylands,¡± Adam said. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re from the Greylands?¡± Jaygak asked, her eyes flashing with surprise, before she narrowed her eyes. ¡°No. That¡¯s a real place?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, still eyeing Adam up. ¡°It¡¯s near where my people are from.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Bears,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Three,¡± Kitool said, glancing at the ground. ¡°Black.¡± Jurot nodded his head, but motioned towards another set of tracks. ¡°One brown.¡± Victory! Brown Bear +50XP Adam stared at the experience he had gained. ¡®Seriously? This is way harder than making magical weapons...¡¯ Kitool gathered herself during the next hour as Jurot parted the brown bear, before helping the porters load it into the palanquin. ¡°Should we head back?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mind ending the day here.¡± Kitool noted Adam glance towards her. ¡°I am fine to continue.¡± ¡°We can continue,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If everyone else thinks so, then let¡¯s do it,¡± Jaygak said. Adam then glanced to the porters. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°As long as you pay us well, we don¡¯t mind,¡± Remy said, nodding his head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Adam said. ¡°Heave!¡± ¡°Ho!¡± Kitool, who had calmed down from her near death experience, kept an eye out as Jurot led them away. He found the black bear tracks with ease, and followed them, leading the rest of the party. He had been too busy to think when he was butchering the brown bear, and though he was busy with tracking, he was thinking about what had happened. Kitool, right beside him, falling so easily. It wasn¡¯t just Kitool falling which bothered him, but the fact that he hesitated against it. ¡®Fear?¡¯ Jurot thought. He had faced Balrog with no fear, charging forward to strike the man. Adam had promised him one hit, and he had managed it. Balrog was a mightier foe than the brown bear, and yet, when it came to the brown bear, he failed to strike as eagerly as he should have. He had been too deep in thought, and had accidentally walked in to see three black bears, each beginning to stand onto all fours as they noted the approaching strangers. Yet it was one of them which had caused them to shudder. Jurot, with his axe in hand, gritted his teeth. His entire body filled with hot red rage, the veins in his arms popping. ¡®Me? A son of the Rot family fearing bears? How dare you shame me this way!¡¯ Without hesitation, he grabbed his axe with both hands and leapt into the air, bringing it down with his full force. The bear, terrified by this sudden attack, jerked away, causing Jurot¡¯s blow to strike the ground. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 13 (12) Kitool, shocked at Jurot¡¯s sudden outburst of rage, stepped forward, but her body grew cold. She tossed one of her darts, which struck the bear beside Jurot, but her body refused to step closer from her position. ¡°Hey Jurot,¡± Adam shouted, darting forward. ¡°Leave some for me!¡± Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 11 (3) D20 + 8 = 10 (2) Omen: 1, 9 -> 1 9 + 7 = 16 Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 6 = (5)(3, 6) 20 damage! Adam, filled with his Warrior Spirit, struck wildly towards the black bear Jurot had tried to strike, which had the lightest cut from Kitool¡¯s dart, but he almost missed wildly. Feeling too embarrassed to miss after declaring something so cheesy, plucked a Thread of Fate. A baker in Red Oak, plump with dark hair, almost drooled as a pair of devilkin Iyrmen appeared, ordering a large number of jam buns. Adam¡¯s blade, which was going to miss, swerved and cut the black bear¡¯s neck clean, causing its head to drop beside him. He inhaled deeply before flexing his muscles. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 6 -> 5 Spell: Hex Attack D20 + 7 = 18 (25) D20 + 7 = 10 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 6 = (6)(2, 6)(3) 23 damage! ¡°You damn black bear!¡± Adam snarled, though quickly lost his anger as an uncomfortable wave of emotion flowed through his body after mentioning its colour. His spell struck the beast and seized its muscles for a moment, before he cut its head clean off as it tried to bite his shoulder, the bear¡¯s head dropping beside him. The last bear stared at him in utter shock and fear, quickly turning to flee. ¡°Raa!¡± Jaygak roared, leaping into the fray beside him, swinging her beautiful blade wildly, but completely whiffing, her sword cutting through the air instead of flesh and fur. Attack (Opportunity) D20 + 8 = 23 (15) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 6 = (1)(1, 5)(4) 17 damage! Adam, gripping his blade with both hands tightly, stepped forward and thrust into the leg of the bear, causing it to stumble. Jaygak, taking the opportunity, drove her blade deep into the creature¡¯s leg, causing it to fall down before them. It panted and groaned, before Jurot, raising his axe high above him, glaring down at the creature, split its skull in half. Kitool and Jaygak noted the look of rage on his face, which wasn¡¯t the usual rage of a Rage Dancer, but instead, something far more personal. Victory! Black Bears +75XP Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! So begins the slaughter. There will be no more bears near Red Oak! 87. Leader 87. Leader Jurot snarled, raising his axe again, but Adam placed a hand on his shoulder. The Iyrman turned, staring at Adam with his white eyes, before his pupils returned, his face going from red to the slight tan it usually was. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Adam asked, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. Jurot panted, his body cooling as the seconds passed. He nodded, before placing his axe aside, and dropping down to begin butchering the bears. Kitool and Jaygak exchanged another look, before assisting him in butchering the bears. Adam kept an eye out, wondering how much money they would make from the bears. ¡°You two alright?¡± Adam asked, nodding to the porters. ¡°Aye I am,¡± Remy said, sipping some water. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be better,¡± Jeremy replied. Once they were done butchering, Jurot and Jaygak helped put the bears into the palanquin, carrying parts of the bears themselves since the palanquin couldn¡¯t carry everything. Their journey back was fraught with no danger, and soon they saw the comforting walls of the town. ¡°Whoa!¡± a guard shouted. ¡°By the gods, that¡¯s one load!¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°How goes it today?¡± ¡°Well, well,¡± the guard replied. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± ¡°Bears,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Bears you say,¡± the guard replied, whistling. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°We¡¯d love to stay and chat, but it was quite a tough battle and we¡¯d like to recuperate.¡± ¡°Aye, aye,¡± the guard replied as Adam handed over the copper coins. Currency: 9CP -> 6CP They made their way back to the guild, where Braun processed the three bears. ¡°Should we keep the fur to bring back?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We should think about gifts in the future,¡± Kitool said. ¡°For now, we should prepare ourselves.¡± Adam realised how awkward it was to ask to keep the fur of the bear which had almost killed her. ¡°Right.¡± Quest Complete: Bear Hunting XP Gained: +175 XP: 1925 -> 2100 Stamps Gained: +1 Stamps: 13 -> 14 Currency Gained: +135GP ¡°Alright, we need to figure out how to split this,¡± Adam said. ¡°You need to pay a tax to the Iyr, right?¡± ¡°Half,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Half?¡± Adam said, having forgotten how much the Iyrmen gave. ¡°It can be as low as one tenth, but usually it¡¯s half,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Right, right, I think Jurot did mention that...¡± Adam tapped the counter. ¡°Is that before or after the Guild¡¯s share?¡± ¡°After,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We tax whatever goes into our purse,¡± Kitool said. Adam continued to tap the counter. ¡°I think...¡± He glanced at the Iyrmen, wondering if he should continue. ¡°I think, maybe, we should create a Party Fund first.¡± ¡°A Party Fund?¡± ¡°It would be used to buy potions, weapons, gear, magical items. We should create a fund in which everyone can spend to make sure their gear remains in tip top shape, and so that when we get a Priest, they don¡¯t have to worry about spending all their coin on trying to revive us, or for their other spells which will undoubtedly save our lives multiple times. I would benefit from it too, considering, you know, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m recommending it.¡± Jaygak and Kitool threw a glance between one another, but then looked to Jurot, who was the most senior Iyrman. ¡°Ten jam buns and the rest on bread,¡± Adam said, placing down the gold coin. Currency: 15GP -> 14GP ¡°It is my turn to pay,¡± Jurot said, throwing a look to Adam. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°What we should be talking about is how we killed four bears today.¡± ¡°Four bears?¡± Pam asked, glancing around to note the two Iyrmen behind. ¡°One for each of you?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, elbowing Jurot. ¡°Go on, Jurot. Why don¡¯t you tell her about what we did while the bread¡¯s being packed?¡± Jurot cleared his throat and began the tale, all the while Adam joined the two women. He smirked at them, and Jaygak smirked at him while Kitool shook her head. Once the story had been told, and the bread had been packed, they stepped out and enjoyed their jam buns. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, handing most of the bread over to the porters. ¡°For the rest of this month, come to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild every morning with your palanquin. You will find out if you have a job when you arrive. If I don¡¯t need you, I¡¯ll pay you a gold coin each anyway, and you can spend it with your families. I would prefer that you don¡¯t take another job, in case I need you for the next day. I don¡¯t want you getting injured because of another job.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll pay us even if we¡¯re not working that day?¡± Remy asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I heard,¡± Jeremy said, nodding his head. ¡°That¡¯s because you heard correctly,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you¡¯re not required, I¡¯ll pay you a gold still. I want you at my service as my porters, our porters, this month.¡± ¡°I heard the good man,¡± Remy said. ¡°I did too,¡± Jeremy said, nodding his head. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll leave a message at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild if I leave inexplicably, and they should have the coin on hand to pay you for that day, and you can go about the rest of your days, business as usual.¡± ¡°Right, whatever you say,¡± Remy said. ¡°I¡¯m working too?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, patting his muscled shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll be there too.¡± Nobby nodded his head slowly, not understanding exactly what he was meant to do, but he¡¯d just follow his uncle. Once the Iyrmen returned to the inn, they ate their evening meal. Being Iyrmen, they didn¡¯t have to pay, and considering Adam still was under the effects of the deal, he didn¡¯t pay either. In the evening, Adam formed a meeting with the party in the girls¡¯ room, which was a slightly larger room with a pair of beds. ¡°I would like to be the leader of Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± he said. The trio stared up at him expectantly. ¡°Not because it would be great for my status, lording over a bunch of Iyrmen,¡± he said, sarcastically. ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be times we will need a leader to lead. I¡¯m not saying any of you are worse than me, and I¡¯m not going to say I¡¯m better than any of you, but I would like to know that once we¡¯re in the thick of things, we¡¯re all on the same page. I might say or do something which sounds ridiculous, but I want to know that you¡¯ll be following the order, and then I¡¯ll explain later.¡± ¡°I was...¡± Adam cleared his throat, glancing to Jurot for a moment. ¡°I was born in another culture, in a place far from this. You could walk ten thousand miles in any direction and you wouldn¡¯t find it. I was born with specific beliefs. I... I really don¡¯t want to die.¡± Adam stared at the trio. ¡°I know it¡¯s what you Iyrmen are all about, but I don¡¯t want to die, I¡¯m sick of it. I want to adventure, you know. I want to slay manticores, and great beasts. I want to save a Princess in her tower, slay the dragon which, for some reason, has her captive. I want to return back to the Iyr and see my little sister again.¡± The trio stared at him long and hard. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, not yet. I don¡¯t want you to die yet either. If you¡¯re going to die, I want it to be in a blaze of glory, not against a bear, or a wolf, or a tiger. So I¡¯m asking you to trust me. I¡¯m asking you to let me carry you to Gold Rank, and then we can figure out the best end to your story.¡± ¡°You saved my life,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Dying to a brown bear immediately after setting off would have been a shame to my family, which is already struggling. You have enchanted a weapon for two favours. You are asking a favour, but there will be no charge, Adam.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I really want to be the leader but I know no one will vote for me,¡± Jaygak admitted. "Even though I said I''d be the leader, I want you to understand that if any of you want me to step down, I will. And, I''ll be taking your words into consideration. In fact, there will be times when I''ll leave matters to you. I''ll do my best to make sure no dishonour comes to your name." "I trust you, Adam," Jurot said. Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam wants to be bossman. 88. The Fifth 88. The Fifth ¡°Good morning to you fine folks,¡± the dark skinned man said with the slightest of accents. He was well built, though it was covered under his chain mail, and had dark hair and green eyes. At his side was a sword, and beside his leg was a round shield. ¡°I have heard that you were looking for a Priest. Morn Dunes, but you can call me Dunes. ¡°We are,¡± Adam said, shaking his hand. ¡°Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°Jurot, son of Surot.¡± ¡°Kitool, daughter of Zorool.¡± ¡°Jaygak, daughter of Lavgak.¡± Dunes took Jaygak¡¯s hand, kissing the back of it, before whispering something in something which sounded like fire crackling. Jaygak tilted her head, her lips forming a smile, saying something back in Vilspeech. She wasn¡¯t surprised that he knew Vilspeech, as some Aswadians would know it, but she hadn¡¯t expected such favour. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be from around here,¡± Adam said. He had seen some darker skinned men in the soldiers of the Aswadians back when they were at the forest, but this was the first dark skinned man he had seen in Aldland. ¡°No. I am Aswadian, which I understand might be a problem for some people.¡± He glanced around to see the Iyrmen, before glancing to the helmeted Adam. ¡°How do you feel about elves?¡± Adam asked, smiling from behind his helmet. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything good about them,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°My friend, Thordan Lighthammer, told me they¡¯re a bunch of bastards.¡± ¡°What about half elves?¡± ¡°I suppose they¡¯re half bastards?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± Adam said, taking off his helmet. Dunes laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. Which god do you follow, Dunes?¡± ¡°The most divine Goddess of War, Lady Arya, of course.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say,¡± Adam said. ¡°One of my favourite gods, after Baktu, Lord Sozain as you might know him.¡± Adam had realised he should probably show some courtesy to the gods, for now. ¡°You follow the good Lady as well?¡± Dunes asked, surprised. He hadn¡¯t heard of an elf which worshipped one of their gods. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, flashing a knowing smile. ¡°We have an interesting relationship. I noticed that you had a sword by your side, not exactly the most Priestly of weapons.¡± ¡°The good Lady¡¯s preferred weapon,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Thordan and I fought about it often.¡± ¡°A dwarven friend, huh?¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of someone befriending a dwarf so quickly.¡± ¡°Saving his life several times sped up the process, admittedly.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. Do you have anything against elves?¡± ¡°Not personally.¡± ¡°Good. Then we¡¯ll do a few quests together to see if we¡¯re compatible. I¡¯m the leader of Fate¡¯s Golden, our party, and we have established a rule about how we split the loot, but since you¡¯re new and not officially a part of our party, you don¡¯t have to follow it. I use magic and blade, like yourself, and Jurot uses his rage. Kitool is a...¡± ¡°Monk,¡± Kitool said. Dunes nodded his head. ¡°We have many Monks in our kingdom as well.¡± ¡°Jaygak is a Fighter too, though she¡¯s much better equipped at dealing with fire than me,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I am a Priest of Lady Arya. I finished my rites not long ago, and I¡¯ve been in a handful of battles, but I¡¯m no Iyrmen.¡± Dunes looked to the Iyrmen. ¡°I haven¡¯t met many Iyrmen, there were a few nearby, and they would often come by to spar with us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re from Black Mountain?¡± Jaygak asked. Dunes nodded. ¡°You could tell where he was from just from that?¡± Adam asked, glancing to Jaygak. ¡°If he¡¯s a Priest of Wahtu and Iyrmen often spar with them, it was obvious,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s from Black Mountain, which holds the oldest temple of Wahtu.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the one. Well, I¡¯m from a small village near it, but yes, that is where I trained. Though don¡¯t let the Easterners tell you that they have the oldest temple. Yes, their temple is older, but ours is the oldest temple which was made with the express intent of being Lady Arya¡¯s temple.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°We have heard much of the Iyr within our temple. We grew up hearing the tales of the Iyr, especially the Second Blackwater Crisis.¡± ¡®What a popular story,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°The Champion of War?¡± Jurot said, smiling slightly. ¡°The very same,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I think you mentioned him before,¡± Adam said, glancing to Jurot. ¡°Was he the slime? No, no that was Lemon, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Melon,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Whose Brandon the Bold then?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know about Brandon the Bold?¡± Dunes asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s the most famous Champion of Lady Arya!¡± ¡°He was very strong,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°During the Second Blackwater Crisis, fifty years after the First Blackwater Crisis, there were three wars which erupted at the same time.¡± ¡°The War of Second Frost, the War of the South, the War of the Embers,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°The War of Second Frost was against the giants, who had come again to North Fort for vengeance.¡± Dunes sighed, nodding his head. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t connect that the two were the same. They must have mentioned that Randon was Great Brandon¡¯s descendant. Was I late for the announcement? Was I too drunk?¡¯ ¡°What should we do?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Slay,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Hunt,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Fight,¡± Jaygak said. Adam looked to Dunes. Dunes raised his brows. ¡°I¡¯m a Priest of war, so...¡± ¡°What should we do?¡± Adam asked, looking over the wall. ¡°Goblin hunting?¡± Adam noted one of the quests. ¡®Goblins? Are they monsters in this world?¡¯ ¡°Goblin hunting is difficult,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Another bear? Some boars?¡± ¡°What about forest wolves?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Their fur is a popular gift in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we say we should sell everything so we can make money?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Forest wolf fur is very popular,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Especially with children.¡± ¡®So, you have found my weakness,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that then.¡± ¡°I hope there is an Elder Wolf,¡± Jurot said, smiling. ¡°I hope not,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°One of us almost died to a brown bear, remember?¡± Jurot¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s fight some wolves. If there are any Elder Wolves, we¡¯ll deal with them, alright Jurot?¡± Adam said, patting his back. ¡°I have some Tricks,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Though I prefer being in the thick of things.¡± ¡°Sure, but it¡¯ll be difficult for everyone if you go down. I know it¡¯s going to be boring being in the back and safe, but I¡¯d appreciate it if you healed.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°If things get dangerous, stay beside Kitool and Jaygak. The porters will be nearby too.¡± ¡°Porters?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°We have a trio of porters on our payroll. They¡¯ve been extremely useful to us so far, and one of them is going to be trained by us one day.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°How will the pay be split?¡± ¡°After the guild¡¯s cut, everyone pays into the Party Fund with two tenths of their pay, and then everyone gets their split. Since I¡¯m the leader, I¡¯ll pay the porters from my own funds.¡± ¡°Party Fund?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be used to pay for things we all benefit from, including spell components. The Iyrmen pay their own tax back home, and it¡¯s a hefty tax, so it¡¯ll be difficult unless we have a shared Party Fund.¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll put my coin into the Party Fund too. If there¡¯s three Iyrmen about, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a scam.¡± Adam smiled. They went through their routine of buying bread. Nobby was there in the morning, but Adam paid him a gold coin and had him return to stay with his father for the day, ignoring his protests. Once the jam buns were bought, Adam using his own money to pay for it, they made their way out. ¡°Let¡¯s earn a bunch of coin today!¡± he exclaimed, laughing as they walked out into the forest. Jurot and Kitool led the party, following the tracks. Dunes kept an eye out, though also kept back with Jaygak, speaking in the tongue of the devilkin. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Jurot said, donning his shield and grabbing his axe. ¡°I feel it too.¡± Kitool gripped her staff tighter, glancing around the area. ¡°The forest is different today,¡± Jurot whispered. They had been travelling for a little over three hours, taking a break every so often. Adam donned his shield too, grabbing his die. Dunes had followed their lead, and so had Jaygak. ¡°What should we do?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What do you think? I don¡¯t mind if we return. The quest isn¡¯t exactly...¡± Wisdom Save D20 + 3 = 4 (1) Adam¡¯s body filled with a deep cold, and he stood up straighter. His brow filled with sweat. The ground rumbled, and trees shook. Leaping from the tree line appeared two large bears, with broad shoulders, and thick fur. They were brown, like a brown bear, but atop their heads were a large bud, as green as any herb he had seen. ¡°Mother¡¯s tits!¡± Remy exclaimed. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! A new guy who isn''t an Iyrman? :( 89. Complications 89. Complications Jeremy and Remy stared at the pair of Herbearvores which came charging in. Herbearvores, more powerful than Brown Bears, which could easily tear them apart. ¡®We¡¯re going to die,¡¯ they thought, knowing the difference between Iyrmen and the large creatures. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 5 (4) The bears roared as they charged forward, one towards Jaygak and the porters, the other towards Jurot and Kitool. Jurot clutched his axe tight. Seeing the Herbearvores had filled him with a momentary panic, the faces of his mother and father flashing in his mind, before the faces of Turot and Lanarot appeared. He tried to cut at the Herbearvore, but it tore its claws across his side, rending his flesh, before biting deep into his shoulder. Jurot roared in pain as the rage filled him, and he gripped his axe tighter. ¡°Dunes!¡± Adam shouted, panic setting deep within him, seeing the bloodied Jurot. However, as Jurot stood, covered in his fresh blood, there were a pair of shouts as Jeremy and Remy, who had been clutching at their spears, fell to the mighty blows of the Herbearvore, which had easily torn them apart like paper with her mighty claws and teeth. ¡°Dunes!¡± Adam shouted again, unable to even comprehend the scene. ¡®Jurot¡¯s in trouble,¡¯ Adam thought, the chill beginning to set in. ¡°Get them up!¡± ¡°It is not your time to die,¡± Dunes chanted, his Mana coursing through him, his voice healing Jeremy, who blinked awake. He dropped down and pressed a hand against Remy, hoping that his Trick would be enough to stabilise him for the moment. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) D20 + 8 = 10 (2) Omen: 10, 18 -> 18 10 + 8 = 18 Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 6 = (2)(3, 6) 17 damage! His blade cut through the Herbearvore beside Jurot, flashing white as it seared the screaming beast. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ he thought, leaving Dunes and Jaygak against their own Hearbearvore. He knew that Jaygak wasn¡¯t as powerful as Jurot or he, but Jurot had taken a heavy blow from the Herbearvore, and he wasn¡¯t sure just how powerful Dunes was either. ¡®Really? Two fucking Herbearvores, you bastards? Just you wait until we meet again!¡¯ However, in order to pierce through the Herbearvore, he had plucked a Thread of Fate. Jaygak, with all the desperation she could muster, swung her blade wildly against the Herbearvore. Yet, even with Dunes beside her, ready to face the creature, her blade missed. ¡®What?¡¯ she thought, sure she was going to strike it. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 8 -> 7 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 24 (16) D20 + 8 = 19 (11) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 6 = (1)(2, 6) 15 damage! ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam exclaimed, channelling his Mana to fill the Iyrman with great strength. Jurot¡¯s rage had taken root in his body, and he swung his axe towards the giant Herbearvore, though he managed to cut off some of its fur, but the renewed strength had filled him relief. Though Jurot¡¯s attack had missed, Adam, inhaling deeply, struck the beast again, cutting through its shoulder, causing it to roar in pain. ¡°Kitool!¡± Adam called, though before he could command her, the Iyrman struck the Herbearvore with her staff, almost crushing its skull. ¡°Get to Jaygak!¡± The Herbearvore struck Jurot across his front again, scraping off his skin with ease, almost causing the Iyrman to fall. He was barely conscious as the Herbearvore threatened to kill him. Kitool was unsure if she should leave Jurot, considering how hurt he was, but Jaygak would need her too. Still, she found her legs were shaking, and her body was cool with sweat. Dunes, leaving Jaygak by herself, grabbed onto Jurot and filled him with his magic, healing the Iyrman¡¯s wounds. Adam cursed under his breath, having expected Dunes to stay beside Jaygak. The chaos of the battle was filling him with uncertainty, though it was quickly washed away with fear as a claw crashed against his side, the puthral plate mail protecting him barely. ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Jurot, with his great strength, struck the Herbearvore with his mighty axe, cutting into the creature¡¯s side. As its blood spilt, Jurot was renewed by the creature¡¯s life force. He grit his teeth, grinning wide. ¡°Today is not the day I die!¡± He dared to defy the heavens, for the blade in his hand was heavy with bloodlust. A spear struck the other Herbearvore, which roared as it turned towards Jeremy, who had earned its ire. It was healthy, and eager to feast. ¡°Get away from him!¡± Jeremy shouted, stumbling backwards. He had lost the strength in his legs, as the bear charged towards him. ¡®Sorry, Remy. I think this is it for me.¡¯ He covered his face with an arm, shutting his eyes tight, not wanting to see his demise. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack D20 + 7 = 21 (14) D20 + 7 = 11 (4) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 6 = (2)(4, 6) 14 damage! It was fortunate for Jeremy that Adam¡¯s heart could not bear the guilt of his death, with the Half Elf leaping away from the Herbearvore beside him, which was focused on killing Jurot, and drove his blade deep into the Herbearvore¡¯s leg. ¡°Did you think I¡¯m the same as back then?¡± Adam asked, tearing his blade out of its leg. ¡°I can handle you by myself!¡± The shout, meant for the ears of Jaygak and Jeremy, spurred them into action, as they quickly moved aside to support the other three locked in combat with the heavily injured Herbearvore. Jaygak managed to barely strike the other creature, her heart pounding wildly as she struck the creature, which roared, on the cusp of its life. Kitool managed to strike the creature with her staff, standing beside Jaygak as the pair cut off its retreat. However, due to their actions, the creature was stuck between them, meaning it retained its focus on Jurot, who cut into it, healing again with his weapon¡¯s power, before it crushed his shoulder with another bite. Jurot roared, and slumped, the rage leaving his body as it was replaced by unconsciousness. ¡°Jurot!¡± the pair of Iyrmen yelled. Adam dared not look back as the Herbearvore in front of him swiped at him, scratching against his plate mail. He ducked under its bite, the sounds of its mighty jaws clamping causing him to keep his entire attention onto the beast. He¡¯d have to entrust in his companions for now. ¡°Who said he¡¯d be dying today?¡± Dunes asked, placing a hand against Jurot¡¯s back. Though he was ready to strike with his blade, he understood his role in this combat, and he would be keeping the people alive, as long as they were able to deal with the Herbearvores. Jeremy, whose cousin had been helped by the War Priest, thrust his spear into the creature¡¯s side. ¡°Are you sure you can kill it?¡± he asked, his body telling him to flee, but he couldn¡¯t leave his cousin behind. The Herbearvore landed atop him, and he screamed, before his eyes rolled back into his skull. Warrior Spirit: 1 -> 0 Attack D20 + 7 = 21 (16) D20 + 7 = 11 (8) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 6 = (5)(2, 4) 17 damage! ¡°Thanks to Dunes here,¡± Adam said, patting the War Priests back. Dunes wasn¡¯t sure if he was joking. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You did much more than you think. Without you, at least one of them would have died. You shouldn¡¯t sell yourself short.¡± Dunes nodded, enjoying his jam bun. ¡°They were powerful beasts, but we had managed to slay them,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It was Adam who had truly defeated them.¡± ¡°No kidding,¡± she said, looking to Adam, who had yet to reveal his Fae nature to her. ¡°An Iyrman singing praises of another warrior? I know it isn¡¯t rare, but it¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°Well, you know,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all well,¡± Pam admitted. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who else is going to buy all your jam buns?¡± She smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± They ate outside, with Adam handing most of the bread to the porters as he usually did. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You?¡± Jurot nodded, eating his jam bun. ¡®It tastes sweeter today.¡¯ ¡°Since we made a lot of coin, we¡¯ll take a break tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes?¡± Dunes said, having expected them to take a break. ¡°Oh, right. Actually, Jurot and I used to quest daily.¡± Dunes blinked. ¡°We went on a quest yesterday too,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°We almost lost Kitool to a Brown Bear.¡± ¡°Resting is important,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Adam said, rolling his eyes. ¡°I know that, but sometimes we have a need to make more coin.¡± ¡°What need of you for coin at this moment?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°That¡¯s beside the point,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re sounding a lot like aunt Sonarot.¡± Dunes glanced between Jurot and Adam. ¡°Aunt Sonarot?¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said. ¡°How long should we rest?¡± ¡°A day is fine,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be a week?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to make more money for your good Lady Arya?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Well... yes.¡± ¡°Then we should go out multiple times a week to make a ton of money for her, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°However,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you want a week off, you should take a week off. It¡¯s not a good idea to go out and quest if you¡¯re not feeling it. We could try and manage a few easier quests if someone is out.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll quest with you,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say someone would have died without me?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Fair point. Still...¡± Adam thought about it for a few moments. ¡°Let¡¯s take a few days off. Jurot, make sure you rest tomorrow. I have a few matters to deal with.¡± When they returned to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which was full of life, some of whom were pointing their way and gossiping about the pair of Herbearvores which had been brought back. ¡°We need to talk,¡± Braun said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How am I always getting into trouble with large, muscled men?¡± Adam whispered. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Okay, this new guy isn''t so bad. 90. Potions and Scrolls 90. Potions and Scrolls Adam followed the brawny Braun into the back. ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± ¡°Should you be?¡± Braun asked, raising his brow. ¡°No?¡± ¡°We need you to Identify a few items,¡± the muscled veteran said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, anticlimactically. ¡°Right. Sure. I can start today, I guess?¡± ¡°Are you certain? You¡¯ve only recently returned from a gruelling quest. I wouldn¡¯t ask you to do it tonight.¡± ¡°I should get it out of the way,¡± Adam said. Braun nodded. ¡°There are three items. Will you handle them all?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, returning back to his party. ¡°Just some guild business, you know how it is.¡± Spell: Identify +1 Dagger You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Spell: Identify +1 Sword You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Spell: Identify +1 Handaxe You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. ??? Adam noted something off about the weapon, staring at it long and hard. He cast Identify on it once more, this time trying to dig deeper into learning more about the weapon. Spell: Identify Arcane Lore D20 + 5 = 22 (17) +1 Handaxe (Cursed) You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Cursed. The weapon critically fails on a roll of 1-2. It was late at night by the time he was finished, and he gave his finding to the guild, which prepared his reward. Gems: 10 Obsidian -> 19 Obsidian Once he was done with his work, having faced two Herbearvores and spent four hours casting Identify, he passed out in his bed, snoring loudly. Omen: 1, 6 Adam spent the morning relaxing in the hot bath of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, before heading down for some breakfast, Herbearvore stew, which was delicious. The meat was more flavourful than typical meat, somehow the diet of the Herbearvores, which would sometimes consist of eating the flesh of people, seemed to pack the meat with extra flavour without the use of spices and herbs once might typically use. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some supplies with the Party Fund,¡± Adam said, glancing to the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°Alchemy,¡± he muttered under his breath, covering his lips. The Iyrmen nodded, and Dunes threw him a look. ¡°You can make potions?¡± he whispered. ¡°I can do much more than that, but let¡¯s keep that between you and me.¡± Adam popped a bit of torn bun into his mouth as he winked. Adam walked out to make his way to the Alchemy Store, only to find Nobby outside. ¡°Nobby?¡± he said, only to realise he hadn¡¯t given the boy the day off. ¡°My bad.¡± Currency: 53 -> 52 Adam flicked the coin to the large boy, who barely caught it. ¡°Take the day off, Nobby ol¡¯ boy.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the boy said, quickly retreating back home. The Half Elf trekked through the town, making his way to the Alchemy Store. He found the little shack, basked in the shadow of the nearby buildings. He slipped into it, smelling all manner of putridly earthy smells. The door creaked as it opened, as it had done previously. Candles dimly lit the room. Bottles of all manner of concoctions were littered around the walls, eyes of certain creatures, stalks of various herbs, and even bits and pieces of people and other things. Things which probably had names, but Adam couldn¡¯t identify them right away. ¡°What brings a hunky armoured fellow like you into my domains?¡± came the raspy voice of a woman. ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m certain you said the last thing as last time.¡± ¡°Oh? We¡¯ve met?¡± the heavily clothed figure asked, amorphous under her scarves. ¡°I¡¯m here to buy some herbs and such to make Healing Potions,¡± Adam said, placing down five Obsidian. Gems: 19 Obsidian -> 14 Obsidian ¡°You want such high quality ingredients? I can do that for you, handsome,¡± she said, scooping the gems before bringing out a small box with her next motion. There was a long moment between them before Adam took the box. ¡°Fifty gold¡¯s worth of herbs and such for Healing Potions?¡± Adam asked to confirm. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare otherwise, not to such a handsome man, especially not one in puthral.¡± She smiled. Adam nodded, before stepping outside, feeling her gaze on him long after he had rounded the corner. He returned back to his room, wishing to make a large number of potions. He clasped his hands together, before setting about his work. Mana: 8 -> 7 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 23 (20) He brought out the herbs, measuring them out before placing them down into the mortar, where he ground the herbs together. As he slipped the crushed herbs into the water, he expended his Mana into the concoction. As the liquid glowed, creating a swirling vortex within the bottle, he noted just how potent it was. He split the liquid into half, and added in some more of the crushed herbs and water, creating two decent Healing Potions. Congratulations! 2 Basic Healing Potions Created. Heals for 2D3+3 HP. XP Gained: +100 XP: 2500 -> 2600 ¡°Nice,¡± he whispered, smiling. Mana: 7 -> 6 Alchemy D20 + 3 = 23 (20) ¡°We should be heading to sleep,¡± the Adventurers said, excusing themselves. They had heard he was a Half Elf, which would have been awkward considering the relationship between them at the moment. ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯m going to relax all day,¡± Adam said, yawning. ¡°Are you sick?¡± Jurot asked, though he noted that Adam didn¡¯t look too terrible, other than some signs of tiredness. ¡°No, no, I just can¡¯t burn myself out.¡± He yawned. ¡°Actually...¡± He leaned in. ¡°Is there a place which sells spell scrolls?¡± Jurot glanced his way. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°If you wish to go, I will take you there.¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that,¡± Adam said, noting how an Iyrman¡¯s presence might assist him. He handed Jurot the Enhanced Healing Potion he had created, patting the Iyrman¡¯s back. ¡°That¡¯s for you.¡± Jurot nodded. Omen: 10, 19 Currency: 49 -> 46 Adam and Jurot, after Adam paid the Porters, made their way to a shop near the edge of town towards the Noble District. It quite a large shop, made of thick stone, and etched around the perimeter of the building were Runes, full of gold dust. Whether they were real Wards, no one knew, and no one wanted to find out. Mikael¡¯s Magical Milieu ¡°What¡¯s a milieu?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, my people don¡¯t like the EU.¡± Adam clamped his mouth shut tight and almost began to sob at his terrible joke. ¡°I¡¯m a fucking riot,¡± he whispered to himself before stepping into the shop. He felt something press over him, as though he was wearing another set of plate mail over his body. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam groaned, feeling the pressure for a moment, before it passed. He looked down to his fingers. ¡°Antimagic?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the young woman said. ¡°Just in case.¡± ¡°Smart,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t by chance Mikael, are you?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m one of his Apprentices.¡± ¡°He has multiple Apprentices?¡± She smiled. ¡°My mother was an old friend of his, and he took me in as a favour to her.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Adam, son of Fate. This is Jurot, son of Surot.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m going to try and take every gold coin from you,¡± she said, smirking at him. ¡°Mikaela,¡± she said. Adam raised his brow, flashing a cheeky smile. ¡°Just how close were your mother and this wizard?¡± ¡°It was a bet they made,¡± she replied. ¡°She was Petrified by a Basilisk.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, his cheeky smile turning into an embarrassed frown. ¡°Well, uh, I¡¯m here to buy some spell scrolls, if you have any.¡± ¡°If we have any,¡± she scoffed. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°Do you have a selection?¡± he asked. ¡°Hmmm.¡± She looked at the Iyrman, noting his tattoo, before at their tags. ¡°Can you afford them?¡± ¡°How much is each spell scroll?¡± ¡°Tricks are fifty gold, 1st Gate are one hundred, 2nd Gate are two hundred, and 3rd Gate are five hundred.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Well, I have about...¡± Adam squinted his eyes. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say I can buy a 3rd Gate scroll at least.¡± He smiled. She blinked. ¡°Well, we have a few items. I can see you¡¯re a heavily armoured man, perhaps a few Smite Spells will be good for you? We have Thunderous Smite and Wrathful Smite. We also have Heroism, if you like, or Bless. If you would like a ranged option we have Chaos Bolt.¡± ¡°Do you have Fireball?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do we have Fireball,¡± she scoffed. ¡°What kind of self respecting Wizard Emporium doesn¡¯t have Fireball?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the lot,¡± Adam said, placing down his pouch of Tiger Eye gems. ¡°The whole lot?¡± Mikaela asked, blinking twice. She grabbed an umbrella and pulled the pouch over the counter, waiting for a moment to see if it alerted anything, before she opened up the pouch using the hook of the umbrella. She waved her hand and a spectral hand started to place out the coins. ¡°You must be quite close with the Iyrmen,¡± she said. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to Jurot. ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± ¡°Your brother?¡± she asked, glancing at the Iyrman, before glancing at the boy. ¡°You should have removed your helmet. If you were an Iyrman, I wouldn¡¯t have been so harsh.¡± ¡°Well, I have a skin condition, so...¡± ¡°Are you an Iyrman?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes. Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°No?¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m a Nephew of the Iyr.¡± She nodded her in understanding. ¡°Usually we wouldn¡¯t sell something like Fireball to just any group, but since you¡¯re being vouched for by an Iyrman...¡± She dropped the gems somewhere before placing down six spell scrolls in their own cases down onto the counter. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, placing the scrolls away. ¡°It was a pleasure doing business with you.¡± She nodded. ¡°You too, son of Fate.¡± She waved as they left, before noting down his appearance and behaviour on a piece of paper, which quickly replicated itself, before she folded it. She¡¯d send it away in the night to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which would send out the information to the other Guilds and Magical Shops. ¡°Oh, crap,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t have any ink...¡± He glanced to Jurot. ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask the Guild.¡± He used part of the Party Fund to pay for it, having forgotten to use it to pay for the herbs for the various Healing Potions. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m so poor now...¡± He frowned, copying the Bless scroll into his spellbook. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Is it the potion making arc? So soon? Also, I''m at chapter 113 over on Patreon. I managed to write three chapters today because I received a bunch of new patrons, so shout out to you guys for letting me buy food! Lol! 91. A Hunting Pack 91. A Hunting Pack ¡°I¡¯m poor,¡± Adam sniffled, resting his face on the table before breakfast. ¡°So...¡± Dunes began. ¡°We¡¯re working today?¡± Jaygak asked, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°This time we¡¯re going to hunt down every Forest Wolf in the world.¡± ¡°That would be terrible,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The ecosystem of the forest will be under threat if we were to do that.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°You know, Jurot, you¡¯re not so bad.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I am very good.¡± They ate breakfast together, which was full of meat and grilled vegetables, before heading out with the trio of Porters. ¡°Working hard already?¡± Pam asked, already beginning to pack some jam buns. ¡°I¡¯m poor,¡± Adam said, frowning at the women. She eyed up his puthral plate mail. ¡°Mhmm, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Poor for an Adventurer,¡± Adam explained. Pam nodded, smiling slightly. There was poor, and then there was Adventurer poor. Currency: 14SP -> 9SP ¡°You must be poor if you¡¯re only spending five silvers,¡± she said, winking at him. ¡°Right? The less money I have, the less we¡¯ll buy in here,¡± Adam warned her. ¡°Then work hard today!¡± Pam said, waving at them as they left. Adam pat Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s bring back a great story for her.¡± Jurot nodded his head, narrowing his eyes as his focus grew, finishing his jam bun. ¡°Heave!¡± ¡°Ho!¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m They set off towards the forest, once against being led by the combined efforts of Jurot and Kitool leading them. It hadn¡¯t taken long for Kitool to stop the group, motioning to a group of tracks. ¡°Five total.¡± ¡°One Elder?¡± Jurot said, looking at the track, leaning in. Kitool nodded her head. There were few types of creatures which could make a paw print this large. There could have been a different type of Wolf, but the pair eventually came to the conclusion it was most likely an Elder Forest Wolf. They followed the tracks, trekking through the thick forest, leaping off of small mounds. Jurot donned his shield, which caused the others to don their own and take their positions. Jurot and Kitool at the front, Adam with the Porters, and Jaygak and Dunes bringing up the rear, since they had the heaviest armour which still jingled every so often. Jurot stopped, his ears twitching. Kitool¡¯s ears twitched too and she squatted into a low stance, readying for battle. At their movements, the Porters dropped their palanquin and Adam drew Lightsear, which gleamed in the rays of the sun peeking through the canopy. The soft thumps of wolf paws revealed their presence as four Forest Wolves, beasts with brown fur, leapt from the brush, each larger than a typical Wolf, though there was one which even dwarfed the rest. They snarled at the newcomers as the other Forest Wolves circled around. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 4 (3) The Elder Forest Wolf, noting the eagerness of the intruders, leapt into the fray after a roar, heading towards Kitool, though Jurot intercepted it. It¡¯s large paws struck Jurot harshly, knocking the wind out of the powerful Iyrman, even dragging him to the ground with its mighty blow. Jurot grit his teeth before roaring back at the Elder Forest Wolf, swinging his axe wildly, though it only cut through fur rather than flesh. Kitool slunk to the beast¡¯s side and barely missed as the Forest Wolves, seeing their leader strike at the two without metal armour, rushed in to them. One leapt to strike the fallen Jurot, who shoved his shield against its jaw, though another managed to slash against his shoulder from behind. Another two surrounded Kitool, trying to find purchase with their teeth within her flesh, but instead bit into the edges of her clothing as she nimbly danced between them. The Porters circled to one of the Forest Wolves beside Kitool, skewering one of them with their trio of spears, moving methodically together as they had planned. Jeremy and Remy had almost died, and so kept within arm¡¯s reach of one another. Nobby followed the lead of his uncles, as expected. Dunes, knowing his role, charged forward into the fray, slamming into the side of a Forest Wolf as he dropped down. ¡°Do not fall yet, Iyrman! By the good Lady¡¯s grace!¡± His healing magic filled Jurot, closing the wound against his shoulder, his shield pointed up towards the Elder Forest Wolf, trying to protect himself as he healed in the chaotic fray. Yet the carnage had not yet begun. Adam inhaled deeply for a moment. Just a moment. ¡°You kids are working too hard,¡± the guard said. ¡°You know, my cousin¡¯s cousin¡¯s father in law¡¯s nephew was an Adventurer, and he worked near daily. He made a pile of gold coins, but he couldn¡¯t spend it because he came across a Red Bear. You should be careful, and spend the coin while you have the chance. Keeps the economy going, you know?¡± ¡°I assure you, I spend a lot of coin,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I have expensive taste.¡± The guards glanced between another, before nodding their heads to the Half Elf. ¡°Whatever you say, young man.¡± Insight Check D20 + 1 = 10 (9) Adam wondered what that look meant, glancing between them, but he couldn¡¯t quite judge it. Currency: 16CP -> 12CP The Adventurer¡¯s Guild soon welcomed them, and the Porters placed down their loads. Jeremy and Remy worked on stretching their backs, whereas Nobby kept an eye out on the their loads. Braun stared at the Forest Wolves, glancing between the four smaller beasts, and the two larger beasts. ¡°Not bad,¡± he said, nodding his head. ¡°I thought it was luck last time.¡± ¡°It might be luck this time too,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Perhaps there is a little bit of luck, but,¡± he stared at all the other party members. ¡°I think it¡¯s more than that. A large group as yourself probably can handle such deadly threats. Most people try to keep their group small, three to five members, but eight, with three Porters, is quite unheard of at Copper Rank.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°So...¡± He clasped his hands together. ¡°Show me the money!¡± Quest Complete: Forest Wolf Hunting XP Gained: +280 XP: 3030 -> 3310 Stamps Gained: +2 Stamps: 16 -> 18 Currency Gained: +270GP ¡°I have quite a few stamps now,¡± Adam said, staring up at Braun. ¡°I¡¯ll be informing Vice Master Paul,¡± Braun said, nodding his head, writing down a few notes. He had to keep some of the beast parts in the pile of Iyrtax the Guild was in charge of collecting for them, including the specifics of who had offered it and when, and to which families it would go to. He was slowly beginning to understand Adam¡¯s relationship with the Iyr, which he¡¯d need to inform Paul about. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, wondering if he should be excited to Rank Up. ¡®I could stay Copper Rank for a while, though, right?¡¯ Currency: 46GP -> 80GP Adam took a moment to figure out how much he should hand over to the Porters. ¡°Adam,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Is the Party Fund meant to pay for my stay in the Guild?¡± the War Priest asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. He blinked a few times. ¡°Oh, my bad. I forgot since we don¡¯t have to pay.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°I had forgotten too.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ll try and keep up on that. How much is it?¡± ¡°Two gold a night,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Take ten gold and I¡¯ll keep track of that from now on.¡± Dunes nodded. Adam had kept note of how much people had been putting into the Party Fund. Somehow, the party had been putting in the same amount as one another, even more than the minimum, arriving to the same number independently. He¡¯d need to make sure he didn¡¯t forget to use it to assist the party. ¡®I don¡¯t want to be a loser, damn it!¡¯ Currency: 80GP -> 73GP He paid for the Porters, paying them each two gold coins, before paying another gold for some bread for the entire group, though most of it with the Porters as per usual. Jurot regaled the tale of the fight to Pam, including how he had nearly torn a wolf in half with his axe. ¡°May I touch your axe?¡± Pam asked. Adam almost choked on his jam bun, before quickly stumbling outside, sipping down his water. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, splashing some water onto his face. ¡°Nobby, make sure you stay as sweet and innocent as you are right now, alright?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nobby replied, simply. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I like Nobby. I hope he doesn''t die. 92. Preparations 92. Preparations ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been doing quite well,¡± Braun said, having taken the Half Elf and his Iyrman companion aside. ¡°I spoke with Vice Master Paul, and he thinks you should both Rank Up to Iron.¡± ¡°Will that be a problem for the party?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I mean, if we¡¯re both Iron, and the rest are Copper, will that introduce any issues?¡± ¡°No, not at Iron. However, Vice Master Paul has recently received a request, and he was hoping the pair of you would be willing to accept it.¡± ¡°A request?¡± Adam asked, his ears twitching. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a request to help Sir Harvey find a herb called Goldarb,¡± Braun said. ¡°Goldarb?¡± Adam asked, glancing to Jurot, who had caught his eye. Adam couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. ¡°When does it start?¡± ¡°Currently, it¡¯s to begin on the 21st.¡± ¡°So roughly a week,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡®Sir Harvey? It¡¯s a little different this time...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯ll be us two and who else?¡± ¡°There will be a few others joining to accompany you, but they won¡¯t be Adventurers. Vice Master Paul recommended the pair of you for your unique skills.¡± ¡°Which unique skills?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. Braun cleared his throat, glancing to Jurot. ¡°A unique skill which you have been practising recently in your room.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes again. ¡°Spying on me?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°The smell made it obvious.¡± Adam cracked a smile. ¡°Right, good point.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Alright, well, let¡¯s get to the most important part?¡± Adam rubbed his hands together. ¡°Tell me about the sweet hard gold I¡¯ll be making?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ten gold payment upfront, five gold per day, and of course your various lodging and food will be paid for in the towns and cities, as expected, and an additional fifty gold upon completion.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad pay,¡± he said. ¡°Easily a hundred gold, I think,¡± Adam said, glancing to Jurot, before his eyes fell back to Braun. ¡°That was to each of us, right? Not total?¡± Braun nodded. ¡°Okay, good, just making sure.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Braun asked. ¡°Give me a sec,¡± Adam said, throwing his head back, trying to think about the matter. ¡°Who else is coming along?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not completely certain yet, but I¡¯m sure at the very least an Oakguard will be sent.¡± ¡°Oakguard?¡± Adam asked ¡°A Knight of Red Oak,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Are they strong?¡± Braun couldn¡¯t help but blink at the question. ¡®What did he just ask.¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Alright, well then...¡± He threw his head back as he crossed his arms, thinking again. He thought back to his previous life. ¡®There¡¯s a chance I meet them again.¡¯ He hummed quietly. ¡®I should probably make it easier for myself.¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes, dropping his head and he stared at Braun for a moment. ¡°Could we include the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden? They won¡¯t slack in combat, there will be three Iyrmen after all, and we also have a War Priest.¡± ¡°I will ask Vice Master Paul about the matter,¡± Braun said. ¡°Thanks.¡± With that, Adam gathered Fate¡¯s Golden to speak with them, explaining to them the situation. ¡°I have to go,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a personal thing. I¡¯ve asked if you guys could join, but I¡¯m not sure what they¡¯ll say.¡± ¡°It pays well enough,¡± Dunes said, nodding his head. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, having only just realised what he had missed. ¡°Oh no.¡± He rubbed his forehead. ¡°You definitely can¡¯t come along...¡± He shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I forgot. Jurot, can we borrow an Iyrman? Silver Rank is preferred, but Steel Rank is good too.¡± ¡°Borrow?¡± Jurot asked, blinking at Adam. ¡°What is it that you need?¡± Paul asked, having arrived not long after he had been told Adam wanted to discuss something of extreme importance with him. ¡°First, I¡¯m not talking to you as Paul the Vice Master. I¡¯m talking to you as Paul, who is happily married to an Iyrman, meaning this is a secret of the Iyr.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, who nodded his head. ¡°I am a Guild Worker,¡± Paul said, glancing towards Jurot too. ¡°However, I will take your words to heart, Adam, Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Paul, I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m asking you as a fellow friend of the Iyr.¡± Adam leaned in. ¡°I need to trust you on this, I can¡¯t have this information spreading around.¡± Paul stared into Adam¡¯s eyes, seeing the look of seriousness in them. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I need you to pass along a message to a Silver Rank Iyrman, or a Steel Rank if you can¡¯t find a Silver Rank. The higher the Rank, the better, honestly. More than one would be nice too. So, you know how Sir Harvey needs a team to escort him up north, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Paul said, nodding his head. ¡®Why does he need such powerful Iyrmen?¡¯ ¡°Well,¡± Adam began, unsure of how to continue. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I have a weird feeling about it, and I want some insurance. I would like you to pass the message that I, Adam, son of Fate, Nephew of the Rot family, am willing to enchant a weapon for them if they are willing to assist me, as long as they provide their own materials for it.¡± Paul blinked. He wasn''t sure which surprised him more. The fact that, within four months, he had managed to become a Nephew of the Iyrmen, with Jurot standing beside him so proudly, or that he could enchant items. "All those weapons that you guys have..." "Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I did." "All of them?" ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°Including Jurot¡¯s shield, which he doesn¡¯t often use.¡± He threw a glance towards Jurot, who shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Wh-what? How did you...¡± "The Iyrman''s shrines." Paul looked to Jurot, who nodded. He was even more surprised. "How did you even become a Nephew? It usually requires a few years, and I only managed so after a few years, whilst I was sweet on an Iyrman.¡± "Well, what can I say? I move quick." Adam chuckled. ¡®Ridiculous,¡¯ Paul thought, rubbing his forehead. "So what''s this bad feeling?" "Let''s just say that I''d like at least two Iyrmen at Steel Rank, but three would be preferred, or two at Silver Rank.¡± Adam thought for a moment. "Oh, actually, there is someone else I could ask, but I need a Sending scroll." Adam clicked his teeth. "Damn. If only I had..." He rubbed his face. "No, would she even help?¡± He wondered if it was a good idea. ¡°Well, she hasn¡¯t gotten back to me, maybe something¡¯s up with her? Let¡¯s just stick with the Iyrmen.¡± Paul watched as the Half Elf had a conversation with himself. He glanced at Jurot¡¯s weapon and shield, and then to Adam¡¯s Lightsear. "I''ll send the message, and If I come along, would you enchant a weapon for me?¡± "You?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Of course.¡± "Really?" "Yeah.¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°I didn''t think you would come along, though things may go smoother with you.¡± Adam smiled, thinking about how having a Vice Master could be quite useful to smooth things out. ¡°As long as you can keep a few secrets." "Well, I keep enough secrets as is." Paul thought about his wife, and how his darling son would need a decent mace. ¡®Plus, having Adam owe me a favour is nice. A rising star like him, with such talent...¡¯ "I''ll see what I can do. How dangerous are you anticipating this mission?" "Either nothing will happen, or...¡± Adam wondered how to word it. ¡°You might want to bring a couple of Dragon Slaying arrows." Paul chuckled, rolling his eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± "Paul of the Silver," Adam called out, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I meant what I said. Either nothing happens this mission, or we''re going to fight a fucking dragon. That doesn''t include those which have been sleeping, but I''m less frightened of them." "What are you talking about?" Paul asked, staring at the Half Elf, before seeing Jurot nodding from his peripheral vision. "Giant men of metal, as strong as the average Iyrman at least. Though, to be honest, we can run from them quite easily.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s the dragon I¡¯m worried about.¡± Paul stared at Adam, unsure if he was crazy. "Okay. I¡¯ll send a message. You''re looking for just a handful of Iyrmen? We''ll consider this a private request through the guild. Their mission will be to protect you." "No, their mission will be to obey me," Adam corrected. ¡°Isn¡¯t that to be expected?¡± Paul asked. "I''m not the one they need to protect. Well, I am, but there''s someone more important." "What a vague mission,¡± Paul said, wondering why Adam was so hesitant to tell him more. "Let''s not do it through the guild then. The Iyrmen should have heard of me through what I did in the Iyr during the festival, I hope, so that should be enough to pique their interest. If it doesn¡¯t, tell them that Saerat and Sonarot are very happy with the magical weapons I¡¯ve made for them." Paul rubbed his forehead, unsure if he could follow Adam¡¯s pace. "Fine, fine. I''ll deal with it." He had to take Adam''s words seriously, because Jurot seemed to trust him. However, the Half Elf also seemed quite suspicious. ¡®Am I getting senile? I should retire.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Is it finally time? 93. First Fight 93. First Fight Omen: 3, 4 ¡°I know this is going to sound a little abrupt, but I need to earn a lot of Experience quickly,¡± Adam said. ¡°Bringing too many people along spreads it too thin, so we won¡¯t be earning as much. Before the end of the week, we need to make sure we¡¯re strong enough, in case you¡¯re all allowed to come along with us.¡± Adam sat with Fate¡¯s Golden and the Porters, speaking with them with a seriousness they weren¡¯t used to. ¡°What will you do?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°You and I should take one member of the team with us, and Nobby with his basket.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous,¡± Remy said, not sure if he should allow his nephew to walk around with so few people. He recalled they almost died not long ago. ¡°It will be good for Nobby. He¡¯ll be able to gain Experience at a quicker rate, and that will only help him. We¡¯ll be rotating the third member and the Porter, that way each of you will work for one day and rest for two days, whereas Jurot and I will be working daily and gaining more Experience.¡± The others glanced between one another, unsure of this plan. They had only recently come across deathly battles, which had really only gone well with Adam and Dunes. ¡°It might even make sense for the remaining party members to go with the two Porters to slay Boars, not Giant Boars, but Boars, that way you¡¯re still working and gaining Experience, but safely,¡± Adam said. ¡°If something happens and you are in a position where the enemy is too strong, you can run.¡± ¡°I think it would be best if Remy and I went with the pair of you, and Nobby went with the other three,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°Four and four, each with someone who can heal.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms. He tapped his finger against his bicep. ¡®It¡¯s a pretty good idea. They slay Boars, or other simpler quests, whereas Jurot and I go tackle more powerful foes with the assistance of the two more experience Porters.¡¯ ¡°You might be on to something.¡± Remy and Jeremy nodded their heads, feeling more comfortable leaving Nobby with two Iyrmen and a Priest, collectively a powerful force, while maintaining a balance between the two distinct Parties. ¡°Even though we won¡¯t be together during that time, we should still put money into the party Purse,¡± Adam said, glancing at the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°You can pay Nobby¡¯s wage through the Party Fund, and if it¡¯s a particularly tough day, or he is hurt too much, you are to pay him at least double. I will split the current Party Fund in half and hand it over. You all need to be very careful, take quests that will be easy to handle, and prioritise your safety. Don¡¯t die. Do not die. If I hear that any of you have died, I will personally speak with the God of Death to slap you.¡± The others raised their brows in surprise upon hearing him saying such harsh words and invoking the God of Death into his words. ¡°You¡¯re asking a Priest of War and two Iyrmen to run away from a fight?¡± Dunes asked, raising his brows. ¡°Look,¡± Adam began, sitting up straighter, ¡°if you want to die to a Boar or a Herbearvore, be my guest. I will personally make fun of you until the day that I die. Can you imagine being a Priest of War or an Iyrman and dying to a Boar? A Boar? I could be completely naked, no weapons, no armour, you could even take away whatever magic I know, and I could still kill a Boar.¡± The trio stared at Adam, surprised. Kitool and Jaygak squinted at him, unnerved by his words. Jurot glanced aside, avoiding the pair of Iyrmen¡¯s gazes. ¡°You would shame us upon our death.¡± ¡°If you die to a Boar, of course I will. How could you die to a Boar when you¡¯re two Iyrmen, a War Priest, and you were warned by me? I will go out of my way to return to your families and tell them how shameful you all were, and I¡¯ll make sure when the Iyr raises their children, they¡¯ll use Dunes as a word to describe a stupid mistake. I will change the language just so that you are twice as shamed.¡± Adam slammed his fists on the table. ¡°If any of you dare to die and risk Nobby¡¯s life, I¡¯ll go find Baktu and have him drag your souls to me so I can slap you myself.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Remain calm, Adam.¡± Adam exhaled, falling back into his chair. ¡°Nobby is working hard to make sure his family turns out fine. We pay him good coin so his family doesn¡¯t need to worry, but the hazard pay won¡¯t be enough in the long term if he dies. It¡¯s not about you, or me, it¡¯s about the people around us. I said I¡¯d take you both to Gold Rank, and if you¡¯ve decided that you¡¯d rather bring shame to your family and die to a fucking Boar, fine, do so. Though I¡¯ll make sure your parents hear how you decided to take that path instead of becoming Gold Rank. I¡¯ll be sure to tell the good Lady Arya that Dunes, a Priest in her service, decided that he¡¯d rather kick the bucket against a pathetic Boar than to spread her good word.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if he should say anything, so he kept his mouth shut. Kitool and Jaygak were annoyed, and Dunes was squinting at the Half Elf too. ¡°You may be our party Leader, but you should be careful with what you say,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa,¡± Adam said, raising his hands innocently. ¡°If you guys die to a bunch of Boars, I¡¯m going to pretend I don¡¯t know you. I am not going to shame the Rot family by attaching my name to any of you.¡± Jaygak slammed the table. ¡°Watch your tongue, Adam.¡± Adam flipped the table, causing Emma to glance up at them. Of course people were allowed to be rowdy, but there was a limit. Others were beginning to stare their way too. ¡°Or what?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to get yourself killed to prove your point? You¡¯re going to make Jurot and I drag your body back to your family and tell them that even though you knew,¡± Adam switch to their tongue, ¡°that they were suffering, you still let your pride get to your head and you decided to die to some fucking Boar instead of bringing them glory and riches? What an ungrateful little-¡° Jurot grabbed Adam and pulled him away from Jaygak, who was beginning to twitch. ¡°Enough, Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We understand your words. You are our leader. You do not have to go so far. You tell us what you expect, and we will follow.¡± Kitool also placed a hand on Jaygak, calming her down. Jaygak, glanced at Kitool, shaking her head, before sitting down.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com looked around, noting the other Adventurers, who were pretending they weren¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Adam said, quickly putting the table back up. He noted the glare of the beautiful red headed Receptionist, and glanced away from her quickly, sitting back down, brushing the top of the table. ¡°Jaygak, Kitool, you will take the easiest Copper Rank Quests,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He needs to be careful with his words,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°What if the Enhanced Healing Potion is more... you know, Enhanced?¡± ¡°How much more potent are they?¡± Paul asked. Adam placed down a potion, which Paul tested by dipping in a piece of cloth and sucking on it. Paul stared up at Adam. ¡°One hundred and fifty.¡± ¡°What about this one?¡± Adam said, placing down the best potion. Paul checked it again, wondering what kind of misfortune he had gone though to meet someone like Adam. ¡°One hundred and eighty.¡± ¡°I have three Enhanced Healing Potions, the other one is normal. I¡¯ll sell all three to the Guild, keeping it between you and I.¡± ¡°Are you willing to create more for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡± Paul asked. ¡°We need a few Healing Potions.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Five.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Provide me the material to make fifteen, including the vials.¡± ¡°Fifteen?¡± Paul asked. ¡°I¡¯ll make you five in exchange for the materials, and they should be about as powerful as Basic Healing Potions.¡± Paul wasn¡¯t going to deny such a good deal, nodding his head. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°They should be high quality materials, not the standard quality.¡± Adam was sure his Healing Potions were affected by the quality of the materials used. ¡°Understood.¡± Paul gathered the gems for him. ¡®Did he make three Enhanced Healing Potions just today? There¡¯s no way, right?¡¯ Adam brought the party together, feeling the awkwardness in the air. ¡°Change of plans,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be making some gifts for you all.¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I am going to create some Healing Potions, putting my money where my mouth is.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t our mother,¡± Dunes said, flashing a smile, trying to ease the tension in the room. ¡°No, but I am your leader, who is abandoning you after an awkward fight. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± ¡°Are you looking down on us?¡± Dunes raised his brow. ¡°No," Adam said, narrowing his eyes. "I am atoning for my uselessness as a leader. I''m treating it rather casually, but I have business to do on this upcoming Quest, something important. It''s important enough that I have to betray your expectations." "If you have business, then you have business,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about us, we¡¯re grown ups too.¡± "Yeah, but it''s my own heart which won''t be resolved if I leave it like this. I know I said some terrible things, and I meant every single thing I said. However, there are reasons why, but I¡¯m asking you to trust me for now, even though I¡¯m an ass.¡± ¡°You had saved my life before,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I trust you, even if your words are too harsh.¡± Jaygak rubbed the hilt of her sword. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Adam. We view your actions more than your words.¡± Adam smiled, nodding his head. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam! Why are you trying to fight the Iyrmen? You idiot! What''s this, an early chapter? Does that mean there will be an extra chapter later? Maybe! 94. Level Four 94. Level Four Omen: 3, 15 Adam handed the party Purse to Jurot, allowing him to take lead of it, and to pay the Porters too from it. ¡°We shall return,¡± Jurot said, heading out with the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden and the Porters. Adam spent the next few days creating potions within his room, using the herbs provided by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Mana: 8 -> 7 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 9 (6) Omen: 3, 15 -> 3 15 + 3 = 18 She was tall. Clad in well worn plate, but her leaf green eyes couldn¡¯t be hidden so easily. Her well worn armour was splattered with a dark liquid, not her blood, but the blood of the beast before her. They weren¡¯t quite a beast, for they were an amalgamation of three beasts in one. The head of a Giant Salamander, the head of a Black Lion, and the head of a Grave Robin. As she battled it, she found herself slipping into the blast of fire from the jaws of the Giant Salamander, which burnt her through her armour. 1 Enhanced Healing Potion Created. XP: 3760 -> 3910 Mana: 7 -> 6 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 13 (10) 1 Basic Healing Potion Created. XP: 3910 -> 3960 Mana: 6 -> 5 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 8 (5) 1 Minor Healing Potion Created. XP: 3960 -> 3970 Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 25 (20) At the end of his Alchemy, Adam grew cold. The warmth of his Mana rushed out towards his head, where it filled with heat, threatening to explode. He grit his teeth and inhaled deeply, feeling his Mana invade his mind, but he managed to push away the blast of psychic energy threatening to strike him. ¡°I need to be more careful,¡± Adam said, dropping down onto his bed as he massaged his pulsing forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to feel it come back so soon. I should try and find a way to minimise it...¡± Still, he looked at his Experience. ¡®Hey, Bell? How much is it to Level Up?¡¯ [4000XP.] ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me...¡± He rubbed his forehead. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± Dunes asked, slicing his bread, dipping the sliced bread into the soup before eating it. ¡°Well,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think I¡¯ve been doing it too much though.¡± Dunes paused and stared at him. ¡°Are you still making multiple each day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That is dangerous,¡± Dunes said, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Yeah, I feel that,¡± Adam said. Dunes stared at the Half Elf, surprised. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t keep doing it so recklessly.¡± ¡°Okay, mum, jeez.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was struck by it before and managed to survive.¡± Dunes continued to stare, unsure of what to say. Adam was beyond reckless, this was insane. ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so close,¡± Adam said, raising his hand, almost touching his finger tip to his thumb. ¡°I¡¯m this close, Dunes. I just need a little more and I¡¯ll be there.¡± Dunes glanced to the other Iyrmen, who gave him no comfort, for they also did not know what Adam was talking about. ¡°If you die, I will personally shame you for as long as I live.¡± ¡°What a terrible thing to say.¡± Adam gasped, shaking his head at the War Priest. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Jaygak?¡± Jaygak stared at Adam for a long moment before the corners of her lips twitched into a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I might shame you too.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°Braun. I¡¯m not dumb. Here we have this idiot surrounded by his goons. How stupid do you think I am that I am going to walk out, revealing myself as a Half Elf, and then getting killed on the street while they make something up, in Southern Aldland, where, roughly a decade ago, there was a massacre of your people by people that I look a little bit like, but I am not related to?¡± Adam blinked at him. ¡°No one would dare to do anything like that in the Guild.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He was here, calling me a leaf ear like nobodies business, and the moment I say something back, you butt in. You were really quiet when he was starting some bother with me, but the moment I defend myself, you had to step in. Did you think I didn¡¯t notice?¡± Braun stared at him. ¡°I saw the situation had escalated.¡± ¡°You saw the situation was escalating because of this guy, at least twice, and didn¡¯t say anything. I pay my dues. I help the Guild with my unique set of skills. Who was it that asked me to assist the Guild with a unique set of skills I hadn¡¯t formally revealed? Yet you¡¯re going to sit there acting all cute and innocent?¡± Adam stared at Braun. ¡°If you weren¡¯t a Guild Worker, I would have called you all sorts, but I still have some respect for the Guild, so I¡¯ll leave the matter here. Now, are you going to keep spouting bullshit, or are you going to call for Vice Master Paul?¡± The Adventurers stared at Adam, who had grown a set of steel balls after what he had done in the Iyr, forgetting he was no longer within it. However, he assumed that the Guild worked in a neutral matter, and wouldn¡¯t go out of their way to cause trouble to him, considering how many abilities he possessed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Paul asked, stepping out the back room, having been called by Braun by the press of a gem. ¡°Hey Paul, this little shit over here was starting some business and we¡¯re about to fight, but I don¡¯t trust anyone in this Guild,¡± Adam said, staring at Braun,¡± as far as I could throw them, except you. Would you mind keeping an eye out so it¡¯s a fair fight?¡± Paul glanced to the young Adventurer, noting his birth place, before nodding his head slowly. ¡°Alright.¡± They stepped outside to the side, where Adam had once sparred Paul. He reached down and drew his sword. ¡°This will be to surrender or unconsciousness,¡± Paul said. ¡°If any of you kill the other, I¡¯ll beat you senseless and drag you to the guards to be hung.¡± ¡°How much are we betting?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ten gold?¡± ¡°Ten? Do you think I¡¯m as poor as you, leaf ear? Make it twe-¡° ¡°A hundred gold then,¡± Adam said, nodding to Paul. ¡°Can you confirm?¡± ¡°A hundred gold?¡± Paul asked, glancing to the Copper Rank Adventurer. The Copper Rank Adventurer stared at Adam for a long moment, then looking to Paul. ¡°A hundred gold? Can he even afford it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind making it...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°I can probably throw out two hundred gold on this.¡± The Adventurer stared at Adam. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Adam said, glancing to Paul. ¡°Two hundred gold. I¡¯m sure you can confirm that I have at least that much after our last meeting.¡± Paul narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you actually have two hundred gold?¡± ¡°I mean, you paid me more than that, and I haven¡¯t had a chance to play with it.¡± ¡°Alright, then two hundred gold it is,¡± Paul said. ¡°Can you afford it?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to go that high,¡± the Adventurer said. ¡°Twenty is enough.¡± ¡°Damn, you must not be that successful,¡± Adam said, drawing his Lightsear, which gleamed. ¡°A magical weapon?¡± the Adventurer asked. ¡°You coward.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one in chain mail, mate,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you going to wait for me to slip into my puthral plate?¡± ¡°Puthral plate?¡± The Adventurer stared at Adam, full of shock. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry it up, I don¡¯t have all day,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°I¡¯ll use my sword and magic, and you can use your sword and armour.¡± The Adventurer raised his sword, full of rage, and an uneasiness. He hadn¡¯t expected Adam to have a magical weapon, having been too focused on his leaf ears. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Alchemy Arc is interrupted by Laying the Smackdown on a Racist Arc. 95. First Duel 95. First Duel Battle Order D20 + 1 = 21 (20) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 7 = 27 (20) D20 + 7 = 25 (18) Critical hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 6 = (3, 5)(5, 5, 6, 6) 36 damage! Adam, with his blade gripped tightly in both hands, charged forward. The Adventurer before him, with his own blade clutched tightly with both hands, charged forward full of rage too. Lightsear cut through the blade, cutting it in half, before cutting into the chain mail, nearly cutting through the man¡¯s arm. Had he wished, Adam could have disarmed him, of blade and bone, but he pulled back just in time. The young man stared at his arm, which was barely hanging on, and fell, his eyes rolled back into his skull, his mouth foaming. ¡®What should I say to make this sound cool?¡¯ Adam thought as he sheathed his blade. Paul sighed as the Adventurer¡¯s party panicked, and their Priest, the woman who had kept him at bay, quickly dropped beside him and prayed, filling him with her healing magic. Adam walked towards the Guild. ¡°Don¡¯t you want your gold?¡± Paul asked, having wondered how he¡¯d deal with the bet. ¡°He isn¡¯t worth it,¡± Adam replied, simply. When the others returned, he didn¡¯t mention the fight. Instead, he noted how many Boars they had slain, including the Great Boar. ¡°Nice,¡± he said, nodding his head. ¡°How did it go with you?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Pretty good,¡± Adam said, smiling. He had Levelled Up and had fought in duel. Dunes noted Adam¡¯s smirk, but left it at that. Omen: 6, 19 ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us that you had a fight last night?¡± Jaygak asked, staring at him with squinted eyes. ¡°It would have brought shame to my family,¡± Adam said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you win?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jaygak stared at him long and hard, but seeing as he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, left it at that. Kitool gave her a look, and the pair looked to Jurot, wondering if he¡¯d ask the question on their minds. Jurot continued to eat his boar stew in peace. Adam went back to work, making his potions. Mana: 10 -> 8 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 6 (3) Omen: 6, 19 -> 6 19 + 3 = 22 There was a man, adorned in breast plate, with a Rukh in flight stylised on the front. At his back was a blade, black, yet sprinkled with bits of colour like the night sky. He stared down at the darkness ahead, seeing through it, as though he were an elf, yet his sight was even greater. He could sense a trail from three beings ahead of him, and he sighed. He stepped forward to meet them, unsure of why his sister had sent him here. He barely managed to catch the blade of the tall woman, even as she limped, she caused him to skid backwards. The woman recognised him, but she did not stay her blade. 1 Enhanced Healing Potion Created. XP: 370 -> 420 Wisdom Save D20 + 3 = 17 (14) Adam resisted the joke, and continued working on making his Healing Potions. Mana: 8 -> 6 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 5 (2) 1 Minor Healing Potion Created. XP: 420 -> 430 Mana: 6 -> 4 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 17 (14) 1 Enhanced Healing Potion Created. XP: 420 -> 570 Jurot and the rest had returned, with a bounty of Boars. ¡°How was it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We slew a few Boars but there was nothing else,¡± Jaygak said. The Boar was cooked into a stew for them all, and there was the usual platter of fruits and vegetables for them too. There was plenty of bread to dip, which Dunes still cut into slices before dipping into his food. There was also some fried Boar on offer, which Adam happily accepted, saving it for the end, like a dessert. Thinking of dessert, he kept an apple, which he then flavoured into a red velvet cake. ¡®Nice. Magic is the best!¡¯ Omen: 7, 16 Dunes nodded. Half was actually quite generous considering that the two were much more powerful and were most of the reason they were able to complete the various Quests. ¡°I¡¯ll hand Kitool the Party Fund,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust either of you.¡± He glanced between Jaygak and Dunes. ¡°No, nevermind, it¡¯s definitely because I trust her more than you.¡± He smirked. Jaygak narrowed her eyes. ¡°Your jokes aren¡¯t funny.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam said, smiling wider. ¡°That¡¯s why I find them so funny!¡± ¡°Are you busy?¡± Braun asked, approaching them. ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¡°What did I do this time?¡± Adam asked, frowning. ¡°It¡¯s for Fate¡¯s Golden.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± They were led to another room, somewhere private, away from prying eyes and keen ears. ¡°Vice Master Paul has spoken with Sir Harvey, and your entire party is wanted for the expedition.¡± ¡°Sweet,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Saves me from splitting the Party Fund in half.¡± ¡°The pay will be fifty gold upfront, five gold to each of you per day, and fifty gold upon completion. Sir Harvey also wishes to head further north.¡± Braun gave a knowing glance to Adam, who smirked. ¡°Sounds good,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°What do you guys think?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been to the north yet,¡± Dunes admitted. Jaygak cracked a smile, unable to contain it. ¡°The north will be fun.¡± ¡°Sounds like it¡¯ll be more dangerous,¡± Adam said, shaking his head, a small smile on his face. ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It can be.¡± ¡°Alright, well, let¡¯s have a meeting and discuss things?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving first thing in the morning, I assume?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Braun said, leaving them be. ¡°We should all prepare,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have a bunch of potions for everyone, so we¡¯ll split those between us.¡± ¡°How many potions?¡± Dunes asked. Adam smiled, handing them each the various potions, including the Enhanced Healing Potions he made. ¡°You made these?¡± Dunes asked. Adam nodded. ¡°Yep. Why do you think I was bleeding everywhere?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t these... Enhanced Healing Potions?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. Jaygak placed a hand on Dunes¡¯ shoulder. ¡°You will get used to it.¡± Dunes blinked. ¡®Is it an Iyrman thing? An Elvish thing?¡¯ Adam continued to smile. ¡°Alright, well, since we don¡¯t need anything, I¡¯ll swap out some gold for some gems so I don¡¯t have to carry this huge pouch with us. Otherwise, good night, have a good rest, and I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± Adam relaxed on his bed at the end of the day, feeling a slight headache. ¡®Hey Bell, I¡¯m not dying am I?¡¯ [You¡¯re always dying.] ¡®You know what I mean.¡¯ [I cannot answer that question.] ¡®Tch.¡¯ Adam rolled his eyes. ¡®You know, now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t get any Experience from beating that punk.¡¯ [He wasn¡¯t worth it.] Adam smiled. ¡®Damn right.¡¯ He closed his eyes. ¡®Though it does sound like a cop out.¡¯ [You aren¡¯t dying.] ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Adam continued to relax in bed. ¡®Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve had a duel before with some guy that didn¡¯t like me. Anton? Alton! Good ol¡¯ Alton. I wonder where he¡¯s at.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Well, that was quick... 96. Leaving Red Oak 96. Leaving Red Oak Omen: 14, 17 Currency: 65GP -> 35GP Adam placed down three sets of coins, one for each Porter. The gold coins were stacked ten high. ¡°Here. You guys can work as you please since we¡¯ll be off. Take good care of yourselves, because when we return we¡¯ll be working you hard!¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve already given us so much,¡± Remy said, unsure if he should accept so much coin. Jeremy elbowed him and swiped the coins. ¡°You can always call on us. Ain¡¯t that right, Nobby?¡± Nobby nodded his head, taking the coins carefully, one by one, and adding them to his pouch, the coins clinking each time they did. Adam smiled. ¡°Good. As long as you remember how well I¡¯ve treated you, it¡¯s more than worth the price.¡± Remy accepted the coins, nodding his head to the Half Elf. He had never have expected that he¡¯d be able to earn so much coin this year, and he could easily take off a couple of weeks to spend with his family. The trio of Porters left, leaving Fate¡¯s Golden alone in the large room. It was a room used by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to receive guests, and considering there was a Sir arriving soon, they had stocked it well with liquor, tea, and snacks. Dunes sat, arms crossed, deep in thought. ¡®Did he really make such potions? From what I saw, there were multiple of those Enhanced Healing Potions he had made, each slightly stronger than a typical potion. There¡¯s no way he could have made it in such little time...¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much,¡± Jaygak said from beside him, throwing a quick look to Adam. Adam just smiled, noting the look, before nodding to Dunes. ¡°Jaygak¡¯s right. Sometimes, it¡¯s best not to over think.¡± He winked at the War Priest. The door swung open to reveal a man in breastplate, stamped with the sigil of the Redoaks, that of an oak tree, and at his side was a blade, the handle made of red wood, and was most definitely magical. ¡°Sir Merrick Crimsonbark, Seven Branch of the Oakguard!¡± the Knight declared loudly, his eyes glancing across the group. He removed his helmet to reveal his handsome face, reddish brown hair, and green eyes, holding his helmet at his side. Dunes stood, nodding his head. Adam was about to stand, but noted the Iyrmen remained seated, and chose to do so. Sir Merrick nodded back to the War Priest, but glanced around to the rest. His eyes caught the Half Elf for a moment, but they did not linger for long. ¡°Are you all ready?¡± ¡°As ready as we¡¯ll ever be,¡± Adam said. Sir Merrick squinted towards Adam, but he nodded. ¡°Then let us step outside.¡± The Oakguard turned on his heel and marched out. Adam glanced to his party, shrugging his shoulders, before following the Knight, where he saw two Iyrmen, one adorned in heavy plate mail, and another who wore the typical assortment of furs and cloth of the Iyrmen whenever they were out of the Iyr. The Priest, a female Iyrman, noted Adam¡¯s appearance right away. She was in her late thirties or early forties, and had dark hair and dark eyes of the Iyrmen. At her side was a mace, the head of which was made out of some kind of dark gem. The other Iyrman also wielded a mace too, though it was extremely large, more like a maul than a mace. ¡°You must be the one my Paul has told me about,¡± the female Iyrman said, walking up to him. ¡°What did he say?¡± Adam asked, smiling at her. ¡°A great number of things, but you would not appreciate that I said such things with so many ears around.¡± She pat his arm with a strong hand. ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± Adam said, noting that the pair held the same pattern on their foreheads. In the centre were a pair of black arrowheads pointing outwards, followed by purple arrowheads pointed downwards. ¡°Aizaban,¡± the woman said, clasping his forearm. ¡°Lanban,¡± the man said, doing the same. ¡°Cousin to Aizaban.¡± Adam nodded his head, allowing the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden to introduce themselves. ¡°I see you are both very powerful,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hope the measly reward offered is worth it.¡± Sir Merrick raised his brow. ¡°Sir Harvey pays more than well, young man. I am certain the Iyrmen will be paid fairly.¡± ¡°Funny, I thought I was paying them,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the deadly part of the forest?¡± Adam asked, noting the fence they were approaching. ¡°Yes,¡± Sir Merrick said. Adam glanced to Aizaban, who was beside her husband. ¡°Are we going to be okay?¡± Paul threw a look to the two Iyrmen, the Knight, and then to Adam. ¡°We should be.¡± ¡°If you say so...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how much he should be worrying. ¡®Well, there are three Silver Rank Adventurers, and Sir Merrick might be around their level too...¡¯ The forest was noisy, full of life. Adam noted the various critters all about, which filled him with some comfort, as it meant that the forest would be safe. ¡°You have a nice sword,¡± Adam said, glancing at the blade at Sir Merrick¡¯s side. ¡°Red Oak,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°It¡¯s very beautiful.¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot. ¡®Oh right, he¡¯s a wood geek.¡¯ ¡°Is it easy to enchant?¡± ¡°I hear it¡¯s quite difficult,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°A blade like this is given to all Oakguard.¡± ¡°What is the Oakguard exactly?¡± Adam asked. Sir Merrick threw the Half Elf a look. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You know. Is it the Knights of Red Oak, for the town, or are you the Knights of the Lord?¡± ¡°The Oakguard are the elite Knights of Countess Redoak,¡± Sir Merrick replied. ¡°Those who are worthy are knighted by the Countess, who is the only one with the authority to appoint Oakguard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not those who are worthy, but those who are worthy and are of noble blood, even if they are weaker than the others who wish to be knighted,¡± Aizaban said. ¡°I am sure there are many factors which the Countess takes into consideration,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to suggest I know of her wishes.¡± ¡°Can I hold your sword, please?¡± Adam asked, staring at the sword. ¡°If you allow me hold yours,¡± Sir Merrick replied, sure the boy wouldn¡¯t take the deal. His blade held as many secrets as his own, which would be important to keep as an Adventurer. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Sir Merrick said. Adam undid his sword belt and offered it to Sir Merrick, who stared at it. Seeing as that he had offered the Half Elf the deal, he had to take it, and so he undid his sword belt and handed it over to Adam. ¡®Heavy,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the weight of the sword belt. He unsheathed the sword, revealing the Red Oak blade. Jurot leaned in front beside him, and Adam held the blade towards the Iyrman, who was examining the blade. Arcane Lore D20 + 5 = 22 (17) Adam eyed up the blade, feeling just how much power was within it. It was definitely greater than just a simple +1 enchantment, or even a +2 enchantment. However, with the blade in his hands, he felt the same as he did with his die in hand, that he could potentially cast spells through it. ¡°Cool,¡± Adam said. ¡°I feel it as warm,¡± Sir Merrick replied. ¡°It means amazing.¡± Adam chuckled. Sir Merrick had admired Adam¡¯s blade too. ¡°Your blade is made of Iyrmen materials,¡± he said, noting the two Silver Ranks nearby. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Iyrmen gave out such materials to anybody.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not anybody,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate. I am a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t he only arrive a few months ago?¡¯ Sir Merrick¡¯s eyes fell across the Half Elf. ¡®Yet he¡¯s already surrounded by Iyrmen. Are they planning something?¡¯ Sir Merrick recalled the meeting between the Duke and the Countess. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be about that matter, could it? Does the Iyr have connections to the Elves from back then?¡¯ He stared at the Half Elf, who was admiring his blade. ¡®Should I really have given him my sword?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam might make a habit of checking out other men''s swords. 97. Touches of Forest 97. Touches of Forest Adam stared at the sword, running his finger along it. There were faint runes with gold and gem dust stuck to them. ¡®Beautiful,¡¯ he thought. ¡°I want a sword made from Red Oak.¡± He looked to Jurot and smiled. ¡°Jurot, do you want to carve Red Oak?¡± ¡°Yes, but it is difficult to get,¡± Jurot said. ¡°How difficult?¡± Adam asked, before glancing up at the Knight. ¡°Every citizen of Red Oak is given a small amount of Red Oak when they are born, and they may save up to buy more. However, those who are not citizens of the town and wish to acquire Red Oak must do something of note.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°There are some who are able to procure Red Oak after they participate in the Beast Wave. They must not just participate, but they must be outstanding in their defence of the town.¡± ¡°Well, that does make sense,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though the Beast Wave was only a few months ago. Is there another way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the easiest way,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°You can also donate a large amount of gold to the town, which would allow you to bid on Red Oak which is to be auctioned off.¡± ¡°Private auctions?¡± Adam frowned. ¡®Damn. That¡¯d make it pretty expensive...¡¯ ¡°They aren¡¯t that private. You may join, but you can¡¯t bid on certain phases of the auction, which is when the Red Oak usually appears.¡± ¡°So, how much gold do I need to donate in order to bid on the Red Oak?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A thousand gold.¡± ¡°Sheesh,¡± Adam said, blinking wildly at him. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said. ¡°A thousand gold may be a lot of money to Copper Rank Adventurers, but what is it for the Countess of a town of so many hundred thousands of people?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What about...¡± Adam stopped, realising he was about to give away one of his greatest secrets. Well, it wasn¡¯t much of a secret considering all the Iyrmen knew, and so did Paul. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± Adam returned the blade eventually, sighing. ¡®I wish I could have cast Identify.¡¯ ¡°Your blade has quite a powerful enchantment,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°It would be no understatement to say it would be good enough for the Oakguard.¡± ¡°No way,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Not even the weakest Oakguard would use such an awful weapon.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I would,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°Even if I am the most inexperienced member, this blade is brilliantly made and enchanted. What does it do exactly?¡± "I''ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,¡± Adam replied with a smirk. "This has a greater enchantment on the blade, and can be used as a spell focus. Not just that, I can use the spell Shield multiple times a day, as well as Short Step." "That''s pretty cool," Adam said. ¡°It is,¡± Sir Merrick replied. ¡°What about your weapon?¡± "My sword has a lesser enchantment in comparison, but can hit twice as hard than a typical blade, though most of it is divine power.¡± Sir Merrick raised his brows in surprise. ¡°Such an enchantment is not to be taken lightly.¡± He smiled. ¡°When I am wounded, the blade grows stronger to compensate.¡± ¡°If you did not wish to tell me what your blade did, you had no need to make things up.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you calling me a liar? Or are you saying that a blade in the Iyr is unable to reach such potential?¡± Adam asked, keeping his words true, though he wasn¡¯t willing to give out the whole truth. ¡°I would not dare say such a thing,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°The Iyr and Red Oak have always had a special relationship, and there is much respect we give to the Iyr and its peoples.¡± ¡°People,¡± Aizaban and Lanban corrected. Sir Merrick nodded. ¡°I was just wondering why the Iyr would give you such a great weapon.¡± "I''m special,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If you don''t believe me, why don''t you test it out?" Adam held out the blade. "Should you be willing to part with your weapon so easily?¡± Sir Merrick asked. "It''s not like you''re going to steal it from me. If you do, I''ll just ask the Iyrmen to beat you up." Adam smiled. Sir Merrick almost choked. ¡°Excuse me? Steal your weapon? What are you saying?" He hadn¡¯t expected someone to so brazenly try to shame him. Adam frowned. "Sheesh, you''re no fun." He held out his blade. "First you call me a liar, then you get all mad when I joke about you stealing from me. Just because I''m a Half Elf, doesn''t mean you can behave that way, Sir Merrick." "It''s not that you''re a half elf..." Adam glanced away. "I am disappointed. Here I though that the people of Red Oak were so welcoming, but I suppose it''s only the Vice Master who is so welcoming. Though the Iyrmen are welcoming too, and since the Vice Master is married to an Iyrman then..." Adam rubbed his chin. "I should just stick with the Iyrmen." Adam cleaned himself up before Adam pulling out his blanket, which held the Rot family design. Aizaban and Lanban noted the symbols, but kept to themselves. He wrapped it around himself, smelling the scent of the Rot family. It smelt just like their family home, which he had only just realised he missed. ¡°How are we doing watches?¡± he asked. ¡°Four watches, one of the more experienced members can take watch with one of your Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Paul said. ¡°Are you saying we¡¯re not that experienced?¡± Adam said, squinting his eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± Paul said. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°You guys are no fun,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can¡¯t even joke around.¡± ¡°Joke around?¡± Paul asked. ¡°In a forest which could kill us?¡± ¡°If it kills any of you, I¡¯d be worried, but until then, I won¡¯t think twice about making jokes. You guys are too stiff. Look, the Iyrmen are really relaxed, so you should relax too. It¡¯s when the Iyrmen are not relaxed that we should be worried.¡± ¡°The Nephew speaks true,¡± Aizaban said, slapping her husband across his back eagerly. ¡°Stop worrying so much! Do you think I¡¯d allow anyone to harm you when I¡¯m beside you.¡± Paul coughed into his fist. ¡°Really, you¡¯re going to say that kind of thing out here?¡± ¡°Sir Merrick knows to pretend not to listen!¡± Aizaban declared. Lanban rubbed his forehead. ¡®I told them I should not have come along.¡¯ He already knew the trouble that Aizaban was going to cause. ¡°Enough,¡± Paul said, trying to put his foot down. ¡°I think I of all people understand just how safe we are.¡± Aizaban just laughed, before throwing a glance to Lanban, and the pair slipped away to go hunt, taking Jurot with them. Adam sighed, looking to Dunes, who was staring into the fire which had been lit. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You¡¯re awfully sombre.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking,¡± he said. ¡°Of what?¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°An old friend.¡± ¡°Friend, huh?¡± Adam said, scooting up beside him. ¡°What kind of friend.¡± ¡°The kind you hold at night.¡± ¡°That kind of friend,¡± Adam said, smirking. ¡°What about you?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Jurot has Pam, and I have my friend. Who do you have?¡± Adam noted how quickly Dunes changed the conversation, and he followed the War Priest¡¯s pace. He was about to speak when he saw Jaygak lean in towards them, one eye shut, the other staring directly at them. ¡°Well, there is a pretty devilkin Iyrman I have my eye on, but you keep that between you and me.¡± Adam chuckled. Dunes smiled. ¡°There will be a day you will stop joking.¡± Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for romance, but I do have bromance.¡± ¡°Bromance? I did not realise you and Jurot were like that. I know that Iyrmen sometimes grow close during their travels together.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°You what? No, not like that. Bromance is strictly about two bros with close emotional intimacy, but not, you know, that kind of thing.¡± He paused. ¡°I think it can be more, but that¡¯s not that way I mean it.¡± Dunes nodded his head slowly. ¡°I understand, Adam.¡± He placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. Adam stared into Dunes¡¯ eyes. Insight D20 + 1 = 13 (12) ¡°Do you?¡± Dunes smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Does he? 98. Lots of Death 98. Lots of Death It was in the afternoon when they heard a low purring from the distance. Aizaban and Lanban, who hadn¡¯t reacted until they heard the purring, reached for their weapons. Aizaban donned her shield, which was painted with the symbol of Baktu, an ever watching eye, and gripped her mace tight. Vice Master Paul and Sir Merrick had taken to flanking Sir Harvey, who had reached back into his cloak, but he waited. Fate¡¯s Golden had prepared themselves too. Adam felt his die within his hand, squeezing it tight, his shield in hand. He felt so much more at ease with it in his hand, and now he could cast spells freely, without the need to worry about whether he had donned his shield and blade together. Adam stepped a little closer towards Aizaban, daring to step towards the front. Yet, as he did, he noted how Aizaban narrowed her eyes, spotting something from afar. Moments passed, and as the group remained on high alert, Aizaban eventually placed away her mace. There was silence for a few moments, before the rest of them started to relax too. ¡°What was it?¡± Adam asked, glancing up towards her. Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Aizaban smiled. ¡°A good fight,¡± she said, not elaborating further. Adam threw a look to Jurot, who had already doffed his shield and had slipped his axe back into his belt. His eyes were slightly narrowed, his lips taut, his face full of disappointment. They continued to trek through the forest, which was quieter than before. To their right was the hill, where it continued to loom over them. ¡°Isn¡¯t that hill dangerous?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Aizaban replied. ¡°Very dangerous.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we step away from it?¡± Adam asked, noting Sir Harvey furrow his brows at the Half Elf, as though he had said something ridiculous. ¡°Why?¡± Aizaban replied, throwing a look towards him, raising her brow. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°If it¡¯s very dangerous, then shouldn¡¯t we move away?¡± ¡°Paul and Sir Crimsonwood are to the right because it is very dangerous,¡± she said. ¡°You are on the left, in your own danger. Regardless of where we step, it is dangerous for you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, glancing to the forest to his left. ¡°Right.¡± Aizaban smiled. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder how adorable the young man was, asking such cute questions. Adam felt the gaze of a predator fall upon him, and he shuddered. ¡®Man, it really is dangerous out here.¡¯ They had taken many breaks on the journey, and though sometimes they had found a clear trail to follow, Sir Harvey often snipped away various items, taking a few moments here and there during their frequent breaks. They found another camp site towards the evening, which had taken nearly twelve hours to find. The camp was made of hardy stone, full of half walls, as were all the other camps he had noted. This one was large enough to handle them all, and another party. Jurot and the pair of Silver Rank Iyrmen left, going off to hunt once again. Adam kept an eye out, unnerved by the low growling he had heard earlier in the day. He recalled the growl, hearing it within his mind. The low growl filled the area, and Adam straightened up, reaching for his shield. ¡°That wasn¡¯t just me, was it?¡± The others threw a look to Adam, raising their brows. ¡°What was just you?¡± Dunes asked, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Isn¡¯t the previous King¡¯s Sword in Ever Green too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sir Merry, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I thought I may as well retire with him. We spoke before he retired, telling me that Ever Green was still the most beautiful place he had ever seen. I told him it was a bunch of poppycock, for he¡¯s never seen the sight of a battlefield like those in the north!¡± Sir Royce grinned. ¡°I¡¯m sure he said it for nostalgia¡¯s sake. Lucky he left when he did, otherwise I¡¯d never be able to confirm his words.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame what happened down south,¡± Adam said, noting the glances he received from Sir Merrick and Sir Harvey. ¡°A shame?¡± Sir Royce asked. ¡°Ay, a shame it was, in a certain sense. We built up thousands of soldiers near the Elvish lands, then one of our towns was completely destroyed. He thought against bringing me down there, and he paid the price of it. I¡¯d love to have seen those Elvish bastards try it with my maul!¡± He laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing good ol¡¯ Harry was about, otherwise we¡¯d have lose at least another town, and the King would have had to think about how warm he¡¯d be able to keep his seat.¡± ¡°Well, that is just how the dice fall,¡± Sir Merrick said. He didn¡¯t have the gall to speak so poorly of the King¡¯s actions, so kept his mouth shut. Sir Royce just grinned. After all, he understood that he was one of the handful of people who could speak so poorly about the King and bear no consequences. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect so many Iyrmen.¡± His eyes scanned the group, noting the Iyrmen and their positions, as well as the pair nearby. The pair of Bans stared at him, large grins on their faces. Paul noted the look in their eyes, and realising that it was Aizaban with him, he quickly stepped forward. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Sir Royce. I am Vice Master Paul.¡± ¡°Oh? A Vice Master of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild? Where are my manners?¡± Sir Royce stepped forward to shake the man¡¯s hand. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine,¡± Paul said, flashing a smile. ¡°It¡¯s my honour to meet you.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Sir Royce laughed. ¡°I¡¯m just an old man now. I didn¡¯t expect to see a Vice Master either. It seems I¡¯ve stumbled onto something I shouldn¡¯t see? Will I be killed?¡± Sir Royce asked, a grin on his face. ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Paul said, smiling. ¡°We are here to escort Sir Harvey.¡± ¡°That so. Interesting to see so many new blood with so many magical items too.¡± Royce threw a quick glance to Fate¡¯s Golden, seeing all their magical gear, save one who was a dark skinned Priest from Aswadasad. ¡°It seems they came across a great fortune,¡± Paul said, hoping that Sir Royce would drop the matter here. ¡°And a young man with puthral plate mail?¡± Sir Royce said, smirking. ¡°How interesting. I¡¯ve only seen it a handful of times, on an Iyrman with Gold Rank maybe a decade ago was the last time I saw it. How is it that a Copper Rank managed to receive such a gift?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear?¡± Adam asked, smiling a cheeky smile. ¡°I came across a great fortune.¡± Sir Royce continued to glance between them all. ¡°So, should I be friendly with you all? Perhaps I¡¯ll come across a great fortune too¡± ¡°Becoming friendly with me may be the best decision you ever make,¡± Adam said. Paul and Sir Merrick threw a look to Adam. ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ ¡°You sure have a lot of guts, boy,¡± Sir Royce said. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m surrounded by Iyr-¡° Adam was unable to react, seeing the blur of black ahead of him. Air splashed through his helmet against his face. He blinked, noting the mace and maul ahead of him, blocking the path of the huge maul ahead of him. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh. Is Adam going to die? Again? Again? 99. Wishing for Death 99. Wishing for Death ¡°I was wondering why the Iyrmen were beside you,¡± Sir Royce said, his face turning into a wide smirk. ¡°It seems they¡¯re here to protect you and not the High Alchemist. How curious.¡± ¡°How insightful,¡± Adam said, his hear pounding wildly within his chest. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t like it when people attack me, so it seems you don¡¯t want to be too friendly with me.¡± ¡°Just after that little?¡± Sir Royce chuckled, though he kept his maul locked with the Iyrmen, who were eager to push back. ¡°I¡¯m a weak little boy and you¡¯re such a big strong man.¡± Adam¡¯s heart continued to pound, but it began to calm. ¡°The difference between you and I is like that of an adult and a child. I¡¯m very scared, you know?¡± ¡°If you wanted to fight...¡± Aizaban grinned wide, eager to fight, but before she could continue, Paul stepped forward. ¡°Old men like us shouldn¡¯t bully children,¡± Paul said. ¡°Would you mind stepping back, Sir Royce?¡± ¡°Are you asking me, the once Knight of Death, to step back?¡± Royce grinned even wider, gripping his maul tighter, trying to push the Iyrmen back, though they remained sturdy, protecting the Half Elf. ¡°Even as a Vice Master, shouldn¡¯t you think twice?¡± ¡°Darling, don¡¯t you dare stop us now!¡± Aizaban declared, eager to fight as she felt the strength of this older man. ¡®Even though you look so handsome saying our words.¡¯ ¡°Darling?¡± Sir Royce asked, before glancing to Paul. ¡®Vice Master. Iyrman.¡¯ Sir Royce exhaled, relaxing, slowly pulling his maul back. ¡°So you¡¯re Vice Master Paul of Red Oak!¡± He laughed. ¡°I should have realised!¡± ¡°I am honoured that you¡¯ve heard of me,¡± Paul said, beginning to relax, but he remained ready to draw his blade. ¡°If I had realised it was you, I wouldn¡¯t have tested out my curiosity.¡± He thought about the Guild Master of Red Oak, his eyes narrowing slightly as his lips twitched into the smallest of frowns. ¡°Let¡¯s keep this a secret between us.¡± Paul sighed, nodding his head. He understood what Sir Royce was feeling. After all, that woman was quite vicious. ¡°Of course, since it would be troublesome for us both.¡± The pair exchanged a knowing look between one another, sharing in a moment together. After all, the North was quite familiar with that woman. ¡°Ouch!¡± came a cry, and Adam reached up to his heart. ¡°It hurts so bad. I was so scared, Vice Master Paul! Thankfully, the powerful Iyrmen assisted me, or I would have been dead!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t attack you with-¡° ¡°Vice Master Paul, did you hear what he said?¡± Adam asked, quickly interrupting the Knight, who didn¡¯t expect it. After all, who would dare interrupt the previous Knight of Death? ¡°He didn''t attack me? I''m so scared and he''s lying about attacking me. What a terrible man." "Now, hold on a second, I-" "Hold on a second? So that you can attack me again? Vice Master Paul, he is going to hurt me again. My heart can''t handle this." Adam reached up to his forehead, glancing away. Everyone stared at the Half Elf, wondering what he was doing. Sir Harvey¡¯s brow began to sweat, his eyes slowly falling to Vice Master Paul. "To think you''d go attacking little boys like me,¡± Adam continued, peeking at the odler Knight. ¡°Is that what it means to be the Knight of Death?" His goading voice was obvious to the Knight. Sir Royce could feel it. The Half Elf¡¯s voice set deep within his heart, which rumbled. Trouble. ¡®What have I gotten myself into?¡¯ Sir Royce thoughts, feeling a dread flow through him. "Since you''ve attacked me...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, his lips slowly forming into a smirk. ¡°Shouldn''t you pay some compensation to me?" "So that''s what you were doing,¡± Sir Royce said, visibly relaxing. He let out a low sigh of relief. ¡°Very well. How much do you want?¡± This boy was probably a member of the Red Oak Adventurer¡¯s Guild specifically, so no wonder why he was being so annoying. He must have known that his Guild Master would trouble the Knight of Death, so he wanted a few hundred gold or some such. "Your maul," Adam said, smiling wide. "My maul?¡± Sir Royce asked. ¡°My. Maul.¡± He repeated the words in order to understand what he was saying. He stared at the young man before him, in his puthral plate mail, with a blade at his side which was made of Iyrmen materials. ¡®What in the Realms of Death is he saying?¡¯ ¡°Boy, you should be careful with your words." "Didn''t you try to hand it to me before?¡± Adam asked, tilting his head playfully. ¡°If you didn''t want to give it to me, why did you offer it to me?" "You shouldn''t joke so much." Sir Royce glared down at the Half Elf. Adam felt the pressure of the man, but he had Aizaban and Lanban beside him, and Vice Master Paul would probably fight for him too. "Joke? That maul isn''t even worth my life, so it''s already such a good deal for you." "This Maul costs tens of thousands of gold,¡± Sir Royce said, his voice remaining even. ¡°Your life is not worth that much." Adam smiled, wondering where he should go with this. He was playing a dangerous game, and it wasn¡¯t as though he really wanted the maul. ¡®I¡¯ve had enough fun, I suppose.¡¯ "Well, since you''re so unwilling to part with it, then how about I let you keep it?" "Oh my, how generous." Sir Royce stared down at the boy, wondering who he was. ¡®Are his balls made of brass?¡¯ He glanced between the pair of eager Iyrmen. ¡®No, they¡¯re made of Iyrsteel?¡¯ "However,¡± Adam said, raising a finger. ¡°You owe me one favour." "Did you know we''d face him?" Aizaban asked, a wild grin on her face. "Is that why you brought us along?" ¡®Don¡¯t escalate this, honey.¡¯ Paul sighed, ready to draw his blade. He¡¯d much sooner face the Knight of Death than dare to raise his blade against his wife. ¡®Please.¡¯ "No,¡± Adam replied, shaking his head. ¡°You two are here because of a dragon which might or might not appear.¡± "A dragon?" Aizaban asked. Her husband hadn¡¯t told her much, and upon hearing mention of a dragon, even Lanban¡¯s head snapped to the Half Elf, his eyes beaming. "Vice Master Paul, did you bring anything to help with dragon slaying? I should have asked before we set off but it slipped my mind." No one understood what was happening with the conversation, except Jurot, who had long understood that Adam was like this. ¡®That¡¯s such a beautiful maul,¡¯ the Iyrman thought. ¡®I wonder if I could carve it out of wood.¡¯ "I did," Paul replied. "Oh, that¡¯s good. The Dragon Slaying arrow?¡± Paul nodded. ¡°How much did they cost?" "Each arrow costs six hundred gold." "Sheesh!¡± Adam replied. Though, thinking about it, six hundred gold to protect one¡¯s life, that wasn¡¯t a terrible price to pay. ¡°How many did you bring?" "Three." "If they end up getting used, I''ll pay for them, so don''t be stingy, alright?" "Okay,¡± Paul replied, giving up on understanding Adam. ¡®Is it because I¡¯ve spent my time around Iyrmen? They¡¯re so simple in comparison to the rest of the world...¡¯ Everyone blinked at the pair of them. Adam¡¯s words were ridiculous, but Paul, the Vice Master of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, was putting weight onto his ridiculous words. "If the dragon comes, we will slay it," Jurot said, nodding his head. Hearing Jurot¡¯s words also affirmed the seriousness behind the situation, even if it did seem like some terrible joke. "Our goal isn''t to slay the dragon, but to protect someone. When that time comes, I''ll be leaving the most important matter to Aizaban." Adam gave her a nod. "The rest of us will keep the dragon busy." Sir Royce slowly crept aside. "Leaving so soon? You still-" "I, Sir Royce, will heed a single call from you, young man!" With that, Sir Royce quickly circled around them to leave. ¡°Don''t you want to slay a dragon?" Adam asked. Sir Royce stopped, glancing back towards the Half Elf. ¡®Is this a chance?¡¯ "Is that the favour you wish to request?" "No, I just wanted to see if you wanted to have some fun before your retirement. I can''t guarantee the dragon will be there, but if it is, wouldn¡¯t it be fun?¡± Having the Knight of Death join them would all but guarantee their success. "If it''s not your request, I''ll be leaving." Sir Royce made to flee. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate!¡± Adam shouted after him as he fled. ''That boy is dangerous!¡¯ Sir Royce thought. ¡®I need to get away from him as quickly as possible! Damn it, why did I raise my maul? Isn''t that what they say? Curiosity killed the Knight?'' "Vice Master Paul, I thought you said you vetted the guards?" Sir Harvey asked, taking the Vice Master aside. "If the Iyrmen think he''s trustworthy, then it''s good enough for me,¡± Paul said. Of course, Sir Harvey wouldn¡¯t dare to disagree. ¡°It''s probably because he''s an Elf.¡± "Elves are too queer,¡± Sir Harvey said, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m only half an Elf,¡± Adam said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam, too troublesome to die. Thanks for 13K views everyone! Randomly got a 5* on another site so here''s an extra chapter today. 100. Deadwood 100. Deadwood ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered, staring at Deadwood. The town was huge, surrounded by large black trees, which stood like statues, each spaced twenty metres apart. They were a second wall in front of the stone wall which surrounded the town. Near the side of the town, towards where it met the hills, was a large tree, one which could be seen even from where they stood. ¡°Those are the Deadwood,¡± Paul said. ¡°When the town is threatened, they can be called to defend it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even cooler than I thought. I thought it would be like Red Oak, but to think that the Deadwood can be awakened...¡± Adam whistled. ¡°They do possess wood from the Deadwood, but it is extremely rare,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Red Oak can be grown well over the generations, but there is only a single Deadwood tree, which is unlike those guardians. When the branches and twigs fall, they are able to procure the wood. If someone were to forcible remove a branch, it would never grow again.¡± ¡®This fantasy world is so cool,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°This world is way cooler than last time. Now that I think about it, was there Deadwood last time?¡± Adam squinted, thinking deeply. ¡®No, hold on, the entire world is different.¡¯ The others had tuned him out, unsure of whether he was crazy, sick, or both. The Iyrmen, on the other hand, paid closer attention to him, especially Aizaban and Lanban, purely because Jurot seemed to believe his words. Jurot wasn¡¯t known for his intelligence, but he was still an Iyrman, and it would have been difficult for Adam to convince him of such madness. There was also the fact that Adam had been welcomed as a Nephew of the family, which meant there was a level of trust between he and the family. As they approached the gates, the Guards held out a hand for them to stop. They wore chain mail, with black tabards over their over their armour. The sigil of Deadwood, a long, thin tree with no leaves, was printed into the cloth. They wielded spears in hand, and there was a shield which was half tied to their side. ¡°Halt,¡± a Guard said, their eyes scanning the group, before they noted a peculiar form. It was a man who wore breast plate, stamped with the sigil of Red Oak, their ancient rivals. Sir Merrick, noting that they had noticed his sigil, raised his voice. ¡°Sir Merrick Crimsonwood, Seventh Branch of the Oakguard!¡± he declared. ¡°Accompanying Sir Harvey, High Alchemist of Red Oak!¡± The pair of Guard glanced between one another, understanding that this situation was above their pay grade. ¡°Do you have your papers?¡± Sir Merrick stepped forward, producing the papers, and revealed two identity plates too, which the Guards took around back to double check. ¡°They¡¯re quite thorough,¡± Adam said. He had recalled the time when they had to go past South Fort, and it was about as thorough as this. ¡°They¡¯re claiming to be an Oakguard and a High Alchemist so they must show proof,¡± Paul said. ¡°What about you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the Vice Master?¡± ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve recognised me, but I am not here as Vice Master Paul, but Paul, the Silver Rank Adventurer.¡± ¡°Thank you for waiting, good Sirs,¡± the Guards said as they returned, bringing with them four more of their companions. ¡°An escort to guide you to the manor in which you¡¯ll be staying.¡± Sir Merrick nodded. The four Guards noted the pair of Iyrmen, and remained on full alert as they marched through the main road of the town. Many of the buildings were made of wood, most of them small shacks stacked two or three high, though Adam noted a few buildings which were stacked four or five high, though they were sprinkled through the town. The bustling streets very quickly gave way to the Guards and the group which had arrived, causing all sorts to point and gossip between one another, whereas young urchins slipped away into the shadows, going to inform their various masters of the newcomers. They slipped away from the main road, and were led to a different district, where there was an inner wall separating it away from the riff raff. The Guards quickly chatted, before the group were led into a district where the buildings were built sparsely apart, with their own walls, forming estates. The Guards walked up to an estate with its own pair of Guards, each who wore a single breast plate, and carried with them a spear, and a blade at their side. ¡°Sir Harvey, High Alchemist of Red Oak,¡± a Guard stated, introducing their charge. ¡°You were going to go without us to a place like this?¡± Dunes asked, dabbing his lips with a fresh handkerchief. ¡°You pretend to care about us just so you can have fun.¡± ¡°You can say that after the greatest Knight in the North attacks you,¡± Adam asid. ¡°Ah, right,¡± Dunes replied, trying to not break a smile. ¡°Since we have two Iyrmen from the Ban family, I¡¯m not worried,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though the dragon might pose an issue.¡± Adam noted the Servants nearby, who were pretending to not listen to their conversation. ¡°How do you know there will be a dragon?¡± Dunes asked, taking a sip of his wine. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there will be a dragon,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°That¡¯s not up to me, really.¡± ¡°Why do you think there will be a dragon?¡± Dunes asked. Adam smiled, wondering how he should respond. ¡°Well, why wouldn¡¯t there be a dragon?¡± ¡°Dragons don¡¯t appear randomly, Adam,¡± Dunes said. ¡°How many dragons have you come across so far that it¡¯s a common occurrence for you?¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot, trying to hide his smile. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say I have met more than zero dragons in my time.¡± Dunes blinked at Adam, unable to sip any more of his wine. ¡°You¡¯ve met a dragon?¡± ¡°At least one,¡± Adam said, winking at the Priest. Dunes looked to Jurot, then back to Adam. ¡°Who was it?¡± ¡°Are dragons so common that you know them by name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There are many dragons who are active around this region. There are a few within Aswadasad, and I know that Queen Silvari rules the Drakken Kingdom to the north of Aldland.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure I should be giving out names of the dragons I know so willy nilly, but let¡¯s say I¡¯ve met at least one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very convenient for you to say that. I could say that I have met a dragon and not mention their name.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Jurot,¡± Adam said. Dunes looked to Jurot again, who nodded. ¡®Do I have to get used to this too?¡¯ He cleared his throat. ¡°So why do you know that a dragon might show up?¡± ¡°Fate,¡± Adam replied. Dunes stared at Adam for a long moment. ¡°I need some more wine.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Even more dead stuff? I feel like something is going to go badly wrong soon... 101. Blood and Alchemy 101. Blood and Alchemy Omen: 9, 9 Adam awoke in the morning, still feeling some of the ache of the travel. He first checked around for the Servant, before slipping away into the bath. He sighed happily, feeling the warmth fill his ache. It was civilization which allowed him to partake in the greatest of relief, a nice, hot bath. There wasn¡¯t any bath bombs, and there were very few modern comforts. There was no internet, which was perhaps the luxury he missed most of the modern day. ¡®No cars. No internet. No mobiles, either.¡¯ He sighed. If mobile phones existed, it would have been easy to keep up with Sonarot and Lanarot. He recalled how many times his mother would send him pictures of a cousin¡¯s baby, it was pretty much how he received any news about his extended family. ¡®I should make that,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Mobile phones would be so useful. Being able to message whoever I want, whenever I want. If something goes wrong, I could just call someone in the Iyr to come and pick me up.¡¯ Adam smiled. ¡®A map app would be useful too.¡¯ He wondered if there were any others like him in other worlds, and if they were able to keep some of their modern conveniences. ¡®Bastards.¡¯ Once he was done with his hot bath, scanning around to make sure there wasn¡¯t a sneaky Servant about, he fixed himself up and made his way for breakfast. Breakfast was a splendid affair, with the two Sirs and the Priest engorging themselves on a myriad of strange food, some Adam had never quite seen before. Adam kept breakfast simple, with some meat, a little bit of bread, and far too much cheese. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We were meant to be heading up for some herbs, but now we¡¯re spending a few days here. Are we meant to stick by you?¡± Adam asked Sir Harvey. Sir Harvey, who was mostly finished with his breakfast, cutting into some fruit with cream, paused to think. He definitely didn¡¯t want Adam around him, not after hearing the blasphemous words slip from his lips. Yet, he also knew that Adam had a peculiar set of skills. ¡°I may need some assistance in my work,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°The Countess¡¯ High Alchemist is returning soon, but she requires more immediate assistance. There are a few Alchemists around, but someone who is familiar with foreign herbs may be of great assistance too.¡± ¡°Foreign?¡± Adam blurted out, his eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯ll have you find that I am a...¡± Adam paused to think. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right. I am a foreigner, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ He glanced to the side, shuddering slightly. ¡®At least that¡¯s one thing I miss about home. We treat foreigners quite...¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Sir Harvey called, having seen Adam wince at his thoughts. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯d be willing to assist you, for the right price.¡± Adam smirked. After all, this was outside of the scope of the formal request, and though Adam was brought along for his potential skills in Alchemy, he wasn¡¯t required to assist. Seeing that the High Alchemist could live the life in another town, he didn¡¯t feel too bad earning more of the man¡¯s coin. Sir Harvey slowly nodded his head. ¡°For your assistance in this matter, fifty gold would be rewarded to you.¡± Adam whistled, throwing a look to Paul to see how he was feeling about Adam negotiating with the High Alchemist, but he was currently focused on his wife, who was very slowly cutting into her dessert, and enjoying it a tiny morsel at a time. ¡®How dare you keep flirting in front of us.¡¯ With breakfast done, Adam quickly formed a meeting with Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°Enjoying yourself, Dunes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the man replied, flashing a smile. ¡°There are many perks to being a Priest, even in a foreign country.¡± ¡°Oh, right. You¡¯re a foreigner too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Though I guess you¡¯re from money, so it doesn¡¯t count.¡± Adam rolled his eyes before addressing his entire party. ¡°Anyway, what are your plans?¡± ¡°We will buy some souvenirs to send back home,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. What kind of souvenirs?¡± ¡°Wood,¡± Jurot said, a little too quickly. ¡°Fur, cloth, weapons.¡± ¡°Deadwood has much which is similar with Red Oak, but there are a few differences,¡± Kitool said. ¡°We may be able to procure similar types of items, but they will be unique to Deadwood.¡± nodded. ¡°Would you mind buying some on my behalf too? I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll have the time to buy some. Kitool, I¡¯ll leave the Party Fund with you.¡± ¡°You want us to use the Party Fund to buy souvenirs?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°While you¡¯re shopping, you might find something which might benefit the party, so you can use the Party Fund to buy it. You might find that someone¡¯s selling a spell scroll that is useful, or a different kind of potion.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Right, that makes sense.¡± ¡°Half the time I make sense all the time,¡± Adam said, smiling. Adam dropped an Onyx gem into the Party Fund, so they could use it to buy a few souvenirs guilt free. ¡°You¡¯re wearing your armour?¡± Sir Harvey asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. Sir Harvey stared at him. ¡°If you aren¡¯t planning anything untoward, you should take your armour off.¡± Adam stared at the High Alchemist. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good point.¡± Adam stripped out of his plate mail quickly. He wasn¡¯t sure why he put it on, but stepping outside the estate without his armour, he felt naked. He had decided to forgo his weapons and shield, but kept his die within his pocket. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to walk around town as a Half Elf without something, even if it was in the company of a Countess. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°They-¡° Adam had slowed to speak with Jurot, but a Guard pushed him forward. ¡°Move along, Elf,¡± the Guard said. Adam stopped, turning back to glare at the Guard. He had reached into his pocket, which caused the Guards to point their spears at him, though he was still ready to fight. Adam froze, noting the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden. Jurot had reached for his axe, and on his lead, the other two had reached for their own weapons. Dunes glanced between the two groups, unsure of what he should do. Adam sighed, slowly pulling his hand away from his robe. There was no need to escalate this any further, especially considering that Jurot and the others may get into trouble too. ¡°Jurot, would you mind coming with me? You saw how eager they were to put their hands on me.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head, though kept his hand on his axe as the spears were still pointed at Adam. The Guards took pause for a moment, throwing looks towards the young Iyrmen. They may have been young, but they were still Iyrmen, and they doubted that the Iyrmen were going to fight alongside them. They pulled their spears back, allowing Adam and Jurot to move onward. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got some Elf blood in me and they don¡¯t like that,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°You are to leave?¡± ¡°I have to stay at an inn,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯re paying for it though.¡± Jurot threw a look towards the Guards. ¡°I will also stay at the inn.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They dared to attack you in front of me. If you are within the inn, will they attack you again?¡± ¡°Careful, Iyrman.¡± ¡°I do not have to be careful,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You do.¡± The Guard remained staring at Jurot for a long moment. He could certainly deal with the Iyrman and the Elf, but he decided against it. There wasn¡¯t a point to start a bother with the Iyrmen for an Elf. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Jaygak asked, staring at the pair of them once Adam had grabbed his stuff. ¡°We are to leave,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Why?¡± Jurot switched to their tongue. ¡°There is a bother about Adam¡¯s blood.¡± Jaygak narrowed her eyes towards the Guards. ¡°And of mine?¡± Jurot shook his head. Jaygak glanced at the Guards suspiciously, glaring at them, but she did not say anything. ¡°Let us pack,¡± Kitool said. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You guys stay here and eat your fill. Make sure you enjoy yourself on the Countess¡¯ dime.¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°Come on, Jurot. We¡¯ll enjoy ourselves on the High Alchemist¡¯s dime.¡± When they had situated themselves in an inn, renting a larger room for the pair of them on Jurot¡¯s assistance, Adam sighed, dropping onto the bed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting you involved, Jurot.¡± ¡°It is no matter,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You are a brother of mine.¡± Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Deadwood is going to be Gonewood now that they''ve earned Adam''s ire... 102. Elves and Hatred 102. Elves and Hatred ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all that,¡± Paul said in the late afternoon. ¡°That¡¯s life,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to be so antagonistic towards an Adventurer within the Guild. Is Deadwood part of South Aldland too?¡± ¡°No, but they are part of Central Aldland, which distrust Elves just as much.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The capital is within Central Aldland, and the King has the most influence within it, even in its most distant town of Deadwood.¡± ¡°That is unfortunate.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I will send word to the Countess about the matter,¡± Paul said, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Send her word?¡± Aizaban asked. ¡°How dare she look down on you! Should I go make a mess?¡± ¡°No!¡± Paul snapped his head towards his wife. ¡°I can deal with this.¡± Aizaban smiled, reaching up to brush his hair. ¡°Oi, would you two stop flirting in front of me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not flirting,¡± Paul replied, weakly. ¡°I¡¯ll flirt with my husband wherever I please,¡± Aizaban replied, simply. Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no need to blow this out of proportion. If you want to send word, go ahead, but make note that Adam and Fate¡¯s Golden will not take requests for any Nobility within Deadwood. We can do that much, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s awkward to go against Nobility, but since her side started the fight, it shouldn¡¯t matter. Plus, you¡¯re still only an Iron Rank Adventurer.¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m Copper Rank.¡± ¡°What?¡± Paul said, staring at him. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, motioning to his Copper Rank Tag. Paul blinked at it, before rubbing his forehead again. ¡°Oh, right. We should fix that as soon as possible. Would you like to get that fixed now?¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Adam waved his hand casually. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a huge benefit to going up to Iron Rank, and the fees remain the same.¡± Paul sighed. He had meant to Rank Up both Adam and Jurot, but after hearing that Adam could enchant, he had been completely engulfed in his thoughts. ¡®Enchanting. Alchemy. Magic. Martial.¡¯ Paul sighed again. Aizaban rubbed his back gently. ¡°Thinking too much is bad for you.¡± ¡°I guess I should remain in this inn until we¡¯re ready to head out,¡± Adam said, glancing out his window to see a Guard staring at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll appreciate me leaving.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be quite so bad in Eagle Wing,¡± Paul said, though he was uncertain the moment the words slipped out of his lips. Adam spent the next few days in the inn, relaxing. Fate¡¯s Golden would visit in the morning and the evening, and they would bring Jurot some blocks of wood so he could carve into them. He created almost a dozen different figurines, all in silence. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, noting just how much focus Jurot managed whilst carving into the wood. The wooden carvings were of various different animals, though some were of a more simple design, and others were more intricately carved. Omen: 8, 13 ¡°So we can finally leave this horrid place, eh?¡± Adam said once he met Sir Harvey, who looked slightly haggard. The Guards nearby threw him a glare, but with Aizaban and Lanban beside him, he felt further at ease. ¡°You should be careful with your words, stranger,¡± came the dark voice of a woman. She was adorned in dark breastplate, and at her sides she wielded a pair of shortswords, each made of Deadwood. Along her shoulders was a long cape, made of black. ¡°It was quite horrid, being confined in an inn room,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive my words, I¡¯m a little stir crazy from being trapped.¡± ¡°You had the freedom to leave and walk as you pleased,¡± the woman said. ¡°You could have felt the cool breeze on your skin, seen the sights, spent your coin in our shops.¡± ¡°And give you all an excuse to imprison me? Oh, be careful! That Elf walked a little too quickly! Oh, look at him, he reached for his sword to try and threaten the shopkeeper, let¡¯s forget the fact that his pouch is at his side?¡± Adam rolled his eyes, but realised she couldn¡¯t see them, so rolled his head instead. ¡°I might be a foreigner, but I know how easy it is for you to make an excuse to do as you please. If I¡¯m not welcome, then my coins aren¡¯t either.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely dangerous,¡± Kitool said, glancing at Jaygak. Jaygak rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, sure, but we could hope...¡± ¡°You should be careful with that gem,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I¡¯ll be as careful as I can be.¡± Adam placed it inside some cloth, before placing it into the bottom of his backpack, under his spellbook. ¡®I hope it doesn¡¯t end up being something creepy.¡¯ Omen: 2, 3 There he stood. It was a man who stood taller than any other man Adam had ever seen. He came like a mountain, adorned in heavy plate mail from head to toe, with a sword as big as he strapped to his back. ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered, staring at the huge fellow. ¡°Sir Robert, the Mountain,¡± Paul said, nodding his head slowly. Sir Robert remained silent. ¡®Sir Robert? The Mountain?¡¯ Adam almost chuckled, but he could feel the pressure in the air. ¡°Have you seen him?¡± Sir Robert asked, his voice deep, like unearthed gravel. ¡°Who?¡± Paul replied. ¡°The Knight of Death.¡± ¡°The previous Knight of Death,¡± Paul corrected, ¡°but yes. He was heading down south, to Ever Green.¡± Sir Robert grunted, shambling forward past the group. Paul remained tense the entire time, not relaxing even as they walked past one another. Sir Robert¡¯s steps stopped. ¡°What¡¯s an Elf like you doing so far north?¡± Adam stopped, Paul quickly stepping between the pair. Lanban and Aizaban remained close by too, with Aizaban whispering, half praying for a fight against the one known as the Mountain. ¡°I¡¯m only half an Elf,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m free to move as I please, as long as I don¡¯t bother anyone.¡± Sir Robert had half turned back to look at the Half Elf in puthral plate mail. The three warriors, including the Vice Master of the Guild, were definitely protecting him. It would be a difficult fight, one he wouldn¡¯t win, but would he be able to slay Adam during the fray? His eyes scanned the pair of Iyrmen, as well as the Silver Rank Adventurer. ¡®No.¡¯ ¡°Whatever qualms you have with Elves, don''t take it up with me. I¡¯m an innocent little Elf, trying to make my way in the world." "You should be careful with your words," Sir Robert replied. ¡°Lying to a Knight can get you killed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said no lie,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you don¡¯t wish to hear what I have to say, don¡¯t ask questions.¡± Sir Robert glared at Adam though his helmet. "There will come a time when you won''t have so many warriors beside you." "There will come a time when I won''t need them," Adam replied, resting his arm against the magical blade at his side. Sir Robert turned and left, his heavy boots thunking onto the ground, before they faded in the distance. ¡°What was his problem?" Adam asked. "He''s Sir Robert the Mountain," Paul said. "Sir Rockhill," Aizaban said. "Rockhill?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No wonder he doesn¡¯t like Elves...¡± Adam stared at the huge figure¡¯s back. ''Hey, Bell? How strong was he?'' [Stronger than Paul.] ''Stronger than Silver Rank, huh? Looks like I''ve been spending too much experience on weapons and not enough on my Level.'' Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam randomly finding people who want to kill him. 103. Eagle Wing 103. Eagle Wing Omen: 14, 18 ¡°That¡¯s Eagle Wing?¡± Adam asked, staring at the huge town ahead. The walls were long and wide, wrapping around towards the hill, where they wrapped upwards to protect the layered city. The Guards outside stood tall and proud, in their breast plate, stamped with the symbol of an eagle, and wore dusky tan cloaks around their shoulders. At their sides were short blades, and they wielded spears. Their helmets were patterned with wings across the side, which reminded him of the Order of Wings. These weren¡¯t just Guards milling about, wishing they were doing something less boring, but true Guards, their heads held high. ¡°Halt!¡± the Guards shouted, raising their hands towards the strangers. Though a pair of them wore the knightly attire of an Oakguard and a Darkknight, the Guards still processed them as they normally would. ¡°Sir Merrick, Seventh Branch of the Oakguard!¡± Sir Merrick declared, before handing over the identification to confirm who they were and what they were doing. It hadn¡¯t taken long for the Guards to confirm them, and soon they were allowed inside. The moment Adam stepped inside, he needed to take a moment. The pathway was wide, extremely wide, there could be fifty people standing side by side with ease if they needed. The next tier began almost a half mile ahead, with its own set of walls and Guards, but the bustling people made it hard to see. The floor was smooth, the buildings to the side made of smooth stone or wood, each of them small cubes. Everything was a light tan or a creamy colour, and most people wore muted clothing. Many people walked about with a small blade or axe at their side, and some carried staffs too. Sir Harvey made his way to the inner wall, where a pair of Guards, near identical to the last, waited. They spoke with Sir Harvey as Adam noted the amount of Guards walking around. There were quite a few more than in Red oak, but then again, it seemed this town was much bigger too. Eventually they were brought to a spacious estate, where Sir Harvey allowed them to settle. ¡°I will go and speak with Countess Eaglewing to make sure that there are no issues within our company,¡± he said, glancing to Adam. Adam sighed. ¡°Best of luck to you, Sir Harvey.¡± Adam waited until inevitably he and Jurot were brought to an inn some ways away for them to recuperate within. ¡°I should have expected as much,¡± he said, before heading into the bath. Eventually, he and Jurot made their way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, though were stopped at the gates. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the Guard asked. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild,¡± Adam said. ¡°How long will you be?¡± ¡°Uh. We¡¯ll get there, spend about ten minutes there or so, then head back.¡± ¡°Come through this gate on the way back, or you will not be allowed through,¡± the Guard warned. ¡°If you say so.¡± Adam stepped past, wondering what that was all about. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was near identical to the building in Red Oak, save it was made of smooth rock. When they stepped inside, they noted a few parties kicking it for the day, with a wall full of quests to one side, but more importantly, a reception ahead of them with an attractive young woman. ¡®Seriously, is there a screening for pretty women in the Guilds or something?¡¯ Adam revealed his tag. ¡°I need some ink to inscribe a spell into my spellbook,¡± he whispered to the receptionist. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°About a hundred gold¡¯s worth,¡± Adam said. ¡°There is a one gold fee,¡± she stated, but bowed her head. Adam slipped a pair of gems from the Party Fund to pay for it, including the gold coin, and she provided him with a pouch filled with the item. When they returned to the gate, the Guards stopped them. ¡°Where had you gone?¡± the same Guard asked. ¡°The Adventurer''s Guild?¡± Adam replied. The Guard nodded, before allowing them through, and they made their way to the inn. ¡°What was that all about?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They confirm the comings and goings through the gates,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°It is their duty.¡± ¡°Oh... right, yeah, that makes sense. I thought they noticed I was a Half Elf.¡± Adam spent the evening transcribing the spell Chaos Bolt into his spellbook. He had thought about the other spells from the scrolls, and though Bless was good, he needed a powerful ranged option, and like Flame Bolt, it required no material components. Quest Complete: Embracing Chaos XP: 370 -> 420 ¡®Is this meant to be some kind of joke?¡¯ Adam asked. [It is no joke.] ¡®What¡¯s this about, eh?¡¯ [Something.] ¡®So it¡¯s going to be like that?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡°Seriously...¡± Adam rubbed his forehead, shaking his head. What was he going to do with Bell? Now that he had some time alone, he grabbed the pulsing gem from within his backpack and felt it. He kept his eye on the gem, staring deep into it. Arcane Lore D20 + 5 = 20 (15) He could feel it pulse, but there was something else about the gem. Something pinged in the back of his mind. ¡°Oh,¡± he whispered. ¡°It¡¯s alive?¡± Adam looked to his hand, then to the dried blood, and back to the pulsing gem. ¡°Should I feed it some blood?¡± he asked himself. ¡®No, no, that¡¯s a terrible idea.¡¯ "Oh,¡± the man said, glancing at the gold coin. He took it carefully. ¡°Thank you kindly stranger. I¡¯m Bobby, Baker. What''s your name?" "Adam, son of Fate." "Adam, eh? Well, I hope that our paths cross again. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours." "You as well." Adam nodded as the Baker made his way back to his bakery. ¡°I remember when I was a boy,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There was a young girl, a Baker¡¯s daughter, who ran away in the same way.¡± ¡°You like paying attention to young Baker¡¯s girls, don¡¯t you?¡± Adam grinned wide. Jurot did not respond, though the other two Iyrmen smiled. ¡°I came here when I was young too,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It was the year after Jurot. I was able to see a spar between two Eagleknights.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°They had sparred when I was within the town as well.¡± ¡°What¡¯s something amazing about this town? Something that we should check out?¡± ¡°There are the statues of the Eagleknights,¡± Jurot offered. ¡°They are within the third layer of the town, so we will be unable to see them.¡± ¡°How come?¡± ¡°They do not allow any person in, unless they live within the third layer or they have been invited by someone within the layer.¡± ¡°Is it where the Nobles live?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Yeah, I gathered. Should we buy souvenirs for home?¡± ¡°We can. We can hand them over to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, who will send it to Red Oak for us.¡± ¡°Can they send it to the Iyr?¡± ¡°They can, but it is best to send it to Red Oak, so that we may bring it back personally to hand out to all the children.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± Adam rubbed his chin under his helmet. ¡°Is there anything I should buy to hand to the children? Something which I can hand out to many children?¡± ¡°There are some merchants who sell cheap jewellery made of shells, stones, chips,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are some merchants who sell small trinkets, little cups and such, made of clay, each no more than a silver piece.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go and drop some gold on some junk then,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°They have a saying in my world. One man¡¯s junk is another man¡¯s treasure.¡± ¡°The cheapest and easiest thing to buy is strips of cloth.¡± ¡°Cloth?¡± Adam said. ¡°Why cloth?¡± ¡°They can be used as jewellery, or tied to weapons or other toys, or used to sew together into something else,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Katool loves ribbons of cloth.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get a little bit of everything and have the Guild send it to Red Oak?¡± Adam asked. The Iyrmen nodded, and they spent the entire day shopping, buying all kinds of souvenirs for the children. From afar, two Guards stared at the Iyrmen and the Half Elf in puthral, though they themselves were adorned in typical clothing, with a short blade at their side, and their badges hidden away in their pocket. ¡°He¡¯s just... buying stuff?¡± ¡°Little trinkets, and bits of cloth,¡± the other Guard said. ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯s just... shopping, right?¡± ¡°Looks like it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an Elf,¡± the Guard grumbled, sipping his drink. ¡°Probably going to put them together to make something terrible.¡± ¡°Yeah, but, aren¡¯t those Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the other Guard replied, clicking his teeth with his tongue. ¡°That shit don¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± ¡°You think Canders is going to believe us?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe me,¡± the Guard said. ¡°I don¡¯t even believe it now. Elves and Iyrmen?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the world coming to?¡± ¡°Countess is going to have us run laps for making shit up.¡± The Guard shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t make anything up, so we¡¯re going to have to run those laps.¡± The Guards sighed together, but continued their surveillance of the Half Elf, who was none the wiser. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam casually tempting Fate... 104. Crows and Aurochs 104. Crows and Aurochs ¡°Sir Frederick Leftwing, Eagleknight!¡± the slightly tanned man declared. He was quite a beautiful man, with shoulder length red hair swept back, a clean shaven face. He had bright green eyes, like a pair of circular jade. He wore a breastplate, made of bronze, with the intricate details of an eagle leaping upwards, and draped over his shoulders was a long, bright yellow cloak, eagerly displaying himself before the group. In one arm he held a helmet the same colour as his breastplate, and a spear in his other hand, gripped tight. The spear was long, with wood painted bright yellow, and a bronze tip, intricately carved. ¡°It¡¯s a bunch of bull shit that everyone is so pretty,¡± Adam whispered to Jurot. Jurot nodded his head slowly, though kept his words to himself. ¡®You keep forgetting you are a beautiful Half Elf.¡¯ The Eagleknight, who was quite young, the youngest Knight in the group, took point eagerly. ¡°He still has the light in his eyes,¡± Adam said. ¡°He must be new.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°An eager eagle.¡± Adam chuckled softly. They made their way towards West Wood, the next town. They followed the road up the hills, though as Adam looked ahead, he realised just how far the roads stretched over the hills. His thighs were burning, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel envious of the Iyrmen, all save for Aizaban, who suffered like him. Then he realised his puthral armour was lighter, and he felt as though he had betrayed the woman. ¡®Sorry, but you have to suffer alone.¡¯ ¡°I have to admit, these roads are quite nice,¡± Adam said as they walked on the main road. ¡°This is the Central Aldland King¡¯s Road,¡± Paul said. ¡°The safest road in all the land, patrolled quite frequently. It¡¯s maintained mostly by the taxes we pay at the gate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a copper or so,¡± Adam said, glancing at the Vice Master. ¡°For you, perhaps. I have to pay a silver piece each time, and do not forget how many Iyrmen become Mithril and Gold Rank,¡± Paul said, careful not to give specifics. ¡°There were a number of Mithril Rank Iyrmen who went south, so each town on the way received at least a hundred gold from them.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if Paul should be saying this, but the others nodded their heads, and Adam realised that a hundred Iyrmen on the move probably was the talk of the land. ¡°There is much movement between the towns, and Merchants are taxed differently depending on their wares, but easily a gold for each time they pass through the towns.¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t taxed as much as the Kingdom would like, but the Merchant¡¯s Guild has managed to provide many great services in the past,¡± Sir Harvey said. They managed to reach the top of a hill, where they made camp for the evening in an area made up of small half walls. ¡°How come there are so many of these camps?¡± Adam asked as the fire was lit. ¡°That¡¯s the Guild,¡± Paul said, smiling. ¡°We make sure that the most used camps are well maintained. It¡¯s part of an Adventurer¡¯s responsibilities to mention if a camp isn¡¯t clear, or something has overrun it. If you can deal with it, you should, but if it¡¯s too much for you, you can retreat and we¡¯ll set out a request to deal with it. Luckily, most of the camps nearby are well maintained.¡± ¡°I notice that most of them look the same,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is that by design?¡± Paul nodded. ¡°They are to allow three full sized parties to sleep well enough, if a little cramped.¡± As they finished making camp, and the Iyrmen brought back a boar to roast and stew. It was evening by the time they noticed another figure in the distance, who stepped towards them. It was a figure with something on their head, like a large hat, but as they approached, the group could see it wasn¡¯t a hat, but a large bird. ¡°Crowseer,¡± Aizaban growled to Lanban, who nodded his head. Jurot and the other Iyrmen perked up, staring over at the stranger, which was slowly approaching them. It appeared as though they were moving slowly, and yet they arrived quicker than the group expected. The man, with the large, dark bird resting on his shoulders, over his head, stopped near the camp. He looked as though he was going to walk past the group, but he turned to face the large party. He was tall, with pale skin, and was pencil thin. He was adorned in long cloths all about him, with a rapier at his side, and a cane in hand. His eyes were dark, and though his face was hard to see under the thin cloth across his face. Their eyes moved in tandem, looking across the same people at the same time. He stopped when he saw the Half Elf, who was settled beside an Iyrman. ¡°Son of Fate,¡± the stranger said. ¡°You should be careful.¡± Adam blinked, having not expected to hear his self proclaimed title. ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Maurice knows you,¡± the man said, motioning to his giant bird, which was roosting happily against the man. ¡°You may be half an Elf, but your mouth is wholly too big for your own good.¡± Adam glanced at the bird, which seemed almost like a giant, fat crow on his head, it¡¯s talons gripping the man¡¯s shoulders. He nodded to the bird. ¡°Maurice,¡± Adam greeted, before his eyes fell back on the stranger. ¡°I¡¯ll take your warnings to heart, stranger, but who are you?¡± Another almost struck Kitool, but Jaygak intercepted it with her shield, though her arms throbbed wildly, and she almost tumbled backwards. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) D20 + 8 = 26 (18) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 5 = (2)(3, 6) 11 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 21 (13) D20 + 8 = 24 (16) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 5 = (1)(2, 4) 9 damage! Adam dashed around Jurot, swiping with two heavy blows against the large creature, almost a Bull, though its horns were wider and deadlier, and its fur was thicker, providing some protection against the blade, but not enough. Each blow struck true, threatening to slice the creature in half. It shook under his harsh blows, but did not give in. Its eyes were full of rage, and it was eager to skewer anyone in front of it. ¡°You should settle down,¡± Adam said. Dunes managed to heal Jaygak, who missed her first blow, before inhaling deeply and swingingly wildly, striking the Auroch with her powerful blade. The Auroch managed to strike Kitool with its hooves, though she managed to soften the blow, swinging her staff agaisnt it. Jurot managed to cut the Auroch in front of him in half, before he circled around the other, assisting Kitool and Jaygak. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 16 (8) D20 + 8 = 25 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 5 = (1)(1, 1) 8 damage! Adam¡¯s blade cut through its neck, causing blood to splatter, and yet it struggled against Fate¡¯s Golden. Jaygak pierced into it with her blade, and Kitool struck it across its skull, though the creature skewered her on its horns. The woman gasped, letting out a soft breath, before falling. Dunes, who was certain it was going to fall after his blow, had thrust with his blade, though watched as Kitool fell. ¡°Kitool!¡± Dunes shouted, trying to pull his blade out of the creature. Victory! Aurochs +200XP XP: 420 -> 620 Quest Complete: Embrace the Chaos XP: 620 -> 720 Mana: 7 -> 6 Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) ¡°Get up, Kitool,¡± Adam called, healing the Iyrman. He had more than enough Mana to heal her several times. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kitool said, feeling the holes in her robes, and the soft flesh which had knitted over. She was half delirious, barely able to get onto her feet. ¡°Any time.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± she said, staring down at her stomach. ¡°You¡¯ve saved me many times now, Adam.¡± ¡°Like I said, any time.¡± Adam smiled, squatting down to pat her back. ¡°What are friend for, eh? Don¡¯t go dying on me before we fight the dragon.¡± He winked. ¡°Aurochs,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will feast tonight!¡± ¡°How¡¯s the fur?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°It will be good to send back.¡± ¡°So, how are we splitting the loot?¡± Adam asked, glancing at Sir Harvey. ¡°Half for myself, half for your party,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°See that? We dealt with what, four of them, and he wants one of ours.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re the boss here.¡± Adam shook his head slowly. ¡°If you wish to carry the furs and meat yourself, you are free to do so,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°I thought, perhaps, you would have liked for me to use my various magical storage available to me.¡± ¡°You know what, Sir Harvey,¡± Adam said, glancing up at the Sir. ¡°You ain¡¯t half bad.¡± Sir Harvey narrowed his eyes. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sir Harvey is slowly winning Adam over. 105. Thunder, Birds, Fees 105. Thunder, Birds, Fees Omen: 10, 13 They were still on the road when they saw creatures above them, a large group of birds, each circling high above the party. ¡°What are those?¡± Adam asked, staring up at the creatures. Perception Check D20 + 3 = 12 (9) He couldn¡¯t make out too many details, other than they were a dusky tan colour, and were larger than typical birds. ¡°Dusk Hawks,¡± Aizaban said. ¡°Typically prized possessions of those from Eagle Wing, but these are wild born.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not stupid enough to come and fight us, are they?¡± Adam asked. The Dusk Hawks dove down towards Kitool, the smallest of them all, and the one with the least amount of metal bits about her. ¡°Me and my big mouth,¡± Adam said. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 7 (6) There were easily a dozen of the creatures, each diving down, possessed by a lust for blood. Mana: 8 -> 7 Chaos Bolt D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Hit! 3D6 = 8 (2, 3, 3) 8 damage! Chaos Bolt D20 + 5 = 15 (10) Hit! 3D6 = 14 (3, 5, 6) 14 damage! Adam channelled his magic as Aizaban called out her Divine Magic, casting one of the Dusk Hawks in radiant force, half burning it as it dove downwards. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind gaining more Experience!¡± Adam shouted, shooting out the chaotic magic from his finger tips, which struck the injured Dusk Hawk, blasting it with frost, before the magic bounced off of, spiralling towards another Dusk Hawk, which turned slightly purple as the poison filled it. There were almost a dozen of the creatures, but as they dove down to the awaiting warriors, they were cut down by spear, blade, and mace, a third of the dozen littering the floor around with their lifeless bodies. Mana: 7 -> 6 Chaos Bolt (Disadvantage) D20 + 5 = 7 (2) D20 + 5 = 9 (4) Omen: 10, 13 -> 13 10 + 5 = 15 Hit! 3D6 = 8 (5, 6, 6) 17 damage! Chaos Bolt (Disadvantage) D20 + 5 = 15 (10) D20 + 5 = 22 (17) Hit! 3D6 = 14 (4, 5, 5) 14 damage! Chaos Bolt (Disadvantage) D20 + 5 = 15 (10) D20 + 5 = 17 (12) Hit! 3D6 = 14 (1, 4, 5) 10 damage! Adam, drunk on his Mana, brought up his hand once again, risking the use of his spell in close quarters. Though the wings and talons were in his way, he plucked on the Thread of Fate, allowing Kitool a moment of respite as the various Dusk Hawks battered her with beaks and talons, threatening to shred her. His magic shot out from his finger tips, a thunderous roar shredding through three of the Dusk Hawks, causing feathers to fly around them, and the Dusk Hawks to cry in pain as thunderous force rocked them. ¡®How lucky for it to all be thunder,¡¯ Adam thought, before realising the mistake he had made. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 6 -> 5 Thunderwave 2D6 = 12 (6, 6) 12 damage! Adam inhaled, feeling like an idiot. He had a spell which was much better for the situation. ¡°Thunder!¡± the Half Elf shouted, as his magic formed through him once against, the thunderous might of his spell shaking through the creatures. Three of them fell, the very same three which his magic had sundered moments ago, whilst the others screeched in pain. Kitool spun about the battlefield, spinning her staff around her as the Dusk Hawks tried to slash and tear at her, only to find their bodies battered and bruised by the various weapons and magics. Jurot had managed to strike a Dusk Hawk harshly, before Jaygak finished it off, inhaling deeply as she surged forward with another swing, which downed another Dusk Hawk with her blade so eager for blood. Dunes kept himself at the ready to heal Kitool, in case any Dusk Hawk was going to hit her, and potentially kill her before they dragged her away. It had taken only a few seconds, but soon the entire group of Dusk Hawks had fallen, having been unable to land a single blow onto Kitool, with the Knights slaying the last few which had remained. Victory! Dusk Hawks +200XP XP: 720 -> 920 Quest Complete: Empower the Chaos XP: 920 -> 1020 Omen: 12, 13 The sun was about to fall as they approached the camp, where the road met the forest. The camp was unlike any of the others, as though it was laid out in the same manner, this camp held another Adventurer. The fellow was lean, and well built, wearing a Grey Tiger skin over his back, the skull of the Grey Tiger adorned on his head like a helmet, hiding his face, though his golden locks fell down across his chest. He wore fairly light clothing under the tiger skin. He carried a large, rectangular shield, and wore arm guards and shin guards made of metal, leather sandal boots protecting his feet. Against his shoulder leaned a long spear, but he also wore the Iron Tag of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and a wooden amulet with a symbol etched into it. A belt of javelins lay atop his bulging pack, which sat beside him. The stranger¡¯s eyes were glued to the small fire, which was currently cooking a bird at the end of a stick dug into the ground. Perception Check D20 + 3 = 19 (16) The symbol was cracked, though Adam recognised the symbol, realising it was a Holy Symbol to channel Divine Magic through. ¡°What a ragtag set of equipment,¡± Adam joked, noting the fine make of the metal arm guards and shin guards, though he wondered why he didn¡¯t wear heavier armour. Then he recalled how he was sweating like a pig in his own puthral, even though he used Tricks to cool himself throughout the day. The Iyrmen and Paul stared at the stranger for a short while, before Sir Harvey approached, with Sir Merrick at his side. ¡°Might we join the camp?¡± Sir Harvey asked. Though they were going to, it was always polite to ask. The figure remained focused on the fire, but nodded his head. "Wearing armour sucks!" Adam said, dropping down as he took off his helmet, shaking his head as the cool evening air blew across him. "Walking around in full plate mail in Noonval...¡± He turned to Jaygak. ¡°It¡¯s a killer, isn¡¯t it?¡± "That is the price we pay," she said, taking off her own helmet, though she was smirking at Adam. ¡°Oh, right,¡± Adam said, staring at the devilkin, who found relief in the heat. "I should be unarmoured like Jurot and Kitool, walking around in your cloaks, allowing the breeze to pass along your skin.¡± "Would you be able to survive without your armour?¡± Jaygak asked, stretching her body. Adam thought about it for a moment. ¡°Probably not.¡± Harvey had placed down his gear to one side, which Sir Frederick was keeping an eye on, whereas he went to cut some herbs and plants from the nearby area, with Sir Merrick and Sir Enna nearby. "You''re awfully open for a Half Elf," came a voice, soft and low, almost a growl. It was the stranger who spoke, though his eyes remained on the fire. ¡°Is that so weird?¡± Adam replied. "Don''t you know how much Half Elves are hated in this land?" "Yeah, I hear they''re hated quite a bit." Adam sighed. "The amount of times it''s gotten me into trouble. It hasn''t been too bad though, since Jurot has been there for me. Iyrmen are like a free pass to not getting my ass beat, though they can''t stop everything." "It must be nice to be protected by others." "Yeah, it does feel good." Adam reached over and grabbed Jurot''s arm, picking it up as he squeezed against the Iyrman¡¯s muscles. "You see these bad boys? They''re pretty damn good at protecting me!" Adam laughed, letting go of the arm. Everyone had heard Adam¡¯s statement, and soon the thought of Adam¡¯s true goal was filling their minds. Was Adam buddying up with the Iyrmen to be protected by them? "Adam is also very strong," Jurot said, his eyes glancing towards the stranger. The eyes of all the Iyrmen were glued to the stranger, due to his amulet. "What''s the design on your amulet?" Adam asked. "It looks almost like Sozain''s symbol, but it¡¯s all cracked." The stranger¡¯s eyes snapped back to Adam, filled with a shocked glare. ¡°You dare not show respect to the gods?¡± The eyes of the others fell onto Adam, piercing his back. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! More birds? 106. Half Elves, Whole Families 106. Half Elves, Whole Families "Ah, right,¡± Adam said, noting the piercing looks. ¡°I forgot." He laughed, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t provoke their ire,¡± Paul said, shaking his head. "Their ire? I doubt they would go out of their way to mess with me.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help his smirk. ¡°I have piqued their interest, so I''m sure they''re keeping an eye on me." ¡°You should be careful, Adam,¡± Dunes warned. ¡°Vice Master Paul is right. Provoking the gods does not end well.¡± Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he said, dismissively. ¡°You know, Lady Arya once gave me strength. I wonder if I should pledge an Oath to her, or to an ideal she likes?¡± Though it was to change the topic, Adam wondered if he¡¯d need to swear an Oath if he wanted to use the powers of a Guardian. ¡°War is the most obvious choice, but monster hunting, vengeance, or such adjacent subjects would work too,¡± Dunes said, preferring the way the conversation was flowing now. "Monster hunting?¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°Well, I sort of do that anyway. Vengeance? If someone messes with me, I¡¯ll mess with them back.¡± "If you''re going to make an Oath, usually it¡¯s to help others,¡± Dunes admonished. "Helping others?¡± Adam raised his brow, staring at the Priest. ¡°As long as I get paid, I guess." ¡°To help others is reward enough,¡± Dunes said. ¡°That¡¯s why your temple doesn¡¯t take any charity or coin from those it helps, right?¡± Adam replied. Dunes sighed, rubbing his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s different.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± "Is that why you helped Nobby?" Jurot asked. ¡°You paid to heal his father. Was it so that he owed you a favour in the future?¡± "Maybe? I helped Nobby because I had the power to at the time. If he wants to help me in the future because of it, that''s good. If not, then that''s fine too. Nobby gets to see his father again, and that''s worth more than a hundred gold." Adam swallowed, avoiding Jurot''s eyes. "Choosing an Oath isn''t so easy," the stranger said. "To submit yourself to an ideal is something precious and powerful. You should be careful with your words, Half Fae." "If I want to choose a conviction, I will,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I don''t want to, I won''t." ¡®Everyone keeps telling me to be careful of my words, sheesh.¡¯ "What about Lucy?" Jurot asked. "What about Lucy?" Alll latest novels at novelhall.com "You had no reason to help her." "No reason to help her?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°She was a young woman in the middle of nowhere! If she died, do you think I could sleep peacefully at night." "Yes, but you said she was your friend within moments of meeting her." ¡°Are friends so easy to make?¡± "Sometimes, I suppose. They''re hard to keep, though.¡± Adam flashed a sad smile. ¡°Lucy was like me, all alone. I have you at least, Jurot, but who did Lucy have? She had a best friend too, who was missing, and now is dying. I want to live my life the way I want. If I want to live it freely, I will. If I want to chain myself to something or someone, I will. That''s what it means to be free." The stranger stared at Adam, wondering what madness he was speaking. He removed his helmet to reveal his pretty face, though there was a scar under his eyes, trailing down towards his lip. Though, most importantly, at the sides of his head, there were two leaf shaped ears. ¡°Another Half Elf?¡± Adam said, his eyes wide. This stranger, who was sitting and minding his own business, was the first Half Elf Adam had ever met. "I didn''t expect to see a cousin around here," Adam chuckled. ¡°How old are you?¡± the Half Elf asked, staring at Adam. Eagleknight Frederick narrowed his eyes at the pair of Half Elves. ¡°I think I¡¯m eighteen or so,¡± Adam said, unsure. ¡°You?¡± "Yeah, of course,¡± Adam replied, as though it were obvious. He wasn¡¯t sure what Jurot was getting at exactly. ¡°We''ll give some of the children one, obviously, but our sister should get a few, shouldn''t she?" "We can''t be too greedy," Jurot argued. "I''ll take my share of the loot and spend it on her,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I can do that much at least, can''t I?" "We should save up the loot to equip ourselves better," Jurot said, speaking sense. "Equip ourselves better?" Adam asked, staring at the Iyrman. ¡°Yes.¡± "Jurot," Adam said, raising his magical sword made of precious Iyrmen materials, before motioning to his armour, made of puthral, and then to Jurot¡¯s own axe, which also held a magical enchantment. ¡°If you need something, just tell me. That goes for the rest of you, though Dunes, you¡¯re still on probation.¡± "You''re crazy," the Half Elf stranger finally said. "You would really make dragon scales into a necklace?" He had heard how the Iyrmen took scales of their defeated foes, but it was usually the damaged scales which would be handed to the children, and yet, the way Adam made it sound, he was going to make a necklace out of the same material used to make some of the greatest armours. "Sure, why not?" Adam asked, as though he truly did not know why it was crazy. ¡°They are worth a fortune,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°I know the Iyrmen give some scales to the children of their families, but to give multiple scales to one child, it¡¯s unreasonable.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam growled. ¡°It¡¯s not one kid, it¡¯s my precious little sister.¡± The Half Elf stared at Adam, before noting the lack of tattoos. ¡°How can she be your sister? You are no Iyrman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Nephew of their family,¡± Adam said. ¡°My Aunt says that she¡¯s my sister, and that¡¯s all that matters. Why would I come to you, a random stranger, and have you declare who is or who isn¡¯t my family?¡± ¡°Lanarot is his sister," Jurot said, ¡°as she is my own.¡± ¡°You are no Iyrman,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°You¡¯re a half blood, like me.¡± "I might be a half blood like you, but that changes nothing.¡± Adam crossed his arms. ¡°Lanarot is my adorable little sister, from the day she was born, to the day I die.¡± The Half Elf stared at Adam, his eyes full of anger. ¡°Why would you go so far for some kid? Even if it is all words, you-¡° Adam stood up, narrowing his eyes at the Half Elf. ¡°What was that you said?¡± The Half Elf stranger stared at Adam, glaring up at the Half Elf in puthral. ¡°Did you say that it was all words?¡± Adam asked, stretching his neck each way. ¡°Just because you failed in living your life the way you want to, that doesn¡¯t mean you can take it out on me.¡± The Half Elf stranger stood, his eyes glued to Adam, hand gripping his spear tight. He noted the looks of everyone else, but his eyes remained firmly rooted on the young Half Elf before him. ¡°You are just like everyone else. You talk big, but that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, shaking his head slowly. ¡°You are just like everyone else. You ran away when things got tough. So what if you were kicked out of your Order? You still were able to train with them for years, and I have no doubt you were able to learn magic from them.¡± The stranger grit his teeth. ¡°You were given an upbringing some people could only wish for. So what if you¡¯re a Half Elf? I hear the people up north don¡¯t mind you, but here you are, back to Central Aldland, to where people hate you, and then you complain that it sucks? Are you going to make excuses until you die a pathetic existence?¡± The stranger remained silent, still gripping his spear tight. Adam exhaled, before sitting back down again. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to fight me?¡± the stranger asked. "Fight you?" Adam almost scoffed, eyes glancing up at the stranger. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Another Half Elf? He sounds like he needs to be taught a lesson... 107. Broken Men, Broken Words 107. Broken Men, Broken Words "Are you even worth fighting?¡± Adam asked, eyeing up the Half Elf. ¡°You are just an empty husk of a man. If I fought you, I¡¯d feel like I was bullying you.¡± The Half Elf stranger sneered, pointing his spear at Adam. ¡°You are but a coward! I am Iron Rank, not so far from you. You are all talk, like I said, nothing but a coward.¡± ¡°You might not know this, but I¡¯m a lot stronger than I look,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Vice Master Paul?¡± Adam glanced over at the Vice Master and winked, though Jurot and the others probably knew his true strength. ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong, Adam, but your cousin is much more powerful,¡± Paul said. Though Paul could easily deal with the stranger, but Adam would have a much more difficult time. ¡°He¡¯s an Expert.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± Adam asked, before glancing back at the other Half Elf. ¡°Is your spear magical?¡± ¡°No,¡± the man replied. ¡°Where would I find a magical spear?¡± His arm guards and shin guards were of decent make, and his spear was fine too. However, that was all which was decent, as everything else was shoddier, his clothes well worn. He, a Half Elf, probably wasn¡¯t able to gain much wealth, and considering he hadn¡¯t been an Adventurer for long, he probably had more pressing matters to attend to. ¡°No magical spear,¡± Adam said, nodding to the spear of decent make. ¡°And you¡¯re wearing furs, which provides a decent amount of protection but nothing compared to my puthral plate mail. You¡¯re a Guardian, so you know, what, Second Gate spells?¡± The Half Elf Guardian nodded his head slowly, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Just like me,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I have a magical sword, this puthral plate. I think if I was a smart man, which I fancy myself as, I¡¯d bet on me, dear cousin.¡± ¡°Then let us fight,¡± the Half Elf said, gripping his spear tighter in hand, wanting to deal with the rage and envy swirling within him. ¡°Why?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What¡¯s in it for me?¡± ¡°To show that you aren¡¯t a coward,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°Jurot knows whether I¡¯m a coward or not,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure many have heard of my tales. Why do I need to care about some pathetic husk of a man¡¯s opinion of me?¡± ¡°If you win, I will swear myself to you,¡± the Guardian said. Adam raised his brows, blinking at the Half Elf. ¡°For real? You¡¯ll swear yourself to me?¡± Adam¡¯s lips coiled upwards. ¡°Yes,¡± the Half Elf Guardian replied. ¡°And if you win?¡± ¡°You will give me that sword by your side, and your armour,¡± the Half Elf said, who was slimmer than Adam by a fair amount, but it was nothing some padding wouldn¡¯t fix. ¡°My sword and armour for some empty husk of a man,¡± Adam said, tapping his chin. The Half Elf narrowed his eyes at Adam¡¯s words, but remained silent, waiting. Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°Am I allowed to trade away these items?¡± ¡°They are yours to trade,¡± Jurot replied. Adam hummed quietly. ¡°You¡¯re more experienced, but I have better armour and weapon,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ll swear yourself to me, for the very same better armour and weapon. You won¡¯t ask me to drop my armour and weapons, will you?¡± ¡°That is fine. I am much stronger than you think.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Give me a second.¡± ¡®Hey, Bell, how much for the ability to smite?¡¯ [1000XP] ¡®That¡¯s a steep price, but give it to me.¡¯ XP: 1020 -> 20 ¡°Will you fight him?¡± Jurot asked, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°I am,¡± Adam said. ¡°He is strong.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°So am I.¡± ¡°You lost,¡± Adam said, squatting down, trying to hide his smile. ¡°So? Are you going to swear yourself to me?¡± ¡°Would you have given me your sword?¡± the Half Elf asked, squinting his eyes. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Blade and armour, right? That was the deal.¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± ¡°Ah, so you are someone who likes to break their word, huh?¡± Adam chuckled, rolling his eyes. ¡°I am already an Oathbreaker,¡± the man said, staring at the others around him, noting their looks of disgust. ¡°And? Are you going to choose to live your life like that? You have your chance now, to swear yourself to me as you had offered, and to change your path in life.¡± ¡°Are you good enough for me to swear myself to?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam said, glancing back to Jurot and the others for a moment, ¡°I beat your ass, didn¡¯t I?¡± The Half Elf remained silently, clutching at his side. Adam pulled back. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to keep your side of the deal, whatever.¡± Adam retreated back to the group, humming to himself. ¡°You say you didn¡¯t swear an Oath yet?¡± Dunes asked, noting how the Half Elf had definitely used the Divine Smite of the Guardians. Adam nodded. ¡°Jurot, did you see?¡± ¡°I saw,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a great story?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to return back to the Iyr. Will you tell Aunt Sonarot and our little sister?¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t going to kill him?¡± Paul asked. ¡°You duelled and his life was on the line.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. "Why would I kill him? He broke his word, but it wasn''t like I was hurt or anything." Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Since I would have given him my sword if I lost, I have the moral high ground." The downed Half Elf remained staring at Adam, unsure of who or what he was. He had every right to kill him, one of the only ways that he could find the sweet release of death. ¡®You won¡¯t even give me that, boy?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t you feel ashamed?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°You made a deal and broke it. I didn¡¯t expect that from a Guardian. You bring shame to your Order.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Oathbreaker,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°That Order and I have nothing to do with one another after they abandoned me.¡± ¡°They gave you a chance to live and you squandered it.¡± ¡°Leave him,¡± Adam said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t beat a man at his lowest.¡± ¡°If you let him go like this he won¡¯t learn,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You need to at least shame him so he does not forget.¡± ¡°As much as he should be shamed, you and I don¡¯t know his story. You and I would be the same as him in his shoes, so leave him be. He¡¯s done nothing wrong, even if his actions are shameful. He has an opportunity now, and if he doesn¡¯t want to learn from it, then that¡¯s how it is. If he does learn something and he decides to turn his life around, naturally he¡¯ll come to find me.¡± Adam glanced over towards the stranger. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for that day when he comes to me with life in his smile and purpose in his eyes, and hopefully, words that would bind him to me, but I won¡¯t hold my breath.¡± ¡°You can say manly things sometimes,¡± Dunes said. "If you compliment me too much, I might end up with a bigger ego than I currently have,¡± Adam said, chuckling. The group made camp for the night, taking watch as they had. The stranger remained by himself, wrapped in his Grey Tiger skin and sorrow. Sir Frederick and Sir Enna kept a suspicious eye on Adam, wondering just exactly who he was, and why he was here. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam bullying this Half Elf, but he kinda deserves it. Thanks for 5 patrons at gold tier! Here''s an extra chapter for you guys! 108. West Wood and Trouble 108. West Wood and Trouble Omen: 11, 19 The forest was thick and full of life, though much of it left the party be. Soon the large walls of West Wood were revealed, made of earth, with several towers made of dark grey wood, basking in the evening sun. The West Wood Guards who stood ahead wore scale mail of grey, with the symbol of West Wood on their tabards. Long, thick, grey cloaks fell down over their shoulders. In one hand they carried a long spear, also made of the grey wood, with a small shield and a quiver full of arrows set beside them. At their hips were short blades, and through their cloaks, Adam could see a small bow made of a darker wood. ¡°Hullo,¡± the Guard called out. ¡°Lovely evening, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Good evening,¡± Harvey replied. ¡°Sir Harvey, High Alchemist of Red Oak.¡± ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Sir Harvey,¡± the Guard nodded, tipping their helmet. ¡°Would those at your side be the good Knights of Red Oak, Deadwood, and Eagle Wing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re escorting me as I study.¡± Sir Merrick handed over the various forms of identity, and the Guard accepted them, glancing over the party. ¡°A group of Iyrmen as well?¡± The Guard raised his brows, nodding his head towards them. He had heard about the party before, but hadn¡¯t believed it. ¡°The Lady will be pleased.¡± The Guards checked the identity before handing the items back, his eyes scanning them, noting the stranger with the tiger skin over them. ¡°I believe accommodations for yourselves have already been prepared, though I¡¯m ashamed to admit that you¡¯ll most likely find them lacking.¡± ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine,¡± Harvey replied, smiling. ¡°At the very least they will be better than the dangerous outdoors of the forest we passed by.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there wasn¡¯t much of an issue, what with all those powerful escorts at your side,¡± the Guard said, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you personally if you like.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t decline your kindness,¡± Sir Harvey said. West Wood appeared to be a large town, like Red Oak. It was covered in small wooden buildings all around, stacked three high, and very large open spaces similar to Eagle Wing. Even the main roads were twenty steps wide, with side roads roughly five steps wide. There were many lush gardens around, every few buildings or so, some extremely small, others much larger, and all of which were growing all manner of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Half of the town was set against the hills, with a large castle overlooking the town, and several large estates which did the same. There were a handful of Guards moving about, patrolling the town. They were led to an estate which seemed to be empty, though there were a handful of Guards nearby. The Guards chatted with each other for a moment, before the escorting Guard tipped his helmet. ¡°I hope that you have a wonderful stay,¡± the Guard said, leaving them. Adam and the others were brought to their rooms, with a handful of servants who assisted them. There were two which assisted the entire group of Iyrmen and Vice Master Paul, whereas there was one for each Sir. ¡°We will be here for roughly a week,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°There are many herbs I require from the forest and the surrounding area. You may all rest, but please keep out of trouble.¡± His eyes glanced over to Adam. Adam smiled. ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± Adam placed away his gear, including taking off his puthral plate mail, which would bring too much attention. ¡°How do they feel about Half Elves here?¡± Adam asked. Jurot shook his head. ¡°It will not be as bad as in other places, but they still do not like your kind.¡± ¡°Half my kind,¡± Adam said, but he nodded. Adam wrapped some cloth around his head, like a scarf, covering his ears. ¡°Is this good?¡± ¡°You have hidden your ears well,¡± Jurot said.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°It¡¯s hot and stuffy,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a walk?¡± The pair left, heading out to explore the town. The pair quickly noted the Half Elf with the tiger skin following them. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t creep on me like that,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am keeping an eye on you to see if you are worthy,¡± he said. Adam sighed. ¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°You may call me Jonn.¡± ¡°Jonn what?¡± The Half Elf shook his head. ¡°Well, Jonn, you¡¯ve had a couple of days to think on it.¡± ¡°I will need to watch you more.¡± ¡°Whatever...¡± Adam rolled his eyes. Omen: 4, 17 ¡°The Guards¡¯ll have my head if I don¡¯t at least try,¡± Cornelius said, winking to the Guards. ¡°Remember. Noon tomorrow, alright?¡± ¡°Alright, if you say so,¡± Adam said. ¡®I can¡¯t even leave the estate, otherwise I¡¯ll have some weirdo over my shoulder and some random people chasing me.¡¯ Jurot quickly bought some wood to carve, and Adam joined him to buy some herbs, before retreating for the night. He decided against making a potion, preparing for if he had managed to gain a 20 on his Omen. Omen: 7, 20 ¡°Wow,¡± Adam said, blinking as he awoke. ¡°Really? One day?¡± He smiled. ¡®Seems like my luck is turning around!¡¯ Mana: 10 -> 9 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 14 (11) Omen: 7, 20 -> 7 20 + 3 = 23 Congratulations! 1 Enhanced Healing Potion Created. Heals for 2D6+6 HP. XP Gained: +150 XP: 820 -> 970 Adam plucked the Thread of Fate. The white dragon screeched as the dwarf grabbed onto its leg, filling it with dark energy, which caused its scales to flake. The dragon retreated away from the party of four, which had almost perished under its assault, and yet it was far too weak to finish the job, giving them another chance to recover. ¡°Hey, Vice Master, mind talking for a second?¡± Adam asked after their evening meal. Paul stared at Adam, sighing prematurely. ¡°Sure.¡± He had heard about what had happened the day before. ¡®This kid, seriously.¡¯ Once they were alone, Adam handed over the potion. ¡°Are you willing to buy it?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Paul said. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°What do you mean? This is a great potion, you know? It¡¯s an Enhanced Healing Potion, but with a little extra pizzazz.¡± Adam threw out some jazz hands to emphasise his potion. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I can buy the potion from you once we¡¯re back at the Guild.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, we might use it beforehand if we need.¡± ¡°I would expect you to.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Well, since I¡¯ve got nothing else to do, I might as well get high and kick it.¡± ¡°Get high?¡± ¡°The guy from yesterday,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot brought the package, which apparently was a lot of tea leaves, and some Moonlight Leaf.¡± Paul sighed. ¡°Just stay out of trouble, okay?¡± ¡°I always stay out of trouble,¡± Adam said. Paul stared at Adam. ¡°I mean, when I¡¯m not in trouble, I stay out of trouble.¡± He smiled innocently. Omen: 6, 14 Adam sighed. He had run out of Moonlight Leaf the day before. It had provided him a decent high, one which was relaxed and eased him to sleep. He had shared it with the rest of the group, and whereas the Knights declined, the others, save for Paul, enjoyed themselves. ¡°Are you thinking of the Princess?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± he admitted. ¡°We might be too late. I don¡¯t like sitting here, but it¡¯s not like we can just up and leave.¡± Adam had met them when he was with Sir Harvey, and he didn¡¯t want to change that, even if the person was completely different. ¡°I will pray for her fortune.¡± ¡°She¡¯s our priority, but the heart will be nice.¡± ¡°For Mara?¡± Jurot asked. Adam nodded. ¡°My future wife must be so alone without me!¡± Though it was a joke, Adam¡¯s heart was heavy. Mara was slowly dying, and Lucy had a time limit to save her. Though she had been quite a brat, she was probably hiding her pain. ¡°Cringe,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Calling her your future wife, is that not cringe?¡± ¡°A little, but I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, Baker¡¯s husband.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes, his ears turning red. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Jurot talking about cringe when he can''t even ask a Baker girl out smh. 109. The Young Knight 109. The Young Knight Omen: 10, 19 ¡°We must be careful,¡± Sir Harvey warned. ¡°The next leg of our journey may be dangerous, as we will be travelling for at least fourteen days, more if we are unlucky.¡± Adam glanced to the new Knight, a young man who was maybe in his late twenties at most, even younger than Frederick. He wore a dark breastplate, stamped with the West Wood design of their unique tree, with a dark cloak over their shoulder, and a blade at his side. ¡°Woodknight Dorian Westerly, at your service!¡± the young Knight declared. ¡°I shall assist to the best of my ability!¡± Even Sir Frederick, who was young and eager, threw the young Knight a look, the same look Adam and Jurot had given him when they had met. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head on out then,¡± Adam said. Sir Dorian stared at at the man in puthral armour, wondering who this Copper Rank was that he had puthral plate mail. His eyes were curious as he stared at Adam. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m queer like any other Half Elf in the world.¡± ¡°You are an Elf?¡± Sir Dorian said, reaching for his blade quickly, eagerly drawing it. ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam said, reaching down to the hilt of his blade, wrapping his fingers around it, but not yet drawing it. ¡°I would be careful doing that if I were you.¡± Adam¡¯s lips turned into a wide smile. ¡°The last big shot who tried to act up around me didn¡¯t even last a single round.¡± Sir Dorian narrowed his eyes, staring at the young man in puthral. ¡°I could cut you in half before you drew your sword.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try,¡± Adam said, and upon hearing the Knight¡¯s intent, he drew his blade. It was too late now, for the pair had drawn their blades. ¡°Adam is a member of our company,¡± Sir Harvey said, noting how the two older Iyrmen watched with a smile, exchanging meaningful glances between one another. ¡°Whether he is a Half Elf or not, he is here to assist and is being paid good money to do so.¡± Sir Dorian narrowed his eyes. The pair had drawn their blades, and were eager to fight one another. However, Sir Harvey was the leader of the expedition, and he could not misbehave. ¡°I understand, Sir Harvey,¡± the young Knight said. ¡°However, if the Half Elf dares to act suspicious in front of my eyes, I will not hesitate to draw my blade and cut him down where he stands.¡± Adam blinked. His eyes fell to Sir Harvey, staring at the High Alchemist. ¡°We should leave him behind,¡± Adam said, sheathing his blade for Sir Harvey¡¯s sake. ¡°He¡¯s going to be a nuisance on the road.¡± ¡°A nuisance?¡± Sir Dorian gasped. He had never heard of a man who spoke so poorly of a Knight. But this was no man. ¡°How dare you!¡± Sir Dorian snarled, gripping his blade tighter. ¡°Whose to say I go and take a leak near a tree and he thinks that¡¯s suspicious? Oh, look, he¡¯s next to a tree, he must be sending a message to the trees! Whack, he attacks me with my pants down!¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°Or let¡¯s say I don¡¯t draw my blade immediately when I see something, and he thinks that I¡¯m on the enemy¡¯s side?¡± ¡°That¡¯s preposterous!¡± Sir Dorian growled. ¡°Preposterous?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°You saw me, a man in puthral, surrounded by Iyrmen, who was standing beside Sir Harvey, and the moment you heard I was a Half Elf, you drew your sword. Tell me what¡¯s preposterous? The fact that you did that, or the fact that you think you wouldn¡¯t do something so preposterous?¡± ¡°It would be hard to explain his return,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°It would be easy to explain why our mission failed,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°He will come with us, and that is that, Adam,¡± Sir Harvey stated. ¡°You should remember your place.¡± ¡°I know my place, Sir Harvey,¡± Adam said. ¡°I know that if he tries anything, it will be hard to explain the lack of his return.¡± ¡°Daring to threaten a Knight?¡± Sir Dorian asked. ¡°Daring to defend myself, and it will be a gruesome defence, I promise you that, Knight of West Wood.¡± Sir Dorian glared at Adam, but the group made to move. ¡®Should I mention that Jonn is a Half Elf?¡¯ As they moved, Sir Dorian noted the appearance of the man with the tiger skin. ¡°There is a man following us.¡± ¡°How can I forget?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got random people drawing sword against me just because my ears are pointed. If I was an Iyrman, I¡¯d be able to do whatever I want without worrying about the King¡¯s Law. Jurot, I¡¯m envious. You could cut this guy down right before us and the King wouldn¡¯t even be able to lift a finger.¡± ¡°Even the Iyrmen are bound by the King¡¯s Law,¡± Sir Harvey said, sternly. ¡°You need to be more careful with your words.¡± Adam glanced over to Jurot. ¡°Is that right?¡± ¡°We are bound by the laws of the land, yes, but neither the King, or any other man or woman from Aldland, can punish us.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°The King cannot punish you?¡± Sir Dorian said, full of disbelief. ¡°Just who do you Iyrmen think you are? Do you believe yourselves to be gods amongst men?¡± Jurot threw his gaze towards the Knight, whereas Aizaban and Lanban raised their brows, their lips growing into a smile. ¡®Did he really just say that?¡¯ Aizaban¡¯s eyes said as she stared at her cousin. ¡®He does not know.¡¯ ¡°We are those who follow the treaty which has been signed,¡± Jurot said, his voice clear. Jonn glanced between the Knight and the Iyrman, wondering if there was going to be a fight. ¡°The treaty? Which treaty allows you to spit on the King¡¯s Law? I have not heard of such a treaty.¡± ¡°I assume it¡¯s that treaty?¡± Adam said, looking at Jurot. ¡°The one which has currently allowed the King to sit so comfortably on his throne. The Kingdom of Aldland, which was on the verge of collapse, received a hundred Iyrmen warriors as theirs Soldiers, and the Iyrmen remain amicable with the Kingdom. In exchange, the Iyrmen are not to be punished by the Kingdom, but by their own people, within their Iyr.¡± ¡°Preposterous,¡± Sir Dorian said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What a ridiculous statement! Who would ever believe that? I was not born yesterday. You wish for me to believe that the Iyrmen will provide a hundred Soldiers, which I am sure are quite decent, but to say our King will be unable to punish you...¡± Adam blinked and rubbed his eyes. He shook his head. Spell: Tricks ¡°I was just threatened for saying that you have no eyes and no ears. Okay, in all fairness, maybe the no eyes is going too far, but you really don¡¯t have any ears.¡± Adam turned to look at Harvey. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. How is it possible that I can make a joke about him not hearing anything, only for him to prove me right. Is this speaking ill of the Knight? To speak the truth which you have heard before me?¡± Adam shook his head. Sir Harvey glared at Adam. Adam glanced towards Jurot. ¡°Did you hear what I said, Jurot?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I have no doubt that you heard what I said, Jurot. Would you mind repeating what I said so the good Knight, who perhaps can¡¯t understand the same language when it comes from the lips of a man with Elvish blood, can hear?¡± Adam asked, glancing back at Sir Dorian. The Half Elf knew he was playing with fire, but Sir Dorian had annoyed him from their first meeting, and he was going to have fun with that. ¡°The Kingdom of Aldland, which was on the verge of collapse, received a hundred Iyrmen warriors as their Soldiers, and the Iyrmen remain amicable with the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Receive a hundred Iyrmen warriors,¡± Adam said, ¡°and the Iyrmen remain amicable with the Kingdom. It¡¯s not just a hundred Soldiers. It is a hundred Soldiers, and the lives of hundreds of thousands of lives.¡± Sir Dorian narrowed his eyes, his face contorting into rage. ¡°Just what do you mean by that, boy?¡± ¡°I mean exactly what I said, Sir No Ears,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Iyrmen allow your King to keep his seat, and as long as he doesn¡¯t act up, he gets to keep it.¡± Sir Dorian reached for his blade. ¡°You are from the north of Central Aldland,¡± Sir Merrick said, catching the young Knight¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t speak of the tale there, but they say it often in Red Oak, which is close to the Iyr, I believe the closest town to it.¡± ¡°What do you speak of, Sir Merrick? This tale which I am oblivious to.¡± ¡°It is called the Tale of the Blackwater Crisis.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam playing with fire, but he needs to put idiots in their place. 110. Standing Up 110. Standing Up ¡°I have,¡± Sir Dorian said. ¡°There was a time when a King of Aldland executed an Iyrman,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°Three,¡± said the Iyrmen, and the Half Elf who had been poking fun of the Knight. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Sir Merrick asked. ¡°It wasn¡¯t one Iyrman which was killed that day,¡± Aizaban said. ¡°It was three. Akrat. Timothy. The unborn child.¡± Her eyes flashed dark towards the Knight. Of course Aldland had their own version of the story, at least, those who actually dared to speak the tale. ¡°Right,¡± Sir Merrick said, clearing his throat. ¡°The King executed the three Iyrmen for treason-¡° ¡°King Solomon the Wise executed the Iyrmen because they dared to break a law in the capital city, which was to step into the inner city with their weapons,¡± Aizaban said, her voice firm and clear. ¡°Iyrmen cannot commit treason within Aldland, because we are not Aldish,¡± Lanban said. ¡°We are Iyrmen, and have never been, aren¡¯t, and will never be, under Aldish rule.¡± It was quite rude to interrupt someone during their tale, but it was far ruder to lie about Iyrmen, and so the Iyrmen had to correct the matters. ¡°Right,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°The King had executed the Iyrmen under the pretext of treason, and thus began to the war between Aldland and the Iyr.¡± ¡°You¡¯re missing quite a lot of context,¡± Adam said. ¡°That particular tale is one that was told to me on my way to the Iyr. I noticed how you downplayed what the King had done, so perhaps I should speak what I heard, and we can see if it matches with what you said, even though you were already shown to be... missing a few details.¡± Adam had almost called the man a liar, but he realised he couldn¡¯t make every Knight mad. Sir Merrick was someone from Red Oak, and Red Oak was going to be one of the few places he wanted to be welcomed in, even if they did hate his pointed ears. Adam glanced towards Sir Harvey. ¡®Oh, right. I should probably be nicer to him too.¡¯ Adam cleared his throat. ¡°The Iyrmen and the Kingdom had signed a very specific treaty, one which was pretty much the same as which we had mentioned. The Iyrmen and the Kingdom had been at war for so long, before the first real King of Aldland formed a treaty with the Iyrmen, and had united the land, save for the Iyrmen, into his Kingdom.¡± ¡°Many years later, there was an issue to the north, a dragon and their Kingdom which had gone to war. During this war, the King went to battle, and he fought well, but it was the Iyrmen which drove back the dragon before an Iyrman, a very specific Iyrman, killed the dragon, with the help of the Royal Guard which had gone with him.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you remember the name of the Iyrman, Sir Merrick?¡± ¡°I believe it was Akrat,¡± Sir Merrick said.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com ¡°Son of Ikrat,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Do you recall the name of the young Iyrman who was executed by the King?¡± ¡°I believe it was Akrat,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°Son of Ikrat,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Funny that, they seem to have the same name. The King captured Akrat, and called for his execution. The King was warned that he should not break the treaty, but he still broke it, because he thought he could get away with it. So, when the King broke the treaty which his grandfather had signed, what happened?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen came, slaughtering villages, and wiped out several towns,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°Red Oak was under siege too, for some time.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Then the King met for battle, his forces outnumbering the Iyrmen five to one, or so. The Iyrmen brought their oldest, and the King¡¯s force was full of young men, and those in the prime of their life. Then they duelled, ten of the greatest warriors from each side, and yet, none of the Iyrmen lost. So the King, looking to the elderly Iyrmen he outnumbered, surrendered.¡± ¡°What a preposterous story,¡± Sir Dorian said, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°Sir Merrick, isn¡¯t that the tale?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Or have I spoken a lie during my recount?¡± ¡°I did not hear that the Iyrmen brought their old, nor that they were outnumbered.¡± Sir Merrick had heard the tale before, but there were a few statements Adam made which he hadn¡¯t heard before. ¡°That is not the tale I have heard,¡± Sir Dorian said. ¡°It is known as the Second Blackwater Crisis in your lands,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Second Blackwater Crisis is what occurred later, when the treaty was remade, though you know of it as the Third Blackwater Crisis.¡± ¡°The tale which I have heard is that of the war between giants and the Kingdom,¡± Sir Dorian admitted. ¡°First Frost War,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°We know of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard your tale before,¡± Sir Dorian said, glancing towards Sir Merrick. ¡°It must be a tall tale of the Iyr. Who would believe such madness?¡± Adam stood too, which caused the Knights to stand up, followed by the rest of the Iyrmen, and finally Dunes, who was a part of Fate¡¯s Golden, and had been listening intently to the conversation. Dunes and Sir Frederick had been enjoying the tale, one which they had heard before. Dunes, being a Priest of Arya, had heard a tale most similar to Adam¡¯s, and Sir Frederick, from Eagle Wing, had heard a different tale. ¡°Enough!¡± Sir Harvey called, remaining one of the three sitting. ¡°I said enough, damn it! If you two keep acting up, I will kick the pair of you out!¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Adam asked innocently. ¡°You started this by calling him a fool,¡± Sir Harvey said. "He started it by acting like one." "It was unprovoked." "So was him trying to draw his sword against me." "Enough!¡± Sir Harvey shouted. ¡°This will be the last time, do you understand?¡± The High Alchemist¡¯s eyes fell to Paul. ¡°You were the one to vouch for him, Vice Master.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to blame Paul?¡± Adam said, before recalling Paul¡¯s title. ¡°The Vice Master, really? Which, definitely not a fool, was the one to bring along someone who had the balls to call an Iyrman a liar after being warned?¡± "You!¡± Sir Harvey growled, before he stood and clutched his walking stick tightly. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already warn you?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you open your trap when someone was calling an Iyrman a liar?" Adam asked, raising his brow. "You are so happy to defend some foolish Knight, but not the savage Iyrmen, is that right?" "It is no crime to call an Iyrman a liar," Sir Harvey said. "Even though Aizaban was trying to stop the situation from escalating, you didn''t open your mouth to stop the fool you brought along from continuing the fight!" Adam declared. "Dishonouring a Noble typically means death,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°I have been tolerant enough.¡± "Do you think I''ll just sit down all quiet when most of my party is made up of Iyrmen?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Have you forgotten that most of the people here are Iyrmen too?" Sir Harvey glanced around quickly, swallowing slightly. He looked to Paul, who would remain neutral for now. "Due to the King¡¯s Law, all these Iyrmen could slay the lot of you, and they¡¯d go home to be judged,¡± Adam warned. ¡°What would the Iyr do when they hear that their people were being slandered and a great Sir of Red Oak allowed it to happen? What do you think their punishment would be if they state they were defending their honour? I¡¯m sure it¡¯d be the same if Sir Dorian slew me and stated the same thing. "They would never be able to leave the Iyr," Sir Harvey said. "The Iyr is such a lovely place, but what about the after life?" Adam asked. "Are you in such a rush to die?" The Vice Master finally sighed. ¡°We should stop here,¡± he said in the Iyrman¡¯s tongue. The Iyrman, and Adam, dropped down. "Do you really think-" Sir Harvey began. "Yes," Paul said. "I really do think it can, and will, end here after everything that''s happened.¡± The Vice Master rubbed his forehead, shaking his head. ¡°Do you know how much paperwork I would be swamped under having to explain the deaths of four Nobles? I would lose my position, and I¡¯d have to retire to the Iyr.¡± He paused, thinking about how lovely that sounded. ¡°I¡¯m still too young for that.¡± To him, it was pretty evident who would lose the battle, and the Iyrmen had no qualms about killing any of the Knights, nor the High Alchemist if he was going to shame them. All the while, Jonn remained sitting, having been watching the entire time. ¡®This Half Elf is fucking crazy! He really had the balls to piss of a bunch of Nobles to their faces?¡¯ He was stone faced under his mask, but his entire body had been tense. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sometimes I have to make decisions. "I know some of these npcs are stupid and arrogant, but at the same time, there are some who aren''t stupid and arrogant." I know you were waiting for them to die, because I was too. 111. Cold Summer Day 111. Cold Summer Day Omen: 4, 9 ¡°No wonder it¡¯s going to take so long,¡± Adam said, trekking with the rest of the group, wiping his brow from the thick sweat which had gathered. They had followed the road up to Jaghi for a little over a day before they veered eastward, keeping the forest to their right. Sir Harvey stopped often, finding all manner of plants and herbs, as well as checking the health of the plants nearby. ¡°It is part of our role,¡± Jurot said, simply. After all, they were to escort the High Alchemist, but it wasn¡¯t just Goldarb he was looking for, he seemed to have other tasks at hand, which he did not share with the rest of the party. They had come across a few beasts when they trekked through the forest, and even when they followed the plains, but none dared to get close. ¡°I thought it was going to be dangerous,¡± the Half Elf said. Jurot nodded. ¡°In a few days times, it will be.¡± ¡°What will be waiting for us?¡± It was upon his words that a large number of beasts appeared ahead of them, running across their path. They were rushing northwards, towards the group¡¯s left, bounding away as they cried and shrieked. There were all manner of beasts, from elks to bears, even wolves, all seemingly appearing at the same time. ¡°What¡¯s up with them?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted, before looking towards Aizaban and Lanban. The older Iyrmen stared at the beasts for some time, narrowing their eyes as they fell into thought. ¡°They¡¯re spooked,¡± Adam said. Something pinged in the back of his mind and he quickly shot his gaze upward. ¡°Eyes to the sky!¡± Perception Check D20 + 3 = 5 (2) The sun, which had beat down on the group, causing them to take more frequent breaks, blinded the Half Elf. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, patting the Half Elf¡¯s arm, ¡°Dragon.¡± ¡°Dragon?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is it a White Dragon?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. Adam¡¯s heart began to pound wildly. ¡®It has to be them. I knew it. I... I...¡¯ Aizaban and Lanban glanced between one another, and Paul stood between them, his brow covered in sweat. ¡®Seriously! It was true?¡¯ They all had thought the same thing, but the tone in Paul¡¯s mind was different than the Iyrmen¡¯s. Their eyes fell to the Half Elf, who was standing still, frozen, deep in thought. ¡®A White Dragon? Those guys are probably facing it right now, but I can¡¯t just bring along Dunes and the others, they would die.¡¯ ¡°A White Dragon?¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°We should leave. A White Dragon isn¡¯t something that we can-¡° ¡°Lanban!¡± Adam shouted, calling for the Iyrman¡¯s attention. ¡°Lead the way! You guys stay here and protect the High Alchemist!¡± Lanban grinned wide. ¡°I shall lead the way!¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Aizaban and Paul for a moment, nodding towards the pair. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The four darted away from the group, only to be followed by another, the other Half Elf who had been following along. Lanban led them forward, towards the forest, which was near silent. His Iyrman ears twitched, hearing the distant sounds of battle, which only enticed him near. ¡®A White Dragon!¡¯ Aizaban was following behind in her heavy plate mail, having donned her shield, which was painted with the symbol of Wahtu, which was flashing hot. It spurred her steps, though her feet were aching from the journey. ¡®A White Dragon!¡¯ ¡®A White Dragon!¡¯ Paul thought, cursing the world. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it!¡¯ He remained near his wife, who would probably be targeted first due to the fact she was a Priest. Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 14 (6) D20 + 8 = 26 (18) Hit! Mana: 5 -> 3 1D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 5 = (3)(1, 3)(3, 5, 5) 25 damage! As it tried to leap upwards, forcing Lanban away with its wind, Vandra saw a puny creature within puthral plate mail leap up with a powerful blade. Her head darted forward to try and bite against him, since he wore such great armour and wielded such a great blade, she could at least take him away to fill her hoard. ¡°Who gave you permission to flee?¡± Adam asked, gripping his blade tightly within his hand. As those mighty jaws snapped towards him, Adam caught her jaws with his shield, and pierced her jaw through with his blade, which flashed white hot with his Smite. Vandra screeched as the blade struck through her neck, realising just how powerful the blow had been, as she almost fell to the blackness of death. ¡°No!¡± the dragon roared, trying to toss him off of her, but Adam kept a firm grip on the shield which was caught in her mouth. He raised his white sword, which caught the sun across its blade. ¡°Sorry, but my sister¡¯s waiting,¡± he said, swinging down, cutting through her neck once again, cleaving through the meaty appendage, and cutting her screeches short. He dropped, the dragon¡¯s head landing on top of him and pinning him underneath. The dragon fell on top of Lanban, who had swung once again to meet her, causing her entire body to shake as she dropped beside him. The Iyrman roared with laughter, throwing his fists into the air. ¡°Yes!¡± he declared. ¡°The Dragon is slain!¡± Victory Vandra XP Gained: +1000 XP: 970 -> 1970 Adam lay there under the head, panting for air. ¡®That was easier than I thought.¡¯ His eyes fell to the group of four, which had regrouped, and had watched as their nemesis was finally slain. He smiled and pushed Vandra¡¯s head off of him, before rolling over to stumble onto his feet. ¡°Lovely weather we¡¯re having, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, panting as he made his way over to the group of four. His eyes caught Rojer¡¯s, then Redboulder¡¯s, who had removed his helmet to reveal a nasty scar, recently gifted, before then looking to the two women, who were humans. They stared at him, wondering who he was, and unsure of what he was doing. They had randomly appeared, with two Iyrmen, one of whom had healed their Wizard, who had nearly fallen from Vandra¡¯s assault not minutes ago. ¡°Who the hell are you two?¡± Adam asked, glancing at the women, raising his brows. ¡°We should be asking you that, stranger,¡± the woman in the armour said. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate,¡± he said, taking off his helmet to reveal his pointed ears. ¡°I expected to meet a Lady, along with another who was partly of my kind,¡± he said, looking to the other woman. ¡®Did it change again?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re a Half Elf?¡± the woman gasped, staring at Adam. She also noted the Copper Rank tag on display, which only caused her eyes to fill with more confusion. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said, wiggling his ears. ¡°Anyway, I was here looking for a Lady by the name of-¡° ¡°White Grace!¡± Paul called out, quickly rushing over towards the four. Their eyes shot over to Paul, full of shock and suspicion, more so than for Adam. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of us?¡± the woman asked, staring at the man. ¡°I¡¯m Vice Master Paul, from the Red Oak branch,¡± he said, extending a hand and greeting each of them. Almost instantly, the entire group relaxed. ¡°It is good fortune that we meet,¡± the woman said, shaking his hand. ¡°You aren¡¯t kidding,¡± Paul replied, throwing a look to Adam. ¡°You were looking for this party?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. Paul blinked at him, and the other four stared at him in shock, their eyes quickly falling to Paul with a quizzical look. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand him one bit.¡± ¡®What just happened?¡¯ Jonn thought. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I have no idea, Jonn. I have no idea. 112. Adam’s Wild Tongue 112. Adam¡¯s Wild Tongue Paul sighed, rubbing his forehead. ¡®How am I meant to explain this?¡¯ He threw Lanban and his wife a look, and the pair¡¯s eyes fell to Jonn, who straightened up. The pair of Iyrmen led Jonn away to a place where his Half Elvish ears couldn¡¯t pick up on what was about to be said. Adam noted how they were removing witnesses from the situation, and he raised his brow to Paul. ¡°How did you know?¡± the Vice Master asked. ¡°I am certain no one from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild leaked anything.¡± ¡°How did I know what?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How did you know that they were here?¡± ¡°Ah, well...¡± Adam scratched his chin. ¡°Fate? I didn¡¯t expect to meet these four, actually. Well, I expected to meet Rojer and Redboulder, but I also expected to meet a Lady Sansant and Ylra.¡± The two women blinked rapidly towards him, their eyes full of even more confusion. Paul cleared his throat, feeling his ears turn red. ¡°Why are you here to meet them?¡± ¡°To save the Princess, of course,¡± Adam said. Paul hid his face in his hand, and the four stared at the Half Elf in disbelief. They exchanged looks between one another, trying to figure out if they should kill the Half Elf or not, but Paul hadn¡¯t given any indications yet. ¡°How did you know about the Princess?¡± the woman in breastplate asked. She was even more shocked because they hadn¡¯t confirmed the Princess¡¯ existence to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°Fate, like I said,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is she safe?¡± Adam turned to Rojer. The four quickly shifted around, with Rojer in the back, and the Dwarf and the woman upfront, the Archer behind with her bow out. ¡°You can¡¯t expect me to believe that,¡± the woman said. ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you believe it, miss,¡± Adam said, rolling his eyes. ¡°It was Fate. However, things do seem to be different. There should be a Lady Sansant, Ylra, who always fights with Redboulder, and Rojer, who carries the Merman Princess.¡± The four stared at Adam, their hearts pounding wildly. He even knew the race of the Princess? ¡°How did you know that?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Fate. You¡¯ve got a cursed Princess on your hands, I believe she¡¯s been cursed for about a year, or so? Either way, you want to cure her by finding Goldarb, and you¡¯re going to head up to meet with the Giants to speak about an old alliance.¡± Adam paused. ¡°Or perhaps you aren¡¯t.¡± The four remained staring at the Half Elf before them. They realised how futile it would be to kill this young man, since he probably was someone out of their reach. ¡°How do you know about the meeting with the Giants?¡± the woman asked. ¡®The Princess and the Meeting? It wasn¡¯t the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, then, perhaps it was someone from back home?¡¯ ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Adam said, waving his hand casually. ¡°Vandra is dead so it should be safe for you now. I¡¯m going to take my share of the loot, alright?¡± Adam smiled, before turning on his heel and quickly rushing over to the Dragon, rubbing along the scales to try and find the best. The four turned to look at Paul. Paul stared at Adam, his eyes narrowed, his face full of sickness. It was Paperwork Sickness, a sickness which usually affected the Vice Masters of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m taking the heart too,¡± Adam called. ¡°You cannot!¡± the woman snapped quickly. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said, clearing her throat. ¡°We thank you for your assistance, but we cannot allow you to take the heart.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said. ¡°I saved your lives and you won¡¯t even let me take the heart of the Dragon? How greedy!¡± ¡°We need the heart to save the Princess,¡± the woman replied. ¡°You may take everything else but the heart.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°I needed the heart...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I get everything else?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the woman said. ¡°You¡¯ve put me in quite the awkward spot, but since it¡¯s to save the little one¡¯s life, I¡¯ll let it go.¡± Adam rubbed his head. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll split the rest of this bad boy in quarters then.¡± The other Half Elf stared at Adam. ¡°What? You want some too?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Right, sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes. I beat them.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± ¡°During the journey, since Red Oak, there was someone else who joined the party, and I will ask this. Was it they who drew their blade against me first, or was it I who drew my blade against them first?¡± ¡°You speak of Sir Dorian?¡± Paul asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to mention names, but since you have, Vice Master Paul, yes, that is the one who I speak about. Was it he who drew his blade against me first?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So it was he who disrupted the group cohesion which had already been established?¡± ¡°If that is what constitutes disrupting the group cohesion,¡± Paul said. ¡°I would say so, since I¡¯m sure whatever I did wasn¡¯t quite as bad as drawing my blade against someone of the group upon hearing their race.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Right. Now who was it that wished to bring Sir Dorian?¡± ¡°It was Sir Harvey.¡± ¡°Did I warn Sir Harvey about bringing Sir Dorian with us? That we shouldn¡¯t bring him along?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Again, who was it that brought Sir Dorian again?¡± ¡°Sir Harvey.¡± ¡°This is pure sophistry!¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°Now, now, Sir Harvey. You may have your time to speak after we establish the facts of the matter,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s good to speak of the truth before it is distorted. So, we have established that Sir Harvey brought along someone who, within moments of meeting me, drew their blade against me, a member of his group since the beginning, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, good, I was just making sure that those were the facts,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Does Sir Harvey believe I have spoken a lie?¡± ¡°No,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°Though you haven¡¯t mentioned how you aggravated Sir Dorian during the evening meal.¡± ¡°Oh, I am ever so glad you mentioned that,¡± Adam said, perhaps a little too excitedly. ¡°Actually, I was waiting for it, because that was a trap.¡± Adam winked. ¡°So, Sir Harvey says that I aggravated Sir Dorian during the evening meal. Right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Paul said. ¡°Now, it is quite interesting to me that Sir Harvey, who is a respectable High Alchemist of Red Oak, is not going to mention that it was Sir Dorian started aggravating me first. If I recall correctly, and perhaps I will not, in which case I will speak to Jurot, whose memory is far better than my own, that Sir Dorian mentioned that the presence of two Half Elves was an ill omen, or a bad omen, or something of the sorts as we settled for camp.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Do you remember this, Jurot? Or perhaps Sir Dorian, are you willing to admit to that?¡± ¡°I remember,¡± Jurot said. ¡°How is that aggravating?¡± Sir Dorian said. ¡°Do you admit to it?¡± ¡°I am certain I said something along the lines of those words, yes,¡± Sir Dorian said. ¡°Two Half Elves are an ill omen, and we came across a Dragon some days later, did we not? How can it be aggravating if it¡¯s true?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I just wanted to confirm that, but thank you for mentioning the Dragon, we¡¯ll get to that in a moment. So, Vice Master Paul, we have established that Sir Harvey is blaming me about the disruption to group cohesion when Sir Dorian started it both times.¡± ¡°What of the dragon?¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°Oh, yes, the dragon!¡± Adam said, clapping his hands together. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Adam turned to the four who were friendly with him in his previous life. ¡°He said that I fled away while there was a Dragon which threatened him!¡± Adam¡¯s laughter began to fill the forest, and for a moment, it turned into howling as the heat filled his head, and for a moment the thought about drawing his blade to attack Sir Harvey crossed his mind, before he inhaled deeply, cutting his laughter short, and sighed. ¡°I now know why they call you High Alchemist,¡± Adam said, ¡°¡¯cause you''re smoking some good fucking shit.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam has snapped. 113. Adam’s Slander 113. Adam¡¯s Slander ¡°What did you just say?¡± Sir Harvey¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the Half Elf. ¡°I said you are smoking some good shit if you think I¡¯m stupid enough to fall for your bullshit,¡± Adam said. ¡°I did leave while a Dragon was nearby, leaving behind the rest of my party, and taking along those who were tasked with escorting me. You were left behind with Sir Merrick, Sir Enna, Sir Frederick, and Sir Dorian, though I understand why, perhaps, you could have felt that you had no one who could properly defend you considering some of the company you keep beside you.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes were twitching as he glared at the High Alchemist, who was shaking with utter fury towards the Half Elf. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°Vice Master Paul!¡± Adam shouted, clenching his fists so tight that the knuckles cracked, and he inhaled deeply. ¡°The White Dragon, which apparently was threatening the High Alchemist, was slain, was it not?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Paul said. ¡°Just who was it that landed the killing blow onto the creature?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It was either you or Lanban,¡± Paul said. ¡°It was Adam,¡± Lanban said. ¡°It was dead before my maul struck it.¡± Aizaban nodded. ¡°I saw it too.¡± Sir Harvey remained silent, understanding that, within his anger, he had slipped up. ¡°Aha!¡± Adam said, pointing at Sir Harvey. ¡°So not only did he state that I was the one to disrupt the group cohesion, when it was in fact the Knight he had brought along, be he dared to claim I abandoned him when he was under threat of a dragon, and claimed so after I slew it.¡± Adam stopped pointing, partly because it was quite rude, but secondly, it was to form a fist to stop his rage. ¡°If you had left it at punishing me and not my party, I would have left the matter be, but now that we¡¯ve come this far, I¡¯m going to have to bury this matter here once and for all,¡± Adam said. ¡°Vice Master Paul, have you witnessed the matters so far? Do you see how the High Alchemist of Red Oak has created numerous situations in order to cancel the contract against my good party?¡± Paul threw a look to Sir Harvey, swallowing slightly. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I would call him a liar and cheat to his face, but that would be aggravating, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, only to gasp, and then his eyes fell to Sir Dorian. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be aggravating, because it would be the truth. I am ever so glad that Sir Dorian has opened my mind into accepting such a view, and he is absolutely correct that Sir Harvey, High Alchemist of Red Oak, is a liar and a cheat, and that he can¡¯t be aggravated because it is the truth, a truth which we have all heard today.¡± ¡°A liar and a cheat?¡± Sir Harvey¡¯s throat closed up, and he threw out a hand towards Adam. ¡°How dare you! I want his head!¡± The Knights around Sir Harvey quickly drew their weapons, causing the Iyrmen to quickly step closer, drawing their weapons, wild grins on their faces. Paul raised a hand, standing between the two groups. Unfortunately for the Vice Master, near the High Alchemist were also three other Iyrmen, and a Priest. Though they were far weaker than the Knights, and with he and Lanban taking a blow, the fight would be far more even. Except Aizaban, who was quite a powerful Priest of Wahtu, was still ready and eager to fight, no doubt with nearly all her spells, and what powerful spells they were. ¡®Gods damn it.¡¯ ¡°How dare I?¡± Adam undid his gauntlet and slammed it into the ground, purely to release part of his anger. ¡°I dare quite easily, oh High Alchemist! I hope that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild will be able to deal with the situation, protecting my innocent name in this matter.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Paul, glad that he had come along. ¡®Wasn¡¯t it you who wanted to come along, oh dear Vice Master?¡¯ ¡°Do you think the Adventurer¡¯s Guild can protect you?¡± Sir Harvey asked. ¡°I want to make it absolutely clear,¡± Adam said. ¡°The people who the Adventurer¡¯s Guild are protecting, are the bunch of you. If Vice Master Paul wasn¡¯t here, there would be no one here who would vouch for a bunch of dead Knights and a High Alchemist.¡± Adam spat on the floor. ¡°A White Dragon came and killed you all. We managed to kill the White Dragon, and as we tried to recover the bodies, a stampede appeared, and so we had to leave the bodies behind, which were then trampled and picked apart by animals.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯d have enough time to make an alibi.¡± ¡°You dare to threaten my life?¡± Sir Harvey spat, unable to contain his rage. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You dared to threaten me, you fucking moron. I am not threatening you, I am merely telling you the facts of the matter. I know that those four behind us would help me, and I know that those two,¡± Adam said, motioning to Lanban and Aizaban, ¡°would love to slaughter you all. I wouldn¡¯t even raise my blade, and because I won¡¯t, even if they find out the truth, they wouldn¡¯t be able to punish the Iyrmen, because that¡¯s what the treaty says, no matter what dumb fuck boy from Central Aldland who doesn¡¯t know his history thinks.¡± Sir Dorian snarled, and leapt forward, only for Paul to tackle him to the ground. Sir Frederick and Sir Enna had stepped forward, but Sir Merrick had quickly raised his blade across them to stop the pair. ¡°This calls for his death, Vice Master!¡± Sir Dorian growled. ¡°He dared to slander me!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Paul shouted. ¡°It¡¯s not slander if it¡¯s true,¡± Adam said. ¡°Enough!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I didn¡¯t mention any names anyway,¡± Adam said. ¡°No more, Adam!¡± Paul shouted, standing glaring at him like a father would do to a child who was about to do something terrible. Adam sighed. He turned on his heel and made his way to the Dragon. ¡°Oi, Jurot, come on. Help me find the best scales for our sister.¡± Aizaban turned to her husband, catching his eye. ¡°Is it done?¡± Jurot waited for the matter to be over, also looking to Paul. ¡°The matter is done,¡± Paul said, turning to the Knights. ¡°It ends here.¡± ¡°He has said too much,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°Said too much?¡± Paul said, drawing his sword, stepping in front of Adam. Adam had stopped to watch what was happening, but had also grabbed his shield, and held his die tight in hand. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 4 = 12 (2, 6) Health: 27 -> 39 ¡°He has called to question a fair number of issues which you have to deal with, Sir Harvey,¡± Paul said. ¡°It is well within my rights to warn you, if you wish to escalate this situation, I will hold back not to kill, but the Iyrmen may not. If you are willing to accept the risks for those who will revel in your death, all without any consequences from our laws, then you can be my guest.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam has snapped. 114. Adam the Strange 114. Adam the Strange ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kitool asked, assisting Adam with butchering the large White Dragon. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam said, realising quickly he was no good, and so left it to the others. Jurot and the rest were also assisting him in butchering the White Dragon, parting it into four different piles, one for Paul, one for Lanban, one for Aizaban, and one for him. There was also a pile of Aurochs and Dusk Hawk parts too, Sir Harvey having thrown the items out of his magical storage. The tension in the air was still palpable, and the High Alchemist and the Knights remained in their own corner, with Paul between the Iyrmen and the Nobles. Paul understood why Sir Harvey let Adam speak so much, it was to allow the boy to hang himself with a noose of his own making. However, Paul had noted just how Adam had played the game, poorly, but with just enough skill that he himself had to act. ¡®How did I get myself into this position?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± called the woman in breastplate. ¡°Will you come speak with us?¡± ¡°Only if you don¡¯t kill me,¡± Adam said, chuckling as he and the others slipped away. ¡°Will you tell us the truth about how you know us?¡± she asked, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know you two,¡± Adam said, motioning to the other woman. ¡°Though, like I said, I know you because of Fate.¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± The woman threw a look to the other, before sighing. ¡°How¡¯s the Princess? Is she well?¡± Adam asked, glancing towards Rojer. ¡°She is fine,¡± the man replied, bowing his head slowly. ¡°If you need any help, let me know. I can brew potions and such, and can also...¡± Adam glanced around. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°You can brew potions?¡± Rojer asked. Adam smiled knowingly. ¡°I was going to have Sir Harvey help you at first, but I don¡¯t think I can assist. I¡¯m not as good as him, I don¡¯t think, but I believe in Fate. If I study the potion and wait for a good day, I can help you.¡± The group glanced between one another. This random guy who appeared in their journey was too suspicious. How did he know so much? How was it that he understood so much about them. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam repeated. The woman narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why are you helping us?¡± Since Adam refused to state who he was, she decided against prying further. ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam rubbed his chin, falling deep in thought. ¡°I think that she should live a happy, carefree life, frolicking under the ocean as she pleases.¡± Adam smiled. They stared at him. ¡°I have a little sister,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s the cutest little sister in the whole world. She was lucky to be born in the Iyr, so she can live fairly freely, and she¡¯ll be raised well. I think it¡¯s a shame that, due to circumstance, that your little Princess is suffering.¡± Adam swallowed, wondering what else he should say. ¡°Let¡¯s say that I don¡¯t want to feel guilty about things I can easily change, especially since I¡¯ve involved myself before.¡± ¡°Before?¡± ¡°For the four of you, this is the first time you¡¯ve met me. For me, this isn¡¯t our first meeting. I...¡± Adam paused. ¡°I had a dream. A dream I awoke from. It was a dream which left me with many regrets, but it was a dream where I accomplished much. I just want to make sure that I¡¯ve managed to complete what I had done in that dream after I awoke too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re rather weird, aren¡¯t you?¡± the woman said, though her lips formed the softed of smiles. Adam smiled in return. ¡°I get that a lot.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she should trust him, but since he was with Vice Master Paul, and with that group of people, perhaps he wasn¡¯t terrible. ¡°What kind of reward would you like for your assistance?¡± she asked. ¡°Reward?¡± Adam said, blinking. ¡°You came all this way to help, so what would you like?¡± ¡°Oh. Uh...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What?¡± the woman asked, blinking at him in surprise. ¡°Well, I just came here to make sure you guys were okay. Outside of that, I didn¡¯t really care.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°What?¡± Adam said. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I live in the Iyr for now, and I cannot return back to my original home.¡± ¡°Was your home destroyed?¡± Rojer asked, his eyes flashing with seriousness, catching the women¡¯s eyes. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think too hard on it, but my home no longer exists.¡± ¡°This is a serious matter,¡± Rojer said. ¡°We must know what happened to your homeland. We haven¡¯t heard of an Elvish land being destroyed for... well, for as long as any Elf has been alive.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°Look, there are some things that I can and cannot talk about. Let¡¯s say that only...¡± Adam paused for a long moment, falling deep into thought. ¡®Hold on, Belle is missing, isn¡¯t he? So I probably can¡¯t mention him, I don¡¯t think he even exists any more. So how the hell am I meant to explain this?¡¯ The four stared at him with a serious expression on their faces, full of worry. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that my home is not a place even the Gods can find,¡± he said. The Dwarf stared up at him in utter shock, beginning to shake as he filled with rage. Rojer and the Archer quickly placed a hand on his shoulders to try and calm him down. ¡°You should be careful with your words,¡± Rojer said. ¡°Speaking ill of the Gods in front of a Dwarf...¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the first person to say that to me!¡± Adam laughed. ¡°No, no, I wasn¡¯t speaking ill of them. It¡¯s just that...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You can imagine that I was born into this world with no mother or father, and that Fate gave birth to me. I¡¯m a wanderer with no home. Though, I suppose my home is now the Iyr.¡± The group stared at him once again. He continued to surprise them, and they weren¡¯t sure if he was trustworthy. ¡°I need to head up north to complete another matter, but I¡¯m too weak for that,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°So I¡¯ll have to wait until I¡¯m stronger. Plus, Lucy is going to be mad at me for letting go of the Dragon¡¯s heart...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we cannot hand the heart,¡± the woman said. ¡°I know, I know,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°I¡¯ll try and explain it to her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand, since I already told her about you guys.¡± ¡°What?¡± the Dwarf gasped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have told others about us?¡± The Dwarf stared at him in shock. ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lucy is...¡± Adam paused again. ¡®Man, there¡¯s so much I can¡¯t say. Should I just tell them everything? No, no. Lady Elowen and Ylra aren¡¯t here, so I should keep my mouth shut.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s say that she¡¯s like me.¡± ¡°Like you?¡± the Dwarf asked. ¡°Queer?¡± ¡°Hey now, she¡¯s not-¡° Adam thought about how she behaved around Iyrmen. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s even weirder than me.¡± The four left Adam be, with some of their questions answered, though full of new questions which would only lead to even more questions, which they couldn¡¯t deal with at the time. The Dragon was eventually butchered completely, and they cooked the meat of the creature, which was delicious. Paul had used his portion to allow the Knights and the others to eat. The Iyrmen were currently making a wooden box to carry the Dragon parts within, though White¡¯s Grace had offered to carry the meat and such within their Bag of Holding. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading to Jaghi in the morning,¡± Paul said. ¡°Where¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s north of us, and should take a few days. It may be dangerous, but with the Knights and the Iyrmen, it should be fine.¡± ¡°I thought we were splitting up?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow as he ate the dragon meat, which was fatty and chewy. ¡°We¡¯ll split up at Jaghi,¡± Paul said. Adam wanted to cause some trouble, but he could see the stress on Paul¡¯s face, so he nodded. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Young Master Adam continues his adventure, confusing even more people. I know last chapter was a little weird, but Sir Harvey did have his reasons, which I hope was explained well enough in the chapter. Also, check out my Patreon, which has been updated to have more chapters up per tier! Bronze Tier is about ~$3 for 10 chapters, Silver is ~$6 for 20 chapters, and Gold is ~$12 for 30 chapters. Also, thank you to whoever rated my story yesterday! I''ll do my best to write up more so I can throw out an extra chapter some time soon! 115. Vice Master’s Privilege 115. Vice Master¡¯s Privilege Omen: 11, 12 ¡°Remember,¡± Adam said, addressing his party.¡± If Sir Harvey is threatened, we cannot draw our blades to assist him. If he goes around telling people how terrible we are for assisting him, it will hurt our reputation.¡± Adam, still annoyed by the Noble, was stubbornly clinging to his guns. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, placing a hand on the Half Elf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We still need to help him.¡± ¡°Even if you are our leader, we cannot abandon our duty to escort the High Alchemist,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It is our way,¡± Jaygak said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We Iyrmen have to work this way, otherwise they will lose faith in us.¡± Jaygak threw a glance to Sir Dorian. ¡°Though it seems some people have forgotten our ways.¡± grumbled quietly, annoyed that the Iyrmen were so principled. ¡®Damn it! Why did you guys have to be so cool?¡¯ ¡°If it¡¯s like that, then I¡¯ll make sure to protect you guys whilst you¡¯re defending him,¡± Adam declared. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. It would have been awkward if Adam had tried to force them out of their escorting. ¡°So you¡¯ll escort him even if he doesn¡¯t pay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot on his back. ¡°You guys are so manly! Iyrmanly!¡± The group continued, making their way back towards the main road, with White¡¯s Grace following behind them. It had taken a few days before they walked along the hills of Jaghi. A small fort greeted them, a walled area the size of a small village. The walls continued along for miles along the hilly area. The Soldiers were heavily armed in their chain mail, with spears and shortswords, though their spear tips were carved out of some dull gold gem. Each soldier was roughly of the same height and build, and seemed near identical from the outside, save for one who wore a cloak of bright yellow rather than the dusky tan the rest wore. ¡°What is your business in Jaghi?¡± the brightly yellowed cloaked Soldier asked, his eyes scanning the party. ¡°We are here on business from Red Oak,¡± Sir Harvey said as Sir Merrick handed over the identification. One Soldier confirmed the identification as another nodded their head towards the Iyrmen. ¡°There¡¯s quite a number of you,¡± the Soldier said. ¡°Keeping safe on the road?¡± ¡°It is a dangerous time we live in,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°Even as Nobles, we have to be careful. In fact, it wasn¡¯t long ago we were threatened by some despicable creatures.¡° ¡°There was a White Dragon which had harassed us,¡± Vice Master Paul said, his voice clear and firm. ¡°Yes, there was a White Dragon too,¡± Sir Harvey said, smiling slightly. ¡°Which I slew,¡± Adam said, crossing his arms proudly. ¡°Well, I had the last hit.¡± ¡°Dangerous business,¡± the Soldiers said, their gaze firmly on the Copper Rank in puthral plate mail. ¡°Especially for a Copper Rank.¡± ¡°Well, I had the duty to protect the High Alchemist and I take that very seriously,¡± Adam said. ¡°Can¡¯t have a White Dragon threatening the charge I swore to protect, even if it eventually got me into trouble.¡± ¡°White Dragons are quite ferocious, but you seem healthy enough,¡± the Soldier said. ¡°You should have heard how much it cried,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Though I¡¯ve gotten used to be around sore losers.¡± The Knights threw him a glare, but Adam ignored it. After all, he wasn¡¯t going to allow Sir Harvey quip freely to the Soldiers without at least getting in a shot back. ¡°That will be two gold a head,¡± the Soldier said. ¡°Two gold a head?¡± Adam said. ¡°Is there an issue?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said, reaching into the Party Fund and then his own funds. Gems: (6) Obsidian -> (5) Obsidian ¡°You can keep the change,¡± Adam said. ¡°You have paid for us?¡± Aizaban asked. ¡°Yeah, you and the Vice Master, since you¡¯re on my dime, penny,¡± Adam corrected, feeling a sickness fill him when his Britishness slipped away for a moment. Vice Master Paul motioned his head to the Soldier, who followed the man away, listening intently. Once the Vice Master returned, the Soldiers allowed the group inside. Adam noted that White¡¯s Grace was not charged on the way inside. ¡°I would have hoped for a neutral observer,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°We¡¯ll get to Adam¡¯s law breaking in a moment,¡± she said. ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°True enough, though missing context,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°I¡¯m sure, but I have heard of it through the Vice Master of your Adventurer¡¯s Guild Branch.¡± She stared at him for a moment to see if he¡¯d speak up, but since he remained silent, she continued. ¡°Adam, is it true you were happy to take the blame on yourself and were eager to leave the escorting to the rest of your party.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. She brought out a small journal and wrote something within it, taking a minute to write down her thoughts. ¡°Is it true you spoke ill of Nobles?¡± ¡°In some sense, I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have taken shots at me if they couldn¡¯t accept it in return.¡± Sarah stared at him. ¡°I had been informed of the situation by the Vice Master, so I hope you will keep your answers to either a yes or no.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, sorry,¡± Adam said, shrinking. ¡°Upon Vice Master Paul¡¯s assistance, we will leave the matter simply as this. The sum of five hundred gold will be paid to Fate¡¯s Golden for their assistance thus far. The reason for the dissolution of the party will be due to the High Alchemist¡¯s insistence on hiring local individuals of North Aldland for their knowledge.¡± ¡°Will it count as a mark against Fate¡¯s Golden?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We will consider the quest complete,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Well, damn, that sounds good to me,¡± Adam said. ¡°If Sir Harvey is fine with is, then we can leave it at that.¡± ¡°I would accept, as long as I get an apology for his untoward behaviour towards myself and Sir Dorian,¡± Sir Harvey said. Paul closed his eyes, filling with stress. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯d be more than happy to apologise to him.¡± Paul sighed in relief. ¡°Once the pair of them lick my boot,¡± Adam said, crossing one leg over the other, motioning towards his boot. Paul reached up to rub his forehead. ¡°Well?¡± Adam said, staring at the two Nobles whose faces were red. ¡°You!¡± Sir Harvey pointed angrily as Sir Dorian reached for his sword. Sarah placed her morning star against the Knight¡¯s knee, raising her brow, daring him to draw his sword. ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Sir Harvey said. ¡°Even the Guild needs to obey the laws.¡± ¡°We follow the laws of the land, but you must follow our rules too,¡± she said. ¡°I, and the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden, will refuse to work with any Nobles, especially those from Red Oak,¡± Adam said, glaring at Paul. ¡°That is a difficult request to make,¡± Paul said. ¡°I don¡¯t care how difficult it is,¡± Adam said. ¡°You made me waste all this time in order to help someone, and after doing a fantastic job, I mean I sent a White Dragon to good ol¡¯ Lord Sozain, and all I had were complaints.¡± ¡°Even so, there are great opportunities for you that come exclusively from Nobles.¡± Adam looked behind himself, but then returned his gaze to Paul. ¡°Oh, excuse me, did it looked like I gave a shit? I don¡¯t care. I will give no Noble from Red Oak access to any of my special abilities,¡± he said, keeping his eyes focused on the Vice Master¡¯s. Paul stared at Adam, whose eyes were twitching slightly. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be clear, I was ready to bury the situation up to this point, but it was Sir Harvey here who decided against it.¡± ¡°You dare to spin this against me?¡± Sir Harvey snarled. ¡°Asking for an apology after starting random bullshit? You still need to tell me where you get your Moonlight Leaf, or whatever it is you smoke, because it seems like a lot of fun to be able to think backwards.¡± ¡°You-¡° Vice Master Sarah slammed her morning star on the table between them, destroying the table, and everything laid atop it. ¡°I think we¡¯re done here,¡± she said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! He really shouldn''t have pushed it. Let''s see how long this stays buried for... 116. Cashing In 116. Cashing In ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adam said, sighing. He held his head in his hands, shaking his head, sitting opposite the rest of his party in the corner of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°I was the one who wanted to do this and I ruined it for everyone,¡± he said, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands gently. ¡°You defended our honour,¡± Jurot said, raising a mug of ale to him. ¡°We didn¡¯t realise you cared so deeply about our people,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious that I¡¯d care?¡± Adam asked, sipping on his drink, before poking the food before him, unable to taste the stew. ¡°If he had gone for me, I wouldn¡¯t have cared, but the fact he wanted to rope you guys in...¡± Adam rubbed the back of his head. ¡°We lost so much gold because of me.¡± ¡°There is always a chance to make more gold, but it¡¯s not every day that you impress two pretty Iyrmen,¡± Jaygak said, wrapping an arm around the back of his neck, a wide grin plastered on her face. ¡°I knew you were a good guy.¡± Adam threw her a look. ¡°Did you think I wasn¡¯t?¡± ¡°Gold is still nice,¡± Dunes said, a small pout on his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t mind much, though. It was quite a fun month.¡± Lanban and Aizaban appeared from nowhere, sitting down beside them. There were many Adventurers who noted the Iyrmen, throwing respectful nods their way. ¡°The Dragon was not part of the pay,¡± Lanban said. ¡°Would you like for us to return the Dragon parts back?¡± ¡°Your payment is more than enough even to deal with the Dragon,¡± Aizaban said, her almost slipping down towards Lightsear, but she kept them up. ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said, waving his hand. ¡°You guys worked hard so you deserve it. I¡¯ll split my part with Fate¡¯s Golden.¡± ¡°With us?¡± Dunes asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Jaygak said, leaning in to check his eyes to see if he was tipsy. Adam pushed her head away from him. ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to split my part with you guys. You remained back to protect Sir Harvey, even if he didn¡¯t appreciate it. I was able to fight freely because you guys covered the rear.¡± Jaygak smirked. ¡°So you really did fall for my horns.¡± Adam grabbed one, causing her to quickly pull away. ¡°Perhaps I did.¡± Jaygak grinned wildly, before slapping his back repeatedly. ¡°Adam, you¡¯re such a funny guy! I¡¯m so glad you brought us along.¡± Adam chuckled, almost wincing from her strong hand striking his back. Kitool wondered for a moment if Jaygak was aiming for Adam. ¡®No,¡¯ she thought. ¡®He has no horns.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Paul called, dropping down beside his wife, sighing as he leaned back. ¡°Yeah?¡±NewW novels updates at novelhall.com The Vice Master remained silent for a moment, until he bolted up as Aizaban pinched his side. ¡°How do you want to deal with the quest for Vandra?¡± he said, rubbing his side. ¡°There was a quest for her?¡± Adam asked, before blinking. ¡®Of course there was.¡¯ ¡°Of course there was,¡± Paul said, shaking his head. ¡®There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t know... No, if it¡¯s him, I could believe he didn¡¯t think about it.¡¯ ¡°Uh,¡± Adam said. He didn¡¯t expect that there was going to be a reward for the White Dragon, even if it did make sense. ¡°Give the credit to Aizaban and Lanban, and add a small footnote that Fate¡¯s Golden assisted.¡± ¡°We did not assist,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yes we did,¡± Adam said, offended by the Iyrman¡¯s words. ¡°I am a part of Fate¡¯s Golden too, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°We did not, though,¡± Kitool said. ¡°You were the only one who fought the Dragon.¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Adam said, slapping the table gently. ¡°You guys covered my rear. You protected Sir Harvey, even if he was ungrateful, that...¡± Adam cleared his throat, noting Paul¡¯s glare. ¡°That was still a part of taking down the Dragon. Plus, I was mostly lucky, so I can¡¯t exactly say I did much.¡± Jurot stared at Adam, but decided against thinking too hard. Lanban also stared at Adam. ¡®Didn¡¯t do much?¡¯ He recalled how the Half Elf cut the Dragon¡¯s neck clean through. ¡®What a queer young man,¡¯ Aizaban thought, noting that Lanban was thinking the same thing. Adam furrowed his brows before he leaned in to Paul. ¡°What is the reward for Vandra?¡± he whispered. ¡°Are you keeping the carcass of the Dragon?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Jagite?¡± ¡°It is a metal which is worked by the Smiths of Jagji. Powdered gems are crushed and added to the metal before it is worked into a beautiful weapon.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips twitched into a smile for a moment. ¡°That sounds cool,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want a weapon made from it too.¡± ¡°I should buy one too,¡± Dunes said, taking out his blade and noting how worn it was. ¡°You prefer longswords, right?¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± the Priest said. ¡°So, are you going to be a member of our party?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Officially, I mean.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll have me,¡± Dunes said. ¡°If you promise me a good fight, I¡¯m eager to join.¡± He smiled wide, but it faltered for a moment. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Dunes nodded slowly, meaning he wasn¡¯t, but he didn¡¯t want to speak about the matter. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, patting his shoulder. ¡°Who else should we buy gifts for? Ah, Jurot... shouldn¡¯t you get something for Pam?¡± ¡°I should buy items which will assist us in our adventuring,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There is no need to waste money on trinkets for others.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Adam raised his brow, a playful smile appearing on his face. ¡°So you¡¯re going to replace your magical battleaxe which was gifted to you with a nonmagical battleaxe for yourself, but you won¡¯t even buy a small souvenir for Pam?¡± Adam leaned in close to Jurot¡¯s face, who avoided the Half Elf¡¯s gaze. Kitool and Jaygak stared at the Iyrman, who avoided their gazes too. ¡°I will make her something,¡± Jurot eventually said. ¡°Do they have different wood around these parts?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We could buy a bunch of wood. If I could get some Jagite, then maybe we could make new weapons too?¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°We can make a battleaxe for mother.¡± ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam said, patting his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re a genius!¡± Kitool and Jaygak glanced between one another. ¡®Boys...¡¯ There was a knock at the door, and Adam¡¯s head shot towards it. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It is I,¡± called a familiar voice. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, making his way over to open the door for the Half Elf. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I wish to speak with you,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Come in,¡± Adam said, pulling back into the room with the two bunks. ¡°It was a tight fit for the five already, but with six, it was even more cramped. ¡°I wish to accompany you,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, his eyes lighting. ¡°You want to accompany me? Did you care to ask for my opinion before you stalked me?¡± ¡°I am still uncertain if I wish to swear myself to you, but...¡± Jonn fell silent. ¡°I have seen the way you behave, the way you speak to different people, the way you treat your party and others. Even the way you fight with Nobles, I believe that it is no act, that you are truly the way you portray yourself. You treat your party well, your enemies poorly, and others decently.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve already come this far, you may as well accompany us.¡± ¡°How long will you stay here?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°A few days at most,¡± Adam said. Jonn nodded. ¡°Then I will wait for you until you leave.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°Was that all?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jonn said, before turning and leaving. Adam nodded his head. ¡°I really am so charming. First Jaygak, then Jonn. If only Mara thinks the same.¡± Jaygak struck him with a pillow. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! We''re RIIIIIIICH. Thanks for 15k views! 117. Shopping 117. Shopping Omen: 7, 11 ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you, Adam,¡± the woman in breastplate said. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Adam replied sipping some tea. The pair sat opposite one another in a private room at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°Vice Master Paul has revealed to me your abilities in Alchemy. I hear you are able to make powerful Health Potions?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Actually, I made my best one the other day, actually.¡± Adam retrieved his pack, opening up a pouch within it, and revealed the Health Potion. The woman dipped her finger into it, tasting the potion. The tingly sensation betrayed how powerful it was. ¡°You made this?¡± ¡°That I did,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Took me a day.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°A day.¡± ¡°A day?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you say a day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°One day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She stared at Adam, her eyelashes fluttering. "You can ask Jurot, I think I went with him to buy some herbs,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did I? Actually, I¡¯m not sure. I think I did. Even so, you can ask my party that I usually take a day to make them.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she should believe Adam, but considering what he had revealed to her, she couldn¡¯t help but feel this was only scratching the surface. ¡°Wow,¡± she whispered. ¡°If you can make such a great potion within a single day, I have no doubt you are a great Alchemist.¡± ¡°If you say stuff like that my ego¡¯ll become even bigger,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I was just really lucky that day. If Fate isn¡¯t on my side, then I can¡¯t make a decent potion.¡± ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Would you be willing to tell me when you are feeling lucky? I would be willing to reward you handsomely.¡± ¡°I am pretty handsome, aren¡¯t I?¡± Adam chuckled, rubbing his chin with a smug smile. ¡°That¡¯s the Elvish blood in me, I think.¡± The woman awkwardly smiled towards him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s for the little Princess isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Thank you again, Adam,¡± the woman said. ¡°Any time.¡± She stared at Adam long and hard. ¡°In your dream, did we succeed?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You did.¡± The woman¡¯s lips formed the smallest of smiles. ¡°The Vice Master seems to have a lot of trust in you.¡± ¡°He shouldn¡¯t,¡± Adam said. Her brows raised in surprised. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bunch of trouble,¡± Adam said, smiling wide. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt I¡¯ll come to blows with even more Nobles in my time, and when I do, I¡¯ll be sure to cry to good ol¡¯ Vice Master Paul.¡± Adam winked. The woman smiled slightly. ¡°It sounds like you trust him.¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s married to an Iyrman. Anyone close to an Iyrman is trustworthy to me.¡± ¡°I have heard you are a Nephew of the Iyr. Does that mean you¡¯re trustworthy?¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Adam said. ¡°I do my best to be trustworthy, but I¡¯m not sure if I am trustworthy.¡± The woman let out a soft sigh, before reaching down to her necklace, before she shifted from a Human woman to a Half Elf woman. Her red hair was short, cut into a bob, like liquid ruby. Her ears were like his own, and most surprising of all were her faint tattoos across her face. ¡°Elowen!¡± Adam gasped, his eyes wide. ¡°Sorry, Lady-¡° Elowen placed a hand on his face. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°You must understand why we¡¯re moving through this land in disguise.¡± Adam nodded his head as she pulled her hand away. ¡°That makes sense. It is quite a pain, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Unfortunately so,¡± she said. ¡°Are you from the same group of Elves?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lady Elowen said. ¡°We are to the south of Aswadasad.¡± Jorge rubbed his chin. ¡°His axe was red, and I think his shield was red too.¡± ¡°My grandfather, Jarot, son of Varot,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°That¡¯s why I called my party Red Hawk,¡± he admitted. ¡°To think that you¡¯re here now, it must be fate.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, ¡°Fate.¡± Jurot threw Adam a knowing look. ¡°Then I will wish you all become strong so that you may become great Adventurers too.¡± The children cheered, but Jorge whacked one with his sleeve. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll be an Adventurer? You¡¯ll be a Scribe, live a proper life for your parents.¡± The kid rubbed the back of his head and grumbled up at his grandfather. ¡°We should probably go and continue with our business,¡± Adam said. ¡°You should come by in the evening for dinner,¡± Jorge said. ¡°Oh, we shouldn¡¯t intrude,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Though next time we¡¯re in Jaghi, we¡¯ll come by to speak with you about your stories.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even told us how you came to be an Iyrman¡¯s brother,¡± Jorge grumbled. ¡°Good, then we have a reason to come by next time,¡± Adam said. ¡°Then we can find out about your arm and your scars.¡± Jorge chuckled. ¡°Alright then. Take good care of yourself, you two.¡± Adam nodded, and soon the pair were off again, heading out to buy some souvenirs. ¡°I thought we were going to get jumped,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Jaghi has positive views of Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°They are full of warriors. There are times when some Iyrmen come to Jaghi to spar with the different warriors.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Cool.¡± Once they were at the market, the pair of them split off for a short while. Jurot went to go find some wood, as he did every time he had time in a town. Adam slipped into a smithery. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he said, watching as a beautiful middle aged woman was working a spearhead made of some kind of metal with flecks of powdered gem. ¡°Yes?¡± she asked, not turning to see him. ¡°I¡¯m looking for a longsword made of Jagite,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve got a few,¡± she said. ¡°Check the rack.¡± She continued hammering the spearhead rhythmically, like she was a musician of steel. Adam stepped towards the rack, which held six longswords. Their handles were made of the same metal, a darkish blue with golden flex, though were covered in different coloured leathers. ¡°How much are they?¡± Adam asked. ¡°White handle is one hundred gold, grey is eighty, the rest are fifty,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take the white handle sword,¡± he said, undoing it off the rack. ¡°Can I pay with two Onyx gems?¡± The woman stopped working the spearhead, glancing over at the high spender only to see him in puthral breastplate, with a beautiful white sword, made of the Iyrmen¡¯s materials. ¡°Is that puthral?¡± she said, quickly rushing up to him, grabbing onto the armour with her sweaty hands. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, feeling a little awkward that a pretty woman was rubbing all over his armour. ¡°Is that Iyrsteel?¡± she asked, squatting down to stare at his longsword. ¡°I think so,¡± he said. ¡°You think so?¡± Her eyes shot upwards to see his pointed ears. ¡°A Half Elf? What are you doing with Iyrmen¡¯s materials? Did you loot it off an Iyrman?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°They traded it to me.¡± ¡°They traded this to you?¡± She raised her brow, obviously not falling for his words. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m a Nephew of the Iyr.¡± ¡°A Nephew you say?¡± Her brows raised further. ¡°Uhuh, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Whether you believe me or not important. Are my gems welcome here, or do I need to find another place to do business?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they be welcome here?¡± she said, patting his armour. ¡°Two Onyx is fine.¡± Gems: (20) Onyx -> (18) Onyx ¡°Are you interested in trading your armour or sword?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ll pay good coin.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult to get our hands on these, so I intend to keep them close at hand until they¡¯re well used.¡± She clicked her teeth. ¡°What a shame.¡± ¡°May I leave?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not keeping you,¡± she said, before returning back to her work, thinking about what she had heard. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! People not harassing Adam? Something is going wrong soon... 118. Dragon Heart Potion 118. Dragon Heart Potion Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he should feel about a beauty feeling him up. ¡®No, no, it was just my armour she was into.¡¯ The thought caused a sad sigh to escape his lips. ¡®Should I find some romance?¡¯ Adam frowned. He slipped through the market, keeping his hand close to his pouch, brushing against it every so often so he knew it was there. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, stepping up quickly to a particular Merchant. It was a small stall, one which was covered in all kinds of jewellery. There were two large men who flanked on either side of it, with a woman keeping an eye out from behind. It was run by a young man around Adam¡¯s age, with pale skin, dark hair and dark eyes, wearing the thick clothing that he was used to seeing on those of the Jaghi people. ¡°How may I help you?¡± the Merchant asked, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m looking for some jewellery,¡± Adam said, leaning in, keeping a hand on his pouch, the other to his chin, making it obvious where his hands were at all times to the two heavily armed Guards. ¡°Of course. Jewellery is my expertise.¡± ¡°Do you have anything you¡¯d recommend?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Why have you come to buy jewellery? Is it for a special woman in your life?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of woman is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s an Iyrman.¡± ¡°An Iyrman?¡± The Jeweller stared up at the Half Elf. ¡°That¡¯s quite the goal you have.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Trying to seduce an Iyrman? I¡¯ve never heard of an Elf seducing an Iyrman before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m no Elf, and that I¡¯m not seducing an Iyrman, then.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a Half Elf, and I¡¯m buying a necklace for my Aunt.¡± ¡°Your aunt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your aunt is an Iyrman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Jeweller stared at Adam for a long moment. ¡°Now, are you going to help me find something?¡± ¡°Right,¡± the Jeweller replied. ¡°What is your budget?¡± Adam let out a sigh. ¡°Good question. How much should I spend on my Aunt?¡± ¡°How much do you love her?¡± Adam squinted his eyes at the Jeweller. ¡°As my Aunt? More than I¡¯d care to admit.¡± He rubbed his chin as he eyed up the various pieces. Adam pointed towards a thin gold chain with a red gem set within it, the gem being no bigger than his pinky finger. ¡°How much is that?¡± ¡°Fifty gold,¡± the Jeweller said. ¡°Fifty gold?¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± Gems: (18) Onyx -> (17) Onyx ¡°I¡¯m sure your aunt will feel like a lucky lady,¡± the Jeweller said, packing the necklace into some cloth and a small box. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, awkwardly. He cleared his throat and quickly slipped away, unsure if he should have brought a necklace. ¡®It¡¯s not weird to buy jewellery for her, is it?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam said, his head snapping back towards the Iyrman, slipping away the box into his pack. Jurot revealed the wood he had bought, the blocks held together with rope. There were at least a dozen large blocks, each almost as tall as Jurot, and as wide as his forearm. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of wood,¡± Adam said, whistling. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, slowly nodding his head, a small smile encroaching across his lips. ¡°We should probably buy something for the children,¡± Adam said. ¡°We have bought enough for the children,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You bought all those cups and fabrics.¡± ¡°Yeah, but...¡± Adam glanced past Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s grab some fur for our adorable sister, shall we?¡± The Half Elf stepped up to a stall which was covered in furs, run by an older woman who came up to Adam¡¯s chest. ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t get many Half Elves around our parts,¡± she said, staring up at him. Her eyes squinted suspiciously for a moment before they noted the large, muscular Iyrman beside him. ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t rush the potion,¡± the woman said. ¡°Even if you are feeling lucky.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even used any of my luck yet,¡± Adam said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was naturally lucky today, so I didn¡¯t have to bend Fate.¡± ¡°Bend Fate?¡± Lady Elowen asked. ¡°You can bend Fate? Are you a Diviner?¡± ¡°Something like that?¡± Lady Elowen stared at him. ¡°Are you sure you can continue?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, mother,¡± Adam joked, rolling his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t sleep while I¡¯m still lucky.¡± Mana: 9 -> 7 Alchemy Check D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Omen: 17, 18 -> 18 17 + 5 = 22 Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 8 (3) Health: 52 -> 47 Mana: 7 -> 5 The sun was beginning to fall, the cool dusk blanketing the land. A man swiped with his axe towards the Orc, who caught the blade and punched the man in the face, only to find himself flipped over as the man tripped him over and pinned him underneath. The Orcs around them began to cheer, and soon another Orc stepped forward to fight him. Adam grunted as he felt his Mana drain through his fingers, causing his body to grow hot for a moment before it turned cold. He shuddered and let out a deep sigh. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lady Elowen asked. ¡°He is suffering from Mana Poisoning,¡± Redboulder said. ¡°Is that going to affect the potion?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You will be unable to continue with your Alchemy,¡± Redboulder said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You will leak more Mana,¡± the Dwarf said. ¡°I¡¯ll take an hour to rest and I¡¯ll continue,¡± Adam said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t push yourself, Adam,¡± Elowen said. ¡°The potion is almost complete, so you can rest and continue tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You may not know much about me, but I''m one stubborn bastard.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Something like this won¡¯t kill me. I just need a rest to regain some Mana.¡± ¡°You are a Wizard?¡± Rojer asked. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, sitting down before he began his meditation. Mana: 5 -> 7 ¡°You¡¯re going to continue?¡± Elowen asked, having not dared to distract him in his meditation. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, feeling the exhaustion creep in through his bones. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Mana: 7 -> 4 Alchemy Check D20 + 5 = 19 (14) Omen: 18 -> 0 18 + 5 = 23 The Orcs rushed the man in his home, beating him within his bed, though not without losing a few fingers as the man fought back. [Would you like to spend Experience to increase the potion¡¯s effects?] ¡®Oh, Bell, I forgot all about you. How much can I spend?¡¯ [...] ¡®Bell?¡¯ [500 XP.] ¡®Then I¡¯ll spend that much.¡¯ XP: 3270 -> 2770 Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 10 (5) Health: 47 -> 26 Mana: 4 -> 0 Health: 26 -> 9 Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Adam coughed as his entire body shook, his eyes rolling back as his mind flashed red hot as though a thousand knives were piercing through his head. Blood poured out of his nose as he pulled back. As his Mana drained, his heart turned ice cold. He dropped to his knees, coughing up blood onto the floor. ¡°Adam!¡± Lady Elowen shouted. ¡°Master Redboulder, please.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he said, staring down at Adam, who panted. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 4 = 13 (4, 5) Health: 9 -> 22 Adam flexed, spitting up more blood before wiping his nose with the back of his hand. Congratulations! 1 Dragon Heart Potion Created. Restores vitality to one who drinks the potion. XP Gained: +1000 XP: 2770 -> 3770 ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, smiling up at them. He threw up a thumbs up before he closed his eyes and welcomed the sweet embrace of sleep. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam really needs to stop trying to kill himself by creating all these potions. 119. High Temple of Jaghi 119. High Temple of Jaghi Adam shuddered as he awoke, feeling the hot rays of the sun seep through the window and onto his body. He sat up, looking to find Jurot on his bed, carving away at a block of wood. ¡°You have finally awoken,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯ve been out for days.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Weeks?¡± ¡°It is later afternoon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The same day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, a little disappointed. ¡°I thought this was going to be the time I rest up for weeks to heal up everything because I did something cool...¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Jurot stared at him for a moment before returning back to his wood. ¡°You were hurt quite bad.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise making potions could almost kill you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t making potions that killed me, it was me being stupid.¡± Jurot nodded his head, understanding the sentiment. ¡°Will you continue to be stupid?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Even if it kills you?¡± ¡°A man is free to do as he pleases as long as he doesn¡¯t hurt others.¡± ¡°Lanarot will be hurt if you die.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot¡¯s face, who was staring at the wooden block. ¡°So, you have found my weakness.¡± ¡°It is well known to all of us,¡± he said. Adam side. ¡°Sometimes, Jurot, you say the smartest things.¡± ¡°Even a broken watch is right twice a day,¡± Jurot said. Adam smiled. Once he had filled his stomach with lunch, he caught Elowen staring at him, and she motioned with her head for him to follow. ¡°Oh my,¡± Adam said, looking down at the tiny baby wrapped in thick cloth. Her skin was the colour of the ocean, with a pattern of silver around her entire face. There were small gills at her neck and her fingers were slightly webbed, but otherwise she looked like a normal baby girl. She smiled, revealing her pointed, shark like teeth. ¡®Okay, maybe not like a normal girl?¡¯ Adam thought. She cooed and giggled as she stared up at him. ¡°Who is this little adorable girl?¡± Adam asked, holding out his finger. The Princess grabbed his finger, her tiny hand gripping it tight. She noticed his pointed ears, and reached up at them with her webbed hands. ¡°This is Princess Mina¡¯tu¡¯rea¡¯wyz¡¯wyl,¡± Elowen said. ¡°Can I just call her Princess Mina?¡± Adam asked, already forgetting most of the name. Elowen bowed her head. ¡°Are you feeling better now my little Princess?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh my, look at how lively and happy you are.¡± ¡°She was unable to act much due to her condition,¡± Elowen said, staring at the Princess. ¡°The curse had made it so that she was unable to move or speak for the entire year.¡± ¡°How did she eat?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She was able to consume food once a month, and only when we were in absolute safety,¡± Elowen said. Adam frowned, before staring down at the girl, who was nibbling on his finger gently. ¡°Who did this to her?¡± Elowen and Redboulder exchanged a glance. ¡°You¡¯ve helped us so much, but we are unable to tell you that. There are some private matters.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°Adam?¡± Jurot called out. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Previously you told me that you did not like to kill,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why did you kill Vandra?¡± ¡°Vandra?¡± Adam thought. ¡°She¡¯s a Dragon.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said, staring at Adam expectantly again. ¡°I think, because she¡¯s a Dragon and so much more powerful than us, and that she was trying to kill a bunch of people trying to save a little baby, it was fine to kill her.¡± Adam recalled how many sentient creatures he had killed thus far. It hadn¡¯t been many, though most of them had been full of evil like that thing¡¯s progeny. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. Omen: 2, 11 Adam stared at the temple within Jaghi. ¡°This is a temple?¡± It wasn¡¯t just big, or huge, it was unbelievably titanic. He had thought that it was large, and that it would end a few feet into the mountain side, but it continued deeper within. The temple was made of small white bricks lain together into a large dome, with windows made of colourful glass. There were ten statues outside, each of some kind of warrior, which flanked on either side of the entrance, which was a large wooden door made of black wood. As he stepped inside, he saw just how deep the temple truly was, with a number of pillars spaced evenly throughout, which assisted in keeping the ceiling up from crashing down on the thousands of believers. Adam looked out to the end of the room, where the temple¡¯s main room stopped, about five hundred steps away, only to have three exits which were covered by long strips of cloths people could move aside to enter the next area. Adam gathered that the temple ran even deeper, through those cloths, as he didn¡¯t note Sozain¡¯s iconography here, nor most of the Gods he knew about. There was the iconography of the God of Crafts, Goddess of Stonework, Goddess of War, the Goddess of Life, and the Goddess of Balance engraved into the stone within the room. There was a statue of each, one in each corner, with the Goddess of Balance¡¯s statue in the centre, where it acted like a pillar to keep the ceiling up. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered, causing a few passer bys to glare at him. ¡°Sorry.¡± The Half Elf stepped further inside, feeling the raw magical energy which was seeped within the temple. He paused, shuddering. There were eyes of unseen beings weighing down on his shoulders. He approached one statue in particular, which was of a beautiful woman, who held onto a blade which had been planted into the base of the statue. The blade was large, and wasn¡¯t made of stone, but was a real blade, made of a grey and red gem, one which only a Giant, or an Iyrman, could swing properly. In front of the statue was a dark skinned man, which most kept away from, praying quietly as he knelt before the statue. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam grunted, taking a knee beside Dunes, before bowing his head before Arya¡¯s statue. ¡°It¡¯s a shame they didn¡¯t manage to carve your likeness properly, but it¡¯ll do.¡± Dunes finished the current prayer and opened an eye. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you, Adam.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam said. ¡°It means I¡¯m not easy to figure out. That means I can surprise my enemies in battle.¡± Adam winked. Dunes smiled. ¡°Have you come to pray to the good Lady?¡± ¡°Lady Arya and Lady Elaveil, yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°I thought I should pay my respects to the pair, since I haven¡¯t yet. Though, I don¡¯t see Lord Sozain¡¯s statue.¡± ¡°His statue is further in,¡± Dunes said. ¡°How deep does this temple go anyway?¡± Adam asked, looking towards the end of the room. ¡°There are another three rooms this large further in,¡± Dunes said. Adam whistled. ¡°Damn.¡± Dunes narrowed his eyes towards the cursing Half Elf. ¡°Sorry.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Mission complete! Princess is safe! Jaghi as in Jag-high by the way. I really like the next few chapters for no reason in particular. Thanks to all the new Patrons and the random 5*s I''ve been getting recently. It''s been filling me with so much motivation to keep writing. I haven''t been feeling too well recently so it''s been helping a lot! 120. Adam’s Prayers 120. Adam¡¯s Prayers Gems: (15) Onyx -> (14) Onyx Having heard the Half Elf curse twice, an Acolyte stepped forward, only to stop once they saw the Half Elf place a gem at the box in front of the statue. ¡°I hope you¡¯re doing well, Lady Arya,¡± Adam said, placing his hands together and he sent his thoughts and prayers to her. Mana: 10 -> 8 As he prayed, the red within the gem blade pulsed once, causing the Acolytes nearby to shoot their gazes onto the Half Elf and Priest. After a few minutes, Adam stood, making his way to the other statue, noticing the Acolytes gawking at him. ¡°What, haven¡¯t seen a Half Elf before?¡± he asked, before dropping onto a knee before Elaveil¡¯s statue. ¡°Oh,¡¯ he said, staring at the lack of detail on the statue. It was as though it had been suffering from erosion for a thousand years, with a general shape of a woman. However, the scale at the top of the staff was made of real gold, and intricately detailed. There five gems set within the scale, red, yellow, and blue at the front, with a black gem at the top, and a white gem at the bottom. Gems: (14) Onyx -> (13) Onyx ¡°I hope you¡¯re doing well too,¡± Adam said. ¡°It would have sucked after I did that for you only for you to end up dead.¡± He winked at the statue before sending his thoughts and prayers, thinking hard. Mana: 8 -> 6 The Acolytes watched the Half Elf, wondering what he was doing to make the gems pulse with magic. It was rare to find someone who could make the gems of each statue pulse. Even Dunes wasn¡¯t able to cause them to pulse. Adam eventually made his way into the next room, where he saw a statue of a young boy on a seat made of jagged bone. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s Baktu alright.¡± Gems: (13) Onyx -> (12) Onyx Adam knelt in front of the statue, praying to it as he had done so previously. ¡®Hey, Baktu, if you dare take my family from me, I¡¯ll swing by to chat with you, and I don¡¯t mean over tea.¡¯ The statue had been of the young boy on a seat of jagged bone, though his eyes were made of black gems. Mana: 6 -> 0 Adam sighed, feeling the exhaustion set through his body. ¡®Man, did he have to take so much Mana from me?¡¯ He blinked, seeing the pale faces of the Acolytes, who were pressed back against the walls of the temple, their faces sweaty, their eyes wide eyed as they stared at Adam. Adam frowned. ¡°What? Have you seriously never seen a Half Elf before?¡± He quickly retreated away from the temple, not realising how much of a mess he had made. ¡°Father!¡± called an Acolyte, panting from the effort of running to find the Father who was in Solitary Prayer, which was the Father¡¯s way of saying to not disturb him unless it was an emergency. ¡°What is it?¡± the older, heavy set man said. ¡°There was a Half Elf within the temple,¡± the Acolyte gasped, trying to catch his breath still. ¡°Yes? That is truly interesting, but what does that-¡° ¡°He made Lady Arya¡¯s, Lady Elevail¡¯s, and Lord Sozain¡¯s statues awaken.¡± The Father of the Temple stared at the Acolyte and blinked at him. ¡°Excuse me? Is this some kind of joke? What have I told you about your pranks?¡± ¡°No, Father, you can ask Brother Damion or Sister Jane!¡± the Acolyte urged. ¡°The Goddess of War, the Goddess of Balance, and the God of Death?¡± The Father asked, wanting to make sure he had heard right. ¡°Yes, Father.¡± The Father blinked again. That combination hadn¡¯t awoken before. ¡®No,¡¯ he thought. ¡®It has once before.¡¯ The Father quickly rushed out, trying to find that book. He barged through the panicking Acolytes, finding one of the ten books which had been stashed away for the Fathers of the temple to read. They were the foundation of what the Two Fathers and One Mother of the Jaghi Temple used in order to lead the temples. One of the books was purely about when several statues had been awakened together. The Father quickly went to the Sozain section, which was the smallest section of all, and he scanned through it, finding the one time that the three statues had been awakened and the event proceeding it. There it was in huge, blocky letters. SECOND BLACKWATER CRISIS The Father¡¯s eyes scanned across the summary of the event. His heart began to pound wildly as he quickly shut the book and retreated into the corner of the room, his arms planted on either wall beside him, as though a cornered rat. ¡°What, by Lord Sozain¡¯s name, did we do?¡± he whispered, his chest shaking as he struggled to breathe. He stumbled his way out, snapping his head to a nearby Acolyte. ¡°Call for Father Jag and Mother Jaghi!¡± The Acolyte bolted away to do as the Father asked. ¡°What do you want?¡± Father Jag asked, yawning. ¡°I was in the middle of my meditations.¡± ¡°Father Hi, are you perhaps on a bad trip due to your Solitary Prayer?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, her eyes poking fun of the tubby Father.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com The Father placed down the book and opened it up to the page he had just read. ¡°Someone came in and awakened the three statues.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Adam said, breaking another piece of bread. ¡°What do you need me for?¡± ¡°Our Fathers and Mother would like to speak with you.¡± Adam looked to Dunes, raising his brow. ¡°The leaders of the Jaghi Temple,¡± Dunes informed. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Adam asked, freezing mid way through bringing the bread to his lips. ¡°Oh, dear, no, no.¡± The Priest smiled nervously. ¡°We just hoped to discuss a few things with you.¡± Adam stared at the Priest, whose face was sweating slightly. ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m bringing along Dunes and an Iyrman.¡± At the mention of an Iyrman, the Priest¡¯s eyes flashed with terror, but he quickly pushed it away from his eyes. ¡°O-of course, if you so wish.¡± Adam stared at the Priest for a long while. ¡®Why is he so spooked?¡¯ Adam tried to think back to the temple to remember what he did. ¡®Did something happen while I wasn¡¯t paying attention?¡¯ Once Adam was done, he threw a look to each of the companions he had picked. ¡°Chances are, the Fathers and Mother are stronger than us. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll kill a Priest of Arya in the temple, and I don¡¯t think they have the balls to kill an Iyrman neither.¡± ¡°They will not kill you,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They are holy men.¡± ¡°One of them is a woman,¡± Adam said, suspiciously. Jurot furrowed his brows towards the Half Elf, who was shaking, trying not to laugh at his own joke. ¡®Cringe.¡¯ Adam was brought around back to a large room which was lavishly furnished. There were two heavily armoured people within the room, flanking the three leaders of the church. Each of the leaders were dressed in fine Priestly garbs, with an intricate amulet around their necks, with a generic symbol to no God in particular. ¡°Now I know where my gems went to,¡± Adam said, glancing all around. Dunes elbowed him. ¡°I was just kidding,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Welcome,¡± a chubby Father said. ¡°I am Father Hi, and this is Father Jag and Mother Jaghi.¡± ¡°Welcome to our temple,¡± the Father said. ¡°Have some tea,¡± Mother Jaghi said. ¡°I just ate,¡± Adam said, wondering if he should trust the three in front of him. ¡°If I had known you were going to have such strong looking warriors beside you, I would have brought along the Silver Rank Iyrmen.¡± The chubby Father chuckled nervously, his eyes glancing at Jurot, who sat with his arms crossed. ¡°Oh, no, no. Don¡¯t mind them.¡± ¡°How can I not?¡± Adam asked, glancing at the tall and strong warriors. ¡°They have such beautiful armour, and their weapons seem to be magical. I¡¯m just a little Half Elf boy.¡± The pair wore plate mail from head to toe, with a tabard which had the symbols of dozens of gods, and at their sides were long blades, each made of gem, and engraved with runes. They emanated large amounts of magical power. Adam still, somehow, had his Lightsear at his side, as well as his own puthral breastplate, so he wasn¡¯t completely helpless. ¡°I assume that you all know quite some powerful spells too,¡± Adam said, his eyes returning back to Father Hi. ¡°Oh, just Fourth Gate for me,¡± Father Hi said, smiling awkwardly. ¡°We know Fifth Gate spells,¡± Father Jag and Mother Jaghi said. Adam stared at them. ¡°Are you sure you should be telling me that kind of thing?¡± ¡°It is well known that all the High Priests know up to the Fifth Gate at most,¡± Father Hi said. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Father Hi asked. ¡°We spend most of our time in prayer rather than growing our strength,¡± Mother jaghi said, not revealing the true reason. ¡°We can¡¯t grow too powerful or it upsets the balance between Nobles and the Clergy,¡± Father Jag said. Adam coughed as the Father and Mother stared at their companion. ¡°Right, right...¡± Adam glanced between them all, and then to the heavily armoured pair. He reached over and sipped the tea, tasting how sweet it was, before grabbing a hard biscuit which had been sprinkled in the tiniest amount of sugar. ¡°So what¡¯s this all about then?¡± Adam asked, his eyes darting between the Fathers and Mother. There was no way they had invited him here just for some casual chit chat, and he felt the stress of being under their gaze begin to fill him. ¡®I can¡¯t just joke around with them, they might actually kill me.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam. God damn it. Literally. 121. Tea and Trouble 121. Tea and Trouble Father Hi stared at the Half Elf, who sipped the sweet tea which had been made. Jurot, who hadn¡¯t made to drink the tea, did so when Adam sipped it. The Father let out a long sigh of relief, realising that the pair were now comfortable enough to consume the drinks. They could have refused the food and drink if they didn¡¯t trust the temple and its people, and they would have been unable to do anything about it. ¡°We wished to ask you what you think of Jaghi,¡± Father Hi said, smiling warmly towards the Half Elf. His views on Jaghi would be important, after all, how else would they know of why the statues had awakened. Adam continued to sip the tea, slurping it noisily, which broke the tension through the air. He placed the cup down on the table and intertwined his fingers together. His eyes met the Father¡¯s, staring deep into them seriously. ¡°That¡¯s... it?¡± the Half Elf asked. ¡®There was no way they just called me here for my opinion on Jaghi. The three of them are the most powerful spellcasters in the entire town, and they¡¯re asking me my thoughts about this place? No, there¡¯s something more to it. Why do you bastards have to be so damn vague!¡¯ Adam hated dealing with Nobles and the Clergy. Father Hi smiled politely, bowing his head slowly. He couldn¡¯t just ask such an important thing right away, not since they had a lot of business to deal with. He needed to ease Adam into the discussion. ¡°Well, I think...¡± Adam sighed, hating the fact they were taking the long way around to speak. ¡°It¡¯s certainly nicer to me than the other places I¡¯ve visited. I was in Deadwood and Eagle Wing, and those two towns weren¡¯t particularly kind to me. The people here don¡¯t seem to mind me, which is nice.¡± Father Hi dabbed at his face with a handkerchief he had procured from one of the many folds within his clothing. His body, being quite full of blubber due to the life of a Head Priest, was the type which often sweated easily, especially under such pressure. ¡°Is that all you think of Jaghi?¡± the Father asked, smiling nervously towards the Half Elf. Adam caught the eyes of the Father, which held knowledge which Adam didn¡¯t, knowledge which made him so nervous when dealing with the Half Elf. ¡®Seriously, it feels like I¡¯m the one bullying you now. What the hell is going on?¡¯ Jurot placed down his tea cup, having finished the tea, and he reached for a snack. Adam¡¯s eyes snapped to Jurot, full of seriousness. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, his voice simmering with offence. ¡°Eating the snacks,¡± Jurot replied, simply, biting into a hard biscuit, tasting the sugar. He understood just how amazing this snack was, since sugar wasn¡¯t freely offered to guests typically. ¡°You can¡¯t just drink the tea in one go,¡± Adam said, revealing how his own tea cup was mostly full. ¡°You sip it, slowly.¡± ¡°It is a drink.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a drink, it¡¯s tea,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°Show some respect.¡± Jurot stared at Adam. The Half Elf had never revealed any of his cultural practises before. ¡°Sorry,¡± Jurot said. Adam pat the Iyrman¡¯s back. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I thought you drank tea in the Iyr?¡± ¡°We drink it slowly when it¡¯s cold, but quickly when it¡¯s warm.¡± ¡°You drink tea cold?¡± Adam asked, wondering if they had iced tea in the Iyr. ¡®Why did I have to leave in the summer?¡¯ ¡°Sometimes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°However, we drink tea differently depending on the weather.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°I see.¡± ¡®Why are you two talking about tea?¡¯ the High Priests of Jaghi thought. Adam had switched to talking about tea partly to defuse the tension in the air, but he had learnt a little more about the Iyr by doing so. ¡°Right, anyway,¡± Adam said, placing down his tea cup. ¡°I think Jaghi is fine. The Acolytes here were a little weird, though. Have they never seen a Half Elf before?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The chubby High Priest chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s just that they heard you curse, and we can¡¯t accept that in the temple,¡± the High Priest dared to say, dabbing his forehead quickly to stop all the sweat which poured down like a river. ¡®My heart can¡¯t handle this.¡¯ ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯m very sorry about that, I wasn¡¯t filtering myself properly and cursed twice.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head in shame. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t worry about it,¡± the Father said. ¡®He apologised just like that?¡¯ ¡°Is that what this is about? I didn¡¯t mean to curse so much.¡± Adam tried not to sigh. ¡®Seriously, you didn¡¯t just bring me here to tell me off about me cursing, did you?¡¯ ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not exactly the issue,¡± Father Hi said, trying to approach the topic diplomatically. Mother Jaghi sighed, seeing just how much the High Priest was struggling. The two Fathers threw her a look full of alarm. Father Jag had previously let slip something important, but even he knew his limits. Mother Jaghi on the other hand... ¡°Are you planning on destroying Jaghi?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, bluntly. The two Guards almost shook their heads upon hearing what the Mother had asked, before reaching for their weapons. ¡°When it comes to the God of Death, well, I have spent quite some time in the Iyr, and he¡¯s a favourite of theirs.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. He couldn¡¯t tell them why he really liked all three, so needed a decent reason for each. The three High Priests nodded, for it was a well known fact that Lord Sozain, or Baktu as he was known in the Iyr, was the Iyr¡¯s greatest deity. There were even rumours of a special relationship, though the Iyrmen hadn¡¯t overtly confirmed the matter. ¡°I also personally like him because we¡¯ve had some dealings with one another,¡± Adam said, putting his foot right into his mouth. The three High Priests blinked simultaneously. ¡®Excuse me?¡¯ ¡°Lady Elaveil and I, well, our history is a little complicated, but I¡¯ve assisted her before and I have a vested interest in making sure the good Lady is well.¡± Adam spoke about Lady Elaveil as though he were her uncle. The three High Priests glanced between one another, wondering if they were to allow him to talk in such a casual manner about the Gods. The Guards started to pull out their blades, but the trio of High Priests glared at them, causing them to pause. ¡®Right, they haven¡¯t asked for us to draw our blades yet,¡¯ the Guards thought, keeping their blades gripped tightly in hand. It was only if Adam made a motion to attack that they could draw their blades to retaliate, otherwise they would have to wait. ¡°What does a statue awakening mean exactly?¡± Adam asked, noting how eager the Guards were to fight. ¡®If the statues awakening is a good thing, that should make them pause for a bit.¡¯ ¡°It means that the Gods have heard your prayers, and are giving you permission to do what you need in order to make that come true,¡± Mother Jaghi said. ¡°That they agree and confirm your wishes.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± He had no clue that the combination of the three Gods awakening was something terrifying to the people of Jaghi. ¡°What exactly did you wish for?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, finally coming to the meat of the matter. ¡°They say that if you talk about your wishes they won¡¯t come true,¡± Adam retorted lightly, chuckling. Mother Jaghi smiled, hiding her nervousness. ¡°Who is it that says that?¡± ¡°My mother every time I blew out my birthday candles,¡± Adam said, confidently. Jurot¡¯s ears perked up, as this was one of the few times Adam had mentioned his mother. Even Dunes, who was mostly confused about the topic, noted the way the Iyrman reacted, which caused him to lean in slightly to listen. ¡°What?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, unsure of what he was talking about. ¡°Nothing.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I just wished for their good health and to make sure they were alright.¡± Mother Jaghi threw a look to Father Jag and Hi, before her eyes fell back onto Adam. ¡°Whose good health?¡± ¡°The Gods¡¯.¡± ¡°You wished for the good health of the Gods?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, trying to comprehend what he said. ¡°Yeah, you know, Lady Arya and the others.¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I told them to take good care of themselves, and to be healthy and safe, and all that.¡± The High Priests stared at the Half Elf, blinking their eyes rapidly at him. They had never heard of anyone praying for the good health of the Gods. Even Dunes had leaned forward to look at Adam, his contorted into confusion. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You wished for the good health of the Gods?¡± Dunes asked to confirm, having already heard it a few times. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°I want to make sure they are fine so they can continue providing people with magic. If they aren¡¯t fine, then that would make how many thousands of people lose their powers? That would affect the entire region, no, the entire world.¡± The Priests weren¡¯t sure what Adam was talking about, but considering his ridiculous words, they decided against asking for more. ¡°And that¡¯s all you wished for?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, finally calming down again. If that was all that he had wished for, then that meant they had nothing to worry about. It would have been an issue if- ¡°Well, no,¡± Adam said, recalling one of his more concrete wishes. ¡°I also wished for something else from Lord Sozain.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Oh yeah, he also wished for something from the God of Death. :) 122. Adam, Unlike Any Other 122. Adam, Unlike Any Other Father Hi¡¯s heart pound wildly, thundering within his chest as he felt his entire chest squeeze. ¡®This Half Elf is going to be the death of me!¡¯ Father Jag began to sweat too, closing his eyes, finding that the Half Elf was someone he couldn¡¯t deal with. Mother Jaghi clasped her hands together, waiting for someone else to take the dive. ¡®Why don¡¯t you two ask this time?¡¯ Adam remained sitting there, smiling innocently at the High Priests. ¡°What was it?¡± Mother Jaghi finally asked. ¡°What was it that you wished for from Lord Sozain?¡± Her fingers gently trailed along the intricate amulet at her chest, wondering if she would need to use it. ¡°I just politely asked him not to kill my family,¡± Adam said, smiling innocently still. ¡°Otherwise I¡¯d have a chat with him.¡± The Guards threw each other a look. ¡®That¡¯s blasphemy, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡®Well, he didn¡¯t say it exactly.¡¯ ¡®Do we kill him?¡¯ ¡®I have no idea.¡¯ The pair looked to the the trio of High Priests, who had held the same conversation with their eyes between one another. ¡°Lord Sozain is nice though, I like him,¡± Adam said, nodding his head, oblivious to the thoughts of the High Priests or the Guards. ¡°There may even come a time where I swear my Oaths to him.¡± Father Hi, who had barely calmed down from hearing the madness of the Half Elf, clutched at his heart and keeled over, feeling how tight his chest had become. Father Jag reached around to grab the other Father¡¯s back, rubbing it gently. ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s quite a lovely thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± His lips twitched into a gentle smile. Mother Jaghi stared at Father Jag. ¡®Traitor!¡¯ Her eyes glared deep at the Father. Father Jag had reached for Father Hi to help him, but it was mostly to give him an excuse to remain out of the conversation. ¡°What a lovely ambition,¡± Mother Jaghi said through her gritted teeth. Adam¡¯s lips turned into a wide smirk, just like Jurot¡¯s when his mother complimented the boy. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± He nodded his head, mostly praising himself. Dunes¡¯ eyes flashed with terror for a moment, but they quickly passed. ¡®Wait. Adam probably doesn¡¯t understand what he said since he is queer like that.¡¯ ¡°You should be careful saying things like that,¡± Dunes said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s back. ¡°Like what?¡± Adam asked, not picking up what Dunes was saying. ¡°That you will swear your Oaths to Lord Sozain,¡± Dunes said, sighing. ¡°Those who swear their Oaths to Lord Sozain kill anything and anyone with no qualms. That includes Nobles, which is a taboo, and the Iyrmen that you hold so close to your heart. In fact, you might even need to kill High Priests of certain Gods too, if the Lord wills it. Such an Oath is the most terrifying Oath.¡± ¡°I assumed that was the case, but I probably wouldn¡¯t kill Iyrmen,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°They¡¯ve been kind to me.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t kill Nobles or High Priests either,¡± Mother Jaghi said, smiling warmly. ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked, staring into her eyes. He had asked like a young child, who did not know the ways of the world. Yet, he was a young man, someone who knew the reasons why one shouldn¡¯t kill Nobles or Priests. Or so Mother Jaghi had thought. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mother Jaghi asked, blinking rapidly at him. ¡°If Lord Sozain asked me to kill a Noble or a Priest, of course I would,¡± Adam said, staring into her eyes deeply. ¡°It¡¯s not like Nobles have treated me well, and I have no qualms with killing a holy man if it meant the world would be a better place.¡± The Mother stared at him, her eyes wide, her fingers gripping her amulet tight. The Guards glanced between one another again. ¡®What did he just say?¡¯Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°You would kill Noble and Priests?¡± Mother Jaghi asked. ¡°If Lord Sozain asked, of course. What is a Noble or a Priest in the eyes of the Gods? Do you think they¡¯re on the same level?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That¡¯s blasphemous.¡± ¡°Nobles and Priests keep the order and the peace,¡± Mother Jaghi said. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Iyrmen keep the order and the peace.¡± His eyes remained focused on the Mother¡¯s eyes, piercing deep into them. She had never met anyone like Adam before, someone who was so eager to speak about killing Nobles and Priests, especially not someone who would say so in front of three High Priests. Even now, if they wished for it, they could kill the trio with ease. The Iyrmen may have been slightly difficult, but they could kill the Half Elf within seconds. ¡°If I ever did swear my Oaths to Lord Sozain, it probably means I would have given up all qualms about killing people, or that I needed a great power to deal with any threat which comes my way, in which case, pretty much everyone is fair game.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Other than Iyrmen?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Other than Iyrmen, and children, obviously,¡± Adam said. ¡°Everyone else, well, they better not anger Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± ¡°I hope that we can talk properly,¡± Ylra said, shaking his hand. ¡°You seem like a bundle of fun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more than a bundle of fun,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m a... a blanket of fun.¡± ¡°A bundle is bigger than a blanket.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Adam asked, thinking for a single moment. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Ylra couldn¡¯t help but smile. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was an idiot on purpose or on accident, but he was quite charming all the same. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me, okay, Princess?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the Princess, reaching out with his finger. The Princess grabbed it and brought it to her mouth, sucking on it. ¡°Don¡¯t be stuck up like those other Noble bastards,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you end up like Harvey or that Dorian, I¡¯ll be really sad.¡± The Princess nibbled around his finger with her sharp teeth, but she didn¡¯t break through his skin. ¡°Be a good girl and eat your vegetables. Listen to your elders properly. If anyone bullies you, send me a message and I¡¯ll beat them up, okay?¡± The Princess stared up at him and then slapped his hand with her tiny hands, giggling as she did. ¡°Is she calls for you, will you answer?¡± Lady Elowen asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I should take responsibility now that I¡¯ve come so far. When you¡¯re done with your business, will you head to the Iyr to find me? I¡¯ll give her a gift to protect herself with.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, leaning in to tickle the Princess¡¯ nose. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a magical dagger, so if anyone bullies you, shank ¡®em and run!¡± ¡°Aboo!¡± the Princess said, throwing up her hands. ¡°You should be careful, Adam,¡± Lady Elowen said. ¡°That sword of yours is one of the greatest of its calibre. There will be many who wish to covet it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam said. ¡°I knew the risks when I made the sword.¡± Lady Elowen hadn¡¯t been sure if she had heard it right the first time. ¡°You made that sword?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°He did,¡± Aizaban confirmed, knowing the weight of her words, for they were the words of an Iyrman. ¡°The price to assist you was a magical weapon made by him.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t joking, are you?¡± Lady Elowen said. Adam smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to me soon enough.¡± ¡°Yer a good man,¡± Redboulder said, patting the Half Elf¡¯s arm. ¡°That means a lot coming from you, Master Dwarf,¡± Adam said. Redboulder nodded. ¡°That warhammer by yer side, it¡¯s of a good Dwarf make, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Your eyes are as keen as I expected.¡± ¡°No man of Elvish blood can carry a Dwarf make without being a decent man,¡± Redboulder said. ¡°Ah trusted ya the moment ah met ya!¡± ¡°You were the one to say we should kill him because he knows too much,¡± Ylra stated. ¡°What are ya talkin¡¯ about?¡± Redboulder shook his fist at her. ¡°Ah only said that we may have ta!¡± Aizaban and Lanban nodded their heads, understanding their worries. After all, it seemed that Adam had the same effect on the Iyr when he first arrived. Paul had warned them too, that Adam was someone who was too weird, that they should keep an eye on him. ¡°I¡¯ll wish you the best of luck too, Rojer,¡± Adam said. ¡°Perhaps we can talk more about magic when your business is done.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be interested in learning more about you and the way you cast magic,¡± Rojer said. ¡°You¡¯re unlike any other I¡¯ve met before.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right about that.¡± Adam stepped out the room, but threw a look over his shoulder. ¡°Send the Vice Master my regards, won¡¯t you?¡± Aizaban smiled. ¡°I will.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Will there ever come a time when Adam doesn''t commit blasphemy or terrify people? 123. North Wolves 123. North Wolves Adam welcomed the open road heading southward. Last time they had those despicable Nobles, but now it was just Adam and the boys, and Jonn too. ¡°Freedom at last,¡± Adam said, staring at the long road ahead of them. ¡°We should be careful,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Now that we are no longer in a large group, we will face greater opposition. Without the Silver Rank Iyrmen, we will be more vulnerable.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°It feels weird without them here. It¡¯s like there¡¯s a large pressure on my shoulder. If we meet with someone like Sir Royce or the Mountain guy, I might end up really dying.¡± ¡°So you are self aware,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I¡¯ve always been self aware,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Except times that I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not helpful.¡± Adam winked. Omen: 2, 13 It had been half way through the next day when Kitool raised her hand, and Jurot donned his shield. Taking his cue, the rest donned their shields, readying to face whatever it was which had surrounded them. Emerging from the trees around them were five Wolves, but they were unlike the Wolves of Red Oak. They were large and muscular, each in white fur, with piercing blue eyes. ¡°North Wolves,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Adam asked, Lightsear gripped tightly in hand, which caught the attention of two of the Wolves. ¡°They are more powerful than typical Wolves,¡± Jurot said, gripping his axe tight in hand, ready to burst forward. ¡°Funny that,¡± Adam said, his eyes scanning the Wolves. ¡°I was wondering just how powerful we were now.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 19 (18) Even though Adam was ready to fight, it seemed the rest of his party was even more eager. Kitool bounded forward, feeling a sense of great strength within her, as she struck her staff into the neck of a North Wolf, following the heavy blow with a flurry of her fists, striking the creature and wounded it deeply. The Wolf cried in pain, and with rage in its eyes, snapped its jaws towards the Iyrman, only for its head to drop to the floor, bisected from its body as Jaygak cut the creature in half. ¡°Okay?¡± Jaygak asked, quickly taking her place beside Kitool, ready to defend her if need be. ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, spinning her staff together before gripping it tightly with both hands. A Wolf leapt towards Kitool, but Jaygak cut it across its chest, causing it to yelp in pain. ¡°On your right,¡± Dunes said, cutting into the North Wolf and killing it with his newly acquired Jagite longsword. He raised his shield, trying to defend himself as a North Wolf bounded around him, and another leapt onto Kitool, who seemed like easy pray. The pair of North Wolves managed to slip past the heavily armoured warriors, and Kitool brought her staff up to defend herself, but the North Wolves managed to claw across her front, tearing her clothing and flesh to shreds. ¡°Kitool!¡± Jaygak cried, stepping towards her downed company, raising her Bloodseeker high. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 22 (14) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 5 = 16 (5)(2, 6) 16 damage! ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, gripping Lightsear tight in hand, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a little left out.¡± His blade flashed white hot as it pierced through the North Wolf, Lightsear gliding in the creature like a hot knife through butter. The North Wolf hadn¡¯t even felt the blade as it fell atop Kitool, dead. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 9 (1) D20 + 8 = 24 (16) Hit! 1D6 + 2D6 + 5 = 20 (5)(6, 6) 20 damage! ¡°Did you think I¡¯d let you kill one of my companions so easily?¡± Adam asked as the North Wolf which had pinned Kitool under its paws quickly snapped up towards Adam, who had cut one of its pack through so easily. The North Wolf leapt up, only to find the end of Lightsear, which cut the North Wolf in half, its guts not being able to fly around due to how clean the cut had been. It dropped on either side of Adam, who had already turned his attention to Kitool. Mana: 10 -> 8 Spell: Healing Word 2D3 + 3 = 9 (3, 3) ¡°Are you alright, Kitool?¡± Adam asked, his voice full of healing energy as it soothed the woman, closing her deep wounds, and causing her eyes to flash open. Kitool was pale, her body covered in a cold sweat. Her vision finally focused and she was able to see Jaygak¡¯s worried face. ¡°Adam?¡± Kitool said. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Jurot was already working on butchering the North Wolf he had slain, having left Adam to deal with the other two, and to heal Kitool. Victory! North Wolves +50XP Jonn had gripped his greatsword tight, but he had no chance to draw it, as the fight was pretty much already over. He had been waiting to see if they needed his help, but five North Wolves were no match for someone like Adam and his group. It felt a little weird having an observer with him, so with Jonn finally joining them on their quests, he¡¯d be able to bring in someone powerful into the fold. ¡°They would not appreciate us leaving them behind,¡± Jurot informed him. Adam thought about the group, and about Kitool, who had been downed during their last fight. The more she fought alongside them, the lower the chance that she would go down in the future. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam finally said. ¡°Let¡¯s go and take them all.¡± The group formed at a table. ¡°So, you finally became too bored to sit still?¡± Jaygak asked, tilting her head at him. Her lips were formed into a knowing smile. ¡°It¡¯s a little scary how well you already know me,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re queer, but you¡¯re also very predictable.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°I was told the opposite recently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯re not as insightful as me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam said, rolling his eyes. Dunes smiled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s find ourselves a quest to do. Jonn, you¡¯re going to be joining us too.¡± ¡°I am?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to follow us, then you¡¯re going to need to work for us.¡± ¡°I pay my own way.¡± ¡°How long can you do that for?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure, what with your new armour and weapons, you probably aren¡¯t going to be able to follow us for as long as you¡¯d like. What if it takes years for you to finally swear your Oaths?¡± Jonn remained silent. Adam made a fair point. There may eventually come a time that Jonn makes his decision about Adam, but that time may be much later in the future. If he had enough money that he didn¡¯t have to worry about it for years, then he didn¡¯t need to rush to make a decision. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Adam smiled. ¡®Hook, line, and sinker.¡¯ Jurot had been eyeing up the quests, but had quickly brought one to the group. Adam stared down at the quest and then back up to Jurot. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We have fire.¡± ¡°Yeah, we do, but do we have the fire power to deal with something like this?¡± Adam asked. Jurot blinked, unsure of what he was hearing from Adam. ¡°You are powerful.¡± ¡°Yeah, but as powerful as that?¡± Adam asked. Jurot glanced around at the rest of the party, his eyes falling on the Guardian, in his breastplate, with the large sword at his back, and then the Priest, who had also grown more powerful in the last few weeks due to how much they quested. ¡°I believe we can do it,¡± Jurot said, staring deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to ignore your opinion.¡± ¡°It is a powerful foe,¡± Jonn warned. ¡°For you, maybe,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to be careful, especially you three.¡± Kitool nodded her head slowly. She understood that she was the one who needed to be the most careful, due to how she often went down. ¡°We¡¯ll buddy up,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be with Kitool, Dunes with Jurot, and Jaygak with Jonn.¡± ¡°What is your reasoning behind those pairings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust Kitool in Jonn¡¯s hands,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if he stabs me?¡± Jaygak frowned. ¡°I assume you didn¡¯t mind getting poked by pointy things,¡± Adam replied, innocently. ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡± Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Back on the road with just the bois. Oh, and Dunes. 124. That Thing 124. That Thing Adding Jonn to the roster didn¡¯t take long at all, by the time they stepped out from the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, every Guild was soon updated with the information that Jonn had joined Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°Can you track it?¡± Adam asked as they made their way to the main road, before veering off into the forest, heading towards the general area it was last spotted. ¡°We will try,¡± Kitool replied, simply. ¡°I have never seen one before.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Its tracks may be obvious, though it could be confused for other creatures as large as it.¡± ¡°I realised it was a stupid question to ask,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that to myself next time.¡± ¡°It is fine,¡± Kitool said. ¡°You have placed your faith in us to complete our task, and we place our faith in you to lead us.¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°Yeah.¡± Suddenly, it felt as though the entire world was on his shoulder. This was the strongest creature they would face to date. Other than the White Dragon, but that didn¡¯t count since he had three Silver Rank Adventurers, all three of whom were Iyrmen or Iyrmen adjacent, at his side. ¡®I know I said I wanted to test out our strength, but I wasn¡¯t this serious about it,¡¯ Adam thought, glancing at Jurot¡¯s back. The Iyrman always walked with his head held high, his powerful back a sight of safety. Adam wondered if his back was the same. They spent hours within the forest, with Jurot and Kitool grunting to each other in their tongue. ¡°Wolves.¡± ¡°Daily?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Around?¡± ¡°Doubtful.¡± Each word contained a sentence that only the other person truly understood, as Adam couldn¡¯t keep up with what they were saying. ¡°We have not found its tracks,¡± Kitool eventually said. ¡°We may not have reached the area it resides,¡± Jurot added. ¡®Sounds like a bad omen...¡¯ Adam recalled Sir Dorian, his face twitching into annoyance.?¡± Jaygak called, patting his back. ¡°Right, sorry.¡± Adam cleared his throat, returning back to the present. ¡°Let¡¯s camp for the night?¡± ¡°I will stay awake with Jonn,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, catching Jurot¡¯s eyes, which said to leave it to him. Adam snapped his fingers, and an owl fluttered to a branch to the top of a tree. ¡®Let me know if something dangerous approaches.¡¯ Omen: 2, 9 ¡°Here,¡± Kitool said. Jurot checked the tracks before catching her eyes, nodding at her. ¡°So you¡¯ve found it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°The tracks are only a few days old.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find fresh tracks,¡± Jurot said. With that, the pair continued to lead the group, with Dunes behind Jurot, Adam behind Kitool, and Jaygak and Jonn side by side. Eventually, Kitool and Jurot stopped the group, nodding to Adam. ¡°Soon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Wait,¡± Dunes said. ¡°The good Lady has blessed me with greater powers.¡± Jurot threw Adam a look, a small smile on his lips. ¡°I know, I know,¡± Adam said, patting the Iyrman against his powerful back. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I accepted so easily.¡± Jurot dropped down to butcher the creature for proof, though took some of its body parts which would be useful for those who made certain potions. ¡°You¡¯re very strong, Jonn,¡± Adam said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be that strong.¡± ¡°Is that a joke?¡± Jonn asked, staring at Adam. ¡°You had defeated me previously, when I was not at my strongest.¡± ¡°Strongest or not, I did beat you senseless,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Though I¡¯m not talking about that. I¡¯m talking about that Aura you give off, the one which empowers our attacks.¡± Jonn nodded his head slowly. ¡°Even Oathbreakers have their own power.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°A power which is unsightly,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Relax, Dunes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Unsightly or not, it helped us out.¡± Dunes frowned. ¡°We should be careful keeping him with us. I kept my tongue before, but I hope that you don¡¯t forget what he is.¡± ¡°And what is he?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A bastard Half Elf? Last time I checked, that Dwarven friend of yours isn¡¯t about, so don¡¯t go talking shit about our pointy ears.¡± ¡°No,¡± Dunes said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t what I was talking about. I meant the fact he was an Oathbreaker.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m just pulling your leg.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I understand you might not like him, but we can¡¯t deny how easy this was because of him. I haven¡¯t forgotten what he is, and how he¡¯s already broken his word to me before. That¡¯s why Jurot is keeping an eye on him when we take watches, and why I¡¯ll be cutting him down if he betrays us.¡± Dunes stared at Adam. ¡°I will assist you if you need to cut him down.¡± ¡°I appreciate the help,¡± Adam said. ¡°You keep talking about how much you distrust me,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Are you sure you should be saying so right in front of me?¡± ¡°It should be obvious, right? We don¡¯t trust you, that¡¯s why we keep an eye on you. You don¡¯t trust me, that¡¯s why you keep an eye on me.¡± Adam raised his brows, smiling like one smug bastard towards the other Half Elf. ¡°Come on, Jonn. If you¡¯re going to keep saying stupid stuff like that, I might have to kick you out of our party.¡± Jonn narrowed his eyes. They finally returned to town, and with the gate fee paid, they quickly retreated to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°You all slew the Troll?¡± the Guild Worker asked. Their eyes caught sight of the three Iyrmen and then Jonn. ¡°Right, of course you did. Well done.¡± Quest Complete: Troll Hunting XP Gained: +150 XP: 4220 -> 4370 Currency Gained: +37GP, +5SP ¡°Since you¡¯re a member of this party, that means you need to understand a few things. First, I¡¯m the leader. Second, you need to pay into the Party Funds too. I expect a minimum of one tenth, but one fifth is probably best. We did start off with a certain percentage, but so far everyone¡¯s been putting in a decent chunk.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jonn said. He had no need to deny it, since this was the first step between building a proper relationship between one another. ¡°I should probably make some more...¡± Adam glanced at Jonn. ¡°Nevermind.¡± Jonn remained silent, wondering what Adam was about to say. ¡®Now that I think about it, we have enough Health Potions. We probably don¡¯t need any more...¡¯ ¡°We should do that,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That thing,¡± Jurot stated, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Right, you mean that thing,¡± Adam said, as though he understood what Jurot was saying. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ Jurot led the group out of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild and through the town. Adam and Jonn always wore their helmets, or kept their hoods up when walking about, considering they were still in Central Aldland. It was then Adam smelt the fresh smell of... ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°That thing!¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Damn, they floored that Troll. Almost forgot about the bread too. 125. Just Three Words 125. Just Three Words They spent a few more days in West Wood, but after resting properly, they made their way out of West Wood, following the King¡¯s Road towards Eagle Wing. ¡°What¡¯s with you and baths?¡± Dunes asked. He had been wondering for some time why Adam enjoyed baths so much. Every morning and evening, Adam bathed, and before leaving onto the road, Adam had spent nearly an hour relaxing in the baths. Adam sighed and threw the War Priest a look. He could see the look in Dunes¡¯ eyes, the questioning look to a strange alien, a strange alien who he had known for so long, and yet knew for so little. ¡°Dunes,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on the Priest¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You have to understand one thing about me. It is perhaps the greatest thing you should know. The one thing which will explain everything about me to you.¡± Dunes slowly nodded, hearing the seriousness in Adam¡¯s tone, and he was ready to hear Adam¡¯s philosophy, to learn about his leader, the man who was an enigma. ¡°Baths are bliss.¡± Just three words. ¡°Right?¡± Dunes asked, staring at the leader as they walked, slowing their pace slightly on the main road. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, understanding that Dunes didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Baths are bliss,¡± the Half Elf repeated. ¡°I heard you the first time,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You said baths are bliss.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°No, no. This isn¡¯t like how you think I¡¯m gay, Dunes. This is actually important. Baths are bliss.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Dunes said, only to become more confused. ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked, smiling. ¡°Do you finally understand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not gay?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m not gay.¡± Dunes blinked, more confused by that than the bath thing. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°You like both men and women?¡± Jurot asked, his ears twitching. ¡°No, I like women only.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. Jurot blinked. ¡°You would not lay with a man?¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°I like women. Have you forgotten that my wife is currently being drained to allow a forest to live?¡± ¡°I did not forget, I thought it was a cringe joke you were making,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°It is a cringe joke I¡¯m making, but there is a truth behind it too.¡± Adam nodded his head, as though he were making a poignant point. ¡°You¡¯re really not gay?¡± said a soft voice from behind. Adam¡¯s head snapped to Jonn, who stared at him through that cold mask of a helmet. ¡°Excuse me, Jonn,¡± Adam said, as though he were asking for a manager, ¡°but why are you butting into this? You shouldn¡¯t encourage the pair of them, otherwise they¡¯ll continue misbehaving like this in the future.¡± Adam tutted at the Half Elf. ¡°It is just because you are a, you know,¡± Jonn said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m a Half Elf?¡± His voice was accusatory, almost as accusatory as his glare through his helmet. Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes, Jurot, and Jonn said together. Adam¡¯s eyes lashed fluttered rapidly as he tried to process what they were saying. ¡°Wait, what?¡± He glanced between the three of them. Jurot would not lie, and Dunes and Jonn wouldn¡¯t come together to make a stupid joke like this. ¡°We Elves are much more free with love,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Even we with our half blood, gain that trait when we are born.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, glancing between them all. At first he thought they had been kidding, but seeing the way they responded, apparently it was a real thing in this world. ¡°So Elves are all gay?¡± Adam asked, curiously. ¡°It is not that all Elves are gay, it is that most Elves do not care about that sort of thing with who they lay with,¡± Jonn said. ¡°They like the company of all manner of Elves.¡± ¡°Not just all manner of other Elves, considering we¡¯re both, you know,¡± Adam said, staring up at him. ¡°I am certain you know what I am talking about,¡± Jonn said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Huh,¡± Adam said. He didn¡¯t know much about the Elves of this world, other than the fact that they were pretty, lived in forests, seemingly, and that they were currently hated in this land for massacring an entire town. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think about it, honestly,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though of course it makes sense that Elves are like that.¡± Adam rolled his eyes. ¡®What terrible world building.¡¯ ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Ay, Son of Fate!¡± The man began to laugh wildly, and Adam reached for his blade. ¡°Ah, no, no, don¡¯t mind me. It¡¯s just that the Gods were telling me all about you.¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°They said, they says...¡± He blinked a few times, trying to think. ¡°They says something about you, but I don¡¯t quite recall. I think it was good, though one of them didn¡¯t like you much.¡± ¡°Lord of Order?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s the one! He says somethings about you being a-¡° The Priest fell to his side, onto the leather bag full of alcohol, and he began to snore. Adam glanced at the others, who shrugged their shoulders, and then looked back to the Priest. ¡°We¡¯ll keep the same watch as last time,¡± Adam said, blinking at the Priest again. Omen: 9, 17 When morning came, the Priest grabbed his head, groaning. ¡°I drank way too much last night,¡± he said. ¡°No, no, I didn¡¯t drink enough.¡± He filled his wine skin up and then finished drinking his waterskin. ¡°Do yous have any more water for me?¡± Jurot and Kitool filled up the man¡¯s waterskin with their own. Adam threw them a look, but they shook their heads. ¡°Aren¡¯t you youngsters so kind,¡± he said, raising his hand and an amulet as he chanted something. Everyone stood, reaching for their weapons as they stared at the Priest, a holy man, as he cast his spell, before they were all filled with greater strength. Health: 52 -> 57 ¡°Aid?¡± Adam said, staring at the Priest. ¡°Since you¡¯re so kind,¡± the Priest said, before hopping onto his feet. ¡°I should continue on my way.¡± He bowed his head before stepping away, making his way onto the road. Adam glanced at the rest of the party. ¡°Huh,¡± he said, smiling slightly. ¡°That was fortunate.¡± ¡°He was a powerful Priest,¡± Jurot said, staring at the man¡¯s back. ¡°Apparently so. To cast Aid on all us, and himself, that was quite the feat,¡± Adam said. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be able to cast Aid on all us, not in a single spell,¡± Dunes said, throwing a look to Adam. Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right. How did he manage to do that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It seems as though he is something who is greater than we can imagine.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re telling me,¡± Adam said, looking out to the Priest, who was sipping away at his wine as he stepped forward. ¡°How strong do you think he is?¡± ¡°He is probably a Master,¡± Dunes said. ¡°A Master?¡± ¡°A being greater than an Expert. He may even be a Grandmaster.¡± ¡°Damn, those all sound so cool. Is a Grandmaster someone that¡¯s Gold Rank?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What would Diamond Rank be?¡± ¡°Diamond Rank?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Diamond Rank is the Rank above Gold,¡± Adam said, smirking at Dunes. Dunes stared at the Half Elf. ¡°You¡¯re too queer for me, Adam.¡± Adam smiled. They continued on their journey, heading ever forward. Adam was quite happy having met the Priest, though he wished he had spoken to him more. Apparently he was quite well known, but he wondered if he should be happy about that, considering that he had been warned by the man with the bird. Though he had felt lucky, it was a few days later when he felt something. There was something wrong, something which caused a shudder to run through his body. Adam¡¯s eyes darted upwards, and flying high above them, was a creature with shimmering blue scales. Its wings beat above them as though they owned the land. A fucking Dragon. ¡°God damn it.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just when they thought they knew Adam, they find out he''s not gay. Now they have no idea what Adam is like. Also, thank you to the random 5*! Expect an extra chapter out in the next few days! 126. This Was No Man 126. This Was No Man ¡°To arms!¡± Adam shouted, quickly donning his shield. Unfortunately for them they were on the open road, with not much around them for shelter. ¡°Ah!¡± the dragon hissed in their tongue. ¡°I can smell quite the delicious scent among you all! What precious gifts you have brought to me.¡± The Dragon soared above them, circling around the party as they prepared themselves. ¡®It just had to be a Dragon,¡¯ Adam thought, clutching Lightsear tight. He was pretty confident he¡¯d be okay, what with his abilities, and Jonn and Jurot would be fine too, but the other three? ¡°Oh fine beautiful Dragon, I beseech you!¡± Adam shouted in the Dragon tongue. ¡°I come to offer you peace this day!¡± Adam really didn¡¯t want to fight the Dragon. It soared well above them, and would be able to rain down lightning over them if it so pleased, and while he and Dunes may have had some ability to deal with it at ranged, he didn¡¯t trust that they would be able to deal with it. ¡°What deal do you wish to offer me?¡± The Dragon continued to circle around them, its eyes focused down on the group. ¡°If you are willing to let us go, I would pay the fair fee of this weapon,¡± Adam offered, raising his sword, Lightsear. The Dragon¡¯s eyes snapped towards Lightsear, which held such a powerful scent considering its bonus was so low. ¡°Indeed, it is such a magnificent sword, but...¡± ¡®Shit,¡¯ Adam thought, gripping his blade tighter. ¡°If I kill you, won¡¯t it belong to me?¡± The Blue Dragon roared, noting the end of the negotiations. ¡°Get ready!¡± Adam shouted. His eyes darted to Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak, each of whom held something he didn¡¯t expect, but he really should have. The Iyrmen¡¯s faces were wrought with a wild grin, and they had clutched at their blades so eagerly, ready to fight the Dragon. ¡®Oh, right,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Fucking Iyrmen.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 21 (19) The Dragon flew down towards them, and aimed its talons and mighty maw to strike Adam. Unfortunately for it, Adam was more than prepared to face it. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 16 (8) D20 + 8 = 18 (10) Hit! Mana: 10 -> 8 1D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 5 + 3 = 25 (2)(4,6)(1,2,2) 25 damage! ¡°Since you don¡¯t wish for peace, it¡¯ll have to be your death!¡± Adam shouted, swinging his blade wildly towards the Blue Dragon, which crashed down against his shield. Lightsear pierced through the Blue Dragon¡¯s gut, flashing white hot as he cut through the magnificent creature. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) D20 + 8 = 24 (16) Hit! Mana: 8 -> 6 1D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 5 + 3 = 34 (2)(4,5)(3,6,6) 34 damage! ¡°How fortunate I am,¡± Adam shouted, inhaling deeply as the Blue Dragon screamed in pain, already taking so much damage from the Half Elf, a snack which it had been so excited to consume. ¡°I needed the heart of a Dragon!¡± Lightsear cut through the Blue Dragon once more, covering Adam in the Dragon¡¯s blood. His heart pounded wildly, wondering if he¡¯d be able to deal with this Dragon. It wasn¡¯t quite as ferocious as Vandra, but it was still a Dragon. But, he was not alone. Jurot shook with rage, but it was excitement which spurred him into action. ¡®A Dragon!¡¯ Jurot thought, having not thought he would have been able to slay one for some time, not until long after he had become an Expert. ¡®A Dragon!¡¯ The two words were constantly echoing through the minds of the Iyrmen, who were drunk on the potential of glory. Jurot¡¯s entire body flexed as he swung wildly, his magical battleaxe tearing into the side of the creature, managing to cut deep into it, blood spraying all across his entire body. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Jurot laughed like a hyena, tasting the liquid crimson of the Dragon which he had cut through. His face was contorted into a huge grin as he eagerly stepped towards it, making sure it couldn¡¯t leave his range yet. ¡°You Iyrmen are so eager to die,¡± Dunes said, raising his hand. His skin was already dark, but Dunes chanted the words to a prayer, and his entire hand turned as black as the night, and he stepped cautiously towards the Dragon, a little too cautiously, unable to find purchase. ¡°Yes!¡± Jurot declared, raising his axe into the air. Kitool raised her staff into the air too. Jaygak did not. She instead squatted down to grab Bloodseeker, tenderly rubbing a finger along the edge of it. ¡°I¡¯m still not worthy of you, Bloodseeker.¡± The sword throbbed for blood. Adam panted, his heart pounding wildly, even more wildly now that it had died. He inhaled deeply to calm himself, before glancing around them all. ¡°We don¡¯t have to carry it, do we?¡± Adam asked, flashing a smile. Jurot¡¯s eyes flashed to Adam¡¯s. ¡°We have killed it,¡± he said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, ¡°I know.¡± Victory! Blue Dragon XP Gained: +800 XP: 4370 -> 5170 Jurot grabbed onto Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I knew it! I knew that we would be able to create a story worthy to be passed down!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you trust me?¡± Adam asked, mocking offence, before lightly punching Jurot across his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re covered in blood.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, proudly. ¡°I am.¡± Even Kitool couldn¡¯t help but get swept up in the moment, her heart fluttering. She stared down at Seekerstaff, which had managed to wound a Blue Dragon. ¡®Finally.¡¯ ¡°We should butcher it,¡± Jonn said. ¡°It would be worth a pretty penny.¡± ¡°We need the heart,¡± Adam said, glancing at Jurot. ¡°Can you focus on that?¡± ¡°Kitool will leader the butchering,¡± he said. ¡°I will assist.¡± Adam nodded, trusting the Iyrmen in their ability to butcher the Dragon. They had practise with Vandra, so he assumed they would do well this time. ¡°It¡¯s lair may be nearby,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Nearby?¡± Jaygak glanced around. ¡°I doubt it.¡± ¡°Hill or forest?¡± Jurot asked the pair. ¡°Forest,¡± the Iyrmen replied together. ¡°It¡¯s closer around this part,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Barely,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Will you be able to find it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°With some effort,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Finding a Dragon¡¯s lair is difficult.¡± ¡°Very worth it, though...¡± The Iyrmen nodded. They began to part the Dragon as Adam and the rest took watch, keeping an eye out on the road, as well as the skies around them. ¡°What do you need the heart for?¡± Jonn eventually asked. ¡°A friend of mine needs it to save my wife,¡± Adam said, flashing a cheeky smile to Jonn. ¡°It¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m not gay.¡± Jonn wasn¡¯t sure what he should say to respond, so he decided against saying anything. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m forgetting something,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes still scanning along the horizon. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Having so many people gang up on one creature does make it easy. 127. It Is Fair 127. It Is Fair ¡®How the hell did we manage to kill a Dragon?¡¯ Adam thought as they made their way towards the forest edge. He tried to recall the fight, how the Dragon soared down towards them without its lightning breath, and then it focused all its attacks on Jurot, the only one of them who could have taken the entirety of its blows and shrug it off. Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot, who had rested up after the fight, and had been pumped full of magic from both himself and Dunes. No longer was his body littered in the scars of the Dragon¡¯s attacks, though there were still faint traces of the assault from the Dragon. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I am okay,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. He and the other three Iyrmen were full of excitement, after all, they had each helped to slay a Dragon. Jaygak wasn¡¯t quite as positive though, as she hadn¡¯t managed to land a single blow, but she had still been a part of the fight, and thus would still have her part in the story. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Healing magic is powerful,¡± Jurot said, glancing down at his body. ¡°I was losing so much blood, but I am feeling much better now.¡± ¡°We should thank Lady Arya for that, I think,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°It is a shame it will hide the scars from the Dragon.¡± ¡°Just be thankful you¡¯re alive,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did you not say that you would not allow me to die unless it was to a Dragon?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°If I had died to this Dragon, it would have been a good death.¡± Adam slapped Jurot against his back, a little too hard. ¡°What the hell are you saying? If I had let you die to a Dragon that small, how could I show my face back in the Iyr? To Aunt Sonarot and our adorable little sister, eh?¡± Jurot did not respond, instead thinking about Adam¡¯s story, and how hard he had tried to bring Jurot back to his mother. ¡°A Dragon is a decent death,¡± Jurot repeated, hoping Adam would understand. Adam, understanding that Jurot would have been okay dying to a dragon, slapped the Iyrman¡¯s back again. ¡°A Dragon that small? Don¡¯t even call it a Dragon! It was nothing better than a Wyvern, and I won¡¯t let you die to one of those either. You can only die once you¡¯ve reached Diamond Rank with me, and only if you¡¯re facing against the most powerful of Dragons.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if he should laugh, wondering if Adam was joking, but finding out when Adam was joking and just stating ridiculous dreams was not something he had completely figured out, so he dropped the matter instead. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡± Adam eventually said, walking over to the Devilkin. ¡°I am okay,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It is a shame I was unable to land a blow. I would have brought great honour to my family if I had managed.¡± ¡°Whether or not you landed a hit, you charged in to fight beside us,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll have another chance to fight a Dragon, so keep your excitement up for that.¡± ¡°If it had been anyone else to say something so ridiculous, I would have laughed them off, but somehow, coming from you, I can¡¯t help but think that we¡¯ll come across another Dragon.¡± Adam grinned wide. ¡°I said we¡¯d face a Dragon and somehow managed to make it come true in half a year. Perhaps there will be another Dragon by the end of the year?¡± ¡°I would like to wait until I¡¯m an Expert to face one,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Then, unless Fate is against me, I will be able to land a blow. I just... I just want one strike, damn it!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if Fate is on your side or not,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°If you want to land a hit, I¡¯ll make it so.¡± Jaygak stared up at the Half Elf for a moment, seeing the joy in his eyes. ¡°Seriously, Adam. How can you be such a weird guy, but also so manly at the same time?¡± ¡°How can you kill them? Look at them, they¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just take a pair of Dire Wolf cubs with us.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It will be difficult to raise them when we¡¯re already in so much danger.¡± ¡°So? Are you really going to kill these adorable little puppies?¡± ¡°Is this where you draw the line?¡± ¡°No, but I don¡¯t think we should kill them.¡± Jaygak placed a hand on Adam¡¯s back. ¡°I agree. I think we should look after them. This is a great fortune for us. If we are able to raise them, they will be able to assist us.¡± ¡°Sure, but I still think they are adorable,¡± Adam said, stepping closer to the Dire Wolf, which barked at him. Kitool stepped forward, crouching down before the Dire Wolf. ¡°We will look after your cubs,¡± she said. ¡°Leave it to us.¡± The Dire Wolf growled at the woman again, but soon her growls fell quiet, and moments later, she fell still. Kitool picked up the cubs, which yipped and whimpered. ¡°It will be difficult to feed them. We do not have milk for them.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just let them die,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ve accepted them into our hearts, so we have to take responsibility for them.¡± Jaygak took one of the pups from Kitool and stared at it. ¡°You are really cute, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Two girls,¡± Kitool said, hugging the little pup in her own hands. ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said, raising a hand. ¡°Just because they are two girls, doesn¡¯t mean you two get them.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s fair,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Two girls for two girls.¡± ¡°I want one too!¡± Adam took off his helmet, narrowing his eyes at the pair of them. ¡°I was the one to keep them alive.¡± ¡°I promised the mother I would take care of them,¡± Kitool said. ¡°You can have one, obviously, but I want the other.¡± ¡°If Kitool gets one, I get the other,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It is fair,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Fair? How is that fair?¡± ¡°If Jurot gets one half, you should get the other,¡± Kitool said. Adam narrowed his eyes at them, but he couldn¡¯t refute their words. ¡°Damn it.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! They''re not wrong, I suppose. 128. A Hoard 128. A Hoard Omen: 6, 20 Jurot held up the terrified Wolf in one hand, holding an axe to its throat so it knew its place. The wolf shook as the pups fed from its nipples, Jaygak and Kitool holding them up to it. ¡°You could just lay it down and let them lay as they ate,¡± Adam said, snacking on some of the meat the Iyrmen had hunted the night before. Jurot shook his head. ¡°It must be done this way.¡± Kitool and Jaygak nodded their heads, agreeing with him. ¡°Alright, I guess,¡± Adam said, rolling his eyes. ¡°Since it¡¯s like that, I¡¯ll just leave it to you guys then.¡± Once they had eaten, they made their way deeper into the forest, where Jurot and Kitool looked for signs of a Dragon¡¯s lair. It was a few hours into their journey that the pair found something. Jurot motioned a hand to a tree which had its twigs scattered about. ¡°It¡¯s flight. It may fly from ahead?¡± Kitool nodded. ¡°We can check.¡± Another hour later, she stopped, tilting her head towards a group of trees nearby which had fallen. She walked over and glanced around the fallen trees, before looking back to Jurot. ¡°Entrance?¡± The other Iyrman squated down in front of the trees and eyed them up, his eyes scanning them for anything amiss. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Adam asked. Jurot pointed towards the tree in a very specific spot which had been cracked. ¡°This is not the mark of a tree being struck by wind or another tree, but a large creature.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Adam asked. Jurot threw Adam a stern look. ¡°I know my wood.¡± Adam nodded. The pair then tied their ropes around the trees and pulled at them, with assistance from Jonn and Jaygak. Dunes and Kitool kept an eye around. They continued to move apart the trees before finding a brush which had been crushed. ¡°Well?¡± Jurot nodded his head before he then started to dig into the earth using the handle of his axe. ¡°The earth there has no life,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Meaning?¡± Adam asked. However, before she could explain, the brush shook and fell underneath, revealing a hole. ¡°The entrance,¡± Jurot said, before dropping down without a second thought. ¡°Careful,¡± Kitool said, before dropping down after him, and the rest followed after. Adam¡¯s heart pounded wildly, wondering what a Dragon¡¯s lair would look like. Jurot lit up his torch, allowing Jonn and Adam to see further in. The tunnel led further for about fifty steps before it opened up to a large room, one which was completely empty. Adam squatted down and slashed the earth with his sword, marking it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Marking our way so we don¡¯t get lost.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Jurot and Kitool will be able to remember.¡± ¡°We killed a Dragon, which wasn¡¯t too difficult, and then we found the lair in a couple of days.¡± Jaygak smiled, reaching up to pet his head. ¡°What did you expect? Who would be better to find a lair than Iyrmen?¡± ¡°We grew up on the tales,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We have heard hundreds of tales about those who came before us, and we each know a dozen stories where a Blue Dragon was slain. The markings for a Blue Dragon¡¯s lair are obvious to Iyrmen, most of the time. We made some educated guesses for a Dragon which made its lair elsewhere.¡± ¡°How come you thought it was the forest and not the hill?¡± ¡°It was more than likely the hill, but if it was fleeing from an invader, a forest provided much more cover,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It also made its way from the forest¡¯s side,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Oh.¡± Soon the group carried most of the loot up, leaving behind all the copper coins and some of the silver coins. They packed their packs full before spilling everything into a clearing, where the three Iyrmen began to sort through the loot. ¡°One thousand and two hundred silver coins, one thousand gold coins, one hundred platinum coins, and a hundred gems,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°The bare minimum we could have expected,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It could have a second lair, and we found its decoy,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Perhaps, but it was recently active in that lair, with the scratchings on the walls,¡± Kitool said. Adam blinked. It was as though he was in another world from them, as he noticed almost nothing out of the ordinary, even with his Elvish eyes. ¡®Oh, right, I am from another world.¡¯ ¡°We will be unable to take all the silver coins from the hoard, but this should be enough for us all,¡± Jurot said. ¡°How should we split it?¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes met Adam¡¯s, and the Half Elf noticed everyone else was looking at him too. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re our leader.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam stared at the pile of loot. ¡°We¡¯ll take two hundred silver coins, one hundred and fifty gold coins, and fifteen platinum coins each. The gems will be split evenly too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s two hundred gold in the Party Fund then?¡± Dunes said. Adam nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll keep the gems unless they can¡¯t be split evenly, and at that point we¡¯ll put the remained in the Party Fund too.¡± Jonn had wondered whether he would get a share of the loot, but considering he had joined their party, he wasn¡¯t sure why he was worried about it. Adam stared at the gems, seeing the myriad of colours. ¡°How much are the gems worth?¡± Jaygak split the gems into three piles. ¡°Ten gold, fifty, one hundred,¡± she said, pointing to the three groups. Most of the gems were worth ten gold, as expected, but there were more than a handful worth fifty gold, and three worth one hundred gold each. ¡°Didn¡¯t this excite you?¡± Jaygak asked, staring at him. ¡°We slew a Dragon and looted its lair. What kind of Adventurer at our Rank could say the same?¡± ¡°How can I get excited at this little?¡± Adam asked, his lips curling into a smile. ¡°After all, we¡¯ll be Diamond Rank when we go around slaying Ancient Dragons, each whose hoards would make this look like pennies.¡± Jaygak smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! They''re rich. Kinda? This hoard isn''t that... hoardy. Also thanks for the new patrons and the new ratings. Soon cometh your own hoard. 129. Iron Man 129. Iron Man The Duskval heat was blistering. As they marched through the land, heading back to the road, and following it along back to Eagle Wing, Adam couldn¡¯t help but feel like he was slowly dying. The sun caused him, a Half Elf, to sweat profusely. Adam noted just how difficult it was for him to sweat, other than fear and extreme effort, he barely felt the times beads of sweat would form and fall. ¡°Once we get to Eagle Wing...¡± Adam panted. ¡°I¡¯m doing to dunk myself into a cold bath,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. It didn¡¯t help that he was also carrying a large wooden box full of Dragon parts, though the others were also carrying the same. Adam had the Dragon Heart too, which he had brought back for Lucy. It was the only thing which mattered to him. It was also getting difficult to deal with the pups, as they couldn¡¯t find a Wolf every day on their travels. ¡°How are they holding up?¡± Adam said, casting Tricks to keep the container for their milk cool. ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We will need more milk soon.¡±NewW novels updates at novelhall.com nodded. It was fortunate that Kitool and Jurot took their roles in finding Wolves for the pups seriously, as they spent hours in the evening dealing with that matter. They would go off when they made camp, and would return with a few marks across themselves, with Jurot holding up a Wolf in hand, The Wolf would then feed the pups whilst under duress, and were then milked into a skin, before being set free. ¡°I¡¯m surprised,¡± Adam said. ¡°I thought we¡¯d be under attack several times on the journey.¡± ¡°There may be times where we are fortunate,¡± Jurot said. Soon the walls of Eagle Wing invited them inside, with the journey from the Dragon¡¯s Lair being fraught with boredom for the Half Elf. ¡®I guess it¡¯s alright since we didn¡¯t die...¡¯ Adam thought. They made their way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild right away, where there was a young, handsome man who greeted them once they walked up to the counter. ¡°Good evening,¡± the young man said. ¡°Evening,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°We, uh, need to speak a little privately.¡± The young man nodded his head slowly. ¡°If you would follow me.¡± The Guild Worker led Adam and the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden around back to a private room. Adam nodded to Jurot, who had insisted in carrying that thing in a wooden box which he kept under his pack. He opened it up to reveal the head of a Blue Dragon. The Guild Worker blinked as he stared at the Dragon head, before looking to Adam. ¡°I¡¯ll have Jurot tell you about what we did,¡± Adam said, flashing a charming smile. The Guild Worker listened intently to the tale, ears twitching as they stared at the Iyrman. ¡°That is quite the tale,¡± the Guild Worker said, before glancing around to the rest of the party. ¡°I will mark the quest¡¯s completion.¡± ¡°Would you mind also changing some of our currency out?¡± Adam asked. ¡°All this coin is heavy and hard to deal with.¡± The Guild Worker nodded. Quest Complete: Slay Blue Dragon XP Gained: +400 XP: 5170 -> 5570 ¡°Do you wish to Rank Up to Iron?¡± Adam had wanted to Rank Up in Red Oak, but he realised he probably shouldn¡¯t hold it off after defeating a Blue Dragon. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Rank Up! Rank: Copper -> Iron XP Gained: +100 XP: 5570 -> 5670 The Guild Worker bowed their head, adding a note to his profile. ¡°I will have the gold and Adventurer Tag prepared for you all in the morning.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Adam said, yawning. ¡°I need a bath.¡± Adam sighed, resting in the cool water. ¡°Oh yeah...¡± He rubbed himself with the soap of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which didn¡¯t feel great, not like the soap of his first life. ¡®I should try and make my own soap, with a lovely lather and scent.¡¯ Adam sank further into the bath, dreaming of his soap empire he was going to create, it allowing him to take over the world. ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°Oh. That is a useful spell.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Quite. Can last forever.¡± ¡°Unless you dispel it, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We should keep a Continual Flame with us at all times, maybe two.¡± Adam leaned back. ¡°We need to keep some of the Party Fund for when you¡¯re strong enough to cast Revivify.¡± ¡°Another nine hundred gold,¡± Dunes said. ¡°So we have enough for them all, but not enough for them all and plate mail for each of you.¡± ¡°Plate mail?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Yeah, for the pair of you,¡± he said, nodding his head to him and Jaygak. ¡°That way you¡¯re kitted out with what you need and we don¡¯t really have to worry about anything else. That¡¯s the major stuff we need to buy.¡± ¡°The Party Fund is for plate mail too?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the in between armour? Half plate?¡± ¡°Technically, but splint mail is probably more useful to us.¡± ¡°Splint,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°How much is that?¡± ¡°About two hundred, depending on the smith,¡± Dunes said, and Jaygak nodded. ¡°What about you?¡± Adam asked, staring at Jonn. ¡°This armour is more than good enough for me,¡± Jonn said. ¡°I prefer something a little lighter than plate and splint.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Adam placed down the single gem worth ten gold coins down. ¡°Let¡¯s use this as our celebration coin so we don¡¯t go too wild.¡± ¡°Ten gold is more than enough to have a good time,¡± Dunes said, smiling wide. Adam threw him a look, but Dunes was looking to another time. ¡°By the way, is there a way I can put away all my gold?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have so much money, and it¡¯s a little awkward carrying all this money around.¡± ¡°You can ask the Guild.¡± ¡°Oh, I can?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They have banking service.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know about that?¡± Jurot gave him a look. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Do they also hold items for us? I don¡¯t want to carry around all this Dragon stuff.¡± ¡°They will hold anything you require,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Guild holds whatever you need.¡± ¡°How useful.¡± ¡°Well?¡± Dunes said. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to celebrate?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just a chill chapter. Adam is freaking rich, so now time to make all the lanterns ever. Sorry about the lack of a post yesterday. I wasn''t feeling too well. 130. Strangers on the Trail 130. Strangers on the Trail The party didn¡¯t spend much time in Eagle Wing. After preparing milk for the Wolves, refilling their rations, they left the day after they had arrived. They followed the King¡¯s Road towards Deadwood, a journey which would take them two to four days depending on how quickly they wished to move. ¡°Aren¡¯t there bandits and such we need to be worried about?¡± Adam asked, glancing around. ¡°We are still within Central Aldland,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are very few bandits who would try to bother anyone within this area.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Central Aldland has the most small forts,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Each city has one, but there are also a few more between cities.¡± ¡°Small forts?¡± ¡°They typically house a hundred to two hundred Soldiers.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°So Central Aldland is safe?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°If we headed out of Jaghi and went south or north, we may have had to deal with bandits, but we are on the King¡¯s Road in Central Aldland.¡± ¡°There are also many Orders in Central Aldland,¡± Jonn said. ¡°They keep the peace as part of their duties.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the nearest Order to here?¡± ¡°The Order of Bronze Eagle,¡± Jonn said. ¡°It is east of Eagle Wing.¡± ¡°The road east from Eagle Wing is the safest road in the entire land,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They say even a child can walk the entire length of the road towards the capital city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say,¡± Jonn said. ¡°What about that other Order?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The one which kicked you out?¡± ¡°It is south of Deadwood.¡± ¡°We passed it on the way to Deadwood,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Though we did not find one of its patrols.¡± ¡°Do you want to swing by it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Jonn said, sternly. Hearing the Half Elf¡¯s tone of voice, Adam dropped the matter. It was midway through the second day when they saw six Soldiers patrolling along the road, heading up towards them. They were on their horses, each wearing heavy chain mail, save for the leader, who wore a breastplate. At their sides were a short blade and a mace, and they wielded long spears. Their horses also held packs, no doubt full of their food and water, among the other items which they needed. The party stepped aside to allow the Soldiers to pass, though they came to a stop just ahead of them. ¡°State your business, travellers,¡± a Soldier called out, eyes scanning across the group. There were three Iyrmen, a Priest of War, a man in breastplate who may have also been a Priest or Guardian, and a man wearing full puthral plate mail. ¡°Heading to Deadwood,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I could gather that much,¡± the Soldier replied. ¡°What is your business in Deadwood?¡± ¡°We are going to have a nice, long bath, and then head down to Red Oak the day after,¡± Adam said, almost dreamily. The Soldier stared down at Adam, the man in puthral plate mail who hadn¡¯t removed his helmet, meaning he wasn¡¯t an Iyrman. ¡°Leave her?¡± Adam asked, throwing a look to Jurot. ¡°She¡¯s dying.¡± Adam reached down for her mask, but Jurot and Kitool grabbed his arm. ¡°You cannot do that,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We cannot remove her mask,¡± Kitool added. ¡°She needs food and water. She¡¯s weak, and more than likely she¡¯s dehydrated.¡± ¡°I will deal with her,¡± Kitool said, reaching down to grab her waterskin. ¡°You must leave.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± Adam blinked. He glanced between the pair, who seemed to know something. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We cannot say,¡± Jurot said, staring into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t say?¡± Adam stared up into Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t even tell me?¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°Kitool will feed her and care for her for the moment, and we will leave behind food and water, but we cannot stay here for long.¡± ¡°Jurot, she¡¯s dying. I can¡¯t just abandon her, not for some vague reason. Do you think I¡¯ll be able to sleep at night if I let her die?¡± ¡°It is too dangerous for us to remain here,¡± Jurot said, his eyes darting around the area. ¡°Too dangerous?¡± Adam asked, noting how Jurot¡¯s eyes were focused elsewhere. ¡°What is so dangerous that even you would run?¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes remained focused elsewhere. ¡°We cannot remain here, Adam. We must leave.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what had spooked Jurot to the point he, an Iyrman, wanted to run away from a fight. ¡°Fine.¡± Adam pulled away, leaving Kitool behind to tend to the woman. He followed Jurot out, and Dunes and Jonn threw a quizzical look towards Adam, who shrugged his shoulders. Jaygak remained between the group and Kitool, placing down a few of her own rations, as well as some water. Kitool lifted up the woman¡¯s mask just to reveal her lips, noting how dry they were, before she assisted in feeding her water. After feeding her a few sips, she placed down the water beside the woman and made a mark into the ground, before collecting the shortsword, bow, and quiver, placing it beside her against a tree. ¡°Finished?¡± Jaygak asked. Kitool nodded. ¡°Is this a secret of the Iyrmen?¡± Adam asked in their tongue. ¡°Something you can¡¯t even tell me?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not something that we can tell you. We haven¡¯t been informed of it, other than the basics. All we know is that we can¡¯t stay here for long and that we should go.¡± ¡°Is she going to be okay?¡± ¡°She will be fine,¡± Kitool said, returning after dealing with the woman. ¡°We should leave.¡± Seeing as the Iyrmen were eager to leave, Adam began to leave with them. ¡°I¡¯m still annoyed that I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°There are things we should know, and things we shouldn¡¯t,¡± Jurot said. The first rains of Duskval began to fall. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Making up for missing yesterday. Though, tomorrow you might see a couple of chapters too! Maybe even the day after too? 131. The Return 131. The Return The walls of Red Oak, not quite so imposing, but oh so familiar, greeted their eyes. They had spent a few days trekking through the forest, following the path, and other than some distant howling, the group didn¡¯t meet much trouble. Adam dropped the coins for their gate fee before making his way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He was eager to drop into a cool bath that evening. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned,¡± Emma said, staring at the group. She noted the Iron Rank Tag on their necks. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you had quite a bit of fun.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Vice Master Paul told us about your journey,¡± she said, her eyes beaming. ¡°Oh? Is he here now?¡± ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam said, smirking. ¡°We¡¯ve got to tell him something. Though, I¡¯d be surprised if he already hasn¡¯t heard.¡± ¡°Heard what?¡± Paul asked, stepping through the back door. ¡°In private, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± Adam said, winking at him. ¡°Okay?¡± Paul said, before leading them around back to another room. Adam threw a look to Jurot. ¡°Go on.¡± Jurot smiled, before beginning to tell the tale of their journey back. Paul rubbed his forehead at the end of the story. ¡°You managed to slay a Blue Dragon?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°A Young Blue Dragon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Paul had heard that a party had dealt with a Blue Dragon recently, but he hadn¡¯t thought twice about it. ¡°Of course you did.¡± ¡°We had to leave behind a little bit of loot, but we managed to get most of it. Speaking of which, we should probably get a Bag of Holding or something. How much are they?¡± ¡°Bag of Holdings go for roughly five thousand gold, storage rings go from between one thousand to ten thousand, usually,¡± Paul said, still trying to process all he had learned about the Half Elf. He looked at the Dire Wolf cubs too, wondering how they had managed to get so lucky. ¡®It¡¯s not fair.¡¯ ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to spend a few months in the Iyr to make money then,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°It is currently Duskval,¡± Dunes said. ¡°We should complete a few quests before the snow of Nightval comes in.¡± ¡°Nightval is the time to rest from adventuring,¡± Jurot said. Dunes nodded. ¡°We have a couple of months yet, right?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°Duskval will cause some difficult, with all the rank, but it is a great time for Adventuring still. The heat of Noonval will no longer bother us.¡± ¡°Thank the Gods,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°I was sick and tired of that blasted sun, let me tell you.¡± ¡°Should we quest a few times before heading to the Iyr?¡± Dunes asked. Upon remembering the Iyr, Adam sighed. ¡°Honestly? I want to head back to the Iyr. I¡¯ve missed it so much.¡± Jurot almost smiled. ¡°Then let us rest in the Iyr for some time before continuing our questing.¡± ¡°We have a lot to do,¡± Adam said. ¡°Can we bring along Dunes and Jonn to the Iyr? Is that fine?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°They are our party members.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°Just do what I said, you annoying bastard!¡± Adam reached up and grabbed Jonn¡¯s helmet, taking it off. He stared at Chief Merl, who was eyeing him up. ¡°Merl, come here,¡± the Chief said, calling her granddaughter. ¡°You all must be so tired, come in, please,¡± she said, having Merl escort Jonn. Adam narrowed his eyes at the Chief, who smiled innocently towards him. ¡°A Dragon?¡± came a gasp from a villager around the fire. Jurot was midway through the story as they had called. ¡°A Dragon whose scales shimmered like sapphires.¡± ¡°A Blue Dragon? What¡¯s a Blue Dragon doing in a forest?¡± a doubtful villager grumbled. ¡°We do not know,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Perhaps it fled from an unknown enemy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not calling you a liar, Iyrman, but it is hard to belie-¡° Jurot shut the villager up by raising up the Dragon¡¯s head he had kept at his side, hidden away for the right moment. As the flames flickered, revealing the shimmering blue scales, suddenly the villagers gasped and began to clap, and Jurot continued his story. Adam sipped away at the village¡¯s brew, smiling as he watched Jurot regale the tale for all to hear. Omen: 4, 11 ¡°By the Gods,¡± Brittany gasped. Even Dunes and Jonn were staring at the walls of the Front Iyr with reverence. ¡°I have heard the tales,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I thought they were exaggerating when I was young, and when I grew up, I knew that it was not hard to believe that the Iyrmen could do such things. Still, looking at it before me, I can¡¯t help but say that the tales were underselling it.¡± Jonn stared at the walls. ¡®No wonder the Iyr has lasted so long, when their walls are so tall and sturdy.¡¯ He recalled his time in his Order. ¡®Those walls which had kept me so safe...¡¯ A seed of doubt grew within his heart, wondering if the walls he had grown up in were truly safe. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, glancing at Jonn. ¡°Are you going to take my warning of keeping out of trouble lightly now?¡± ¡°I never took it lightly,¡± Jonn said. ¡°These walls are...¡± The Half Elf swallowed. ¡°The Order of Hill Top has one of the greatest fortresses, but I¡¯m not sure this can be compared to the Iyr¡¯s walls.¡± ¡°This is just the front of the Iyr, the Front Iyr, the frontier,¡± Adam joked. ¡°You should see the walls inside.¡± The gates shook open for the group, which caused the rain which had been collected from the day before to fall away towards them, splashing at them harmlessly. Adam stared at the water and then to the gates. ¡®Couldn¡¯t they just flood their enemies if they tried to approach?¡¯ Adam thought. It seemed he wasn¡¯t the only one who had thought of that, as Dunes and Jonn, who were stepping along the wet path, noting the large walls which loomed on either side, imagined archers shooting down from atop the walls, and recalled the water which had flooded out. ¡®The Iyr is so scary,¡¯ the pair thought. As they approached the front of the gate, Lykan stared down at Fate¡¯s Golden, noting the two strangers and Brittany. ¡°You¡¯re bringing outsiders into the Iyr?¡± Lykan asked, looking right at Adam. ¡°Priest Dunes and Guardian Jonn are members of our party,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Brittany is a member of one of the villages.¡± ¡°Members of your party?¡± Lykan stared at the Priest and Guardian. ¡°We have been through quite some trouble together,¡± Jurot said, grinning wide. Lykan noted the grin on Jurot¡¯s face, which caused him to crack a smile. ¡°It seems you have quite the story to tell.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam has finally returned to the Iyr. Warning! Very long slice of life arc incoming! Also, it gets really cringe from here on out. 132. Strangers in the Iyr 132. Strangers in the Iyr ¡°Are they not meant to stay here for a few days?¡± Tonagek asked, who had been assigned to the Front Iyr for the latter half of the year. ¡°Would you have me deny your nephew the chance of regaling such a great tale to his mother?¡± Lykan asked, sitting beside the Iyrman, atop the roof of a building. Tonagek stared at Lykan, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I would never.¡± ¡°Why are you staying up here so shyly?¡± Lykan chuckled. ¡°You should have said hello to them.¡± ¡°That boy, the Half Elf...¡± ¡°Your dear nephew?¡± ¡°Not my dear nephew,¡± Tonagek grumbled. ¡°I do not know what my sister was thinking, but I do not trust him.¡± ¡°It is not a matter of trusting him, but a matter of trusting young Jurot,¡± Lykan said. ¡°You trust him at least, don¡¯t you?¡± Tonagek grumbled affirmatively. ¡°Besides, they say he has already began to change the Iyr,¡± Lykan said, looking out to the distance puthral he could barely see. ¡°They will blame you when it goes wrong.¡± ¡°And I will accept the blame,¡± Lykan said. ¡°Though, what has he done wrong so far?¡± ¡°Nothing, but it is not what he¡¯s done so far, but what he will do in the future.¡± ¡°You are just angry because you were unable to kill Vandra back then.¡± ¡°I am not angry,¡± Tonagek grumbled again, crossing his arms. ¡°I am annoyed. Vandra should have been mine!¡± He recalled how he had failed to hunt Vandra all those years ago, back when he had been active in the Southern Isles. Lykan smiled at the Iyrman. ¡°Are you going to do it?¡± ¡°I may.¡± ¡°I can ask for your early dismissal,¡± Lykan offered. ¡°No.¡± Tonagek shook his head. ¡°I will do my duty, and if I wish to go out and have fun, it will be only after I have completed my task here.¡± Lykan smiled. Adam hummed as they made their way back to the Iyr. Jonn and Dunes dared to glance around. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We are being watched,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Uhuh,¡± Adam said. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°It is unnerving.¡± ¡°Leave the Iyrmen be,¡± Adam said. ¡°Don¡¯t try to spot them. The less you know about the Iyr, the better.¡± It wasn¡¯t long until they saw the gates of the Iyr, flanked by those statues. ¡°By the Gods,¡± Brittany said, fluttering her lashes up at the huge walls. She hadn¡¯t expected the Iyr to have another set of walls which made her feel so unimportant. Jurot shouted up, and soon the gates opened, causing all manner of children to swarm them once they stepped inside. They saw Jurot, who stood tall with his Iron Tag, but even though he wasn¡¯t highly ranked, they still leapt up excitedly, shouting at the group for gifts. ¡°Settle down,¡± Adam said, holding up his hands. ¡°We¡¯ve brought plenty of gifts for you all!¡± ¡°Gifts!¡± the children cheered. ¡°So that¡¯s why you are so insistent on carrying another pack,¡± Dunes said. Adam pulled out the second pack which he had strapped under his main pack, opening it up to reveal all manner of cloth strips for the children, who tried to snatch at them. ¡°Form a line!¡± Adam shouted, raising up the cloth strips. ¡°Only the good boys and girls of the Iyr will receive some cloth.¡± Quickly, the children slipped together to form a line, almost a hundred children coming together. ¡°Are you sure you have enough?¡± an Iyrman asked from the side. ¡°I didn¡¯t spend all this gold to not bring enough,¡± Adam said, handing out a strip of cloth to each child as they came. Brittany narrowed her eyes at him, but she was still too shy to say anything, full of awe at the Iyr. ¡°This is Dunes, a Priest of War,¡± Adam said, motioning a hand to him. ¡°He thought I was gay.¡± Sonarot stared at him. ¡°You are not gay?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°No.¡± Sonarot stared at him harder. ¡°No?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Dunes said, bowing his head. ¡°I have heard so much about the Iyrmen, and it is my absolute honour to be a Guest of your family.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°It is our honour that a Priest of Wahtu has come to stay with us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve brought gifts,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, there seems to be a problem. I don¡¯t see any of the kids about.¡± The children, who had gone to meet their sisters, heard mention of gifts and then quickly circled around Adam, before they glanced between one another. ¡°We are here,¡± Katool said. ¡°Huh?¡± Adam said, looking down at the girl. ¡°Who are you?¡± Katool looked at Kitool, who wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was doing, before looking back up at the Half Elf. ¡°I¡¯m Katool,¡± she said, a little shyly, bringing her hands together and squirming. ¡°You¡¯re Katool?¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re not Katool.¡± Citool looked at Sonarot, who stared at the woman and shook her head. She wasn¡¯t sure what he was doing either. Katool stared up at him in shock, her eyes flashed back to Kitool, who stepped up towards the Half Elf. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°Kitool, this girl says she¡¯s your little sister,¡± Adam said as Katool hid beside Kitool¡¯s leg. ¡°She is my little sister,¡± Kitool said, firmly. ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said, keeping his voice light, and perhaps a little too dramatic. ¡°Katool was so small and cute.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at the girl. ¡°This girl is too big and strong to be Katool.¡± Katool¡¯s nostrils flared as she held onto her sister¡¯s leg. ¡°I am Katool!¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re Katool?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°No way. Wait... where¡¯s Raygak?¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± the boy said. Adam gasped again, staring at the Devilkin boy. ¡°What? But... but you¡¯re so big and strong too!¡± ¡°I am big and strong,¡± Raygak said, nodding his head confidently, his lips curled upwards into a chuffed smile. Jaygak¡¯s eyes were tearing up as she held onto her mouth, trying to stop herself from laughing. Adam looked at all the children. ¡°Oh my gosh. You¡¯re all so big and strong, I didn¡¯t recognise you.¡± Sonarot looked at Lanarot, before shaking her head. ¡®Now I understand why you don¡¯t want to recognise him.¡¯ ¡°Bad,¡± Taygak said, pointing up at him. ¡°Bad?¡± ¡°Bad. Forget Raygak.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never forget you though, Taygak,¡± Adam said, smiling down at her. ¡°Help Jaygak?¡± she asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously at him. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°I did. Right, Jaygak?¡± ¡°Did you?¡± Jaygak asked, tapping her chin. ¡°Did you help me?¡± Adam stared at her. ¡°Et tu, Jaygak?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I will warn you all. The next 30 chapters is a children raising simulator. 133. Cutest In The Whole World 133. Cutest In The Whole World Adam reached into his bag and pulled out a pouch. ¡°I mentioned gifts, didn¡¯t I?¡± Adam said, before slipping his hand into the pouch to reveal a number of Blue Dragon scales The children gasped as they stared at the Dragon scales. ¡°Do you know what these are?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Scales,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Right, but scales of which creature?¡± Raygak stared at Adam for a moment before looking at Jaygak. He recalled what Jurot had said not moments ago. ¡°A Dragon?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be Raygak, you¡¯re too smart,¡± Adam said, causing Jaygak to burst out with laughter. ¡°Adam! You can¡¯t say that about my little brother!¡± Jaygak coughed, trying to stop herself from laughing by thumping her leg. ¡°I am smart!¡± Raygak said, his nostrils flaring angrily as he glared up at Adam. ¡°You are, you are,¡± Adam said, reaching up to pat his head. Raygak continued to glare at him angrily. ¡°Since you¡¯re so smart and managed to figure it out, I¡¯ll give you an extra Blue Dragon scale.¡± Adam held out three Dragon scales for the boy. ¡°Three?¡± Raygak said, staring at the scales, each different sizes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want them?¡± Raygak held out his hand. ¡°I do!¡± Adam dropped the three Dragon scales. ¡°That¡¯s right. Everyone here gets two Dragon scales from me. This is from my share of the Dragon that was slain.¡± ¡°Did you slay a Dragon?¡± Raygak asked, staring at the scales as the other children accepted their Dragon scales from Adam. ¡°We all did,¡± Adam said. ¡°Myself, Jurot, and your sisters.¡± ¡°My sister?¡± Raygak asked, staring up at her for a moment. ¡°My sister slew a dragon?¡± he asked, his brow raised. ¡°You cheeky little boy,¡± Jaygak said, grabbing him and giving him a noogie again. ¡°Why are you asking it like that?¡± ¡°You killed a Dragon?¡± Katool asked her sister, holding onto Kitool¡¯s robes. ¡°I did,¡± she said, picking her sister up. ¡°Shall I tell you the story?¡± Katool nodded, cuddling up to her sister¡¯s chest. ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said. ¡°Where are you all going?¡± The children had gone to their siblings and cousins, but turned to face the Half Elf. ¡°Who said we only slew one Dragon?¡± Adam asked, bringing out another pouch, this one full of White Dragon scales. ¡°Come on.¡± They continued to give out all the gifts. Adam, and the other Iyrmen, had brought a large number of gifts for the children. ¡°Why did you bring back so many gifts?¡± Sonarot asked, staring at the huge pile of gifts. ¡°We didn¡¯t,¡± Jurot said, motioning to the large pile which Adam was beside as he handed over all the gifts to the children, who were excitedly befuddled. ¡°Those are all the gifts Adam brought.¡± ¡°All of those?¡± There were the White Wolf pelts Adam had bought from the Merchant, the North Wolf pelts that they had slain, the Dusk Hawk feathers and the Auroch pelts too. Then there was also the small bits of pottery, little plates and cups, he had brought for the children, along with the strips of patterned cloth, and the full sheets of cloths too. There were also a few different objects Jurot had carved, from the Aurochs, to the Wolves, to the Dusk Hawks, and the Dragons, but Adam¡¯s gifts had amounted to more than the entire group¡¯s gifts combined. Sonarot stared at Adam, who was happily giving away all the items to the children, whose arms were full of all kinds of gifts. ¡®Multiple Dragon scales, and all the pelts from the creatures they slew...¡¯ Sonarot sighed, wondering how she could explain this. ¡°I have heard that a few people have returned!¡± Elder Zijin shouted as he barged into the courtyard, seeing the mass of children surrounding the Half Elf, who was worming his way into their hearts with gifts. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you Elder Zijin,¡± Adam said, waving a hand. ¡°I¡¯ve brought some gifts for the Jin children too.¡± Elder Zijin smiled as he approached Adam, who dropped down a pile of cloth, several strips of patterned cloth, some pottery, Dragon Scales, feathers, and some strips of Wolf fur too. ¡®This guy, seriously...¡¯ Adam thought, staring at Jurot. He sighed. ¡°Jurot. You are the son of Aunt Sonarot, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, confidently. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot and Sonarot.¡± ¡°Right, right. The moment you were born, you became an Iyrman, right?¡± Adam asked, trying to guide Jurot to the solution. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, in the eyes of the world and the Iyr, you became an Iyrman the moment you were born, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So the moment Lanarot was born, she was also given the title of Iyrman too, right?¡± Sonarot smiled, understanding where Adam was going. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Adam nodded his head. ¡°Alright, good, good. The moment you were born, you became the most precious being to your mother and father, isn¡¯t that correct? Right, Aunt?¡± Adam glanced to Sonarot. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, pulling Jurot in for a hug, kissing his forehead. Jurot¡¯s lips twitched upwards. ¡°Eve though there are thousands, tens of thousands, of other Iyrmen, to your parents, you became the most precious being. The title you gained when you were born was The Most Precious Being, at least, to both your mother and father, right?¡± Jurot nodded, since his mother had said that was true. ¡°So when Lanarot was born, she gained the same title of The Most Precious Being to her entire family, including you, myself, and Aunt right?¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes, his brain trying to process the information. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°However, she is also our sister, isn¡¯t that true?¡± Adam said, trying to form the justification in his own mind. ¡°It is true,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She is my sister, and yours.¡± ¡°Right, right. Did you know that younger siblings also gain another title when they are born?¡± He stared at Jurot. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Cutest In The Whole World.¡± Jurot furrowed his brows, taking in what Adam was saying. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair, before she squirmed and reached for her mother. Adam handed her over to Sonarot. Jurot continued furrowing his brow. ¡°Cutest In The Whole World.¡± ¡°Cutest in the whole world.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°You need to say it like I did. Cutest In The Whole World.¡± Adam made sure to put emphases in each word. "Cutest In The Whole World." Jurot¡¯s heart throbbed, but he didn¡¯t understand why. "That''s right,¡± Adam said, patting his shoulder. ¡°The moment she was born, she became entrenched within our hearts.¡± ¡®Entrenched within our hearts?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°Did you know that every day we¡¯ve spent apart that I¡¯ve been worried for her? She¡¯s my little sister so of course I¡¯ll be worried for her. But, but, look how big and strong she has become while we¡¯re gone!¡± Adam reached up to pinch her cheeks again. ¡°Jurot, we¡¯ve missed too many of her milestones. She can shuffle about, she can recognise her family, and she¡¯s become so chubby. I bet she was almost crawl too!¡± Jurot crossed his arms, his eyes squinting near shut as he tried to take in everything Adam was saying. Adam stared at her little sister. He reached over and picked her out of her mother¡¯s arms, unable to contain himself as he hugged her tight, rubbing his cheek against hers. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m going to quit being an Adventurer!¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! And so the cringe begins. 134. Promises Kept 134. Promises Kept Jaygak fell back, slamming the floor with the side of her fist as she shook, crying as she laughed into her hand, unable to control herself any more. Kitool remained standing, silent and still, like a statue. Just by being in Adam¡¯s vicinity, she felt the embarrassment wash over her. Elder Zijin clenched his jaw tight, doing his absolute best not to fall down like Jaygak. Jaygak had always been a troublemaker, so he couldn¡¯t laugh with her, it would only embolden her to misbehave. Sonarot covered her mouth too, though her smile could be seen on the rest of her face. Dunes and Jonn threw a look between one another, wondering if what they were seeing was real. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be apart from my adorable little sister!¡± Adam declared, rubbing her cheek with his own still. ¡°I didn¡¯t come back last time, but this time I kept my promise.¡± He continued to hug her tight, swaying as he hugged her. She was so hot to the touch, and though she was a little heavier than last time, she still was so small and light. Her scent was the same as back then, almost milky. ¡°I even brought back lots of gifts for you to show off to your friends.¡± Quest Complete: Promises Kept XP Gained: +100 XP: 5670 -> 5770 Adam, though he had been half joking about quitting Adventuring, shut his eyes tight. He brushed the back of the tiny girl¡¯s hair. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me this time, okay?¡± he whispered, though Sonarot and Elder Zijin were close enough to hear. Sonarot stared at the boy, rubbing her cheek. ¡®What a cute little Nephew I have.¡¯ She smiled wide. ¡°If you quite being an Adventurer, you will be unable to bring back gifts for your little sister.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just work another way to make gold,¡± Adam said, still swaying with Lanarot in his arms. ¡°I won¡¯t abandon you, my sweet little Lanarot. We can play every day!¡± ¡°What of my Jurot?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Will you let him go adventure without you by his side?¡± She brushed her son¡¯s hair. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, feigning a pout. ¡°Though, I really don¡¯t want to miss Lanarot¡¯s achievements. I want to watch over her too.¡± Adam¡¯s heart ached as he stared down at the little girl, who was happy at all the attention, staring between everyone before her. ¡°Then you can just quest slowly,¡± Sonarot said, brushing Adam¡¯s hair. ¡°There are much work to do with South Aldland which will keep most Adventurers happy.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have a proper talk with the party about everything.¡± He nuzzled Lanarot¡¯s nose, causing her to twitch away from him and then clap her hands together and she continued to giggle. Adam turned to see Jonn and Dunes, who had hardened their hearts. They had seen Adam do so many ridiculous things, that they no longer could be surprised. Brittany had been confused for the past long while, having remained so still and pale, she might have been a statue. ¡®They killed two Dragons? No, not just two Dragons, but so many other things too. Now he wants to quite being an Adventurer? What is going on?¡¯ ¡°Oh right,¡± Adam said, staring at them. ¡°I need to deal with you guys too.¡± Adam handed Lanarot to Jurot. ¡°You need to look after your sister too.¡± Jurot held her close to his chest, and Lanarot stared up at him, smiling up at her older brother. Jurot¡¯s heart was thundering in his chest, but he still wasn¡¯t sure why. ¡°Now that I think about it...¡± Adam said, staring at Brittany, who remained frozen, her eyes wide as she stared at the Half Elf. ¡°I¡¯m actually no good at fighting gracefully. You¡¯ll probably have to practise by yourself mostly.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± she said, her throat raspy as she found it difficult to speak. ¡°I guess I should get you some armour too,¡± Adam thought. ¡®Studded leather armour probably isn¡¯t expensive.¡¯NewW novels updates at novelhall.com remained in the hug, blushing slightly. ¡°Right, well, uh, thanks.¡± Brittany glanced around at all the Iyrmen. She hadn¡¯t expected there to be so many, though she wasn¡¯t sure what she had been expecting. A soft rain fell over the Iyr, though that didn¡¯t stop the Iyrmen from going about their duties. A small shelter was made at the centre of the courtyard, where the various families had gathered. Jogak and Shikan had returned from their duties, and Citool and Sonarot had finished with making the meal. ¡°Where¡¯s Turot?¡± Adam asked, finally asking what was on his mind now that everything had calmed down. ¡°He has gone to the Range,¡± Sonarot said. Jurot, who had been preparing the story in his mind, turned to face his mother. ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°Brother was quite adamant about it.¡± ¡°Range?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is something all Iyrmen experience, but usually between the ages of eight and ten,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is when...¡± His eyes fell to his mother. ¡°I am uncertain if we are allowed to tell you,¡± Sonarot admitted, before patting his head. ¡°Just know that Turot is off having lots of fun.¡± ¡°Then I suppose I¡¯ll have to wait on giving him his gifts,¡± Adam said, frowning. ¡°Well, since he¡¯s having fun, it should be alright.¡± ¡°You slew a Dragon?¡± Jogak asked, staring at his daughter. ¡°I helped,¡± she said, smiling wide up at him. Jogak¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, narrowing them suspiciously. ¡®I knew you were a bad influence on my daughter. To think she¡¯d lie to me...¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re thinking that he¡¯s a bad influence and that I¡¯m lying to you, aren¡¯t you?¡± she said, narrowing her eyes up at her father suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯d say it was a joke or a prank,¡± he replied, grabbing her to noogie her. ¡°To think you still haven¡¯t learned!¡± ¡°Just you wait!¡± Jaygak grumbled, trying to grab his arm to pull him off. ¡°Once you find out the truth, I¡¯m going to noogie you.¡± Shikan stared at the Half Elf, who had brought back his nieces and nephew so many gifts. ¡®He¡¯s such a suspicious young man, but at least he¡¯s doing things properly.¡¯ Then his eyes fell to the three strangers. ¡®I hope.¡¯ Jurot slapped a drum three times from nearby, causing all the Iyrmen to quieten down. The children, who had been talking about their gifts and what they had done to them, had fallen silent instantly, their eyes falling on Jurot. ¡°This is the tale of the Formation of Fate¡¯s Golden, and the chaos which ensued on that day,¡± Jurot said, beginning with the first part of the tale. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sometimes I think of the other Lanarot and it hurts my heart. 135. Adam’s Strength 135. Adam¡¯s Strength The children clapped at the end of the tale, the light patter of rain assisting their applause. Lanarot had fallen asleep midway through the tale and had awoken recently from the gentle claps. She coughed and began to cry, only for Sonarot to pick her up and gently soothe her, patting her back gently as she hummed quietly into the girl¡¯s ear. ¡°We will sleep soon, my Lanarot,¡± Sonarot hummed as she rocked the baby. Jogak remained sitting still as his daughter¡¯s knuckles rasped on his head. ¡°You can use abilities of the Guardians?¡± Elder Zijin asked, having paid keen attention to the tale. There were many things he had learnt through it, most of them about Adam. ¡°Just the, you know, smiting,¡± Adam said. ¡°You beat Jonn too?¡± Zijin asked, glancing over to Jonn, who was well above an Expert. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°In a single round?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°And slaying two Dragons,¡± Sonarot said, smiling at him. ¡°What an amazing feat. I will tell everyone of the good news about the adventures of my Jurot and my Nephew.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but beam. ¡°To think that a year hasn¡¯t even passed yet,¡± Elder Zijin said, feeling the emotions twirl within him. ¡®His rapid growth is alarming.¡¯ ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Adam asked. Elder Zijin¡¯s brows raised. Sonarot stopped patting her daughter. Jaygak covered her mouth. Even Jurot, who had been basking in the afterglow of the tale he had told, snapped upright. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You have done very well, Adam,¡± she said, but instead of bringing more attention to his ridiculousness, she changed the topic. ¡°You have all been travelling for so long. Are you planning to rest within the Iyr?¡± It wasn¡¯t for Adam¡¯s sake that she had changed the topic, but a statement to Elder Zijin. She understood that Adam was like a flame, one which the Iyr was currently keeping an eye on to see if it would turn into a burning inferno which will harm them, or one which will assist in keeping away the cold. ¡°Well,¡± Adam said, looking to Dunes. ¡°We were going to discuss it tomorrow. Dunes wanted to quest a few more times during Duskval.¡± ¡°We have been working for some times,¡± Dunes said. ¡°If you wish to rest, we can. Will we be resting within the Iyr too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be working,¡± Adam said. ¡°You guys can rest up. If there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± Adam glanced to Sonarot, wondering if she had an issue with them staying here. However, they had already brought a cabin for the three. ¡°You are going to be working?¡± Dunes asked, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Are you a man who is allergic to rest?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°Ah, for no reason in particular, how attached are you to that Jagite longsword of yours?¡± ¡°Fairly attached,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It¡¯s the nicest weapon I¡¯ve ever owned.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°I also bought a Jagite longsword from Jaghi, and I was going to enchant it for you.¡± Dunes stared at Adam, blinking at the Half Elf. Then he turned, looking to Jurot and Sonarot, who didn¡¯t seem to react, before he turned back to looking at Adam. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Excuse me? What was that you just said?¡± ¡°I was planning on enchanting a sword for you,¡± Adam said. ¡°You were going to enchant a sword for me?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Sorry,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I will accept the magical weapon. Thank you.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam said, pulling Lanarot back and nuzzling her cheek. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t cry when you see a black dude, that¡¯s weird, Lanababy.¡± He brushed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Even so, we shouldn¡¯t stay in the Iyr for long,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to overstay my welcome.¡± ¡°You are Guests of Jurot,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°You do not need to worry about such matters.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll quest a few times during Duskval, and then I¡¯ll spend the entire winter, I mean, Nightval, making weapons. I¡¯ve got the forge up until the end of this year, if I recall?¡± Adam glanced to Elder Zijin, who had been enjoying himself. ¡°Yes,¡± the Elder replied, nodding his head. ¡°I should probably get some more gems,¡± Adam thought, thinking about how many gems he had. ¡°Ah, hold on. Since it¡¯s a magical weapon for the party, I can just use the Party Fund, right?¡± ¡°It is what the Party Fund was made for,¡± Kitool said. ¡°That sounds fine to me,¡± Jaygak said. Jurot nodded. ¡°We have entrusted you with the matter.¡± ¡°Well, we have spent a lot on Jonn and Dunes,¡± Adam said, feeling a little guilty. ¡°You enchanted our weapons before the formation of the Party Funds, so we cannot refuse to spend it on Dunes¡¯ magical weapon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I don¡¯t have too many gems personally,¡± Adam thought. ¡°If you wish for gems, the Iyr will provide them, as long as you are willing to auction the weapons to the Iyr first,¡± Sonarot offered, petting his head, taking Lanarot from him. Adam nodded. ¡°Can I buy ores and wood from the Iyr?¡± "We can requisition some using our family name," Sonarot said. "I''ll buy them,¡± Adam said. ¡°That way the Iyr¡¯s coffers are growing. If the Iyr is strong, then I don¡¯t have to worry about Lanarot.¡± "The Iyr is strong," Jurot stated. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Aunt, when I-¡° Adam paused, glancing at the others about them. ¡°Right, we can speak about it later.¡± Sonarot bowed her head, unsure of what he wanted to talk about. ¡°Where¡¯s Lucy?¡± Adam asked. "She is currently training in the caves,¡± Elder Zijin said. "Training in the caves?" Adam asked. "She wished to train, so she left to do so with many Iyrmen. She trains quite a lot." "She must be bored too." Adam felt a little guilty, considering he was going out and having fun adventuring. "It is late,¡± Sonarot said, rocking her daughter gently. ¡°Shall we sleep?¡± The others were guided to the cabin, where Brittany could sleep in her own section of the cabin, walled off from Jonn and Dunes. Sonarot placed Lanarot down, who began to cry that her mother wasn¡¯t with her, but soon stopped as Sonarot lay beside her, rubbing her stomach. ¡°Woo. Awoo. Aa.¡± Lanarot babbled at her mother before slowly closing her eyes. Adam stared at the tiny girl, puffing out his chest. ¡®My little sister is so adorable!¡¯ Jurot saw the way she relaxed in their mother¡¯s arms, the way she babbled as she calmed. His heart throbbed painfully. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I hope you''re all enjoying these early chapters. I''m putting them out as thanks for all the support I''m receiving recently, including the new patrons etc. 136. Adam’s Goals 136. Adam¡¯s Goals Omen: 7, 10 ¡°Look at how big you are,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing the girl¡¯s face clean of her milk. ¡°It is now the seventh month.¡± ¡°Her seventh month,¡± Adam said, looking at the little thing. ¡°So much time passed already?¡± Adam had always joked about how she had grown up so quickly, but wasn¡¯t it true that she was growing up too quickly? ¡°Time passed so slowly after you left, but it feels like it was too short now,¡± Sonarot said, kissing her daughter¡¯s forehead, causing her to smile and giggle. ¡°Sorry for not sending word back,¡± Adam said, frowning. ¡°Soon I should have a spell which will allow me to send you messages even if I¡¯m thousands of miles away.¡± ¡°Which spells?¡± Sonarot asked, placing Lanarot on her lap, gently rubbing the girl¡¯s back. ¡°Sending,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Third Gate spell?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°And you will use it to message me?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be messaging lots of people when needed,¡± Adam said, smirking. He wondered just how much trouble he could cause with such a spell. ¡°If we¡¯re at an inn, and it¡¯s night, and we¡¯re safe and sound, I¡¯ll send you a quick update now and again. Though, maybe I should make a... tablet?¡± ¡°A tablet?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, holding up his hands. ¡°Usually they are made of clay, but I could probably make one which has magical paper inside. I could write on the paper and you will receive a message on the other end.¡± ¡°Oh my, how useful,¡± Sonarot said, wondering how Adam had managed to come up with such a thing. ¡®Does he know?¡¯ ¡°My handwriting isn¡¯t the best though,¡± Adam admitted, rubbing he side of his neck. ¡°What about a radio or something?¡± Adam fell deep into thought, rubbing his chin. ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure how to make one of those.¡± ¡°There is no need to rush,¡± Sonarot said, reaching up to brush his cheek. Her hand was motherly warm. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to worry,¡± Adam admitted, frowning. ¡°If we¡¯re gone for so long, won¡¯t it be bothersome to not know?¡± He couldn¡¯t imagine how painful it was to wait. Even this time, when Jurot and Adam had left, they had gone for months. Every single day she could have received news that they had died, and there was no way she could help them. ¡°I trust you to come home safely with my Jurot,¡± she said, brushing his hair. ¡°You have promised me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Adam said, turning red. ¡°I know.¡± Adam met with the others in the morning, training with them. They ran around the Iyr, with Dunes, Jonn, and Brittany joining them for morning training. ¡°Father was quite happy with the tale,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°He wasn¡¯t so happy with me managing to take my revenge though!¡± She had so much fun giving her father a noogie. ¡°No, never mind." Adam rubbed his forehead. "I have a lot of ideas about what we can do, and how this party will function without me. So, let¡¯s vote.¡± ¡°Vote?¡± Dunes asked. Jonn and Dunes weren¡¯t sure what Adam was thinking. He was happy to be the leader, but now, after seeing his younger sister, he wanted to stop adventuring? They understood he was difficult to understand, but the Half Elf was slowly becoming impossible to understand. ¡°Yeah, vote,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who wants to do another quest before Nightval?¡± Adam looked about the group, glancing between them all. Jaygak and Kitool kept their hands down, unsure of whether they should. After all, they each had pups to take care of, and they would need a few weeks to grow, and they needed to train with the little Dire Wolf cubs so they would become a team. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Adam asked, looking at Dunes, who had been the most vocal to go and quest. ¡°We have been travelling for so long,¡± Dunes said, glancing around to see all the Iyrmen about. ¡°I think we should take a break. It is a rare chance that someone like me gets to stay in the Iyr, and I should accept my good fortune.¡± He nodded his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t staying here for free,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°We have to help the Iyr in some way. I have been working hard in the Iyr, and I expect you to follow my lead in that regard.¡± Dunes laughed. ¡°It would be remiss of me not to help the Iyr in some way, especially since I¡¯ll be meeting a descendant of my Lady¡¯s greatest Champion.¡± ¡°Good, that includes you too, Brittany. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re going to...¡± Adam paused. He rubbed his forehead again, shaking his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Brittany asked. She had been on edge the entire time in the Iyr, being surrounded by so many strong warriors. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°We were meant to invite Nobby too, weren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I thought you had not brought him on purpose,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°No, I just forgot.¡± Adam shook his head. Jurot stared at Adam. ¡®So, there are times when you forget things too. I thought it was all a part of your plan.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll go talk to him next time we¡¯re in Red Oak. I hope he and his old man are alright.¡± Jonn wondered who this Nobby was. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, looking at the other Half Elf. ¡°What about you, Jonn? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re here because you want to be here.¡± ¡°I will remain at your side,¡± Jonn said. ¡°I still do not know whether I want to swear my Oaths to you.¡± ¡°I need to get stronger too,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m half way to...¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how much of the system he could reveal. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m almost an Expert.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. He had expected that someone like Adam was probably near Expert. He, himself, felt that he was growing that powerful too. Jaygak and Kitool exchanged glances. The pair needed to train to consolidate their strength, but even they felt like they had grown more powerful under Adam¡¯s guidance. ¡®Just what are you, Adam?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! No need to rush. Sometimes you need a few chapters to kick it after slaying a couple of Dragons, you know? 137. Demons in the Iyr 137. Demons in the Iyr ¡°We should discuss how to spend the money we have earned too,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We have paid our dues, but there isn¡¯t much we need to spend money on due to the Party Funds. We have equipped Dunes and Jonn with enough coin for their spells, but we will need storage solutions. It was difficult bringing back the Dragon, and we had to leave so much of it behind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Plus there¡¯s the whole need for bringing back loot we find in lairs and stuff. We should probably each fit ourselves with the smallest storage rings for now so we each have the ability to carry more with us.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We should buy a Bag of Holding first. There is no need for each of us to have small storage when a Bag of Holding is best in terms of size and price. Even if you end up carrying the Bag of Holding, it doesn¡¯t matter. You already are in charge of the Party Funds, so there is no need to spread the storage as well.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Adam said. ¡°How much was a Bag of Holding? Did Paul say five thousand?¡± ¡°Five thousand is a little above the average price, but five thousand is the least we should expect to pay from an auction,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The best thing to do is to ask the Guild to purchase one on our behalf, but it is best that we make a request when we are at least Bronze Rank, Steel Rank preferably.¡± ¡°So we should rank up quickly to Steel then?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have denied my Rank Up earlier...¡± ¡°That is life,¡± Jurot said, shrugging his shoulders. He had denied it until Adam had accepted his own. ¡°Alright, well, either way I¡¯ll be enchanting a sword for Dunes. I might make a new one for myself too.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. ¡°Your sword is already a great sword.¡± Though, why Adam would make another sword as a Nephew of the Rot family, was beyond something he understood. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s a little too great, don¡¯t you think?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I should make a new weapon. I need to make a weapon which is more focused with its power, where it¡¯ll be more powerful than this sword, but in a limited capacity. This sword is a little too great at all times, and it¡¯s bringing me quite a bit of unwanted attention.¡± ¡°What will you do with your current sword?¡± Jaygak asked, staring at it. It was quite the weapon, even her own Bloodseeker would pale in comparison to it. ¡°I might retire it for a bit,¡± Adam said, noting the look in the Iyr. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it in the Iyr.¡± As much as he wanted to leave the sword in Jaygak¡¯s care, it wouldn¡¯t do well for her to be a Devilkin and to have a powerful sword like this. She already gained plenty of attention when they were out, which the tattoos managed to defend, but if she also had this weapon... Man¡¯s greed knew no bounds. ¡°An unused sword in the Iyr is not unused for long,¡± Jaygak said. Adam shrugged. ¡°If the Iyr wants to use my sword, it is more than welcome to use it.¡± ¡°I am glad we are friends, Adam,¡± Jurot said, smiling slightly. To think he¡¯d offer the sword to be used for the good of the Iyr, he wasn¡¯t just a Nephew in name. ¡°Friend?¡± Adam said. ¡°We aren¡¯t friends, Jurot.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly, understanding the sentiment from the Half Elf. ¡°After all we¡¯ve done, and though we¡¯ve only known each other, what, for eight months now? No, wait, it¡¯s the seventh month now? Either way, we share a sister, so I don¡¯t want to hear that we¡¯re only friends.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You are right,¡± Jurot said, clasping Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°So you¡¯ve all finally returned!¡± called a voice from behind. ¡°Who is that?¡± Dunes asked, looking past Adam. ¡°It¡¯s a Demon,¡± Jonn said, drawing his blade. Dunes, who had recognised the appearance of a Demon, also drew his sword. ¡°Settle down you two,¡± Adam said, raising a hand. ¡°Hey, Lucy. How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing fine,¡± she said. She was still in her adult form, though she did appear to have a little more muscle than the last time they had met. ¡°What¡¯s that I smell?¡± She sniffed the air. ¡°A deeper concentration of magic?¡± She walked over to Adam, who pulled away. ¡°Ho! You¡¯ve gotten stronger!¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I have. I actually have a gift for you, if you¡¯re willing.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you explain yourself?¡± Jonn asked, blade drawn still, ready to attack. ¡°Why is there a Demon in the Iyr?¡± Dunes threw a look to Adam. ¡°Lucy is my friend,¡± Adam said. ¡°I understand that Demons have a particular connotation, but if either of you want to try and kill her, well...¡± Adam caught Dunes¡¯ eyes. ¡°It would be difficult for me to explain to Lady Arya, so let¡¯s not make it awkward for me.¡± Dunes remained staring at Adam for a long while, before he glanced around to the Iyrmen around them. ¡°You allow her within your walls?¡± ¡°She is my friend,¡± Jurot said, simply. Jonn and Dunes exchanged glances again. It seemed Adam could still surprise them long after they thought he couldn¡¯t. ¡°What¡¯s this about a gift?¡± Lucy asked, leaning in, smiling wide. ¡°Follow me,¡± Adam said, leading Lucy back to the Rot family house. Lucy followed, humming to herself casually, leaving behind the Guardian and the Priest, both of whom had sworn to slay any Demons they found. ¡®Oh good Lady, please give me guidance,¡¯ Dunes prayed. He understood just how mad he¡¯d have to be in order to fight in the Iyr. Jonn, on the other hand, had very different thoughts. ¡®I have already broken those Oaths, so do I really need to attack her?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Oh, right. Forgot about the whole anti demon thing from these types. I randomly got more patrons so I guess I''m posting up multiple chapters for a few more days... 138. Adam, Friend 138. Adam, Friend ¡°Hey Aunt,¡± Adam said, throwing up a wave at the woman, who was currently feeding her daughter. ¡°Have you finished your training?¡± Sonarot asked, brushing Lanarot¡¯s hair as she feasted on her mother¡¯s teet. ¡°Yeah, though I was looking for that thing,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to Lucy. NewW novels updates at novelhall.com ¡°Oh, that thing?¡± The Iyrman smiled, nodding her head. ¡°What thing?¡± Lucy said, sniffing the air, smelling something wonderful in the air. Then she noted Lanarot and how she was eating. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s that?¡¯ Adam reached under the bed and pulled out a box made of thick wood, something which had been made years ago and had been in the Rot family for generations. He wound a lever to the side, which took some effort to make sure little children couldn¡¯t break into it, before it clicked, unlocking. Adam popped open the lid and revealed the contents within. ¡°This... isn¡¯t this?¡± Lucy swallowed, staring at the item within. ¡°What did I say?¡± Adam chuckled, flashing a wide smile. ¡°Hmph,¡± she grumbled. ¡°You said we would do it together!¡± She glared at her, her lips formed into a pout. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡± Adam continued to smile. ¡°Still, with this, your friend and my future wife, should be fine.¡± Lucy glared at him through squinted eyes. ¡°Mary will finally be safe.¡± She stared at the pulsing Blue Dragon Heart. ¡°I knew it. Picking you as my General was the right choice to make.¡± She nodded her head, proud of her keen insight. ¡°I¡¯m not your General, but your friend,¡± Adam said, reaching up to brush her hair, only to find how sweaty and grimy it was. He wiped his hand against his clothing. ¡°If you have any trouble, you can always come to me.¡± ¡°Friend,¡± Lucy repeated. She grabbed onto Adam and hugged him tight, a horn digging into his shoulder. ¡®Thanks, Adam.¡¯ She quickly pulled away. ¡°Gross, you stink!¡± She coughed, turning her head, hiding the blush on her face. ¡°I¡¯m the one who smells?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow at her. ¡°You¡¯re the one who looks like she hasn¡¯t had a bath in a year.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re my friend, otherwise I would have beaten you,¡± she said, shaking her fist at him. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said, shaking his head, a wide grin still plastered on his face. ¡°When are you heading to that forest?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head to that damned forest today!¡± Lucy declared, throwing up her fist, holding the Blue Dragon heart to her chest, feeling how it pulsed, the great energy within it still drawing her to it. ¡°Do you want us to come along?¡± Adam offered. ¡°You will just slow me down,¡± she said, rubbing her cheek against the Dragon Heart, almost salivating. It smelled so good and she was so hungry for the Mana within it. ¡®No, I can¡¯t. This is for Mary.¡¯ She rubbed her cheek against the Dragon Heart tenderly. ¡®Wait for me.¡¯ ¡°Alright, but you¡¯re not going to go alone, are you?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m not as stupid as you!¡± She leapt out of the house. ¡°I¡¯ll go find some hunky Iyrmen and take them with me!¡± Like a wilful tornado, she stormed away, off to find some hunky Iyrmen who would take her to the forest. Adam laughed, watching her as she left. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s fine too.¡± He threw a look to Sonarot and Lanarot, before clearing his throat. ¡°I should leave before I stink up the place even more.¡± ¡°I have no idea what those are, but I assume that they are red, blue, and green?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°They are gems which have innate Mana deep within them,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Usually formed near areas with large amounts of Mana.¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not even sure I can work them, but I¡¯ll have to see.¡± ¡°Perhaps you can¡¯t, but something like Tigergem, perhaps?¡± Jaygak said. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to its enchantments, as one might expect, but you could definitely make something like your current blade much easier than with the materials you usually use.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam pondered. ¡°How much can I buy Tigergem for?¡± ¡°Roughly six hundred gold,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Though you won¡¯t need extra gems to create the weapon, and it is easier.¡± ¡°Which weapons make the most money?¡± Adam asked, recalling he had asked previously. ¡°Longswords, spears, daggers, axes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Greatswords and glaives usually make the most money when sold, but longswords are better to sell since you can auction them to Nobles first. Nobles pay quite the price, mostly to show off to one another.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved with Nobles,¡± he stated, dryly. After what happened in those towns, he wasn¡¯t happy with the Nobles. ¡®That bastard Sir Harvey, too...¡¯ ¡°What about taking requests from Iyrmen?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Some Iyrmen have a lot of money, enough money to burn. One day I¡¯ll have enough money to burn too!¡± ¡°I did do that a few times,¡± Adam said, shaking his head at her. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with Elder Zijin about it.¡± They finished bathing and made their way back to the estate, where the various children were currently playing together, waiting for their meal. Jogak was in charge of cooking that day, meaning that the food was probably going to be a little spicier than usual. ¡°So you¡¯re finally back,¡± Sonarot said, holding out Lanarot to Adam. ¡°I hope the two of you can play with her, otherwise she may not recognise you.¡± Adam picked her up and held her close, feeling just how hot she was. ¡°I¡¯ll play with you as best as I can, little cutie.¡± He tickled her cheeks with his finger. ¡°Did you sleep well, little Lanarot?¡± Lanarot stared up at him, the way babies did, twitching slightly. She reached up and grabbed his finger, squeezing it tight in her hand, moving it around. Then Jurot appeared beside Adam, causing her eyes to snap towards him in shock, but she stared at his face. ¡°She¡¯s so cute, isn¡¯t she?¡± Adam said. ¡°Cutest In The Whole World,¡± Jurot said, feeling his heart throb again. Adam smiled. ¡°Here,¡± he said, lifting Lanarot up to her older brother. Jurot took her into his arms and stared down at her face. Lanarot stared up at him and started to smile, giggling slightly, before staring up at him silently again. His heart continue to throb, almost causing him pain. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam committing blasphemy, and Jurot slowly understanding what it''s like to actually care about your younger sibling. 139. Thunder in the Iyr 139. Thunder in the Iyr ¡®Small,¡¯ Jurot thought. He held Lanarot in his arms, their eyes glued to each other¡¯s. Jurot didn¡¯t feel especially close to his sister, though he would no doubt die to defend her. However. For a little while now, he had been swallowed by an all consuming thought. His heart kept pounding within his chest violently, thundering like a storm. His thoughts were only on his little sister, Lanarot. ¡®Hot.¡¯ Her body was so hot to the touch, and as he placed his hand over the girl¡¯s chest, causing her to twitch and look down at his hand, he could feel how rapidly her heart beat. ¡®She is chubby,¡¯ Jurot thought, gently rubbing her stomach. ¡®Those arms are so small and feeble. Were mother¡¯s arms so small when she was a baby? Were mine?¡¯ Those tiny, chubby arms, which would one day wield an axe to hack into her worst enemies. Then their eyes met again. The dark eyes of most Iyrmen. Yet, these eyes they possessed were very specific eyes. Their eyes were dark, yes, but they were exactly the same as another Iyrman¡¯s. Though the pair were the son and daughter of Surot and Sonarot, and whereas Jurot looked almost identical to his father, they had both inherited their mother¡¯s eyes. So when Jurot stared into his sister¡¯s eyes, he found his mother¡¯s eyes staring back, the same eyes he had become so familiar with over the years. Lanarot, who was looking at this relative stranger, could also see those same eyes she had seen for her entire life, staring back at her on a stranger¡¯s face. She would continue to stare into her brother¡¯s eyes, sometimes her eyes dancing across his entire face. Their hearts continued to pound wildly, as though synchronised to their own metronome. ¡°Yo Elder Zijin,¡± Adam called, waving a hand to the Orcish Iyrman. ¡°How are you doing this fine day?¡± ¡°I am doing well, Adam,¡± Elder Zijin said, wondering what kind of trouble Adam was going to get up to today. He was currently within a warehouse, checking the various resources. ¡°I was hoping to discuss with you about whether I could create bespoke magical weapons for the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°What is it that you wish for exactly?¡± Elder Zijin asked, narrowing his eyes slightly at the Half Elf. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of game Adam was playing today, and he was on high alert. If Adam did something terrible under his guidance, then it would be Elder Zijin who would have to suffer. ¡°I want to create weapons, enchant those weapons, and sell them to the Iyrmen for a fair price.¡± ¡°And?¡± Elder Zijin asked, waiting for the moment Adam would reveal his true deviousness. ¡°Uh,¡± Adam replied, blinking at the Elder. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That is it?¡± Elder Zijin stared at the Half Elf. ¡°You came all this way to ask just that?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Well, I also need permission to use the enchanting shrines too.¡± Elder Zijin had smirked when Adam said he needed something else, but he frowned when Adam asked for something reasonable. A deep sense of disappointment filled his soul. ¡°She is the Head of the Rot family,¡± Elder Zijin replied, simply. ¡°If not her, who would we speak to?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Adam replied. ¡°What¡¯s the point of bothering my Aunt with that sort of thing?¡± ¡°It is her responsibility. She will protect you from minor matters, and she may have a reasonable explanation for whatever issues arise. If it is more serious, then we will bring it to your attention. You do not need to stress about small matters, Adam.¡± ¡°Aunt is busy raising my adorable little sister,¡± Adam said, sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t bother her with mundane matters.¡± ¡°I will take your words into consideration,¡± Zijin said. Adam nodded. ¡°Thank you for the conversation.¡± The Half Elf turned and left, making his way back to the family estate. ¡®Is he really not gay?¡¯ Elder Zijin thought. ¡®Is he really an Elf?¡¯ When Adam returned back to the estate, he found that Jurot, who had finished eating, having chewed on his thoughts as he ate, was staring at Lanarot, who was returning his stare. Sometimes the little girl would giggle and twitch, before falling still again, taking in his sight. ¡®Cute,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®Cutest In The Whole World.¡¯ ¡°Wait,¡± Adam said, quickly rushing up beside Jurot, slowly snaking his arms around the girl. ¡°You can¡¯t just hog her for yourself.¡± ¡°She is my sister,¡± Jurot said, not letting her go. ¡°She¡¯s my sister too,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You got to play with her for lunch. Don¡¯t be greedy.¡± Jurot let his sister go, but stared down at the chubby girl, who squirmed slightly in Adam¡¯s lap, before looking up at him. ¡°Did you miss me, my little Lanarot?¡± Adam reached up to tickle her nose with his finger. She giggled up at him and clapped her hands, before reaching up to grab his finger. ¡°How cute,¡± Adam said. ¡°Cutest In The Whole World,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Right?¡± Adam continued to tickle the little baby¡¯s nose, causing her to sneeze weakly. ¡°Even her sneezes are so cute.¡± Jurot would have thought that Adam was crazy, but there was something wrong with him at that moment. Rain began to fill across the Iyr, and soon there was a flash, and moments later thunder rumbled in the distance. The noise made Lanarot shudder and cry, causing Sonarot to pick her up to soothe the girl. ¡°There, there,¡± Sonarot said, patting her back. ¡°The storm has begun, Lanarot.¡± ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s going to last a while,¡± Adam said, retreating back into the estate. ¡°It will,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Until evening, every day for this month.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°That sounds horrible.¡± ¡°You will get used to it.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Jurot slowly understanding what babies are. I keep getting new patrons and new followers! Expect more double chapters coming out for at least the next few days. 140. A Pleasant Surprise 140. A Pleasant Surprise Omen: 2, 15 Lanarot played with wooden blocks, picking them up in her grip, before dropping them and giggling in joy. Adam was writing down some recipes in his book when an Iyrman knocked on the door, causing the baby to turn her head to look towards it. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam called. Elder Zijin peeked in through the window. ¡°Good afternoon, Adam,¡± he said. ¡°You have a guest.¡± ¡°I have a guest?¡± Adam asked, furrowing his brows. He blinked his eyes. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°She has said she is a friend of yours.¡± Elder Zijin¡¯s lips formed into a cheeky smile, one which was knowing, but did not reveal his secrets. ¡°A friend...¡± Adam wondered who it could be. He picked up Lanarot, since he was looking after her alone, and followed Elder Zijin out, making his way through the Main Iyr. Elder Zijin straightened at the appearance of the baby, no longer as cheerful and coy as he usually was. They veered to the side, heading towards a familiar estate, the estate of the current Chief. ¡°Adam?¡± Sonarot called from the side, and Adam glanced over at her to see her walking towards him. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Apparently a friend of mine has come,¡± Adam said, handing the baby to her mother. There were the Great Elders, all of whom were standing around the gazebo, and the Chief, who sat ahead, and another figure at one side. Her eyes were slightly slanted, with an emerald shimmer. Her nose was thin and straight, going down like an arrow tip, and her lips were even thinner. Elongated ears jut out the side of her head straight upwards, though was pointed like a leaf. Her hair was long, like liquid copper that fell down to her shoulders. An unnatural beauty that Adam had seen a few times before. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hey, Entalia.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°What a pleasant surprise.¡± Entalia¡¯s eyes quickly scanned Adam, Elder Zijin, Sonarot, and Lanarot. When her gaze passed Lanarot, there was a tense moment she could feel from the other Iyrmen, and she picked up her cup of tea to sip it, trying to calm them down. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± she said. ¡°These Iyrmen are rather eager for a fight.¡± She could smell something wonderful nearby. ¡°We are Iyrmen,¡± the Chief said. ¡°You won¡¯t let them kill me, will you?¡± Entalia asked, fluttering her lashes at Adam. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Adam said, taking a seat opposite Entalia, shuffling over to let Sonarot sit beside him. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t start trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble? Me?¡± ¡°You did come from the sky and circled around the Front Iyr,¡± Chief Iromin said. ¡°You are fortunate that Elder Lykan knew of your connection to Adam, otherwise you would have been slain.¡± ¡°Entalia,¡± Adam grumbled, almost palming his face. ¡°Next time just walk through the front.¡± ¡°I was in a little rush,¡± Entalia said. ¡°Though I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Next time we won¡¯t be so accommodating,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Or we will be too accommodating,¡± Elder Wrath said, grinning wide. He reached down to pat his axe, which was eager for blood. Elder Peace threw him a quick look, causing Elder Wrath to pull back, exhaling through his nostrils in defeat. ¡°I brought the gems,¡± Entalia said, smiling up at the Half Elf. ¡°Gems?¡± Adam asked, tilting his head. ¡®Why did she bring gems for me?¡¯ Adam spat out the tea, choking on his shock, before wiping his face and nose with his sleeve, looking to his Aunt. Entalia¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°I definitely will.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes were full of confusion, before he cleared his throat. ¡°So, uh, did you tell them?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Entalia said. ¡°That¡¯s good. I had someone else pass along a message too, just in case.¡± ¡°Cheating on me already?¡± Entalia tutted at him. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, rolling his eyes, trying to keep cool. ¡°You said you wanted me to enchant a weapon? What did you want?¡± ¡°You really won¡¯t enchant two, even though I saved that village?¡± Entalia asked, crossing her arms. ¡°Fine,¡± Adam said, crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll enchant two, since you did so well.¡± Entalia smiled wide as he gave in. ¡°I¡¯m glad you saw sense.¡± She glanced at the Chief. ¡°Can I take them out?¡± ¡°You may,¡± the Chief said, nodding his head. Entalia could feel just how on edge they were, and noted that there were the Great Chiefs, the Chief, an Elder, as well as six Priests who were watching from nearby. She revealed two blades made of gem, one made of a red gem, and another made of blue gem, placing them on the table. The Iyrmen were all tense, as the blades were dangerously close to the babbling baby. The Chief stared at Sonarot, wondering why she was making it difficult, but she didn¡¯t seem to mind as she placed Lanarot down on the table, holding her hands. Lanarot turned around to look at the swords, seeing the beautiful red and blue coloured blades. ¡°So that¡¯s Rubicule and Sapphicule?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Entalia said, sliding the swords away from the baby, who was no doubt going to try and reach for them. ¡°Careful now, little baby. These are sharp and could hurt you, and if you cut yourself, I may end up with my head hanging over your fireplace.¡± Lanarot giggled, causing Entalia to frown. ¡®She didn¡¯t understand me, did she?¡¯ Entalia wondered, hoping that it was just an ill timed giggle and not a bad omen. Adam reached over to the blades and picked them up, feeling how cool they were, before they quickly warmed up in his hands. He could feel their innate magic within them, and he smiled. ¡°Awoo?¡± Lanarot babbled as she tried to lean over to the side to try and reach for one of the weapons. Sonarot pulled the baby off the table and onto her lap, causing Lanarot to shudder into a cry, but she stopped as Sonarot kissed her forehead and pinched her cheeks gently. ¡°You cannot play with them yet, little Lana," her mother said. "You have your own axe that you can play with when you are older.¡± ¡°Aboo!¡± Lanarot protested. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Entalia appears! Seriously, Lana. Why are babies always trying to get themselves killed? Shout out to everyone in the comments who corrected all my stuff. I really appreciate it! 141. Handling His Sword 141. Handling His Sword The Chief and the Great Elders were still on edge. If Entalia was here, they would still be on edge, ready for a fight, but there was a bigger issue. For some reason, Sonarot kept her daughter here. Lanarot was staring up at the beautiful Elf, reaching up towards the woman who sat opposite her, babbling. ¡°I would like an enchantment which will allow the blade to set ablaze with every swing,¡± she said, her eyes glued to his, trying to ignore the little girl who was babbling at her. ¡°Fire,¡± Adam said, looking down at the Sapphicule. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really match this one though.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t enchant it to be blue fire?¡± Entalia asked, her voice full of sarcasm as she teased the boy. ¡°Oh,¡± he said. ¡°That makes sense. It¡¯s a popular enchantment, and easy enough to do. I¡¯ll do my best to make you a great weapon.¡± ¡°The shortsword is a gift to my friend¡¯s daughter, so I hope you will put in the most effort for that,¡± Entalia said, smiling. ¡°You have friends?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows. He couldn¡¯t let her tease him so freely in front of his Aunt without at least firing back once. ¡°I thought you wanted to be friends with me?¡± Entalia asked, tilting her head playfully. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll make the shortsword amazing, I can guarantee you that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± Entalia said, before throwing Lanarot a look. Since she had completed her task here, and that the Iyrmen weren¡¯t currently trying to kill her on sight, she reached out a hand to Lanarot. Lanarot grabbed the woman¡¯s finger in her hand and started to laugh, babbling away as though trying to talk with her. ¡°Since you¡¯re here and we¡¯re friends, will you show Lanarot your Dragon form?¡± Adam asked, leaning in with his pleading eyes staring up at the woman. ¡°Show her my Dragon form?¡± Entalia asked, looking down at the girl. ¡°Why should I do that?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s very beautiful,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I want to show my sister something cool.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen my Dragon form,¡± Entalia replied, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°Perhaps not in this life, but I did in my last life and it was so beautiful,¡± Adam said. ¡°I even got to ride you.¡± The Great Elders, Elder Zijin, and the Priests each raised their brows in alarm with what Adam said. ¡°Don¡¯t say such misleading things!¡± Entalia growled at him, causing Lanarot to stare up at her. ¡°If other people find out, it¡¯ll ruin my reputation.¡± ¡°I definitely won¡¯t tell anyone,¡± Adam said, glancing around to look at the Great Elders, winking at them. ¡°So you¡¯ll definitely let my adorable little sister see your beautiful form and ride you, right?¡± ¡°Seeing me is one thing, but riding me...¡± Entalia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten I¡¯m a great Dragon? Not just anyone can ride me.¡± ¡°And my little sister is not just anyone,¡± Adam replied. The Chief and the Great Elders had recently heard a few things about Adam, but this was something new. They didn¡¯t know that Adam was someone like that. ¡®Are his thoughts only about his little sister?¡¯ Chief Iromin thought. He recalled how he came here to do so much for his little sister who hadn¡¯t even been born. Then there was the matter of bringing back so many gifts, which was something which caused some worry to Elder Gold, especially considering how useful Dragon scales were. For children to have multiple Dragon scales from the same Dragon, it was nearly unheard of. ¡°You¡¯ll do that since you¡¯re my friend, right?¡± Adam said, leaning in, staring deep into Entalia¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who said we were friends?¡± Entalia asked. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to be my friend, then that¡¯s a shame. Even though I had so many secrets to share.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, pulling back, taking a sip of some tea on the table, taking a bite of the snacks. Entalia rolled her eyes. ¡°Why do I smell so much heavy magic on you anyway?¡± Entalia asked. Adam exchanged a look with the other Iyrmen as he picked up his sister and leaned in to let her place with his ears. She grabbed at them and squeezed, tugging gently. Adam winced slightly, but let her play with them. ¡°Where did you find this blade?¡± Entalia asked, her eyes flashing towards Adam. If she knew where he found it, she could have a chance to find this enchanter to speak with, and probably, abduct. She wondered if Adam would fall for it. ¡°I didn¡¯t find it anywhere,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I made it.¡± Entalia stared into his eyes. ¡°You did what?¡± ¡°I made it,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°You made this?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You told me that you couldn¡¯t make decent magical enchantments!¡± Entalia complained. ¡°Well, I somehow did it.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to tell you.¡± ¡°But this... this isn¡¯t just a magical weapon, it¡¯s something that might be unrivalled in its Rank.¡± Entalia stared at Adam. He was quite the enigma, but there was no way that he could make such a powerful blade. Then she looked to the Iyrmen. ¡®If it was using the Iyrmen¡¯s shrines, then...¡¯ ¡°It is an amazing weapon. How did you manage to make something like this?¡± Entalia asked, her eyes glued to Adam¡¯s. ¡°I just made it. It took a lot of time, effort, and lots of love, and really good dice rolls.¡± Adam smiled. Entalia sighed. Of course he wouldn¡¯t tell her. ¡°Can I have it?¡± she asked, slowly pulling the sword closer to her chest. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± She tilted her head and pouted again. ¡°What are you going to give me?¡± Adam asked, leaning in, feeling her grip on his ear. ¡°Why are you asking for something? Don¡¯t be so kunjas!¡± the Dragon grumbled. Kunjas was Drakken for one who was stingy. ¡°You are going to call me kunjas?¡± Adam asked, brow raised. ¡°Come on!¡± She clutched it tight to her chest. Adam reached over towards her chest, considering she reached down towards him. ¡°Let go.¡± He grabbed the middle of the sword, feeling the heat of the woman against his hand. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Entalia, you can''t just grab Adam''s sword in public. Smh. Dragons have no sense of shame, especially when it comes to Elvish swords. All the while a bunch of old people and his Aunt are watching. My god. What''s this? Another early chapter? Yes! I''ve gotten so many new Patrons, followers, and ratings that I keep writing more. I''ve been staring at my screen so much that my eyes are twitching and bloodshot so I hope you''re enjoying the story lol. I even accidentally wrote way too much while my eyes were aching because I was so into writing. Oops. 142. I’ve Come To Bargain 142. I¡¯ve Come To Bargain ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Please?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s trade then,¡± Entalia said, frowning. Adam smiled. ¡°What do you want to trade for it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trade you a gem sword for this sword,¡± Entalia said. Adam blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a gem sword?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trade you your entire hoard for a piece of my hair,¡± Adam replied. Entalia narrowed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll trade you one for one!¡± ¡°Bring me a magical sword of greater value and I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Entalia narrowed her eyes. She thought he¡¯d be willing to give up this sword in order to appease her, but it seemed he didn¡¯t know who she truly was. ¡°I thought you wanted to be friends?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Adam said, smiling at her. ¡°Friends don¡¯t scam other friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not scamming you! F-fine! I¡¯ll give you two Rubicule blades then?¡± ¡°I want Sapphicule, and I want at least three,¡± Adam said, raising three fingers. ¡°Why do you want Sapphicule?¡± Entalia asked. ¡°Won¡¯t it match the Rot family¡¯s colours?¡± Adam asked, motioning a hand towards Sonarot¡¯s tattoo. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why are you using a sword?¡± Entalia tilted her head, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot, that¡¯s why,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Sapphicule weapons are so expensive,¡± Entalia said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you two.¡± ¡°Three,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s nice that they¡¯re expensive, but this sword is my best weapon to date. You are so impressed by it, and are so desperate for it, so you should at least pay the price for it.¡± Entalia grumbled. ¡°Fine! You better enchant that sword really well!¡± She couldn¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t give up on the sword as easily as she wanted. It was such an honour for his weapon to be a part of her hoard. ¡°If you don¡¯t enchant it well, I¡¯ll come and retrieve all the blades from you!¡± ¡°Then you can return my precious Lightsear back to me at that time,¡± Adam said, smiling at her. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± She stared at him. ¡°That sword is for a friend¡¯s daughter. If it¡¯s bad, I¡¯ll be disgraced, and they will no longer respect me.¡± ¡°I will make the shortsword great, you can count on that.¡± Adam nodded his head, hoping she would see how serious he was. ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Entalia said. ¡°Just to confirm. I will enchant two of your weapons, and this magical weapon will be traded for three Sapphicule weapons, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Entalia grumbled. ¡°I want a Sapphicule sword and two Sapphicule axes specifically,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll get you three Sapphicule weapons, but that wasn¡¯t a part of the deal,¡± she said. Adam exhaled. ¡°Alright, but if you try to scam me, you¡¯ll lose a friend for life.¡± Entalia made the weapon disappear. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°What a succulent magical axe you have,¡± she said, staring at his waist, seeing that beautiful, hard, magical item laying there. It throbbed and oozed with magical energy. She almost began to drool. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me have a look?¡± ¡°Entalia,¡± Adam said, raising his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll bonk you if you keep acting horny for magical items. That¡¯s an axe I made specifically for Jurot, and anyone else who tries to covet it will get beaten, Dragon or otherwise.¡± ¡°You made that axe for Jurot?¡± Entalia asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. Entalia stared at him. ¡°Wait! Why didn¡¯t you make one for me?¡± ¡°Your life wasn¡¯t in danger, and you aren¡¯t adventuring with me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Ah! But those Giants almost killed me for passing along your message.¡± She frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you wouldn¡¯t make me a magical weapon when you almost got me killed!¡± ¡°Entalia, that was our deal,¡± Adam said. ¡°I would make you a magical weapon once you passed on the message.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Still...¡± ¡°Plus, what would my magical weapon do for you? You already had Prince Aksak¡¯s sword, something which is greater than what I can currently make.¡± ¡®Currently,¡¯ Entalia noted. ¡°Still, it doesn¡¯t count. I bet he didn¡¯t do anything for that axe!¡± ¡°Like I said, I gave it to him because he¡¯s in my adventuring party. If I didn¡¯t do that, there¡¯s a higher chance I die. If I die then...¡± Adam leaned over and grabbed Lanarot¡¯s cheeks with a hand. ¡°Who will look after my cute adorable sister and look after my Aunt when she¡¯s old?¡± Adam almost turned red from embarrassment. Sonarot just smiled. ¡®What a darling Nephew I have.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s still not fair! I want a free magical weapon too! I won¡¯t leave unless you make me one for free!¡± Entalia crossed her arms and sat down, her beautiful Elvish form causing many Iyrmen to stare at her already. They had been mesmerised by her beauty, but seeing how childish she was, the Iyrmen couldn¡¯t help but smile. Entalia suddenly shuddered. ¡®If she continues to cause trouble, doesn¡¯t that mean we can kill her?¡¯ She had felt the thoughts of the Iyrmen, and glanced between them all. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a free weapon,¡± Adam stated, noting how she was eyeing up the Iyrmen, quickly standing up as she stepped closer to Adam. Jurot stared at the woman. He hadn¡¯t expected her to behave like that. ¡°You are Queen of the North?¡± Jurot asked, raising his brow at her suspiciously. ¡°What about it?¡± Entalia asked, staring down at the Iyrman. Their eyes began their own fight, almost as though there was electricity shooting between them. ¡°Wait,¡± Adam said, raising his hands up, forming them into a T. ¡°Hold on. Timeout.¡± He was still trying to figure out what he had heard. ¡°You¡¯re the what now?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Entalia asked, staring down at him. ¡°That does explain why you were so indignant towards me!¡± ¡°Indignant?¡± Adam said, raising his brow at her. She smiled. ¡°I am Queen Entalia, Queen of Drakkenlen! Bask before me, half blood!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be weird about my race, lizard girl,¡± Adam replied, dryly. He glared at her. ¡°Lizard girl? How dare you!¡± ¡°How dare I? Don¡¯t call me a half blood, then. If you¡¯re going to be weird, I¡¯ll be weird too.¡± Entalia puffed her cheeks, which had turned red, and she fumed at him. ¡°You... you...¡± He did have a point. ¡°Hmph. I was just joking. If you can¡¯t handle a joke, then how can we be friends?¡± ¡°Then I was just joking too,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle being treated the same way you treat me, then you should behave properly.¡± Entalia remained glaring at him, her cheeks puffed out still. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Entalia thinks just because she''s a hot Elvish/Dragon babe that she can get away with anything. Just because you''re a Queen, doesn''t mean you''re Adam''s Queen. That''s obviously Mara, who is going to be free once that Dragon heart gets to her. 143. Queen of Jokes 143. Queen of Jokes Entalia remained glaring at the Half Elf, still upset by his words. Adam, unbothered by her glare, rolled his eyes. ¡°Anyway, when were you a Queen?¡± Entalia grinned wide. ¡°So now you finally understand how amazing I am? I have been the Queen of Drakkenlen for over a century. They call me Queen Silvari, the Silver Nightmare.¡± ¡°Silver Nightmare?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I had to crush quite a few rebellions in order to become the Queen, after my father died before me,¡± she said, frowning. ¡°It was quite the time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Adam replied, wondering if he should ask about her father. ¡®No, that¡¯s awkward.¡¯ ¡°Do you now understand how amazing I am?¡± the woman asked, trying to change the awkward conversation. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said. ¡°Though don¡¯t think I have forgotten how you called me a lizard girl.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I have forgotten you called me a half blood,¡± Adam replied, his eyes replying with a knowing glare. ¡°Don¡¯t try to use that as an excuse for trying to scam me.¡± Entalia frowned. ¡®He caught on too quick.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t care that you¡¯re a Queen,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°If you won¡¯t act like a decent person, then I won¡¯t treat you like a decent person.¡± ¡®A decent person? Me?¡¯ Entalia thought. ¡®Perhaps he didn¡¯t hear about what happened during the rebellions?¡¯ ¡°Do you think that after hearing that you¡¯re a Queen that I¡¯ll treat you any better?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Muh queen of da norf?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡®Queen of da norf?¡¯ Entalia thought, feeling her brow pulse. ¡°Are you trying to poke fun at me.¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°The person I treat the best is this little girl who keeps shitting her pants.¡± Adam reached over and brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair, causing her to squirm slightly, before she hid her head into her mother¡¯s chest. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your status one bit, and I won¡¯t be impressed by it. Unless, of course, you¡¯re an Iyrman,¡± Adam said, noting the gazes of the Chief and other Great Elders. ¡®He¡¯s talking about how he is impressed by us, but...¡¯ The Great Elders exchanged a quick glance between one another. ¡®Is it really true he has lived multiple lives?¡¯ ¡°You!¡± Entalia growled. ¡°How could you say something like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about Queen Silvari one bit!¡± Adam declared. ¡°Though, my friend Entalia, I care much more about her.¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m still mad,¡± the Dragon replied, storming forward. ¡°You¡¯re free to be mad,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you for calling me a half blood since you¡¯re not going to forgive me for taking a shot back.¡± ¡°So kunjas!¡± Entalia grumbled. ¡°Bring that stupid little sister of yours and I¡¯ll show her my maginificent mighty form!¡± Adam¡¯s brow twitched. Sonarot looked down to Adam, and then noted the look in Jurot¡¯s eyes too. ¡®Oh dear.¡¯ With the weapons picked up and at Adam¡¯s side, they finally arrived at the field. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think that little girl was your future wife,¡± Entalia said. ¡°She¡¯s my adorable little sister,¡± Adam repeated. ¡°If you want to be the best brother in the world, then I need to do at least this little.¡± Adam continued to pinch her cheeks gently, making them red. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right my cute little Lanarot? I¡¯ll definitely be your favourite brother, right?¡± ¡®Favourite brother?¡¯ Jurot thought, narrowing his eyes slightly. Entalia, seeing that Lanarot was looking her way, began to shift into her Dragon form. She was large and beautiful, as once might expect, with thousands upon thousands of scales all along her body, some the size of Lanarot¡¯s thumb, and some the size of her head. The light of the Iyr caused her scales to shimmer. Lanarot stared at the dragon, noting that the woman had turned purely silver, with so many spiky bits littered all about her, and that she was no longer a beautiful woman with pointy ears, but a large, beastly creature, with a giant maw. The baby twitched, staring at the Dragon as she transformed, before her lips trembled and her eyes narrowed as she began to cry. Adam, who was smiling while showing his sister something amazing, frowned. ¡°Oh, right. You are a little scary looking.¡± Lanarot continued to cry in Adam¡¯s chest as he tried to pat her back, until he handed her over to her mother, who had enjoyed the sight of the Dragon transforming. ¡°I think you¡¯re very beautiful like this, but that is probably because of my taste,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°What good taste you have too,¡± Entalia replied, before quickly switching back to her Elvish form. ¡°Well, now that I¡¯ve shown her my form and our deals have been made, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back before the Twilight Month,¡± she said, waving her hand. She was too embarrassed to remain here, after being brought so low because of a baby. She had come to the Iyr to have some fun, but instead, she had been bullied by a Half Elf who was so young, he wasn¡¯t even a hundred years old! She had also been bullied by a little baby, and had lost so many items to the Half Elf. ¡®At least I¡¯ll have three magical weapons...¡¯ ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be seeing you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lanarot, say goodbye to Entalia.¡± Lanarot had only just stopped crying, holding onto her mother¡¯s chest. ¡°I don¡¯t need to go say goodbye to her,¡± Entalia said. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam said, placing a hand on Entalia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to leave without saying goodbye to my little sister, right?¡± Entalia could feel an unknown pressure coming from Adam as he smiled towards her, slowly squeezing her shoulder. ¡°Right?¡± ¡®I thought we were friends?¡¯ Entalia thought, crying in her soul. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Jurot trying to be a good big brother, but failing. He''s got the spirit. Adam, a level 4 baby boy, bullying a Dragon who could one shot him. He''s playing with fire, uh, ice, but she did call his sister stupid, so she deserves it. 144. Sonarot’s Jokes 144. Sonarot¡¯s Jokes Watching the Dragon leave, rushing away in her Elvish form towards the Front Iyr, Adam couldn¡¯t help but feel satisfied. ¡°Sorry, Lanarot, I didn¡¯t realise she¡¯d scare you,¡± Adam said, brushing a hand through the back of her hair, which was so thin and whispy. Lanarot had calmed down a while ago, sucking on her thumb as she rested on her mother¡¯s shoulder, cuddled up close. ¡°I should probably get to enchanting,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°You should be careful with that one,¡± Chief Peace said. ¡°You should not give out your secrets so easily.¡± ¡°I trust her enough, in the same way that I trust you all too.¡± Elder Peace stared at the young man for a long while. ¡°Is it true that you have lived multiple lives?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°The Chief and Aunt know about it, and so does Jurot.¡± He decided not to mention Lucy, just in case. ¡°Entalia was someone I met in my previous life, and she and I were quite close.¡± ¡°How close?¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°We almost died together multiple times.¡± ¡°That close.¡± Elder Peace understood just how close they were previously. ¡°She is not the same Entalia that you knew before, however.¡± ¡°This Iyr isn¡¯t the same as the Iyr I knew before,¡± Adam said, looking to Sonarot and Lanarot. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, though.¡± Elder Peace wasn¡¯t able to respond to his words. ¡®Was the Iyr different?¡¯ She wondered how it could be so different. ¡®Was it the Iyr if it was so different?¡¯ ¡°Is it fine if I use the shrines to enchant Entalia¡¯s weapons?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already made our deal, Adam,¡± Elder Gold replied. ¡°You are free to use the shrines until the end of the year. Since Entalia is someone you trust, we can¡¯t refuse, but she is someone who could become our enemy.¡± ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t become our enemy,¡± Adam said, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice if you guys get along. Is she the Queen of the kingdom immediately to our north?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Peace replied. ¡°There had been a war when she had first taken power, but that was over a century ago.¡± ¡°She somehow managed to survive against the kingdom and its soldiers, bolstered by the force of the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°You should not underestimate the northern kingdom. They are not quite as weak as you may think. They are hardened warriors, able to survive between Aldland and the Giants.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Adam replied. Entalia and Drakkenlen probably had something which allowed them to survive against hostile forced to their north and south, and considering that she had also stolen a sword from Prince Aksak, she must have been confident in her country¡¯s ability to survive. ¡°Right, well... I¡¯m going to go and enchant today, thank you for giving me permission.¡± Adam bowed his head and excused himself. The group finally returned back to their house. ¡°Lanarot, aren¡¯t you so lucky to see a Dragon transform,¡± Sonarot said, gently swaying the girl in her arms, who yawned. ¡°Are you sleepy, little Lanarot?¡± Adam asked, brushing her hair. ¡°I¡¯d nap with you too, but I have work to do.¡± Jurot remained sitting, still annoyed by Entalia¡¯s comments. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure how to behave with a child yet, someone who didn¡¯t understand him, and then there was Adam who held such a different view about children than himself. ¡®How difficult.¡¯ Adam grabbed the gems he needed, before heading out to enchant at the shrine. He began enchanting the Rubicule shortsword, placing down the seven gems in their respective places, before expending his Mana. ¡°Lanarot is not an axe,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She is my sister.¡± ¡°Which is all the more tragic for an Iyrman to not know how to admire an axe made of Iyrsteel and Iyr Ivory,¡± Adam said, frowning. Jurot stared up at Adam, the back of his mind tingling. Slowly, he was beginning to understand. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because one day you will regret that you are missing Lanarot¡¯s achievements,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded his head slowly. There were some things Adam said which didn¡¯t make sense, and other things which did. This made sense and did not make sense. ¡®I need to figure out how to get Jurot to bond with Lanarot,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is that why my heart pains me?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®I am not appreciating my sister enough?¡¯ Sonarot smiled down at Adam and reached over and brushed his hair. ¡°You love Lanarot so much, almost as much as me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t love her more than you since you¡¯re her mother,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Sometimes it feels like you do.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think so,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m not the one who feeds her daily or changes her nappies.¡± ¡°Nappies?¡± ¡°You know, the cloth around her waist when she soils herself,¡± Adam said. ¡°You don¡¯t call it diapers, do you?¡± ¡°Clothy,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Right, that.¡± ¡°Even so, you have done so much for her. You are so eagerly watching over her. I am uncertain there is a brother in this Iyr that loves their little sister as much as you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because that¡¯s my goal,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will definitely be the best brother in the world. No. The Best Brother In The World.¡± Adam nodded his head. Sonarot smiled, hearing the difference in how he stated it. ¡°It seems like you are in love with her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in love with her, I just love my little sister a lot.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t plan to marry her when she grows up?¡± Adam pulled back, blinking rapidly. ¡°What?¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°You may not be blood related, but I view you as her brother. You cannot marry her, do you understand?¡± Adam¡¯s face contorted. ¡°I know that. I don¡¯t want to marry her. She¡¯s my little sister. I am going to marry a beautiful Demon woman who I have saved.¡± He smiled wide. ¡°Not Entalia?¡± Sonarot half teased. Adam narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Aunt, you sure know how to joke.¡± ¡°Is it a joke?¡± Adam noted the smile on her face, and retreated away from her. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! In case any of you thought Adam was a degenerate. My eyes still hurt. 145. Peace of Mind 145. Peace of Mind Omen: 6, 7 ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered as he awoke, staring at the Omen numbers. ¡°Are you feeling unlucky today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah...¡± He sighed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll...¡± His eyes fell to Sonarot and Lanarot. ¡°Could I see what you do with Lanarot today?¡± Sonarot stared at Adam with a little confusion. It would be quite boring to follow her around as she looked after Lanarot, but he had been close to the girl. ¡®To think my Nephew is so sweet.¡¯ She wondered just how jealous the other Iyrmen would be. It was always difficult for them to have their older children to take interest in their siblings when they were babies. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°Since you are so eager.¡± Adam smiled. He didn¡¯t really know the daily life of his sister, but it would reveal much about how a mother and a child worked in the Iyr. At least, that¡¯s what he had hoped. ¡°You can go and train for a short while, unless you wish to see her sleep?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Adam and the others went to train, Dunes and Jonn joining them as per usual. They had been working out daily, with some light workouts, though Dunes and Jonn were eager to train harder, joining Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak to spar harder. Adam bathed quickly before heading back to the Rot house, where he saw Lanarot was up and currently feeding from her mother. Adam, feeling awkward, went to check on his items, which had been set into a chest which had been locked and wrapped in a blanket. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, staring at all the gems. ¡°I forgot I was so rich.¡± ¡°You have so much gold,¡± Sonarot said, smiling at him. ¡°Don¡¯t spend it all.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to make sure I have enough for retirement.¡± ¡°Sometimes I worry you might spoil Lanarot too much.¡± ¡°Is there such a thing?¡± ¡°As long as you do not starve, it should be okay.¡± ¡°If it means she won¡¯t starve, then that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°You will not be in such a situation.¡± ¡°I hope not.¡± ¡°You worry too much, Adam.¡± ¡°Perhaps I do...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°I¡¯m not super strong yet, so I¡¯m worried that I can¡¯t protect her, especially with these ears of mine.¡± He wiggled his ears at his Aunt. ¡°Your race is quite hated in this land.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want that bothering her.¡± ¡°Who would bother Lanarot with such matters?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Those who shoot first and ask questions later. I could see a time when someone sees me with a child, notices my ears, and they do something bad to her. I don¡¯t trust the people of this land that much.¡± ¡°You are more cautious than I expected,¡± Sonarot admitted. ¡°If it means Lanarot is safe, I do not mind it so much.¡± She brushed her daughter¡¯s hair, looking at her sleepy face. Adam couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of dread. ¡°I can¡¯t become too powerful too quickly either...¡± ¡°Due to Chaos?¡± Sonarot smiled, beaming at the others, showing off her sweet Nephew to them all. The other Iyrmen stared at her, wondering just how lucky she had gotten. ¡°You should not be so humble,¡± Shikan said. ¡°You should accept the compliment into your story.¡± ¡°My story...¡± Adam replied. ¡®Right. I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, so my story will be in theirs too?¡¯ ¡°It is good to see you are finally resting,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Sonarot keeps telling us that you work too hard and have yet to relax appropriately.¡± Sonarot narrowed her eyes slightly towards Shikan who had slipped out her worries. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t feel lucky today so I was planning on taking it easy.¡± ¡°Lucky?¡± Shikan asked. Adam nodded. ¡°Fate isn¡¯t on my side today, so I decided against doing anything too important.¡± Citool nodded her head. ¡°You have done so much for us already, Adam. Why?¡± ¡°Have I?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his chin. ¡°Well, I think it was quite fun to play with the children. I think it¡¯s a good idea for older siblings to play with the younger siblings every so often, so when I saw that no one was doing it, I thought I may as well play with them. Plus, I got to learn the games that the children play, so I learnt a little more about the Iyr.¡± ¡°I was speaking of your enchanting,¡± Citool said. ¡°Seekerstaff.¡± ¡°And Bloodseeker,¡± Jogak said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, flushing slightly red. ¡°Right, I did that too, didn¡¯t I?¡± He scratched his cheek. Citool smiled, wondering if he was doing it on purpose, but seeing as he was so embarrassed, it was probably accidental. Adam shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to die, that¡¯s all. With Kitool and Jaygak wielding magical weapons, chances are I¡¯ll survive the next encounter. Plus, it would feel weird that Jurot and I have a magical weapon when I could make a magical weapon for the two and still have plenty of money leftover.¡± ¡°Which we thank you for,¡± Jogak said, though he was still suspicious of Adam. ¡°Yes,¡± Citool agreed. ¡°We cannot thank you enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It was my selfish desire that I wanted them to have magical weapons.¡± ¡°When my son is worthy, I will come to request a weapon,¡± Shikan said. ¡°How much will you charge?" "Offer me a fair price and I''ll accept. Since you''re my Aunt''s friends, of course I''ll give a discount." Adam nodded. "There is no need for it,¡± Shikan said. "They may be no need for it, but there is a want of it," Adam replied. ¡°Since I¡¯m the one forcing the discount, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°Our sons have already gone to adventure,¡± Lojin said. ¡°They have gone far to the east to make their name, and they will not return for many years. When that time comes, I will also hire you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°When that time comes, I hope I¡¯ll still be able to face them both at the same time.¡± Lojin threw his head back in raucous laughter, causing the children to turn to him, and some began to cry due to how much it sounded like a roar. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam begins to seduce the other uncles and aunts. FYI, I''m still figuring out capitalisations for different stuff. I try to capitalise titles, races, and names of beasts. However, for the Iyr, they have awkward naming schemes. Adam is a Nephew, which is different to a nephew, because Nephew is a title within the Iyr which has a specific meaning. 146. Adam and Lanarot 146. Adam and Lanarot Before noon came, Lanarot fell asleep, taking a nap within the home as the other children played outside under the Duskval sun. There was a gentle chill within the Iyr this day, a pleasant breeze flowing through the mountains. Adam stared at the sleepy girl, laying down beside her as her mother knitted something. He stared at the girl, who was so small and chubby, and cried whenever she pleased. His thoughts fell to his previous life, where he had managed to survive for a year before the same God who had brought him into the world killed him due to the Chaos he had brought. He thought about the other Lanarot, who he hadn¡¯t spent much time with. He had gone to the north, to the Giants, and had spoken with them about a world ending threat, the very same threat which had disappeared, just like that. ¡®I wonder if I can return back to that world...¡¯ Adam rolled over, covering his eyes with his arm. That Lanarot had lost a brother because of him, and then he had disappeared out of their lives. He only hoped that Belle had made sure that Lanarot and Sonarot were well taken care of in that world. The thought ate away at his heart, and he couldn¡¯t help but sink deeper into his sadness. He twitched as he felt something against his hair, before looking up to see Sonarot. She brushed his hair gently, having noted how the boy had gone quiet, and was sinking into pity. A gentle, motherly smile warmed her face as she stared down at him. Adam rubbed his eyes, before shaking his head. ¡®Come on, Adam. There¡¯s no point in thinking about it.¡¯ He sat up and massaged his cheeks, feeling a little bit of a scruff against his face. ¡®Oh? Is that hair on my face? Do Elves even grow beards?¡¯ He thought, only to remember that only half of him was an Elf. ¡°Do you wish to shave?¡± Sonarot whispered. ¡°I probably should...¡± Sonarot nodded, before heading up, returning not long later with a small bowl, a brush, and a razor with a wooden handle. ¡°I will find you some cream,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, looking down at the razor, and then noting his Dexterity. ¡®This is not going to end well.¡¯ Yet he decided against telling Sonarot his fears, not wishing to emasculate himself. Sonarot returned with a small wooden box which held some fat within it.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com ¡®Now that I¡¯ve come this far...¡¯ Adam slipped the smallest bit of fat into the bowl and sprinkled a small amount of water, before beginning to brush it into a lather. It very quickly foamed up, much quicker than he expected, and he brushed it against his face, making sure to cover his entire neck and half his face. He had his lips pursed the entire time, and wiped away from foam from his mouth with his thumb before he brought the razor up to his face. Omen: 6, 7 ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ He had forgotten he had felt unlucky that day, which is why he didn¡¯t enchant. Spell: Guidance 1D3 = 3 (3) Dexterity Check D20 + 4 = 6 (2) Health: 52 -> 51 Adam brought the razor to his face and very gently began to shave, only to find he was doing a terrible job. Then, after a moment of eagerness, he cut into the side of his neck and gasped. ¡°Would you like me to help you?¡± Sonarot asked, though she had extended a hand for the razor. ¡°Yes, please,¡± Adam replied, sighing. Sonarot¡¯s hands were far more gentle as she began to shave the boy, humming to herself quietly. She recalled the few times she had shaved someone, thinking back to her Surot, before her thoughts returned back to Adam, as it would have been a bad idea for her thoughts to wander with a blade to Adam¡¯s throat. Adam¡¯s heart pounded wildly. ¡®If Sonarot has any doubts about me, I guess this is it,¡¯ he thought. However, Sonarot shaved his face, going through for a second pass, before his face was fresh and as smooth as Lanarot¡¯s. ¡°There you are,¡± Sonarot said, holding his face in her hands and staring at his face. ¡°You take such good care of children,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m the eldest brother of two. Well, three, but technically I died before she was born, so...¡± Sonarot stared at the boy, and suddenly so many things began to make sense. ¡°I am glad that you are Lanarot¡¯s brother.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched in the same way Jurot¡¯s did when Sonarot praised him. ¡°I¡¯m glad she¡¯s my sister.¡± ¡°Do you want to have children?¡± ¡°One day,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t marry in my first life, well, I was a little young still, but I wasn¡¯t in a great financial position. We were under the rule of a certain party which didn¡¯t follow the rules of common sense, and so our country wasn¡¯t exactly punching above its weight. Then we dug ourself in a deeper hole when we voted to...¡± Adam looked at Sonarot. ¡°Nevermind.¡± He didn¡¯t want her to think poorly of him. ¡°I might find someone in this world and have children one day, but I¡¯m not really focused on it.¡± ¡°I am sure you would make a wonderful father. You play with the children so well, and look after Lanarot like you were an Aunt or Uncle.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, she is my little sister. I can¡¯t do as well as you or Aunt...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, unsure if he could call the other woman Aunt. ¡°I mean, you or Citool.¡± Sonarot bowed her head, understanding why he corrected himself. ¡°If there comes a time where I am needed elsewhere, I will be glad to leave her in your care.¡± ¡°I hope that isn¡¯t for another few years at least,¡± Adam said. ¡°Right now I need to make sure I secure the position as the favourite brother.¡± The thunder continued, the patter of rain providing some noise in the background. ¡°Abababa?¡± Lanarot asked, looking to her mother. ¡°I should help Jogak make food.¡± Sonarot held out the girl to Adam. Lanarot squirmed and tried to pull closer towards her, but Adam accepted her from Sonarot. The girl stared at the Half Elf and her face scrunched up as she made to cry. Spell: Tricks Adam created small bell in his hand, holding it up to Lanarot, before it disappeared. She stared at it and blinked, before reaching up to his hand to slap it. Adam continued to create small trinkets in his hand, distracting Lanarot, before eventually letting her play with her blocks, handing them over to her as she stacked them. ¡°Obooboo?¡± Lanarot asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You want this one?¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± Lanarot grabbed the block to stack it. ¡°Good choice.¡± He brushed her hair before continuing to play with her. He used his spell to create patterns on the blocks, making the pattern of the Rot family on the blocks, which caused Lanarot to pick those blocks up. ¡°Ooh?¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± He continued to brush her wispy hair. Outside, Jogak was cooking. ¡°Is it a good idea to leave him alone with Lanarot?¡± ¡°There is no issue with leaving Lanarot with her brother,¡± Sonarot replied, curtly. Jogak was about to press the issue when he saw the look in her eyes, and decided against it. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just a bit''o politics and comfy slice of life. I was planning on returning back to one chapter a day today, but I got another patron and tons of views. Expect double chapters tomorrow too, and then no more? Truly suffering from success. 147. The Iyr’s Future 147. The Iyr¡¯s Future Omen: 8, 20 Adam awoke in the morning, looking to his side. His finger was currently surrendered to a tiny baby, who clutched it tight in hand, refusing to let it go. ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I¡¯m trapped.¡¯ He turned to look at Jurot, who caught Adam¡¯s look. ¡®Jurot, help me.¡¯ Jurot nodded his head, understanding the thoughts behind those eyes. ¡®I slept well, did you?¡¯ ¡®Jurot, what are you doing? Help me.¡¯ ¡®A bad night? That is a shame?¡¯ ¡®No, don¡¯t abandon me. Jurot!¡¯ Adam turned to Sonarot, who noted his issue. ¡®Help me, Aunt.¡¯ Sonarot smiled, nodding her head, understanding what he needed. For a moment, a thought passed through her mind, whether she should truly allow him free, since he always worked so hard and now he was trapped to relax next to his sister. However, since Adam had spent hours yesterday playing with Lanarot, from crawling around with her, to playing with her blocks, or playing with the knitted blankets she had made, hiding away from her and constantly revealing himself. What was it that he had said? Pikabu? She dropped down beside Lanarot and slowly rubbed her finger behind the girl¡¯s hand, causing her to twitch and let go of Adam¡¯s finger, which he quickly pulled back. ¡®Phew.¡¯ Adam nodded towards Sonarot, thanking her for her assistance. He spent the morning training, though he continued to refuse sparring. ¡°I¡¯ll be enchanting later today. I¡¯m feeling especially lucky today.¡± Adam grinned wide, noting that he had guaranteed such an amazing enchanting session that day. Kitool had also begun to train Brittany in using a staff and bow, though she didn¡¯t seem to be that great with the staff, as the staff slipped out of her hands more than once. Once they had bathed, and ate the food Jogak had made, which was still ridiculously spicy, Adam and the others spent the next couple of hours together, just talking to one another. When noon finally came, Adam went to enchant the sword he had been working on. Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 10 (3) Omen: 8, 20 -> 8 20 + 7 = 27 The snow around fell. The man in white stared across it, seeing across the land. His eyes were a mixture of blue and purple, his eyes almost starry. As his eyes passed along the horizon, he missed the lone stranger, the very same stranger he had been tasked to find, who slipped past his gaze and infiltrated the town. Adam wiped his brow, staring down at the sword, which was already humming with great power. ¡°Two 20¡¯s so far...¡± He wondered if he could enchanting the blade perfectly. ¡®Let¡¯s hope.¡¯ ¡°How did the enchanting go?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°It went pretty well, though I had to bend Fate to make sure it went well.¡± ¡°Is Fate so easy to bend to your whim?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°No. You better pray that it goes this well when I enchant your sword too, but that¡¯s to the whims of Fate too.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Then let us hope that Fate is on your side.¡± ¡°You must be careful, Adam,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°If you continue to enchant as recklessly has you have done previously...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try, but I¡¯m making no promises,¡± Adam replied, smiling at her. Sonarot brushed his hair, shaking her head. ¡°If you are ill, Lanarot will miss you.¡± ¡°We will shame ourselves for allowing them to die before resurrecting them,¡± Jurot said. Dunes coughed, burrowing his brows together in alarm, before staring at the Iyrman. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Jurot nodded, excusing Dunes. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Dunes asked, his eyes wide in shock. ¡°We shame ourselves.¡± ¡°After that.¡± ¡°We resurrect our dead children.¡± ¡°You... what?¡± ¡°We resurrect our dead children.¡± Dunes stared at the Iyrman long and hard. ¡°You resurrect your dead children?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jurot squinted towards the Priest. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Yes. Why do you resurrect your dead children?¡± ¡°They are dead.¡± ¡°Why do you not leave them to die?¡± ¡°Leave them to die?¡± Jurot asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°We do not leave our children to die,¡± Kitool said. ¡°To bring back the dead, it¡¯s expensive magic,¡± Dunes said. ¡°If you are not able to save them quickly, the price increases tenfold.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Is that not a waste of-¡° ¡°Dunes,¡± Adam interrupted, noting how Jurot¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Perhaps to you, life isn¡¯t worth a few hundred gold, but that isn¡¯t the same to others.¡± ¡°That is not what I meant. I just...¡± Dunes flushed, realising what he had said in his shock. ¡°Of course that we should help our children, but is death really so easy to overcome?¡± ¡°We do not overcome death,¡± Jurot stated, his voice low. ¡°We pray to Baktu for his grace, to allow their souls to return to their body.¡± ¡°Baktu returns the souls of your children?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Baktu returns the souls of our children so they may continue to live their lives.¡± ¡°The Iyr sure is rich,¡± Dunes said, rubbing his head. ¡°I had heard that the Iyr takes good care of its children, to the point of fanaticism, but to hear that it was true.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the Iyr amazing?¡± Adam said, smiling at the Priest. ¡°When they say they care for their children, they put their gold where their mouth is.¡± Dunes couldn¡¯t help but feel that Adam was taking a shot at him. ¡°They are great people, certainly. Though I can¡¯t help but think that their wealth could be used elsewhere, where it could be better used to defend its lands and to promote greater growth.¡± ¡°There is no greater growth than the future,¡± Jurot said. ¡°And our children are our future,¡± Kitool added. ¡°Even if Raygak is stupid.¡± Jaygak smiled towards her brother, who was playing with the other children nearby. Jurot looked at Adam, wondering if he was going to tell her off. Adam nodded. Rain fell, and the thunder began. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Dunes, man. Don''t say that sort of thing in the Iyr, you idiot. 148. The Storm Lord 148. The Storm Lord Omen: 3, 14 Adam stared up at the number. 14. Almost five threes. Twice that of seven. Roughly two thirds of the way to what he really needed. He had rolled so well for his enchanting so far, so to see the number was a disappointment. It was high enough that he¡¯d be able to enchant something well, but considering just how great his current weapon was, near perfect, he didn¡¯t want to enchant. Lanarot kicked him out of his thoughts. Adam glanced to the side, staring at the baby who clutched at his finger. ¡®Alright, I won¡¯t kick up a fuss about it.¡¯ Sonarot did not save Adam this day, allowing him to remain with her daughter, as her son and the others went to train for the day. ¡°I should probably finish giving my gifts,¡± Adam said, eventually. ¡°You still have more gifts to give?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°There are a few families who have assisted me in my journey, and I want to make sure they¡¯re well taken care of.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Do you need directions?¡± ¡°Please.¡± Once Adam had finished a quick bath to make himself presentable, he grabbed the rest of the gifts he had brought, carrying with him a large pack, before following Sonarot¡¯s directions. ¡°Adam?¡± Dargon asked, staring at the young Half Elf. ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam said. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I am well. It has been some time since I have been tortured, so I cannot complain.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Right.¡± He noted the various children around. ¡®Seems like the Iyr doesn¡¯t coddle their children...¡¯ ¡°Yeah, about that... I appreciate what you¡¯ve done for me so I wanted to check up on you and hand out the gifts I received from my last adventure.¡± ¡°So you have returned from an adventure? I had not heard,¡± Dargon admitted. ¡°You have brought us gifts?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pack to reveal the Dragons scales, white and blue. Dargon stared at the scales for a long moment. ¡°Are those Dragon scales.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Those are your gifts to the children?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you kill a Dragon?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied back. ¡°I killed two.¡± Dargon stared at the Half Elf. He had heard so many things from Adam¡¯s lips, and this wasn¡¯t the most ridiculous thing he had said.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°You have quite the story to tell. Come, tell us your story.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°I brought gifts for all the children, I hope.¡± Adam was invited inside, where he sat as the children were gathered. Adam began the tale. ¡°As I said,¡± Adam said, patting Dargon¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I am grateful for all you¡¯ve done for me, Dargon.¡± ¡°I have done very little.¡± ¡°You listened to my lunacy, and when my family needed help, it was you who came with us, little brother of Argon.¡± Dargon smiled. ¡°There is no need to mention it.¡± ¡°It is part of your story isn¡¯t it?¡± The Iyrman flashed a smile, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Sometimes, Adam, I fear you are too smart for your own good.¡± ¡°I assure you, Dargon, you are absolutely correct.¡± Adam stifled a chuckle, though Dargon did not stifle his own. ¡°Come, let me introduce you to everyone.¡± ¡°Perhaps another time,¡± Adam said, feeling the rain begin. He looked up towards the greying sky, which had been creeping in since he had started handing out his gifts. ¡°My little sister must be crying without me and I need to be with her. I have gifts to give to others too.¡± ¡°It is good to see you are well, son of Fate. I am glad that you returned safely, with such a story to tell.¡± Adam smiled at the Iyrman. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything yet.¡± ¡°I am sure.¡± Adam returned to the family estate, where he saw his little sister sitting on her mother¡¯s lap, cuddling up close to protect herself from the flashes and the rumbles. She seemed to have become used to it over the past few days, so she didn¡¯t need as much coddling from her mother as the woman brushed through her hair. ¡°Look at you, so brave,¡± Adam said, picking her up. Lanarot coughed and began to cry, but soon rested herself against his shoulder, sucking on her thumb. ¡°Do you want to see the rain?¡± Adam offered, bringing her up to the window. A flash of the lightning soon passed, followed by the rumble. She pulled back when she saw the flash, causing her to twitch and withdraw into Adam''s arms. The little girl began to whimper in his arms. ¡°Lanarot, look,¡± Adam said, reaching out the window for the rain to drop on his hands. Lanarot looked up at his hand and reached out with her own, feeling the water drop onto her hand. She cried as she pulled her hand back, but then stared at her hand, seeing how wet it was, feeling the rain drip down. She babbled as she shook her hand, causing water to fly everywhere. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam said, turning his head so the water struck his neck and cheek instead of the rest of his face. Lanarot looked up at him. She smiled and laughed. ¡°So, you have betrayed me, my own sister,¡± Adam said, leaning in to blow a raspberry against her forehead. She squealed and clapped her hands together, before bringing her hand to her mouth, smiling up at him as she sucked on the side of her hand, tasting the rain, causing her to look at her hand in confusion and shock. The flash came again, causing her to twitch, and she looked outside. ¡°Gurarara!¡± Adam exclaimed as the thunder came. Lanarot looked up at him in surprise, her eyes wide as he made the sound. Adam raised his hand and continued to growl out the word whenever the thunder rumbled, as though he was the master of the storm, causing Lanarot to remain staring at him in shock. ¡°You may call me Storm Lord Adam.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just some cute wholesome chapters. Thus begins the second enchanting arc, and Adam living in the Iyr. I''ll throw out a few more double chapters because the next part is a bit slow. 149. A Nice Spoon 149. A Nice Spoon Omen: 4, 10 Adam awoke early in the morning, staring at the ceiling. ¡®Couldn¡¯t I have enchanted something else with that 14 from yesterday?¡¯ He trained with the other Iyrmen, running along the courtyard, weightlifting with rocks, before they bathed and returned to the estate for breakfast. Sonarot fed Lanarot with a clay spoon, the girl barely managing to keep the food inside her mouth rather than outside around her lips. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, taking a sip of water to calm down the heat against his tongue. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Lanarot is eating soft foods using a spoon,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make her a wooden spoon?¡± ¡°We have clay spoons,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°There is no need to make another spoon.¡± ¡°Yes, but the clay spoon wasn¡¯t made by you, was it?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you make one? That way your sister will use something you¡¯ve made for her. Doesn¡¯t that mean she will grow well because she¡¯s eating from something you made?¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while, eating the spicy bean dish which Jogak had made. Recently he had felt something off about his heart whenever he held his sister. The thought of his little sister using a spoon that he had made, growing up well because of him... Adam¡¯s words had taken root deep within his heart. ¡°I will make one,¡± Jurot said. Adam smiled, glad that Jurot had accepted. ¡®He¡¯s still hesitant about helping his baby sister. I wonder if the Iyrmen don¡¯t really form attachments to their children or younger siblings personally?¡¯ Adam recalled how Jaygak treated Raygak, with how she would bully the boy. Jurot would also treat Turot well, and he would often help the boy whenever help was needed. ¡®Is it just because she¡¯s too young that he doesn¡¯t understand?¡¯ There were no computers or mobile phones in the Iyr, so Adam had more time to play with Lanarot without something more fun calling him. Sonarot couldn¡¯t help but smile at Jurot, who was deep in thought about how he wanted to make the spoon. She hadn¡¯t expected Jurot would ever think about something like that. After breakfast, Adam made his way out, making his way to a number of other estates, carrying with him the pack of gifts, his generosity having made quite the dent in the number of gifts he still held. ¡°Who are you?¡± an Oricsh Iyrman asked. ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam said, noting the woman¡¯s tattoos. A red cross with yellow hollow ovals. ¡°You must be a Var.¡± ¡°That is right,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said, smiling down at the Half Elf. ¡°Then you must be the son of Fate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve heard of me.¡± ¡°Are you here to see Okvar?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s around, but I have another matter to deal with.¡± ¡°He is around.¡± The Iyrman guided Adam around to Okvar, who was currently leaning back in his chair, snoozing quietly. As the Iyrman approached, Okvar opened his eyes to stare at them, his gaze then falling onto the Half Elf, recognition taking over the annoyance of being awoken from such a lovely nap. ¡°Morning Okvar, I hope I didn¡¯t bother anything too important.¡± ¡°You did not,¡± the Iyrman said, standing to greet Adam properly. ¡°Have you come to speak with me?¡± ¡°Not particularly,¡± Adam said. ¡°I believe you were enchanting.¡± ¡°That would make sense,¡± Adam said. ¡°She checked up on Lanarot?¡± ¡°A check up for the girl¡¯s health.¡± ¡°Did she say if Lanarot was healthy?¡± ¡°If there is cause for concern, then the girl¡¯s mother would know.¡± ¡°Right, makes sense.¡± ¡°Why have you come?¡± Adam raised his pack, which was much lighter now. ¡°Gifts.¡± Adam handed out the gifts, going through the same hullaballoo as he had. ¡°What is with all the commotion?¡± Lokat asked, returning to the estate as she stared at the children all chattering between one another, arms full of gifts. ¡°Hello,¡± Adam said, smiling at Lokat. ¡°It is you, the Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I had not expected to meet you so soon,¡± Lokat said. ¡°What can I say?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I like to show up into people¡¯s lives like a whirlwind.¡± Adam glanced up towards the sky. ¡°Not quite as predictable as this storm.¡± ¡°It is thanks to the predictability of the storm that we are able to deal with it,¡± Lokat said. Adam wasn¡¯t sure if it was a threat. ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°It is thanks to the predictability of the storm that we are able to place the barriers required so the Iyr does not flood during the stormy weather.¡± Adam stared at her. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, quietly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that.¡± Lokat nodded. ¡°Is there something you required?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have given my gifts and now I shall leave.¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± Lokat asked. ¡°Yeah, I returned from my adventures and wanted to say thanks for the last time.¡± Lokat bowed her head slowly, her thoughts pacing quickly. ¡®Is he trying to earn our favour?¡¯ Adam knew about her relationship with Elder Peace, and so perhaps he was trying to earn their favour to become closer with the Great Elder? ¡®A mistake on his part.¡¯ Adam smiled towards her. ¡°I¡¯ll find out when Jurot is free to tell the tale, so see you.¡± Lokat nodded her head. With that, Adam had finished with all the gifts he had wanted to give out, he returned back to the estate as the rain fell. He remained with the others, speaking with the party, as well as Jonn and Brittany. They were beginning to get used to the Iyr, though they were still astonished by all the people here. ¡®I should probably enchant some when I have a decent Omen,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Otherwise we¡¯ll get sick of talking to each other.¡¯ He played with Lanarot, this time slapping away on a drum as the thunder rumbled. She had found it didn¡¯t taste very good. Jurot blew the dust off of his spoon, staring at it. He had been carving away quietly for hours since Adam and he had last spoken. ¡°Nice spoon,¡± Adam said, noting how the bottom of the spoon had been carved into the shape of a dragon, though it was still smooth. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam is really sus to Lokat, but no one can blame her. Jurot understanding how to become closer with his younger sister. Making spoons. 150. Elder Business 150. Elder Business Omen: 13, 18 ¡®Well, it seems I won¡¯t be able to create a perfect weapon,¡¯ Adam thought. There was no point in delaying the enchantment just for a perfect enchantment. It would be one of the best weapons he would have created to date, and if he gave up some experience for it, it would probably be the best he had made to date. He looked down at the girl beside him, who was snoozing lightly, her small, warm hand, grabbing his tightly. Adam looked back up at the ceiling. Here he was, laying down in a fortress which held secrets he wasn¡¯t privy to, surrounded by tens of thousands of powerful warriors, a short while away from enchanting a sword made of magical gem for a Dragon, with an adorable little sister holding his finger tight. ¡®Man. This is wild.¡¯ Eventually he was allowed to get up as Sonarot allowed the boy to slip free from his sister. Adam made his way to the enchanting shrine where he spent the day working on the enchantment of the shortsword, which he left up to Fate. Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting D20 + 7 = 13 (6) Omen: 13, 18 -> 13 18 + 7 = 25 Snow continued to drop across the land. Three Giants trekked through the snow, but as they made their way to the small Drakken village, the snow around them shifted, awakening a beast which had long slumbered. ¡®Damn, I was kinda hoping for another 20...¡¯ He wondered if he should have left it for another day, using the 18 for another sword? ¡®That would have taken too long.¡¯ [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Oh, Bell. I forgot about you.¡¯ [...] ¡®Sure, I¡¯ll spend 500.¡¯ Shortsword Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing + 1D6 fire damage. You critically hit on a 19 and 20. Can morph between a ring and weapon at your command. [Would you like to name the weapon?] Adam was about to let slip how amazing the weapon was, but remembered that Bell had trolled him not long ago. ¡®Deep Flame Blade.¡¯ Deep Flame Blade Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing + 1D6 fire damage. You critically hit on a 19 and 20. Can morph between a ring and weapon at your command. XP: 5270 -> 5870 Great Enchantment Learnt! XP: 5870 -> 6070 ¡°So it can critical easier?¡± Adam stared at the blade, realising just how powerful that was. ¡°I guess I know what kind of blade I want.¡± If he could increase his chance of critically hitting by double, it meant he could dump more of his Divine Smite each combat happily. Even if he had no other magical abilities, just this sword and the ability to Divine Smite would give him the ability to challenge most creatures. ¡®If I could mass produce this kind of weapon...¡¯ Adam shook the thought from his mind. ¡®Perhaps another time.¡¯ Adam carried Deep Flame Blade back to the Iyr, where he revealed it to Sonarot. ¡°What does it do?¡± she asked, admiring the blade as she held it in her open palms. Lanarot reached for it, but Sonarot quickly pulled it up, causing Lanarot to cough and groan, beginning to screech for it. Sonarot let the girl grab the handle, which was still too big for those tiny hands. ¡°She has quite a few toys, but what about a rattle?¡± Adam said, staring at the girl. ¡°The drums hurt her hands.¡± ¡°A rattle?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, raising his hands to try and shape it. ¡°Stick with a thing at the top with stuff inside. When you shake it, it makes noise.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°A chatter.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adam said. ¡°It may be too noisy,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That¡¯s okay, she should play with things which make music, even if it¡¯s a little noisy.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°She should also play with something she can crawl after,¡± Adam thought. ¡°It would be nice for her to practise crawling whilst playing.¡± ¡°A ball?¡± Jurot said. ¡°A ball, but also a wheel she could crawl after?¡± Adam thought. ¡°A wheel which has a skin over one side so it could be used like a drum? Ah! What about a tambourine?¡± ¡°A tamboreen?¡± ¡°A tambourine,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°It¡¯s sort of like the wheel I described but also has bells inside so you can shake it to jingle and drum along it for it to jingle and boom.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure what it was, not if he could make it. ¡°I would like to see it, this tambourine you mentioned,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I shall make it,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I hope I am not interrupting anything,¡± Elder Zijin said, waving a hand as he entered the estate. ¡°No, Elder Zijin,¡± Jogak replied, nodding towards the Elder. ¡°Would you like to join us for dinner?¡± ¡°You know how I am with spicy food,¡± Zijin said, rubbing his stomach. ¡°I¡¯m not as young as I once was.¡± ¡°You look pretty young to me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m an Elder now, Adam,¡± Zijin said. ¡°In title and in heart.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall doing anything improper in the Iyr recently,¡± Adam joked, rubbing his chin. ¡°Whether you remember or not is irrelevant.¡± Adam stared at him. ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± ¡°I am here to call for your Aunt this day,¡± Zijin said, not replying directly. ¡°My Aunt?¡± ¡°Elder business,¡± Zijin said. ¡®I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 151. Adam In Trouble 151. Adam In Trouble ¡°We are sorry for calling you so late, Sonarot,¡± the Chief said. ¡°It is always my pleasure to be called by the Chief and Great Elders,¡± Sonarot said, noting that Elder Peace and Elder Gold who sat beside him. ¡°We waited until after you had finished eating to call for you, so I hope that it is not a bother,¡± the Chief said. ¡°It is no bother,¡± Sonarot said, taking a seat opposite the three of them. ¡°How may I assist you?¡± ¡°We had heard news some time ago that Adam spoke our tongue,¡± the Chief said. ¡°He is fluent in our tongue,¡± Sonarot said, confirming the Chief¡¯s thoughts. She understood why he was asking, since Adam learning the language in such a short time to such fluency was something which no doubt alarmed them, especially due to the process of learning the language. ¡°We were not informed that he was learning the language,¡± the Chief said, staring at the woman. ¡°I did not know.¡± ¡°So he learnt on the road?¡± the Chief mused, staring at the woman. ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°You did not ask?¡± ¡°I trust my son and my nieces,¡± Sonarot replied, firmly. ¡°If they wished to teach Adam their tongue, then it was their decision to make.¡± ¡°It was not their decision to make,¡± Elder Peace said, firmly. ¡°To teach our language to someone who was an outsider not months ago, it is not done.¡± ¡°It may have been that they had no choice but to teach him on the road due to an unforeseen situation,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He is no longer an outsider, either.¡± ¡°They have not informed us of the matter yet,¡± the Chief said, his voice disapproving. ¡°Even if he is your Nephew, and that Jurot is his brother, there are steps to take.¡± ¡°I cannot tell you why they taught him the language, that is something only known to them.¡± The Great Elders wondered what had possessed them to teach him their language. Was he a bad influence on them? Did he pressure them? ¡°Shall I call them?¡± Sonarot asked. The Chief threw a look to Great Elder Peace, who nodded her head. Technically this was under the Chief¡¯s and Great Elder Teacher¡¯s domain, but Great Elder Peace was one of the wisest Iyrmen. She nodded. ¡°You know, Elder Zijin, I can¡¯t help but feel this is about me,¡± Adam said, staring at the Elder as he appeared for the second time that evening. ¡°Elder business,¡± the Elder said. ¡°Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak are being called.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even do anything,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°That is yet to be confirmed,¡± Elder Zijin said. Jaygak bit her lower lip, unsure of what she had done to be called in front of the Great Elders. She had kept her pranks tolerable, though she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was because she swapped out the chilli peppers used in dinner. ¡®No, they wouldn¡¯t call me out for just that,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Was it because I tossed Raygak into the river earlier?¡¯ Kitool elbowed the woman to stop her from thinking. ¡°We will be informed of why we were called once we arrive.¡± Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair as she sat on his lap, sucking on a cube. ¡°Will Aunt Sonarot return?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Elder Zijin promised, bowing his head. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, frowning as the four left. Jaygak stood awkwardly in front of the Great Elders and the Chief. She was slightly relieved to see Sonarot¡¯s smile, meaning that the situation wouldn¡¯t be too serious. ¡°Do you know why we have called for you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot admitted, taking the lead for the others, as he was the oldest. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should have told you.¡± ¡°When did you learn it?¡± ¡°I think I learnt it before I fought Amokan and Timojin.¡± The Chief raised his brows in surprise, and so did Sonarot. ¡°That long ago?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The Chief sighed. ¡°Your secrets are too heavy to keep.¡± ¡°If you feel that the Great Elders should know, then I¡¯ll leave that matter to you.¡± ¡°I will not tell them until you give me explicit permission, or if it is important to reveal your history to protect you.¡± ¡°I appreciate that, Chief,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I trust you Iyrmen wholeheartedly, even if that trust is not returned.¡± The Chief bowed his head. ¡°I apologise for taking your time this evening.¡± He approached Lanarot and brushed her hair, rubbing the top of her head. She squirmed under his touch and complained with a squeal as she hid against Adam¡¯s chest harder. ¡°Why are you hiding, you silly girl?¡± Adam said, picking her up. ¡°It¡¯s the Chief.¡± ¡°You really are her brother,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, pulling Lanarot back, pressing their cheeks together. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the resemblance?¡± ¡°I can tell she will be as troublesome as you in the future,¡± the Chief said. ¡°I thought Iyrmen didn¡¯t lie?¡± The Chief smiled. ¡°It is a gut feeling.¡± ¡°How dare you condemn my little sister,¡± Adam said, hugging the girl and swaying from side to side. ¡°If the Chief bullies you, Lanarot, you let me know.¡± ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give her the chance to bully you back, of course,¡± Adam said. Jurot clenched his jaw, barely able to contain his laugh. Adam¡¯s audacity didn¡¯t fail to surprise him. ¡°I am sure you will,¡± the Chief said. ¡°I will leave you to your evening.¡± ¡°Bye Chief,¡± Adam said, holding up Lanarot¡¯s hand, waving at him as he left. When the Chief finally returned to the Great Elders, they waited for his explanation. ¡°So?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°Are you going to tell us that it is just as expected?¡± The Chief sighed. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why does he have so many secrets?¡± Elder Gold grumbled. ¡°Perhaps he is more of an Iyrman than we thought?¡± the Chief said. ¡°Do not joke so eagerly, Chief.¡± The Chief closed his eyes, thinking about how close the boy was with his sister. ¡°No,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°He is certainly more of an Iyrman than we thought.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The Iyrmen quickly realising just how much of a threat he really is. Good job, Lanarot, protecting your older brother. 152. A Mother’s Request 152. A Mother¡¯s Request Omen: 14, 20 ¡®You have got to be kidding me,¡¯ Adam thought, squinting his eyes up at the ceiling. ¡°Are you feeling unlucky?¡± Sonarot whispered, seeing the sour look on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°No,¡± Adam whispered in return. ¡°I am very lucky today.¡± Sonarot stared at the Half Elf, whose eyes were glued to the ceiling. Adam played with the children in the morning as part of his exercise, before heading to the river to bathe. ¡°Why do you look so upset?¡± Dunes asked, noting Adam¡¯s mood. ¡°I almost created a perfect magical weapon,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yesterday I awoke feeling quite lucky, but today I had the perfect luck, and the weapon I made could have been the best I¡¯ve made to date.¡± ¡°Better than Lightsear?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. Dunes and Jonn threw each other a glance. They knew when Adam joked, and it appeared that he wasn¡¯t joking at the moment. ¡°Truly?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What a terrifying thought.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It would save our lives.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a gift for your friend?¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°It is. It would have been the best gift ever if I had just waited one more day.¡± ¡°How do you know that it would have been so great?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°I had the greatest luck today,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but just know that instead of sixty points, I managed to create something using fifty eight points.¡± ¡°That is quite exact,¡± Dunes said. Adam smiled. Citool was the one to cook breakfast that day, which consisted of fish and vegetables which had been grilled. Sonarot was feeding her daughter some mashed fruit nearby. ¡°Is this what you expected when you left your village?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Brittany admitted. ¡°I thought we¡¯d go out hunting bears and wolves, and we¡¯ll be going from town to town.¡± ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± Brittany said up straighter. ¡°No, definitely not.¡± She glanced around the Iyrmen, who were in their own conversations as they ate. ¡°I am very fortunate to be allowed to come into the Iyr. I never would have imagined I¡¯d be able to walk past those gates.¡± ¡°You are quite lucky to have met me,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°It was Fate.¡± Brittany threw an awkward look at Adam, wondering if he was trying to make a move on her. Adam was smiling to himself, eating his food happily. ¡°Have you met Brandon¡¯s descendants yet?¡± ¡°Not yet. I feel as though it would be rude to ask so soon.¡± Dunes sipped some wine. ¡°Rude? It was the main reason why you wanted to come to the Iyr. Since you¡¯ve been helping out, I¡¯m sure the Iyrmen would be willing to allow you to meet them. Is anyone more eager than you to hear their stories?¡± Dunes couldn¡¯t help but admit Adam had a point. ¡°You cannot tell Adam.¡± ¡°He is our leader,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It is expected of us to tell him if we are leaving.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°However, it is for the best. He cannot know.¡± She reached up to brush Jurot¡¯s cheek. ¡°Just a few simple requests. You cannot die.¡± Jurot felt his mother¡¯s hand on his cheek, and he nodded his head. ¡°Yes, mother.¡± ¡°You must also leave, Jonn, Brittany. You must all be able to forge your own path as you please, and Adam his own without you.¡± ¡°If Kitool leaves, then I should leave with her,¡± Brittany said. Jonn had no reason to leave, since he was the one who wanted to remain to see what Adam was like. However, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to decline the words of his host, especially considering it seemed this was important to her. ¡°You must return alive, or he may never lose that fear which is set deep within his heart,¡± the woman said. The group glanced between another. They understood Adam was their leader, but this woman was also someone very close to him. She outranked him, didn¡¯t she? Lanarot clapped her hands together and giggled wildly, reaching up for her mother¡¯s collar, gripping it tight. They wondered if Lanarot also outranked their leader. Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 19 (12) Omen: 14, 20 -> 14 20 + 7 = 27 Many miles away, a young man, adorned in chain mail, a spear in hand, marched up the top of a hill to look across the fields. He smiled, eyes full of hope, before he noted the large creature ahead, the body of a feline, with the head and wings of a bird. He quickly dropped down, rolling into a bush, his heart pounding hard in his chest as he waited. ¡°What a great start,¡± Adam said, wiping his brow as he sat down across the fire, dinner already having been served. ¡°Which weapon are you enchanting?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°A greatsword,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not an axe?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Elder Zijin offered it.¡± ¡°Of course he did,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°He said it was because there were too many greatswords in the Iyr, or something.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what he said,¡± Jaygak said, smirking slightly. Elder Zijin bit into the leg of a boar and narrowed his eyes, feeling something tingle in the back of his head. ¡®Adam or Jaygak?¡¯ ¡°What is wrong?¡± another Iyrman asked. ¡°I think Adam and Jaygak are getting into trouble,¡± he said. ¡°Adam?¡± one of the girls from nearby asked. ¡°He gave us the Dragon scales?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin said. ¡°He is nice,¡± the child said, with the other children nodding their heads. Zijin made a note to inform Elder Teacher about Adam¡¯s effects on the children. ¡°It must be sister Jaygak,¡± the child said, confidently. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wtf Sonarot. Adam having bribed his way into the hearts of the children. CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m 153. For You 153. For You Omen: 12, 15 Adam remained deep in thought as he stared at the ceiling. For once, his finger was not under Lanarot¡¯s whims. Instead, somehow, the girl had managed to climb on top of his chest. ¡®Well, shit.¡¯ He remained under the girl, his chest causing her to rise and fall slowly on top of him. ¡®There¡¯s no point in making the best weapon ever,¡¯ he thought. He had rolled quite well yesterday, and today was fairly decent too. As long as his totals were above 20, he was confident he¡¯d made a decent magical weapon which would sell well. Adam remained trapped until Lanarot soiled herself, crying and squirming, before her mother took her away to change and clean her. Adam stared at the ceiling as he remained alone in the house. ¡°I know I¡¯m your favourite brother, but how could you poop on me?¡± As he stepped out, he saw Citool preparing the ingredients for their breakfast. ¡°Do you need any help?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not need any help,¡± Citool said, but she noted Adam¡¯s lost look. ¡°If you wish to help me, it would be appreciated.¡± Adam assisted her in cooking, cutting the vegetables to grill. He recalled their tastes and textures, familiar tastes, familiar textures, but foreign combinations. He had been slowly adding to his recipe book, and helping Citool cook was helping him remember certain foods he missed from home. Soon they were all eating, though Adam was deep in thought about what he could do in the future. He had quite a bit of money, though he still needed to enchant another weapon for Entalia, he wasn¡¯t sure what he should do in the future. ¡®It¡¯s still Duskval, so I could go out and quest, or I could keep enchanting weapons. With all that money, I could do so many things, but what should I do?¡¯ He glanced over to Brittany. ¡®Right, I need to bring Nobby too. Should I invest in his university fees?¡¯ Adam chuckled at his own joke. Brittany glanced away from him, unsure as to why he was chuckling as he stared at her. ¡®Should I be glad that we¡¯re leaving?¡¯ Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 24 (17) The rain and thunder kept Adam company as he enchanted the greatsword which had been handed to him. It was such a beautiful blade, and the wavy pattern glowed slightly due to all the runes which had stuck to them. He returned back to the estate in the evening, eager to eat food. This evening meal was a platter of mixed vegetables, fruit, and some more fish. ¡°Where are Jurot and the others?¡± Adam asked. Jurot didn¡¯t usually miss the evening meal, and seeing that the others hadn¡¯t come back, which wasn¡¯t something he had seen before. ¡°They are gone,¡± Sonarot said, placing down a small pea for her daughter, who picked it up and put it into her mouth, swallowing it. ¡°Gone?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Where have they gone?¡± ¡°To quest.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam blinked rapidly. ¡°They¡¯ve gone to quest? Adventure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When? Why?¡± Adam hadn¡¯t expected to hear that they had gone. Gone. Without him. ¡°They left earlier in the day,¡± Sonarot said, frowning slightly. She had sent Jurot away just when he had become closer with his little sister, but she trusted Adam to assist in building their relationship. ¡°They will complete a few quests before returning.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise they were leaving.¡± ¡°I had sent them away. They will return before Nightval.¡± ¡°You sent them away?¡± Adam asked, staring at the woman. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask me to leave?¡± ¡°You are needed here, Adam.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°For me.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± He played with the children in the morning, before returning for breakfast, which was porridge and fruit. ¡°This reminds me of home,¡± Adam said, tasting the plain porridge, though he cut up some of the fruit into it. ¡°You ate porridge?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Sometimes. Usually it would be toast with eggs, or scrambled eggs with a protein shake if I was feeling like a good boy.¡± ¡°A good boy?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°So Brittany and Jonn left too? I didn¡¯t expect they would be gone either, though I should have noticed yesterday.¡± ¡°They have left,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It would be good for Brittany to train in the field as well.¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Adam replied, before finishing his meal. He had nothing to do. ¡°Oo!¡± Lanarot called, stacking a cube on another. Adam decided he may as well take the day off and worry about nothing. ¡®I guess this is what Sonarot wanted too.¡¯ Lanarot crawled around, exploring the house as she always did, before she returned back to the pillows and she climbed over them repeatedly. ¡°You know, Lanarot,¡± Adam said, causing the girl to look over at him. ¡°This life feels so different.¡± He reached up to tickle her hair, causing her to squeal and crawl away from him. ¡°I¡¯m glad Jurot is alive so that you have two big brothers who will look after you, but I can¡¯t help but think of the other you. You have two brothers, and she has none.¡± Adam watched as Lanarot crawled around, before she crawled over to him to crawl across his lap. He picked her up and stared up into her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not keeping my promise last time.¡± Lanarot clapped her hands together and giggled wildly, squirming in his hands, kicking out her feet. He let her down before laying on his back, covering his face with his arm. He couldn¡¯t help but feel so guilty. He had been the reason Jurot had died in his first life, and he had tried to raise the girl well, only to end up dying for a God, the same God who had taken away his life to save his sister. Lanarot crawled on top of him and stared down at his hidden face, reaching to grab his arm to move it. He raised it up, staring at the ceiling. ¡®I hope you two are safe.¡¯ Lanarot looked up towards the hand and then to the ceiling, rolling over to look up at it. She reached up towards it too. ¡°Oo?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°This time I¡¯m going to make sure you live the best life.¡± He brushed her soft wispy hair and leaned down to kiss her forehead. She giggled and stopped as she let out a toot, staring up at Adam in shock, before laughing again. ¡°Seriously? When we¡¯re having a moment?¡± He picked up her and coughed, looking away from her for some fresh air. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m saving up for the next level.¡± The next level was the most important level. It would provide him with 3rd Gate spells and two attacks per round. Once he had managed to become an Expert, as they called it, he would be able to feel safe. ¡®Safe?¡¯ Adam thought about the Knight of Death, the King¡¯s Sword, and Sir Robert, the Mountain, who would have cut him down if it wasn¡¯t for the Iyrmen at his side. ¡°I need to be stronger...¡± Lanarot stared up at him. ¡°Oo?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Adam asked, pulling her in close for a hug, kissing her forehead. ¡°Of course it¡¯s for you.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I was wondering why I was getting so many views recently and I found out Beyond Chaos is 12th on Trending! Thank you to everyone! Guess there''s more double chapters... I''m going to die with all these double chaps. 154. Giant Slayer 154. Giant SlayerOmen: 10, 18 ¡°Are you feeling lucky?¡± Sonarot asked, seeing the way Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah, I feel pretty lucky,¡± Adam admitted, rubbing his eyes. He had awoken a little later than usual for some reason. ¡°This weapon is going to turn out great.¡± She smiled. ¡°Since Jurot is gone, perhaps I should wield it?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°Using a greatsword? Aren¡¯t you the Head of the Rot family?¡± He tutted. ¡°You will not allow me to wield it?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°You are hard to joke around with, Aunt.¡± ¡°It is much easier to make fun of you than it is to make fun of me,¡± Sonarot noted. ¡°True.¡± Adam got up and stretched. ¡°But first, I need to do that thing,¡± he said, seriously. Adam sighed, feeling the cool water flow over his body. It felt awkward bathing in the stream without the others, but he kept to himself as he washed up, using the hard soap of the Iyr. ¡®I really do need other friends,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Don¡¯t I?¡¯ He pushed away his thoughts when he had gone to the shrine to enchant. ¡°You work too hard,¡± the Iyrman who had been assigned to him that day said. Adam raised his brows in shock. This was the Iyrman who had been with him for the most recent enchants, and usually kept some ways away to give Adam some personal space and freedom. He was an Orc, though he wore light clothing and carried with him a dagger at his side, but Adam noted just how lean the Iyrman was. He was one of the few who wasn¡¯t built with muscle, and though he was lean, he wasn¡¯t an athletic lean either. ¡°I¡¯m sure it must be boring for you to keep a watch on me,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is my duty this morning.¡± ¡°Well, I appreciate that you¡¯ve been keeping an eye out for me,¡± Adam said. The Iyrman nodded. ¡°It is my duty.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I feel like we know each other after hanging out so much.¡± ¡°Fawyx,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said. ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I know who you are.¡± ¡°Heard about me, have you?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Who has not? Will you not become Unrivalled Under The Heavens?¡± Adam winced, cringing as he heard the title. ¡°Right.¡± He clutched at his heart. ¡®I forgot how cringe I was.¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Fawyx asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Adam decided against speaking with him any further, not wanting to embarrass himself. Instead he focused on enchanting. Mana: 10 -> 8Enchanting CheckD20 + 7 = 14 (7)Omen: 10, 18 -> 1018 + 7 = 25 The young boy with dirty hair dropped down, staring down at the bread which had fallen into the ground. As he reached for it, another child stamped on his hand, pinning it to the ground, as another grabbed the dirty bread and fled with it. He couldn¡¯t even curse his poor luck, as it was just another day for him. How he had fallen. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®500, please.¡¯ GreatswordRequires AttunementYou gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.Deals 2D6 slashing damage.Deals an additional 1D6 slashing damage against creatures larger than the user. [Would you like to name the weapon?] Adam whistled, staring at how amazing the enchantment was. ¡°I dub thee, Giantslayer.¡± GiantslayerRequires AttunementYou gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon.Deals 2D6 slashing damage.Deals an additional 1D6 slashing damage against creatures larger than the user. XP: 6070 -> 6570Great Enchantment Learnt!XP: 6570 -> 6770 Adam wiped his brow, stepping into the rain to refresh himself after a hard day¡¯s work. He swiftly returned back to the estate, holding the weapon in his hands, glancing around for Jurot, only to remember he was gone. ¡°I see you have finished,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I have,¡± Adam said, handing out to Sonarot. ¡°It¡¯s not as good as my previous sword, but it¡¯ll do.¡± Sonarot took the weapon, feeling its great magical might. ¡°You will need to meditate with it,¡± Adam informed. She bowed her head and left, causing Lanarot to squirm and cry, Adam picked her up. ¡°Your mama is a little busy, but why don¡¯t we play together?¡± Adam asked, gently bouncing the girl against himself, before she wrapped an arm around his neck, rested her head against his chest, and stuck her thumb into her mouth. He rubbed a hand down her back, causing her to fall asleep in his arms as Citool cooked, fish and mixed vegetables again, though this time it was a soup and there was bread on offer. ¡°It is quite a powerful weapon,¡± Sonarot said, having swung it around, before bringing the handle to the awakened Lanarot, letting her suck against the leather strap. Shikan stared at the blade, wondering how powerful it was. Sonarot held it out to him, but the man looked to Adam. ¡°If you could tell me your opinions on the blade, I¡¯d appreciate it,¡± Adam said, allowing Shikan to meditate with the blade. ¡°It will sell well in the Iyr,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Such a great weapon follows the ethos of we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ll be making a lot of money?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his chin. His lips formed into a hyena¡¯s smile. ¡°I needed more gems, so that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I have heard that you have completed the enchantment,¡± Elder Zijin said, marching into the courtyard. ¡°Yeah, currently, Shi-¡° Adam stopped, wondering if he was allowed to call people by their names. Aunt Sonarot was obviously Aunt, due to the fact he was a Nephew, and Elder Zijin was an Elder, so of course there was the title he needed to refer to. ¡°Shikan is currently meditating with the blade,¡± Sonarot said, feeding her daughter some mushy fruit. ¡°Should I have not been the first to play with it?¡± Elder Zijin asked, frowning towards the Half Elf. ¡°Why?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Did you not come to me for a weapon?¡± ¡°I came to an Elder for help to make a weapon for the Iyr, that¡¯s correct,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, isn¡¯t it obvious I¡¯m going to let my Aunt play with the sword first?¡± ¡°That is fine, but what of Shikan?¡± Elder Zijin asked. ¡°Aunt offered the blade to him, and I wasn¡¯t going to deny it,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hear the Kan family is one of the greatest in terms of producing Chiefs.¡± Elder Zijin narrowed his eyes. ¡°It is soon that my nephew will become a Chief.¡± Shikan remained meditating with the blade, though he was in half a mind to tell the Elder off. ¡°To think an Elder of the Iyr would be so partial to one family than the other,¡± Adam said. ¡°It seems Jaygak was right, that you are someone who puts his own family above others even though you are meant to be impartial.¡± ¡°She said that?¡± Elder Zijin growled, clenching her fist. ¡°I cannot wait for her to return!¡± ¡°When did my daughter say that?¡± Jogak asked. ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t quite say it in those words,¡± Adam said, smirking slightly. ¡°Though she did elude to it.¡± ¡°I can believe that,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°If you want to play with the weapon, you can wait. Why don¡¯t you join us to eat? This time it was Citool who made the food.¡± ¡°Since you have offered,¡± Elder Zijin said, dropping down to eat the food with them. ¡°What kind of enchantment did you place on the weapon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spoil it for yourself,¡± Adam said, smirking at the Elder. ¡°You are so troublesome.¡± ¡°Right? Isn¡¯t it fun?¡± Elder Zijin grinned. Eventually, Shikan was swinging the blade, it cutting through the air hard enough to create a sharp sound, enough to cause Lanarot to twitch and look towards him. ¡°This is an amazing blade,¡± Shikan said, causing Zijin¡¯s ears to twitch. If Shikan thought it was decent, then it must be true. ¡°What does it do?¡± Zijin asked, glancing towards the Half Elf. Adam raised his brows. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to spoil the surprise?¡± ¡°It is a blade which cuts deeper against larger foes,¡± Sonarot said. She smiled as Adam teased the Elder, but it was a good idea not to tease him too much considering his position. ¡°Oh?¡± Zijin said, bringing out a small gem. ¡°I will see what it does.¡± ¡°Is that an Identify gem?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Zijin crushed the gem once he was touching the blade, and remained with it for some time. ¡°Youngsters these days, always in a rush,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Lanarot?¡± Lanarot sucked on her hand, which had some of the mushy fruit all over it. ¡°Aa?¡± ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. Jogak could see why Jaygak got along with the Half Elf. ¡®To think that there would be another one like Jaygak around here.¡¯ ¡°This will sell well in the Iyr,¡± the Elder said. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°I will place it for auction if you are willing to wait,¡± the Elder said. "Could I get some more gems in the mean time?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have a few more weapons I want to enchant, but I need a few more gems for them.¡± ¡°I can hand over gems worth a thousand gold since that would be the minimum for this weapon,¡± Zijin offered. ¡°Great!¡± ¡°It seems there will be a bidding war,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°A weapon like this will be popular.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how much it will go for?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Five thousand or so?¡± Sonarot said. Elder Zijin nodded, estimating about the same. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to enchant Dunes¡¯ blade well then. Though, should I start on my own axe?¡± ¡°Which enchantments will you place on your axe?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°The typical bonus, maybe some extra damage? I want it to be able to exploit vulnerabilities easier, like that shortsword I made, and then being able to deal more damage once per day or so.¡± ¡°Since you can bend Fate, you could create a blade with a greater bonus,¡± Sonarot offered. ¡°Such a blade usually requires five thousand gold¡¯s worth of gems.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How much would that be worth if I were to sell it off?¡± ¡°A greater bonus by itself is worth three to five thousand, but with the enchantments you are aiming for, twenty thousand or so?¡± Adam whistled. ¡°That¡¯s worth a lot.¡± ¡°Not as much as your life,¡± Sonarot said, patting his head. ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, blushing like Jurot. Adam just kicking it in the Iyr. Due to all the double chapters, you''re going to read some cool stuff soonish. Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com 155. A Storm of Jokes 155. A Storm of Jokes Omen: 9, 11 ¡°What do you call a blind deer?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot stared up at him, blinking at her brother. ¡°No eye deer!¡± Adam laughed. Lanarot began to laugh after him, clapping her hands together. Adam wiped a tear. ¡°Okay, okay. Ready for this next one?¡± ¡°Oo?¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use a honeycomb!¡± Adam laughed, slapping his knee. Lanarot followed after, laughing and clapping as she listened to his jokes. ¡°Okay, wait, wait. This next one is better. Why is Peter Pan always flying?¡± Lanarot smiled up at him expectantly. ¡°Because he neverlands.¡± Lanarot continued to stare up at him. ¡°Oh, right. You wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± Adam shook his head. Lanarot crawled on top of him, and Adam helped her stand on his thighs. ¡°One day I¡¯ll tell you all kinds of stories from my home. That way you¡¯ll get all my terrible jokes.¡± Lanarot started bouncing on top of him as she clutched his shirt, smiling and giggling as she played with Adam. ¡°Good morning, Adam.¡± Citool said as Adam walked out, Lanarot strapped around his chest as she looked out to the world. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam replied, noting that she was cooking again today. She was making some porridge, with a wide variety of fruits all around. ¡°Should I cut up the fruit?¡± ¡°Please,¡± Citool replied. Adam let Lanarot down, placing a few blocks on the ground for her. ¡°Stay here, okay?¡± Lanarot crawled after him. ¡°No. Stay here and play with the blocks.¡± Adam tossed a block passed her, causing her to turn and crawl after it. Adam assisted Citool with making the breakfast. ¡°The two pups still need to be looked after,¡± Citool said. ¡°Would you be willing to take care of them while they are gone?¡± ¡°First they steal the pups, and then they abandon them,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I should steal them away.¡± Citool threw Adam a quick look, but returned back to cooking the oatmeal. The children eventually returned, having bathed and changed after their morning play, and sat down for the food. They each reached for their favourite food to drop into their porridge, though Taygak sprinkled some nuts into hers instead. Adam held up the two pups and fed them some meat. ¡°Hey. Don¡¯t forget me, okay? Remember how those two went to go out and have fun without us, okay?¡± The Direwolf pups yipped and nibbled on the meat. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Adam then went to feed Lanarot, feeding her a mixture of the porridge and mushy fruit. ¡°You too. Don¡¯t forget how Jurot went to have fun without us. I¡¯m the one who is feeding you, so I better be your favourite brother.¡± Adam felt that her bottom was quite warm against his thigh. ¡°I¡¯m feeding you, but I¡¯m not going to do that.¡± He handed her off to Citool, who went to change the girl. ¡°You will not change her?¡± Citool asked as she undid the girl¡¯s nappy. Adam played with the Direwolf pups. ¡°No. It¡¯s weird if I do it.¡± Snow blanketed the land around them. An Iyrman, dressed in heavy furs, brought his maul down against the large Icewurm¡¯s head, nearly crushing it, as the other, an Iyrman adorned in plate mail, brought her own mace against the creature¡¯s side, the gem head of the mace almost piercing through its thick hide. Beside the Iyrmen were four others, each of whom were panting harshly, trying to survive the onslaught of the Icewurm, which had nearly eaten their Dwarf whole. However, as the Icewurm fell upon the group again, a greatsword cut through it, as a Giant appeared. He wore chain mail, painted blue and purple. His beard was thick, covered with all kinds of trinkets, and his greatsword pulled out of the dying Icewurm. His eyes fell down onto the group, noting the two Deathsingers, and the group of four. Two more Giants appeared, both who were equally as imposing as the first, glaring down at the trespassers. Thunder rumbled in the Iyr, and Adam looked up towards the sky. ¡°Seems like the storm isn¡¯t going to end any time soon...¡± ¡°An ill omen,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said. ¡°Why did you have to jinx it, Fawyx?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Now it¡¯s definitely something bad.¡± ¡°The Great Elders will deal with the storm,¡± Fawyx said. ¡°Come, we should return.¡± Adam felt there was something in Fawyx¡¯s voice, and quickly returned with him back to the estate. As he did, he noted groups of Iyrmen rushing around the Iyr, moving about their business. He noted how empty it was, though as he approached the Rot family house, Sonarot opened the door for him. ¡°Quickly,¡± she said, pulling him in by his hand. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is a Longstorm,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It is a once in a century event.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is it that predictable?¡± ¡°It was,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Then we should be alright, right?¡± ¡°It is a once in a century event, but it had already passed twenty years ago,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a once in a century event,¡± Adam said. Sonarot nodded. ¡°We will have to leave the matter with the Great Elders and the Chief.¡± ¡°Do you know what this event really is?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have heard rumours,¡± Sonarot admitted. ¡°They say it is a legendary creature who brings forth storms.¡± ¡°That sounds cool,¡± Adam said. ¡°We have many deals with many Guardians,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Are you sure you should be telling me this?¡± ¡°It is but a rumour.¡± ¡°I meant the Guardian thing.¡± ¡°You already know of it,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Have you forgotten who it was that assisted in brokering a Guardian for the Iyr?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Adam said. ¡°I did?¡± ¡°Big Ivory,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, him. I forgot all about him. I wonder how he¡¯s doing.¡± Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled almost instantly after. Sonarot quickly shut the windows. Adam glanced up towards her. ¡°There are things we can see, and there are things we should see.¡± Adam picked up his sister, who was grumbling and pouting, near crying. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am here.¡± He kissed her forehead. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I had so much fun writing those jokes, you have no eye deer. 156. Dunes’ Sword 156. Dunes¡¯ Sword Omen: 8, 20 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the numbers. With this, he only needed one more 20 and he¡¯d create the greatest weapon to date. ¡®I should become the world¡¯s greatest Enchanter.¡¯ Lanarot drooled on his chest, reminding him of his place. ¡°You must be feeling lucky today,¡± Sonarot said, feeding her daughter. ¡°Very,¡± Adam replied, currently in a plank to stretch out his back. ¡°I just need this much luck for another day and I¡¯ll make a sword which will shock everyone.¡± ¡°Will you enchant it so that lightning flows out of it?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°No, not that kind of shocking.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Good luck in enchanting today,¡± Sonarot said, seeing him off. ¡°I don¡¯t need it, I have all the luck I need!¡± Adam laughed. Today he was followed by a different Iyrman, a familiar face he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Okvar?¡± ¡°It is good to see you this morning, Adam,¡± Okvar said. ¡°The children hope you will return soon to speak of other tales.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have Jurot...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°I forgot that traitor has gone.¡± Okvar¡¯s eyes flashed wide. ¡°Traitor?¡± ¡°He... he left me all alone to adventure by himself!¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°I see...¡± Okvar realised quickly Adam didn¡¯t mean anything by it, though it had taken him by surprise. ¡®Surprised? By Adam?¡¯ He shook his head. ¡°I still need to tell the others about the story too,¡± Adam thought. ¡°The Kat family and the others.¡± ¡°I am sure they will enjoy the tale. To slay two Dragons, even if you are unable to perform the tale, the children will enjoy it all the same.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°So. How come you¡¯re here with me today?¡± ¡°To look after you.¡± ¡°I know that much, but why?¡± ¡°I have been asked to.¡± ¡°Does it have anything to do with last night?¡± Okvar raised his brows. ¡°There are things you should and should not ask.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said, waving his hand. ¡°You Iyrmen are so secretive.¡± ¡°Do you not have your own secrets?¡± ¡°Fair play,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. Once he was at the shrine, he stretched his body again, before beginning the enchanting process. Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 27 (20) ¡°No way,¡± Adam whispered, wiping his brow as he enchanted the blade. He stared at it, seeing the way the Jagite sparkled. ¡®I can¡¯t possibly enchant again, can I?¡¯ ¡°What is the matter?¡± Okvar asked, raising his eyes from his book. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep enchanting,¡± Adam said. ¡°You have enchanted enough, have you not?¡± ¡°Okvar. This weapon will be the greatest weapon I¡¯ve ever made.¡± ¡°Greater than Lightsear?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Okvar stared at the Half Elf. ¡°I will watch you, Adam.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Mana: 8 -> 4 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 16 (9) Omen: 8, 20 -> 8 20 + 7 = 27 The figure landed on the ground, having falling from the clouds. ¡°Oh dear,¡± he said, noting the ten Wyverns flying towards him, the Drakken warriors with their long spears, ready to skewer him. ¡°Who says I¡¯m seeking death?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Death seeks me.¡± Zijin sighed. ¡°If you are able to joke so eagerly, then it must mean you are well.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve come to visit me, I assume it¡¯s about the magical weapon,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have come to visit you in order to see if you are well,¡± Zijin said. ¡°It is my role as Elder.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it also your role as Elder to check the magical weapon?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. Zijin smiled wide. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Once Aunt is done playing with it, then you can play with it.¡± Zijin looked to Sonarot. ¡°After I have fed my Lana.¡± Lanarot held Adam¡¯s fingers as she stood on his thighs, staring up at him with a large smile on her face. She cooed and babbled at him, having missed playing with him the day before, so she bothered him as much as she should. Her tiny hands were hot, as they always were, with a vice like grip as she held onto his fingers. ¡°This weapon is powerful,¡± Sonarot said, having attuned to check it out. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I understand why you were so excited to enchant it.¡± Sonarot stared at the blade in her hands, which had the best enchantment of any weapons in its class. ¡®What a terrifying power you hold, Adam.¡¯ Zijin stared at the blade covetingly, wondering when he¡¯d be able to play with it. Lanarot snoozed over his shoulder, resting her head against it, still standing, though most of the weight was held by Adam¡¯s arm. ¡°You were not kidding,¡± Zijin said, having finished with playing with it. After having used it, he realised just how dangerous Adam was. ¡®He created this in two days?¡¯ He wondered how long their best smiths required to make such a blade. Adam¡¯s arm felt hot as he stared down at the girl. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this.¡± Lanarot squirmed uncomfortably and began to cry, before her mother took her away. Zijin remained with Adam, alone in the estate¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Are you truly a friend of the Iyr?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Do you really have to ask that after Lanarot took a dump on me?¡± ¡°You should be grateful, for one day they will no longer soil themselves in your arms, and they will be out exploring the land, making a name for themselves.¡± ¡°You talk like you¡¯re an old man, Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°Are you avoiding the question on purpose?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Whether or not I answer it, you¡¯ll have to see from my actions, right?¡± Zijin nodded. ¡°The Iyr will pay a high price for the blade.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame I¡¯m not selling it.¡± ¡°You are not?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s Dunes¡¯ Sword.¡± ¡°The War Priest?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You are gifting it to him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zijin stared at him long and hard. ¡°You are equally as suspicious as you are not.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°What kind of a man gifts such a great weapon to someone they have only met for months?¡± ¡°Iyrmen do,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin said, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Iyrmen do.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! What a great weapon. Dunes is a lucky guy. If he comes back alive. It''s a shame Adam will never be able to use it... Also thanks for the review! I guess I''m still posting up double chaps for a bit. 157. Hard Work 157. Hard Work Omen: 2, 5 "Are you feeling unlucky today?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°A little,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Then come work with me today.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You cannot?¡± ¡°If I work with you... who will nap with Lanarot?¡± Adam asked, staring into Shikan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Adam,¡± Sonarot called. ¡°It was just a joke,¡± Adam said, quickly. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Adam had trained alone in the morning, though the children had joined him halfway through to run around and stretch. He had been feeling lonely without any other friends around his age, and he had been resting up well since he had been sick. Sonarot exchanged a look with Shikan. She was going to tell Adam to keep resting, and was wondering what Shikan was up to. Shikan led Adam around to a warehouse, where there were already several Iyrmen working. ¡°We will carry these bags to the estates which require them.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Adam replied, simply. They each packed the bags of grains into a large pack which strapped around the entire front and back, and kept the weight around his waist. There were also large racks which some Iyrmen carried in a farmer¡¯s carry, which Adam felt would be far more difficult than what he was doing. Until he had been given a small rack to farmer¡¯s carry as well as the large pack strapped around him. ¡°Are you trying to kill me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°From what I have seen, this will be easy for you,¡± Shikan replied simply. Adam lifted it up, and considering his great Strength Attribute, he was barely able to carry it, though he was slowed. He followed Shikan to an estate, one he didn¡¯t recognise. As he entered, he noted that the estate was full of Devilkin, though there were a handful of Orcs. ¡°An Elf?¡± a young teen said, staring at Adam. ¡°An Elf!¡± a child gasped, pointing at Adam. ¡°Don¡¯t you know pointing is rude?¡± Adam said, staring down at the Devilkin. ¡°No,¡± the young boy said, still pointing at him. ¡°We have come with your nightfood,¡± Shikan said. A woman appeared, a Devilkin who wore a glare across her face as though it was a faux leather jacket. ¡°Thank you,¡± the woman said, checking on the package. She spent much more time examining the food Adam had brought, before signing a slip in Shikan¡¯s hand. ¡°It isn¡¯t rocket science,¡± Adam said, frowning at the woman. ¡°Yes?¡± she replied. ¡°Oh right, rockets don¡¯t exist,¡± he said, and very quickly the Iyrmen around understood he was an idiot. ¡°He is not an idiot,¡± Shikan said. ¡°He is queer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not...¡± Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°Right, I¡¯m queer.¡± ¡°Who is he?¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com, son of Fate,¡± Adam said. ¡°Unrivalled Under The Heavens!¡± the boy from earlier shouted, pointing at him. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Adam said. ¡°The man who has killed two Dragons just this year.¡± Lanarot squealed and continued to slap his chest all over. ¡°Speaking of which, I need to also figure out when to tell my story to the children.¡± ¡°Tell it tomorrow,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°You will be in great pain, so it is best to take it easy.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Adam said, trying to sit up, only to fall back down when his back spasmed. ¡°If I can even move.¡± Lanarot stared down at him, seeing his face contort in pain, before she smiled and laughed, slapping his chest all over again. ¡°Lanarot, stop bullying me.¡± She laughed and giggled. Omen: 13, 16 ¡°If I wasn¡¯t half dying, I¡¯d have been able to enchant today.¡± He felt Sonarot¡¯s glare against his back. He didn¡¯t train that morning, instead he sat down and watched the children play, acting as their referee. ¡°Come play,¡± Katool said. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m hurt.¡± ¡°You are hurt?¡± she said, looking up at him. ¡°Yes.¡± She pat his knee. ¡°Get better, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, returning back to playing. This was repeated several times from each child throughout their play. ¡®Kids, stop patting my knee, it hurts,¡¯ Adam thought, though he didn¡¯t vocalise it. Eventually, word was sent out and the children of the various estates Adam had promised to tell the tale to had arrived. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the boy from the day before asked. ¡°I¡¯m hurt,¡± Adam said. ¡°Was it the Dragons?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°Something worse.¡± ¡°Something worse than Dragons?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°Hard work.¡± The boy nodded, understanding the pain of hard work, like washing dishes when he didn¡¯t want to. Performance Check D20 + 3 = 17 (14) Lokat had swung by the estate, under the guise of wanting to check Lanarot¡¯s health, but mostly she had been curious as she heard the tale. She noted all the children who had been brought, some from far corners of the Iyr. ¡®It seems it wasn¡¯t a ploy,¡¯ she thought, hearing the tale which had partly engrossed her. ¡®Or perhaps he had anticipated my thoughts?¡¯ Watching him struggle to stand quickly dissipated those thoughts. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Hard work out here killing Adam before Dragons. 158. Infuriating Adam 158. Infuriating Adam ¡°What do you mean he keeps gifting out Dragon scales?¡± Elder Gold asked, sipping her tea as she sat opposite the Chief and Elder Peace. The gazebo provided some protection from the rain. ¡°He has gifted out over fifty Dragons scales,¡± Elder Zijin said, standing outside the gazebo, not caring that the rain fell on him. Elder Gold swallowed the tea calmly, trying to not choke on it. ¡°His younger sister has received at least three, and he has gifted two to each of the children in the estate, including those of the Ban and their adjacent families, as well as the Kat families and their adjacent families.¡± Elder Gold stared at Elder Zijin. ¡®He would not dare to lie to me,¡¯ she thought. ¡°Who hands out several Dragon scales out to children?¡± ¡°He does,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡®He would not come to me unless he was certain,¡¯ the Great Elder thought. ¡°At least fifty?¡± ¡°Probably over a hundred,¡± Elder Zijin said. Elder Peace was minding her own business, but even she could see the way Elder Gold was shaking. ¡°I understand,¡± Elder Gold said, nodding her head to dismiss the Elder, who retreated away. Chief Iromin sighed. ¡°We should hear his reasoning.¡± ¡°I already know it,¡± she replied. ¡°He did not think of the gifts too deeply, and wished to give out the Dragon scales because they were great gifts. He gave his sister three because he loves her dearly, and the adjacent families two to thank them, including the Ban and their adjacent families, and the Kat families and their adjacent families.¡± ¡°Is he not trying to curry favour with me?¡± Elder Peace asked. ¡°He knows of my connection to the Kat family.¡± ¡°No,¡± Elder Gold replied. ¡°He would have said if he was trying to curry favour with you. He is at least that honest.¡± ¡°I did not think you thought of him so highly.¡± ¡°That... that...¡± Elder Gold slammed the table with her fist, the thunder rumbling with it. ¡°How could he give out so many Dragon scales? Isn¡¯t one to each child enough? Why does he insist on being so infuriating!¡± ¡°We should be thankful he is so generous,¡± Chief Iromin said. ¡°I do not know if he is intelligent or utterly stupid!¡± ¡°He is both.¡± ¡°I will speak to him about the Dragon scales.¡± ¡°They are his to give,¡± the Chief warned. ¡°This is my domain.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± the Chief asked, staring at the woman. ¡°I will not force him.¡± ¡°You mean you can not.¡± Elder Peace blew onto her tea and sipped it gently. ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°He has the audacity to refuse to hand over that shield.¡± ¡°Did he not create a better shield?¡± ¡°That is beside the point.¡± ¡°You sound like you are Aldish,¡± Elder Peace said. Elder Gold¡¯s eyes went wide as she stared at Elder Peace. ¡°Elder Peace,¡± the Chief said, sternly. ¡°It was just a joke,¡± Elder Peace replied innocently. ¡°Thinking of him, does it not make you loosen up?¡± The Chief sighed. ¡°If I knew he was going to be such a bad influence on us all, I would have refused his entrance.¡± ¡°Would you?¡± Elder Peace asked. ¡°How did it go?¡± Sonarot asked once he had returned. ¡°Well,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t even need to call for Fate¡¯s assistance.¡± ¡°That is good,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It is dangerous to play with Fate.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, glancing aside. ¡°Still, I am the son of Fate.¡± Sonarot smiled. Omen: 2, 7 Since Adam had felt unlucky that morning, he trained in the morning and played with the children. ¡°Adam,¡± Jogak called. ¡°Come.¡± ¡®Is he going to shank me?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the man¡¯s glare. Jogak turned and left, expecting Adam to follow him. They made their way to a stream, one which had been full of nets and other contraptions designed to catch fish. Adam noted that the area around had been reinforced with stones, which would keep the stream from flooding. Adam helped Jogak with picking up various contraptions, noting all the fish the Iyr had caught from the stream, before they carried it to a nearby area which was full of fishmongers, mostly women, who were expertly gutting the fish and tossing them aside for the Iyr to use. ¡°There are many who think you a fool,¡± Jogak said, dropping down a net to one side, before turning to head back to the stream. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, not bothering denying it. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I do not know if it¡¯s an act, or if it is truly how you are,¡± Jogak said. ¡°Probably a bit of both,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I still do not understand why sister trusts you so much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just that charming.¡± Jogak did not respond as he continued to work, picking up the nets and carrying them. The silence was far too awkward for Adam, but he also knew that Jogak didn¡¯t like him much, so he kept his mouth shut for once. ¡°Jaygak was born with a weak body,¡± Jogak said. ¡°She suffered twice before the age of one, and did not walk until she was two years old.¡± ¡®Suffered?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering what it had meant. ¡°I knew that her goal, along with Kitool¡¯s, was to reach Steel Rank so that they would have brought honour to our families, which have waned in the last few generations.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should respond, so kept his mouth shut. ¡°Before she left, she told me that she wished to become a Gold Rank Adventurer.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. Jogak turned to face Adam. ¡°I do not know if you are a curse or a blessing.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. Jogak glared at Adam, and Adam could tell that the next few words were going to be a threat to his life. But they did not come. ¡°Thank you for bringing her back home safely,¡± Jogak said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Elder Peace with the jokes. Jogak glad that Adam doesn''t have horns. 159. Adam is Nice 159. Adam is Nice Omen: 18, 20 ¡°Something is wrong,¡± Raygak said, holding the ball firmly in hand. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Katool asked from beside him, catching her breath. ¡°Adam is being nice today,¡± the boy said. ¡°Too nice.¡± ¡°Adam is always nice,¡± Katool said, earnestly. ¡°Not when he wins.¡± ¡°He has not won today.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Raygak said, trying to piece together the puzzle. Unfortunately for him, thinking was not his strong suit. Adam finished playing with the children before quickly bathing. He whistled as he sauntered his way to the enchanting shrine, ready and eager to finish off that sword which Entalia had given to him to enchant. Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 27 (20) [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®500.¡¯ Sapphicule Longsword Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing and 1D6 fire damage. Once per day, regain 2D6 Health. [Would you like to name the weapon?] Adam remained deep in thought, far too long to name the weapon. Even the Iyrman who was sent to watch over him was growing worried after watching Adam stare at the sword for so long. ¡®Blue Heart.¡¯ Blue Heart Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing and 1D6 fire damage. Once per day, regain 2D6 Health. Great Enchantment Learnt! XP: 7170 -> 7370 ¡°Well, that was lucky,¡± Adam said, staring down at the sword. ¡°The damage is pretty good, and the extra healing is nice.¡± He swung it around before returning back to the estate. ¡°What did you make today?¡± Zijin asked, sitting opposite Sonarot as he ate. ¡°Fancy seeing you here,¡± Adam said, staring at the Elder. ¡°Have you come to play with the sword?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Since you create magical weapons so quickly, I assumed you¡¯d be done this day.¡± ¡°Keeping track of me, are you?¡± Adam said, raising his brow. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°As always, Aunt gets to play with it first.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since it is a blade, and the Elder is so eager, perhaps he could play with it first?¡± Sonarot asked. Adam squinted his eyes. ¡°Since you insist.¡± He tossed the blade to the Elder, who quickly grabbed it. ¡°Another which requires it to be attached to my soul?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°It¡¯s because they¡¯re so powerful,¡± Adam said. Zijin nodded. ¡°I thought that you may be able to surpass that issue.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still a boy yet,¡± Adam said, smirking at the Orc. Zijin meditated with the blade for sometime, before practising with it. ¡°It is a great blade,¡± Zijin said, before he placed down a pouch. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The payment for your previous blade,¡± the Elder said. ¡°For Giantslayer?¡± Adam said, reaching down into the pouch to feel all the gems. ¡°How much did it sell for?¡± ¡°Six thousand and three hundred gold.¡± Lanarot reached out for a skewer which was on the ground, but Adam pulled her away, instead turning her around to face him. ¡°Did you have fun without me?¡± He nuzzled her nose and rocked her in his arms. ¡°Seriously though, where did you get the fur?¡± Adam asked. Sonarot stared at him, tilting her head slightly. At first she thought he was joking, but Adam gave her a confused look. ¡°You brought it,¡± she said. ¡°I did?¡± Adam said, before recalling how he had brought it with his many gifts. ¡°Oh yeah. It wasn¡¯t just Dragon scales, was it?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Aren¡¯t I thoughtful.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°The coat is loose so that she can grow into it.¡± ¡°No wonder you look like a little Dwarf,¡± Adam said, kissing her forehead. ¡°Should I buy you some more fabric and cloth?¡± Sonarot smiled, before nibbling on some food. ¡®How fortunate I am to have such a sweet brother to my daughter.¡¯ Omen: 2, 14 ¡°I guess I should enchant...¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°It won¡¯t be the best thing ever, but since he asked for a basic spear, it should be okay?¡± He played with the pups, who had grown rather quickly. They were already eating small bits of meat, and were crawling around and playing with one another. ¡°If I hear you two girls have been naughty, I¡¯ll be speaking with Jaygak and Kitool to tell you off,¡± he warned, wagging his finger. ¡°Why does he talk to the Dire Wolves?¡± Raygak asked, looking at his father. Jogak stared at Adam. ¡°He is queer.¡± Raygak nodded. Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 27 (20) ¡°What are these rolls?¡± Adam grumbled, noting just how he had rolled so many 20¡¯s. ¡°Are you poking fun at me, Mistress Fate?¡± Omen: 4, 16 ¡°So, is the storm going to end in a few days?¡± Adam asked, glancing over at Sonarot, who was currently wiping Lanarot¡¯s mouth clean. ¡°In a few days, yes,¡± she said. ¡°The storm only lasts during the middle month of Duskval.¡± ¡°Will it change because of what happened that day?¡± ¡°No. We have not been informed.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened that day?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Now go and enchant before you get into trouble with more questions.¡± Mana: 10 -> 8 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 24 (17) [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Nah.¡¯ Spear You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D4 piercing damage. Can be further enchanted easily. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®Nah,¡¯ Adam thought, before narrowing his eyes. ¡®I swear, if you name it Nah...¡¯ Spear You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D4 piercing damage. Can be further enchanted easily. XP: 7170 -> 7570 ¡®That¡¯s what I thought.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I didn''t realise we were at this chapter. The slice of life arc continues for a while longer, but... Nevermind. You''ll see. 160. Chaos Enchanter 160. Chaos Enchanter Elder Zijin was drinking some tea opposite Sonarot as Lanarot played with her cubes, tossing them now and again in her excitement, before crawling after them. ¡°Good evening,¡± Adam said, holding out the magical spear to the Elder. Zijin took it, feeling the power which flowed through it. ¡°We discussed for the spear to hold a basic enchantment, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied simply. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It feels stronger than it should.¡± ¡°It should be what we discussed.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. Elder Zijin nodded his head before taking out a small gem, crushing it in his fingers as he held the spear. Sonarot brushed the gem aside so Lanarot didn¡¯t pick them up to eat accidentally, as babies tried to do. The storm was beginning to calm outside, and soon there would only be the pattering of rain, before it would soon calm. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you sure this is just a basic enchantment?¡± Zijin asked, staring into Adam¡¯s eyes. Adam shrugged. ¡°It should be, right?¡± ¡°Spears do not usually pierce quite so harshly,¡± he said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, thinking about the damage. ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°That would have been acceptable, but there¡¯s another enchantment on the spear.¡± ¡°Another enchantment?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are you talking about how it can be further enchanted?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin said. ¡°I am.¡± His voice was low, sternly so. ¡°Oh. Well, that just sorta happened.¡± ¡°What do you mean it sorta happened?¡± Zijin asked, staring at Adam with his eyes slightly narrowed. Sonarot stared at Adam. It was already terrifying to hear that he had created a magical weapon which could be enchanted further, a difficult enchantment to do, but to hear that it had happened without his input was another matter entirely. ¡°Well, the property just appeared at the end.¡± ¡°At the end of enchanting?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Zijin stared at Adam. ¡°What do you mean, exactly?¡± ¡°I enchanted it, and it appeared,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°You mean you did not intend for that enchantment to take hold within the spear?¡± ¡°Yeah, it just sorta happened.¡± ¡°To be clear,¡± Zijin said, raising his brows. ¡°You enchanted this spear not to hold the property, and it still appeared?¡± ¡°I just enchanted it without much thought about which enchantments I wanted on it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zijin asked, unable to contain the shock in his voice. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s just how I enchant all my weapons.¡± ¡°You enchant all of your weapons without any intention for the enchantment?¡± Sonarot asked now, unable to contain her surprise either. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, not all my weapons. The shortsword I had enchanted recently, the one for Entalia, that one I enchanted with the enchantments in mind, mostly. Same with Dunes¡¯ Sword, kinda. Most of the weapons I made, I just wing it and see what enchantments come to the weapons.¡± Sonarot covered her mouth, and for once, fell deep into thought. ¡°That¡¯s not...¡± Zijin began, but he wasn¡¯t able to finish his statement. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Adam asked. Zijin remained silent for a long while. It was only until Lanarot had come to climb over his lap to reach for the cube she had tossed, that he moved. He picked the girl up and placed her down beside her brother, holding out the cube in front of her for her to grab. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Adam asked, staring up at the silent Elder. ¡°I will need to speak with the Great Elders,¡± Zijin said, rubbing his forehead. Adam threw a look to Sonarot, who was also deep in thought. ¡°I want you to remember that I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± He picked Lanarot up and placed her on his lap. ¡®It¡¯s time for you to protect me this time.¡¯ ¡°You should be careful with your jokes,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Even if you used the baby as a shield, no harm would come to her.¡± Adam could feel the gazes of a few more Iyrmen, but they remained hidden from his sight, and he dared not to search for them. ¡°Relax. She¡¯s in no danger from me, even if you did try to kill me.¡± He brushed her hair as he stepped forward, putting her down on the table, before glancing between the Great Elders. ¡°We will not waste your time,¡± the Chief said. ¡°We have heard you are a Chaos Enchanter.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°An enchanter who holds no vision for their enchantments, allowing their items to be enchanted by Chaos.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°That does sound a lot like what I do.¡± ¡°So you admit to it?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, quickly. ¡°Not unless it¡¯s good for me.¡± ¡°Do you know what a Chaos Enchanter is?¡± Chief Iromin asked. ¡°It¡¯s whatever you just told me.¡± ¡°So you did not know of their existence?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you in any way related to the Lord of Chaos?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, but he raised his brows. ¡°Oh, wait...¡± The Great Elders stared at him as Adam thought. ¡°I don¡¯t think I am, but...¡± Adam recalled how Belle had tapped his forehead and he was reborn instantly after. ¡°Maybe? The God of Chaos and I do go way back.¡± Adam stared at the Chief, who slowly nodded. ¡°The God of Chaos?¡± Elder Teacher asked. ¡°You mean the Lord of Chaos?¡± ¡°No, the God of Chaos,¡± Adam said. ¡°There is no God of Chaos,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°Yeah, apparently.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Even his own kids don¡¯t remember him. Considering what he did for Lady Elaveil, it is quite tragic.¡± The Chief tapped his finger on the table, stopping the curiosity of the other Great Elders. ¡°Adam. Are you certain what you are saying is the truth?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got no reason to lie to any of you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Unless it gets me killed, then I have no idea what we¡¯re talking about, but I already have no idea what we¡¯re talking about, so it doesn¡¯t change much.¡± ¡°Then what kind of Enchanter are you?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°I¡¯m...¡± ¡®Hey, Bell, what kind of Enchanter am I?¡¯ [You are a Fatechanter.] ¡°I¡¯m a Fatechanter, apparently.¡± The Chief bowed his head. ¡°Who else knows of the peculiarities of your enchanting?¡± ¡°All of you, Elder Zijin, Aunt Sonarot, and Lanarot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You should keep it a secret from now on,¡± the Chief urged. ¡°No one must know.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the Chief said. ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not going to kill me?¡± Adam asked, reaching for Lanarot tentatively. ¡°Not today.¡± Adam winced. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Good night to you all.¡± He bowed his head and retreated. Elder Gold watched as he left. ¡°A Fatechanter.¡± ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Gold said, sharing a look with Elder Forest. ¡°Chief, your wisdom knows no bounds,¡± Elder Forest said. Upon hearing her words, Iromin relaxed. For once, she wasn¡¯t being sarcastic. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Lanarot protecting her brother. What a great little sister. Adam still surprising the Iyr? How? 161. The Rot Family Estate 161. The Rot Family Estate Omen: 6, 8 ¡°So you didn¡¯t forget my payment,¡± Adam said, confident now that he had survived the night. ¡°There were other matters to attend to last night,¡± the Elder said, raising his brows. ¡°I apologise for taking so long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Adam looked at all the scrolls in front of him. ¡°Eleven scrolls? Oho! What¡¯s this?¡± Adam gasped, staring down at the last spell scroll. ¡°A Second Gate spell scroll? You shouldn¡¯t have.¡± ¡°These were the spells we were willing to part with.¡± Spell Scrolls Obtains: Alarm, Chromatic Orb, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds, Find Steed ¡°Sweet,¡± Adam rubbed his hands along the scrolls. ¡°They¡¯re all so wonderful.¡± ¡°I will leave you to your business then,¡± the Elder said, leaving as quickly as he had come. ¡°If you are unlucky today, what are you going to do?¡± the woman asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I might just kick it for a few days. Last night almost gave me a heart attack.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Lanarot protected you,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She almost got me killed. I hid behind her and Elder Gold almost cut me down right there.¡± ¡°You did imply that she was your shield.¡± ¡°It was her cuteness which shielded me, why can¡¯t anyone understand that?¡± Adam clicked his teeth. Sonarot stared at him. ¡°Adam, you joke too much.¡± She brushed his hair. ¡°Even if you love her dearly, you must be careful. People may believe you to be worthless if you cannot contain yourself.¡± Adam took the warning to heart, but he picked up his sister and hugged her tight. ¡°If I don¡¯t shower her with my affection and I end up dying again, I¡¯ll just end up regretting it.¡± ¡°Then do not die,¡± Sonarot said, simply. Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°Right, because that¡¯s so easy.¡± ¡°I have not yet died,¡± she said. ¡°I have died twice.¡± She nodded her head slowly. ¡°You should take good care of her, but there are also other children in the Iyr. You also do not have any other friends your age.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they¡¯ve all run away to adventure. Even Amokan and Timojin have abandoned me.¡± ¡°They have gone to adventure so they may become Unrivalled Under The Heavens.¡± Adam winced. ¡°This isn¡¯t that kind of fantasy world. I shouldn¡¯t have introduced that into the world. Still, why did they choose such an impossible task?¡± ¡°Is it impossible for them?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I¡¯ve already stated that I will become Unrivalled Under The Heavens, right?¡± ¡°Can they not take that title from you?¡± she asked. Adam smirked. ¡°I did beat them both by myself.¡± Sonarot¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. Adam spent the end of the month playing with the children and the cubs in the morning, then going out to help Shikan chop down some wood in the afternoon, carrying them to the warehouse, and then relaxing in the evening. Omen: 7, 11 ¡°It¡¯s a big boy,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was given to my father when he was a boy,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He never used it, but he always wanted to. Let us ask his permission for you to use it.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡®Is this what she really wanted? For me to meet the extended family? No, she wouldn¡¯t have had me come here first. Maybe she wanted me to feel as though I was really a part of the family?¡¯ He followed Sonarot out, eventually realising that there was no point in thinking deeper. Sonarot was Sonarot, and whatever she thought was good for him, probably was so. Sonarot led him away from the Iyr he knew, around back towards the heavy walls he had spied every so often when he had worked with the others. There was an Iyrman who was lazing around on the top of the wall. ¡°Sona, of the Rot family,¡± Sonarot said. It was the first time Adam had heard an Iyrman speak that way. The Iyrman looked down towards them. ¡°Whose the Elf?¡± ¡°My Nephew,¡± she said. ¡°An Elf Nephew?¡± the Iyrman said, almost suspiciously. ¡°Unrivalled Under The Heavens,¡± she said. ¡°Oh!¡± the Iyrman said, glancing down towards Adam. ¡°I see.¡± Adam rubbed his forehead, shaking his head. ¡®Seriously. I should stop pretending to be so cringe.¡¯ They were then allowed to enter, and Sonarot led Adam through the large area. Adam noted that the area had widened, but he couldn¡¯t tell if it was deeper. There were the same large estates as he expected, and a large number of Iyrmen about, mostly children, who all ran around as they pleased, with a handful of adults keeping an eye on them. The ground of the area around the estates were stamped with various symbols, each the various tattoos of the families which lived in the estates. Adam noted how the symbols were the same for a few estates in a row, and there was only ever one on each stone. Then they came across a familiar pattern, some twenty or thirty minutes from the wall. Adam whistled, staring at the estate. It was equally as imposing as the estate he was used to, but he noticed it was far livelier. There were probably twice as many families which lived in each estate than those from the other area. ¡°This is the Rot family estate,¡± Sonarot said, motioning her hand across at least five estates. ¡°This entire area?¡± Adam asked, noting there were probably many dozens of families living in the five estates. ¡°Aunty Sonarot,¡± children exclaimed as they rushed over at her, grabbing at her legs to hug her. They were mostly human, but there were a few Orcs and Devilkins about too. Adam noted how many older Iyrmen were about here, and he realised how few old Iyrmen he saw in the other area. There were dozens of elderly Iyrmen here, each with the Rot family tattoo. However, very few of them held a similar intimidating presence he was used to. Most Iyrmen here wore a necklace with a small gem at the end, something he rarely saw in the other section of the Iyr. ¡°I¡¯ve come to see father,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He¡¯s watering the plants,¡± a helpful child said, pointing wildly towards the courtyard. Sonarot led Adam, who was catching the eye of all the Rot family, from the children to the elderly, through the courtyard towards an older man. He was adorned in the typical Iyrman attire, with a long cloak over his shoulders. At his side was an axe, as one might expect of a Rot family members. Sitting nearby was a young Iyrman, a Devilkin, eating a fruit. He stared at Adam as he approached. ¡°father, I¡¯ve come to speak with you about a matter,¡± Sonarot said. The old man turned, revealing the fact that he had only a single arm. He threw a look over to the Half Elf, before glancing back to Sonarot. ¡°I had heard you adopted a Half Elf into the family,¡± the man said, placing down the watering can. ¡°My son has been missing for just over a year, and yet you are already so lonely?¡± Sonarot raised her brows at him. ¡®I should have expected him to cause trouble.¡¯ "Oi, you old bastard,¡± Adam said, letting slip the curse accidentally. ¡°What the hell are you saying to my Aunt?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com 162. Apologise 162. Apologise Sonarot and the elderly Iyrman threw Adam a look of shock. No one would dare speak so rudely to an older Iyrman, especially not to an Iyrman like him. Even the Devilkin had stared up at Adam in shock. The old man dropped the watering can and reached down to the axe at his side. ¡°To call me an old bastard...¡± The Iyrman hoisted it up. ¡°You sure have some guts.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 8 (7) Adam quickly drew the blade at his side, which was not Lightsear, but Dunes¡¯ Sword, as the old man rushed towards him. He could see the old man¡¯s eyes had turned completely white and red had rushed through his face as he leapt to battle the Half Elf. ¡®Shit!¡¯ Adam thought as he met the old man in battle. Adam, typically, was confident in facing against his enemy. Adam, typically, wore his platemail. Adam, typically, had three other Iyrmen around him. Adam, typically, didn¡¯t fight Iyrmen. It had taken only a moment for Adam to realise how out of his depths he was as the older Iyrman slashed through Dunes'' Sword, and cut deep against Adam¡¯s chest, causing blood to spray out and cover his face. Health: 52 -> 36 ¡°Do not fall yet, Elf!¡± the old Iyrman growled in glee, striking Adam once again Health: 36 -> 19 Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 19 -> 24 ¡°I,¡± Adam said, inhaling deeply as he focused on attacking the older man, ¡°am only half an Elf!¡± Attack D20 + 7 = 12 (5) D20 + 7 = 26 (19) Hit! Dunes¡¯ Sword Charges: 3 -> 2 Critical hit! Mana: 10 -> 8 2D6 + 6D3 + 6D6 + 5 = 51 (1, 3)(2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6) Damage resisted! 26 damage! 3D3 = (1, 1, 3) Health: 24 -> 29 Adam slashed wildly towards the older man, who took a blow which would have almost knocked Adam out, only for the blade to barely dig across the man¡¯s chest. ¡®Damage... resisted?¡¯ Adam thought, his heart pounding wildly as he clutched at his sword tightly in hand. ¡®This guy is cheating! How did he resist it all?¡¯ ¡°Is that all you have, boy?¡± The Iyrman asked, raising his axe questioningly, wondering if Adam had anything else in store. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack D20 + 7 = 26 (5) D20 + 7 = 18 (11) Hit! Dunes¡¯ Sword Charges: 2 -> 1 Critical hit! Mana: 8 -> 6 2D6 + 6D3 + 6D6 + 5 = 50 (3, 4)(2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3)(1, 3, 5, 5, 5, 5) Damage resisted! 25 damage! 3D3 = (1, 2, 3) Health: 29 -> 35 Adam inhaled deeply as his muscles pulled taught, swinging his sword wildly again, the Jagite blade cutting through the man¡¯s side, forcing a small trail of blood out of him. He had only managed to nick the man, the Iyrman¡¯s muscles were almost made of steel with the way they resisted against his blade. ¡°Are you going to apologise yet?¡± Adam asked, staring up at the man. ¡®God damn! This guy¡¯s taken so much damage. Why the hell is he smiling?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Jarot said, winding his axe back. ¡®Oh shit!¡¯ ¡°So? He will marry whoever he pleases. There is a...¡± Sonarot wondered if she should mention Entalia, but thought against it. ¡°Regardless, he will not abandon us.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Jarot asked, allowing another member of the Rot family deal with his wounds. The Devilkin stared up at the old Iyrman, who only grinned wide, reassuring the teen. ¡°He cares very much for our family,¡± Sonarot said, brushing Adam¡¯s hair. ¡°For Jurot and Lanarot. He has embarrassed himself so much for Lanarot.¡± ¡°If you insist. It seems I do not have to worry about him marrying into our family, then.¡± Jarot flexed his muscles and rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°He is quite the monster. Are you sure he is Jurot¡¯s age?¡± ¡°He is,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°He has developed quickly, and those around him have already gained so much strength. Even Jaygak and Kitool have managed to reach their core strengths.¡± ¡°Did they not leave recently?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did he do it?¡± Sonarot smiled, having yet informed the old man of Adam¡¯s latest escapades. She was going to have Jurot explain them once he had returned. ¡°You will hear how soon.¡± The children had all gathered around, first checking on their elderly caretaker, before checking Adam, their Cousin. Sonarot noted the eyes of all the children gleaming at the Half Elf who had fought quite hard and well against Jarot. Even the twins were beaming down at Adam, chattering between themselves. ¡°We should try and marry him for granduncle¡¯s sake,¡± one said. ¡°He is so strong,¡± the other said, squatting down and poking his leg. ¡°He can enchant and use magic,¡± the first said. ¡°Will he pass that knowledge on to our children?¡± ¡°We will make him.¡± Sonarot stared at the girls. ¡®Should I have stopped the fight?¡¯ Jarot began to laugh again, surprising the children, who stared up at him. ¡°Old bastard!¡± the old Iyrman shouted. ¡°You need to be at least that audacious to challenge the Gods!¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! This was probably one of my favourite chapters. I like this sort of chapter, even if it did have Adam embarrassing himself. I swear he gets let embarrassing as time goes on. Kinda. Well! That''s the end of the double chapter days! However, for this month, and this month only, I will post up additional chapters for each new patron I get, regardless of the tier. So if you want to see more and have ¡ê2 to spare, then you should check out my patreon for new chapters! My goal this month is to write a ton, about 90 chapters or so, maybe more! I also have a patreon goal where, once I reach 25 patrons, I''ll post up an additional chapter for a week straight. Meaning there could be three chapters a day! Once again, thanks to all my patrons for helping me out last month! It really helped a ton! And thanks to all the followers and commenters, I really appreciate all the support. My goal is to write millions upon millions of words, not just for Adam, but for others in this universe too. 163. Grandfather 163. Grandfather Adam coughed as he awoke. ¡°Ah, fuck.¡± His entire body ached, as though he had been hit by a truck. ¡®Did I get isekai¡¯d again?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re finally awake,¡± called a familiar voice. Adam¡¯s eyes snapped open to see Sonarot sitting beside him, brushing his hair gently. He was currently in bed, in a room he did not recognise. Quest Complete: Meet Jarot XP Gained: +200 XP: 7570 -> 7770 ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± Sonarot asked, peering down at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t manage to get him to apologise.¡± ¡°That is what you are worried about in this state?¡± Sonarot asked, raising her brow. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was going to die,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the Iyr. Of course I won¡¯t die.¡± Sonarot couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°It is fine. Small Father is a man who likes to joke. Even him attacking you was a joke.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a joke,¡± Adam said. ¡°Our relationship is like that,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Though his words are putrid, he cares for me deeply.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, reaching up with the one arm which didn¡¯t hurt, covering his face. ¡°Then it¡¯s rather embarrassing.¡± ¡°You were so chivalrous,¡± she said. ¡°That is what they call it in Aldland.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re finally awake!¡± Jarot shouted as he stormed in, grinning like a beast. ¡°Otkan, come! Look at him!¡± The one known as Otkan stepped in. She was tall and strong, and would have been a beautiful woman if it wasn''t for the huge scar across her left eye and down the side of her neck. ¡°This boy is quite strong,¡± Jarot said. ¡°He has quite the sword as well.¡± The old woman stared down Adam. ¡°I would like to see your sword.¡± Adam looked to Sonarot for guidance, unsure if he should randomly let Iyrmen grab at his sword, especially one meant for Dunes¡¯. ¡®Wait. Kan?¡¯ ¡°She is Amokan¡¯s grandmother,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Sure.¡± Otkan grabbed the blade, which had been resting nearby, and picked it up to examine it. ¡°I will need some time to feel the blade. Is that okay?¡± ¡°As long as you return it in the same condition as you received it.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Why are you being so coy?¡± Jarot asked, staring down at the Half Elf he had almost killed. ¡°Adam, son of Fate, dear Grandson, tell us what the blade does!¡± ¡°Grandson?¡± Adam said. ¡°Just moments ago you were trying to kill me.¡± ¡°If I wanted you dead, you would be dead, boy,¡± Jarot said, far too casually. ¡°Even Sonarot would be unable to stop me.¡± ¡°Would I?¡± Sonarot asked. Jarot thought. ¡°No. After all he had done to me, perhaps my dear daughter could.¡± ¡°Anyway. The sword has a small bonus, deals additional damage, can strike true three times a day, and revitalises the user when it does.¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± Jarot declared, showing off to Otkan. ¡°Does it not deal more damage? That of searing light?¡± ¡°That was me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can Smite.¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see if I can face you tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m still half dead.¡± ¡°Father will bring some potions to heal you,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He does not need any potions. A good meal and a good night¡¯s rest will do him well.¡± Sonarot¡¯s eyes narrowed at the older Iyrman, who quickly left, taking with him the Devilkin boy who had been sitting outside, reading a book. ¡°You should not mind him,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He¡¯s pretty fun,¡± Adam said. ¡°I might even call him Gramps one day.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°I have heard much about you,¡± Otkan said. ¡°You are quite the warrior. I saw you face against my grandson during the festival.¡± ¡°He was pretty strong,¡± Adam said. ¡°If he had hit me, I would have probably lost my head.¡± ¡°He is as wild as his father,¡± she said. ¡°His father? Shikan?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Otkan said. ¡°He seems so... I don¡¯t know, sombre.¡± ¡°After the death of my granddaughter, my son has become more sullen, yes,¡± she said. Adam closed his eyes. ¡®What¡¯s with all these Iyrmen and making things awkward?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°There is no need to be sorry,¡± she said. ¡°Amokan will bring back the glory which had been taken that day.¡± Adam looked to Sonarot for support. ¡°Your granddaughter also refused to join his party,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She had?¡± Otkan asked. ¡°Then it is her misfortune to do so. I have heard you have some relation with Queen Silvari.¡± ¡°Entalia? Yeah, she¡¯s...¡± Adam wondered how to introduce his relationship with Entalia to a relative stranger. ¡°A friend.¡± ¡°How did you become friends with her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Adam said. Otkan waited, expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s not something I can reveal.¡± Otkan bowed her head. ¡°We all have our secrets.¡± ¡°Especially you Iyrmen,¡± Adam said. ¡°From the storm, to the scary looking Iyrman I saw with the skull on their head, to all the Great Elders wanting to kill me.¡± Otkan tilted her head slightly. ¡°Why do they wish to kill you?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if they do...¡± Adam thought back to Elder Gold¡¯s glare that day. ¡°Elder Gold probably does.¡± ¡°Then you must be a danger to the Iyr,¡± she said. ¡°Otherwise they would not wish to kill you.¡± ¡°Little ol¡¯ me?¡± Adam asked, motioning to his half dying body. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Appearances can be deceiving,¡± Otkan said, brushing her scar. ¡®Seriously! Why do you guys have a habit of making everything awkward? You¡¯re almost as bad as me.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam almost dying and then talking smack to the guy that nearly killed him. Adam INT -3, WIS +5. Seriously? Iyrmen always making things so awkward. 164. The Battle Begins 164. The Battle Begins Omen: 1, 16 Adam stared at the numbers for a long while. ¡®I could make her miss me once for sure, and I can all but guarantee a blow on her,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I really don¡¯t want to lose, but can I really beat her? She seems really strong, and I got my ass handed to me yesterday by that old man.¡¯ The Iyrmen in this world were built different. The old men in the Iyr seemed to be terrifying weapons of war, and it was still a surprise to Adam that the Iyr hadn¡¯t swept through the land to take it over. Then he recalled that most of the Iyrmen he had seen in the other section seemed more... reasonable. That was the word. They weren¡¯t terrifying monsters like most of the Iyrmen he had seen, but they each could hold their own against most Aldish soldiers. That was what he assumed. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°The healing from yesterday healed me up right and good, but I¡¯m still a little scared to face Otkan.¡± ¡°With your puthral plate and your magic, you should be more equipped to face Aunt.¡± ¡°Will I really be able to win?¡± ¡°Win? I do not know that. You will be able to put up a good fight, I am certain of that.¡± With Sonarot¡¯s words, Adam sighed. ¡°Okay.¡± He went about his day, following his normal routine. The Dire Wolf pups stared up at him, tilting their heads, noting his lack of enthusiasm that day. Even Lanarot, who normally enjoyed playing with Adam, who was often happy to play with her, noted his solemn expression. ¡°Are you going to cheer me on?¡± Adam asked, holding her in front of him. She clapped her hands, squirmed, and giggled joyfully, as a baby would. ¡°Then I won¡¯t lose.¡± He kissed her forehead. ¡°Mother is asking if you are willing to face her,¡± Shikan asked. ¡°Yeah.¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°The battle will take place at noon, near the Kan family estate.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°How fortunate you are, Adam,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Jurot will be filled with envy when he returns and finds that you have had the chance to face Aunt.¡± Adam¡¯s lips slowly formed a smile. ¡°Heh.¡± Adam ate a light meal, not wanting it to weight him down. He would eat a delicious meal after to celebrate his victory, or to drown in the delicious food after his loss. It was a win win situation either way. ¡°How much are you willing to bet?¡± Otkan asked. ¡°A favour,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Is your favour worth as much as mine?¡± Adam understood why she asked, considering she was more than likely a Mithril Rank Adventurer, someone who, if she wasn¡¯t holding back as she was today, would put Adam in the dirt. ¡°Once this magical sword of mine puts you in the dirt, you¡¯ll see,¡± Adam said, his mouth almost full of cotton from his smack talk, which was burying him deeper and deeper. ¡°Are you sure you are Jurot¡¯s brother?¡± Otkan asked. ¡°He would dare not speak so poorly to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he isn¡¯t as stupid as me,¡± Adam said, gripping his blade tighter. For a moment he saw the flash of a smile on Otkan¡¯s face. ¡°You are certainly Jarot¡¯s Grandson.¡± Sonarot had placed down her bet. A single tiger eye gem, placing it down on the table, allowing the bookie to take in her bet. Jarot, who was grinning ear to ear, tossed a pouch over to a bookie, nodding his head to his cousin. ¡°Put it on my boy.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Adam, who had calmed slightly from her smile, charged forward. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 7 = 17 (10) D20 + 7 = 25 (18) Hit! Dunes¡¯ Sword Charges: 3 -> 2 Critical hit! Mana: 10 -> 8 2D6 + 6D3 + 6D6 + 5 = 34 (1, 4)(1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3)(1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 4) 34 damage! Adam had run through the battle a few times in his mind. He would charge in, and if he had managed to gain the tempo of the battle, he would swing like a mad man and pray. He managed to strike the first blow, striking across the woman¡¯s front, but she did not seem phased by the blow as she readied her greatsword to strike him. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack D20 + 7 = 23 (16) D20 + 7 = 24 (17) Hit! Dunes¡¯ Sword Charges: 2 -> 1 Critical hit! Mana: 8 -> 6 2D6 + 6D3 + 6D6 + 5 = 55 (3, 6)(1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3)(3, 3, 5, 6, 6, 6) 55 damage! Otkan understood why Jarot praised Adam so much, since he was quite the warrior. He wasn¡¯t quite as weak as she originally suspected, and he had certainly grown from the fight with her grandson. However, it was that sword of Adam¡¯s which was currently providing Adam with great strength. However, when Adam struck her with a desperate blow across her side as she wound up an attack, she realised what Jarot had meant. She could see it in his eyes, the need to win the bout, and for a moment she could feel something stir inside of her. Adam had managed to land two blows before she could attack, and with the damage he had managed without her raging, it had already gone much better than the previous day against Jarot. Once he saw the smile on her face, he knew that it was just the beginning. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam. Stop fighting Iyrmen! God damn it! 165. The Second Loss 165. The Second Loss Otkan grit her teeth, her face turning red, her eyes turning white. The grin on her face was a savage grin, one which made Adam understand his place. She swung recklessly towards the Half Elf, who managed to raise his shield in time, but the next blow hammered across through his blade, almost causing him to drop his sword. Health: 52 -> 37 ¡®Damn!¡¯ He stumbled back from the force of it, but dug his foot into the ground before charging forward. It was foolish to charge towards an Iyrman, he knew that, but it was even more foolish to allow an Iyrman to hunt him. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 37 -> 42 Attack D20 + 7 = 8 (1) D20 + 7 = 25 (18) Hit! Dunes¡¯ Sword Charges: 1 -> 0 Critical hit! Mana: 6 -> 4 2D6 + 6D3 + 6D6 + 5 = 50 (1, 2)(1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6) Damage resisted! 46 damage! 3D3 = (2, 2, 3) Health: 42 -> 49 Adam struck her across her side again, blood spraying out towards him as the flaming blade, full of divine power, wounded the woman. ¡®The damage is higher than I expected!¡¯ He thought. ¡®I can do this!¡¯ Otkan was surprised by the amount of damage she had received, having not expected that Adam would have been able to wound her so deeply in just a few moments. However, her thoughts went blank, and she swung wildly, threatening to cleave off his head. Health: 49 -> 28 Adam barely managed to miss the blow as it struck across his puthral, but had managed to scratch it, and even slip through towards his shoulder, cleaving off a chunk of flesh, causing his blood to flow down under his armour. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡®Is she trying to kill me?¡¯ Adam thought. Warrior Spirit: 1 -> 0 Health: 28 -> 33 Attack D20 + 7 = 8 (1) D20 + 7 = 25 (18) Hit! Mana: 4 -> 3 1D6 + 3D3 + 2D6 + 5 = 23 (4)(1, 3, 4)(2, 4) Damage resisted! 19 damage! Adam pierced through the woman¡¯s side, barely managing to find purchase through her skin, which was almost made of steel. The flaming hot blade and the divine magic ran through her, causing her to shake slightly as she felt the heavy blows begin to take their toll. It hadn¡¯t been long since they had fought, and yet she had suffered such heavy blows that most Iyrmen would have long fallen under Adam¡¯s assault. She swung wildly again, cutting through the air as Adam ducked, but she slammed her hilt down against his side, forcing him to a knee. Health: 33 -> 12 ¡®Damn it! I can¡¯t fall now, not when I¡¯m so close!¡¯ He could see her arm shake slightly with the heavy blows she was raining down on him. Attack D20 + 7 = 20 (13) D20 + 7 = 26 (19) Hit! Mana: 3 -> 2 1D6 + 3D3 + 2D6 + 5 = 16 (2)(1, 2, 3)(1, 2) Damage resisted! 13 damage! Adam clattered his blade against hers, but slid his blade across it and slashed down the side of her chest, cutting into her clothing and flesh, revealing her wrinkled skin underneath. It was thanks to her reckless swings which allowed Adam to strike true. ¡°You really won¡¯t go down?¡± Adam said, his heart pounding in his chest, his arms quivering. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 4 = 9 Health: 12 -> 21 Adam inhaled deeply, filling himself with greater strength. He understood he could be downed in a single blow if he was unlucky, and quickly brought his blade up as she swung wildly down, clattering against his blade, causing him to take a knee before her. Health: 21 -> 9 ¡®Scary! I¡¯m never fighting an Iyrman again!¡¯ He pulled his helmet off, revealing his pale, sweaty face. He covered his face, not wanting to show the terror in his eyes to anyone as he relaxed, trying to catch his breath. ¡°You fought well, Nephew of the Rot family,¡± Otkan said, lifting herself up from the ground. She looked completely fine, her wounds having somehow closed. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam gasped, barely able to breathe. ¡°If you had gone all out, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to win.¡± ¡°If you had used your Mirror Image, I would have fallen long ago,¡± she said. She still remembered that one blow, which she had been certain was going to cleave through him. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Mirror Image.¡± When he had been struck, he had completely forgotten about the spell. ¡®That was the plan.¡¯ ¡°I will reward you as promised,¡± she said. ¡°And there is the matter of the favour.¡± Adam continued to pant, unable to joke with her. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, simply. ¡°Cool.¡± Otkan left him be, allowing Sonarot to crouch beside him, holding her daughter. Adam stared up at the pair, still panting. ¡°That¡¯s two for two for not losing in front of my sister.¡± ¡°It is fortunate I left her with others yesterday,¡± Sonarot joked. Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± He winced. ¡°Everything hurts.¡± ¡°How injured are you?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I¡¯m one good hit away from dropping,¡± he said. ¡°Would you like to be healed?¡± Sonarot asked, clenching her fist. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I can beat you until you are healed,¡± she offered. ¡°No, I¡¯m good,¡± he said. ¡°I just need a nap.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sonarot relaxed her hand, staring down at the boy¡¯s confused eyes. ¡°The gem would have healed you if you had fallen.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s what that was?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°That¡¯s cool.¡± Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair as she sat on his chest, looking down at his puthral armour. She started to rub all along it, feeling the cool metal under her touch, enamoured by the colour of the armour. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have this sword, I would have been bodied pretty quick.¡¯ The blade was powerful, far too powerful. He wouldn¡¯t keep it for long though, as it belonged to Dunes. ¡®He¡¯s going to lose his mind when he finds out how powerful it is.¡¯ Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam was so lucky this fight. She missed him by 1 or 2 so many times. 166. Marriage Talks 166. Marriage Talks ¡°You did well,¡± Jarot said, patting his heavy pouch. Adam gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I had to pull out all my tricks to beat her, but I managed it, somehow.¡¯ ¡°Tricks? You mean your magic?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yep. Without my magic, and without this sword, I would have gotten stomped, just like yesterday.¡± ¡°Your magic is part of your strength, is it not?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°That, and your enchanting.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose so. I was extremely lucky today. I was a single flick away from falling at the end. If Otkan hadn¡¯t missed those last two swings because of Shield, I would have lost.¡± ¡°Luck is also a skill, Son of Fate.¡± Adam winked at the old man. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I was wondering how the blade slipped out of her hand,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Was that you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Adam said, raising his brow. ¡°Well, it was someone much more powerful than me.¡± Jarot slowly nodded his head. ¡°Did you see?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to rub Lanarot¡¯s cheeks as she kept patting his armour. ¡°I guess the best reward was that I got to show off to you. Do you see how strong I am?¡± Lanarot giggled as she slapped his armour happily, before repositioning herself so she was on all fours on top of him, trying to get a better look at the armour. Adam noted there were two young women staring at him, both quite pretty, and both identical. He also noted the waves of other youngsters who were beaming at him, ready and eager to meet with him. ¡®I guess I need to do the rounds?¡¯ Adam picked Lanarot up off of him, letting her down beside him, grabbing his blade and sheathing it so she didn¡¯t hurt herself. ¡°So, I assume you guys want to see my armour and my weapon?¡± he asked. ¡°You should not be so proud,¡± a boy said, pointing at him angrily. ¡°You used magic to win.¡± ¡°Yes, obviously,¡± Adam said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t beat Otkan without it.¡± ¡°Grandaunt can beat you!¡± the boy declared.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Adam said, smiling down at him. ¡°I am proud that I did not embarrass myself too much against your grandaunt. I am grateful for the opportunity, and the mercy, she showed me.¡± The boy stared at him, and seeing that the Half Elf understood, he nodded his head. All the while, his mother rubbed her forehead, wondering why he needed to be such an embarrassing little brat. Adam shook the forearms of all the Iyrmen about, each of whom were greeting Adam, before allowing him his peace. He had allowed some of them to go and play with his sword, under the supervision of the older Iyrmen. ¡°So you¡¯re our Cousin,¡± a young woman said. ¡°You fought well,¡± her twin said. ¡°Cousin? So you¡¯re both Rot?¡± Adam said, glancing at their bare foreheads. It seemed they had yet to be tattooed. ¡°We will be tattooed soon,¡± the girls said. ¡°We were waiting for our cousin.¡± ¡°You were waiting for me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No, our cousin, not our Cousin,¡± the first twin said. ¡°Cousin Nirot.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you two going to be fighting in the festival?¡± The pair nodded together. ¡°You should not.¡± Twin A said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t?¡± ¡°It would be unfair to the others,¡± Twin B replied. ¡°You are too strong,¡± Twin A added. ¡°I am?¡± Adam said, before closing his eyes shut. ¡°Oh, right.¡± He had half forgotten what had happened not moments ago. ¡°It is fine,¡± Twin A said. ¡°We will allow you to fight alone during the festival.¡± ¡°Really now, there¡¯s no need for that,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°You will bring great honour to our family!¡± Twin A declared. The pair of them stared up at him with bright eyes, far too full of hope. ¡®This feels awkwardly good,¡¯ Adam thought, coughing into the side of his fist. ¡°Well, uh, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°However,¡± Twin A said, pointing up at him. ¡®What¡¯s with Iyrmen and pointing?¡¯ ¡°You cannot use a sword,¡± she said, glaring up at him. ¡°I refuse,¡± Adam said, before sipping on some stew. ¡°I will do whatever I like.¡± ¡°Then marry us,¡± Cirot said. ¡°We will give you a thousand children.¡± Adam choked on the stew, coughing as it spilled against his front. ¡°We will take good care of you,¡± Sirot added, reaching for a cloth to dab at him with. Adam quickly pulled away, not liking the flag that was being raised. He coughed a few more times, before managing to catch his breath. ¡°You Iyrmen are going to be the death of me,¡± Adam said, trying to retreat. ¡°Seriously, what are you saying?¡± ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°I can¡¯t marry one of them, nevermind both of them.¡± ¡°What is wrong with marrying them both?¡± Jarot asked. Adam looked to Sonarot for help. ¡°They are especially close,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°If one of them were to die, the other would follow soon after.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes went wide, before he looked to Cirot and Sirot, who both nodded. ¡®These two are so hardcore, what the hell. Well, they are pretty. No, no, they look like they¡¯re what, sixteen or so? Though, is that adulthood in the Iyr?¡¯ Wisdom Save D20 + 3 = 12 (9) Omen: 16 -> 0 16 + 3 = 19 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. The stranger stared off in the distance, noting where it had come from again. ¡®A second time from the same place?¡¯ the stranger thought. A small smile appeared on his lips, a third since he had arrived here. ¡°No thank you,¡± Adam said, managing to refuse the offer. ¡°If I hear you have abandoned our family, I will hunt you down myself,¡± Jarot grumbled. ¡°The rematch won¡¯t go the same as the first time,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I do eventually leave, it¡¯ll be once I¡¯m a Gold Rank Adventurer. No, a Diamond Rank.¡± ¡°Diamond Rank?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Hah! Haha!¡± The old man began to laugh. Lanarot looked up at him with her sleepy eyes, narrowing them at him, before she squirmed in her mother¡¯s arms. ¡°Look at your grandfather, Lanarot,¡± Adam said. ¡°He keeps bullying me.¡± ¡°Bullying you?¡± Jarot said, reaching out with a hand to pinch his cheek. ¡°Is it not my role as your Grandfather to bully you?¡± ¡°You wish you were my Grandfather. Lanarot is my sister, so I¡¯ll accept that you¡¯re her grandfather, but that¡¯s only if you don¡¯t shame her.¡± Jarot turned to Cirot and Sirot. ¡°You should hurry up and seduce him,¡± he said in their tongue. ¡°Watch it, old man,¡± Adam replied, also in their tongue. ¡°You speak our words?¡± Jarot asked, surprised. Even Mulrot raised her brows. She had been listening intently to the conversation, wondering how much she should punish Jarot for being an idiot, but hearing Adam speak their language had filled her with alarm. She caught Sonarot¡¯s eyes, the woman shaking her head. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I managed to learn it pretty quickly.¡± ¡°He learnt it through the Gods,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Favoured by the Gods?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Jarot said. ¡°You will not marry the women because you are-¡° ¡°I¡¯m not gay,¡± Adam said. ¡°You are not?¡± Churot asked, speaking up finally upon hearing Adam¡¯s words. Adam sighed. Lanarot began to cry. ¡°Even she is surprised,¡± Jarot said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I forgot how funny the ending was. Desperately fighting adding a harem tag. 167. Level Five 167. Level Five ¡°What a day,¡± Adam said, staring at the dark ceiling. He was staying in the Rot family estate that evening, Sonarot having decided that he should get to know the various family members. Apparently Mulrot had married into the family, and had taken the role after Jarot had lost his arm. Adam had asked what happened, but Jarot had fell silent, and the others didn¡¯t seem keen on giving up the story. Churot remained a mystery. He was a random Devilkin boy that the pair of elderly Iyrmen seemed to dote on, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to ask about the boy, in case it was something awkward. ¡®Jarot seems more on my wavelength, which is nice.¡¯ Adam thought about how all the other Iyrmen seemed so... different. Jarot seemed easy going and ridiculous, just like him. The other Iyrmen were mostly serious, and many of them were quite literal. Sonarot was more relaxed with him, but Jarot was on another level. Adam half expected Jarot to be adopted, and if he hadn¡¯t been told that Jarot was a descendant of the main Rot family, he would have thought the old man was an outsider who had been adopted because he was crazy strong. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, quickly leaving that trail of thought. ¡®Bell, can I level up?¡¯ [Yes.] Adam smiled. Level up! XP: 10 070 -> 4070 Health: 52 -> 65 Attacks: 1 -> 2 ¡°Wait,¡± Adam said, staring at the Experience. ¡°It only cost six thousand? Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± [You didn¡¯t ask.] ¡°Bell, I thought we were friends?¡± [You do not talk to me unless you need me.] Adam closed his eyes. ¡°Well... that¡¯s fair. Sorry, Bell. I¡¯ll try and speak to you more often.¡± [I, too, have feelings.] ¡°Sorry.¡± It was late in the evening when the Great Elders met. The Chief, along with Elder Peace, Elder Gold, Elder Forest, and Elder Teacher. ¡°That was a surprising result,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°Was it?¡± Iromin asked, staring at the snacks before him. Elder Teacher thought back to all he knew about Adam. ¡°Not entirely surprising.¡± ¡°He can defeat Otkan,¡± Elder Gold said, crossing her arms. ¡°Though Otkan was not fighting at the height of her strength, it is still worrying to hear that she was defeated by him,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°We have confirmed he is no Expert, though from what Argon has told us, Adam was as powerful as Jurot when they first met, but now...¡± Iromin rubbed his forehead. ¡°It is rare for someone to grow so powerful so quickly,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°His rate of growth matches those of our greatest prodigies, and only when they were under the harshest of conditions.¡± ¡°He did face two Dragons,¡± the Chief stated. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should state what else he knew about the Half Elf. ¡°He has many great connections. The Iyr, the Silver Nightmare, along with other great beings.¡± ¡°He does not seem to pose a threat to us.¡± Sonarot stared at him for a long moment. ¡°You chose not to be an Expert?¡± ¡°Not quite. I was saving up to become an Expert, but had miscalculated how much I needed, so I ended up overshooting the mark. If I had been an Expert before the fight, I wouldn¡¯t have been so scared.¡± Sonarot wasn¡¯t sure just what he was saying, but was slowly forming a picture of how Adam worked. ¡°So you are able to pick and choose your abilities and when you grow stronger?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Are you able to use Third Gate spells?¡± Sonarot asked, wondering if he would be willing to share more about himself in regards to his combat potential. ¡°I probably could,¡± Adam replied. [Hey, Bell. How much Experience do I need to unlock the next Level of Wizard?] [1500.] ¡®Thanks. How are you doing today?¡¯ [Fine.] ¡®Good talk.¡¯ Adam wondered why Bell was pouting when it was the one to speak to him last night about wanting to talk more. It was difficult when he didn¡¯t want to respond properly. How was he meant to continue the conversation with that? Sonarot waited patiently. ¡°Oh, right. Sorry. I think I should be able to use them soon. In fact, if I wanted to, I could do it now, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to rush.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. Sonarot still wasn¡¯t sure how Adam was able to gain the ability to do things as he pleased. She was sure it wasn¡¯t magic, at least any type of magic she knew about. ¡°It¡¯s complicated, and I¡¯m not sure I can tell you,¡± Adam admitted. Sonarot just nodded, not wanting to press him further. ¡°What is your plan now? You¡¯ve surely spread your name through the Iyr with what you¡¯ve done.¡± Adam thought about how many people knew him from the title and now his bout. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll make an amazing axe and fight in the festival.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what else there was for him. ¡°And beyond that?¡± ¡°Adventure?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I want to stay here and look after Lanarot, but I really do have a lot to do. Though, I should probably prepare for the wedding soon.¡± ¡°The wedding?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Lucy should be returning with Mara soon.¡± Sonarot smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Level 5! Onward Soar, 2 Attacks, Smites. Adam has gone from a qi formation into nascent soul. Wait, wrong genre. 168. What Are The Odds 168. What Are The Odds ¡°What of Brittany and Jonn?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°What will you do with them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Jonn¡¯s still, you know. He¡¯ll swear himself to me at some point, probably. Brittany is...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°She¡¯s just Brittany.¡± Sonarot nodded. ¡°It is most important that you know what you want, Adam. There is no rush for it, but it is important.¡± Adam thought about what he wanted to do. ¡°I could become a professional food critic, going around various restaurants to sample dishes. I could become a soap maker, the soap in the Iyr is a little too hard, and doesn¡¯t lather nicely. I could become a paper maker, what with all the mills here, but work on creating really nice paper to trade outside. Maybe I become a book maker? Someone that binds up books together? That¡¯s an extension of the paper making, I guess. There¡¯s the proper answer of becoming a Gold Rank... no, a Diamond Rank Adventurer. Or I could become a Merchant, or an Enchanter, or...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. Sonarot smiled. ¡°You have many talents.¡± ¡°My best talent is being the best older brother, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair, who had just finished with her feeding. ¡°Oo?¡± The baby squirmed as he brushed her hair. Adam managed to retreat from the Rot family estate, returning back to the shared family estate. He didn¡¯t want to be surrounded by the Rot family, especially not since they all seemed to want a piece of him. ¡°You should rest today,¡± Citool said, taking on the duty for cooking that week. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m still feeling a little sore from the fight yesterday.¡± Citool wondered if he meant any offence by it, but considering it was Adam, it probably was just some thoughtless statement. ¡°She was so scary,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why are the elderly Iyrmen so scary all the time?¡± ¡°They are Iyrmen,¡± Citool replied, simply. ¡°If there is ever any to the Iyr, it will be they who will fight first.¡± ¡°Sending your elderly to fight for you...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt by it. The elderly should take it easy after living their life. However, they were also the strongest force in the Iyr. ¡°Still, it feels a little weird.¡± Citool just bowed her head, leaving him to his thoughts. She was in charge of looking after the children, teaching them. Adam spent the day resting, watching the children play, and looking after his little sister as Sonarot went to work. The Dire Wolf pups had also developed well, and were beginning to play often, even with the children, though with an adult watching nearby. One was currently cuddled up to Lanarot, who was taking her first nap of the day, and the other was currently nestled on Adam¡¯s lap. ¡®This feels so comfy,¡¯ Adam thought, brushing the Dire Wolf pup¡¯s fur, feeling how gentle it was. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com However, there was something stirring inside of him. As much as he enjoyed this slow pace of life, he wanted to do more. Adam closed his eyes, thinking of all the things he could do in a fantasy world. Omen: 1, 15 He spent this next day relaxing and recuperating too, going about his typical morning routine first. He had planned to assist the Iyr with chopping down wood, or whatever they required, once he had finished recuperating properly. Omen: 8, 20 ¡°You must be feeling lucky today,¡± Sonarot said, seeing the look in his eyes. Adam smiled. ¡°Very. I¡¯m going to spend thousands of gold to create a greater magical weapon.¡± ¡°You have been enchanting much recently, Adam. Take good care of yourself.¡± She brushed his hair gently. ¡°I know, I know,¡± Adam replied, enjoying her affection. ¡°If I feel a sickness coming to me, I¡¯ll take a break.¡± ¡®Hey, Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®How much Experience is it to gain an improved critical hit chance?¡¯ [You can check.] ''Okay, fine. I just thought you''d be lonely.'' [I''m not lonely enough to be your servant.] ''Sorry.'' Adam sighed, shaking his head. He checked just how much Experience it required to gain the improved critical hit chance. 3000. It wasn¡¯t so bad. He had enough for it, but he also wanted to keep some Experience in his back pocket, just in case he needed it for something else. ¡®It¡¯s worth the price, at least. I should aim for that after the Third Gate spells.¡¯ ¡°No you are not,¡± Katool said. ¡°I am,¡± Raygak said. ¡°I am when I am.¡± ¡°You are not when you are not,¡± Katool accused. Adam smiled. Omen: 7, 20 ¡°That¡¯s convenient,¡± Adam said, staring at the numbers. ¡°Feeling lucky?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°It seems that I¡¯m being doted on.¡± ¡°If you are feeling unwell, make sure you return and rest,¡± she said. Adam went through his morning routine, playing with the children and pups, before heading out. ¡®Two in a row? That¡¯s fortunate. Or is it unfortunate?¡¯ Mana: 10 -> 5 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 22 (15) Omen: 7, 20 -> 8 20 + 7 = 27 The Silver Dragon lay in the middle of the field, staring at the sky. Beside her was a man, human in appearance. He had hair like liquid copper and eyes which were emerald. He dabbed at her stomach with a lotion, soothing the wound. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he almost killed me,¡± she said. ¡°Can you believe it?¡± The man, knowing what she was like, remained silent. ¡°What a bastard. Just because he¡¯s-¡° Lightning fell, and thunder followed. Taking the man¡¯s cue, she decided to keep quiet. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the Iyrman asked, staring at Adam. ¡°Yeah, why? Do I look pale?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind it,¡± Adam said, waving his hand. When he returned to the estate, Sonarot placed her hand on his forehead again. ¡°You must rest tomorrow.¡± ¡°As long as I don¡¯t feel extremely lucky, I¡¯ll rest.¡± Sonarot frowned, but she nodded her head. ¡°Adam, rest,¡± Taygak said, trying to distract her uncle from the fact she was not finishing her vegetables again. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since Taygak has said so, I probably should do it.¡± Taygak nodded. ¡°Well, what¡¯s the likelihood of me getting another 20?¡± Adam asked. The Iyrmen stared at him. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Omen: 18, 20 ¡°You have got to be kidding me,¡± Adam said, staring at the numbers. ¡°A 20 today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± He hoped Sonarot wouldn¡¯t try to stop him. ¡°Taygak will discipline you,¡± Sonarot said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sonarot is the first boss, Taygak is he second boss. She''s going to be so mad. Katool calling out Raygak was really funny to me, and I don''t know why. What a snitch! 169. Phantom 169. Phantom Adam wondered if he should go and enchant without telling Taygak. He recalled how stern the girl was, being the oldest of the children she was their de facto leader, and held a strong sense of justice. ¡®It was difficult to have her speak to me, I can¡¯t just betray her...¡¯ Adam sighed. He went to find the children, who were where they always were in the morning, in the courtyard playing with each other. Adam walked up to Taygak, who noticed him approach, and quickly marched her way to him. ¡°Adam, come,¡± she said, reaching up to grab his hand. Adam stared down at the girl, letting her lead him away. ¡®This is new.¡¯ Taygak led him to the other children, where she pointed to Raygak. ¡°Raygak, bad,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Raygak, bad,¡± she repeated, looking up at the Half Elf with a disapproving look. ¡°Raygak is bad?¡± ¡°Bad boy, Raygak.¡± She confirmed with a nod of her head. ¡°No,¡± Raygak replied, staring up at them both in surprise. ¡°I am good.¡± ¡°Raygak no help dishes,¡± Taygak said. Raygak frowned, clenching his fists together. He looked away, as though ignoring the accusation. Adam stared at the pair of them, blinking. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ ¡°Bad Raygak!¡± Taygak declared. The other children had stopped with their playing and were watching the situation. Raygak turned redder, gritting his teeth. Adam cleared his throat, quickly interrupting so that the situation didn¡¯t escalate. ¡°Raygak, Taygak, come with me,¡± he said, motioning with his head as he stepped aside. Taygak followed, but Raygak stayed still for a moment. He noted the other children staring at him, so he quickly followed Adam as they stepped aside. ¡°You guys continue playing,¡± Adam said, looking to the twins and Katool, raising his brows expectantly. They did as he asked, returning back to playing with one another. ¡°Now, tell me what happened,¡± Adam said, looking to Taygak. Taygak sighed, looking up at Adam disappointedly. ¡®What did I do?¡¯ Adam wondered. ¡°Raygak no help dishes,¡± she said, shaking her head up at Adam, crossing her arms. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t help with washing the dishes?¡± Adam asked, looking to Raygak. Raygak looked away, ignoring Adam, pretending as though he couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°That¡¯s not like the nice and intelligent Raygak I know,¡± Adam said, dropping down to a knee. ¡°Raygak certainly isn¡¯t ignoring me when I¡¯m speaking with him.¡± ¡°I did not want to wash the dishes,¡± he said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It is boring.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Who washed your dishes?¡± ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Uhuh,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Does he feed you too?¡± ¡°It would be surprising if even you could create such a powerful weapon so quickly,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°How long does it normally take to make great enchantments?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A simple great enchantment? If you are one of the greatest enchanters, a month? If it is beyond a simple great enchantment, three? Typically it takes twice as long.¡± ¡°So I need that many natural 20¡¯s, huh?¡± Adam said, rubbing his head. ¡°Well, that sucks.¡± [No.] Adam raised his brows. ¡®What?¡¯ [You have finished the original enchanting process. Now you must continue to expend Mana in order to finish the enchantment, but there is no more focus required.] Adam smiled. ¡°Apparently, it doesn¡¯t matter if I feel lucky or not from now on.¡± Sonarot had noted the way he had stopped. It was as though someone had spoken to him in his mind. Sonarot wondered if perhaps that was the secret to Adam. She pat his head and brought it to her chest, protecting him from the glares of the other Iyrmen, who had noted what she had noted. Adam didn¡¯t notice their gazes on him, but he did notice that Taygak was slowly chewing on the vegetable she did not like, her face almost angry as she ate. He smiled. He spent the next week expending his Mana into the axe, but otherwise required no extra enchanting on his part. He didn¡¯t need to focus on the blade as his Mana was sucked out of his hand and into the weapon. It was halfway through the month when it happened. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] Adam shook his head as he quickly stood, causing the Iyrman nearby to glance his way. ¡®Yeah. What¡¯s the maximum for this weapon?¡¯ [1000.] ¡®1000 it is then.¡¯ Battleaxe Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing and 1D6 psychic damage. Can store up to 3 charges. 1D3 charges are regained at dawn, or by expending Mana whilst holding the axe, at a rate of one Mana per charge. Charges can only be spent when holding the weapon, but require no action. Spend 1 charge or more to regain 3D6 health for each charge spent. On a hit, spend 1 charge or more to deal 3D6 psychic damage for each charge spent. [Would you like to name the weapon?] Adam was so shocked at the enchantment, he was unable to think. He closed off his mind, wondering what he should call it, away from the prying mind of Bell. ¡®Phantom.¡¯ Phantom Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing and 1D6 psychic damage. Can store up to 3 charges. 1D3 charges are regained at dawn, or by expending Mana whilst holding the axe, at a rate of one Mana per charge. Charges can only be spent when holding the weapon, but require no action. Spend 1 charge or more to regain 3D6 health for each charge spent. On a hit, spend 1 charge or more to deal 3D6 psychic damage for each charge spent. XP: 3070 -> 5070 Experience was reduced due to gaining too much Experience from enchanting. Quest Complete: Make A Greater Enchanted Weapon XP Gained: +200 XP: 5070 -> 5270 Great Enchantment Learnt! XP: 5270 -> 5470 ¡°Yo!¡± Adam said, holding the axe in hand. It felt so powerful, something which filled him with a great tingle. It was only when he held it that he realised that it was missing one enchantment he so desperately wanted. ¡®Damn it. Maybe next time.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Taygak is the best, but she really does need to eat her vegetables. Is this weapon broken? Yes. Yes it is. Owed you two chapters yesterday, and someone said that Sundays is a drought so I made it rain chappies. I will probably not do this much again. 170. Adam’s Declaration 170. Adam¡¯s Declaration ¡°Check it out!¡± Adam declared as he finally returned back at the estate, where the pups greeted him by bouncing at his feet. He scooped them up with one hand as he held out the axe to Sonarot, though Raygak had rushed over to him. ¡°You said I could play with it,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Have you been helping your father with the dishes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy said. ¡°I am a big boy.¡± ¡°It is an axe, and Sonarot is my Aunt, so she should play with it first. However, since you¡¯ve been so good, I¡¯ll let you play with it second,¡± Adam said. Zijin panted as he stared at the Half Elf, having rushed to the estate when he had heard that the enchanting had been complete. The Iyrman who had been watching over Adam had been hesitant in telling him, thinking Adam was lying since no one could make a greater enchantment in just ten days. ¡°I will be second,¡± Zijin declared. ¡°You will be third,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have already promised Raygak.¡± ¡°You would give it to a child before me?¡± ¡°Raygak has been really good, helping his father wash the dishes in the past week,¡± Adam said. ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to allow him to play with it,¡± Adam said, noting Jogak¡¯s glare from nearby, ¡°under supervision.¡± Zijin crossed his arms. ¡°Very well, I will wait.¡± ¡°Does it require...¡± Sonarot held it in hand. ¡°Yes, I am sure it does.¡± ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t make it that good,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is my first greater enchantment, so...¡± Sonarot went to meditate with the weapon, as Adam played with the two Dire Wolf pups, pressing his face into their fur. ¡°What does the axe do?¡± Citool asked, staring at Adam as he played with the pups. ¡°Well, it¡¯s slightly weaker than Lightsear,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though it¡¯s much more effective at killing a wider variety of monsters.¡± ¡°It is weaker, but more powerful?¡± Citool asked. ¡°You¡¯ll understand once Aunt tells you,¡± Adam said, eating the food which had been made by Shikan that week. It was grilled meat in the evenings, sometimes slathered in fat. Sonarot finished meditating with it, spending a few minutes cutting through the targets which had been prepared, which would be used as fuel during Nightval. ¡°There is something beyond my understanding,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Oh, you can expend charges to deal more damage and heal,¡± he said. She continued to cut through the wood, expending the charges to deal more damage, but it didn¡¯t seem to affect the the wood much. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°What is it that I¡¯m missing?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°It deals damage to the mind, and since wood doesn¡¯t have minds, it probably doesn¡¯t really seem like it¡¯s that powerful,¡¯ Adam said. Sonarot stared at him for a moment. ¡®It attacks the mind?¡¯ She then looked to Elder Zijin, giving him a number of looks. Zijin was surprised that she had something to say to him, no doubt about Adam, but he noted another look. He sighed, allowing her to come towards him to attack him. He clenched his teeth and his entire body tensed as he filled with rage while she attacked him. His eyes went wide as he stepped back, reaching up for a moment to nurse the headache, a pain searing in the centre of his mind. ¡°That weapon is quite powerful,¡± he said. ¡°How many charges does it hold?¡± ¡°Three,¡± Adam said. ¡°Three?¡± Zijin said, his words obviously full of shock. ¡°Why did you make it so that it dealt damage to the mind?¡± ¡°Was it designed to kill father?¡± Sonarot asked, earnestly. Adam rubbed his chin. ¡®What do I say?¡¯ He could tell them the real reason, but at the same time that would sow some doubts about him. However, he also didn¡¯t want to lie. The Chief furrowed his brows. ¡°He can spend all three charges at once if he wishes,¡± Zijin said. The Chief remained silent. ¡°You are certain?¡± ¡°Sonarot confirmed the weapon¡¯s abilities, and Adam did so by his words.¡± ¡°It is interesting that he created that particular enchantment considering the Rot¡¯s abilities in their rage,¡± the Chief said. It didn¡¯t make any sense to him, though that was only if he ignored one key event. ¡®Did he create the weapon to kill Jarot?¡¯ the Chief thought. ¡°Adam has joked that the weapon was designed to deal with Jarot if he dares to bully the girl.¡± ¡°Lanarot?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Iromin leaned back in his chair, taking a bite of his snack, a piece of fried dough, pushing some towards Zijin, who accepted one out of courtesy. ¡°This is no doubt a declaration of his intent,¡± Iromin said. ¡°It was designed to deal with the Rot family¡¯s specific ability. Was he told about it before he created the weapon?¡± ¡°Either he was told, or he managed to assume what it was,¡± Zijin said. ¡®If it¡¯s him, then perhaps he managed to find out,¡¯ Iromin thought. ¡°Ten days?¡± ¡°Ten days.¡± ¡°I will speak with him,¡± Iromin said. Zijin bowed his head and excused himself. Iromin remained in his gazebo, eating his snacks silently. ¡®Ten days? A weapon which attacks the mind?¡¯ He sighed, wondering when Adam would stop making it difficult for him. Soon the other Great Elders arrived to speak with Iromin in the late evening. ¡°So?¡± Elder Forest asked, sitting down nearby, helping herself to some snacks. ¡°Are we going to talk about him today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Iromin said. ¡°We are.¡± Elder Gold and Elder Forest were most intrigued. They had heard that Adam had managed to create a greater enchantment in ten days, and that apparently he has another presence within his mind he speaks to. ¡°How long does it take Romaezi to create a simple greater enchanted weapon?¡± Chief Iromin asked. ¡°Four weeks,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°Halved if it was last month,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°And something beyond a simple greater enchantment?¡± Elder Forest and Elder Gold exchanged a look. ¡°Three months,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°Halved during the storm,¡± Elder Gold added. Chief Iromin tapped the table with a finger, thinking. ¡°So it¡¯s true?¡± Elder Gold asked. Iromin nodded, sighing. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam being an idiot after making such a great weapon. Do you guys miss the extra chapters? Don''t forget that subscribing to my patreon even at the lowest tier will give you access to a few chapters ahead, and will force me to update an extra chapter there and here too! Just for this month! 171. They Finally Return 171. They Finally Return Omen: 5, 18 ¡°So what¡¯s up with you two?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the twins. The pair usually were quite open with speaking with him. Kalokan was quite talkative, especially about swords and weapons in general, often times waiting for everyone else to play with the weapons before she would admire them. Damokan was quieter than the other children, following his sister¡¯s lead. However, Kalokan and Damokan had been glancing at him over the last few days, whispering between one another. Somehow, the two knew how to whisper, unlike most other Iyrmen Adam knew. ¡°You are strong,¡± Kalokan said. ¡°Your weapons are strong.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Grandmother is strong too. You beat her.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should accept that he won, not when he had used everything in his disposal against someone who held back. ¡°Though, it was quite difficult. As you said, my weapons are strong, and it¡¯s only because of how strong that sword was that I was able to defeat your grandmother.¡± ¡°We want to be strong too,¡± Kalokan said, staring up at the Half Elf. ¡°Help, please.¡± Adam stared down at the pair for a long while. ¡°I think the Iyr will teach you to be strong better than I will.¡± Kalokan stared up at him, narrowing her eyes. It was the first time Adam saw her stare at him suspiciously, so he wasn¡¯t sure how he should feel, having lost her faith. Kalokan walked away, understanding that Adam was just like their siblings, and that he didn¡¯t want to really spend much time with the children, especially when it came to training. Damokan remained. He stared up at Adam, his eyes void of any emotion. ¡°Help, please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Adam said, dropping down to a knee and placing a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The Iyr will make you strong.¡± The boy looked down for a long moment. ¡°Anokan was trained by the Iyr. She died.¡± ¡°Who is Anokan?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Cousin Amokan¡¯s older sister. She left before, and she was strong. She died when she left.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you proud? She must have died a good death if she was Amokan¡¯s sister.¡± Damokan looked down to the ground again. ¡°I do not want want her to die.¡± ¡®How the hell am I meant to comfort you?¡¯ Adam wondered. The boy was an Iyrman, and it wasn¡¯t as though they were related. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was the boy¡¯s Cousin now that he was a Nephew of the Rot family. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Anokan¡¯s already dead, and I can¡¯t help you with that.¡± Adam pat the boy¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°I do not want Kalokan to die.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, considering that it make much more sense. ¡°She will not die before she is ready to leave the Iyr.¡± Damokan looked up into Adam¡¯s eyes again, staring deep into the Half Elf¡¯s soul. ¡°You will help when we go?¡± ¡°Damokan, you are Amokan¡¯s younger cousin. Shouldn¡¯t you ask him to help you?¡± ¡°You will be Unrivalled Under The Heavens,¡± Damokan said. Adam almost coughed, trying to not take any cringe damage. ¡®Why is my past coming back to haunt me like this?¡¯ ¡°You think I¡¯ll be Unrivalled Under The Heavens, and not Amokan?¡± Damokan nodded. ¡°Yes. You are strong.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, but his lips were twitching into a smile. ¡®Damn. These kids are way too cute.¡¯ His stomach was slowly growing full. ¡°When you¡¯re older, and you still want my help, I¡¯ll come and help you.¡± ¡°Right, uh, I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate.¡± Adam smiled as charmingly as he could manage. ¡°He is your Cousin,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°My Cousin?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°I do not have such a Cousin.¡± ¡°He is a Nephew of our family,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Since when did we have an Elf for a Nephew?¡± ¡°Since earlier in the year,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He is only half an Elf.¡± Nirot stared at Adam, narrowing her eyes at him. Yes, he did look quite handsome and strong, but she wasn¡¯t one to easily accept some random fellow into her family. It was then she saw Lanarot, who had come crawling out. The young woman quickly darted up to the girl, squatting down in front of her. ¡°Hello.¡± Lanarot stared up at her for a moment, before looking to her mother and Adam, crawling towards them. ¡°Come,¡± Nirot said, holding out her arms. Adam smiled as Lanarot crawled past the woman, and he squat down, holding out his arms. ¡°Come,¡± he said. ¡®Let me show you how engrained I already am.¡¯ Lanarot passed Adam and looked up to her mother, who picked her up and bounced the girl against her chest. ¡°Adam is a member of our family. I hope that you will treat him appropriately. I do not want to see any fighting between either of you.¡± ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t cross the line,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t come between my sister and I, I don¡¯t mind if she¡¯s a little annoying.¡± ¡°Annoying?¡± Nirot gasped. ¡°Who are you to call me annoying? I am Nirot, daughter of Mirot!¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling you, Nirot, daughter of Miror, annoying,¡± Adam said. ¡°You!¡± She reached down for her axe. ¡°Niece, enough!¡± Sonarot demanded, frowning at the girl. ¡°Adam, do not bully your Cousin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much fun,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Just you wait until cousin Jurot returns! He will teach you your place.¡± Adam wondered if he should tell her, but wasn¡¯t it more fun if she remained out of the loop? Adam exchanged a look with Sonarot, who seemed to hold a playful gaze in her eyes. ¡®She¡¯s definitely not going to tell her.¡¯ ¡°How is there always a commotion within this estate?¡± Iromin asked, approaching the courtyard. ¡°Welcome, Chief,¡± Nirot said, before the other adults greeted him too. ¡°I see you have met your Cousin,¡± the Chief said. ¡°He is no Cousin of mine,¡± Nirot said. ¡°I am waiting for my cousin to return to teach him a lesson.¡± Chief Iromin stared at the girl. He blinked. Then he turned to face Adam and Sonarot. ¡®She does not know?¡¯ Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Nirot makes her return. But, uh, why has Iromin come? 172. No Excuses 172. No Excuses ¡°What did I do wrong this time?¡± Adam asked as the Chief headed inside the Gak¡¯s spare room, with Jogak bringing them some snacks. ¡°I am sure you understand why I am here, Adam.¡± ¡°Is it about the weapon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°Are you worried why I made the weapons?¡± ¡°Yes, among other things. How did you find our Jarot¡¯s weakness?¡± ¡°I took a guess,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I... I am somewhat familiar with most abilities which people might possess. When I heard that he was resistant to many types of damage, I knew that there was one which was hard to resist, even for Iyrmen.¡± ¡°So it was just a guess?¡± ¡°Not quite. It¡¯s difficult for me to explain, because...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure that he understood the abilities through a system. ¡°I just know a few things about that sort of thing.¡± ¡°We have never heard of anyone like you, who has the ability to cast the spells you know, to hold so many abilities from so many different paths of life.¡± ¡°I work within the system, but without as many barriers,¡± Adam replied, hoping that would explain enough without getting too in depth with it. ¡°Is it true you made the weapon to kill Jarot?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I made it to beat him easier, sure, but it was mostly because that something like that would be useful. Jurot already has fire, Jaygak has a more powerful blade, Kitool has her staff, Dunes his sword, which I really should have made to deal holy damage, and my own... well, we¡¯ll be a well balanced party, don¡¯t you think?¡± Iromin bowed his head. ¡°That isn¡¯t to say I wouldn¡¯t use it to kill Jarot,¡± Adam said, digging himself into a hole. ¡°If, for whatever reason, Jarot does something unforgivable, and we come to blows, I may rely on Phantom, among other abilities, to take him out.¡± ¡°That is alarming news,¡± Iromin said. ¡°The truth,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯d kill almost anyone with that axe. You know, other than Aunt, Lanarot, and so on.¡± ¡°Would you use it against me?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯d need something more powerful to go against you, Chief.¡± The Chief nodded. ¡°I hope that you do not use this weapon against our people.¡± ¡°I have no intention to do so,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hope to remain in good graces with the Iyr until I¡¯m far beyond death.¡± ¡°If there is a time we regret allowing you to use our shrines, then it will be a time you will regret betraying our trust.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I hope that if I do end up against you, that you¡¯ll give me the benefit of the doubt. I don¡¯t think I will ever go against the Iyr in my right mind, so please save me from whatever it is which has made me go against you.¡± Iromin nodded. ¡°How did you manage to create a magical weapon with a greater enchantment so quickly?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I assume ten days is quick, then?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Beats me. I do whatever you see me do. I grab some gems, I expend Mana, sometimes I¡¯ll ask for Fate to help me out, and then out comes a weapon in three days, or ten, apparently.¡± ¡°Your way of enchanting is similar to ours, but there are some differences,¡± he admitted. ¡°However, even our greatest enchanters cannot enchant as quickly as you.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure what I do. I just do what you see me do and out comes an enchanted weapon.¡± ¡°Were all the enchantments you created on your weapon purposeful? The charges, the healing, the extra damage.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°So you did not leave it to Fate?¡± ¡°It is the best possible weapon I could have created because of Fate, but all the enchantments were purposeful,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though, I really should have added another enchantment, I think I probably could have, but for a first try at a greater enchantment, it was pretty good.¡± ¡°We still cannot understand what you are,¡± Iromin said. ¡°A friend,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, a Nephew.¡± He winked. Iromin nodded. ¡°Do you think you can create another weapon with a greater enchantment so quickly?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If it¡¯s a simpler enchantment, probably a little quicker? Not sure. I¡¯d have to try it.¡± ¡°Will you be able to create a weapon with a legendary status?¡± Iromin asked. ¡®Can I?¡¯ [If it is a simple enchantment.] ¡°A very simple one, yes.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Sonarot shouted, quickly stepping forward, grabbing the girl¡¯s wrist. ¡°You lost, Nirot.¡± ¡°That axe of his is magical!¡± ¡°Even without it, you would lose,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since you won¡¯t accept, I¡¯ll use whatever weapon that you want. A dagger, spear, my own fists?¡± ¡°I will face you without you using any magical weapons!¡± Nirot growled. ¡°I do not care which weapon you use.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Since I¡¯m a member of the Rot family, I need a shield and axe.¡± Sonarot smiled, going off to grab one of each from the wall of the Rot house. ¡°Please, be nice.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said. Mana: 8 -> 6 Spell: Healing Word 2D3 + 3 = 8 (2, 3) ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°You¡¯re at full strength?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, raising her axe. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) This time Nirot was quick to move, as she grit her teeth, turned red, and charged towards the Half Elf. Her axe clattered against Adam¡¯s shield, who ducked. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 D20 + 6 = 22 (16) D20 + 6 = 23 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 9 (3)(2) Damage resisted. 6 damage! Adam swung down towards her with his axe, slamming up against her shield as she stumbled back. He wound back for another strike as she tried to attack him. D20 + 6 = 7 (1) D20 + 6 = 26 (20) Critical hit! 2D6 + 2D3 + 4 = 15 (2, 3)(3, 3) Damage resisted. 8 damage! Nirot hadn¡¯t expected the second blow, and quickly found herself unconscious as Adam struck her across the side of her head with the shaft of his axe, catching her in his arms. ¡°I am sorry, Adam,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She is strong willed.¡± ¡°Pretty sure she was like that last time too,¡± Adam said, chuckling. Sonarot rubbed the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°Will you heal her?¡± ¡°I was just about to,¡± Adam said, stepping back. ¡°I thought it would be best if she awoke in your arms.¡± Mana: 6 -> 4 Spell: Healing Word 2D3 + 3 = 5 (1, 1) ¡°Wake up,¡± Adam called, healing the girl. ¡®First I critically miss and hit in the same attack, and then I roll minimum for my healing?¡¯ Adam wondered if he was lucky or unlucky. Nirot grunted as Adam healed her, coming to in her aunt¡¯s arms. ¡°Huh?¡± She looked up at the pair of them, blinking. She shook her head, quickly waking up. ¡°You are an Expert?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°I definitely will not accept an Elf.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only half an Elf,¡± Adam said, frowning. It didn¡¯t really matter to Adam, who walked over to his sister and picked her up as she clapped and squealed. ¡°Did you see me win?¡± He kissed her cheek and held her close to his chest as she giggled and babbled. Nirot wondered how Adam had managed to get to the position he could be so tender with her cousin. ¡®I will find out your secrets, Half Elf!¡¯ She tried to ignore the fact he was an Expert and a fine addition to the Rot family. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! What the hell is Adam saying to Iromin? He''s about to get killed for sure. Nirot kinda sus of Adam, and she''s 100% in the right. Thanks to Fate, who subbed on Patreon. No, not that Fate. I hope. 173. Nirot’s Suspicions 173. Nirot¡¯s Suspicions Omen: 4, 19 Nirot¡¯s plan was to watch after Adam the entire day. Adam could tell, because she was staring right at him. Even as he went over to the pups, brushing their fur, feeding them their milk and meat, and running around with them, she was watching him. He then joined the children in their play, letting the pups rest, though they¡¯d sometimes come and play too, bouncing around. ¡®Dire Wolf pups?¡¯ Nirot thought. ¡®Has he seduced you too? I will save you from his wickedness.¡¯ ¡°Cousin Nirot is angry?¡± Katool asked. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like me,¡± Adam replied. Katool stared up at him in shock. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t like that I¡¯m an Elf,¡± Adam said. ¡°Only half,¡± Katool stated. Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why she doesn¡¯t like Elf?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Elves don¡¯t have horns.¡± ¡°So, does that mean Nirot doesn¡¯t like Katool, because Katool doesn¡¯t have horns either.¡± Raygak stared at Adam with an incredulous look. ¡°No,¡± he said, as though it were obvious. ¡°Katool is an Iyrman.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m no Iyrman?¡± ¡°You are a Nephew of the...¡± Raygak stopped as the penny dropped. ¡°Nirot should like you. You are a Nephew.¡± ¡°Caught on, have you?¡± Adam teased. ¡°I know she¡¯s meant to like me, but she doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± Raygak asked. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m naughty like you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not naughty!¡± Raygak puffed out his cheeks. ¡°I have washed dishes.¡± ¡°Raygak good,¡± Taygak said, nodding her head. ¡°And you¡¯ve been eating your vegetables too,¡± Adam said, ruffling Taygak¡¯s hair. She exhaled through her nose angrily, but she seemed happy enough. ¡°You fight with Nirot?¡± Katool asked. ¡°I did yesterday, but I won.¡± Katool nodded, as though that were obvious. ¡°You nice now?¡± ¡°I try to be nice.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Katool said, nodding her head again, as though that was the end of it. Adam aimed for second place that day, letting Raygak win since he had been good recently. ¡®I can¡¯t bully him too much.¡¯ ¡°Will you take Lanarot for a walk today?¡± Sonarot asked.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, grabbing the contraption which would allow him to carry Sonarot. It was made of sturdy fabric, with a leather bottom. It was like a big nappy with straps attached to it, which he could tie to himself. It wasn¡¯t long until breakfast was being served, with Lanarot eating some boiled vegetables which had been smashed for her, as well as some meat which had been cooked until it had become soft. ¡°Why is it that you all like that Half Elf?¡± Nirot asked the children, who were eating in their own group. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Taygak said, admonishing Nirot. ¡°He is good.¡± ¡°Good?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°He plays with us,¡± Raygak said. ¡°He is good at playing our games, but he does not win every time. Today I beat him.¡± Raygak puffed out his chest. ¡°So he lies to make you feel better?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°I am very good at the game,¡± Raygak rebutted. ¡°Adam make magical weapons,¡± Katool said. ¡°Very good.¡± She nodded as she chewed noisily. ¡°What?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°He makes magical weapons,¡± Raygak said. ¡°He handed my older sister a very strong magical weapon.¡± ¡°He give Kitool nice weapon,¡± Katool added. ¡°He makes magical weapons and sold them off to your families?¡± Nirot asked. ¡®With the condition of the two families, how could that be?¡¯ ¡°No,¡± Katool said. ¡°He give.¡± ¡°There was a moment I was going to kill you,¡± Argon said. ¡°You what?¡± Adam asked. ¡®What?¡¯ Nirot thought, watching from nearby. ¡®He almost killed Adam?¡¯ ¡°It was after Balrog,¡± Argon said. ¡°I thought you were a mad dog who needed to be put down. Fortunately, Tazwyn was there to guide me, as she has always done.¡± Adam stared at Argon. ¡°You aren¡¯t joking, are you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Argon said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realise.¡± Argon nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll need to thank Tazwyn.¡± Argon tickled Lanarot¡¯s chin. ¡°I have heard that you adore her deeply.¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± Adam replied. ¡°She¡¯s my little sister.¡± ¡°Do you say it often because you do not believe it?¡± Argon asked. ¡°I say it often because it¡¯s true,¡± Adam said. Still, his words had struck a nerve within him, something which Adam quickly shook off. ¡°No one can deny that, Adam,¡± Argon said, patting the Half Elf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you are in need, you may always come to me.¡± ¡°Likewise, Argon.¡± Adam continued on his walk, noting all kinds of Iyrmen around. Most of them seemed to recognise him, throwing him a nod, mentioning one of his many titles, some of which the Iyrmen had made for him, like Dragon Slayer and Lucky Boy. Nirot wondered just how many Iyrmen knew of the Half Elf, and why he was called Dragon Slayer. ¡®He killed a Dragon? How can that be? He defeated Grandaunt?¡¯ Nirot¡¯s brain was beginning to cry at how deeply she was thinking. Once Lanaarot started to yawn, Adam made his way back, eventually placing her down to nap. He lay down beside her, placing his finger in her open hand, letting her hold it as she napped. ¡°Aunt, did he really beat Grandaunt? Did he really slay a Dragon?¡± Nirot asked. Sonarot smiled. ¡°When Jurot returns, you will hear of it then.¡± Nirot frowned, but understood that there was no need to spoil the story so soon. ¡°I hope cousin Jurot returns soon.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Sonarot said, brushing her hair. ¡°He will enjoy hearing your tales, and I am certain you will enjoy his.¡± ¡°Aunt, did he really give away magical weapons to my Cousins?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So they could help him return back home safely.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does that mean they are members of his party?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does he want to seduce them so he can marry into the Iyr?¡± ¡°He has refused several times to marry into our family,¡± Sonarot said. Nirot stared up at her. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Father wanted to marry him to Cirot and Sirot, but he did not wish for it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Nirot¡¯s nostrils flared. ¡°It may be because he has someone else in mind. There is a Demon and a Dragon.¡± Nirot shook her head. Did the blow from yesterday still affect her even today? Sonarot smiled. Later that evening, Sonarot sat in her chair, knitting as she hummed to herself. Adam eventually lay with Lanarot under the stars, both gazing at the stars and at Lanarot¡¯s face as she stared up to see all the stars and colours shifting about above them, slowly growing tired. Nirot remained nearby, staring at the Half Elf. ¡®Who are you, Adam?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I kinda feel bad for Nirot. Join my discord for Beyond Chaos memes and stuff. It''s dead, so please, come cast Revivify. 174. Trusting Adam 174. Trusting Adam Omen: 11, 14 ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, staring down at Lanarot. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lanarot squirmed in his grasp. Adam held her up by her arm pits, letting her stand, though she was trying to squat to drop down onto her bottom. ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°Oboobooboo,¡± Lanarot replied, squealing with utter joy. ¡°I will change her,¡± Sonarot said, taking the girl from him. Adam took off his clothes, which were hot and wet from Lanarot soiling herself while she slept on him. Usually it was fine, since the clothy was good enough to deal with it, but tonight she had been determined to surpass her limits. Adam scrubbed himself off, using some hot water which had been heated over a fire nearby. ¡°Kids these days, I swear.¡± He shook his head, though he smiled slightly. ¡°I should create a nappy company or something. Don¡¯t leave your children¡¯s mess to Fate, leave it to Neverleak.¡± The more he thought about it, the more he liked his idea. ¡®Damn, how can I be so smart?¡¯ Eventually it was time to play, and as Jogak cooked, Adam stared at some of the fruits and the nuts. ¡°Where¡¯s the spice?¡±NewW novels updates at novelhall.com Jogak revealed a large pepper he had kept to the side. ¡°It will be in the stew.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s with the fruit and nuts?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Some of the fruit is for your sister, the rest are for the other children,¡± Jogak replied. Adam stared at the fruits and nuts. ¡®Lanarot has teeth now, so it should be okay, right?¡¯ ¡°Can I cook something too?¡± ¡°What will it be?¡± Jogak asked, stopping his preparations for the moment. From the man who invented pizza, Jogak didn¡¯t mind listening to what he had in mind. ¡°It will be something for Lanarot. I¡¯m still figuring out other stuff I want to introduce to the Iyr, but I need to taste more spices. However, I have figured out a few things which Lanarot might like.¡± Jogak nodded. Though he was wary that Adam was making something for a child, it was also his little sister, and he was in no place to deny a matter within the Rot family. Adam found a fruit which he figures was the closest approximation to a banana, and started to mush it down with a spoon. The wet squelching caused Jogak to glance over towards him, a curious look in his eyes, though he didn¡¯t dare to ask Adam was he was doing. It was at times like this Jogak understood that Adam was Adam. Once that was done, he grabbed an egg, and cracked it into the banana, before mixing them together for a short while, until it was smooth. Adam fried the mixture, pouring out four small pancakes. Once they were cooked, he cut them thrice each way. ¡°There,¡± Adam said. Jogak had been watching, entirely confused. ¡®He mushed the salya and egg together?¡¯ He had never heard of anyone making such food before. Adam took a bite just to check how it tasted. ¡°Yep. Tastes just like a banana and an egg.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what else he was expecting. When it was finally time to eat, Lanarot sat down behind a small table. She slapped the table gleefully and squealed, before Adam placed down one of the small pieces for her. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Jogak asked. ¡°She is old enough to eat salya and eggs, so it should be fine,¡± Sonarot replied. Lanarot put the piece into her mouth and began to nibble it with her tiny teeth, before she swallowed it. Adam kept placing down a piece as she ate, eating the scrambled eggs which Jogak had made. ¡°Good girl,¡± Adam said, his voice soft and approving. ¡°Make sure you eat a lot and grow up strong.¡± Lanarot continued to eat the food, though some of it had fallen down on her lap, and he had thrown a few pieces, as expected of her. ¡°Nice throw,¡± Adam said, though he quickly pinched her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t waste food, you silly little girl.¡± Lanarot just smiled at him as she ate, before finishing her meal. Once they had all finished eating, Adam picked the girl up and kissed her cheek. ¡°What a good girl. You¡¯re going to be such a strong little warrior, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Adam, will you come and assist me today?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°We have Stormwood to cut.¡± ¡°Stormwood?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There are some books about the history of the realm, medicine, sciences, and so on.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, more eagerly. ¡°Cool.¡± Perception Check D20 + 3 = 14 (11) Adam managed to spot something from the corner of his eye. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked, pointing to another set of walls which he could barely spy. ¡°That is another domain within the Iyr,¡± Shikan said. ¡°For more families.¡± ¡°More families?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ah, well that does make sense. I was wondering why the buildings were so large considering how small the area was for fifty thousand people.¡± Shikan almost smiled upon hearing the number of Iyrmen Adam thought lived within the Iyr. ¡°Come.¡± They continued through the various tunnels, where Adam saw small sections of the Iyr he hadn¡¯t seen before. Usually there were a handful of Iyrmen in each section, and many of them were various Iyrmen who were training in all manners of undress. He even spied a section full of women who were adorned in black robes, wielding large spears. ¡°I ask that you keep your eyes down for the next section,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Do not look around.¡± Adam did as he was asked, and followed Shikan through another tunnel, which opened up for a short while. Adam could hear low growling from nearby. The growling came from all around, from below, from beside, and even from above him. A shadow swallowed him for a short while, before they continued to step into the tunnels. ¡°Did you see?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°No?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Was I meant to see anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± Eventually they came across a large area, full of trees. Adam had no idea how deep it went, but it was easily miles long, with trees of varying shapes and sizes, but the pattern along the wood was the same. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, staring at the forest ahead of him. The wood was dark, not quiet black or brown, but between the colours. Within the wood were small flecks of blue, which crackled. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°Stormwood,¡± Shikan said, grabbing a pair of gloves, and extending out an axe to Adam. Adam could feel the magic of the axe even through the gloves. ¡°What kind of axe is this?¡± It was huge, and thick. The metal was a dark blue, with silver runes engraved along the blade. Arcane Lore Check D20 + 5 = 11 (6) Adam had no idea just how powerful this axe was, nor what kind of enchantments could lay within it. ¡°The kind you should not ask about, nor the kind you should try to glean,¡± Shikan replied, simply. ¡°I have vouched for this forest to be revealed to you.¡± ¡°Does that mean you trust me?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I trust Sister Sonarot.¡± Adam decided against asking about the trees, since they had trusted him enough to allow him this sight. ¡®I wonder what it¡¯s good for, though.¡¯ As he began to cut down the wood, he felt how resistant it was to cutting. Athletics Check D20 + 6 = 11 (6) Even as he attacked the tree, he could not manage to leave much of a dent within it after an hour. ¡°What the hell?¡± Adam panted, resting from the side. The tree he was trying to hack was barely a fist thick. ¡°Do not swing with your strength,¡± Shikan said, having cut down a tree which was easily as thick as he was. ¡°Cut with the axe, not your muscles.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Adam stretched out his arms, and then bend backwards to try and stretch out his back. ¡°The axe will cut it by itself over time.¡± Adam watched as Shikan went back to work. He wasn¡¯t quite cutting the tree, but sawing it. Adam did the same, placing the axe against the wood, and then slowly shifted it from side to side. It had taken a short while before he saw that the axe had sunk into it. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The Chief literally threatened him a couple of chapters ago and now they''re revealing a secret of the Iyr? Maybe Adam isn''t the one whose crazy? 175. No Gooders 175. No Gooders Adam groaned as he lay before Sonarot, a pillow against his lower back. It was early evening, and Adam and Shikan had spent close to six hours working on cutting down trees, managing to cut down six trees. ¡°How is it that my Nephew is always so hurt when you take him?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°He has been spending too much time enchanting and not training,¡± Shikan said. ¡°He will be fine after a good night¡¯s rest.¡± Sonarot sighed, though it wasn¡¯t as though he was wrong. The rain began to trickle into the Iyr, and so the families retired to their homes. Sonarot kept looking out the window as she knitted. ¡°Lanarot,¡± Adam said, the girl crawling over him repeatedly like he was some kind of obstacle. ¡°You must get revenge for me.¡± Lanarot babbled as she continued to crawl over her brother, before finding her favourite cube and playing with it, sucking against it and tossing it, alternating between the two. Eventually it was time to feed Lanarot, so Adam sat up against the wall, with the girl on his lap as he fed her some softly boiled fruit. There were two light knocks on he door, followed by two harder knocks. Quickly, the woman leapt out of her chair and opened the door. ¡°Welcome home,¡± she said, quickly embracing her son. ¡°Mother! I have returned!¡± Jurot declared, embracing his mother tight, letting her kiss his face all over. Then he glanced over to Adam and Lanarot. ¡°I have returned.¡± He smiled wide, puffing out his chest. ¡°We have slain a Greater Elder Wolf!¡± Adam remained sitting down with Lanarot on his lap, still feeding the girl. She was eating from his fingers, though sometimes picked up a piece for herself to eat. Jurot remained standing, smiling down at his siblings, all the while Adam ignored him. The silence became awkward as Sonarot watched what was playing out, wondering what Adam was planning. ¡°Hmph,¡± Adam eventually said. ¡°Look who came crawling back, Lanarot. It¡¯s your brother who didn¡¯t eve say goodbye to us.¡± ¡°I said goodbye to Lanarot,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head. ¡°You see?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°He¡¯s admitting to the fact he didn¡¯t even say goodbye to me. Then he went to have fun and adventure all without me!¡± Lanarot bit onto the fruit and nibbled it, before looking up at Jurot. She stared up at him for a moment, before going back to eating her fruit. ¡°How much did you guys even make for the party fund?¡± Adam asked, still not looking at Jurot. ¡°One hundred gold,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We earned close to a thousand gold on our adventure.¡± ¡°Do you hear that, Lanarot? They went out without me and didn¡¯t even manage to make as much as me. What a bunch of no good...¡± Adam realised he couldn¡¯t curse. ¡°No gooders!¡± ¡°Ooh,¡± Lanarot babbled as she bit into another piece of fruit, tossing one half of it. ¡°Yeah, right?¡± Adam replied, as though she wasn¡¯t just babbling. Sonarot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s head, brushing his hair. ¡°Will you not greet your brother properly?¡± Adam couldn¡¯t fight against his Aunt who always treated him so well. ¡°I would, but my legs still hurt so I can¡¯t stand up.¡± ¡°What happened to your legs?¡± Jurot asked. There were very few things which had ever harmed Adam to such an extent. ¡°Work,¡± Adam said, seriously, as though he had faced a nightmare. ¡°He cut Stormwood with Shikan,¡± Sonarot explained. ¡°Stormwood?¡± Jurot said, surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected that they would reveal the existence of the wood to the Half Elf so quickly. ¡°Were we gifted some?¡± ¡°Welcome back, you damn wood nerd.¡± Adam reached out his hand, and Jurot shook the Half Elf¡¯s forearm. ¡°So what¡¯s this about a Greater Wolfy thing?¡± Jurot picked her up by the side of her chest under her armpits, and stared into her eyes. They were his mother¡¯s eyes, and now his sister¡¯s eyes. However, his heart did not pound quite so hard as it had done last time. ¡°You have grown well,¡± he said. ¡°She has teeth,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯re great at eating.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly, already used to the queer thoughts Adam had. Adam glanced at the dagger, the blade of which was about as long and wide as his hand. ¡°What a hefty dagger. Ah, speaking of which. Do you want to see the weapons I enchanted? I was really lucky.¡± Adam revealed the swords he had enchanted, as well as the axe. ¡°This is Dunes¡¯ Sword, which is probably my second best weapon to date. One could argue it¡¯s my best, but I like my axe more.¡± ¡°An axe?¡± Jurot asked, but he picked up Dunes¡¯ Sword. He meditated with it, since Adam had revealed it to him first, and after a while he trained in the rain, slashing around, cutting into some wood. ¡°It is quite a powerful blade. Dunes will like it.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Where are they, anyway?¡± ¡°They are in a hut,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They will meet us in the morning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Dunes that you got to play with it first, I don¡¯t want him to feel bad,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Tomorrow you can play with my axe since it¡¯s already quite late.¡± He wondered what Jurot would think of his axe. ¡°This blade may be best in your hands,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Or Jonn¡¯s.¡± ¡°Jonn is a butt,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him with a magical blade yet. He¡¯s still not sworn his Oaths to me, so he can suck it. Plus, I said it would be for Dunes, so it belongs to Dunes.¡± Jurot nodded. He liked that about Adam, the fact that he kept his word, even if it was easier and better for him not to keep it. The blade was also greater than his own axe in some ways, though it was far more temperamental. ¡°These two are for Entalia, for when she brings me back those weapons,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Why did you trade for the Sapphicule weapons?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°These weapons are greater than the Sapphicule weapons you will receive.¡± ¡°I assume that the Sapphicule weapons will allow me to enchant easier, so I may be able to enchant them with a greater enchantment. Also, aren¡¯t they really cool?¡± Adam laughed. Jurot stared at him. ¡°Jurot, I traded them to her because she¡¯s my friend,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if she is a stranger right now, we¡¯ll be closer in the future.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Entalia?¡± Nirot asked, glancing between the pair. ¡°The Silver Nightmare?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. Nirot glanced between the pair of them again. ¡®Am I the only one here who is normal?¡¯ Lanarot yawned. ¡°Oo,¡± she said, resting her head against Adam¡¯s side. ¡°Are you tired, little Lanababy?¡± Adam asked as he picked her up and pat her back gently. ¡°Go ahead and sleep. I¡¯ll protect you from any nightmares. Now that Jurot¡¯s back, he¡¯ll be able to help too.¡± Jurot stared at Adam. ¡®Lanarot will need me to understand what it means to be normal.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam is going to be the most embarrassing father in the Iyr. Nay, Aldland. Nay, the entire world. 176. Lucky Adam 176. Lucky Adam Omen: 15, 19 Jurot did not understand. He had meditated with the axe and swung it around, cutting into the wood, but he did not understand.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Yes, it was a greater enchantment, that was for certain, but Adam wouldn¡¯t call it the greatest weapon he had made to date unless there was something else. ¡°You must be wondering what¡¯s all there is to it, right?¡± Adam asked, smiling at the Iyrman as he tried to understand what the sword was all about. ¡°What else does it do?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°You can spend a charge to deal more damage, or to heal yourself,¡± Adam said. ¡°Up to a total of three charges every day.¡± ¡°How powerful is the additional damage? ¡°Twice as powerful as a typical battleaxe, for each charge spent.¡± Jurot stared at Adam for a short moment. ¡®Should I have expected something else from you, Adam?¡¯ Even when he had left Adam alone, he remained as outrageous as forever. ¡°I cannot feel the extra damage,¡± Jurot said, cutting into the wood. ¡°It¡¯s damage to the mind,¡± Adam said, tapping his forehead. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt wood.¡± ¡°Damage to the mind?¡± Jurot asked with uncharacteristic alarm. ¡°That¡¯s right. I made it to make sure your grandfather kept in line. Did you hear what he did to me?¡± ¡°Grandfather? What did he do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out.¡± Jurot stared at Adam for another short while. ¡°This axe is amazing.¡± Jurot couldn¡¯t help but admit it, because it was the truth. Adam¡¯s fighting style was to strike true, and to deal as much damage as possible in a single moment. This weapon would do just that, but it wasn¡¯t just that. Adam grinned wide, hearing the compliments from his brother. ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡®This weapon was designed to kill me,¡¯ Jurot thought. If he went against Adam with this axe in the Half Elf¡¯s hand, he¡¯d die before he could draw his own axe. ¡°It¡¯ll be my main weapon for a while.¡± Adam watched as Jurot continued to swing it. ¡°I¡¯m running out of gold, so I won¡¯t be able to make anything as good for some time. Once I do have enough money, I¡¯ll make something that will make this look like a toy.¡± ¡°Why do you want to make another?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a better one for you.¡± ¡°The axe you have gifted to me is amazing. You do not have to make another.¡± ¡°I will make you another one,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t use this one while you¡¯re walking around with a basic axe. What will people say?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Adam said. ¡°Our party purse has quite a lot of money. It has about one thousand and five hundred or so, not including what you all made.¡± They hadn¡¯t taken it with them when they had left, which annoyed Adam even more. ¡°We¡¯re really good at saving,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to spend a bunch of money on putting spells into my book too, so I¡¯m going to need some time and money to do that. I have enough for it, so I won¡¯t dip into the party fund for it, so no need to worry about it.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°It is almost Nightval, Adam. We should rest and prepare for the Beast Wave.¡± ¡°The what?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh, yeah. You did mention those.¡± ¡°They will attack during the Twilight Month.¡± Adam was sure he had heard mention of that name before. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The Twilight Month is the transition between Nightval and Dawnval,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is when the magic of the world turns chaotic.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°That sounds fucking cool.¡± Dunes stared at Adam, wondering how he didn¡¯t know something so obvious. ¡®Just how far away do you come from that you do not know of that?¡¯ ¡°The world needs to balance itself, and it does so in the Twilight Month,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Magic surges within the world, and manifests through nature, usually as wild beasts. Those wild beasts usually head towards civilisation, attacking villages and towns. They mostly bother towns, as villages are too small to gather many beasts.¡± ¡°Does that mean my spells will become more powerful?¡± Adam asked, thinking about how close he was to acquiring Fireball. ¡°It can,¡± Dunes said. ¡°The Twilight Month for us is...¡± He shuddered, glancing down towards his hands. ¡°Sometimes I¡¯ve never felt more powerful. Sometimes, I feel so lost. My connection with Lady Arya is affected by the Twilight Month, and there are times when whatever spell I try and ask for is denied, but it is not due to my disobedience, or her displeasure.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Adam said. ¡°My magic works slightly different, so I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll affect me the same way. What if I enchant during that month?¡± ¡°You will not,¡± Jurot stated, firmly. ¡°No one enchants weapons in the Twilight Month.¡± His voice was cryptic, something Adam had never heard from the Iyrman. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Death is likely.¡± ¡°How likely?¡± "You are equally likely to die as to live." "I''m stronger than your typical magic user,¡± Adam said, raising his brows. "The stronger the magic, the greater the risk," Jurot stated. ¡°No one in the Iyr will enchant during the month, including you, Adam. It is a law.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, understanding what Jurot was saying. He was on thin ice already. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to try another time.¡± Adam wondered how lucky he would be during the Twilight Month. ¡®If it¡¯s about luck, then shouldn¡¯t I be fine?¡¯ Then he remembered how many times he had died. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam loves to dance on the edge. Patreon says I have an extra patron but I don''t see it. Either way, I keep to my word, so here''s another chapter! 177. Anger 177. Anger ¡°We have much to discuss,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are the Duskval fights soon.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder and nodded. ¡°You must fight well, Adam.¡± ¡°Are you going to fight?¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°If there is a need.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do my best, you know that. If Lanarot watches, then I definitely won¡¯t lose. I¡¯m three for three with her watching me.¡± ¡°Three for three?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, technically it¡¯s four for four. There¡¯s Shikan, Timojin, Nirot, and someone else.¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t need to worry about it,¡± Adam said, his lips twitching into a smug smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Lucy. I gifted her the Dragon heart a while ago, and I haven¡¯t seen her since.¡± Jurot nodded, following Adam. Dunes remained behind to meditate with the sword and train with it. Jaygak, on the other hand, could smell a story, so followed Adam quickly. Kitool, sensing trouble, followed after her friend. Jonn and Brittany watched, having been ignored the entire time. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to show him my Deadwood bow,¡± Brittany said, holding the bow in hand. Jonn glanced down at Brittany, before guiding her to shoot more arrows. Adam wasn¡¯t sure where Lucy was, but it didn¡¯t take long to find her. ¡°Hey, sorry to bother you, but do you know where the Demon is?¡± Adam asked a passing Iyrman. ¡°She¡¯s in twelfth training yard,¡± the Iyrman said, motioning a hand to the general area where the tunnel was. Adam glanced back to Jurot, who nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, bowing his head to the Iyrman, before letting Jurot lead. The twelfth training yard was pretty much what Adam expected. A large field with plenty of space to train at least a hundred people comfortable, each with their own little area. ¡°How big is the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. Jurot smiled. They found Lucy midway through training, punching a wooden training dummy. She was growling like a beast, filled with a rage Adam hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Lucy?¡± Adam called out, walking over towards her. She panted, turning back to face him, a wildness in her eyes Adam hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She glared at him, still panting for breath. It was as though she had forgotten to speak. ¡°You...¡± she said, trying to keep her voice calm. Adam cleared his throat. This was not what he expected. There was only one reason why Lucy would act like this. ¡°You must be having so much fun, relaxing in the Iyr,¡± she said, staring into Adam¡¯s eyes. Jaygak exchanged a look with Kitool, who shook her head. This was a matter between the two of them. ¡°I¡¯m having a fair bit of fun, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve been working fairly hard, what with all the enchanting, but otherwise, I¡¯ve been kicking it.¡± Lucy was wearing the clothes of the Iyr, and she seemed to take to them well. She was so much different than when they first met, and so much different even after she had become a tall beauty. ¡°Let¡¯s fight,¡± Lucy said. Adam stared at Lucy, the wild look in her eye, the way she clenched her fist. He swallowed, finding a lump in his throat. He wanted to ask, but he was unable to. ¡°Okay. Can I get my armour?¡± There was an awkwardly long silence before she nodded her head. Adam turned, wordless, and the other Iyrmen followed him. Lucy made her own preparations too. ¡°I will change my bet,¡± the Iyrman said. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 14 (6) Miss! Adam leapt into action, but though he had been eager with his words, there was still hesitation in his axe. This fight was for Lucy to get some recompense for what he had done. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucy hissed. ¡°Is that all you have?¡± Attack D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) Miss! ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Lucy thought, gritting her teeth. ¡®He was just messing around!¡¯ The Demon took the opportunity, leaping onto him, and sinking her teeth into his flesh. Health: 65 -> 42 Adam winced as her teeth struck his neck, drawing blood. ¡°While you¡¯ve been playing around, I¡¯ve been training!¡± Lucy snarled into his ear. Adam remained silent, which only added to her suspicions. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 42 -> 47 Attack D20 + 8 = 14 (6) D20 + 8 = 25 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 11 (2)(3) Damage resisted! 7 damage! Adam managed to push her off with his axe, managing to strike deep into her mind with his axe. She clutched at her head for a moment, but shrugged off he attack, which did little to dissuade her. Attack D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 21 (13) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 14 (2)(6) Damage resisted! 10 damage! As he hacked down, she caught the axe with one hand, before biting into his hand. Health: 47 -> 22 Adam grunted as her teeth sank deep into his hand, causing it to twitch, almost dropping his axe. ¡°Mary is suffering while you¡¯re here having the time of your life making weapons and playing with some stupid baby!¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes were full of tears, though she fought them back. ¡®What¡¯s with this damage?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Did she really crit me twice?¡¯ Warrior Spirit: 1 -> 0 Health: 22 -> 27 Attack D20 + 8 = 27 (19) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 10 -> 9 Vulnerability exploited! Phantom Charges: 3 -> 2 2D6 + 8D6 + 6D6 + 6 = 59 (1, 1)(1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6)(2, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6) Damage resisted! 55 damage! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucy,¡± Adam said, grabbing the back of her head, pulling her off his hand. He clenched his hand around his axe tight, before striking Lucy against her shoulder, using both his Smite and his Phantom to blast her with enough damage to knock her out. Lucy¡¯s face, which had been contorted into a sad rage, twitched as her eyes rolled back and she fell. She didn¡¯t even have the time to realise what had happened. Adam caught her, pulling her in to his chest, not letting her drop. Mana: 9 -> 7 Spell: Healing Word 2D3 + 3 = 9 (3, 3) ¡°Sorry, Lucy,¡± Adam apologised, his voice full of healing magic. The Demon came to in his arms, colour returning to her face, staring up at him, confused. ¡°I held back,¡± he explained, though that wasn¡¯t why he apologised. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! :( 178. Desperation 178. Desperation Lucy had fought like a beast, biting Adam constantly. The Iyrmen who had been training with her, hadn¡¯t seen such ferocity from her before. Even after she had returned and she had become so dour, she did not act so beastly. Adam stared down at the woman, who was still confused for a moment, before recognition fell on her face. Lucy had returned a while ago, and had shut herself in the yard to train constantly. She hadn¡¯t heard word about Adam for a while, including the fact that he had fought Jarot and had beaten Otkan. ¡®When did he become so powerful?¡¯ Lucy thought. She had recalled when they had first met, and it was nigh on impossible to become so powerful so quickly. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Adam asked, still holding her in his arms. Lucy stared up at him and her eyes filled with tears, but they did not fall. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she repeated, before covering her face with her arm. ¡°I just miss her so much, Adam.¡± ¡°You should return back to your business,¡± Jurot dared to say to the older Iyrmen. Though it was rude, they understood that Lucy needed a moment to herself, and quickly retreated away. Jurot remained, watching over them. ¡°I know,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just want to save her.¡± Her voice shook like her body. ¡°I promised, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll definitely help you save her.¡± ¡°I just... I just want her back. I miss her so much. I miss how she brushes my hair. I miss talking with her into the long hours of the night, staring at the stars. I miss her fish soup, even if I hate fish, and I miss her buttered baked potatoes with just a touch of salt.¡± Lucy grit her teeth, her throat clogging up as she tried to hold back her tears. Adam thought to how he had felt when Jurot had first left him alone, that sense of foreboding, the sinking feeling of whether he would return back to him alive. However, this was so different. Mara wasn¡¯t just trapped, she was currently dying, and days were passing by as her life was being drained, a battery for some unknown existence who had just come to be. ¡°When Nightval comes, we can go and adventure,¡± Adam said, his voice as calm as he could make it. ¡°We probably won¡¯t be able to find an Adult Dragon, and even if we do, we won¡¯t be able to handle one. When we¡¯re strong enough, we¡¯ll go and find an Adult Dragon to slay, together.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lucy replied with a sniffle, still covering her eyes. ¡°We can¡¯t rush,¡± Adam said, warily. After what happened last time, he had no mood for rushing into his death. ¡°If we do, we won¡¯t be able to save Mara. If we die, who will save her?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°You¡¯ve already died once before, haven¡¯t you?¡± Adam flicked her forehead. ¡°We need to take our time. I know it¡¯s painful, and I know it seems like I¡¯m not taking it seriously, but I am.¡± Adam sighed, hoping she¡¯d understand why he couldn¡¯t rush. ¡°I have someone I need to save too, but I know that it¡¯ll take a while. She¡¯s still waiting for me, cold and alone, but I need to grow stronger before I can go and find her.¡± Lucy continued to sniffle, rubbing her forehead as she stared up at Adam, having forced back her tears. ¡°Right...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure out what we should do.¡± Adam brushed her hair gently, causing her to squirm out of his grasp. ¡®I should be taking Nightval off, but since she¡¯s so anxious and has no faith in me...¡¯ ¡°Nightval is a dangerous time,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°If you are to adventure through Nightval, there are many factors to consider.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said. It was one thing to adventure through hills and forests, but it was another matter entirely when creatures slip away to hibernate, and there¡¯s little in the land to scavenge, and then there was the matter of trekking through snow with freezing wings whipping away at the party. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ll start off with some weaker quests to get you used to adventuring, and then we¡¯ll pick up the pace. I¡¯ll warn you that even the Iyrmen think I quest too much.¡± Brittany looked to Jurot, who only nodded. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll work hard so that I can adventure with you all.¡± She was the weakest of the bunch, and not by a small margin. She was a villager, and so had some basic ability in fighting, as she needed a little strength to survive against wild beasts, but this was another matter entirely. ¡°Keep that up and you¡¯ll get a magical weapon in no time,¡± Adam said. ¡°A magical weapon?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. Brittany stared at him in shock. She hadn¡¯t expected that she¡¯d get a magical weapon. She wasn¡¯t Dunes, who had his Priestly magics, or Jaygak or Kitool, who were both Iyrmen, each of whom had great strength from their background. ¡°I can really have a magical weapon?¡± Brittany asked, shyly. Adam hadn¡¯t expected her to be so meek. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a village girl,¡± she said, staring at her bowl of food. ¡°A magical weapon is something I can only dream of.¡± ¡°Well, I am Adam,¡± Adam said. She didn¡¯t quite understand what that meant, but the others, including the children who were eating nearby, were nodding their heads in response to his statement. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can believe that,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°Just like how you didn¡¯t believe that I¡¯d take you away from your little village? Even if I wasn¡¯t there, you already adventured with three Iyrmen, all without me,¡± Adam stated, frowning slightly. ¡°I¡¯m still annoyed about that, by the way! Where are my gifts?¡± Jurot smiled. ¡°You will receive them tonight.¡± Adam grumbled quietly, but he accepted that they¡¯d soon hand out the gifts. ¡°They better be something good.¡± Jurot nodded slowly. Once breakfast was over, Adam made his way to the nearby warehouse to find some ink. Jurot stepped into the house with his mother and younger sister, who went to play with her toys. ¡°Have you decided it then?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It would be best if we kept it for Adam.¡± Sonarot slowly nodded her head. ¡°It may prove useful in the future. Did Phantom not give you pause?¡± ¡°The weapon is an amazing weapon,¡± Jurot replied, simply. He wasn¡¯t going to hold the weapon against Adam, not when his mother had accepted him. Even if Adam turned his axe against him, it would only make a good story, and a good hunt. Sonarot pet his head and kissed his forehead. ¡°Then we will lay claim to it.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Still sad. 179. I Am Become Death 179. I Am Become Death ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called out, noting a familiar face. ¡°How¡¯s it going, Elder Zijin?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°Have you come to make more trouble?¡± ¡°Trouble? Me?¡± Adam reached up to his chest in shock. ¡°In the Iyr?¡± Zijin shook his head, sighing. ¡°You have brought me so much trouble, I sometimes wonder if I should regret allowing you in.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say you¡¯ve been bored with me around.¡± Elder Zijin let out another one of his boisterous laughs. ¡°I certainly cannot! What are you here for this day, Adam?¡± ¡°I need some ink,¡± Adam said. ¡°About a thousand gold¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°For those scrolls?¡± Zijin said. ¡°You know it.¡± Adam held out two Black Pearls. Elder Zijin shook his head. ¡°It was not that long ago that you traded for those Black Pearls.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll miss them, but having access to those spells is far more important,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°You are a curious young man,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°We have taken a great interest in you.¡± Adam blinked at the Elder, raising his brows. He wasn¡¯t sure if that was good or bad. He thought his status as a Nephew would protect him, especially with Sonarot¡¯s backing. ¡°It is not a terrible thing,¡± Zijin said, noting the look in Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Just letting you know, but I¡¯m not going to strip for you,¡± Adam said. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Zijin frowned. ¡°Very well.¡± Adam stared at the Elder with shock in his eyes. ¡®That was only meant to be a joke!¡¯ Zijin smirked. ¡°Anyway. What do you mean by special interest?¡± ¡°We are still keeping an eye on you, Adam,¡± Zijin informed. ¡°We do not believe you will bring disaster to us, but you have not committed yourself to the Iyr, and there are some secrets which have been revealed to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve committed myself to the Rot family,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°If the Iyr is in danger, doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯ll be in danger too? I¡¯ll do anything to protect my little sister. Anything.¡± Zijin noted the stern look on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°If you¡¯re worried about whether or not I¡¯ll help the Iyr, you shouldn¡¯t worry about it.¡± Zijin nodded. ¡°Your relationship within the Iyr is not unique. There are many who are welcomed into our families as Nieces and Nephews, but you are so much more than that. Not quite a full Son of the Iyr, but you are certainly such in the eyes of Sonarot.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That works well for us, right? You get access to me, and I get access to you. However, if you need to, you can cut me off. Plus, I¡¯m not suited to be an Iyrman. I¡¯m too...¡± ¡°Queer.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°There are some Iyrmen who speak as though you are someone who will bring disaster to us, though they know their place.¡± ¡°Why will they become quiet?¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Pizza,¡± Zijin said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The festival will remind them of a change you¡¯ve brought,¡± Zijin said. ¡°That, and the eagerness within the youth to fight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about that thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Unrivalled Under The Heavens.¡± Adam sighed. He had to accept that this was going to be something he was going to be known for. ¡°It¡¯s not even a part of this genre.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I will watch you fight,¡± Zijin said, his eyes filled with an eagerness. ¡°Make sure you bet a lot on me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Make all the coin you can while people haven¡¯t learnt how powerful I can truly be.¡± ¡°I will do just that.¡± Adam left, sighing. ¡®I really should stop joking so much.¡¯ Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡®Sonarot keeps shielding me without me knowing. Damn it, Adam. Are you really going to keep bothering her so much?¡¯ He understood he was flying too close to the sun. He¡¯d need to do something which would appease the Iyrmen, in order to get the suspicion off of him. Adam returned back to the estate, where he found Jurot and the others were currently relaxing, though the adults had left to work, save for Sonarot, who was teaching the children that day, with Lanarot nearby, playing with her cubes. ¡°Did you get your ink?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I did,¡± he said. ¡°I should go and spend some time copying a spell or two into my book.¡± ¡°You can use a secondary room,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head a room on the floor above the main room, which would give him peace and quiet to copy his spells. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll get to it.¡± Adam left them be, heading to the room, which was full of boxes of stuff. Adam decided against peeking inside any of them, instead grabbing a stool from nearby and he placed his spellbook against a crate, taking out his ink. XP: 5500 -> 4000 Gained Third Gate spells! Two spells gained! ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to have so much XP at the end of that,¡¯ Adam thought, staring down at his book. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time. Adam spent three hours that day copying a spell from his spell scroll, feeling the magic invade his mind, settling within it as though he had know it forever. He stared down at his fingers, feeling the tingle of magic. He clenched his fists tight. ¡°I am become death, destroyer of worlds.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! It''s time. I posted up extra because I got a bunch of ratings recently and I don''t want there to be a draught today. 180. Because I’m The Protagonist 180. Because I¡¯m The Protagonist ¡°So...¡± Adam said, glancing between them all suspiciously. ¡°Gifts?¡± The group, not wanting to tell Adam they hadn¡¯t brought him any gifts, instead revealed a long strip of leather. It was snake skin, specifically Prince Forest Snake skin, which was a deep green, almost like an emerald. ¡°The Prince Forest Snake?¡± Adam asked, glancing between them all. Jurot nodded. ¡°Isn¡¯t that expensive?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded. ¡°How expensive?¡± ¡°This would be worth at least ten gold,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ten gold?¡± Adam said. ¡®So about a grand or so?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s pretty expensive.¡± ¡°It is for you,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You could make a sheath out of it for a weapon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s at times like this, Jurot, that I wish I was as smart as you,¡± Adam said. Jurot, taking the compliment at face value, nodded. ¡°You are plenty intelligent, Adam.¡± Adam accepted the snake skin. ¡°I feel bad accepting such an expensive gift. I mean, I didn¡¯t even get the children something so expensive.¡± The group stared at him, their eyes accusatory. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You did,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The White Wolf pelts.¡± Jaygak then tapped her Bloodseeker, the beautiful sword at her side. For a moment, Adam didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°Oh,¡± he said, when he eventually understood their point. ¡°Right.¡± He turned tomato red with embarrassment. ¡®I can¡¯t just decline it now.¡¯ ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Sometimes I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re smart or stupid,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You should be like me, and reveal that you¡¯re neither, not until it¡¯s the right time to strike.¡± Adam had a feeling that she was talking about her various pranks, not that he had seen any. ¡°Right.¡± The group retired for the evening when it began to rain, with Nirot chatting away with Jurot about the people she had met on her adventures. She spoke in their own tongue, and Adam assumed that he should probably ignore whatever she was saying, since she didn¡¯t know he spoke their language. Adam lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling. Lanarot came crawling on top of him, planting her head on his chest. ¡°Abubaba?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Ooh.¡± He wrapped his arms around her legs and leaned down to kiss her forehead, causing her to smile and laugh, before she crawled over to kiss his forehead, her hands firmly pressed against his forehead and shoulder so she could stabilise herself. Adam chuckled again. ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± he asked. "Yes?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound very certain.¡± ¡°We are, but what does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°That had everything to do with it,¡± Adam replied, firmly. "Is that your definition of friend?" "If I didn''t help you in your most trying time, how could I possibly call myself your friend?" Adam chuckled, shaking his head. "Lanarot will be safe and sound in the Iyr, which is the most important thing. Even if I miss her taking her first steps, miss her when she says her first words, some of her most important milestones...¡± Adam picked the girl up, staring at her as she dropped her cubes, but looked down at Adam. She brought her knees up to her chest and kicked downwards, before laughing at her pointy eared brother. ¡°I may end up regretting not helping you sooner.¡± ¡°We still have a few years,¡± Lucy said, awkwardly. She had been at his throat to try and get him to take the matter seriously, and now she was trying to stop him. ¡°What if something happens to the forest? Even with the Iyrmen¡¯s protection, there are many things which could go wrong. What happens if something happens to Mara before the ten years pass? What happens if you die before that?¡± Adam placed Lanarot down, letting her play in peace. ¡°That¡¯s highly unlikely,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I won¡¯t let it happen.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as impossible,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not any more. Not after I was killed and brought back. Not after I was killed and brought back a second time.¡± ¡°Do you think about everything like that?¡± Lucy asked, staring at the Half Elf, almost in despair at his thoughts. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°Why?¡± Adam stared at Lanarot, trying to not look at her brother who was still not whittling his wood. ¡°I don¡¯t want any regrets in this life.¡± "You''ll always regret something." "Lana¡¯s first steps and you reuniting with Mara, both of them will be great. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be happy seeing either. However, only one of those stops suffering. As much as I am a sentimental idiot, emphasis on the mental idiot, I know where my priorities should lay.¡± ¡°Now I feel guilty,¡± Lucy said, glancing aside. "Good,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want you to remember what I''ve done for you. My friends mean a lot to me, and I¡¯ll go through hell with them if I need to. I want you to know how important you are to me.¡± "Why are you going so far for me?¡± Lucy whispered, as though she didn¡¯t want to ask. ¡°You don¡¯t really know me, and we haven¡¯t spent that much time with each other." ¡°Because,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s manly.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Manly indeed. Don''t forget, this month I''m posting up more chapters each time I gain a new patron, so click the banner if you want to see more. Luckily, the ¡ê is crashing so now you can spend less money! :'') Had another idea today for a cultivation series in the shower. Why am I trying to write other stuff? 181. Ready? 181. Ready? Omen: 9, 12 ¡°Will you be able to fight tomorrow?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°If you are not feeling well, Jurot can fight instead.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Adam said, bringing up a piece of fruit for Lanarot, who grabbed his hand to bite the fruit from his hand. ¡°So I¡¯ll be fighting on the first day?¡± ¡°There are many who are eager to face you, and I believe that you would prefer to get the fighting out of the way so you can enjoy the rest of the festival,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°How do you know me so well?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You are always eager to work.¡± Sonarot¡¯s lips formed a small smile. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°If you lose, it¡¯ll be really embarrassing,¡± Jaygak said, biting into the grilled fish, before biting into a pepper. ¡°Are Iyrmen so weak that I¡¯ll be embarrassed to lose to them?¡± Adam asked. Jogak threw a look towards Adam, before glancing down towards his daughter. ¡®You have to do better than that.¡¯ He was glad that Adam could put Jaygak in her place, especially after she stole the pepper he had been saving for the last day of his cooking. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell Lanarot all about it when she¡¯s older,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Make sure you engrave tomorrow into your mind, though it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t.¡± Adam bit into the fish. ¡°Jurot will remember fine enough to tell her.¡± Jurot nodded his head. Adam wondered how he was going to help Jurot become closer with Lanarot. Even though Lanarot wanted to play with him, Jurot would often times be too busy, or have no idea what to do with the baby. ¡°Whose going to fight from your families?¡± Adam asked. ¡°My cousin,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Though my uncle might if it¡¯s near the end of the festival.¡± ¡°My cousin will also fight,¡± Kitool said. ¡°How come neither of you are going to fight?¡± ¡°The official fights have been dealt with long before we returned,¡± Kitool said. ¡°We may fight too, if we decide to.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Adam said. ¡°So I¡¯m officially fighting for the Rot family, and if Jurot wants to fight, he could, but it¡¯s my fight that people will formally recognise?¡± ¡°All fights are formally recognised, but your fight is the most important,¡± Kitool explained. ¡°That¡¯s quite some pressure,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you want to give up, there¡¯s no shame in it,¡± Jaygak said, but she smirked at him. Adam smiled in return. ¡°It requires pressure for diamonds to form.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Raygak asked. ¡°That and heat,¡± Adam said. ¡°I get hot and pressure too,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Am I a diamond?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a diamond to your parents, probably?¡± Adam replied. ¡°My son is worth more than a diamond,¡± Jogak declared, casually. It was only after he said it that he felt his cheeks burn, feeling the gaze of Shikan, Citool, Sonarot, and Jaygak staring at him. The Iyrman cleared his throat. ¡°What about for your family?¡± Adam asked Shikan. ¡°There are many nieces and nephews who wanted to fight,¡± Shikan said. ¡°My nephew, Rakan, will fight.¡± ¡°There will be only one?¡± Sonarot asked. Shikan shook his head. ¡°It seemed they were too eager, and there was a commotion.¡± ¡°Who is this cute little girl?¡± Adam asked, staring down at his little sister, whose outfit was also grey, though her sash was blue. ¡°Who is the cutest little baby?¡± Jurot almost reached for Adam to pull him away, but stopped. ¡®No, he did not mean this.¡¯ She blew out a raspberry towards him and reached up to try and grab his nose. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be long now,¡± Adam said, reaching up to brush her hair with his hand, which swept back and to the side so her painted forehead could be seen. The four families said goodbye to one another, each of them wearing their attire. The Rot family had to wait, as Adam needed to slip into his armour, though he decided against wearing the entire thing, instead taking with him the breast plate, a shield, and his trusty Phantom. ¡°Are you certain you do not want to wear your armour?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°No one will judge you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the judgement, it¡¯s about justification,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I win, I¡¯ve done so without fighting at full strength. If I lose, I can say it¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t fighting at full strength.¡± Jurot almost reached for Adam to pull him away, but stopped. ¡®No, he did not mean this.¡¯ Sonarot shook her head. ¡°Whether you win or lose, it must be with grace, Adam.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Adam said. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t lose though.¡± Eventually they travelled through the busy roads of the Iyr, which were full of Iyrmen who were going about the festival. There were a great many stalls which had been set up, mostly full of food and trinkets which Iyrmen had made to show off. There were a few games which had been set up too, games which tested one¡¯s athletic abilities, from their ability to throw a ball into a small pot, throwing a heavy stone far, archery, and more. However, Sonarot was leading them further away, before they arrived at a corner of the Iyr, which had been sanctioned off for fights. There was already a large gathering of Iyrmen who were eager to watch the fight. ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± Adam asked, seeing hundreds of Iyrmen nearby, most of them currently eating some kind of snack, and some drinking wine. ¡°They are here to watch the fights,¡± Sonarot replied, as though it were obvious. ¡°I gathered that much, but...¡± ¡°There he is!¡± called a familiar voice. Adam turned to see Cirot, or was it Sirot, waving at him. ¡°Adam!¡± ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, noting Sirot, or was it Cirot, quickly standing beside her sister. The pair were wearing similar outfits to Sonarot and Lanarot, though their outfits were tan, with a darker brown sash at their waist. ¡°You look like a lost sheep,¡± Jarot called, having appeared from nowhere, not ten steps beside Adam. ¡°That¡¯s how I always look,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Are you here to make more money, old man?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t bully the others by taking all their money,¡± Jarot said. ¡°I¡¯ll reserve myself to only a hundred gold.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Right.¡± Jurot glanced to Adam, his eyes narrowed. ¡°You should speak with respect to grandfather.¡± ¡°Jurot, my boy,¡± Jarot called, ruffling the young man¡¯s hair. ¡°What a brother you have chosen.¡± ¡°He is queer, but very strong,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Is there anything more true?¡± Jarot laughed. ¡°Ah, and here¡¯s my little granddaughter.¡± Jarot picked her up with his one good hand, wrapping her in towards his chest before he kissed her face all over, causing her to squirm. ¡°How big and fat you¡¯ve become.¡± ¡°Hold on a-¡° ¡°That is right,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She will become strong.¡± ¡®Well, I can¡¯t fault his spirit.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! My next series is going to be a cultivation novel for sure. 182. The First Fights 182. The First Fights ¡°Hey, Churot,¡± Adam said, looking to the Devilkin boy. ¡°Are you doing good?¡± The Devilkin boy stared up at Adam, blinking at him. He remained silent, and stood near his grandfather, within arm¡¯s reach at all time. The look within the boy¡¯s eyes were cold. He wasn¡¯t looking at Adam, but beyond him, as though he were an insignificant ant. ¡®Damn. This kid is cold.¡¯ ¡°Look at how big you¡¯ve become,¡± Jarot said, still kissing his granddaughter all over her face. ¡°She will become big and strong,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. As he watched his grandfather shower Lanarot with affection, he wondered if Adam was a long lost sibling of his. Adam narrowed his eyes at the old man. ¡®How dare you try and copy me, you damn old...¡¯ However, he nodded his head. ¡®I see, you too are a man of culture.¡¯ Adam wondered if Jurot would be more open to also adore Lanarot after seeing his grandfather act like that. ¡°You look handsome,¡± Cirot said. Sirot nodded her head. Adam closed his eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you girls under age? Stop flirting with me.¡± ¡°That is right,¡± a man called from nearby. He was tall, handsome, with the Rot family pattern on his forehead. He wore a similar attire to both Jurot and Adam, though his own colour was that of a light blue, with a white sash against his stomach. He had dark hair and dark eyes, just like Jurot. ¡°This does not concern you, father,¡± Cirot said. ¡°If we wish to marry Adam, we will do it,¡± Sirot added. ¡°Even you, Sirot? How could you say that?¡± The man glared at Adam, his brow pulsing. ¡°I agree with your father,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if you are free to marry whoever you please, I am also free to marry whoever I want.¡± ¡°What is wrong with them?¡± Jurot asked, crossing his arms. ¡°They¡¯re too young,¡± Adam said. ¡°They have to be adults.¡± ¡°We are adults!¡± Cirot declared. ¡°Do you mean adults with purpose?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°What?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Aren¡¯t they young? They¡¯re not even sixteen from what I see.¡± ¡°We are fifteen,¡± the girls said. ¡°Right? You¡¯re just a bunch of kids!¡± They stared at Adam, narrowing their eyes at him. ¡°We are not!¡± ¡°You are!¡± their father declared. He wanted to be angry at Adam, but it seemed they were both on the same side. ¡°Old men like us should leave the children be,¡± Jarot said, trying to take his nephew out of the conversation. ¡®Quiet! We need to marry him into our family.¡¯ Adam looked to Sonarot for support. ¡°Adam is free to marry as he pleases,¡± she stated, simply. ¡°If Cirot and Sirot are too young, then they need to wait patiently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ri-¡° Adam began, before freezing. ¡°No, wait. I won¡¯t marry them. I¡¯m too young.¡± ¡°You are old enough,¡± Jarot said. ¡°There are many within the Iyr who marry at my grandnieces¡¯ age.¡± ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m not an Iyrman,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We need to wait until Lanarot is older. She needs to accept my future wife into her heart too.¡± ¡°Adam already has someone in mind,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Cringe.¡± Jurot hadn¡¯t mean to say cringe, but when recalling Adam speaking about Mara, he let the word slip out of his mouth. ¡°Who is this Cringe?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°He means Mara,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, slightly embarrassed he had let the word slip. ¡°Who is Mara?¡± Jarot asked. ¡®Is she strong? Should I deal with her?¡¯ Soon he was beset by three Iyrmen. They may have been young, but they were still Iyrmen, whose eyes were full of excitement, and their weapons eager. Adam caught the greatsword with Phantom, though his arm throbbed with the effort of clashing against the young woman whose face was red. He brought his shield up, deflecting the sword. Health: 65 -> 54 The young man had managed to slip through Adam¡¯s defence, bringing his staff down against Adam¡¯s front, before he struck Adam¡¯s thigh which a knee, causing Adam to stumble back. ¡°You are strong, but it will be difficult to face all three of us at once,¡± the young man said. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam replied, simply. The young man¡¯s smile quickly disappeared. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 54 -> 59 Attack D20 + 8 = 9 (1) D20 + 8 = 17 (9) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 8 (1)(1) 8 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 11 (3) D20 + 8 = 14 (6) Miss! Adam swiped Phantom swiftly across the young man¡¯s front, though he had brought his staff to deflect most of the blow, sliding backwards. As Adam charged forward, ignoring the other two, twisting his body to avoid their blows, he struck down towards the young man, who had slipped away with the opening his companions had provided. ¡°We must be careful,¡± the young man said. ¡°His axe can strike the mind.¡± He could feel his head throb from the light blow already. He spun his staff, leaping forward to attack Adam again. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack D20 + 8 = 26 (18) D20 + 8 = 27 (19) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 16 (5)(5) 16 damage! Unfortunately, Adam wasn¡¯t finished just yet. With a burst of swiftness, Adam stepped forward again, causing the young Iyrman to stumble, and the other two Iyrmen to veer around his massive body. ¡°The most important thing when facing against multiple foes,¡± Adam began, before he slashed across the young man¡¯s front, ¡°is to thin the numbers.¡± The Iyrman¡¯s eyes rolled back into his skull as he fell, the blow having been too much for him. Adam spun on his heel to face the pair of young women, who paused only for a moment to gather their bearings, allowing Adam a moment to strike again. Attack D20 + 8 = 11 (3) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) Critical hit! 2D6 + 2D6 + 6 = 23 (4, 6)(1, 6) 23 damage! Adam, understanding that the woman who was raging would have some resistance against his blows, swung for the other woman, who was adorned in her chain. He cut across the chain, which dampened the blow only slightly, though his axe managed to strike true. She fell too, unable to even bring her sword and shield up as she fell unconscious. ¡°That¡¯s two do-¡° Health: 59 -> 42 The young woman swung her blade like a beast, scratching against Adam¡¯s puthral, and cut across his arm, causing Adam to stumble back. She roared with joy as she stepped forward, ready to swing again, having far too much fun. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 42 -> 47 Attack D20 + 8 = 24 (16) D20 + 8 = 27 (19) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 15 (6)(3) Damage resisted! 9 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 16 (8) D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 12 (3)(3) Damage resisted! 8 damage! ¡°You¡¯re one scary lady,¡± Adam said, ducking under her next blow, before slamming his axe against her, grabbing her shoulder to strike her across her chin with the handle of his axe. The Iyrman fell down, though she was caught by a swift footed Iyrman. Adam noted the other two had been dragged away while the battle continued by other Iyrmen, who were tending to their wounds. Victory! Iyrmen Youth XP Gained: +75 XP: 4000 -> 4075 ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam said, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°She hurt me real good.¡± He cracked his neck, before glancing back to Sonarot and the others. ¡°How was...¡± He noted the looks in the twin¡¯s eyes. ¡®Uh oh.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam is hella sus wtf. 183. Two Fights 183. Two Fights He didn¡¯t like the way the twins were staring at him, with their eyes ravenous. However, there was something else which annoyed him more. ¡°Adam, we want to-¡° Cirot began, though she froze. ¡°Hey!¡± Adam shouted. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jarot held Lanarot up by her sash, nuzzling her nose as she dangled ahead of him. Churot was standing beside him, nostrils flaring, not used to his grandfather doting on other children more than him. ¡°I am playing with my granddaughter,¡± Jarot replied, his eyes falling to Adam, taunting the Half Elf. ¡°Stop annoying her and let her watch me fight,¡± Adam growled at the elderly Iyrman. ¡°If she does not want to watch, we should not force her.¡± Jaygak watched as Jarot teased Adam. ¡®Teasing Adam using Lanarot,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I can only dream of doing something like that.¡¯ ¡°Do you want another round, old man?¡± Adam asked, clutching his Phantom tight. Jarot¡¯s eyes went wide with excitement, and he set Lanarot down onto the floor. However, as he did, Sonarot held onto his shoulder. ¡°Lanarot watched your fight,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°You do not have to worry about that.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Adam said, glaring at Jarot still. ¡®This old man is worse than Jaygak.¡¯ Jarot, disappointed, allowed Sonarot to take Lanarot back from him. Jurot remained silent. ¡®Another round?¡¯ He looked between Adam and Jarot. ¡®Another round?¡¯ The words repeated in his mind over and over. Cirot and Sirot glanced between one another. ¡®He is joking?¡¯ ¡®I think so?¡¯ ¡®They say he is queer.¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said, glancing at who he presumed to be Cirot. ¡°What was it that you wanted to say?¡± ¡°We wish to face you, Adam,¡± she replied. ¡°Me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just fight?¡± ¡°You are still healthy to fight,¡± Sirot said. ¡°Sure, but I shouldn¡¯t bully my Cousins, should I?¡± Adam let out a soft scoff. ¡°We will not disappoint you,¡± Cirot said, grabbing her axe and shield. Adam looked to Sonarot for support, who raised Lanarot up to face Adam. ¡°Look, your brother is going to fight some more.¡± Lanarot clasped her hands together and squealed, before kicking out her legs excitedly. There was a gentle hum of music nearby, which was slowly growing louder as the fights continued. ¡®Et tu, Lanarot?¡¯ Adam gripped his shield tight. ¡°Since my adorable little sister wants to see me fight, what can I do?¡± The Iyrmen nearby began to drum on their instruments harder, causing a gentle rumble to fill the air. Lanarot hid in her mother¡¯s bosom, trying to hide from the loud sounds, though she heard the rising flutes and the strumming of lutes. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 12 (11) The pair of Iyrmen leapt forward swiftly, far too swiftly for Adam to react. When they had charged forward, it wasn¡¯t as though he was facing two separate entities, but a single being. ¡®He definitely does not understand,¡¯ the Iyrman thought. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to fight right now?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It will be your best chance to beat me.¡± ¡°My goal is to face you at your strongest for a wonderful fight,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°You really just want to fight... just to fight?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam stared at the Iyrman. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam rubbed his face. ¡°For a second there I forgot you were an Iyrman.¡± The Iyrman¡¯s brow pulsed. ¡°Is there any reason for you to shame me like this?¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m not shaming you.¡± The Iyrman narrowed his eyes, and Adam could see the rage within them beginning to build up. Adam glanced to Sonarot for support. ¡°What did I say that was so wrong?¡± Sonarot, seeing Adam panic, just smiled. ¡°My Nephew does not understand many of the customs. He meant no offence by his words.¡± The Iyrman continued to glare at Adam. ¡°Did I really say something so bad?¡± Adam asked. Jurot, who had been deep in thought, stepped forward and placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You had forgotten he was an Iyrman.¡± ¡°So?¡± Adam asked. Jurot stared at Adam, before pulling on his shoulder. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You asked me to pull you aside when you were cringe.¡± ¡°How am I being cringe?¡± ¡°Are you not taking your jokes too far, Adam?¡± ¡°Jurot, you think I¡¯m going to joke with some random Iyrman I don¡¯t even know?¡± Jurot admitted he had a point. ¡°You had forgotten he was an Iyrman.¡± Adam remained silent. ¡°What¡¯s so bad about...¡± Adam winced, hiding his face behind his fist for a moment. It was an involuntary spasm. ¡®Am I stupid?¡¯ ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, still wincing. ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t mean that I forgot you were an Iyrman, but that I forgot Iyrmen are all about fighting, and that it makes sense that you want to fight me.¡± The Iyrman¡¯s rage quickly slipped away towards confusion. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow to fight, alright?¡± Adam said, quickly retreating back to Sonarot. He had gone from being the victor of two fights, to an utter buffoon. Though he was an Expert, it was still impressive to fight three people at once, and then immediately afterwards fight another two. Then he revealed himself to be... Cringe. Jurot had almost put two and two together about Adam and his grandfather, but Adam¡¯s ridiculous actions had allowed the thought to completely slip away. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam really does need to think a little more before talking otherwise he''ll get himself killed. 184. Adam’s Worries 184. Adam¡¯s Worries Adam rubbed his cheek against Lanarot¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot, Lanababy.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, earnestly. ¡°Jurot, seriously...¡± Adam held Lanarot up against him, embracing her tight as she cuddled with him, babbling quietly. He had taken off his armour and had left it behind. Apparently, he could just do that, leave behind his priceless armour out and about. There were currently a number of children who were touching it and admiring it. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I¡¯m too much of an idiot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m so embarrassing.¡± Sonarot placed a hand on his back, tapping his armour gently. ¡°It is who you are, Adam.¡± ¡®Et tu, Sonarot?¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine if I¡¯m embarrassing, I¡¯m strong enough to be a little embarrassing, but I realised today that it¡¯s not just about me.¡± Sonarot stared down at him, wondering if he had figured it out. ¡°I also...¡± Adam was going to make a joke about Lanarot, but he sighed. ¡°I also represent the Rot family. I can¡¯t be an embarrassment any more, because otherwise people will associate it with you.¡± ¡°There is no need to worry about the opinion of others,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Save for the Great Elders.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they think I¡¯m an embarrassment too?¡± ¡°No, they believe you are a terrifying existence.¡± stared at her. He already knew that, but he didn¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°That stems partly from my jokes.¡± ¡°There are times to joke, and times where we must be serious. I believe that you do not mean any harm.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re also my Aunt, so of course you¡¯d have my back.¡± Adam smiled slightly, brushing Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯m going to show the Iyr that I¡¯m really a terrifying existence.¡± Sonarot squinted her eyes slightly at him. ¡°Is that not against what you want?¡± ¡°If I know anything about the Iyr, and I dare not say that I know much about it,¡± Adam said, glancing around, but he had no chance of finding the secret spies within the Iyr, ¡°it¡¯s that you like it when people are straight forward. The less I hide, the more danger I¡¯ll be in, no doubt, but the less threatening I¡¯ll appear.¡± ¡°There is a wisdom in that.¡± ¡°It goes against one of my rules since I¡¯ve come into this world, but that¡¯s just how it is, I guess...¡± Adam sighed, kissing Lanarot¡¯s cheek. She twitched and looked up at him, before grabbing his face and kissing his cheek, half spitting on his face. Spell: Tricks ¡°Seriously, why are you always spitting all over me?¡± Adam asked, pinching her cheek gently. ¡°What is that rule?¡± Jurot asked, curious. ¡°When you come across an enemy, it is best that they either overestimate or underestimate your abilities,¡± Adam said. ¡°If they know how strong you are, then it only means death.¡± ¡°Then why are you going to reveal yourself to the Iyr?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°The Iyr is not my enemy,¡± Adam said. Sonarot smiled. ¡°Well...¡± Adam picked up some food from a stall, some fried dough buns on a stick, offering a bite to his little sister. ¡°If the Iyr is my enemy, then I¡¯m not sure it matters whether they know my real strength or not. I won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡± Sonarot nodded her head. ¡°There are only a handful of beings who have managed to escape the Iyr¡¯s wrath.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because they are creatures of the sky or sea,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why is that?¡± Sonarot asked, her curiosity getting the best of him. ¡°You have heard?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Damokan came to me for help, and he told me that Anokan died.¡± ¡°She was quite strong, even for a Kan,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She died a good death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she did,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It seems to have affected Damokan and Kalokan. They wanted me to help them become strong.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°And you said you would help them?¡± ¡°Am I that predictable?¡± Adam asked. ¡°When it comes to children, yes. Some even worry that you have ill intentions towards the children.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Which coward is saying that?¡± Sonarot¡¯s brows raised. She had never seen Adam like this before, and even Jurot, who had sipped some of the wine, paused to stare at Adam. ¡°There are many in the Iyr who still do not trust you, Adam,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Even if I have accepted you, some feel that you are too dangerous.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Elder Zijin told me about that too.¡± ¡°There are very few people who give out multiple Dragon scales to children. Elder Zijin has also taken note that the children around him seem to have taken a liking to you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked, smiling slightly. ¡°Well, I am a great older brother, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°We of the Iyr cannot help but wonder why,¡± Sonarot admitted. ¡°Well the Jin family is close to the Kan family, and they often play together,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since they¡¯re our neighbours, I should treat them well.¡± ¡°Yes, but,¡± Elder Zijin said, stepping into the conversation, appearing out of nowhere, ¡°there are some who believe that you are doing it to gain their trust.¡± Adam held onto Lanarot¡¯s head as he spun, taking a step away from the Elder. ¡°What¡¯s with you Iyrmen and trying to give me a heart attack?¡± ¡°I apologise, but it seemed you were talking about me,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to take my warning to heart, Adam.¡± ¡°How long have you been eavesdropping?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have heard you since you faced the trio,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°Including the disrespect you have shown Jarot.¡± Adam glanced aside, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s between me and him.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°Though you should keep that within the safety of the estate. Word spreads quickly in the Iyr, especially about a young Half Elf who continues to disrespect our people and our home.¡± Adam flushed red. ¡°I¡¯m working on it.¡± Elder Zijin nodded. ¡°There are many stories about you already spreading within the Iyr. Your battles against Jarot and Otkan, as well as your-¡° Jurot spat out the wine, spraying it across the floor. ¡°Isn¡¯t that my uncle¡¯s wine?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Adam fought against grandfather and Grandaunt?¡± Jurot asked, his voice full of shock, and his face twisted into surprise. ¡°You still have not told him?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him another time,¡± Adam said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sorry this was meant to come out an hour ago but I forgot. Shout out to Rage, which is currently filling the Iyr at Adam''s antics. Next chapter is one of my favourites. 185. A Father’s Love 185. A Father¡¯s Love ¡°Why did you fight?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it another time,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly. He had been keeping it a secret for no reason in particular, testing whether or not he¡¯d find out by himself. Jurot looked to his mother, but she just smiled. Of course, it was Adam¡¯s right to speak of the tale, so he just needed to wait. It didn¡¯t seem their relationship was bad. ¡°I wish to face grandfather too,¡± Jurot said, his face stone cold again. There was a hint of a pout, but he did not let it slip further. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will be willing if you ask,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Shall I go speak with him?¡± ¡°I will ask him,¡± Jurot said. Lanarot shook and began to groan in Adam¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh? Is it that time already?¡± Adam asked, before handing her over to her mother. ¡°You do not want to?¡± Sonarot joked, taking her daughter away from him. ¡°I¡¯ll nap with her when it¡¯s time, but I don¡¯t want to do this part.¡± Sonarot just smiled as she took her daughter away to clean her and change her. ¡°Why did you fight them?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°That old geezer attacked me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Grandfather attacked you?¡± ¡°Yeah. He said something about your mother, and I called him a...¡± Adam glanced around, noting the number of Iyrmen. ¡°Anyway, he attacked me and I tried to defend myself. He¡¯s one hell of a monster, your grandfather.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, standing taller. ¡°Grandfather is powerful.¡± ¡°Apparently, he really liked the fight with me, and bragged about my skills to Grandaunt. We came to fight the day after, and... now that I think about it, she owes me a reward.¡± ¡°A reward?¡± ¡°Yeah, she promised me a reward, and I still haven¡¯t received anything.¡± ¡°If Grandaunt has promised you a reward, she will grant you something amazing,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°The Kan family does not reward lightly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know,¡± Adam said. ¡°If she rips me off, I¡¯m going tell the twins to tell her off.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Work hard, Adam,¡± he said. ¡°It will be difficult for you to stop such jokes, but I will support you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even make jokes like that?¡± Adam asked. Eventually, Sonarot returned with her daughter, whose eyes were half closed. ¡°She will need to sleep soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take her to nap,¡± Adam said. ¡°There is an area nearby for babies to sleep,¡± Sonarot said, guiding Adam away to a quiet area where there were dozens of babies, and a handful of Iyrmen about, waiting for their children to awaken, and others who were keeping an eye on the sleeping babies. Sonarot handed Lanarot to Adam in front of the Iyrmen. ¡°You will lay with her?¡± ¡°I might as well,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to rest after those fights too.¡± ¡°I used the issue to press my claim, and so the four of us continued to find Forgryn. We found the bodies first. They were in the bastard¡¯s lair, kept apart. I tore him apart, though it cost us dearly. Forgryn was beyond our abilities, and during the fight, Tangak and Zaool fell. We knew the risks, but I was blinded by my rage at that time, and because I pressed my claim in that way...¡± Adam remained silent, unsure of what to say. ¡°I returned, with the bones of the three. I paid the price for my mistake. I gave up my position and my arm, and retired to look after little Churot, who was brought back thanks to Baktu¡¯s grace.¡± ¡°Your arm?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It was because I was unable to defend them, that my Brother and Sister died,¡± Jarot said. ¡°So I gave up my arm which should have shielded them.¡± ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°One day I will tell you the tale properly, but you will have to accept this for the moment,¡± Jarot said. ¡°I¡¯m just a foolish old man who didn¡¯t deserve to be the Family Elder.¡± ¡°What is the title of Family Elder in comparison to the title of father?¡± Adam asked. Jarot smiled, but he shook his head. ¡°I should not have let him go. I knew that he was born weak of body. I should have stopped him from training. I should have stopped him from Ranging. I should have stopped him from leaving the Iyr. He should have stayed here, to live with the extended family in peace.¡± ¡°Do you regret it?¡± ¡°Every day.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°If I had accepted the help of those who had come along with us, my Brother and Sister would still be here, at least,¡± Jarot said. ¡°They died a good death, and the stories will continue to be passed from generation to generation. I¡¯m sure that all of the children in this courtyard will know the tale by the time they are ten. Laygak, Nirot, Naqokan, Faool, they know of it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your son,¡± Adam said. Jarot nodded his head slowly. ¡°Churot is growing well. He takes after his mother, who could fall every hour, and still get back up. He is quiet, though, unlike either of them.¡± Adam looked to Churot, who was holding Lanarot up as she grabbed his horns. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid.¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°Would you have done the same?¡± ¡°Would I have been prepared to throw away my life for vengeance?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If Lanarot was killed by a great foe, greater than something you and Jurot could take with your own abilities, would you go and take revenge by your own hands?¡± Jarot asked. Adam stared at the girl. ¡°I¡¯d have the Iyr bring her back,¡± Adam said. Jarot slowly nodded his head. ¡°A wise decision.¡± ¡°Once they had brought her back, I¡¯d make sure she was happy. I¡¯d stay in the Iyr, for years, and I¡¯d sell as many weapons as it requires. Then, I¡¯d make a weapon that was designed to kill only the thing which killed her.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d make it a slow and painful death. Even if I died during the encounter, and even if it lives, I¡¯d make it wish it was dead. If I did die before killing it, then I¡¯d leave the rest to Jurot.¡± Jarot leaned back in the rocking chair and closed his eyes. His lips formed a small smile. ¡°Are you sure you do not want to marry Cirot and Sirot?¡± ¡°Would you like to see Phantom more clearly?¡± ¡°I thought you were not going to joke any longer?¡± ¡°Who said it was a joke?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! :( 186. Facing Wahruv 186. Facing Wahruv Omen: 11, 11 ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jurot asked. Adam kept Lanarot held up. She had grown silent, staring at him, wondering what he was doing. He had picked her up and had held her there, causing her to squeal and giggle at first, but he had remained silent. Eventually she had fallen silent too, other than the short outbursts of laughter. She reached up to his face, but was too far away, so began to happily slap his arms, feeling the puthral under her palms. ¡°Lanarot,¡± Adam said, causing the girl to look up at him. ¡°Oo?¡± ¡°You need to watch me, okay?¡± Now that Adam was talking to her, she clapped her hands together and bounced happily in his hands. ¡°Eee!¡± she replied, gleefully. Adam brought her to his chest and kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely win today.¡± ¡°Are you sure you wish to fight without Phantom?¡± Sonarot asked, holding out a mundane axe for him. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I want them all to know that I can fight well enough without my magical axe.¡± Sonarot bowed her head, watching as he placed Lanarot down, and he put on his helmet. He wore his entire armour today, showing how serious he was taking this fight, and though he was going without his axe, he was not ill prepared. Sonarot picked her daughter up, fixing her hair with a hand, before carrying her out, leading her boys to the corner where the fights would take place. There were far more Iyrmen today, partly because the fights today would include some of the promising youth of the Iyr, but also because there were a few fights which were going to include some notable figures. ¡°You have finally arrived, Nephew of the Rot family,¡± the Iyrman from yesterday called. ¡°Adam, Son of Fate,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to the Iyrman. ¡°Wahruv, son of Fahruv,¡± the Iyrman said, nodding his head in return. Adam noted the tattoo on his forehead, a purple infinity symbol which was on its side, and red arrows heading outwards from it. The Iyrman removed the cloak around his shoulders, revealing the skirt around his waist and the countless scars which littered his body. ¡®You have no need for armour against me because you¡¯ve faced worse?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if the Iyrman was trying to taunt him. Wahruv unsheathed his greatsword. It was long and wide, like that of Argon¡¯s blade, black, with a silver pattern running along it, like gentle waves on a sunny day. That¡¯s when Adam saw it, the flicker of light which glinted off the metal, revealing the runes engraved within the blade, which then lit up as the blade turned from black and silver, to red and white. ¡°That¡¯s quite the sword,¡± Adam said, raising his axe. ¡°Where is that Phantom of yours?¡± Wahruv asked. ¡°I wished to face it.¡± ¡°I came today to fight you with my own abilities,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want it to be my strength and magic which beat you, not the magical axe which has made even the Chief wary of me.¡± ¡°Wary of you? Even if you are an Expert, that blade of yours could not defeat the Chief,¡± Wahruv said, his brow pulsing. ¡°Yeah.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 9 (8) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 6 = 9 (3) D20 + 6 = 22 (16) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 13 1D6 + 1D3 + 3D6 + 4 = 17 (5)(2)(3, 4, 5) 23 damage! Attack D20 + 6 = 15 (9) D20 + 6 = 22 (16) Hit! Mana: 13 -> 11 1D6 + 1D3 + 3D6 + 4 = 21 (5)(3)(2, 3, 4) 21 damage! Adam leapt into the fray first, surprising eve the Iyrman. Though he had taunted the Iyrman originally, he moved with a swiftness and deliberateness the Iyrman hadn¡¯t expected, though he had seen Adam fight yesterday. Yesterday, Adam fought a bunch of children, so even if he was focused, he didn¡¯t take it too seriously. He understood they were probably around Level 1, and they wouldn¡¯t threaten him much, even if they did outnumber him. However, this Iyrman was not Level 1. He was at least Level 5, and Adam wasn¡¯t sure how strong a Level 5 Iyrman was, especially not with a greatsword with a greater enchantment. Even though Otkan had been a much higher Level, she had used a mundane greatsword. If she had possessed even a +1 or a +2 sword without any other enchantments, she would have defeated Adam. So Adam fought with everything he could muster, striking down against the Iyrman¡¯s blade, his axe flashing white as he expended his Mana. Though he wasn¡¯t going to use a magical weapon, he was still going to use his magic, to show the Iyrmen what a threat he could be even with a plain old axe. Adam ducked under a wild swing of the Iyrman as his axe cut across the Iyrman¡¯s side, creating a deeper gash as his axe flashed white hot, tearing more of the Iyrman¡¯s flesh. Wahruv felt the heavy blows of the non magical axe, and considering what he knew of Phantom, he was certain he would have fallen if Adam had used it. ¡®Fallen? In a single round?¡¯ Wahruv thought, catching a blow with his greatsword, before stepping back. The crowd watched the pair fight, seeing the way they exchanged their sword and axe, which rung like music, only adding to the rhythm of the drumming. They could all hear Adam¡¯s intentions behind every blow. ¡®With just my own abilities, I can defeat you.¡¯ ¡®This Nephew is more than an Expert,¡¯ Wahruv thought. ¡®Even among my peers, I cannot find someone as great as he, and yet he is only the same age as the other young man of the Rot family?¡¯ Wahruv caught Adam¡¯s axe with his greatsword, a hand on the back of his blade as the axe tried to cut at his head. ¡°You are strong, Adam,¡± Wahruv said, as his body grew red hot with rage. ¡°Very strong!¡± The rage filled Wahruv¡¯s body, causing his muscles to relax for a moment before they tensed up, and his entire body felt as though it had been set aflame. ¡®No,¡¯ Wahruv thought. ¡®This is not enough.¡¯ He willed his muscles to life, almost tearing them as he filled with a greater rage. From the side, Fahruv watched as his son willed his rage to envelope his entire body, but at a greater speed than he should have. His family¡¯s abilities were such that they embraced a deeper rage, but it needed time. ¡®Just how desperate are you?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Thus begins Adam''s first real bout in the Iyr. 187. Adam vs Wahruv 187. Adam vs Wahruv Adam¡¯s axe had struck harshly against the wide, flat side of the greatsword, which had been used like a shield. Half a thought had entered his mind at the time. ¡®That isn¡¯t good for the-¡® Yet the thought had cut off. The rage which had spread through Wahruv hadn¡¯t been like any rage he had seen, not from Jurot, not from Jarot, and not even from Otkan, who embraced her rage differently. This rage was something else, something which made his entire body tingle. Adam¡¯s entire body told him to duck, and he followed his will, which caused him to squat down, half bowing as he did. There was a heavy rushing sound as wind struck across the back of his neck, as the greatsword, which was nearly hot with fire, passed him by above him. It didn¡¯t pass him by, but rather, had threatened to cut him in half if it had hit. Wahruv¡¯s muscles almost tore apart from the heavy swing, but he stopped his blade right as it passed Adam¡¯s head, which caused his muscles to scream at him. Already his arms were quivering, but if the swing had continued and he used the momentum, Adam would have defended against it, the Half Elf already bringing up his shield to hide behind it. Instead, he brought his greatsword above, causing Adam¡¯s hairs to stand on edge as he exploded from his squat backwards, barely dodging the greatsword, which scraped across the front of his armour, and even cut across his inner thigh. It was only the corner of the greatsword, barely more than a hair¡¯s width which had struck him, but the flames seeped across him, and the weapon had torn through his puthral plate and into his flesh with the smallest of cuts. The greatsword landed on the ground which such force that sparks flew out across the area, and the stone floor was cut so deep, Kitool would be able to put her entire hand into it. Health: 65 -> 42 ¡®So much damage?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It only grazed me.¡¯ Adam¡¯s entire body had grown cold at the thought of facing that greatsword again, but Wahruv, whose arms were now bleeding from forcing his body to move in ways it shouldn¡¯t, raised his sword again, and stepped forward. ¡°More!¡± Wahruv roared, spit flying into the air as he leapt upon Adam, a savage beast who wanted nothing more than to tear Adam apart. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 42 -> 47 Attack D20 + 6 = 15 (9) D20 + 6 = 16 (10) Miss! Attack D20 + 6 = 15 (16) D20 + 6 = 22 (19) Hit! Mana: 11 -> 8 1D6 + 1D3 + 4D6 + 4 = 31 (5)(3)(3, 5, 5, 6) Damage resisted! 25 damage! ¡®Why the hell am I holding back?¡¯ Adam thought, gripping his axe tight. He stepped forward, twisting his hips as his axe struck the greatsword which threatened to cut him, shoulder to shoulder. Their weapons struck one another, causing sparks to fly, and his own axe cracked from the force of the blow. before Adam cracked against Wahruv¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re the first one to face my strongest smite yet,¡± Adam said, crashing against Wahruv¡¯s side, swinging his axe down desperately across the man¡¯s thigh. His axe flashed white hot, exploding into splinters, and the pair were knocked back from one another. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam said, landing on his back, trying to catch his breath. Fahruv leapt forward to catch his son from falling on the floor, the old man still so strong and nimble, as expected of an Iyrman. ¡°What a son I have,¡± he grumbled, slowly laying his son down. ¡°Why do you always have to worry me so much?¡± He reached down to his knee, undoing the prosthetic leg to rub his knee, where his leg had been cut off. Adam managed to crane his neck down to see the two Iyrmen, one of them unconscious on the floor. He raised his axe up, only to see it was a splintered handle. ¡®Looks like it wasn¡¯t good for my axe, rather than his greatsword.¡¯ Victory! Wahruv XP Gained: +300XP XP: 4125 -> 4425 Adam let out a long sigh of relief. ¡®Thank Baktu I didn¡¯t have to face that guy for long.¡¯ His heart thundered in his chest now that he could feel anything but the fear of Baktu from that greatsword. ¡®He didn¡¯t even crit or smite me and he hit like a damn truck.¡¯ ¡°You fight well,¡± Fahruv said, on behalf of his son. ¡°Yeah, thanks,¡± Adam said. ¡°Wahruv was one hell of a fight.¡± Fahruv assumed that meant something good. ¡°If he had me even once more, I would have used Fireball,¡± Adam said, finally sitting up, taking off his helmet to reveal his sweaty face. Fahruv laughed. ¡°They say cannot help but joke, Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if it would have hurt me, I would have used it to knock us both out. That way, at least it would end as a draw.¡± ¡®Am I the weird one?¡¯ Adam thought. Mana: 8 -> 5 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 24 (1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4) 24 fire damage! Adam felt his Mana flow through his body, warming him up, before he called forth the words of magic. ¡°I am become death,¡± he chanted, calling forth flames from the heavens. A small bead appeared from the sky as it fell down towards the Iyrmen. As it fell, it grew larger and larger, and the Iyrmen each prepared themselves. Jurot raged, but did not try to dodge. Jaygak crossed her arms, waiting for the flames to engulf her. Jarot was no Devilkin, so he had no natural resistance against the fire, but he did not rage either, instead accepting the flames which fell across him. The Iyrmen around began to cheer as the flames engulfed the group of Iyrmen, who seemed all quite fine due to the fact Adam rolled poorly for damage. ¡®No, it¡¯s the Iyrmen who are weird,¡¯ Adam thought. Lanarot screeched as the flames engulfed the group, clapping with excitement as the brightness of the flames caused the entire world to change for her for a moment, and she looked around, filled with utter glee. ¡®I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be teaching my little sister something like this...¡¯ Adam thought. Lanarot threw her arms in the air and screamed with joy. Adam flushed slightly, filling with a great sense of accomplishment. ¡°What¡¯s that? Do you think I¡¯m cool? Want me to cast it again?¡± The Iyrmen who had taken the fire gave Adam a nod, but there were other Iyrmen who were barging in for their turn. Jarot remained within the area of effect of the Fireball. ¡°That Fireball was barely good enough to light a cigar,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Says the old man who can¡¯t cast it,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can cast that spell five times per day if I want to, so you better watch it.¡± ¡°Five times?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You are an Expert, both with blade and magic, but you should only be able to cast it twice, no?¡± Adam smirked. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t use that kind of logic with me.¡± ¡°That should be enough,¡± Elder Zijin said, burning a hole in the back of Sonarot¡¯s head for taking such a star away from him. ¡°Let us leave Adam to rest after that bout.¡± ¡°Please allow me to face you next,¡± an Iyrman from the crowd asked. ¡°I would like to face you as well,¡± another said. Adam threw a glance to Sonarot. ¡®Do I really have to fight them all?¡¯ ¡°Adam has fought enough,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He has proven himself as a member of our family.¡± ¡°It is unfair for you to use an outsider for the fights,¡± an older Iyrman said. ¡°He is a Nephew of our family,¡± Sonarot said, brushing Adam¡¯s hair. ¡°He is no outsider.¡± ¡°He used magic during the fight,¡± an older Iyrman said. ¡°That sort of fight is boring to see.¡± ¡°I fought Wahruv with a normal axe, which was nearly destroyed by his magical sword,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you want to say that I used my magic, but last time I checked, Wahruv also used his rage to face me. If he can use his rage, something which I can¡¯t, why can¡¯t I use my magic?¡± ¡°Adam is good with words,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°He has faced against Nobles and won. If you do not wish to shame Wahruv any further, then the matter should rest here. If anyone wishes to continue fighting, I will fight.¡± After seeing Adam fight, he could feel it, the twitches in his muscles, the electricity against his hair. Plus, Jurot wanted to look cool in front of his mother. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wahruv was really scary. If he had managed to go first, Adam may have lost. I wish I could look cool by casting Fireball. 188. Adam Is Unliked 188. Adam Is Unliked ¡°You need not worry about them,¡± Jurot said, sharpening his axe. He had faced against an opponent roughly his age and had beaten them handily. ¡°I need to work on marketing,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°So many of the older Iyrmen dislike me, and it¡¯s probably because I¡¯ve been acting like an idiot.¡± ¡°Acting?¡± Jarot asked, bringing bottles of wine with him. ¡°Yes, acting,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m not actually that stupid.¡± Jarot placed down the wine bottle in front of both of his grandchildren, and offered some of his own to his third grandchild, who took a small sip of the fruit wine. ¡°There is no need to worry yourself about the thoughts of others,¡± Jarot said, sipping some of his wine as Churot rested up against the building, closing his eyes to relax. ¡°There is a need to worry,¡± Adam replied. ¡°This is just the politics within the Iyr, something which I didn¡¯t really expect, but I should have.¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°I thought the Iyr would be different in that regard, but it seems even you¡¯re all human after all.¡± ¡°We are not Humans, we are Iyrmen,¡± Jarot said, firmly. ¡°Even within our Iyr, there are those who are in different factions on how to progress forward, but it is always for the good of the Iyr.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they all say,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± Adam¡¯s face was full of sourness as he thought about politics. ¡°Though, I can¡¯t blame them either. It¡¯s all my fault for constantly aggravating the Iyrmen with all my jokes.¡± ¡°You are more self aware than I expected,¡± Jarot stated. Jurot sipped some more of the wine. ¡°Adam is a great warrior, and an Enchanter. He is someone who has gifted the Iyr so much, how can they speak so ill of him?¡± Jarot sighed. ¡°You are young still, Jurot. You see the Iyr the same way you have since you were a child,¡± Jarot sipped more wine, ¡°but even the Iyr has its cracks.¡± Jurot frowned. ¡°The Iyr is the greatest.¡± ¡°It is, but it is not perfect,¡± Jarot said, reaching up to pat his grandson¡¯s head. ¡°It will be fine as long as the Iyrmen are like you.¡± Adam sipped the wine, which tasted so sweet. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this fruit wine to be so good. It¡¯s different to the fruit wine I had with Shikan and Timojin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because this is the fruit wine only we old men share between one another,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Even Rajin loves this wine, though he may make his own.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t actually taste the wine yesterday,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t really know why I didn¡¯t. I guess I was just too engrossed with my thoughts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the trouble with those of you who come from outside the Iyr,¡± Jarot said, sipping more of his wine. ¡°You think too much. There are times when we should think, and times we should act.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied, dismissively. ¡°What do you think about most?¡± Jarot inquired, leaning in towards the Half Elf slightly. ¡°Lanarot,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I think about her future a lot. I think about how to raise her well, in accordance to the Iyr¡¯s will, but also how to be a good brother without the Iyr¡¯s influence. When she grows older, will she take to the axe and shield? Could I bear the thought? Will she look at me enchanting and take after my enchanting? What of my magic? Will she be willing to learn it? Can I even teacher her magic considering she¡¯s part of your family.¡± ¡°Our family,¡± Jarot said. ¡°The Rot family has always used the axe and shield. It is what has supported the Iyr for generations, even if we no longer reach the heights of our ancestors.¡± ¡°I hear the Gak family and the Ool family aren¡¯t doing so well,¡± Adam said. ¡°How far away is the Rot family from them?¡± Jarot bowed his head slowly. ¡°The Gak and Ool families...¡± His voice was full of sadness. ¡°We are far from that still, but we are far from the Kan family too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know what that means,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve been to the Rot family treasury, and I see you¡¯re all quite wealthy.¡± ¡°That wealth is quite average for families in the Iyr,¡± Jarot said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I defy logic, and my abilities are such a mish mash, I¡¯m not sure anyone can figure it out.¡± ¡°I hear there are those who believe the fight was not won fairly,¡± Wahruv said. ¡°What say you to another fight at the end of the festival to put those worries to rest?¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have business to deal with during Nightval, and I don¡¯t want to start that business half dead because of you.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°We will adventure during Nightval,¡± Jurot said, sipping more of the wine. ¡°Adventuring during Nightval?¡± Wahruv asked. ¡°I see, so you already had a way to shut them up.¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°I just have promises I have to keep.¡± ¡°Which promise is that?¡± ¡°My wi-¡° Adam winced. ¡°My friend, Lucy, has some business.¡± ¡°The Demon?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Adam replied. ¡°She was pretty scary to fight too.¡± ¡°You fought?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°She beat me up really good, but I managed to barely deal with her.¡± ¡°Was she more difficult to face than me?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You hit much harder without going for my vitals.¡± Wahruv smiled. ¡°If you are impressed by my abilities, then have you thought about marrying into the Ruv family?¡± Jarot let out a sigh, before smirking at Wahruv. Jurot threw the Iyrman a knowing look too. ¡°No than-¡° Adam began, but paused. ¡°I appreciate the offer, Wahruv, and even though it would be an honour, I have no plans on marrying any time soon.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes went wide as he stared at Adam. ¡®Since when can you speak like that, Adam?¡¯ ¡°What a shame,¡± Wahruv said. Adam offered the Iyrman some of his wine, which Wahruv accepted. ¡°Is it? I¡¯m not that amazing.¡± ¡°Is he always like this?¡± Wahruv asked, taking a sip of wine. ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wahruv trying to steal Adam away after getting beat by him. Is Adam becoming self aware? 189. The Festival Together 189. The Festival Together Omen: 1, 11 Adam held out his fingers, which Lanarot gripped tightly in her tiny hands. She stood on shaky legs, staring up at him, cooing and giggling. Her short hair, which was cut into a bob, bounced as she did. Adam was recharging by playing with the little girl, who would be changing soon to explore more of the festival. Lanarot squat down to sit, but Adam held her up so she couldn¡¯t sit, and she bounced back up to stand, clapping her hand excitedly, before sucking on her hand. ¡°Do you miss your sister?¡± Lucy asked, sitting from nearby. She had been exploring the festival by herself the first two days, watching Adam¡¯s fights from afar, before exploring more. ¡°I always miss my sister, even when she¡¯s here,¡± Adam said, nuzzling her nose, which caused her to smile and reach up for his head so they could remain glued, forehead to forehead. ¡°Not her. Your sister from your first life.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The sister who used to annoy me, or the sister I never met?¡± Lucy shrugged. ¡°Both.¡± ¡°I miss all my family. I try not to think about it, though sometimes I can¡¯t really help it. I¡¯m more depressed by the fact I¡¯ll never meet my baby sister.¡± Adam lifted Lanarot up against his chest, letting her sit on his forearm. Lanarot rested her head against his shoulder and began sucking on her thumb. ¡°There must be a way to go back,¡± Lucy said. Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smile, but he shook his head. ¡°Maybe there is. Maybe there isn¡¯t. If I can go back, that means others might be able to. I¡¯d rather leave them in peace, they¡¯ve already mourned for me, and there¡¯s no reason to distress them. He promised they should be fine.¡± ¡°That God of Chaos?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°He promised that they¡¯d be fine, that she¡¯d be fine.¡± Lucy nodded her head slowly. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t want to think about it. The choice of returning back to my world, and the choice of staying here.¡± Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°No matter what choice I make...¡± Lucy stared at Lanarot, who was sucking on her thumb, half hugging, half laying on her older brother. ¡°I heard I had an older sibling, an older sister. She died around the time I was born.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Humans killed her during the war,¡± Lucy said, still looking at Lanarot. ¡°They say she fought hard, to her last breath. I sometimes think of her, but she¡¯s someone I had never met. We weren¡¯t even in the same room together at any point in our lives.¡± Lucy reached over and brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair with a finger, causing the girl to turn to look at her, and then shift herself to hide in Adam¡¯s other shoulder. ¡°I heard that Mara and she were close.¡± Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely save her.¡± Sonarot came to take away her daughter, changing her into her festival outfit, this time with a patterned sash, which was white, blue, pink, and yellow, waves of colours splashing against each other. Adam, too, was wearing a new outfit, with the same sash which Lanarot wore, the pattern identical. ¡°We match,¡± Adam said, lifting her up and kissing her cheek. ¡°Aren¡¯t you so cute though? You pull it off much better than me.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t fighting today?¡± Jaygak asked, wearing her own attire, her own sash the same as Raygak¡¯s and Taygak¡¯s. ¡°No, not today.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s explore the festival together today,¡± Jaygak asked, innocently. Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I thought we were friends?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes further. ¡°Are we?¡± ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to joke as much?¡± Jaygak asked, her own eyes narrowing. ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re different.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± Jaygak nodded her head. ¡°I felt as though you¡¯ll get into trouble, and I want to be there when it happens.¡± Adam threw a look to Lucy and sighed. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Let us explore the festival together,¡± Kitool said. ¡°You have fought the first two days and were unable to enjoy yourself to the full extent.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re coming along to babysit Jaygak, then I guess it should be okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hey!¡± Jaygak grumbled. Kitool nodded her head. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him,¡± Jaygak said, elbowing Kitool gently.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°I want to go with Adam too,¡± Raygak said. ¡°We¡¯ll be doing big Iyrmen things,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°No, no, since you can¡¯t do it,¡± Jaygak said, reaching out for Lanarot. ¡°Do you wanna fight?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t going to fight?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re different.¡± Jaygak laughed. ¡®Are there two Raygak¡¯s?¡¯ Kitool wondered. Adam kept Lanarot pulled to his chest, embracing her tight. ¡°I won¡¯t let Jaygak steal you away from me like how I¡¯ve stolen her baby from her.¡± Adam kissed the girl¡¯s cheek repeatedly, causing her to squirm and clap her hands as she giggled. The group left to have fun at the festival, finding all manner of fruits and pastries. Adam handed Lanarot small pieces for her to nibble as they explored the festival, watching as Iyrmen performed all manner of feats, and others came together to drink and talk, while others roamed to eat all the fruit and pastries the Iyr had on offer. Adam sniffed the air, before veering off to follow the smell. There was an entire section of the Iyr which had been sectioned off for pizza, and Adam saw all the different takes on the food he had brought to the Iyr. ¡°Pizza?¡± Adam said. ¡°Why did no one invite me?¡± ¡°Which is the spiciest?¡± Jaygak asked a Devilkin, who motioned her head towards an Orcish Iyrman in the corner. He was an older man, tall and lean, with a long wispy moustache which was braided together to form a goatee. ¡°They say you¡¯re the spiciest around,¡± Adam said, looking down at the Orcish Iyrman. ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°Who are you, boy?¡± ¡°Adam, Son of Fate,¡± Adam said. ¡°May we partake?¡± ¡°Are you worthy enough to partake?¡± ¡°Considering you wouldn¡¯t be making pizza without me, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°How is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one that brought pizza to the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°So you¡¯re the enchanter,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said. ¡°Tomaezi,¡± the Iyrman said, before motioning to the pizza. Adam picked up a slice, though Jaygak had already snatched one and had bitten it. Adam waited to see what would happen to her. Jaygak grit her teeth and gasped for air, trying to cool her lips. ¡°Finally!¡± Adam took a bite of the pizza. Constitution Save D20 + 5 = 23 (18) Adam felt the crunch of the pepper, before the sweetness kicked it. It was only for an instant, before the sweetness washed away to the fire of the spice. Adam¡¯s eyes teared up, his nostrils filled with runny mucus, and he gasped. ¡°That¡¯s some good shit,¡± Adam coughed. The Iyrman narrowed his eyes. ¡°Shit?¡± ¡°No, I mean,¡± Adam coughed between words, ¡°it¡¯s really good. It¡¯s very good.¡± Adam took another bite, and then another. Lanarot reached for it, before Adam pulled it away. ¡°Lanarot, just for today, don¡¯t try to kill yourself.¡± Kitool brought up a slice for the girl from someone else, something which wouldn¡¯t be so spicy, and Lanarot accepted the small, fingernail sized, piece of pizza, chewing on it slowly, before spitting it out, making a face. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, bringing up some of the safe pizza to her lips. ¡°No sister of mine spits out pizza.¡± Lanarot pulled her head back, before Adam slipped a piece of bread with only some of the sauce, which she nibbled for a second, before eating. ¡°I thought we, oh Baktu, were going to have a problem,¡± Adam said, his mouth still on fire, before Jurot brought him a bowl of water, which he quickly drank up. ¡°Fucking hell. What the fuck kinda spices do you have in the Iyr?¡± Adam asked, feeling how numb his tongue and mouth had become. ¡°Yeah,¡± Raygak said, having nibbled a slightly spicy pizza. ¡°Fucking hell.¡± ¡°No, Raygak, don¡¯t say that,¡± Adam said, having forgotten that the boy was here. ¡°Jesus Christ, that burns like a mother-¡° Adam cut himself off. Raygak ate more of the pizza, before gasping to cool the slight tingle on his lips. ¡°Jesus Christ, that burns like a mother.¡± ¡°Raygak, no!¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam bringing good and bad to the culture of the Iyr. Pizza and teaching children curses. I''m finally 40 chapters ahead for the gold patrons. I''ve been on the writing grind recently, so go ahead and subscribe and see how long I can not cry in despair! 190. The Last Days 190. The Last Days Adam spent the rest of the week either playing with Lanarot and enjoying the festival, including drinking with Jurot and the rest, enchanting, or learning spells for his spellbook. He preferred the evening, where people wound down with a nice drink and a lovely chat, rather than the loudness of the afternoon, where so many people were eager to dance, sing, and fight. He had even spotted more than that, but had pulled Lanarot away from such lecherous activities. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t get into any trouble,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°I swore that you were going to start some trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble? Little ol¡¯ me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t there another day of the festival? I might start trouble then.¡± ¡°I can only hope,¡± Jaygak said. Adam brushed the back of Jay¡¯a, rubbing the back of her ear as she cuddled up beside him. She panted softly and lapped up at his face with her harsh tongue, before Adam pulled his head back, but her sister, Kit¡¯a, came to lick up the rest of his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for you to seduce our babies while we were gone,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°It was easy enough,¡± Adam said. ¡°Besides, don¡¯t they also love Kitool¡¯s mother more than you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t remind me!¡± Jaygak cried. She had once called for her little Jay¡¯a, but so had Citool¡¯s mother, who the pup had rushed towards. ¡°Is this what it feels like to have children? I¡¯ll never have children if they just betray me.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Even if they do betray you, aren¡¯t they so cute?¡± Jaygak glanced over to Jay¡¯a. ¡°She is.¡± Jaygak pulled the pup to her, who first struggled, before Jaygak cooed into the pup¡¯s ear and brushed along her fur. ¡°You¡¯re such a cute little baby, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kitool gently brushed along her own Kit¡¯a¡¯s fur. ¡°That sword you enchanted, are you selling it to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yeah, I already have,¡± Adam said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that good, just a basic enchantment, but it was sold off for eight hundred.¡± ¡°Eight hundred? Aren¡¯t basic enchantments each worth a thousand?¡± ¡°A thousand, eight hundred, not a big deal. I just wanted the money, and the Iyr was willing to buy it off me quick.¡± Kitool bowed her head. ¡°If that is acceptable.¡± ¡°Plus, providing a twenty percent discount, how kind of me. I bet the Iyrmen who hate me will be so furious.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°They¡¯ll say something like I was using their shrines, so of course I should do that much in order to make themselves feel better.¡± ¡°Does it bother you?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Adam said. ¡°Only because it might end up being an issue in the future.¡± ¡°We know what you are truly like, Adam,¡± Kitool said. ¡°You do not have to worry about them.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah. I suppose you¡¯re right. As long as you¡¯re all my friends, I don¡¯t really care. Other than maybe it looking bad on the Rot family.¡± ¡°The Rot family can deal with it easily enough,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about them.¡± ¡°How can I not worry when they¡¯re my family?¡± Adam asked, reaching for a bottle of wine, sipping it. ¡°Are you still leaving soon?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Do you want us to come along?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°The three of us are pretty much solidified as Experts, and I want to see it, the strength of an entire party which is made up of Experts.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not that far off either,¡± Jaygak admitted, quietly, glancing at the other Iyrmen who sat some ways away. ¡°Kitool and I can feel it.¡± ¡°Oh? Why are you whispering?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We haven¡¯t told anyone.¡± Adam wondered if it was some kind of joke. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I want to surprise my mother and father.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, where is your mother?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Working,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Work which requires many months. My mother, Citool¡¯s father, and Shikan¡¯s mother too.¡± ¡°Alright. I suppose it¡¯s work that can¡¯t be told to me.¡± ¡°We do not know either,¡± Kitool admitted. ¡°These are not matters we concern ourselves with.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°There is no need. You may play with her.¡± Jurot picked up some friend bread, tearing it in half before eating it, popping in some cheese he had found earlier that day. Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Damn. I should have focused more on that.¡¯ When evening came, Jarot had come too. Jaygak pulled Churot onto her lap and played with his hair and horns, speaking with him in their tongue. Raygak also played with Churot. ¡°You are leaving tomorrow?¡± Jarot asked, bringing some wine. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, sipping some of the wine before spitting it out. ¡°What the...¡± He spat out the rest of the wine and coughed. It was the sourest thing he had ever tasted. ¡°Do not spit it out,¡± Jarot grumbled. ¡°Rajin brewed this for us.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The best kind of wine,¡± Jarot said. Jurot drank it, wincing, but smiling. ¡°Twice in one week? We are very lucky.¡± Adam placed it down. ¡°No thanks.¡± ¡°You should savour it while you can,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You will not experience this again for another year.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay with not drinking any of this ever again.¡± Adam handed it to Jurot. ¡°Rajin will not be pleased,¡± Jarot said. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re not here to see me spit out wine, are you?¡± ¡°Can I not enjoy some wine with my grandchildren before they leave during Nightval?¡± Jarot asked. Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d rather spend my time with my adorable baby sister than you.¡± ¡°Do not take too long,¡± Jarot said. ¡°She will miss you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be.¡± ¡°It is dangerous to leave during Nightval without a plan.¡± ¡°Jurot will make the plan, since he¡¯s most familiar with Nightval,¡± Adam said. Jarot pat his grandson¡¯s head. ¡°That is right. You must lead well, Jurot.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hey, old man, do you know of a party called Red Hawk?¡± ¡°Red Hawk?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a party which was made after someone met you,¡± Adam said. ¡°He had one arm, just like you, heavily scarred. What was his name? George?¡± ¡°Jorge,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh?¡± Jarot said. ¡°What a small world.¡± ¡°You used a red axe and a red shield?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That I did. It was difficult to see the blood against it, and it was harder to clean.¡± ¡°Jarot, son of Varot,¡± Adam said. Adam wondered why Jarot was here, but perhaps he really was here just to have a drink and to chat with his grandkids. ¡°What was your father like?¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°He was a great man.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Soon we won''t be able to see Lanarot for a while. I''m sad. I went to sleep on time yesterday but I forgot to put on an alarm and now I''ve woken up too late again. At least I slept well... 191. Reluctance 191. Reluctance Omen: 7, 20 Adam awoke in the morning with something eating at his gut. ¡®I don¡¯t want to go.¡¯ ¡®No, I have to go.¡¯ ¡®Do I really have to go?¡¯ ¡®Lucy needs us.¡¯ ¡®But she¡¯s pretty strong, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s besides the point!¡¯ ¡®Is it?¡¯ ¡®I promised, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ ¡®I did, but...¡¯ ¡®Come on, man.¡¯ Adam forced himself up, staring at the wall ahead of him. He felt the tight grip of Lanarot¡¯s fingers on his finger, and he didn¡¯t dare to look at her for fear of losing his resolve. He brushed the back of Lanarot¡¯s hand with his thumb, causing her to let his finger go. Adam played with the children in the morning, who fought really hard to win. Adam wondered if he should win, but did he really want to beat them? ¡®This might be the last time we see each other... for a while.¡¯ He shook his head, trying to not think about the worst outcome. Raygak panted as he fell back, staring at the sky. ¡°You will leave today, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°When you come back, I will win,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, having accidentally won the games. ¡°When I¡¯m back, I¡¯ll give you your chance at revenge.¡± ¡°Will you bring back lots of gifts this time?¡± Raygak asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Once he was done playing with the children, he bathed in the river, allowing it to envelope him with it¡¯s chill. ¡®I should have gone to the bathhouse.¡¯ He remained in the cold river, allowing his thoughts to enter before quickly being replaced by ¡®fuck this is cold,¡¯ until it was the only thing he could think about. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called for the fifth time. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°We should go.¡± Jurot stared down at the Half Elf, who had been lost in his own world. ¡°Right.¡± Adam dragged himself away, moving as though he was covered in several layers of armour, each of which was not made of the Iyr¡¯s prized puthral. Eventually Adam returned, and changing into his clothing proper. He wore the attire which Sonarot had brought for him, thick clothing which could be found anywhere, but most importantly was the heavy cloak, white and furry. ¡°It is important to remain warm during Nightval,¡± Sonarot said, allowing Adam to change into his clothes properly. ¡°I will not have them say that you two were able to defeat Dragons, but lost against the cold, even if it is a part of nature.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t died to cold yet,¡± Adam said. ¡°But you have died,¡± Sonarot replied. Adam nodded his head. ¡°Well, that is a good point.¡± When they stepped outside to eat, they saw Lucy, who was also wearing quite heavy clothing, similar to that of Adam. ¡°Looking good,¡± Adam said, throwing her a thumbs up. ¡°Of course I¡¯d look good,¡± she replied, taking her place beside the children to eat breakfast. ¡°Oo.¡± ¡°I know, I know, but I need to charge some more. What happens if I don¡¯t come back until after Dawnval? What if I miss your birthday?¡± Adam kissed her cheek and neck all over, causing her to squeal, before she half spat at his cheek and neck in return as she tried to kiss him. Lucy stared at Adam too. ¡®Are you trying to make me feel guilty?¡¯ Lanarot continued to babble into Adam¡¯s ear, not quite understanding that this would be the last time she¡¯d see him for some time, or the last time ever. ¡°Don¡¯t grow up too quick, okay?¡± ¡°Oon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring back all kinds of gifts so be good and listen to mama, okay?¡± ¡°Ee.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Adam pulled back slightly to stare down at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t, then she¡¯ll keep those pancakes away from you.¡± He pinched her cheeks gently. Lanarot clapped her hands and squealed, before reaching up to grab at his ears. ¡°I¡¯m hogging you all for myself, but you should probably say goodbye to Jurot too.¡± ¡°Is there a need?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°She will not remember.¡± ¡°Damn, Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did your dad ever hug you?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Jurot replied, almost smiling. ¡°Many times.¡± ¡°Has he ever hugged Lanarot?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°He is not here.¡± Adam, Lucy, Sonarot, and even Nirot, stared at Jurot expectantly. Jurot spent a moment to think about what he said. He then picked up Lanarot, holding her at arm¡¯s length. He stared down at her, seeing her tiny little face, her eyes which they shared, and her drooling smile. Lanarot clapped her hands together excitedly, and looked away shyly, before looking back at him, laughing in joy. Jurot brought her in close for a tight hug. ¡®Would father hug her like this?¡¯ He recalled how his father would embrace him, covering him like a warm blanket. ¡®Will you feel safe like this too?¡¯ Jurot crossed his arms around her back and pulled her head to his shoulder, before swaying from side to side gently. ¡®Yo, what the hell?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is he Level 10 at hugging?¡¯ Lanarot cooed quietly, relaxing in Jurot¡¯s arms, her head in the crook of his neck. She sucked her thumb as they embraced tight. Sonarot burned the sight into her mind, smiling. Adam narrowed his eyes, wanting to hug Lanarot some more. ¡®No, wait. I gotta let them hug too.¡¯ Adam waited patiently, before looking to Nirot, who was staring at Jurot and the baby. ¡°Once Jurot leaves, you¡¯ll be the one to look after our adorable little sister.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Nirot said. ¡°I will make sure Aunt is able to look after her well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re her cousin too,¡± Adam said. ¡°You need to pick her up and play with her.¡± ¡°What is the need of that?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°She¡¯ll be lonely without us.¡± ¡°You will be lonely without her.¡± ¡°Of course. However, she is used to being played with often, and receiving lots of affection. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be as good as me, obviously.¡± Adam said, smirking. ¡°But you can at least do half, ah, maybe a third, of what I¡¯m capable of, right?¡± Nirot glared up at him. ¡°You wish you could do half of what I can!¡± ¡°When I return I¡¯ll be sure to ask dear Aunt if you¡¯re done well.¡± ¡°Just you wait and see! I shall take her away from you like how you have taken Jay¡¯a and Kit¡¯a from Cousin Jaygak and Cousin Kitool.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see if you can manage that.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! We won''t be able to see Lanarot for a while. I''m sad. Nirot training to take his place. 192. Goodbyes 192. Goodbyes Eventually Adam checked his gear, and changed into his armour. Lucy tickled Lanarot, trying to ease her guilt. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, little Lanarot, I will return your brothers to you safely,¡± Lucy assured. ¡°I¡¯m very reliable, trust me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not good to lie in the Iyr,¡± Adam said, pulling on his boots. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. I¡¯ll return you both safely.¡± ¡°Not what I was pointing out,¡± Adam said. Lucy narrowed her eyes. ¡°I will let it slide this time because I feel guilty.¡± ¡°Eh? You can be self aware?¡± ¡°Says you!¡± Sonarot placed the heavy coats on each of them. ¡°You must return,¡± she said to each of them, ¡°safely.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Yes, mother.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not going on a picnic,¡± Lucy said. Adam glared at her. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best.¡± Sonarot hugged each of them tightly. ¡°I will pray to Baktu that you are successful in your adventures.¡± They were each also given a blanket with the Rot family¡¯s symbol, and she also handed Adam a shield with the same pattern. ¡°Since your other shield had been ruined by the fight with Wahruv,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a nice shield,¡± Adam said. It was round, with a slight curve to it, the circle of the Rot family pattern was the buckle, which was made of metal which had been forged to look blue. As they stepped out, Adam noted the children were all gone. He smiled, following Jurot out towards the huge gates. There he found the children, as well as Dunes and the others, who had been waiting patiently. ¡°Are you going to miss me?¡± Adam asked, shaking their forearms. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Dunes said. ¡°My heart will feel safe with you gone.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°I hope to hear you¡¯re working hard for the Iyr.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Make sure Brittany trains properly,¡± Adam said, shaking Jonn¡¯s forearm. ¡°Yes,¡± Jonn replied, simply. ¡°Make sure you train well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if you are a little star after your adventure.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Brittany assured. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone with Jaygak,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am used to it,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Hey,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve also left the rest of the party fund back with Aunt Sonarot, so if we don¡¯t return and you want to adventure, you can ask for it,¡± Adam said. Kitool bowed her head. As much as Adam pretended to be an idiot, he was more than wise when it came to doing things properly. ¡°And you, Jaygak,¡± Adam said, staring at her. ¡°Are you going to miss me?¡± Adam wondered what he should say. ¡°Probably. It¡¯s a good thing that I took the one with the better horns with me.¡± Jaygak narrowed her eyes. ¡°There are things you can and cannot joke about, Adam.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°There are things you can and cannot joke about, but I can do whatever I want.¡± He stuck out his tongue. ¡°Even if you had horns, I wouldn¡¯t want to be with you!¡± Jaygak declared. Adam laughed. Jurot, too, said his goodbyes. The children all gathered around the three, saying their own goodbyes. ¡°Cousin Adam, Cousin Jurot, good luck,¡± they said. Taygak looked up to Lucy. ¡°You. Be safe.¡±ViiSiit for latest novels ¡°Of course,¡± Lucy said, smiling down at her. ¡°Good,¡± Raygak said. ¡°If you die, then how can I kill you?¡± Lucy blinked. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°After you become the Demon Lord,¡± Raygak said. Lucy looked to Adam. ¡°They¡¯re joking, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Iyrmen do not lie,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I can!¡± Raygak declared. ¡°When I am big like Jurot I will be strong!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± Lucy asked. Raygak narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± ¡°You do not play with us,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Adam plays with us, so he¡¯s our friend.¡± ¡°He¡¯s our Cousin, so he¡¯s our friend,¡± Raygak said. ¡°He is really nice to us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nice too,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I...¡± ¡°Thanks, Elder,¡± Adam said, waving at the Elder, who had guided them this way, before leaving. Adam returned back to looking at the sky, seeing all the stars, all the streaks of colours of mysterious space phenomena. ¡°Leaving during Nightval,¡± Elder Gold said, appearing out of the shadows beside him. ¡°It is just like you.¡± Adam¡¯s heart pounded wildly. ¡°Is it?¡± He wasn¡¯t impressed by all these Iyrmen sneaking up on him. ¡°It is,¡± she said. ¡°A Vulfaire is a powerful creature, but I think it should prove a valuable experience for you.¡± ¡°I wonder why it is that Elder Gold felt the need to stalk me all the way here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯ve finally fallen for my Elvish wiles?¡± Elder Gold sat down, bringing out a clay bottle of wine, pouring them into two cups. ¡°Your imagination runs wilder than a child¡¯s.¡± She offered a cup of wine to him. Adam accepted the cup, raising it to her for a moment before sipping it. It was sweet, in a gentle, motherly way. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think you have come to chit chat, have you?¡± Elder Gold smiled, placing down two diamonds before him. ¡°For your spell,¡± she said. ¡°My spell?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You know spells of the Third Gate. The Fireball spell you cast was a spell you learnt from the scroll. You most likely have two other spells, and one of them no doubt requires these diamonds.¡± Adam stared at her for a long moment. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°So what¡¯s the catch?¡± ¡°They are gifts from myself to you,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°I do wish to speak to you about another, separate, matter.¡± ¡°Dragon scales?¡± She nodded. ¡°What about them?¡± Elder Gold poured more wine for them. ¡°I thought you would make a joke about poison.¡± ¡°Changing the topic?¡± Adam asked, sipping more of the wine. Elder Gold smiled. ¡°Would you be willing to part with them?¡± ¡°Willing? I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°What is your price?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam said. ¡°I believe that you Iyrmen are fair and won¡¯t rip me off, so you can see how many scales you want, leave me the rest which you don¡¯t require, and pay me accordingly.¡± ¡°You trust us so much?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elder Gold nodded slowly. ¡°We¡¯re not so different, you and I.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You want to protect them, Jurot and Lucy,¡± she said. ¡°I, too, have people I want to protect.¡± ¡°The Iyr?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Which is why a set or two of Dragon breastplate would be extremely useful,¡± he said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll trade you the Dragon scales for a favour,¡± Adam said. ¡°What is that favour?¡± ¡°You can have the Dragon scales, and if it comes to be that Jurot and I don¡¯t make it back, I want you to look after Sonarot and Lanarot. If either of them die, I want you to-¡° ¡°Adam,¡± Elder Gold interrupted. ¡°Be mindful who I am.¡± ¡°Elder Gold, who possesses access to all manner of diamonds, worth three hundred gold and more,¡± Adam said. ¡°I know who you are, and I¡¯m sure you know what I was going to ask.¡± ¡°There are rules in the Iyr, Adam,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°Is there a rule against what I was about to ask?¡± Elder Gold sighed, pouring more alcohol for them. ¡°Speak your wish.¡± ¡°If either of them die, regardless of their age, bring them back.¡± ¡°I cannot do that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where Jurot¡¯s dad is, and there¡¯s no one in this world that loves Lanarot as much as Sonarot. If it¡¯s too much to ask for, then at least until she turns eighteen, make sure Sonarot remains alive.¡± Adam sipped the alcohol. ¡°Then, after Lanarot turns eighteen, no matter what, you have to bring her back until she dies of old age. Do that, and you can have the Dragon scales. You can even lay claim to my weapon, my armour, my spellbook, though you¡¯ll have to get them yourself since, you know.¡± Elder Gold sighed. ¡°There are times I wonder if you aggravate me on purpose.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I cannot do it.¡± Adam sipped the rest of the alcohol. ¡°You know, Elder Zijin warned me. He said that sometimes I say things which are terrible. However, he doesn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He said that he¡¯ll watch what I do, for the Iyr pays more attention to one¡¯s actions than their words. I think he¡¯s right.¡± Adam placed down the cup. ¡°It¡¯s easy to pay lip service to gain the favour of others, but it¡¯s much harder to actually do it.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re asking of me, it may go against their wishes,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Adam said. ¡°Tell them it¡¯s my gift to them, as her Nephew, and as her brother.¡± Elder Gold narrowed her eyes. ¡°You sure have some guts, Adam. Are you not afraid that I will take it as a threat against the Iyr?¡± ¡°A fair trade if I¡¯ve ever heard of one. You get the thorn out of your side, and I guarantee my sister lives a happy life until she dies in bed, surrounded by her loved ones, just like how I wanted to go.¡± Elder Gold shook her head. ¡°I heard you wanted to quit joking.¡± ¡°I have,¡± Adam replied. He hoisted himself up onto his feet, wrapping the blanket around himself tighter, until he looked as though he were a croissant. ¡°Good night, Elder Gold.¡± ¡°Good night, Adam.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Yes. It really did take so long to say goodbye. I''m still sad. 193. Adventurers On The Road 193. Adventurers On The Road Omen: 9, 20 ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, staring at the numbers. ¡°My rolls have been so good the past couple of days.¡± ¡°Rolls?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I would be two third away to the next perfect weapon,¡± Adam said. ¡°I could have made such a great weapon before we left.¡± Lucy whistled as she looked away. ¡°Can I summon my familiars, or should I wait until after we leave the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You should do so once we are out of the Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied. They went through the motions that morning. Adam was glad he could have another bathe that morning, especially since they warmed up the water for him. ¡®Damn, they¡¯re so nice.¡¯ Soon the trio left, saying their goodbyes to the Elders, and making their way to the village. ¡°Are you sure you do not want to say goodbye to your nephew?¡± Lykan asked. ¡°Who is my nephew?¡± Tonagek¡¯s nostrils flared angrily. ¡°Jurot is not your nephew?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°I spoke with him last night.¡± Elder Lykan smiled. ¡°What of the other?¡± ¡°I have heard what he has done, but I will not accept him so easily,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°Not even for your sister¡¯s sake?¡± His nostrils flared once more.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Soon the evening sun tickled the trio¡¯s backs as they arrived at the village, which seemed to be awaiting their arrival. The Chief, Merl, came to meet them quickly. ¡°My, my, what handsome guests we have.¡± Her eyes fell to the Devilkin woman, or what she assumed to be a Devilkin. ¡°A Devilkin who isn¡¯t an Iyrman?¡± ¡°She¡¯s our friend,¡± Adam said, patting Lucy¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m a Dem-¡° Adam slapped her back harder. ¡°She demanded to come along with us to have some fun.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡®Oi! What the hell are you doing?¡¯ Lucy rubbed her back. ¡®What was that for?¡¯ Adam raised his brows and glared at her. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s a pleasure to see you again. Have you been well, Chief?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well, but my old bones have be chattering due to the cold,¡± she replied, sighing. ¡°Old? You don¡¯t look a day over forty, Chief,¡± Adam said, flashing a charming smile her way. ¡°Oh, you! If only I was forty years younger.¡± She jabbed him with her finger. ¡°You¡¯re travelling out during Nightval?¡± Merl, the young and beautiful granddaughter, asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°What better time to train than in the most dangerous conditions?¡± ¡°As long as we train safely, we will survive,¡± Jurot said. She glanced between the pair of them. ¡°Yes, dangerously safe.¡± The group was pretty close to Red Oak when they heard screaming off in the distance. ¡°We should probably check that out,¡± Adam said, before Jurot and Lucy darted away, Adam following behind, though the distance between them began to widen. ¡®I should get some more movement somehow.¡¯ Zeus bounded beside him, slowing down to keep beside his master. Hades circled around, still quicker than the Half Elf. As they charged forward, heading towards the area where they were going to sleep at, they found four people, each attacking one another. ¡°What the hell?¡± Adam called out as Jurot and Lucy waited, wondering what they should do. ¡°We should not get involved,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If it is a fight between a group.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes snapped around, seeing the utter rage on some of their faces, half drooling as they struck one another. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, grabbing his axe. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. We need to stop them.¡± Adam leapt into the fray. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 9 (8) Attack D20 + 8 = 9 (1) Miss! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 9 (1)(2) 9 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 26 (18) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 12 (5)(1) 12 damage! Adam swung his axe towards the young woman in the robes and staff, but he slipped in the earth, before swinging the back of his axe to strike across her back, catching her as she fell. Jurot struck one down, and Lucy beat the third. Adam watched as the man in the chain reached out for Lucy¡¯s face, his hand completely black, filled with deathly magic. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Counterspell ¡°Do you really think you can do that in front of me?¡± Adam chanted, causing the man¡¯s hand to turn back to its fleshy colour. Adam was glad that he had taken it back in the Iyr. ¡®Damn, sometimes I¡¯m just so smart.¡¯ Although he had Fireball, his other Third Gate spells were defensive or held great utility. Lucy head butt the guy, causing him to stumble back. ¡°What did you try to do to my face, you bastard?¡± She head butt him again until his body fell still, and she let him drop to the floor. ¡°Relax,¡± Adam said. ¡°They didn¡¯t seem like themselves.¡± Adam was about to heal the girl in his arms, when he saw the glowing symbol on the ground. ¡°Hey, look after them,¡± he said, before dropping down and creating runes around the symbol, trying to cast his spell. After a few minutes, the symbol on the floor disappeared, before he could manage to cast his spell in time. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, staring down at the ground. ¡®How did I know I needed to prepare that spell? Seriously...¡¯ He glanced towards the group of Adventurers that Jurot and Lucy had moved to the side. ¡°What do we do with them?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Well... they might still be under the magic, so it¡¯s probably best to tie them up,¡± Adam said, looking around to the camp nearby. ¡°Take away their weapons and magical stuffs, and tie ¡®em up. We¡¯ll interrogate them when they wake up.¡± Adam moved their packs to the side, and placed their weapons beside them, and tasked Zeus and Hades to watch over them. ¡°Should I heal one of them, or should we wait?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m a little hungry,¡± Lucy admitted. ¡°I will hunt,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Take Lucy with you,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll send Hades too, and if you get into trouble, Hades will come back to me.¡± Jurot nodded, taking the Demon with him. Adam stared at the Adventurers. ¡®Should I mess with them?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! New friends? Adventurer buddies! 194. A Fiery Exchange 194. A Fiery Exchange Adam sighed. The world around him looked so dark and dreary. ¡®Seriously? It¡¯s only been a few days and I haven¡¯t gotten over it.¡¯ The Half Elf reached into his cloak pocket, where he kept his most prized possession. He felt the soft cloth against his skin. ¡®If I keep this up, I¡¯ll become a useless older brother. I need to find myself a wife or something.¡¯ Adam thought about potentially facing an Adult Dragon sooner rather than later, but quickly realised how stupid that was. ¡®Now that I think about it...¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Didn¡¯t I die a virgin?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t want to die a virgin,¡± Adam said, before he noted movement to the side, and he threw a casual look aside. The Wizard dressed in her robes, and a pointy hat, stared at him with utter terror in her eyes. ¡°Hel-¡° Her piercing scream filled the air. ¡°If y-you touch me, I¡¯ll u-use my magic to kill you!¡± She tried to throw herself away, scrambling herself away from him. ¡°What are you...¡± Adam realised what had happened and quickly turned red. ¡°What are you talking about? Do you think I¡¯m going to lay a hand on you?¡± ¡°Just you wait until James wakes up! He¡¯s a Priest! He¡¯ll curse you to death!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how Priests work,¡± Adam said. ¡°Anyway, shut up!¡± ¡°James! Lily! Fiona!¡± She screamed, trying to awaken the others. ¡°So you really do know them,¡± Adam said, quickly changing the topic. ¡°I thought as much.¡± ¡°What did you do to them?¡± The Wizard stopped squirming as the Elk placed a hoof against her chest to pin her down. ¡°We beat them up,¡± Adam said, casually. ¡°You what?¡± She gasped. She noted Adam¡¯s Adventurer tag, and glared at him. ¡°Just you wait until the guild hears about this! They won¡¯t let you off!¡± ¡°Stop with all the exclamations, I¡¯m trying to think,¡± Adam reached into his helmet to rub his forehead. ¡°You say you¡¯re friends?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± She stared up at the Elk, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. ¡°Then, if I heal one of them, they¡¯ll agree with what you have to say?¡± Adam asked, glaring down at her. ¡°If I find out you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll rough you up.¡± The fear returned in her eyes, and she pinned her knees together. ¡°Not like that!¡± Adam punched the tree beside him. ¡°I¡¯m a decent man, you know? I don¡¯t need to attack some helpless little chick like you!¡± He rubbed his forehead. Mana: 15 -> 14 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 5 (2) Adam awoke one of the women up, the one with heavy armour, that way the Wizard would feel a little better, and if he awoke the woman with the light armour, she was probably a Rogue of some kind, so could probably undo the bindings with a successful check. The young woman grunted, coming to as she looked out to see her companion. ¡°Mikayla?¡± ¡°Fiona!¡± Mikayla shouted. Fiona squirmed, trying to move her body, before realising she was bound. ¡°Hey! What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Are the two of you friends?¡± Adam asked, just to confirm. ¡°Did you do this to us?¡± Fiona snarled. ¡°Untie me at once and face me like a true warrior!¡± ¡°Answer the question,¡± Adam said. ¡°Otherwise I¡¯ll beat you up again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know who we are?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Anyway, are those two your friends too?¡± ¡°James! Lily!¡± Fiona gasped. ¡°You won¡¯t get away with this!¡± ¡°Seriously,¡± Adam said, rubbing his head. ¡°You guys are annoying. If you really are friends, why were you attacking one another?¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Fiona glared up at him. ¡°We¡¯d never attack one another!¡± Mikayla shouted at him. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, coughing into his fist. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I knew how to cast Counterspell, otherwise you would have had to live wearing a mask, so don¡¯t you forget it.¡± ¡°You know Counterspell?¡± Mikayla asked, staring up at him in shock. ¡°What kind of idiot do you take me for?¡± ¡°I know that and Fireball.¡± She scoffed. ¡°Right! And I¡¯m Arch Wizard Marin!¡± Adam blinked at her. ¡°Who the hell is that?¡± Mikayla¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You don¡¯t know Arch Wizard Marin.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jurot. ¡°I recognise the name,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She must be a powerful Wizard?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the Arch Wizard who works with the King!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°How strong is she?¡± ¡°Stronger than your wildest imaginations, mister Third Gate spells,¡± Mikayla snorted, almost laughing at him. ¡°You¡¯re talking really big for someone who thought I was going to force myself on her,¡± Adam said. Lucy¡¯s face snapped to Adam. ¡°What? Even if you were interrogating her, there are limits, Adam!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted to eat them!¡± ¡°That¡¯s one thing, yours is another!¡± ¡°Wait! Hold on! I didn¡¯t even give that impression, she just thought about it all herself!¡± ¡°He said he did not want to die a virgin and leered at me!¡± Mikayla accused. ¡°No I didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a virgin?¡± Lucy said, hiding her smile behind her hand. ¡°So you have to resort to that kind of measure?¡± Adam clenched his fists. ¡°I don¡¯t need to! I wasn¡¯t going to, and nor was I implying I was going to do that sort of thing! I was just lamenting that I should probably get married so I don¡¯t become a useless older brother!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Virgin Rank Adam, oh, I mean Iron Rank!¡± Lucy howled with laughter. ¡°I bet you¡¯re a virgin too considering how useless you are!¡± Adam snarled back. ¡°It¡¯s different for me since I¡¯m the De-¡° ¡°Since you¡¯re an idiot?¡± Adam shouted, cutting her off. ¡°I just haven¡¯t found the right person yet!¡± ¡°You could marry each other,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That would-¡° ¡°Shut up, Jurot!¡± the pair shouted at him. ¡°I¡¯d never marry someone like him!¡± ¡°I¡¯d never marry someone like her!¡± The two women stared at the two. ¡°You were scared of him?¡± Fiona asked. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed of myself,¡± Mikayla replied. Mana: 14 -> 11 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 28 (1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6) The explosion of the Fireball, which engulfed the nearby area, shut everyone up. Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s cooled down, let¡¯s figure out what we should do with the four of them.¡± ¡°You need to put out the fire,¡± Jurot said, staring at the fire, which was beginning to spread. Adam stared at it too. ¡°My bad.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! These people are playing with fire(ball). They need to be careful. Someone upgraded to gold from silver, so shoutout to them. Expect another chapter soon. 195. Baby Adventurers 195. Baby Adventurers Mikayla and Fiona remained silent, their faces pale, all the while they watched the Half Elf, who summoned a Fireball from the heavens, walks around putting out the fire with what appeared to be the Control Flames trick. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, a few minutes later, his chest heavy with all the cringe he had just shown. ¡®I thought the fight between Lucy and I would put them at ease, but I really did go a little too far with the Fireball.¡¯ ¡°What should we do with them?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Let¡¯s keep them tied up until tomorrow morning,¡± Adam said. ¡°You won¡¯t untie us now?¡± Fiona asked, her brow sweaty with fear. ¡°No way,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°What if you attack us.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t the three of you strong enough to handle us?¡± Fiona asked, glancing between the three. ¡°You¡¯re all Experts, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How many spells do you know?¡± He stared down at Mikayla. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be honest, right?¡± Mikayla stared up at him, though had wished she could avoid his gaze. ¡°Six.¡± ¡°Six?¡± Adam replied. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Adam then noted the gear that the Adventurers were wearing. Chain mail for two of them, studded leather or another, robes for the last. ¡®Hold on...¡¯ ¡°How long ago did you start adventuring?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°A couple of months ago...¡± Mikayla avoided the Iyrman¡¯s gaze. ¡®We¡¯re not mindless beasts like you.¡¯ ¡°This is one of our first quests,¡± Fiona admitted. ¡°We¡¯ve slain a Wolf together before this.¡± You guys are really just newborn babes,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin again. ¡°Damn. Now I feel bad for bullying you all.¡± He dropped down beside each of them and undid their bindings. Fiona reached into her pack and pulled out a small vial. ¡°Relax,¡± Adam said, before chanting a few words. Mana: 11 -> 10 Spell: Healing Word 1D3+3 = 4 (1) Mana: 10 -> 9 Spell: Healing Word 1D3+3 = 4 (1) ¡°What?¡± James said, awakening from his slumber. ¡°You kids stay on your side, and we¡¯ll stay on our side,¡± Adam said. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± James asked. Fiona shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll explain later.¡± ¡°If you get any bright ideas, I won¡¯t stop Lucy from killing you and eating you,¡± Adam warned. ¡°Why should I kill them?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I bet they won¡¯t taste that good.¡± ¡°Well, why shouldn¡¯t you kill them if they start trouble with us?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Hmm,¡± Lucy hummed quietly, trying to find a rebuttal to his words. ¡°Ah. Because I can¡¯t be bothered.¡± ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll Fireball them,¡± Adam said. ¡°Oh, no. That would be bad. If I kill them, wouldn¡¯t the Adventurer¡¯s Guild be mad?¡± He rubbed his chin, going into thought again. ¡®Why do I keep rubbing my chin?¡¯ Adam realised that he was holding the piece of cloth from earlier. ¡®Oh.¡¯ He quickly stashed it away. ¡°Fireball?¡± James asked. ¡°You can still cast it?¡± Mikayla asked, staring at him in shock. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You...¡± Mikayla shook her head. ¡®He cast Fireball and Healing Word? Is he a Priest of the Sun? No, he said he was a Wizard...¡¯ Adam then spent a few minutes casting another spell, one he had been using nightly for the past few days. ¡°Devilkin are more prominent in the South and East, though least hated in the East and North,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The North seems the most welcoming,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It is difficult living in the North, so they do not add to that difficulty by making enemies of the world,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That was how it was explained to me.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Why the East?¡± ¡°They are a trading hub,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Whereas Central Aldland is the food capital of the Kingdom, the East is the trading capital. The South holds much trade too, but not quite as much.¡± ¡°So why doesn¡¯t the South like Devilkin as much?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The South is tolerant of Devilkin, but not as much as the East or North. The South has faced against Aswadasad a number of times, so there is bad blood between the pair still.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Adam said. ¡°What about the West? We rarely hear about the West, other than the fact that we¡¯ve met it¡¯s Duke.¡± ¡°The West is used to keep an Iyr on the Iyr, and protects the Kingdom¡¯s path towards the capital,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They kept the Orcs at bay, historically, and currently has deep ties with the royalty.¡± ¡°Oh? I thought North was close with the royalty since they¡¯re related?¡± ¡°They are drifting apart, slightly,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That was what was explained to me. West Aldland¡¯s ruler changed recently. The current Duke came into power once the previous Duke died.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said. ¡°The previous Duke died? How?¡± Jurot remained silent for a moment. ¡°They say he was ill for some time and they were unable to find the cure.¡± ¡°How likely is that story?¡± ¡°Very unlikely,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The current Duke is known as a warmonger, and someone with great skill in battle. He was one of the few who supported the King against the war against the Elves. There was some friction between we Iyrmen and the Duke due to his involvement within the war.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He was largely the reason why the Iyrmen were sent by themselves into the forest to open a path for the army,¡± Jurot said. Adam raised his brows. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°The current Duke does not like we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Yeah, I could tell from when we met,¡± Adam said. ¡°We must be careful, Adam. You are within his sights now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adam asked, before rubbing his forehead. ¡°Right.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°It was the two of us who claimed the forest on behalf of the Iyr.¡± ¡°If we had gone with him back then...¡± ¡°I am certain now, thinking back to that time, we would have disappeared.¡± ¡°Why are you two so happy to bring down the mood?¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°Jurot, you think?¡± Adam asked. Jurot raised his brows to Adam. ¡°Sorry. It was a joke to bring up the mood.¡± Adam avoided his gaze. ¡°Brothers should be able to poke fun at one another.¡± ¡°Cringe,¡± Jurot said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I don''t like these adventurers one bit! Chapter 195 – Adam’s Sheet Chapter 195 ¨C Adam¡¯s SheetNameRaceBackgroundAdamHalf ElfFate BornClassLevelXPChaos Sworn52325STRDEXCONINTWISCHABonus19 (+4)12 (+1)16 (+3)16 (+3)12 (+1)16 (+3)+2 SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldspeech, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Phantom, warhammer, shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, (30) gem dust, Iyrman blanket, backpack, bedroll, (10) torch, (10) ration, tinderbox, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, traveller¡¯s clothes, (2) winter clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, toothpaste Alchemists supplies, (1) vial, (1) high quality herbs Minor: 2 Basic: 0 Enhanced: 1 Enhanced+1: 0 Enhanced+2: 1 PPGPSPCP 751211 MAGICAL FEATURES: Spellcasting, Spellbook, Arcane Recovery Diviner (1/2 price and time for Divination spells). Omen (2xD20). Divine Smite: 2D6 + 1D6 for each additional Mana. TRICKS: Stabilise, Guidance, Flame Bolt, Tricks, Frostbite, Control Flames 1st Gate: Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds, 2nd Gate: Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate: Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball 196. They’re Gone 196. They¡¯re Gone Omen: 7, 15 Adam stretched, yawning as he did, before he stepped towards he window to look out. There he saw that the Adventurers were already eating their rations. ¡®Did they do anything suspicious?¡¯ Adam asked Zeus, who shook his head. Adam brushed his teeth as he stared out to the Adventurers. They noticed Adam looking at them, and shuddered. When the Half Elf waved at them, they quickly looked away, not wanting to acknowledge him. ¡°We should hire a Porter, and a proper Chef,¡± Adam said, cutting into some of the boar which had been well roasted the night before. ¡°A Guard too? Multiple Guards? One for each of the civvies we bring along. They can help take watch too.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to share our loot with them,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°Why do we need to move with so many people?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to share our loot with them, at the very least, not a full share,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll pay them a fixed rate for each day and give them all a very small cut of the loot. They could be useful. Having extra hands on deck for when shit hits the fan, you know?¡± ¡°No?¡± Lucy replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means when things go bad.¡± ¡°Eh,¡± she replied. ¡°It means we can sleep longer on the road,¡± Adam offered. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t so bad.¡± Lucy thought about how little sleep she was currently getting. ¡®Even in the Iyr I could have a lovely nine hours.¡¯ ¡°Once we earn enough, we could get a wagon and everything,¡± Adam said. He thought about what he could do in the future once he was strong enough. ¡®My own little keep? No, no. Why do I need a keep? Unless I can have one near the Iyr?¡¯ Adam smiled, thinking about that potential future. A wife. Children who would play in the fields. Guards to make sure everything ran fine and protected his family. Assassins who he had trained to kill anyone who decided to have any dark thoug- He shook his head. ¡®Assassins? Come on, bro. Who do you think you are, a King or something?¡¯ ¡°Are we going to adventure by veering off the main road?¡± Jurot asked, biting into the roasted boar. ¡°Should we?¡± ¡°If we do, we should hire Porters and Guards,¡± Jurot sipped some of his water, narrowing his eyes seriously. ¡°It is dangerous to take paths which are not the main road.¡± ¡°We did well up to this point,¡± Adam said. ¡°That is because you were with three Iyrmen,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Now there is one, or at least, that is what others will think.¡± He motioned to his tattoo. ¡°One Iyrman is fine to fight, and they will leave me alive, even if they take everything from me. You and Lucy?¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°I see,¡± Adam said, staring at the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then I guess we should hire more people. I¡¯ve brought along enough money that we should be fine.¡± ¡°How much money is in the party funds?¡± ¡°Over seven hundred, and I brought quite a bit with me,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded his head. Adam was the kind of guy to carry around a thousand gold on his adventures. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Adam said, going into thought, finishing his breakfast. The group moved together, the newbie adventuring party up ahead of them, within the watchful sight of Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°We should reach Red Oak by evening, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Tomorrow evening.¡± ¡°We could probably take him,¡± James said. ¡°No, he knows Fireball,¡± Mikayla said. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe he knows that spell. If we can rush him while he¡¯s bathing, we¡¯ll be able to beat him up.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t bathe yet, probably,¡± Mikayla said. ¡°He¡¯s not that dumb.¡± James grumbled. ¡°When we get back to Red Oak, we¡¯ll have the Guild deal with him.¡± Eventually, Jurot and Lucy returned, with a number of small beasts, as well as wild fruit and vegetables Jurot found. ¡°I wonder what the charm trap was for,¡± Adam said. ¡°I doubt it was for some random baby Adventurers.¡± ¡°How are we meant to figure it out?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°We didn¡¯t manage to catch anything. We should just leave it to the Guild, since they¡¯re the one¡¯s who would be most interested.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just wanted to make some conversation...¡± Eventually they turned in to bathe and sleep, with Hades and Zeus taking watch as previously, and the trio taking watches themselves. Due to the fact there was only three of them, it meant they had to rest longer, which is why the Adventurers were able to eat their rations first. When Fate¡¯s Golden awoke the next morning, they found the Adventurers had slipped away during the night. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you catch them?¡± Adam asked Zeus. ¡®Left in night. Not come close.¡¯ Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°Right. I guess I did tell you to inform me if they made their way over, not if they dipped out...¡± He shook his head. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter, I guess. We¡¯re already so close to Red Oak, so they probably made their way to the town.¡± Fate¡¯s Golden packed up and headed towards Red Oak, which came into sight after a few hours. ¡°What small walls,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Right? We were spoiled whilst in the Iyr. Red Oak isn¡¯t anywhere near as good.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°No cute little sister either.¡± ¡°Mara will be disgusted by your love of Lanarot,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure if I should believe that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Mara seems like a great woman. Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Jealous? Of what?¡± Lucy¡¯s nostrils flared. Adam smiled. ¡°Adam. What would I be jealous of?¡± Lucy narrowed her eyes towards him. ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied. Eventually they came across the Guards of Red Oak, in their chain, with their spears in hand. ¡°Halt!¡± ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pouch. ¡°Hands where I can see them!¡± the Guard shouted. Adam froze, raising his brows. ¡°Man in purple armour, puthral, with an Iyrman and a Devilkin. Sounds like he fits the bill, don¡¯t he, Bill?¡± the Guard asked. ¡°I see him with my own two eyes, aye,¡± Bill said, nodding his head. ¡®Uh oh.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 197. Adam and Guards 197. Adam and Guards ¡°We heard you were coming from another party,¡± the Guard said, staring down at Adam, eyeing the Half Elf in puthral. He wasn¡¯t quite looking down at Adam, as the Half Elf was taller. ¡°Really now?¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡®I can smell the trouble I¡¯m in.¡¯ ¡°Do you have anything to say for yourself?¡± the Guard asked. Adam glanced up, noting the Guards on the walls. They had gathered at least five Guards, each of whom were pointing a crossbow at him. ¡°I assume you mean those little babies came by and told you how we saved them?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Or did they end up saying a bunch of nonsense?¡± ¡°Not quite what we heard,¡± the Guard admitted. ¡°You¡¯re going to need to come with us.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adam asked. ¡°From what I recall, and Jurot here can back me up, but we found them trying to kill one another and saved their lives. We even invited them to eat roasted boar with us, and I was going to invite them for more, but that young man wanted to keep his harem to himself. I can respect that.¡± Lucy chuckled slightly. ¡°I thought that too.¡± The Guard threw a glance to the Devilkin for a moment. ¡°Considering your company, you shouldn¡¯t make this troublesome for yourself.¡± ¡°My company? You mean Jurot? What¡¯s wrong with Jurot? You got a problem with Iyrmen here, mister Guard? I¡¯ll have you know, Jurot, the son of Surot, is a great warrior. His family has done so much for the Iyr, and he himself has many accomplishments in his belt. Earlier this year, he slew a Dragon.¡± The Guard blinked rapidly. ¡°Not the Iyrman,¡± the Guard said, nodding to Jurot, ¡°but the Devilkin.¡± ¡°The Devilkin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no-¡° Adam slapped her back. ¡°Lucy here is a great warrior, and a Guest of the Iyr. She¡¯s also a member of...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Wait, no she isn¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s about to be the latest member of our party, which Jurot here is a key figure within.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± the Guard said. ¡°You must come with us!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m an Adventurer, and I have some pertinent information for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild which needs to be told immediately.¡± ¡°Look!¡± the Guard growled, at the end of his rope. If Adam wasn¡¯t an Adventurer, this would have gone much more smoothly. ¡°We would appreciate it if you listened.¡± ¡°Do you have them in your custody then?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then we will head to the Guild where those other bas-¡° Adam coughed into his fist, ¡°babies are, and you can take us both from there. We¡¯ve been travelling through the wild for so long and I just want a nice hot bath, and a nice hot meal, before you start to interrogate us, have some kind of misunderstanding, because it¡¯s me, and you¡¯ll find out that we saved a bunch of no good low lives.¡± Adam stared at the Guard. ¡°So I¡¯d really appreciate it if you took our gate fee and let us head to the Guild.¡± The Guard sighed. ¡°You must follow us, or we will consider to to be resisting arrest.¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± Lucy shouted. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± Adam grabbed her mouth, though she continued to shout all manner of curses towards the Guard into his mouth. ¡°Yes, yes, we will definitely get you mustard on your whodyudinare,¡± Adam said, trying to stop her from getting them killed. Even he, who joked around with the Guards, wouldn¡¯t outright try to aggravate them. Lucy grumbled into his hand before pulling herself away from his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me like that again.¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t stay stupid shit,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Since you¡¯re insisting, but I¡¯ll be sure to inform the Vice Master if we do not receive proper compensation for the slander against our names.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± the Guard replied, shaking his head. ¡®I don¡¯t get paid enough for this shit.¡±¡¯ ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, tossing out two copper coins. ¡°The gate fee.¡± ¡°There are three of you,¡± the Guard said. ¡°Lucy isn¡¯t an Adventurer.¡± ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°Go bring the Vice Master and he¡¯ll confirm it,¡± Adam said. ¡°We were going to sign her up today.¡± ¡°If we find out you¡¯re lying,¡± the Guard warned. ¡®What kind of trouble are we in?¡¯ ¡®Just get those little brats.¡¯ Adam hoisted his axe up and handed it to Jurot, doing the same with his warhammer. ¡°They won¡¯t take stuff from you, probably.¡± Jurot nodded. Lucy, who didn¡¯t hold any obvious weapons, rubbed the ring on her finger, smirking slightly. Adam winked at her, before taking a seat, waiting. Lucy sat to one side, and Jurot the other. ¡°I thought they were going to start more trouble,¡± one Guard said. ¡°If only they weren¡¯t Adventurers and there wasn¡¯t an Iyrman,¡± another replied. ¡°Could have had some target practise,¡± a third said. ¡°My shoulder¡¯s been a little iffy, so my aim¡¯s gone off.¡± ¡°How was it that you came to fighting grandfather?¡± Jurot asked, cutting the Guard¡¯s conversation short. ¡°He said something in poor taste about your mother and I called him a bastard,¡± Adam said. ¡°You called grandfather a bastard?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But you are still alive.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam said, looking to the Iyrman beside him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Calling an Iyrman a bastard is one way of dying,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh. Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn. I guess Aunt Sonarot saved my life?¡± Adam said, wondering what had happened when he was knocked out. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think your gramps was going to kill me even if I did call him a bastard.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°Then how did you come to face Grandaunt?¡± ¡°She wanted to fight me after your gramps spoke highly of me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Apparently, he said that I was pretty strong.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Then you faced Grandaunt the next day?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, trying to keep his smile away. ¡°I wish to face grandfather and Grandaunt too,¡± Jurot said, puffing out his cheeks slightly. ¡®Adam has the best fun.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the full story another time,¡± Adam said. ¡°Too many unwanted ears about.¡± Jurot nodded. The Guard glanced between one another. ¡®This guy is fucking crazy. No wonder he seems like trouble.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Jurot goes real hard when he wants to. Check out this which has dropped! They''re crazy, since I tried to do one before and it was rough, but they did something even more insane! It''s like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, the old fantasy ones. I remember reading them as a kid and never managed to beat one. 198. Adam’s Anger 198. Adam¡¯s Anger It took close to an hour for the other party to arrive, following a small group of Guards. ¡°It¡¯s them!¡± Mikayla shouted, pointing to the trio. ¡°It¡¯s definitely those three who jumped us,¡± James declared. ¡°I recognise that armour from a mile away.¡± ¡°Oh, if it isn¡¯t those little babbies,¡± Adam said, mockingly. ¡°Did you change your clothy? Drank your wittle milk?¡± ¡°You!¡± James growled. ¡°How dare you treat a Priest this way.¡± ¡°A Priest? You? I¡¯ve met plenty of Priests, well, a couple, and none of them were as shameful as you. You think just because you¡¯ve got a harem of hot babes that you¡¯re hot shit?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If you really were hot shit, why didn¡¯t you come and beat me when I was all alone?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t alone,¡± James said. ¡°You¡¯re right, I had an Elk near me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Me and an Elk, against a mighty Priest and his harem.¡± James¡¯ face was a deep red, and he was hot with both embarrassment and anger. ¡°You! You!¡± He tried to form words, but couldn¡¯t manage any. ¡°Anyway, do you Guards have any Zone of Truth scrolls or something? I¡¯ve been waiting forever and I want a nice hot bath and a nice hot meal, just like I said.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t work on your time,¡± the Guard said. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa.¡± Adam raised his hands innocently. ¡°I would never claim you work. Don¡¯t put words in my mouth.¡± The Guard stared at Adam. ¡°We do have such a scroll, but it would be a waste to use it on this.¡± ¡°A waste?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The scroll is expensive,¡± the Guard stated. ¡°Is it?¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°What, it¡¯s like, fifty gold? Maybe a hundred?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Look. Bring the spell scroll, and if we¡¯re wrong in the situation, you can have us pay. If they¡¯re wrong, they can pay. Then we can discuss the compensation for my little heart later.¡±ViiSiit for latest novels The Guard narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is this agreeable?¡± he asked James. ¡°Why should we pay?¡± James asked. ¡°They¡¯re the one¡¯s who attacked us.¡± ¡°He¡¯s already admitting he¡¯s guilty,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you¡¯re in the right, you don¡¯t have to pay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of principle,¡± James said. ¡°Principle?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re slinging shit at me and now you want to talk about principles? Jurot, remind me next time not to help them out. They can kill each other in peace. You were right, we shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± the Guard shouted. ¡°I will retrieve the spell. Wait here, silently, the lot of you.¡± It didn¡¯t take long, no more than five minutes, for the Guard to bring the scroll. ¡°I will cast the spell and I expect none of you to resist, neither you four, neither you three, understood?¡± They all agreed. ¡°If you do resist, I will know,¡± the Guard said, reading the words of magic. Charisma Save Voluntary failure. Adam felt the soft glow of magic within him, which surrounded his heart, his mind, and his throat, tickling him. ¡°Now, explain the situation,¡± the Guard said, looking to James. ¡°Mikayla,¡± James said, nodding his head. Adam kept a finger on his lips. ¡°Just that we¡¯re a little close.¡± ¡°They are a little close,¡± Jurot said. Adam removed his helmet, having become so hot with rage, his face sweaty. The four Adventurers gasped, and the Guards quickly straightened, on edge. ¡°He¡¯s a knife ear!¡± Mikayla gasped. ¡°I knew it!¡± James snapped. ¡°I told you that he-¡° ¡°Enough!¡± the Guard shouted, cutting James off. ¡°Go send word to the Vice Master.¡± ¡®I should have left it to the Guild.¡¯ ¡°I would have thought the Guild would have dealt with these matters,¡± Adam said, grumbling. ¡°They do,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Then how come we¡¯re with the Guards?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They threatened you,¡± Jurot said. Adam smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. They did.¡± ¡°We can discuss this matter with Vice Master Paul once he arrives,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He will listen to us.¡± ¡°So, uh, you¡¯re from the Rot family?¡± the Guard asked. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot,¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Adam is a Nephew of my family, though I consider him my brother.¡± The Guard stared at Jurot. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you start with that?¡± Jurot remained silent, narrowing his eyes at the man. The four Adventurers glanced between one another. ¡°A Nephew of your family? Your brother?¡± Mikayla asked. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that we¡¯re in a heap of trouble,¡± Fiona said. ¡°He could be pretending to be an Iyrman,¡± a Guard said. ¡°That sort of thing will put you in deep trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of an Elf being so close with an Iyrman before,¡± another Guard said. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m not an Elf,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m a Half Elf. Half Elf, Half Human.¡± ¡°If you wish to test me,¡± Jurot said, narrowing his eyes at the Guard, ¡°you may draw your blade.¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for our good ol¡¯ Vice Master. I¡¯m sure he probably has some work for me considering our deal.¡± Adam smiled wide at the Guards. ¡®There¡¯s no way he¡¯s that close with the Vice Master, right?¡¯ ¡®You heard of an Iyrman lie before?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! As expected, these Guards are stupid. New patron new chapter? 199. Adam Bailed Out 199. Adam Bailed Out Paul arrived at the Guard¡¯s estate, his eyes darkened from the lack of sleep, but having heard there was trouble with Adventurers, and it was about that guy, he needed to come along. ¡°I knew it was you,¡± Paul said, looking to Adam. ¡°Evening, Paul,¡± Adam said. ¡°Vice Master, excuse me.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, looking to the Guards. ¡°Why the Guards are involved in a matter between Adventurers is beyond me.¡± ¡°We informed the Guards of the matter,¡± James said. ¡°We also informed the Guild of the issue the issue too.¡± ¡°I heard your side of the story before I came,¡± Paul said. ¡°So, Adam, I assume your side of the story is different?¡± ¡°You know it,¡± Adam said. ¡°This is why I like you, Paul.¡± ¡°Vice Master,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I made that mistake twice,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I was doing so good up until then.¡± Paul raised his brows. ¡°Sorry. Anyway, I like you because even though I¡¯m a Half Elf, you know my true worth.¡± Adam smirked, winking at him. ¡°Well, maybe not my true worth.¡± ¡°Adam, please.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Adam explained his side of the story to Paul in excruciating detail, far more detail than when he explained it to the Guards, including the more embarrassing parts. ¡°You can use Fireball?¡± Paul asked, staring at the Half Elf. The Guards glanced between one another. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can ask Mikayla and Fiona, they saw, or you can ask Jurot, he took a Fireball to the face for fun.¡± Paul looked to the two women, who nodded, then to Jurot, who tried not to smile as he nodded. ¡°Yeah, sounds like something an Iyrman would do.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Paul said, sighing. ¡°Head to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. You can have your bath and your meal, and I¡¯ll speak to you later. I¡¯ll deal with the Guards.¡± ¡°Baktu bless you, Vice Master,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°Come on guys, let¡¯s go.¡± Adam returned back to the Guild, where he immediately went to bathe, washing his clothing too, before he ordered a large meal. He gorged himself on meat and potatoes, which was on offer that evening. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nursing his food baby, wearing his thick clothing. Lucy was nursing her own food baby, having eaten a gold¡¯s worth of food in a single sitting. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild ain¡¯t so bad.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s no Iyr, but it¡¯s pretty sweet.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°They don¡¯t seem to like us much though,¡± Adam said, noting a few Adventurers who were giving the pair dirty looks, though Jurot kept most of their gazes away. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucy said, shrugging her shoulders. Eventually Paul returned to the Guild, still annoyed. ¡°You three, with me.¡± Paul motioned a head, and took the trio to a room in the back. ¡°So you didn¡¯t figure out anything with the magical symbol?¡± ¡°No, sorry.¡± Paul sighed. ¡°Jurot, was it true what happened? They were mindless and attacking one another?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Lucy was almost struck by Inflict Wounds, if not for Adam¡¯s abilities.¡± ¡°Fireball and Counterspell,¡± he said. ¡°Mage¡¯s Tower too?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam replied. ¡°How long has it been since we last saw each other? Yet, you¡¯re already an Expert?¡± Paul asked. Adam winked. Soon the other four were brought in front of the Vice Master too, each of them looking small and meek, like four little rabbits, ready to be eaten by the four older Adventurers. ¡°It seems that each of you have some explaining to do,¡± Paul said. ¡°You¡¯ve thrown out some terrible allegations, and I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t let that pass.¡± ¡°You believe them?¡± Mikayla asked. ¡°Did you use a Zone of Truth spell?¡± Paul motioned to Jurot. ¡°He¡¯s as good as any Zone of Truth spell.¡± ¡°You believe him?¡± ¡°You¡¯re from the East,¡± Paul said. ¡°You probably don¡¯t understand how much weight an Iyrman¡¯s words have around here.¡± ¡°Well, that would be a start,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°I also think I should be able to beat them a little too.¡± Adam cracked his neck. ¡°Since they pissed me off.¡± ¡°Then the two of us should face them repeatedly,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me!¡± Lucy said. ¡°We can¡¯t all face them, otherwise it would be bullying.¡± ¡°So?¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°They wasted our time! I wanted a bath too.¡± ¡°True,¡± Adam said. ¡°How dare they stop us from bathing.¡± ¡°We could each face them alone?¡± Jurot offered. ¡°That is a good idea,¡± Adam said. ¡°What would you suggest?¡± Adam asked Paul. Paul sighed. ¡°I could relegate them to certain quests.¡± ¡°What kind of quests?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Hunting Rats, sweeping the streets, that sort of quest,¡± Paul said. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea!¡± Adam said. ¡°They should sweep the streets and help the people out freely for a month.¡± ¡°A month?¡± James said. ¡°Without pay?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°And they should praise Fate¡¯s Golden and the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since they decided to try and drag our name into the mud. I¡¯ll forget about beating them, because I don¡¯t think I should bully them that much.¡± ¡°Aw,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± James said. ¡°Are you really going to give in to this madness?¡± Paul glared down at James. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t forget why you¡¯re here in the first place. From what I know of Adam, this is quite merciful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me out like some kind of beast,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m no Iyrman.¡± Adam looked to Mikayla and smiled. She looked away. ¡°You also need to pay for the Zone of Truth scrolls,¡± Paul said. ¡°All three of them.¡± ¡°D-damn it!¡± James growled. Adam smiled. ¡°Though you should pay for half of it, Adam, since it was partly for your benefit,¡± Paul said. Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then let¡¯s increase their punishment for three months, and the Guild can put up with them until their punishment has ended.¡± ¡°Nevermind,¡± Paul said. ¡°I¡¯ve already dealt with the Guards, but I¡¯ll send the four there to rescind their complaint formally, and I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t bother you.¡± ¡°The Guards also threatened and harassed me,¡± Adam said. ¡°They also tried to pin everything on me and they didn¡¯t give me a chance to defend myself.¡± ¡°I could imagine as much, since you¡¯re a Half Elf. I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯t cut you down where you stood, or when you began to get mouthy with them.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°Me? Mouthy?¡± Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡°I got way more than mouthy before you came there. But, this was all before they found out I was a no good filthy knife ear.¡± Adam stared at Mikayla. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to speak with them again,¡± Paul said. ¡°I can only wonder why you asked me to drop the issue,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed that you asked, considering this matter was a blow against the Iyr too.¡± Paul sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just tired, Adam. This really is so insignificant at the end of the day.¡± ¡°For you, Paul. I¡¯m sure if the Ban family was being treated like dirt, you¡¯d probably have something to say.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Paul said, yawning. ¡°Since you can cast Fireball, that means you¡¯re an Expert now. We can¡¯t have you walking around with an Iron tag.¡± ¡°We are all Experts,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What?¡± Paul asked, staring at the Iyrman and then the Devilkin. ¡°All three of you?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucy replied, smiling. ¡°Of course you all are,¡± Paul said. ¡°Go get some sleep. I¡¯ll deal with it all tomorrow.¡± ¡°Good night, Vice Master,¡± Adam said. ¡°Good night to you too, you worthless cretins.¡± Adam smiled to the four other Adventurers. Quest Complete: Dark Signs +100XP Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! It''s all blown over. Right? Just a reminder that the ¡ê is currently falling meaning subscribing to patreon is cheaper than ever! 200. Bronze Rank 200. Bronze Rank Omen: 14, 15 The trio spent the next morning revealing their abilities to Paul, the abilities they were happy to reveal. ¡®Now that I think about it, I shouldn¡¯t have used Third Gate spells back then. Even if I did, I probably shouldn¡¯t have revealed how I could attack twice...¡¯ Adam shook his head. ¡®Oh well.¡¯ Paul sighed, marking a few matters off on his paper. ¡°How is it that you astonish me, Adam?¡± Paul asked. Adam smiled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°An Expert in both martial and magical capabilities,¡± he said. ¡°Not only that, Jurot becoming an Expert so quickly, I can¡¯t imagine it wasn¡¯t without your help.¡± ¡°He did it by himself,¡± Adam said. ¡°Don¡¯t put that on me.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s that... Devilkin,¡± Paul said, as though he knew. ¡°She¡¯s quite strong too.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Are you going to tell me the story of how you beat the Blue Dragon?¡± ¡°Jurot¡¯s much better at that.¡± Paul nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll hear it from him. Is Lucy joining Fate¡¯s Golden?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Alright. I need to speak to you all at noon if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Jurot told Paul of the tale, and Adam spent his time relaxing at the Guild, ignoring some dark looks, though most Adventurers didn¡¯t seem to care. ¡°So, what do you need?¡± Adam asked once noon had rolled around. He sipped the tea which Paul had provided him. ¡°There is a Noble from East Fort who wished to go hunting,¡± Paul explained. ¡°He specifically wanted to hunt an Elder Wolf. The problem is, there is a chance he would be overwhelmed by an Elder Wolf even with those Knights of his. I was hoping that the rest of your party would be with you, Dunes would have been useful, but I can find a Priest from somewhere else.¡± ¡°I can heal pretty well,¡± Adam said. Paul nodded, sighing. ¡°Yeah. I told Sir Landon that I would have a party ready for him by the fourteenth of the month. You¡¯ll be free to do as you please until then. The quest starts on the fifteenth, and should take no more than a week to complete. The reward is ten gold per day per person, plus one hundred gold flat. There¡¯s one hundred gold for making sure he¡¯s unharmed, and another one hundred gold if you allow him to get the kill.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money,¡± Adam said, whistling. ¡°Three hundred gold is no joke, just for doing a good job? Is there something else you aren¡¯t telling us?¡± ¡°No,¡± Paul said. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re hurting for gold, but it would be nice to have some spending money,¡± Adam said. ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I don¡¯t have much gold. Do you know how much I need for my conquest?¡± ¡°Lucy, you can¡¯t say that kind of thing outside the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you crazy? If you want to get yourself killed, do it when I¡¯m not near you.¡± Lucy scoffed. ¡°How can you be so weak?¡± ¡°Anyway, how many people will be on this quest? You mentioned Knights?¡± ¡°Sir Landon and two Knights,¡± Paul said. ¡°Plus you three, and probably a Priest, if I can find one.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, thinking. ¡°Could we hire some of our own people to come with us?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± Paul said. ¡°You mean those Porters?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°The three of them are our trusted Porters. I think Nobby would do well especially.¡± ¡°We forgot him last time,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We did,¡± Adam said, glancing to the side. ¡°I won¡¯t this time.¡± ¡°I could speak with the Noble. I¡¯m sure I could convince him to bring along three Porters on your recommendation.¡± ¡°Sounds great. I¡¯ll let them know the good news.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I should warn you that Sir Landon has chosen an Elder Wolf on purpose. He despises them due to what they did to him. When he was young, he was mauled by an Elder Wolf pup. Don¡¯t stare too overtly at his face.¡± ¡°Thanks for the heads up.¡± ¡°Now with that out of the way, do you wish to be promoted to Bronze Rank?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to start at Iron,¡± Paul said. ¡°I¡¯m spending all of it today,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want three baskets, some which I can share around the place, and the best stuff you have on offer.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why you wanted to come here,¡± Lucy said, eyeing up the bread. ¡°You¡¯re looking at the wrong thing,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to Jurot, whose ears were slightly red. Adam stepped back, letting Lucy stand beside him, as they watched Jurot work up the courage to speak. They bit into their jam buns as they watched the pair chat away. ¡°To be young again,¡± Lucy said, swallowing the sweet bun, though there was something so much sweeter she was eating. ¡°Our boy is growing up,¡± Adam whispered, sniffling, taking another bite of his jam bun. The pair ate their jam buns, and filled their second stomach with the sight of young love. Once they were out, carrying several baskets, Adam noted the urchins about. He didn¡¯t worry too much about them, as he placed down bread around the place, allowing them to grab some. ¡°Should we go on an adventure?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I want to hire a small crew,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°The Porters, but also some Guards.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have that boy you want to train? Nobby was it?¡± Lucy asked, eating a lemon tart. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°What do you think, Jurot?¡± ¡°He has a great body,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°He would become a great Rage Dancer.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, assuming what it meant. ¡°I should probably speak with his parents. How could we send them a message?¡± ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild should be able to,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah? Alright, then I¡¯ll do that.¡± He arrived at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, where Emma was currently working. She looked up to Adam and smiled at the group. ¡°If it isn¡¯t our latest Bronze Ranks,¡± she said, smiling at him. ¡°How may I assist you?¡± ¡°Your smile is too bright,¡± Adam said, covering his face. ¡°Is being an Expert that good for the Guild?¡± Emma calmed her smile, but it turned into a half smirk. ¡°Oh, dear. Do you not know the significance of an Expert?¡± ¡°It means I¡¯m strong, right?¡± Emma raised her brows. ¡°Yes. Very.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Experts are valued highly, and well paid,¡± she said. ¡°The amount of respect you¡¯ll gain from most people is astounding.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Adam replied, not at all enthused. ¡°I actually need something from the Guild. Could you send a letter to Nobby¡¯s parents? He¡¯s a Porter I¡¯ve worked with before.¡± ¡°Jeremy¡¯s nephew?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will send a message.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Adam spent a few moments figuring out what it should entail, before paying the price of sending the message. ¡°If you¡¯d like it sent quickly, five copper and I¡¯ll send it right away,¡± Emma offered. ¡°Done,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ll bring a message back?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. Adam shared the bread and desserts with the rest of the Adventurers, once the Guild made sure it was safe. It wasn¡¯t long that they received word back from Nobby¡¯s family to meet. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Bronze Rank! Also, Patreon is 50 chapters ahead, or should be. Also still figuring out writing another series. Xianxia, maybe? 200 chapters hype though! 201. Adam’s Offer 201. Adam¡¯s Offer ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Adam said. He was invited inside, along with the Devilkin and Iyrman, to sit down. He placed the bread basket down on the table. The room was quite long, and was no doubt used as the main room for the entire family, who probably used this place as a place to eat, a place to hang out, and a place to sleep. A thin woman with long dark hair quickly turned to make them something to drink. The man, an older fellow who was thinner than the woman, with weak eyes and a strong frown, stared at the Devilkin suspiciously. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the man eventually replied, his eyes snapping to Adam. ¡°You must be Adam, the Half Elf?¡± There was a young girl who was peeking from another room, only her forehead and eyes could be seen through the doorway. As Lucy smiled, she quickly disappeared. Adam nodded. ¡°I kept my helmet on because I didn¡¯t want to scare you, but I guess it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He removed his helmet to reveal his beautiful face to the man, who squinted at the beauty of the Elvish fella opposite him. Adam had only brought his breastplate, helmet, and his Phantom with him, trying to hold some level of power, but didn¡¯t want to seem too threatening. ¡°So, shall we discuss the matter?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You wanted to train my son?¡± Nobby¡¯s father asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why? What¡¯s got an Elf like you worked up about my Nobby?¡± ¡°Half Elf,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°He¡¯s built like an Auroch, and Jurot here is eager to train him.¡± The man nodded to Jurot. ¡°Pleasure meeting you. Ted.¡± Jurot nodded in return. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Ted. Jurot, son of Surot.¡± ¡°Whose the Devilkin?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a-¡° Adam placed a hand on her mouth. ¡°Lucy. She¡¯s a friend.¡± Lucy bit Adam¡¯s hand. Health: 65 -> 62 ¡°So the good Iyrman wants to train my son, but what about you?¡± Ted asked Adam. ¡°What¡¯re your thoughts about all this?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot wants to train him into a Rage Dancer, which will be useful for him in the future.¡± ¡°What¡¯ll he do once he¡¯s a Rage Dancer?¡± Adam remained silent. He rubbed his chin. ¡®That¡¯s a good question.¡¯ ¡°Well... Usually, the way it goes is that I will become strong enough to get my own keep, right? I¡¯ve actually been thinking about it recently. Anyway, I¡¯d like Nobby to be my number one... Enforcer?¡± ¡°Enforcer?¡± ¡°My personal Guard. No, my strongest Guard. I want to be able to leave him at my keep and to protect everything which is most precious to me.¡± ¡°Lots of trust you¡¯re giving my boy,¡± Ted said. Adam shrugged. ¡°And what qualifications do you have to make my boy one of your Enforcers?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam paused to think. ¡°Within a year, Jurot and I have become Experts. Not only have we become Experts, but before we even became Experts, we slew a Blue Dragon. Before slaying the Blue Dragon, we slew a White Dragon, one which was most older. Well, we assisted in slaying it.¡± ¡°Adam assisted in slaying it,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We remained behind.¡± Ted, having not expected to hear that, blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Plus, I managed to defeat an Expert Guardian before I even became an Expert,¡± Adam said. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t sworn his Oaths to me, but what can you do?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s doing his job well, though. He¡¯s helping train someone with another Iyrman, so this isn¡¯t the first time we¡¯ve plucked someone up to train. Well, the other one doesn¡¯t have as much talent as Nobby.¡± Ted continued to blink as his wife brought out some tea, listening intently to the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you can trust me, considering my...¡± Adam wiggled his ears. ¡°If it makes you feel any better, I¡¯m a Nephew of a family in the Iyr, and I¡¯m this one¡¯s brother.¡± Adam motioned his head to Jurot. ¡°There are a few other things, but they¡¯re sort of a secret, and I can¡¯t really divulge everything, but I assure you that Nobby is going to be well taken care of.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re a liar, but it is all a little unbelievable,¡± Ted said, his heart pounding wildly. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam said. Jurot revealed his magical axe, then motioned to Phantom. ¡°Adam prefer that the warriors near him carry such weapons.¡± ¡°Do you think you could train him to become a Knight?¡± Ted asked. "A Knight?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I''m not sure about that. No offence, but Knights typically need a little... you know. I don''t think that complicated life is for him." Adam cleared his throat. Ted threw a look to his wife, slowly nodding his head. "I want matters to be simple for him,¡± Adam said. ¡°We train him. He works for us, either as an Enforcer, a Bodyguard, a Guard, whatever. He¡¯ll be paid well.¡± "The matter of pay,¡± Ted said, sitting up straighter. ¡°You say that you''ll pay us during his training?¡± ¡°Yes. It''ll be a small wage. I will provide his equipment, food, lodging, and so on. You don''t have to worry about that. I will send a small stipend to his home and give him some money to play with too. Jeremy and Remy should attest to how well I pay, and the bonuses I give." "We''ve heard,¡± Ted said. ¡°I have to say, it''s a little surprising, considering you''re an Elf." ¡°Only a Half Elf,¡± Adam said. ¡°And a Devilkin too.¡± Lucy growled. ¡°She knows how to behave,¡± Adam said. "I see." "How much does Nobby usually bring in when he¡¯s portering?¡± "Well, that''s to say..." Ted looked to his wife, unsure if he should say. "Relax,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I just want to figure out how much to pay you so you don''t starve to death while he''s gone. I want to make sure his parents are taken good care of. If you don''t want to tell me how much he makes, then tell me how much you need without him here." Ted swallowed. "My son makes roughly five silver coins a day. There are some days when he makes slightly less and slightly more, and some days he cannot find work. I would say one hundred and twenty five silver a month?" "What''s that, twelve and a half gold?" Adam mused. "Yes, though we were able to save some of it every month, for the future." Adam tapped the table. "Do you know how much it costs to hire a basic Mercenary monthly?" Jurot tilted his head. "It depends on the group. There is an upfront fee of ten gold, and an additional ten gold a month for each Mercenary. This doesn¡¯t include the fees for food and lodging, and there are times you may need to provide gear for them too. They come in groups of four to eleven, usually." "How much does it cost to hire an Expert?" "At least one hundred gold monthly, including fifty gold as an upfront fee.¡± Adam whistled. "I¡¯ll hand over ten gold as the upfront fee, and we¡¯ll send home ten gold a month, and pay him a few gold coins as we train him. We¡¯ll equip him, feed him, so on and so on. Then, once he''s an Expert, we¡¯ll update his payment to fifty gold a month, though until the price of his training and equipment is paid off, we¡¯ll be paying him half. Then, after everything is said and done, we¡¯ll see how much we should keep him on for. What do you think?¡± Ted blinked at Adam, unsure of what to say. Even though Adam was offering half the price for an eventual Expert, the fact that his son would be paid so much was still surprising to him. ¡°We will speak to him,¡± his wife said. "Great,¡± Adam said, smiling at her. ¡°He''ll be a Rage Dancer, meaning he won''t be wearing much armour, but we''ll get him a nice set of weapons. Axe and shield, eh Jurot? Gotta make sure he doesn¡¯t die.¡± "And if he does die?" Ted asked. Adam tapped the table. "If we can''t revive him after he falls, we will come back and sort that out with you." Adam bowed his head slowly. "The typical amount is three months pay, but you should know our son is worth more than thirty gold," Ted stated. "Like I said, I''ll sort it out. I don''t forget those who do me favours, and I know Nobby is a good, hard working lad. I''ll do right by him if anything does happen to him." Adam cleared his throat. "I''ll do my best to make sure he comes back safely each time, but I can''t promise anything. I can promise that you''ll be getting more than thirty gold, that''s for sure." Ted wanted to press it further, but Adam had already done so much for him, so he nodded. "You''re not so bad." "Thanks." ¡°Thank you for your gold, from before,¡± Ted said, extending a hand to shake Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Any time,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you have any issues, you let me know. I¡¯m doing this much because I really want Nobby to be one of mine.¡± ¡°We will speak with Nobby, and when he¡¯s got his answer, we¡¯ll have a contract made,¡± Ted said. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild can do it, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be seeing you,¡± Adam said, winking at the little girl, who hid away again. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sorry for the late chapter. I messed up my sleep again. It does mean maybe I''ll be even further ahead? I''m currently 50 chapters ahead on patreon and they changed the way they did payments so you are charged on the day that you join from now on. I still need to work on that xianxia project though... 202. Sir Vonda 202. Sir Vonda Adam¡¯s mind was abuzz. ¡®Damn, there¡¯s something about dropping down hundreds of gold every month to pay for Guards that makes me want to spend my entire life making magical weapons,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Though, I¡¯m not sure I could afford so many.¡¯ ¡°Why did you offer only fifty gold a month?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°There¡¯s more that we can offer him than gold,¡± Adam said, but kept more to himself, not wanting to say so much in public. ¡°Do you really wish for a keep?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I do want something, though. Something which will make a stable income for the future. I can¡¯t remain an Adventurer forever, it¡¯s too dangerous, and too unstable. Once I reach Gold Rank, and you¡¯re Diamond Rank, we¡¯ll need something to retire back to.¡± ¡°The Iyr?¡± Jurot offered. ¡°If it continues to welcome me, sure, but what if I have kids?¡± ¡°Will they not be children of the Iyr?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I hope that the Iyr is kind to them, but... I don¡¯t know if I want to raise them exactly like Iyrmen.¡± ¡°There is no better place to raise children,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If you want to be an Iyrman,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not everyone wants to be a great warrior whose name goes down in history. The Iyr has a great many things, but what if my children want freedom?¡± ¡°There are some Iyrmen who chase freedom,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They leave the Iyr behind to do as they please.¡± ¡°They do?¡± Adam asked, surprised. Jurot nodded. ¡°The relationship between the Iyr and those Iyrmen is appropriately distant, and appropriately close.¡± ¡°When you start speaking in riddles, I know I shouldn¡¯t ask more,¡± Adam joked. ¡°So whose this Nobby?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to love him,¡± Adam said. ¡°Ew.¡± ¡°He¡¯s built better than Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Really?¡± Lucy asked, swallowing the drool which was forming. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet him then!¡± ¡°Relax.¡± Adam chuckled. They returned back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, where they caught Emma giving Adam a look. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked, walking over to her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°There is someone who wishes to speak with you,¡± she said, motioning to a woman to one corner who wore splint, and carried with her a shield painted with a symbol, and a mace at her side. There was a scarf which wrapped around her lower face and neck. Adam walked over to her and waited, not wanting to interrupt her prayers. ¡°You must be Adam,¡± she said, finishing her prayer. ¡°I have heard so much about you. Sir Vonda Eastlake.¡± She held out her arm. ¡°From the East?¡± Adam asked, shaking her forearm. ¡°Sir Vonda?¡± Adam wondered if this world was that progressive, but recalled how there was another woman called Sir. ¡®Is it a Noble thing?¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, simply. ¡°Adam, Son of Fate,¡± Adam said. ¡°Does anyone dare to claim to be the son of Fate?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I do.¡± She remained silent for a moment. ¡°And are those the members of Fate¡¯s Golden?¡± she asked, looking past his shoulder. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°That¡¯s Jurot, son of Surot, and Lucy.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Sir Vonda Eastlake.¡± ¡°Eastlake? You are related to the Tenseas family?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Trust an Iyrman to know such things,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°And this Elf and Devilkin are your companions?¡± ¡°Only half,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°I see.¡± She glanced between them all. ¡°I wonder how that has come to be.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Fate.¡± He brows raised in surprise for a moment. ¡°Fate? Yes. Perhaps it is Fate which has brought us together.¡± She looked to Jurot. ¡°I follow Mother Soza, Goddess of Life. I hope that is not an issue.¡± Paul caught Sir Vonda¡¯s questioning eyes. He sighed, but nodded. Sir Vonda placed down her ring and muttered something quietly in a language Adam didn¡¯t understand, before the ring unfurled into a map. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered, causing the others to look at him. ¡°Let me admire the magic in peace.¡± ¡°There is a small ruin within Red Wood,¡± Sir Vonda explained. ¡°It contains an artefact of great power, one which belonged to our temple. I would like to return the artefact back to its rightful place.¡± ¡°So...¡± Adam said, glancing between them all, ¡°about the loot.¡± ¡°You would loot an ancient temple?¡± Sir Vonda asked, staring at Adam. ¡°Oh, my bad,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°How much are we getting paid?¡± Sir Vonda cleared her throat. ¡°We are willing to donate half the gold and gems within the temple.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Half of everything other than the artefact. I know how temples are. You don¡¯t keep your wealth only in gold and gems.¡± ¡°Half of everything?¡± Sir Vonda asked, cautiously. ¡°We get to pick the half too,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since this is a dangerous quest, it¡¯ll have to be after the escort quest with Sir Londan.¡± ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Paul corrected. ¡°Don?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Any relation to the Champion guy?¡± Adam looked to Jurot. Jurot shook his head. ¡°It is a coincidence.¡± Sir Vonda looked to Paul. ¡®They¡¯re trustworthy?¡¯ He sighed, but nodded. ¡°Very well,¡± she said. She needed to find strong Adventurers, but not those who were so powerful that they could take more than half the temple¡¯s wealth, but also those who were trustworthy enough. ¡°Actually, how close is the temple?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It would require at least a week of searching, perhaps more,¡± she said. ¡°Then there is no way we can do it right now,¡± Adam said. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s Nightval, so it¡¯ll be worse for us. Chances are, we might have to do it in Duskval.¡± ¡°As long as it remains a secret,¡± Vonda said, nervously. ¡°Lucy,¡± Adam said. ¡°You hear that?¡± ¡°What? Why are you looking at me like that? I won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± ¡°Oh come on,¡± Adam said. ¡°Considering all the things you want to reveal to the world?¡± ¡°Like that she is a Demon?¡± Vonda asked. Adam remained staring at Lucy for a long moment. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡°I will keep that secret if you keep mine,¡± Vonda said. Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°As if you need to-¡° ¡°Lucy,¡± Adam warned. ¡°Whatever.¡± ¡°I can see you¡¯re bored. Let¡¯s go and kill something tomorrow, yeah?¡± Lucy smiled. Sir Vonda cleared her throat. ¡°You should not be so casual about death.¡± ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯ve got family to think about,¡± Adam said. ¡°Family?¡± ¡°How adorable would my little sister look in some bear furs?¡± Adam asked, smiling at the thought. Vonda looked back to Paul. He sighed, but nodded. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Expect two chapters tomorrow! 203. A Brother At Heart 203. A Brother At Heart Omen: 4, 10 ¡°Nobby, my boy!¡± Adam called, seeing the large figure waiting for him in the morning besides his uncles. ¡°That¡¯s Nobby?¡± Lucy said, licking her lips, trying to stop her drool. Nobby noted the appearance of the Devilkin, and though he tried not to be taken aback, seeing her stare at him like he was a piece of meat, it made him look aside. ¡°Stop it,¡± Adam said, patting her back. ¡°He¡¯s just a wee boy of fifteen.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fifteen?¡± Lucy asked, staring at Adam. ¡°You expect me to believe that.¡±ViiSiit for latest novels ¡°Nobby¡¯s sixteen now, ain¡¯t you, Nobby?¡± Remy said, patting the boy¡¯s back. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®That means he¡¯s fine to pluck,¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡°His birthday was the ninth of the ninth,¡± Remy said. ¡°We took him out for some drinks,¡± Jeremy added. ¡°Fella didn¡¯t want to head to the bro-¡° Jeremy slapped the table. ¡°So, boss, what kinda work you need us for today?¡± ¡°Same work as before, I think?¡± Adam said, looking to Nobby. ¡°You spoke to your pops, Nobby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You want to be trained by the Iyrman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your parents are fine with that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to go and give them their sign up fee, and I¡¯ll confirm it with them, get that contract written up, and we can head out.¡± ¡°We should buy him an axe and a shield,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You think he can use axes like ours?¡± Adam asked. Jurot shook his head. ¡°A smaller axe should be fine.¡± ¡°You want him up in front right away?¡± Remy asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam said. ¡°Nobby¡¯s safe beside the three of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean no disrespect boss, but...¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Heard what?¡± ¡°The three of us are Experts.¡± ¡°Experts?¡± Remy gasped. Jeremy stared at Adam, but his eyes fell to Jurot. Jurot smiled. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. Jeremy and Remy raised their brows in surprise. ¡°How did you manage that?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten who I am?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Adam, Son of Fate. Don¡¯t think about it too much.¡± ¡®How did he become an Expert so quickly?¡¯ ¡®The Iyrman started his journey recently...¡¯ Jeremy and Remy could feel how heavy their purses were going to become. ¡®I¡¯ll be able to take the missus out to that nice place she wants to go too,¡¯ Remy thought. ¡°He¡¯s at work,¡± Annie replied. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Right. Well, I won¡¯t be keeping you then.¡± Adam placed down a pouch of gold. ¡°Here¡¯s fifty gold.¡± ¡°Fifty gold?¡± Annie asked, her eyes wide. She hadn¡¯t ever seen that much coin on her table. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°A thank you?¡± Adam said. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°A thank you?¡± ¡°The moment Jurot laid eyes on your son, he wanted to train him,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s a big, strong lad. He¡¯s an Iyrman¡¯s...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should continue that sentence. ¡°Well, you can consider it a finder¡¯s fee or something. Or, you can consider it for what it really is.¡± ¡°What is it really?¡± Annie asked nervously. ¡°You¡¯re both too thin,¡± Adam said. ¡°And your daughter is so small. Use the money to eat properly, and to pay for whatever the little girl needs. It¡¯s fifty gold to keep my conscious clear.¡± Annie wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was doing. She understood what he was saying, of course, but why would he care about them this much? ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Adam asked. For a moment, Annie¡¯s eyes flashed with terror. ¡°Anne.¡± ¡°Is that your name little girl?¡± Adam asked. The girl had disappeared behind the frame, but she peeked out. She nodded her head slowly. Adam squatted down. ¡°Come here,¡± Adam said. Annie wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was doing, but she was aware of the pan which was nearby. ¡®He¡¯s an Expert, but if I can hit him in the back of the head.¡¯ Anne slowly drew nearer, wearing several layers of rags, though they were quite clean. Adam reached into his pocket. ¡°Hold out your hand.¡± She looked to her mother, who had crept to the pan. Annie nodded her head slowly. Anne reached out with her tiny little hand. Adam placed a gold coin in her hand. ¡°You know what this is?¡± She nodded her head. ¡°This is your gold coin. The gold in the bag is your parents¡¯ gold, but this gold coin is yours. Only you¡¯re allowed to spend it, understand?¡± The girl stared at the gold coin with bright eyes. She nodded her head emphatically. ¡°What do you say when someone does something nice for you?¡± Adam asked. The girl looked up at Adam, a little confused. ¡°Manners are free, don¡¯t you know?¡± Adam joked. ¡°Thank the kind man, Anne,¡± Annie said, the pan within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl said, quietly. Adam smiled. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll come by one day to check if they stole the gold from you. If they do, I¡¯ll give them a good talking to, okay?¡± Anne nodded her head. ¡°Alright, well, I should probably head back.¡± Adam hoisted himself up, before he turned. He noted the woman had gripped the pan, but hadn¡¯t moved it. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your cooking.¡± Adam smiled, walking out. ¡°Goodbye.¡± ¡°Goodbye,¡± Annie said, unsure of what happened. Adam whistled, feeling good about giving away so much gold. ¡®Damn. This is addicting.¡¯ It was only after Adam had returned back to the Guild that he understood what had happened and why Annie had reached for the pan. ¡®I just miss being a good big brother,¡¯ Adam thought, innocently as his heart ached. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! My sleep is F. 204. Slow Day 204. Slow Day ¡°So he went to the family to give them fifty gold coins?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jade replied. ¡°And he gave the girl a gold coin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Paul remained quiet, looking out to see Adam return back from his small task. ¡®He¡¯s so suspicious.¡¯ ¡°And that was all?¡±ViiSiit for latest novels ¡°Yes.¡± Paul blinked. ¡°Fifty gold to make sure they could take care of themselves. A gold coin to the daughter to spend on herself.¡± Paul shook his head. ¡®Seriously.¡¯ ¡°Shall I continue shadowing him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Paul said. ¡°It¡¯ll be only a matter of time until either of those two manage to sniff you out. We¡¯ve confirmed his business, so leave him be.¡± Jade bowed her head. Paul sighed. ¡°Seriously. If you continue to act like that, people will hear about the fact you like to throw away gold coins. Should I go and pay a visit to Shadow Rat?¡± ¡°Why the long face?¡± Lucy asked, biting into a potato. ¡°I realised that my good intentions are misconstrued,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s tiring being so suspicious all the time because I¡¯m nice.¡± ¡°Stop being nice then,¡± Lucy said, simply. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re a great guy,¡± Remy said. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t listen to anyone else,¡± Jeremy added. ¡°Thanks, guys,¡± Adam said, sitting down to eat his breakfast. He filled himself with meat and potatoes. ¡°So you finished your business?¡± Jurot asked, walking back with Nobby, who held an axe at his side, and a shield at his back. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, spying the shield and axe. Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 23 (18) The axe and shield were of great make, and definitely cost more than ten gold. The metal axe head was well tempered, with a handle made of slightly reddish wood. The shield, which was fairly long and wide, suited Nobby¡¯s build well. ¡°It seems that Nightval has awakened some White Wolves,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The guild is offering twenty gold per head, and sixty gold for each Elder White Wolf.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite an increase,¡± Remy said. ¡°Aren¡¯t they usually about ten or fifteen per head at most?¡± ¡°Fifty for the Elder White Wolf,¡± Jeremy added. ¡°There seems to be a Magical Beast which has awakened,¡± Jurot said. ¡°A Magical Beast?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That sounds interesting. How much does that go for?¡± ¡°Two hundred, but we would hunt it for its core.¡± ¡°Core? Is it a magical core?¡± ¡°Yes. Since it has awoken during Nightval, it will be perfect to create an ice based enchantment.¡± Jurot threw Adam a knowing look. ¡°An ice based enchantment, you say,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin, chuckling like a villain. ¡°That would be pretty... cool.¡± Lucy groaned, and the cousins who looked like twins glanced away. Jurot did not react at all. Nobby smiled. ¡°Heh.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind to me, Nobby. I¡¯m glad I paid your parents so much for you.¡± ¡°Um,¡± Nobby said. ¡°Thank you for the opportunity, mister Adam.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me mister Adam,¡± Adam said. ¡°Call me... boss.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Good enough.¡± ¡°Should we find the Magical Beast?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°They do not know which form it has taken.¡± ¡°Hmmm. You say it¡¯s two hundred for the Magical Beast, right? That¡¯s just for the hunting?¡± ¡°It was only the first level within Red Wood,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I made sure to keep away from the second level.¡± ¡°Where would the Magical Beast be?¡± ¡°Within the first two levels,¡± Jurot said. ¡°So why didn¡¯t we go into the second level?¡± ¡°It is too dangerous,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We can¡¯t handle it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We can, but we would be unable to protect the Porters.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Well, as always, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Jurot nodded his head in return. ¡°Aren¡¯t you lucky?¡± Adam said, placing down the gold for the Porters. ¡°You get five gold for walking around.¡± ¡°Thank you, boss,¡± Remy said, quickly swiping the gold. ¡°My stomach hurt the entire time,¡± Jeremy admitted. ¡°I hope the gold eases it.¡± ¡°My stomach ain¡¯t hurtin¡¯ no more,¡± Jeremy assured, feeling how heavy the gold was. Adam chuckled. ¡°Good, good. Nobby, take this.¡± Adam handed over ten gold coins. ¡°Your pay for today, and a little more for your birthday I missed.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss,¡± Nobby said, looking at the gold coins. ¡°Nobby, make sure you work hard, okay?¡± Adam said, patting his arm. ¡°You¡¯ve got parents to care for, and a sister to inspire.¡± Nobby nodded his head slowly. ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡°You and little sisters. How creepy can you be?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Hey. I don¡¯t poke fun at your chest.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± Lucy raised her fist to attack him. ¡°Outside!¡± Braun shouted. Lucy froze and looked back at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really going to hit him...¡± She kept her eyes half away from Braun, but spend much of her time ogling him. ¡°Asking Nobby to look after his sister isn¡¯t the same as you harassing muscular men with your eyes,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s actually creepy.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Lucy whispered. ¡°I¡¯m just admiring the beautiful art.¡± Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°Adam, should we take Zeus tomorrow on the hunt with us?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°He will be useful.¡± ¡°Zeus?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh. Zeus! I forgot all about him!¡± Adam rubbed his face. ¡°Yeah, we probably should. He can carry some stuff too.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°What am I going to do without you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ll go check up on him.¡± He stood and stretched his neck. ¡°I should probably have a nice hot bath too.¡± Adam checked on Zeus, who seemed to be faring just fine in the stables of the Guild, spending most of his time standing still. Then he went to bathe and eat, hearing Lucy rambling about how bored she was. ¡°Let¡¯s hope tomorrow we have some fun,¡± Adam said. Omen: 4, 20 Adam chuckled quietly to himself when he woke up. ¡°I think today is going to be a good day,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Lucy asked, peering up at him with her questioning eyes. Adam smiled. ¡°It really is a good day!¡± Lucy said, many hours later. ¡°Finally!¡± ¡°Me and my big fucking mouth,¡± Adam said, hoisting up Phantom. ¡°To arms!¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Trying to learn to sleep. Please send me good luck. 205. Adam’s Terrible Jokes 205. Adam¡¯s Terrible Jokes ¡°This,¡± Adam said, gripping Phantom in hand tightly, ¡°is going to be ruff.¡± The group had travelled into the forest, this time searching for Winter Wolves within the not quite so deadly forest. Jurot was confident he¡¯d be able to track them, and Lucy was itching for a good fight. However, Adam hadn¡¯t expected to find so many. Seven Winter Wolves, and three Elder Winter Wolves growled towards the party, ready and eager to tear them limb from limb. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 8 (7) ¡°Did you really say ruff?¡± Lucy groaned, summoning her Destroyer, the giant, flaming greataxe. Jurot did not say anything as he raised his shield, all the while the ten Wolves bounded towards the pair of them. As a White Wolf struck Jurot, thunder rumbled in the air as the White Wolf¡¯s body spasmed, thunder rocking through its entire body, shattering its bones, managing to scare away some of the other Wolves from attacking. ¡°Damn, Jurot, since when could you-¡° Adam shut up, as some of the Wolves who slipped away from Jurot, charged for him and the Porters. ¡®Oh, right,¡¯ Adam thought, remembering how he had enchanted the shield. Health: 65 -> 58 Strength Save D20 + 6 = 14 (8) Soon the group was overwhelmed by the ten Beasts. One leapt up at Adam, and tried to tackle him down, but he managed to punt it back. An Elder White Wolf struck Lucy across her side, and tried to drag her down, along with the help of another smaller White Wolf, but she managed to stay up, slamming her flaming Destroyer down onto the smaller White Wolf, splitting it in half. Jurot also managed to cleave through a White Wolf with a single blow, and as another tried to nip at his heels, he sliced through its head. Remy and Jeremy, who had dropped their palanquin quickly, managed to hide behind their spears, with Remy even managing to poke one away from him. Nobby his behind his shield, and swung his axe wildly, but the White Wolf was too nimble for him. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 57 -> 62 Attack D20 + 8 = 12 (4) D20 + 8 = 15 (7) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 14 (2)(6) 14 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 18 (10) D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 14 (4)(4) 14 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 11 (2) D20 + 9 = 20 (11) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 18 (6)(6) 18 damage! Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 28 (19) D20 + 9 = 28 (19) Hit! 1D6 + 1D6 + 6 = 15 (3)(6) 15 damage! Adam was a flurry of death, his Phantom weaving through the air as he cut into the White Wolves all around him and the Porters. He tore through each of them as though he were carving a cake, as the seconds passed, the four White Wolves lay dead between his feet. Jurot and Lucy both heard the bodies of four White Wolves drop, and the three Porters stared at Adam, mesmerised by his swift movement, and how quick he had dispatched the four White Wolves, each of which held much greater strength than typical Wolves. ¡®Whoa!¡¯ the twins thoughts. Nobby also stared at Adam, his eyes twinkling. ¡®I can be that strong?¡¯ The three Elder White Wolves roared as their followers were killed, but they charged forward to strike. Jurot intercepted two of them, slamming his shield against one of them, and keeping another at bay with his flaming axe. Lucy, who was having too much fun, swung wildly, allowing the Elder White Wolf to strike up against her thigh. As it snarled, dragging her down, she wailed with laughter. ¡°Yes!¡± She struck the Elder White Wolf right against its skull, her flaming axe sinking deep, and yet somehow she did not manage to kill it. Jurot managed to sink his axe deep into an Elder White Wolf¡¯s shoulder, which roared in pain, as the last crept backwards away from the raging Iyrman. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 62 -> 65 ¡°How much?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Half, for one hundred gold.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°I mean...¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°We should probably send some back to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Half is good,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will be hunting much more during Nightval.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Alright, since the Guild always treats us so well.¡± Braun nodded his head. ¡°Thank you.¡± He handed Adam the gold and gems, which he took to split with the others. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, placing down the coins for the Porters. ¡°So much?¡± Remy asked, swiping the five gold coins for each of them. ¡°You know it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re on my payroll until the fourteenth. After that, you¡¯re going to be having a fun time with the Lord and us on the road.¡± Remy nodded his head. ¡°Thank you, boss.¡± ¡°This party fund idea is really good,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Is that how you¡¯ve been paying for my stay?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ve put in a lot in the party fund so I can pay the Porters through it too, though I also use my own gold to pay them sometimes. Lucy nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯ll put in the same amount as you, then.¡± ¡°I, too, will put in the same amount,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You sure?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What about the Iyr tax?¡± ¡°I will pay it separately,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If you¡¯re sure.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re done with our work...¡± Remy and Jeremy smiled, with Nobby nodding his head. Adam bit into the jam bun, staring at Jurot and Pam talking. ¡°Sometimes, Adam,¡± Lucy said, between taking bites of her own jam buns, ¡°I think you¡¯re a genius.¡± ¡°I like to keep you guessing. Is Adam an idiot, or is he a genius, or is he both? No, he¡¯s definitely both, but which will he be today?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You will never know.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just assume you¡¯re an idiot all the time.¡± ¡°Assumptions make an ass out of you and me,¡± Adam said. Lucy stared up at him with a quizzical look. ¡°Oh come on,¡± Adam said. ¡°That one was actually good.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! It wasn''t that bad, was it? New for this month on Patreon is that advanced chapters have increased. Bronze has 20 chapters. Silver has 30 chapters. Gold has 50. I am also probably going to post up a new series at some point this month, we''ll see. 206. Nightval Bear 206. Nightval Bear Omen: 16, 20 ¡®Man I wish I was back in the Iyr,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I could have made such a great magical weapon.¡¯ Adam yawned, getting out of bed, before bathing and changing, heading down to find Jurot, Lucy, and the Porters already hanging out. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam said. ¡°Where should we head to today?¡± ¡°Red Wood?¡± Jurot asked. Adam threw a look to the Porters, who nodded. ¡°Red Wood it is, then.¡± Once they had finished breakfast, Jurot led the way towards Red Wood. He was the one who knew how to spot tracks and figure out what to do in a forest. Remy and Jeremy stuck to their own job, and Lucy... Lucy yawned. ¡°So bored.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re always bored.¡± ¡°Cause it¡¯s boring.¡± ¡°They say if you¡¯re constantly bored, then you¡¯re probably a boring person,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°My teacher.¡± ¡°Your teacher is a fucking idiot.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Adam exclaimed. ¡°I mean, he was, but still. We need some respect for teachers. The amount they work, and considering how little they get paid.¡± ¡°Teachers get paid little? Since when?¡± ¡°Forever,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you joking? Teachers make gold.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe in a fantasy world,¡± Adam said. ¡°How much do Teachers earn where you are from?¡± Jeremy asked. ¡°About...¡± Adam tried to maths in his head. ¡°The average is about three hundred gold a year, but it starts around one hundred and eighty.¡± ¡°That little?¡± Jeremy said, his voice full of shock. ¡°For Teachers, really?¡± ¡°What do you mean that little?¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°Three hundred gold was about the average wage where I¡¯m from.¡± Adam assumed that a copper was about roughly a dollar or so. ¡®Wait, so that would mean... twenty percent more, right? Or was it thirty percent more?¡¯ He recalled when the Queen¡¯s moolah was fifty percent greater than the dollar. ¡®Those were the days.¡¯ ¡°Teachers earn a minimum of five hundred gold within the Kingdom,¡± Remy said. ¡°Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t even see a Teacher.¡± ¡°Many earn at least a thousand,¡± Jeremy added. Adam shook his head. ¡°This world really is built different.¡± ¡°I would hate to be where you¡¯re from,¡± Remy said, honestly. ¡°Hey!¡± Adam growled. ¡°At least we had paid leave. Twenty eight days, I think.¡± ¡°Paid leave?¡± Adam, who had left his attack to Fate, rushed into the heat of battle, and swung his axe to bisect the creature in half, from head to hind, causing the Nightval Bear to drop on either side of Lucy, who blinked rapidly at the air above them. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± Adam asked, sheathing Phantom, and walking towards the remaining Porter, who was still unconscious. Mana: 13 -> 12 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°Don¡¯t sleep on the job,¡± Adam said, his heart still pounding hard within his chest, though the cool air was beginning to calm him down. Victory! Nightval Bear +150 XP XP: 3375 -> 3525 Jeremy gasped for breath, staring up at the sky above him, before seeing the familiar face of the Half Elf. ¡°I¡¯m... alive?¡± he asked. He barely recalled the shadow which had almost sent him to Lord Sozain. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said, casually. ¡°Now, let¡¯s carry the Bear back, yeah?¡± Jeremy continued to blink wildly, trying to understand what happened. Remy was up against a tree, looking around, feeling the bark against the back of his head. He was also trying to ground himself in the real world. Adam spent more Mana healing each of them, making sure that the two Porters were feeling healthy. He had much more Mana for Lucy to make sure she was feeling well enough to move. Considering she was an Expert, she probably held a similar amount of Health as him, so she probably still felt terrible even after a few Healing Word spells. Jurot pulled out the core from within the Nightval Bear. It was about as large as his hand, and pulsed with magic. ¡°This is the core.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s a big core.¡± ¡°It is the core of a Nightval Bear,¡± he said. ¡°It is worth quite some coin.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Over a thousand,¡± Jurot said. Adam whistled. ¡°Though...¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°It is best to use it in crafting.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I guess we should keep it until we find someone who can use it.¡± He smiled. Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Alright, come on,¡± Adam said, stretching out his back against a tree. ¡°Let¡¯s head back before we get jumped by something else.¡± ¡°We should refrain from shouting,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It will be difficult to deal with much more considering how much it required to deal with that Bear.¡± ¡°Did I use too much to deal with it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You could have killed me within a single blow if you had struck so harshly.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe,¡± Adam joked. ¡°If Lanarot tells me you¡¯re bullying her, I¡¯ll be showing the other end of Phantom, just like your gramps.¡± Jurot let out a soft sigh, shaking his head. ¡°Let us leave before you bring forth a greater power with your confidence.¡± A low growl filled the area. ¡°That¡¯s on you,¡± Adam said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! How much damage? 105 in one hit? 207. Awakened Wolf 207. Awakened Wolf Emerging from the trees came a large creature. A Wolf, Adam supposed, though it was larger than any Wolf he had seen. It was slightly larger than the Elder Wolves they had faced not long ago, though its eyes held far more intelligence. Adam, who was still in the process of calming down, stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± he said, noting how eager Lucy was to fight, though she was still injured. The Wolf stared at Adam, its eyes obviously assessing him. Adam wondered if it really did hold more intelligence than a normal creature. ¡°You better back up, boy, before I cut you in half,¡± Adam stated, his voice firm. He pointed his axe towards the Bear. ¡°I did it to that little Bear over there, and I¡¯ll do the same to you.¡± The Wolf¡¯s eyes fell across the scene, noting the Iyrman, the Demon, the three Porters, and then the Nightval Bear, which was cut clean in half. ¡°An Awakened Wolf,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Lucy asked, her ears twitching upon hearing the name. ¡®That sounds like something amazing.¡¯ ¡°It is still young,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It must have awakened recently.¡± ¡°Young?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What the hell have they been feeding you in this place?¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°You and I,¡± it growled towards Adam, ¡°let us fight.¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Fight? Seriously? Is it because it was born so close to the Iyr?¡¯ ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to move along, I suppose I¡¯ll have to.¡± ¡°When I win you will become my slave,¡± it said. Adam tilted his head slightly. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Oh, you want that kind of fight. Pink slips?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Alright, so when I win you¡¯ll become my slave?¡± ¡°I will become your steed,¡± it replied, looking down onto Adam. ¡°I have one already,¡± Adam said, motioning to Zeus. ¡°Now that I think about it, why didn¡¯t you move this time?¡± ¡®Nobby safe.¡¯ ¡°Next time you don¡¯t act, I¡¯ll send you away and find someone else,¡± Adam warned. ¡°Actually, you might be useful then, little Awakened Wolf. However, since you want me to be your slave, it¡¯s only fair you¡¯ll become mine.¡± The Awakened Wolf growled at Adam, staring down at him. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Hey, Jurot.¡± Adam stretched his neck. ¡°An Awakened Wolf...¡± He thought about those two. ¡°Is it greater than a Dire Wolf?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I guess I need to beat the regal bearing out you, little pup.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 17 (16) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 8 = 16 (8) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) Critical hit! Phantom Charge: 1 -> 0 Mana: 6 -> 3 2D6 + 8D6 + 8D6 + 6 = 76 (4, 6)(1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6)(1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6) 76 damage! The Awakened Wolf readied to charge forward, but as it slunk down, Adam was already upon it like a hyena about to pick apart a carcass. Phantom flew through the air and cut through the Awakened Wolf¡¯s side, tearing through its side as blood sprayed across the cold hard floor. The Awakened Wolf, who was still a youngster, fell to the ground, confused as to how they would have been so powerful after facing a Nightval Bear. However, those thoughts quickly disappeared as its mind was struck by a heavy blade, and it dropped to the ground with a heavy thud. Victory! Awakened Wolf +300XP ¡°Adam, it will die,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Relax,¡± Adam said. ¡°I held back, a little.¡± Adam watched as the blood poured out of its side. ¡°Oops.¡± Mana: 3 -> 2 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) ¡°Yo, wake up,¡± Adam called, his voice full of healing magic. The Awakened Wolf twitched as it awoke, seeing the colour of the world once more. It turned its head to look at Adam, who was squatting right in front of it, a wide smile on his face. ¡°I want you to remember the next time you want to start any trouble how easy it was for me to beat you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Now, obey me.¡± It turned around, revealing its stomach to Adam, whimpering quietly. ¡°Good boy,¡± Adam said rubbing the Awakened Wolf¡¯s stomach, feeling the soft fur and the skin of the creature under his hand. He glanced down. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll call you... Fenrir? No, no. I can¡¯t just name something like that. I should name you... Loki? No, Loki doesn¡¯t work. Poseidon should obviously be for a water creature...¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I¡¯m trying to name him something cool.¡± ¡°What about Finnevaeil?¡± Lucy asked, thinking back to her own little puppy. Adam shook his head. ¡°I need something I can spell pretty easily. I¡¯ll just call you Sky.¡± ¡°Sky?¡± Lucy scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s not even a bird. What a stupid name.¡± ¡°Then Wind?¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re going to name him something so basic?¡± ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s not as cool as Finnevaeil.¡± Adam stared down at her, seeing how she was lamenting something from her memories. ¡°It¡¯s way cooler than Finnevaeil.¡± Lucy tossed a stick at him. Quest Complete: A Trustworthy Steed +100XP ¡°Alright, Cooper, you-¡° Adam shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll stick with Sky for now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sky replied. ¡°What should I call you?¡± ¡°Boss,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll send word,¡± Bill said. Adam grumbled as he waited outside with the Awakened Wolf, letting Jurot, Lucy, and the Porters head in with everything. ¡°Of course it¡¯s you,¡± Paul called. ¡°Is that an Awakened Wolf?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s my pet.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course it is,¡± Paul said, sighing. ¡°Damn it, Adam.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Paul sighed again. ¡°Do you know how much paperwork this is going to...¡± Paul shook his head and stormed away back to the Guild, before returning. ¡°Tag, please.¡± Adam handed it over. ¡°Honestly, I thought you¡¯d be used to it by now.¡± Paul stormed away to the Guild again. ¡®I should have had Jade remain with him.¡¯ Quest Complete: Slay Nightval Bear +150XP Quest Complete: Subdue Awakened Wolf +100XP XP: 3925 -> 4175 Stamps Gained: +2 Stamps: 2 -> 4 Adam spent a short time first meditating in order to regain his Mana. Mana: 2 -> 4 Mana: 4 -> 1 Spell: Adam¡¯s Tower He spent some time chanting to summon a tower nearby, not close enough to provoke alarm, but not far enough away to be in danger of getting attacked from the wild. Adam was bathing when Sky dashed into the bathroom, with Zeus following in after him. ¡°Hey! This place is too small for all of us!¡± Adam shouted, before hearing a whistle in the distance. He hoisted himself up, wrapping a towel around himself, and he grabbed his axe. He stepped out to see a familiar face. A man in breastplate, stamped with the sigil of Red Oak. At his side was a blade, the handle made of red wood. Surrounding him were a half dozen Guards, each wearing chain, and held spears which were ready and eager to fly forward. ¡°Sir Merrick Crimsonbark, Seventh Branch of the Oakguard,¡± Adam said. ¡°Fancy seeing you here.¡± ¡°An Elf!¡± a Guard shouted, pointing his spear towards Adam, though Sir Merrick did not tense up. ¡°Of course it¡¯s you,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°They said a tower randomly appeared near the town.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, motioning his head. ¡°It¡¯s cause I have to look after the Awakened Wolf.¡± ¡°You cannot just summon a tower next to the town,¡± Sir Merrick warned. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it next to the town, I did it near the town,¡± Adam said. ¡°I did it within a safe space, since I¡¯m being forced to keep my beautiful Sky outside the city, though I still paid the gate fee.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t going to mess around with taxes. ¡°It¡¯s too close,¡± Sir Merrick said. ¡°I will ask you to kindly move.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too far,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just want to go about my business but it¡¯s you guys who won¡¯t let my steed inside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an Awakened Wolf.¡± ¡°Under my heel,¡± Adam said. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°I beat the lights out of him and made him into my slave,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not the first time you¡¯ve seen me beat someone before they joined me.¡± Sir Merrick narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you need to move the tower.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how magic works,¡± Adam said. ¡°Fine. I will leave and some scrupulous fellows will come in and use this tower instead of someone you know and tru-¡° Adam stopped, thinking for a moment. ¡°Someone you know, who has a good heart, who helped a High Alchemist at your side.¡± ¡°I remember it differently to you,¡± Sir Merrick replied, calmly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you did,¡± Adam replied, smiling at him. ¡°You probably made some kind of story to make yourselves look good. I remember helping out a bunch of travellers and baby sitting some little shit who couldn¡¯t keep his clothy on.¡± ¡°Careful, that¡¯s a Knight you¡¯re talking about.¡± Sir Merrick narrowed his eyes at the Half Elf. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything about a Knight,¡± Adam replied, smirking at the Knight before him. Charisma Save D20 + 3 = 11 (8) ¡°You need to leave the tower and make another one elsewhere,¡± Sir Merrick informed him. Adam grumbled. ¡°Let me put my...¡± Jurot stepped forward, having come from the town, carrying with him his gear and a basket. ¡°Jurot, I don¡¯t like it here,¡± Adam said. ¡°It sucks.¡± ¡°Iyrmen are treated well here,¡± he said, bowing his head to the Knight. ¡°Sir Merrick.¡± ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°We should go to the North,¡± Adam said, stepping back into the tower to get changed. ¡°I bet it¡¯s nicer up there.¡± Jurot ate a bun and waited for Adam before handing him one. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to see you two flirt!¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°I did not flirt,¡± Jurot said, his ears red. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam really is a monster. Jurot and Pam is my favourite ship. 208. Taking It Easy 208. Taking It Easy ¡°You¡¯re so amazing, Paul,¡± Adam said. ¡°I won¡¯t ever forget this favour.¡± ¡°If you want to thank me, stop making me do so much paperwork,¡± Paul groaned. ¡°If that Awakened Wolf causes trouble, we¡¯ll have to put him down.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°I¡¯d expect as much.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll also be liable to any damage he causes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d expect as much.¡± ¡°Including any deaths.¡± ¡°If he kills anyone, I¡¯ll torture his soul,¡± Adam assured. Paul sighed. ¡®Why does he say such ridiculous nonsense.¡¯ ¡°Right.¡± Adam went to go bathe and then ate some more dinner, before turning in for the night, sleeping in civilization as he wished. ¡®Paul, I¡¯ll never forget this. Wait, don¡¯t I already owe him a magical weapon? He hasn¡¯t claimed it yet. Whatever, I¡¯ll just make it even better.¡¯ Paul signed off some papers. ¡°Seriously. You can¡¯t just bring an Awakened Wolf into the town after you did that to the High Alchemist.¡± He rubbed his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re a Bronze Rank Adventurer, Adam.¡± Paul didn¡¯t try to wonder as to how he became an Expert so quickly, since it was about as crazy as everything about the Half Elf. ¡®I¡¯ve got to keep an eye out on the Guards and the Nobles.¡¯ Omen: 7, 8 Adam, being in civilization, decided to have another bath. ¡°A bath in the evening and in the morning. Is there anything better?¡± He rubbed the soap against his skin. ¡°Yeah. If only I had some of the soap from home. He could still smell it, the sweet smell of imperial leather against his skin. How he missed the red, white, and gold packaging of the soap, even the silly little sticker on the bar of soap. Adam sighed. ¡®I wonder if there is a way-¡® He bolted upright and shook his head. ¡°Come on, Adam. What are you playing at?¡± He slapped his cheeks and dunked himself into the bath before draining it and getting changed. ¡°What is the plan for today?¡± Jurot asked, having waited for him with the rest. ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯re meeting with Sir...¡± Adam thought about the name. ¡®Not London. It was definitely Don, cause I was confused about the connection to the Champion¡¯s name.¡¯ ¡°Landon. So we should probably just kick it today.¡± Adam dropped a gold coin to each of the Porters. ¡°Looks like you get the day off, so why don¡¯t you take your wives somewhere nice.¡± Adam placed down another gold coin for them too. ¡°Nobby, maybe you could take your sister out to do some stuff?¡± ¡°Yes, boss,¡± the cousins replied. ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°You¡¯re spending a lot of the party funds for the Porters to have fun,¡± Lucy said. ¡°That¡¯s all my gold,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I want to feel like a rich guy sometimes.¡± ¡°I can tell you grew up poor,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Uhuh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m helping my fellow working class comrades out,¡± he joked. ¡°Spending a gold or two extra now and again won¡¯t help them out.¡± ¡°Not in the long term, but at least they won¡¯t grow cold or hungry for a while. Maybe once I have a business or something I can do something more for them, but right now this is all I can do.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t complain,¡± Remy said. ¡°We¡¯ve never been treated so well before,¡± Jeremy added. Adam bit into a potato, smiling as his cheeks turned a little red. ¡°Don¡¯t praise me too much, or my ego will get even bigger.¡± ¡®He didn¡¯t even take the money back from last night,¡¯ Remy thought. ¡®I¡¯m so glad we¡¯re following the boss,¡¯ Jeremy thought. ¡®Adam is nice,¡¯ Nobby thought. Once he was finished with his meal, Adam went to check on Zeus and Sky. Zeus was standing as always, ready and eager to serve, whereas Sky was currently lazing about. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called, and Sky rolled onto all fours, staring at him. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a ride, stretch out your legs.¡± ¡®What are you doing here?¡¯ Adam spoke to his Steed telepathically. ¡®Threatened me,¡¯ Zeus replied. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t treat Zeus so bad. I do it as a joke.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t actually going to dip his antlers in acid,¡± she replied. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Lucy said, quickly retreating on top of the Awakened Wolf to ride him. Adam looked to Zeus. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Zeus nodded his head. ¡°If she did dip your antlers in acid, I¡¯d just summon you again.¡± Zeus cried internally. Adam returned with Zeus, riding him back, but then squirmed off, feeling how sore his inner thighs and gentlemen were. ¡®He needs a saddle or something.¡¯ ¡°Where¡¯s the Wolf?¡± a Guard asked. ¡°With the Devilkin,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s playing with it.¡± The Guards stared at Adam. ¡°Right.¡± Adam flicked over a copper and made his way inside. ¡®Since we¡¯re going to Adventure soon, I should probably get stuff ready. I have the diamonds, but I probably need more stuff. Potions?¡¯ He thought about seeing that woman again, but decided to find somewhere else to purchase some herbs. Charisma Check D20 + 3 = 6 (3) Asking around, they pointed him to a little shack, basked in the shadow of other buildings. If one wasn¡¯t paying attention, they would have missed it. ¡°Damn it,¡± he said, looking at the familiar place. He stepped inside, smelling all manner of putridly earthy smells. Candles dimly litt he room. Bottles of all manner of concoctions were littered around the walls, eyes of certain creatures, stalks of various herbs, and even bits and pieces of people and other things. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned,¡± the raspy voice called to him. ¡°I need herbs for a Health potion. I¡¯ve got coin.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Five gold.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± He quickly traded the items, and swiftly turned on his hell to walk away. ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger, Adam,¡± she said. Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he shared his name, but decided against asking about it, feeling her eyes on him even as he veered into another side road. Adam returned back to the Guild, grabbing his alchemy kit. He stared inside to see a bunch of herbs which had been prepared for a healing potion. ¡°I didn¡¯t even need to buy any?¡± Alchemy Check Mana: 10 -> 8 Alchemy Check D20 + 3 = 13 (10) 1 Basic Healing Potion Created. +100XP XP: 4175 -> 4275 ¡°That should be fine.¡± He checked how many Health potions he had, and counted five total, each of varying strengths. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I make any in the Iyr?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam and his baths. 209. Be Good To Nobles 209. Be Good To Nobles Omen: 1, 10 Adam brushed his teeth after breakfast too, since he was going to be meeting a Noble today, and one which wasn¡¯t from Red Oak, so he needed to be on his best behaviour. ¡®I can¡¯t just start fights with every Noble out there, no matter how much they deserve to be knocked down a peg or two.¡¯ He slipped himself into his thick clothing, donning the breastplate, which was quickly becoming his typical attire. It was quick to don just his breastplate, and provided him with ample protection, without the stuffiness of his entire plate mail. It was today that he was going to meet Sir Landon, which posed a new problem for Adam. ¡®What am I going to do with Sky?¡¯ He decided to think about it another time as he approached the room which had been prepared for Fate¡¯s Golden and the Noble. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to the rest of his group. ¡°Sir Vonda, a pleasure to see you.¡± ¡°And you, Adam,¡± she replied. Adam sat opposite her, beside Jurot. He reached out for some fruit which had been placed between them. ¡°So, where¡¯s this Noble fella then?¡± ¡°He will arrive when he means to,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They say Nobles are never early or late, but arrive precisely when they mean to,¡± Sir Vonda joked. ¡°What is he, a Wizard?¡± Adam coughed, unable to contain his laughter as he slapped his knee. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I heard that phrase.¡± Jurot looked to Adam. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it another time,¡± Adam said, shaking his head and sighing. His smile slowly faded as he bit into the sweet fruit, looking out to the corner of the room, losing himself in reminiscing his past. It hadn¡¯t taken long for the Noble to arrive. He was younger than Adam expected, just a little older than himself. He had black hair and blue eyes, but his most prominent feature was the large gash across his face, which had caused part of his cheek and jaw to droop from the way it had healed. He wore a breastplate, and held a blade at his side, one which was no doubt magical, even if it was only a small bonus. ¡°Sir Vonda,¡± Sir Landon called. ¡°It has been some time.¡± ¡°It has, Sir Landon,¡± she replied, exchanging a bow of her head. ¡°This must be Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± he said, looking to the Half Elf, the savage, and the horned bitch. ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Adam called. ¡°Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°The Elf,¡± he said. ¡°Half,¡± Adam corrected, noting the sharp glares of the Knights behind the Noble. The pair of them wore full plate, and wielded at their sides weapons, which also were no doubt magical. ¡°Yes, Paul informed me that-¡° ¡°Vice Master Paul,¡± Adam corrected. ¡®Oh, damn it.¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Sir Landon said, his eyes narrowing slightly, ¡°Vice Master Paul mentioned you were capable folk.¡± ¡°Allow me to introduce you,¡± Adam said. ¡°This is Jurot, son of Surot, and this is Lucy, a friend of ours.¡± ¡°An Iyrman and a Devilkin, who doesn¡¯t appear to be an Iyrman, meaning you are most likely an Aswadian,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Aren¡¯t our people at war?¡± ¡°Most likely from Aswadeen, or whatever it¡¯s called, but there¡¯s a chance I¡¯m not, right?¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯m actually from somewhere else, but that¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°A two horn with unknown origins,¡± a Knight said. ¡°Who is to say that you aren¡¯t here to assassinate my Lord?¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°You know, I woke up today thinking I didn¡¯t want to start any bother with the Nobles. They¡¯re not making it easy, let me tell you that.¡± Adam shook his head as he reached for another fruit. ¡°Right, so how much should we bet? A hundred gold?¡± Adam offered. ¡°As you wish,¡± the Knight replied. ¡°Not going to say something like how I can¡¯t have a hundred gold?¡± Adam asked, grabbing his die, donning his shield, and hoisting up his axe. ¡°I am not going to beat you down for the money, but to put a dog in his place,¡± the Knight stated, simply. ¡°I know the feeling,¡± Adam said, ¡°but taking a hundred gold from a Knight is just too alluring for me.¡± Adam raised his axe. ¡°Vice Master Paul, please write down the terms of the duel. I¡¯d like for it to be signed, that way there will be no complaints or slipperiness from the Knight.¡± ¡°You would dare to suggest that-¡° ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I would dare to suggest that you have no manners and that you are just a troublemaker.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Paul called. ¡°He is still a Knight.¡± ¡°If he can¡¯t handle the banter, he shouldn¡¯t start it,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°However, since you did me a solid, Vice Master, I¡¯ll be a good little Half Elf boy and leave him with his limbs intact once I¡¯m done with him.¡± Paul rubbed his forehead. ¡°I want you to promise you¡¯ll be good during the quest too.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ve treated me well thus far, so I¡¯ll be sure to repay the favour by not being a brat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get that in writing before you go,¡± Paul said. ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡± Adam asked, shocked. ¡°I will be sure he keeps his promise,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He has promised it as a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Alright, since you¡¯re going so far, Jurot,¡± Paul said, relenting. ¡®Why are they ignoring me?¡¯ the Knight asked, clenching his fists together. The terms of the duel were in place. Fighting until the surrender or unconsciousness of the opponent between the Knight and Adam. Also, if there is a death, it will be ruled as an unlawful killing. ¡°An unlawful killing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Will a Knight be harmed by that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Paul said. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°It will be worse for you since you¡¯re a, you know,¡± Paul said. ¡°Adventurer Half Elf?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Paul said. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. The contract was signed, and Paul slipped it into his cloak, where it would remain safe so that neither could shirk their responsibilities. ¡°Hey, Paul. I can use my Smites, right?¡± Adam whispered into the ear of the Vice Master, who nodded. Sir Landon watched intently. If something were to happen that was the Adventurer¡¯s fault, he¡¯d be able to put pressure on Paul. If the rulings were too even, he could also bring it up as Paul¡¯s favour for the Adventurer, something which would be unbecoming of the Vice Master whilst he took the impartial role of a referee. The whispering between the pair only added to the evidence the Noble was gathering. ¡°You should have known your place,¡± the Knight said, drawing his blade angrily, which held a low glow of magic. ¡°I¡¯ve already taught Sky his place,¡± Adam said. ¡°I suppose I can teach you yours.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam about to beat two dogs back to back. 210. Teaching a Dog Manners 210. Teaching a Dog Manners Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 8 = 24 (16) D20 + 8 = 27 (19) Hit! Phantom: 3 -> 2 Mana: 18 -> 15 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 43 (5)(1, 2, 3, 5)(4, 5, 6, 6) 43 damage! D20 + 8 = 13 (5) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 15 -> 14 2D6 + 2D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 36 (1, 4)(3, 5)(3, 4, 4, 6) 36 damage! The Knight was full of rage as he charged forward towards Adam, who was more than happy to play with him. As the Knight swung his blade, Adam stepped forward, inhaling deeply as he filled with great focus. His axe struck the Knight across his plate, managing to press the Knight back as Adam¡¯s axe flashed white hot with his smite, before he swung again, his movements like a dancer¡¯s as he slipped under the second swing of the Knight, striking him through his armour at his thigh, cutting into flesh, and almost tearing through to the bone, as the magic of the axe and Smite flashed through the Knight¡¯s body. Adam exhaled, sheathing his axe as the Knight dropped behind him, close to death. Sir Landon stared at Adam with uncharacteristic shock. His Knight had charged against Adam, and within moments, had fallen down on his knees, half dead. Paul sighed. ¡°You left him alive, right?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Adam said. ¡°Want me to heal him?¡± ¡°Would you mind?¡± Mana: 14 -> 13 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°Up you get,¡± Adam called from afar, his voice full of healing magic. ¡°If you die, how will I get my one hundred gold?¡± ¡°The axe at your side is magical, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it such a nice magical axe? I acquired it in the Iyr.¡± ¡°It would have been polite for you to have stated that beforehand,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Is that sword magical?¡± Adam asked, motioning to the sword which the Knight had picked up. ¡°I understand your point,¡± Sir Landon replied, nodding his head slowly. ¡°You are stronger than I thought, I¡¯ll give you that much credit.¡± ¡°Your credit is nice, but that one hundred gold is much nicer,¡± Adam said, looking down at the Knight, who had managed to stand on his own two feet. He stared at Adam, his eyes full of confusion as he stared at the Half Elf, unsure of what had happened. ¡°You used magic,¡± the Knight said. ¡°I smote you down, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I asked Paul if it was okay, and he said it was fine.¡± ¡°Without your magics you would have fallen,¡± the Knight growled. ¡°If you want, I don¡¯t mind grabbing the rest of my armour and an axe,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can heal up and we can fight again. No magic, including no magical sword. I want to see if I really would lose against you.¡± The Knight gripped his blade tighter. ¡°There is no need for that,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°You defeated my Knight and have earned your one hundred gold.¡± ¡°Finally,¡± Adam said, though he quickly stopped the rest of his words. ¡°I mean, thank you.¡± ¡®I need to cool it with the Nobles otherwise they¡¯ll put me on some kind of list. They probably already have me on some kind of list because of my ears.¡¯ Adam felt the heaviness of the gold, which he quickly swapped out for gems. Obsidian and tiger eyes were proving quite useful to keep on hand, and it would allow him to act cool in the future whenever it required. ¡°We will be heading through the Forest to find an Elder Wolf,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°The more we slay, the more satisfied you will make me. The more satisfied I am, the greater the gold you will earn. If you can allow me the last blow on the Elder Wolf, I will pay you handsomely.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a land where not anyone can reach any more,¡± Adam said, sadly. ¡°I am sorry to hear that, Adam,¡± she said. ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we all eat some lunch and get to know each other? Since we¡¯ll be fighting alongside each other, we should probably hang out a little more with one another.¡± Sir Vonda bowed her head. ¡°I would like to pray before we leave, so I must decline.¡± ¡°Pray?¡± Adam said. ¡°Oh. Speaking of which, I should probably check out the temple in Red Oak.¡± ¡°Shall we go together?¡± Vonda asked, wondering why Adam was so eager to stick with her. ¡°Please,¡± Adam said. Jurot and Lucy glanced between one another. ¡®Is it time for Adult to become a man?¡¯ Lucy thought. Jurot, on the other hands, wondered how he was going to explain this to Queen Silvari. ¡®Did he not like Mara?¡¯ The temple of Red Oak was huge, though not quite as huge as the temple in Jaghi. Adam had spotted a great number of buildings which were made of Red Oak, but this one the building with the most amount of Red Oak, that was for certain. There were a dozen statues nearby, each of different people. As Adam walked by them, he realised they were the Champions of various Gods. ¡°So this is Brandon, eh?¡± Adam said, looking up to the statue of a large man. ¡°They really made a statue for someone from Aswadia?¡± ¡°He is a Champion,¡± she said. ¡°It does not matter where he was born, he was chosen by the Gods.¡± ¡°Is that why there¡¯s an Elf there?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head to the Elf in the corner, who was kept some ways away from the other Champions, about five metres above, and hidden behind a branch which was strategically hiding her away. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Lady Aesof.¡± Vonda sighed, sadly. ¡°She was the last of Mother Soza¡¯s champions. We do not know how many years ago that was.¡± ¡°When was the last Champion alive?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There is a Champion alive today,¡± Vonda said. ¡°The Champion of Lord Order.¡± Adam stared at her. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°There is a Champion alive today,¡± she repeated. ¡°The Champion of Lord Order.¡± Adam blinked at her. ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°Joking?¡± Vonda asked, staring at Adam curiously. ¡°What ever do you mean?¡± ¡°Is... is he the only Champion alive?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I believe so,¡± she replied. Adam continued to stare at Vonda, silent as the statues around them. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± she asked. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 211. Reasons To Live 211. Reasons To Live ¡°I should write my will soon,¡± Adam said. ¡°What?¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Did you know that there¡¯s a current Champion walking around?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There may be many walking around,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You speak of the Champion of Order?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°That Order guy doesn¡¯t like me,¡± Adam said. ¡°You are chaotic,¡± Jurot replied. Adam raised his brow. ¡°Why is that an issue?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°It¡¯s an issue because there¡¯s a high chance he¡¯s hunting me down as we speak,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Lord of Order doesn¡¯t like me,¡± Adam said. Jurot blinked at Adam. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What is a will?¡± ¡°A will is a piece of paper which tells people who gets what when I die,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll leave all my stuff to you guys,¡± Adam said. ¡°To the Iyr?¡± ¡°Forty percent to Lanarot, twenty percent to you, twenty percent to Aunt, twenty percent to the rest of the Iyr.¡± Jurot did not seem at all surprised by the way he divvied up his belongings. ¡°I will inform the Iyr.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You need not worry, Adam.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I will face the Champion alongside you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, bluntly. Jurot stared at Adam, his eyes blank. ¡°You can¡¯t do that. It¡¯s unforgivable if I die, and it¡¯s even more unforgivable if you die, Jurot. Who is going to raise our sister properly as an older brother?¡± ¡°Turot will,¡± Jurot replied, earnestly. ¡°Well, yeah, but...¡± Adam stared at Jurot. ¡°No. If the Champion of Order really does come, then you need to watch until the end and tell the Iyr my story.¡± Jurot stared at Adam with a serious look. ¡°Understand?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head slowly. ¡®I feel like that means something in the Iyr,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Good.¡± It was a young man, adorned in chain mail, a spear in hand. He lay on top of the hill, staring up at the sky. He frowned, his eyes sunken with a deep darkness. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, his body blocking out the sky. The young man¡¯s skin was flaked by the sun, his lips dry from the lack of water. His eyes were barely open as he stared at the blurry figure. ¡°Lord Sozain? Is that you?¡± came the raspy voice. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t be so eager to seek your death yet, friend,¡± Adam said, causing both Jurot and Lucy to look his way with a curious expression. He ignored their gaze, taking a knee to help the young man drink. ¡°Slowly,¡± Adam said, noting how the young man was only drinking half his water. ¡°If you spill more of my water, I¡¯ll slap you.¡± The young man pressed his lips properly against the waterskin. ¡°So, stranger, what¡¯s your name?¡± Adam asked, handing out some salted meat to the young man, who was leaning up against a half wall now. ¡°Fred,¡± he said. ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam said. Fred nodded his head slowly. ¡°I... I...¡± He looked at the sky again. ¡°I thought I could do something if I became an Adventurer. I tried so hard, but...¡± Adam sat down beside the young man, who was a little older than himself. He listened intently, curious as to why he found someone half dying near him. ¡°I worked around this area, taking odd jobs now and again, but...¡± He looked up at the sky. ¡°I arrived here not long ago and when I looked at the sky, I wondered what the point was. I¡¯ve got no family. The only friends I have are this spear and this shield.¡± He shook his head. ¡°The sky is so vast. The stars, there are so many. What¡¯s the point in living when I¡¯ve got nothing? When there are so many others out there who¡¯ll do what I can do, but better. I¡¯m just a no good nothin¡¯.¡± He smiled and began to chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s the point, eh? Life is a meaningless struggle, and I got nothin¡¯ to fight for.¡± ¡°Your King and country,¡± Sir Landon said, staring through his visor, standing above the young man in his breastplate. ¡°My King and country?¡± Fred asked. ¡°Hah!¡± He began to chuckle again, shaking his head. ¡°My family was from Rock Hill. He, that King of ours, let my family be slaughtered, like chattel! And what about my country? It was my country which let the corpses of my family rot! Which left me to rot!¡± ¡°Careful of your words, boy,¡± the Knight said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear about what happened to your family,¡± Adam said, removing his helmet. He revealed his leaf shaped ears to the young man, and the sorrowful expression on his beautiful face. For a moment, Fred¡¯s face flashed with rage, before it fell to shock, and finally sadness. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my family too,¡± Adam said. ¡°And before you ask, no, I had nothing to do with Rock Hill, nor any of my family.¡± Fred closed his eyes, recalling the faces of his family. He had tried so hard to forget them. When he had first come out, he had managed to drink their faces away, he drank until he was nothing but a naive, hopeful fool. ¡°I¡¯m not from around here,¡± Adam explained. ¡°I had no one. Just like you, I can¡¯t see my family again.¡± Adam decided against making a joke about revival and Baktu. ¡°I spent some time adventuring and found myself a new family. I¡¯ve got an Aunt, a brother, and the most adorable little sister.¡± ¡°Cutest In The Whole World,¡± Jurot confirmed. Adam nodded. ¡°Even though we¡¯ve left the Iyr, I think about her daily. Her wispy hair which I can still feel on my hands. Her chubby little cheeks I love to pull. I can sometimes hear her squealing with joy, the sounds of her tiny hands clapping every time she saw an Iyrman almost kill another during a spar.¡± Fred opened his eyes and squinted at Adam. Adam gave him a look, one the young man understood. ¡°I know, right? Iyrmen, man. Crazy.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I pray she¡¯s okay. In fact, I went to the temple in Red Oak and dropped a few Gems to Mother Soza.¡± He nodded to Sir Vonda, who bowed her head. ¡°I asked her to make sure she watches over her, but then I remembered that the Iyr is Baktu¡¯s domain, so I put some gems into his little tray and told him not to watch over her.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Baktu. That¡¯s Lord Sozain, isn¡¯t it?¡± Fred asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think about how happy she¡¯ll be when we return. I¡¯ll be able to feel her wispy little hair, and pinch her adorable chubby cheeks, and I¡¯ll hear her little giggles again. Well, I also think about whether she¡¯ll remember my face, but the ears¡¯ll help, I¡¯m sure.¡± Fred let out a soft snort, though did not smile. ¡°That¡¯s why I get up every morning. That¡¯s why I take a step towards the south where I¡¯m hated. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to kill a bunch of Elder Wolves, so I can bring back some pelts for her.¡± ¡°We have enough pelts,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll hand the pelts over to other families,¡± Adam retorted. He reached over and placed a hand on Fred¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll find that too, Fred. A reason to go out to adventure. And, a reason to stop.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Another depressed guy? The current year truly is terrible. 212. Naked And Afraid 212. Naked And Afraid Omen: 2, 14 He was surprised to see Fred still alive in the morning. He half expected the young man to have left, or to have used that spear of his. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you come along with us?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the young man, who was eating some of the boar which Jurot had brought last night. ¡°Me?¡± Fred asked. ¡°We can¡¯t allow a stranger to travel with us,¡± the Knight who Adam had beaten said. ¡°He may be dangerous.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe to you,¡± Adam said, letting his disdain slip out. ¡°I mean, he looks like an Adventurer to me. He¡¯s got a Copper Rank tag right there. He¡¯s just a little babby.¡± ¡°I am responsible for keeping Sir Landon alive,¡± the Knight said. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m the one who will be keeping him alive so he can pay us,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Fat chance you¡¯re going to do anything to-¡° Adam stopped himself, shaking his head. ¡°I understand your worries, but it would be best to take him with us, at least up until we head to the nearby town.¡± ¡°If he ends up hurting me, you will take responsibility,¡± Sir Landon stated. Adam was about to wave him off, but clenched his fist quickly to stop himself from moving it, before relaxing. ¡°I understand. Thank you, Sir Landon.¡± Sir Landon smiled. ¡®He finally understands the difference between us. Elves.¡¯ He shook his head gently. Soon the group was packed up and ready to head out, with Sir Landon and the Knights near the centre of he party, Jurot up front with Lucy, and Adam back with Sir Vonda and Fred. ¡°Did you refill your waterskin?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I did,¡± Fred replied. ¡°You got some food?¡± ¡°A few rations,¡± he admitted. ¡°Good, good,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°We should have enough anyway, so it doesn¡¯t really matter if you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡®Plus, I have that spell, so not a big deal.¡¯NewW novels updates at novelhall.com The group continued along their journey, up until they heard the sound of a whistle, which shrieked through the hills. The party noted the appearance of several figures. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Adam gasped. Surrounding the entire party were a large number of people, their faces painted, which was the only thing which covered their bodies. Some were armed with clubs, others with blades and shields, and one with a mace and an amulet. ¡°Uh,¡± Adam said, looking to the rest of the party. The nude people screamed in joy before charging towards the party. ¡°To arms?¡± Adam shouted, unsure of what was happening. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 5 (4) ¡°Druids!¡± Sir Landon exclaimed, drawing his sword, which glittered slightly under the sun. Sir Vonda managed to knock one unconscious, and at her behest, Jurot and Lucy had also struck the people in a way not to outright kill them. Eventually the Porters assisted, bashing their shields against the people, who were still chanting as they attacked, though eventually they were brought down, half of them dead, and the other half bruised and battered. Victory! Naked People XP Gained: +100 XP: 4225 -> 4325 ¡°So, what should we do with them?¡± Adam asked. ¡®They really only gave that much XP? Damn.¡¯ ¡°How dare they try to-¡° Sir Landon began, though he was cut off by Jurot charging past him, causing the Knights to draw their blades towards him, only to see the shadow which enveloped them. ¡°How dare you trespass onto my land!¡± bellowed a large creature, which completely dwarfed them. Adam had thought it was an Awakened Wolf for a moment, but it was so much larger. It¡¯s skin was dark, and instead of fur covering it, it appeared to be almost rocky. Yet, it still looked somewhat like a large canine. Its eyes were piercing as they glared down among the group, and for once, Adam felt like an ant. Jurot skid to a halt, loosening the grip on his axe. He stared up at the creature, a sense of recognition in his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam whispered, frozen stiff. Jurot continued to stare at it, trying to remember. There were stories in the Iyr he had heard hundreds of times, some dozens, others a handful, and some only once. With the amount of stories in his head, he was sure he could eventually piece it together, but that would depend on how long he¡¯d live. ¡°There are many tales I have heard whilst growing in the Iyr,¡± Jurot dared to say, sheathing his axe. Upon seeing Jurot sheath his axe, Adam put away his own, following the lead of his brother. The Nobles, on the other hand, remained pale, blades in their sweaty hands. Lucy gripped her blade tight too, glaring at the creature, her teeth grit into a forced smile, otherwise she may have let slip the fear which had taken hold in her body. ¡°May I ask your name, great one?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I am Lord Stokmar!¡± the creature bellowed, it¡¯s voice blasting them with air, causing their clothing to flutter. ¡°How...¡± Sir Landon swallowed, trying his best to calm himself. ¡°How dare you claim yourself to be a Lord, you foul beast!¡± ¡®Yo! What the fuck?¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes snapped to Sir Landon. ¡®If you want to die, do it when I¡¯m not next to you!¡¯ Lord Stokmar roared again. Wisdom Save D20 + 3 = 18 (15) Pass! The roar shook their world as the Noble dropped to a knee, clutching at his chest. Lucy stepped back, clutching her greataxe tighter. The Knights didn¡¯t manage to hold in their breakfast, as they undid their helmets to vomit to the side, stumbling backwards. Even Fred, who had given up on life, dropped to his bottom, and Sir Vonda, clutched her amulet tight as she prayed, though her legs were quivering. Somehow, the Porters had managed to remain standing, and though they were unnerved by the large creature, they were not quite as full of fear as the rest of them. Jurot inhaled deeply, standing tall like an Iyrman. ¡°Lord Stokmar! Jurot, son of Surot, greets you! I have witnessed your Awakening, and ask for safe passage!¡± ¡°You would dare to ask me for safe passage after what you have done?¡± Lord Stokmar roared. Jurot remained steadfast, the roar of the great creature slamming against him, causing some of the fur on his clothes to scatter away. Adam was acutely aware of the two diamonds in his pocket, and how many Fireballs he could cast. ¡®We¡¯re fucked.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 213. Child of Earth 213. Child of Earth Lord Stokmar growled, his eyes falling across Jurot¡¯s face, trying to etch it into his mind, but he looked the same as most of the others. No, not quite the same. ¡°That tattoo of yours,¡± Lord Stokmar growled. ¡°I see. You are one of those.¡± He placed down a paw against the floor, which did not make even the hint of a pat. ¡°Ah, yes. You are of that family.¡± ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot,¡± Jurot repeated, firmly. ¡°It is a great honour for me to meet you. I wish I had a gift worthy of you.¡± ¡°How polite,¡± Lord Stokmar growled. He understood Jurot¡¯s point, as the Iyrmen were like that, and worried in such ways. He glided past Jurot, for his steps were so smooth that it could not be considered anything else. ¡°What of you?¡± He glared down at Sir Landon, who was kneeling, head bowed, unable to gain the strength to change his position. ¡°Sir Landon of East Port,¡± he managed to splutter, without any semblance of grace. ¡°Third son of Baron Ramon of East Port.¡± ¡°Why was it that you killed all these people?¡± Stokmar asked. ¡°They had brought me many gifts.¡± ¡°They assaulted-¡° However, Lord Stokmar had glided past him towards Adam and Lucy, sniffing at them. ¡°If you¡¯re smelling something, it was probably Lucy,¡± Adam said. ¡°I haven¡¯t shit my pants, yet.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Lucy managed to growl back, wiping the drool from her mouth as she calmed. ¡°Curious,¡± he said, circling around them. ¡°You two. Just what are you?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I am Jurot¡¯s brother, and this is our friend, Lucy. If you¡¯d like to know more, we can talk away from so many eyes and ears.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lord Stokmar snarled. ¡°You two bring great misfortune. Begone at once!¡± He roared towards the pair. Strength Save D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Pass! Adam stood tall, like Jurot, as Lucy was thrown back from the force of the roar, rolling about until she finally came to a halt, face first on the ground. ¡°Then we shall leave,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°I will speak of your Awakening to the Iyr. I am sure the Chief will wish to speak with you.¡± ¡°What need of I of your Chief?¡± Lord Stokmar growled, dismissively. ¡°He is of the Min family.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lord Stokmar¡¯s lips formed a wicked smirk. ¡°Since he is so, I shall permit it. What of your Gek family?¡±NewW novels updates at novelhall.com Jurot remained staring deep into Lord Stokmar¡¯s eyes, feeling that safety had washed over his group. ¡°I will send word.¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Lord Stokmar growled with a hint of joy. ¡°I shall await the good news, and the gifts!¡± With that, as quickly as he had appeared, he disappeared, melting into the ground, though there was no sensation of any movement as he disappeared into the earth. Adam blinked at the ground, staring at where the creature had been. ¡°What the fuck just happened?¡± Jurot inhaled deeply and crossed his arms. ¡°We have met Lord Stokmar!¡± Jurot declared, a great smile across his face. The only times Adam had seen him smile was when he was complimented by his mother or during a good fight. ¡°Who the hell is that?¡± Adam asked, looking to the Nobles, who were slowly gaining their strength. ¡°He was once a companion of Konagek,¡± Jurot said. ¡°During the Time of Two Shens.¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do I look like I grew up in the Iyr?¡± He wiggled his ears at the Iyrman. ¡°The Aswadasad Kingdom was once an empire,¡± he said. ¡°It was spread far and wide, twice as large as it is today. This was after the Second Blackwater Crisis, two generations after Brandon the Bold¡¯s death. Within the span of a single generation, the Aswabayad Kingdom as it was called known back then, truly took shape as the Aswadasad Kingdom as we know it.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Adam said, trying to process what he was saying. ¡®They really had to make the names so similar?¡¯ After waiting for a few moments, Jurot continued. ¡°It had expanded so far, and when they had finally swallowed up new land within their borders, they sent a force to South Fort.¡± Jurot glared at Sir Landon. ¡°I speak only of the stories I have heard. Not even Sir Merry could face Lord Stokmar so easily.¡± ¡°Sir Merry? You mean the previous King¡¯s Sword?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°What do you know of Sir Harold?¡± Sir Landon spat. ¡°He was the greatest King¡¯s Sword this land has ever known, and he could gut through Iyrmen without breaking a sweat!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°Sir Merry could gut through most Iyrmen without breaking a sweat, but there are many in the Iyr who could take from him as he slew them. Yet, no Iyrman would dare to offend Lord Stokmar, as there are some that one must not offend.¡± ¡°You Iyrmen and your stories.¡± Sir Landon dismissed Jurot¡¯s tall talk. ¡°Lord Stokmar was one of the creatures shaped by the hand of Sahtu,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°We should be careful when speaking of him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Salt Mother,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Dwarven Goddess?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that really amazing?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot stated, glad that someone understood how amazing the meeting was. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met the Salt Mother,¡± Adam said. The Nobles stared at him queerly, but returned to fixing themselves up, and then to the captives, who Sir Vonda was keeping an eye on. ¡°We need to find their hideout,¡± Sir Landon said, looking to Jurot. ¡°Are you able to track them back?¡± Jurot scanned the area, taking some time to look around. It was difficult, as the group wore little armour, and little anything, meaning their tracks were much lighter. However, they were not trained well to hide themselves, so he managed to find a number of tracks, following each, before finding the tracks which would have been formed from at least twenty of them. ¡°Well...¡± Adam said, looking down at the naked people. ¡°What do we do with them?¡± ¡°Some of us should remain behind to watch over them,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°The rest will follow the trail to their home and deal with any who may remain.¡± ¡°Fred, Lucy, and a Knight can remain behind,¡± Adam offered. ¡°Sir Vonda. Do you want to come along, or would you prefer to remain behind?¡± Sir Vonda looked to the captives, then back to Adam and the rest. ¡°Will the captives be safe?¡± ¡°They will,¡± Adam said, looking to Lucy. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t kill unarmed, naked captives, would you?¡± ¡°As if I would,¡± she grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°Fred¡¯s not going to kill them, he¡¯s got no reason to, and the Knight, well...¡± ¡°He will not,¡± Sir Landon stated. ¡°We will not provoke the ire of Mother Soza.¡± ¡°Then I will come,¡± Vonda said, unsure if they would kill if she wasn¡¯t there. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Don''t mind this chapter, just casually introducing Demigods into the world. Thank for all the support! Expect double chapters this week! 214. Heathens 214. Heathens Jurot held a large smile on his face, humming quietly. Adam hadn¡¯t seen Jurot so happy before. ¡®We were seconds away from dying and you¡¯re just going to hum with joy?¡¯ Adam shook his head, still surprised by how Iyrmen work. ¡®It¡¯s not like they understand me either, though.¡¯ ¡°Must you hum?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°It may be dangerous.¡± ¡°We have survived a meeting with Lord Stokmar,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will not meet anything more dangerous than than he.¡± ¡°You have yet to recover from our last battle,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Jurot, think of the Nobles,¡± Adam said. ¡°They all grabbed Sir, and the Knight there lost his breakfast.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t going to let Sir Landon belittle Jurot, not even the teeniest amount. The Knight glared at Adam, but the Half Elf ignored him. They continued to follow Jurot, who was no longer humming, and instead was nodding along to the humming in his head. He stopped, raising a hand, before stepping around a tree, glancing towards the side. He beckoned them after him. Adam noted the entrance to a cave, though it seemed unmanned. Jurot crept close, and peeked in, before motioning for them to follow. As they did, the silence deafened them, Jurot leading the way as he entered. It was dark, but Adam could see with his Half Elf eyes. ¡°It¡¯s empty,¡± Adam said, looking about. There was a large area around covered with furs, and what looked like torn rags and clothing, enough to cover the group they had found. Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°So this is where their clothes were,¡± Adam joked. Jurot lit a torch, and then looked about the area. He dropped down, opening up the large blanket, finding a large pile of coin, some copper, but mostly silver, with even some gold. Not just coins, though, as littered throughout were also small objects, rings, necklaces, and even gems. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Do you think there are more?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Good. When we return, I will claim the task complete. I will inform the Mayor and the nearby Lord.¡± ¡°Not the Guild?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You may do so,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°I, Sir Landon of East Fort, claim these treasure on behalf of my family.¡± ¡°It has been witnessed,¡± the Knight replied. ¡°What just happened?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He has claimed the loot,¡± Jurot stated, simply. ¡°Wait, what? Hold on, we were here too. In fact, I was the one to beat the leader.¡± ¡°It is only right that it is claimed by the highest ranking individual,¡± Sir Landon replied. Adam threw a glance to Sir Vonda. ¡°Aren¡¯t you high ranking?¡± ¡°In a sense,¡± she replied. ¡°Are you going to claim it all?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Taking the treasure from a Priest of Life?¡± Sir Landon looked to Sir Vonda. ¡°No,¡± he replied, simply. ¡°I shall not. Of course, due to the assistance of the good Sir Vonda, half shall be donated to the temple.¡± She bowed her head towards the Sir in thanks. ¡°She will not die?¡± Sir Landon asked, approaching. ¡°She tried to harm a Noble. The law is very clear.¡± ¡°She will be put to justice, but she must be given a chance,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°She must live.¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t annoy the Gods too much,¡± Adam said. ¡°Mother Soza and the Salt Mother will sure to be displeased. Although, I¡¯ll have to compliment you, Sir Landon, for even I wouldn¡¯t try to provoke the ire of the Goddess of Life when we¡¯re aiming to fight some Elder Wolves.¡± Adam was careful not to say the word face, opting fight instead. Sir Landon narrowed his eyes, but nodded, relenting to the Priest of Life. The Porters finished packing the treasure into their bags, and Adam pat Zeus, who was carrying more of the food and water, not that he seemed to mind. ¡°We¡¯ll set up watch to make sure none of them escape,¡± Adam said, looking to the group of captives. They were tied up, most of them with rope, and some with their own clothing. Adam thought about casting some spells to scare them, but considering how they seemed to be willing to die naked, he realised that they wouldn¡¯t want to. He summoned one tower this time, for himself, near the front of the cave, and called forth Hades. ¡°You are not going to summon two towers?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°No, no, not today,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have to make sure I have enough strength to deal with them in case they try to escape.¡± ¡°For a naked group of vagabonds?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°Especially for a naked group of vagabonds. They¡¯re crazy, and not in the same way that I¡¯m crazy, in a very different way. Can¡¯t be too careful now, can we? You, especially, since they¡¯re aiming to sacrifice you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want me to be in tip top shape, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Right,¡± Sir Landon replied. ¡°You may use the bathroom, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°I won¡¯t deny you a nice, hot bath, I couldn¡¯t. Well, after me.¡± Adam smiled, before heading into the tower to have a bath. ¡®That¡¯s what you get for refusing me my loot, you stingy bastard.¡¯ Omen: 7, 7 ¡°Hey, what¡¯s with the bruise,¡± Adam asked the woman. He had finished his bath in the morning and had come to eat some breakfast with the group. ¡°She tried to run while I was on watch,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You tried to run while an Iyrman was on watch?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°Damn. That¡¯s some next level nonsense.¡± ¡°I thought I was quiet enough, what with the lack of clothing,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not as though my breasts squeak together while I move.¡± ¡°You forgot about the blanket on you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Keeping you decent.¡± ¡°It was the fall of the blanket which set him upon me,¡± she said. ¡°Though, I wouldn¡¯t mind if he had wished to set himself upon me like a-¡° ¡°Whoa!¡± Adam exclaimed. ¡°Jurot is a decent fellow, and as much as you want to be his woman, you¡¯re no Baker.¡± Jurot exhaled through his nose, glaring at Adam. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, trying to hide his smile. ¡°You are not half as funny as you think you are,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I¡¯m not a tenth as funny as I think I am,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I thought you no longer wished to joke?¡± ¡°Who said I was joking?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! A likkle bi''a banta innit. 215. Dead? 215. Dead? A screech pierced the air. Jurot was quick to move, climbing up the rocky cliff beside them with feline grace, before hoisting himself above. ¡°Gryphon!¡± Jurot shouted, before his head jerked downwards. ¡°Adam!¡± Jurot scrambled over the hill and out of sight. Spell: Guidance D3 = 3 (3) Athletics Check D20 + 9 = 23 (14) ¡°Up we go,¡± Adam rubbed his hands together, filling himself with the magic of the trick, before climbing up the hill, looking over to see a half bird half feline creature, which was currently speeding its way to a tiny form. ¡°Fuck! Lucy!¡± She was already at his side, and upon seeing the scene, she darted over the hill with the pair. Battle Order D20 + 1 = (11) 10 The Gryphon screeched as it flew through the air, coasting towards the child who was running, tears streaming down his face. Though the trio were rushing forward, the Gryphon was a rapid beast. It managed to close to the child, and it tore the child¡¯s back apart withits claws. The cries of the child were cut quiet. ¡°You cannot kill it!¡± came a shout from behind. Sir Landon had climbed up the side of the hill in order to shout towards them. Adam¡¯s brow pulsed, and his chest grew cold. ¡®What the fuck? What do you mean we can¡¯t kill it?¡¯ ¡°Vonda!¡± Adam shouted, hearing another set of rushed steps following after him. ¡°Heal him!¡± ¡°He cannot be healed, Adam!¡± the woman shouted back at him. She had accepted reality, having seen the way the Gryphon had torn into the boy. With him now in the talons of the creature, what could she do? Unfortunately for the Gryphon, Jurot was quite quick too, as he leapt onto the beast with frightening speed, his entire face red as he tore into the creature¡¯s wing and side. It screeched in pain as it leapt up into the air to flee with its prey, though Lucy had only been a step behind Jurot. She jumped onto Jurot¡¯s back, stomping against his shoulder to leap further into the air, summoning her greataxe in hand. She swung down with all her strength, fuelled by the same rage which pumped through Jurot¡¯s veins. Her greataxe cut through its back like a hot knife through butter, the flames of Destroyer splashing against the creature, before its two halves dropped on either side of the pair. Adam slid to a halt, dropping down to the young boy. Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 5 (2) ¡°Hey!¡± Adam shouted, trying to wake the boy up, wrapping his arms around the child, the hot blood turning his puthral red. The boy was pale, and his chest did not move. Vonda placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Adam. He is gone.¡± They had been too late, and there was nothing which could be done for the child. ¡°Gone?¡± Adam whispered. He shook his head, inhaling deeply, trying to calm himself. He reached into his pocket and brought out one of the two diamonds. Mana: 17 -> 14 Spell: Revivify ¡°Hey, Baktu. Would you mind?¡± Adam asked, feeling the way his entire body grew hot, his heart tingling as the magic flowed through him and into his arms, before the magic flowed into the boy.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com The child opened up his eyes, staring up at the helmet. ¡°Harold?¡± ¡°Hey, sleepyhead, what are you doing sleeping in a field?¡± Adam asked, his thundering heart slowly beginning to calm. Sir Vonda stared at Adam, unsure of what to say. ¡®Did he just...¡¯ Lucy roared once more and slammed her greataxe into the Gryphon again, just for good measure, before her axe disappeared. Victory! Gryphon XP Gained: +50 XP: 4325 -> 4375 The child stared up at him for a moment longer. ¡°Gramps!¡± he quickly gasped. ¡°Gramps! The Gryphon¡¯s got him! They took him away!¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said. ¡°If the Wolves didn¡¯t want to die, they shouldn¡¯t have come for us.¡± ¡°I do not mean the Wolves, Adam.¡± Her voice was sharp, though quiet, as though there was a conspiracy afoot. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Then what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I saw the diamond,¡± she said. ¡°Do you think I, a Priest of Life, would not recognise the spell you cast?¡± ¡°Just a healing spell,¡± Adam said, already knowing that it was probably something he shouldn¡¯t have done. ¡°It was not just a healing spell!¡± ¡°Sir Vonda,¡± he said, sternly. ¡°As a Priest of Life, I¡¯m not sure you should take that tone with me?¡± ¡°It is not that I do not agree with what you did, nor do I not appreciate it, but-¡° ¡°But what?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What else did you expect me to do?¡± ¡°You... you...¡± Vonda fell silent. The magic was outlawed in the Kingdom, and it was only the Priests of Life who were able to cast the spell, though under certain limitations. However, it was an open secret that many Adventurers cast the spell, and the various temples left them be, as they provided quite a valuable service in keeping the lands somewhat safe. ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Adam said, dropping down to his knee. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°They got gramps!¡± he said, sniffling. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam asked. The Iyrman shook his head. ¡°We should retreat to Ever Green. If a Gryphon has his grandfather, they are already lost.¡± ¡°There was Knight with us too. He stayed back. Maybe they coulda beaten the Gryphons?¡± the boy asked, still sniffling. ¡°How many Gryphons were there?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Four,¡± the boy said. ¡°Including this one?¡± Jurot motioned to the dead Gryphon. ¡°No...¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°One Gryphon is dangerous, but four? With knowledge that they hunt around this area, we cannot split the party.¡± ¡°An Iyrman running from a fight?¡± a Knight said. ¡°Never thought I would see the day.¡± ¡°We can go to the Gryphons if you wish,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You and I against four Gryphons. It would be a good story, and Adam can come take my body to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam said. ¡°We are heading to the nearby town and that¡¯s that. You said Ever Green?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from a village near Ever Green,¡± the boy said. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the town first so we can sort stuff out, and get you properly safe,¡± Adam said, patting the boy¡¯s shoulder. The boy sniffled, but nodded his head slowly. ¡°We should go now,¡± Jurot said, his eyes upwards. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! That Gryphon had no chance. Thank you so much for all the support! I randomly got a few new patrons so I''ll have to figure out what to do with that. 216. Ever Green 216. Ever Green It didn¡¯t take long for the group to retreat away from the area. Sir Landon insisted on bringing the corpse of the Elder Hill Wolf, and seeing the look in his eyes, and hearing how stern his voice was, no one decided to argue. The Porters grabbed the bodies of the Wolves, taking the heads of each Hill Wolf at least as proof. Jurot managed to find them a place to rest at, in the side of a hill which gave them cover against the elements, as well as safety from the skies. Mana: 14 -> 11 Spell: Adam¡¯s Tower Adam called forth his magics, creating a tower from thin air. The boy stared at him, wide eyed. He hadn¡¯t realised that Adam had brought him back alive, so seeing such magic was a surprise to him. Fred hadn¡¯t gotten used to it yet, but he was still more surprised by Adam¡¯s magics. ¡®He definitely cast Revivify, and he can cast magic like this too? Is that how it works?¡¯ ¡°Hey,¡± Lucy called once the tower emerged. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied, looking to Charlie, the young boy. ¡°Are you okay?¡± The boy nodded slowly. He had only spoken once since he had fallen quiet, just to say his name when Adam had asked, but he seemed to not want to speak. Lucy continued to stare at Adam for a short while. He remained fairly close to the boy, and was quieter than usual, which was pleasant to her ears, but not quite so pleasant to her heart. ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll take a bath first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking a bath?¡± Sir Landon asked. He hadn¡¯t expected Adam to summon forth a bath today. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to fight with as much morale as I can, so I¡¯ll be taking a bath real quick.¡± ¡®Is he a fool?¡¯ Sir Landon thought. Adam could see the thoughts on his face. ¡°Since you decided to bring the corpse along, I need to make sure I can fight at one hundred percent.¡± ¡®Two can play at that game.¡¯ Adam cursed the Noble within his head as he went to bathe. ¡°Hey, you can have a bath too,¡± Adam said once he was done, putting on his breastplate. ¡°You¡¯re an Elf?¡± the boy gasped as Adam appeared. ¡°Only half.¡± The boy stared at him, squirming slightly. His grandfather didn¡¯t like Elves, and had always spoken poorly of them. He retreated towards Jurot, who was an Iyrman, and though his grandfather spoke slightly poorly of them, Harold didn¡¯t. Adam frowned slightly. ¡°I save his life and he bullies me. It¡¯s not fair.¡± Lucy pat his back gently. Jurot had finished with butchering the pelts and was midway through cooking the food when he decided to bathe. ¡°Hey, kid, you should go bathe too,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sir Vonda, is it acceptable for you to assist him?¡± Adam asked, though quickly realised what he had asked her. ¡°As a woman and a Priest, I think it¡¯s less awkward if you do is all.¡± She bowed her head towards him. ¡°I will make sure he cleans up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clean his clothes,¡± Adam said, having used Tricks to constantly clean his own. There was something about feeling fresh in the wild which gave him so much strength, and the others appreciated it quite well, even Sir Landon and the Knights. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jurot asked in the night before they were to take watches. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied. He smiled slightly, thinking about how his friends were checking up on him. ¡°The child was killed before you,¡± Jurot said. Ever Green was very different to any place Adam had been to. The roads were wide, with small clusters of buildings dotted around the area. The buildings were fairly small, though they were stacked quite high, three to five stories tall. However, no matter where Adam looked, all he could see was greenery. There were as many parks as there were streets, some of which became paths which people could walk through from one area to the next. The town had a grid layout, as other towns did, but there were many sections which gave to a more natural layout, where buildings of old had been made, some curving and winding this way or that way. As they trekked through the town, which bustled with life, Adam noted how similar, yet different it felt to Red Oak. ¡°It had to have multiple levels to it?¡± Adam asked, staring at he steps which led to another level. ¡°How do they get carriages to the inner town?¡± ¡°There are large roads on either side,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°They are for carriages and carts, keeping the town centre clear.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, noting all the flowers, herbs, and greenery on display. ¡°I¡¯d retire here.¡± ¡°Many do,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The area around here is calm, and many prefer it. They say the workers here only work for eight hours a day, and they receive a day off every month.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Is that good?¡± Jurot looked back to Adam. His lips almost twitched into a smile. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You know, if I was the Lord of my own place, I¡¯d want to make my town look like this. Though, I¡¯d probably have better labour laws.¡± ¡°Most towns and cities have their own culture,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ever Green has a very different culture to most other towns, including Deadwood and Red Oak.¡± ¡°They say that most Adventurers retire here,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°I know that many Priests also make their home here. It may be the town with the highest average strength in its populace due to how many powerful individuals choose to retire here.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s pretty good,¡± Adam said, glancing about to see all the people working hard. ¡®Eight hours a day, twenty seven days a month? Scary.¡¯ ¡°Ever Green has nice tea,¡± Fred said, wanting to include himself in the conversation. He then sighed, thinking about how stupid his statement was. ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Once we¡¯re done at the Guild, why don¡¯t we find some nice tea? I should buy myself a tea set for the road too.¡± ¡°You can make your water taste like tea,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You can also warm your water up. Why do you need a tea set?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t magic up the benefits of tea, Jurot.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s because of tea that the Greylands was so amazing. With all the rain, it was only obvious that we¡¯d rule the seas and make tea.¡± Adam chuckled at his own joke. ¡°I¡¯m just excited to make some gold,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to eat as much as I want. I¡¯m going to buy a whole pig and roast it.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°Speaking of pigs,¡± Adam said, adjusting his helmet as he walked by some Guards. ¡°I just remembered how careful I need to be in this place.¡± ¡°It is the South,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ever Green¡¯s relationship with Elves is awkward.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It is now the closest town to the Elves, though there has not been any bad blood between them,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Rock Hill was only a few days away from Ever Green, though there is no paved road between the towns, so when the Elves attacked, it was difficult for Rock Hill to help.¡± ¡°You should be quiet when speaking about Elves and Rock Hill,¡± Sir Landon warned, noting some people whispering between themselves. ¡°Let us quickly make our way to the Guild.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! This guy again? I wonder what the Crowseer has to do with Adam''s story. The pig joke was so funny to me. 217. Quests Complete 217. Quests Complete The Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Ever Green was huge. It was fairly similar to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Red Oak, made of stone for the first floor, and the next three floors were made of wood, getting slightly smaller towards the top. However, there were so many flowers and vines growing all around the Guild, and there were even small sections where a bunch of old people were currently relaxing on the roof top garden. ¡®There¡¯s something else which is different about it,¡¯ Adam wondered as he stepped forward. As he did, he understood what it was. ¡®Big.¡¯ The Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Ever Green was at least a tenth bigger than the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Red Oak. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°This place is nice.¡± He noted the field to the side, and another field nearby which was fenced off slightly, but was full of herbs. ¡°Ever Green is known for having the greatest number of Alchemists,¡± Jurot explain, noting the garden. ¡°They have Alchemists at a similar to level to the other towns and cities, but at a greater rate, even though their population is much lower.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool,¡± Adam said, stepping into the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ He was hit by an earth sweet smell. It was flowery scent which permeated throughout the entire Guild. The interior of the Guild was also quite large, and there were a number of Adventurers relaxing together, playing with cards and dice, or just eating together, or drinking some tea. The group made their way to the counter where an older man was currently sitting, reading a book. He glanced over their way as they arrived.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Sir Landon,¡± the older man said. ¡°How may I be of service.¡± ¡°We are here to report the completion of a few quests,¡± Sir Landon said, before the items were brought around. ¡°There are also a few matter which must be discussed.¡± The older man nodded his head, placing down his book, before checking what they had done. The line of people who had been tied up were quite interesting to him, and he assumed who and what they were. ¡°Oh,¡± the old man said. ¡°If it isn¡¯t little Charlie.¡± ¡°Hello, mister,¡± the boy said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come around back and we can have some tea,¡± the old man said. ¡°I will finish processing the quests a little later. ¡°This place is so chill,¡± Adam said, taking a seat, almost taking off his helmet, before he remembered where he was. The party began to eat, though Adam took it easy, relaxing at the side. ¡°I thought I saw an Iyrman around these parts,¡± an older man said, taking a seat beside Jurot. He was in his early fifties or so, and wore a breastplate, carrying at his side a blade. There was a sharp scarp across his face, from the top of his eye to the bottom of his chin. Lucy stared at him with a hungry look as she bit into a leg of roasted pig. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot,¡± Jurot said, extending a hand. ¡°Vandal,¡± the man said, shaking his forearm. ¡°No relation to the Dal family. Retired Adventurer, Steel Rank.¡± Adam felt the name was familiar, but couldn¡¯t quite place it. Jurot nodded. ¡°Steel is good.¡± Jurot placed the man¡¯s strength similar to that of his mother, though in a general sense. ¡°There¡¯s been quite a few Iyrmen around these parts,¡± Vandal said. ¡°Heard they¡¯re all fighting Sir Harold.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°You here for the same?¡± ¡°No.¡± The Adventurer looked to Lucy and Adam. ¡°You Iyrmen are such a queer lot, moving around with others who are from the... other races.¡± He couldn¡¯t find a nice way to say it. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Though we¡¯re used to you being with Devilkin, cause some of them are Iyrmen and all, but it¡¯s rare to see that race,¡± he said, looking to Adam. ¡°Adam is my brother,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I assisted,¡± Jurot added. ¡°Right,¡± Barks said. ¡°I have confirmed your story and have processed your rewards.¡± Quest Complete: Slay Hill Wolves +100XP Quest Complete: Defeat Earth Cult +100XP XP: 4450 -> 4650 Stamps Gained: +2 Stamps: 4 -> 6 They received a tip from Sir Landon too, though Adam was still annoyed they didn¡¯t get any loot from the cult. Lucy stared at the gold she had received. They had received such a pay day from the Noble, who had given them each hundreds of gold. Adam wondered if it was worth it for the Noble to spend so much money. ¡®This guy really paid three hundred gold for us? There¡¯s something off about that.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Barks called out once Adam had pocketed all his coin. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, bowing his head. ¡°We will speak with Sir Harold about the matter of the Gryphon.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°If you are uncomfortable revealing your face around here, you may pack your meal and eat it within your room.¡± ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll do just that,¡± Adam said. Adam ordered himself a meal, but met up with the rest of the group first. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, handing Fred two tiger eye gems. ¡°What?¡± Fred stared at the two gems. ¡°Your cut for helping us out on our little adventure,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want people saying I take advantage of people who are lost in the world.¡± Fred hesitated for a moment, before accepted the gems. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Should we go see Sir Merry?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Can we?¡± Jurot asked, leaning in. ¡°I wish to see him too,¡± Sir Landon said, having walked in on the conversation. ¡°Shall we head there tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°We can all go together.¡± Sir Landon nodded his head. ¡°Anyway, now that I think about it, isn¡¯t Ever Green so... green?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it Nightval? The trees around us have all been pretty dead, but Ever Green is... you know.¡± ¡°Ever Green is ever green. Nightval has no power here.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay.¡± He was sure there was more to it than that, but he decided against thinking too deeply about it. Did I really spend an hour to draw this meme? Yes. Yes I did. I will continue last month''s deal. For every new patron, I will post up more chapters. So expect double chapters through to next Wednesday. 218. Tea 218. Tea Adam wrapped a scarf around his head, only revealing his face to the world. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fred asked. ¡°Trying not to die,¡± he replied, simply. He wasn¡¯t sure just how eager the people here were to kill him, a Half Elf, in the town which was right beside Rock Hill. ¡®They probably don¡¯t even realise I¡¯m only half an Elf,¡¯ he joked to himself, though he knew the truth was that they wouldn¡¯t care. Adam had removed most of his armour too, only keeping his breastplate, for some protection. He wore his shield against his back, the symbol of the Rot family evident, which may assist him, and his magical axe at his side. ¡°Hey, Fred,¡± Adam called, looking to the young man. ¡°Do I look as beautiful as an Elf.¡± Fred stared at Adam. ¡®What¡¯s he asking me?¡¯ He squinted his eyes, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Adam said. ¡°You look very different to an Elf, Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They will not expect someone with a build like yours to be an Elf.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Fred said. ¡°Looks like the Human half of yours is more prominent. You could be seen more like a handsome man.¡± ¡°Yeah, but, wouldn¡¯t people around these parts recognise an Elf?¡± Adam asked, wondering if he could get away with tricking the people of Ever Green. ¡°Elves have no need to leave their domain,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If Elves have stepped through these lands, it is when they were disguised as Humans.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. ¡°They have not dared to disguise themselves as Iyrmen in some time.¡± Once Adam was suited up, he grabbed his pack and made his way out, patting Fred¡¯s back, allowing him to lead the way. ¡°I¡¯ve only been to Ever Green once before and only had a few minutes to admire it. This time I¡¯m going to check it out more and buy some souvenirs.¡± ¡®He¡¯s really relaxed for a guy who was worried he was going to get killed,¡¯ Fred thought, leading Adam out. Fred led Adam to one of the market roads, where there was a long line of shops, and a handful of market stalls set up every few shops. ¡°Do you smoke or drink?¡± Fred asked. ¡°I don¡¯t smoke, but I¡¯ve drunk a little,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What about the good kind of smoking?¡± Fred asked, motioning to his forehead, tapping it. ¡°The kind which makes you relaxed and allows you to forget things?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though I don¡¯t mind it so much.¡± ¡°If you aren¡¯t interested, it¡¯s fine, but I need some,¡± Fred admitted. Adam was about to make a joke, but decided against it. ¡®Right. He said his family was from Rock Hill.¡¯ Even Adam knew the limits of his jokes, not that others expected it of him. Fred walked up to a stall and started a chat with the stall owner. He placed down three gold coins, two silver coins, and a copper coin, before returning back to Adam. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Adam blinked, but followed Fred. ¡°What was that about?¡± ¡°Three gold for the product, two silver for the stall owner for facilitating the transaction, and a copper for the beggar who is going to let them know,¡± Fred explained. ¡°Cool,¡± Adam said, feeling as though he had managed to see something from the underground. ¡®Cool.¡¯ He wondered if there were more secrets of that kind of nature. Fred brought Adam to a stall which was manned by a beautiful young woman. She was quite thin, with bright pink lips, and a dash of some yellow powder near her eyes, with a flower in her hair. ¡°Would you care for some tea?¡± she asked. ¡°Would I?¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Finally.¡± ¡°Then can I buy an iron tea pot, a few boxes of the strawberry tea, and then the clay tea pot? I assume the clay tea pot will be good, otherwise I¡¯ll complain constantly.¡± ¡°As you say,¡± she said, revealing a small box that could easily fit in his hand. ¡°If you drink tea once a day, this will last you a month. You can take out the cap, sprinkle a few tea leaves, about a thumbnail amount, into the cup and add in water which has been left to cool for about ten minutes.¡± ¡°Do you sell tea in bigger boxes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do,¡± she replied. ¡°There are different sizes of boxes.¡± She revealed a larger box, one which was at least three times as big, and she brought out some fabric and fashioned it into a rough box shape. ¡°I do not carry a bigger box at my stall, but I can send tea in boxes around this big.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Then I want three boxes at the smallest size, and one of the largest size.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± the woman replied, blinking at him. ¡°So how much is that?¡± ¡°One hundred and twenty gold, if you are wishing to also buy the Persevian tea pot.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°You take payment in gems?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, unsure if Adam was messing with her. Adam placed down the gems, which she stared at for a moment, before taking out a set of scales and measuring the gems. She returned to him two copper coins and accepted the gems. ¡°Thank you!¡± she said, quickly, as she packed up the tea and the tea seat for him. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be such a big spender. ¡®How lucky am I?¡¯ Adam eventually packed the items up, and trusted her to send the rest of the tea to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, as well as the ridiculously expensive clay tea pot. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, handing a small box of tea to Fred. ¡°Thanks?¡± Fred said. ¡°I can¡¯t buy some tea without saying thanks, can I?¡± Adam asked, before walking off to buy some more items from the market road. He bought some fine material and furs from one stall, and some spices and herbs from another stall, which were kept finely sealed. He spent another fifty gold on the items, sending them to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, who would send them back to the Iyr on his behalf. ¡®Is that what it¡¯s like to be rich?¡¯ Fred thought, thinking about how easy it was for Adam to spend so much gold in one go. ¡®Is he actually a Noble?¡¯ When Adam returned back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, he double checked his coins and his gems, as well as all the other items. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Adam said. ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked, sipping some soup. ¡°I went out to buy stuff, so shouldn¡¯t there have been a problem?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t get mugged and no one started a fight with me.¡± ¡°Should they have?¡± ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that how it is?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s a trope or something, right?¡± Jurot stared at Adam. ¡°Good night, Adam.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, so he chose to retreat. Of course there''s a tea chapter. I have another meme too, but idk when to put it in. 219. Merryweather 219. Merryweather ¡°I would like to thank you personally for saving Charlie,¡± the man said. He was older, in his sixties or so, and spoke clearly and calmly. He was normal enough, slightly handsome, with white hair which had been swept to one side, and a small beard which had grown over the course of a month. He wore thick clothing, and there was nothing particular about him Adam could gather. ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I happened to have a spare diamond on hand.¡± The older man stared down at the Half Elf. ¡°Which Half Elf family are you from?¡± ¡°None of them,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Though, how do you know them?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes remained staring deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. Adam had heard that someone had wanted to meet him in the morning, so after his bath and breakfast, he hung around at the Guild before he was taken to the side. He sipped some of the peach tea which he had brewed, and the old man sipped the tea Adam had poured him. ¡°Poor kid,¡± Adam said, noting that the old man wasn¡¯t going to reply to him. ¡°His grandfather¡¯s probably dead. Taken by Gryphons. We killed one, mostly because it killed the kid. Apparently, the previous King¡¯s Sword outlawed it.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Luckily, the Guild said they¡¯d smooth things over, though it¡¯s not like it matters much. I doubt Sir Merry has much time to come after little ol¡¯ us when he¡¯s having fun in Ever green.¡± ¡®Sir Merry?¡¯ The old man continued to stare down at Adam, noting a few features which betrayed Adam¡¯s closeness to the Iyr, other than the shiny puthral armour. ¡®Is he trying to...¡¯ It was after a moment that he understood that Adam had no idea. ¡°Are you not afraid?¡± ¡°Afraid? Of what?¡± ¡°The previous King¡¯s Sword, Sir Merry.¡± ¡°Why would I be afraid of him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I stared down a Great Elder who wanted to kill me, and considering they¡¯re about even in strength, it should be fine.¡± The old man blinked. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that type of guy. If he¡¯s a terrible guy, then I¡¯ll just hide in the Iyr. What¡¯s he going to do? Come to the Iyr to take me away? I¡¯ll just get married to... someone.¡± Adam thought about all the Iyrmen who would want to marry him. ¡°Oh, well... I guess I don¡¯t need to hide, since I wasn¡¯t the one to kill it. Jurot and Lucy did, so I guess he¡¯ll get sent home to live out his days in a place that¡¯s much nicer than even Ever Green, and Lucy will, well, I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t be sad since she¡¯ll be surrounded by hunks.¡± Adam laughed. The old man blinked again. ¡°Anyway, if that old man wants to act up, I¡¯ll handle.¡± Adam nodded his head confidently. After all, there was no way the previous King¡¯s Sword wouldn¡¯t be interested in him once he revealed some of his secrets. The old man held in his laughter, clenching his knee. ¡°What is your name, young man?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± he replied. ¡°Son of Fate.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Adam?¡± he asked, before noting Adam¡¯s appearance. ¡®I wondered why he seemed familiar.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve heard of me?¡± Adam asked, smiling at the old man. ¡°My reputation precedes me.¡± His smile quickly faded, recalling the Crowseer¡¯s warning. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Sir Royce spoke to me about a young man who was quite close with the Iyrmen, filled with youthful spirit,¡± the old man said. ¡°Sir Royce?¡± Adam said, trying to recall who that was. ¡°You suckered him in to owe you a favour.¡± ¡°Oh! The Knight of Death, right?¡± Adam smiled, recalling the memory. ¡°Yeah, he tried to attack me, and so I made him owe me a favour. I was really scared, you know? I wasn¡¯t an Expert back then, so I couldn¡¯t defend myself. Lucky for me I had a few Iyrmen about, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have been able to save Charlie.¡± ¡°Yes, I have heard.¡± Harold whistled, and the Gryphons shook slightly, testing their rider¡¯s straps, all the while the old man threw a quick look around them to see that they were fine, before his Gryphon rushed forward, its wings shooting to the side as it flew upwards. Adam bounced slightly on the Gryphon as it rushed forward before it leapt into the air. He forced himself forward as the creature carried him, with all of his gear, and his armour too, with ease. ¡®Just how strong are they?¡¯ he wondered as they flew upwards, the wind rushing all around him. They could hear screaming from behind, but it wasn¡¯t the screaming of fear, but delight. ¡°Yeah!¡± Lucy shouted. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± She laughed wildly before a bug entered her mouth and she choked, coughing it out before she fell silent from then on. The Gryphons required frequent breaks, twice to thrice an hour, but otherwise made great pace. They approached the village within a few short hours, revealing a walled off village with not much notable about it, save for how it was spacious and green, like Ever Green. It wasn¡¯t quite without note. Adam whistled, looking about to all the Iyrmen. There were hundreds of them, many of whom were assisting the village with their strength. ¡°Did you enjoy the flight?¡± Harold asked, hoisting himself off the Gryphon with the swiftness of a younger man. ¡°It¡¯s no Dragon,¡± Adam said, catching a few glances from the others who hadn¡¯t heard his tale. ¡°Yes,¡± Harold replied. ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± Fred dropped down to a bush and vomited into it. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see so many Iyrmen,¡± Adam admitted, glancing about to see no familiar faces among them. ¡°They¡¯re here for fun,¡± Harold said, stifling a sigh. ¡°This place is great,¡± Lucy said, oggling the Iyrmen and Sir Merry. Most of the Iyrmen here were strong, at least Experts, some even greater, and most were quite elderly too. ¡°The best!¡± Adam squinted his eyes at her. ¡°Hey, stop embarrassing us in front of Sir Merry,¡± he whispered to her, but she was already gone, making her way to the nearby Iyrmen to speak with them and to invite herself to enjoying their muscles. ¡°How come you¡¯re both Sir Harold and Sir Merry,¡± Adam said, looking to the man. Harold sighed. ¡°I am Sir Harold Merryweather.¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, joking. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Nothing, sorry,¡± he said, clearing his throat. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s not Lucy embarrassing us.¡¯ ¡°When I clashed with an Iyrmen many years ago, they asked what I preferred to be called. I joked that I wished to be called Sir Merry.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Did I really spend about two hours sketching this meme? Yeah. Yeah I did. 220. That Kind Of Fight 220. That Kind Of Fight ¡°Granduncle!¡± Jurot called, rushing over to an older man. The old man, whose brow held the circle and diamonds of the Rot family, brushed the young Iyrman¡¯s hair. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°We were invited by Sir Merry to rest within the village,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yes?¡± The old Iyrman raised his brows in surprise. ¡°That is quite an honour.¡± Jurot smiled wide. ¡°Is that your brother?¡± The old Iyrman looked to the Half Elf, who had approached. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°Sarot,¡± the old Iyrman said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have heard much about you.¡± Adam smiled, but it quickly dropped. ¡°Is that good?¡± Sarot remained silent, and Adam¡¯s brow began to fill with sweat. ¡°Are you Jarot¡¯s brother then?¡± Adam asked. Sarot raised his brows. ¡°Grandfather Jarot,¡± he corrected. ¡°And yes.¡± Adam winced. ¡°I¡¯m not calling that old geezer my grandfather.¡± Sarot stared down at Adam, seeing the way his face contorted. ¡°There is the matter of respect.¡± ¡°He bullied me, you know? Knocked me clean out!¡± ¡°Did you deserve it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°For once, I didn¡¯t. I called him an old bastard.¡± ¡°It sounds as though you deserved it.¡± ¡°He said something terrible about my Aunt.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Sarot said. ¡°Then you did not deserve it.¡± He nodded his head, knowing the relationship between Jarot and Sonarot. ¡°That is just how my brother is. Still, you must show respect.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just call him old man then,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since you guys are bothered when I say his name.¡± ¡°That is worse,¡± Sarot said. ¡°Jarot is fine.¡± ¡°Was Surot named after you then?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There¡¯s a Jurot, who I assume took after Jarot, and then Surot, who took after you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Is there a Tarot then?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There¡¯s a Turot, so there must be, right?¡± ¡°My younger brother,¡± Sarot said, nodding his head. ¡°You are as queer as they say.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°You ask me about families and names without greeting me.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, his cheeks turning red. ¡°Hello, Granduncle.¡± Jurot looked to Adam. ¡®So he can be embarrassed.¡¯ ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you,¡± Sarot said, brushing Adam¡¯s hair. Adam felt a little awkward, but lost his nervousness since it seemed Sarot had accepted him. ¡°I am certain there are many stories you have to tell me.¡± ¡°Many,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Lord Stokmar has awoken.¡± Sarot blinked. ¡°Lord Stokmar?¡± ¡°He who travelled with the Black Lion and Konagek,¡± Jurot said. ¡°A few hundred?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Damn. I suppose the Iyrmen are excited for the chance of facing a living legend. I heard that there are only a handful of people who could match him.¡± Adam eyed up the old man, raising his brow. ¡°Have you been fighting too?¡± ¡°Ay, I stretch my body now and again.¡± Sir Royce grinned wide. ¡°Sir Harold¡¯s been fighting nearly daily, but when he¡¯s tired, I give the Iyrmen some fun instead.¡± Lucy tried to step forward to try and enter the conversation, but Adam grabbed her shoulders and moved her aside. ¡°You guys fight daily?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He does. I fight every other day, or every few days if I¡¯m too drunk,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°How serious are the fights?¡± ¡°Most of them are quite terrifying, but others are until we¡¯re winded.¡± ¡°You should be careful,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger, and you¡¯re retired. Want me to speak with the Iyrmen to give you a break?¡± Sir Royce laughed. ¡°No, no. Old men like us need the exercise.¡± Adam blinked. Here was a guy talking about fighting Iyrmen daily with such glee. He looked around, noting that most Iyrmen here were probably at least Silver Rank, with a few Mithril ranks no doubt. ¡°Have any Gold Rank Iyrmen come about?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us want to know the results of that kind of fight.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The consequences of finding out is too dire,¡± he said, his voice seriously. ¡°Though, this may be the last week the fights continue. It¡¯s Nightval now, and it should be the time of rest. The Iyrmen will no doubt return back to the Iyr for the Twilight Month. I bet the Beast Wave this year is going to be rough.¡± ¡°Beast Wave..." Adam felt as though he was forgetting something. Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 15 (12) ¡°Oh, right. I need to participate in the Beast Wave this year.¡± ¡°Oh? Are you staying here?¡± Sir Royce asked, staring down at the Half Elf. ¡°No, no. I need to head to Red Oak,¡± Adam replied, not liking the way the old man was looking at him. ¡°If I participate in the Beast Wave, I¡¯ll be able to buy some Red Oak.¡± "Red Oak? Why do you need that?" Sir Royce raised his brows. "Jurot would like to work it." Sarot looked down to Adam, who somehow was on speaking terms with the Knight of Death, and wanted to acquire Red Oak for his grandnephew. ¡®What a young man you¡¯ve found, little niece.¡¯ "Work it?¡± Sir Royce asked. ¡°He¡¯s a Woodcarver then? Why not help us here? There''s some rare wood about this area too. Evergreen Wood, which has been used to create Eternal Crusader." "What''s the Eternal Crusader?" Adam asked. Sir Royce chuckled, before his smile faded. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not from around here.¡± "It is the greatest weapon to be created within this land,¡± Sarot said. ¡°It was made before the time of we Iyrmen, and has been lose for millennia." ¡°How do people know about it then?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If it was before the time of Iyrmen, they shouldn¡¯t know about it, and there¡¯s less chance that Aldland would know it.¡± ¡°A Priest of Nature, sworn to Mother Tree, learnt of it,¡± Royce said. ¡°He set out on a mission to find it some centuries ago, and he has been lost.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, with you here, isn¡¯t it overkill? Plus, Sir Merry, he¡¯s quite the guy too.¡± ¡°Red Oak has Iyrmen," Sir Royce added. "You''re not wrong about that,¡± Adam said. ¡°I''ll think about it." ¡°You might even be able to face Sir Harold if you help out,¡± Sir Royce offered. ¡°No thanks,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us want to know the results of that kind of fight.¡± Adam smiled. You thought I could not use my meme twice in a row? You underestimate Adam''s sheer stupidity. 221. Casual Chats 221. Casual Chats Adam sipped some of the alcohol his Granduncle offered him. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam agreed. ¡°He really is a wood nerd.¡± ¡°That is just how he is, he and Laygak,¡± Sarot replied. ¡°They were both taught how to work wood, and they can appreciate it greater than either of us.¡± ¡°What about you? What did you learn?¡± ¡°I learned pottery,¡± he said, simply. ¡°Did you have the option to do something else?¡± ¡°Pottery or masonry,¡± he said. ¡°Pottery allowed me the freedom to go out and adventure. I remain in the Iyr, mostly, protecting its borders.¡± ¡°From what?¡± Sarot smiled the smile which held many secrets, secrets he would not share with even his grandnephew. ¡°Fine then,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Keep your secrets.¡± Adam remained with the small group of Iyrmen, drinking in silence. ¡°Would you mind if I joined you?¡± Sir Vonda asked, having worked up the courage to approach the Iyrmen and the Half Elf. The Iyrmen had quickly glanced across her, noting her attire, her weapons, and the symbol of her Goddess. ¡°We always welcome a Priest of Mahtu,¡± an Iyrman said. ¡°She¡¯s not just any Priest of Mahtu,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s from the Order of White Rose.¡± ¡°Order of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda corrected. ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. She raised her brow at him. Adam smiled. ¡°Order of Life¡¯s Rose?¡± an Iyrman asked. ¡°Then it is an honour to meet you.¡± Each Iyrman in the group shook her forearm, inviting her to drink and eat with them. ¡°Is the Order of Life¡¯s Rose an important Order?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Important? In some sense,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°The Order of Life¡¯s Rose is an Order specialised in creating Priests who are able to fight, Priests who follow Mother Soza, so that there will be no unnecessary deaths.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I noticed you were looking out for Fred.¡± ¡°He required a few words. I can still see in his eyes the question of life. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a question, but I can¡¯t say that it is a truth for him as it is a truth for me.¡± ¡°Yeah. I appreciate that there are some people who aren¡¯t always so eager to kill in the party.¡± Sir Vonda raised her brow. ¡°I know, I know.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I assure you, there are plenty of times when I have said not to kill anyone. I¡¯m fairly certain I¡¯ve killed no person yet, either, other than two Dragons.¡± The ears of the Iyrmen twitched, and a few of them began to pay more attention to Adam. ¡°Are you boasting?¡± Sarot asked. ¡°We¡¯ll see whose boasting when Jurot gets back,¡± Adam said, taking another sip of his drink. ¡°You think I became Bronze Rank in a year, spending half of it in the Iyr, while boasting?¡± The Iyrmen were giving looks to Sarot, teasing the old man. ¡°Don¡¯t forget who flew into town alongside the previous King¡¯s Sword,¡± Adam said. ¡°Plus, the previous Knight of Death came over to personally speak with me.¡± Adam finished the rest of his drink. ¡°Now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t told Jurot the story of how I beat Otkan.¡± ¡°Adam, you must be careful with your boasts,¡± Sarot said. ¡°Otkan is a sister to me.¡± ¡°If you think I¡¯m lying, you should go ask her then.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Just you wait until Jurot comes back. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Lucy, though she didn¡¯t know either and started a fight with me.¡± ¡°Perhaps you did deserve my brother¡¯s beating,¡± Sarot said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my Granduncle is bullying me.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Do you see that, Sir Vonda? The old men are bullying me. I¡¯m just a little boy.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Fate,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Fate?¡± ¡°I have a secret connection with someone extremely powerful,¡± Adam said, pointing up towards the sky. ¡°Perhaps even beyond the strength of the Gods.¡± ¡°Those are quite some words,¡± Sir Vonda said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at him. ¡°Those who have spoken those words previously were known as Demons.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m no Demon, Sir Vonda.¡± ¡°That axe of yours is quite powerful,¡± she said. ¡°Where did you acquire it?¡± ¡°In the Iyr.¡± ¡°Was it a gift?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. It wasn¡¯t a lie, technically. ¡°A gift from that old geezer Jurot calls his grandfather.¡± ¡°He gifted you a magical axe of great power?¡± ¡°Jurot has a magical axe too, doesn¡¯t he? I suppose he accepts me as his grandson, and so he handed it to me. Though, I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯m his grandson or his Grandson.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°One of those is capitalised,¡± Adam said. ¡°Meaning there¡¯s some distance between us still. The other means he views me as his grandson, the same as Jurot.¡± ¡°How long have you known Jurot?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°He met me for the first time at the beginning of the year.¡± ¡°The beginning of this year?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And you are already so close that you call him your brother?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°And you have embedded yourself into his family so quickly?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Lanarot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Our little sister. Without her, we wouldn¡¯t be bound together.¡± ¡°How did she bound you together?¡± ¡°She...¡± Adam looked towards the woman, unable to see half her expression as it was covered by a scarf. ¡°A story for another time, Sir Vonda.¡± She sighed, but bowed her head. ¡°A Half Elf in the Iyr. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard of an Elf joining the Iyr.¡± ¡°My relationship with the Iyr is complicated. I¡¯m considered a Nephew, so there¡¯s some connection, but I¡¯m still quite distant.¡± Adam tapped his forehead. ¡°No tattoo, and I don¡¯t plan on getting one.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°That sort of life doesn¡¯t suit me,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°That may change, but for now, I¡¯m happy with the relationship I have with the Iyr.¡± ¡°Anyone would be lucky to be an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I just value the freedom, and...¡± Sir Vonda waited for Adam, noting how he hadn¡¯t dropped the subject yet. ¡°Honestly, Sir Vonda, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m really worth the trouble.¡± Adam bit into the bread. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I know I promised extra chapters for more patrons and followers, but don''t subscribe and follow so quickly! I can''t write that quickly! 222. The Two Old Men 222. The Two Old Men Adam spent the next couple of days relaxing, though he spent some time assisting the village with various tasks. He helped with cutting down trees, and moving items to and fro. The villagers left him to his own business, with many sending awkward glances his way. Some of them had tried to come to him, but they had been stopped by others, who wisely reminded their compatriots of who Adam had come with. Sir Harold seemed to demand quite some respect from the villagers, who didn¡¯t dare to bother Adam. Some villagers were also afraid or hesitant of dealing with the Iyrmen, but they left the Iyrmen be, who spent most of their time assisting the villagers with whatever task they required, including the most gruesome and disgusting tasks, like emptying the latrines. The Iyrmen didn¡¯t seem to mind Adam much, though they did view him as a rude and boastful young man, but they couldn¡¯t blame him, as he was still young. Omen: 3 16 The world was white. Snow continued to fall all around the small village, no longer brown and green, but pure white. Adam looked around and smile, before touching the freezing snow. It was soft, and crumbled against his finger tips. ¡°Do you like the snow?¡± Sir Vonda asked, brushing her hand along it too. ¡°A little. It¡¯s fun to play with, and there¡¯s something romantic about it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, bowing her head. She smiled behind her scarf, gathering the snow together, forming a small ball, before pressing her thumbs into the centre, forming a small hole in the centre. She placed it down, and created more small snow objects. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is an art,¡± she said. ¡°We used to create a number of these objects and would place them down. Then we¡¯d look at them from above to see what we had created.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam said, before looking up to find a vantage point, only to find a few familiar figures approaching. The villagers eventually gathered around the centre of the village, where the returning Gryphons landed, with seven figures soon hopping off. ¡°What is the news?¡± an old woman asked. ¡°The Chief is dead,¡± Sir Harold said. ¡°I buried him and spoke his last rites. The Iyrmen witnessed it.¡± ¡°What of Sir Gorold?¡± Sir Harold bowed his head. ¡°He was slain by a Chimera, but it has been dealt with.¡± Whispers began to fill the village upon hearing that a Chimera had been spotted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t close to the village,¡± Sir Harold assured. ¡°I buried him too, and spoke his last rites.¡± The Iyrmen nodded. Sir Harold quickly left to check on the village to make sure everything was fine, though he knew that the Iyrmen would have dealt with any issues. The other villagers quickly returned to their work, mourning silently. However, they could not allow the death of their Chief to sour their moods, as they had much work to do. The Iyrmen had assisted the villagers in creating a large ditch outside around the perimeter of the village, as well as a second wall, which was still in the process of being built. It was more like a fence at the moment, but it wouldn¡¯t take long for it to truly bloom into a beautiful wall which would protect them for generations. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Adam said, shaking Jurot¡¯s forearm. ¡°How was it?¡± Jurot smiled. ¡°It was a beautiful sight. I fought alongside Sir Merry against a Gryphon, and I watched as he slew a Chimera. He is truly a great warrior.¡± ¡°How great?¡± ¡°Greater than I thought,¡± Jurot admitted. Adam smiled. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good news.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°It is. Thank you, Adam, for allowing me to go.¡± ¡°You went because of your own ability. I didn¡¯t allow you to do anything.¡± Adam pat the young Iyrman¡¯s arm. ¡°I need your help with something. Come on.¡± Jurot followed Adam back to Sarot and the other Iyrmen, who were currently taking a small break. However, as he approached, a villager approached him. ¡°The Iyr holds more sway than you realise,¡± Sir Harold said. ¡°However, if you are willing to go that far, then you can save your favour for later. Though, if you wait too long, then we will pass before we can complete our favours to you.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the dangers of putting it off.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll keep my word?¡± Sir Royce asked. ¡°I don¡¯t really need to owe you a favour.¡± ¡°Then you only amounted to that much,¡± Adam said. ¡°I only amounted to what?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°If you can¡¯t keep your word, then you aren¡¯t someone I¡¯m bothered about. The Iyr holds your name up to the level of the Great Elders, but if you only amount to that much, then I¡¯ll do my best to sully your name.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to threaten me in front of my face,¡± Sir Royce said. ¡°The Iyrmen are too far away to stop me this time.¡± ¡°Sir Harold is here,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though that doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you attack me or not. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯ll be able to take the first couple of blows, and I can flee to my Granduncle.¡± ¡°Are you certain you have that capability?¡± Sir Royce asked, his fingers twitching. ¡°Are you sure you want to find out, old man?¡± Adam sipped his tea. ¡°I don¡¯t think even you¡¯re so rude that you¡¯ll attack a man who is drinking tea.¡± ¡°I was once known as the Knight of Death,¡± Sir Royce said. ¡°Whether you¡¯re drinking tea or taking a shit, I¡¯ll kill you as I please.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure Baktu appreciates your assistance, but you should know that Baktu and I have quite a special relationship too.¡± Harold and Royce hadn¡¯t expected Adam to claim something so brazen. ¡°A special relationship?¡± Harold asked. Adam winked. ¡°Enough about me. It¡¯s quite alarming that so many magical weapons are coming to this small village.¡± ¡°There are dark tidings on the horizon,¡± Sir Harold said, simply. ¡°We must be prepared to face it.¡± ¡®Dark tidings?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at pair. Harold and Royce noted Adam¡¯s pensive gaze, which looked past them to another time. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that you can deal with those dark tidings,¡± Adam said, before placing down the cup of tea. ¡°I should go.¡± The curiosity within the pair of old men ate at them, but they left Adam be. ¡°Do you think he knows?¡± Royce asked. ¡°No,¡± Harold said. ¡°He must be thinking about another matter.¡± ¡°Should we ask?¡± ¡°No,¡± Harold said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He is the Son of Fate.¡± Harold, having spent some time researching about Adam through his conversations with Jurot, understood. It was Adam who had affected him during his bouts. ¡°He seems dangerous,¡± Royce said. ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Do we kill him?¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t tempt Fate.¡± ¡°Is it related to your dreams?¡± Royce asked, biting into some fruit. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam is drawing another 25 cards. 223. Tales Told 223. Tales Told ¡°You are always in such a rush to die, Adam,¡± Jurot said, having heard what Adam had done. ¡°Aggravating the Great Elders is a simple matter, they will not try to harm you because of some words, but others are not so kind.¡± ¡°Old men like those two revel in that sort of banter,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sir Royce swung his maul at me the first time we met, so I know he¡¯s a guy that likes to have fun. Sir Harold? Well, maybe I shouldn¡¯t mess with him so much.¡± Jurot couldn¡¯t help but wonder just how low, and high, Adam¡¯s intelligence went. Sarot finally returned that evening from working. ¡°Are you going to face Sir Merry soon?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Jurot said, his lips unable to control the smile which crept on his face, like a storm he could not control. ¡°Good,¡± Sarot said. ¡°I will watch you.¡± Jurot crossed his arms, his heart filling with excitement. Who else could claim to have faced Sir Merry in their generation? Jurot would have such a story to tell, and his Granduncle would be there to watch. ¡®I will need to fight well.¡¯ ¡°Since you¡¯re here, maybe Jurot should tell you the story of our journey, including the two Dragons we came across,¡± Adam said, looking up to the old Iyrman. Sarot exchanged a look with Jurot, before the corners of his lips twitched. Jurot¡¯s eyes told him everything he needed to know. ¡°You really faced two Dragons?¡± Sarot asked, staring at Adam. ¡°You¡¯re about to find out that everything I told you was true,¡± Adam said, allowing Jurot to tell the tale. Sarot remained quiet, listening to his grandnephew. He was completely focused on the tale, listening to Jurot¡¯s story. How he had completed his task to become an Adventurer and the quests thereafter. How he had managed to land a strike against Balrog, who had been a thorn in his heart for some time. The travel south to meet Lucy and to acquire an awakened forest. The journey north where he met the Knight of Death and Vandra. The return where he faced another Dragon. His own little adventure where he slew quite the creatures. Then, finally, the Gryphon and his meeting with Sir Merry. Sarot basked in the story for some time. The Iyrmen who had poked fun at Adam¡¯s boastful dreams could no longer be so quick to dismiss the Half Elf¡¯s words, for they had been verified by Jurot himself. Sarot remembered the first time he had met Jurot. He had been a babe, not more than a month old. He recalled how his older brother, Jarot, had held the boy in his arms, lifting the boy up high to declare how he would conquer the world before Mulrot had slapped the man across the back of his head. Jurot had looked so much like his father, and even now, it was hard to differentiate the two of them. The boy had been so light in his arms, Sarot would have sworn with all seriousness he could have tossed Jurot to the sky. ¡®How fast you have grown, little grandnephew.¡¯ Adam sipped his tea, tasting the light taste of strawberry. ¡°So,¡± he said, having waited until Sarot was done with his thoughts, ¡°do you want to hear it?¡± Sarot opened his eyes and stared at the Half Elf. ¡°The tale of how I go my ass beat by Jarot and how I managed to beat Grandaunt?¡± Sarot listened intently, sitting up straight. It was a different kind of listening, for Adam was not a storyteller in the same way that the Iyrmen were storytellers, and he was listening to Adam¡¯s story for another reason entirely. ¡°She was really scary,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I had known I could have faced her as an Expert, I would have done that instead.¡± ¡°To face against my sister, even if she had been kind to you, and beat her, it is a great honour.¡± ¡°Honour?¡± Adam said. ¡°Do you know how scared I was? She was terrifying. Even after fighting her, I still faced against Wahruv, and he was scary too! Why are you Iyrmen such damn monsters?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Lucy agreed. ¡°You Iyrmen are such hunks, why did you have to be so scary too? Why won¡¯t you let me conquer you, damn it?¡± Sarot¡¯s eyes turned to Lucy, and for a moment, they held a darkness, though it quickly disappeared. Adam wrapped an arm around Lucy¡¯s neck and brought her in close. ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. She¡¯s long given up thoughts about conquering the Iyr.¡± ¡°She is a Devilkin,¡± Sarot said. ¡°There are many Devilkin from old who had tried.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no Devilkin,¡± she said, loudly. ¡°I¡¯m a De-¡° Adam squeezed around her neck, cutting her off. ¡°Stop being an idiot, Lucy.¡± Lucy¡¯s nostrils flared and she wrapped her arms around his waist to try and wrestle him down. Athletics Check D20 + 6 = 19 (13) Adam managed to keep himself stuck to Lucy, without her lifting her up to slam him down into the ground. ¡°Devilkin are Devilkin,¡± Sarot said. ¡°You are no doubt a Demon.¡± Adam stared up at the old Iyrman, his brows raised in alarm. ¡°Come on, now. We¡¯re trying to keep that a secret.¡± ¡°It is known,¡± he said, simply. ¡°It is?¡± ¡°Every Iyrman here can tell, and there is no doubt Sir Merry and Sir Royce know as well.¡± ¡°They do?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Granduncle,¡± Jurot correctly. ¡°That¡¯s his son?¡± Adam said, surprised. ¡°Now that I think about it, he did refer to them as his grandnieces.¡± ¡°Uncle Fakrot is Granduncle¡¯s only child,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Grandaunt passed away some time after he was born.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡®Seriously, you have to make it so awkward? Iyrmen, man.¡¯ ¡°Granduncle Tarot has many children,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Five, though one has passed, and two have married out of the family.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who did Jarot marry?¡± ¡°Grandmother,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam shook his head. ¡°Jurot. I¡¯m not that stupid.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. ¡°Grandmother Mulrot.¡± ¡°Yeah, but which family was she from?¡± Jurot tilted his head, for he knew that Adam had already been told. ¡°The Fev family.¡± ¡°Do I know anyone from that family?¡± Adam¡¯s forehead twitched. He was sure he had heard of the family¡¯s name before. ¡°Just grandmother,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Granduncle Tarot¡¯s wife is Grandaunt Otkan¡¯s youngest sister.¡± Adam raised a hand. ¡®Tarot. Jarot¡¯s little brother. Otkan. Otkan¡¯s little sister. Married.¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t used to including their relationship as the title between names, so was finding it slightly difficult to keep track of things. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said. ¡°Really? How did they manage to make a marriage like that go through?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°You guys are already so handsome, how could you also marry into a family like the Kans? This is ridiculous!¡± Lucy, who had been listening casually, perked up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you haven¡¯t introduced me!¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while as the pair fumed. ¡®I am surrounded by idiots.¡¯ ¡°I wonder if I could marry into that family,¡± Lucy wondered aloud. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the Demo-¡° Adam glanced around quickly, before leaning in. ¡°The Demon Lord?¡± he whispered. ¡°So? I bet the children of the Rot and Kan family are going to be at least Gold Rank in terms of hunkiness and strength.¡± ¡°Yeah, but, you¡¯re missing out the most important thing,¡± Adam stated, seriously. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be related to an idiot like you.¡± Health: 65 -> 58 ¡®Idiots,¡¯ Jurot repeated in his mind as Lucy started battering Adam. ¡°Adam, you have not told me about Sir Royce¡¯s fights with the Iyrmen.¡± Jurot had been interested in hearing about the way the Knight of Death fought. The Knight of Death was one of the few Aldish who could clash with Sir Merry, the previous King¡¯s Sword, without losing his life so easily. Sir Royce was known as the greatest Knight of Death to date, especially considering he had managed to face off against Kintalia, the Silver Storm. Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°He didn¡¯t fight at all the past couple of days.¡± ¡°He did not?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°He didn¡¯t. I think I would have noticed if he did.¡± Jurot frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s because of me, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°There¡¯s no way he¡¯d be so petty as to not fight in order not to let me have fun.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°Right?¡± Adam said, suddenly unsure. ¡°Right?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Honestly. I love these kinds of chapters where people just kick it together. I love this dynamic between all three of them. I sure hope nothing happens to them that will forever change their relationship. Thanks for all the support recently. There are going to be double chapters for a while... 224. A Noble Request 224. A Noble Request Omen: 1, 12 Once Jurot had returned, the villagers had become far more kind. However, there were rumours that Sir Harold had also disciplined the others for making Adam work, since he had been there under his hospitality. ¡®Oh, yeah,¡¯ Adam had thought. ¡®I was under his hospitality, wasn¡¯t I?¡¯ He shouldn¡¯t have worked, partly as a favour for the King¡¯s Sword, since it would be a blow against his pride. Charlie approached Adam with a small gem in his hand. ¡°Here.¡± The boy held up the gem to Adam. ¡°What¡¯s...¡± Adam picked it up, squinting his eyes. ¡°Is this a diamond worth three hundred gold?¡± ¡°Harold says that you should have it since you saved my life,¡± the boy said. ¡°He says I was dead but I¡¯m alive cause of you.¡± ¡°Is that what he said?¡± Adam asked. Charlie narrowed his eyes. He had asked Adam in order to confirm it, but the vague response sowed doubt. ¡°Did I die?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just live your life to be happy, alright?¡± Charlie groaned quietly, wondering if he should ask again. However, he decided against it. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Adam nodded his head, pocketing the gem. ¡°Tell Harold that this doesn¡¯t count as the favour.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Sir Harold,¡± the boy replied. ¡°How come you didn¡¯t call him a Sir?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m a boy,¡± Charlie replied, letting our an exasperated sigh, shaking his head as he walked off. ¡°Kids these days.¡± Adam watched as the boy walked away. ¡®You sure are chipper for a kid who lost his gramps a few days ago.¡¯ Adam shook his head. When lunch approached, so did Sir Landon and his two goons. ¡°May we join you this lunch?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡®Should I mess with him?¡¯ Adam thought, before quickly shaking his head of the thoughts. ¡°Of course.¡± He noted how Sir Landon¡¯s expression had darkened for a moment before Adam had invited him in. Jurot was cutting some fruit, not at all bothered by the appearance of the Iyrmen. Lucy frowned, not wanting to sit beside the Nobles, but since Adam had accepted, she shut up and returned to her drink. Sir Landon sat opposite Adam, his Knights flanking him on either side. ¡°Are you still looking for work?¡± ¡°If the pay is good enough, we might be,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you have something for us?¡± ¡°I would like to hire the three of you to act as my Champions for the Noonval Tournament of East Aldland,¡± the Noble said, casually. Lucy¡¯s ears perked up, but she didn¡¯t quite understand what it was. Jurot, on the other hand, had stopped cutting his fruit, and his eyes shot up towards Sir Landon. His jaw was tense, trying to stop the smile from forming on his face. ¡®Someone¡¯s excited,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°That sounds pretty cool, but what is this Noonval Tournament of East Aldland?¡± ¡°It is a tournament which takes place during Noonval in East Aldland, specifically in East Fort,¡± Sir Landon replied. Adam blinked. ¡®This fucking guy, I swear.¡¯ Adam turned to Jurot. ¡°What is this Noonval Tournament of East Aldland.¡± ¡°It is a tournament which is held within East Fort, run by the Nobles of East Aldland. They bring forth Champions who will fight on their behalf. They must be below the age of thirty, and no greater than Bronze Rank. They try to find those who are young and powerful, those who have barely established themselves, who they can take for themselves to work under them.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, understanding the purpose of the tournament from Jurot¡¯s explanation. ¡°I see.¡± He assumed that those who were more experienced would be more troublesome. ¡°What¡¯s the prize?¡± ¡°The prize is-¡° Sir Landon began. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°We did work really hard this Noonval, with a Noble too.¡± Adam shook his head, his mood suddenly sour. He bit into the bread angrily, grumbling as he ate. ¡°I¡¯m not going to spend my Noonval away with another Noble just to get betrayed in the end when I inevitably annoy them. I¡¯m spending the last month of Noonval in the Iyr to celebrate the festival with my adorable little Lanababy. We¡¯re probably going to miss Dawnval¡¯s festival in the Iyr, so we have to go back for Noonval.¡± Jurot nodded. Since Adam had invoked their sister¡¯s name, there was no chance that he would go back. ¡°Then we will return to the Iyr during the last month to rest.¡± Lucy frowned, but only for a moment. ¡®There¡¯s no way the tournament has more hunks than the Iyr. Summer in the Iyr?¡¯ She swallowed quickly, stopping her drool. She didn¡¯t want to look like an idiot in front of Sir Landon. ¡°It is a great honour to participate in the tournament,¡± a Knight said. ¡°You would gain prestige, fame, and gold.¡± ¡°As if I care about that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Prestige and fame? I might need those eventually, but I¡¯m still young. Gold? I¡¯ve got gold, a lot of it, and I can always go around hunting for more gold.¡± Sir Landon clenched his fists tight, annoyed by the Half Elf. ¡®I spent all that gold only for you to refuse me?¡¯ Adam could see that he was annoyed. ¡°If you have something else you need, Sir Landon, I¡¯d be willing to hear what you have in mind. No offence, but Elder Wolves aren¡¯t exactly that exciting for our group.¡± Sir Landon quickly relaxed. ¡®He¡¯s right.¡¯ Adam, Jurot, and Lucy were one hell of a force. Even his Knights could barely compare to any of them. With five powerful Experts, couldn¡¯t he hunt for something far greater than an Elder Wolf? ¡°There is a Twilight Fox nearby,¡± Sir Landon said, after thinking for a long moment. ¡°A Twilight Fox?¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°It is Nightval.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A vicious creature,¡± Sir Landon said, before pausing, waiting for Adam to interrupt. ¡°Small. Foxy. It has a sharp bite, and a tail which could clash with an Iyrman¡¯s blow. The Guild has a request to slay one for two hundred gold, but I will also pay you for its fur.¡± ¡°Is there anything special about its fur?¡± ¡°It is valuable, and gorgeous when it is processed properly,¡± Sir Landon replied. ¡°It is usually gifted to a partner,¡± Jurot said. ¡°How much will you pay us for protecting you and slaying this Twilight Fox?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Five gold each per day for your protection services, and an additional one hundred gold for the fur,¡± Sir Landon replied. ¡°How much is the fur worth?¡± ¡°It is worth that much raw,¡± Sir Landon stated, wondering if Adam was picking a fight. ¡°And processed?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Five hundred or so,¡± Jurot said, since Sir Landon had taken a moment to think. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°That two hundred gold from the guild. How will it be split?¡± ¡°That two hundred gold will be split with your party, I assume to the four of you,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Four of-¡° Adam quickly stopped, glancing aside to Sir Vonda, who had been eating peacefully and silently the entire time. ¡°Right. Then, if you are also willing to pay the Porters five gold a day each as they come with us, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°The Porters?¡± Sir Landon asked, staring at Adam curiously. ¡°Very well?¡± Adam stared at Sir Landon, wondering why he was looking at Adam like that. ¡®Wait. Didn¡¯t we leave them in Ever Green?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam forgetting NPCs. It''ll end up going bad one day... 225. Merry Jurot 225. Merry Jurot ¡°Why did you offer to assist the Noble?¡± Jurot asked, eating a fruit as he stared out at the Iyrmen who worked. He wanted to work too, but being a guest who had been invited to relax under Sir Merry¡¯s name meant he needed to act appropriately. ¡°He spent so much money on getting his revenge against the Elder Wolf, but that was probably only half the reason why he paid so much,¡± Adam replied, taking a bite of a fruit, feeling his tough it was to bite into, and how plain it tasted. ¡®Is this a carrot?¡¯ ¡°He probably wanted to find someone decent to fight for him in the tournament.¡± Jurot remained silent, waiting for Adam to continue. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re asking why I wasn¡¯t so stupid to offend him and leave like I did with Sir Harvey?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve spent a little while thinking about it. I¡¯m pretty intelligent and wise, but I don¡¯t actually act like it.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I need to act my age and not my shoe size, as they say.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help the smile which crept on his face, recalling how many teachers had berated their students with the line. Jurot remained silent, waiting for Adam to continue. ¡°Right, sorry.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°He spent that much gold only for us to refuse him. Plus, I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s annoyed about how I treated him when he started some nonsense with me. I have to remember that Nobles in this world are the same as the Nobles of my world. I had to throw him a bone, especially after disrespecting him so obviously. If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d end up like one of the Knights in the river.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I did not expect you to suddenly gain insight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always had this insight. I just decided that I kind of care about not dying a third time. Sure, maybe I¡¯ll come back again, but...¡± Adam fell silent, shaking his head. He continued to bite into the fruit, which he was certain was actually a vegetable. ¡°I can¡¯t be silly any more, Jurot.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°When will we leave?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, probably,¡± Adam said. Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Then I will inform Sir Merry,¡± Jurot said, standing. ¡°I will claim my right to fight him before I leave.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, watching as the Iyrmen rushed off to go and speak with Sir Harold. Adam let out a small sigh, smiling to himself. ¡®He really is like a little kid sometimes.¡¯ It hadn¡¯t taken long for word to travel through the small village, and soon the town had come together, bringing their drinks and snacks. The Iyrmen had been given their own small section, but many of them sat upon the roofs of the huts and cabins as they would do in the Iyr. Adam accepted a small clay bottle full of fruit wine and some fried bread which was sprinkled with just a touch of sugar. Villagers tapped on drums, and others played flutes, revealing songs which had been passed down through the generations. Jurot wore his magical shield, but held a simple axe in one hand. ¡°I, Jurot son of Surot, will face you! Though my shield is magical, I will not use its magics against you, Sir Merry.¡± ¡°Do as you please, Iyrman,¡± Sir Harold replied, holding a sword with both hands, bowing his head. It was also a fairly simple sword, though it had been newly forged. The village smith had worked hard recently, as some Iyrmen fought without their magical weapons, and Sir Merry would mirror them. He also wore a breastplate over his torso, not wanting to bring his entire armour to face a young Iyrman, though kept his amulet close to his chest. It held the symbol of Aldland, a sword surrounded by rays of light. ¡®What a scary young man,¡¯ Sir Harold thought. ¡®At this rate, I may very well lose.¡¯ Sir Merry didn¡¯t mind losing to the Iyrman, as he was holding back, but that would be unfair to the young man who had assisted him in returning the bodies, and would no doubt be a terrible story to tell. The Iyrmen continued to grunt and hum, nodding their heads as they watched. Sarot¡¯s lips were pulled taut as he struggled not to smile. Jurot was putting on quite a show, and he fought with the Rot family¡¯s techniques, honed to such a high proficiency even at his age. ¡°Jurot, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sir Harold asked, taking a moment to put some distance between them. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot!¡± Jurot declared with a roar, leaping towards Sir Harold, his axe flying through the air. ¡°I need a moment,¡± the retired man chanted, raising his hand towards Jurot casually. His amulet flashed for an instant. Jurot, who was mid leap, disappeared, his roar cut off mid way. It was as though he did not exist. Adam blinked, staring at where Jurot had been. He glanced around, noting the villagers, who rubbed their eyes. The Iyrmen, on the other hand, remained still, watching the scene intently, their eyes burning in the sight of the situation. Sir Royce raised his brows, taking himself away from his drink for a moment. ¡°Ho?¡± ¡°Do not look away, Adam,¡± Sarot said. ¡°You must watch.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes stopped looking about to find Jurot. ¡®Considering how calm the Iyrmen are, there must be something else that¡¯s going on.¡¯ Sir Harold drew his hand across his sword, and following his hand came a gentle white glow. ¡°Jurot, son of Surot, has earned the right to fall under this sword of mine.¡± ¡®You better not mean to death, old man.¡¯ It was a chant for a spell, Adam assumed, for Sir Harold¡¯s sake. The moment the chant was finished, Jurot returned, blinking as he saw the familiar sight of the village appear once again. His shield and axe were still in hand, and he tried to bring his shield up towards Sir Harold¡¯s blade, understanding what had happened to him. Sir Harold¡¯s blade glowed white, but there was something else which had taken to the sword. The blade¡¯s tip and edge were blue and purple, full of great magic. The air around them had changed, revealing the force of the spell. The blade crashed downwards, shattering Jurot¡¯s axe, and it cut across his front Jurot, who had spent his time elsewhere for a moment, had lost his rage. It would had assisted in dealing with most of the blow¡¯s force, though he could feel the assault in his mind ring true, causing his nostrils to fill with blood. . Unfortunately, the rest of the damage from the blade had also pushed through. The Iyrman dropped to his knees, feeling unconsciousness begin to seep into his mind. He panted, trying to call for his rage, trying to earn a few more seconds. ¡°Adam¡¯s blade,¡± Jurot said, coughing up blood. ¡°Is stronger.¡± His eyes rolled back into his skull as he fell forward. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! After rolling for King''s Sword, I realised how broken Adam is with Phantom. 226. Fourth Gate Spells 226. Fourth Gate Spells ¡°Ahahaha!¡± Sir Royce roared with laughter, trying to hold back his tears. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you bullied a boy with your spells!¡± Sarot approached his grandnephew, who had fought well. The Iyrmen clapped, grunting affirmatively towards one another. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, his voice full of magic. ¡°Jurot.¡± Mana: 18 -> 16 Spell: Healing Word 2D3 + 3 = 6 (1, 2) Jurot twitched back to life, grunting in pain as he rolled over onto his back. He looked up to his granduncle, his eyes confused, trying to recall what had happened in the past few seconds as the memories came rushing back to him. Quest Complete: Merry Jurot XP Gained: +100 XP: 4650 -> 4750 ¡®Oh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Cool.¡¯ Jurot eventually stood up, inhaling deeply, flexing his muscles as he felt the ache within his wounds. He realised quietly he needed to be patched up. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jurot said, nodding to the older man. Sir Harold bowed his head. ¡°It was my pleasure, son of Surot.¡± Jurot let out a near joyful snort, trying to hide his smile, before he returned back to Adam. He was still bleeding from his front, which was causing him to grow paler. ¡°Uh,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on the Iyrman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You should take a seat.¡± As Adam began to chant for the spell again, Jurot shook the Half Elf. ¡°No,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°I would like to keep the scar.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Iyrmen,¡± he grumbled, but left Jurot be. Jurot sat down and began to work on dressing his wounds, a villager bringing him a kit to deal with his wounds. ¡°That was quite the fight,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sir Harold is no joke.¡± Jurot nodded his head. Sir Royce continued to laugh at his companion. ¡°Have you grown that old? I didn¡¯t expect you to use those spells against a boy. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed, Harry?¡± Sir Harold set to bandaging his own thigh, all the while the Iyrmen were beginning to swarm their youngster who had fought so well. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t used those spells, he would have been able to beat me,¡± Sir Harold said. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be such a sore loser.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you when you complained about the Half Elf for so long,¡± Sir Harold replied. ¡°You should remember who he is. An Iyrman youth like him, he wanted to face me at my strongest, to obtain a scar he could show off. He¡¯ll be able to show off quite a lot to the others.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Sir Royce said. ¡°You had to use Banishment and that Smite of yours. What was it called?¡± ¡°If I had known I was facing against that kind of Barbarian, I would have prayed for Wrathful Smite.¡± Sir Harold sighed. ¡°To think I had to use two Fourth Gate spells against a boy like him.¡± ¡°Ah, he¡¯s one of those,¡± Sir Royce said. ¡°I did wonder why you had to use those spells against him.¡± ¡°If he was still fuelled by his rage, he would have been able to stand even after that blow,¡± Harold said. Royce looked to Harold, raising his brow. ¡°Really?¡± That blow would have killed any normal man, and even an Expert would have had trouble taking the blow. Harold had used so many Mana Streams for the last attack. Harold bowed his head, finishing with dressing his wound. ¡°That boy is probably a candidate to become a Great Elder.¡± ¡®A Great Elder,¡¯ Royce thought, looking to Jurot. ¡®I met the boy once before, but he was much weaker back then.¡¯ ¡°When I last met him, he was still years away from becoming an Expert. I don¡¯t think he was being groomed either.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Harold asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Royce said, his eyes falling to the Half Elf. ¡°He might be more dangerous than we thought.¡± ¡°The Iyr has always been fortunate,¡± Harold said. ¡°If he is part of their fortune, we shouldn¡¯t act so easily.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t it be fun?¡± Royce asked. ¡°Spending the last of our days being hunted by Iyrmen? They¡¯ll give us a good death.¡± ¡°No,¡± Harold said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound very fun at all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on marrying any time soon,¡± Adam said. ¡°How many times have you been asked?¡± The Iyrman laughed, caught red handed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ten? Maybe more? Jarot asked half the time.¡± ¡°Jarot? Your grandfather?¡± ¡°Granduncle Sarot¡¯s brother,¡± Adam said. ¡°After I beat Wahruv, he asked too.¡± ¡°So we were already refused.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name anyhow?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sahruv,¡± the old Iyrman said. ¡°Wahruv¡¯s grandfather is my elder brother.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, placing Sarot and Sahruv together. ¡®What a coincidence. Was Sa a popular name during their generation?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard,¡± Sahruv said, chuckling. ¡°Are any of the Family Elders or Heads here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It seems to be the younger siblings.¡± ¡°Those who come here are those who had been passed for the Family Elder and Head positions for one reason or another,¡± Sahruv said. ¡°Those positions are not the kind we can shirk just for the opportunity to face Sir Merry.¡± ¡°I see a few younger fellows, well, you know,¡± Adam said, looking to the Iyrmen who were in their mid thirties or so. ¡°We¡¯ve allowed some of our youth to come and face Sir Merry and Sir Royce,¡± Sahruv said. ¡°It will be good for their future, and for some, it is to assist in raising their glory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a complicated thing,¡± Adam said. ¡°Some of them harbour ill thoughts. Some of them believe they have no glory, others believe they will not amount to any in the future, and so they lose their burning heart.¡± Sahruv frowned. ¡°It is our responsibility to make sure that they do not lose sight of what is important.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more complicated,¡± Adam said. ¡°Glory is great and all, but it¡¯s not really anything I like.¡± ¡°Even you fight for glory, young man.¡± ¡°Nah,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I did, I¡¯d fight in the East Noonval Tournament.¡± ¡°The Noonval Tournament of East Aldland?¡± Sahruv asked. ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m not so good with names.¡± Sahruv chuckled. ¡°You are part of an Iyrman family. You should work hard to make sure you remember such things.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s important, I¡¯ll remember it,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°You have been invited to fight in it?¡± Sahruv asked. ¡°I¡¯ve refused,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to return to the Iyr for the festival,¡± Adam said. ¡°What is first place in a tournament in comparison to spending time with my... family.¡± Adam has stopped the cringe before it had slipped out of his mouth. ¡®Do I really want to live my life without mentioning my adorable sister once? I can have at least a little cringe, can¡¯t I?¡¯ ¡°Do you think first place is easy?¡± Sahruv asked. ¡°First place is a breeze,¡± Adam said. ¡°As long as I don¡¯t have to face any Iyrmen.¡± ¡°There will be at least a handful of Iyrmen participating in the tournament,¡± Sahruv said. ¡°All the more as to why I shouldn¡¯t participate then,¡± Adam said. Sahruv laughed again. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! After rolling for King''s Sword, I realised how broken Adam is with Phantom. Wait. Why is this coming out so soon? 227. Noble History 227. Noble History ¡°You tried to steal him away from us?¡± Sarot asked, offering Sahruv some wine. ¡°How can I steel a man as resolute as him?¡± Sahruv asked, sipping the wine slowly. ¡°They say he is fond of his little sister,¡± Sarot said. ¡°What kind of...¡± Sahruv stopped, understanding that his joke had gone too far as he said it. ¡°He is a sentimental young man.¡± ¡°Too sentimental some might say,¡± Sarot replied. ¡°He reminds so much of my elder brother, I cannot help but think he holds the same blood as me.¡± ¡°Perhaps he does?¡± ¡°It does not matter if he does. Since my dear niece has adopted him into the family, who am I to refuse?¡± ¡°Is she the Head?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sarot said. ¡°Then let us drink to your niece¡¯s wisdom,¡± Sahruv called, laughing as they drank together. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, once Jurot was free from all the Iyrmen and villagers who had come to speak with him. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, his face full of content, just like Lucy, who was still digesting the sight of seeing Harold and Jurot fight. ¡°Good,¡± Adam said, sitting down beside his brother. ¡°We¡¯ll probably be heading out tomorrow.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Any time.¡± He had already refused the gratitude, but since Jurot was forcing him to accept, he decided he may as well. ¡°May I drink with you?¡± Sir Vonda asked, approaching the trio. Adam motioned to an empty seat, allowing her to sit. ¡°Did you enjoy the fight?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°It was quite the sight. Though I have fought beside you all, I didn¡¯t expect Jurot to hold such great strength.¡± ¡°He hasn¡¯t had to face anything to truly reveal his abilities,¡± Adam said. ¡°What¡¯s the worst we faced? Nude peasants and an Elder Wolf?¡± ¡°Elder Wolves are powerful,¡± she said. ¡°In some ways, I guess,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. Sir Vonda shook her head gently. ¡°You should be careful, Adam. Arrogance leads to a great fall.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said, before quickly sitting up. ¡°I mean, thank you for your concern, Sir Vonda.¡± Sir Vonda stared at him, taken aback by his sudden change of demeanour. ¡°It is fine,¡± she said. ¡°I have come to speak with you about the matter of the Twilight Fox.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I must refuse participation within it,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡± Adam asked. Sir Vonda stared at him, wondering if he was joking. ¡°Sir Vonda is a Priest of Life,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We are going to hunt a Twilight Fox.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°I suppose that makes sense. Well, you had to watch as we killed a bunch of Wolves and stuff, so I shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°Once you return, I hope to join you once again,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°Alright. It¡¯ll be quite lonely without someone who can speak sense, but I suppose I¡¯ll have to make do.¡± Sir Vonda smiled behind her scarf. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°Even that boy didn¡¯t know,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s what started the fight. Well, since I don¡¯t want to break our relationship whilst we¡¯re in dangerous territory, full of weather which aims to kill us, let¡¯s just leave it here.¡± ¡°The Iyr is merely land gifted to the Iyrmen,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°A trade.¡± Adam coughed, trying to stop himself from laughing. Unfortunately, Lucy wasn¡¯t quite as thoughtful. ¡°What?¡± She started to giggle wildly. ¡°Did you hear what he said?¡± ¡°Lucy, leave it,¡± Adam said. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t know about the history of his land, he doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re speaking poorly of a Noble,¡± a Knight said. ¡°That is dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as dangerous as thinking the Iyr is part of your Kingdom when it is its own sovereign nation.¡± Adam stopped himself from saying any more. ¡°I don¡¯t want history to repeat itself, from us chatting about the Blackwater Crisis, and it happening again to teach this land a lesson it should have learned long ago.¡± ¡°The Blackwater Crisis?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that prove my point? It was during that war the Iyr was gifted their lands, in assistance to helping facing the three wars which erupted against the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Three wars?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re talking about the Second Blackwater Crisis, with Brandon the Bold?¡± ¡°The Second Blackwater Crisis?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°There was a crisis before that which had befallen the Kingdom, about fifty years before.¡± ¡°Fifty years before? You mean when the Iyr broke the truce and struck the Kingdom?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°The Iyr didn¡¯t break the truce,¡± Adam replied, simply. He had noted how Jurot had become tense, even letting out an angry breath. ¡°The King back then broke the truce by killing an Iyrman. After that, there was a war, and the Kingdom was beaten black and blue. Then they ended up needing the Iyr to help them get back the throne.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gathered you¡¯re quite the joker, Adam,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Jurot, why don¡¯t you tell them the story in the evening?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aldland seems to have forgotten the tale,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Iyr has not.¡± Sir Landon shook his head. ¡°Your Iyr isn¡¯t as great as you think it is. If the King knows that the Iyr considers itself separate, there may be war.¡± ¡°The King knows the Iyr is separate,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is why he cannot call for as many Iyrmen as he pleases during the wars he declares. It is why the Iyrmen can move unmolested through Aswadia.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not quite unmolested.¡± ¡°It is why your King gave up the claim to the awakened forest,¡± Jurot stated, simply. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the awakened forest,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°You are merely protectors, assigned to it by the King.¡± ¡°You may tell me when the King dared to take its resources,¡± Jurot said, bluntly. ¡°I will be awaiting the news. The entire Iyr will be awaiting the news.¡± ¡°You dare to-¡° Sir Landon raised a hand, stopping his Knight¡¯s outburst. What he said was obviously incorrect, but it was incorrect to the history he was told. ¡°The Iyr has its history, and we have our own. If the Iyr considers itself a separate territory, then it is a matter for the diplomats to deal with. Your words may be seen as treason, Iyrman. Allow me at least to warn you.¡± ¡°Let us see if your King tries me for treason,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The last time an Iyrman was charged for treason, Aldland almost lost its King,¡± Adam warned. ¡°You should have seen it, back in the village. All those Iyrmen-¡° An arrow flew through the air, cutting Adam off. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! How rude. Who dares to interrupt Adam as he puts his foot into his mouth? Wait. Why is this coming out so soon? New meme! 228. Silver Strider 228. Silver Strider Emerging from the trees came something Adam hadn¡¯t expected. It wore a breastplate across its chest, made of metal which was silvery blue. At its centre was a symbol, a tree, one with fruits in the shape of stars. However, that wasn¡¯t the strangest thing about the being. With long antlers on its head, a skull which covered it¡¯s face, and a lower half which matched Zeus, it was something Adam had never seen before. It carried in its hand a long bow, and strapped to its waist was a blade. ¡®Oh, damn it,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I forgot to summon Zeus.¡¯ ¡°Begone vile creature!¡± the Elk Centaur demanded, it¡¯s voice screeching throughout the forest, causing even the trees to shudder. The Knights had drawn their weapons, but Sir Landon had raised his hand. ¡°Declare yourself at once!¡± ¡°This is no matter of yours, son of man,¡± it replied, holding its bow tight in one hand, its other hand resting against the blade at its side. The blade was a short blade, but seeing its design, Adam couldn¡¯t help but think it was magical, for it glowed even with the Nightval sun barely falling upon them. ¡°What¡¯s your problem with me?¡± Lucy asked, gripping her Destroyer in hand. From the moment it had appeared, its eyes were glued to Lucy, and not once did they pull away from her. ¡°You! Demon!¡± it screeched once more, the trees still shaking. ¡°Begone! Begone vile creature of death and destruction! We will not share this forest with you!¡± ¡®God damn it,¡¯ Adam thought, before raising a hand to Lucy. ¡°Relax, Lucy.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what this creature was, but it seemed powerful, considering it had come so eagerly to meet them. The creature drew its blade, which glowed blue and white. Lucy narrowed her eyes towards the sword. ¡°Holysteel,¡± Jurot warned. Adam slowly nodded his head, understanding how serious the situation was. ¡°How about we talk this out?¡± ¡°Talk? Talk?¡± it asked, screeching once more, its voice beginning to echo, as though an unholy choir was chanting along with it. ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A Guard,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They do not come out unless it is important.¡± ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound good,¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the creature. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it cool, yeah? Isn¡¯t it Nightval?¡± The creature turned to face Adam, cocking its head towards him. Adam could see its eyes now, which matched the colour of fresh steel. ¡°Do not stop...¡± The creature fell silent, staring at Adam. Adam was a Half Elf, a Fae, just like it. Yet, there was something else about Adam, something strange. Something foreign.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Just like her. It shifted its position, moving two steps to the side, and a step back, so now that both Adam and Lucy were within its sights. ¡°What are you?¡± it asked, staring at the pair of them. ¡°You are not of this land.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t give away all our secrets, buddy. You don¡¯t see Jurot here spilling all your secrets in front of everyone, do you?¡± It snarled at Adam, snorting through its nostrils. The skull hid most of its face, but it no doubt held a vaguely human face, just like himself. ¡°Do you speak the good tongue?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do not besmirch the good tongue,¡± it snarled back in Aldish. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°Alright, jeez,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Calm down before we put you down.¡± The Noble waited, but Jurot turned, leading them further forward. Sir Landon understood that Jurot wasn¡¯t going to tell him. ¡°So, what does it Guard?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°It is not a story I can tell you.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Adam stared at Jurot¡¯s back, but allowed him his secrets. That was the way it worked. Jurot would leave Adam his secrets, and Adam would leave Jurot his secrets. Though, if it were his own secret, Jurot would have told him. This was not his secret, however. ¡°Damn,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you stopped me from fighting it.¡± ¡°Leave the Silver Strider be,¡± Jurot said, his tone carrying the authority of an Iyrman. ¡°There is no good which comes from fighting it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good fight?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect an Iyrman to run from a good fight.¡± ¡°It is a good fight,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Adam has requested for us to live.¡± Lucy stared at Jurot. ¡°Is it that strong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°It guards its realm,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°When its realm is threatened, its realm will come for us. Do you wish to save Mary, or do you wish to die before it?¡± Lucy grumbled quietly, but allowed Jurot his peace, and allowed the matter to end there. ¡°How strong is it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is an Expert,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°So about as strong as us?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°So we don¡¯t really have to worry about it too much.¡± Jurot did not nod. Eventually the group found a place to sleep in the night, and Jurot cooked using their rations. He brought out a cracker and some cheese he had received from Ever Green some days ago, which was ageing whilst they travelled. ¡°Have you ever met a Silver Strider before?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°They do not appear easily.¡± Adam shared a look with Lucy. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t bother us too much. We¡¯ll get in, do our job, get out. Will it bother us for the Twilight Fox?¡± ¡°I do not believe so.¡± Jurot looked up to the sky, watching the stars. ¡®Am I cursed to be unable to fight it?¡¯ He smiled. ¡®No. What is a Silver Strider compared to Sir Merry?¡¯ He ate his cracker and cheese merrily. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! This Silver Strider better not act up. 229. The Twilight Fox 229. The Twilight Fox Omen: 2, 8 ¡°So, how are we meant to find this Twilight Fox anyhow?¡± Adam asked as they continued to trek through the snowy forest. ¡°It will appear in the night, most likely in front of us as we will be within its domain,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°That¡¯s convenient.¡± ¡°It is a powerful creature,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It will test us to see if it can kill one of us, and if it cannot, it will leave as quickly as it appears.¡± ¡°So I gotta nuke it? Got it.¡± Jurot assumed Adam meant he was going to go all out in the beginning to take it out right away. ¡®Newk?¡¯ Sir Landon and the Knights sometimes exchanged a few words between one another, the young Noble sometimes growing bored of the silence. He did not speak to the others, though, leaving them to their own conversations. Adam could still feel it, the eyes of the Silver Strider, which came from an unseen place. ¡°I don¡¯t like that it can see us and we can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°Leave it to its business, and it will leave us to ours,¡± Jurot said. They continued to journey until the late afternoon, where they set up camp. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sir Landon asked. ¡°I was going to summon my tower,¡± Adam said. ¡°I saved my Mana this morning so I could cast it at least once.¡± ¡°We will need your magic against it.¡± ¡°I know, but I can spare this,¡± Adam said. ¡°We won¡¯t need a Third Gate spell to deal with it.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Sir Landon stared at the Half Elf, who constantly annoyed him to no end. Adam smiled. ¡°Have you forgotten how quickly I dispatched your Knight?¡± Sir Landon narrowed his eyes, but nodded his head. ¡°Very well. However, if we cannot hunt the Twilight Fox because of you, I will warn the Guild of this matter.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°If we fail this, we¡¯ll find something less troublesome to hunt. You¡¯ve seen how good we are.¡± ¡°We will see if you are good enough.¡± Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Adam¡¯s Tower Lucy, with Destroyer in hand, swung down towards the Twilight Fox, her Destroyer suddenly aflame as she tried to cut the creature in half. However, their eyes met, and Lucy froze, still as a statue. She hadn¡¯t the chance to fall into her rage, as the Twilight Fox had come upon her so quickly, and her eyes turned glassy as she looked to another time. Her lips formed a small smile, her face gentle as she welcomed the embrace of Mary. As the Knights darted forward to attack the Twilight Fox, it spun quickly, becoming a wheel, and its tail slashed across Lucy¡¯s front. Its tail had somehow managed to cut through Lucy¡¯s flesh as though the Demon girl was made of paper. The snow turned red as Lucy¡¯s blood splattered across it, though a boot stamped across it as the Knights leapt forward into action. ¡°Lucy!¡± Adam shouted, having charged forward. Lucy was still alive, her eyes still unfocused as they remained staring at another time. ¡°Come here!¡± A Knight roared, as the Twilight Fox leapt over Lucy, and darted around. The Knights, with their years of training, managing glancing blows against its tail, which it used to partly deflect the delectable magical steel away. It was ghostly quiet as it moved, and save for the sounds of their movement and grunted of effort as they clashed with it, there were no sounds within the forest. Sir Landon tried to step forward to attack, but understood he was out of his depths, so raised his sword up defensively. However, his actions soon proved to be far more dangerous, as the The Twilight Fox¡¯s eyes fell to him. He was the weakest link, it gathered. Lucy hadn¡¯t died to its attacks, which had slain almost everyone it met, meaning she was quite tough. This fellow, on the other hand, was surely someone that would die instantly, and it would be able to drain the Noble¡¯s blood so eagerly. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 8 = 19 (11) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) Critical hit! Phantom: 3 -> 2 Mana: 18 -> 15 2D6 + 8D6 + 8D6 + 6 = 81 (4, 4)(2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6)(3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) 81 damage! The Twilight Fox continued to bounce about, dodging and weaving through the group with grace, darting towards Sir Landon, wanting to taste his flesh. The Twilight Fox needed only a moment to kill him, and another to sip his blood. As it did, however, an axe blurred across its neck, cutting it clean through. Its head dropped down beside the man¡¯s feet, and its body slammed against Sir Landon¡¯s armour, before skidding across the snow and striking a tree beside him. Adam, who had spent a moment to focus himself, had swung his axe down ahead of it, towards where it was going to be. The axe had appeared from its blind spot, its greedy eyes glued to Sir Landon, its most precious meal. Just like that, as quickly as it had appeared, it had left. ¡°Well,¡± Adam said, staring at the bisected form of the Twilight Fox. ¡°That was easy.¡± Even Jurot, who was usually first to move, had not reacted. He had left the matter to Adam, trusting that the Half Elf could kill it, since he had promised to newk it. Adam¡¯s eyes snapped to Lucy, who was still within her daze, staring out ahead of her with joy. It was a joy Adam hadn¡¯t seen before, a joy which was not faked to keep herself from being swallowed by the abyss. ¡°Is she okay?¡± Adam asked, before Jurot roared behind him, and he turned back, only to watch as something blurred in front of him. It was the shaft of an arrow, which caught his eye. He didn¡¯t blink, instead watching as it shot forward, striking Lucy¡¯s horn, before it exploded with light. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Okay. It''s time. 230. Strider Disarmed 230. Strider Disarmed The arrow exploded into light, forcing Lucy to a knee, blood pouring out the side of her face. Her eyes became focused one more as she blinked away whatever had taken her mind, before her eyes snapped to the Silver Strider. ¡°I must deal with the spawn of evil!¡± it cried, drawing its sword as it clashed against Jurot¡¯s axe, who had leapt into action the moment it let loose the arrow. ¡°Stand aside, son of the Iyr!¡± Lucy snarled, turning on her heel as she charged towards it. With Destroyer gripped tightly, she swung her greataxe with all her strength, forcing the Silver Strider further back. ¡°Bastard!¡± Lucy roared, her flaming axe swinging down towards the Silver Strider. They clashed, but the creature stumbled back from the heft of the blow. ¡°How dare you go for my precious horns! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Taking the onslaught of both the Iyrman and the Demon, the Silver Strider crashed against a tree, blade shaking in its throbbing hand. ¡°Vile spawn! I will sla-¡° Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 15 (6) D20 + 9 = 17 (8) Miss! Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 19 (4) D20 + 9 = 18 (9) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 12 1D6 + 1D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 20 (2)(5)(2, 5) 20 damage! There had been many mistakes the Silver Strider had made. One of those mistakes was bullying Lucy for being a Demon when she was minding her own business. One of those mistakes was making a deal with an Iyrman and breaking it by shooting Lucy¡¯s face. One of those mistakes was being born. The Silver Strider had gone to lunge for Lucy with its blade, but found that the blade had dropped to its side. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said, clenching his axe tight in his hand, hearing the arm drop beside his food. ¡°I was getting sick and tired of your shit.¡± Adam¡¯s vision had clouded, his forehead pulsed as the anger flowed through his veins. ¡°Did your parents never teach you not to strike a woman¡¯s face?¡± Adam asked, his voice low, trying to contain his anger. ¡°Since you were being a cun-¡° Adam swallowed, feeling the resistance his throat gave to him. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Jurot stared at Adam, whose eyes were fixated on the Silver Strider. The Half Elf¡¯s face was twitching, and even Lucy, who had been ready and eager to slaughter the Silver Strider, paused long enough for her rage to fade, though she continued to hold her greataxe tight in hand. ¡°You broke our deal,¡± Adam said, eventually. ¡°If that¡¯s how you and your kind work, that¡¯s fine. If it wasn¡¯t for Jurot¡¯s insistence we should leave you alive, I would have killed you.¡± Mana: 12 -> 9 Spell: Healing Word 3D3 + 3 = 9 (1, 2, 3) ¡°Lucy, would you mind stepping back?¡± Adam asked, his axe still gripped tight in hand. The words were a chant for his magic, which healed Lucy¡¯s wounds across her body, barely closing the wound at her forehead. Lucy groaned, remaining still for a moment. She was still angry, but seeing that the Silver Strider¡¯s arm had been cut, she pulled away. ¡°You would let her-¡° ¡°Who said you could speak?¡± Adam asked, raising his axe towards the Silver Strider¡¯s neck. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission. Jurot, did you hear me give them permission?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, staring down at the Silver Strider. ¡°If you kill me-¡° Adam pressed his axe deeper against the creature¡¯s neck, drawing blood. ¡°You have a problem listening, don¡¯t you? How about I take off that helmet and cut off one of those ears?¡± The Silver Strider¡¯s steel eyes rapidly filled with fear, and it swallowed. ¡°Good,¡± Adam said, having heard nothing escape from its lips. He glanced towards Jurot. ¡°We made a deal and it broke it, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mana: 7 -> 6 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°That better?¡± Adam asked, having healed her with the lowest roll twice. ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± She kept wincing, though didn¡¯t feel quite as terrible. ¡°Did you save some for the tower?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ll heal better in the tower, I think.¡± Lucy nodded her head. They returned back to Sir Landon and the Knights, who had picked up the Twilight Fox, and had watched the Half Elf torture the Silver Strider silently. ¡®How many spells does he have?¡¯ Sir Landon thought, trying to count how many times he had used his spells. ¡®He should have run out already.¡¯ Victory! Twilight Fox XP Gained: +150 Victory! Silver Strider XP Gained: +300 ¡°Come,¡± Jurot said, after confirming they had picked up the Twilight Fox, before following the trail back to the tower. ¡°We should leave this area.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t travel for far, can we?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it best to stay here, with the tower?¡± Jurot slowly bowed his head. ¡°It will be equally as dangerous regardless of where we are as long as we are in this forest after what we have done.¡± ¡°I hope the forest is grateful we showed mercy,¡± Adam said. ¡°I still have quite some spirit left in me.¡± Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 5 = 15 (3, 3) Health: 51 -> 65 Jurot still wanted to leave, but Adam was right. Even if they travelled the entire night, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference, so they should remain here to rest. The Iyrman began to butcher the Twilight Fox, allowing them each to eat the smallest portion of meat. The fur was given to Sir Landon, but he held up a tiny gem, the size of a pea. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked, staring at the pea. It was dark, but there were small flecks of colour within it. ¡°It¡¯s core,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°The deal did not mention a core.¡± ¡°So?¡± Adam asked, turning to look at Sir Landon. ¡°How do we split the core?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right that the deal didn¡¯t mention it,¡± he said. ¡°The deal was that we hunt the Twilight Fox, you pay us for the fur,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sounds like we get to keep the core.¡± ¡°Will you surrender it?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I will allow you to keep it,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°I hope that you remember such a favour, for I may have use for you in the future.¡± ¡°You may certainly place forward a request for assistance,¡± Adam replied, in the same way the Noble had to Jurot¡¯s use of surrender. ¡°We will see if we are willing to assist you.¡± ¡°Allowing you to keep the core is no small favour,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Indeed,¡± Adam replied. ¡°So if you do have a request for our service, I will certainly hear it out.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I will not apologise for the joke. 231. One Of Those 231. One Of Those The journey back to the village was swift, and disappointingly uneventful. They had travelled through the forest, feeling a number of eyes against them, but nothing had come to slow their journey. ¡°Well,¡± Adam said. ¡°That was easy.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself.¡± Lucy rubbed her horn, feeling the ridge which had formed from the arrow. ¡°My beautiful baby, how could someone hurt you so bad.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we buff it out?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Buff it out?¡± Lucy glared daggers towards him. ¡°I¡¯ll buff your ears out.¡± Adam¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°I don¡¯t know how horns work. I¡¯m not as horny as you.¡± She narrowed her eyes at him, but let the comment be. They had managed to return to the village within a day¡¯s journey, though they had become exhausted after speeding up so eagerly. Luckily, Zeus had been quite the help on the way back, allowing them to travel quicker. ¡°You have returned,¡± Sarot said, welcoming back his grandnephews. ¡°Was it fruitful?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Will you tell me the story?¡± They settled for the night, with Jurot telling his granduncle the story while Adam bathed before passing out. ¡°A Silver Strider?¡± Sarot asked, rubbing his chin. ¡°The matter should not escalate considering their actions.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I do not know if Fate¡¯s Golden will be able to travel that path again.¡± ¡°You should avoid it for now,¡± Sarot said, ruffling Jurot¡¯s hair. ¡°Will the core be given to the Iyr as Iytax?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°No?¡± Sarot asked, raising his brow. He didn¡¯t expect Jurot to deny it. It would have brought him a great amount of honour if he handed the core over. ¡°I do not have it.¡± Jurot replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Then who has it?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Sarot thought about what he knew of Adam. ¡®Since Adam is Jurot¡¯s brother, then there should be no issue.¡¯ He wondered what kind of enchanted weapon Adam would make with a Twilight Fox core. Omen: 7, 11 Adam groaned as he awoke in the morning. He kept a blanket wrapped around him as he sipped his tea, which warmed him up. ¡°I am glad you have returned safely,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°I wished to meet you last night, but I thought you should rest.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Adam replied, sipping some more tea. ¡°I was really tired. Exhausted, one might say.¡± He chuckled at his little joke. ¡°How did it go? Poorly?¡± she asked. ¡°No, it went quite well,¡± Adam said. ¡°You killed it?¡± she asked. Adam nodded. ¡°Then it went poorly.¡± She smiled a sad smile before her scarf. ¡°Well, if it makes you feel any better, there was a creature which had attacked us but we left it alive,¡± Adam said.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°You did?¡± Vonda stared at the Half Elf. ¡°That is wonderful news.¡± ¡®It seems he¡¯s been doing some thinking,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®He¡¯s caught on quick.¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure if Sir Landon was an ally yet, but he certainly didn¡¯t seem like a foe. ¡°Should we be moving so quickly?¡± Fred asked. ¡°We might miss danger.¡± ¡°What would dare threaten us between the village and Ever Green?¡± Jurot stated, completely relaxed as they travelled the path. ¡°Sir Merry¡¯s presence has put pressure on anything powerful enough to lay claim to the area.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Fred said, remaining to himself. The walls of Ever Green welcomed them in the evening, Sir Landon paying for their gate fee as they entered. ¡°What a nice guy,¡± Adam said. Sir Landon still wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was trying to pick a fight with him, but nodded his head and left it be. Quest Complete: Slay Twilight Fox +150XP XP: 5200 -> 5350 Stamps Gained: +1 Stamps: 6 -> 7 ¡®I should really spend that XP, otherwise I¡¯ll be dying with a spare level in my back pocket.¡¯ ¡°Did you by any chance pick up a Twilight Fox core?¡± Barks asked when they were alone. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are you willing to sell it to the Guild?¡± ¡°I would prefer to keep it,¡± Adam said. Barks sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a Nightval Bear core?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s been snooping on my file, eh?¡± Adam said. He had expected they kept detailed notes on him, and he wondered how that worked. ¡°No snoopery, young man. I am a Guild Worker, and it is within my right to know about the Adventurers.¡± ¡°Mhmm,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hope that news of my abilities remains between the Guild and I.¡± Barks chuckled, leaning back in his chair. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be in business if we spilled the secrets of every Adventurer.¡± ¡°Not every Adventurer, but a few key Adventurers,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Only those with certain access can obtain your information.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got that kind of access?¡± ¡°Been a Guild Worker for decades,¡± Barks said. ¡°I have about as much access as your Vice Master.¡± ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t expect that,¡± Adam said. ¡°I just thought you were a friendly old man.¡± ¡°I am a friendly old man.¡± Barks chuckled again. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry about little ol¡¯ me.¡± ¡°Are you secretly a bad ass Adventurer who retired after his lover died in your arms?¡± Adam asked. ¡°My story isn¡¯t quite so obvious,¡± Barks said. ¡°I was an Adventurer, for a little while. I reached Bronze rank in five years and retired to become a Guild Worker.¡± ¡°So quickly?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I found myself a big fat pile o¡¯ loot,¡± Barks said. ¡°Most beautiful thing I ever saw. Gold coins, platinum coins, even bars. Pile o¡¯ magical weapons and armour, just there for the taking. Brought it back to the Guild, sold most of it off, split it with the party, joined the Guild so no one slit my throat for the gold.¡± ¡°A wise decision,¡± Adam said. ¡°Wisest I ever made.¡± Barks stared at Adam. ¡°You thought about retiring? You don¡¯t need to go about in this dangerous world. You¡¯ve got the skills, the connections.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I think about it more than you know,¡± he admitted. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve got promises to keep.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Barks said. ¡°You¡¯re one of those.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m one of those.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! More double chapters still. Thanks to all the new patrons! I almost have 25, which might kill me with all the chapters I need to write and put out. 232. Back To Red Oak 232. Back To Red Oak "Gold. Gold. So lovely. So beautiful.¡± Lucy hummed to herself as she played with her gems. She had started off with nearly nothing, and had quickly gained herself hundreds of gold coins. ¡°That Noble guy pays well.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not hope for an easy pay day like that again,¡± Adam said, sipping some tea. ¡°We¡¯ll have to actually work hard.¡± Lucy groaned. ¡°Let¡¯s find another piggy bank Noble to take all their coin.¡± Adam threw a look to Vonda. ¡°She¡¯s just joking.¡± ¡°No I¡¯m not.¡± The group had reconvened in a room which the Guild provided to allow Adventurers to speak with their party members privately. Adam hadn¡¯t explored the Guild much, so had no idea they provided such a service. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway. I think it would behoove us us to...¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that the right word? Behoove? I hate talking like this.¡± ¡°Then stop it,¡± Lucy said. ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°It is cringe,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I need to speak in a proper fashion so that we aren¡¯t looked down upon,¡± Adam said. ¡°We are an Iyrman, a Devilkin, and a Half Elf,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Even if we were not Adventurers, we would be looked down upon in this land.¡± ¡°Really? From the looks of it, the Iyrmen aren¡¯t looked down upon much.¡± ¡°Much. Do not forget Woodknight Dorian and Sir Landon, who have learnt a particular type of history.¡± ¡°Who the hell is Woodknight Dorian?¡± Adam asked, furrowing his brows. The name seemed to familiar to him, and filled him with a morsel of annoyance. ¡°He joined us with Sir Harvey. He was the young Knight who began to cause trouble with you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°That guy.¡± ¡°You had forgotten?¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember every loser I beat.¡± ¡°You did not beat him,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I didn¡¯t? That doesn¡¯t sound like me.¡± ¡°Vice Master Paul dealt with the matter.¡± Adam snapped his fingers. ¡°Oh yeah. I remember now.¡± Jurot stared at the Half Elf. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I remember him being weird about me, and I vaguely remember him talking poorly of the Iyr. I guess you¡¯re right. In comparison to how people treat me, the Iyrmen are well loved, mostly.¡± ¡°North Aldland treats the Iyrmen quite well, though Red Oak is best,¡± Jurot said. ¡°South Aldland is usually fine.¡± ¡°I remember that time we went to that inn, out there in the wild,¡± Adam said. ¡°They were pretty terrible too.¡± ¡°That is just how it is in the wild.¡± ¡°They had their own little operation going too,¡± Adam said. ¡°On top of that hill, with their own little village and everything.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°It is not so far from here.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head as he recalled it. ¡°We came to Ever Green right after, I remember now. ¡°What¡¯s her name? Bertha, right? The cook?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°You remember that much?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t forget a name like Bertha,¡± Adam said, spending half a moment in a day dream about his own little castle and inn. ¡°Or a name like Pam.¡± ¡°Whose Pam?¡± Lucy asked, eating some bread. ¡°Jurot. What do your Iyrmen eyes see?¡± Adam asked, trying to keep a straight face. ¡°Tribesfolk,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°They will come close, see we are Bronze, and leave.¡± The Tribesfolk, who melded to the snow with their cloaks of white, did exactly as Jurot had foretold. They slipped somewhat close, a hundred metres away, causing the party to stop and wait, before the Tribesfolk slipped away. ¡°How did you know?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is too dangerous for them to face Experts. The price of facing against Bronze Rank Adventurers is too high.¡± ¡°What are Tribesfolk exactly?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them before.¡± ¡°Tribesfolk are those who are not under the official rule of the Kingdom,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°There are many who live deep in the wilds,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°No matter the country, there are those who deny the rule of the official rulers, remaining in their small, secluded villages.¡± ¡°It is too costly to conquer,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Previous Kings have tried, but they have only managed to keep their hold for a generation before they were ousted, or before they razed the villages to the ground.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I guess I can see that.¡± ¡°We will come across many of them,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We have already come across a few of them. When we travelled from Red Oak to Deadwood, we came across a few Tribesfolk, but they left us be.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, recalling it vaguely. ¡°I see.¡± The journey back was mostly peaceful, with Adam daring to cast his Tower of Adam spell twice during the evening. Fred and Vonda couldn¡¯t help but feel he was wasting his magic, but dared not to complain, not when they could enjoy a hot bath every evening. Omen: 2, 13 ¡°Finally,¡± Adam said, seeing the walls of Red Oak in the distance. ¡°I¡¯ve missed civilization so much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been a week,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Don¡¯t sound as though we¡¯ve been trapped outside forever.¡± ¡°My tower is good, but it¡¯s no town,¡± Adam said, sighing with relief. ¡°My feet are killing me. My back hurts. Think of poor Zeus too, he¡¯s been working hard this entire time.¡± He pat Zeus¡¯ back gently. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Zeus. Even if Lucy doesn¡¯t care about you, I do.¡± ¡°Zeus is fine.¡± Lucy rolled her eyes. ¡®He¡¯s meant to be the leader of our party? He¡¯s so embarrassing.¡¯ ¡°Seems like there¡¯s trouble at the gate,¡± Adam said. ¡°What did you do this time?¡± Lucy asked. Adam shot her a glare. ¡®Did I do something?¡¯ At the gates was a figure, with a large pack against their back. They were currently in an exasperated conversation with the Guards. ¡°I don¡¯t currently have a gold coin, but I assure you, if you allow me to peddle my wares I shall have enough to pay the gate fee and more!¡± ¡°No gate fee, no entry, them¡¯s the rules,¡± a Guard replied. ¡°Should have sold some more before you came here. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re asking for a lot. Pedlars like you need a gold coin to enter, it¡¯s always been like that.¡± ¡°I know, but after paying off my Guards, I¡¯ve got no coin to my name. Please, won¡¯t you let me in?¡± ¡°You can sleep at the shelter outside and try to pawn your wares to a travelling group. Matter of fact, there¡¯s a group right there.¡± The Pedlar turned. He wore thick clothing for Nightval, in a myriad of browns and tans, though his cloth belt was fashioned out of something yellow, with a repeating pattern of red swirls. He wore a pair of spectacles, which were quite small, only two round glasses with a small triangular bridge connecting them. ¡®How the hell does he keep those on?¡¯ Adam wondered. The young man stared at Fate¡¯s Golden. There was an Iyrman, a man in puthral armour, a Devilkin, a man in chain, and a Priest of Life. He sighed. ¡®Who here is going to buy my trinkets?¡¯ the Pedlar thought. Upon seeing the thoughts on is face, Jurot and Lucy turned their gazes to Adam. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! This Pedlar about to make BANK. 233. Pedlar 233. Pedlar ¡°Trouble?¡± ¡°A little,¡± he admitted. ¡°I¡¯m Filliam, a Pedlar of trinkets. Do you have any need for trinkets?¡± ¡°What kind of trinkets?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m always happy to buy trinkets.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Filliam perked up. ¡°Well, my trinkets aren¡¯t cheap, but they are a wonder.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± Filliam reached into his pack, undoing a small bundle which had been wrapped with a blanket, also brightly coloured with its own design. He revealed a small wooden box, which caused Jurot to lean in. Filliam opened the box and pulled out a small pendant. It was steel coloured, and as he twisted the small latch to its side, it flipped open. ¡°A pocket watch?¡± Adam whispered, seeing the dial and the twelve segments. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have one of them.¡± ¡°Not just pocket watches, good Adventurer. I¡¯ve many trinkets,¡± he said, putting the watch back in the box, wrapping the blanket around it once, before pulling out another bundle wrapped in a blanket of another design. ¡®Damn, those blankets are pretty funky too,¡¯ Adam thought. Filliam opened the box, which was much larger, and revealed small figurines made of smooth metal. They were quite plain, but were shaped like Dragons, each with a different coloured gem for their eyes. A key protruded from their backs. Filliam twisted the key once, before placing it down on the ground. After a moment, the Dragon¡¯s wings beat, and it began to crawl along the floor, though did so only for two steps. ¡°You can twist it up to twenty times,¡± Filliam explained. ¡°If you twist it more, it will automatically lock in order to stop the trinket from breaking.¡± Adam stared at the metal Dragon for a moment, before his eyes fell to the watch. He remained stone faced. ¡°Do you have this sort of thing in the Iyr?¡± ¡°Grandfather has a watch, and so does granduncle Tarot.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes to think for a moment. ¡°I do not believe we have any of these Dragon trinkets.¡± ¡°These five Dragons are it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How many watches do you have?¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°How much are they?¡± ¡°Fifty gold a piece for each of the items you have seen. I have two more watches, each worth much more.¡± ¡°Can I see them?¡± ¡°Unfortunately not,¡± Filliam said. ¡°I have to show them to Lady Redoak.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lot.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°The six items?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said, checking how much money he had through Bell. ¡°Oh, uh. I¡¯ll buy the watch for now, and once we get to the Guild, I¡¯ll be able to buy the rest. Is that fine?¡± Filliam blinked rapidly. ¡°Yes. Yes, of course it is. Thank you. What¡¯s your name, kind Adventurer?¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you mister son of Fate,¡± Filliam said, shaking Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, handing Filliam a gem worth fifty gold. He handed the gold fee for all their entry too, dipping into both the party fund and his own pouch. Filliam clutched the gem tight in his hand, handing over the watch to Adam, including the box. Jurot let out a soft exhale through his nose, wanting to see more of the box, but he kept himself at bay. ¡°Why don¡¯t we get some drinks at the Guild?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯d love to talk to you more about your trinkets.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Filliam said, smiling brightly at the Half Elf. The group made their way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, though Adam felt something tingle at the back of his head, and a great sense of disappointment. ¡°Hmmm.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I just realised... we didn¡¯t really get into any trouble this time.¡± ¡°We did, didn¡¯t we?¡± Lucy said. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there an argument with Sir Landon?¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°What about something like...¡± Adam tried to find the words. ¡°Do you have some paper and a pencil?¡± ¡°I have a little,¡± Filliam said, reaching into his back. ¡°I have some,¡± Vonda said, taking out a small book which had been stitched together. She also brought out a stylus which he could use to draw. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Do you draw?¡± ¡°Sometimes,¡± Vonda said. ¡°It¡¯s a hobby.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s cool.¡± Adam realised he didn¡¯t know much about Vonda though they had spoken a few times. Dexterity Check D20 + 1 = 18 (17) Adam drew a small ball with a propeller atop it which formed the key. ¡°You twist it at the top, then the inside has a thing which spins, and it¡¯ll shoot up towards the sky. Hopefully, it¡¯ll land on the round bit, which I could guess be made of wood to make it lighter, or very thin metal, so you can see inside to see the inner contraption.¡± Filliam stared at the design for a long while. ¡®What a simple design. Why hadn¡¯t I thought of it before?¡¯ ¡°Are you a Tinkerer too?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, chuffed to bits. ¡°No, no. I have my specialisations in other things.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a-¡° Adam snapped his head towards Lucy, his eyebrows raised. ¡°A smith,¡± Lucy said, looking away from him, annoyed that he¡¯d snap at her when she didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°That makes sense,¡± Filliam said. ¡°I think I could manage this. Since this is custom work, I need to charge one hundred gold. I should be able to figure out a design that you need with that much money, though I¡¯ll also need money for food and board.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± Adam said. Filliam blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°A hundred gold, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hundred gold, plus, what, fifty gold for living fees?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Filliam remained staring at Adam. ¡°That sounds fine.¡± ¡°Just to be clear,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not going to be one hundred gold for one flying ball, is it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Filliam replied, quickly. ¡°That¡¯s just for research and development. If I manage to create a satisfactory product before I spend the one hundred gold, then I¡¯ll charge an appropriate price and spend the rest of the money making enough trinkets so that the one hundred gold is used up.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Filliam looked to Jurot, the Iyrman, for support. ¡°I liked the box the trinkets were in,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Did you make them yourself?¡± Leaving the nerds to their wood talk, Adam pulled back and stared at Vonda. ¡°How often do you draw?¡± ¡°When I¡¯m in town, usually every evening. Out in the wild, I don¡¯t like to draw. It¡¯s a little dangerous for that, and I don¡¯t want to fail saving someone¡¯s like because I was doodling away.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do you have anything I could see?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Vonda said, her eyes lighting up, sitting up straighter. ¡°I might have something I sketched some time ago. Let me see if I can dig it up.¡± She grabbed her pack and pulled out a small book, each page about as long as Adam¡¯s hand, and a little wider. She flipped through them, making sure no one could see it, before she slipped out a paper. She revealed a sketch, all grey as Adam expected, of the sun rising, and a large cluster of trees, with a bird mid flight. ¡°Wow,¡± Adam said. ¡°You sketch better than I smith.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you smith.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± Adam said. ¡°Actually, I made that axe Lucy uses.¡± ¡°You made that axe?¡± Vonda asked, surprised. ¡°I, you know, forged it,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was enchanted in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Of course.¡± Adam stared at the sheet, his heart thundering. ¡®Gotta be more careful than that, you idiot.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam has become rich. Now he''s going to spend hundreds of gold on random nonsense. Is he as bad as the Nobles now? 234. Bear Farming 234. Bear Farming Omen: 2, 18 ¡°This snow is going to make it rough to travel and adventure,¡± Adam said, dipping some bread into his soup. ¡®Speaking of which, we¡¯ve finished a few quests so we should probably do that.¡¯ ¡°We should continue training,¡± Lucy said, her eyes falling to Adam. ¡°A little bit of snow like this is nothing and shouldn¡¯t stop us from becoming stronger.¡± ¡°Right, right. I¡¯m not saying we shouldn¡¯t train, we just should keep in mind to do it safely. Safety was our number one priority, remember?¡± ¡°Can you still say that after everything which has happened?¡± Lucy raised her brows at him expectantly. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Adam sipped some of the salty soup, feeling the warmth fill his bones. ¡°We¡¯ve got an important task to do during the middle of Dawnval which is going to be extremely dangerous so we can train during then too.¡± ¡°Is there something we can hunt?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Something which the three of us can tackle as three Experts. The Twilight Fox was pretty much nothing compared to my General¡¯s axe, so we can probably go for something more powerful with that Phantom of yours.¡± Adam squinted his eyes at her. ¡°Friend,¡± he corrected. ¡°I guess we could. Is there anything you suggest, Jurot?¡± ¡°We have already faced a Nightval Bear,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It was quite dangerous.¡± He recalled how the Porters had fallen almost right away. ¡°It was just a little lucky, otherwise I¡¯d have punted it to the moon and back,¡± she grumbled quietly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind hunting a few more Nightval Bears. I bet the core could be used to make a nice fan.¡± ¡°A fan?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You know, for Noonval, for when it gets hot. I don¡¯t like the heat at all, and it was so awkward using Tricks to cool myself down. I haven¡¯t had to use it much to warm myself up during Nightval, but it¡¯s much easier to warm yourself than it is to cool yourself down.¡± ¡°You would like to use the Nightval Bear cores to make a fan?¡± Jurot asked again. He wasn¡¯t sure how much Adam was joking. ¡°Multiple fans then?¡± Adam replied, noting the rare expression of shock bubbling under the surface of Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡°You would use Nightval Bear cores to make multiple fans for the Noonval heat?¡± Jurot repeated for a third time. ¡°You¡¯re underestimating how nice these fans will be, Jurot,¡± Adam said. Jurot and Lucy stared at Adam. ¡®Why am I the only one with any common sense in this party?¡¯ the pair thought. ¡°We should quest for another few weeks, maybe a month, and return to the Iyr in time for the festival,¡± Adam said. ¡°You just want to see Lanarot,¡± Lucy accused. ¡°Yeah, obviously,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I miss her so much. Her cute little chubby cheeks, I want to pinch them so bad.¡± He mimed pinching her cheeks into the air. ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°They say that during Nightval you¡¯ll suffer from a lack of vitamin d, but I¡¯m suffering from a lack of vitamin l!¡± Adam sighed. ¡°What if she¡¯s forgotten us? What if Nirot really has stolen her away from me.¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡®I should pick another General,¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡°What of the Beast Wave?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°What about it?¡± Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 13 (4) D20 + 9 = 27 (18) Hit! Phantom: 2 -> 1 Mana: 16 -> 15 1D6 + 5D6 + 2D6 + 6 = 44 (5)(2, 3, 5, 6, 6)(5, 6) 44 damage! Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 10 (1) D20 + 9 = 21 (12) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 14 1D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 6 = 24 (6)(2, 3)(1, 6) 24 damage! The Nightval Bear roared, causing the air around them to shudder. Adam brought up his shield just in time as the snow and ice blasted him and his two companions. The snow and ice scattered around them, striking the trees around them too, before the creature charged forward to meet them in battle. Adam shrugged off most of the chill, before the trio moved forward to meet it in battle. Lucy¡¯s greataxe was aflame, swiping down across the creature¡¯s side, though it managed to dampen the blow with a claw. However, facing against so many of them proved to be quite a terrible time for it, as Jurot cut across it¡¯s side, gritting his teeth as he tore into its fur. Adam focused himself as he always did. He stepped behind it, swinging down across its back, causing it to turn towards him as the psychic energy filled it deep, his Smite stopping from the blood pouring out. Adam barely ducked under the creature¡¯s paw as he missed a swipe, but he inhaled deeply and forced his body forward, ready to strike again. ¡°You¡¯re pretty slippery, ain¡¯t you?¡± Adam chanted, his magic taking root within the creature, causing its body to grow heavier for a moment. The Nightval Bear turned to face him, the greatest threat, giving both Jurot and Lucy a chance for another blow. However, it was too late for it to regret its choice of prey. Adam swung his axe down, cutting into its shoulder deep, before forcing his axe deeper still. ¡°You damn beast!¡± Lucy roared, swinging Destroyer down against its back. ¡°You ruined my cloak!¡± The Nightval Bear dropped before them, Destroyer pinning it to the ground as Lucy snarled. Victory! Nightval Bear +130XP XP: 5350 -> 5480 ¡°Well,¡± Adam said. ¡°That was easy.¡± He pulled his axe out of the creature, and sheathed it, filled with a great sense of disappointment. ¡®Still, compared to last time, at least nothing bad happened.¡¯ ¡°It is because of your great abilities, and these weapons of ours that we were able to defeat it,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If we did not possess such powerful weapons, one of us may have dropped.¡± ¡°Again,¡± Adam said, looking to Lucy. ¡°Hold on! I wasn¡¯t the only one who dropped down!¡± she declared, pointing to the Porters. ¡°They dropped first.¡± ¡°Sure, but they¡¯re Porters, of course they¡¯d have fallen if it snuck up on them.¡± ¡°Sneaked,¡± Lucy said, indignantly. ¡°Snuck isn¡¯t a word.¡± ¡°Yes it is,¡± Adam said. ¡°No it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Whatever,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot, are you going to part it? We¡¯ll keep an eye out and then the Porters can deal with bringing it back.¡± Jurot nodded, beginning to work on the Nightval Bear. All the while, Fred watched from nearby. ¡®I didn¡¯t even get to do anything,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I¡¯m really useless.¡¯ He looked to Lucy, then to Jurot, then finally to Adam. ¡®No. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m useless, it¡¯s that I¡¯m only Human.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Peta is going to be seething. 235. Oyarth 235. Oyarth Quest Complete: Slay Nightval Bear +150XP Stamps Gained: +1 Stamps: 7 -> 8 XP: 5480 -> 5630 ¡°Not as much money as I expected,¡± Adam admitted, noting that each of them barely made forty gold coins at the end of paying for the Porters and splitting the loot with Fred, who had done nothing. ¡°Why are you paying me exactly?¡± Fred asked. ¡°I did less than the Porters.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said. ¡°You stayed with the Porters and helped Zeus out, so don¡¯t worry about it. You did your part.¡± Fred wasn¡¯t sure if he should accept. ¡°I took the leftover five gold from the split and put it into the party fund, so you can accept the money in peace,¡± Adam said, dismissing the worries right away. ¡°We did not hunt this Nightval Bear for the money,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We hunted it for training, and to bring it back to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, glancing aside to him. ¡°It is best,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯re taking the core too, another reason why you should just accept the money, Fred.¡± ¡®Did I really just make forty gold for walking to a forest and back?¡¯ Fred thought. ¡®Rich people are scary.¡¯ He recalled how much money Adam had given him last time too, which was far more than he expected. ¡®Scary.¡¯ ¡°Now that¡¯s we¡¯re done with the Guild stuff...¡± Adam bit into the jam bun, eating the delicious food, all the while watching Jurot speak with Pam as he told the tale of their exploits. They hadn¡¯t gone to a bakery in a short while, so Adam made sure to splurge this time. ¡°You know, Adam,¡± Lucy said, biting into her jam bun again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re smart or stupid.¡± ¡°I hear that a lot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you do,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take us?¡± ¡°To get a Dragon heart?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he admitted. ¡°I might seem nonchalant about it, but I¡¯m very serious about helping you out.¡± ¡°I know, I just...¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam said, patting her back. ¡°All this fighting has to make us stronger eventually.¡± ¡®Though, the others are soaking up some of the XP. I¡¯ll need to figure something out for that.¡¯ With the Porters full of bread, carrying with them their baskets, Adam and the rest returned back to the Guild. Fred followed them like a lost sheep, unsure if he should be following them. Omen: 1, 20 ¡°I¡¯m feeling extremely lucky today,¡± Adam said, his lips unable to contain his smile. ¡°We should do something big.¡± ¡°What kind of big?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We could aim for two Nightval Bears?¡± ¡°Two Nightval Bears may be too much,¡± Jurot said, feeling awkward that he was trying to keep Adam at bay. ¡°You wanted us to train safely.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± Adam said. ¡°I might be able to do something insane today.¡± Jurot wondered what Adam could do, and the other Adventurers nearby stared at the Half Elf, who seemed so chipper. ¡°Adam,¡± Paul called. ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything this time,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is this about Sir Landon? I thought we had an understanding with one another.¡± Paul remained silent for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s this about Sir Landon?¡± ¡°See?¡± Adam said. ¡°Sir Vonda may be more useful with her magic, but isn¡¯t Fred more fun?¡± ¡°Sometimes, Adam, you really do make sense,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Sometimes.¡± She wanted to make sure Adam¡¯s ego didn¡¯t grow any larger than it already had. The forest seemed different. It was quieter than before, that was for sure. The sweet chirping of birds no longer accompanied them. Jurot, who normally spotted all manner of small critters, did not manage to find quite so many on his journey. ¡°It¡¯s close,¡± the Iyrman said, reaching for his axe. ¡°I can smell it.¡± Adam coughed, pulling back as he waved his hand in front of his helmet. ¡°What the fuck is that?¡± A most foul smell had slapped him across the foul, the stench of rotten death. ¡°I told you,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I can smell it.¡± ¡°Not that hard, mate,¡± Adam said, trying to breathe through his mouth instead. As they approached the clearing, they head the noise of bones crunching, and wet slurping sounds, which stopped as new prey had entered its vicinity. Through the trees, Adam could see it. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was exactly, for it appeared to be a mole, with four tentacles which formed a tail. It¡¯s eyes and nose were exactly where one expected them to be, but its mouth was where its stomach should have been, currently swallowing an Elder Wolf, several rows of teeth tearing it apart. It was at least twice the size of the Elder Wolf it was chewing on. ¡°Fucking hell,¡± Adam whispered, swallowing his saliva. ¡°He¡¯s so cute,¡± Lucy said, her face puckering up as though she were staring at a newborn puppy. ¡°Can we keep him?¡± Adam blinked rapidly, before turning to look at Lucy. She could see the look of shock and disgust on his face through his helmet. ¡°We can¡¯t?¡± The Demon girl frowned. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 7 (6) The Elder Wolf dropped down, the half which had been inside it partly digested, as it screeched and charged forward towards the group. Though Remy and Jeremy had been with Adam this entire time, and had seen how powerful he was, even they could not help but let their bladders loose at the nightmare which charged at them. Adam brought up his shield, but the creature opened its mouth wide, revealing all the teeth and the red fleshy insides which threatened to tear him apart. Omen: 1, 20 -> 20 The snow had piled high, but there was a small section of various alleys which held a make shift shelter with a sloping roof. However, the boy had found himself a small garden, having managed to evade the attention of the two elderly men who lived there. He straightened under his blanket as he heard the clattering of wood which had dropped before him, including some flint and steel, and some fresh bread before him. The teeth tore across the Half Elf¡¯s shield, all the while its tentacles kept the other two at bay. Jurot and Lucy had managed to cut two of the tentacles, causing it to scream right in front of Adam, its wicked breath splashing across him. Constitution Save D20 + 5 = 23 (18) Adam managed to keep his breakfast in his stomach. A tentacle slammed Lucy down before wrapping around her, trying to bring her to its open maw to consume her. ¡°You son of a bitch,¡± Adam managed to say without gagging, feeling the electric tingle flow through his body. Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Hex Attack (Flanking) D20 + 9 = 13 (4) Omen: 20 -> 0 20 + 9 = 29 Critical hit! Phantom: 3 -> 0 Mana: 17 -> 14 2D6 + 22D6 + 8D6 + 6 = 123 (1, 4)(1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6)(3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) ¡°Brush your fucking teeth!¡± Adam dared to shout, still feel the hot breath across him, bringing Phantom down across its front, bisecting the creature in half. It felt in two pieces on either side of him, as Adam pulled away towards the trees. He dropped down to his knees and began to vomit. Victory! Oyarth XP Gained: +320 XP: 5630 -> 5950 ¡®It wasn¡¯t worth it,¡¯ Adam thought, heaving up again. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Peta is going to be seething 2.0. 236. Tempting Fate 236. Tempting Fate ¡°From now on don¡¯t ask me to do something like that again,¡± Adam said. ¡°That was utterly disgusting.¡± Adam sat opposite the Vice Master, in a brand new set of clothing he had the Guild acquire for him, after spending an entire hour washing himself using far too much soap, and after brushing his teeth five times. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you couldn¡¯t stomach it,¡± Paul admitted, half teasing the Half Elf. ¡°Of course I can¡¯t!¡± Adam was unable to contain his voice. ¡°Think of my British sensibilities, Paul. You cover me in shit, of course I¡¯m going to get mad.¡± Adam shuddered. ¡°I always thought Adam was stupid,¡± Lucy said, also wearing a new set of clothes. ¡°I take it back. I understand why you took that tower, and why you keep a second change of clothes.¡± Lucy nodded her head slowly. ¡°I won¡¯t ever make fun of you for taking a bath every day.¡± Jurot, who was also freshly bathed, nodded his head. ¡°You made fun of me for taking a bath every day,¡± Adam asked. He didn¡¯t realise it was weird, considering that Jurot bathed every day too, even out of the Iyr. Lucy remained silent for a long moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t?¡± she replied, avoiding his gaze. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to betray me, Lucy,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can find your own tower whenever we¡¯re out in the wild.¡± Lucy grabbed his hands, pouting up towards him. ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends? I¡¯ll let it slide that you killed that adorable little Oyarth.¡± ¡°Adorable little Oyarth?¡± Adam asked, pulling away from her. ¡°Lucy, you need to get your eyes checked.¡± ¡°My eyes? What about your brain?¡± Paul cleared his throat. ¡°Enough with your marital quarrels.¡±ViiSiit for latest novels The pair glared at him. ¡°Thank you for your assistance in this matter. I¡¯ve given the go ahead to stamp your Adventurer Tags twice, and for Lucy to promote to Bronze too.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that really quick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good idea to keep people at the right rank,¡± Paul said. ¡°She¡¯s done so much already, and considering how strong she is, I doubt anyone will complain. Some Adventurers might take notice that you¡¯ve ranked up too quickly, but ignore them. If they do bother you, you can put in a formal complaint through the Guild.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just beat them up,¡± Lucy said, dismissively. ¡°So, wasn¡¯t there a big fat reward? Gold. Gold. So lovely. So beautiful.¡± She hummed her tune quietly. ¡°I¡¯m sure Braun has processed the quest, and has paid the Porters according to your wish, and has split the gold appropriately into your bank.¡± ¡°A bank? How do I use one of those?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Just speak to the Guild and show them your Adventurer¡¯s Tag,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯ll let you take out your stuff from your bank.¡± Lucy hummed again. ¡°I think Dragons are on to something. Sleeping on a big pile of gold, although uncomfortable, is pretty fun.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it more fun to swim on a pile of meat?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Meat is for eating, Adam,¡± Lucy stated as though it was a fact. ¡®Are they going to get married soon?¡¯ Paul thought. ¡®Is gold for sleeping?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°By the way, I want you to pay our gate fee today,¡± Adam said. ¡°I still feel dirty after meeting with the Oyarth.¡± ¡°The gate fee? Seven copper?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Seven copper.¡± ¡°You said goodbye to your mom and dad properly?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your little sister too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Adam finished some minor business, including sending the gifts to the Iyr through the Guild. He had to make sure to pack everything properly, before he remembered something extremely important. ¡°The Iyr?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never been, why?¡± ¡°We¡¯re heading back to the Iyr, and I thought you might want to come with us?¡± Filliam stared at Adam. ¡°You¡¯re inviting me to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I thought you might want to since it¡¯s a pretty cool place, great for you to tinker about.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come!¡± Filliam shouted, happily. ¡°Let me pack my bag!¡± Adam stared at Filliam, who greeted the others with a great eagerness, shaking all their hands. ¡®What the hell.¡¯ He was now wearing a bag which was easily as big as him, full of all kinds of materials and trinkets, no doubt. Nobby exchanged a nod with Filliam, who knew the ways of a Porter quite well, including all the ways to distribute weight to allow one to carry great weights. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°Porters really are built different.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°I miss the Iyr so much so we¡¯re returning.¡± Paul sighed. ¡°You¡¯re quite lucky, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten about what you owe me, have you?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Me? Forget things?¡± Adam scoffed, before narrowing his eyes. ¡®What do I owe him?¡¯ ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°You mean that thing.¡± ¡°Are you just saying that?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Or do you remember.¡± ¡°I owe you, your missus, and your brother in law, no, cousin in law, right?¡± Adam asked. Paul nodded his head slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll send Aizaban the specifics.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam said, clasping his forearm. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to die before I repay you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tempt Fate,¡± Paul warned him. ¡°Fate tempts me, for she is a sweet but harsh mistress,¡± Adam replied. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Why is he always trying to die? 237. Matchmaking 237. Matchmaking They travelled the same way they had come from, and though it would snow every so often along their journey, they were barely impeded by the snow or the terrain. ¡®Must be an Iyrman feature,¡¯ Adam thought, looking to Jurot. ¡®Or maybe this area is magical too?¡¯ The villagers accepted them quite eagerly, and their coin, with Adam dropping a gold to each village for their fee, plus an additional gold every night for each of them. ¡°Who is this handsome young man?¡± the Chief of the first village asked, looking to Nobby. ¡°Are you married?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you marry my granddaughter?¡± the Chief asked, signalling to someone to bring one of her granddaughters here. Adam quickly stepped in front. ¡°Sorry, but he has no plans to marry at the moment. He¡¯s currently going to higher education.¡± The Chief¡¯s eyes flashed with shock. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t realise he was a Noble.¡± She quickly curtsied. ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot and I are going to teach him stuff, so he¡¯ll be too busy to get married.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± She looked to Jurot. ¡°You are training him.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°He has the build to become a Rage Dancer.¡± The Chief returned a nod, understanding what he was talking about. ¡°Once you¡¯re done, perhaps?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You can¡¯t call it higher education,¡± the Chief warned. ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked, straightening up. ¡°I¡¯m taller than...¡± Adam stopped. It wasn¡¯t because of the Chief¡¯s look of confusion, but because Nobby was about a palm¡¯s width taller than him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was just a joke.¡± ¡°Higher education is only for Nobles.¡± ¡°Then I guess I need to buy some more herbs,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯d like some herbs?¡± the Chief asked, smelling the coin she was about to make. ¡°Come on, Nobby,¡± Adam said, quickly pulling away from the money hungry Chief. ¡°I can¡¯t get married?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°Of course you can, I¡¯m just trying to save your life,¡± Adam said. ¡°Plus, I know a beautiful woman who you can meet.¡± Nobby nodded his head. He had long learned to trust Adam when he spoke, even if what most of what he said was nonsense. After all the things he had seen, knowing a beautiful woman he could meet was the most normal thing about Adam. As they continued along their journey, Adam kept his promise. Not far from the Iyr was a small village, a village with perhaps a few thousand folk, a few of whom shared names with each other. ¡°Nobby, meet Merl, not to be confused with Chief Merl,¡± Adam said, patting the man¡¯s back, motioning to the beautiful woman. ¡°Hello,¡± Nobby said, looking down to the young woman. ¡°Hello,¡± she replied, staring up at Nobby. If she hadn¡¯t lived beside the Iyr her entire life, seeing hundreds, if not thousands, of Iyrmen travelling through her village, she would have been slightly intimidated by the heavily built mound of muscle which was Nobby. Nobby turned a little red. ¡°Nobby¡¯s a good kid,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s sixteen now.¡± ¡°Are you trying to set us up?¡± Merl asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I promised Nobby I¡¯d introduce you, and that¡¯s what I did. Whether or not you want to get set up with a soon to be Expert like Nobby is up to you.¡± Merl remained staring at Adam, her brow raised. ¡°Even if he is an Expert, why would I-¡° ¡°He¡¯ll be an Expert?¡± Chief Merl asked. ¡°He¡¯s a big lad, but he looks to be common folk like us.¡± ¡°Common folk, sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Means he¡¯s a good man at heart, not yet seduced by wicked gold.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like an Adventurer, and from the way he¡¯s built, I¡¯d say he was a Porter,¡± Merl said. ¡°You can tell that by just looking at him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He did carry with him two large packs, so I assumed,¡± she replied. ¡°Probably not...¡± Adam said, before narrowing his eyes. ¡°Actually, there is someone who is more capable than an Expert. I mean, he¡¯s not as strong as me, but he¡¯s not so bad.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The other Half Elf we brought along last time,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jonn. I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t send him along to help out. He¡¯s not sworn his Oaths to me yet, but I can have Brittany come over to train too.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to marry my granddaughter?¡± Merl asked, causing her granddaughter to rub her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have no plans to marry for a while. Though, Nobby is quite a strong fellow.¡± ¡°An Expert might be strong, but there are many Iyrmen who come along to help,¡± Merl said. ¡°Experts aren¡¯t quite as impressive as you think they are.¡± ¡°Experts are exactly as impressive as I think they are,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re basically guaranteed a decent life as long as you made the correct decisions.¡± ¡°If you can make him a Master, maybe I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Merl said. ¡®What?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how lewd the villagers were for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s a Master?¡± The Merls raised their brows towards Adam. ¡°A Master is someone who has stepped into learning the Fifth Gate of spells,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, reaching for his heart. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked, taken aback by Adam¡¯s response. Somehow, the Half Elf could still surprise him. ¡°So the next step after Master is...¡± Adam asked, though he already knew the answer. ¡°Grandmaster.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Of course it is.¡± He rubbed his eyes with his wrists, shaking his head. ¡°Next you¡¯ll tell me that the next step is called an Immortal.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They are known as Paragons.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°For a moment there, I thought this was a different genre.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡®If he wasn¡¯t so queer, I may have wanted to marry him,¡¯ Merl thought. ¡°Master, huh?¡± Adam said. ¡®So what, that would be Level 9?¡¯ Adam used the system to check out how much Experience he needed for the next level. He shook his head, trying to contain his gasp, shocking the others around. ¡®Bell, what the fuck?¡¯ [What is the matter?] ¡®Don¡¯t start that nonsense with me! You know exactly what I¡¯m talking about!¡¯ [The XP required has doubled due to your quick progression.] ¡®So it¡¯s normally only ten?¡¯ [Thousand, yes.] ¡®Why has it almost doubled?¡¯ [The moment you access a new Tier of Power, the next level usually increases for the purposes of establishing the Tier of Power you have gained.] ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jurot asked, noting the others were looking to him for answers as to why Adam was acting more queer than usual. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°I just... I found out that becoming too strong too quickly has its consequences.¡± ¡°So you do have some common sense,¡± Merl said. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam trying to hook Nobby up with the pretty village girl? Lucy''s in trouble. 238. Front Iyr Visitors 238. Front Iyr Visitors The walls of the Front Iyr greeted them. Nobby stared up at the walls with a rare expression of emotion on his face. He was like Jurot in the sense that his face was always neutral, though the large boy¡¯s face was usually sombre. ¡°Mother Soza,¡± Sir Vonda whispered. ¡°I had heard about tales of the walls of the Iyr from my Order, but thought they were exaggerated due to the nature of stories.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam said. ¡°And Sir Landon thought the Iyr was given this land.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I understand why the Iyr has remained independent this entire time,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°Other than it¡¯s ability to create Experts out of even their least talented.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, remembering what Jarot had said about his third son. ¡°Crazy, right?¡± ¡°Monstrous,¡± Sir Vonda said, thinking it was far more apt and kind. ¡®Monstrously crazy,¡¯ Fred thought, staring at the walls. ¡°Rock Hill had some of the greatest walls in the Kingdom, but even they couldn¡¯t compare to the likes of this.¡± Filliam¡¯s eyes continued to scan the walls. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long until the gates opened, allowing them through, the tall walls on either side of them filling them with a sense of dread and awe. ¡°You¡¯ve finally returned,¡± Lykan said, greeting them all. ¡°You¡¯ve brought more guests?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not dissimilar to the last lot either. A Priest, a man lost in life, and someone I want to train.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you have many stories to tell,¡± Lykan said. Jurot inhaled deeply, trying to keep himself from smiling. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You seem more eager than last time, when you slew a Dragon,¡± Lykan said, trying to coax more from Jurot. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, simply. Lykan raised his brows, before smiling. ¡°It seems you have quite the story.¡± The group was allowed in, with a meal being set for them. A familiar face appeared, scampering up to Adam, before dropping down before him. ¡°What are you doing here, Sky?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his head. ¡°We were unsure if he was truly one of yours,¡± Lykan said. ¡°We kept him here to keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of mine,¡± Adam said. ¡°I beat him up. He tried to make me his slave, so he deserves it.¡± ¡°I am not sure if I should be surprised by you any longer,¡± Lykan admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Adam said. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to grow old if you continue being surprised, your heart won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± They were all given appropriate accommodations, Adam and Jurot taking their typical places, the others in the rooms nearby. They had allowed Adam¡¯s steed, Zeus, to remain nearby too. ¡°The Iyr isn¡¯t quite what I imagined,¡± Filliam admitted. He looked around to see all the people going about their way. ¡°This is the Front Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°A village where we¡¯re processed to make sure we aren¡¯t dangerous. They check our passports and everything.¡± Adam chuckled to himself at his joke, before sighing. ¡®Damn. The jokes I could make if they were from the same world as me.¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Jurot began to tell the tale of their journey, including revealing the existence of Lord Stokmar to the other Iyrmen, and what they had spoken about. Adam felt there was something about Jurot¡¯s statement which revealed something about his family, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it, too busy melting cheese over some meat as he ate. ¡®To think he has awoken,¡¯ Lykan thought. He had received a message that Lord Stokmar had awoken, and Sarot had made sure to include the details Jurot had mentioned to him, but to hear it from the young Iyrman¡¯s lips, they had been confirmed. ¡°Tea?¡± Adam offered the Elder, who accepted it. ¡°That is quite the expensive tea pot you had bought,¡± Lykan said. ¡°Yeah. I was a little worried on the way back it would get damaged, but we were lucky that we weren¡¯t bothered.¡± ¡°It was not luck. The immediate area of the Iyr is relatively safe, save for the time you had met Balrog, it is usually safe.¡± ¡°And that thing which attacked the group when I first came here,¡± Adam said. ¡°Dawnval is where threats reappear, due to the presence of the Undead,¡± Lykan said. ¡°Usually, it is quite safe.¡± ¡°I heard Nightval was dangerous, but we weren¡¯t really bothered by much.¡± ¡°Nightval is dangerous,¡± Lykan said. ¡°You are more dangerous. If you made your way north, then you¡¯d see. Nightval Bears and White Wolves are the least of your worries.¡± ¡°I had heard you wanted to joke less,¡± Lykan said. ¡°How did you hear about that?¡± Adam asked. Lykan smiled, turning as he led Adam away. He led the Half Elf to a forge, which was currently hot with fiery life. ¡°I heard you were lucky today.¡± ¡°Pretty lucky,¡± Adam said. ¡°A couple points off.¡± ¡°Will you forge something for me?¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± Adam asked. Lykan walked over to a small box, pulling away the tarp. He revealed small rocks, ores, which were red in colour. ¡°I would like for you to smith using this ore.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said. ¡°What do you want me to smith?¡± ¡°A sword,¡± he said. ¡°How much are you paying me?¡± ¡°Your payment will be the chance to work with bloodsteel.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, staring at Lykan. ¡°What¡¯s bloodsteel?¡± ¡°Weapons made from bloodsteel are able to bypass the natural resistance of many creatures,¡± he said. ¡°What kind of creatures?¡± ¡°Those many without magical weapons have to fear,¡± he said. ¡°Magical weapons bypass most natural resistances of all manner of creatures, and bloodsteel has a similar property, though not for the greater creatures.¡± ¡°Lykan,¡± Adam said. ¡°Elder, please,¡± Adam quickly corrected himself. ¡°I like to speak openly to Iyrmen. You want me to smith bloodsteel to see whether or not I can smith bloodsteel, information which may be valuable to the Iyr.¡± Lykan bowed his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Say that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Speaking half truths is lying, and that is unbecoming of Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Half truths have protected the Iyr for generations,¡± Lykan said. ¡°Sure, but at least speak to me honestly,¡± Adam said. Lykan bowed his head. ¡°I require this bloodsteel weapon made. It is part of my rights as the Elder of the Front Iyr to use some material for my own personal uses. I would like for you to make a greatsword using this material. I will pay you one hundred gold.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. Don¡¯t worry about the payment. You¡¯re Amokan¡¯s uncle, so I won¡¯t charge you. Or, rather, I¡¯ll take payment in another way.¡± ¡°What way?¡± ¡°How quickly do you need this made?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I would like for you to make it today,¡± Lykan said. Adam rubbed his chin in thought. ¡®I only need to roll once, probably. I have two high rolls today so...¡¯ Omen: 18, 19 Adam smiled. ¡°Elder Lykan.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The grip can be made of wood, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you have any red oak?¡± Omen: 18, 19 -> 0 The baby looked up towards the sky, hearing the screaming and wailing of his people. Blades cut through flesh, and approached the young child, who did not cry or scream. A young man grabbed the baby, bundling the baby boy up to his chest as his companions formed a wall, though they were quickly cut down. ¡®What an unfortunate circumstance,¡¯ the baby thought, feeling Fate shifting, and his misfortune increased. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam fulfils one of Jurot''s wishes. 239. Queueing 239. Queueing ¡°How many walls does the Iyr have?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°I know, right?¡± Adam replied. Filliam craned his neck, staring up towards the statues. ¡°By the Gods...¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Big,¡± Nobby said. ¡°Yeah.¡± The huge walls of the Main Iyr had awoken something within the newcomers. Sir Vonda, who had grown up in the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, had always felt so comfortable in her fortress. They had piled the walls high, having reformed the walls a few centuries prior. She had heard that the walls had been based off the walls of the Iyr, and now she could see how. ¡®Great Walled,¡¯ Sir Vonda thought. ¡®I can see why the Iyr holds such a title. Even if they manage to pass the first set of walls, though hundreds of thousands of bodies would be piled high because of it, they have to come across these walls...¡¯ Her eyes fell to the statues, which reminded her of the statues of her Order of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡®And the ancient magics which protect the Iyr rival those of the Great Temples.¡¯ Filliam couldn¡¯t help but want to touch them, and the statues which loomed over him menacingly. ¡®The Iyr¡¯s fascination with walls is truly incredible. I wonder if there are inner walls too?¡¯ ¡®Hard to climb,¡¯ Nobby thought. As they entered, children swarmed them. Filliam pulled away, shocked by the mass of children, while Sir Vonda and Nobby remained frozen, all the while hearing the chorus of different languages asking for gifts. ¡°If you want gifts, you need to line up,¡± Adam stated, loudly. The children continued to babble loudly, excitedly bouncing up and down. ¡°No gifts!¡± Jurot shouted in their tongue, causing the children to quieten down, the bouncing quickly stopping. ¡°Line up, or no gifts.¡± The children began to shuffle quietly into a long line, about sixty children long, though many of the bigger children managed to take their place at the front by virtue of having bigger bodies which blocked out their smaller Iyrmen. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded his head, crossing his arms as he waited for the gifts to be handed over. Zeus stepped beside Adam, covered in bags, most of which were filled with gifts for the children. Many other Iyrmen were paying attention, wondering why the children were lined up. It was so orderly. ¡®That¡¯s not the way you give gifts,¡¯ they thought. ¡°Many of these were made by villagers we came across,¡± Adam said. ¡°However, do you know which village these came from?¡± ¡°No,¡± came the cacophony, some of the children were slightly more delayed than others. Adam smiled. ¡°Sir Merry lives with these villagers.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± most of them responded. ¡°Sir Merry?¡± one asked. ¡°King Sword from before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± came a greater response. ¡°These were given to us because I helped someone who knew Sir Merry, so they hold the gratitude of the village. I want you all to take good care of these little trinkets, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± came the children¡¯s voices, though some of them whispered quietly to one another. ¡°Is he lying?¡± ¡°He¡¯s with Cousin, so he can¡¯t be lying.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not an Iyrman though.¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot. ¡°He is telling the truth!¡± Jurot shouted. ¡°Ooh!¡± came a much greater response, and some of the children started to chatter and bounce. Adam smiled. ¡°Sir Landon so graciously donated them so that you could have them.¡± He began to hand out the trinkets to each child, including to the newcomers who had seen the line and joined it without understanding what it was. ¡°These kids queued up so well, I almost thought I was back home,¡± Adam said. Raygak raised his brows in surprise. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Well, the previous Knight of Death was there, so yes? Sir Merry was there too.¡± ¡°The King¡¯s Sword from before?¡± Raygak asked. ¡°The very same.¡± ¡°Are you joking?¡± Raygak asked, his eyes squinting at Adam suspiciously. ¡°You think I¡¯m joking about something like that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ask Jurot if you don¡¯t believe me?¡± Jurot let out a snort, trying his best not to spoil his secret. ¡°It is true.¡± Adam pulled out all the different trinkets he had for them, but also took out the Dragons he had bought from Filliam. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said. ¡°Raygak, Taygak, come and pick which one you like.¡± ¡°What this?¡± Taygak asked, squatting down. Adam spun the key to reveal what they did, and Taygak clapped her hands. ¡°I pick?¡± Taygak asked. ¡°You and Raygak, yes. You two have been doing lots of good things so you can have one each.¡± Taygak picked one with purple eyes, and Raygak picked one with red eyes. ¡°The other three are for...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Wait. I messed it up.¡¯ ¡°Who is this young man showing such favouritism to my Taygak?¡± called a voice from nearby. It was a Devilkin woman, one Adam hadn¡¯t met before. There were a handful of other Iyrmen he hadn¡¯t seen with familiar tattoos. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, son of Fate, Nephew of the Rot family,¡± Adam replied. ¡®How many titles am I going to have?¡¯ She narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You are Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I do not like you, Adam,¡± she said, picking her daughter up to kiss her forehead. ¡®What did I do this time?¡¯ Adam thought, before he stepped away from her, walking behind one of the children. ¡°Turot, help me. I¡¯m being bullied.¡± ¡°Adam is a good boy,¡± Turot said back to his aunt. ¡°Turot?¡± Adam called. ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°I came back at Nightval,¡± he said. ¡°In the beginning.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s about the time we left.¡± He nodded. ¡°You went some days before.¡± ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Adam asked. Turot nodded. ¡°Lots of fun!¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I-¡° Turot quickly stopped, noting all the looks of the adults. ¡°Careful, Turot,¡± the Devilkin woman warned. ¡°You cannot say.¡± ¡°I watched the Ranging,¡± he said. ¡°As long as you had fun,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since you are so big and strong now, you need to protect me from your aunt, okay? She shouldn¡¯t bully me, right?¡± The Devilkin woman stared at Adam, who had taken a knee behind Turot. ¡°Do you have no pride?¡± ¡°Pride?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is that something you can eat? Or is it prideful that you bully your darling nephew like this? Taygak, even though I¡¯ve given you a Dragon, your mother is bulling me. Won¡¯t you help Adam who is a good boy?¡± Taygak looked to her mother. ¡°No bully Adam, mama.¡± ¡°You¡¯re as queer as they say,¡± she said. ¡°I get that a lot,¡± Adam said. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! When you forget Adam''s Bri''ish. 240. Jurot’s Excitement 240. Jurot¡¯s Excitement ¡°Don¡¯t bully the young man,¡± another Iyrman said, a Kan. Adam would have guessed she was a Kan because of how beautiful she was. ¡®What the hell are with those genetics?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°My children speak so highly of you,¡± she said. ¡°I speak quite highly of Damokan and Kalokan too,¡± Adam said. ¡°They always keep out of trouble and are very polite.¡± ¡°They are?¡± the Iyrman asked, looking down to his children. ¡°I hear they¡¯re quiet, but whenever they¡¯re with me, they¡¯re always bullying me.¡± ¡°Damokan and Kalokan?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Really?¡± The Iyrman smiled, extending a hand. ¡°Halikan,¡± she said. ¡°Do not mind Kaygak, she is just protective of Taygak and Saygak.¡± ¡®Saygak,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®That was his name.¡¯ ¡°They¡¯re good kids, though I haven¡¯t really spent much time with Saygak.¡± ¡°We went Ranging together,¡± Turot said. ¡°It was very fun,¡± Saygak said. ¡°Raool,¡± the bald Iyrman said, holding the same tattoos as the Ool family. However, he was made of pure muscle, mirroring Nobby. ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± Adam said, shaking his forearm. ¡°I expected all of the Ool family to be like Kitool, but I didn¡¯t expect to see someone who makes me look like a little baby.¡± ¡°You do that by yourself,¡± Kaygak said. Halikan cleared her throat. ¡°Sonarot gushes about you so much, I would have thought you were her son.¡± Sonarot smiled. Adam pushed away the red at his cheeks. ¡°I am very lucky to be her Nephew, so I¡¯m not sure I should fly so close to the sky.¡± Halikan furrowed her brows, confused. ¡°I should really bring the stories from my home to this place, otherwise no one will get how much of a genius I really am,¡± Adam said. ¡°However...¡± Adam looked back to Jurot, smiling at him. ¡°We have quite the story to tell you.¡± Jurot crossed his arms and closed his eyes, trying to meditate in order to not blurt out what he wanted to say. ¡°Oh!¡± called a familiar voice. ¡°You¡¯re finally back.¡± ¡°Too bad I didn¡¯t bring you guys any gifts,¡± Adam said, greeting Jaygak and the others. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°You really didn¡¯t bring back any gifts?¡± she asked. ¡°Wow! That¡¯s so rude!¡± ¡°Well, I did bring something back for you specifically,¡± Adam said. ¡°A gift, and that is the feeling of pure, utter envy.¡± Jaygak raised her brow. ¡°If you killed a Dragon without me, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Adam cackled manically, before noting the looks from the children, and Kaygak, who was shooting daggers at him. ¡°So,¡± Adam said, his eyes glancing between his previous party and new party. ¡°Allow me to introduce everyone.¡± ¡°Sir Vonda,¡± Dunes said, shaking her forearm. ¡°A pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°You as well, Dunes,¡± she said. ¡°Order of Black Mountain, correct?¡± ¡°The very same,¡± he replied. ¡°Wow!¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You¡¯re a Tinkerer? What do you make?¡± Jaygak shook Filliam¡¯s arms a little too rigorously. ¡®Help me,¡¯ Filliam thought, looking to Adam. ¡°No, no,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°They lick my father¡¯s horns a lot. The perve-¡° Jogak wacked her across the back of her head. ¡°If you keep it up, I¡¯ll tell them how much you cried that you were not able to go.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lie,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You managed to seduce my lovely daughter because-¡° Jogak wacked her across the back of the head again. ¡°She¡¯s your partner, not your daughter.¡± Jaygak half tackled her father and the pair began to wrestle. ¡°Stop hitting my head, damn it!¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Jaygak¡¯s going to cry after hearing our story.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched as Jurot finally approached the group. Jaygak stopped wrestling with her father, giving him the chance to slip out of her grip. ¡°Did you really fight a Dragon?¡± ¡®Has she really grown into an Expert?¡¯ Jogak thought, noting how easy it was for her to take him down. ¡®I should stop holding back so much.¡¯ Jurot sat down, drinking a cup of water, before melting some cheese over some meat, before biting into it. He was slowly gaining the strength to tell the story, all the while the various uncles and aunts waited for him. ¡°Please do not mind sister,¡± Sonarot said, feeding Lanarot some pieces of softly boiled fruit from her fingers, sometimes dropping them onto the table to let her pick them up herself. ¡°She is suspicious of you, but she will not try to harm you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect things to be so different,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°She wasn¡¯t quite so hostile last time,¡± he whispered. Sonarot slowly nodded her head. ¡°She will come around to you. Nirot has, slightly.¡± ¡°I forgot that not everyone likes me here,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I managed to somehow not anger the Noble we were with.¡± Sonarot leaned in slightly, trying to glean more, but Adam only smiled. ¡°You managed not to anger a Noble?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I held back.¡± Jaygak furrowed her brows suspiciously. ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m mostly not. I¡¯m pretty sure I made him mad sometimes. At least, I didn¡¯t anger Sir Vonda too much, and she¡¯s a Noble.¡± ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s also a woman,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You¡¯re probably going to add her to your harem.¡± Adam coughed. ¡°You sure grew a pair while I¡¯ve gone. You must have been training hard so that you couldn¡¯t get your ass beat by me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I¡¯m not as weak as I was when you left.¡± ¡°Just how quickly can you grow in two months?¡± Jaygak raised her brow. ¡°Without me, I mean.¡± ¡°You should ask Dunes,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We trained hard daily.¡± ¡°I,¡± Jurot finally exclaimed, stopping the chatter of all the people, ¡°fought Sir Merry.¡± Lanarot began to cry from the sudden shout, delaying the start of the story. However, the others also needed time to process what Jurot had some. Mirot had spat out the wine she had been drinking, Sonarot had dropped the fruit from her fingers, and Raool was trying not to choke on the steak he had nearly swallowed whole. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Jurot has the best story. What''s with half the Iyrmen not liking him? They''re asking for a beating. 241. Jaygak’s Anger 241. Jaygak¡¯s Anger ¡°No,¡± Jaygak whispered once the tale had ended. ¡°I can¡¯t forgive this betrayal, not until I die.¡± Jogak readied himself, understanding that his daughter was about to do something. The other Iyrmen remained silent, trying to digest their meal and the story which had been told to them. The children had swarmed around Jurot, touching the scar which had been gifted to him by Sir Merry. ¡°Don¡¯t stop me,¡± Jaygak said, standing up. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive him unless I punch him!¡± Jogak grabbed his daughter, his arms hooking up her shoulders as she flailed her arms around. ¡°Adam! Just one punch! I won¡¯t be able to sleep unless I get to punch you once!¡± Jaygak cried, unable to contain herself. ¡°How could you have so much fun without me? No fair! No fair!¡± Adam remained sitting down, Lanarot against his chest as she sucked her thumb. She looked at Jaygak, who was making a commotion in front of all the Guests, but they left her be. How could they stop her? Adam continued to smirk at her, doing his best to earn the beat down Jaygak wanted to put down. ¡°Not only Lord Stokmar, but the King¡¯s Sword too?¡± Jaygak continued to flail in her father¡¯s arms. ¡°No! I want to punch you twice! Once with each fist!¡± Elder Zijin grabbed the girl¡¯s head, having appeared right as Jurot had begun his tale. He had been busy with other matters so couldn¡¯t help the others to their houses, but once Jurot had said he had fought Sir Merry, he stayed to listen to the tale. ¡°Enough,¡± Zijin said. ¡°You are embarrassing your family in front of the Guests.¡± Jurot had done so well to bring such a grand mystique to the Iyrmen, but Jaygak had shattered it all for the newcomers. ¡®Iyrmen,¡¯ Filliam thought. ¡®Are they just normal people?¡¯ ¡°But... but...¡± Jaygak continued to sniffle. ¡°If you continue to embarrass yourself, I¡¯ll make you clear a forest,¡± Zijin warned her. He normally let her do as she pleased, but to embarrass her family in front of Guests, it was a terrible thing. Jaygak whimpered quietly, still wanting to punch Adam at least twice for having so much fun without her. ¡°Adam¡¯s a gentleman, he¡¯ll accept it.¡± ¡°Uncle Jogak,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you want me to beat, I mean, discipline her, let me know.¡± Jogak wanted to tell him off, but considering her behaviour, he wondered if it wouldn¡¯t do good for the brat. Kitool placed a hand on Jaygak¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can request a spar with Adam once he has rested from his journey.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to spar with him, I want t-¡° Kitool squeezed Jaygak¡¯s shoulder, leaning in so Jaygak could see her half open eyes. ¡°You can request a spar with Adam once he had rested from his journey.¡± Jaygak fell silent. ¡°Well, I have brought you a gift, but you can talk about it later with her,¡± Adam said, giving Sir Vonda a nod. Sir Vonda stared at him. ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Adam said. ¡°That thing.¡± ¡°Thing?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°What thing?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, raising his brows at her. ¡°That thing.¡± ¡°You mean... that thing?¡± Sir Vonda asked. She looked at Jaygak. ¡°With her?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jaygak asked, still sniffling. ¡°Not just her, Kitool will be there too,¡± Adam said. ¡°Dunes too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Sir Vonda said, her brows furrowing together. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°So you are a Scribemage.¡± ¡°I would obviously give my sister my spells if it means she can protect herself,¡± Adam said. ¡°What use are my spells if they can¡¯t protect her?¡± The Iyrmen around felt as though they had heard something extremely dangerous from the Half Elf, though a few of them were already used to hearing that from Adam. ¡°Our rage does not allow us to cast spells,¡± Mirot eventually said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Right. Aren¡¯t there some spells which persist through, though? Or some spells which may be useful for the situation than getting angry?¡± ¡°Perhaps, but it is not our way,¡± Mirot said. ¡°It¡¯s my way,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m her brother, a member of this family.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Sonarot snapped. ¡°You have said enough. He is a member of our family, as I have stated.¡± Mirot threw Sonarot a look. ¡°You are the Family Head, for now.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes towards the woman, before his eyes fell onto the sighing Sonarot. ¡®Oops. I need to deal with this somehow.¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Turot, who was sitting beside his cousin who had faced Sir Merry, basking in the attention of the limelight. ¡®I need to get Turot on my side. Nirot too, somehow.¡¯ The others felt a little awkward in seeing the way that the families worked. ¡®Even the Iyr has politics,¡¯ they thought. Jurot continued to stare at Lanarot. ¡°If Adam wishes to teach her magic, he can.¡± Mirot threw a shocked look towards the boy she had helped raised. ¡°It is not our way.¡± ¡°It is not my way. It is not your way. It is the way of my brother.¡± ¡°Have you already accepted him?¡± Mirot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So easily?¡± ¡°Has mother not told you the tale?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°She has been waiting for your return so that you may tell them to me.¡± ¡°I will tell you them,¡± Jurot said, kissing Lanarot¡¯s forehead. ¡°You must hear them too.¡± ¡°She needs to sleep,¡± Adam said, noting how the girl squirmed, with her eyes half closed. She began to cough and cry. ¡°I will tell aunt Mirot the tales,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head to Adam, who took Lanarot away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you guys in the morning,¡± Adam said, looking to the four he had brought to the Iyr. ¡°Sorry about all this. It¡¯s usually not quite so lively.¡± He chuckled nervously. ¡°It is interesting to see that the Iyrmen are Human, just like us,¡± Sir Vonda said. Jaygak cleared her throat, but noted the looks of Elder Zijin and her father, so remained quiet. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Sir Vonda said, bowing her head. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The Iyrmen are just... people? Thanks to everyone who subscribed to patreon! I hope you enjoyed the multi chapters! 242. Snow In The Iyr 242. Snow In The Iyr Omen: 12, 20 ¡°Who is this cutie pie?¡± Adam asked, pinching Lanarot¡¯s cheeks. The girl was currently swallowed by thick furs of white, and wore a coat which was far too big for her. ¡°Wow, so cute. Is this my little sister?¡± He hoisted her up with ease and kissed her cheek. ¡°So cute, so adorable, it must be my little sister.¡± Lanarot smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek, spitting against his cheek, before clapping her hands and squealing with joy. ¡°It is my sister! Aren¡¯t you so cute?¡± Adam continued to attack her face with his kisses, only for her to return the favour, getting her spit all over him. ¡°Will you play with her?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°She likes the snow.¡± ¡°Of course she likes the snow, she¡¯s my little sister,¡± Adam bounced her against his arm. ¡°You want to play with papa Adam? We can make snowmen and snow angels together, then we can have a little snowball fight.¡± He tickled her nose with a finger, causing her to twitch away from him. ¡°Building snow castles is popular within the Iyr,¡± Sonarot informed. ¡°Snow castles?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That¡¯s even cooler.¡± Adam laughed at his own joke, which caused Lanarot to look at him and laugh too. ¡°Hoo!¡± She squealed before continuing her laugh. ¡°Come, Lanarot,¡± Adam said, carrying her towards the courtyard where the snow had piled enough that Adam could stick his entire finger into the snow before he reached the ground. He sat her down and began to form a large ball for the base of the snowman. Lanarot, who was wearing gloved her mother had knit her, started slapping the snow around her, squealing with joy. ¡°Oov! Boosh!¡± She continued to squeal with joy as she played. Once Adam was done making the snowman, who was two balls tall, because he was getting a little bored of it, he pulled back. ¡°Turot, stay here and look after Lanarot, okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy said, nodding his head. Adam slipped away back to Sonarot. ¡°Hey, Aunt, do you have any scarves?¡± Adam asked. Sonarot reached to a pile of scarves she had knitted, handing him one with the family¡¯s tattoo, though it was hard to find one without the Rot family¡¯s tattoo. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said, turning to leave. ¡®You are not going to wear it?¡¯ Sonarot thought. Adam returned to pandemonium. Lanarot was crying, snot dripping down her face, and Katool and Turot were staring down at her, trying to look not the least bit guilty. ¡°Guys,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve been gone less than a...¡± That¡¯s when Adam noticed the lack of it. ¡®Where the hell is Jack?¡¯ Adam thought, before looking beside Lanarot to see the snowman was destroyed. Adam placed his hands on his hips, the way teachers did when they found a child had done something they hadn¡¯t meant to. ¡°What happened here?¡± ¡°We punched the snow balls for Lanarot,¡± Turot said, innocently. ¡°Then she started crying.¡± ¡°We punched good,¡± Katool said. ¡°Why is she crying?¡± ¡°The snowball wasn¡¯t for punching,¡± Adam said, wondering if it was an Iyrman thing. Turot squinted his eyes at Adam. ¡°It was not?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Turot frowned. ¡°Sorry.¡± Katool looked up to Turot, taking his cue to frown. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, but look, Lanarot¡¯s still crying,¡± Adam said, hoisting her up, using his Tricks to clean her face. ¡°There, there, Lanarot.¡± ¡°We will fix it,¡± Turot said. ¡°Yes,¡± Katool said. ¡°We will fix.¡± Adam bounced Lanarot against him, calming her down as he assisted the pair in making poor Jack again. ¡®I can¡¯t believe they killed my boy Jack like that. They¡¯re lucky Jack Frost isn¡¯t real, otherwise he¡¯d have a bone to pick with them.¡¯ froze. ¡®Wait. Is he real?¡¯ He looked around to see the trio of Devilkin children who were building a snow castle. ¡®He¡¯s gotta be real, right?¡¯ Once they had finished forming the balls to form the snowman, Adam wrapped the scarf around him. ¡°Oh. Turot, Katool,¡± he called, causing the pair to look up at him. ¡°Can you protect Lanarot and the snowman?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot said, puffing up his chest. ¡°I will protect cousin Lanarot.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Katool said, puffing up her chest too, copying Turot. Adam remained for a moment to accept the wholesomeness into his heart. ¡°Good.¡± He quickly rushed away from them, heading back to Sonarot. ¡°Aunt, do you have any carrots and buttons? I need two big buttons and a bunch of small buttons. A hat would be nice too.¡± ¡°Taygak, why are you running away?¡± Sonarot asked, brushing her hair gently. ¡°He speaks?¡± Taygak asked. ¡°Of course he speaks the language, he is Jurot¡¯s brother, yes?¡± ¡°Jurot¡¯s brother... Lanarot¡¯s brother?¡± she asked, as though to confirm. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak said. Once the children were done telling the snowman what good they had done, Adam wrote everything down in his book. ¡°Listen, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, picking her up. ¡°I have to go do some work, so you need to be good for mama, okay?¡± Lanarot yawned, blinking at him, before tilting her head. She rubbed her eyes before cuddling up to his chest. ¡°Working already?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not real work,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m just going to ask a few questions to some people, that¡¯s all. If I wanted to work, I should, I was extremely lucky today, but I thought I should take the day off.¡± He handed the girl over to her mother, before heading out to find the other Iyrmen. He found Jaygak and Kitool, who were currently helping an Iyrman with repairing their home. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam called. ¡°Adam?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Working already?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Am I that much of a workaholic?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied. ¡°I¡¯m not here for work,¡± Adam said, shaking his head at them. ¡°I¡¯m here to ask you a few questions about your family.¡± ¡°What do you wish to know?¡± Jaygak asked, wondering if he¡¯ll ask that question. She had been waiting to tell him, after all, he was the Nephew of the Rot family. ¡°What do the children like?¡± Adam asked, opening the book, stylus at the ready. Jaygak¡¯s eyes revealed her confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Adam said. ¡°What do they like? Toys, food, so on. I know Raygak likes peppers, and that you keep stealing them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t steal his peppers,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I borrow them. He can have it back a few days la-¡° ¡°Okay!¡± Adam exclaimed, shaking his head. ¡°Just tell me what they like.¡± ¡°Jaygak likes peppers,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Taygak likes nuts. Saygak likes balls. Katool really likes most fruit, especially peaches.¡± Adam wrote down the information, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jolted and looked back to see the Orcish Iyrman staring down at him. ¡°What the hell, Elder?¡± ¡°What are you planning this time?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Something interesting?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not planning anything,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d accuse me of something like that. Uncle Snowiyr is the one planning to give gifts to the children, and I need to figure out what they like.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Zijin said. ¡°You are gift giving? That is all?¡± ¡°Gift giving?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is the end of year,¡± Zijin states, before seeing the look in Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°We give our children gifts before the Twilight month.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, disappointed. ¡°You guys do that?¡± ¡°Yes. The festival begins a week earlier on the fifteenth of the month, and ends on the twenty first. We give gifts on the twenty second.¡± Adam brought his stylus and book down to their side. ¡°Well don¡¯t I feel stupid for making up a story.¡± ¡°Of course you would,¡± Zijin said, chuckling. ¡°That is very like you.¡± ¡°I guess that makes it easier,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Since you¡¯re an Elder, you¡¯re probably the best person to ask. I would like to acquire some items, if you would please, Elder Zijin.¡± Elder Zijin shook his head, huffing slightly. ¡°I am afraid you cannot acquire any items as you are only the Nephew of a family.¡± Adam raised his brows, pulling out the token from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯m no cowboy, Elder Zijin, but this ain¡¯t my first rodeo.¡± He raised his brows. ¡°If you have the gold, of course you can acquire the items, as long as the items are allowed to be procured by you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll swing by later once I¡¯ve made all my notes,¡± Adam said, before waving at them, heading out to find people from the other families. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I ask Aunt for what Turot liked?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I still cannot believe I could not take him to become a Jin,¡± Zijin grumbled. ¡°I could probably marry him and make him a Gak,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°A shame he has no horns.¡± ¡°A shame you have no brain,¡± Zijin replied. Jaygak had already wound up a snowball, which would accidentally slip and hit the Elder in the face. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Since another patron has subscribed, I owe another chapter. Expect two sometime this week. I need to write more since patreon has almost caught up to where I am currently writing. I upgraded the patreon so it''s 20, 40, and (soon to be) 60 chapters ahead. 243. Warriors and Wanderers 243. Warriors and Wanderers Omen: 1, 10 ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam called during breakfast. ¡°Could I ask you to make me some dice?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I need five dice which are six sided.¡± ¡°Cubes or gems?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Gem dice?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is that a shape?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I will show you after breakfast.¡± Once they were done eating, with Adam forcing Jurot to feet Lanarot something from his fingers once, the pair returned back to the house. Jurot pulled out some small wooden blocks which were slightly longer than they were tall. He began to work away at the wood, creating six sides from the long block, with an alternating pattern of an extremely long triangle, which formed the six sides. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Gems, but they need to be quite thick.¡± ¡°How thick?¡± Jurot asked. Adam tried to remember how big something needed to be in order to not be a choking hazard for a child. ¡°Never mind. Could you make fairly large cubes? That way Lanarot could play with them too.¡± ¡°Large cubes?¡± Jurot asked, slightly less interested, but he nodded his head. ¡°I have some large cubes for woodcarving.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can introduce Warriors and Wanderers to this world then.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°What is that?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Adam replied, smirking at him. ¡°You would like five dice total?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Wait.¡± Adam fell into through for a short while. ¡°Actually, four. Four six sided dice should be plenty. You don¡¯t need to mark the faces, I¡¯ll try and figure out what I¡¯d like in that regard. Also, can you make the edges smooth? I don¡¯t want our adorable little Lanarot to get hurt.¡± Jurot nodded, going off to find some cubes he could smooth out for his brother. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said from the door way. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Making dice?¡± ¡°For allowing me to work with Red Oak,¡± Jurot replied. Adam smiled. ¡°Any time.¡± Adam made his way out, only to find Sonarot throw him an accusatory look. ¡°I¡¯m not going to work,¡± he reassured, heading out. ¡°Working again?¡± Elder Zijin asked, drinking some tea as he took a break. ¡°Why does everyone ask that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m not working.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± Zijin motioned to the warehouse. ¡°You aren not planning on taking the food you asked for, which you have overpaid for.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t overpay for anything,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I created a tab.¡± ¡°Fifty gold is quite the tab for some peppers.¡± ¡°I also need a book, two books, actually.¡± ¡°Two books?¡± ¡°I need them for... playing, and education. One for rules, one for play.¡± Zijin furrowed his brows. ¡°Education? Lanarot is still a baby.¡± ¡°An adorable baby,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°It¡¯s not for her. It¡¯s for a bunch of people, including adult Iyrmen, and me.¡± ¡°You are educating yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain stuff later,¡± Adam said. ¡°Either it¡¯ll get me into trouble with the Iyr, in which case you¡¯ll have fun, or, the Iyr will love it, and you can come and play too.¡± ¡°Play?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Brittany assured him. Jonn nodded his head. ¡°We need to talk later, Jonn,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ve got some work for you for the Twilight Month, or Dawnval, or both.¡± Jonn furrowed his brows, but slowly nodded his head. ¡°Since you¡¯re being taken care of in the Iyr, you better not decline,¡± Adam threatened. ¡°Nobby, we¡¯ll start your training soon, but take it easy for now, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied. ¡°Sir Vonda, any thoughts about that thing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Sir Vonda replied. ¡°Dunes, you cool?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m cool,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°If that means I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve pretended to be a good host, Jurot, I need a twenty sided die. Could we add that too, please?¡± ¡°A twenty sided die?¡± Jurot asked, unsure of how he could make a die with so many sides. ¡°Yeah, you can make it a gem style if that¡¯s easier. I know there¡¯s a way to make it not a gem, but I¡¯m too stupid for that sort of thing,¡± Adam said. ¡°A polyhedral die?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°Bless you,¡± Adam replied, chuckling to himself. Filliam furrowed his brows in confusion. ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°Yes, a polyhedral die is exactly what I need.¡± Jurot glanced betwene the pair of them. ¡®Polywhat?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m no Tinkerer.¡± ¡°I can help you with the design,¡± Filliam offered the Iyrman. He had been working to create what Adam had asked of him, having set up in a small cabin the Iyr had offered him, but he could assist with something so simple without it derailing his operation. ¡°Thanks, Filliam,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make a thing for the Iyr.¡± ¡°What thing?¡± Filliam asked, his curiosity piqued. ¡°It¡¯s a... thing.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You might like it, you might not, but I need to figure out some stuff before I show it to people.¡± ¡°Prototyping?¡± Filliam asked, nodding his head knowingly. He, as a Tinkerer, understood the process which these things happened. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s not a thing like you¡¯re thinking, though your trinkets may be quite useful in it.¡± Adam wondered if he should commission Filliam to make him all sorts of creatures, but then looked to Jurot. ¡®I should ask Jurot for some wooden stuff.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t try to think about what Adam is doing,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You just need to trust that his vision is right, and follow him through it.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you trusted me so much, Dunes,¡± Adam said. ¡°After all I¡¯ve seen from you?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°How can I not have faith in you?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I feel like you have a request for me.¡± ¡°One day,¡± Dunes replied with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m still figuring it out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always open to hearing it.¡± Adam nodded his head to Dunes. ¡°You¡¯ve earned that much, Dunes.¡± ¡°If anyone would have told me they had spent three hundred gold on saving a random child they met only for them to find out that they were related to the previous King¡¯s Sword, I¡¯d have though they were you in disguise,¡± Dunes said, still unable to believe it. Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I keep getting more patrons so expect more chapters during the weekend when I finally fix my sleep. 244. Warriors and Wanderers II 244. Warriors and Wanderers II Omen: 18, 18 ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I¡¯m writing rules for the system,¡± Adam replied, staring down at the paper, tapping his lip with the stylus. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. It¡¯s a system for a game.¡± ¡°What game?¡± ¡°One which should be fun, and should help the children,¡± Adam replied, not wanting to let it slip just just. ¡°How will it help them?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait and see, Aunt. I can¡¯t spoil the fun just yet.¡± He winked at her before returning back to his thoughts. ¡®It looks like you are having fun,¡¯ Sonarot thought, leaving him to his work. Adam spent the entire morning working on the project, taking short breaks to play with Lanarot, or to check on her as she napped. ¡°It is done,¡± Jurot said, revealing the die over lunch. ¡°I have rolled it at least one hundred times to check.¡± ¡°You did?¡± Adam said, looking at the die, which was complete bare, before taking it from him. It was smooth to the touch, and light in the hand, even if it was unwieldy. ¡®I wonder how he tested it.¡¯ ¡°You know, Jurot,¡± Adam began with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m very jealous of how you¡¯re able to make stuff like this.¡± The other Iyrmen shot him a look, wondering if he was poking fun at the Iyrman. ¡°I have my skills and you have your own,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡®What is a die to Phantom?¡¯ ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. Oh, Jurot! Do you have any wooden creatures you¡¯ve made before? I need them for the thing.¡± ¡°Mother has kept much of my previous work,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied, smiling at him. ¡°You need Jurot¡¯s old carvings?¡± ¡°Yes, please. I need creatures specifically, but if push comes to shove, we can use other stuff.¡± Adam recalled all the times he used buttons as figures for the game. Lanarot tossed a well aimed piece of fruit at Adam, clapping her hands happily. ¡°Watch it, pal,¡± Adam grumbled at her, wiggling his head from side to side. ¡°If you wanna fight, we can wait for Nightval.¡± Adam picked up a piece of fruit for her, which she bit into. Sonarot eventually brought them to another room, which held stairs going upwards. She held Lanarot in her arms. Adam had been in the room before, one which had been cleaned seasonally or so he gathered. Adam spotted a box he had seen before, which Jurot opened for him, revealing a large number of old wood carvings of various shapes and sizes. ¡°Jurot¡¯s carvings from a few years ago,¡± Sonarot said, picking one up for Lanarot to hold. Adam noted that though all the carvings were of varying degrees of quality, all of them had been finished. ¡°You should throw them away, mother. They are no good.¡± ¡°Throw them away?¡± Sonarot asked, rubbing a hand along the edge of the box, staring down at them. ¡°My precious Jurot¡¯s work? Never.¡± Adam spent a moment taking in the wholesomeness, watching as Jurot¡¯s ears turned red and his lips formed a coy smile of a little boy. ¡°They¡¯re not no good,¡± Adam said, picking one up as Lanarot sucked on the wooden figure. ¡°They¡¯re perfect.¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time I reveal it,¡± Adam said, smiling at the pair of them. ¡°You two can be the first players of the game. No, we should also call for Turot, since it was partly made for him.¡± ¡°I shall call for him,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Isn¡¯t he in school?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is Nightval,¡± Sonarot said, simply. ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯ll grab all the stuff then,¡± Adam said, going off to grab a blanket to use as a battle map, and creating sheets for each of them quickly. Turot appeared, covered half in fur and half in snow. ¡°I have come, Cousin Adam,¡± he declared. Turot nodded his head. ¡°A wicked creature. I, Turot, son of Mirot, will slay it.¡± He picked up the die. ¡°Calm down,¡± Adam said, raising a hand. ¡°No need to roll, yet. There¡¯s no Chimera about.¡± As the game progressed, they managed to make a deal with the Orcs, and faced the Chimera. Sonarot¡¯s magic managed to slow its impeding charge for the others to attack it, with Jurot using his magic to heal, and Turot using his axe to hack apart the Chimera. ¡°Lanababy, come,¡± Adam said, picking her up. He gave her the die. ¡°Go on. Throw.¡± Adam made a motion with his hand and Lanarot tossed the die, squealing with joy. Betrayal Check D20 = 2 Adam puffed out his cheeks, raising his brows in alarm. ¡®How the hell is your luck as bad as mine?¡¯ ¡°Turot,¡± Adam began, ¡°as you hack the Chimera with your axe, you hear a whistle, and as you all look around, the Orcs, who are battered and bruised like you, turn their weapons against you. You, Humans, who have forced us away from our land, must now pay!¡± Turot gasped. ¡°They have betrayed us? How can they do so when we fought alongside each other!¡± ¡°They are no Iyrmen,¡± Sonarot said, patting her nephew¡¯s head. ¡°No! They are definitely not!¡± Turot huffed. Jurot stared down at the battle field, which had used miniatures Adam had taken from those he had crafted years ago, many of which were humanoid in shape, and one which was a Chimera he had carved as one of his later pieces, the tail of which was immaculately carved, some of his finer work. ¡°I lost myself in the world,¡± Jurot said. ¡°This game is fun.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam said, smiling at Jurot. ¡°I will need someone to write up a session summary for next session. It is a very important task, can I trust it to you, Turot?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy said, nodding his head towards his Cousin. ¡°Is there any help you need from me?¡± Sonarot asked. She had let the boys mostly play as she made sure Lanarot wasn¡¯t bothering them, using her magic when she thought it would assist. Adam shook his head, whispering as Turot grabbed his book to write down what had happened. ¡°Hopefully, he can learn his numbers a little better, and the summary will help him with his letters.¡± Sonarot raised her brows. ¡®Did you think so far ahead?¡¯ ¡°So?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Fun,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I will defeat the Orcs,¡± Turot said. ¡°I hope I am able to cast more spells,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It is difficult for Mages when they have so few spells.¡± ¡°Well, you never know,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°If you survive next sessions encounter, you¡¯ll probably Level Up.¡± ¡°Level Up?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll gain access to more spells and greater spells,¡± Adam said. ¡°You too, Jurot.¡± ¡°What of me?¡± Turot asked. ¡°You will gain greater abilities too, more attacks every so often.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°So we have gained greater strength after our adventure.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°The game imitates our life so well,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Though we play the stories of others.¡± ¡°Where I¡¯m from, this is all fantasy,¡± Adam said, before throwing a quick look to Turot, whose tongue was stuck out as he wrote. ¡°Is it a popular game?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Kind of?¡± Adam replied. ¡°It was used as the butt of many jokes, and its roots were rather embarrassing, but it was a game which had brought much joy to a great many people. It also stopped the showers of quite a few people too.¡± ¡°Stopped the showers?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°There were people who took to being Trolls too literally.¡± Adam chuckled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! One day I will fix my sleep, I swear. Lana here killing everyone with her rolls wth. 245. Birthday Gift 245. Birthday Gift Omen: 5, 7 ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Turot called in the morning after their breakfast. ¡°Will you help me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied, leaning in. ¡°How is it that I can help my Cousin Turot?¡± ¡°It is sister¡¯s birthday the day after tomorrow,¡± Turot said. ¡°I do not know what to gift her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Nirot¡¯s birthday?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Turot said. ¡°The third.¡± He formed three fingers to punctuate the point. ¡°I wish to find her something nice.¡± ¡°What should we gift her?¡± Adam asked. Turot puckered his lips for a moment as he squinted at Adam, acting all bashful. ¡°Will you make her an axe?¡± ¡°I could,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling very lucky though, so I¡¯m not sure I should. It¡¯ll be a poor axe, and she is a member of the Rot family.¡± Turot sat down, letting out an exasperated sigh. ¡°What can I do, Cousin Adam? She will be sixteen.¡± ¡°Sixteen?¡± Adam said. ¡°Is that an important age for someone in the Iyr?¡± ¡°She can ask for the right to leave the Iyr to adventure,¡± Turot said. ¡°She will leave soon to adventure and I will not see her for a long time.¡± Adam stared down at Turot, wondering if he had seen them play before. Even so, it seemed to have bothered the young boy enough. ¡®What an adorable little brother she has.¡¯ Turot looked up at Adam expectantly, frowning. ¡°What can I do?¡± ¡°What about making her something with your own hands?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Something she can take on her journey.¡± Turot closed his eyes to think about what he could make. ¡°I do not make things. I am to learn soon.¡± ¡°What about a necklace?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We could use something precious to show her how much she means to you.¡± ¡°What can I use?¡± Turot asked.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Well, we could use Dragon scales?¡± Adam offered. ¡°I should have some spare Dragon scales.¡± ¡°I will use my white scale for sister,¡± Turot said. ¡°You sure? I have a few more that you could use.¡± ¡°She is my sister,¡± Turot said. ¡°She is more important than a scale.¡± Adam rested his chin on his hands. He closed his eyes and took in the meal that Turot was delivering to him. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, of course. If only I was as wise as you.¡± Turot patted the Half Elf¡¯s knee. ¡°One day, Cousin Adam.¡± ¡®Do I noogie him?¡¯ Adam wondered, but he let it go. He ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Come, let us go and make it.¡± Adam assisted Turot with the necklace, though they called for Jurot as he brought some wooden to form the clasps for the end of the necklace. Turot spend a long while, using a magical dagger to form a hole, which which was lopsided, and he pulled the string through it, before forming the clasp. Adam nodded his head. ¡°A grand, eh? That¡¯s quite the gift. Sure, I¡¯ll give her something worth a lot and which is rare.¡± Jurot could sense something was off. He could sense that Adam was thinking of more. ¡°A platinum coin is enough.¡± Adam smiled innocently, having been caught red handed. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Now that I think about it, it¡¯s the first, right? So Lanarot is what, ten months old now?¡± ¡°She is,¡± Jurot said, having only just thought of that now. ¡°She is ten months old...¡± They returned back to the house, where they found Lanarot laying down, staring up at the ceiling. Adam picked her up, resting her head against his shoulder. ¡°Look at this big, chubby girl. You¡¯re so big now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam rubbed his cheek against hers. ¡°You¡¯re such an adorable little baby, my cute little Lana. You¡¯ve grown up so much already...¡± Jurot stared at her. He remembered when she was born, how small she had been. He remembered when he held her up when he went out to find the herb for his mother. When he left to Adventure with Harvey. Even recently, when he left and met Lord Stokmar. Lanarot had grown lightning quick. Adam was almost identical to when he had met the Half Elf, save for his beard which was beginning to grow. Yet, Lanarot, she was so tall. She could crawl. She could grab things. Her smile was toothy instead of gummy. Jurot¡¯s heart pounded quickly, and he closed his eyes. He thought about his father, how he had looked almost the same from when he was a boy, and to the last time he had seen the Iyrman. He was a mountain, one that was unchanging, and yet he had gone from being as tall as the man¡¯s knee from his memories, to the same height. ¡°She has,¡± Jurot said, agreeing with Adam. ¡°Has it been so long already?¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot, who seemed to have unlocked something. The Iyrman stared at his baby sister, and Adam offered her to him. Jurot held her out, feeling how heavy she had become. ¡°You were so small. When did you become so big?¡± He blinked rapidly, trying to remember when she had become so big. She had always been small, and yes she had grown bigger, but... wasn¡¯t this too much? He thought about Nirot, who had been so tiny only a handful of years ago, and now was so tall, so strong, and in two days, would be ready to adventure. ¡°I now understand what you meant at that times,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She has grown up in a flash, and I regret not paying attention.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m trying to poke fun at you, but I don¡¯t remember what you said.¡± ¡°She crawls well,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That was it,¡± Adam said, smiling, nodding his head. ¡°She crawls well. Soon, you¡¯ll be saying that she walks well.¡± ¡°Lanarot? Walking?¡± Jurot asked. Adam chuckled. ¡°I know. Think about Katool. She¡¯s what, four years old?¡± ¡°Almost five,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s only a few years away. Soon, Lanarot will be just like that. Walking, talking, eating, joking, laughing, playing, not just by herself, but with you and me. She¡¯ll be telling us all about her favourite stories of the Iyr. Her favourite colours, clothes, hair style. Her favourite brother.¡± Adam smirked wide. Jurot stared down at the girl, unable to imagine her talking. ¡®She will be as big as me one day. She will go out and use the axe and shield of our family.¡¯ Jurot recalled thinking of those thoughts not long ago, but now they felt so much more real. ¡°It¡¯s up to her to make sure she¡¯s raised well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, bringing her to his chest, having felt her squirm against being held out for so long. ¡°I will raise cousin Lanarot well too,¡± Turot said, having finished his thoughts about his sister, who sometimes took away the fruit he liked to eat, but it¡¯s okay, because he got to take hers when she left. ¡°If she has a dependable cousin like you, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be raised well,¡± Adam said, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. Turot smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I keep waking up so late :( 246. Gifts Given 246. Gifts Given Omen: 9, 20 ¡®I wonder if I should start working today,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I could enchant something. I need the money, especially after all the money I¡¯ve been spending.¡¯ trained lightly in the morning, watching as Jurot trained Nobby. Adam was the one to pay Nobby¡¯s family, and he would financially support the young man until he became an Expert, and Jurot would spend the time and effort in training him. ¡°Adam, are you feeling lucky today?¡± Shikan asked over breakfast, which was made by Kitool and Raool that day. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°I required some assistance, but I will ask Jurot instead,¡± Shikan said, looking to Jurot, who nodded in response without needing to ask more. ¡°What did you need help with?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Supplies need to be handed out to the various families.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°There is no need to apologise.¡± ¡°What a shame, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°I wanted to play Warriors and Wanderers.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a game I created for the children, though adults can play it too,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to Turot. ¡°It was fun, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It was,¡± Turot said. ¡°I will defeat the Orcs.¡± The Iyrmen looked to the boy, their brows shooting down disapprovingly. ¡°The Orcs in the game, yes?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Turot said. ¡°I will roll well to defeat them.¡± ¡°Not the Orcs in real life, right?¡± Adam said, understanding where this could go. Turot looked at Adam with a puzzled expression. ¡°Real life?¡± ¡°You know, here, not in the imagination,¡± Adam stated. ¡°I will defeat the Orcs in my mind.¡± Turot reached up to his head, holding it with both hands. ¡°We killed the Chimera together, but they betrayed me. I will not be merciful.¡± Turot was saying something which both alarmed the Iyrmen, but also filled them with a great sense of pride. Adam could feel Mirot¡¯s glare, but he remained quiet. ¡°Where¡¯s Nirot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is currently training hard,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°Actually...¡± Adam looked to Shikan awkwardly. ¡°Uncle Shikan, I need Jurot today. It¡¯s not quite as important as helping out, but it¡¯s... family stuff.¡± Shikan nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should be calling the man his Uncle, but since he didn¡¯t complain, he left it at that. He made his way to Elder Zijin after breakfast. The Elder was currently cross checking the inventory to his sheet of paper. ¡°Elder,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam,¡± he replied, throwing him a look. ¡°How may I help you?¡± ¡°I love you, sister.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fluttered rapidly, and he rubbed them with his wrists. Hearing the sweet, innocent words of the boy reminded him of when he was younger, and when his own brother was young enough to say it without being embarrassed. ¡®Fuck, man.¡¯ Jurot gave Adam his moment, noting that the Half Elf was looking past to another time. ¡°We should give our gift.¡± Adam nodded, approaching the girl, carrying box wrapped in a blanket. ¡°Hey, Cousin Nirot. Jurot and I have something for you.¡± She opened up the box, revealing the axe. It was dark, with flecks of gem within the axe head, and the wood itself was near black too. ¡°Darksteel,¡± she said, raising her brows. ¡°Fresh off the forge,¡± Adam said. ¡°I rolled extremely well.¡± Jurot and Sonarot threw Adam a look. ¡®Is he applying the game to the world?¡¯ ¡°You made this?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll enchant it for you another time.¡± ¡°I cannot afford that,¡± Nirot said. ¡°You hear that, Jurot? She thinks I¡¯m going to charge her. Lanababy, do you hear that? How much did you pay me for your axe?¡± Adam asked the baby, who was reaching up to play with Jarot¡¯s hair. ¡°You will not charge me?¡± Nirot asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re my Cousin, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you trying to marry me?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°Even if you are handsome and strong, I have to refuse.¡± ¡°Jurot, can I bully her for saying something so stupid?¡± Adam asked, rolling up his sleeve. ¡°Obviously I¡¯ll enchant your weapon.¡± Adam pulled down his sleeve when he felt the glare of a mother. ¡°We¡¯re family.¡± ¡°That is the only reason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the most important reason,¡± Adam said. ¡°You are not so bad after all, Adam,¡± Nirot said. She stood up and hugged Jurot, before half hugging Adam, before slipping away back to her seat. ¡°I know,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am handsome and strong, whereas you¡¯re...¡± Adam stopped. ¡®Okay. Hold on. Let¡¯s not play with fire.¡¯ ¡°You are pretty cool too.¡± ¡®I do not like him,¡¯ Mirot thought. ¡®He is no good.¡¯ Adam eventually retreated to Jarot, taking back his sister, before enjoying in the festivities. Adam expected a fight to break out, or a spar for the occasion, but the Iyrmen of the Rot family just drank and ate in peace. Jarot eventually handed Nirot a shield of great make, one which had been kept in the Rot¡¯s vaults for some time. ¡°I expected you to give an axe to her, so I picked a shield.¡± ¡°Why did you expect that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re always so focused on the axe, but you must remember,¡± he said, tapping the circle on his forehead. ¡°We use an axe and shield.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. Lanarot sneezed, letting out a toot, breaking the moment between them. Spell: Tricks Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Come on, Lanarot. What are you doing? 247. News In The Iyr 247. News In The Iyr Omen: 5, 5 ¡°Oof,¡± Adam groaned as Lanarot sat down on his chest. ¡°You¡¯re so fat now that I can¡¯t hold you any more.¡± Lanarot clapped her hands, squealing with innocent joy as she stared down at him. She babbled at him and slapped his chest. ¡°Why are you beating me up? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Adam rocked his head from side to side as he pretended to be hurt. ¡°Lanarot, come,¡± Sonarot called. Lanarot turned to face her mother, staring at her, before looking back to Adam. She clapped her hands and slapped his chest again. ¡°Lanarot, come,¡± Sonarot called again. Once more the girl looked at her mother, waiting for a moment. ¡°Lanarot, come.¡± Sonarot held out her arms. Lanarot carefully began to shift herself so she could crawl towards her mother, Adam lifting an arm up to assist her, before he was free of the girl¡¯s abuse. Adam made a number of noises as he sat up, the same kind of noises one¡¯s grandfather would make when pretending to not want attention as they moved about, only to tell you off when you stared at them. ¡°Mother, I have heard!¡± Jurot declared, quickly stepping inside the house. His face was beaming with rare excitement. ¡®Did he get some storm wood?¡¯ Adam thought, hopping onto his feet to stretch his body. He had nothing to do today so he had spent it relaxing, having felt the searing gaze of Sonarot against him when he had thought about labouring. ¡°There are already candidates for Elder Wrath,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will grandaunt lay her claim?¡± Adam stared at Jurot, his eyes filling with questions. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You did not hear?¡± Sonarot asked, but her eyes said that she had already known he had no clue. ¡°Elder Wrath stepped down.¡± Adam blinked and shook his head. ¡°Excuse me? He can do that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied, simply. ¡°It has not happened in some time, but he says he was denied a good death failed his duties.¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Elder Wrath had been tasked with leading a group of Iyrmen to face the Aswadians in their tournament. We had a good showing. He was defeated at the end.¡± ¡°Are we talking about the same Elder Wrath? Short hair? Built like Nobby? Axe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of monster beat him?¡± Adam asked. He recalled the few times he met Elder Wrath, but he was pretty sure that he could go tow to tow with the Chief. Chances were, Elder Wrath was the strongest between them all. ¡°Lion King Ashmir,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°He was an undefeated Gladiator in Aswadasad. He faced Elder Wrath, axe against greatsword, and Elder Wrath was defeated.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still trying to understand what happened,¡± Adam admitted, rubbing his forehead. ¡°How did I not hear about this?¡± ¡°You were working hard,¡± Sonarot said, raising a brow towards him. ¡°I wonder what kind of guy that Ashmir is,¡± Adam said. ¡°We should head to Aswadasad during Dawnval and check him out.¡± ¡°He is in the Iyr,¡± Sonarot said. Adam blinked. ¡°Excuse me? Ashmir? Lion King Ashmir?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said, as though it were obvious he would be in the Iyr. ¡°He was invited to stay in the Iyr. He is currently with the Mir family.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Was he always an Iyrman?¡± ¡°It is a fight in her favour,¡± the Iyrman admitted. Adam frowned. ¡°Then...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should continue on his line of thought. ¡°What if I fight for the Family Head position?¡± ¡°You must be married into the Iyr, and have taken the vows,¡± she said, motioning to her forehead. ¡°Then you may challenge for the position of Family Head.¡± Adam crossed his arms, closing his eyes as he thought. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is... I should help Jurot become stronger and have him become the Family Head? I should head to Red Oak more often then.¡± ¡°Jurot may marry soon,¡± she said, looking to her son, whose ears had turned red. ¡°How soon?¡± Adam asked, looking at the young man. ¡°The next three years?¡± Sonarot said, and Jurot did not refute it. ¡°Then I guess we¡¯d better do more quests for more bread,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lanarot, do you want some bread too? Shall we take you go have some bread in Red Oak?¡± Adam asked, poking her side gently, causing her to lift up her legs and squirm in Jurot¡¯s arms. ¡°You can if you wish,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I can inform Elder Zijin that we wish to take her outside.¡± ¡°How does that work?¡± ¡°We simply inform the Elder the dates we wish to be gone, and the matter will be handled. If I am under another task at the time, then it may be delayed if no one can take my place for the task.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°It would be good to take her out,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°We can take her out for Jurot¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°When¡¯s your birthday?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The first of the first month of Dawnval,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Mine too,¡± Adam said. ¡°Technically. How old are you now?¡± ¡°Eighteen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m...¡± ¡®How old am I?¡¯ [18.] ¡°Ho! We¡¯re twins,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m eighteen too. Well, I was in my mid twenties before, and I lived for a year in my last life, but I guess that doesn¡¯t count?¡± ¡°Then you are to marry soon too?¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It is best to do so before you turn twenty four.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam replied, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°I need to enchant a bunch of stuff so that I can kill an Adult Dragon first though.¡± ¡°This is why you need to marry soon, you work too hard,¡± she said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I work harder when I have a family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Why?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°So that I can support my family?¡± ¡°If you are always working, how can you spend time with your family?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Does the Iyr not provide enough.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sounding awfully unbritish,¡± Adam said. ¡°In fact, you sound just like a commie.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Commie?¡± Sonarot asked. Adam smiled, but then sighed sadly. ¡°Nothing. Just a joke about my first life.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Making sure your citizens don''t become homeless and hungry? Yucky. 248. Adam’s Doubts 248. Adam¡¯s Doubts Omen: 6, 12 ¡®I¡¯m bored,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Even though it¡¯s a terrible roll, with all the modifiers, it should be alright?¡¯ ¡°Are you planning on Enchanting today?¡± Sonarot asked as she fed her daughter. ¡°I may as well,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should do some work at least.¡± ¡°Are you feeling lucky?¡± ¡°Not extremely lucky, but lucky enough to enchant an okay weapon.¡± She nodded her head. ¡°There is need for basic weapons always, Adam. Sir Merry is asking for basic weapons to trade for a bout with him.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of him using those weapons against the Iyr?¡± Adam asked.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°It was thought about by the Great Elders. If they did not deny the order, then they must have viewed the benefits greater than the risks. It is not unlikely they trust Sir Merry, due to their long relationship with him.¡± ¡°Really? How did he manage that?¡± ¡°Sir Merry has always been temperate. When I was a girl, I heard of his grace and nobility. He is not like most of the Knights who walk the lands. He is hard to anger, and harder to offend. He is more earthly, and is powerful enough that many leave him be, even if they can afford to offend him.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°I recall tales when I was but a girl of his feats. He has clashed with a great number of foes, names I had heard only in stories. I met one of those he had clashed with, retired on their mountain top. They spoke highly of the King¡¯s Sword, who had shown him mercy when he had lost his mind. I know if we were in the same situation, the Iyr would have put him down.¡± Adam raised his brows. He would need to ask about the stories of Sir Merry. ¡°He first took his position for his best friend, the current King¡¯s grandfather. They had very little power due to the politics of Aldland, but they had changed that situation. The autonomy of many regions had decreased, and taxes and proper respect was paid once more to them. When the King passed and his son took the throne, Sir Merry remained, solidifying that power he and the previous King had earned. Then, once that King passed, he made his intentions to step down.¡± Sonarot fell silent for a moment, but Adam could see she was not done. ¡°It was not unknown that he was close to the Elves, one in particular. During the current King¡¯s invasion against the Elves, that Elf lost her life. He retired peacefully in Ever Green, and though the King continues to ask for Sir Merry¡¯s assistance, it has always been refused.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°The current King doesn¡¯t seem too-¡° ¡°No,¡± Sonarot said, interrupting him. ¡°Sir Merry has earned our trust, however. If he does make the mistake of pointing those weapons against us, then it is his own folly. However, the Great Elders...¡± Sonarot decided to cut herself off. ¡°I get it,¡± Adam said, understanding the situation. ¡°Sir Merry¡¯s trustworthy, and the current King is being refused. What else needs to be said?¡± Sonarot looked into Adam¡¯s eyes and slowly nodded her head. It seemed he had picked up on the deeper context of trading the weapons to Sir Merry. ¡°I... come from a country, which is technically a voluntary union of four independent countries, but no one seriously thinks that its voluntary or that they¡¯re actually four different countries, but that¡¯s beside the point.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°The country, at the height of its power, controlled a quarter of the entire world. Not the known world, but the entire planet. It was once the most powerful empire for several different religions, it was pretty insane.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°But... like every empire so far, it fell. It went from being the master of the seas and controlling a quarter of the world, to losing most of it. It still held some parts of, arguably, other countries, but no one was going to ask for their stuff back.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Some tried, but we had to remind them why we were undisputed world war champions back to back.¡± Adam laughed, slapping his knee. ¡°Sorry, sorry, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°World Wars?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°That¡¯s a story for another time,¡± Adam said. ¡°I know the absolute basics of it, and the most important thing I know, is that we still hold the belt.¡± Adam chuckled. The Iyrman nodded, keeping their gaze on the Half Elf for some time. ¡®It¡¯s got to be real,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I¡¯m definitely not in an illusion, right? I remember my first life, so there¡¯s no way this is like those stories of people getting into a concussion and living another life. Belle definitely killed me, and I was definitely reborn, only to repeat it again. I definitely heard Aunt Sonarot cry for Jurot¡¯s death back then. I still remember that clearly.¡¯ Adam shook his head, letting out a huff. ¡°Alright!¡± Adam raised the sword. He stared at it as the light illuminated its details. It was made of steel, or what he assumed to be steel, with a leather grip, and was fairly basic in design. Not basic because an illusion wasn¡¯t bothered to come up with details, basic because that was what the Iyr expected of it. He placed the sword back down after having admired its details and began the process of enchanting. Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 27 (27) Adam felt the Mana pour through from him into the sword, and he closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t come to until it was early evening, before smiling down at the sword. ¡®Damn. I¡¯m definitely in an illusion.¡¯ ¡°What are you saying?¡± the Iyrman asked. ¡°I rolled too well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Or maybe Fate is looking out for me because I was feeling kinda down.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± It was an Iyrman Adam hadn¡¯t seen before, but he smiled, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°It makes me feel bad when even random Iyrmen are asking me if I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Am I a random Iyrman?¡± Adam stared up at the Iyrman. Handsome. Orc. Green diamond at the centre of his forehead, followed by blue tilted diamonds. Adam narrowed his eyes, noting the blue was very similar to the blue of the Rot family. He wore fairly loose robes, and carried at his side a pair of daggers, and no other weapons. ¡°I don¡¯t recognise your tattoo.¡± ¡°Calhuk,¡± the handsome Orcish Iyrman replied. ¡°You are Adam, son of Fate, Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yes, that is me,¡± Adam replied. ¡°My reputation precedes me.¡± ¡°You are an Enchanter, it can only be so,¡± Calhuk said. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Kinda weird.¡± ¡°Is it? We have not many interactions with one another. Though, regardless, I am no random Iyrman. I am an Iyrman, just like the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yeah, but they¡¯re different,¡± Adam said. ¡°Different how?¡± ¡°They are my family.¡± Calhuk bowed his head. ¡°That they are.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Geopolitics? In my story? GET OUT. 249. Adam’s Melancholy 249. Adam¡¯s Melancholy ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called, noting how everyone was gathered near a corner that day. ¡°What¡¯s with the gathering?¡± ¡°You seemed like you were sad, so we all decided to gather,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Want a drink?¡± Adam smiled slightly, trying to push away the crimson heat at his cheeks. ¡°I was just a little melancholic, you know how it is.¡± ¡°Your time of month?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam took a seat beside the group. ¡°Hey, Sky. Enjoying yourself?¡± Adam asked, brushing his hand through the Awakened Wolf¡¯s fur. ¡°Yes,¡± he panted, before relaxing down beside him. Adam looked between the rest of them. The Iyrmen he was familiar with, the Guests he had brought along. Dunes and Vonda. Jonn and Fred. Brittany and Nobby. He shook his head, wondering if he¡¯d find another Priest, lost wanderer, and recruit. ¡°How¡¯s training coming along?¡± Adam asked the pair of them. ¡°Well,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°I can shoot well.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Nobby said. Adam nodded his head, sipping some wine. ¡°I managed to...¡± Adam realised that he hadn¡¯t told them all about his abilities. He looked to Fred, Vonda, and then to Nobby. ¡®I think Nobby knows.¡¯ ¡°Where¡¯s Filliam?¡± ¡°Working,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He said he was not to be disturbed.¡± ¡°That boy works too hard,¡± Adam said, containing his smile as he sipped his wine. Dunes raised his brows towards Adam. ¡°He works too hard?¡± ¡°Let the joke hang, Dunes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Come on.¡± The Half Elf began to chuckle. ¡°I should probably meet you guys more often since you¡¯re in the Iyr under Jurot¡¯s name.¡± ¡°We are enjoying the sights,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°What sights?¡± ¡°We saw the Blood Hill,¡± she said. ¡°I have heard there will be a new Elder Wrath sworn.¡± ¡°Yeah, crazy,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I heard the guy who beat him, Lion King, is here too.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it until I heard it was Lion King Ashmir,¡± Dunes said. ¡°They call him one of the greatest Gladiators to date.¡± ¡°Do you know much about him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯re from Aswadasad, I assume he¡¯s like your King¡¯s Sword?¡± Dunes shook his head. ¡°No, he is not. East Scimitar and West Scimitar are our King¡¯s Sword. Lion King Ashmir is more akin to...¡± Dunes furrowed his brows. ¡°I do not know what he would be compared to. An Iyrman who wanted to seek glory by only fighting in tournaments? Though Lion King was a Gladiator by birth.¡± ¡°By birth?¡± ¡°He was born in the arena, and lived his entire life there. He performed in the arena in his entire life, but his strength was very real. Eventually it went from performing to real combat, and he slew a large number of creatures.¡± ¡°What kind of creatures?¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Any the arena could get its hands on,¡± Dunes shrugged his shoulders. ¡°When he was young, it was Lions, then Manticores, and eventually he faced against Feral Dragons.¡± ¡°Is that how he got his name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Slaying a billion Lions?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dunes said. ¡°They call him Lion King because of his mane.¡± ¡°A big beard?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, man.¡± Adam sipped his wine. ¡°Fate really is out here trying to get me killed.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s your fault that Elder Wrath is stepping down?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I guess it is,¡± Adam said. Adam rubbed his face. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve influence the Iyr that much.¡¯ ¡°Elder Wrath chose to drop down out of his own accord,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Adam assisted in bringing a new domain into the Iyr¡¯s hands.¡± Adam exhaled, sipping more wine. ¡°Damn. You know, maybe you guys shouldn¡¯t stick with me if that¡¯s going to happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late for that,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You¡¯re stuck with us.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°What about you, Jonn? Thought about keeping your end of the promise.¡± ¡°I am still watching you,¡± Jonn stated, simply. ¡°You, Fred? You found purpose yet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Fred said. ¡°I have not.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam leaned back and looked to the entire group. ¡°You know. I really miss home, and all the niceties of my home.¡± He sipped his wine. ¡°I can¡¯t go back, I know that much. Still, I¡¯ve been thinking about stuff. I¡¯ve been thinking about Lanarot, Jurot and I, Fate¡¯s Golden, and everyone here. Some of you more than others, but still, all of you.¡± His gaze scanned them all. ¡°Adam? Thinking?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, maybe, maybe not. You know, I... I was thinking about exploring this land, this world. I thought about how I could do that, and yes, adventuring is one way, but that¡¯s a little awkward due to certain obligations I have.¡± He looked to Nobby. ¡°I¡¯ve paid your family for a year, but I still need to make sure I train you, well, Jurot trains you, until you¡¯re actually an Expert.¡± Nobby nodded his head slowly. ¡°I still... I still want to be here for my little sister. Look, I know,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°I know that I¡¯m cringe.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°I know, that maybe I¡¯m a little too emotional sometimes, and when it comes to someone who isn¡¯t blood related to me-¡° ¡°Lanarot is your sister, Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Just like how she is my sister.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°I know, I know. Not everyone here knows my story, so I have to make sure they understand. Anyway, I want to be here for her. I want to make sure she¡¯s raised well, not because I don¡¯t have faith in the Iyr, but because I should be here to help raise her. You can¡¯t call yourself a big brother if you don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Lucy said. ¡°We know you love your sister, suspiciously.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s keep it one nil, Lucy, but I don¡¯t mind making it two nil.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that means,¡± Lucy said. ¡°He is threatening to beat you again,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Let¡¯s go then,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I bet I could beat you if you didn¡¯t use your Phantom.¡± ¡°As if you could,¡± Adam replied, tilting his head back to look down at her. ¡°Bring it.¡± Kitool clapped her hands. ¡°You had something to say, Adam?¡± ¡°Right. I was thinking about how I could stay here, establish something where I could eventually leave and explore the world, all the while helping everyone here out. From training, to adventuring, to more.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°It might not make any sense, but I was thinking about making a Mercenary group, or something like that.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I have almost fixed my sleep! Expect a double chapter during with the next weekend. 250. Adam Is Serious 250. Adam Is Serious Lucy squinted her eyes. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t really know, I just think it¡¯s a good idea to bring everything together. There are a lot of talents in this group, and there are a lot of different threads that I have with people. I don¡¯t mean I want all of us here to join that group, I would like that, but I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a little while, a day dream, which I think could... be useful?¡± ¡°Creating a Mercenary group is not a small feat,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What is the difference between our Adventuring party and this group?¡± ¡°A few things,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat, trying to get rid of the awkwardness and embarrassment of revealing an idea he had been chewing on. ¡°I would like to create a Mercenary group which assists people in transportation, throughout Aldland specifically, and that involves a bunch of stuff. I have a number of abilities and talents which would help, and I think that I should use them for more than just adventuring with the lads.¡± They continued to stare at him, still not used to the way he spoke. ¡°How long have we known each other?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jaygak and Kitool. ¡°Almost a year,¡± Jaygak replied, with Kitool nodding her head. ¡°Right. In that year, you¡¯ve pretty much become Experts,¡± Adam said. ¡°Apparently, something which takes years?¡± ¡°Five, typically,¡± Jaygak admitted. ¡°We¡¯re outliers, and Lucy also trained like crazy with our Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Right. However, you guys did not. You, Jurot, and Kitool, didn¡¯t become Experts by training with Iyrmen, you became Experts by adventuring. Adventuring a lot.¡± ¡°With you,¡± Jaygak said. Adam smiled. ¡°Exactly. With me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost Experts, but I get your point,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°So. My plan is to get you to become Experts. Then, maybe, everyone else here can become Experts.¡± Adam looked to the rest. ¡°Other than you, obviously,¡± Adam said, looking to Jonn. ¡°You¡¯re already one, so I can¡¯t take credit for that.¡± ¡°So you want the glory of saying you trained Experts?¡± Sir Vonda asked, wondering if she needed to rethink her thoughts about Adam. ¡°No, well, kind of?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I don¡¯t care about glory, I¡¯m no Iyrman.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. ¡°Imagine, if you will. Brittany and Nobby becomes Experts,¡± Adam said, noting how Kitool stared at him. ¡°Let¡¯s be clear, I didn¡¯t make them into Experts. Kitool did more for Brittany than me. Jurot is helping Nobby.¡± The Iyrmen nodded their heads. ¡°However, I still assisted in that. Brittany wanted to leave her small village and I helped her do just that. I need to keep the rest of my promise, yes, but we¡¯re working towards that.¡± Adam caught her look. ¡°Nobby here, the big wall of muscle, I made sure to try and get him to join us because of Jurot. Jurot looked at him and wanted to train him, so I, with my easy to move heart, set about helping his family so that he was in a position to accept. I¡¯ve become invested, emotionally and financially, to make sure he becomes an Expert.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°So imagine, the pair are Experts. We invite more people, train them so they¡¯re not utter dog, and they¡¯re able to handle themselves. We train them until they have the, uh, core aspects of their strength. You know, how...¡± Adam looked at them all, wondering what he should use as an example, not wanting to reveal secret abilities. ¡°My ma and pa?¡± Nobby asked, sitting up. ¡°Yeah. I want to create a compound for it,¡± Adam said, pulling back as he gesticulated. ¡°A headquarters, a massive one, with all kinds of different... things. Forges, hell, we could hire craftsmen and let them create a bunch of stuff to sell too. I¡¯d need to find a place for it, probably in the North or East.¡± ¡°Not Red Oak?¡± Jurot asked. Adam shook his head. ¡°Probably not. I¡¯m in some hot water with Sir Harvey, so I don¡¯t know if that¡¯ll work.¡± He threw a knowing look to the others who had seen how he had fought with the High Alchemist. ¡°Could make it near the Iyr though, or a village nearby?¡± Brittany frowned. ¡°We could have a smaller home base near the Iyr, maybe? The Iyr and it¡¯s people would be treated well by the company.¡± The idea was expanding in real time in front of them. ¡°What about-¡° Adam raised his hand. ¡°Dunes, just a sec.¡± He looked away, closing his eyes tight. He tried to focus on something he had caught. ¡®What if I got the Iyr on board? The company could assist the Iyr in training its youth, taking teens along to various corners of the land. The business would bring in a ton of information, and once established, some of the information could be passed to the Iyr.¡¯ ¡°Sorry, Dunes,¡± Adam said. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± ¡°I was going to suggest you could speak with the Iyrmen, see if they can¡¯t get on board,¡± he said. Adam laughed. ¡°Great minds think alike. That¡¯s what I was thinking about.¡± ¡°You could also invite Priests.¡± ¡°Priests?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There are some who wander the world trying to find stable work outside of temples, for one reason or another,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Some Priests work as Adventurers, but some want to work for an operation, the kind you¡¯re describing.¡± ¡°Priests...¡± Adam whispered, his eyes glazing over as he felt into thought. The others continued to eat and drink, keeping an eye on him. Adam had felt a little different today, so talking with him was a way to cheer him up. Hearing his thoughts would help at least alleviate some pressure on his mind, even if it was crazy nonsense. ¡°A business with hundreds of employees. Warriors, Iyrmen, perhaps those that need training. Guards of different ranks, guarding caravans from one place to the next. Priests who can deal with medical care of the employees, their families, and those on the missions. We could trade our own exotic wares, maybe even train Mages so they could have their own tower to sleep at night.¡± Adam began to laugh. ¡°Can you imagine someone training Mages to Third Gate just to cast the tower spell?¡± Adam shook his head, wiping the tears from the corner of his eyes. They were listening to Adam¡¯s nonsense, and seeing him laugh, the others smiled. ¡°That¡¯s such a good idea,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Dunes asked. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I think I''m a day away from fixing my sleep! I''ll be catching up on comments some time this week. Also please check out the release of Mark of the Crijik! I have no idea what it''s about, other than it''s a litrpg with a system, and the author is not cringe, at least, not in the bad way. Considering that the mc has a timer on his life, it''s probably way more fast paced than this story and probably doesn''t have 40-60 chapters of slice of life. Amazon link which redirect to your local amazon store. 251. The Wandering Inn 251. The Wandering Inn ¡°Think about it!¡± Adam said, excitedly. ¡°A Merchant escort agency, or even a Merchant agency, one which has its own Priests and Mages and Warriors. The Priests get to have their own little temple for their gods, Mages with their own studies, Warriors with... whatever they might want.¡± ¡°If you can find a place in the wild near the Iyr, you can claim it and build around it,¡± Jurot said. ¡°As long as the tax is paid, the Kingdom will not refuse you.¡± The others looked to Jurot, wondering why he was encouraging the madness Adam was speaking. This had gone beyond just a gathering to cheer Adam up, it was now enabling his delusions. ¡°How much is the tax?¡± ¡°Ten percent of what the Chief collects in tax?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°So I¡¯d make a village and become a Chief?¡± Adam asked. Jurot paused. ¡°There are wild inns which operate differently. Each month, one gold per worker must be sent. It is a silver for any children which live on the premise. As long as money is sent to the Kingdom, they should not care.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Is there a place nearby? An abandoned gem mine at the side of a mountain, an abandoned town?¡± ¡°This is no company,¡± Jonn said. ¡°This is an...¡± ¡°Order,¡± Dunes said. ¡°An Order of gold.¡± Adam fell silent. ¡°Should I do that instead?¡± ¡°That is far more difficult,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You must offer assistance to the Kingdom when it requires it, and since it will be newly made, it may be easier for the Kingdom to demand more.¡± ¡°Then maybe I don¡¯t make an Order,¡± Adam said, casually. ¡°I¡¯d like a ruined town to make the compound. Would probably be easier, as long as the ruined town was ruined because of something sensible.¡± The fact that Adam used the word sensible caused the others to glance between one another. ¡°Some place near the Iyr, maybe with an enchanting shrine,¡± Adam said, letting part of his secret slip. ¡°Magical weapons may be a really good way of, you know, making tons of money to afford everything.¡± ¡°Acquiring Enchanters is a difficult task,¡± Vonda said when no one else interrupted. ¡°Leave that to me,¡± Adam said, winking at her. ¡°That¡¯s what we could sell. Magic and magic accessories. Enchanted weapons, armour, items, and stuff like scrolls. That could pay for everything, bank rolling the entire operation so other stuff could be run at a small loss.¡± Adam thought about how a certain company operated, losing money yearly, and yet making billionaires and millionaires. ¡°It would be best to situate such a business within a town,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Central Aldland would be best, though the land is safe. South Port? From South Port, you could travel to most of the South Aldland towns, then to West Aldland, circle around the hills and mountain, then to North Aldland, to East Aldland, and if you wish, Central Aldland.¡± The others looked at Jurot, wondering why he continued to encourage Adam¡¯s lunacy. ¡°South Aldland?¡± Adam asked, pointing to his ears. ¡°With these bad boys on my head?¡± Sky looked up upon hearing bad boy, but dropped down again. ¡°East Aldland will treat you better,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°How long does it take to get to the East Aldland from the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No more than a month,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°A month?¡± Adam asked, groaning. ¡°Seriously?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Adventurers would love an inn in between the towns,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°It would be difficult to keep it safe from all manner of creatures, from Raiders to Rocs,¡± Jonn said. ¡°We¡¯d keep a few nukes in our back pocket, just in case,¡± Adam said. ¡°Or have enough Guards, with enough ranged weaponry, maybe magical arrows, to keep pests from thinking twice.¡± ¡®Newks?¡¯ they thought. ¡°I really want to do that,¡± Adam said. ¡°That sounds so cool. It might be profitable, might not be, but considering how many people travel, and how many people want guaranteed safety along their travels. Chances are, we¡¯d made the areas much safer too.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stress how difficult it would be,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You would essentially be creating forts between towns, which has its own implications and issues. The cost of materials to create the forts, the supplies for food, the defence against all manner of creatures, not to mention the pay to convince people to live near death at all times.¡± ¡°We can think about that later,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was nice to throw out all my crazy ideas to bounce between you all.¡± ¡°You knew it was crazy?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°What, you thought this entire time I thought it was normal?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell with you sometimes,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I think Adam is someone who has great thoughts, thoughts which may not be those that others think, but thoughts I wish more people held,¡± Vonda said. Adam chuckled. ¡°If other people had these ideas, then I wouldn¡¯t be interesting enough for you all to stick around.¡± ¡°I do not stay here with you because you are interesting,¡± Jurot said. ¡°First of all, that¡¯s rather hurtful, but secondly, you¡¯re family, that doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°He needs something to make up for the lack of-¡° ¡°Horns,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Lucy exchanged a look with Jaygak, nodding her head. ¡°Adam¡¯s weird, but he¡¯s my friend, so I¡¯ll stick with him.¡± ¡°Not your General?¡± ¡°Who wants a General like you?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°You¡¯re too crazy to be a General.¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy people like me who will bring workers¡¯ rights to the world,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Just like how...¡± ¡®Wait, if I bring workers¡¯ rights to this world, can I still say I¡¯m British.¡± Dunes was about to call for Adam, but Jurot shook his head. ¡°Leave him,¡± Jurot whispered. ¡°He is thinking about something stupid again.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Due to my lack of sleep, I''m having a few, hopefully, minor health issue. Still trying to fix stuff. I keep waking up way too early so F. 252. Adam’s A Man 252. Adam¡¯s A Man Omen: 11, 12 ¡°Man,¡± Adam said, looking out to the white which blanketed the Iyr. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± Adam sat atop the wall, so he could overlook the Iyr he was familiar with. He noted the domed building. ¡®Damn. I forgot about it.¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. There were a large number of Iyrmen who milled about, drinking and eating as the snow fell across their world. The children were all enjoying their time with the snow, dressed in thick furs, which made it difficult to pick up the snow to toss towards the others. ¡°You¡¯re one lucky guy, Jurot,¡± Adam said, sipping some of the wine which had been offered to him. It was different than the others, but he continued to sip from the small cup. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You get to see this every year,¡± Adam said, with no small envy. ¡°What a sight.¡± Jurot smiled. ¡°It¡¯s romantic, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Once their allotted time atop the walls was finished, Jurot and Adam returned back for breakfast. Jurot had decided to take Adam to sit on the wall since he had been feeling down, and so skipped training that morning. Lanarot was dressed in her White Wolf fur cloak, a small flat hat atop her head. Her little face was slightly paler than usual, but her nose was red. Her mouth was covered in all kinds of different colours, from the various fruit juices she had managed to squirt across her lips. ¡°What¡¯s with you and making a mess of yourself?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯ll stain that pretty little cloak of yours.¡± Lanarot looked up at him. She smiled, letting out a small noise of joy, before biting into another fruit, dripping red juice all over herself. ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot smiled up at him, and Adam, for a moment, believed she could truly understand him. Spell: Tricks ¡°Jaygak,¡± called a familiar voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Jaygak said, certain he hadn¡¯t caught on so soon. ¡°Kitool, Jurot,¡± Elder Zijin added. ¡°You have all been chosen for Twilight Month.¡± Jurot¡¯s nostrils flared with excitement, and Jaygak looked to her father, her brows raised in delight. Kitool bowed her head in acknowledgement. ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is for us to assist during the Twilight Month,¡± Jurot said, unable to hold the excitement of his voice. ¡°We have been chosen to fight.¡± ¡°Need any help?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Since I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, I should do some work too. When it comes to fighting, I¡¯m pretty good, even if I do say so myself.¡± ¡°No,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Only one from each family is chosen, and they must at least be acknowledged as Experts.¡± ¡°Are Jaygak and Kitool finally Experts?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Close enough that we¡¯ll become Experts during the fights,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to have fun while you sit here and drink wine and eat delicious...¡± Jaygak paused. ¡®Wait. That doesn¡¯t sound bad at all.¡¯ ¡°What are you fighting?¡± Adam asked. Jaygak smirked. Adam shook his head. ¡°I come from a place which-¡° Adam quickly stopped. ¡°I mean, I...¡± Adam realised quickly he shouldn¡¯t finish his statement. ¡®I really am wise.¡¯ ¡°What I mean to say is, there¡¯s probably no place like the Iyr. It¡¯s a place which only exists because everyone in it is crazy.¡± Mirot narrowed her eyes. ¡°He does not mean crazy in a bad way,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That is how Adam speaks.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°This is a good kind of crazy. I¡¯m a different kind of crazy. I¡¯m the kind of guy to constantly aggravate probably the most terrifying place in this world. Plus...¡± Adam reached down to pick Lanarot up. ¡°I¡¯ve got to be crazy if I think about leaving you all alone without your big brother.¡± He rubbed his cheek against hers, and kissed her cheeks repeatedly. Lanarot giggled and clapped her hands, before Adam held her out to Jurot. Jurot took her in his arms, causing the girl to look up at him. She spent a while just staring at him. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not crazy enough not to let Jurot shower her in affection either.¡± Adam stared at Jurot expectantly. Jurot wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her forehead. ¡°Me too!¡± Turot said. ¡°Turot!¡± Mirot snapped at her son. ¡°Yes, mother?¡± Turot said, looking up at her. Mirot stared at her son. She realised she had tried to stop him from kissing his cousin, which wasn¡¯t wrong at all. ¡°Be gentle.¡± ¡°Yes, mother.¡± Turot held onto Jurot¡¯s arms to brace himself before kissing the girl¡¯s forehead. Adam stared at Mirot, unable to contain the smirk on his face, his eyes accusatory. Mirot ignored him. ¡°You are in a good mood today,¡± the Iyrman who had been assigned to him said. He had heard that something was up with Adam yesterday, but it seemed he had managed to overcome it. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I realise I¡¯m very fortunate.¡± The Iyrman nodded his head. Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 15 (8) Omen: 11, 12 -> 11 12 + 7 = 19 The fire flickered as the late evening chill encompassed his body. He stared at the fire, wondering what he should do, basking in the warmth. ¡°Oof,¡± he said, standing up, casually walking towards a tree, beginning to pull down his trousers to make the snow yellow. Lightning struck, and once it did, he darted towards where it landed, finding a young woman dressed all in white, who landed softly on the snow. ¡°You¡¯ll be fun,¡± he said, forming a fist. ¡°I love killing sneaky little rats.¡± Adam didn¡¯t need to think too deeply about his enchanting, spending the Mana required and allowing Fate to do as she pleased. ¡°Can you really enchant a weapon in three days?¡± the Iyrman asked. ¡°Sometimes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Depends on how lucky I feel.¡± ¡®What a crazy existence. Could he be a...¡¯ The Iyrman decided to stop thinking. ¡®I should know what I should know.¡¯ Adam eventually returned home, finding a pan flute waiting for him. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to Jurot. Jurot nodded his head in return. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Not only are my eyes no longer burning but I''ve also fixed my sleep! Hurrah! 253. Tasks In Life 253. Tasks In Life Omen: 10, 18 Lanarot shook as she cried, screaming as her mother picked her up, slowly rocking her. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Adam said, pulling away from the pan flute. ¡°With my bonus it was higher than a twenty.¡± Sonarot slowly furrowed her brows, wondering why he was trying to use Warriors and Wanderers terms with her. ¡®It must be a, as you say, British thing.¡¯ ¡°She is sleepy. Nightval is a time of rest, and she requires more hours to sleep. She has been playing too much.¡± She tapped her daughter¡¯s back, trying to calm her down. ¡°Go to sleep, little Lanababy,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair gently. ¡°I¡¯ll be back after enchanting and we can play then, okay?¡± Lanarot sniffled, and sucked on her thumb as she was placed down. Her mother lay beside her, rubbing her stomach gently. ¡°I thought your playing was very good,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll spend some time learning it when I¡¯m not busy.¡± Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 16 (9) Omen: 10, 18 -> 10 18 + 7 = 25 The man looked up towards the sky, the heat of the fire flickering against him. ¡°I should have brought the dead rat here,¡± he said. ¡°Then I¡¯d be able to hunt more of you.¡± He stood up, patting the snow from his bottom. All the while, a Nightval Bear began to paw its way towards him. Lightning crashed, and thunder rumbled, as several other creatures darted from the shadows towards him. Longsword You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with this weapon. You gain a +3 bonus to damage rolls made with this weapon. You may pick between fire or poison for this damage. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®No, I¡¯m good.¡¯ XP Gained: +300 XP: 6150 -> 6450 ¡®Not as much as I expected,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is my XP being reduced slightly because I¡¯ve enchanted too much? Ah, well, I didn¡¯t use very expensive gems either. Shame. Could have gotten some additional damage.¡¯ Adam stared at how much XP he had gathered so far. ¡®Now that I think about it, wasn¡¯t the improved critical hit chance something like three thousand?¡¯ [Yes.] XP: 6450 -> 3450 Adam smiled, staring down at the sword. ¡°I should have named you something cool, now that I think about it, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He sheathed the blade and made his way to the warehouse, where he found the Elder. ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Adam said, holding up the sword. ¡°A basic bonus, as well as a choice between some additional damage.¡± ¡°Which damage.¡± ¡°Fire or poison,¡± Adam said. Elder Zijin raised his brows to Adam, who winked. ¡°Poison is not well liked.¡± ¡°Then stick with the fire.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Adam was attacked by two Dire Wolves once he had returned back to the estate. ¡°Jay¡¯a, Kit¡¯a!¡± Adam fell onto the snow as the pair of them lapped up at his face. ¡°How do you girls love me so much? I barely played with you and fed you.¡± ¡®Is this what they mean by the first mover¡¯s advantage?¡¯ The Dire Wolves, who had grown so big, continued to hop around him, until Adam managed to flee from their love. Spell: Tricks Once he had cleaned up the saliva, he walked over to Jurot and the others, who had gathered together. The older generation had grouped together, with the children near them. Jurot and the other young adults were also sitting by themselves, chatting away. Lanarot was with Jurot, however, his mother having forced him to sit with her and feed her. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you should take some trinkets back for the kids.¡± Dargon nodded, having not expected that Adam had brought more gifts for the children, but it did sound like him. Omen: 10, 10 Adam let out a soft exhale. ¡°Of course I tell him I¡¯ll enchant only to roll a couple of tens.¡± ¡°Hoo!¡± Lanarot said, laying on his chest, looking up at him. ¡°Are you copying me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How can you bully me like this?¡± Adam pinched her cheeks and she giggled. ¡°Are you enchanting today?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think I¡¯ll take it easy. Play with Sky and the girls, and maybe practise with the pan flute.¡± ¡°It is good to rest, Adam.¡± Jurot nodded to him. ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Adam replied. ¡°The festivals in a week or so, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I¡¯ll probably enchant something during it if I roll well and don¡¯t finish Dargon¡¯s blade.¡± ¡°Mother will not be pleased.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll forgive me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll show her my puppy dog eyes.¡± Jurot stared at Adam, unsure of what he was talking about. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± Adam spent the day with Sky, riding him around the Iyr, with Jay¡¯a and Kit¡¯a at their heels. ¡®I need to make sure Sky is loyal to me,¡¯ Adam thought, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡®I put the fear of Baktu into him, but loyalty is also nice.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, holding a set of pan flutes to his lips. ¡°I¡¯m just practising my pan flutes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Then what are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m talking about Lanarot.¡± Adam turned his head, where he saw Lanarot. She was standing, but was half laying against Sky, gently moving along with Sky¡¯s breaths. ¡°She¡¯s just cuddling Sky.¡± ¡°She should be cuddling my baby,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Why would she be doing that?¡± Jaygak huffed out, annoyed. ¡°Obviously because she¡¯s the best!¡± Kitool and Jurot stared at the two of them. ¡®This is my task in life,¡¯ they thought. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam: Chaos Enchanter Kitool: Baby Sitter My sleep is still somehow rekt but it''s better. 254. Toosh 254. Toosh Omen: 4, 17 ¡°Will you enchant today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I should really spend more time with the others, though.¡± ¡°There is time before and after enchanting.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t want to let it slip just yet.¡± ¡°Do you not trust them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust them,¡± Adam said, trying to find a clever way of wording it. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Revealing yourself as an Enchanter is dangerous, Adam,¡± Sonarot. ¡°So many people already know.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is it dangerous for me or for others?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As breakfast was made, Adam played with Lanarot, holding her close to his chest as he swayed with her. ¡°Don¡¯t forget who your favourite brother is, okay?¡± Lanarot babbled in response. ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ll think about it?¡± Adam asked, looking down at her. ¡°Are you starting a fight?¡± Lanarot looked up at him, before reaching up to his scruffy beard and giggling. ¡°You¡¯re treading on thin ice, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, kissing her forehead. Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 10 (3) Omen: 4, 17 -> 14 17 + 7 = 24 The baby crawled towards the edge of the cave, planting his bottom firmly on the ground as he looked out to the rest of his entourage. Only a dozen remained, but he believed that they¡¯d be found that evening. Yet, as the time passed, he felt it. The thread of Fate which was being plucked. ¡®I don¡¯t know whether you hate me or you love me,¡¯ the baby thought. ¡®You are a harsh mistress.¡¯ Adam wiped his brow, staring down at the sword. It was long and wide, that of Argon¡¯s style rather than Dargon¡¯s. ¡®Is it a gift for someone else?¡¯ Sturdy fittings, a basic design, Adam wondered why this one was picked to be enchanted. ¡®It¡¯s pretty unused too.¡¯ Dargon had brought a number of gems to him, almost a thousand gold¡¯s worth. ¡°How was it?¡± Jurot asked once he returned. ¡°I woke up early, so it was alright,¡± he replied, before joining them. He sighed, leaning back. ¡°You know...¡± Adam shut up before he let slip his secrets in front of everyone. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Filliam in a while.¡± ¡°He sometimes walks for his thoughts, but remains within his cabin.¡± ¡°The Iyr is letting him kick it in a cabin for free?¡± ¡°We have told the Iyr what you had asked for,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They assume it is for the children.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m becoming too predictable. Should I threaten the Chief, in case he thinks I¡¯m becoming too nice?¡± ¡°Why are you in such a rush to die, Adam?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Your sister will miss you.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at Jurot. ¡°Good point. I should threaten Elder Zijin instead.¡± ¡°Can you beat him?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Do you wish to find out?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, honestly. ¡°I like Elder Zijin. He¡¯s nice.¡± Jaygak furrowed her brows at him. ¡°Only because you don¡¯t aggravate him. If you did, he¡¯s not so nice.¡± ¡°Deservedly so,¡± Adam replied, throwing her a knowing look. Jaygak grumbled quietly. Adam crept into the house, where he found that Lanarot was fast asleep, with Sonarot reading by candle light. Adam nodded at her, before miming to her that he was lucky with his enchanting, so continued enchanting. Though his gestures made no sense, Sonarot understood why he had come late that night, as it was always the same reason. Jurot was still awake too, staring at he ceiling. He was thinking, which was rare for him. ¡®I should have taken a scrap of Red Oak.¡¯ Over the course of the next few days, Adam enchanted another blade. 23. 21. 22. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Nah.¡¯ Spear You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 piercing + 1D3 lightning damage. Deals +1D6 lightning damage when used in the rain. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®Storm Spear.¡¯ Storm Spear You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 piercing + 1D3 lightning damage. Deals +1D6 lightning damage when used in the rain. XP Gained: +500 XP: 3450 -> 3950 Great Enchantment Learnt! XP Gained: +200 XP: 3950 -> 4150 ¡®Pretty good,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I only had to use Omen twice too.¡± ¡®I take it back,¡¯ the baby thought, seeing the flaming blade which cut down one of his worshippers. ¡®You definitely hate me.¡¯ ¡°Elder Zijin, I¡¯ve got another spear,¡± Adam said. ¡°You are working too hard,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Will we have to drag you back home again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to enchant for a bit after this,¡± Adam assured. ¡°I just wanted to finish these two so I had some more money in my pocket, you know?¡± ¡°Such big pockets you have,¡± Zijin joked. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a spear which deals lightning damage,¡± Adam said. ¡°Basic enchantment, and all that. Oh, and during the rain, it¡¯s more powerful.¡± Zijin remained silent. ¡®Does he know?¡¯ ¡°So... is it good?¡± Adam asked, noting the Elder¡¯s silence. ¡°It is good,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°I will be sure to auction it well.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I should get back to my darling sister. I¡¯m glad that I finished before the festival. I¡¯ll take it all off to rest.¡± ¡°I will relay to Sonarot your words,¡± Zijin said. ¡°What if I¡¯m forced to?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Who will force you?¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Then you may enchant.¡± ¡°Sounds awfully convenient,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Trying to take credit of saying I should relax, and then forcing me to work?¡± Elder Zijin raised his brow. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°I promised Jurot I¡¯d start a fight with you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To keep you all on your toes,¡± Adam said. ¡°In case you think I¡¯m actually a nice person.¡± ¡°You are as queer as ever.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I am.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam continues to draw 25 cards at a time. 255. The Visitor 255. The Visitor ¡°Look at you,¡± Adam said, pinching Lanarot¡¯s cheeks gently and jiggling them. ¡°Look at you.¡± Lanarot smiled up at him before sucking on her hand shyly. She was adorned in blue clothing, a thicker version of what the Iyrmen usually wore, though she was soon wrapped up in a thick white coat which was still too big for her. Atop her head was a hat, with tiny little nubs for ears, and two dots of painted fur which formed eyes. ¡°Aren¡¯t you so cute? You¡¯re always so cute though, aren¡¯t you?¡± He lifted her up into his arms and kissed her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t wipe off the paint, okay? Everyone needs to know which family you¡¯re from.¡± He brushed her hair to the side, tucking it behind her ear, before fixing the thick furry hat atop her head. ¡°You should guide your friends around the festival,¡± Sonarot said, taking her daughter from him, placing her into the sash which usually carried her around the Iyr. ¡°Why do I need friends when I have my Lanababy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ll take them around the Iyr later.¡± Sonarot let out a soft sigh, but understood the boy didn¡¯t mean it. At least, she hoped he didn¡¯t mean it. ¡°Adam,¡± called Zijin. Adam sighed. ¡°What did I do this time?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Is this about the payment for my work then?¡± ¡°No, that will come after the festival,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Then...¡± ¡°You have a visitor.¡± The first thought which flashed into his mind was that a God had come to visit him. ¡®That doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Unless it was Baktu? Then what if it i-¡® ¡°Stop thinking and start moving,¡± Zijin stated. ¡°If I have a visitor, then we should go and see them?¡± Adam asked, looking to Sonarot. ¡°Since I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family?¡± Sonarot bowed her head. Adam had been working quite hard recently, so of course he¡¯d want to spend time with his little sister. It was not a thought she would have of most Iyrmen, but Adam was no Iyrman. Yet. ¡°Oh!¡± Adam said, approaching the Chief¡¯s place. ¡°It¡¯s you.¡± Her eyes were slightly slanted, with an emerald shimmer. Her nose was thin and straight, going down like an arrow tip, and her lips were even thinner. Elongated ears jut out the side of her head straight upwards, though was pointed like a leaf. Her hair was long, like liquid copper that fell down to her shoulders. An unnatural beauty that Adam hadn¡¯t seen in some time. ¡°Did you expect anyone greater?¡± Entalia asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I thought Baktu came to speak with me.¡± Entalia wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. ¡°You are quite the queer Half Elf.¡± ¡°I might hear that more than my name,¡± Adam said. ¡°You brought the good stuff?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Entalia said. ¡°Have you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were here.¡± ¡°Is my time so worthless to the Iyr?¡± Entalia asked, looking to the Chief. ¡°They shall be fetched,¡± the Chief said. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to see you again,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Have you come to stay long?¡± ¡°No,¡± Entalia said, wincing slightly, smelling something foul in the air. ¡°Not when he¡¯s here.¡± Her eyes fell towards one of the nearby buildings. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said. ¡°I took a bath today. I-¡° Adam paused, narrowing his eyes for a moment. ¡°I forgot to go to the dome baths!¡± ¡°Not you,¡± Entalia growled. ¡°It¡¯s... someone I don¡¯t want to talk about.¡± The Chief sighed, sharing Entalia¡¯s pain. ¡°I want to see the weapons first.¡± ¡°Afford? You have the amethicule weapons, what else do you need?¡± ¡°Gems, right?¡± Adam replied. ¡°The amethicule weapon covers that,¡± Entalia said. ¡°Did you use gems when creating those weapons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adam stared up into her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t need to?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Diamicule, jadicule, and amethicule can be enchanted to be greater enchantments without the use of extra gems, and potentially legendary, if you¡¯re able to, with the assistance of more gems.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She tilted her head at him, her eyes changing slightly. He was so curious. How did he not know such basic things? ¡°I get all these weapons?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ten, well, seven weapons?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. ¡°Then I¡¯ll happily accept all these weapons,¡± Adam said, reaching down to pick one up, feeling the heft of the diamicule sword and axe. ¡®Why didn¡¯t your family use a sword and axe, Jurot?¡¯ ¡°I will leave these weapons with you and I will come to collect mine in the future,¡± she said. ¡°How long do you need?¡± ¡°I have a lot to do,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°What kind of enchantments do you want?¡± ¡°Can I see the magical weapons you¡¯ve enchanted so far?¡± Entalia asked. She had a theory in mind about what Adam was. ¡°Maybe, why?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to know all the enchantments you can enchant onto weapons,¡± she said. ¡°It would be easier for me to pick the enchantments that way.¡± ¡°Oh, you know, all sorts,¡± Adam replied, vaguely. ¡°All sorts?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Are you...¡± Entalia stared at him, furrowing her brows. Adam raised his brows at her. ¡°Yes?¡± A small smirk appeared on his face. ¡°We can talk later in private about it,¡± she said, noting the gazes of all the Iyrmen. ¡°Enough about us,¡± Adam said. ¡°You should come and see my little sister.¡± Lanarot stared at all the colourful weapons, and squirmed, trying to reach for them from her mother¡¯s arms. ¡°She¡¯s grown,¡± Entalia said. ¡°Right? Isn¡¯t she so adorable?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She¡¯s... Entalia?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± called an older voice. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the young lady.¡± Entalia had straightened up, and turned on her heel to stare at the stranger who appeared from the nearby house, which was usually for the Chief and his Guests. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Dragon waifu returns! I still owe an additional two chapters, but they''ll come out another week since I''m still catching up on writing. 256. The Offer 256. The Offer It was an older man with pale skin, and he wore the attire of an Iyrman, though he was no Iyrman. His forehead held a pattern, though it was not of an Iyrman¡¯s design. There was a complicated pattern of a circle and diamonds emanating from it, as well as several rays shooting outward. He was quite a handsome older man, looking slightly younger than the Chief. His hair was dark, but not quite black, more a dark blue. His eyes were silver and blue, and held a great deal of wisdom, and a great deal of exhaustion. ¡°I thought I could smell you,¡± Entalia growled at the stranger. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re well,¡± the stranger replied. ¡°I left so quickly last time.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t haven needed to take so much time off!¡± ¡°Luckily, I am in the Iyr, safe and sound,¡± he replied, scratching his cheek gently. ¡°Who are you?¡± Adam asked, staring up at the old man. The old man¡¯s eyes fell on Adam for a moment, raising his brow towards the Half Elf. He sniffed the air, and tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m just an old man.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, pointing at him, accusatory. ¡°You¡¯re one of those, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°One of those?¡± ¡°You say you¡¯re an old man, but really you¡¯re one of the strongest people around, right?¡± Adam asked. The old man coughed into his fist, exchanging a quick glance to the Chief. ¡°You have quite the imagination.¡± ¡°You or Sir Merry, who is stronger?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sir Merry?¡± the old man asked. ¡°The previous King¡¯s Sword,¡± the Chief explained. ¡°King¡¯s Sword. King¡¯s Sword...¡± The old man closed his eyes to think deeply. ¡°He is a great warrior I would have trouble facing,¡± the Chief admitted. ¡°Oh ho? Really now? I didn¡¯t expect the land to have such a prominent fellow. King¡¯s Sword. Ah, right. That¡¯s what they called the right hand man of the Blakvatr Kingdom, yes?¡± The Chief nodded. The old man let out a soft exhaled. ¡°I haven¡¯t followed the politics of the land in some time. I didn¡¯t expect to hear there would be anyone to rival your kind.¡± ¡°You must be really old, then,¡± Adam said, beginning to deduce more about the old man. ¡°Especially if you¡¯re calling Entalia a young lady.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± she replied. ¡°Young man, don¡¯t you know that being too curious will get you killed?¡± The old man raised his head, looking down towards Adam. Adam stared at him long and hard. He eyed the old man up and down, before giving the old man a look he had never experienced before. His face similar to that of Turot¡¯s when he doubted something Adam had said. ¡°You¡¯re looking down? On me? I haven¡¯t felt that before!¡± The old man fell into laughter. ¡°I knew it would be so fun here!¡± ¡°Who is stronger?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You, or Baktu?¡± ¡°Baktu? He who lords over Death? Who can claim to be stronger than He?¡± Adam smirked at him, the same way Turot had done to him when he knew the answer to something Adam didn¡¯t. ¡°The guy who killed me twice is at least as strong as Baktu.¡± ¡°Twice? The smell of Death doesn¡¯t cling to you. It¡¯s almost as if...¡± The old man cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m too old to be peeking in at the affairs of the youth.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re a long lived creature,¡± Adam deduced. ¡°Not an Elf, because I think they behave differently. You¡¯re handsome, but you don¡¯t have pointed ears. A Dragon in disguise, maybe?¡± Entalia wondered just how Adam had been so on the nose to guess something so easily. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. The less you deal with him, the better.¡± She shot the old man a glare. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°You hate nobility, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°About a century ago, during the turmoil.¡± ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Aldland made quite a mess in our southern region,¡± she grumbled, recalling how much of a pain it was to deal with them. ¡°We finally managed to repel them once I had secured my position, but Drakkenlan still feels its influence. They refuse to pay reparations for their timely war, the vultures.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Adam said, glancing aside. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me about refusing to pay reparations.¡¯ ¡°You think they¡¯ll pay reparations with the Iyr backing them?¡± Entalia asked. ¡°Oh, right. Though, don¡¯t you have sky dominance? Surely you could use that?¡± Adam replied, before realising what he was talking about. ¡°There are plenty of other ways to fight an enemy without the sword,¡± she replied. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought, raising his brows. ¡°Yeah, I suppose there are.¡± He smiled. Entalia glanced around to the old man, before then looking back down to Adam. ¡°Though, having better weapons is always good. Are you willing to be the Head Enchanter of Drakkenlan?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be expected to make twelve weapons a year, and I¡¯ll pay you handsomely. I¡¯ll pay you a stipend, and a bonus for the quality of each weapon you provide. You¡¯d get to have all the booze, food, and men and women you like.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not into men,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Entalia asked. Even Strom, who had been half listening from afar, was taken aback by this news. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll provide double the women,¡± she said. ¡°We have quite the beauties.¡± ¡°Even if they were all as beautiful as you, I¡¯d refuse.¡± ¡°A thousand gold a month, plus at least a thousand gold for each basic weapon, and at least five thousand for greater enchanted weapons,¡± she said. Adam raised his brows. ¡°Nope. Drop it, Entalia. It doesn¡¯t matter what you offer me, I will not accept.¡± Entalia threw her gaze towards Lanarot, who was holding the handle of a spear, sucking against it, all the while her mother held it firmly in hand to make sure she couldn¡¯t take it from her. ¡°Your sister?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Even for more than thirty thousand gold a year?¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°Fifty thousand?¡± ¡°Entalia,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if you offered me a million gold a year, I won¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Not even for a million?¡± Entalia replied. The things she¡¯d do for a million gold. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°Then... can I still ask you to make enchanted weapons for me?¡± Entalia asked. ¡°After these two, I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You¡¯d have to ask one of the Great Elders, or the Chief.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The Chief cleared his throat. ¡°In case you become an enemy.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Random old man? Surely he has no plot relevance whatsoever. 257. An Enemy Of The Iyr 257. An Enemy Of The Iyr ¡°An enemy of the Iyr?¡± Entalia repeated, cautiously. ¡°Do you think I am stupid enough to make that mistake?¡± ¡°We do not care if you are intelligent or stupid,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°We must refuse. We cannot allow weapons to be used against us. We have taken into account your friendship, but there are limits which must be respected.¡± ¡°What if he used the enchanting spires of Drakkenlan?¡± Entalia asked. Adam¡¯s ears twitched. ¡®Enchanting spires? No, stop it Adam! You can¡¯t be seduced by anything.¡¯ ¡°That is a matter between yourself and Adam,¡± the Chief said. ¡°He may not use our shrines to create weapons which may be used against us.¡± ¡°Then, if I request a weapon from you in the future, will you come and enchant in our country?¡± she asked. Adam sighed, thinking about the matter. ¡®I guess?¡¯ ¡°If...¡± Adam continued to think. ¡°If you provide me transport from and to the Iyr each time, probably. I¡¯d need some time to prepare, in case I have other plans. I don¡¯t want to be enchanting too long, either, but I guess I could.¡± ¡°Those are agreeable conditions,¡± Entalia replied. ¡°What is the limit of your ability?¡± ¡°First,¡± Adam said, raising a hand to pause the conversation. ¡°How long does it take to get to Drakkenlan, or rather, the enchanting spires from here?¡± ¡°On foot?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s be clear,¡± Adam said, firmly. ¡°I will not be travelling on foot from the Iyr to Drakkenlan. If the journey takes more than a week, I am not interested.¡± ¡°A week?¡± Entalia said. ¡°If you travelled on Wyvernback, it would take roughly a week, maybe ten days?¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°I, apparently, can make weapons which are slightly higher than greater. Legendary, right?¡± ¡°Legendary?¡± Entalia almost choked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really basic, I mean only the legendary bonus, no other extra stuff.¡± ¡®What the...¡¯ Entalia stared at Adam. ¡°Are you messing with me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jurot and Sonarot threw him a look, and Elder Zijin, who was standing some ways away, rubbed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll spend some time thinking about the enchantments I¡¯d like on the amethicule weapons,¡± she said. ¡®Legendary? How does he know how to make legendary weaponry? That¡¯s fucking crazy. I only know a handful of people who know that ability, and one of them is an Iyrman.¡¯ ¡°Say, Entalia, how many Dragons are there in Drakkenlan?¡± Adam asked, wondering if he should make meeting with a Dragon a part of the deal. ¡°At least one,¡± she said. ¡°The Iyr will have to assume how many other Dragons are in Drakkenlan.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Right, sorry.¡± ¡°The Iyr is such a scary place,¡± she said, looking to Strom, before her eyes fell to the Chief. ¡°Though, the Iyr should remember, there are places which are scarier than the Iyr.¡± ¡°We understand,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°There are a great number of places which possess creatures which are more powerful than the Iyr, some even holding such creatures in great numbers.¡± ¡°Yet, none are as blessed by Baktu as you and yours.¡± Chief Iromin nodded his head slowly. ¡°I should leave,¡± Entalia said. ¡°The smell is getting too much for me.¡± She pulled away. ¡°That¡¯s up to the dice,¡± Adam said. ¡®He is too taken with Warriors and Wanderers,¡¯ Jurot thought, leaving. The Chief brought some snacks, as well as some wine for them, before taking a seat nearby. He had to stay near this Guest at all times. ¡°It was a dark and stormy night,¡± Adam began, causing Strom to lean in forward, regaling him with the tale. ¡°That is quite the story!¡± Storm laughed, drinking his wine. ¡°Can you believe it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What an asshole! Two times! Twice! Deus! Killing me once wasn¡¯t enough?¡± Adam sipped the rest of his wine, his cheeks completely flush. ¡°How dare he kill you twice!¡± Strom said. ¡°Even when I slaughtered my foes, I only killed them once!¡± ¡°Right, right!¡± Adam said. ¡°He should have let you live in peace, especially after you managed to seduce the little lady back then. Then there¡¯s that Winterdotr, what¡¯s going to happen to her now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying!¡± Adam slammed the table. ¡°You know, Strom. You¡¯re not so bad after all. Even if Entalia doesn¡¯t like you, I think you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°It is rare to meet a young man as interesting as you,¡± Strom said. ¡°Right? I¡¯m pretty interesting, right?¡± Adam grinned wide, sipping more of the win, before he started to sway. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter to me. I just want to make sure... this time... this...¡± Adam almost fell forward, but Strom caught him by his chest, laying his head gently on some thick furs. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Strom said. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve taken his time away from the festival. I¡¯m too old to be doing that sort of thing away.¡± An Iyrman took Adam away to return him back to his home. ¡°I can¡¯t leave the wine unfinished,¡± Strom said, before drinking the rest of the wine. ¡°Is there any more?¡± The Chief placed down some wine for him, which Strom picked up, as well as another cup, before he began to trek through the snowy Iyr, with the Chief following behind him. He followed a particular pathway, heading near the gate of the Big Iyr, but into a tunnel, which wrapped around and went upwards on a light incline. They walked for a few minutes, the path illuminated by tiny gems which gently glowed in the dark, runes connected each together. Then they came to a courtyard, no larger than those he had seen thus far, with a field of various flowers and herbs all about them. The wall opposite was covered by vines. The Chief stopped, a whisper tickling deep within his mind, before pulling away, leaving Strom alone. No, he was not alone. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time since we last spoke,¡± Strom said, placing down the cups, before pouring into them. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t drink? I¡¯ve come all this way after how long, and you won¡¯t share a drink with me? So what if it¡¯s from the Iyr, that¡¯s beside the point!¡± The cup disappeared into the vines, and Strom sipped some of his wine. ¡°Do you still go by, what was it, Elder Story? I¡¯ve always thought it was a cute name.¡± Strom chuckled. ¡°Yes, yes, I know. Which reminds me, that boy, isn¡¯t he...¡± Strom paused, listening to Elder Story¡¯s response. ¡°I have to admit, I can¡¯t remember much of the past. It was so long ago. To think that, since then...¡± Strom sighed, sadly. The cup reappeared, empty, and Strom poured some more. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll be leaving first. Will you be lonely without me?¡± A crimson snake wrapped around his arm, before licking the back of his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯ve lived a long life, in no small part thanks to you and yours. Some might say I¡¯ve lived too long.¡± He sighed. ¡°I know that one of mine was quite rude to you back then, but I hope that you won¡¯t bully him too much. He cried so much when he returned to me.¡± Strom laughed. ¡°He was so cute, I almost thought he was a baby.¡± Strom continued to drink in silence after, until the wine was finished, and only the air accompanied the pair. ¡°You¡¯ll look after them, won¡¯t you?¡± The crimson snake licked the back of his hand. Strom smiled at the response, before closing his eyes, falling fast asleep. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Who is this old man? How does he know Elder Story? Will Adam really marry Entalia? Who knows? 258. His Tale 258. His Tale Omen: 9, 18 ¡°Look, this is my adorable little sister I told you about,¡± Adam said, holding Lanarot up to the older man, Strom. Strom leaned in slightly, staring at the girl, causing her to squirm as she looked away, shyly. ¡°I see. She is as adorable as you say.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Adam said. ¡°She is even more adorable than words describe.¡± Lanarot continued to squirm, trying to hide from the stranger. ¡°You are right,¡± Strom said. ¡°She is more adorable than words can describe.¡± The older man reached forward to tickle her cheek. ¡°My, my. What a cute little sister you are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, pulling Lanarot back to his chest as she began to hack and cry. ¡°You are a cute little sister, aren¡¯t you? Lanababy, he¡¯s a strong guy. Even the Chief can¡¯t beat him.¡± ¡°Who says the Chief cannot beat me?¡± Strom asked, narrowing his eyes, trying to hide the smirk on his face. ¡°You can¡¯t trick me,¡± Adam said, raising his brow incredulously. ¡°With the way you¡¯re treated in the Iyr, there¡¯s no way you can¡¯t beat the Chief.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m certainly not weak,¡± Strom said, half chuckling as his cheeks wiggled. ¡°Why are you being so shy today?¡± Adam asked, kissing her forehead. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll hold you, don¡¯t worry.¡± Adam brushed her cheek and fixed her hat. ¡°Should we go explore the festival?¡± Lanarot looked up at him, half laying in his arm. She babbled up at him, before reaching up to his collar to play with it. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, before leading them forward to explore the festival. ¡°Let¡¯s find some pizza.¡± ¡°Pizza? Is that a type of food?¡± Strom joked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Oh.¡± Adam found a stall handing out pizza, which he grabbed, before heading towards the nearby fights. There were Experts fighting today, so there was quite the show. Adam settled down somewhere off to the side, with Strom beside him, having swallowed a slice in one go. ¡°Don¡¯t eat pizza like that,¡± Adam said, telling the old man off. ¡°You eat it one bit at a time, like you would eat an Elephant.¡± Strom narrowed his eyes at the young Half Elf. ¡°How do you know how to eat an Elephant?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a saying.¡± Adam nibbled on some of the pizza, before offering some to Lanarot, breaking a small piece for her. She began to chew as he sat her up on his lap so she could watch the fights. Strom bit into a second pizza slice, slowly chewing it. ¡°Is that... bread, cheese, and sauce? Cooked together?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Oobaba!¡± Lanarot squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly. She leaned in to bite some more pizza, Adam allowing her to bite the tip, before taking a bite himself. ¡°It¡¯s some of the most delicious food I¡¯ve ever had,¡± Strom said. ¡°It¡¯s good, right?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°The Iyr is truly incredible,¡± Strom said. ¡®A trivial matter for me.¡¯ ¡®Yet you still decided to wake my adorable little sister up?¡¯ Adam replied. ¡®I don¡¯t care if you can beat the Chief, do you think I can¡¯t take that tongue away from you?¡¯ Strom raised his brows in surprise, having not been threatened in some time, especially not by a boy. ¡®I will keep that in mind.¡¯ ¡®So why are you here?¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes at the older man. ¡®Don¡¯t be so distant.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not. I¡¯m just wondering why you¡¯re here with me instead of enjoying the festival.¡¯ ¡®Are you not the most interesting person here?¡¯ Strom asked. ¡®Am I?¡¯ ¡®You have died twice, living in another world, and a shadow, a mirror, of this world,¡¯ Strom said. ¡®Yeah. Fair enough.¡¯ ¡®Your relationship with her is close.¡¯ ¡®Well, yeah. She¡¯s my little babby sister who I love so much.¡¯ Adam smiled the smile of a proud father. ¡®Such a cute little babby, right?¡¯ ¡®You love her so much, enough for three sisters,¡¯ Strom accused. Adam¡¯s smile turned sad. ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Strom smiled. ¡®I fussed over my first daughter so much when she was young. This was back then, back when...¡¯ Strom paused for a moment, thinking of that time. ¡®I became King after seizing the throne, which couldn¡¯t be done without the help of my friends.¡¯ He smiled a knowing smile. ¡®I married the most beautiful woman in the world. We had a child. My first child. My first daughter. It was around that time the first rebellion started and let me tell you, the first ten to twenty rebellions are such a pain when you don¡¯t know how to deal with them.¡¯ He sighed, shaking his head. ¡®My daughter had been caught up in the first rebellion, but being who I was, I managed to save her in time. She was sick, though, constantly. The stress of the rebellion had gotten to her little body, and even after I had my first son and second daughter, I doted on my first.¡¯ Strom looked down to Lanarot. ¡®They called me the Foolish King, back then. I would take here everywhere with me, and we would never be more than a room apart. Eventually, though, as children ought to do, she outgrew me. She left my lap in the blink of an eye. She explored the world, traveling from land to land. She met a man.¡¯ Strom paused, doing his best not to make a face. ¡®She... she married. She had children of her own. One day I was flying her through the skies as she held my neck, pointing to the birds and asking me what they were called. The next, she was showing me her beautiful little son, my grandson. Where did that time go? I¡¯m still wondering now, how did she grow up so quickly?¡¯ Adam nodded his head too, unable to help but think that the old man was just a father. Strom fell silent for a long while. ¡®She... she was killed, crossing the ocean.¡¯ Adam raised his brows, having not expected him to say something like that. Considering how overprotective he was, her dying was the last thing on his mind. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡¯ Strom shook his head. ¡®She was meant to be safe crossing the ocean. When she died, I made sure to kill a hundred bastards for each drop of her blood.¡¯ Adam blinked. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just some wholesome father daughter and brother sister talk. 259. Strom 259. Strom ¡®I must have killed millions of them, those little fish fuckers. I skewered them with my trident, I grilled them and them to my...¡¯ As quickly as his rage had come, it disappeared. ¡®I was young then. Brash. The wars continued for some time. The rebellions returned. Then, my darling wife, she passed away.¡¯ Strom could remember that time like it was yesterday. ¡®I let go of my throne. What need of I, of a throne which had been unable to protect them? I left, and I continued to wage my wars, I continued to fight. I started trouble with so many, I can¡¯t remember who I didn¡¯t offend during that time.¡¯ ¡®The Iyr too?¡¯ ¡®No,¡¯ Strom said. ¡®The Iyr has always welcomed me and mine, so I¡¯d never go against it. A century I fought. A century, that¡¯s how long it took me to sort out my thoughts. I returned, taking back my throne. There weren¡¯t many rebellions after that, not after I nipped them at their bud. I... I imprisoned some of my children too.¡¯ ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡®I had to,¡¯ he said, as though still trying to convince himself. ¡®I formed seven Kingdoms, each which had been given to a direct descendant of mine, one for each wife. The first Kingdom was mine, though, the seat of the Empire. I¡¯ve passed it on now to one of my first daughter¡¯s descendants, who started some trouble with the Iyr. I know the Iyr won¡¯t take it to heart, though.¡¯ ¡®Who starts trouble in the Iyr?¡¯ Adam asked. ¡®Fools,¡¯ he replied, with a smile growing on his face. ¡®And worse.¡¯ ¡®So... how old are you?¡¯ ¡®You¡¯ll find out, one day.¡¯ ¡®In the future?¡¯ ¡®Yes,¡¯ he replied, unable to contain his smile. ¡®In the future.¡¯ ¡®You must be fucking ancient,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I am. A relic of an era long forgotten. The people who can truly remember that time can be counted on one talon.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re definitely a Dragon.¡¯ Strom smiled. ¡®Something like that.¡¯ Strom pat the young man¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡®Thank you for listening to this dying old man¡¯s rambles.¡¯ ¡®Are you really dying?¡¯ ¡®My Spark is fading.¡¯ ¡®Is that a physical thing, or like a metaphorical thing?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s a physical thing deep inside me. Once my Spark leaves me, I will be a powerful old man. Then, I will die.¡¯ ¡®A Spark, eh? Is that like a Dragon heart?¡¯ Adam wondered if he could have it. ¡®Something much greater. Dragon hearts, once they reach a thousand years old, transcend into an Ember. An Ember spends many years continuing to form, before it becomes a Spark. I could have gone further, but...¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®Immortality is a curse I do not wish to suffer.¡¯ ¡®So you have, what, a year left?¡¯ ¡®I will probably die during next year¡¯s Twilight Month.¡¯ He shrugged his shoulders. ¡®Are you afraid of death?¡¯ ¡®In a way,¡¯ Strom said. ¡®I¡¯m afraid of what will happen to my children. I know they¡¯ll fight. The Empire tripled and halved twice. Once I die, it¡¯ll break into more than seven pieces. I¡¯d guess to about twenty or so, more if the others are as smart as I think they are.¡¯ ¡®Sounds rough.¡¯ ¡®I just hope they don¡¯t kill each other. They¡¯re family, but...¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Killing family?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I mean, sometimes I thought about killing my brother and sister. I wouldn¡¯t, really, I was just annoyed at them.¡¯ ¡®What of Lanarot?¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t kill her.¡¯ ¡®Really? Even if you were to receive something great?¡¯ ¡®I wouldn¡¯t kill her for anything.¡¯ ¡®Not even to become the King of the world? Emperor, I suppose?¡¯ ¡®Nope.¡¯ The Chief threw Strom a look. ¡®It appears I must be leaving you,¡¯ Strom said, before standing. ¡®I¡¯ll be seeing you, Adam.¡¯ Adam nodded his head, going back to thought about the weapons he wanted to make, as well as the stories he was told by the old man. ¡®He¡¯s absolutely some kind of Dragon.¡¯ ¡°It seems that someone has asked for a fight,¡± Strom said to the Chief once they were alone. ¡°You have heard?¡± Chief Iromin asked. ¡°I¡¯m not that old,¡± Strom replied, following the Chief out. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± ¡°What is a coincidence?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Strom replied, as he followed the Chief out. They took a pathway which would have disoriented most people, though Strom was sure he could return to any place he had already stepped within the Iyr. ¡®Why did you lay this place out so weirdly, Orelius?¡¯ Eventually they approached a fields of soft earth and plush grass, which was blanketed by the soft snow. Opposite him were two Iyrmen. One was tall and strong, and would have been a beautiful woman if it wasn''t for the huge scar across her left eye and down the side of her neck. The other was a one armed Iyrman, who was without his Devilkin grandson for once. ¡°So, this is the old man who is trying to seduce my grandson away from me?¡± Jarot said. ¡°You do not look so strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just an old man,¡± Strom replied. ¡°You must be Jarot, the old geezer.¡± ¡°So, he has told you about me?¡± Jarot replied. ¡°He said you were an old geezer he was planning to beat later. He was about to tell me the story when the Chief received word of your little tantrum.¡± ¡°I have every right to challenge anyone suspicious who is hanging around my darling grandchildren,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Even if the Chief is protecting you.¡± ¡°Who is protecting who?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°I am Otkan.¡± ¡°Kan, huh?¡± Strom looked to the Chief. ¡°Are they the one¡¯s from Solomon¡¯s time?¡± Chief Iromin bowed his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So, the two of you have come to fight me?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little awkward if I bully the two of you?¡± ¡°What is awkward is that you will fall too quickly to Otkan and I,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Are you sure you only want to sent out the three of you?¡± Strom asked. Shaool stepped out from the shadows. ¡°I apologise for my behaviour previously. I did not know you were Elder Story¡¯s Guest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I took it to heart,¡± Strom said, referring to when they first met. ¡°If you had kept attacking me, I wouldn¡¯t have been so polite.¡± ¡°Three against one,¡± Jarot said. ¡°If only Rangak was here, we would be able to give you a proper taste of our strength.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a four against one,¡± Strom admitted. ¡°Since Rangak isn''t here, your Chief here can fill his role.¡± ¡°Are you not underestimating us?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Even my darling grandson would not underestimate us.¡± ¡°I am not your darling grandson,¡± Strom said. ¡°Even if Shaool has some strength, the two of you are too rusty for my taste.¡± Chief Iromin wondered how he was going to stop the group from fighting too hard. ¡®Elder Story, please help.¡¯ He received word back from Elder Story, sighing. ¡°Chief, do not stop me,¡± Jarot said. ¡°This time I will not back down so easily.¡± ¡°As you request.¡± Iromin took off his coat, folding it neatly. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! This old man about to get beat. 260. Jurot’s Fight 260. Jurot¡¯s Fight Omen: 16, 16 ¡°Adam, are you willing to fight for the Rot family?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, not thinking too much about the issue. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°The fight is scheduled for the evening, tonight.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Damn. Alright.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Evening is when I play with Lanarot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I did have something else I needed to deal with though, so I guess it¡¯s not a big deal. Do you know where Elder Zijin is?¡± ¡°He should be at his estate,¡± Sonarot said. Adam quickly left to try and find the Elder, heading into the Jin estate, seeing the family all around. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called. ¡°Son of Fate, what brings you here?¡± Lojin asked. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m looking for Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°The Elder is in his estate,¡± Lojin replied. ¡°Oh. Is that somewhere else?¡± Lojin chuckled, before motioning with an arm to the side. ¡°He is within the estate at the centre.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, heading into the centre of the nine estates, which was equally as large as the family estates. ¡®So there¡¯s one estate for the Elder who looks after what... thirty something families?¡¯ Elder Zijin was reading a paper when he saw Adam. Adam glanced around to see there were a great many pots within the estate, and the garden was more like a field, though it was not in use during Nightval. ¡°Adam,¡± the Elder called. ¡°Trouble?¡± He held the paper up for a moment, before remembering that Adam knew their tongue, so quickly hid it. ¡°I¡¯m here for a favour,¡± Adam said. ¡°What favour is that?¡± ¡°Well...¡± ¡°That is all?¡± Zijin asked, sighing. ¡°I thought you would ask for something troublesome.¡± ¡°Then what if I asked for double?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A simple matter.¡± ¡°What if I asked for a sword made of something amazing? The Iyr¡¯s best materials?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If you win some fights, I am sure you can request such items,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Perhaps not the best items, but a tier below.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fighting today,¡± Adam said. ¡°So maybe after the fight I could ask.¡± ¡°Then it is not so troublesome.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, frowning. ¡°I¡¯ll go ask Jaygak for help.¡± ¡°It is fine,¡± Zijin said, yawning. He wasn¡¯t sure if he could handle the pair of them together. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I am well. It is Twilight Month soon, and it is quite busy. It seems that this Twilight Month will be more difficult.¡± ¡°Is that bad?¡± ¡°It is good and bad.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You will see,¡± Zijin replied, smiling at the Half Elf. Soon the entire area was full of Iyrmen, who were sharing food and drinks, save for a handful of people who were set to fight later. Jurot appeared, with Flaming Sanguine in hand. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, shaking his forearm. ¡°Our baby sister is watching so you can¡¯t lose.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I will bet one hundred gold on my grandson!¡± Jarot declared. ¡°What say you, Lahruv?¡± ¡°I will match the bet,¡± Lahruv replied, an older woman who wore her scars like jewellery, revealing most of the scars she had gained. ¡®Does the cold not bother her?¡¯ Adam thought, seeing that she was wearing mostly a pair of shorts and a sash around her torso, and not much else. ¡°Where is your betting spirit, Adam?¡± Wahruv called from nearby. He, too, held a magical blade in hand. ¡°Are you wishing to bet a greater weapon again?¡± ¡°I was denied it once already,¡± Adam replied, feigning a pout. ¡°I suppose one hundred gold and one copper coin will be enough.¡± ¡°A copper coin too?¡± ¡°I believe in my brother just that much,¡± Adam said, throwing Jarot a side eye. Jarot held in a snicker, though it was quite painful, what with all the burns over his body. ¡®I cannot even enjoy the fight without grimacing? I should have fought harder.¡¯ ¡°Then let us make it just a copper,¡± Wahruv said. ¡°A copper worth more than one hundred gold.¡± ¡°Lanarot, come kiss your papa,¡± Sonarot said, raising her up to Jurot¡¯s cheek. Lanarot pressed her lips against Jurot¡¯s cheek, before sucking on her block. Sonarot also kissed her son¡¯s forehead. ¡°Fight well, my Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Jurot replied. He caught Adam¡¯s eyes, and the pair nodded to one another. The low drumming which had been a part of the Iyr¡¯s background, suddenly increased, causing Lanarot to twitch and look around to try and find the source. The flutes were played with ever increasing intensity, before they stopped, and the drumming turned quiet once more. Wahruv and Jurot stood opposite one another for a long moment, near silence between them. The betting had long finished. Those who were drinking and eating finished their bites for that moment. The pair turned red together, leaping into action. The pair managed to force each other back, the battle following the motion of a pendulum as Wahruv and Jurot both struck true, with the snow beneath them turning red. Jurot brought up his magical shield, and though he was struck, he did not wish to use the magic of the shield against Wahruv. The blow was heavy, and caused his shoulder to shudder. Wahruv, full of rage, forced Jurot back, striking true once more, as Jurot¡¯s side was cut, though the blade did not find as much purchase as it should have. Jurot, was still a member of the Rot family, so even the flames which licked at him did not bother him as much. Flaming Sanguine managed to burn Wahruv¡¯s cheek, the Iyrman pulling back to avoid losing his eyes, and the pair clashed together once more, magical steel against magical steel, which struck a note to add to the music which had picked up. Lanarot threw up her arms joyfully, squealing as she watched the fights, clapping her hands, and dropping her block. Jurot, hearing the squeals, was filled with renewed vigour, charging forward. ¡®I do not want to lose in front of mother.¡¯ His eyes were focused with rage as he struck Wahruv¡¯s side, cutting an inch into the man¡¯s side. ¡°You fight well,¡± Wahruv grunted through gritted teeth. His blade was raised high above him, but it crashed down against Jurot¡¯s shield, but the blow caused Jurot¡¯s shoulder to shudder once more. The pair met steel with steel, and as they danced, it was becoming harder to find who would win. Wahruv, who was firmly an Expert and had been for years, against the young man who had become an Expert within a year. Wahruv, with greatsword in both hands, swung wildly, and Jurot caught the blow with his shield. He skid back to a halt, and as he charged forward to meet Wahruv¡¯s blade, he saw the shadow of the blade above him. His axe managed to clip the man¡¯s side once more, but the giant blade came upon him the same way that Sir Merry¡¯s sword had fallen atop him. Jurot dropped to his knees, unable to raise his shield and axe. Adam held his breath. ¡®Damn.¡¯ Lanarot screeched with joy as the fight ended. ¡°Oi,¡± Adam said, pinching her cheek. ¡°You didn¡¯t kiss him properly and so he lost.¡± Lanarot looked up at Adam, her gaze full of innocence. ¡°Don¡¯t try that with me,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Do not forget the copper,¡± Wahruv panted. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! When you realise that Jurot doesn''t get the big brother buff because he didn''t look after her much... I owe three chapters due to all the support, so I''ll try and post double chapters the next few Sundays. 261. Adam’s Fight 261. Adam¡¯s Fight ¡°You fought well, Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°I know how scary Wahruv is.¡± Jurot let out a sigh, the healing potion having healed most of the serious injuries. ¡°It was a good fight. I understand why you were so hesitant to continue fighting Iyrmen after facing him.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to admit that,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I have lost,¡± he said. ¡°So you must win.¡± ¡°If one brother loses, the other one has to win,¡± Adam said, patting the Iyrman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Adam looked down at the axe he had used. ¡®Right. Flaming Sanguine was one of the first weapons I enchanted. It doesn¡¯t even compare to my later enchantments. I should have remembered that burst is usually better than prolonged effects. I should remake it since I¡¯ve made Phantom, which is more suited for him.¡¯ ¡°How well my grandson fought,¡± Jarot said, patting the young Iyrman¡¯s back, causing both of them to wince from their wounds. ¡°You had only just left the nest, and you have grown so powerful.¡± ¡°It is due to Adam,¡± Jurot stated, simply. ¡°Adam helped, but you worked hard, Jurot.¡± Jarot ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°In another year¡¯s time, you will be able to face Wahruv¡¯s father.¡± Jarot laughed. ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s rough trying to become stronger after becoming an Expert.¡± ¡°Is it impossible when you are involved?¡± Jarot asked ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Though I¡¯ll be taking it a little easier in terms of that sort of thing.¡± ¡®There are plenty of things to learn before I level anyway.¡¯ ¡°Are you ready to win tonight?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Get ready to earn that coin back.¡± Jarot laughed. Adam remained with Jurot, who was talking with others about the fight, and letting the people touch his Flaming Sanguine and his shield, Mighty Roar, which was silent that evening. ¡°With the shield, you could have won,¡± Adam said. ¡°It would have been no fun,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam chuckled. ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡®Even though you didn¡¯t want to lose in front of your family, you still prioritised the harder fought victory.¡¯ ¡°I wish I was half as manly as you, Jurot.¡± ¡°You are manly in your own way, Adam.¡± Adam ate with the others, with the rest of the gang appearing. ¡°I heard you lost,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Kitool, I heard you won.¡± Kitool bowed her head. ¡°It was a close victory.¡± ¡°You should have seen her,¡± Jaygak said, beginning to regale the tale of the victory to the group. ¡°Are you fighting?¡± Adam asked Jaygak. ¡°Not this time,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°My cousin wanted to fight, so I let him.¡± ¡°How kind of you.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯re fighting later tonight. Should I bet on you?¡± ¡°Depends,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you want to make money?¡± ¡°I could bet on the opponent, so that way it¡¯s a win win either way.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Fair enough. I don¡¯t mind if you want to lose your coin and dignity.¡± Jaygak was about to slap his back, but remembered he was fighting. ¡°Once you lose, I¡¯ll laugh the loudest.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± When evening had come, Jaygak had gone to her own family¡¯s fight, so she would be unable to laugh at his loss. She did leave some coin to bet, ten gold, on Adam. Adam smiled. ¡°Then, if I win, I want you to say the better Iyrman won.¡± ¡°You will do the same?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The pair stood opposite one another, with Adam holding his shield and die in one hand, and his Phantom in another. ¡®I didn¡¯t take the best spells, but that¡¯s okay,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I¡¯ve got my Omens, so I¡¯m fine.¡¯ The drums quietened, signalling their start. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 13 (5) Miss! Attack D20 + 8 = 11 (3) D20 + 8 = 20 (12) Hit! Phantom: 3 -> 2 Mana: 18 -> 15 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 44 (4)(3, 4, 4, 5)(2, 3, 5, 6) 44 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack D20 + 8 = 13 (5) D20 + 8 = 18 (10) Hit! Phantom: 2 -> 1 Mana: 15 -> 12 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 35 (4)(2, 3, 4, 5)(1, 2, 3, 5) 35 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 25 (17) D20 + 8 = 26 (18) Hit! Phantom: 1 -> 0 Mana: 12 -> 9 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 44 (6)(1, 4, 5, 6)(3, 4, 4, 5) 44 damage! Adam did not remain stationary for long. He didn¡¯t want to give her a chance to slip into her rage, recalling just how scary Wahruv had been, but also to show her the true onslaught he could bring. Sakruv barely managed to deflect the first blow, which rung in her ear as her sword met axe, the magical weapons creating a harmony which filled her with fright. ¡®So,¡¯ she thought as Adam¡¯s axe blurred, ¡®this is what you were talking about, Wahruv.¡¯ Adam¡¯s axe was swift, slamming down against the greatsword with blows which could only come from an enraged Iyrman. Each blow flashed white hot, and caused Sakruv to step back. One. Two. Three. Three steps back, and the woman dropped to her knees, her nose bleeding from the blows which rung deep within her mind. Adam had beaten her within a few moments, quicker than when he faced Wahruv all that time ago. Adam held out his hand, and Wavruv tossed the copper coin which had been handed away earlier that evening. Jurot stared at Adam. ¡®Even if she was raging...¡¯ He remained in thought for a moment longer. ¡®Even if I was raging.¡¯ The crowd erupted in chaos, half in cheer, half in shock from the fight. Lanarot, who was screaming with joy, stopped, looking about in shock, and then screamed louder, clapping her hands excitedly. As the potion was fed to Sakruv, she stood, on shaking legs. For a moment, her mind was clouded. ¡°The better Iyrman won.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no Iyrman,¡± Adam said, winking at her, before taking himself and his copper back to the group. ¡°Well?¡± Adam said, looking to Jarot. ¡°Made your coin back.¡± Jarot nodded. ¡°Wahruv was one hell of a scary guy, so I made sure not to let her gain even an inch against me,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Adam!¡± called Sakruv. ¡°I shall come again to reclaim the copper coin!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to my sister, then,¡± Adam said, handing the coin to her, before quickly snatching it away as she had brought it to her mouth. ¡°My Aunt, then.¡± Lanarot reached up for the coin, but it had already disappeared. She let out a soft cry in annoyance, but the people who swarmed them soon took her attention. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam cheats so much. First Bell and having multiple different class abilities. Then the +20% bonus from the screaming baby. 262. Curiosity 262. Curiosity Victory! Sakruv XP Gained: +350XP XP: 4150 -> 4500 There were a large number of youth who had come to paw at Adam¡¯s breastplate, shield and Phantom. ¡°Now, now,¡± Adam said. ¡°Form an orderly queue and we can deal with everything.¡± The youth stopped, staring at him quizzically, but did as he asked, as he was the great victor. ¡®It¡¯s just like home,¡¯ Adam thought, squinting his eyes, trying not to cry. ¡°Queueing?¡± an Iyrman whispered. ¡°I do not know,¡± another replied. ¡°They say he is queer.¡± Adam started to pull off his breastplate, letting the youth pat it, before they picked up his Phantom and shield, filling with a sense of awe as they felt the weapon and armour. Eventually he placed his breastplate down, allowing some of them to pretend to wear it. ¡°You fought well, Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°I will claim victory next time,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°You know, I was thinking,¡± Adam began, helping a child out of the breastplate. ¡°I should make you a new axe, one like Phantom. Greater enchantment, with a more useful ability to it.¡± ¡°I have no need for a new axe.¡± ¡°Yeah, you have no need for one, but it¡¯s a little awkward if I¡¯m walking around with this axe when my brother has something worse.¡± ¡°Flaming Sanguine suits its purpose. It is a good axe.¡± ¡°Then put it in the family vault,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°I¡¯m making you a new one?¡± ¡°Can I stop you?¡± Adam looked back at him, smiling. ¡°Can you?¡± Jurot sighed. ¡°You treat your brother well,¡± Strom said, appearing seemingly out of the blue, like an Iyrman. ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Adam replied, staring up at the old man. ¡°He¡¯s my brother.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°I had to kill my brother with my own hands.¡± ¡®First he appears randomly, then he makes things awkward. Is he really not an Iyrman?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± Strom shook his head. ¡°We hated one another dearly. He always bullied me since I was the fifth son, and he was the fourth son. He took out his feelings of frustration at his inferiority against me. I killed them all, my brothers and sisters, for the throne. I did like two of them, as my second brother was nice, and my fifth sister was someone I was especially close with.¡± ¡®Fucking hell,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®This guy.¡¯ He blinked, unable to respond. ¡°Oh, that was so long ago,¡± Strom said, dismissively. ¡°I barely even remember their faces, or the way they sounded. Though, I can¡¯t forget the smell of my mother¡¯s bread. I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to smell it again?¡± He closed his eyes, smiling. Adam pat the man¡¯s back. ¡°Yeah, I know that feeling. You can¡¯t think about that sort of thing, though. It¡¯s in the past now. You have a year left, remember? So use that time to have fun.¡± ¡°Fun?¡± ¡°Yeah. Do what you like to do the most in this time. You said you liked fighting, right? Let me introduce you to the one man who beat me, my... Jurot¡¯s grandfather, Jarot.¡± Adam motioned a hand to the heavily injured Jarot. ¡°Uh, nevermind. My Grandaunt, Otkan, is pretty strong too. I barely managed to beat her, but only because she held back, a lot.¡± Strom cleared his throat, feeling a little awkward since he had beaten Jarot the night earlier. ¡®How embarrassing for me to talk so highly of myself only to use my hybrid form.¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t believe I was taken out first,¡¯ Jarot thought. ¡®Normally they go for the easiest one to take out, not the hardest.¡¯ ¡°What? If they¡¯re too weak for you, you could always fight the Chief,¡± Adam said, looking to the Chief, who was standing nearby. He was wearing his typical fine clothing, though there were bandages which were hidden beneath them. Strom cleared his throat again. ¡®Does he know? Or is it his keen insight?¡¯ ¡°No, no, perhaps I shouldn¡¯t cause issues in the Iyr.¡± ¡®Why did you not say that last night?¡¯ Iromin thought, thinking about how he was beaten down the previous evening. ¡°I was planning on meeting an old friend of mine,¡± Strom said. ¡°Another old friend?¡± Adam asked. ¡°When you say old...¡± ¡®I knew I shouldn¡¯t have brought down lightning last night,¡¯ Strom thought. ¡®My hybrid form and lightning? I should be embarrassed to bully these little babies.¡¯ ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Just a thought,¡± Adam said. ¡°What do you want to talk to Lanarot about?¡± He looked down at the girl, who looked up at her, mouth full of sugar dough bread. She pulled back, making to hide against Adam¡¯s chest. ¡°Hello,¡± he said, tickling her cheek. Lanarot babbled with her mouth full, and Adam brushed her hair. ¡°Finish eating, you silly girl.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed her father is not about,¡± Strom said. ¡°Is he dead?¡± ¡°Missing, presumed dead,¡± Adam said. ¡°What did the Iyrmen say?¡± ¡°Aunt believes he¡¯s missing.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe anyone can spend more than one year away from such a cutie,¡± Adam said. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t return by the end of the year, then...¡± Strom slowly nodded his head. ¡°Your magic. I noticed that you used the Guardian¡¯s ability, and yet... the smell of arcane magic and divine magic clings to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a... hodge podge of magic.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Hodge podge?¡± ¡°I use a little bit of everything, you know?¡± ¡°It is in your blood?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s... Fate.¡± ¡°Is it that Fate?¡± Strom asked, knowingly. ¡°She¡¯s a harsh, but beautiful mistress.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met her?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Did you forget my story?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Well, I should probably get to work,¡± Adam said. ¡°Work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m feeling pretty lucky today, so I thought I may as well. I¡¯ll be tired as hell tomorrow, I¡¯ll probably wake up at an awkward time, but it¡¯s whatever.¡± ¡°Good night, Adam,¡± Strom said, watching the boy leave. Adam stopped. ¡°Hey, Strom?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can you... stop your death?¡± Strom remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Good night, Adam.¡± Adam just nodded, though he wasn¡¯t looking at the old man. Curiosity had gotten the best of him for a moment. ¡°Good night, Storm.¡± Adam smiled. Later that evening, Adam used one of his Omens. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Patreon keeps popping off so I''ll try and write more for everyone. I didn''t sleep well today F. 263. Adam’s Date 263. Adam¡¯s Date ¡°You smell pretty strong,¡± the stranger said, picking the baby up. ¡°What are you, some kind of baby God?¡± The baby blinked at the creature. It looked like a normal man. A handsome man, certainly, but the baby knew what it was. ¡°They really shoved you into the open stomach of a wolf to keep you warm?¡± he asked, wiping the baby clean. ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯re going to lead me to a lot of fun. You know, I¡¯ve never met a God, but I do know a Lord.¡± ¡®Oh no,¡¯ the baby thought. ¡®He¡¯s a talker.¡¯ Omen: 6, 17 ¡°Hey, Vonda, everything okay?¡± Adam asked. Sir Vonda had sat on the wall, something which Jurot had invited for her to do, so she could admire the landscape. ¡°I am well, thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, ain¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes. I did not expect to come here. I come from the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, and though the Iyrmen are kind to us, we usually do not have many dealings with them. They¡¯re quite fond of our ability to fight.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Iyrmen are crazy, right? No offence,¡± he said, turning to Jurot. Jurot nodded. ¡°The festival is lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is. They give out so much for free.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Crazy.¡¯ ¡°Do you not wish for wealth?¡± Sir Vonda asked, looking to the Iyrman, who was staring out to the snowy landscape in front of him. ¡°We have wealth,¡± he said. ¡°The Iyr is rich.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful place, full of secrets,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, you probably shouldn¡¯t be like me and aggravate them.¡± ¡°Do you like to flirt with Death?¡± ¡°Death likes to flirt with me,¡± Adam stated, smiling. ¡°Ain¡¯t that right, Baktu?¡± ¡°You speak so closely with Baktu,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°As though you¡¯re friendly.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam replied, unsure of how to respond. ¡°We¡¯re, you know, close.¡± ¡°Close?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Let me keep some secrets, Vonda.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have... seen you with your sister. She is an Iyrman, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°She is your sister?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot¡¯s my brother, and Lanarot is my sister.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I... I lost my family a while ago, but they welcomed me in.¡± ¡°I can see she loves you dearly, and that they all care for you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m just an embarrassment,¡± Adam said. ¡°Luckily, she can¡¯t see that much.¡± ¡°You are no embarrassment, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°How are you such?¡± ¡°You know. I¡¯m weird, and I say stupid stuff all the time. I can¡¯t help it sometimes. Sometimes, I can, but I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You are someone firm in his conviction. You are someone who has acted for the good of all.¡± The pair continued on, finding an Iyrman speaking a tale in Aldish, and they settled themselves nearby with a bottle of wine, and some cups. As they sipped their cups, in their own little corner, hidden by shadows, Sir Vonda pulled down her scarf so she could breathe properly. Even if there was a shadow half hiding her, his Half Elf eyes could still see her clearly, and he quickly glanced to his drink. ¡®Do I ask? I know I can¡¯t ask her weight or age, but does that count?¡¯ Adam, for once, made the sensible decision of not asking stupid questions. ¡°Why do you call yourself the son of Fate?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been guided by her for a while now. In fact, my entire life was guided by her. My powers are too, I¡¯m a Diviner of sorts, I suppose, but...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam glanced around, noting that no Iyrman was overtly looking at them, leaving them in peace. ¡°Let¡¯s say I¡¯ve met her before.¡± Strom, who was drinking on the roof, smiled. ¡®Show off.¡¯ ¡°Fate?¡± Vonda whispered. ¡°You have met Her?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve met Her before. It was during a meeting I had with... other beings, let¡¯s say. We met and, well, it¡¯s not that important. I felt like we had a connection, and I thought it was a cute way of introducing myself.¡± Sir Vonda had been leaning in, listening intently. ¡°I... I also believe in Fate. I believe Fate is neutral. Balanced. There is good and there is bad. In fact, I almost gave my life to Lady Elaveil, but in the end I chose Mother Soza.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°For things to be balanced, there must be life, and death. There must be gain, and loss. Sometimes, when you follow Lady Elaveil...¡± Sir Vonda fell silent. ¡°Could I truly remain neutral for both? No. I will save lives. I was born for that. Mother Soza has guided me thus far, and I shall follow her will until the end of my days.¡± ¡°And may you live long,¡± Adam said. ¡°I try not to kill people. I mean, I¡¯ve killed before, but most of them are creatures, which might still be an issue to you. I¡¯ve also killed a couple of Dragons, but I told myself that they don¡¯t count. They¡¯re so much more powerful, they¡¯re beyond us, you know? Bears and Wolves? They¡¯re beneath us, so they don¡¯t count either.¡± Sir Vonda slowly nodded her head, but she waited, seeing that Adam looked away, in thought. ¡°But... I don¡¯t know. Are they really all that different? Dragons, I mean. I don¡¯t kill people, but Dragons are people too. My friend, Enta- I mean, a friend of mine is a Dragon, and she¡¯s a person. Right? I mean, I wouldn¡¯t kill her anyway, she¡¯s my friend and all. Would I kill her if she wasn¡¯t? My rule is so... inconsistent.¡± ¡°Must you kill?¡± ¡°There¡¯s someone I need to save. She¡¯s a friend of a friend. What am I saying, you know who I¡¯m talking about!¡± Adam laughed. ¡°It¡¯s Lucy. Her friend, Mara, she¡¯s...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°She¡¯s dying. I need the heart of a Dragon, an Adult Dragon to be more specific. I made a mistake before and I gave her the heart of a Young Dragon. I got her hopes up and...¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°It didn¡¯t. I still feel bad about it. She didn¡¯t talk to me for a month, and the next time we met, we fought. It wasn¡¯t that long before we met, actually. It¡¯s why I left the Iyr during Nightval.¡± ¡°How much is Lucy paying you for the Dragon heart?¡± she asked. ¡°You have enough gold, don¡¯t you? Is it really worth killing a Dragon for the heart?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not paying me anything.¡± ¡°A Dragon¡¯s heart is worth so much, Adam. She... she¡¯s not paying you for it?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s my friend, and she¡¯s trying to save her friend¡¯s life. Like you said, I don¡¯t need money. What¡¯s ten or twenty thousand, or a hundred thousand gold?¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather kind of you.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Jurot is my best friend. My brother. It was a sort of rapid friendship which grew into a brotherhood. If he was hurt, I¡¯d do so much to get him back. I don¡¯t think I show him that respect, though. I should probably try and work on that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he knows.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I love this family dearly. They treat me so well, though I¡¯m no Iyrman. The thing that bothers me, the thing which I hate the most, is that there are Iyrmen who think I¡¯m taking advantage of them.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°I hope not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you are,¡± Vonda assured. Adam smiled. ¡°What about you? What of your friends, your family?¡± ¡°I have two families,¡± Vonda said. ¡°That of East Lake, and that of my Order. I used to have a baby brother, but...¡± She stared down at her drink. ¡°There was a fire when I was young. It burnt my face and neck, and it took him from me.¡± ¡®Damn.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Why is everyone so depressing recently. 264. Adam’s Romance 264. Adam¡¯s Romance Sir Vonda¡¯s face was dark around her lips, and below. Where her lips should have been, were thin pieces of flesh, and the skin from her mouth down was wrinkled, red and white. Her eyes were filled with a deep grief. ¡°It killed a dozen people, including my brother,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°Dying in a fire is a terrible thing.¡± She closed her eyes, wincing. ¡°When the fire engulfed him, his screams... I sometimes hear them.¡± Adam felt his gut wrench, as though someone had grabbed at it, and had twisted it aside. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°I heard him right beside me. It was only for a moment, before something knocked me unconscious. A falling piece of wood. Someone managed to pull me away in time, but for my brother, he was too far gone.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say, and even if he did know what to say, his throat was dry, and he could barely swallow. ¡°I joined the Order soon after, when I was six years old. Ten years later, I set out. It¡¯s been almost three years since I left the Order, but I have managed to explore so far along the land. I¡¯ve spent some time in Aswadasad, and in Aldland, of course.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°When did you leave to explore?¡± ¡°The first of Dawnval,¡± she said. ¡°Soon after, the Undead awaken, so I made sure to deal with them on my journeys. I was a little too young to really begin my journey, but they could not stop me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good time as any to leave,¡± Adam said. ¡°New year new me and all that.¡± She furrowed her brows at him, but let the saying go. ¡°It was also my birthday, and I thought a fresh start at that age would help me.¡± She slowly began to understand what he said. ¡°The first of Dawnval is your birthday?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Really? It¡¯s my birthday too. Well, mine and Jurot¡¯s.¡± She stared up at Adam and smiled, which Adam found rather pretty. ¡°Perhaps it was Fate for us to meet,¡± she said. ¡°A follower of Lord Sozain and Mother Soza.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was,¡± Adam said. ¡°She does love getting involved.¡± Adam quickly glanced up in fright, just in case he was a little too cheeky. Sir Vonda glanced at his hands for a moment, before clutching her cup tighter. ¡°Thank you for guiding me through the festival, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was my pleasure.¡± ¡°I spoke with Jaygak and Kitool, and I think they will be quite fine additions to assist us,¡± she said. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, a small smile on his face. ¡°I do have quite the eyesight. They¡¯re Half Elvish, you know?¡± She smiled. ¡°Does the original deal stand? Half the treasure?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if we bring more or less people. We¡¯ll take half.¡± ¡°What of Dunes? It may be quite deadly, and he is a Priest of War.¡± ¡°We could bring him along too,¡± Adam said. ¡°Might even bring Jonn and Fred.¡± ¡°You trust them?¡± ¡°Those two? Not so much, honestly. However, if they do this, they¡¯ll earn my trust. If they betray us, then...¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll beat them up, take their stuff, and let them wallow in their self pity and self hatred.¡± She reached over to hold the back of his hands. Hers were rough, from years of training for battle. ¡°They are hurt.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no excuse,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t stand betrayal. Betrayal means my friends get hurt.¡± ¡°Really? You planning on sticking with this deranged lunatic for a little longer?¡± Adam joked. ¡°You like to put yourself down, don¡¯t you?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I put myself down, because no one else is allowed to.¡± ¡°It will be very difficult to put you down when you are so powerful.¡± ¡°Well, you know,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s true. You¡¯re not so bad, either.¡± ¡°Am I not? I¡¯ve heard that I¡¯m rather preachy. Not to my face, though, people find it difficult to say things to my face.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if she was joking, or if she was being serious. ¡°An awful shame,¡± he said. ¡°At the very least, I¡¯ll say things to your face.¡± Sir Vonda and Adam stared into each other¡¯s eyes for a long while, neither giving the other any ground as they drank. Then a low humming came to them from above. Adam pulled back, looking up to see Strom. ¡°Oi. How long have you been there?¡± ¡°Since she asked you why you called yourself the son of Fate,¡± he replied, simply. ¡°That¡¯s creepy,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you going to stay up there?¡± ¡°The sky¡¯s so beautiful,¡± Strom said, humming quietly. ¡°Let me daydream in peace, son of Fate.¡± ¡°You always make things awkward,¡± Adam said. ¡°I bet you¡¯re going to talk about how you choked the life out of someone close to you, but you know what, I don¡¯t want to hear it. I¡¯ve had enough of awkward and cringe for this day.¡± ¡°What does cringe mean?¡± ¡°Ask Jurot.¡± Adam returned back to his seat, shaking his head. ¡°This guy. Thinks he¡¯s hot stuff because he¡¯s super old, a Dragon I think, Storm Dragon, if that¡¯s a real thing, and he¡¯s probably stronger than the Chief.¡± ¡°You figured that much out on your own?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Old men are always coming in the way of young romance, am I right?¡± Adam joked. Sir Vonda, who had slipped up her scarf, glanced down at the cup. He noted how her face grew slightly red, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was from the alcohol, or from the awkwardness of what he said. ¡°Uh,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should... go. I¡¯ve got some stuff to do.¡± With all the awkwardness of a teen at prom, Adam scuttled away, going to enchant. ¡®She... she doesn¡¯t like me, does she?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, no. Get your head out of the gutter, Adam. She¡¯s a Priest of Life.¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡®I can¡¯t do any romance. Not yet. Not that it matters, she¡¯s not into me.¡¯ He picked up the spear he was working on for Entalia, which he plucked a Thread of Fate to make somewhat decent. ¡®Right?¡¯ Strom continued to hum for some time. His eyes were half shut, as he thought of a time long past. He closed his eyes, wondering if he didn¡¯t choke the life out of brother, that they could have eventually grown to be like Jurot and Adam. ¡®No,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I still hate him.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Romance? In my power fantasy? Yucky. 265. You Can’t Say That, Lanarot 265. You Can¡¯t Say That, Lanarot Omen: 5, 19 Adam smiled, staring at his Omen. ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Very,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Yesterday I managed to do well without my luck, but today I¡¯m guaranteed to make something nice.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t believe I rolled a natty twenty. This weapon is going to be pretty great.¡¯ Lanarot was up and ready to explore the festival and eat all the food she wanted to. ¡°Don¡¯t miss me too much,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair before leaning down to kiss her forehead. She did not wear the paint after the first day, since she kept scratching her forehead. Lanarot looked up at him, reaching up to grab his collar, before trying to pull herself up. She stood on his lap, with Adam¡¯s hands at her waist to make sure she didn¡¯t fall. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Obooboo?¡± she asked, before giggling wildly. ¡°You can¡¯t say that, Lanarot,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair. Lanarot laughed at him, squatting down, before shooting herself up, bouncing as she clutched at his collar. ¡°What did she say?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°She said I was pretty strong.¡± ¡°Is that not good?¡± ¡°Pretty strong for an Elf.¡± Sonarot wondered if she should continue with his joke. ¡°I¡¯m only half an Elf, Lanarot,¡± Adam said, pinching her cheek, jiggling it. ¡°Get it right.¡± ¡°Hee!¡± Lanarot grinned wide with her tiny little teeth, before resting her head against his chest. ¡°Booboo.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I love you too.¡± Adam pat the back of her head gently. Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 22 (15) [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®500.¡¯ XP: 4500 -> 4000 Spear You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with this weapon. You gain a +4 damage to damage rolls made with this weapon. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®No.¡¯ Spear You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls made with this weapon. You gain a +4 damage to damage rolls made with this weapon. XP Gained: +400 XP: 4000 -> 4400 ¡®Looks like I¡¯m spending too much XP on weapons for just a little gold,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I should probably stop spending so much unless it¡¯s a gift, or it¡¯s an important weapon.¡¯ Once Adam was finished with his weapon, he brought it to Elder Zijin, who was beaming at him with joy that he got to play with it first. ¡°This will sell well,¡± he assured. ¡°To strike so hard, this is quite the weapon.¡± ¡°I know, right?¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I bet it¡¯ll sell for more than usual, huh?¡± Zijin nodded his head. ¡°The weapons you have handed previously should be sold before Twilight Month, this weapon as well.¡± ¡°Alright. I think I¡¯m done with enchanting.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin said. ¡°I recall you saying you would take the entire festival off to rest.¡± ¡°I said that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can he manage it?¡± ¡°It will be difficult,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Granduncle Rajin has thought about doing it, though he is older.¡± ¡°He will not do it,¡± Jarot assured. ¡°He likes making his wine too much.¡± ¡°Did he make this snow wine?¡± Adam asked, about to take a sip. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slid it away. ¡°This wine is much sweeter.¡± Adam pulled it closer. ¡°Who else? Anyone I know?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s quite the event, so gimme the deets.¡± ¡°Zardon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°As in Brandon?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°He is the favourite.¡± ¡°When¡¯s it taking place?¡± ¡°Within the next six months. It allows time for the distant Iyrmen to return.¡± ¡°Any of you guys planning on heading into the ring for the Elder Wrath position?¡± ¡°Elder Wrath?¡± Jarot laughed. ¡°No, no. My generation has given up on such heights, and the next is currently working hard with their own matters. We still have so much to do for our beautiful little babies.¡± Jarot rubbed Churot¡¯s cheek. ¡°If anyone will bring us honour, it will be my little Jurot, Nirot, and Turot.¡± Adam coughed. ¡°Of course, my adorable little sister will bring the most honour,¡± Adam stated, raising his brow towards the old man. ¡°Of course!¡± Jarot said, erupting into a boisterous laugh. ¡°A Diamond Rank Adventurer, maybe two, and an Elder Peace,¡± Adam said, spying Turot from afar. ¡°Plus, whatever Lanarot wants to be.¡± ¡°What of you, Adam?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You may be the one with the most accomplishments.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam said. ¡°My greatest accomplishment might be helping them all become the best.¡± Jarot nodded. ¡°There are many who make a name for themselves in supporting others.¡± ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sister Otkan had thought about it too,¡± Jarot said. ¡°She ultimately refused.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She wishes to assist Shikan instead. Being a Great Elder means no longer assisting your family, but the entire Iyr. There is not need for a great fighting ability, but the intelligence as well. For Elder Wrath, it is extremely important.¡± ¡°This may sound bad, but, the Elder Wrath I saw didn¡¯t exactly seem... you know.¡± Jarot smiled a knowing smile. ¡°That is because you have not seen him in battle. His intelligence is not the greatest, there were many others who competed against him with greater intelligence. Some, with greater strength. Yet, there was one thing they did not possess.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°There was a time, many years ago, I fought the Elder Wrath you know. It was a competition for our generation. We were grouped together, and sent out, and our goal was to hunt one another, as though in war. It was held over three months, and we had no ability to supply ourselves from the Iyr.¡± Jarot smiled, thinking of the time. ¡°We came across Elder Wrath¡¯s team. We were as strong as each other. Our abilities, in every way, matched one another, from scouting, to logistics, to tactics. The way he fought, you could see that there was something else in his mind. He could see the way the tides of battle changed, and moved accordingly.¡± ¡°What a boss,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yet, even with that ability, he quit?¡± ¡°He was denied a good death, and his heart has been torn because of it,¡± Jarot said. ¡°No matter how we convince him, the doubt and shame he feels, it cannot be removed.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± As they ate, figures appeared in the distance. The children quickly shot up and ran over to the figures, embracing them tight. ¡®Ah,¡¯ Adam thought, seeing them all. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Lanarot! What are you doing? The racism police has appeared to stop her. 266. Secrets Exchanged 266. Secrets Exchanged ¡°Oh? Your shift is over so soon?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± came a response from Gorot. ¡°There are movings for Twilight Month, and they have returned us early for the last two days of the festival.¡± ¡°This soon?¡± ¡°There are signs of a Great Twilight.¡± Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool exchanged looks between one another. ¡°What fortunate news,¡± Jarot said, not hiding his grin. ¡°It seems you will all be having much fun.¡± ¡°Safely,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°So many guests?¡± The Devilkin who wore Taygak on his chest asked. He glanced down to Adam for a long moment, before his eyes fell to the others. ¡®Two Half Elves?¡¯ ¡°There is much to tell you,¡± Jogak said. Adam noted that all the children¡¯s parents were about, all save for Surot, who was missing. ¡°I shall tell you when the children are put to bed,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°This is Adam, Nephew of our family, and Jurot¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°A brother?¡± Tizgak asked, reaching over instinctively to shake the Half Elf¡¯s forearm. ¡°Have we gone for that long?¡±, son of Fate,¡± Adam said, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s arm. ¡°Tizgak.¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°You have missed much.¡± ¡°If Uncle is smiling, then it must be lots of trouble,¡± Halikan¡¯s husband said. Kaygak and Tizgak returned to their children, Taygak and Saygak. Raygak was with them, eating some of Taygak¡¯s vegetables. Jogak was beside his wife, who held a cut from her lip to her cheek slightly, listening to Raygak rambling about the snow. Shikan and Arokan, Amokan¡¯s father and mother, sat together with their twin nephew and niece. Rokan was quite a handsome fellow, and his children looked so much like him, save their eyes, which took after Halikan. Then there was Citool, and her husband, Zorool, who Katool sat between, her hands hooked around their elbows. Raool and Ikool, who seemingly had no children of their own, sat near the group too. ¡®Wasn¡¯t there someone?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I think Jarot mentioned another Ool with Nirot at some point.¡¯ ¡°Is that snow wine?¡± Zijin asked, appearing from the darkness. ¡°Do not come to steal ours, Elder,¡± Jarot complained. ¡°You have plenty of your own.¡± ¡°Steal from you, Jarot?¡± Zijin raised his brows. ¡°I could not even if I tried.¡± ¡°What brings you here?¡± the older Iyrman asked. ¡°Is Adam in more trouble?¡± ¡°I, for once, have been a really good boy,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think.¡± ¡°I am here to speak with him,¡± Zijin said, though made no indication about what. ¡°Oh, man,¡± Adam said. ¡°I swear I didn¡¯t do anything this time, I think.¡± ¡°Come, Adam,¡± Zijin said, smiling. ¡°Does your Nephew always get into trouble?¡± Ikool asked. Sonarot smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So?¡± Adam said. ¡°It is about your weapons,¡± Zijin said. ¡°The two you made were auctioned, and the last spear was bought by the Iyr.¡± ¡°That was easy,¡± Adam said. ¡°We wish to put the spear you made, the new spear, up for a prize during the bouts for Nightval.¡± ¡°Are you asking my permission?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°We will also inform everyone that you were the Enchanter,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Is that fine?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°Does everyone know?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Sir Eastlake, and the others.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°No. Vonda doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Sir Vonda,¡± Zijin corrected. ¡°If he wants to come and see, he can do it without you,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Without me? Churot, without his grandfather? It is not done!¡± ¡°He needs his freedom, you old geezer. You can¡¯t just suffocate him with your coddling, he¡¯ll be a young man soon.¡± ¡°I can if I wish!¡± Jarot declared. ¡°You should focus on tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Has no one told him?¡± Jarot asked. He had assumed Adam knew, even though he had asked previously if there was anything special. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Adam was working,¡± Sonarot stated, simply. ¡°What?¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°It¡¯s that,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That,¡± Jarot said, following his grandson. ¡°Is anyone going to tell me?¡± Adam asked, glancing between them all. ¡°I will take him to see it tomorrow,¡± Jarot said. ¡°We will take some snow wine with us.¡± ¡°There can only be two,¡± Sonarot reminded him. ¡°Yes...¡± He brushed Churot¡¯s hair, ruffling it gently. ¡°Then who wishes to take him?¡± ¡°I will go,¡± Mirot said, sipping some wine. ¡°Denied,¡± Adam said. Mirot almost spat out the alcohol. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere with someone who doesn¡¯t like me,¡± Adam said, sipping some of the snow wine. It was sweet, with a hint of sourness, and quite warm. Mirot glared at the Half Elf. ¡°You are taking the opportunity away from my son. Do I not have the right to go?¡± ¡°Then Turot can take me,¡± Adam said, simply. Mirot blinked. Turot turned to look at his mother, unsure of what they were talking about. All the while, the other adults glanced between one another. ¡°Usually it is someone from the older generation, but...¡± Jarot rubbed his chin. ¡°There is no reason against his offer.¡± Mirot, who could find no fault in the logic, bowed her head. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°What is tomorrow?¡± Dunes asked, wondering if he could pry out the information. ¡°Something only very few can see,¡± Jarot said. ¡°We cannot say more to Guests.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Jaygak said, quickly. ¡°It¡¯s that! Am I going this year?¡± ¡°Taygak will go,¡± her mother said. ¡°Can¡¯t I go with her? Please?¡± ¡°Perhaps we should send multiple children together?¡± Jarot supposed. ¡°Damokan and Kalokan can go together,¡± Arokan said. ¡°Raygak and Taygak?¡± Lavgak offered. ¡°Kitool and Katool,¡± Zorool, their father, said, quietly. ¡°Turot and Adam?¡± Sonarot stated, looking to Jurot, who nodded. ¡°They can follow another family there.¡± ¡°I will ask Elder Zijin,¡± Jarot said. ¡°They can follow the Jin family.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said, remembering his other Cousin. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Nirot and Turot go together?¡± ¡°Not this time,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked, wondering where the young Iyrman was. He hadn¡¯t seen her in some time. ¡°I don¡¯t mind sitting it out if it¡¯s a big deal.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! What''s going on? 267. Marching Band 267. Marching Band Omen: 6, 12 ¡°Who is this little girl?¡± Tizgak asked, staring down at the girl who stared up at him in shock. Lanarot¡¯s eyes fell to Rokan, who was staring down at her, and then the next person as the new Iyrmen continued to say their hellos. The Iyrmen pet her head or brush her hair, or kiss her forehead as they introduced themselves. Eventually Lanarot squirmed and hacked out a cry, hiding herself away from the strangers, though they continued to play with her. ¡®At least they know how amazing she is,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®That¡¯s exactly how you should behave with my little sister.¡¯ ¡°I bet he¡¯s thinking something stupid,¡± Jaygak said to Lucy. ¡°I¡¯m not taking that bet,¡± the Demon replied. Adam clipped on a long cloak over himself, opting for it rather than a coat. There was something about wearing a cloak which felt romantic, and he felt it easier to walk around with the cloak than a coat. Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Have fun, Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try, but you never know,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Take Phantom with you, just in case.¡± ¡®Why do I need Phantom?¡¯ Adam thought. He was going somewhere with the children, so wouldn¡¯t it be safe? ¡°Alright...¡± Jurot nodded his head, his lips twitching into a smile. ¡°Are you ready?¡± called Elder Zijin as he approached. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. The children, who had been dressed by their parents, allowing them a club at their side just in case, also replied affirmatively. ¡°Good,¡± the Elder said. ¡°Kitool will guide you, though you can also follow my family.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Adam said. ¡°How long will it be?¡± ¡°The entire day,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°You mean, to dusk?¡± ¡°A few hours before.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯m not ready.¡± Adam barged towards the group around his sister. ¡°You can play with her later, but I need to recharge.¡± The group looked up at him, but Sonarot handed the girl over, and Adam held his sister. Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°Tell me if any of them bully you, Lanababy. I¡¯ll beat them up when I come back, okay?¡± Lanarot babbled in response and Adam kissed her nose, before hugging her tight. Lanarot rested her head against his chest. Halikan couldn¡¯t control herself from laughing, and the others soon joined. ¡°He really is queer.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t want him to be my General any more,¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡®He¡¯s too cringe.¡¯ Eventually, he followed the other families. There were many others who were making their way, with hundreds of Iyrmen following the same trail. Each had a few seconds to themselves, and they would run towards the centre, before revealing a trick. From walking up the staff they were holding towards the tip to look out towards the horizon before continuing forward, to showing a flurry of swordplay, to juggling axes, the youth were showing off to their audience. ¡°That was Cousin Faool,¡± Turot said, whispering towards Adam. ¡°He stood atop the tip of the staff and looked towards us.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, recalling the very first Iyrman who had slipped out. ¡°Kitool¡¯s cousin?¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°Uncle Raool¡¯s son?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®What the hell. How are they built so different?¡¯ ¡°Look!¡± Taygak said, pointing towards a Devilkin who was up next. ¡°It¡¯s brother Laygak!¡± Saygak shouted, clapping his hands. Laygak, who held sword in hand, balanced the sword hilt against his nose, before spinning on his heel and started to moonwalk to his place in line. Adam wasn¡¯t sure what he just saw. ¡®That doesn¡¯t seem realistic in the slightest.¡¯ Another Iyrman, a beautiful young woman with a greatsword, appeared, spinning the huge blade between her elbows. ¡°That¡¯s Cousin Naqokan,¡± Turot said, pointing to the woman. ¡°Of course it is,¡± Adam said. ¡®She does look a lot like Halikan.¡¯ Eventually, he spotted a familiar face, who spun her shield between her hands like a it was a pizza pie, with the axe spinning atop it, all the while marching to her place, swaying from side to side. Turot began to clap his hands excitedly, half squealing with utter joy. ¡°Nirot!¡± he shouted, smiling wide. Adam thought about how cool they all were. Yes, he could enchant and do magic, but that wasn¡¯t really skill. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t compare myself to Iyrmen.¡¯ Eventually most of the music faded, only the older Iyrmen playing their instruments, and the Iyrmen broke off into groups, each of them moving to those who held similar weapons. They moved in unison, slashing, lunging, and retreating together, before the music changed, and the entire arena erupted in chaos as the various Iyrmen, all grouped up with their weapons, began to fight one another. Adam blinked, not expecting it in the slightest. The groups all fought with one another with a viciousness only an Iyrman could show. The children, including those of other families, shouted the names of their relatives, their brothers, sisters, and cousins. Faool had managed to last for a short while, but was one of the middle of the pack to be knocked out. Nirot had managed to win from her group, holding up her axe and shield as she roared with her rage. Laygak had been one of the last few in his own group, before dropping near the end. Naqokan, held her own towards the end, but dropped together with an Orcish Iyrman. Turot cheered, jumping out of his seat as he clapped his hands. The other children also cheered for Nirot, and their Cousins. ¡°Did Naqokan drop with a Jin?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes, that is Cousin Uwajin,¡± Raygak said. ¡®That¡¯s just too convenient,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Ool and Gak fall, Rot managed to win, and the Kan and Jin fall together. You really couldn¡¯t write it to be more perfect.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Iyrmen are American confirmed??? 268. The Show 268. The Show ¡®These guys are in their early teens,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®They¡¯re fucking insane.¡¯ Here they had a bunch of kids, each of whom were learning to become machines of death, each skilled enough with their chosen weapon they could balance them atop their nose and moonwalk. Adam remained silent, watching as the Iyrmen quickly left, leaving them in silence. It was then the audience erupted in chatter, sharing drinks and snacks, all the while talking about their family who had been on display. ¡°My sister is the strongest,¡± Turot said, his lips twitching upwards, staring up at Adam smugly. ¡°Of course she is,¡± Adam said, ruffling his hair. ¡°The future Elder Peace¡¯s big sister needs to be strong, right?¡± Turot let slip a little giggle, squeezing his hands together like Lanarot did, before he began to chat with the others. The children stood up to chat in the walk way towards one another, and Adam leaned back to look at Kitool. ¡°Your cousin was pretty cool,¡± Adam said. Kitool bowed her head. ¡°He was, yes.¡± ¡°Did you do something like this?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do all Iyrmen do it?¡± ¡°Most do.¡± ¡°Pretty cool,¡± Adam said, leaning back. ¡°It¡¯s only been, what, an hour and a bit. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°A play,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It should last a few hours, with small breaks in between.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be the actors in the play?¡± Kitool nodded. Adam wondered what other surprises the Iyr had for him. As the minutes passed, the Iyrmen passed out more snacks, fried stuffs and water, as well as juice. There was also a small bottle of wine, which Adam began to sip slowly, tasting how sour it was. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Adam remained mostly silent, letting the children talk to one another. Some Iyrmen from the row behind them, tapped his shoulder, and he looked back towards them. It was an Orcish Iyrman, in his late early thirties or so. ¡°You are a Half Elf?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Which family are you with?¡± ¡°The Rot family.¡± The Orcish Iyrman nodded. ¡°Who was on display in your family?¡± ¡°My Cousin, Nirot,¡± Adam said. ¡°She won the bout with the axe.¡± ¡°The one who won the bout with the axe was a young man,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said. ¡°Axe and shield, sorry.¡± The Orcish Iyrman nodded. ¡°Yours?¡± ¡°Otfan,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°There are not many Half Elves who join the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°I believe you are the first.¡± ¡®Is that a rickshaw?¡¯ Adam thought, watching as someone cloaked, in black, with a bird mask pulled the young woman along, before she hopped off of it. ¡®Nice.¡¯ Once the story was done, there was a roar of applause which filled the arena, all the while the Iyrmen youth stood to accept the applause for some time, before clearing the platform. Adam stretched his body, going for a quick walk around the area. He glanced to the Iyrman beside him. ¡°I forgot who Razfan was,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Have you heard the story before?¡± Razfan asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°On my first journey to the Iyr.¡± ¡°It is obvious, due to the Jarot¡¯s contributions to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Jarot¡¯s contribution? What did he do?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh, you mean the Rukhs?¡± ¡°No,¡± Razfan said. ¡°You do not know?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You will be told sooner or later,¡± Razfan replied, simply. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°Keep your secrets.¡± Drums signalled the end of the break some time later, and then there came ten Iyrmen, who walked out from the tunnels. Adam didn¡¯t recognise any of them, but he noted their different weapons. He recognised one of the weapons. The Iyrman with the spear caught Adam¡¯s eye, bowing his head before pointing his magical spear to the Half Elf. Adam nodded his head back, surprised to see the spear so soon. ¡°Adam, son of Fate!¡± the Iyrman shouted. ¡°I will fight for you this day.¡± Adam turned a little red, but smiled. ¡®Well, that¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ ¡°Did you make that spear?¡± Turot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I did. I finished it yesterday.¡± Turot smiled and nodded his head, chuffed to bits that Adam was his cousin. Suddenly, they came. From the three other entrances came out three creatures. One was a large boar, with tusks which would skewer any Iyrman in its path, its fur as white as snow. Another was a large bear, one Adam had fought before, a Nightval Bear. The last was a large wolf, an Elder White Wolf. Three of the Iyrmen leapt away from their comrades, ready to clash with the creatures. As one might have expected, the Iyrmen had no issue dealing with their enemies. The Iyrman wielding the spear Adam had created had gone to fight the Nightval Bear, and with some struggle, managed to kill it. Adam clapped his hands as they won, the display of prowess was amazing, though he was still thinking about the youths earlier in the day, who had been most impressive. More creatures were shown, a tiger which was white, with six legs, a panther which was black, and lived in a constant state of flux, its body shimmering. There was also a Twilight Fox, which Adam hadn¡¯t expected. It had caused some alarm when it bolted up towards the crowd, towards Adam and the others, but an older Iyrman punched it back down towards the platform without a word. Adam had reached for Phantom, but it was not needed. The Twilight Fox was quickly slain by one of the older Iyrmen who made up the ten. The death of the Twilight Fox signalled the end of the show. ¡°Did you want me to go and fight them?¡± Strom asked, having sat at the top of the walls behind the crowd, hidden by the brush and sloped height. ¡°No,¡± Chief Iromin replied. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Chief Iromin babysitting Strom still. 269. Work And Play 269. Work And Play ¡°How was it?¡± Jurot asked once they had returned from the show. ¡°It was pretty good,¡± Adam said. ¡°You know, I think you sent me there to remind me to remember my place.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You guys are pretty scary,¡± Adam said, recalling how the old Iyrman punted the Twilight Fox back to die. He managed to kill a Twilight Fox only because he had Phantom and a bunch of cheat like abilities, but that Iyrman had only used their great strength. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We are.¡± ¡°We can play Warriors and Wanderers now?¡± Turot asked, looking up at Adam expectantly. ¡°Oh. I did promise that, didn¡¯t I?¡± Adam looked down at the children, noting their excitement within their tired eyes. ¡°I¡¯m really tired tonight, so let¡¯s do it another time.¡± Turot frowned. ¡°You said we can play today.¡± ¡°I know, I know, but I am really tired. You will not enjoy it if I do it today, because I will not be very good. Like how I can¡¯t enchant well when I am sleepy, I cannot run the game when I am sleepy.¡± Turot nodded at the logic, but sighed. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Good things come to those who wait, but that¡¯s a lie, so just trust me that I will definitely run a game for you soon, okay?¡± Adam ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You will get vengeance on those Orcs, and it will taste all the more sweeter.¡± Turot¡¯s nostrils flared, obviously annoyed at the imaginary Orcs who had dared to betray him. ¡°I cannot believe they have betrayed us.¡± He shook his head and stormed off to his parents. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam said, noting the way his parents looked at him. ¡®Right, I still need to seduce them.¡¯ ¡°Are you thinking something stupid again?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about how to seduce Mirot and Gorot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so...¡± Lucy stopped. ¡°Smart. You weren¡¯t thinking of something stupid for once?¡± ¡°What do you mean for once?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ve thought smart things before, at least twice.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like becoming a Nephew of the Rot family, and being your friend,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can¡¯t argue against that.¡± ¡°Wait, only one of those things was smart.¡± Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You¡¯re on thin ice, Adam.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve done it,¡± called a voice, a stumbling Tinkerer appearing. ¡°Adam. I¡¯ve done it.¡± Adam stared at Filliam. ¡®I forgot all about him.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve done the task?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he managed to say. Filliam¡¯s eyes were drooping, barely able to be kept awake, and he was half slumped over. ¡°Great,¡± Adam said. ¡°How many can you make?¡± The capitalist nature combined with his brotherly nature to care about the toys before the exhausted Tinkerer. ¡°At least fifty,¡± Filliam replied, nodding his head, a smile on his face. ¡°Fifty? How much for each one?¡± ¡°A gold coin for each one,¡± he said. ¡°If Jurot is willing to help me, it may be cheaper, but they will not last as long.¡± ¡°Stick with the gold coin,¡± Adam said. ¡°How many can you make a day?¡± ¡°Five for now, but I¡¯m sure I can make double that sooner or later,¡± he assured. Once they had finished breakfast, the group gathered together and went out to explore the festival together for the last day. Adam dragged Filliam along too, who had worked through most of the festival. ¡°I will be unable to make the toys today!¡± Filliam protested. ¡°There is time to work and time to play,¡± Adam said, sounding like an Iyrman. ¡°As much as I am a Brit, we should at least respect the Iyrmen while we¡¯re within their homes!¡± Filliam grumbled, but followed the group along. Adam could feel Vonda¡¯s gaze against the back of his head, but he ignored it, instead enjoying the festival as they continued moving about. They watched the fights, with Lanarot screaming as though she was possessed by the incarnation of an unholy being. ¡°Lanarot, chill,¡± Adam said, bringing some bread up to her lips for her to bite. She chewed on the bread happily, pointing at the fighting, and babbling. ¡°She truly is an Iyrman,¡± Sir Vonda joked. Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s growing up so well, though I think it is a little too zealous.¡± He brushed her hair. ¡°You should be enjoying colouring at this age, and I don¡¯t mean colouring the snow with the blood of your enemies.¡± Lanarot bit into Adam¡¯s finger as she tried to eat the bread, causing him to pull back. ¡°You bad girl,¡± Adam said, pinching her cheek gently and wiggling it. ¡°I did not know you could enchant,¡± Vonda said. ¡°It never came up,¡± Adam said. ¡°Plus, I¡¯m not sure I should tell you, in case you tell the other Priests.¡± ¡°I will keep your secret,¡± she said. ¡°As you have kept mine.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell Kitool and Jaygak about your thing, I just told them that they should probably listen to you about your task since it would be good for them.¡± ¡°You wanted to share the glory with them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about glory,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I mean, sure, maybe a little, but not that much. I have so many other things to worry about, and the glory might be a little awkward for me, considering my ears.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so strange, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, simply. ¡°Do you have any other secrets?¡± ¡°Many.¡± Sir Vonda nodded her head. ¡°Everyone has their secrets.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The Iyr has so many too.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I understand why, considering, you know.¡± ¡°Considering what?¡± ¡°They¡¯re freaking crazy.¡± Sir Vonda smiled. ¡°They are, aren¡¯t they?¡± The group explored the festival together, before sitting down at several tables out of the way. ¡°About the plan from before,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°You said you wanted to make a protection agency of sorts, or a group of inns. You mentioned dumping money into it. Was that money coming from your enchanting?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°You can enchant?¡± Filliam asked, staring at Adam, his eyes full of shock. Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Enchanting, Smithing, Alchemy. What can''t he do? Romance? 270. Adam VS Children 270. Adam VS Children Omen: 8, 10 Adam rubbed his head, feeling the pulsing from drinking so much last night. He had rambled about his plans for the inns, and the others had joined in on his ridiculousness. Lanarot slapped his forehead once she had crawled over to him, babbling to him. ¡°Lanarot, why would you do this to me?¡± he asked, grumbling quietly. He sat up, ruffling her hair, causing her to laugh and smile as she crawled over and stood beside him, clutching at his shirt. ¡°Look at you, standing so strong,¡± Adam said, playing with his little sister, helping her squat. The pair eventually stepped outside, where the others were all waiting. From Brittany to Fred, the entire gang was here. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got to go back to our previous routines, huh?¡± Adam said, dropping down near them, taking a sip of water. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will be leaving today.¡± ¡°Today?¡± ¡°Near the evening,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We must go and prepare.¡± ¡°For what?¡± Jaygak snickered. ¡°Look at him trying to catch us out.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll all be gone for the entire Twilight Month?¡± ¡°We will return in the first month of dawnval, midway through.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you miss our little sister¡¯s first birthday, I¡¯ll beat you up.¡± ¡°I should return, though that matter is not up to me.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t keep our friends waiting,¡± Adam said. ¡°We have business to do in the second month.¡± ¡°If we do not return, you may go without us,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Go without you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do I look that stupid? Why the hell would I do something so dangerous without the three of you? If something happens, whose going to drag me out? Dunes and Vonda are great, but Nobby and Brittany are still training, and the other two are barely wanting to live the next day as it is.¡± Adam looked to Fred and Jonn. ¡°No offence.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not how that works,¡¯ Fred thought. ¡°Then you must wait,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°Seriously...¡± The group began to train that morning for a short while, with the children tossing snowballs at the wall to see who could get the most points. Once they had finished bathing, the group began to eat breakfast, with Adam feeding his little sister. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to take over training for the two of you,¡± Adam said, looking to Nobby and Brittany. ¡°I¡¯m not so good with the bow and stuff, but I can probably help you with keeping up with your fitness regiment at least.¡± ¡°I will continue to teach her the bow,¡± Jonn said. ¡°That works out just fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°So I¡¯ll focus mostly on Nobby then.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Nobby said. ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot. ¡°You¡¯re leaving later today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Then you need to make sure you recharge properly,¡± Adam said, picking his sister up, and placing her on Jurot¡¯s lap. Jurot looked down at Lanarot, who look up to stare at him too, her face covered in the fruit she had been eating. ¡°Hoo!¡± Lanarot squealed, revealing her tiny teeth through her smile. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You need to spend the day with her since she won¡¯t be able to see you in a while,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam left it at that, trusting the Iyrman to look after their younger sister. ¡°How could you eat without us?¡± called Nirot, who approached with her companions. The others were staring at Adam, having heard much about him from their Cousin. ¡°With our mouths,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam stifled a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re such a dad, Jurot.¡± Jurot threw him a look, furrowing his brows for only a moment. ¡°What does that mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain another time,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°Look who we have here, little miss winner of the-¡° Nirot cleared her throat, staring at Adam with a raised brow. ¡°They sent you?¡± ¡°Yeah they sent me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Turot and I both watched.¡± Nirot smiled, sitting beside her brother, ruffling his hair. ¡°Are you four ready?¡± Adam asked, looking at the four of them. Laygak was the only one in armour, donning chain mail. Each Iyrman wielded their family¡¯s weapons. ¡°Yes,¡± the four replied. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 10 (9) Nirot and Naqokan leapt at him like beasts, their entire bodies turning red. Adam caught Nirot¡¯s axe with his own, pushing away Naqokan¡¯s greatsword with his shield, though he could feel the heft behind the swing. Laygak and Faool managed glancing bows against his armour, unable to really do any lasting damage, though he had forgotten that Faool could also strike with his body, though it seemed he had struck a terrible part of Adam¡¯s armour, stepping back, trying to kick away the pain in his leg. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± Adam asked, deciding against bullying them. Attack D20 + 6 = 10 (4) Miss! Attack D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 8 (3)(1) Adam managed to force Faool away with a heavy swing, which almost caused him to drop his staff. Health: 65 -> 52 Adam managed to defend against the onslaught well enough, narrowly dodging another terrible blow from Naqokan, who seemed to hold a terrifying strength. ¡®Her natural strength is greater than-¡® Adam¡¯s axe pulsed against Nirot¡¯s axe, as the Iyrman managed to push him back. His arm ached terribly from the heavy blow, and he winced. ¡°Right, you¡¯re Jurot¡¯s cousin.¡± Attack D20 + 6 = 13 (7) Miss! Attack D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Critical hit! 2D6 + 2D3 + 4 = 13 (1, 5)(1, 2) Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 4 (1) Adam¡¯s axe struck Faool upside the head, causing him to drop right away. Adam stepped aside, calling out the magical words to heal the knocked out young man. ¡°Sorry Faool, mind getting out the way?¡± Faool opened his eyes, seeing his companions descending upon Adam. He understood what had happened, and so slipped away to the side. Adam had aimed for him in order to get the only other one with multiple attacks. More attacks meant more critical hits, and Adam didn¡¯t want to deal with it. Unfortunately for him, Iyrmen were Iyrmen. Health: 52 -> 23 ¡°Fucking hell,¡± he cursed, feeling a clattering of blade and axe, which he tried to defend against, though the blow rained upon him, forcing him back. ¡°You should be careful not to fall before we have our fun!¡± Nirot warned, though it was Naqokan¡¯s blow which had caused him to fall back. Adam and the trio continued to trade blows as Adam tried to reposition himself. ¡°Fine then, no more holding back!¡± Adam declared. Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 23 -> 28 Attack D20 + 6 = 9 (3) D20 + 6 = 12 (6) Miss! Attack D20 + 6 = 7 (1) D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Mana: 17 -> 16 1D6 + 1D3 + 2D6 + 4 = 18 (6)(1)(2, 5) Damage resisted! 13 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack D20 + 6 = 11 (5) D20 + 6 = 23 (17) 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 9 (2)(3) Damage resisted! 5 damage! Attack D20 + 6 = 14 (9) D20 + 6 = 20 (14) 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 12 (5)(3) Adam, who managed to side step to rain down a heavy blow against Naqokan, who did not fall even as he channelled his magic through himself. ¡°What do they feed you Iyrmen?¡± Adam asked, managing to push Nirot back with his shield, before striking across both Naqokan and Laygak with a terrifying swiftness, his axe almost blurring as the pair dropped down, and he quickly pulled back, facing Nirot. Nirot charged forward, axe striking axe, but did not manage to force Adam away. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 28 -> 33 Attack D20 + 6 = 26 (20) D20 + 6 = 26 (20) Critical hit! 2D6 + 2D3 + 4 = 18 (5, 5)(1, 3) Damage resisted! 9 damage! Attack D20 + 6 = 18 (12) D20 + 6 = 20 (14) 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 8 (1)(3) Damage resisted! 4 damage! Adam¡¯s blade struck across her front, causing a momentary fright within the Half Elf, who dared not to expand any Mana to strike deeper, in fear of accidentally killing the young Iyrman. Yet, his blade swung again, filled with his hopes, yet even under the mighty second blow, which caused the young Iyrman to twitch, she did not fall. ¡°Damn it,¡± Adam said, knocking her axe aside with his shield, swiftly moving to the side. Warrior Spirit: 1 -> 0 Health: 33 -> 38 Attack D20 + 6 = 11 (5) D20 + 6 = 15 (9) Miss! Attack D20 + 6 = 18 (11) D20 + 6 = 20 (13) 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 11 (6)(1) Damage resisted! 6 damage! Nirot¡¯s quick reflexes managed to dodge one of his blows, but Adam pulled back on his handle, and struck her right between the eyes, causing her to drop. ¡®Even tiger cubs are tigers,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I really am in the wrong genre.¡¯ Lanarot¡¯s terrifying screeches of demonic joy broke the silence. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! He really is in the wrong genre. Lanarot needs some chill. 271. Penetrating Hearts 271. Penetrating Hearts Adam¡¯s eyes fell to his little sister, who was currently clutching her hands together tightly, shaking with a thirst for more blood to be spilled. ¡®We¡¯re such a bad influence on my Lanababy,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how to accept that his sister may be too zealous about spilling blood. He spent more Mana casting Healing Word to bring the Iyrmen back up. ¡°You guys okay?¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Nirot said. ¡°You are strong,¡± Naqokan said, helping Laygak up. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, smiling at the pair of Iyrmen who were getting to their feet. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Did you need to use magic against them?¡± Kaygak asked, checking on her son. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°They are not Experts, and they are no threat to you.¡± ¡°No threat?¡± Adam asked, his eyebrows raised. ¡°They¡¯re Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Yes, but they are still young.¡± ¡°Yeah, and they almost downed me,¡± Adam said. ¡°You might be used to it, but I don¡¯t forget how scary Iyrmen are. Naqokan there is probably stronger than Jurot physically.¡± Naqokan¡¯s nostrils flared, her lips twitching up into a smile. ¡°I am quite strong for my age.¡± ¡°I have no shame using my Smites against any of you. Plus, my little sister was watching so I couldn¡¯t lose.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have used any. Plus, I could have ended the fight earlier if I didn¡¯t hold back so much.¡± ¡°Adam, let us marry,¡± Naqokan said. ¡°I refuse,¡± Adam said, almost reflexively. ¡°I am strong as you said, and our children will be-¡° ¡°Aaaaaah!¡± Adam butt in. ¡°I will not marry yet, not for a few years. It doesn¡¯t matter who offers to marry me, whether it¡¯s you, Cirot and Sirot, or Entalia, or even Mara.¡± ¡°Entalia?¡± Naqokan asked. ¡°Queen Silvari, The Silver Terror?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You know her?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Naqokan looked to her mother first, before looking to her uncle, and then finally to her Aunt, who nodded her head. ¡°Are you certain you do not wish to marry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re too young for my taste.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°The same as Jurot.¡± ¡°I am sixteen,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°That is not much younger.¡± Adam winced. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Naqokan replied, simply, leaving Adam be. ¡°Is Lanarot okay?¡± Adam asked, looking to the baby, who had finally calmed down. ¡°She enjoyed the fight,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Yeah, I could tell. Should she be so excited for fights like that?¡± ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Laygak called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you not like men?¡± ¡°Hey Vonda, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The sky?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°What¡¯s, uh, how are you?¡± ¡°Well, and you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Carrying a box.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda said. Adam smiled. ¡°Well, if you want to know, you can come with me.¡± Vonda felt as though it was going to be something queer, so she followed him back to the estate. ¡°The Iyr is such a lovely place.¡± ¡°Right? I hope I am welcomed here forever.¡± ¡°You are a Nephew, are you not?¡± ¡°I am, for now,¡± Adam said. ¡°That might change.¡± ¡°You are strange, but I think the Iyr considers you as someone who benefits them more than you endanger them.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how long that lasts. If they welcome Strom here, then I should be welcomed here. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s strong, maybe even a little stronger than the Chief.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it goes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Some cool old man that even the Chief has to respect, who talks about being over a thousand years old. No, maybe he¡¯s much stronger than the Chief. I wonder if he could handle multiple monstrous Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Are there beings who can deal with multiple powerful Iyrmen?¡± ¡°The Gods?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow at her. ¡°Fair point.¡± When they finally returned, the children were already being given their gifts. Mostly clothes and weapons made of various different materials, though nothing which could cut them accidentally, or purposefully. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I just spoke with Uncle Snowiyr, and he sent me here with his gifts for all the good boys and girls.¡± The children looked up to Adam, before swarming around him, staring up at him with expectant eyes. ¡°Where is Uncle Snowiyr?¡± Katool asked. ¡°He¡¯s really busy right now, so he sent me in his stead,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve all been good, so I¡¯m here with the gifts he has sent me.¡± He placed down the box before unravelling half of it, revealing the various little packages within. He peeked through one and handed it to Raygak, who revealed the peppers. ¡°Red peppers!¡± Raygak said, excitedly. ¡°My favourite.¡± ¡°Right, and they¡¯re all yours,¡± Adam said. ¡°All of them?¡± Raygak asked. There were ten, one for each day of the week, and more. ¡°Yep. If Jaygak tries to steal any, you let me know and I¡¯ll sort her out,¡± Adam said, winking at him, before his eyes snapped to Jaygak, narrowing them at her with a glare. ¡°Okay,¡± Raygak said, grabbing a pepper before biting it. He winced from how cold and spicy it was, but continued to eat it. He handed out the cheese to Turot, the nuts to Taygak, fruit for Katool, and another set of peppers for Saygak. Damokan and Kalokan were harder to shop for, since he wasn¡¯t sure what they were really into, so instead there were a pair of small wooden contraptions full of sugar. The children all ate some of their gifts, sharing some of them between one another. Adam had tried to make sure they each received roughly the same amount, not wanting them to feel as though he favoured one over the other. The trio who had only just met Adam stared at him. They weren¡¯t sure what Kaygak had meant earlier, but they did now. ¡®He is quite the young man,¡¯ Halikan thought, signalling her daughter with her eyes. Naqokan shook her head. Adam had already refused, so she wouldn¡¯t press the issue. ¡®I need to be stronger so that he will accept me.¡¯ Then, a thought passed in her mind, and her eyes fell to Lanarot, whose head was pulled back towards Jurot¡¯s chest as she stared up at her older brother. ¡®It is not Adam¡¯s heart I need to penetrate.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! I''m having so much fun writing this story! Thanks for all the views and support! I''ve ruined my sleep (again) so I haven''t been feeling too well, but I have been drafting like an animal. These rolls are so insane, and I hope that you guys are excited for what''s to come in the future. However, until that comes to pass, enjoy the next few, totally slice of life chapters, with definitely no action at all... 272. Unwanted Gifts 272. Unwanted Gifts ¡°Now,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have my own gifts for you too, but they might take a little while to come.¡± The children looked up at Adam, in various states of eating. ¡°More?¡± Katool asked, staring up at the Half Elf. ¡°Of course I have more for my adorable little Cousins,¡± Adam said. ¡°We still have half a box, right?¡± The children looked down at the box, which was still half covered. They nodded, agreeing with Adam¡¯s assertions of the current situation. Adam pulled the cover aside, revealing all manner of bars made of wood and metal. ¡°Turot, come here.¡± He reached down and grabbed the stylus and paper which had come with the box. The boy walked over, looking down at the box, seeing all the different woods and metals. Jurot¡¯s shadow covered the boy and the box, as he stared down at the wood. ¡°Jurot, let him see properly,¡± Adam said. ¡®I should have known he¡¯d be interested.¡¯ Lanarot reached down towards the shiny metals and the wood, but Adam reached out to tickle her hands. ¡°You already have your own, don¡¯t be so greedy,¡± Adam cooed at her, causing her to pull her hands back and giggle at him. Turot looked up at Adam expectantly. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam realised how the boy would have been stuck without any direction from him. ¡°I want you to pick a wood and a metal, your favourite two.¡± ¡°My favourite?¡± Turot asked, squatting down in front of the box, placing his chin on his hands. ¡°I like this wood and this metal.¡± ¡°Iyr oak is a good choice,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°You did not want Iyr sapple?¡± Turot looked up at his cousin, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I want Iyr sapple.¡± ¡°Jurot, do you want me to beat you up?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him Turot. Tell me, what does your heart tell you?¡± Turot looked up at Adam, unsure. ¡°Let¡¯s do Iyr oak, okay? This metal too.¡± Adam wrote down something on the slip of paper. ¡°Okay, I want Katool to choose next, youngest to oldest.¡± ¡°I am older than Katool,¡± Turot said. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re also a Rot, so I have to make sure you go first,¡± Adam replied, ruffling his hair. Katool spent a long moment thinking before pointing to Turot. ¡°I want same.¡± ¡°I want you to pick your own,¡± Adam said. ¡°How about we let everyone else pick first and you can speak with your sister?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The others began to pick their own materials, with Kitool eventually picking the materials she had discussed with her sister. ¡°Wonderful,¡± Adam said, before glancing to the others. ¡°You four, you should come pick some materials yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to gift give to us?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re my Cousins too, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We are not children.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched, smirking at the group. ¡°You are, aren¡¯t you?¡± Nirot narrowed her eyes. ¡°I cannot believe you would use magic to beat children.¡± ¡°That is ridiculous,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°I will not accept it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me giving gifts to my adorable Cousins?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is not wrong, it is just not done.¡± ¡°So? I gave them all food and no one complained. It¡¯s my money, so I should be able to spend it as I please.¡± ¡°There is a difference between food and magical weapons.¡± ¡°The Iyr is quite snowy,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I thought we were stating obvious things to one another.¡± Kaygak narrowed her eyes, which twitched at the strange Half Elf. Adam was an unknown, something the Iyrmen couldn¡¯t comprehend. ¡°You should treat others with respect.¡± ¡°You first,¡± Adam replied, almost childishly. ¡°You¡¯ve had a problem with me since the start. You, as well as my Aunt¡¯s brother and sister, I know that you don¡¯t like me. I know that you don¡¯t actually have a problem with me handing out magical weapons, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s me handing them out.¡± ¡°We may not like you, but that has nothing to do with refusing the magical weapons.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± ¡°Do you believe I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°How can you say that?¡± Mirot snapped at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it from you,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ve even doubted my relationship with my precious sister, and you threatened my Aunt too.¡± ¡°Our family matters are none of your concern,¡± Mirot replied. ¡°Of course they are,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how being a Nephew works, but if you become the Family Head, things might become difficult for me.¡± ¡°Is that what you are worried about? The difficult you will have leeching onto our family?¡± Mirot replied. ¡°I don¡¯t really care about the benefits being in the Iyr provides,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lanarot is my priority. Whether or not the Iyr accepts me is irrelevant. Whether or not you accept me is irrelevant. However, I know how this works. I leave the matter alone, and it¡¯ll come to bite me in the ass later.¡± ¡°I do not like you,¡± Mirot stated. ¡°However, I respect my sister¡¯s wishes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Whether or not you respect her wishes today or tomorrow is not what I¡¯m concerned about.¡± His eyes fell to Gorot too, and he sighed. ¡°I understand why, as a parent, you feel concerned about me. I¡¯m a strange young man, and I say a lot of things. I do a lot of things too, and so far I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything which causes alarm to the Iyr.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what his real point was. He wasn¡¯t certain what he should do, either, as the Iyr was a place of action. ¡°Isn¡¯t it simple?¡± called a familiar voice nearby. Appearing from the way was Strom, who had been listening to Adam from afar the entire time. ¡°They obviously don¡¯t respect you.¡± ¡°Hey, Strom,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did you come here to tell me that there¡¯s snow in the Iyr too?¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°If they don¡¯t respect you, you just have to beat them up.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam really does act like a noble... I think this Strom guy has a point, don''t you? 273. Sounds Like A Fair Fight 273. Sounds Like A Fair Fight ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That¡¯s how it always works,¡± Strom said, nodding his head to the Iyrmen. ¡°You get some people with bright ideas, so you need to beat them down so they keep their mouth shut.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the Chief?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t he meant to babysit you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been allowed to roam free as I please, as long as I don¡¯t cause too much trouble.¡± Strom smiled, like a cheeky teenager who knew he could get away with anything. ¡°I have a feeling that you like to get into trouble a lot.¡± ¡°They say dragons of a scale, fly in a trail,¡± Strom said. Adam shook his head slowly. ¡°You know, Strom. I think I¡¯m the second most queer person here.¡± ¡°Who is first?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Since you are having an issue with your Aunts and Uncle, why don¡¯t you just beat them up?¡± Strom asked. ¡°I can¡¯t just beat them up,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not everything can be solved with violence.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°What do you mean, why not? They dislike me, and if I beat them up, they¡¯ll just dislike me more.¡± ¡°Do you believe you can beat us so easily?¡± Mirot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°As long as I have Phantom and my magic. Without Phantom it¡¯s probably pretty even, with me as the favourite.¡± Mirot glared at him. ¡°Then let us fight.¡± ¡°Sure, tomorrow or so,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve used a lot of my abilities today, so it¡¯s probably a fifty fifty chance even with Phantom.¡± Mirot could not believe just how eager Adam was to try and shame her. ¡°Do you believe I am so weak?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°You¡¯re strong, so are all the other Aunts and Uncles around.¡± ¡°You believe you are more powerful?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, once again with the most casual tone. ¡°I think that Phantom is one hell of a weapon, and my magic and other abilities give me a better shot against most than the average Expert.¡± Mirot could not refute his statement. ¡°Then you will face me tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Then Uncle Gorot the next day, and Aunt Kaygak the day after?¡± ¡°You will face us three, one by one?¡± Gorot asked. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It would be difficult.¡± ¡°So? It¡¯ll be worth it if I actually manage to do it. Plus...¡± Adam fell silent, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Jurot and the others are going to have fun without me, so it¡¯s only fair I get to have fun too,¡± he said. ¡°They won¡¯t be there to watch.¡± Adam¡¯s lips grew into a smirk towards Jaygak. ¡°It¡¯s still worth it for us to go,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean to my Aunt.¡± ¡°Do you think he can beat me?¡± Kaygak asked. ¡°Adam is...¡± Jaygak wondered how to describe him. ¡°Strong,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He defeated an Awakened Wolf with a single blow.¡± ¡°Pure luck,¡± Kaygak replied. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Adam is very lucky, and even when he is not, the things he is able to do are still greater than the things I can do.¡± ¡°Can you defeat me?¡± Kaygak asked. ¡°If I was as lucky as Adam, yes.¡± Jurot spoke the truth, as far as Kaygak was aware. ¡°Then I would like to see it, your ability to defeat me,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°We, too, will use the weapons and armours at our disposal.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°That¡¯s only fair.¡± ¡°Then I will face you, Adam,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°If I die, how can you kill me?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Baktu nicely,¡± Adam replied, simply. Jarot laughed. ¡°How can I get used to your audacity?¡± ¡°Speaking of audacity, I¡¯m going to be fighting Aunt Mirot soon.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Mirot?¡± Jarot asked, looking to his daughter. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°Adam has allowed us to face him with our magical weapons,¡± Mirot said. ¡°I will be borrowing the Sunder Axe.¡± ¡°You wish to borrow the Sunder Axe to face Adam?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°I would like to see that fight.¡± ¡°Then that can be my revenge,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I still remember how you beat me so badly back then.¡± ¡°Sometimes families fight, there is nothing wrong with it,¡± Jarot stated. ¡°When is the fight?¡± ¡°Well, tomorrow is Aunt Kaygak, then it¡¯ll be either Uncle Gorot or Aunt Mirot. Not sure.¡± ¡°You will face them all?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°One by one as the days pass.¡± Jarot furrowed his brows, before looking at Mirot, Gorot, and then Kaygak. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°He wishes to create magical weapons for our children,¡± Kaygak replied. Jarot smiled. ¡°Oh? Then is that not good? His magical weapons are quite powerful. He may be able to defeat me with his Phantom.¡± ¡°We cannot accept,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°Our families are not so wealthy, and what is the use of magical weapons for children?¡± ¡°His prices are low.¡± ¡°So low, they¡¯re zero,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to charge my cute little Cousins, obviously.¡± ¡°Then what is the matter?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°It is our fortune to accept his favour.¡± ¡°We still do not trust him,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°Do you not trust my judgement?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°It is not that,¡± Kaygak stated, quickly. ¡°Now that I think about it,¡± Adam said, uncomfortable with the direction their conversation was going. ¡°We haven¡¯t actually stated the terms.¡± ¡°The terms are simple,¡± Mirot said. ¡°You may use whatever equipment and magic at your disposal to face us, and we will do the same.¡± ¡°If I win, you¡¯ll leave me alone?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I can make my magical weapons for your kids as I please, and you will not interfere in my relationship with my sister?¡± ¡°We cannot interfere with your relationship with Lanarot,¡± Mirot stated, simply. ¡°If you can beat us, then we will not complain about your abilities or your strength.¡± ¡°Everyone knows I¡¯m pretty strong, that¡¯s not why we¡¯re fighting,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will not interfere with your business,¡± Mirot said. ¡°You will be a member of the Rot family, and I will have faith in you as such.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll accept that.¡± ¡°If you lose, you will remain distant from our children,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°I do not want you corrupting my Taygak and Saygak.¡± Laygak looked to his mother. ¡°Mother, that is not right. He is a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°It is up to his abilities as to whether he is able to grasp victory in the bouts,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°So you have three chances to push me away from your children, and I need to beat all three of you in order to be able to live freely?¡± Adam asked. Jarot couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed in front of Strom that his family was bullying Adam like this. ¡°That is-¡° Kaygak began, only to be interrupted by the Half Elf. ¡°Sounds like a fair fight,¡± Adam said, grinning at Kaygak. ¡°What is going on here?¡± Elder Zijin asked, stepping into the courtyard. He had heard that Strom had appeared, but then he saw Adam aggravating his Aunt. Behind him were the rest of Adam¡¯s cohorts. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything this...¡± Adam began, only to remember the entirety of the last few moments. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Actually, Adam, this time it was your fault... Adam is about to get taught a lesson. 274. Goodbyes Given 274. Goodbyes Given ¡°Are you not embarrassed of yourself?¡± Zijin asked, having been told about the situation. ¡°Adam is a Nephew of the family, with Elder Lykan¡¯s approval, and the Chief vouches for him too. How can you behave this way?¡± Adam hadn¡¯t expected that the Elder was going to tell the Iyrmen off, which was equally as embarrassing for him. ¡°I have always used my own eyes and ears to judge things, Elder Zijin,¡± Mirot stated. ¡°It will be the same for Adam.¡± Elder Zijin rubbed his forehead, wondering what he should do. ¡°Since you have both agreed, I will not suppress the matter, as long as it is completed before Twilight Month.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on it taking that long,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will be there to officiate the bouts.¡± Elder Zijin could feel the sourness on his tongue. ¡®Even if Adam is strong, to bully him like this, it is unacceptable.¡¯ ¡°How is it that you are always getting yourself into trouble?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Now with your family? Are you crazy?¡± ¡°What can I say?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, watching as Raool and Tizgak brought back a boar, which was set to be roasted. ¡°Are we having a party?¡± ¡°It is gift giving,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°We will eat and drink our fill, and then the four of us will leave.¡± He held Lanarot¡¯s waist as she sat down on his lap, facing him, staring up at him. Adam wanted to play with Lanarot too, but he wanted the pair of them to spend more time together before Jurot had to leave. He watched as his sister laughed randomly, and paused, only to laugh again. All the while, Jurot was holding her waist, staring down at her. ¡°Should I go get a story?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You could read it to her.¡± Jurot seemed to have no clue about how to play with a baby. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jurot said. Adam brought him one of the many books which were kept in their home, and Jurot pulled Lanarot to his chest, letting her face the book which he read whilst holding it one hand. ¡°When are you going to have children?¡± Vonda asked. Adam almost coughed from the shock of her question. ¡°Probably after I get married.¡± ¡°I think you would make a good father, Adam.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help the smile which painted his face. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°If you are half as good as a father as you are a brother, then you will be one of the best still.¡± ¡°A high compliment, and I appreciate it.¡± ¡°Are you worried about tomorrow¡¯s fight?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t lose.¡± ¡°Will you be able to win?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to prepare different spells than I¡¯m used to,¡± Adam said. ¡°It will be difficult, but I should be okay. If I can attack first, I should be fine.¡± ¡°What about against Mirot?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°She is a Rot, and she seemed to hold a greater rage.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°She¡¯s going to be tough.¡± ¡°You do not believe you can beat her so easily?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You beat Otkan.¡± ¡°Otkan held back, and she didn¡¯t have any magical weapons or armour,¡± Adam said. ¡°How powerful is this Sunder Axe?¡± ¡°It is greater than your Phantom in some ways,¡± Jarot said, smiling towards the young man. ¡°Though you should worry about Kaygak first.¡± ¡°Is she strong?¡± ¡°I will bet on you, as always,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Whether you win or lose, it does not matter.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡± ¡°I will be making one hundred gold tomorrow,¡± Jarot said, sipping his wine. The boar was roasted, and the Iyrmen came together to dance and sing. Lucy talked with Strom, speaking about her previous life, with Nobby sitting near them, wondering what she was talking about. Brittany was with Jonn, and the pair were talking with one another about Jonn¡¯s adventures. Fred sat with Vonda, speaking with her about her life. Adam sipped some wine, before taking Lanarot from Jurot, letting her sleep in his arms as Jarot and Jurot spoke to one another, drinking and eating together. ¡®I should really stop fighting with the Iyrmen,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Even if Mirot and Gorot dislike me, I could probably sway them over eventually.¡¯ He sighed, bringing a hand up to hide his face. He couldn¡¯t help but think of his family. The thoughts came to him, like a dagger piercing through the chinks in his mental armour. No matter how much he pushed the thoughts away, all he could think about was Christmas in his household. ¡®Why am I getting all depressed all the time recently?¡¯ Adam wondered. ¡®Is it because it¡¯s winter? Do I need more vitamin d?¡¯ Elder Zijin stared at Adam for a long moment. ¡®I cannot send him to the village like that.¡¯ Sonarot eventually took Lanarot from him, letting him mingle with his friends in peace. ¡°Adam, have you thought more about your plans for the inns?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°A little,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though, I¡¯ve been thinking about enchanting weapons mostly. Well, actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about who will be in charge of the business.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t?¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± ¡°You make me magic staff?¡± ¡°One day, hopefully.¡± ¡°You are very strong, Cousin Adam. You win fights?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Aunt Mirot, Aunt Kaygak, Uncle Gorot.¡± She reached up with her arms, and flexed them. ¡°Very strong.¡± ¡°Stronger than me?¡± Katool tilted her head, holding onto her knees as she squinted at him. She hummed in thought. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Then you will not get a magical staff,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I will make magic staff.¡± ¡°Are you going to be an Enchanter?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who will teach you?¡± Katool hummed in thought again, before pointing at him. ¡°You.¡± ¡°Me? Why me?¡± ¡°Your enchanting is very good.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, maybe you won¡¯t be able to enchant, because I¡¯ll win.¡± Katool looked up at him with her brows raised. ¡°You will win?¡± ¡°Yes. I will.¡± ¡°You are lying?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Katool said, reaching out her hand for her food. Adam handed it over, though noted that the Elder had began to gather the others. Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak. ¡°I should have hung out with you two more,¡± Adam said, shaking the Iyrmen¡¯s forearms. ¡°We will see you soon, Adam,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Are you going to miss me?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯ll miss your horns,¡± Adam said. Jaygak laughed, shaking his forearm. ¡°Just wait for us to get back.¡± Sonarot brought Lanarot, who had just awoken. ¡°Say goodbye to papa.¡± Lanarot looked up at Jurot, her sleepy face staring up at him. Jurot took her and embraced her tight in a hug, which Adam was still rather envious of. ¡®How does he do it?¡¯ Adam wondered. ¡®He¡¯s so good at hugging.¡¯ ¡°Do not grow up too quickly,¡± he said to her, before kissing her forehead. Adam assisted her in helping her kiss him, before taking her from him. ¡°You might miss her first steps and words, but I¡¯ll be sure to be there to tease you about them.¡± He extended his arm out. Jurot shook Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Be well, Adam.¡± ¡°You too, Jurot.¡± ¡°Do not enchant,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°For you may miss our sister¡¯s first steps and words, and when Baktu welcomes me, I will be there to tease you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Good luck, Jurot.¡± Jurot nodded, quickly embracing his mother. As he turned to leave, Adam made the girl wave her hand in goodbye. Adam watched as Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a also left with them. ¡®Wait a second. How come they get to go and I don¡¯t?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam saying goodbye to Jurot after causing a huge ruckus. A bit silly innit? 275. One Blow 275. One Blow Omen: 10, 20 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought, looking to his Omen. ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°How lucky?¡± ¡°Jarot¡¯s going to make a hundred gold.¡± After a light workout, the Iyrmen and Adam¡¯s friends had gathered together. Adam looked to the side, seeing the lack of three of them, and wondered if they were about to have as much as fun as him. Elder Zijin had yet to arrive, so the pair were able to stretch and warm up for their eventual bout. Kaygak was adorned in her plate mail, which was made of fairly normal steel, but the sword at her side was definitely not an ordinary sword. It was a longsword, one which was kept in a dark sheath made of gem. The hilt seemed to be made of sapphicule, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure if the blade was also made of the material. ¡°It is a shame our family sword has been lost,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°Otherwise I could have shown you the true strength of our family.¡± ¡°You can make whatever excuse you like,¡± Adam said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I¡¯ve become an Expert in less than a year, and you¡¯re going all out against a baby like me.¡± ¡°You should not forget our deal,¡± Kaygak said. ¡°Once you lose, you are to remain distant with our children.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to remind an Iyrman about the deal, but my Aunt and Elder Zijin will be here to watch.¡± It wasn¡¯t just his Aunt and Elder Zijin who would be watching, as the Elder soon arrived, with dozens of other Iyrmen. There were a large number of Devilkin, as well as Humans, and most of them were older, in their forties or older. ¡®What the...¡¯ The Devilkin each had a red cross mark on their foreheads, followed by yellow tilted kites on their foreheads. Adam¡¯s eyes fell across all the Rots and Gaks who had come to watch the fight. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°We have come to watch,¡± Jarot said, simply. Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the Iyrmen, noting Mulrot and Sarot, who he greeted with a shake to the forearm, before noting another Iyrman around their age. ¡°Tarot,¡± the older Iyrman said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have heard much about you.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°I hope that it¡¯s all been good.¡± Tarot smiled. He looked very similar to Jarot and Sarot, though he had long hair which fell down his back. ¡°Zirot, come,¡± he called, calling for a beautiful woman his age, who wore long braids which fell down her shoulders. ¡°Will you win?¡± Zirot asked, shaking his hand. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Right, she was a Kan.¡¯ ¡°Then we will bet on you,¡± Zirot said, flashing a smile at him. ¡°I hear you are not interested in marrying Cirot or Sirot. How about my grandchildren?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in marrying right now, but thank you,¡± Adam said, trying to keep a straight face. ¡°A hundred gold?¡± Jarot asked his companion. The older Iyrman, a Devilkin about Jarot¡¯s age, was smoking a pipe. Her horns wound around a head like that of a ram, and she wore a longsword at her side. ¡°He will face the full might of the Azureblade.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You still wish to bet?¡± ¡°You will see for yourself why I dare to bet on my grandson.¡± ¡°Be kind to our coffers,¡± she said. ¡°A bottle of our firewine.¡± Adam looked to the side to see his little sister, who was on her mother¡¯s lap, cuddling her. ¡°I will give you this one chance to retreat,¡± Adam said. ¡°For I have never lost in front of my sister before, and I don¡¯t plan on doing so today.¡± Kaygak remained silent. ¡®I will bury him under my boot.¡¯ Adam reached down to grab his axe, and donned his shield, clutching his die in hand. He was fairly certain he¡¯d win, because Kaygak didn¡¯t seem like a Rage Dancer, but he didn¡¯t want to underestimate her and slip up. ¡®One blow.¡¯ ¡°Are you both ready?¡± Elder Zijin asked. ¡®One blow.¡¯ ¡°I am ready,¡± Kaygak said. ¡®One blow.¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Zijin asked. Adam shut his eyes tight for a few moments, allowing silence to fill the Iyr. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, feeling the clear ground beneath, the snow having been cleared so they could fight within worry. Spells Prepared Healing Word, Hex, Shield, Thunderous Smite, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Revivify, Counterspell Adam sighed. He opened his eyes and then unstrapped his shield, placing it aside, before grabbing his weapon in both hands. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you may begin,¡± Zijin said, and someone tapped a drum. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 4 (3) Omen: 10, 20 -> 20 10 + 1 = 11 Jurot¡¯s belt snapped, causing his axe to drop. He stared down at the belt, reaching down to pick it up, before looking back to the Iyr. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Okay.¡± Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack D20 + 8 = 9 (1) Omen: 20 -> 0 20 + 8 = 28 Critical hit! Mana: 17 -> 14 Phantom: 3 -> 0 2D6 + 20D6 + 4D6 + 8D6 + 7 = 120 (1, 1)(1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6)(1, 2, 3, 6)(2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5) 120 damage! The silver egg cracked. Out from the egg appeared a creature with sparkling silver scales, looking to the other eggs nearby, covered in the snow. She crawled over towards the others and wrapped her body around them, her wing covering another. Adam, with die in hand, chanted the words to his spell. ¡°Might of the Storm Lord.¡± Strom raised his brows in surprise at the chant. The Half Elf darted forward, dropping his die, and like a tiger, he pounced on the awaiting Kaygak. She brought her blade up, it crackling with lightning, as Adam¡¯s axe shook with thunderous might. Adam slashed down across her plate mail, tearing into the metal, his axe flashing white as a thunderous explosion echoed across the Iyr. Kaygak dropped her sword, and fell to her knees. She swayed for a moment, before falling and landing on her front. Silence filled the courtyard as the thunder died down. Lanarot stared in shock ahead of her, before she looked up at her mother. Her face contorted together and she began to cry. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wait. What? She was meant to scream like a demon! Why is our precious Lanarot crying? 276. Adam VS Gorot 276. Adam VS Gorot Adam¡¯s head snapped to the girl, who was sobbing into her mother¡¯s chest. ¡°Is she okay?¡± Sonarot stared at Adam, her brows furrowed, all the while she gently rubbed the back of her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Your spell shocked her. She will calm soon.¡± The Iyrmen had frozen only for a moment, before someone went to check on Kaygak. They removed her helmet and quickly fed her a healing potion, which sealed some of her wounds, though she awakened to see a familiar face, blurry, full of worry. Kaygak had shown Adam mercy that day, and yet she had fallen within a single strike. The Iyrmen, many of whom had only heard of Adam¡¯s abilities, and some of them having seen them first hand, were frozen in shock. Even those closest to Adam had not expected this. Kaygak, though she was no Master, was still extremely powerful. She would give many Masters trouble with her great natural strength, and her vitality which rivalled even Rage Dancers. The people who could down her in a single blow were not known, beyond perhaps the deadliest of creatures. Sir Vonda, who hadn¡¯t known Adam for long, had seen him do some incredible things. However, this was something even beyond her imagination. Jonn looked to Kaygak, who had experienced the same as he, dropping down within a moment against the Half Elf. ¡®He¡¯s so much stronger than before.¡¯ Fred¡¯s mouth was agape. He had almost blinked during the clash, and if he had, he would have missed the entire thing. Even the children were shocked. They knew how powerful an Iyrman was, and Taygak was fairly certain she understood how powerful her mother was, but this was something else. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Laygak thought. ¡®Why isn¡¯t he into men? Cousin Jaygak, return quickly and seduce him!¡¯ ¡®I should try and help soothe Lanarot,¡¯ Naqokan thought. Faool gave Nirot a look, but her response was negative. ¡®So even you did not know his true strength?¡¯ Nirot thought back to their fight, and how easy it was for Adam to beat her. However, he was definitely holding back against her. ¡®I thought Iyrmen were scary,¡¯ Brittany thought. ¡®Nice,¡¯ Nobby thought. Strom stared at the Half Elf, who was currently brushing his baby sister¡¯s hair. The older man was going to hand the blade over to the Iyr, but he had lost it to the crazy young man he had only just met. He smiled. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. I owed him a reward for a story regardless.¡¯ ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, looking to Strom. ¡°Going to pass that sword then?¡± He held out his hand. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have bet it if I wasn¡¯t willing to lose it,¡± Strom said, handing the blade over. Adam felt the magic within the blade, the tingling sensation tickling his palm. It was quite a hefty blade, but after a moment, it was much lighter. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°You will have to find out when you grow with it.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®How the hell do you grow with a sword?¡¯ Kaygak exchanged a look with Gorot and Mirot, before bowing her head. ¡°It was a good fight.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, awkwardly. Victory! Kaygak XP Gained: +700XP XP: 4400 -> 5100 ¡®That¡¯s a lot of XP.¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes then went to Gorot. ¡°You know, why don¡¯t we have a spar? I need a little break and I¡¯ll be good to have a friendly spar. It won¡¯t be the real fight, just a spar between you and me.¡± ¡®If I can farm Iyrmen for XP, that would be nice.¡¯ ¡°Okay,¡± Gorot replied. Regardless of the circumstances of the fight, he was an Iyrman, and he could not refuse such a tempting offer. Mana: 14 -> 11 Phantom: 0 -> 3 ¡®Everyone was so quiet after I beat Kaygak,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I would have expected the Iyrmen to be so cheerful.¡¯ He looked to the children, who were huddled together with Kaygak, making sure she was okay. ¡®Did fighting with them make them distant to me? What¡¯s the point of this fight them?¡¯ Gorot held a shield with one arm, which held the Rot family pattern, the blue circle and diamonds which ran alongside it. However, it was the axe in hand which caused Adam¡¯s eyes to fall against it. ¡®Sunder?¡¯ Adam recalled. It was quite a long axe, slightly unwieldy to hold with one hand, if you weren¡¯t an Iyrman. The handle was made of wood, red, and the blade was near black, with the slightest hint of red. ¡°Want to bet some more?¡± Adam asked, looking to Strom. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can afford it,¡± Strom said. ¡°You¡¯ve lived for over a thousand years and you can¡¯t afford to bet with a baby who is under twenty years old?¡± ¡°I can still smell how strong you are.¡± Adam winced. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way,¡± Strom said, glaring at the boy. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± Gorot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, Phantom and shield in hand. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Health: 65 -> 36 Adam, who was feeling far more confident after dropping Kaygak in a single round, bolted forward. However, Gorot was not quite so simple, as his entire body turned red, and he swung wildly against Adam, striking against his shield, before managing to force him back. Their axes clattered together, and Adam felt just how strong the Iyrman was, their clashing blows echoing through the courtyard. ¡®Damn, this guy isn¡¯t so bad.¡¯ Mana: 14 -> 13 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack D20 + 8 = 16 (8) D20 + 8 = 24 (16) Hit! Mana: 13 -> 10 Phantom: 3 -> 2 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 2D6 + 6 = 48 (4)(1, 1, 3, 5)(3, 4, 4, 5)(6, 6) Damage resisted! 43 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 16 (8) D20 + 8 = 24 (16) Hit! Mana: 10 -> 7 Phantom: 2 -> 1 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 41 (5)(1, 2, 4, 5)(2, 4, 6, 6) Damage resisted! 36 damage! Adam ducked under a wild swing, and clutched his die tight in hand as the magic flowed through his body. ¡°Call me Storm Lord!¡± Adam chanted, gripping Phantom tight in hand, before swinging down against the Iyrman. Gorot caught the blow with his axe, but the thunder rippled through his body, causing him to twitch as he stepped back, before he brought his axe up again to defend against the Half Elf¡¯s assault. His nose dripped blood. Gorot fell down to a knee, his body going from red to white, as he slumped over, unable to find the strength to stand. ¡°This is your win, Adam,¡± Gorot said, having lost within moments. After Kaygak had lost so easily, he had no doubt he¡¯d fall the same. ¡°This was just a practise round,¡± Adam said. ¡°Tomorrow we¡¯ll fight for real.¡± Victory! Gorot XP Gained: +700XP XP: 5100 -> 5800 ¡®I wonder what I can get.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Only Adam could think about farming Iyrmen... 277. A Shadow Looms 277. A Shadow Looms The air around the courtyard was tense, tense enough to cause the children to stick to their family. ¡®Did he really just...¡¯ Sir Vonda thought, blinking at Adam. Having heard that he wanted a practise round against Gorot, she assumed he wanted to test the waters, to gain some experience against the man for their bout the next day. No one expected Adam to truly to beat the Iyrman. All save five people. Sonarot. Strom. Jarot. Zijin. Iromin. ¡°Did he really defeat you in a single blow?¡± Iromin asked, standing beside Kaygak, having appeared from nowhere. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Did you hold back?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Chief!¡± Taygak said, pointing at him, before the children swarmed around him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Come to see my magnificent abilities?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°I heard that you were fighting Kaygak, but then I heard that you were fighting Gorot in the same day so I thought I should come watch.¡± ¡°What did you think?¡± ¡°You are certainly you,¡± Iromin said, already preparing himself to meet with the other Great Elders. Zijin sighed, understanding that his workload had increased, but that was what it meant to be an Elder. ¡°Thanks?¡± Adam replied, unsure if the Chief was poking fun at him. ¡°Did you hold back?¡± Iromin asked Gorot. Gorot shook his head, drinking a health potion to deal with most of the wounds he had sustained from coming across Adam. It was one thing to defeat Kaygak in a single blow, but it was another to rest for an hour and face another Expert after, and come out relatively unscathed. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 5 = 10 (2, 3) Health: 36 -> 46 Adam flexed, sure he wasn¡¯t going to be fighting, but he wanted to be prepared in case anything happened. ¡°Did you bet on me again?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jarot. ¡°How can I bet when it¡¯s my son and grandson fighting?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Oh, fair,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°I should have bet with my dear Uncle since it was a separate spar.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gorot said. ¡°I will surrender my fight tomorrow. There is no need to face you again when you are stronger as I have been thoroughly defeated today.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I said that today didn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°I am certain.¡± Gorot narrowed his eyes, not liking how Adam was poking fun at him when the Half Elf had already won. ¡°Then I guess that means our bout will come sooner, Aunt,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you as excited as me?¡± Mirot remained silent. There was a way she could all but guarantee her win, but she wasn¡¯t sure whether she should do it. Adam had said they may use whatever tools they may, but some tools were too expensive to be used during spars and duels. ¡°Aunt Mirot?¡± Mirot nodded slowly, falling back into thought. A storm quickly appeared within the courtyard, as once the shock had worn off, the Iyrmen quickly swarmed Adam, trying to shake his forearm, as well as to touch his weapons and armour. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Adam thought, as they came upon him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°His weapon, Phantom, played a large part in defeating Kaygak. His weapon, his spells, his smites, his ability to wield Fate. ¡°If he can truly defeat Kaygak within a single blow, he¡¯s more dangerous than we expected,¡± Elder Gold said, catching Elder Forest¡¯s eyes. ¡°I believe without Phantom, he would be unable to do so,¡± Iromin said. ¡°He has fought without his axe before, and he seems far more bearable.¡± ¡°Even so, he faced two Experts within a single day, back to back,¡± Elder Teacher finally spoke up. ¡°We have confirmed him to be only an Expert, and now we are confirming that his abilities appear to be more in line with that of a Master or Grandmaster.¡± ¡°He is truly a boon to the Rot family,¡± Iromin said, and the others fell silent. He gathered how badly they wished to protest, but they kept their tongues in check. ¡°I cannot believe I have missed the sight,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°It is a shame.¡± ¡°He will be fighting his Aunt, Mirot, tomorrow. We should be able to see the fight, and truly see his capabilities. She is a Rage Dancer of the Rot family. Phantom was designed to fight the Rot family, so we may see the true effects of his weapon when they fight.¡± ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Elder Wrath asked. ¡°If he can strike true once more? Adam. If he cannot? I believe it is a bout of near equals.¡± Elder Wrath noted the term which had been used. Near equals. ¡°If he does beat his Aunt with ease...¡± Elder Teacher began, before raising his brows to the Chief. ¡°I will make a judgement,¡± Iromin replied. Elder Gold wondered if she should have accepted Adam¡¯s request back then. ¡®No. It was a good deal. Adam is as predictable as he is chaotic.¡¯ She sighed. ¡°I hope you are right, Chief Iromin,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°Adam had come to us early in the year. Lord Strom had come to us late in the year.¡± ¡°Do you believe they are connected?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Did you not say that Adam had managed to guess most of Lord Strom¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°To say that he guessed Lord Strom¡¯s identity would be charitable,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Lord Strom had spelled it out to him. He had also lost Stormdrake to Adam.¡± ¡°He lost Stormdrake?¡± Elder Peace asked, tilting her head. She wasn¡¯t sure she had heard the Chief correctly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Was it a planned loss?¡± ¡°I do not believe so, but I cannot comprehend either of them.¡± ¡°Who can?¡± Elder Gold tapped the table with a finger. ¡°Stormdrake and Phantom? That is not something we can allow.¡± Elder Forest caught Elder Gold¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are we thieves?¡± She smirked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Adam created the weapon using his own means,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°Within the safety of our walls, and the shrines which we have maintained for generations,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°I will deal with it,¡± Iromin assured. ¡°A shadow looms over the Iyr,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°Let us hope it provides us shade under the sun.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Uh oh. 278. Adam VS Mirot 278. Adam VS Mirot Omen: 7, 13 ¡°Aboo?¡± Lanarot asked, pointing at her brother, before clapping her hands. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best though.¡± Adam had awoken that morning not feeling great. His Omen was in the middle, which was the worst. He couldn¡¯t guarantee anything in the fight against Mirot, not with those two numbers. ¡®How troublesome,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I should be fine with Phantom, but if she gets as lucky as I do, I might lose.¡¯ Lanarot reached up to grab his collar, tugging against it, before pulling herself to stand on his lap. She lay against his chest as she stood, staring up at him, her eyes wide. ¡®Should I tell them to take Lanarot away?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Sonarot called, causing Lanarot to turn her head. ¡°It will be time to fight soon.¡± Adam prepared himself, pulling on his puthral plate mail, and grabbing his Phantom. He hadn¡¯t checked out Stormdragon yet, having been swept up by the atmosphere the previous afternoon, which ended up with an impromptu party with all the older Iyrmen. He stepped out to see the same faces as the day before, but also more of the Rot family, this time with Fakrot his twin daughters, as well as the other distant Rot family members. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Now I really don¡¯t want to lose.¡¯ ¡°Will you win?¡± Cirot asked? ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam replied. ¡°So, are we doing any betting?¡± ¡°We cannot afford your bets,¡± Iromin said, appearing with the other Great Elders. They had decided against watching secretly, wanting to give Adam at least that much respect. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Adam said, smiling at the Great Elders, nodding his head. ¡°It seems I¡¯m in trouble?¡± ¡°We merely wished to see your fight,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Is that an issue?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Can I refuse you?¡± ¡°You may.¡± Adam rolled his eyes in the most exaggerated manner. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°I would like to retrieve Stormdragon back,¡± Strom said. ¡°Will you be able to defeat her in a single blow?¡± ¡°No way,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t think you could afford that bet.¡± ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Strom said, chuckling. ¡°Then, what should I bet to retrieve back Stormdragon?¡± ¡°Your spark?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What will you offer?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Stormdragon.¡± ¡°My spark is worth so much more.¡± ¡°If you want a fair bet, then how about Stormdragon and Phantom for your spark, but the bet is whether I can defeat Aunt Mirot.¡± ¡°That is not worth it,¡± Strom said. ¡°So? Are you scared?¡± Adam smiled. Strom laughed. ¡°Of course I am. I can¡¯t give up my spark for anything less than the price of a Prince.¡± ¡°What a shame I¡¯m not royalty,¡± Adam said. Sonarot smiled, before handing Lanarot to Shikan, the pair exchanging looks. ¡°I will bet on Adam¡¯s win.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Fakrot asked. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 13 (12) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 8 = 9 (1) D20 + 8 = 21 (13) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 15 Phantom: 3 -> 2 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 46 (6)(2, 4, 4, 6)(4, 4, 5, 5) 46 damage! Attack D20 + 8 = 22 (14) D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 12 Phantom: 2 -> 1 1D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 6 = 44 (5)(2, 4, 5, 5)(2, 4, 5, 6) 44 damage! The thump against the drum began the fight. Adam, with as much force as he could muster, bolted forward. He swung his axe down, catching Sunder Axe as the pair clashed, his axe flashing white with the divine magics of his smite. It wasn¡¯t just the divine magic, however, but the magic of Phantom which also struck the Iyrman, causing her to shake slightly from the blow. Mirot stepped back, but Adam chased her, swinging his axe down, managing to catch her axe again, but her arm shook wildly. Adam readied to push forward, about to summon forth his Onward Soar, when he heard her voice. ¡°Adam,¡± Mirot said, her nose dripping blood, her arm shaking. Adam paused, seeing how she had dropped her arms, opening herself up. Mirot would have pushed through to fight, but she knew Adam had the ability to push through for at least one more blow. There would have been no shame for her to lose in front of him, axe clashing against axe. However, coming across the wall known as Adam, she had stopped to think. Adam stood in front of her, axe still gripped tightly in hand, but he did not move. The spectators watched, the world nearly silent except for Lanarot¡¯s shrieking and clapping, though she stopped too, seeing the pair had frozen. ¡°Do you have another charge of your Phantom?¡± Mirot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°One more.¡± Mirot nodded her head. She was not someone who could fall from a single blow, just like Kaygak. Yet, there she stood, pale, bleeding from her nose, her entire body heavy. If there had been even a light breeze assisting Adam¡¯s blow, she would have fallen already. ¡°I surrender, Adam,¡± Mirot said. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°It was a good fight.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victory! Mirot XP Gained: +1000 XP: 5800 -> 6800 It was a quiet victory, one which left a sour taste in Adam¡¯s mouth. He threw a look to Turot and Nirot, seeing them approach their mother to assist her, before he pulled away. ¡®As much as I wanted to win, it¡¯s pretty bad to beat her so quickly, right?¡¯ Adam sighed, approaching Lanarot, picking her up and hugging her tight. ¡°Did you see, baby?¡± Lanarot blew a raspberry at him before pointing up and babbling. Adam had no idea what she was saying, but assumed she wanted him to look on the bright side of things. ¡°Lanarot, it¡¯s nightval.¡± Lanarot stared up at him, before returning back to babbling at him. ¡®I wonder if Mirot could have beaten him even in her rage,¡¯ Jarot thought. ¡®Could I?¡¯ Chief Iromin refused to look at the other Great Elders, though he could feel their gazes burning at his back. ¡°You should have taken Adam to fight back then,¡± Strom said, bold enough to tease the Chief. ¡°I do not believe it would have changed anything,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°Yes, but perhaps I would have lost a limb?¡± Strom pondered. ¡®He is definitely only an Expert. Will it be embarrassing if I try to fight him?¡¯ Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair behind her ear, before kissing her forehead. ¡®Yes, extremely embarrassing.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam is stupid strong. 279. A Shared Drink 279. A Shared Drink ¡°Look at him!¡± Jarot said, raising his hand. ¡°Is my grandson not amazing?¡± He stared up at the rest of the Gak family. ¡°Yes,¡± Gangak, the Family Elder of the Gak family, replied, smoking her pipe. ¡°We know. Once Jaygak returns, I will convince her to change her mind to marry the boy.¡± ¡°Jaygak has not been able to claim his heart,¡± Jarot said. ¡°She may find it difficult.¡± Naqokan slowly nodded her head, still filled with hope that she could still aim for Adam. ¡®If he joins the Kan family, he will bring us much honour. Since he is only a Nephew, he should be willing to join as a full blooded member of our family.¡¯ As she stared at Adam holding Lanarot, she frowned. ¡®No, I should prepare to give up the Kan family name.¡¯ ¡®Does he really not like men?¡¯ Laygak thought, wondering if he had a chance. ¡®No, I should assist cousin Jaygak. No, she is a lost cause.¡¯ ¡°Are you alright?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied, though he didn¡¯t convince her in the slightest. ¡°You did well,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Now you can gift the magical weapons in peace.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, though he frowned. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have fought my sister¡¯s Aunts and Uncle.¡± ¡°Are they not your Aunts and Uncle as well?¡± ¡°Are they? They certainly don¡¯t want to be.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know you like Jurot knows you.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°They don¡¯t know the way I know you.¡± ¡°You know, Vonda, I hope we¡¯re friends for a long time,¡± Adam said, a sad smile appearing on his face. ¡°There¡¯s so much I want to tell you, but it¡¯s not the time yet. We haven¡¯t known each other long enough.¡± ¡°I wish for the same, Adam.¡± ¡°It still feels weird, you know? Surreal. Fighting three Iyrmen in two days and beating them. I know I¡¯m strong, and I know Phantom is a terrifying weapon, but it just feels so weird. Even without Phantom I¡¯m pretty sure I can take out Experts relatively easy.¡± ¡®I¡¯m nowhere near as strong as last time, back then I was quadrupole this level? Quintiple? Is that even the right word?¡¯ ¡°You are powerful,¡± she said. ¡°Am I?¡± Adam said, looking down at his hand, only for Lanarot, to grab his shirt and tug against it. ¡°I mean, yeah. I guess I am. I¡¯m not really sure what I¡¯m using that power for, though.¡± ¡°You are still trying to learn about yourself, your place in this world. You are young, like me. You wish to operate many inns, one day. To provide a stable source of income for many people, to help them reach their true strength.¡± Vonda looked to Nobby and Brittany, before looking to Fred. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sure.¡± Vonda reached up to brush Lanarot¡¯s cheek, causing the girl to twitch and look at her. ¡°Then there is Lanarot. Won¡¯t you use that strength to protect her? You have so much purpose already.¡± ¡°Purpose, huh?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I should probably talk to Fred more too.¡± ¡°He is also finding himself, and you are helping him, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Adam sighed, letting out some of the stress which had been built up. ¡°Thanks, Vonda.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Jarot, stop being so stubborn,¡± Gangak said. ¡°Allow him to meet my granddaughters, he will change his mind.¡± ¡°Adam¡¯s sights are higher than you can imagine,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Do you not know that he is close with Queen Silvari?¡± Mirot remained silent, and Adam glanced between the pair, unsure of what was happening. ¡°I already worry for one grandson, do not make me worry for another,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Yes, father,¡± Mirot replied. ¡°This business. Your distrust of Adam. Be done with it, daughter. He means us no harm, and even if he did, Sarot can deal with him. If not my brother, how many of our family could he escape? Myself, Mulrot, Tarot, and Zirot? How many cousins do I have who are classed as Masters, even if they did not reach the proper rank through the Adventurer¡¯s Guild? Even with all I have seen, I do not believe he can defeat them all.¡± ¡®God damn, I¡¯m right here,¡¯ Adam thought, not sure if he should react to the threat. ¡°Adam. The fight was the fight. Do not have any ill in your heart for my daughter, or my son.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can¡¯t even blame her, really. It might be annoying, but I¡¯d probably do the same if I was in her shoes.¡± ¡°Is it over?¡± Jarot asked, looking between the pair of them. Mirot nodded. Adam looked to the old Iyrman, before looking to Mirot. He looked past them too, to the group of Iyrmen. Those who were called his Cousins, his Aunts, his Uncles. There were his companions too, save Filliam, who was currently working hard. ¡°I...¡± Adam began, wondering if he should tell them about his secrets. The pair waited, their drinks cooling in their cups, which remained between them all, untouched. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of friends or family. Not any more. Save for the few Iyrmen who aren¡¯t here, everyone I can call my friend and my family is right here, within the walls of this courtyard. If you include the entirety of the Iyr, then all my friends and family are here.¡± ¡°What of the Dragon?¡± ¡°Save for her,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°I¡¯m what you would call, a little hardcore. If anyone were to threaten my friends or family, I, you know, I get a little angry, to say it lightly. I¡¯ve lost my friends and family once. Excuse me, I¡¯ve lost my friends and family twice. It was rather, chaotic, one might say.¡± Adam smiled at his little joke. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone take them away from me.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes met Mirot¡¯s. ¡°Anyone.¡± Mirot slowly nodded her head. ¡°Once you drink, we will leave it in the past,¡± Jarot said. Adam sipped the drink, which was extremely cold thanks to the snow which had begun to crystallize the wine. Mirot picked up the wine and drank it. ¡°Adam,¡± Jarot said, before drinking down the rest of his wine. ¡°Welcome to the family.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t I already your grandson?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Now you admit to it?¡± Jarot laughed. ¡°Adam,¡± Iromin called, causing Jarot to stop laughing. ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¡®God damn it.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam is a part of the family. Now the Chief has come to kill him. 280. A Phantom Surrender 280. A Phantom Surrender ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Adam asked, following the Chief away from the courtyard. They were heading towards his estate, which was not that far from the shared family estates of this section of the Iyr. ¡°No,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Adam said. ¡°For a second there, I thought I was in trouble.¡± ¡°Why would you be in trouble?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I embarrass my Aunts and Uncle?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If they are embarrassed, it should be for picking on a young man,¡± Iromin replied, bluntly. ¡°We are Iyrmen, Adam. We are not Aldish.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Though there are a lot of the old folks who seem so much like Aldish that sometimes I forget they¡¯re Iyrmen.¡± Chief Iromin sighed. He understood Adam¡¯s words, after all there were still Iyrmen of old who did not like that Adam had come here, and had caused so much change so quickly. The foundation of the Iyr has been stable because it was built over generations, and though they evolved, they evolved at a steady pace as to not disrupt the foundation. However, within a year, this Half Elf had managed to change so much. He had come into the Iyr like a whirlwind, and had disrupted so much. From becoming an Expert so quickly, to assisting his companions in becoming stronger quickly too. Then there was that matter, which was most important. Adam decided against asking Iromin what was wrong. Since he didn¡¯t want to speak outside, there was no need to speak until they were in relatively private space. ¡°Snacks?¡± Iromin asked, pushing some of the dried fruit towards the young Half Elf. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied, picking up a date, taking out the seed as he ate it. ¡®Damn, I forget how good fruit tastes sometimes.¡¯ ¡°I apologise for taking you away from your victory,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I am sure that you wanted to enjoy your time with your little sister.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, leaning back against the bench. ¡°So I¡¯m sure you have a good reason to take me away.¡± ¡°You are a controversial figure in the Iyr. Some dislike you, some for good reason, and others not. I ask you to surrender Phantom.¡± Adam picked up a date, staring into Iromin¡¯s eyes. He tore the date apart, placing the seed down, before chewing on the date. It was as sweet as the previous date, though a little mushier. ¡°You want me to hand over Phantom? My precious little Phantom who has helped me all this time?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°Phantom, with its greater enchantment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Phantom, with its charges for smiting and healing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Phantom, with its ability to recharge at dawn or with Mana?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tall ask, Chief.¡± Adam decided against looking around. If the Chief wanted to take Phantom, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for the old man, even if there was not a single other soul around them. ¡°I won¡¯t ask why,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think I know. However, you aren¡¯t going to be asking me for Phantom without offering me something in return.¡± Iromin slowly bowed his head. ¡°What conditions do you have?¡± ¡°I beat up Taygak and Saygak¡¯s mother, and Turot probably isn¡¯t too happy I beat up his parents so easily,¡± Adam said, hiding his face behind his fist. ¡°You need to help me get back in the children¡¯s good graces.¡± Chief Iromin remained silent. ¡®Of course it was going to be something like that.¡¯ He could see the worry on Adam¡¯s face. As much as Adam was someone who liked to joke around, Iromin knew his story. After hearing what he had said to Mirot and Jarot, it was no surprise that Adam would ask for something like that. ¡°Elder Gold will need to confirm the first condition, but I will confirm the last two conditions.¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Adam said, pulling Phantom up, placing it down onto the table. ¡°I hope to return the weapon to you one day,¡± Iromin said. ¡°One day I¡¯ll be able to make something better,¡± Adam replied. Iromin nodded. ¡°We Iyrmen are not so different to the Aldish after all.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s just how everyone is.¡± ¡°Is it? I have heard of your dream to create your inn, the way you wish to help the family of those people.¡± ¡°They¡¯d be my people, so of course I¡¯d look after them,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll be paying them a ton, so I need to look after them, right?¡± ¡°We are more similar than one might expect,¡± Iromin said. ¡°You may not be an Iyrman, but your principles are similar.¡± ¡°Principles,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± ¡°I can say that for certain, Adam.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Adam said, before standing. He placed a hand onto Phantom, as though he were patting Sky¡¯s head for doing a good job. ¡°Thank you for the dates, Chief. I hope you¡¯ll keep your end of the deal.¡± ¡°I am an Iyrman,¡± Iromin said. Adam nodded, before leaving. He made his way back to the courtyard, where there were a large group of people who were currently eating and partying. ¡°Where is your axe?¡± Jarot asked, motioning for the Half Elf to sit beside him. Adam¡¯s eyes fell on the Great Elders, his eyes scanning them all. His eyes rested on Elder Gold and Elder Forest for a moment before he sat down. ¡°I wasn¡¯t allowed to keep it.¡± Jarot furrowed his brows, before looking to the Great Elders. ¡°Who says you are not allowed to keep such a great weapon.¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Adam said. ¡°I surrendered it to the Rot family.¡± ¡°Then I will hand it back,¡± Jarot said. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on Jarot¡¯s back. ¡°I have surrendered it to the family. Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯ll make a new axe.¡± ¡°It is such a wonderful axe,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Will you be able to create something as great?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted, looking up at the sky. ¡°One day I¡¯ll have my own shrine. I¡¯ll go out to find the greatest materials, and I¡¯ll make something that the Iyr cannot take from me so easily.¡± ¡®Something they will have no excuse to steal from me.¡¯ Adam closed his eyes. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! WOW. They really mugged him. Wth. 281. Investments 281. Investments ¡°Are you alright?¡± Vonda asked, not for the first time that day. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, laying against the snow as he stared up at the sky. The party raged around him, but he sulked in the corner, still annoyed by the fact he had to give up Phantom. Even if it was a pretty good deal. The fact that he didn¡¯t need to worry about paying to use the shrines. The fact that the Rot family was gifted a great magical weapon, one which Jurot may be able to claim in the future. The fact that Phantom may come in clutch in the future when something terrible may happen. Phantom was a lifeline, something Adam could pull out in order to create an easier time for himself and his companions. It wasn¡¯t that he wasn¡¯t strong without it, it was that he could not guarantee that things would go smoothly without Phantom. ¡°That axe of yours was such a great weapons,¡± Vonda said. ¡°It does not match artefacts, but even the King would be jealous of such a great weapon. It is a weapon that brings too much attention to itself, which it would have brought to you. Even now, I think that Sir Landon may have already spread rumours about you and your weapon, so you must be careful.¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think, maybe, I should make a weapon that isn¡¯t as flashy. Or, maybe I should make a weapon which I¡¯d be willing to lose if something were to happen. I was originally meant to make Phantom something which could turn into a ring, and something which could allow me to use my spells while wielding it without my die.¡± ¡°Do you have the resources to make another such weapon?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Adam said, before checking to see how much gold he had total. ¡°Nevermind, I have just about enough for another great enchantment. It would leave me with those two diamonds to make sure I can revive someone, but that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°You could create a great weapon during Dawnval, since we are spending the first month here to wait for Jurot and your sister¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Plus, if I can¡¯t afford it, I could dip into some of the funds I¡¯ve set aside for the children¡¯s magical weapons.¡± Vonda slowly cocked her head to the side. ¡°How much money have you set aside?¡± ¡°A little over four thousand gold,¡± Adam said. Vonda raised her brows in surprise. ¡°You have set aside that much for the children¡¯s magical weapons?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, as though that were obvious. ¡°Don¡¯t forget how many children there are. Thre¡¯s Turot, Raygak, Taygak, Saygak, Damokan and Kalokan, Katool, and that doesn¡¯t include the four teens either. What¡¯s that, eleven of them? That¡¯s only four hundred and forty gold for each, which should be enough for a basic enchantment with a little extra, though that doesn¡¯t include the price for materials.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Could you not use that money to make yourself the weapon now? In the future you could make more money, and you can create an enchanted weapon for each of them when you return, between adventures, and between making your inns.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Imagine I make the weapon and then we leave after Lanarot¡¯s birthday only to die. I asked Elder Zijin to keep a hold of the money so that at least the gems required for their enchantments would be paid for if they ever wanted a magical weapon in the future.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°You have thought that far ahead.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Have you forgotten who I am?¡± ¡°No, but...¡± ¡°I told, no, I promised both Damokan and Kalokan that I would help them in the future, and if I end up dying, at least they have the gems ready for them,¡± Adam stated. ¡®Adam is crazy,¡¯ Dunes thought, sipping some wine from nearby. He wasn¡¯t trying to eavesdrop, but he was near enough to hear the Half Elf. ¡®Just how far ahead does he think?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jonn called. ¡°May we speak?¡± ¡°I mean, my number one, you know, sword. Axe. Uh, big axe.¡± Adam tried to think of a way to describe Nobby. ¡°He¡¯ll be the axe I need to swing down to deal with issues.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the best axe to swing down to deal with issues?¡± Dunes asked. Adam stared at Dunes. ¡°See, this is what I mean. You¡¯re so wise, Dunes. Then Nobby will be my shield, the shield for those that I need to be protected.¡± ¡°Like your sister?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot is her shield, and I am her axe.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°That is more applicable.¡± Vonda sat down between them. ¡°It is a shame it will be the Twilight Month soon. Otherwise you could have created more magical weapons.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, sipping some more of his wine, sighing. ¡°I hear that I¡¯ll die if I try and enchant during it.¡± ¡°Magic is chaotic during the Twilight Month,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Chaotic, you say?¡± Adam replied. ¡®Chaotic? Does it have something to do with why Belle is missing? Maybe the month has something to do with how he¡¯s missing?¡¯ ¡°I am glad that we are able to remain within the Iyr during the month,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°I may go to the nearby village to assist them.¡± ¡°I hear the Iyr¡¯s going to send more people to the villages nearby to deal with the issue,¡± Adam said. ¡°In which case, maybe you can stay here and help the Iyrmen out? You probably have knowledge you can share with the Iyrmen due to your recent travels. Plus, aren¡¯t you from the Order of...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Wait, give me a second. Order of White Rose. Actually, it¡¯s Order of... Life Rose?¡± ¡°Order of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda said, bowing her head. ¡°Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Adam repeated after her. ¡°So close.¡± ¡°It was close enough.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re from an Order which the Iyr respects. You could probably speak to them about something, you know? Pass on some of the recent issues you¡¯ve had, maybe you could form a connection with them?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± she said. ¡°I may spar with them during my time here, and I could speak with them about all manner of things.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to deal with Filliam too,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how he goes through life, but I would like to work with him more. Meaning I need more gold for him too. Maybe I should make another enchanted weapon to sell off to the Iyr first?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°No, no. I need an axe. Otherwise it¡¯ll be awkward.¡± ¡°You have Stormdrake now,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Though I know little of it, it appears to be quite a powerful blade.¡± Adam raised his brows at her. ¡°Vonda, please.¡± Adam motioned to his sister. ¡°My sister will be looking at me using a sword and then Jurot will be her favourite.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Vonda said, sighing. ¡°Of course.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Poor Phantom. We knew you well. o7 282. Made Up 282. Made Up Omen: 3, 15 ¡°You are a very strong man,¡± Turot said, patting Adam¡¯s head. ¡°Very strong,¡± Taygak said, patting his head too. Adam sat down during breakfast, unsure what was happening. He was surrounded by the children, who were all patting his head and complimenting him on his strength. His eyes caught Sonarot¡¯s, asking her for help. ¡°Chief Iromin had come in the morning while you were training,¡± she said. ¡°He brought the weapons which you had won, and he gave the children a few words.¡± ¡°What words?¡± ¡°How lucky you are to have such a strong Cousin,¡± she said. ¡°That was it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That was easy.¡± Adam hadn¡¯t expected his relationship with the children to be repaired so simply. The children sat and ate with him, offering him their favourite foods. He accepted, only to hand some of his own to them. Damokan and Kalokan both offered him their hot milk, though he refused. ¡®So that¡¯s what they like,¡¯ Adam thought, making a mental note of it. ¡®At least they¡¯ll enjoy the sugar.¡¯ ¡°Hey,¡± Lucy called. ¡°You okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She narrowed her eyes and stared at him. ¡°You sure you¡¯re okay? You¡¯re not doing that thing when you say you¡¯re okay but you¡¯re actually not okay, and then you¡¯ll suffer alone because you think that¡¯s cool?¡± Adam stared at the Demon girl for a moment, wondering why she would press the matter. ¡°Well, maybe I am a little not okay, but I think I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m still annoyed I lost my baby.¡± ¡°Your baby?¡± ¡°My precious Phantom,¡± Adam said. ¡°He must be so lonely all by himself. It feels so weird not having him by my side too. And...¡± ¡°And what?¡± ¡°And now I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t have a cool magical weapon! How is it that I, who made the magical weapons, don¡¯t have a magical weapon? It¡¯s not fair! Even my adorable baby sister has a magical weapon!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just use her weapon then?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Maybe, I don¡¯t know. Jurot was the one who was meant to warm it up for her, so I don¡¯t want to take that away from him. Though, I do have some luck today...¡± ¡®No. I should make a magical weapon to sell off, and then in Dawnval I¡¯ll make my own.¡¯ Adam hoisted himself up after a light breakfast, and stretched out his arms and back. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll enchant some today.¡± ¡°Already back to work?¡± Sonarot asked. He had spent the last two days fighting, which was considered work. ¡®Why is he so eager to always work so hard?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing better to do,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam,¡± Taygak called. ¡°I tell story, okay?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Adam replied. ¡°When.¡± ¡°Dark time, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure not to spend too long enchanting then.¡± He checked the weapons which had gained through the bet, and picked the mundane axe which Elder Gold had lost. ¡®Since I¡¯ve got this axe from her, I might as well enchant it. It looks to be made of something cool, though.¡¯ It was fairly light, and the blade dark, speckled with silver. The wood was white, and no doubt Jurot would have something to say about it. ¡°That is a good wood,¡± Laygak said. ¡°Iyr ash. Dense, but lightweight.¡± ¡°Oh, right. You¡¯re a wood nerd too, just like him.¡± Laygak assumed that Adam was talking about Jurot, and nodded. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Even though it is such a great weapon? It is made of Iyr steel and Iyr ash,¡± she said. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Doesn¡¯t really matter too much. I¡¯ll probably smith something during Twilight Month which I¡¯ll enchant with a greater enchantment during Dawnval.¡± Soon the food was ready, and Taygak was equally as ready. She made sure Adam was beside her as she began to tell him the tale of how her family had arrived at the Iyr. ¡°King Solomon shouted for the Soldiers to retreat,¡± she began. ¡®Hold up,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Isn¡¯t this just Blackwater Crisis?¡¯ Taygak continue to summarise the story of Blackwater Crisis, stopping during the betrayal to snort angrily and shake her head, before she continued. Towards the end, she gave a look to Sonarot and Shikan, who raised their brows at her, making sure she did not let it slip, before continuing. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Adam said. ¡°What? What?¡± Adam continued, trying to process what he had learnt. Sonarot smiled. ¡°It was the Jarot of that time who had brought so much to the family name. It was when the Rot family was perhaps at the peak.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard this story at least three times, and you¡¯ve only just decided to tell me?¡± Adam asked, shocked. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this.¡± Adam had noted how they had shared knowing looks sometimes when the story was told. He felt as though there had been something that the Rot family hadn¡¯t told him, something which Sarot had planted deep within his mind when they had spoken in Ever Green. ¡°So they fled from the Blue Dragons of Aswadasad, and then...¡± Adam looked to his Aunt. ¡°Jarot had brought the Devilkin to the Iyr for safety.¡± Adam had wondered why there had been no Devilkin mentioned during the time of the Blackwater Crisis. ¡®I asked Wujyn forever ago, and I can¡¯t believe she didn¡¯t tell me!¡¯ ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Dunes asked, looking at Adam. ¡°No!¡± ¡°How did you not know?¡± ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise it was the Rot family, though. I heard that a group of families adopted the Devilkin into their family.¡± ¡°The Gak family was one of the first to accept the Devilkin,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Falgak grew up with Jarot during that time, and so she wholeheartedly accepted them.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°How did I not know that?¡± ¡°The Gak family reached it¡¯s height not long after,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°It was a Gak who eventually made a name for themselves and created the Jyn family that you know.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did the Iyr change much after the introduction of the Devilkin?¡± ¡°In many ways,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°It was the Devilkin who changed the role of the Chief,¡± Lavgak, Raygak¡¯s mother, said. ¡°The Chief was once known as simply Chief, but due to the push of a Devilkin Chief, the Chief¡¯s role changed slightly, and they were then allowed to use their name.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Devilkin managed to achieve the role of Chief twice, but none within the other Great Elder ranks,¡± Lavgak explained. ¡°And so, in order to allow their contributions to be known throughout the Iyr¡¯s history, they requested that the Chiefs are named, in case Devilkin were unable to achieve any of the Great Elder ranks.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Adam said. ¡°Damn. I didn¡¯t realise the Devilkin were new to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Though the Iyr had a history before the Blackwater Crisis, most of the Iyr¡¯s greatest stories come after, though the Gak family has yet to truly achieve such greatness again,¡± Lavgak said, sighing. ¡°That¡¯ll change,¡± Adam said. ¡°Now that you have Taygak, who tells such great stories, who will say that the Gak family cannot rise?¡± Adam ruffled her hair, having noticed how she was waiting to be praised for her story telling. ¡°I tell story good?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°You are amazing.¡± Taygak smiled wide. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam misses so many obvious details, but he doesn''t miss out on looking after his Cousins. 283. Iyrheart 283. Iyrheart Omen: 10, 20 ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered as he awoke. ¡°You are feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Very,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Cousin Adam, you are going to enchant today?¡± Turot asked, rubbing his eyes as he awoke. He had stayed the night with the group because he wanted to speak with Adam, telling him all about some of the Rot family¡¯s greatest stories. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We can play this morning?¡± Turot asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, smiling at him. ¡®He probably misses Jurot.¡¯ That morning Adam played with the children, letting them win all the games against him, including tossing snowballs at him. The adults watched him play, some of them still unsure whether they should accept him quite as wholeheartedly as some of their family. ¡°Who plays with children?¡± Kaygak asked. ¡°He does,¡± Sonarot replied, simply. ¡°He is queer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kaygak sighed. ¡®However, he is powerful. Even without his axe, I am uncertain I would be able to defeat him.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure whether she should accept him, but she certainly accepted that he was strong. ¡®Since he wishes to be close, the Gak family could rise during this generation...¡¯ The thoughts were all on whether Adam could truly raise up the families. Amokan was strong, and his goal was to become the Chief. The children each had their dreams, some of them to become a Great Elder, like Turot who wished to become Elder Peace, and some wished to become great Adventurers, like Taygak, who wished to become a Gold Rank Adventurer. ¡®Diamond Rank,¡¯ Sonarot thought, smiling at the thought. ¡®Perhaps, in my life time, I can see the Rot, Kan, Gak, and Ool families each take a position as a Great Elder.¡¯ She thought about her age, and then the age of the children. ¡®No, perhaps not.¡¯ The four teens were training in the courtyard as food was being cooked. The smell of fresh bread filled the air, and a soup was currently bubbling nearby. ¡°Are you enchanting today?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m feeling extremely lucky today.¡± ¡°How lucky?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°I have the best luck today,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can guarantee a true strike, either for fighting, or for crafting.¡± Shikan slowly nodded his head. It would have been ridiculous from anyone else¡¯s mouth, but from Adam¡¯s lips, it was something which could not be ignored. ¡°Did you need something?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A minor matter, one which I will ask my niece to assist me with,¡± he replied, simply. Adam picked his sister up, letting her stand on his legs, holding her hands with his finger and thumb. ¡°Look at you, little babby. So strong, so strong.¡± He smiled, watching as she stood, slightly bouncing as she giggled. ¡°She will be able to stand by herself soon,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Perhaps before you leave, she may walk? Babies of the Iyr usually walk before they turn one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be such a troublemaker when you walk, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam asked, kissing Lanarot¡¯s nose. She squealed with joy and leaned in to drool against his shirt. ¡°See! She won¡¯t even deny it. What a silly girl.¡± Adam leaned in to blow a raspberry into her neck. There was one thing the Iyrmen couldn¡¯t deny, and it was that they were envious that Sonarot had picked up someone who was both so strong, and so well behaved with children. Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 18 (11) Omen: 10, 20 -> 10 20 + 7 = 27 A bird flew over the four, seeing them in their small fortification made of rock, earth, and tree. The Mage was half dead, and the Archer was battered and bruised, her leg wounded heavily. The Noble had one half of her face wrapped, and the Dwarf was the one who had lost the most, having lost half his beard during the fray. A shadow loomed over the group. Adam raised up the axe, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re going to be quite the axe, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam wondered how much the axe would sell for. ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied. ¡®Jurot shouldn¡¯t be too mad,¡¯ Adam thought, watching as Nobby thrust the spear, keeping the shield up to protect himself. Since Jurot was gone for a while, Adam decided he may as well assist Nobby during the morning for his training. ¡°Are you having fun in the Iyr, Nobby?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°They make you move stuff around?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you resting well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± Adam said, wondering how he could grow closer to Nobby. ¡°Do you miss your family?¡± Nobby remained silent. ¡°Sometimes.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re well taken care of. I¡¯ve made sure that they¡¯ve been paid for a while. It won¡¯t be long until you see them again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°How strong are you going to make him?¡± Lucy asked, staring at Nobby¡¯s muscles. ¡°As strong as he wants to be,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°An Expert for now, but if he wants to be stronger, I¡¯ll help him reach those heights. I¡¯ll be sure to get it in writing that he won¡¯t charge me too much for his services.¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be there to help us fight a Dragon?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Adam said. ¡°If he can become an Expert, or maybe a Master, most definitely. Most Dragons will be unable to hurt him too bad.¡± ¡°That old man, Strom...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°He has something which could help Mara.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I know. I tried to trade for it, but he wasn¡¯t having it.¡± ¡°Thanks, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± ¡°You are feeling unlucky today?¡± Shikan asked during breakfast. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, breaking some bread for Lanarot, who chewed it slowly. ¡°Then come with me,¡± he said. ¡°We will go meet Ashmir.¡± ¡°Ashmir?¡± Adam tried to recall why that name sounded so familiar. ¡°Oh! Lion King?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°I will come too!¡± Lucy said. ¡®I bet he looks tasty!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Lucy, stop. 284. Ashmir 284. Ashmir ¡®He looks just like an Iyrman,¡¯ Adam thought. Ashmir sat by himself, reading a book. He was older, and of average height, with a lean, but muscular form, built by fighting daily as a Gladiator. He had long hair, that like a mane, with two braids which fell down in front of his shoulders. He had dark skin, though not quite as dark as Dunes, which was littered with scars by the battles he had faced for decades. His eyes were dark, and tired of a great number of things in life. ¡°It Lion King,¡± Taygak said, pointing at him to all the other children who had come. Adam and Lucy were the oldest of the children who had come, and they couldn¡¯t help but feel out of place. The entire area was full of the Mir family, though that was obviously going to be the case considering this was their family estate. The children approached Ashmir, causing him to place down his book. ¡°These are the children of our families,¡± Shikan said, exchanging a forearm shake. ¡°What are you feeding your children?¡± Ashmir asked, looking to Adam and Lucy. Adam smiled. ¡°Beans on toast.¡± Adam shook his head at his terrible joke, before rubbing his head. ¡®Beans on toast?¡¯ Lucy grimaced, staring at Adam. ¡®What kind of abomination is that?¡¯ ¡°Ashmir,¡± the Gladiator said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a Half Elf.¡± ¡°Adam, son of Fate,¡± Adam said, before realising how he could properly introduce himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to know that I was a Half Elf.¡± ¡°The beard gave it away,¡± the older man said. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, rubbing his cheek. ¡°I was thinking about shaving recently.¡± ¡°Lucy,¡± Lucy said, shaking his forearm for a few seconds too long. ¡°You¡¯re quite the hunk.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Stop being weird, you¡¯re embarrassing me in front of the Gladiator,¡± Adam whispered, loudly enough for most people to hear. ¡°Shut up.¡± The children bombarded him with questions, which he answered as best as he could, before allowing them to touch his greatsword, which was easily bigger than each of them. Adam and Lucy waited patiently for the children to be done with speaking with him before they talked to him. ¡°So this is Adam,¡± called a voice from behind. Adam looked back to see an older Iyrman, who wore a spear on his back. He was tall, lean, and held a sharp look in his eyes as he stared at the Half Elf. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam Fateson.¡± Lucy threw Adam a look, raising her brow at him. ¡°I thought you were the son of Fate.¡± ¡°That sounds too cool for the likes of me.¡± The older Iyrman did not seem impressed. ¡°Shamir.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, shaking the man¡¯s forearm. ¡°Good luck in your bid for Elder Wrath.¡± The Iyrman bowed his head in gratitude. ¡°I have heard much about you, Adam.¡± ¡°All good things, I hope,¡± Adam said, a cheeky smile on his face. It disappeared upon seeing the stern expression on Shamir¡¯s face. ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve managed to get Ashmir on your side, it seems the Mir family is rising towards the heavens.¡± ¡°It is my good fortune that he was willing to join our family.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, unsure of what to say to the old man. ¡°They say you are strong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the kids think,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do you believe you are strong?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that in front of you and Ashmir.¡± Shamir narrowed his eyes, but slowly nodded. ¡°I have heard you are able to enchant.¡± ¡°I have some ability.¡± ¡°In the future I may request your service.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always up for working, as long as I¡¯m not working already.¡± ¡°Adam¡¯s abilities are great,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Though his words are light, his axe is heavy.¡± ¡°What axe?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have an axe any more.¡± ¡°You are enchanting an axe, are you not?¡± ¡°I guess, though I probably won¡¯t use it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°Did I what?¡± ¡°Defeat an Iyrman in a single blow?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve defeated plenty of Iyrmen in a single blow. Hell, I beat an Awakened Wolf in a single blow too!¡± Adam laughed. ¡°Was it your Aunt?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why did you fight?¡± ¡°I wanted to make their children magical weapons and they refused,¡± Adam said. ¡°So you forced them to accept? That is not good for business.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you forced to fight?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°Anyway, I wasn¡¯t going to sell them, I was going to gift them.¡± ¡°You were going to gift magical weapons?¡± Ashmir asked. ¡°Yes. You see those kids?¡± Adam motioned with his head to the children, who were now playing with the children of the estate. ¡°I¡¯m gifting each of them a magical weapon. The girl there, Taygak, it was her mother who I beat in a single blow. Saygak too, that¡¯s her little brother. Then there¡¯s Turot, my Cousin, whose parents I beat.¡± ¡°Why are you gifting them magical weapons?¡± ¡°I want to make sure they¡¯ll be okay in the future, and I want them to remember me in case something happens to me.¡± ¡°I thought I had morbid thoughts,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°I was told there was a new Nephew in the Iyr who was making waves. I wanted to meet you, see what you were like.¡± ¡°Am I everything you imagined?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°I did not know what kind of person you¡¯d be. I heard the rumours. You were rude, arrogant, a joker.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°They weren¡¯t wrong.¡± ¡°No,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°They were, a little. The Iyrmen seem so different. So, otherworldly. They don¡¯t seem like people, not like you or I.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you see the serious Iyrmen. You should meet Jaygak, and all the illusions you have about Iyrmen will disappear.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°I did not imagine that I would settle down in the Iyr and have children. I fought and fought, and now...¡± He sighed. ¡°This place makes me wonder what all that fighting was for. I could have left and joined the Iyr earlier.¡± ¡°Could you have left?¡± Adam asked. Ashmir smiled. ¡°It would have been hard to stop me. I would have had a few hours head start, though I would have been tired.¡± He thought about how likely it would have been to escape the army. ¡°No, perhaps not.¡± ¡°Enjoy yourself,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Iyr has brought you here to take good care of you. Get married, have a kid or ten, and if you ever feel the need, help the Iyr with your sword.¡± ¡°I will be married in Dawnval,¡± he said. ¡°Will you come?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows in surprise. ¡°I mean, yeah, sure.¡± ¡°I would like someone... normal.¡± ¡°Me? Normal?¡± Adam shook his head, looking to Lucy, whose eyes were raised in surprise by the word too. ¡°That¡¯s the first time someone¡¯s called me normal.¡± Ashmir chuckled. ¡°You are more normal than these Iyrmen at least.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can make it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Can I invite my family?¡± ¡°Bring whoever you please,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°When my wedding comes, I hope you¡¯ll offer some entertainment.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll see. Have you been married before? Do you have children already?¡± ¡°I have one child, though I don¡¯t know where they are,¡± he said. ¡°I believe they were sent to a temple, but I¡¯m not sure if they are dead or alive. ¡°Do you know their name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s probably your best bet in finding them, if you want to.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Shikan called, motioning with his head. ¡°Come. We must leave.¡± Adam threw Shikan a questioning look. ¡°Okay?¡± Adam hoisted himself up. ¡°Their name was Morn,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°That¡¯s what I requested to the mother. Morn, for morning.¡± Shikan sighed. Adam turned to look at the Gladiator. ¡°You what?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ashmir replied. Adam threw Lucy a look, before Shikan placed a hand on their shoulders. ¡°Come,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°We have to go.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wait. What? 285. Coincidences 285. Coincidences ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, staring at Shikan. ¡°He¡¯s Dunes¡¯ dad.¡± ¡°We must first speak with Dunes to confirm whether or not it is the truth,¡± Shikan said. ¡°It is not our place to inform them before it is completely confirmed.¡± ¡°Dunes is my friend. I need to tell him that his dad is here.¡± ¡°Is Ashmir his father? How do you know?¡± ¡°His name is Morn and he¡¯s a Priest,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What do you mean? This can¡¯t be a coincidence.¡± ¡°Coincidences happen all the time, Adam,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Yes, but around me, they¡¯re usually more than just coincidences!¡± Adam stated. ¡°Look, let me talk to Dunes and see if that¡¯s the truth.¡± ¡°You cannot inform him that Ashmir is his father, and you cannot inform Ashmir that Dunes is his son,¡± Shikan said. ¡°What¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Look, we just tell Dunes that Ashmir is here and what he told me. We have them meet, and then that¡¯s that.¡± ¡°This is more complicated than that, Adam,¡± Shikan said. ¡°You have to understand how messy the situation is. If Ashmir becomes an Iyrman, that means Dunes will also become an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Adam said. ¡°Why does that sound bad to you?¡± ¡°It sounds bad because Dunes may not wish to be an Iyrman.¡± ¡°So? Then he doesn¡¯t have to be an Iyrman?¡± ¡°It more complicated than that.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam sighed, rubbing his eyes with the back of his wrists. ¡°Okay, look. Let me speak to Dunes and I¡¯ll... I don¡¯t know. Let me just talk to him.¡± ¡°Please, Adam.¡± Shikan placed his hands on Adam¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This matter must be dealt with properly.¡± ¡°Trust me,¡± Adam replied. Adam had not expected that in the first conversation with Ashmir that he¡¯d find out that Dunes was his son. It wasn¡¯t confirmed, but Adam had a feeling. ¡®What was the quote? One in a million chances happen nine times out of ten? Crazy.¡¯ Dunes bit into a salya, which held the same taste as a banana, but was straight and came in more hairy and hard shell. He looked up at Adam, who was smiling quite wide. ¡°Dunes!¡± Adam called. ¡°Morn Dunes, ain¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Dunes replied. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Adam sat down beside him. ¡°You know, Dunes. I was thinking. Where did you get your name from?¡± ¡°Morn, as in morning. Dunes, as in where I was born. My mother gave birth on the open sand, and passed away. I was found by some travellers, and they took me to the temple.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, frowning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°She wanted to leave me at the temple so they could raise me. She had left a letter which stated so, hence why the travellers took me to the temple. It¡¯s bad luck not to take someone to a temple when they were meant to be sent there.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam suddenly felt awkward. ¡°What did you know about your mother?¡± ¡°She left me a necklace,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I left it back at the temple. It had her name, Munya, which also means Morning.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°What about your father?¡± Dunes shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about him. The letter mentioned that my father did not exist. Considering what I know about baby making, I do not believe that is the case.¡± Adam smiled, nodding his head. ¡°So, uh. Your mother¡¯s name was Munya?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Cool, cool. Morn Dunes. Munya.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot of questions about my past. What of yours, Adam?¡± ¡°Munya,¡± he said. ¡°For Morning.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s rather romantic. How many years ago was it?¡± ¡°It was half my life time ago. Twenty five years or so?¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Fifty.¡± ¡®Dunes is twenty five, right? Roughly?¡¯ Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Do you think of them?¡± ¡°Rarely,¡± he admitted. ¡°Munya and I had a secret relationship. We...¡± He shook his head. ¡°She had to leave when she found out she was pregnant.¡± ¡°Do you know what happened to her?¡± ¡°No. She said she was going to take our child to a temple. It would have been the best life for them.¡± ¡®They should call me a detective,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Do you want to meet them again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t there for them, and other than our blood connection, we have nothing to do with one another.¡± ¡°What if they took after their mother?¡± Ashmir smiled. ¡°Munya and I weren¡¯t the most successful people.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°What I mean by that is, I was a slave for my entire life. She was...¡± He frowned. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t tell me what she was. She sponsored my fights for a short while, and that¡¯s how we became close. We became even closer because she was beautiful, and fiery.¡± He chuckled. Adam smiled. ¡°I, uh...¡± His throat became dry. ¡®Hold on. Isn¡¯t this a terrible idea? No, no. I have to tell them. At least, I need to let them meet, let them figure it out themselves.¡¯ ¡°What would you say to them? Your son, your daughter, whatever they may be?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ashmir admitted. ¡°Perhaps, once I become an Iyrman, they will be able to have a better life. Though, if they grew up a Priest, then their life would be fairly good already.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°If you ever want to chat or anything, and you want to get out of the Mir family estate for a little while, swing by the shared family estate of the Rot family. I¡¯m sure the kids will love it. I have a few friends who would love to meet you too.¡± He nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Adam made his way back to the shared family estate, with some help from the nearby Iyrmen. He walked back to the group, sitting beside Dunes, wordless. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam said, catching Shikan¡¯s eyes. ¡°Before we go, remind me that I have something I need to show you.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Dunes replied. Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to feel. He knew something that Dunes didn¡¯t. As the seconds passed, it was time that Dunes wouldn¡¯t get back. Though, could he really do that? Could he bring together two strangers who were apparently related? Wouldn¡¯t their lives be different? Forever changed. All because he couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut? ¡°Dunes.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± ¡°I would hope so,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Otherwise I will die and you will have three hundred gold weighing you down.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Is that all I am to you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You¡¯re also the one to give me magical weapons for free.¡± Dunes smiled. Adam chuckled. ¡°Right.¡± ¡®What the hell am I meant to do?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Everyone forget his first name. 286. Shadow 286. Shadow Omen: 2, 3 ¡®God damn it.¡¯ Adam sighed, staring at the ceiling. He didn¡¯t realise his luck was going to be so poor. It was especially annoying since it was the last day of Nightval, meaning he¡¯d have to wait an entire month in order to continue enchanting the weapon if he wanted something great. ¡®Who the hell made the thirteenth month so damn terrible? Baktu, was it you? I swear, I¡¯ll come up there and show you what¡¯s what, mate.¡¯ Adam sat up, crossing his arms, trying to think about what he should do. ¡°Bad luck?¡± Sonarot whispered. Adam sighed, nodding his head. ¡®Hey, Bell, can I spend XP to reroll?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®What¡¯s the price?¡¯ [The first reroll will cost 100 XP. It is doubled each time thereafter.] ¡®God, damn. Is it permanently doubled each time, or just for the one roll?¡¯ [Just for that roll.] ¡®So it¡¯s only a few hundred for two rerolls. That should be fine, I think?¡¯ Adam worked out in the morning, letting the children join him. He assisted Nobby in training him too, lightly sparring with the boy, before he helped the children, letting them gently spar with one another, mostly as a game rather than actual sparring. ¡°Is he really sparring with our children?¡± Kaygak asked. ¡°They play so well, do they not?¡± Sonarot asked, making sure to stop any complaints which may come through from Kaygak. Kaygak remained silent, continuing with assisting the others with making breakfast. The other adults wondered if they should play with their children too, but they had some work to do, so left Adam to his business. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Sonarot eventually asked, watching as Adam ate. Adam threw a look to Dunes, before sighing. ¡°I¡¯ve just got something on my mind.¡± He still wasn¡¯t sure what he should do with Dunes. He was fairly certain that Ashmir was his father, but at the same time, there was the smallest of chances that he wasn¡¯t Ashmir¡¯s son. ¡®If Jurot was here, I bet he¡¯d say something like their eyes were the same or something,¡¯ Adam thought, recalling how Jurot somehow knew how people were related. ¡®He even knew the two Porters weren¡¯t twins, even though they look the same. No, they¡¯re definitely twins, aren¡¯t they? Well, there are plenty of celebrities who look the same too...¡¯ ¡°You are thinking a lot, Adam,¡± Sonarot said, staring down at him. ¡°Are you sure you are okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Adam said. He finished eating breakfast, which was fresh bread and soup, having fed some of his bread to Lanarot. He lifted the girl up once they were done with breakfast and hugged her. ¡°How did you become such a little fatty?¡± Adam asked, kissing her cheek. ¡°How cute are you? You¡¯re such a chubby little thing, aren¡¯t you? Are you trying to become as big as me?¡± Adam pinched her cheek and wiggled it. Lanarot laughed and reached up to grab at his face, babbling up at him, before laughing at him again. ¡°Lanarot, what did I tell you about being racist?¡± Adam asked, poking her cheek. ¡°You can¡¯t say stuff like that. You silly girl.¡± He placed her down on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go enchant, so you be good for mama, okay?¡± Lanarot clapped her hands, laughing at him menacingly. ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t good, we¡¯ll forgive you because you¡¯re so cute,¡± Adam said, ruffling her hair, before heading out. He had recharged himself, though the shadow of Dunes¡¯ parentage hung over him still. ¡®I¡¯ll figure it out in the evening.¡¯ Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 10 (3) ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Come with me,¡± Adam said, before looking to Uncle Shikan. ¡°Actually, give me a second.¡± Shikan stood, noting Adam¡¯s look, before the pair stepped aside. ¡°You are going to tell him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am going to introduce them and let them figure it out. I can¡¯t keep a secret like that from my friend, otherwise I¡¯ll have cursed luck.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Do you know how poorly I rolled today?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I rolled like utter crap five times! Five times in a row! I can¡¯t believe it! How the hell did I manage to do that? Not just that, but I had to spend so much of my XP!¡± ¡®Eckspee?¡¯ Shikan thought, wondering if it was slang for something. ¡®Is that something to do with effort? Pressure?¡¯ ¡°I bet it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been a shit friend,¡± Adam said, sure it was that. ¡°If I had told Dunes before, I wouldn¡¯t be so guilty, and I would have rolled well. Mistress Fate was teaching me a lesson.¡± Shikan could see that Adam was annoyed. ¡°Where is the axe?¡± ¡°My axe? The one I enchanted? I gave it to Elder Zijin for him to auction it off.¡± ¡®Oh,¡¯ Shikan thought. ¡®So that is the issue.¡¯ Shikan sighed. ¡°It is not our place to interfere, Adam.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Adam said. ¡°Dunes is my friend. If I can¡¯t do this much for him, then I can¡¯t call myself his friend.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Shikan replied after a long moment of staring down at the Half Elf, whose face was still sour. ¡°I will come with you.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, turning to get Dunes. ¡°Dunes, come on.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to...¡± Adam wondered how to make it sound cool and suave, but he couldn¡¯t think of anything. ¡°Just follow me, damn it.¡± Dunes followed Adam, wondering what was wrong with him. ¡®Is it because he¡¯s a Half Elf and Twilight Month is soon upon us?¡¯ They eventually arrived at the Mir family estate, some half an hour away. The food was almost finished, and the groups had gathered together. Adam was about to march in, but he looked to Shikan. Shikan sighed, but stepped forward, going to find Shamir first, before exchanging a word with him. Shamir looked to Adam, before nodding to Shikan. Shikan then nodded to Adam. Adam took Dunes with him to see Ashmir, who was currently reading a different book. ¡°Adam?¡± Ashmir called, closing the book and standing to shake the Half Elf¡¯s forearm. ¡°Hey Ashmir,¡± Adam said, shaking his forearm. There was a moment of awkward silence as Adam tried to figure out how to introduce them to one another. ¡°Look. This is Morn Dunes, the Morn meaning Morning. His mother¡¯s name was Munya, and he was sent to a temple with a letter from his mother, who passed away after giving birth to him. He¡¯s in his mid twenties or so.¡± Dunes stared at Adam, wondering why he had given such an intimate description about his life to some stranger. ¡°This is Ashmir, he¡¯s a guy who was sweet on a woman called Munya, who then got pregnant and took their unborn child to a temple, with the hope that she would call their child Morn, the word meaning Morning, roughly twenty something years ago.¡± Adam pat both of their shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to talk with one another and discuss the matters with one another. I¡¯m hungry, tired, and annoyed, so I¡¯ll be leaving you.¡± Shikan stared at Adam as he marched away, leaving Dunes and Ashmir together, the pair of them an image of confusion as they watched the Half Elf leave. ¡®Why did I let him introduce them to one another?¡¯ Shikan thought. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Sorry, Shikan. It do be that way sometimes. 287. Guests In The Iyr 287. Guests In The Iyr Omen: 3, 15 Adam stared at the numbers, a smile on his face. ¡®I knew it. Telling Dunes was the right thing to do.¡¯ He only half believed himself, understanding that sometimes he¡¯d be lucky, and sometimes he¡¯d be unlucky. The guilt of not telling Dunes even for a day had pressed against him like a wave, but now that wave had flowed away, leaving him feeling light. ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked, as she always did. ¡°A little,¡± Adam admitted, seeing Lanarot¡¯s sleepy face, some milk dribbling down her chin. ¡°Good morning, sleepyhead.¡± Adam pulled her onto his lap and brushed her hair. ¡°Did you sleep good?¡± Lanarot yawned quietly, before humming out a groan, resting her head against his chest. Adam recalled when she had been so small, so light. She was light still, she was still a baby after all, but now there was more of a sturdiness about her. Lanarot eventually awoke properly, and crawled around, playing with her blocks, tossing them around, and crawling over to Adam. Adam gave her all the attention she wanted, letting her stand beside him, her hands gripping his sleeve tight to keep herself upright. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oof!¡± Lanarot said, pointing up to him. ¡°What do you mean, oof?¡± Adam said, reaching down to pinch her cheek. ¡°Apoopoo!¡± ¡°You!¡± Adam picked her up just under her pits. ¡°You¡¯re apoopoo.¡± Lanarot giggled, kicking out her legs towards him, before clapping her hands together and squirming under him. Adam continued to hold her around, making aeroplane noises, before eventually taking her outside for some fresh air. The Iyr felt different. There was a pressure in the Iyr, something which had taken away the comfort that he usually felt. He looked around, trying to find where the discomfort came from. ¡°Dunes?¡± Adam said, catching the sight of the young Aswadian. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I am a Guest of the Rot family, aren¡¯t I?¡± Dunes replied, pretending to be confused. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Adam said, joining his compatriots. They seemed ready and eager to train that morning, especially Nobby and Brittany. ¡°I spoke with him for some time,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It is all but confirmed that he is my father.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam said, smiling at him. ¡°Even so, we do not have much of a connection together,¡± Dunes admitted, looking to the small fire nearby. ¡°I was born and raised in my temple, and so my family is there.¡± Adam smiled, sadly. He bowed his head, sighing. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s true. I¡¯m just glad the two of you know the truth at least. I just didn¡¯t want you to live near your father without ever knowing about it. That¡¯s just so... sad.¡± Dunes nodded, patting Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Adam nodded his head in return. The training that morning was lighter than usual. ¡°You must be careful,¡± Shikan had warned. ¡°Magic is dangerous during this month, so you cannot train too hard.¡± After the light training, Adam played with the children. Sockball was the game of the day, and Adam played lightly with them, not wanting to stress them too much. ¡°I have defeated you,¡± Katool said, a smug smile on her face as she stared up at him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have hope that you will keep your word, Elder Gold, because I believe our feelings are mutual on the matters of trust,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is there anything else you need of me, Elder Gold, or may I go and work?¡± ¡°You may leave,¡± she said, slowly bowing her head, letting him go. She sighed, watching him leave. ¡°We will not ask you to donate weapons for three years, Adam.¡± Adam paused for a moment. He wondered if he should fight, but let it go. There was no need to aggravate them. ¡®I should have expected as much.¡¯ She still wasn¡¯t sure if she had made the right choice when she took the Dragon scales, and she wasn¡¯t sure if she made the right choice now, removing Phantom from his grasp. She sighed. ¡°Are you sure you wish to auction it?¡± Elder Zijin asked once Adam had returned. He wasn¡¯t sure the exact details of the conversation, but he was sure the pair had exchanged their intent. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I am more stubborn than you think I am, Elder Zijin. I need it to be auctioned off so I have enough money to make what I really want to make.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡®Wait,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If I made weapons in the Iyr, can¡¯t they also try to take them from me too?¡¯ ¡°What worries you?¡± Sonarot asked, offering him a bowl of soup. ¡°I just realised that I probably can¡¯t make weapons in the Iyr,¡± he replied. ¡°They¡¯ll take the weapons away from me.¡± Sonarot placed a hand against his. ¡°Do not worry, Adam. Smith freely. We will guarantee that the weapons you smith will be yours.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°In which case, do you have any designs for axes? I need to make several designs. Swords, spears, shields, and axes.¡± ¡°Is this for your inn?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°We have a few designs in our family vault. I will see which design may be useful for you.¡± ¡°Thanks. If it¡¯s the Rot family design for an axe, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be good. I¡¯ll go and design the other stuff today then.¡± Adam grabbed his book and began to sketch a number of designs in the spare room of the Rot house. He grabbed a large sheet of paper from the warehouse, and he started to sketch the design of the various weapons. Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 17 (12) Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 19 (14) Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 19 (14) Adam had thought about using his Omen for the designs, but he decided against it. The blueprints were fine for the various weapons, and he didn¡¯t want to tempt fate over something so small, especially during this month. ¡®But then again,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®This is for business. I should probably at least aim for a 20 in each of them. I guess I¡¯ll continue to work on them over time then.¡¯ He eventually stepped out of the house, stretching out his back, before he noticed a few figures nearby. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Dun dun dun! 288. A Master’s Touch 288. A Master¡¯s Touch Sitting around the fire was the party of White¡¯s Grace. Each of them looked so different than before, and Adam had almost not recognised them. ¡°You guys look like crap,¡± Adam said, his brows raised in surprise. ¡°We were trying to return back to the Iyr before the Twilight Month, but it seems we were unfortunate,¡± Lady Elowen said, a cloth tied over the left side of her face, bandages peeking through from underneath. She, and Ylra, were in their Half Elf forms. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. Rojer¡¯s body was heavily wounded, though he had been patched up by the Iyr, and the magical potions had worked wonders. Ylra¡¯s leg had been wounded heavily too, and as she sat, it was out at an awkward angle. Adam tried not to look at Redboulder, whose beard was half missing, seeing the Dwarf¡¯s bare skin. ¡°Who would have thought that there would have been a small Beast Wave on the way?¡± Ylra said, crossing her arms. ¡°You Iyrmen, I bet you designed it that way!¡± She laughed with joy, however. ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We are fine, though we have been better,¡± Elowen said. ¡°Once we return home, we will be safe. Our task will have been completed, and no one will refuse our retirement.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to see you all injured,¡± Adam said, frowning. ¡°What about you know who?¡± ¡°The Princess is safe,¡± Elowen said, motioning a hand to the corner of the courtyard, where Princess Mina was currently sitting up, holding a block in hand. Princess Mina was the colour of the ocean, as she was the last time he saw her. Her webbed hands were clutching the block tight. A toothy smile was plastered across her face, her teeth near jagged, as she tossed the blocks about and crawled after them. ¡°What the hell?¡± Adam said. ¡°When did she get so big?¡± Adam was sure she had been less than half the size when they had first met. ¡°She is growing well, thanks to you,¡± Lady Elowen said, nodding her head to him. Adam picked her up, causing her to stare up at him in shock first, but then recognition filled her eyes. She squealed up at him, before reaching up to try and grab his face, her hands, which felt like leather, pressed against his scruffy beard. ¡°Why did you grow up so quick?¡± Adam asked, brushing her hair gently, which came out curly. She babbled, though the babbling sounded like popping bubbles and the waves. ¡°Do you want to meet my little sister?¡± Lanarot was currently sitting by herself, playing with her own blocks, but she jolted upright when another baby appeared. Lanarot stared at the blue baby, and then up to Adam, confusion in her face. ¡°Lanarot, it¡¯s Princess Mina. You have to be a good girl and play with her, okay?¡± Lanarot babbled, holding up her block, before throwing it and crawling away. Mina looked up at Adam, before smiling with her jagged teeth, before she continued to play with her own blocks. The pair of babies played by themselves, though remained near one another. Adam sat down, crossing his arms and watching them. His heart was filled with a sweetness, consuming a delicious dessert with his eyes. ¡°Adam?¡± Elowen called. ¡°Leave him, Lady Elowen,¡± Naqokan said. ¡°He is currently recharging.¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ Elowen wondered, but she left the Half Elf be. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need a shield, sword, and spear.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll assist ye, lad,¡± Redboulder said. Adam showed the Dwarf his current work, which the Dwarf nodded towards. ¡°Not bad, ah say.¡± Adam¡¯s designs were fairly basic, and would be fine enough to smith. For a Human. ¡°Yeah, but I feel like there¡¯s something missing, and I don¡¯t dare to say I want something with Dwarven quality, but I do want something that would make Dwarves not sick at the sight of such terrible weapons and shields.¡± Redboulder chuckled, before nodding his head. He assisted Adam in reshaping some of the weapons, working on every aspect of the weapons and the shield. Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 6 (1) D20 + 5 = 23 (18) Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 16 (11) D20 + 5 = 21 (16) Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 7 (2) D20 + 5 = 9 (4) ¡°Master Dwarf, I hope you don¡¯t mind me saying, but...¡± Adam looked down at the design of the shield. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the shield seems a little awkward?¡± Redboulder stared at the shield design he had made, before looking up at Adam. ¡°Ah seem ta have made a Dwarven shield,¡± he said, rubbing his chin, wincing. ¡°Apologies, young lad.¡± Smithing Check (Intelligence) D20 + 5 = 16 (11) D20 + 5 = 22 (17) Once they had fixed the shield, Adam stared at the three designs. Each were fairly basic, and they had made notes on materials which would be required. Redboulder, who was more familiar with the materials, made a long list of materials which would be useful for the different weapons, as well as some ratios for different alloys. ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough, Master Redboulder,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is there any way I can repay you?¡± ¡°Consider it a thank you, lad,¡± Redboulder said, patting Adam¡¯s back. Thanks to the distraction Adam had provided him, he forgot that his beard had been ruined for a short while. ¡°If you say so, Master Redboulder. If you ever need anything from my end, please do call. I¡¯m an Enchanter too, so if you ever need magical weapons, I¡¯ll always be willing to assist you, if you¡¯re not looking for Dwarven make, that is.¡± ¡°Yer an Enchanter?¡± Redboulder asked, his eyes flashing up towards the Half Elf. ¡°A better Enchanter than I am a Smith,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯ve made quite a few. If you¡¯d like to see my best, I can ask my Aunt to show you, though I can¡¯t use it any more.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too dangerous with it,¡± Adam said. Redboulder chuckled, expecting it to be a joke, but the look in Adam¡¯s eyes revealed it was no joke. He recognised the look, the look of a crafter who had lost his greatest piece. He pat Adam on his back, sharing in his loss. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Thank you, Redboulder senpai. 289. The Ban 289. The Ban Omen: 10, 19 ¡°I should have expected you,¡± Adam said, looking up towards the pair of Iyrmen. ¡°Have you been well?¡± Aizaban asked, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have heard that you have had some fun recently,¡± Lanban said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm after his sister. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°Are you here to claim your rewards?¡± ¡°In Twilight Month?¡± Aizaban asked. ¡°We are not here to kill you, Adam.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam replied, joking. ¡°You know what I mean. Do you want to design your weapons?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Aizaban said, her eyes falling to the Dwarf, who was currently admiring Adam¡¯s greatest work to date. ¡®He made this?¡¯ Redboulder thought, staring at the axe. The axe itself was of decent enough make, only the finest of Dwarven Smiths would dare to scoff at such a weapon. It was certainly of Iyrman make, but the enchantment was something he hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡®He¡¯s only a young lad, but he can make something like this?¡¯ Redboulder had asked Adam several times for the truth, wondering where he had found the blade, or who his master was, but Adam had stated several times that the axe was his work. ¡®No. He must have had someone else make it.¡¯ ¡°Have you two been well?¡± Adam asked, taking a seat, with the pair following him to the table. ¡°Yes,¡± Aizaban replied. ¡°We returned not long ago. White¡¯s Grace and we had barely missed one another, by only a few days.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s quite... unfortunate.¡± Adam tried to think about when he last used Omen, but thinking about it, he gathered that perhaps he had something to do with their unfortunate luck. ¡®No, that¡¯s too coincidental, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°Ah figured it out,¡± Redboulder said. ¡°Yah did not make it, lad, did yah?¡± ¡°Master Redboulder, please,¡± Elowen said, causing the Dwarf to bow his head in shame. ¡°Lady Elowen, yah don¡¯t understand. It¡¯s...¡± ¡°From what we know of Adam, is this truly the most unbelievable thing?¡± Elowen asked. Redboulder froze for a moment to think. ¡°Aye, yer right. Sorry, lad.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you really don¡¯t believe me, you should ask the Iyrmen. They¡¯ll confirm it.¡± Redboulder nodded, going off to ask the Iyrmen about the axe, about who made it and who had enchanted it. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°A mace,¡± Aizaban replied. ¡°A maul,¡± Lanban replied. ¡°Yeah, but, you know,¡± Adam said. ¡°What kind of enchantment?¡± ¡°Which enchantments are you offering?¡± Aizaban asked. ¡°A basic enchantment, right? A small bonus, plus something else?¡± Adam replied, unsure of what he should make. He wasn¡¯t going to make a simple +1 weapon, that would be ridiculous. They had helped him so much. ¡°You are willing to enchant a basic bonus and more?¡± Aizaban asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Then come and speak to our children,¡± she said. ¡°They will know what they want.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will summon a Dragon from a blade,¡± Polban said. ¡°I am an Iyrman!¡± ¡®Damn, Paul,'' Adam thought. ¡®Your kid is cool as hell!¡¯ ¡°It cannot be done,¡± Raizaban said, patting her little brother¡¯s head, as though trying to reassure his stupidity. ¡°I can¡¯t promise a Dragon, but I will try my very best,¡± Adam said, scribbling furiously about the idea of a dragon appearing from a sword. ¡®Should I make something like that for me too?¡¯ ¡°You will do it?¡± Polban asked. ¡°I will try my very best, young man,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since you are Paul¡¯s son, I will try my utmost best for you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Polban said. ¡°I am father¡¯s son.¡± His sour face lightened up to a smile for a moment. Adam quickly left them, heading back to the shared family estate, placing his book away. He noted that Sonarot had brought the axe design, and he considered his Omen. He made his way to the warehouse, and then to the forge to smith an axe, all the while thinking about how he could enchant a Dragon coming out of a sword. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 13 (7) Omen: 10, 19 -> 10 19 + 6 = 25 He screamed in utter joy as lightning crashed down from the heavens. The hordes of beasts fell under the lightning, which continued to rain down against them. ¡°I knew I chose the right place!¡± Strom said, catching a feral Wyvern¡¯s poisonous stinger with one hand, before punching the creature down towards the rest of the creatures which were being fried by his lightning. Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 24 (19) He forged the axehead out of Iyrsteel, hoping that Sonarot would be able to assist in case there was an issue in the future with him using the steel. He wasn¡¯t exhausted after the process, his arms only burning slightly. He admired the axehead, as it had come out near perfect. Even after checking it for minutes, he couldn¡¯t spot the difference between the design of the blueprint and his axe head. ¡°Nice.¡± He returned back to the estate, where he spotted Laygak. ¡°Hey, Laygak,¡± Adam called, revealing the axehead to the young Iyrman. ¡°I am planning on making a few axes throughout this month. Will you help me make some handles? I¡¯ll pay you some gold for each handle.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°How much do you want?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Two gold.¡± Adam shook the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°I will make it,¡± he said. ¡°Which wood do you wish to use?¡± ¡°Something basic but decent,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about wood, so I¡¯ll trust that matter to you.¡± ¡°I will do my best,¡± Laygak said. ¡°It may require a few days, and you may need to spend multiple gold for the wood.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll pay the gold required. Don¡¯t pick an expensive wood, though, otherwise how can I afford to make your magical weapon?¡± Laygak remained silent for a moment. ¡°I will make the handles for free, Adam.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said, patting his shoulder. ¡°Two gold a handle and I¡¯ll pay for the wood. If you don¡¯t make it good enough, I¡¯ll expect you to remake it, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll copy the design for you so you know what I¡¯m looking for.¡± Laygak felt slightly guilty for charging Adam gold when he promised the young Iyrman a magical weapon. ¡®I will make the best handles.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The story will still be a little slow for a while. I definitely won''t promise a really cool chapter before the end of the month. Definitely not. No way. 290. Dreaming Smaller 290. Dreaming Smaller Omen: 15, 19 Adam awoke in the morning, excited to create something that day. He had already created a fairly decent weapon yesterday, and today he could make something equally as good. ¡®Nice.¡¯ He played with his sister that morning, holding her hands as she stood and babbled, squatting every so often, before she finally sat down to rest. After a light training session, and a light breakfast, Adam went to smith. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 23 (17) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 6 = 19 (13) Adam thought about using his Omen, but decided against it. What was the use of using his Omen when it was already so good? He had managed to smith an axehead which was almost identical to the axehead he had forged the previous day. ¡°Not bad,¡± Redboulder said, staring at the axeahead. He held both the axehead Adam had forged. ¡°Look here,¡± he said, dragging a thick finger along the side of the axehead he had forged that day. ¡°Yeh folded this axehead five uhr ten times less than the other, lad.¡± Adam nodded his head, unsure of how the Dwarf had managed to spot such a detail. ¡®Dwarves...¡¯ ¡°Thank you, master Dwarf.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Laygak called, bringing the handle to the Half Elf, having finished it but moments ago. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, taking the handle before placing the axehead onto it, before nailing it together. ¡°Nice!¡± Adam swung the axe around lightly, but noted the gaze of two Rot family members, before letting Nirot play with it. ¡°Make sure Turot gets a turn too, and watch over him.¡± ¡°I know how to do such things without your words,¡± Nirot replied, before taking the axe and going off to swing it. ¡°Kids, huh?¡± Adam said, looking to Redboulder. ¡°Ay,¡± he said. ¡°Ah¡¯ve got a few meself. It¡¯s been some time since ah last saw ¡®em.¡± ¡°When you say some time, do you mean a few years or a few decades?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Almost a decade,¡± Redboulder confirmed. Adam noted the lack of Iyrmen about, save for Citool and the other Ool family members. Sonarot wasn¡¯t around, and hadn¡¯t arrived until dinner was made, along with the others. ¡°Working already?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is time for me to return to work,¡± she said. ¡°I have been gone for too long, I can feel it in my bones.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± Adam replied, thinking about whether he should spend more time with the children so that the others could move around in peace. Then he looked towards Mirot, Gorot, and Kaygak. ¡®Though, that might backfire. I suppose I¡¯ll play with them as long as I don¡¯t roll at least a 14 in the morning.¡¯ ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°Anyhow. Fred. I¡¯ll pay you a salary and you¡¯ll be treated well. You¡¯ll have to work hard, even if it isn¡¯t to do with numbers, but I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s rewarding, both with coin and for your soul.¡± ¡°My soul?¡± Fred asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, staring at the man, his eyes full of determination. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s important to you, right? Doing something worthwhile? So why don¡¯t you manage the inn, and as more inns begin to develop across the entire land, you might feel a greater sense of accomplishment.¡± ¡°Inns across the land?¡± Fred wasn¡¯t sure if that was possible. ¡°Aren¡¯t you dreaming too high?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a phrase from where I come from,¡± Adam said. ¡°Aim for the moon, and if you miss, you fill find yourself amongst the stars.¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ Fred thought, though he felt something stir in his heart. Adam always said stupid things, but there was something romantic about the phrase. ¡°Just think about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°A dozen inns, maybe more, all across the land. No doubt there will be huge problems, from the Nobles, to other Innkeepers, perhaps even Adventurers. We¡¯ll have to fight to survive against a harsh world, and a harsh people. However, we¡¯ll provide a service that is so good, that people will have no choice but want to defend us. If anyone tries to take us over, then we¡¯ll crush them, no matter who they may be.¡± Adam could only imagine what he was talking about. ¡°Like I said, it will be more than an inn. It¡¯ll be a tiny little fort, each inn more like a village. We¡¯ll create our own produce, weapons, and more. The Guards will be equipped with great weapons, magical weapons, and will be trained to be great warriors. Experts, maybe even Masters.¡± Fred stared at Adam. ¡°Experts are difficult enough to train, but Masters? Masters are so rare. Grandmasters are even rarer, and those who can be considered Paragons. Only the previous King¡¯s Sword can be considered a Paragon, but even that¡¯s debatable.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say he was,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he is. Sir Merry and Sir Royce.¡± ¡°There are maybe ten, twenty Grandmasters in a land of millions. There may only be a hundred, maybe a few more Masters, outside of those who work directly under the Nobles. Even if you¡¯re strong, even if Jurot and the other Iyrmen are strong, you¡¯re no Masters.¡± ¡°Not right now,¡± Adam said. ¡°I became an Expert in a single year, and I¡¯m sure I can become a Master in maybe two more.¡± Adam quickly froze. ¡®Hold on. I can¡¯t do that. If I Level Up too quickly, won¡¯t it be chaotic?¡¯ ¡°Well, if I wanted to. I¡¯ll probably not do that.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Fred said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then it¡¯s fine. I still need to find a nice spot. If the inn isn¡¯t feasible, then I¡¯ll just auction some enchanted weapons...¡± Adam then realised that may be difficult since the Great Elders seem to still distrust him. ¡°No. Actually, I should make a home base for us first.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡®Every time he talks with us, his dreams get smaller.¡¯ ¡°Perhaps a home base will be the first step towards the inn, and then your agency?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam talking himself out of doing cool stuff... So this is what it means to be a realist. 291. Adorable Cousins 291. Adorable Cousins ¡°Cousin Adam, are you going to smith today?¡± Turot asked after breakfast. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Can we play Warriors and Wanderers?¡± Turot asked, a boyish innocence in his eyes. ¡®Oh, yeah,¡¯ Adam thought. He had forgotten about the game due to all the happenings recently, but he had promised them a game some time ago. ¡°Yeah. Why don¡¯t you go and call all the other children and I¡¯ll go get my notes.¡± Turot quickly sped away, going to find the other children to inform them of the game. ¡®How am I going to get him out of the hole I dug last time?¡¯ Adam thought, trying to prepare something for all the children. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dunes asked, watching as Adam placed down a blanket and began to set up wooden pieces everywhere, placing down sheets of paper on slabs of wood, keeping them down with wooden pieces against the corners of each sheet. ¡°I¡¯m setting up the game,¡± Adam said. ¡°Which games?¡± ¡°Warrior and Wanderers.¡± ¡°Is that a game within the Iyr?¡± ¡°Technically, yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°I invented it.¡± ¡®I mean, I stole it from my world and brought it here.¡¯ ¡°May I watch?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, looking to the others. ¡°You can all watch, I guess.¡± The children sat down in front of the empty sheets, with Adam handing Turot his old sheet. ¡°First thing¡¯s first, we¡¯re all going to create new characters.¡± Adam assisted them in creating their characters. None of them picked the Mage class, which was to be expected, and each of them chose either the Priest or Fighter. Then, once the session began, Jurot and Sonarot¡¯s characters were split off, leaving Turot by himself against a number of Orcs. Fortunately for him, the other characters, who had been planning on defeating the Orcs, had appeared, and the group all fought against the Orcs. ¡°I use magic!¡± Katool declared, raising her hands as she made noises. ¡°Guiding Bolt!¡± ¡°I will chop them up,¡± Raygak declared. ¡°Taygak fight!¡± Taygak said, pointing to her foe, an vaguely humanoid wood piece which represented the Orc. ¡°I will use my sword,¡± Saygak said. ¡°Sword,¡± Damokan and Kalokan both said. ¡°And my axe!¡± Turot declared. Adam chuckled, allowing them all to roll, before narrating what happened for them. ¡°Katool, your Guiding Bolt hits the Orc¡¯s shield, and bounces off. Raygak, you use your sword and fell the Orc with his raised shield, distracted by Katool¡¯s Guiding Bolt.¡± Katool huffed, and nodded to Raygak, who nodded back. ¡°Unfortunately, Taygak, the Orc is very strong, so he fights you too, catching your sword with his own.¡± ¡°Taygak fight!¡± the girl declared. ¡°Saygak and Damokan, you two try to use your swords to fell the Orcs in front of you, but they are quite powerful too, and you cannot wound them.¡± Saygak looked at his notes. ¡°I can heal?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t been attacked yet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Kalokan, you help your brother and the Orc falls under your mighty blow.¡± Kalokan pat Damokan¡¯s back gently. ¡°I come help.¡± Damokan nodded his head. The story continued, with Taygak and Damokan falling in battle, but the others manage to defeat the Orcs. ¡°Mogak, strong,¡± Taygak said at the end of the story, nodding her head. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, placing down the book. ¡°She was so strong. Are you going to be as strong as her Taygak?¡± ¡°No,¡± Taygak replied. ¡°Taygak Steel.¡± ¡°Steel? Why Steel? You don¡¯t want to be Gold?¡± ¡°No. Taygak cannot.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Weak,¡± she said. ¡°Weak? Who says you¡¯re weak?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°Mother, father,¡± she replied. ¡°Gak weak.¡± Adam crossed his arms, trying to think. ¡°Taygak. If you want to become Gold, you should aim for it. I will help you if you need it.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± Damokan asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t I promise I¡¯d help? If you want to be strong, I will help you. Once you are trained by the Iyr, I will help you after.¡± ¡°Adam strong,¡± Taygak said. ¡°Right. I¡¯m strong, so if you ever get into trouble, you can ask me for help.¡± ¡°It is no good to be reliant,¡± Turot said. ¡°That is what mother says.¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. ¡®That is a good point.¡¯ ¡°If you are strong, you will help Lanarot, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot said. ¡°I am older.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Lanarot is going to be trained by Jurot and I, so she will be strong. As her older Cousins, you will need to be strong too.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± called a familiar voice. For a moment, Adam thought he was in trouble, but he quickly realised who had called for him. ¡°Yes, Filliam?¡± Filliam carried with him a small box, approaching the group. His eyes were tired, but there was a large smile plastered on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve done it!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°Come here, my adorable little Cousins.¡± The children quickly approached Adam and Filliam. Adam raised his brow, before they quickly formed a queue, with the youngest up front, and the oldest in the back. Filliam opened up the box to reveal the trinkets. Filliam picked up the toy, which was a small round ball, which could be wound up by a small key, which also formed the copter blades. ¡°Once you¡¯ve wound it up, you¡¯ll see how it begins to slowly turn?¡± The blades began to turn slowly as he held the ball. ¡°Toss it up.¡± Filliam threw the ball up gently, and the blades quickly spun allowing the ball to glide downwards. ¡°Do not try to catch it. Let it fall in peace, otherwise you will hurt yourself.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can only play with them in the courtyard, and made sure Lanarot isn¡¯t nearby. She is still a little girl so this toy can hurt her.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the children replied, before grabbing their trinkets, and playing with them. ¡°Good job, Filliam,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to make trinkets for children,¡± the young Tinkerer said. ¡°They¡¯re as easy to hurt as they are easy to please.¡± He looked out to the children. ¡°Though, it is worth it.¡± Adam smiled, and the pair watched as the children played with the newly made trinkets. ¡°What will you call them?¡± Filliam asked. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Gliderballs?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Just a cute wholesome chapter. Did I really roll to see what happened with the children''s characters? Yes. Yes I did. 292. Rather Chaotic 292. Rather Chaotic Omen: 16, 20 ¡°You are feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked, holding a sleepy Lanarot up. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Very lucky.¡± ¡°Shikan was going to ask you for some assistance, but if you are feeling lucky, you should go smith.¡± ¡°Was it something important?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Since it¡¯s smithing, I don¡¯t really mind.¡± ¡°You need to smith for your project, yes?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°Then you should smith.¡± He trained lightly in the morning and played with the children. During breakfast, he fed Lanarot some porridge, who sat on his lap, before letting her eat some fruit. ¡°You¡¯re growing up so quickly,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair. ¡°What did I say about growing too quickly?¡± Lanarot chewed on the fruit noisily, before looking up at him, sticking some more fruit into her mouth, with the rest of her hand. Fred stared at the pair for a long while over breakfast, gathering some stares himself. He recalled how they first had met. He was half dying on the hill and Adam came with water and food. He spoke of his little sister, the girl right in front of him. Then Vonda and he had spoken about life, and finding purpose. ¡®Purpose,¡¯ Fred thought, before falling deep into thought about the inn. ¡®The face of the inn.¡¯ Adam lifted the girl up after she was done eating, the same way Jurot did. He stared up at her, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You think I didn¡¯t notice?¡± Lanarot babbled in response, kicking up her legs, before grunting at him. Adam held her out, glancing aside, trying not to smell the ghastliness which was within her clothy. ¡°Baktu,¡± Adam coughed, ¡°what the hell are we feeding you?¡± Once Lanarot had been taken by her mother, Adam went to find Elder Zijin at the warehouse. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam called. ¡°I¡¯ve come for some materials.¡± ¡°Which materials?¡± ¡°The best I can get,¡± Adam said. ¡°No. Not the best I can get. The best I can get without worry that I will need to hand it back to the Iyr.¡± Zijin sighed, but offered him some Iyr steel and Iyr ash. Adam smiled, wondering just how much he should bother Elder Gold. ¡°Please, Adam,¡± Zijin said. Adam took the materials for the axe. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Zijin raised his brows, and Adam retreated away, making his way to the forge. He fired it up and then sat down, looking at the fire. ¡®Should I make the same axe she handed over to me?¡¯ He tapped his knee gently. ¡®No. I should use the design that Aunt Sonarot gave to me.¡¯ ¡°I...¡± Dunes began, but he fell silent. He thought about what he should do. He thought about why he had come to Aldland. He thought about how he could complete his goal, and how likely he¡¯d be able to do so travelling with Adam. ¡°I think Adam has enough faith in us, and we should return that faith to him. He moves quickly sometimes, and slowly other times.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda said. ¡°He¡¯s rather chaotic.¡± With a design in mind, Adam understood what he needed to do. This entire month, he was going to forge as many axes he could, with Laygak¡¯s help in making the handles. This axe, however, would not have a handle make by Laygak. Omen: 14, 19 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 13 (8) Adam had created another axehead which was of acceptable quality. This one, too, would be enchanted as one of the first weapons for the Guards. It was only then that he realised that he should probably enchant other weapons first in order to fund his project. ¡°God damn it.¡± For a moment, he thought about enchanting the weapons he made to auction them off. ¡®No. They¡¯d be able to trace it back to me.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m that stupid.¡¯ He stared at the axehead. ¡®No, I definitely can believe it.¡¯ Omen: 13, 19 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 7 (1) Omen: 13, 19 -> 13 19 + 6 = 25 A Wolf almost tore into the villager, who had tried to push away the beast with his spear. However, he was too old, and his muscles would not move the way he wanted. Lightning flashed, and an even older man appeared, laughing with such joy, that he may have been a little boy. ¡°It seems you need some help,¡± the stranger said. ¡°I¡¯ve come just in time?¡± He raised a hand, and shooting out from his finger tips came countless bolts of lightning, which flooded the area and killed off dozens of creatures. The lightning arced, bouncing from creature to creature, causing them to wail in pain. ¡°Wh-what are you?¡± the old man gasped, staring up at the handsome fellow, who looked between thirty and a hundred at all times. ¡°I¡¯m just an old man,¡± he said. Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 19 (14) Omen: 5, 7 With the lack of a decent Omen, Adam spent the day training with the others, playing with the children, and reading to them. This was how he would spend Nightval. Forging. Training. Playing with the children. Assisting the Iyr. ¡°Adam,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Should you not also play with Sky?¡± ¡°Sky?¡± Adam said. ¡®Who the hell is...¡¯ ¡°Oh! Sky!¡± Adam had completely forgotten about his mount, the Awakened Wolf. ¡®Right. I should do that too.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Whose this old man shooting lightning and having fun? I''m sure we won''t be seeing much more of him... 293. Mistakes Made 293. Mistakes Made Upon Sonarot¡¯s reminder, Adam rode Sky that day. The Awakened Wolf was scampering around the Iyr, with Adam brushing the wolf¡¯s fur. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about the Iyr and the Iyrmen. ¡®They¡¯ve taken such good care of Sky.¡¯ Sky had been relaxing in the Iyr, running around the fields as he pleased, eating the slain creatures which the Iyrmen had brought for him. Many of them did it in order to say they had fed the Awakened Wolf, with many children coming to throw meat up for him to snatch up. ¡®It¡¯s not just Sky though...¡¯ Adam sighed, thinking about how well the Iyrmen had treated him and his companions. They had provided a place for them to sleep, and had given them all food without complaint. They were Guests, who sometimes assisted around the Iyr in order to deal with the guilt of being treated so well, but it was not a requirement they assist. Adam closed his eyes, feeling the rays of the sun fall down on him as he rode his mount. ¡®They really have been so nice to me, and I¡¯m being such a little shit to them.¡¯ He sighed, slumping down on Sky. ¡°Boss, are you okay?¡± Sky asked, noting how Adam¡¯s body had shifted. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Adam brought the wolf back to the estate, where Lanarot spotted the mass of white, and then crawled over towards him. She grabbed at his fur and stood, looking up at the wolf, before then laying down against his softness, gently swaying as the wolf breathed. ¡°Don¡¯t bully him too much,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair, before seeing the Guests, who were sitting with White¡¯s Grace, exchanging stories. Adam let out another sigh, before approaching them. ¡°Vonda, Dunes, can I have a word?¡± The pair of Priests followed him to the corner, where he sat down, resting against the stone house. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Dunes replied, unsure as to why Adam thought that. There were plenty of reasons, of course. ¡°I¡¯ve been acting up against the Iyr, and I think that¡¯s rather rude of me, right?¡± Adam asked, looking up at them. ¡°You act the way you do, and I do not believe the Iyrmen take it to heart,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they take it to heart,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s the fact that I act up which is a problem. What will people say, eh? That my mother didn¡¯t raise me well? That the Half Elf Nephew of the Rot family is such a little shit? It¡¯ll look bad on my Aunt, and she¡¯s been such a star.¡± Adam rubbed his eyes with his wrists. ¡°So you have called us here because you do not wish to act like a little... shit?¡± Vonda said, tentatively. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°I called you two here because I think you two can help me with my greatest of worries. Well, not greatest, but we can¡¯t really deal with that threat yet, so this is my current greatest worry.¡± Adam recalled the eldritch threat from the previous world, though it hadn¡¯t seemed to emerge yet. ¡°Well, there¡¯s also Freja, but that¡¯s for another time, when I¡¯m stronger. Right, then there¡¯s also Mara, but again, for another time when I¡¯m stronger.¡± The pair let Adam ramble as he pleased, understanding that Adam needed to get it off his chest. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need your help. I need you to pull the reins when I¡¯m being too stupid, or rude, especially with the Iyrmen. I¡¯ve already tried to stop myself, but I keep forgetting. It¡¯s not just that I keep forgetting, I just...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just the kind of guy who doesn¡¯t take many things seriously.¡± ¡°Yes you do,¡± Vonda said. ¡°You take many things seriously.¡± ¡°Sure, but, you know,¡± Adam said, staring up at her. ¡°I need to take more things seriously.¡± ¡°I understand, Adam,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I will help you.¡± ¡°Thank the good Lady,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I thought you¡¯d get me killed.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°If I was going to get you killed, I¡¯d do it in a fun way at least.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± she said. ¡°Have you lied to me?¡± ¡°Probably, but I doubt it. I say stupid things all the time, but they¡¯re always true.¡± Adam stared up at the sky, which looked different during Twilight Month. There was something off about it, though Adam couldn¡¯t quite place it. The sky was the same, but different. ¡°We killed that Blue Dragon pretty easily, huh?¡± Adam said. ¡°It didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Lucy nodded. ¡°That was a Young Blue Dragon, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah. A Young Blue Dragon.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°An Adult Dragon is so much more powerful.¡± ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡± Lucy said. ¡°Technically, we could probably do it now,¡± Adam said. ¡°If we take everyone there, we might be able to slay one.¡± ¡°How many of us will survive?¡± Lucy asked. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°No idea. Which is why I don¡¯t want to rush, even though Mara, and you, are hurting.¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m hurting?¡± Lucy grumbled. Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of work to do next year. We¡¯ll be kicking it during dawnval, but we¡¯ll probably go and beat up some skeletons. Then we¡¯ll head back, wait for Lanarot¡¯s birthday. Once that¡¯s done, we¡¯ll do Vonda¡¯s quest, and after that, we¡¯ll hunt whatever we need to in order to grow stronger. Four whole months of adventuring and questing.¡± ¡°That noonval tournament seems like fun,¡± she said. ¡°Do you want to go?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You and Jurot probably could go.¡± ¡°Yeah, but...¡± Lucy shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It won¡¯t be that fun.¡± ¡°There will be a ton of hunks, right?¡± Lucy narrowed her eyes. ¡°Yeah, there should be a lot of hunks. There won¡¯t be as many hunks as in the Iyr, though.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°No, probably not. Plus, with it being the noonval festival, the Iyrmen won¡¯t be wearing much.¡± Lucy smiled, nodding her head slowly. ¡°Oh yeah.¡± She spoke breathlessly, doing her best not to cackle with hunk lust. ¡°Okay, no, you should definitely go to the tournament,¡± Adam said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lucy growled. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely return back here! I won¡¯t let all the hunky Iyrmen escape me!¡± Adam wondered if he had reignited something within her. ¡®Mistakes have been made.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Mistakes, truly, have been made. 294. Should Have Kept Adventuring 294. Should Have Kept Adventuring Omen: 1, 13 ¡®Well, I guess I¡¯m not smithing today,¡¯ Adam thought, looking at his luck. He trained lightly in the morning, as he always did, though wondered if he should increase the workout. Nightval had taken a toll on his body, and he had gained a little weight. ¡®Aren¡¯t Elves meant to be lean and trim?¡¯ Adam bit into the fresh bread, staring down at it. ¡®So. It was you.¡¯ He chewed it slowly, unable to resist the fresh warmth of the pillowy bread. He held it out to his sister, who stared at it for a moment, before leaning in to bite it. ¡°What a good little sister you are,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can help me with my diet.¡± Lanarot did not respond, too busy trying to push more bread into her mouth, concentrating on eating. With his lack of good luck, Adam made his way out with Shikan, who took Adam to assist the Iyr. They made their way to a nearby warehouse, which held several rickshaws nearby, and were beginning to be filled with sacks full of grain. ¡°Right, it¡¯s dawnval soon,¡± Adam said. ¡°Will there be much planting?¡± ¡°We are working the soil now,¡± Shikan replied. ¡°Towards the end of the month we will work the soil, planting whatever we need for the next year.¡± Adam assisted the Iyrmen, pushing a rickshaw away, following Shikan as they went around to hand out the sacks of grain to the various shared estates. ¡°Will we be heading into the family estates?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Shikan replied. ¡°They were already dealt with earlier this month.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°So the shared family estates receive the food after?¡± ¡°It is usually the main family estates which receive whatever they require first, and the shared family estates last,¡± Shikan said. ¡°If they are lacking in food or other items, they may acquire them from the main family estates.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°These rickshaws make the work so much easier.¡± Adam recalled how last time they had walked around with this huge leather contraption which assisted them in holding all the sacks. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we have...¡± Adam then remembered who it was that brought these contraptions to the Iyr. ¡®Damn! I¡¯m so smart.¡¯ Shikan wondered if Adam had forgotten that he was the one to bring rickshaws into the Iyr. ¡®No doubt he had forgotten.¡¯ Shikan was fairly certain Adam was like that. He had forgotten so many things, like how he had brought back so much to the Iyr, from pelts to souvenirs. ¡®Is it because his little sister is always on his mind?¡¯ Adam continued moving about, from estate to estate, meeting and greeting all kinds of Iyrmen. ¡°It is good to see you again,¡± Dargon said, greeting Adam by shaking his forearm. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Not that long,¡± Dargon replied. ¡°You had enchanted that greatsword.¡± ¡°Oh, right, right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I hope it¡¯s useful.¡± ¡°We shall see once my cousin returns,¡± Dargon said, assisting with moving the heavy sacks. ¡°How are you enjoying the Iyr? It has been almost a year, yes?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°About a year, I think? It¡¯ll be a year this time next month or so. I think it¡¯s been fun, mostly. Sometimes I¡¯ve been having a minor issue, you know, with the whole Great Elders not liking me and everything, and some of the older people of the Iyr not liking me neither, but it¡¯s been pretty great.¡± ¡°Do not mind them, those old Iyrmen are just angry that they were not able to claim you. The Great Elders, well, I believe they like you. Mostly.¡± ¡°You may tell them now,¡± Shikan said. ¡°I will continue as there is little left to do today.¡± Adam looked to Shikan, his eyes blank. ¡®Why would you do this to me?¡¯ ¡°Then it is settled,¡± Dargon said, before calling for the children. All of them had been nearby, staring at the Half Elf who had slain a Dragon and had given them each multiple scales. Performance Check D20 + 5 = 24 (19) So Adam spoke the tale to the children, who were all listening intently. He mentioned how he had first went to collect a young man by the name of Nobby, whose muscles had even seduced Jurot, son of Surot. They were excited to hear about the White Wolves, the Nightval Bear, and the Awakened Wolf, who they had seen around the Iyr. They clapped their hands upon hearing about his dealing with the Knight. Upon mentioning Lord Stokmar, Adam waited for the applause, but nothing came. ¡°Lord Stokmar?¡± Dargon asked, noting the story had paused. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°He was created by the Salt Mother, and he had a large part to play after the Aswadian Empire took over South Fort. It was during the Time of Two Shens.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Dargon said. ¡°Yes, that Lord Stokmar?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°You are sure?¡± ¡°Jurot was,¡± Adam said. ¡°Plus, after what I saw, yeah, I¡¯m pretty sure it was the real one.¡± ¡°Strong?¡± a child asked. ¡°Very.¡± ¡°Then I will slay him,¡± the child said. ¡°Lord Stokmar is not for slaying,¡± Dargon reprimanded. ¡°We must respect him.¡± ¡°Then I will respect him,¡± the child said. ¡®The Iyrmen children are so adorable.¡¯ Adam smiled. ¡°Anyway, we met Lord Stokmar and...¡± Adam continued with his story, which welcomed applause after applause as he mentioned such great feats. Sir Merry and Sir Royce, including Jurot¡¯s fight. The Silver Strider and the Twilight Fox. ¡®So much happened in that one month,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I should have kept adventuring.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! He should have kept adventuring to get that sweet, sweet XP! 295. Deadlifts 295. Deadlifts Omen: 2, 2 ¡°What are you doing?¡± Dunes asked, watching as Adam pushed himself up from the ground, only to go back down to nearly laying down. ¡°Push ups,¡± Adam replied, inhaling, pushing himself up, exhaling, dropping back down again to inhale. Once he was done with his third set of twenty push ups, he stood up, grabbed a sack full of wooden blocks which had been saved for heating homes, before squatting, also twenty times. The others hadn¡¯t seen Adam seriously train before, but this was certainly new to them. They hadn¡¯t seen the kind of training Adam was doing, which began with a ten minute run, followed by some light stretching, before he moved to whatever he was doing now. ¡®I should make dumbbells,¡¯ Adam thought, finishing the five sets of twenty push ups and squats. He walked around the courtyard for a short while, before he wrapped some rope around the sack, and pulled the sack up. ¡°What are you doing now?¡± ¡°Deadlifts,¡± Adam replied, trying to keep himself from arching his upper back too much. ¡®When I first came to this world, I was pretty strong, and I looked like a freaking God of War, and now I look like the God of Pubs.¡¯ Adam finished the routine, which he¡¯d need to change sooner or later once he had figured out how to make dumbbells in this world. ¡°What¡¯s with the funny looking movements?¡± Lucy asked, having joined them for breakfast. She had decided to spend more time with the others, even though Dunes and Jonn didn¡¯t like her much still. ¡°These funny looking movements are going to make me stronger,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, less weaker, when I try and lose weight.¡± ¡®I wonder if my stats will change much?¡¯ ¡°They look stupid,¡± Lucy said. ¡°So they have something in common with your face then?¡± Adam replied. Health: 65 -> 60 Adam rubbed his arm where she had struck him, but remained smiling at her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t hit your friends.¡± ¡°Hit me back if you don¡¯t like it,¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll get cancelled.¡± ¡°Cancelled?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have to take responsibility for my own actions,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t be doing that.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Lucy said. ¡°If I punch you, you should be thankful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thankful that you¡¯re training so much so I don¡¯t have to deal with you,¡± Adam said, this time picking up Lanarot, cutting off Lucy¡¯s punches. ¡°Just what I get for coming and showing my beautiful face,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I¡¯m wasted on you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You, an idiot, are bringing dumb bells into the Iyr!¡± Lucy kept howling with laughter, almost crying as she did. ¡®I need to make a magical weapon which allows me to backhand people freely,¡¯ Adam thought, his fingers twitching. ¡°Anyway...¡± ¡®Wait. Idiot. Dumb. Bells.¡¯ Adam chuckled slightly, before quickly stopping himself. ¡°Anyway. Dumbbells are weights that one can hold to train themselves. I¡¯ll sketch out what I¡¯m talking about and I¡¯ll show you what I mean.¡± ¡®If it is Adam, it must be something good,¡¯ Sonarot thought, and Shikan held a similar thought. Once they had finished eating, Adam feeding his bread to his little sister, he sketched out what they were, before picking up a sack. ¡°See this, right? It¡¯s difficult to hold, so you can¡¯t really move it the way you want to because it¡¯s a little unwieldy, right?¡± Adam then placed it down, before grabbing an axe. ¡°See how the axe has a head? This is actually pretty good for lifting, but it¡¯s a little too light, and it¡¯s only heavy on one side.¡± Shikan nodded. ¡°I usually train my body by swinging my sword.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s pretty dangerous, and it isn¡¯t that efficient for increasing your actual strength,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If you had dumbbells, you could introduce new movements you couldn¡¯t before, and you can track your progress through the amount of times you can lift, and the amount of weight you can lift.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should go too in depth about them, especially since he only knew the basics of weight lifting. ¡°You should speak with Elder Zijin,¡± Shikan said. ¡°He will be able to assist with this matter.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s what I¡¯m doing today,¡± Adam said. ¡®If I can introduce dumbbells, then it would be easier to gain muscle. They probably have their own ways, including with the rocks, but they could be used to help achieve a fairly basic standard.¡¯ That¡¯s when it hit Adam. ¡®I could use them for training people too.¡¯ Adam quickly made his way to find Elder Zijin, taking with him a stylus and some paper so he could sketch everything for the Elder. ¡°Dumbbells?¡± Zijin asked, rubbing his chin. He stared down at the sketches Adam had brought him. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re called dumbbells, but I don¡¯t mind changing the name since the etymology might not make sense here.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. After explaining the general concept, he worked with the Elder to design the dumbbells, sketching out a design he had seen using concrete poured into blocks. ¡°I will bring this to the attention of the Great Elders,¡± Zijin said, eyeing up the designs. The Iyrmen usually used sacks and rocks, and their own bodyweight to train usually, but this seemed interesting. ¡°You say they are useful for training oneself to become stronger?¡± ¡°Extremely useful, yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°This was how people in my land trained. They were simple and easy to use. There are also kettlebells, which I hear is better for training.¡± Adam sketched out the design for the Elder. ¡°Once they are made, will you show us how they are used, and how your people trained with them?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are probably other things I could mention and introduce to the Iyr, but I can¡¯t really think of anything which is as feasible, or as useful, as the few things I¡¯ve already brought.¡± ¡°The rickshaws are useful,¡± Zijin stated. ¡°The pizza is delicious as well.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Adam waved and retreated. ¡®Should I use this month to invent things?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Adam the Chaos Inventor? 296. Sketches Of Life 296. Sketches Of Life Omen: 1, 13 ¡°Oof,¡± Adam said, pushing his sister up with his stomach as he breathed heavily. Lanarot lay on top of his chest, swaying with each breath. She babbled quietly, before getting up on all fours, staring down at him. She smiled, giggled, and then lay back down on his front, babbling all the while. ¡°Yeah? You don¡¯t say.¡± Adam brushed her hair with a hand. He had trained in the morning lightly, not quite as hard as the day before, and had assisted Nobby with his training. After his bath, he relaxed with Lanarot, who had chosen to lay on him and babbled to him about her worries. Since he had time that day, he decided to spend it with the children. He had been tasked with looking after them, including making sure they were eating and drinking appropriately throughout the day. He played Warriors and Wanderers with the children, all the while Naqokan was looking after Lanarot, along with the other teens. ¡°You are serious about this?¡± Laygak asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, holding Lanarot¡¯s hands as the girl stood, squatting every so often. Naqokan was spending more time with the children recently, understanding her true role as an Iyrman. During their game of Warriors and Wanderers, the group had regrouped and had formed a plan to find the other characters which were missing. However, as they went to follow the tracks they had found, they were beset by a great beast, a Chimera, which had slain half the party, and the other half retreated. ¡°Does anyone want to play a Mage?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I will play,¡± Katool said. ¡°I will know magic.¡± ¡°You cannot know magic,¡± Raygak said. ¡°You are an Ool.¡± ¡°If Katool wants to know magic in the game, she is allowed to,¡± Adam said, bringing her a sheet, writing down a few spells for her. ¡°I know magic, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with it, is there?¡± ¡°No...¡± Raygak replied, awkwardly. Regrouping with new travellers they had found, those played by the children whose characters had died, they continued to find the nearby sage, who may be able to assist them. With the game done, the children each rolled dice to see who would be able to offer a story next, though those who had already chosen a story were not allowed to roll. During the evening, Lady Elowen and the others came to eat dinner with Adam and the others. ¡°It has become so lively,¡± Tizgak said. ¡°I did not expect that our families would receive so many visitors after Jurot began his adventures.¡± ¡°We have such honoured Guests,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°A Priest of Wahtu, a Priest of Mahtu.¡± ¡°A Princess,¡± Kaygak added, looking at the young girl as she showed Adam the piece of meat in her hand, before eating it. ¡°We came for Adam,¡± Lady Elowen said. ¡°He had invited us to stay in the Iyr.¡± ¡°We will always welcome those who have been invited by my Nephew,¡± Sonarot assured. The other families did not have quite so many Guests as they did, and so the adult Iyrmen had to speak with the other families, answering their questions and updating them on the Guests who had arrived. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to remind Lanarot that she isn¡¯t allowed to take it outside.¡± ¡°Then I see no reason to refuse,¡± Elowen said. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°You hear that, Lanababy? Alright. Should I have Vonda come here, or do you want to hang out with us?¡± ¡°We will come,¡± Elowen said, watching Adam lead the way back. ¡®Cute,¡¯ she thought. ¡®That is a word for Adam too.¡¯ Omen: 10, 16 With a decent Omen, Adam decided against working out too hard that day. He reduced his training to half, which was his training for the days in between his heavy training. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Omen: 10, 16 -> 10 16 + 6 = 22 Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 6 = 13 (7) Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Adam had decided to forge a longsword that day, since they were the most popular weapons which were bought. It was a fairly typical longsword, with a basic design. The handle was wrapped around with leather around the metal, and the guard was slightly curved upwards. He plucked a thread of Fate, allowing Jurot a moment of respite against the onslaught he was receiving, in order to forge the weapon to a decent quality. ¡®I should figure out an actual stamp for my smithing,¡¯ Adam thought. He had made most of his weapons without a stamp, not wanting the weapons to be traced back to him just in case. ¡°You are no longer making axes?¡± Zijin asked, having approached after seeing the Half Elf was staring at the newly forged sword with a deep, tired gaze. ¡°I was going to make axes and stuff for the new project I¡¯m working on, only to realise that I need way more money if I actually want to do it properly.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Plus, I need to make weapons for the rest of the group so that they have magical weapons too.¡± Zijin was still not used to Adam¡¯s generosity. ¡°So you are creating weapons to gift?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Have you prepared Turot¡¯s gift?¡± ¡°Turot¡¯s gift?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is Turot¡¯s birthday soon.¡± ¡°Soon? How soon?¡± Adam asked, surprised. He hadn¡¯t heard about Turot¡¯s birthday. ¡°It is the fifteenth,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, sighing with relief. ¡°Thankfully it¡¯s only the...¡± ¡®Hold up.¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t it the thirteenth today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°Oh, shi-¡° Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! What a terrible cousin Adam is... 297. Turot’s Birthday 297. Turot¡¯s Birthday ¡°What is wrong?¡± Sonarot asked, seeing the look of worry on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°I heard that it was Turot¡¯s birthday in a couple of days,¡± Adam replied, staring at Sonarot with an accusatory look. ¡°You did not know?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I should really get a list of all the birthdays of all the children so I don¡¯t go through this again.¡± ¡°I will write you the list,¡± Sonarot assured. ¡°If I roll well in the morning tomorrow I¡¯ll make him a nice axe,¡± Adam said. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll give him my really nice axe I forged the other day.¡± ¡°I am certain he will be happy with any gift you give to him, Adam.¡± Omen: 17, 19 ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered as he awoke. He trained lightly once more, bathing in the cold river to shock himself even further away. After feeding his sister and the Princess his bread, he was ready to forge. ¡°He seems excited today,¡± Vonda said, surprised to see Adam so eager for the day. ¡°It must be because of his sister,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It is because it is Turot¡¯s birthday tomorrow,¡± Sonarot informed the pair. ¡°Close enough,¡± Dunes said, smiling. ¡°Elder Zijin!¡± Adam exclaimed, waving at the Elder as he charged towards the warehouse. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am going to make a great axe today, so I need some really nice materials,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need the wood and the metal which Phantom was made out of.¡± ¡°Are you going to make a second Phantom?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m-¡° Adam quickly silenced himself, realising how it could have been construed. ¡°I intend to create a weapon that looks just like Phantom for Turot.¡± Zijin sighed, noting how guarded Adam had become around him. ¡°Will you enchant it?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Adam said. ¡°I promised to enchant weapons for all the, I mean, the children that I¡¯m around most of the time.¡± Since Adam was speaking to an Elder, someone who would report to the Great Elders, Adam needed to make sure he played the game well. Since the Great Elders had decided to force some distance between them, Adam needed to keep the distance, otherwise it would only cause more issues. ¡°They are great materials, but I can offer them to you, under certain conditions.¡± ¡°Which conditions?¡± ¡°You will forge a greatsword for me, one which you will enchant with a greater enchantment.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®That¡¯s quite the price. Are you trying to create some distance too?¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡°As long as you provide the materials for the forging and the enchanting. I¡¯ll make it eventually, when I have the time.¡± Zijin wondered why Adam was frowning. ¡®This is still a good deal, is it not?¡¯ It was after a long moment of silence that he spoke again. ¡°How much will the enchanting of the greatsword cost?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°How much will you charge?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Oh.¡¯ He had thought that the Elder had wanted him to create one for him for free. ¡°Uh. I don¡¯t know. A fair price?¡± ¡°Will you teach us how to make it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± There were a handful of fights, though Adam didn¡¯t participate, instead looking after his little sister. Nobby was being swarmed by the children, who admired how huge he was. Jonn fought for entertainment, taking the chance to have some fun with the Iyrmen, and Dunes did the same. Adam noted there were more Rot family members he hadn¡¯t seen before, including a little baby who seemed to have been born after Lanarot. Once the gifts had been given, with Turot looking at Adam expectantly, Sonarot called for them to get ready to leave. ¡°Where is your gift?¡± Jarot asked. He wondered if he should mention that matter, but decided against it, since it was Turot''s birthday. ¡°I can¡¯t give it just yet,¡± Eventually, after eating plenty of pizza, Adam returned with the rest of the Guests back to the shared family estate, where the children had brought their gifts for Turot. Taygak brought a small cup, which was quite uneven. ¡°Turot, here,¡± she said, handing the cup over to him. Turot embraced her. ¡°Thank you, Taygak.¡± Taygak pat his head and kissed his forehead, and this was repeated several times with each child. The younger children gave drawings or pieces of precious cloth to the boy. Adam basked in the wholesomeness of the children as they gave their gifts and embraced one another. ¡®Can these children get any cuter?¡¯ ¡°Laygak,¡± Adam eventually called, and Laygak replied with a nod. The pair walked over to Turot, Adam holding out the box, opening it for the boy. Turot took the axe, which surprised him at first, feeling how heavy it was. ¡°This is for me?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°I made it look like your grandfather¡¯s axe. Laygak made the handle, and what a great job he did.¡± ¡°It looks just like Phantom,¡± Turot said. ¡°One day I¡¯ll enchant it, and when you¡¯re strong enough, you can use it to slay all kinds of creatures,¡± Adam said, patting the boy¡¯s head. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam,¡± Turot said, placing the axe back, before hugging Adam¡¯s leg. Adam pet his head, smiling. ¡°Of course, little Turot.¡± ¡°I am not so little any more,¡± Turot said. ¡°I am seven.¡± ¡°How big you¡¯ve become,¡± Adam said, picking the boy up. ¡°So big. One day I will not be able to lift you.¡± Turot huffed with a smile, before Adam placed him down. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Laygak,¡± Turot said, hugging the Devilkin. ¡°I told you,¡± Jogak said to Lavgak and Kaygak. ¡°He did not forget.¡± Kaygak was sure that Adam was going to give the gift without Laygak, who had formed half of it. ¡®I do not mind losing this gold.¡¯ Adam stared at the children as they sat about and chatted with one another. One day these children would be all grown up, and they would not come to him for play. They would not come to him with small matters which are inconsequential. They will go out and fight. They will get married. They will have their own children. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I¡¯ll have to make sure they can enjoy themselves until then.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Wholesome chapters? There''s definitely more wholesome chapters ahead. Right? No action soon. Right? I wanted to show you all all the madness in the story but I''m not writing enough. Why didn''t I name myself WordBot instead? 298. Remembering That Thing 298. Remembering That Thing Omen: 5, 14 Adam spent the next day assisting Shikan in the Iyr, going off to chop down twilight trees. He followed the Iyrmen to a secretive area within the Iyr, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he was heading towards the stormwood or somewhere else entirely. Twilight wood was nothing like stormwood, which had required him to cut it with a sawing motion using a specific axe. Twilight wood was much larger, easily twice as thick as he was tall. It was dark on the outside, and darker on the inside, requiring him to cut into the wood where others had cut into the previous days. ¡°It requires almost the entire month to cut down a tree," Shikan said. ¡°We only cut the trees which are older than fifty years old.¡± Adam spotted a large number of twilight wood around him, sprinkled between other types of wood. There were easily hundreds of twilight wood trees around him, and thousands of other trees. Only three trees were being cut down that month, all of which were twilight wood. Constitution Save D20 + 5 = 10 (5) Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Sonarot threw Shikan a glare, as Adam would normally return quite exhausted whenever he left with the Iyrman. Fortunately, Adam was also quite eager to work, so it did not matter that he was exhausted. Omen: 3, 19 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 16 (10) Omen: 3, 19 -> 3 19 + 6 = 25Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com plucked a thread of Fate, which had caused great misfortune for the young urchin boy, who had barely survived his first nightval on the street. Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 15 (10) ¡®I need to make more,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Once I have a few swords that I enchant, I should be able to do so much more.¡¯ Omen: 12, 18 ¡°Are you going to smith again?¡± Sonarot asked early in the morning. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, stretching his body. ¡°I¡¯ve got pretty good luck today.¡± ¡°Make sure you eat well in the morning,¡± Sonarot said, seeing the difference from his diet already. ¡°I¡¯ll eat well in the evening. I don¡¯t want to upset my stomach. Just thinking about hard work makes me feel sick.¡± Adam chuckled. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 23 (17) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 10 (5) Though he could have plucked a thread of Fate, Adam decided against it. ¡®No point in using my Omen when it¡¯s only for one point. It might be dangerous to use it willy nilly like that.¡¯ ¡°You will waste away,¡± Sonarot said, placing down a large bowl of soup for him. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Adam assured her, sipping the soup, before dipping some bread into it. He was fairly certain that Sonarot wouldn¡¯t be having any nonsense that day, so he made sure to eat properly. ¡®Since I¡¯m spending so much time smithing, it should be okay.¡¯ Omen: 12, 20 ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, smiling. Sonarot smiled too. ¡°Elder Zijin is.¡± Sonarot furrowed her brows, confused. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called, approaching the Elder after breakfast. Adam spent the day with the children, playing their games, reading their stories, and playing Warriors and Wanderers. Lanarot played beside Adam quietly, but would sometimes crawl over to climb onto him. Adam cuddled her to his chest in one arm, while playing Warriors and Wanderers with the other, all the while the girl rested against his shoulder as she sucked her thumb. There was a moment when Adam frozen, feeling a chill run up his spine. It was during that moment of blissfulness that Adam remembered. ¡°Cousin Adam?¡± Turot called, noting how Adam had zoned out. ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Adam said, before rolling to see whether or not Turot¡¯s character would die. ¡°Turot, you easily manage to deflect his blow with your shield.¡± Turot smiled. ¡°Yes,¡± the boy said. Once it was evening, and the children were back with their parents, Turot stayed with Sonarot and Adam, as he had for some time. Sonarot was knitting beside the young boy, who was reading a book. Adam held Lanarot in his arms, letting her cuddle up to her. He stared out the window, towards the courtyard, but looking past it. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought. There were a great many threats to his idyllic life in the Iyr. The fact he was weird. The fact he was a Half Elf. The fact that he had been killed several times before, and there was a missing God who was unaccounted for. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®There are two Gods. Bandlor and Belle.¡¯ There was also something else unaccounted for. Adam closed his eyes, recalling the dream, the illusion he had experienced from that Eldritch being in his previous life. It had been quite the mess of a dream. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a dream.¡¯ Even now, he had not dreamt since he had died the first time. ¡®Right. That was when I first saw Entalia as a Dragon.¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sonarot asked, seeing that Adam had been frozen at the window for some time, letting in the cold air. Adam lifted up the wooden block, pushing it into the window slow, which was slightly tilted downward, and was carved in a way so that the block would rest into the hole one it was placed. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Sonarot asked. Lanarot reached up and grabbed Adam¡¯s beard to grab his attention, yawning as she did. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot babbled quietly, before pointing down to her blanket, groaning as she wanted to sleep. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Adam said, placing her down, dropping down beside her. ¡°Go to sleep, little Lanababy.¡± Lanarot replied with some accusatory noises, grabbing his hand, before yawning once more. ¡°Come, Turot, it is time for sleep,¡± Sonarot said. Turot finished the sentence, before putting the book away. ¡°Aunt,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We need to be careful.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°In case that thing comes back.¡± Sonarot bowed her head slowly, recalling the story he had told. ¡°This world is far more dangerous than the world you had come from.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hopefully that¡¯ll scare it away, but...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure. ¡®I should create an army to deal with it. No, wait. Who has a greater army than the Iyr?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! United States of the Iyr vs Octopus confirmed? 299. Sombre Adam 299. Sombre Adam Adam was quieter than before, lost in his thoughts about the unknown threat which had yet to emerge. He was taken to assist with farming, planting seeds across a large field, which had been split off into many different sections. He dug into the earth, placed down the seed, before covering it with the soil. He repeated this hundreds of times throughout he day, glad that the task as so simple, so he could focus on his thoughts. ¡®Belle and Bandlor are missing. Lady Arya¡¯s taken over Bandlor¡¯s role, and I have some Lord of Chaos and Order, meaning Belle was probably both the God of Order and Chaos then. That Lord of Order hates me too, so I need to deal with him and his Champion if we ever come across one another.¡¯ Adam sighed, looking up towards the sky during a break. ¡®Then there¡¯s Galahad and the big boy Eldritch guy.¡¯ Adam closed his eyes. ¡®I need to be so strong that I can cut a mountain in half.¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Shikan asked, noting the look on Adam¡¯s face. Like Sonarot, he had also become used to the faces Adam made in thought. ¡°Is there anyone who can cut a mountain in half?¡± Adam asked, casually. ¡°Lord Stokmar would be able to,¡± Shikan replied. ¡°Then I have be as strong as Lord Stokmar,¡± Adam said, returning back to planting. Shikan stared at the Half Elf. ¡®No. It is no longer surprising.¡¯ Adam always said dangerous things, and Shikan was certain he did not mean it in a way which threatened the Iyr, which was surrounded by mountains. ¡®I will still need to inform Elder Zijin.¡¯ The children also noticed that he was out of it. Even the next day, when he was playing with the children, they could see how he spaced out constantly. ¡°Cousin Adam, are you okay?¡± Turot asked, approaching him as the group of children looked to the boy for guidance, since he was Adam¡¯s Cousin. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, Turot,¡± Adam replied, trying to shake the terrible thoughts of his mind. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Turot stared up at Adam, curious and innocent, like a child. Iyrmen or not, he was still a boy. ¡°Stuff,¡± Adam said, patting Turot¡¯s head, gently ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Things you shouldn¡¯t worry about.¡± ¡°Cousin Adam, you are strong,¡± Turot reassured. ¡°You do not need to worry.¡± ¡°Am I strong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can I beat your grandfather?¡± ¡°No?¡± Turot replied, with the slightest amount of uncertainty. Turot figured that Adam, given the right circumstances, could beat his grandfather. ¡°Then how can I call myself strong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I need to be so strong that no one can beat me.¡± ¡°Unrivalled Under The Heavens,¡± Turot said, nodding his head. Adam tried not to take any cringe damage from what Turot had said, wincing from the name. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, groaning quietly. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡®Why did I ever mention something so terrible?¡¯ ¡°Adam strong,¡± Taygak reassured, patting Adam¡¯s back. Seeing that the oldest was reassuring Adam, the other children quickly followed suit, patting his back and telling him he was strong. Adam chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but laugh as the children came to him, making sure he was alright. ¡°Let¡¯s keep playing.¡± The group continued to play Warriors and Wanderers, Adam leaving the thoughts out of mind during the game. During the evening, Adam tried to plan out the next few weapons he needed to make. ¡®Longswords, obviously, but don¡¯t I need to make another weapon? Oh! Right!¡¯ Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 18 (12) Omen: 3, 19 -> 3 19 + 5 = 25 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 26 (20) Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 12 (6) Omen: 8, 17 -> 8 17 + 6 = 23 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 17 (11) Omen: 14, 19 -> 14 19 + 6 = 25 A mace, followed by three longswords, each for enchanting. He was still dieting, eating little to no bread, though he noted he was losing far too quickly, so increased the portions of his meals slightly. It was the Rot family¡¯s turn to cook during the last week of the month, so he tried his best not to refuse the food. ¡®I¡¯m running out of money,¡¯ Adam thought, looking at the last longsword he had made. None of them were made out of basic materials, in order to give them a premium feel though they would be enchanted. Dunes placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°There are things we can do. We can live. We can laugh. We can love.¡± Adam threw a queer look to Dunes. ¡®Did he really just live laugh love me?¡¯ ¡°If there are threats that only the Gods can handle, then we must leave it to them,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Yeah, but if it appears, then there are threats which we can handle, if we¡¯re prepared for it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, if we aren¡¯t united, then we¡¯ll be having a rough time.¡± ¡°We are young,¡± Dunes said, patting his shoulder. ¡°We are barely Experts, Adam, and though we have been training hard, we are still not able to handle threats that even Gods cannot handle.¡± ¡°There are some things we can and should handle.¡± ¡°We will gain our strength over time.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡°This threat, is it that dangerous?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to figure it out, eventually.¡± ¡°We should face threats which are within our range,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. Dunes wondered how much further he should pry. ¡°What is your plan to face them?¡± ¡°Probably the same thing I¡¯ve been doing. Growing stronger, going around gaining allies, making them strong, kitting everyone up with great magical weapons, make some kind of death squad.¡± Adam shrugged. Dunes nodded. ¡°If there is such a threat, you will not face it alone.¡± Adam smiled, patting Dunes¡¯ back. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll be sure to remember I have you crazy guys with me.¡± ¡°I wanted to speak to you about another matter.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I have a friend,¡± Dunes began. ¡®A friend?¡¯ Adam hid his smirk. ¡°Her name is Amira. She¡¯s a Devilkin from Aswadia. From my Order.¡± Dunes paused between each sentence, finding the words resisted coming from his lips. ¡°She is missing. I believe her to be on this land, somewhere. Most likely in the capitals of each region, or the capital itself.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°You need my help in finding her?¡± ¡°I hope you will assist me,¡± Dunes confirmed. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, patting his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll try and help you.¡± ¡°There are very few Devilkin within this land, and almost all of them are slaves. I worry for her, but I have no idea where she may be. She is a decent warrior, though if I compare her to you, I don¡¯t think I can call her decent.¡± ¡°If she¡¯s from your Order, won¡¯t she be safe?¡± ¡°She is not a Priest, like us,¡± he said. ¡°She is a Warrior, and knows no magic beyond that which comes to her naturally.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Then let¡¯s pray that she remains safe.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! The real treasure was the eldritch beings we killed along the way. Tomorrow will be chapter 300, the last chapter of this season. Then there may, or may not, be two chapters, which may, or may not, be really cool. I''m just saying don''t miss the second Interlude. 300. Adam and Lanarot 300. Adam and Lanarot Omen: 6, 7 Adam awoke early that morning. Regardless of what he had rolled, he had planned the day in a particular way, and he was going to follow it through. He trained hard that morning. He ran ten laps around the courtyard, before completing fifty push ups and fifty squats, having Nobby follow him. Once his warm up was complete, he lifted a heavy sack around, completely a full body routine using the weight of the sack, resting as Nobby took the sack to copy him. ¡®I hope they finish the dumbbells soon,¡¯ he thought, finding the sack awkward to manoeuvre. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, finishing his routine. ¡°Good work, Nobby. I¡¯ll see you around, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied, watching as Adam picked up his sister, a pack filled with fresh food and more, and left them. Adam walked around the Iyr, trying to recall where it was. Then he saw it. The domed roof. He approached the building, feeling the warmth radiating from the air. ¡°What are you doing?¡± an Iyrman asked. She was a young Human Iyrman, and she stared at Adam with a suspicious look. ¡°I¡¯m about to take my sister for a bath,¡± Adam said, motioning down to Lanarot, who looked up at the woman. ¡°You must be guided by an Iyrman,¡± she said. ¡°I am,¡± Adam said, motioning down to the girl, who was hiding in his chest. ¡°The child?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lanarot, daughter of Sonarot,¡± Adam said. The young Iyrman stared at Adam, trying to understand what he was saying. ¡°She is your sister?¡± ¡°Yes. Her mother is my Aunt, and her brother is my brother,¡± Adam explained. ¡°I am Adam Fateson, Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Who is your Elder?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re growing up so well, Lanababy.¡± He kept brushing her hair as she ate, causing her to look up at him constantly. He recalled how she had been so small and light not long ago. ¡°Look,¡± Adam said, pointing out towards the Iyr, towards all the buildings ahead. ¡°This is the Iyr. Iyr,¡± he said, wondering if she¡¯d speak back. ¡°This is your home. It¡¯s your papa¡¯s home too, and your mama¡¯s.¡± Lanarot bit into some more bread, before looking up at Adam when he mentioned her mother, before looking around to try and find her. ¡°Look, it¡¯s me, papa,¡± Adam said, rubbing her hair gently, before she returned back to eating her bread, no longer interested as she could not see her mother. ¡°The Iyr will keep you safe, Lanarot.¡± Adam looked down into her eyes, as she looked up at him upon hearing her name. She babbled a question up at him, pointing up before grabbing his beard with her hand, before letting him go. ¡°Yeah, it will.¡± He rested his cheek against her head, before kissing her forehead. ¡°The Iyr will make sure you grow up healthy and happy.¡± Adam looked out to the Iyr again. This was the Iyr, filled with thousands upon thousands of the craziest people he knew. There were times he was more ridiculous than Iyrmen, but he was nowhere near at the level of the Iyrmen Lanarot sipped her water, sighing from how good it was, before babbling quietly. She looked at his bread, seeing how Adam had yet to take a bite, before leaning in to bite it. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°Do you like papa more or do you like bread more?¡± Lanarot chewed the bread happily, sipping some more of her water, before leaning in to take another bite of the soft bread. Adam pulled it away from her, eating some of the bread himself. ¡®It is some good bread.¡¯ ¡°You are going to grow up big and strong, Lanababy. The Iyr will make sure you do so. You¡¯ll grow up, and you can do whatever you like.¡± Adam motioned a hand out in front of him. ¡°If you want to be the Chief, I¡¯ll make sure you become the Chief. If you want to become the Queen of Aldland, I¡¯ll try my best to make sure you¡¯re able to become the Queen.¡± Adam brushed her hair again, as she leaned back and looked up at him, finishing off her salya. The Iyrman in the shadow nearby listening intently to Adam¡¯s words. ¡®He really does speak dangerously.¡¯ ¡°If you want to rule the world, then I¡¯m going to have to inform your mama that you¡¯re an idiot and there¡¯s nothing I can do to help you.¡± Adam kissed her forehead. ¡°If you want to do nothing and just kick it for the rest of your life, I¡¯ll make sure you can do that. No one will be able to force you to do anything, not when I¡¯m your brother.¡± Lanarot giggled in response, sticking some bread into her mouth, chewing it noisily, before laughing up at him, almost choking on the bread. Adam wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a tighter hug. ¡°The Iyr will protect you well. It has so many great warriors, some of them unmatched. If it doesn¡¯t protect you, then I will, no matter what, my little Lanarot. I¡¯ll make sure you grow up well. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you. Not any Human, Dwarf, Devilkin, whatever. No Eldritch bas-¡° Adam cleared his throat, trying not to curse. ¡°No Eldritch baddies either.¡± Lanarot grabbed at his collar and pulled herself up, staring up at his face. She squealed and babbled at him noisily, wanting to play with him now that she had finished her food. Adam bit into the bread, before taking out the sandwich he had made for himself. As Adam brought the sandwich in for a bite, a shadow formed over him. He looked up to see a familiar form, one he hadn¡¯t expected, especially not alone. ¡°What are yo-¡° Lanarot slapped Adam across his cheek, before leaning in to bite into his sandwich. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! Lanarot asserting her dominance. It''s my birthday today so I''m going to be eating some pizza. Tomorrow is a side story, then it''s an interlude with definitely just an old man. Side Story: Twilight Omens Side Story: Twilight Omens A Thread of Fate was plucked. Jurot managed a moment of respite against the onslaught, managing to slide under the Elder Flame Wolf, bringing his shield up as a paw slammed down against it. Thunder rumbled as the Elder Flame Wolf fell back, the thunderous force of Jurot¡¯s magical shield forcing it away from him. The Iyrman hopped onto his feet, gripping his axe tighter in hand. For once, he was not within his rage, having already used his rage earlier in the day to slay the beasts which they had come across. The Elder Flame Wolf glanced back, noting how its allied were falling under the blade of several other Iyrmen, as Jaygak skewered a Flame Wolf, fire enveloping her for only a moment, before she stepped through it, her blade piercing another Flame Wolf. Bloodseeker tore the creature apart with ease, and she cackled in utter glee. ¡°Jurot!¡± Jaygak called, tossing the Flame Wolf aside as Kitool smashed the skull of another with her own staff, which was still keeping track of the Elder Flame Wolf. ¡°I am fine,¡± Jurot said, circling around the Elder Flame Wolf, it keeping pace with him. There were seven other Iyrmen about, each of them killing the remainder of the Flame Wolves, another facing a second Elder Flame Wolf. One Elder Flame Wolf barked, and quickly, the pair of them darted in opposite directions. Jurot abandoned his own, instead following the Elder Flame Wolf which wasn¡¯t under the effects of Kitool¡¯s staff, and the other Iyrmen followed suit. A Thread of Fate was plucked. ¡°We will set up camp here,¡± an older Iyrman said, looking out across the land. He was one of the ten leaders, members of the camp council, an Orcish Iyrman who was in charge of over a hundred Iyrmen, each at least Experts. Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool had been grouped with seven others. Eight martials and two casters, a Priest and a Bloodmage. That was the smallest unit which was formed out of the hundreds of Iyrmen, commonly known as a squad. The ten groups of ten, known as a company, began to form the camp, which required half of the ten groups to dig a pit, and the other half to plant down wooden stakes which would form the walls of the camp. The camp itself was formed atop a small mound, with a forest in the distance, and hills further onward. It required a few hours, and though there were some creatures which bothered them, the Priests, Bloodmages, and two members of each squad stepped out to defend the camp, assisted by the company¡¯s council. The company¡¯s council were all formed formed of the older and more experienced Iyrmen, though none were family members of any Iyrmen which formed part of the ten squads they were overlooking. After a set of minor scuffles, the tents were put up, and the camp was made. Wooden walls around them provided some security, and though the council took refuge within the camp, the most junior member of each squad was set out on watch for an hour shift, to be replace by the next junior member. There were twenty members total which made the council, from the Captains of each squad, typically the most experienced Iyrmen from their squad, to the ten leaders who took command of the entire company. ¡°We will be dealing with any and all creatures which will come from the third week onwards,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said, he who ranked the highest in the entire camp. ¡°We will dig out another metre into the earth, and the pit will be expanded by another five over the course of the next three days.¡± ¡°Jurot!¡± Jaygak shouted, unable to wrestle the giant Amber Python off of her. Fortunately, Kitool was by her side, and the young Iyrman punched the creature, filling it with some of her inner energy, causing it to spasm and freeze, allowing Jaygak to slip free. However, Jaygak wasn¡¯t shouting for her own sake, as the Amber Python, which had flung itself towards the Bloodmage as she was preparing her spell. The magic was flooding through her veins as she summoned forth her magic, holding the diamond in hand. For a moment, there was something cold in her heart as she called the words of magic, her fingers slowly shifting to summon forth the magic. The Amber Python was so close to swallowed her whole when a raging Jurot leapt up and wrapped himself around its head, shutting its mouth and jaw. It flung its head backwards, trying to knock Jurot off, but the Bloodmage closed her fist and the magic formed. A small, ball of magic, almost the shape of her fist, shot forward towards the Amber Python. It was nearly clear, but the air vibrated constantly as it shot towards the creature, slamming it across its front, causing it to spasm, before it crashed against the other Amber Python. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked the Bloodmage he was matched up with. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, simply, sighing in relief as the Iyrman had come just in time to assist. She had been near the camp, and the trio were around to defend her and the Priest. The Amber Pythons had managed to slip through the other Iyrmen and had approached her, but luckily the trio had managed to deal with them. A Thread of Fate was plucked. After the waves and waves of creatures which had come to attack their camps, the Beast Wave was beginning to die down. The last few days of the Beast Wave were usually far simpler, though the Iyrmen remained on guard. As bread was being baked, and the meats of the various creatures they had slain were being roasted and grilled, the leaders had come together in their tent. There were small badges being passed around, each with the patterns of the members of each unit, those who had been chosen for the Vanguard. One kept a hold of the badge in hand, staring down at the pattern. A circle, formed of Iyrman blue, and diamonds, formed of lapis blue. If yesterday he had not thrown himself on the Amber Python, successfully wrestling it to the ground, perhaps his badge wouldn¡¯t be in the Iyrman¡¯s palm at this time. ¡°Have you made your choice?¡± the Orcish Iyrman asked. The one to send as part of the Vanguard was extremely important, but it needed to be finalised today. The Iyrman, rolling the badge in hand, sighed. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! In case you didn''t care too much about the Omens. Interlude: Lamentations Interlude: Lamentations It was a quiet evening on the ocean, the waves daring not to rock and thrash heavily as they usually did, for fear of offending the Dragon Turtle. It was a huge creature, a creature which could have swallowed ships in its large jaws, and even the water which it swam through parted for it politely. The gentle humming from the Dragon Turtle¡¯s back added to the melody of the calm ocean waves as dusk fell across the oceanscape. The stranger on the Dragon Turtle¡¯s back lay against a scale, drinking some wine he had accosted from the great warriors of the Iyr. ¡°What a beautiful evening it is for a brawl,¡± Strom sang. ¡°What a beautiful evening for a fight. Left. Right. Kill, kill, kill.¡± He continued to hum his little song, whistling a tune which was carried on the wind, travelling further away even through the water. ¡®Just stay quiet,¡¯ Urkina thought, having heard through several iterations of the song, as well as many others as the Lord of Storms lay on her back. ¡®Once he arrives within the Black Zone, I can leave.¡¯ The Black Zone. It was a zone within the ocean any living creature with any level of intelligence would avoid. It was home to the greatest of the ocean¡¯s creatures, not including the great Dragon Turtles who held their own zone. The water soon began to shudder, as darkness began to surround the Dragon Turtle, and emerging from the water around Urkina came dozens of Mermen, each riding on their fish mounts. ¡°Great Urkina,¡± called the Captain, who did his best to hide the nervousness which caused his voice to almost tremble. ¡°I am Captain Asvanat, and I kindly ask that you state your business as you swim across the waters of our magnificent Kingdom.¡± ¡°I am merely travelling to the Black Zone,¡± came the response in the watery tongue of the Mermen. ¡°Your presence has caused a commotion,¡± Asvanat informed as politely as he could. ¡°May I ask you to travel around the border of our territory?¡± ¡°You may ask,¡± Urkina said, all the while the humming on her back continued, ¡°but I will refuse.¡± ¡°May I ask who your companion is?¡± the Merman Captain asked, trying to remain calm and collected. If Urkina wanted to, she could easily kill half of them while they tried to retreat. They probably could have wounded her, but that would have been far too costly, and would have led to a terrible war. ¡°You may, but he is not of your concern,¡± Urkina said. ¡°What¡¯s with the hold up?¡± Strom asked, his head pulsing, trying not to fry the Mermen around them. ¡°You children should get going.¡± The Captain remained quiet. There were a few of his men who were shooting shocked looks, some of them annoyed, and some even angry, but the Captain, with his clear head, understood the situation. Here was Urkina, who was a great being, one that they needed to pay respects to. She was someone who had ruled the waves above for generations. Yet, atop her back, drinking and singing, showing even Urkina disrespect, was some random guy. ¡®No,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Not a random guy.¡¯ The Captain cleared his throat. ¡°Very well.¡± He made a motion with his hand, causing the disgruntled Soldiers to retreat, heading back to their outpost to send a message back to the city. Strom raised his hands up, the dark clouds swirling together as the Queen stared up, watching as the light flashed between the cloud. She spun and drilled into the water, trying to flee as quickly as she could. ¡°Where are you running to?¡± Strom shouted, calling forth a slow lightning bolt which trailed towards him. Before he could grab it to turn it into a weapon, a giant shadow formed across him, and something blurred nearby. He spun as he struck the water¡¯s surface, skipping across it as he was pelted aside by a large tentacle. Urkina retreated backwards, not wishing to seem like a threat to the new figures, who waved their tentacle, and caused the lightning to fall down across the older man, though it did little beyond empowering him. ¡°You want to use lightning against me?¡± Strom howled with laughter, lightning falling across him again, wrapping around him and falling to the ocean as he raised up up once, and another tentacle appeared, slamming across his body, causing him to fall into the water, but the lightning continued to gather. Another set of tentacles appeared from the darkness, but he blasted the next set of tentacles which had appeared, though the lightning was mostly ineffective, as he was pelted through the water, towards another creature in the darkness, who slammed him up out of the ocean. Strom spun around, before slowing his speed until he was floating once again. His bones cracked as he stretched his body, the blows having bruised him, but he was not too wounded that he¡¯d retreat from the trio who had come to attack him. ¡°Boy, bring that woman here,¡± Strom called, lightning falling across him to strength him. He was ready to fight, clenching his fists as he readied to beat the tentacles away. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in bullying a bunch of children.¡± Urkina remained far away from the group, not wanting to get involved with the four of them. ¡®No,¡¯ came a voice within Strom¡¯s mind. ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t beat you?¡± Strom asked, cracking his knuckles as the clouds around them began to shift again, melting together as the trio tried to take command, but none could do so from the Lord of Storms. ¡®Mother, dead.¡¯ Strom, held up his arms, readying to drop to fight, but he froze. ¡°Dead?¡± The clouds above calmed, the rushing waves fell still. The last time they had met, they had fought quite harshly, with Strom blaming her for the loss of his precious daughter. ¡®Dead?¡¯ ¡®Dead?¡¯ Urkina thought. ¡®That old beast?¡¯ It was dreadfully frightening to believe she was still alive, and more terrifying to believe she had died. Strom was certain that she hadn¡¯t held it against him, but this was the greatest revenge of all. How could he have not known she had died. ¡®Did you know?¡¯ Strom thought, wondering about one of his last few friends. ¡®Is that why there was an Awakened Forest? Is that why Lord of Earth awoke? Is that why a Great Twilight approached?¡¯ Rain fell across the ocean. The Dragon Turtle retreated away. The three Krakens kept an eye on the still figure, before retreating back to their homes within the Black Zone. ¡°You bitch,¡± Strom whispered. ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± The rain pattered against his already wet face. Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! :( 301. The New Year 301. The New Year Omen: 2, 18 ¡®What a good Omen,¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the numbers. Omen, the one ability which he cherished above all. Though he knew magic, and how to wield any weapon out there, including his fists, it was Omen which had defined so many of his days. Two dice were rolled every time he slept well, each a twenty sided die. Once they were rolled, they were gifted to Adam for him to use as he saw fit. He could replace any roll he made with one of the Omen dice, or he could replace another person¡¯s roll who was nearby. It had allowed him to almost kill an Iyrman outright, something which had caused the Great Elders of the Iyr to ask him to relinquish his great weapon, Phantom. ¡®Phantom, my poor Phantom,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about the axe he had enchanted. It was such a glorious axe, something with a greater bonus, and an enhanced enchantment. A greater bonus, meaning a +2 bonus, plus an enhanced enchantment, which included the charges it had possessed which allowed to him to deal additional damage on a whim, which he usually used on a critical hit. It also allowed him to heal, but he didn¡¯t recall a time he had used the enchantment to heal. It recharged every morning, or when he spent some Mana. ¡®Would she be mad if I went to enchant?¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes slowly moving towards Sonarot, who was smiling at him. Once she caught the look on his face, her face became neutral, though it was more like a frown to Adam. ¡®Yeah, she¡¯ll be mad.¡¯ Adam sighed, causing his chest to fall, and the baby atop him to sink with his breath. He looked down at the top of his sister¡¯s head. Lanarot. Lana, of the Rot family, which was pronounced more like rowing a boat than it was the rot of society like a certain political party from his country. The girl was not related to him by blood, for Adam was no Iyrman. He was the first Half Elf to become a Nephew of the Iyr, which was closer than a Guest, but not so close to consider him a fully fledged Iyrman. She was, however, related to him by Fate. She was still small, though was perhaps chubbier than most babies her age. Adam, who had been dieting, had been stuffing her full of bread any chance he got. He brushed her dark hair away from her forehead, causing her to stir lightly as she sucked on her thumb. She looked up at him with her sleepy dark eyes, confused at first, before she babbled quietly. ¡°Yes, yes, good morning, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, leaning down to kiss her forehead. He surrendered the girl to her mother, before getting up to stretch. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com The courtyard of the shared family estate welcomed him, the crisp air of dawnval causing him to shudder. The Iyr felt different today. Last month, the Twilight Month, in which apparently a Great Twilight had occurred, it had felt so different. Once again he felt safe within the Iyr, and there was a gentle aura about the Iyr. ¡®Is it because it was the Twilight Month, or was it because it was a Great Twilight?¡¯ Adam thought, but he let the thoughts slip away as he began his morning exercise. He ran a total of fifty laps within the courtyard, all the while the other Iyrmen were beginning to awaken. Adam¡¯s companions, those he had collected during his travels, also joined him midway through his routine. After his warm up, which also included some push ups and squats, he lifted up the sack in different positions, from dead lifts, to more squats, to pressing it overhead. ¡®I really need dumbbells,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if they had managed to finish making them. He had introduced them last month, and he had assumed the Iyrmen would have been eager to introduce them throughout the Iyr since they were blood hungry savages. Once he was sufficiently aching, deciding against sparring with the others, he dipped himself into the cool stream to rinse himself, quickly washing himself with the hard brick soap of the Iyr. ¡®Seriously, I need to start making some nicer soap.¡¯ Once he was done with his cool bath, he slipped into a set of clothing his Aunt had prepared for him, the design he had become used to seeing whilst in the Iyr. A top which wrapped over itself and required a sash around his waist to keep the clothing tied together. It also held a large pocket on the inside against his chest, though it flowed towards his side too. The trousers of the Iyr were fairly normal, as trousers ought to be, with pockets for both the men and the women. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No enchanting today, so what should I do?¡¯ He continued to think as he returned back to the shared family estate, seeing the children had properly awoken too, with the Ool adults cooking breakfast for all four families, as well as their Guests, which the Iyr always treated well. ¡°Adam, I can¡¯t accept,¡± Vonda replied, firmly. ¡°You should give up,¡± Dunes, the dark skinned, Aswadian Priest said. ¡°You know how he is. His tongue is venomous and so seductive.¡± ¡°I¡¯d feel bad that Dunes has perhaps the second or third greatest weapon I¡¯ve ever made, but Sir Vonda, who is a great Priest of Life, will have just a mundane mace,¡± Adam said. Sir Vonda stared at Adam, who had far more he could have mentioned. The fact that pretty much everyone around him who he trusted wielded magical weapons he had enchanted probably would have caused her more stress if she continued to refuse. ¡°Thank you, Adam. I have made you something too.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam replied, trying to hide his surprise. He realised how rude it would have been if he had seemed surprised that Vonda was nice to him. ¡°I mean, what is it?¡± It was Sonarot who brought something within a wooden cover. It had taken only a moment for Adam to guess what it was, seeing how thin it was, though it was tall and wide. As the Iyrman undid the cover, Adam smiled. He accepted the frame of the painting, and held it in his hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so good at painting, too. How can anyone be so talented?¡± Adam frowned at the woman. ¡°I do not want to hear that from you,¡± Vonda replied. ¡®Enchanting. Smithing. Alchemy.¡¯ She tried not to sigh, wondering how Adam had managed to become so talented in so many different skills. Adam stared at the painting for a long while. It was a painting of a group of children, two of whom were still babies, and had no doubt struggled to remain still during the sketch and painting. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful gift,¡± Adam said, smiling at the Priest of Life. ¡°However, I need to ask. Who are the children in the middle?¡± Click banner for Patreon and come join my too! No days off for me! Thus the slice of life arc continues. However! I will say that Year 2 gets WILD in the future. I''ll try and write up more and next month I might do another patreon push for more chapters. I hope you enjoy this chapter and Happy Holidays to everyone out there. Give the gift of giving and give me some ratings and comments? :D 302. The Gift Of Children 302. The Gift Of Children Taygak huffed at Adam. She was a Devilkin, one of the three races of the Iyr, and also the eldest of the children. She marched up to Adam and pointed at the picture. ¡°It Taygak,¡± she said, pointing to herself in the picture, revealing one of three Devilkin Iyrmen in the picture. She pointed to each child, stating who they were, from Adam¡¯s Cousin, Turot, a Human Iyrman, to her own brother and cousin, Saygak and Raygak. There was also Katool, who had slightly longer hair in the painting, and then there were the twins, Damokan and Kalokan. ¡°It Lanarot, and Princess Mina,¡± she said, pointing to the babies on either end, one of them being the only Merman in the Iyr. ¡°Oh silly me,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair gently. ¡°So it is.¡± Turot shook his head, huffing. ¡°You joke too much, Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°Was it a joke?¡± Adam replied, only to smile at the confusion on the boy¡¯s face. ¡°Thank you, Vonda. It is such a great gift. If I don¡¯t enchant your mace now, how can I have any self respect?¡± Vonda smiled. She knew Adam was as queer as he was powerful. After seeing him floor Turot¡¯s parents and Taygak¡¯s mother, three Iyrmen in two days, she stopped applying any common sense to the Half Elf. Adam continued to stare at the painting for a long while, noting how the children were all sitting down. ¡°How did you manage to keep the babies still for a painting?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she replied. ¡°Sonarot and Lady Elowen kept the babies still long enough for me to sketch them, and I painted them whilst they were playing by themselves.¡± Adam laughed, before placing the cover against it. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to keep it safe. One day they¡¯ll all be grown up and I¡¯ll cry since they¡¯re not my adorable little Cousins any longer.¡± ¡°Taygak grow big and strong,¡± the Devilkin girl said, nodding her head at Adam. ¡°Me too,¡± Turot said. ¡°I will be like cousin Jurot!¡± ¡°I become big like sister,¡± Katool said, holding up both of her hands as though she were holding a staff. ¡°I will be strong like Jaygak, but I will be smarter,¡± Raygak said, glancing around for a moment to see whether his sister had returned, before snickering. Damokan caught Adam¡¯s eyes, and the young boy slowly nodded, holding his twin sister¡¯s hand, who was sitting taller and straighter. Adam smiled, returning the nod back to the boy. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I remember our promise.¡¯ Saygak chose to remain silent, but smiled as the others stated their own preferences for what they wished to become. ¡°Mama! I give gift?¡± Taygak asked, looking to her mother, who Adam had beaten but weeks ago. Kaygak nodded her head, allowing her daughter to rush off, all the while the other children looked towards their parents, before bolting off, all but Turot. ¡°Gifts?¡± Adam said, watching them as they all quickly returned with items in hand. ¡°Big boy Adam,¡± Taygak said, reaching up with a small clay cup. It was crudely made, quite thick and short, no doubt something the girl had made. ¡°This is for me?¡± Adam asked, picking up the clay pot from the girl, feeling the roughness of the pot within his soft hands. ¡°Birthday,¡± Taygak confirmed, nodding her head. ¡°Oh my,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair. ¡°Thank you so much Taygak.¡± ¡°My turn,¡± Raygak said, holding up a scale in hand, on its side within his palm. It was the colour of sand, though felt solid in Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°It is a Wild King Cobra scale.¡± Raygak smiled. ¡°Grandmother slew it when she went to avenge aunt Chayrot.¡± ¡°Wow, your grandmother is so strong, isn¡¯t she?¡± Adam said, smiling at the boy. ¡°She was very strong,¡± Raygak agreed with a nod of his head. ¡°I have something too,¡± Saygak, Raygak¡¯s cousin, said. He held up a scale too, though it was made of a familiar wood. 1st Gate: Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate: Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate: Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball ¡®I don¡¯t have Sending?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Ah,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°You had mentioned you would send messages back to me when you were out adventuring.¡± ¡°Yeah, but apparently I don¡¯t know it,¡± Adam said. ¡®Hey, how much is Sending?¡¯ [3000XP] Adam raised his brows in surprise at the amount. ¡®What the hell, Bell? How is it so expensive?¡¯ [You possess a large number of spells so the price of spells has increased.] Adam still wasn¡¯t sure how the system he possessed worked. Bell seemed to be a living entity within him, or around him, he wasn¡¯t quite sure. He could pick and choose abilities within any of the many classes within the system, including the archetypes within each class too, each costing him a certain amount of XP. He recalled times when he received a large number of XP from something, and then later on something similar gave him much less. Now that he was an Expert, which seemed to be someone who was Level 5, the XP he received changed, and he was under heavy penalties from picking abilities. ¡®Hold on, does that-¡® ¡°Adam?¡± Sonarot called, noting how he had spaced out during his conversation with Bell, and then his thoughts about the system. Adam blinked. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°I forgot that there were other people around.¡± The others stared at him with a curious look, but they had long become used to Adam¡¯s antics. ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just found out that things have become more difficult for me.¡± ¡°In what sense?¡± ¡°In the sense that I can¡¯t gain so much power so quickly any more,¡± Adam said, sighing. Though his statement was ridiculous, as even the most talented of people in the world were unable to achieve the status of an Expert within a single year, they understood that Adam was just like that. They ate the porridge which the Ool family had made, along with the various fruits which had been cut up. There was also a some boiled eggs which Adam dipped into some salt, preferring to eat the protein rather than the porridge. ¡°Are you still dieting?¡± Sonarot asked, staring at the young Half Elf with a blank gaze. ¡°I¡¯m eating a light meal here so I can eat more dessert later today,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I might make some pizza too since it¡¯s my birthday.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Since it is Jurot¡¯s birthday and yours, we shall go to the family estate.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, biting into a boiled egg. ¡°If that old man hasn¡¯t brought me a good gift, I¡¯m going to bully him.¡± Click banner for Patreon! A post during Xmas? No way. This TaiBot guy is so nice! Enjoy the nice little Slice of Life for now, since once it disappears, so does our precious Lanababy. Old man Jarot next chapter? 303. Adam’s Request 303. Adam¡¯s Request ¡°Hello,¡± Adam said, awkwardly. He was staring at the extended family of the Rot, many of whom he had only met once or twice before. There was also an Iyrman who held a baby, one who was younger than even Lanarot. The baby was carried in one arm, half of the babe within the large pocket of the Iyrman¡¯s top. ¡®Why are there so many people here?¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t that close with most of them, and had expected only a handful of Iyrmen to be in the estate, considering there was work to be done. ¡°You¡¯ve finally come,¡± Jarot said, motioning a hand for Adam to come with his one good arm. Churot was beside him as he almost always was, the young teen staring at Adam with a blank look. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see so many people,¡± Adam admitted, stepping up to the old Iyrman to shake his hand, only to find Jarot ruffling his hair instead. ¡°Why are you acting so shy to your grandfather?¡± Jarot asked, still ruffling Adam¡¯s hair, chuckling lightly. ¡°Whose my grandfather?¡± Adam replied, pulling his head back, staring at the old man with the very same blank look Churot had given to him. ¡°What¡¯s with all the people?¡± ¡°We are here to celebrate both of my grandsons¡¯ birthdays,¡± Jarot replied, simply. ¡°Even if Jurot is not here, you can accept the celebrations and gifts on his behalf.¡± ¡°Is that how that works?¡± Adam was still not wholly used to the way of the Iyrmen, even after spending months with them. ¡°Normally we would not make such a party for a man who has turned nineteen, but since it is your first birthday in the Iyr, how can we miss it?¡± Jarot replied, simply, before greeting Sir Vonda. The Priest of Life had been invited to the party too, since it was her birthday, and she was both a Priest of Life and a member of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, trying not to sound embarrassed. ¡°I should introduce myself then.¡± ¡°They will come to you as we celebrate,¡± Jarot informed, motioning Adam and Sir Vonda to take a seat at a table nearby. ¡°Turot, come,¡± the old man called, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. Turot smiled as his hair was ruffled, before he noted the look on his grandfather¡¯s face. He quickly darted away, but returned with a shield which was metal plated. It was about the size of Adam¡¯s torso, and it was a deep red, the colour of fresh blood. ¡°What is this?¡± Adam asked as Turot stepped towards him with the shield in hand. ¡°It is my gift,¡± Turot said, standing a little taller. ¡°It was given to me by grandfather when I was born.¡± He held it out to Adam. Adam stared down at the shield, not daring to take it. ¡°A red shield?¡± Something about it seemed familiar. ¡°It was the same shield I used when I was your age,¡± Jarot said. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Right. I remember now.¡¯ He recalled how a party in one of the towns had named themselves after the shield they had seen. ¡°Turot has decided to gift it to you.¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t that rude?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Can I accept this?¡± Turot¡¯s eyes seemed to be filled with great pride. ¡°Yes,¡± the boy said, firmly. ¡°You are strong, Cousin Adam. You always enchant axes, and they are very good, but you have not enchanted your shield.¡± He handed the shield to Adam. ¡°Our family uses the axe and shield.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, taking the shield from the young boy. He understood the point, even if Turot was unable to verbalise it properly. The Rot family¡¯s weapons were the axe and shield, and though Adam had given up using a sword, he sometimes only used an axe and emphasised the weapon over the shield. The latch was quite sturdy, and he could feel the leather against his arm. It felt slightly lighter than he expected, so assumed the metal was quite thin over the wood and leather. The sun shone down against the shield¡¯s metal, and for a moment Adam though it was made of bloodsteel, same as the scale that Damokan had given to him earlier in the day. Yet, it seemed far more familiar than bloodsteel. ¡°It is not our way,¡± Jarot stated, placing his hand on Churot¡¯s back. ¡°The way of the Rot family has always been the axe and shield.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam replied, though he did not back down. Jarot did not care that Adam wanted to teach magic to a member of the Rot family. However, this was not any member of the Rot family. This was his Churot, who he had looked after since the day he had been revived. ¡°You are a Scribe Mage, Adam,¡± Jarot grumbled. ¡°Should you not keep such magics secret?¡± There were no Iyrmen Scribe Mages, partly because the Scribe Mages kept their magics secret, and partly because there were so few who actually went out to adventure, so there was almost no way for Iyrmen to procure such magic. ¡°If I want to teach him my magic, I¡¯ll teach him my magic,¡± Adam said. ¡°As long as he wishes for it, I¡¯ll teach it to him.¡± ¡°He will not learn,¡± Jarot said, firmly. ¡°He will remain in the Iyr and live his life in peace.¡± ¡°He is...¡± Adam¡¯s throat clogged up, wondering how far he should take it. Jarot¡¯s face had darkened, and Adam understood why. Jarot still had regrets about his son, who had struggled to grow stronger, before eventually being killed by a Dragon. Even now, the old man regretted his actions. ¡°Churot is old enough now,¡± Adam said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± He looking to the boy, the Devilkin teen who had almost always remained with his grandfather. There had been two times he had recently been away from his grandfather. Once was when his grandfather went to go face a great opponent. The second time had been when he had gone to speak with Adam the day before. He had come to Adam just as Lanarot had slapped him and tried to steal his sandwich. ¡°He will not learn,¡± Jarot said. ¡°There¡¯s only so much you can coddle the boy, Jarot,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°If I want to coddle him, I will,¡± Jarot replied. ¡°He is my grandson, it is my right as his grandfather.¡± ¡°Turot is your grandson too, and yet, he will go out and adventure one day. He¡¯ll fight, and he¡¯ll gain plenty of experience, before he eventually returns to stake his claim to become Elder Peace.¡± Turot puffed up his chest. ¡°I will grow strong.¡± He nodded his head slowly, assuring his family, and the world. ¡°I will not allow it,¡± Jarot said again. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be in danger?¡± ¡°There is no need for him to study,¡± Jarot replied. How could he let the only child of his precious Farot learn how to use magic? Even if he was a Blood Mage, he would not allow it. ¡°I want to learn,¡± Churot said, finally. His voice was like a shadow which had crept into the conversation, one which had only darkened Jarot¡¯s heart. ¡°I allowed you to seduce my daughter, but not my grandson, Adam,¡± Jarot said, controlling his shaky voice. For a moment, the Half Elf thought about fighting the old man. However, he remembered the first time they had met, and the fact that he had been quite easily beaten, even with quite the powerful blade in hand. ¡®I really should have taken Phantom back.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Jarot''s about to make it 2-0. 304. The Wrong Drink 304. The Wrong Drink The party continued, aiming to finish at noon. Meat was brought to be fried over as the adults shared drinks, and the children ate their fruit and nuts. ¡°Hey, you,¡± Adam called, tugging on his sister¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°You didn¡¯t even wish me a happy birthday.¡± Lanarot babbled up at him before laughing wildly, clapping her hands together excitedly. Adam brought her up to his knee to feed her some fruit from his fingers, letting her make a mess all over them. Adam looked out to the Rot family, noting all the unfamiliar faces. He wondered how big the Rot family was, and whether all the families held a similar number of members. ¡®Probably not,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®How are new families even made?¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking about this time?¡± Vonda asked, keeping away from the food and drink, not wanting to show off her burn marks. ¡°Stupid stuff,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I was wondering how many people there were in the Rot family, and how new families are made.¡± ¡°You think about family a lot,¡± Vonda noted. ¡°It¡¯s important to you.¡± ¡°I suppose,¡± Adam replied, casting his Tricks trick to clean up his sister¡¯s face. ¡°Isn¡¯t family important to you too?¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com Vonda glanced down towards the table, falling into her thought. Her brows furrowed sadly for a moment, before she bowed her head. ¡°Yes.¡± An Iyrman brought out their musical instrument, before performing for the people. Lanarot¡¯s head snapped towards the sound, before she clapped her hands and began to babble, trying to mimic the sounds. ¡°I might go and enchant later today,¡± Adam said. ¡°I was really lucky in the morning so thought about enchanting the mace I gifted you.¡± ¡°Are you trying to take it back from me so soon?¡± Vonda joked. Adam smiled in response. ¡°It¡¯s not good enough to gift to someone like you, Sir Vonda.¡± Vonda pulled up her scarf in response, but Adam also felt his cheeks flush when he recalled their date during the nightval festival. ¡°I see Fred¡¯s better,¡± Adam said, taking a sip of his peach wine. It seemed to be a favourite within the Iyr, since most of the wine he had drank was of the peach variety. He supposed that it could just be that the Rot family loved peach wine. ¡°He is doing much better,¡± Vonda confirmed. ¡°He has been thinking deeply about your offer.¡± ¡°I do make great offers,¡± Adam said, nodding to himself. ¡°Though, even now I¡¯m thinking about all sorts.¡± ¡°All sorts?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°From guarding merchants, to a mercenary company, to an inn franchise, to an Order...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Limitless possibilities, so I¡¯m paralysed by choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s paid through taxes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Everyone pays for the education system, and all children go to school. School is free, though there are some schools which cost money. University used to be free too, though my generation didn¡¯t get to partake.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Vonda stared at the Half Elf. The more he spoke, the less she understood. It was a normal feeling when it came to Adam, but this time there was something else to it. It almost felt like he was talking about a distant past. ¡°Actually, what¡¯s really funny is that university fees were introduced by the ruling government which usually made it easier for poor people to live. Then, once they were out of power, the next government increased the fees by a ridiculous amount. They opened up Pandora¡¯s box and allowed the snakes to...¡± Adam brough up the rest of his peach wine before finishing the drink. ¡°What am I doing? Politics on my birthday?¡± ¡°Your country sounds fascinating,¡± Vonda said. ¡°It must be an amazing place.¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s my country.¡± Vonda heard the sarcasm in his voice, but she could also see the sadness which had seeped into his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s even more funny,¡± Adam said, thinking back to his first life, ¡°is that, well, let me first explain how my country came to be. Where I come from, the Greylands as I call it, was a country made up of four separate countries in a voluntary union.¡± Adam rolled his eyes when he described it as a voluntary union. ¡°It¡¯s a country made up of four countries. The northern country had free university for all its citizens, and free university for the first degree for people from the nearby lands, except for the countries within the union.¡± Vonda furrowed her brows. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I went to university in my own country, well another country which makes a part of my country, I would have to pay money. However, if I was born in one of the other nearby countries, that is to say, if I was a foreigner, I would be able to go to university for free.¡± Vonda tilted her head, trying to understand what he was saying. ¡°Why?¡± Adam smiled, wondering what kind of joke he should make. ¡°Probably because the bloody history between our countries, I¡¯d assume. One of the oldest military alliances, actually the oldest military alliance, was between...¡± Adam froze. ¡®What the hell am I saying?¡¯ he thought, feeling the light buzz which had already taken him. ¡®Oh. No wonder I¡¯m giving it a bit of this and that.¡¯ Adam pushed the empty cup away. ¡®I was meant to be enchanting too.¡¯ ¡°Have you said too much?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, brushing his sister¡¯s hair. ¡°For now, anyway. One day, Vonda. One day.¡± ¡°One day, Adam,¡± Vonda said, bowing her head slowly. ¡°One day.¡± ¡°I should have brought some tea with me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I bought so much, it¡¯ll go off if I don¡¯t drink it.¡± ¡°Perhaps later tonight?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Adam wth. Don''t give away everything! 305. Not Going Nowhere 305. Not Going Nowhere ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Adam thought to himself. ¡®You can¡¯t just let that kind of thing slip by just because you got a little tipsy, you idiot.¡¯ Adam had returned back to the family estate, though he didn¡¯t spend much time. Once he had grabbed the gems he needed, and the mace from Vonda, he quickly retreated to the shrine. Once again, he was accompanied by an Iyrman, but he kept to himself. He was too busy berating himself about how much he had let slip to Vonda. ¡®Politics, Adam? On your birthday? Seriously...¡¯ ¡°I have heard that it is your birthday today,¡± the Iyrman said. It was not one Adam was familiar with. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, throwing a suspicious look at the Iyrman, wondering how they knew. ¡°I hope that your brother returns with great news,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡®He even knows my relationship with Jurot?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt that some strange Iyrman knew so much about him. ¡®I guess he isn¡¯t a stranger.¡¯ He recalled the conversation he had with another Iyrman some time ago. ¡®The Iyrmen are not strangers to me.¡¯ The enchanting shrine was made up of six standing stones, each placed to form a circle. Adam did not know if they had to be set up as a circle, he didn¡¯t think too much of the particulars about enchanting, he just did it. He placed down six gems worth fifty gold on the standing stone, and he placed a seventh gem, a diamond worth one hundred gold, in the centre of the shrine. Since this was a weapon he was going to enchant for Vonda, he was going to enchant it using gems which were worth more than usual. 25. That was the minimum total he wanted for enchanting Vonda¡¯s mace. His Intelligence granted him a +3 modifier, his Trained Bonus was an additional +2. Then there was the enchanting shrine, which held its own bonus of an additional +2. Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 14 (7) Omen: 2, 18 -> 2 18 + 7 = 25 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. The boy bit into the bread he had been given, eating it ravenously. He had somehow managed to survive past nightval¡¯s cold, though since both nightval and the Twilight Month passed, he was no longer welcome in the garden of the remaining surviving old man. He stepped out into the street, only to trip as misfortune befell him. He tumbled onto another urchin, and by the time he had righted himself, the urchin was gone, taking with them the hot bread which the boy had been eating. Thus Fate was forever changed. Adam¡¯s heart tingled, as it always did when he expended any Mana, feeling the magic flow through him towards the gems. They cracked as the Mana filled them, before exploding into dust, which floating towards the mace. As the dust clung to the mace, runes began to form, glowing for a moment before they turned faint. The runes were almost imperceptible to the naked eye, but the enchantment began to take hold. Once the hours passed, and dusk threatened to spread across the Iyr, Adam was done with the first phase of enchanting. ¡®Just two more days,¡¯ he thought, feeling the familiar sensation of the drain. He stretched his entire body, throwing a look back to see another Iyrman he did not recognise, before they escorted him back to the shared family estate. ¡°Sorry for taking so long,¡± Adam said, smelling the pizza which had been cooked that evening. The Iyrmen were already gathered around to eat and drink for dinner. Adam lifted up his sister onto his lap, before grabbing a slice of pizza. He bit into the slice, and allowed Lanarot to bite into the crust. ¡°Hey,¡± called a familiar voice. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam replied, wondering if she was going to start a fight with him. ¡°Can we talk?¡± Lucy asked, with uncharacteristic seriousness. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Cost me quite a pretty penny too.¡± ¡°I have no doubt,¡± Elowen said. ¡°They say the clay of the Persevian lands are magical, and their skills are greater.¡± ¡°It is quite a beautiful pot,¡± Adam said, looking down at the diamond pattern all along the edge of the pot. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were so interested in the crafts,¡± Elowen said. ¡°I¡¯m not so much, really,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in tea, and, you know, need a tea pot for that sort of thing.¡± Elowen sipped the tea slowly, tasting the strawberry hints. ¡°You have an interest in tea?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Adam said. ¡°I grew up drinking it. Two or three cups a day, usually. Not this tea, though. A little milk, a little sugar.¡± Adam wondered if he¡¯d be able to taste it again. He could have used one of his spells, but there was nothing like having a proper cup of tea. Magic was one thing, but using magic made the tea taste less... magical. Once night had come, Adam brought out thick blankets to the courtyard, and sat atop them. He had brought Lanarot with him, laying her down beside him as he looked up towards the sky. ¡°You¡¯re sleeping outside tonight?¡± Lucy asked. She had set up outside, right near the Rot family walls. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I thought I may as well.¡± The trio lay down, staring at the stars above. Lanarot¡¯s eyes were glued to all the colours, pointing and babbling up at the colours. Adam lay beside her, letting her hold onto his finger. Eventually, she yawned. ¡°Go ahead and sleep,¡± Adam whispered, brushing her hair. ¡°Oofbooboo,¡± Lanarot said, quietly. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here, unless you decide to give me a present in your clothy.¡± Lanarot¡¯s eyes slowly closed shut, her head falling beside him, pressing up against his arm. Silence filled the courtyard. Adam threw a look to Lucy, who was staring up at the sky. He noted that she would always look at the sky. He wondered if she was trying to find the stars she had left behind, just like him. Adam looked back down to the sleeping form of his sister, who had a thumb in her mouth, her hand gripping his finger tight. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam whispered, near silently. ¡°I¡¯m not going nowhere.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Sorry for the late chapter. Damn, all these chapters have been so depressing. UppTodated from 306. Tears 306. Tears Omen: 12, 13 ¡®I guess I should make something to sell,¡¯ Adam thought. A weapon using his Omen would have been fairly decent, as long as he rolled average during his enchanting, he¡¯d be able to create something he could sell for a thousand gold or so. He worked out lightly that morning, still feeling heavy from all the food he had ate the previous day. ¡®I have to be careful, otherwise I won¡¯t be able to see my six pack.¡¯ ¡°I will beat you,¡± Turot declared that morning, kicking the ball into one of the drawn ellipses on the wall. There were three markings, one of which was extremely large, drawn by Taygak, as she was tall enough to reach higher than the rest. The next had been drawn by Turot, roughly a third of the size of the mark which Taygak had made, and the last had been drawn by Saygak, who made a mark about half the size of his torso. When the ball bounced back, it was Adam¡¯s turn to kick, and he casually kicked the ball towards the marking, barely kicking within the largest marking, giving him a point. The children stated their colours, marking down on the floor their points. Taygak and Kalokan held the greatest number of points, followed by Saygak and Katool, then Turot and Damokan, who were joint last. Adam had counted out the points to make sure Saygak and Katool had beaten him, partially since Katool had done so well that morning. ¡°You¡¯re a hundred years too early to beat the likes of me,¡± Adam joked, ruffling Turot¡¯s hair. Once the morning workout and play were done, Adam bathed in one of the cool streams which diverted from the rushing river. When he bathed, he stared down at his reflection, noting how large his arms were. Adam hadn¡¯t been so built in his first life, and it was still strange to see the Fey beauty he held, and the thick body he possessed which was made of muscle. Adam returned to find the four families in the courtyard. Every family in the Iyr lived together, sharing a block. It was made up of four walls, each corner of which belonged to one of the families, up to the pathways which led out in the middle of each wall. The courtyard was where most of the children spent their time, and the adults met there multiple times a day, and Adam had grown quite close with the other families due to it. ¡°Adam, are you enchanting today?¡± Shikan asked, eating the porridge which the Ool family had made. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the plan,¡± Adam replied, sticking his fork into the scrambled eggs Citool had made for him. It was lightly salted, and he noted the taste of milk. He poured himself some water using his clay cup, catching Taygak¡¯s eyes as he drank from it. She smiled, and shuffled to herself happily, before returning back to her food. ¡®Damn, my Cousins are so cute,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I do not like mama,¡± Katool cried aloud, pouting up towards her mother. ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ Adam thought, returning to his food. ¡®Right, even Iyrmen children are still children.¡¯ Thinking nothing of it, he brought up a spoonful of scrambled eggs. ¡°I like Adam,¡± the girl declared. Adam choked on his eggs, quickly drinking down some water, before his eyes snapped to the little girl with the bob cut. ¡°Mama does no play with me,¡± Katool accused, pointing at her mother before crossing her arms as she looked away. She misspoke due to her frustration. Adam could feel Zorool¡¯s glare against him, and he wondered what he should do. ¡°Katool, what are you saying?¡± ¡°I do not like mama,¡± Katool asserted once more, keeping her back to her mother. ¡°What about dada?¡± Adam asked, noting how she used the speech of a baby in her anger. ¡°Dada okay,¡± the girl said, smiling up at her father. ¡°Sometimes dada plays with me.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t like mama?¡± Adam asked again. Katool shook her head, her little bob cut jiggling. Adam could still feel the glare of the girl¡¯s father against him. He threw a glance around to notice that the others were staring at him, and he brought a hand to his chin in thought. ¡®How can I get out of this without fighting with her parents?¡¯ The Half Elf caught Citool staring at him, her eyes curious as she stared at him. He understood that she would not come to help him. ¡®Fine then,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Since you don¡¯t like mama, you can play with me all day then,¡± Adam finally said. Zorool stared at the Half Elf. He had seen first hand just how strong Adam was, but he would still beat the boy up if it came to it. However, Adam had dealt with Kaygak quite easily, and Zorool himself was slightly weaker. Adam smirked at Citool, who was still staring at him curiously. ¡°Come, Katool.¡± He pat the seat beside him and Katool hoisted herself up, scampering to Adam. ¡°Don¡¯t forget your food.¡± The meal continued, with the Iyrmen wondering what Adam was doing. It was within the realms of something he¡¯d do, but they didn¡¯t understand what he had planned. Once breakfast was done, Adam remembered he had wanted to enchant. ¡®I can¡¯t really do that now, can I?¡¯ He hummed quietly in thought. ¡®Wait, doesn¡¯t she have school?¡¯ Adam looked at the children, who were all together, staring at him. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Will you play with us too?¡± Turot asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Might as well, since Katool might get a little bored.¡¯ ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Can we play Warriors and Wanderers?¡± Turot asked. ¡°Let¡¯s do that a little later, before lunch?¡± Adam offered. ¡°Okay,¡± Turot replied. ¡°What do you usually do for fun?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We play,¡± Turot said. ¡°Obviously. What do you play?¡± ¡°It is after breakfast, so we walk,¡± Turot said. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡± Adam followed the children as they walked, chatting in their tongue with one another. Eventually they grouped up with another group of children, talking with them too. Adam remained some ways away, not comfortable with being close with the children of strangers. ¡°Is that Adam?¡± a child asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak replied. ¡°It is Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°No,¡± Katool replied. ¡°I want to sleep with mama.¡± ¡°Yes, but you were quite mean saying that you didn¡¯t like her.¡± Katool looked to her mother, before shaking again with tears, reaching out for her mother, who accepted her. ¡°It¡¯s not a nice thing to say to mama, right?¡± Adam said, sighing with relief. ¡°No,¡± Katool said. ¡°So you need to apologise, right?¡± ¡°Sorry, mama,¡± Katool said, hugging her mother tight. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can¡¯t just say sorry. Make sure you make it up to mama, okay?¡± ¡°I make up with mama,¡± Katool sniffled, still holding her mother tight, her face in her mother¡¯s neck. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. ¡°You need to make up with your mama. How will you do that?¡± Katool looked up to her mother questioningly. ¡°What does your mama love?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Mama love Katool,¡± she said. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Staff.¡± ¡°And what else?¡± ¡°Honey.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Katool, you¡¯re stone cold. Your father doesn¡¯t even get a bronze medal?¡¯ Katool sniffled. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°You need to be good to mama and dada, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°They¡¯re working really hard, so sometimes they can¡¯t play with you, but they still love you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you love mama?¡± ¡°I love mama,¡± Katool said, holding her mother¡¯s face, before kissing the woman right beneath her eye. ¡°Good,¡± Adam said, sighing with relief. ¡°Good night, Katool.¡± ¡°Good night, Cousin Adam,¡± Katool said, sucking her thumb as she rested her head on her mother¡¯s shoulder. Adam returned back to the Rot family, dropping onto the blankets. ¡°Did it go well?¡± Sonarot asked. Adam stared at the ceiling. ¡°I think so.¡± Adam rubbed his chest, feeling how heavy it had become. ¡°Katool crying was so cute, but it broke my heart. I hope that I don¡¯t have any daughters.¡± ¡°Will your sons cry?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°I suppose so,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though I think it¡¯s different.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Boys are boys, so you¡¯re meant to let them cry?¡± Adam replied. Sonarot gave him a look. ¡°You must let all children cry.¡± ¡°Yeah, but...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Did Jurot every cry when he was a boy?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°My Jurot was so cute when he cried.¡± ¡°Do you miss it?¡± Adam asked. Sonarot smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I hope my kids cry even when they¡¯re older.¡± Sonarot wondered if she should mention marriage, but allowed Adam his peace that night. Click banner for Patreon! I forgot how cute this chapter was. I swear things get really wild later on in the year. 307. Ominous Omens 307. Ominous Omens Omen: 13, 18 Adam went through his morning motions, though this time also assisted the ox like Nobby, who had been training with him every morning. Adam continued to teach him the basics of using a shield and spear. ¡°Once Jurot gets back, he¡¯ll teach you the axe properly,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Okay, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied, the same as he always did. Adam smiled. There was something about being called mister boss which filled him with a greater sense of purpose. It also stroked his ego, which he supposed was the real reason. During breakfast, he noted that Katool was back to normal, eating with her mother and father as she always did. The girl enjoyed the porridge her parents had made, with a splash of honey, and a side of her favourite fruits. Lanarot slapped Adam¡¯s side, the juices of her own fruit dribbling down her face as she held out her hand for her older brother¡¯s bread. ¡°What, are you feeling sad I didn¡¯t play with you?¡± Adam asked, some of his bread for her, before nibbling on the rest. Lanarot stuck the bread into her mouth with half her hand, before reaching for more bread as she ate. ¡°Slowly,¡± Adam said, trying to make sure his baby sister didn¡¯t choke. ¡°Are you enchanting today?¡± Shikan asked. He assumed Adam was going to since he had taken a rare day off the day before to humour Katool. ¡°Yeah, I am feel extremely lucky today,¡± Adam said, stretching out his arms. ¡°Hopefully I¡¯ll be done with Vonda¡¯s mace tomorrow.¡± Some of the Iyrmen were still not used to how quickly Adam enchanted. Some of them already knew what he was, but others decided against thinking too deeply about the situation. They were Iyrmen, and they should know what they should know, and no more. Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 19 (12) Omen: 13, 18 -> 13 18 + 7 = 25 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. The young woman stared at the city ahead of her, seeing the distant figures all bustling from street to street. They were her people, the very same people she would rule one day once her father would pass the throne to her. She sighed, understanding that the upcoming year would be difficult, as- She slipped to the side quickly, narrowly dodging a dagger meant for her heart. There had been a chill in the moment before, causing her to react. The ring of her finger morphed into a sword, which lit aflame as she caught the second blow of the dagger with her Deep Flame Blade. ¡°Assassin!¡± the young woman called, waving her flaming sword ahead of her violently, causing the figure, who was clad in the same light sand colour of the castle, to hesitate for a moment. The moment of surprise was gone, and so the figure quickly turned to flee. A nearby Faris, who was within the reach of a shout, quickly dashed towards their lady. As the Assassin leapt off the balcony, the Faris followed upon the shout of a second Faris who had appeared, blade out. Thus Fate was forever changed. ¡°Step aside,¡± the stranger repeated. ¡°You are heading to Aldland?¡± the Captain asked. ¡°What is your business there?¡± ¡°I...¡± the stranger began, only to pause. ¡®Why do I need to explain myself to you?¡¯ He wanted to state it aloud, but he understood that it was a terrible idea to break the agreement in dealing with the earthly realms of the mortals. ¡°I wish to see the sights.¡± The Captain remained staring at the old man. His duties were to make sure that the mountains were safe, and to report anything interesting. This area was not one which anyone could walk around safely, but here was an old man who wished to walk by the land, wanting to head to Aldland, which was hundreds of miles away from East Aswadia. ¡®No,¡¯ the Captain thought. Though he could have stopped the stranger, he decided against it. ¡°If you travel along this path for three days you¡¯ll find the main road towards Baytsuth. A ship can take you to Aldland in a couple of weeks rather than months.¡± The stranger bowed his head, and the Captain brought up his hand to motion for them to return back to their post. ¡°Captain, we can¡¯t just let him walk through the mountains,¡± the Soldier said. ¡°He¡¯s suspicious. Even if he isn¡¯t, the mountains are dangerous.¡± ¡°He will be fine,¡± the Captain said, slowly rubbing his horse¡¯s neck gently. ¡°You would not worry for East Scimitar trekking through the mountains, would you?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± the Soldier replied, almost indignantly, though he remembered he was speaking to his superior. ¡°Other than the handful of Dragons, who could threaten the East Scimitar?¡± ¡°Do you think the Dragons are the only ones who can roam freely?¡± the Captain asked. ¡°There¡¯s West Scimitar too,¡± the Soldier added. ¡°Maybe a few of the Black Hands, and some of the Adventurers. General Halwe.¡± The Captain shot a glare back to the Soldier when he mentioned the name of the disgraced General, which caused the Soldier to quieten down. ¡°There are many who could walk these trails by themselves. Those you mentioned, the greater of the Iyrmen, unless you¡¯ve forgotten that we lost hundreds of our brothers and sisters when they stole the Awakened Forest from us.¡± The Soldier cleared his throat, glancing aside to avoid the glare of his Captain. ¡°Right. Sorry, Captain.¡± The Captain sighed, wiping his face, trying to understand how he came to this position. ¡®Just how many monsters walk these lands?¡± Meanwhile, the stranger followed on foot, though the Soldiers were drawing away. He sighed, staring up at the sky, wondering if he should take to the air instead. ¡®No. I need to understand what the realm is like,¡¯ he thought. It had been some time since he last came to Aswadia, and he would need to understand the situation here in order to take a position, even if it was to remain neutral. Thus Fate was forever changed. Adam stared at the longsword he had made during the Twilight Month, well crafted as most of the weapons he made were. ¡®I need to enchant the Ban¡¯s weapons too.¡¯ He stared up at the sky. ¡®So much to do. So little time.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Omens take a prominent role for a bit, but they are very important. Also, I go back and forth on whether to capitalise certain words for the story. I''m not 100% sure what to do and I''m very inconsistent. I ask for your forgiveness. 308. Tinkering With Gold 308. Tinkering With Gold Omen: 8, 10 ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam called, noting the tired face of the Tinkerer. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a bit.¡± Filliam wore much looser clothing, which almost swallowed his small thin frame. It had been gifted to him from the Iyr, and by the pattern on the hem, the Rot family. He still wore the yellow belt with the red pattern around his waist. ¡°I¡¯ve just finished making all those gliderballs,¡± Filliam replied, adjusting his small spectacles. The bottom of the triangular bridge was made of smoothed metal, which had slightly changed colour due to the sweat and oil of the young Tinkerer¡¯s face. ¡°Really now?¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°You¡¯ve been working too hard. Why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± Filliam drank some of the milk in the clay cup, before noting the looks the Iyrmen were giving to Adam, who was smiling blissfully unaware. ¡°Yes, I suppose I should. Dawnval has come, so I¡¯ve been meaning to take a walk through the fields of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam said, patting Filliam¡¯s back. ¡°The Iyr is such a great place, isn¡¯t it? You should definitely explore all that you¡¯re allowed to. There¡¯s actually a library here too.¡± ¡°A library?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah. I haven¡¯t been to it, but I hear it¡¯s got a ton of stories of the Iyrmen, and some books about history and science.¡± Filliam¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°I did not know that the Iyr...¡± Filliam paused, thinking back to how many times he had seen the Iyrmen with books, either reading or writing within them. ¡°It seems the Iyr has such a great literary tradition.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam said. ¡°They make a ton of books too.¡± ¡°I should check the library while I am still welcomed.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯ve been thinking about hiring you,¡± Adam said. ¡°No. Not quite hiring you. I want to sponsor you?¡± ¡°Sponsor?¡± Filliam¡¯s ears twitched, his eyes shooting towards the Half Elf. The Iyrmen, who had been waiting for the Ool family to finish cooking by chatting among one another, quietened down to hear the conversation. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°How much would it cost to sponsor you so you stay in the Iyr and create stuff?¡± ¡°What kinds of things?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything in mind right now, so it¡¯s more to pay you to stay here,¡± Adam said, before he noticed Sonarot looking at him, her brows raised. Her eyes stated that they should talk. ¡°I mean, hypothetically speaking.¡± ¡°Hypothetically speaking,¡± Filliam replied, sighing. ¡°If the materials are supplied and I¡¯m allowed to create whatever I like... if you include food and shelter and such, then I¡¯ll be happy to tinker for the sum of one hundred gold when the sponsorship ends, and an escort to one of the nearby towns or cities.¡± Adam hadn¡¯t expected such a response, but it seemed that they worked on the same wavelength. ¡®It makes sense, since I met him when he didn¡¯t have enough money for the gate fee.¡¯ ¡°What if I wanted your service?¡± ¡°As long as you provide what I¡¯ve asked for, then an additional one hundred gold for each month at least,¡± Filliam said. ¡°Plus the price for the crafted items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Adam¡¯s lips were twitching into a smile. Allowing Filliam to tinker as he pleased was useful for Adam in multiple ways. ¡°What kinds of things do you like to tinker?¡± ¡°My speciality is to do with horology,¡± Filliam said. ¡°Did you know crystals have their own frequencies? I can make all kinds of watches, not just those which track only the time of day, but also the week. If I have the time, I could even make a watch which could track even the year!¡± ¡°I¡¯m just wondering what your thoughts are about the matter, as an Elder of the Iyr.¡± ¡°I do not believe that what you have said is the end of your request,¡± the Elder replied. ¡°I believe you are wiser than that.¡± ¡°If I told you everything, then we¡¯d spend less time together. I haven¡¯t bothered you in a while, and when I have, it hasn¡¯t been quite as fun, has it?¡± Adam smiled. Elder Zijin returned the smile. ¡°Very well, Adam. What is it that the Iyr shall receive from this? It seems that we will be allowing the Tinkerer to create as he pleases, that it is we who will be funding such matters, and yet you seem to want to have him in your employ.¡± ¡°I will want him in my employ, but I want both of us to sponsor him,¡± Adam said. ¡°A Tinkerer in the Iyr is a great boon. I¡¯m sure you know how useful Tinkerers can be.¡± ¡°They are useful, to an extent,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°The extent depends on how creative they are,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Or, as creative as their employer.¡± Elder Zijin remained quiet, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°His deal is fair. We provide him with what he needs, both for living, and for his tinkering, and he¡¯ll create whatever he wants. If the sponsorship ends, I¡¯ll pay him one hundred gold. Then, when we require his help, we will need to pay him one hundred gold for the month, and the price of what he has created. I¡¯ll pay for the months I need him, you¡¯ll pay him for the months you need him.¡± ¡°Just what is it that you need him for?¡± the Elder asked. ¡°It¡¯s a little embarrassing, but I suppose I can tell you. Firstly, I want to feel like I¡¯m rich. I want to sponsor someone and allow them to create as they please, because then I¡¯ll have reason to make money. Secondly, I want to be able to come to Filliam whenever I require him, and if he¡¯s under our sponsorship, he shouldn¡¯t have much of a need to do anything else if he¡¯s really into his craft. Lastly, and most importantly, if he doesn¡¯t have to worry about his daily necessities, the conditions for inventing new things increases.¡± ¡°You are saying that Filliam has the capability to create things which have not existed before?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If he can, he will. If he can¡¯t, he won¡¯t. The price for allowing him to try is absolutely minuscule, and the potential rewards are astronomical.¡± Zijin furrowed his brows. ¡°Astronomical?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Massive, like the sky above us.¡± ¡°How sure are you?¡± Zijin asked, staring into Adam¡¯s eyes, which held a particular. It was not a look of mischief, though it appeared almost the same, it was something else. Something beyond curiosity. Beyond chaos. Click banner for Patreon! And so Adam begins to lay down the foundations of his future plans. 309. Technology 309. Technology ¡°If he can¡¯t think of things which don¡¯t exist, I¡¯ll help him,¡± Adam assured, holding the Elder¡¯s eyes. ¡°What kind of things?¡± Adam swallowed, wondering how much he should say. ¡°A watch you can wear on your wrist, that can fall from the greatest of heights, and still work. One which you can use to measure the time of a task separately to measuring the time of the day.¡± It wasn¡¯t something that impressive to Adam, but he still hoped. Zijin, the Orcish Iyrman, was an Elder of the Iyr. The Iyr, a people who enjoyed going out to fight, and to war. The invention of a watch, which could be worn at one¡¯s wrist, and could last through the motions of combat, was extremely useful. ¡°I will inform Elder Gold and the Chief of the request.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. Elder Gold and he were not on the best of terms, though she had promised him something which had gone against the Iyrman¡¯s principles. ¡®If it¡¯s her, then there¡¯s a chance she doesn¡¯t trust me enough.¡¯ ¡°If Elder Gold is hesitant, I¡¯d like to speak with the Chief,¡± Adam said. The Chief was one of the few who knew his story. ¡°I can tell him something which will convince him, for sure.¡± Zijin bowed his head. He had guessed that Adam was something who was more than meets the eye, and assumed it was even greater than he imagined. ¡°I will pass on the message.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said, standing. He stretched out his arms and back. ¡°I don¡¯t feel lucky today, so I don¡¯t have any plans. Is there anywhere that you need me?¡± ¡°There is no place which requires you,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I meant, is there anywhere where I¡¯ll be useful to help? You know, like chopping down trees, farming, carrying stuff around, that sort of thing?¡± ¡°Are you in such a rush to work again?¡± ¡°I gave Filliam some inspiration when I told him to relax and take it easy, so I feel a little guilty that he¡¯s going to shut himself in to tinker again.¡± Zijin reaching into the large pouch pocket within his shirt, pulling out a sheet of paper. ¡°I can send you to cut wood.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. Zijin made a small marking. ¡°Then I will have someone escort you.¡± ¡°Alright, cool.¡± The Elder found an Iyrman who was free to escort the Half Elf to the forest. It was a young Devilkin, in his early teens or so. At his side was a hammer with a thick head, and a dagger, though most Iyrmen wore daggers at their hips. ¡°You are to escort Adam to the forest your mother is currently working,¡± the Elder informed. ¡°Yes, Elder,¡± the boy proclaimed eagerly, standing as tall as he could. ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam called, shaking the boy¡¯s forearm. ¡°Adam Fateson.¡± ¡°Samhyp, son of Zamhyp,¡± the young Iyrman replied. ¡°Are you Adam who wishes to become Unri-¡° ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, quickly cutting off the boy. ¡®How does everyone know of my dark past?¡¯ ¡°I, too, will become Unrivalled Under The Heavens,¡± the boy said. Adam winced from the name. ¡®Why did I have to say something so cringe back then? Seriously...¡¯ The boy led Adam through the winding tunnels of the Iyrmen, before he came across a large forest. There were at least a hundred Iyrmen around, each chopping down trees in their own section. The trees were quite thin, each tree no thicker than Adam¡¯s bicep when it was flexed. ¡°Mother, I have brought Adam on Elder Zijin¡¯s instructions,¡± the boy said to his mother, who was a Devilkin in her early thirties. ¡°You are the one they call Son of Fate?¡± the woman asked. ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam Fateson.¡± ¡°Not the Son of Fate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to say Fateson,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sounds slightly more normal too.¡± ¡°Are you not a member of the Rot family?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m a Nephew.¡± ¡°They will think you are a member of the Son family.¡± She smiled at her joke. ¡°Is there a Son family?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said, before shaking his forearm. ¡°I am Zamhyp.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± The woman brushed her son¡¯s hair and pat his head. ¡°You did well to bring him. You may return.¡± ¡°Yes, mother,¡± the boy replied, chuffed to bits. ¡°Goodbye, Adam Fateson.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Samhyp, son of Zamhyp.¡±UppTodated from The boy quickly left, before his mother brought him over to the section of trees which he needed to chop. ¡°Have you chopped wood before?¡± ¡°I chopped stormwood and twilight wood, if that counts,¡± Adam said. ¡°You said there was no magic in your world,¡± the Chief accused. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I had access to a device which could hold that many books. It was something made by minds greater than my own. It could do so much, Chief. Right now, if I had that device, I could send a message to anyone else who possessed a similar device, even halfway across the world. Do you know how long it would take for someone to receive a message like that?¡± ¡°It would take a messenger months,¡± the Chief said. ¡°If not years.¡± ¡°Pretend I¡¯ve written a message on this,¡± Adam said, tickling the cover with his finger. ¡°I¡¯m going to send it. Ready?¡± The Chief nodded. Adam tapped the book. ¡°They¡¯ve received it.¡± The Chief stared at Adam. ¡°That quickly?¡± From his knowledge, only magic had such an ability. It was magic he was familiar with, for he had used it. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What else could it do?¡± ¡°It could calculate things in an instant. It could take a picture of you in an instant, and you could send that picture to your friend who lived in another land in an instant. I could press a button and it would call them.¡± ¡°Call them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, bringing the book to his leaf shaped ears. ¡°Hello. What¡¯s that? You¡¯re thousands of miles away? Yeah, that¡¯s no problem at all. I can chat with you for hours, days even, instantly, across the entire world.¡± The Chief wondered if such a thing could truly exist. Adam held out the book to the Chief. ¡°It could tell the time. It could take videos, essentially moving pictures, and store them for you. It could do countless things, Chief. I could send a chef a message to make me food, and have them deliver it to me within an hour, all the while it would take coppers and silvers from my bank to send it to them automatically.¡± The Chief remained silent. He knew how queer Adam was, and how creative he could be. He also knew that Adam did not lie to him. ¡°Chief. There were so many things in that world which revolutionised the way the average person lived. We had trains, essentially huge chariots, which could travel faster than a sparrow could fly. I could travel from here to Red Oak, in an hour, maybe two at most. I could go from South Fort to North Fort in a single day if I wanted to. There were planes too, essentially giant metal chariots which could fly across from North Fort to South Fort in maybe a couple of hours at most.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t for any of those things to exist in this world for now, but there are so many things, small things, which could be introduced. I don¡¯t know how they work, not one bit, but I know that someone out there can figure it out.¡± ¡°The price for such things would be heavy,¡± the Chief said, recalling how much it cost to make such papers for the Iyrmen. ¡°How much is a loaf of bread?¡± Adam asked. ¡°One copper,¡± the Chief said, though no one paid for food in the Iyr. He assumed the Half Elf meant buying bread from a bakery. ¡°One copper. One copper for freshly baked bread, something so utterly delicious. So, using that as a base, how much would that device cost? One which could calculate things, call people from across the world, take pictures of you to send to your friend in Aswadia, among countless other things. Mind you, it costs some money to have access to being able to call people and sending people messages, usually.¡± The Chief assumed it was cheaper than he was anticipating, but still, something like that would cost so much. The Third Gate spell, Sending, would require hundreds of gold from a Cleric if they were to spend the coin, and if it was a device, like a scroll, each one cost plenty of gold. The papers which they created cost hundreds upon hundreds of gold too. ¡°With such a device, you could call people endlessly?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®If Adam is going so far, it must be something far cheaper than I expect,¡¯ the Chief thought. Taking everything he had heard into account, plus the ability to do more things than Adam mentioned, the older Iyrman thought of a price. ¡°Ten thousand gold?¡± Ten thousand gold. To have access to the ability to infinitely speak with anyone across the entire world. To send them messages too, for them to view at their leisure. To make pictures of someone to hold indefinitely. To calculate, presumably with no ability to calculate oneself. Adam smiled. ¡°You know, Chief, if it cost that much, I¡¯d pay for it. If I had that device, I¡¯d be able to record Lanarot. The first time she crawled. The first time she¡¯ll walk. Her first words. When I have my own children, I could record their milestones too. I¡¯d be able to record all kinds of memories, from them learning magic, to them acting in one of the Iyr¡¯s plays, if they¡¯re allowed to.¡± Adam¡¯s smile faded. ¡°I¡¯d grow old one day, and I¡¯d be able to pick up the device, and I¡¯d be able to watch those memories. I¡¯d be able to see them as they were in that moment. I¡¯d be able to hear them as they were in that moment. Again and again and again. I¡¯d spend ten thousand gold for that, Chief.¡± ¡°It is a heavy price to pay, even for a parent,¡± the Chief said. ¡°Even if the Iyr holds vast wealth.¡± Adam gazed past the Chief. ¡°If I had access to that device, I¡¯d be able to show you them. My parents. My siblings. My friends. You¡¯d be able to see me too, not like this, a Half Elf, but a Human. A boy, a young man.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I¡¯d be able to show you things you could never imagine, Chief. Cars. Trains. Planes. For something like that, which holds access to technologies you can only dream of, the knowledge of countless scholars of both the past and the present.¡± Adam shook his head, thinking about how much it would change the entire world. ¡°I never spent more than two gold coins on buying such a device.¡± The Chief remained silent. ¡®Two gold?¡¯ Even if he knew Adam didn¡¯t lie to him, it was hard to believe. A device which possessed the ability to communicate such long distances, infinitely. Two gold. ¡°This stays between us, Chief,¡± Adam said. He had already introduced pizza to the Iyr, as well as the rickshaw, and the dumbbell. The Chief stared up into Adam¡¯s eyes, seeing that Adam was hesitant about his knowledge and introducing it to the Iyr. Iromin had taken Adam¡¯s side whenever he caused trouble. From the suspicious knowledge he possessed of the Iyr, to creating trouble with the axe he had designed to kill his grandfather, and even when Elder Gold informed the Chief of the deal they had struck, which went against the Iyrman¡¯s ways. It was he who had convinced her to accept the deal. It was to make sure that Adam would remain in the Iyr, because the Chief valued Adam¡¯s abilities, and the way he had always spoken the truth. However, the Chief had always agreed with the other Great Elders, but it was only now that he truly understood. Adam was dangerous. Click banner for Patreon! Adam''s backup plan was tiktok. 310. Enchanted 310. Enchanted Omen: 9, 13 Adam lifted his sister up, staring at her face. She stared up at him with a smile, bringing her hand to her mouth shyly, before giggling with joy. ¡°Why would you do this to me?¡± Lanarot replied with another giggle. ¡°Am I a joke to you?¡± Lanarot giggled again, kicking out her legs. ¡°This betrayal shall never be forgotten.¡± ¡°Obooboo,¡± the girl replied to him, reaching up for his beard.UppTodated from had spent most of the morning in the river. He had already used his trick, Tricks, in order to clean up the mess she had caused on top of him during breakfast, but he had scrubbed himself down thrice. ¡®Tricks is the best,¡¯ Adam thought, all the while Lanarot tugged on his beard, which had grown fairly thick. He had not shaved in some time, and Lanarot had gotten used to his beard. He wondered how she would react if he shaved it. ¡°You bad, bad girl,¡± Adam said, nuzzling his sister. ¡°How can you take a dump on me when I was talking with the others?¡± Lanarot babbled in response, clapping her hands together, smiling a toothy smile. Adam kissed her forehead. ¡°What strong poops you have, Lanababy. I bet other babies couldn¡¯t poop as strong as you to leak all over their older brother.¡± Lucy stared at Adam with her eyes half closed. ¡®Cringe. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s my friend.¡¯ Adam placed Lanarot on the ground. ¡°I have to go enchant now, so be good for mama, okay?¡± Lanarot, who was on all fours, looked up at Adam. She smiled a cheeky smile, one which had trouble written all over it, before crawling away. Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 26 (19) ¡®Damn. I shoulda done the mace.¡¯ Omen: 3, 12 When Adam awoke, he had planned to workout, as he had been for the last few weeks. However, as he stepped out of the house, he saw the children were all gathered around the little Katool, who was chatting excitedly with them all. ¡®Oh, yeah,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± ¡°Good morning, Cousin Adam,¡± came the response from the children. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is my birthday,¡± Katool said, smiling wide up at him. ¡°What? It¡¯s our lovely Katool¡¯s birthday?¡± Adam asked, gasping. ¡°No wonder you look so big.¡± Adam reached down to pick her up, letting out pained grunts as he tried to pick the girl up. ¡°You¡¯re so big now, little Katool. I can barely pick you up.¡± Katool smirked at Adam. ¡°I am a big girl.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, what a big girl you are,¡± Adam said, ruffling her hair, before putting her down. ¡°I can¡¯t even hold you for long because you¡¯re so big.¡± He leaned down and rubbed his back, grumbling about his back, causing the children to laugh. That morning he played with the children, making sure that Katool had her fill of play before they readied for breakfast. The children all passed Katool various different trinkets, with Taygak handing a small plate for the girl with the design of the Ool family against the bottom. ¡°Here you are, little Katool,¡± Adam said, holding out a platinum coin. Katool stared at the coin for a moment. ¡°That is not silver.¡± ¡°How smart you are,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a platinum coin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m finishing Zonda¡¯s mace first, and then I¡¯ll get working on your sword whenever I have the best luck, since you want a great enchantment.¡± Zijin nodded, allowing Adam to leave. ¡°Did you not enchant today?¡± Sonarot asked once Adam had returned. Adam stared at the woman. ¡®Oh, damn.¡¯ ¡°Sorry. It wasn¡¯t that great, so I gave it right to Elder Zijin.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Then it is no loss. What was it like?¡± ¡°A basic enchantment, with a little fire damage,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I am sure it was a good blade,¡± Sonarot said. Omen: 13, 20 ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered in the morning. ¡°Good fortune?¡± Sonarot asked, brushing her daughter¡¯s hair as the baby drank her milk. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam stretched out his body. ¡°I should be able to finish Vonda¡¯s mace today.¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I will.¡± Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 21 (14) Omen: 13, 20 20 + 7 = 27 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. The young man plucked the petals from the flower, alternating between confessing his love, and deciding against it. ¡°I shall not,¡± he said, plucking the last of the petals, before revealing another petal which had been hidden behind the flower. The young man, with fiery red hair, and bright green eyes, smiled. ¡°I shall,¡± he said, plucking the last of the petals. ¡°Korin,¡± called the voice of the Blood Mage from behind. ¡°Why is it always you who takes the longest?¡± Korin looked back to the Blood Mage, a young woman his age, a Devilkin from within the desert of Aswadia. She was a Noble, as the gem embedded within her head revealed. ¡°Sorry,¡± the young man said, strapping on his helmet. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He tied the longsword against his side, strapping his shield against his back. The shield was painted with the symbol of one of the Gods, a crown atop a blade, which was pointed towards the crown. ¡°Since the war is over, we should be able to freely travel the land,¡± Sara said. ¡°Stay close to me, otherwise you¡¯ll be in danger,¡± Korin said. ¡°Even if I am a Devilkin, they would not dare to harm me,¡± Sara replied. ¡°I am a Noble.¡± ¡°Do you think being a Noble changes the fact you¡¯re a Devilkin in Aldland?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen Devilkin can move freely,¡± she said, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re no Iyrman.¡± Sara narrowed her eyes, but remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go find that brother of ours,¡± Korin said. Thus Fate was forever changed. Click banner for Patreon! There are a quite a lot of Omens in the next few chapters so I am going to post up double chapters every Monday and Friday for this month. 311. Vonda’s Dawn 311. Vonda¡¯s Dawn [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®500,¡¯ Adam replied. This wasn¡¯t any old mace, this was going to be Vonda¡¯s mace, so Adam wasn¡¯t going to skimp on the weapon¡¯s enchantment. XP: 7400 -> 6900 ¡®Nice.¡¯ Mace Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Upon stating the command word, can glow up to 10 metres for ten minutes. The glow can provide a gentle warmth, and can be dismissed with a thought. Once per day you may heal anyone of your choosing within the glow 2D6+3 Health. This ability recharges at dawn. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®Vonda¡¯s Dawn.¡¯ Vonda¡¯s Dawn Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Upon stating the command word, can glow up to 10 metres for ten minutes. The glow can provide a gentle warmth, and can be dismissed with a thought. Once per day you may heal anyone of your choosing within the glow 2D6+3 Health. This ability recharges at dawn. XP Gained: +500 XP: 6900 -> 7400 Great enchantment learnt! XP Gained: +200 XP: 7400 -> 7600 ¡®I hope she likes it,¡¯ Adam thought. He was certain she¡¯d enjoy the ability to heal with the weapon, but he wasn¡¯t sure how she¡¯d feel about the weapon dealing more damage. The Iyrman who was with him that evening escorted him back to the estate. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, staring at the figures before him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Welcome back,¡± Naqokan said. The Iyrman, Shikan¡¯s niece, was currently holding Lanarot¡¯s hands, allowing her to walk with support. Damokan and Kalokan were sitting beside her quietly, playing with small trinkets. ¡°What did you enchant today?¡± Nirot asked, carrying her little brother on her back. Turot¡¯s arms were wrapped around her neck and he rested his cheek against her neck, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the piggy back ride. It wasn¡¯t just her, as Laygak was playing with his siblings too, both Taygak and Saygak, and Faool held his cousin on his lap. ¡®When did they get so close to the children?¡¯ Adam wondered. It was not a normal sight to see, considering how distant the older siblings usually were. ¡°A mace.¡± ¡°Is it done?¡± Vonda asked, pushing away the awkwardness. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said, holding the weapon out to her. ¡°It¡¯s not my finest work, but I think you¡¯ll like it.¡± If Adam had infinite time, and more money, he¡¯d be able to do much more with it. ¡®Hold on, didn¡¯t I have another three thousand gold?¡¯ Vonda accepted the weapon from his hand, feeling the magic within it. ¡°It¡¯s not just a basic weapon?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, as though it were obvious. ¡°It can glow for a short while, though you can dismiss it and make it glow as you please. You can also heal anyone within the glow once per dawn.¡± Vonda¡¯s first reflex was to decline the mace, but it was her birthday gift, something Adam had spent so much time and money to create. Not just that, but the others within his group also held such great weapons, especially Dunes, the other Priest. ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± she said, softly, smiling from behind her scarf. Adam could see the gentle warmth in her eyes, and he glanced aside. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡®I¡¯m just giving her a gift, just like Kitool and Jaygak.¡¯ Adam pushed away the fact that he hadn¡¯t gone on a date with either of the Iyrmen. Naqokan lifted Lanarot up to her lap, her eyes glued to both Adam and Vonda. ¡®A Demon. A Dragon. A Priest.¡¯ Naqokan understood that her competition was fierce. Shikan, who was stirring the pot as it was their turn to cook, wondered if he should call his niece to come and cook with them. Adam felt a shiver run down his spine, before he caught his Aunt¡¯s gaze. He looked to Vonda, who was standing before him awkwardly, and then back to his Aunt. ¡®Oh.¡¯ He cleared his throat quickly. ¡°Anyway, if you stick around with us, I¡¯ll be sure to make you something much better. I forgot that I had more gold than I actually had so I didn¡¯t spend the right amount of gems.¡± ¡°This mace is great,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°I need no other weapon, Adam.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Katool replied, smiling up at the Half Elf, before she held up her bowl. ¡°I give you soup?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re a big girl now, so you need to eat all your food so you can grow bigger and stronger.¡± Adam nodded to the girl. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, sipping her soup with vigour, before her mother held the bowl and pulled it back gently, trying to get her to drink moderately. ¡®Why is my Cousin so queer?¡¯ Nirot thought. ¡°We were guarding the borders.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Nirot replied, smiling up at him with pride. ¡°You Iyrmen really are built different,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Is it safe for you to guard the borders?¡± ¡°We are guided by an Expert during the patrols.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do I need to guard the patrols?¡± ¡°You are a Nephew, Adam,¡± Nirot said. ¡°Guarding the borders is for Iyrmen to do.¡± ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Adam asked. Nirot smiled, wondering if she could mention the fact that the group had managed to slay a Giant Boar. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then,¡± Adam said. ¡°Does the Iyr need me anywhere during the month, then? I¡¯ll just enchant and smith while I have the chance, before we have to leave.¡± Adam threw a look to Vonda, who bowed her head. ¡°We do not need you anywhere,¡± Nirot stated, firmly. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± Sonarot rubbed her cheek. ¡°Why are you always in such a rush to work?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to grow more powerful the more I work.¡± ¡°You are already powerful enough for your age,¡± Sonarot said, before her eyes fell to Sir Vonda, who had also managed to become an Expert before nineteen years of age, and even without Adam¡¯s assistance she was so close to it. ¡°Yeah, but...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°Your sister will be so lonely,¡± Sonarot said. Adam fell silent. He sipped his soup, narrowing his eyes at his Aunt, who smiled innocently towards him. Lanarot tossed another piece of bread away from her. ¡°Stop wasting so much food,¡± Adam said, holding the girl¡¯s face, squeezing her cheeks gently. ¡°Is it because I haven¡¯t been playing with you?¡± Lanarot babbled and squirmed against his touch, before returning back to eating her precious bread. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing that you¡¯re in the Iyr, otherwise I¡¯d go crazy,¡¯ Adam thought, brushing the girl¡¯s hair gently. ¡®Right. I don¡¯t need to worry about her safety at all, so I should just focus on my own plans for now.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Just some wholesome stuff. Definitely nothing cool happening any time soon... 312. Wizard’s Axe 312. Wizard¡¯s Axe Omen: 11, 20 ¡®Should I make a greater enchantment on my axe?¡¯ Adam thought. He wasn¡¯t sure how much time he had, but he wanted to make it a perfect weapon, and he needed a week. He was fairly certain he wouldn¡¯t have enough time by the time Jurot returned and they¡¯d need to go deal with Vonda¡¯s request. After exchanging his cold hard gold, he decided to spend seven hundred gold on his axe, a fairly decent chunk of gold for a basic weapon, though he wanted to make sure it was enhanced with certain features.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 24 (17) Omen: 11, 20 -> 11 20 + 7 = 27 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. ¡°Uncle Az, guest has come,¡± called the young boy, who was no more than seven years old. The man placed down his book. ¡°Ask your mother to make some tea,¡± he replied, strapping his sword to his side, before stepping out the cabin which he had built the previous year. A fence had been built around the cabin, which sat atop a small hill, overlooking the small village nearby. The guest who had arrived had come from Gryphon back, from far to the West, even beyond Aswadia. He wore a breastplate, a long cloak over his shoulders, and a sword at his side. ¡®What a handsome guy,¡¯ Azazel thought, staring at the guest. Even from here, he could feel the sense of the holy magics which permeated throughout the older man. The Gryphon also gave a great sense of holy magic. Harold remained silent, staring at the man before him. His dreams had led him here, causing him to even leave his village during a Great Twilight. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting a guest,¡± Azazel said. ¡°I am Sir Harold Merryweather,¡± the older man said. ¡°What does the previous King¡¯s Sword want with me?¡± Even all these miles away, the name of the King¡¯s Sword had travelled. Harold remained quiet for a long while. There was something off about the man before him. It hadn¡¯t taken long for him to understand why. The man before him was a Demon. ¡®Two Demons?¡¯ Harold thought, wondering why they had seemingly returned. ¡°How rude,¡± Azazel said. He reached for his blade, and Harold reacted by reaching for his own, the pair almost drawing their weapon in the blink of an eye. It was in that moment, Azazel felt it again. ¡°Uncle Az,¡± called the boy, peeking his head through the window. ¡°No milk.¡± The pair of men remained standing, hands at their sides innocently, as though they hadn¡¯t tried to cut down the other. ¡®Again,¡¯ Azazel thought. ¡®Someone keeps playing with Fate.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve come to speak with you,¡± the older man said. ¡°Sure,¡± Azazel replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go get the milk. Why don¡¯t you sit inside?¡± Harold stepped past him, entering the cabin. Azazel wondered if he should travel the thousands of miles to find the one who was playing with his fate, but decided against it. Thus Fate was forever changed. Thus Fate was forever changed. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®500.¡¯ Adam was glad he had rolled so well for the weapon, keeping the average above a 25. XP: 7600 -> 7100 Axe Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2d6 slashing damage. You may use this weapon as a component for spells which requires no item worth a monetary cost. This weapon can transform into a ring at will. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®Wizard¡¯s Axe.¡¯ Wizard¡¯s Axe Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2d6 slashing damage. You may use this weapon as a component for spells which requires no item worth a monetary cost. This weapon can transform into a ring at will. XP Gained: +400 XP: 7100 -> 7500 Great enchantment learnt! XP Gained: +200 XP: 7500 -> 7700 Adam smiled. It wasn¡¯t the best weapon he had made, but it was quite useful. He had half a mind to call it Utility Axe, but chose against it since it was so silly. ¡°Where is your axe?¡± Sonarot asked. She was certain he wasn¡¯t going to sell it off since he had wanted to make his own axe. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked. ¡®He did return late,¡¯ Sonarot thought. ¡°You should have finished the axe today. You did not spend enough to enchant a greater weapon, and you did not wish to sell it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s right here.¡± Adam raised up his hand, and as he did, the ring shifted into an axe within his grip. He had spent an hour meditating with the weapon to attune to it, just so he could make the joke. Sonarot raised her brows in surprise, but smiled. It was the same enchantment he had placed on Lucy¡¯s Destroyer. ¡°How amazing.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam said, offering her the axe. ¡°It¡¯s a little stronger than a normal axe, and the other features are more useful to me. I can use it to channel my spells, and it can turn to a ring at will.¡± Sonarot swung the axe, cutting into some wood, finding the axe could cut through it like butter. ¡°It is quite the axe.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they all?¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Did you not wish to enchant the weapon with fire, or another?¡± Adam glanced around, noting the other Iyrmen¡¯s faces. He understood she was talking about a very specific damage type. ¡°Even I can learn my lesson, Aunt.¡± There was an awkwardness within the air. Adam had lost his greatest weapon due to the Great Elders, who did not trust him with it after he had defeated three of the Iyrmen before him, two of whom he had faced back to back on the same day. Adam smiled and winked. Click banner for Patreon! New axe who this? Wait... why is this chapter so early? 313. Elder, Teacher 313. Elder, Teacher Omen: 4, 14 Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 16 (9) Omen: 4, 14 -> 4 14 + 7 = 21 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. There were many of them, the anomalies which had entered the world. This world which held inhabitants of various lands, even those of other realms. However, the world itself was connected to the realms, and thus allowed travel between the various worlds between. Yet, every world was insulated, and was under the pantheon of gods, each related to one another, from a time long forgotten. This was something else. All these strangers, the anomalies, who had appeared in this world, all on the same day, they were not the same. They did not come from the various connected worlds. They came from outside. They broke the Order. Though he had come to claim the soul of a dying old man, the Champion stopped. It was nearby. It, which was the most dangerous of all the anomalies. The Champion, who was travelling westward, turned, and marched towards a particular cave, not a hundred miles away. Thus Fate was forever changed. Omen: 4, 7 ¡°You should take a break today, Adam,¡± Sonarot said. Adam had been working too hard from the beginning of the year. It had been almost two weeks, and he had spent so many days enchanting. A magical weapon a week was gruelling work, and though there were Iyrmen who could enchant, and enchanted at such a rate, it was still awkward to see her Nephew like this. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on enchanting today if that was what you were wondering,¡± Adam replied, sipping the soup. Sonarot sighed with relief. ¡°You should rest for the day.¡± Adam stared down at his bowl. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on doing anything strenuous today.¡± ¡®I wish I had rolled better. I still have four magical weapons to make, and one of them will take me an entire week.¡¯ There were the three weapons he had promised to the Ban family, and the weapon he had promised to Elder Zijin. ¡®Being in debt is so stressful.¡¯ ¡°What will you do today?¡± Sonarot asked. From the way Adam spoke, it didn¡¯t sound like he was going to stay here to play with the children as he usually did. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep my promise,¡± Adam said, finishing the rest of his soup. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to play with you today, Lanababy, so don¡¯t miss me too much.¡± He tickled his sister¡¯s chin, which was half covered in spit and bread. She looked up at him, sticking bread and her hand into her mouth. Once he had finished his meal, he made his way through the Iyr. However, as he tried to enter the estate, he was blocked by an older Iyrman with one arm. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jarot replied. ¡°You have not visited in some time. Shall we go for a walk?¡± ¡°Maybe another time, I¡¯ve come to-¡° ¡°Then let us drink,¡± the older Iyrman said, wrapping his arm around the back of Adam¡¯s neck, trying to lead him away. ¡®This old man is so annoying,¡¯ Adam thought, not admitting they were cut from the same cloth. ¡°Stop bothering me, and let me teach him already.¡± ¡°We can drink for today and you can teach him another day.¡± ¡®Should I borrow Phantom to teach him some manners?¡¯ Adam thought. He didn¡¯t dare to fight the old man without Phantom, which would allow him the chance to at least not lose so easily. He had only been beaten once, and he still remembered how embarrassing it was. ¡°Leave him,¡± Mulrot called. The older Iyrman, Jarot¡¯s wife, walked up to Adam and brushed his hair. ¡°Come.¡± Adam followed her, and Jarot followed after him. Churot was nearby, reading a book, or rather, he was pretending to read a book. Once Adam arrived, the Devilkin boy placed down the book and stood up. ¡°Are you ready to learn today?¡± Adam asked. It was difficult. Churot chose to learn magic, and had sought out the Half Elf recently to learn. That was something which couldn¡¯t be ignored in this matter. Mulrot had decided to trust Sonarot. Jarot refused, and though he was once the Family Head, he retired from that position due to the death of Churot and his parents. Adam was a Nephew of the Rot family, which entitled him to some trust. He was also treated as a sibling of Jurot and Lanarot, and he seemed to treat his Cousins well too. Adam had accepted the matter without a second thought, so he was told, though the Half Elf had yet to come and discuss the price of the teaching. A thought passed through Elder Teacher¡¯s mind. ¡®Does he understand he¡¯s to be paid?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Elder Teacher called. Adam snapped back to attention, his eyes quickly meeting the Great Elder¡¯s. ¡°Yes, Elder Teacher?¡± There was something odd about how formal Adam was being. It was unlike him, but there were other matters which were more important. ¡°How much is the price of Churot¡¯s tutoring?¡± ¡°I get paid?¡± Adam asked, letting the question slip through the surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How much would you pay Aunt for tutoring him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We would not.¡± ¡°Then how come you¡¯re paying me?¡± Adam asked, furrowing his brows in confusion. ¡°You are not...¡± Elder Teacher noted the looks that both Mulrot and Jarot were giving him. Though Jarot had been against Adam teaching Churot, the Iyrman also thought Adam to be his grandson, the same as Jurot. The blatant disrespect Elder Teacher had shown, had caused the pair of Iyrmen to glare at him with quite the harsh look. Elder Teacher sighed. In fact, all of these considerations were truly inconsequential. There was one consideration which had weighed on Elder Teacher¡¯s mind above all else. It wasn¡¯t that Adam had chosen to teach Churot without speaking to the family, or the Elder, Zijin, who was in charge of making sure Adam stayed out of trouble, and it wasn¡¯t the fact that Adam was still extremely suspicious. In all of Elder Teacher¡¯s years, he had never seen the Chief so spooked before. It was especially queer considering the Chief had encouraged Elder Gold and Elder Forest to speak with the tinkerer. Adam remained quiet, wondering what was weighing so heavily on Elder Teacher¡¯s mind. ¡°Adam,¡± Elder Teacher finally said. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam replied, cautiously. ¡°If you require anything to assist in teaching Churot, then speak with Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Elder Teacher looked down to Churot, before saying something in the Devilkin tongue, before he left. Adam decided against calling for the Great Elder, and forgot everything about his payment. ¡®Seeing Churot sling a Fireball is its own reward.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! ¡®Seeing Churot sling a Fireball is its own reward.¡¯ Truly the only reason to teach magic. That, and bathing. 314. Maths And Magic 314. Maths And Magic ¡°Churot,¡± Adam called, staring at the answers on the paper. ¡°I understand that no normal person would buy three hundred and sixty apples, five crates of soap, and two mirrors, but that¡¯s just part of the question.¡± ¡°No sense,¡± Churot replied, simply. ¡°That part isn¡¯t meant to make sense, it¡¯s just part of the question,¡± Adam said, rubbing the side of his forehead. Churot remained silent, his eyes still staring up at the Half Elf. He was as stubborn as an ox, as one might have expected of the boy. He, who had grown under the comfort of his grandfather and grandmother, had been spoiled constantly. There was almost never a time he wasn¡¯t near his grandfather and his tender care. ¡°The guy who brought the apples, soap, and mirrors was a merchant,¡± Adam said. ¡°He bought them in order to sell them off, so you need to answer the questions.¡± Right. Merchants. Churot knew of those people, those who bought wares and sold them off. Sometimes Iyrmen would act as merchants, selling off a few wares in order to bring the coin back for the Iyr, but that¡¯s not how the merchants typically worked. ¡°Why must I answer questions about merchants?¡± Churot asked, speaking the longest sentence he had in some time. ¡°It¡¯s to test you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I know that chariots cannot travel at one hundred kilometres an hour either, but I hope that Churot, who I know to be such a good young man, will answer the questions properly. Otherwise I¡¯ll have to assume that you don¡¯t know the answer to the questions, and I won¡¯t be able to teach you properly.¡± Churot stared up at the Half Elf, his face still blank. He let out a soft breath and took the paper to answer the questions he had answered incorrectly. Once he received the paper back, Adam marked the answers which Churot had first answered incorrectly. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise our Churot was so smart.¡± Jarot huffed, about to complain when Mulrot pinched his arm. Her eyes told her husband to leave them be and to mind his own business. She understood it was a difficult ask, but this was for their grandson¡¯s future. Adam continued to test the young boy, from simple maths to more complicated maths. Eventually, Adam brought that thing into maths, a most devilish invention. Churot stared at the question before him. His eyes raised up towards Adam, wondering if Adam was joking with him. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Maths,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why is there a cross with the numbers?¡± Churot asked. ¡°This is called algebra,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is useful for maths.¡± Churot furrowed his brows. ¡®Are you trying to stop me from learning magic?¡¯ He wondered if Adam was trying to wriggle out of the promise he had made. Adam could see the look in Churot¡¯s eyes. Adam wondered if he looked at his teacher the same way when he brought letters into maths. ¡°I know how you feel, Churot, but this is real. Can you answer it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Churot replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try first?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not know how.¡± ¡°Good point.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°That was rather silly of me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was a rhetorical question.¡± Churot wondered if Adam and he truly spoke the same language. Adam showed Churot how to answer the question in order to find what the value of the letter x was. After a handful of examples, Adam left Churot to answer the questions. Even Mulrot wasn¡¯t sure why Adam was combining both letters and maths together. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, staring at the pair of them, who had been sitting nearby, drinking warm milk and eating snacks. ¡°Why are you using letters and maths together?¡± ¡°How amazing,¡± Adam said, smiling down at the teen. ¡°Then I have the best student to teach. I¡¯ll have to put in more effort in teaching you then. I¡¯ll try and figure out how to teach you magic, but until then, learn the concepts I¡¯m showing you.¡± Churot remained staring blankly at Adam. Over the next few days, Adam continued to teach Churot various concepts, basic concepts to him, but new concepts to Churot. The concept of a number line and negative numbers was something Churot had never learnt before, but it wasn¡¯t long until Churot understood them. ¡®This kid is so smart,¡¯ Adam thought, rubbing his chin. As Churot had been learning the concepts, Adam had spent some time creating a spell scroll, using the Iyr¡¯s materials to create a scroll for his trick and a scroll for a first gate spell. The Iyrmen nearby, all members of the Rot family, had been watching him as he created the scroll for them to see. They didn¡¯t understand why Adam had shown them all the process of how he made the spell scroll, but they decided against refusing such good fortune. ¡°Will you teach me magic now?¡± Churot asked. ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You should thank your lucky stars that I don¡¯t remember calculus, otherwise you¡¯ll hate me so much you¡¯ll refuse learning magic out of principle.¡± ¡°I wish to learn magic,¡± the Devilkin teen stated. Adam revealed each scroll to him. Adam, as he had written down the spell scrolls, had realised how much maths and magic had in common. Though he didn¡¯t recall every mathematics concept out there, he had found the similarities between maths and magic as he drew the scroll. ¡°Can you spot the difference between these two?¡± Adam asked. ¡°This scroll is more detailed,¡± Churot said, pointing to the pattern on one spell scroll. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, smiling at the Devilkin teen. ¡°This is the first gate spell, and the other is a trick. Notice how each of them is a long line of magical runes, but every so often, the first gate contains more complex runes, sometimes with multiple runes stacked together.¡± Adam brought out his spellbook, before turning to the page for Identify, and placed the scroll side by side. ¡°Can you spot the differences?¡± Churot paused, looking to his grandfather, who was also slightly puzzled. Jarot, however, nodded his head slowly, allowing Churot to look at the spellbook. ¡°They are the same spell, but they have different symbols?¡± Churot asked, noting that most of the symbols were the same, but there were small differences near the beginning of the spell. ¡°Exactly. The difference is that this first section in my spellbook defines the time it requires to cast the spell, but when you cast off of a spellscroll, the time changes to a moment, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied. ¡°So then we have something further in which has changed, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know what the difference is this time?¡± Churot thought about it for a moment. He knew how it was when it came to Blood Mages, but he wasn¡¯t sure about Scribe Mages. ¡°It is the components required for the spell?¡± ¡°Churot is not just a genius when it comes to maths, but magic too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± came a familiar voice. Adam remained smiling at Churot, before slowly turning his head to see Elder Teacher, who was staring at the pair of them. ¡°Yes, Elder Teacher?¡± Elder Teacher remained silent for a long moment. Adam held a scroll before Churot, as well as his spellbook, which was open before the Devilkin teen. Elder Teacher had been a Great Elder for quite some time now, so he had many years in practising how to keep a straight face. However, the utter confusion ran through the Great Elder¡¯s blood as he tried to understand what was happening. Click banner for Patreon! Adam: *Exists* A) Great Elder (Xianxia): Courting death! B) Great Elder (Iyr): ??? 315. Adam’s Influence 315. Adam¡¯s Influence ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elder Teacher asked. ¡°I¡¯m teaching Churot,¡± Adam replied. Elder Teacher remained silent, thinking this was one of Adam¡¯s jokes. He was the kind who showed no fear in front of the Chief, and was rather playful with most people who could kill him. ¡®No,¡¯ the Great Elder thought. Though it was true that he was playful with most people who could kill him, that number had decreased substantially due to Adam¡¯s previous fights with his Aunts and Uncle. It wasn¡¯t just his fights with those three, but also the fights with the pair from the Ruv family too, who he managed to defeat fairly soundly, even without his magical weapon. ¡°Why are you revealing your spellbook to young Churot?¡± Elder Teacher asked, having waited for some time for Adam to refuse to explain his joke. ¡°How else am I supposed to teach him?¡± Adam stated. ¡®Just how much are you willing to joke?¡¯ Elder Teacher thought, but as the seconds passed, it was evident. Adam wasn¡¯t joking. ¡°Is that bad?¡± Adam thought, quickly closing his book. ¡®Is it because the runes of the magic can cause issues when the person is too young?¡¯ Adam began to theorise as to why it was dangerous for a young teen like Churot to learn magic. ¡°Scribe Mages like you do not share your spellbook so openly,¡± Elder Teacher informed. ¡°Such a thing is unheard of. Even between parent and child, they do not share their spellbooks.¡± ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m no Scribe Mage,¡± Adam said. ¡°Churot isn¡¯t my son, either. He¡¯s my Cousin.¡± Once more, Adam emphasised the word to show that he was a Cousin, and not a cousin, which was an important distinction to make in the Iyr. He noticed that Jarot used grandson instead of Grandson, but he wasn¡¯t going to give the old man such satisfaction. It held no relevance to the discussion, but Adam thought to lighten the mood with a light joke, since there seemed to be some unsaid tension in the air. Elder Teacher was beginning to under more about Adam, and why the Chief showed the Half Elf so much favour. Adam sometimes acted so strange, so alien, but there were times when he spoke like an Iyrman. ¡°Come with me,¡± Elder Teacher eventually said, before turning and leaving. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com followed the Great Elder, acutely aware of the fact the Iyrman had a mace at his side. The Half Elf relaxed once he saw the Chief, who was at his gazebo in his estate. He was certain the Chief would not try to kill him without some warning. ¡®Where is his spellbook?¡¯ Elder Teacher wondered. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Adam asked, biting into the snack the Chief offered. ¡°I wished for you to explain these concepts,¡± the Chief said, revealing a handful of papers, each with the different mathematical concepts he had introduced to Churot. ¡°Oh, sure,¡± Adam said, spending the next few hours explaining the various concepts to the Iyrmen. ¡®This feels weird,¡¯ he thought, thinking about how he was explaining simple mathematical concepts to the Iyrmen, who were fairly intelligent from what he gathered. ¡®Though, I guess that¡¯s because of how I was raised?¡¯ There were another dozen or so Iyrmen who appeared, each of them remaining silent as Adam taught them. ¡°Who were they?¡± Adam asked, watching as they left. ¡°My aides,¡± Elder Teacher said. Adam nodded his head in response. ¡®That makes sense,¡¯ he thought. ¡°Where is your spellbook?¡± Elder Teacher asked. ¡°It¡¯s...¡± Adam scrunched his brow. ¡°I forgot it at the estate.¡± The Chief was no longer capable of being surprised by the Half Elf. Elder Teacher remained befuddled. The pair were eventually joined with the other Great Elders, including Elder Wrath, who was still in the process of stepping down. ¡°You must have met with Adam,¡± Elder Gold said, noting the queerness about the pair of them. ¡°What did he do this time?¡± ¡°He has allowed Churot to read his spellbook,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°When I walked in on his teaching, he was showing the young boy how to spot the differences between the spellbook¡¯s spell and the spellscroll¡¯s spell.¡± Elder Forest almost dropped into the chair with shock, unable to control her brows as they shot upwards. ¡°He...¡± Elder Wrath, who was still so solemn, perked up upon hearing the ridiculous statement. ¡°That young man is crazy.¡± Elder Gold exchanged a look between the Chief and Elder Teacher. She had been the second Great Elder, after the Chief, to understand how ridiculous Adam was, especially when it came to his family. She recalled the deal she had made with Adam, which Iromin had advised her on accepting, even though it went against their teaching. ¡°It appears he wholly accepts the Rot family as his own,¡± Elder Gold said, sipping some water. Elder Peace, who was the most calm and collected of all the Iyrmen, due to her role, thought deeply about what she had been told. ¡°It is well known that Scribe Mages guard their spellbooks as though it is their life.¡± ¡°Yes, but Adam is not a Scribe Mage,¡± the Chief stated. ¡°He is nothing in particular,¡± Elder Teacher said. They had tried to understand what Adam was. He held the same abilities most Iyrmen held, but usually one would keep within a particular path of abilities. Adam held many abilities of many different paths, from that of a Scribe Mage, to a Priest, and even the abilities of a Guardian. ¡°If Adam truly teaches Churot how to use magic in the same way as the Scribe Mage, it is a great boon for the Iyr,¡± the Chief said. ¡°The changes which are brought to the Iyr must have stable foundations,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°We have allowed him to bring many changes, but they must be discussed until we come to a firm conclusion.¡± The Chief sighed, and the other Great Elders looked to him. ¡°I heard that young Turot wishes to become Elder Peace.¡± ¡°You speak of Adam¡¯s Cousin?¡± Elder Peace asked. ¡°The very same,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I cannot help but think that, with Adam¡¯s help, that may very well come to be.¡± ¡°Though he has been spoiled by his grandfather, young Churot¡¯s intelligence is still greater than most of his peers,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°The roles of Elder Teacher and Elder Peace may very well be in the hands of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Then comes the matter of the pair from the Kan and Jin families,¡± Iromin said. ¡°It is highly likely either of them become the future Chief, either as my successor, or the next Chief¡¯s. One of the Kan¡¯s is also enamoured with the young man.¡± ¡°That would place three of the Great Elder positions in the hands of a single shared family estate,¡± Elder Teacher said. ¡°Each favouring Adam.¡± ¡°Shaool¡¯s grandniece is also close with him... and it seems he has collected favours from both Sir Merry and Sir Royce,¡± Iromin said, the flow of the conversation slowly changing. At first, the conversation had been about the dangers of Adam and his influence on some Iyrmen, and though it sounded ridiculous, it was not in the Iyr¡¯s blood to leave a stone unturned. However, the other Great Elders noted the shift in the Chief¡¯s tone. Iromin had thought about the first time he had met Adam, and what he had thought of the Half Elf, who seemed so alien. There was a high chance that he would not survive after the Iyr viewed him as a potential threat, and his alarming rate of growth continued to press on the Great Elders. Iromin, as well as Elder Story, had heard Adam¡¯s tale. Though it had been a near impossible tale, Iromin had to believe it was true, because he was the Chief of the Iyr. The Iyrmen had almost died once, and they had become a shadow of their former selves. It was a tale which was passed down, vaguely to most Iyrmen, but in great detail to all Great Elders and their aides. It had instilled a great sense of responsibility on the Great Elders¡¯ shoulders. That tale of his, and though it was a near impossible tale, Adam had confirmed a theory of their old enemies, the Giants, revealing their Frostbridge. Though, there was also a part of his tale, something the Chief had only vaguely mentioned to the other Great Elders. The tale had revealed new enemies of the Iyr in that world, enemies which did not yet exist in this world. ¡®Even after all you have seen in the Iyr,¡¯ the Chief thought. ¡®Do they still terrify you?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I have been writing like a machine, or a bot one might say, for the start of this year! I''m going to do my best to completely fix my sleep so I can write a ton of words everyday. I love this story so much, even if it isn''t very successful. 316. Steps For The Future 316. Steps For The Future Adam eventually returned back to the Rot family estate, finding that his spellbook was exactly where he had left it, no doubt left untouched. Adam looked around to the children, and he narrowed his eyes at them. ¡°Did any of you take a peek inside my book?¡± One of the Rot family children puffed out their cheeks incredulously. ¡°No. We did not play with your spellbook.¡± ¡°Are you calling us thieves?¡± another complained. ¡°We are of the Rot family, we do not steal.¡± ¡°No thief,¡± a particularly young girl reprimanded, pointing at Adam. ¡°Bad.¡± ¡°I was just asking,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. He couldn¡¯t help but tease the children. ¡°Of course the good little boys and girls of the Rot family would not peek in my spellbook.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Jarot. ¡°Though, can I say the same for the old elder?¡± ¡°No! Bad!¡± the little Iyrman girl admonished, but the slightly older children noted who he was looking at. ¡°Even if granduncle is silly, he did not peek,¡± a young teen said, assuring Adam. Adam snickered, his lips forming a wide, teasing smile. ¡°Even these kids know you¡¯re like that?¡± ¡°What else do they know but the adoring granduncle who could not help but spoil them?¡± Jarot replied, with not an ounce of shame in his voice. These children all only knew the Jarot which had been born after the deaths of his children and grandchild, the same Jarot who still regretted allowing his brother and sister, Zaool and Tangak, to die back then. One of the children stared at Adam, and then to Jarot. ¡®Is Cousin Adam granduncle¡¯s grandson?¡¯ they thought, noting the similarities in their behaviour. ¡°Did they bully you?¡± Jarot asked, referring to the Great Elders. ¡°I can reprimand them for bullying my grandson.¡± Adam made a face at the old man as he packed up his spellbook. ¡°No, they didn¡¯t. They just asked me to explain all the maths.¡± Jarot narrowed his eyes, but noted the children were looking at him, so quickly changed his expression to something more obviously playful. ¡°Maths? I do not know what the Gods were thinking when they introduced such a thing to this world.¡± ¡°How else are you going to count how many beasts you¡¯ve slain?¡± Adam joked. Jarot chuckled. ¡°I suppose it does have some use!¡± He had to be careful not to instil a sense of distaste towards maths in front of the children. Jurot, who had never been good at maths, had refused to learn more than necessary because of a joke he had made when the boy was young. ¡°Will you come to teach our Churot tomorrow?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t felt lucky for three days now, so chances are I¡¯ll be lucky tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°I most likely won¡¯t come tomorrow, but I hope that Churot will keep practising all the maths.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, writing some equations in his book. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you all later,¡± Adam said, waving at the Rot family, before heading back to the shared family estate. Once Adam returned back to the shared family estate, he watched as the families were all ready to eat, this time the Gak family cooking. Adam could already feel the tingle of spice which would numb his lips. ¡°I heard that you were called by Elder Teacher,¡± Sonarot asked, cutting some of the egg and salya pancakes for her daughter. Lanarot stared up at the large man, who held such dark skin. She began to whimper before she cried, causing her mother to pick her up. ¡°Lanarot,¡± Adam called, filled with a sense of awkwardness. ¡°You can¡¯t keep crying every time you see a Black guy!¡± The first time the girl had seen Dunes, who was all but confirmed to be Ashmir¡¯s son, she had also reacted the same way. ¡°Black?¡± Ashmir asked, raising his brow at the young man. Adam stared at Ashmir, puzzled, before his brows shot up in shock. ¡°Oh, right. That sort of thing probably doesn¡¯t exist yet.¡± Ashmir threw Adam a curious look, all the while Adam shook his head, rubbing his forehead. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Where I come from...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°No, never mind. It¡¯s probably best we don¡¯t talk about it.¡± Adam had to be careful in bringing certain things to this world. Ashmir wondered if perhaps Adam was trying to disparage him for being Aswadian, but considering how close he was to his son, and that he was quite welcoming to the Iyrmen and himself, he wasn¡¯t so sure. Lanarot eventually calmed down, staring at the Aswadian gladiator, who was littered with scars from his history. She eventually squirmed out of her mother¡¯s grasp, who held onto the girl¡¯s waist, before she dropped down to eat her food again. The children swarmed Ashmir once they were finished with eating, jabbering at him in their language at first, before they realised he wasn¡¯t any good at speaking it. When Sonarot stood up, Lanarot looked up towards her mother, before standing up, the food on her lap dropping on her foot. She stood firmly, her legs planted on the ground like a pair of tree trunks. She stumbled towards her mother, her feet slamming down on the ground, before she grabbed her mother¡¯s leg. Adam blinked. ¡°Does that count? That counts, right?¡± Adam said, pointing to his sister. ¡°Well done, Lanarot,¡± Sonarot said. Adam waited, all the while the other Iyrmen praised her, petting her head, brushing her hair. However, Adam pulled the girl from her mother, using his trick, Tricks, to clean her up, before he hugged her tight. ¡°Look at how big and strong you¡¯ve become,¡± Adam said, planting a kiss on her forehead, rocking her back and forth in his arms. The attention caused her to squeal and clap, enjoying the fact that everyone was playing with her. ¡°Did you see? Those big strong steps!¡± Adam ruffled the girl¡¯s hair, all the while Lanarot clapped and laughed. Adam placed her down and pulled back. ¡°Come to me, Lanababy.¡± Lanarot held out her hands to try and grab him, stepping forwards twice, before Adam scooped her up. ¡°Good job! Good job!¡± Adam continued to praise the little girl. ¡°You are the best, Lanababy.¡± He continued to play with her all evening, all the while the other Iyrmen watched. Ashmir looked to the others, wondering how they were responding to Adam wildly praising his little sister. They seem to give him a look which meant that Adam was simply Adam. Click banner for Patreon! Thanks for the rating, whoever that was! Please enjoy more double chapters! 317. Pretty Good 317. Pretty Good Omen: 16, 16 ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®There was no way my luck was going to be that bad.¡¯ After Adam finished his morning routine, he remained at the estate for a short while longer. ¡°Look at you,¡± the Half Elf said, holding out his arms. Lanarot stumbled her way towards him, grabbing his leg once he was in range. She smiled and giggled up at him, repeating the process of walking to him several time, before he picked her up to shower her with his affection. ¡°Just the other day you were crying all night long, and now you¡¯re walking?¡± There was a proud warmth which had filled Adam, with a great sense of satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯ll be chopping away at beasts with your axe in no time.¡± Lanarot babbled up at him, clapping her hands together excitedly, before she hugged him tight. ¡°You¡¯re such a big girl now, Lanababy,¡± Adam said. It truly felt as though time had passed by. She had been so small back then, a wrinkled little thing. Now she was so much taller, and she was so chubby thanks to all the extra bread he was feeding her. ¡°I need to go enchant today, Lanababy,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to finish a longsword for little Polban. His dada helped me a lot, so I have to make sure his children are given proper gifts.¡± Lanarot babbled in response, before returning back to sucking her thumb quietly. Adam planted a kiss on her forehead, before placing her down. She complained, reaching up to him. ¡°Later, Lanababy, okay?¡± Adam said, brushing her hair. She continued to complain and cry, and Adam squinted at her, feeling terrible for making her cry. ¡°Do you want to play with mama?¡± He picked the girl up and carried her to her mother, who was currently overseeing the teaching of the children. Sonarot accepted her daughter into her arms, brushing her hair aside. ¡°Did you complain to your papa?¡± Lanarot looked up at her for a moment, before sucking her thumb as she rested her head against her mother¡¯s bosom. ¡°She thinks just because she can walk she can start crying to get whatever she wants,¡± Adam said. ¡°Kids these days. Back in my day, when I was a wee one year old, I had to walk to the farm ten miles away, in the snow, both ways, to plant crops.¡± Sonarot stared at Adam blankly, wondering what he was talking about. However, seeing him snicker to himself, as though he had told himself the funniest joke, she realised he was merely jesting. Adam cleared his throat, catching the fact that the children were giving him looks. ¡°That was just a joke. Anyway, I¡¯d best get to enchanting.¡± Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 20 (13) Omen: 16, 16 -> 16 16 + 7 = 23 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. Thunder clapped and lightning fell. The sounds terrified the worshippers, who continued to chant, trying to call for their God to answer their calls. The baby stood, watching as the two fought. It was fairly obvious what was going to happen. The young warrior, who was fighting with fist and thunder, was panting heavily, all the while the heavily armoured Champion was marching towards him, ready to put him out of his misery. ¡°You¡¯re pretty damn tough,¡± the young warrior replied, holding onto his knees, trying to catch his breath. This land had yet to challenge him, but he hadn¡¯t expected to come across a Champion. The Champion did not respond, still marching towards him. He was merely on a mission to slay anyone the Lord of Order asked of him, but only those who were truly terrifying. The baby. The young man. ¡°I¡¯m much stronger than before,¡± Lucy said, crossing her arms and sitting tall. ¡°So?¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°I held back and I beat you.¡± ¡°That was only because...¡± Lucy tried to find a reason as to why she had lost. ¡°I was holding back too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you were,¡± Adam replied. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact you¡¯re weird.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m weird,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Otherwise I¡¯d be like you.¡± Adam copied the face she had made at him. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re only here for Raool and Nobby,¡± Adam stated, simply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Adam repeated the face. ¡°My love for Lanarot is nothing like your creepiness towards muscle bound hunks. Right, Lanarot?¡± Lanarot laughed and clapped in response, sucking on her hand as she stared up at his face, constantly laughing at him. ¡°See?¡± ¡°See what?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°You can¡¯t ask her, she¡¯s not impartial!¡± ¡°Iyrmen don¡¯t lie,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Turot?¡± ¡°Cousin Adam is correct,¡± Turot said. ¡°What are you going to say to that?¡± Adam asked. Lucy wanted to complain, but since Turot had spoken up, she couldn¡¯t fight him. Turot, and the other Iyrmen children, were always excited to talk about how they would love to kill her when they grew up. It was always a terrifying thing to hear, and it was Adam who would protect her from the children, who were mentioning her demise less and less as time passed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky that the Iyrmen are glad to let you fondle them, otherwise I¡¯d have beaten you up already,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though you leave our poor Nobby alone, otherwise...¡± Lucy snarled at him. ¡°Just you wait until I take my place as the Demon Lord! I¡¯m going to fondle Nobby all I want.¡± Adam made the face again, but this time there was no ironic overtones across it. Even the Iyrmen stared at Lucy with a look. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡± Lucy declared. The children shook their heads at her, and Taygak even tutted. ¡°Bad Demon,¡± she said. Click banner for Patreon! Sorry, I didn''t set up the chapter yesterday. Today I''m feeling... pretty good. 318. The Dragon 318. The Dragon Omen: 16, 17 ¡°You must return quickly tonight,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°You have been working too hard.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, feeling awkward that Sonarot was still babying him like this. It wasn¡¯t that she was babying him, but that he made it so she felt the need to baby him. ¡®I really should take it easy sometimes.¡¯ Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 17 (10) Omen: 16, 17 -> 16 17 + 7 = 24 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. A harsh rain fell from the darkening sky. The fishermen had retreated to land, and the vessels at port were well protected by the pier and the walls around. The captain of one ship, The Jaunty Pearl, kept his hat over his eyes as he lay in is hammock. He had a perfectly usable bed right beside him, but there was something about the gentle rocking of the ship during a terrible storm which calmed his salty heart. ¡°Captain!¡± came a shout. ¡°We¡¯ve got customers.¡± Customers during a storm? It was an ill omen, but not one which the captain dared to refuse. For if there were customers during a storm, it meant that they were in trouble, and trouble meant heavier pouches. The ragtag group of exhausted zealots had come aboard the ship, surrounded by all manner of burly looking sailors, each with various tattoos, but there was at least one which was the same, a pearl of black with a scimitar pointed downwards behind it. The captain eyed up the zealots, noting their dishevelled appearances. No doubt they wanted to leave immediately, but there was business to discuss. ¡°So, what are you pay-¡° the captain began to say, only to be rudely cut off by a heavy pouch, which he caught with ease. He felt how heavy it was, and stared at the young man who had thrown it towards him. ¡®This kid looks like shit.¡¯ The young man was heavily injured, but the smile of his face wasn¡¯t forced in the slightest. There was a saying about injured men with smiles on their faces. They were crazy. ¡°There¡¯s a storm, so I hope it¡¯s a pouch full of gold,¡± the captain said. ¡°A storm?¡± The young man looked up, watching as lightning fell in the distance. Lightning flashed again, causing the sailors to cover their eyes, and the captain looked away, lightning falling across the young man for only a moment. The young man crackled with lightning, which ran across his body, before disappearing. His wounds had healed, and he looked right as rain, as the captain would say. ¡°If my family knew that I was stopped by a storm, I¡¯d get bullied,¡± the young man said. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get out of here before that hungry rat comes and kills you all.¡± The captain let out a sigh. Of course it wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. This young man was probably one of those, the dark myths of the strangers which must be accepted at all costs. ¡®So it¡¯s like that. The moment we met, I became a target.¡¯ The captain motioned with a hand, and the sailors darted to their positions, and within moments, they were beginning to set sail, with a sailor leaping on board after clearing the business with the port master. The young man, who had carried the baby the entire way to the ship, looked out towards the land once they were a mile away, and in relative safety. Lightning fell, illuminating the large figure which had been on their heels. ¡°What are you going to do now, eh, little ol¡¯ Champion? Gonna swim? Fly?¡± The young man laughed, before crossing his pinkies across one another in an obscene gesture. The Champion who had been so close, watched as they left on their ship. There was a fisherman¡¯s boat not so far away, but even he didn¡¯t dare to sail, even on a seaworthy vessel, not when it was storming around that young man. Thus Fate was forever changed. [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡°Will you be heading to Red Oak?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I¡¯m still not hated in the town. Yet.¡± ¡°Are you trying to be hated?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a person whose easy to hate,¡± Adam replied, motioning to his ears. ¡°Especially down south.¡± Aizaban slowly bowed her head. ¡°Then I wish you good fortunes, in case you leave before your debt is paid.¡± ¡°I always pay my debts,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can call me Adam Lan...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Nothing, you wouldn¡¯t get the joke,¡± Adam replied, sighing, shaking his head slowly. ¡°Alright, I should be off then.¡± Adam was escorted back to the shared family estate of the Rot family, where he found Lady Elowen and her companions sitting nearby. Princess Mina stomped over to Lady Elowen, showing her the block she was playing with. ¡°Good evening,¡± Adam said, waving at the group. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡± He hadn¡¯t seen them since earlier in the month. ¡°You as well, Adam,¡± Elowen replied. Adam shook their forearms. Last time they had seemed to be completely healed from their original appearance, but this time they seemed much healthier too. Redboulder¡¯s beard had returned, a few inches thick though it hadn¡¯t been long when he had lost it. Somehow his face hadn¡¯t scarred to the point he could no longer grow a beard. Adam lifted Princess Mina up. ¡°Hello, little Mina,¡± Adam called. ¡°Ashashasha!¡± the girl replied. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Adam asked, feeling a pair of small hands against his trouser legs. He looked down to see Lanarot, who was staring up at the little Princess who was being hoisted up, beginning to groan as she wanted to play too. Adam placed the Princess down and picked up his sister. ¡°Why are you crying, hmm? Are you jealous.¡± He kissed the girl¡¯s forehead and brushed her hair. ¡°Silly girl.¡± ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late,¡± Vonda called, appearing with the rest of Adam¡¯s group. ¡°It is fine,¡± Sonarot said, greeting the group and guiding them to sit nearby. Adam sniffed the air, smelling pizza. ¡®Weird.¡¯ It was rare to see Elowen and the rest of White¡¯s Grace. It seemed that his own group, Fate¡¯s Golden, had also been invited. Then there was the matter of pizza, which was usually made on special occasions in the Iyr. His eyes fell to the food, which was an assortment of meats and cheese, which meant that Sonarot was the one who had cooked, though it was not the fourth week. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong,¡¯ Adam thought, noting Sonarot smiling at him. ¡®No. Could it be? Sonarot, have you betrayed me?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I''m rereading this chapter and even I have no idea what the ending is about. 319. Adam Is To Marry? 319. Adam Is To Marry? Adam was sure that this was a meeting to do with him, and not just him, but to do with marriage. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this,¡± Adam said. Sonarot tilted her head slightly. ¡°What have I done?¡± Adam continued to glance around, his eyes darting between the people, from Lady Elowen and the rest of White¡¯s Grace, to his own party of Fate¡¯s Golden. The meat. The cheese. The pizza. ¡°Isn¡¯t this about that?¡± Adam asked, his eyes curious and suspicious. Sonarot blinked, wondering if he had figured out what the party was about. ¡®Did you figure it out?¡¯ She thought. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already say that I¡¯m too young?¡± Adam asked, holding Lanarot closer to his chest. ¡°Just because she¡¯s learnt how to walk, it doesn¡¯t mean she can pick just yet.¡± ¡°Adam is to marry?¡± called a familiar voice from one of the paths leading to the courtyard. Findd new stories at novelhall.com Appearing from the pathway were five figures. A handsome Iyrman, with medium length dark hair, and the dark eyes of the Iyrmen. At his side was an axe, one which Adam had enchanted many moons ago. Beside him was a Devilkin Iyrman, who was well built, with a blade at her side, another which Adam had enchanted. The third Iyrman was a pretty Iyrman, the sides of her hair shaved, and the top of her head was cut fairly short too. She wore a staff against her back. Behind them were two large dire wolves. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, suddenly turning red. ¡®Right. This makes way more sense.¡¯ ¡°You have returned,¡± Sonarot said, embracing her son, while the other parents embraced their children who had returned. ¡°I have returned, mother,¡± Jurot replied, hugging his mother tight. There was a look in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t want to reveal that just yet. ¡°You¡¯re finally back,¡± Adam said, shaking his brother¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have returned, Adam,¡± Jurot said, before looking down to his baby sister. At first she hid away in Adam¡¯s chest, but upon seeing the tattoo on his forehead, the blue circle followed by three blue diamonds on either side, she reached up towards him. Jurot picked her up, holding her out ahead of him. ¡°You have grown so big.¡± Lanarot smiled, clasping her hands together as she squirmed in his strong hands. ¡°You did not listen,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I said to not grow too quickly.¡± He brought the girl to his chest for a hug, causing Lanarot to cuddle up close to him, sucking on her thumb. ¡°She¡¯s really big now,¡± Adam said, smiling wide. There was a look in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t want to reveal that just yet. Jurot greeted the rest of his family, greeting each of his aunts and uncles, from those of the Rot family, to those of the Ool, Gak, and Kan families. ¡°Have you been well?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I have been good,¡± Turot said, nodding his head, while Jurot ruffled his hair. ¡°I will definitely save you.¡± ¡°Save me?¡± Jurot asked. Adam wasn¡¯t sure what the boy was talking about. ¡°We have found the information from the bandits, so we will soon find you,¡± the boy assured. Adam chuckled. ¡°Oh! He means Warriors and Wanderers.¡± Jurot nodded his head. ¡°We have brought back gifts.¡± Jurot placed his sister down and reached into his top, into the large pouch which could carry a child, and brought out a long string, with strips of all kinds of leather and hide of various creatures. The children all formed up in a queue, and Adam nodded his head approvingly, all the while the children were given a gift from each of the three returning Iyrmen. ¡°Did you get into much trouble?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°A little,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Nothing I couldn¡¯t handle.¡± ¡°What kind of trouble?¡± ¡°Did you bring much for the family¡¯s vault?¡± Sonarot asked. Jurot nodded his head. ¡°You will see soon, mother. This time it was a Great Twilight.¡± ¡°So it was true...¡± Sonarot brought her son close to her chest, hugging him gently. ¡°How did you return alive from a Great Twilight?¡± Jogak asked his daughter. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m my mother¡¯s daughter of course,¡± she shot back at her father, before they embraced. ¡°Well done,¡± Citool said to her daughter, simply. Kitool bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± ¡°Sister, I am big now,¡± Katool said, shuffling her upper body, doing a little jig as she ate her fruit. ¡°That is right,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It was your fifth birthday.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Katool said, smiling wider. ¡°I am going to fight for Great Twilight too.¡± Kitool smiled, brushing her sister¡¯s short bob. ¡°I will wish you luck.¡± Katool cuddled up beside her older sister as she ate her fruit. ¡°You come back safe,¡± Taygak said to her cousin. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°How could I leave you here all alone?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Not alone,¡± Taygak replied, pointing at her brother. ¡°Saygak.¡± ¡°Would you have missed me if I didn¡¯t return?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak replied. Jaygak rubbed the girl¡¯s horns. ¡°I would have beaten you up if you didn¡¯t return,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Who would beat who?¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Hey!¡± Lucy called as she arrived. ¡°How could you start the party without me?¡± ¡®I forgot all about Lucy,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Where¡¯s Filliam?¡± ¡°He is a Guest of other Iyrmen at the moment,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Isn¡¯t he our Guest?¡± ¡°He was,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Are they stealing my tinkerer away from me?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with...¡± Adam caught the eyes of Mirot and Kaygak, and he quickly cleared his throat. ¡°Filliam is so lovely, of course he should also mingle with other Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Since we are unable to hear their tale,¡± Sonarot said, referring to Jurot and the others, ¡°do you wish to speak yours?¡± ¡°Mine?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°The tale of your fights.¡± Adam smiled, but quickly dropped his smile when he felt the gaze of the trio against him. ¡°Right.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Uh oh. 320. Adam Was Adam 320. Adam Was Adam Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure what to think upon hearing what she had been told. She knew how strong her aunt was. Kaygak was one of the very few Gaks who had the potential to become a Master, and if she would push herself, she¡¯d be able to reach close to Grandmaster when she retired. If she managed to live that long. If anyone would have told her that Adam beat his aunt, she wouldn¡¯t have been too surprised. Adam, whose abilities defied any sort of sense, and who had possessed such a powerful weapon, what with his ability to change Fate, it wasn¡¯t something which was too ridiculous. However. To think that Adam had defeated his aunt in a single blow? That was something which even shocked the Devilkin. ¡®One blow? He could beat me in a blow, I have no doubt about that, but my aunt?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t the most ridiculous thing which had been stated. Jurot, uncharacteristically, was also thinking. He had heard that his aunt had been beaten in a single blow, surprised him, but considering everything he knew about Adam, it wasn¡¯t a total shock. Adam was Adam. However, what was more ridiculous was the fact that Adam, after defeating Kaygak in a single blow, took a break for two hours, only to beat his uncle, only taking slightly longer. To take on two Iyrmen, each greater than an Expert, one who had the potential to become near a Grandmaster, and the other who would most likely retire before, and to beat them one after the other with, what amounted to a small nap, was utterly ridiculous. Not only did he defeat Kaygak and Gorot back to back, he then went on to face his aunt, Mirot, the next day, and to defeat her in a single round too? Mirot? His aunt who was aiming to become a Grandmaster? His aunt who possessed the abilities of the Rot family? His aunt, who was so much more powerful than himself? Yet, she fell before she could even try to resist? Jurot had noted the lack of Phantom at Adam¡¯s side. At first he had thought Adam had placed it away, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. It was no doubt that Adam had great ability, but it was truly due to Phantom that he was able to beat a member of the Rot family. ¡®If Adam truly faced grandfather, who would win?¡¯ Jurot thought. At first he thought that, nine times out of ten, Adam would lose, even with Phantom in hand. But now, if Adam possessed Phantom, the match would be far more even than he expected. Jurot stopped thinking before his thoughts went towards marrying his brother. Kitool, who hadn¡¯t known Adam as long as Jurot, understood one thing clearly. When it came to Adam, it was best not to think too deeply about the matter. Jaygak finished the rest of her fruit wine, before placing down her cup. Her lips twitched into a smile, and Kitool wondered what sort of trouble she was up to. ¡°I wonder how long it would take us to reach Gold Rank at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild,¡± the Devilkin said, smirking at her friend. Kitool sipped her own fruit wine. She understood her friend¡¯s sentiment. When the pair had first met Adam, they had trusted in Jurot¡¯s judgement. He had been older than them by a few months, and he had always done right by them. When Adam came to ask them to join him, they accepted, though they had their own goals at the time. Jaygak had aimed for Steel Rank, which to the average person was an extremely high rank. Her aunt, Kaygak, had recently achieved the rank, and for someone like Jaygak, who had been born with a weak body, delaying her growth slightly, it was an admirable goal. Kitool had aimed for Silver Rank, which would have put her firmly in the Master category, and just a little away from Grandmaster. It would have brought her family much honour. Her grandaunt, Shaool, has become one of the Iyr¡¯s greatest, but that was something which had come through great fortune, and hadn¡¯t affected the Ool family, which had yet to achieve much in the past few generations. When the Adventurer¡¯s Guild became a powerful force in the land, the Iyr had grown close to it. Their synergy was something that couldn¡¯t be understated. A group of people who were willing to fight for glory, rewarded with plenty of coin to send back to their home, and to gain ranks as time passed? It was the perfect relationship. Those who would become Bronze Rank would be around the level of an Expert. Silver Rank was those who were at least Master Rank, and those who achieved Mithril would be considered to be at least a Grandmaster. To the average person, Bronze Rank was something which you could work your life towards, and once achieving Bronze Rank, one could hold a rank within the guard of either the nobles, the guard force of a town, or even in the military. Jurot nodded his head, and allowed the boy to go back to his conversation. ¡°With your influence, they will become powerful.¡± The other Iyrmen had noted what Jurot had said. It had been something which had remained mostly unsaid in front of Adam¡¯s face, but Jurot was not quite so shy to speak with him. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯m helping Churot too. I¡¯m teaching him to be a Scribe Mage.¡± ¡°A Scribe Mage in the Iyr?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°That is new.¡± Jurot spoke so calmly. He knew too much about Adam to be surprised by something so small. ¡°Did you know he was so smart?¡± Adam asked, biting into another slice of pizza. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°Churot has always been intelligent.¡± ¡°He gets that from his mother¡¯s side,¡± Jaygak said, smirking. ¡°His mother¡¯s side?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aunt Chayrot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ah!¡± Adam replied. ¡°Which family was she from?¡± Jaygak almost spat out the wine she was drinking. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam replied. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°No?¡± Jaygak continued to stare at Adam. The Iyrmen around weren¡¯t sure what to think. Adam seemed to have such great intelligence and forethought, and other times he was a buffoon. Jaygak laughed at the Half Elf. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. Jurot smiled. Click banner for Patreon! Is Adam smart or is he stupid? Yes. 321. Shashasha 321. Shashasha ¡°How was I meant to know that?¡± Adam asked, his cheeks flush with embarrassment. No, if he had thought about it, it would have made sense. Farot, who was Jarot¡¯s youngest son and the one he doted on the most, had married a Devilkin, who apparently he was sweet on since he was young. It made sense that he¡¯d get together with a Gak, since they grew up together. ¡°You really didn¡¯t know?¡± Jaygak asked, half thinking it was a joke. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Though it does seem really obvious now. I think Jarot mentioned that there was a Gak who had some personal business with the dragon, and now it makes sense.¡± The story became far sadder knowing that Tangak had gone to avenge her daughter, and her grandson. ¡®Right. Raygak mentioned something on my birthday too.¡¯ ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jurot asked, noting Adam¡¯s face. ¡°Jurot, I¡¯m such an idiot,¡± Adam stated. Jurot pat Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We all have our strengths, Adam.¡± ¡°We need someone smart to balance us out, otherwise Lanababy will be as stupid as us,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded his head, understanding that he wasn¡¯t the brightest Iyrman around. ¡°Jaygak...¡± Adam said, but his eyes then went to Kitool. ¡°Kitool, we¡¯ll leave our sister¡¯s intelligence to you.¡± Kitool bowed her head. ¡°Why can¡¯t-¡° Jaygak began. ¡°Thank you, Kitool,¡± Adam said, cutting the Devilkin off. ¡°Wait, I-¡° Jaygak tried to protest. ¡°If it¡¯s Kitool, we can trust her, right Jurot?¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Jay¡¯a, he¡¯s bullying me!¡± Jaygak cried, causing her dire wolf to poke up her head from the meat, before she came over to the Devilkin. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so big, Jay¡¯a,¡± Adam said, reaching up to pet her head gently, brushing her hair. ¡°What did they feed you?¡± Jay¡¯a had grown almost twice her size since he had last seen her. It wasn¡¯t long ago she had been just a little cub, her mother having been clawed apart by a dragon. Jay¡¯a panted, dropping down nearby. Adam tossed her some meat, which she tore into. ¡°Seriously though, what the hell happened? It¡¯s only been, what, two months at most?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are they okay?¡± ¡°They are fine,¡± Kitool said. ¡°They will soon be fully grown.¡± ¡°That quick?¡± ¡°It was a Great Twilight,¡± Kitool said, as though that explained everything. ¡°If you say so,¡± Adam replied, sipping more of his wine. ¡°Oh! Right! Jaygak.¡± Jaygak scowled towards Adam. Adam raised his brows. ¡°Give me Bloodseeker.¡± ¡°My Bloodseeker?¡± Jaygak asked, reaching down to her sword. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll trade you your Bloodseeker for another weapon.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s my Bloodseeker,¡± Jaygak said, hugging her sword. Jurot held her up ahead of her. ¡°Did you have fun at home?¡± Lanarot babbled in response, kicking up her legs. She waved her arms about excitedly. ¡°That is good,¡± Jurot replied, before pulling her down onto his lap. Lanarot sucked her thumb and rested her head against his chest. Adam yawned, stretching out his back. ¡°It must have been rough for you the last month, so take it easy, alright?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, glancing over towards Adam. ¡°Have you been working hard?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot.¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°Thinking too much is bad for you. Sometimes you must do.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°Lanarot, come.¡± Lanarot looked over to Adam, hearing her name. Adam held out his arms for her, and she crawled towards him. ¡°I¡¯m still your favourite, aren¡¯t I?¡± Adam said, kissing her cheek, letting her lay beside him. ¡°For now,¡± Jurot replied, laying back onto the thick blanket. ¡°From now until forever,¡± Adam said. ¡°We will see.¡± Jurot smiled. Omen: 5, 9 ¡°You guys are leaving?¡± Adam asked, surprised. ¡°It is time we go,¡± Elowen replied. ¡°The curse has been lifted, and we must return with good news.¡± She and the rest of White¡¯s Grace, Ylra the Half Elf Fighter, Redboulder the Dwarven Priest, and Rojer the Wizard, were surrounded by at least two dozen Iyrmen, each twice Adam¡¯s age. They were at the gate of the Iyr, which loomed over them. ¡°Damn. If I had known that, I would have hung out with your guys more, and I would have played with little Princess Mina more too.¡± Adam reached over to tickle her cheek, but she bit his finger gently with her shark like teeth and giggled wildly. ¡°We were too poor of health to speak with you much this time, but hopefully our next meeting will allow us to speak freely,¡± Elowen replied. She had wanted to speak with Adam more, though hadn¡¯t found an opportune time. Adam shook each of their forearms, sighing. ¡®I really have been working too hard.¡¯ He reached down to pet the Princess¡¯ head gently. ¡°Princess Mina, don¡¯t be a stranger, okay? You¡¯re always welcome around here.¡± Princess Mina cackled at him, reaching up to his beard to grab it, pulling it roughly with her tiny hand. ¡°Shashasha!¡± came her bright voice. She was so much bigger than the first time he had met her, and far more lively. ¡°What a silly girl you are.¡± Adam smiled, tickling her nose. ¡°Grow up well. I¡¯ll try and pay a visit one day, if you¡¯re still willing to see this low born Half Elf.¡± The group made their way away, with the nearby children of the Iyr shouting after them, wishing them well on their journey. Adam hoped their journey would be easy going too, though understood that the Iyrmen around them would make sure they would be fine. ¡°She will be safe,¡± Jurot assured, patting Adam¡¯s shoulder. Though there were a handful of Steel Rank, most were Silver and Mithril, and the oldest was Gold Rank. ¡°The Whirlwind Terror is with them.¡± Adam nodded his head, but watched them as they left. The gates were left open for a short while, but Adam stayed, even as the gates were about to shut, he watched until the last moments. ¡®Good luck and stay safe, little Mina.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam! I wanted to do more with them but why did you not meet them more often? 322. Stormdrake 322. Stormdrake ¡°Your muscles are more defined,¡± Jurot said, noting that Adam¡¯s mood was dour. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, taken away from his anxiety about Mina¡¯s safety. ¡°I¡¯ve been working quite hard on trying to lose weight.¡± He pulled up his shirt to reveal his stomach, where his abs were more defined. Adam was looking more and more like a Greek statue as the days passed. ¡°I did not know Half Elves could gain weight,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Or that they could grow such a thick beard.¡± Adam rubbed his beard, fluffing it up. ¡°I should probably shave it. It grew so much during nightval and the Twilight Month, but it¡¯s mostly stopped now.¡± ¡°It is dawnval,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°No longer will your beard grow, for the magic is balanced once more.¡± ¡°I wonder what that¡¯s all about,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is how the world balances itself, thanks to Ritetu.¡± ¡°Lady Elaveil?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Makes sense, I guess. That¡¯s a lot of influence over the world, even if she is the Goddess of Balance.¡± ¡°She holds great power over this world due to her powers,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She is perhaps the strongest of the Gods, save Baktu.¡± Adam¡¯s head bounced in a casual nod. ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. I would have expected Wahtu to be one of the strongest. Baktu makes sense, and then there¡¯s, what do you call her, Mahtu?¡± ¡°Yes, Mahtu, Mother Soza,¡± Jurot answered. ¡°Yeah. I would have expected her to be one of the strongest too, since she¡¯s the Goddess of Life.¡± ¡°Mahtu answers prayers, but she does not directly communicate to her Priests,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°All the Gods speak to their greatest Priests in some way, no matter how sparse, but Mahtu is the only one who has remained silent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alarming. Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°We do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Once, the various Priests of Life lied that Mahtu had spoken to her, and they held great influence. They used that power frivolously, but once they were found out to have lied, much of their influence had been stripped away. They still hold the greatest admiration due to their role in preventing the death of births by many fold.¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com glad it ended well.¡± Adam¡¯s thoughts fell to why Mahtu would remain silent, as Jurot put it. ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ Ritetu held such a great influence in the world, and he had met her not long ago. However, Mahtu being so distant from her Priests, it was something Adam hadn¡¯t expected. ¡®Did I meet Mother Soza? I don¡¯t think I recognise her...¡¯ He hadn¡¯t met her in his previous life, or the current one. ¡°Now that I think about it...¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot. ¡°Why is everyone else called Lord and Lady, but they call her Mother Soza?¡± ¡°She is the Mother of the Great Pantheon.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°You mean she gave birth to the Gods?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam continued to walk with Jurot back to their estate. ¡°If she was the mother, then who is the father?¡± ¡°No one,¡± Jurot said, but he exchanged a knowing look to Adam. The pair knew who the father was, but it seemed that he did not exist in this world. ¡®Does that mean he existed at one point?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®There¡¯s no memories of him, nor are there any of Bandlor, but they remember there was a Bandlor at one point. So...¡¯ Adam tried to understand how it all worked, the rules within this world, how it was possible that some of them could exist and then disappear. Adam only knew that it was because of him that everything had gone to hell. He quietly chanted, calling forth the magic, and as the hour passed, he managed to connect the threads of magic, gaining a deeper understanding of the sword. Stormdrake Requires Attunement You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 slashing and 1D6 lightning damage. You gain the ability to speak Drakken and Stormspeech. You gain the ability to use the trick Shocking Touch. ??? ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam stared at the information ahead of him. Stormdrake was indeed quite the weapon, though it didn¡¯t hold a candle to his Phantom. However, seeing the three question marks, he wondered what the spell couldn¡¯t gather. ¡°Weird.¡± The spell had allowed him to form a small connection with the weapon but he could feel how tough it was to push through the connection. Arcane Lore Check D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Wisdom Save D20 + 5 = 8 (3) Health: 65 -> 54 ¡°Ah, fuck,¡± Adam gasped, dropping Stormdrake after it had shocked him. ¡°What was that for?¡± he asked the inanimate magical sword, swinging his hand in the air to cool himself off. His flesh was slightly red from the burn. He reached for the sword again, tentatively. ¡°You shock me again and I¡¯ll bury you.¡± He grasped the hilt tightly, waiting for the shock, but it didn¡¯t dare to shock him again, so he assumed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jaygak asked, watching as Adam winced, walking towards her. ¡°Stormdrake shocked me,¡± Adam said, holding out the sword to her. She looked at the sword and then back up to Adam. ¡°So you want me to touch it?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t shock me after,¡± Adam replied, defensively. ¡°Just take it. It¡¯s a pretty good sword, but I couldn¡¯t gather much more about it.¡± ¡°Is it better than Bloodseeker?¡± ¡°It seems to be better, in my opinion,¡± Adam said. ¡°Strom said that it was at least as good as Phantom, but I¡¯m not sure about it.¡± ¡°What can it do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a basic sword, deals lightning damage, gives you Drakken and Stormspeech, and a trick, Shocking Touch,¡± Adam explained, quickly. Jaygak¡¯s gripped the sword within its sheathe tightly. ¡°Since you¡¯re offering me the sword, it¡¯ll be so rude to refuse.¡± Adam kept his hand on the hilt, and the pair of them tried to hold the blade. Athletics Check D20 + 6 = 9 (3) Due to the shock from moments ago, Adam¡¯s hand twitched, causing him to let go of the magical sword, and he gasped as the slightest pain which filled his hand. Jaygak smiled, holding the blade in her hand. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to hear,¡± Adam said, finding some water to cool with Tricks so he could stick his hand within it. He carried the bucket of water with him as he walked to the Rot family estate to teach Churot. ¡°Why is your hand in the bucket of water?¡± Jarot asked, sipping some peach wine. ¡°I was shocked by a sword so I need to cool my hand,¡± Adam replied. Jarot, who knew how queer Adam was, just nodded his head. Click banner for Patreon! Alternative Title: Adam Is Quee 323. Jurot’s Siblings 323. Jurot¡¯s Siblings While Adam went to teach Churot, the children of the shared family estate were sent to the Gak main family estate. It was hastily executed, but the Iyrmen were used to executing plans quickly and efficiently, and the children enjoyed playing with their distant relatives so they were happy to leave. All save for Lanarot, who remained with the adults and the teens. The little girl stared up at her family, from her mother to her aunts and uncles, before leaning her head back to look at her older brother, the handsome young man who held the same symbols on his forehead as her mother. His mother had made sure Lanarot and Jurot were together, so the young man could build a greater relationship with his sister. Jurot felt the girl¡¯s head on his chest, so looked down to meet her gaze. Lanarot smiled, before squealing and giggling as she clapped her hands together. Jurot placed a hand on her head, and gently brushed her hair, as his mother would do, regardless of if he was a boy or a man. Lanarot started to giggle wildly, hiding her face into his chest, before she looked up at him, catching his gaze, causing her to giggle once more, hiding again into his chest. ¡®Small,¡¯ came the thought to Jurot. Lanarot was allowed to stay with them because she was still young, too young to remember the stories which would be said. The children knew that the Iyrmen left during the Twilight Month, and it was to fight various creatures, but that was all they knew. As the drinks were brought out, and the meat was beginning to roast, the story began. Jaygak and Kitool spoke their tale, telling the Iyrmen of what they had done during the Twilight Month. Their parents listened intently. They hadn¡¯t known they were going to hear the story so soon. They never would have expected that the pair would have gone to represent their family so quickly. The pair had spent less than a year adventuring, and had managed to become Experts, something which was only in their wildest dreams. The pair spoke of what had happened, from the slaying of all manner of creatures, to the fact that there was seemingly someone else who had appeared too. They all had their suspicions about who it could have been, but they all worked on a need to know basis, and so let their suspicions rest. ¡°Bloodseeker did so well,¡± Jaygak said, hugging her sword. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Stormdrake?¡± Jogak asked, raising his brow at his daughter. ¡°It¡¯s Bloodseeker in spirit,¡± Jaygak replied still holding her new sword. She hadn¡¯t meditated with it yet, but had trusted Adam¡¯s words on how amazing it was. ¡°It was a most fortunate encounter,¡± Kitool said. After the month, she had more than just stabilised her strength. She was confident in her abilities, and understood that soon she¡¯d be able to gain greater strength, as long as she followed Adam. ¡°You never know, I might be stronger than you by the end of the year,¡± Jaygak said, chuckling at her aunt. ¡°You¡¯re still ten years too early to think about fighting me,¡± Kaygak replied, reaching over to pet her niece¡¯s head. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his cheek against his sister¡¯s, tickling her with his beard. Lanarot clapped her hands and squealed in response, and Adam peppered her with his kisses. The way he had been invited suggested that something was happening at the shared family estate, but he didn¡¯t notice anything different. Once the families each returned to their homes, preparing to sleep, Adam brought Jurot up. He unwrapped a blanket, which held a small sack. ¡°Look,¡± Adam said, revealing the treasures which had been given to him. ¡°These are the scales the children gave me for my birthday.¡± Jurot noted that they were scales which were from dangerous monsters and made of rare metal of the Iyr. ¡°Katool gave me this picture she drew.¡± Adam revealed the picture to the Iyrman, chuffed to bits. ¡°She¡¯s so cute. You¡¯re never going to believe what she did!¡± ¡°What did she do?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Hold on, look,¡± Adam said, picking up the shield. ¡°Turot gifted me the shield.¡± ¡°Grandfather¡¯s shield,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°It was gifted to Turot when he was young.¡± ¡°I had to give up the axe, but Turot gave me his shield,¡± Adam said delighted. Jurot nodded. ¡°Turot is a good boy.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You should have seen Katool. She tried to get me killed.¡± Jurot raised his brow, and Adam began to explain what had happened. He listened to Adam¡¯s tale, but all the while he couldn¡¯t help but think about how happy Adam was about receiving the items from the children. He had kept all the items safe, with the picture in its own little box, and the scales in a pouch, wrapped in paper. ¡®These small trinkets mean so much to him,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°She was so cute when she was crying,¡± Adam said, laughing. ¡°She¡¯s such a good little girl. You think Lanababy will say that sort of thing about me?¡± Adam reached up to his heart, gently rubbing it. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± Jurot smiled. ¡°It would mean I was her favourite brother.¡± Adam blinked. It was rare to see Jurot smile like that, and it was rarer to hear him wanting to be close with their sister. ¡°It¡¯s treason, then.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Unrivalled Under The Heavens? No. Lanarot''s Favourite Papa? Yes. 324. Couldn’t Be Better 324. Couldn¡¯t Be Better Omen: 16, 20 Lanarot stared up at Adam, her eyes wide, wondering how this could possibly be. Adam had completed his typical routine. He woke up, worked out, bathed, and returned to eat. However, he was inspired by Katool, who had shaved the sides of her head, and decided to take dawnval in stride with a fresh new beginning. He shaved his beard. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lanababy?¡± Adam asked, holding his sister beside him. Her eyes continued to look around Adam¡¯s face. Everything seemed so familiar, yet so different. Adam¡¯s freshly shaved face looked so different, and Lanarot continued to scan his features. The girl looked to her mother. Her face began to twist. She shook. Her screeching cry pierced the air as tears fell from her eyes, and she continued to shake and cry, reaching for her mother. Sonarot took her daughter away from Adam, who remained frozen, also in shock by her behaviour. Lanarot had never rejected him like this before, and he was processing it, just like how Lanarot had processed the stranger holding her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I¡¯m not even Black.¡± Jurot threw Adam a look, trying to understand what he meant by that. From what he gathered, he assumed Adam was talking about the colour of his skin, referring to the Aswadians who made their home in middle Aswadia. Lanarot hid herself into her mother¡¯s chest as she calmed down, sucking against her thumb. ¡®Shaving was a mistake,¡¯ Adam thought. He hadn¡¯t realised his adorable little sister would have reacted so harshly towards him. ¡°I felt so lucky today too,¡± Adam said, quietly. ¡°How lucky?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Really lucky,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll probably try and enchant twice, even if it hurts.¡± Sonarot patted her daughter¡¯s back gently, and remained stone faced as she stared at Adam, whereas he tried to ignore her look. He understood that she didn¡¯t want him enchanting so much, especially considering how much it had hurt him previously. ¡°Ah, speaking of which, are there any spears in the Rot family vault?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Why do you need a spear?¡± Sonarot asked, rubbing her daughter¡¯s back. ¡°I was thinking about enchanting one,¡± Adam replied, vaguely. ¡°I had a really nice idea about what to enchant it with.¡± Sonarot assumed he wanted to practise with it, but could tell there was much more to it. However, Adam didn¡¯t keep many secrets from her, save for those which were used to surprise her. He had told her his life story, which was the most ridiculous and dangerous thing she had heard, so she trusted him enough with smaller secrets. After breakfast, Adam was taken to the family vault, following Sonarot through the long network of tunnels. Eventually they came across tunnels with letters of the Iyr¡¯s alphabet. R. O. T.Findd new stories at novelhall.com The plain wall ahead had forty slots, and Sonarot placed her ten coins within the slots, with Adam looking away. Sonarot smiled, wondering why he continued to look away, but she left the matter. ¡®In case you are ever kidnapped and tortured,¡¯ she thought, remembering his excuse last time. The wall shuddered and fell, revealing a large treasury, full of pouches, weapons, most of which were axes, armour, and all manner of treasures, all illuminated by small gems which had sparked to life once the door had opened. Adam noted the spellbooks, and the thought came to him. ¡®Does the Iyr really have no Scribe Mages?¡¯ There were all kinds of furs, hides, leather and scales within the Rot family vault, though Adam noted the amount had increased since last time. ¡°How did you get so much new stuff?¡± Adam asked. The entire room felt so much smaller than last time, though it was easily a hundred steps side to side, and fifty deep. The doorway which led further inside seemed to have disappeared. ¡°You brought so much back,¡± Sonarot said, noting the white wolf furs, the auroch furs, and the dusk hawk feathers. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Since the Flame Emperor is missing, send word that we will send any information regarding the Flame Emperor if we find any.¡± ¡°Yes, your Imperial Majesty,¡± the confidant replied, quickly leaving his position. Thus Fate was forever changed. Mana: 16 -> 12 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 20 (13) Omen: 16 -> 0 16 + 7 = 23 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. ¡°Your Grace!¡± called the confidant to the future Emperor, taking a knee before him. ¡°The Thunder Emperor sends his best wishes, and has sent word he will assist with information about his Imperial Majesty.¡± ¡°So news has already spread so far,¡± the First Flame King replied, poking his head up from his book. ¡°So he¡¯ll help us? I was sure that he would have started a bother with us, considering his behaviour.¡± ¡°A ploy, your Grace?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± The First Flame King wondered how he should take the news. ¡°Or it could be the first step in him showing that he wishes to keep the peace between us.¡± ¡®He should know about the agreements which were formed back then.¡¯ The King sighed. ¡®Father, to think even you had a childish side to you.¡¯ ¡°Tell the soldiers at our borders to keep an eye out, just in case.¡± ¡°All the borders?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the King replied. ¡°All of them.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what it was about the day, but he felt as though it was the right move to make. ¡°As you wish, your Grace.¡± The Confidant quickly stood, bowing before his King, before leaving. ¡°And...¡± the King called, the confidant stopping, spinning on his heel to kneel. ¡°Take my sword and place it within the stone.¡± The confidant raised his brows in alarm. ¡°As you wish, your Grace.¡± At first he had thought the King was taking the news in stride, but to think he would go so far to bring back the First Flame Legion. Each King had something in their possession which would allow them to bring forth their own legion, though it was a great price to pay. He was allowed to summon his own legion, but only at the cost of losing his sword, a great artefact. The confidant held out his arms and accepted the sword from his King. It was made of drakkenfyre, not to be confused with the numerous things in the world called drakkenfyre or something similar, as the material was forged from the Embers and Sparks of an ancient dragon. It was a deep red, like dried blood, with specks of gold which pulsed with great magics, soon to lay dormant. The confidant left with the sword, something which he didn¡¯t dare to drop, for the sake of his entire family. The First Flame King inhaled deeply. ¡°War is on the horizon again,¡± he supposed. However, without his father, things would be more troublesome. ¡®You won¡¯t go off to die, will you, father?¡¯ Thus Fate was forever changed. Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 23 (18) Adam felt the spear consume his Mana from him, draining him of his strength. He felt the raging magics as they tried to invade his mind to fill him with a sickness for his blatant disrespect of using so much magic to enchant, to disregard Order and Balance. Adam roared out, pushing away the pounding of the magic which assaulted his mind. He panted, feeling the sweat against his forehead. He wiped his brow, looking aside to the Iyrman, who had approached him after hearing the shouting. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, stretching out his back. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Couldn¡¯t be better.¡± The Iyrman could see that Adam could, indeed, be better. Click banner for Patreon! Uh oh. Adam, what are you doing? 325. Shameful 325. Shameful The next two days, Adam spent time with Churot, trying to teach him more about magic, as best as someone who had no idea how it worked could. More importantly, he was trying to win over his little sister, who was still awkward around him. It hadn¡¯t taken long until she was eager to sit on his lap, though only when he was holding a piece of bread, but once Adam allowed her to tug along his ears as she once had, the pair had mended their relationship. ¡°Don¡¯t forget me again, Lanababy,¡± Adam complained, kissing her face all over. Lanarot babbled in response, not promising anything to her older brother, though she was enjoying all the attention this weirdly familiar stranger was giving her. He looked different, but the voice sounded the same, and he acted the same as the one she always slept beside. ¡°How was it?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I¡¯m still teaching him, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m any good,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°It takes many years for a Scribe Mage to learn magic.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t know how to teach it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Just teach him the same way you were taught,¡± Jaygak said. Upon seeing the awkward face he was making, she gave him a look. Adam replied with his own look. ¡®That¡¯s impossible. How do you learn magic as a Scribe Mage without being taught?¡¯ Jaygak thought, though she quickly realised there was a way. You just had to be Adam. ¡°You¡¯re so shameful,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°How can you be so talented?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that talented. I¡¯m just fortunately unfortunate, or unfortunately fortunate, one of the two.¡± Adam smiled towards Jurot, who understood what Adam meant. After all, Adam did die twice already. Omen: 1, 18 Adam yawned, stretching his body out. ¡°Looks like I can finish the spear today.¡± ¡°You are working too hard,¡± Sonarot warned. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± Adam assured her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t need to enchant twice in one day again, not unless I¡¯m lucky.¡± Sonarot wondered why he would tempt Fate that way when he had already died twice. Mana: 18 -> 16 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 16 (9) Omen: 1, 18 -> 1 18 + 7 = 25 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. They finally met. An older man, adorned in light clothes of fine make. They looked similar to the clothing of the Iyrmen, and though his forehead was tattooed, it was a collection of four dots which formed a diamond. However, the fellow the old man had met noted that the four dots were far more than they seemed to appear, for within the dots, were an intricate pattern, with gaps only a hair''s width apart. Yet, only those with such acute senses could notice such things. The old man was currently sitting, eating a kebab which was wrapped around a fluffy flat bread. Though it wasn¡¯t quite what he was used to, it was delicious enough that he sat down to eat it slowly. The tall figure wore a suit of white armour, and though he had been in a fight but a short while ago, it was pristine. At his side was a blade, a blade which marked death for those which broke the Order of this world. He had stopped but twenty steps away from the old man.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com The temperature cooled for a moment, and the civilians around froze. Even the street cook, who had been sprinkling salt onto the kebab, stopped. The temperature grew warmer, too warm for a man in armour, but pleasantly warm for those who were used to the harsh heat of Aswadia. ¡®How dare you come and ruin my meal,¡¯ the old man thought, holding onto his wrap. The temperature continue to grow warmer, and the Champion continue to sweat within his armour, though he did not take a step forward. If this had been someone he was meant to fight, he would have already drawn his sword, no matter who it would be. ¡°I am not.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be out of my hands soon enough,¡± Adam stated. Jurot had gotten him the scroll a while ago and he had learnt it. Adam had stepped on a few toes, since they hadn¡¯t realised he was going to learn it. ¡°I might be dumb, Elder Zijin, but I¡¯m not stupid.¡± Omen: 18, 18 Adam sighed. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Are you feeling unlucky today?¡± Adam looked to his Aunt. ¡°No. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to upset you, but at least Elder Zijin is going to be happy.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I am feeling lucky enough to begin enchanting one of his weapons though,¡± Adam said. Elder Zijin was sitting at his desk by the time Adam had approached him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come for the greatsword,¡± Adam said. ¡°As well as the gems required to enchant that sword of yours.¡± ¡°Are you feeling that lucky today?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°You never know, I might be able to finish the enchantment before a week.¡± Zijin smiled. Adam was audacious, that was for certain, but Zijin was smart enough not to bet against him. The greatsword which had been given to Adam to enchant was huge. The pommel was designed in the head of an eagle, the leather around the handle was dark, and there was a piece of cloth tied against the hilt and handle, pure white, like untouched snow. The blade itself was long and silver, with grey waves within the steel. It was slightly heavier than a typical greatsword, and slightly bigger too. ¡°Whose the lucky guy, or gal,¡± Adam added. ¡°It is for my uncle, Rajin,¡± Zijin said. ¡°He¡¯s the Family Elder for the Jin family, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Makes the really sour alcohol.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise I was enchanting his sword. Well, I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯ll like it, but I¡¯ll do my best. What kind of enchantment would you like on it?¡± ¡°You once made an enchantment which allowed you to grow more powerful when you were wounded. That is the enchantment which we would ask for you to place on this blade.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, but I¡¯m not working with as much luck as with Phantom, so I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll be as good.¡± ¡°I trust in your abilities, Adam.¡± ¡°One day you¡¯ll trust me too,¡± Adam said, winking at the Elder. ¡°One day.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Adam might be dumb, but he''s not stupid. I was editing it as I posted it up and wow I made so many mistakes this chapter. 326. Another One 326. Another One Mana: 18 -> 14 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 8 (1) Omen: 18, 18 -> 18 18 + 7 = 25 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. A screech pierced the air. The flames licked at the dark armour, causing the young man, the heir, to fall. A blade cut into one of the three heads, that of a ruby magpie, and the warrior clad in his dark, well worn armour, couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of deja vu. It was another one. A chimera, formed with three heads. A rage wolf, a red wyvern, and a ruby magpie. His thoughts had been so preoccupied on the link between this chimera and the last one he had found, that he hadn¡¯t noticed his heir was writhing on the ground beside him. The chimera screeched, and lunged down towards the young warrior, as the older man, with a helmet fashioned in the shape of a sparrow¡¯s head, tore into it with his blade. Unfortunately for him, the chimera had managed to tear off the young heir¡¯s arm. Thus Fate was forever changed. Mana: 14 -> 6 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 17 (10) Omen: 18 -> 0 18 + 7 = 25 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. She wore dark armour, well worn from years of use. Her helmet was fashioned in the shape of a siskin¡¯s head. Her own heir, a young woman, tried to nurse Sparrow¡¯s heir. ¡°Another one?¡± Sparrow nodded his head. In the moment he was distracted, his heir was gravely wounded. Though there was another who could take his place, his heart was still heavy. ¡°We should retreat,¡± Siskin said to her companion. ¡°We should continue,¡± Sparrow said. ¡°We need to get to the bottom of this or else we¡¯ll never catch them.¡± ¡°He needs to be tended to.¡± Sparrow looked to the young man, who he had groomed for almost two decades to take his place. ¡°Fine.¡± The true culprit remained, not a day away from their grasp, unbeknownst to them. Thus Fate was forever changed. Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 23 (18) Adam fought away the mental torture of the magic which tried to invade his mind. He felt as though he had almost failed, to protect his mind from the onslaught. ¡®I really should take it easy,¡¯ Adam thought, rubbing his forehead, massaging the ache away. Omen: 7, 8 As much as Adam wanted to teach Churot, he could feel the ache from the day before pulsing within his mind. Adam sipped the soup which had been made for him, offering some of his bread to Lanarot as he always had. Sonarot had made the bread smaller today, as Lanarot was eating far too much bread recently, but she still wanted her daughter to eat her favourite food. ¡°Do you want to play with papa today?¡± Adam asked, jiggling Lanarot¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Yes, I want to play with papa,¡± he said, in a high pitched voice. ¡°Okay, okay, since you want to play with me.¡± He kissed her cheek. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Turot called. ¡°Later tonight, can we play Warriors and Wanderers?¡± ¡°Some WaW, eh?¡± Adam said. ¡°Sure, why not? Jurot¡¯s back, and Aunt¡¯s here, so we should be able to get the entire gang together.¡± Turot smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± He and the other children spent time with Citool, who had begun to teach them recently. Taygak would usually disappear around noon, and would return a mess, covered in clay. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com Nirot and the other teens usually left around that time too, and would return back in the evening after a long day of work. Adam wondered why they poked so much fun at him when they also worked so hard, but recalled that they spent quite some time not working too. ¡®I guess they take breaks properly...¡¯ Lanarot began to whimper, before she started to shake as she cried. ¡°Mama!¡± Lanarot called. ¡°Mama!¡± Adam raised his brows. He was fairly certain she had said mama before, but not like this. The girl continued to whimper and cry, but Adam rocked her. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to mama, just wait, okay?¡± He carried her to her mother. ¡°Are you hungry, my little Lana?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Mama,¡± Lanarot sniffled. ¡°How come the Iyr doesn¡¯t claim it then?¡± ¡°The Iyr claims a javelin¡¯s throw beyond the river, and nothing more,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is not our way to claim more land than we require.¡± There was more to it, but Jurot did not know what it was. ¡°Hmm.¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°Fair enough. Are there a lot of Tribesfolk about?¡± ¡°Yes. There are more in North Aldland, due to the nature of the land there.¡± ¡°What is the nature of the land there?¡± ¡°Central Aldland is a large, expansive land, full of fields,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They claim the borders of all the nearby hills, then beyond, towards the east of the Iyr. Their reach is to West Fort, Jaghi, East Port, and South Port.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam asked, wondering what that had to do with it. Jurot usually spoke bluntly, so he allowed Jurot to continue. ¡°Central Aldland¡¯s terrain protects its capital from all sides, save the west, and the road network within Central Aldland is through mostly flat terrain, allowing them to make roads which span from just past the Iyr¡¯s borders, to West Fort, to Jaghi, and even to East Port.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam was slowly beginning to follow along with what Jurot was saying. ¡°Their fields allow them to feed millions of people within their own region, and millions of people outside their own region,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°Central Aldland could feed the entirety of Aldland, the Iyr, and even parts of Aswadia.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Damn. Let me guess, North Aldland doesn¡¯t have any of that?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°North Aldland does not have such productive land, and it does not have an official road beyond a certain point. It is mostly hilly, and many of its towns are built against the mountain side. Their population is least of all the territories, and it¡¯s land are almost as large. The east side of their lands is often claimed by the Noska, warrior peoples from across the sea.¡± Adam noted that Jurot made a face when mentioning the Noska. It was the face one made when drinking delicious hot chocolate, that of utter satisfaction. ¡®They must be good to fight,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°North Aldland¡¯s peoples sharpen their steel on the bones of Noskan people, and the deadly creatures which plague the land. Their weather is harsh, and they cannot project much power beyond their walls, though their people are hardy and great. They do not respect anyone who isn¡¯t a proven warrior.¡± ¡°North Aldland sounds so cool.¡± It made sense that they couldn¡¯t project much power outside of their own towns if the terrain didn¡¯t allow them to. ¡°They are very cool,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°North Aldland is a long land, split culturally from Northern North Aldland, and Southern North Aldland, but you cannot mention the difference.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It is only for them to mention. It is an internal fight, one not for outsiders. They may fight amongst one another, but they shall not do so in front of outsiders.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s one of those,¡± Adam said, nodding his head in understanding. Jurot nodded too. ¡°Are you mentioning North Aldland because it would be a good place to place my stronghold?¡± ¡°The Iyr is the best place.¡± ¡°Could I do that?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°If I can¡¯t make it in the Iyr, where would be the second best place?¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure to answer that. Near the Iyr. Away from the King¡¯s direct influence. It couldn¡¯t be in the south either, due to the lingering animosity against Elves, even if he was only half an Elf. ¡°Near Jaghi.¡± ¡°That far away?¡± Adam asked. Jaghi was almost two weeks away by foot, and even longer off the road. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aw man,¡± Adam groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the Chief about it later. The more I talk about this, the less and less likely it becomes. Maybe I should focus on the inns. Get a smith, an alchemist, an enchanter, a Scribe Mage. Of course, we need to have pizza too.¡± ¡°Forming a series of inns along the pathways between towns and cities would make much gold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I should get a map of the land so I know where all the towns and cities are. That way I can figure out the best place for my stronghold and my inns. It would also be useful in case I make too many enemies.¡± Jurot nodded, going back to handling his wood. Click banner for Patreon! My heart is always healed when I write these cute scenes. 327. Dessert 327. Dessert Omen: 6, 17 Adam wondered what he should do. It was a decent enough Omen for enchanting, but the problem was that he wouldn¡¯t reach the threshold he wanted. There was also the fact he was running out of time, and also needed to enchant the Ban¡¯s weapons still. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called, approaching Zijin while he was working. The Elder closed his book so Adam couldn¡¯t read what was written within. ¡°Have you come to cause more trouble.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Elder Zijin smiled, raising his brow. ¡°Just how much trouble have you come to cause.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come to tell you that I may not feel too lucky for some time, so I might have to wait on enchanting your weapon. I¡¯ve done pretty well yesterday, I need one more day of focused enchanting, and then I should be able to casually enchant it when I¡¯m not feeling too lucky.¡± Elder Zijin sighed. Adam was like an open book, he¡¯d always tell someone what he was feeling, and would inform them of even the smallest things. However, he understood that Adam was the kind of person who people started trouble with for the slightest inconvenience, due to his pointed ears, and his ridiculousness. ¡°I trust you more than you think, Adam,¡± Zijin said. ¡°If it is a small matter like that, you do not need to mention it.¡± ¡°Well, you know,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°One day the other Iyrmen will accept me like you do.¡± Adam could feel the awkwardness in the air. Zijin had always been so nice to him, and Adam had put some distance between them recently. It was something he had done defensively, but having thought about it for a while, he realised he had reacted too firmly. ¡°Perhaps, but does that matter?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°You have a special relationship with the Iyr. A Nephew who is so close to his family, and so close to the Great Elders. While you are in the Iyr, you should not worry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because I¡¯m in the Iyr that I worry,¡± Adam said. ¡°There is no need for that,¡± Zijin stated. ¡°That¡¯s not something I expected an Elder to say, considering how hardcore you guys get when the Iyr is in danger.¡± ¡°That is a matter for us Elders to worry about. It is why we are given so much power to deal with matters.¡± Zijin grinned wider. ¡°You seem far more cheerful nowadays,¡± Adam said. ¡°I was stressed out before, but things have calmed down now.¡± ¡°I was wondering why you were so cranky.¡± Zijin raised his brows, and Adam bowed his head and excused himself. ¡®Cranky? Was I really cranky?¡¯ Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 20 (13) Omen: 13, 17 -> 13 17 + 7 = 24 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. He was heavily armoured, adorned in plate mail, and at his back was a giant maul. The maul itself was carved out of a dark gem, black as night, and was no doubt enchanted considering how there were specks of light within the gem which shifted about like fireflies. Sir Royce had been making his way to the capital for a short while, after assisting with defending the village from all the beasts during Twilight Month. He had heard news from the capital that a meeting had been called by the King, bringing all the representatives from the greatest families, those which held the title of Duke. He was a few days away still, though he¡¯d manage to make it on time, barely, wanting to appear fashionably late. What would they say to the previous Knight of Death? He had assumed that the Duke from North Aldland would have made it by now, taking the river down, but there was suddenly a chill which fell down his spine. He stopped. He turned. There he saw it. Even from this distance, he recognised the carriage. Made of dark grey, as though it was made out of steel. It held the symbol of the Blacksnow family, which was directly descended from the Blackwater family many, many centuries ago. Sir Royce had expected that he would come, and if not him, the other little shit, but he hadn¡¯t expected it to be that person. There was only one person whose carriage was dark grey, as the rest of the family used a carriage which was black, or white, but not grey. ¡®Should I run?¡¯ Sir Royce thought, certain he¡¯d be able to keep some distance, at least, for a short while. He thought against it, not wanting to be beaten by the cane. ¡®Why have I been so unlucky recently?¡¯ Thus Fate was forever changed. Adam wiped his brow. Even though he was trying to enchant something much simpler than a greater enchantment, he was being drained of more Mana. He carried the maul back to the shared family estate. He placed it in one of the upper rooms, not wanting Lanarot to hurt herself. She stumbled his way towards him once he had returned from the house, and Adam lifted her up, kissing her cheek. ¡°Did you miss me, smelly girl?¡± Adam asked, brushing her hair. ¡°You¡¯re always so needy, aren¡¯t you? We played all day yesterday, but you still want to play with me?¡± When it was time to eat that evening, Sonarot made sure to bring the children their favourite foods before it was time to eat, fruit for Katool, peppers for the Gaks, and hot milk for the Kans. Turot nibbled on a small block of cheese. A thought crossed Adam¡¯s mind, and his eyes fell to Lucy. The Demon shuddered, feeling something had gone wrong. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, his lips forming a wicked smile. Lucy¡¯s eyes met his, and she looked to the children, who were eating peacefully. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Adam tilted his head, his brows raised as he pretended not to understand. ¡°It¡¯s only recently that they stopped saying they wanted to kill me when they grew up.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I know that look!¡± Lucy snapped. ¡°It¡¯s the same look Jaygak gets before she takes her brother¡¯s peppers.¡± Raygak¡¯s head snapped up, and he clutched his half eaten pepper to his chest. ¡°Not today,¡± Jaygak said, patting his head. She was sure that her father would noogie her if she dared to take the pepper from him today. Plus, he had been doing so well in class, she couldn¡¯t bother the boy. ¡°Would I take your peppers?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Adam smiled even more wickedly. ¡°Perhaps I should ask the children.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Lucy said, raising her hand to try and stop him. ¡°Adam, are you trying to kill me?¡± ¡°Aunt managed to deal with the fallout.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not their aunt!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that, Lucy,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I bet Nobby could manage it. Perhaps I should ask Nobby what he thinks?¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Lucy huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll stop messing around with Nobby.¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop.¡± ¡°Stop what?¡± ¡°You know.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop being creepy around him.¡± Adam had wanted to include Lucy into the game to try and help her get closer with the children, and watching the fallout after her betrayal would have been more fun. However, her deal was too nice. Adam reached out his hand, shaking her forearm as they solidified their deal. Lucy cried in her heart. ¡®Just you wait until I¡¯m ruling this place as the Demon Lord! Ah! No, not this place.¡¯ Her eyes snapped around, as if searching for something which could have heard her thoughts. ¡®I meant everything outside the Iyr.¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How could I be so fine with the dessert for my heart is gone?¡± Lucy asked. Adam smiled. ¡°You can have some of my dessert.¡± Adam lifted up his sister, who stared up at the Demon, blinking at her. Lanarot squealed and sucked on her hand shyly. ¡®How could she...¡¯ Lucy stopped. ¡®If she grows up close to me, doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯ll like me? She can protect me in case something goes wrong.¡¯ Adam pulled his sister away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking at her the same way Jaygak looked at Stormdrake when she found out what it could do,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hey! Why are you two using me to explain the worst things?¡± Jaygak cried. Click banner for Patreon! My precious dessert! 328. What’s Wrong With A Little Chaos? 328. What¡¯s Wrong With A Little Chaos? Omen: 4, 19 Mana: 18 -> 14 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 23 (16) Omen: 4, 19 -> 4 19 + 7 = 26 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. The winds continued to whip harshly, and Sir Harold Merryweather sighed. He had waited for a long while already, the winds too harsh to fly through. He had spent too long away from the village, and he was worried, especially after being informed that Sir Royce had left. No doubt the King would not leave the village be. Yet, though it appeared the winds would continue to howl, they suddenly died down. He did not spend the moment thanking his good fortune, instead leaping off the mountain, before his steed caught him, the gryphon¡¯s wings beating hard as they flew back towards their village. Thus Fate was forever changed. ¡°Finally!¡± Adam stretched out his arms. ¡°That should be good. Hey, Bell, if I leave it and come back to it another time, will the enchantment be ruined?¡¯ [No.] ¡°Sweet!¡± Adam yawned, before taking the greatsword back to Elder Zijin. ¡°I just need five days of bad luck and it¡¯ll be done.¡± ¡°Bad luck?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t need to think to focus too hard on it, I just need to spend the time and Mana.¡± Zijin stared at Adam. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it worked last time,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. When making Phantom, he only had to work hard for three dice rolls, and the he was able to finish by going through the motions. A thought crossed the Elder¡¯s mind. ¡°Perhaps you do not need to enchant it any longer.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I would like to see whether you are required to finish the blade,¡± Zijin said. It was quite a costly procedure, but it was something which could be useful for the Iyr to know. ¡°I am,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah, because I...¡± Adam stopped. ¡®Am I really needed to finish the enchantment?¡¯ [No.] ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m not, but...¡± ¡®What about the XP?¡¯ [That is unique to you.] ¡®It is?¡¯Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com [Yes.] ¡®Oh. Cool.¡¯ ¡°Apparently, I¡¯m not,¡± Adam eventually said, the Elder staring at him as he had talked to himself. ¡°I will speak with the Great Elders.¡± ¡°Alright. Let me know if it works out.¡± Adam tapped his forehead in a casual salute, before leaving the Elder to his business. Elder Forest paused. ¡°Is the enchantment not one which Romaezi can enchant?¡± She tried to recall all the enchantments Romaezi could enchant. ¡°No,¡± Elder Gold said, certain of the fact. ¡°He can enchant to deal greater damage to one when the enemy is wounded.¡± Elder Forest held her chin. ¡°Adam¡¯s enchantment is far more useful.¡± ¡°If Romaezi is able to enchant such a weapon, then...¡± ¡°Adam could begin the enchanting process and allow us to complete it.¡± ¡°Allowing we Iyrmen to create more weapons which hold enchantments which are desirable.¡± The pair of Great Elders continued to speak between one another, speaking of what they could do if this entire process worked. Since it was about resources for the Iyr, they were the most eager to discuss the topic. Chief Iromin eventually tapped the table, causing them to stop speaking, all the while the Chief thought. ¡°You said that Adam spoke to himself?¡± ¡°It was reported by Fawyx,¡± Zijin confirmed. ¡°He had heard Adam talk to himself at the end of his enchanting.¡± ¡°You are certain he said Belle?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Iromin remained silent for some time. The other Great Elders understood that this was a matter which related to Adam, something which only Iromin was privy to as the Chief. Iromin thought about the name for a while. It was undoubtedly the name of the God of Chaos from Adam¡¯s previous life, but he wasn¡¯t familiar with the name in the context of their own world. The name Belle caused Iromin to think about what he was doing. He, the Chief of the Iyr, held the greatest position in the Iyr. Elder Story outranked them all, technically, though they did not act anywhere near as much as any of them. He outranked the other Great Elders, only until they would use their own title for their limited domains. When it came to calling for war, Elder Peace was the supreme authority, and it was the same for making peace. Elder Wrath would hold final command the armies of the Iyr. Elder Teacher made the education which all children would follow. Elder Gold held command over the resources when it came to trading and spending gold, and Elder Forest held command over how to spend the resources to expand the Iyr. However, it was the Chief who typically led the Iyr in almost every matter. When it came to Adam, he was the supreme authority. It was the Chief¡¯s decision as to whether Adam lived or died. It was his duty to safeguard the Iyr by making the correct decisions day to day. He had invited Adam in, and had heard the tale from the Half Elf¡¯s own lips, one of a handful of people who knew the story. The Chief couldn¡¯t help but feel that whatever decision he made would have a profound effect on the Iyr, something which the Iyr couldn¡¯t stop once it had begun. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a little chaos?¡± called a voice from the rooftop. Strom continued to sip his drink. He had assured the Great Elders he would not eavesdrop on important discussions, but since Adam¡¯s name had popped up, he couldn¡¯t help it. The Great Elders were unsure of what Strom truly meant, but the Chief thought deeply about what the old man had said. Strom had been vouched for by Elder Story, so the Chief had allowed Strom unfettered access to the entirety of the Iyr, though he had mostly stuck around to do as he pleased. Strom¡¯s identity was known to the Chief, and to Elder Peace, but not to the other Iyrmen, as all secrets worked. Each Great Elder had their own secrets, some of which were shared with others, some which was theirs to keep. There was something which Strom and Iromin shared, and that was Adam¡¯s story. Strom, too, knew what the name Belle meant. Iromin wondered if mention of the name would cause Strom to act up again, but he had been so tame recently. After his escapade to the west, Strom had returned a changed man, no longer even suggesting to cause trouble. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with a little chaos?¡¯ It may have been a statement of intention by Strom for the Chief, or it was Strom¡¯s approval for them to allow Adam to continue causing trouble in the Iyr. Iromin sighed. Whoever would end up as the next Chief would have quite the trouble on their hands. At the very least, Strom would die by the end of the year. Click banner for Patreon! Strom causing trouble. He''s one of my favourite characters. It''s a shame he''s going to die. 329. The Wedding I 329. The Wedding I Omen: 15, 16 Adam was lucky today, and if he so wished, he could have enchanted twice, finishing the maul he was enchanting previously. However, today was a special day, and he had promised himself he wasn¡¯t going to enchant. Not unless he had received the best of Omens. ¡°Who is this beautiful little girl?¡± Adam asked, pinching his sister¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Look at you, look at you.¡± Lanarot squealed up at him with joy, holding onto his sleeves. She wore the basic attire of the Iyr, though this time it was exactly the colours of the Rot family tattoos. A light blue, and a slightly deeper blue. Adam could barely tell the difference, but he was sure there was a difference. He was wearing the same attire as his little sister. A lighter shirt underneath a vest, which was cut up diagonally across from the shoulder, with a sash around his waist. He wore a set of trousers which were rolled up to his shins, and a set of thick boots. The rot family symbol, a blue circle followed by blue diamonds, was embroidered into the sleeves. ¡°Jurot, who is this handsome little girl?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°She is not handsome.¡± ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡± Adam asked, making a face at the Iyrman. ¡°She is Cutest In The Whole World.¡± ¡°Cutest In The Whole World?¡± Adam looked down at the girl. ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right!¡± Adam picked her up and kissed her face all over, causing her to squirm and squeal. The other children were also wearing their own clothes, each the colours of their family¡¯s tattoos, as well as their own tattoos embroidered on their sleeves. The other guests wore clothes borrowed from the Iyr, each wearing plain white outfits which mostly fit them. Nobby was the only one who wore well fitted clothing since he had gone to be fitted, though Adam was sure it was just an excuse for the tailors to admire his body. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you guys couldn¡¯t come,¡± Adam said, looking to the teens. They were probably excited to see the man known as Lion King, but they had work to do, so the children were given the privilege. ¡°The Iyr only works because we adults work,¡± Nirot said, firmly. ¡°Without us, how else can our siblings enjoy the marriage of the Lion King?¡± ¡°My Cousin is so mature,¡± Adam teased. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with him about bringing you guys along another time to meet him.¡± ¡°If we want to meet him we will meet him,¡± Nirot replied, indignantly. ¡°Thank you for your words, Adam,¡± Naqokan quickly said. ¡°We appreciate them.¡± Adam nodded at her, before letting his sister down so he could grab his gifts. He picked up the two boxes, one of which he strapped over his shoulder. It was about as long as he was tall, and was as thick as his flexed bicep. The other was much smaller, a cube the size of his palm. Jurot had brought a box too, and he, like Adam, hadn¡¯t told the other what was inside. It was a much of a surprise for Ashmir as it was for one another. The children brought the rest of the gifts in their packs, which would be given during the marriage ceremony. Sonarot mixed some powder with water again, before dabbing her daughter¡¯s forehead with the blue mixture, forming the rough layout of the Rot family tattoo. The other parents did the same for their own children. Soon, they were all following Sonarot through the many tunnels of the Iyr. Lanarot squirmed, unsettled by all the darkness, but Sonarot hid the girls face into her bosom. The tunnel eventually gave way to a large open area within the area, one which had been carved out of the Iyr over generations. Wooden buildings dotted the area in front of them, spilling diagonally from the centre. To the side, Adam could see that the buildings stopped, opening up to large fields, which continued further towards the horizon. The large main road, which allowed ten people to stand side by side, was unimpeded towards the centre, where a group of old Iyrmen sat, writing down all manner of notes. There were a handful of teenagers there too, passing along messages from the centre and away. Adam noted that there was one road which was as equally as wide as their own, which continued forward to another mountain, though the mountain had been cut towards the top at an angle to allow them to see more of the sky. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how the Iyrmen had cut so much of the mountain away. Small banners hung in the air, one which held the name of four individuals, each with the patterns of the families they represented. ¡°Come,¡± Sonarot said, making her way towards the road which was flanked by the banners of the four names. ¡°If I marry him, then you¡¯ll become my brother.¡± Lucy gagged. ¡°You¡¯d be lucky to marry my brother,¡± Adam replied, pointing at her to accentuate the point. ¡°He¡¯s big, strong, handsome, and he¡¯s a member of the Rot family. His ancestor, Jarot, brought the Rukhs to the Iyr, and he helped out the Devilkin!¡± ¡°He¡¯s still related to you,¡± Lucy replied, sticking out her tongue with a look of disgust. ¡°You¡¯re lucky we¡¯re at a wedding, otherwise I¡¯d beat you up,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you wish to fight, you can,¡± Jurot said, motioning to the square beside them. ¡°We can fight?¡± Adam asked, before very quickly speaking again. ¡°Right, of course we can. What kind of Iyrman wedding would it be without a fight.¡± ¡°Spilling a little blood during a wedding is a sign of good fortune,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Of course it is.¡± Adam sighed, drinking his milk. The drums picked up and groups of children from one side began to stand, making their way to the stage. They were each holding small sacks in their hands, gifts to be given to the married couples. The children set their gifts in front of the bride and groom in the centre, and to the sides of the two brides who sat ahead of them. Most of the gifts were a bundle of fabric, or pieces of pottery, or utensils, and even weapons. ¡°What¡¯s with how they¡¯re sitting?¡± Adam asked, noting that Ashmir and his three brides were sat awkwardly. Ashmir sat side by side with the oldest Iyrman woman he was marrying, but the other two, who sat to the side of the middle two, sat ahead by about a step. ¡°He is marrying multiple women, so-¡° ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said, rudely interrupting Jurot. ¡°That girl looks so young.¡± One of Ashmir¡¯s brides looked almost as young as him. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He is to marry three women, and the youngest is sixteen.¡± Adam almost spat out his milk. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°She¡¯s so young!¡± Sonarot nodded. ¡°Why is he marrying someone so young?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°She is an adult.¡± The reply had come so bluntly, that it struck Adam like a hammer. ¡°She¡¯s...¡± Adam stopped. ¡°Right. Of course.¡± Adam was now in a new world, one with so many different rules and cultures. He still couldn¡¯t help but think that the age gap was far too large. Ashmir seemed to be almost in his fifties. ¡®That¡¯s crazy.¡¯ ¡°The oldest sits besides whoever is the main focus of the marriage, and the younger two are to sit up front slightly so they are not overshadowed,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°Marrying multiple people does make it awkward, I guess,¡± Adam said. ¡°This is why I¡¯ll only marry one woman.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Why do you not wish to marry multiple?¡± Sonarot asked. If he did marry multiple, then her nieces could marry him eagerly, as well as Entalia and whoever this Mara was. It would be so much simpler. ¡°One woman is difficult enough and I can¡¯t imagine trying to please multiple.¡± Click banner for Patreon! The end of the double chapters is nigh. Soon cometh the return of the single daily chapter. F''s in chat. 330. The Wedding II 330. The Wedding II ¡°When do we give our gifts?¡± Adam asked, noting that the other Iyrmen were beginning to stand. It was as though they knew when to give their gifts. ¡°First it is the left, then it is the right, then it is the centre,¡± Sonarot said, motioning to the three sides full of people. ¡°Come,¡± Taygak said, beginning to form the line for the children. Katool was up first, and it went up in order of their ages, from youngest to oldest, with Taygak at the end. Once they had given their presents, it was time for Jurot and Adam. Adam followed Jurot up, who placed down the box before the four. The oldest bride, who seemed to be in her early thirties at most, opened the box, revealing the bones of some creature. ¡°The bones of a bronze wyvern,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is a fine material to be made into a weapon.¡± He was careful not to say sword or spear, as to not show favouritism. The brides seemed quite pleased with the bones, which would make quite the weapon once they were carved and treated. Adam placed down the smaller box first. ¡°Some tea to enjoy.¡± He hoisted then placed down the long box, before opening it for the four to see. It was the spear which he had taken from the Rot family vault, and had spent time enchanting. Ashmir narrowed his eyes as the spear, noting the faint runes. ¡°Is this a magical spear?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I brought it since the Mir family uses spears.¡± Ashmir wasn¡¯t sure about accepting a magical spear. It was quite the gift, and he wasn¡¯t sure anyone else would have the audacity to hand over something worth so much gold. ¡°I still think that swords are cooler and more romantic, but I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, so I have to represent.¡± Adam winked. ¡°Anyway, about the spear...¡± Lion¡¯s Roar You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. This weapon holds three charges. As an action, you may expend a charge to cast Thunder Wave as a first gate spell. The Difficult for this spell is 13. This weapon regains D3 charges at dawn. Ashmir felt even more awkward. He had first thought the spear was a basic spear, but to hear it was a basic enhanced spear, a spear with an additional enchantment, suddenly he felt more awkward about it. In his home territory, such a weapon would sell for close to two thousand. No, not two thousand. If it could truly cast multiple spells in a single day, perhaps it would be more than two thousand. ¡°This is such a heavy gift,¡± Ashmir said. Even the brides felt awkward accepting the gift. ¡°You are Adam?¡± the youngest of the brides asked. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Unrivalled Under The Heavens?¡± She stared at Adam with quite the sparkling gaze, as though she were meeting a legend. ¡°You may share your first drinks,¡± the Shaman Head said. The youngest drank with him first, the pair drinking at the same time, to the Shaman Head¡¯s command. As they shared their drink, the Shaman hummed a small prayer. Adam could hear the names of Mahtu and Baktu several times. ¡°You may share your first touch.¡± The pair then held one another¡¯s forearms while sitting in front of one another, as the Shaman Head hummed a prayer. ¡°You may share your first blood.¡± The pair stopped holding their forearms, and were offered a freshly forged dagger by the Shaman Head. The pair pricked the other¡¯s finger, before dropping their own blood onto the dagger they had used to cut the other. All the while, the Shaman Head continued to hum a prayer. She placed a hand on each of their heads, before blowing atop their heads, three times, at the end of each of her prayers. Ashmir repeated this process until he had completed it with each bride, with new cups and new daggers. The cups were left with the brides and groom, whereas the daggers were taken by the Shaman Head. ¡°May Baktu bless you,¡± she finally said, and as quickly as the Shaman Head had come, she left. The moment she stepped off the platform, the music began to play again. In order to keep Lanarot quiet throughout the ceremony, Sonarot breastfed her, though sometimes Lanarot had turned her head towards the humming. ¡°So... they¡¯re married now?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded his head. ¡°The rites have been performed.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Adam wondered if he ever married in the Iyr, if they¡¯d do it the same way, or if he¡¯d marry in a way more common in his own world, rings and all. ¡°What were the three different actions?¡± ¡°The three vows,¡± Sonarot said, smiling slightly as she thought to her own wedding. ¡°Water, representing life. The touch, a closed ring, representing eternity. Blood, representing death.¡± Adam stared at his Aunt. He wondered if Surot was really dead, or if he was just on a longer adventure than normal. ¡®Either way, I¡¯m going to teach you a lesson for missing your daughter¡¯s birthday.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam may not be wise but he''s good at heart. It''s a good thing Adam isn''t an anti hero. Yet. 331. The Wedding III 331. The Wedding III The music continued to pick up as the minutes passed, and soon there were a few Iyrmen who had taken to the square stage to dance. Soon even the children, revitalised by the food, went to dance at the square. Taygak and the others let their bodies move as they pleased, though sometimes Adam spotted them doing star jumps. Lanarot watched, laughing and squealing as the people danced. She watched, mesmerised by the group. Sometimes she would babble quietly, but she mostly remained silent. ¡°When does the fighting begin?¡± Adam asked, throwing a look to Jurot. ¡°Soon,¡± Jurot replied. Not even a half hour had passed before the first fight began. It was a pair of Iyrmen from the group beside them, those mostly made up of the friends of the families which were getting married. A Human and an Orcish Iyrmen stepped out together, each pulling out their weapons. One wielded a large axe, the other a large sword. They circled around one another as the Iyrmen around turned their attention to the pair. Soon, steel sang against steel. It wasn¡¯t so much as a real fight as it was a performance, with the pair dancing together in battle, with leaps and long swipes. Lanarot squealed with joy as she watched the pair fight, clapping her hands in excitement, before tossing out her arms in the air and screaming. One of the Iyrmen was caught off guard by the screaming, throwing a glance back over his shoulder, and the other cut into their companion, causing blood to spray out. Lanarot stared at the motionless Iyrmen, who was beginning to bleed, and shrieked with joy. She shook violently as she tossed her arms in the air, before her mother quickly wrapped her arms around the girl and picked her up. Lanarot looked up at her mother, blinking at her, before giggling innocently. ¡°Calm down, Lanarot,¡± Sonarot whispered, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. Lanarot continued to giggle innocently. Adam was rubbing his chin with the side of his fist, partly embarrassed, but the smirk on his face revealed the pride he had for the little girl. ¡®It seems it¡¯s too late for me to try and put her on the right path.¡¯ ¡°Shall we fight?¡± Jurot asked, watching as the other Iyrmen walked away. ¡°I¡¯ve got someone else in mind,¡± Adam said, hopping onto his feet, grabbing his axe. ¡°Hey, Jonn, get up.¡± Jonn, who had remained mostly silent while his other companions had spoken to one another, threw his eyes up towards Adam. He stood, approaching the square. Jonn stared at the only other Half Elf in the Iyr. He, who had been abandoned by his Order, had walked around the land. He had been lost, and when he came face to face with Adam, he lost, not just the bout, but any purpose and pride he held. Adam was not quite so prideful. ¡®No,¡¯ Jonn thought. It wasn¡¯t that Adam wasn¡¯t prideful, and though he would constantly say and do things that portrayed him like an idiot, it was that his pride was secure. His pride for the Rot family, giving up the freedom to use the weapon he most enjoyed using, and his pride for his sister, even if it meant he would act like a fool. Everything outside of that was irrelevant. What did Jonn have pride for? His Elvish blood? That he was once part of an Order? That he was an Expert when he was so young? All of these paled in comparison to Adam¡¯s achievements so far, but Adam didn¡¯t take much pride in any of these things. Even being an Expert, it was merely a means to an end, and was only indirectly related to his pride. Adam¡¯s pride was his family and friends. Jonn had watched Adam for months. He had seen Adam give away weapons, magical weapons, which he spent thousands of gold on, one of which had been given up by some mysterious figure who he was uncertain of, and yet he knew that blade was something even the King would covet. All Adam wanted to do was to stay within the Iyr to take care of his sister, though Jonn wasn¡¯t sure why, he understood that it came from a place of loss too. Adam had lost before, Jonn was certain of that. Not just to Jarot, which he would often grumble about, but a greater loss. Jonn¡¯s greatest pride was himself, what he was, what he had accomplished. Adam¡¯s greatest pride was his sister, who did not share even a single drop of the same blood. ¡®Could I have the same pride?¡¯ Jonn wondered, drawing his sword. A reason to live beyond himself, one which he had lost all that time ago when he had been abandoned. Adam chose his pride, and had stuck to it. Jonn may have been abandoned, but he had abandoned his oaths too, something he could have held even after being abandoned by his order. Would Adam abandon his sister if the Iyr abandoned him? Jonn hadn¡¯t been sure about Adam all that time ago, but he was certain of the answer now. Click banner for Patreon! Adam vs Jonn Round 2. No Lightsear, no puthral armour. Just magic and axe. 332. The Wedding IV 332. The Wedding IV The pair had remained silent for a while. The music was still playing, and the onlookers watched with bated breath. Adam¡¯s words had made the fight more dramatic, through the real tension between the two Half Elves. There had been a story there, the Iyrmen knew, a story which some had heard, and others had whispered. A story which was ongoing, and they were present to witness. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 18 (17) Warrior Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack D20 + 6 = 10 (4) D20 + 6 = 8 (2) Miss! Attack D20 + 6 = 26 (20) D20 + 6 = 8 (2) Critical hit! Mana: 18 -> 15 Ability: Smite 2D6 + 2D3 + 8D6 + 4 = 46 (6, 6)(1, 3)(1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 6) 46 damage! Health: 65 -> 44 They leapt towards one another, Jonn with his blade, and Adam with his axe, steel ringing against steel. Their breaths and grunts were muted by their blows, the music, and Lanarot¡¯s squealing. Adam focused, using his Warrior Spirit to give himself a greater ability to strike, and though Jonn managed to push away an axe blow, Adam forced him back with another slash a moment later. He tapped into his Guardian abilities to smite, his axe flashing white with divine magic. Adam caught Jonn¡¯s blade, but he was pressed back. Jonn¡¯s smite had forced him away, though the pain passed as quickly as it had come, and soon the pair were circling one another again. They were a pair of lions, each ready to pounce. Adam could have, if he wished, ended the bout before Jonn could have swung, and Jonn knew it. As much as Adam wished to win in front of his sister, there was something else which needed to be confirmed in this fight, to the point he didn¡¯t use his axe two handed for the additional damage. Warrior Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 44 -> 49 Attack D20 + 6 = 22 (16) D20 + 6 = 15 (9) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 12 Ability: Smite 1D6 + 1D3 + 4D6 + 4 = 32 (2)(3)(3, 5, 6, 6, 6) 35 damage! Adam focused again, using his Warrior Spirit stepped forward, focusing on his axe swing. As he brought down his axe, Jonn swung his blade wildly, narrowly missing Adam, as Adam¡¯s axe cut across the Half Elf¡¯s chest. Jonn fell back, stumbling down onto a knee. If Adam wanted to, he could have killed Jonn since the man¡¯s life was meant to be his, but there was no need for such a distasteful act. Lanarot squealed with joy, clapping her hands with excitement, before throwing her hands into the air, growling demoniacally. The Iyrmen joined in her excitement, clapping their hands and calling out their praise. Victory! Jonn XP Gained: +500 XP: 7575 -> 8075 ¡®Isn¡¯t that less than before?¡¯ Adam wondered. He was sure he had gained so much more XP the last time they had fought. [Since you are more powerful, you have gained less XP.] ¡®Is that how that works?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Oh.¡¯ ¡°Strom.¡± Jurot looked around, peeking up at the roofs of the nearby buildings. ¡°He is not here.¡± ¡°He should be here, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like that, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jurot, who usually didn¡¯t understand Adam, nodded. Strom seemed to appear at these moments, and yet he was strikingly missing. ¡°Perhaps it is because you did not make a mess.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t make messes,¡± Adam replied, sipping his drink. ¡°It just so happens that messes appear around me.¡± Jurot decided against responding to him. Adam was being like Adam. Fred looked around the Iyr, watching the children all move without a care in the world, speaking to one another about all manner of things. They spoke about the stories of their ancestors, but also about what they had been learning recently from their schooling. ¡®Even Iyrmen children are just children,¡¯ he thought. The Iyrmen, who had seemed so alien to him, were much more like him than he expected, other than their views of death. His thoughts trailed away to the thoughts of the Iyrmen and their purpose, wondering if he could find something. Fred had met Adam coincidentally. He had accepted the eventual sweet embrace of death, but it hadn¡¯t come. Instead, Adam had come, with waterskin in hand. He still wasn¡¯t sure if he should be thankful to Adam for allowing him to live. His eyes fell to the groom and the brides. Would he get married? His heart throbbed, and he forced the thought away from his mind. No. He couldn¡¯t. Jonn sat opposite Fred. He could see how Fred grimaced, and closed himself from the rest of the world. He had been like that too, once. Though, he had been rather angry too. Fate. That was what brought them all together. It was what brought them together, with the Priests, the Demon, and the strange Half Elf who could do things which defied common sense. He wondered if it was that Fate which had caused the massacre of the Humans at Rock Hill by the Elves, which forced him out of his Order, and had slain Fred¡¯s family. How else would they have come together like this? Jonn poured some wine for Fred. The young Human man stared at the cup of wine. Eventually, he lifted it, nodding his head to the Half Elf, before sipping it. ¡°I¡¯m glad the wedding was today,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯ll be easy to remember.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°It¡¯s our little Lanababy¡¯s birthday tomorrow.¡± Adam smiled. Click banner for Patreon! Okay, this is the last day of double chapters. Next chapter is an Interlude, but a nice one, I think. Interlude: A New Dawnval Interlude: A New Dawnval The main road of the capital was wide, allowing several carriages to flow through side by side. When the black and gold banner was carried by the Knights, none dared to step onto the road for at least a thousands paces. Within the capital was home to millions, it holding as many people as there were in the entirety of the north. There were a great many estates within the capital, each sprawled into the hill side. Every estate was staffed by at least several dozen staff, but those which belonged to the greater houses were staffed by hundreds. Every noble estate looked down towards the commoners, separated by the hills, walls, and the river. The commoners lived on flat land, where they belonged. The thick outer walls protected them, but they were also between the nobles and whatever threat may come, though there had been no threat which had managed to reach the gates of the capital in some time. Though the nobles looked over the commoners, there was one supreme noble who looked above even the nobles within the capital from atop the palace. The palace lay on the tallest hill, and overlooked the entirety of the capital, and the lake which was no more than half a mile away. The King tapped the table, made of sturdy deadwood like most of the pieces in the war room, staring down at the map placed onto it. For once, he was waiting for others, those four who held the keys to the Kingdom. Eastsea. Goldport. Lionheart. Blacksnow. Three of them had arrived in a timely manner, though it was always Blacksnow who were late, as one might have expected. King Blackwater couldn¡¯t help but feel a little impatient. He had done it. He had managed to claim a victory, one which would pave the way to future success. However, that was not the only reason why he called the council. As any ruler, he was bound by domestic politics. There were steps which he needed to take to make sure the foundation of his rule remained stable. The sounds of steps echoed through the hallway as they arrived. The first was a man in his mid fifties, handsome, with sun kissed hair and ocean blue eyes. He wore the typical attire of the Aldish beneath a a breastplate, and he wore a blade at his side, one of the few who was blessed with such an ability. The King worried little about the blade, due to the fact that the King¡¯s Sword stood right beside him, and there were at least a dozen other Knights who were no further than twenty steps from him. ¡°Your Grace,¡± Duke Lionheart called, approaching the King, bowing his head slightly. ¡°Duke Lionheart,¡± the King replied, shaking the man¡¯s hand. If it had been any other noble, there may have been a problem, but Duke Lionheart was a staunch ally. ¡°King¡¯s Sword,¡± the Duke said, nodding his head to the King¡¯s Sword. The King¡¯s Sword did not reply. In the capital, the King¡¯s Sword needn¡¯t bow to any other noble, Duke or otherwise. It wasn¡¯t long that a beautiful woman appeared, her skin tan, betraying the blood of those from further east from one of her recent ancestors. She wore a breastplate too, silver, and wore a blade at her side, which was formed of sapphicule. Her attire was a vibrant blue, like the sea on a sunny day. It was long, taking cues from the Confederacy and Aswadia. She wore several chains of silver, each with a different blue gem, layered like ocean waves. ¡°Your Grace,¡± she said, bowing her head deeply for the King, her jewellery jingling before offering her hand. ¡°Duchess Eastsea,¡± the King replied, kissing the back of her hand, as was expected of him. The Duchess¡¯ eyes flashed towards the map, but didn¡¯t find anything interesting. Duchess Goldport had also appeared, wearing a golden armour, a thin breastplate which only covered her breasts, and a spaulder over her left shoulder. She carried with her a rapier, also golden. Her dress was deep purple, and was mostly Aldish in design, save for the collar, which was thin and small, the Aswadian way. Her skin was also slightly tan, due to the Aswadian blood she held. She greeted the King in the same way, and the King replied with a kiss against the back of her hand. He was the youngest of the five great nobles, having become King a little over a decade ago. The Duke took his place beside the King, arms behind his back as he stared down at the map. There were small pieces, each of which represented the various troops which had been sent out. There were a group off to the side, one which may have represented those sent away to the islands. However, the trio had all noticed there were another set of small blocks, which had been left to the side. They were black and gold, the colours of the Blackwater family. There were already a few pieces on the board which represented the family, but they were already in place at their various positions across Central Aldland. Neither of the three dared to bring up the matter, as there was no point. She would do it for them. ¡°They are always late,¡± Duke Lionheart said, staring down at the map. He was staring at the north, which held the smallest number of blocks, though even Duke Lionheart didn¡¯t underestimate them. ¡°The Duchess will be arriving soon,¡± the King said, confirming her attendance. They all knew she was coming, each of them through their own networks. Even if they were all allied and the fact most of their history inland had been peaceful, that was no reason to allow any cracks in their own defences. Steps echoed through the hallway, though they sounded far too quick for them to belong to the Duchess. Passing through the archway came a young man who held the spitting image of the King. He had silver hair, which he had inherited from his father, and dark grey eyes from his mother. He wore a breastplate, which had been engraved with the image of a dragon in a lake, the symbol of the Blackwater family. At his side was a blade, forged out of true jagite from Jaghi. ¡°Your Grace,¡± he said, bowing his head, before he greeted the Duke, Duchess Goldport, and Duchess Eastsea. Duchess Eastsea made note of how she had been greeted last, but she accepted a kiss against her knuckles, which had been reserved for her. ¡°You only grow more handsome day by day,¡± she said. ¡°Your words are an honour, Duchess,¡± the Prince said, a charming smile on his lips. He was in a good mood, for reasons the others could only assume. He stepped up beside his father, sharing a look with him, before taking his place beside the King¡¯s other side. The Duchesses could only help but remain on their own side. The King had chosen to form greater ties with West Aldland, for reasons which they could only assume. Either they were preparing to deal with the Orcs, or they were going to do something which none would dare to speak aloud. Then it came. Breaking though the silence, the sounds of the steady, slow steps filled the hallway. There was also another set of step, steady and heavy, with a practised slowness. Emerging from the archway came Duchess Blacksnow. Black hair and dark grey eyes, typical of the Blacksnow family. Her skin was wrinkled heavily, and she wore little jewellery, only the necklace which had been gifted to the Blacksnow family from the Blackwater family. She did not wear armour, and carried only a cane. What need did she have to wear armour and carry a blade in the capital when she had him at her side. The Knight of Death. No. The previous Knight of Death. Standing beside the Duchess was Sir Royce, who had recently retired from his duties. He wore just the breastplate of his heavy plate mail, and at is back was a giant maul, carved out of dark gem, black as night, with specks of light which shifted about like fireflies within. ¡°Your Grace,¡± Sir Royce said, bowing his head lightly. Another other Knight would had to bow deeper, or take a knee, but he was not any other Knight. The Duchess scoffed. ¡°How could you call me down south with such little notice?¡± she snapped, raising her hand to the King. ¡°It better be important for you to call this old lady down hundreds of miles where it¡¯s warm.¡± Stating the last word caused her to scowl deeply. ¡°I offer you my deepest concerns, Duchess,¡± the King said, taking her hand and kissing it. ¡°It is worth it¡¯s weight in gold,¡± Blacksnow said. The others stared at the brown stone, trying to think about how they could make a play for it. Eastsea and Goldport were already beginning to work on the deal in their head, from the gifts which needed to be sent, to the details of the contract which would need to be signed. The King then nodded to his Knights, who left with the stone, only for another to bring a small box, offering each to the Duchess and the others. The King was poured some tea, and he poured a teaspoon of the white powder into it, mixing it together before taking a sip. The others followed suit, pouring some of the white powder into their own tea, before taking a sip. Whatever this powder was, it amplified the flavour of the tea to degrees they had never experienced before, matching the liquid of the caocanut. ¡°I have found the powder stimulates my mind not longer after consumed, and it has increased the productivity of the Knights,¡± he said. ¡°I find myself able to concentrate on whatever I wish with increased focus. The islands have such a bountiful harvest of both the caocanut and the cao powder.¡± The King had revealed the items to the others formally because he knew that such matters couldn¡¯t be kept secret. It was best to share with the others rather than covet it all for himself. For a price, of course. Yet, he wasn¡¯t done. These two alone could have assisted him in his dreams of glory, but there was something else which would strike the final nail in the coffin. A Knight brought a large rock half the size of his torso. It was white with blue veins running through it, each about the thickness of a finger. He brought out a chisel and slowly scraped the rock towards a cup, the fine powder filling the water, before he mixed it together. The King¡¯s Sword drew his blade and cut into the Knight¡¯s hand slightly, drawing blood. The Knight sipped the water, and as the seconds passed, the cut healed over. Duke Lionheart leaned in, unable to contain him. ¡°A healing potion made so simply?¡± The chaos which would be brought to the land would be understated. This was something which was revolutionary. The rock could last for hundreds, if not thousands of potions, but each of them couldn¡¯t help but think as to why the King would reveal the rock to them in such a manner. They only dared to dream. What if there were more rocks? The King smiled. ¡°We must secure the islands so we can extract the resources before the Aswadians find out what treasures they possess. We have managed to find a great number of interesting resources, but we haven¡¯t managed to explore the rest of the islands, nor even the main bodies of land which we already control.¡± Now they understood. The resources were great, yet, but this was something else. Even if the islands only possessed the three resources shown, this was unbelievable. They would be able to... They didn¡¯t even need to think of what they could do, because they would be able to accomplish whatever they please. The King then picked up the blocks, revealing that they were not just black and gold. Under each piece the colours represented the different families. The deep blue of the north, the lighter blue of the east, the purple of the south, and the orange of the west. ¡°In order to control the islands, we need a greater force than we currently possess, and have ever possessed.¡± He placed the blocks on the sea. ¡°A force which does not work as a city guard, or work as the guards for the nobles. A separate army, not one which is formed when called to war, made up of commoners in cloth with a spear in hand.¡± ¡°A professional standing army,¡± Duchess Blacksnow said. Most of the army was usually made up of peasants, as the King had said, but the officers were usually made up of guards and Knights sworn to the various houses, or members of the various Orders. North Aldland already had a small professional standing army which was used to put down various threats around the land, and could be sent south to assist the King at a moment¡¯s notice. The other areas also had a small military force, but seeing how many blocks the King had brought, he didn¡¯t mean a professional army which was only a few thousand strong. ¡°A greater navy is required to keep the seas safe, but a great land army is also required.¡± The King placed down the blocks onto the handful of islands which had been drawn, though there were many more islands which hadn¡¯t been accurately depicted. ¡°We will create the Island Expeditionary Force, an army which will be tasked with bringing the island within our grip, and a Grand Army, which will deal with all the domestic threats of Aldland.¡± ¡°The Tribesfolk?¡± Blacksnow asked. There were a handful of Tribesfolk which they worked with up north, and no doubt in the other areas of Aldland, but there were many more who were outside of Aldland¡¯s control. The King stared down at the map of Aldland. ¡°I do not wish to just create an army or two. I do not wish for just all of Aldland to finally be conquered, completing the dreams of my forefathers. Drakkenland to the north. Aswadia to the south. Noska beyond the sea.¡± The King smiled. ¡°We will become the dominant power, and with our rule over the seas, the only power.¡± The sheer audacity of the King¡¯s words were not lost on the other great families. Here was the King who had always spoken so clearly, so highly, and he had suffered one of the greatest defeats in recent memory with the Elves to the south not even a decade ago. ¡°The town guard will be reformed. No longer will they be expected to join the army for war, they will forever remain to protect the towns and cities, and that is all which will remain within their role¡¯s scope.¡± The town guard had often times rallied together to assist the army whenever the matter called for it. The town guard and the army were institutes which worked closely together, and something their roles blurred together. ¡°Ours is a large land,¡± the King continued. ¡°It has been protected for countless generations by our ancestors, and though the names of some families changed, our families have all worked hard to maintain the peace of this land. I hope that our families will continue to work together to make sure no foreign powers take root in this land.¡± The King had to be careful. Right now, his words could easily be misconstrued by the two Duchesses, each of whom held the blood of the distant lands, those closer to the south and east, than to the north. ¡°No longer will we lords use our personal guards to form members of the army. They will remain by our sides, to assist our family from the plots and threats of others. The number of personal guards will be reduced to make way for the army. As such, I will make a formal decree allowing each noble house to create an Order of Knights loyal to themselves, with a number of Knights sworn to them depending on their rank.¡± The Duke and Duchesses had almost raised a protest to the King, but upon hearing that they could form their own Order, they kept their tongues in check. They each had a large number of guards, more than those of lower ranks, though they were often expected to work around the land, not just within their own homes or beside them. Only the ruler of Aldland had the ability to create an Order sworn to their family, but since he had decided that all the noble houses could form an Order, the number of Knights based on their rank, it was quite the offer. ¡°Each of you will command your own armies to keep the land safe from the threats to the land, but there will also be a Grand Army, one which will be under the command of a council, with myself as the Supreme General.¡± The Duke and the Duchess listened intently to the King. So far he had revealed that he was able to moderate his own power, keeping the balance of the Five Great Families of Aldland. ¡°We will create outposts across the entire land, and soon we will bring all of Aldland under our heel. For too long have we given the Adventurer¡¯s Guild too much power and influence. They have grown fat from enriching themselves with what belongs to us.¡± It was true that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild had gained too much power. Even the nobles of the land had difficulty dealing with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, who protected their own with a great ferocity. ¡°What of the temples?¡± Duchess Blacksnow asked. ¡°They will not be happy now that you have access to health potions which can be made without their powers. Though you have your Order, they will not accept that there will be many other Orders, with the ability to create health potions¡± ¡°As long as the temples receive their dues, they will not mind,¡± the King assured. ¡°The army which will be formed will need Priests. The council which will control the army will have positions for the various Priests, and the members of the Orders which have made their homes within our lands will also be expected to contribute.¡± So that was it. It wasn¡¯t just that the King wanted to conquer the entire land, it was that he wanted to unify it. Though he styled himself as the Supreme General, he understood that he needed to pacify those with voices against giving him so much power. ¡°We will create it, an army which will be ready to move at the ready, to respond to threats within days, rather than weeks, and one which can be mobilised to move when it is timely for us to act.¡± The King moved the blocks over the islands, and placed some around the map. ¡°Once we have taken ownership of the islands, we will have the resources to completely subjugate this land.¡± He placed some blocks over the forest to the south west, the home of the Elves, and some to their north. ¡°After dealing with the thorns at our doorstep, with the entirety of Aldland is under our rule, we will push our influence outwards.¡± He moved the blocks towards the lands of Aswadia and Drakkenland. The King¡¯s ambitions were great. It seemed that, after the loss he had faced, though he was still ambitious, he had tempered it with some wisdom. How grand of an army would this army be to be able to deal with all the threats none of his fore bearers could subjugate? However, with the current wealth of Aldland, it would be possible to bring the islands into their domain. With the resources of the islands, no doubt they¡¯d be able to bank roll a large army, one which would have rivalled the greatest armies of old. The King nodded to his Knights, who brought large boxes. They knelt before the Duke and the Duchesses, giving them gifts they had not expected. The Grand Duchess sighed. It seemed she could retire in peace, knowing that the King had managed to temper himself into such a great young man. Aldland¡¯s rise would soon begin. Click banner for Patreon! Can you tell I''m a Brit? 333. The Birthday I 333. The Birthday I Omen: 6, 7 ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam said, holding his sister up. ¡°Who is this big girl?¡± Lanarot pulled up her knees to her chest and kicked them out, giggling up at him with her toothy smile. ¡°What a big girl you are, Lanababy.¡± Adam pulled her in close to him and he hugged her, causing her to squirm against him, before she eventually nestled her head against his shoulder. ¡°Who said you could grow so quickly?¡± Adam asked, brushing her hair gently with a hand. ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to grow any more than this, okay?¡± ¡°If she does not grow how will she become strong?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Why does she need to become strong? We¡¯ll be strong enough that she doesn¡¯t need to worry about it.¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°It is best for us to become powerful, but she must tread her own path.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach her how to fly so she won¡¯t need to tread her own path,¡± Adam said, leaning in to nuzzle the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°So stay small forever.¡± ¡°You must grow big and strong,¡± Jurot said, trying to influence his sister into the correct decision. Eventually her mother took the babe away, allowing Adam and Jurot to prepare. They worked out lightly that day, before they bathed in a bath house. ¡°How come no one told me there were multiple bath houses?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You did not ask,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam sighed, shaking his head. Once slipped on the outfit which had been prepared for him. It was a plain outfit in the Iyrman¡¯s design, save for the symbol of the Rot family which had been embroidered over his heart. When he had returned, he found a familiar face, one he hadn¡¯t expected to see. ¡®What¡¯s with all the pretty Devilkin in the Iyr?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, it¡¯s not just the Devilkin.¡¯ Adam had caught sight of the Kan¡¯s, who were waiting for their meal. Lokat was holding Lanarot in hand, the Devilkin Shaman checking the girl¡¯s weight, height, reactions, and her teeth to see how healthy she was. An assistant beside her was writing down whatever the Shaman had been saying. ¡°You are growing well,¡± Lokat said, brushing Lanarot¡¯s hair. Lanarot was squirmed in the woman¡¯s hands, and was eventually returned back to her mother. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head, with Jurot adding his own nod to punctuate his point. ¡°I see that you are doing well for yourself in the Iyr too,¡± Lokat said, her stern eyes falling on Adam. ¡°Well, what can I say?¡± Adam asked, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I do what I must for my little sister.¡± ¡°I will leave you to enjoy her birthday.¡± ¡°Leaving so soon?¡± ¡°There is work to be done,¡± Lokat replied, simply. She left, with her assistant in tow. ¡°I don¡¯t think she likes me...¡± ¡°Shamans are busy,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s just that.¡± ¡°You are thinking too much.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± During breakfast the other children made sure to come to Lanarot to place down small pieces of bread, as well as some of their own fruit pieces. They patted her head gently and wished her well. Turot sat beside her, offering much of his own food. Lanarot was eventually changed into our own attire, matching her brother¡¯s and mother¡¯s clothing, plain save for the family symbol which was embroidered on her chest. ¡°Look at how cute our sister is,¡± Adam stated, holding her up to Jurot. The little girl was enjoying all the attention she was receiving, giggling wildly with joy. After a short while, a small bowl was brought over, allowing Sonarot to paint the girl¡¯s forehead with a rough tattoo of the Rot family¡¯s symbol. ¡°What do you think I should give her?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted, making a face at the sourness of the drink. ¡°I should have made her a magical weapon,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, a magical shield. She doesn¡¯t need two magical weapons.¡± Jurot was certain she didn¡¯t need a magical shield either, but at least it made more sense than a second magical axe. ¡°There is no need to give a gift to her. It is the time for children to give gifts when she is so young.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t give gifts to one year olds?¡± ¡°No. Some do, but there is no need for it.¡± ¡°Still, it feels wrong not to spoil her.¡± ¡°She will not remember it.¡± ¡°Yes, but I will.¡± Jurot remained quiet. It made sense that Adam, who was always so sentimental, to feel as though he needed to give a gift. Many other Rot family members arrived, many of which Adam hadn¡¯t seen before. There were many children, at least a hundred, and quite a large number of old Iyrmen too. Many of them greeted Jarot and Mulrot first, before going off to see the child. ¡°You¡¯ve got a big family,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is quite large,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°How close are you to the extended Rot family members?¡± ¡°I am closer with the oldest generation, but not the younger generations.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I meet them often when I return in order to tell them the tales.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°So that they may praise me and pat my head,¡± Jurot said, as though it were completely normal. ¡°What¡¯s with all the head pats anyway? I¡¯ve seen you get so many from everyone, and even I get them from Aunt.¡± ¡°They are warm.¡± ¡°Warm?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°The warmth of the Iyr is passed on through patting one¡¯s head. It symbolises that we have returned home, or that we have done well.¡± ¡°The Iyr is so weird,¡± Adam whispered. He wasn¡¯t so daring that he¡¯d say such a thing so loudly. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I should give her the twilight fox core!¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°You are the weird one, Adam.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Adam asked, smiling at his brother, before raising his brows in surprise. The Rot family had been enjoying themselves, but some of the older Iyrmen tensed up when the stranger appeared, causing the others to tense up too. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything,¡± the old man said, chuckling lightly. It was an older man with pale skin, and he wore the attire of an Iyrman, though he was no Iyrman. His forehead held a pattern, though it was not of an Iyrman¡¯s design. There was a complicated pattern of a circle and diamonds emanating from it, as well as several rays shooting outward. Click banner for Patreon! Who is this guy? 334. The Birthday II 334. The Birthday II ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Adam asked, staring at the old man. There was something off about him, something he couldn¡¯t quite figure out. Jarot narrowed his eyes slightly, but seeing that the Iyrmen around were on high alert, he made a motion to his wife. ¡°I heard that there was a birthday in the Rot family so thought to come by,¡± Strom replied. ¡°Welcome, Sir Strom,¡± Mulrot called, walking over to greet him. ¡°I¡¯m no Sir, young lady,¡± Strom replied. ¡°And I am no lady,¡± Mulrot replied. Strom smiled. ¡°Of course. The Family Elder, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting the birthday.¡± Mulrot had heard this particular Guest of the Iyr was close to Adam in some way, and considering he had lost his prized weapon to Adam, she wasn¡¯t sure if she should refuse his entrance. The other members of the Rot family were unsure of him, but she bowed her head. ¡°I am certain that Adam wishes to show off his sister to you,¡± Mulrot said. She had taken a moment to think about how to word the fact that he was welcome here, but a typical welcome wouldn¡¯t have good enough. Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± When he noticed the Iyrmen had turned their attention to him, he straightened up. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve brought a gift.¡± ¡°What kind of person invites himself to a birthday without bringing a gift?¡± Strom asked, understanding that he was barging in. It would have been hard to refuse him, considering his special status within the Iyr. Rumours had passed through the Iyr that he had the ability to travel freely as he pleased within the Iyr, something unheard of within the Iyr. ¡°What did you...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Did you lose weight?¡± Strom smiled. ¡°A little.¡± The old man had certainly lost a little weight but there was something else which was different. Jarot had noticed it when Strom had appeared, and the Iyrmen who had met Strom had noticed it later. UppTodated from The domineering presence he once held was gone. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m just an old man now.¡± ¡°You were already an old man, weren¡¯t you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I suppose I was.¡± Strom smiled wider, before taking his seat opposite Adam. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I had to give it up so soon since I still have some unfinished business.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Adam sighed. Strom was always so vague, and it annoyed him to no end. He wondered if Strom would ever reveal his true identity to him, though he had been told it was quite dangerous. ¡®I¡¯m still curious though.¡¯ ¡°What I mean is that I have given away my Spark,¡± Strom said. Upon hearing his words, Jurot choked on his wine, turning aside to cough and splutter against the floor. He wiped his face with a piece of cloth, before looking up at Strom in uncharacteristic shock. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked, patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°I am fine,¡± Jurot said, coughing into the cloth. ¡°Sounds like giving away your Spark is a big deal?¡± ¡°One could describe it as such.¡± Strom smiled coyly. ¡°Who to?¡± ¡°An old friend?¡± ¡°How old are we talking?¡± ¡°They are as old as me.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, far more enthusiastic. ¡°It is not just a typical breastplate made of blue dragon scales,¡± Strom said. ¡°It is magical.¡± ¡°Magical how?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you identify it with your spell?¡± ¡°Why do you always have to make things difficult?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at the old man. ¡°How else will an old man like me have fun other than by teasing children?¡± Adam continued to narrow his eyes, before he began to snicker. ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam began to laugh, causing some of the Iyrmen to glance his way. ¡°Jurot! Can you believe it?¡± The other three were confused. ¡°Believe what?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°He... he¡¯s giving our little sister breastplate armour! A daughter of the Rot family wearing breastplate?¡± Jurot reached up to his chin. ¡°It is not terrible.¡± ¡°Why does she needs breastplate when she¡¯ll be so much stronger without it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is not terrible,¡± Jurot repeated. ¡°No, what I mean is...¡± Adam raised his cup. ¡°Why does she need armour when she has the both of us?¡± Jurot remained quiet for a long moment. He nodded, raising his cup, before drinking with Adam. Strom smiled. The breastplate armour was great, and would be useful to most people, though perhaps to someone like Adam, who could wear plate mail with ease, it was easily overlooked. It was more than a great gift for the girl, especially since it was something which would assist in keeping her safe. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to be so shy, Adam.¡¯ Strom sipped some of the wine from his bowl. ¡°I will see if you are laughing once you find out what I have given.¡± ¡°Yeah? Why¡¯s that?¡± Strom smiled wider. ¡°I wonder if I should tell you. It would make you look foolish, but I¡¯d rather not do it in front of your sister on this day.¡± ¡°You know, Strom. You ain¡¯t so bad.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re much better than the Aldish nobles who can¡¯t take a joke.¡± ¡°Even if I was offended, what can I do? I¡¯m so close to death that there is no point in taking any offence.¡± ¡°Why did you have to make it so awkward?¡± Strom sipped his bowl of alcohol, winking at the young Half Elf. ¡°Speaking of magical weapons, where is Stormdrake?¡± ¡°Jaygak has it.¡± ¡°The Devilkin?¡± Strom wondered why it was in her possession. ¡°Did you lose it to her?¡± ¡°No, I gave it to her.¡± Strom almost choked on the wine he was drinking. ¡°You did what?¡± Click banner for Patreon! Gifts are given, and Adam still gives people heart attacks. 335. The Birthday III 335. The Birthday III "I gave it to her,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°You gave her Stormdrake?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Stormdrake, which I lost to you in a bet?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Yes.¡±Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com¡¯s eyes remained on the young Half Elf, trying to understand what he was trying to say. ¡°Did you lose it to her in a bet?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°Losing a bet against Jaygak? I would never.¡± ¡°Did you sell it?¡± Strom asked, trying to find the reasoning behind as to how and why the young Half Elf could have possibly lost his Stormdrake. ¡®Is it because he could not glean information of it from his spell?¡¯ ¡°No, I didn¡¯t sell it. I gave it to her.¡± Strom narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t use swords.¡± Strom waited for a long while. He refused to believe that was the real reason as to why Adam gave away Stormdrake. His precious Stormdrake. He had lost Phantom, so why would he give away a greater weapon? ¡°Jaygak¡¯s my friend and she uses swords so I gave it to her.¡± ¡°You gave away my precious Stormdrake for a reason like that?¡± Strom wondered if, perhaps in his old age, he wasn¡¯t able to hear Adam clearly. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t use swords, you should when it¡¯s Stormdrake!¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not even that good compared to Phantom.¡± ¡®I should beat him,¡¯ Strom thought. ¡®After becoming so weak, they won¡¯t say I¡¯m bullying him, will they?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe that someone would say that their weapon was as good as Stormdrake. ¡®The things I had to do to forge Stormdrake.¡¯ A weapon like Phantom, though brilliant, and perhaps one of the best weapons within it¡¯s class, wasn¡¯t anything compared to Stormdrake. Stormdrake within Strom¡¯s hands was deadly. Within the hands of another, was even greater, for there were many abilities which Stormdrake endowed onto its user if they were worthy, some of which were irrelevant when the blade was wielded by himself. ¡°If you can¡¯t fathom Stormdrake¡¯s abilities it is because you are too weak,¡± Strom said, simply. ¡°Exactly,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°So I¡¯ll use an axe instead, one that I¡¯ll make into a greater weapon. I¡¯ll enchant it with whatever I need, and then I¡¯ll be able to sleep peacefully at night. When I¡¯m not in the Iyr, I mean.¡± ¡°I truly have never met a young man like you, Adam.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re one of the few who knows my story, right?¡± Adam said, smiling at the old man. ¡°Is Stormdrake really that good?¡± Jarot sipped his bowl quietly. ¡®When will you tell your grandfather your story?¡¯ ¡°I believe so.¡± Strom laughed. ¡°Stormdrake was one of the better weapons I have wielded. Not the greatest, no, but it was quite close. The others I have gifted to my friends and family, or I¡¯ve buried in secret for someone to find, or for them to lay forgotten. Stormdrake is one of the few which remain in my possession.¡± ¡°So you have others?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow curiously. ¡°Should we make another bet?¡± Strom chuckled. ¡°Stormdrake was meant for the Iyr, so when I lost it to you, I did feel awkward about the matter. However, since you¡¯ve handed it to the Iyr through your own accord, I can sleep peacefully at night.¡± ¡°It must be Fate, then,¡± Adam said, smirking slightly. Strom smiled. ¡°If I had known that you¡¯d give Stormdrake away, then perhaps I would have given you my Spark.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll need to find a Dragon heart from somewhere else, then.¡± ¡°You should,¡± Strom said. ¡°Magic is useful.¡± ¡°It is difficult to use magic when we dance in our rage,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are times when you are not raging. There are many great spells which are useful outside of slaughtering your foes, some of which will assist in slaying them, yes, but there are many other ways to use magic.¡± ¡°She will learn the way of our Rot family, and Adam¡¯s magic if she wishes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll allow her to learn magic?¡± Strom asked, raising his brow. ¡°It is the way of her brother.¡± Strom made a small noise of understanding. He looked between the pair, before looking to Jurot. He wondered, for a moment, how he came to be here. He had come to the Iyr to spend the last of his days in relative peace, save for the few fights he wished to pick. ¡°You said you had some unfinished business, which your Spark would have been useful for...¡± Adam said, leaving the statement hanging in the air. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°So why did you give it up?¡± Strom¡¯s eyes fell to Lanarot. ¡°If not now, when?¡± ¡°Why not after you finish your business?¡± ¡°What if more business suddenly appears once I¡¯m done beating that little rat?¡± Strom asked. ¡°It would be easy to continue delaying the matter, and I could convince myself it would be better to keep living for a little while longer.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t trust yourself?¡± Strom nodded. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll find a reason to keep living, but...¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired, Adam.¡± Strom¡¯s voice was full of a deep sadness. He, who had formed an empire, had grown tired of the world. He understood that it was selfish of him to give up the throne, the steady peace which had been hard fought. He, who had greater responsibilities than any of them could possibly know. ¡°Well, if what you¡¯ve told me is true, then you¡¯ve worked hard, Strom. You deserve the rest.¡± ¡°I have heard that giving up one¡¯s Spark is not ordinary,¡± Jurot said, quietly. Even now, he was still shocked that Strom was giving up his Spark. ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± Strom nodded. ¡°By giving up my Spark, I...¡± ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, reaching up to tug Adam¡¯s collar. ¡°Papa.¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise, before placing a hand on the girl¡¯s head. His heart pounded quickly, and his body grew flush with joy. ¡°Papa?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Papa.¡± Lanarot tried to stand on Adam¡¯s lap. Adam allowed her to stand, smiling down at her. ¡°Why are you giving me such a great gift on your birthday, you silly girl!¡± Adam hoisted her up onto her feet and kissed her cheek. ¡°Did you hear, Jurot?¡± ¡°I heard, Adam,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head. ¡°You silly little girl, you were meant to call for baba first!¡± Jarot complained, letting down his guard in front of the old being beside him. Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smirk. ¡°Looks like she loves her papa most.¡± Lanarot squealed as she stood on Adam¡¯s lap, bouncing against him. Click banner for Patreon! Damn it Lanarot, you''re so cute even when you interrupt important lore details! 336. The Birthday IV 336. The Birthday IV Lanarot had grown tired over the course of the hours, and so was put to the side to sleep, wrapped in her tiny blanket. Strom could hear her little beating heart, though his senses were beginning to grow dull without his Spark. It beat so quickly, as their hearts tended to do when babies were young. Strom remembered how she looked not long ago. She was smaller, unable to walk, nor call for her family. She had grown quickly before his eyes, and though he had spent some time away from the Iyr, he had sometimes visited, laying atop the roof as he always did, drinking his wine. ¡®One years old,¡¯ the old man thought. Humans grew quickly in some ways, and slower in other ways. Human babies slept for half the day, and spent the other half awake, absorbing their world through their small eyes, perpetually confused and surprised. Lanarot¡¯s face was no longer her own in his eyes. He was looking to another time, a time long ago, a time which most people did not live through. Adam gave Strom his peace, letting him reminisce. He saw another young baby, one who had been born some time after Lanarot. He was scooting around on his bottom, tugging on his mother¡¯s trousers. His eyes fell around towards the rest of the Iyrmen around. There was Jarot and Mulrot, but there were also other Iyrmen about. There was Tarot too, with his beautiful wife from the Kan family, Zirot. There were at least fifty people about, and they mostly remained in their own circles, rarely moving between them. ¡°You are Adam,¡± a young child said, having stomped their way to him. They were no older than five, Adam gathered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Strong?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± He looked to Jurot. ¡°Cousin Jurot, he is strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy said, eyeing Adam¡¯s axe. ¡°Do you want to touch it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Adam held out his axe, keeping the blade behind his forearm so the child wouldn¡¯t grab it. Soon the other children swarmed him, wanting to touch Wizard¡¯s Axe. ¡°It is magical?¡± the boy asked, feeling the slight tingle. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You made it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The boy gave an approving snort, nodding his head towards Adam. ¡°Very good.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°It is strong?¡± ¡°Yes. It allows me to cast my spells.¡± ¡°You know magic?¡± The boy then looked at his ears. ¡°Elf.¡± It was an accusation and a statement. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, answering both questions. ¡°Only half.¡± ¡°Half?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Half Elf Half Iyrman?¡± the boy asked. ¡°No. Half Elf and Half Human, I think.¡± The boy frowned slightly. ¡°You are very handsome.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, unsure of what he should do. ¡°Thank you. You are very handsome too.¡± ¡°I am not handsome,¡± the boy said. ¡°I am strong.¡± ¡°Are you handsome and strong?¡± ¡°No. I am strong.¡± ¡°Okay, boss, if you say so.¡± Adam smiled, keeping a careful eye on the axe. ¡°Are you strong?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Not any more.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I gave up my Spark.¡± Jaygak threw up her brows in alarm, and even the stoic Kitool was taken aback. ¡°Why?¡± Jaygak asked. Strom sighed, looking towards the young girl who was currently reaching up towards some fresh bread. ¡°I bet it on a new age.¡± Jaygak nodded approvingly. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Did Adam send you?¡± ¡°Can Adam send me?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Yes. Aren¡¯t you weaker than him?¡± Jaygak narrowed her eyes. ¡°Not with Stormdrake in my...¡± She stopped, realising it was not becoming of an Iyrman to lie. ¡°Maybe I am.¡± ¡°Do you want to be stronger?¡± ¡°That sounds like a pain,¡± Jaygak admitted. ¡°I¡¯m strong enough. For now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still young. You Devilkin live for what, two hundred years?¡± ¡°No. We live for about a hundred years.¡± ¡°Oh? We don¡¯t have many Devilkin where I¡¯m from, so I apologise.¡± ¡°What a shame. We Devilkin make the best food, so I feel sorry for you.¡± ¡°Perhaps I could ask you to make me something then?¡± Jaygak¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll make you something.¡± It would be a great honour to cook for someone like Strom, but for a moment, the Devilkin¡¯s eyes flashed with mischief. ¡®Could I put in too many peppers without getting into trouble?¡¯ ¡°Young lady, you should be careful of who you pick fights with,¡± Strom said, smiling up at her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning anything and you cannot prove it.¡± ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the only troublemaker I know?¡± Strom asked. Jaygak retreated quickly. When dinner was made, the Ool family having cooked the meal, Lanarot ate as much bread as she could manage. She was shocked to find the bread was stuffed with other food stuffs, but she happily ate it all. Lucy had left Adam mostly alone that day, but before Lanarot was taken away to her house, she held the girl, staring into her eyes. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Lanarot squealed and kicked out her legs towards her. Lucy handed the girl back to Adam, and gave him a nod. Adam could see that she was under the weather, but he nodded his head at her, and left her outside, where she made her bed. Adam held the girl close. He wasn¡¯t lonely, like Lucy, who had lost her friend. They still needed to find a Dragon heart for her, an adult Dragon heart. He sighed, wondering what he could do, but as Lanarot grabbed his hand, his thoughts fell away. Jurot lay down, staring at the ceiling. He had left Lanarot to her own devices that day, allowing the others to shower her in their affection and attention. He thought back to when she was born a year ago. A little bundle who could only cry and squeal for her mother. Now she was walking about, calling for her mother. The young Iyrman wondered if he was the same when he was her age. He smiled. ¡°Happy birthday, princess,¡± Adam whispered, kissing the girl¡¯s forehead once she was asleep. ¡®There are no princesses in the Iyr,¡¯ Jurot wanted to say, but he kept that to himself. He closed his eyes. If Aldland ever decided to betray the Iyr, however, that may change. Lucy remained outside, staring up at the starry sky. She always did whenever she thought of home. ¡®What kind of birthday was this?¡¯ she thought. ¡®They didn¡¯t even find her a Dragon to ride.¡¯ It was a joke she couldn¡¯t share with anyone, one that only made her frown. Gentle humming sounds filled the courtyard as Strom hummed, though soon the humming sounds quietened down so that Lucy could barely hear them. It was an old lullaby, one the old man had memorised, and had hummed for all of his children, and many of his grandchildren. For a moment, he thought that this world had something to live for. Click banner for Patreon! I love this chapter but just you wait for the next couple of chapters! 337. Preclude To Disaster 337. Preclude To Disaster Adam spent the next few days enchanting, plucking Threads of Fate, forever changing the world. He finished enchanting Linban¡¯s maul, and Raizaban¡¯s mace. Linban¡¯s Fury You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 bludgeoning damage. This maul holds three charges. On a hit, you may expend a charge to deal 2D6 fire damage. Regains 1D3 charges at dawn. Raizaban¡¯s Grace You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 bludgeoning + 1D3 fire damage. ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± Aizaban said when they had met. ¡°I always pay my debts,¡± Adam said, shaking her forearm. ¡°You three best be good for your parents. They worked hard to make sure you got these weapons.¡± The trio of children replied affirmatively, shaking his forearm too, before letting him leave in peace. Adam had felt lucky the last week, though there was a day he had awoken with such a terrible Omen, but he still enchanted, managing to roll well during the enchanting process. ¡°I missed you so much my little babby,¡± Adam said, picking his sister up before showering her in kisses. She squealed and stuck up her hand in the air, before reaching to grab his collar, trying to pull herself towards his face to kiss his cheek. ¡°Mama.¡± ¡°I¡¯m papa, you silly girl.¡± Adam brushed her hair, before sitting down at a table with Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool. ¡°Did you all rest well?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be setting off soon, right?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°We should leave in the next few days.¡± Adam sighed, resting his cheek against his sister¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving you soon, Lanababy. Papa needs to go work.¡± Lanarot babbled back at him, reaching up to grab his hair, before she rested her face against his neck. ¡°I know, I know, but I need to work, otherwise I¡¯ll be a useless papa.¡± ¡°Adam, why are you so queer?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his cheek against his sister¡¯s. ¡°You¡¯re so affectionate with your little sister.¡± Adam remained quiet. ¡°You know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. How could anyone be weird to love someone as amazing as my little sister?¡± ¡°What about...¡± Jaygak looked to the side, where Strom was sitting some ways away, relaxing as he sipped his wine. He turned to look at Jaygak, smiling at her. ¡°I did think he was weird, but seeing as how he¡¯s been with Lanarot and has been looking after her the past few days, I realised that he¡¯s a top bloke.¡± ¡°A top bloke?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°He¡¯s a good guy.¡± Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure what to say, glancing aside to Kitool for support. However, Kitool didn¡¯t come to her aid, instead remaining quiet. As much as she thought his affection for his little sister was too much, Jurot didn¡¯t speak of it one bit, and she understood it due to how adorable her own younger sister was. ¡°It¡¯s because you have a little brother and not a little sister,¡± Adam said. ¡°You bully him, and I find that weird.¡± ¡°Bullying your younger sibling isn¡¯t wrong.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t, as long as it¡¯s done in moderation, but I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d steal his peppers all the time.¡± ¡°Most of the time,¡± Jaygak added. Adam looked down at his sister. ¡°I bet you¡¯d look so cute when you rage.¡± He brushed her hair past her hair. Lanarot looked up at Adam, smiling up at him with joy. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Adam said, tickling her chubby cheek. Lanarot giggled, clapping her hands in front of him. Jaygak sighed, throwing a look to Raygak, who was sitting down with the other children, talking about what he had learnt that day. Kitool couldn¡¯t help but look towards her sister either, her hair in a small bob as it always was. She liked the bob because it had been what her mother had worn for some time, and would always ask for her hair to be cut that way. They were not the only ones who had been infected by Adam¡¯s queerness. Naqokan had been struck by Iyrheart not long ago, though the other teens, those she had grown up with, had spoken with her to allow her to lift herself out of the crisis which had befallen her. Strom yawned, stretching his body. He could already feel the slowness setting within his bones, as though ice was beginning to form between his joints. ¡®Should I pick a fight with an Iyrmen to keep my body warm?¡¯ ¡°Hey, Strom,¡± Adam called. Strom opened an eye towards him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam motioned with a hand. ¡°You know, you¡¯re always being weird by yourself in the corner. It¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you weird too?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Yes, but I do it around other people,¡± Adam said. ¡°Come on.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making this old man get up from his comfortable seat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Strom grumbled, but hoisted himself, before settling himself with the youngsters. He glanced between them all. ¡°What should I do now?¡± ¡°I just wanted you here because you looked a little lonely.¡± ¡°So is that Demon Lord of yours.¡± ¡°Yes, but she isn¡¯t dying this year,¡± Adam said, tempting Fate. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us a story? Or do you want to hear one of the great stories of these Iyrmen¡¯s families before you?¡± ¡°Should I tell you about how I annihilated an entire empire and destroyed many other kingdoms before installing a once slave race into the supreme position of power?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Yes,¡± came the response of three Iyrmen. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, at the same time. ¡°What kinds of things are you saying in front of my sister?¡± Strom raised his brows. ¡°She¡¯s an Iyrman.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, his frown falling towards his jaw. ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡± While Strom began his tale, there was a movement within the Iyr. This was not in response to Elder Peace¡¯s word, which had been sent out in a myriad of different places, with Elder Peace even leaving the Iyr to speak with a notable figure who would be required. Word was brought to the Iyr that it had begun. Elder Lykan, he who was the Elder of the Front Iyr, a position which was greater than that of a typical Elder but below that of a Great Elder, had received news. He finished reading the slip of paper and burnt it, and by burning it, the news would spread to the Main Iyr, and one of the many aides would send word to the Great Elders. ¡°We should have expected as much,¡± Lykan said, making preparations for the feast tomorrow. There would be Iyrmen to be sent out to assist the villagers which were in danger. ¡°The Undead have risen.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Undead? Let''s goooo! Interlude: Aswadia’s Fate Interlude: Aswadia¡¯s Fate The young woman stared at the ceiling above her. She was acutely aware of the several Farisi all about her. Only one was within the room, a young woman named Kachya, a distant relative who had been knighted to become a Faris recently. ¡®Am I a bird to be trapped within my cage, father?¡¯ the young woman thought, but it hadn¡¯t been long since she had almost been assassinated, so she could not bring the matter up with him. The Gold Hands were to be increased from one hundred to two hundred, meaning the Shen would have an additional one hundred Experts, Bronze Rank warriors, under his command. It wasn¡¯t a huge ask, but the way he had forced the matter through had left many of the nobility to question his decision. She sighed. She had thought that her father would have taken more time, paid the proper respects, and gold, to the nobles, but he had been in a panic. She couldn¡¯t blame him, though, not since she was the only heir to the entire Shendom, and she had already been given so much freedom. Her mother was sick, not strong enough to produce another heir, and her father was too sentimental to bring another wife into the court. ¡®You are a fool father, though I adore you for it.¡¯ She rubbed her finger along the ring on her finger. Deep Flame Blade. That was what it was called. A blade which had been gifted to her through her mother¡¯s friend. It was a wonderful weapon, one which was suited to her. Though it was no Sun God Sword, it was still a brilliant weapon, one which made her a formidable force against most threats. Most threats. Not all. She was lucky against the assassin. She had some ability, but she was nowhere near an Expert, but that assassin was no doubt much greater than her. ¡°Amira, Amira,¡± called the servant, calling the young woman¡¯s title, quickly approaching young Amira¡¯s room. ¡°My Amira!¡± The young Amira approached the door, but had her Faris open it for her, revealing the young servant. ¡°West Scimitar has returned!¡± the servant panted. ¡°He is wounded.¡± The Amira frowned. West Scimitar was wounded? ¡°Ill news.¡± She stepped past the servant, with her Faris following her, but she was soon joined by two Gold Hands, who flanked the Amira on her way to the nearby temple, where the West Scimitar would have been taken. Her suspicions were confirmed when there were a set of Gold Hands at the door of the large sandstone temple. ¡°Amira,¡± the Gold Hands said, and the young Amira walked past them, for they dared not to stop her. As she stepped into the temple, the Gold Hands and Faris which had followed her, stopped at the doorway, the Gold Hands stepping aside, waiting like statues as the Faris watched her Amira go further inside, and once she was out of sight, the Faris stepped aside too. ¡°My Miriam,¡± the Shen called, seeing his daughter, the Amira of the Shendom, approach. ¡°Father,¡± Miriam replied, holding her father¡¯s hands for a moment, before looking to the large stone slab beside them. The large stone slab held the half dying form of the one known as West Scimitar, a title give to the general who would take command of the army to fight on their western flank against the Aldish. Right above his heart was a spike, about a finger thick, and about as long as his hand, which had funnelled poison into the man¡¯s body. His dark skin was near black towards his upper chest, a web of poison which had invaded him. ¡°It is by Noor¡¯s grace that he still lives,¡± the Malawi, the Head Priest of the temple, said. ¡°West Scimitar is certainly blessed.¡± He was short, but well built, and wore a long turban of white, with threads of gold which flowed out from the sun atop the turban. The symbol was placed atop for the only one who needed to see the worship was Noor, the Sun God. ¡°Will he live?¡± Miriam asked. The Malawi wanted to ignore the young woman¡¯s words, but considering how much her father doted on her, he had to reply. ¡°That is up to Noor¡¯s will.¡± Miriam looked up towards the long tapestry, which had sewn into it a a religious text, one which gave praise to their god, Noor. She clasped her hands together and dropped to her knees, muttering a prayer in High Aswadian, the language of religion within the realm of Aswadia. She prayed for the good fortune of West Scimitar, hoping he would be healed soon. With news of his injury passing, Aswadia would teeter on a knife¡¯s edge. It was the next day that the Shen had received good news. ¡°Ajax the Mouse?¡± ¡°Yes, my Shen,¡± the Gold Hand replied. The Shen slowly nodded his head. Hearing that Ajax the Mouse had arrived at the capital, and was staying in the district which revealed his intent that he wanted to join the Gold Hands, it was something which he wouldn¡¯t have imagined. ¡®He is not suited for the Gold Hands, but I cannot allow him to slip through my fingers.¡¯ His mind was abuzz as he tried to move the pieces in his mind in order to put Ajax under his direct command. The Shen hadn¡¯t expected more good news. There were a large number of rumours which flowed through the capital, some of which were baseless, but others had soon been confirmed. Dakun Manzil. It was the largest and greatest inn within the capital, but no one could dare to call it an inn. It was a large complex which overtook an entire neighbourhood. Long walls, with a dozen different buildings which assisted in tending to every want and need for a hardened traveller. It was a castle within the city, one which all mercenaries and adventurers flocked to, from those who wanted to spend coppers, to those who wished to spend gold coins. It was so influential that the Adventurer¡¯s Guild worked closely with the complex. It, like the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, remained neutral, and was afforded a certain level of respect by the nobility, leaving one another to their own business. There were easily a hundred different groups of mercenaries who partook within the Dakun Manzil¡¯s facilities. At least half of the groups held members who would be considered Experts or Bronze Rank, and some of the groups were made up of only Experts, though they were made up of no more than a handful of people. Not all the mercenaries were Aswadian, however. Many had come from further east, from the Confederacy, though at one point in time they may have been under the same ruler. However, there were also the ghostly skinned Noska, each of whom held a brand across their faces to Vikir, the God of War. Their eyes were a deep, piercing blue, unnervingly so, and many left their path alone. However, there was an area which even they sat away from. In the centre of the Dakun Manzil were a set of tables, each made from ruby, the chairs made of red oak. The blood seats. If anyone dared to break them, they would pay a heavy price. A thousand gold for each chair, a hundred thousand gold for each table, and a limb of the Dakun Manzil¡¯s choosing. Yet, there were a handful of figures which dared to sit at these tables. He was in his mid fifties. Thin, pale skin littered with scars, blonde hair which was shaved up until the single braid which fell down his back, and piercing blue eyes. The brand on his face was heavily detailed, owing to his exploits. Any Noska who read his face would know his tale, from killing the Wights of the Ghost Sea, to crippling a white Dragon, siring a Half Dragon bastard in the process. ¡°What do we do, your Grace?¡± Kal Anis asked. ¡°What can I do?¡± Hussun replied. Kal Layla decided against speaking up, not wanting to speak out of place. She understood that the situation was, as some Aldish might put it, absolutely fucked. The Faro of Eastern Aswadia¡¯s only son was dead. Hussun inhaled deeply, before letting out the longest sigh. If the the Malawi was allowed to gain greater insights into his prayers, perhaps there could have been a chance to bring the young man back, but that was a dangerous game. Even Guardians were all but forbidden to reach such great heights. Fifth Gate spells could bring about total destruction across the land, and such abilities could not be in the hands of man. ¡°Bury him in goldstone and cover him in gems,¡± the Hussun said, after a long silence. ¡°The body is not allowed to rot.¡± It was the religious law to bury the dead within a day. It would have taken weeks to send the body to his father, something which would have been a great sin. He would hope that it would appease the Faro¡¯s anger enough to keep him at bay, but the Shen wasn¡¯t quite so optimistic. He would need to quickly expand the might of his military, just in case. ¡®First West Scimitar and now young Ali. Is this a test from Noor? Have I offended you? What must I do to make this right?¡¯ Hussun prayed deeply that night. Noor must have been listening, for the Shen received word. He quickly rushed to the temple, where he found West Scimitar sitting, and though his body thinner than before and he looked as though Sozain had visited him, he was alive. Hussun let out a long sigh of relief as he approach West Scimitar. ¡°I see you are alive.¡± His eyes fell to the arm of West Scimitar, seeing the stub against his elbow. ¡°I am sorry for failing you,¡± West Scimitar said. ¡°Is there a need to speak of your failure? You have brought us a great gift, and you are still alive. What more can I ask of you?¡± ¡°I have heard that Kal Ali is dead.¡± Hussun frowned. ¡°Yes.¡± West Scimitar reached up to his bandaged stub and rubbed it. ¡°One month. I need one month to recover. Even after I recover, I will not be able to fight East Scimitar on equal footing any longer.¡± ¡°Will it come to that?¡± Hussun asked, swallowing. It was a foolish statement. He had already sent out word to gather the soldiers, and there was the scent of blood in the air. One month. It was a long time, far too long. East Scimitar burst into the room, his heart pounding wildly. He had heard the news and had marched his way right to the Faro¡¯s office, even beating back his Farisi. The room was a mess, papers strewn all over the place, and the man who stood ahead of him was staring out the window. ¡°Faro!¡± called a Faris. ¡°East Scimitar has-¡° ¡°Leave us,¡± the Faro said, his voice deep and gravelly. Another Faris had appeared, and the pair of Farisi glanced at one another, before they withdrew. ¡°My son is dead,¡± the Faro said. ¡°This is not right, my Faro,¡± East Scimitar said, quietly. ¡°How can the Shen allow this? His daughter was almost harmed, and yet she was safe, but your son?¡± The Faro remained silent. ¡®West Scimitar is on his death¡¯s bed.¡¯ ¡°He increased the number of Gold Hands from one hundred to two hundred, but what of the Silver Hands? He denied you that right not ten years ago. Where is the justice in that?¡± The Faro knew what East Scimitar was doing. The man was a warmonger, he loved to fight, no matter the enemy. Yet, those honeyed words spoke to his heart. ¡°Justice?¡± the Faro turned, staring at East Scimitar, who did not withdraw his gaze, though he hid the wicked smile on his face well. ¡°I do not want justice, East Scimitar.¡± East Scimitar remained silent, allowing the Faro to speak his peace. ¡°There is no justice in this land,¡± the Faro said, picking up a piece of paper from his desk. He had placed it there some time ago, having stared at it for so long. It was the paper which had denied the request to increase the Silver Hands. He had kept it all these years out of resentment. ¡°No. No justice. Only vengeance.¡± East Scimitar bowed his head slightly. ¡°Go,¡± the Faro said. ¡°Bring the Shen to me so he may answer for his injustice.¡± East Scimitar smiled. Click banner for Patreon! I fixed my sleep, broke it, fixed it again, and broke it again all in the span of a week. Here''s an Interlude for today though. Totally normal, not at all action packed, Interlude. :) 338. The Journey Out I 338. The Journey Out I Omen: 12, 19 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought. He could enchant something decent today, though he knew that soon he¡¯d have to leave. ¡°We must leave today,¡± Jurot said to him over breakfast. ¡®That was quick,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The villages have been struck by the Undead.¡± ¡°I thought it was meant to happen next week?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded in response. More than likely it was also a mystery to Jurot, otherwise he would have explained it. Once Adam was done with breakfast, he hoisted his little sister up. ¡°Papa needs to leave now, Lanababby.¡± Lanarot squealed, bringing her hand up to suck on it as she smiled up at Adam. ¡°I know, I know.¡± Adam pulled her in close to his chest, gently rocking her in his arms. He spent a short while with her, until he couldn¡¯t procrastinate any longer. ¡°We had already placed Iyrmen in the villages,¡± Jurot admitted as they started their preparations to leave. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, checking his items, wondering what he should take. ¡®Oh, I forgot about this blood gem.¡¯ He wrapped the gem he had found in some thick cloth, before putting it aside. He¡¯d need to put it in one of the boxes upstairs, otherwise Lanarot could get to it. ¡°We will spend the night in Front Iyr before we leave,¡± Jurot said, grabbing his pack and waiting for Adam. Iyrmen were able to leave within a moment¡¯s notice if required, but he understood that the others wouldn¡¯t be able to move so swiftly. The others also prepared, grabbing their armour and weapons, and their packs. The Iyr provided them with a basic set of gear they would need, from fresh rations to torches, as well as some spare clothing. ¡°So we¡¯re all going then?¡± Adam asked, looking to the group. They were almost a dozen, quite the large party. ¡°I fear I¡¯ll grow fat and lazy within the Iyr,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good fight in some time.¡± ¡°It is best that we leave,¡± Vonda said, who was eager to leave due to being a follower of Mahtu, Mother Soza, the Goddess of Life. ¡°I should have expected as much,¡± Adam said, chuckling. He had finished his own preparations fairly quickly, before he picked up his sister again, who was admiring the shiny purple armour. She slapped the breastplate, before grabbing at the cool metal. The other children were all ready to follow them to the gates, but Adam¡¯s legs were far too heavy to move. Had he known that he would be leaving so quickly, he would have spent more time with his sister. ¡°You¡¯d better listen to your mama, okay?¡± Adam kissed his sister¡¯s forehead. ¡°If you bully your mama I¡¯ll stop feeding you my bread.¡± Lanarot babbled up at him, reaching up to grab his hair, before he brought her down for a hug again. ¡°Adam, we should leave,¡± Jurot said. Adam brushed the girl¡¯s hair, feeling her weight in his arms. ¡°Lanarot, don¡¯t grow up too quickly.¡± He handed the girl to Jurot. Jurot wrapped his arms around her in that way, and Lanarot melted up against her brother until they were one. ¡®This guy keeps rolling so well on his hug check,¡¯ Adam thought. Adam wasn¡¯t sure how Jurot did it, but Lanarot always enjoyed hugging her brother the most. Sonarot took the girl from her son and helped her wave, watching as the group left, with the children following them out. ¡°Is that Phantom?¡± Adam asked, having only noticed the axe at Jurot¡¯s side. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°If you wanted Phantom, I would have given it to you before.¡± ¡°Grandfather forced me to take it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make it sound like you were hesitant.¡± ¡°I was.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It is your axe.¡± ¡°It was my axe, and now it¡¯s the Rot family¡¯s axe.¡± ¡°You are a member of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Kitool wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about Jaygak leading her own group. She was there to make sure Jaygak didn¡¯t get into any shenanigans, but Adam seemed to have figured out a balanced group. ¡°Jonn will look after Brittany, and Dunes will look after Nobby, whereas Lucy can go wild, and Jaygak you can...¡± ¡°Lead?¡± Adam winced. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I be the leader? I¡¯m the Dem-,¡° ¡°Lucy,¡± Adam interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re too horny.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Jaygak said, frowning. ¡°The other kind of horny.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°If I give you the leadership role, you¡¯ll just end up fondling guys with the excuse of being the leader.¡± Lucy huffed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Adam remained silent. Lucy narrowed her eyes. ¡°Anyway, I think that Jaygak can...¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°Jaygak can...¡± He reached up to his heart. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re stronger than me,¡± Jaygak replied, narrowing her eyes at the breathless Adam, who was unable to say anything good about her. Adam smiled. Omen: 10, 14 ¡°I wish you the best of luck, Adam,¡± Lykan said. ¡°I¡¯m feeling pretty lucky today,¡± Adam replied, shaking the Elder¡¯s forearm. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Come back safely.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be wishing me a good death?¡± ¡°Not this time.¡± Adam gave the Elder a curious look. ¡°Why is that?¡± Lykan shook his head, unable to say more. The group said their goodbyes, leaving before the other two groups who were leaving the day after. Adam hadn¡¯t expected that they¡¯d leave separately, and he wondered if it had anything to do with what Lykan seemed to be worried about. ¡°What was all that about?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot said, though he could only assume. However, since Lykan didn¡¯t mention it was about Aswadia, Jurot believed it to be something they couldn¡¯t know about. The group trekked through the pathway towards the nearby village before Adam stopped. ¡°Oh sh... snap.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I forgot my tea set.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I am sorry, Adam.¡± Adam looked up towards the sky. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m more Iyrish than British.¡± He narrowed his eyes, wondering why it sounded weird. ¡®Oh! That¡¯s such a good joke!¡¯ Adam laughed with such vigour, that the group was taken aback. They hadn¡¯t seen Adam bellow in such a manner before. ¡°Jurot! I¡¯m more Irish than I am British!¡± He slapped Jurot¡¯s back, before he grabbed onto his knees, trying to keep himself from falling. ¡°God damn! I¡¯m so funny!¡± ¡®We¡¯re all going to die,¡¯ Fred thought. Fred thought the same when he saw the horde of Undead attacking the village in the evening. Click banner for Patreon! Cliffhanger senpai? 339. The Journey Out II 339. The Journey Out II Ahead was the village, wrapped in a blanket of wooden walls, which were soon to be invaded by a horde of skeletons, rattling as they moved. The group bolted forward towards the mass of skeletons, which rattled like a thunderstorm in the early evening. The villagers had taken precautions, as they always had, but due to how quickly the skeletons had arrived, they hadn¡¯t managed to complete their preparations. Adam skidded to a halt, throwing out his hand, and as he did, he willed his ring into the shape of an axe. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 26 (1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, 6) The Half Elf could feel his Mana flow through his veins, rushing from his heart towards his finger tips, clashing against the cool metal in hand, before he willed the words of magic through his voice. Adam threw up his free hand towards the sky, beginning to form the magic of the Third Gate. ¡°I will clear a path!¡± In the darkened sky there was a star which seemed to be falling. It was no star, however, just a small bead of light, which fell towards the writhing mass of Undead. The bead disappeared in front of a skeleton, and before one could even blink, a raging explosion of fire engulfed the skeletons, the roar of magic echoing against the clattering of bones. At least two dozen skeletons had been blown apart by the great magic. The rest of his companions sallied forth, with Kitool, Lucy, and Jurot leading the pack since they were swift of foot. Adam followed the rest of them through, though he remained many steps behind due to the fact he needed to cast his spells. Mana: 15 -> 12 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 21 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5) Mana: 12 -> 9 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 21 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5) ¡®I forgot how ridiculous Adam was,¡¯ Dunes thought, shield and blade in hand. Vonda felt the same. The two Priests had thought they understood how to use magic, as both Priests and Wizards held the same level of power, though their use of magic was very different. Adam revealed himself to be slightly greater than an Expert with his ability to use Fireball thrice, but the pair couldn¡¯t help but feel Adam could keep casting the spell, which was nearly impossible, unless he had gained the ability to cast Fourth Gate spells. ¡®No,¡¯ Dunes thought. ¡®There¡¯s no way he¡¯s that ridiculous.¡¯ ¡®Is there a need to think about this?¡¯ Vonda thought. ¡®No. Adam is Adam.¡¯ The three Fireballs had dealt with the vast majority of the skeletons which had swarmed the gate, and the villagers stared at the pile of burnt bones, taken aback for a moment, before they continued to fend off the remains of the Undead. The rest of the group had managed to make short work of the Undead, which were dwindling after Adam¡¯s spells. Fireball was perhaps the greatest of all Third Gate spells, save for Revivify, which allowed one to bring another back from death if they had only recently fallen. The skeletons had no chance against such a mighty ability, even if they had managed to resist against the spell. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam replied, feeling a little awkward that he had taken the fun away from everyone. ¡°You did well.¡± Jurot pat his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You have brought great honour to your name!¡± Jurot hadn¡¯t forgotten Adam was ridiculous, for he had known Adam the longest, and he knew Adam¡¯s true tale.es I forget how stupid you are,¡± Lucy said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I meant your entire existence,¡± Lucy clarified. She, like the others, knew just how ridiculous it was that Adam could not only match an Expert in spellcasting, but also an Expert with the axe. ¡°You cheater!¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smug smile towards Lucy, all the while the villagers quickly swarmed towards them. ¡°Well, I spoke with them and they sent someone in my stead due to some matters,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. ¡°At least I came on time this time.¡± Merl smiled up at the Half Elf. She was no older than fifty, and barely reached Adam¡¯s chest with the top of her head. ¡°You do appear when we need you most.¡± Adam smiled, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯ve also brought Nobby here.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to marry my Merl?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I am allergic to pretty women,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°I do thank you for the offer.¡± ¡°Are you an Expert then, boy?¡± Merl asked, reaching up to wrap an arm around Nobby¡¯s elbow. ¡°No,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°I can¡¯t wait too long! I want at least five, no, six grandchildren.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nobby replied. Merl, the other Merl, who was the Chief¡¯s daughter, narrowed her eyes and sighed, watching as her grandmother took away the big, strong, strapping lad. ¡°We did not expect the Undead to rise so quickly,¡± Argon admitted as the group trekked towards the centre of the village. ¡°We had dug the ditch further, but we did not have time to make the stakes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need stakes when you¡¯ve got Fireballs,¡± Adam said, tapping his forehead as though he had something intelligent. ¡°You have already cast three,¡± Argon said. ¡°Can you cast more?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°About three more.¡± Argon furrowed his brows. There was something off about what Adam had said. ¡®Six Fireballs?¡¯ He looked to Tazwyn, whose face was also contorted into utter confusion. ¡®Six Fireballs?¡¯ she thought. ¡°You can cast six in each day?¡± ¡°I could probably cast seven if I nap,¡± Adam replied. Tazwyn knew a little of how magic worked, and she was fairly certain that it was impossible to cast only six Fireballs a day without a rest. Five? Yes. Seven? Yes. Six? She was certain that was impossible. ¡°Are you a Master?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m an Expert.¡± ¡°How close are you to the height of a Master?¡± ¡°Not very,¡± Adam admitted, far too easily, to the Iyrmen. ¡°I¡¯m pretty much an Expert. Same as three months ago.¡± He shrugged his shoulders. Tazwyn was even more confused at his response. ¡®What?¡¯ However, she caught the look of the other members of Adam¡¯s party, all of which told her to not think too deeply about it. Adam was Adam. Click banner for Patreon! Well that was easy... 340. The Journey Out III 340. The Journey Out III The fire raged in the middle of the village while food was being cooked. Adam noted that some of the villagers were wearing scales which had been sewn into a soft leather underneath. At their sides were a warhammer and a club. They seemed to be the more experienced group, and considering their bruises, had been in the front of the fighting. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com Every villager carried at least a club, whereas a few carried maces or staffs too. Skeletons fell quickly to such weapons, so it made sense that they carried mostly weapons with blunt ends. ¡°There were so many Fireball spells, that is what you call them, yes?¡± Merl, the Chief, asked Vonda once they were all sitting at the fire. ¡°Yes,¡± the young Priest replied. ¡°How amazing! I didn¡¯t know that Priests could cast Fireball, I always thought it was the magics of those others.¡± Merl gave Vonda a knowing look, as though they were talking about something terrible. ¡°Some Priests can, but I cannot,¡± Vonda admitted. The Priests of Noor, those who could be found in most places of Aswadia, knew how to cast such a spell, which is why it was so difficult for Aldland to invade. ¡°So it was Sir Aswadian Priest?¡± Merl asked, looking to the dark skinned Dunes. ¡°Dunes,¡± Dunes introduced himself, understanding that she may have forgotten his name. ¡°And no, it wasn¡¯t me either.¡± Merl stared at the pair confused. She knew that Fireball was a great spell, they said only those who were Experts and stronger could cast them. Was there another great Expert who could cast such spells? ¡°That was me,¡± Adam said. ¡°You?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°You cast Fireball?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Merl stared at him for a long moment. Then, seeing those pointed ears, everything made sense to her. Of course an Elf could cast great magic. A few injured villagers were brought towards the centre of the village, and Vonda quickly excused herself to assist them. Mana: 9 -> 0 Spell: Healing Word Adam, as slyly as he could, cast his spell. ¡°Had a nice day?¡± ¡°Skeleton really got you good, huh?¡± ¡°Oof. That¡¯s going to leave a scar.¡± He spoke casual words each of the wounded villagers, who were filled with a great warmth as his healing magics filled them. Healing Word. Though it wasn¡¯t quite as powerful as Cure Wounds, it allowed Adam to heal from some distance. The villagers were certain that the Elf had cast magic upon them. Seeing as he had healed them, and that he was casually eating, seemingly not wanting to make a big deal of the matter, they left him alone. ¡°Merl, come here and sit with the kind Elf,¡± the Chief called. ¡®Fireball and magics of the Gods?¡¯ ¡°Half,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°Half Elf.¡± ¡°Half Elf, wholly good,¡± the Chief joked. Adam smiled. ¡°I know someone else wholly good too. Our Nobby¡¯s a big lad and good at heart. He¡¯s still not an Expert, I¡¯ve been a little busy for that, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be an Expert soon, probably at the end of this year.¡± ¡°Last year, with Balrog. You forced us to fight with him to save those children. I was happy to fight, but Argon wished to kill you.¡± ¡°Right, I remember,¡± Adam said. When he had spoken with Argon later, the Iyrman had told Adam that he was moments away from dying at one point. Jurot drank another cup. ¡°Adam gave me a great honour.¡± ¡°As he did with me,¡± Kandal said, nodding to the young Iyrman. Jurot had some history with Balrog. Back then, when he was a boy, he had brought a great shame to his father. He was a boy, so there was no stain in the honour, but it had weighed on his mind. Adam had guaranteed Jurot something, something which had allowed him to step forward and attack. It was then, Jurot supposed, that he had first given Adam some trust. Adam had allowed Jurot his vengeance, a chance to wash away the stain of dishonour which he had felt in his heart. It hadn¡¯t been for him, however. ¡°I wonder how those kids are,¡± Adam mumbled quietly to himself. ¡°They were returned back to their families safely,¡± Kandal assured. ¡°I know that much,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You¡¯re Iyrmen, after all.¡± Kandal smiled. ¡°I was denied my Right to Kill, but I was given the Right to Lead. I brought the story back to my wife, and now there is little Candal.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s to Candal,¡± Adam said, raising his cup into the air. ¡°May they burn brightly.¡± Kandal threw his head back in raucous laughter, but raised his cup, drinking with the pair. ¡°Adam! Are you married yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m too young to marry.¡± ¡°You are old enough! Come, I will find a cousin of mine for you! You use an axe already, yes? You can use a bigger axe!¡± Kandal kept laughing. ¡°Sorry, Kandal, but I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, and I don¡¯t plan to marry any time soon.¡± ¡°I will find you a nice young man or woman!¡± Kandal assured. ¡°Kandal,¡± Adam called. ¡°I¡¯m not gay.¡± Kandal stopped laughing, before staring at Adam. He looked down to his cup, wondering if it had impaired his hearing. ¡°You are not?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Every Dal member is built well!¡± Kandal assured. ¡°Man or woman!¡± Adam sighed, drinking more. He had to refuse Eshva too, but luckily Tazwyn and Argon had left him be. The fighting continued over the next few days, and at one point, Nobby had almost fallen in the battle, but he was in capable hands, and was healed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam said, patting the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You did well. If it was a villager, they probably would have died.¡± Nobby just nodded. The skeletal army was being beaten with little difficulty, and proved to be great practise for Brittany. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, staring off into the distance on the fourth day of helping the village. ¡°What is that?¡± Jurot looked to what Adam had spotted. He wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was joking, since it was obvious what that was. ¡®It is exactly what it looks like,¡¯ Jurot thought. Click banner for Patreon! It was exactly what it looks like. 341. The Journey Out IV 341. The Journey Out IV It was indeed, what it looked like. It was large, easily five times as long as Adam was tall. It was bone white, because it was made up of thousands of connected bones. Its skull was large and flat, and jutting out from its jaws were large fangs, which would tear apart any man with ease. As it slithered towards the village, it crushed a large number of skeletons in its path. ¡°It is a giant bone snake,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I can see that,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°You asked the question.¡± ¡°It was rhetorical.¡± Though it was a rhetorical question, Iyrmen did their best to answer such questions anyway. Adam stretched out his neck and his arms, watching as it continued to slither towards them. ¡°Lucy!¡± Adam called. ¡°There¡¯s a giant bone snake!¡± Lucy punched a skeleton into bits, before withdrawing towards Adam. He had spent the last while on the tower with Jurot, guiding the villagers and their nearby companions against the skeletons. ¡°They needed the XP,¡± Adam had said, and so the pair of Experts had remained back. Of course, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to deny Lucy her fun, so let her protect them from on the ground as Adam blasted some of the skeletons in the back with his Flame Bolt trick. She climbed up the tower to look out to see the giant bone snake slithering towards them. ¡°Finally! Something fun to fight! Let¡¯s go kill it!¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot, who nodded, and the trio quickly dropped from the tower. ¡°Clear a path!¡± Adam shouted, while the villagers warned of the upcoming threat. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it!¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 21 (20) Adam had donned his shield as he dropped from the tower, and instead of reaching for Wizard¡¯s Axe, he reached for his warhammer instead. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Warhammer, Flanking D20 + 7 = 23 (16) D20 + 7 = 24 (17) Hit! Mana: 9 -> 8 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D3 + 3D6 + 4 = 22 (5)(1)(3, 3, 6) Vulnerability exploited! 32 damage!Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com Attack - Warhammer, Flanking D20 + 7 = 16 (9) D20 + 7 = 27 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 8 -> 5 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D3 + 10D6 + 4 = 39 (3, 4)(2, 3)(1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6) Vulnerability exploited! 55 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Warhammer, Flanking D20 + 7 = 21 (14) D20 + 7 = 27 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 5 -> 2 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D3 + 10D6 + 4 = 59 (2, 6)(3, 3)(1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6) Vulnerability exploited! 77 damage! Attack - Warhammer, Flanking D20 + 7 = 10 (3) D20 + 7 = 15 (8) Hit! Mana: 2 -> 1 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D3 + 3D6 + 4 = 22 (5)(1)(3, 3, 6) Vulnerability exploited! 32 damage! Skeletons were easy opponents for Adam. Adam held a number of abilities from a diverse set of classes. From weapons to magic, he had decided to take the best bits of each class, though he hadn¡¯t taken everything yet. However, the abilities he had taken thus far were useful against skeletons. He used a warhammer, which would deal twice as much damage against the snake. He had the ability to smite, which dealt an extra die of damage against Undead. Just these two abilities alone would make him a deadly combination against skeletons, but he also possessed the abilities to surpass his limits for a moment. Onward Soar. It allowed him to act again, and since he was an Expert, he could attack twice. Four attacks. Had he not used three Fireballs previously, he would have been able to smite his foes freely, but he kept one Mana, just in case. He was a flurry of Elf and Man, his warhammer crashed against the giant bone snake, shattering all the bone. The metal flashed white with divine magics, which caused the giant bone snake to shudder, rattling wildly in pain. His onslaught didn¡¯t end until most of it had been shattered apart, kept up by less than half the bones it had originally possessed. Due to Adam¡¯s onslaught, it had become slow, and then came the two, who would have put the fear of Baktu into any normal being. Their faces contorted into Iyrish and Demonic glee, as they both brought down their axes, one of which was aflame, and the other which pierced into what tethered the skeleton to this realm. The giant bone skeleton shattered, falling to the ground. The explosion of bone caused many of the nearby skeletons to fall under the terrifying onslaught which had occurred beside them. Adam pulled himself away, before he retreated back to the village, all the while Kandal laughed. Eshva let out a grunt towards Kandal. ¡°Why would he join your family when he has already refused mine?¡± Eshva nodded her head to the warhammer at Adam¡¯s side. ¡°He only uses one,¡± Kandal said, before the pair of them returned back to the village. Victory! Giant Bone Snake XP Gained: +500 XP: 8825 -> 9325 Adam and the others had farmed the skeletons for a large amount of XP. He was certain that Nobby and Brittany were at least Level 1, with the absolute basics of their classes mastered, from the weapons to the Rage Dancing, to Brittany¡¯s ability to sneak about. ¡®I¡¯ll have to wait until we¡¯re in actual combat, I suppose,¡¯ Adam thought. The rest of the day passed by mostly uneventfully, with most of the skeletons dealt with. ¡°If the giant bone snake appeared, then it must mean there will be less skeletons to appear from now on,¡± Argon said. ¡°Fewer,¡± Tazwyn said, managing it right before Adam. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I, of all people, missed it.¡¯ He shook his head. ¡°Thank you all again,¡± Merl, the Chief, said. ¡°Any time,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Though, can I ask a small favour?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam motioned his head to the giant bone snake¡¯s skull, which had been set aside. ¡°Can I have the skull? I want to send it back to the Iyr.¡± Jurot was about to speak up, as Iyrmen did not usually request for such things, but he recalled Adam was technically not an Iyrman. ¡°Of course,¡± Merl said, nodding her head. She had heard that Adam had mostly dealt with the snake by himself, with some minor assistance from the Iyrman and Devilkin. A skull was a small price to pay to try and win him over. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡®Won¡¯t they think I¡¯m cool when they hear the story and how I beat it.¡¯ That¡¯s when it came to him. ¡°Hey, Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The reason why I used a warhammer was because it was better to use it against skeletons,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a still a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell Lanarot and the kids that I used a warhammer,¡± Adam said. Jurot remained silent. ¡°Jurot, please.¡± Jurot remained silent. Click banner for Patreon! Jurot! Not like this! 342. The Journey Out V 342. The Journey Out V Omen: 15, 17 ¡°We should continue our journey,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There will be fewer skeletons now, so the villagers will do well by themselves.¡± ¡°Jurot, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d betray me like this twice,¡± Adam said. ¡°First the promise, and now this?¡± Jurot stared at Adam. ¡°How did I betray you?¡± ¡°You said fewer.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam looked away. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Lanarot you keep bullying me.¡± Jurot continued to stare at Adam, wondering if he was joking. The group gathered together, and Adam wondered if he could take some bones. ¡°How much will it cost for these bones?¡± ¡°You would buy the bones?¡± Jurot asked, surprised. ¡°Sure, why not?¡±Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°They are the bones of the villager¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°I thought that...¡± Adam stopped to think. ¡®Hold on.¡¯ ¡°Right. Most of the skeletons this time were humanoid, but last time they were animals.¡± ¡°It was a Great Twilight,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. He didn¡¯t know what a Great Twilight really was, but he was slowly forming an idea in his head. The group then said their goodbyes to the Iyrmen and the Chief. ¡°Aren¡¯t we meant to pay you a gold?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Why are you mentioning such a thing now?¡± Merl laughed, before grabbing his forearms. ¡°Have a safe journey, mister Half Elf.¡± ¡°Please, it¡¯s Adam, Chief.¡± Merl smiled, squeezing his forearm. ¡°We will accept your coin once you return safely from your journeys.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam nodded, a smile plastered across his face. They waved their goodbyes to the villagers, who waved at them as they left. ¡°Helping people really does fill the soul, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, stepping proudly as they made their way. ¡®You didn¡¯t even fight,¡¯ Brittany thought, but she didn¡¯t dare to say that. ¡®I guess you did use some Fireballs to help, and you fought that giant bone snake...¡¯ It was early evening when they came across the village, watching as the villagers moved the bones to the side. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam said, looking to the familiar sight of an Iyrman. No, not an Iyrman. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Why can I not be here?¡± Ashmir asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that,¡± Adam said, reaching for his forearm. ¡°I just meant, aren¡¯t you meant to be in the Iyr to have a bunch of children?¡± ¡°Even in this age I am still virile,¡± Ashmir said. Adam suddenly regretted making the joke. ¡°Right.¡± He noticed a handful of other Iyrmen, including a teen whose tattoo seemed familiar, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. Beside him was another young teen, about his age, who looked similar, with the same tattoo on her forehead. They carried with them an axe too, so Adam nodded his head towards them, feeling some sense of kinship from their mutual weapons. The young teen narrowed her eyes at the Half Elf, and dragged the boy away with her. ¡°Excuse me,¡± a villager said, once Adam was out of sight, and what they thought to be, out of earshot. She was a young woman, in her mid twenties or so. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°That old man, is he an Iyrman?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°I thought, because of the tattoo.¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°I know he¡¯s a friend of one of the Great Elders, and that he¡¯s pretty powerful.¡± ¡°Are there even Iyrmen who are more powerful than him?¡± Adam thought deeply. ¡°Probably.¡± Jurot was going to speak up, since it wasn¡¯t good for Iyrmen to lie, but Adam wasn¡¯t an Iyrman, and Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if he was lying. Strom had given up his Spark, so though he may still be powerful, it may be true that some Iyrmen may be more powerful than him now. ¡°How strong do you think Strom is?¡± Adam asked over their evening meal, and only after Strom had excused himself to drink on a rooftop. ¡°Strong,¡± Jurot said, with a level of gravitas. Adam sipped his soup, looking up at the old man. ¡°Yeah.¡± Nobby thought. He thought lightly, not wanting to strain his mind. He was strong. Adam was stronger. The Iyrmen were stronger than stronger. Then there was Strom, who may have been stronger than stronger than stronger. Brittany, too, thought about this matter. Her sense of scale was also skewed, as she had only known Adam, and had seen his rapid growth, but hadn¡¯t gained a sense of how rapid it truly was. However, she had known Adam for quite some time, but she wasn¡¯t strong yet. ¡®Is he keeping me weak on purpose?¡¯ Brittany thought. There were times when she thought Adam had made passes at her, wanting her for her body. However, after seeing how much time he spent with his sister, she realised he didn¡¯t think about those sorts of things. Was she still weak? Compared to before, she certainly had grown stronger. She could find the weak points on her enemies easier, and she could also use a variety of weapons. Her steps were much softer now, too. It still hadn¡¯t been a year, but she was hoping they¡¯d explore the land further. ¡®Patience.¡¯ It was what Jonn and Kitool would always tell her, but she still wished for more. ¡°Vonda,¡± Adam called. ¡°We¡¯ll spend a few days here and then...¡± The pair shared a look between one another, and both nodded. Strom wondered what it was, but he decided not to get involved. They¡¯d come back and tell him the story some time later that year. If they didn¡¯t it wouldn¡¯t matter since he¡¯d be dead. Adam and the group spent a few days in the village, stocking up on supplies, and assisting them in repairing the village. Strom relaxed on the rooftop, keeping an ear out for anything which could bother them. Adam made sure that Strom was eating properly, though he didn¡¯t seem too interested. ¡°You said you had some unfinished business, right? You¡¯re probably wanting to beat someone up, so you need your strength for it!¡± ¡°I do not need to eat, Adam,¡± Strom said. Using his powers accelerated the degeneration, but there was little issue with not eating. ¡°I¡¯m drinking, and that¡¯s good enough.¡± ¡°Good enough? Do you know how embarrassed I¡¯ll be if you lose? What will I tell my lovely sister? That the old man who I thought was strong didn¡¯t eat and then got his ass handed to him?¡± Adam pushed some bread up to Strom¡¯s face. Strom refused to eat it. ¡°Fine. You¡¯ve left me no choice.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, turning his head. He stared at Lucy, and nodded at her. Strom swiped the bread from Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°Give it here. I¡¯m not so old that I need you to feed me.¡± The look in Lucy¡¯s eye had caused him to move. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Lucy cried. Click banner for Patreon! Lucy the real MVP. MY BAD SORRY. 343. Vonda’s Quest I 343. Vonda¡¯s Quest I They had spent a few days within the village with Strom, buying some food and gear from the villagers before they eventually made their way out. The travel through the forest and towards Red Oak was surprisingly uneventful. Omen: 15, 17 ¡°We¡¯re not too far out from Red Oak, but we are going to make our way into the Blood Wood,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Blood Wood?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°That¡¯s the name of the deadly forest, right?¡±UppTodated from ¡°The Red Wood?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I knew it was something like that.¡± ¡°The Red Wood?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that forest dangerous?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going into it?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s our goal.¡± Suddenly, Brittany was no longer quite so eager to adventure. ¡°The Red Wood is a dangerous place.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Brittany stared at him, wondering if he was going to expand on what he said. ¡°Any questions?¡± Adam glanced around the group, before he turned to face Jurot. ¡°We¡¯ll leave our lives in your capable hands, Jurot.¡± Jurot nodded. The party took their places, with Kitool and Jaygak bringing up the rear, while Jurot and Adam led up front. The rest were towards the centre, with Nobby and Brittany flanked by the more experienced members of the party. Somehow, they hadn¡¯t found anything dangerous on the way. They had come across a bear with blood red fur, and though it eyed up the magical elk which stood nearby, carrying a few of the party¡¯s supplies, it retreated away, not wanting to fight such a large group of adventurers. That evening they had made camp, with half of the group chopping wood to form a small fence around their encampment, while Adam spent his precious Mana on a particular spell. ¡°Are you sure you should be wasting your Mana on the tower?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to use the bath then you can stay outside,¡± Adam stated, already taking off his equipment. The ground floor of the tower was a bath, and the first floor was a bedroom, which one person on watch would use to keep an eye out, since it was a great position to keep an eye out. ¡°I am in awe of your great wisdom,¡± Lucy corrected. The groups morale was high, since Adam had made sure they got to each bathe in the warm water, and they were able to eat something decent thanks to Jurot¡¯s hunting and foraging, allowing them to add fresh food to their rations. ¡°I¡¯ll take first or last watch, but you guys can figure out the rest of them between yourselves,¡± Adam said. He threw a mental command to Zeus, the magical elk, to keep an eye out too, as well as to Hades, his owl familiar, who was perched in the window of the first floor of the tower. ¡°It is quite powerful,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I would have some trouble facing it.¡± ¡°You?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Not with Phantom,¡± he assured. ¡°We are fortunate that it was not able to pierce us with its fangs. It holds both poison and acid.¡± ¡°Good job, Kitool,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to her. She bowed her head, accepting the gratitude. With her ability to stun an enemy, they would be able to deal with most living things easily. Brittany stared at the large snake. ¡®We killed it?¡¯ She blinked multiple times. She had heard rumours of the great snake. Even her Chief would have had trouble facing it, so to think that she could play a part in slaying it, it filled her with great pride. ¡®If I stay with Adam, won¡¯t I become more powerful?¡¯ Victory! Giant Blood Snake XP Gained: +150 XP: 9325 -> 9475 ¡®Wait, what?¡¯ Adam blinked. There were at least ten of them, eleven if Adam¡¯s maths was correct, but it had given them so much XP? ¡°Jurot, just how hard does this bad boy hit?¡± ¡°Bad boy?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I mean, how much damage does it do?¡± ¡°It may be able to kill Kitool or Jaygak within moments,¡± Jurot said, thinking about how powerful he assumed the creature could be. ¡°I¡¯m good with fire, not poison or acid,¡± Jaygak said. Kitool also nodded her head. ¡°It can strike as rapidly as I or you.¡± ¡®Damn, that¡¯s a lot of attacks.¡¯ ¡°Good thing we killed it so quickly then.¡± Adam looked to Nobby and Brittany, who were probably seconds away from dying if they hadn¡¯t managed to kill it so quickly. ¡®I have to be careful.¡¯ Jurot and Kitool began to work on carving the creature. They would feast on its meat that evening, and the various parts of the snake would be useful. The fangs could be used to make weapons, its leather to made armour and shields, and if they were able to find its poison glands it would sell for a pretty penny. The rest of the group chopped the nearby trees to form a small encampment, as they had been doing so ever since they left the village and would camp outside. Adam wondered if he should get a trick to assist with making camp, but if the group became reliant on his magic it may have been an issue. ¡°Why are you thinking so hard?¡± Lucy asked, slamming a post down into the ground. She noted the look on his face, which wasn¡¯t just Adam thinking, it was Adam being an idiot. ¡°I was thinking about using less magic with camp,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be reliant on my magic.¡± Lucy furrowed her brows in confusion. She looked to the side, where there was one tower, and then to the other side, where there was another. Adam had summoned two towers that evening, spending a third of his Mana, which formed a bathroom and three bedrooms for the group. Lucy wasn¡¯t sure what she should say, but since she wanted to bathe that evening, she only gave him a look which suggested he was an idiot. Jurot had told Adam that the blood of the snake would assist in keeping them safe, though it wouldn¡¯t guarantee that they¡¯d be safe. ¡®I hope nothing bad happens,¡¯ Adam thought again, surrounded by hot, soapy water, and muscular men. Click banner for Patreon! This story is moving into dangerous territory. 344. Vonda’s Quest II 344. Vonda¡¯s Quest II Omen: 2, 11 Jurot and Vonda had taken the lead the next day. Vonda held the map, which assisted Jurot slightly. However, even with Vonda¡¯s map, Jurot had realised he had been moving in the wrong direction. It was confirmed when the group came across them. They were tall and large, easily dwarfing even Adam, and they were thick with fur. Bears, one may have called them, but they moved on two feet. Their fur was a deep red, almost like bloodied rust on a blade. There were a half dozen of them. Jurot stared at the Bearfolk and wondered if they were a group the Iyr had made dealings with. A half dozen of them meant that they could threaten the group, but Jurot was sure that they would think twice about trying to fight. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°Barmun,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Bearfolk.¡± ¡°Are we cool?¡± Adam asked, placing his finger tips at his shield. Even though his axe was in its ring form, he still wore a warhammer at his side, one of Dwarven make. There was a low growl, but the Barmun stepped backwards, away from the Iyrmen. Adam raised his brows in surprise, since the growl was Iyrspeech. It was a warning to Adam¡¯s group, telling them they were in the wrong lands. Once the Barmun had disappeared, Jurot led them around, heading leftward for some time. He and Kitool checked the scenery around the area, and Jaygak decided to keep out of their way since they knew the signs to check. ¡°We should be fine,¡± Jurot said, before he continued. That evening, they made up camp as usual, creating a small fortress. Adam thought about taking a trick to help the process, but he still came to the conclusion that it was best to use one¡¯s body. Omen: 4, 7 ¡°We should leave soon,¡± called Jurot. Adam¡¯s eyes were narrowed, almost his entire body was submerged in the hot bath. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Vonda asked, noting how sour Adam was as they were trekking through the dangerous forest. ¡°I feel unlucky today,¡± Adam said. Vonda threw a look to Dunes, who shrugged his shoulders. Only Adam would be upset and annoyed that he was unlucky in a forest which held a myriad of things which could kill them. Jurot stopped, noting a mark on a tree branch, before he turned his head slightly. Kitool had spotted the same mark, and with some help, so had Jaygak. The trio drew their weapons, causing the rest of the group to do the same, and soon they followed Jurot and Kitool, who walked cautiously twenty paces ahead of them. Ahead of them was a stone statue, which stood in front of a stone temple. The statue was cracked in multiple pieces, with only a single arm, and the temple fared little better. The temple was long, though much of it had sank into the earth below. ¡°Is it your temple?¡± Adam asked. Before Vonda could answer, the statue creaked, and turned to face the group. ¡°Is it an Iyrman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Timojin¡¯s elder sister,¡± Jurot said, his hand rubbing along the handle which he had worked years ago. ¡°Timojin? You mean our Timojin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam inhaled sharply, tasting the air. It was a rancid taste, one which caused him to cough. ¡°Damn,¡± he said, though not because he tasted the air. ¡°It was a good death,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Even we would struggle against four statues, but three had been defeated before we arrived.¡± ¡°How long ago did she die?¡± ¡°She left the Iyr five years ago,¡± Jurot said. ¡°This must have happened some time before I left the Iyr.¡± Kitool held the Bronze Rank tag in hand, rubbing her finger along the name which had been carved into it. Rojin. She placed it into the sack with the rest of the Iyrman¡¯s bones. Adam crossed his arms, squeezing them. ¡®Right. This is that kind of world. Even a group of Experts can find trouble if they come across enough monsters.¡¯ There was a vast difference between one strong foe, and two moderate foes. Luckily, there was over ten of them, so most threats could be dealt with easily. Vonda and Dunes righted a statue which had fallen over, which somehow hadn¡¯t shattered. Adam tensed up, before seeing it was in a vague shape of a woman, rather than in the more detailed warrior which they had faced. Vonda dropped to her knees and prayed before it, clasping her hands together. Dunes took to one knee, and bowed his head, mutter a much quieter prayer towards the statue. Adam dropped to a knee before the statue too. ¡®I assume you¡¯re Mother Soza. I hope you¡¯re doing well. Thank you for all you¡¯re doing.¡¯ They were here to help bring the loot back from the temple, half of which would go to them, but Adam felt far more awkward about it. He placed down a gold coin before the statue, one which he would leave behind after the loot was taken away. ¡®It¡¯s probably bad luck to take everything from a temple.¡¯ ¡°Where are the other bodies?¡± Adam asked, noting that there were a few packs around, but no other bodies. ¡°They must have been raised during dawnval.¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Dawnval, eh?¡± Adam wondered why the Iyrman hadn¡¯t been raised, but decided it would have been rude to ask. Jaygak pat Adam¡¯s back. ¡°Who would dare to claim what belongs to Baktu?¡± Click banner for Patreon! It was a good death. 345. Vonda’s Quest III 345. Vonda¡¯s Quest III The group scavenged what they would from the dead adventurers, including a number of weapons which held a slight magical tingle. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered, his head bouncing gently. The rest of the temple was quickly scoured, the group of people finding whatever treasures they could, from paintings, to figurines, to coins. ¡°It¡¯s a temple,¡± Nobby said. ¡°Right. We need to make sure we find everything so we can send back Vonda with more money back to where it should go.¡± Adam pat Nobby against his back gently. ¡°Good, Nobby, those are the kinds of questions you should be asking if you have a decent heart.¡± ¡®How can you say something like that?¡¯ Vonda asked, still sour that they were taking half the treasure. ¡°No artefact,¡± Adam said, with the group having filled their sacks with all the treasures, leaving some copper coins since they would be too cumbersome to carry. Vonda eventually dropped down before the statue, before she prayed, and cast several healing spells before it. The statue then slid backwards, revealing a staircase heading down, one which hadn¡¯t been there before they righted the statue over it. ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± Adam whispered, nodding to Jurot. Jurot nodded. There was many great magics in the world, and he was glad to see this, especially since it had something to do with Mahtu. ¡°Before we go in, we should probably, you know,¡± Adam said, nodding his head.UppTodated from ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked, not knowing. ¡°Leave a few people behind, just in case. We should probably pile the copper coins around the statue so there¡¯s some money left for Mother Soza.¡± Vonda gave Adam a look, one he understood, but he smiled back at her innocently. ¡°Jaygak, you come with, since we¡¯ll need your sight.¡± ¡°We will not need it,¡± Vonda said, before she raised her mace. She called out the command word for her magical mace, which began to glow. ¡°What a useful mace,¡± Adam said, nodding his head towards her. It took him a moment to realise he enchanted it. He smiled. ¡°Damn, I¡¯m so smart.¡± ¡°I can stay with the others and make sure they don¡¯t get up to trouble,¡± Jaygak said. Adam narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can come with us,¡± Adam said. ¡°Kitool, can you look after the rest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me, I¡¯ll just make trouble with you,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re safe because your father isn¡¯t here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I accepted the terms, but it does not mean that I am happy about it.¡± ¡°That is a shame,¡± Adam said, his eyes scanning the treasure chests. ¡°It won¡¯t do us any good if my good friend, Sir Vonda, is upset with me.¡± Vonda couldn¡¯t help but feel he was poking fun at her. He didn¡¯t call her Sir Vonda since they were close, but the way he was emphasising Sir when he called for her, it caused her to narrow her eyes further. Adam chuckled, before looking at the chests. ¡°Is there a key to them?¡± ¡°They must be in the treasure which we had found previously,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Right. Makes sense. Let¡¯s grab ¡®em, then. We¡¯ll take the chests rather than the coinage. We can bury the coinage near the temple, or leave them around the statue.¡± ¡°Will they be from your half?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°They will be from both our halves,¡± Adam said. ¡°We can¡¯t take them all back, so let¡¯s leave some behind for the good Lady.¡± Vonda bowed her head gently. Even if Adam was an adventurer, he was queer enough that he thought about these kinds of matters. Vonda wondered what Adam was thinking at the time, seeing his eyes drift away. Adam¡¯s mind was occupied on the temple. ¡®Is it really a good idea to take all the treasure? It¡¯s only half, and it¡¯s split between Mother Soza and us. Should I reduce our share? No, no, everyone still needs to make some money. Should I give up my share? If I give up my share, then how am I meant to make the business to help others? Will Mother Soza be mad?¡¯ Jurot waited for Adam to finish his inner monologue, before he began to pick up the various chests. Vonda turned, facing the mace. She trusted Adam and the Iyrmen not to steal anything, and it would have been difficult for even them to hide even the smallest treasure chests. It was made of diamicule, yes, but the way the light hit the mace, it revealed something else. There was a light within the mace, not just the light which refracted in all the different colours, but something deeper within. Vonda quietly said a prayer to Mother Soza, before she reached for the mace, and her fingers clasped around the handle. It was only then that she remembered what she had been told about picking up the mace. ¡®Sister Vonda, make sure you pray to Lord Sozain before you pick up the mace.¡¯ She had assumed she would have remembered because it was such a surprise that she, a Priest of Life, would have to pray to the God of Death before picking up a weapon which was an artefact of the Goddess of Life. It was partly why she waited so long to travel with the Iyrmen and Adam. It must have been Fate which had brought them together, and with their help, she was certain she would have been able to retrieve the artefact. The Iyrmen could feel something had gone wrong first, and they quickly leapt away from the chamber. Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Adam stumbled as the floor began to give way, breaking in pieces, before he tried to dart towards towards the entrance. The Dexterity Save had appeared so suddenly that he had forgotten to use his Omen in that moment. His foot slipped against a stone and he fell backwards. ¡°Oh, fu-,¡± Adam gasped, feeling his entire body drop for the second time. Someone grabbed his hand. Jurot turned to try and grab Adam, but he saw Vonda grab Adam¡¯s hand, with the only source of light in her other hand. The ancient artefact they had come for fell beside them freely. The mace fell dark, as another ten minutes had passed. Click banner for Patreon! These DEX saves are going to be the death of him. 346. Vonda’s Quest IV 346. Vonda¡¯s Quest IV Adam stared at Vonda¡¯s face in confusion, wondering why they were falling together. Jurot had managed to save him previously, but Vonda had thrown herself towards him when he had fallen. ¡®Right,¡¯ he thought, remembering that he was falling. Mana: 16 -> 15 Spell: Feather Fall Wizard¡¯s Axe was currently in the form of a ring, but Adam was certain it would have still worked as a focus to channel his spell through. ¡°Stop!¡± Adam chanted. The pair still fell down, but as they approached the ground, they gently swayed before they landed on their feet, the spell righting them. Vonda and Adam remained joined together by hand, and Vonda blinked, trying to see ahead of her. ¡°Mother¡¯s dawn,¡± Vonda said, the words for the mace, and the glow filled the area, allowing them both to see more clearly, though Adam¡¯s Half Elf eyes were able to see even in complete darkness. Vonda realised they were still holding hands, and though she made to let go, Adam quickly pulled her closer to him. Vonda stared up at him in utter shock, her heart pounding even quicker, before she noted that he had his axe in hand, and she quickly turned, raising her mace high to see the giant skull of a serpent. Adam had already defeated a giant bone snake, but the skull of this creature was at least twice or thrice the size of the previous giant bone snake¡¯s. Adam kept his axe pointed towards the giant skull, but as the moments passed, and the serpent¡¯s skull remained still, they noticed that the skull, though facing them, was unmoving, and behind it was the rest of the creature¡¯s bones, laying where they had fallen when it had died. Constitution Save D20 + 5 = 12 (7) ¡°Vonda, pardon my Aswadian, but this place smells like shit,¡± Adam said, coughing. Vonda pulled up her scarf, managing to stave away most of the smell. ¡°That isn¡¯t Aswadian.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a phrase,¡± Adam said, his eyes scanning around the area. They were within a chamber, accompanied by a large serpentine creature, which had died long ago. Adam reached out with his axe, stepping towards it, pressing his axe against it. ¡°Adam!¡± Jurot shouted. The shout had caused Adam to leap back, axe in hand still, but he quickly calmed as he looked up, seeing Jurot¡¯s small head from at least a hundred metres above. ¡°Jurot!¡± ¡°I will come!¡± ¡°No you won¡¯t!¡± Adam shouted back. ¡°We¡¯re safe, I think!¡± Jurot couldn¡¯t see much around them, Vonda¡¯s Dawn giving little light for even his Iyrmen eyes. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam sighed, wondering what they should do. ¡°Jurot, stay there for a bit in case we need you.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure if you have anything to do with this.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Jaygak shouted down at them. ¡°Should I take that as a compliment?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Can you joke even now?¡± Vonda asked, glancing around. Her mace gave off some decent light, but she chanted to cast her trick, Light, on her mace instead, which glowed slightly brighter. ¡°If you can¡¯t joke even in times like this, what can you do?¡± Adam asked. As they trekked around the pile of bones, they found that they had been in the corner of a much larger chamber which had been cut off by the snake, which had lain on a slightly raised platform. Ahead of them was an altar with an egg, and nearby was a pool of water. As they continued to look around, they found that there was very little around. ¡°Help me out here,¡± Adam called, patting his chest. ¡°Yes?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Sorry, just casting Guidance,¡± Adam said. Guidance 1D3 = 3 Perception Check D20 + 6 = 19 (13) He wasn¡¯t any good at it, though he was trained in Perception, Guidance managed to assist him well enough that Adam was certain there was nothing else around here. They walked up to the egg cautiously, noting that it was made of stone. ¡°To whom which has appeared, thief or hero, please look after this child well, for they are blessed by Mahtu,¡± Vonda said, reading the inscription on the altar, which had just looked like symbols to Adam. Adam looked to Vonda, and slowly nodded his head towards her. She stepped towards the altar freely, picking the egg up. They both waited for a moment to see what would happen, before she pulled away from the altar, with the heavy egg in her arms. ¡°Do you know what this is about?¡± Adam asked, looking to the egg, before looking at the long serpent beside them. Vonda was looking at the long serpent, which was easily one hundred paces long, perhaps more. The skull of the creature showed it could have swallowed Jurot, Adam, and her entirely in a single snap of its jaws. ¡°No,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°I can vaguely recall something, but it is not coming to mind.¡± ¡°Probably Elder Story, right?¡± Adam assumed. ¡°They should know about that sort of thing.¡± ¡°Who is Elder Story?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I met them, but they were behind a bunch of vines. Not really the most sociable Great Elder, but you didn¡¯t hear that from me.¡± ¡°Have you met all the Great Elders?¡± ¡°Yes. They don¡¯t seem to like me much. The Chief¡¯s okay, though.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Adam said, crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯m a sweet, innocent Half Elf. Just ask Lanarot, she¡¯ll tell you I¡¯m good.¡± Vonda raised her brows at Adam, but she smiled. She pulled down her scarf as she ate. It was only Adam and her, and she didn¡¯t care if Adam saw the burn marks across her lower face and neck. Adam stared at the egg, wondering what connection it had to the Iyr. ¡®Child blessed by Mahtu. Child blessed by Mahtu. Child blessed by...¡¯ ¡°Are you going to take your egg to your Order? Order of... White Rose?¡± ¡°Order of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda corrected. Adam shook his head. ¡°Priest of Life, Life¡¯s Rose.¡± Adam tried to get the name to stick in his head. ¡°I may.¡± ¡°I think, maybe, you should take it to the Iyr first.¡± ¡°It is an egg that...¡± Vonda was going to say she found it, but that wasn¡¯t entirely true. ¡°I will think on the matter.¡± ¡°Regardless, since it¡¯s a child of Mahtu, and you¡¯re a Priest of Mahtu, then they can¡¯t take it away from you.¡± ¡°What if they do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll complain their ears off,¡± Adam assured. ¡°The Iyr has its rules, and I¡¯m sure that they can¡¯t take it away from you.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot of trust in the Iyr,¡± Vonda said. ¡°If I can¡¯t trust the Iyr, then what can I trust?¡± ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re joking with me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Vonda, you can¡¯t take funny from me, it¡¯s the only thing I have going for me.¡± ¡°You are not as funny as you think you are,¡± Vonda dared to say, raising her brows at him. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± ¡°You truly are queer, Adam.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t you forget it.¡± Vonda continued to smile. The pair continued to speak with one another in the bedroom, with Hades keeping an eye out. When it was finally time to sleep, Adam wrapped his blanket around himself, and settled himself on the floor. ¡°It is your spell,¡± Vonda said, trying to get him to sleep on the bed. ¡°That¡¯s right, and you¡¯re my guest, so sleep on the bed, Vonda,¡± Adam said. ¡°What¡¯ll they say about me if they found out that I let a Priest of Life, a young lady, sleep on the floor while I took the bed? They¡¯ll call me a no good knife ear.¡± Vonda paused in shock with the fact he let slip a racial slur so freely. ¡°Adam!¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I can say it, I¡¯m half Elf.¡± Vonda turned a deeper red, and sat on the bed. She wondered how far she should go, but Adam was already nestled like a little egg in his blanket, which was cream with the symbol of the Rot family across it, the blue diamonds and the blue circle in the centre. It was half way through the night Adam was jolted awake. He had realised that he and Vonda were both sleeping in the same room. That wasn¡¯t a huge issue, Adam may be a virgin, but it was because it was voluntary. However, they were in a dangerous place, with only a bird on lookout. Though that was a huge issue, it wasn¡¯t what had awoken Adam. ¡®I¡¯m a fucking idiot.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam''s Int is 16 but actually it''s 8. 347. Vonda’s Quest V 347. Vonda¡¯s Quest V ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Adam said to Jurot and the others. He barged past them to the fire which the group had made last evening. He sat down and poured himself something to eat from the pot. Jurot looked to Vonda, wondering how they had managed to get out of the predicament. Vonda smiled, before following Adam to enjoy some of the breakfast which had been made. XP: 7475 Spells 3rd Gate: Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly ¡°Magic, man,¡± Adam muttered to himself. ¡®Bell, come on.¡¯ [You did not need my assistance.] ¡®I know, but it¡¯s at times like this you need to help me.¡¯ [Why?] ¡®Aren¡¯t we friends?¡¯ [No.] ¡®Damn. You¡¯re cold.¡¯ Adam did think about how many times he had spoken to Bell. In the last month he had spoken to Lanarot more than he had spoken to Bell. ¡®I should try and be nice to Bell.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Lucy called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could you summon your tower, please?¡± Lucy asked. Adam stared up at the young Demon Lord. He would have made a joke, but there was no joking around when it came to bathing. Mana: 15 -> 12 Though it was dangerous to use all his Mana like this before the day started, he understood that it was good to keep a high morale with the party. A couple of days later, they could see the walls of Red Oak. One may have described them as high walls or large walls, but they were people who had never been to the Iyr. ¡°Civilisation!¡± Adam shouted from afar, throwing up his arms. ¡°Finally!¡± The guards at the gate were adorned in their heavy chain, a tabard with the symbol of Red Oak, a red tree, and carried in hand a spear. ¡°Fair travels?¡± a guard asked. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam said, taking out the gate fee to pay for the entire party. ¡°Gate fees gone up,¡± the guard said. ¡°The Beast Wave was heavy this year, and the King¡¯s increased the gate fee.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Adam asked, half suspect about the matter. ¡°It¡¯s double.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, who nodded, and Adam handed over the gate fee. Not wanting to do the maths, and not wanting to seem like a miser, he handed over three silver pieces, far more than was expected. ¡°No change?¡± the guard asked. ¡°You can keep it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Red Oak is always a delight to see.¡± The guard nodded her head, allowing Adam and the others to pass by. Once Adam stepped in, his eyes scanned around the town. He noted that there were a large number of buildings which were being built and repaired. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°The Beast Wave must have been difficult,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. It made sense to him that the gate fee would increase, especially with the King increasing the number of soldiers, and reforming the guards. ¡°Alright. So there¡¯s eleven of us, which makes this a little difficult, but it should work out just fine.¡± ¡°Eleven?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, pointing to each person in the room. ¡°Me, Jurot, Fred, you, Kitool, Jaygak, Brittany, Jonn, Dunes, Nobby, and Lucy.¡± ¡°Why are you including me?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You are already giving me half.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving your temple half, Vonda,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You¡¯re a member of this party too.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°It makes perfect sense,¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot, who nodded. ¡°Half for your temple, half for Fate¡¯s Golden, that was the deal.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept,¡± Vonda said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, it does make it easier for me,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Nobby and me get a share?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°That¡¯s a good point,¡± Adam said, looking to the newbies. ¡°Technically Nobby¡¯s still in training so... I¡¯ll deal with how much he gets later? Now that makes it nine.¡± ¡°I want to do what Nobby¡¯s doing,¡± Brittany said. ¡°I want you to take me with you and train me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re already doing that though?¡± ¡°If I die, I want you to bring me back.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam said. ¡°I want the same deal as Nobby. You take care of me and take me around places. Give me some money for training too. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fine for me to take the same share as everyone else.¡± ¡°So you want an apprenticeship too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yeah. I want to work for you after too, just like Nobby. You¡¯re paying him and training him, making sure he¡¯s okay.¡± Brittany paused for a moment. ¡°I want a magical weapon too.¡± It wasn¡¯t just because she wanted a magic weapon. She understood that clutching onto Adam was the best chance for her in this life. He had managed to get so close to the Iyrmen, and he had so many abilities. She also knew too much, so it was best to bury herself with the Half Elf now, than to leave her life to chance and his mercy if they parted ways. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Sure. That makes it eight, which is also awkward. Let¡¯s do it like this. Vonda gets a share, and the party fund gets a share, and we¡¯ll pay Nobby and Brittany with the party fund share, since some of the money should go to them too?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, and the other Iyrmen nodded. Adam looked around to the others. Fred and Jonn were confused as to why they were being asked, but they slowly nodded too. ¡°Whatever,¡± Lucy said. ¡°It¡¯s not important so just do it your way.¡± ¡°Alright, good.¡± ¡°How about sending a couple of the extra trinkets back to the Iyr as thanks for putting up with us?¡± Adam offered. ¡°Sir Vonda, you can keep the more expensive five.¡± ¡°As long as you say they¡¯re from me,¡± Lucy said, smirking. ¡°Sure.¡± Adam shook his head, sighing at the Demon woman who was always thirsty for Iyrmen. ¡®I can¡¯t have her infect my precious sister with her queerness.¡¯ ¡°We finish our task here and inform the guild,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Right, and then we should go do that.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, giving him a nod of his head. Click banner for Patreon! Bath! 348. Days In Red Oak I 348. Days In Red Oak I Quest Complete: Artefact Retrieval XP Gained: +100 XP: 7475 -> 7575 Quest Complete: Iyrman Returned XP Gained: +100 XP: 7575 -> 7675 Quest Complete: Slay Giant Blood Snake XP Gained: +100 XP: 7675 -> 7775 Quest Complete: Adventurer¡¯s Fate XP Gained: +100 XP: 7775 -> 7785 Stamps Gained: +2 Stamps: 10 -> 12 Adam bit into the fresh jam bun, chewing it slowly, with Lucy by his side. The pair stared at their Iyrman companion, who was currently talking to the baker. A sweet dessert, for stomach and heart. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the little love birds alone,¡± Adam whispered, slowly withdrawing from the bakery, joining the others, who were enjoying their fresh hot bread. It had been a while since they had completed a quest, and he had missed the taste of the jam buns, and he was sure Jurot missed talking to Pam too. ¡®How can I get them together?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I could source the bread for the inn from here...¡¯ ¡°You need to stop thinking so much,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Just let it be.¡± Adam sighed, but bowed his head. ¡°Nobby, make sure your family gets all that bread, otherwise it¡¯ll go to waste.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± Adam pat Nobby¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you home. Kitool, would you mind coming with me?¡± Kitool followed as Adam took Nobby home. Adam wanted to make sure Nobby got home safely, and he wanted to make sure he, too, got back to the guild safely. ¡°You be good to your ma and pa, alright?¡± Adam said, slipping two gems into the basket of bread, before nodding his head to Nobby. ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam left immediately afterwards, leading Kitool away. He didn¡¯t want to stand there for their reunion, Nobby should return back to his family to spend time with them. They should get to have fun together without him interrupting them. ¡°Thanks for coming with me, Kitool,¡± Adam said as they walked back the guild. ¡°There is no need for thanks.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be doing that sort of thing. I may be an idiot, but I have to be a polite idiot.¡± Adam smiled. Omen: 2, 4 Adam stared at the stone egg in hand. He looked to Vonda and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, but I didn¡¯t get anything from it.¡± Vonda bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Vonda had come to him in the morning to ask him to cast Identify to see if the egg was magical, but after an hour, Adam hadn¡¯t managed to gather anything. ¡°What are you going to do with it?¡± Adam asked, leaning back, as though he didn¡¯t really care to hear the answer, but his brows were raised in intrigue. ¡°I do not know,¡± Vonda admitted. She stared at the egg, which looked and felt as though it were made of stone. It was quite heavy, too, though not as heavy as one might expect an egg made of stone to be. ¡°The Iyr might know a thing or two.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen Silver Dragons, well, one Silver Dragon, but it didn¡¯t look anything like this. Doesn¡¯t look like a Blue or White Dragon, either.¡± Adam squinted at the Dragon figure. ¡°Are you certain?¡± the merchant asked, raising his brow curiously. ¡°Pretty sure. I accompanied some Iyrmen about, and we managed to slay a White Dragon and a Blue Dragon just the other year, last year, in fact.¡± The merchant tried to keep the doubt away from his eyes. ¡°Look, I¡¯m just saying that I know that it doesn¡¯t look like the three kinds of Dragons I¡¯ve met, I¡¯m not trying to catch a bargain.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Do you have any other Dragons?¡± ¡°No Red Dragons, but I¡¯ve got other kinds.¡± The merchant placed more Dragons on the table. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s a Silver Dragon, that¡¯s a White Dragon, and that¡¯s a Blue Dragon,¡± Adam said, pointing to each Dragon. Silver Dragons were fairly slim, and White Dragons were thicker and larger, with brutish horns, and though Blue Dragons looked similar to White Dragons, their faces were generally more squarish. ¡°I¡¯ll buy one of each of them.¡± ¡°To buy all three, I¡¯ll charge only five gold for a Dragon Slayer,¡± the merchant said, far more enthusiastic about the purchase. ¡°I also have some Dragon scales for sale.¡± ¡°Which colours?¡± ¡°Blue and White.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of those scales, so I¡¯ll be fine, but thank you.¡± ¡°What a shame. I will try and procure some other scales for the next time I arrive in Red Oak.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I am usually in Red Oak during late dawnval.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Adam said, placing down six gold. ¡°Bring those dragon scales to me and I¡¯ll be sure to bring a heavier pouch! Any time of dragon trinkets you find, I¡¯ll most likely order them from you. I¡¯m trying to be sensible with my money right now, but next year I¡¯ll be sweating gold coins.¡± A bell was rung nearby. ¡°Ordah! King¡¯s Ordah! Gold! Blood! Glory! Able bodied men join the army! Gold! Blood! Glory! Ordah! King¡¯s Ordah!¡± Adam glanced aside to see a young man who was adorned in fairly simple clothing, with his hair cut neatly. He rung his bell, bellowed his words, before moving along, ringing his bell again. ¡°Eh?¡± Adam said, looking at the young man, before looking to Vonda. ¡°They¡¯re recruiting for war?¡± Vonda narrowed her eyes. ¡°It appears to be the case.¡± ¡°Must be the islands with Aswadia?¡± Adam pondered. ¡°War must be going poorly.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said, once they had returned with their gifts to the guild. ¡°That war ended at the beginning of the year. They are recruiting in preparation of another war, a different kind of war.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot. He had returned back to the Iyr at the beginning of the year, but it seemed he knew about the war. ¡°I have heard the islands hold many great resources, many of which are useful,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They seem to hold some resources which will bring them mountains of gold too.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Something scratched at the back of Adam¡¯s head, as though he were missing something obviously. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know anything about that.¡± The Brit then sipped his tea. Click banner for Patreon! Did I have way too much fun writing that last line? Yes. Yes I did. 349. Days In Red Oak II 349. Days In Red Oak II Omen: 10, 15 ¡°So,¡± Adam called, glancing to the rest of his party members, ¡°what do we do?¡± ¡°There are many requests which are appropriate for us,¡± Jurot said, getting up to check the quests at the wall. ¡°Anything hugely dangerous in Cherry Wood?¡± Adam asked, looking to the left side of the quest board, which represented the much nicer Cherry Wood, as opposed to the more dangerous Red Wood. ¡°We could train Brittany and Nobby inside it.¡± ¡°It would take some time to train them if there are so many of us,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°That¡¯s fine by me. Slow and steady, remember?¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s back, feeling a solid wall of muscle. ¡®God. Damn.¡¯ ¡°We need to do everything safely until they become Experts.¡± ¡°We should travel through the land,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Noonval¡¯s heat will bother us, but it will not affect us much.¡± ¡°Right... the heat...¡± Adam groaned quietly, wincing at the thought of how hot it would become soon. ¡®I should take the Rage Dancer¡¯s ability that increases my Defence without wearing armour.¡¯ Vonda walked over towards the quest wall. ¡°If I can voice my concerns, I hope that we do not kill.¡± Adam peeked down towards her. ¡®Right. She¡¯s a Priest of Life.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s going to be a little awkward. Unless...¡± ¡°We form two groups?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Will you return back to your Order with the artefact?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No.¡± Vonda shook her head slowly. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild will return the artefact back. It would be dangerous for me to take it with me.¡± Vonda wasn¡¯t naive about the world. Even though this was an artefact of Mother Soza, there were plenty of people who would try to possess the artefact. ¡°You trust them that much?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What if they don¡¯t?¡± Adam asked, lowering his voice to a near whisper. ¡°If they lose the artefact,¡± Vonda began, trying to give Adam the benefit of the doubt, ¡°it shall be a serious matter, one not even the Guild can ignore. They will place the artefact in good hands, I¡¯m certain. I assume they will place the artefact in the hands of Iyrmen, to be escorted to the Order safely.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam nodded, smiling down at her. ¡°Then it¡¯s in good hands.¡± ¡°Two groups?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in the killing party,¡± Lucy said. She wasn¡¯t going to let go of all the fun she wanted to have. ¡°Adam, Sir Vonda, Kitool, and I should form a party,¡± Jurot said. Adam glanced at the remaining group. Jaygak, Brittany, Jonn, Nobby, Dunes, Lucy, and Fred. ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right.¡± It would be a large second group, but that was best in order to make sure Brittany and Nobby would be safe. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, handing Vonda and Dunes a diamond each. ¡°Keep Revivify on you at all times, please.¡± Adam walked around the market, trying to find someone who sold nightval bear hides, one which he could fashion into a top to wear. Even if it only made him slightly cooler, it would be worth the money. ¡°Adam, the tannery may sell the leather,¡± Jurot offered, motioning his head to a tannery nearby. There was a sharp smell in the air as they approached, and as he stepped inside, he saw a young woman currently working on a piece, scraping off the hair from some skin which had been pulled taut. She looked back, past her dark pony tail, noting that the pair were an Iyrman and another adventurer who wore a scarf around his head, both Bronze Rank. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± the tanner asked. She was adorned in a short sleeved shirt and a pair of shorts which ended a little beyond her knees. ¡°Do you have any nightval bear hide?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I want something to keep me cool during noonval.¡± ¡°I sure do,¡± the woman said. ¡°Do you want me to fashion you a top?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. The woman brought out a long piece of string, which was marked about a finger width wide all across it. ¡°Please, if you don¡¯t mind, take off your armour and shirt.¡± Adam did as she asked, slipping out of his armour and his shirt, revealing his lean body. ¡®Damn! I forgot how jacked I was.¡¯ The young woman took a moment to admire his body, before she started to measure him using her string. ¡°Nightval bear hide made into a top. That¡¯ll be fifty gold, and it should be completed within a week.¡± She didn¡¯t mention anything about the fact he kept his scarf on, wondering if he had some kind of gruesome scar around his head, or if, equally as terrible, the young man was bald. ¡°Perfect,¡± Adam said, pulling up his shirt, feeling a little awkward under the gaze of the tanner and his brother. ¡®I should have brought...¡¯ Adam wondered who he could have brought with him. ¡®Vonda?¡¯ His cheeks and ears turned red. ¡®No, no, don¡¯t be silly. I should have brought Lanarot, obviously.¡¯ Adam paid the gold, using five gems, before he left, heading back to the Guild. ¡®I should have tried on the hide first to see if it really did cool me down. No, no. Kitool was the one to tell me, and Iyrmen don¡¯t lie.¡¯ ¡°Did you guys figure anything out?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There is an escort quest for a wealthy merchant who deals with herbs,¡± Vonda said, looking to Adam with a knowing gaze. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯ll be paid quite well.¡± ¡°We will meet him in the morning.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Adam dropped down, glancing at Kitool and the others. ¡°Oh! Since we¡¯ve formed a second group, I¡¯ll split the party funds in half. That way, in case we¡¯re gone for too long, you aren¡¯t left out to dry.¡± Adam had forgotten just how much money was in the party fund. ¡°Uh...¡± Just nine gems were already worth nearly a thousand gold. ¡®Why the hell am I carrying these around willy nilly?¡¯ Kitool looked to Adam. ¡°You can place the money in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and can allow those you trust within the party to withdraw from it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± Adam said, splitting the party fund in half, though placing a little more in the funds he was dolling out, since the other party was bigger. ¡®Seriously, I shouldn¡¯t carry so much around!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I''m sick :( Sick and tired of all this support! 400 followers woo! Expect two chapters tomorrow! I''m also actually sick too. 350. Days In Red Oak III 350. Days In Red Oak III Omen: 14, 20 Adam sighed, staring at the ceiling. ¡®I could have enchanted something real nice today.¡¯ Once he was bathed, he made his way to the group, which had gathered around a pair of tables. ¡°You really do love your baths,¡± Jaygak said, raising her brows at him, smirking. ¡°Baths for me, horns for you,¡± Adam said, simply. Jaygak tilted her head slightly, thinking about Adam¡¯s words. ¡®Ah.¡¯ An hour after breakfast, the merchant appeared. She was short, stoutly built, with dark hair, and bright eyes. She wore the typical clothing of the Aldish, a blouse and trousers, and a pair of thick boots. At her side was a shortsword, one of decent enough make, the pommel smooth and round, polished to a mirror shine. She wore rings of silver and gold all along her left hand, sometimes multiple of each finger. ¡°So you¡¯re Fate¡¯s Golden?¡± the woman asked with a raised brow. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. The merchant¡¯s eyes scanned the Half Elf for a moment. She gave him a dirty look, before her eyes twitched, and she tilted her head at him. Adam smiled, noting the way she was looking at him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You seem familiar.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Well, you know, I¡¯m something of an alchemist myself.¡± ¡°Right. Adam, a Half Elf, alchemist. I do know of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of me?¡± ¡°A troublemaker, I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°Sounds about right,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°This is no funny business, young man.¡± The merchant glared at Adam.UppTodated from ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It was a funny joke.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No,¡± the merchant stated, firmly. ¡°So, who is it that is spreading this slander about me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sir Harvey.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam chuckled and nodded. ¡°I should have guessed.¡± ¡°I will not leave my life in your hands.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I¡¯m glad you nipped this in the bud, before we wasted each other¡¯s time.¡± The merchant quickly stepped to the counter, working on finding another group of adventurers to assist her. Time was money. Adam leaned back in his chair. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame.¡± ¡°What did you do to Sir Harvey?¡± Vonda asked. Adam pointed to his ears. ¡°This, and I slew a Dragon.¡± ¡°That offended him?¡± ¡°Nobles,¡± Adam said, simply, rolling his eyes. Sir Vonda raised her brows at him. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. Nobles.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders innocently. ¡°Can¡¯t I call them, and you, Nobles?¡± ¡°Not with such disdain.¡± ¡°Me? Having disdain for the Nobles?¡± Adam gasped, reaching up to his chest protectively. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that in the Greylands we love to suckle on the teet of our great overlords! We allow them to piss on our graves and thank them for the rain.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said, looking down at the five items. The weapons were boring, but quite useful. The other two items were quite thematic. Adam explained to Paul what the items did. ¡°And the egg?¡± Paul asked. ¡°It¡¯s got a lot of protein.¡± Adam burst out in laughter, slapping his knee. Paul blinked. ¡°It heals someone upon eating it. About as much as a typical potion, maybe a little more.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Paul handed Adam a pouch full of fifty gold. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, feeling the heft of the pouch. ¡°Thank you.¡± Over the course of the next few days, Adam spent some time crafting potions. He had to meet with that woman, but as quickly as he arrived into her store, he left, not wanting to spend more than a few seconds in her store. ¡®I should never meet with her again,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if he could find a new herbalist. He blocked the meeting with her in his mind. He sold his potions to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, just two of his more basic Health Potions, which he sold for eighty gold, a little less than market price. He spent some time outside the Guild too, sometimes only some steps away, watching as the people sparred one another in the two fields. A town guard remained nearby, just in case. The Guild and the guards weren¡¯t stupid, they knew what could happen when so many hot blooded warriors came together to spar. ¡°You¡¯re an Expert,¡± a guard said, motioning to Adam¡¯s bronze tag. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said, adjusting the scarf around his head slightly. ¡°You look pretty young for an Expert, but I guess with the Iyrmen about, not really something that¡¯s impossible, I suppose.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°They¡¯re quite strong.¡± The guard nodded. ¡°You joining up in the army?¡± ¡°Not really my thing,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°They say Experts like you¡¯ll get five gold a day.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°I might change my mind. Five gold a day, you say?¡± ¡°Aye. They¡¯re looking for Experts to form an elite unit or something. Not sure about the particulars.¡± ¡®It¡¯s just under two thousand gold a year. I could make that in a week, if I wanted.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t think the army life is for me.¡± ¡°I thought about it, but I¡¯m no Expert. I¡¯m just a guard. I¡¯ll stay here, defend my town from outsiders and insiders. They¡¯re reforming the guards, I hear, but I should be alright. Passed my test with flying colours, you see. Never knew colours flew, but what do I know?¡± The guard chuckled. Adam smiled. ¡°What do you think about them?¡± Adam motioned his head to the youth who were practising. ¡°Think they¡¯re army material.¡± The guard leaned back, crossing his arms. ¡°Kids like those are good for a javelin or two. Either to be thrown, or...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Here¡¯s hoping there¡¯s no more war for a little while.¡± ¡°Forty thousand,¡± the guard said. ¡°That¡¯s how many the King wants for his army.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°That¡¯s a lot. I heard they only send a few thousand to the islands.¡± The guard nodded. ¡°A bunch of labourers have been sent to make forts around the land. They say there¡¯s going to be double the amount of forts soon, and that they¡¯re going to make more. They¡¯re going to make some new roads and all.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡®Seems like they¡¯re serious about this army.¡¯ ¡°They¡¯re making a proper professional army then, with logistics and all?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say. Going to be training the troops for six months before they¡¯re sent out, a couple of thousand at a time. Ships are being made too, to send them all to their deaths.¡± ¡°Fighting for your country brings you glory,¡± Adam said, quietly. The guard pulled out a pipe, and lit it up, before taking a puff. ¡°Glory won¡¯t feed my little James.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly, watching as the peasant youth tried to practise with their staffs. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°They make money for their family, and worst case scenario, there¡¯s one less mouth to feed.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought glancing at the guard, who continued to smoke, taking in the sight of the boys and girls he was sure he¡¯d never see again. Click banner for Patreon! Still very sick. Two chapters tomorrow and a trade offer. 351. Days In Red Oak IV 351. Days In Red Oak IV Omen: 7, 10 ¡°Eh?¡± Adam said, looking at the tanner. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not done?¡± ¡°Unfortunately there was an issue with your payment,¡± the tanner replied, her eyes falling across his scarf, which hid his ears. ¡°What kind of issue?¡± ¡°The gems were not up to standard.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°The gems were not up to standard.¡± ¡°My gems?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The gems that I brought from the Iyr and the Guild?¡± Adam asked, his eyes widening towards her. The woman tilted her head slightly. ¡°Unfortunately, they were not up to standard.¡± ¡°So you took my gold and you didn¡¯t do anything?¡± ¡°I worked through some of the process, and I am willing to give you what I have worked on so far for twenty five gold coins.¡± ¡°Where are my gems?¡± ¡°They will be returned to you.¡± stared at the woman, narrowing his eyes at her. He had noticed her glance at his ears through his scarf, and he tried to understand what had happened. ¡®How did she know? Was it the puthral?¡¯ ¡°Sure.¡± The tanner brought over the nightval bear leather, placing it down before the Half Elf. Adam counted out each coin individually, and then waited. The woman brought out a scale, and placed down the gold coins onto the scale, using an item as a counterweight as she checked to see if the coins were real, before also checking the height and thickness of each coin, as well as the details within. Adam was pretty sure she was putting on a show, but he waited in peace, not wanting this to bite him later. However, he was patient, and once he figured out what happened, his vengeance would be long and slow. ¡®Just you wait.¡¯ ¡°So is my gold good enough, or should I ask the Guild to send someone with the correct amount of gold and let them deal with your auroch turd?¡± ¡°The gold seems to be fine.¡± ¡°Seems to be fine or is fine?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m happy to ask the Guild to send someone here, and if need be, I¡¯ll go speak with the Vice Master to see what he thinks about the situation.¡± ¡°It is fine,¡± the tanner said. ¡°The gold is acceptable.¡± Adam reached back, which caused the tanner to straighten up, her eyes flashing with alarm. Adam froze. ¡°I¡¯ve misplaced my book it seems.¡± Adam clicked his teeth with his tongue. ¡°Then, I will have to take your word for it, though I will be mentioning this matter to the Vice Master. If you try to pull this stunt again, a simple Zone of Truth spell should do well, even if I must pay for it, though I¡¯ll be sure to put you on the hook for it if I am found innocent.¡± ¡°Please leave my store immediately,¡± the tanner said, glaring at him. Adam left, grumbling quietly as he looked down at the half formed leather top. There wasn¡¯t much he could do about it. ¡®Damn it. I should have... damn, this leather really is cold.¡¯ Adam could already feel how cool his hands were becoming. Jurot remained quiet as Adam explained the situation to him. The Iyrman understood what had happened, since it was such a simple matter that even he could understand. He crossed his arms. ¡®I introduced my brother to the tannery since it was unmarked, but now it has affected him.¡¯ There was a sourness within him. ¡°She said there was a problem with the gems?¡± Jurot asked to confirm. ¡°Yes. The same gems that I brought from the Guild and the Iyr.¡± ¡°A shame, huh?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Well, it is what it is.¡± When it was evening, Adam lay in bed, thinking about his choice to be a Half Elf. ¡®At least I can see in the dark...¡¯ His stomach churned as he thought about what it would mean for Lanarot and his eventual children to be associated with him. ¡®Should I even have kids if others will treat them like dirt... or worse.¡¯ He could feel the heat of anger building within him, but it quickly dissipated. ¡®No, it doesn¡¯t matter. I won¡¯t have kids for a while anyway, so I¡¯ll just take it one step at a time.¡¯ Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak had met in the evening. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± Jaygak asked. Jurot and Kitool remained quiet. They were Iyrmen, so there was a great amount of awe, fear, and respect they had garnered wherever they went, and it was rare for someone to be hostile against them for being an Iyrman. Jaygak, on the other hand, was a Devilkin. If her forehead wasn¡¯t tattooed, then she¡¯d be in trouble wherever she went. There were many Devilkin, and Orcs, who found themselves in a river. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Adam¡¯s Adam. He¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°They had refused his gems. I brought him to the tannery and they refused his gems.¡± ¡°Then...¡± Jaygak raised her brows at Jurot. ¡°Do it.¡± ¡°It is a small matter,¡± Kitool said. ¡°A small matter, sure, but Adam is still a Nephew of the Rot family. Even after she had heard that Adam brought the gems from the Iyr and the Guild, didn¡¯t she still refuse?¡± ¡°If we escalate the situation, then there could be greater consequences.¡± Kitool tried to be the voice of reason. Jurot crossed his arms, thinking for a moment. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, really. They should have expected as much since Adam was a Half Elf, and they were in South Aldland. However, Adam had been excited about the nightval bear shirt, and it was going to cool him down from the warming sun of noonval. ¡°I will do it,¡± Jurot said. Jaygak and Kitool watched him leave. Kitool looked to Jaygak, narrowing her eyes at the Devilkin. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I have some understanding.¡± ¡°Some,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I might get it worse than Adam sometimes, but I have something he doesn¡¯t.¡± Jaygak pointed to her tattoo. ¡°So even I don¡¯t understand it all, but at least I can say I know it best.¡± Kitool bowed her head. Jurot approached the tannery in the darkness, axe in hand. If he had been a Noble, then the tanner wouldn¡¯t get to live to see the dawn, but he was an Iyrman. He cut into the wall above the door, cutting just a small mark, before he cut again, forming an X within the wall. Any Iyrman who would walk past this tannery would know not to deal with it from this day forward. Jurot put away his axe and made his way to one of the Iyr¡¯s havens he knew, adding the business to a list of business which would not take the Iyr¡¯s coins, and the reason why. Perhaps the reason wasn¡¯t good enough, but he was an Iyrman, and this was his right. Click banner for Patreon! Goddamn leaf ears always making trouble by *shuffles cards* trying to live their everyday lives not bothering anyone. 352. Days In Red Oak V 352. Days In Red Oak V Omen: 1, 7 Adam groaned, feeling the heat over his body, even within the Guild. ¡®Damn it! I should have complained more! Can¡¯t I be a Karen if it¡¯s about racism?¡¯ He lay his head on the table, groaning quietly. Jaygak, who was ready to go and quest, stared at Adam with a wide smirk on her face. ¡°What great weather we¡¯re having today.¡± Adam didn¡¯t bring up his head to look up at her, allowing her to have her fun this day. The heat had gotten to his mind, and he wasn¡¯t quite as witty as he should have been. ¡°Adam, will you come with me to walk around the market?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. The pair walked through the roads of Red Oak, with Adam¡¯s eyes scanning across the townscape. There were so many people moving around, from the various workers, to the carriages which held the crest of a noble. Adam scowled towards the carriage from behind his scarf, which he used to cover the lower half of his face this time too. The merchants threw curious looks at the pair, but seeing Vonda¡¯s amulet, which revealed she was a Priest of Mother Soza, they seemed far less suspicious of the two. ¡°What are you looking for today?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°There are times we should walk through a market and see what catches our eyes.¡± ¡°Window shopping,¡± Adam said, glancing around the market. There was nothing which caught his eyes, so he remained near Vonda, accompanying her as she walked through, checking out the stalls. Vonda eventually found a stall full of books, each about the size of her hand, with two thin blocks of wood used as covers, bound by fibres pulled apart from rope. ¡®I do need a book,¡¯ Adam thought. Vonda picked up a book, feeling the paper with her finger. ¡°Do you have something that¡¯s used for painting?¡± ¡°Got plenty of books for painting, miss,¡± the merchant replied, flashing a wide smile, revealing a silver tooth. He pulled out several books, each which were larger than the books on display, bound in leather. Vonda touched the paper, which was at least twice as thick as the previous paper. ¡°I¡¯d like to buy five books, three wood, two leather.¡± ¡°Two gold for wood, ten gold for leather, miss.¡± Adam almost whistled. When he was in the Iyr, books were no more than a silver, and that¡¯s if he had to pay for once. ¡°Do you have a book with more pages?¡± ¡°Aye, I do, young mister.¡± The merchant brought out a book which was bound in leather, but easily held at least three hundreds sheets within. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Five gold.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°Can I pay with a gem?¡± ¡°Of course you can!¡± The merchant grinned wide, revealing his silver tooth. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take two.¡± Adam placed down an obsidian gem to pay for the books. ¡®Next time I¡¯m bringing five books with me from the Iyr.¡¯ Vonda smiled as Adam bought his set of books. They continued to travel through the market. Adam bought a stylus, and a long thin gem which could be used to make markings. ¡°Ten gold,¡± Adam whispered to himself. ¡°Expensive!¡± Vonda continued to smile as Adam fell deeper into despair with how much money he was spending, glad that it had taken his mind away from other matters. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, staring at a mule, which was carrying a traveller¡¯s things. ¡°Vonda, I need to get a saddlebag for Zeus.¡± Vonda bowed her head, and they went to get Zeus, Adam¡¯s magical giant elk, which they took to a saddle maker. ¡°A packsaddle and some saddlebags?¡± the old man said, eyeing up the giant elk. ¡°She¡¯s a beauty.¡± ¡°He.¡± The saddle maker tilted his head, looking down towards Zeus¡¯ crotch. Adam did the same. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s not a he or a she,¡± the old man said, surprised. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Adam said. ¡°Zeus, what¡¯s that all about?¡± ¡®You did not declare your request when you summoned me.¡¯ ¡®Are you blaming me?¡¯ ¡°Fish and chips.¡± Vonda understood what fish was, but she wasn¡¯t sure what a chip was. ¡°Do you like fish and chips.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m Bri-, uh, Greyish. Now, some people might tell you that they¡¯re called fries, but that¡¯s propaganda made by our worst enemies, well, not our worst enemies, but they were our worst enemies for about a thousand years. We still call them our worst enemies, though.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t talk about them.¡± Vonda raised her brows, wondering how much Adam must have hated them for him to not even mention their name. ¡®Is that why you wish to create a small army?¡¯ Adam bit into his skewer. ¡°Some people might say that they¡¯re called fries, but they¡¯re chips, and chips should be fat and thick, about as thick as a finger, and about half as long. Then there¡¯s crisps, and you shouldn¡¯t call them chips, that¡¯s some propaganda made by people who can¡¯t spell colour correctly.¡± Vonda watched as Adam grew more aggravated with each spoken word. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s utterly despicable. What next? Spelling Greylands with the wrong vowel? Could you imagine?¡± Adam asked, looking to Vonda, raising his brows. ¡°No,¡± Vonda replied, earnestly. ¡°Vonda?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You were meant to stop me whenever I did anything stupid or cringe,¡± Adam said, suddenly feeling his cheeks flush. ¡®She doesn¡¯t even get the joke. I probably look unhinged to her.¡¯ Vonda stared up at him. ¡°Was what you were saying stupid or cringe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vonda pat his back. ¡°Stop it, Adam.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°So are they actually called chips or fries?¡± ¡°No, no, I was right about that, it was just stupid and cringe to bring it up in front of you when you have no idea what I¡¯m joking about.¡± ¡°What are you joking about?¡± ¡°Essentially, we made the language, and then other people use it wrong.¡± ¡°Language can be used incorrectly?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t call a dog a cat, would you?¡± ¡°No? Though does that matter?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°As long as you understand what I am talking about when I use the word cat, then it doesn¡¯t matter, does it?¡± ¡°Then what if you use the wrong words for your prayers?¡± ¡°Mother Soza still responds.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Then, I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Vonda bowed her head. It was only then Adam realised he was on a date with Sir Vonda. He coughed into elbow, looking away from her. ¡®God damn it! Why am I so cringe? Kill me, Baktu! Just kill me now! That¡¯s it! I¡¯m never joking again!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! We need an anime tag because our protagonist is so dense. Do you like Beyond Chaos? Do you like multiple chapters a day? Do you have way too much money in your bank account and don''t know how to spend it? Click on the banner for a link to my patreon where I am (¡ê2) 20, (¡ê4) 40, (¡ê8) 60 chapters ahead depending on the tier! For each subscription above 16 I get this month I''ll post an extra chapter for patreons and the public! So that means instead of 29 chapters this month, I''ll post up to 100 (and then any others will roll over to the next month.) Thank you all so much for the support! I''m also currently plotting a new series, though I''m not sure when it''ll come out. Don''t worry, I won''t stop BC, but I do need to make money so I''m going to have to spend effort on trying to do that too. 353. Days In Red Oak VI 353. Days In Red Oak VI The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was as lively as it always was, though Adam didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He dropped down onto his seat, opposite Jurot and his other companions, sighing. Kitool and Jurot threw a look between one another, wondering if he was upset because of that thing. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No, Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is it because of the tanner?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°No.¡± Kitool was surprised to hear it, but then that must have meant that he was upset because of... ¡°Lanarot?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No.¡± Jurot was taken aback slightly. He was sure that Lanarot would have been the most likely reason. ¡°Cringe?¡± Vonda asked. Adam avoided her gaze, but slowly nodded his head. ¡®Ah,¡¯ the pair of Iyrmen thought. ¡®Of course.¡¯ ¡°Since we aren¡¯t finding much luck here, maybe we head north and find something there?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A good idea,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°I am nothing if not a man full of cringe and good ideas.¡± ¡°You are not that cringe,¡± Vonda assured. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you, Sir Vonda. You, the great Priest of Life, who has seen the darkness I exhibited today.¡± Adam¡¯s voice was full of a deep gravitas. The trio were sure that Adam wasn¡¯t feeling too upset since he was joking about the matter. He must have just wanted to make a joke about it to get rid of any small feelings about the matter. ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Paul called, motioning with his head for the group to follow them. Adam and his three companions followed the Vice Master up to a separate room, where snacks sat ready and eager to be eaten. Adam brought a long strip of fried dough to his lips as he stared up at the Vice Master, who sat down at the sofa opposite. ¡°I notice you haven¡¯t been questing much,¡± Paul said. ¡°There are certain restrictions we need to abide by,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll find something, I¡¯m sure.¡± Paul threw a look to Sir Vonda, and nodded. ¡°We have received news of an Outbreak, and I was hoping that you¡¯d be willing to participate.¡± ¡°An Outbreak?¡± ¡°The Beast Wave was harsh this year, and though we¡¯ve dealt with most of it, there are still many beasts out there. That doesn¡¯t necessarily mean there is an Outbreak, but we are hearing reports of a large horde of beasts approaching the roads, and the nearby settlements. We didn¡¯t deal with enough of the beasts this year, so too many have spilled out. If we leave them be, well, by the end of noonval there will be quite a disaster which will befall us.¡± Adam looked to Sir Vonda. ¡°It sounds like we¡¯ll be needed to kill a large number of beasts. I don¡¯t think we can accept that, right?¡± ¡°This is a matter of protecting the people,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°A Beast Wave may be a natural phenomena, but we must cull the excess beasts before they threaten life. There are also many materials which could be gathered which can assist in healing.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°Looks like we can accept this task, but I¡¯d like to know more about it.¡± ¡°There will be five parties participating, yours and four others. Yours will be second in command, as there will be a Steel Rank party leading, and three Iron Rank Parties who will assist you.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. Meaning there was a group at Level 7, a group at Level 5, and three groups at roughly Levels 2 or 3 or so. ¡°You know I¡¯m always up for a fight,¡± Dunes said, nodding his head. ¡®I need to gain more strength.¡¯ ¡°I want to see how strong Stormdrake really is,¡± Jaygak added. ¡°Brittany, Nobby?¡± Adam called. ¡°It¡¯s going to be dangerous. Very dangerous.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to save us if something goes wrong, right?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°Obviously.¡± Brittany slowly nodded her head, though the apprehension weighed heavy in her gut. ¡®There are three Iyrmen who will be joining us too...¡¯ ¡°I will be stronger?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°Hopefully.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam wondered if Nobby was really an Iyrman in disguise. He looked to the others. ¡°I will follow your lead,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Uhuh,¡± Adam said, his voice full of doubt. ¡°Fred?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Fred replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Rather casual of you considering how dangerous it is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve nothing else to do, Adam.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Jeremy and Remy glanced between one another. This was a dangerous task, not one for porters like them. It wasn¡¯t as though the group needed them to fight, but at the same time, their Nobby was going to be going with the group, and they couldn¡¯t just let their nephew go out to danger without them. ¡°How much are you going to pay?¡± Jeremy asked. ¡°Good question. I think, in terms of pay, we have thirteen people. However, Nobby and Brittany are getting paid separately, so they won¡¯t really count. So, we¡¯ll split everything in ten parts. One for the nine of us, and a share for the porters.¡± ¡°We get a half share each?¡± Remy asked, surprised. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Gold and loot?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jeremy whistled. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, flushing red. Remy threw him a look, but understood why his cousin had whistled. A share of both gold and loot was quite a lot. That would mean roughly 150 gold, and even more from the loot, which could be multiple beast¡¯s worth of hide, which could be sold for a pretty penny, or used by their families. ¡°It¡¯s a good offer,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°We¡¯ll need to speak with the missus,¡± Remy added. ¡°We¡¯ll be gone for at least a month.¡± ¡°Seems like it,¡± Adam said, looking down at the piece of paper. Click banner for Patreon! Expect double chapters tomorrow and the day after thanks to the new patrons! Hype incoming? 354. Outbreak I 354. Outbreak I Adam had handed over his basic health potions to the second group, making sure they would adventure safe and sound, so he decided to make another set of potions. Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. The boy had dirt all over his face, and wore ragged clothing. His hair was dark, a dirty, dirty blonde, but there was something more to him. That day he had tried to find something to eat, and though he usually found something to eat, he was unable to. He wrapped a thin cloth around himself. The boy had long become used to hunger. He thought about going to the bakery he usually walked to, but he decided against it, not wanting to bother the woman too much, in case she¡¯d refuse to give him more bread in the future. If he had, he would have walked across a young Iyrman. Thus Fate was forever changed. Omen: 3, 18 Adam slipped on his nightval bear leather which had been fashioned into a nearly sleeveless tunic, which cooled his body. He wore his puthral breastplate over it, the purple metal from the Iyr which was lighter than typical steel, and did not cause him trouble when he tried to move stealthily. Today was the day he¡¯d meet his new companions for their quest of dealing with the Outbreak. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild had cleared a field towards the back to allow the group to meet, with some food and drinks ready for them to eat as they mingled. Fate¡¯s Golden was second to the party, as five others waited, chatting amongst one another. Three were heavily armoured, two of whom were women and also carried amulets denoting their faith. Two of them wore much less armour, one wearing studded leather, and the other, an Aswadian, wore a set of robes. Each of them were in their thirties or so, and carried with them a multitude of weapons, as well as Steel Rank token. At first Adam thought the Aswadian was a spellcaster, but seeing that they were carrying a shortsword and a staff, Adam understood they were like Kitool, a Monk. ¡°You must be Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± the heavily armoured man said, standing up to shake Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°And you must be Adam, the leader.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve heard of me,¡± Adam said, shaking the man¡¯s forearm. ¡°What have you heard of me exactly?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Half Elf, and apparently, like to cause trouble.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Sounds about right, honestly.¡± ¡°Oliver. We¡¯re the White Ghosts,¡± Oliver said. ¡°This is Emily, a Priest, Sir Matilda, a Guardian from the Order of the Thousand Hunts, Bob, a Rogue from Eagle Wing, and Azar Hills, from Aswadia.¡± ¡°Order of Black Mountain?¡± Azar asked, nodding his head to Dunes. ¡°Gold Sands?¡± Dunes asked, approaching the Monk. ¡°Bronze Dragon.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Dunes said, nodding his head, noting the bronze trim on the robes. The Aswadian¡¯s shook forearms, a custom which had become the norm in the lands even as far as the Confederacy over a millennia ago. ¡°Bronze Dragon?¡± Adam asked, glancing between the pair. Azar said something in the Aswadian tongue, causing Dunes to laugh. Azar chuckled, sipping a drink, before offering Dunes some. ¡°He¡¯s queer, but he¡¯s good,¡± Dunes said, accepting the drink. ¡°Stronger than any of us.¡± Adam raised his brow, wondering what Azar had said about him. ¡°Any of you?¡± Matilda asked, looking to the Iyrmen. ¡°There¡¯s three Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Adam would be difficult for me to defeat,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He has already shown his strength by defeating someone greater than me.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Matilda asked. ¡°My aunt.¡± ¡°Is she as strong as you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She is stronger.¡± ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°Did I what?¡± Adam stared into Oliver¡¯s eyes. ¡°Put your hands on the girl?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so,¡± Adam said, thinking. ¡°Someone else tied them together. Jurot can probably tell you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope they aren¡¯t a part of our group then, otherwise we¡¯ll have quite the pro-," ¡°What are you doing here?¡± called a voice. Adam sighed. He didn¡¯t turn around, instead throwing Oliver a look. ¡°It¡¯s them, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°There are four of them.¡± ¡°Three woman, and a guy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The guy is a Priest of... Ebony, I think?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam turned, seeing the four. A young woman in robes, another young woman in leather, a young woman in heavy armour, and a young man in heavy armour. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they expect us to walk around with you!¡± the young growled at him, before her eyes darted to the Iyrmen. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they brought over such rude kids to join us,¡± Adam said, clicking his teeth with his tongue. ¡°I already beat the lot of you before, so don¡¯t cause trouble.¡± The young woman clutched at her staff. ¡°You fiend! You¡¯d better stay away from me.¡± Jaygak threw her a dirty look. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to you.¡± ¡°No, but I remember someone was punished for spouting all kinds of lies,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to spend another month cleaning the streets, you should clean your mouth.¡± Adam smiled at Jaygak, nodding his head at her. ¡°How dare you suggest Adam has beautiful horns like mine.¡± Adam frowned. Jaygak had played it off as a joke, but Adam had suffered from enough discrimination over the past couple of days, and then there was the fact she used the word fiend. Fiend, a word used to describe Devilkin in a negative light. The young Scribe Mage, more commonly known as a Wizard, shut her mouth quickly, but continued to glare at the group. ¡®Should I beat them up again?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I could probably say I was defending myself since they started an issue.¡¯ Adam looked to the other groups, all of whom were full of Humans. ¡®No. Chances are, it doesn¡¯t matter who starts it, they¡¯ll probably only end up blaming me since I¡¯m a Half Elf.¡¯ Four groups had gathered together, and Adam could only wonder what the make up of the last group would be. ¡®I bet it¡¯s a group which hates me.¡¯ Adam did his best to try and remember who else he had offended in his current life. ¡®Mountain Knight?¡¯ Adam thought, recalling how a powerful Knight wanted him dead for being an Elf. ¡®No, no. There¡¯s no way that...¡¯ The fifth group appeared. Click banner for Patreon! Who will the fifth group be? 5 Cthulu spawns? 5 Champions of Order? 5 French adventurer? I''m just letting you know that the Gold tier patrons are about to have a lot of fun. 355. Outbreak II 355. Outbreak II ¡°We apologise for being late,¡± a man said. He had a heavily scarred face. He was followed by four others, a pair of men and women, each who wore a similar outfit to him, thin clothing which seemed to bulge slightly. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Adam replied, sighing with relief. He was certain he had never met them before, and that he had never offended them. ¡°Rick,¡± the scarred man said. His hair was trimmed neatly, and he was freshly shaven. At his side was a battleaxe, and he carried a shield which was strapped to his back. ¡°Adam.¡± Adam shook the man¡¯s hand, feeling how rough it was. The man introduced his four companions, who all seemed to carry similar weapons. John, who carried a pair of daggers, and a bow. Ivy also carried a bow in hand, though Adam couldn¡¯t spot anything else since she was wrapped up in her dark cloak, and she was hunched over to make herself seem smaller. Greg was heavily tattooed, and Charley had red hair which had been dyed from a mixture of earth. They wielded the same weapons as their leader, a spear, javelins, and an axe. They also carried with them shields on their back. Adam noted they were each in their late twenties or so, but within their eyes was a lived experience of those who were older. ¡°I see we¡¯ve many great warriors in our presence,¡± Rick said, noting the amulets and symbols of the various faiths and Orders. ¡°We¡¯re just simple folk, farmers. We don¡¯t have magics or great weapons, but we work hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯d assume so,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Farmers are hard working folk, so I for one am glad to have you with us. Plus, I¡¯m pretty sure I haven¡¯t annoyed you, so that¡¯s a bonus to me.¡± Rick noted the ears, but didn¡¯t say anything about them. Adam was an adventurer who worked for the Guild, so the Guild must have had some faith in him. Paul cleared his throat as he approached the scene, looking at the five groups. The farmers were part of the original group, and the two other Iron Rank parties had been found recently. He had his eye on other parties, but they had refused the task, finding other quests which had been far more favourable. The Vice Master¡¯s eyes caught Adam¡¯s, and the pair shared a look. ¡®Are you kidding me?¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes said.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡®I know,¡¯ Paul replied to Adam¡¯s gaze. He hoped that Adam would behave since he was technically the second highest ranking leader there, above the pair of parties who hated him. Adam slowly nodded his head, trying to reassure Paul. ¡°You will need to create an outpost towards the south west of Red Oak, I would suggest near or atop a hill,¡± Paul said. ¡°You should remain there for a month, and deal with any creatures you may come across, Outbreak or otherwise.¡± ¡°Oliver, the White Ghosts, are in charge, and hold the highest rank. Adam, and Fate¡¯s Golden, will take the role of the second leaders, just in case.¡± There was an exasperated sigh from the expected individuals, but Paul shot them a glare, quietening them down. ¡°You mentioned equipment from the Guild?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We have prepared a wagon for you outside. I expect that you¡¯ll all be leaving around noon, so you may check over what the Guild has provided you, and if you have need of anything else, ask freely.¡± The group didn¡¯t need to ask any more questions about the situation, they still had the pamphlets, as well as the ability to think about what would be an issue in a quest like this. A pair of mules waited for them outside, with a large wagon attached to them. The wagon was full of supplies, as promised by the guild. A myriad of weapons, from bows to pikes, some shovels, barrels of food for them, and for the mules, as well as equipment to make plenty of tents too. Zeus waited with the mules, with a small cart attached to him. It was full of spare ammunitions, though the giant elk also carried his own packs. Jeremy and Remy brought their wooden backpacks, which could easily carry an adult man if they needed to, though their packs were currently empty. ¡°Pay him no mind,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°He¡¯s too weak to bother with.¡± ¡°He¡¯s all bark and no bite, and I know that for certain,¡± Adam said, looking to Jonn. ¡°You hear that? Don¡¯t mind them, Jonn. We shouldn¡¯t bully some no name kids.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell back on to the harem party. ¡®Though, it would be fun to make them do chores around the town for a second month.¡¯ The group continued, and as evening was beginning to approach, they made their way to an outpost for travellers. The road had these outposts spaced roughly ten to fifteen miles apart. They each held about twenty people with ease, with half walls providing some minor protection. Fate¡¯s Golden and White Ghosts remained outside the walls, allowing the weaker parties to rest within the comfort of the camp, though they would all eat around the camp fire. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± the punk whispered. ¡°Terrible magic,¡± the young Wizard replied. ¡°He¡¯s a queer one.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an Elf.¡± Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Adam¡¯s Tower Adam chanted the words and willed forth a tower of magic, one with a bath at ground level, and a bedroom on the floor above. Lucy nodded towards Adam as he left to bathe, appearing a half hour later once he was thoroughly clean. He had taken off his nightval bear leather for the evening, since it was already quite cool. ¡°Did he just...¡± The punk blinked, staring in shock that Adam would spend a Third Gate spell just to bathe. ¡°Yes,¡± the Wizard girl replied. ¡°Elves,¡± the punk whispered. ¡°Oliver, Rick,¡± Adam called. ¡°If you guys and your fellows want to bathe, you can go on ahead once Fate¡¯s Golden is done.¡± ¡°A bath?¡± Rick asked, staring at the tower. Oliver raised his brows, before looking to his companions. ¡°We¡¯ll take you up on that offer.¡± Adam smirked at the two Iron Rank parties. ¡®You little bastards! Since you want to start some shit, walk around in your filth all you like.¡¯ The groups set up watches, with Adam¡¯s party taking watches an hour for each person, with Zeus and Hades assisting them, while the other parties needed to take two hour watches for each person. ¡®Ten should be the bare minimum, but twenty is nice,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Two people on watch is more comfortable.¡¯ Adam had taken first watch, from atop the tower, but as he finished and went to wake up Lucy, there was a shout from the camp. In the distance was a figure, walking in the late evening darkness. It appeared to be a fairly average person, save for something large atop their head. ¡®Hmmm,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Why does that look so familiar?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Who is this stranger? 356. Outbreak III 356. Outbreak III ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Adam asked as the others awakened, scrambling together in case there was a fight. The figure wore something on their head, like a large hat. As the figure approached, the group could see it wasn¡¯t a hat, but a large bird. ¡°I see you are doing well,¡± the one known as Crowseer said. He was a man with a large, dark bird resting on his shoulders, over his head. He was adorned in long cloths all about him, with a rapier at his side, and a cane in hand. His eyes were dark, though his face was hard to see under the thin cloth across his face. He stopped near the camp. His eyes moved in tandem with the large bird¡¯s, a crow Adam assumed, though it was bigger, and fatter, than any crow he had ever seen before. ¡°Well, you know...¡± Adam replied, waiting for him to mention that. ¡°You are still making great waves,¡± Crowseer, which was both a title and name, said. ¡°I have warned you already.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°You can.¡± Adam looked back to the others, noting Oliver, who reached back towards his greatsword, wondering if there was a fight brewing. ¡°Do you know of him?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°Kind of. He¡¯s a...¡± Adam looked towards the sky, then back to the Crowseer. ¡°I assume Demigod is incorrect.¡± ¡°It is close enough.¡± Crowseer bowed his head. Upon seeing the Crowseer, Jurot bowed his head slightly. ¡°Crowseer,¡± he said, and the other Iyrmen did the same. ¡°Children of the Iyr.¡± Crowseer raised a hand to greet them, before they returned back to their places to sleep. Upon seeing the Iyrmen leave, the farmers also withdrew slightly, but they remained nearby. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a Demigod before.¡± ¡°Demigod, Quasigod, Psuedogod,¡± Crowseer began, ¡°they are all incorrect, but correct.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°I merely wish to rest for the night here.¡± Oliver looked to Adam, and noting that the Iyrmen didn¡¯t seem too bothered, he retreated away. The punk¡¯s party and the harem party were still on edge, but they didn¡¯t act on their own. The Crowseer sat, upright as though his cane was glued to his back. ¡°Take a seat.¡± Though he was speaking to the air, they all understood he was speaking to Adam, who stepped towards the centre of the outpost, taking a seat opposite the Crowseer. The flame had begun to die out, though Adam placed several small twigs and thicker pieces of wood into the fire, stoking the flame with a stick. ¡°You are playing a dangerous game, Adam.¡± His words may have been firm, but they faded away after they reached Adam. ¡°I¡¯m being good and quiet now.¡± ¡°It may be too late for that.¡± ¡°What do you expect me to do?¡± Crowseer smiled. ¡°I am merely offering my opinion. If you do not wish to take my advice, it will be what it will be.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not going to take responsibility for your words?¡± ¡°No,¡± Crowseer replied, simply, smiling at the Half Elf. ¡°There are very few things I can, and will, take responsibility for.¡± ¡°No wonder I like you,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m at home.¡± Crowseer stared down at the flames, the flickering light painting him with light, adding a little warmth and colour to his cold darkness. ¡°You know, every time I meet you, there¡¯s always someone whose depressed as hell that eventually joins my party,¡± Adam accused. ¡°First it was Jonn, and then it was Fred.¡± ¡°A coincidence,¡± Crowseer replied, though there was a shadow of a smile on his face. ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied, rolling his eyes. ¡°A coincidence I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I should be thankful you are not rushing forward so blindly, otherwise the Iyr would have killed you.¡± ¡°Can you beat him?¡± ¡°It is not a fair question,¡± Crowseer finally replied. ¡°In his current form, he holds but a fraction of his strength.¡± ¡°Yeah, but can you beat him?¡± ¡°In his current form, perhaps even you could beat him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°If you were lucky.¡± ¡°Yeah, but isn¡¯t that true for everyone?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you as old as Strom?¡± ¡°I am not as old as you think I am,¡± Crowseer admitted. Adam wondered. ¡°Are there multiple Crowseers?¡± ¡°We are one.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam continued to wonder. Crowseer was far more talkative than Adam expected. He was sure Crowseer had let slip many secrets during their conversation, but he didn¡¯t understand the context to reveal such slip ups. ¡°What kind of powers do you possess?¡± ¡°You should sleep, Adam,¡± Crowseer said. ¡°Too far?¡± ¡°No, but you will not awaken well rested if I keep you up all night.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just sleep a little longer.¡± ¡°It would be rude of me to press upon you so much.¡± ¡°Is that really why you want me to leave?¡± ¡°No,¡± Crowseer admitted, smiling at Adam. ¡°If you do not leave, it will be difficult for me to leave.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Adam hoisted himself onto his feet, patting his trousers. ¡°It was nice to speak with you, Sir Crowseer.¡± ¡°Just call me Crowseer,¡± the man said. ¡°Alright.¡± Adam looked to the farmers. ¡°Are any of them, by any chance, the depressed person who will join me?¡± Crowseer smiled. Adam waved. ¡°Good night, Crowseer.¡± ¡°Good night, Adam,¡± Crowseer replied. Adam walked off, all the while the Crowseer¡¯s eyes flashed. Though only a moment had passed, time flashed before his eyes of another¡¯s life. ¡°Adam,¡± Crowseer called. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Please pass on my congratulations to the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Congratulations? For what?¡± Crowseer smiled, though the shadow on his face formed a frown. ¡®Oh dear.¡¯ His eyes fell across to the group of Iyrmen, and the Demon in their company. ¡®Fate will be forever changed.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Lore dump woooooo. 357. Outbreak IV 357. Outbreak IV Omen: 7, 9 ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Adam asked, sweeping his hair to the side. He pulled his breastplate over his nightval bear leather, which was already cooling him against the late dawnval heat. Jurot shook his head. ¡°Thinking.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What?¡± Jurot threw Adam a look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°Iyr business.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam nodded. When it came to the Iyr, the less he knew, the better he felt. He left Jurot to his thoughts, still finding it weird that he was thinking so deeply. ¡®How?¡¯ Jurot thought. He had awoken in the morning, and had found a long trail of ash from the camp fire. He followed the trail to find a symbol which had been drawn into the dirt by a cane. The Iyr¡¯s language was made up of several different ways to speak, from using gestures, to speaking in their tongue, to symbols which they usually left on the group for other Iyrmen. Jurot had read the symbol near the temple which had warned him about the great danger ahead, and if the statues hadn¡¯t been destroyed, they would have had quite the fight ahead of them. The Crowseer had very little to do with the Iyr, Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak were sure of that much. Yet, the symbol on the floor was undoubtedly the symbol which meant rising danger, danger which would come to them in the future. ¡®How does he know the symbols of the Iyr?¡¯ The language of the Iyrmen was secretive, and there were very few outsiders who spoke it. Then there were the symbols and gestures of the Iyrmen, which were kept secret, and some weren¡¯t described in detail to even Jurot. Though the symbol had meant rising danger, it held a much deeper and more accurate meaning, but that had not been taught to the likes of him yet. The Crowseer perhaps did have something to do with the Iyr, but he, Kitool, and Jaygak, were only Experts, so they may not have the privilege of such knowledge. ¡®I need to send word back to the Iyr.¡¯ Unfortunately, Jurot was busy on a quest. Dying in an Outbreak was a good death, but the question of dying for glory had been answered. They needed to live to inform the Iyr of this news. Jaygak could see how Jurot was deep in thought. It was something she rarely saw from the young Iyrman. Even when they were children, Jurot barely thought, preferring to do than to think. Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com The news that Crowseer knew their language didn¡¯t bother her much. Jurot and Kitool would bring the news back to the Iyr since she was the one most likely to die. Jurot had his rage to protect him when he was in the thick of things. Kitool had her mobility and her ability to cause creatures to freeze in place. Jaygak? She had Stormdrake. The group veered off to the side, away from the road, heading towards the distant hills. Adam could hear the grumblings whenever they took a break, and saw the two groups throw dirty looks towards him every so often. The punk fumed, but he remained calmed by his companions. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that you had to come along into a group like this,¡± Adam said, sipping on his waterskin beside Rick. ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°I think the Guild brought you here to babysit a bunch of children.¡± Rick looked back to the other group, which were full of youths, just like Adam¡¯s group. However, Adam¡¯s party had two very interesting individuals. ¡°Elves aren¡¯t liked much around these parts since that happened.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, donning his shield. Adam reached back casually and strapped his shield onto his arm. ¡°How strong are they?¡± ¡°Very,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Each is troublesome for an Expert.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What?¡± He looked out to see at least twenty of them, and each would be difficult for an Expert? ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that in the first place?¡± Adam moved ahead, watching as the other parties had already formed a dome around the carts, a shield wall ahead made up of the armoured group, and the ranged group behind them. Adam joined beside Jurot as the rest of his party formed at least half the wall since most of them were well armoured and preferred to fight up close. The ground began to rumble as the kurabaras charged towards them. ¡°We have to hold the line,¡± Oliver called, trying to calm the two younger parties. ¡°Can I Fireball them?¡± Adam asked, looking to his brother. ¡°Yes.¡± Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 30 (1, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 6, 6) 30 damage! Onward Soar: 0 -> 1 Mana: 15 -> 12 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 24 (2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 6) 24 damage! A quiet whoosh passed the group as Brittany shot her arrow, though it fell between a pair of kurabaras. The farmers also shot their own arrows, and continued doing so at the distant kurabaras. Adam raised his axe towards the group of kurabaras. ¡°Noonval¡¯s a bitch.¡± Though he was wrong in his complaints, for it was still dawnval, his words were full of magic. His axe glowed for a moment, before the glow concentrated towards the head of the axe, and a tiny bead made of light shot forward towards the raging kurabaras. The kurabaras were many metres away still, and arrows continued to fly towards them, though they dropped off the side of the creature¡¯s stone backs. However, the bead fell behind a pair, and expanded, exploding into a roaring fire as it encompassed three of the kurabaras within its range, which could have easily swallowed an entire party whole. The kurabras shook violently as the flames engulfed them all, causing them to cry and screech, but they continued to push forward. However, Adam was not quite so simple. Onward Soar fuelled him with greater strength, allowing him to cast another Third Gate spell immediately, as he called forth the magics once more. ¡°Explosion!¡± he shouted, cutting the air with his axe. The motions were needed to channel the magic, and his Wizard¡¯s Axe, which he could use as a focus, as the Mana flooded out through from his heart and through his veins. It was uncomfortable to cast Fireball so quickly, all within the span of a few seconds, but it was his greatest technique outside of guaranteeing critical hits. This time he aimed the Fireball to another set of kurabaras, focusing on whittling down their strength so that the others would have an easier time to deal with them. He aimed for the kurabaras which were on the opposite side, those which were charging towards the weaker parties which were sandwiches between the White Ghosts and Fate¡¯s Golden. Dunes and Vonda had also let loose a few spells, using their Tricks which had been empowered after they had become Experts. However, from the other end of the line, Oliver stared at the kurabaras. ¡®What?¡¯ He swore he had seen one Fireball, but then another had appeared immediately afterwards. He didn¡¯t know there was anyone who could cast such a spell within the group, but to see two Fireballs, back to back, was impossible. He assumed it was both the Priests, but in the split second of him thinking, he was certain neither of them could cast the spell. Dunes was Aswadian, but he was definitely a follower of Lady Arya, Goddess of War, so it couldn¡¯t have been him. The confusion only lasted a moment as another set of arrows loosened to strike the kurabaras as they braced for the creature¡¯s charge. Click banner for Patreon! I love Crowseer even if he does nothing plot relevant. I hope we see him again. 358. Outbreak V 358. Outbreak V Mana: 12 -> 9 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 28 (1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6) 28 damage! A third Fireball rocked the kurabaras, flooding them with flames which licked at their skins. The roaring fire had caused the kurabaras to stumble for a moment, but they continued to charge at the group of adventurers, not realising that the adventurers were the source of the magics. Well, one of them was. Adam had wounded almost half of the kurabaras, aiming for the kurabaras which were on their way towards the middle of the line where the weaker members of the group were. It had cost him half his Mana, but it had whittled down their defences. ¡®It¡¯s all up to you now,¡¯ Adam thought, gripping Wizard¡¯s Axe tight in hand. Arrows and javelins fell from the sky to strike the kurabaras, but none had yet to fall, before they crashed against the line of adventurers. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Health: 65 -> 31 The kurabaras swarmed the group, who stood side by side, shields up, weapons out. They crashed against the front line, causing them to stumble backwards, and the creature¡¯s teeth and claws came upon them like a storm. Adam grunted as he was forced back, taking a particularly harsh blow from one, only to find another striking at his thigh, and a third biting at his bicep. These kurabaras were mostly fresh, unwounded by his Fireballs, and they were the fiercest. Lucy and Jurot had both fallen into their rage as they were assaulted by their own set of kurabaras, their blood trickling from their wounds as teeth and claw found purchase within their skin, which was more like iron than flesh. Kitool managed to fall to the floor before a kurabara¡¯s jaw snapped the air noisily. They had braced for the blows, protecting the group behind them with their bodies. However, now the kurabaras were in their range. There was the crackle of lightning as Jaygak sliced a tail off, and though an arrow harmlessly clattered off the stone like back, a blade cut through the kurabara, flashing white hot as the creature¡¯s neck was cut, and one fell before them dead, Jonn¡¯s sword having dealt the decisive blow. Nobby fell into his own rage, allowing it to consume him as he swung wildly with his axe, though it scraped off a kurabara¡¯s stone shell. ¡°Lady Arya, please protect us with your might,¡± Dunes chanted, calling forth his divine magic, which filled the air. Blades appeared, and a gentle glow and warmth covered most of the group. The blades struck all the kurabaras within its range, piercing through with their divine light. Lucy swung wildly in her rage, almost cutting a kurabara in half. It cried out in pain, regretting that it dared to bite the one who claimed to be the Demon Lord. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 31 -> 36 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe, Flanking D20 + 8 = 15 (7) D20 + 8 = 20 (12) Hit! Mana: 12 -> 11 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 5 = 18 (2, 3)(4, 4) 18 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe, Flanking D20 + 8 = 24 (16) D20 + 8 = 26 (18) Hit! Mana: 11 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 5 = 17 (1, 4)(2, 5) 17 damage! Adam, annoyed that so many kurabaras had decided to attack him, gripped his axe tighter. ¡®Do I smell good because I¡¯m a Half Elf?¡¯ he thought, before all thoughts dropped away from his mind. Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°You cast those Fireballs?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°How?¡± ¡°With magic.¡± ¡°Yes. Aren¡¯t you an Expert with a weapon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an Expert with magic too?¡± Oliver asked. ¡®No, if he can cast three Fireballs, isn¡¯t he slightly more powerful than an Expert? So is he a Guardian? Does that mean he¡¯s a Master?¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I can see you¡¯re thinking deeply about it, but you probably shouldn¡¯t. I have a special relationship with magic and the Gods, and that¡¯s it.¡± Oliver stared at Adam. He was a Half Elf, which had been a point against him, but hearing that Adam was a powerful Wizard, or a Priest, or perhaps a Guardian, had certainly garnered some respect for him. ¡°Sorry I didn¡¯t cast Fireball to assist your group, but I assumed it would have been best to help the Iron Rank parties so they wouldn¡¯t get killed right away from some kurabaras.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Who would die to some kurabaras?¡± The punk growled. ¡°Kurabaras are difficult foes,¡± Oliver stated, firmly. ¡°Had he not cast his spells, you may not be able to complain to him about his assistance.¡± The punk shut his mouth and quickly stormed off. ¡°Thank you,¡± Oliver said, nodding his head. ¡°Any time.¡± ¡°Though... are you sure you should be wasting your spells like this?¡± Oliver¡¯s eyes passed over the large tower which Adam had summoned. Adam shook his head. ¡°From where I¡¯m from, they would think this was more than perfectly acceptable. If you don¡¯t want me to cast this spell, you should speak to the rest of my party and let them know that you decided to take away from them their greatest joy.¡± Oliver stared at the tower. ¡°May I take a bath later?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Of course.¡± Oliver remained staring at the tower. ¡®Did he... did he cast four Third Gate spells? Is he secretly a Grandmaster?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! PS With the XP Adam gains some from doing stuff during the small timeskips. Don''t forget, extra chapters for new patrons. Gold tier patrons are currently reading something pretty hype too. 359. Outbreak VI 359. Outbreak VI Lucy sat down beside Adam as the others continued to butcher the beasts, while Dunes and his Aswadian friend were set to cooking for the group. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°You know, I forgot that you looked just like a kid when we first met.¡± ¡°Are you hitting on me?¡± Adam gagged. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He continued to gag, turning to the side, as though he were going to vomit. Health: 51 -> 50 He rubbed his arm and smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m just saying. It¡¯s kind of wild. Magic is so... crazy.¡± She was tall, and though she was quite the bombshell, her body was far more muscular now than it had been when he had fed her his Mana. ¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t beat you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t tell my darling Cousins,¡± Adam replied. Lucy narrowed her eyes. She was sure he¡¯d mention the ability to bathe, but he had gone much further. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± Adam raised his brows, as though daring her. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I need you alive to tell my future wife how much of a great guy I am.¡± Lucy almost clenched her fist again, but she let Adam¡¯s joke slide. She hoped it was a joke. ¡®I¡¯ll never give my Mara to the likes of you.¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Did you think of something terrible?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡®Should I tell Taygak she was bullying me?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Did you think of something terrible?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°No.¡± Adam smiled. Jurot tore a kurabara¡¯s shell, and placed it down to the side, between himself and Jonn. Butchering was like meditation for Jurot, and the same with Kitool. Jonn assisted in butchering too, allowing Nobby and Brittany to take watch with a handful of others, while Adam and Lucy rested near the fire. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we have to split our loot with the likes of them,¡± the punk grumbled from nearby. ¡°To think he¡¯d try and claim he cast those Fireballs.¡± Mikayla, the Wizard of the harem party, threw a look elsewhere. She had seen Adam cast a Fireball right before her eyes as casually as one would swing a blade. However, could he cast three Fireballs? Plus the ability to cast Tower of Magic? ¡®Four Third Gate spells?¡¯ Other than the greatest Priests within the land, there were so few who could cast so many Third Gate spells. Once an adventurer was able to cast such spells, they would usually retire, but Adam seemed to be still adventuring. ¡®Is he trying to gain the knowledge of Fourth Gate spells?¡¯ Mikayla thought. ¡®I will need to inform the Wizards.¡¯ ¡°A damn leaf ear and a bunch of savages,¡± the punk grumbled, trying his best to butcher the kurabara. ¡°Hey,¡± his female companion called. ¡°Say what you want about the Elf, but be careful of the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Or what?¡± the punk snapped at her. ¡°What are they going to do? Kill me? Like how those damn leaf ears massacred my family?¡± ¡°If you want to die, do it by yourself, but don¡¯t involve us!¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®This guys needs to be more original in his hatred.¡¯ He sighed. ¡°What are you sighing about you bastard?¡± the punk growled towards Adam, who sat only a few metres away. Adam remained silent, ignoring the punk, staring at the fire nearby. The punk had called for a bastard, and not a decent young man like Adam. ¡°Hey! Wha-,¡± the punk snarled, before he was cut off. ¡°You should be quiet,¡± Jonn interrupted. ¡°We are trying to butcher the kurabaras.¡± The punk pulled away from his own kurabara, his hand covered in blood. He wiped his hands on his cloth. ¡°Who gave you the right to talk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you,¡± Jonn stated, simply. He wasn¡¯t going to let some petulant child try and talk down to him. ¡°So you think you can do whatever you like because you¡¯re stronger than me?¡± The punk glared at Jonn. ¡°I-,¡± Jonn began, only to be interrupted himself. ¡°You¡¯re both no good, starting fights with each other,¡± Azar said, sighing. ¡°When?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°When did we start a fight with them?¡± ¡°You keep goading the young Aldishman,¡± Azar said. ¡°I asked when we started the fight, not how we react when they start the fight,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hear that the Aldishmen from the south do not like Elves because of what they did,¡± Azar said. ¡°You cannot take it to heart.¡± ¡°Alright. Are you Aldish, Oliver?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great,¡± Adam replied. Jurot had stopped butchering, and paused to hear what Adam¡¯s mind had concocted. ¡°So because other Aldishmen treat me poorly, that means that I can now start trouble with you. If you react poorly, then you must remember, you cannot to take it to heart.¡± Adam smiled slowly. Oliver sighed. ¡®Gods take me.¡¯ ¡°Matter of fact, I heard that the Aswadians have an issue with the Awakened Forest which the Iyrmen have claimed. Quite a lot of Aswadian blood was spilled because of it.¡± ¡°A minor issue,¡± Azar said. ¡°We claimed it, but what the Iyrmen took it by blood.¡± Adam laughed. ¡°Jurot! You hear that? They claimed it and the Iyrmen took it by blood!¡± Adam slapped his knee, trying not to try. Jurot nodded. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Damn, that¡¯s so funny. Who told you such a load of auroch shit?¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°It is well known.¡± ¡°You hear that, Jurot? It¡¯s well known that Aswadia claimed it and the Iyrmen took it by blood. Well known, he says.¡± Jonn remained standing opposite Azar awkwardly. ¡°What is so funny?¡± ¡°Jurot, you want to tell him?¡± ¡°It was we who claimed the forest,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Of course you¡¯d say that, you¡¯re an Iyrman,¡± Azar said. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°He means that it was us. Jurot and I. We were there, along with a handful of other Iyrmen, when the forest emerged. We claimed the forest, and the Aldish, and the Aswadians, tried to claim it. Anyway, that¡¯s beside the point.¡± Adam stood, stretching out his back, leaning backwards and he looked down towards Oliver. ¡°So. John called my man¡¯s mother a whore. You said that we shouldn¡¯t expect to remain calm after that. One of your men is spouting a bunch of auroch shit about an Awakened Forest, and he¡¯s telling me that I can start random nonsense with you and that you shouldn¡¯t take it to heart because you¡¯re Aldish. He¡¯s also telling me that the Iyrmen here can start trouble with him freely, and that he shouldn¡¯t take it to heart because Aswadian soldiers tortured our companions when we were trying to find a cure for Jurot¡¯s mother.¡± Azar looked to Jurot, wondering if what Adam was saying was the truth. As far as he was aware, the Iyr had taken the forest by blood, and had stationed at least a thousand Iyrmen there. ¡°How are we going to resolve it?¡± Adam asked, politely. Oliver looked at the Iyrmen, who had stood, cleaning their hands on some rags, ready and waiting for a fight. Whatever Adam was saying, regardless of how much he was twisting words, as expected of an Elf, there was an obvious intent in starting trouble. The farmers glanced between the groups, unsure of what they should do. They had watched the entire scene silently. ¡°We are currently in the middle of a request to deal with an Outbreak,¡± Oliver said, sighing. ¡°If you attack him, then he may not be able to perform properly during the request. I will ask that all of you should put aside your differences until the end of the request. Then, you may go for each other¡¯s throat as you please.¡± ¡°He does not need a tongue to swing a sword,¡± Jurot said, finally. Click banner for Patreon! Am I still sick? Yes. Has it ruined my sleep again? Yes. Adam''s tongue is so devilish. 360. Danger And Outbreak I 360. Danger And Outbreak I Omen: 16, 16 ¡°You alright?¡± Adam called, looking to the porter cousins. The pair were panting heavily, carrying their packs full of kurabara shell plates. They had managed quite well, but with the slight incline of the gentle hills, their calves burned. ¡°We¡¯re alright, boss,¡± Remy replied, panting. ¡°Aye, we¡¯re all good, boss,¡± Jeremy added. ¡°I¡¯ll go ask for a break,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯ve been marching us like mules all day.¡± ¡°We¡¯re alright, boss,¡± Remy repeated. The pair didn¡¯t need to carry the kurabara shell plates, but they had taken on the burden so that the mules would be in better shape once evening came. The group stopped not long after, with calls coming from ahead. Adam approached, taking with him Jurot and Sir Vonda. At the edge of the hill was a small figure, currently aflame, chirping weakly. ¡°What is that?¡± Adam asked, squinting his eyes. ¡°Firebird,¡± Jurot stated, his voice clear. Sir Vonda raised her brows towards Jurot. ¡°A Firebird?¡± she asked, stifling a gasp. Jurot, who couldn¡¯t believed his eyes, nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Sir Vonda quickly rushed forward, but an arrow struck the Firebird, silencing its cries. Sir Vonda stopped, frozen in shock. Jurot blinked. He stared at the dead Firebird, before his eyes trailed towards the young woman clad in leathers, a long cloak over her shoulders. She placed away her bow, before noting the gazes towards her. James, the Priest who followed Ebony, stepped in front of his companion, shielding her from the wicked gazes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What have you done?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°It was dying,¡± he replied. ¡°We put it out of its misery.¡± ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I need to stop cursing, but goddamn, what is going on with these guys? They¡¯re utterly stupid. What are they? NPCs?¡¯ Sir Vonda¡¯s eyes were wide, and even with the scarf across her face, they could sense the frown on her face. ¡°You would let it burn to death?¡± James asked. ¡°It was a Firebird.¡± Sir Vonda tried to keep her voice calm. Mikayla gasped. ¡®A Firebird?¡¯ ¡°It may have been dying, but I could have saved it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± James asked. ¡°A Firebird? Are you sure?¡± Mikayla asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Sir Vonda quickly approached the small bird, but the creature was already half ash. ¡°What¡¯s a Firebird?¡± James asked, looking to Mikayla. ¡°A creature which brings with it a prophecy death and doom,¡± Mikayla said. ¡°Life and hope,¡± Sir Vonda corrected. ¡°It may bring misfortune to those which wish to use it for dark purposes.¡± ¡°What about to those who kill it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Death and doom.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell across James, and he sighed. ¡°Oh Baktu.¡± Vonda sighed, feeling the ash fall across her hands, and flow between her fingers. ¡°Man,¡± Adam said. ¡°There¡¯s no way that...¡± He sighed, looking across the entire landscape. ¡®Seriously. I¡¯m surrounded by idiots. If it isn¡¯t some little racist snob, it¡¯s a dense anime protagonist who thinks with his... no. He doesn¡¯t even think.¡¯ ¡°It is terrible,¡± Jurot said. ¡°A Firebird¡¯s feather is full of magic. One who holds a feather may cast a great spell.¡± ¡°What...¡± Adam sighed, shaking his head. He almost didn¡¯t want to ask the question. ¡°What kind of spell?¡± ¡°Revivify and Spirit Sentinels, of course,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to them. ¡°Mother Soza affords to me Revivify always,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Lady Arya gifts me Spirit Sentinels always,¡± Dunes added. ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked, squinting. ¡°That does make sense. Vonda, I¡¯d like you to take Create Food and Water too.¡± She nodded. ¡°As you wish, Adam.¡± ¡°If only I had Goodberry, then I¡¯d...¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡®God damn, I have so many spells,¡¯ Adam thought, before scanning across the list. Spells Available Goodberry ¡°Uh, nevermind,¡± Adam said. ¡°It seems I have Goodberry.¡± Goodberry summoned ten berries, each of which could heal a slight amount of Health, but they could also be used to sustain a creature for a day without food. Vonda and Dunes exchanged a look between one another. ¡®Of course you do.¡¯ Adam seemed to have the abilities of all the various magic disciplines, and the pair weren¡¯t able to be surprised by him any longer. ¡°That¡¯s enough food for ten out of seventeen, right?¡± Adam said, trying to do the calculations in his head. ¡°I¡¯ll cast it when I feel very lucky or very unlucky. We¡¯ll rotate the people who will use the berries for food that day.¡± ¡®It¡¯s probably not good for morale if I make people eat just a berry daily. Plus, I already have so many other spells which I¡¯ve prepared.¡¯ ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll need Counterspell?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll swap that out for Goodberry then, so I can keep my other spells available.¡± ¡°Which spells?¡± ¡°Goodberry, Healing Word, Hex, Shield, Mage¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Fireball, Fly,¡± Adam said. The pair could see the logic with each of the spells. ¡°So many Third Gate spells,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You can cast six of them daily?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t cast other spells,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°How many 1st Gate and 2nd Gate?¡± ¡°As long as it adds up to eighteen,¡± Adam said. Dunes slowly nodded his head. ¡®Even his magic is queer.¡¯ ¡°Wait, do you both have Sending?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied. ¡°It is available to all Priests.¡± ¡°I really should pick that up,¡± Adam said. ¡°So you two could send messages in case we get into any trouble.¡± ¡°Shall we take it?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just in case.¡± Vonda waited, seeing the question in Adam¡¯s eyes. She and Dunes knew what Adam wanted to say. Adam exhaled. ¡®No. I can¡¯t just ask them to send messages back to the Iyr casually.¡¯ They stared at Adam as he shut his eyes tight, arms crossed. They waited until he finished arguing in his mind. Adam stood and returned back to the centre of the outpost. Vonda and Dunes shared a look. ¡°Our leader is wise,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda said. ¡°He is.¡± The pair smiled at their joke. Click banner for Patreon! Adam? Wise? *Cries from laughter.* 361. Danger and Outbreak II 361. Danger and Outbreak II ¡°We¡¯ll keep two people on watch at all times,¡± Adam said over dinner. ¡°There are seventeen of us, so we can take one hour watches during the night. Nobby and Brittany will take watch along with someone else too. Technically, there will be at least four on watch at all times but, you know, two of them aren¡¯t people.¡± Adam motioned his head to Hades, his owl familiar, and Zeus, his giant elk steed. The farmers looked at the familiar and the steed. They hadn¡¯t seen the creatures eat even once. Whereas the mules, which were kept by the other group, required a great amount of feed, Zeus did not. Yet, the giant elk could move all night long if required, and had certainly been a great help in keeping a great pace. ¡°Adam?¡± Rick called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Pardon me asking, but why did you make the outpost so large?¡± Adam had noted that their outpost was much larger than the other group''s, and that had been by his request. ¡°Well, I was under the assumption that the Outbreaks wouldn¡¯t occur daily.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Rick replied. ¡°So it would get pretty boring on the days the Outbreaks don¡¯t happen. This way we can have enough space to do what we like in camp, right?¡± ¡°Right...¡± Rick stared at Adam for a long moment. That¡¯s when he realised it. Adam was a Half Elf. ¡°Since you¡¯ve asked me a question, could I ask you some too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How come you became an adventurer?¡± Rick paused for a moment, taken aback that Adam was interested in his past. ¡°We¡¯re farmers by birth. We became adventurers about five years ago. We wanted to make more money for our families, so we pooled our money to buy helmets, and we made our own shields out of wood and hide. We grabbed what weapons we had, axes mostly, and we adventured out during noonval and nightval.¡± ¡°Nightval?¡± Adam asked. Rick nodded. ¡°Dangerous work, but it paid well. As the months and years passed, we bought greater weapons, and armour too.¡± Rick pulled down his collar to reveal the chain shirt beneath. It was thin, but the man wore hide under it. ¡°Must be a killer during noonval,¡± Adam said. His nightval bear leather tunic had kept him quite cool, and he could only imagine how they were sweltering in their chain and hide. ¡°We drink a lot of water,¡± Rick said, throwing a look to Jurot. ¡°Thank you for that.¡± Jurot nodded in return, biting into his cheese and cracker. The cheese had matured over the time they had spent moving, and if he had left it for a few more days, it would have gone bad. ¡°We started off hunting bears first. There were seven of us, but...¡± He looked into the fire. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°We make sure their families are taken care of.¡± Adam bowed his head slowly. ¡°Farming doesn¡¯t make enough?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be able to drink every few days with our friends and family, but we can¡¯t do more than that. If we want to watch a tournament, we could stretch our coin, if we prepare for it months in advance, or if we pool our money and take turns.¡± ¡°We make enough money to pay for the Gods too,¡± John added. Rick nodded. ¡°We pay our monthly dues well enough.¡± ¡°How much are the monthly dues?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°A copper for each person, but we try to pay a silver for one person too,¡± Rick said. ¡°It¡¯s good to have the Gods¡¯ blessings.¡± ¡°True enough,¡± Adam said, glancing between Dunes and Vonda. ¡°I seem to be overpaying for my visits at the temple, but I suppose I rarely go.¡± ¡°How much are your dues?¡± ¡°I usually drop a gem for each of the Gods I follow. Lady Elaveil, Lady Arya, and Lord Sozain.¡± Sir Vonda¡¯s eyes piercing his cheek with their heat. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t have much connection to the other Gods, but I suppose I should pay my dues to them from now on too.¡± ¡°The Gods of Balance, War, and Death?¡± Rick asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°Don¡¯t you pray to Elvish Gods?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only half an Elf,¡± Adam stated, before smiling. ¡°I pray to those three because I have a connection with them.¡± ¡°A connection?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve helped me out before.¡± ¡°What did they do?¡± ¡°Lord Sozain granted me his powers, and then Lady Arya did,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lady Elaveil, well... I feel a little guilty, so I try to send her my prayers too.¡± ¡°Guilty?¡± Rick asked, intrigued. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She fought back the Sea Azai.¡± Jaygak squinted her eyes harder, before looking to Kitool, who nodded her head. ¡°Then who fought back the Dragon Turtle?¡± Jurot and Kitool stared at her for a moment. ¡°I meant from the Southern Sea.¡± The pair continued to stare. ¡°I meant in the last twenty...¡± Jaygak thought about how to word it. ¡°Almost twenty years ago.¡± ¡°Ten years ago?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Was it ten years ago?¡± ¡°Redblade?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam glanced between the Iyrmen, who were having their own conversation. ¡°Anyway, Vezar.¡± John nodded. ¡°She was old, then. In her fifties, I think. Is she...¡± ¡°She is alive,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it,¡± John said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯d love to meet her again to thank her.¡± ¡°I will send your request to meet her,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s fine,¡± John said, chuckling nervously. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother such a great warrior.¡± ¡°She saved your life, it is good to make such a request,¡± Jurot said. John wasn¡¯t sure how that worked, but he continued to smile nervously. ¡°If it isn¡¯t a bother.¡± ¡°You know...¡± Adam said, quietly. ¡°I mean, you guys can come by one day when we go back. It¡¯s not far from Red Oak, and you could stay a few days.¡± ¡°We will consider the offer,¡± Rick said, glaring at John. John chuckled again, glancing aside. ¡°Everyone in Red Oak knows the strength of the Iyrmen,¡± Rick stated. ¡°Red Oak and the Iyr work closely together,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°We¡¯ve no issues with the Iyr, and we¡¯ve no issues with others because the Iyr¡¯s nearby,¡± Rick said. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that the other towns and cities have forgotten,¡± Adam said. ¡°People from Central Aldland are terrible about that sort of thing.¡± ¡°They say those from Central Aldland don¡¯t like Iyrmen,¡± Rick said, looking to Jurot. ¡°Is that really true?¡± ¡°Some do not,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They do not teach them the stories of their past.¡± ¡°Which stories?¡± Rick asked. ¡°The Blackwater Crisis.¡± Rick nodded. ¡°Have you heard it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aye,¡± Rick said. ¡°The only story I know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a story most people have heard in Red Oak,¡± John said. ¡°We gather around a fire during nightval, and they sometimes speak the story.¡± ¡°They say the Iyrmen were outnumbered two to one,¡± Rick said. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It was four or five to one.¡± ¡°Is that right?¡± Rick asked, doubt in his eyes. Adam and the Iyrmen smiled. Click banner for Patreon! Thank you to the new patron! Enjoy your double chapter today. 362. Danger and Outbreak III 362. Danger and Outbreak III The days passed by, the group finished forming the outpost properly, and staked the area around the ditch every so often, leaving some gaps in case they needed to retreat. They had also made a bridge which could be cut to fall across the ditch to allow them to safely walk past it, and the gate had been made so they could lift it up with some slight effort.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only Adam would recast the tower daily, some time during the afternoon, and he would cast Goodberry then too. He, Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool each ate the berries whenever he created them, while the rest ate them on a rotation, save for Brittany and Nobby. He would then meditate to gather his Mana. He also used his Tricks trick to flavour some of the food, though only after the meal was cooked, as the farmers seemed quite hesitant with an Elf using magics on their food, even if he was only half an Elf. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 30 (1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6) 30 damage! Lucy sighed, watching as the remaining two wolves, each of which were larger than the others, retreated away. Six wolves lay dead from Adam¡¯s spell, and the group quickly approached them to gather them. Victory! Wolves XP Gained: +55 XP: 8795 -> 8850 ¡°Come on,¡± Adam said, smiling at Lucy. ¡°You¡¯re too good for wolves, Lucy.¡± Lucy returned back to swinging her axe, annoyed that there hadn¡¯t been a good fight. A few days had passed, and they had passed by too smoothly. It¡¯s not that she wanted an Outbreak to crush them, she just wanted a fight every so often. She could have asked the Iyrmen to spar with her, but they¡¯d probably spar too harshly. ¡°Plus, each of you are getting the XP anyway,¡± Adam said, smiling at them. Jurot narrowed his eyes, and slowly nodded his head. ¡®XP. Warriors and Wanderers?¡¯ Whenever it was time to eat, the group would gather together, save for those on watch, and stories would be told over food. The Iyrmen were eager to share the stories of their people, mostly those of their ancestors. Adam spent the time with the farmers, learning more about them. They had become slightly more comfortable with Adam and his group. Sir Vonda and John would speak about their mutual love of drawing and painting. She had shared her paints with him, and though one of John¡¯s pieces was a little too abstract for her, another was quite decent, a painting of the landscape around them. Adam noted that Charley, the strongly built warrior with dyed hair, would often times tap her fingers against her thigh, or the wall, and would often remain with Ivy, who continued to sulk in the shade. Greg, the strongly built man with the tattoo, remained mostly quiet. ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked, staring at Jurot. ¡°I am certain,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They are siblings.¡± Adam stared between Charley and Greg. Insight Check D20 + 1 = 10 (9) ¡°I can¡¯t really see it, but if you say so,¡± Adam said, before Charley confirmed it during a casual conversation. ¡®Damn, Jurot.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Charley asked, staring at Remy. ¡°No,¡± Remy said, shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯re not.¡± ¡°But you look the same.¡± ¡°Aye, we get that a lot.¡± Adam spoke with Rick more often than the others. The pair would workout in the mornings together. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about how useful your tower was,¡± Rick admitted. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to cool down in the heat.¡± ¡°I may be dumb, but I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine,¡± Rick admitted. ¡°That sort of thing¡¯s not something they do in Red Oak. I hear up north they do that sort of thing. They say half of them can read and write. I can¡¯t really write too well.¡± Adam shook his head slightly. ¡°Where I... yeah.¡± Adam tried to be more careful with giving out information about himself. ¡°I¡¯m alright with my letters and numbers. Not so good with the numbers, admittedly, but I¡¯m alright. Better with my letters.¡± ¡°They taught you good in the Elvish lands?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t born in the Elvish lands.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Rick said. He wondered if he should press, but decided against it. ¡°I try to read at the library when I have the chance.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°Costs a copper each time to get in, but you can read for the whole day. There¡¯s about fifty books you can read. If you want to read other books, you need to pay a silver, or a gold. I can spend the silver, but gold¡¯s a little harder to part with.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I get that. Hey, after this quest...¡± Rick stared at Adam, wondering why he had stopped. ¡°It¡¯s bad luck to say that sort of thing,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°Say, you¡¯re Iron Rank now. Adventuring for about five years. How long do you think you¡¯re going to be adventuring for?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on stopping any time soon. We adventure a little now and again, and usually we don¡¯t risk it with this kind of request, but the pay was great, and we¡¯re working with greater folk than us. When we heard there were three Iyrmen, and a Steel Rank party, we decided to accept. I think we¡¯ll keep adventuring, slaying our bears, making our silver, for years to come. Might reach Bronze, but we¡¯re fine with how much we¡¯re making for now. They say if you burn a candle brighter, it doesn¡¯t last as long.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Say, if you...¡± Adam paused again, wondering how to word it. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about...¡± He paused again, trying to understand what he wanted to ask, and if he should really ask. ¡°What about working as a guard for a business?¡± ¡°Sometimes we get that sort of request when a merchant comes by,¡± Rick said. ¡°Decent enough pay, but it¡¯s infrequent.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡®I¡¯m already training Nobby. What if I...¡¯ Rick waited for Adam to continue. It seemed the Half Elf had something to say. ¡°Would you like to put all your children through education?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If I had the gold. I¡¯d have the others send their children too. Might send them out to apprentice to smiths and the like if they¡¯re not good for letters and numbers proper.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam said with slightly more enthusiasm. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡®Interesting...¡¯ Before Adam could finish his thought, a whistle pierced the air, and the entire camp quickly burst into action, grabbing their weapons. They gathered like a swarm towards where the watchers were pointing towards. ¡°Stay out of this, Adam!¡± Lucy shouted as he darted onto the walls. ¡°I want to spill blood!¡± Click banner for Patreon! Expect two chapters tomorrow too because I got another patron! Thank you so much for your support everyone! 363. Outbreak And Danger IV 363. Outbreak And Danger IV ¡°No!¡± Lucy shouted in utter desperation. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 24 (1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 5, 6) 24 damage! ¡°Adam!¡± Lucy shouted. Adam raised his hand, wearing Wizard¡¯s Axe on his finger as a ring, and he felt the heat of magic flood through his veins towards his fingertips, beginning to channel his magic. In the distance were a group of five people who were fleeing from a pack of wolves. There were roughly eleven wolves, but this time there were four elder wolves, as well as another wolf which held a gem within its forehead. From Adam¡¯s finger, a small bead of fire shot forward, flying past the wolves. It exploded into a fiery inferno, wiping out four of the wolves in an instant, and two of the elder wolves were heavily wounded. Three of the group turned, quickly assaulting the nearby wolves, dispatching them with each with fist and blade, while two of them continued to run towards the outpost. The gates were lifted, and they pulled the ropes to allow the bridge to fall. Lucy darted out, causing the two figures to come to a halt. ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Lucy snarled. ¡°Don¡¯t let the wolves run!¡± The pair stepped aside, though one of them wielded a glaive which was silver and blue. However, Lucy darted past them, towards the wolves, followed by Jurot and Kitool. Kitool stepped towards the pair, and greeted them, before motioning a hand back towards the outpost. The two women quickly rushed towards the outpost. One wore a breastplate, and carried with her a long glaive, while the other wore robes which covered her from head to toe, and she carried a staff in hand. They were both dark skinned, about as dark as Dunes. ¡°Ah,¡± Dunes said, nodding his head towards the pair of women. The robed woman undid her hood, revealing her dark, beautiful face. Her hair was extremely dark, and her eyes were as blue as the deep ocean. ¡°It is wonderful to see you all,¡± she said with a slight accent. ¡°You have my deepest gratitude for your assistance.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Lady Shamia.¡± ¡°You as well, Jaygak,¡± the woman said, offering her hand to Jaygak. ¡°You know each other?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak said, taking the Lady¡¯s hand, bringing it up, though she didn¡¯t kiss it. ¡°This is Lady Shamia Waterveil, from Hakor.¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°Why does that sound so familiar?¡± ¡°They were beset by the gem troll.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I remember now. Jurot has the dagger.¡± ¡°He does,¡± Lady Shamia said. ¡°You must be Adam.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of me?¡± Adam asked, smiling, before quickly frowning, only to smile again. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Sorry, the last time a Noble said that, it wasn¡¯t great for me,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°What did you do?¡± Adam pointed to his ears. Lady Shamia seemed confused. ¡°You are an Elf?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A moment later, she bowed her head, recalling the tale of the Elves massacring an entire town. ¡°But you are a Half Elf.¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°Yes. Yes I am.¡± ¡°They blame Half Elves too?¡± ¡°Apparently so.¡± Adam looked to Jaygak, taken aback by Lady Shamia. ¡°You are greater than I imagined, Lady Shamia.¡± ¡°How great did you imagine me to be?¡± ¡°I thought you were like...¡± Adam smiled, stopping himself. ¡®Careful, Adam.¡¯ ¡°Oh, I just thought perhaps you held the same sentiments as other Nobles I¡¯ve met, but it appears I was incorrect.¡± ¡°I hope that it is a good thing.¡± ¡°He beat my aunt and then... beat Jurot¡¯s uncle an hour later,¡± Jaygak said, smirking wide. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s not speak of something like that to the good Lady.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Shamia asked, leaning towards Adam ever so slightly. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not an embarrassment to the Iyrmen. I¡¯ve heard they do not feel embarrassment in victory or loss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing for me,¡± Adam said, hiding his mouth behind his fist. Shamia tilted her head slightly, wondering what he was talking about. ¡°He then beat Jurot¡¯s aunt the next day,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Oh my,¡± Shamia said, her lips twitching slightly. ¡°What a great warrior you are.¡± ¡°Lady Shamia, if you keep complimenting me, my head will grow bigger,¡± Adam said, twitching his ears. ¡°It¡¯s already big enough.¡± The Hakorian Noblewoman smiled. ¡°You are a queer one, Adam. I suppose I should have expected, as you are a Half Elf.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said. ¡°That I am.¡± They gathered together around the still cooking dinner. Lady Shamia, though bringing little food, had brought a pouch full of spices, which she had offered the group to flavour their meals. ¡°Birdcats,¡± one of the Aldish looking fellows said. ¡°Almost a hundred.¡± Jurot nodded in response. ¡°They are quick, agile. They pose trouble for Experts.¡± ¡°That sounds like bad news,¡± Adam said. ¡°Can we handle them?¡± ¡°If you can cast your Fireballs,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will not worry.¡± ¡°Fireballs?¡± Shamia asked, staring at Adam¡¯s armour, his weapons, and then back to his eyes. ¡°Adam is an Expert with both axe and magic,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Are you a Master?¡± Shamia asked. ¡®Or is he a young Grandmaster?¡¯ Calling him a Master would have already been preposterous, so she dared not ask her thoughts. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°My relationship with magic is... special.¡± He smiled. Lady Shamia couldn¡¯t help but lean in closer. ¡®I wonder how much you cost, Adam.¡¯ Her eyes fell across the Iyrmen. ¡®You are already so deep with the Iyrmen, however...¡¯ ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll toss out some Fireballs then.¡± ¡°We are fortunate to face against Birdcats,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They possess small stones within their foreheads which can be used in all manners of ways.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Alchemy?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, not saying any more. ¡°You are an alchemist too?¡± Shamia asked, still surprised by Adam¡¯s abilities. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m that great of an alchemist but...¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Lady Shamia made a mental note to keep an eye on this Half Elf. There was definitely more to him than met her eye. ¡°Lady Shamia,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°He is my brother,¡± Jurot said, his face like stone, though she could see the pride in his eyes. Lady Shamia smiled. ¡®I suppose I can¡¯t buy him then.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I need to write more. I''m in the middle of writing interludes which are important but I also need to write the main story. Send help please. 364. Outbreak And Danger V 364. Outbreak And Danger V Omen: 8, 13 ¡°How are you all feeling?¡± Adam asked, looking to Rick and the farmers. Three of them were wielding long pikes, which would be used to strike from behind the others. Ivy and John both were holding their bows, sitting down at the wall, waiting for the creatures to appear. ¡°We are well, Adam,¡± Rick said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam nodded. He was adorned in his own puthral plate, wearing his nightval bear leather to keep him cool. ¡°Nobby? Brittany?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Nobby said. Brittany nodded her head, holding her deadwood bow tight. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°You two will be fine.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll rain death from the heavens and you can deal with the remaining few.¡± With over twenty of them, it certainly felt cozy within the outpost, and Adam was glad he had made it bigger than they needed. They each stuck to their own groups, with the archers, the porters, and Nobby ready to provide cover from the walls with their ranged weapons. The others were also on the walls, but they were also ready to approach the gate, which would be open for the creatures as they approached to walk into their death. They still needed to spot the creatures to know which gate to open, but they assumed it would come from the direction where the Hakorians had appeared. Fred stared out to the landscape, taking in the sight. ¡®This could be my last day.¡¯ He inhaled deeply, and let out a soft sigh. ¡®It¡¯s not a bad day to die.¡¯ ¡°Fred,¡± Vonda called. ¡°Sir Vonda?¡± Fred replied, awkwardly. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Nobby and Brittany,¡± she said. ¡°Of course.¡± Fred¡¯s lips twitched as he tried to smile. Vonda had asked Adam to place Fred in charge of taking care of the pair, and the Half Elf had agreed almost immediately. She hoped that it would help the young man, and that he would step up to the task. ¡°Beautiful day, ain¡¯t it?¡± Remy asked. ¡°Aye, it is,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°Lovely javelins, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Remy said, looking down at the pile of javelins beside him. ¡°That they are.¡± Adam looked out to the other outpost, which had been informed the previous evening. They were all ready to fight, Oliver having whipped them into immediacy. Adam wondered if there had been some push back by the Iron Rank parties. ¡®I hope they¡¯ll be okay,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If they die now, it¡¯ll be harder for us later.¡¯ He wondered how they¡¯d split the loot if an entire party died. A whistle was blown by the other outpost, and a wave of excitement filled the air. Adam¡¯s heart pounded as his eyes scanned the horizon, before they saw the creatures in the distance. They had certainly appeared from where they assumed, tiny specks in the distance. ¡¯s heart pounded and he tapped his breastplate, causing the others to glance in his direction. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, flashing a smile towards them. ¡°The wait¡¯s killing me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always the worst,¡± Lady Shamia said. ¡°The waiting.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I agree,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°The worst is when their claws are at your throat.¡± ¡°Jaygak?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Don¡¯t compare me to you, Jurot,¡± Jaygak said, smiling. ¡°I might be an Iyrman, but I¡¯m sane. I can¡¯t die before I find a nice guy with beautiful horns.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Adam said. ¡°What?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Sir Vonda, stay with Jaygak,¡± Adam said. ¡°She raised her death flag.¡± ¡®Death flag?¡¯ It was a shared thought between them all. Rick wondered how they could all joke like this, when the creatures were approaching. His hands were sweaty, and beside him, Charley tapped her legs, trying to keep them awake. Ivy pulled her bow close to her chest, and she muttered a prayer. ¡®Fuck,¡¯ Adam thought, shaking his head. For a moment, he thought about Lanarot. His face twitched, and he tried to keep the negative thoughts out of his head. ¡®There¡¯s twenty of us. Yeah, they might be an issue for Experts, but there¡¯s plenty of Experts here. With enough Fireballs, even Experts would fall.¡¯ ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, feeling his throat dry up. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about the kurabaras. How strong are these guys in comparison?¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered. He saw the creatures in greater detail as they charged towards the outpost. They were like panthers, though with light grey fur, and their tails seemed to be spiked. ¡®Why the hell are they called birdcats?¡¯ Rick and the others let out a sigh, and stretched out their muscles, far more eager after the prayer. ¡®I¡¯ll spend a gold on the library when I go back.¡¯ ¡°Iyrman,¡± one of the Aldish called. He was referred to as Twobones, and Adam assumed it was because he wielded a pair of blades, each of them made of bone. ¡°Ten gold to see who kills more?¡± ¡°Ten gold,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°What of one of you?¡± the other Aldishman, Ironblade called. He was tall and wide, and carried with him a greatsword, though it seemed to be made of something darker than iron. ¡°Sure,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Ten gold. I¡¯m not as strong as Jurot, but I¡¯m confident in my sword.¡± ¡°Mighty fine sword that is,¡± Ironblade said. ¡°Want to bet it?¡± ¡°Even if I was confident, I can¡¯t,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It was a gift from a friend.¡± ¡°A friend gifted you the sword?¡± Ironblade asked. ¡°A very good friend of mine,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°It will bring me much glory.¡± ¡°What a shame.¡± Ironblade chuckled. Adam smiled from behind his helmet. Then he quickly frowned. ¡®God damn it, Jaygak.¡¯ ¡°Sir Vonda, please.¡± Sir Vonda looked up at Adam, but bowed her head. She assumed it had something to do with flags of Lord Sozain. ¡®What does that even mean?¡¯ ¡°Jonn?¡± Adam asked, watching as the creatures grew larger, not minutes away. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a spell called Aid?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Do you have it prepared?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Please cast it on Brittany, Nobby, and Lady Shamia,¡± Adam said. Jonn turned to Lady Shamia. ¡°Why us? It would be better cast upon those in greater danger.¡± Lady Shamia and the two would remain away from the fight. ¡°Just in case,¡± Adam said. ¡°It will keep my heart calm. Please.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Lady Shamia said, giving in to Adam¡¯s request. She wasn¡¯t a fan of others casting a spell on her, but Jonn was a member of Jurot¡¯s party, so she trusted him that much. Jonn chanted, calling forth his magic, casting the Aid spell upon the trio. Adam swallowed, looking up at Hades, and then back to Zeus. Zeus was to engage to block them off if they overran the fort, and his task was to make sure the two youngsters were safe. That¡¯s when Adam realised something, something he should have realised long ago. ¡°Jonn?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have Find Steed too?¡± Jonn remained silent. ¡®Oh,¡¯ the Guardian thought. ¡°Archers!¡± John, the archer, called out, finally. The creatures were so close to firing range, and he had been given the task of commanding the archers. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought, seeing the creature¡¯s tails, which were feathery. ¡®So that¡¯s why.¡¯ ¡°Nock!¡± John shouted. Click banner for Patreon! So it begins. 365. Outbreak and Danger VI 365. Outbreak and Danger VI The arrows fell, three at a time, though only one had managed to find purchase from several waves. Adam was more eager, however, as he noted something about the Outbreak. It had split off as Jurot had suggested, with more than half still rushing towards their outpost, but there was something else about it. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 29 (1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6) 29 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 15 -> 12 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 24 (1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4, 6) 24 damage! As Adam channelled his Mana from his heart through his veins, the fire flashing out of his finger tips, he smiled. The birdcats were all bunched together, which allowed Adam to rain down death from above with great effectiveness. When the fire cleared, the birdcats screeching in alarm, Adam noted that a large number had died to his Fireball, though he didn¡¯t spend much time thinking about it. He inhaled deeply, flexing his muscles, causing his heart to pound wildly as he cast another Fireball immediately. ¡®Did he just?¡¯ Lady Shamia thought in alarm, her eyes wide as she stared at the Half Elf beside her. She had held out her hand to cast a spell too, wanting to surprise the group with her own magic, before she realised that Adam had cast Fireball twice, and impossibly quick at that. Mana: 12 -> 9 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 29 (1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) 29 damage! By the time the three Fireballs had landed, the birdcats had been thinned down to almost a third of their original size, and the arrows and javelins finished the birdcats which had been wounded. Victory! Birdcats XP Gained: +1800 XP: 8900 -> 10 700 ¡°Jurot...¡± Adam called, staring at the dead birdcats before them. ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot asked, wiping his axe blade clean. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that too easy?¡± Lucy sniffled, hugging her Destroyer, her precious greataxe. ¡°Shut up, Adam.¡± ¡°Three Fireballs would cause even Dragons to pause,¡± Jurot said. ¡®Three Fireballs!¡¯ Lady Shamia thought. ¡®Three! No, not just three, but four? He cast Mage¡¯s Tower earlier in the day as well!¡¯ Rick and the other farmers let out a long sigh of relief. The group had managed to defeat the birdcats with ease, especially with the Iyrmen and the others acting as their vanguard. Twobones and Ironblade handed the coins over to the Iyrmen, who had managed to not only step forward to take the brunt of damage, but had also struck with such great ferocity. The Iyrmen had then charged towards the second fort, leading the group onward to strike the birdcats from behind. Don¡¯t bet against Iyrmen. They grew up in their village hearing the phrase constantly. Even so, they couldn¡¯t help it. They were much older than the Iyrmen, and though they probably could have fought with greater vigour, it was refreshing to fight with such great warriors beside them. The Iyrmen didn¡¯t reveal their secret, though it meant that they would be harmed for acting as the vanguard. They would have to inform their Beastmother of the Iyrmen¡¯s heroism. ¡°This is only the first Outbreak,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°The next will be far more dangerous.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay.¡± Even though Sir Vonda had warned Adam, she couldn¡¯t help but feel it had been too easy too. They hadn¡¯t the chance to even cast their own Third Gate spells, and their Aid had been useless. The entire group realised just how easy they had it with Adam around, and though it brought much relief to some, it also brought darker feelings within others. ¡®Why am I even here?¡¯ Fred thought. As they butchered the creatures, Adam noted just how many of them he had killed and wounded with his Fireball. Though he had thinned them out, he realised the creature¡¯s had been heavily damaged, many of their feathers burnt to a crisp. Oliver approached, his own group also butchering their kills. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Oliver,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Lovely weather we¡¯re having.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Oliver replied, noting Adam¡¯s smile. ¡°Come to thank the brave warriors who came to assist you?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head to Jurot and the others. ¡°Yes, though I also wished to speak with you.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°The others are stating their disapproval.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, blinking rapidly. ¡°Disapproval? For helping?¡± ¡°No. They are annoyed that so many of the birkis are poorly dealt with.¡± Adam tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡®Birkis?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Oh,¡± Jaygak said, having forgotten that Lucy was the Demon Lord for a moment. ¡°What if they do want to kill you?¡± ¡°Why would our precious little Cousins want to kill me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Iyr could ask them to.¡± ¡°They could?¡± ¡°If the situation calls for it.¡± ¡°They¡¯d really send my adorable Cousins after me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t hurt them.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Would you?¡± ¡°Never.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°Just in case, I¡¯ll come with them, and so will Kitool.¡± ¡°Not Jurot?¡± ¡°He would not kill his brother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should feel good about that when my adorable little Taygak will skewer me.¡± ¡°If it comes to it, I¡¯ll be the one to kill you.¡± Jaygak smiled. Adam blinked. ¡°Thanks?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to use something other than Stormdrake, but you are quite strong, so I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± ¡°Jaygak... you¡¯re joking, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Jaygak laughed. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t use Stormdrake to kill you.¡± Adam blinked again. ¡°You¡¯d really kill me?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Aunt Sonarot, of course,¡± Adam replied, seriously. ¡°You¡¯d want her to kill you?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Of course, you can be there to keep me at bay, just in case I¡¯ve lost my mind and I dare to attack her.¡± ¡°You trust me that much?¡± ¡°After Jurot and Aunt, you¡¯re the one I trust most, and Kitool of course.¡± Jaygak smiled. Lady Shamia, who had wanted to talk to Adam, remained sitting awkwardly away from them. ¡®What are they talking about?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you want me to kill you?¡± Jurot asked. Adam remained for a long while. ¡°If it came to it, I¡¯d hope it was you.¡± Jurot nodded. Kitool remained silent, but she rubbed her throbbing head. ¡®Baktu help me.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam is... strong? Also what was that conversation? 366. Outbreak and Danger VII 366. Outbreak and Danger VII Omen: 7, 17 Adam howled with laughter, almost crying from his laughter. ¡°Wait! Wait! Stop!¡± Adam slapped his knee, before falling against the wall. ¡°Jurot! Jurot! Come here!¡± Adam cried.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com Jurot, who was standing nearby, stepped closer. Adam slapped Jurot¡¯s thigh, before falling down as he continued to cry and laugh. His stomach hurt from all the laughter. Oliver sighed. Eventually, Adam managed to get back up on his feet, gasping for air. ¡°Well, well, well.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, sighing moments after to calm himself. ¡°How the turn tables, turn table.¡± Adam looked past Oliver, towards the other fort, where no doubt they were all loitering about in their stupidity. ¡°You come to me, on the day of my daughter¡¯s wedding, and you ask me to cast you a tower?¡± Adam shook his head, tutting noisily at Oliver. ¡°Come now, Oliver.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you for the sake of morale,¡± Oliver said. ¡°It¡¯s taken quite the toll on our group.¡± ¡°Morale?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Morale? Where was this talk of morale when those bastards were constantly starting fights with me? Where was this talk of morale when you kept the food for yourself? Where was this talk of morale when you came to me, yesterday, after my group came to assist yours, about leaving us with the burnt loot?¡± Oliver sucked in a breath through his teeth. ¡°Why the hell should I give a shit about those two bastards?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Careful, Adam, one of them is a Priest.¡± ¡°Why the hell should I give a shit about that bastard, and that holy bastard?¡± Adam corrected. Oliver¡¯s head snapped to attention at Adam¡¯s curse, and he reflexively muttered a prayer. ¡°Adam, please.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask a third time,¡± Adam said, almost growling. ¡°We are in this together, Adam.¡± ¡°Are we?¡± Adam raised his brow, staring into Oliver¡¯s eyes. ¡°I suppose I should be the bigger man here, though. Jurot, what do you think?¡± ¡°We are in this together,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Whatever issues arise, we should deal with them once the request has been completed. If they take advantage of us, it is fine. We will know not to deal with them in the future.¡± ¡°Wise words from my brother here,¡± Adam said. ¡°Those two parties too?¡± Jurot remained quiet for a long moment. ¡°I do not like it, but it must be done.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Since my brother has such a lovely heart, then I suppose I should. However, I¡¯m not making a tower. If they want to bathe, they can drag themselves here to bathe, once my group is done with the baths. If I¡¯m feeling nice, I¡¯ll even clean the baths for them.¡± Oliver nodded his head. ¡°Thank you, Adam. I hope that you are willing to allow us to bathe every few days, or after a fight.¡± ¡°I hope you bring a fresh barrel of food,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure your Priest can cast a spell to help you with your food situation.¡± Oliver bowed his head, sighing once more. ¡°You guys were so stingy about the supplies and the hides, but I¡¯ll be a nice guy. I¡¯m sure if I don¡¯t, you guys will all say some nasty stuff behind my back about me being a no good leaf ear.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Once Oliver left, Adam threw Jurot a look. ¡°You see this shit?¡± ¡°I do, Adam,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°It only brings us honour, and them, shame.¡± ¡°Half Elves have always been decent people,¡± Lady Shamia said. She was trying to keep the conversation from last night out of her head. Seeing the two as close as this after talking about killing one another made her confused beyond belief. ¡°That would stop the Empire?¡± ¡°Even if they do not know of the Iyr¡¯s might, which is hard to believe, the Iyr¡¯s grasp extends all across Aldland, and it¡¯s influence also reached Aswadia. They are protected by the Iyr against foreign threats, and if they are not, they could easily make a deal to formally make it so.¡± Adam whistled ¡°Damn. The Iyr is cool.¡± Shamia smiled. ¡°Perhaps I could visit the Iyr and speak with your Chief?¡± ¡°We shall take you, Lady Waterveil,¡± Jurot said, emphasising her clan¡¯s name. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jurot nodded. He wondered if the Iyr would assist Hakor and the Confederacy. ¡°My ancestor, Jarot, the Liberator, assisted the Devilkin in Aswadia and some portions of the Confederacy.¡± ¡°Jarot? Do you mean Giahroh?¡± Shamia asked. ¡°That is what they call him in your land, yes,¡± Jurot said. Shamia¡¯s eyes fluttered rapidly. ¡°You are descended from Giahroh?¡± Jurot smiled, and puffed out his chest. ¡°Yes.¡± Even the female guard beside Shamia let slip an expression of surprise. ¡°Even to this day, there are many Devilkin towards the south and the east of the Ejirates, and very little from the north due to Great Giahroh¡¯s influence,¡± Shamia said, still taken aback by this news. ¡°The Gaks were from Aswadia, but the Jyns came from further east, from within the Confederacy,¡± Jurot explained, partly for Adam. ¡°I should have realised,¡± Shamia said. ¡°It seems it was Fate we met. You are the descendant of Great Giahroh, who had come with his Iyrmen. He conquered the Rukhs, and had liberated the Devilkin from the rule of the Dragons. The lands once held such a large number of Dragons, but they had been thinned in no small part thanks to Great Giahroh. Even now, we can only say we managed to liberate ourselves due to his actions.¡± ¡®Yo!¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes wide. ¡®What the hell? Jurot¡¯s ancestor was such a bad ass!¡¯ ¡°So the Dragons once ruled across the Confederacy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes. There are many still within the lands. Many slumber for decades and centuries. Others keep to themselves, and some run their own cults within our lands. However, there are many which work with the Confederacy¡¯s Ejirates in exchange for a portion of our taxes.¡± ¡°Ah, like the Gold Dragon in the capital?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jurot. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Is it still the same Gold Dragon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn. How many years has it been since the Blackwater Crisis?¡± ¡°Two thousand,¡± Jurot said. Adam blinked rapidly. ¡°What?¡± ¡®Two thousand years?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! An early chapter? Thanks to the new patron! I''m fixing my sleep still but I have been writing a lot to keep up! I''m loving the recent chapters I''m writing and they''re only getting better for me. I can''t wait to show you all! I forgot how much I loved this chapter too. 367. Outbreak And Danger VIII 367. Outbreak And Danger VIII ¡°That¡¯s insane,¡± Adam said, still trying to process all the information. ¡®So that means, what, it¡¯s been two thousand years since Blackwater Crisis. Since then, the Iyr has pretty much kept all its lands? Aldland has basically remained stable since then, and Aswadia too?¡¯ Adam rubbed his head, trying to massage the information into his brain. ¡°So that means the Dragon is at least two thousand years old?¡± ¡°At least, yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She may be closer to three thousand.¡± ¡°Insane. Does that mean she has a Spark then?¡± ¡°I would believe so,¡± Jurot said, though he couldn¡¯t say for certain. ¡°Wow. How strong is she?¡± ¡°She is the strongest, save perhaps Lord Stokmar,¡± Jurot said, thinking about how the pair would match up. One was made by the Gods, the other was a being out of reach of Divine influence. ¡°Damn. How strong is she compared to the Chief?¡± Adam asked, unable to contain his excitement. ¡°The Great Elders together would find it difficult to defeat her,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Together?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam shook his head slowly. ¡°That¡¯s insane.¡± ¡°That is what it means to be an Ancient Dragon.¡± ¡°So does that mean Strom is pretty damn strong too?¡± Adam asked, not knowing that Strom had already defeated Jurot¡¯s grandfather, Kitool¡¯s grandaunt, the Chief, and other Iyrmen simultaneously. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Crazy,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I knew he was strong, but...¡± Adam tried to understand just how strong that could be, trying to use the mechanics of the games he had played before. ¡°So if Lord Stokmar didn¡¯t wake up, that Gold Dragon would have been the strongest in the entire land?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Crazy,¡± Adam whispered again. ¡°As a Dragon, her wealth also assists her. Dragons gain a small boost to their strength from their hoard.¡± ¡°The hoard of a Dragon whose collected taxes for thousands of years...¡± Adam stared into Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡°Insane.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How much stronger is she then?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is a small amount, but enough to surpass other Dragons of similar age.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± Adam made a mental note to behave in the capital. ¡°Do you think...¡± Adam began to whisper. ¡°You think they ever think about killing her for her gold?¡± Shamia leaned in too, feeling equally as naughty. They had moved on from such a dark topic, so she was glad to push away thoughts of the Empire for now. ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°It would be a death sentence. Killing a Gold Dragon is a taboo, as they are at the least favoured by the Gods, even if they work outside their influence. She must also have many great traps protecting her lair from her millennia of protecting the capital, and it would be inaccessible to most.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Whoa...¡± ¡°It would be a terrible idea to do so. She grants great magical boons from her presence alone. The capital is only prosperous due to her influence. It is so large that it holds the entire population of North Aldland inside a single city.¡± Adam whistled again. ¡°Whoa,¡± he said, again. ¡°If the capital wished to create an army, they could create twenty thousand soldiers in the span of days.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Mikayla said, withdrawing away from Adam, towards the tower. ¡°If she steps into my tower, I¡¯m going to beat her unconscious,¡± Adam warned. ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda called, calmly. ¡°There is no need for that.¡± ¡°I assure you, Sir Vonda, there is a need for it,¡± Adam said, standing. ¡°If she takes one step into my tower, I¡¯m going to beat her unconscious.¡± Adam glared into James¡¯ eyes. ¡°No you won¡¯t,¡± James said. ¡°You can¡¯t stop me,¡± Adam said, ¡°Even with your armour, even with your companions beside you, you wouldn¡¯t be able to.¡± Adam raised his hand, twiddling with his ring. ¡°I don¡¯t need to cast Fireball to deal with you, but if I need to, I¡¯ll be sure to drag your crispy corpse back to Oliver. Then I won¡¯t need to worry about destroying half the loot with my Fireballs, because we¡¯ll have more to be spread between us.¡± James swallowed, glaring at Adam. His mace was right at his side, and his amulet was still across his chest. However, even with them, Adam was a difficult, if not impossible, fight for him. ¡°We¡¯ll bathe and leave, and you won¡¯t hear from us again.¡± ¡°I dare you to give me an excuse to beat you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°For the sake of my good Lady, would you be willing to forgive her?¡± James asked. ¡°Lady Ebony will surely bless you.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam said, keeping the man¡¯s eyes on his own with his glare. ¡°I¡¯m going to love beating her.¡± ¡°You would not show Lady Ebony respect?¡± James asked, trying to invoke the name of his Goddess again. ¡°You may love Lady Ebony, but I¡¯m rather partial to Lord Sozain. Matter of fact, I might even have to send him another soul tonight.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes remained glued to the Priest¡¯s. ¡°Iyrmen... can¡¯t you do something about this?¡± James asked, unable to take his eyes away from the Half Elf¡¯s. Mikayla remained stunned, gripping onto James¡¯ shirt from behind. ¡°Do something about your Elf.¡± Jurot stood as the two other members of the harem party appeared, wondering what was taking so long. ¡°If you do not leave now, I will drag you out,¡± Jurot said, his eyes narrowed slightly. Kitool and Jaygak both stood too, noting the dark look on Jurot¡¯s face. They, who had grown with Jurot, understood things had escalated too far. ¡°Come,¡± Kitool said, approaching the Wizard. ¡°I will guide you out.¡± Jaygak followed Kitool for a few steps, before stopping, standing between Jurot and the Wizard. James glanced between the Iyrmen, noting that something had gone wrong. ¡°Mikayla, go with the Iyrman.¡± Mikayla gasped, gripping his shirt tighter, but she relaxed her grip and followed Kitool out. She ignored the gazes against her, turning beet red. Once she stepped out of the outpost, Jurot sat down, returning to his meal. ¡°You better not be celebrating your Goddess in the baths,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to clean that up.¡± James swallowed, slowly retreating to the tower. Once the group was out of sight, the camp returned back to normalcy, in some sense. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Shamia asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Did you have some prior issues with that party?¡± ¡°We saved their lives and the Wizard tried to accuse me of rape,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°Oh.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Damn. So close to beating them up. 368. Outbreak and Danger IX 368. Outbreak and Danger IX The days continued to pass. At all times, two people were left on watch, even with the arrival of Lady Shamia and her group. They did, however, make it so that Vonda, Dunes, and Adam could skip watches. It was always best to have one¡¯s magic users ready and fresh for the fight. Space had become cramped thanks to the arrival of a second giant elk in the form of Jonn¡¯s steed, but everyone was more comfortable with another set of eyes. Adam yawned, staring up at the sky. He had been informed that the few days after an Outbreak were likely to be safe, which left him more mental space to think as he pleased. He had thought about Rick and the other farmers, wondering what he could do to entice them into joining his future business. ¡®Isn¡¯t it already so perfect?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Food, shelter, education, healthcare, entertainment. Everything would be taken care of. I should definitely offer the chance to become an Expert...¡¯ Adam stretched out his body, before crossing his arms, staring at the sky. ¡®Money. That¡¯s what I need. Money. Monies. Monay. Enchanting, right? I gotta enchant. Make some bespoke magical weapons for Nobles, because they¡¯ve got money to burn. I need to bribe them properly too so they let me work in peace.¡¯ He rubbed his eyes. ¡®Can I enchant in peace in the Iyr? Will they even let me sell those weapons? I think they said okay, but...¡¯ ¡®What if I trained adventurers to become Experts, and then take a cut of their loot until it was paid back? No, how could I know they were reporting stuff properly to me? Then what if they disappear to another land? Am I really going to chase them across the world for money?¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡®Enchanting it is, I suppose.¡¯ Adam sighed during dinner, taking a bite into a bird which had been shot down and roasted. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Vonda asked. It hadn¡¯t been long since he had been harassed by the other parties. She hadn¡¯t understood how it felt, since she was both Aldish and a Priest, but she sympathised with him. ¡°I miss my Lanababy,¡± Adam whispered. ¡®Are you eating well? Do you miss papa? Damn it! Why did I decide to leave the Iyr?¡¯ Vonda couldn¡¯t help but smile under her scarf. ¡®If he¡¯s being this cringe, he must be well.¡¯ ¡°Are you close with your sister?¡± Shamia asked. ¡°I¡¯m the brother closest to her,¡± Adam said. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Obviously I am.¡± ¡°You are not.¡± ¡°Come on, Jurot.¡± Adam pulled back, squinting at Jurot. ¡°Are you really going to tell me you are closer to Lanarot than me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him, Lady Shamia. This is the one time Jurot is wrong.¡± ¡°I am not.¡± Adam was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected that Jurot would have fought him on this hill. Adam looked to Jaygak and Kitool for support. ¡°Jurot,¡± Jaygak called, ¡°are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, sternly. ¡°The Iyr is north west from our position, and Adam is further east than me.¡± Adam blinked. Rick choked on his soup, coughing to the side. ¡®Did the Iyrman just make a joke?¡¯ ¡°Lanarot is certainly closer to Adam when it comes to playing,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You almost had me, Jurot.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°For now.¡± Jurot caught Adam¡¯s eyes.Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°Two waves?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Will it be as brutal as the last time?¡± ¡°No. It will be much worse, I¡¯m sure of it.¡± Adam sighed. Victory! Wolves XP Gained: +50 XP: 10 700 -> 10 750 ¡®It¡¯s still splitting all the XP to everyone else, eh?¡¯ Adam smiled. ¡®How long do you think it¡¯ll take for Nobby to Level Up?¡¯ [Nobby has already levelled.] ¡®Really?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Oh.¡¯ Adam looked to the tall, strapping young lad known as Nobby. ¡®Well, that¡¯s nice.¡¯ Adam had made it a small habit to speak with Bell every evening, though he had also done the same to Hades and Zeus. ¡®What do you think? Can we beat the Outbreak?¡¯ [If you do not, everyone dies.] ¡®Charming, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ [Yes.] Omen: 3, 9 There was a deep blood lust in the air. Jurot and Lucy had butchered the wolves well, adding them to the loot they had claimed so far. ¡°We did well last time, but today it will be far more difficult,¡± Adam called. ¡°I¡¯ll Fireball a bunch for the first wave, and I¡¯ll keep some just in case for the second wave. If things look like they¡¯re going south, well, I¡¯ll be sure not to hold back.¡± Everyone was equipped with at least five javelins which they could toss out during the first wave, while the archers each carried a quiver full of twenty arrows, but also had quivers tied to the walls some paces away. The two giant elks were about too, eager to help, with Hades sitting atop the tower. Adam had remade the tower right before he went to sleep so he didn¡¯t need to cast it until the night, hoping they¡¯d be able to deal with both waves before evening came. Dunes, Vonda, and Jonn kept their Aid spells for when the creatures would appear, and they would again cast the spells on the same few as previous. Adam wanted to make sure that the Lady and his two younger companions would be safe, considering they were the weakest in terms of Health. Adam¡¯s heart pounded wildly. ¡®Why did I leave the Iyr? This was such a stupid idea. What¡¯s the benefit of fighting here?¡¯ XP: 10 750 Adam calmed, staring at his XP. That¡¯s when he realised. ¡®Wait. Won¡¯t I...¡¯ He smiled. The whistle was blown, and the group readied themselves, staring off towards the horizon. The wait began to eat at them, but the mutterings and chanting of the spellcasters filled them with some respite. All the while, the creatures grew larger as they charged towards the outpost. ¡°Oh Baktu,¡± Adam groaned. ¡°It just had to be bears.¡± Click banner for Patreon! I didn''t realise but I wrote a bunch recently. I''ve almost fixed my sleep. I have so many interludes to write too. 369. Outbreak and Danger X 369. Outbreak and Danger X ¡®At least they¡¯re not normal bears,¡¯ Adam thought. In the distance, they came, a group of a hundred or so. They were bears the size of men, their furs a multitude of browns and reds. Between their shoulders were a pair of heads, which snapped with frenzied delight. The ground rumbled, all the while Dunes and Vonda muttered their prayers to their Goddesses. ¡°Nock!¡± John shouted, causing the three archers to draw their bows. Three arrows shot towards the heavens as the group prepared themselves. The arrows struck a bear or two from their multiple waves, but they did not down a single duabear. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 24 (1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 5, 6) 23 damage! Mana: 15 -> 12 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 32 (2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6) 32 damage! Adam weaved his magic, feeling his Mana rush from his heart to his fingertips. Fire roared around the duabears, silencing a few of them as they continued to charge. Some had already moved away from the group, charging towards the second outpost, while a handful took pause, surprised by the flames which had appeared around them. Many had fallen to Adam¡¯s Fireballs, killing at least a dozen of them, if not more, along with the waves of javelins and arrows. The front gate was opened and the bridge lowered, with the group ready to funnel in the remaining duabears, bracing themselves. The two Aldish companions took their place up front as the shields, having informed Jurot of their plan, and Jurot had convinced Adam. The farmers remained behind them, with pikes close at hand. All the while Lucy, Kitool, and Jurot prepared to flank the duabears. They had to be careful, however, as the duabears could climb up the walls, so Jonn remained back with the archers and Nobby, while Vonda and Dunes prepared their Spirit Sentinels near the closest two corners of the fort. Jaygak and Adam remained near one of the Priests at each corner. They all continued to rain javelins from their positions, trying to thin down the giant mass of duabears, while Adam shot out his Flame Bolt constantly. Then came the shout. ¡°Do it!¡± Adam shouted, as the pair of Priests chanted their spells, causing swords and maces made of light to fly out, which engulfed a large portion of the fort, as well as the outside. Adam didn¡¯t expect another flash of light, as Jaygak extended out her hands, calling forth her own magics. A blast of fire engulfed a few duabears, causing them to shriek in pain as they were lit aflame, and four fell to the flames. Adam did not allow the confusion to last long as the two groups crashed against one another. Jurot and Lucy crashed against the duabears from across the ditch, roaring with bloodlust, and Kitool fell with them, Seekerstaff in hand. Jurot cut a duabear in half, while Lucy almost cut another. Kitool managed to strike one in the throat, causing it to fall into the ditch, which would take it out of the fight for a short while. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe, Flanking D20 + 8 = 23 (15) D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Hit! 2D6 + 5 = 9 (2, 2) 9 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe, Flanking D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) Hit! 2D6 + 5 = 12 (3, 4) 12 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 12 -> 11 Spell: Hex Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe, Flanking, Hex D20 + 8 = 9 (1) D20 + 8 = 20 (12) Hit! 2D6 + 1D6 + 5 = 13 (2, 2)(4) 13 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe, Flanking, Hex D20 + 8 = 10 (2) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) Hit! 2D6 + 1D6 + 5 = 13 (3, 3)(2) 13 damage! Health: 65 -> 56 ¡°Good!¡± Adam said, enthusiastically. ¡°Good.¡± He pat their shoulders. ¡°You did great!¡± ¡°That was... much easier than I thought,¡± Brittany said. ¡°Brittany,¡± Adam warned, raising his brows. ¡°What did I say about deathflags?¡± Victory! Duabears XP Gained: +1600 XP: 10 750 -> 12 350 Kitool, Jurot, and Lucy had returned much later, after assisting the nearby outpost. They were the swiftest moving from the group, so Adam left it to them, trusting them to not get in over their heads. ¡°Finally,¡± Lucy said, resting up against the wall. ¡°We need to rest before the second wave appears,¡± Adam said, looking between them all. ¡°You know, being in a fort makes it all so easy.¡± Shamia looked over towards the ditch, which was half full of duabears. ¡°We will need to clear it out, otherwise it will not be quite so useful.¡± ¡°Will it be duabears again?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Most likely, though the second wave is usually easier than the first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve still got two more Fireballs,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can set some arrows aflame,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Hold on. Since when could you shoot fire?¡± ¡°Last year.¡± ¡°Last year? And you didn¡¯t use it once?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never needed to,¡± Jaygak said, simply. ¡°What about the fire arrows?¡± Adam asked. Jaygak nodded. ¡°Jaygak...¡± Adam sighed, exasperated. The Devilkin smiled. Rick and the farmers all gathered together, checking up on one another, while Adam went around the groups, before resting himself. ¡®So much XP!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Damn. This fort is pretty overpowered too. Don¡¯t they say that forts make it so that each person counts as ten?¡¯ He looked out to the group, twenty two strong. ¡®Yeah, sounds about right.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Jaygak just casually keeping her magic a secret. 370. Outbreak and Danger XI 370. Outbreak and Danger XI Victory! Duabears XP Gained: 750 XP: 12 350 -> 13 100 The second wave of duabears had been much easier to deal with than the first, partly due to the fact it was almost half the size of the first wave. Adam stared at the walls of the fort, which had protected them from two outbreaks. So far, they had managed to deal with hundreds of creatures from the protection of these wooden and earthly walls. Adam rubbed his hand along the wood and the earth. ¡®You know what? You ain¡¯t so bad.¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Jurot called. ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot glanced between Adam and the wall. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam blinked in response. ¡°Just, you know, thinking about how...¡± Jurot waited. ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam whispered. ¡®I can¡¯t raise death flags after poking fun at Jaygak.¡¯ ¡°The fort¡¯s walls are amazing.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. The walls had been built over days, and though most of it had been completed within the first two days, they had slowly added a little to the fort, refining it as time passed. They had reshaped parts of the fort in order to create more space for the giant elks in the corner. Sir Vonda and Dunes returned from the other outpost, having spent some time tending to their wounds. ¡°How was it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Terrible,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Jurot, Kitool, and Lucy, some of them would have died.¡± ¡°Which ones?¡± Adam asked, far too eagerly. ¡°Adam.¡± Vonda raised her brows at him. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Just asking.¡± Vonda sighed. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad no one¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°You know a lot of magic,¡± Twobones said to Adam during dinner. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. He noted how Twobones and Ironblade had been almost entirely unharmed during the fight. ¡°A decent amount.¡± ¡°How strong are you?¡± Twobones asked. Adam looked around. ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m in the top two if you consider every single person within about a thousand steps.¡± ¡°Top two?¡± ¡°I¡¯m being nice.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s with my magic and magical weapon.¡± Adam brushed his finger over his ring. ¡°Think you can beat me?¡± ¡°Jurot, what say you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, almost instantly. Twobones stared at Jurot for a moment, the pair sharing a knowing look. ¡°If the Iyrman says so, then it must be true.¡± ¡°You take the word of the Iyrmen seriously?¡± Adam asked. Twobones smiled. ¡°Only fools don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You know what, Twobones? You¡¯re one of the smartest people I¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°That so?¡± ¡°Wise might be more appropriate.¡± Twobones chuckled. ¡°After all this, when you head back to Red Oak, how about we fight?¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m all tired on fighting.¡± ¡°Iyrman, isn¡¯t he your brother?¡± ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Your brother gets tired of fighting?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He gets tired of winning.¡± ¡°Ah, but let me Hex it at least.¡± Lucy narrowed her eyes at Adam. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Fine...¡± Adam watched as the group gathered together. The Iyrmen, Lucy, Jonn, Dunes, Twobones, and Ironblade made up the group which was going to leave the outpost to fight it on even ground. The others remained behind, readying their ranged weapons, just in case. The fight began when Jaygak darted forward, wanting to take first blood. She struck across the side of the giant wolf snake, before Lucy and Jurot both pounced on the creature. Their weapons struck the creature¡¯s scales, piercing quite deep into it, spilling blood across the land. It shrieked, clamping its mighty jaws around Lucy, causing her to shudder in pain as its fangs tore through her side. Lucy had realised that it was far more powerful than even she had assumed. She tried to fend off the poison, but her side turned purple. Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Hex Kitool struck the creature deep with her Seekerstaff, trying to paralyse it, but it was too tough. Her fist and knee bounced off its tough scales, but as she kept it busy, Dunes tore through its side with Dunes¡¯ Sword. It shrieked louder as they continued to batter it, and though it slammed against Lucy again, it turned to try and flee from the heavy blows. However, the Iyrmen were resolute in hunting it, and they descended upon it like vultures to the dead, hacking and slashing it to bits. ¡®Damn. Fighting with so many against a single creature is a little cheesy...¡¯ Victory! Giant Wolf Snake XP Gained: +100 XP: 13 200 -> 13 300 Adam sighed. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even a good fight.¡¯ Lucy collapsed on the ground, forcing the poison out using sheer will, before she dressed her wound. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, sighing with a smile. ¡°Finally a fight that I could really feel it.¡± ¡°It?¡± ¡°The chance of dying.¡± ¡°You want that?¡± ¡°I want to feel it, but I don¡¯t want to actually die,¡± Lucy remarked. ¡°Why?¡± Lucy smiled, but it was a sad smile. ¡°Just so I can feel, Adam.¡± Adam squinted at her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucy nodded her head slowly, before closing her eyes to sleep. Jurot butchered the creature with Kitool¡¯s help. They began to roast the snake meat and cook it within the stew. Adam stayed near Lucy, keeping an eye on her just in case the poison did something to her. He sighed. ¡®We¡¯ll get stronger soon, Lucy. Then we can go slay a Dragon and save Mara.¡¯ Sir Vonda returned, having offered some of the meat of the giant wolf snake to the other group. ¡°How are they?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They are well.¡± ¡°Cool, cool.¡± The snake meat was a pleasant meal that evening. The meat was chewy, and thanks to Shamia¡¯s spices, delicious. They spent the evening packing all the various hides, taking whatever was most valuable. They had far too much loot to pack up, though thanks to the second giant elk, they could take much more. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to return back to the Iyr,¡± Adam said, stretching. ¡°It¡¯s getting way too hot to be out in the middle of nowhere.¡± This had been the last day they spent in the fort. Tomorrow they¡¯d be able to make their way back to Red Oak, which was only a few days away from home. Rick lay in his tent, staring up at the ceiling. He remained awake due to his thoughts. He was certain that this request would have been ridiculously difficult due to its danger. Yet, he had only been wounded once, on the way to the eventual outpost. In the last month he had seen some seriously awe inspiring things. From the rage of the Iyrmen, to the roaring flames of the Half Elf¡¯s spells. ¡®Were they really outnumbered four to one?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Happy Valentines Day and all that! Yesterday I wrote a bunch so if you feel some romance for my story you can become a patron and I''ll post up even more chapters! Plus if I reach 25 patrons I''ll post up an additional chapter a day for a whole week! 371. Return To Red Oak I 371. Return To Red Oak I The group left the fort as it was, just in case they needed to retreat to it for any reason, and to allow anyone who came across it some needed comfort. Adam made sure to bathe last that day, before donning his nightval bear leather and his plate mail. The noonval heat was beginning to wear him down, though Jaygak was quietly humming a tune. ¡°We got everything?¡± Adam asked, double checking the entire area, having dismantled the inner workings of the camp. ¡°We have everything which we can take,¡± Kitool assured him. Adam threw a longing look at the walls, before tapping the earth. ¡°You did us well, old friend. I wish you the best of fortunes.¡± Shamia looked to Jurot, who bowed his head. ¡°He is queer,¡± Jurot explained. Shamia bowed her head. The parties met together, forming one large group once more, taking the same positions they had previously. ¡°A second elk?¡± Oliver asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, elaborating no further. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see it,¡± the adventurer admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a Guardian too?¡± Adam threw a look to Matilda. ¡°Yes,¡± Oliver said, before furrowing his brows. He turned to look at Matilda, who avoided their gaze. There had been a reason as to why Matilda didn¡¯t summon her steed, but it was not something applicable to this situation. The group made their way, following the path they had taken. Soon they were away from the hills, and the porters were thankful for it. The journey back was not unpleasant, as the two Iron Rank parties, which loved to cause issues, remained silent most of the time. They were too tired to pick fights with the Half Elf. Adam smiled, enjoying the peace and quiet. Omen: 7, 15 ¡°Going to spend that gold in the library?¡± Adam asked over dinner. Rick nodded. ¡°I will.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get back to the Iyr. I¡¯m going to quit adventuring for at least a month.¡± Rick wasn¡¯t sure that was what quitting meant, but he wasn¡¯t as learned as Adam. ¡°We¡¯d have made a pretty penny.¡± going to buy some paint,¡± John, the farmer, stated. ¡°Going to buy some for little Rian too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Suppose I should.¡± ¡°Do you have any dye left?¡± Adam asked, looking to Charley. ¡°Enough for the way back,¡± Charley replied, sipping her soup, tapping the bowl with her pinky. Adam looked to Greg and Ivy, who were quite the quiet pair. He left them be, letting them sit in their peace. Lucy yawned. ¡°It¡¯s a shame the Outbreaks done. I hear there are Outbreaks with all kinds of monsters. We could have killed so many different beasties.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jinx us,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°We¡¯re not out of the woods yet.¡± ¡°We¡¯re out of the hills at least,¡± Lucy said. However, the creatures were far quicker than the group, and they were swiftly catching up. Adam glanced back over his shoulders, seeing the myriad of creatures which were charging towards them. ¡®We might not make it,¡¯ Adam thought, before his eyes snapped to Brittany and Nobby. Brittany could also move swiftly, and perhaps was the swiftest out of them all, but she remained with Nobby. Then his eyes fell to the identical looking cousins, who were carrying large packs full of hides. ¡°Toss the hides on the cart,¡± Adam said. ¡°Careful!¡± came shouts from ahead, and as the group looked ahead, they watched as Oliver cut through one of the mules, causing it to stagger and drop. Luckily, Matilda¡¯s elk was already pulling the cart along so they didn¡¯t need to give up anything. Vonda inhaled sharply, not liking the fact they had to give up a life, but it was better that it was the mule and not them. ¡®Mother Soza, forgive us.¡¯ The second mule cried, and it staggered, its hind leg wounded, causing it to slow. The group passed it by, and Adam pat it against its back. ¡°Sorry, ol¡¯ girl,¡± he said, before rushing forward. However, it did not stop the Outbreak for long, and most of it continued to charge forward. It was made up of all kinds of creatures, from bears, to wolves, to bearwolves. Adam was too worried to think about the lack of originality of the creatures this time. Hades flew up ahead, and Adam noted the lack of flying creatures. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fly Adam stopped, pressing a hand to his breastplate as he chanted the words to his spell, motioning with his other hand. ¡°Flight, please.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what else to chant as his Mana rushed through his body, and he leapt into the air, before flying towards the mass of creatures. Mana: 15 -> 12 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 36 (2, 3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6) 36 damage! Mana: 12 -> 9 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 34 (3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5) 34 damage! Mana: 9 -> 6 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 28 (2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 5) 28 damage! Mana: 6 -> 3 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 31 (1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6) 31 damage! Mana: 3 -> 0 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 37 (1, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6) 37 damage! Adam rained Fireballs from the sky towards the large group of creatures, killing a large portion of the creatures, and heavily wounding many others. However, about two thirds of the Outbreak was still fresh, and so Adam shot out his Flame Bolts trick, which did not require much Mana. He killed as many as he could with his Flame Bolts, thinning the herd as best as he could, flying away from them as he did. He tried his best to stay far enough away from them, pulling away every few bolts so that they couldn¡¯t pounce on him as he slowed to a near halt to cast his Flame Bolts. ¡°We won¡¯t make it!¡± Mikayla gasped, being pulled along by her companions, before one of the Aldishmen grabbed her, tossing her over his shoulder. She screamed for a moment, before Twobone growled at her to shut up. The young Wizard woman looked up at the flying Adam. ¡°He¡¯s flying for now, but if we hit him, he¡¯ll fall. It would give us more time.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be cut down before the spell flew from your hands,¡± Jurot warned her. Adam had pulled back to deal with the Outbreak to slow it down and to give them a greater chance, and yet the Scribe Mage woman still wanted more from him? For a moment, just a moment, the thought of grabbing her and tossing her to the Outbreak passed through Jurot¡¯s mind, but it disappeared as quickly as it had come into his mind. He was not Aldish. The group approached the two figures they had sent ahead, and in front of them were the town gates. They were close. They were closed. Click banner for Patreon! Cliffhanger? Grr! One star! You''re lucky I gained new patrons. Thank you so much to those who subscribed! Tomorrow expect another double chapter! 372. Return To Red Oak II 372. Return To Red Oak II Adam flew around, pulling the Outbreak slightly to the sides, causing it to zig and zag along the road and field. He had allowed the group enough time to form their defences. They kicked over the carts, the items spilling out, and used the carts to form a barrier ahead of them. They piled the hides high, forming a step for those with ranged capability to look over them, with magic and arrows at the ready. Arrows and bolts whistled past Adam as he dropped down, turning to face the creatures, shooting out his own Flame Bolts. Trick: Flame Bolt D20 + 5 = 14 (9) Hit! 2D6 = 2 (1, 1) Trick: Flame Bolt D20 + 5 = 25 (20) Critical hit! 4D6 = 14 (1, 2, 5, 6) There were dozens of guards on the wall, each with crossbows or bows at hand, raining down death against the horde of creatures. Yet, there were still at least fifty of them, each ready and eager to tear into the group. They were no more than a moment away now, and as magic and ammunition flew, it seemed that the group would still be outnumbered at least two to one. Adam sighed, trying to calm his pounding heart. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a rough fight.¡± Several arrows and bolts would strike one creature, but it would still bound towards them. ¡°A good fight,¡± Jurot corrected, nodding his head, Phantom in hand. It wanted to spill blood. Behind him was Nobby, with his own axe and shield. Lucy held Destroyer in both hands, her own heart pumping wildly, and she stared at the Outbreak ahead. ¡°You sure have a lot of guts to try and attack me!¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the middle third.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the left,¡± Lucy said. ¡°I will take the right,¡± Jurot added. ¡°Hey,¡± Jaygak grumbled, Stormdrake crackling in her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t forget us.¡± Kitool held Seekerstaff in hand, and she was fresh for a fight. ¡®I can stun and force back a number of them away from the group.¡¯ Twobones exchanged a look with Ironblade, and the pair were about to step forward to let the creatures swarm them, when a horn was blown. ¡°Get down!¡± the guards shouted from the walls. ¡°On the floor! On the floor! Get down!¡± The gates behind the group shook open, and they could hear the gentle hum of chanting. The opening gates revealed the Priests, who were chanting a spell, holding amulets and shields adorned with their deities symbols. The exhausted group fell to the floor as beams of light shot out from through the gates. Ten Priests blasted out their spells, striking the horde of monsters, which glowed with light. The guards from atop the walls shot the monsters again, this time their ammunition striking truer thanks to the glow. ¡°Through the gates, quickly!¡± Vice Master Paul shouted, his voice causing Adam¡¯s heart to jump. The group quickly scrambled through the sides of the gate, as the Priests shot forth another round of light beams. Beside them were a dozen guards, and rushing past them came at least twenty adventurers, each wearing Bronze and Steel tags, leaping over the hides to enter the fray. The most bloodthirsty of Adam¡¯s group remained outside, leading the fray. Adam dropped down against the town walls. ¡°Oh, you beautiful, beautiful walls! Oh how I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± He pat the walls beside him, feeling guilty that he ever thought they were inadequate compared to the Iyr¡¯s great walls. Shamia stared at Adam from beside him, but nodded her head, leaning back against the wall. These walls were perhaps the most beautiful walls she had come across, more beautiful than even the outpost¡¯s walls. Victory! Outbreak XP Gained: +1000 XP: 13 300 -> 14 300 ¡°I had expected you to stay and fight,¡± Paul said as he returned back from the slaughter, covered in blood. ¡°If any of you killed as many as me, I¡¯ll give you my axe,¡± Adam said. ¡°I slew at least fifty myself, maybe a hundred.¡± ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought. He hadn¡¯t realised that Bell would tell him things. He supposed him chatting with Bell every evening had its perks. ¡°Rick,¡± Adam called, motioning with his head. The pair stepped away to the side. ¡°Would you mind meeting us tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Rick said. ¡°Is it important?¡± ¡°To me, a little,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Alright. Tomorrow, in the morning. Dawn?¡± ¡°Uh, no,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°I want to sleep in after all that. A couple of hours before noon at the latest, please.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam returned to his party. ¡°The Guild¡¯s going to cut our pieces together and then we¡¯ll split them between ourselves. There¡¯s not as much as I¡¯d like, and it¡¯s going to be awkward maths, but it is what it is.¡± Remy and Jeremy glanced between one another. They were just glad they had made it back in one piece. A hundred gold each was great, the hide cut between them was a nice bonus. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you some gold today, so you have something to go back to your families with,¡± Adam said, handing each porter fifty gold pieces. ¡°You two swing by in the morning, alright?¡± ¡°Aye, mister boss,¡± the pair replied, before leaving, taking Nobby with them at Adam¡¯s insistence, who had also sent him away with fifty gold. Fate¡¯s Golden met together in one of the Guild¡¯s rooms, which allowed many of them to meet together. ¡°That was terrifying, eh?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even bathe in blood,¡± Lucy said, shaking her head. ¡°Say that when you kill as many as me,¡± Adam shot back. Lucy narrowed her eyes. ¡°You used magic. That¡¯s cheating, obviously.¡± ¡°The great Demon Lord is making excuses?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Hmph.¡± Adam looked to Brittany. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you fifty gold too, otherwise I¡¯ll feel guilty.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t in danger, much,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°Sure, but I¡¯d feel bad if I didn¡¯t pay you the same as Nobby. Even if you weren¡¯t in danger, your arrows helped a lot.¡± Brittany knew they hadn¡¯t, but she decided to accept Adam¡¯s fortune. ¡°You know, I wanted to chat a bunch, but...¡± Adam yawned. ¡°Let us meet in the morning,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam fought his eyes as he dragged himself to bed. Click banner for Patreon! Oh. Right. It does make sense that Red Oak of all places would have a decent response to an Outbreak so close to their walls... Hopefully Adam will one day get himself beat. At least we''ll never see John again! Interlude: Jurot’s Day Interlude: Jurot¡¯s Day Dawn had yet to grace Red Oak, but the Iyrmen had awoken bright and early. They trained early in the morning, running laps around the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, sparring lightly with one another and other adventurers. ¡°How are you so strong when you are so young?¡± an older adventurer asked. He was in his mid thirties, almost twice Jurot¡¯s age, and he had been hard pressed when facing the young Iyrman. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot,¡± Jurot replied, simply.Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com The adventurer sighed, before laughing. ¡°So that¡¯s it, is it?¡± Jaygak stretched out her entire body, basking in dawn¡¯s light. Kitool sat beside her, meditating. ¡°Jurot,¡± the Hakorian Lady called. ¡°Lady Shamia,¡± the Iyrman replied. ¡°I wished to thank you again for your assistance, back with the gem troll, and once more.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°It is my honour as an Iyrman.¡± ¡°I grew up hearing of the distant tales of the Iyrmen,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°I had the pleasure of meeting Iyrmen previously, for there were times an Iyrman passed by with their adventuring companions. It was always so wonderful hearing their family¡¯s tales from their lips.¡± Jurot nodded. Iyrmen were like that. They always passed on a tale or two everywhere they went. Even he would speak of his family¡¯s tales when he passed by through villages, usually over dinner. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet the descendant of Great Giahroh. Where are my manners? I didn¡¯t expected to be saved by the descendant of Great Giahroh, twice. His was my favourite tale.¡± Jurot let out a long sigh through his nostrils, his lips twitching slightly. ¡°Yes. It is a good story.¡± ¡°Is it really true?¡± Lady Shamia whispered. ¡°We Iyrmen do not lie.¡± ¡°I hope that we can meet again when I am less busy,¡± Shamia said, noting the look of her bodyguard. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot nodded. Jurot quickly bathed, and made his way out of the Guild. ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much,¡± Jaygak said as the Iyrman left. ¡°Adam¡¯s invited us all to eat.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Today, it was Jurot¡¯s turn to do it. Red Oak was bustling already in the morning, with the sounds of labourers moving about, guards passing through the streets to check for any troubling folk, and the servants of Nobles who were going off to sort the affairs of their masters. He approached a tavern, one which could house at least fifty people comfortably. Two Penny Tavern, in where one could buy a meal and drink for two copper coins. It was guarded by a man in his mid forties, who wore a chain shirt, and carried a blade at his side. He rolled a set of dice, before noting the Iyrman. ¡°No trouble, Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, before stepping into the tavern. It was half full with all sorts of fellows who preferred to stick to the shadows. He settled himself in a corner, looking out to everyone, his gaze falling across them all. The fellows glanced at him, and quickly shuffled so their backs were to the Iyrman, not wanting to give the Iyrman a reason to draw that axe of his. ¡°What do you want?¡± A young man approached, carrying at his side a dagger, as all those within the tavern did. ¡°Potato. Egg. Buttermilk.¡± Jurot placed down three coins with his right hand, a copper coin which was sandwiched between two silver. The worker waited for the Iyrman to withdraw his hand, though Jurot was busy scanning the room with his eyes. Once his eyes were done scanning the room, he released his hand, causing the worker to swipe them away as they quickly stepped away from the savage. Once the young man confirmed the information, he bowed his head, and let Jurot leave, who made his way out, following the same way he had come. He stepped up into the dimly lit room, where he noticed a new candle, one which had been replaced not long after they had left. He picked up the peach wine, and then made his way out, holding it in his right hand, passing the final safeguard. ¡°Iyrman,¡± a young urchin called. His hair was dark, a dirty dirty blonde, but there was something more to him. Even though he had lost weight, Jurot recognised him from the previous year. He couldn¡¯t forget, as the boy was the one who had led him to Pam¡¯s bakery. The urchin held out his thin hands. ¡°Please.¡± Jurot stared into the urchin¡¯s ocean blue eyes. He placed down a gold coin, and wrapped the boys fingers around it. ¡°It is yours,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Thank you, Iyrman,¡± the boy whispered with a raspy breath, his eyes darting around to see which urchins had seen. Jurot remained with the boy for a short time. He didn¡¯t forget the face, but there was something else about the boy¡¯s face. The hair, which was dark from dirt, hiding that it was truly blonde. ¡®Sun kissed hair. Ocean blue eyes.¡¯ They were two descriptors which Jurot had been trained to recognise. Jurot paused for a moment longer, but realised it was suspicious. ¡°Come with me.¡± The urchin followed Jurot, glad that he was protected by the Iyrman, as then he could at least spend the gold and eat his fill. Then, he could scatter the coins and run, grasping at least a silver and a few coppers. The scrupulous guard stared at Jurot. ¡°Iyrman, back again?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, simply. It was the only time he could use one word, and that was to state one of two words. If he had said no, the guard would understand that blood would need to be spilled. Jurot set the boy down in the corner, and the same worker who had served him earlier cautiously approached the Iyrman. ¡°Egg. Potato. Buttermilk.¡± Jurot placed a silver coin between two copper coins. ¡°What was that?¡± the worker asked, wanting to confirm the order. ¡°Egg. Potato. Buttermilk.¡± The worker quickly swiped the coins, and left, all the while Jurot had slipped something into the boy¡¯s hand. ¡°Do not show.¡± The boy stared at Jurot, but nodded his head. ¡°Do not drink,¡± Jurot stated. The boy continued to stare up at Jurot, but nodded his head again. Jurot left, leaving the boy to eat, before he¡¯d inevitably be choked out by the workers so they could see what was in his hand. Jurot paused at Thundersmith¡¯s smithy, writing down a note as the Dwarf worked away on a piece, ignoring the Iyrman. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jurot said, before he left. The Dwarf understood to leave the Iyrman be, and that he¡¯d need to smith an axe for the Iyr, which would pay him double for the use of being out of sight to write down a message. Jurot could have gone to his room, but going to the smithy would have given him a small alibi, and he made his way right to where Adam had invited all the guests for breakfast. He handed Kitool the paper. The Iyrman read it, nodding her head, before handing it to Jaygak. Once she had read it, she burnt the paper. There were just three words. He is Ool. Click banner for Patreon! Did I say a double chapter? I lied! Take three chapters today! 373. Red Oak I 373. Red Oak I Omen: 6, 11 ¡°How are you all feeling?¡± Adam asked the porters and farmers. ¡°Great,¡± Remy said. ¡°Aye,¡± Jeremy added. The farmers replied equally as enthusiastically. ¡°Great!¡± Adam replied. ¡°Thank you for meeting me. I wanted to speak with you all in the morning. I was just wondering what your plans were now that the quest had passed.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve made some great coin, so we¡¯re planning on spending a little on fun, saving a little for our families, and spending the rest on equipping ourselves with greater gear,¡± Rick said. ¡°We plan on selling off most of the hides, and using whatever little left on upgrading our equipment.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Remy said. ¡°We planned the same.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Good idea. Not sure what I want to do with my cut of the loot yet, but I¡¯ll probably be gifting a bunch of stuff to the children in the Iyr.¡± ¡°The children?¡± Rick asked. ¡°They like getting bits and pieces from monsters.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I managed to claim the fangs of the giant wolf python.¡± Rick wondered what kind of weapon could be made from the fangs of such a creature, but here Adam was telling the poor farmer that he was going to gift it to a child. ¡®Elves...¡¯ he thought. ¡°What about your children?¡± Adam asked, glancing between the farmers and the porters. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some small bits and bobs, scales and that sort of thing, for your kids.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be fine with food in their stomach,¡± Rick replied. Remy exchanged a look with Jeremy. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯ll motivate them to work hard in the future,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Ah, actually, that¡¯s something I wanted to talk about too, if you don¡¯t mind me asking. What do you want your children to be?¡± ¡°Their jobs?¡± Rick asked. ¡°I¡¯d like my children to be scholars, but that¡¯s unlikely. A page at a temple would be nice.¡± ¡°A smith,¡± John, Rick¡¯s companion, said. ¡°Smithing is good work. They say the smiths have been working hard, so I could have my son apprentice if I can scrounge up enough coin.¡± Rick nodded. ¡°Too young to fight in the war, old enough to carry supplies around the smithy. Good, honest work.¡± Remy nodded. ¡°Portering is good work, but I¡¯d like my children to have a better life.¡± ¡°Aye, and something like a page at the temple, that¡¯s a good life.¡± Jeremy smiled. ¡°They get to learn to read and write, and if they¡¯re good with their worship, magic.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t made enough for that sort of thing, but we won¡¯t need to work too hard for the rest of the year,¡± John said. ¡°We¡¯ve made plenty of coin, so we don¡¯t need to do anything dangerous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Adam said, tapping the table with his pinky, accidentally copying Charley. ¡°The, uh, price for schooling. How much is it?¡± ¡°Five gold a month for each child,¡± Rick replied, instantly. Adam nodded his head, falling into thought. He still needed to adventure, but at the same time, he also needed to form a group loyal to him. Remy and Jeremy were already fairly loyal, and were already half seduced into doing crazy things for him. ¡°We might be heading back to the Iyr soon, but I...¡± Adam frowned. He realised that his plans were far too heavily reliant on the Iyr. ¡®Damn. How can I... unless?¡¯ Adam shut his eyes tighter. ¡®If I made them magical weapons, wouldn¡¯t they have some loyalty to me? I could give them some coin to help with their children¡¯s education too.¡¯ Slowly Adam¡¯s brain churned, the ideas melting together into something coherent. ¡®I could enchant weapons with a specific enchantment. If I could learn to produce a magical weapon weekly, then I could sell the weapon for roughly a thousand gold, maybe more if it holds an enhanced enchantment. A weapon weekly means over fifty thousand gold a year.¡¯ ¡°How much does the average labourer make monthly?¡± Adam asked, as casually as he could. ¡°Ten gold,¡± Rick said. ¡°Twenty if you are skilled.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard some people earning fifty gold a month,¡± Remy said, winking at Adam. ¡®So one sword is worth what, twenty employees minimum?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°So if you guys could make ten gold monthly, you¡¯d give up adventuring?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rick admitted. ¡°I need much more than that to send my children through school. If one could become a page or a Priest, I¡¯ll work as much as I need to make that true.¡± ¡°Priests?¡± Adam asked. ¡°To which God?¡± ¡°Whichever God would accept them.¡± ¡°Mother Soza? Lady Arya?¡± Adam asked. Rick stared into Adam¡¯s eyes. Was it a coincidence he mentioned those two in particular? ¡°They are wonderful, and it would only be our blessing to have family who worshipped them.¡± ¡°Lord Sozain?¡± Rick swallowed upon hearing the name, and squirmed slightly. ¡°The good Lord is respectable, but I am uncertain if my children are up to such a great task.¡± Adam tapped the table. ¡°What about you, John?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dream that big, Adam. I keep my dreams for my paintings.¡± John smiled. ¡°How much is a breastplate?¡± ¡°About three, four hundred gold?¡± Remy said, looking to Jeremy. ¡°Think so.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°You know, I am planning on a business soon. I might need some capable porters, and I could probably sort you out with some armour.¡± Remy nodded. ¡°We¡¯d appreciate it if you kept us in mind.¡± ¡°Using the hide from the quest, could you make some decent armour?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Say, if I handed some of my cut, would it make something decent for you?¡± Rick threw a look to Remy, who took the lead. ¡°I suppose it could. Might be a little heavy, but manageable. We¡¯ve got all sorts of hide between us, but I know that the kurabara plates could be made into some decent armour.¡± ¡°The kurabra plates over some snakeskin, or some hide, yeah,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°If we add in some of my plates, I could ask around for the others to pass along their plates if they¡¯re not using it, and then you could make it into some armour.¡± ¡°Heavy, but it would provide us with quite the protection,¡± Remy said. ¡°What about you guys?¡± Adam asked, looking to Rick. ¡°I suppose.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sort you out with the kurabara plates, and you guys could probably get something nice made...¡± ¡°How much will you sell the kurabara plates?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Uh...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t planning on selling them, but he realised it would be difficult to just give it to them. ¡°We¡¯ll have the guild tell us the price, and then we can say you owe me that much. When I need you, I¡¯ll pay you half until the debts paid off?¡± The porters and farmers looked between one another, thinking deeply about the matter. ¡°I am planning on making a business, and I would prefer to work with dependable fellows like yourselves,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯d reassure me if you were well equipped.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a pricey endeavour, and we may have to eventually sell off the equipment to buy that breastplate,¡± Remy said. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky.¡± ¡°Breasplate was what, four hundred each?¡± Adam asked, glancing between them all. ¡°You¡¯ve each made at least a hundred, and if you sell off everything, probably more.¡± ¡°The Iyr has a line of credit with the Guild,¡± Kitool said, inviting herself into the conversation to assist Adam. ¡°You could borrow money from the Guild, and it will be transferred to the Guild. It does not cost anything.¡± ¡®I have at least a thousand gold in the Iyr,¡¯ Adam thought, trying to remember how much money he had. ¡®No, two thousand? I have a lot of the tiger eye gems...¡¯ ¡°Breastplate¡¯s a dream,¡± John joked. ¡°I¡¯ll paint it tonight.¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I make dreams come true. How many breastplates do we need? Five?¡± ¡°Charlie, Greg, and I do well with chain mail and a shield,¡± Rick said. ¡°We don¡¯t worry so much about the noise.¡± ¡°So really, it¡¯s only two?¡± Adam asked. ¡°My porters?¡± Remy chuckled nervously. ¡°Then how about I pay for the breastplate, and we can consider it upfront pay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ll hire you at full price and you¡¯ll pay me back as time passes?¡± Remy and Jeremy swallowed. They both exchanged glances between one another, unsure of what to say. ¡°Look. Jurot already kitted out Nobby and Brittany, and it¡¯s not fair that I don¡¯t get to do it.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Plus, I would like it if I didn¡¯t have to worry too much about either of you, and apparently, you¡¯re quiet in breastplate, and well protected in it too. If push comes to shove, I¡¯ll eventually kit you in full plate so you won¡¯t have to worry about being noisy.¡± Remy and Jeremy remained staring at one another. Last year, they were just typical yokels. Yet, after meeting Adam, and assisting him during their adventures, they had grown far more experienced. When they fought recently, they found themselves being able to last longer and strike harder. ¡°We...¡± Remy began. ¡°We know the deal you made with Nobby,¡± Jeremy said. ¡°You¡¯ve helped us out a lot, mister Adam. We appreciate that.¡± ¡°That business you mentioned. If you need us, we¡¯ll be there to help.¡± ¡°So is that a yes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aye, mister Adam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a yes from us.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Great! I¡¯ll get you guys sorted out then!¡± He sighed with relief. He wanted to eventually help Remy and Jeremy out too, not realising that he had already helped them a great deal. They, too, had been part of the XP share in the last month. Rick wondered what kind of man Adam was. He was something which transcended understanding. He was an enigma. He was... a Half Elf. Adam continued to eat his bread, glad he could share it with the farmers. He had finally solidified what he wanted to do, though it could still change in the future. ¡®No. I can¡¯t keep changing everything. I need to lay the foundations now that I know what to do.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam makes a hundred gold and spends a thousand. I''m not sure he knows how finances work. 374. Red Oak II 374. Red Oak II Once the group had finished their bread, Adam made sure they all had at least a basket of bread they could take back to share with their families and friends. ¡°Come,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¡°Privately?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I will lead us.¡± ¡°Sure?¡± Adam followed Jurot, who took them through busy Red Oak, and down a few winding alleyways, until they found a small, unassuming building, in which they entered. It had been abandoned for some time, but Adam noted the lack of dust. ¡®Hmm,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®These Iyrmen are trickier than I thought.¡¯ Once they were all situated, sitting down against the wooden furniture which had been stacked about, Adam slammed his hands on the floor. ¡°Remember when I talked about the inn stuff?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Inns with smithing and alchemy services. A place to find where I could enchant in peace and all that? Well, I¡¯ve been thinking about it. I want to create a template weapon to sell. I want to be able to create a weapon with the same specifications, either the design, the enchantment, or both, and sell them off. Something simple, like a basic magical weapon, but with just a little extra. A little bit of fire, or ice, or lightning on top of the basic bonus. Shields which provide an extra bonus, but maybe can do something else. Then, of course, the bespoke magical weapons for Nobles.¡± ¡°You could create the magical weapons for Nobles now,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it awkward?¡± Adam asked, but if Jurot was saying it was fine, shouldn¡¯t it be? ¡°The Iyrmen have already auctioned off some weapons I¡¯ve made, but I don¡¯t want to say I¡¯m the enchanter.¡± ¡°What is the story?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Story. Yeah. That¡¯s a good idea. A story. We could say that an enchanter has come to living within the Iyr, and is willing to work for coin? They are offering a service for some time, but may leave?¡± Adam nodded his head. It was the truth, technically. ¡°Though, it might still be awkward for the Iyr. I don¡¯t want to make something which could be used against them...¡± He wondered if he should come up with a list of approved enchantments for the Iyrmen. ¡®Then charge gems for them? I¡¯ll need my own enchanting shrine eventually, though. I could use the Iyr to make a name for the enchanter first, and then....¡¯ ¡°We need to find a way to...¡± Adam began, only to pause. ¡°What if we said that the enchanter employed us because we were talented, or because we saved their life?¡± Jurot tilted his head slightly. ¡°It is true, in a sense.¡± ¡°We need to figure out the most important thing.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucy asked, expecting something stupid. ¡°The name.¡± ¡®I knew it.¡¯ ¡®The Golden Road? The Royal Road? The Silk Road?¡¯ Adam mused in thought. ¡®Wandering Inn? No, no, we already vetoed that. Wanderer¡¯s Road? No. That would connect Warriors and Wanderers to him since he invented it. ¡°We need something which invokes the diverse services offered, and spoke to the quality, and something with a sense of authority...¡±Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com The others paused with him, thinking. They had their own names, but they weren¡¯t sure what exactly Adam was going for. ¡°United Kindom,¡± Adam said, barely able to contain his laughter. He coughed into his fist. ¡°United under a single banner. We¡¯ll deal with anyone, regardless of one¡¯s race, where everyone is welcome. Just like the Iyr.¡± Jurot couldn¡¯t help but feel that Adam may be more of an Iyrman than any of them expected. ¡®He is my brother.¡¯ ¡°It is fun,¡± the Iyrman assured. ¡°The Great Hunt is a time where we forge bonds with others. Throughout the seasons, different portions of the land will be effected. South Aldland during dawnval, Central Aldland during noonval. Duskval will affect both West and East Aldland. Nightval will affect North Aldland.¡± ¡°What about the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, not elaborating further. ¡°So next year we¡¯ll go hunting, or should we go find the enchanting shrine?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We could hunt, and ask our cousins in assisting us in looking for an enchanting shrine. I do not know what must be offered, you must speak with the Chief.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°I should probably just speak with the Chief and let him know my plans.¡± ¡°So...¡± Jaygak glanced between them. ¡°Will we be hunting next year?¡± ¡°What do you guys want?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯d like to hunt,¡± Jaygak admitted. She wanted to participate in a Great Hunt, gaining more confidence during the Outbreak. ¡°If you want to find the enchanting shrine, we can do that instead.¡± ¡°We can always find an enchanting shrine another time, or I¡¯ll learn how to make one, and we can figure it out later.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take away all the fun.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the hunting like?¡± ¡°We form a band of at least ten, but many reach up to several dozens,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I have heard that there are some who form a group of one hundred.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°The Great Hunt is a gift from Lady Arya,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It allows us to join forces with others from different villages and towns. We will travel all across the land, slaying all manner of creatures.¡± ¡°Even if the Aldish and Aswadians are at war, such a band could still be formed, and they will be able to travel peacefully,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Under the right circumstances.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare to hear that a war spills over to a Great Hunt,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Usually, such things will end in disaster for those spoiling the fun.¡± ¡°That sounds kind of romantic,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Kinda fun, actually. We can do that, unless something changes our plans. We¡¯ll hunt, and figure out the enchanting shrine stuff another time. When we return to the Iyr, I¡¯ll speak to the Chief about the enchanting shrine stuff. I want to make the business some time later this year. Well, technically, we¡¯re doing pretty well. Nobby should be an Expert within the next few years.¡± ¡°I feel strong,¡± Nobby said. ¡°I will be stronger.¡± Adam smiled, patting his back. ¡°You sure will.¡± ¡°Will we come across Dragons during a Great Hunt?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°It is more likely,¡± Jurot said. Lucy bowed her head. Click banner for Patreon! I hope you enjoy three chapters today. Unfortunately it''s coming to an end... The day after tomorrow! I got another patron and we''re at 23/25! I don''t mind if you don''t subscribe for a bit so I can write a bunch more so I''m further ahead! 375. Red Oak III 375. Red Oak III Omen: 6, 14 Adam had traded his loot with the others, before he passed the kurabara plates to the porters, who thanked him profusely. ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me for this,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡®Man, I wonder how they¡¯ll respond once I hand them a magical weapon.¡¯ Once they were gone, Adam wondered what they should do. There was a lot of time until the noonval festival, they had a few weeks before they¡¯d really need to make their way back to the Iyr. ¡°Should we head back in a few days?¡± Adam asked his companions over lunch. They were all taking it easy after they had spent so long on the road. ¡°It is best to rest for a week before we return,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°We¡¯ve worked hard so give us a break!¡± Jaygak complained. ¡°You¡¯re always so eager to work.¡± ¡°Hey! I said a few days, so a week is fine!¡± Adam grumbled back at the Devilkin. ¡°Sheesh. What¡¯s wrong with me wanting to return back to the Iyr? I just miss my Lanababy so much! I bet she¡¯s even cuter now.¡± ¡°We have brought much to the Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I am glad.¡± ¡°Speaking of which...¡± Adam eyed up the magical daggers which he passed to Brittany. ¡®No, no. It¡¯s best that she keep them for now. It¡¯s not like the rest of us need them.¡¯ Brittany reached for the daggers to return them back to Adam. They hadn¡¯t been useful for her during the Outbreak, so she assumed she needed to return them now that the danger had passed. ¡°Just keep them on you for now,¡± Adam said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°I wonder what I should do today...¡± His eyes fell to Nobby¡¯s large form. ¡°How about I go pay a visit to your family, see how they¡¯re doing? I¡¯ll tell them all about how heroic you were!¡± Nobby flushed slightly. He didn¡¯t feel he was heroic, but he certainly had felt he had grown stronger. ¡°Nobby rages well,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He possesses the rage of the Rot family now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam looked to Nobby. It hadn¡¯t been that long, but he supposed Jurot had learnt the Level 3 ability of the Barbarian pretty quickly once they started adventuring. ¡°Nice! Good job, Nobby!¡± Adam pat the boy¡¯s arm. ¡°It won¡¯t be long now until you¡¯re an Expert!¡± Nobby flushed deeper. ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± Once they had finished their breakfast, Adam followed Nobby back to his home. A thin woman with long dark hair opened the door, before she smiled at Nobby, and then glanced cautiously towards Adam. ¡°Good morning, Annie,¡± Adam greeted. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not bothering you.¡± ¡°No, not at all,¡± Nobby¡¯s mother replied, before quickly inviting them in. Adam glanced aside to see the young girl peeking from the other room, only seeing her forehead and eyes. ¡°Would you like some milk?¡± Annie asked. ¡°Oh, no thank you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just came here to check up on you and tell you how great Nobby was.¡± ¡°Nobby¡¯s told us a little about the Outbreak,¡± Annie said, pausing. She decided against asking for more. ¡°Nobby was brilliant. He¡¯s such a big, strong lad. He did really well, protecting another of ours, with his axe and shield. Slew a bear with two heads all by himself.¡± Nobby¡¯s nostrils flared and he smiled, before it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. ¡°Oh my!¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing really well, actually. Jurot says that he¡¯s managed to learn the ways of raging properly, so he can even handle a bit of fire now.¡± ¡°What about for beyond basic education?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I think... I think it¡¯s five years before she can learn a proper job.¡± ¡®Proper job?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Five years. So what, that¡¯s six hundred and fifty gold for the entire education?¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°One hundred and thirty for basic, though. If I put her through basic education, will you allow her to work for me for my business?¡± ¡°Your business, mister? I don¡¯t think she¡¯s suited for adventuring.¡± ¡°No, not that business,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a business in the future that I¡¯ll be doing. I may need someone who is good with numbers and letters, so if I put her through education, I¡¯d like to hire her first.¡± Annie swallowed. ¡°I¡¯ll...¡± Annie wondered if she needed to speak with her husband about the matter, but then she recalled her conversation with Remy the day before. ¡°As long as she doesn¡¯t go out on dangerous requests like Nobby, then please...¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Guild and they can write up the contract. I¡¯ll let them handle everything, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°N-no, thank you so much,¡± Annie said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Ted the good news.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have the gold and contract ready, so please tell him about it and if you¡¯re both happy with the contract, then please sign it,¡± Adam said, before making to leave. ¡°Hmm. Though, we might be leaving tomorrow back to the Iyr now that I think about it. Nobby, stay here for today, and meet us at the Guild tomorrow morning, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam returned to the Guild to have them mediate with the contract, paying the gold to them. He placed down the gold for the rest of the year, as well as the gold required for a year¡¯s worth of education. The contract was simple, about as simple as Nobby¡¯s contract. He¡¯d pay for Anne¡¯s education for a year, and he¡¯d have the chance to hire her first at a discounted rate of a wage to pay for the price of education. ¡®Nobby¡¯s lucky he¡¯s built like a damn auroch, otherwise we wouldn¡¯t have picked up him and showered him in our favour,¡¯ Adam thought. It was mostly due to Jurot¡¯s excitement to train Nobby that he really picked Nobby up, though he supposed he would have eventually tried to claim the young man. ¡®Now to convince everyone to return to the Iyr so I can see my little Lanababy and make tons of gold.¡¯ When they all met in the evening, Adam glanced between them all. ¡°So...¡± ¡°You want to return back to the Iyr?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°How did you know?¡± Jaygak smirked. ¡°As if you¡¯d give up so easily at the chance of seeing your little sister.¡± ¡°Please,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m poor, so I need to make money.¡± ¡°How are you poor?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°What did you spend your gold on this time?¡± ¡°I paid Nobby¡¯s family a bonus, and I also decided to put his little sister through basic education,¡± Adam said. Jaygak frowned. How was she meant to make fun of that? ¡°If you wish to return, we can,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. He had wished for the extra week, but since Adam wanted to return so badly, then he¡¯d just hope everything worked properly. ¡®I will need to speak with Kitool.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Double chapter today too? Woo! Investments into the future? 376. Strangers On The Trail 376. Strangers On The Trail Omen: 1, 19 Adam bathed quickly that morning, too excited to leave. When he checked his coin pouch, he panicked, feeling how few coins remained, before recalling that he had spent it all. ¡®Damn it! Now I only have two hundred gold!¡¯ He wept internally, feeling his heart ache. Truly, he had five hundred gold, but he required the diamond worth three hundred gold pieces for his Revivify spell. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, approaching with a young boy beside him. He was thin, with dark hair shaved at the sides, up towards the top which was cut fairly short. His eyes were dark grey, just like Kitool¡¯s, and he wore fairly simple clothing, marked with the pattern of the Ool family. He carried a staff on his back. Adam looked to Kitool, half in surprise, before his eyes fluttered as his brain tried to process what he was seeing. ¡°Kitool, is that your kid?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kitool replied. She assumed Adam was joking. ¡°He is smart,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Good with letters and numbers. He can help you in your business.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t lying, though it was unlikely the boy would be working for Adam. However, he needed to do this, even if it meant he wasn¡¯t completely honest with his brother. ¡°Your cousin?¡± Adam asked, catching Kitool¡¯s eyes. Something was certainly off about the situation. ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool said, before continuing in their own tongue, ¡°soon.¡± Adam glanced between Jurot and Kitool. ¡°Sure,¡± he said, slowly nodding his head. He understood it was an Iyrman thing, and it was best not to ask too many questions. If this was something Jurot was keeping from him, it must have been important. The boy remained beside Kitool, understanding he needed to play the part. He still didn¡¯t trust the Iyrmen, especially after what they had done to him in preparing him for his role, but they were his best chance at revenge. Lady Shamia also arrived a short while later, confused to see the boy wearing the Ool family symbols, but she smiled. ¡°What a handsome young man.¡± The boy remained silence as he stared at the woman. She was dark skinned, so he assumed she was Aswadian. ¡°Alright!¡± Adam said. ¡°My little sister is waiting for us, so let¡¯s not waste any more time.¡± Shamia stifled her laughter as the group made their way northwestwardly towards the Iyr. Jurot understood it was going to be difficult for them to hide that the boy was not what he seemed, but he left the boy in Kitool¡¯s care. She was the wisest of them all. When they approached the first village, the villagers swarmed them, seeing how large the party was. ¡°Oh!¡± a villager gasped. ¡°It¡¯s the Iyrmen!¡± ¡°You¡¯re back already?¡± another asked. ¡°Leave the Iyrmen be,¡± Herida said. She was an older woman, and was the Chief of the village. ¡°We dealt with an Outbreak,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Now that is something. Since you¡¯ve worked hard, you don¡¯t have to worry about the gate fee.¡± She waved her hand, dismissing the gate fee Adam was preparing. Jurot introduced the Lady to the Chief, so that the Chief could deal with appropriate accommodation. When he approached the centre fire pit, he stopped, and when Kitool and Jaygak saw the figure, they stopped too. The boy also stopped, gasping. The figure was a young woman with dark skin, but not the dark skin of Aswadia or Hakor, but more golden. She wore long, thick robes, dark green and brown. Laying beside her was a long staff, made of dark wood which curled around a gem at the top. Her ears were leaf shaped. ¡°Yo!¡± Adam called out, waving hand. The young Half Elf smiled, waving a hand towards Adam, and seeing his ears, she grinned wider with her sparkling white teeth. Jurot remained silent, his heart in shock. ¡®How is she here?¡¯ She was certainly one of them, and judging by the faint tattoos on her hand, she wasn¡¯t just any typical member of that Tribesfolk tribe. ¡®Is it because of that?¡¯ Jurot thought. Regardless, it was his duty as an Iyrman to escort the young woman to the Iyr. Had it been another who had asked, he would have been able to refuse, but there were some people he could not refuse. It was in the second village that Jurot stopped again, along with Kitool and Jaygak. They stared at the figure, who was slightly taller than the average person, adorned head to toe in platemail made of flamedarksteel, which betrayed his rank among the Fire Giants. Jurot assumed he had used magic to appear smaller. At his side was a giant blade, one which would been impossible for any man to wield. It was too big, more like a slab of iron, than a blade. Jurot wondered why he hadn¡¯t used magic to shorten the sword, but the thought was quickly pushed away as the itch to fight filled him. He fought away the itch as best as he could. ¡°Children of the Iyr,¡± the figure called, standing to greet them. ¡°I have come to answer the call.¡± Jurot approached the figure. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot, and I hear you.¡± ¡°I am Morkarai,¡± the figure said, and instantly Jurot and Kitool stood taller, and Jaygak followed suit. ¡°Greetings, Lord Morkarai,¡± Jurot said, with as much respect as he could muster. The name was familiar to he and Kitool, though Jaygak was still trying to figure out who it was. Morkarai. The name was so familiar, but she couldn¡¯t quite place it. Lord Morkarai? Morkarai took off his helm to reveal his dark skin, and his fiery red hair, from his beard, to his brows, to his spiky hair that sat atop his head. His eyes were glued to Jurot¡¯s crotch. ¡°Hey, big guy, eyes up here,¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers, narrowing his eyes at Morkarai. Jurot sighed. It made perfect sense that Adam would aggravate someone like Morkarai, for that was what Adam did. ¡°May I touch it?¡± Morkarai asked, ignoring Adam entirely. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Morkarai picked up Phantom in hand, staring deeply at the weapon. It was well made, definitely the Iyr¡¯s craftsmanship, though there was also a great magic within the axe. ¡°What a beautiful axe,¡± the Fire Giant said. It was made quite a long time ago, he gathered. ¡°May we see your great blade?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Please,¡± Morkarai replied. Adam glanced between Jurot and the tall man, wondering what was going on. Jurot had been weird about the Half Elf, and he was showing a lot of respect to his guy. ¡®Lord? Is he some kind of Noble? Jurot seems to like him, though, so he must be cool.¡¯ Jurot and the Iyrmen quickly gathered around the weapon, which Jurot was holding. Adam peeked at the blade too, admiring it. It was made of some kind of dark steel, and the blade was long and red, almost like rubicule, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was. ¡°Is this Giantsfire?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Morkarai replied, still admiring Phantom. He wondered why someone so young possessed such a great weapon, for usually Iyrmen do not hand such great weapons to their youth. ¡°Oh!¡± Jaygak gasped, realising who Morkarai was. He was the- ¡°Is that Stormdrake?¡± Morkarai gasped, equally as shocked as the Devilkin. Click banner for Patreon! Gasp! The last day of double chapters? Well only two more patrons until I need to post up double chapters daily for an entire week... Luckily I fixed my sleep! Who are these two though? New waifu and husbando? 377. Strangers On The Trail II 377. Strangers On The Trail II ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak said, standing taller with great pride. ¡°May I hold it?¡± Morkarai asked, respectfully. Jaygak¡¯s lips twitched at Jurot and Kitool, handing over the great weapon, enjoying the fact he wanted to admire her weapon. Morkarai, whose Giantsfire was now the second greatest weapon between them, admired Stormdrake. His entire body tingled in delight as he held such a great weapon. It was the same feeling Jurot had when he was holding Giantsfire, a great blade of the Fire Giants. Once, an Iyrman wielded it to slay a great foe, but they had returned it for the weapon did not belong to them. ¡®Stormdrake...¡¯ Morkarai thought, his eyes glued to the weapon. A blade like this, made from the- His thoughts froze. ¡°How did you come to possess Stormdrake?¡± Morkarai asked. A blade like this couldn¡¯t simply come into the hands of a young Iyrman who was probably just beginning their adventure in life. Something was strange about the situation. ¡°Adam gifted it to me,¡± Jaygak said, before motioning her hand towards Adam, who was still admiring Giantsfire. ¡®What?¡¯ Morkarai thought, taken aback. ¡°It was gifted? To you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Morkarai¡¯s eyes snapped to Adam, who stared up at the Giant. ¡°Young man, did you gift Stormdrake to the young Iyrman?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Adam Fateson, and yes, I did.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t use swords,¡± Adam said, motioning to his side, where his Dwarven made warhammer hung. ¡°Oh.¡± He summoned his axe into his hand. ¡°I use axes.¡± Morkarai ignored the fact that Adam pointed to his warhammer, his eyes snapping to the axe, and then back to Adam. ¡°Do you know what this blade is?¡± ¡°Stormdrake,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°You gave away Stormdrake, knowing what it is?¡± Morkarai asked again. Fate¡¯s Golden stared at the large fellow, basking in the sentiment. Morkarai was meeting the force of nature which was Adam. The Fire Giant wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°How did you come to possess it?¡± ¡°I won it in a bet.¡± Morkarai¡¯s heart pounded wildly, doing its best to continue pumping blood to his mind, though it was aching. ¡°You won it in a bet. Against who?¡± ¡°Just some old guy,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°He says he¡¯s really strong, and that he was some kind of Emperor who ruled a bunch of places.¡± ¡°Lord Strom is what we call him,¡± Jurot said. ¡®An Emperor? Named Strom?¡¯ Morkarai tried to gather his bearings. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be...¡¯ He swallowed. ¡°You... really gave it away?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adam wrapped an arm around Jurot¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This here¡¯s my brother, Jurot. I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, and the Rot family uses axes.¡± ¡°And you know of its capabilities?¡± Morkarai needed to ask again, since his mind had gone blank at the ridiculousness of it all. ¡°Actually, not really. I hear it¡¯s a legendary weapon and that it can do all sorts, but we¡¯re not strong enough to wield it.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± Jaygak began in the Iyrman¡¯s tongue. ¡°I can¡¯t accept a weapon like this.¡± Adam laughed, patting her against her back. ¡°Jaygak! Diamond Rank, here we come!¡± He continued to laugh. ¡®Diamond Rank?¡¯ Morkarai thought, before his eyes fell back to the blade. ¡®Should I trade this blade for Giantsfire? If she grows stronger, she should be able to wield it, and it possesses a great bonus that will assist her immediately, and it is a blade which utilises fire, which should be more favourable to her disposition. She would be able to gain the ability to walk through fire harmlessly, and...¡¯ Morkarai forced those thoughts away. ¡®No. I don¡¯t have the gall to do that!¡¯ Even he could not dare to even think about coveting this blade. ¡®I will just have to admire it while I am in the Iyr.¡¯ Morkarai continued to admire the weapons, seeing how each was enchanted, though Phantom was truly the greatest. ¡°Was it an Ezi who enchanted your weapons?¡± Morkarai was still trying to piece together how they came to possess such great weapons when they should not have been able to wield them. He also noted that Wizard¡¯s Axe was forged recently. ¡°I don¡¯t think enchanting is easy,¡± Adam joked, shaking his head with a smile on his face, before remembering that Morkarai was an honoured Guest. He cleared this throat. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°It was not,¡± Jurot replied, not wishing to lie to the Giant, but he wasn¡¯t going to reveal much more. ¡°Oh? Not even this Phantom of yours?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Are they not your best enchanters?¡± Morkarai asked, wondering if that had changed. ¡®Did the Iyrmen gain more great enchanters?¡¯ ¡°The Ezi family are still our greatest enchanters,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°Interesting.¡± Morkarai¡¯s eyes fell onto Adam¡¯s puthral, which he admired deeply. Puthral was a wonderful material, like the Elves¡¯ mithril. Morkarai¡¯s thoughts froze. His eyes fell onto the man in puthral, who had not taken off his helmet since he had arrived in the village. He had assumed that he was an Iyrman, but there were things which did not make sense. He was a Nephew of the Rot family. He also did not take off his helmet, but if he was an Iyrman, he would have. ¡°May I see your helmet?¡± Morkarai asked, innocently. Adam took it off reluctantly, revealing his leaf shaped ears, and the lack of the Rot family¡¯s tattoo. ¡°Thank you,¡± Morkarai said, staring at the helmet, but he was deep in thought. Adam was a Half Elf, one who was close to the Iyrmen, close enough to call of them his brother, and he was Nephew of the Rot family, which afforded him great benefits. Not only that, but he was in puthral, which wouldn¡¯t be handed to him for being a mere Nephew, meaning the Iyr no doubt valued him greatly. Then there was the matter with Stormdrake. Did he really bet against that man? He mentioned Phantom during the bet. Did that mean Phantom had belonged to him originally? Then he gifted Stormdrake to Jaygak, and Phantom to his brother. If he was capable of gifting a weapon like Stormdrake freely, then it wasn¡¯t unreasonable that he would gift Phantom to the one he called his brother. ¡°Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam called. ¡°Yes?¡± Morkarai asked. Adam pointed to his helmet, which had been dented by Morkarai¡¯s sheer strength. ¡°Ah, my apologies,¡± Morkarai said, awkwardly. ¡°I was just so excited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll fix it when we get back into the Iyr.¡± Adam smiled, trying to get along with the Lord since he had probably offended him earlier. He didn¡¯t want to cause more trouble. ¡®You will fix it?¡¯ Morkarai thought. ¡®You know how to work puthral?¡¯ He managed to not stare at Adam, falling deep in thought. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought, feeling a tingle on the back of his neck, not realising it was Morkarai¡¯s interest. Morkarai, too, felt the tingle on the back of his neck, not realising it was Lucy¡¯s interest. Click banner for Patreon! You know it''s serious when Jaygak stops messing around. 378. Front Iyr I 378. Front Iyr I Elder Lykan stared at the note. He had read it once when he had received it, and had read it immediately again, before he paused, only to read it a third time. It didn¡¯t make sense at first, but after reading the note, and seeing a particular name, he realised it had made perfect sense. He had expected two of the guests, but the third was completely unexpected. ¡®Why?¡¯ he thought, wondering why they had arrived. ¡°Elder Lykan,¡± called one of his aides. Lykan sighed, rereading the name of the Half Elf. ¡°Bring me the black chest.¡± The aide brought the black chest, and the Front Iyr Elder double checked its contents. An Iyrman, whose greatest skill was their ability to appraise gems, assisted in making sure the gems, which swam in the pile of gold, were of the finest quality. ¡°Is it confirmed?¡± Elder Lykan asked. ¡°It is,¡± the appraiser said. ¡°Over one hundred thousand gold.¡± Elder Lykan nodded. He didn¡¯t care that it was over one hundred thousand gold, as long as it met the target number. Even if there was an extra ten or twenty thousand, it wasn¡¯t a huge issue, since he wanted to make sure that they understood that the Iyr truly valued their dealings. Now they just had to wait to greet the group. Wow! Tariel stared at the huge walls of the Iyr, holding the paper in front of her with the single word. She had even written it on a new page to emphasise just how her thoughts were completely focused on the single word. Morkarai stared at the wall. It was his first time visiting the Iyr too, though their dealings went back generations. His eyes scanned across the walls, which stretched across the horizon, following the curves of the hills. He had thought the stories were greatly exaggerated, but standing in front of these walls, he felt so... Small. ¡®Why am I here?¡¯ Morkarai thought. ¡®If we had these walls, would we have been forced out of our lands generations ago?¡¯ ¡°Wow...¡± Lady Shamia whispered. Her bodyguards also stared at the walls, in utter awe. ¡®If only we had these walls in Hakor, then perhaps the Empire wouldn¡¯t dare to fight...¡¯ The boy, who was pretending to be Kitool¡¯s cousin, broke from his act for a moment. His eyes were wide, scanning across the huge walls. He, too, had heard tales of the walls of the Iyr, but he, like everyone, assumed they had been greatly exaggerated. ¡®These walls are greater than even those of West Fort!¡¯ Fate¡¯s Golden stared at the first timers, basking in the sentiment. They were meeting the force of nature which was the Iyr. As they approached the large gates, Jurot sent out a call. ¡°Jurot, son of Surot, returns with Guests!¡± The group waited, moments passing, but there was no sound. It was then the gates opened, revealing the handsome Front Iyr Elder, who was flanked by a dozen Iyrmen, ten of which were wearing Mithril Rank tags, and the other two wore the long robes of the Shamans. ¡°It is a pleasure to greet such esteemed Guests,¡± Lykan called. ¡°I am Elder Lykan.¡± Wow! Tariel tapped the word with her finger, her eyes scanning across the Iyrmen, each of whom wore the Mithril Rank tags of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild she had heard so much about. There were each as powerful as her own Elders, though her Elders wielded the great powers of primal magic. ¡°I have come to answer the call,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°Thank you, Lord Morkarai,¡± Elder Lykan said. ¡°We are forever gracious for your assistance.¡± Though there was still construction going on around the Iyr, there were many Iyrmen who were going about their day to day lives, business as usual. They all wore hats or light veils to keep the sun away, though Jaygak was basking within it, like the other Devilkin. The group were guided by a set of Mithril Rank Iyrmen, though Lady Shamia and Tariel were brought to their own small estates, which the Iyr had built in case they received other Guests like them. ¡°Whoa...¡± Adam set his equipment down, feeling his entire body ache for a moment, before he glanced around the large buildings. There were many wooden buildings further into the Front Iyr, and they had been settled near the centre, though some rows away, where it was slightly quieter. Kitool stayed close with the young boy, placing a hand on his shoulder casually. ¡°Familiar faces,¡± called a familiar voice. ¡°Hey, Ashmir,¡± Adam called, seeing the great warrior who had been adopted into the Iyr. ¡°How are you all?¡± Ashmir asked. He wore the summer clothing of the Iyrmen, which was a short sleeved tunic, and trousers which were cut at the shin. ¡°Well, well,¡± Adam said, still looking all about the Iyr. ¡°Did you just return?¡± Ashmir asked, looking across the party, nodding to his son, Dunes. ¡°We did. I was going to say we had quite the story to tell but...¡± Ashmir smiled. ¡°Come. Let me invite you to eat.¡± He nodded to the others too, inviting all of Fate¡¯s Golden. They followed him to a shared family estate, where there were Mirs and other Iyrmen all about. Adam noted that his three wives were all relaxing, basking under the sun, their feet in small basins full of cool water. Jurot squinted his eyes. ¡°Great fortune to you, Ashmir.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam said, noting Jurot was staring at the wives. Ashmir smiled. ¡°Yes, I suppose it is.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Let us congratulate them for their pregnancy,¡± Jurot said, taking the other Iyrmen with him. The three wives welcomed the Iyrmen, and they soon got to chatting. ¡°Congrats,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to Ashmir. ¡°Three kids, huh? Good luck.¡± ¡°Thank you. They forced me to agree to move to the Front Iyr, saying it was good luck to give birth here.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, what can you do, eh? One wife is hard enough to face against, but three? All of whom will be united against you?¡± Ashmir laughed. ¡°Still, it seems they were right it was good luck.¡± ¡°Really? How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Shamir has taken the title of Elder Wrath.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s nice...¡± Adam stared at Jurot and the others. ¡°Wait. What?¡± Click banner for Patreon! Wait. What? Thank you to the new patron! Expect double chapters tomorrow and I''m only 1 away from posting up double chapters for a week straight... 379. Front Iyr II 379. Front Iyr II ¡°Elder Wrath had been chosen last month,¡± Jurot explained, once they had all gathered around the centre fire. ¡°Did you know?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I was informed by the Guild.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam wondered if he was really that stupid not to have guessed something so simple. ¡°It was the closest vote to date.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°There were over one thousand votes, and Shamir, Elder Wrath, won by two.¡± ¡°Two?¡± Adam¡¯s eyelashes fluttered. ¡°Two votes?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°The Mir family is on the rise. I would have bet Zardon would have been chosen.¡± ¡°Damn...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Jurot looked to Ashmir, who was once known as Lion King, and then to Dunes, the Lion King¡¯s son. Elder Wrath had been chosen because the previous Elder Wrath had lost his bout to the Lion King. The reason he had lost was because of the tournament held in Aswadia. The reason the tournament was held was because the Iyrmen killed so many soldiers. The reason why the Iyrmen killed so many soldiers, was because their Shaman had been tortured. The reason why their Shaman has been tortured, was because they had claimed the Awakened Forest. The reason why they claimed the Awakened Forest was because of... Jurot looked to Adam. ¡°I¡¯m really glad for you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Congratulations on the pregnancy and the Mir¡¯s family fortune!¡± ¡°I knew I smelled you!¡± called a boisterous voice. ¡°Oh no,¡± Adam whispered, before turning to see the handsome old man. He was slightly thinner than before. ¡°Hey, Strom. How are you?¡± ¡°I am well!¡± Strom laughed, quickly approaching the group. ¡°Have you all been well?¡± ¡°All good,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you have a story to share?¡± Strom invited himself to sit. He still had free reign in the Iyr, which had surprised even Elder Lykan, who had been told that even his authority couldn¡¯t reach Strom. ¡°Eh, nothing much,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°We dealt with an Outbreak.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Strom glanced between them all. ¡°None of you seem injured.¡± ¡°Adam was with us.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Strom laughed. ¡°How could I forget?¡± As food was being cooked, Jurot began to tell the tale of what they had done since leaving the Iyr. As the tale was told, another great figure emerged at the shared estate, as Morkarai, who had doffed his armour, had appeared. He seemed a little taller, and he more importantly, he was a mass of muscle, causing Lucy to pinch her thigh. ¡®If the Iyr paid respects to someone like him, then I¡¯d better behave.¡¯ Morkarai was about to greet everyone when he saw Strom¡¯s tattoo, causing him to freeze for a moment. ¡°Ho!¡± Strom raised his brows. ¡°You¡¯ve grown up so much, though not as much as I expected.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, without even thinking about it. Adam¡¯s eyes fell back on Strom. ¡®I should have realised he was strong when Entalia had warned me.¡¯ He wondered who the pair were, glancing between Strom and Morkarai. Jurot continued the tale, as food was cooked and shared between them all. All the while, there were a few Mithril Rank Iyrmen around, those who were tasked to look after Morkarai, as well as Shaool, who was tasked to keep an eye on Strom. It wasn¡¯t as though she could have stopped him doing anything, but she could move swiftly, and if it ever came down to it, she could probably survive for long enough against Strom to retreat to the Iyr, which couldn¡¯t be said about most other Iyrmen in her position. When the tales were finished, the group remained together, talking, eating, and enjoying each other¡¯s company. An older Orcish Iyrman approached, a man with long hair, which was braided, and a large beard which hid his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s Romaezi,¡± Jurot whispered to Adam. ¡°He is our greatest enchanter.¡± Adam looked at the older Iyrman, who approached Strom and Morkarai, bowing his head towards them. Romaezi also managed to catch Adam¡¯s eyes for a moment, nodding towards the Half Elf. ¡°Good evening,¡± Romaezi said. ¡°I am Romaezi.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time to talk business?¡± Strom stood with a grunt, feeling his old bones crack. It was a feeling he was getting used to, though every so often, it became worse. Morkarai also stood, following Romaezi out. This was a part of the Edict which had been called. ¡°What was that about?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Enchanting?¡± Jurot mused, before he looked to Adam. Adam pouted slightly, but he understood that he couldn¡¯t join the big boy club. ¡®Does Strom know how to enchant then?¡¯ He looked to Stormdrake, which was disappearing out of sight with Morkarai. ¡°It is granduncle Rajin,¡± Jurot said. Another older Orcish Iyrman appeared, wheeling a rickshaw full of barrels and gourds. He was tall and thin, though well muscled, and carried a greatsword on his back. He set the rickshaw down nearby, before picking up a long rope of gourds, which he brought over to the group. The three pregnant women sighed together. ¡®Ah! The alcohol grandpa,¡¯ Adam though, recalling the name. ¡°I had heard my grandnephews and grandnieces had returned,¡± he said, his voice small. ¡®What? Didn¡¯t this guy think about becoming Elder Wrath?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how a sweet old man like him could have become Elder Wrath. ¡°We have returned,¡± Jurot said, greeting his granduncle, who shook the young man¡¯s forearm and handed him a gourd, doing the same for all the people about. When he came to Adam, who reached out with his hand to grasp the old man¡¯s forearm, Rajin slapped the Half Elf¡¯s shoulder, and grabbed it, though not too harshly. ¡°Come,¡± he said. ¡°Marry into my family.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I am not interested in marriage at the moment. I am married to my work.¡± Rajin sighed, but handed Adam two gourds. ¡°Jarot said I should not ask, but I still had to.¡± Adam nodded. After the tale had been told, and they had eaten, and drunk, their fill, they returned back to their own estate, where they¡¯d be sleeping at during their stay in the Front Iyr. Jurot, Jaygak, Kitool, and the boy, all left, leaving Adam alone in his thoughts. Quest Complete: The Royal Visit XP Gained: +100 Quest Complete: The Royal Visit XP Gained: +100 Quest Complete: The Royal Visit XP Gained: +100 Quest Complete: The Royal Visit XP Gained: +100 ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Did you glitch out, Bell?¡¯ [...] Click banner for Patreon! Is Bell okay? A shame we''ll never figure out why he spammed it. Interlude: The Royal Visit Interlude: The Royal Visit Lykan stared at the boy. He was the second most troublesome visitor they had received, outside of Tariel. The boy stared up at the Elder, his eyes full of defiance. ¡°You are now a member of the Ool family,¡± Lykan said. ¡°You will remain with them.¡± ¡°You will not help me?¡± the boy asked, glaring up at Lykan. ¡°They will keep you safe.¡± The boy frowned. It was not what he wanted to hear. He was happy to pretend to be an Ool, but this was something else. ¡°What about my home?¡± ¡°We will keep you safe within the Iyr. One day, perhaps you may be able to view it as your home.¡± The boy¡¯s lip quivered and he held onto his knees, clenching at them. ¡°What of my uncle? He...¡± He swallowed. ¡°Can¡¯t you kill him?¡± ¡°We can,¡± Lykan stated, matter of factly. ¡°We will not.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± the boy snapped. ¡°He killed my mother and father! My brother and sister too! He killed them!¡± Tears welled in the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°We Iyrmen keep our word,¡± Lykan stated. ¡°Stay within the Iyr. We will protect you. No one, not even the King of Aldland, will be able to hurt you. That is all that we can offer you.¡± The boy, who had lived through the assassination of his father and mother, of his entire family, who had starved on the street for a year, finally wept. ¡°I want to kill him! He! How could he? He sits where my father sat! It is not his throne! It¡¯s not his! It¡¯s not mine! It¡¯s fathers!¡± The boy continued to weep. Lykan placed a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It must have been difficult for you. I cannot tell you to forget your rage, or your thirst for vengeance, but I also cannot promise that we can assist you in this matter. Not while the treaty is in effect.¡± The boy shook and cried, all the while Elder Lykan squeezed his shoulder. ¡°You must never speak of it again. Keep it in your heart, but do not forget. For now, you are an Iyrman, and we of the Iyr never forget.¡± During this time, there were also other royalty who were staying within the Iyr. ¡°Ah!¡± Strom sighed with joy. ¡°Firewine, oh firewine! How you sing to me, to me!¡± Morkarai remained heavy with stress as he shared his firewine with Strom. He hadn¡¯t expected to meet with His Excellency, for he exuded such a great presence, even though Morkarai had a one in ten chance of getting lucky and perhaps bringing the old man down to a knee. ¡°You were just a wee babe when I saw you last, but look at how you¡¯ve grown,¡± Strom said. ¡°That may have been the last time I had drunk your firewine. I drunk it at the start of your life, and you bring it to me at the end of my own.¡± Morkarai winced. Hearing that someone like Strom was dying brought a great darkness to his mind. He, who had only ever known the world with Strom alive, couldn¡¯t imagine a world without the man. ¡°I am sorry to hear it, Your Grace.¡± Strom clicked his teeth. ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°Forgive me, Lord Strom.¡± Strom narrowed his eyes. Morkarai smiled nervously. ¡°I will send your words back to my father.¡± Strom nodded. ¡°If only I could see old Flames again. I bet he¡¯d be so angry seeing me like this. A wisp of my former self. Damn it! I want to see the face he¡¯d make so bad!¡± Strom howled with laughter, as though he had told the funniest joke. ¡°You¡¯re speaking of...¡± Strom nodded. ¡°Right. I forgot you all don¡¯t really like him. He may even start trouble with you once I¡¯m gone, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that stupid.¡± Morkarai sighed. Strom was bringing him so much stress. His death would bring a darkness across the land. Perhaps not right away, but not long after. ¡®It should be fine, as long as the other legends haven¡¯t died.¡¯ ¡°Ah, right. You¡¯ve met that boy, haven¡¯t you? Adam?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Morkarai said, eyes snapping to meet Strom¡¯s. Strom grinned. ¡°What do you think of him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s certainly interesting,¡± Morkarai said, carefully. He didn¡¯t want to give the wrong impression to Strom, who seemed to take a liking to the boy. After all, he had lost his sword to the young man, and there was no way he¡¯d have lost his sword unless he wanted the boy to have it. At least, that was what he thought. ¡°You should get on his good side. He¡¯s got quite the story to tell, though I don¡¯t think it should be told.¡± ¡°His story?¡± Morkarai asked, intrigued. Strom thought for a long moment. ¡°It¡¯s not my tale to say, but I hope you¡¯ll send your father another message.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tell him he needs to prepare for a threat which shouldn¡¯t come to pass,¡± Strom said, his voice deep and clear. Morkarai swallowed, not liking the serious tone of voice that Strom had taken. He bowed his head, though he wasn¡¯t sure what it truly meant. ¡°He may not believe you, but pass my words along. Tell him they¡¯re my last piece of advice to him, from...¡± Strom sipped the firewine. ¡°From a tired old man to a King.¡± Morkarai bowed his head. ¡°I will.¡± Strom sighed, before smiling. ¡°That Adam is quite the crazy young man. He might even be crazier than me.¡± He howled with laughter again. Morkarai wondered how that could be true. ¡°Do you have any advice for me on how to grow closer to him?¡± Strom nodded. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Play with his little sister.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! What''s this? A second chapter? Is this a triple chapter day? Yes. Yes it is! 380. Front Iyr III 380. Front Iyr III Omen: 13, 17 Adam sniffled in the morning. He had forgotten one of the rules of the Iyr. When one returned to the Front Iyr, they were to spend a week assisting the Iyrmen. Of course, Adam¡¯s companions didn¡¯t need to help quite as much, but as a Nephew of the Rot family, he had to work hard. Due to the heat of the Iyr, and how it bore down onto him, Adam wore a vest, a pair of shorts, and a short cloak which was extremely thin. Strom sat atop a building, singing and drinking, ambiance for the busy Iyrmen, some of whom were busy with building the rest of the Iyr. ¡°It isn¡¯t usually like this,¡± Adam said to Lady Shamia. ¡°The Front Iyr¡¯s changed a lot since we last left.¡± ¡°It is different than I expected,¡± she admitted. ¡°The walls of the Iyr are one thing, but the way the Iyrmen are all moving, and how quickly they¡¯re expanding, it¡¯s something which I can only dream of achieving.¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re like that, the Iyrmen.¡± Lady Shamia made a note of all the older Iyrmen, who were lazing around, relaxing under the sun and casually chatting with one another. Adam followed her eyes, and furrowed his brows. ¡®Why are there so many old Iyrmen about?¡¯ Adam helped around the Front Iyr, moving lumber from one place to the next, and generally assisting with manual labour. He was glad he invented the rickshaw, otherwise it would have been far more difficult. ¡®Where¡¯s Sky, the lazy git,¡¯ Adam thought. It would have been so much easier with his awakened wolf helping. ¡°Jurot, do you know what¡¯s going on?¡± Adam asked. As the day had passed, he realised there was a lack of younger children. It wasn¡¯t that there was less, it was that there had been so many older Iyrmen who had arrived that the Front Iyr felt so different. ¡°I do not,¡± the Iyrman admitted. ¡°I have not heard of something like this happening in the Iyr.¡± Jurot only knew that it was a dangerous time, considering the older generation had stepped into the Front Iyr. ¡°Even if the King of Aldland came with tens of thousands of soldier, the Iyr would not react this way.¡± ¡°Does anyone know?¡± ¡°If we should know, then we should know,¡± Jurot replied, dismissing the thought. ¡°Elder Forest and Elder Lykan have stated what must be done, so we must complete our tasks.¡± ¡°Yeah, but aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I am too weak to be curious,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Tigers are killed by curiosity.¡± ¡®That¡¯s now how the saying goes...¡¯ However, Adam understood what Jurot was getting at. He decided to let his curiosity go too. He spent the week assisting the Iyr in the same way, chopping down trees, clearing the land, helping build the various buildings. ¡°May I admire your puthral?¡± Morkarai asked one afternoon. Adam looked to Jurot, who nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Morkarai stared at the puthral for a long while, feeling its hardness under his fingers. ¡®I wonder what her face will look like when I reveal to her I was able to study puthral.¡¯ Elder Lykan was extremely busy throughout the week, especially since he had received word back from the Druids. ¡®How could you run away from home when the Iyr is preparing for its darkest hour?¡¯ He sighed, wondering how they could deal with the matter. The Druids hadn¡¯t asked to return their young Star, and so the Iyr would need to keep an eye on her. They would need to deal with her before the Twilight Month, otherwise they would need to pin so many Shamans to her. The Elder eventually made his way to Strom, who was laying down atop a building, lazing under the sun. The old man opened an eye to see the approaching Elder. ¡°News?¡± ¡°He is still within Aswadia,¡± Lykan said. ¡°At his pace, he should arrive at the Iyr around the Month of Storms.¡± ¡°No doubt he¡¯ll wait outside the Iyr if it¡¯s during that month,¡± Strom said. ¡°Not that I¡¯ll be so patient.¡± Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 22 (16) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 6 (1) Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jaygak asked, watching as Adam dropped down beside them during dinner. ¡°Tired,¡± Adam replied, simply, trying to peel off his nightval bear leather, which had kept him cool all day. ¡°I heard you were smithing crimsonsteel,¡± Jaygak whispered. ¡°Yeah, I made a pretty decent axehead,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not a sword?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°No. Not a sword.¡± Omen: 4, 12 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 10 (4) Omen: 4, 12 -> 4 12 + 6 = 18 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. Their sparkling silver scales glittered under the noonval sun, which unfortunately revealed them to the crows above. As the crows dove down towards the glittering scales, the small silver scaled creature spun, crying out a screech, before reaching up with her talons to attack the crows. The crows pecked at her scales, tearing two off, before a talon completely rent a crow in half, all the while the two other silvery creatures screeched in terror, before assisting their oldest sibling, fending off the crows. The winged lizard withdrew, hiding under a rock, blood seeping out of her wounds. Her two younger siblings licked at her wounds, before covering her, protecting her the same way she had done for them this entire time. Thus Fate was forever changed. Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 9 (4) Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Adam sighed, feeling the ache of the exhaustion fill him. He was glad he was wearing his nightval bear leather, otherwise he would have been half dead from the heat of the forge and the noonval sun. ¡®I¡¯m so unlucky making these axeheads...¡¯ Omen: 4, 15 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 6 = 24 (18) Adam stared down at the crimsonsteel sword. ¡®I should have been making swords this entire time.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Well, this is the last one.¡¯ Tomorrow, he¡¯d be home. Click banner for Patreon! I hope you enjoyed the three chapters today! The ultimate cliffhanger of refusing to allow you to see Lanarot. My evil knows no bounds. 381. The Iyr’s Walls And Comfort 381. The Iyr¡¯s Walls And Comfort Omen: 7, 16 Adam stared up at the huge walls of the Iyr, which looked to be the same, though what lay beyond was still left to Adam¡¯s imagination. Lady Shamia and Tariel stared up at the walls, the gate, and the statues. Tariel tapped the single word, and Shamia nodded. ¡°We have returned,¡± Jurot shouted, before the Iyrman above confirmed the situation, and the gates were forced open by the nearby Iyrmen¡¯s might. ¡°Do they always force the gates open the hard way?¡± Shamia asked. ¡°Would you have it any other way?¡± Adam joked. ¡°From what I have seen, yeah, they always do it this way.¡± Shamia understood why the Iyrmen had held such a great reputation for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. As the gates opened, Adam sighed, seeing that the Iyr was exactly as he had left it. There was a swarm of children which made their way to him, but Adam raised his hand to stop them. ¡°Form an orderly queue!¡± Adam declared, causing the children to stare up at him. The One Who Queues. That was what the children had called him. Some of them had been here the last time he had returned and made them queue, whilst others had only heard rumours of the Half Elf who made them queue for their prizes, but he also brought with him the best prizes. Adam and the Iyrmen gave the queueing children a manner of trinkets, from small clay cups, to strips of cloth, to bits and bobs from the various creatures they had slain. The adult Iyrmen glanced over to see what they were up to, but seeing that everything seemed fine, they left the matter be. Once the children had received their souvenirs, they quickly scattered away to talk to one another about what they had managed to procure from those who had returned. Adam¡¯s face held the widest of grins as they made their way through the Iyr. ¡®The Iyr is truly the best place.¡¯ ¡°We have returned,¡± Jurot said, having stepped into one of the archways to their shared family estate. The children all looked back, stuffing their mouths with food, before seeing their siblings and cousins had returned. They swiftly charged their returned family. ¡°Welcome home,¡± Turot said, approaching both Jurot and Adam, his eyes beaming up at them. ¡°Have you been a good boy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled, ruffling his hair. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You have returned, Cousin Adam,¡± Katool said, reaching up to grab his sleeve. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve all brought such great gifts, and some Guests too,¡± Adam said. ¡°This is Lady Shamia, of Clan Waterveil.¡± The adults perked up at the name, having heard the name previously from the Iyrmen¡¯s adventure the year prior. ¡°This is Star Tariel,¡± Adam said, motioning to Tariel. ¡®What is she doing here?¡¯ The adult Iyrmen all wondered what a Druid was doing in the Iyr, especially since she had come to them, and not Elder Shaman or a Great Elder. Of course, it was such a silly though, as they recalled who it was that introduced them. ¡°Welcome,¡± Sonarot said, approaching the Guests. ¡°You are welcome within our home, Lady Shamia, Star Tariel.¡± ¡°I apologise for intruding.¡± Yes. Sorry. There came a gentle squeal from nearby, as Lanarot looked up to see her two papas had returned. ¡°Go on,¡± Adam said, elbowing Jurot. ¡°You pick her up first so I can pick her up for longer.¡± Jurot lifted his sister up, whose mouth was covered in saliva and breadcrumbs. She bounced excitedly, laughing up at him. He stared at her for a long while, before pulling her into a hug, the way he always did. The girl melted up against her brother, falling quiet. Her breath tickled his neck, and he felt how hot she was, and how hard her heartbeat drummed within her tiny chest. ¡®I forgot this guy is Trained in hugging,¡¯ Adam thought, annoyed. ¡®How am I meant to follow up to that?¡¯ Tariel remained confused. Katool looked to her mother, wondering if she was doing it wrong. ¡°She does not know the signs. She is not an Iyrman.¡± Citool pet her daughter¡¯s head gently. ¡°Ock!¡± Katool held her head, realising her mistake. ¡°Did I miss the stories?¡± Strom asked, making his way to the dinner, dragging with him a barrel of alcohol. He stood there, glancing around to all the Iyrmen, and cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have brought so much.¡¯ ¡°You did,¡± Adam replied. ¡°A shame,¡± Strom said, placing the barrel of alcohol to the side. ¡°Who is this little girl? Come.¡± He reached out to Lanarot. ¡°As if you could steal my-,¡± Adam stopped, feeling Lanarot squirm as she reached up to Strom. ¡®What?¡¯ Nirot smirked at Adam, before she reached out her arms. ¡°Lanarot. Come.¡± Strom was holding the girl, but upon hearing her name, Lanarot twitched, looking to Nirot, before reaching out to her cousin. Adam remained frozen in shock. ¡°This betrayal shall never be forgotten. Jurot, I told you this would happen. I¡¯m never leaving the Iyr again.¡± Sonarot wasn¡¯t sure what to say. She wasn¡¯t sure they could handle the stress of Adam staying, but considering the company he had brought back, she wasn¡¯t sure they could handle the stress of him going either. ¡°The Iyr has changed. First the Front Iyr, and now my darling baby sister.¡± Adam hung his head, staring at the soup before him. ¡°We were told recently that each family must prepare a warrior who is at least a Master,¡± Sonarot informed. Jurot and his cohorts snapped their head to Sonarot. ¡°A Master from each family?¡± Jurot asked. Sonarot bowed her head. ¡°That is all we have been told. To hear that Lord Morkarai has also appeared...¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she should have mentioned it, but it was a great honour for them to bring such a great figure to the Iyr. ¡°He is Mor, of the Kingly Fire. He is a Prince of the Fire Giants.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What? Why did no one tell me? Thankfully I didn¡¯t offend him too bad.¡± ¡°You did well not offending him too much,¡± Jurot said, patting his shoulder. Sonarot smiled too. ¡°You have done well, Adam.¡± Adam smiled, glad that they could see how far he had improved. ¡°Yeah, and I didn¡¯t even offend Lady Shamia or Star Tariel.¡± ¡°It is true,¡± Shamia said, though she wasn¡¯t sure why it was mentioned. Tariel wrote down the confirmation in her book. Wazool stared at Adam, wondering why it was such a great accomplishment. They eventually turned in for the night, with Lanarot cuddled up beside Adam. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve come crawling back to me, have you, traitor?¡± Lanarot stared up at him and smiled her toothy smile. ¡°If you weren¡¯t so cute, I wouldn¡¯t forgive you,¡± Adam said, kissing the top of her head, and cuddling up with her. ¡°I missed you so much, Lanababy.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, wrapping the blanket around him. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Lanarot is happy to see me return.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°She is happy as I when my father returned home,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will my children be the same? Adam couldn¡¯t help but contain his smile, meeting Sonarot¡¯s gaze, the pair smiling wider. ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be.¡± Jurot stared up at the ceiling for a long while. He now understood how his father must have felt. He closed his eyes, pushing away all the thoughts in his head. His heart pounded wildly, and there was a pang of great grief and anguish. It was in the dead of night when he opened his eyes. He did not know the feeling in his heart. The feeling of not wanting to die when he went out to adventure. He began to sweat, trying to force out the feeling. When he couldn¡¯t, he let the cold feeling encompass him, falling asleep to dread. Click banner for Patreon! Lanarot has already begun to betray Adam. Is she in her rebellious phase? Is it because he didn''t bring back bread? 382. Magic In The Iyr 382. Magic In The Iyr Omen: 12, 14 Lanarot snoozed quietly atop Adam¡¯s chest, the gentle sway of her older brother¡¯s chest rocking her deeper into her slumber. Adam stared up at the ceiling, his eyes half glazed over. ¡®This is the best life,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Why did I leave the Iyr? Lanarot is here, and the rest of my family. I can train, smith, enchant in the Iyr. I can sleep, eat, drink, and play in the Iyr. I could grab a book and write up some more for Warriors and Wanderers.¡¯ He sighed, his chest deflating, causing Lanarot to stir. He thought about all those outside of the Iyr. Nobby, his uncles, as well as the farmers. Then there was Mara, who he still needed to save, and Freja, who he hadn¡¯t made any progress towards. ¡®Where the hell is Dark Harvest?¡¯ Lanarot¡¯s eyes opened, gently fluttering as she fought away her slumber. She looked up, seeing the familiar face. She stared at Adam, before she smiled. ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam said, reaching down to brush her hair. Lanarot squealed and laid her head against his chest again, feeling the strong hand against her head, before it rubbed against her back. ¡°Did you have a nice sleep, Lanababy?¡± ¡°Oo.¡± Adam smiled, lifting her up gently, before sitting up, holding the girl in his arms. ¡°Why are you so heavy?¡± Lanarot giggled again. ¡°Papa.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± Adam nuzzled her nose, before kissing her cheek. Adam stepped out to train in the morning, feeling the heat of a noonval morning welcome him. However, as he began to workout, he stopped. Many of his aunts were sitting together, and they were chatting to each other casually. It wasn¡¯t unusual, they always sat and chatted together, but here were all his aunts, save for Sonarot. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam felt something in his gut churn. ¡®Why isn¡¯t Sonarot there?¡¯ The other children were all playing nearby, and they rushed up to Adam. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Katool said, looking up at Adam. Her bob cut was a little longer now, the longest it had been in a long while. ¡°Come play.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam was unable to say no to his adorable little cousin, playing with her as he thought deeply about why they would leave Sonarot out. ¡®Is it because of me?¡¯ The other Iyrmen returned from their morning baths. They had trained lightly earlier, while Adam was trapped under his little sister. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, motioning the Iyrman closer with his head. ¡°They¡¯ll all sitting together without Aunt.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They are pregnant.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. The words slowly processed within his mind. ¡°You what?¡± ¡°They are pregnant,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, a small smile appearing on his face. ¡°Our family will soon grow.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He wasn¡¯t close with most of his aunts, and some of them even despised him. He had even beat two of them not long ago, and now they were pregnant. He approached the group of women. ¡°Uh, good morning.¡± ¡°Good morning, Adam,¡± Citool said. She was the closest to Adam after Sonarot, and tolerated his jokes almost as well. ¡°I heard... that you were all... uh... congratulations.¡± Adam winced, having never felt so awkward before in this life. Even when he congratulated the Mir women, it hadn¡¯t been this bad. Citool bowed her head. ¡°Thank you, Adam. Are you okay?¡± Adam made his way to the centre estate, where Elder Zijin was currently checking all manner of books, before covering them as the Half Elf approached. ¡°Good morning, Elder Zijin,¡± Adam called. ¡°Good morning, Adam.¡± Elder Zijin nodded, smiling. He wondered what Adam was going to ask of him. He could smell it, the mischief. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I was just wondering if maybe I could...¡± He paused, trying to find a way to ask politely. ¡°I¡¯d like to cast a spell within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Which spell?¡± ¡°Fly.¡± Elder Zijin almost denied the request, but he managed to catch himself. ¡°Why?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Well, you know... I want to be able to fly Lanarot around.¡± The Elder smiled. He had expected it was to do with Lanarot. ¡°That is quite the ask.¡± ¡°Come on, Elder Zijin. I want to fly her around. I don¡¯t want to go too high, just a little bit, you know?¡± Adam pleaded. Zijin pulled back, sighing. Of course it was a request like this. Zijin wondered what he did to deserve someone like Adam in his life. ¡°I can approve the request, only if you do not fly higher than the middle floors of the buildings, and you cannot fly outside the nearby estates.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the best Elder a Half Elf can ask for,¡± Adam said, grinning wide. ¡°Alright, see you!¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Zijin called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam looked back over his shoulder, his face full of worry, as though his scam had been caught out. ¡°Thank you for bringing back my niece¡¯s body,¡± he said, nodding his head slowly. Adam remained silent for a moment, his mind flashing back to the temple. ¡°Yeah. Any time.¡± The Half Elf left quietly. Zijin returned back to his work, shaking his head. Adam¡¯s antics may cause him some trouble, but how could he refuse such an adorable request? Especially after what he had done for them. Lanarot gasped as she stared down, staring at the floor as it drew further away from her, before looking around. Adam held her in his arms, feeling how she had frozen up. ¡°Look! You¡¯re flying, Lanababy.¡± Lanarot¡¯s eyes were wide as she flew with Adam, who slowly moved them around, and as he tried to reposition her, she grabbed his sleeve, looking around. ¡°Flying, Lanababy,¡± Adam cooed. Once she had gotten used to the sensation, the girl screamed with joy, and started to laugh. The other children watched as Adam carried the girl, circling around the courtyard. The aunts watched Adam as he flew around with Lanarot. They decided against making any comments, instead keeping an eye on the Half Elf making sure he didn¡¯t go too far, or do anything too dangerous. Once the minutes passed, Adam landed, and Lanarot cautiously stood, holding onto Adam¡¯s legs as she stared at the ground, feeling her weight keep her down. ¡°Cousin Adam, I go,¡± Taygak said, staring up at Adam. ¡°You want a turn?¡± Adam asked, smiling down at her, before his gaze turned towards Kaygak. ¡°Mother,¡± Taygak called. ¡°Taygak fly.¡± Kaygak sighed, nodding her head. Adam had already managed to win the hearts of the children, and it was too late to stop his antics. Taygak remained almost frozen as Adam flew her around. Then it was Turot¡¯s turn, and he had been the same, frozen as he felt the strange sensation. Katool excitedly stepped up, and she clutched onto Adam¡¯s sleeve, as Lanarot had done. She squealed in delight as her hair flew about. Damokan and Kalokan were carried together, one in each arm, holding each other¡¯s hand as Adam circled around the area with them. ¡°Mother! Look!¡± Raygak shouted down towards Lavgak as he flew. He threw out his arms, laughing like a hyena, and he didn¡¯t stop even after he was placed down on the floor. Saygak remained quiet, frozen like Taygak and Turot. The only word he could recall was the word which Tariel constantly tapped when she walked around the Iyr. There was a deeper feeling, though. Flying felt so... magical. Click banner for Patreon! Wholesome scenes incoming. Slice of life arc continues for a bit, about 20 chapters I think. 383. Adam’s Business I 383. Adam¡¯s Business I It was later in the evening when Adam met with Sonarot, the pair sitting across one another in one of the side rooms. Adam poured tea for them, using his Persevian tea pot which had cost him far too much gold. ¡°I¡¯d like to create a company,¡± Adam began. ¡°I have a rough idea of what I want to do. I¡¯d like to create inns which dot the land, in between the cities. Places where one can go to rest and recuperate. Each inn will be as one might expect, with very little to no difference between them. There will be a smith who will repair one¡¯s gear, and the inns will sell whatever one may require, from shields and weapons, mundane and magical, to potions. I might even have an alchemist in each inn, who knows?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°That is quite the dream, Adam,¡± Sonarot replied, feeling the warmth of her clay cup against her hand. ¡°A difficult dream.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, smiling wider. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not all. I was thinking about making a business to sell enchanted weapons, staring with boutique enchanting for Nobles, before figuring out how to create formulas for different enchanted items.¡± ¡°Formulas?¡± Sonarot asked, unsure of what he meant in the context of magical weapons. ¡°Yeah. I want to create formulas, recipes, for mass producing the same magical weapon. I¡¯ll train smiths, enchants, and alchemists, and they¡¯ll work for me in establishing a trade empire which will span from Drakkenlen, through Aldland, and even into Aswadia. I might, if the Empire doesn¡¯t take over the land, push into the Confederacy.¡± Adam stared down at the tea. ¡°I¡¯ll train all kinds of warriors, from Fighters, to Guardians, to Priests, to assist with various different escorting missions, if I go that route, as well as to defend the business. I¡¯ll create different squads with different tasks, and they¡¯ll be well trained for different situations.¡± ¡°That is a greater business than I imagined,¡± Sonarot admitted. She had thought she understood what Adam wanted to do, but this was so much larger than what she even imagined. She was still hung up on what he meant by creating recipes for magical weapons. ¡°I...¡± Adam smiled, bringing the tea up to his lips, staring into his Aunt¡¯s eyes as he sipped his tea slowly, wincing from the heat. The sweet taste of strawberry lingered on his wounded tongue. ¡°I want to gather the families of my workers together, all within the same place, and let them work and live on the businesses¡¯ land. They¡¯d be paid a small wage, but their housing, food, and even their healthcare needs would be taken care of. I¡¯d put their children through education too, teaching them how to read and write, and maybe even teach them more, the skills needed for the business, or magic and the like.¡± ¡°Jurot said that you also paid for Anne¡¯s education.¡± Sonarot stared at the young Half Elf. ¡°I did,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to eventually hire her to work for me.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Is that the only reason?¡± Adam paused for a long moment. He hadn¡¯t realised that Sonarot had figured him out to this extent. ¡°I have a lot of power now, Aunt. I¡¯m strong. Stronger than I sometimes recall. I have the ability to change the lives of the people around me in a way I didn¡¯t think possible. Nobby¡¯s one of mine now, so that means I¡¯m going to take good care of him, and his family too. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± Sonarot bowed her head, sipping the tea, She had assumed there was a reason like that behind it. Adam always acted for reasons like that. He was kind. Too kind. ¡°That¡¯s the surface of it, I suppose,¡± Adam said, completing his pitch to his Aunt. ¡°It is a good thing to strive for, Adam. I hope that you are able to create your business. No, I know you will be able to do it.¡± Sonarot smiled. Adam returned the smile, feeling awkward under her praise. ¡°I want you to be the owner of the business, Aunt.¡± ¡°It sounds like a costly endeavour,¡± Sonarot said, finally. ¡°Are you certain it will make money?¡± ¡°I doubt that all of it will make money, but that¡¯s beside the point,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°The business will be wide. I am going to be funnelling money from the profitable parts to shore up the losses of the unprofitable parts. It¡¯s okay for some of the businesses to lose money as long as we¡¯re green at the end of it all.¡± ¡°There will be parts of the business which will lose money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely about the money, it¡¯s about the ideals,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°United Kindom. I¡¯ll provide services to all. It¡¯ll be such a great business that even the King of Aldland will think twice about starting trouble.¡± Adam chuckled quietly. ¡°I just think it¡¯s so... cool. The money is obviously nice, but I just want to make sure my people are taken care of.¡± ¡°Who are your people?¡± ¡°Right now? I¡¯m not sure. I mean, obviously you¡¯re all my people, but you¡¯re taken care of.¡± Adam sipped his tea awkwardly. ¡°Nobby, right? I want him to be happy with his family, his mother and father, and his sister. I want her to grow well, just like Lanarot. Right. That¡¯s... that¡¯s what I want. I want to be their Iyr.¡± ¡°That is a great goal, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah. I was originally thinking about making a stronghold near Jaghi, Jurot said it was the second best place. I wanted to make it the headquarters, but I wanted to speak with the Chief about potentially making it on Iyrman lands. I doubt he¡¯ll say yes, so that¡¯s why I came to you first. If you could be the owner, then maybe the Chief would be more open to the idea.¡± Sonarot sighed. She finished her tea, and Adam poured her some more as she thought. ¡°You said you wished to mass produce magical weapons? What does that mean?¡± ¡°Basically, I¡¯d make templates for certain enchantments. I¡¯m going to try and learn how to make an enchantment, something like a fire sword, that¡¯s exactly the same each time I enchant. I want to be able to make them so I can make them identical, and without too much failure. I was thinking about training a few enchanters who could only make a handful of enchantments while they work for me.¡± Sonarot remained quiet. She realised that there were times that Adam could still shock even her. Something like mass producing magical weapons, it was perhaps one of the most dangerous things one could do. Not for the person, though there may be some danger there, but for people in general. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d share the formulas with the owners of the company. In fact, that could be how I pay you at first, since I¡¯m not sure how much money I should pay you, or if I can even afford that right now.¡± Adam¡¯s heart ached in his poverty. ¡®Even now, Adam, you can say such outrageous things...¡¯ ¡°Also...¡± Adam began, whispering ever so quietly. ¡°I really...¡± Adam felt his cheeks flush. ¡°I really want Lanarot to be called young miss or young madam. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯ll be so cute? She¡¯ll think her papa is so cool too.¡± Adam rubbed his face, understanding how embarrassing it was to admit it, but it was no lie. ¡®Of course,¡¯ Sonarot thought. Click banner for Patreon! Of course. We really are in the wrong genre! What''s this, an early chapter? Could it be... 384. Adam’s Business II 384. Adam¡¯s Business II Chief Iromin tapped the table, listening to Sonarot¡¯s words. He was a busy figure within the Iyr, especially after it was revealed that it would be happening so soon, but when it came to Adam, he made the time to listen. ¡°Do you think he told you this on purpose?¡± Iromin asked. What Sonarot had told him was truly outrageous, but when it came to Adam, Iromin could believe it. ¡°I believe Adam is showing his sincerity in speaking to me first,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I do not think he trusts himself in a matter like this. The things he thinks about are dangerous, and I believe he knows it.¡± Iromin recalled their conversations previously in the year, about the item which could cost a handful of gold. The things it could do would revolutionise the world, but it wasn¡¯t something the Iyr would allow to enter this world. Creating a formula to mass produce magical weapons was equally as dangerous, in the right or wrong hands. However, he had offered it to the Iyr, and it was something which even Iromin¡¯s heart was tempted by. ¡®Will you continue to reveal so many dangerous things, Adam?¡¯ Iromin thought, wondering how much stress the young Half Elf would bring to him. ¡®How many times will you make me think twice about you? You have threatened the Iyr so many times, and now this?¡¯ Yet, even Iromin knew how beneficial it would be if the Iyr got a hold of all these items. It wasn¡¯t as though they could grab Adam and torture him to reveal all the information he possessed, not since he was a Nephew of the Rot family. Iromin sipped his drink, before taking a bite of his fried dough snack. ¡°I will call for the Great Elders. Bring him to us.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes glanced between all the Great Elders, noting Shamir taking his place where once the previous Elder Wrath sat. ¡°Good evening, Great Elders.¡± Adam bowed his head. There was something about the way Adam spoke and bowed which caused most of the Great Elders discomfort. This was not how Adam behaved. It was only Elder Wrath who did not feel the discomfort. Adam did not wear his breastplate, and though he wore his ring, he understood that he was completely defenceless before the Great Elders. Even the new Great Elder would have been able to beat him down without much assistance. The silence caused his heart to pound harder, and his body to grow colder. ¡°Good evening, Adam,¡± Iromin finally said, breaking the tension in the air. ¡°I have heard from your Aunt that you had a business proposal for us?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, his eyes glued to Iromin¡¯s. Iromin would at least warn him if he was in trouble, Adam assumed. ¡°I mean, yes, Chief.¡± Iromin¡¯s face twitched slightly. He did not like this demure Adam. Though Adam was queer, and sometimes rude, he was still good at heart, and so he forgave the Half Elf for any minor, and sometimes major, transgressions. ¡°Please, tell us your plan,¡± Iromin said. Adam explained his plan, including all the reasons why he wanted to do what he was speaking of. ¡®I should have made a presentation.¡¯ Elder Wrath was new, and had very few dealings with Adam, so he looked to the other Great Elders to judge the situation. They seemed to be listening intently, and were taking Adam¡¯s words extremely seriously. It was no doubt they¡¯d take his words seriously, but the way they looked at Adam, it was as though it was plausible. Once Adam was done, there was a long silence. Iromin exchanged a look with the other Great Elders, before nodding his head. ¡°We had asked Romaezi to enchant the weapon which Elder Zijin had asked for,¡± Iromin said. ¡°It worked.¡± Iromin paused for thought. ¡°That is acceptable too.¡± Elder Gold and Elder Forest did not react, though they had disagreed with his statement. However, they couldn¡¯t show Adam that they disagreed on the topic. Technically, this came under their jurisdiction. ¡°Will you allow us to request formulas?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Sure. I was planning on making a shield which blasted out thunder, like the ones I made previously,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°We will not allow such a shield to be mass produced out of the Iyr,¡± Iromin said. He wondered if it was a coincidence Adam had mentioned that particular enchantment, because it was the enchantment which was to the forefront of his mind. ¡°You¡¯re so mea-,¡± Adam began, before pretending to cough, clearing his throat. ¡°It is a shame, but I understand.¡± Iromin didn¡¯t like the way Adam was behaving one bit. It made him feel dirty. This was not how he wanted Adam to act. ¡°If you are willing to accept the terms laid out, the Great Elders will discuss the matter further, and we will inform you once we come to a conclusion,¡± Iromin said. ¡°If you have any ideas about formulas you may have in mind, you may speak them, for they may assist in we Great Elder¡¯s decision, for better or for worse.¡± ¡°There was the thundershield, but also a firesword, a fire anything, really. Those were my big ideas, since the firesword is such a classic enchantment, but there¡¯s also different kinds of fireswords, too. Those which deal a small amount of fire damage with each swing, or a burst, like...¡± Adam paused, wondering if he should mention Phantom. ¡°There are also those which can shoot out fire in front, sort of like Burning Hands.¡± Iromin nodded. There were technically many types of fireswords as Adam had mentioned, and even more that he had not mentioned. ¡°Then maybe I could make some iceswords, or thunderswords, lightning swords, basically all kinds of different elemental swords. Not just swords, of course, all kinds of weapons. There are probably better enchantments out there, but I think those may be the most popular.¡± The Great Elders understood that the weapons would be the best selling, as they were also the most numerous among the magical weapons. ¡°I was thinking about selling different tiers of weapons. Those with a basic bonus, which could sell for slightly below the average price since, I think, they¡¯d be the easiest to produce. At the same tier would be those which hold no basic bonus, but held the different abilities, like the fire sword. Then the tier above would be those which held both enchantments, of the basic bonus, and the enhanced abilities. Then maybe a greater bonus above that?¡± Adam wondered. ¡°Greater enhanced weapons wouldn¡¯t be mass produced, they¡¯d be custom made by myself, though perhaps some basic enhanced weapons would be custom made too. The mass produced basic enhanced weapons would be weaker than those which would be custom made.¡± It all made sense to the Great Elders. They could accept the mass production of basic weapons, and even the weapons with different abilities, depending on the ability, and perhaps even the basic enhanced weapons. Mass producing greater enhanced weapons was a step too far, so they were glad he had moderated himself. ¡°Oh!¡± Adam said. ¡°I should tell you my story.¡± The Chief raised his eyebrows in alarm. Adam was going to tell them all his story? He hadn¡¯t been ready to tell the Great Elders, assuming it would have broken Adam¡¯s trust. ¡®Are you that desperate, Adam?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Thank you for the 25th patron! Thankfully I didn''t promise double chapters which would start from tomorrow and last an entire week. Oh. 385. Adam’s Business III 385. Adam¡¯s Business III ¡°So I had this story about an enchanter who was saved by the Rot family, or maybe the Rot family helped them in some way, so they helped the Iyrmen by making magical weapons as thanks.¡± Iromin¡¯s heartbeat relaxed. He had thought Adam was going to tell the Great Elders his story, not the story he had planned for the business. ¡°Then, the Iyr assisted the enchanter in creating a business for them so they could create magical weapons, and so they then began to offer the service to others. They just really like enchanting, right? So the Rot family decided to work closely with the enchanter.¡± The other Great Elders deflated, having thought that Adam was going to tell them all about his story. They had hoped Iromin would have told them as it had been well over a year, but the Chief had kept it to himself. ¡°I could be someone who works closely with the enchanter, or maybe they accepted me because I worked hard, and so Fate¡¯s Golden, who perhaps assisted the enchanter, became the managers of the business. The enchanter has decided to create a number of weapons yearly, which would then be sent out periodically into Aldland and other lands to be sold. I don¡¯t know, I need to figure it all out.¡± Iromin bowed his head. ¡°So, you, as the enchanter, will create the boutique weapons, and you will escort the weapons out as Adam, leader of Fate¡¯s Golden?¡± ¡°Basically,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll train some enchanters, teaching them just the way to enchant specific formulas, and they¡¯d work six hours a day, five days a week. I want them to make a weapon per week, so each enchanter will make the business about a thousand gold each week, maybe more if there are other enchantments. Roughly fifty thousand gold a year from each enchanter, which will then fund the entire operation, from the inns, to the smiths, to funding temples for education for everyone, to the guards, and to whatever other plans I have.¡± ¡°How much will you pay the Iyr and the Presidents of your company?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, honestly. I was thinking about capping wages of the highest paid person, but with all the benefits, the lowest rank employees won¡¯t make much, and since those benefits are already provided from the Iyr to the Presidents that may be a little silly.¡± ¡°If you do manage to create such a way to enchant, will you train enchanters for the Iyr?¡± Iromin asked, asking perhaps the most important question. ¡°Chief,¡± Adam said, smiling at him. ¡°I¡¯m making a pretty stupid deal. I¡¯m giving you, the Iyr, so many benefits, more than any sane person should. I do it because I have faith in you, the Iyr, and in my family, my Aunt especially.¡± Adam knew he was pretty stupid, but even he knew this much. ¡°I¡¯ll teach your enchanters. I¡¯ll pass on all my spells to the Iyr. I¡¯ll pass on my formulas to Aunt, and if she wants to pass them to you, she will. Some of them may be too dangerous, so she¡¯ll veto them from me, and perhaps even you, in which case, she can burn them if she wants to.¡± Iromin hadn¡¯t expected Adam to have so much wisdom. ¡®So you really do know how dangerous this matter is.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve come to you with all this information, this sweet, dangerous information, which may make you want to kill me even more, because I want to be close to the Iyr. In the same way I want the King of Aldland to think twice about messing with the business, I want you guys to think twice about messing with me too. I want to be so invaluable, that even when I do something stupid, you¡¯ll think twice before killing me.¡± Adam scanned the faces of the Great Elders. All of them knew the significance of Iromin¡¯s question, but they also knew the significance of Adam¡¯s forthrightness. ¡°I have a question too,¡± Adam said, after allowing them to stew on his words. ¡°Will you look after them? My people? The people of the business, I mean. I think the Iyr is the best place for my headquarters, not the Iyr itself, but on the land of the Iyr, beyond the village. I know that it will make people think twice, and... if someone does attack, I hope the Iyrmen will respond.¡± ¡°Having a foreign power, a threat, on Iyrman¡¯s lands cannot be tolerated, Adam,¡± Iromin said. ¡°A foreign threat?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I know I might be a foreign threat, since I¡¯m only a Nephew of the Rot family, but the one who will own the business will be my Aunt Sonarot. She will have supreme authority over it. If she wants to use the people to help the Iyr, she can. They work for her, and I¡¯m the one whose doing all the hard work to train them. They¡¯re not foreign, Chief, they¡¯ll be working directly under an Iyrman. I¡¯m just asking you to look after them in case I¡¯m not around, either because I¡¯m too busy, or because it¡¯s too big for us to handle.¡± Adam paused. ¡°Or, because I¡¯m dead.¡± The Great Elders remained silent. Iromin tapped the table gently with his fingers. It was a code to tell the others his thoughts. ¡°What will be the structure of the business? The buildings, the way it will be laid out.¡± ¡°I assume it¡¯ll be a large, walled village, or fort. I want the workers and their family to live there, to work the nearby lands, to be taught there. Basically, a little Iyr near the Iyr.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, before they waited in silence. ¡°Should I leave?¡± ¡°If there is nothing else, you may.¡± Adam turned, and began to walk away. Then, he stopped. He had something in his back pocket, something he was going to use on Aunt Sonarot, but since she had agreed, he had saved it for the Great Elders. ¡®I may as well.¡¯ The Great Elders waited. ¡°Actually, Chief, there is one more reason why I wanted to create this business. I mentioned wanting to train warriors, right? Creating my own force?¡± He turned, looking back to meet the Chief¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam swallowed, and nodded. ¡°Good night, Chief.¡± ¡°Good night, Adam,¡± Iromin replied, staring as the Half Elf left. He leaned back on his chair. It all made sense. The biggest contention would have been that Adam wanted to create a group of warriors loyal to him. It was something the Iyrmen would have refused without a doubt, unless it was heavily restricted. ¡°He¡¯s talking about it, isn¡¯t he?¡± called a voice from the rooftop. ¡°Yes,¡± the Chief replied. The Great Elders ignored Strom, who was allowed to listen to even these secrets. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s gotten him so spooked,¡± Strom said, sipping his drink. ¡°He¡¯s seen you and me, but it seems he¡¯s scared of something bigger than all of us, than even the Iyr.¡± Iromin remained silent. If Adam did want to create a force, one which could threaten a being he did not believe the Iyr could defeat, then it would be best for it to be kept under the Iyr¡¯s watchful eye. They could rent out the land, and control the pace of growth with the land rental. They had more than enough land to allow Adam to do as he pleased. There was the question of the enchanting shrine, however. ¡°Do you trust him?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The Great Elders were finally allowed to reveal their surprise. ¡°Then, you should show that trust,¡± Strom said. ¡°He¡¯s already shown that he trusts you.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Thus begins the week of double chapters! 386. The Iyrmen’s Names 386. The Iyrmen¡¯s Names Omen: 2, 17 Adam gathered his party over breakfast, where they shared the food the Kan family had cooked. ¡°I spoke with the Great Elders, and Chief Iromin gave me some good news. I should be able to, in the next couple of years, begin the business, which will be on Iyrman¡¯s lands.¡± ¡°That is good news,¡± Jurot replied, glad that the Chief had accepted the deal. It had been an unlikely deal, but not an impossible deal. If the Chief had refused, Jurot would have gone to speak with him to inform him of the Eldritch threat. ¡°In a few years?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s... going through some stuff.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he was even allowed to say that much, but considering what they had seen, Adam was sure it was fine. ¡°In a couple of years I should be able to make a small fort in the Iyrman¡¯s lands, and that¡¯s where the headquarters will be.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re actually doing it,¡± Lucy admitted. ¡°I thought that you¡¯d just keep going on and on about it without doing anything.¡± ¡°Gee, thanks.¡± Adam rolled his eyes. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just letting you know, if you guys want to retire or you want a different job other than adventuring, you¡¯re always welcome.¡± Adam nodded to Fred, who remained silent. Jonn remained quiet too. He had followed Adam all this time, watching, waiting, and he hadn¡¯t come to a firm conclusion about the young man. He was too... queer. He had promised to swear his Oaths, but he wanted to be firm in his conviction. ¡®Just a little longer...¡¯ ¡°Nobby, Brittany, you two take it easy for now. We¡¯ve been rather busy, and neither of you managed to spend much time with your families.¡± Adam had noticed how Brittany hadn¡¯t spend much time with her family when they visited the village over the past year they had travelled. ¡°Okay, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied. Brittany nodded. After the previous quest, she was happy to have some time remaining within the Iyr. ¡°I should get to work,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Iyr is... I¡¯ve got some work to do for the Iyr.¡± Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 19 (12) Omen: 2, 17 -> 2 17 + 7 = 24 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, shifting the Fates of the three young creatures, and thus Fate was forever changed. ¡°Look at you,¡± Adam said, picking up his sister, who had been drawing on the ground with some chalk. ¡°What are you drawing? Is that papa?¡± The drawing was a mess of chaos, though Adam hoped it was just chaos, and not Chaos. ¡°Are you hungry, my little chubby sister?¡± Adam asked, kissing her neck, and blowing a raspberry into it. Lanarot squealed. ¡°Papa!¡± She reached up to grab his hair, laughing at him. Once they were fed, Adam sat down with a book, and began to read to her. Turot joined them too. Adam read, using his fingers to show where they were. When he started to change the page, Lanarot reached forward to change it for them. ¡°Wow, good girl,¡± Adam said, kissing the top of her head. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re such a smart little baby.¡± ¡°Good girl,¡± Turot said, brushing her hair from beside, before returning back to his own book, following along as Adam read. ¡°This is good story.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot said. ¡°Jirot is very strong, and she kills th-,¡± ¡°Turot,¡± Adam said, quickly. ¡°You can¡¯t spoil the story.¡± Turot looked up at him. ¡°You do not know the story?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. Adam yawned. ¡°Oof. I forgot how much enchanting a greater item took out of me.¡± The Iyrman who stood nearby, watching the Half Elf enchant, decided to ignore what Adam had said. Adam was someone who could enchant so brilliantly, even matching Romaezi, the Iyrman¡¯s greatest enchanter, in some regard. After he returned to the shared family estate to eat, Adam took Lanarot to their home, and picked up the book they hadn¡¯t finished yet. ¡°It is my turn to read,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, handing the book and the girl over to his brother, before settling down beside Turot. Jurot read the tale, continuing where they had left off, allowing Lanarot to turn the pages when it was time. The girl sat on his lap, and he could feel the weight of her. He could feel her warmth against him, and when her hand brushed against his, he could feel how solid he was in comparison. Jurot could still feel it. The desire not to die. It ate at him, like a Demon whispering within his ear. He needn¡¯t die any longer, for he had Lanarot to care for. What was a story for the future in comparison to the little girl? He didn¡¯t need to die. No, why leave the Iyr at all? He should remain within the large walls of the Iyr, and- ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam called, noting the long pause Jurot had taken after Lanarot had turned the page. ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jurot swallowed. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, nodding his head slowly. He couldn¡¯t allow the Demon to keep whispering in his ear, so he returned to the story. A story which could be his, which his greatchildren would read to one another, long after he had passed. His name would forever go down in history, as an Iyrman who reached Diamond Rank, and fell to only the greatest of creatures. Just like Jirot. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam said, at the end of the story. ¡°Jirot was a bad... very good.¡± Adam tried not to curse in front of his sister and Cousin. ¡°Very good,¡± Turot said, smirking up at Adam, in the way that he did when he knew something Adam didn¡¯t. ¡°What a great death,¡± Adam said, brushing Turot¡¯s hair. ¡°You must be so proud.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot said. ¡°Jirot was strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but... what does Jarot and Jirot mean?¡± Turot looked up at Adam, his brows furrowed. ¡°Ja, of the Rot family. Ji, of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yes, but... what do they mean, you know?¡± ¡°Ja, as in Jarot, who had brought the Devilkin to the Iyr. Ji, after the great Iyrman, who fell only to Demon General Balakazor, the Ancient Dragon who was swayed to the Demon Lord¡¯s cause, to allow Jurot to save the child.¡± ¡°Yeah, but... you know, what does Ja mean?¡± ¡°Our names have no meaning, Adam. Ja represents our ancestors and their stories, and the future stories Ja will have. Jarot, the one who brought Devilkin to the Iyr. Jarot, the one who lost his arm to a Dragon to bring back his grandson. When one is brought into the Rot family, they inherit the stories of their ancestors, and when they take the name Ja, they will have the expectations of greatness, if they walk that path of life.¡± Jurot smiled. ¡°I am Jurot, named after my ancestor, who fell only against the Demon Lord, to allow the killing blow.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°Iyrmen are so cool.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, smiling, pushing away the Demon whispering in his heart. ¡°Iyrmen are so cool.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Very cool. 387. The Saying 387. The Saying Omen: 3, 4 Seeing that he was rather unfortunate, Adam decided to take the day off. He played Warriors and Wanderers with the children. Many of their character¡¯s died trying to face against the Hydra, which they had correctly surmised was weak to fire. ¡°Good,¡± Taygak said, patting the children¡¯s head. They had fought well, and so she made sure to praise them, as others would do to her. Adam assisted them in making new characters. ¡°Alright, Saygak, what do you want to play?¡± ¡°Mage,¡± the boy said. ¡°Again?¡± Saygak nodded his head. ¡°I want Fireball.¡± The boy¡¯s lips twitched into a shy smile. Adam smiled. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Once he was done with Warriors and Wanderers, Adam wondered what he should do. ¡®I should pay him a visit...¡¯ ¡°Have you come to make trouble?¡± the Iyrman asked. He was strongly built, as Iyrmen were, and he was unarmoured, like most Iyrmen. At his side was an axe. He sat at a table, drinking from a clay bottle. ¡°I¡¯ve just come to check up on you,¡± Adam said, taking the Iyrman¡¯s cue to sit opposite him. He placed down his pack on the table. ¡°What need of you, of this Bovin?¡± The Iyrman smiled. ¡°I, who once wanted you dead.¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I believed you to be a danger.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not Elder Wrath any more, so...¡± Bovin bowed his head. ¡°I was denied a good death. Then, he who denied me the good death, joined the Iyr, and his Cousin took my place. Is it not a good story?¡± Bovin grinned wide. ¡°It is,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, honestly. I heard Zardon was going to win, but then...¡± ¡°I lost a wyvern skull on the bet,¡± Bovin admitted. ¡°I cannot be too sad, for is that not what the Iyr is? A place of stories?¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± Bovin nodded his head. ¡°Now I drink and I eat. I wait for it, Adam. When I can, I will leave, and then I will search for a good death.¡± ¡°What is a good death?¡± ¡°A good death, is a death which comes,¡± Bovin said, grinning wide. ¡°Even now, if you were to cut me down, it would be a good death, for it had come.¡± ¡°Well, I have no intention of killing you.¡± Bovin roared, tossing his clay bottle. ¡°So I must live for another day, to see the dawn of shame once more!¡± He laughed a long, sad laugh. ¡°Well, I mean, if you want to look for a good death, why don¡¯t you join my business?¡± Adam dared to ask. ¡°I¡¯m sure there will come a day I will be in trouble, and then I¡¯ll need to send you to do an impossible task, a suicide mission.¡± ¡°What is this business of yours, Nephew of the Rot family?¡± ¡°Right now I¡¯m training Nobby, and soon I¡¯ll be looking after his family. Brittany too. I was planning on making an enchanting business, and a business to take young orphans or peasants, and build them up. I want to educate them, and train them into Experts. Eventually, I¡¯ll form a caravan, perhaps, ones which may go to dangerous lands. Might take a few years, but it is what it is.¡± ¡°That would take too long, Adam,¡± Bovin said. ¡°Too long.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°What about the Order of Wings?¡± ¡°As they do not have an official home, and work through the lands, from Drakkenlen to the Confederacy, and even beyond, they are not taxed, and nor are they expected to participate in wars. It is the respect afforded to them.¡± ¡°How strong are they?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sir Robin is a Paragon,¡± Bovin said. ¡°The others are Grandmasters and Masters, save perhaps Magpie, who is firmly an Expert at least.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°I met Sir Magpie, I think. She was the weakest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam sipped his tea, thinking about what Bovin had said. ¡°I hope that you are well and remain in good health. The Iyr still needs someone as great as you.¡± ¡°How do you know I am great?¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s grandfather praised you,¡± Adam said. ¡°He is the only one to have beaten me so far.¡± Bovin roared with laughter, not expecting the joke. ¡°I recall once, many years ago, when we once faced one another, your grandfather and I.¡± ¡°Whose my grandfather?¡± Adam grumbled playfully. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I beat him, of course,¡± Bovin said, simply. ¡°It was a good fight. This was before...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, seeing the brief look of anger and anguish on the once Great Elder¡¯s face. ¡°The Chief tried to keep him back. It was not a denial of right, for they would have sent another Rot. Jarot was... distraught. Sending him would have only hurt him, that is what the Chief said. When...¡± Elder Wrath remained quiet for a moment. ¡°When we heard that the boy had died, I was not glad, but I wished Jarot his vengeance.¡± ¡°I hear the Iyr is quite serious about protecting its children.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bovin said. ¡°Our ancestors had been brought to near death. We cannot allow such a thing again.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°You know, sometimes I think you Iyrmen are weird. I know how funny that sounds coming from me.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Still, I think that sometimes we¡¯re as weird as each other.¡± ¡°If a child of the Iyr were to be killed, would you fight for vengeance?¡± Bovin asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Even if it was not a child you knew?¡± ¡°If the group would have a queer Half Elf, sure.¡± ¡°I can admit when I was wrong, Adam,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°You are queer. Strange. Dangerous. I did not trust you, but I believe your heart to be true.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°They have a saying in the shared family estate I live in. Do you know what it is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Bovin said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°The Great Elders have the same saying.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Thank you so much to all the new patrons! It seems I will need to post up double chapters until at least Monday! I should make another goal, but I dare not to make it so soon. I need to write more! 388. Elder Business 388. Elder Business Adam sat on his seat awkwardly, glancing around to the other Vin family members. Bovin had forced him to stay for lunch, and had called for his family, from his wife to his extended family. A pair of suspicious glares fell across the Half Elf, one from a strongly built Iyrman. She was tall, and slightly younger than Adam. She had short dark hair, and carried at her side an axe, the Vin family weapon. The Iyrman beside her looked similar, though was slightly thinner, and shorter, though only due to his hunched shoulders. ¡°Hello,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to the pair of them. The woman ignored him, making her way to another table, dragging away the meek Iyrmen beside her. ¡°Do not mind them,¡± Bovin said. ¡°They are still upset I had given up my place as Elder Wrath.¡± ¡°Is that something to be upset about?¡± ¡°To some, and to others, no.¡± Bovin shrugged his shoulders. ¡°There are times you must listen to your heart and not your mind.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that.¡± Adam smiled. He hadn¡¯t expected Bovin to be so approachable. ¡°The business you mentioned previously...¡± Bovin began, staring down at his bottle of fruit wine. ¡°Do you also intend to train Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. He decided against replying cheekily. ¡°Why does the Iyr need you to train our warriors?¡± ¡°Not something I¡¯ve said, not something I will say,¡± Adam replied, sipping some of the fruit wine from his own bottle. ¡°In the same way I don¡¯t put words in your mouth, don¡¯t put words in mine.¡± Bovin smiled. ¡°I did not mean it like that.¡± He sipped his fruit wine. ¡°Your growth was alarming to the Great Elders. Your connection to the Rot family gave you your life, and your usefulness to the Iyr kept it.¡± ¡°Thanks?¡± ¡°You were able to also bring up so many beside you as Experts, and you have managed to assist even that boy, Nobby, into an Adept after only a few months.¡± ¡°An Adept?¡± ¡°Jurot became an Adept once he gained the ability to resist the elements with his rage.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡®Level Three. Damn, Nobby really did Level Up quick.¡¯ ¡°Would you be willing to take my grandson, Bavin?¡± Bovin¡¯s eyes met Adam¡¯s. ¡°After you rejected me?¡± Adam smirked. ¡°My grandson is too meek. He was not born with a great body to fight the same way I fight, but he did not give up on our way. As Elder Wrath, I had to remain neutral. I could only meet my family once a month at most, and so could not look after his growth. I just want him to become an Expert. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± Adam wonders if he should. It seemed like throwing dirt on the Iyr¡¯s face if he was to do something like that, and he had so much on his plate too. ¡®But,¡¯ he thought, ¡®what if I could train the weakest Iyrmen in the Iyr and make them into Experts quickly? Wouldn¡¯t that be a way to gain some guards for my business, and to help the Iyr out? Most important, it would allow me to keep a good relationship with the Iyr.¡¯ ¡°Okay,¡± Adam finally said. Adam stared at the clay bottle in his hand. He could feel the looks of all the Vin family members. Before him was the previous Elder Wrath, who could apparently even beat Jarot, who was the only one to have beaten Adam in this life, as well as a large number of Iyrmen. ¡®How can I get out of this with my life?¡¯ Adam thought. He could feel Bovin¡¯s gaze across his skin. Normally, he would have refused, since otherwise a crazy old man would have probably killed him for getting too close to his granddaughter. However, was Bovin the kind that wanted Adam to join his family? Not long ago, Bovin had wanted him dead, there was no doubt about that, but now he had entrusted Adam his grandson, but did he also want to entrust his granddaughter. Adam was strong, and Bovin was an Iyrman. The young Half Elf swallowed. He was a piece of fish before a murder of hungry crows. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse,¡± Adam eventually dared to say. ¡°I am currently married to my business.¡± Lavin huffed. ¡°Then you are a stranger and I will not allow you to train my brother!¡± ¡°Bavin?¡± Bovin asked. ¡°Do you wish to train to become an Expert?¡± The young Iyrman fell into thought for a long moment. ¡°Yes,¡± he eventually said, his voice quiet. He stared down, avoiding his twin sister¡¯s eyes. She had always looked after him, but this time, he needed to escape from her grasp to do what he needed to, alone. ¡°It is his choice to make,¡± Bovin said, watching as Lavin stood, storming off. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to train!¡± Lavin dared to shout back at her grandfather. She, who had once looked up to him, betrayed not once, but twice, and even now by her own twin brother. ¡°Do not take it to heart,¡± Bovin said. ¡°She is just hurt.¡± ¡®Phew,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I would be hurt too if I rejected myself. What a handsome guy I am, after all.¡± Bovin smirked wide. ¡°It is your misfortune to have denied my granddaughter. You would have been welcomed into the Iyr with open arms if you had joined the previous Elder Wrath¡¯s family.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be welcomed into the Iyr one day. Perhaps it will be when my brother becomes Diamond Rank, or when my Cousin becomes Elder Peace, or when my sister beats everyone up for bullying me.¡± The Vin family understood why Bovin had been so suspicious of the young man. Bovin, on the other hand, wondered if Adam was truly Jarot¡¯s grandson. Once they had eaten, grilled fish and skewers of roasted vegetables brushed with butter, Adam said his goodbyes. ¡°Take Bavin with you,¡± Bovin said. ¡°He should introduce himself to your companions.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, looking back to Bovin. The Iyrman was still hunched over, avoiding Adam¡¯s gaze. He wasn¡¯t like most Iyrmen he had met. Even the children of the Iyr were utterly fearless, and to think that the previous Elder Wrath¡¯s grandson avoided his gaze, it made Adam¡¯s heart squirm. As they trekked back to the shared family estate, Adam decided against making small talk with the young man. He supposed there was no need to put any pressure on him with that sort of nonsense. ¡®He¡¯ll probably feel more comfortable around other Iyrmen,¡¯ he thought. As they continued to walk back, Adam couldn¡¯t help but feel he knew Bavin from before, or at the least he had seen the Iyrman before. Click banner for Patreon! Everyone trying to bag Adam, but they haven''t asked Lanarot for permission. 389. The Young Iyrmen Squad 389. The Young Iyrmen Squad Adam introduced Bavin to the others, from Jurot and his companions, to the teens, and then the children. ¡°Bovin asked me to take him with us on our adventures and make him an Expert,¡± Adam said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°You are to train him into an Expert?¡± Nirot asked, throwing Adam a look. ¡°Yes.¡± Nirot¡¯s eyes remained on his. ¡°You will not train us?¡± Adam shrugged. ¡°If you want to be an Expert, you can join.¡± Nirot glanced between the other teens, their eyes speaking between one another. Mirot looked to Sonarot, and the other adults also looked to her for guidance. It was not only because they were all pregnant, so the stress of Adam would make life difficult for them, but also because Sonarot was closest to him. They asked with their eyes for Sonarot to deal with the situation. ¡°You would train us to become Experts?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°You can come adventure with us and eventually you¡¯ll become Experts, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though you need to be on the same contract as Bavin and the others.¡± ¡°What kind of contract?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be paid ten gold a month every month, your lodgings and such will be taken care of, and once you¡¯re an Expert, you¡¯ll be under contract to work for me at a rate of twenty five gold a month or so as an Expert for a period of five years.¡± Nirot narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why would we accept that deal?¡± ¡°Iyrmen wouldn¡¯t,¡± Adam said. ¡°Not unless they had something to prove.¡± ¡°Five years is a long time,¡± Nirot said. ¡°You¡¯d be what? Twenty one?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the young Iyrman replied. ¡°You¡¯d still be young, with plenty of coin under your belt,¡± Adam offered. ¡°Though, I can understand why you wouldn¡¯t want to. Of course, as my Cousin, I can treat you differently. Nepotism, yes, but... I wouldn¡¯t charge Lanarot.¡± Nirot remained silent. ¡°If you train me to become an Expert, then I will owe you a favour.¡± ¡°A favour?¡± Adam asked. He turned to Bavin. ¡°Would you agree to the same terms?¡± Bavin nodded in response. ¡°A favour. A favour. A favour I can call for whenever I please?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°Unless it goes against our rules.¡± Adam thought deeply. ¡°Nobby, Brittany, and you all will share one cut of the loot. I won¡¯t be paying you lot any gold monthly, but I¡¯ll take care of your needs and such. I don¡¯t think a few gold a month will do anything for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam held out his hand, and the pair shook forearms. The adults had all stared at Sonarot, pleading her with their eyes. ¡°It is a good fortune that Adam has chosen to train four Experts for our families,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Perhaps they may even return to us as Adepts once the children are born.¡± She smiled warmly. The eyes continued to pierce Sonarot. ¡°They do not know your story, Adam, so you should not make such remarks freely.¡± ¡°I suppose so, but you know my story, and so does Jurot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t completely fear Baktu, but I do fear the beings above him.¡± Sonarot sighed, feeling the piercing gazed begin to bury themselves within her. ¡°Adam.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°My point is that you¡¯re not allowed to die until you see your adorable siblings! How can I get to see them if you don¡¯t? What will they think when they grow up? They¡¯ll look up at me, Adam, and think I¡¯m just a useless guy who let their older brothers and sisters die! Then they¡¯ll ask Lanarot why I let them die, and she¡¯ll ask me, and what am I meant to say to her?¡± Though his words were filled with jest, they could see the genuine anger in his eyes, and so Faool bowed his head. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Hmph! Just try and die, and you¡¯ll see how I spank you once I revive you!¡± He let out a final huff of rage, before he calmed. ¡°Anyway, I know that Laygak and Jurot are able to carve wood, but what can the rest of you do?¡± ¡°I can work glass,¡± Faool replied. ¡°I play the panflute,¡± Nirot said, smirking up at Adam. Adam narrowed his eyes at her. He wanted to learn the panflute too, but he¡¯d been so busy. ¡°I work with stone,¡± Naqokan said. ¡°Boots,¡± Bavin said. ¡°Boots?¡± ¡°I make good boots.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. He did feel how comfortable the Iyrman¡¯s boots were. In fact, he never once complained about them, and nor had anyone else. ¡°I smith,¡± Uwajin said. Adam thought deeply, glancing between them all. It was a diverse array of abilities, one which would assist him during his business. Glass was awkward, but he was sure that glass could... Glass could... Adam leaned back, thinking deeper. ¡®Could I make enchantments inside glass? Disposable glass beads of some kind?¡¯ He continued to tilt and turn his head, as though rocking his brain juices to think harder. ¡°What are you two good with?¡± Adam asked. He hadn¡¯t asked. ¡°Gems,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Anything with jewellery.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam would never have guessed. ¡®I know who to come to about jewellery stuff then.¡¯ ¡°Leather,¡± Kitool replied, simply. ¡°Leather?¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. That seemed to fit Kitool, and now that he thought about it, jewellery also fit Jaygak, somehow. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Something stupid,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, knowing that much. Adam furrowed his brows. Click banner for Patreon! Yes, we knew that much. 390. The Magic Ritual 390. The Magic Ritual ¡°It¡¯s a perfect combination, don¡¯t you think?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Masonry from Naqokan, and wood stuff from you and Laygak. I¡¯d say the future buildings of my business are sorted out. Kitool could assist with making anything to do with leather, Uwajin with smithing with metal. Jewellery and glassworking would be great for enchantments.¡± Jurot slowly nodded, understanding Adam¡¯s thought process. ¡°It seems so... convenient,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, I suppose if you had other abilities, I could probably say the same thing.¡± Once it had been settled, the various groups sat with one another to relax. Adam¡¯s face was scrunched up in thought, causing the children to look his way. ¡°Adam needs to poop?¡± Katool asked. ¡°No,¡± Turot said. ¡°It is worse.¡± ¡°Adam is... thinking.¡± Raygak inhaled deeply, before shaking his head. Katool looked up at Adam. ¡°Oh.¡± She inhaled deeply and shook her head too. ¡®Jewellery is good for enchanting,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Walking around with rings and necklaces which provide either spells or defensive magic. That¡¯s probably best, right? Defence? Jewellery to defend oneself, maybe with the ability to cast Shield, or a general protection for Defence and Saves.¡¯ Adam twitched, opening his eyes suddenly, as the thoughts flooded his mind. ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a genius.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, knowing that much. Adam held onto his head, trying to settle his thoughts. ¡®I could create a standardisation of equipment, not just across my employees, but even across all of us. General things which will held us in day to day life. Rings which grant a bonus to Defence and Saves, that should be simple enough. I could make my workers wield certain weapons, those which would be useful in most scenarios, each with a basic bonus. They could have the weapons after a generation of work, on top of their normal pay. After twenty years, they could claim the basic weapon as their own, but usually they have to borrow it.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda eventually called, approaching him at his table. ¡°You think too much.¡± Adam snapped up to meet her gaze. ¡°Well, yeah.¡± She smiled with her eyes towards him, before bringing him a small gourd of fruit wine. ¡°Your Granduncle asked me to pass this to you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, looking down at the gourd. He picked it up and uncorked it, before sniffing it. It smelled just like normal fruit wine, but so did the sour fruit wine. ¡°Thank you. Did he tell you why?¡± ¡°He said if you were going to take his granddaughter, then he should at least reward you,¡± Vonda said, simply. Adam was about to take a sip, but stopped. ¡°Why don¡¯t we all share?¡± It was partly to have everyone suffer from the wine, but it was to share the wine with all those who assisted him thus far. He poured each a small amount, a half cup or so, and kept the rest for Jonn and the others for when he¡¯d meet them. ¡°To us, and our future,¡± Adam said, bringing up the cup, before sipping the wine. He winced at the oncoming sourness, but after the first moment of phantom sourness, it turned sweet. ¡®Thanks, Granduncle.¡¯ ¡°So we have more Iyrmen accompanying us now?¡± Vonda asked, looking to the teens. ¡°Yeah. My cute, adorable Cousins,¡± Adam whispered, daring not to say it so they could hear. Vonda stifled a giggle. ¡°Did you speak with the Great Elders about the... you know.¡± ¡°I did,¡± she said. ¡°They say they know, but they cannot tell me.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I am not a Master.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be a Master, right?¡± ¡°For now. It may change if I have my own temple.¡± ¡°Then I guess we¡¯ll need to get on that soon.¡± Adam tapped his table. Vonda¡¯s temple would need to be set up fairly quickly, perhaps during the same time he made the building for his workers. ¡®Would it be okay on the Iyr¡¯s land, though?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve already returned to work?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Yesterday and the day before...¡± ¡°I was just really lucky, and I needed to help the Iyr with something...¡± Adam tried to refute her statement. ¡°Even Filliam is working hard.¡± ¡°Filliam?¡± Adam whispered. ¡®Why does that name sound so...¡¯ He almost dropped his head onto the table. ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken to Filliam in so long!¡± Filliam was hunched over his desk, wearing a set of glasses which allowed him to magnify what he could see. As he placed the spring into the watch, he pulled back with a sigh. He was as thin as before, with tired eyes, but a large smile on his face. ¡°Filliam,¡± Adam called. ¡°Adam?¡± Filliam turned to look, seeing the Half Elf who has rushed to Filliam¡¯s cabin, which lay at the side of the blocks of shared family estates. ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t seen you in so long. How have you been?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Filliam replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been tinkering with watches. The Iyr has allowed me to make as many as I please for them!¡± He grinned wide, a crazy smile across his face. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good...¡± Adam could feel the guilt begin to eat at him. ¡°What are you working on?¡± [For each Mana, you will take 1D6 damage.] Adam whistled again. ¡®How long will it take?¡¯ [One hour for each session.] The adult Iyrmen glanced between one another as Adam¡¯s face twitched. ¡°I think I can teach Churot magic,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I need to give him my Mana.¡± Jarot frowned, but Churot quickly appeared in front of Adam. ¡°Now?¡± the young Iyrman asked. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Jarot let Lanarot down, but she squirmed and coughed, trying to reach up for him. ¡°Would you like mama?¡± ¡°Mama,¡± Lanarot called, and Jarot passed the young baby to her mother. Adam sat down within a private room, and Churot sat opposite. He placed his hand on the teen¡¯s head, but then turned him around and placed his hand against the back of the boy¡¯s head, since it would be more comfortable. ¡°Are you ready, Churot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the teen replied, his heart pounding in his chest. Mana: 18 -> 8 XP: 15 300 -> 14 800 Health: 65 -> 23 Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 It was a long process, which caused Adam¡¯s arms to grow hot, almost painfully, all the while his Mana travelled through his entire body and into Churot. Every other minute, Adam felt the searing heat pulse, causing his arms to twitch, but he continued to force his Mana through. After an hour had passed, Adam fell back, gasping for air. He hadn¡¯t expected the exhaustion to fill him, especially not without a Save. ¡®Damn!¡¯ ¡°Are you both okay?¡± Jarot asked, holding Churot, who was sweating profusely, and was panting heavily. Adam twitched from the pain. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Churot?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the young Iyrman replied. ¡°Good, good...¡± Adam lay back on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°We need to do that nine more times. Then...¡± Adam¡¯s light snoring filled the room, and Jarot sighed. He covered the Half Elf with a blanket, and made sure he had some thick furs to rest his head on. Lanarot looked around during the night, seeing the lack of her papa. Jurot rested beside her, offering his hand. She grabbed his finger and sucked on her thumb, before sitting up. ¡°Papa?¡± the girl asked. ¡°He is sleeping, Lanarot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± The girl fell back to her pillow, sucking her thumb, slowly closing her eyes. All the while, the Great Elders had gathered. It was once again, that the Half Elf had brought them together again. Chief Iromin glanced between the other Great Elders. ¡°I do not believe he knows.¡± ¡°Is it a coincidence?¡± Elder Forest asked. Iromin bowed his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can we leave it at that?¡± she asked. ¡°We should wait.¡± ¡°The Blood Ritual is a right afforded to us by Baktu.¡± ¡°He, too, prays to Baktu.¡± The Great Elders had never felt so close to wanting to kill Adam. ¡°He has earned that much,¡± Iromin said. Iromin had the feeling that Adam had no idea that his ability to awaken a Scribe Mage was almost the same as the Iyr¡¯s ability to awaken a Blood Mage. Another older Iyrman was also thinking of Adam that evening. Jarot looked at his grandson, his darling Churot, who was sleeping with a smile on his face. He wondered if he should stop it, but sighed, closing his eyes to sleep. ¡®It is too late now.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! You what? 391. Blood And Manticores 391. Blood And Manticores Omen: 1, 8 ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, stomping her way to Adam, before grabbing his leg. She reached up with her arms. Adam picked her up, holding her to his chest. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± He kissed her forehead before allowing her to rest against his chest. Sonarot wondered if Adam had become close to Lanarot on purpose, but seeing the way he curled the girl¡¯s hair with a finger, those thoughts quickly slipped away. Adam decided against working out that morning, though he did take his little sister to bathe quickly, stopped by an Iyrman, only for him to flash Elder Gold¡¯s token which allowed him to bathe in peace. ¡°It¡¯s so hot, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot splashed the water in her tub, laughing wildly, splashing the water all around them. Adam smiled, looking back towards the ceiling. He wondered if his children would be raised in the Iyr like Lanarot. ¡®No. I can¡¯t do something like that.¡¯ The thought had caused his stomach to ache slightly. ¡®I¡¯m already taking advantage of them.¡¯ He dried the girl off before carrying her back to the shared family estate, where breakfast was being cooked. The Kan family had grilled all manner of fish, meat, and vegetables. Adam placed the girl down, before stepping away to sit with Jurot, but Lanarot cried out, reaching for him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Adam asked, letting her grab his finger. She continued to groan, and made to cry, but Adam sat down beside her. ¡°You silly girl.¡± His lips twitched into a smirk. Lanarot chewed on her fruit slowly, the juices of the fruit spilling down her chin and onto her bib. Adam ate the grilled meat, before glancing around the women, who were each quite pregnant. ¡°I¡¯ll help to cook,¡± Adam said. ¡°You do not need to,¡± Sonarot replied. She wasn¡¯t sure the other Iyrmen would appreciate him cooking with them. ¡°It¡¯s at times like this you need to leave it to us lazy bones,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°I have enough time to cook in the morning. I can enchant after, and then help Churot in the evening.¡± ¡°You will enchant and assist Churot?¡± Sonarot asked, not surprised, but worried. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll kill...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Bell, can that kill me?¡¯ [Yes.] Adam raised his brows. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Apparently, it...¡± He fell silent once more, feeling Sonarot¡¯s piercing gaze against his eyes. ¡°Nothing.¡± Sonarot sighed. She was glad she wasn¡¯t pregnant, otherwise how would she be able to handle his stress. ¡°Where¡¯s Lady Shamia and Tariel?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen them around since then.¡± ¡°They are to remain with other families,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Too many people already know your secrets,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It would be dangerous for them to know.¡± ¡°Would it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Lanarot slapped Adam¡¯s leg for his attention, and held up her empty cup to him. Adam filled it with some cool water, which she thirstily slurped, half of which fell across her bib and lap. ¡°Lanarot, are you drinking the water, or are you wearing it?¡± Adam asked. Spell: Tricks Adam cast his Tricks trick to try and clean the girl¡¯s clothing, which caused her to look down at where the water had once been. She continued to search, trying to find the wetness, but it was gone. ¡°Silly girl.¡± Adam broke some bread for her, and offered it to her. She ate it from his fingers chewing slowly. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Turot called. ¡°Will you enchant today?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not feeling very lucky.¡± ¡°Can we play Warriors and Wanderers, please?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°We still need to save our companions, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Adam prepared the game for the children, though he had done so outside. The adult Iyrmen were watching and listening, though only subtly. They would each look after Lanarot too, who was enjoying her time with her aunts. ¡°I, Taygak,¡± Taygak declared, rolling her dice, though she had unfortunately missed her blow against the manticore. Saygak managed to spread flame all across the manticores with his spell, before Raygak, who had taken a particular type of Fighter, managed to critically hit. ¡°Ooh!¡± Raygak gasped, rolling a true strike against the creature. He picked up another die to roll it. ¡°Raygak, what are you doing to my precious monsters?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯re doing too much damage! It is not right, not right!¡± Raygak snorted pridefully at Adam, a smug smile on his face. Adam checked the hit points of the creature, noting the boy had missed by a single point. ¡°Raygak, your sword pierces through this creature, and it lets out a terrible cry. When it falls silent, you find that the blood sticks to your sword.¡± ¡°I wipe it off,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Where?¡± Taygak asked. ¡°Where is it flying?¡± Adam asked. Taygak nodded. ¡°It¡¯s flying north, to the mountains.¡± Taygak wrote down the words. ¡°We go kill, okay?¡± ¡°Do you want to kill it, or do you want to follow the bandits west?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Remember, you still need to find aunt Sonarot and cousin Jurot.¡± Taygak huffed at the choice. ¡°We can kill manticores for more magic swords,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Save family,¡± Taygak said. ¡°We can kill the manticores later?¡± Saygak asked. ¡°You know where it went, and maybe after you save aunt Sonarot and cousin Jurot, you can probably try to find it.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°If you roll well.¡± ¡°No good rolling,¡± Katool said, sighing. ¡°What do you mean? You did so well, Katool,¡± Adam said. ¡°Remember? You punched it so hard and almost killed it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak said. ¡°We save.¡± Turot puffed up his chest. ¡°Let¡¯s go save aunt and cousin!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to butcher the manticore?¡± Adam offered. ¡°It will take too long,¡± Turot said. ¡°No butcher?¡± Katool asked, ready to roll her die. ¡°We must save them first,¡± Turot said. ¡°Okay,¡± Katool said, slightly disappointed. ¡°You can at least cut off the fangs of the creatures really quickly, or maybe tear off some spikes,¡± Adam offered. ¡°Then you have to run.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Katool rolled. 12. ¡°That¡¯s good enough, you manage to grab some fangs and spikes, and you can quickly follow the tracks of the bandits to the west. Next time you¡¯ll get to their fort and maybe you can talk to them, or fight them, for aunt Sonarot and cousin Jurot.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Raygak held his card in front of him, staring at the statistics of his Bloodsword. He quickly stood up, rushing off, but stopped. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam,¡± the boy said, before rushing off to go draw the weapon. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam,¡± the children all said. ¡°Any time,¡± Adam replied, a smile on his face. Playing Warriors and Wanderers with the children filled his heart with a calmness. ¡®Yeah. This is the life.¡¯ ¡°You have given Raygak the Bloodsword?¡± Lavgak asked. ¡°I gave him a Bloodsword,¡± Adam replied, confused. ¡°You know what it does?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a basic weapon,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just made it sound fancy so he thinks it¡¯s cooler than it actually is.¡± ¡°The Bloodsword is not a basic weapon.¡± Adam furrowed his brows in confusion. ¡°Wait. Are you telling me there¡¯s a real Bloodsword?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lavgak replied. ¡°Is that not why you gave it to him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I just made it up.¡± He had created the Bloodsword to give him a reason for the young Raygak to kill the manticore and gain a magical weapon. Lavgak smiled. ¡°You must teach me how to play this game.¡± ¡°You want to play?¡± Adam asked, staring up at the Devilkin woman who was Jaygak¡¯s mother. ¡°It seems fun.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡®Now it¡¯s time to seduce my Aunts.¡¯ He winced. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Lavgak asked. ¡°You do not wish to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can, and I will,¡± Adam said, quickly. ¡°I need to go help Churot.¡± Adam quickly retreated. ¡®I can¡¯t use that word when it comes to my heavily pregnant Aunts.¡¯ He shuddered, feeling so dirty. He stopped. ¡®Damn. I didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye to Lanababy.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Who is a robot and messed up his rebooting time? This bot. I will post up three chapters tomorrow! 392. Okay 392. Okay Omen: 14, 16 Adam stretched out his back. He had managed to send some Mana into Churot, and it had gone well, well enough that Lanarot could hold onto his finger as she slept. Lanarot eventually awoke for breakfast, allowing Adam to go bathe and help with cooking. It was the last day for the Kan family to cook, tomorrow it would fall to the Gak family, which meant Adam¡¯s tongue would feel numb until his Aunt would cook. He assisted with grilling the meat, which had been marinated in all kinds of spices for the last night. Shikan was making the flat bread for each of them, two for each person, and even a small flat bread for Lanarot. The children would only eat a single one at most, but the rest would be divided among the adults, and saved for later if there were any leftovers. Lanarot looked up at Adam¡¯s wrap, grabbing onto his arm to pull it down so she could take a bite. ¡°Who is this little thief?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What a cute little thief she is, though.¡± Adam brought his wrap to her lips, allowing her to bite into it, before she pulled back, chewing on the food. The Iyrmen looked to Sonarot, who did not react to the word. ¡°No,¡± Taygak said, pointing at Adam. ¡°No!¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No thief!¡± She huffed out angrily towards Adam. ¡°Iyrman.¡± ¡°Oh? Is she an Iyrman?¡± Adam asked, looking down to Lanarot. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. My mistake. Lanarot, you are an Iyrman, not a thief.¡± Adam leaned down to kiss her forehead, before ruffling her hair. Lanarot finished chewing her food, before opening her mouth for more, and Adam tore some flat bread for the girl, and then crushed some meat for her, placing them down in chunks before her little table. Taygak glared at Adam, keeping an eye on him, in case he acted up. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°However, isn¡¯t it obvious she¡¯s a thief?¡± The Iyrmen¡¯s eyes flashed wide, and they all looked to Sonarot again. Jurot was wondering what Adam was talking about, but Jaygak smirked, throwing a knowing look to Kitool. Sonarot thought only for a moment. ¡°It is because she has stolen your heart.¡± Adam snapped his finger, winking at his Aunt. ¡°Exactly.¡± Jogak groaned quietly, which caused Jaygak to look at him. Her eyes dared him to say it, and as her father, he accepted the dare. ¡°Now there are two of them.¡± Jaygak grabbed onto her father¡¯s head, who grabbed her by the head too, finding it much more difficult now to deal with her daughter. She had become an Expert, so he wasn¡¯t able to pin her down as he used to be able to. ¡°It is breakfast,¡± Lavgak said, sighing. Her husband and daughter quickly let go of one another, but the others had taken note of how difficult it had been for Jogak to try and wrestle her. As much as Adam aggravated many of the Iyrmen, he had done so much for them. They had no doubt the Great Elders had thought the same. If Sonarot hadn¡¯t tried to protect Adam so fiercely, he¡¯d have found himself buried deep within the Iyr. ¡°I should get to enchanting,¡± Adam said, hopping onto his feet. ¡°You are enchanting so soon?¡± ¡°Yeah, I need the money,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You should speak with Elder Zijin,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Oh? Sure.¡± Adam made his way out, feeling the gazes against his back. ¡®That¡¯s my own fault, this time. I shouldn¡¯t joke around calling Iyrmen thieves.¡¯ Elder Zijin was in the middle of checking his books, and one in particular Adam had seen some time ago. Adam narrowed his eyes, wondering where he had seen the book before. ¡°Adam,¡± the Orcish Elder called. ¡°Hey, Elder Zijin. Aunt Sonarot said I should come speak with you. I was planning on enchanting a weapon today to make some money.¡± Elder Zijin placed the book down, revealing the mathematical equations, comparing them to his own notes. ¡°Did she say anything else?¡± ¡°Just that I should speak with you.¡± Zijin assumed why. ¡°Would you be willing to enchant weapons for the Iyr before you are to leave?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°What kind of weapons?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my stomach, but my heart which needs to eat,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°There are many of your cousins even here,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Come. Eat and speak with them.¡± Adam awkwardly followed the older man, joining the group which were all eating. Sarot, Tarot, and Zirot were also there, eating alongside Mulrot. ¡°It is good to see you, Adam,¡± Sarot said, shaking the young Half Elf¡¯s forearm, who continued shaking the various older Iyrmen¡¯s forearms. ¡°You as well,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Are you all having fun?¡± ¡°We are living,¡± he replied, simply. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. I hear you¡¯re going off to adventure, leaving your poor older brother alone.¡± Adam smiled. Sarot bowed his head gently. ¡°You are certainly my brother¡¯s grandson.¡± Adam wondered if he should wince, but decided against it, having heard that Sarot was even stronger than Jarot. If Adam couldn¡¯t defeat Jarot, who only had one arm, how could he dare to fight Sarot. He wanted to keep Jarot as his only loss for as long as possible. ¡°You look exhausted,¡± Zirot said. ¡°Would you like to sleep in the estate tonight?¡± ¡°The other day I had left my darling Lanababy without her papa and she couldn¡¯t sleep well without me, so I can¡¯t possibly do it again,¡± Adam replied. Tarot looked to Jarot, giving him a look. Jarot threw a look to Adam, before looking back to Tarot. Jarot was fairly certain Adam was not related to him by blood, for he never lay with an Elf during his adventures. After he had eaten, Adam made sure to greet the younger children, and allowed them to admire the dark axe. He also greeted the baby, who stared up at Adam in shock, before turning back to his mother, who brushed the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m a stranger even in the Rot estate, huh?¡± Adam joked. ¡°You may not be, soon,¡± the mother replied. ¡°You said that rather ominously.¡± ¡°Uncle says you are to become a pillar of the Rot family,¡± the mother said. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam thought about it. ¡°In a sense. I¡¯ll be a pillar for Lanarot, which means I¡¯m a pillar for the Rot family, and a pebble for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Uncle Jarot has bet a hundred gold that you will become a Paragon,¡± she said. ¡°Really?¡± She nodded. ¡°He has bet you will become a Grandmaster before he passes.¡± ¡°A terrible bet,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve already died twice, so I might even die before him.¡± ¡°You have lived three lives?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Then can you not live four lives?¡± It was an innocent question, but she hadn¡¯t expected the look of dread on Adam¡¯s face. It caused her to step back, while Adam looked towards the ground. ¡°Adam?¡± Jarot asked, some time later. Adam¡¯s head snapped to the older one armed Iyrman. ¡°I should go.¡± His voice was weak, and he quickly turned and left, taking the axe with him. ¡®If I die, does that mean I¡¯ll be reborn in another time?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Then... what will happen to Lanarot? To Turot?¡¯ A chill seeped into his head, one he couldn¡¯t shake off. Adam was not afraid of death itself, but the concept of another life caused him to grow colder. ¡°Adam?¡± Jurot asked, the Half Elf standing in the doorway, letting in the cool night air. Lanarot was sitting down on Jurot¡¯s lap, and she looked up from the book towards her papa. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Sonarot asked. Adam remained silent for a long moment, before spotting Turot, who was sitting on the ground beside Jurot¡¯s leg, also looking up from his book. The boy¡¯s face stared up at Adam in shock, having not seen such an expression on Adam¡¯s face before. Adam¡¯s face twitched as he forced himself to smile. He looked around, touching the wall, as though checking if everything was real. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, his voice raspy, before clearing his throat ¡°Yeah. Everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Still poorly but should be better soon. I''ll post up double chapters for the week and then triple chapters for saturday and sunday to catch up for the two I''ve missed so far. Sorry about that. 393. Okay II 393. Okay II Omen: 7, 16 Adam awoke in the morning, holding Lanarot to his chest. She snoozed lightly, her chest expanding with each small breath. He stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. Though he had not dreamt ever since he had died, he slept with dread, which was only kept at bay thanks to Lanarot¡¯s tiny, warm hand which held his finger. Lanarot groaned awake, before looking up to see her brother. Her sleepy, confused eyes stared at him for some time, before she smiled. She squealed quietly before she rested her head against his chest again. ¡°Good morning, Lanababy,¡± Adam whispered, brushing her hair. He tickled the back of her head. The girl squealed and babbled up towards him, before pushing herself onto all fours, staring down at him again. She sat down on his stomach, looking at down at his face, her hands on her thighs. It was her power stance. ¡°...¡± Adam stared at her, silent. She smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this.¡± Adam changed her clothy, applying the lotion mixture of the Iyrmen to the girl, before wrapping the next clothy around her waist. ¡°You smelly girl,¡± Adam whispered, glancing around to see whether the Iyrmen had heard him. He quickly bathed, before assisting the Iyrmen with their cooking, today helping the Gak family, who were cooking a main pot, and a small pot to the side. Adam made Lanarot¡¯s food that morning, scrambled egg, with some cut up salya, the Iyr¡¯s banana. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Turot called, his eyes pleading Adam. Adam could feel it, the gazes of the Iyrmen children all about him. They had been excited to continue Warriors and Wanderers, but Adam had work to do, as well as to assist Churot¡¯s Awakening. However, he had given so much favour to Lanarot today, so they were probably feeling left out. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it in the evening, okay?¡± Adam replied, thinking about what he should do. He could play with them a little before meeting Churot, he supposed. Adam grabbed the black axe, before stepping out of the shared family estate, making his way out. ¡°Elder Zijin is calling for you,¡± called a voice from behind him, causing Adam to tense up. He slowly turned around to see a young Iyrman, adorned in the noonval clothing of the Iyrmen. Adam remained quiet in thought. ¡®I didn¡¯t do anything that could get me killed, right?¡¯ ¡°Good morning, Adam,¡± Elder Zijin said, seeing the Half Elf before him. He smiled, offering Adam some snacks from a paper tray. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ ¡°You are not in danger,¡± Elder Zijin assured. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, sitting down before the Elder, accepting the fried dough snacks which were lightly salted. ¡°So, uh, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It has been some time since we spoke on matters outside of business,¡± Zijin said. The Iyrman who had escorted Adam remained silent. ¡®What?¡¯ She was wondering what the Elder was up to. Did the Elder really call Adam just to talk? ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If you need to speak with someone, you can always speak to Sonarot or I.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s this about.¡± Elder Zijin motioned with his hand, dismissing the other Iyrman. ¡°Jarot came to me last night. He said that something happened. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m... okay.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zijin replied, firmly. ¡°The Iyr never forgets.¡± Adam nodded, and left again, sighing with relief. He was glad the Elder had spoken to him. If he did die, then Lanarot would be well taken care of. Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 8 (1) Omen: 7, 16 -> 7 16 + 7 = 23 Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 12 (7) Failure! Health: 65 -> 41 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, causing the baby to sigh, and thus Fate was forever changed. ¡°Oof!¡± Adam groaned in pain, feeling the onslaught of magic against his mind. He shook his head, rubbing his temples. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the Iyrman beside him asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied, grabbing the dark axe, before making his way to the Rot family estate. Churot held his book, but his eyes were glued to Adam. ¡°I just came by to say that I won¡¯t be able to do it tonight, but if you want, you can come and join us for some Warriors and Wanderers?¡± Churot¡¯s eyes were full of disappointment. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m getting some kind of magical sickness. I won¡¯t even be able to enchant tomorrow either, even if I was lucky.¡± Adam sighed. Adam took Churot, and Jarot, to the shared family estate. Dinner was still in progress, so the trio joined the group to eat. He lifted up Lanarot first, who was eagerly eating her bit of bread. ¡°You can¡¯t just eat only bread, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, feeling the looks of the other Iyrmen. He also felt another set of looks, those from the patient, and expectant, younger Cousins. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam finally said to them. ¡°How can I refuse my adorable little Cousins?¡± Jarot watched as Adam set up the game, all the while Churot was reading a sheet full of spells, since he had chosen Scribe Mage. Saygak remained beside him to help, showing which spells he had taken. ¡°So, you look out to the north, where the bandits had ran away,¡± Adam began. ¡°No,¡± Taygak said. ¡°West.¡± ¡°North is manticores,¡± Turot said, giving Adam a look which the Half Elf had become accustomed to. ¡°Right, I was just checking,¡± Adam said, scratching out the directions in his notes. ¡°Well done. So, on the way west, you find a new traveller, one adorned in dark robes.¡± ¡°Necromancer?¡± Katool asked. ¡°No, something far more terrifying. An Iyrman!¡± Adam gasped. The children sat up straighter. ¡°You said there were no Iyrmen.¡± Turot narrowed his eyes. ¡°It was just a joke,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s Churot¡¯s character.¡± Churot began to describe his mage, but Taygak gasped, causing him to stop. Taygak pointed at him. ¡°Doppelganger!¡± ¡°No!¡± Adam quickly piped in. ¡°He¡¯s not a doppelganger, I promise.¡± ¡°You said it was aunt Sonarot and cousin Jurot last time,¡± Raygak accused. ¡°Well, it was cousin Jurot, but aunt Sonarot was indeed a doppelganger that time,¡± Adam agreed. ¡°This time, I promise, as your Cousin Adam, that Churot is not a doppelganger.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak said. Adam smiled. It was fun to tease his little Cousins. He wondered if he should make Churot a doppelganger, but he had promised. ¡®He could just be an evil necromancer who will betray the party eventually...¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I didn''t realise we were at 390+. Slice of life arc is already ending... 394. Black Death 394. Black Death Omen: 9, 16 Adam stared at the ceiling for a long while. ¡®I won¡¯t die if I enchant today, right? I¡¯ll be done with the weapon at least...¡¯ Lanarot stood on Adam¡¯s lap during breakfast, grabbing his shirt, tugging against it as she played with him. ¡°Oob?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t say I agree with you,¡± Adam replied, keeping a hand against her back. ¡°Ball?¡± ¡°Lanarot wants to play with ball?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Papa,¡± she replied, smiling up at him. ¡°Do you want some bread?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot opened her mouth, allowing her brother to feed her, before she chewed slowly. Adam smiled. ¡°Jurot, you need to hurry up and get married so I can spoil your kids too.¡± Sonarot¡¯s ears perked up upon hearing the statement, and Jurot¡¯s eyes remained glued to Adam, trying to avoid his mother¡¯s gaze. ¡°Do you not want to marry?" Jurot asked. ¡°How can I get married when Lanarot hasn¡¯t picked anyone for me?¡± Adam asked, resting his head against Lanarot¡¯s, who also rested her head against his shoulder. ¡°I will marry when it is time,¡± Jurot stated. He still had a couple of years of adventuring left before he needed to make the choice before the Elders. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to get married for at least two or three years, not until I have a business and enough money, and warriors, to make sure my kids are safe,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t think Half Elf children will be welcome across Aldland.¡± Jurot fell into thought. ¡®You would not raise them in the Iyr?¡¯ He wanted to ask Adam, but he realised that he couldn¡¯t, it wasn¡¯t his place to. Adam was free to raise his children however he pleased, for he may have been Jurot¡¯s brother, but he was no Iyrman, and therefore not bound by the rules of the Iyr. ¡°You worry too much, Adam,¡± Sonarot said, smiling. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m going to enchant today.¡± Sonarot¡¯s face still held a smile, though her eyes were piercing deep into Adam. ¡®What¡¯s with all the looks and gazes recently?¡¯ Adam thought. Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 15 (8) Omen: 9, 16 -> 9 16 + 7 = 23 Intelligence Save D20 + 5 = 6 (1) Failure! Health: 65 -> 10 Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, allowing the small Dragons a moment of respite, and thus Fate was forever changed. Adam fell to the ground, gasping for air, coughing up as blood dripped through his nostrils. He clutched at his heart, which burned him harshly, while the rest of his body shuddered ice cold. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the Iyrman nearby asked, quickly darting towards him, potion in hand. Adam raised a hand, coughing to the side, before spitting and flexing. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 5 = 7 (1, 1) Health: 10 -> 17 ¡®Oh come on!¡¯ Adam groaned. ¡®I should change you to Little Baby Spirit...¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m alright. Just give me a couple of minutes.¡± Adam remained on the ground, panting for air. Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Sure, 500.¡¯ XP: 13 800 -> 13 300 Axe Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. When you are reduced to half Health or lower, the weapon deals an additional 1D6 damage. [Would you like to name the weapon?] ¡®Black Death,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It almost killed me, so I have to respect it.¡¯ Black Death Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. When you are reduced to half Health or lower, the weapon deals an additional 1D6 damage. XP Gained: +500 XP: 13 300 -> 13 800 Adam eventually managed to push himself onto his feet, handing the axe to the Iyrman, before stumbling his way back to the shared family estate. ¡°You look like shit,¡± Lucy said. She had been playing with Lanarot while Adam was enchanting, having taken a break from sparring with the Iyrmen. She was getting used to her body, though she knew there was still more strength she could gain. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam replied, sitting on the floor against a wall. ¡°My head is pounding.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam thought for a moment. ¡°I was hoping they could be sent out to heal those in battle, but I suppose it¡¯s a small price to pay to have someone dependable like you at my side. Sure. You can train your Priests and other medical practitioners.¡± Vonda couldn¡¯t help but feel how light her heart felt when he mentioned her being at his side. ¡°I¡¯ll pay them a small wage, but I¡¯ll make sure to build you your own temple. I¡¯ll try and donate some money to a temple of the good Mother, or your Order too.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°You seem to have thought deeply about the matter.¡± ¡°All I do is think, Vonda.¡± Adam chuckled, sipping more of his wine. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it would be bad if I didn¡¯t do at least that much. Mahtu needs to be venerated properly, since she¡¯s probably one of the most important Gods out there.¡± Vonda reached out for his hand. ¡°You need to be careful, Adam.¡± She squeezed his hand. ¡°You are always working so hard.¡± ¡°Yeah, no kidding,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I almost died yesterday.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m taking the day off today.¡± Lanarot stomped towards her brother, but seeing him reach for the panflute, she stopped. She groaned and quickly turned, retreating back to her aunts. ¡°Vonda, did you see that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even when she betrays me she¡¯s so cute. Look at those confident steps. I hope my children are as cute as her.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°I am sure they will be. You are an Elf, with the beauty of Fae.¡± ¡°Sir Vonda, please,¡± Adam said. ¡°Excuse me,¡± she said, glad she was wearing a veil, hiding the gentle blush. ¡°I¡¯m only half an Elf.¡± Vonda sighed, before sipping the fruit wine. She remained with Adam, drawing beside him, all the while Adam played with Lanarot, hiding the panflute out of sight. She watched as Adam blew against Lanarot¡¯s stomach constantly, causing her to squeal and cry. ¡®Mother Soza, did you send me to him for a reason?¡¯ Vonda thought. She was certain that it was Fate who had brought them together. He was the kind of guy that she- She brought her stylus off the page, turning completely red. ¡®No. He does not like me that way. He is just polite, like he is to most people.¡¯ ¡°Ahbooboo?¡± Lanarot asked. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s not that bad!¡± Adam reached for his panflute, causing the girl to climb down to quickly run away. ¡°Lanarot!¡± Adam caught sight of Nirot, who was holding her own panflute. ¡°Don¡¯t do it,¡± Adam whispered. Nirot smirked, bringing it up to her lips, inhaling deeply. ¡®Finally! This is my revenge, Adam!¡¯ She blew into the panflute, but in her excitement, she accidentally blew too hard, causing a shrill noise to fill the air. Lanarot looked up towards Nirot in shock, before reaching for her ears. She opened her mouth wide, squinting her eyes as she began to cry. Nirot was in utter shock. She hadn¡¯t made a mistake like that in so long. ¡°Poor Lanababy,¡± Adam cooed, picking his sister up. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll never play the panflute again! I won¡¯t let cousin Nirot bully you either.¡± ¡°I did not mean to do that,¡± Nirot said, noting the looks of the women, who held such disappointment in their eyes. ¡°I am sorry.¡± Lanarot kept screeching as she cried, holding her ears. Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 5 (2) ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay,¡± Adam cooed, casting his spell to help her ears. Lanarot felt the warm magic in her ears, and she stopped crying, feeling the tingling in her ears. She sniffled and groaned quietly, her ears twitching. ¡°Adam, you should not cast your magics so easily within the Iyr,¡± Mirot warned. Adam glanced her way. ¡°Even if Baktu asked me not to cast my spells, I would still heal my Lanababy.¡± Adam kissed the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Who are you to say such things about Baktu?¡± Mirot wasn¡¯t sure how Adam could be so audacious to speak of Baktu in such a way. Baktu, Lord of Death, he who was known to be the strongest of the Gods, and the one the Iyr prayed to above all else. ¡°Me?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, Nephew of the Rot family.¡± Adam glanced around, knowing that the God was listening. ¡°Son of Fate.¡± Vonda stared at Adam. ¡®Is that why?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Poor Lanababy. How could they bully her like this? 395. It Was Surely The Best Gift 395. It Was Surely The Best Gift Omen: 2, 10 Adam stared down at Taygak, his brows furrowed. Taygak returned the stare up at him, her eyes expectant. She wore clothing which had been gifted to her in the morning by her mother, red, like blood. Her hand was wrapped with all kinds of cloth which had been handed to her by the other children. ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam groaned, rubbing his chin. He glanced around, looking at all the other children, who were looking at him expectantly. ¡°There seems to be an issue.¡± The children glanced between one another, but did not say anything. They were waiting for it. They knew the joke, they knew the punch line, but the anticipation was causing them to twitch. ¡°I have this coin,¡± Adam said, revealing his platinum coin. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to find the person I need to give it to.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Taygak asked. ¡°I am looking for my adorable Cousin Taygak. She¡¯s turning nine today, but I can¡¯t seem to find her.¡± Taygak clenched her fist and stood up taller. ¡°I, Taygak.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, gasping. The other children began to giggle and cackle quietly between one another, but they placed their fingers on their lips to try and quieten down. ¡°I, Taygak,¡± the Devilkin girl repeated, confidently. ¡°You are Taygak?¡± ¡°Daughter, Kaygak,¡± the girl stated firmly. ¡°Taygak, daughter of Kaygak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam gasped. ¡°What? You are Taygak, daughter of Kaygak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my Gods,¡± Adam said, pulling back. ¡°You can¡¯t be Taygak! You¡¯re too big and too strong to be my little Cousin Taygak!¡± The children burst out with laughter, giggling wildly. ¡°Cousin Adam, you are so silly,¡± Katool said, pointing up at him. ¡°You joke too much!¡± Turot accused, but he was consumed by a fit of laughter. ¡°I, Taygak. Big. Strong.¡± Taygak snorted through her nostrils, widening her stance as she stood up straight. ¡°No! My adorable Cousin Taygak should be small and cute, like always.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°No,¡± Taygak replied firmly. ¡°Big. Strong.¡± Adam lifted the girl up, grunting as he pretended to struggle. ¡°Oof! Taygak, you are too big now!¡± ¡°Strong,¡± Taygak accused, narrowing her eyes suspiciously at him. ¡°I¡¯m strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam stood up straight, holding the girl to his chest. He stared into her eyes, his brows still furrowed, as though thinking. ¡°You know, Taygak. I think you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Taygak smiled. Of course she was right, she was Taygak. ¡°Happy birthday, Taygak,¡± Adam said, hugging her tight, before letting her down. He knelt down and held out a platinum coin. ¡°Remember, this is your coin, and not even your mother can take it from you.¡± ¡°Taygak coin,¡± she said, taking it. Adam smiled. ¡°Do you like it?¡± They all looked to Kaygak, but she looked to the nearby Iyrman. She was a familiar face, which caused the children to rush up to her in delight. She had also come previously with Strom for Raygak and Saygak. ¡°Grandaunt! Grandaunt,¡± they shouted, rushing towards Shaool. ¡°Good morning,¡± she said, picking Taygak up, brushing her hair. ¡°What a big girl you have become, little Taygak.¡± Taygak snorted, before resting her head against Shaool¡¯s cheek. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you accept Lord Strom¡¯s gift?¡± Taygak looked towards Strom, who smiled politely. She shyly nodded her head. ¡°Thank...¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± Strom said, who had already showered the Iyr in a hundred weapons thus far. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, staring at the sword. She knew that Strom was really important, even if she didn¡¯t know who he was. It was surely the best gift. Jaygak narrowed her eyes towards Strom. ¡°I have a gift too.¡± She had wanted to save it for the evening, but she couldn¡¯t let Strom upstage her like this. ¡°You have already given a gift,¡± Kaygak said, trying to put some pressure on the girl. She, like the other adult Iyrmen, could feel it. It was a sense which they had trained thanks to the girl, but it had been refined by Adam. Jaygak was going to do something stupid. Jaygak turned, but found herself face to face with her father. ¡°Step aside, father.¡± Jogak reached up to grab her shoulder, and though Jaygak tried to slip aside, he had anticipated where she was going to go, and managed to grab her. He smiled politely, letting her know she was still far too young to be trying to fight him. ¡°We have Guests, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak stared up towards her father¡¯s eyes, and he could tell it wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°I have to give my gift to my cousin.¡± ¡°You have given your gift,¡± Jogak rebuked, trying to get her to back down. ¡°I have not,¡± Jaygak stated, not taking it for an answer. ¡°You have,¡± Jogak replied, speaking more clearly. He was making sure she understood she couldn¡¯t act up, especially not in front of Strom. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam hummed. The adult Iyrmen¡¯s eyes then snapped towards Adam, who was smiling. Oh no. Quickly, their eyes snapped to Sonarot, who was watching it all unfold. Strom, too, watched the play, understanding there was something about to happen. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Adam said. ¡°If Jaygak is unable to get her gift, then I suppose I¡¯ll have to say my thoughts out loud.¡± It was an obvious warning. ¡°Adam, what are you...¡± Mirot began, only to note that Jurot and Kitool had straightened up. It was then the Iyrmen realised it was not just Jaygak and Adam, but Jurot and Kitool too. Their eyes then fell to the Guests, all of whom Adam had invited, from Dunes to Vonda, and those he had adventured with. Adam had invited them to Taygak¡¯s birthday, making sure they had gifts for her. If they continued this, they would only continue to embarrass themselves, and if Adam said whatever he was thinking out loud, then they could only blame themselves since he had warned them. Jogak had to make a decision. He sighed, and let go of his daughter¡¯s shoulder, allowing her to make her way to the house. Adam continued to smile innocently. Even if it meant aggravating the adults, he couldn¡¯t help but want to help Jaygak spoil Taygak. Even if they disliked him for it, it was worth it. Jaygak probably had something great she wanted to hand to... All the eyes fell onto Jaygak as she returned, who held in her hands a sword. The hilt was made of a beautiful red gem, with a yellow cloth tied around it, matching the Gak family tatoo of a red cross with yellow tilted kites. It was not just any blade, but one which had slain all manner of creatures, and had no small part in keeping Jaygak alive. Strom and Adam burst out in laughter. Click banner for Patreon! Jaygak likes to do a little trolling. I''m glad I''m keeping track of days, as well as the various birthdays. 396. Happy 396. Happy Taygak stared at the sword, and then to her mother. Kaygak looked to Lavgak for guidance, and she looked to Sonarot, who looked to Adam, who was still laughing, almost crying. ¡°Damn it, Jaygak,¡± Adam said, slapping his knee. ¡°I thought you had something nice, but you really had to bring out ol¡¯ Bloodseeker?¡± Jaygak smiled, and brought the magical sword to Taygak, who was still holding Stormdrake. Even she knew she probably shouldn¡¯t accept the gift, but her eyes were glued to her mother, who was still in the chain of looks. ¡°It seems that Stormdrake is just too good,¡± Strom said, smirking wide. ¡°It¡¯s not that Stromdrake is too good, it¡¯s that Bloodseeker is too good,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If you want to give my Cousin Taygak a sword, it has to be at least as good as Bloodseeker.¡± Strom narrowed his eyes, before laughing again. ¡°Certainly so!¡± He couldn¡¯t stop howling with laughter, all the while Adam smirked. ¡°Taygak, have?¡± Taygak dared to ask. Kaygak looked to Jogak, trying to get him to deal with Jaygak. However, the man sighed. It was too late. Jaygak had revealed to everyone the sword, and had offered it to the girl. Although it was an inappropriate gift, how could he deny his daughter¡¯s goodwill? ¡®Daughters are so scary,¡¯ Jogak thought. He was certain Adam would have pulled such a stunt, but it wasn¡¯t to rile anyone up. Jaygak, on the other hand, surely did it to tease everyone. That¡¯s when he looked to Kitool. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t you be my daughter?¡¯ Kitool stared at Jaygak. She was the only one who Jaygak had spoken to about the gift. Kitool had tried to convince her, but Jaygak had shocked her with her answer. ¡®Stormdrake is too good for the likes of me,¡¯ Jaygak had admitted to her. ¡®I¡¯m fairly certain that I¡¯ll die while adventuring with you all, but Taygak, she¡¯s different. She¡¯s at the perfect age to receive Adam¡¯s help, and he¡¯ll be able to let her live her dream. I want to give Stormdrake, but it¡¯ll go to her eventually. So, at the very least, it has to be Bloodseeker.¡¯ Jurot hadn¡¯t known anything, but he trusted both Jaygak and Adam, and if the adults wanted to go against the pair, they¡¯d have to go against him too. ¡°Okay,¡± Kaygak finally said. Nobby and Brittany stared at the Iyrmen. Bloodseeker was a blade with a basic bonus, but it struck harder than a typical longsword. Not only that, when it downed a creature, it¡¯s next blow would be twice as powerful. It was a weapon which they could only dream of, and yet it was given to a nine year old girl. ¡®The Iyrmen are so scary.¡¯ Jonn and Fred remained silent, understanding that this was what the Iyrmen were. Even Filliam, who was waiting to hand the girl a watch, understood that this was crazy, but it was in the realms of possibility. ¡®They are Iyrmen, after all.¡¯ Vonda and Dunes remained silent. They knew Adam caused trouble, but it mostly wasn¡¯t on purpose. Meeting Jaygak had changed their expectations of Iyrmen, but they still respected the Iyrmen. Jaygak was strong, and even if she claimed to be the weakest of the Iyrmen Trio, they still saw how mighty she was in battle against the creatures. Even they, as Experts, with all their magic, would only claim to be roughly equal to her strength. ¡°This is how it should be!¡± Strom said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d have thought you two were Dragons!¡± ¡°Do Dragons give away magical weapons too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Some do,¡± Strom replied. ¡°Of course, I gave my children plenty of magical weapons. I¡¯ve given away some weapons which would make Stormdrake look like your Phantom in comparison.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you say that to my face when Phantom is at my side?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t dare?¡± Strom asked. ¡°I may be dying, but I wouldn¡¯t lose to some child like you.¡± ¡°Imagine losing to some kid whose less than a hundred years old,¡± Adam teased, smirking up at Strom. Strom continued to laugh. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you all back last month? This birthday is far more fun!¡± Strom brought out a barrel of ale from his ring, but then looked to the pregnant women. ¡°Ehm. I have some cloths and such too.¡± Taygak accepted the sword, before hugging Jaygak tight. She didn¡¯t let go of Jaygak for a long while, wrapping herself around her older cousin. Jaygak held the girl in a hug, carrying her to a seat, before sitting down with Taygak in her arms. Shaool sighed, looking to Adam. She hadn¡¯t expected how much trouble the Iyr would have faced with him. Then she looked at Kitool, who had been ready to assist Adam. She, who had sworn herself to the Iyr as one of the one hundred Paragons, wondered if she could still see her grandniece face to face. After all, she had been assigned to kill Adam if it was required. ¡°Here,¡± Dunes said, handing the girl a silver ring which held the symbol of Wahtu. Taygak, knowing Dunes was a Priest, smiled. ¡°Thank.¡± She accepted the ring, staring at the symbol of one of the other Gods the Iyrmen also prayed to. "Allow me to tell you a secret,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It¡¯s also my birthday.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam said, blinking. ¡°You should be careful of provoking the Gods, Adam. I could do so because I liked to kill their Champions, but you can¡¯t do that right now.¡± Adam¡¯s smirk turned into a shocked frown. ¡°You what?¡± Strom smiled. ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± He looked around to the other Iyrmen, noting Shaool was speaking with her family. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who hunted Champions and Demigods for sport.¡± Adam looked around to the Iyrmen, before swallowing. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like killing a Champion, Guardian, or Demigod,¡± Strom said. ¡°I want to taste it one more time before I die. It¡¯s such a thrill.¡± ¡°Are you...¡± Adam decided against asking. He felt like he knew too much already. ¡°Strom, you better not get killed. Otherwise it¡¯ll be embarrassing to mention you to my sister.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°Even without my Spark, I¡¯m not so easy to kill.¡± He looked to Shaool, and then wondered if that was true. ¡®No, I¡¯m still a little stronger, I¡¯m certain of that.¡¯ ¡°Sir Vonda, would you mind coming with me to meet with Churot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I should get back to helping him out, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll hurt me too much.¡± Vonda sighed. ¡°You should rest today.¡± ¡°Vonda, please,¡± Adam said. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to do it much because of enchanting, but I don¡¯t want him to think I care about enchanting more than him.¡± The Priest of Life sighed once more. Mana: 18 -> 8 XP: 13 800 -> 13 300 Health: 65 -> 33 Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Adam wiped his brow, feeling the exhaustion fill through his entire body. ¡°Phew. That didn¡¯t kill me.¡± Jarot rubbed his forehead. ¡®Is he really my blood?¡¯ Churot panted quietly. ¡°Six more?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hopefully.¡± ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam,¡± Churot said. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. Once you¡¯re a Scribe Mage, I hope you won¡¯t forget me!¡± Adam laughed. ¡°No,¡± Churot said. ¡°I will not.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to remember that promise.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jarot sighed. His Churot was growing up too fast. He should have expected it considering that Adam had come into his life like a storm. He wondered if Strom would be willing to fight with him one more time, just to blow off some steam. ¡®No,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I cannot ask for that at this time.¡¯ Adam returned back to the estate, where he spent the time preparing for WaW. Though he was exhausted, he made sure to play with the children, allowing the Iyrmen to listen in. Once the children saved the real Jurot and Sonarot, he showered them with all kinds of magical weapons in the game. ¡°I saved you, cousin Jurot,¡± Turot said, smirking up at the boy. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You did.¡± He ruffled Turot¡¯s hair, allowing the boy to enjoy his story. ¡®Perhaps one day... No. I must be strong that Turot does not need to save me.¡¯ ¡°Happy,¡± Taygak said, pulling on Adam¡¯s sleeve.¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± Adam said, smiling at the girl. ¡°I¡¯m with my adorable Cousins!¡± ¡°Taygak, happy,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Adam ruffled her hair. ¡°I want to make sure you¡¯re happy every day.¡± Taygak reached up and brushed Adam¡¯s hair. ¡°Good.¡± Click banner for Patreon! If only we all could be as happy as Taygak. 397. Bullying 397. Bullying Omen: 4, 7 ¡°You cannot bully me today,¡± Adam said, staring at Elder Zijin opposite him. ¡°Taygak is now nine years old, so she¡¯ll sort you out.¡± Elder Zijin smiled. He leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on one of the many books he was currently checking. ¡°She is so big now.¡± Zijin thought about her birth. She and her mother had almost lost their lives. ¡°Next year she will begin to learn the ways of her family.¡± ¡°At ten?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is that the age everyone begins to learn their abilities?¡± Zijin bowed his head. ¡°Ten. She will be taken to train with her peers. Then, one day, she will give the show.¡± ¡°The show? You mean during a festival?¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°I¡¯d rather she stay small. Growing up means all kinds of stress and danger.¡± ¡°Do you miss being a boy?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Everything¡¯s so simple when you¡¯re a kid.¡± Zijin couldn¡¯t help but smile wider. ¡°Yes. I remember my father, Zajin, would toss me in the air when I was a boy. I remember I fell, and scraped my knee.¡± Zijin pulled up trouser leg, revealing a scar across his knee. ¡°He pinched the base of my tusks and asked me how I would protect the Iyr if I cried at just a scrape of my knee. He tossed me more that evening.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I forget that you Iyrmen are... normal.¡± ¡°Is anyone normal, Adam?¡± ¡°I suppose not.¡± Adam remained quiet, thinking about his youth. ¡°I like it here in the Iyr, Elder Zijin. It¡¯s nice, you know?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zijin replied, bowing his head. ¡°That is partly why I called you here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Adam asked. Zijin was about to reply literally, before realising it was Adam¡¯s way of asking what was happening. ¡°The Iyr has confirmed the situation. You can place just a single enchantment onto a weapon and the Iyr can complete it, at the least, for basic enhanced weapons. It still requires a week.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°So you want more to test out?¡± Zijin bowed his head. ¡°If you are willing to enchant more weapons, and are willing to reveal how deep the enchantment runs, from how much Mana is required, to how well you felt enchanting the weapon, to the amount of gems required, we are willing to assist you in the matter, and to pay you.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We will pay you one hundred gold for each enchantment placed on a weapon,¡± Zijin said. ¡°We will also consider it as a contribution to the Iyr.¡± narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is it the same for greater enhanced weapons?¡± Zijin make sure to keep a notebook, a fresh notebook, which was black, with the symbol of Baktu. It was Adam¡¯s Book of Death. There he wrote all the reasons as to why Adam should be killed, some which were told to him by the Great Elders, and sometimes those reasons would be added to the reasons why he shouldn¡¯t die. Elder Zijin made sure to mark every reason as to why Adam shouldn¡¯t die, and he wrote all the anecdotes he could, so the Great Elders understood. ¡®Please, Adam, stop trying to get yourself killed,¡¯ Zijin thought. Adam returned back to the shared family estate, where he saw his companions, who had decided to spend their time with Jurot and the others for a short while, before they had to return to work. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam said. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m going to die or something.¡± ¡°In the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do not worry,¡± Jurot said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We will petition for you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t need to petition for me.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Baktu probably will,¡± Adam said, winking at him. The Iyrmen nearby, who were relaxing during noonval, sighed. Adam kept saying so many outrageous things that they wondered if they should remain at their main family estates so their pregnancies were not affected by his words. Sonarot couldn¡¯t help but to smile about the matter, though. After all, Adam was a breath of fresh air, and he had done so much for them. She was certain that Adam was playing with the children, not because he wanted to be close to them so they would protect him from the Iyr, but because he wanted them to be happy. ¡®What did I do to deserve being Adam¡¯s Aunt?¡¯ Sonarot thought. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°He may.¡± The pregnant women continued to wonder how Jurot could have possibly fallen for Adam¡¯s words, but Sonarot had fallen for them too. There were many things the pair knew that they didn¡¯t, and whatever it was, it was something which swayed the mother and son duo to Adam¡¯s side. Even Mirot, who disliked Adam the most from them all, would leave her faith in Sonarot, her sister by marriage. She stared up towards the sky, wondering where her brother was. If he was here, surely he would have talked some sense into the pair. Adam was too ingrained within the family. It was a murky relationship, one which they didn¡¯t know how to tread themselves. She understood how to work with Adam if he was a Nephew, but as the brother of both Jurot and Lanarot, things were far more awkward. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, kissing his sister¡¯s cheek, before letting her go. ¡°I should go and Awaken Churot. He should be a Scribe Mage soon.¡± The women sighed. Click banner for Patreon! Adam trying to get himself killed constantly never gets old to me. 398. Bullying II 398. Bullying II Omen: 5, 5 ¡°Churot¡¯s going to be happy to know that I¡¯m going to be Awakening him today,¡± Adam said. ¡°In the evening?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Adam didn¡¯t feel like being exhausted the entire day. After his morning workout, he helped cook with the Gak family. He ate the spiced meat, and then took a bite of the soft pepper, which caused him to gasp for air, sipping the cool drink. He had used his trick on the water to cool it down for them all to enjoy. Raygak winced as he ate a particularly spicy pepper. He made a face as though he had been stabbed, but his eyes were full of joy. Taygak rubbed his back, making sure he was okay. Saygak looked at the pepper before him, and decided to give it to Raygak, who happily accepted. ¡°Thank you,¡± Raygak gasped aloud, before lifting the pepper up, sipping his water, before finding his pepper had been half eaten. He looked up to Jaygak who was chewing with a smile. Raygak frowned, but he quickly shoved the rest of the pepper into his mouth, wincing again. Jaygak smiled, rubbing his back gently. ¡°Careful, my little Raygak. It¡¯s still too hot for you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Raygak replied, but he started to pant before he reached for the cool water. ¡°It is, right?¡± Raygak held the water glass. ¡°No!¡± Jaygak stared at him, as Raygak glared back up at her, before tears fell down his cheeks, and he turned, drinking his water in shame. Jaygak rubbed his hair, making sure he was okay with losing, before she continued eating her own spicy food. Adam smiled, enjoying the fact the pair of them were so close. Adam shot Jurot a look. Jurot understood what Adam was saying, and so brought a pepper to Lanarot¡¯s lips, before Sonarot and Adam grabbed his arm, and as Lanarot leaned in to bite the pepper, Sonarot quickly brought some bread up to the girl to distract her. ¡°You cannot feed her this pepper yet,¡± Sonarot said, her heart pounding wildly. ¡°Dip your bread into the soup and feed it to her.¡± Jurot did as she asked, bringing the slightly soggy bread to Lanarot¡¯s lips. She leaned in and bit into it, chewing it for a moment, before her brows went up in alarm. She opened her mouth and began to spit out the food, shaking her head. ¡°She does not like it,¡± Jurot gathered. Sonarot brushed her daughter¡¯s hair gently, before offering her own bread. Lanarot pulled away, thinking it was a trap, before Sonarot brought her some fruit. ¡°She will enjoy it in time.¡± Kitool offered Katool a pepper, who looked at the pepper, and then to her sister. The complicated feeling on the girl¡¯s face told Kitool all she needed to know. Katool didn¡¯t want to eat it, but didn¡¯t want to refuse Kitool. Kitool bit into it instead, tasting the slight heat, which danced along her tongue. Katool offered her sister some fruit, but Kitool brought the fruit to Katool¡¯s lips instead, since it was the girl¡¯s favourite. ¡°It is okay.¡± Katool smiled, stuffing her face with fruit. When breakfast passed, Adam played Warriors and Wanderers with the children, allowing their parents to listen in. Sonarot and Jurot were also there to play with them, having the day off with Adam to relax. It wasn¡¯t quite so relaxing, as the one revealed to be behind the entire adventure was a wicked Bronze Dragon, who also had manticores assisting her. ¡°Katool, you recognise these manticores as the manticores which fled you and the party,¡± Adam said. Katool gasped, picking up her sheet, her nose against it as she tried to find her spells. ¡°Taygak, kill Dragon!¡± Taygak declared. Adam smiled. ¡°Roll for initiative.¡± It was quite the gruelling fight, with spells being shot out, blade piercing scale and hide, and as the fight continued, one by one they dropped. The manticores had been dealt with nearly immediately, though Taygak had gone to face the Dragon with Raygak and Saygak. However, with the focus split, it had allowed the Dragon to deal with the trio as the other four dispatched the manticores. The Gaks and Katool had fallen quickly, and had acted so by laying down on their fronts, looking up towards the game. ¡°I will pick up the sword!¡± Turot said when Raygak¡¯s character had fallen. ¡°You do not-,¡± Jurot began, stopping himself as he recalled it was just a game. ¡°You have the Bloodsword in hand, and you can hear it whispering in your mind, you can feel it in your heart. It wants the Dragon¡¯s blood! Will you feed it, Turot?¡± ¡°I will feed it!¡± Turot declared. The fight continued, and as it did, Turot and Jurot found themselves falling in the fray, before Damokan too fell. The three all laid down. ¡°It¡¯s up to you,¡± Adam said, looking to Sonarot and Kalokan. ¡°Kalokan, you should take the Bloodsword and flee,¡± Sonarot said, smiling at her. ¡°They begin to rebel at his age,¡± Jarot said, with a large smile. Vonda couldn¡¯t help but smile too. Seeing all these different Iyrmen, they seemed almost... Human. ¡°Speaking of which, when is Churot¡¯s birthday?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The first month of Duskval,¡± Jarot said. ¡°The thirteenth.¡± ¡°Oh? Not long after the twins then.¡± Jarot nodded. ¡°I wonder what I should get you?¡± Adam teased. ¡°Scribe Mage,¡± Churot said, eagerly. ¡°Of course.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°I should be heading out then.¡± Adam said his goodbyes to the Rot family, before heading back to the shared family estate with Vonda. ¡°Isn¡¯t my Cousin so cute?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda replied. Half Elves also felt Human to her, though Adam was still quite queer. Meanwhile, Iromin sat with the other Great Elders. ¡°I do not like this.¡± ¡°It must be done,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°We must know if he can be trusted, truly.¡± Iromin could have refused, since technically Adam was under his jurisdiction, but they had been quite tolerant of Adam thus far, so he needed to return their faith in him back to them. ¡°I will think of how to test him,¡± Iromin finally said. Omen: 9, 19 Adam had thought about using his Omen, but realised he should probably take the day off so he could enchant the next day for the Iyr, and alternate between doing so and assisting Churot. ¡°Uh,¡± Adam said, looking down at the child. ¡°Who is that?¡± It was a young Iyrman, no more than six years old. They hid behind the Chief, staring up at the Half Elf. ¡°His name is Asoyah,¡± the Chief said. It was quite a huge clue as to the child¡¯s identity, but he decided to give Adam that much. ¡°The boy is young, but he is here to stay with the families here. His parents have passed, and due to your relationship with the Yah family, we have decided to place him here for now.¡± ¡°What relationship do I have with the Yah family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You brought someone from Waterveil here,¡± Iromin said. ¡°We have considered it Fate.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, understanding the logic, even if it was rather roundabout. ¡°Okay. So...¡± ¡°If you could also mentor him when you have spare time, the Iyr will take it into consideration,¡± Iromin said. ¡°A test, huh?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like the fact that you¡¯ve brought me an orphan to test me with, it¡¯s not fair to him.¡± ¡°Asoyah is no orphan, Adam,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°There are no orphans in the Iyr.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I think you know what I mean.¡± ¡°I believe, considering your relationship with the children here, it would be best for Asoyah to be here.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± Adam turned to the rest of the children, who were staring up at the Chief. ¡°Did you hear? Asoyah will be with us from now on, so that means you all need to be good to him and help him, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the children replied. Adam introduced himself and others to the boy, all the while Iromin watched. He knew this much wouldn¡¯t appease the Great Elders, but if Adam could assist the boy well, then there would be no need for more. Click banner for Patreon! Another side character I won''t flesh out? 399. Strong Shield 399. Strong Shield The days continued to pass. Adam spent some days relaxing, running a game for his Aunts so they could play, and sometimes the children would watch. They were a captive audience, cheering for their mothers and aunts. Sometimes they would assist their mothers with the game, speaking of what they had done previously. Asoyah remained with Sonarot, who would often take him with her as she went about her business. Adam would sometimes spend time with him, though he felt it was awkward. He pampered Lanarot because she was his sister, and he would sometimes spoil his Cousins, but only because he beat some of their parents to earn that right. Asoyah was different. He was a boy who wasn¡¯t related to Adam, but the Half Elf was meant to mentor him. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he could or couldn¡¯t do, and wondered if that was the point. In the same way Adam didn¡¯t really understand his relationship with Asoyah, perhaps the Iyr didn¡¯t understand their relationship with Adam. ¡®Am I thinking too much?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Probably...¡¯ Asoyah was like Saygak in some ways. Quiet, speaking only when he was spoken to. When Asoyah played with the other children, he played to win, and spoke more often then, enjoying the moment with the children. Adam continued to assist Churot with his Mana and XP, however, there came a few days where his Omens were just too good to pass up, and he plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed for the Iyrman who had left, as well as the small Dragon children. [Would you like to name the shield?] ¡®Strong Shield.¡¯ Strong Shield You gain an additional +2 bonus to your defence when wielding this shield. ¡®I¡¯m going to be unkillable,¡¯ Adam thought. With this shield, his Defence would increase from 20 to 22 with the Shield equipped, which was about the Defence of some of the most powerful creatures. ¡®Even the strongest Dragons would have about this much, right?¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to test that theory just yet. Adam returned with the shield, placing it down to the side. ¡°Turot, you can no longer bully me. I¡¯ve finally finished enchanting my shield!¡± Turot looked at the shield, which was almost blood red, and then up to Adam expectantly. ¡°I can hold it?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is done?¡± Sonarot asked. The Rot family was in charge of cooking that week, so she was over the pot, with Asoyah nearby, nibbling on some fruit. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°This is only the third time you enchanted the shield,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re right...¡± Adam thought about the shield again. Usually a greater enchantment required three rolls, and then four days of no enchanting. ¡®It¡¯s a +2 bonus, cost me a thousand gold and 500XP. It doesn¡¯t require Attunement, though, so that¡¯s good...¡¯ Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how it works, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll find out any time soon.¡± ¡®Right?¡¯ [Yes.] Adam smiled. Sonarot decided against pushing further into the matter, after all, it was Adam. The Great Elders had met together in the evening, speaking of Adam once more. Elder Gold sighed. ¡°I believe he had no idea.¡± ¡°I believe the same,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Is that possible?¡± Elder Wrath asked. Every time they talked about Adam, it was as though they were talking about... something beyond the realm of Iyrman understanding. ¡°He is Adam,¡± Iromin said, and that was the end of that discussion. Zijin stared down at the book, wondering if this new knowledge was something that went in the reasons to kill or the reasons not to kill pile. ¡®Oh, Adam.¡¯ Adam continued to spend days relaxing, and enchanting the first step of the weapons for the Iyr. As the sixth month came, so did Asoyah¡¯s birthday, which was the first of the sixth month. ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®What do I give the kid?¡¯ Adam hadn¡¯t made a gift, and he had no idea what he should give to the boy he was meant to be mentoring. ¡®Should I Awaken him? Should I give him Sky? Ah, no, don¡¯t I have one of those?¡¯ The days continued to pass during the last month of noonval, until... Mana: 18 -> 8 XP: 10 800 -> 10 300 Health: 65 -> 33 Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Adam panted out heavily as the Mana left through his finger tips, and coalesced within his Cousin. He pulled back, leaning back against the ground, half sitting up. Churot remained frozen still, his eyes closed. Previously, he had been conscious enough to speak, but this time he was sat still, deep in meditation. His hair was fluttering, as though he was in a vortex. Jarot watched cautiously and Vonda watched in awe. They could feel it. The magic which was heavy within the air. There were faint strands, blue and silver, which began to seep out of the Devilkin, before his entire body was faintly glowing in the colours. Adam watched too, and as the moments continued to pass, turning to minutes, the faint glow slowly faded away, before Churot sighed, opening his eyes. ¡°Are you okay, Churot?¡± Adam asked. Churot reached up to his head, and tilted his head around. He turned to face Adam, his eyes wide. ¡°Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Magic,¡± the boy said. ¡°Yeah?¡± Churot looked down at his fingers, and then reached for his heart. There was a faint, gentle warmth. It felt as though he was sitting on his grandfather¡¯s lap without sitting on it. Churot spoke words which had never once left his lips, and then, on the palm of his hand, danced an image of an axe, his grandfather¡¯s axe. Jarot stared at the image, and then to his grandson. ¡°Churot!¡± He wrapped his arm around the boy, pulling him in close. Vonda stared, wide eyed. ¡®You did it. You really did it. You...¡¯ ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said. Strength Save D20 + 5 = 12 (7) Stength: 19 -> 17 Dexterity Save D20 + 2 = 21 (19) Constitution Save D20 + 4 = 23 (19) Intelligence Save D20 + 4 = 16 (12) Wisdom Save D20 + 2 = 15 (15) Charisma Save D20 + 2 = 3 (1) Charisma: 16 -> 11 Exhaustion: 1 -> 3 Adam felt his entire body convulse for a moment, as the heat and cold flooded through him, rushing through his entire body, but he clenched his fists and fought the onslaught off. It disappeared as quickly as it had come. ¡°Adam?¡± Vonda said, worriedly. She reached out to grab his hand, and even with the dim candle light nearby, she could see how pale he had become. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Adam said, smiling, revealing the slight hint of blue against his teeth. ¡°I¡¯m going to need a few days to recover.¡± ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Churot called, as Adam tried to stand, only to fall as Churot hugged him tight. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Any time, Cousin Churot.¡± He was trapped under Churot, and he decided to let the boy hug him as he pleased. He couldn¡¯t fight Churot, and even if he had the strength, he wouldn¡¯t have. He smiled, closing his eyes. It had cost him days of enchanting, and 5000XP, which had been about as much as he gathered from his entire outing in the year, but it had been more than worth it. He slept peacefully as the Great Elders discussed whether to kill him once more. Click banner for Patreon! He''s going to need a stronger shield to protect himself from the Iyr. Sorry about yesterday. I was meant to put up chapters but I forgot the day before and then forced myself to sleep for more so I could wake up at an okay time. 400. Great Destroyer 400. Great Destroyer ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d do this to me, Elder Zijin,¡± Adam said, puffing out his cheeks. ¡°I understand why you would be hesitant, but it would be considered a great favour to us,¡± the Elder replied, calmly. Adam was sitting opposite the Elder, eating some of the snacks the Orcish Iyrman had offered him. He had awoken with such great luck that morning, an Omen which gave him a 20. He had such plans for the roll, which would allow him to create a greater enhanced weapon. ¡°Since you can guarantee the greatest enchantment today, it would be best to enchant a legendary enchantment for the Iyr,¡± Zijin stated. He could have mentioned how difficult it was to keep him alive, especially after he had awakened Churot, but he decided against it. ¡°This is bullying, Elder,¡± Adam said, sipping the tea, staring down at the liquid. A legendary enhancement, but not one for himself? How could they take away something like that from him? Adam eventually sighed. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± Elder Zijin said, bowing his head. With this the Iyr would be able to confirm the extent of these strange abilities. If Adam could place a legendary enchantment onto a blade, and they could finish it using someone who wasn¡¯t Romaezi, then... Adam made his way away, before stopping. ¡°Elder Zijin?¡± Adam turned to look over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Taygak that you¡¯re bullying me.¡± Elder Zijin stared at Adam. He wondered if he should add the threat to Adam¡¯s black book. ¡°Taygak will not believe you.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll believe me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m her Cousin.¡± ¡°I am her Elder,¡± Zijin said. Adam remained silent for a long while. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not marrying into the Jin family.¡± The Half Elf turned and stormed off. Elder Zijin wondered if Adam meant it. ¡®Should I tell Taygak he is bullying me? With how much stress he has been pouring over my shoulders...¡¯ When Adam arrived at the shrine, everything had been prepared. He stared at the weapon, a greatsword which was black, not like the night, but like death. It was black, yes, but it was various shades of black, which created ominous waves across the blade. ¡°What is that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Deathsteel,¡± the Orcish Iyrman beside him said. Adam flinched, for it wasn¡¯t the Orcish Iyrman who had come with him, but a familiar face he had seen before. He had long hair, which was braided, and a large beard which hid his lips. ¡°What¡¯s with yo-,¡± Adam began, only to clear his throat. ¡°Good morning, mister Romaezi.¡± ¡°Good morning, mister Fateson,¡± the man replied, his voice like a nightval breeze, low and chilly, causing Adam¡¯s hair to stand on end. ¡°You are to enchant a Legendary weapon this day?¡± His eyes remained focused on the deathsteel greatsword. ¡°I¡¯m going to start enchanting a Legendary weapon,¡± Adam said. ¡°I assume you¡¯ll finish it off?¡± ¡°If you are to know, you are to know,¡± Romaezi replied, simply. ¡°I am here to meet you.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± ¡°You as well. I had wished to meet with you when you had returned, but thought it was best for you to rest. I have heard that you work too hard, but that you have begun to rest properly.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam muttered quietly. He had been out of it since Awakening Churot, and he had to remain in bed for some time in order to heal up from the aftermath. Adam had remained at the shrine for almost an hour before word had reached him, and thus he placed down the gems, worth sixty thousand gold in total, before he began enchanting. As the days continued to pass, with Adam enchanting for the Iyr every so often, he found he was quite fortunate. ¡°This time I¡¯m going to make a Greater Enhanced weapon for myself,¡± Adam said. ¡°Very well,¡± Zijin said. He had to give Adam that much, considering Taygak had taken the Elder¡¯s side when the Half Elf had complained. He smiled at Adam, who could understand the intentions behind the smile. ¡°When Lanarot grows up, she¡¯s going to protect me from you,¡± Adam stated, before leaving to enchant. The days continued to pass as Adam enchanted the axe, and played Warriors and Wanderers with his Aunts. Adam spent less time enchanting for the Iyr than he expected, taking multiple days off to relax, though that was partly because he needed to take an additional day off to finish the enchantment to the axe, where he had awoken with a 20 in his Omen, but then rolled a 20 on the die for enchanting, and so could enchant again. He had spent almost a month enchanting, rolling extremely well to create two Greater enchantments, one for his shield, and one which was Enhanced for the axe. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Lucy asked, noting the ring Adam offered to her. Her eyes stared into his suspiciously. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what it looks like,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a weapon I enchanted for you.¡± Lucy tilted her head in confusion, unsure as to why he was giving her a ring, before realising what it was. She took the ring from his hands, still glaring at him suspiciously, before feeling the great magic between her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s a Great Enhanced axe,¡± Adam said, smiling towards her. Great Destroyer Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing + 1D6 fire damage. Can morph between a ring and weapon at your command. Can be used to channel spells. Lucy stared down at the greataxe, which was extremely long, made of dark wood, as well as some kind of dark steel. However, it was certainly better than Destroyer. ¡°Why did you make me a second weapon?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve given everyone else a Greater Enhanced weapon, and Jaygak has one that¡¯s Legendary.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t leave my friend behind.¡± Lucy had wanted to ask a question, but she thumbed the ring on her finger. She swallowed slowly, but bowed her head ever so slightly. ¡°Thanks,¡± she whispered. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. There was an awkward silence between them, before Adam retreated, leaving her be. He looked to Kitool, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be making a Greater Enhanced weapon for you another time.¡± ¡°Can I refuse?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, before smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll refuse your refusal.¡± He had been thinking about making Kitool a Greater Enhanced weapon first, but he noted how Lucy had been far more quiet recently, staring off towards the night sky every time it was time to sleep. ¡®Stronger,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I need to get stronger.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! One day Lanababy will protect the stupid MC. Interlude: A Peaceful Village Interlude: A Peaceful Village The Knight glanced around, noting how different the village had become since he had last visited the village many years ago. Where once it was surrounded by a wooden fence, there was a greater wall made of earth around it, as well as several outposts. Fifty steps out from the village, the earth had been shifted, allowing the village to overlook the land around, and the nearby river had also been moved with some effort so it provided a barrier to one side. ¡®Are they preparing for a war?¡¯ Sir James¡¯ lips turned into a smirk. For half a moment he believed Sir Harold was preparing to face against the King, but such a thing was utterly preposterous. Even if this little village did form some defences, what could they do against the might of Aldland and its armies? The villager guided the Knight and his companions further inside, through the newly built gate, and towards the centre where the Chief was currently waiting to deal with the Knights. He was an older man, old as the day was long during noonval, bald, with a thick beard. He was thin, like a stylus, and clutched a staff tight in one hand to assist him in his day to day living. ¡°Hello, good Sirs, how may I assist you?¡± the old Chief asked, smiling nervously at the Knight and his companions. ¡°Where is Sir Harold?¡± Sir James asked, his eyes scanning the area, showing no regard for the Chief. He was searching for Sir Harold, or Sir Royce, who was another great figure he had wished to meet during his journey. He would never have come to such an irrelevant village like this, though at his King¡¯s command, and with the opportunity to meet two great figures, he could not refuse. ¡°They¡¯re not around at the moment, but if you¡¯d like to join us for some tea, they should appear soon.¡± The Chief¡¯s offer of hospitality was forced, due to the rank of the figures before him. Sir James was no typical Knight, and though the title alone would have allowed him to push around anyone within the village, Sir James was a man who wore a red cloak with a gold trim. These cloaks were gifted by the King himself, and only to those who had managed to achieve the rank of Master, warriors of great prowess. The blade at his side, with the golden crown pommel revealed that Sir James was from the Order of the King, a King¡¯s Blade. The Chief had been surrounded by many great warriors recently, but he understood the difference between the Iyrmen and the Knights. The Iyrmen¡¯s strength was great, yes, but they followed the laws of this land, the very same laws which allowed any Noble to act with almost complete impunity. Of course the Nobles had to pick and choose when to exercise their powers, for trying to deal with a group of great adventurers had its issues, but to small villagefolk like them? The King¡¯s Blade could cut him down and walk away, hands fresh with blood, but without a single crime committed. ¡°Very well,¡± the Aldishman replied. As a Knight there was some decorum to be had, and one such rule was to accept tea from the likes of Chiefs and other Nobles. It would have been rude to refuse, and would have brought a stain on his honour unless he had a great reason to refuse. As the tea was made, brewed within the iron pot, with a splash of milk and the smallest bit of spice, the sounds of heavy wings beating caught the King¡¯s Blade¡¯s attention. The magical gryphon landed down nearby, and the man in plate armour dismounted, before stepping closer towards the Sir James and the two Experts beside him. ¡°Sir Harold,¡± Sir James said, smiling towards the great warrior before him. Even in his twilight years, Sir Harold held a great presence about him. He removed his helmet, revealing his chestnut hair and his thick moustache. ¡°Sir James Kalloway, Commander of the Seventh Company.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Commander,¡± Sir Harold replied, bowing his head gently. ¡®A Commander?¡¯ There were ten companies under the King¡¯s command, and each Commander ruled over one hundred and twenty soldiers total, with the First Company holding almost double the number of soldiers. Harold understood that the situation was far more serious than he first realised. ¡®If he has sent a Commander...¡¯ ¡°I am sure you understand why I have come,¡± Sir James Kalloway said. ¡°The King requires your assistance.¡± ¡°I appreciate you coming all this way, Sir James, but I must apologise.¡± Sir Harold spoke meekly, his voice low. ¡°I am retired now. I am no longer the King¡¯s Sword.¡± ¡°You swore your Oaths, Sir Harold.¡± ¡°I did. I swore my Oaths. I swore them to the King¡¯s grandfather, who at one point I called my closest friend. When he passed, he released me from my Oaths, and asked me a favour. I remained to guide his son, the King¡¯s father, and when he passed away suddenly, I remained to advise the King.¡± Sir Harold stared at Sir James, who was a Master, and had been so for a short while though he was only in his mid forties. ¡°My guidance was refused, so I retired.¡± Sir James Kalloway was going to speak up to defend his King, but seeing the look in Sir Harold¡¯s eyes, he thought twice. Everyone knew the pain which had been caused to Sir Harold back then, and as much as he could feel the rage of the massacre build up, Sir James kept his heart calm as a breeze. ¡°The King requires your assistance.¡± ¡°I am retired,¡± Harold repeated. ¡°I must ask that you drink your tea and leave.¡± ¡°The King requires your assistance,¡± Sir James said, louder now. ¡°This is not a request, but an order, one for a subject of our great King. This is a great honour, and you must oblige as a willing subject of our great country. It is your duty.¡± ¡°I know my duty, King¡¯s Blade,¡± Sir Harold stated, his voice deeper now, holding greater strength. ¡°I have completed it.¡± The Knights all drew their blade, pointing it towards the stranger who was leaning against a tree nearby, his arms crossed. He was a handsome fellow, so handsome that Sir James thought him to be of Noble blood. He was fairly tall, lean, and wore a blade at his side, yet was unarmoured. ¡°State your name and business,¡± Sir Dominic said, as though giving the man a chance. ¡°I don¡¯t think I will give my name,¡± the stranger replied, still leaning against the tree. ¡°Not to a bunch of dead men.¡± Sir Dominic smiled. ¡°What? You believe yourself to be so capable? Even Sir Harold would think twice against the dozen of us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± the man said, stepping away from the tree, flashing the most cocky smile the Knights had ever seen. ¡°He might be an old, handsome guy, but he¡¯s not that weak he needs to think about the likes of you.¡± ¡°How dare yo-,¡± Sir James called, before they heard the twang and the whistling, before their horses whinnied and cried, before falling. They snapped their heads back, as over twenty villagers appeared, crossbows in hand. Some wore thick hides, studded with plates of metal, and carried at their backs large shields. Some wore blades at their sides, and others long spears. They had taken out a number of horses in an instant, and as the moments passed, the remaining horses were dealt with. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± Sir Dominic asked, turning his attention to the villagers for a moment, before looking back at the stranger again. ¡°How dare you draw your weapons against Knights of Aldland.¡± ¡°They did not,¡± called a familiar voice, and Sir Harold stood, not twenty paces away, having appeared from almost nowhere. Sir Dominic¡¯s head snapped to Sir Harold, before Sir James stepped beside him, motioning his head to the stranger, where another man appeared. He was tall, well built, and carried a large maul. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Sir James asked, noting they were surrounded by villagers, and the trio of great warriors. He could feel it, the great strength each of them emanated. He knew Sir Harold and Sir Royce, but the stranger who had spoken was someone he did not recognise, but he was sure that even the stranger was great, at least as powerful as himself. ¡°The villagers were hunting, and they will retrieve the horse meat,¡± Sir Harold said. ¡°Hunting we were.¡± Sir Royce chuckled. ¡°What a bounty we found.¡± Sir Dominic¡¯s eyes stared deep into Sir Harold¡¯s eyes. He understood what was happening, and what was soon to occur. He gripped his blade tighter. ¡°Hey, you all stay out of this,¡± the stranger said, pointing his blade at the villagers. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to protect you if you get too close, and if you shoot me, not even your precious King¡¯s Sword will stop me from beating you.¡± ¡°Azazel, please.¡± Sir Harold sighed. He wondered if he really should have brought this man to the village, but the dreams kept whispering to him. ¡°A mercenary?¡± Sir Dominic asked. ¡°Have you sullied yourself so much?¡± ¡°Mercenaries are better than Knights,¡± Azazel said. ¡°Less troublesome.¡± The King¡¯s Blades and their companions had formed a circle to face off against the trio, all the while the villagers had walked around to form a circle around them, just in case the three did not manage to kill the Knights. ¡°Are you sure you wish to do this?¡± Sir Dominic asked. Harold bowed his head. ¡°The King will seek justice.¡± ¡°It must be done,¡± Harold replied, drawing his blade. Click banner for Patreon! These Interludes don''t count for the chapters that I owe. However, there are three of them, so please be merciful to me. I will catch up on the chapters that I owe, i swear. Noonval Days: The Party Noonval Days: The Party The Iyrmen Jurot¡¯s mind was empty. Every so often something slipped into the emptiness, the proper way to hold the axe, the proper way to fell the tree, but those only appeared once every few minutes as he cut down the wood. It would sometimes seep in too. The darkness which kept whispering into his heart. The Iyr was such a wonderful place. What need was there to leave it? It held his mother and sister. These thoughts continued to cycle through the emptiness, but Jurot kept them at bay. He drank from his gourd, resting along with his two sisters, Jaygak and Kitool. ¡°I¡¯m surprised he isn¡¯t enchanting as much as he used to,¡± Jaygak said, basking under the warmth of the noonval sun. She had been spending the time in the Iyr enjoying the sun as much as she could, helping by cutting down trees and assisting the farmers. Kitool only bowed her head, but said nothing about the matter. Adam was too confusing to understand, and though she kept an eye on him to inform the Elders what the Half Elf could do, she tried not to think too deeply about him, finding that her mind would rot from the heavy thoughts. ¡°He has worked hard,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°He does not enjoy resting.¡± Out of the trio of Iyrmen, it was he who knew why Adam worked so hard. Adam, who wished to spend his days assisting the Iyr and creating great magical weapons. The gold would help him create a foundation, something which he could use for that. ¡°We¡¯re lucky we got to meet him,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°If we hang around him, we might actually become Diamond Rank.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Or we will die a gruesome death,¡± Kitool said, trying to moderate the conversation, as was her role. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot repeated. ¡°Speak for me,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°If anyone¡¯s going to die at Adam¡¯s side, it will be me.¡± ¡°No, it will be me, for I am his brother.¡± ¡°You?¡± Jaygak tilted her head in an exaggerated motion. ¡°You¡¯re too strong to die before me.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to the point, since Jaygak was technically right. ¡°If you die before me, then I will be too weak to stop it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a chance those conditions are met,¡± Jaygak said. Kitool rubbed her elbow against Jaygak¡¯s, both for comfort and as a warning. ¡°What?¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s true. Jurot¡¯s stronger and tougher, and you¡¯re far more skilled and mobile.¡± ¡°We have not fought in some time, we will not know who is truly stronger.¡± Kitool and Jaygak fought rarely, and though they sometimes sparred, they did not fight too harshly against one another. Jaygak gave her a look. She, who had been born with a weak body, understood the difference between herself and the two. Whereas Jurot was no doubt going to be extremely powerful thanks to the way his family raged, Kitool was someone who had definitely taken after their grandaunt. Even if Kitool did not believe it herself, Jaygak was certain she was strong. If she and Jurot fought, it would have been closer than they would have imagined, though Jaygak was certain Jurot would have won. Kitool caught Jaygak¡¯s eyes, before the Iyrman sighed. She remembered what Jaygak had told her back then. She had now informed Jurot of her thoughts, and though she was often someone who joked, like Adam, the pair knew when Jaygak joked, and this wasn¡¯t it. They continued their work, cutting down the wood, clearing an entire section by themselves, before they returned back to their estates. Later in the evening, Jaygak and Kitool sat in the corner, staring at the stars as they began to appear. The pair did not speak of the matter from earlier in the day, leaving the words unsaid. ¡°Adam is close with the children,¡± Jaygak said. They were words she had heard from Jaygak previously. They were her answer as to why she was so morbid, speaking of her death so easily. ¡°He is.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, compared to me, Taygak will do much better.¡± ¡°She will only do so because you have dug the foundations for her success,¡± Kitool said. Jaygak threw her a look, letting her know that the pair were Iyrmen, so there was no need for Kitool to try and make her feel better. ¡°You just need to keep your promise.¡± Kitool threw back almost an identical look. The pair were Iyrmen, so there was no need to confirm whether Kitool was going to keep her promise. If one could believe in anything, it was an Iyrman¡¯s words. Jurot was going to read Lanarot a story soon, but he thought about telling Kitool and Jaygak about the darkness in his heart. You¡¯re too strong to die before me. Jaygak had spoken the words like they were fact, but Jurot knew that life did not work that way. Yet, she seemed so reassured by them, by the fact Jurot was more powerful than her. He decided to allow Jaygak to keep that strength. He would remain the lightness within her heart, as she, Kitool, and Adam was to his own. He swallowed his worries and kept the darkness within his heart. The Priests ¡°I keep forgetting how queer Adam is,¡± Dunes admitted. He sat opposite Vonda, the pair of them relaxing after meeting with so many Iyrmen to speak of their tales to them, and to bless their children with fortune. It wasn¡¯t a magical process, but the children enjoyed the words the Priests spoke to them. ¡°You forget?¡± Vonda joked, smiling at the Priest of War. ¡°I am reminded of it daily, with all that he does...¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you keep your eyes on him, and I keep my eyes on the Iyrmen,¡± Dunes replied, smirking at the woman. Vonda shifted her scarf slightly around her face, feeling her cheeks turn crimson. ¡°He is a good man, Adam.¡± ¡°A good man, frightened by something,¡± Dunes said. Yet, he had been told that many of the stories were likely exaggerated, though there were some members of the Order who believed the opposite. They secretly run this land. That¡¯s what one of his trainers had said to him, and though he did not believe it, even now, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel the Iyr they were seeing was merely the surface of a deep lake, which held unknown monsters, those which allowed them their lives. Fred stared down at his cup. ¡®Can I do it? Can I relax like this in the future, outside of the Iyr? Can I get married and have children?¡¯ The thoughts remained for some time as he imagined himself finding a woman, getting married, having children. He winced, thinking about it all burning down, as it had so suddenly back then. He hadn¡¯t been a man, then, and he had barely managed to escape with great fortune. It was over the course of a day that he had lost everything, and everyone he had ever known. ¡®I need to remain far enough away from Elves,¡¯ he thought, before his eyes darted to Jonn and Adam. The pair were strong, and he had grown stronger too, but the Elves were so much stronger. Yet... ¡®I suppose Half Elves ain¡¯t so bad.¡¯ The Trainees Nobby trained hard in the morning, and assisted the Iyr with general labour to assist in building his body¡¯s strength and stamina. Brittany trained hard in the morning, and would continue more focused training for a short time, before she would also assist the Iyr. She wanted to train her body slightly, to gain more strength, stamina, and agility. She was learning how to move her body to remain balanced at all times, trying not to fall with all the blocks of wood she was carrying. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll become Experts?¡± Brittany asked, laying down near Nobby, who was eating food. When Nobby ate, it was a rare time the Iyrmen left him be. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Adam said so.¡± ¡°You believe him?¡± ¡°Mister Jurot said it too.¡± Brittany noted how the words held the same reverence as when he had spoken about Adam. ¡°Yeah.¡± Nobby slurped down the rest of the soup, before eating seconds. He was a large young man, so the Iyrmen were glad to feed him seconds and thirds. ¡°This year or next.¡± ¡°Do you really think he¡¯ll give us magical weapons?¡± Nobby looked to Brittany for a moment, before looking back at his food. He wondered why she asked, considering she was allowed to use the magical weapons they had found in the temple. Nobby didn¡¯t think much about his future. He¡¯d work hard to become an Expert, and then he¡¯d work for Adam. He would get paid, and as long as he managed to receive a wage which could help his family, he cared for little else. ¡°Adam paid for Anne¡¯s schooling,¡± Nobby said. ¡°He is good.¡± Brittany stared at Nobby for a long moment. Adam really did do a lot for Nobby, and he had done quite a lot for her too. He had seemed hesitant at first, but he had kept his word. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll train us to be Masters?¡± Brittany asked. Masters were typically those roughly Silver Rank in terms of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild¡¯s system. ¡°He can.¡± Nobby replied. ¡°He can, but will he?¡± Brittany asked again. Nobby remained silent for a long moment. ¡°He can.¡± Brittany bit into a fruit, wondering if she should ask. Becoming an Expert would unlock a life she never would have expected. If she wanted to, she could have worked for Adam for a few years, before going off to explore the land with a different party. However, being a Master meant something. Experts were well respected without a doubt, even Nobles respected Experts. Masters, on the other hand, held even greater respect among the minor nobility, and even they had to be polite to such figures. ¡°The Order of Wings has someone called Robin,¡± Brittany said, recalling what she knew of the Order. ¡°They say she¡¯s the strongest.¡± ¡°How strong?¡± Nobby asked, his ears twitching. ¡°They say she¡¯s a Paragon, and she¡¯s younger than King¡¯s Sword,¡± Brittany said. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°The Order of Wings is like that, isn¡¯t it? They don¡¯t have a home, but they go around the land, protecting it. Not just Aldland, did you know? Aswadia, Dragonland, and even up north. They say there are Giants far north.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Brittany smiled, thinking about all that she could do if she was that strong. ¡°They¡¯re so strong, but they aren¡¯t free. They choose not to be free. They say they¡¯re strong because they need to kill monsters. Monsters. I wonder what kind of monsters need seven people who are so strong?¡± ¡°Dragons?¡± ¡°Big ones?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± Brittany said. ¡°You think I could become a Paragon?¡± Nobby remained silent for a long moment. ¡°He can.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Fleshing out side characters? In my story? Noonval Days: Families In Trouble Noonval Days: Families In Trouble THE IYRMEN The six Iyrmen trekked through the thick forest within East Aldland, heading northwards. There was a singular Iyrmen who held the rank of Mithrilk, and the rest were all Bronze and Steel, save for the youngest, who had barely become a man. ¡°Come, Tonogek,¡± called Tonagek, grasping his son¡¯s forearm to assist him up across the pile of trees which had fallen to block their way. ¡°We must be close,¡± Gortol said. He was the strongest of the group, and brought up the rear. Raknuu, the scout of the group, wiped her brow, the noonval heat bearing down upon her. She narrowed her eyes and knelt down to examine the broken branches on the ground, before noting the discolouration. It was then they felt it, the vibrations which ran through their bodies. The Iyrmen raised their weapons, Tonagek quickly darting to his son as the bushes nearby burst as the large form crashed towards them. One head struck an Iyrman across the side, slamming them against the tree, before another darted towards him, trying to bite into his powerful thigh. A third head roared at Tonagek, and crashed against his longsword, while a fourth head slipped past towards the young Tonogek, who tried to slash at the head, barely nicking across the thick flesh. The head managed to knock him aside, almost knocking the young Iyrman out in a single blow. A blade hummed in the air, as a flaming greatsword cut one of the many head apart, causing the hydra to roar and cry, before a pair of daggers sank into its side, each filled with deathly magic, turning its flesh flaky. The last Iyrman, Arfan, struck across the creature¡¯s back with his axes, one of which was icy, the other which was fiery. The hydra tried to swings its head to the side, only to find its head falling beside its feet. ¡°Why am I always the first one to get hit?¡± Mosen asked, rubbing the side of his neck. His blade was purely red, like that of his uncle. It was only a Basic magical weapon, unlike the blade which was his uncle¡¯s namesake. ¡°Enough talking,¡± Raknuu said, managing to duck under a snapping set of jaws, before tearing into the side of the hydra¡¯s neck, while Gortol¡¯s flaming sword systematically worked on cutting the heads of the creatures, four heads already on the ground, while four remained upon the creature¡¯s form. Tonogek stood, raising his shield above him as he slowly stepped around towards the creature¡¯s back. His heart was pounding, his fist clammy. A hydra was a great foe to face during an Outing, something which had stopped him complaining so much since he had been denied so many Outings in the past. He circled around to its back, and once the hydra possessed only a single head, he stuck his blade into its hind. The hydra roared, but clamped down its jaw against an Iyrman¡¯s thigh, tearing through his armour, before its head fell. ¡°Father!¡± Tonogek shouted, before darting towards the older Iyrman. Mosen tackled the young Iyrman to the side as the hydra fell, almost threatening to crush him, before letting him go. Tonagek flexed his muscles, managing to shrug off the fatigue which had struck him. He noted the lack of blood at his thigh, seeing that, luckily, the hydra had not managed to chomp down against his skin. ¡®How fortunate.¡¯ ¡°Okay?¡± Tonogek asked. Tonagek pat his son¡¯s shoulder, smiling down at him. ¡°You did well. You took a blow and returned it.¡± The young Iyrman smiled from behind his helmet, before the pair embraced. ¡°We should part it quickly,¡± Raknuu said. ¡°The other hydras may claim its territory and she should not be so close.¡± Before Mosen could respond with something funny, her eyes fell to Tonogek, whose armour was slightly dented from the heavy blow. The group quickly went to work on butchering the hydra, before they packed the various hides atop their backs and began to head out. They trekked through the forest for some time before they began to make their little fort, spending close to four hours making a small camp. ¡°Did I not promise you a great Outing?¡± Tonagek asked, patting his son¡¯s back. ¡°Yes,¡± the young man replied. ¡°Once Tanagek returns, I will tell him I had struck a hydra.¡± ¡°If he tries to bully you about his adventures, I will be sure to deal with him,¡± Tonagek promised. Tonagek remained silent, his hands brushing his son¡¯s hair, feeling the hot blood which matted it. He let out a groan, bringing his son¡¯s head to his chest. The rest of the Iyrmen found him a short time later. He remained silent, and the Iyrmen began to form the camp in the area. THE CHILDREN The trio of Dragons purred as they found a small cave, one which held the smell of a creature, though it was faint. They had travelled for a long while, and though they had some trouble on the way, they were finally within the mountains, where they could use the terrain to their advantage. Unfortunately for the Dragons, a few days after they had found the cave, there appeared a large creature, the very same creature they had smelled and assumed had left this area. The large furry figure roared at them before it barrelled towards them on all fours. The oldest of the Dragons, who was still tiny, leapt with frightening speed towards the rampaging creature, before darting to one side. The trio charged the large furry creature, nipping at it, but with a single swipe of its mighty claw, the eldest was batted aside, with fresh marks beside her eye. The tiny Dragons cried, before quickly scampering away from the violent creature. They swiftly flew upwards, the youngest two guiding their eldest sibling as they flew, before they were far enough away to finally relax. They purred and cooed, licking at their sister¡¯s wound to try and heal it. A few days later, they approached a stream which they lapped at, and hunted some fish. They each lay within the stream to cool themselves off from the noonval heat. They remained at the stream for some time, before the eldest felt something pull her towards it. She couldn¡¯t smell it well, for the smell was dampened by water and earth, but there was just a hint of it which had flowed towards her. She swam down into the water, and nudged the dirt away, before she felt the magics of a small gem. The magic within the gem was great, flooding all across the area. Even upon nuzzling against it, she could feel her entire body rocked with great power. She opened her maw and swallowed it. Her entire body glowed for a moment, causing her to float, before she finally dropped down. Her siblings nuzzled against her, trying to understand what had happened, but the eldest fell asleep, the gem taking away her strength. The Dragons remained at the stream for a short while longer, before four ferocious creatures descended upon them. They were smaller than the previous creature, but more nimble, and they worked well together. They circled around the Dragons, howling at the trio, before they leapt forward. A sneeze later, and the four creatures froze. They remained airborne, stuck in time, covered in ice. The Dragons turned to their sibling, who had awoken for a moment, her eyes glowing, before she slumped, returning back to her slumber, exhausted. Her siblings carried her along, making their way along the hills. ¡°Boss,¡± called a voice from nearby, staring at the three creatures. ¡°Dragons.¡± ¡°Shut up, Jim. You¡¯re always going on about...¡± Boss, whose name just so happened to be his occupation, stopped in the middle of slapping Jim against the back of his head. ¡°Jim, there¡¯s Dragons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± ¡°Boys, Dragons.¡± ¡°Dragons?¡± called the others, who stared down from the rocks above towards the Dragons, which were carrying their eldest sister. ¡°We¡¯re going to be eating well soon, lads,¡± Boss said. ¡°I heard Dragon meat tastes good,¡± Jim stated. ¡°No, you idiot!¡± Boss slapped Jim across the back of his head, finishing what he had set out to do. ¡°Baby Dragons must be easy to catch. Imagine we sell ¡®em off. How much gold would we make?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Boss,¡± Jim said, rubbing the back of his head. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m the Boss.¡± Boss motioning with his blade, pointing at the Dragons. ¡°Get ¡®em.¡± Click banner for Patreon! More side characters? 401. Noonval Festival I 401. Noonval Festival I Omen: 8, 13 ¡°Who is this little cutie?¡± Adam asked, pinched Lanarot¡¯s cheeks, causing her to laugh, before she sucked on her hand shyly. He peppered his adorable little sister with kisses. She was wearing a blue, sleeveless dress, with a frilly skirt which looked like ripples in a pond. Atop her head was a long hat, which she kept reaching for to take off so she could suck it. The rest of the Iyrmen, Adam, and the companions who had joined him that day, also wore summer clothing. They were all either sleeveless, or cut at the knees, or both, and many also wore hats. Some of the older Iyrmen wore less than the sleeveless outfits which were cut at the knees, though they carried with them umbrellas made of light cloth or paper. Adam decided not to look at his various Aunts and Uncles, though Lucy¡¯s recently dour eyes were sparkling. For once, she did not say anything, instead silently admiring the Iyrmen¡¯s forms. ¡°It¡¯s not just my sister, but the rest of my Cousins who are so cute today,¡± Adam said, ruffling the children¡¯s hair. He also ruffled Asoyah¡¯s hair, who wore the Rot¡¯s family colours. At the children¡¯s sides were small gourds full of water. ¡°Make sure to drink lots of water throughout the day,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak replied, with the rest of the children grunting out affirmatively. ¡°Lanababy, do you want to be with papa?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his cheek against hers. Lanarot babbled affirmatively. ¡°Papa,¡± she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you then.¡± Adam and his companions made their way out, with the adult Iyrmen looking to Sonarot, though she remained with the rest of the children, guiding them around the festival. The Iyrmen all wore the summer outfits, and averted his gaze every so often away from others, all the while Lanarot looked around. Her eyes were trying to find where the sounds of music were coming from, as she babbled and pointed about. Eventually, she squirmed out of Adam¡¯s arms, and decided to lead the way with her tiny steps. Adam noted quite a large number of Iyrmen who were pregnant, many of them sitting off to one side and chatting away with other pregnant Iyrmen. Off to the sides of the main roads, there were many Iyrmen cooking. A large number cooked doughy snacks, while others made skewers of meat and vegetables, and some offered cool drinks. Adam packed a small basket of food, and carried Lanarot to one of the shared family estates, sitting down in the corner before he offered her some food. There were plenty of Iyrmen all around him, some of whom were relaxing, others who were wrestling. Lanarot bit into the bread, staring at those wrestling, chewing happily as she watched. Adam broke some bread and meat together, before eating his own food. Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak were nearby, whereas his other companions mingled with the other Iyrmen nearby. They continued to explore the festival, taking small portions of food with them from the various stalls. Lanarot stared up at an Iyrman who was playing a panflute, but she did not run from him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this,¡± Adam whispered, before watching as she stormed off towards the wrestling Iyrmen. She squealed and bounced, throwing her arms in the air, before clapping wildly. Lanarot continued to lead them through the festival, finding all manner of bread snacks, which she devoured like a little Dragon. Her eyes were taking in the sights of all the different colours of the Iyr, as well as the music of the Iyr, which would often cause her to stop and look about. The girl yawned and Adam picked her up. ¡°Oh my gosh, Lanababy,¡± Adam groaned. ¡°Why are you such a chubby girl?¡± Lanarot rested her head against his neck, pushing away her hair, but Adam let it rest against the back of her head. ¡°I will feed her,¡± the woman replied. She was a member of the Rot family, and Adam recognised the boy as someone who had been born shortly after Lanarot. ¡°Ah, well,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly, before looking down to see Lanarot¡¯s face, which was on the verge of tears. ¡°Lanarot, baby, go on. Thank you.¡± The woman replied with a smile, taking Lanarot, letting her drink alongside her own son. Lanarot looked up at the woman for a moment, but noting the pattern on her forehead, the girl smiled and drank quietly. The boy was placed on the table, where Jarot rubbed the boy¡¯s back. He looked back to Adam, staring at the Half Elf. He began to squirm and his face contorted to cry, and Adam quickly excused himself. Upon seeing his granduncle, the boy stopped crying, instead staring up at the old man. Jurot returned to the estate with Nobby behind him, following like a lost puppy. ¡°He wrestled well,¡± Jurot explained, before taking a seat beside Adam. ¡°Did you win?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Nobby replied, simply. ¡°Well done.¡± Adam poured some wine for the young man, before he was taken away by the Jin family, who were eager to speak to the wall of muscle. Adam chilled his water with Tricks before sipping it, offering the others the same, chilling more drinks, before he realised he could chill the jug instead. ¡®Magic is so useful.¡¯ Churot stared down at the jug which Adam had chilled, before he chilled his own water with his magic. He smiled up at Adam, before drinking it slowly. ¡°Are you enjoying your magic?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied. ¡°And you¡¯re being a good, sensible boy, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Adam pat the boy¡¯s head, before ruffling his hair once more. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying your magic.¡± ¡°Thank you, cousin Adam,¡± the boy said. Adam noted the way Churot referred to him, a cousin and not a Cousin, and he smiled. Lanarot eventually returned to them, sitting on the edge of the table, babbling at her grandfather. Jarot brushed her hair gently, before offering her some water. She grabbed the gourd with both hands and slurped noisily, the water partly falling down to her chest, which Churot dried off using his Tricks. Adam¡¯s eyes fell to the Demon nearby, seeing her all by herself. She was quiet, mostly, staring up at the sky, the sun beating down from above. ¡®I should talk to her,¡¯ Adam thought, before taking a pair of cups as well as a bottle of fruit wine. Click banner for Patreon! Soon this arc will end. 402. Noonval Festival II 402. Noonval Festival II ¡°Hey,¡± Adam called, setting himself beside the Demon. He placed down a cup for her, and poured her some wine. ¡°Hey,¡± Lucy replied, quietly. She accepted the cup of wine, whispering a thanks, before sipping it slowly. She looked out to the Iyrmen all around. This festival should have been her favourite. Half, and sometimes more, naked Iyrmen walking around, showing off their great physiques? Whatever this dessert was, it wasn¡¯t good enough. She couldn¡¯t taste the sweetness of the festival, as it was far too sour for her taste. She had wanted to enjoy the festival, but the past month had been hard on her heart. Here she was, enjoying the heat of noonval, while her Mary rotted away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°I know we¡¯re taking a while, but...¡± He swallowed, noting how she had sipped the wine again at his words. The noonval heat had never felt so cold. ¡°I know,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°I know, Adam. I know.¡± Adam sipped some more of the wine. He looked to Lanarot, who was playing with her grandfather. He sometimes felt alone, but he had people here he cared for. Lucy, on the other hand, had someone she knew from her previous life, unlike Adam, but the woman was dying. She was food for a forest, one which had Awakened the previous year. ¡®I really should have...¡¯ The thought had come to him in a moment of guilt, but he shook it away. If he had taken the heart from back then, then Mina would have still been cursed. He couldn¡¯t trade that for Mary. If it had been a child he didn¡¯t know, perhaps, but he couldn¡¯t allow Mina to suffer. ¡®I hope the other heart at least reduces her suffering...¡¯ ¡°Why do you look at the stars?¡± Adam asked. Lucy looked up towards the sky again, but she shook her head. She, who always looked to the stars at night, didn¡¯t want to admit the reason why. She, who had not yet found a familiar star, didn¡¯t want to admit that she was trying to find the same patterns she had seen in her previous life. ¡°It¡¯s a very different sky, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said. ¡°The stars are beautiful in this life. They were beautiful in my last life too, but this night sky has more colours, more phenomena, more... magic.¡± Lucy nodded her head slowly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam remained by her side, sipping away at his alcohol. ¡®If only there was a way to...¡¯ A vague memory returned to him. He recalled Jurot mentioning something. ¡®Could I just...¡¯ ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Morkarai said, entering the family estate. The dark skinned, red haired Giant, who was only slightly taller than the two Mithril Rank Iyrmen beside him, threw a smile towards the Iyrmen. His eyes flashed around, finding his target, though he was with another, so first greeted the other Iyrmen. Lanarot looked up at him in shock when he appeared, and then she quickly hid against her grandfather¡¯s chest. ¡®Lanarot, please,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®You can¡¯t just hide away from Black people.¡¯ Lucy¡¯s eyes were glued to Morkarai, who was no longer wearing his platemail, but the Iyrman¡¯s clothing, which clung to his muscled form. Morkarai sat opposite Jarot, looking down at the little girl, who glanced back at him, before quickly hiding her face into her grandfather¡¯s chest once more. ¡°You are Jarot.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot said, shaking the Giant¡¯s forearm. ¡°You are Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°How could you tell?¡± the Giant joked. ¡°I hear this one is Lanarot.¡± ¡°She is,¡± Jarot said, understanding why the Fire Giant was here. ¡°Lanarot, look.¡± Lanarot looked up at him again, only to squirm over to her grandfather, to stand on his lap so she could hold onto him for protection. ¡°Lucy, you want to, you know?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head to the Fire Giant. ¡°I¡¯ll take his left, you can take his right.¡± Lucy nodded her head, and she slid towards the Fire Giant, while Adam sat on his other side. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Morkarai said, shaking their forearms. ¡°Good afternoon, Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam said, smiling at the Giant. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°Well, and you?¡± ¡°Not too bad, thank you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Giant replied, feeling the same sensation as before. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, but only for a moment as Lucy glanced away, taken by her thoughts once more. ¡°I am glad that I had arrived in time for the noonval festival.¡± ¡°Have you wrestled yet?¡± ¡°Not yet, but it is the first day.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Adam cooed for his sister, who turned to look at him. She tentatively approached, and stood on Adam¡¯s lap, but she half lay against his arm, away from the Giant. ¡°You silly girl, it¡¯s Lord Morkarai. He¡¯s here to help.¡± ¡°Your sister?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°My cute little sister.¡± Adam kissed the girl¡¯s forehead, which caused her to smile, before her eyes fell to the stranger again. Adam whistled, before sipping his wine, catching Jarot¡¯s eyes for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s quite impressive. What about a Greater enchantment, and a Greater Enhanced?¡± Adam asked. ¡°One week and two, respectively,¡± the Giant replied. Adam smirked. ¡°Nice.¡± ¡°I can forge many weapons with my bare hands in a single day,¡± Morkarai said, showing his thick, dark, rough hands. ¡°It is our way.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°That¡¯s really amazing. So the Iyr called you in to make weapons?¡± ¡°To assist them,¡± Morkarai corrected. ¡°I am to forge weapons and enchant them, but I will also help defend the Iyr if the need arises.¡± ¡°So you can fight, eh?¡± Adam asked, eyeing the man up. He gathered, considering that he wore plate mail and wielded a greatsword. ¡°How strong are you?¡± Morkarai hadn¡¯t expected such a question, but paused to think. ¡°I could face a Great Elder in combat.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Nice, nice. My Grandaunt, Shaool, is pretty strong.¡± ¡°The Iyrmen are truly powerful,¡± Morkarai said. He didn¡¯t know what the extent of their power was, but he was certain they held at least a hundred Paragons. The Fire Giants were fewer in number than even the Iyrmen, but they were each slightly more powerful. However, even he wouldn¡¯t want to face the Iyrmen in war. ¡°Where abouts are you from?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Further than Aswadia?¡± ¡°The volcanoes near Shakador.¡± ¡°Is that near Hakor?¡± ¡°Shakador is south of Hakor and the Confederacy.¡± ¡°So Mexico then,¡± Adam said, chuckling to himself. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°Just a silly joke.¡± ¡°Shakador is a collection of islands, with a great many volcanoes. The islands are shared between many folk, including Elves, the Mermen within the sea, and there are many Dwarves too.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Mermen, Elves, and Dwarves? Are you familiar with Sansant?¡± Morakarai let out a hearty laugh, unable to control it as he heard the question. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t know the good house of Sansant?¡± ¡°Are they from around your area?¡± Adam asked, rubbing Lanarot¡¯s head as she squirmed against him, eyes wide as she saw the Giant and heard his hearty laughter. ¡°Yes, they are the main Elf house which rules the islands and the nearby lands,¡± Morkarai confirmed. ¡°Ah! The Iyr doesn¡¯t seem particularly close to them, but you are?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Iyr makes dealings with a large number of peoples,¡± Morkarai said, noting the looks of the nearby Iyrmen. ¡°Usually it is one of the greatest within the region, save perhaps Aldland, in which they have a dealing with the entire Kingdom.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Adam said, looking to Jarot. ¡°I wonder how many treaties you Iyrmen have.¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°A great number, but not enough?¡± Morkarai asked. Jarot bowed his head. Adam laughed. ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡± He looked down to see Lanarot sucking on her thumb, and she squirmed against him, trying to find a comfortable position. ¡°I should take her to nap.¡± ¡°Nap time?¡± Strom asked, having floated down behind them. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, excusing himself. ¡°Look, it¡¯s Lord Strom.¡± Lanarot looked up at Strom, before smiling up at him tiredly, returning back to sucking her thumb a moment later. Strom tickled the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Go to sleep, little Lana. I will keep young Morkarai company.¡± Morkarai began to sweat, though it was not because of the noonval sun. 403. Noonval Festival III 403. Noonval Festival III ¡°You spoilt little baby,¡± Adam whispered, feeling her clutch at his hand. He laid beside his sister, and she closed her eyes to sleep. They were in a family estate off to one side, one full of napping babies, who slept under open aired tents which blocked out the sun. A handful of Iyrmen remained nearby, keeping an eye on the young children, and the Half Elf who was cuddling his sister. ¡®So much to do,¡¯ Adam thought, staring at his sleeping sister. ¡®So little time...¡¯ The Half Elf yawned, and decided to nap too. Adam was rudely awoken by Lanarot slapping him and babbling. ¡°You little cow.¡± Adam hoisted her up and kissed all over her face. ¡°Quiet, Lanababy,¡± he whispered as she giggled. Adam quickly placed a hand over her mouth and crept out, though there were few babies remaining. Lanarot rubbed her eyes, and Adam took her to splash her face awake, and to let her drink some water, before he changed her clothy. The Iyrmen nearby kept an eye on him, and one stepped up towards him. Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°What are you doing?¡± an older Orcish Iyrman asked. ¡°Changing my sister,¡± Adam replied, carefully. ¡°You are her brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Orcish Iyrman narrowed his eyes at the Half Elf. ¡°Lanarot, am I papa?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot giggled in response. ¡°Right? Papa?¡± ¡°Papa,¡± the girl replied. ¡°See?¡± Lanarot twitched as she saw the face of the Orcish Iyrman come into view, before she squirmed, trying to hide away from him. ¡°Wait, Lanababy, wait,¡± Adam said, trying to tie her clothy around her leg. Once he had done so, he let her stand, and she quickly grabbed his leg, staring up at the Orcish Iyrman while Adam packed away her dirty clothy. The Orcish Iyrman could see the girl was hiding behind him, but that didn¡¯t mean the Half Elf hadn¡¯t charmed her magically, for she did not have their tattoo. ¡°Who is your Elder?¡± ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Who are little Lanarot¡¯s parents?¡± ¡°She is the daughter of Aunt Sonarot, and Surot, though I haven¡¯t met him.¡± ¡°Who is the Rot Family Elder?¡± ¡°The Family Elder is Grand...¡± Adam paused. He wasn¡¯t sure how to refer to her. ¡°Grandaunt Mulrot.¡± ¡°The Family Head?¡± ¡°How did you manage to get it all across your face?¡± Adam asked, noting that her cheeks and forehead was covered in paint, as well as her hair. He had focused on her not eating any of the paint, so he didn¡¯t care about her getting it all over the rest of her. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Lanarot squealed in response, before Adam helped her wash up, deciding against using his magic since she could watch the blue paint swirl into the water. He kept her close to him, Lanarot up against his side and chest as he held her with one arm, while helping to make the lantern with his free hand. ¡°Look,¡± Adam said, motioning her to the lantern. ¡°It¡¯s our lantern, Lanababy.¡± There were several pieces of paper, each painted by Sonarot, Adam, Lanarot, Jurot, and Asoyah. Turot had also managed to paint one for their lantern, and Adam, Jurot, and Asoyah had also painted something for the boy¡¯s lantern lantern, with a single hand print from Lanarot too. The other families had painted their own lanterns with their family colours, and soon they were all built together, and they each placed a small candle within the basket, lighting it once it was dark enough, and they placed the lanterns in their homes. ¡°What¡¯s with the lanterns?¡± Adam asked once they were ready for bed. Lanarot was half sprawled against against Adam¡¯s chest, gently swaying with each of his breaths. ¡°It is for the children,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is fun.¡± ¡°Is there a greater meaning behind it?¡± ¡°We find our own meaning in the lanterns.¡± Adam threw his brother a look. The Iyrman was looking up towards the ceiling, deep in thought. ¡°Our own meaning...¡± Adam looked down towards his sister, who was staring past him, in her own little world as she enjoyed the gentle swaying. ¡°What do you think about the lanterns?¡± ¡°Oo?¡± Lanarot replied, before babbling a response. ¡°That¡¯s surprisingly deep for a little girl.¡± Adam reached down to brush her hair gently. ¡°What do they mean to you?¡± Jurot asked. Adam remained quiet for a long while, trying to think. ¡°Lanterns guide. Lost souls, both living and dead. The lanterns will guide me, won¡¯t they, Lanababy? They¡¯ll guide me back to my chubby little cow.¡± Adam jiggled the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Oof. Who keeps feeding you all this bread?¡± Lanarot babbled in response, climbing onto his chest, before staring down at him, an accusatory gaze within her little eyes. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s me?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to poke her cheeks. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d say it was me. That¡¯s it, no more bread for you.¡± Lanarot cackled quietly, before babbling again. She sat up on her knees, which dug against Adam¡¯s sides. ¡°Mercy, Lanarot, mercy,¡± Adam groaned, lifting the girl up above him, before slowly placing her beside him. ¡°Fine, fine. Since you¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re chubby, I¡¯ll keep feeding you bread, okay?¡± Lanarot babbled affirmatively towards Adam, all the while he showered her in affection. Sonarot looked to Jurot, wondering how she could get him to behave in a similar manner to Adam with his younger sister. However, seeing that he was deep in thought, she decided to leave him be. ¡®A guide for lost souls, both living and dead,¡¯ Jurot thought. He closed his eyes, and thought about his father, who had still not returned. He was still alive, Jurot was sure of it. There was no way someone like his father would be dead. His father, who had always appeared to be so big. Click banner for Patreon! I will be posting up a bunch of chapters tomorrow too. 404. Noonval Festival IV 404. Noonval Festival IV Omen: 12, 19 ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked. Strom slowly bowed his head. ¡°I am fine.¡± Strom had been such an imposing figure when Adam first met him, but he was so much thinner now. Adam wondered if the old man was wasting away on purpose, though he quickly pushed the thoughts out of his mind. ¡°Make sure you eat a lot.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Strom assured. Adam looked down to the children, who were all preparing to head to the stream. Lanarot stood beside Turot, who held her hand. ¡°Alright. Why don¡¯t you come with us?¡± Strom nodded. He had come this morning to spend time with Lanarot, but seeing as she was going to play with the other children that day, Strom decided to accept Adam¡¯s offer. The children led the pair forward towards one of the nearby streams, all the while there were a large number of half naked Iyrmen enjoying the festival. Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about how they were so eager to show themselves. ¡°The Iyrmen really do like the sun,¡± Adam said, keeping an eye on the children. Strom wasn¡¯t entirely sure what Adam meant by it. ¡°I hear the Devilkin enjoy it.¡± ¡°I mean, you know, they¡¯re all so eager to wear close to nothing.¡± ¡°They forged their bodies through their entire life, so why should they not show it off?¡± Strom asked. Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡± ¡°Does it make you feel uncomfortable?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not used to it.¡± ¡°You really are queer.¡± ¡°I get that a lot.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°Elves are known for a few things, and their want to reveal their forms is one of them.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, you know that I¡¯m only half an Elf.¡± ¡°Half Elf, wholly queer.¡± Adam let slip a chuckle. ¡°Well said.¡± They finally approached the stream, where at least fifty Iyrmen were already relaxing. They sat beside the stream, resting their feet in the water. The stream was no larger than a pinky at the deepest. Off to the side were a number of wells, where one could draw fresh water to drink, or to cup water more easily using a ladle to refresh oneself. The children rushed towards the water, with Lanarot cackling excitedly as everyone ran, before they all slowed. Taygak guided them to sit down first, even assisting Asoyah, as Turot sat beside Lanarot, helping her out of her tiny slippers. They each placed their feet into the water to cool off at first. ¡°She will not remember me,¡± Strom said. ¡°She is too young.¡± Adam swallowed, glancing over to the older man. His eyes were glued on Lanarot, though a sadness filled them. ¡°Yeah.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what he should say to lighten the mood. Lanarot looked up at him confused. She was certain she had fallen, and she could still feel the sinking feeling, but the man who would carry her about was currently holding her. ¡°What is your rush to die, little girl?¡± Strom asked, brushing her hair. ¡°Why is it that babies always try to kill themselves?¡± The children had quickly rushed to Strom, looking up to make sure she was okay, but then down towards the stream. Adam stared at Strom, blinking at the old man, all the while he remained floating above the stream. Strom landed back at the side of the stream, before placing Lanarot back into the stream. He dipped his hand into the stream before flicking the water at the girl¡¯s face. Lanarot twitched from the water before she giggled wildly, splashing the water with her tiny hands, before waving her arms about to splash the water everywhere. ¡°I thought you were dying?¡± Adam asked, his voice full of doubt. ¡°I am,¡± Strom replied, simply. ¡°Then how can you move so fast?¡± Strom smiled down at Adam. ¡°I¡¯m strong.¡± Adam stared up at the old man for a long while. ¡°Yeah.¡± Strom could feel the ache deep within his muscles. He had moved too quickly for his body, but Adam would have been too slow to catch the girl. However, he hadn¡¯t even thought about it. His body had reacted right away, no doubt the same as Adam. ¡°You can float too?¡± Adam wondered just how amazing Strom truly was. ¡°Floating in the air is but a trivial matter for me.¡± ¡°Show off.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still strong even after losing your Spark?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You look like you¡¯re wasting away.¡± ¡°I may be wasting away, but I still wouldn¡¯t lose to the likes of you.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I could still beat the only fellow who has defeated you.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes even deeper towards the old monster. ¡°Really?¡± Strom closed his eyes to think. He replayed their previous bout in his mind, back when he still possessed his Spark. He had to use one of his many trump cards to beat the four Iyrmen, two of whom were Paragons. ¡°If he had his second arm, then it would be closer, but it is a fight in my favour.¡± Adam remained quiet for a long moment. ¡°At least I¡¯m better than you at enchanting.¡± Adam smirked towards Strom, only to see the look on Strom¡¯s face. ¡®No way...¡¯ ¡°Taygak, Strom is bullying me.¡± Taygak looked to Adam, and then to Strom. Then she looked back to Adam, her eyes asking what her Cousin had done to be bullied by Strom. ¡°You have stolen away my Taygak too?¡± Adam whispered, his voice low, full of feigned pain. Adam went to enchant, plucking a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. Adam wept in his heart, wondering how Strom could be so amazing, and if there were other great figures in the world like him. Click banner for Patreon! Taygak already knows it''s always Adam''s fault. 405. Noonval Festival V 405. Noonval Festival V Omen: 15, 19 ¡®Why must you do this to me?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Twice in a row? I want to relax this week!¡¯ However, Adam wasn¡¯t going to waste such good luck, not when he was creating a weapon for one of his companions. ¡®I¡¯ll go enchant later I guess...¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°What?¡± Adam replied, holding Lanarot in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m holding my sister?¡± ¡°Will you keep her for yourself all week?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°She should spend time with her baba.¡± ¡°Baba,¡± the girl said, looking up at her grandfather, smiling up towards him. ¡°Do you see how she calls for me?¡± Jarot reached over to take the girl from Adam. Adam didn¡¯t want to give her up, but he was her grandfather, so let her go. ¡°She¡¯s only saying that because you said the word. Lanarot, you love papa more, right?¡± ¡°Papa,¡± the girl replied, giggling at Adam. ¡°You see?¡± Jarot huffed quietly. ¡°You should be spending time with your companions too. How dare you leave Sir Vonda by herself when you invited her to the Iyr?¡± ¡°I was going to spend time with everyone later,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You were going to enchant,¡± Jarot accused. ¡°How did you know that?¡± Adam asked. Jarot shook his head, sighing. ¡°You should spend the day with Sir Vonda. How could I have such a shameless grandson like you?¡± ¡°Hold on, since when did I have an old geezer like you as my grandfather?¡± Adam replied as he always did. ¡°I do not want to hear it today. Come, Sir Vonda. If he does not guide you properly today, I will beat him myself.¡± ¡°Who is going to beat who?¡± Adam replied once more. ¡°Without your Phantom?¡± ¡°How cruel? You steal away both Lanarot and my Phantom?¡± ¡°Lanarot is my granddaughter, and Phantom was once my axe!¡± Jarot complained. ¡°Sophistry!¡± Adam replied. Sonarot watched as the pair fought, rubbing her forehead. Churot was standing nearby too, glancing between the two. ¡°Grandfather is right,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You should spend more time with your companions during the festival, it is the best time.¡± ¡°Even you, Jurot?¡± Adam asked, looking back at the Iyrman. Jurot nodded. ¡°It seems Adam does not wish to guide me,¡± Vonda said. She was adorned in the Iyrman¡¯s light clothing, just like the rest of his companions, each wearing a very pale blue, almost white, outfit. ¡°Who said that?¡± Adam asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll guide you around. I know that you won¡¯t betray me, Vonda.¡± Vonda smiled behind her veil, which only half hid the burn marks. ¡°Then shall we leave now before your grandfather also takes your Aunt from you?¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Adam scoffed. ¡°As if he could take my Aunt from me. Even if Lanarot and Jurot abandon me, Aunt Sonarot would never.¡± Sonarot smiled at his words. Though Adam was obviously making a joke, she knew at least he trusted her that much. ¡°I would not abandon you,¡± Jurot stated. Even as a joke, he would not allow the sentiment to remain in the world. ¡°You of all people should,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Tariel,¡± Adam said, noting she held a strained smile. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ok. Vonda bowed her head towards the Half Elf, before excusing herself, walking away with Tariel, reading what the young woman required. She left with Tariel, leaving Adam to his thoughts. ¡®How strong do I really need to be?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can take on anyone about my tier, and I can go toe to toe with someone who is a Master, probably. Level 9, then? Once I¡¯m a Master, I could probably deal with most threats pretty well. No. I¡¯m only one guy, and there¡¯s only so much one guy can do.¡¯ Adam sipped his water, before placing it down, staring at the clay cup. ¡®I need to make everyone stronger. At least an Expert, though Jurot and I should stay around the same Level. No, not just Jurot, but the others too. As long as we¡¯re all powerful, then we can deal with almost anything.¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t an idiot, truly. He understood the reason why he could joke so eagerly with everyone was because he was around Iyrmen, inside the Iyr and out. The Iyr provided him with great protection, but that wouldn¡¯t last forever. It had been smooth sailing for him thus far, but there could come a time he brought too much trouble for the Iyr. The Half Elf rubbed his leaf shaped ear. He hadn¡¯t expected that being a Half Elf would cause him trouble, though it hadn¡¯t brought too much trouble yet. Somehow, he was being treated better than some people even in modern times. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®As a Nephew of the Rot family, I really should be more careful.¡¯ ¡°Has your date ended?¡± Strom asked, having approached Adam from the side. ¡°Date?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°As if I¡¯m worthy enough for someone like Vonda.¡± ¡°Are you not?¡± ¡°How can I claim to be?¡± Strom laughed, having not expected Adam to berate himself like that. ¡°If you are looking for someone to marry, I could introduce you to one of my descendants. Since they are related to me, you can be assured they are beautiful.¡± ¡°Is it going to be someone related to your favourite wife?¡± Adam joked. ¡°I do not have favourites between my children,¡± Strom whispered, his eyes sparkling with mischief, ¡°but most definitely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave that sort of thing to Fate,¡± Adam replied, simply. Strom placed down two clay bottles. ¡°Very well.¡± Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he left, leaping up towards the roof with a single jump, though his flight assisted him to make it. Vonda reappeared moments later. ¡°Sorry, Adam. Tariel needed some assistance with a matter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem. Is she alright?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is fine.¡± Vonda sat opposite Adam and stared down at the clay bottle. ¡°Drinks?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Strom placed them here for us to enjoy.¡± ¡°You are quite close to Strom.¡± ¡°He¡¯s close to me,¡± Adam joked, wondering if Strom could hear. Vonda smiled, stifling a giggle. Adam poured in the wine for both of them from his own bottle. He sipped it, tasting the slight sourness, though sweet tones later hit his tongue. ¡°Pretty good.¡± ¡°The wine in the Iyr is delicious,¡± Vonda admitted. They sampled more food, before they came across Sonarot, who was currently breastfeeding Lanarot. When the girl saw her brother, she pulled away from her mother and reached for him. Adam lifted her up, kissing her cheek. ¡°Hello my little smelly girl.¡± Lanarot replied with a smile, hugging his chest, sucking her thumb. ¡°Everyone¡¯s trying to get me married off but how can I marry when you haven¡¯t chosen anyone for me?¡± Adam asked, kissing her cheek once more. Lanarot babbled quietly, before they all sat together. She played with Adam¡¯s clothes, as well as Vonda¡¯s clothing. Vonda smiled, brushing the girl¡¯s hair as she reached up to her veil. Lanarot tugged at it, and Adam quickly tickled the back of the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be so mean to Sir Vonda, you silly girl.¡± Adam kissed the back of the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°She¡¯s going to save papa¡¯s life a bunch.¡± ¡°I will try,¡± Vonda said. Adam eventually excused himself, going to enchant to keep his head clear. He plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. Click banner for Patreon! A date with Sir Vonda? Adam! Are you cheating on Mara already? 406. Noonval Festival VI 406. Noonval Festival VI Omen: 11, 20 ¡®Aunt Sonarot is going to be so mad,¡¯ Adam thought. Sonarot stared at him. Lanarot was set against her bosom, still sleepy even after being fed. The pair remained staring at one another for a long while, before Sonarot finally gave in. ¡°I¡¯ve just been really lucky this week,¡± Adam said. ¡°I won¡¯t enchant unless it¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°You need to rest,¡± Sonarot said, but she had already given in. Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 20 (13) Omen: 11, 20 -> 11 20 + 7 = 27 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and caused the baby with the young hero to sigh as the tribe grabbed their spears and torches, and thus Fate was forever changed. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam mumbled to himself. ¡®So I¡¯m only getting 400 XP again?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®So I¡¯ve been enchanting too much?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Damn.¡¯ Adam had spent 500XP to enhance the weapon. ¡®Now that I think about it, when I make Greater Enhanced magical weapons, I can still only spend 500XP and only get back about that much too. Shouldn¡¯t I be able to spend more and get more?¡¯ [...] ¡®Bell?¡¯ [...] Adam returned back to the shared family estate, seeing all his companions gathered together. They were drinking, eating, and chatting away, and the children sat nearby. ¡°Did you all have fun today?¡± Adam asked, brushing Lanarot¡¯s hair. She looked up at him and smiled, before reaching up for him. Adam lifted her up, planting a kiss on her cheek, and accepting one from her against his own. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak said. ¡°I give cup.¡± ¡°You gave a cup?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak said, puffing out her chest. ¡°Well done,¡± Adam said, patting her head gently. Taygak enjoyed the patting, not explaining to Adam why it was such a great deal that her cup was chosen to be a reward. ¡°Did you have fun too?¡± Adam asked Asoyah. ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, quietly. ¡°Did anyone bully you?¡± Adam asked, looking to Raygak. ¡°No,¡± Asoyah replied. Raygak squinted at Adam. ¡°I do not bully.¡± ¡°I hear from Jaygak you¡¯re always bullying her.¡± ¡°I do not!¡± The boy gasped, offended by the suggestion. ¡°You didn¡¯t steal her peppers?¡± Raygak¡¯s lips twitched as he thought. He couldn¡¯t lie, so he was trying to word it differently. ¡°Iyrmen do not steal.¡± ¡°Did you take her peppers without asking?¡± ¡°I ask mother and father,¡± the boy replied, innocently. Omen: 5, 16 ¡°How can you be working so hard?¡± Adam asked, berating the young man. ¡°I¡¯m so close, Adam!¡± Filliam replied. ¡°I can feel it. I am certain that, by the end of the year, I¡¯ll be able to make a mechanical watch!¡± ¡°Sure, but you need to also relax.¡± Adam wrapped an arm around the young tinkerer¡¯s neck, and pulled him away from the tiny cabin. ¡°Let me work, Adam!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your work today, Filliam,¡± Adam said, pulling the young man away. Filliam was unable to resist as Adam was so much stronger. Vonda and Dunes watched, wondering how Adam of all people could do this to him. Adam filled the tinkerer up with great food, sometimes spicy food, before sharing some drinks with him. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been asking around for people¡¯s dreams, but what are yours?¡± ¡°I want to create a large clock which will stand for generations,¡± Filliam said, hiccuping. Adam pat the tinkerer on his back. ¡°Do you want to see the clock in the capital still?¡± ¡°Eventually, but I¡¯m in no rush,¡± he admitted. ¡°The Iyr is providing me with such a great deal.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t forget me.¡± Adam clicked his tongue, shaking his head. ¡°I have not forgotten you, Adam,¡± Filliam replied, taking a bite of bread. He then reached into his satchel, and revealed a pocket watch, silver in colour, slightly smaller than Adam¡¯s palm. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A watch,¡± Filliam replied, simply. He was smiling wide. ¡°Right...¡± Adam stared down at it. ¡°You don¡¯t seem impressed.¡± ¡°I already bought a watch from you, so...¡± ¡°Yes, but look!¡± Filliam tapped the watch case, which was quite plain. ¡°See?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s smaller.¡± Adam stared down at it. He thought about the watch he had bought from the tinkerer the year before. ¡°Oh. It is.¡± This watch was about a third smaller than the other watch, and much lighter. Filliam smiled. ¡°Thank you again, Adam. I know that you spoke with the Iyr for me. This is really a great chance, and I¡¯m very thankful for it.¡± ¡°There may come a day where I work you hard, so don¡¯t thank me.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°As long as you pay for it!¡± ¡°Do I have to pay for this watch too?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°No. It¡¯s a gift from me to you, for all you¡¯ve done for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like...¡± Adam fell silent, realising how rude it was to deny Filliam¡¯s gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Filliam.¡± Filliam nodded. ¡°I wish you the best of luck with your mechanical watch.¡± ¡°My first mechanical watch will be yours,¡± Filliam assured. ¡°The first mechanical watch...¡± Adam thought about how significant it would be. ¡°You should keep it and put it in a museum.¡± ¡°A museum?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°A museum...¡± ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought, watching as Filliam¡¯s mind went elsewhere. He decided to leave Filliam to his thoughts, quietly drinking by himself. Click banner for Patreon! Adam bullying Filliam for working too hard is so funny to me. 407. Noonval Festival VII 407. Noonval Festival VII Omen: 2, 19 Adam began to sweat, feeling the gaze upon him. It was such a great roll, and he could enchant something amazing, but he had already promised not to enchant. Adam inhaled deeply, before letting out a soft sigh. ¡®No. Today I¡¯m going to take it easy.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re not feeling lucky this morning?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°I¡¯m feeling very lucky, but look at this girl,¡± Adam said, squeezing Lanarot¡¯s cheeks together. ¡°She wanted to spend all day with papa so I just had to give in.¡± Jaygak wondered how anyone could be so close to a baby, but she reached up to brush Lanarot¡¯s hair. Lanarot reached up to grab the Devilkin¡¯s arm, but Jaygak pulled her hand away quickly. Lanarot cackled up at Jaygak. ¡°She is going to grow up to be more troublesome than me,¡± Jaygak said, smiling down at her. ¡°If you know you are troublesome, you should stop,¡± Jogak stated. ¡°If I don¡¯t trouble you, where will you get your fun?¡± ¡°There is much fun to be had within the Iyr without worrying about you.¡± The father and daughter pair continued to argue for a short while, each of them attacking and counter attacking one another with their words. Kitool looked at Adam first, before looking to Jurot, and then finally to Jaygak. She sighed, understanding that she would need to take a greater role within the girl¡¯s upbringing, for all their sake. Asoyah sometimes peeked at Adam and his sister, watching as he showered her in affection. He remained beside Sonarot, who had taken to being his guardian during his stay with the shared family estate. ¡°You should spend more time with Sky,¡± Kitool said. ¡°It will be good for Lanarot to be familiar with him.¡± ¡°Sky?¡± Adam asked, trying to recall who that was. ¡°Oh, right.¡± Kitool wondered if Adam had forgotten all about Sky. ¡®No,¡¯ she thought. ¡®He definitely forgot.¡¯ Sky panted ahead of Lanarot, who clutched onto her brother¡¯s clothing, her eyes wide as she stared at the Awakened Wolf. He was huge, large enough for Adam to ride on comfortably. Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a were also huge, and they cuddled and rolled around with the children. ¡°It¡¯s Sky,¡± Adam said. ¡°Look. Wolf.¡± Lanarot hid into Adam chest, before looking back to Sky, hiding herself once more. Adam reached over to brushed the Awakened Wolf¡¯s fur, and also brought Lanarot¡¯s hand to it, though she struggled. She stopped struggling, feeling how soft the fur was. ¡°See? Isn¡¯t it nice to touch?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How are you doing, Sky?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°The Iyr is treating you well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you treating the Iyr well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, good. If I hear that you¡¯ve been rude to the Iyrmen, I¡¯ll beat you up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam raised his brows to the creature, accentuating his point. ¡°If Lanarot ends up liking you, I¡¯ll treat you much nicer.¡± Sky dropped down submissively towards the girl. Sky understood that Adam was powerful, and he wasn¡¯t going to try and go against the Half Elf, not after he had all but killed him with just a blow. Adam placed Lanarot down against the wolf¡¯s side, letting her half lay against the creature as she moved with the rhythmic breathing. She giggled every so often, though mostly remained in shock and awe. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. Not moments later, the pair were in a heated battle. The sound of the greatswords meeting rang through the air, only adding to the drumming. The cheers of the Iyrmen, and Lanarot¡¯s screams, soon joined the sounds. The Iyrman was swift, like an arrow, darting from side to side, but Morkarai was nimbler than his size suggested. His greatsword cut through the air with such might that Adam could even see the air press together, though it was no doubt an illusion thanks to the fire. The Iyrman tried with all her might, clashing with the Fire Giant, but it was fairly obvious she was being pushed back by Morkarai. She brought her blade up to defend herself from a mighty chop, and steel rang together. Her muscles tightened like a rippling wave, from her arms to her powerful thighs, which had been built over decades. The Iyrman¡¯s entire body was red hot with from her rage, though the flames along the Fire Giant¡¯s blade had caused her skin to crack. She growled, forcing the greatsword away, causing even the great Morkarai to step back from her ferocity, but the pair fell forward again. The fight lasted a minute, a very long minute, but eventually the woman dropped down to a knee, leaning against her blade as she panted heavily. Her body was shiny, sweat covering her from head to toe, and her arms were like soft noodles, unable to lift her sword any longer. She hadn¡¯t taken any wounds to her body, for she had been informed that a deaths were denied due to a decision from the Great Elders. The Iyrmen clapped, and Lanarot howled, clapping her hands excitedly. The Iyrmen nearby glanced at Lanarot, smiling towards her antics, all the while Adam sat taller, glad they were praising his little sister. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to lose my gold so one sidedly,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°If there were two Iyrmen of Mithril, then even Lord Morkarai would have found it difficult,¡± Jurot said. Adam whistled. ¡°She was Mithril?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Iyrman had clung on to dear life, all the while Morkarai had been rather casual in facing her. Adam recalled the Iyrmen he faced, and wondered if the Fire Giants were also as crazy as the Iyrmen. ¡®Damn.¡¯ Many Iyrmen went to greet Morkarai, who had shrunk once more, and they shook his forearm. Once Adam approached with his group, Lanarot hid away into her mother¡¯s bosom. ¡°You were so excited before, so why are you so shy?¡± Adam asked, ruffling her hair. ¡°You fought well, Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Morkarai said, shaking the Iyrmen¡¯s forearms, letting them swing his greatsword once. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were that strong,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I mean, I knew you were strong, but you beat a Mithril Rank Iyrman like I beat Experts.¡± Morkarai smiled. ¡°We Fire Giants have not fought a war for some time, but it is not due to the lack of ability.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure never to anger any Fire Giants then.¡± ¡°A good idea,¡± Morkarai said, holding out a large finger to Lanarot. She looked at the steel, and reached for it. It turned from black to light red under the sun, and she was mesmerised by it. When she touched it, it felt so warm. ¡°Do you want to swing my sword?¡± Morkarai asked the girl. Lanarot looked back up towards him, before she quickly hid away from him once more. ¡°I do not think she likes me.¡± Adam sighed. ¡®What am I to do?¡¯ ¡°That is because you are too big,¡± Strom said, having appeared from nowhere. ¡°I should have expected you were around,¡± Adam said. Strom picked the girl up. ¡°I heard your screaming during the fight so I came.¡± He reached out with a finger, letting her grab it. ¡°Did you like the fight?¡± Lanarot squealed in response, before cackling with joy. She babbled excitedly up at Strom. ¡°Should I fight him too?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Would you like that?¡± Morkarai¡¯s face was taut, and he hoped that Lanarot wouldn¡¯t put him through such a traumatic experience. Click banner for Patreon! Lanarot is truly the strongest. 408. Noonval Festival VIII 408. Noonval Festival VIII Omen: 14, 14 ¡°Hey, Jurot, whose that?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot replied, though he was certain he recognised the figure. The pair was sitting within the Chief¡¯s courtyard. Sitting beside Strom was a short, stout Dwarven woman, with long sideburns which fell down to her chin. Adam was sure it was a Dwarven woman because she didn¡¯t have a beard, but then he wondered if Dwarven women had beards. He had met a Dwarven girl and she didn¡¯t have a beard, but she was a girl and not a woman. Adam had brought Asoyah and Bavin, along with the teens, to meet with Strom. However, seeing the pair drinking and chatting away happily, Adam thought it was best not to disturb them. ¡°Sorry, you guys can meet him properly another time,¡± Adam said. Though Asoyah had technically met Strom before, he hadn¡¯t spoken to great figure before. He had been too shy, and so had Bavin, but Adam had brought them here so they could speak with him properly. Adam and the others enjoyed the festival. It was on this day that the Rot, Gak, Ool, and Kan families all made some food for the stalls. The group ate the food, listening to the music, watching the wrestling. Eventually they all returned to their estate a few hours before dusk. The families made a large fire, and they all gathered together to relax, drinking wine, eating the food they had brought back from their own stall, as well as from the nearby stalls. Adam had been wondering why it hadn¡¯t been ridiculously hot as it normally had been, but he was caught by another thought. He watched as the Iyrmen danced around the fire, but that wasn¡¯t what had caused him to stop thinking. The Iyrmen were wearing masks. They were made of wood, each styled to a different animal, and though there were only a dozen of them being passed around, Adam wasn¡¯t sure he had ever seen Iyrmen wear masks. It felt so wrong. ¡°What¡¯s with the masks?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They are made of supple wood,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°No, I mean, what¡¯s with them?¡± ¡°They were carved well.¡± ¡°No, I mean, I thought you didn¡¯t hide your tattoos?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We do not,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We do not wear them to hide our tattoos, we wear them because they are fun to wear.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam expected a story as to why they were significant. The Iyrmen danced close to the fire, and the adults attacked it, swiping their fists and feet through the fire. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, ruffling her hair. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Jaygak donned a mask, before she danced next to the fire. She wore only a skirt, something Adam had only seen on a dozen Iyrmen even during the festival, and she danced next to the fire, sometimes cartwheeling around the fire, passing her legs through the flames. Her body moved as though she was being pushed by the breeze, sometimes jerking awkwardly, before she hummed a song. The children had been watching intently, but upon hearing her humming her song, they sat up excitedly. Within moments, Jaygak brought her hands together, and chanted. A sea of flames assaulted the fire, before mixing together, and the children squealed and howled excitedly. Lanarot clapped her hands excitedly and squealed. ¡®Damn it, Jaygak.¡¯ Jurot reached over and placed his hand on her head, causing the girl to sit up straight, before her eyes followed the arm to see her brother. She stared up at him before smiling. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°She is very excited.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, before raising his brows, offering Lanarot to him. Jurot picked the girl up. ¡°You like fighting?¡± Lanarot babbled in response, laying against him. ¡°Of course she does. She¡¯s our sister.¡± Jurot brushed her hair gently. ¡°Yes. You will grow big and strong, one day.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Is it my turn, then?¡± Elder Forest asked, smiling at the Half Elf. She, like the other Great Elder, wore a breastplate, though a greatsword rested at her side. ¡°That depends.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I would like to trade for an Adult Dragon heart.¡± ¡°It is an invaluable item that you request.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we can make a fair trade,¡± Adam said, swallowing once more. He could feel the eyes of the three Great Elders stare deep through him. He was sure they knew how much it meant to him. ¡°Does the Iyr have a need for gold?¡± ¡°Gold. Knowledge. Power. The Iyr has a lot of each, but it doesn¡¯t have everything, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something you want.¡± ¡°What can you offer?¡± Elder Forest asked, still smirking at the squirming Half Elf. ¡°Well, what do you want? You know what I want, but what do you want?¡± ¡°We have need for very little, Adam,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°However, that does not mean it has need for nothing. Though, we must know what you can offer.¡± Adam had thought about it. He had wanted to take a while to think about it, but he had already thought about it for a few days. ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend you don¡¯t know what I can do. Speak honestly, Iyrman.¡± Elder Forest smiled. ¡°Your enchantments will be handed directly to the Iyr.¡± Adam tapped his knee, waiting for what else they wanted. After a long moment, he slowly bowed his head. ¡°I need the escort of some Iyrmen so the Dragon heart can be handed over safely. It wouldn¡¯t do well that a Dragon heart ends up being stolen, even if you do gain the enchantments.¡± ¡°For the escort of Iyrmen, you must trade a magical weapon,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°I recall I bet against you for a magical weapon,¡± Adam said, smiling at her. ¡°Since you want it returned, I¡¯ll hand it back to you.¡± The Great Elder smiled, nodding her head. Adam glanced between the rest of the Great Elders. ¡°An Adult Dragon heart for me to pass the enchantments I create for my business directly to the Iyr, and a magical weapon to have an escort of Iyrmen on the way to, and back, from handing the Dragon heart to Big Ivory.¡± The Iyrmen noted how he had phrased the statement, but Elder Forest bowed her head to accept the deal. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, shaking their forearms, before returning back to the shared family estate. Elder Forest smirked at Elder Gold, understanding she had gotten the best deal out of Adam. ¡°He will favour me more,¡± Elder Gold said, simply. Once Adam returned back to the estate, he threw Lucy a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know now, I will not be getting married to you, no matter how much you beg.¡± Lucy shot him a glare, but he smiled. Adam wondered if giving up such a concession was good, since he did have other things he could have offered. However, he hoped the Iyrmen realised how much he had traded for the Adult Dragon heart. ¡®No. It¡¯s definitely worth it.¡¯ Adam sighed. He had so many ideas for enchantments, some of which were too dangerous to let loose in the Iyr. He had wanted to entrust them to Sonarot to keep safe and secret. However, the guilt of not being able to help his friends had ate away at his heart for too long. He had wanted to help Dunes and Lucy, but he had forced them back to the Iyr for the noonval festival. After almost dying to the Beast Wave near Red Oak, he had wanted to return to safety. Yet, they had spent more than two months in the Iyr now, basically doing nothing. ¡®I¡¯m such an asshole.¡¯ ¡°Do we have to?¡± Adam asked during the late evening. He clutched the lantern to his chest, which soothed his heartache. ¡°Lanababy loves her lantern so much!¡± ¡°We must,¡± Sonarot said, smiling at the Half Elf. ¡°To guide them back home, Adam.¡± Adam looked to his Aunt, and sighed. He relinquished the lantern to his Aunt, not having the heart to do it himself. She tossed the lantern into the fire, which began to tear away into the lantern. The flames engulfed the lantern, turning it to ash. Click banner for Patreon! Tomorrow is the last day of quadruple chapters. I am not planning to do another mega dump of chapters until I''m many more chapters ahead. My sleep is still terrible and I''m constantly tired all day. Hopefully I can fix it. Interlude: The Lords Interlude: The Lords The Dwarven woman drank from a small cask of ale, tasting the delicious ale which had been buried for years under the Iyr. She sighed once she had finished the entire cask, tossing it aside. Her eyes fell across the figures which were leaving, specifically at the Half Elf. ¡°That stranger is still clinging to the Gek boy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bully the children,¡± Strom said, drinking from his cup. It was a fruit wine, one which had been gifted by the Jin family. ¡°He is a Nephew of the Rot family, and that boy is the child of the Rot family. You should be careful being so rude within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Who are you to tell me what to do?¡± the woman asked, before knocking back another cask of ale as though it was a cup. She drank the entire cask in a moment. ¡°I¡¯m the one who cleaned up the huge mess while you were asleep!¡± Strom snapped back towards her, before pouring himself more wine. ¡°Do you know how troublesome it was when the Demons came and you refused to wake up?¡± ¡°They had ruined my sleep so I had to sleep for a few more centuries after,¡± the woman replied, simply. ¡°A few more centuries? It¡¯s been a millennium!¡± Strom slapped the table. ¡°I had to ask that kunjas bastard to help look after my Empire! Do you know how much he charged me? A hundred islands! A hundred islands, damn it! He loves a good fight, and he still charged me?¡± Even now the sting of losing those one hundred islands back then hurt his heart. A hundred islands across the border, gone. However, if he didn¡¯t make the deal, the Demons would have wreaked greater havoc along the lands, and he had been worried about the Iyr, who had also called for his assistance. ¡°How is that my fault?¡± The woman sighed, rubbing her stomach. ¡°The people of this land are too weak. I bet the Dwarves were more useful.¡± The woman nodded her head to her point. ¡°The Dwarves?¡± Strom scoffed. ¡°By the time we were done, they were still discussing if they should send the axe throwers or hammer holders, and that was only because the sword grippers were too busy standing around doing nothing! Those damn punks take so long to decide what to have for breakfast!¡± He drank another cup of wine, before pouring himself and the other Lord before him, some of the sour wine. ¡°They¡¯re good people, the Dwarves!¡± The Dwarven woman shot back the cup of wine. ¡°I won¡¯t have you speaking ill of them!¡± Her face scrunched together, but she enjoyed the sourness. ¡°What? Are you going to fight this old husk?¡± Strom smirked. He knew that she was too lazy. She had dropped her previous form for this Dwarven form because it required less strength to move around. The lack of a beard had unnerved him, however. ¡°Hmph.¡± She turned her nose up at him, throwing him a dark look. ¡°As if I need to. You¡¯re too weak to fight now. If that old Black Lion was here, he¡¯d be a nice fight.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I stronger than him even now?¡± Strom wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about his companion speaking so poorly of his strength like that. ¡°Why would I hold back against you? After my sleep, I¡¯ve grown more powerful.¡± Her eyes went from dark to light in an instant, and she was barely able contain the smirk on her lips. ¡°I was wondering why you seemed to hold a brighter look in your eye.¡± Strom smiled. If he had his Spark, it would have been a good fight, that was for certain. ¡°How powerful are you now?¡± ¡°The Iyr has asked for your help because of your relationship with them,¡± Strom stated. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get all those drinks?¡± He motioned to the pile of casks which numbered in the dozens, and there were many more which were being brought to her. ¡°If only I had better company than some dying old man!¡± She dropped down, staring up at the sky. It was hard to see the sky when she had been deep in the earth. ¡°You never know, ol¡¯ Shama might come here too.¡± Strom wondered if he truly would come. He wanted to see the face Shama would make when he realised Strom had given up his Spark. ¡°At least he¡¯d be a good fight,¡± the woman grumbled. ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to stretch since I awoke.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go meet the Dwarves?¡± Strom asked. ¡°I did, but they refused to keep their end of the deal, so now I¡¯m here.¡± She narrowed her eyes further. The Dwarves had refused to hand over the ale in a timely fashion, and so she left them, but only after messing with their mountain. Strom smiled. ¡°I thought you said they were decent folk?¡± The Dwarven woman sat back up, narrowing her eyes further until they were almost shut. She grabbed a cask of ale and started to drink it, but this time slowly, so she could casually change the topic of the conversation once she was done. The Chief sat in his gazebo, breaking apart a date, before chewing it slowly. Though it should have been sweet, he couldn¡¯t taste it due to all the stress. ¡®One Lord is already trouble, but two?¡¯ The Chief sighed, throwing them glances every so often. Elder Story had informed him that the pair wouldn¡¯t dare to cause trouble, though it would have been difficult to stop the woman if she decided to go on a rampage due to her unique abilities. When Adam had arrived, Iromin had almost gave himself to Baktu, but the Half Elf had luckily decided to step aside. One of the Lords favoured Adam, and the other despised him. It would have been difficult if Adam started a fight with her unintentionally. Iromin had made sure that Elder Forest and Elder Gold had understood the situation with the Lord. They had stockpiled their ale for a while, and had dug up ale they had left in the earth for generations for this moment. It was one of the few trump cards the Iyrmen had kept, and they had to reveal it so early, all because Strom had chosen to die. ¡®Baktu, please watch over us.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! So many interludes... 409. This Weapon Is Going To Be Amazing 409. This Weapon Is Going To Be Amazing Omen: 6, 13 ¡°We should probably head out soon,¡± Adam said over breakfast. His companions had all been gathered around, including Bavin and Uwajin, who Adam had called for. ¡°I was thinking maybe after Churot¡¯s birthday, if that¡¯s alright?¡± ¡°That is a good idea,¡± Jurot said. Even now his heart pounded wildly, but he did not reveal the darkness which encroached within his heart. ¡°I was thinking we head to Red Oak, then Ever Green, then make our way following the road through the various towns, and we¡¯ll head to the fort and then to the Awakened Forest.¡± ¡°The Awakened Forest?¡± Lucy asked, throwing him a curious look. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be good to check up on the forest, and we can see if Mara is fine. I can¡¯t have them treat my future wife so poorly, you know,¡± Adam said.,¡± Vonda called. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You are being cringe,¡± Vonda said, and Jurot nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t even make a joke?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You asked me to warn you.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll go check out the Awakened Forest, and then we¡¯ll head to...¡± He paused, recalling something which he hadn¡¯t thought about in some time. ¡°Isn¡¯t Aswadia at war with itself?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, pausing to think once more. ¡°Well, maybe not Aswadia then. I don¡¯t want to head to a place which is currently at war. That works out, though, since we can head to East Port. We could ask around for your friend.¡± ¡°I spent some time in East Port, but I could not find any information,¡± Dunes admitted, frowning. ¡°Yes, but now you have all of us.¡± Adam motioned to the rest of his companions. ¡°Plus, East Port might have received more news since then. The duchy capital should have be the best place, and then if that doesn¡¯t work, we can move around to the other capitals, save maybe North Aldland, since, you know.¡± Dunes smiled and bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Adam winked. ¡°Sounds like a plan?¡± He looked to his companions, all of whom nodded their heads and agreed. Lucy frowned, but she decided against speaking out her thoughts. She didn¡¯t want to see Mara again, not when she was in that state. However, it would be a good idea to make sure she¡¯s healthy, and perhaps she was even healthier than before due to the Dragon heart which they had traded. It may have been too weak to assist Big Ivory, but it could have at least reinvigorated her slightly. One of the Chief¡¯s aids appeared, calling for Adam, and escorting him to the Chief. The Chief was sat alone, checking his books for all manner of notes, from information about the outside world, to information about the Iyr and its needs. He shut the book as Adam approached, though he was sure Adam wasn¡¯t stupid enough to take a peek. ¡°Chief,¡± Adam said, sitting opposite the older man. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Are you able to cast Fireball?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Would you?¡± Chief Iromin motioned his head to the walls to the side, which were made of stone. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, simply. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball Adam raised a hand, all the while the rush of heat from his heart flooded through towards his fingertips. ¡°Explosion!¡± he chanted, willing out the magic. A small bead shot out from the heavens, before it roared across the stone, marking it. ¡°Are you able to do so, one after the other, in quick succession?¡± Iromin asked. It was on the third day when he awoke with a great surprise. Omen: 20, 20 ¡®Yo!¡¯ Adam squinted, making a face. ¡°Adam?¡± Sonarot asked, feeding Lanarot. ¡°I am so lucky today,¡± Adam said. ¡°The absolute luckiest! I¡¯m going to enchant a new Greater Enhanced weapon!¡± ¡°Do not strain yourself,¡± Sonarot said, sighing at him. ¡°I can¡¯t promise that today, Aunt,¡± Adam replied, a wide grin on his face. Even the children could see how excited Adam was, and as Adam played with them that morning, he decided to lose to all the children, praising them constantly as they played. ¡°I might not be able to see you later, but make sure you all be good for your mummies and daddies, okay?¡± Adam said, waving his hand towards them as he left. His pocket was burning from the heavy gems, each worth hundreds. Adam thought deeply about the weapon he wished to create. He had thought about creating an axe for himself, but decided against it. Instead, he decided to create a great blade, one which he could gift another once it happened, and if it didn¡¯t happen, then that was fine, he¡¯d save it for someone else. ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Adam called. ¡°I need a blade, one which an Iyrman of your stature may use.¡± ¡°You are asking for a sword, Adam?¡± Zijin asked, having shut his book. He wondered if he should add that into the black book. ¡°It¡¯s not for me, but I¡¯ll be enchanting it so that it¡¯s Greater Enhanced. I¡¯d like for it to be white, or gold, or maybe silver?¡± ¡°I have a blade which you may like,¡± Zijin said. ¡°I will ask for it to be brought to you.¡± ¡°What do I owe?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Take it,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Will it be your best enchantment to date?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a strong contender for it.¡± ¡°Then make sure whoever receives such a blade knows it was from our Jin family.¡± ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t be selling it?¡± Adam asked. Zijin raised his brows towards Adam. ¡°I am your Elder, Adam.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Adam smiled at the Orcish Elder. Adam waited at the shrine for the blade, when Uwajin appeared, the young teen carrying a large sword. It was long, with a wooden handle which was white, and a long blade which held a silver pattern across it like waves. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, taking it from her. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It is a great blade,¡± Uwajin said, before nodding her head at him, leaving him to enchant in peace. ¡°This weapon is going to be amazing,¡± Adam said, beginning the enchanting process. Click banner for Patreon! What will it be? Will I tell you? No. Omens: Mourning Omens: Mourning The rains of duskval greeted the five Iyrmen as they continued to trek southward, towards the Iyr. The gloomy air clung to their shoulders as they returned, speaking few words. It was most unfortunate for such a thing to occur during an Outing, especially considering that the Iyr¡¯s hands were tied. Of course, there was a way to bring back Tonogek, but with how the Iyr was currently, it was something Tonagek would be foolish to do. The rain fell heavier, and the group found purchase under an overhang, one which was set within the hill awkwardly, causing them to step around to enter the section which had been carved into the rock. There was one every ten miles or so, but once they would reach the land which was commonly considered to be a part of West Aldland, such reliefs would disappear. ¡®Is Fate playing tricks upon me? To think that it was a rukh which took my son from me.¡¯ Tonagek thought of his sister, before his thoughts were disrupted by the sounds of feet sloshing in the rain. A group of Humans appeared, each adorned in all manner of clothing, arms, and armour, stepped into the darkness, before the fellow in front screamed, reaching for his blade. The Humans behind quickly drew their weapons. ¡°Are you sure you wish to fight?¡± Gortol asked, his arms crossed. Even though the strangers had drawn their blades, the Iyrmen did not reach for their weapons. Yet. ¡°Oh it¡¯s your lot,¡± one of the men said. ¡°Iyrmen,¡± the man in chain said. He was bigger than the others by a few inches in every way, and carried at his side a blade, whereas many carried axes and spears. ¡°Since it¡¯s cramped here, we¡¯ll make our way about.¡± ¡°The rain will not let up,¡± Gortol said, his eyes glued to the man in chain. ¡°You may stay.¡± His voice was calm and clear, but to the wandering vagabonds, the tone of voice seemed far more vicious. ¡°Oh, we couldn¡¯t possibly intrude, right boys?¡± Boss asked. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ve got a problem,¡± came a voice from behind. ¡°What is it?¡± Boss asked, his eyes glued to Gortol¡¯s. ¡°I-it¡¯s a b-big p-problem,¡± the man said, his teeth chattering. Boss noted the female Iyrman¡¯s eyes staring curiously behind him before his head snapped back. There he saw his companion¡¯s hands were entirely blue, and were stuck to the crate he was carrying. ¡®What?¡¯ The crate exploded, causing the vagabonds to pull back, as the three silver scaled critters leapt out. They quickly darted towards the Iyrmen, who held their weapons out, the shock of the situation having caused them to draw their blades. ¡°Dragons?¡± Raknuu said, clutching her daggers in hand. She had noted the markings of a Dragon nearby a while ago, though Gortol had dismissed her words. It was not that they had been dismissed, it was that he knew of the matter, and she should not. ¡°That appears to be the case,¡± Gortol said, staring down at the trio, which ducked behind the Iyrmen, purring quietly. Three baby Silver Dragons in the possession of such dirty vagabonds? There were a few Silver Dragons up north which these beings could belong to, yet none would allow their children to roam free in such a dangerous manner. ¡°Dragons,¡± Tonagek whispered, staring down at them. They stared up at the Iyrmen, noting their tattoos, and cooed towards them. They crawled over to their legs, rubbing against them like cats tended to do, before staring up at the Iyrmen. ¡°They know that we are Iyrmen,¡± Raknuu said, reaching up to pet one, only for it to withdraw. ¡°Though they do not trust us completely.¡± ¡°It is not that they do not trust us, but they are not affectionate to us,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°Little Dragons, where are your mother and father?¡± The Dragons purred up at the Iyrman, before looking up into their eyes. The Iyrmen weren¡¯t sure how to take such a response. ¡°Are you the oldest?¡± Tonagek asked, looking to the Dragon who was scarred. ¡°Did you protect them?¡± The Dragon stared up at the Iyrman for a moment before purring quietly. ¡°You have done well.¡± Tonagek smiled. ¡°It should be the eldest who protects the youngest.¡± He cleared his throat, fighting back whatever emotions tried to invade him. Seeing his sad eyes, the eldest nuzzled into Tonagek¡¯s leg, purring up at him, before she returned back to her siblings. They each nuzzled one another, letting down their guards near the Iyrmen. ¡°What are we to do with them?¡± Raknuu asked. ¡°We should bring them to the Iyr,¡± Gortol said. ¡°We may be able to find out who their parents are, and if they have none...¡± The Dragons purred quietly towards Gortol, and nuzzled against his leg. They knew of the Iyr, which was meant to be a safe place. It was a place which would welcome them due to the connection the Iyr held with their family. Tonagek looked down at the children, at the scars of the eldest, and he thought deeply. ¡°Perhaps this is Baktu¡¯s fortune. I have lost Tonogek, but he has sent to us three children.¡± Gortol wasn¡¯t sure what to say to such words, which were filled with a deep hurt. He looked to the dead bodies which littered the area, before he nodded. ¡°It seems Baktu has sent us much, but they are most likely the children of Talia.¡± Tonagek closed his eyes, sighing. They hacked the bodies and buried them nearby. The Dragons remained near the Iyrmen, knowing that they would soon be able to meet their family if they were to follow these folk. The eldest looked up at all the Iyrmen, wondering what they were thinking deeply about. She raised her wings and covered her siblings in their shade, before she fell asleep. She could still feel the great strength within her, though it exhausted her. However, what need of this power would she have once they were safe? Click banner for Patreon! Fate works in mysterious ways. 410. Birthdays 410. Birthdays Adam avoided Sonarot as best as he could, but he had fallen ill after enchanting and it was difficult to avoid her when she would come to check up on him. She would bring him a bowl of soup or porridge to feed him too, as his entire body was a wreck after enchanting three times in one day. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I rolled a natural 20,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about the second roll of that day. He had rolled two 20¡¯s with his Omen, and then another 20 when he was enchanting. It had taken a toll on his body, but he had managed to complete the initial step, and he could spend the rest of his days casually enchanting the weapon. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called once he was healthy, reaching up so that her brother would pick her up. ¡°Lanababy, did you miss me?¡± Adam asked, hoisting her up, before planting a kiss against her cheek. The girl sucked her thumb, resting her head against his shoulder. She hadn¡¯t spent much time with him the last two days, and had missed him ever so dearly. Adam brushed her hair gently. ¡®I won¡¯t enchant like that again,¡¯ he thought. He went to enchant that day, beginning the process of finishing the greatsword he had enchanted. Omen: 3, 5 Adam glanced between the pair, who stared up at him expectantly. He narrowed his eyes, tilting his head from side to side, before he rubbed his chin. ¡°Hmmm.¡± The children waited with bated breath, staring between Adam and the other two. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam repeated, squinting his eyes until they were almost entirely shut. ¡°Something is wrong.¡± Katool let out a snort, before placing her hands against her mouth to stop herself from making any more noises. His Aunts watched too, sighing at his antics. They would have stopped him, but the children were excited for it. ¡°Aha!¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers. ¡°You are Amokan and Naqokan.¡± Adam made the same face Turot would make when he was proud of himself for knowing something Adam didn¡¯t. The twins scoffed, all the while the other children laughed. ¡°No,¡± Damokan and Kalokan said. ¡°What? You¡¯re not?¡± ¡°No,¡± the pair replied. ¡°Then who are you?¡± ¡°Kalokan!¡± the girl said. ¡°Damokan,¡± the boy added. ¡°What? No. No way. You two are too big, too strong. How can you be my adorable little Kalokan and Damokan?¡± Adam raised his brow, as though he didn¡¯t believe them one bit. The pair sighed at him, but soon the antics were over, and Adam handed them the platinum coins he had given their parents. ¡°Remember, no one can steal this from you. If anyone does, tell me and I¡¯ll be sure to teach them a lesson.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the twins replied, before pocketing the coins. They stared up expectantly at Adam. ¡°What?¡± Adam threw the father a nod, allowing him to take the struggling Cirot away. ¡®Should I take them with me on the journey?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No. Once they¡¯re eighteen, maybe.¡¯ He shuddered at the thought. Churot sat beside Adam, sometimes casting spells for Adam to praise him. Eventually, Adam brought out a small pearl and handed it to the boy. ¡°Here,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°Do you know what this is for?¡± ¡°Identify,¡± the teen replied. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re an Iyrman first and foremost, so there will come a time you will need to assist the Iyr with all your spells. Careful, though, for some items are cursed, and I don¡¯t want you to suffer.¡± Adam brushed the Devilkin¡¯s hair. ¡°Okay.¡± The others gave Jarot and Mulrot a look, but they did not mention anything about handing a boy a pearl worth a hundred gold coins. It was a gift Adam had thought about for some time. He had first thought about handing Churot a different gem worth a little less, but Churot did not have the spell, and Adam wasn¡¯t sure he should encourage the boy to take it, not when it could kill almost any normal person. ¡°I¡¯ll be going tomorrow, so I¡¯m going to need you to look after Lanarot, okay?¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay,¡± the teen promised. ¡°You can¡¯t steal her away from me, though.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You might not use an axe and shield, but you¡¯re a Rot, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam hadn¡¯t been sure about Churot at first. The boy had come to him at the end of the last year, when Lanarot had slapped him and stole a bite of his sandwich. The boy had asked Adam to help him become strong. He wanted to learn magic, like Adam. To see Churot away from his grandfather had shocked Adam, and he had promised to think about it. ¡®I haven¡¯t really taught you anything other than maths,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering what he could say to the boy. ¡°Do you want to come and play Warriors and Wanderers today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Churot replied. ¡°Great,¡± Adam said, leaning in to whisper. ¡°Do you want to betray everyone else?¡± ¡°No,¡± Churot said. ¡°Iyrmen do not betray.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam pat the teen¡¯s back gently. ¡°What a great young man you are.¡± Churot smiled at Adam¡¯s praise, glancing aside shyly. He quickly returned to his typical stone faced demeanour. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t change, Churot. You have to stay the smart, sensible Churot you¡¯ve always been, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam smiled. He sighed, looking out to the rest of the Iyrmen. That¡¯s when it came to him. ¡°Churot, I am going to teach you something that you need to remember forever. It may even be more important than maths.¡± Churot looked up at him, waiting for the words which were more important than maths, the same precious maths which the teen loved most. ¡°With great power comes great responsibility.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Thus ends our slice of life arc? 411. Leaving Home 411. Leaving Home Omen: 1, 17 The entire group had gathered together, from Adam to Bavin. Adam glanced between them all, realising just how large the group had become. There were far too many for him to command effectively. ¡°Dunes, Sir Vonda, you two will be the captains of the second and third groups,¡± Adam said. Dunes and Vonda both glanced between one another in surprise. They had expected Adam to split the groups, but they hadn¡¯t expected either of them were going to be the captains of the group. ¡°Us?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°You¡¯re Priests, so everyone will respect you,¡± Adam said, though that wasn¡¯t why he had chosen them. He placed down six diamonds before them, three for each Priest. ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda said, surprised. The diamonds totalled almost two thousand gold coins, something the Priests couldn¡¯t accept. ¡°Our goal is to survive first and foremost,¡± Adam said, before his eyes fell across all the Iyrmen. ¡°I will not have any of you die before me, not until I¡¯m done with you all.¡± ¡°We are Iyrmen,¡± Nirot said, narrowing her eyes at Adam. Iyrmen were not afraid of death, and such words were disrespectful. ¡°Iyrmen within my employ,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°You will listen or you will remain here. You know the rules.¡± Nirot frowned, but she nodded her head slowly. She had agreed to Adam previously, but she wanted to make sure he understood the gravity of what he was saying. ¡°Kitool and Jaygak, you¡¯ll both be in charge of the purses,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jaygak, I hope you understand that I don¡¯t do this lightly.¡± ¡°Again?¡± Jaygak said, smiling at him. ¡°Is it because of my horns?¡± Adam threw her a look, and wondered if he should change who was in command of the purse. ¡®No. As much as she is a bit of a troll, she knows that it¡¯s important.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re a large group so chances are we¡¯ll be a little slower than normal, though I assume we¡¯ll be much safer too, considering...¡± Adam made a vague motion with his head towards the Experts and Iyrmen. ¡°We should really look into buying a cart or carriage or something to carry our stuff. We have Zeus, but...¡± Adam paused, furrowing his brows. Everyone knew the look on his face, for it was the look of Adam realising something extremely obvious. It was something which always surprised them since half of Adam¡¯s day was spent with Lanarot, and the other half was thinking deeply. ¡°We have a bunch of wolves, don¡¯t we?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jaygak and Kitool. ¡°Can¡¯t we take them, now that the Beast Wave is behind us?¡± ¡°They must remain outside the town, but an Awakened Wolf and two Direwolves, there is very little which would threaten them,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Then we should...¡± He paused again. He made the same look on his face. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I make any Find Steed spell scrolls?¡¯ He reached up to rub his face, shaking his head. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucy agreed. Adam shook his head slowly. ¡®Just you wait, you damn Demon!¡¯ ¡°Anyway. We should probably order a saddle for the wolves at some point, though for now they can just assist us by carrying us or by scouting around.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Jaygak said, nodding her head. The group gathered their supplies, with Adam checking up on the wolves. He blinked at them, staring at Sky and the pair, Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a. Kitool and Jaygak had also come with him. ¡°What have you done?¡± Adam asked. Sky fell down before him, revealing his stomach, trying to reveal his submissiveness. Jurot¡¯s own heart was pounding hard, but he kept that a secret from everyone. His heart was full of darkness, and each step grew slightly heavier. Why leave the comfort of the Iyr? There was no need to leave the Iyr. No need to leave his mother. No need to leave his sister. However, Jurot had been born within the Iyr, and such darkness, which kept encroaching upon his heart, was fought away. It required some effort, but Jurot was not going to give into it easily. The large gates were quickly opened by the might of dozens of Iyrmen, and the path ahead revealed itself. The group began to march out, and Adam decided against looking back. His heart couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡°Come home safely!¡± came the chorus, as it always did. Not just the children who were seeing off their siblings and cousins, but also the nearby children who had watched their Iyrmen and others. ¡°What a bunch of cute kids, huh?¡± Adam said once they had walked away. ¡°They¡¯re scary,¡± Lucy said, wondering which one of them would grow up to kill her. ¡°Adorably scary,¡± Adam confirmed. The Front Iyr was abuzz with activity, still with far too many Iyrmen. Adam wasn¡¯t used to seeing the Front Iyr being so... big. ¡°You are leaving?¡± Morkarai asked, taking a break from his smithing. He had heard that Adam¡¯s group was leaving today, so made time to meet with them. ¡°Yep,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°We¡¯ve got tons of important business to deal with.¡± ¡°I wish you the best of luck,¡± he said, offering the group a wineskin. ¡°Firewine.¡± Jaygak stepped up beside Adam and motioned with her head towards the wineskin. ¡®Hurry up and take it!¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t bring you a gift,¡± Adam said. ¡°Perhaps you can bring me a trinket on your return?¡± Morkarai asked. It wasn¡¯t for any nefarious reason, though the trinket could be useful in scrying upon Adam in the future. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be gone for too long,¡± Strom called, appearing from nowhere. However, the Iyrman¡¯s keen ears were able to pick up his steps. ¡°Obviously,¡± Adam replied, smiling at the old man. ¡°My darling sister is going to miss me if I¡¯m gone for too long. We should be back before the end of the year, though I make no promises. We might do a scan around the capitals, and I don¡¯t know how long that¡¯ll take.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t return for my death?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Why do you have to make it so awkward?¡± Strom smiled. ¡°You should return before Twilight Month.¡± ¡°Alright, alright¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡°The rest can probably move without me, anyhow. I¡¯ll bring the teens back to enjoy the Twilight Month, and the rest of you guys can continue exploring without me for a bit.¡± ¡°We can discuss it on our journey,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Are you going to miss me?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows at Strom, a smirk on his lips. ¡°I may,¡± he admitted. ¡°Make sure you take good care of my sister. She likes you so you can¡¯t go dying to some random guy before I return, alright?¡± Strom smiled. ¡°I will try my best, Adam.¡± Click banner for Patreon! You''re lucky Adam is dumb otherwise the entire story would be about Adam hanging out in the Iyr. 412. Leaving Home II 412. Leaving Home II Omen: 2, 16 Elder Lykan had called for Adam in the morning. He held out a ring to Adam, which contained the heart of a Dragon, one which would have satisfied Big Ivory¡¯s conditions. If it didn¡¯t satisfy him, then the Iyr would have had to speak politely with the Guardian of the Awakened Forest. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, quickly donning the ring on his ring finger, as though he were married to the heart. Elder Lykan raised his brow towards Adam, who hadn¡¯t checked. Adam smiled, nodding his head towards the handsome Front Iyr Elder, leaving the business at that. Adam had no need to check, for they were Iyrmen. ¡°Adam,¡± called an older Orcish Iyrman from nearby. He wore the clothes of the Iyr, with wraps all the way up to his forearms. At his forehead was a tattoo of a red cross, with yellow hollowed ovals to its sides. At his back was a spear, which was made of a blue steel, with runes which glittered in the morning sun. ¡°Okvar?¡± Adam replied, reaching up to shake the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°Are you one of the two Iyrmen?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Okvar smiled. He hadn¡¯t seen Adam in some time, but he was one of the few Iyrmen who had gone out with Adam before he had made a name for himself. ¡°You should come and speak the tale once more.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m not so good with the stories, you know that.¡± The Orcish Iyrman smiled. ¡°Are we to slay another Dragon?¡± ¡°Not this time. In fact, I hope we don¡¯t come across any Dragons, since I have some business to attend to.¡± ¡°You still wish to keep it a secret?¡± Adam winked. ¡°You should know the kind of queer Half Elf I am.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Okvar laughed. ¡°If you¡¯re here, does that mean Wujyn is coming with us too?¡± ¡°No, she is busy.¡± Okvar held in his smile. ¡°However, there is a Guardian who was eager to join.¡± ¡°Are they Mithril Rank like you?¡± Adam asked. Okvar winked. ¡°You are Adam?¡± the woman asked, reaching out to shake Adam¡¯s forearm. Adam thought her face was cute, but she was also tall and wide like an auroch. Adam swore she was related to Nobby some how, considering how huge she was. She was slightly wider than Adam in her plate mail, and carried at her side a morningstar. On her back was a shield, which covered her pack. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, meekly. ¡°Rasam,¡± the woman said. ¡°I have heard you are a great warrior, an Expert with both magic and blade.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t liking where this conversation was heading. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Once we step into the Awakened Forest, would you face me in combat?¡± Rasam asked. ¡°I would like to see how strong you are.¡± ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m not making any promises. I already had to give up a magical weapon, and I¡¯m rather afraid of you Iyrmen.¡± Rasam threw Okvar a look, who replied with a smile. ¡°You are as meek as they say.¡± She had joined up on this request because she thought there would be great glory to be had. ¡°Being meek is the point this time. I¡¯ve got a task to complete, so I don¡¯t want any trouble until I can finish up with my mischief.¡± ¡°Mischief?¡± Rasam asked. That was not what she would have called this task, but she allowed Adam his peace. The Dwarf eyed him suspiciously. Out of all the Lords she knew, the Lord of Storms was one of the most erratic. He had calmed since his youth, but that was during a time she would beat him into submission every time. Her eyes fell across the group who had left and wondered what Strom viewed of them for him to be so incessant on their worth. ¡®Should I kill them?¡¯ The Awakened Wolf returned back to the Front Iyr, panting excitedly. ¡®Is that a sign?¡¯ It was early in the evening when the group approached the village, with a freshly summoned elk and owl also in tow. Merl, the Chief, greeted the group quickly, and invited them inside. ¡°Are you an Expert yet?¡± Merl asked Nobby, who was slowly sipping his soup. ¡°No,¡± the boy replied. ¡°How can you make me wait this long?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Chances are, Nobby will be an Expert in the next year or two at most.¡± ¡°A year or two?¡± Merl asked. She had been joking about Nobby being an Expert so soon, considering he wasn¡¯t even eighteen. However, she had originally seen both Adam and Jurot as young kids at the beginning of the last year, and they had returned during dawnval of this year as Experts. ¡°I can wait that long.¡± Merl, the granddaughter, wondered what they were talking about. How her grandmother could fall for something so ridiculous was beyond her, and she looked to Jurot for help. ¡°We should aim to make him an Expert before we return,¡± Jurot said. Young Merl wondered how many years that would take. From what she knew, the average Expert was close to their thirties, and would retire at that age so they didn¡¯t meet an untimely death. Of course, there were many great prodigies who became Experts by the time they were in their mid twenties, and then there were Iyrmen, a handful of whom would become Experts before they turned twenty, but they were groomed from young for such a task. ¡°At the end of this year?¡± Adam asked. ¡°At the end of this year or the next,¡± Jurot said. Young Merl¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot¡¯s once more, wondering what he was saying. Had it been another individual, she would have assumed they were a charlatan, but the nearby villages all knew that Iyrmen told the truth. They would always come when they said they would, and would always assist the villages whenever they came through. ¡®Can they really...¡¯ Chief Merl refused the gold coins, though Adam tried to hand them over. ¡°We cannot take them from you, not after all you¡¯ve done.¡± Merl had noted the presence of the two older Iyrmen, as well as all the young Iyrmen, so assumed they were off to train during this year. She would not take their gold from them, not when it was such an important time for these youth. ¡°Return with the handsome young man as an Expert and you will not have to pay the fee for some time,¡± the Chief whispered. ¡°At least take a single gold coin, so that my heart feels at ease, Chief.¡± She grumbled quietly, but accepted the gold coin. ¡°I will only do it out of gratitude.¡± Adam remained quiet for some time. ¡°Gratitude? I¡¯m the one trying to pay you for your hospitality!¡± The villages on the way to Red Oak were similar, refusing the gold coins, though Adam managed to hand them one gold coin. The Chiefs had all noted the same thing, and it was not good fortune to take their gold as they passed by. When young Iyrmen passed by the village to train, the villages would often do their best to put them up, since they would return in the future to assist them. There were some Iyrmen who would return year round to assist during the Beast Wave and Undead threats. ¡®Is it because I¡¯m an Elf?¡¯ Adam thought, only to recall how eager they had been to take his gold previously. Click banner for Patreon! Even leaving the Iyr is slow? Eugh. I bet there''s going to be no action for a few chapters. 413. Horizon I 413. Horizon I ¡°Why do you always take so long in the bath?¡± Lucy asked, rubbing her stomach which was full of meat and potatoes. Adam sighed as he sipped his milk, relaxing within the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, surrounding the noisiness of the adventurers. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like a nice, long, hot bath after a week of travel.¡± The group had managed to arrive peacefully to Red Oak, even while walking past the boundaries between the two forests. The Guards had been surprised to see so many Iyrmen, but had welcome them in eagerly. ¡°We¡¯ll leave around noon,¡± Adam said, patting his own stomach. ¡°I want to go to the market and buy some stuff before we leave.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I want to buy gifts for the children.¡± Even after spending a week away, Adam couldn¡¯t help but think about Lanarot and the others, and what they were doing without their amazing Cousin. ¡°They will be awkward to carry with us,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We should buy them upon our return.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at Jaygak. ¡°Who are you and what have you done with Jaygak?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not hard to be wiser than you, thankfully.¡± Jaygak smirked, relaxing back into her chair. Adam remained with his eyes narrowed towards her, before the group finally made their way out of Red Oak. Adam was glad he had told Sky to return, otherwise he would have had to summon a tower nearby again, and if he had summoned it too close, he¡¯d have to deal with the Guards again. Omen: 8, 20 It was noon the day after they had left Red Oak when they spotted him. He was an older man, adorned in light clothes, even in the season of duskval, which was cool, with a chilly wind, and rain every so often. The outfit he wore was similar to that of the Iyrmen, though the stranger was no Iyrman, for though his forehead was tattooed, it was a collection of four dots in the centre which formed a diamond. Adam couldn¡¯t quite place it, but the stranger felt so familiar to him, something which most of the group shared. As the large group approached the stranger, Adam called out to him. ¡°Hello there!¡± The old man stopped, his eyes falling across the entire group. He was utterly confused by the scene he saw before him. ¡®Iyrmen, obviously.¡¯ They weren¡¯t the first Iyrmen he had met, and he had passed by a few on his current journeys. However, there were a large number of them, more than he had spotted at one time. ¡®Are they training the youth?¡¯ He stopped the thoughts, as there were other matters to think about. There were others with the group, a pair of Priests, and two which caught his interest. Two of them smelled weird, but in two different ways. There was also that. That thing which he recognised from years past, which he hadn¡¯t expected to see here, especially not with someone so weak. ¡°Young woman, why don¡¯t you hand over that sword?¡± the old man asked, extending out his hand. He stared directly at the Devilkin, who wore Stormdrake at her side. ¡®Ah,¡¯ the old man thought, the temperature falling back to normal. Suddenly, it all made sense. ¡®I should make sure.¡¯ ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°Some old guy named Strom,¡± Adam said, wondering if he should say more. ¡®Strom?¡¯ The name sounded familiar, but of course the Lord of Storms would call himself Strom. ¡°Yes. That would make sense.¡± The old man bowed his head. ¡°Very well, then. I must ask you to excuse me.¡± If that man had given it up, then there was nothing he could have done, not unless he wanted to hear about it for years to come. He wasn¡¯t sure he could handle hearing all the nagging, and there was also the matter of taking a blade which most likely belonged to the Iyr. ¡®I should have let the matter go when I thought of it.¡¯ ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, noting how the air had changed. He rubbed his finger along Wizard¡¯s Axe, which was currently in the form of a ring around his finger, and sighed with relief. ¡®Sheesh. Here I thought we were going to fight.¡¯ ¡°However, I am going to have to ask the other young lady to surrender,¡± the old man said, politely. ¡°Which young lady?¡± Adam asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°The Demon Lord.¡± There was a sudden movement as Jurot and Adam both stepped forward, ahead of Lucy. It was then Adam understood the severity of the issue. It was one thing to recognise Stormdrake¡¯s obvious brilliance, but it was another thing to catch sight of Lucy and know that she was not only a Demon, but the Demon Lord. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Adam asked, almost willing Wizard¡¯s Axe into axe form. He kept it at bay, since if he summoned his axe, then this would have gone too far. ¡°I speak of the Demon Lord,¡± the old man said, raising a finger and pointing it to Lucy. For a moment, Lucy felt something seize her heart, feeling a heavy pressure against her as the old man pointed towards her, but the moment passed. She had felt a deadly pressure for just a moment, her instincts telling her that this old man was not good news. ¡°Young man, why don¡¯t you step aside?¡± The old man asked, noting that Adam had taken the lead, and it seemed the others of the group looked to him. He, the stranger from another world, was in command of this group, which also possessed two Iyrmen who were greater in power? ¡°Lucy is my friend,¡± Adam said, his fingers twitching still. One arm had reached back for his shield, and he gently rubbed along the cool edge. ¡®Who the hell is this guy? Just how fearless can one guy be?¡¯ The old man remained quiet for some time, trying to understand how to navigate the conversation. The seconds ticked by, with the tension in the air growing thick. The old man was still pointing at the Demon Lord, a girl not even a century old. His tattoo grew warm, and a scream pierced the air. Click banner for Patreon! I didn''t realise this was the next chapter, and I also didn''t realise that it was going to be the last chapter that I owed. What wonderful timing. 414. Horizon II 414. Horizon II Lucy cried out in pain as her entire body engulfed in flame, something which even her form couldn¡¯t resist. The flames were great and powerful as they spread across her skin like a sea of fire. ¡°Lucy!¡± Adam shouted, in utter shock that the fire suddenly swallowed her. ¡°Run!¡± Okvar shouted, leaping forward to meet the old man in combat, with Rasam charging forward, her shield clutched tightly in one hand. He, nor Rasam, had seen the old man cast his spell, meaning he was a being which possessed magics innate to his blood. The stranger wasn¡¯t a Blood Mage, so that meant their foe was a greater being. However, he and Rasam were quite powerful, and would at least be able to hold him off until they could flee some ways away. The old man sighed as the pair charged towards him, but he didn¡¯t seem taken aback in the slightest. ¡°I cannot allow a Demon to roam this land freely, not after what your kind did all those years ago.¡± Lucy had just managed to beat away the fire, her skin lightened by the flames. Vonda stared at Lucy in shock, frozen from the flames suddenly appearing, she felt a hand at her side, as Jonn managed to snap her out of her fear, before he stood behind Lucy. Since the old man was targeting her, he would stay near her so she basked in his aura, giving her a greater strength to fend off whatever the old man was doing to her. ¡®There¡¯s no way that¡¯s the end of that,¡¯ Adam thought, noting how the old man was still pointing at Lucy, and so he willed his Omen. Omen: 8, 20 -> 8 plucked a Thread of Fate, causing the old man to raise his brows in momentary surprise, though the flames still managed to swallow Lucy whole again, though this time she had managed to brace herself. The momentary shock had allowed both Okvar and Rasam to strike the old man, though their blades bounced against his skin, not even drawing blood. The pair were also surprised, but it lasted only an instant, as Okvar and Rasam spun their weapons and struck forward once more, this time catching the old man¡¯s attention, causing him to use his fists and palms to gracefully guide their blades away from striking him. ¡®He can bend Fate?¡¯ the old man thought, feeling how Adam had managed to allow Lucy to resist his magics, which would have made the Demon Lord dust if he had managed to kill her with the flames. ¡°Young man, just what are you?¡± the old man asked, all the while he was struck by Okvar¡¯s spear, and Rasam¡¯s morning star, which flashed white with the divine magics to strike him more harshly. Yet, even with the Iyrmen¡¯s blows, his focus was still on the group ahead of him, who were currently swarming around the Demon Lord to assist her. ¡°Who gave you permission to leave?¡± called the old man, his voice pressing down upon the entire group. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 5 (1) Adam froze as he stared at the old man, and suddenly he found himself in darkness, and he was only able to see the old man, whose eyes were fixed on him. Those eyes were staring at him as though he were an ant, one which had sparked curiosity from something much greater. ¡°We cannot allow you to kill her,¡± Okvar said, clutching his spear tight in hand, ready to attack once more. ¡°You would defend the Demon Lord?¡± The old man wasn¡¯t sure why they were going to so far to help the Demon Lord, who should have died the moment the Iyr had known of her existence. She had definitely stayed in the Iyr for some time. ¡°We Iyrmen always stick to our word,¡± Rasam said. ¡°She, too, must arrive at the forest.¡± ¡°Then so be it,¡± the old man said, holding out his hand, before a blade appeared within it. It was a long blade, the handle made of gold and ruby which intertwined together, the blade of which was long, slightly thinner than one may have expected, though not quite a rapier, silver, though when it caught the sun, it was almost the colour of a raging fire. He placed his free arm behind his back. Steel sang against steel as the trio met in combat. The old man, danced with the pair, allowing them to set the pace as his blade flowed through the air, causing sparks to fly as he easily deflected the morning star and spear as they tried to strike him. Thunder rumbled as Rasam tried to strike him, and though she wanted to forgo using her shield, she understood it would have been a great folly for her to allow him any chance to strike her down. She was already struggling against his mighty strength, as though his blade seemed graceful, almost floating like a firefly, he managed to force her morning star away through sheer strength. The old man finally brought his second hand out to stop her morning star, allowing Okvar a chance to strike through his side. Though the spear struck true, it was still unable to pierce through his flesh. ¡°Thank you,¡± the old man said, though he didn¡¯t make it obvious what he thanked her for. He struck her magical plate mail, denting it with his sword, tearing through it at the shoulder, before the Iyrman finally fell. He spun to catch Okvar¡¯s spear. ¡°You should tend to her wounds.¡± He had dealt with Rasam first since she was definitely the greatest threat to him in terms of her strength. Okvar¡¯s brow was full of sweat, having not fought someone so powerful in some time. He knew Rasam¡¯s strength, which was the absolute peak of what one could achieve as a Guardian, and though there may have been some Rage Dancers within the Iyr who could surpass those limits, even they did not scoff at Rasam¡¯s might. Okvar remained silent, his weapon pinned by the mysterious stranger who had managed to fight two Mithril Rank Iyrmen without breaking a sweat. He could feel it from here, the great magic which emanated from the sword. It was one of the greatest swords he had ever come across. A thought almost crossed his mind, but he pushed it aside. He almost thought about who the stranger was, but that was irrelevant. ¡°We are Iyrmen,¡± Okvar said, leaping away from the stranger, before clutching his spear tightly once more. He had been told by the Iyr not to die a good death, but there was something else he had to take into consideration. ¡°We Iyrmen always stick to our word,¡± Okvar said. ¡°She, too, must arrive at the forest. Alive.¡± ¡°So be it,¡± the old man said, stepping forward. ¡°You will have to blame Fate for being unable to complete your task.¡± Click banner for Patreon! I love these set of chapters. 415. Horizon III 415. Horizon III The group had run for a long while, before they stopped panting for air. The giant elk which Adam had summoned did not need any rest, but it was surrounded by mortals who needed to catch their breath. ¡°Who the hell is that guy?¡± Adam panted, trying to gather his bearings. His mind was racing as to all the possibilities as to who that old man could have been, all the while his heart was pounding wildly. ¡®He¡¯s definitely strong.¡¯ Vonda placed a hand on Lucy¡¯s shoulder, calling forth her magic to heal the young woman, healing her with a First Gate spell. Lucy¡¯s shoulder was hot to the touch, and the Demon winced, but the soothing magics filled her entirely. Upon feeling the heat, Vonda quickly withdrew her hand, swallowing hard. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Dunes asked, speaking to Lucy, though he kept an eye on Sir Vonda. He also used a First Gate spell to heal the Demon, though she still looked rough. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lucy said, not liking the fact that two Priests were laying their hands on her. Their touch was repulsive, though it wasn¡¯t a feeling Lucy could control, not until she grew more powerful. Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Cure Wounds 1D6 + 3 = 6 (3) Mana: 17 -> 16 Spell: Cure Wounds 1D6 + 3 = 8 (5) Mana: 16 -> 15 Spell: Cure Wounds 1D6 + 3 = 6 (3) ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on her back, before healing her three times. Vonda¡¯s healing was much better, but Adam understood that his Mana worked differently. He could cast as many First Gate spells as he had Mana, whereas the others were only able to cast a limited amount of the various tiers of spells they possessed. Lucy looked down towards her hands. She had some resistance to fire, due to her nature as a specific type of Demon, but the fire that the old man used was terrifying. She didn¡¯t dare to make a joke about how hunky he was, a low chill having seeped deep within her. ¡°We should...¡± Adam caught Kitool¡¯s eyes, which were glued behind them. He followed her eyes, and stared out towards the path they had fled from. It was too hazy to see through, though they should have been able to see some figures in the distance. ¡°What do you see?¡± Kitool gripped Seekerstaff in hand tightly, and Jaygak drew Stormdrake, while Jurot donned his Mighty Roar and held Phantom tight in hand. There was a figure in the distance. He was no bigger than a finger nail at the distance, but as the moments passed by, they could see him more clearly. He flew towards them, his feet only slightly above the ground. Minutes later, the haziness disappeared, and the figure began to slow to a halt, before dropping down onto his feet no more than twenty metres away. Adam¡¯s mind was blank as he tried to figure out a way to not die, but whatever came to mind quickly slipped away. He swallowed. ¡®Okvar is quick.¡¯ Adam knew that much at least, but if the figure had flown towards them without the pair of Iyrmen chasing him, then it could only mean one thing. ¡°Do you wish to surrender?¡± the old man asked, politely. Jaygak gripped Stormdrake tighter, wondering how Adam could dare to joke to such a terrifying foe. She could feel the temperature in the air begin to rise, though the old man made no aggressive movement. ¡°I am showing you mercy, boy. I should kill you, considering you too are foreign to this world.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes stared down at Adam, and even from this distance, the pressure weighed Adam down. Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to if you want Lucy.¡± ¡°Since it has come to a fight, then so be it.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes fell across the rest of the group. Iyrmen, Priests, and commonfolk. ¡°I have no qualms with the rest of you, so you should step aside.¡± The others remained where they were. Brittany had an arrow drawn, but she had no intention of firing it. She was nimble on her feet, and so could quickly retreat away if needed. Nobby held a shield in hand, though he wasn¡¯t sure what to do. Whatever this person was, they were strong. Nirot¡¯s heart was pounding in her chest. She had just left the Iyr and though she was to be trained by Adam, she had managed to meet a terrifying foe. It was her first journey out and she would earn a good death. There were few Iyrmen who could earn such a good death immediately after leaving the Iyr. ¡°Step back,¡± came the command. Adam remained ahead of the group, with Jurot behind him. ¡°Anyone who isn¡¯t an Expert should step back.¡± ¡°You would ask us to step back?¡± Nirot asked, her voice calm and collected, though she could feel the rage bubbling within her. ¡°You would not keep your word?¡± Adam replied, his eyes fixed on the old man, who had yet to make a move. Nirot¡¯s eyes grew wide for a moment, but as Naqokan placed a hand on her shoulder, she stepped back. ¡°You too, Nobby, Brittany,¡± Adam said. He wasn¡¯t sure what the old man was thinking, but he had given Adam a chance to protect those in his charge. If the old man had an ability like Fireball, then it would be best to keep the others away, otherwise they¡¯d die in an instant. That left those who were Experts. The Iyrmen who Adam had fought alongside for over a year, the pair of Half Elves, the man who wished to die, the Demon Lord, and the Priests. Click banner for Patreon! I receive messages that people think Adam isn''t a nice guy, but idk. 416. Horizon IV 416. Horizon IV This old man is going to learn today. Sir Vonda swallowed, reaching for her magical mace. Whatever this foe was, it was no doubt immune to mundane weapons, so she would need to use her mace to strike it. However, the fact that it was so eager to use spells of the fiery variety, caused her to grow cold. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good fight in a while,¡± Dunes said, gently swinging his blade, trying rid himself of his nerves. Whatever this foe was, he was great. Facing such a foe was a great honour. ¡°You too, Dunes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Step back.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dunes asked, daring to throw a look to Adam. ¡°You want me to step back from a battle? Have you forgotten who I worship, Adam?¡± ¡°You and Vonda need to step back,¡± Adam said, keenly aware that this old man was familiar with flame based spells. He couldn¡¯t subject Vonda to such a thing. ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± Dunes said, stepping forward confidently, feeling the adrenaline run through his veins. His sword, aptly named Dunes¡¯ Sword, felt light in his hand. ¡°If I back down now, how can I say I am a humble follower of Lady Arya.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com The old man sneered at the mention of the name, but he remained waiting, patiently. As long as he showed good faith, then that woman wouldn¡¯t try to bother him about what happened here. Adam placed a hand on Dunes¡¯ shoulder. ¡°You need to look at the bigger picture, Dunes. If something happens to all of us, it¡¯s up to you and Vonda to make sure everyone else is okay.¡± Dunes clutched his blade tighter in hand, his eyes falling back to the old man, who was allowing them to set up for the fight between them. He then looked back to Vonda, and to the younger members of their party. He and Vonda were both leaders, chosen by Adam himself. Though they hadn¡¯t formally split off their parties, it spoke volumes about Adam¡¯s priorities. ¡°We might lose this battle, but we need to win the war,¡± Adam whispered, patting Dunes¡¯ shoulder as the Aswadian stepped back. He was under no illusion that this was going to be easy, though he was confident. However, there was another matter to deal with. ¡°Fred. Do you want to step out too?¡± Fred hadn¡¯t expected the question, though knowing how Adam was like, he wasn¡¯t surprised one bit. Adam had found Fred back then. He had been roasting under the sun, deep in a pit of despair after having lost everything during the massacre. He had spent a decade trying to find himself until one day, when he decided to give himself to the earth. He had spent a year with Adam, and through his conversations with Vonda, and seeing Adam¡¯s shenanigans, Fred wondered deeply about his position in this life. He looked to the old man, before looking back to Adam. He had been clung with the fear earlier in the day and it had revealed to him something he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡®I want to live.¡¯ Fred raised his sword, pointing it towards the old man. He had been given the will to live, but he was not the type of person to run away from his debts. ¡°I will fight, Adam.¡± ¡°Fight, not die,¡± Adam said. ¡°Vonda, would you mind handing him the sword which is strapped to Zeus¡¯ side.¡± ¡®Zeus?¡¯ the old man thought. He swore the name was familiar, but wasn¡¯t entire sure where he knew the name from. He waited patiently, allowing Adam to hand Fred the magical weapon. ¡°Lifeblade,¡± Adam said, accepting the blade from Sir Vonda, allowing her to retreat. ¡°I was going to hand it over when you officially accepted to work under me, but I think now¡¯s a good time. It¡¯s a Basic Enhanced weapon which holds three charges and can heal you a little with each charge.¡± Fred wasn¡¯t going to refuse, not when he was so unnerved by the old man. He was allowing them to prepare, as though it made no difference to him. The type of person who did that was either extremely foolish, or extremely powerful. Once he touched the blade, he could feel its magic instantly. This weapon didn¡¯t require anyone to attune to it, which surprised Fred. He wondered if it only held three charges, those which did not recharge, but since Adam had passed it to him, he decided he should use them all if it came to it. ¡®I missed?¡¯ Adam thought, though he quickly spun around, to strike across the old man¡¯s back, barely managing to strike across his back. His blow was empowered by his spell, and though he had managed to deal a great amount of damage, which was empowered even by Jonn¡¯s aura, somehow it seemed as though he hadn¡¯t struck at all. Jurot, full of rage, cut along the old man¡¯s side with Phantom, but he could feel just how hardy the man¡¯s skin was, providing even greater protection than his own rage. He had managed to strike with great force, but it was as though his blade had almost bounced off the skin. Lucy¡¯s greataxe, Great Destroyer, which was even greater than Destroyer, managed to slam squarely into the man¡¯s chest, and yet it didn¡¯t cut even a hair¡¯s width into the man¡¯s skin. She, too, was within her rage, but the shock of it almost brought her out of it. ¡®He¡¯s strong!¡¯ Lucy thought, quickly realising the extent of her foe¡¯s strength. The old man¡¯s blade blurred, having deflected a number of his assailant¡¯s attacks with ease, before he pushed Lucy back, the tip of his blade almost piercing her shoulder. The self proclaimed Demon Lord skid backwards, having lost the bout of strength with only a simple jab. Kitool leapt off Lucy¡¯s back, her Seekerstaff swinging down, striking the old man across his head, though she could feel her weapon bend from the force. She spent her energy to try and freeze the old man in place, but he paid no attention to her as Jaygak appeared, Stormdrake in hand, crackling with lightning. She slashed downward, though her blade was caught by the old man¡¯s sword, which fought the lightning with its flame, though it still crackled against his cheek and skin. It had been so long since he had felt Stormdrake¡¯s lightning, and in that moment, Fred had approached. The young man, whose thoughts were about living, struck the old man before him, his attacked fuelled by Jonn¡¯s aura as he managed to cut the old man thrice. He, like Adam, could go beyond his limits for a moment, and he had done all he could to strike his foe. Seven Experts had each spent all they could against the old man, and though he had dodged a few of their blows, he couldn¡¯t escape them all. Yet, as their weapons clattered against his body, trying to break him, they had not yet managed to draw blood from him, nor had he broken into a sweat. ¡°I believe it¡¯s my turn?¡± the old man said, while the others were making to slash towards him again. He leapt up through the air, floating in front of them all. His eyes fell to Adam, whose head tried to follow the blur of the old man¡¯s body. Dexterity Save D20 + 4 = 20 (16) His tattoo flashed for a moment, before fire engulfed the entire group, almost reaching the second group which stood at least twenty metres away. The flames surrounded the group, and Adam grit his teeth as the fire engulfed him. ¡®Thank the Gods for Jonn,¡¯ Adam thought, the aura from the Half Elf managing to assist him in his save. Jaygak hadn¡¯t managed to duck in time, but with her natural resistance to the flames, she had managed to stave away most of the heat. This flame was not something any of them could have withstood, not unless they had managed to step aside or had somehow managed to defend from most of the flames. She heard Kitool drop behind her, followed by two others. ¡°Adam!¡± she shouted, peeking up from her shield to see the old man, who still looked fine. ¡°You need to take Lucy-,¡± she continued to shout, only to stop. Though she was against a great foe who had almost managed to deal with her in a single blow, she dared to look back over her shoulder. It was not surprising that Fred had fallen, for he had very little ability to deal with with such great fire, his agility not quite up to the standards of the others. It was surprising that Kitool had fallen, as she was the most nimble of the group, though the flames had overcame her. However, what was most surprising to those in the thick of battle, and those who were watching, was that a Half Elf had fallen. The flames surrounded Lucy, but her natural resistance fought away most of the flames. Jurot¡¯s rage had managed to deal with most of the fire, though he had also managed to duck in time. Jonn had raised his shield in time, and his magical aura had managed to allow him to suffer less from the heat. Health: 65 -> 0 Click banner for Patreon! I rolled EXACTLY 65 on his damage roll. Yes, a 20 did indeed fail. 417. Horizon V 417. Horizon V The story of Adam¡¯s current life was well known to the Iyrmen near him, as he had spent most of his time with them, and half of that time within the Iyr. There was only one of them who had known it all, however. Adam had met Jurot, apparently coincidentally, at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He had helped deal with the Undead menace with the villages, and had assisted in Jurot¡¯s vengeance against Balrog, freeing the children in the bandit¡¯s grasp. Adam, apparently coincidentally, came across an Awakened Forest and the Demon Lord, and could enchant weapons with great swiftness. He, who knew far too much about a large number of things he had no right to, from the Iyr, to the secret quests of royalty from another place entirely which he was wholly unfamiliar with. Adam, who had defeated a Guardian who was more powerful than himself, in the span of seconds. Adam, who showed no restraint to throw himself to Vandra, a mighty and great Dragon, one which would have surely fallen if the seven Experts had assaulted her the same way they had assaulted this random old man they had encountered. Adam, who slew another Dragon within the month of meeting Vandra, but without three Silver Ranks beside him. Adam, who had could defeat Kaygak, Gorot, and Mirot with almost only a single blow, three Iyrmen in two days. Adam, who had lost only once in this life, and only to an Iyrman who could shrug off the blows of almost any creature in existence. Adam, who had surely dealt the most damage to this stranger from a group of six other Experts. That Adam, of all people, had fallen. Death Save D20 = 6 Failures: 0 -> 1 The amount of impossible things Jurot had seen Adam do, it made the word seem almost meaningless. Adam, his brother, who still had the ability to frighten the Great Elders, had been a pillar for them. ¡®We should not have left the Iyr,¡¯ the darkness said. The entire group had frozen, from the young Iyrmen who had been refused a good fight, to the two who had chosen to work under Adam, to the Priests who had been left aside to make sure the others were safe, to the figures who had fought alongside Adam against this terrifying foe. ¡°You should step aside and tend to their wounds,¡± the old man said, noting how quiet everyone had become. Vonda and Dunes rushed forward to the group, ready to stabilise them. Since the old man had given them permission, they assumed he wouldn¡¯t turn his blade towards them. Jonn placed a hand on Lucy¡¯s shoulder, healing her with his pool of healing magic, making sure she was as healthy as could be. ¡°You need to run,¡± the Half Elf said, before raising his blade to step forward to attack. His blade was not magical, and so would not be able to harm the figure ahead of him, though he did not know that. The old man stepped back, feeling his arms beginning to pulse from effort. They had managed to deal quite the number on him. He was still not completely healed from facing the pair of Iyrmen previously, but this group had managed to strike him much harder than they had. ¡°Worthy?¡± The old man¡¯s forehead began to glow as he stepped to the side, not even bringing his blade up to block Jurot¡¯s attack. ¡°You are not able to use that word when speaking to me.¡± A small beam of light stuttered out from his forehead, before the entire area was engulfed in flames once more, and the four remaining figures fell to the ground. Vonda had managed to get to Fred, with Dunes approaching Adam. Though Adam would have preferred he get Kitool, it was most obvious to stabilise Adam, since he had the one that had brought them all together. It hadn¡¯t taken long, but the old man, who had essentially only attacked twice, both times engulfing the area in flames, had defeated the entire group. The onlookers looked on in horror, as the titans they once knew had fallen so easily to this stranger. ¡°It is your misfortune...¡± The old man¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, ¡°your Fate, to have come across me.¡± He raised a finger, pointing it to Lucy, whose chest was shifting ever so slightly. He then turned his finger, blocking the axe. Jurot was red in the face, his eyes white once more, having managed to bring himself up through sheer force of will. He tried to cut into the finger, the same finger which had almost turned Lucy to dust. ¡°I should have expected it to be difficult to deal with you Iyrmen,¡± he said, feeling a staff strike the back of his neck, feeling the energy invade him to try to freeze his body. Vonda and Dunes hadn¡¯t yet managed to approach Kitool, but she had managed to bring herself up in the same way Jurot had. She tried to stun the stranger, but he managed to easily shrug off its effects. ¡°Must you insist on defending her?¡± he asked, and the response came swiftly. Kitool¡¯s knee struck him against the back of his head, and Jurot swung his axe wildly towards the old man¡¯s neck. The pair struck him, but the axe only managed to draw blood when it would have easily killed any normal, and not very normal, man. ¡°She is a member of our party,¡± Kitool replied, weakly. She had very little strength, and whatever strength she could muster was focused on trying to deal with the threat ahead of her. ¡°I will not let you kill her,¡± Jurot managed to cough out. ¡°No?¡± The old man raised his sword, before he swung it down, cutting across Lucy¡¯s throat. Jurot watched as the blood trickled down to the ground, and his heart pounded wildly. His axe had right at the man¡¯s neck, and yet he couldn¡¯t cut into it, only barely drawing blood. ¡°You are still too weak to try and stop me from doing as I please,¡± the old man said, simply. The words clung to Jurot¡¯s heart like a poison, pumping the darkness through the rest of him. He dropped his shield and axe, unable to gather his strength, and fell to his knees, unconscious. Kitool showered the old man with fist and knee, but she noticed Jurot dropping his weapons, and the old man casually struck her across her side, dropping her. Kitool crumpled beside him, falling onto her staff. Click banner for Patreon! Damn. 418. Horizon VI 418. Horizon VI ¡®Impossible,¡¯ Brittany thought. It had felt like an hour, but the fight had only lasted mere moments. In those mere moments, the monsters she had come to know over the last year, had dropped down. It wasn¡¯t just a shock for her, but for the others around her too. ¡®They have fallen?¡¯ Nirot thought. The scene before her wasn¡¯t something she had expected. She was sure they had all struck the old man several times, and even if he was immune to attacks, as some creatures were, they all wielded magical weapons, which bypassed such immunities. Yet, he didn¡¯t even seem tired at all, and other than the two nicks on his body, he seemed completely fine. The old man had taken blows from Adam, who could down even her mother, someone who Rage Danced with the abilities of the Rot family, in a single blow. He had managed to defeat, without breaking a sweat, seven Experts. Defeating Fred was understandable, sure, considering he was a typical warrior and had no will to live. He had chosen to fight, so the Iyrmen youth had reconsidered him slightly. Yet the rest were truly great. Jonn, however, was a Guardian. He was greater than a typical Expert, technically the most experienced out of everyone here. Kitool, who was extremely skilled, with the ability to strike multiple times, as much as Adam could when he surpassed his limits for a moment, but she could do it for much longer. Jaygak, who, though perhaps was considered to be the weakest of the group, was a force to be reckoned with, and with Stormdrake in her hands, she was no joke to face. Jurot, who was the greatest of the group of Iyrmen, slightly older than the rest, and who had the goal of being Gold Rank since he was young. It was back then, because of what happened with Balrog, that he had aimed for such lofty heights. He, who possessed the ability to shrug off attacks from almost every creature, was someone the Iyr had taken into consideration over the years. Then there was Lucy. She had trained with the Iyrmen over the last year or so, and she wasn¡¯t to be underestimated. With Great Destroyer in hand, she could face many other warriors who were more experienced than her, even someone like Jonn. And Adam was Adam. The entire group had someone for the young Iyrmen to look up to, for all manner of reasons, including the fact that they were so young though they possessed so much power. It was a group made of beings who one should bet on more than nine times out of ten. Just like that they had been beaten. Nirot¡¯s fingers twitched to her shield and axe, but she did not act on her impulse. As much as she wished to face this being, whoever it may be, she had promised to listen to Adam. The old man remained silent and still for a moment, allowing the Priests to stabilise their companions. He listened to the words of the Priest of Mahtu, who had cast a particular spell, but he decided to leave the matter. He had killed the Demon, and had completed his task. His eyes fell to Stormdrake, which was tightly grasped in the Devilkin¡¯s hand. He thought about taking it, but decided against it. There was no need to aggravate the Iyrmen any further than he had already done so, and if he had taken it, it would have caused that man to annoy him to no end. ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda said, before moving on to heal Adam. Dunes grabbed her arm, shaking his head. He was about to speak, but the sound of Fred vomiting off the side of the road had interrupted his words. Jurot sat up, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His eyes were glued to Adam, who was still unconscious. Everyone had been brought up, but they had left Adam down. The group started to make their way out. Jonn reached for Adam to pick him up, but Jurot grabbed the Guardian¡¯s wrist. ¡°I will carry him.¡± The Iyrman picked his brother up, and began to carry him. Even now, he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°It is not her,¡± Nirot said. ¡°She is to remain within the capital, as she promised.¡± Jurot understood what Nirot was getting at. The being was quite powerful, and if they didn¡¯t know any better, they would have thought that he was Jaeryael, but that was not probable. Even if he possessed the great strength and skill that she would, she would definitely keep her promise to protect the capital. ¡®So that is how strong they are.¡¯ Kitool remained Jaygak as they continued to walk back, trying to find the Iyrmen who had tried to face such a terrifying foe. They had managed to deal with him for a few minutes, but he was far too powerful for even two Mithril Rank Iyrmen. The Devilkin¡¯s hand was firmly glued around the hilt of the sword, surprised that she still possessed it after the bout. It didn¡¯t matter to her that she would have died, but Stormdrake was not something she could lose, for it was not hers to lose. Jonn thought about the lifeless corpse he carried. She was heavy and cold, as the dead often were. They had all been beaten because the stranger wanted to kill her, the Demon Lord. A Demon Lord, something which would have filled any normal person with dread from just hearing the title. However, she had done nothing to suggest she was really a Demon Lord. She did not go around slaughtering innocents, nor did she go around trying to impose her will onto anyone. The only issue anyone could have with her was her perversion, which was kept in check by the children of the Iyr, who she was terrified of. Still, a random stranger had tried to kill her for it. Just for being a Demon. He, too, had once wanted to kill her for being a Demon. He, a Half Elf, who had been forced out of his order for half of the blood in his body. The group found the pair of Iyrmen, who were laying on the road, side by side. They had been neatly placed there, with their weapons lain on either side of them. Click banner for Patreon! Damn. 419. Horizon VII 419. Horizon VII Adam gasped as he awoke, his entire body slick with sweat. He reached up to his heart, all the while the chill continued to seep deep within him. He was bundled within his blanket, without his armour or nightval bear leather. The Half Elf¡¯s eyes remained staring at the dark sky for a moment before he tried to sit up. ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda called, placing a hand on his forehead, feeling how cold it was. ¡°You have awoken.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam said, staring at her. ¡°What...¡± He shook his head, which pulsed as he tried to remember what had happened. He remembered being hot, and then... ¡°Lucy? Lucy!¡± Adam struggled to stand. ¡°She¡¯s alright, Adam,¡± Vonda said, wondering if she should try to force him back down. ¡°You should sleep.¡± There were within one of the traveller camps, surrounded by the half walls, though there were none of the familiar towers they had come to expect thanks to Adam. Adam climbed onto his feet, grabbing onto a half wall for support, his eyes quickly scanning the area, before he stumbled towards Lucy. The Demon was sitting up, a blanket wrapped around her, covering everything but her face. Her eyes snapped to Adam, who dropped down beside her, panting for air. Adam¡¯s heart pounded hard, causing his head to hurt too. He stared up ahead of them towards the fire, which crackled rhythmically. The others threw him a look, but left the pair alone. Lucy continued to rub along her neck, where her skin itched, rubbing her fingertips along it. Her eyes were glued to the fire, seeing the last moments of her life. Adam eventually calmed, sighing. He had no idea what had happened, but considering the mood in the air, he could only assume. Vonda brought them bowls of soup, but left them be, allowing them their time to process what had happened. The Half Elf wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He wanted to apologise, and he wanted to state he empathised, but he couldn¡¯t speak. Was it appropriate? Adam remained still for a while, thinking about what had happened. They had been walking around and then, just like that, some random guy they encountered almost killed them all. Lucy sipped her soup slowly as the minutes passed, still staring into the fire. The fire had overwhelmed her. She, who was the Demon Lord, overwhelmed by fire? It was a ridiculous statement to make. ¡°It¡¯s scary, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lucy whispered. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Were you afraid when you died?¡± ¡°Not the first time,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°It just happened, and the next thing I knew, I was talking to a God.¡± Lucy slowly nodded her head. ¡°The second time?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam admitted, recalling how he had died. ¡°I was scared. I let him kill me because... because I had hope that everyone would have been okay after I died.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°Whatever he was, I¡¯m sure we did enough to basically kill any Iyrman.¡± It was that which worried him the most. There were very few figures in this world that could face an entire group like theirs so casually. Adam had thought the old man was arrogant, allowing them to prepare to face him, but... Jurot nodded. He was certain that even his grandfather would have fallen after facing both Rasam and Okvar, and yet this figure had managed to defeat the pair handily, and then casually defeated them. He recalled how the old man had cut Lucy¡¯s throat right in front of him, and his hands and arms tensed up. ¡°We need to keep watch to make sure he doesn¡¯t come back, just in case he realises Lucy is alive.¡± Adam had the sneaking suspicion that the man knew Lucy was still alive. ¡°We¡¯ll stick with the same watch order, and Hades and Zeus will be able to support us well enough.¡± ¡°You should sleep,¡± Jurot said, keeping an eye on Adam. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch.¡± Jurot said no more. Adam was his own man, and if he didn¡¯t want to rest, then that was his own choice. Jurot hoped, whatever happened earlier in the day, would not affect Adam¡¯s heart. His own heart had been overwhelmed with darkness, but he could not allow it to overwhelm him. Jaygak stared at the stars, readying to sleep. Stormdrake lay against her side, the hilt of the blade over her shoulder. Her arm coiled around the blade, not allowing it to escape from her grasp. Somehow, she had not died, and yet, that had not been the most terrifying thing that day. Kitool remained at the side of the camp. She replayed the fight within her mind repeatedly, remembering every sensation she had felt. She had fallen almost right away, which was surprising, but not unexpected. She was the most nimble, but even she would find it difficult to deal with such a great ability like the flames of the great being they had faced. The amount of great figures she had come across, from Lord Strom and Crowseer, to whoever this being was, it was strange to her. Strange, but, she understood the difference between herself and such figures. She wondered if her grandaunt would have been able to deal with such a figure. Thinking back to how easily the figure had killed Lucy right in front of both Jurot and her, while Jurot was trying to cut the figure¡¯s finger off, she was certain even her grandaunt, alone, would not have been able to handle the great being. Before everyone went to sleep, Adam walked around and asked if everyone was alright, gaining looks of confusion. ¡°What of you, Adam?¡± Vonda asked. Adam nodded. ¡°I¡¯m good. You, uh, you sure you¡¯re good?¡± ¡°I was not the one who almost died,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Sure, but...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to approach the topic. ¡°I mean. You know. The fire and everything.¡± Vonda bowed her head slowly in response. ¡°I am fine, Adam. Thank you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Adam smiled, before leaving them all to sleep. Though he was on lookout, his mind wandered. The stars twinkled in the night sky, but they had never been so dim. ¡®Paragon isn¡¯t enough.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Paragon isn''t enough. 420. Horizon VIII 420. Horizon VIII Omen: 15, 20 The fire flickered as Nirot spoke the tale. She started from the fight, when Adam had fallen, and spoke of what had occurred. Adam listened intently, trying to understand what the old man was. Someone with the ability to take him out in a single blow wasn¡¯t surprising to him, even Adam could knock himself out in a single blow if they were to fight, but... To take out pretty much their entire party within seconds? That level of strength was something only creatures like Dragons possessed, and they had to be quite powerful. Even Entalia would have been heavily wounded from their assault, so to think that this old man could just shrug them off... Adam sighed. That wasn¡¯t the most important thing. His eyes fell to Fred, who had fought with them, and had dropped almost instantly. The young man had finally chosen to fight, and Adam had gifted him a sword which would have assisted him quite well. ¡®Jonn didn¡¯t do too bad either,¡¯ Adam thought, looking to the other Half Elf. The man, though a no good liar, at least regained some respect from Adam. ¡®I guess I can¡¯t be too mad at you any more...¡¯ Adam tapped the bowl with his finger. His eyes flashed between both Kitool and Jurot, who had managed to will themselves up to fight the old monster, only for them to watch as Lucy died. ¡®Damn.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure what to say, feeling his throat close for a moment, before his eyes fell to Lucy. ¡®How could...¡¯ Adam¡¯s thoughts stopped, as he understood just how they had met the old man. ¡®It¡¯s definitely my fault. This entire year, I¡¯ve been tempting Mistress Fate, and now...¡¯ The hair at the back of his neck began to prickle, and he thought about what he had learnt. ¡®I can¡¯t be so cocky any more...¡¯ The group finished their baths, courtesy of Adam¡¯s spell, before they continued on. No one decided to admonish Adam for the spell, not after what had happened the day before. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, turning to face the entire group. ¡°We need to get to the forest safe and sound. We¡¯re going to speed up a little just to put some distance between us and that old guy. Instead of heading to Ever Green, we¡¯re going to continue along the road, and we¡¯ll even pass the town and stay outside if we have to.¡± ¡°Moving so quickly is dangerous,¡± Okvar said. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°I...¡± Adam decided against tempting Fate. ¡°Let¡¯s say we meet a Champion, a Champion of Order, perhaps...¡± Adam shared a look with Jurot. ¡°Let¡¯s say we meet the Champion, can we take him on, all of us?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± five Iyrmen replied. Adam blinked, wondering how they could be so sure, but if Iyrmen were in agreement, then he decided to take it as fact. ¡°Then we should be alright.¡± ¡°Will we come across the Champion of Order?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°More than likely,¡± Adam said. ¡°If the Champion does appear, we¡¯ll deal with him. How strong is a Champion?¡± ¡°At least a Paragon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are few Champions who are a tier above.¡± ¡°What¡¯s above a Paragon?¡± ¡°Idol.¡± ¡°Idol?¡± Adam asked, thinking back to what Crowseer said. ¡°Are the Great Elders Paragons?¡± ¡°Most are, probably,¡± Jurot confirmed. He was unsure of Ashmir, but he was certain the other Great Elders were. ¡®Probably?¡¯ Adam thought. He wondered how many times Jurot had replied so uncertainly. ¡°Could the Great Elders face an Idol?¡± ¡°Yes, though they would most likely lose,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are some ways to defeat an Idol, but the definition of an Idol is broad.¡± ¡°So that man was an Idol?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Alright, well, let¡¯s get ready to face the Champion of Order, I guess. Let¡¯s pray they aren¡¯t an Idol.¡± They continued along their way, though Adam thought about what Jurot had told him. ¡®Does that mean the old man is stronger than a Champion? The what the hell do the Gods send after someone like that?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, surprised. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of us?¡± He smiled at first, before it quickly turned into a frown. ¡°A companion of ours is a member of White¡¯s Ghost.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers. ¡°I knew it.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes scanned their faces, before looking to Jaygak, noting her Iyrman tattoos, before looking to Lucy. ¡°You have some interesting company.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. He narrowed his eyes at the woman. ¡°We going to have a problem, Sir Martha?¡± ¡°No,¡± the woman replied. ¡°You have assisted me, and so I will not draw my blade against you because you¡¯re an Elf or hold a Demon in your company.¡± ¡°She is a Devilkin,¡± Jurot said. Adam kept a straight face, though his heart skipped a beat. ¡®What?¡¯ The woman looked to the Iyrman, and bowed her head. If the Iyrman said she was a Devilkin, then that was what she was. The group continued on, and the next day, they marched into the evening, where they found the Order. It was set atop a hill, with a number of villages surrounding it. The woman excused herself to the Order, which would have accepted her, and perhaps a handful of Adam¡¯s party, but Adam decided against heading into the Order, not wanting to start any trouble, as he expected. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, in the Iyrman¡¯s tongue, ¡°did you lie?¡± Jurot shook his head. He understood instantly what Adam was talking about, and he leaned back, eating a cracker with some cheese. ¡°Devilkin. De means two. Vil means horn. Kin means people.¡± ¡°When we met her, you said she wasn¡¯t a Devilkin, she was a...¡± Adam decided against saying the word, even if they were whispering in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°I trusted you to clarify the statement,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Devilkin are those who look like Jaygak, but also those with two horns. I used the definition to avoid trouble.¡± ¡°I thought you were lying,¡± Adam said. ¡°We do not lie, but sometimes, we do not tell the whole truth,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Is there a difference?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If it is to protect the Iyr, then we will only speak half the truth if we must, but we will not lie.¡± ¡°Semantics.¡± Jurot said no more about the topic. He understood Adam¡¯s point, but he also understood the Iyr¡¯s point. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded. It had weighed on Adam¡¯s mind since he had heard it. He wondered if the Iyr had spoken half truths to him. ¡°Will the Iyr speak half truths to me when we make deals?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Do you trust the Iyr?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I have to. Well, it¡¯s alright. The Iyr will look after Lanarot, and I don¡¯t really have anything else the Iyr needs to look after, for now...¡± He thought about the rest of the party, before sighing himself to sleep. Click banner for Patreon! Adam not meeting the Champion of Order? What... Interlude: A Stormy End Interlude: A Stormy End Strom sipped the peach wine from the clay bottle, sighing as he tasted the sweet alcohol. He hummed quietly, all the while the nearly two dozen Iyrmen stood nearby. Most of them had been sent to escort him to the river south of the Iyr. One was Shaool, who had been assigned to Strom for some time, and another was a Gold Rank Iyrman, Zardon, who had been assigned to the figure after losing his bid for Elder Wrath. Another pair of Mithril Rank Iyrmen also escorted the figure, and the rest were made up of Silver Rank and Steel Rank, save for one. ¡°Up!¡± the girl said, pointing up towards the sky. She was small, though much bigger than when Strom first saw her. She wore the Iyr¡¯s clothing, as well as a small hat and gloves, the symbol of her family stitched across the centre of her hat. A blue circle, followed by blue diamonds. ¡°You want to fly?¡± Strom asked, before picking the girl up, floating upwards with her, before he flew across the land, following the nearby river, which spat up water towards them. The girl clapped her hands excitedly, before screaming as she threw out her hands, the soft mist of water tickling her face. Strom kept her close to his chest as he flew her about, the wind rushing past them as they flew. ¡°Has your papa taken you out of the Iyr yet?¡± Strom asked, slowing until he was floating above the river. ¡°Papa,¡± the girl said, looking up at Strom, before her eyes scanned the area to try and find them. However, Lanarot was unable to find the two, and she pointed forward, for Strom to lead her forward. ¡°Are you having fun?¡± Strom asked, causing her to cackle with joy. ¡°Do not worry, your papa will return and he will take you out the Iyr, one day.¡± ¡°Baba,¡± the girl said, hugging his chest tight as they flew. Her tiny orbs stared up at him, only full of childish glee. Strom smiled, feeling the tiny hands grip his clothing tight for support. ¡®Coming to the Iyr was the best choice.¡¯ Zardon threw a look to Shaool, who shook her head. It was strange to see the Lord of Storms, as the pair were informed, flying around with a child of the Iyr. The others were slightly perturbed by the prospect, as they would be unable to assist the child if something happened. Strom eventually floated down with the girl, brushing her hair. ¡°You will forget me one day, little child. What a shame it is that I will not be able to see you reach such heights.¡± Lanarot babbled back at him, patting his chest gently, before smiling up at him. The girl was so much bigger now, and though she mostly babbled, she could at least understand some of the things people said. Strom smiled, brushing her hair once more. ¡°No. I¡¯m sure, if it¡¯s you, you will reach even greater heights. Ah, though, if I wasn¡¯t dying, perhaps you wouldn¡¯t be able to reach such heights?¡± Lanarot cackled at him, slapping his chest eagerly, hearing the soft patting. She continued to drum along his chest, before she yawned. ¡°Mama?¡± Strom handed the girl to Sonarot, and smiled. ¡°You should return. I will remain here for some time, and I will join you once evening comes.¡± Zardon looked to Shaool, who was technically in charge at the moment. She nodded, and the Iyrmen began to return back to their shelter, some ways away from the river which had been split to form the boundary of the Iyr and the Aldishlands. Strom reached for his chest, which was much heavier than before. Lanarot had filled quite a large portion of it, her blissful ignorance of the world only a child could possess had corrupted the old man. ¡®Dessert for the heart,¡¯ Strom recalled. He closed his eyes, thinking about his time within the Iyr, and how fun it had been thus far. He had wished his friend had still been alive, for it would have been a good fight, but then he could have also shown off to her. He continued to drink through the late afternoon, thinking about what he had experienced within the Iyr until that day. It had been a wonderful little retirement, though it had been far too short. ¡®I should have come here years ago...¡¯ Strom continued to rub his heart, which was still trying to keep him alive without his Spark. He looked down at his hands, which had grown thinner, and without a drink, would shake slightly. Yet, whenever he held the girl, he would not shake. ¡°She certainly is no Umbra, but she¡¯s cute enough,¡± Strom said, still not wanting to admit anyone was cuter than his daughter. He sipped from his drink, tossing it aside. ¡°I think of her death at least once a day,¡± he said, summoning another clay bottle from his ring, before sipping from it. ¡°It¡¯s become a ritual of mine.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I keep wondering if I should have caged her, like I had done to so many of my other children. I couldn¡¯t, obviously. Not her. My sweet little Umbra.¡± He sighed long and hard, the rushing river keeping him company. ¡°I called for her to return. I stooped low enough to pay the Gods their gold, thousands upon thousands of gold, but they refused to return her back to me. Her soul was severed from our realms. Something had dared to take her away from me, not just those Leviathan bastards.¡± Strom tossed the clay bottle aside, which scattered across the earth before them with such force, the bottle almost turned to dust. ¡°I beat them good, though. Freed all those Mermen, the undersea dwellers. Where are they now? Those rat bastards, did they flee to the Red Sea? The Land of the Dead? I don¡¯t know...¡± The sad old man drank another bottle, one made by a certain Orcish Iyrman, causing him to wince. ¡°I always wondered why she died. Why she was taken away from me. How she died was also a question. It would have been hard to kill her, considering who she had taken with her, and I¡¯m sure she hadn¡¯t slipped between worlds.¡± ¡°I really did lose my mind for a while.¡± He chuckled, thinking about how many people he had killed back then. It was during a time he was still young and hot blooded. ¡°It turned out all for the best though, didn¡¯t it? I returned. Reclaimed my throne. Ruled over an empire, with over a millennia of peace, other than the Demon Incursions. Peace. Order.¡± Strom narrowed his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t help but think that¡¯s why she had to die. So that Order could finally be brought to the land. Me, the old bitch, Soza, Stokmar, and if you really want to include him, Shama. We held the keys to peace, and Order, for the last two thousand years. Against the Undead. Against the Demons. Against each other.¡± ¡°Peace and Order.¡± Strom finished the last of his drink, and dashed it across the ground, the dust floating away. ¡°Order,¡± he said, turning to look across the river, facing the heavily armoured figure opposite. ¡°I can¡¯t help but think that someone knew that Order could only be achieved once I had set my mind to it.¡± The Champion of Order remained silent, staring at the figure ahead. He, who once ruled over thousands of islands, stood before him. He, who had once stood so tall, so powerful, stood opposite him as a dying old man. ¡°You¡¯re awfully silent, boy.¡± The Champion remained silent, his eyes glued to Strom. ¡°You¡¯re rather lucky I decided to show you mercy. If I had chosen north of the Iyr, it would have been too late. It would have been my month, and you would have stood no chance. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but choose the south, so I could beat you as soon as I could.¡± ¡°Peace and Order. It was quite hard to maintain, what with all the other Champions that other Lord sent. Your cousins, right? Three of them. He sent three, but after the third time, he gave up. How many years does it take to train a Champion? A hundred or so? Three hundred years worth of rat bastards, your uncle, sent to me.¡± The Champion remained silent. ¡°What about your father?¡± Strom asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°He was rather happy, wasn¡¯t he? Awfully happy that my sweet little Umbra was dead.¡± It fell silent for a moment, save for the rushing river, which continued to flow between them, separating the pair. ¡°At least the Champions of Chaos were fun to talk to,¡± Strom said. The Champion did not respond. ¡°Fine then. I¡¯ll just beat the truth out of you.¡± He raised his hand, and blue lightning shot out towards the Champion. The lightning blasted the Champion¡¯s sword, which absorbed the crackling plasma. As the moments continued to pass, the lightning faded. Strom sighed. He could already feel how much it was draining him, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°I¡¯ll be merciful. I know torture won¡¯t break you, but... it would be awfully terrible for your Lord to train another Champion for a hundred years, wouldn¡¯t it? It would be a shame if you let Adam run rampant on the land.¡± The steps stopped as the shadow of the Champion loomed over Strom, a spectre of Death ready to claim his prize. The Champion held his blade above him with both hands. ¡°Order must be maintained.¡± Strom managed to spit out blood at the Champion¡¯s feet, before grabbing his ankle. ¡°Fuck your Order.¡± The Champion aimed his sword to take Strom¡¯s head, but before it fell, lightning blasted him from below. It started at his ankle, and it cut through his entire body, ripping his skin, forming a scar across his skin. The Champion stumbled aside, and dropped before Strom, but as the lightning threatened to tear apart his heart, Strom¡¯s finger¡¯s loosened their grip, and his hand, and entire arm, dropped to the side. The Champion panted, having not taken the lightning so clearly before. His entire body was hot, and though his blood was boiling, his heart hammering wildly in his chest, he still held his mind. He pushed away the daze which had overcome his pounding head, and struggled to his feet. He inhaled deeply, pulling the blade away from where he had cut Strom¡¯s arm, and grabbed his blade with both arms again. He hadn¡¯t expected that a single day would have made such a great difference. He had used most of his spells to resist Strom¡¯s lightning, but he was nearly out of magic, and his mighty Avatar Form was beginning to end. If Strom truly had used the lightning of the next month, then he would have stood no chance. The Champion¡¯s form felt as though he was wading in a river of fire, as the heat continued to pulse, but he ignored the feeling, and clutched his blade with both hands. ¡°Order must be maintained,¡± he stated, the words a prayer to his Lord. ¡°Young man, why don¡¯t you step aside?¡± called a voice from behind him, before a large, strong hand clasped his shoulder. The voice was familiar, and caused the Champion to freeze in place. The dark voice and the fiery sensation prickled the back of his neck. He did not need to turn around to see who had come. The old man¡¯s form was partly aflame, in the same way Strom¡¯s body had crackled with lightning. He was an older man, adorned in light clothes, even in the season of duskval, which was cool, with a chilly wind, and rain every so often. The outfit he wore was similar to that of the Iyrmen, though the stranger was no Iyrman, for though his forehead was tattooed, it was a collection of four dots in the centre which formed a diamond. The Champion had not felt the figure approaching, and if he had used his Spark to empower himself, he would have been certain he would have felt the figure approach. Had he been too engrossed within the fight, trying to survive against Strom, that he hadn¡¯t felt another Lord approach? Why now? He was but an instant away from doing it, to catching Strom¡¯s essence, which would have empowered the Lord of Order with such a great power. Chaos, caught by Order. Shama felt the body tense, but as quickly as it had tensed, it relaxed. No, it wasn¡¯t quite that the figure had relaxed, as a figure blasted past Shama, and through the Champion of Order, creating a large hole where the Champion¡¯s head and torso had been, leaving only his legs and blade behind. ¡°You still have the habit of stealing someone else¡¯s prey,¡± Shama said, his eyes glancing backwards towards where the small figure had landed. He hadn¡¯t felt the figure¡¯s presence, but that wasn¡¯t a surprise, considering that it was the Lord of Earth. He wasn¡¯t sure why she was taking such a form, it wasn¡¯t any which he recalled. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault he smelled of shit,¡± she replied, showing no respect to the Emperor. ¡°What are you doing here, Lord of Flames?¡± ¡°I have come to kill him,¡± Shama replied, staring down at Hadda¡¯s near lifeless corpse. It was nearly unrecognisable considering how thin he had become, and how he was currently dying. The man¡¯s smell had changed too, though he had smelled it only a few days ago, clinging to the young Half Elf. He hadn¡¯t put it together, the fact that Strom had given up his Spark, he had assumed it was the Dragon heart which was within the ring. ¡°Then hurry up so you can leave already.¡± The seemingly Dwarven woman drank from a cask of ale, which had been buried under the Iyr for at least a few centuries. ¡°You¡¯re spoiling the taste of my drink.¡± Shama let out a long, sad sigh. ¡®I was too late.¡¯ He had come this entire way to fight with Hadda, and yet he had been refused a glorious fight. Truly, he had come this entire way to send off his friend in the best way possible, since that old Kraken wouldn¡¯t have killed him. Yet, to think he had come all this way to see his old enemy half dead from having faced a Champion. Not a Demigod, not even a true Avatar, but just a Champion. He let go of the shoulder he had held, letting it fall between he and Hadda. The rain fell across the two Lords, the pair remaining silent. Shama¡¯s flames fell away, his thoughts no longer of killing Hadda. He was uncertain of what he wanted to do with Hadda, but he reached down to stop the bleeding with his fire. Stokmar¡¯s eyes fell to the side, feeling the presence of another, who had appeared from seemingly nowhere. She continued to drink from her cask, as though she were a baby who was drinking milk. ¡°It seems I have arrived late,¡± the figure said, holding his cane with both hands apologetically. ¡°What is one of the Nine Guardian Stars doing here?¡± Shama asked. ¡°Is it not a little rude to be asking me of my business, when I do not ask you of yours?¡± Crowseer smiled politely. Shama narrowed his eyes. ¡°I was denied a good fight, but I do not mind playing with you.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to think of it,¡± Crowseer replied, bowing his head. Maurice shifted in a manner so he would not appear to be bowing. ¡°Though, I would like to ask you if I may heal Lord Hadda.¡± Shama¡¯s brows turned aflame, as he tilted his head slightly. His entire body was tense, ready to charge forward to kill Crowseer. The air around them grew hot, and began to suffocate the Crowseer. ¡°What need of you to heal him?¡± Stokmar understood why Shama was enraged, considering that the Nine Guardian Stars remained neutral, and would only step in to further their plots. Each of them worked on their own machinations, but it was the Crowseers who moved most mysteriously. ¡°It just so happens that I cannot allow him to die just yet,¡± Crowseer said. ¡°The die should not fall in such a way yet.¡± Shama stepped forward, and within an instant he appear before Crowseer, who raised his cane to defend himself. Crowseer caught the fist with his cane, the flame splashing outwards rather than around him, but he was still forced back as he slid in the wet mud. ¡°You have healed completely since meeting with the Iyrmen,¡± Crowseer noted. Shama turned his fist into an open palm, before forming a fist once more, as the fire around them began to swirl, and formed a dome around Crowseer, who raised his cane and called his own magic to defend himself. The dome of fire began to grow smaller, threatening to crush Crowseer, though his magic managed to stave off the fire for too long. Stokmar stomped her foot, causing the earth under Crowseer to shoot upwards, launching Crowseer up. He floated up at the peak of the height, and then slowly floated towards the ground. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Shama asked, his eyes falling across the small form of the Lord of Earth. ¡°You¡¯re such an annoying bastard,¡± Stokmar replied, before drinking the rest of her ale, tossing the cask aside. ¡°Why are you making a mess so close to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Can you really say something like that?¡± Shama asked. Stokar fell into a sitting position, but as she fell, the earth around her formed a throne of dirt, and she sat in a position which overlooked the Emperor. ¡°You are too far from home to be thinking you¡¯re anybody in front of me, young man.¡± Shama narrowed his eyes at the woman, all the while walls of fire circled around the pair of them. However, he thought about whether a fight with her was a good idea, especially since there was so much earth all around them, and they were right next to the Iyr¡¯s borders. ¡°May I heal the good Lord now?¡± Crowseer cleared his throat, awkwardly standing before two Lords, he, who had no chance to survive if he fought either of them. He was stuck between a rock and a hot place. Click banner for Patreon! Normally I consider Interludes as extra chapters but I ask for mercy this time. 421. Awakened Forest I 421. Awakened Forest I The group didn¡¯t spend much time within the town, marching their way across the land swiftly. They passed by a town roughly equivalent to Red Oak, and then the capital of the South Aldland region, Gold Port. However, due to how quickly they were travelling the group was exhausted, and didn¡¯t get the chance to enjoy the city, as they had approached the city late in the evening, and left an hour after waking up. ¡°Did you not wish to buy an axe in Gold Port?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I just needed the one,¡± Adam said, tapping the new axe at his side, which he had bought at the first town. His finger felt almost empty without Wizard¡¯s Axe, but it was a small price to pay for the safety of the others. Adam glanced back to Nirot for a moment. He wanted to tell her off for trying to start a fight with a monster like that old man, but... ¡®My Cousins are the cutest, that¡¯s for sure.¡¯ They continued their way along the road, managing to avoid all manner of fights, from bandits to beasts. There had been a group who had been waiting above the hills, but seeing the large number of Iyrmen, they had decided against trying to claim a road fee. South Fort was large too, but in a very different way to other towns. It was a large town surrounded by a dozen small forts, and a wall which spread all the way across the horizon. These walls were great, though they were no walls of the Iyr, they no doubt allowed the inhabitants to feel extremely well protected. The guards were heavily armed, each of them wearing heavy chain mail, and they carried spears. They looked like the guards of any other town, but they stood taller and grander than any other they had seen. ¡°What is your business in South Fort?¡± a guard asked. ¡°We are headed to the Awakened Forest,¡± Okvar said. The guard glanced across the rest of the party, noting the lack of tattoos on some of the members. ¡°Not all of you are Iyrmen?¡± ¡°They have business within the Awakened Forest.¡± ¡°What kind of business?¡± the guard asked. Adam raised his brows. ¡°As the one who claimed the forest, I think I can go to the forest without telling you my business.¡± ¡°It is business which the Iyr is dealing with,¡± Okvar said. The guard glanced between the Iyrmen, and then to Adam and the others. ¡°How long will your business take?¡± ¡°No more than a week,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll return quickly.¡± ¡°If even one of them is missing you¡¯ll have to answer for it, Iyrman.¡± Okvar bowed his head. The gate fee was paid, and the guards allowed the group within one of the small outposts near a fort. Adam paid for their lodgings, which were simple and clean. The baths weren¡¯t even warm. Omen: 13, 15 The Awakened Forest greeted the group as they approached towards the late afternoon. ¡°This is an Awakened Forest?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. Wujyn, too, had heard about what had happened. She was one of the council members of the Forest Iyr, claiming her right as she had been here to assist claiming the Awakened Forest, so she had learnt what had occurred. ¡°Shall I take you to Lord Ivory?¡± ¡®Lord Ivory?¡¯ Adam wondered if he should make a joke. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Do I have to come?¡± Lucy asked. She wasn¡¯t sure if she could go and see Mara, not in the state that she was. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he should be called Lord Ivory, but if he¡¯s gotten too big for his boots, we can teach him a lesson.¡± Lucy sighed, but followed the group as they made their way out of the village, following the trail which led a few hundred steps away. A giant tree sat before them. It wasn¡¯t quite sitting, as it was half melted into the earth and the forest, like chocolate which had been left out. He was completely white, with specks of dark blue which crackled with energy. ¡°It is good to see you,¡± Big Ivory said, his voice low and deep, full of greater power. His eyes stared down at Adam, and it crossed from Adam to Jurot, then to Lucy. When Lucy had returned previously, she had been quite powerful considering not much time had passed. Yet, seeing Adam and Jurot before him, Big Ivory wondered what had happened, and if he had slept for too long. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Did you enjoy your snack?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Big Ivory replied, bowing his trunk head, the tree branches above shaking. ¡°Thank you, friends.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Adam glanced around, seeing all the trees nearby. There were dozens of different types, and he swore he could see faces in their bark. ¡°You know, I came all this way to meet you. Took us almost a month, and we didn¡¯t come across much trouble, but...¡± Big Ivory remained silent, noting the way Adam was looking at him. Adam¡¯s eyes were darker than before, and even back then, Adam¡¯s eyes had been quite scary. ¡°He was one hell of a monster. A monster I never thought I would come across so soon. It hasn¡¯t even been two years, though I suppose I should be glad since last time, I only lasted a year.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Seeing you like this, far more powerful than before, and being referred to as Lord...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not sure whether I should be angry, or upset, or if I¡¯m overreacting.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It just feels annoying, you know? I mean, I gave you a Dragon heart, and Lucy came back to me all depressed. Then, on the way here, we met with a...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I really want to just cut you to bits, honestly.¡± ¡°That would be quite awkward for me,¡± Big Ivory replied, casually. ¡°You could at least do me a favour and look like a beautiful woman if you¡¯re going to be stealing one away from me, you know?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Is that why you came?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam pulled off his ring, and tossed it up to Big Ivory, who caught it with a branch, which whipped the ring out of the air and slipped it onto a branch. ¡°Adult Dragon heart, right?¡± Big Ivory probed the ring¡¯s contents, and bowed his head once more. Emerging from the brush was the familiar form of Mara. She was pale, and seemed to have lost a little weight in comparison to before, and whereas her hair was still red, there were new strands of white. Lucy glanced away from the woman, but the cracking branches caught her attention. Her eyes snapped back to Mara, who was slowly falling from the blanket of vines which had been absorbing her strength. Lucy grabbed the falling Demon, holding her in an embrace, feeling the cold body of her best friend. ¡°What?¡± Lucy asked. Click banner for Patreon! :o 422. Awakened Forest II 422. Awakened Forest II Quest Complete: Promises Kept (Demon Lord) XP Gained: +100 XP: 12 200 -> 12 300 Quest Complete: Promises Kept (Guardian) XP Gained: +100 XP: 12 300 -> 12 400 Her eyes fluttered before the blurry face of a familiarly unfamiliar form appeared before her. ¡°Your Grace,¡± came the coarse voice, the Demon feeling how dry her throat had become. Lucy held the cold form of Mara within her arms, her mind blank. ¡°Mara?¡± Mara blinked away the blurriness from her eyes and she smiled. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve regained your strength, Your Grace.¡± Lucy looked up at Big Ivory, uncertain of what was happening. Her eyes then darted to Adam, then to Jurot, and finally back to Mara. ¡°Mara?¡± She reached up and stroked the woman¡¯s cheek, feeling how soft her skin still was, in comparison to her own rough hands. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Your Grace.¡± Lucy wrapped her arms around Mara and pulled her even closer, her own body growing hot, her heart pounding in her chest. She held the Demon tight, not allowing anyone to take Mara from her. Lucy shook as she began to cry, tears flowing down her face. Mara looked up at Lucy, smiling, feeling the wet tears against her forehead. She reached up to wipe the woman¡¯s tears, before she fell limp, too exhausted to keep her consciousness up. Adam was glaring at Big Ivory, his jaw tense in a half smile. It certainly had warmed his heart that Lucy had finally reunited with her friend, but there was more to deal with. ¡°Jurot, why don¡¯t you take them back to the village?¡± Jurot helped Lucy up, carrying Mara with his strong arms, while Lucy followed after him, holding Mara¡¯s hand. She was still confused, unsure if she was currently dreaming. ¡°What is it?¡± Big Ivory eventually asked. He had waited for a short while, but it had been much longer for Adam, and yet the Half Elf hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can understand my anger,¡± Adam said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a scene I should have seen, no matter how touching it may have been.¡± ¡°This debt will not be forgotten.¡± Adam smiled, turning to look at Big Ivory. ¡°Yeah.¡± He thought for a moment, wondering how much he should threaten the Guardian. ¡°For Mother Soza¡¯s sake, I hope not.¡± With that, the Half Elf left. Whatever rage he had felt had washed away, and he returned back to his friends. He had so much he had to say to Big Ivory, and had so many threats, but he let the matter go. It still soured his mouth that they had to go through so much, and he had to give up so much, just because he had to give in to a parasite. He hadn¡¯t thought deeply about what had happened, but after seeing Lucy break down and cry, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that this world was unjust. ¡®Isn¡¯t this meant to be a fantasy world? Why is everything still the same?¡¯ He sighed. ¡°Yo,¡± Adam called, entering the room. Mara was settled into a bed, and Lucy was holding the woman¡¯s hand. Jurot sat nearby, his arms crossed. ¡°It¡¯s Mara,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°She¡¯s...¡± Lucy looked up to Adam, wondering what had happened. Her eyes held a question, and Adam smiled in response. Lucy sniffled and got up, charging at the Half Elf, before he hugged her tight. ¡°Did you get a Dragon heart?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I traded for it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Are the Scribe Mages in this land typically Nobles?¡± Adam asked, innocently. ¡°Yes, but there are some who buy the rights to become a Scribe Mage,¡± Jurot replied. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°They don¡¯t think that those of common blood are able to handle the work required, right? They¡¯re not intelligent enough? Except for those who have enough money to join their exclusive club?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam blew a raspberry. ¡°Who could have possible guessed that? What about Blood Mages? They don¡¯t need resources, just being born into...¡± As Adam spoke the words, he felt dirtier. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it make sense for Blood Mages to rule as their blood gives them magic? Damn, that¡¯s weird.¡¯ ¡°Blood Mages are rare within Aldland,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°In Aswadasad there are more, but Drakkenlen has a population which boasts a greater chance of those who are Blood Mages.¡± ¡°How come there are so few in Aldland?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Drakkenlen having so many makes sense, considering Dragons have rules the land for a while. Is Aswadasad just more magical?¡¯ ¡°They were hunted down,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Well, yeah. I guess that does make sense. After all, Blood Mages could break the Noble¡¯s monopoly on power. Sometimes I¡¯m disappointed in this world, you know? Everything seems so... predictable. Hell, it¡¯s a surprise no one¡¯s been more racist to me. I expected someone to try and hang me for being a filthy leaf ear already.¡± ¡°If you were alone, many would have tried.¡± Jurot assumed Adam had been hanging out with them on purpose. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Right. I guess I¡¯ve accidentally been smart enough not to get myself killed.¡± He looked to Lucy, who was only vaguely listening to them. She was a Demon, and a Demon Lord, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise that many would aim for her too. To think that someone was so brazen to do it in front of Iyrmen, though. A thought passed by his mind. ¡°Does that mean if I have kids, they¡¯ll probably be hunted?¡± Adam swallowed. Jurot sat up straighter, the question almost like a slap to the face. ¡°I will not allow it.¡± It was a rare moment that Jurot did not speak bluntly. The darkness had gripped his heart in that moment. ¡°It is likely.¡± Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise that everything was going to be so troublesome when I picked this race.¡± ¡®Damn. I guess I can¡¯t get married any time soon, then. It¡¯s not like I can date anyone until Lanarot chooses someone for me anyway.¡¯ The pair left Lucy alone with Mara, going to join the others to drink and eat. Adam wondered how hard it would do to do business. ¡®I guess I just need to make a greater business? I need to figure out a way to become indispensable. Everyone¡¯s principles fall when it comes to money.¡¯ Jurot remained quiet during the evening. The question Adam had asked earlier weighed on his mind. If Adam had children, would they not be his nieces and nephews? However, Adam was only a Nephew of the Iyr, and he had made his intentions to remain separate well known. He drank the entire cup of wine, before staring at the emptiness within. Adam stared up at the stars that night. His entire body ached from moving hundreds of miles with little rest. Yet, even that was nothing compared to the pain he felt in his heart. ¡®She almost died before we got here...¡¯ Though he was full of relief now, it was still something which ate him. ¡®Stronger. I need to be stronger.¡¯ He prayed he never met that guy again. At least, not until he was Level 20. ¡®Hey, Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®Let¡¯s get stronger together.¡¯ [Okay.] Click banner for Patreon! Level 6 here we come? Spoiler Alert: No. 423. Awakened Forest III 423. Awakened Forest III Omen: 1, 17 Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to approach the topic of returning back to the Iyr. There was a cold spectre which loomed over him, slowly pressuring him. The spectre was not due to the topic, but because of what had happened not long ago. Adam had just brought the pair of Demons together, but now that there were two Demons, wouldn¡¯t things become more awkward? He didn¡¯t want to see one of them die having only just met one another. The group ate breakfast together, a large amount of meat and fruit provided by the forest. It was the only real forest within a day¡¯s walk, but it was far more bountiful than any of its size. ¡°The magics within the forest provide enough food for we Iyrmen,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°We have our small fields, which provide us plenty of food. Every day we can harvest enough food for most of us, and Lord Ivory provides us with beasts and fruit.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± Adam replied. He wondered how many people the forest could sustain, and wondered just how far its magics reached. ¡°The forest is expanding, and will soon stretch from sea to sea,¡± Wujyn said, drawing a simple map on either side. ¡°The strait between Aldland and Aswadasad splits the land, and the Awakened Forest will soon swallow the land up until the walls.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Adam said. ¡°If the forest takes all this land, won¡¯t the Aldish take issue with it?¡± ¡°It will be best for Lord Ivory to surrender the forest to the north, and allow a road to be built from the straight to South Fort. The adventurer capital within the region is Silver Belt,¡± Wujyn said, tapping the strait. ¡°Aswadasad¡¯s side is a prosperous city, one which is ruled by the adventurers who retired there many years ago. It had been built over the last few centuries.¡± ¡°Does Aldland not have a city there?¡± ¡°The land between South Fort and the strait is known to be cursed,¡± Wujyn explained. ¡°Silver Belt is firmly under the grip of the various guilds which operate within it, and they provide Aswadasad enough trouble, so Aldland does not deal with it. It is a well known neutral city, and it has allowed the pair to remain the status quo. None truly claim the land from the strait upwards, for neither Aswadasad nor Aldland could claim it.¡± ¡°So the Awakened Forest complicates that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam rubbed his chin, staring at the drawing. ¡°So what happens after ten years?¡± ¡°Lord Ivory must think of a way to please both Aldland and Aswadasad, though Aswadasad is currently working through a rebellion.¡± Adam looked up at Wujyn, surprised for a moment, but he had recalled something had happened earlier in the year. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It is believed the Shen has overextended his power and had been taken by tyranny. He increased his strength to pressure his political opponents, and had ordered the assassination of the Faro¡¯s son.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Faro?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They would be considered a Duke within Aldland.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Damn. Why did he do that?¡± ¡°There are many reasons as to why he could have done such a thing, if he truly did.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I think it is a shame that the country has fallen to a civil war at this time,¡± Wujyn said. ¡°Aldland has offered two years of peace from their previous war.¡± ¡°So, if Aldland had any honour, they have two years to sort out their issues?¡± Adam asked. Wujyn bowed her head. ¡°If Aldland joins the war, then Western Aswadasad will no doubt lose the war.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Mara stated, as firmly as she could. She smiled, trying to maintain the composure of a maid, but Adam could see that she was still exhausted from being used as a battery for over a year. ¡°Any time,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head at her, trying to smile to reassure her. The Half Elf quickly cooled himself in the nearby stream, getting rid of any thoughts about the woman. He reached up to his heart, which was cool. The typical warmth of his Mana no longer accompanied him, but there was something else about it. ¡°Adam,¡± Mara called, causing Adam to straighten up. He had just finished changing, and his heart pounded as he was almost caught. He followed her to once side, where she offered him a cup of wine, pouring it in for him. ¡°I have heard that you assisted my Lady throughout your journeys,¡± Mara said. ¡°Well, you know,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. He sipped the cup of wine. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why, what? Why did I help her?¡± Mara bowed her head. ¡°Did she tell you about how we have something in common?¡± ¡°Her Grace has revealed your secrets to me,¡± Mara said. ¡°You have no need to worry, for I will not reveal them.¡± Adam nodded his head, understanding that once two people knew of a secret, it was no longer a secret. ¡°I didn¡¯t want her to be like me. I don¡¯t have anyone from my world with me, and though I have Jurot and the others in this world, they¡¯re not the same as those from my other life. I¡¯ve lost everyone, but at the very least, she has you.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a smile, but the smile strained against his lips. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to be like me.¡± ¡°Are you certain it is not because you love her?¡± Mara asked. Adam almost choked as he laughed. ¡°Lucy is my friend, Mara.¡± ¡°You would go so far for your friends?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t told you much about me, it seems,¡± Adam said. ¡°You should ask her how far I¡¯m willing to go for my friends.¡± ¡°She spoke of your interest in me,¡± Mara said, smiling at him innocently. ¡°What kind of interest?¡± Adam asked, his cheeks flushing slightly red. ¡°That you wished to marry me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m too weak to marry anyone,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly, feeling his throat clog up. For a moment the cringe washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by something else. Mara noted the flash of darkness which crossed his eyes, and so dropped the joke there. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Criiiiinge. 424. Return 424. Return Omen: 1, 3 ¡°We should leave today,¡± Lucy said. ¡°She¡¯ll be safe in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Will she not be safe here?¡± Dunes asked, noting that they were surrounded by hundreds of Iyrmen, and some of whom were quite powerful. ¡°No,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°She won¡¯t.¡± Her eyes fell to Adam for support. ¡°It¡¯s not that she won¡¯t be safe here, but she¡¯ll be much safer in the Iyr,¡± Adam said, glad that she had given him the chance to speak up. ¡°Plus, this land here might come under threat if the war spills over, and I don¡¯t know about you, but I worked really hard, and gave up too much, for Mara to die immediately after reuniting her with Lucy.¡± The others decided against arguing with Adam, partly because his tongue was venomous, and partly because they understood that he wanted to return back to the Iyr eagerly. Even Dunes, who wished to continue the journey, understood Adam¡¯s, and the party¡¯s, worries. They didn¡¯t take long in gathering their supplies, the Iyrmen handing over small crates of dried fruit and meat for their journey, as well as some wine. Adam had planned on supplementing their journey with Goodberry, as he had done so far. Adam eyed up his group, which had marched for so many weeks already. He thought about how tired he was too, but the thought of returning to the Iyr filled him with greater strength. Once they returned to the Iyr, they could take some time off and relax, before figuring out what to do next. Adam¡¯s heart throbbed, and a flash of fire appeared before his eyes. As quickly as it had come, it disappeared. Okvar placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, nodding his head. The Orcish Iyrman, and Rasam, were also returning with the group, and would be able to keep them safe from almost anything which could try to bother them. With two giant elks to assist, the group could still move swiftly, one of them carrying the Demon, who Adam would assist with his Mana. The rain did very little to hamper their movement as they trekked along the road, making their way to South Fort. The guards stared down at their paper, counting the heads of the returning group. ¡°One more Devilkin?¡± ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®How did I not think of that?¡¯ ¡°She is a Guest of the Iyr,¡± Okvar said. ¡°She was a victim of the forest, but she is now safe. It was one of our tasks when heading to the Awakened Forest.¡± ¡°One of them, eh?¡± ¡°The other was to send them information about matters of we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Any matters we should know?¡± ¡°No, but the Iyr has been your ally for thousands of years,¡± Okvar said. ¡°This fort, too, was returned due to the Iyr¡¯s efforts.¡± The guard raised her brow, wondering what the Iyrman was talking about. ¡°Returned?¡± ¡®So, he really was an Idol? No, he seems far more powerful than a typical Idol...¡¯ Paul wondered how powerful the figure was, noting the other figure which had appeared at the beginning of the year, and then the figure which had appeared in the year previous. ¡®Lord Stokmar, and two more Idols?¡¯ He checked where the figures had headed, and his eyes fell to the Guild¡¯s map, checking the movements of the figures. Lord Stokmar had been noted to move to the mountains, presumably where the dwarves lived, whereas the other two figures had headed towards the west. ¡®Of course it would be there of all place...¡¯ He wondered if he should send a message to his wife, but he decided against it. It was no good to get involved in the Iyrman¡¯s business. They stayed out of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild business, and the Adventurer¡¯s Guild stayed out of their business. ¡®At least those two didn¡¯t kill one of our operatives...¡¯ Paul¡¯s eyes fell to another folder, which held the information of another figure who had appeared near Aswadasad, one who held the abilities of lightning, and had dealt with their operative who had been assigned to keep an eye on them. ¡®At least that one didn¡¯t make his way to the Iyr.¡¯ He sighed, wondering if he could ask for a raise. Omen: 2, 4 Adam was glad he had decided to remain within Red Oak. ¡®Damn. What is this luck?¡¯ He sighed, thinking about what he needed to do that day. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t walk around alone...¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam said. ¡°I apologise for taking your time when I¡¯ve been working you, and everyone else, so hard.¡± ¡°There are no thanks needed, Adam,¡± she assured. ¡°I understand why you are uncomfortable walking alone within Red Oak.¡± Adam¡¯s ears twitched, and he wondered just how much trouble he was going to get into today. Jurot had left earlier, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure where. The Iyrmen each left by themselves to do their own business, as they always did in the towns, even when they had been travelling. ¡®Being with Sir Vonda should be alright, though. Having someone who is a Noble and a Priest beside me should keep away anyone too awful.¡¯ He shook his head, trying not to think of Vonda as a convenient tool. ¡®Should I buy her something as a thanks? No, isn¡¯t that weird? It¡¯s totally weird.¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Sir Vonda called, wondering why he was thinking so deeply. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Omen: 1, 6 ¡®Damn. What¡¯s with this luck?¡¯ Adam thought about delaying their departure, but thinking about spending another day away from the Iyr caused him to shudder. Click banner for Patreon! No random old man encounter on the way back to the Iyr? Damn. 425. Adam’s Threat 425. Adam¡¯s Threat Somehow, Adam and his group were fortunate. Their journey from Red Oak to the villages was fraught with a boring nothingness, a boring nothingness Adam welcomed eagerly. They had passed by two of the villages, and though they had found various creatures, their survival instincts made sure they left descendants, as they left the group be. ¡®One more village,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about how close they were to the Iyr. The mud had slowed down their travel slightly, but they continued at a decent pace. As evening threatened the party, Okvar stopped. He had been travelling at the front of the party, whilst Rasam brought up the rear. Jurot and Kitool both glanced aside, reaching for their weapons. Adam heard it soon after, the whimpering and grunting, the sounds of something sloshing, almost like someone stepping in mud. Adam raised a hand back towards the rest of the group, and followed Jurot and the others ahead, with Dunes and Jonn following. They would be a strong enough group to deal with most things which wouldn¡¯t outright kill them. ¡°Oh, fuck,¡± Adam groaned, looking away from the sight, while the Iyrmen stepped ahead. There were a number of small creatures, small humanoids, with green skin, and leaf shaped ears. Many of them were thin, their arms no thicker than a tree branch, and those who were still living were injured. Most were dead, but there were three which were currently feasting on their dead fellows. They turned and hissed towards the Iyrmen, their eyes bestial, their teeth jagged and full of green flesh. The creatures reached for their weapons weakly, but the Iyrmen quickly made little work of them, killing the group. ¡°Goblins?¡± Jurot said, noting the different cloths against their body. ¡°Two groups,¡± Okvar said, nodding his head. ¡®There should not be Goblins so close to the Iyr...¡¯ Kitool wasn¡¯t sure how Goblins could starve nearly to death, but she noted the wounds on the various creatures, which had been dealt by the weapons within the group. ¡°They must have been forced away. They had clashed a short while ago,¡± Okvar said, scanning his eyes across the dozens of Goblins, all of whom were dead. ¡°What a terrible sight,¡± Dunes said, glancing down towards a half eaten Goblin, before noting something squirming against its stomach. He reached down and pulled up the woman¡¯s skirt, revealing two tiny forms, each only slightly bigger than his hands. One of the tiny creature¡¯s was still partly within his mother. ¡°Lady Arya, give me strength,¡± Dunes prayed, drawing his sword. He stared down at the tiny forms, watching as they twitched, barely able to breathe. His blade glowed, wanting to make their deaths painless. ¡°Dunes,¡± Adam called. Dunes was about to ask Adam for a moment, before he felt the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. The pounding of his heart reached up into his ears, and he slowly turned his head, staring at the figure in the purple plate mail. The helmet hid much of Adam¡¯s face, but he could see the eyes, the very same eyes which were glaring at Dunes. The tone of voice Adam had used, the glare within his eyes, both suggested that Dunes was moments away from losing something. The Aswadian¡¯s eyes fell to Adam¡¯s hand, which clutched around a warhammer of Dwarven made, the other held his die, the same die which the Half Elf used to channel his spells. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, his eyes glued to Dunes. His heart and forehead both thundered, and his entire body was tense.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°I was going to send them to Baktu,¡± Dunes replied, his voice low, using the Iyrman¡¯s name of the God of Death specifically. ¡°You know,¡± Adam began, his voice weak. ¡°The most surprising thing of all is how close this happened to the Iyr.¡± ¡°The Goblin tribes live towards Central Aldland, but sometimes they appear around these lands,¡± Okvar explained. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Adam said, pulling his eyes away from the carnage. He let out a sad sigh, and brought his hands together. ¡°I hope you take care of them, Baktu.¡± He looked to the two babies, daring not to find any more among the dead. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to take them just yet, though.¡± The group returned back to the party, where they noted the two babes. The confusion filled the group as the situation was explained, the Iyrmen confused for a different reason than the others. ¡®What were Goblins doing so close to the Iyr?¡¯ ¡®Why did Adam save the two Goblins?¡¯ ¡°Can you cast your magic to make sure they don¡¯t get sick?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Vonda replied, slightly confused. Dunes watched awkwardly as Vonda prayed over the children. ¡®Was it because of Sir Vonda?¡¯ the Aswadian thought, looking to Adam. The Priest of Life was glad that the children hadn¡¯t been killed. Even if it was a mercy to kill them, she would not have liked that. However, leaving the Goblins alive... ¡®They will not live long.¡¯ She wondered it such a thing was truly good, or if it was evil born from a weak heart. The group made their ways some way away, further along the path. They eventually began to make camp, with Adam summoning his tower, though the upper level was used for the children. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adam said, awkwardly speaking to Rasam, though not looking her way. ¡°Thank you, too.¡± Rasam had taken the children and began feeding them, Okvar having assigned her the task. ¡°It is okay.¡± She stared down at the Goblins, who were drinking from her hungrily. She wondered what Adam had done, and why. It was something that she, as an Iyrman, hadn¡¯t expected. ¡®He certainly is not Aldish.¡¯ Mara stared at him from the side. She had been awake for less than a month, and had heard of Adam¡¯s stories from the others, and they had all emphasised how he was queer. They all stated that he was crazy, and considering how he had gained a Dragon heart for her life, she assumed it was the case. ¡®Ah,¡¯ she thought. The others had stated he was kind, in a weird way, and though he seemed complicated, she could see that Adam was simple. Adam left Rasam and Mara be, trusting Rasam not to do anything to the children considering she was breastfeeding them. He sighed, dropping down, wrapping his blanket around himself. Jurot looked to Adam, noting the symbols on the blanket, before he pulled his own blanket around himself. The Iyrmen viewed Goblins very differently to the rest of the lands around them. However, he would not have acted like Adam, to protect the two newborns. Perhaps it was Adam who deserved the circle and diamonds most. Jurot smiled at the thought. Adam stared at the sky for some time. ¡®How could he do that? They¡¯re not dire wolves, they¡¯re babies. Babies. Dunes, damn it.'' Click banner for Patreon! Adam really is queer. 426. The Babies 426. The Babies Omen: 8, 9 Adam¡¯s stress level had increased almost tenfold, wondering how they could guide the babies forward. They were newborn, and as such, were prone to dying at the whims of a sneeze. ¡°You have no need to worry,¡± the Orcish Iyrman said, forming a sling made of cloth, before resting the tiny babies within the sash, letting them rest between his chest and robes. ¡°You have to be careful, Okvar,¡± Adam said, nervously. ¡°The children will be safe,¡± Okvar assured. They were safe within his reach, and he and Rasam would allow none to harm them. The journey forward was slow with the babies, who would often cry to feed, and would need to be cleaned constantly. Adam¡¯s magic worked wonders on their clothies, but Adam wondered if they should be soiling themselves so much. The babies would remain asleep, the rhythmic movement of Okvar¡¯s body coaxing them to sleep much of the day. The stars were already out by the time they had arrived at the village, the torches lit near the gates. There were three people on duty, keeping a watch out for trouble, and when they saw the mass of strangers, the guards quickly grabbed their spears and stood tall to appear menacing. ¡°Oh!¡± a guard called out. ¡°Iyrmen! Iyrmen are here!¡± Adam ran up towards them, causing them to jolt upwards, before they grabbed their spears. ¡°Be quiet, damn it! We¡¯ve got babies with us!¡± The shrieks of two newborn Goblins filled the air, all the while the guards noted the tiny figures against the Iyrman¡¯s chest, flushing red with embarrassment. ¡°How was I supposed to know?¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com sighed, but very quickly the group were allowed in, with the familiar face of Chief Merl poking out. ¡°You¡¯re back so soon?¡± Merl asked, noting the familiar faces. She had seen them off not a couple of months ago, and she was certain they had planned to leave for a long while. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, simply. He wasn¡¯t sure how much he should say. ¡°Has the village been well?¡± ¡°We have been well and safe, what with all the Iyrmen moving through,¡± Merl replied, noting the group. Her eyes fell across Okvar¡¯s chest, and she almost gave away her confusion, but with the practise of an elder, she kept her face neutral. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all come to the fire? We have another guest here today.¡± ¡®That doesn¡¯t bode well,¡¯ Adam thought, instantly on edge. There was laughing in the distance as an older man sipped some tea, before he continued his tale. ¡°The fires lasted three days and three nights, and...¡± The old man stopped his tale, glancing over towards the new group who had appeared within the village. The Iyrmen were tense, and though Okvar continued to gently sway the children, they continued to cry. The old man¡¯s eyes remained on Jurot for a long while, and Adam followed the sight, only to see Jurot. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam asked. Jurot¡¯s eyes remained focus on the stranger, and he could see nothing else around them. He felt an invisible pressure against his shoulders which pressed him down, though it did not exude from the figure, but rather, it came from deep within him. The darkness in his heart encroached once more. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam called, placing a hand on Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Jurot blinked, his eyes meeting Adam¡¯s. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, so why don¡¯t you put away your axe?¡± Adam stated, calmly. Jurot looked down at Phantom, which he gripped tightly to the point his knuckles were white. He hadn¡¯t recalled drawing it. The confusion set within his body. He had never drawn his axe without intent before. No, it wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t draw his axe out of intent, it was that it was a specific type of intent, one he wasn¡¯t familiar with. He put Phantom away, and the other Iyrmen relaxed. Adam glanced between the old man and then to Jurot. The old man was quite a handsome guy, but there was nothing which reminded Adam of anything. ¡®Two Demons,¡¯ the old man thought, his eyes scanning across the group. ¡°I did not expect to see other outsiders,¡± he said, in Elvish. ¡°Though, I suppose I¡¯m not really an outsider since I was originally from these realms.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked, speaking in curt Elvish, which would have been considered quite rude, but the old man started it first. ¡°He beat us up without breaking a sweat.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather not talk about it.¡± ¡°Was it your first loss?¡± Asa asked, wondering if it was the boy¡¯s pride speaking. ¡°No. My first loss was to a one armed old man who hadn¡¯t been active in at least a decade.¡± Asa smiled. ¡°Yet this loss was worse?¡± ¡°At least I managed to fight for a while back then, but this time...¡± He shook his head. Adam glanced aside to his companions. ¡°I was known to be a queer Half Elf. I mean, I¡¯m not gay, so I don¡¯t mean it that way.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Asa asked, barely able to contain his surprise. ¡®Did Elves change while I was gone? Ah, he is an outsider, perhaps it does not work the same?¡¯ Adam raised his brow. ¡°Unfortunately for you, I¡¯m not. Anyway, everyone here knows me as someone insane. I don¡¯t work the same way as everyone else. From the way I think, to my abilities, everything about me is queer. I went from fight to fight, bodying everything, expect for that old geezer, and...¡± He shook his head. ¡°I went down instantly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re alive, so is there a need to dwell on it?¡± ¡°He killed my friend.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t appreciate you speaking of our secrets so candidly.¡± ¡°I am speaking Elvish, am I not?¡± ¡°Some people can speak it well enough, or they can use magic to comprehend it.¡± ¡°I would have noticed.¡± ¡°Either way, it¡¯s quite rude.¡± ¡°Not quite as rude as you not introducing yourself.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam said in the common tongue. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, Fateson.¡± ¡®That Fate?¡¯ The thought invaded Asa¡¯s mind. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Adam Fateson. You seem to have many stories to tell.¡± ¡°I could,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though I¡¯ve been rather open with you and you haven¡¯t really talked about yourself.¡± ¡°I am more curious as to why there are two Goblins with you. They seem to be newly born, though I may be wrong. I am not an expert with such matters.¡± ¡°They were born yesterday. Their mother was half eaten by another Goblin, and we saved them. Well, one of us tried to kill them, but luckily they ended up thinking against it.¡± ¡°Why not kill them?¡± Asa asked. ¡°They¡¯re babies.¡± Asa remained quiet for some time. He burst out with laughter, almost crying. ¡°Of course!¡± With those words, he understood how queer Adam was. Click banner for Patreon! Another old man? Who could it be? Why did Jurot raise his axe? Will I fix my sleep? Will we ever find out the answers to these questions? 427. Where Are We? 427. Where Are We? Omen: 6, 16 The group readied themselves to leave, with Adam checking up on the Goblin babes, who were as tiny as ever. They had awoken several times in the night, but the Iyrmen had taken shifts in taking care of them, as they had when they were on watch in the middle of the wilderness. Adam pat Zeus¡¯ head. ¡°Thank you for all you¡¯ve done, Zeus.¡± The giant elk bowed his head, and Adam took the saddlebags, carrying them personally. They had carried most of their food stuffs, but had been replaced by other items they had procured as they journeyed, though they had little time to buy much of anything. Except for that, of course. ¡°It feels like a waste to dismiss you...¡± Adam threw a look to the Chief, who was currently speaking with Rasam. ¡°What is it?¡± Young Merl asked. ¡°I was just wondering if you needed the help of a magical giant elk,¡± Adam said. Merl looked at Zeus. ¡°We can¡¯t control something like that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one to control it?¡± ¡°I could tell Zeus to listen and obey the Chief. I¡¯ll tell him not to fight anything, not unless the Chief asks for it, and to hold back not to kill anything. He¡¯s useful, and can carry more than typical mule.¡± Merl stared at the giant elk still, the suspicion in her eyes slowly flowing away as reason filled them. ¡®It would be useful...¡¯ ¡°Just give him a day off per week, otherwise I¡¯ll feel bad,¡± Adam said, rubbing Zeus¡¯ back. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to anything, but talk with him sometimes, and praise him when he does well. If he tells me you¡¯ve been treating him bad, I¡¯ll be thinking twice about coming around here and helping about.¡± ¡°We always treat our animals right,¡± Merl replied, her lips pulled taut. Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m offering you Zeus for free, for now. I might change that, later. Ah, well, we could consider it a trade for the gate fee?¡± Merl looked at Zeus, and considering his size and strength, it was a good deal. Sometimes they needed more strength around the place, and a magical elk which was intelligent, well that was quite something. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with grandmother.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Jonn, have you dismissed your elk yet?¡± Adam called. ¡°No,¡± Jonn said, before concentrating. ¡°No, wait!¡± Adam shouted, but it was too late, the giant elk disappeared. ¡°Resummon it and let it work in the village.¡± Jonn stared at Adam. ¡®That¡¯s a good idea.¡¯ The thought surprised him, since it was about Adam having good ideas. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam asked, his eyes scanning the Front Iyr. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is the Iyr, right?¡± Jurot eyed up the area around them. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure. They had walked through the large gates, which Asa had taken a moment to admire, and they had stepped into the area known as Front Iyr. The Front Iyr had been renovated for some time, but they had come across something else entirely. The village was more like a fortress, with a large number of Iyrmen moving about, carrying all manner of earth, wood, and stone. The area around the Front Iyr, which had been quite flat, was now walled, and the walls around the area were half made of mountain which seemed to have appeared from nowhere, and half made from thick stone which had been lain together with cement. There were small towers, each spread out about a hundred paces from one another, and they continued around, walling the front of the Front Iyr, but Adam noted the walls continued to the side, blocking even the rolling plains. Iyrmen marched through the front Iyr, carrying all manner of materials, from earth and stone to ore and wood. Some were also pulling rickshaws full of sacks and barrels stuffed with food, wheat and oats, Adam assumed. He had once carried the food around, and the sacks and barrels used were similar in colour and size. ¡°You have returned?¡± called a familiar voice, and a tall, dark skinned man with fiery red hair asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head to Morkarai. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°You as well,¡± the Giant replied, before looking to the rest of the party. ¡°I see you¡¯ve all had a tough time.¡± ¡°You can tell?¡± Morkarai nodded. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head to the walls, which had seemingly appeared within the span of a couple of months. Half the walls were made of rock, like those which engulfed the Main Iyr, mountains which the Iyr had built itself into. Yet, Adam was fairly certain the earth around here was mostly hills for a few miles. Morkarai looked to the mountainous walls, and then looked back to Adam. ¡°The Front Iyr.¡± Adam blinked at the Fire Giant. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Did you bring me back a gift?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°Oh. Uh...¡± Adam threw a look towards the drink which Morkarai had offered them. They hadn¡¯t drunk much, not after what happened near the start of their journey. Adam held out the axe he had bought. ¡°As a Nephew of the Rot family, I value axes. You can have this one.¡± Morkarai glanced towards Adam¡¯s hand, taking the axe from him. ¡°Where is your other axe?¡± ¡°I lost it.¡± Morkarai remained silent for a long while. He turned, throwing a look over his shoulder, thinking deeply. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be...¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! What happened to the Iyr? 428. The Father Returns 428. The Father Returns Adam and the others were led to a section of the Iyr which held a similar estate like those he was used to within the Main Iyr. These estates were only a single story tall, and each room was quite small, functional enough for one Iyrmen, though had enough space for a desk as well as several boxes they could store things within. The Half Elf narrowed his eyes, glancing around the Front Iyr. ¡®Where are all the children?¡¯ He spotted a teen or two, but there were no small children about. ¡®That¡¯s weird...¡¯ He explored the Front Iyr with Jurot, Lucy, and Mara. They first made their way to the centre of the Front Iyr, which was a large square, with a large number of roads leading out, almost like an eight pointed star. One road led out to the Guest estates, each which were built for a singular person, with enough space for them to relax and enjoy themselves within the Iyr, though Morkarai¡¯s seemed to be the only one with a forge. Near the estates, the pathway opened up, giving the estates their own space, where there were two figures who were sitting nearby one another, drinking and talking. One was a man, and another was a woman. Neither was Human, though they were almost Human. They each had a pair of horns, and some of their skin was scaled. The woman had black scales, and the other had bronze scales. ¡®Who are they?¡¯ Adam thought. Jurot narrowed his eyes, noting the scales on the figures. Considering they were Guests of the Iyr, it was fairly obvious what they were. However, he didn¡¯t know who exactly the pair were. ¡®Bronze scales? A Wing? Black scales? A Burg?¡¯ Lucy¡¯s eyes scanned the area as she whispered to Mara. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± ¡°Yes, your Grace,¡± Mara replied, noting all the, as Lucy had stated, hunky men and women. She had thought that this world would have dealt with the Demon Lord¡¯s peculiarities, but it seemed she had only become more corrupted. ¡°Oh!¡± Adam called, waving a hand. ¡°Hey Strom!¡± He made his way towards the old man, who was almost unrecognisable. He had not yet noticed who Strom¡¯s conversational partner was. He was an older man, adorned in light clothes, even in the season of duskval, which was cool, with a chilly wind, and rain every so often. The outfit he wore was similar to that of the Iyrmen, though the stranger was no Iyrman, for though his forehead was tattooed, it was a collection of four dots in the centre which formed a diamond. Adam froze, his hand still up in a wave. Jurot and Lucy also tensed up as the older man¡¯s eyes fell across the group. ¡®What the hell is he doing here?¡¯ Mara stepped in front of Lucy, her hands crossed in front of her stomach. She had felt the air suddenly shift, and the way the entire group had tensed, she was certain that this old man was that guy. Adam clutched as his die, but he felt a hand against his shoulder, and his eyes snapped back to see a familiar form of a handsome Iyrman. ¡°Elder.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Lykan replied, his voice calm. ¡°I am glad that your travels went well.¡± He bowed his head to Mara. ¡°You have accomplished your goals.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Adam replied, his eyes then darting back to the old man, who was looking past them. ¡°What is he doing here?¡± ¡°He is a Guest,¡± Lykan said, before squeezing Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Whatever happened outside of the Iyr shall remain there.¡± ¡°He killed Lucy.¡± ¡°Yes, but he is in the Iyr now,¡± Lykan replied, and before he could continue, he looked back to see Asa had arrived. Suddenly, his priorities had changed from Adam, the chaotic troublemaker, to the stranger who seemed to have some connection with Shama. Strom stared up at Asa, and the smell which permeated the air had told him they were one in the same. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see another here.¡± Shama¡¯s eyes narrowed towards Asa, who was vaguely familiar. He could sense the man¡¯s great strength, though he was like Strom. ¡®Is it a trend to give up one¡¯s Spark?¡¯ ¡®Ah,¡¯ Asa thought, glancing between the pair. ¡®They¡¯ve certainly grown since then.¡¯ ¡°Troublesome, you mean?¡± ¡°Lucy is not bad,¡± Strom stated. ¡°Adam is a good kid. He¡¯s strong, and he¡¯ll grow even stronger given enough time.¡± Strom smiled as wide as he could, thinking about how much trouble Adam would cause in the future, as long as he was allowed to bloom completely. ¡°You are not wrong about that. He can use all manner of abilities, those which should be difficult to cross together, and yet he can use them as simply as though he were breathing.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be surprised.¡± Strom sipped his wine, placing the bottle beside him, grinning like a madman. ¡°With brothers like those two, their sister will become even more powerful.¡± Shama recalled how Jurot had fought, a beast whose fangs were already so sharp as a boy. ¡°She is still a normal Mortal, though.¡± Strom chuckled. ¡°I may have helped her a little.¡± ¡°How?¡± Shama didn¡¯t like the way Strom had chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ll find out in a few years.¡± Strom cackled, drinking the rest of his drink. He was unable to contain himself, not when he would cause so much Chaos after his death. Meanwhile, Asa stepped up towards Morkarai, who had been sculpting a sword between his hand. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Morkarai asked, wondering what the old man was doing. ¡°I see you are thriving in the Lower Realm,¡± Asa said, his eyes glancing between the items which had been made. ¡®So they made a deal with the Fire Giants? Hmmm. There is only a single boy here.¡¯ ¡°It is awkward for we Iyrmen if you move within the Iyr as you please, Lord Asa,¡± Iromin said, standing within the courtyard, between Asa and the exit. Magic had engulfed the estate, silencing their voices from the outside world. Asa smiled. ¡°I apologise. I meant no disrespect. I just wished to speak with the young man.¡± ¡°The Iyr allows those with clear identities to travel within certain areas, but for those whose identities have not been confirmed, we hope they will choose to follow the rules.¡± ¡°My identity is awkward to state,¡± Asa replied, simply. ¡°What is your relation with Lord Shama?¡± Iromin asked. ¡®Oh?¡¯ Asa smiled, all the while he slowly sunk into the earth. ¡®So, it was you, Stokmar?¡¯ ¡°Our relationship is complicated.¡± Iromin remained silent, waiting for Asa to continue to speak. He had come all this way after hearing the suspicions of a particular Iyrman. It was merely a suspicion, but the Iyrman was quite good at judging such matters, though he was quite young. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t say we¡¯re related after he plunged my own blade through my heart, but I will admit I once called the boy my son.¡± Asa smiled politely. Morkarai began to sweat deeply, feeling his stomach hurt, his heart pound, and his entire body grow cold. Standing before him was the very same figure who had expelled the Fire Giants from the Upper Realms millennia ago, and his people¡¯s worst enemy, long thought dead. ¡®Why did I volunteer for this?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Dun dun dun! 429. The Days Between 429. The Days Between Omen: 1, 7 ¡°So how have you been?¡± Adam asked, drinking his soup. ¡°I¡¯ve been well,¡± Strom admitted, sipping from his clay bottle. He was far thinner than before, and his hands shook at all times. The once sturdy Strom was no longer here, now he was but a dying old man. ¡°Did you finish up your business?¡± ¡°I did, though I didn¡¯t manage to beat him as much as I would have liked,¡± Strom complained. ¡°I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped. I should have expected as much considering I fought without my Spark and during the first month of duskval.¡± ¡°At least you beat him a little.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with the awkward air. Strom¡¯s impending death felt all the more real seeing him like this. There were only a few months left, if Strom¡¯s prediction was to be believed. ¡°Yes.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°Now that rat bastard needs a new Champion.¡± ¡°A Champion?¡± Adam asked. Strom nodded, taking another sip of his drink. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Adam sat up straighter, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The Lord of Order.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The Lord of Order?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Adam stared at the old man. ¡®The Champion of Order?¡¯ smiled. ¡°You killed the Champion of Order?¡± Adam asked, trying to confirm what he was hearing. ¡°No, I was almost killed by him.¡± Strom sighed again. ¡°Then who killed him?¡± Adam asked, confused. ¡°Stokmar.¡± ¡®Stokmar? The Lord of Earth?¡¯ ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He was annoying me, that¡¯s why!¡± the Dwarven woman said, stomping her way towards the pair, before dropping down between them. Adam remained silent for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯re Lord Stokmar?¡± Stokmar brought her cask of ale to her lips, drinking it for a long moment. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognise my brilliance?¡± ¡°I just thought you were a Dwarf,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You thought I was a Dwarf?¡± Stokmar asked. ¡°Do I look like a Dwarf to you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Stokmar gave the Half Elf a look, before shaking her head. ¡®Treehuggers.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Lord Stokmar.¡± Adam smiled as politely as he could. The last time they had met, Stokmar hadn¡¯t liked him very much. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is.¡± Adam glanced between Strom and Stokmar. ¡®What is my life right now?¡¯ ¡°Do you guys know who that old guy is? Asa?¡± ¡°No,¡± Strom replied, though the name seemed familiar. ¡°Yes,¡± Stokmar stated. ¡°You do?¡± Strom asked. Stokmar nodded, drinking from her cask of ale again. ¡°Who is it?¡± Adam asked, politely. ¡°What are you offering?¡± Stokmar narrowed her eyes. ¡°What can I offer to you, oh great Lord Stokmar? You have everything one could possibly wish to possess, from grace to beauty!¡± Charisma Check D20 + 3 = 10 (7) Stokmar winced at his words, and held out a bottle of wine threateningly. ¡°Be gone at once, boy!¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Adam said, quickly hopping to his feet. He wanted to talk with Strom more, but it was awkward with the Lord of Earth here. ¡®Wasn¡¯t Stokmar a guy?¡¯ Adam and his companions remained within the Front Iyr for a week, as was the rule for those who returned. The group had found that the Iyr had expanded further, and there were more Iyrmen around the area, but it was still missing children. Adam swallowed, Jaygak and Kitool flashing within his mind. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°We have stopped them from decaying, but we wish to know what you wish to do with them.¡± Adam frowned, staring at the dead bodies for a long moment. ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°I thought it would be best for you to know,¡± Lykan replied, simply. ¡°How quickly did you stop them from decaying?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Almost immediately.¡± ¡°Within a minute?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll revive them tomorrow.¡± Lykan remained silent. ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ ¡°Do Kitool and Jaygak know?¡± ¡°They will be informed soon.¡± Adam wondered why Lykan had come to him first. ¡°Where¡¯s Sky?¡± ¡°He is nearby.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put him in timeout.¡± ¡°Timeout?¡± ¡°He is going to sit down in one place until I revive the pair, and he...¡± Adam decided against starving the Awakened Wolf. ¡°I¡¯ll bring him his food and tell him off.¡± Lykan wondered why he was so relieved in his heart. ¡®Is this why I told him first?¡¯ ¡°Elder Lykan?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°About the Goblin children...¡± ¡°We will take care of them as Guests within the Iyr,¡± Lykan assured. ¡°Will they be okay?¡± ¡°We will raise them within the Iyr until we can find them suitable homes with their own kin.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Can¡¯t they stay here?¡± ¡°They can,¡± Lykan replied. ¡°They will be small children of the Iyr.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°They will not have the full rights afforded to Iyrmen, but they will grow up within the Iyr. They will be fed, and may be trained lightly. They will not be able to step foot out of the Iyr, but they will enjoy themselves within.¡± ¡°Sort of like a prison, then?¡± Adam said. ¡°I mean, not in a bad way. More like nobles in exile?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯d really look after them?¡± ¡°They are children who have stepped foot in the Iyr,¡± Lykan said. ¡°It is our duty.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t some of the Iyrmen complain?¡± ¡°Complain about what?¡± ¡°You know, that you¡¯re spending resources on strangers rather than your own.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°There are no Iyrmen who would complain about their duty. It is not our way.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, smiling slightly. ¡°The Iyr puts other places to shame.¡± ¡°It is our way.¡± ¡°There are some countries who would drown the children before ever thinking about looking after them.¡± Lykan bowed his head, understanding the fact of life. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam looked to the dead dire wolves. No, perhaps it was because the Iyr was insane, like him. Adam bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Elder Lykan.¡± ¡°It is our pleasure, Adam.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Not Kit''a and Jay''a! 430. Disillusioned 430. Disillusioned Omen: 1, 17 ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot squealed as she stomped her way towards Jurot and Adam. ¡°You can hug her first,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be hugging her the longest.¡± Jurot did not need to be told twice, lifting his sister up within his arms. She babbled up at him excitedly, before she slowly melted against him, quietening down as she hugged him, sucking on her thumb. Sonarot smiled towards the group, but there was a hint of confusion within her eyes. She hadn¡¯t expected the group back so quickly, but she also hadn¡¯t been informed they were returning. Adam watched as the children swarmed their siblings and cousins, before they all embraced one another. Jaygak picked Raygak up, hugging him tight. Raygak glanced around, wondering what was happening, but he embraced his sister equally as tight. Kitool picked Katool up, pinning the girl to her side. His eyes fell to the side for a moment, noting seven bundles, before Turot distracted him. ¡°Welcome back, Cousin Adam,¡± Turot said, smiling up at Adam. ¡°Who is this handsome young man?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is it perhaps my Cousin Turot?¡± Turot smirked slightly, before Adam ruffled his hair. ¡°Have you been good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since Turot always speaks the truth, I can feel at ease.¡± The boy smiled once more. Nirot narrowed her eyes, before Turot quickly rushed to her side, and stared up at her with a smile. She smiled and ruffled his hair, before the pair embraced. ¡°Welcome home, sister.¡± ¡°I have returned, Turot.¡± Nirot picked the boy up and spun him around once, before letting him down. As much as she had wished for a good death, she was glad to have returned back home. Jurot eventually gave Lanarot up to Adam, who lifted her up. ¡°Who is this smelly girl?¡± Adam asked, causing Lanarot to cackle and clap. Adam hugged her tight, feeling how heavy she had become. Her hot cheek pressed against his, his fingers trailed through her hair. He closed his eyes, and though his anxiety spiked, relief washed over him soon after. ¡°Did you miss papa?¡± ¡°Papa,¡± the girl said, half hugging him as he held her. Adam grit his teeth for a moment, and pulled his head back. He could feel the anxiety come and attack him once more. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to grow up too quickly? You silly girl.¡± He kissed her forehead, and continued to brush her hair. He could feel a tear threaten to slip out from the corner of his eye, but he fought it away. The adult Iyrmen glanced between the Iyrmen who had returned, including the teens who had returned, each of them embracing their siblings far more intimately than usual. They could feel it. There was something strange about them, and it wasn¡¯t just Adam, but a different sort of strangeness which clung to them all. Adam¡¯s companions watched the scene awkwardly, but allowed the Iyrmen their time. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, before motioning a hand. ¡°Everyone, this is Mara, Lucy¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°I am Her Grace¡¯s maid,¡± Mara said, placing her hands crossed over her stomach before bowing at a particular angle. ¡°Welcome,¡± Sonarot said, bowing her head in return. ¡°It is good to see you are well.¡± ¡°It was all thanks to the wonderful companions here that I was able to return safely.¡± That was news to the Iyrmen. ¡°We expected you to return during nightval, or the year after.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam shared a glance with the others. ¡°Nirot will speak the tale,¡± Jurot said. The other Iyrmen teens nodded their heads, allowing Nirot to speak the tale to the others. The adult Iyrmen threw glances between one another, wondering why everything was so weird. Nirot began the tale, speaking of what had happened on their journey. They had started out quite well, meeting Strom on their way to Red Oak. As the tale continued, the Iyrmen understood what had happened. The illusion of Adam had shattered. ¡°That was quite the story,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°You did well,¡± Mirot said, before brushing her daughter¡¯s hair. She wasn¡¯t sure if she should mention the fact that a good death was denied for her daughter, but she decided against it. Nirot had done well, considering she was willing to die for her brother¡¯s gift. Turot¡¯s lips were twitching into a smile, but he noted the heavy looks on the adults¡¯ faces. ¡°I¡¯m glad we returned in one piece,¡± Adam said, quickly glancing towards Lucy. ¡°We got to see our adorable Cousins, even though I completely forgot to bring them gifts.¡± ¡°You have all done well to return,¡± Shikan said, being one of the only ones who had lost a child to adventure. ¡°Such a great warrior is rare to face. It is a great honour that you had faced him and survived.¡± ¡°If he wanted us dead, we¡¯d have been dead,¡± Adam said. ¡°That guy was one hell of a monster.¡± ¡°If he knows Lord Strom, then there is no doubt he was strong,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Strom¡¯s looking pretty sick nowadays, though...¡± Adam tickled Lanarot¡¯s head, causing her to twitch and look up at him. ¡°You¡¯re so big and healthy though, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Iz puz bee?¡± Lanarot said. ¡°Lanarot, you can¡¯t say that,¡± Adam said, tickling her nose. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault. If you were watching me and supporting me, I would have beaten him.¡± Lanarot smiled and sucked her thumb, resting her head against his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t really know what we¡¯re going to be doing for the rest of the year,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I wanted to help Dunes with his problem but...¡± Adam felt a coldness wash over his back. ¡°I have sent word through the Guild to my Order about the matter,¡± Dunes said. ¡°They may dispatch some companions who can assist us.¡± ¡°I should just enchant until I become a Paragon,¡± Adam said, causing the others to throw him queer looks. ¡°No, that¡¯d take too long. A Master, maybe?¡± The others decided to leave Adam¡¯s comment be, understanding it was just Adam being Adam. They all prepared to go to sleep, making their way into their homes, though some of them set up to sleep outside that evening. Adam took Lanarot outside, wanting to sleep under the stars since the day would be clear. Click banner for Patreon! Oh how I''ve missed you Lanababy. New Cousins to dote on too? 431. Weak 431. Weak ¡°I am weak, mother,¡± Jurot said, speaking with his mother within their room. He had waited until Adam had left with Lanarot, knowing that they¡¯d be out for some time. ¡°I could not defend them.¡± Sonarot kissed her son¡¯s forehead, before brushing his hair. This was the first time he had lost so badly, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the reason why he was so down. ¡°You are strong for your age, Jurot. If Okvar and Rasam could not stop that man, how could you?¡± Jurot frowned. Even though he knew it was true, it still didn¡¯t calm his heart. He, who had tried his hardest to stop such a monster and yet was blocked by a finger, had been forced to watch as Lucy was killed before him. Though he had survived longer than Adam, it had meant nothing at all. Adam, on the other hand, could have done something if he had known that Fireball would not have worked. Sonarot pulled Jurot into her arms, into her warm embrace. She could see how much it had consumed her son, who was normally so confident. She brushed his hair tenderly, letting him think his thoughts within her protection. ¡°Mother, I will definitely become a Gold Rank adventurer,¡± Jurot assured, wrapping his arms around her, resting his head against her neck. ¡°Do as you please, my Jurot,¡± Sonarot whispered. ¡°Who can stop you?¡± Jurot remained there for some time. ¡°No,¡± he finally said. ¡°I will become Diamond Rank, mother.¡± Sonarot smiled. Jogak sat opposite his daughter, his arms crossed. She had remained silent for a long while, something which caused him distress to no end. Jaygak was not the type to remain silent for long, not unless she was up to something. However, that was not what distressed him. It was the fact that she was no doubt not planning anything at all which caused him this anxiety. Raygak looked at his sister, wondering what was wrong with her. She had hugged him so much this entire time, more than usual. He was certain she was going to flick his forehead, or she was going to steal some of his food, or that she would noogie him, but she had done nothing. ¡°Sister,¡± Raygak said, holding up a pepper to her. It was one of the peppers he had saved, but sensing the tension in the air, he had decided to give it to her. Jaygak stared at the pepper, before she took it from him. She bit into it, before offering the rest to her brother. He bit into the rest, before he was scooped onto Jaygak¡¯s lap. ¡°Have you been learning your numbers well?¡± Jaygak asked, resting her head against her brother¡¯s. ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, smiling proudly. ¡°I am not so bad any more.¡± ¡°What a smart little brother I have.¡± Raygak waited for her to continue teasing him, but she only hugged him close. He gently pat her back. ¡°You fought well, sister. Adam fell before you.¡± Jaygak looked down at Raygak, smiling awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She lifted him closer, letting him shift on her lap as they hugged, front to front. She cuddled him dearly that night. Jogak remained silent. He had no words of comfort for his daughter. He wondered if he could speak with the other parents and ask for a fight with the figure, but he realised how foolish that was. ¡®Should I speak with uncle Jarot?¡¯ Katool stared up at Kitool, showing her all the trinkets she had received from the others. ¡°Cousin Taygak made me a cup.¡± She quickly rushed to find her cup, before bringing it back, almost tripping in the process. ¡°Katool,¡± Zorool called, and his young daughter quickly rushed away to find a book. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Kitool replied, simply. ¡°I was too weak. I am not like grandaunt Shaool. Yet.¡± Zorool raised his brows for a moment, before Katool returned with a book, sitting beside her father. He began to read it to his daughters, letting go of his surprise. He would speak with his wife later about what he had heard. Mara and Lucy lay beside one another in the courtyard, staring up towards the dark sky. They had slept beside one another ever since they had reunited, with Lucy refusing to stay more than a metre away from her during the evenings, and more than five during the day. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Your Grace,¡± Mara said, reaching out to hold Lucy¡¯s hand. ¡°I will not allow anyone to kill you again.¡± Lucy frowned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call me that. I¡¯m not the Demon Lord in this world, especially not in this place.¡± ¡°You will always be the Demon Lord, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Call me Lucy,¡± Lucy demanded, squeezing her hand. ¡°Baktu knows,¡± Adam replied. ¡°However, she is such a smart girl.¡± Jurot looked up at the stars. ¡°Gurot is so small, but bigger than Lanarot.¡± ¡°He is quite the chonky boy.¡± ¡°Will he grow as quickly as Lanarot?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°He¡¯ll be blabbering all sorts of nonsense soon, and he¡¯ll walk around the place as if he owns it.¡± ¡°He does own it.¡± ¡°Not quite what I mean, but sure.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad they were all born healthy, and that our Aunts are all fine.¡± ¡°Inakan is very small,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Smaller than Lanarot.¡± Adam thought to the babies. There was one who was slightly smaller than the others. ¡°She¡¯s a Kan, so she¡¯ll grow up big and strong.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How sad.¡± ¡°They must grow big and strong.¡± ¡°They should stay small and cute forever.¡± Adam brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°You silly girl, how could you grow up?¡± Lanarot smiled up at him, before rolled aside and looked up at the stars again. ¡°Stahz.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, stars.¡± ¡°Papa, stahz!¡± Lanarot said, before bumping the sides of her fists together, and throwing them up, before looking up at Adam expectantly. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Stahz,¡± Lanarot said, before babbling and bumping the sides of her fists together again. ¡°Oo?¡± She raised up her hands, confused. Adam looked to Jurot, before looking to Lanarot. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Stahz? Boosh.¡± She bumped her fists together before cackling maniacally, and then threw up her hands, before looking at Adam expectantly again. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, thinking he had figured it out. ¡°If two stars fight, who wins?¡± Lanarot nodded. ¡°Whichever one is stronger.¡± Lanarot stared at Adam, blinking at him. She lay back down and stared up at the stahz, deep in thought. ¡®That sounds right,¡¯ Jurot thought. Click banner for Patreon! When he''s right, he''s right. 432. Babies 432. Babies Omen: 7, 7 ¡°You two really have gotten much better,¡± Adam said, feigning to wipe his brow. He had finished playing sockball with the children, and Taygak stood tall and proud at winning, while Saygak was smirking, having done quite well for himself. Adam¡¯s feet still throbbed and ached, having not yet recovered from the almost two months of nearly daily travel. ¡°I will play too,¡± Jaygak said, having returned back to the estate, and Adam sat down against the wall, watching them play, before noting Mara was assisting the Gak family in cooking. ¡°Oof,¡± Katool said, sitting down beside him. ¡°I am so tired, Cousin Adam.¡± Adam smiled, reaching down to brush her little bob. ¡°You have worked so hard, Cousin Katool.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl said, sitting up straighter, before leaning back against the wall. ¡°I have one more sister now.¡± ¡°Jitool?¡± Katool¡¯s bob bounced as she nodded her head. ¡°She is so small.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Just like Lanarot when she was small, right?¡± ¡°Babies are all so small,¡± Katool said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They are small because they are young.¡± Katool nodded her head. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They say it was because Humans evolved to have children out of eggs for one reason or another, but I assume it¡¯s because of magic in this world,¡± Adam said, smiling at the girl. Katool nodded her head, though she did not understand most of what Adam had said. ¡°Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am not Human, I am Iyrman.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam smiled. Katool watched as her sister returned, before she quickly hoisted herself up with a grunt, before rushing to Kitool. He watched as Jaygak bullied Raygak, specifically aiming to beat only him, causing the boy to rush up to her to wrestle, though his sister easily dealt with him. The sight was quickly overtaken by Lanarot approaching Adam, sitting down beside him, before showing up her block. ¡°Look,¡± the girl said. ¡°Wow,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair. Lanarot smiled, and returned to playing with her block, lifting it up, and turning it around, touching all across the patterns which were engraved lightly into the block. ¡°Where is papa?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Papa,¡± the girl said, looking up at Adam. ¡°Where is papa Jurot?¡± Lanarot looked around, before getting up to explore, checking under the table and stools, and even behind the Iyrmen. She lifted up a blanket to the side, and entered it, calling for her brother. Meanwhile, Jurot approached the Elder, who was sitting at his desk, double checking the papers for the morning. ¡°Jurot,¡± Zijin said, glancing up at the boy, waiting expectantly. ¡°I wish for my right as an Expert,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Iyr is changing, Adam.¡± Adam sat up straighter, having not expected Zijin to have stated such a thing so obviously to him. ¡°Only we Elders and Great Elders know what is happening,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Still. After what happened, I wanted to spend more time with Lanarot. My plan was to enchant only when I was really lucky, and then spend the rest of my time with my little chubby babby sister.¡± ¡°I must admit that your affection for Lanarot warms my heart. However, I ask of this as an Elder of the Iyr. I will also guarantee that for the entirety of the Twilight Month, no one will bother you when you are to play with your sister, and your cousins.¡± Adam still hadn¡¯t been sure, but when Zijin had used the lower case cousin, he sighed, bowing his head. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Do you truly wish to become stronger?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Even if it means you must miss Lanarot¡¯s second birthday?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°That depends on how strong I can become,¡± Adam said. ¡°That is up to whether you are able to grasp the strength for yourself.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°If there was a way for you to grow stronger, would you accept it, even if it was to mean you may not be able to see your sister for her second birthday?¡± Adam remained quiet, thinking back to the old man they had come across. Adam bowed his head and thought deeply. ¡®I can¡¯t Level Up too quickly though, otherwise...¡¯ He winced, thinking about how Lucy had died without him being able to do anything. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Would you also extend that to Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool?¡± ¡°Well, sure?¡± Zijin remained silent for a while, wondering if he could do it. It would be difficult, especially since the Great Elders would be torn about the matter, though Zijin could also mention a few things he had begun to build up with Adam. ¡°Elder?¡± Adam asked, after an uncomfortably long silence. ¡°We will speak again soon, Adam.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Sure?¡± ¡°Please enchant each item with only the first portion of the enchantment, regardless of how well or poorly you do, as before.¡± ¡°I still need to make myself a Greater Enhanced weapon since mine was taken, but...¡± Adam remained quiet for some time, thinking about what Zijin was trying to tell him. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll make those enchantments. I don¡¯t really need to make any for myself other than my new weapon.¡± Zijin noted that Adam had picked up on what he was saying, and bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Thanks for the talk, Elder Zijin,¡± Adam said, before taking another date and finishing the rest of his drink. He was about to turn, when the thought came to him. ¡°Elder Zijin?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I have some new Cousins now,¡± Adam said. ¡°There are also the Goblins who were brought to the Iyr...¡± Adam stared into the Elder¡¯s eyes. ¡°Your Cousins will be raised well within the Iyr, and the babies will be vouched for by yourself and Jurot,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Thank you.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Thus begins the slice of life arc! Definitely no drama or anything :) Interlude: The Elders Interlude: The Elders ¡°It has only been one day, has he already caused trouble again?¡± Iromin joked, watching as the Orcish Elder approach him. He pushed the snacks forward, and poured the Elder some juice, which had been diluted with water. ¡°No,¡± Zijin said, sitting down opposite the Chief, helping himself to some of the snacks. ¡°Then it is Jaygak?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°No.¡± Zijin smiled. Iromin leaned back, deciding against continuing his jokes. If Zijin was smiling like that, then it meant it was a serious matter, and he needed to concentrate. ¡°I have watched so many children grow up, from my own estate, to the eight I now oversee.¡± Zijin smiled, his eyes flashing to the past for a moment. ¡°Today, three of those children came to me to claim their rights as Experts, and yet they are all so young. It fills me with great joy, Chief.¡± Iromin could connect the dots of who Zijin meant. There were few young Experts from the eight shared estates which Zijin looked after, but if it was three Experts, then it had to be those three. ¡°I expected Jurot to come, as his intentions have not changed since he was a boy, especially after the matter with Balrog. Though the odds were still low, Kitool had come too, wishing to follow the steps after her grandaunt. However, it was Jaygak who came to me first, before breakfast.¡± ¡°Breakfast?¡± Chief asked. To speak with an Elder before breakfast, it meant it was serious business. Jaygak did not bother Elders before breakfast, her pranks exclusively dealt at an appropriate time. ¡°Chief Iromin,¡± Elder Zijin began, staring into the Chief¡¯s eyes, ¡°we should allow them the chance to reach for the sky. They have grown in strength so rapidly, and their goals are to support the Iyr as firm pillars.¡± ¡°That is their goal for now, but they are still young, and their goals could change,¡± Iromin said. It was not something which they could discuss at this age, for this conversation was had when they were twenty one at the earliest, but usually around twenty five years old. ¡°Even if it did, I hope that you are willing to allow them the chance to grow more powerful before the next year.¡± Zijin held the Chief¡¯s eyes. He had come to inform the Chief of this matter right away, which would have usually been delayed, but he had come specifically to ask for it to be approved instead. It was too soon. That was the response Zijin had expected. There was a lot about the matter which needed to be thought about, from the company the three held, to the fact that two of the three had suddenly changed their intentions. Throughout the years, Jaygak and Kitool had aimed for a sensible position. Steel was a decent rank for Jaygak, who had been born with a weak body, and though she was strong now, she was not quite as gifted as Jurot or Kitool. Kitool had the ability to reach for greater heights, though reaching the same heights as her grandaunt would have been slightly more difficult, it was still very decent for someone like Kitool. ¡°I will take it into consideration,¡± Iromin said, eventually. There was a lot to think about the matter, especially since there was an important figure who was involved. ¡°I have asked Adam to enchant for the Iyr during nightval,¡± Zijin said. ¡°These two matters are independent of one another.¡± ¡°I do not know for certain if they are, but is it really a coincidence?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Adam appeared and the Great Twilight appeared the same year, and so had Lord Strom. Even now, the Iyr has to prepare for something which has never before occurred, with Elder Stor-,¡± ¡°I understand your point, Elder Zijin,¡± Iromin said, stopping the words before he could hear them. The stress pinned the Chief for a moment, before he let out a long sigh. ¡®Is it really because of just one man? No, not just one man, but several Anomalies...¡¯ Yet, Iromin couldn¡¯t help but remember. All this Chaos... Adam had mentioned the name Belle, too. Was it really because of the God of Chaos, who seemed to be missing from Adam¡¯s previous world? A realm which was a mirror to this, yet so different, and yet, so similar too. ¡°The Great Elders will think about these matters,¡± Iromin assured. He sighed once more, the same sigh which revealed that the Chief thought this all to be troublesome. Elder Zijin bowed his head, eating some more snacks, before finishing his juice. ¡°Thank you, Chief.¡± He stood and bowed his head once more, before leaving. After a few steps, he stopped, causing Iromin more stress. Zijin turned and smiled at the Chief. ¡°Adam has more adorable children who have connections to him now.¡± He then continued off. Iromin wondered why Zijin had said it so weirdly. Of course Adam had more children around him, considering the seven new children who had just been born. Yet, if that was what Zijin had meant, he would have said it much more simply. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Iromin thought, a wandering thought tickling his brain. Due to all the stress, there were a large number of things which he had pushed to the back of his head. Adam¡¯s relationship with his Cousins was interesting. He was quite close to them all, and there was no doubt he would assist them in the future, considering how quickly he moved with his heart. However, it was not just that, but the fact that there were other children who had a connection with Adam. The Great Elders had heard the matter from Lykan, who had explained it through a paper he had sent by burning. ¡®The Goblins.¡¯ Iromin tapped the table before him, before narrowing his eyes. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be...¡¯ Iromin made a note to keep an eye out on the Goblin children. Then the thought came to him about another group of children which had been adopted into the Iyr by someone related to Adam. ¡®No. If it was true, Adam would have spoken to us.¡¯ Iromin¡¯s entire body tingled, and he bowed his head, the stress overwhelming him. ¡®Please, Baktu.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam stressing out the Elders is never not funny to me. 433. Babies II 433. Babies II Omen: 17, 18 ¡°Good morning, Adam,¡± Filliam said, appearing from nowhere. His eyes were dark, but he held the widest smile on his face. Adam stared up at Filliam, a half broken piece of bread in hand. He had completely forgotten about the tinkerer, again. ¡°Good morning, Filliam.¡± Lanarot grabbed his wrist, and pulled the bread to her face before biting into it. ¡°Have you been well?¡± Filliam asked, before taking out the watch he had made, letting it sway. Adam looked at the watch, before looking up at the tinkerer again. ¡°Not terrible, I suppose. Yourself?¡± He raised his brows expectantly. ¡°I...¡± Filliam sat beside Adam. ¡°I have done it, Adam. I have completed the prototype. I must check to see if it works completely, but...¡± Filliam held up the large watch, which was much bigger than Adam¡¯s palm. ¡°So soon? I expected it to take years.¡± Adam had thought Filliam would have gone through some road blocks on the way to completing the mechanical watch. ¡°It is my first mechanical watch so I am certain that it will not work perfectly, but I will be using it for a month to see how well it works. There are many things to test, but...¡± ¡°Congratulations, Filliam,¡± Adam said, patting the tinkerer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ve made, perhaps, the first mechanical watch.¡± Filliam sat up straighter, the widest smile on his face. It hadn¡¯t taken him that long, and he had Adam and the Iyr to thank for that. The Iyrmen had supplied every little piece he required. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Iyrmen were such great smiths. I had heard that they were good, yes, but whenever I required something, I explained what I needed in great detail, and the Iyrmen were able to make it within a few tries.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°The Iyrmen are great, aren¡¯t they?¡± Filliam looked to the Iyrmen all around and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You need to take a week off now,¡± Adam said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been working too hard, no doubt ever since we last spoke,¡± Adam said, patting Filliam¡¯s back. ¡°Take the week off and enjoy the Iyr. The festival should be on soon, so you need to take that week off.¡± ¡°I can take the week off when the festival...¡± Filliam noted the look in Adam¡¯s eyes, before he sighed. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I feel lucky today, so I¡¯m going to go enchant, but you should definitely...¡± Adam noted the look in Sonarot¡¯s eyes, and then bowed his head. ¡°Elder Zijin requested that I assist the Iyr and to enchant...¡± ¡®Sorry, Elder.¡¯ When he was done with his breakfast, Adam made to leave, but noted the teens nearby. ¡°Hey, have you guys...¡± Adam stopped. He had forgotten about Filliam, but he realised there was someone else missing. He glanced around. ¡°Where¡¯s Asoyah?¡± ¡°He was chosen for something,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He will return before the festival.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam stood there awkwardly. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I forgot the kid.¡¯ He rubbed his brow. He cleared his throat. ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± he asked, looking to the teens. ¡°I am well,¡± Nirot replied, and the other replied equally as affirmatively. ¡°Though we¡¯ve returned back to the Iyr now, you don¡¯t have to worry. Let¡¯s spend this time preparing for next year, and I¡¯ll be sure to help you all then.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be hunted down?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam looked up towards the sky. ¡°Isn¡¯t that sad, Jurot?¡± Adam sighed. He reached up to his forehead, and rubbed it. ¡°The children are... I mean, I saved them, you know? I should be the one to look after them, but I¡¯ve pawned them off to the Iyr. Aren¡¯t they meant to be my responsibility?¡± ¡°Do you wish to adopt them?¡± Jurot asked, wondering what Adam was getting to. It sounded like an Adam thing to think. Adam sat up, his brows furrowed. He looked to Jurot, confused. ¡°I can do that?¡± Jurot stared back at Adam. ¡®Could he?¡¯ ¡°I do not see why you could not.¡± Adam remained staring at Jurot, who remained staring at him. ¡°Then... I¡¯ll do that?¡± Jurot remained silent. He, of all people, was resistant to Adam¡¯s shocking behaviour, as he was resistant to most things when he raged, but this had taken him even by surprise. Adam hadn¡¯t thought about adopting them, but within moments, he had. ¡°You should speak to Elder Zijin,¡± Jurot said, though he wasn¡¯t sure about what the process was. ¡°Alright.¡± Adam stood, taking a moment to gather himself, feeling a little light headed. He stepped out from the estate, and made his way to the Elder¡¯s estate, which bordered the eight estates around it. Elder Zijin was writing something in his book, but he looked up to Adam. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Hey, uh, Elder Zijin...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to adopt the Goblin children as my own,¡± Adam said. ¡°I mean, I was there, you know? I was the one to save them, so I shouldn¡¯t just force them onto the Iyr.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Elder Zijin said, taking out his book, before writing a note within it. ¡°How do I do that?¡± ¡°We will process it,¡± Zijin said. ¡°I will send the word.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. He glanced around, wondering what he should do. ¡°Cool. I... I¡¯ll go enchant, I guess...¡± Zijin watched Adam go, seeing how stiff the Half Elf had become. The Orcish Iyrman smiled, glad he was correct in his guess. ¡®Do not squander what we have been given, Chief.¡¯ The Elder wrote another note within Adam¡¯s black book. Click banner for Patreon! Wait, what? Interlude: The Great Elders Interlude: The Great Elders The Great Elders looked towards the Chief, each of them waiting expectantly. The Chief sighed. He had brought Zijin¡¯s proposal forward not long ago, but after hearing what Elder Zijin had sent that afternoon, there was another pressing matter to deal with. Iromin decided to remain silent for a long while, trying to understand what he should say to his fellow Great Elders. There was a thought within the back of his mind, and he wanted to avoid it. He hoped that no one would suggest such a thing, but when it came to Adam, he realised nothing was impossible. ¡°Adam wishes to adopt the Goblins he has brought into the Iyr,¡± Iromin began. He paused, trying to understand what he should say next. ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°It certainly is something he would do,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°Is it because of what happened with Lord Shama?¡± Elder Forest mused, wondering if the two things were connected. ¡°I do not see how it would benefit Adam to adopt two Goblin children,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°Perhaps he knows Lord Stokmar¡¯s opinion on Goblins?¡± ¡°I do not believe that Adam has any such thoughts,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Perhaps his guilt has overwhelmed him. Sonarot suggests that Adam has not felt well recently, the same as the three who wish for their rights.¡± ¡°If he wishes to adopt the Goblins, then allow him to do so,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°It is his right to do so, even if he was not a Nephew of the Rot family. We will be unable to enforce such a matter on the land outside of the Iyr, but at least, within the land of we Iyrmen, it is a small matter.¡± ¡°The-,¡± the Chief began, only to pause as one of his aides appeared, handing him a slip of paper. Iromin read the slip of paper, before he burnt it. ¡°It seems I am needed in the Front Iyr.¡± He stood and began to make his way out. ¡°Chief, the task which had been handed to you...¡± Elder Peace began, pausing for a moment. ¡°It seems you have been blessed with a new opportunity.¡± The Chief stopped. He turned to throw a look over his shoulder to Elder Peace. ¡°I have not forgotten.¡± He made his way out, leaving the others to speak about the matter, though it would not be tempered by his moderation. Unfortunately, he was needed at the Front Iyr for something equally as troubling. An Iyrman with a skull guided him through the tunnel, and he arrived within the Iyr within the hour, whereas it would typically take a day¡¯s travel through the hills and mountains, but with the assistance of one of those Iyrmen, his travel was far swifter. Iromin stepped up towards the centre of the Front Iyr, where the group had already begun to speak with the guest which had appeared. ¡°I like what you¡¯ve done with the place,¡± Entalia said, glancing around. ¡°Though I do worry about the company you¡¯ve brought.¡± Her eyes flashed between the two scaled figures, and then to the two Lords, each of whom were royalty among royalty. ¡°It is a pleasure to see you,¡± Iromin said. The amount of stress on his shoulders had increased with another troublemaker. ¡°May I ask why you have come?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come to speak with my darling about...¡± Entalia paused, tilting her head to the side. There was an interesting smell which clung to Iromin, though it was quite faint. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve come to speak with my darling.¡± ¡°Which darling is that?¡± Iromin asked. Entalia smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little awkward to say with so many ears?¡± ¡°I wonder if any of mine are travelling through Aswadasad,¡± Grundaburg wondered aloud. ¡°I may tell them to help the Shen, if someone¡¯s offering to pay them for it...¡± Entalia looked to the bronze scaled man. ¡°Are any of yours willing to switch sides to assist the Shen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. If the offer is good enough, say a few magical weapons, or maybe a few thousand gold, they might decide to switch for a short while, or they could be convinced to step aside.¡± ¡°I would appreciate it,¡± Entalia said. ¡°I might even ask my darling to help you.¡± ¡°Help me?¡± Veisswing asked. ¡°That kid?¡± Entalia smiled. ¡°You have no idea what kind of man he is.¡± Veisswing and Grundaburg shared a glance between one another. They knew Adam was special, but if Entalia had her eyes on him, it meant something more. It meant even more that she was vouching for him too. Entalia caused no trouble, and slept peacefully that night. Even she knew that the Iyr was a great place to sleep, considering how many powerful Iyrmen surrounded her. As long as she caused no trouble, they wouldn¡¯t try to do anything to her. When she awoke in the morning, she followed the Chief to one of the small areas where the Chief could take guests to speak with them about private matters. It was also a place where he could reveal something to her without the others knowing. Entalia cocked her head to the side as the queer smell appeared again. Her eyes snapped to the figure, an Iyrman who was mostly nondescript. No, he was certainly someone related to one of the Iyrmen she knew. ¡°You are related to Jurot, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I am his uncle,¡± Tonagek replied, staring at the woman. Entalia remained silent for a long moment, eyeing him up. She understood why this Iyrman had been called, for the Chief was trying to confirm something. Her eyes fell to the Chief, and she wondered what she should do. ¡°Where are they?¡± Entalia asked, calmly. ¡°Please, follow me,¡± Iromin said, and Tonagek followed with them, heading deeper into the Iyr, through the tunnels, until they came across an area far enough away from the Front Iyr and Main Iyr. Entalia stared down at the little three Dragons, which then darted towards her eagerly, almost tackling her. They each cried out happily, and licked at her neck and cheeks. They purred and nestled against their mother, all the while she remained frozen, staring down at the three. ¡®...¡¯ Her eyes snapped to Iromin, and then Tonagek, before they turned a deep silver colour. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll explain to me how my children came to be within the Iyr, Chief.¡± Iromin could see it in her eyes, and watched as the frost escaped her mouth, moments away from attacking the pair of Iyrmen deep within the Iyr. ¡°Tonagek will explain the story, for he was the one to find them.¡± He decided against mentioning he had claimed them as his own children, not wanting to start a fight. Click banner for Patreon! Jaygak retires from her pranks, but Entalia appears? Oh no. 434. Babies III 434. Babies III Omen: 14, 18 Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 15 (8) Omen: 14, 18 -> 14 18 + 7 = 25 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate to assist in his enchanting. He had decided to try and enchant a Greater Enhanced weapon for the Iyr, waiting until he had a perfect Omen to create his own weapon. ¡°Adam, Entalia has come,¡± Elder Zijin informed once Adam had returned to the estate. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected to hear that Entalia had come to the Iyr, but assumed she was here to cause him some trouble. ¡°I will escort you to meet with her,¡± Zijin said, motioning with an arm to lead the Half Elf away. Adam followed the Elder, who guided him through one of the many tunnels of the Iyr, before he came across a peculiar sight. A heavily injured Entalia sitting down, arms crossed, surrounded by several older Iyrmen, including the Chief and Shaool, and one who was in his forties at the oldest. ¡°Entalia, did you cause trou-,¡± Adam began, before he was interrupted by Entalia. ¡°Adam!¡± Entalia shouted, her face full of fury. ¡°The Iyr has kidnapped your children!¡± The Iyrmen tensed up for a moment, almost letting down their guard to think about what she had said, hands on their weapons, before they relaxed once more. Adam raised his brows to the Chief. ¡°Weren¡¯t you dealing with them? What¡¯s all this about a kidnapping?¡± ¡°You know about the children?¡± Entalia asked, confused. ¡°Of course I do,¡± Adam said. ¡°I was the one who wanted to adopt them.¡± The Chief looked between the two, suddenly understanding what had happened. ¡®Of course.¡¯ Entalia stared at Adam, her eyes narrowed, but she smiled. ¡°So you recognise them as yours? I¡¯ll have to hear the story, because I¡¯m fairly certain I didn¡¯t give birth to them.¡± ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I saw when they were born, and stopped them from being killed.¡± Entalia stared at Adam, before looking up to the Chief, who held an equally confused look within his eyes, but for a very different reason. ¡°What¡¯s with all these damn looks?¡± Adam asked. The Goblins were brought to the group, the tiny little forms staring up at all the figures, shocked by how many people were around them. Entalia stared at the small babies, who were squirming within their tiny blanket. ¡°Look at my little cuties,¡± Adam said, tickling their cheeks. The Iyrmen remained silent and still, wondering if what they were seeing was true. They remained silent, however, only here to deal with Entalia if she tried to fight them again. Entalia watched as Adam tickled the Goblin¡¯s cheeks. She blinked. ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°They¡¯re my little babies,¡± Adam said, awkwardly, trying not to smirk. ¡°Aren¡¯t they cute?¡± Entalia¡¯s mouth opened to respond, but she closed it. She looked to the Chief, wondering what was going on, before she turned back to Adam. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You have Goblin children?¡± ¡°Yeah. We found them not long ago. I saved them from being killed, and then the Iyr looked after them for a bit, and now I¡¯ve adopted them.¡± Entalia blinked again. ¡°I think you hit me too hard, Chief.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam looked to the Chief, before his eyes fell to Entalia. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°They...¡± Entalia shook her head. ¡°What about our children?¡± ¡°You want me to take them back to Drakkenlen and say what? Here are my illegitimate trouble, so go ahead and manipulate them my dear advisors?¡± Entalia raised her brow. ¡°I mean... I prefer they stay here so I can raise them,¡± Adam admitted. He didn¡¯t want to give up the children, but understood if he had to. ¡°So they can be used as hostages in the Iyr?¡± Adam threw a look to the Chief, almost smirking at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t give birth to them, so I don¡¯t really mind viewing them as though they are not my children. If you want to raise them, go ahead. I¡¯ll give you some wealth so that you can start their hoards young.¡± ¡°Hoards?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You must treat them like...¡± Entalia stared at them. ¡®Why are they in Dragon form? Should they not have been...¡¯ ¡°Treat them like any other children, save they stay awake and sleep for much longer typically. They also need hoards otherwise they will get sick.¡± ¡°How much of a hoard?¡± ¡°They can share a hoard for now, as long as it¡¯s a few hundred gold at least, and increases by such a rate yearly, but once they are around twenty they will need a few thousand gold each, though ten thousand would be best.¡± ¡°How old are they?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Since their hatching?¡± Entalia stared down at the children. ¡°They probably hatched around the twelfth month last year?¡± ¡°I can deal with that,¡± Adam said, chuckling nervously. ¡°Though, they are in Dragon shape.¡± Entalia furrowed her brows. ¡°I could try and change their shape, though I am uncertain if I can.¡± ¡°A hybrid form should be doable,¡± Strom said, staring down at the children, his eyes twinkling. ¡®First the girl, and now these three? What fun the future holds!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could...¡± Adam felt a little guilty, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could look after them properly if they were Dragons. Goblins he could manage, they were probably Humanish in how they worked, but Dragons? ¡°If I feed them some of my blood and magic, it should work?¡± ¡°You... you¡¯re going to give up your rights as their mother?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have to, otherwise the Iyr, or other enemies I may have, will use them against me. Just so you know, if the Iyr threatens them, I will not come to help.¡± ¡°You think the Iyr will threaten them?¡± Adam began to chuckle. ¡°They¡¯ll never threaten these cuties.¡± Entalia furrowed her brows. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Adam began to shake, trying to calm himself of his laughter. ¡°The Iyr? Threaten my kids? With who? Baktu and Wahtu?¡± Adam laughed so heartily that tears from from his eyes. ¡°Wait, wait.¡± He coughed, trying to stop himself from laughing. ¡°Oh Baktu, damn, that¡¯s funny. If those two try it, I¡¯ll just revive their dad and have him sort them out.¡± Adam¡¯s words had even made Iromin raise his brows, but he let the matter go. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure if Adam was serious, but that didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Wait... they¡¯re my children, and I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family? Doesn¡¯t that mean they have some protection? So you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Adam smiled. However, the trio before him could see the crack in his smile. His tears may have been from his laughter, but it was the anxiety which had bubbled to the surface which had caused them to continue. Click banner for Patreon! uw0tm8? It is soon to be April, meaning I''ll be participating in the monthly writeathon. I have two ideas for it and want to know which one you''d like most. A: A cultivation novel about someone cold hearted who gets reincarnated and he wants to live a peaceful life, and he definitely doesn''t love his family, but we''ll see how long that lasts... B: In the future gates appear and change the world forever. We follow the story of a bunch of youths who join a run down training centre where the manager is a just an ordinary single dad... 435. Safe 435. Safe ¡°Goblin children?¡± Mirot asked while feeding her son. ¡°Just what is your Nephew thinking?¡± ¡°He has accepted them as his children,¡± Sonarot replied, brushing her daughter¡¯s hair while she half lay on top of her, half asleep. ¡°They will be accepted by the family. I will speak with mother about it.¡± Mirot wasn¡¯t sure how she should feel about this. It was one thing to accept Adam into the family so quickly, but now to accept children which he had adopted? It was a different matter if Adam had become an Iyrman, but he was a Nephew with a vague relationship with the Iyr. ¡°Goblin children?¡± Kaygak said. ¡°It has never been done before. Why did he wish to accept the Goblins as his children? Does he truly believe they are his own? Since when was a Goblin an Iyrman?¡± ¡°There has never been a Half Elf Nephew either,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°If Adam says they are his children, they are his children. It is our way.¡± ¡°Our way, but is it his?¡± Kaygak asked. Sonarot remained quiet, frowning slightly. Before she could respond, a voice cut through the air. ¡°Aunt,¡± called a familiar voice, and Adam appeared, holding his three children in his arms. ¡°Look! I have three more children.¡± The Iyrmen women had been gathered together in the corner, speaking with one another while the others ate at the centre. Adam had made his way right to them, revealing the silver scaled Dragons, who gripped him tightly. The Iyrmen remained silent, and those at the fire stared at Adam, unsure of what he was doing, or what the joke was. They glanced between one another, and even Adam¡¯s companions were utterly confused. ¡°They are your children?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Obviously,¡± Adam said, his heart still pounding harshly within his chest. The stress was weighing on him, but he was fighting it away. ¡°Why else would they be this cute?¡± ¡°When did you have such children?¡± Sonarot asked, reaching up to gently stroke one of their tails, which snapped away from her finger. ¡°I had them before...¡± Adam paused. ¡°I had them before I stepped foot in this land.¡± Sonarot tilted her head slightly, immediately understanding what he meant, before she smiled. ¡°What wonderful news.¡± She stood up, the smug smile on her face evident to the other mothers. ¡°I will gather the blankets.¡± First it was a Half Elf, then it was Goblins and Dragons. The Rot family now held all these different races, all because of one figure. Adam carried his three children to the fire, which caused the Dragons to squirm, but he wrapped his arms around them and hugged them close, nuzzling into their faces as they licked up at his cheeks and chin. ¡°Aren¡¯t they so cute? My adorable little children.¡± The others weren¡¯t sure what to think. From Jonn to Dunes, none understood what was happening. ¡°You have Dragon children?¡± Vonda asked. This was as surprising as the fact Adam had adopted Goblins. ¡®Where did they come from?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam nuzzled their noses, before they eventually rested their heads against his shoulders, the Dragon with her scale missing circled around onto his lap before nestling herself there. The Chief brought Adam¡¯s other children, the Goblins, to the Iyr too, each of them in their own little basket. He placed them down near the mothers, before bowing his head and leaving. Taygak looked down at the Goblins near her own sister, before looking back up at Adam. ¡°Goblin, Adam children?¡± ¡°Yes. They are also my children too.¡± Taygak stared up at him with a blank look. She blinked. ¡°Okay.¡± She turned to face the other children. ¡°You listen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the children replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak replied, having confirmed that the children knew Adam had children now. Lucy narrowed her eyes at Adam, staring at him as he played with his children. He was smiling wide, overwhelmed by the children, but the flames brought shadows to his face. ¡°Congratulations, Adam,¡± Mara said, a warm smile on her face. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied, keeping his arms around his Dragon children. When night came, Adam let his children go free. They all snuggled beside him, however, trapping him underneath. Lanarot stared at the Dragons, still shocked, before she climbed up beside her mother, whimpering. The Goblins had been taken away by the other mothers, who had been sleeping in a separate area since their children were all still so young, and would work in shifts to look after them. The Dragons pinned Adam¡¯s arms down as they lap across them, the other laying across his chest. They purred quietly, causing Lanarot to look their way, before she finally dropped down beside her mother again, sucking her thumb. Soon the children were all asleep, leaving the adults awake. Adam tried to fall asleep, but he couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t because the Dragons were sleeping against him awkwardly, and though he wished they would gather together, he allowed them to pin him to the floor. His stomach ached, and not because of the Dragon¡¯s weight, but rather the weight of fatherhood which he had first chosen, and then was thrust upon. ¡®Five kids?¡¯ Adam thought. It was something he hadn¡¯t imagine, and even the day before, when he had chosen to adopt the Goblins, it hadn¡¯t struck him. Yet, now with the silver scaled creatures which snoozed against him, it felt all the more real. ¡®How am I meant to look after them? I can¡¯t even look after my friends, and they¡¯re pretty damn strong too...¡¯ Adam winced, the memory of dropping like a fly struck him again, a daily occurrence which did not allow him to forget. ¡®Stronger,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Stronger. Even if it¡¯s a little chaotic, I need to get stronger. Things are different in this world. Everything is so much bigger, and everything is so much more powerful. I¡¯ve got such adorable children now. Two little Goblins, a little boy and girl, and three little Dragons.¡¯ He closed his eyes tight, trying to force himself to sleep. ¡®Damn it. What have I done? Adam, you fucking idiot. What were you thinking?¡¯ Quest Complete: Children Safe XP Gained: +500 XP: 12 400 -> 12 900 Adam inhaled deeply, before letting out a long sigh, once which Sonarot and Jurot heard. They heard him fall asleep a long while later, before sleeping themselves. Click banner for Patreon! How time has flown. I have written Beyond Chaos for an entire year now. 435+ public chapters in 365 days is pretty good, I think. I want to thank everyone who has supported me thus far. From this month onwards I''m going to be writing far more seriously now, and taking my health more seriously too, in order to provide you more words. Adam now has children to look after, so shouldn''t I also look after myself so I can write their wholesome and not at all dark or gruesome tale? Thankfully his children are not races which are known for being hunted in this world otherwise this story is going to take a turn for the worse... 436. Politics 436. Politics Omen: 1, 10 Sonarot fed the Goblins, while the Dragons scarfed down the meat before them, tearing into it ravenously. The loud chewing sounds unsettled Lanarot, who climbed on top of Adam and held him close while he fed her. ¡°My kids are so damn cute,¡± Adam said. ¡°I did not expect you to have five children before the year¡¯s end,¡± Vonda admitted. Deep within her heart she felt almost relieved Adam could still surprise her, something almost everyone else felt too. ¡°Aren¡¯t I lucky?¡± Adam replied, smiling at his friends. The smile was genuine, but they could see something on his face. It was a tension they had never seen before. Adam had felt different ever since losing to the stranger they had met. No. Everyone had been different every since they had come across that man. However, Adam now had something else to worry about. He, who had lost everything, now, finally, had something he could realistically lose. ¡°Will you have time to make an inn when you have such cute children?¡± Vonda asked. Adam smiled. ¡°I have to make the inn because now I have a family to support.¡± Vonda returned with a smile, though it was hidden behind her scarf. ¡°With how much gold you have already made?¡± ¡°Dragon children are hard to raise, Vonda,¡± Adam said. ¡°I have to make sure they each have at least ten thousand gold before they turn twenty.¡± ¡°That is so long away.¡± Vonda was certain Adam could make thirty thousand gold in a single year considering his ability with enchanting. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s so long away? It¡¯s only twenty years. Twenty years, Vonda.¡± Adam may have been a Half Elf, but he sounded more like a full blooded Elf. ¡°Of course,¡± Vonda said. Naqokan was staring at the children. She had given Adam some space for some time, but to think he had managed to gain five children so quickly. She frowned, but seeing how Adam cared for his children, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. Elder Zijin arrived during breakfast, taking a bite of the food, which numbed his lips. ¡°I should take the little Dragons away so they can be checked up.¡± Adam lifted his children up in his arms. ¡°Daddy¡¯s going to miss you all, but we have to make sure you¡¯re all healthy. Be good for everyone, okay?¡± The Dragons purred up towards him sadly, which caused Adam to almost keel over in pain, the pain of allowing them to leave his arms. ¡°They will be in good hands,¡± Zijin assured, before he reached out to take them. The Dragons looked up towards Adam, who brushed their heads, and slowly handed them to the Elder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, my little babbies. Elder Zijin is a great guy, you can trust him.¡± The Dragons continued to purr sadly, but they climbed on top of Elder Zijin, almost like cats. Their talons clutched at his clothing, two of the Dragons against his arms, the last wrapped around his shoulders. They looked to their father with sad eyes. Wisdom Save D20 + 3 = 12 (9) ¡°I¡¯ll carry them,¡± Adam finally said, before the Dragons quickly leapt over to him, and clung to him. ¡°Okay,¡± Zijin said, sighing, but allowing Adam to take them. He led the group forward, making his way through the tunnels of the Iyr, to where Entalia was. ¡°He chooses to remain distant with the Iyr, but not with our family,¡± Sonarot corrected. ¡°I am certain they will accept the matter once they know Adam as I do.¡± ¡°I cannot make such a promise,¡± Mulrot replied. Adam returned in the evening to see his Goblin children, both of whom were sleeping silently in their baskets. They were so small, smaller than any of the children here, who were growing so quickly. ¡®Stronger,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Stronger.¡¯ Jurot returned with Jaygak and Kitool, who had begun working the same day Adam had decided to enchant for the Iyr. They worked hard on chopping down wood for the Iyr¡¯s expansion. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like a hot spicy pepper after working hard,¡± Jaygak said, biting down into a pepper. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like coming back home to my adorable kids after working hard,¡± Adam retorted. Jaygak narrowed her eyes at him, wondering why he was starting a fight. ¡°I¡¯d rather eat this pepper than your children.¡± ¡°What do you mean you...¡± Adam stopped. ¡°No, wait...¡± He furrowed his brows at her while she smirked. ¡°Well, yeah?¡± ¡°Have you thought of their names?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what to name them. I don¡¯t want them to name them anything cringe, so I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while. Plus, they¡¯re Goblins, so I¡¯m not sure how to name them. Do you guys have any ideas?¡± Jurot wiped his mouth after he was done sipping his soup. He thought for a moment, and it all felt so dirty. It was not because they were Goblins, since he did not care for their race, as they were Adam¡¯s children. However, the Goblins would bring no glory to the Rot family when they would be adopted into it. He did not care, since they were Adam¡¯s children, and his nephew and niece, but there were special considerations to take into account. Jurot, for once, had to politic. ¡°Jirot for the girl, Jarot for the boy.¡± Everyone had heard the words, from Adam¡¯s companions, to the Iyrmen nearby. ¡°I can¡¯t name them after the Rot family,¡± Adam said, quickly, suddenly being drowned in his nerves. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a member of the Rot family.¡± Jurot crossed his arms. ¡°Are they not my niece and nephew?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but...¡± Adam could feel it, the gazes of the Iyrmen about him. He swallowed, trying to think about how to deal with the situation. He was a Nephew of the Rot family, sure, but the only members he was really close with were Jurot and Sonarot. There was Nirot, Turot, and Jarot too, though he was not quite as close with them. Not just that, but to name a child after Jurot¡¯s grandfather, it felt awkward. It was a blatant way of saying he was going to stick to the family. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, calmly. ¡°You think too much.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Oh no. Politics? In my power harem fantasy? NOOOO! 437. Politics II 437. Politics II Omen: 16, 18 Adam stared at the numbers, wondering if they meant he would truly have good luck today. He sighed, getting up, before thinking about the night before. Jurot had also named the Dragons, having six names prepared, all of which ended with the Rot family name. ¡®I¡¯m going to die of stress at this rate...¡¯ Adam went to enchant, aiming to make another Greater Enhanced weapon for the Iyr. Meanwhile, Jurot had gone to meet with his grandfather in the morning, hours before he would need to cut down the trees. His axe almost struck his grandfather¡¯s neck, but the old man stepped aside with more agility than his age might suggest, before he struck Jurot with the handle of his axe, forcing the young Iyrman back. ¡°You might have become an Expert, but you are still a few decades from trying to beat me,¡± Jarot said, smirking at the boy. Churot watched from nearby, writing in his book, answering the questions the Elders had prepared for him. ¡°Again,¡± Jurot urged, standing up, panting deeply. ¡°No, it is enough for today,¡± Jarot said, slipping his axe into the strap at his side. ¡°Again,¡± Jurot repeated, raising his shield. Jarot raised his brow. His grandson usually obeyed him without a word. ¡°Do you think it is easy for me to fight you while holding back? We have fought enough, and you have work to do still.¡± Jarot dismissed Jurot with his single hand. Jurot sighed, before placing his axe and shield aside. ¡°Yes, grandfather.¡±ph. How could you request such a thing of me when you have not brought those children to me. You even dared to name them after me? How could you do such a thing? Am I dead to you? What kind of grandson do I have?¡± Jurot retreated away, making his way to work, his grandfather¡¯s gaze across his back. Jarot sighed, stretching out his arms, feeling how much it ached from the bout. He was eager to stretch out his muscles, so when his grandson had come asking for some sparring, he instantly accepted. ¡°You are too eager, my little Jurot,¡± Jarot said, wondering when the darkness in Jurot¡¯s heart would disappear. He reached for his own chest, looking to Churot, who was working on dealing with logistics for the Iyr. ¡®Must you all fly away so quickly?¡¯ Adam returned from his enchanting to see three figures he hadn¡¯t seen before. They stood tall and strong, strength which was unmatched. He hadn¡¯t seen them before in his life, he was certain. They had such strong horns at the sides of their heads, which would skewer any man apart. Indeed, if they so wished, they could have wreaked havoc upon the Iyr with no one able to stop them. ¡®So cute!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®My children are so cute!¡¯ The three Dragons had turned to face him when he had approached the Elder¡¯s estate, each standing while using their tails as support whilst they were getting used to their new bodies. They held tiny bumps on their heads which slightly pushed up their hair. Silver scales shone brightly from on their necks and down their backs and the backs of their hands and arms too. Their ears were leaf shaped, like his own. Adam lifted the smallest, the boy, up, and pulled him to his chest. ¡°Who is this cute little boy? How can you be so adorable?¡± The boy smiled and nestled his head into his father¡¯s chest, purring again as he had when he was a Dragon. Entalia cleared her throat, causing Adam to snap his head to her. He hadn¡¯t noticed that any of the others were around, having tunnel vision for his three children, with his daughters grabbing at his leg. ¡°Oh. Hey.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the woman grumbled. ¡°Since my work here is done, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± She needed to leave quickly, before the Iyr thought she had any sort of attachment to the children. ¡°Entalia, wait,¡± Adam called as she began storming off. ¡°What is it?¡± Adam first checked on his Goblin children, thanking his Aunts and Uncles for looking after them, before they made their way out. Turot followed beside Adam, looking up at the Dragons now and again. ¡®My nieces and nephew are Dragons...¡¯ The boy felt the light sensation in his stomach. Adam noted the looks of some of the Iyrmen who were out and about walking, noting the Half Elf and then the children, who were undoubtedly Half Dragons. The Rot family was in the middle of dinner when the group approached. Sarot, Tarot and Zirot, and Jarot and Mulrot were there. ¡°Hello there,¡± Adam called, trying to hide his nerves by making a joke only he would understand. ¡°What are my three grandsons doing here?¡± Jarot asked, motioning a hand to invite them to sit nearby. ¡°Who are these three cute little children?¡± ¡®Are they Half Dragons?¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t they cute?¡± Adam asked, sitting down with his children all against him. ¡°They¡¯re the cutest, you know? They¡¯re my children.¡± ¡°How did you manage to have Dragon children?¡± Jarot asked. The true story had only been revealed to a handful of people, and only a handful more knew that they were Adam¡¯s children by blood, even if they were from another world. ¡°Is that important?¡± Adam asked, brushing the children¡¯s hair. ¡°Isn¡¯t it most important that my children are just cute?¡± The Half Dragon children looked around curiously, spying all the Iyrmen as they clutched at their father¡¯s robes, not wanting to leave him. ¡°Speaking of which, Jurot named all my children.¡± ¡°What are their names?¡± Jarot asked, knowing the name of the other children, but not yet these little youngsters. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot...¡± Adam said, cautiously. ¡°Did you have other children?¡± Jarot asked, trying not to give anything away. ¡°Have you named them yet?¡± ¡°Well, Jurot named them, and...¡± Adam looked to Jurot for support, but he only bowed his head. ¡°Jirot and Jarot.¡± ¡°You dared to name a child after me while I was still alive?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Is he as cute as these greatchildren? No, even if he is so cute, how could you do such a thing when I have not died?¡± ¡°Jurot was the one to name them, not me,¡± Adam retorted. ¡°Hmph. Since he is no doubt so cute, I will forgive you, but only once I have held him.¡± Jarot looked to the other older Iyrmen, the hint of a smirk on his face. After all, none of the children had been named after them. Adam smiled nervously. ¡°Well...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°They¡¯re my kids and I¡¯m not really sure how that works,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, and I¡¯m also Jurot¡¯s brother. I¡¯m not really sure if they can take the Rot family name, but Jurot named them, so...¡± ¡°Kona, Ki, Ka,¡± Jarot said. ¡°They are good names.¡± The stories already came to his mind. Jarot reached over and brushed the boy¡¯s hair, who hid away shyly. Konarot, the oldest, began to purr angrily. ¡°What is the matter my little greatdaughter?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Did you want me to brush your hair too?¡± Jarot reached over to brush her hair, but as he tried to do so, she snapped her teeth at him. Click banner for Patreon! Konarot is about to 1v1 one of two guys who beat her father? Truly the best daughter. 438. Politics III 438. Politics III ¡°Konarot, stop,¡± Adam said, shocked by her behaviour. ¡°He¡¯s your... uncle¡¯s grandfather.¡± Konarot stood on Adam¡¯s lap, her arms spread wide to protect her siblings, all the while she growled at Jarot. Adam reached over to brush her hair. ¡°Calm down, little Kana.¡± Adam slowly coaxed her to sit back on his lap. ¡°Sorry, I haven¡¯t actually spent much time with them...¡± ¡°What a fierce little girl she is,¡± Jarot said, grinning wide. ¡°She will grow big and strong.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam refuted. ¡°She will stay small and cute forever. All my children will stay cute and small forever.¡± Adam embraced them all tight. Mulrot, not for the first time, wondered if Jarot had an Elvish lover when he had left. No, there was no way. It had taken her so long to try and bed him when he was a man who only lusted for blood. ¡°That is fine too,¡± Jarot admitted. ¡°They should remain small and cute forever, and should not leave our arms.¡± Adam smiled, and for a moment, wondered if the pair were truly related. ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°They must grow big and strong for the Rot family,¡± Jurot said, feeling their glares across his skin. He did not care, still believing he was right about the matter. ¡°It is a great honour for the Rot family to have Dragons among them,¡± Mulrot said. ¡°Well...¡± Adam began, wondering if he should continue. ¡°I have two more children.¡± Mulrot slowly nodded her head. ¡°They¡¯re Goblins.¡± Tarot blinked, looking to his wife, wondering if he had heard correctly. She threw him a look too. Sarot remained silent. ¡°Goblins?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your children?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A long, painful silence followed. ¡°We came across them on the way back,¡± Adam said. ¡°They were quite feral, and, well, the children¡¯s mother had died. The Goblins had all basically starved to death, and their mother had been half eaten. Thankfully, somehow, the children were still fortunate enough to survive. We managed to bring them back, and I adopted them. They¡¯re really cute. There¡¯s a boy, Jarot, and a girl, Jirot.¡± Mulrot remained silent, wondering if Adam would ask them to accept the Goblins into the family too. She wasn¡¯t sure how the rest of the family would take it. Jarot remained quiet, thinking about how a Goblin child had been named after him. ¡°It is one thing to adopt Dragons, but it is another to adopt Goblins,¡± Mulrot said. Jarot¡¯s eyes darkened, before realising what he had thought too. ¡®Have I grown so old?¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ Jurot thought, sitting beside Adam silently. ¡°I have accepted them as my children, regardless of how little blood they share with me,¡± Adam said, simply. Turot sat up straighter, glancing around at the adults. He had felt something was off about this entire conversation. It wasn¡¯t something he had thought Iyrmen would talk about. ¡°I will look after my little nieces and nephews.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. Our little Turot is such a great little young man.¡± ¡°Adam is very strong, very handsome,¡± Turot said, nodding his head. The Iyrmen were taken aback by Turot¡¯s words, but quickly returned their attention back to Adam and his Half Dragon children, who were clutching at him so eagerly. ¡°We should discuss the matter of Kona, Ki, and Ka in the future, when we are all with calmer minds,¡± Mulrot said. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, simply, before standing. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your dinner.¡± Mulrot sighed, but bowed her head, letting him go. Jurot stood, making to leave too, finding that he could not open his mouth to speak. The shame had overwhelmed him, and he could not fight against it. Turot stood as well, eating some of the bread he had been given by his granduncle. Jarot, too, stood. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°I will see the one known as Jarot,¡± he replied. Churot stood too, taking with him his book, and he followed his grandfather out to the shared family estate. The awkwardness hung about them as they entered the shared family estate. Jarot walked right to the baskets which contained the Goblins. ¡®They are kept with the other children.¡¯ Jarot stared down at the pair of tiny babes, both with greenish skin. ¡°This one is Jarot?¡± Adam stood beside the old man awkwardly, his Half Dragon children hanging around him. ¡°The names aren¡¯t final,¡± he said, finally. ¡°If you don¡¯t like him being called Jarot, it can be changed.¡± It was one thing for Mulrot not to like them, and any of the other family members, but if it was Jarot, it felt different. ¡°Why would I not like it?¡± Jarot asked. He continued to stare at the babies. ¡°He is cute. His sister is cute too.¡± Adam sighed with relief, feeling the weight escape his shoulders, though his children continued to clutch against them. He went to eat with his children, who eagerly ate from his fingers. ¡°Daddy needs to eat too, you silly babies.¡± Konarot brought a fruit up to his lips, shoving it into his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re so smart, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam smiled, chewing the fruit. He kissed his Half Dragon children across their foreheads. ¡®Is it because they¡¯ve got Dragon blood?¡¯ ¡°Do you wish to stay here for the night?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°How can I go back to a place which smells of such shamelessness?¡± Jarot asked. ¡®Goblin children? It is no matter if they are Goblins or Dragons. This is not the way of the Iyr. To refuse the Goblins such a decent life, but to choose the Half Dragons to add to our honour.¡¯ Sonarot stared up at her father, seeing him deep in thought while he remained fixated on the Goblin children. ¡°When did we become so Aldish?¡± Churot looked up at his grandfather in shock after hearing the words, before quickly returning back to his equations, not wanting to think about what he had just heard. Click banner for Patreon! Sad :( 439. His Children 439. His Children Adam awoke in the morning, with a mass of children sprawled on top of him. He turned to the side, feeling a scaly tail up against his cheek. ¡®Why do they have tails?¡¯ Adam wondered, before rubbing his cheek against it, causing his son to squirm, the boy pushing himself onto all fours, blinking in confusion. He turned to look at his father, before he smiled with a toothy smile, and he crawled over to rest his head beside his father¡¯s. ¡°Did you sleep well, Karot?¡± Adam whispered. The boy smiled, before hiding himself into his father¡¯s neck. His sisters also awoke, each of them sitting up, Konarot on his stomach, Kirot at his side. He reached up to gently rub Kirot¡¯s back, before he brushed Konarot¡¯s hair. ¡°Did you all sleep well?¡± Adam asked, slowly sitting up, though Konarot remained sitting on his stomach. She clutched at his shirt as her father sat up, before she slid down to his lap, refusing to let go of him. ¡°You need to brush your teeth gently, okay?¡± Adam said, showing them how he brushed his teeth, assisting the trio of Half Dragons with their brushing. The children mimicked him as best as they could, though they were still getting used to their humanoid bodies. The Half Elf took his children out to the stream, assisting them with washing up. He soaped them up, starting from the boy, who seemed to be the youngest, as the two girls looked after him most. As he washed up Konarot, he noted the marks all across her body, and he tensed up, before he continued to wash her up. The Half Dragons sat down beside the stream, their feet feeling the cool water as Adam bathed. ¡®They¡¯re so sensible...¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how intelligent they were. When he returned back to the shared family estate, he went to check up on his Goblin children. The pair were laying in their baskets beside the other Iyrmen children, both at the end where Jarot, the older Iyrman, sat. ¡°Hello my little Jarot and Jirot,¡± Adam said, reaching down to tickle their nose. Their bodies twitched and jerked, and they continued to stare up at Adam. The two were cared for by the various mothers of the shared family estate. ¡°How old are they?¡± Jarot asked, relaxing beside the children. ¡°Almost two weeks, I think. They were born on the eighth.¡± Adam continued to stare down at the little Goblins. They were no longer quite so tiny as they were previously. ¡°They will grow quickly,¡± Jarot said, staring down at the pair. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam whispered, sighing. ¡°They were so tiny before, I could hold their entire bodies with almost a hand, but now they¡¯re almost twice as big.¡± ¡°That is how newborn babies are.¡± The other Iyrmen children were also nearby, wanting to spend time with Jarot, the oldest, and most powerful Iyrman around. Adam withdrew, letting them draw closer to speak with their elder. ¡°Having fun?¡± Adam asked, smiling down at the Devilkin teen. ¡°Yes,¡± Churot replied, simply. The group gathered together for breakfast, with the Gak family cooking for the last day of the week, before it was the Rot family¡¯s turn. It was fish with a myriad of spices, which would strike the back of the throat with heat. ¡°Is this the famous fish soup I¡¯ve heard about?¡± Adam asked, throwing a look to Mara. ¡°I hope it is to your liking,¡± the Demon replied, bowing her head slightly. Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com first made sure his children were eating properly, tearing apart bread and pieces of fish for them, before checking the soup. He winced at the spice, which tasted like fire for a moment, before the citrus flavour punched through. Adam returned after his enchanting, with his Half Dragon children having walked over towards where he had entered from before he had even turned the corner. ¡°Did you all miss me?¡± Adam asked, lifting the children up one by one, kissing their cheeks, before setting them down. The triplets gathered around him and remained by his side as he guided them back to the group. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Adam asked, spying how many items had been passed, from cups and plates to piles of cloth. ¡°The children¡¯s gifts,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Oh, right,¡± Adam said. ¡°I gave Lanarot her gift when she was born, but I didn¡¯t get anything substantial for the new little babbies.¡± Mirot paused, thinking about what he had said. ¡°Are you going to gift them magical weapons?¡± Adam avoided the Iyrman¡¯s gaze, before looking to his children. ¡°Well, I mean, I should.¡± Mirot sighed, looking to Sonarot, who only smiled at her sister. They all gathered together to eat again, with Adam¡¯s children settled beside him. Lanarot glanced around him, trying to find where she should sit. She looked up at Adam and pouted up at him. Either side of him had been taken by the girls, and Karot sat on his lap. ¡°You want to sit with papa?¡± Adam asked, picking Karot up to move up to one thigh, allowing Lanarot to take her place on his other thigh. He wrapped his arms around them, trapped by the adorable children. ¡®The sacrifices I must make.¡¯ Sir Vonda was the only companion who remained at this shared family estate, the others making rounds with the other families, sharing their stories. She stared at Adam with his children, noting that his face seemed lighter. ¡°You will not share your children with your grandfather?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°I already named one after you, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°No, Jurot did.¡± ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡± ¡°Why are you showing so much favouritism to the Dragons?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Adam replied, firmly. ¡°I make sure to check on the Goblins from time to time.¡± He threw a look to the baskets. ¡°I should probably cuddle them more though.¡± He had left them to the mothers, not wanting to get in their way, but he really should have spent some time with them. Once the children were fed, Adam ate quickly, before checking on Jirot and Jarot. They were both so small, and Adam hesitated when he made to pick them up, starting with Jirot first, lifting the boy up, holding the back of his head. The Goblin stared up at Adam in shock, before he jerked and twitched. ¡°Why are you so small?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, though. You should stay small and cute forever.¡± He spent time with the boy, before Sonarot took the boy, holding him for the one armed Jarot. Adam lifted Jirot up, whose eyes squinted at him suspiciously. ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong, baby?¡± The girl did not respond, before Adam felt how warm her bottom had become. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Jirot is asserting her dominance. 440. Duskval Festival I 440. Duskval Festival I Omen: 7, 15 ¡°Who is this handsome young man?¡± Adam asked, noting the young boy who had been returned to the shared family estate in the morning. Asoyah looked to Sonarot, thinking about how to respond, before he gave Adam a suspicious look. ¡°I am Asoyah.¡± ¡°I heard you went out to go do stuff. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, snorting with satisfaction. He understood he wasn¡¯t allowed to tell Adam, but he smiled thinking about the fun he had. They were all adorned in the attire of the Iyr, with the Rot family wearing identical outfits, grey with the Rot family symbol embroidered along the shoulders where the outer shirt cut off, and a deep blue sash around their waists. Asoyah also wore their outfit, and his shirt, like the other childrens¡¯ shirts, were not cut off at the shoulders, but rather towards their forearm. Adam stared down at his triplets, who were wearing clothes which were too big for them. ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Jurot replied, also staring down at the triplets, who were shyly standing behind Adam. Adam threw Jurot a look, before smiling. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Who is this cute little girl?¡± Jarot asked, hoisting Lanarot up with one arm, before showering her with affection. Lanarot replied with a smiled, and pointed up at her baba, poking his cheek, before twitching with laughter. Mirot glanced between her father and Nephew, wondering if they were related by blood. ¡°Will you watch my fight?¡± Nirot asked, looking to her older cousins. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied, with Jurot nodding his head. ¡°We¡¯ll make our way there around noon.¡± ¡°I will definitely win.¡± ¡°I hope so, otherwise I¡¯ll be losing a gold coin,¡± Adam said. The other teens were also preparing themselves to fight in the afternoon, with Tizgak carrying his son¡¯s chain mail so he could be fresh for the fight. ¡°Good luck to you all, but no pressure. However, if you lose in front of my children, they won¡¯t be able to trust you to protect them and then what am I going to do?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You can already protect them well,¡± Naqokan replied. ¡°I would feel reassured if you all could protect them too.¡± ¡°If there is someone who can...¡± Laygak began, before realising what he was saying. ¡°We will do our best.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam nodded towards the teen, noting the awkwardness on his face. ¡°Good morning,¡± Strom said, approaching from the archway. He carried a pack over his shoulder, and a bottle in one hand. He was still so thin, though his face did not lose any of the warmth it held. ¡°Strom,¡± Adam greeted, nodding his head. ¡°I have brought some drinks,¡± the old man said, placing down down the sack, which was full of small casks of ale. His eyes then fell to the three Half Dragons, who cowered away behind their father. ¡°I see you¡¯re all well.¡± Adam hoisted the three up into his arms, with Konarot wrapped around his shoulders, hiding her face against his chest. ¡°What did you do to my children to make them so afraid?¡± ¡°I helped them take hybrid form, though I suppose it must have been quite scary for the little ones,¡± Strom said, before he lifted Lanarot up. The girl squealed and reached up to his face, grabbing at it. ¡°Have you come to cause trouble?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Goblins?¡± Jarot raised a brow. ¡°Do you mean my greatchildren?¡± ¡°Have you accepted them already.¡± ¡°Have you not?¡± Jarot¡¯s voice became clearer. Mirot did not reply. ¡°My grandsons have named one after me, and another after my own grandmother, and you would expect me not to accept them?¡± ¡°Why have you not returned back to the main estate?¡± Jarot sneered. ¡°If it does not want Jarot, then Jarot will not return there.¡± Mirot wondered if she could soothe her father¡¯s anger, but when it came to something like this, she was certain she¡¯d be unable to deal with him. ¡°Did you accept them because you wanted to or because you had to?¡± ¡°Can it not be both?¡± ¡°How can it be both?¡± ¡°I accepted them because I am an Iyrman,¡± Jarot replied, simply. ¡°Mother is not?¡± ¡°Her actions decide whether she is or not an Iyrman.¡± Mirot sighed, picking up her son, and gently rocked him. He stared up at her, his eyes blank. ¡°Do not forget you have another grandchild.¡± ¡°A grandchild who has the support of the rest of the family,¡± Jarot replied. ¡°I will not ignore him, but my attention will be for those children who have none.¡± ¡°Not even Adam gives them so much attention,¡± Mirot noted. ¡°Has he placed too much faith in you?¡± Jarot asked. Adam spent far more time with his Half Dragon children and his sister than he did the Goblins. ¡°Who do you think will feed them while my sister is gone?¡± Mirot¡¯s words were firm, daring to reprimand her father. ¡°It is these two who were first accepted by your nephews,¡± Jarot stated. ¡°The Half Dragons were adopted after.¡± ¡°They were not adopted, they were his children,¡± Mirot stated. ¡°You are right,¡± Jarot said. ¡°These five children were not adopted, they were his children.¡± Mirot sighed, looking down at her son, brushing his head tenderly. Her father was too stubborn to deal with, even for someone like her. Jarot remained silent, looking down at the Goblins. He had already accepted them into his heart, but there was already a coldness inside his heart and mind, that of anxiety. These children would live a tough life. At least Half Dragons were treated as people, Goblins were nothing more than vermin in the eyes of many. ¡®I would like to see who dares to harm my greatchildren,¡¯ Jarot thought. The women noted the pulsing in his brow, and the tension in the Iyrman¡¯s neck, who was riling himself up. Click banner for Patreon! Jarot is truly the best greatfather. 441. Duskval Festival II 441. Duskval Festival II Adam¡¯s eyes snapped around, noting how empty the roads felt. Last duskval the roads had been busy, but this year there were far fewer Iyrmen around. However, the number of stalls were similar, and it allowed them to take their time to examine each one. The group travelled from stall to stall, picking up small portions of food from each, with Adam handing over the first lot of samples he received to his children. Sonarot slipped into a shared estate with the other children, letting them meet with the Iyrmen within. ¡°Half Dragons?¡± an Iyrman asked while Adam was at a nearby stall. ¡°That they are,¡± Adam said, before pausing at the Iyrman¡¯s sight. She was older than time, her face wrinkles like ripples within a lake. She wore thick clothing, black as the starless sky, and wore a medallion which was made of a black wood, shaped in the symbol of Baktu, the God of Death. She wielded a staff made of the same wood as her medallion too, but that was not the most notable thing about her. Findd new stories at novelhall.com Her tattoos were small, hollow circles, also a deep black. They were notable because an Iyrman¡¯s tattoos were usually filled or hollow, and the central shape was usually the largest. However, her tattoos were all uniform, and were smaller than any other tattoos Adam had seen before, and the central circle held the symbol of Baktu too. Her entire presence caused Adam¡¯s hair to stand on edge, and his children also clutched at the back of his trousers, dropping their food. The old woman held the face of a tender grandmother, and she reached down towards the children. Adam reached for her wrist, but she pulled her hand back from the frightened children. ¡°What a great boon to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam replied. ¡°You must be Lord Hadda,¡± the old woman said, greeting Strom, who was wiping Lanarot¡¯s mouth clean. Strom glanced towards the woman, who held the hint of death upon her. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°It is my honour to meet you.¡± She bowed her head towards Strom. ¡°It is mine,¡± Strom replied, wondering who this new figure was. No doubt she was an Iyrman, but she was unlike any of the Iyrmen he had seen. The old Iyrman reached up to tickle Lanarot¡¯s cheek, causing her to pull back and hide against Strom. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you carrying a child,¡± a familiar voice called. Adam¡¯s head snapped to the side, where he saw Shama, flanked by Shaool and another Iyrman. Walking into the scene came Lucy and Mara, who had walked from the centre of an estate, and appearing from nowhere came the Chief. ¡®Well...¡¯ Adam thought, realising quickly that the good time at the festival had ended. Shama¡¯s eyes fell to the new Iyrman who reeked of death, wondering where she had appeared from. She was unlike any other Iyrman he had met, though she was like the pair who accompanied him in the sense that she was at least a Paragon. ¡°She is not a child, but the child,¡± Strom said, holding the girl up to Shama, though she squirmed and pulled away from the old man. Surrounding the Emperor were a large number of children, all of whom were enjoying the festival, and some of whom were staring up at the Emperor excitedly. If he rampaged at another time, the Iyrmen may have been able to beat him down eventually, but they would not have dared to kill him. However, if he rampaged now, and if a child was wounded in the fray, no one would be able to find even a pinky finger of the Emperor. ¡°It would be no good for you to die here,¡± the old Iyrman with the black staff stated. The Chief¡¯s stress level increased from the old woman¡¯s words. ¡®Elder Story, please.¡¯ She, who had appeared from nowhere, as though she had born from the shadows, and had caused great alarm to the Chief, seemingly was here to aggravate the Emperor rather than to watch over him as she had promised. Shama¡¯s eyes fell across the old woman¡¯s form. The stench of death had clung into the air the entire time, and he had kept it within the back of his mind. She was one of a few Iyrmen that would have been able to clash with him with some level of success. Then his thoughts went to the oppressive pressure he felt when he had arrived within the Iyr, the constant reminder that she was always watching him. Hello. The visitors glanced towards the new arrival, another Half Elf, who was currently tapping her book. ¡°Tariel?¡± Adam asked, staring at the woman. She tapped the word once more, looking up at all the figures, from Strom to Shama. The festival is really nice! ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. Lucy and Mara approached Adam and his children, stepping away from the Lord of Flames. He seemed to pay them no attention any longer, relenting to the Iyr¡¯s wishes. Lucy was torn about the matter. If Shama had struck Mara down, then no doubt he would have been dealt with, and Mara would have been brought up by Adam. However, it would have also meant that Mara would have been wounded at best, and killed at worst. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± Adam asked, half paying attention to Shama still, who had put away his blade. Yes! ¡°Sorry, that was rude.¡± Adam sighed, feeling the weight of his stress up against his shoulders. ¡°Are you well?¡± Yes! ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it.¡± The dark skinned Half Elf continued to smile at Adam. She wore the clothing of the Iyrmen, and carried at her back her long staff with a gem at the top. She began to write something in her book, but as she did, she stood in shock as Adam swung his axe towards the Lord of Flames. Click banner for Patreon! Uh oh. I guess this story is ending next chapter... 442. Duskval Festival III 442. Duskval Festival III ¡°Brother,¡± Sonarot called, smiling towards her brother. The children around saw Tonagek, who they saw a few times a year, though Turot saw him at least once monthly, and quickly greeted him. ¡°Uncle,¡± the children all called, before swarming around him. Findd new stories at novelhall.com ¡°It is good to see you all,¡± Tonagek said, ruffling the children¡¯s hair, before letting them all go. ¡°You as well, sister.¡± Sonarot hugged him tight, as she had done for the last few times they had met. ¡°It is good to see you too.¡± She brushed his hair, smiling warmly at her brother. The pair sat down in a corner to speak to one another, the other Iyrmen leaving them be. They remained silent, avoiding the awkward topic at hand. ¡°It is still a surprise to me,¡± Tonagek said, reaching for a cup of wine. ¡°We siblings are the Family Heads of our respective families. You, who gave up the right to the Gek family to me, then became the Family Head of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Until my husband returns,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Is he considered missing?¡± ¡°If he does not send word by the end of this year,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°An awkward time for the Iyr...¡± Tonagek leaned back in his chair and sipped his drink. ¡°Adam spoke of his meeting with you,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Your Nephew?¡± ¡°Our nephew,¡± Sonarot countered, making sure he understood what Adam was. Tonagek remained silent for a long moment. ¡°He promised to repay the debt.¡± ¡°You will call for it?¡± ¡°I may.¡± Sonarot raised her brow towards her brother, as if daring him to try and call for the debt to be repaid. ¡°I was going to adopt them,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°If our suspicions were dealt with, then I was going to bring them into my family. I had lost a son, and had assisted in finding the three...¡± Sonarot could see the hurt in his eyes. He had told her what had happened, speaking in great detail. It was Gortol who had seen what had truly happened, and he had informed her of what he had seen when he had arrived, some time before the boy¡¯s own father. ¡°You are fortunate to adopt him into your family,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°The children, too.¡± ¡°He has adopted Goblin children as well.¡± ¡°Have you accepted them?¡± Tonagek asked, staring at his sister with a curious look. The pair had spoken about Adam several times, Tonagek making his displeasure well known, though he relented to Sonarot¡¯s wisdom. ¡°I have.¡± Tonagek bowed his head, accepting that he could say nothing in regards to such a thing. He remained silent for a moment, thinking about Adam. ¡°When I saw him, I was uncertain of him. He spoke so freely, so casually, as though he did not think before he uttered his words. He was too carefree to be an Iyrman, I had thought.¡± His three children stepped back, hiding deeper behind their father. ¡°Lord Shama, you cannot touch my daughter,¡± Sonarot stated, with the same tone of voice she had used to reprimand the young men. Adam shot his eyebrows up, taken by the surprise which had taken the nearby Iyrmen when he had raised his axe towards the Guest. Shama¡¯s eyes remained focused on Sonarot¡¯s, who did not let up. She stood tall and proud, the perfect example of a Family Head. She had not forced her views on the extended family, but if it was against an Emperor, she had no qualms with stating proper business. ¡°Do not mistake my meekness for weakness,¡± Shama said, his eyes narrowing. ¡°If you continue to disrespect me, not eve Soz-,¡± Shama felt a staff press against the side of his neck. The black wood was cool to his skin. ¡°Do not mistake our meekness for weakness,¡± the old woman said. ¡°We have allowed you to partake in our festival, but if you wish to continue to disrespect us, we will return your bon-,¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Iromin shouted. Lanarot shook in Adam¡¯s arms, before she looked to her brother, and her face contorted. Adam quickly passed the crying girl to her mother, who began to soothe her to sleep. Iromin¡¯s eyes fell to the old woman, who had dared to place her staff on the neck of a Guest. ¡°Put away your staff.¡± The old woman pulled her staff back, confirming that the Chief truly could command her. Iromin¡¯s shoulders slumped with relief. He had not known whether this mysterious Iyrman would have listened to him truly, but at the very least she seemed to respect his authority as Chief. ¡°Is this how the Iyr will treat me?¡± Shama asked, narrowing his eyes at the Chief. ¡°You may continue to enjoy the festival,¡± Iromin said, motioning a hand for him to step aside, with Shaool and Zardon flanking him once more. The old woman stepped aside, though she was ready to follow the group. Shama remained still, pondering on his next actions. There was no way they expected him to just step aside after everything which had happened. ¡°Stop ruining the festival,¡± Hadda said. ¡°Will there be no justice for me?¡± Shama asked. ¡°Justice? Didn¡¯t you already beat them on the way here? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Strom, or Hadda, I suppose?¡± Adam said, staring up at Hadda with Turot¡¯s incredulousness painted across his face. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think Lanarot should hang around you any longer,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°What?¡± Hadda asked, taken aback by the sudden sentiment. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you lose a hundred islands to...¡± Adam looked to Shama, and then back to Hadda. ¡°I think, perhaps, Lanarot needs some better influences around her.¡± Iromin shut his eyes tight. ¡®Should I let him die?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Sonarot is truly the best Aunt. Also, Adam really does want to die. 443. Duskval Festival IV 443. Duskval Festival IV ¡°Adam, what are you doing?¡± Lucy whispered. She hadn¡¯t wanted to draw attention to herself, but after seeing Adam wanting to commit suicide by stupidity, she couldn¡¯t hold her tongue. ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied, reaching down to brush Konarot¡¯s hair. ¡®What the hell am I doing? I should just let it go.¡¯ Shama¡¯s eyes were now fixated on Adam, pressing him down with his gaze. He had no idea Adam was the kind of fool who would wish for his death. ¡®No, he is certainly the type.¡¯ ¡°Are you so confident in the Iyr¡¯s abilities to protect you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just an idiot.¡± The words left Shama speechless once more. He wondered what Adam was to be able to say such audacious things one after another. He first started a fight with Shama, belittling him, but then the Half Elf belittled himself. ¡®He is just a fool.¡¯ Strom placed a hand on Shama¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Stop embarrassing me in front of the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You should be careful, young man, for there are not many who are as merciful as me,¡± Shama warned, before stepping back. ¡°You did not mean it, did you, Adam?¡± Strom asked. Adam made a face, which didn¡¯t relieve the Emperor one bit. ¡®Adam, don¡¯t do this to me!¡¯ Iromin sighed, wondering how it had ended so simply. He looked to Adam, who was certainly more dangerous than he had originally thought. ¡°Did you wish to die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just angry,¡± Adam said. ¡°If he was the kind to take my words so seriously, then what little respect which I hold for the Iyr would have been diminished.¡± Iromin stared down at Adam, who had changed his tone. He had heard what happened, and though the other Great Elders had been somewhat pleased by Mulrot¡¯s words, Iromin and Elder Peace had not been quite so glad. A rift had formed between the Iyr and Adam, a rift which Iromin needed to mend, somehow. However, there was also that matter which he needed to deal with too, though he was uncertain of how to progress. Adam picked Konarot up, rubbing the back of her head, embracing the girl tight. ¡°Were you scared?¡± He looked down to Kirot and Karot, who both reached up expectantly. He wore his children over his shoulders and between his arms. ¡®Seriously. What am I doing? I can¡¯t just start a fight with that guy when I¡¯ve got children to look after...¡¯ He sighed. ¡°Adam...¡± Lucy called, awkwardly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lucy could see he was not fine, as the darkness had returned to his face. ¡°What were you thinking, starting a fight with him?¡± Adam threw her a look, before looking to Mara. ¡°I could ask you the same thing.¡± ¡°I could not hold my displeasure,¡± Mara admitted. ¡°Please forgive me, Lucy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lucy said, reaching out to hold Mara¡¯s hand, rubbing it gently. ¡°Once we¡¯re stronger, we¡¯ll get our revenge on him.¡± ¡°As you say,¡± Mara replied, smiling at her liege. Adam rubbed his children¡¯s stomach. ¡®Revenge.¡¯ He sighed, looking up towards the sky. The difference between them was that of heaven and earth. ¡®Can I even become strong enough to deal with someone like that? Whatever he was, unless I grab a mish mash of a bunch of stuff, I won¡¯t be able to even scratch him.¡¯ Konarot wrapped her arms tighter around her father¡¯s neck, pressing her cheek against his, her soft breath tickling his neck. ¡°Am I not giving you enough attention, my little Kona?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his cheek against hers. ¡®Right. It doesn¡¯t matter, I need to get stronger. I should get so strong that not even the Gods will want to mess with me, never mind some Emperor. I won¡¯t be able to do it alone, though...¡¯ Sonarot rubbed her son¡¯s cheek. ¡°How could you do such a thing?¡± ¡°I did not want him to touch Lanarot,¡± Jurot admitted. Sonarot brushed his hair gently. ¡°Thank you. I did not want him to touch Lanarot either.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes at the old man. ¡°I am going to bet that they, along with your sister, and those other children of yours, will become nightmares for the Iyr, and the world.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°My children aren¡¯t going to be nightmares,¡± Adam said, wrapping an arm around the trio. ¡°You think these adorable little triplets are going to become nightmares?¡± ¡°They¡¯re your children, so of course they will.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, but had nothing to respond with. ¡°They¡¯re going to be raised well. I might be dumb, but not everyone around me is so stupid. There¡¯s my Aunt, Jurot, and Kitool.¡± ¡°Lord Strom, it is good to see you,¡± Nirot said. ¡°Have you come to watch the fights?¡± ¡°I have.¡± ¡°I¡¯m betting a gold on each of my Cousins,¡± Adam said. ¡°Anyone want to bet against me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet against you,¡± Strom said. ¡°Are you so eager to lose your gold?¡± ¡°What need of I of gold? I will be dead soon. Will you bury me with it?¡± Strom laughed. ¡°Why are you so depressing?¡± Strom continued to laugh, causing Lanarot to laugh too, before she looked towards the Iyrmen, who were ready to fight. She threw up her hands and screamed, babbling nonsensically. Konarot looked to Lanarot, who was screaming wildly, before hissing at Strom. She bared her teeth towards the older man, who stared at her curiously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, rubbing the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t bully Strom.¡± Konarot looked up to Adam, before narrowing her eyes towards Strom. ¡°Konarot?¡± Adam asked, feeling how cold she had become, before he lifted her up and placed her on his lap, wrapping an arm around her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kona.¡± Konarot leaned back against Adam, narrowing her eyes at Strom, wondering why her father wasn¡¯t helping Lanarot. Once the fighting began, Adam¡¯s children squirmed, clutching their father for support. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked, reaching down to rub their heads tenderly. ¡°You don¡¯t like the fighting?¡± Nirot and the others had yet to begun their fights, and Adam didn¡¯t want to step aside. However, he could feel how tight their grip had become, how taut his clothes had become. ¡°Jurot, make sure you tell me how the fights go,¡± Adam said, before getting up, picking his triplets up, and leaving the scene. Click banner for Patreon! This plot armour is so strong! Ignore the fact he''s died twice, and has lost twice in his new life. 444. Duskval Festival V 444. Duskval Festival V Kirot slowly chewed on a piece of bread while sitting on her father¡¯s lap. Karot lay beside him, resting his head against his father¡¯s thigh. Konarot sat to his other side, holding his pinky finger loosely. ¡®Who gave my children permission to be so adorable? Isn¡¯t this illegal? Won¡¯t they be taken away when others find out they¡¯re so cute?¡¯ Adam sighed, feeling the pulsing against his forehead. No matter how lightly he was thinking of the matter, it still weighed heavily on his shoulders. He, who had chosen to be a father, had forgotten how stupid he was. ¡®Dragons and Goblins. Dragons and Goblins. Seriously. Dragons? Goblins?¡¯ Kirot handed some of her bread to Karot, who sat up to accept it, before laying back against his father¡¯s thigh. ¡°Sit up when you eat, silly boy,¡± Adam said, lifting him up with an arm. Kirot also handed Konarot some bread, though the girl took the bread and brought it to Kirot¡¯s lips, feeding her instead. ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, approaching from one side. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°They fought well,¡± Jurot replied, looking down at the three children. ¡°Who wants to cuddle uncle Jurot?¡± Adam asked. The triplets pressed themselves against their father, clutching at his clothing. ¡°How can you bully your uncle like this, you silly little babbies.¡± Jurot sat down beside Konarot. ¡°They won.¡± ¡°Oh? Was it close?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh? Well good for them.¡± Jurot had expected the fights to be much closer than they were, but the teens had won so handily. ¡®Moving with Adam has accelerated our growth.¡¯ It was merely a hypothesis, but Jurot was certain of it. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam swallowed. He wanted to ask Jurot for something important, but he didn¡¯t dare to. ¡°They¡¯re really shy right now, but they¡¯ll slowly open up to you.¡± Jurot remained silent, unsure of how to respond. ¡°You can¡¯t bully your uncle, okay? He¡¯s daddy¡¯s brother, and he¡¯s been so nice to me. He¡¯s really strong too, so you don¡¯t have to worry. If anyone tries to bully you, make sure to tell one of us. You can also ask Aunt Sonarot.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°My mother is your nana. My grandfather is your babo.¡± ¡°Is a great grandmother then nano?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about uncle and aunt?¡± ¡°Papo and mamo.¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°What about granduncles and grandaunts?¡± ¡°Baba and nana.¡± ¡°The words are the same?¡±e?¡± ¡°It is our way.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t bully your...¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°So Aunt Sonarot is their nana?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be mean to nana, okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they did.¡± Adam rubbed the boy¡¯s head, trying to reassure him. Asoyah looked back to the triplets, who were sitting on the floor in front of their father. ¡°Are you their father?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled, almost chuckling. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They¡¯re my children.¡± Asoyah narrowed his eyes. He understood the concept, and after hearing Adam reply in such a manner, he understood it more. ¡°The Goblins are your children by blood?¡± ¡°No, but they are my children.¡± ¡°You adopted them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You are no Iyrman,¡± the boy said, with a tone full of accusations, as though Adam was living a lie. ¡°No, but I can adopt them, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Aldishmen care about blood, but they do not when they do not,¡± the boy said. He had heard how important blood was to the Aldish, but there were times when some nobles adopted children to carry on their name. ¡°I¡¯m no Aldishman,¡± Adam replied, simply. The boy stared up at Adam with his eyes narrowed, almost shut. He remained staring at the Half Elf for a long while, before looking down to the triplets again. ¡°You are their father because you adopted them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. He was their father by blood, apparently, but he wasn¡¯t sure how that worked with multiversal travel. ¡°Will you adopt me too?¡± Asoyah asked, staring up at Adam once more. Adam¡¯s smile dropped, giving away to shock. He blinked rapidly as his mind tried to process what he had heard. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°You want me to be your father?¡± ¡°You are strong,¡± Asoyah said. His eyes stared deep into Adam¡¯s, with an intensity Adam wasn¡¯t expecting. ¡°You have a family already, don¡¯t you?¡± Adam said, placing a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Won¡¯t they be sad that you¡¯ll be my son?¡± ¡°You are strong,¡± the boy repeated, dismissing the words. ¡°I suppose I am, but so is Jurot,¡± Adam said. His throat clogged for a moment as his nerves overwhelmed him. ¡°You are strong.¡± Adam swallowed again. ¡®Damn, Asoyah. What are you doing to me?¡¯ ¡°If you become my son, then you won¡¯t be an Iyrman.¡± Asoyah blinked, his eyes widening. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, quietly. ¡°My children aren¡¯t Iyrmen.¡± Asoyah looked to Jurot, staring at the Iyrman the same way Turot would to Adam whenever he said something suspect. ¡°It is true.¡± ¡°They are not Iyrmen?¡± Asoyah whispered, still unable to believe it, though the words had come from Jurot. ¡°No.¡± Asoyah sat up straighter. He looked to Sonarot, who could see that his young mind was trying to process what he was hearing. He had been indoctrinated by the Iyrmen from young with the ways of the Iyr, and he was struck by the words. Sonarot placed her hand on his head, allowing him to think. She looked to Adam, who felt the gazes of many other Iyrmen against him. He was still thinking, trying to deal with the situation. The air in the shared estate had grown heavy from the young Iyrman¡¯s words. ¡°I have a great respect for you Iyrmen,¡± Strom said, taking a sip of the wine in his cup. ¡°However, I have to admit that sometimes you make questionable choices. They are rare, to the point I cannot think of any from the countless years I have known of you Iyrmen, but...¡± He shook his head. Sonarot sighed. ¡°At the very least...¡± Adam said, feeling the awkwardness in the air. ¡°Asoyah is cute enough to be my kid.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Asoyah is utterly befuddled, baboozled, and bummed out. Enjoy the slice of life while it lasts. Who knows? There might be more than just slices of life. 445. Duskval Festival VI 445. Duskval Festival VI Omen: 1, 7 The morning came too quickly for Adam¡¯s liking. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of his triplets up against him. They were all clung to him, grabbing at his clothing as they slept peacefully. ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®Do you have children?¡¯ [I am a system.] ¡®So are they a bunch of viruses?¡¯ [...] ¡®Come on, even you know that was funny.¡¯ [No.] Adam sighed, thinking about whether he should Level Up now, or later when he leaves the Iyr. ¡®Leave the Iyr?¡¯ Adam¡¯s heart pounded wildly, and his body grew cold. He clenched his sweaty plams and winced at the thought of leaving the safety of the Iyr. ¡®No.¡¯ Konarot¡¯s face blocked off his sight as the girl stared down at him curiously, rubbing her eyes. ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam whispered. The girl replied with a gentle grunt before she hugged her father. The other children awoke and cuddled with their father. He assisted with washing them up, before he changed them into their attire for the day, which was similar to his own. As they prepared themselves, other Iyrmen appeared within the shared family estate. A gaze caused him to shudder, and he turned, seeing Cirot and Sirot, who were eyeing him up. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ ¡°You two need to behave,¡± Jarot said to his grandnieces. They narrowed their eyes up at their granduncle, wondering why he was trying to form a rift between them and Adam. Jarot shot them with a look, causing them to remain silent. ¡®Do not ruin this for us.¡¯ The twins looked at Adam, before their eyes fell to the Dragons, and then the Goblin twins. There was still an awkwardness between the extended Rot family and Adam after what had happened, though they had nothing to do with it. ¡®How could grandaunt not accept them?¡¯ ¡®How are we going to marry him now?¡¯ Adam shuddered, causing his triplets to clutch at his clothing, wanting to feel the coolness against them too. An older Iyrman had also arrived with them. She was tall and strong, and would have been a beautiful woman if it wasn¡¯t for the huge scar across her left eye, which travelled down the side of her neck. ¡°Good morning, Otkan,¡± Adam said. ¡°Grandaunt,¡± Sonarot and Shikan corrected together. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied, flushing with embarrassment. ¡°Grandaunt.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Jarot seems to believe so,¡± Otkan stated. ¡°He has spent much time telling me how you are such a great grandson who will bring much glory to the Iyr and the Rot family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s right, but I hope he isn¡¯t wrong.¡± ¡°Do you believe his words?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam wondered how he should respond. He smiled. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of an Iyrman lie before.¡± Otkan smiled at his response. ¡°I believe you will bring glory to the Iyr and the Rot family too.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Adam wondered if the reason was because he had beaten her once before, when he wasn¡¯t even an Expert yet. ¡°You committed yourself to these children of yours,¡± Otkan said, looking down to the Goblins. They were tiny, and would grow up with a far more difficult life than any Iyrman. It would be difficult for Adam to take care of them, even with the limited support the Iyr would provide them. ¡°You, who adopted both Half Dragons and Goblins.¡± ¡°I adopted Goblins and Half Dragons,¡± Adam corrected, wanting to make sure the order of the adoption was known. It was a statement which held great importance, and was something Adam felt great pride in, though he wished he didn¡¯t. ¡°What do you think of my little Naqokan?¡± Otkan asked, her eyes falling onto Adam¡¯s once more. ¡°I am sure she will grow up to be a great warrior,¡± Adam replied, carefully. He could see the question in the old woman¡¯s eyes, and the pressure he felt was the same pressure of when his Aunt would mention marriage to him. ¡°Would she not make a good wife?¡± Otkan asked, pressing forward, as though she were a marching soldier. ¡°I¡¯m sure whoever she marries will be happy,¡± Adam deflected, trying not to offend the old woman. ¡°We, too, are good,¡± Cirot interrupted. ¡°I can sew well,¡± Sirot said. ¡°I can knit well,¡± her twin added. The pair had tried to get Adam to marry them first, but they had been unsuccessful this entire time. They would not give in so easily to Naqokan, even if she was a great warrior from the main Kan family. Cirot and Sirot knew of the best way to a man¡¯s heart, it was through his ribs. However, if they wanted him to live, then it would be through his stomach. However, there was a mountain which they needed to surpass, and that mountain was Adam himself. He was someone who had brought pizza to the Iyr, and it was already such a large hit within the Iyr. There was also the mythical beans on toast, which they did not completely understand, for Adam spoke of it with a great longing, and yet they had eaten beans on toast before, but it did not taste that good. They tried it with plain bread and it was much nicer. ¡®How problematic,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Why do I have so many women who want to marry me? Isn¡¯t it weird they¡¯re both good at sewing and knitting too? Will I get cancelled? No, what am I talking about, aren¡¯t they still too young?¡¯ He shuddered at the thought. ¡°I have children which I need to look after, and I know how difficult it is for people to accept them,¡± Adam said, looking at his tiny children, who were staring up at the sky, twitching every so often. ¡°I¡¯m not so naive to think that they¡¯ll welcome my children equally, since not even my family does so.¡± Adam¡¯s words hit Cirot and Sirot like a hammer, and they looked to their aunt from the shared family estate, who was looking after Gurot. There was a collective wave of shame which fell through the air. Dunes stopped at the archway, noting the silence which had taken to the courtyard. ¡®I feel as though I¡¯ve come at the wrong time.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Dunes does the awkward walk inside like grandpa from the Simpsons when Bart is at the front desk. I''m going to post up a few times a day for the festival for a bit so I can take a week off once Beyond Chaos Year 2 is done. Also because there are some wonderful chapters in the future. 446. Duskval Festival VII 446. Duskval Festival VII Churot was standing near his grandfather, who was guiding the three children through the Iyr. The distant music called for them, towards the fights, though they were enjoying the food on the way to the battles. ¡°Come, my little greatchildren,¡± Jarot called, before grabbing the slices of pizza, handing them to the triplets. ¡°Your father brought these to the Iyr. Have you tried them?¡± Konarot stared down at the pizza suspiciously, but she accepted a slice. She bit into it first, before her younger siblings started to eat the food. They bit through the dough, sauce, and cheese, which stretched as they pulled the pizza away. Sonarot was nearby, with Lanarot in her arms, feeding the girl some pizza too. Lanarot opened her mouth for a bite of the crust, stealing it away from her mother, before she pointed towards the music. ¡°We will go see the fights soon, Lanarot,¡± Sonarot said. Lanarot pointed towards the music again, though as her mother remained stationary, she groaned and whimpered, pointing towards it once more. ¡°Soon, Lanarot,¡± Sonarot said, and as the girl began to cry, she brought some more pizza to her lips. Lanarot stopped crying, and though her tears fell down her cheeks, she spent her attention on eating the food instead. ¡°Do you want to throw the bag?¡± Jarot asked. He led them to the nearby play stall, where there was a large basket. In front of the basket were a number of ellipses, each numbered, which fell back to a circle, with the largest number. Near the drawn marking were a pile of small bags which had been filled and tied. The one armed Iyrman picked up a small filled bag and tossed it into the basket with ease. Konarot picked up a small bag and tossed it, though it landed halfway between her and the basket. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the bag, which did not go where it should have. Certainly it was not because she was standing in the far back, where Jarot had stood, and had tossed it into the air rather than towards the basket. Kirot grabbed a bag and stood towards the edge of the ellipsis. She narrowed her eyes, falling into a deep concentration, before tossing the bag wildly. It struck the rim of the basket before dropping down inside of it. The girl gasped, shocked by how she had managed to land the bag. She turned to look at her siblings, who hugged her and purred affirmatively. ¡°Well done,¡± Jarot said, his brows raised. Karot grabbed the bag and tossed it equally as wildly, though it veered off elsewhere rather than towards the basket. He looked at his hand, and then up at Konarot, frowning. Konarot pet his head, understanding that it was certainly the bag¡¯s fault and not the boy¡¯s. Lanarot also tossed a bag towards the basket, tossing it high in the air, before it dropped down in the basket cleanly. ¡°Mama!¡± the girl said, pointing at the basket, a wide grin on her face. ¡°Well done,¡± Sonarot said, clapping her hands, causing her daughter to clap and giggle too. ¡°Rather than the basket, do you want to throw the bags towards the circles?¡± Jarot asked, leading the children to a similar game. There was a spot on the floor where one would stand, and ahead was a large circle, with smaller circles within, each worth a different amount of points. The outer circle held the least, and the crowseye held the most, though was also the smallest of all the circles. He easily tossed his bag towards the centre, missing the crowseye by a small amount. Konarot inhaled deeply, grabbing a bag. Last time she had tossed too high, so this time she would aim lower. She threw the bag with great force, but it struck right between her feet, and the fillings, which were small wooden scraps and oats which were not good enough to eat, scattered across the floor. She stared at the mess in disbelief, before looking up at Jarot. ¡°What a strong throw it was!¡± Jarot praised. ¡°Who else could destroy the bag with such ease other than my Konarot?¡± He ruffled the girl¡¯s hair, though the girl remained pouting. Kirot inhaled deeply before tossing the bag forward, striking near the crowseye, earning a great deal of points. Karot managed to land in the same circle, though to another side. Lanarot tossed her bag, and it landed right before the first circle. She looked at her mother and pointed to the bag, crying out her suspicions. ¡°Right, you shouldn¡¯t ever forget that, Dunes,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. He lifted Jirot up, pressing his cheek against her forehead. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to have as many children either, but I suppose I should have remembered who I was.¡± ¡°Is there something which brings such queerness to you?¡± Dunes joked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s a force which even the Gods do not dare to anger.¡± Adam looked up to the sky. ¡°Whatever it is, the difference between Baktu and it is the same as the difference between me and the fire guy.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten I¡¯m a Priest?¡± Dunes frowned, the blasphemy sending a shiver down his spine. ¡°You must have forgotten that I¡¯ve met your good Lady last year,¡± Adam shot back. ¡°She has done me many great favours, and I will not forget that, but I¡¯ve seen the way the Gods treat such a being.¡± ¡°Why can you speak of such dangerous things?¡± Dunes asked, feeling Jarot twitch in his arms. Adam closed his eyes, thinking back to his previous life. He thought about how powerful he was back then, and how the Gods had struggled against the Eldritch horror which had appeared. Lord Sozain had requested his assistance, and if it wasn¡¯t for the second Brit who had appeared, it would have been difficult to deal with such a figure. ¡°If you¡¯ve seen the things I¡¯ve seen, felt the things I¡¯ve felt, fought the things I¡¯ve fought, you¡¯d understand,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°Even if I became the strongest being in this world, even if I had the power to vanquish every God, I would just be a speck of dust to greater figures.¡± Dunes sighed. ¡°Let us not talk about this any longer, Adam.¡± ¡°This world is scary, Dunes,¡± Adam said, looking back down to the Priest. ¡°It¡¯s more terrifying than you could possibly imagine.¡± Adam looked down to the tiny Goblin girl in his arms. She was less than half Gurot¡¯s size, and Adam could barely feel her weight within his hands. There was almost no substance to her, as though she didn¡¯t exist. Yet, he could feel her warmth in his hands, he could see her tiny breaths. ¡°I have heard that the young Iyrman boy said something to you last night,¡± Dune said, trying to shift the topic. Adam rubbed his cheek against Jirot¡¯s forehead for a moment. ¡°Well...¡± Dunes laughed so hard that Otkan had to take Jarot away from him. He almost awoke another baby, but the Iyrmen had taken them far enough away that Dunes¡¯ laughter could barely reach them. ¡°Of course he would have asked you such a question!¡± Dunes rubbed his eyes. ¡°You should have seen his face when he heard he wouldn¡¯t be an Iyrman any more.¡± Dunes, who had almost finished with his laughter, fell into another fit, imagining the poor boy¡¯s face. Click banner for Patreon! Yes I know there''s a sudden POV shift but the point is that it sounds like exactly what Jarot would have said, but it''s actually Adam. 447. Duskval Festival VIII 447. Duskval Festival VIII The Iyrmen teens continued to move through the shared family estate, cleaning the various rooms, as well as bringing food back to eat. They worked hard, as expected of them, and none complained about the matter though they were missing out on the festivities. Jirot began to squirm and cough, before she began to cry in Adam¡¯s arms. The Half Elf tried to soothe her, rocking her back and forth gently. ¡°When did she last feed?¡± Otkan asked. ¡°A couple of hours ago,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I will feed them,¡± she said, taking the girl from him, before she began to feed her. Adam faced away, awkwardly, staring at Dunes, who sat far more comfortably, even though he could see Otkan breastfeeding out of the corner of his eye. He was holding Jarot again, and stared down at the Goblin, deep in thought. ¡°Just because you regret what you did, doesn¡¯t mean you can steal my adorable children from me,¡± Adam warned. ¡°They¡¯re mine.¡± ¡°I would be unable to steal them from you, Adam,¡± he said. ¡°Even with my sword, Dunes¡¯ Sword, I would be unable to defeat you to take them.¡± ¡°Even if you were stronger than me, I wouldn¡¯t let you take them from me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if I was stronger than you, I wouldn¡¯t dare to take them from you,¡± Dunes replied, smiling at Adam. ¡°Are you saying my children are not worth taking?¡± ¡°I am saying that I¡¯d be too scared to take them.¡± Adam smiled once more. ¡°You¡¯re a funny guy, Dunes.¡± ¡°I must be, for I am Black.¡± Dunes smiled at Adam¡¯s face, which had dropped into shock at his words. ¡°What does it mean to be Black?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just your skin colour,¡± Adam said, rubbing his forehead. ¡°I am not black, I am dark brown,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Well, yes, but in my-,¡± Adam had almost let slip his secret, but quickly cleared his throat. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, we call people with your skin colour, Black. Although, I suppose there¡¯s a deeper meaning behind it, one which is more sinister, though people won¡¯t like to admit it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say, considering the history of how Black people were treated across the entire world. Their circumstances weren¡¯t unique, but it was something which affected them to the present day, something which people don¡¯t like to admit. In fact, they go the opposite way, stating that...¡± Adam paused, wondering if he should state how British people like to pretend they had paid reparations, but decided against it. He felt the shame and the anger of how cowardly it all was, and sighed, letting it all go. ¡°No. It¡¯s not something I should talk about, since I might will it into being just by talking about.¡± Dunes could see the look in Adam¡¯s eyes, and quickly dropped the matter. There were so many queer things Adam liked to say, and many things which would even get him killed, but if this was something which bothered even him, then there was no point in continuing to press into it. ¡°Will you keep them all for yourself? First Churot, and now them?¡± Gangak retorted, reaching up to ruffle the teen¡¯s hair. She had been unable to spoil Churot as much as she had wanted to, though they shared the same blood. ¡°If you will not share them, then perhaps you will share Jirot and Jarot? The very same children your family has refused.¡± Jarot could feel his rage begin to build within him, but he forced it away. ¡°Enough, Gangak. Do not ruin their day with their greatfather.¡± Gangak puffed from her pipe once more. After all these years of Jarot acting so spoilt, she could finally put him in his place, especially after what his family had done. ¡°Let us go watch the fights,¡± Jarot said, taking the triplets to the fights. The children squirmed, covering their ears and looking away from the fights. They made small noises which hurt the old Iyrman¡¯s heart. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jarot asked. The triplets looked up at him, whimpering quietly. He reached down to rub their heads. ¡°Are you afraid? They are Iyrmen, and they wish to fight. They will not harm you, not while I am here, my little greatchildren.¡± Konarot frowned, and he could feel how she had grown cold, much colder in comparison to her siblings. He lifted her up in his arm. ¡°You must be strong, Konarot. I am the oldest, like you. It is your responsibility to grow strong to look after them, okay?¡± The girl looked up at him for a moment, before he pulled her to his chest. He placed his head on hers, thinking about his son, who had been lost before his time. ¡°You must grow strong, Konarot. It may scare you now, but there are many things which will frighten you in this world. You will be most afraid when you are unable to protect them.¡± Konarot sniffled, clutching at his shirt, before hiding her head into his chest. ¡°I know,¡± Jarot whispered. ¡°Stay with your greatfather and watch the fights. You must all be scared, but there is no need to be afraid. We are in the Iyr, and you hold the name Rot.¡± Gangak sighed, unable to tease him now, not when he was thinking about that time, when their fate was forever changed. Dunes watched as Adam spent the entire day with the Goblins. He lay beside them while they slept, his eyes glued to their tiny forms. He played with them when they awoke, allowing them to rest on his chest one at a time, for he was too afraid they¡¯d fall. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t like my ears?¡± Adam asked, causing Jirot to twitch against him. ¡°You have the same ears, isn¡¯t that right, Jarot?¡± Jarot stared up at the sky, ignoring his father. ¡°Do you see this, Dunes? They¡¯re bullying me. How could they do this to me?¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it because their ears are cuter?¡± He wondered if the face Adam had just made was the same face Asoyah had made last night. ¡°You can¡¯t have them,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on Jirot¡¯s back gently, reaching out to press his finger against Jarot, who lay right beside his father. Dunes nodded. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be enjoying the festival?¡± Adam asked, wondering why Dunes was spending his hours here. The Iyrmen kept sending Adam queer looks, wondering what he was doing almost at all times, and Dunes would get caught in the crossfire. ¡°I¡¯m sure there is much I am missing, but...¡± Dunes fell silent. ¡°What is more important than making sure my friend and his children are well?¡± Adam remained quiet for some time. ¡°You can¡¯t have them,¡± Adam repeated. Dunes smiled. He remained distant with the Goblins, until Adam forced him to play with them too. Throughout the entire day there had been a thought that perhaps Adam was faking his love, but with how much attention and affection he was giving them, Dunes knew that Adam was just like that. Click banner for Patreon! Adam really is just like that. 448. Duskval Festival IX 448. Duskval Festival IX The triplets swarmed around their father, embracing him tightly. It was only late afternoon, but they embraced their father, hugging at any part of him they could find. ¡°What are my babies doing here?¡± Adam asked, wrapping his arms around them. They purred as their tails swayed behind them. ¡°They had spent the day with the greatfather, but how could they not spend time with their father?¡± Jarot asked, taking a seat opposite Adam, with Churot sitting beside him. Gangak leaned over to look down at the Goblins. She had put away her pipe long ago, though the ashy scent clung to her. ¡°So these are Jarot and Jirot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, rubbing Konarot¡¯s head as she helped her siblings up onto his lap. She climbed up Adam¡¯s back, wrapping her arms around his neck, allowing him to wear her like a backpack. ¡°How could you name him Jarot when he is this cute?¡± Gangak asked. Jarot cleared his throat, clutching at his knee as he tried to contain himself in front of the children. Adam closed his eyes, trying to ignore the fact he was pinned down, thinking deeply about the matter. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten who beat you?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°That old man is going to hurt your daddy.¡± Adam rubbed his children¡¯s heads gently. ¡°What a bad man.¡± Konarot frowned towards Jarot, whose rage allowed him to resist all kinds of damage, but not the kind which aimed for his mind, or his heart. ¡°Adam, you would use your children against me?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Do you see how that old man threatens me?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his cheek against Konarot¡¯s. Baby Jarot squirmed and began to whimper as he awoke, but Gangak lifted him up, holding him in front of her. When he opened his eyes, he stopped, staring at the mass of red ahead of him. His eyes glanced across the blurry form ahead of him, scanning around the face. Otkan picked up Jirot, allowing the girl to rest up against her bosom, though she was also looking at the red mass nearby. ¡°It is a shame they do not have horns.¡± ¡°They are cute without horns and they¡¯ll be cute with horns,¡± Adam stated, simply. ¡°They are,¡± she said, holding little Jarot to her chest. ¡°Will you leave them within the Iyr while you adventure?¡± ¡°Once I leave, I¡¯ll probably leave them within the Iyr,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°When will you leave to adventure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I might leave soon, but...¡± ¡°You wish to remain until dawnval?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Hopefully something else.¡± ¡°I was going to ask if you would be willing to adopt our Taygak.¡± ¡°If I adopted her, she wouldn¡¯t be an Iyrman any more,¡± Adam said. ¡°She...¡± Gangak paused, thinking on Adam¡¯s words. She remained silent, slowly nodding her head. Of course, Taygak would have still been treated well, but to deny the rights of an Iyrman to Taygak, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought. Dunes held his fist over his mouth, his entire face straining as he tried not to laugh. He had recalled what had happened with Asoyah, and was struggling to contain himself imagining how Taygak would have responded to such news. Taygak, who was so prideful in being a Gak. ¡°You cannot take him from me,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Jurot and Lanarot have already captured him, and he may still yet marry my daugh-,¡± ¡°Old man,¡± Adam snapped, his eyes sternly reprimanding him. ¡°Old man?¡± Jarot snapped back. ¡°Can you not call me grandfather at least now? You can see how she is bullying me but you cannot do at least that much?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already given you time with my children, what more do you want?¡± Adam pulled his children closer to him. ¡°Do you hear that? Your greatfather doesn¡¯t want to spend time with you.¡± ¡°Who said such a thing?¡± Jarot asked, reaching for his axe, wondering if he should beat the Half Elf. Otkan¡¯s eyes fell between the pair who were arguing. ¡°The children will surely grow up well.¡± ¡°One day they will be so big and so strong,¡± Gangak agreed. ¡°Stronger than even their aunts.¡± ¡®Even if you decide to give yourself to the Iyr, my little Jaygak, how can you compete when their father and greatfather are like this?¡¯ ¡°What do you mean big and strong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They will stay so small and so cute forever.¡± ¡°That is right,¡± Jarot agreed. ¡°They will not leave the nest, not until I die.¡± ¡°Even after he dies, they won¡¯t leave my arms,¡± Adam stated. Jarot nodded his head. ¡°Are you certain you did not find an Elvish lover on your travels?¡± Gangak asked. It was uncanny how the pair were so similar. ¡®Even compared to Jurot, one would think it was Adam who was the fool¡¯s grandson.¡¯ ¡°Do you know how difficult it was for Mulrot to take me?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You knew?¡± Otkan asked, letting slip through a voice of surprise. Even after all these years, they had not heard him admit to it. Jarot snorted. ¡°I am not as foolish as you think I am.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Gangak is the best nano. 449. Duskval Festival X 449. Duskval Festival X Katool snoozed over her mother¡¯s shoulder, brought to the gentle fire in the centre of the shared family estate. She stirred awake as her mother placed her down, rubbing her eyes before yawning. The other children were all in similar states of exhaustion, having had too much fun during the festival, though when they saw the trio of elders, their tiredness gave way to boundless energy. Gangak picked up Taygak first, kissing her forehead, before brushing her hair. ¡°Did you enjoy the festival my little Taygak?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, allowing her grandaunt to greet the other Gak children, before she went on to greet the other children. Otkan picked up both Damokan and Kalokan together, the children resting up against her shoulders, while she greeted the other children. Turot hugged his grandfather, before Jarot held out his arm. Turot grabbed it and pulled himself off the ground, giggling with glee. Katool walked up to Gangak, sitting down beside her. ¡°I ate lots of bread and pizza.¡± ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± Gangak asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied. ¡°It was nice. I watched the fighting. My sister picked me up and cleaned my mouth.¡± ¡°How wonderful,¡± Gangak said, listening to the various tales from the children. ¡°Taygak, eat,¡± Taygak said, nodding her head with satisfaction, saying no more about her day. ¡°What about you, smelly girl?¡± Adam asked, picking his sister up as she rubbed her eyes. ¡°Did you eat lots of bread?¡± ¡°Bwead,¡± Lanarot replied, smirking at Adam, before she lay against his front. The triplets lay on blankets to one side, away from the fire, enjoying the coolness away from it. They looked up to their aunt, but dropped their heads to the blankets once more. They, too, were tired from their outing. ¡°Did you watch the fights?¡± Lanarot hollered and threw up her hands, before squealing. She continued to laugh for a long while, causing Adam to smile. He brushed her hair and kissed her forehead. ¡°Did you all enjoy yourself?¡± Adam eventually asked once the children lay on the blankets, relaxing a short way away from the fire. They were tired, but did not want to sleep yet, so lazed around to expend no energy. ¡°Yes,¡± the children replied. ¡°Do you want me to read you a story?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak said, getting up. She stopped, trying to remember who the last person to choose the story was, looking to Katool. After Katool, it was herself, so she quickly scampered away to find a story she wanted him to read. The group moved away to one side, leaving the adults be. They didn¡¯t keep an eye on Adam as he began to read to them, the time for suspecting Adam had long passed. Of course, sometimes a few of them would glance over their way to check on their own children, but they left Adam to his business. ¡°He is good with the children,¡± Jarot said. ¡°He takes that from me.¡± ¡°So you did find an Elvish lover,¡± Gangak joked. The group looked to Adam, who had stopped reading to gasp at the children when it was a particularly tense moment within his story, and after a pause for dramatic effect, he continued. The Iyr had chosen to help him, but there were so many ways that Adam had assisted the Iyr. If they could chain him to the Iyr, it would have been for the best. He would have already been killed if it hadn¡¯t been for his connection to the Rot family, for he was a being too dangerous to be left alive. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, and Karot will also be raised well,¡± Jarot said. ¡°They can learn our ways.¡± ¡°Can they learn our ways and still use their own strengths?¡± Sonarot asked. She knew that Half Dragons still possessed the latent magics of their Dragon blood, being able to use the breath, though at a smaller scale. ¡°If they could, would they not be the strongest Rot to date?¡± Jarot asked, his lips forming a small smile. ¡°They would be too dangerous with our abilities,¡± Mirot said. ¡°They also possess the ability to resist the cold, but with our rage, they could do so much more.¡± ¡°We are able to learn such abilities because we have always held the greatest responsibility,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Even now, our family may be at the lowest it has ever been, but it is not difficult, and it has never been difficult, for the Rot family to soar.¡± Mirot sighed once more. Why she had decided to speak against her father, she didn¡¯t know. She leaned back in her chair, placing a hand against her stomach, a habit she had developed when she was pregnant with Gurot. ¡°Are you to remain here still, father?¡± ¡°Do you wish to kick me out already?¡± ¡°I just worry for mother.¡± ¡°I worry too,¡± Jarot said, looking to the Goblins again. Mirot leaned her head back again. Her father had been entrapped by the Goblin children, who were not even a month old. They, like their father, were already so terrifying. Jurot lifted up his sister, whose eyes were half open as she struggled to stay awake. He carried her away while Adam went to check on his twins, seeing them sleeping peacefully. Otkan was nearby, taking watch with a Gak for the night. ¡°Are you staying the night?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, awkwardly, and Otkan bowed her head in response. Adam returned back to the Rot family estate, seeing Lanarot half dozing off as her mother brushed her teeth. He brushed his own teeth, and returned to find Lanarot holding Jurot¡¯s finger with her hand, sucking on her thumb as she slept. His own children waited for him to sleep so they could trap him. Konarot rested her head against her father¡¯s chest, using it as a pillow. Her tail remained flopped to one side, though the other children had placed their own over his arms as they slept beside him. ¡°Isn¡¯t it unfair, Jurot?¡± Jurot could sense it, the same sensation he received whenever Adam was about to say something like that. ¡°How is it allowed that they can be this cute?¡± Adam asked, with great seriousness. Click banner for Patreon! How? 450. Duskval Festival XI 450. Duskval Festival XI Omen: 8, 20 ¡®Should I enchant?¡¯ Adam thought. Konarot¡¯s face appeared as she noted how her father¡¯s breath had changed when he awoke. She tilted her head, wondering when he was going to greet her. ¡°Hello, Princess,¡± Adam whispered, reaching up to rub her head. ¡®I suppose I shouldn¡¯t.¡¯ This time the children led Adam around the festival, avoiding the parts which they had been told to avoid by Jarot, who had remained behind with the Goblins. Konarot quickly ran away towards a certain part of the festival, where there was a pile of bags full of scrap and rope all around the ground where once it had been chalk. ¡®Is this darts?¡¯ Adam thought, watching as Konarot picked up a small bag. She tossed the bag, which landed outside the largest circle. She looked at her father and pointed to the bag, shocked it was still bullying her like this. Adam looked at her confused. ¡°Nice throw.¡± Kirot was next, tossing the bag to the outer circle, staring up at her father with a large smile. ¡°Well done,¡± Adam said. Karot tried to toss the bag, but it landed outside the large circle too, and he gave the same look Konarot had. Lanarot squealed as she ran towards them, and picked her own bag, squatting with a grunt, before she tossed the bag away at the circle. She watched as it dropped near the rope. She blinked. She looked to her brother, confused. She looked to her mother, throwing up her arms in exasperation. ¡°It was a nice try,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing the girl¡¯s head. They continued to play, with Konarot and Kirot managing to land within the circles properly, and Karot and Lanarot missing once more. Lanarot hugged her mother¡¯s leg with a pout. Karot copied her, hugging Adam¡¯s leg as he pouted. They wanted their parents to make this injustice right, but as the girls continued to throw bags, they quickly joined them and scored a point. ¡°They are so cute,¡± Sonarot said. Adam smiled. ¡°Of course they are.¡± ¡®This game does seem kind of fun...¡¯ Adam wondered if he should play, but if he did, would he have to throw well or throw poorly? He decided against playing, and instead allowed the children to guide him along. Eventually they walked into a shared family estate and lay down to rest, with Adam and Sonarot remaining nearby. However, Konarot forced Adam to come with her, and she cuddled up to him. Lanarot blinked, furrowing her brows in thought, before she pointed up at them. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lanababy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No.¡± Lanarot stomped over and tried to cuddle against Adam, groaning and complaining when she couldn¡¯t find a spot with the triplets hogging her brother. ¡°Huu!¡± She stared up at her brother, threatening to cry. ¡°Are you bullying your sister?¡± Strom asked, appearing with a gourd in hand. He bowed his head to Sonarot. ¡°Baba,¡± the little Iyrman said, stomping up to him. Strom lifted her up, with an exaggerated grunt, before letting her rest against his chest. ¡°Or is it that you are bullying your brother?¡± Lanarot cackled in response, before she pointed towards the sky. ¡°Up.¡± ¡°When will you give me greatchildren?¡± Jarot asked. Jurot snapped out of his thoughts. ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°I have heard of this baker...¡± Jarot began, noting how his grandson¡¯s ears turned red. A small smile flashed across his face for a moment. ¡°Is she well built?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, trying to keep his voice level. He crossed his arms, trying to keep some semblance of neutrality. ¡°Good.¡± Jarot nodded. ¡°I hope to be surrounded by more greatchildren soon. You do not need to give as many as Adam, but ten greatchildren would be nice.¡± Jurot thought about how his mother would respond to the situation. ¡°They sleep well. The rain always helps me to sleep well too.¡± Jarot smiled, but it was a sad smile. He wouldn¡¯t sleep well that night, nor any night that it rained. Jurot recalled how much his grandfather disliked the rain, remembering the tale from back then. It was raining then too, he remembered. It was his first memory, a memory which had been engraved within his mind. Jurot remained silent, but the silence was deafening in its awkwardness. Lucy and Mara lay nearby, having decided against doing much that day. She stared up at the sky, the clouds which passed the Iyr by, bringing with them rain. ¡°The rain is cold today,¡± Lucy whispered. ¡°It is,¡± Mara agreed, staring up at the sky from beside her companion. ¡°It is a different sort of rain, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There hasn¡¯t been that much rain this month,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Less than average, I hear.¡± ¡°The rivers did not flood this year,¡± Mara said. ¡°It would be difficult for the Iyrmen if it didn¡¯t flood for a while.¡± ¡°For the farms?¡± Mara nodded her head. ¡°They¡¯ve been focused on keeping their warehouses stocked. It appears something is happening.¡± ¡°Mara, there are things we should know, and things we should not know,¡± Lucy said, her eyes glancing around the area, hoping no Iyrmen was listening to their conversation. Mara sighed, understanding the point. ¡°Forgive me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. You need to know all these things, I understand, but pretend not to know them.¡± ¡°It was my mistake for growing so rusty,¡± Mara said. However, she couldn¡¯t help it. Though the Iyr was a dangerous place, they had been guaranteed under Jurot¡¯s name, which apparently meant quite a lot. Of course, if they did grow up to become extremely deadly, then Jurot¡¯s name wouldn¡¯t be enough, as though it protected Adam, they were not Nieces of the Iyr. ¡®Should we join the Iyr?¡¯ Mara thought. Click banner for Patreon! Totally no action in the next few chapters... 451. Duskval Festival XII 451. Duskval Festival XII Omen: 17, 18 Adam held Jirot to his chest, his hand against the back of her head, keeping her close to him. Her tiny breath tickled against his skin with each passing moment. Jarot was holding baby Jarot to himself, wishing he had a second hand to brush the boy¡¯s hair and to tickle him. ¡°They should eat,¡± Sonarot said, holding out her hands to take the babe away from the pair. Jarot vibrated with disappointment, but he relinquished the boy to his grandmother. Adam continued to hold Jirot, letting her relax against his chest, until she was taken away to be fed a short while later. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± the old Iyrman asked, noting the look on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°My children are too cute.¡± ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°It is,¡± Jarot admitted. Jurot paused for a moment to think. ¡®Is it not cringe?¡¯ Konarot reached up to hold Adam¡¯s hand, climbing up onto his lap. Her younger siblings sat beside him, cuddling up beside their father, holding onto his arms. ¡®Dangerous,¡¯ Adam thought. The festival was still in full swing, with even greater bouts being held, though Adam remained far away from them. He held his children¡¯s hands, while Konarot wrapped herself around him, forcing him to piggyback her about. Eventually, however, the children whimpered and climbed up around his front, forcing him to carry them too. ¡®Is he wearing children now?¡¯ Morkarai thought, biting into the meat wrap he had been forced to take by the Iyrman. It cooled his mouth with the spice, which revealed to him that even the Iyrmen who were not Devilkin liked the fiery spice he was accustomed to. ¡°Oh, good morning, Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam said, looking up to the Giant who was only half a head taller than him. ¡°Good morning, Adam,¡± Morkarai responded. He had wanted to check for the Emperor, but something else had completely overwhelmed his mind. The children Adam was wearing around himself were Half Dragons, but most importantly, their scales were silver. Morkarai wasn¡¯t sure if they were blood related, considering the boy had also adopted Goblins, but considering how they clung to Adam, it was no doubt they were close at the very least. However, the only Silver Dragon which had appeared, was Entalia, someone who had claimed Adam to be her own. ¡®Is that what she meant?¡¯ Adam smiled at the Giant. ¡°Lord Morkarai, one day you will have cute children like mine. You shouldn¡¯t feel too jealous about it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Morkarai replied, still thinking about the relationship between Adam and Entalia. Things didn¡¯t make sense with Adam, which is why this made perfect sense. Morkarai remained silent, deep in thought about Adam¡¯s words. ¡®Impossible. Even if I do not know how the Iyr works, such a thing would be impossible.¡¯ ¡°Did you refuse them?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°If they had been accepted by the Rot family, I would have been happy, but that was wishful thinking.¡± ¡°To hear that they didn¡¯t accept Half Dragons, it is a surprise. I am certain they had their own reasons for doing so.¡± ¡°No, no. They accepted the Half Dragons just fine. It was my cute little Goblin children they didn¡¯t want to accept.¡± ¡°So three of your five children?¡± Morkarai remained silent. He was sure Adam said they had been denied, but his words had changed. ¡°Right. Three of my five children.¡± ¡°It is a good fortune for your Half Dragon children,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°They will be raised well, and no doubt they will become powerful with the Iyr¡¯s guidance.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Lord Morkarai, but I¡¯m using the terms Half Dragon and Goblins to make it easier for you to understand. They¡¯re not my Half Dragon children and my Goblin children, they are my children.¡± Adam held his children closer to himself. There was a cold feeling deep within his gut. ¡°I thought that the Iyr and I were similar in that sense, but it appears to be the case that I¡¯m wrong. The Iyr doesn¡¯t make distinctions between Orcs, Devilkin, and Humans, but they do make distinctions between Goblins and Half Dragons.¡± Morkarai could hear it within Adam¡¯s voice, the sadness. It was not a normal sadness, but the sadness of betrayal. In the same way many had become disillusioned with Adam, Adam had become disillusioned with the Iyr. The Adam they knew, and the Iyr he knew, were a fantasy. ¡°You¡¯re right, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°If they were raised within the Iyr, with the Iyr¡¯s guidance, they¡¯d become powerful. Still, until that day comes, I need to become more powerful. I¡¯m not really sure what to do, well, I do know what to do, but...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°It takes years to become more powerful,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°Even I was not as powerful as I am now but a decade ago. Like a blade which needs tempering, you cannot smith too quickly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from a guy who can enchant a blade in a single day,¡± Adam replied, smirking at the Giant. ¡°That is different, for that is magic,¡± Morkarai replied, simply. ¡°If you have magic which assists you in growing more powerful, then hammering your body through effort makes less sense. However, it is still good to work hard to grow more powerful.¡± ¡°Do you have any tips?¡± Morkarai remained silent for a long while. Adam kept doing that, making the Giant go silent to think. The Giant narrowed his eyes, looking around himself. He was certain he was in the Iyr. The Iyr, known by many to be the place full of great warriors. There were very few places which held such reverence, and there were even fewer which could hold the might of the Iyr, and even fewer which held that level of might for millennia. Yet, Adam was asking him for advice on how to grow more powerful? It was like asking an Aldishman how to forge well while in the home of Dwarves. Yes, some Aldishmen were great at forging, for there were those in Jaghi whose smithing ability caught the attention of even the Giants to the north and to the south. However, one would still ask the Dwarves, wouldn¡¯t they? ¡°I do not know what to say to advise you, for the Iyr would surely know you better than I, but if you wish to fight, perhaps you could learn something?¡± Morkarai asked, smiling at the Half Elf with the most innocent smile. ¡®A fight?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Lord Morkarai vs Adam upcoming? 452. Duskval Festival XIII 452. Duskval Festival XIII ¡®Is he wearing children?¡¯ Jurot thought, staring at his brother and the three children. His eyes then snapped to Lord Morkarai, who was standing with a large smile on his face. Jurot reached down to his axe, and held it out to his brother. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, though he was unable to reach for it due to his condition. ¡°Uh. Little Kirot, would you mind?¡± Kirot looked up at him with those silver eyes of hers, before she climbed up to his shoulder to sit on it. Karot did the same, and Adam took the axe carefully, strapping it to his side, replacing the mundane axe he had bought. ¡®It would be easier after placing the children down,¡¯ the pair thought whilst watching the Half Elf. Adam carried the children back to the estate, where Jarot and his Aunts were currently looking after the babies, with Nirot and the other teens assisting them. ¡°You have brought me my greatchildren?¡± Jarot joked as Adam approached, before noticing Morkarai. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, standing before the group with his children. ¡°Daddy needs to go do stuff, so you need to stay here with your greatfather, okay?¡± Jarot stared up at the Giant, and he, along with the other Iyrmen, realised why Adam held Phantom at his side. ¡°Can you look after them?¡± Adam asked, letting his children down, who all stared up at him expectantly. They didn¡¯t want to leave their father, but they had sensed a change within him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jarot asked, keeping his smirk contained. ¡°I¡¯m going to have a fight with Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam said, simply. The words didn¡¯t shock the Iyrmen who were around, they had long become used to Adam¡¯s antics, but the excitement began to flood through them. Watching Lord Morkarai fight would be something any Iyrman would want to see. ¡°We will watch,¡± Jarot said, eager to see the bout. He wanted to see how his grandson stacked up to someone like Morkarai. ¡°The triplets like you quite a lot, so I trust you to look after them.¡± ¡°You will not let them watch?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never lost in front of the kids,¡± Adam said, ¡°and I plan on keeping it that way.¡± The excitement of watching a fight between his grandson and a Prince was overwhelming, but from Adam¡¯s words, and the look in the Half Elf¡¯s eyes, Jarot leaned back and settled down. Adam had no chance against the likes of Prince Morkarai, but even he had his pride. ¡°I wish to hear the tale when you return, Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, before he glanced between Adam and Morkarai. The pair followed him to a more secluded estate. ¡°A fight?¡± the Iyrman at the estate asked. ¡°Between Prince Morkarai and... Unrivalled?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, almost smiling. Attack - Phantom D20 + 8 = 13 (5) D20 + 8 = 17 (9) Miss! Adam bolted forward with frightening speed, swinging his magical axe wildly towards Morkarai. The Giant deflected the blow with his magical greatsword, Giantsfire, which easily managed to stop Adam¡¯s axe in its path. Adam tried to push the Fire Giant, but in a contest of strength, Morkarai would not lose. ¡°If this is all you¡¯ve got, I will be severely disappointed,¡± Morkarai goaded, chuckling lightly. Even if this young man was someone the Iyr kept his eyes on, Morkarai was not a random weakling. Though he was weakest from his siblings, he was still a Prince of the Fire Giants. ¡°Who said this was all I had?¡± Adam cried back, hopping to the side. ¡®Damn, my arm hurts so bad already!¡¯ He swiped his axe towards Morkarai, who was still chuckling. Attack - Phantom D20 + 8 = 9 (2) D20 + 8 = 19 (11) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D6 + 4D6 + 7 = 28 (3)(4)(3, 3, 4, 4) 28 damage! Phantom struck Morkarai¡¯s platemail across the chest, flashing white with divine magic. The blow dealt quite some damage, able to kill the average man twice over, but Morkarai was not the average man. ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Morkarai said, feeling the slight throbbing in his mind. He realised why Phantom held its name, and why Adam wanted to wield it. No, he could feel there was something more to it. ¡°Is it my turn?¡± Adam¡¯s heart throbbed, recalling a similar phrase by the old monster he had faced. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Phantom D20 + 8 = 14 (6) D20 + 8 = 18 (10) Miss! In his panic, he forced his muscles to move, and slashed wildly across the air as Morkarai pulled back, only for him to raise his blade. Adam almost used his Omen, but he had already promised himself not to use it, and he had talked so much trash too. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t fall to a single blow,¡± Morkarai said, ready to swing his blade. As the battle raged, the two Iyrmen watched, wondering if Adam was going to show them something unbelievable. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°One hundred gold for Adam,¡± Jurot replied. Zijin shook his head. ¡°Even if it is the easiest bet to make, I will not bet against Adam. He is someone who can make miracles come true.¡± Zijin hoped, like Jurot, that Adam would do something which would blow their expectations. Adam stepped forward towards Morkarai, panting for air as he swung Phantom towards the Prince of the Fire Giants. Morkarai raised his Giantsfire to deflect the axe, but it slipped past the giant greatsword, and grazed across the Fire Giant¡¯s plate mail. Attack - Phantom D20 + 8 = 19 (11) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) Critical hit! ¡®Ho!¡¯ Strom thought, smirking down from the rooftops. ¡®That¡¯s more like it!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! The mad lad actually fought him! 453. Duskval Festival XIV 453. Duskval Festival XIV Mana: 15 -> 12 Ability: Divine Smite Phantom Charges: 3 -> 0 2D6 + 8D6 + 20D6 + 7 = 116 (1, 6)(1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5)(1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6) 116 damage! Morkarai dropped to a knee, Giantsfire striking the ground between them. He reached down to his side, feeling the slick of wet crimson against his fingers. He was certain the axe only grazed his armour, but the pulsing wetness at his side, and the pulsing through his throbbing forehead, revealed that the blow was greater than he had imagined. ¡®What?¡¯ The single word echoed in his throbbing mind. Adam had struck him with enough force to kill the average Aldishman, meaning he would be quite the terror in the Aldish lands. However, what he had struck Morkarai with was something which could kill even great warriors from the Giant¡¯s land. No, it was enough to kill even a fiercely powerful Iyrman. Jurot watched, arms crossed. Adam had faced his aunt, who was greater than even himself, and had managed to defeat her in a single blow. Upon seeing the way Adam brought Morkarai to his knees, he understood how it had happened. He could feel the excitement wash over him, but he pushed it away as best as he could. He, too, wanted to face Adam with Phantom in hand. Zijin¡¯s lips slowly widened into a smirk. Morkarai had just learnt what the force of nature known as Adam was. ¡®You¡¯ve fought well, Adam.¡¯ ¡®How strong was Morkarai exactly?¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the darkness within him begin to lighten. Morkarai forced himself up onto his feet and lifted his greatsword. Adam had struck him with so much force that he had almost dropped unconscious. It was now he understood what Adam was, and why the Iyr was so interested in him. Wordless, Morkarai lifted his sword, before he swung it down towards Adam, who lifted up his shield. Health: 65 -> 11 Giantsfire struck Adam¡¯s shield with so much force it dented the shield, and Adam¡¯s knees cracked under the pure effort of trying to contain the giant greatsword. He coughed, trying to catch his breath from the pure effort of taking the heavy blow. He inhaled deeply and shouted, pushing the greatsword away. He had a choice to make in that split second. Either he would heal himself using Tough Spirit, which would not heal him enough to deal with another blow, or he could pray and try to land another blow. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 11 -> 16 Attack - Phantom D20 + 8 = 12 (4) D20 + 8 = 19 (11) Hit! Mana: 12 -> 9 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D6 + 4D6 + 7 = 24 (3)(4)(1, 2, 2, 5) 24 damage! Attack - Phantom D20 + 8 = 12 (3) D20 + 8 = 19 (12) Hit! Mana: 9 -> 6 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D6 + 4D6 + 7 = 23 (1)(1)(2, 3, 4, 5) 23 damage! Adam let out a sigh, watching the Giant begin to swing his Giantsfire. It moved slowly, whereas his own body moved swifter than he even thought was possible. He slashed the Giant twice with Phantom, spending as much of his Mana he could within his blows. Phantom flashed white twice as he struck the Giant, forming a cross against his chest. Giantsfire struck the earth and Morkarai dropped to a knee. Adam waited for Morkarai to catch his breath, ready to fight again. Zijin¡¯s eyes grew wide. This entire time, just like Jurot, he thought that Adam would have lost to the Prince of Giants. Morkarai was someone who would be able to fight a Paragon, and could even clash with a Great Elder. However, here he was, not just kneeling before Adam, but kneeling after falling unconscious. Jurot¡¯s hair stood on end as he realised what he had watched. He had bet on Adam, as expected of him, but he didn¡¯t think Adam would have won. He had heard Adam deal with greater Iyrmen than himself, and with Phantom in hand it made sense, but there was a gulf between those Iyrmen and Prince Morkarai. ¡°I will take you to rest,¡± Zijin said, before motioning to the side for Morkarai to follow. Morkarai wanted to speak to Adam more, but he left the boy be, allowing him to rest. His mind was too full of thoughts for him to speak, so he followed the Elder away. He could see how tense Zijin had become, and realised that the Elder was going to have a stressful time. ¡°Does Adam keep you busy?¡± Morkarai asked. Zijin smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam and Jurot returned back to the shared family estate, but Adam paused outside. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 5 = 12 (3, 4) Health: 11 -> 23 Adam flexed his muscles, regaining some of his Health, before stepping inside the shared family estate. The Iyrmen¡¯s expectant gazes pressed down on him, but Adam approached his triplets, each of whom were staring at him in confusion. Adam lifted them up, grunting with effort. ¡°Did you miss daddy?¡± he asked, hugging them tight. Jarot looked to Jurot, who was suspiciously tense. Then he looked to Adam, who seemed far too healthy for someone who had been beaten by the Prince of Giants. He narrowed his eyes, before looking back to Jurot. Jurot sat down, crossing his arms. He knew his responsibility, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to speak of the tale. He inhaled deeply, before letting out a long sigh. ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± The Iyrmen remained silent, but they understood the gravity of the words Jurot had said. He had all but confirmed it with those words, but they wanted to hear the tale. ¡°I¡¯m going to go nap,¡± Adam said, yawning. The bout had still taken a lot out of him, and he didn¡¯t want to hear the tale. He already felt the embarrassment of winning, and he didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed further by hearing the tale. He checked on the twins first, brushing their hair tenderly, before heading into one of the rooms. The triplets followed him in and watched as he doffed his armour. Adam¡¯s arms hurt, but he did his best not to reveal the pain to his children. ¡®Didn¡¯t Morkarai say he could face a Great Elder in combat?¡¯ Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smirk. The triplets stared up at him, still confused. Was he always this big? Click banner for Patreon! 2D6 + 8D6 + 20D6 + 7 = 116 (1, 6)(1, 1, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5)(1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6, 6) 116 damage! Excuse me? Interlude: Aftermath Interlude: Aftermath Jurot spoke of the tale to the Iyrmen around, each of them glued to his every word. It was a quick tale, though it felt so much longer to each of them, as half their thoughts were focused on what Jurot had said earlier. The young Jurot confirmed their thoughts, and they wondered what kind of madness they were hearing. Jarot huffed, clutching onto his knee with his good hand. ¡®I should have gone to watch the bout.¡¯ The others were thinking something similar, though they were still caught in the web of madness which was Adam¡¯s existence. How could he, a boy, beat someone like Lord Morkarai. Kaygak knew that if she and another of her compatriots faced Lord Morkarai, the Prince of Giants, even in his more Human form, they would have struggled to beat him. Yet, Adam had done so. Was it luck? Or was it something else? ¡°My grandson did well,¡± Jarot eventually said, his lips a half grin. He was filled with so much pride, the others could see he was beaming. ¡°To face against Lord Morkarai, and to beat him, it brings my family such great...¡± His face twitched slightly, and his smile grew into a frown. The silence shocked the Iyrmen around, each of whom knew how much joy this news brought their uncle, and yet here he was, frowning. ¡°Adam Fateson did well,¡± Jarot corrected, distancing Adam from the Rot family. ¡®This honour should be all yours.¡¯ ¡°The bet was won,¡± Mirot said, staring at her father, who held that kind of look on his face. It was as though they had asked him to part with Churot, the same Churot who was sitting right beside him, staring at Jurot with wide eyes. He, too, knew the significance of Adam¡¯s victory. ¡°You can keep your gold.¡± ¡°We have lost the bet,¡± Citool said, calmly. ¡°You should take the coin.¡± ¡°How can I steal from my nieces?¡± ¡°Then we will give your share to Mirot.¡± Jarot¡¯s eyes fell to Mirot, before his lips formed a smile again. ¡°You have doubled your bet.¡± Jurot remained silent, staring at his aunt. She did not like Adam, and made that dislike known. However, she at least acted like an Iyrman, unlike some of his own family. His lips almost twitched into a smile. If nothing else, he was glad that she had bet on her brother. Mirot bowed her head, but said nothing more of it. She, who had bet on Adam, had won quite a large sum of money. She hadn¡¯t bet on him simply because he was her Nephew, or nephew as Sonarot would put it, but because she knew of what Adam was capable of with Phantom in his hand. Though others would have put the fight at a rate of two to eight, she put the fight at four to six. Phantom had forced her to surrender before she could even swing her axe. It was a weapon which was powerful, far too powerful for Adam to wield. It was dangerous. It was dangerous enough without Adam realising its full effects, as he was one of few people who could utilise it to its full effects, and it was something designed to kill her father. Though it had been a joke, it was no doubt something which could have come true. Mirot¡¯s eyes fell to her father, who tickled baby Jarot¡¯s cheek, speaking to the babe about how his father was so strong. She knew how strong her father was, even after losing an arm, but with Phantom in Adam¡¯s hand, she couldn¡¯t help but think the Half Elf¡¯s odds were better than five to five. Morkarai was thinking deeply about his bout. To think that Adam could defeat him, it was something which had left a greater mark against his heart. It was not a terrible mark, not a darkness, but something which he¡¯d be unable to rid unless he thought about it deeply. ¡°I am glad you enjoyed the fight.¡± ¡°Thank you for sending word.¡± ¡°It was my honour,¡± Zijin replied, bowing his head slightly. ¡°I thank you again for bringing their gear.¡± ¡°Handling those armours was quite pleasant,¡± Strom said, thinking about how they had felt in his hands. ¡°If I was younger, and if I wasn¡¯t in the Iyr, I may have thought to... borrow them for a few centuries.¡± ¡°Should I escort you to your residence?¡± Zijin asked, watching the old man bring out another gourd from his ring. The old man stood, wordless, and followed the Elder, deep in his thoughts. He wondered if he should fight Adam, but decided against it. He didn¡¯t want to taint Lanarot¡¯s memories of him by losing to a brat not even a century old. The Great Elders gathered during the evening, having heard of the matter. Iromin could feel the heaviness against him, the pressure from the other Great Elders, as well as the stress of having to deal with someone like Adam. ¡°It is a strange thing,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°I thought Adam was stronger than I imagined, but not to this extent.¡± ¡°Lord Morkarai would be able to fight with us, and yet he was defeated by Adam,¡± Elder Peace said, her voice heavy with a warning. Iromin was fairly certain he¡¯d be able to go toe to toe with the Prince of Giants, but he would never be able to defeat him as Adam had. Elder Gold¡¯s ability to strike was greater than his own, but even she would be unable to defeat the Giant quite so easily. ¡°He used Phantom too,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°We took it away from him for a reason, but he used it once more.¡± ¡°The weapon belongs to the Rot family,¡± Elder Gold retorted. ¡°It was returned back to them after the bout.¡± ¡°Is this a message to us?¡± Elder Forest asked. ¡°He should know the significance of what it means to face Lord Morkarai.¡± Elder Peace nodded. ¡°Even he should know that Lord Morkarai is strong, and would be able to face us in combat.¡± ¡°I do not believe so,¡± Iromin replied, tapping the table with a finger. For the past short while the Great Elders had been pressuring him to make a move, to confirm whether or not they could believe in Adam truly. ¡°It was no message to us. It was a shock to him too.¡± ¡°How can you be so certain?¡± Elder Gold asked. Iromin showed great favour to Adam, so he required more evidence to his words. The Great Elders were convinced that Adam wanted to show them something. Though he had lost to Emperor Shama, he was still able to fight well. ¡°He did not want his children to see,¡± Iromin stated, simply. OOPS. THIS WAS MEANT TO COME OUT AFTER 453! 454. Duskval Festival XV 454. Duskval Festival XV Adam inhaled deeply, feeling the coolness against his shoulders. The Iyr had provided him thin metal pauldrons, which he cooled with his Tricks. ¡®Seriously, how did I not feel it yesterday?¡¯ Konarot stared up at him with a tiny frown, seeing as how her tall father was brought low by something wicked. Kirot and Karot remained nearby, trying not to bother their father, leaving this matter to their older sibling. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Vonda asked, approaching Adam, who was topless, save for the metal pauldrons. His body was well built, like a statue from the capital, though she quickly averted her gaze. ¡°Lord Morkarai¡¯s blade was hot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel the heat last night, but in the middle of the night I could feel it.¡± ¡°It is best to deal with burns right away,¡± Vonda said, noting the ointment and bandages which were prepared for the Half Elf. Adam started rubbing the ointment against his shoulders, wincing as he raised his arms. Vonda scooped some ointment before rubbing it against his skin, causing Adam to grow red. ¡®How embarrassing.¡¯ ¡°Huu,¡± Konarot complained sadly, frowning up at her father. ¡°Are you worried about me, little babby?¡± Adam asked, seeing how close she was to crying. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, daddy¡¯s a lot stronger than he looks.¡± Konarot scooped some ointment, feeling how cool it was to the touch. It distracted her for a moment, before she began to slap and rub her father¡¯s shoulders. Health: 65 -> 64 Adam winced, clutching at his knees from how rough his daughter was slapping the ointment against him. ¡®What a good girl my daughter is!¡¯ ¡°Gently,¡± Vonda said, holding the girl¡¯s hand, helping her lather the ointment against Adam¡¯s shoulders. Konarot looked up at the Priest of Life for a moment, her eyes curious, but she returned back to helping her father. Vonda bandaged Adam, wrapping it across his shoulders, and then across his front. She tried to ignore his physique, but he had the allure of a Half Fae, who possessed some innate beauty from his Fae blood, but also the ruggedness from his Human blood. She inhaled deeply, before exhaling to the side, trying to calm herself. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said, quietly. Vonda bowed her head, taking Konarot with her to wash their hands, before returning to see Adam beside a small basket which contained a pair of tiny slumbering twins. ¡°There is talk that you defeated Lord Morkarai, Prince of the Fire Giants,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I did.¡± Vonda remained silent for a long moment. She had known Adam for some time, well over a year at this point, and his ability to surprise her constantly caused her to pray daily. ¡®They said he could fight a Great Elder...¡¯ ¡°I was lucky,¡± Adam said. ¡°Well, I was lucky and had Phantom in hand.¡± ¡°Is Phantom so powerful?¡± ¡°Phantom is extremely powerful,¡± Adam said. ¡°It holds, for a single strike, power greater than a Fireball. If you¡¯re lucky, it hits twice as hard as a Fireball.¡± Fireball. It was a spell which was synonymous with Adam at this point, something which she had seen wreak havoc upon the creatures they faced. He had done what none of them could do, and was the greatest reason they managed to survive during the Outbreak. Then there was that man. An older man they had randomly met on the way to help Mara. Adam had used his trusty Fireball and it had been utterly useless, and considering Morkarai was a Prince of Fire Giants, it would have been quite useless against him too. Adam, whose strength came from his absolute ridiculousness, was almost entirely useless against such an imposing foe. ¡®Your existence could only be matched by those who would spit at the Gods.¡¯ Vonda sighed. ¡°Will there be a time I can understand you, Adam?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam admitted, shrugging his shoulders, wincing. ¡°Perhaps one day, Sir Vonda. One day.¡± Adam reached up to tickle Konarot¡¯s cheek, smiling at the girl. Vonda smiled, keeping her words to herself. Watching Adam with his children filled her heart with ease, so she remained silent to allow the moment to take them. She looked to the pair of twins within the basket, the babies sleeping soundly. Jurot arrived, bringing with him a basket of food for the group which remained to look after the children. ¡°Sir Vonda.¡± He greeted the Priest of Life, nodding his head towards her. ¡°Jurot,¡± she replied, bowing her head. Jurot sat down beside Adam, his eyes falling on his nieces and nephew, each of whom sat beside their father. Konarot hid behind her father¡¯s arm, noting that Jurot was looking at her. Konarot hissed at Jurot as the Iyrman picked him up, before she bit his hand. ¡°Konarot, stop,¡± Adam said, raising his voice slightly. ¡°You cannot bite uncle Jurot.¡± Konarot let go of Jurot¡¯s hand, but squirmed against his grasp. ¡°Sorry, Jurot.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Konarot, you cannot bite people¡¯s hands.¡± Konarot stopped squirming, falling still. She pouted angrily, staring down at the floor, all the while dangling in the air as Jurot held her. ¡°She will grow up well,¡± Jurot said. ¡®Will my children grow well too?¡¯ The Iyrman¡¯s eyes fell to his brother, who was squirming out of the children¡¯s grasp, before the Half Elf picked his daughter up. Adam stared at the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Just because you are cute does not mean you can bite everyone.¡± He kissed her cheek and brushed her hair. ¡°However, if some stranger tries to pick you up, make sure you bite them harder. Uncle Jurot is no stranger, though.¡± Konarot lay against her father¡¯s torso, her tail twitching from side to side. ¡°Will I gain dad strength when I have children?¡± Jurot asked. Adam raised his brows for a moment before a smirk fell across his face. ¡°Of course.¡± Jurot remained silent, crossing his arms. ¡°Is there uncle strength?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but... I¡¯m sure if there was a time when Konarot was in danger, you¡¯d probably grow stronger to try and save her.¡± ¡°Would you not save her?¡± ¡°If Konarot is ever in danger, doesn¡¯t that mean I won¡¯t be available?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If she is in danger, then I will be unavailable,¡± Jurot retorted. ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll have to leave that to you then, Sir Vonda.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Vonda asked, patting baby Jarot¡¯s back after feeding him. ¡°Well, if Jurot and I are indisposed, then you¡¯ll have to save my little Konarot, right?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°If there is something which can deal with you and Jurot, then what use will I be?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I do not want to hear that from you, Adam.¡± Vonda sighed. ¡°If Konarot is in danger, then won¡¯t it be the Rot family who will save her?¡± ¡°I suppose there is Jarot and my Aunts,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Right. I¡¯m sure if someone messes with my little babbies, it¡¯ll be their babo who will go save them.¡± Vonda threw a look towards the other Iyrmen around, especially the Rot family, who were listening in on Adam¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m sure they will help your children.¡± ¡°Right. Jarot and my Aunts would go save them,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Then, if they¡¯re not available, that probably falls to Kitool and Jaygak, right?¡± Jurot thought about it for a moment. ¡°They would help in the same way as grandfather and mother.¡± ¡°Then after them, it would be Sir Vonda and the others?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want to, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam said, laughing with his eyebrows towards her. Baby Jarot threw up on her back, and she realised he had forgotten to place a bib in front of him. She sighed. Click banner for Patreon! Baby Jarot asserts his dominance. 455. Duskval Festival XVI 455. Duskval Festival XVI The stars twinkled in the night sky. The various families had returned to their estates, with the Rot family speaking with Sonarot about Adam¡¯s words. As the Family Head, it was Sonarot¡¯s responsibility to deal with issues that her family brought up, but it was typically Mulrot¡¯s, the Family Elder¡¯s, responsibility. However, since she had heard the words, she needed to deal with the matter. There was a small problem, however. ¡°Is it not true?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Adam and Jurot would be first. Father, sister and I, Jaygak, and Kitool, would be second. Then, thirdly, it would be Adam¡¯s companions. Who else would take care of my grandchildren?¡± Tirot remained quiet, her lips growing taut. Sonarot¡¯s words were deep, and cut deeper than her axe. However, seeing the realisation on Sonarot¡¯s face, the woman felt the relief wash over her. Sonarot was always reasonable, hence why Mirot gave the role of Family Head to her without a fight. ¡°Gorot, too, would be second,¡± Sonarot said. Gorot had been busy, taking the responsibility for work while Mirot was taking care of their child. ¡°I am certain Adam misspoke when he did not mention brother.¡± Tirot sighed. Dealing with someone like Sonarot, who was once going to be the Family Head of her own family, was not an easy task. ¡°Not all of us agree with the Family Elder¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°Does that matter?¡± Sonarot asked, dismissing the woman¡¯s words. ¡°Words are silver, actions are blood.¡± Tirot retreated from the woman, taking her place near Gurot, who was sleeping soundly. She recalled the conversation she had with Fakrot, Sarot¡¯s son, about Adam. She hadn¡¯t met Adam properly, and knew very little about him, but he had already split the Rot family in half. Many of them liked him, he was strong, and that meant a lot in the Iyr, but he was also queer. Fakrot had disagreed with his father, which itself was a shock, but what he had said shocked the elderly Rot members. Upon meeting Adam, Tirot wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was quite as her cousin had made him out to be. He certainly didn¡¯t behave more like an Iyrman than the elders. Gurot stirred awake and began to cry. Tirot picked him up and gently rocked him to soothe him. Her thoughts fell away from Adam and to Gurot, who calmed down within her arms. ¡°You are so big, Gurot,¡± she whispered, staring down at the boy. Adam invaded her mind once more, but this time it was because of what Jarot, her uncle, had said about him when Gurot had been born.Findd new stories at novelhall.com What fortune Gurot has to be born in the time of my grandsons. The expectations Jarot had placed on Adam were great, too great, many of them had thought. Though, with the news that Adam had defeated Lord Morkarai spreading through their family, she wondered if they had been too hasty. Fakrot was right. Adam, whatever madness he brought to the Iyr, was a great boon to the family, which they had refused. For what? Two Goblins? Once they were a part of the family, they would no longer be Goblins. ¡®No,¡¯ she thought. ¡®It¡¯s because of that, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Goblins bred quickly and quite young in comparison to Iyrmen. There were rules to be followed, and if they had formally accepted the Goblins, it meant that the Rot family would need to deal with an issue that should have come much later. Then, what if their children had children within a decade of their birth? The rules of the Iyr were clear, but they were not made with Goblins in mind. ¡®Unless, there are those within my family who will not accept Goblins because they are Goblins?¡¯ Tirot frowned. Jaygak stared at the dark sky above, sighing. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it. Adam, he really did it, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool replied, also staring at the stars from beside her. It had been something they had adopted from the Demons. ¡°Adam,¡± Strom replied, before reaching down to tickle Konarot¡¯s cheek. The girl squirmed away from him and hid against her father¡¯s chest. ¡°Are you still afraid of me?¡± Adam sighed, before rubbing his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Are you enjoying yourself during the festival?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the old man replied, smiling at the Half Elf. ¡°Did you enjoy the fight?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t see or something ridiculous like that.¡± ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Strom replied, simply. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You¡¯re more predictable than you think.¡± ¡°So are you.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I suppose I am.¡± ¡°You have brought the boy¡¯s attention to you,¡± Strom said. He groaned quietly, realising he should be showing some respect. ¡°The Prince will have his eyes on you.¡± ¡°Unfortunately for him, I don¡¯t like men,¡± Adam joked. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Strom replied, trying to feign shock. He chuckled quietly. ¡°The first time we met you revealed that fact to me.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Strom said. ¡°You were speaking with the girl, the Queen.¡± ¡°Entalia?¡± Adam replied, trying to recall their first meeting. ¡°Yeah, I think you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see that you¡¯re feeling better,¡± Strom said, his eyes falling to the little Goblin babe nearby. ¡°It was hard to see you when you were always so down and dreary.¡± Adam raised his brows at the man, who was still wasting away. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡± ¡°You should show your best self to your children,¡± Strom said. ¡°The reason why Konarot fears me is because she does not believe in you.¡± Adam almost coughed in response, feeling the words cut deep into his heart. ¡°Are you asking me to beat you up so that they¡¯ll understand how strong I am?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what is required,¡± Strom replied, holding Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like bullying a dying old man,¡± Adam eventually said. Jaygak rubbed her cheek against Karot¡¯s once more. ¡°Do you see how he is bullying me? How can he say that in front of me? It¡¯s not fair!¡± Click banner for Patreon! Aunt Sonarot bullying as Adam bullies Jaygak is the best. 456. Duskval Festival XVII 456. Duskval Festival XVII ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jaygak asked, blinking rapidly at the Half Elf. Adam chewed on the sweet bread which had been glazed in honey, swallowing it down before licking his lips. ¡°Enjoying the festival.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to stay at the estate and act cringe?¡± Jaygak joked. Her eyes caught sight of Dunes and Vonda, who were pleading with her wordlessly. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said. ¡°My children need me. Why am I out here enjoying myself when they¡¯re back at the estate missing their father.¡± Jaygak blinked, keeping her eyes shut for a long while, before she opened them. Her eyes met the Priests¡¯, apologising for her mistake, and her mind raced to find a way to stop Adam. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, inhaling deeply. ¡°You have not played with Taygak and the children in some time.¡± That was it. Adam¡¯s weakness was not just his own children, but his Cousins too. Adam paused, falling for her line of thought. It was a single strike within the chink of his armour, but Adam did not fall to it. ¡°Will you also leave Lanarot too?¡± Jaygak added, stabbing Adam in his heart. With Stormdrake, she could not defeat Adam, but when it came to using her devilish tongue, she could at least match him. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam began, before pausing. ¡°If you think you can invoke my sister¡¯s name and get me to do things...¡± Jaygak let out a soft sigh, realising what was happening. ¡°Out of everyone in our group, you¡¯re definitely the most evil,¡± Adam stated. Jaygak smiled. She had won. Adam walked around the festival, aiming to find the young children, before he bumped into a familiar face. Fred tilted his head towards the Half Elf, wondering if his appearance was fated that day. ¡°Adam,¡± Fred called. ¡°Fred. What¡¯s up?¡±Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Fred looked up to the sky and furrowed his brows. ¡°The clouds?¡± ¡°I mean, what¡¯s... is there something you need from me?¡± Fred looked around to the Iyrmen around him, and nodded. ¡°Could we talk? Alone.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam led Fred away, heading to a corner of an estate, grabbing some wine and cups on the way, before settling down. He poured Fred some wine, before pouring himself some. ¡°So...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve tasted the wine and now you can¡¯t live without it,¡± Adam said, pouring some wine into Fred¡¯s cup and his own. Fred scoffed, raising his cup upwards, before bringing it to his lips. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He drunk it quickly, tasting the sweetness. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I am to you. I¡¯m not as strong as Jonn, and he¡¯s a Guardian, and you¡¯ve already got an Iyrman who does what I can do, but better. Jaygak jokes she¡¯s weak, but I¡¯d rather not fight her, especially not with that sword of hers.¡± ¡°Lifeblade not good enough for you?¡± Adam asked. Fred rubbed his thumb along the handle of the blade and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m very thankful for the sword, though I know it¡¯s only borrowed to me.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re one of mine, you can keep it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Work for me for a few years, and you can consider it your own. I¡¯ve already offered you a position within my business, and I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d take care of my marriage,¡± Fred said. ¡°Say I want to marry an Iyrman...¡± ¡°Betraying me already?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said, quickly. ¡°Nothing like that. I just... I just thought it would be nicer if I was married into the Iyr, is all. I¡¯d work for you still, you¡¯ve done a lot for me. You helped me when I was dying, you and Sir Vonda, and I owe a lot to you.¡± He gripped Lifeblade tighter. ¡°Never thought that I would carry a magical sword at my side, especially not a Basic Enhanced sword. Not me, just a farmer¡¯s boy that I was.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, you¡¯re pretty successful for a farmer¡¯s boy, Fred. You didn¡¯t have much chance to spend all that money, eh? You could probably buy your own farm now.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Fred said. ¡°I could, but...¡± The young man sighed. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t know what I am to you.¡± ¡°Why are you acting all shy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± ¡°Forgotten what?¡± ¡°When Lucy was in danger, I asked you whether you wanted to step aside,¡± Adam said, holding Fred¡¯s gaze with his eyes. ¡°When it came down to it, when your life was on the line, when my friend¡¯s life was on the line, you drew your blade and fought beside me, Fred. You, the son of a farmer, decided to die for some Demon.¡± Fred wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about risking his life for a Demon, but Lucy didn¡¯t do any wrong to him. ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t give you a magical sword because it was going to help you, I gave you the sword because you earned the right to wield that blade.¡± Fred slowly nodded his head. Adam poured the young man some more wine. ¡°Stick with me, Fred. I¡¯ll raise you into a monster, and then you can drown in Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± Fred said, sipping his wine. He sighed with relief, feeling his heart lighten. ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! What''s this? Fleshing out side characters? In my power fantasy? 457. Duskval Festival XVIII 457. Duskval Festival XVIII ¡°Seems like I¡¯m going to be talking with all the lads today,¡± Adam said, raising his brow towards the giant wall of mass known as Nobby. Fred finished his drink, taking his cup with him. He nodded to Nobby, who returned with a simple bow of his head, before the giant boy sat down opposite Adam. Iyrmen peeked towards them, admiring the young man¡¯s body, who was wider than any of them within the estate¡¯s courtyard. ¡°Nobby,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. He poured himself some wine before pushing the bottle towards the boy, hesitating for a moment. ¡®Can he drink? No, no. What kind of stupid thought was that?¡¯ ¡°Mister boss,¡± Nobby replied, quietly. His voice was small, and he squirmed in his chair. ¡°Are you enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Found some pretty Iyrmen ladies?¡± Nobby¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red and he shrunk. ¡°Have you already forgotten about Merl?¡± Adam teased, unable to control himself. After Jaygak teased him, he needed some way to relieve himself. ¡®Bullying Nobby is so fun.¡¯ Nobby huffed through his nostrils and turned redder under Adam¡¯s teasing, taking a sip of the wine from the bottle. ¡°No.¡± Adam wiggled his brows at the large man, before chuckling. ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡± Nobby looked up. ¡°The sky.¡± ¡°I deserved it that time,¡± Adam whispered to himself. ¡°I mean, what do I owe the pleasure, Nobby? What do you need?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice in the Iyr,¡± he said. ¡®Again?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if Nobby was going to be a repeat. ¡°Anne¡¯s in school,¡± Nobby said, quietly. ¡°Yeah, I hope so,¡± Adam replied, finishing his wine. ¡°I paid good money for her to get into school.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Nobby remained quiet for a long moment. ¡°I want to be stronger,¡± he eventually said. ¡°Do you want to marry an Iyrman?¡± Adam joked. ¡°I want to be strong.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You will look after my family?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I will be stronger.¡± ¡°How strong do you want to be?¡± Nobby remained quiet, trying to understand what it meant to be strong, and how he could quantify it. He had lived with the Iyrmen for some time and understood they were stronger than the average Aldishman, but to be strong in the Iyr meant something else. He knew Adam was strong, though he had watched the Half Elf lose to a terrifying foe. ¡°Anne¡¯s in school,¡± Nobby said. ¡°Ma and pa. You¡¯ll help.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your mother and father. Just you wait until the fort¡¯s up and running. They¡¯ll be some of the first people there. No matter what happens, Nobby, I¡¯ll look after your family.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Number one enforcer...¡± Adam looked back down at his children. ¡°My kids will be in danger all the time, so I¡¯m going to make you strong. You¡¯re going to need to be strong, so I think I need to make you a monster. The Iyrmen are going to love you, and if Merl doesn¡¯t want you, you¡¯re going to be swimming in Iyrmen, just like Fred.¡± Sonarot eyed Adam up, wondering what he was talking about. This line of conversation piqued the interest of the other Iyrmen nearby. ¡°If you want to protect little Jirot and Jarot, then you¡¯re going to need to be at least as strong as their greatfather, right?¡± Adam asked, leaning back into his chair casually. ¡°What is he? Stronger than a Master, maybe a Grandmaster?¡± Sonarot bowed her head. ¡°Then I suppose Nobby¡¯s going to need to be at least a Grandmaster then,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is that so easy?¡± Sonarot asked. Adam raised his brow towards her, and his Aunt understood what he was saying. After all, Adam was Adam. ¡°If Nobby is to be a Grandmaster, then what of you and Jurot?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Whatever gets Jurot to Diamond Rank,¡± Adam said. ¡°Me? Well, we all know that I¡¯m going to be Unrivalled Under The Heavens.¡± Adam¡¯s face scrunched together, as though he had bitten into the flesh of a lemon. He was surprised that he hadn¡¯t taken any damage from the cringe. ¡°There is no need to rush,¡± Sonarot said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s knee. ¡°Take it one step at a time.¡± ¡°One step at a time,¡± Adam repeated, before thinking about the old monster known as Shama. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure I can do that, but...¡± ¡°You are strong enough, for now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± ¡°You will face a great many threats, as that will be your story, but you will carve a path which will be very different than any other before you.¡± Sonarot smiled warmly. ¡°You will have many great stories to tell your children.¡± Adam hummed quietly. ¡°You know... I want to show off to my children, but isn¡¯t it also cool if I¡¯m the dopey, aloof father? Then, when something big happens, and maybe my children are in trouble, they find out how amazing I am? Isn¡¯t that fun too?¡± Sonarot continued to smile. It was a very Adam thing to think. ¡°Well, I suppose that¡¯s spoiled because my Konarot is so smart. She¡¯ll probably remember that I¡¯m pretty strong as she grows. I probably won¡¯t be able to trick her.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Plus, with all the stories which will be told about Jurot and I, Lanarot will be sure to speak to her little nieces and nephews about them all. I can¡¯t pretend to be weak if I¡¯ve already slain two Dragons.¡± Nobby heard how Adam spoke of slaying two Dragons as something negative. It was a very Adam thing to do, he surmised. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam looked to Nobby. ¡°Well...¡± His lips twitched into a smile. ¡°Maybe that can¡¯t be my story, but couldn¡¯t that be your story? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be overshadowed in the stories when they¡¯re going to be about Jurot, me, Jaygak, and Kitool. Plus then you have the others too, Dunes and Sir Vonda. Hell, Fred might even get his own stories too. Then there¡¯s the teens too, and...¡± Adam huffed out, as though he was out of breath. ¡°Why is our group so big?¡± Nobby remained silent. Stories were one thing he didn¡¯t care about. He could probably speak to his ma and pa and his sister about them, but it was the strength which Adam would give him, the money, which Nobby cared about most. If his sister could go through school and his parents were taken care of, that was all he needed. Everything else was irrelevant. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s really cool,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Something happens. Perhaps a shipment gets lost or one of the kids, or a VIP gets abducted, or something. Then Nobby, you appear, and they have no idea who you are. Your opponents underestimate you and get absolutely bodied. You come back, mission complete, job done, you know? Actually, it probably makes sense if you¡¯re defending a place, and you manage to force them away because you¡¯re a tank.¡± ¡°I am certain that Nobby¡¯s story will be greater than that,¡± Sonarot said, smiling at Adam¡¯s imagination. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°Nobby, you¡¯re going to be my number one enforcer.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Nobby''s pretty cute too. 458. Duskval Festival XIX 458. Duskval Festival XIX Omen: 2, 14 Adam brushed Konarot¡¯s hair in the morning, the silver of her hair so brilliant. The triplets hair had lightened over the last week, and Adam had only spotted it that morning. ¡°Why are you children so bad?¡± Adam muttered to himself. Konarot looked up at him, her mouth open in shock. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission to grow cuter, did I?¡± Adam kissed her forehead, before returning to her hair. Lanarot waddled over. ¡°Papa,¡± she called, before climbing up beside Adam, holding up her own brush. ¡°Papa.¡± ¡°You want me to brush your hair?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± the girl replied, holding up her brush triumphantly. ¡°I will brush your hair after I brush my children¡¯s, okay?¡± Adam smiled. Lanarot waited for a short moment, before picking up her brush. ¡°Papa.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Kirot, I¡¯ll brush your hair once I¡¯m done with your aunt¡¯s okay?¡± Lanarot pushed Konarot, almost causing her to tumble, but Adam¡¯s held her back. Adam blinked. ¡°Lanarot.¡± ¡°Papa,¡± the girl replied. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied. ¡°No pushing.¡± ¡°No puhu,¡± the girl replied, raising up her brush once more.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com shook his head. ¡°Sit down.¡± He pointed to the ground nearby. The girl looked up at him, reaching up with her brush. ¡°Lanarot, sit down. You have to wait until I am done.¡± Lanarot looked up at him confused, before going to sit down. ¡°Konarot, are you okay?¡± Adam hugged her gently. ¡°She doesn¡¯t understand that it¡¯s bad, so don¡¯t hate her too much, okay?¡± Konarot remained silent, enjoying the time with her father. Adam then brushed Kirot¡¯s hair, and Lanarot began to wail. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You have to wait. Wait, Lanarot.¡± She stopped crying, instead swinging her brush up at him, before getting distracted by it. Adam finished with his daughter before brushing his son¡¯s hair, before finally brushing Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°How can an aunt push her niece?¡± Adam tutted at the girl, who was enjoying her time with her brother. ¡°Who am I meant to trust to look after them? Lanababy, you need to be a good aunt, otherwise they¡¯ll end up useless like me.¡± Jurot watched Adam with Lanarot, before his eyes fell to Turot. ¡°Turot, come. I will brush your hair.¡± Turot¡¯s eyes lit up, and the boy scampered over towards his cousin. He sat quietly as Jurot brushed the boy¡¯s hair, which was long enough to almost block his eyes. ¡®He likes this?¡¯ Jurot thought, wondering why getting his hair brushed pleased the young boy. Adam looked down at the four children, satisfied with his hair brushing. ¡°You didn¡¯t need my help to look so adorable, but I¡¯ll take the credit anyway.¡± Strom hummed quietly in thought. ¡°Yes. Perhaps it is a good idea to relax sometimes.¡± He thought about how many years he worked, and how little he relaxed during his ruling. Other than the small clashes with Shama, he had very little time for himself or his family. ¡®Perhaps I should have spent more time with them?¡¯ ¡°I spent the week relaxing with my family and friends, but I¡¯ll need to enchant tomorrow onwards,¡± Adam said. ¡°I need to save up for their healthcare costs, because cheap, affordable healthcare is a sin, same with quality, free education. Baktu forbid we don¡¯t starve the children, either.¡± Adam shook his head, sighing. ¡°You¡¯re joking about your world, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Strom nodded his head slowly. ¡°It makes no sense to me, but I assume you are being ironic.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, sighing sadly. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a fifty fifty coin flip, really.¡± ¡°It always is,¡± Strom said, pinching Lanarot¡¯s cheek. ¡°You should be glad you are within the Iyr. They will raise you well, won¡¯t they, Lanarot? You will help raise your nieces and nephews well, too.¡± Lanarot babbled in response to him, before she pointed up towards the sky. ¡°Up.¡± Strom sighed, before leaping into the air, and he floated downwards. Lanarot clapped eagerly as they floated downwards. ¡®Show off.¡¯ Konarot led Adam and Strom forward, heading to the circular ropes, before she grabbed the bag. The triplets threw the bags one by one, Konarot first, then Kirot, and finally Karot. Each child threw better than the last, before Lanarot took her turn, barely missing the first rope. She stared at the bag before looking up at Strom and Adam, throwing up her arms in exasperation. Strom waved his hand, the wind rushing around Lanarot before the bag flipped over into the rope. ¡°Well done, Lanarot.¡± Lanarot looked back at the bag, seeing it was within the rope, and she pointed at it, bouncing up and down happily. ¡°Papa! Papa!¡± She walked over to the bag and pointed at it, before clapping her hands and giggling. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. Konarot looked up at Strom suspiciously, but as he returned a smile, she hid behind her father. Strom chuckled, before lifting up Lanarot. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Dun,¡± the girl repeated, clapping her hands excitedly. Konarot stared up at her father with a pout, as Lanarot¡¯s bag had hopped over her own. Adam lifted her up and pet her back. ¡°I know, I know. You did so well, little Kona.¡± Strom thought about what he had done. ¡®I only have three months to make them stop hating me.¡¯ He narrowed his eyes, falling in thought. The group continued to enjoy the festival, finding all kinds of food to eat. Eventually, the children started to yawn. ¡°Nap time?¡± Strom asked. ¡°Nap time,¡± Adam replied, before they carried the children to the sleep section. The Iyrmen around stared at Strom, who held Lanarot in his arm. They knew who he was, everyone in the Iyr knew who Strom was, but seeing that there were sleeping children around, they decided against speaking with him. Their focus then went to the young Half Elf who wore a set of triplets. ¡®Are those Half Dragons?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Just a sweet, wholesome chapter. I might post up double chapters soon or I may not. So much writing to do... 459. A Cold Nightval 459. A Cold Nightval Omen: 5, 15 Adam rubbed his pulsing forehead. He had drunk so much in the evening last night, but he didn¡¯t remember anything past a certain point. As he tried to recall the previous evening, a tail smacked him across the face. ¡®Do you think just because you¡¯re cute, I¡¯ll let you hit daddy?¡¯ Adam glared down at his child, before she turned to face him, and his face instantly changed. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll let you hit me as much as you like.¡± Adam sighed. The festival was finally over, which meant he would need return to work. He hadn¡¯t enchanted in so long, and his body was aching to work hard to make coin. Light rain drizzled across the Iyr in the morning, soft music to the ears of the Iyrmen. The Ool family cooked that day, as it was their turn, though Sonarot assisted them. The triplets devoured the fish which Citool had brought for them, having deboned the creatures, allowing them to eat to their heart¡¯s content. Adam ate quickly, eating only a light meal, before checking up on the twins. ¡°You will enchant?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah, I need to get back to it,¡± he said. ¡°I took the week off for the festival so I¡¯m behind, and I need the coin for some stuff.¡± ¡°I wish you good luck, Adam,¡± she said, rubbing his head. ¡°I will watch over your children today.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled. Out of everyone here, he trusted Sonarot the most, perhaps even an eek more than Jurot. Elder Zijin looked up at the Half Elf, covering the books he was reading, each of which were filled with information about the Iyr¡¯s warehouse situation. ¡°What have you done this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s slander, Elder Zijin,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I¡¯ve come to ask for twenty weapons to enchant.¡± ¡°Only twenty this month?¡± Elder Zijin asked, his lips forming a wide smirk. ¡°Are you finally going to relax?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Adam refuted, crossing his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I didn¡¯t enchant the entirety of the last week!¡± Elder Zijin chuckled, before he quickly stopped. ¡®You did not enchant for the entire week?¡¯ Zijin tried to recall the last week. There had been much more work than typical thanks to Adam¡¯s antics, from trying to fight with the Lord of Flames, to fighting, and beating, the Prince of the Fire Giants. Yet, in all those antics, he did not enchant once. Adam did not enchant once during the duskval festival. ¡®Does this go in the black book?¡¯ Zijin thought. ¡®I cannot believe you did not enchant.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± Adam asked. Zijin¡¯s face returned back to its typical slyness. ¡°What look?¡± ¡°Are you going to lie to me?¡± ¡°You seem to be well to ask for death so easily, Adam.¡± Zijin smiled, before writing down a note, handing Adam a token which represented his authority. ¡°The weapons will be prepared.¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to talk about it, I¡¯ll let you go this one time,¡± Adam said, accepting the paper and the token. Adam had decided to spend the entire month enchanting. The Iyr had asked him to enchant, and though there was still Sonarot to deal with, he could at least work nine to five, five days a week, with the weekend off. He stopped at the warehouse, the Iyrman in charge of it raising his brow at the Half Elf. Adam stared up at the sky, allowing the gentle rain to pelt him in the face. ¡®I get a bunch of kids and go right to working like the average guy. Will the Iyr give me my paid month leave? No, no. I doubt it. Still, aren¡¯t I making something like... ten grand a day?¡¯ The Iyrmen paid him a hundred gold for one weapon which he enchanted with only the base enchantment, so they could enchant the rest themselves. Technically he could have charged closer to three hundred, but the Iyr was the Iyr, and Adam appreciated the bonuses which came from the Iyrmen. ¡®Isn¡¯t it like fifty gold a month for experts? So I could work just one weekend and earn more than Fred might working a whole month?¡¯ Thinking of it that way, Adam realised just how fortunate he was. ¡°Man,¡± Adam began, a small smile appearing on his lips. ¡°I love the Iyr.¡± The Iyrman at the warehouse stared at the Half Elf, who carried at his side an axe, and spoke so queerly. When they noted the message he had brought, they realised who this young man was. There was only one person who was so queer in the Iyr, and he was Unrivalled Under The Heavens. Jurot remained silent, falling into thought. Jaygak stared at the Iyrman she had grown up alongside. ¡®How can you be such a bad influence, Adam? Jurot, who doesn¡¯t think about anything, is thinking so deeply about something so stupid...¡¯ Jaygak frowned. ¡®It should have been me!¡¯ ¡°Do not beat her up,¡± Jurot said. Tariel wrote quickly, though still somehow beautifully. Can he? Jurot thought back to Lord Morkarai, but Tariel was someone who had certain abilities which could prove troublesome to the other Half Elf. Then, having realised he had thought so much, he realised the answer was much more simple than he could have imagined. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty strong, you know?¡± Adam said, lifting up his child with ease as if to prove the point. I¡¯m strong too. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m stronger,¡± Adam said, simply. How strong? ¡°I¡¯ve lost to that old geezer,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to Jarot, ¡°but I¡¯ve beaten Lord Morkarai.¡± It was the truth, though he left out the context. Tariel blinked. She looked to Jurot, tapping the question mark she had written during the conversation. Jurot nodded. Tariel¡¯s lips formed a small circle, the shock striking her deep. She reached down into her robes and pulled out the first book she had arrived in the Iyr with. She flipped through the pages before finding the required page, which held a single word. Wow! ¡°Anyway, what are you doing here?¡± Adam asked. He had seen her during the festival, but they hadn¡¯t spent much time together. Tariel pulled out her more recent book, flipping to a page. She tapped the page. Cause trouble. She gasped, covering her mouth, flipping to a new page. I just want to say Hello. Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Jurot, did she just pretend as though she misspoke and then correct herself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only room for one unfunny Half Elf here, Tariel.¡± I am funny. ¡°Adam is funny too,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked, shocked. ¡°It is rare.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s only the first day of nightval, but you¡¯re already so cold.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Damn, Jurot. I can''t believe you''d say either of those things. 460. Days of Nightval I 460. Days of Nightval I Omen: 5, 15Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com ¡®Wait, what? Wasn¡¯t that the same Omen as yesterday?¡¯ Adam continued his enchanting for nightval, with very little plans for anything else. All the while, the Great Elders were pressing Iromin to deal with the Half Elf, as he had promised. ¡°Did he lose his will to enchant during the festival?¡± Elder Forest asked. ¡°Did he not wish to enchant since he does not make as much gold?¡± ¡°Did he, Adam, who had come to be beaten by the Lord of Flames, whose friend had died helplessly when he had promised to assist her, and then returned to adopt two children to save them from death, before finding he had children he had no knowledge of, becoming a father to five children total, decide to spend his time taking care of his children and enjoying the festival, a right afforded to all Guests of the Iyr, including that of the Prince of Giants, instead of enchanting?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Perhaps it was the gold. Shall we prepare more for Lord Morkarai?¡± The Chief turned to Elder Gold. ¡°I am sure it was said in jest,¡± Elder Gold said, throwing her fellow Great Elder a look. It was a bad idea to start joking with the Chief when they were already forcing his hand. ¡°There are greater matters to deal with.¡± Elder Gold understood Iromin was putting Adam to one side in order to focus on more important tasks. The Chief had promised to deal with Adam, and though it was taking some time, they had gained five new valuable assets to test Adam with. Then there was also the fact that Tariel was still in the Iyr. She had met Adam, the night before, but had almost immediately left. Though she threatened to cause trouble as a joke, she was mostly going around speaking with various Iyrmen, and admiring the Iyr she had access too. Not once had she caused any sort of trouble. She, like Adam, caused the Iyr a great headache. While enchanting, Adam found days where his Omen dictated that he should take a break, rolling less than 10 for each roll. ¡°Who is this handsome boy?¡± Adam asked, looking down at baby Jarot, who lifted his head up to look at his father. The boy smiled and gurgled at Adam, causing the Half Elf to wrap his arms around his son gently, though he wanted to crush him with a deep hug. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s my little baby Jarot!¡± Jirot too had begun to smile and coo up at Adam whenever she saw him. They hadn¡¯t done so previously, but whenever they gained attention from the people around them, they were beginning to react. The other children were still not quite as developed, though they were older. ¡°Aren¡¯t my children so smart?¡± Adam asked, puffing out his chest in pride. ¡°They¡¯re going to be so mischievous when they grow up because they¡¯re going to be geniuses.¡± ¡°Goblins grow quicker than others,¡± Sonarot said. Adam¡¯s face turned stone cold. ¡°No.¡± Sonarot smiled at Adam, though she remained silent. ¡°Jarot and Jirot will remain small forever,¡± Adam said, rubbing Jarot¡¯s back gently. ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot said, tickling Jirot¡¯s stomach. ¡°They will remain small forever, within our arms.¡± ¡°And arm,¡± Adam added, nodding his head. Jurot remained quiet, wondering if the joke was funny, or cringe, or both. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but your family is known to use greatswords, so...¡± ¡°If you do not trust my words, then I cannot give you a really nice staff.¡± Zijin shrugged his shoulders casually. ¡°Toosh.¡± Zijin listened intently to the enchantment which Adam had placed on the greatsword. He wrote down something on a piece of paper, handing it to the Half Elf, before nodding his head to dismiss the youth. The Elder wasn¡¯t entirely certain which side of the book this news went in. His lips were a long smile, however, as the enchantment was truly worth handing over such a great weapon. Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 10 (3) Omen: 13, 20 -> 13 20 + 7 = 27 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, which caused the baby to perk up for a moment, before he relaxed once more. The baby waited, wondering if something terrible would befall them. ¡°Ball,¡± Lanarot said, tossing the ball at her brother, waiting expectantly for him to throw it. Adam picked it up, before tossing his hand forward, but he did not let go of the ball. Lanarot excitedly ran away, stopping as she tried to spot the balls with her eyes. ¡°Do not hide the ball from her,¡± Jarot berated, holding Karot up against him, letting the boy snooze against his chest. The boy¡¯s tail swung from side to side gently beside the chair. ¡°Yeah, but this is so cute.¡± ¡°It is cute, but she must never doubt you,¡± Jarot said, his arm cradling Karot protectively. Adam didn¡¯t realise there was such a deep meaning behind the old man¡¯s words, but he relented. He tossed the ball towards the girl, which landed near her. She turned to find the ball roll between her legs and she squatted down to try to catch it, but it had long disappeared. She looked through her legs to find it, rolling over, crawling, before finally running after it. The words pierced through Adam. She must never doubt you. His mind was taken by the words, which refused to leave him, even as the days continued to pass. Click banner for Patreon! A magical staff, you say? Hmmm. I wonder what the enchantment will be for it... 461. Days Of Nightval II 461. Days Of Nightval II ¡°What am I to do?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his chin. ¡°I did not give them permission to be this cute, but here they are, not listening to their daddy.¡± Jirot smiled and gurgled up at her father. Compared to even a week ago, she was much chubbier, her cheeks having filled out. It was the same for baby Jarot, the pair having grown more over the past week. Adam had watched as they grew day by day, but upon recalling them a month ago, when they had been born, they were so much bigger now. They were still tiny in comparison to the other children, especially Gurot, but they were no longer small enough for Adam to hold their entire forms from the tip of his finger to his wrist. ¡°I¡¯ve got to go enchant today, so make sure you be good for nana and babo, okay?¡± Adam said, brushing their hair gently, before he went to go enchant. Upon returning, he found a familiar beautiful Devilkin Shaman looming over his twins. Adam rushed over quickly, before realising that she was just checking up on them. Their eyes were glued to Lokat¡¯s red form, and they smiled wide, before staring at her, as though mesmerised. ¡°Shaman Lokat,¡± Adam said, crossing his arms. ¡°Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for-,¡± Adam punched his thigh, stopping the stupid joke which had come to his lips. ¡°Shaman Lokat, it¡¯s good to see you. I hope you have been well.¡±Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Lokat remained silent for a moment, her eyes suspicious. ¡°Well. Yourself?¡± ¡°Well, thank you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Is something wrong with my Jarot and Jirot?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lokat replied. ¡°They are growing well, the same as your Cousins.¡± Adam¡¯s shoulders fell as he sighed. ¡°Good, good. Thanks for checking up on them.¡± ¡°There is no need for thanks, Adam,¡± Lokat said. ¡°It is my role.¡± ¡°What role requires no thanks?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Those who grow the food I eat? Those who assist in picking up the food I eat? Those who cut down the wood which warm me at night? Those who carry the wood to warm me at night? Those who take care of my children¡¯s health?¡± Lokat bowed her head simply. ¡°It will be cold soon, but you should not interfere with the triplets in how they regulate their body temperature. They are Half Dragons, and those whose scales shine silver enjoy the cold.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Alright. Thank you, Shaman Lokat.¡± ¡°You are welcome, Nephew Adam.¡± The Shaman left, going to check up on the children in the next estate. ¡°What was inappropriate for a Shaman?¡± Sonarot asked, understanding she¡¯d need to explain this to Elder Zijin. ¡°I was going to make a joke,¡± Adam said. ¡°I decided against it.¡± ¡°What was the joke?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it inappropriate for Shaman Lokat to steal my children away from me just because they¡¯re cute?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Then I remembered that I shouldn¡¯t joke so much because otherwise I¡¯ll end up getting killed.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°You are growing well too, Adam.¡± ¡°Who doesn¡¯t grow well in the Iyr?¡± Jarot nodded his head at Adam¡¯s words, for there were times when even he was right. ¡°Will you enchant tomorrow?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°You said you would rest two days weekly.¡± The girl began to cry. Adam¡¯s smile turned into a frown instantly, all the while Citool placed a hand on Katool¡¯s head, gently rubbing it. She tried to soothe her daughter with her touch, letting the girl cry for a few moments, before she finally stopped, wiping her eyes with the backs of her hand, and then her nose into the cloth her mother had brought to her nose. ¡°Do you like to make children cry?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°If she didn¡¯t want me to bully her into crying, she shouldn¡¯t be so cute when she cries,¡± Adam stated in response, before sitting taller as though he had the moral high ground. Kitool narrowed her eyes. She wanted to step into the conversation, but on the most fundamental level, what Adam had said was true. She closed her eyes, taking a moment to berate herself. ¡°Adam. You must apologise.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apologise, but I want the record to show that it was Aunt Citool who...¡± Adam paused, thinking about what he was saying. ¡®Am I really going to throw her under the bus after all she¡¯s done for my children?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Katool.¡± Katool looked up at Adam, sniffling, before she returned back to her mother. She didn¡¯t know why she cried, but since everyone was blaming Adam, it must have been his fault. She held onto her mother for a long while. ¡®Hold on, I didn¡¯t even do anything,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°How can you all bully me in front of my children?¡± The Iyrmen threw glances past Adam¡¯s shoulder, noting the approaching figure. The older woman, who wore an axe at her side, stated her greetings, before taking a seat beside her husband. The Iyrmen returned back to their food while Sonarot handed her a bowl of porridge and a platter of fruit, allowing her to eat breakfast with them. Mulrot¡¯s eyes fell to the Half Dragons, though they remained at Adam¡¯s side. The triplets ate from their own bowls, accepting the fruit which had been placed before them too. Once breakfast was over, Adam reached for the baskets of the twins. ¡°No,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You may take them later.¡± Adam stood there awkwardly for a moment, but he relented, allowing them to remain with their greatfather for the morning. He left with his triplets, making his way to the park to relax. The others also went about their business, save for Sonarot and Mirot, taking over the duties of taking care of the babies that day. Nirot remained behind to clean up the pots and pans, with Churot¡¯s assistance. ¡°When are you going to return?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°I will not return,¡± Jarot replied. ¡°I miss Churot.¡± ¡°Churot, do you wish to go with your nana?¡± Churot glanced between his grandfather and grandmother. They were the two closest to him, though he spent most of his time with his grandfather. However, like Jurot, Churot spent a moment thinking of the family politics. He stepped up beside his grandmother. ¡°To think even you betrayed me.¡± Jarot sighed. ¡°Will you betray me too when you¡¯re older, little Jarot?¡± He reached down to tickle the boy¡¯s cheek, causing him to squirm for a moment, before he smiled, seeing his greatfather¡¯s face above him. ¡°My little Jarot, stay with me forever. Little Jirot, you must stay with me too!¡± Mulrot sighed, before standing, leading Churot out with her. She had come to convince him to return, and though she wasn¡¯t actually using Churot as a bargaining chip, she assumed he would come if Churot was to return back to the main estate. Jarot¡¯s place was in the main family estate, assisting with taking care of the extended family. Yet, upon seeing how he cooed over the pair of Goblins, in those few moments, she realised it was nigh impossible to bring him back. Jarot was too far gone. Click banner for Patreon! We all know that Jirot and Jarot are going to be menaces when they grow up. 462. Days of Nightval III 462. Days of Nightval III Adam watched the children play from his bench. A group of Iyrmen children had come up to the triplets, before the leader stopped them, approaching the triplets alone. After a moment of apprehension, and a nod from their father, the triplets went to play with the Iyrmen children, who were chatting happily about their stories. ¡°They are growing well,¡± Tonagek said, sitting beside Adam. He wore a breastplate, and carried at his side a longsword. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. He fell silent for a moment, recalling Tonagek¡¯s story. ¡°Thank you again.¡± Tonagek bowed his head, remaining silent for a long while. There was so much he wanted to speak with Adam about, but he wasn¡¯t sure where to begin. ¡°I am glad they are safe.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thank you again, again.¡± ¡°Is there a need for thanks between us?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°My sister has adopted you into the Rot family. We are no strangers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the kind whose stingy with his gratitude,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°If I was, then I wouldn¡¯t deserve to be their father.¡± ¡°It will be difficult to raise them. They are Half Dragons, and part Elf. They will have the needs of Dragons, and they will be targeted because of it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There is no need to raise them alone,¡± Tonagek said, quietly. ¡°Sister will take good care of them, so you must not allow the world to press on you. There will be times when you will be unable to take care of them, and you should not be afraid to ask for support.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m shameless,¡± Adam replied, smiling wider. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to ask for the support of my Aunt and the others.¡± ¡°That is not true.¡± Adam raised his brow to the Iyrman beside him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tonagek sighed, thinking past to his childhood. ¡°It is difficult to hide one¡¯s thoughts from my sister. She can read your face as though you were a story within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Is that why Jurot can see the relations between people?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He certainly is sister¡¯s child.¡± ¡°He is Jurot, son of Surot.¡± Tonagek bowed his head, though he knew that would soon change. ¡°Did you enjoy the festival?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did. The Iyr¡¯s festivals are always so great, what with all the entertainment and the food.¡± Adam chuckled quietly as his thought. ¡°This festival was the first I didn¡¯t work even once, I think.¡± ¡°I have heard that you are addicted to work.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam sat up straighter, trying to remember who Bavin was. ¡®Oh, right, the grandson, Lavin¡¯s brother.¡¯ ¡°Yeah, Bovin.¡± ¡°Jarot was popular, but everyone in the Iyr knew that Bovin was better. He was one of the very few who won his title with a near unanimous vote.¡± ¡°Really? What was it?¡± ¡°Nine to one.¡± Adam whistled, causing his children to squirm for a moment. He nuzzled against them to calm them down. ¡°That¡¯s a landslide if I¡¯ve ever heard of one.¡± ¡°Losing his arm did very little to weaken him, but losing his son crippled him. I did not understand why, for he was still someone who possessed great strength. If he wished, he could have continued to do more. He could have taken the title of Family Elder, and pushed for more from the Rot family. No Iyrman would have been surprised if the Rot family would have taken at least one spot as a Great Elder.¡± Adam smiled, about to joke, before realising what Tonagek was trying to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± Tonagek nodded his head slowly. ¡°I can understand now. I understand why Jarot did not take his place as the Family Elder. I understand why he remained with Churot, trapped by his memories.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Gek Family Head, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Are you planning on dropping that title?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Danagek is even bigger than Gurot,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°My nephew may be large, but you should come and see my son.¡± ¡°Your son is bigger than Gurot?¡± Adam let out a scoff. ¡°That¡¯s a big boy.¡± ¡°He is. He is big, and he will become a great warrior. He is built for it. Perhaps he will become a Great Elder?¡± ¡°Gurot is quite a big boy, and he¡¯ll become a great, strong warrior, but did you know about his older brother?¡± ¡°Turot?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What of him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to become Elder Peace.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Just another sad dad chapter. 463. Days Of Nightval IV 463. Days Of Nightval IV Omen: 4, 16 Adam continued enchanting through the second week of nightval. His Omens dictated when he would take his breaks, though somehow today¡¯s Omen was the worst since taking his children to the park. He had thought about using the Omens to make more money, but he decided against it, having already promised the Iyr to help them. Upon feeling Sonarot¡¯s heavy gaze that morning, Adam decided to shave so he could look presentable for that. ¡°Turot,¡± Fonasen called, reaching down to ruffle her nephew¡¯s hair. ¡°It has been some time.¡± ¡°Yes, aunt Fonasen,¡± Turot replied, going to greet the rest of his family. ¡°You are Unrivalled?¡± Fonasen asked, her eyes glued to Adam, noting the triplets at the periphery of her vision, each clung to their father tight. ¡°Adam Fateson, Nephew of the Rot family,¡± Adam replied, wincing at the name. He stared up at Fonasen, who looked so familiar to him, though he couldn¡¯t quite place her. ¡°Fonasen,¡± she said. ¡°Mornuu,¡± the other woman said, greeting the Half Elf with a nod of her head. Adam bowed his head towards her. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to meet someone from the Nuu family. Jaknuu and Raknuu have treated me and my family well.¡± The woman smiled. ¡°It is an honour that you have not forgotten us.¡± ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot, you need to let daddy go,¡± Adam said, trying to doff his children. They dropped down, wordless as statues, and stared up at their father. Adam lifted his pouch and held it up. ¡°Who wants Dragon scales?¡± The children, who were chattering with Turot excitedly, quickly stopped, staring up at the Half Elf. They looked to Turot, who nodded his head, before they quickly swarmed the Half Elf, squeaking like little mice. ¡°Hmmmm,¡± Adam said, holding the pouch tight in his hand. ¡°Turot, what is the etiquette for gifts from Cousin Adam?¡± Turot inhaled deeply. ¡°Queue up. Youngest to oldest. Be good and quiet.¡± The children threw Turot a queer look, before looking back up at Adam, who was waiting expectantly. The oldest of the children, who was eight or nine, raised her hand and guided the children into their spots. ¡°Cousin Turot is truly wise enough to be Elder Peace,¡± Adam said, before reaching into his pouch. ¡°I should reward you for your wisdom, so you get the first Dragon scale.¡± Turot¡¯s face beamed as he accepted the Dragon scale in hand, before Adam began to give out White Dragon scales to the children. ¡°Would you look at this?¡± Adam said, reaching down to his side, before holding up a second pouch. ¡°I just so happen to have Blue Dragon scales too. What am I to do with them?¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com The children squinted up at Adam. Adam had handed them two Dragon scales last year too, forcing them to queue up. He remembered the way they looked towards their parents for support. This time they just narrowed their eyes up at Adam with curiosity, wondering what he will do next. ¡°All you have to do is-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± called Fonasen, causing him to jolt upright in shock for a moment. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Come here,¡± she called, all the while rubbing the heads of the triplets gently as they clung to her. ¡®How did she manage to do that?¡¯ Adam thought, before he walked over to the woman. ¡°Why are you pouting, my little babbies?¡± Adam asked, reaching down to pick them up. Konarot hugged the Half Elf tight, resting her head against his neck. ¡°You are handing Dragon scales to the children in front of your own?¡± Fonasen asked. Adam winced, his heart sinking. He held his triplets tighter in his embrace, gently rocking them. ¡°Your daddy is quite the idiot, isn¡¯t he?¡± Adam¡¯s mind flashed with images of himself handing out pieces of flesh from dead Humans. Dragon scales were extremely useful since they were difficult to harm, but to think that his children had to watch him hand out the scales, which they themselves possessed. Konarot purred quietly and wrapped her arms around his neck, while Kirot and Karot held onto his arms, resting their heads against his shoulders. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, bowing his head to Fonasen. ¡°It is difficult to raise such children,¡± Fonasen said. ¡°Especially in the Iyr, where we praise those who kill Dragons and share their bodies.¡± ¡°There are groups which have formed within the universities, and those within the best group eventually go on to gain high ranking positions, and those who had any conflict with them find themselves ostracised, especially those who were talented commoners?¡± ¡°That is what is rumoured.¡± ¡°Even though they use the common man¡¯s taxes to pay for their own luxurious lifestyles and education, I¡¯m sure the Nobles aren¡¯t thankful for such coin. No doubt they believe they are entitled to the money of their lessers.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Jarot paused. ¡°Have you been to the universities before?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s just rich people shi-, stuff.¡± He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I guess I can¡¯t send my kids to those universities.¡± ¡°It is still something good to strive for,¡± Jarot admitted. ¡°They will learn much, and will form connections for the future.¡± ¡°Connections? They have connections to the Iyr and me, they don¡¯t need any other connections.¡± ¡°The Iyr¡¯s influence is greatest in the south and north, and it holds some influence to the east,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Having a connection with any Noble holds great power regardless of which region they deal with.¡± ¡°Just one Noble?¡± ¡°Yes. Noble Authority. The land works on the law that a Noble¡¯s word is supreme. If a Noble wishes to deal with someone under the employ of another Noble, they must ask for permission. Even the King must ask a Baron¡¯s permission to execute one of their servants, unless their act was obviously treason.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Your connection to the Iyr may not keep you safe against many of the Nobles, especially those in the regions which dislike we Iyrmen.¡± Adam reached down to rub Konarot¡¯s head. ¡°Then I just have to become so powerful that they will think twice about trying to mess with my family.¡± ¡°No one will harm my greatchildren as long as I breathe,¡± Jarot said, reaching down to rub little Jarot¡¯s head, the boy yawning. ¡®Am I actually related to this old man?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Jarot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For being their babo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jarot replied, tilting his head slightly, unsure of what Adam was getting at. ¡°I can sleep peacefully at night because of you guys. You, Aunt, Jurot, and so on, you know? I know that if something does happen to me, maybe I meet some random old guy who can one shot me, that they¡¯ll be okay.¡± Jarot reached up to Adam¡¯s head, squeezing it gently. ¡°Do you think anyone will dare to kill my grandson while I still breathe?¡± ¡°Whose your grandson, you old geezer?¡± Adam replied, feeling how strong the man¡¯s grip was, though he wasn¡¯t pressing painfully hard. Jarot let go of Adam¡¯s head. ¡°You are working too hard for the Iyr which refuses you, Adam.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t work hard for the Iyr which refuses me, but the Aunt which has accepted me,¡± Adam replied, simply. Jarot was sure that Adam was still in the process of being tested by the Iyr. It was ridiculous, as this boy was a Nephew of the Rot family, and had already done so much for the Iyr, and yet was still being suspected. He understood why the Iyr was still suspicious, but it still bothered his heart. ¡°I really do appreciate it all,¡± Adam said, reaching up to brush Karot¡¯s hair to the side. ¡°As much as the Iyr might not like me, I¡¯m glad that I was accepted by you and my Aunt. I¡¯m glad that you accepted Jarot and Jirot too.¡± Jarot sighed, rubbing the babies stomachs gently, soothing them to sleep. Click banner for Patreon! Adam you idiot... 464. Days of Nightval V 464. Days of Nightval V Omen: 10, 20 Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 17 (10) Omen: 10, 20 -> 10 20 + 7 = 27 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. Though Adam had enchanted the staff thrice, it still needed to be enchanted for a while longer. ¡®The shield didn¡¯t need to be enchanted for an entire week...¡¯ Adam let the thought go. He didn¡¯t need to know why the shield didn¡¯t need a week¡¯s worth of enchanting as he had no plans to enchant shields for some time. Adam stepped out of the shrine to note the whiteness which had fallen against the Iyr. The gentle dropping of snow fell across the Iyr¡¯s land, bringing with it a coldness which it had not experienced in some time. He exhaled, noting the visible vapours which appeared in front of his face. The shrine itself had been protected against the elements, though he recalled there had been a time when shelter had been provided. ¡®So many little things to think about, but so little time,¡¯ Adam thought, before making his way home. Konarot stomped towards her father, snow covering her entire back. Kirot and Karot lay in the snow, purring quietly, half asleep. Though they wanted to greet their father, the snow had called for them. Adam lifted Konarot up, feeling the snow which was glued to her back. He wiped the snow off the back of her head, before planting a firm kiss on her forehead. ¡°Hello, Princess. Are you enjoying the snow?¡± Konarot purred affirmatively, nuzzling into his neck, before she squirmed out of his arms. She grabbed his hand and led him to a pile of snow which had been piled up, before she pointed to him, her expectant eyes pressing down against her father. Adam lay against the snow, which caused him to shudder, and Konarot lay beside him. The coldness seeped through his body as Kirot and Karot crawled their way to their father to lay near him, taking their place in the snow. Sonarot stared at Adam, who was shuddering in the snow, wondering when he would reach his limits. Then, it came to her. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot. Come. It is time to eat.¡± The triplets forced themselves out of their daze, beginning to crawl towards their nana, before they eventually dragged themselves by their feet to her. Adam sat up, snow stuck to his back, unable to feel it. He shuffled his way to the fire, sitting near it to deal with the cold which had completely overwhelmed his back. Sonarot draped a blanket over his back. ¡°You have been slain by a God twice, will you die to the snow?¡± ¡°Die?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The me from back then and now are different, Aunt. Back then, if I had such cute children, I would have been unstoppable.¡± Adam wondered if he could gain the same strength he had possessed in his previous life. Back then he was well above that of a Paragon, though barely a year had passed. It was partly because he had taken a cheat which had doubled any XP he had gained, but also because the Levels were based on separate Class Levels rather than a total Class Level. So he could take Level One in many classes, each for the same price, rather than how it was now, where every Level increased by thousands of XP. ¡°How was your enchanting?¡± Sonarot asked, filling a hot bowl of soup for him. ¡°Pretty good,¡± Adam said, smiling to his Aunt. ¡°I had a good Omen.¡± He chuckled at his joke, before feeling a muscle in his back twinge from the coldness, and he sipped away at his soup. ¡®Though, I am pretty poor now...¡¯ Once he had warmed up, he played with his children, letting them piled up the snow, before they wrestled against it. He tossed snowballs around with them, and buried them in the snow, though kept an eye out to see if they were going to feel sick. Eventually he swapped places with Jarot, taking a moment to rest as he looked after Jirot and Jarot, who were bundled up within their blankets, their faces exposed to the air. Lanarot grabbed onto Adam¡¯s leg, pouting up at him. ¡°Papa.¡± The girl stared up at him, on the verge of tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Lanababy?¡± Adam asked, picking her up, brushing her hair with a hand. ¡°Is papa,¡± the girl replied, sucking on her thumb as she cuddled up against Adam. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Yeh,¡± the girl replied, pouting up at him once more. ¡°I¡¯ll play with you more too,¡± Adam promised, hugging her close. He had been spending less time with Lanarot since he had gained five children. Whereas he would spend hours with her in the evening with his full attention, he would only spend a few minutes now and again with her alone, but usually played with her alongside the others. ¡°Do you want to read with papa?¡± Adam asked. Lanarot pulled her thumb out of her mouth and smiled. Adam smiled, nuzzling her nose. ¡°Okay, you can sit on my lap and we can read, okay?¡± ¡°I see you spend so much time with them, especially your triplets,¡± Vonda continued. ¡°Right?¡± Adam leaned in, already understanding where Vonda was going with this. ¡°I wish to advise you, if you are willing to accept.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes remained glued to Adam¡¯s, who had fought away the blush of awkwardness. ¡°I trust you deeply, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam assured. ¡°If you have something to say, I¡¯m always willing to hear it, including any advice you may have.¡± ¡°I have never seen anyone who holds as much love for their children as you,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°However, there is such a thing as too much love. If you continue to favour them this way, they will not grow up well.¡± ¡°Children grow well when their parents truly love them,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I have no doubt of your words, but there is more than love which is needed. A firm hand, a-,¡± ¡°I will not hit my children,¡± Adam stated, firmly. Vonda fell quiet. Adam¡¯s words were not a surprise, but Vonda hadn¡¯t thought about the matter. ¡°How will you discipline them?¡± ¡°Firm words and a timeout does the trick,¡± Adam said. ¡°If a parent has to hit their child to get them to listen, they are not fit to be a parent.¡± Vonda, the Priest of Life, fell into thought about Adam¡¯s words. ¡°You would not spank them?¡± ¡°If a parent has to hit their child to get them to listen, they are not fit to be a parent.¡± Vonda bowed her head. ¡°It will be difficult for you when you have to leave them, and difficult for them too. If you spend too much time with them, there will be no chance for the rest of your family to grow with them. They only know the warmth of their father¡¯s arms within the Iyr. When that disappears, then...¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Adam replied. ¡°They don¡¯t know only me and my protection. The twins were born in the rain and mud. The triplets spent a long while trying to find me, their father. Konarot still has the scars, the one on her face, the scales which aren¡¯t growing properly at her side.¡± Vonda could see it, the darkness which encroached on Adam¡¯s face. It was a darkness she hadn¡¯t seen before, and it was a darkness which Adam had filed away even deeper than the darkness of meeting Shama. ¡°I understand I¡¯m being selfish. I¡¯m spending a lot of time with my children, and they¡¯re getting used to seeing me daily. They¡¯re spending some time with their family, sure, but I know that they¡¯re extremely close to me. We¡¯re spending nightval in the Iyr, when we should have been out to help Dunes with his friend.¡± Adam held the warm cup in his hand, feeling the warmth spread through his hand. He had thought about what had happened to Konarot, those scars of hers. If those vagabonds hadn¡¯t been killed, Adam wondered what he would have done to them. Vonda¡¯s face remained neutral, seeing the thoughts on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°I am glad they are safe, Adam.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I wish you, and your family, the best, Adam.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Your children should spend time with others, to find friends, and I wish for you to spend time with your friends too.¡± ¡°Are you telling me this because you miss me, Sir Vonda?¡± Adam joked, smiling slightly. ¡°I was asked by your friends and family to speak with you.¡± ¡°I appreciate that, Sir Vonda.¡± Adam sighed, realising how little time he spent with his friends now. ¡®Right. It¡¯s weird if I spend all my time with children. If my friends don¡¯t see me, won¡¯t they forget how stupid I am?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Idk if it''s possible to forget how stupid Adam is... 465. Days Of Nightval VI 465. Days Of Nightval VI Omen: 2, 9 ¡®Two days in a row?¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how his Omens were so poor. Adam went to enchant his Greater weapon that day, deciding against taking a break so soon after his previous break. When he returned back to the shared family estate he found Nobby and Brittany were settled between the Iyrmen, with Raool speaking of his family¡¯s tales. He glanced around, noting that his triplets weren¡¯t around, but he didn¡¯t dwell on the thoughts. ¡°Are you two having fun?¡± Adam asked, pouring them each a drink. ¡°Yes,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°Yes...¡± Brittany replied, looking down at the cup. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Adam asked, taking a sip of his own fruit wine.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com weak.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Brittany frowned. The words were blunt, but they were true. ¡°I wanted you to train me so I could be free, but...¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be free when you¡¯re weak,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°Even if you are strong, there¡¯s a limit to the freedom you can achieve.¡± ¡°I wanted to be able to explore distant lands,¡± Brittany admitted. ¡°Not just South Aldland or Central Aldland, but further beyond. North Aldland, East Aldland, West Aldland, Aswadia.¡± ¡°Well, Aswadia, or Aswadasad?¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s at war, so you probably shouldn¡¯t explore that place just yet.¡± ¡°I always thought being an Expert would allow me to travel around, but...¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°You¡¯re still young. For now, work under me, and once you become an Expert, you can figure it out.¡± Brittany could already feel it. She had grown stronger, stronger than even the image of herself in her daydreams. Yet, even if she grew into an Expert, the amount of monsters in this land, those who were Human or otherwise, were more than she would have ever expected. ¡°I always thought Iyrmen were the strongest,¡± she said, recalling what that old monster had done before he had fought Adam and the other Experts. ¡°Mithril Ranks can live a life of freedom, I thought, but even two of them together aren¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true enough. Two Mithril Rank Iyrmen, or seven Bronze Rank Iyrmen, can¡¯t go around fighting the greatest threats in the world. Though, what about seven Gold Rank Iyrmen? Is there a singular threat in this world they couldn¡¯t face? No, nevermind Gold Rank Iyrmen, what about Paragons? Seven Paragons together could no doubt come together to face against any singular foe.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Seven wolves could probably kill a tiger,¡± Adam said. ¡°Seven tigers could probably kill a...¡± Adam paused to think. ¡°No. Probably not a Dragon, I suppose.¡± Brittany frowned further. ¡°So if I want freedom, I need to have an army?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Brittany sighed, sipping more of her drink. ¡°Is it freedom you want, or do you want to explore?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If it¡¯s freedom, then you¡¯ll need to become a Paragon and make your own unit of warriors. If it¡¯s exploration, adventure, then you don¡¯t have to worry. Just stick with me and you¡¯ll have plenty of exploration and adventure. I plan on exploring the world too, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to go and do that alone.¡± Brittany sighed again, sinking into her thoughts. She learnt that life was full of compromise. Even though she was stronger than before, she felt more restricted by the knowledge she had gained. ¡°How¡¯s my number one enforcer?¡± Adam joked. ¡°Have you been helping with moving lumber, and all that, about?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Do you have anything in mind?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You sure? No worries you want to mention? Dreams you want to chat about?¡± Adam sipped more of his fruit wine, before pouring them some more. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Lanababy,¡± Adam called, rubbing her head. ¡°Who do you like more? Papa or papa?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot said, taking a bite of her bread, smiling up at Adam. ¡°You see? She likes me more?¡± ¡°Lanarot, come,¡± Jurot said, holding out his arms. Lanarot looked up at Jurot, staring at his arms. She was still eating her bread, and was thinking. If she went to her papa, then wouldn¡¯t he hug her until she felt sleepy? However, she was currently eating bread, and if she was sleepy, wouldn¡¯t that mean there would be less bread to eat? Adam smiled at Jurot as Lanarot shook, violently devouring her bread. ¡°You see? She loves her papa the most.¡± Adam picked her up and kissed her cheek noisily, teasing Jurot, only for Lanarot to cough, having finished her bread, before reaching out with her arms, calling for her papa. Jurot accepted her into his arms, and hugged her close, before the girl fell limp, almost falling asleep immediately in her older brother¡¯s arms. Adam crossed his arms, sniffling lightly, his face entirely red. ¡®Bell, how much is it for Jurot¡¯s hugging skill?¡¯ [100 000 XP] ¡®...¡¯ Adam sniffled again. ¡®So I have to beat up Morkarai fifty times?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Et tu, Bell?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Now that I think about it, it¡¯s been a while since I last spoke with you.¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Sorry.¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Who are you, Nobby?¡¯ [No.] Adam sighed, still sniffling, before he felt a set of familiar arms wrap around him. He reached back and tickled Konarot¡¯s hair. ¡°What great children I have, they come to daddy when he¡¯s being bullied.¡± Konarot snorted, narrowing her eyes at her uncle Jurot, but she embraced her father tighter, threatening to choke him. Brittany and Nobby stared at the Half Dragon children, who had climbed onto their father, and were cuddling him close. To them, it was no longer a surprise, considering that he was Adam. Jarot sat down beside Adam, his hand clutching at his knee. He had returned with the triplets only moments ago, and decided to sit beside Adam. He inhaled deeply and shut his eyes, almost meditating. Adam raised his brows at the old man, wondering what he was doing. He hadn¡¯t seen Jarot like this before. Sonarot placed down a bowl and some flat bread for Jarot, and Karot hugged onto the old man¡¯s arm, pressing his head against his greatfather¡¯s shoulders. ¡®He must have had fun with his greatfather,¡¯ Adam thought. Jurot could see the way his grandfather was calming down, wondering what had happened. He looked to his mother, who returned his look with a smile, and he nodded his head slowly. As a member of the Rot family, Jurot knew that his grandfather had almost split someone¡¯s skull apart. Click banner for Patreon! Uh oh. 466. Days Of Nightval VII 466. Days Of Nightval VII Omen: 4, 4 ¡®What is with these Omens?¡¯ Adam continued to enchant, wanting to finish the Greater enchantment. When he felt lucky, he enchanted a weapon for the Iyr, and when he was unfortunate, continued the Greater enchantment to stabilise it. Omen: 4, 7 It had been a few days and he was still rolling poorly. ¡®Is it because I wasted all the luck?¡¯ As Adam fed his triplets, he heard some panting from behind him, and two forms assaulted the Half Elf with their tongues. ¡°Oh ho! Who are these cute little girls?¡± Adam asked, ruffling the dire wolves¡¯ fur. ¡°Look at you, look at you! So lively, aren¡¯t you?¡± Jay¡¯a and Kit¡¯a continued to assault Adam with their affection, all the while he embraced the pair. The dire wolves had been found the year previous by them, their mother slain by the Blue Dragon which they had dealt with. Jaygak and Kitool had claimed them using their frivolous logic, and Adam relented. He had assisted in raising them when they were young, but he could see that their love for him had grown. ¡°You two have to eat to become big and strong for your babies, okay?¡± Adam said, ruffling their hair. The wolves panted towards him, before noting the appearance of the triplets, who were staring at the wolves. The wolves tilted their heads, causing the triplets to tilt their heads too. ¡®I should let them meet the puppies,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I should also play with Sky too...¡¯ ¡°Woof!¡± Lanarot said, pointing at the pair of wolves. ¡°Woof!¡± The pair of dire wolves barked, causing the babies to twitch and stir, before they cried. The pressure of the Iyrmen silenced them as they crouched, their tails falling to the floor. ¡°You silly wolves,¡± Adam said, before using his Tricks to clean himself before he picked up Jirot to soothe her, gently rocking her in his arms. ¡°However, you guys shouldn¡¯t bully them, since they are new mothers too.¡± Soon the puppies were brought to the shared family estate, carried within baskets by several young teens who had earned the pleasure. Elder Zijin was leading them, with a gentle smile on his face. Jarot remained in the corner, refusing to acknowledge the Elder as the other Iyrmen did. ¡°Doing the rounds?¡± Adam asked, looking at he wolf pups who were looking up out of the basket towards all the new faces. Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a remained near their eleven pups, making sure they did not cry in distress. ¡°We wished to show the wolves to the nearby estates,¡± Zijin said, before sitting down opposite Adam. His eyes fell down to Jirot, who was resting her head against her father¡¯s shoulder, all the while Adam pat her against her back gently to soothe her. The triplets sat near Adam, eating their bread and fish happily, breaking apart the fish meat before eating it from their fingers. They looked up at Elder Zijin, their mouths a mess from the spices on the fish, though they seemed not to care. ¡°I see you are close with your children.¡± ¡°Elder Zijin, you can¡¯t-,¡± ¡°I will not steal them because they are so cute,¡± Zijin assured. Adam paused, wondering if he had become so predictable. ¡°Then why will you steal them?¡± ¡°I will not steal them.¡± Upon the Elder¡¯s words, Jurot noted that his grandfather flashed red, his shoulders and neck tensing up. Sonarot remained near him, making sure the old man didn¡¯t pop his neck. ¡°Are you saying my children aren¡¯t good enough to steal?¡± Elder Zijin remained silent, trying to understand what Adam was doing. He stopped thinking about what Adam had asked very quickly, realising that Adam was Adam. He almost reached for one of the children to ruffle their hair, but his entire body froze, having recalled the conversation with Jarot a few days prior. ¡°Have you been feeling unlucky recently?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Unfortunately so,¡± Adam said. ¡°I promised to enchant only when my luck was at least okay, but recently it¡¯s been quite unfortunate.¡± ¡°It is good to see you taking time off to speak with your companions,¡± Zijin admitted. ¡°You have spent too much time with your children.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing,¡± Adam said, bringing a cloth to his children¡¯s face, rubbing it mostly clean, before using his magic to clean them properly. ¡°I understand where you¡¯re coming from, though.¡± Adam paused. ¡°No, nevermind.¡± ¡°A joke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elder Zijin nodded, allowing Adam¡¯s his peace, understanding that it was probably something stupid, or offensive, or both. ¡®If my children were as cute as his I would give up being an Elder?¡¯ He was certain that was the joke, but decided against bringing it up. Adam allowed his children to stroke the wolf pups once they were done with breakfast. Jay¡¯a and Kit¡¯a nuzzled against the triplet¡¯s necks and cheeks, licking their faces lightly, causing them to retreat to their father. Dunes was certain that her horns had not grown, but decided to keep that to himself. Adam was still as cringe as ever, especially as a father. ¡°They are growing up well.¡± ¡°They are, they are,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. Dunes and Adam remained together, talking about nothing in particular. They drank tea together, ate some snacks, and even played with the triplets, who were eventually pulled away by Sonarot, who let them doodle beside her. ¡°Now that I think about it, aren¡¯t you an Expert too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re going to retire soon?¡± ¡°In the next few years,¡± Dunes stated, nodding his head. ¡°I may be able to learn Fourth Gate spells, though that might be dangerous while I¡¯m still in Aldland. It would be dangerous within Aswadasad too.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I am from Black Mountain, which holds the oldest temple of Wahtu,¡± Dunes said, before pausing, wondering if he should mention what the Easterners say. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there something about your temple which technically didn¡¯t make it the oldest?¡± ¡°Our temple is the oldest temple which was designed for prayer towards Lady Arya,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°Right, right, and those from the west say that their temple is the oldest, but it was technically for another God?¡± ¡°The east, but yes.¡± Adam nodded, recalling one of their first conversations. ¡°Did you say that the first time we met?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°I believe I said something unfortunate about Elves.¡± ¡°Your friend, Lightsomething, had something to say about us?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dunes began, smiling wider, ¡°he had something to say about half of you.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re a funny guy, Dunes.¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Though I come from Black Mountain, praying to Lady Arya, the main God within Aswadasad is Noor, the God of Light. We are tolerated, but most Aswadians pray to Noor. During wars, that changes slightly, but Noor is more typical than Lady Arya.¡± ¡°They call him Noor and not Lord Noor or anything?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aalinooralakbar,¡± Dunes said, stating the full name of the God. ¡°However, Noor is mentioned quite often in prayers and in daily life, so simplifying the name became a topic of discussion many years ago. There are still those who do not simplify the name, though they are more extreme than even those who call him Noor.¡± ¡°Extremists, eh? So you¡¯re treated worse in Aswadasad because of your religion, and in Aldland because you¡¯re Aswadian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°I plan to retire soon. Someone has offered me a job at their business, and I would hope to marry in the next few years.¡± Adam¡¯s face contorted this way and that as his mind mind processed what Dunes had told him. He wasn¡¯t surprised at Dunes¡¯ retirement, since Sir Vonda had planned to retire too, but he was surprised that someone had offered Dunes a position in their business, and then hearing that Dunes wanted to marry had struck Adam¡¯s mind. Dunes read Adam¡¯s expressions, and heard the noises the Half Elf made, each time broken by a new thought, all the while the Aswadian smiled, sipping his tea. He understood everything from Adam¡¯s expressions and noises, knowing that Adam had almost forgotten who had offered the Priest a job. Adam rubbed his chin, thinking about what to say. ¡°Is the missing friend of yours the one you want to marry?¡± ¡°She is a good friend,¡± Dunes said, seeing that Adam had realised what the Priest had said. ¡°I do not know who I will marry, though.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, thinking about what Dunes had told him. ¡°I¡¯m going to work you hard, Dunes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± Click banner for Patreon! Cute little pups and a chat with a friend? Nice. Certainly nothing bubbling under the surface that he doesn''t know about... 467. Days Of Nightval VIII 467. Days Of Nightval VIII Omen: 4, 5 ¡®Seriously...¡¯ [Would you like to spend XP to empower the weapon?] ¡®Sure,¡¯ Adam replied. XP: 15 500 -> 15 000 Adam finished finalising the enchantment on the weapon, smiling at the magic weapon¡¯s statistics. It was a decent enough weapon, he supposed. When Adam returned,, leaving the staff with Elder Zijin, he froze in place. His children swarmed him, but he stared at the table, where Jirot sat, her greatfather¡¯s hand supporting her back. Adam inhaled deeply, but first lifted up his triplets, hugging them tight. ¡°You silly little boy and girls, did you miss your daddy?¡± Adam asked, showering them in his affection, before he placed them down. Their tails swayed from side to side as they smiled up at him. ¡°You have finally returned?¡± Jarot asked, a small smirk on his face. Adam narrowed his eyes, sensing how badly the old man wanted to start a fight with him. Adam wouldn¡¯t have fallen for the provocation, but this was about that thing. ¡°Since when did my beautiful little girl become so strong to sit up?¡± Adam asked, approaching the table. The girl¡¯s eyes scanned the area before she saw her father¡¯s face. She stared at him for a moment before she smiled wide, giggling at him. She sucked against her hand, her eyes adventuring across her father¡¯s face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I missed it, my little Jirot.¡± ¡°Yes, you did miss it,¡± Jarot said, sitting up tall and straight, his lips forming a wider smirk. ¡°I was here to witness it.¡± ¡°Are you starting a fight?¡± Adam asked.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°I have already fought you,¡± Jarot retorted, his thumb brushing the back of Jirot¡¯s head. Adam lifted baby Jarot up into his arms, the boy squirming and twitching, before nestling his head against his father¡¯s shoulder. His body was still hot to the touch, as children¡¯s bodies were, even during nightval. ¡°Isn¡¯t it so sad your babo bullies me even though I¡¯ve given him so many cute greatchildren?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his son¡¯s back. ¡°Five is not enough,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You must give me five more every year.¡± ¡°I would prefer my story doesn¡¯t involve a harem.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°They say that daughters are scary, but they¡¯re only scary because their mothers are terrifying,¡± Adam replied. Adam thought about the triplets mother, which only caused him to nod his head at his own statement. Jarot decided against saying anything. Omen: 10, 17 Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 22 (15) Omen: 2, 7 ¡°Ooh? Where¡¯s daddy gone?¡± Adam asked, covering his face. He pulled apart his hands, gasping as he revealed himself. ¡°Here he is!¡± Jirot giggled up at him, and baby Jarot smiled, before he fell into a giggle beside his older sister. ¡®What did I do to deserve this?¡¯ Fred thought once more. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 8 (7) Fred leapt into the fray immediately, not wanting to lose in a single round against Adam. He wanted to see how high he could reach when Adam was at his weakest. He did not possess Phantom or Wizard¡¯s Axe, and he was not in his full set of armour. He forced Adam back with Lifeblade, the same blade Adam had created for the young man, and had handed over when they fought against Shama. He had yet to use the magics of the blade yet, so still was unsure if it was a weapon with a temporary enchantment. Upon forcing Adam back, Fred slashed wildly again, though his blade caught Adam¡¯s magical shield, and he stepped back. Adam was about to swing when Fred¡¯s blade struck against his side, and he quickly deflected the last blow, realising that Fred had overcome his limits for a moment as he typically did. Health: 65 -> 50 ¡®This isn¡¯t going too bad for me,¡¯ Fred thought. Adam inhaled deeply. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 50 -> 55 Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 19 (13) D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D3 + 4D6 + 4 = 23 (3, 6)(1, 2)(1, 2, 2, 2) 23 damage! Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 10 (4) D20 + 6 = 11 (5) Miss! Adam¡¯s mind went blank as he focused. He allowed his body to move freely, like water, and slipped through Fred¡¯s defences with his blows. His first blow struck Fred across his shoulder, which flashed hot with the divine magics of Adam¡¯s abilities. Fred stumbled back, feeling the pain fill him, but upon seeing as he was still up, a though crossed his mind, only for it to disappear as he raised his shield against Adam¡¯s second blow. ¡®I¡¯m still up?¡¯ The thoughts within Fred¡¯s mind passed like a picture show, gaining more confidence as the seconds passed while he clashed with Adam. ¡®I can do this,¡¯ Fred thought. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 11 (5) D20 + 6 = 20 (14) Hit! Mana: 17 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D3 + 2D6 + 4 = 17 (1)(3)(3, 6) 17 damage! Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 17 (11) D20 + 6 = 26 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D3 + 4D6 + 4 = 25 (4, 6)(1, 3)(1, 1, 2, 3) 25 damage! As Fred pressed forward, he walked right into Adam¡¯s axe, which struck him cleanly, and felled the young warrior. He dropped, unable to think any longer as he was brought down. The Iyrmen who watched the bout clapped their hands as Adam fell into thought. ¡®Alright, so I can probably take on most Experts pretty handily, even without a magical weapon,¡¯ Adam realised. It was something he already knew, but this bout with Fred had solidified the knowledge. ¡®If they have magical weapons, it will be a little more difficult, but it should be okay. Thanks to all the...¡¯ Adam dropped down and stabilised Fred, just in case, before realising what he had done. ¡®Isn¡¯t this bullying?¡¯ Victory! Fred XP Gained: +200 XP: 15 400 -> 15 600 Click banner for Patreon! Justice for Fred! 468. Days Of Nightval IX 468. Days Of Nightval IX Omen: 2, 13 ¡®I still can¡¯t believe I bullied Fred like that,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about how he had treated Fred the day before. He had apologised a few times, but it still didn¡¯t sit right with him. ¡®Aren¡¯t I his boss? I can¡¯t just go around bullying my workers like that...¡¯ He spent the day enchanting, rolling poorly. He thought about using his Omen, but decided against it. He had rolled a 2, and though a 13 was good, there was no need to use his Omen. Omen: 11, 19 Mana: 18 -> 17 Enchanting Check D20 + 7 = 10 (3) Omen: 11, 19 -> 11 19 + 6 = 26 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®How can I roll poorly for my Omens, and then when I roll for enchanting I roll poorly again? This is bull!¡¯ In his utter annoyance of the situation, Adam set forth a chain of events which no one could have possibly predicted. Omen: 11, 20 ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered to himself in the morning. ¡°Are you feeling lucky today?¡± Sonarot asked, waking Lanarot up to feed her. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled. Elder Zijin watched as the Half Elf approached him, and he thought for a moment as to why Adam had come. ¡°You are feeling lucky today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How lucky?¡± ¡°The absolute best, but only for one instance of enchanting,¡± Adam said, revealing more than he realised to the Elder. Zijin spent a moment in thought. They were still in the process of figuring out Adam¡¯s abilities, though they understood a large portion of his enchanting already. However, there was one thing which was still being studied. ¡°Would you like to use the luck for yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really feeling it right now,¡± Adam replied. He frowned. ¡°Actually, I would, but I think it would be best to help the Iyr, since there¡¯s a bunch of weirdness going on.¡± Zijin smiled. He had seen the way Adam frowned at his little white lie. There was a word Adam used to describe his children and his Cousins, and Zijin couldn¡¯t help but describe Adam the same way. ¡°Is that why you have not troubled me?¡± ¡°Do I trouble you?¡± Adam joked, flashing a cheeky smile the Elder¡¯s way. ¡°Let¡¯s say that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Very well. Will you create a Greater Enhanced enchantment for the Iyr?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°You tell me the enchantment and I¡¯ll try to figure it out.¡± Zijin thought about the situation. Adam had just enchanted a staff, and he had already given Jaygak and Jurot such great magical weapons. There was one family which Adam had not yet gifted a great magical weapon. ¡°A greatsword with the ability to strike true more often, which can hold several charges to strike with holy might,¡± Zijin asked. ¡°How many charges?¡± Adam asked, already making the enchantment within his mind. ¡°Ten?¡± ¡°Ten?¡± Adam thought, thinking if that would be possible. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be very powerful, but I suppose I could?¡± ¡®I probably can¡¯t use D6 dice, but D3? Or maybe just flat damage? But then when it critically hits, it won¡¯t scale.¡¯ ¡°I think it would be more powerful with fewer charges.¡± ¡°How many charges?¡± ¡°I trust your abilities, Adam,¡± Zijin said, writing down on a piece of paper, before handing it over. He watched Adam leave again. Last time he had watched Adam leave, the Half Elf had caused him to think twice against trying to poach his children, but this time... ¡®Extra damage and the Shield spell thrice?¡¯ Zijin thought. He had originally meant a Basic Enhanced weapon with the ability to cast Shield three times, but to think Adam could also increase its damage at the same time. ¡®How frightening.¡¯ Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. Omen: 2, 7 Adam yawned, thinking about what he should do that day. It hadn¡¯t snowed in a few days, but it was still chilly. ¡®Should I do that? I really shouldn¡¯t, since I should tease them both on their birthday, but...¡¯ Adam meditated for a short while, before he trained lightly and then played with the children. He played sockball, though the children could see he was spaced out. ¡°Cousin Adam?¡± Turot called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m okay...¡± ¡®Right. I¡¯ve already prepared, so I should do it.¡¯ ¡°Kitool?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Kitool asked, holding her little sister¡¯s hands, allowing the girl to move them around herself as she sat on her older sister¡¯s lap. ¡°Would you be willing to spar with me today?¡± Katool gasped, before looking up at her sister, her bob bouncing excitedly. Kitool could feel her sister¡¯s gaze against her, and felt the way those tiny hands squeezed her own. The expectations of the girl¡¯s eyes were a greater pressure than even Kitool would have imagined. ¡°You wish to spar?¡± Jurot asked, containing the shock in his voice. He had heard that Adam went to spar with Fred recently, and of course it ended up exactly as Jurot had expected, but to hear Adam ask for a spar from an Iyrman, it was certainly a surprise. ¡°I¡¯m scared of Iyrmen, but Kitool is nice,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t beat me up too hard.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯m nice too.¡± ¡°I would take too much pleasure in beating you up,¡± Adam admitted. Jaygak snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t even have Phantom so...¡± Jaygak paused. ¡®No, why wouldn¡¯t he use Phantom against me.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll show you mercy this time and let you go.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Let¡¯s spar elsewhere, away from the kids,¡± Adam said. ¡°Actually, could we spar with Elder Zijin watching us?¡± ¡°Elder Zijin may be too busy to officiate,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Hah,¡± Adam said, smirking at the Iyrman. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be glad to watch, that way he¡¯d get to know more about my abilities.¡± ¡®That is true,¡¯ Kitool thought. ¡°I can come watch?¡± Katool asked, her tiny eyes beaming up at the pair, her lips puckered shyly. ¡°I don¡¯t want my cute little Cousin to watch me lose,¡± Adam said. ¡°You will lose?¡± Katool asked, staring up at the Half Elf with her head tilted to one side. ¡®Yo! Don¡¯t bully your sister like that!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but your sister is very strong, isn¡¯t she?¡± Katool leaned back to stare up at her sister. ¡°Yes. Sister is very strong.¡± Her bob bounced as she nodded her head. Click banner for Patreon! Now it''s time to bully the Iyrmen... 469. Days Of Nightval X 469. Days Of Nightval X ¡®How can you be this cute, Adam?¡¯ Zijin thought, staring at the pair who were stretching. Zijin had figured out Adam long ago, and he was certain Adam was going to do it. Jurot and Jaygak had followed the pair to the Elder¡¯s estate, and another Guest had quickly appeared, laying down on the roof nearby with a drink in hand. Adam donned his helmet, having brought everything for this fight. Fred was Fred, and though he was an Expert, he was no Iyrman. Kitool, as much as she was always quiet and demure, she was also an Iyrman, and the grandniece of that woman who terrified Adam to no end. ¡®Does he wish to bully me after feeling bad about bullying Fred?¡¯ Kitool thought. Kitool never would have thought Adam would have asked her for a spar. He was, as far as she knew, honest when he said he was scared of sparring Iyrmen. However, after beating Lord Morkarai, Adam had slowly lost the darkness and fear which had settled in his heart. She watched as Adam hopped from foot to foot, swinging his arms around like a baboon. The excuse Adam had given was sweet, but... ¡®No,¡¯ Kitool realised. ¡®It was most definitely the truth.¡¯ Adam wanted to face Kitool not because she seemed to be the weakest, but because she was nice. Even she would not wish to go against Jurot, whose rage would terrify any normal man, his swings threatened to cut the air with each swipe. Then there was Jaygak, who... Jaygak was Jaygak. Adam donned his magical shield, wanting to face Kitool at her current strongest, so giving her the justification to use Seekerstaff against him. He would be difficult to strike with his Defence, and though Kitool would do much less damage than someone like Jurot or even Jaygak within a singular blow, there was something else which was utterly terrifying about the Iyrman. She was one of the few who wouldn¡¯t kill you with a blow, but with the aftermath of the blow. ¡°Ready?¡± Adam asked, drawing his mundane axe, feeling the lack of the magical tingle he so craved ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool said, holding out her Seekerstaff. Jaygak realised Adam wasn¡¯t using Phantom. ¡®Wait! You aren¡¯t going to use Phantom? Doesn¡¯t that mean I have a chance?¡¯ Jurot could feel her thoughts as they swam towards him, but he kept his mouth shut, letting her think whatever Jaygak thoughts she was having. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 12 (6) D20 + 6 = 16 (10) Miss! Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 9 (3) D20 + 6 = 22 (16) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 9 (4)(1) 9 damage! Kitool was the first to move, stepping forward silently though she moved with hawkish swiftness, spinning her staff around in front of herself, trying to confuse Adam. Adam managed to move his head at the last moment as the staff swooshed past his head. He returned with a swing of his own, though Kitool leapt over the Half Elf, dodging the blow. The Iyrman pivoted on her foot and struck Adam with her Seekerstaff towards his side, but Adam turned to meet her, and she struck the rim of his breastplate, almost striking true. She brought her staff up to block Adam¡¯s axe, though felt her arms strain from the effort, before she drop kicked Adam, using the momentum to push herself away, readying her staff to block the blows she was expecting. Adam remained still, waiting for her next move. Kitool paused. The blow she had managed to block had caused her arms to throb for a moment, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as she expected, meaning Adam didn¡¯t use his holy magics, nor did he press himself to chase her. ¡®What are you doing, Adam?¡¯ were the thoughts of the four who were watching the spar. Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 12 (6) Miss! Jaygak smirked. ¡°If you want to fight, let¡¯s fight!¡± Since Adam wasn¡¯t using Phantom, or another magical weapon, then even she could probably... Jaygak¡¯s smirk disappeared. ¡®If you can beat Kitool without a magical weapon, then...¡¯ Jaygak thought about Kitool¡¯s skill and her own strength. ¡®Doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s no way to defeat him?¡¯ ¡°Never mind.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t feel comfortable, even with Stormdrake in hand?¡± Jaygak thought back to the fight which had just occurred. If Kitool was facing Jurot or herself, then the Iyrman would have struck them at least twice as often. Adam, with his plate mail and his magical shield, was as hard to hit as the toughest of creatures. Even Dragon Turtles would lament when they would come across Adam. ¡°Elder Zijin, Adam keeps bullying me,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°Deservedly so,¡± Zijin replied, ignoring the feigned shock and sadness on Jaygak¡¯s face. Jaygak was about to complain when she noted the look on Zijin¡¯s face, before her eyes snapped back to Adam. The Half Elf could feel it, the expectant gazes on his shoulders. He glanced between the Iyrmen, noting Kitool going deep into thought. She was wondering why Zijin would be looking at Adam in such a way. Adam sighed. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zijin replied, smirking wide towards the Half Elf. ¡°Am I really so predictable?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kitool was about to ask when she felt it, the cold shudder at the back of her neck. ¡®I need to change the topic.¡¯ ¡°Is it here?¡± Adam asked. Zijin smiled, before motioning a hand towards his outdoor desk, which had been covered with books in an awkward manner. He guided Adam towards the books, before moving a few away, revealing the staff which had been hidden within them. ¡°You¡¯re a funny guy, Elder Zijin,¡± Adam said, smiling cheekily. ¡®No,¡¯ Kitool thought. ¡®Of course it was that.¡¯ Adam beamed towards Kitool, the same way her younger sister would. Tigerstaff (Quarterstaff) You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 bludgeoning damage. Contains 3 charges. Spend 1 charge to make an additional attack. Regains 1D3 charges every dawn. Kitool felt the magics within the staff. She wanted to ask why he made it for her, but that was a stupid question to ask. She knew the answer, they all did. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°Any time.¡± Kitool clutched the staff tighter. She had another question to ask, but decided against asking it, since she knew the answer to the question. He certainly spent his own coin on enchanting this staff, even though he should have spent some portion of the party funds. Click banner for Patreon! We all know if it was Jaygak Adam would have tried to one shot her. 470. Days Of Nightval XI 470. Days Of Nightval XI Adam¡¯s antics had caused the other Iyrmen to sigh. Upon hearing that Kitool had received a new staff, one which was a Greater Enhanced magical weapon, the group realised Adam had gifted the three families weapons which would make even the Nobles of Aldland to swoon. Phantom, which was perhaps the greatest Greater Enhanced weapon within the Iyr, had been gifted to the Rot family, under pressure of the Great Elders. Stormdrake, which had been created by Lord Hadda many centuries ago, and could rival the greatest of Legendary Enhanced weapons within the Iyr, had been gifted to the Gak family. Some had thought Adam had gifted it away without knowing its true worth, but with how little Adam cared about losing such a weapon, they realised he was just being Adam. Tigerstaff, which was not quite as great as the other two weapons, was still a great weapon. It struck harder than most other staves, but the ability to strike again was something which anyone would have coveted, especially Kitool, who held the ability to freeze creatures in place. Katool walked up to Adam and pat his knee. ¡°You are good boy, Cousin Adam,¡± she said. ¡°You!¡± She pointed up at him. Her mind raced with all the things she wanted to say, before she finally nodded her head, agreeing with everything she had thought, before walking off. Adam was glad Katool hadn¡¯t asked about the fight, too busy caught up with playing with the magical weapon along with the other children. ¡®I earned a decent bit of XP from that.¡¯ XP: 16 000 ¡®I should probably spend some of it soon...¡¯ Konarot climbed up onto her father¡¯s lap, standing against his thighs as she hugged his neck, resting her head against his shoulder. Adam wrapped an arm around her waist, nuzzling against her neck. ¡®Right, there¡¯s no real point to Level Up yet...¡¯ He had more than enough to Level Up, but there were other uses for XP. He could procure the abilities of other Classes, like the Rage of a Rage Dancer, or the innate abilities of a Blood Mage. There were many abilities which would assist him and make him far more powerful than Iyrmen may imagine. However, there was also that. The ability to unlock the potential of another. It was perhaps his most dangerous ability. With 5000XP, Mana, as well as some time to rest, Adam could create Scribe Mages, and, having explored the system a little, other Classes too. ¡®I could awaken three right now...¡¯ His eyes fell to Konarot, as well as to Kirot and Karot, who were both sitting right beside him, staring up at the others around them. ¡®No, no. Perhaps in the future.¡¯ Adam spent the morning with his children, and the afternoon with his companions. He spoke with Dunes, Fred, Vonda, Brittany, and Nobby. Jonn remained nearby, silent as a statue. ¡°Haaa,¡± Adam sighed, wiping his lips. The fruit wine of the Iyr warmed him up this chilly nightval afternoon. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s such a great place, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Dunes replied, with Vonda nodding her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about spending the rest of my days here,¡± Adam said. ¡°Retiring within the Iyr, spending my days enchanting. It¡¯s quite the dream, right?¡± Vonda placed a hand on Adam¡¯s back, smiling up towards him. She could see that he was thinking something Adam, something which would have caused her more stress if she didn¡¯t try to deal with it now. Adam eventually fell asleep at the table, having finished an entire bottle of wine, as well as the snacks accompanying it. The others gave him his peace, knowing that there was a lot on Adam¡¯s mind. He continued to enchant for the next few days, until he felt unlucky, and so took his triplets out to play with the dire wolves. He allowed Kirot and Karot to sit with Kitool and Jaygak, who held on to the children as they rode their dire wolves. Konarot clung to her father as she watched her siblings play with the dire wolves. When it was her turn, Adam handed her to Kitool, but the girl squirmed and pouted. ¡°Do you want to ride with daddy?¡± Adam asked. Konarot wrapped her arms around his neck and clutched around him tightly. Adam smiled, and rode Kit¡¯a, holding his eldest daughter against himself. Jaygak narrowed her eyes as she watched them ride Kit¡¯a. ¡°Do you think my children will be cute?¡± Kitool glanced towards Jaygak. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What am I saying? Of course they¡¯ll be cute.¡± She reached down and ruffled Kirot¡¯s hair, feeling the bumps which formed the girl¡¯s horns. ¡°You¡¯re cute too, Kirot.¡± Kirot looked up at Jaygak, before smiling shyly, holding onto her brother tight. ¡°Should I settle down and get married?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I can let Taygak bring honour to our family.¡± ¡°You must pave the path for her,¡± Kitool said. ¡°She is still learning. It will be six more years until she will leave to make a name for herself.¡± ¡°How can I pave the way for Saygak?¡± Jaygak asked, raising her brow towards Kitool. Kitool¡¯s eyes returned to Adam. She understood what Kitool was talking about, since it was about that thing. Saygak, who was a member of the Rot family, had begun to cause trouble. He was Raygak¡¯s cousin, but Saygak was the politest and quietest of the children. Damokan and Kalokan were both quiet with others, but they were noisy with their own family, yet Saygak remained quiet at home too. ¡°Adam will pave the way for Saygak,¡± Kitool said. Jaygak looked back to the father and daughter pair, each riding the dire wolf they had found over a year ago. The dire wolves were still not yet fully matured, though they had already given birth to their first litter. It was no surprise they had died from the effort. ¡°It really is a shame Adam has no horns,¡± Jaygak said, sighing. Click banner for Patreon! Jaygak refuses to be part of the harem. Now that I think about it, isn''t Jaygak kinda racist? 471. Choices I 471. Choices I Jarot lay between the pair of goblins, who were twitching beside him, each staring his way. He cooed towards them, reaching around to tickle their exposed cheeks and noses. They returned with their small gurgles, falling silent in shock when they felt his snow covered finger against his cheek, before they returned to gurgling noisily towards him. Out of anyone, Jarot was the one who spent the most time with the twins. He spent hours daily with them, reading story after story to them. He spoke of the tales of his ancestors, those they were named after, sometimes slipping them his own stories, with a cheekiness as though he were slipping them rum. Elder Zijin stared at the trio, his hands crossed behind his back. Seeing Jarot wearing the typical attire of the Iyrmen all while laying in the snow reminded him that the Rot family was truly built differently than other Iyrmen. Upon feeling the unsightly gaze, Jarot sat up, allowing the pair of children to stare at his back while it provided them shade. Jarot remained silent, his eyes glued to the Elder¡¯s. ¡°I will be taking Jarot and Jirot,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡®Now you have come for them?¡¯ Jarot thought. ¡°Without your blade?¡± ¡°I am hoping it does not come to that.¡± ¡°You will not take them.¡± Jarot remained sitting, and though his axe was not at his side, it was not that far away, resting against the side of the estate. ¡°The Great Elders have asked for the children,¡± Zijin said, trying to invoke the status of the Great Elders for this matter to go smoothly. Jarot¡¯s neck tensed, his jaws clenched. ¡°You will not take them.¡± These were the words he had used in front of the triplets back then too. Unfortunately, they were in the shared family estate, so he could not cut into the desk with his axe. Elder Zijin sighed. He hadn¡¯t spent much time thinking about how to get Jarot to give up the children, for it was an impossible task. Jarot was still wild for an Iyrman, and though his heart was heavy due to the loss of his son, he was still the same Jarot as back then. ¡°Why is it that you have come to me, the greatfather of these children, and not the father?¡± Jarot accused, his eyes dark. The accusation struck Zijin harshly. Jarot had rubbed salt into the wound which he had made previously when he had spoken such terrible words to the Elder last time. It was a difficult position for Elder Zijin to be in, since Jarot was not under his authority, but the authority of the Great Elders. The Great Elder had not decided to step forward, as Jarot had not pushed them to act yet. ¡°Tell the Great Elders if they wish to shame the Iyr, I will not be complicit, and these innocent children of my Rot family will not be sacrificed for their games,¡± Jarot warned. Jirot cooed quietly, but Jarot remained sitting, glaring up at the Elder. Even as she began to cry, Jarot did not move. It was only when the Elder was out of sight that Jarot returned back to his greatdaughter. ¡°Little Jirot, why are you crying?¡± Jarot asked, scooping her up to his chest, coddling her within his arm. He rubbed her stomach, gently rocking her against him as the girl continued to screech and cry, eventually causing baby Jarot to cry too. Jarot reached out with his stub, and for a moment, he felt the ghostly sensation of his hand again. He sighed, calling for one of his nieces to assist him. Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, annoyed that he rolled extremely poorly. ¡°He will not give the children up?¡± Iromin asked, sitting at his gazebo, with tea and snacks at the ready. Elder Zijin bowed his head. ¡°He will not.¡± Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. When he returned to the estate, he raised his brow, wondering what the Prince of Flames was doing here. He was settled beside Jarot, looking over the twins. ¡°Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam said, before taking a moment to realise the title. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be Prince Morkarai?¡± ¡°There are no Princes in the Iyr,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°Even I am only a Lord within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam replied, wondering what that meant, but he decided against prodding more. ¡°How are you?¡± ¡°I am well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡± ¡°You as well,¡± Morkarai said, motioning a hand to a seat opposite them. Adam sat down, picking up Jirot into his arms, who cooed quietly. He brushed her forehead gently with his thumb, holding the back of her head carefully. Morkarai exchanged a look with Jarot for a moment, before he smiled. ¡°I have enjoyed my time within the Iyr, but I have begun to miss home.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. What he wouldn¡¯t do to have a proper shower and to watch some telly. ¡°It do be that way.¡± Morkarai tilted his head slightly. ¡°I miss the heat of the volcanoes, the smell of the food, and the...¡± Morkarai paused. ¡°No, the women here are properly rugged too.¡± Adam stifled a chuckle, though he let slip a smile. ¡°Well, there are some crazy beautiful Iyrmen here. You should see the Kan family. It¡¯s utterly unfair, I say.¡± Jarot nodded his head to punctuate the thought. Morkarai bowed his head, giving the point to Adam. ¡°I¡¯ve a thought in my mind, if you would take no offence.¡± Adam cleared his throat, sitting up straight. ¡°Don¡¯t stand on ceremony, Lord Morkarai. I wouldn¡¯t dare to take offence at what you say. Well, that¡¯s a lie, but you know what I mean.¡± Morakrai chuckled lightly. ¡°I have thought to offer you a position as a Hill Lord, Adam.¡± ¡°A what?¡± Click banner for Patreon! I hope nothing bad happens with all these Omens... :) 472. Choices II 472. Choices II ¡°A Hill Lord,¡± Morkarai repeated, smiling down at Adam. It was a great deal to offer Adam, who was a Nephew of the Rot family. Even as a Nephew of the Rot family, there was much more that being a Hill Lord provided. Although many wished to be a Nephew of the Iyr, being a Hill Lord was something many people could only dream of. Only those who were the rank of Prince or Dukes could create Hill Lords, a title formed by the Ancient Giants, who had eventually evolved into the various Giants of the various realms. Adam threw Jarot a look, the old man raising his brows in response, before he looked back to Morkarai. Morkarai¡¯s lips twitched from a smile to a frown. ¡°You do not wish for it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know what it is,¡± Adam admitted. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Morkarai thought, realising what Adam had asked moments ago. ¡°A Hill Lord is a position of privilege within our Kingdom. It is similar to the rank of a Guest within the Iyr. You and the next two generations of your family would be taken care of well, while those beyond would be given greater access to positions of power, if they are capable.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°I sort of understand. So I¡¯d be some kind of Lord?¡± ¡°There are two types of Hill Lords. Major Hill Lords, those who are given status of nobility, and Minor Hill Lords, which are guests, with little to no expectations of them, but to enjoy their lives freely.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head, painting a picture within his mind. ¡°So I¡¯d be a Minor Hill Lord?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see, I see,¡± Adam said, thinking about the matter. ¡°So my children would be taken care of?¡± ¡°All five of them, yes,¡± Morkarai said, smiling. ¡°I see...¡± It sounded like a great deal. It seemed to be something similar to that of a Nephew of the Iyr, but with a clearer definition. ¡°What about the children?¡± ¡°The children?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You know, Lanarot for example.¡± Morkarai remained quiet in thought, trying to understand what Adam was asking. Then he remembered who he was talking to. ¡°She...¡± He thought about the matter. Some Iyrmen had become Hill Lords previously, those who wished to leave the Iyr and live outside of it. Then there was Emperor Hadda, who had hinted at Lanarot to him. ¡°I could grant her the title too.¡± Morkarai felt the embarrassment fill him. Offering the title of a Hill Lord to a baby Iyrman? They would all poke fun at him, no doubt, and even his father would have to check his mind, but considering Adam was Adam, it was more than worth it. ¡°What about Gurot, my chonky little Cousin?¡± Adam said, causing Morkarai to stop his thoughts. ¡°There¡¯s Kavgak, Tavgak, Inakan, Minakan, Maool, and Jitool too.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Then there¡¯s Jurot, Aunt, and my children¡¯s greatfather too,¡± Adam said. ¡°Look at him. There¡¯s not even a moment he can bear away from my children, you know?¡± Morkarai looked to Jarot, who had picked up baby Jarot and had placed the tiny form against his chest while they had been talking. The Iyrman blinked, as though he had been caught red handed. ¡°How could I deny my children their rights to their nana and babo?¡± Adam asked, shaking his head. ¡°They¡¯re treating my children so well and now you want to steal them away from them?¡± ¡°They would not have to...¡± Morkarai managed to stop himself as he noted the look in Adam¡¯s eyes, realising quickly the mistake he had almost made. ¡°You are right. It is a shame, for you certainly would have been the greatest Hill Lord I had invited, and perhaps the greatest since before my father¡¯s time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡± Adam continued to enchant for the next few days, using his Omen twice towards the end of the week. He spent the day before the end of the month with his children, though he also helped around the estate, assisting with cooking. Jurot had also taken the day off at his mother¡¯s insistence, and assisting around the place too, as he used to when he was younger. He noted the triplets relaxing in the snow, and stared at them. Konarot say up from the snow, feeling a gaze against her skin, and noted her uncle staring at her. She climbed around her siblings to hide them from his gaze, protecting them with her body. ¡®She does not like me,¡¯ Jurot thought. Omen: 8, 19 Adam returned from enchanting in the evening to find Elder Zijin waiting for him, holding baby Jarot in his lap, with an annoyed Jarot sitting beside him, holding Jirot. ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Adam greeted, before holding out his arms for baby Jarot. ¡°Adam,¡± Zijin replied, handing baby Jarot over to his father. ¡°You have worked so hard for us during the past two months.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°I believe you said you wanted me to enchant for a while and that I won¡¯t be bothered during the Twilight Month.¡± Zijin bowed his head. ¡°I have come for a request.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked, sitting beside the Elder, feeling his son¡¯s breath tickling his neck. ¡°Tomorrow there will be a trip for the children of the Iyr, and I hope you would be willing to take them,¡± Zijin said. ¡°They are to live within a cabin for two weeks, without their parents, and the protection of the Iyr. They will be guided as they try to live off the land and fend off whatever beasts may come, though that responsibility lays on the shoulders of their escorts. We will provide barrels of food in case there is little to hunt. If they stay there for two weeks, they will receive a reward from the Iyr. It is something which the children enjoy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Sounds like fun.¡± ¡°If you assist in this matter, then you will be considered to have assisted in teaching the children, and we will reward you accordingly,¡± Zijin assured. ¡°That sounds like a lot of fun, but what¡¯s the catch?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There is no catch. You must take the children and look after them, along with your companions, and you must protect them from whatever may threaten them.¡± ¡°What would dare threaten children of the Iyr within its walls?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They would not be within the Iyr¡¯s walls.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, thinking about what Zijin was requesting. It was such a weird request, considering how they were currently in the process of creating such giant walls against some unknown threat. Adam realised how futile it was to figure out the Iyr¡¯s motives. ¡°Alright, sure.¡± ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Zijin smiled, before saying his goodbyes to the children, including Adam¡¯s children. He stepped away, standing taller than before, glad that the Iyr had decided against using Adam¡¯s children for their plots. The stress which had eaten him for the last two months had finally disappeared. Click banner for Patreon! You have to respect the guy for trying at least. 473. Fireside Chat 473. Fireside Chat Omen: 16, 18 ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Iyr is going to steal away my little babies,¡± Adam said, cuddling with Jirot, peppering her forehead with kisses, causing her to squeal and giggle. He did the same with Jarot too, cuddling them both tenderly. Elder Zijin smiled, though there was an awkwardness which clung in the air between himself and Jarot, who was within arm¡¯s reach of the twins. Adam donned his armour, and grabbed the pack which had been prepared for him. Once his preparations were made, he cuddled with his five children once more, before noticing the other Iyrmen who had been tasked to assist. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, looking to his Iyrmen companions. He should have guessed that it would have been Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool who would support him. ¡®Of course.¡¯ ¡°It will be dangerous, but you I believe in your abilities,¡± Zijin said, nodding his head towards the four. He waited another moment to allow Adam to give his third goodbyes to his children. ¡°Papa?¡± Lanarot asked, holding onto Jurot¡¯s trousers, staring up at him with her tiny, curious eyes. ¡°I must go now.¡± ¡°Ooooh?¡± Lanarot groaned, clutching at his trousers harder, pouting up at him. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I must go now.¡± ¡°No!¡± The girl burst into tears, though her mother swiftly picked her up. She pointed at her brother. ¡°No!¡± Jurot reached up to her finger, holding it gently. ¡°I will return soon, Lanarot.¡± Adam decided against spoiling his sister in the moment, allowing Jurot and Lanarot to have their tiny moment together. ¡®I want to say goodbye too.¡¯ It was in the late afternoon when they arrived at the Front Iyr, which was blanketed white from the gentle snowfall. They approached the centre where familiar forms seemed to be relaxing together. There was the form of Lord Morkarai, as well as the two who Adam assumed to be Dragons, as well as a fourth figure. The fourth figure was a Drakken with white scales, and Adam assumed they were a Dragon too. ¡®Lots of Dragons in the Iyr...¡¯ Lord Morkarai and Burgwing, the bronze scaled Drakken man, were sharing drinks and talking with one another, while Wingburg, the black scaled Drakken woman, relaxed nearby, humming to herself quietly. The older white scaled Drakken remained some ways away from the fire, though he perked up on the arrival of the new group, his eyes falling to the foreigner with a familiar scent. Adam caught his eyes, bowing his head to the figure, who narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Half Elf. ¡®He must not like me very much,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is he an Aldishman?¡¯ ¡°Adam, come and join us,¡± Lord Morkarai called, raising a drink to the Half Elf. Adam threw a look to Elder Zijin, who had led them the entire way here, before joining the pair. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Adam greeted, nodding his head to the pair. ¡°How do you do?¡± ¡°I am well,¡± Morkarai said, picking up a gourd and offering it to Adam. ¡°I am well as well,¡± Burgwing said, his eyes piercing deep into Adam with a knowing look. ¡°I have heard that you have five children, Adam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Half Dragons, I have heard.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re very cute.¡± ¡°Silver scales?¡± ¡°Beautiful scales.¡± ¡°I am certain,¡± Burgwing said, wiggling his brows at Adam, before leaning back. ¡°It seems we have something in common.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°We have Half Dragon children,¡± Burgwing said. ¡°Yes, but mine are the cutest,¡± Adam replied, unashamedly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Lord Morkarai?¡± ¡°They are cute,¡± Lord Morkarai said, though not confirming Adam¡¯s words. He realised he needed to be careful, especially since the Dragon beside him was a Wing, and that woman¡¯s brother. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about cute, but mine are certainly strong,¡± Burgwing said. ¡°Big and strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Burgwing smirked. ¡°My children are cute and small,¡± Adam replied, flashing his own smirk. ¡®Ah,¡¯ Burgwing thought, realising the kind of father Adam was. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a lot.¡± Burgwing sat up straighter. ¡°You do not know the strength of the Giants?¡± ¡°I mean...¡± Adam began, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I... I guess I do, but still.¡± ¡°One Giant is annoying enough to deal with,¡± Burgwing said. ¡°Two Giants will keep most Dragons away, and three? Three Giants would make even the eldest Dragon think twice.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°How many Giants could face Strom in his prime?¡± ¡°Enough with the talk of war,¡± Stokmar said, dropping down near the group, causing the Drakken to sit up taller. ¡°We are in the Iyr, and there is enough talk about fighting and war already.¡± Adam opened his mouth to say something, but instantly realised whatever he was about to say was going to be extremely stupid, and he didn¡¯t want to offend the Lord of Earth. ¡®Wow. I can¡¯t believe I stopped myself from saying something dumb.¡¯ Jurot nodded his head at Adam, understand what had happened, and Adam smiled proudly. Lord Stokmar had changed the vibe of the area around them, though it quickly calmed again when Jaygak and Kitool spoke with the white scaled Drakken, trying to figure out who he was. ¡°So...¡± Adam said, sipping the gourd full of alcohol. ¡°How¡¯s enchanting?¡± ¡°I am creating many Basic weapons for the Iyr, and armours and trinkets too.¡± ¡°Trinkets?¡± ¡°I can create jewellery which can hold resistance to the elements, so that one isn¡¯t too cold or too warm in certain climates,¡± Morkarai said. ¡®Ah,¡¯ Adam thought, realising what he should have been enchanting this entire time. ¡®Once I¡¯m done with the Iyr, I should make those kinds of enchantments too.¡¯ ¡°What about those which protect oneself from blows?¡± ¡°Rings of Protections?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°I have made many of them too,¡± he admitted. ¡°I change what I enchant weekly.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered, nodding his head. Morkarai was about to ask Adam about his own enchanting, but stopped himself in time. ¡°I can create many enchantments, but my speciality is within weapons with fire enchantments.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have lost that bet,¡± Adam joked. ¡®A warmoot,¡¯ Jurot thought. He wished to talk more about the issues of the Confederacy, but especially the warmoot. A warmoot would excite even the Iyr into action. A warmoot against the Iyr would have been one of the greatest stories to be told, but such a thing would end up with many grave losses on either side. ¡®Those who could threaten the Iyr are the Giants and Dragons,¡¯ Jurot thought, glancing around the area. He noted the white scaled Drakken, wondering if he was a Raith. ¡®The Iyr is home to three Lords, a Prince of the Fire Giants, and three Dragons...¡¯ Jurot tried to recall the last time the Iyr had called in favours. He was sure there were other favours called, but in the past, only one or two Dragons were ever called. Technically, the three Lords hadn¡¯t been called, but to call a Giant as well as Dragons? It was all but unheard of. There was one time a Giant and a Dragon were called, but a Giant and more than one Dragon? Jurot sighed, letting the thoughts fall away. What was the point of thinking when it came to the Iyr? He would do as he was told. ¡°He¡¯s a Raith,¡± Jaygak eventually whispered to Jurot in the evening, when they were about to sleep. Jurot nodded. ¡°Wiseraith,¡± Jaygak said. Jurot furrowed his brows, looking to Jaygak with a curious look. ¡°You are certain?¡± ¡°Yes. Kitool thinks so too.¡± Jurot didn¡¯t ask why, since both Kitool and Jaygak thought so. If it was Jaygak alone, he would only mostly believe it, but if Kitool believed it too, then there was no need to doubt it. ¡®Wiseraith?¡¯ His heart began to pound wildly. Why did the Iyr call in a being who could match Jaeryael, the Golden Empress? Then another thought crossed his mind. When could the Iyr call in a being who could match Jaeryael, the Golden Empress? Click banner for Patreon! Just a little chat. Jurot knows how amazing the Iyr is, but even he''s wondering how it''s this amazing. Who is this Wiseraith fellow? I doubt we''ll ever see him do anything... 474. The Trip I 474. The Trip I Omen: 13, 18 ¡°Take this, for it will be dangerous outside the walls of the Iyr,¡± Elder Lykan said. Adam reached for the scroll, only to pause. ¡°I wish this was a sword instead.¡± Adam smiled at his reference, only to realise he was the only one to understand it. ¡°No, nevermind.¡± He accepted the scroll. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°If you tear the scroll, we will know that it has become too dangerous, and will assist you,¡± Lykan said, wondering what Adam was thinking about. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered, before nodding his head. ¡°I appreciate that, Elder Lykan.¡± ¡°I wish you good fortune,¡± the Front Iyr Elder said, before allowing Adam to return to the children. There were twelve children chosen for the trip, each of them carrying a satchel with some food stuffs, and a blade at their side. One of them was a familiar face, one Adam hadn¡¯t seen in a few days. Asoyah¡¯s cheeks were rosy red from the coldness which struck against them, and his lips were plastered into a satisfied smile. He had managed to somehow go on two trips in a single year, something which was rare for any Iyrman child. Adam glanced around the rest of the Iyrmen, noting that many of them held tattoos he barely recognised, though he did spot a Gon within the group, wondering what their connection was to the brothers he knew. A dozen teens appeared, as well as four older Iyrmen, each of them at least in their fifties, with two holding Mithril Rank tokens of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°We will be escorted to the area,¡± Jurot explained, simply. ¡°Will I be able to use magic when we get there?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I was thinking about casting my tower spell...¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great.¡± The group travelled together, with many of the young children, each of them ranging from six to nine, trekking eagerly along the pathway out of the Front Iyr¡¯s side, where they passed by the newly formed wall to the wilderness. They remained with the more elderly Iyrmen, while the teens made sure to keep an eye out for any beasties which would dare to try and threaten them, while Jurot and Jaygak pushed a rickshaw which carried their supplies. Most of the children¡¯s stuff was carried by the teens, as well as Adam and Kitool. A few hours later they came across an area which had been recently cleaned. There were large walls of earth, which had been snowed over, and a long cabin in the shape of a T, with a tower jutting out from the top of the intersection. The older Iyrmen checked the area first, before the teens assisted the children in taking out their items and finding a spot within the cabin to make their own. The two small rooms which jutted out relieved Adam, for one of them was to relieve oneself, and the other was even better, a bathroom. ¡°There is a hot stone embedded in the ground to heat up the water,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°We can bring in the snow from outside to fill the bath.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, though he quickly realised how futile this bath was in comparison to his spell. ¡®What should I do for the tower? A bath and a bedroom? A bath and a study? A bath and a dining room?¡¯ Adam was guided outside. ¡®Damn, the Iyrmen are so smart,¡¯ je thought, looking to the walls, which also held storage rooms. They placed most of their supplies within the storage rooms, and kept some within the cabin. The children eventually settled their stuff away before the group created a large fire pit within the small fort, the teens assisted with the fire and clearing out the nearby area, double checking everything before most of them left with the Mithril Rank Iyrmen. ¡°The four will stay with us,¡± Jurot said, nodding to the four teens who had stayed behind. ¡°They will support us.¡± ¡°Huh, okay,¡± Adam said, letting Jurot set the pace. He didn¡¯t know much about what he had to do, so leaned on Jurot in these times. Once the children were around the fire, and Jaygak and Kitool took the first watch, the teens approached Adam to introduce themselves. ¡°I am Vowuk,¡± a young Iyrman said. She wore the winter clothes of the Iyrmen, as well as thick gloves, and carried a bow and many arrows, as well as a shortsword at her side. ¡°I am Rokez,¡± another said, one who wore thick leathers, also carrying the same equipment as the other Iyrman. ¡°Fohuv,¡± the third said, wearing thick furs, carrying a halberd on her back, and a shortsword at her side. ¡°You have done well when we left the Iyr with our group,¡± Jurot reminded. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The pair of teens kept their eyes on Adam, Rokez and Moyah remaining within the cabin as their companions kept watch. ¡°Ah, right,¡± Adam said, looking to the pair, whose eyes were glued to him. ¡°Let¡¯s pair up a teen and one of us. You guys can pick between yourselves.¡± ¡°I will stay with you,¡± Moyah said. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, wondering why Moyah wanted to be with him specifically. ¡®Does he not like me?¡¯ Soon the children were put to bed, with Moyah and Rokez assisting them, before Adam and Moyah went to go take watch, taking with them a horn and a bell. ¡®How awkward,¡¯ Adam thought, remaining silent while on watch. Omen: 4, 18 Adam and Jurot, along with Moyah and Vowuk, guided half the children around the area, allowing them to scout around the white snow. The children found traces of tiny creatures in hibernation. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, noting how the three Iyrmen were helping the children with their blades. ¡°We must guide them in their task,¡± Jurot said, holding one of the children¡¯s hands, who was staring at the creature eagerly as it squeaked and squealed. Adam winced, before nodding his head, walking off as he glanced around, trying to keep the terror filled squeaks from entering his heart, as well as the joyful glee. ¡®Iyrmen are so scary...¡¯ ¡°Why can¡¯t I go out?¡± Jaygak complained. ¡°You and Jurot already went out, so why are you going out?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m the strongest, so I should be the one outside of the fort,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°So why does Kitool get to go and not me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s quicker on her feet, like Jurot,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°If there¡¯s danger, they can grab the kids and leave, and I can fly.¡± ¡°Yes, but I...¡± Jaygak frowned, realising she had nothing special about her movement. ¡°This isn¡¯t fair.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. How about we take a quarter of the kids now with Kitool, and then the last quarter can come out with you and me?¡± Adam offered. Jaygak puffed out her cheeks, annoyed that Adam had compromised so quickly when she had the need to complain further, but she relented in front of the children. ¡°Stormdrake,¡± Asoyah said, pointing to the blade at Jaygak¡¯s side, bringing the children¡¯s attention to it, helping Adam take care of Jaygak. ¡®Good job, Asoyah,¡¯ Adam thought, nodding his head to the boy, who returned a nod with his yeah. ¡°Thank Baktu for Asoyah.¡± ¡°My cousin is intelligent,¡± Moyah agreed. Adam nodded his head. Click banner for Patreon! Just a nice, comfy slice of life mini-arc. :) 475. The Trip II 475. The Trip II The children explored the area near the camp, never straying more than a few hundred metres away, all under the watchful eyes of their elders. They enjoyed the first day out, finding wild fruits which had been frozen by the snow, and those which still clung to the frozen nature around them. The fruit was eventually defrosted while they cooked some beans and flat breads, with Adam allowing them to use some of the butter they had brought, melting the butter against the heat of the flat bread for more flavour. The children played with one another within the fort, throwing the snow at one another, writing within the snow, building their own forts. Asoyah shuffled up to Adam, bringing with him his partner. He nodded to Moyah first before gaining his confidence. ¡°I can bring back some fruit for Aunt?¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, ruffling the boy¡¯s hat. ¡°What a wonderful young man you are.¡± ¡°I will also bring fruit back for mother,¡± the child beside Asoyah said. ¡°What a wonderful young woman you are,¡± Adam said, ruffling her hat too. The girl snorted at Adam, but couldn¡¯t hide her small smirk. The day continued, all the while the watches shifted, with mostly the teens keeping watch, though one of the older four would come to assist to give them a break. ¡®This would have been simpler with Hades and Zeus,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if the village was taking care of his giant elk steed. ¡°Hey, Jurot, can I call for Hades? I¡¯ll only have him on the tower to help us keep watch...¡± Jurot knew the rules about Familiars, especially those which could fly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He must remain on the tower at all times,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Yeah, sure!¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers, before his owl Familiar appeared on his shoulder. ¡°Head up to the tower and keep an eye out on things.¡± Upon his command, Hades took flight, perching on the tower. Rokez, upon seeing the owl, reached down to their blade, before Adam shouted up at them with a random shout, causing the pair of teen Iyrmen to look his way. They saw the look Jurot was giving them and decided against pulling out their blade. Omen: 8, 12 The children understood that the days were routine. Wake up, clean up the area around them, wash themselves, using Adam¡¯s tower as a bathroom. Adam and the others used the bath within the fort, which was novel to Adam, in the same way the tower was novel for the children. They ate breakfast, oats with fruit, before taking to the walls to scan around the area to make sure there were no creatures nearby. After checking for threatens, they split off into four groups, each of which would be led by one of the four from Adam and his companions, with one of the teens as the secondary leader. Adam, Kitool, and a pair of teens, took the group of children out of the fort, exploring further away that day. It felt awkward to allow them to go this far, especially with the warnings of the Iyr. However, hearing their joyful gasps and their jabbering between one another about this thing and that, Adam smiled, allowing them to explore the Iyr that even they had not seen before. Kitool narrowed her eyes, spotting something in the whiteness beyond. ¡°Adam,¡± she called, grabbing her staff. Perception Check D20 + 3 + 23 (20) ¡°Oh, crap,¡± Adam whispered, spying the five forms laying low, before meeting the wolves¡¯ eyes. Adam¡¯s feet floated upwards from the snow, and he turned, flying backwards as he held out his hand, forming a fist. Trick: Flame Bolt Adam rained down Flame Bolts from the heavens towards the wolves, managing to slay them as he retreated back towards the fort. He flew upwards, but his body shuddered, and he quickly flew near the ground, following the retreating forms of the Iyrmen. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t get too high up,¡¯ Adam thought, not wanting to give the Iyrmen any reason to kill him. Victory! Wolves XP Gained: +100 XP: 16 000 -> 16 100 ¡°Wolves?¡± Jurot asked, holding Phantom in hand, ready and eager to fight. Adam dropped down, having flown over the locked gates, his eyes quickly scanning the scene to see the children all clustered together, holding onto their daggers tightly. Jaygak was with them, as well as Kitol and two of the teens, while the other two quickly took their place beside Jurot and Adam. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call them wolves,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯d call them Iyr wolves.¡± ¡°They grow well in the Iyr¡¯s lands,¡± Jurot said, his voice full of pride. ¡°You Iyrmen are crazy,¡± Adam said. ¡°You cast Fireball against yourself?¡± Jurot asked, noting the blackness against Adam¡¯s armour and clothing. Adam decided against replying as he marched atop the wall, while Kitool leapt up onto the tower, scanning the horizon with her keen eyes. She spotted more wolves charging the fort, many of them coming from where the group had just fled from, but another pack approached from the opposite side. ¡°Kids, into the cabin,¡± Adam ordered, before looking to the teens. ¡°You all get into the cabin too, and make sure you don¡¯t come out until I tell you.¡± ¡°We can fight,¡± Moyah said. ¡°Not as good as us,¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers before pointing to the cabin. ¡°I¡¯ll stay on the tower and rain down magic. Kitool, Jaygak, you two cover the side we just came from, Jurot, you can hold off the small pack heading from the other side.¡± Kitool leapt onto the snow, following Jaygak to their position, and Jurot marched his way to the gates, all the while rushed to the tower, where he could oversee the battlefield. The children did not see the carnage which came from the original four members of Fate¡¯s Golden, with Jaygak¡¯s magic burning the wolves while Kitool struck them to bits. Jurot held off a pack by himself, feeling their teeth sink against his muscles, their claws slashing against his steely pecs, though they did not fell him as he slew them, one by one. Adam¡¯s magic managed to soften a few of the wolves, but he did not need such support. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong,¡¯ Adam thought, noting how they had cleared the area. Wolves were beasts, and beasts which came across waves of fire usually fled, especially if it was the magics of an Iyrman and a queer Half Elf. Yet, these beasts seemed hell bent on charging towards them, even climbing across the fort¡¯s walls to get to them. ¡®I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! These wolves are truly build different. 476. The Trip III 476. The Trip III Jurot eagerly butchered the wolves they had slaughtered, cutting into the pelts, bleeding the creatures into the snow. Some of the children watched, excited as they watched the butchering. Wolves howled in the far distance, and Adam frowned. It would be a small issue to deal with the wolves, and even if they came across such a scene daily for the next week, they¡¯d easily be able to deal with it. However, this entire scenario caused Adam to think in the corner, his eyes glued to the forms of the Iyrmen, who all lived a different life to him. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have been able to beat Morkarai,¡¯ Adam thought. The thought continued to fill his mind, even as he looked at the XP he was currently sitting at. XP: 16, 200 It was more than enough to Level Up. His next Level would have been decent, that was for sure, increasing his Mana, increasing his Health, and generally making him less likely to die. Yet, he would still only be a fraction as powerful as he was previously, and there were still random old men in the world who could look his way and kill him. ¡°I¡¯m going to tear the scroll,¡± Adam said.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Jurot stopped his butchering and stood, and Kitool and Jaygak both nodded their heads his way. ¡°What?¡± a child said, all the other children looking the Half Elf¡¯s way. The teens also stared at Adam, surprised to hear that he was willing to tear the scroll. The wolves which would be upon them in the next few minutes wouldn¡¯t be a huge deal, especially considering the teens were fresh and could assist in the fights. ¡°You cannot,¡± another child said. ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked. The children looked between one another in various states of shock. ¡°You cannot,¡± the child repeated, pointing up at him, as though to put a final point in their statement. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous here, and I¡¯m not confident enough to protect you,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You are a coward,¡± a child said, pointing at him too. ¡°Yes.¡± The children shook from the blow of the word. Even the teens raised their brows in surprise, before they controlled their brows quickly. Adam admitting he was a coward had struck the Iyrmen deeply. How could he admit to something like that? ¡°You are no Iyrman!¡± a child declared. ¡°Obviously,¡± Adam replied. The teens looked towards Jurot, wondering what he would say. He was the oldest Iyrman here, and even the children looked his way for support. Jurot nodded, giving Adam his blessing to tear the scroll. ¡°This is not right!¡± a child cried. ¡°This is not right!¡± the children declared together. The howls echoed, but they were louder than before. Adam tore the scroll which he had been given, which burnt to ash in an instant, and scattered in the wind. The temperate around them dropped slightly, but they made to move, forcing the children into the cabin with the teens, whilst Adam took his place at the tower. ¡°Don¡¯t ask stupid questions, unless you want me to treat you like an idiot.¡± ¡°You old men are rude,¡± Strom said. ¡°You really won¡¯t tell me what you¡¯re still doing here, alive and well?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯m a dying old man! Who would I spill your secrets to?¡± ¡°Shama and Lord Stokmar,¡± Raith said, taking care to speak politely about the being who had been formed by the Gods hands. For someone with a deep connection to the Gods, Stokmar wasn¡¯t so bad. Strom grumbled quietly. ¡°So what do you think?¡± ¡°Of the Fae?¡± ¡°Only half.¡± ¡°Do I need to have an opinion about him?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he special?¡± ¡°Special? He is an Anomaly, foreign to this world. He has gained strength quickly, but he¡¯s easy enough to swat away.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t noticed?¡± Strom asked, smirking wide. ¡°I thought someone from your era would at least have sniffed it out.¡± ¡°Sniffed what out?¡± ¡°What are you offering for the information?¡± Strom asked. The old Raith remained silent, not wanting to give anything to Strom, who was known as a troublemaker, even back then. ¡°You¡¯re not tempted?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t live as long as me while being tempted by every little Hero who appears,¡± Raith replied, simply. Strom stared at the old man, who was older than even he. It had been a surprise to even himself to hear that this man was alive, even after finding out that Shama¡¯s father was alive too. No, it was less surprising this one was still alive in comparison to Asa, considering Asa had crossed many different borders, to the point it was near impossible to return. ¡°Are you one of the Nine?¡± Strom asked. Raith¡¯s glare caused the old Emperor to smile. ¡°I was only asking. I thought, since they would have probably killed you if you were still alive, you must have joined them to survive.¡± Raith¡¯s witty response remained within his mind, not wanting to give Strom even the slightest hint of a clue to anything the Lord of Storms was curious about. ¡°They think you¡¯re Wiseraith,¡± Strom said. The deadly silence continued, and after another round of grumbling, Strom stood up, leaving the old Raith be. Click banner for Patreon! Dun dun dun! 477. Predictable 477. Predictable ¡°Do you know who that Drakken is?¡± Adam whispered, taking a sip of the warm soup. ¡°Wiseraith,¡± Jurot replied, feeling the burn of the spice numb his lips. ¡°Whose that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Fazar slew Tameraith, Wiseraith¡¯s decendant, many generations ago,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I thought Fazar killed the Bronze Dragon, Rothclaw?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Falzar befriended the Brass Dragon, Rothclaw,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Oh...¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s way different.¡± ¡°Wiseraith was most active after the Iyr and the Blackwater Kingdom renewed their ties,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°He ravaged the northern territories for a year, before he was pushed back with the Iyr¡¯s assistance. It was then the White Dragon Knights were formed, one of the first Orders.¡± ¡°Yeah? I haven¡¯t heard about it though so...¡± Adam raised his brows. Jurot nodded. ¡°It was destroyed.¡± ¡°That sounds about right.¡± ¡°They were slain by Antalia, Entalia¡¯s mother, a few hundred years ago,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°They should have called themselves the Silver Dragon Knights.¡± Jurot¡¯s jaw tensed up. He stared at the ceiling, remaining silent as a thought passed through his mind. ¡®That was funny.¡¯ ¡®How old is Entalia then?¡¯ Adam thought, but he decided against asking for the age of the mother of his children. ¡°Anyway, yeah, Wiseraith?¡± ¡°The White Dragon Knights kept Wiseraith at bay for many years, as they swore themselves to keeping him away. He ravaged other regions in his time, making a name for himself in Noska and beyond. He was more active than typical Dragons, but was less active as time passed. When the Demons appeared, he fought for a short time, before disappearing.¡± ¡°So everyone believed he died to Demons?¡± ¡°Not everyone,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Iyr did not hold any belief.¡± ¡°So he was both alive and dead for the sake of the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡®The Iyr¡¯s so damn careful.¡¯ His thoughts fell to how close he had been to death within the Iyr. ¡®It was probably pretty touch and go for a while...¡¯ ¡°Wiseraith is strong,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I wish to face him in battle.¡± ¡°Is that why your fist is so tense?¡± Adam asked. Jurot relaxed his fist. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go fight him?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you hug me like Lanarot?¡± Jaygak asked, grabbing her brother¡¯s head, rubbing her knuckles against his skull. ¡°I am not a boy,¡± Raygak cried, struggling up against her. ¡°What if I was injured?¡± ¡°You are too strong to be injured!¡± Raygak said, struggling against her still. Jaygak snorted, before lifting the boy up, kissing his forehead. ¡°You crafty boy.¡± Raygak smirked slightly in response and hugged her, feeling the pulsing on his forehead from her noogie. Kitool sat beside Katool, who shuffled closer so they were touching hip to hip. The girl reached up with a piece of fruit, which Kitool accepted, only to feed her instead. Katool smiled. ¡°What is the story?¡± Sonarot asked, allowing them to speak the tale to their families. Jurot spoke the tale, and the woman nodded her head at the end of it. ¡°Yes. That is very Adam of you.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Am I truly so predictable?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± came the reply from many of the Iyrmen around. Adam frowned. ¡°You were going to mention that your muttering was a joke,¡± Sonarot said. Adam formed an open circle with his mouth, unable to stop his reflexes. ¡°Yo!¡± He shook his head. ¡°I really am predictable.¡± Sonarot smiled, waiting for it. ¡°It really was a joke though,¡± he said, his eyes snapping to the rest of the Iyrmen adults. Sonarot smiled wider, glad that she had called it. ¡°You gave up the potential for a great reward, but it is no shame to your honour. It is the Iyr¡¯s goal to protect its children, and you have done well. Even if you could protect them, if you thought there was a chance against it, then there is nothing anyone can say to shame you.¡± Adam lifted up his triplets and kissed their foreheads once more. ¡°If I can¡¯t protect the children of the Iyr, how could I possibly protect my own children?¡± Adam held onto his children tighter, pinning them to him. His eyes flashed towards Sonarot and Jurot, smiling to himself awkwardly, before furrowing his brows. ¡°Where are the Jarots?¡± Jarot returned with the twins, who were cooing in their baskets. ¡°You had to return so soon?¡± the old man asked, placing down the basket to one side before he sat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a father returning home to spoil his children?¡± Adam asked. Jarot sighed, wondering if he should beat the boy up, but decided against it. ¡°You returned so quickly? Did you not feel comfortable protecting the children?¡± ¡®Damn, I really am predictable,¡¯ Adam thought, frowning. ¡®Should I be a little more...¡¯ Adam shook his head, throwing away the thought. It was a bad idea to be more chaotic in the Iyr. ¡°Something like that.¡± Jarot remained frowning, sitting still within his seat. Everyone could see how he was tensing up, doing his best to control his annoyance. ¡®How could you return so quickly?¡¯ Jarot had taken the chance to take his greatchildren around the Iyr to show them off, but now that Adam had returned, it was far too embarrassing to continue. ¡®I should beat you up.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! Adam is predictable, but let''s face it, so is Jarot. 478. Adam’s Fault 478. Adam¡¯s Fault Adam returned to work right away, not wanting to give the Great Elders a chance to find any excuse to use against him. He continued enchanting the weapons for the Iyrmen to complete. ¡°What is this?¡± Adam asked, shocked, staring at his twins who were on all fours, their heads pointed up towards their father as he returned from work. ¡°No! You cannot do this! This is not right, not right!¡± Adam hoisted the pair up into his arms. ¡°How could you do this to daddy, you silly little babies.¡± Adam kissed their foreheads all over. ¡°You should stay small and cute forever. Why do you need to crawl?¡± Jarot remained silent, but he nodded his head from nearby. Even if Adam was a fool, he was also right whenever it came to this topic. ¡°They are growing well,¡± Sonarot said, smiling as Adam continued to pepper them in his kisses, causing his triplets to rush over towards him for some affection too. ¡°It may be time for them to eat solid food.¡± Adam¡¯s despair hung in the air as he embraced his children. ¡°How can you do this to me, Jirot? Jarot? How?¡± ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Nirot thought, wondering how Adam could dare to be sad about his children growing well. She shared a look with her cousin, who bowed his head simply, agreeing with her thought. ¡°You truly are close with your children,¡± Morkarai, the Fire Giant Prince, said, sipping some alcohol from beside Jarot. blinked. ¡®Did he just pop out from nowhere?¡¯ He thought back to when he arrived at the estate. No, there was a general blob to his periphery around his twins. ¡°Good evening, Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°I see you are well,¡± Morkarai said, smiling at the Half Elf. ¡®Damn. Why did he have to see me being cringe?¡¯ Adam sat down opposite Morkarai, holding his twins who stared up at their father, their eyes trailing across his familiar features. ¡°I see you¡¯re doing pretty well too.¡± Morkarai nodded. ¡°I have been enchanting for some time. I hear you¡¯ve been crafting too.¡± ¡°Well, you know, the Iyr asked me to assist and so I assist.¡± ¡°We are similar in that regard, one might suppose,¡± Morkarai said, speaking further with his eyes. Adam smirked, winking at the Giant. ¡°I suppose that is one way we are similar.¡± Morkarai poured Adam a drink. ¡°I have never seen anyone as close to their children as you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t blame them, Lord Morkarai, for their children certainly weren¡¯t as cute as mine,¡± Adam stated, as though it were fact. ¡°I suppose we cannot blame them if that is true,¡± the Giant said, staring at the two children, whose eyes fell onto his form, admiring his fiery red beard. ¡°May I hold them?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would try and steal my children right in front of their greatfather,¡± Adam said, shaking his head lightly. Morkarai exchanged a look with Jarot for a moment, who took baby Jarot from Adam, allowing Morkarai to pick up Jirot. He held the baby carefully, holding the back of her head with one hand, and her entire body with the other. She was so tiny, much tinier than even Human babies, though they were growing quickly, rapidly approaching the size of the other Iyrmen babes around. ¡°Do you find it difficult to raise the children?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°How can I find it difficult when everyone else is doing the hard work?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t breastfeed them, I don¡¯t entertain them in the day, I barely change their clothies.¡± Morkarai could hear the slight guilt within Adam¡¯s voice. ¡°You work hard every day, Adam. You should not forget it.¡± ¡°You must return before the festival,¡± the Family Elder said. ¡°It is expected of you.¡± ¡°I know what is expected of me,¡± Jarot shot back. ¡°Unlike you and those brothers of mine.¡± Adam sat between them awkwardly, keeping a hand on Jirot¡¯s leg, mostly to centre himself. He kept whatever thoughts he had about Mulrot within his mind, not wanting to curse at the old woman. She was still Jarot¡¯s wife, and Jurot¡¯s grandmother, so he couldn¡¯t think poorly of her, even if she rejected his kids, which she had every right to do. ¡°Jarot...¡± Mulrot said, staring down at him. She sighed, before motioning a hand, calling Churot back to her. ¡°Goodbye, cousin Adam,¡± Churot said, before they left, leaving the aura of awkwardness behind. Adam sighed, wondering if the boy would get into trouble for calling him a lower case cousin. ¡°How awkward,¡± Strom said, floating down towards the group. ¡°Baba,¡± Lanarot called, before rushing over to him, tripping into the snow, before picking herself up to cover Strom in snow. ¡°What a big girl you are now, Lanarot,¡± Strom said, lifting the girl up. The old man was the thinnest Adam had ever seen him, though he still held his typical grace. Lanarot smiled, pointing at the wall near them, before babbling and laughing at her joke. ¡°Of course she¡¯s a big girl, she¡¯s...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°No, what am I saying. Lanarot should also stay small and cute forever.¡± ¡°You should have Dwarf children,¡± Strom said. ¡°I¡¯ve been told they stay quite small for some time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°They grow slow, but well,¡± the old Emperor said, sitting down near them, with Lanarot on his lap. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot said, pointing at Adam, before looking up to Strom. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s your papa,¡± the old man said, before noting the awkwardness on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s the Rot families fault for not recognising the boon you are.¡± ¡°Is it really their fault?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s your fault a little too...¡± Strom ruffled Lanarot¡¯s hair. He noted how the triplets remained some ways away, narrowing their eyes at him. ¡®After all I¡¯ve done for you, you¡¯re still going to look at me like that?¡¯ Konarot held onto her siblings, taking them away from Strom¡¯s gaze. She formed a wall of snow which they could hide behind. Adam sighed. ¡°It¡¯s always your fault, Adam,¡± Strom said. ¡°You¡¯re always making a mess in the Iyr.¡± The old man smiled wide with mischief. ¡°I¡¯d have to try hard to make the mess you made.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± the Half Elf asked, obliviously. Click banner for Patreon! It''s always his fault. 479. Nightval Festival I 479. Nightval Festival I It was at that time that Elder Zijin sat opposite the Chief, accepting the fried dough snacks and fruit wine. These snacks had never tasted better, and the wine, never so rich. The Orcish Elder sighed, placing down his cup, his eyes meeting the Chief¡¯s. ¡°I am glad it was not squandered,¡± Zijin said. Iromin smiled. He had never felt so good after being proven so right. Perhaps it was his greatest victory as Chief, and would define his entire tenure as a Great Elder within the Iyr. Not long ago, the Great Elders had been so awfully unruly during the conversation about Adam, as they always were. Elder Wrath and Elder Teacher had revealed their doubts, but did not push as hard as Elder Forest or Elder Peace, who were far more suspicious about Adam. Iromin had remained silent, along with Elder Gold. ¡°It is my family¡¯s name which will go down in the books for this story,¡± Iromin said to the Great Elders during their meeting. ¡°Chief Iromin, who had made the most grave mistake of destroying a great boon for the Iyr, on behest of the wise counsel of his Great Elders. Though Baktu had graced the Iyr with a Half Elf by the name of Adam, who had been adopted into the Rot family, who had awoken the first Scribe Mage, who had the ability of a Chaos Enchanter, who had the ability to create Legendary weapons for the Iyr, which could be completed by even novice Enchanters, the Iyr still squandered his grace. Truly, a shame on their families, a shame on their name.¡± ¡°You are going too far, Chief,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°In a time like this, when a Year of Silence will befall us, you would choose to weaken the Iyr,¡± the Chief began, before his lips formed a sneer. ¡°If anyone else would hear, they would think you were an Aldishman.¡± The Chief had only dared to say such a thing to Elder Peace because she had the greatest patience of any Iyrman, save perhaps Elder Story. She rubbed the beads within her hand, the same beads she had inherited, rubbing along the white bead which was one of two beads shaped as a cube. ¡°I will not have my name sullied by such foolishness,¡± Iromin said. ¡°The matter of Adam, and his life and death, will be a matter shared between myself and Elder Story, alone. The matter of Adam, and his children, is no matter for the Great Elders, who have been blinded by shamelessness. To lose the ability of a Half Elf who could create Legendary weapons. He, who holds Baktu¡¯s favour? I will not allow it. Not while I am Chief.¡± The Chief had only raged once before like this, and it was recently too. It was the matter of Adam¡¯s children, but thanks to both Zijin and Jarot, Iromin had fought the Great Elders about the children. After Adam¡¯s reported cowardice, the Great Elders couldn¡¯t help but feel that Adam was showing off, having caught on to their scheming. Yet, there was someone else who had been brought to the Great Elders towards the end of the meeting. The young boy stared nervously at the Great Elders, but Iromin held out his hand towards Asoyah, who took the old man¡¯s hand in his own. ¡°What do you think of Adam?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Adam is very cool,¡± Asoyah said, a shy smirk on his face. ¡®Very cool?¡¯ Iromin picked the boy up, kissed his forehead, where his tattoo would be placed when he would become a man, and let him go. The young boy quickly rushed away, going off to spend time with the Guests of the Iyr, as had been promised to him. ¡°Would you deny the words of little Asoyah?¡± Iromin asked. The Great Elders sighed. Asoyah had been used to keep an eye on Adam, something Iromin had planted to show his sincerity to the Great Chiefs. Since the boy had come and vouched for Adam, it was obvious what Iromin would declare from it. Iromin¡¯s threats silenced the matter, which had been entrusted exclusively to him, with unanimous approval from the other Great Elders. Zijin smiled as he stared at the sky above them. He had no idea what had been said during the meeting, for only the Great Elders and Strom knew what was said, but Iromin had declared the matter over. Jarot led his grandson and greatchildren through the festival, greeting familiar faces, before introducing his greatchildren to them. The older Iyrmen each smiled and greeted the babies, cooing over them and how cute they were. ¡°They will grow big and strong,¡± they all had said without fail, causing Adam to frown, and Jarot to refute their statement. ¡°How you have grown,¡± Gangak said, reaching out a hand to rub their heads gently. ¡°Look at how you smile. Is Jarot treating you well, or would you like nano to deal with him?¡± ¡°Deal with me?¡± Jarot asked, raising his brow at the Gak Family Elder. ¡°Even if I have retired, I would not lose to you.¡± ¡°If it is for their sake, you would,¡± the elderly Iyrman replied. Adam noted she did not smell like a smoker any longer. ¡°If it¡¯s for their sake, I¡¯ll beat up their babo.¡± ¡°Would you like revenge?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You¡¯re lucky they like you, old geezer, that¡¯s the only reason you haven¡¯t lost to me yet,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You are too young to face me yet,¡± Jarot said. They continued exploring through the festival, with Jarot stopping them to grab some food, before they sat down within a shared family estate and Jarot began to feed the babies some baby food. ¡°Look at how well you both eat,¡± the old Iyrman said, his eyes beaming brightly down towards them. ¡°You do not need to rush eating, little Jirot, no one will steal your food from you.¡± He cleaned up their faces once they were done. He held the babies one by one, alternating between them every so often, each of them enjoying the time they spent passing between their father and greatfather. ¡°Jarot,¡± came a familiar voice. Adam looked back to see Sarot. ¡°We must speak.¡± Jarot stared at his younger brother, his eyes filled with a great fury, though they softened as baby Jarot reached up for his face. ¡°We will speak later.¡± Sarot sighed, before looking down to Adam, who sat opposite his brother. ¡°Adam, it is-,¡± ¡°We will speak later,¡± Jarot repeated, cutting his brother off. Sarot remained quiet, but bowed his head, retreating away. ¡®Why is it all so awkward?¡¯ Adam cried within his heart. Click banner for Patreon! Damn. Interlude: Brothers Interlude: Brothers The purple light of dusk washed over the snow. Two Iyrmen sat opposite one another at a table, silent. Between them were two cups and a bottle of wine, peach wine, that which the Rot family loved most. It was a bottle which had been kept in the Rot family¡¯s vault for generations, ever since Jarot¡¯s birth. Sarot poured his elder brother a cup of wine, before pouring himself a cup. He had no doubt his brother would have complained about his singular arm if he had waited any longer, for that was how he was. Jarot stared down at the wine. It was dark, though he could see his face from the reflection of he nearby lamp light. For a moment he saw his younger self, the one who had gone out with his red shield, and had slain all manner of beasts. In his youth, when he was wild and free, he had caused the Iyr all manner of trouble. A snowflake dropped down into the wine. ¡°It was snowing then too,¡± Jarot said, quietly. ¡°When I left the Iyr, when I had become a man, my forehead still burning. You were a boy then, your forehead bare, your face full of tears. Your eyes asked me to stay, but you did not speak the words.¡± ¡°I knew you would not stay even if I asked,¡± Sarot replied. ¡°You were too wild for the Iyr to keep until you were sixteen.¡± Jarot¡¯s lips broke into a wide smile. ¡°They were glad to be rid of me. I trekked through the snow, and made my way through the first village. Chief Merl had become the Chief then, a girl who was forced to become a woman so young. She was afraid of me when she first saw me, but she did not speak her fear. She treated me like an Iyrman, allowing me a few days to prepare, but I left in the morning, without saying goodbye.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d never return to the Iyr,¡± Sarot admitted. ¡°I was prepared to take the role of Family Head. It was not that you were not suited for it, but we did not believe you would return. Not even father.¡± ¡°Everyone believed I would go and become a warlord, as many before me,¡± Jarot said, nodding his head slowly. Even he had thought the life of a warlord would have suited him. ¡°I would sleep at night under the stars, and I would see the stars I saw in the Iyr. They were in different places, but they were there. When I slept, the Iyr came to me in my dreams. No, perhaps I went to the Iyr in my dreams. When I bled, I saw the Iyr too, and when I killed, I saw the Iyr.¡± Sarot raised his brows. This was the first time he heard his brother talk about this. ¡°The Iyr had already taken your heart, even then?¡± ¡°I do not know, but I did not forget the Iyr, nor the warmth it provided, even during nightval.¡± ¡°It was a surprise to see you when I had returned,¡± Sarot said. Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com Jarot smiled. ¡°I was leaving then, for a second time. You had returned after your first few years. Your Iron tag held five holes.¡± ¡°It was six holes,¡± Sarot corrected. Sarot winced from the words, the blow striking him harshly. ¡°What have I done to lose your trust in me, brother?¡± ¡°Sarot.¡± Jarot¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Are you suitable? I do not know. Are you better than me in these matters? I do not know.¡± Jarot shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Even if it is not true, I must believe in it. I must believe that you were suitable for the position before you passed it to Mulrot. I must believe, brother.¡± Sarot frowned, taking a sip of his wine, seeing the words which remained on his brother¡¯s lips. ¡°I must believe in the way of we Iyrmen. I must believe that our way is best, even if it is not true. The rules we have, even if I have rebelled against them, I must believe that they are best.¡± Jarot thought back to when it was raining on that day. ¡°Even back then, I would have forced my way forward, and I would have been beaten by the Chief. I would have been forced to swallow the truth. The Iyr has its rules, it has its customs, and I must believe in them.¡± ¡°Then you must return,¡± Sarot said. ¡°We are not Aldish, Sarot, that we move to act when it best interests us. We Iyrmen have always prepared for whatever we must, even if it was inconceivable. When Aldland fell a dozen times since our treaties, it was the Iyr which kept it together. How many times could we have become masters of this land? Yet our borders are a javelin throw beyond Five Bends, as it has been promised, by the King of the Aldish, and our ancestors before us.¡± Jarot pushed away the empty cup. ¡°And now?¡± Jarot whispered, as though his words were poison. ¡°The Iyr is outnumbered. A hundred to one, at least. There was a time disease ravaged this land, and yet the Iyr did not suffer, for even diseases dare not tread on our land. We could have conquered the land then, but we did not. When Demons set foot on this land, destroying cities which had stood for hundreds of years, killing more than half the population of Aldishmen, we could have conquered the land then, but we did not. When the royal family¡¯s influence had fallen low, when even three Duchesses and the Duke came to us, offering us the treasury of the Blackwater family to march alongside them, what did we Iyrmen do?¡± ¡°We called Reimwing, and joined beside the King¡¯s forces, forcing the pretenders back.¡± ¡°At that time, if the Iyr wished for it, we could have asked for more, for the King to be our puppet. For the Blackwater family to remain within the Iyr¡¯s debt, but we did no more than we had to, for that was promised. By blood and steel, for that is what an Iyrman¡¯s word is, and will always be.¡± Jarot tapped the table with his finger to accentuate his point repeatedly. ¡°We did so, because we believe it is right. We did so, because we believe it even if it does not benefit us, for there is glory in the ways of we Iyrmen by such virtues.¡± ¡°Greater than gold,¡± Jarot continued after a moment of silence. ¡°Greater than diamonds. Greater even the Oaths of Guardians. The Iyrman¡¯s word is in a class of its own, and it is only so, because we believe it to be, and we act as though it is. Even if it is not true, I must believe in it, Sarot.¡± Sarot remained silent, his hands resting against the table between them. It was more like a wall between them, the brothers who could have, if they so wished, reached for higher heights in the Iyr. ¡°How could I hear the words from those called Iyrmen, those who I call Rot, that Goblins cannot help the Iyr. That we must take into consideration what is best for the Iyr and our family.¡± Jarot inhaled deeply, keeping his voice calm. ¡°So what if his children do not share his blood? Why should we deny Jirot and Jarot the same rights we wished to give to them when they all do not share his blood?¡± Sarot stared at the watery eyes of his elder brother, who had long passed the stage of anger, and only knew the despair and betrayal of those who he called his family. ¡®It was Jarot who brought the Devilkin into the Iyr, and it is Jarot who brings Goblins into our family.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! This chapter got me in the heart. 480. Nightval Festival II 480. Nightval Festival II Omen: 11, 12 ¡°Jurot, come,¡± Jarot called, forcing Jurot to wear the baby carrier, and his twin niece and nephew against his chest. Adam crossed his arms, annoyed by the fact he had to give up his children, but he remained silent, allowing Jurot to leave with his grandfather. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, tugging on Adam¡¯s leg, before reaching up with her arms. Adam lifted her up, rubbing his cheek against her forehead, before nuzzling against her nose. ¡°Did you miss papa yesterday?¡± ¡°Oo,¡± the girl replied, resting her head against his shoulder, fiddling with her gloves. ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Adam apologised, kissing her cheek. ¡°You can stay with me, smelly girl.¡± Lanarot giggled quietly, cuddling up to her elder brother. She babbled quietly at him, sometimes pointing to the wall and snow. She raised her hands up questioningly. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, pulling her closer into his chest, brushing the strands of hair which peeked out of her hat. ¡°Will you enjoy this festival without enchanting once?¡± Sir Vonda joked, smiling at Adam from behind her scarf. ¡°I have children now, so I have to take the time off properly,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°May I accompany you?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°How could I refuse?¡± Adam asked, letting Lanarot down, allowing the girl to lead the way. ¡°Oof,¡± Lanarot said, pressing herself against a stall, trying to climb atop it to grab at the treasured bread. As the bread passed over her to her brother, she groaned and cried, but Adam brought it to her lips, silencing her cries with deliciousness. ¡°She really loves bread,¡± Vonda said. ¡°She¡¯s always loved bread,¡± Adam said. ¡°She has good taste.¡± Adam smiled, and Sir Vonda could see something deeper within the smile, which forced away some of the darkness which she sometimes saw. They travelled together through the Iyr, filling up on the snacks of the Iyr, even finding Dunes, who held out a wrap for Lanarot. She bit into the wrap and smiled, before her eyes went wide. She groaned, blowing out against her lips. Adam brought some snow to her lips, which cooled her lips, and the girl stared suspiciously at Dunes. The Half Elf took her wrap, tearing off some of the bread, before finishing the spicy kebab wrap in her stead. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Dunes betrayed you like this, Lanababy.¡± Lanarot angrily bit into the flat bread, before hiding herself against her brother¡¯s leg. She babbled affirmatively at Adam¡¯s accusation. ¡°Who dares to betray our little Lanarot?¡± called a familiar voice, who whisked the girl up into his arms. ¡°Baba,¡± the girl said, pointing up at Strom. ¡°I did not betray you, you smelly girl,¡± Strom said, causing Adam to tilt his head. ¡°Is it this Priest? That¡¯s why I said you can¡¯t trust Priests.¡± ¡°Oi,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that Vonda and Dunes are quite dependable, actually.¡± Strom smiled. ¡°Is that the case? Well, I will have to take Lanarot away to tell her the truth.¡± Strom floated upwards, taking the girl away from the pair, waving goodbye with his fingers. Adam replied with a raise of his own brows, relenting on that point at least. ¡°Once I get my own keep, I¡¯ll move the kids there. I can¡¯t keep accepting their favour freely.¡± Vonda blinked. ¡°Freely? Adam, you have spent the last three months enchanting for the Iyr. It is changing, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve felt it too, and though I do not know why, you have assisted them so much. Can anyone dare to claim that you are living with them freely? If you are living freely, what of Dunes and I? We assist with labour sometimes, and though I grant my spells, it is nothing compared to what you have done for the Iyr.¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°I guess.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just worried. The Rot family hasn¡¯t accepted them. Their lives are going to be difficult. They¡¯re Goblins and Dragons, Vonda. Jirot and Jarot, they can be slain because people view them like rats, vermin. The other three might be slain for their bodies, or for glory.¡± ¡°What will you do?¡± ¡°I was thinking about creating a force, but... I can¡¯t even protect them, so how am I meant to create a force to protect them?¡± ¡°I have been with you long enough to know to believe in you,¡± Vonda said, smiling warmly. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I mean, maybe? I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s misplaced, but... I mean, Nobby might be an Expert soon, I guess. If he¡¯s anything like Jurot, then damn, you know? If I can create a bunch of Experts like Jurot, then maybe I can sleep a little more peacefully at night.¡± ¡°I would feel great comfort in that,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°Jurot is...¡± She recalled how Jurot was one of the few who remained up after battling Shama, and he had stood up again, along with Kitool, to try to beat the old monster down. He was the only one who had drawn even a drop of blood. ¡°He is strong.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but agree. ¡°Still, I need to be strong. Stronger than anyone else. If I was to create a force... Master, no, Grandmaster, for sure.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly, sipping his wine. ¡°I believe you can do it.¡± Adam sighed, closing his eyes. Vonda¡¯s belief did little to lift the cloud of anxiety. He had buried the darkness within himself, but it seeped out every so often. The darkness was a greater foe than Adam could deal with. ¡°I hope we can find that enchanting shrine.¡± Vonda reached for his hand, causing Adam to jolt upwards, and she quickly pulled her hand back in shock. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You should at least warn me before you touch me, Vonda,¡± Adam replied, chuckling nervously. ¡°Do you know how scary it is for me to be touched by pretty women out of the blue?¡± Adam thought back to Entalia, and the way she sometimes looked at him. Then there was Lucy, who would stare at the Iyrmen hungrily too. He shuddered at the thought, before smiling, bursting into laughter. Vonda glanced aside, the heat in her cheeks filling her with warmth. She wondered if she should speak with Adam about her thoughts, but she decided against it. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Adam smiled, relaxing in his seat once more. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Vonda¡¯s hands awkwardly shifted from the table to her lap. ¡°I must admit, I was shocked when you saved Jirot and Jarot. I would have saved them too, but not because I thought they were like us, but because of the Right to Life. I did not see them like myself, like a person. However...¡± She paused for a moment, falling into thought. ¡°Seeing them grow. Seeing them giggle joyfully. Seeing how you dote on them. How can they not be people, like you and I?¡± ¡°Vonda?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t my kids the cutest?¡± Adam smiled with the smuggest of smiles. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°They are.¡± Adam continued to sip his drink, speaking of how much he adored his children. Vonda smiled, her adoration for Adam increasing. ¡®It is only admiration, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I''m still trying to fight the romance tag. 481. Nightval Festival III 481. Nightval Festival III Omen: 7, 12 ¡°Cousin Adam, you must play with us today,¡± Katool demanded, pointing up at him. Adam blinked, staring down at the girl. His entire body tensed up as she stared up at him with a look of annoyance. ¡°Kitool, your sister is terrifying,¡± Adam whispered. Kitool decided against responding to Adam, understanding where this was going, and not wanting to humour him. ¡°Her cuteness is terrifying.¡± Kitool nodded, though she had not needed to be told about such matters. ¡°Cousin Adam, you must play with us today!¡± Turot declared, also pointing up at him, puffing out his cheeks. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You are Cousin Adam,¡± the boy said, staring up at the Half Elf with Iyrman conviction. Adam narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowed in thought. ¡°That does make sense. I suppose I should, then.¡± Turot nodded, and Katool smiled. Adam joined the children, who led him around the Iyr. There were a few Iyrmen who looked his way, noting that he wasn¡¯t an Iyrman, and yet he was walking around with a bunch of the Iyr¡¯s children. However, seeing the axe at his side, the symbol of the Rot family, his leaf shaped ears, and the fact he was walking alongside Turot, they put the pieces together and left him be, though still kept an eye on him. Adam tossed a snowball towards Katool, who ducked just in time, though she hadn¡¯t needed to, before Taygak managed to strike his side with a snowball. Adam fell, and Taygak hollered in excitement, before she was struck by Saygak. Taygak fell, and Saygak smiled, with a snowball swooshing past his head, hitting the ground. He turned, finding Raygak stuck in shock, for he had snuck up on his cousin with ease, and had the most perfect shock. ¡°This is not right!¡± Raygak shouted, before he was pelted by a snowball from Turot. The group eventually found their way to a stall to eat, eating fried pastries, some of which were full of cheese, which oozed out as they bit into the flaky crust. ¡®Man, what I would do for a cheese and onion bake from big G right now,¡¯ Adam thought, though he thoroughly enjoyed the pastry. ¡°Adam, come,¡± Taygak said, motioning with her hand before leading the children, and Adam, away. She made her way towards the sound of fighting, and there they found Jaygak, adorned in armour, swinging a blade as she warmed up her body. ¡°Cousin Jaygak, we come,¡± Taygak said, throwing out her arm to reveal the rest of the children. ¡°Have you all come to watch me fight?¡± Jaygak asked, smiling at the group. ¡°Yes,¡± the children replied. ¡°Then I can¡¯t lose,¡± Jaygak said, ruffling the children¡¯s hair. ¡°Have you come to bet?¡± ¡°Sure. A hundred gold?¡± ¡°On me winning or losing?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bet against you, Jaygak,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Right,¡± Jaygak replied, her voice full of doubt. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would say that after all we¡¯ve been through,¡± Adam said, pouting. ¡°I do not have Stormdrake.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam fell silent for a moment. ¡°Then maybe I should bet against you.¡± Saygak held up a slice of pizza for her as she sipped her wine, nodding his head. Jaygak looked down at all the children who were pampering her, before she wrapped her arms around them, feeling her heart stir. ¡°Why are you all so cute? My cousins are the cutest!¡± It was then it struck her heart, the reason why the Iyrmen spill blood. Iyrheart. ¡°I¡¯ll become strong! So strong that you can tell everyone how amazing your big sister is!¡± Jaygak declared. ¡°My sister is so strong!¡± Raygak shouted, before biting his pizza angrily. ¡°Strong!¡± Katool shouted, with the other children all shouting, causing the other Iyrmen nearby to glance their way. Adam laughed, chuckling lightly, before trying to hush the children gently. ¡°It seems you have awoken Jaygak,¡± called a familiar voice. Adam jolted up, looking back to see Sarot, who was standing tall behind the Half Elf. ¡°What¡¯s with you Iyrmen? Every time...¡± Sarot looked down to Adam, before motioning with his head. ¡°Come, Adam. We must talk.¡± Adam pat his chest, trying to calm his heart, following the old Iyrman away. They stepped out to a corner, where they were mostly alone, as alone as anyone could be within the Iyr. ¡®Is this guy going to stab me?¡¯ Sarot turned, causing Adam to jump, reaching for his chest once more. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. Sarot had many questions for the Half Elf, though he wasn¡¯t sure which he should ask. ¡°Why did you give Jaygak such a great weapon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been asked this question a lot,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°She¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°That is all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you not wish to hand it down to Lanarot?¡± Sarot asked. ¡°It is such a great weapon, one which even the Iyr covets.¡± ¡°Lanarot?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow towards the old Iyrman. ¡°Lanarot? A sword? How could you suggest such a thing. Just because I¡¯m her brother, that doesn¡¯t make her any less of a Rot.¡± ¡®How did he turn this back to me?¡¯ Sarot thought, sighing. His eyes remained on the Half Elf, whose brows were furrowed, obviously offended by such a question. Sarot knew this would be one of the last times he would meet with Adam. ¡°Good,¡± Sarot said, nodding his head. ¡°You are a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± He placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezed it, and left. Adam blinked, turning to watch the old Iyrman leave, wondering what had happened. ¡®He is certainly brother¡¯s grandson,¡¯ Sarot thought. Click banner for Patreon! There was a small chance Sarot was there to kill him. 482. Nightval Festival IV 482. Nightval Festival IV Omen: 7, 9 ¡°We are sorry, Adam,¡± Mulrot said, sitting opposite the Half Elf. The light of the noon sun barely broke into the Iyr, providing them with gentle light, but very little warmth. ¡°We have said things no Iyrman ever should.¡± ¡°Ah, well...¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. The heat of the tea flowed upwards, creating a barrier between the pair. They sat within Elder Zijin¡¯s courtyard, the Elder remaining nearby, writing some matters in his books. Sonarot sat off to one side too, sitting near the older Jarot, while the twins cuddled up to his side. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t sympathise. I¡¯m a bit of a troublemaker, and it¡¯s not like bringing in Goblins to the family will ever bring you glory.¡± Mulrot winced at the words which she had stated back then. The words had formed a rift between herself and her husband, and her daughter, the Family Head. It was not a rift which would have destroyed the family, and when it was required, they would have worked together for the Iyr, but the mood was something which she could not stand. ¡°We have always been those who pride ourselves in our words and actions, but we have betrayed your trust,¡± the old Family Elder said, warming her hands against the cup of tea. Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, looking to Jarot sitting off to one side, with Jirot and Jarot beside him. When he had heard that Mulrot had come to speak with Adam, he had forced his way in to attend, bringing his greatchildren with him. It was an obvious message to Mulrot, who knew his stubbornness. ¡°Since we have accepted you as a Nephew of our family, and that you are Jurot¡¯s brother, it was only natural to accept your children into our family. We, who are of the Iyr, used a foreign notion of family when discussing your children. Even if they are not your blood, you have accepted them, in the same way that the Iyr accepts its children.¡± ¡°I hope you understand why I felt so sour when you accepted only the two children who shared blood with me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though, I¡¯m certain if they didn¡¯t share my blood, you still would have accepted them back then, but it was still wrong to judge them like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mulrot asked, tilting her head. ¡°It has been confirmed that the triplets are Adam¡¯s children by blood,¡± Zijin said, writing more notes within his book. ¡°We were not informed of this matter,¡± Mulrot said. Adam frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We were not informed they were related to you by blood,¡± Mulrot said. Adam looked to Jarot, who nodded his head slowly, his face revealed that this was the first time he had heard of it. After all this time, no one had told them that the Half Dragon children were Adam¡¯s by blood. There was always a joke that they were Adam¡¯s and Entalia¡¯s, though they expected the children to be Talias by blood, and given to Adam to raise for some reason, but for them to actually be Adam¡¯s children... ¡°So?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is that relevant?¡± He had thought this entire time they had accepted the Half Dragons because they were his by blood, but to think it was actually because of their race... His blood began to boil at the thought, but he sighed out, trying to calm himself, though the frustration was still evident on his face. Mulrot sighed too, rubbing her forehead. ¡°No, it was not relevant.¡± ¡°You know, I can¡¯t help but wonder why you¡¯ve decided to accept them now,¡± Adam said, looking to Elder Zijin. ¡®Was it about what Strom said?¡¯ ¡°I heard that I caused a bit of an uproar recently, though I wasn¡¯t told of the details.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how any of this works, but it seems to me that the Iyrmen, so proud of their rules, decide not to follow them with it doesn¡¯t benefit them, even if they say otherwise. I, at one point, trusted you, Family Elder Mulrot,¡± Adam said, awkwardly, unsure of what to call her. ¡°I trusted you because you were Jurot¡¯s grandmother, in the same way that I trusted Jarot. However, I trust Jarot today because he is my children¡¯s greatfather.¡± ¡°We made a mistake,¡± Mulrot said. ¡°We are sorry, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah, you did make a mistake. You can get away with making those mistakes because you, your Rot family, your Iyr, you¡¯re way stronger than me, and I need your help. I¡¯m certain if I was ever to make a mistake, you wouldn¡¯t give me a second chance.¡± ¡°That is not true.¡± ¡°Can I believe that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°With so much at stake?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I will give you a second chance.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°If you say so, then it must be true.¡± The thought crossed his mind that even Sonarot could betray her, but he pushed it away. If Sonarot would betray him, then there was really no point in him living, and there was no chance for his children to live either. ¡°I will inform the family, as the Family Elder, that your children are now Nephews and Nieces of the family, by Jurot¡¯s right,¡± Mulrot said. ¡°Alright, thanks,¡± Adam said. Sonarot sat down beside Adam, holding the back of his hand. She had noted that Adam, who had been poured tea, hadn¡¯t drunk a drop. She pulled him to his chest, hugging him tight. ¡°Your children will always be welcome within our family, Adam.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, letting her embrace him tight. He remained within the shared family estate that day, sitting with his children, his triplets having chosen to sleep in the snow beside him. Jarot, too, remained with him and his greatchildren. ¡°You¡¯re not going to enjoy the festival?¡± Adam asked. Jurot, who had sat near Adam, shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said, crossing his arms. He, who still felt the guilt eating at his heart due to what happened back then. He, who had sat silently while his grandmother refused the children. ¡®I should have said something.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! :( I might post up double chapters soon. 483. Nightval Festival V 483. Nightval Festival V Omen: 6, 9 ¡°Do you want to explore the festival with daddy?¡± Adam asked, picking up his eldest daughter. She smiled shyly and rested her head against his chest as she embraced him. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± He kissed her face all over, and showered the rest of the triplets in his affection. Jurot held Lanarot in his arms, though she motioned for Adam to pick her up, jealous that the other three received his attention. Adam showered her in affection before letting her down, allowing her to lead the way as they explored the festival together, the triplets, their father, uncle, and their tiny aunt. As they came across the fights, Adam reached down to pick Konarot up, but she followed Lanarot to go watch them, with her siblings following right behind her. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought, standing near his children as they watched the fights, hearing the wailing and screaming of their aunt¡¯s thirst for blood. ¡®What have we done to her?¡¯ They found some food, mostly bread, and made their way to a shared family estate where they could eat and drink in peace. Adam allowed his children to bite from his bread first, before taking a bite himself. Lanarot bit into a piece of bread, before biting into a pepper. She quickly spat out the food, shocked as she stared at it. She had never been betrayed by round bread before, having not realised it could be filled with other foods other than cheese, especially not peppers. She looked to her brothers, before she started to shake, crying loudly. ¡°What a silly girl,¡± Adam said, picking her up, giving her some water to drink, and lined up her lips with fresh snow. She quickly stopped crying, as Adam handed her some bread he hard torn apart for her. She pulled away from it for a moment, but she took it, looking at the piece all over, before biting into it. ¡°She will learn to love peppers soon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We Rot must, since we live with the Gaks.¡± ¡°Did you hate spicy food too as a kid?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I did not like it,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Jaygak always found a way to make me eat them.¡± ¡°Was she a prankster when she was a kid too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So that means there¡¯s no chance for Lanarot to lose her blood thirst,¡± Adam muttered. ¡°She will learn our ways well,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Lanarot,¡± Adam called, causing his sister to look up at him, before he hugged her close. ¡°You cannot grow up! You have to be small and cute forever.¡± Lanarot smiled and giggled quietly, before offering him some of her bread. ¡°You can¡¯t bribe me with just bread alone, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, taking the bread, and feeding her with it. ¡°You have to stay small and cute forever. You too, my little babbies, you have to be tiny and cute forever.¡± Konarot opened her mouth for the bread, and Adam fed her, feeding the rest of his children too. ¡°They will grow up well,¡± Jurot said. Adam narrowed his eyes at his brother, though the Iyrman did not relent. ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°They were named after great warriors,¡± Jarot said, simply. ¡°Yeah? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard the stories of those lot before.¡± ¡°Konarot slew Windusvir, the Land Wyrm, and allowed Aswadasad freer access to its deserts. Kirot fought alongside Baron Merryweather against the Ghost Skulls who once came to ravage the land after a Great Twilight. Karot fell to a Champion of War.¡± ¡°Why did the Champion of War kill him?¡± Adam asked. As far as he knew, the Iyr and Wahtu, Lady Arya, were quite close. She looked to Elder Zijin, and then turned. ¡°The Iyr wreaks, so I¡¯ll leave now. Enjoy the festival.¡± ¡°Entalia,¡± Adam called, pausing. He pulled his lips taut, realising he couldn¡¯t ask her for that. ¡°Have a nice nightval, and I hope to speak to you soon.¡± She nodded, and left, an escort of Iyrmen assisting her out. Adam stared at the rings, before reaching down to take them into her hands. The rings themselves were worth a fair sum of change too. He wondered what was in the rings. ¡®Should I give it to them now, or...¡¯ Sonarot led Adam to the Rot family treasury, where Adam checked what was within the rings. Three rings were identical, and the last two rings held more coin of different colours, and the gems were also different coloured. There were also furs, fine weapons and armours too. Adam counted the coins and the gems, with Sonarot assisting him with their general worth. ¡°About ten thousand gold in coins and gems,¡± he said, looking to the furs and weapons. ¡°The furs, armours, and weapons total to four or five thousand,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She just had to show me up,¡± Adam said, his lips forming a small smile. It was one thing for Entalia to bring rings for the triplets, but another for her to bring the same for his twins. Sonarot wanted to mention how they were Nieces and Nephews of the Rot family, but she smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. Entalia had followed the Iyrmen out towards the Front Iyr, moving as swiftly as they would allow her. She had wanted to avoid the Front Iyr, due to the presence of those four, but since the Iyr was in such a state, she decided against causing trouble. Her journey to the Iyr had been delayed for some time, with many stating she should not cause trouble to the Iyr when they were behaving awkwardly. However, she had forced her way to the Iyr, wanting to cut the connection she had between herself and the children. The secret would only last for a short while, but she had done all she could to deal with it cleanly. She stepped past the centre, passing the Dragon who had long been thought dead, a Dragon from an era forgotten by most. ¡°Leaving already?¡± Strom asked, tossing her a gourd full of wine. She stepped aside, allowing one of her escorts to catch it. ¡°The Iyr wreaks of dead men. It¡¯s not pleasant.¡± ¡°Did you at least say your goodbyes to them?¡± ¡°There is no need, since they have nothing to do with me,¡± Entalia said, simply. The other two Dragons, who had smelled the connection between Adam and her, and had formed the connection between the Half Dragons and the pair, smirked slightly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Strom said. ¡°Those five have nothing to do with you, and they¡¯re part of the Iyr now, so you can¡¯t threaten them any longer.¡± The words were from a dying old man, and though they were not meant for Entalia, they were for the others who may have dared to forget their place while they were in the Iyr. ¡°The Iyr was smart enough to adopt them as their own,¡± Entalia said, continuing the play. Strom smirked wide, bowing his head, allowing the young Queen to leave. The pair were the only two to know about Adam¡¯s child, though Elder Story probably knew it too. However, there was also something she didn¡¯t know, something which only he, the Chief, Elder Forest, Elder Gold, and Elder Story knew. ¡®I¡¯m going to miss all the fun,¡¯ the dying old man thought. Click banner for Patreon! Strom? Dying? For real? No way. 484. Nightval Festival VI 484. Nightval Festival VI Omen: 9, 18 Strom flew Lanarot around the blocks of the Iyr¡¯s shared estates, before dropping down into a pile of snow, which burst upwards and around them. The tiny girl clapped excitedly and squealed with joy as he played with her, almost wetting herself from the sheer joy of their play. ¡®It¡¯s not fair,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®He¡¯s allowed to go up higher than me, but isn¡¯t she my sister? Why can¡¯t I fly her around everywhere? This is bullying!¡¯ Lanarot was panting for air, tired from the laughter. Strom tickled her nose, before picking her up, patting her back gently. ¡°Did you have lots of fun?¡± Lanarot replied affirmatively with her babbling, continuing to pant still. Strom smiled, and placed her down, ruffling her hair through her hat. ¡°You can go now, little one. Have fun with your papa.¡± Lanarot rushed up to Adam, almost tripping over, grabbing onto his leg. ¡°Papa.¡± ¡°Your other papa,¡± Strom said, waving his hand, levitating her away towards Jurot. Lanarot gasped as she floated through the air, before she landed beside Jurot, who she hugged quickly. ¡°Ooh!¡± she gasped, tapping the snow with her foot, before climbing up Jurot¡¯s lap to hug him close. ¡®He keeps bullying me! This isn¡¯t fair!¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡°Adam,¡± Strom called, holding out a gourd full of wine. ¡°Come.¡± The old man trekked through the snow, away from the shared family estate. No Iyrman was assigned to escort him, but he was still allowed to freely travel through the Iyr. He found a cabin to one side. An Iyrman who had been tailing him, out of earshot, as had been requested by the old man, cleared the area of any other Iyrman nearby, and kept an eye out for them. Strom poured some wine into Adam¡¯s cup, his hand shaking slightly, before filling his own. He sipped the wine, peach, just as the Rot family preferred. Adam sipped his cup too, waiting for Strom to speak. ¡°I will be dying soon,¡± Strom said. The words weighed heavily on Adam. He had known the old man was dying, and it had been well over a year since they had met before, but it had flown by so quickly. He had thought about it a few times recently too, and every time he forced the thoughts away. ¡°Dragon Fall. That is the affliction which has taken me. It is something which enters the hearts of Dragons, and takes root over centuries. It¡¯s something I had felt many years ago, and it was something that I didn¡¯t fight. I thought I had found the perfect time to retire, to pass on my throne, so that I could fight with my friend one last time, but...¡± Strom sipped the rest of his wine and sighed. ¡°She had other plans, that bitch. I still can¡¯t believe she left without telling me...¡± Adam remained silent, allowing the old man to reminisce. ¡°We Dragons can live long, but the world will not allow us to live peacefully. Many of our kin are killed before they turn a thousand, and those who live beyond such years, they will experience all manner of maladies. Dragon Fall, or the Iyr¡¯s blade.¡± He laughed at his own joke, coughing into his elbow. He winced, feeling the tingle of where his arm had been sliced. ¡°Even if I tried to delay it, I would have succumbed to it eventually. One hundred years? A thousand years? It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Adam frowned. The old man had lived for thousands of years, that was for sure, but most of them had been after his daughter had died. Adam thought about it, how he could have lived after one of his own children died. What a nightmare it would be, to live beyond your children. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°For the joy she brought this dying old man with her smile,¡± Strom said, smiling sadly. ¡°I will.¡± Strom bowed his head, leaving Adam perhaps one of the most important tasks. It was important to his heart, but perhaps not his mind. ¡°Don¡¯t die too quickly, old man, you still owe me.¡± Strom smirked wide. ¡°Whatever debts I owe you, I have paid to your family.¡± ¡°My family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have paid my debts to them, the family that you call yours,¡± Strom repeated, equally as annoying as last time. ¡°Well... it¡¯s not like we get along that well.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Adam,¡± Strom said, patting the Half Elf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°They will get into the right hands, since I was promised.¡± Adam bowed his head, patting Strom¡¯s back too. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s get wasted today and have a nice time. I¡¯ll tell you some more stories of my home.¡± Strom smiled. It was the last day of the festival, but he was glad that Adam would spend it with him. ¡°Adam, will you promise me something?¡± Adam, who was slightly tipsy, nodded his head. Strom smiled, and continued to pile drinks into Adam, who grew drunker with each passing moment. Strom thought back to the last time he could do such a thing. Adam was not a friend, not like those friends of his from days of old, but he was a good child. He was more like a favoured grandson, though he was too young to be one of Strom¡¯s grandchildren. ¡®Perhaps in another life we could have been close friends,¡¯ Strom thought. ¡®Ah, although, perhaps that other life has already come to pass?¡¯ The days of his youth passed by his mind, and he looked down to Adam. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s true.¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! I still refuse to believe it. 485. Crazy 485. Crazy Omen: 9, 13 The smell of roasted boar invited Adam to awaken. The pulsing headache told him to return to slumber, but the heavy triplets told him to get up or to suffocate under them. He sat up slowly, noting that his triplets were still fast asleep. ¡®Who are these cute children?¡¯ Adam thought, reaching up to ruffle their hair, causing them to stir awake. He carried the trio out to see the various Iyrmen all around, from the children, to the teens, to the adults, and even to Jarot, who was feeding the Goblin twins their food, fruit which had been mashed until it was almost completely liquid, though they wore much of the meal on their faces. Adam sat down, and closed his eyes in thought. ¡®I have definitely forgotten that today was something special. What is it? The festival happened a week earlier because usually the Iyrmen need time to leave beforehand for something, and then there was something else.¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes scanned around the Iyrmen, only to note that it was the children who looked the most excited. ¡®Hmmm. If the children are excited then it¡¯s one of two things. Fights, or gifts.¡¯ ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, motioning with his head. ¡°Fights or gifts today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°It is gift giving today.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam nodded. ¡®Right, right! That was it! Damn, do I have anything?¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Gems? I guess? I could give them a bunch of gems, but...¡¯ Adam looked to the babies who were resting peacefully to one side. ¡®That isn¡¯t good enough, though...¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment,¡± Adam said, all the while the Iyrmen were dolling out food between one another. ¡°Did you forget it was gift giving today?¡± Zijin asked as the Half Elf approached. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been... occupied.¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡®How could I forget gift giving of all days...¡¯ ¡°You may choose items from the warehouse,¡± Zijin said, writing down a slip for Adam to take to an Iyrman who would be on duty that day. ¡°We will take the coin from your pay at the end of the month.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Adam eventually returned with myriad of items, each tied together by rope. There were shields, blades, axes, and staves within the pile, which he placed down onto a blanket. The children looked to their parents, who nodded their heads, and they quickly approached Adam, queueing him before him, with Katool up front, and Taygak at the back. Adam smiled. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam,¡± Katool said, accepting her staff, letting Adam ruin her bob as he ruffled her hair. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Adam said, handing out the weapons one by one. He handed the children their corresponding weapons, greatswords to the Ool twins, longswords to the Gaks, and an axe to Turot. Saygak accepted the longsword awkwardly from Adam, noting the looks from his parents, before he quickly shuffled away, hugging the longsword tight to his chest. He did not dare to pout at the gift, since it was still a wonderful gift from Adam. The children noted there were still weapons and shields left over from the pile, and they eyed Adam curiously. ¡°Did you bring gifts for us too?¡± Jaygak asked, counting the weapons, before realising what they were for. Konarot wrapped her arms around his neck and purred quietly. Adam rubbed his cheek against hers and smiled. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s share our birthdays together, then...¡± After the words left his mouth, he thought about his twins, who did not share the same birthday as him. ¡®Should I have made their birthdays the same? Damn...¡¯ The rest of the week passed with Adam enchanting and taking time off for his family, all the while oblivious to the moves various forces were making in the world. ¡°One hundred years,¡± Hadda said, placing down his cup with a shaky hand. ¡°Do not war with the empire for one hundred years.¡± ¡°It would be more stable under my rule,¡± Shama replied, simply. He sipped the wine of the Iyr, feeling it warm his insides. Though nightval was ending, and the snow no longer encompass the entire Iyr, the Front Iyr was completed covered in snow. ¡°Allow my boy his birthright,¡± Hadda stated, pouring himself another cup of wine. ¡°One hundred years.¡± ¡°One hundred years is too much to ask,¡± Shama asked. ¡°How many times have we almost killed each other for you to request such a thing?¡± ¡°No.¡± Hadda smiled. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll do it. Who else can say they are are close to me as you?¡± Shama sighed, still unable to deal with how annoying Hadda was. ¡°Why did you have to commit the ultimate taboo?¡± ¡°My soul will reach my daughter, and that is all that matters,¡± Hadda replied, simply. He sipped his wine. ¡°We will never meet again, in this life, or the next.¡± Shama didn¡¯t want to admit it, but losing Hadda was a great blow to this world, and to him. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d leave you without someone to fight?¡± Hadda asked. ¡°One hundred years, and by then, you¡¯ll have someone to fight.¡± ¡°Are you talking about that boy, Adam?¡± Shama could tell the boy would become troublesome in his later years, and perhaps, if he was lucky, fun. ¡°If not him, his sister.¡± ¡°His sister?¡± Shama could see the way Hadda¡¯s eyes glowed with mischief. ¡°The only Iyrman who can match my strength...¡± Shama stopped. He, who knew the identity of that woman, also knew how she came to possess such great strength. ¡°You! You didn¡¯t!¡± Hadda howled like a hyena, coughing a mad fit as he reached for his chest, wheezing. ¡°How could you do something like that?¡± Shama¡¯s brows flew upwards in utter shock, something which he hadn¡¯t needed to do after Hadda desensitised him all those centuries ago with his wild antics. ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad, Shama? I¡¯ve left you something to look forward to once I¡¯m gone! My last gift to you!¡± Hadda coughed, unable to contain his laughter. ¡°You! You¡¯re crazy, you old bastard!¡± Shama shouted, though Hadda continued to laugh. Shama¡¯s hands were tied. He couldn¡¯t nip the bud before it bloomed since the girl was an Iyrman, and still a babe. He heard the tales of how far the Iyr would go in order for vengeance, and Hadda had warned him many times, enough that it had become fact. Shama was already thinking of a plan to deal with the amount of Chaos which would pour into this world when Hadda would die, and no doubt he¡¯d have to clean up after the old man¡¯s mess, but to think he¡¯d go so far. ¡®To think you¡¯d commit two ultimate taboos, you crazy bastard!¡¯ Click banner for Patreon! What a weird feeling. Adam isn''t the one being called crazy? 486. Moves To Be Made 486. Moves To Be Made Omen: 12, 16 Adam yawned, waking early in the morning. He was trapped under his triplets, who were sprawled against him, as always. That morning felt different, but he supposed it was because it was the Twilight Month, when magic in the world became chaotic. ¡®Thirteen months,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Why did it have to be such an unlucky number?¡¯ Adam spent his morning with his twins, though his triplets were never too far from their father. Since Jarot had left back to the main family estate, they had begun to squirm and cry more often. Adam fed them from the spoon Jurot had carved for them long ago. The Iyrman had spent several evenings on each spoon to make sure they were perfect. ¡°What is this?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How can you do this to me? Do you think you can bully me now that you cannot bully your greatfather?¡± Jirot looked up at her father quizzically, before bursting into a giggle. She squealed and reached up for her father¡¯s face, wanting to touch his soft skin. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you only because you are cute,¡± Adam said, before going to change her clothy, doing the same for baby Jarot, who had the same schedule as his sister. Katool squatted over her baby sister, Maool. ¡°She is so small, Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam said, recalling how many times they¡¯ve had this conversation. ¡°She is so cute.¡± Katool crawled beside her sister, who turned her head to look her way, squinting at the towering toddler. ¡®Taygak and Katool are the ones that are always looking at their siblings,¡¯ Adam thought, looking to the other children, who were all assisting their families with chores. ¡®I should try and get them all interested in the babies once they¡¯re older. Should I wait until they can at least crawl? That probably is a good idea...¡¯ Elder Zijin entered the courtyard, noting the Iyrmen sweeping the ground and working on cleaning their homes. He smiled and waved at the children who always seemed to eager to greet him, even if he was becoming a more frequent sight. ¡°Good morning,¡± Adam greeted the Elder. ¡°Good morning,¡± Zijin replied, placing down a pouch of gems before the Half Elf. ¡°Your payment for last month.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Appreciated,¡± Adam said, peeking into the pouch, noting the gems. There were ten, as expected. ¡°Is there any chance I can bother the Iyr to send the coin to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°Is it for Nobby¡¯s family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They were the newest armies which had formed, ten thousand fresh soldiers. Most were peasants who answered the call, wanting a chance to gain coin and glory on the battlefield, and some who hoped to be knighted for their efforts. They had been trained hard the last six months, all the while the smiths of Central Aldland worked overtime to create the arms and armour, mostly spears, shields, and helmets. Of the two new armies, one wore cloaks of black, and the other, cloaks of chequered black and white. The Black Legion. The Chequered Legion. They were but the first of many new armies which would be formed over the next few years. Each legion contained four thousand peasants, and a thousand true soldiers, those who had been trained longer than just six months. There were also hundreds of officers, each as powerful as a Bronze Rank Adventurer, though there were many who reached Steel and Silver. King Justinian Blackwater inhaled deeply as he stared at the soldiers marching through the capital streets, surrounded by his Royal Guard, ten Knights with the title of King¡¯s Blade, who had been trained within the Order of the King. The ten beside him were each as powerful as a Mithril Rank Adventurer, though they were supported by several other Knights, giving even the greatest of enemies pause. ¡®Soon,¡¯ Justinian thought, watching his soldiers march through the streets. ¡®Tomorrow we march to the Iyr. Four legions and ten companies. We will meet with Duke Lionheart, and the Iyr will see what true strength will look like.¡¯ The Iyr, which had only fifty thousand people in total, could only stare with mouths agape at such a force. Thirty thousand soldiers will march onto their lands, with dozens of warriors each at least Mithril Rank. ¡®If only I could bring the Dragon,¡¯ Justinian thought, though he wasn¡¯t foolish enough to mess with such a terrifying creature, especially when she held powers which were unimaginable. There was a reason as to why the Blackwaters had ruled the land for two thousand years, and as to why the capital city had never been razed to the ground before. It was all thanks to the Ancient Gold Dragon who slumbered deep within the lake, accepting tribute of thousands of gold monthly, and more, for her assistance. ¡®The Grand Army,¡¯ the King thought. ¡®No, not yet. Twenty or thirty thousand soldiers is too small. We must aim for fifty, no, one hundred thousand soldiers. Once I deal with the traitor to the south, I can take the Grand Army to deal with Aswadasad, bringing law and order to the land. Once the sea routes are secured, the islands will be a simple matter to deal with.¡¯ He smiled. He would use the experience of the two wars to train the soldiers, and once they were trained on this land, the soldiers could head to the islands. With two wars under their belt, what could possibly deal with them? The Beast Waves would also train the army on the way to the Iyr. Then they would head south and deal with the traitors, gaining more experience. It would take a few months at most to deal with the south, which had yet to recover from what the Elves had done. Then they would march to Aswadia, and there they would wet their blades a final time, before they would move to the islands they had won. ¡®After the two wars, who would have an army as powerful as ours?¡¯ Justinian smiled. Once his army had finally managed to bring the islands under his fold, he would then be able to set his sights on finally uniting the land under his banner. There would be no region which would not belong to Aldland, from the Dragon Kingdom to the north, to the Shendom to the south, it would finally be a united land under the Blackwaters. Such a thing would have been unimaginable to his ancestors, who had spilled their blood against the Iyrmen and Elves for generations, but Justinian looked across his two new legion, who were but two of the twenty which would be formed over the next decade, not including the many guards and personal forces of the various nobles, which would be rolled into the Grand Army. ¡®No, not one hundred thousand, but two hundred thousand,¡¯ Justinian thought, thinking to the resources the island possessed. Two hundred thousand soldiers, and if the islands were half as rich as he thought, he would not stop there. Click banner for Patreon! Imagine thinking two hundred thousand soldiers (which you don''t have) could threaten the Iyr. *Laughs in all the people who are currently in the Front Iyr that aren''t even Iyrmen.* 487. Petition 487. Petition Omen: 1, 17 ¡®Damn, that¡¯s such a good roll,¡¯ Adam thought, trapped under his triplets as per usual. ¡®I should smith...¡¯ Konarot broke some bread of the fresh bread on offer, handing the pieces to Kirot and Karot. She dipped her bread into her soup, and looked out to her siblings, who were also dipping their bread into their own soups. Adam did the same, eating beside them. His eldest daughter set the pace of the meal for her family, bringing some fruit once they were done with their bowls of soup, offering some to her father first. Adam smiled, taking a piece of fruit and offering it to her. The girl accepted the fruit before she brought a piece up to his lips, before Kirot and Karot also began to feed their father. ¡®I suppose I should relax today too.¡¯ Nirot eyed him up from the side, watching as he and his children fed one another fruit. There was something wrong about the scene to her. Adam, who was ridiculously strong, should be training to become more powerful, not relaxing within the estate, playing with his children. Adam noted that the teens remained within the estate. Normally, at least one or two would have left to go work for the Iyr, but today they all remained within the estate. ¡®I wonder what their schedules are like.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Nirot eventually called, while his triplets napped on the floor nearby, his twins being taken care of by Sonarot. Since they were asleep, it meant Adam wasn¡¯t busy. ¡°Nirot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We wish to become stronger,¡± Nirot whispered, noting how the triplets¡¯ ears were twitching. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°You are strong already.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°No. I¡¯m not strong enough. To protect my little babbies, I need to become even stronger.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°To protect the Iyr, we must become stronger too,¡± Nirot said. Adam smiled at his Cousin¡¯s patriotism. ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time, Cousin.¡± Nirot remained silent, wondering why Adam was being so meek. ¡°We will petition for you, Adam. If you wish to become stronger, we will petition Elder Zijin.¡± ¡®Petition?¡¯ Adam thought, noting the looks on the nearby teens, each of whom were holding in their shock. ¡°What will you petition for?¡± Mirot asked, the other mothers kept an ear on the situation too. ¡°We cannot say, but we will petition for him,¡± Nirot replied to her mother, their gazes clashing. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what that means.¡± ¡°If you want it, we will petition for you,¡± Naqokan said, adding her voice into the argument. ¡°In exchange, please help us grow stronger,¡± Nirot requested. ¡°Nirot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Am I your Cousin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then why do you need to give me something for me to make you stronger?¡± Adam asked, though he had already promised to assist them, and he had already taken payment from them. ¡°You believe relationships are transactional.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam agreed, nodding his head slowly. ¡°So I¡¯ll make you stronger so you can think I¡¯m cool.¡± Adam winked, flashing a charming smile, one that was definitely from a Fae. ¡°We will petition for you,¡± Nirot said, standing up, and quickly leaving. Mirot did not call out for her daughter, returning her attention back to Gurot, who was snoozing lightly, twitching in his slumber. Nirot had the right to do as she pleased, which included petitioning. ¡®She is grown.¡¯ She wondered when the girl would accept her tattoos. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows towards his Aunt. Sonarot smiled. The teens made their way together, but Naqokan split off, and the teens followed her. Uwajin was snoozing beside her baby brother. She sat up upon hearing the approaching teens, and blinked away her sleepiness. ¡°We are going to petition for Adam,¡± Naqokan said. The Orcish Iyrman hopped onto her feet. ¡°Okay.¡± She was not close enough to Adam to petition for him, but since it was Naqokan asking, she had no need to think about it. Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°They should live with their cousins,¡± Jarot said. ¡°The children will be excited to see them, and they must learn to know who these cute children are.¡± Jarot continued to brush the Goblins¡¯ hair, all the while they smiled up at their greatfather, recognising his face. ¡®So this is your revenge, you old geezer...¡¯ ¡°I refuse! How dare you steal my children away from me!¡± ¡°How can you say that after stealing my precious granddaughter from me?¡± Jarot huffed, leaning his head back as he glared down at Adam. ¡°You should at least let me spoil my greatchildren!¡± ¡°That¡¯s my job!¡± The others stared at the pair who were fighting, all the while the Goblins were being fed by each of them, giggling between them. ¡®How could I be related to such fools?¡¯ Mirot thought. ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Nirot thought. ¡°Do you want to come with babo?¡± Jarot asked. Adam held out his hands to the Goblins. ¡°Come to dada.¡± The Goblins looked up between their father and greatfather, before giggling and squealing wildly. They babbled and cooed, before Jirot grabbed Jarot¡¯s finger, and baby Jarot reached for it too. The elder Iyrman smirked with satisfaction. ¡®I can¡¯t believe they¡¯ve betrayed me like this.¡¯ Adam slunk into his chair, before Lanarot tugged on his leg, calling for him. Adam lifted her up, hugging her tight. ¡°I knew it! You wouldn¡¯t betray me, would you Lanababy? Do you love baba or papa more?¡± ¡°Papa?¡± Lanarot yawned. ¡°Papa. Seep.¡± She rested her head against his shoulder, before sucking on her thumb, ready for her nap. Adam placed a hand against her back, rubbing it gently. He smiled, thinking about the life he had. ¡®This is truly the best life. A cute little sister. Five adorable children. A beautiful wife.¡¯ Adam froze, feeling Lanarot¡¯s body stirring slightly from her sleeping breaths. He stared up at the sky, a solitary tear running down his cheek. ¡®How do I have five children but I¡¯m a kissless virgin in this life?¡¯ Wisdom Save D20 + 3 = 9 (6) ¡®Damn! Last year, wasn¡¯t I in the same position? Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯d make preparations for the inns? Is Nobby even an Expert yet? What about Brittany? Damn it! The only thing I¡¯ve done all year is mope around and-,¡¯ A pretty face broke his thoughts. She smiled down at him, and since his face had brightened, she stepped aside, seating herself among the Iyrmen. ¡®Damn! How can Mara be such a beauty?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Did Lucy tell her how cringe I was? Do I still have a...¡¯ Adam¡¯s thought broke. ¡®Hold on, what did I do this year?¡¯ He thought back to the year. He had assisted in dealing with the Outbreaks, dealing with logistics and commanding a group of warriors in battle. He helped his friends, his preparations helping in saving Lucy and reuniting her with her best friend. He found that, as one might expect, random old men who travel alone were probably dangerous, but that there were also old monsters in this world who could completely put him down with a single flick of a finger. He also managed to have five children, and somehow managed to gain some protection for them under the mightiest military force within thousands of miles. He worked out how his enchanting worked, assisting the Iyr with making great enchantments together, and he assisted in helping the young Iyrmen, and the farmers who may soon be under his command. ¡®Haven¡¯t I already done it?¡¯ Adam thought. He had one main plan for this year, which had been slightly derailed, but he had completed a large portion of it already. He had already built it, a solid foundation to work from. There was land promised to him in a year or so, one which he could turn into a fort, and he would be able to work from it. Adam looked down to Lanarot¡¯s sleeping form, wrapping a scarf around her, before carrying her to a corner to place her down. His eyes went from his sleeping sister to his sleeping children, all five of whom had managed to fall asleep within the past couple of minutes. ¡®Hey, Bell?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Aren¡¯t my kids the cutest?¡¯ [...] Click banner for Patreon! Aren''t they? I sure hope nothing happens to them. 488. Ill Fated 488. Ill Fated Omen: 7, 14 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 9 (3) Omen: 7, 14 -> 7 14 + 6 = 20 Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 16 (11) Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, not thinking of the consequences for a mere 14, and thus Fate was forever changed. He forged an axe, one he would enchant in the future, either to sell or to hand to one of his future workers. ¡®How are they doing without me?¡¯ Adam thought, before he made his way to the extended Rot family estate. Adam entered the courtyard of the Rot family estate, bringing with him an air of awkwardness. He glanced around to the Iyrmen, nodding his head slowly to them, though noted that Jarot, the old man, and Jirot were missing. Baby Jarot was within his basket, staring up at all the faces, not recognising them, though once he saw his father, he smiled and cooed. ¡°Jarot, my cute little babby, where is your babo and your sister?¡± Adam asked, lifting the boy up, holding him close to his chest. ¡°Jirot is unwell,¡± Mulrot said, calmly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jarot is looking after her.¡± The Family Elder guided Adam to the room where Jirot was kept, the form of the one armed Iyrman casting a shadow over her. Jirot was fast asleep, but her breath was coarse and loud, as though it was scratching her throat. ¡°I should go get Vonda,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, I have Healing Word, I can-,¡± Jarot almost whacked Adam upside the head, but he was holding baby Jarot, so merely grabbed it instead. ¡°What are you thinking? Trying to cast magic in this month, you fool.¡± ¡°Then what am I meant to do?¡± Adam asked, feeling how tightly the old man was holding his head, not quite hard enough to hurt, but enough for him to feel the pressure of an Iyrman¡¯s strength. ¡°She must rest,¡± Jarot said, letting go of Adam¡¯s head. ¡°There is a herb the forest may hold. It will be brought to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said. ¡°A team needs to be formed. I¡¯ll go get...¡± ¡®Who can I get? Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak are all gone. Should I take Lucy and Mara? No, they¡¯re busy in the Iyr. Vonda? Dunes? No, magic is awkward this month...¡¯ ¡°A team has already been formed,¡± Jarot said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Tarot has formed the team, taking with him Experts and Masters of our family.¡± Jarot¡¯s eyes remained glued to the little girl. Adam held his son against his chest, who could feel how quickly his father¡¯s heart was beating. ¡°Where are they? I¡¯ll go too.¡± ¡°Relax, Adam,¡± Jarot said, calmly. ¡°Otkan has gone with them.¡± Jarot¡¯s heart would have been beating as hard as Adam¡¯s, but after hearing that Jirot was ill, Otkan went to assist to ease the old man¡¯s heart. ¡°Well, if it¡¯s Otkan...¡± Adam quickly shut his mouth, realising what he had said. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Tarot and the others of the Rot family, but Otkan was someone who he trusted more than the extended Rot family. ¡°Thanks.¡± Jarot sighed. He wanted to go too, but he was needed here, to look after Jirot and Jarot. Tarot had put out the call personally, wanting to earn Adam¡¯s good grace after what had happened. Adam frowned, holding Jarot close to his chest. ¡®What the hell happened? Is it because she moved to a different place? No, there¡¯s no way Jarot would have moved her if she was going to get sick.¡¯ ¡°At times like this, leave it to us, Adam,¡± Jarot said. ¡°No matter what happens, little Jirot will be fine. I can guarantee no one can take my precious Jirot from me.¡± Omen: 6, 13 Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 7 (1) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 8 (3) The Rot family decided against sending him back that day, seeing the stress and haggardness overwhelm the Half Elf. They had heard stories about Adam, how he had flung himself forward to slay Vandra, the White Dragon who would cause difficult even for Jarot, and even a Blue Dragon. Yet, the Half Elf was just a shadow as he held his daughter¡¯s hand, feeling how hot her body had become. Omen: 1, 20 ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how he could use the 20 to help his daughter. However, Strom¡¯s warning replayed within his mind, and he sighed. Jirot fell asleep after being fed, though Adam remained with her for a short while after. He kissed her forehead, and brushed her hair gently, before going off to smith. Smithing Check (Strength) D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Smithing Check (Constitution) D20 + 5 = 23 (18) ¡®I can¡¯t be moping around,¡¯ Adam thought as he forged another axe. He returned that evening with a less hollow look, more like the Adam the Iyrmen knew. ¡°Which story do you want me to read you?¡± Adam asked, holding up two books. Jirot¡¯s left hand twitched first, so Adam picked the book in his right hand. He had chosen two stories which had happy endings, and very little drama or sorrow. ¡°Huuuu!¡± Baby Jarot sniffled, threatening to cry. He could not see the baby who was always beside him, so constantly cried. He was already in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by unfamiliar faces. Where were those who used to look after him and give him his milk? Where was the old man who would tell him so many tales? The other children wondered why the Goblin cried so much, and as he was taken away, they muttered between themselves. ¡°Is it because he is a Goblin?¡± ¡°He is not a Goblin, he is an Iyrman.¡± ¡°He cannot be an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The children argued between one another, before going to Churot, who was reading a book. He hadn¡¯t done any maths ever since Jirot had been ill, finding the mood too dark. ¡°Cousin Churot, is baby Jarot an Iyrman?¡± a child asked. Churot blinked. ¡°He is cousin Jurot¡¯s nephew.¡± The children stared up at the Devilkin teen, before glancing between one another, thinking about what had been said. ¡°Yes,¡± a child said. ¡°He is cousin Jurot¡¯s nephew.¡± Click banner for Patreon! My poor Jirot! How can this happen to you? Also Churot has a point. 489. What Was Expected 489. What Was Expected Omen: 3, 9 Adam continued to forge axes, keeping his mind busy as the days passed by. He would check on his daughter every morning, and noted that baby Jarot was growing well. The boy would crawl to his father whenever he came in the morning. The tiny baby¡¯s teeth were coming in ever so quickly. The boy was grabbing soft vegetables, eating everything the Rot family put in front of him. When Adam would leave, the boy would wave his tiny arm. Adam sighed, staring up towards the sky. Jirot was not getting any better, but she wasn¡¯t getting any worse either. Seeing his daughter constantly on the verge, it struck Adam¡¯s heart deeply. One evening, Adam whispered to the air ahead of him. ¡°Baktu.¡± He waited to make sure the God of Death was paying attention. ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know, politely, that you can¡¯t take her.¡± He said no more, leaving the threat to linger in the air. Whatever consequences would come from calling out to the God of Death would come, but that didn¡¯t matter to Adam, as long as Jirot was safe. One morning, in the middle of the Twilight Month, Elder Zijin called for Adam. Hot tea welcomed Adam, along with a large number of cut fruit all across a wooden platter. ¡°My last meal?¡± Adam joked, taking the seat opposite the Elder. ¡°I would bring you more for your last meal,¡± the Elder retorted, smiling slightly. If Adam didn¡¯t joke, then he would have been in the depths of despair. ¡°Pizza, at least.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I appreciate that, Elder Zijin.¡± Zijin motioned to the fruit, and once Adam had taken a piece, he slipped a piece between his lips, chewing slowly. ¡°Do you still wish to gain more strength?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Even if you would be unable to see your sister and your children for a year?¡± Zijin asked, sipping the tea which had cooled down. Adam stared down at his cup of tea, falling into thought. He hadn¡¯t heard that he¡¯d be out for a year. One year. It was one thing to say that if they were in their teens, but a year when they were babies was a lifetime. ¡°You know, Jarot¡¯s teething now. Baby Jarot, obviously. He¡¯s able to pick up food and eat it. He¡¯s crawling everywhere, and I just saw him stand for the first time, using the nearby chair to help him. It was just yesterday I helped him in my arms, covered in mud.¡± Zijin looked up towards the sky, looking to the past. ¡°I understand your feelings, Adam. You are a father now. Such a responsibility is heavy and deep.¡± ¡°I... I don¡¯t want to miss out on their early years, but I need to be stronger too...¡± Adam sipped the tea. It was the flavour of one of the Iyr¡¯s fruits, similar to that of a melon, which caused Adam to tilt his head. ¡°What advice would you have for me?¡± ¡°I will not pretend to understand your mind, even if you are predictable in some ways. However, I would accept whatever fortunes the Iyr bestows upon me, for they are rare and great.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Elder. Is this about the petitioning stuff that Nirot mentioned before?¡± ¡°To petition for someone, it is to sacrifice your future for the present. To give up your rights to something you may not even know you have the rights to, to break the rules of the Iyr, for someone else¡¯s benefit.¡± whistled. ¡°Damn. That sounds pretty heavy.¡± Adam frowned. He didn¡¯t like the fact that his cousins had decided to give up their future for him. ¡°Is it worth it?¡± Zijin paused. ¡°No. It is never worth it. To the person who has given up their rights? Yes. I have never heard of anyone regretting it.¡± ¡°What adorable Cousins I have.¡± Adam smiled, sipping his head. Zijin remained silent. The tea turned lukewarm. ¡°The Iyr is changing, Adam. Somehow, it is not because of you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Zijin bowed his head. He had wanted to speak with Adam, a way to clear his mind. Adam, who was always a fool, and yet always spoke the truth. ¡°In a few days, Lord Strom will die.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I should go see him.¡± ¡°He has already left.¡± Adam¡¯s heart fell. The last time they had spoken, the old man had advised Adam. He should have told the old man more stories. His eyes burned slightly for a moment. ¡°I hope he dies with joy.¡± Zijin finished his tea. ¡°You should spend the next few days with your family. You have worked so hard already, and I have heard you have spent almost the entire month smithing.¡± ¡°Just, you know. I¡¯m trying to keep my mind busy. My daughter is sick and I can¡¯t do anything. No magic this month. Couldn¡¯t leave to go find a herb.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Even if I was strong, what could I do in times like this?¡± ¡°You do not need to do anything to help her. She is a Niece of the Rot family, and she will be taken care of.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t quite understand what that means, Elder,¡± Adam admitted, frowning. ¡°It sounds like it¡¯s a big thing.¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°It means more than you realise in some ways, and less in other ways.¡± After the conversation with the Elder, Adam took his advice, and returned back to the shared family estate. He played with the triplets, before deciding to take the triplets, and his sister, to the Rot family estate. His Aunt followed him, having heard news earlier in the day. Jirot and Jarot crawled along the play area, which was restrained by a fence. Adam let out a gasp, before he lifted the girl up into his arms, holding her head to his chest. ¡°Oh my little girl. You silly girl. How can you worry me so much and then go around crawling so happily? Why do you bully your daddy so much?¡± Jirot cooed happily and smiled up at her father, showing her cheeky smile full of teeth. ¡°You silly girl.¡± Adam covered her in kisses, refusing to let her go, even to the old, one armed Iyrman nearby. His tears fell down his cheeks, the relief setting in, his shoulders still heavy and tense, though they were slowly relaxing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°At times like this, you should pretend not to see a father¡¯s tears.¡± He ruffled the triplets¡¯ hair, the glare from his eyes causing the others to glance away from Adam. ¡°You! Do you think because you¡¯re so cute that I¡¯ll forgive you?¡± Adam asked, brushing her hair repeatedly. Jirot giggled up at her father, reaching up to his face, her tiny hand warm, but it was not as hot when she was ill. ¡°We returned as quickly as we could,¡± Tarot said. ¡°Since you have named a child after Jarot, you should name one after me.¡± Zirot sighed at her husband¡¯s words and that stupid smile on his face. ¡°You have done what was expected of you.¡± Tarot chuckled at his wife reprimanding him. Click banner for Patreon! These Iyrmen sure are being too nice to Adam... 490. Apologies 490. Apologies Lanarot looked up to her brother and her mother, before her eyes fell to her nieces and nephews. It was so different here. She knew of her baba, pointing up at the man and calling his name, before climbing on top of his lap, but she barely recognised the other Iyrmen around. She looked around, barely recognising the other faces, but she did recognise the symbol of her family which was tattooed on their foreheads, and were sewn onto their clothing. Sonarot and Lanarot had decided to spent the night at the family estate, since Adam had decided to stay with Jirot. He had slept beside her that night, letting the girl hold his finger until morning. ¡®The shadow is gone,¡¯ Sonarot thought, smiling as she ate food, sharing some of it with her daughter. ¡°Why are you always trying to wear the food, you silly girl,¡± Adam admonished, puffing out his cheeks towards his daughter. She giggled up at him and opened her mouth for the mashed fruit, before Adam placed down some soft vegetables for her to pick up and eat. Jirot and Jarot were only four months old, and yet they were already so big. Well, they were small, even compared to the other newborns, but they had grown almost as big as them. No longer were they pear sized, now they were around the size of melons. ¡®Why do I always compare them to fruit?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, isn¡¯t that normal? Well, they¡¯re much cuter than fruit.¡¯ ¡°You are definitely my brother¡¯s grandson,¡± Tarot said, sipping his morning wine. Adam tensed up, and was about to joke, before catching himself. There were other Rot family members about, not just those who typically stayed within this estate. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to suggest such a thing.¡± ¡°It is a shame we have caused you become so shy,¡± Tarot said, sighing. ¡°One day, we will earn the right from you.¡± ¡°What right will you earn from me?¡± ¡°The right to be your family.¡± Adam was about to respond, but paused. Were they really family? He had a pair of siblings, and an Aunt. One might even say he was related to the old man, but what about the rest of them? Adam sighed in response, saying no more, unable to think of more. Tarot chuckled, noting how quiet Adam had become. He finished his morning wine, before he and his wife left. Sarot and Mulrot remained within the estate, as expected of them. Many other Rot family members came by to relax in the main estate, speaking with the elderly Rot family members, as well as the other adults. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, pointing to Adam, before hugging his leg. ¡°Up!¡± ¡°You want to fly?¡± ¡°Fai,¡± the girl said, pointing up at the sky. ¡°We can fly when we go back to the estate, okay?¡± Adam said, lifting her up, before kissing her cheek. ¡°Look, your niece and nephew are crawling everywhere. They¡¯re growing up so fast.¡± Adam carried her around, distracting her from the fact he had refused to fly her around the place, not wanting to upset the other Iyrmen. ¡°You should not work this month,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Yeah, Elder Zijin said the same thing...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to take the month off.¡± ¡°You should spend time with your family,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Come here every morning, and you may leave every noon. There are many who wish to hear your tale. The extended families should also listen to what you have done.¡± ¡°I suppose I should,¡± Adam said, understanding what Jarot was trying to do. The Iyr was a place of stories, and Adam had quite the stories under his belt. He could earn some favour from the Iyrmen by speaking of his tales, and they may accept him after some time. ¡®I can¡¯t ignore the extended family estates. Half of the votes are within the extended estates.¡¯ Adam leaned back, sighing again. ¡®Politics.¡¯ Eventually he returned back to the shared family estate, where some of the family members of the extended family estates were looking after the children, bringing their own. Adam had noted that they had started to do it recently, though he had seen some of the mothers around previously. ¡°I did not go,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I did not wish to be a burden, and...¡± Adam waited for Dunes to find his peace. ¡°I did not want it to be so simple.¡± ¡°You did not what to be so simple?¡± ¡°To earn your forgiveness.¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°You wanted to earn my forgiveness? For what?¡± ¡°For... that day. When I almost killed them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask for my forgiveness,¡± Adam said, patting Dunes¡¯ arm. ¡°If anything, you should apologise for Vonda, for choosing to kill a living being without speaking to her.¡± ¡°If I had known back then they would have been your children, I would not have done such a thing, Adam.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Look, I get that you have a Goddess, the Goddess of War of all Gods, to back you up, but you¡¯re going to need more than that to dare to try to kill my kid.¡± Dunes almost refuted the claim, but decided against trying to refute how he would dare to try and kill Adam¡¯s children. ¡°You have such a wicked tongue, Adam.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to use it for a bit,¡± Adam admitted. Dunes sighed. ¡°It feels awkward. You and I. Myself and your children.¡± ¡°When it came to it, you made the right choice,¡± Adam said. ¡°Only because you threatened me.¡± ¡°I think you need to give yourself more credit.¡± Adam pat Dunes¡¯ back. ¡°You did was you thought was merciful. You stopped because I asked you to, not because we were going to fight.¡± ¡°We were not going to fight, you were going to beat me.¡± ¡°Perhaps I would have, perhaps I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Your magic is greater than you think, and at the time, I didn¡¯t have a magical weapon.¡± ¡°I would not bet against you.¡± Rain began to fall, causing Adam to flinch, having not expected the rain. The clouds gathered quickly, and it did not take long for the Iyr to be drenched. Click banner for Patreon! That''s not ominous at all. Interlude: The End of the Storm Interlude: The End of the Storm Hadda hummed quietly, sitting opposite his companion, who was no longer hidden behind vines. He poured her more of the peach wine from his gourd, and once it trickled empty, he tossed the gourd aside, which was caught by a vine, and pulled away into the earth. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect my days in the Iyr to be so exciting,¡± Hadda admitted. ¡°Meeting an Anomaly like him, seeing the birth of such great monsters, and to see old legends from before our time.¡± The old man cackled with glee. ¡°How chaotic!¡± He drank the rest of the wine, placing down his empty cup. It was the most delicious cup of wine he had drunk during his time within the Iyr, and since it was so, he pushed away the cup to the side. ¡°Everything is so different. I have heard that Aldland had barely changed, but when I trekked through it, it was nothing like I remembered. Even Shama did not recognise Aswadasad, and it did not recognise him.¡± Hadda looked back to a previous time. It was a simpler time, when he could fight as he pleased. ¡°The pets of the Gods are all but dead, otherwise I could have had some more fun before I gave up my Spark. I thought about it. Bromogor, was that his name? I hear he was making a mess in the far east. I decided against it, since I missed you too much!¡± Hadda smirked wide as he always had. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are a few still sleeping, afraid we¡¯d go hunt them again.¡± ¡°What a time that was. You, me, Orelius, Kaliyah. What were their names? Burok? Tavna?¡± Hadda paused as his companion replied. ¡°Right! Barak and Torva. Those kids were fun to travel around with too. I wonder how their descendants are doing? Do you still keep in contact with them?¡± Hadda slowly bowed his head at her response. ¡°I can understand that.¡± ¡°This Great Twilight was boring. There were no Ghost Skulls. No Skyseekers.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°No Demons. Did the land even change, or did Stokmar keep it at bay? Why did she have to wake up now? She should have just stayed asleep! Why bother coming back into the world at this time?¡± Hadda grumbled, though he knew why she had awoken at this time. How could she not? What with all the Anomalies seeping into their world, and with two of its greatest protectors dying. ¡°I heard that they came to bother you once, the Ghost Skulls.¡± Hadda cackled at the thought of the pair meeting. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so busy, I would have come down to have some fun too.¡± She smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve kept the Order for too long,¡± Hadda admitted, sighing. ¡°We¡¯ve tilted the scale too much, and now it¡¯s all going to come tumbling down. You¡¯re going to have a lot of work to do, and I¡¯m sorry for taking you away from your role to help my boy.¡± She tried to reassure him. ¡°Of course I have to.¡± Hadda growled, annoyed at what she had telepathically communicated. ¡°When have I not repaid my debts? I, Emperor Hadda, who had conquered the skies! When I requested him for help, Shama wanted one hundred islands, and I gave them away! The Heart of Lorkim and Thunderwyrm¡¯s Lament, I gave them to that little brat because he¡¯s got a lot of work to do too! What about my Spark? Yet, how can you say I shouldn¡¯t repay you of all people?¡± She relented, knowing better than to argue against him. ¡°Goodbye, Soza.¡± Even though they had barely met in the last two millennia, Hadda was still the man she remembered. He may have been man had conquered the skies and had claimed the title of Emperor, who had brought ruin to dozens of kingdoms, earned the ire of the Divines, and had countless epithets. However, he was still the Hadda from back then. Hadda died with a warm smile on his face. Rain fell across the Iyr suddenly. Stokmar became the top of the mountains, looking up towards the sky. She gave the pair the respect they deserved, and closed off her senses to the world. She thought of Hadda, who she had met so long ago. They had fought several times in their youth, and had changed the landscape of various different lands. As much as Hadda was a troublemaker back then, he had definitely calmed down in his later years. He had caused such little trouble to the Iyr that she first thought he was an imposter, but with how rudely he spoke to her, and how much he threatened her, it was definitely Hadda. A lone figure sat atop a hill. Though snow had fallen all across the Front Iyr, it did not reach within a mile of the Emperor who sat alone, staring up towards the sky. As the rain fell, it first sizzled, but he allowed it to fall against his face. Hadda had refused to see him the past few days. Shama knew why, for the man had too much pride to allow his rival to see him in such a state. The last few words they exchanged were exactly as they had expected. ¡®So you¡¯ve actually died.¡¯ Even now, Shama did not want to admit it. Hadda and he had fought daily when they had first met, but as the years passed, their fights had spread out further apart, even decades began to pass before they exchanged blows. Yet, there was not a time he couldn¡¯t step out to face Hadda if he wished. Now that was no more. Shama allowed the rain to wet his face, for he would not cry that day. He thumbed the ring on his finger, which kept the last cup of wine his friend had poured him. He reached for the gourd at his side, and uncorked it, spilling the wine which had been gifted to the Iyr. ¡°What need of I to drink any more, when no one is as good as you, you bastard?¡± Shama asked, understanding the sorrow that was the rain. It''s a terrible day for rain. 491. Goodbyes I 491. Goodbyes I The sudden rain fell across the Iyr. There were very few who understood the sorrow which was the rain, but there were some Iyrmen who understood that the time had come. The Iyr had changed over the course of the entire year, all for this very moment. The rain fell atop Sarot¡¯s shoulders, and he knew he could finally say it. ¡°I have to go.¡± He stood, turning to look at the family members around him. Jarot and Mulrot looked up at him, and seeing the look within his eyes, they bowed their heads. Sarot had little time to do what he had to, so quickly made his way out of the family estate, while Mulrot prepared the items he needed. He had someone he needed to speak with before he left. ¡°Adam,¡± Sarot called, drenched in the rain as he entered the shared family estate. ¡°We must talk.¡± Adam looked up at the older Iyrman from under the shelter which had been hastily formed to protect them under the rain. He followed the Iyrman out, allowing himself to get wet under the rain. ¡°I will be going.¡± ¡°Going?¡± ¡°Yes. I will go, and as a pillar of the Rot family, I will be no more.¡± Adam furrowed his brows, trying to understand what the old Iyrman was telling him. Sarot was one of the most powerful Rot family members, and he was going? He¡¯d be no more? ¡°Is it because of Strom?¡± Sarot smiled. ¡°We must know what we must know. I know that I must leave. I must give my life so that the Iyr may continue to thrive. I give my life, representing the entire Rot family, which includes your children.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say from the sudden words. Complicated feelings swirled within him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°When my brother asked you to come and see us every morning, he asked me to speak with you more often. I refused. It was not because I did not wish to speak with you, but there was no need for me, who was leaving soon, to approach you so suddenly. I do not know what you think of me. Perhaps you think poorly of me because of what we did to your children. I do not know, and it is not that I do not care, but it is through my actions I show you what I am, not my words.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head, understanding what Sarot was getting at. ¡°It is shameful for me to ask, but when Jarot or Jirot have a child, will you name one after me?¡± Sarot asked. Adam slowly nodded his head, feeling his throat tighten up. The old man smiled. ¡°It is a shame I will not be able to see them grow. I worry for them because of my brother, but since you are their father, I have no need to worry.¡± Adam nodded again, blinking away the sting within his eyes. ¡°Yeah.¡± Sarot placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I regret that we did not grow closer. You, who have done so much for our family, should not have had to worry about your children or your place within our family.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. The drums began to echo through the Iyr, and Sarot looked up, towards the falling rain. ¡°Come, Adam.¡± ¡°There will be another Sarot who will support the Rot family soon,¡± Sarot said, taking his brother¡¯s hands in his own. ¡°You must wash away the shame that I was unable to.¡± ¡°What shame do you have?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You have gone for them, and they will know that when they are older.¡± ¡°Since they will not remember me, you must tell them my stories.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Jarot promised. Tarot nodded, and watched as his brother returned back to the family estate. Sarot wrapped a heavy cloak around himself, and Mulrot placed a scarf around his shoulders, before kissing his forehead. He donned his shield, which was blue, the colour of his family tattoo, and raised his axe. The Iyrmen cheered and clapped, forming a pathway to allow him to leave, and he walked out to see the other families and their Grandmasters stepping out. He eventually met with Rangak, Anakan, and Xaool, the Grandmasters who had been born from their elder sibling¡¯s retirement. He raised his axe towards them, and they raised their own weapons, causing the Iyrmen around them to cheer. They marched their way along the roads, each funnelling towards a section within the Iyr where Elder Wrath would call for them to meet. Yet, it was not Elder Wrath who was waiting for them, but Elder Peace, who wore a red bracelet, along with dozens of Shamans. As they approached, they realised it was not a red bracelet, but a snake. The Shamans called out the names of the Iyrmen who had been chosen, and handed out a magic weapon to them, each with at least a Basic enchantment. Lokat handed Sarot an axe made of deathsteel. ¡°Your Nephew enchanted this axe.¡± Sarot held the axe tight within his axe, feeling the uneasy chill from the steel. ¡°I will not shame him.¡± The Iyrmen gathered together, while Elder Shaman stepped up to begin the prayers. The prayer was a tale of old, of the First Iyrmen, and the Mother who had saved them. She spoke of the history of the Iyrmen, from the Blackwater Crisis, to the most recent days. Rukhs dove down towards the group, before veering off to one side. More than a hundred rukhs had been gathered, one for each Grandmaster. As night fell, the Iyrmen approached the rukhs, which could go fight toe to toe with a Dragon. They leapt onto the creatures, which screeched with a wicked scream, before they shot upwards like loosened bolts. A large, red serpent darted around the rukhs, before leading them forward. The sky shattered, thunder rumbled, and lightning fell, for an instant illuminating the force of Iyrmen which had gathered, and as they approached the crack, they disappeared. Those within the Iyr jolted, as the temperature dropped, and the comfort which the Iyr had provided them, suddenly vanished. Lanarot looked up towards her brother, who had stopped reading the book, his eyes staring at the closed window, shock on his face. The girl began to cry, as did many of the young children all across the Iyr. Sonarot picked Lanarot up, who continued to screech and cry, while Adam covered his shuddering triplets. ¡°What happened?¡± Adam asked, looking to his Aunt. ¡°We must know what we must know,¡± Sonarot said, who, as the Family Head, knew nothing about what just happened. Click banner for Patreon! Uh oh. 492. Goodbyes II 492. Goodbyes II Omen: 2, 11 Chief Iromin was glad he was born within the Iyr. If something had occurred like last night within Aldland or any other land, there would be those with power trying to find out what had happened. Yet, within the Iyr, things moved smoothly, for what they must know, they know. He had to spend his time figuring out how to deal with the most pressing issue, but he had the peace to do so without the additional stress of suspicions cast against the Great Elders. ¡°It¡¯s cold,¡± Adam said, glancing around. His triplets cuddled up against him, not wanting to leave his presence. Even Lanarot was holding her mother¡¯s hand as she stuck bread into her mouth, looking up to check that her mother was still there. ¡°Will you play with the children today?¡± Sonarot asked, looking out to the other children, who had stuck closely with their own parents. ¡°Sure. We can read and play some WaW, and maybe read some more...¡± Adam did as he promised, allowing the children to read to him. The children sat closer together that day, and tried to sit right up beside the Half Elf. ¡®How cute.¡¯ It was during the evening that they approached. More than thirty thousand strong, with banners and cloaks denoting their legions, trekking through the snow. They were not quite as fresh as the beginning of the month, already hardened from the various Beast Waves. Duke Lionheart rode near the King, his Lionguard a short ways away. The King was surrounded by his King¡¯s Blades, assuring that if the Duke did decide to betray his liege, he would die moments later. They approached the huge walls of the Iyr, noting the greater walls beyond. The King swore he had not seen such walls before, but he smiled. ¡®The Iyr does fear me.¡¯ There was only one thing the Iyr could possibly fear, for their walls were built to keep the Aldish away, and had stood solely for that purpose. At least, that was what the King assumed. Standing atop the gate was a single figure, though within the hidden bunkers nearby, there were at least another few hundred Iyrmen, ready and eager for blood. The King leaned back, refusing to raise his eyes, and stared across the handsome Elder. ¡°Open the gates, Iyrman. I, King Justinian Blackwater, ruler of all the lands from Drakkenlan to Aswadasad, have come to speak with your Chiefs.¡± Elder Lykan was an Iyrman, which meant he knew the value of patience. He was an Elder of the Front Iyr, which typically developed over the course of years, and had been taught with that in mind. This year was an anomaly, of course. ¡°Our gates are closed, Lord Justinian.¡± The King narrowed his eyes at the words of the Elder. Of course, he had started by belittling the Iyrmen, but to think they would dare to return such words back to him. ¡°That is King Justinian to you, Iyrman,¡± the King stated, his words calm, full of authority. ¡°What do you mean your gates are closed?¡± ¡°We will not open the gates,¡± Lykan replied, simply. ¡°To you, or your army.¡± ¡°Iyrman, my army is thirty thousand strong,¡± Justinian warned. ¡°What do you mean you will not open your gates? I have come for supplies for the war!¡± ¡°Our gates are closed,¡± the Front Iyr Elder repeated. ¡°What treachery is this, Iyrman?¡± Lionheart shouted upwards. ¡°How dare you refuse your King¡¯s words!¡± ¡°Lord Blackwater is a great King within his lands, but these are not Aldish lands, for these are the lands of the Iyr, as was promised by blood and steel. It was your ancestor, King Solomon the Wise, who had promised the lands beyond the Five Bends.¡± ¡°It is your honour to serve such a great King,¡± Lionheart called. ¡°There are no Kings within the Iyr,¡± Lykan stated, firmly. ¡°If you wish to break the treaty, then you need say no more. I will call the Chief.¡± ¡°You speak of breaking the treaty, but it is you who have broken the treaty,¡± Justinian stated, firmly. ¡°One hundred soldiers were promised for war, and we have come for such warriors, which have been promised.¡± ¡°I will call the Chief,¡± Lykan stated, before raising a hand, and clenching his fist. ¡°Thank you for helping with Jirot,¡± Adam said, shaking Otkan¡¯s forearm. ¡°I will be sure to repay the debt.¡± ¡°I still owe you a debt,¡± Otkan said. ¡°This did not count.¡± ¡°A debt?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I lost the bet.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, even if it doesn¡¯t count to you, it counts to me.¡± Otkan brushed his hair. Health: 65 -> 59 Jarot slapped his back. ¡°Just accept her debt, you brat of a grandson.¡± ¡°Whose your grandson?¡± Adam rubbed his back, feeling the pulsing ache. The trio of elderly Iyrmen then left, going off to grab their gear. Soon, they would be led to the Front Iyr. ¡°Granduncle and that old geezer are gone,¡± Adam said, quietly. ¡°So, whose the strongest in the Rot family now?¡± ¡°Uncle Kalrot,¡± Sonarot thought. ¡°How strong are they?¡± ¡°They are firmly a Master.¡± ¡®What was that, Silver Rank?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°What was granduncle Sarot?¡± ¡°Firmly a Grandmaster.¡± Adam whistled. He hadn¡¯t expected that. ¡®That¡¯s Gold Rank, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°The old geezer?¡± ¡°He was almost a Grandmaster,¡± Sonarot said, smiling down at the Half Elf. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°He would have been way stronger if he didn¡¯t retire...¡± Adam recalled their bout. He was pretty certain he had dealt well over one hundred damage, even without Phantom, and yet the old man wouldn¡¯t drop. ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± ¡°You will,¡± Sonarot said, running a hand through his hair. ¡°You, who constantly surprise us, will continue to grow more powerful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll...¡± Adam felt too embarrassed to say more. ¡°It¡¯s going to be lonely without that old man.¡± ¡°Jirot and Jarot will be lonely too.¡± Adam frowned, before kissing his twins on their foreheads. ¡°Daddy will give you more attention, okay?¡± They cooed in response, reaching up with their tiny hands. Click banner for Patreon! First Lanarot''s baba dies and now the twins'' babo leaves. Interlude: To War Interlude: To War ¡®What madness is this?¡¯ Justinian thought, looking out to the Iyrmen who had been brought to him. There were over one hundred Iyrmen, but they were all old men, women, and cripples. His jaw tensed, his brow pulsed, and the rage washed over him. ¡°What use are these old men?¡± Justinian asked, staring at the Chief, who had dared to step out of the gates. The Chief was joined by four others. One was a large man in flamedarksteel plate mail, and carried a greatsword. There were three Drakken, one with bronze scales, another with black scales, and the last, an older man, white. ¡°They may not be the Iyr¡¯s greatest warriors, but they match those from your Order of the King,¡± Iromin said, simply. ¡°Do you believe my Order to be so weak?¡± Justinian¡¯s brow pulsed as he glared at the Iyrman, who had shamed him far too many times. ¡°No, they are fine,¡± Iromin replied, casually. He was in no danger, for he could take on any of those nearby without much effort, even without the three Dragons and the Giant. ¡°The Iyrmen we have provided are at least at Silver Rank if they were to be judged within the guild, and many are as powerful as Mithril. We made the call, and it was they who answered.¡± ¡°They are at least Silver?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Justinian stared at the Iyrmen, each who were less than agreeable. If they were at least Silver Rank, then they wouldn¡¯t be useless. ¡®They must be considered Steel Rank if they are this old.¡¯ ¡°I will rest the night within the Iyr, and we may discuss military matters within the Front Iyr.¡± ¡°The Iyr¡¯s gates are closed,¡± Iromin repeated. ¡°I am the King.¡± Justinian continued to glare at the Chief. The Chief was a great warrior, but with his great magical gear, there was no way he would be unable to slay the Chief. ¡°The Iyr has its rules. As we follow yours within your land, so must you obey our rules within our land.¡± ¡°Your land?¡± Justinian coughed. ¡°I am the King of this land.¡± ¡°This land belongs to we Iyrmen, and there are no Kings in the Iyr,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Even Emperors are Lords within the Iyr.¡± ¡®What utter savages!¡¯ ¡°You would leave us here, at the mercy of beasts?¡± ¡°The beasts will not dare step on our land, even during a Beast Wave. Baktu will welcome them with open arms if they do.¡± ¡®These damn cultists...¡¯ ¡°Perhaps I expected too much of you Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You have come to us in an unprecedented time,¡± Iromin said. ¡°We ask simply for your understanding until we have resolved matters of the Iyr.¡± ¡°What matters are these?¡± ¡°Internal matters, which we cannot ignore,¡± Iromin replied, not giving up anything. ¡°We have requested Elder Wrath, and his council, to assist you during the war. In such matters, Elder Wrath holds complete authority, even greater than my own.¡± ¡°At least you have sent someone more dependable than the last,¡± Justinian said, referring to the previous Elder Wrath who had been so unruly. ¡°I hope this one understands how to take commands.¡± ¡°Elder Wrath has complete authority over the Iyrmen under his command,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Three hundred Iyrmen will not die under his command.¡± ¡°I thought you Iyrmen liked death?¡± ¡°Ten years ago there were the Greys who left the Forests,¡± Kris said. ¡°I slew a Greater Grey. Yours, Iyrman?¡± ¡°Otkan and I,¡± Jarot said, motioning his head to the pretty Iyrman with the harsh scar across her face, ¡°as well as our brother and sister, Zaool and Tangak, we slew Forgryn.¡± ¡°The Azure Terror?¡± Kris said, his voice lighter. ¡°I heard he was killed in Aswadia not two decades ago.¡± ¡°We slew him,¡± Jarot said, nodding his head. ¡°He slew my son, my daughter, and my grandson.¡± ¡°I am sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°We bathed in his blood,¡± Jarot said. ¡°We lost our brother and sister in the battle, but it was a good battle.¡± Kris could see the rage flash within the Iyrman¡¯s eyes, and offered him some wine. ¡°If you are as half as strong as you were when you fought Forgryn, then I will be at ease fighting at your side.¡± ¡°I have not grown so weak that I am half as strong, but I no longer possess the power I had back then,¡± Jarot admitted. ¡°You must be the kind who uses his rage,¡± Kris said, noting the furs. ¡°Axe?¡± ¡°Axe and shield, but...¡± Jarot motioned with his stub. ¡°It is difficult to wield a shield like this.¡± ¡°I would have assumed.¡± ¡°Still, it is good enough for my greatchildren to play with,¡± Jarot said. ¡°They are small, but they grow quickly. I gained five greatchildren recently, and they will grow well, and become more powerful than I.¡± ¡°Greatchildren?¡± ¡°Great grandchildren,¡± Jarot explained. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Their father is quite strong,¡± Jarot said, smiling. ¡°He has slain two Dragons already.¡± ¡°Your grandson?¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Two Dragons? Really?¡± Jarot bowed his head. ¡°He slew two. My other grandson was there both times, and assisted in killing one too.¡± Kris raised his brows. Those of the Thousand Hunts knew Iyrmen didn¡¯t lie. They had formed so long ago, and it was one of the first things all within the Order learnt. ¡°You have such great and mighty grandsons. I hope that our Order will meet them one day.¡± ¡°One day,¡± Jarot said, raising up the cup of wine, drinking it. Click banner for Patreon! Even Jarot can be cute. 493. Bullying 493. Bullying Omen: 11, 15 Jirot and Jarot crawled around their small play area, cuddling with the various soft blankets. Jirot grabbed a block and held it up, as though she had conquered the world, before sucking against the wood. Jarot crawled past her from behind, settling himself into a blanket. Adam sighed, causing the Iyrmen to glance his way. They quickly realised why he had sighed, for it was Adam. ¡®Where the hell are you, Jurot? I want to tell you about my cute children!¡¯ The pair of twins continued to crawl around, with Adam lifting them up whenever they came to the edge, before placing them back down within the play area. Once they were tuckered out, Sonarot picked them up, and fed them. ¡°The Iyr has closed its gates,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing Jirot¡¯s back after her meal. She had waited until after she had fed the children, since Adam always felt so awkward. ¡°So... it¡¯s no longer open?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I mean, you know, people can¡¯t go out and come back in?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°So I can¡¯t leave?¡± ¡°You will need to receive permission, but it is difficult to do. You will not be able to return until the end of the next Twilight Month.¡± ¡°Why has the Iyr closed its gates?¡± Adam asked, rubbing Jarot¡¯s back gently, the boy resting his sleepy head against his father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°The Iyr must protect itself in its most vulnerable time.¡± Sonarot had only recently heard why the Iyr needed to shut its gates. She had heard that the Iyr was likely going to do so, but not why. She wasn¡¯t sure if she was glad for the knowledge. Adam frowned. ¡®So I should probably stop joking around much...¡¯ The twins were placed into their baskets, allowing them to sleep peacefully. Lanarot led the triplets to her brother, reaching up with her arms. Adam lifted her up, feeling her squirm against him, before she finally hugged him tight. ¡°Papa,¡± the girl said, almost whimpering. ¡°I¡¯m here, you smelly girl,¡± Adam said, holding her close. His triplets stared up at him expectantly, so he reached down to rub their heads gently, all the while relaxing in his chair. ¡®Am I allowed to be so happy?¡¯ Adam thought. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had been so happy before in all his lifetimes. He rubbed his cheek against Lanarot¡¯s, and brushed Konarot¡¯s hair as she nestled her head on his thigh. Kirot and Karot waited for their turns patiently, always allowing their eldest sibling to set the pace. ¡®An adorable little sister and five children. Five. Five children.¡¯ Adam sighed, glancing at the other babies who were off to nap. He leaned back and stared up at the sky. ¡®Stronger.¡¯ Adam closed his eyes, wondering how strong he truly was. No, he was certain he understood his strength, it was just that he didn¡¯t understand the strength of others. ¡®I should study the system more...¡¯ Vonda approached Adam, who remained trapped under four children, who had claimed each arm and leg to cuddle with. It was as though his children were plate mail. ¡°I see you are doing well,¡± Vonda said, taking the seat opposite him. ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam glanced around at the children, thinking about whether to doff them. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I am well,¡± Vonda said, though glanced around the shared family estate. ¡°The Iyr is different. It feels so...¡± ¡°It feels like any other place now, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked. He had spent some time thinking about why the Iyr felt so uncomfortable, and he had realised it was because it felt like every other place now. ¡°Yes.¡± Vonda smiled at the words. ¡°The walls of my Order felt so safe, but when I arrived at the Iyr, I realised I was never safe. Now, I no longer feel safe here. I do not know if it because of the war in the south, or if there is something else.¡± ¡°I see, Adam,¡± Vonda said, not seeing at all. It was time for Adam to read to the children, who had gathered around near him. They did not sit as close as they had the past few days, though Adam noted they were still sitting closer than previously. ¡°I guess it¡¯s Asoyah¡¯s turn,¡± Adam said, accepting the book from the young boy, who sat to one side. ¡°Sir Vonda, would you like to read for the children?¡± Vonda noted the expectant gazes of the children, bowing her head. She read the tale of one of the Yah families, which was new to most of the children. Usually the stories they knew were those of their own family, and the three other families who they lived alongside, but sometimes someone would tell them a tale from another family. The children clapped once Vonda was done reading the first story within the book, excitedly babbling away between one another. Lanarot looked back at Adam and gasped in shock, as though the ending was utterly surprising. ¡°What?¡± Lanarot pointed out towards Vonda with her hand and babbled wildly as she tried to explain the nuances of what had occurred. Adam slowly nodded his head at her as she babbled noisily, before she sighed with an exasperated sigh. ¡°I completely understand.¡± Adam reached down to her hair and ruffled it. ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°Bwed?¡± ¡°You can have bread, you smelly girl,¡± Adam assured, causing his sister to cackle and clap her hands. Vonda smiled, seeing how bright Adam had become. She lifted Jirot up, the girl looking up at Vonda curiously. ¡°How can you bully your father, Jirot?¡± Jirot raised her brows in shock, copying Vonda¡¯s brows. She reached up to grab the woman¡¯s scarf, taking it off her face, before seeing the burn marks on the Priest¡¯s face. She giggle lightly as she reached up to grab onto the Priest¡¯s face. ¡°Will you bully me too?¡± Vonda pulled the girl to her chest, who cackled before sucking on her hand. When night fell, Vonda remained with the shared family estate, sleeping in the guest room of the Rot family. Adam slept in the same room as his Aunt and sister, staring up at the ceiling, his triplets scattered around him. ¡®I really am happy, Bell.¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®I really appreciate how much you¡¯ve helped.¡¯ [You are welcome.] ¡®Yeah, I am.¡¯ Adam thought about raising his Level to 6, but he decided against it. There was no need for him to Level at the moment, and he could always use the XP for something else later. ¡®Should I make another Scribe Mage?¡¯ Adam thought about it deeply. ¡®Oh wait, it¡¯s the Twilight Month...¡¯ Konarot rolled up against her father, sucking on her thumb. Adam smiled, reaching down to brush her hair, before he closed his eyes, and fell asleep. Click banner for Patreon! Adam is still trying to get himself killed... A million words? Woo! 494. Trust 494. Trust Omen: 12, 15 ¡°Oo,¡± Jirot said, looking up towards the Elder. ¡°Good morning,¡± Zijin said, reaching down to rub her head. The girl swiftly crawled away from the Elder towards her nana, who lifted her up. Adam smiled wide towards the Elder. ¡°What?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°I definitely didn¡¯t do something wrong this time.¡± ¡°That would have been taken into consideration,¡± Zijin replied, simply. Adam frowned. Zijin made his rounds, greeting the adults and the children, checking up on the estates to see if they needed repairs with his own eyes, before he motioned his head towards Adam. Adam followed him, bringing along his twins. ¡°They should explore the Iyr now and again with their father.¡± Zijin was going to make tea, but decided against having boiling liquid near the grasp of the tiny pair, whose eyes were exploring the Elder¡¯s estate. The silence was killing Adam like a slow poison. ¡°Hey, Elder Zijin. Should I know why the Iyr¡¯s so different now?¡± ¡°The Iyr is on high alert for the next year,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°Should I ask why?¡± ¡°Two Great Elders are missing for the year,¡± Zijin said, simply. ¡°Since one of them is Elder Peace, it is awkward for the Iyr, as we will be unable to call for a war immediately.¡± ¡®So Elder Peace, and Elder Wrath?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®She¡¯s probably gone for a year to do something with Strom? Then Elder Wrath is probably gone for the war? Will it only last for a year, then?¡¯ Zijin wondered if he should correct the thoughts on Adam¡¯s face, but decided against it. He had already given Adam too much information, and it wouldn¡¯t do for the Elder to spill all their secrets to the Half Elf. ¡°Whose the strongest Great Elder anyway?¡± Adam asked. If Elder Peace and Elder Wrath were gone, it meant that two of the Iyr¡¯s greatest were indisposed. ¡®Didn¡¯t they say there were at least ten Paragons? So with the Great Elders, that would mean there are roughly twenty Paragons?¡¯ Elder Zijin smiled, still refusing to let slip who the strongest Great Elder was. ¡°So the reason why the Iyr changed was because Strom died?¡± Adam thought. ¡®Elder Peace¡¯s departure meant that they had to close their gates to protect themselves? Elder Wrath¡¯s departure probably wasn¡¯t taken into consideration at the time, meaning they¡¯re weaker than before...¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡±n. Just one guy can cause that much...¡± Adam noted Elder Zijin¡¯s look and decided against finishing his sentence. ¡°Are you sure you should be revealing this kind of information to me?¡± ¡°The Iyr has gathered at least two hundred Grandmasters and several Great Elders to deal with an issue because it needed to,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Consider it a threat in case you step out of line.¡± ¡°A foe so terrible that, even after witnessing the greatness of the Iyr, and even if you were as twice as powerful as I imagine you to be, I can¡¯t help but still fear it.¡± ¡°Is there such a foe?¡± Zijin¡¯s eyes remained emotionless, but his mind thought back to the Chief, who must have known about this great foe. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it, Elder.¡± He stared past the Elder, looking to his previous life. Flashes of the creature came to his mind, and the fight in which he had seen, between the other Brit and the Eldritch horror. ¡°I pray it never comes, but, knowing who and what I am, that¡¯s just wishful thinking.¡± Elder Zijin remained silent. He was confident in the Iyr, to the point of even slaying God. Even Adam dared to speak so easily of the Gods, and yet even he paused for thought at a threat? ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think my goal can come true. An army of Paragons? Only the Iyr can manifest such a thing, not me. Still, a small unit of Paragons. A business which will shake the foundation of the world, with weapons and armours which will be simple and effective. That will be used to bankroll my goal, my dream.¡± Zijin was glad that Adam understood how terrifying his goals seemed to be, it meant that his actions were not quite so thoughtless, and there was a strange comfort in that. ¡°Oiyoyoyoyo,¡± Jirot said, reaching up with her hands to catch a small butterfly that passed her by. ¡°Right, and then there¡¯s putting my children through university,¡± Adam said, winking at the Elder. Zijin remained silent, deep in thought. ¡°Are you still willing to give up time with your children to grow stronger?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss too much of their time when they¡¯re young, but... I think I have to. I¡¯ve got some porters and farmers who are waiting for me.¡± ¡°The land will remain chaotic for some time. Aswadasad and Aldland has broken in two, and it is unknown of what the next year will bring to this land.¡± ¡°Right, Sir, uh, King Merryweather? He¡¯s declared independence or something?¡± ¡°The King of Aldland tried to break the treaty with Aswadasad, and...¡± Zijin wasn¡¯t sure if he should say more. ¡°An unfortunate streak of misfortune occurred in the past month, and King Merryweather has raised up arms against King Blackwater. It appears to be the case that he has killed the previous Duchess, and he intends on creating a separate Kingdom through the war.¡± ¡°What has the world come to?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Misfortune, eh? Is it because of me? Is that why Strom asked me not to...¡¯ Adam rubbed his children¡¯s cheeks. ¡®Who am I kidding? Am I really that egotistical to think everything is because of me?¡¯ Elder Zijin, too, thought about how much connection Adam had with the events which had passed. The Iyr had managed to connect him to the events due to his ability to shift Fate, but if Adam truly had such great abilities, then he would be considered the most dangerous individual in the land, perhaps the world. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± ¡°The forces of Aldland are not to be underestimated,¡± Zijin stated, firmly. ¡°The King has raised more than thirty thousand soldiers, but another one hundred thousand soldiers will be raised, though their quality will be lacking. With the Orders, we Iyrmen, and greater numbers, it will be difficult for the south to win an aggressive war, and a defensive have been difficult, but...¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°The two greatest Knights are within the south, and most of the soldiers within the south are more experienced, save for those in the north, and there is a great being who has recently joined the south.¡± ¡°A great being?¡± Adam asked, for a moment thinking it had arrived. Zijin smile, easing Adam¡¯s worries. ¡°A great being who even Lord Stokmar would think twice before fighting.¡± ¡®Yo, what?¡¯ "then he would be considered the most dangerous individual in the land, perhaps the world" I''m sure this will never come to play. 495. Chiefly Chat 495. Chiefly Chat Omen: 4, 17 Jirot cackled as she placed a block on top of another. She had gained such a new found power that morning, and so far it had been used for evil. ¡°I told you she keeps bullying me,¡± Adam said, holding Jarot against him, gently patting his back as the boy cuddled up to him. ¡°How are blocks more fun than me? I can fly, you know.¡± ¡°You have not flown with her,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°It¡¯s probably dangerous to fly with her when she¡¯s so small still.¡± Adam tickled his son¡¯s ear gently, causing him to squirm, the boy babbling and cooing quietly. The noon sun basked over the Iyr by the Chief called for Adam. ¡°Chief,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to the Iyrman, taking his seat opposite the Chief, in the Great Elder¡¯s estate. He reached for the fried dough snacks the Chief always provided. ¡°Adam,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°The Iyr has changed much this year.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± Adam helped himself to one of the Chief¡¯s snacks. ¡°You spoke of your goals with Elder Zijin. Are there any goals you have hidden from him?¡± Iromin¡¯s eyes were glued to the Half Elf¡¯s. Ee was one of the few who knew Adam¡¯s true tale. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I might have other, smaller goals, but for the most part, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Do you have any plans to marry into the Iyr?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any plans to marry at the...¡± Adam paused to think about it. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not exactly true. I think I probably should find someone, but it¡¯s going to be rough. I come with so much damn baggage, you know. I¡¯m a Half Elf with Goblin children. I probably wouldn¡¯t marry into the Iyr, though it¡¯s not impossible.¡± Iromin bowed his head. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was Adam creating distance with the Iyr and himself, but there was no need to dwell on that, not when there was so much going on in the world. ¡°One day.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, leaving it at that. Iromin wondered how many within the Iyr wanted to marry him. He thought of some of Adam¡¯s companions, and he was certain there were a few within them that would wish to marry Adam. Other than Jaygak, perhaps. ¡°Chief,¡± Adam called, pausing for a moment. ¡°I hope you understand that Konarot, Kirot, and Karot, are my children.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not tools to be used against Entalia,¡± Adam stated, firmly. It wasn¡¯t a statement, really, more a threat. Adam, who had decided to censor himself in a number of ways, wanted to make sure the Chief knew where he drew the line. ¡°Your children are Nieces and Nephews of the Rot family,¡± the Chief replied. ¡°Even if the Great Elders wished to use them, it would be far too difficult.¡± ¡°Difficult, but not impossible?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Iomin admitted, but he could say no more, not wishing to reveal such knowledge to Adam. He, the Chief, who had spent so much time protecting the children, could now be at peace since the children had been formally adopted into the Iyr. ¡°You have no need to worry for them within the Iyr now.¡± ¡°Of course, if you start picking fights, I¡¯ll make sure to...¡± Adam stopped. ¡°I mean, thank you very much for your hospitality, I won¡¯t forget it.¡± ¡°When did you become so meek, Adam?¡± the Chief asked. ¡°I realised I earned a lot of animosity from the Iyr, and a lot of distrust. This is the one place I should feel safe, and most of the time I do, but sometimes...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Everyone¡¯s on edge nowadays too.¡± ¡°That is because Elder Story has left the Iyr,¡± Iromin said. ¡°They have left to deal with matters above us.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Considering they¡¯re probably the strongest Iyrman since they¡¯re probably the most ancient person, thing, around.¡± ¡°How did you come to such a conclusion?¡± ¡°Elder Story isn¡¯t sworn in,¡± Adam said, recalling the trouble he had received when Turot had escorted around the Iyr the first time. ¡°They¡¯re someone who even Strom knew, and he¡¯s probably a few thousand years old. I mean, he was.¡± ¡°There is a thing as knowing too much.¡± ¡°Well, you know.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Maybe Elder Story isn¡¯t sworn in because they come from a long line of descendants, though I¡¯m not sure if that would be it. It might be because they have a great ability with memory or something? I don¡¯t actually know. It¡¯s just that all the evidence suggests that. All I know is that they¡¯re probably one hell of a monster, like Strom was, and Lord Stokmar is.¡± Iromin bowed his head, glad that Adam had brought up such a topic naturally. ¡°Do you still wish to become strong?¡± Adam wondered why the Chief was mentioning it. Zijin had mentioned it several times too. ¡®Did the Chief ask him to do it?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You are afraid. If you grow more powerful, too quickly, you think it will appear?¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Then grow strong slowly, like a tree. There are ways to increase your strength without personally growing stronger. I do not recommend it, such strength can be taken away from you swiftly, like death.¡± ¡°All strength can be taken away easily. The strength of preparation. The strength of status. The strength of physical might. The strength of magic. The strength of tools. I only need one to protect myself, but to protect my children? I need them all, Chief.¡± Iromin bowed his head. ¡°I will speak to you another day about the matter of strength.¡± ¡®Should I ask for Elder Gold?¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about the deal he had made with her. ¡®No. I can¡¯t ask about that sort of thing, especially not now. I can¡¯t wholly rely on the Iyr. Like he said, strength can be taken away from me quickly, and the strength of the Iyr isn¡¯t any different.¡¯ ¡°Enjoy yourself for now, as you have assisted the Iyr greatly,¡± Iromin said, warmly. ¡°Rest well, Adam.¡± Adam nodded his head. ¡°Thanks for the snacks, and the talk, Chief.¡± With that, the Half Elf made his way back to the shared family estate, where no doubt his children were playing peacefully. Adam thought about the Iyr, its strength and its rules. He wondered if he should allow his children to marry within the Iyr. It would provide them a life he couldn¡¯t. ¡°I want to be Blood Mage!¡± came the shout of the little Devilkin boy. His fists were clenched, his face scrunched together as he cried. Though he was crying, he shouted clearly, declaring the words to the world. ¡®What?¡¯ Adam thought, having never seen the little Gak like this before. If it had been Raygak, he wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it, but the one shouting and screaming was Saygak. ¡®What did I do this time?¡¯ Damn it, Adam. 496. Crying For Blood 496. Crying For Blood ¡°Saygak, you are a Gak,¡± Kaygak stated, calmly. ¡°You should use a sword and shield.¡± ¡°I want to be a Blood Mage!¡± Saygak shouted again, but seeing his mother motion with her hand, he repeated it, but quieter. ¡°I want to be a Blood Mage.¡± The other children nearby remained silent, sitting at their typical place during lunch. They glanced between the adults and Saygak. ¡°Cousin Jaygak is so strong,¡± Kaygak began. ¡°She is... cool?¡± Saygak sniffled. ¡°Jaygak is cool.¡± He nodded affirmatively. ¡°So you want to be a warrior that uses a sword and shield like Jaygak, yes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Kaygak said, rubbing his head. ¡°You will become a great warrior.¡± ¡°I want to be a Blood Mage!¡± ¡°Saygak, you...¡± Kaygak began, frowning towards her son. The hair on the back of Adam¡¯s hair tingled, and he tried to step back, trying to hide behind the other Iyrmen. ¡°Cousin Adam!¡± Saygak cried. ¡°Oo! Woo!¡± The boy gasped for air between crying, but he continued to stand tall, even widening his stance the way Taygak would when she would state something definitively. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Who is bullying my adorable little Cousin?¡± ¡°Who is bullying my son?¡± Kaygak asked, glaring at Adam, who had been the root of this nonsense. ¡°Saygak, you want to be a Blood Mage?¡± Adam asked, walking over to the crying boy. Adam ruffled his hair gently, trying to understand what had happened. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam hummed quietly, trying to figure out his own thoughts. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I want to learn magic,¡± Saygak said, still gasping for air. Adam brought out a cloth and wiped the boy¡¯s wet face, allowing him to blow his nose into it. ¡°You want to learn magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Magic is good,¡± Saygak stated, simply, no longer crying quite so hard. He continued to sniffle, but no longer did his tears fall. ¡°Is magic good?¡± ¡°Yes. Magic is good. I will learn magic.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam hummed once more. ¡°Well, let¡¯s say that magic is good then. Why else do you want to learn magic?¡± ¡°Then, if Saygak still wants to be a Blood Mage at that time, I don¡¯t see any reason why he can¡¯t. You still have a few years until then, and maybe Jaygak can try to convince you otherwise with her great tales. She has such a great weapon too.¡± ¡°I enchant great weapon,¡± Saygak said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will.¡± Kaygak sighed. She understood that Adam had no idea how long this had been bubbling within Saygak. For so long had the boy asked to become a Blood Mage, saying it every so often over the course of the year. Then, all of a sudden, it had burst forth. She knew that Saygak would not give this up, not any more. ¡°I want to learn magic,¡± Saygak said, sniffling again. ¡°I will be Blood Mage.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Saygak,¡± Adam said, smiling down at the Devilkin boy. ¡°If you want to learn magic, you can learn magic. If you want to learn the sword, you can learn the sword.¡± ¡°Saygak,¡± Taygak called, pointing at her brother. ¡°You Gak! Sword. Shield.¡± Saygak¡¯s face began to scrunch up again as he made to cry, but Adam rubbed his head. ¡°Yes, but Saygak is also an Iyrman, isn¡¯t he? He wants to help the Iyr, and he doesn¡¯t want to earn glory for himself. It¡¯s thanks to such lovely boys and girls like Saygak that you can go out and become so strong, Taygak. What a lovely boy your brother is.¡± ¡°Saygak, lovely boy,¡± Taygak confirmed. She walked over to him and hugged him tight, brushing his hair, letting her younger brother hug her. Kaygak stared down at her children, sighing. Laygak had been trying to convince Saygak away from such thoughts, but he had failed. Even Taygak had quietened him down, but now... ¡°Okay, let¡¯s eat, shall we?¡± Adam asked, picking up Konarot, who had been jealous that her father had ruffled Saygak¡¯s hair so much. ¡°What about you? Will you become a Blood Mage for the Iyr? Or will you become a warrior and make a name for yourself?¡± Konarot smiled before she snuggled up against her father, causing Kirot and Karot to tug at Adam¡¯s trousers, before he lifted them up too. ¡°That was a trick question, of course! You will do neither since you¡¯ll say so small and cute forever!¡± Adam chuckled, kissing their cheeks and foreheads. ¡®He is so good with children,¡¯ Kaygak thought. Adam had defeated her the year before, in a single blow at that, and since then she knew not to underestimate him. ¡®He assisted Churot into becoming a Scribe Mage, though it could have cost him his status as an Expert...¡¯ The amount of trouble Adam had caused for them was not small in the slightest, but at the same time, he had always been eager to assist them. Kaygak watched as Adam picked up his sleepy daughter, who had just awoken. The little Goblin girl reached up to grab his chin, before she squealed happily. Adam had spent so much time with the children, the same time that the older Jarot had spent when he was here. ¡°You smelly girl,¡± Adam grumbled, nuzzling her nose. ¡°How can you bully me like this?¡± He left to go change her, taking the awakening twin brother with him. The teens returned moments later, noting Saygak¡¯s wet face and red eyes. They glanced to Adam, who was taking away his twins, his triplets settling themselves beside their nana. Nirot gave her aunt a look, who merely nodded her head, and Nirot understood this was definitely Adam¡¯s fault in some way. ¡°You guys are always working, huh?¡± Adam said, returning with his twins cuddled up to his chest, suckling on their thumbs. ¡°There is much work to be done,¡± Nirot replied, simply. Adam looked up towards the sky. ¡°It feels weird not working. I mean, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t like this, but... I feel like I should be doing more.¡± ¡°We will spar with you if you are bored,¡± Nirot urged. ¡°Hmm.¡± Poor Saygak. How can they bully him like this? Hmm. 497. Skooled 497. Skooled ¡°No way,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Why not?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Forgotten?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Nirot wasn¡¯t sure what that had to do with anything. ¡°You guys are scary.¡± ¡°You will spar with Lord Morkarai, but you will not spar with me?¡± Nirot¡¯s lips were pulled taut into a frown. ¡°Lord Morkarai isn¡¯t an Iyrman.¡± Nirot wasn¡¯t sure if she could believe Adam¡¯s words. They were utterly ridiculous. ¡®He is more afraid of me than Lord Morkarai?¡¯ The thought stewed within her mind for a short while. ¡°I¡¯d rather come across Lord Morkarai than any of you,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve fought enough Iyrmen for a lifetime.¡± ¡°You will not face us?¡± Naqokan asked. Adam looked to the expectant eyes of the other teen Iyrmen. He sighed, melting under their gazes. ¡°Perhaps in the future. I don¡¯t feel like it right now.¡± Konarot climbed atop her father, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him. She looked back at the Iyrmen teens who were bullying her father and frowned at them, before returning back to her father. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯ll grow up big and strong to protect daddy? You silly girl, you should stay small and cute forever.¡± Adam brushed her hair tenderly. ¡®My kids are the cutest.¡¯ Omen: 17, 18Diiscover new stories at novelhall.comn these Omens.¡¯ Adam worked out lightly in the morning, playing with the children, before going off to bathe. He bathed with his triplets, who did not enjoy the warm water, so they sat in their own tubs of cool water, while their father relaxed in his warm water. He had almost used his Tricks trick to warm up the bath, but remembered what month it was, so used a stone which heated the water instead. Adam changed them into the attire Sonarot had procured for them, the clothes indistinguishable to any other Iyrman child¡¯s clothing. Seeing them adorned in their clothing, Adam couldn¡¯t help but lift them up and hug them all. ¡°Who gave you permission to be this cute? You silly little babbies!¡± When Adam returned to the estate, he found a large figure looming over his twins, who were reaching up for his red beard. ¡°Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam called. ¡°Adam,¡± the Prince of the Fire Giants replied. ¡°Is Jirot bullying you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is having fun.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, because she¡¯s only allowed to bully me,¡± Adam joked, before getting his tea pot, not the Persevian tea pot, but his metal pot, boiling some tea for the Fire Giant. ¡°How are you?¡± Lord Morkarai asked, sipping his tea when it was still piping hot. ¡°I¡¯m alright, not too bad, thanks. You?¡± ¡°I am well. The Iyr has requested I take a break from smithing and enchanting.¡± ¡°Yeah, they won¡¯t let me smith this month either,¡± Adam said, smirking up at the Fire Giant. ¡°Has there ever been conflict between Aldland and the Wizards of Skool?¡± ¡°I recall it has happened once within Aldland,¡± Morkarai admitted. ¡°After the Demonic Devastation, the Wizards of Skool came to request a particular favour. I do not recall the exactly details, but the Wizards of Skool did not waste the opportunity to try to call for a certain demand, which was refused at the time. It wasn¡¯t long before fifteen Wizards arrived, at least three of which could command the abilities of Sixth Gate spells, with a small army of capable soldiers, and took over a small portion of land just north of Eastsea.¡± Adam was trying to recall when that would have happened in the time line he knew, which must have been within the last millennia. ¡°So what happened?¡± ¡°A town was devastated and the army marched towards the second to deal with it. The Iyr, owing to its treaty, sent a hundred Iyrmen, who assisted in keeping the soldiers at bay with Aldland¡¯s army, but the Wizards were too powerful.¡± ¡°Too powerful for the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Too powerful for the one hundred Iyrmen who made up part of the Aldish army at the time,¡± Morkarai corrected. ¡°The Iyr sent an envoy to meet with the Wizards, made up of their Chief, Elder Peace, and more Iyrmen. The Wizards did not negotiate, and so the Chief was killed, and the Iyr decided to war. A limited war, I think they call it?¡± Adam nodded. ¡°The Wizard¡¯s army did not last, and only a single Wizard managed to flee from the devastation the Iyrmen wrought. There was a second round of negotiations, through Sending spells, where the Iyr called for the Wizard to be brought to them for justice. It was refused, and so the Iyr placed a ban on the Wizards from appearing within the surrounding lands for five hundred years.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Did they obey?¡± ¡°No. They returned fifty years later, assuming the Iyr would not enforce the bans, but quickly found that their Wizards were hunted by the Iyrmen who travelled across the land. The Wizards of Skool tried to demand for justice, but the Iyr did not forget. The Wizards of Skool had lost two dozen Wizards, some of them who could cast Seventh Gate spells, and they quickly found out why the Iyrmen were so feared even in distant lands.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°Peace was made,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°The Wizards requested for their spellbooks to be returned, and it was denied. However, the Wizards realised the Iyrmen always kept to their word, and so promises were made between the two groups, and to this day, if a Wizard dies near an Iyrman, whether they be part of the Wizards of Skool or not, the spellbook would be confiscated by the Iyrmen, and if they were a member of the Wizards of Skool, the spellbook would be sent back to them. It is but one of many promises the Iyr made towards the Wizards of Skool.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... weirdly nice.¡± ¡°You may meet them sooner or later,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°I will?¡± ¡°I would bet on it.¡± ¡°What would you bet on it?¡± ¡°A magical weapon.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam replied, narrowing his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you this time. Anything I should consider?¡± ¡°Treat them like they are Aldish nobles, and not Giant nobles.¡± ¡°Is there a difference?¡± ¡°You said you would rather face me than a young Iyrman and I did not complain,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°Fair, but Iyrmen are scary.¡± Morkarai thought about what he had seen in the Iyr so far, from the appearance of three Lords, and potentially a fourth with the white scaled Drakken. Then there was the story of the Iyrmen and the Wizards of Skool, who, whenever stubbed, would tear across the land until they were satisfied. Yet, the Iyr was one of very few places which had managed to force them away to lick their wounds with zero hesitation, and had hunted them as though they were dogs. ¡°Yes,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°They are.¡± Iyr: You can''t come here for five hundred years. Skool: What about fifty? Iyr: So you have chosen death. 498. Nobby I 498. Nobby I The last week of the Twilight Month continued to pass. Adam decided against smithing since the Iyrmen had told him to relax. He assumed that the Great Elders wouldn¡¯t bother him. ¡°Yo!¡± Adam called out, wearing his triplets against his torso. ¡°Adam,¡± Filliam called in response. For once the tinkerer wasn¡¯t working, instead enjoying the time with the Iyrmen and Adam¡¯s other companions, who had gathered together to relax near the stream. ¡°How are you all today?¡± Adam asked, allowing his children to drop down. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot, you need to wave hello to my companions.¡± The triplets looked up at the group, which consisted of all of Adam¡¯s companions who were staying within the Iyr. They waved at the group before clutching at their father¡¯s trousers. Adam sat with his companions, allowing his children to climb up onto him. ¡°You silly little babbies, I need some space too.¡± Konarot¡¯s lips formed a pout and Kirot and Karot both buried their heads into his neck. ¡°Okay, just this once,¡± Adam relented, giving in to his children far too easily. ¡°How many stories do you have already, Adam?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°I spent some time with the Rot family and I¡¯ve heard at least four different tales.¡± ¡°Yeah? I guess two per year isn¡¯t so bad.¡± ¡°What about your tales from before the Iyr?¡± ¡°They¡¯re unbelievable,¡± Adam said, waving his hand in the air to dismiss the topic. ¡°More unbelievable than killing two Dragons, beating a Prince of the Fire Giants, and becoming an Expert in just a year?¡± ¡°If you think that¡¯s unbelievable, then yes,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve spoken the tale to my Aunt, the Chief, and Elder Story, and they¡¯re the only one¡¯s who need to...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Oh, right. Lucy and Jurot know too.¡± ¡°Lucy¡¯s tale is unbelievable too,¡± Filliam said. He leaned in to the Half Elf to whisper. ¡°She¡¯s really the Demon Lord?¡± ¡°There are things you should know and thing you shouldn¡¯t know, Filliam,¡± Adam said, carefully. ¡°Lucy is our companion,¡± Vonda interjected. ¡°She may be a Demon or whatever, but she¡¯s a good one,¡± Fred said. Adam narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Yeah, just like how Fred¡¯s an Aldishman, but he¡¯s one of the good ones.¡± Fred furrowed his brows. ¡°Aldishmen are good.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°How are you guys enjoying the Iyr?¡± ¡°About the same as before,¡± Fred said, nervously. ¡°The Iyr is a wonderful place, and it is our fortune to remain within it,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I¡¯ve been getting the itch to fight something other than Iyrmen recently, but it¡¯s good,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Brittany added. ¡°Good,¡± Nobby said. Adam looked to Jonn, who didn¡¯t seem to want to respond. ¡°Good,¡± Jonn said, simply. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. If they don¡¯t treat you well, then you can speak with Aunt Sonarot, she¡¯ll sort them out.¡± Adam continued to show off his children to his companions, before he went to assist with dinner. Lanarot tugged his trousers and pointed up to the sky. ¡°Up.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do it this month, Lanababy,¡± Adam replied. Lanarot frowned. ¡°Up!¡± The girl demanded. ¡°No, not this month,¡± Adam said, rubbing her head. ¡°No!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, no.¡± ¡°No!¡± She pointed up at Adam. ¡°Up!¡± ¡°Just because you¡¯re cute, it doesn¡¯t mean you can boss me around,¡± Adam said, picking her up, before lifting her about as though she were flying. His little sister clapped her hands eagerly and squealed. ¡°Mister boss,¡± Nobby called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can we spar, please?¡± Nobby asked. Sonarot¡¯s ears twitched at the words, but she paid them no mind. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam looked to his children and then to Lanarot. ¡®Fight? I¡¯m pretty sure without my magic and with his rage, I¡¯ll have a fairly tough time.¡¯ However, it had been a while since he had flexed his muscles. ¡°Sure.¡± Sonarot¡¯s ears twitched again, and she threw them a look. ¡®Adam and Nobby are to fight?¡¯ ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± Adam went to slip on his breastplate, and grabbed his magical shield, which would make up for the shortfall of the rest of his plate mail which he decided against wearing. He grabbed his mundane axe too, and stood opposite Nobby to one side. The Iyrmen, his companions, and the children, kept an eye on them, eager to watch them fight. Lanarot had all but forgotten about her want to fly as she smiled and giggled, eager to watch the fight. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 12 (11) Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 24 (18) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 7 (2)(1) 7 damage! Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 20 (14) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 13 (6)(3) 13 damage! ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t go all out right away,¡¯ Adam thought, before leaping forward. Nobby held up his shield, and as the pair fought, Nobby could feel the great strength which Adam possessed. His axe struck greater than Jurot¡¯s did without his rage. ¡®That should be good,¡¯ Adam thought, noting how Nobby was already sweating slightly under Adam¡¯s assault. Nobby inhaled deeply before his entire face grew hot and red with rage. His axe cut through the air, though Adam managed to deflect it off his shield. Health: 65 -> 56 ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the force behind the blow. He was no doubt strong, and probably shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. Nobby¡¯s wild axe cut through the air, and as Adam brought up his shield, the axe struck his shield with such might that his entire arm shook, and he slid back away from the raging porter. Health: 56 -> 37 ¡®What the hell?¡¯ What has the Iyr done to our boy Nobby? 499. Nobby II 499. Nobby II Lanarot screamed as though possessed by the God of Death, clapping her hands excitedly. Konarot looked to her aunt, whose eyes were glued on the pair.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.comen are scary. Sonarot smiled as she watched the realisation appear on Adam¡¯s face. Every since Jurot had begun training Nobby, her son had always spoken to her about how much he enjoyed his role as Nobby¡¯s mentor. Jurot had sparred with Nobby almost daily, and had watched over his growth. Yet, Jurot had revealed something to Sonarot, something that she had not yet told the Great Elders. Although Jurot had drilled the basics into Nobby, it had been their adventures with Adam which had grown the seedling into a tree. Nobby, who had been but a boy when they had first met, had become almost an Expert. The thought came to her. Jurot¡¯s words echoed within her mind as she watched the pair fight. It was something which had shocked Sonarot, though she hadn¡¯t disagreed. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 5 = 14 (4, 5) Health: 37 -> 51 Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 15 (9) D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Critical hit! 2D6 + 2D3 + 4 = 13 (1, 5)(1, 1) Damage resisted! 7 damage! Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 14 (8) D20 + 6 = 23 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 4 = 7 (2)(1) Damage resisted! 4 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 10 (4) D20 + 6 = 19 (13) Miss! Attack - Axe D20 + 6 = 14 (6) D20 + 6 = 23 (19) Critical hit! 2D6 + 2D3 + 4 = 19 (3, 6)(3, 3) Damage resisted! 10 damage! ¡®Nobby, what have they been feeding you?¡¯ Adam thought, before clasping his axe tighter in hand. He could feel the aura the young man was giving off. This was not the sweet little Nobby he was used to, but someone who had trained viciously under an Iyrman. ¡®What did you do to him, Jurot?¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply, feeling his muscles tense as he was reinvigorated with the spirit to fight even harder. He charged towards the young man, who had been a labourer for most of his life, and was yet to become an adult truly. Nobby stood tall as Adam slammed his axe against the young man¡¯s shield. He winced only momentarily, but managed to gather himself quickly. ¡®Sorry, Nobby, but I can¡¯t lose in front of my sister,¡¯ Adam thought, hearing the wailing screams from nearby, which spurred him forward. He managed to strike across Nobby¡¯s shield, causing him to almost step back. As Nobby made to swing, Adam forced himself forward, feeling the rush of strength, soaring forward as he tried to cut across Nobby. ¡®19 is a miss?¡¯ Adam pulled back, barely dodging a blow from the young man who was built like the walls of the Iyr. In the gap, he managed to strike Nobby true, slicing into the young man¡¯s side, drawing blood once more. Nobby wore the typical attire of the Iyr, though it was plain, unlike those which Adam and his children wore. He had no armour, and wielded only a shield, and yet the young man¡¯s Defence was at least 20? ¡°I trust in Jurot¡¯s eyes,¡± Sonarot replied, simply, smirking slightly. ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam stared at Nobby, who was greater than he originally managed. ¡®My number one enforcer?¡¯ He wondered if he should really train Nobby to be more powerful. ¡®If you grow stronger, you¡¯ll probably be able to beat Jurot...¡¯ Adam frowned at the thought. ¡®I¡¯ll just leave that choice up to you, Jurot.¡¯ The children quickly swarmed Adam, jabbering at him excitedly. ¡°Good fight,¡± Taygak praised, patting his side gently. ¡°Very strong.¡± ¡°I was just lucky,¡± Adam said, sitting down and stretching out his legs. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have my magical shield, Nobby would have beaten me. The guy has as much Defence as I do when I¡¯m fully adorned in plate mail...¡¯ Adam¡¯s lips slowly formed a smile. ¡°Nobby is stronger than I imagined,¡± Vonda admitted, looking over the unconscious form of the teen. Nobby was just seventeen, a couple of years younger than herself and Adam. Yet, already, he was so strong. ¡®There is a high chance you will become an Expert before you turn eighteen...¡¯ Dunes shared the same thoughts as Vonda, having met Nobby before her. He had watched Nobby grow for some time. ¡®To think he¡¯s already such a... monster?¡¯ Dunes looked to Adam. ¡®Jurot has trained him well, but it¡¯s mostly likely because of Adam...¡¯ Fred¡¯s eyes fell down to Nobby. ¡®He can beat me.¡¯ Fred was certain of it. He watched over Nobby as he trained early in the morning, before he¡¯d go on to work for the Iyr, labouring for it. He did not complain once, nor did he complain when the Iyrmen tried to spar with him. ¡®Scary.¡¯ Brittany stared at the large form of Nobby. They had joined Adam around the same time, and he had assisted her too, but the difference between Nobby and her was big, too big. Nobby had assisted her against the duabears during the Outbreak, but she was certain that he was much stronger now. ¡°What happened to the sweet Nobby I knew?¡± Adam asked, his voice full of mourning. ¡°He was so cute, and now he¡¯s... he¡¯s been corrupted by Jurot! How can you do this to me, Jurot? Why would you turn him into someone so scary?¡± Though Adam was complaining, everyone could see the smile on the Half Elf¡¯s face. Nobby awoke some time later. He awoke to the sensation of a sore body, though he had been bandaged up, and to the smell of food. He sat up, wincing, before he sat with the group to the side. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Adam asked, offering the boy some soup. ¡°Good,¡± Nobby replied. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Well, it looks like I¡¯ll need to start saving up money so I can afford you when you turn into an Expert next year.¡± ¡°Okay, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied, sipping the soup. ¡°We¡¯ll spar from now on, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± Nobby smiled slightly. ¡®I need to find more people like Nobby,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Just four more, one for each kid. No, maybe two for each kid? No, no, definitely five.¡¯ ¡®So that¡¯s what he looks like when he¡¯s thinking something stupid,¡¯ Filliam thought, noting Adam¡¯s face. Nobby! Why have they corrupted you so? 500. Year’s End 500. Year¡¯s End Adam sparred with Nobby in the mornings, though not quite as harshly as before. Their previous spar was more of a duel, in which Adam learned that there were others who possessed cheat abilities through sheer natural strength. They sparred gently, and Adam had figured out the exact Defence Nobby had held. It was 18 without any gear at all, the same as when Adam wore plate mail. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Nobby. I¡¯ll raise you into a true monster.¡¯ Omen: 2, 10 The morning of the last day of the year arrived. Adam awoke early in the morning and trained lightly. He ran ten laps around the courtyard, before completing fifty push ups and fifty squats, with Nobby following his lead. Once his warm up was complete, he lifted up one of the weights the Iyr had made, and he trained with the dambells, as they were called. He sparred with Nobby too, though it was a light spar. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done for the day,¡± Adam said, wiping the light sweat off his forehead. ¡°Good work, Nobby.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± Adam led his children and sister away to the large building with the domed roof. He managed to wash them without much bother from the Iyrmen, who had finally begun to recognise him. The token Elder Zijin had handed to him also helped him bathe in peace. He washed the triplets first, who shared a tub together, before assisting Lanarot, making sure she didn¡¯t get any soap in her eyes. Konarot assisted her siblings. Once he was done washing up his children, he washed himself within his own tub, still wearing his shorts, all the while the children splashed in their tub. Once they were clean, Adam dried them off with a towel, placing a clothy on each of them. ¡°No!¡± Lanarot said, making a face. ¡°No, Lanarot!¡± Adam gasped. ¡°Not like this!¡± Lanarot had passed whatever dice check she needed to make, as they had found a toilet she could use first, before he cleaned her up and placed a fresh clothy around her. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this,¡± Adam said. Lanarot smiled with great satisfaction towards her older brother, making sure he knew his place. Adam changed them all, putting them in their clothing, Sonarot making sure they all matched completely. ¡°Who gave you permission to be so cute?¡± ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot said, pointing at him, before babbling towards him with the most accusatory tone. ¡°What do you mean I gave you permission? I don¡¯t remember this! You all need to be punished!¡± Adam embraced them tight, kissing their foreheads and cheeks. Adam led them back to the shared estate, taking the basket and the contraption which held his twins, strapping it against himself, before he made his way back to that place. That place was the place Jurot had taken him to see the Iyr while it was under snow, where Vonda and he had departed on their first date. He sat down, wearing his twins still so they didn¡¯t crawl about. He placed down the blanket and the baskets of food, Lanarot quickly snatching the bread first. She bit into it, tearing it apart so she could have bread on either hand to eat from, as though she were from the Va family, who dual wielded warhammers. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot all sat down near their father. Adam handed them some sandwiches, before he placed down a platter of fruit in front of them. Jirot cried, unable to reach for the fruit, before Adam offered her some warm mashed fruit, alternating between his twins with their different spoons. Jirot¡¯s spoon was marked with a circle, and Jarot¡¯s was marked with a diamond. ¡°You paid for his treatment and now he is a member of your group,¡± Tarot stated. ¡°Will you continue to train him?¡± ¡°Jurot trains him, but I suppose I should be helping,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s almost an Expert.¡± ¡°He should become a Master.¡± ¡°He will become what he wishes,¡± Zirot rebuked her husband. ¡°Leave him be.¡± ¡°He is learning our way. Once he becomes a Master, it would be difficult for most to face him. No, he should become a Grandmaster. If it is him, he could even surpass brother Jarot.¡± Zirot wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to see another Jarot. ¡°If he wishes to live an easier life as an Expert, he may.¡± ¡°What do you think, Nobby?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do you want to be a Grandmaster?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, meekly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you into a Grandmaster,¡± Adam said. Nobby remained silent for a moment. ¡°I want to be a Paragon.¡± Tarot raised his brow, looking towards the young man who was taller and wider than him. ¡°Grandmaster is difficult enough.¡± He grinned wider. His body still ached from his training, and it would take him a few years to become a Master, never mind a Grandmaster. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since you want to be a Paragon, I¡¯ll make you into a Paragon.¡± Tarot and Zirot both looked to Adam, shocked by the statement. The other Iyrmen, Adam¡¯s Aunts and Uncles, had long become used to his words, and so were resistant to his audacity. ¡°Is it so easy?¡± Tarot asked. ¡°Jurot, Kitool, Jaygak, and I, we¡¯re all aiming for Paragon, so what the use of stubbing Nobby before that?¡± Adma asked. Tarot chuckled lightly, stifling it from becoming too loud. Zirot wasn¡¯t sure how she should take that, but she noted the smile on Sonarot¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re going to need to be a Paragon if you want to be my number one enforcer,¡± Adam said, simply. Nobby smiled, exchanging a knowing glance with Brittany. ¡®What a crazy bastard,¡¯ she thought. When night fell across the Iyr, Adam put his children to bed. They each climbed up against him, taking their place atop him as they usually did. Adam smiled, brushing their hair gently. ¡®What cute little children I have...¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Baktu, Lord Sozain, whatever you want me to call you. These kids of mine, don¡¯t take them away from me, please.¡¯ He wondered if he could provide them a decent life. He looked to Jurot, seeing him through the darkness with his Half Elvish eyes. He smiled, and closed his eyes. Quest Complete: Arms to the Iyr XP Gained: +3000 XP: 16 600 -> 19 600 ¡®Yo, what?¡¯ Next chapter is an interlude, and then I''ll take a break for at least a few days. Next chapter maybe monday. Interlude: The Last Night Interlude: The Last Night The stars twinkled in the Iyr¡¯s sky, but they were nothing compared to the gems which were offered to the old, white scaled man. He, who appeared to be a Drakken, but was undoubtedly a Dragon. The snow falling across the Front Iyr all but confirmed that fact. He was offered not just a myriad of gems, but also three blades, each holding a Basic enchantment, and each forged with great craftsmanship. ¡®They¡¯re no Dwarven blades, but they¡¯ll do,¡¯ the old man thought. He could smell the scent against them, each enchanted by a different Iyrman, one who was long passed, but none were of that boy. ¡°I have noticed that the Iyr has made plenty of magical weapons this year, though I see that none of those gifted to me were of his.¡± ¡°We apologise if they are not to your liking,¡± Elder Lykan said, smiling politely. ¡°However, it is always good to be cautious.¡± The words hung in the air like a threat, but the old man let it go. ¡°Thank you for the gems and the weapons, but they were not a part of the deal.¡± ¡°Consider it our good will,¡± Lykan said. ¡°Our deal was fair, but the Iyr does not forget those who have shown her favour, nor those who have dared to tread lightly.¡± ¡®If they¡¯re speaking poetically...¡¯ He accepted the second threat, knowing that it did not come from him, but higher up. It was a warning to him, one of the two Lords who remained behind in the Iyr. Stokmar, too, remained within the Iyr, drinking the barrels of ale the Iyrmen had prepared for her. They had been dug up from the earth, having brewed over the course of centuries, just in case. ¡®Just how much have you prepared?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much,¡± the Lord of Earth said, having slid her way towards him, forcing the snow aside. ¡°What is it that you¡¯re thinking about, Grimraith?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to ask me a question, you should at least offer me a drink,¡± Grimraith replied, his arms crossed behind his back. He had no need to defend against the Lord of Earth, the pair had barely crossed paths before, though he still needed to press for proper respect. Stokmar clicked through her teeth before tossing him a gourd of wine, which the old man snatched out of the air, before he sipped it. It was a fruit wine, one freshly made within the Iyr. ¡°I was thinking about nothing important,¡± he admitted, but he knew that Stokmar would have been annoyed with such an answer. ¡°Has there ever been a time when so many of us met in one go? Those of us who could command the title of Lord, and even her, she who rules the Iyr and can stand against us by herself. Has there been a time when five of us have met together? There was a sixth, too, I could suppose.¡± Elder Story, Hadda, Lord Stokmar, Shama, Asa, and Grimraith. Any one of them could have wreaked havoc upon the land by their lonesome, but to think they had all come here, in the land of the Iyrmen, all at one time. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel good to have only you as company,¡± Stokmar admitted. ¡°At least that boy, Hadda, was a decent enough drinking companion.¡± ¡°Who will win?¡± ¡°Neither.¡± Grimraith nodded. ¡°I wonder why Soza has never-,¡± She was older than time, her face wrinkles like ripples within a lake. She wore thick clothing, black as the starless sky, and wore a medallion which was made of a black wood, shaped in the symbol of Baktu, the God of Death. She wielded a staff made of the same wood as her medallion too, but that was not the most notable thing about her. Her tattoos were small, hollow circles, also a deep black. They were notable because an Iyrman¡¯s tattoos were usually filled or hollow, and the central shape was usually the largest. However, her tattoos were all uniform, and were smaller than any other Iyrman¡¯s. The central circle held the symbol of Baktu too. She stepped up to approach the pair of Lords, smiling warmly, like a grandmother would. Yet, the pair of Lords both straightened up. It wasn¡¯t that she possessed greater strength than either of them, and though she had the back of up of four others like her, the stench of death clung to her deeply. Baktu had no Champions, but if he had, these five would have been good enough to claim themselves as his. ¡°It is my honour to be with you,¡± the old Iyrman said, bowing her head. ¡°I have come to thank you for your assistance.¡± ¡°The Iyr has thanked me enough,¡± Grimraith said, with Stokmar nodding to agree. ¡°If there comes a time to fight, I hope it will be side by side,¡± the old Iyrman said, glancing between the pair. She had hoped to speak with them, but seeing the way they looked at her, she bowed her head and retreated. She couldn¡¯t blame them, for their senses were greater than a typical person¡¯s, and she was an abomination, one made for the Iyr, but an abomination none the less. ¡®I cannot even speak with one of my own.¡¯ Stokmar and Grimraith relaxed together for some time, both thinking about the upcoming year. Stokmar understood why Grimraith was thinking about the meeting of all the great powers, for there was no way that they could meet like this without the world reacting. Then, there was that young man. That young man who called for Chaos no matter where he was. That young man, who had just become a father, and yet held the powers which, as Hadda had warned the Lords, had the potential to destroy the world. Woo! Beyond Chaos Year 2 has ended! I''ll be taking a short break before bringing Year 3. Thank you to everyone for your support and I hope you''ll continue to enjoy the series. I acknowledge Year 2 was a little awkward, because someone decided to absolutely body our protagonist, and then, somehow Palpatine returned, I mean Adam became a father. There wasn''t a lot of action but, Year 3 is very exciting imo. It''s far more action packed than Year 2, and way more insane. Hopefully it reveals more about the world in general. There are a lot of seeds people have noticed in the story and I hope the pay off for those seeds are enjoyable. There are a lot of seeds which probably wont be paid off until Year 10+ (if Adam lives that long) and some won''t be paid off until Year 50+ (if Adam lives that long) and some even at Year 100+ (if I live that long). Thank you all again for all your support! 501. First Of Dawnval 501. First Of Dawnval Omen: 6, 15 The first light of dawnval welcomed the Iyr into the new year. Many of the Iyrmen, strongly built as they were, enjoyed the first morning by training. Some ran along the roads of the Iyr, while others found themselves within the lush fields, and others trained along the mountain roads. The Iyrmen were great warriors, each Human, Devilkin, or Half Orcs, though they deny any such labelling. They were Iyrmen, very different to the Humans of Aldland, the Devilkin to the east, or the Half Orcs to the north. Yet, not all those who stayed within the Iyr, were Iyrmen. There was indeed a Half Elf, one who had become family to an Iyrman. But he was no Iyrman. Adam yawned, nestling himself within the bath. His muscles ached from his early morning training, having ran fifty laps around the courtyard of the shared family estate, and lifted the weights he had invented within the Iyr. ¡®I really shouldn¡¯t have lifted so much...¡¯ Adam sighed. He enjoyed his morning bath, before returning back to the shared family estate, where his three Half Dragon children stared at him as he walked through the archway into the courtyard, chewing on their fish. Konarot, his eldest daughter, reached up with her torn fish meat, while her other hand shoving more fish into her tiny mouth. ¡°Are you enjoying yourself?¡± Adam asked, sitting down beside his triplets, eating the fish from his daughter¡¯s hand. Konarot let out a satisfied snort, her thick tail swaying from side to side, silver scales gleaming. She nodded her head, before sticking more fish into her mouth. Kirot and Karot, the younger pair of the triplets, both also tried to feed their father, but Adam ruffled their hair. ¡°Eat first you silly little babbies!¡± Adam beamed down at his children, who were certainly the cutest. ¡®Though, why are you wearing such nice clothes?¡¯ The children were adorned in the Iyr¡¯s clothing, as they usually were. He wore the Iyr¡¯s clothing too, as a Nephew of the Rot family. A top which wrapped over itself and required a sash around his waist to keep the clothing tied together. It also held a large pocket on the inside against his chest, though it flowed towards his side too. The trousers of the Iyr were fairly normal, as trousers ought to be, with pockets for both the men and the women. The children¡¯s lining were made of slightly nicer material, and the tattoo of the Rot family, a blue circle with three blue diamonds one either side of it, was also embroidered with finer thread. ¡®Is there something special today? Well, yeah, but not my birthday. Vonda¡¯s birthday? No, they wouldn¡¯t dress up my kids for just that. Would they?¡¯ Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 17 (14) ¡®Oh.¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply, reaching down to ruffle his children¡¯s hair once more. Everyone else waited with bated breath, while Adam played with his children¡¯s hair. The triplets stared up at him expectantly. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ A chillness seeped through the Half Elf, a new, strange sensation. ¡®I didn¡¯t make them anything!¡¯ Adam continued to ruffle their hair, trying to make time to find something to give them. How could he, known as an idiot father, forget his children¡¯s first birthday? ¡®It¡¯s not my fault! Didn¡¯t she saw it was near the end of nightval? Why did...¡¯ The memories came back to him as he recalled the smiles of his children. Technically, he had no idea when their birthday really was, but he had asked them if they wanted to share a birthday with him. Sonarot, his Aunt, stared at him. She was certain he was thinking something stupid, but what was it that he was thinking about. ¡®Did he forget?¡¯ It was something she never would have thought, since it was impossible for Adam to forget his children¡¯s birthday. However, when it came to Adam, the word impossible didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot called, pointing up at him accusatory with her bread, before biting into it. The little girl, who was almost two years old, was also adorned in slightly nicer clothing, and wore a small hair clip. ¡°Yes, my little Lanababy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Bwed,¡± the girl said, pointing at his food before him. ¡°Num num.¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Adam said, beginning to eat his bread. ¡°What a pretty clip you are wearing. Something special must be happening today.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes glanced across the other, older children, those of the Ool, Kan, Gak, and Rot families. Katool, giggled behind her hands, her little bob cut jiggling as she did. The other other children stifled their laughter too, waiting expectantly, save Damokan and Kalokan, who were just smiling. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam continued, glancing around the children. ¡°That must mean something big is happening today. I wonder what it could be?¡± Adam tilted his head to the side, like a pup, pretending as though he had no idea what was happening. ¡°Cousin Adam!¡± Katool covered her mouth once more as she did her best not to break into laughter. ¡°It must be that, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It must be because...¡± His eyes fell across the other children, all the while drinking from his clap cup. ¡°It must be because it¡¯s Jurot¡¯s birthday today!¡± The children fell into laughter at his joke, before they stopped, furrowing their brows in thought. At first they had laughed because he was obviously going to say something false, but... It was true. Adam smiled. Who would of thought that little Saygak would have spoken up like this but months ago? ¡°I¡¯m sure he isn¡¯t. Thank you, Saygak.¡± Katool held up her gift, waving it excitedly. The girl smiled, unable to contain herself as she sauntered her way to the Half Elf. ¡°Cousin Adam, it is my turn.¡± ¡°Is this the tale of Katool, who slew Smogburg the Terrible?¡± Adam asked, accepting the book from the girl. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl said, puffing up her chest excitedly. ¡°It is a lovely book, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I will slay a Dragon when I am big too, Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Adam ruffled her bob. ¡°Though I thought you would draw something for me.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Katool pointed at the book. ¡°You did?¡± Katool helped Adam open up the book, revealing the last few pages. ¡°Look.¡± ¡°Ah! I see! You drew me and my children?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The girl nodded, her bob confirming her words. He noted the blob of purple, which was him within his armour, three shapes with horns and silver scales, and two green little blobs, which were no doubt his adorable twins. This time Adam could vaguely make out dots which made for their eyes, and they were within the scribbled circles which he assumed were their heads. He wasn¡¯t sure if Konarot had horns on her shoulders, though. ¡°Thank you, Katool.¡± The pair of silent Kans walked up to Adam with a pair of metal scales, as they had done so the previous year. The metal scales were beautiful, one sparkling red, another sparkling blue, as though they were filled with gemdust. ¡°Rubysteel,¡± Damokan said, who had passed over the dark red scale. ¡°Sappiresteel,¡± Kalokan said, who had passed over the dark blue scale. A vague sense of dejavu filled Adam, who swore the pair had given him metal of the same colour the year previous. ¡°Thank you two too.¡± He reached up to pat their heads simultaneously. Adam raised his brow towards Turot, who smiled innocently, but handed Adam nothing. ¡®Is he going to do something adorable again?¡¯ ¡°Did you all forget about my childrens¡¯ birthday?¡± ¡°No!¡± Taygak replied, pointing at him as she huffed. ¡°Silly, Cousin Adam.¡± Adam smiled. The greatest gift of all was no doubt how he could tease the children. ¡°Hmm. Did Tavgak bring anything for the children then?¡± Taygak jerked, as though she had been slapped in the face. She looked to the babies to one side, each who were only a few months old, like Adam¡¯s youngest twins, before furrowing her brows. ¡°No. Baby.¡± ¡°Do not bully the children too much, Adam,¡± Sonarot berated, noting the looks of the other adults nearby. ¡°If you wish to bully someone, we will be heading to the extended family estate.¡± ¡°Before we do that, can I give my children their gifts?¡± Adam asked, his lips forming a small smirk. ¡°In fact, why don¡¯t I thank all my adorable Cousins for their gifts too?¡± It hadn¡¯t taken Adam long to realise that the season had changed. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought as he lifted up his daughter. ¡®I should go see Vonda too.¡¯ The adults pierced Sonarot with their eyes. It was one thing for Adam to make jokes around the Twilight Month, where he was restrained due to the chaotic nature of the month, but it was dawnval now. Sonarot replied to the other adults with a smile. If Adam did try anything, they would just kill him. Mana: 18 -> 15 Thus it returns! The best child raising simulato- What? This story isn''t a child raising simulator? It''s about adventuring and slaying dragons? Since when? 502. First Of Dawnval II 502. First Of Dawnval II Konarot¡¯s arms shot out as she was flown around the Iyr, following the road adjacent to their estate block, and only slightly above the ground floor, as Adam had promised. Flying through the air filled her tiny body with a light sensation, one she could no longer experience with her own strength. She cooed and purred as her father held her close, the wind rushing through them. He dropped down and picked up Kirot, his second eldest daughter, next. The triplets enjoyed themselves, feeling at ease in the air. It was a natural feeling, the feeling which they had inherited from their mother, a Silver Dragon. Karot, the youngest of the triplets, cuddled up against his father¡¯s neck as the Half Elf floated down. The boy¡¯s tail swayed from side to side as he purred, his heart beating quickly from the excitement. Adam glanced around at the children. ¡°My spell is going to end but...¡± Mana: 15 -> 12 Spell: Fly Over the next few minutes, Adam flew each child around, before he finally let them go. The group made their way to the Rot family¡¯s extended estate, where many of the other members of the Rot lived. ¡°Who is this handsome young man?¡± Adam asked, all the while Asoyah was eating a small piece of fruit. ¡°I am Asoyah,¡± the boy replied, staring up at the Half Elf. ¡°Are they treating you well?¡± Adam smiled, sitting beside him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re bullying you, you can tell me,¡± Adam assured the youngster. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to tell Jurot if they¡¯re bullying you, and he¡¯ll sort them out.¡± Asoyah let out a small sigh, half of it a gentle laugh. ¡°Okay.¡± Konarot and her siblings were accosted by the other children of the Rot family estate, though Adam kept his twins near him at all times. Well, he tried, but Jirot kept crawling away from him. ¡°How can you do this to me, Jirot?¡± Adam asked, lifting her up to kiss her cheek. She giggled and squealed, throwing up her tiny green fists in defiance. Adam continued to kiss her cheek, before nuzzling into her leaf shaped ears, which twitched. Once she was set down, she looked back to her father, met the look in his eyes, before she cackled and crawled away again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the old geezer isn¡¯t...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I can¡¯t believe their babo isn¡¯t here to spoil them.¡± Adam looked down at his youngest son, Jarot, named after his greatfather. The boy sat next to Adam¡¯s leg, his eyes scanning across the entire estate as he took in the sights. As Jirot crawled away, a Devilkin teen lifted her up, causing her to squeal noisily in protest, before she noted the colour of the boy¡¯s skin. Her eyes remained glued to Churot¡¯s face, the boy blinking at the baby girl. ¡°Churot,¡± Adam called, patting the seat beside him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, sitting down beside Adam, Jirot sitting on his lap. The tiny girl remained staring at the boy, unable to take her eyes off him. Even Jarot was looking up at him, though Adam picked him up so the boy didn¡¯t need to stare directly upwards. Asoyah also sat nearby. ¡°How come you¡¯re in the extended family estate anyway?¡± Adam asked. Asoyah blinked. Was he allowed to tell Adam about why? ¡°We will not deprive Asoyah of his rights to enjoy the extended estate,¡± Sonarot replied, answering nothing. ¡°Alright, well, fair,¡± Adam replied, understanding that it was probably some Iyrman business. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Turot called, holding a blanket in his arms. ¡°It is your gift.¡± Adam accepted the gift, feeling how thick it was. ¡°A blanket?¡± ¡°It is for you and your children,¡± Turot said, showing Adam the markings which denoted their names. Adam¡¯s was written in Aldish, but the triplets¡¯ names were written in the Iyr¡¯s markings. ¡°Thank you, little Turot.¡± Adam placed a hand on Turot¡¯s head, rubbing it gently. Sonarot raised her brows to Asoyah, who scampered off for a moment, before returning with four scales. At first, Adam had thought they were small Dragon scales, but they were smaller than he expected, and the colour was that of mud. ¡°Hydra scales,¡± Asoyah said. ¡°My grandfather killed a hydra when he was young.¡± ¡°Your grandfather must be very strong.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Asoyah replied, letting out a satisfied snort, smirking slightly. ¡°Konarot, come,¡± Adam called, nodding his head to Kirot and Karot. He handed them one of the scales, before letting them go off to play with the other Rot children once more. He watched them, smiling as they played. He brushed his fingers through the blanket, sighing quietly. He clutched the blanket tight with his hand, understanding this idyllic life would soon end. ¡°Adam,¡± called a voice. It was a young woman who wore a shield on her back, and a magical mace at her side, one which had been gifted to her a year ago. A scarf covered the burn marks on her lower face. She sat down near Adam, bowing her head at him. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± ¡°And a happy birthday to you, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam replied, flashing her a smile. ¡°Are you enjoying yourself?¡± ¡°I am, and you?¡± she asked, lifting up her shield to reveal a thin, rectangular package which had been hidden by it. ¡°Always.¡± Adam raised his brows. Vonda placed the package on the table, before sliding it towards the Half Elf. ¡°It is my gift to you.¡± ¡°King Justinian Blackwater has made his name as a great tactician, and has brought much glory to his family, and his kingdom.¡± ¡°I did hear he won the previous war over the islands, but I guess I didn¡¯t think much of it,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°If he¡¯s so good, then couldn¡¯t he still face South Aldland? I feel like Aswadasad is probably harder to face than the south, even if his opponent is his previous King¡¯s Sword.¡± ¡°King Merry is powerful, and he has Sir Royce, the Knight of Death, at his side.¡± Tarot was about to explain who the knight was, but remembered that Adam had almost had his skull caved in by the knight previously. ¡°King Merry was the one to teach King Blackwater strategy, but the young King is considered greater in that regard. King Merry, however, is fighting a defensive war, and he has quite the ally at his side.¡± Tarot smiled. ¡°I vaguely remember chatting to someone about that,¡± Adam said, furrowing his brows. ¡°They didn¡¯t say who.¡± ¡°King Blackwater would like for the war to end swiftly, since the passageway through the strait is required if the King wishes to send his navy to claim the islands,¡± Tarot continued, ignoring Adam¡¯s obvious question. ¡°So you think they¡¯ll both call for peace?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam was curious about who Sir Merry, not King Merry, had at his side that even the Iyr would speak highly of them. ¡°You say King Blackwater is a great tactician, but who is better? Him, or the previous Elder Wrath.¡± Tarot thought for a moment. ¡°Bovin would be better, but King Blackwater is not much worse.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°King Blackwater is that good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam looked to Vonda, who was from East Aldland. ¡°I didn¡¯t know your King was that amazing.¡± ¡°Many will remember his name in the future,¡± Vonda said, nodding her head. ¡°Like King Solomon the Wise?¡± Vonda frowned. ¡°I am uncertain if he will be remembered in the same manner.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯d love to be known as Adam the Wise.¡± ¡°He is known as King Solomon the Weak,¡± Vonda said. ¡°He was once known as something else, but that became treasonous to say.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Adam asked, but Vonda remained silent. ¡°Right, I forgot that he was called something else in Aldland. I suppose I¡¯d rather be well known in the Iyr than Aldland.¡± ¡°You always speak so poorly of us Aldishmen,¡± Vonda said, her voice calm. ¡°Not all of you,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t speak poorly of Vice Master Paul.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not an Aldishman.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I thought he was from East Aldland.¡± ¡°He is from the Confederacy.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam glanced around. ¡°Well. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a decent Aldishman that I know. Oh, Dunes. Dunes is a great...¡± Vonda raised her brow. Adam¡¯s lips formed a coy smile. ¡°Come on, Vonda. You know who my favourite Aldishman is.¡± ¡°Is it Nobby?¡± Vonda asked. Adam winced, as though he had been punched in the fact. ¡°How did you know I was going to say that?¡± ¡°You are more predictable than you realise, Adam.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes twinkled, hiding her smile behind her scarf. ¡°You know what? This year I¡¯m going to surprise you all to show you I¡¯m not predictable.¡± ¡°That would be predictable,¡± Tarot said. Adam fell quiet. He lifted up his youngest, and pressed their cheeks together, the warmth filling the Half Elf¡¯s cheek. ¡°Jababy how could they bully me like this?¡± The Goblin boy gurgled and cooed, before sucking against his thumb. Baby Jarot will grow up to protect his father. No wait, he''ll stay small and cute forever! 503. Enchanting I 503. Enchanting I Omen: 5, 14 ¡®I suppose I should finally make those enchanting recipes.¡¯ After his morning routine of working out and feeding his children, Adam made his way to the enchanting shrine. An Iyrman he did not recognise escorted him to the shrine. Six sturdy standing stones encircled a large patterned floor. The entire area, not just the standing stones, was engraved with ancient symbols Adam couldn¡¯t comprehend. The sun shone from above, providing them with light and warmth, and its power. Adam placed down seven amber gems, one on each standing stone, and the last on the floor, right in the centre. He held a longsword he had forged within the Iyr over a year ago, one of his best blades he had forged. He had thought about using an axe, but he chose a longsword, since it would sell for more. Mana: 18 -> 11 Enchanting Check (Intelligence)(Iyr Shrine) D20 + 7 = 13 (6) Omen: 5, 14 -> 5 14 + 7 = 21 (14) Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, using one of his Omens. His presence had already caused the world to change, but with his ability to shift Fate was something which went further beyond his reach. The Divine knew about his ability to shift Fate, and though there were some complaints, Lady Arya, Goddess of War, was glad for it. How else could civil wars break within Aldland and Aswadasad? ¡®Why did it take so much Mana?¡¯ Adam thought. Typically, his enchanting required much less, one to three Mana, but it had never reached seven before. ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®Why is it using so much Mana?¡¯ [You are creating a recipe.] ¡®Right?¡¯ [...] ¡®Oh.¡¯ Adam had forgotten just how useless Bell was in explaining the system. ¡®I guess I have to use at least this much Mana to create new recipes for weapons?¡¯ Adam returned to the estate in the late afternoon, his triplets already staring at him as he stepped through through the archway into the courtyard. The Iyr¡¯s estates were made of blocks, each a square, which could be accessed through the four entrances in the middle of each side, with a central courtyard in its centre. ¡°It feels a little weird enchanting again,¡± Adam admitted to Sonarot over dinner. Once more, the Ool family cooked, as they always did for the first week of the month. ¡°Working hard feels weird to you, Adam?¡± Sonarot asked, her smile playfully teasing the boy. ¡°Hearing that back also sounds weird,¡± the Half Elf admitted. He had enchanted so much the previous year, he was starting to feel sick of it. Not quite the same sickness he had when he enchanted too much, but more a sickness of the heart. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the plan is for this year, but I probably won¡¯t be enchanting as much. I say that, but I do need another axe.¡± Sonarot placed a hand on his knee, smiling warmly as she always did. Adam replied with a nod, realising a darkness had overcome his face. He had lost his greatest treasure to the Rot family, which was now in the hands of his brother, Jurot. Phantom was his greatest axe to date, though he had not yet understood how terrifying the weapon actually was. His second axe, that which he had created to keep the Iyr off his back, was called Wizard¡¯s Axe. ¡°I was thinking that the Iyr could auction them on my behalf? I mean, if you don¡¯t want them.¡± ¡°We can.¡± Zijin made a note of it within a book. It was bound within thin, grey leather, with his family symbol in the corner. ¡°Appreciate that, as always.¡± ¡°You are fortunate to auction the weapons this year,¡± Zijin said, pushing forward the tray of snacks towards the Half Elf. ¡°The war will increase their price. They may increase two fold, but you can at least expect an additional half portion. A fifty percent increase.¡± Zijin smiled. Adam whistled, picking up one of the fried, doughy snacks. ¡°Nice. They say war is good for business. Not sure Vonda will like that, but Dunes will love it.¡± He bit into the hard cracker, chewing it quickly. Zijin smirked slightly, before writing in his book. ¡°I will send the weapons to be auctioned. One weapon each month should bring you more coin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure how long I¡¯ll stay this year,¡± Adam admitted, unsure of how many weapons he could make for the auctions. ¡°I was rather lucky today with enchanting, top five percent you might say.¡± Adam chuckled at his joke. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to make a new weapon this year, one that I¡¯ll be allowed to keep, and one that¡¯ll sort out powerful old men who want to kill my friends.¡± ¡°Which enchantments do you wish to place on the axe?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be making something using the nightval bear core I have. I won¡¯t be making it quite as powerful as Phantom, though, I assure you.¡± Zijin bowed his head slowly. Adam wasn¡¯t an idiot, no matter how much he pretended to be one. He had started behaving well after finding out he had five children. ¡°Alright, well, I should head back before dinner gets cold. I¡¯m sure Jirot is being a menace. She¡¯s been crawling all over the place like a maniac.¡± ¡°Are you still saving up for their university fees?¡± Zijin joked. ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam smiled towards the Elder, winking. ¡°Have a nice dinner, Adam.¡± ¡°You too, Elder.¡± Once Adam left, Zijin brought up the black book, which would be used as evidence on whether to kill Adam or to spare him. He made a note within the book, before placing it back into his robes. Elder Zijin''s notes. Adam is so annoying talking about his children all the time. Reason to kill #666. Jirot is indeed a menace but she''s cute. Reason to not kill #4. 504. Enchanting II 504. Enchanting II Omen: 1, 2 ¡®Wow, you really don¡¯t want me enchanting, do you?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at his Omen. ¡®I suppose it is the end of the week.¡¯ During his early morning workout, Adam noted that the children were assisting Katool more than typical. During their play, they allowed her to go first during their games, and complimented her for her play. ¡®Oh! No! Damn it!¡¯ Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡®They won¡¯t get mad if I...¡¯ He glanced to the other parents. ¡®No, they¡¯ll definitely get mad.¡¯ After his morning bath, he returned to the shared family estate, where his sister was furiously devouring a bread bun, one which had been buttered for her that day. His triplets waited for him to sit down before they sat near him. Adam peeked at Katool, before leaning towards his Aunt, whispering loudly. ¡°Aunt? Who is that big girl over there?¡± Katool snickered at him, covering her mouth. ¡°Cousin Adam!¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear. What am I meant to get you...¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡®Didn¡¯t I...¡¯ His eyes fell to Turot. ¡°Turot, come here.¡± Turot, Adam¡¯s Cousin, and Lanarot¡¯s cousin, approached, standing in front of Adam awkwardly. His eyes were dark, and so was his hair, just like the other members of his family. Adam reached up to the boy¡¯s head and rubbed it, trying to recall what had happened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Turot.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Turot asked. ¡°I missed your birthday, didn¡¯t I?¡± Turot furrowed his brows, trying to remember. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It was midway through last month, wasn¡¯t it? I was probably smithing or something, and I missed your birthday.¡± That didn¡¯t seem quite right to Adam. Even if Adam was smithing, they would have certainly have told him about Turot¡¯s birthday. ¡®Do they only celebrate some birthdays?¡¯ ¡°Jirot was cured on that day,¡± Sonarot explained, as though she had read Adam¡¯s mind. ¡°It was the greatest gift.¡± Turot nodded. ¡°Niece Jirot is okay now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Adam smiled wide, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair a little harder. ¡°I feel reassured when she has a lovely Uncle like you, Turot.¡± Turot snorted happily, before glancing aside shyly. He sat down nearby, a smile plastered across his face. Mirot, his mother, said nothing of the matter, since Adam had earned such rights. ¡°Sorry, Katool.¡± Adam offered her some fruit. ¡°What is it that you want for your birthday?¡± ¡°I want to see kaka,¡± the girl said. ¡°You want to see Kitool?¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if that was something he was able to give the child. ¡°What else do you want? Cousin Adam will try to get it for you.¡± The girl thought deeply as she ate the fruit Adam had given to her. ¡°I want...¡± She looked to her mother and father. ¡°I want to play Warriors and Wanderers with mother and father.¡± ¡°I can do that,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do you want to play with Faool too?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied. ¡°What about the other children? We could play with everyone after breakfast, and then in the evening I can run a game for you and your family? When everyone¡¯s back from work?¡± Mana: 18 -> 15 Enchanting Check (Intelligence)(Iyr Shrine) D20 + 7 = 9 (2) Omen: 1, 20 -> 1 20 + 7 = 27 (20) Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. He swung the axe, feeling the gentle trickle of magic within it. Just two more days like this, as well as four more to solidify the magic into it, and the weapon would be complete. Greater magical weapons required at least a week for Adam to enchant, whereas Basic magical weapons required only three. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot pointed at him, huffing angrily. ¡°What is it?¡± She babbled angrily towards him, wagging her finger, before she motioned a hand to Jirot, who was holding her nana¡¯s hands, and was cautiously stepping around. As Sonarot let go, the baby Goblin dropped down and giggled happily, clapping her hands excitedly. ¡°Are you jealous because she¡¯s so cute?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be, since you¡¯re so cute too.¡± Lanarot stared up at Adam for a long moment, before huffing out again, and smiling. ¡°Yes.¡± She walked off, hands behind her back as she went off to think on the matter deeply. Adam picked Jirot up, blowing into her tummy. ¡°What happened to her?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head to his sister. ¡°She wished to play with me, but I was busy with little Jirot,¡± Sonarot replied, holding baby Jarot¡¯s hands as he squatted and stood, smiling up at her with utter joy. ¡°How was your enchanting?¡± ¡°It was pretty good. I¡¯m running out of gold, though. I only have, what, less than two thousand now?¡± ¡°Is that not enough?¡± ¡°These little babbies are always so hungry for gold, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam planted a firm kiss against Jirot¡¯s cheek, causing her to cackle. ¡°You see? Only two thousand gold, she said. How dare you claim to be my father with only that little!¡± Adam peppered his daughter¡¯s face with kisses. ¡°Will you enchant tomorrow too?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Probably,¡± Adam replied, rubbing Jirot¡¯s stomach as the girl squirmed. ¡°I need to make more fire swords for the Iyr. Even if they can¡¯t make the fort now, I still need to show them I¡¯m thinking about my end of the deal.¡± ¡°You do not need to work so hard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only the beginning of the year,¡± Adam said. ¡°Plus, I have been resting, haven¡¯t I?¡± Sonarot sighed. ¡°What am I to do with you, Adam?¡± Adam smiled innocently, before he furrowed his brows. ¡°I literally took a break yesterday.¡± Sonarot sighed again. Omen: 11, 17 Adam went to enchant the next day, plucking a Thread of Fate to assist him in enchanting, before he finally returned back to the shared family estate. Excited chattering shot out from the estate as he approached. There, Adam found his triplets swarming him, while his sister was currently embracing another young man. ¡®How could you do this to me?¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± How dare they steal Lanarot away from Adam! 505. The Trio 505. The Trio ¡°It¡¯s not fair if you hug her!¡± Adam complained, marching his way to the muscular young man. He was tall and strongly built, wearing thick attire. He had dark eyes and dark hair, which fell down to his shoulders. At his side was an axe, one which held great magics within it. On his forehead was a tattoo, at the centre was a single blue circle, with three blue diamonds on each side of it. Jurot wrapped his arms around Lanarot, causing her to grow limp as she snuggled up with her brother. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would do this to me,¡± Adam grumbled, reaching out a hand. ¡°It is good to see you, Adam,¡± Jurot said, clasping Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°You too,¡± Adam said, before noting the new scars across Jurot¡¯s body, though none of them seemed fresh. ¡®It hasn¡¯t been that long, but it looks like you¡¯ve been busy. Were you the Vanguard again?¡¯ Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®No. Didn¡¯t he say he couldn¡¯t do that any more?¡¯ Jurot¡¯s eyes were glued to Adam¡¯s axe. It was made of a grey wood and stormsteel. It was unmistakably that axe. ¡°Mother gave you that axe.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, lifting up the axe. ¡°I started enchanting it recently. Won¡¯t be quite as good as ol¡¯ Phantom, but it won¡¯t be too bad.¡± ¡°It is a good axe,¡± Jurot said, bowing his head slowly. It hadn¡¯t been used in a long while, not since he was a boy. ¡®If it is within your hands...¡¯ ¡°I would assume so, considering how nice it is.¡± Adam thought it belonged to Jarot, since it was well built and beautiful. Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°It is worthy of you, Adam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Aunt said.¡± Jurot nodded. Since it had come to this, then he would need to accept it. His heart sank, but he flexed his muscles, and fought away the thoughts. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Adam asked, a coy smile on his face. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips almost twitched into a smile. ¡°I have grown stronger.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Then I guess I need to get stronger too?¡± ¡®I could Level Up, I suppose...¡¯ As Jurot settled within the shared family estate, Adam went to greet Jaygak and Kitool too, the pair having returned with Jurot. ¡°Did you guys enjoy yourselves?¡± Adam asked, approaching the Devilkin and the Human Iyrmen. ¡°I did,¡± Jaygak said, a wide smirk across her face. She was red skinned, like most other Devilkin Adam had met. She was short, but well built, though that was no surprise since she was born within the walls of the Iyr. At her side was a blade, a blade which would make Phantom look like a toy once she was stronger. Adam shook her forearm, raising his brow. ¡°Not too much, I hope?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t promise that,¡± Jaygak replied, innocently. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten pretty cocky in front of me,¡± Adam said, squeezing her forearm slightly. ¡°Have you gotten stronger too?¡± ¡°I may have become stronger?¡± Jaygak replied, her voice full of vaguery. Vaguery, a word used to describe her perfectly. ¡°Did you have fun too, Kitool?¡± Adam asked, shaking her forearm. Kitool was an Iyrman who was deceptively pretty. Her head was shaved at the sides, towards the top, which was also cut fairly short. She carried at her back a quarterstaff, one which had been enchanted recently, and had seen its fair share of blood. ¡°The Iyr is different,¡± Jurot stated, sitting beside his brother. Lanarot rubbed her head against his neck, before sucking against her thumb. Jurot wondered if Adam had anything to do with that feeling, but there was no way Adam could be responsible for something this big. ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s because Elder Story is gone.¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. Jurot stared at Adam, still unsure if he had heard the Half Elf correctly. Adam had explained his story to him, about how he had already died twice to a God who no longer existed within this time line, and yet even that wasn¡¯t as unbelievable as this. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Elder Story does not go,¡± Jurot replied. Adam wouldn¡¯t lie to him, but even then, this was too much. ¡°It is true,¡± Sonarot said, pouring her son some wine from a gourd Tarot had brought them. It was pink, the peach wine that the Rot family loved most. ¡°Elder Story is gone?¡± Jurot whispered, sipping the wine from his cup. He couldn¡¯t taste it, not while he was deep in thought about what he had learned. His eyes met Jaygak¡¯s and Kitool¡¯s, and the pair were equally as shocked. ¡°We have closed our gates,¡± Sonarot said, pouring Adam some wine too. ¡°Then we will be unable to return if we leave,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will we set out?¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes met Adam¡¯s. ¡°I think we should. I mean, after Lanarot¡¯s birthday, of course.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± Something like that was exactly what Adam would say. The knowledge that Elder Story had left remained in Jurot¡¯s mind. Elder Story had never left the Iyr, not since it had formed. The other Great Elders could leave the Iyr, since that was within their role, but Elder Story? ¡°Papa, bwead.¡± Lanarot pointed to the flat bread opposite them, before returning back to sucking her thumb. Jurot broke a piece of the bread and scooped up some of the meat, before bringing it up to Lanarot¡¯s lips. She accepted the food her brother brought, chewing it slowly as she remained against his powerful chest. Her hand reached up to grab his pec, feeling how hard it was. ¡°Lord Strom is dead?¡± Jurot had only guess as to why Elder Story would have left the Iyr. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± Jurot remained silent. ¡°Did Elder Story leave on the day he died.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°No, hold on.¡± Adam thought back to when Sarot had spoken with him. It was raining then, and he had very little time to speak with the family. ¡°Your... our granduncle, he wanted to speak with me. He said he gave his life for the Rot family. Baktu called for him, and he answered the call.¡± ¡°He will not shame us,¡± Jurot said, ¡°and we will not shame him.¡± ¡°He asked if I could name one of the twins¡¯ children after him,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. Jurot remained silent, feeding his sister. Elder Story had taken his granduncle, along with many of the Iyr¡¯s strongest, to complete a task due to Lord Strom, Emperor Hadda¡¯s, death. The Iyr was at its most vulnerable, and his grandfather had also gone to war, to assist the Aldish in their war. He wasn¡¯t sure if the Iyr had ever been in such a state, not since their near genocide. He pushed away the thoughts again, finding his brow pulsing with how many times he tried to think. ¡°It is a good name,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, quietly. Of course it was him! The only one with the power to destroy the world! Interlude: The Trio Interlude: The Trio Night fell across the Iyr. Only the three who had returned from their outings, remained near the fire, which crackled as it began to smoulder. They wore blankets marked with the symbols of their families keeping away the chill of the night. Since they had returned, the Iyr had felt so different, and so much colder than they remembered. Jurot sipped his wine, peach as was the Rot family¡¯s favourite, feeling the warmth it provided. His cheeks were beginning to flush from the alcohol, and he placed his cup down. Since the other two weren¡¯t going to speak up, he thought, as the eldest, he should. ¡°I felled a bakaraba,¡± Jurot said, pouring himself some more wine. Jaygak groaned quietly, though she raised her cup to him, sipping her own drink. It was expected of someone like Jurot to defeat something like that, a large crab creature, with skin almost like rock. With Phantom in hand, it would have still been a difficult fight, but for someone who could walk right into a Fireball without blinking, neither of them were surprised. Kitool already knew what her greatest achievement was, the young Iyrman placing down her cup, sitting up straighter. ¡°I returned with a jar of blood,¡± she said. ¡°From a Red Dragon, in its fifth hundred year.¡± Jurot bowed his head, and Jaygak pat Kitool against her back. Returning with a vial, never mind a jar, would have been more than enough for the Ool to show off. ¡°It¡¯s not fair if you both bring back so much glory,¡± Jaygak grumbled, sipping her wine. She already knew what she was going to say. Kitool narrowed her eyes. She was one of the few people who knew Jaygak to the point of seeing through her jokes. Even so, she had no idea what Jaygak had done to pretend to be this dour. ¡°I slew a wyvern,¡± Jaygak said. Seconds passed. ¡°Alone.¡± For once, Jurot¡¯s brows raised, and even Kitool¡¯s head snapped towards the Devilkin. Jaygak, who had dubbed herself the weakest of the trio, had managed to slay a wyvern, alone? A wyvern was far deadlier than Jaygak, even with such a glorious weapon at her side. Even if the Devilkin was a fan of pranks, there was no way she would lie about this. Jurot slapped her shoulder, raising a cup of wine to her. ¡°You have done well, Jaygak.¡± ¡°Will you keep moaning about how weak you are?¡± Kitool asked, raising her cup too. ¡°Of course I will,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You¡¯re all so shocked that I faced a wyvern, but if it was either of you, would anyone be surprised?¡± She tossed back the wine down her throat and swallowed it quickly, before sighing. ¡°It¡¯s not fair if you congratulate me this much!¡± ¡°Did you bring its body back to the Iyr?¡± Jurot asked, wondering how much of it she had claimed. ¡°Did I bring its body back to the Iyr?¡± Jaygak repeated, annoyed by the question. ¡°How could someone like me bring back something like that?¡± Kitool waited, noting the annoyance on Jaygak¡¯s face. ¡°Of course I brought back its body!¡± She whispered angrily. ¡°I brought back its heart too!¡± Jurot pat her shoulder once more. ¡°You have done well, Jaygak.¡± Although the pair could speak on what Adam could do better than them, it was true that Adam basically possessed the same general strengths as Jaygak. His ability with weapons was greater, he wore greater armour, and possessed magical abilities which could outmatch even Dunes and Sir Vonda. ¡°It does not matter to Adam that you are weaker than him, for you are still an Iyrman,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You still hold sway outside of the Iyr by that virtue.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± Jaygak asked, glancing between the pair before her once more. ¡°You can say that because you don¡¯t have green or red skin.¡± ¡°You are still an Iyrman,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There may come a time when Adam will need you,¡± Kitool said. ¡°If there is a time like that, then it means you two will be busy,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°He won¡¯t think of me first, not for anything. He¡¯s not afraid of me like he¡¯s afraid of you.¡± ¡°I do not believe that is true,¡± Kitool said. ¡°He does not wish to face you when your tongue is so wicked.¡± ¡°Even in that way he¡¯s better than me,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°Is he?¡± Kitool asked. Jaygak couldn¡¯t hide her smile, before she quickly downed the rest of her wine. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve pitied myself enough. Let¡¯s get back to sharing stories.¡± They continued to share their stories, from what else they had slain during their year in another realm, as well as what else they had brought back to the Iyr. ¡°I brought back its shell,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The shell? It weighs more than I do, even in armour,¡± Jaygak said, narrowing her eyes. Then it must have been because of that. Jurot, too, had grown stronger. She smiled. Katool, had grown more powerful too, explaining that her fists were able to slip through the defences of many creatures which could resist mundane weapons. The trio continued to chat about their adventures long into the night, before they eventually settled to sleep outside, under the stars of the Iyr, which they had grown up under. Jaygak remained awake, hearing the light snoozing of her companions. She stared at the stars, her thoughts remaining on her place in their group. ¡®At least I¡¯m funnier than him?¡¯ Being funnier than Adam is like being smarter than Adam. Not difficult at all. 506. What Does It Do? 506. What Does It Do? Omen: 2, 20 ¡®Enchanting it is,¡¯ Adam thought, surprised that he had managed to roll another 20 so soon. Upon finishing his bath and returning to the estate, Adam narrowed his eyes. Jirot was cackling joyfully while standing on Jaygak¡¯s lap. The little Goblin was grabbing all over Jaygak¡¯s face, including the horns which curled up at the top of the Devilkin¡¯s head. Adam¡¯s eyes met Jaygak¡¯s, and he clenched his fist. ¡®Should I Level Up and beat her?¡¯ ¡°She must have missed me so much,¡± Jaygak said, nuzzling the girl¡¯s nose, causing her to jerk her head back, before she grinned wide. Adam remained frozen, unsure of what to do. Obviously, allowing Jaygak to play with his daughter to steal her away from him was bad, but could he take away Jirot¡¯s joy? ¡®Did she grow craftier during the month she was away? How scary...¡¯ ¡°You have such a toothy smile,¡± Jaygak said, picking the girl up, staring up at her. ¡°You can stand on your own two feet, and even bounce along to music.¡± She blinked at the girl, noting how quickly she was growing. ¡°I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s growing up so quickly,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°She should stay this small and cute forever.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t grow much taller, and she will remain this cute for some time,¡± Jaygak stated, before blowing the girl¡¯s stomach, as her father would. ¡°Jaygak?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you starting a fight with me?¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips formed a wide, guilty smirk. ¡°How am I starting a fight with you?¡± Adam remained silent. For once, he realised that he had lost the round. ¡°Nothing.¡± Jaygak pulled Jirot in for a hug, rubbing her cheek against the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°Your father is trying to bully me, Jirot. Won¡¯t you save me?¡± ¡°You deserve to be bullied after how much pain you¡¯ve caused Elder Zijin,¡± Adam retorted, before reaching up to tickle Jirot¡¯s hair. ¡°Are you still going to mess around when the Iyr is in such a dire situation?¡± ¡°Is the Iyr in a dire situation?¡± Jaygak tilted her head, allowing Jirot to grab her horns, feeling their hardness with her tiny hands. The girl squealed with joy, almost bouncing while she stood on Jaygak¡¯s lap. Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°Seriously, Jaygak...¡± ¡®Why is she being so annoying? Did she miss teasing me? It¡¯s only been a few weeks.¡¯ Adam went to enchant, plucking a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. He still needed to enchant once more, and then he could passively enchant the rest of the item until a week passed. He continued to enchant throughout the week, though took a break whenever he rolled poorly for both of his Omen rolls. The light strumming of a lute filled the shared estate in the morning, and as the triplets greeted their father at the entrance on his return back from the bath, Adam¡¯s eyes glanced around to find the source of the music. There he found two things he didn¡¯t expect. The first was that Jaygak, the troublemaker, was playing a lute. The second was that his youngest son, Jarot, was busting a move, wiggling to the music. ¡®Is she trying to steal them away from me?¡¯ Adam thought, before lifting his triplets up, carrying them to their youngest siblings. Jirot grabbed onto Jaygak¡¯s shirt, squatting and standing as the Iyrman played her lute. She squealed noisily and continued to make all manner of noises while Jaygak played the lute. The Devilkin stopped playing the lute, and after a moment, the twins stopped their dancing. They blinked. They waited and waited. They whimpered and made to cry, and Jaygak could feel the pressure Adam was placing on her to continue playing. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could play the lute,¡± Adam said, furrowing his brows. The triplets sniffed at the weapon, before Konarot placed it in her lap. It was cool to the touch, and for the Silver Dragon blood which flowed through her veins, it was nice to touch. She looked up at her father expectantly, holding the axe up to him. ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked, taking the axe from her, feeling how cold the axe had become. He stared down at it, confused. It wasn¡¯t this cold previously. He reached down to touch Kanarot¡¯s hand, feeling how cold it had become. ¡°Konarot?¡± The girl¡¯s ears twitched as she smiled up at her father, before resting her head against his arm. She purred adoringly. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Konarot purred again, nuzzling her head against her father¡¯s arm. ¡°How can you be okay, when you¡¯re this cute?¡± Adam asked, lifting his eldest daughter up, feeling how cold she was. She was usually a little cold, but she was slightly colder than typical. He kissed her forehead, brushing her hair back. The tiny girl stared up at her father, smiling shyly up towards him. She reached up to poke his cheek, before she pulled her hand back quickly, rolling up against his chest. ¡°Aunt,¡± Adam called, ¡°Konarot¡¯s a little cold.¡± Sonarot placed a hand against her forehead. ¡°I will care for her to see if it becomes worse.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam pinched Konarot¡¯s cheek. ¡°You can¡¯t get sick. Just because your little sister got sick, doesn¡¯t mean you can worry me, you silly girl.¡± Konarot pouted, cuddling up against her father once more, sucking against her thumb. Adam stroked her hair tenderly. ¡°It could be because I used a nightval bear core. She might have reacted to it?¡± ¡°It may be the case,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Should I call for a Shaman?¡± ¡°If she gets worse,¡± Adam replied, noting that Kirot and Karot didn¡¯t seem to be too bothered. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll take a break tomorrow.¡± Adam spent the next day, the last day of dawnval, with his children. Konarot was only as cold as she usually was, allowing him to sigh with relief. He watched as Jurot trained the children, assisting them with their physical education, as well as how to use various weapons. Jaygak was assisting him, but he noted that Kitool was nowhere to be seen. The young Iyrman eventually returned, glancing towards Adam, bowing her head, before she assisting Jurot and the others. ¡°I suppose I might as well let them play Warriors and Wanderers too,¡± Adam said, preparing his notes for the game. What does the weapon do? What plagues Konarot? Will Adam ever get revenge on Jaygak? Who knows? Me. I know. That being said, I''m having a lot of fun writing the later chapters. My favourite npc will make an appearance in July or so. 507. Cutest In The Whole World I 507. Cutest In The Whole World I Omen: 7, 10 ¡°Jurot, you cuddle her first,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be cuddling her the most.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. Lanarot was adorned in a light blue outfit, with the symbol of her family embroidered against her heart. Sonarot dabbed her forehead with blue, in the vague shapes of her family symbol. The tiny girl blinked at Jurot, who lifted her up, and hugged her. She melted against her brother, sucking on her thumb. ¡®Oh, right...¡¯ Adam¡¯s five children were also dabbed with the paint, and wore matching clothing to their father, uncle, and tiny aunt. Adam stared down at them, with Jarot and Jirot sitting beside each other, cooing quietly as they held their blocks, sucking against them. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot all sat quietly, behaving well, as they usually did. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. He glanced around, noting that only the Iyrmen were around. ¡°We¡¯re missing someone.¡± Jurot remained silent, wondering what Adam was planning. The Half Elf disappeared, before dragging along a young man. He was adorned in the attire of the Iyrmen, a light grey, though at his waist was a cloth belt, fashioned out of something yellow with a repeating pattern of red swirls. He sleepy eyes were behind spectacles, which were near miniscule, only two round glasses with a tiny triangular bridge connecting them. Filliam had long decided against resisting the storm known as Adam, rubbing his eyes, before looking down at the children. ¡®...¡¯ His eyes then fell to Lanarot, realising it must have been her birthday, since he was acting like this. However, Lanarot was currently busy, a beautiful Devilkin currently checking her height, weight, reactions, and her teeth. An assistant beside her was writing down whatever the Shaman was saying. ¡°You are growing well,¡± Lokat said, brushing Lanarot¡¯s hair. The girl smiled up at Lokat shyly, before she returned back to her brother, who hugged her tight. Lokat¡¯s eyes met Adam¡¯s. ¡°I see you are doing well too, Adam.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, feeling as though this scene was familiar. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t do well in the Iyr?¡± Lokat checked the other children too, first assisting Adam¡¯s children. She praised them for growing well, with Jirot and Jarot staring up at her with large smiles as she checked them. She moved on to the young babies who were only a few months old. She spent most of her time with Inakan, the smallest of the babies. ¡°We will monitor her twice as much,¡± Lokat said to the baby girl¡¯s parents, before excusing herself. ¡®I suppose Konarot is fine then?¡¯ Adam thought. During breakfast, the older children came by to give Lanarot a piece of their bread, as well as their fruit. ¡°Did you get anything for my sister?¡± Adam asked, looking to Filliam. ¡°No!¡± Lanarot replied, before snickering at him. ¡°No!¡± ¡°How... how can you all grow up? I refuse! I won¡¯t allow it!¡± Adam hugged Lanarot, before his triplets also swarmed him. ¡°Jurot, how can they do this to me?¡± ¡°You are growing well, sister,¡± Jurot affirmed, crossing his arms. ¡°You will become the...¡± Jurot paused. Making such statements was not Iyrmanlike, and his eyes fell to Adam, who was currently pampering their younger sister with all manner of kisses. Though he had spent a year away from Adam, his brother had engrained his stupidity deeply within him. ¡°Adam?¡± Jurot called, almost cautiously. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Cutest In The Whole World.¡± Adam kissed his sister. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam held her close, with Lanarot smiling up at him, enjoying all the attention he was giving her. There was no doubt in Adam¡¯s mind she wouldn¡¯t remember this, but that was okay. He would give her as much affection as he could, and hoped it would carry with her forever. Sonarot led her son and his brother, as well as their children, through the Iyr. They left the estates to an area full of one and two stories buildings, with plenty of Iyrmen moving through the area. They arrived at a small, open area, where an older Iyrman was setting up a desk. He had all manner of small objects to one side, each which looked like a dark gem. He spread a large sheet of paper over the desk, keeping the sides pinned under thick blocks of wood. Jurot brought a chair over. It was made of wood, the back of which was made of strips of wood, wrapped around a thick, wooden border. He brought two more chairs, since it was not just Lanarot here this time, but also five other children. Jurot sat down beside his mother, and Adam sat down on the opposite side. ¡°I will hold Jarot,¡± Sonarot said, taking the boy from Adam¡¯s arms. Adam continued to hold Jirot, but Jurot reached for the girl, only to see how his mother was holding Jarot. The baby Goblin sat on his nana¡¯s thigh, on the same side as his father. Sonarot smiled at Jurot, who looked down at the triplets. ¡°I will hold Kirot and Karot.¡± Adam glanced between the pair, wondering what they were doing, but he decided against asking. The Iyrmen were Iyrmen. He sat, sitting Jirot to one side, the same side as her twin brother, and sat Konarot his other leg. The girl looked past the other children to see her younger brother and sister, before looking up at her father with a frown. ¡°You silly girl, they¡¯re on their uncle¡¯s lap,¡± Adam said, rubbing her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t bully your papo like this.¡± The older Iyrman, who had drawn them the year before, glancing between them all. He hadn¡¯t been informed there were going to be so many, but he started sketching regardless. Even if he wasn¡¯t meant to sketch so many, he wouldn¡¯t get into any trouble, it would be Sonarot who would be questioned. He glanced up at them and back down at the sketch over the course of fifteen minutes or so, before pulling the sheet away. Sonarot stood, with Jurot following after her. Adam pulled Jirot and Konarot closer, shutting his eyes tight as he took a moment to realise what had happened. His children had been refused by the Rot family originally, though not by his aunt and his brother, nor the old man who had beaten Adam. Yet, they were now immortalised within the portrait of the main Rot family. ¡°This is definitely the happiest day of my life,¡± Adam said. # This chapter fills my heart. These chapters are a slow burn but they pick up later. 508. Cutest In The Whole World II 508. Cutest In The Whole World II Lanarot giggled wildly as her extended family swarmed her, flooding her with attention. The young girl babbled excitedly towards her family, all the while they showered her in gifts, handing her strips of coloured cloth, leather, and more. Adam glanced around, noting the children all around, including another young boy, one who had been born after Lanarot. He nodded his head to the boy, who hid within his mother¡¯s bosom, before looking back at Adam. For the boy¡¯s sake, Adam looked aside. The Half Dragon triplets remained at Adam¡¯s side, while Adam carried his twins within his arms. He let them down in the corner, so they could play in the little area for little babies. He noted there were other newborn babies here too, those who were no doubt born around the same time as Gurot and the others. ¡®Did the Iyr ask everyone to make babies?¡¯ Adam asked, before taking a seat to one side. He watched as Lanarot was pampered by her extended family, wondering if the other children were also pampered similarly. ¡°Mama,¡± Lanarot called, pointing at the nearby food. ¡°Bwead.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°She really is growing too quick, Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot looked down to Adam, wondering if they would repeat the conversation from earlier. ¡°She is two now.¡± The words struck him by surprise. He had watched her grow, as Adam had. They would leave on their adventures and return to see someone completely different. He remembered how small she had been when she was born, and how much she would cry. He emptied his mind, not wanting to think about how quickly she was growing up. ¡°What did you get her for her birthday?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I carved a wooden figure,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Is it made of a special wood?¡± ¡°It was from wood gifted to me when I was younger.¡± Jurot paused. He wondered if he should mention that it was from his father, but his throat clogged up, and he was unable to say more. ¡°I made an axe, and I thought I should give it to her,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°That is a good gift.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but...¡± Adam recalled the previous gifts he had given to her. A magical axe, and twilight fox core, and now a mundane axe? ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s a poor gift in case he feels bad.¡¯ ¡°I hope she¡¯ll...¡± Adam squinted. ¡°No, wait. I don¡¯t want her to grow up. Why am I giving her an axe?¡± Adam rubbed his eyes. ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply?¡± called a voice. It was a dark skinned man, well built, with dark hair and green eyes. At his side was a sword, one which had been gifted to him, and named after him in a moment of exhaustion. ¡°Dunes,¡± Adam said, standing to greet the Aswadian Priest. Following him was Sir Vonda, Priest of Life, as well as the thickly built Nobby, and Jonn, the other Half Elf. ¡°Vonda, Nobby,¡± Adam continued, hesitating for a moment, before continuing. ¡°Jonn.¡± Dunes looked to the girl, who was stuffing her face full of bread, eating from the fingers of her relatives. ¡°She¡¯s grown so much.¡± Adam winced, sitting down in his corner. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± ¡°She truly loves bread,¡± Vonda said, taking a seat beside Adam. She wore a mace at her side, and a shield at her back, which she unstrapped to sit comfortably. A scarf hid the lower half of her face and neck, as always. ¡°She loves bread like I love offending monsters,¡± Adam said. ¡°I feel like she isn¡¯t as chubby as she should be.¡± ¡°She is round enough.¡± Dunes chuckled. ¡°She can¡¯t be too round, in the Iyr...¡± He paused, recalling the few Iyrmen who were not lean and muscular, and instead were round and muscular. Lanarot eventually napped alongside the twins, while the younger babies were taken elsewhere. Meanwhile, the group of adults gathered together, sharing drinks and food, chatting about this and that. ¡°Unless it¡¯s an emergency, I¡¯d like a week¡¯s notice before we leave for our adventuring,¡± Adam finally said, broaching the topic he was dreading. ¡°This year doesn¡¯t have any time limits to return, though I...¡± Jurot could see Adam realise the problem he had. It was the most obvious problem, something Adam should have figured out long ago. ¡°Wait a second. Jurot, we can¡¯t return back for the twins¡¯ birthdays, can we?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, affirming Adam¡¯s suspicions. Adam sighed, leaning back in his chair. He didn¡¯t want to miss it, his twins¡¯ first birthday, not when he hadn¡¯t missed his triplets¡¯ first birthday. ¡°Damn.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, shaking his head. ¡°Damn. Damn. Damn. What the hell am I meant to do? I...¡± ¡°There may be a way for you to remain within the Iyr and grow stronger,¡± Iromin said. ¡°You could leave after your children¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°Or you could return on their birthday, and stay within the Iyr after,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Stronger?¡± ¡°All will be revealed once you give your word,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do it after their birthday, but I¡¯m not sure,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve... I¡¯ve got a lot of promises I need to keep for this year.¡± Iromin bowed his head, allowing Adam to leave. He would need to speak with the Great Elders to inform them of the situation with Adam¡¯s return. He shouldn¡¯t have made such a promise when the Iyr was going through an unprecedented time, but to have Adam owe them for something like that, it was a great deal. ¡°He says it¡¯s okay,¡± Adam said, returning back to the extended family estate, wearing his triplets. Dunes threw Jurot a look, who had won the small bet, a bet made for bragging rights. ¡°Remind me not to bet against Adam again.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We spoke of when to leave, Adam. We should leave on the fifteenth.¡± ¡°The fifteenth?¡± Adam asked, letting his children dismount him, before he was free to sit. ¡°I knew we were going to leave so soon, but...¡± ¡°We should work from dawnval until midway through duskval,¡± Jurot said. ¡°So you may return to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to come too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We should not worry the Chief,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You missed my triplets¡¯ first birthday, and now this?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t even celebrate our birthdays together. You even said you were coming back early this year, but you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I said I would return during the first month,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I¡¯ll let it slide this time since it¡¯s Lanarot¡¯s birthday,¡± Adam said, tutting quietly. Adam glanced around at the others, wondering how to tease them. ¡°If we are going to work through noonval, perhaps we should speak with Sir Landon?¡± Dunes offered. ¡°Sir Landon?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ah, the tournament?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot let slip a hint of excitement. ¡°Isn¡¯t there also the whole roaming beast thing with the band of mercenaries?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Something about the Great Twilight? Am I making things up?¡± ¡°We could join a group towards East Port,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Right, right, and then we need to find the enchanting shrine. Then there¡¯s the matter of your friend, Dunes, and...¡± Adam leaned back in his chair. ¡°Let¡¯s take it one step at a time.¡± Dunes bowed his head, glad Adam had remembered about his friend. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± With the group confirming their year, they continued to enjoy the birthday together. Adam decided to let go of his thoughts, taking the day off from stressing about life. Tournament arc incoming? 509. Oathkeeper 509. Oathkeeper Omen: 7, 14 ¡°Adam,¡± Jonn called, adorned in his breastplate, carrying his blade at his side. Adam placed Lanarot down, the girl panting from her laughter. She pointed up, wanting to fly again, but Adam brushed her hair, eyeing up the other Half Elf. ¡°Jonn.¡± ¡°I wish to speak with you,¡± Jonn said. Adam noted Jonn wanted to step aside. He fixed his sister¡¯s hair, and her clothing, before he stood, ready to follow the Half Elf out. Jonn, however, stopped in front of Jurot. ¡°Will you witness it?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman replied, before following the Half Elves out. Jonn led them out to one side, to where a group of cabins lay. One housed a tinkerer who was in the middle of tinkering. Under the shade of a tree, Jonn turned to face Adam. ¡°Please allow me the honour of finally swearing my oaths to you.¡± ¡°Finally, eh?¡± Adam smiled at his joke. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you promised.¡± ¡°I decided long ago, but I wished to wait until after your sister¡¯s birthday,¡± Jonn said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I did not wish to take anything away from her.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°That¡¯s a good response.¡± ¡°I wish to swear to you the Oaths of Vengeance.¡± ¡°Vengeance?¡± Adam replied, raising his brow. He hadn¡¯t expected to hear that, though he was unfamiliar with the various different oaths. ¡°I will swear my oaths to protect your children,¡± Jonn said, having figured out the most optimal chance of finally swearing his oaths. He was still an Oathbreaker, having given up his oaths when he had been abandoned. Though he knew Adam loved his children, he was still an enigma, and Jonn wasn¡¯t sure that Adam would allow him to swear such oaths. ¡°If anyone dares to harm them, I will be the first to act.¡± ¡°The second,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°The third,¡± Jurot further corrected. ¡°I can take the Oath of Sincerity, or the Oath of the Watcher, if you so prefer.¡± Adam chewed on his thoughts for a moment, narrowing his eyes as he scanned Jonn. Jonn, who wore a breastplate, and carried at his side a sword, had duelled him long ago. They had met randomly, as if by Fate, and they had made a bet. The bet was won by Adam, and since then the Guardian had yet to keep his promise. Adam had allowed the Guardian to follow him, and though they had fought side by side, the Guardian had yet to swear his oaths. ¡°You know...¡± Adam glanced to one side, looking towards the past. ¡°You promised me almost two years ago. You promised to swear your oaths, and I promised my armour, I think. Puthral plate mail, which probably would have fitted you. I shouldn¡¯t have bet it, but I was a bigger fool than now. I don¡¯t like liars. If you have already broken your oath, and you¡¯ve already lied to me, what says you won¡¯t lie now?¡± ¡°I-,¡± Jonn began. ¡°But,¡± Adam interrupted the Half Elf, who was a few years his senior. ¡°They say that actions speak louder than words. You broke your promise, yeah, and I probably would have refused you, but... do you know what I¡¯m thinking about right now?¡± ¡°The Lord of Flames?¡± The blade was long, long enough that it was obviously made for an Iyrman. The wooden handle which was white, something only Jurot could admire. The blade held a silver pattern across it like waves. ¡°I enchanted it before Churot¡¯s birthday, a few weeks before we even met Shama. It was provided by Elder Zijin, who promised me to inform you that it was gifted by the Jin family.¡± ¡°Did you think I would swear my oaths back then?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°If you didn¡¯t, then I¡¯d find someone else to gift it to,¡± Adam said, holding the blade out to Jonn. ¡°It¡¯s a Greater Enhanced weapon. It can strike true more easily, and if you are heavily wounded, you will strike harder.¡± Oathkeeper You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. You critically hit on a 19 or 20. When you are below half Health, deal an additional 1D6 holy damage. Jonn knelt and accepted it from the Half Elf. ¡°I will use it well, mast-,¡± ¡°Heughya!¡± Adam shouted, shuddering. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever call me that.¡± Adam almost gagged, wincing heavily. He hadn¡¯t cringed this hard before during this life. ¡°Call me boss, or sir? No, Sir is a noble title, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Damn. Alright, then how about...¡± Adam thought for a moment. ¡°Boss?¡± ¡°Yes, boss,¡± Jonn said. Adam frowned. It didn¡¯t feel quite as good when Jonn said it. ¡°Alright, I suppose it¡¯ll do.¡± Adam motioned his head for Jonn to leave, and after watching the Half Elf go, he turned to Jurot. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. It was my honour to witness a right.¡± ¡°Right, right, but...¡± Adam paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you say your name like that.¡± Jurot glanced to Adam¡¯s side, noting the axe for a moment, before he bowed his head. ¡°Father has been missing for too long. He is presumed dead. I must honour my mother when I can.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jurot.¡± ¡°Father would not die easily,¡± Jurot said. He swallowed. ¡°He would die a good death.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s arm. ¡°Why did you give him a sword?¡± Jurot asked, noting how awkward it had become for his brother. ¡°He¡¯s not a Rot.¡± Jurot bowed his head, accepting the logic. ¡°He¡¯d be fifth, wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There¡¯s also Aunt and the old geezer.¡± Jurot bowed his head, accepting the logic. Finally! It''s been what? 400+ chapters? Also Oathkeeper is around 100+ chapters old too. Now I wonder how long it will take to reveal Wraith''s abilities... 510. Level Six 510. Level Six Adam was glad that Elder Zijin had lent him some swords and more gems for his enchanting. He had begun to run out of gems, but the Elder lent him seven for each enchantment, which would be repaid when the swords would be auctioned off in the near future. Adam continued to pluck a Thread of Fate whenever he felt the roll was too poor, bringing great fortune, and misfortune, to denizens across the world. Could one blame him? He rolled so well that he offered to enchant the first layer of a Greater Enhanced enchantment of their choosing, one which they could complete over time, as they had done the year previous with many of his enchants. He had no idea that his Omen had changed the course of Aswadasad¡¯s history. Omen: 2, 15 Adam held his twins within his arms, kissing their foreheads constantly. The tiny babes squirmed against him, but cooed and squealed excitedly under his intense affection. ¡°Dada has to go out and work now, my little babbies. I¡¯ve got so many enchanted weapons to sell off, and I¡¯ll be sure to bring you back lots of gifts.¡± ¡°Dadada,¡± Jirot replied, reaching to grab his face. Jarot called out for him too, squirming shyly under his father¡¯s adoration. ¡°I know, I know. How can dada leave when you¡¯re finally able to speak for him, but...¡± Adam continued to hug them tight, kissing them all over. Once he was done with the twins, he trapped his triplets, not allowing them to escape until he was done spoiling them with his love. He could feel how light they still were, and how warm their tiny bodies were. He stroked their hair gently, cuddling them as much as he could, before he finally let them go. He threw a look to Sonarot, before the pair stepped aside. Adam began to don his armour, slipping on his thick clothing, before slipping on the chain shirt, finally working on strapping his puthral plate against himself. ¡°It pains me to leave,¡± he admitted. Sonarot smiled. ¡°You did not enchant yesterday to spoil them.¡± She had seen his face in the morning, knowing that he had the greatest of luck. Yet he spent the entirety of the day with the children, and not just his own children, but the others too. ¡°If anything happens to me...¡± Adam began, clearing his throat. ¡°They are my grandchildren,¡± Sonarot reassured. Adam smiled. Once he was within his puthral plate mail, the purple armour gleaming under the sun, he noted how his twins stared at him with shock and glee. However, he made his way to the other children, though Taygak was missing. ¡°I expect you all to behave for your mummies and daddies.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the children replied. ¡°Raygak, if I hear you are bullying your cousins, I will be disappointed,¡± Adam said. ¡°I do not bully them,¡± Raygak retorted, huffing. ¡°Saygak, if he bullies anyone, you have to tell me when I return.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, smiling shyly. ¡°Turot, since you are my Cousin, I know you will be well.¡± The boy smiled, crossing his arms. ¡°Katool...¡± Adam looked down at the girl, whose hair had grown to her back. ¡°Your sister...¡± ¡°Is so cute!¡± the girl finished, throwing up her arms in exasperation, still unable to believe it. Adam looked to the twins, nodding his head towards them, which they returned. Once he was done with them, he went to the troublemakers. The seven babies were all in various states of alertness. Upon seeing Adam, all but Inakan, suddenly jolted to stare at the huge man in purple. ¡°Now you all look here,¡± Adam began, wagging his finger at them. ¡°If I hear you are being mean to your mummies and daddies, I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t complain. But, if you grow up too quickly, I won¡¯t be happy about it, do you understand?¡± The babies blinked at him, furrowing their brows, deep in thought about his deal. Adam dropped to a knee and brushed their hair gently, one by one. He started with Inakan, the girl suddenly jerking her head when his hand appeared in front of her. He ended with Gurot, the biggest, and chubbiest of all the babies. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called. ¡°Taygak, did you escape your class?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°No,¡± the girl said, embracing her cousin in chain mail. ¡°Right, you¡¯d never do that,¡± Jaygak brushed the girl¡¯s hair. Taygak hugged the rest of her Cousins, including Uwajin, before shaking the forearms of Adam¡¯s companions. ¡°I know you¡¯ll be good, Taygak,¡± Adam said, patting her head. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, firmly. Once the giant group was ready, they made their way out of the giant gates. More children had come to watch them go, and they shouted after the leaving figures. ¡°Come home safely!¡± the children cried after the figures. The words were so familiar to Adam, but they caused him to frown within his helmet. He glanced at his companions. Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool. Then there were the others he had picked up during his adventures, as well as the group of Iyrmen teens. It was the first time he had left the Iyr after having children. The last time he had left, he, and the rest of the companions around him, had almost died. Adam¡¯s eyes turned to Lucy, who had actually died last time. He noted how close Mara, her maid, walked beside the Demon Lord. Adam stopped, hearing the echoes of the distant voices. The rest of his companions stopped. He remained silent, inhaling deeply. ¡°Adam?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I just need a second,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on his chest. Trick: Guidance D3 = 2 (2) Perception Check D20 + 3 + 2 = 11 (6) The Half Elf muttered a prayer, and did his best to make out the voices he could hear, but he was unable to. He stared down at his hand, recalling the feeling of the twins¡¯ thin hair, and the small horns atop his triplets¡¯ head. ¡®Do it.¡¯ Level up! XP: 19 600 -> 9 600 Health: 65 -> 78 Gained Slasher! Strength: 19 -> 20 Mara tensed, crossing her hands in front of her navel. Her eyes remained firmly placed on Adam. Adam clenched his fist tight. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m strong.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam reached down to his axe, feeling the cool metal. It was still virgin, not yet bloodied from battle. With it, could he have faced Shama? He was snapped out of his thoughts by the questioning looks of his companions. They knew he was queer, but he was even more queer now. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Finally! FINALLY! 511. Front Iyr 511. Front Iyr ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called, his eyes scanning across the area. ¡°This is the Front Iyr, isn¡¯t it?¡± A large town welcomed the group, with many Iyrmen moving about. There were a great number of children moving all about, but there were far more older Iyrmen, many of whom wore tags of silver, mithril, and through the crowds of Iyrmen, glinted tags of gold. More awkwardly, the entire area was covered in snow, hiding most of the Front Iyr from their eyes, though its silhouette was so different. Jurot blinked. ¡°Yes.¡± He was certain that this place, which had already grown three times larger previously, had doubled in size again. It made sense after hearing that Elder Story had left. The snow wasn¡¯t out of the ordinary, since a Raith was nearby. ¡°Adam!¡± The voice boomed from nearby. He was taller than the average person, adorned within plate mail made of flamedarksteel, which betrayed his rank among Fire Giants. He carried at his side a giant blade, one which would been impossible for any man to wield. It was too big, more like a slab of iron, than a blade. His skin was dark, his hair fiery red. ¡°Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam called, before he shook the Fire Giant¡¯s hand. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°I have. It has been some time.¡± ¡°A little while at least,¡± Adam replied, wondering when he had last seen the Fire Giant. ¡°You missed my children¡¯s first birthday.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°A shame,¡± the Fire Giant replied, his brain working hard to try and find a way to make such a thing right. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll forge a weapon for them?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± ¡°Come, sit with me,¡± he said, leading Adam, and his companions, through the Front Iyr. Adam noted that the estates had increased, the Front Iyr¡¯s borders spanning further out from before. ¡®Why the hell¡¯s it still snowing?¡¯ Nightval had passed two and a half months ago, yet the Iyr was still covered in fresh snow. They arrived towards the centre, where three figures sat. Two of them were Drakken, though Adam was sure they were Dragons. The bronze scaled man grinned towards the group, while the black scaled woman eyed the rest of the group up. They had managed to smell the group before they had seen the large group arrive. ¡°A new axe?¡± Burgwing, the bronze scaled Drakken, asked, raising his brow. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, patting it. ¡°It¡¯s named Wraith.¡± ¡°A fine name,¡± the Drakken said, his smile faltering for a moment. ¡°Is it named after the Undead?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Burgwing relaxed visibly. It sounded far too much like Raith for his liking. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°Oh, this and that,¡± Adam replied, taking a seat opposite them. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°The Iyr treats us well,¡± Burgwing said. ¡°Always does,¡± Wingburg, the black scaled woman, said. Adam was still annoyed they decided to call themselves Burgwing and Wingburg. They didn¡¯t give away their identities to Adam, though he assumed Jurot and the others knew. Burg was the name of some Black Dragons, and Wing was the name for some Bronze Dragons. Adam looked towards the third figure, a beardless Dwarven woman, though she was neither a Dwarf, nor a woman. She was drinking slowly from a barrel of ale. He decided against saying anything to her, since she disliked Fae regardless, and it wasn¡¯t a good idea to speak with someone enjoying a drink like that. ¡°Are you eager to sell the axe?¡± Burgwing asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡®Right,¡¯ Burgwing thought. ¡®He¡¯s close with Entalia, Lord Stokmar, and he was close with the old Emperor too.¡¯ Morkarai sipped some of his own wine, sighing. He was glad that the numbers of monsters in the Iyr had halved. There had been Lord Strom, also known as Emperor Hadda, was well as Emperor Shama, Lord Stokmar, and the old Raith. He still wasn¡¯t sure which Raith he was, but it was more than likely Wiseraith. One Emperor had died, and the other had disappeared sometime in the Twilight Month, allowing the snow to cover the entirety of the Front Iyr. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t steal his axe later,¡¯ Wingburg thought, the black scaled woman thinking about the amount of trouble she would get into. She looked to Jurot, who had stated he was Adam¡¯s brother. If it had been Adam alone, she wouldn¡¯t have minded, but annoying an Iyrman too? ¡°How long will you be gone?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°Not sure,¡± the Half Elf admitted. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of work to do, and then we might also deal with the Noonval Tournament in East Port. Well, we¡¯ll be heading back during late duskval, since it¡¯ll be my twins¡¯ first birthdays. I can¡¯t miss it, not since I didn¡¯t miss my triplets¡¯ birthdays.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make something for them too,¡± Morkarai said, sipping more of his wine. Adam had already refused becoming a Hill Lord, but there were other ways to tie them together. ¡°You should come to our volcanoes. I would be willing to host you in my court.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that like?¡± ¡°We invite guests to show off to our family,¡± Morkarai said, before smiling slightly. ¡°You would be a great guest.¡± Adam would no doubt be a one of a kind guest, one that would make all of his siblings annoyed. If he could somehow get his father interested in Adam, he was certain that their prestige would increase. ¡°How would I be someone you show off?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How would you not be someone to show off?¡± Morkarai replied. ¡°I suppose I am pretty handsome.¡± ¡°If you would be willing to come for some time, I would allow you to use my personal forge,¡± Morkarai offered. ¡°Ho?¡± Adam replied, leaning in. ¡°It grants one a bonus to enchanting, and an even greater bonus towards enchanting weapons with the fire property.¡± Morkarai¡¯s words were like honey as Adam continued to lean in. ¡°I might have to check that out,¡± Adam said. ¡°I suppose it would be nice to make a flaming swo-, axe.¡± ¡°We could hunt a wyvern for a flame core,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It would assist in creating a great weapon that uses flames.¡± ¡°We should do that.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly, wondering how great such a weapon would be. ¡°Aswadasad has a great many creatures in its deserts,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°We could hunt a creature there.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head a little quicker, before stopping. ¡°Isn¡¯t Aswadasad currently in the midst of a civil war?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes replied, almost longingly. ¡°Perhaps not, then.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°The Aldish civil war might be awkward to navigate too...¡± ¡®Two civil wars at the same time in the two regions which have been stable for millenia?¡¯ Adam thought about his Omens. ¡®There¡¯s no way, is there?¡¯ Hahahaha! There''s no way that Adam, who can shift Fate, could be the reason why two predominant superpowers, which have been mostly stable for ~2000 years, are currently in civil wars. Right? ... 512. The Village 512. The Village Omen: 4, 6 Jurot stepped into a building, one which had been changed from the last time he had been invited to it. A silver fox of an Iyrman waited for him while he sipped tea. As Jurot approached, he pushed forward a tray of snacks. He jaw was chiselled, as though Iromin had carved it out of marble. Greyish hair fell down to his shoulders. At a side was a flail, though none could think it was impractical, for the tag which hung loosely across his chest glinted the blueish silver of mithril. ¡°Elder Lykan,¡± Jurot greeted. ¡°Jurot,¡± the Elder replied, reaching into his robes, taking out a letter, sealed with red wax. The colour of the paper, the texture, the colour of the wax, the way it was stamped, the way the letter had been folded, it all meant something to those who would receive it. Jurot picked up the letter and slid it into his furs, keeping it safe against his chest. It was the safest place the letter could be. ¡°Okay.¡± Without explaining anything, Lykan bowed his head, dismissing the young man. Jurot left, asking the Front Iyr Elder nothing. He was an Iyrman. He had been entrusted a matter that needed to be dealt with, and that was that. Adam double, triple, and quadruple checked everything. He had more than enough money, most of it in gems. ¡°Do you guys have your diamonds?¡± Adam asked, glancing at his companions. Vonda, Dunes, Kitool, and Jurot had all been given a diamond worth hundreds of gold, just in case something happened. Adam also had one of the diamonds, which could be used to quickly bring back the dead. ¡°We do, Adam,¡± Vonda said, for the second time that day, but not the second time that week. Ignoring the gems used to bringing back the dead, as well as those used for spells, they had easily three hundred gold in the party fund, and Adam personally brought roughly three hundred gold too. He glanced around, noting all the members of the party. There were a lot of them now, so their daily expenses would be quite high. Fortunately, the Iyr handed them a crate of food, which Jurot had strapped to his back. Somehow, he seemed fine carrying the crate, though it held about a month¡¯s worth of dried food for the entire group. ¡®I could always use Goodberry, I suppose,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®One Mana to feed ten people isn¡¯t a terrible deal. Two Mana will deal with most everyone. Though, I suppose I shouldn¡¯t rely too much on my magic?¡¯ Once Adam prepared himself mentally, with one last look towards the Iyr, the group set off. Adam and the trio of Iyrmen led the way, with Fred and Jonn covering their rear. The rolling hills of the Iyr had given away to the gentle plains ahead, the forest on the horizon. The village was a welcome sight, the wooden walls wrapping around it like a protective blanket, and compared to the Iyr, the walls seemed no better than such. The village guards squinted their eyes towards the large group, and noting its size and the purple armour, they realised which group this small army belonged to. ¡°Chief Merl!¡± Adam called, noting the older woman. She was short, barely able to reach Adam¡¯s chest with the top of her head, and in her fifties. She was bundled within thick furs, wearing a scale mail over her torso, a belt wrapped around it to keep it pinned to her. An axe to her side, but a spear in hand. ¡°You¡¯ve come again,¡± she said, eyeing up the other Iyrmen, bowing her head to them. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to see you.¡± ¡°The pleasure is all ours,¡± Adam insisted, shaking her forearm. ¡°The Undead cause you any trouble?¡± ¡°With Iyrmen at our sides? Not at all.¡± ¡°Iyrmen?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are they still in the village?¡± ¡°Some,¡± Merl replied, glancing past him. ¡°I heard the Iyr closed its gates. Dark news. I¡¯ve never heard the Iyr do anything like that before.¡± Merl rubbed her forehead, trying to ignore the terrible thoughts coming to her mind. She had heard old tales of the Iyrmen, when they had warned the nearby villages of their assault. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± ¡°The Iyr is well,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°A shame with the war and all,¡± Merl said, changing the topic quickly. She had been the Chief since she was young, and being the Chief of the village right at the Iyr¡¯s borders, understood how to act when it came to the Iyrmen. ¡°Do you have anyone fighting in the war?¡± ¡°My grandfather,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You probably saw him,¡± Adam added. ¡°He¡¯s got one arm.¡± ¡°Yes, I remember him,¡± Merl said, thinking back to when the group made their way through the village. She narrowed her eyes slightly as an older, long forgotten memory. ¡°I think I met your grandfather when he was a young man. I had just become the Chief when he passed by. He was one of the wildest Iyrmen I had seen at the time. He carried with him a...¡± Adam picked up the red shield at his back. ¡°A red shield?¡± ¡°Yes, a shield just like that one,¡± she admitted. ¡°Please,¡± Adam said. ¡°Your children, are they being raised in the Iyr?¡± Merl asked. ¡°They are. For now.¡± ¡°Do they accept Goblins in the Iyr?¡± Adam smiled, though it faltered for a moment. ¡°Apparently so. My Aunt, Jurot¡¯s mother, treats them like they are her grandchildren.¡± ¡°They are mother¡¯s grandchildren,¡± Jurot said, settling himself down near Adam. ¡°They are my nieces and nephews.¡± Adam looked to Merl, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°It is what it is, I suppose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good fortune for your children to be raised within the Iyr,¡± Merl said. ¡°They will grow well.¡± ¡°They should remain small and cute forever,¡± Adam replied, sternly. Merl sighed, but smiled. She had met Adam a few times over the last couple of years, but she was certain she understood him. ¡°I will leave you to your business.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to hear about my children?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Jirot keeps bullying me, Chief. How can she do that to her father?¡± Merl retreated, leaving Adam be. Adam smiled to Jurot. ¡°I¡¯ve found a way to keep out of trouble. I can just gush about my children and annoy people away.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, unsure of what to say. Adam glanced around to the rest of the group. ¡®Right. I¡¯m representing the Enchanter now, so I probably should be more mature.¡¯ ¡°We need to quest a bunch this year to gain more strength, and to make more money. I don¡¯t have much in the party funds.¡± ¡°There is still money within the bank,¡± Kitool said. ¡°The bank?¡± ¡°You placed some coin within the bank since it was too much to carry.¡± ¡°I did?¡± Adam thought. ¡°That sounds too smart for me. How much is in the bank?¡± ¡°Over one thousand gold.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Jurot, am I a genius?¡± ¡°There are times when you are wise,¡± the Iyrman admitted. Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Then I guess we¡¯re a little more free than I expected. We should figure out what to do once we¡¯re in Red Oak.¡± Red Oak, which was the nearest town to the village and the Iyr, and a part of South Aldland. South Aldland, which was under the rule of a new king, King Harold Merryweather, and currently rebelling against Aldland. ¡®I wonder if the merchant is there.¡¯ Adam is simultaneously 200IQ and 20IQ. Sheet [512] Sheet [512]NameRaceBackgroundAdamHalf ElfFate BornClassLevelXPChaos Sworn69 600STRDEXCONINTWISCHABonus20 (+5)12 (+1)16 (+3)16 (+3)12 (+1)16 (+3)+2 SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Wraith, warhammer, Strong Shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, (30) gem dust Iyrman blanket, backpack, bedroll, (10) torch, (10) ration, tinderbox, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick Iyr clothes, (2) Iyr clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf, spices and herbs, scarfTh.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Alchemist''s Supplies, (5) vials MinorBasicEnhancedEnhanced +1Enhanced +21D3+12D3+32D6+42D6+52D6+622201 Bronze Tag: 15 1st Gate: Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds, 2nd Gate: Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate: Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly HealthDEFMana78/7818/2218/18WraithUnarmed+8, 2D6+7/8+7, 1D6+5/7LS/WH/BADagger+7, 1D6+1D3+5/6+7, 1D3+5Handaxe/MaceFlame Bolt+7, 1D6+5+5, 2D6 You thought I was going to reveal Wraith? Hahahahaha! 513. Friends 513. Friends Omen: 7, 11 Adam rubbed the giant elk¡¯s neck. ¡°Did they treat you well, Zeus?¡± ¡®Yes,¡¯ the giant elk replied. ¡°Did you work hard?¡± ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¡°Good, good,¡± Adam said, before glancing to Merl, the Chief¡¯s granddaughter, who was one of the most beautiful women he knew. The young woman¡¯s eyes were were glued to the young man, who was built like a damn auroch. Even now, young Merl, who would take the mantle of Chief one day, was unsure of the huge boy. He was barely a man, and held little wit. ¡°Careful with him,¡± Adam said, nodding his head towards Nobby. ¡°He¡¯s quite strong.¡± ¡°He¡¯s built well, but he¡¯s still young, inexperienced,¡± Merl replied. ¡°That¡¯s what you think, but I¡¯m sure Nobby can take on quite a number of Experts. Jurot speaks highly of him, and when I crossed axes with him, well...¡± Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°He scares me more than I¡¯d care to admit.¡± Merl remained silent, still doubtful of the young Nobby. She watched as the group made their way out, taking with them the steed which Adam had supplied the village over the last few months. Zeus had been more than useful, a creature which was greater than any of their mules, requiring no sustenance. To the group, Zeus was a great boon too, already carrying many of the group¡¯s resources. Above, Merl could see Adam¡¯s familiar flying, keeping an eye out for them. ¡®I wonder what they will do this year.¡¯ ¡°You know,¡± Adam began, bringing his senses back to his body. He had taken his familiar¡¯s senses for a moment, seeing far in the distance as he flew around, all the while Jurot assisted him in trekking forward slowly. ¡°Should we have taken the dire wolves?¡± ¡°It would be difficult,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°They would be hunted throughout this year.¡± ¡°Right, right...¡± Adam sighed. The dire wolves and the Awakened Wolf would have been a great force for them to utilize, but he supposed he had to give them up. ¡®I¡¯m probably already going to spend a lot on all of us anyway.¡¯ As it approached midday, Adam spotted two figures in the distance with his owl familiar. He needed no Perception Check to note them, since the pair were following the trail towards them. One was a dark skinned man, with fiery red hair, wearing chain mail, and carrying at his side a blade. The other was a woman, a Devilkin. ¡°A couple of figures up ahead,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re a couple of monsters who could kill us all, but with me you can never tell.¡± The group prepared themselves, keeping an eye out around the surroundings, just in case there were other figures in the forest around them. The pair ahead of them stopped some ways away, noting how large the group was. They seemed to speak with one another, and Adam and Jurot exchanged a glance, before moving up on ahead. The pair of strangers noticed the two men approach. ¡°Hello there,¡± Adam called out, a little too quietly, so he repeated himself. ¡°Hello there!¡± ¡°Hello!¡± came a response from the man in chain mail. ¡°Iyrmen?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Jurot, son of Sonarot.¡± ¡°Korin, I¡¯m from the Order of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Why does that sound familiar?¡± Adam whispered. Intelligence Check D20 + 3 = 22 (19) ¡°Do you know someone named Dunes?¡± Adam shouted. The strangers glanced between one another, taken aback by the question. Adam noted the Devilkin, who wore fine clothing, had a gem set within her forehead. It was a deep red, like blood, though Adam had no idea what it was, or what it meant. ¡°You know of Dunes?¡± the Devilkin asked. ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°We were looking for him.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam chuckled before turning back. ¡°Dunes!¡± Adam motioned with his hand, beckoning the Aswadian towards them. As Dunes approached, he noted the figures. ¡°Sara?¡± Dunes called, before removing his helmet. ¡°Korin?¡± Dunes assumed, since he was the one that was most likely to move with Sara. ¡°Alright, well...¡± Adam nodded towards the path. ¡°Let¡¯s head on forward. If we¡¯ve found your friends this easily, then maybe finding Amira might be easier than we thought.¡± Adam winced. ¡°Damn it. I jinxed it.¡± ¡°Is he always like that?¡± Korin whispered. ¡°Yes. You will not get used to it for some time. Adam is...¡± Dunes paused. ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Adam said, turning back to the new pair. ¡°We have a rule in our party, and if you¡¯re coming with us, then you need to agree to the party fund rule. Ten percent of whatever we make while partying together goes into the party fund, which we¡¯ll use to pay for our living expenses and such.¡± ¡°We agree,¡± Sara replied, trusting in Dunes¡¯ judgement. The group continued forward, heading towards the next village. Dunes spent the time chatting with his companions, filling them in about his adventures thus far. ¡°You must be careful when mentioning babies or children around Adam,¡± Dunes whispered, before noting the look of disgust on Sara¡¯s face. ¡°Not like that. He has five children, and he will take any opportunity to speak of them.¡± ¡°He seems quite... queer,¡± Korin said. ¡°He is a Half Elf,¡± Sara replied. ¡°He is, but...¡± Dunes chuckled lightly. ¡°He¡¯s the strongest here.¡± ¡°He is?¡± Korin looked to Jurot, and then to Nobby. ¡°Stronger than them?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°How strong?¡± ¡°We could face him together and we would lose,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You know Third Gate spells,¡± Korin said. ¡°I do.¡± Korin remained silent, taking in the information. ¡°What can he do?¡± ¡°He is an Expert in both martial and magical abilities,¡± Dunes said. ¡°So he¡¯s a Master?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s much stronger than a Master?¡± ¡°A Grandmaster?¡± Dunes thought about Adam¡¯s fight with Lord Morkarai. ¡°In some ways strong, in other ways, weaker.¡± Korin slowly nodded his head, accepting what Dunes was saying as fact. ¡°Then I should be thankful for his assistance.¡± ¡°We should be careful since his presence brings forth all manner of wicked monsters,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Beings greater than even the Princess of the Red Desert.¡± Sara raised her brows towards Dunes. ¡°You can say that so eagerly in front of me?¡± Dunes thought back to the foe that had defeated the great companions around him, even knocking Adam unconscious in a single moment. ¡°I can.¡± Sara frowned, though did not refute Dunes¡¯ words. If Dunes had said something so serious, she would need to take it into consideration. ¡°Why are there two Demons in the party?¡± Korin whispered, motioning his head to Lucy and Mara. ¡°The Demon Lord is Adam¡¯s friend,¡± Dunes replied, simply. ¡°Oh.¡± Korin¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°The what?¡± The what? 514. Their Thoughts 514. Their Thoughts The road on the way to Red Oak cleared. The group made their way through the pair of villages on the way to Red Oak, handing over the required coin to trek through the villages. As always, it was expected to pass roughly a gold per person, though the adventurers weren¡¯t so high ranked. Adam paid at least ten gold each time, feeling how light the party funds were becoming. ¡®I¡¯m so glad for past me,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about the coin he had left in the bank. The large walls of Red Oak were a welcome sight upon the horizon. Though the walls were pathetic in comparison to the Iyr, as all walls were, they were still thick and hard, made of heavy stone. They were roughly triple Adam¡¯s height, with several small towers running along the perimeter. At the front was a thick, wooden gate, and a pair of guards in chain mail, carrying spears in hand. They wore tabards, red, with an imprint of a tree. The guards waved towards the group as they approached, and one made to shout, but was quickly stopped by their companion, who whispered something within their ear. The guard, a young woman, nodded her head towards her companion, understanding the situation. ¡°Hello,¡± Adam called once they had approached. ¡°How are you all?¡± ¡°Well,¡± the male guard said, relaxing at the sight of so many Iyrmen. ¡°We can¡¯t complain, not like the rest of the south.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam replied, before he tensed up, standing taller. ¡°Oh! Wait a second.¡± Adam¡¯s head snapped to Jurot, before he eyed up the guards. ¡°Can we be here?¡± ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± the male guard asked. ¡°I mean...¡± Adam continued to glance between Jurot and the guard. ¡°You know. You¡¯re at war with the King of Aldland.¡± The guards smiled awkwardly, as though Adam had said a funny joke, though with a blade pressed at their neck. ¡°Fortunately, we are not.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± The guards cleared their throat. ¡°We managed to find an amiable resolution to the conflict.¡± ¡°The Iyr provided them safety,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Our Countess has managed to speak with the King, and implored him to remember our great assistance and loyalty during our time under the royal family¡¯s rule,¡± the female guard said, clearing her throat, trying to remember what she had been told to say. ¡°The Iyr has guaranteed Red Oak¡¯s safety,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Iyr and Red Oak have a long relationship, and we Iyrmen did not wish to see the town besieged.¡± ¡°Our Counte-,¡± the female guard began, before the other nudged her side. ¡°The Iyr assisted in the negotiations, and we are forever grateful,¡± the male guard said, bowing his head to the Iyrmen. ¡°Red Oak and the Iyr have been great allies for centuries. We guards,¡± he said, glancing at the female guard, ¡°have long been taught that our relationship has been special.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± the female guard said, recalling the basics of their training. ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°She¡¯s new,¡± the male guard said. ¡°Alright, so... if we travel through Red Oak, we won¡¯t be enemies of the state or anything like that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No, but you should not head south or east from Red Oak,¡± the guard informed. ¡°If either army finds you, you might find yourself in great trouble.¡± ¡°Good to know,¡± Adam said, feeling something tickle the back of his neck. ¡®I really can¡¯t mess around this year.¡¯ ¡°Appreciate the info.¡± ¡°The army has stationed itself just south of Red Oak,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The supplies travel from Red Oak towards the hills to the south.¡± ¡°You sure know a lot about the war,¡± Adam said, raising his brow. ¡°I have been briefed,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam sighed, looking to the guards for support. ¡°Iyrmen, am I right?¡± ¡°At your earliest convenience.¡± ¡°I suppose I could do something tonight, but tomorrow would be best if there¡¯s more to be done,¡± Adam said. ¡°I also need to pay for everyone else, so why don¡¯t you take what I owe from the payment?¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Emma said, before writing down notes for the Braun, who would take the next shift. Adam cast his Identify spell to identify an item and its properties, which ended up being a typical +1 dagger. It required an hour of time, as well as his pearl, though the spell did not consume his pearl. He returned to his group later in the evening, the large group of roughly twenty sitting in their own corner. The other adventurers glanced their way, noting how large their group was, and decided against saying anything to the Aswadians, or the Half Elf. ¡°Alright, we should split ourselves into different groups,¡± Adam said, piling food onto his plate. Half of his meal was made of potatoes, though they were cooked several ways, the the other half was a mixture of eggs and meat. ¡°There¡¯s about twenty of us so...¡± ¡°Four groups of five?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°Three groups of six,¡± Adam said, glancing between the groups. ¡°Jurot and I will be separate for the sake of the calculations, which leaves eighteen. We can create three groups which will rotate, two at a time?¡± Korin and Sara threw a look to Dunes, who had informed them of how Adam adventured. Typically, they would go out to one adventure, and then relax for some time, spending most of their coin, before adventuring again. Adam worked far more, and even saved up most of his coin. ¡®He is an Elf,¡¯ they supposed. ¡°Sir Vonda and Jaygak will lead Nobby, Brittany, Uwajin and Naqokan,¡± Adam said, keeping one of the pairs together. ¡°Dunes and Kitool will lead Nirot, Faool, Laygak, and Bavin.¡± Dunes looked to Korin and Sara, before looking to Lucy and Mara. ¡°The last group is much more powerful than the other groups.¡± ¡°The other groups have people who can revive the dead,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I trust that Lady Sara and Korin can fend for themselves, even if they are the weakest of the group.¡± ¡°Are we the weakest of the group?¡± Korin asked. ¡°Jonn, Lucy, and Mara are probably the strongest,¡± Adam said, his eyes falling across the beautiful Mara. She had trained for only a few months, but he couldn¡¯t underestimate someone like the Demon Lord¡¯s maid, not when Lucy had spoken so highly of her. His eyes fell to the ring on Mara¡¯s finger. ¡®I¡¯m sure Destroyer also raises her strength quite a bit.¡¯ ¡°Fred faced against that terrifying monster with me, and he¡¯s got a magical weapon, so I¡¯ll probably bet on him. I don¡¯t mean to say you¡¯re weak, of course, just that the rest of them are stronger.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so polite,¡± Sara replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Adam smiled, bowing his head. ¡°I meant no offence, good Lady. However, you have to understand that we don¡¯t have too many diamonds to revive people with. Anyway, Jurot will probably join either group of teens who adventure, and if both groups go out, I¡¯ll join the other?¡± ¡°We will do as you state,¡± Jurot said. Korin and Sara thought about what Dunes had told them. Adam definitely didn¡¯t seem like the type who would stay behind while others worked. Then there was the matter of his business, which was currently still in the process of being built. Apparently, he worked for an enchanter, though Dunes remained quite vague about the matter. They would need to keep an eye on the Half Elf. Mara tilted her head slightly, feeling a slightly tingling sensation. Something was wrong, but she couldn¡¯t quite ascertain what. Nearby, the most beautiful woman in Aldland remained settled within the corner. She had remained at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild for some time, having waited for the Half Elf to arrive. Her skin was liquid platinum, her veins running like streams of gold. Her eyes held an a wisdom of the greatest of elders, swirls of all manner of colours floating around. In one hand she held a staff with a set of scales, which balanced every so often. Ulaveil let out a low sigh, which caused Mara to perk up, though as quickly as the Demon noticed, the scales balanced and the Demon forgot that she had felt something off. The Goddess of the Scales, who remained undetected to all mortals within the town, wondered what nonsense Adam would get up to, and how many times her scales would activate during the journey. ¡®We should just kill him now.¡¯ Another God that wants to kill Adam? He didn''t even do anything... that day. 515. Days In Red Oak I 515. Days In Red Oak I Omen: 1, 10 ¡°Nobby, let¡¯s go meet with your ma and pa,¡± Adam said over breakfast. He had already finished his hot bath that morning, having enjoyed himself thoroughly. His magical tower was great, but there was nothing like a nice hot bath in a town. ¡°Okay, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied, simply. Jonn¡¯s and Dunes¡¯ groups made their way out that morning to quest, off to slay some manner of beasts. At first Adam had thought to send Vonda¡¯s group out instead of Jonn¡¯s, since both groups would have had Priests, but upon seeing the deathly glare of the Demon Lord, he decided against it. Plus, Dunes was a Priest of War, and Vonda was a Priest of Life, so he supposed that Vonda wouldn¡¯t have felt comfortable with slaying beasts and such. ¡®Politics.¡¯ The pair of Aswadians followed the Demons out, exchanging glances between one another. He certainly must have known their feelings when putting them together, though he didn¡¯t seem to mind them working together. He hadn¡¯t warned them either. Did he expect them not to kill the Demons? Or did he have that much faith in the Demons? Or was it his faith in them, through Dunes? Adam and Nobby made their way through Red Oak. Adam wore his breastplate over his thick clothes, providing him some protection as he travelled through the town, and carried Wraith at his side. He decided against bringing along his shield, finding it too awkward to carry. However, since he was a Half Elf, he also wore a scarf around his head, hiding his pointy ears. Nobby walked alongside the Half Elf, taking away half the attention. He carried an axe at his side, since he followed the way of the Rot family. ¡®Now that I think about it, what is Nobby¡¯s relationship with the Iyr?¡¯ Adam thought, but he decided to let the thought go. They weaved through the various alleyways, dodging clothing lines, as well as stray cats, before finding a small shack. Adam stepped aside, motioning with his head, and Nobby knocked on the door with a gentle rasp. ¡°Yes?¡± called a quiet voice. ¡°Ma,¡± Nobby said. The doors flung open as the thin woman revealed herself, her dark hair now cut short. ¡°Nobby!¡± She swung her arms around the large boy, but quickly stepped back when she saw Adam¡¯s puthral armour in her peripheral vision. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Annie,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you, uh, mister Adam.¡± ¡°Just Adam, please,¡± Adam said, wincing at the name. He noted the thin woman had gained a little bit of weight, but she was still fairly thin. ¡°Is Anne here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s at the school,¡± Annie replied, before stepping inside. ¡°Come in.¡± Adam stepped inside, noting how empty the place was, save for some clothing nearby. ¡°Is Ted at work?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Annie replied, pouring some water in for the pair, before beginning to chop some vegetables. ¡°No issues with the money I hope?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The guild sends it on the first of every month,¡± Annie replied. ¡°Nobby¡¯s pay and Anne¡¯s fees.¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Adam said, before he placed down a gold coin onto the table. ¡°If you need any more coin, just pass a message to the guild, and I¡¯ll be sure to send some more coin.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam threw them a casual salute before heading out. He walked through the town, heading back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. His thoughts were of his first life, and to his family. He stopped at the field, noting the few adventurers who were practising their weapons. He watched them for a few moments, his eyes narrowed as he saw a different time, and a different world. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± an adventurer asked. It was a woman in her late thirties or so, with short dark hair. She wore a steel breastplate, with a purple scarf around her neck. At her side was a blade. ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied, before bowing his head slowly, and making his way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡°You say we¡¯re nothing?¡± the adventurer asked. Adam stopped. ¡°No. I¡¯m saying that I was looking past you, reminiscing about something.¡± The adventurer cocked her head slightly. She wasn¡¯t sure how to take his words. They were so blunt and queer, yet seemed to hold true. Upon seeing that she wasn¡¯t going to respond, Adam stepped up to the guild¡¯s doors. ¡°Yeah, walk away, boy,¡± the adventurer said. Adam had his hand pressed against the door, but stopped. He looked back, finding that the adventurer¡¯s companions had turned to watch the scene. Their tags were Steel, a rank higher than his own Bronze, and were stamped a few times, meaning they weren¡¯t just typical Steel Rank adventurers. Adam could feel it at his side. A magical axe, still yet to draw blood. It called to him, but he noted how many adventurers there were. He pushed the guild doors open, peeking inside to see his companions inside. ¡°Jurot,¡± the Half Elf called, the adventurers gathering together. The Iyrman stepped out of the guild, beside Adam. The adventurers noted his tattoo, and the thick furs of the Iyr. Their eyes darted between the pair. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, motioning with his head to the woman. ¡°If I were to fight her, who¡¯d win?¡± ¡°You,¡± the Iyrman replied, near instantly. He glanced between the rest of the adventurers, each who held a greater rank than him, but none which could defeat even himself. ¡°Are we fighting?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, before stepping into the guild. Jurot scanned the adventurer¡¯s faces, before he turned and followed Adam in. ¡°Assholes,¡± the adventurer muttered under her breath. ¡°The Iyrmen think they rule this town. Didn¡¯t they fail in the last war against the Elves?¡± ¡°Speak a little louder,¡± a nearby guard said. ¡°They¡¯re not one to run away from a fight.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± ¡°You expect them to kill every dog which barks at them?¡± the guard asked. ¡°Do you want to have a go?¡± The adventurer sized up the guard. The guard smiled. ¡°No, don¡¯t think I will.¡± He tipped his helmet, before chuckling as he walked by, continuing his rounds. ¡°Bill, ol¡¯ boy, you¡¯re gonna have a riot when you find out an idiot tried to mess with the boy in purple. Didn¡¯t hear about no Awakened Beast in town, though. Did he kill it?¡± Don''t interrupt Adam when he''s reminiscing. 516. Days In Red Oak II 516. Days In Red Oak II Adam completed his tasks at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, identifying several items for them over the course of the day. Once he was done, he placed some of the coin within the party fund, some in his personal funds, and the rest he set aside to pay Nobby and Brittany. ¡®Do I split it in half for both of them, or do I send more to Nobby¡¯s family?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I guess I could give a half share to Anne? I guess she can¡¯t really complain since we¡¯ve lent her a magical weapon.¡¯ Later in the evening, Adam and Jurot made their way to Nobby¡¯s home. On the way, they procured some bread, though not from their typical bakery. Jurot remained silent about the matter. ¡°Before we quest,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Good evening,¡± Ted said. He was an older fellow, though no longer quite as thin as Adam recalled. He was filling out, with his lean body betraying his returning strength. His eyes held greater strength too, and a welcoming gaze. ¡°Good evening, Ted,¡± Adam said, revealing the bread he had brought within a small sack. ¡°I brought Jurot with me since he¡¯s probably the best person to tell you how well Nobby¡¯s doing. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°No, not at all,¡± Ted said, before inviting the pair inside. The room was filled with the scent of food, from breads, to porridges, to grilled meat and vegetables. ¡°Who is this?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the little girl, who was sitting beside her towering brother. She was still small and thin, though, like her parents, not quite as thin as the first time they had met. ¡°Anne,¡± the girl said, pressing herself against her brother¡¯s side. ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam said, smiling down at her. ¡°Did you get your gold?¡± Anne smiled coyly from behind Nobby¡¯s massive arm. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you get to spend your last gold by yourself?¡± Adam asked. After the girl nodded, he smiled. ¡°What did you buy?¡± ¡°Dress.¡± ¡°Ah, how wonderful,¡± Adam replied, still smiling wide. ¡°One day you¡¯ll be earning a lot more money, so you¡¯ll be able to buy lots of dresses.¡± The girl continued to smile from beside her brother, still half hidden behind him. The group settled to eat dinner together, though there was still food baking for later that evening. Adam ate more eagerly with the family, feeling at ease since he had assisted in putting the meal together. He did not eat any of the bread he had bought, however. ¡°Nobby mastered the core abilities the last time we returned,¡± Jurot began, explaining the situation to Ted and Annie. ¡°He has gained greater strength recently, and will soon become an Expert.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t believe my ears,¡± Ted said. ¡°Even from an Iyrman?¡± Adam joked. Ted¡¯s face dropped. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mean nothing like that.¡± Jurot threw Adam a look. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just kidding,¡± Adam replied, winking at Anne, before chuckling lightly. ¡°Once he becomes an Expert, we can discuss a new payment for him. I increased the next few months payment by a little, but send word to the guild if you need more for anything. I told Nobby that I¡¯d take care of you all, and a gold or two each month won¡¯t bother me too much.¡± ¡°We thank you kindly, but you already pay us so well,¡± Ted replied, firmly. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, understanding that this may have been a matter of pride for the old man. ¡°Well, accept the bonus anyway, since he¡¯s about to be an Expert. I was thinking about increasing it recently, but I recently became a father to five children.¡± Ted and Annie raised their brows in surprise, glancing between one another. Suddenly, things began to make sense about how Adam could offer magical weapons. However, they were certain it was Adam who was going to be providing magical weapons for the boy, and not whoever he worked for. ¡°Technically, Jurot and I work for the business, and Nobby is working for me personally, but I think that the business wouldn¡¯t mind a great warrior like him,¡± Adam said. ¡°We hold a lot of sway in the business. Jurot¡¯s mother is the President of the business, and his aunts and uncles make up the Directors, something like the council. The Enchanter doesn¡¯t really have a rank, they just want to enchant. Jurot and I are directly under the Directors, but we basically have the ability to do whatever we want, as long as the Directors and President don¡¯t tell us to stop.¡± Jurot nodded, confirming Adam¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t know exactly how the business worked, but he followed Adam¡¯s lead. ¡°This business...¡± Ted began, waiting for Adam to expand. ¡°Essentially, the Enchanter makes magical weapons. We assist them by procuring materials, and selling the items. The tournament seems to be a great place to advertise, though we¡¯re also going there for another reason.¡± ¡°Nobby is going to help sell magical weapons?¡± Ted asked. ¡°Well, he¡¯ll help us in procuring materials and selling the magical weapons. Not just weapons, armour and items too.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°We have found a place for our headquarters, a place that we can do business out of. It¡¯ll be just a little west from here, near the Iyrman¡¯s lands.¡± ¡°On the Iyr¡¯s land,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam continued to smile. ¡°It¡¯ll essentially be a small village within a fort. There will be places for Nobby and the rest of you. I imagine Anne will also move there, and she¡¯ll be educated there.¡± ¡°Our family has lived in Red Oak for generations,¡± Ted said. ¡°We live a fine life here.¡± ¡°I want you to live a great life at the fort,¡± Adam said. ¡°We can discuss the specifics later, I just want you to be open to the thought of moving. I won¡¯t force you, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll feel more comfortable being near Nobby, and Nobby will be comfortable being near you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll think about it,¡± Ted said. They enjoyed their meal, Annie revealing the fruit pie she had baked for the group. It wasn¡¯t quite as sweet as the factory made pies Adam had eaten in his first life, but they held a warmth of a mother within them. ¡°Iyrman,¡± Ted called, before correcting himself quickly, ¡°Jurot. If Nobby were to fight in the tournament, how would he do?¡± ¡°As an Expert he would place in the top three,¡± Jurot replied, instantly. Ted raised his brows in surprise. The fact that Jurot had replied so quickly meant he had thought about it previously, or he was that confident in Nobby¡¯s abilities. His Nobby could take top three in the tournament? Not just any tournament, but the Noonval Tournament of East Aldland? ¡°And as he is now?¡± ¡°Top five.¡± Ted watched the pair leave, each taking a slice of pie with them. He turned back to look at Nobby. The boy, who had always been so big for his age, so strong for his age, and so dumb for his age, could reach the heights of placing so high in one of the greatest tournaments in all the land? ¡°Top five?¡± Adam asked, surprised to hear such a statement. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to place in the top five.¡± ¡°Nobby is strong for his age,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Stronger than I was at his age.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, still. Does being strong for your age really matter? What if he comes across someone older, someone more experienced?¡± ¡°The tournament is divided by age,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Oh.¡± 517. Days In Red Oak III 517. Days In Red Oak III The pair returned back to the guild, finding their companions had also returned from their adventuring. Dunes relaxed in one corner, while Jonn and the others relaxed in the another corner. One entire side was full of Adam¡¯s adventuring group. Lucy¡¯s head was planted firmly on the table, revealing how well her questing had gone. ¡°How was it?¡± Adam asked, placing the pie slice down, offering it to Dunes¡¯ group. ¡°Well,¡± Dunes replied. He could feel the stares of the Aldishmen nearby, who weren¡¯t used to seeing Aswadians so far west. ¡°Six boars.¡± ¡°A bear,¡± Lucy said. She stirred from the pie Jurot had placed down in front of them. She cut a piece for herself, chewing it slowly. ¡°Just a bear?¡± Adam asked. Lucy grunted affirmatively. Adam glanced between the members of the different parties, realising none of the members in the third group had the same level of tracking skill as those from the first two groups. ¡®Oh dear.¡¯ ¡°Are we staying here long?¡± Lucy grumbled quietly. ¡°Aren¡¯t we meant to be going on some kind of adventure to slay monsters that are ravaging the land?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll figure something out for you. I¡¯ll need to speak with the porters and the farmers.¡± Lucy groaned in gratitude, still chewing her pie slowly. ¡°We requested some parts of the creatures we slew,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It should be placed within the party bank that you opened.¡± ¡°Great, thank you.¡± Adam bowed his head to Dunes. ¡°Right. Have you all heard that the tournament has been pulled forward a month?¡± ¡°The fifth month?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Yeah. We might be able to find Amira there. If she¡¯s out and about, wouldn¡¯t she want to fight at the tournament?¡± ¡°She may,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°We could spend the time trying to find her. There are quite a few Devilkin in East Port, though she might be easier to spot than most. There aren¡¯t many Devilkin from our order who would travel through Aldland.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll stay here for a couple more days, and once we¡¯ve finished our preparations, we should be good to go.¡± Adam glanced at the teen Iyrmen, who seemed to be far quieter than before. ¡®Why are you all so quiet nowadays?¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± called a voice. ¡®Who did I piss off this time?¡¯ Adam thought. He turned to see familiar faces enter the guild. A man with a heavily scarred face, followed by four others, a pair of men and women. Three of them wore chain mail, and two of them wore leather. They left a bear outside, for the guild to deal with. ¡°Speak of the...¡± Adam thought against using the phrase. ¡°Rick. Nice armour.¡± He reached out to shake Rick¡¯s forearm. ¡°Thank you,¡± the adventuring farmer replied. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Not bad, not bad, you?¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Good, good. Adventuring safely, I hope?¡± ¡°Always.¡± ¡°We were just talking about you, actually.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We were planning on going to East Port, slaying all kinds of beasties on the way, before, maybe, participating in the tournament,¡± Adam said. ¡°I was hoping that you would join us.¡± Rick eyed up the rest of the adventurers at Adam¡¯s side. The Demons, the Iyrmen, the Aswadians, and more. He had fought alongside many of them before, and Adam had treated them well enough. ¡°How long will we need to be gone?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be adventuring most of this year, I imagine,¡± Adam said. ¡°Travelling through the land. We¡¯ll be picking up as many as we can, before it gets too insane.¡± ¡°What is the deal?¡± ¡°So you took the glory?¡± Rose asked. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Like I said, I helped.¡± Rose narrowed her eyes. ¡°Will you claim victory over our kills too.¡± ¡°We will claim to help each other in slaying the various beasts we meet,¡± Adam stated. ¡°We share in our glory, in the same way we share loot.¡± ¡°How will we share it?¡± ¡°The teen Iyrmen, Nobby, and Brittany will share a single full share,¡± Adam said. ¡°Everyone else gets a whole share individually. The porters owe me some coin, so I¡¯ll be claiming a half share from each of them, but that¡¯s their business.¡± ¡°The porters will gain a full share?¡± Rose eyed them up. ¡°Are they strong?¡± ¡°You see their armour?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That stone there is made from kurabara. Each one would give an Expert trouble. They were there when we fought the kurabaras.¡± ¡°They were there, but did they fight?¡± Her eyes continued to scan them. It was one thing if they were fighting, but if they were portering? ¡°They should not claim a full share if they cannot fight or keep up with us.¡± ¡°Speaking of being unable to keep up,¡± Adam began, his voice lowering. He paused, taking a moment to compose himself. ¡°Do you believe you could keep up with me?¡± ¡°Are you an Expert?¡± Rose asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Remy and Jeremy may fight alongside us, but their goal is to help with carrying equipment. Do you have anything which will help us carry the remains of what we kill?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I have a steed that can help carry things, a giant elk. Jeremy and Remy have their palanquin, or whatever it¡¯s called. I expect, if a fight breaks out, they will assist us. After that, they will be responsible for carrying the items, in which they will get a fair share. The more they get, the harder they will work. Now, I don¡¯t mind if you want to change the shares depending on the work that we do, but I assure you, none of you will be able to keep up with Jurot and I, or even half the people that make up my party. So if you want to decrease their share, that¡¯s fine, but we will decrease your share accordingly.¡± Rose looked to Dunes and the other Aswadians, and spoke up in their tongue. ¡°Order of Black Mountain?¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°Red Sun?¡± he asked in their tongue. Rose nodded. ¡°You follow this Half Elf? Has he forced you into his debt in this cursed land?¡± ¡°He has, but not in the way you think.¡± Dunes almost chuckled, flashing a knowing smile. ¡°I follow him because if he were to face the six of you alone, I would bet on him.¡± Rose¡¯s eyes snapped to Adam once more, noting how he stood so casually in front of her, his elbow wresting against his axe. From the entire conversation, she hadn¡¯t been sure of Adam, who seemed to take the glory from the others within his company. Yet, it didn¡¯t make sense. Dunes, and the other two Aswadians, were from Black Mountain. Black Mountain, known as the region which held the oldest temple to the Goddess of War. There were also more than a few Iyrmen within the party, which would make it easier for anyone if they wished to become known as Dragon slayers. Yet, it was one thing to party with one or two Iyrmen, but to have so many follow him? And it was something else for one to allow the Half Elf to call him their brother. ¡°How strong are you?¡± Rose asked. Adam eyed the group up. He could have mentioned how he would probably be able to beat all six of them by himself, but that wouldn¡¯t be conducive towards a friendly environment if they were going to travel with each other. ¡°Uh. Let¡¯s see...¡± Adam turned to Jurot. ¡°Would you say I¡¯d rank top three from our groups?¡± Jurot paused for a long moment. What Adam said was technically true, since being the strongest would put him in the top three. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam shrugged towards Rose again. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of an Iyrman lie before.¡± ¡°Nor have I,¡± Rose said, extending a hand to shake Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°A full share it is.¡± Adam thought for a moment as she held out her hand. She had taken quite a shot at Remy and Jeremy, who worked under him. However, he shook her forearm. ¡°I think your words, though impolite, were from a place of making sure that you and your own were taken care of, so I won¡¯t hold them against you. I hope that we will have a fruitful relationship, Rose of the Red River Squad.¡± Tbh I''m not 100% sure Adam would beat all of them when he''s only a single pers- *Rereads Adam''s spells.* Oh. Nvm. 518. Quest I 518. Quest I ¡°You did not have them pay into the party funds?¡± Lady Sara asked. Adam eyed up the Aswadian party, which was in its own little corner, eating breakfast. He shook his head slowly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why did you not ask it of them?¡± ¡°Ultimately, they¡¯re not a part of our group, and they won¡¯t have access to our party funds. Yourself and Korin, you¡¯re Dunes¡¯ friends, meaning you¡¯re my friends. If I need to buy a diamond worth three hundred gold coins to bring you back from the dead, I¡¯ll do that without any questions asked. For those guys? I¡¯ll bring them back, but I won¡¯t be happy about it.¡± ¡°You would revive us from death?¡± ¡°If I get to you quickly, yes,¡± Adam replied. Lady Sara was beginning to understand what Dunes had explained to her. ¡®Adam will say things you might doubt, but he is very much like an Iyrman. If he says ridiculous things, you should believe them to be true, and life will be so much easier.¡¯ Adam was Adam. ¡°Are you adventuring?¡± Adam asked the Red River Squad. ¡°Yes,¡± Rose replied. ¡°We plan on questing within the Cherry Wood.¡± Adam looked at his party, with Jonn and Dunes heading out that day. ¡°Would you mind if Jurot and I come along? I didn¡¯t have anything planned today, and I think Jurot might be a little bored too.¡± Rose wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was trying to do. ¡°You want to quest with us?¡± ¡°Yeah. It would be a good idea to quest together in the Cherry Wood before we trust each other with our lives.¡± ¡°How will we split the loot?¡± Rose asked. It was the most important question, the question of pay. There had been plenty of incidents in the past in which parties turned against another party, or even their own companions, for the sake of gold. ¡°Equal shares,¡± Adam said. ¡°If there¡¯s anything special about the loot, we¡¯ll discuss it and come to an agreement once we¡¯re back at the guild.¡± Rose nodded. It was one thing for them to make a deal in the middle of the wood where no one would be able to help them, and another thing to return to the guild and have them oversee the deal. An Iyrman¡¯s presence, especially one who was Bronze Rank, brought them great comfort. ¡°Before we go, let¡¯s go do that,¡± Adam said, smiling towards Jurot. Jurot nodded. ¡°Do what?¡± Rose asked. Rose wasn¡¯t entirely sure why they were at a bakery, but she followed them inside, enticed by the smell of fresh bread. ¡°I recognise that armour anywhere,¡± the chubby baker said, smiling towards the Iyrman and the Half Elf. Her dark eyes beamed at the pair as they entered the bakery, while she reached out to grab some jam buns. Jurot placed down a gold coin as Adam tried to reach for his own pouch. ¡°Bread.¡± ¡°Jam buns too,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. He let Jurot pay this time, aiming to pay the next time. ¡°Whatever else we can spend eight silver coins on. You can keep the rest as a tip.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accept your tip kindly,¡± she said. Adam winced, before realising she was actually talking to Jurot, causing him to smile. ¡°We¡¯re planning on heading to the tournament in East Aldland.¡± ¡°The Noonval Tournament of East Aldland?¡± Pam asked, her hands working on wrapping up the bread the pair had bought. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you have a sponsor?¡± ¡°We know a guy,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll see if he¡¯s up for sponsoring us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll both do well,¡± Pam said. ¡°Place a bet for me won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the bet?¡± ¡°A gold,¡± Pam said. ¡°Just a gold? Jurot here will earn you hundreds.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we have that kind of coin to spare,¡± she admitted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put ten gold coins for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put your gold coins on Jurot, then,¡± Adam said, before patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Why don¡¯t you chat with Pam, let her know about...¡± Adam tried to remember anything of note they had done since the last time they had met Pam. He turned to Rose, motioning his head out, taking the basket full of bread with him. He offered the jam buns to the others around. ¡°Where is the Iyrman?¡± Zishan asked, staring at the jam buns suspiciously. Adam bit into the jam bun, tasting the sweet fruit within. ¡°Talking to the baker.¡± ¡°Is he not coming with us?¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Oh, she¡¯s actually a Princess?¡± ¡°Yes, though she does exert her powers much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re allied with her?¡± ¡°We are an Order which she had created when she came to power, and we have assisted in keeping the land safe ever since.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°Cool?¡± ¡°It means amazing, but in a...¡± Adam thought about how to explain it. ¡°Awe inspiring, or so?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°We adventurers with a guy who was from Bronze Dragon. Is that a similar Order?¡± ¡°Yes, it was made by Veisswing, but he has distanced himself from it,¡± Rose said. ¡°Why? The Order started killing minorities?¡± Adam chuckled at his joke. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam stopped, his face dropping into shock, a sheepishness overcoming him. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°They slaughtered Devilkin nearby their Order. Men. Women. Children. They slaughtered them all.¡± ¡°Was that recent?¡± ¡°No, it was over two hundred years ago. Almost half their ranks are Devilkin, and their current leader is a Devilkin too, Kal Zora.¡± ¡°Kal?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Why do I know that name?¡± ¡°It is not a name, it is a title, like Sir.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°It is also the name of a Blakvatr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Kal Blakvatr.¡± ¡°Ah! The guy with the sword?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Drakkenslayer, the original blade of the Blackwater family.¡± ¡°That was it.¡± ¡°There is a civil war within Aldland,¡± Rose said. ¡°Which side do you support?¡± Adam glanced around, as though looking for someone listening in on their conversation. ¡°Personally, I¡¯m a fan of the previous King¡¯s Sword. He was a nice old man. In fact, Jurot fought him, and got to face against a couple Fifth Gate spells.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, almost smiling. ¡°I hear the King of Aldland hates Elves too, so...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Though, I¡¯m not from this land, so I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°I thought you were not from this land,¡± Rose said. ¡°Oh yeah? How¡¯d you gather that?¡± ¡°You call our land Aswadasad, it¡¯s true name,¡± Rose said. ¡°The Aldishmen have another name, Aswadia.¡± ¡°Ah, right, I did notice that. I just use whatever phrase the Iyrmen use.¡± ¡°Are you close with the Iyr-,¡± Rose began to ask, before Jurot stopped, raising up his arm. The earth ahead of them pulsed and shifted, causing the trees to rock, before they fell. The stones and earth pulled upwards from the earth, as though gravity had reversed, before forming a large, vaguely humanoid shape. ¡°Urka!¡± Zishan shouted, magic crackling between his finger tips as he stepped backwards, ready to flee. Rose stood in shock, coming face to face with such a creature for the first time in her life. For her and her party, this was certain death. ¡°Oh, Noor.¡± The earth around them continued to shift as they drew their weapons, and Adam and Jurot donned their shields, two more creatures forming as the earth shifted. Rose and her party stepped backwards, ready to bolt away from the impending death which swing down on her party, like the scythe of Lord Sozain. ¡°I¡¯ll take the one on the left,¡± Adam said, feeling the tingling of Wraith gripped within his hand tightly. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. A fight? Within 20 chapters? Is it true? 519. Quest II 519. Quest II ¡®Curses to your fathers and their fathers before them!¡¯ Rose cursed, holding her fists up towards one of the urka, creatures of earth. ¡®Damn your blood back to your first mother!¡¯ The others within the Red River Squad thought the same as the pair of young men, who they believed to be no more than Experts, leapt into the fray. It all made sense, however. One of them was an Iyrman. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 20 (11) D20 + 9 = 25 (16) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 24 (4, 6)(3, 4) 24 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 11 (2) D20 + 9 = 16 (7) Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 17 -> 16 Spell: Hex Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 22 (13) D20 + 9 = 27 (18) Hit! Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 23 (2, 3)(1, 4)(6) 23 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 16 (7) D20 + 9 = 27 (18) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 14 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 23 (3, 3)(2, 4)(4) 23 damage! Adam slid under a wide fist from the earth creature, pebbles scattering across his puthral armour, while the creature swirled, and he could swear he could see a face. The earth jittered at him, the noisiness lost to the shouts and prayers of the Red River Squad. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Adam asked, dodging under another wide swing of earth, before he exhaled. His mind focused in front of him, and his dance began. Wraith¡¯s cool metal reassured him, as he cut into the face of the creature, the amorphous blob still jittering at him. The heat of the divine magic spread through him, piercing stone and earth deeper. ¡°Some time,¡± Jurot replied, his entire body red as he swung recklessly across the creature¡¯s chest, though barely scraped across it. The earth beneath his feet had shifted, causing him to land a superficial blow across the erta. Adam laughed in response to Jurot¡¯s response, wondering when they had fought last. Jurot remembered. No, it wasn¡¯t that he remembered, it was that he hadn¡¯t forgotten. The last time they had fought side by side, it had been against an insurmountable foe. The Iyrman¡¯s neck pulsed, and his eyes turned white. His entire body grew hot with greater rage when he recalled the time. He stood still in front of the erta, still holding up his shield, at it was the way of the Rot family, but he held up his axe, and swung downwards simply. It struck across the creature¡¯s side as it made to strike Jurot, though it jittered noisily as Jurot expended one of the charges within his axe to deal a great wound within his foe¡¯s simple mind. Phantom was no normal axe. It had been enchanted with a Greater bonus, a +2 to hit and damage, but Adam had enchanted it to deal 2D6 damage normally too, half the damage being Psychic damage, which struck one¡¯s mind. It was a weapon that had been designed to deal with Jarot, the first person who had defeated Adam in his third life, Jurot¡¯s grandfather. Even with Phantom, Jurot had been unable to stand against the Lord of Flames. Wraith was also no normal axe. It had been enchanted with a Greater bonus, like Phantom, and like Phantom, dealt 2D6 damage, though it was purely an increase in the steel¡¯s cutting abilities, though they were not the only enchantments within the axe. Raila, the heavily armoured Devilkin, managed to cut across the creature¡¯s side with her maul, but barely cracked across the earth. Rose inhaled deeply, and though the creature made to slam her, a bolt of fire skid across its skin, while a white beam pierced through its earth, dropping some of the earth. She shouted again, her fists striking the creature¡¯s chest, barely managing to reach deeper within, before she pulled her fists out, allowing the earth to tumble out, before she bowed, managing to dodge a blow. Zishan stepped around to try and find a better spot, stepping up beside Kadija, who was still chanting, trying to call forth another beam of light. ¡°We should-,¡± he stopped, watching as the large form of purple leapt into the fray. Fighting Spirit: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 14 (4) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Miss! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 17 (7) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! Mana: 12 -> 11 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 18 (1, 3)(1, 6) 18 damage! Adam grunted as his axe sank into the earth, though it was already loose. He pressed his axe forward, managing to strike deeper into it, his axe flashing hot with divine magic again. ¡°Step back! Support Jurot and me from the side,¡± Adam commanded, pulling his axe out as the earth shifted to face him. The group took the chance to pull away from the creature, trying to scramble to find their ranged weapons, while Kadija chanted. Adam did not hear a rumble this time, but the jittering grew louder as an axe fell across its shoulders, and Jurot¡¯s shadow loomed across Adam. The Iyrman stood on the creature¡¯s back, forcing the shield against its back as he pulled Phantom out of its back. ¡°Man am I glad to see you,¡± Adam said, as a bolt of fire passed between him and the creature, striking a nearby tree. Adam had no time to make a comment, as the creature¡¯s shadow loomed over him. He dropped to a knee and raised his shield as it slammed its heavy might onto him, with such great strength that Adam almost sank into the earth before it. His muscles began to burn with effort. Attack - Wraith (Flanking + Bless) D20 + 10 + 1D3 = 18 (7)(1) Hit! Mana: 12 -> 11 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 7 = 24 (3, 5)(2, 3)(4) 24 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking + Bless) D20 + 10 + 1D3 = 30 (19)(1) Critical hit! Mana: 11 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 48 (1, 4, 4, 5)(1, 2, 6, 6)(6, 6) 48 damage! The earth creature slammed down on Adam again, but the Half Elf clutched his axe tight, shifting his spell from the previous creature to the creature currently raining down earth and stone against him. The Red River Squad paused, watching as the mass of moving earth continued to strike down on Adam, whose shield was holding up well against its mighty blows. Their eyes were glued to the pair. Adam heard a cut, followed by its jittering. Suddenly, he twisted his body, slashing upwards. His axe barely scraped the earth, though with his divine magic, he left a glowing gash across its chest, before he spun, Jurot doing the same as they cut through its sides, hacking into it from opposite sides, before both struck something within it. Clink. The creature crumbled, the earth falling around them, before a shinier stone dropped from between their axes. Victory! Elementals (Earth) XP Gained: +600 XP: 9 600 -> 10 200 Call a Priest! BUT NOT FOR ME. 520. Quest III 520. Quest III Rose and the rest of the Red River Squad blinked, staring at the pair before them. ¡°You did not use Wraith?¡± Jurot asked casually, sheathing Phantom. Adam did the same with Wraith, smirking at the question. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel the need to. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard you use Mighty Roar before.¡± ¡°I would not have defeated it so easily without it,¡± Jurot said. He had never felt the need to use Mighty Roar, but considering there were six others who were with them, and Adam wanted them not to die, he had decided to use his shield¡¯s charges. ¡°You killed three urkas?¡± Rose asked, her voice trembling. She could see the Iyrman was wounded, his body battered by the earth, but he stood tall, as though he could fight another urka. Adam, on the other hand, was fine, though his shield had been battered by the foe. It had somehow not managed to even land a glancing blow on Adam¡¯s puthral plate mail. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, motioning to them all. ¡°We killed three urkas.¡± ¡®We?¡¯ Rose thought, looking to her companions, who were still unsure of what had happened. ¡°Ertas,¡± Jurot said, glancing between the three. In the back of his mind, he wondered how they had managed to defeat them so easily, but the answer stood beside him. ¡°They are creatures which form for many reasons.¡± The Iyrman began to walk around the area, his eyes glancing between the three creatures, trying to recall where they had formed. He reached began to dig with his hands, shifting through the loose earth, before grabbing something, pulling it out of the earth slowly. He revealed the item to everyone. Adam could only spot earth, which looked like any other, but this earth clung together, and moved almost like jelly. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Living Earth,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°The ertas came to life to protect it. It would grow over weeks, months, and years. It was good that we were able to defeat them, or else the forest would prove too dangerous for the adventurers.¡± ¡°How strong are these ertas?¡± ¡°I was unsure if I would be able to defeat them, even with Phantom,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°They¡¯re that strong?¡± Adam replied, his brows raised in shock. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Why did we fight them then?¡± ¡°You wanted to.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, quietly. ¡°Right. We really need to find a way to communicate that sort of thing. I don¡¯t want to fight anything that¡¯s strong enough to give you pause.¡± Adam felt his spell fade, the magic unable to find something to latch onto for too long. ¡°Okay.¡± Rose blinked. He didn¡¯t know they were that strong? Yet, he still somehow beat them with relative ease. The Half Elf had managed to defeat the creatures with an easier time than even the Iyrman. ¡®What are you?¡¯ Jurot picked up the shinier pieces of rock from around the area. There were three, one for each erta. He held the Living Earth in one hand, and the three cores in the other. ¡°Three cores and Living Earth.¡± ¡°Living Earth, eh? What is that exactly?¡± ¡°A material which can be used for magical items,¡± Jurot said, giving nothing up. ¡°It is worth a great amount.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Jurot stared down at the Living Earth, which was about the size of the three cores together. ¡°Less than one thousand, but more if it was auctioned.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°The cores?¡± ¡°A few hundred each, but more than one thousand if they were auctioned,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Good to know.¡± Adam looked to the other group. They stood stiffly, awkwardly staring at the pair who had shocked them. They were certain they had heard the Iyrman state that Adam had held back too. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about how to split this at the guild,¡± Adam said, flashing a smile. ¡°Jurot, hand the stuff to Rose.¡± ¡°To me?¡± Rose asked, more shocked by this than the fact Adam and Jurot had defeated two urkas almost by themselves. ¡°I think you¡¯d feel more comfortable if you held them, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, motioning with a hand to the cores. ¡°We get the Living Earth, you get the three cores.¡± Rose paused, waiting for them to speak up. There was definitely something more they were looking for. ¡°What will you do with the cores?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is that your business?¡± ¡°Just a question from someone who did most of the work,¡± Adam replied, before elbowing Jurot gently, almost cackling. ¡°I mean, if you were going to sell it, we might want to offer you something.¡± ¡°What do you need of these cores?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s our business,¡± Adam replied. After a moment, he smiled. ¡°No, really. It¡¯s our business. We work for an enchanter, Jurot and I. They make decent enough weapons.¡± He tapped Wraith. ¡°You work for an enchanter?¡± Rose asked, looking to Jurot, who nodded. ¡°I understand why you want these cores.¡± ¡°So, would you be willing to sell them?¡± Rose glanced between her five companions. ¡°For the right price.¡± ¡°What price would that be?¡± ¡°How much are you willing to offer?¡± ¡°Well, I could offer you a...¡± Adam thought about the flame swords which had been left in the Iyr. They were going to be sold one at a time, but the Iyr had its gates closed, so it was probably quite difficult to offer them. They were meant to be auctioned off for funds, funds which he would use to help with the business. The three cores were worth it, though, but he wasn¡¯t sure how he felt offering the weapons, portions of which belonged to the Iyr. ¡®Damn.¡¯ He could have asked his Aunt, but he didn¡¯t have the spell. ¡°How about this? We will place the Living Earth, and the three cores, to one side. We¡¯ll pay you...¡± Adam thought about how much was in the party funds, and then the magical weapons they had found in the temple. ¡®Could I offer the magical blade? I suppose I could, though I¡¯m not sure if any of them use shortswords.¡¯ Rose allowed Adam to think, while thinking about the Half Elf herself. This guy was definitely crazy. Everything about him was dangerous, from the way he talked, to the way he fought, and even all the people he surrounded himself with. Kadija and Mawan, their divine warriors, had confirmed that two of those he travelled with were Demons. Not Devilkin, specifically Demons. ¡°We will pay a hundred gold for delaying the full payment,¡± Adam said. ¡°The full payment can be a magical weapon, one which the Enchanter will enchant in the next year. If they do not hand over a magical weapon by the end of the first month next year, you can keep the cores, and we¡¯ll get the Living Earth, and you keep the one hundred gold.¡± ¡°What kind of magical weapon?¡± Rose asked. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± ¡°A Basic Enhanced magical weapon?¡± Rose asked. Adam looked to Jurot, wondering if that was acceptable. Jurot knew that the prices of the weapons had increased due to the war, but there was also the matter of the cores. If they really wanted to, they could probably trade the cores for a Basic Enhanced weapon. It would have taken them some time, but it was not that difficult. He nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. ¡°Which weapon? What enchantment?¡± ¡°A greatsword,¡± Rose said. Equipping Mawan with a greatsword would have helped them greatly, though Antony and Raila could also use it if it was needed. ¡°For the enchantment, it is up to the enchanter¡¯s ability.¡± ¡°A flaming sword?¡± Adam offered. ¡°We would prefer something that is not fiery, since Aswadasad is home to many great creatures of fire,¡± Zishan said. ¡°We would like something akin to what your brother has,¡± Mawan said. ¡°I did not see particularly well, but I¡¯m certain his axe holds the ability to expend a charge to discharge even greater wounds onto the enemy.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°Alright. If it¡¯s not fire, is anything else fine?¡± Mawan thought about it, before looking to Antony, who nodded. ¡°Yes. If the enchanter is able to enchant holy magics onto the blade, that would be preferred.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to pass on the information,¡± Adam assured. ¡°We keep the items in the hands of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. We¡¯ll pay one hundred gold to the Red River Squad, and will hand over a magical greatsword that is at least Basic Enhanced, preferably with the ability to deal holy damage. If we do not hand over such a weapon by the end of the first month of the next year, the items will be released, the Living Earth to Fate¡¯s Golden, and the three cores to the Red River Squad.¡± Adam held out his hand. ¡°You do not need to pay us the one hundred gold,¡± Rose said, bringing her hand up, though did not make to shake his forearm yet. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, and the pair shook forearms. Adam being a decent businessman? What is going on? 521. The Iyrmen Are Crazy I 521. The Iyrmen Are Crazy I The deal was codified by the guild, Tom stamping the contracts with their tags, before also handing over their reward. Quest Complete: Trouble in Cherry Wood XP Gained: +200 XP: 10 200 -> 10 400 Stamps Gained: +2 Stamps: 15 -> 17 Adam looked at the gold offered to them. After the fees from the guild, they were left with eight hundred and ten gold. ¡°We can split it eight way, and you can have the ten gold.¡± ¡°You should keep the ten gold, since you paid for the gate fee,¡± Rose said. ¡°That¡¯s a fair point,¡± Adam replied, accepting the coin. ¡°Since we¡¯ve completed the request, we should head out for the post quest snack.¡± ¡°The post quest snack?¡± Rose asked. ¡°We slew three ertas,¡± Jurot said, while Adam placed down a gold coin to pay for the bread. ¡°Three ertas?¡± Pam asked. ¡°Elementals of earth,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Oh!¡± she gasped, still unsure of what they were. ¡°They sound dangerous.¡± ¡°They are. They can kill Experts.¡± Pam tilted her head slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you an Expert?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an Iyrman,¡± Adam said, before quickly snatching up the bread and buns. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Jurot here to tell the story.¡± Adam caught the sight of Pam¡¯s father, exchanging a nod of the head, before taking the basket outside. He stood outside, his ears twitching as he listened to the tale from outside the bakery. He smiled, eating his fill for both his stomach and his heart. ¡°Do you come here before and after every quest?¡± Rose whispered. Adam nodded. ¡°You know how Iyrmen are. They want a good death, a good story. Sometimes, I have to remind my brother that not all of us want to die, and there¡¯s a reason to live for. Our sister isn¡¯t here, so I had to choose the next best thing.¡± ¡°You have a sister?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, trying not to smile. ¡°She just turned two recently, and she¡¯s quite the Iyrman already.¡± ¡°She¡¯s an Iyrman?¡± ¡°Of course she is.¡± Adam paused. ¡°Oh, right. Well, she¡¯s Jurot¡¯s blood sister, but she¡¯s my sister too.¡± ¡°How did you become an Iyrman¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°I spoke with his mother.¡± ¡°Is she your mother?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, smiling sadly. ¡°My parents are dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Yeah. Lanarot¡¯s waiting for us back home, but I¡¯ve also got a few kids waiting for me. Five.¡± ¡°Five?¡± Rose asked. ¡°You don¡¯t seem that old, even for a Half Fae.¡± ¡°I just turned twenty, like Jurot,¡± Adam said. ¡°We have the same birthday, actually.¡± ¡°You¡¯re twenty?¡± Rose asked, though her companions looked more shocked than she sounded. ¡°The Iyrman too?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I thought you were both older.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like I¡¯m some kind of monster,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°You¡¯re far too strong at your age,¡± Rose replied. ¡°What else can we think?¡± ¡°We made our way to the Awakened Forest last year for some business,¡± Adam said, smiling awkwardly. ¡°I, uh... I had killed two Dragons personally. I mean, I helped, yes, but I wasn¡¯t a slouch. I mean, you¡¯ve seen the way I fought. Apparently, ertas are quite strong, enough to even make you pause. I was about that strong when I fought the Dragons, give or take a little, you know?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, we made our way to the forest, and we were just outside Red Oak. The day after we had left, we found this guy. Handsome old man. He wore lighter clothing, even though it was duskval at the time. He walked alone, like he owned the world. I don¡¯t know what made it so that we met, probably Fate, but uh... He had a problem with some of us. Never met us, but he had issues with some of us. The two Iyrmen with us, Mithril Ranks, they fought him and we ran.¡± ¡®Two Mithril Rank Iyrmen?¡¯ Rose thought, wondering why he had two Mithril Rank Iyrmen with him. ¡°We got away safely. Then, there he was. He stalked after us, no Mithril Rank Iyrmen in sight. He even let us prepare, and let us get in free hits. I fought him with all I could.¡± Adam snapped his fingers. ¡°I woke up a little while later. I blinked, and I was down. He had defeated us. Jurot, lasted the longest against him. Managed to draw blood, I heard, but...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I might seem like a monster to you, but just know that I¡¯m a nobody. There are monsters, real monsters, who travel through this land. Beings of unimaginable strength and power. Do you know Lord Stokmar?¡± ¡°The Lord of Earth?¡± ¡°We actually met Lord Stokmar too, Jurot and I,¡± Adam said. ¡°I hear she¡¯s strong, very strong.¡± ¡°They say she is as powerful as the Gold Dragon who protects the capital of Aldland.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s a little stronger, but that sounds about right,¡± Adam said. ¡°That old man that we met was probably about as strong as that Gold Dragon too.¡± Rose began to sweat. She could see the darkness on Adam¡¯s face, but it was not the darkness that caused her to sweat, but the pure, utter defiance in Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know the Iyr¡¯s greatness,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ve heard the tales, I¡¯m sure, but trust me when I say you have no idea how understated they are. These guys are crazy. Jurot and I, we met that guy again. He was apparently a friend of a friend, but that¡¯s a long story. Anyway, he tried to touch our sister, and we were about to get beaten up by him again. Jurot¡¯s mother told us off, and then do you know what she did?¡± ¡°No?¡± Rose replied, confused. Adam leaned in. ¡°She told him off. This guy, who could go against Lord Stokmar. She told him off. You have no idea how mad he was, and you know what he did?¡± ¡°What?¡± Rose asked, swallowing. ¡°He tried to threaten the Iyrmen, and-,¡± Adam quickly stopped himself from saying too much about the random old woman who smelled of death. ¡°They didn¡¯t care. These Iyrmen, they¡¯re crazy. I mean I know I¡¯m crazy, but that¡¯s because I¡¯m stupid, but these guys are genuinely mad. You know why they killed all those soldiers in the forest?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Jurot and I were there. We called for the Iyr to help us, and they came. We went out to speak with the captain, and they had a bunch of soldiers trained on us, ready to fire. We tried to explain the situation, peacefully, trying to tell them that the Iyr had claimed this place. They fired on us. Jurot and I. The Iyrmen came out from the shadows. The Chief and Elder Peace, they were dropping some bars, let me tell you. Holy.¡± Adam rubbed his eyes, recalling the scene. ¡°Two thousand soldiers and a hundred Iyrmen. The captain didn¡¯t want war, but the Chief didn¡¯t mind. Man, I remember how terrifying it was. The captain tried to step back multiple times, but the Chief wouldn¡¯t let him. The captain tried to release the prisoners, the Iyrmen that had come with us, but the Chief wasn¡¯t having it. The Iyr wanted one hundred lives from the captain, before anything else was resolved. Then, he set free the Iyrmen. One of them was a Shaman, who had the same tattoos as Elder Peace. They had been tortured. The price went from one hundred to two hundred because the Iyrmen had been tortured. Do you know why it increased to three hundred?¡± ¡°The Shaman was Elder Peace¡¯s relative?¡± ¡°No. It wasn¡¯t because the Shaman was Elder Peace¡¯s daughter, but because she was a Shaman. You should not lay your hands on a Shaman of the Iyr, for they are precious to us. That¡¯s what she said. Damn. Then I watched them. Three hundred soldiers, all adorned in heavy armour, great weapons. They didn¡¯t seem like nobodies, either. Even so. I watched them being slaughtered before my eyes. Jurot was there too, and he was grinning. He was having fun watching them die. You know what happened next?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Elder Peace wrote a letter to the Shen using the captain¡¯s blood. The Iyrmen were all Mithril or Gold Rank. One hundred of them. Man, I can¡¯t tell you the other things I¡¯ve seen, but I¡¯ll say this. It¡¯s not the most impressive thing I¡¯ve seen the Iyr do. Not by a long shot. The Iyr is the second scariest thing I know that exists.¡± ¡°The second scariest thing?¡± Rose asked. Even now, when Adam spoke, it seemed to unbelievable. Yet, from the tone of his voice, to him looking to the past, she knew he was there. He wouldn¡¯t lie, not when they could just ask Jurot. ¡°The first scariest thing doesn¡¯t exist,¡± Adam replied, smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it stays that way.¡± Jurot stepped out of the bakery, biting into the bun in his hand for the first time since he had held it minutes ago. He saw the looks of horror on the Aswadians¡¯ faces. ¡°Did you tell them about your children?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°No, I was just telling them how scary the Iyr is. Do you remember the Awakened Forest, and the soldiers that shot at us?¡± Jurot chewed slowly, recalling the bloodbath which had happened because they had shot at him and Adam. His lips formed the smallest of smile. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam raised his brows and pointed at Jurot, as if to prove his point. He mouthed the word to them all, but they already knew it. The Iyrmen are crazy. Adam casually revealing he''s met psuedogods and he''s still scared of the Iyr. 522. The Iyrmen Are Crazy II 522. The Iyrmen Are Crazy II Omen: 3, 11 ¡°We¡¯re leaving?¡± Rose asked over breakfast. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Thought it was best to leave now. Early bird catches the worm and all that.¡± Rose remained silent. What was Adam doing? They had completed a quest only yesterday, and she had heard that one of the groups under his command had quested the previous two days. ¡°You don¡¯t rest after you complete a request?¡± Adam smiled, unable to control his lips. ¡°Well...¡± He noted the looks of his companions, who were piercing him with their gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing this up so suddenly, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s much need to waste time.¡± ¡°We need time to prepare,¡± Rose said. ¡°We need to procure food, and other necessary items.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got plenty of food, and we have two Priests who are able to cast a spell that can assist in feeding us,¡± Adam explained. Rose blinked. He was going to make the Priests use their spells, the same spells they received from the Divine, for food? She remained stunned for a few more seconds, before she regained her thoughts. ¡°You...¡± She looked to her companions, unsure if she had heard him correctly. ¡°We also require items for our spells,¡± Zishan said. ¡°We can get them once we¡¯re in Deadwood,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I know I¡¯m rushing us, but...¡± Adam sighed. Lucy was ignoring him. She had returned with such joy last night, speaking of the dawnval wolf they had slaughtered. Upon finding out that Adam and Jurot had killed three powerful creatures, she threw a the quietest of tantrums, blaming him for finding something so fun, before falling silent and ignoring him. She did, however, give up the dawnval wolf core without complaint. ¡°I would appreciate it if we could leave today.¡± ¡°We will finish our preparations by noon,¡± Rose finally said, giving in to the ridiculous request. ¡°I appreciate that.¡± The group finished their preparations, though they still possessed much of the food the Iyrmen had given them, as well as the various supplied which had been handed to them, from blankets to spare clothing, and most importantly, soap. ¡°If there are component for spells that you need, make sure you tell me,¡± Adam said to the Priests of his party. ¡°There are tons of great spells which cost a lot of coin, and that¡¯s what the party fund is for.¡± ¡°Sir Vonda and I were discussing the the matter of Brittany,¡± Dunes said, away from the girl. ¡°There is a Second Gate spell, Protected Pair, which requires two rings made of ruby. The price is fifty gold for each ring. The spell lasts an hour, more than long enough for the typical skirmish.¡± Adam thought about the spell, trying to recall what it did. ¡°It would protect Brittany, but...¡± ¡°I would be wounded with her,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I would find it difficult to concentrate on some spells, but it would protect her.¡± ¡°You are pretty tough, though,¡± Adam said. ¡°Still, making sure Brittany is safe would clear my mind. If I recall correctly, the rings will remain intact after the spell is cast, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, sounds good. Sir Vonda, you¡¯ll be sure to cast the spell onto Brittany during any fights first thing. We¡¯ll have Dunes cast spells like Bless and Spectral Sentinels, whereas you can remain as a support. You can cast healing spells, and spells outside of combat that we might need, like Aid. While Dunes casts Spectral Sentinels, you¡¯ll cast Create Food and Water, because otherwise we¡¯re going to find ourselves out of a party fund real quick.¡± Vonda bowed her head. She could have argued against casting her spell to feed the group, but if it came to casting spells to feed people or kill something, she preferred the former. ¡°Damn I miss me some chicken tikka masala,¡± Adam whispered, shaking his head. ¡°I miss my adorable little babbies more.¡± Omen: 6, 15 A beautiful song carried on the dawnval breeze, beckoning the group forward. Adam threw Jurot a look, who exchanged a look with Kitool and Jaygak, before the three continued forward with greater purpose. The forest was full of dangers, but it was also home to those which did not belong to the villages, towns, or cities of Aldland. A woman lay against a tree, staring up at the sky, continuing her singing in an unknown language. She was gaunt, her skin, though typically tan, was pale and cracked. Though she looked like she hadn¡¯t drunk in weeks, her voice held strong. Adam stepped forward, but Jurot held out his arm, stopping the Half Elf. Adam stared at him, but the Iyrman did not move his eyes away from the figure. Kitool planted Tigerstaff on the ground, before she stepped forward. She stepped on a twig obviously, stopping. The woman¡¯s song trailed to silence over a long moment. She turned her head, but the light shone in such a way to hide her features, though it should have revealed her features. ¡°I am Kitool, daughter of Citool, and I have come to answer your call.¡± ¡°You have come, Deathsinger,¡± the woman said, her voice still strong and clear. ¡°It is I who answers your call.¡± She smiled towards the Iyrman. Kitool stood frozen for a long moment, deep in thought. This figure was no doubt related to her, but she was still uncertain of her decision. ¡°What is it?¡± Kadija whispered. ¡°You should know what you should know,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Kadija asked. ¡°It means that you don¡¯t want to die over nothing,¡± Adam explained. Kitool stepped towards the woman, kneeling in front of her. A wicked crack filled the air, before she stood, and the woman, now dead, sank into the earth, nature claiming her. Kitool returned to the group, grabbing Tigerstaff. She remained silent, and Jurot led them forward. ¡°Did you have to kill her?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°She answered my call,¡± Kitool replied, before her eyes scanned the forest. ¡°Mahtu¡¯s grace does not reach this realm.¡± Vonda glanced around, finding nothing out of the ordinary. It was only minutes later when they realised that things had returned to normal, though they did not feel anything wrong. It was as though they had awoken from a dream. ¡°Iyr business?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Iyr business,¡± Jurot replied. Adam nodded, and with that, continued as though nothing had happened. He had no reason to give the Iyr any more excuses to kill him, not when they were already deciding on what to do with him. ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell us what happened?¡± Rose asked. ¡°The last time Aswadians asked the Iyr to explain something, three hundred people died,¡± Adam said. ¡°You should know what you should know.¡± What is this? Something that won''t pay off until chapter ~1500? Damn it! 523. Deadwood I 523. Deadwood I ¡°I don¡¯t like the fact the journey has been so...¡± Adam began, only to realise he was tempting the Divine. ¡°Let¡¯s keep our wits about us.¡± ¡°We will reach Deadwood by dusk,¡± Jurot said, his eyes focused on the area around them. ¡°Our journey is safer with all these warriors at our side. Beasts will not attack us with so many, and others will think twice.¡± ¡°So the things that will attack us will be things we really have to worry about?¡± Adam mused, stepping over a fallen log. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam still didn¡¯t like the quietness of the forest, hearing only sparse cries and calls of critters in the distance. Jurot stopped. He placed a hand against a thin tree, taking a moment to feel it. ¡°Is that some nice wood?¡± Adam joked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, before he donned his shield, and bolted forward. Adam grabbed his shield and followed him, though Kitool rushed past him with ease, kicking off trees to avoid large bushes in her way, while Adam barrelled through them, followed closely by Jaygak. Terrible screeches echoed through the forest, the sound bouncing across trees, echoing within Adam¡¯s helmet. ¡°Kitool,¡± Jurot called from ahead, causing the Iyrman to veer off to one side, as the roar of a woman greeted them. Adam exploded out of the bush, bits of wood flying all around, to see Kitool in mid air, her Tigerstaff crashing against the side of a black bear triple her size. It cried out in pain before its body twisted and froze, allowing the Iyrman to kick its head before she dropped, the black bear dropping behind her. In front of the Iyrman, a heavily armoured woman, crouched, panting with effort. She wielded a blade made of a dark wood, which was almost as tall as her. Jurot¡¯s axe cut through another black bear, splitting its skull in half with a single blow. He kicked the large black bear off of his axe, before a third giant bear crashed against him, claw meeting flesh, only to find the flesh was more like steel. Jurot turned his head to meet its gaze, unbloodied by its claws. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Mana: 18 -> 17 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 18 (8) Hit! Mana: 17 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 36 (2, 4)(6, 6)(5, 6) 36 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 13 (3) Miss! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 17 (7) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) Hit! Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 21 (3, 4)(1, 6) 21 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 14 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 26 (3, 5)(5, 6) 26 damage! ¡°Thunder!¡± Adam chanted loudly, charging forward with Wraith in hand, followed by Jaygak, whose blade crackled with lightning. His axe vibrated with great power as he slashed at the creature, an explosion of thunder echoing through the air, his axe flashing white hot with holy magic. Jurot¡¯s axe struck across its neck, Kitool¡¯s staff slammed down against its head, and Jaygak¡¯s blade also pierced through its back. They continued to assault the creature until it had fallen, requiring the might of all four figures to drop it. The woman watched as the four assaulted the creature. It made sense for a big black to fall under the force of four Adventurers, though it was surprising that they only wore bronze tags, denoted their rank. It wasn¡¯t strange for the Iyrman to have slain the bear she had been fighting either, for she had wounded it greatly. It was completely strange that the Iyrman with the axe, who had leapt into the fray against a single big black, had managed to cut it down in a single blow. ¡®Lord Sozain, have you taken me already?¡¯ The remaining big black fell before the four, its claws, which had aimed for Jurot, had fallen before it could even pierce the Iyrman¡¯s flesh. Victory! Big Blacks XP Gained: +600 XP: 10 400 -> 11 000 ¡°You did not use Wraith?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t feel the need to,¡± Adam replied, sheathing Wraith to his side, before drawing it again, realising they may not yet be out of danger. ¡°Thank you, Iyrmen,¡± the woman said, still holding her blade, though it was pointed towards the ground. ¡°I am Sir Kanna, Darkknight.¡± ¡°I am Jurot, son of Sonarot,¡± the Iyrman said, bowing his head. ¡°Darkknight?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You have met Sir Enna, the Darkknight who accompanied us before you slew Vandra,¡± Jurot reminded the Half Elf. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I liked her?¡± ¡°You did not dislike her either,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Did she know the tale of the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°She did.¡± ¡°Sounds like I liked her then,¡± Adam said. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°He is not.¡± ¡°You call an outsider a brother? You Iyrmen have always been queer.¡± ¡°It is not we who are queer,¡± Jurot replied simply, taking no offence to her words. Sir Kanna smiled, working her dagger through her trusted steed. ¡°To the world, you are.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They continued to butcher in silence for a few moment, but Sir Kanna¡¯s thoughts were clouded by what she saw. ¡°How did you manage to slay the big black in a single blow?¡± ¡°My axe holds great magic.¡± ¡°Is it for sale?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Where did you get it?¡± Sir Kanna replied, smiling at her joke. She had no doubt the Iyrman wasn¡¯t going to sell it. ¡°An enchanter made it and gave it to my family,¡± Jurot replied, not lying, but not telling the whole truth. ¡°They gave it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Enchanter made the weapon to be used in combat,¡± Jurot said, trying not to lie. ¡°My mother is the President of the business, and the Enchanter has a special relationship with the Rot family.¡± ¡°Was this was a recent matter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your mother is the President of the business?¡± Sir Kanna asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is it an enchanting business?¡± Sir Kanna thought of Red Oak and the Iyr. The Iyr had brought weapons to be auctioned off within the town. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard there was a sword which held certain enchantments of fire which was auctioned in Red Oak recently,¡± Sir Kanna said. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Was that from your Enchanter?¡± ¡°It was from our business, yes,¡± Jurot confirmed. Sir Kanna realised that the Iyrman was speaking truthfully, but in a very specific way. ¡°You are fortunate.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. In truth, it wasn¡¯t his fortune that the axe came to his position, but Adam¡¯s misfortune. ¡°Which enchantments are imbued within your axe?¡± Sir Kanna asked. ¡°It strike a creature¡¯s mind, and holds an ability similar to a Guardian¡¯s smite,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°A Basic Enhanced axe with the ability to smite? It is a wonderful axe,¡± Sir Kanna said. ¡°It is a wonderful axe,¡± Jurot confirmed, ¡°but it does not hold a Basic enchantment.¡± ¡°...¡± Kanna remained silent for a moment. ¡°Is it a Greater Enhanced axe?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Poor Jaygak. She''s actually quite strong, but she''s surrounded by monsters. 524. Deadwood II 524. Deadwood II It was dusk by the time they arrived at Deadwood. The town was huge, surrounded by large black trees, which stood like statues, each spaced twenty metres apart. A second wall stood tall in front of the stone wall which surrounded the town. Near one side of the town, towards where it met the hills, was a large tree, one which could be seen even from where they stood. ¡°The Deadwood,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°When the town is threatened, they can be called to defend it.¡± ¡°I have heard of such magics,¡± Rose said, looking out to the large trees. ¡°They possess wood from the Deadwood, but that¡¯s extremely rare,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Red Oak can be grown pretty good over generations, but there¡¯s actually only a single Deadwood tree, which is different to the trees which guard the town. Its branches and twigs fall, and that¡¯s how they get the wood. If someone forcibly removes a branch, it won¡¯t grow again.¡± ¡°There is a similar tree within Aswadasad,¡± Rose confirmed. Adam looked her way, though both Jurot and Laygak perked up at the information. ¡°Dragontree,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You know of it?¡± Rose asked. ¡°A wood which is as hard as a Dragon¡¯s scales,¡± Laygak piped up from the back. ¡°It has to be worked with special tools made of particular metals, like dragonsteel or dragonglass.¡± ¡°Of course it does,¡± Adam said, before smiling. ¡°Where can one find dragonsteel and dragonglass?¡± ¡°Much of it is made in Aswadasad and Drakkenlan, but some is created in Blackwater, though only once a generation,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°When we become Masters, we are gifted a weapons of dragonsteel,¡± Rose said. ¡®Man, this fantasy world is so cool,¡¯ Adam thought. The guard hailed the group as they approached, standing tall and proud as they noted the Darkknight which accompanied them. ¡°You may step inside without the need to pay the gatefee,¡± Sir Kanna said, bowing her head to the group. ¡°The guards will escort you to confirm that you slew three big blacks.¡± Adam winced, unsure of how he felt that they called the creatures big blacks. ¡®I guess it¡¯s like the shark?¡¯ The guards did as the knight commanded, leading them to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild within Deadwood. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was near identical to the building in Red Oak, save it was made of smooth rock. An adventuring party was currently relaxing within the guild, nodding their heads towards the large group stepping inside. The beautiful woman at the counter caused Adam to narrow his eyes slightly. The guards quickly explained the situation, before the rewards were divvied out, and their tokens were stamped. Quest Complete: Trouble in Deadwood XP Gained: +200 XP: 11 000 -> 11 200 Stamps Gained: +1 Stamps: 17 -> 18 Adam hadn¡¯t expected the reward to be so middling, for they handed over no more than fifty gold per head. ¡®I suppose fifty gold is actually a lot of money.¡¯ Rather than accept the coin for himself, Adam slipped it into the party fund. ¡®Oh, damn. I was meant to spend money on trying to find Amira.¡¯ Once the group had settled down within the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, Sir Kanna appeared, approaching the large group. ¡°The Countess has extended her warm welcome to your group, Fate¡¯s Golden. If you would follow me, I will situate you within one of her estates.¡± ¡°I apologise if it seemed I was trying to pry into your business, but I had no such thought to do so,¡± Sir Kanna said. ¡°I merely had to verify for the Countess¡¯ sake, to make sure that your business met certain requirements.¡± ¡°It is a shame, then, that our business will not be working within Deadwood for the recent future, but we will surely see what can be done in order to bring our business to Deadwood.¡± ¡°Does the Half Elf speak for your business?¡± Sir Kanna asked, looking to Jurot. ¡°My brother does speak for the business,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What of your opinion?¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s opinions are mine.¡± Sir Kanna bowed her head. ¡°I will bring word to the Countess that there is some disagreement about such matters. I will bring word if she wishes to welcome you within her estate, or her town.¡± ¡°We thank you for your understanding,¡± Adam said. ¡°It would be a shame if we are not welcome into the town, for the good Countess may find it difficult to contact our business since we do not have a place where we consistently do business, and we may be too busy enjoying ourselves within towns that do welcome us, pointy ears and all.¡± Sir Kanna bowed her head once more, understanding Adam¡¯s threat, before retreating. She would need to inform the Countess of what happened, though she would need to speak with Sir Enna to see what happened with Adam previously. Adam was the Iyrman¡¯s brother, so he must have had a special relationship with the President. ¡®He said he was an alchemist? Are his abilities with alchemy great because of his Fae blood? Is that why the Enchanter keeps him?¡¯ The thought of Adam being the Enchanter did not cross her mind, since Jurot had mentioned that the pair were the same age during their conversation, and that they had met only two years ago. There was no way a man of twenty could be proficient in alchemy, enchanting, smithing, while also being an Expert in both martial and magic abilities. It was impossible. ¡°Why are you starting a fight with a knight?¡± Rose whispered. ¡°Even if you work for a great enchanter, how can you ask for death so easily?¡± ¡°Rose, I don¡¯t want to treat you like an idiot, so do us both a favour and don¡¯t say anything stupid again, please,¡± Adam said, as politely as he could possibly imagine. Rose blinked, not expecting Adam to snap at her. ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything stupid.¡± ¡°When did I start a fight?¡± ¡°I was here, Adam.¡± ¡°Jurot, did I offer to speak to one side so the situation could be resolved quietly?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You did.¡± ¡°Rose, if you¡¯re smoking some dragonleaf, you could at least share some with me,¡± Adam said. Rose¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°If we had dragonleaf, we would not have been able to leave South Fort.¡± ¡°You know what?¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Jurot is a real one. He''s always ride or die. 525. Hill Grave And Gold 525. Hill Grave And Gold The days in Deadwood passed quickly. Adam chose against stepping out of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. He wasn¡¯t sure how the Countess would respond, especially since rumours would soon spread about him through the town thanks to the knight¡¯s pride, and Adam¡¯s stubbornness. ¡®I gave her a way out, and I allowed everyone to step out...¡¯ Adam thought about the matter deeply over days they stayed in Deadwood. ¡®She probably wanted to speak with Jurot about the Enchanter. Since I asked Jurot to stay with me, it was awkward for her. Well, you shouldn¡¯t have treated me so poorly when I first came to Deadwood.¡¯ Omen: 9, 13 Once they finished their preparations in Deadwood, they made their way out of the town, following the road which wound around and through the hills, heading eastward towards Hill Grave. ¡°What¡¯s Hill Grave like?¡± Adam asked, having heard the name a few times in the background, but it had never come within his focus. ¡°It is a place of many great warriors,¡± Jurot began. ¡°A hill town, with a population twice the size of Red Oak or Deadwood. When the Demons came, they laid waste to much of it, but the town fought them away. There was once an Order, but it was dissolved many generations ago, but their descendants became well known as Hillknights. Sir Sygmund the Grave is their greatest warrior.¡± ¡°How do they compare with the previous King¡¯s Sword and Knight of Death?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Comparable,¡± Jurot admitted. Adam whistled. ¡°Damn. Anything special about the town?¡± ¡°It is proud of its military tradition,¡± Jurot said, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was notably special. ¡°There is a great statue which guards the tomb of a Demon General. It is carved with ancient runes, and will awaken to protect the town.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Hill Grave was once the home of Ogres, but they were forced away,¡± Kitool said. ¡°The statue is a statue of an Ogre.¡± ¡°Ogre?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are there still Ogres on this land?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, but noted the look from Kitool. He bowed his head, knowing he shouldn¡¯t say more. ¡°Cool,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Anything we should be wary of on the way to the town?¡± ¡°There are several military outposts on the way to Hill Grave, and we must pay a fee passing through each,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°One gold per head. There are three outposts.¡± Adam groaned. ¡°Well, shit.¡± ¡°We can pay for our own,¡± Rose said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°As much as we¡¯re travelling together to slay all kind of creatures, we¡¯ll probably part at East Port, unless you¡¯re going to be participating in the tournament?¡± ¡°We may.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± The sight of the gate welcomed the group, built between two cliffs, made of thick stone and easily three times as tall as Adam. A dozen guards stood atop the gate, adorned in chain mail, wielding spears. A tan tabard rested against their chests, with a sigil across it, though it was too far in the distance to see. ¡°Halt!¡± came a booming voice from afar, magically enhanced so it was clear even a hundred steps away. ¡°State your business!¡± ¡°We have come to-,¡± Adam began. ¡°Speak up!¡± the guard exclaimed, before he turned to face the guard at his side, almost smirking. ¡®What¡¯s with the guards being a bunch of assholes?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°With the might of Mother Soza,¡± Vonda prayed, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. The divine magics filled the Half Elf, as though he was hugged by his mother. ¡°We are travelling to East Port!¡± Adam shouted back, his voice booming. The guards glanced between one another. ¡°You can summon your tower near the outer walls.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam sighed, glad that they had a noble with them in times like this. ¡®Sir Vonda, you are the best, truly.¡¯ The treatment the party received was roughly the same going forward, with them not being able to enter the outposts, apparently due to their size. The guards kept a watchful eye on the group as they rested during the nights, but Adam expected as much. After losing roughly a hundred gold, they arrived at Hill Grave. It was a much larger town, easily twice the size of Red Oak and Deadwood. It was set within the rough hills, with several distinct levels, while some of the town wrapping around the hills out of sight. Adam could see a number of large buildings even from where he was, spotting several statues within the city too. He whistled. ¡°Nice.¡± The group approached the gates, which shook open, revealing a group of heavily armoured guards. They each wore plate mail, and carried large weapons, from pikes to blades. Their armour was the colour of sand, their cloaks a deep grey. The guard at the centre was taller than the others, and wore an amulet with the symbol of Lady Arya against his chest, a blade in front of a crown. ¡°A Hillknight,¡± Jurot whispered, while motioning for the group to stop. The knight stepped forward, the six warriors beside him marching in step with him, before he stopped about fifteen paces ahead of the large group. He pulled off his helmet to reveal handsomely rugged face, with a beard no more than a week old, and sharp eyes which dared them to act up. Adam placed him to be in his late forties. ¡°I am Sir Garad, Third Hillknight,¡± he said, his voice full of authority. ¡°I ask Sir Vonda Eastlake to step forward.¡± Vonda did as he commanded, taking off her helmet to reveal her face, though the lower half was covered by the scarf. ¡°My face was burnt when I was young, so I will not remove my scarf.¡± ¡°I ask that you do not resist the spell we are to cast,¡± Sir Garad said. ¡°Zone of Truth.¡± ¡°I will not.¡± The Hillknight held his amulet and chanted the words to his spell. Sir Vonda remained still, allowing the spell to take her. ¡°Are you Sir Vonda Eastlake, member of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied. Sir Garad waited for a moment, thinking about how to proceed. ¡°Do you trust your companions?¡± ¡°I trust the Iyrmen, and many of the companions at my side,¡± Sir Vonda said. ¡°Who is the leader of the party?¡± ¡°That would be Adam Fateson, the man in the puthral plate mail.¡± ¡°How long have you known them?¡± ¡°I have known them for at least a year. I met them the nightval before the previous nightval.¡± ¡°Why are you travelling in such a large group?¡± ¡°We are currently travelling to East Port, partaking in the rights afforded to us this year after the Great Twilight, but they seem to wish to participate in the Noonval Tournament of East Aldland. We passed by Deadwood, assisting Darkknight Kanna with some dangerous beasts.¡± The Hillknight dropped the spell, bowing his head. ¡°I apologise for the inconvenience, Sir Vonda Eastlake of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Sir Vonda replied, bowing her head in return. ¡°We have long respected the Order of Life¡¯s Rose within Hill Grave.¡± ¡°And we have always respected the mighty warriors of Hill Grave.¡± ¡°Allow me to escort your group,¡± Sir Garad said. ¡°That is greatly appreciated.¡± ¡®Well, that was easy...¡¯ Adam thanked Sir Vonda in his heart, glad that the party fund would be able to survive the journey. Sir Vonda is like a cheat code. 526. Strangers On The Road I 526. Strangers On The Road I ¡°So River Hill, then Water Ford, and then East Port?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Any other outposts on the way?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There may be military units which patrol the area, and we will be expected to pay thirty gold at least each time we meet them,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Damnit...¡± Adam muttered. ¡°Well, we have enough in the party fund for now, and worst case scenario I can pay for it out of pocket.¡± ¡°We will assist in paying,¡± Jurot assured.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Yeah, thanks. If I do have to borrow money from you, I¡¯ll be sure to repay you from the party fund.¡± ¡°It is no matter, Adam.¡± ¡°It is a matter,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. The party fund is still healthy, and I¡¯ll be the one to stress about it. It¡¯s here to make sure no one else worries about it.¡± Adam wondered how long they should stay in Hill Grave. They were at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, which was built similarly as those within Red Oak and Deadwood, but it was set atop it¡¯s own hill, with half walls around it. ¡°So how long will it take us to get to River Hill?¡± ¡°Five days, though we can move swiftly to make it within four. If we are to take a ship, we can arrive within a day.¡± ¡°A ship?¡± ¡°We could head out a half day to the fort and take a ship, following along the river,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°If we take a ship from River Hill to Water Ford, it will also take a single day. Then Water Ford to East Port, another day on ship.¡± ¡°How much will it cost to travel on the ship?¡± Adam asked. ¡°At least a gold for each person, but we can expect to pay two or three gold, or five if they wish,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It would depend on the captain.¡± ¡°Hmmm. I mean, we could probably afford it...¡± ¡°We should travel on foot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The road to East Port will be full of danger.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, rubbing his face. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s spend a little coin here, and then we can make our way.¡± Omen: 9, 17 The group only spent the night in Hill Grave, leaving early in the next morning. Adam made sure to visit the bank so the party fund didn¡¯t seem so empty, and after buying a few trinkets, they made their way out, heading southward along the road. ¡®Maybe we should have explored Hill Grave a little, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll enjoy East Port more...¡¯ Upon arriving at the outpost that evening, Adam frowned. ¡®Nevermind. We¡¯ve spent way too much coin just travelling around Hill Grave. What a greedy bunch!¡¯ As they left the outpost, no longer did hills greet the party, opening to the plains of Central Aldland. Adam thanked the Divines on behalf of his calves as they continued their travels. Omen: 9, 20 ¡°So, it¡¯ll be more dangerous now?¡± Adam asked as they travelled along the King¡¯s Road. Adam noted how well it had been built, reminding him of the ancient roads from his own world. ¡°Yes. Deadwood understood the dangers of coming to face us, but we will come across the roaming beasts.¡± Jurot had confirmed the matter within Hill Grave during his rounds. ¡°Alright, cool,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got a crit in my back pocket, so we should be alright.¡± Adam tilted his head, feeling as though he had missed something. He glanced back towards the giant elk which had joined them. It had been summoned some time in Deadwood, but Adam was sure that the elk didn¡¯t have saddlebags before. ¡®Did Jonn pay for it himself? What do you think the party fund is for, damn it. I¡¯ll let it slide this time, Jonn.¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that weird? She¡¯s a noble and a member of an Order. I just expected her to be more prideful and all that.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°It is our fortune to fight alongside Sir Vonda.¡± ¡°Dunes is cool too, but I expected that, considering his background. Sir Vonda, though? She¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°She is.¡± ¡°You think she¡¯s hiding some kind of secret?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s really evil.¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t be this good, Jurot.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°I bet she didn¡¯t think my kids were cute at one point.¡± ¡°Cutest In The Whole World,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Right?¡± Jurot realised Adam was thinking such nonsense because he was suffering from withdrawal symptoms. Jurot¡¯s mind then went to his grandfather, wondering if he was the same. The thought quickly dropped for there was no need to think of such matters. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re walking around and talking already?¡± Adam asked, speaking in the Aldish tongue. ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°I bet they miss me. Jurot, why don¡¯t I head back to check on them?¡± ¡°It would be dangerous.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s dangerous to leave them alone. How can I do something like that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are you okay, Adam?¡± ¡°I think so?¡± Adam replied, wondering if his jokes were from something deeper. ¡°I¡¯m just a little scatterbrained, maybe?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Evening approached the group, and they began to set up camp. They kept the same watches they always had, with Hades, Zeus, and Elk supporting the group since they required no sleep. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called as Adam finished summoning the two towers. Adam stepped out to see several figures in the distance. They totalled five, each heavily armoured. Three rode on their own warhorses, while a pair rode together. ¡°They dangerous?¡± Adam asked, placing a hand on his axe. ¡®Could be soldiers trying to take more gold from us too.¡¯ ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°How¡¯d you guess?¡± ¡°They are Watchers.¡± Nice. We''re finally at this bit! 527. Strangers On The Road II 527. Strangers On The Road II ¡°Right, I can see that now,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. The heavily armoured figures wore dark armour, near black. One wore a helmet fashioned to look like a bird¡¯s head, whereas the others wore plain helmets, though a bird¡¯s head was printed on their breastplate. The group slowed on their horses, and were about to stop, but saw the Iyrmen and continued approaching closer. ¡°Good evening, Sir Dunnock,¡± Jurot said, bowing his head lightly. Adam noted the reverence within the Iyrman¡¯s voice, the same reverence Argon had used when speaking with Sir Magpie. ¡°Good evening, Iyrman,¡± Sir Dunnock replied after hopping off her horse. ¡°May we share your camp tonight?¡± She was as tall as Adam, and almost built like Nobby. Jurot turned to Adam, causing the members of the order to glance his way too. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can deny someone in such a prestigious order,¡± Adam replied, before motioning a hand towards their camp. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Sir Dunnock said. The five members situated themselves at the camp, some of Adam¡¯s companions moving aside to make room for them. The camp was always built slightly larger than they needed, though it was far more awkward now that there were few pieces of wood around. Sir Dunnock removed her helmet, revealing her short red hair, and her hazel eyes, which were full of suspicion. She was darker than Aldishmen, her skin slightly redder than the typical Aswadian. Her wrinkles formed a frown around her face. She could feel it. Something was wrong. The other heavily armoured warriors also removed their helmets. Some of them were pale skinned, others darker. The youngest was a man in his twenties, and from what Adam assumed, was an Aldishman. ¡°Kitool, Jay-,¡± Adam paused, thinking about whether Jaygak would act up. ¡°Kitool, Jaygak, could you bring some rations for the good members of the Order of Wings?¡± ¡°Who can we thank for the kind hospitality?¡± Sir Dunnock asked. ¡°I¡¯m Adam Fateson,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m the leader of this motley crew.¡± ¡°What kind of motley crew is adorned in such fine armour, and carry such exquisite weapons?¡± Sir Dunnock replied. Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯m the Chief Executive Officer of United Kindom, like my brother here.¡± Adam motioned his head to Jurot. ¡°We work for the Enchanter who has settled within the Iyr, and currently does business out of it.¡± ¡°You are the Iyrman¡¯s brother?¡± Sir Dunnock asked, her eyes still full of suspicion. Adam looked to Jurot, who nodded to confirm. ¡°We¡¯re Fate¡¯s Golden, an adventuring party that usually works around Red Oak. We¡¯ve done some business outside of Red Oak, but nothing you would have heard of. We just killed a couple of Dragons is all.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve killed Dragons?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve had a hand in killing two Dragons,¡± Adam said. ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden... well, I probably shouldn¡¯t take away such a story from my brother. Jurot, why don¡¯t you tell them our stories over dinner?¡± Jurot bowed his head, sitting up straighter from the excitement. He could tell someone like Sir Dunnock his stories? He couldn¡¯t wait to tell his mother. ¡°What brings the Order of Wings around these parts?¡± Adam asked. The camp was cleared, save for the two groups. The members of the Order, and the strongest members of Fate¡¯s Golden. Five Guardians, one of them Sir Dunnock, who Jurot knew to be only slightly weaker than their order¡¯s leader. Adam, Jurot, Jaygak, Kitool, Jonn, Lucy, Mara, and Fred sat opposite them. ¡°Adam,¡± Fred called, cautiously. Adam could hear the hesitation in Fred¡¯s voice. It made sense, considering how well known the Order was in the land, and the fact they held quite some authority. For Fred, a farmer from Rock Hill, to go up against an order, it was something which placed him in an awkward position. ¡°You should check on the Red River Squad, see if they need anything.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Fred said, getting up, bowing his head to the two groups, and stepped out. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Sir Dunnock asked. ¡°You know, Sir Dunnock,¡± Adam said, his lips almost twitching into a smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time something like this has happened.¡± ¡°Walking with Demons will always bring you trouble,¡± Sir Dunnock confirmed. ¡°You just need to walk away, and it¡¯ll all be over soon.¡± ¡°You said there wasn¡¯t any unnecessary issues with me being a Half Elf, but isn¡¯t it a little rich that you have an issue with a Demon?¡± ¡°Fae are Fae, and Demons are Demons,¡± she replied, simply. ¡°It¡¯s funny,¡± Adam admitted, letting slip a smile. ¡°Last year the same thing happened. We were minding our own business and we met some old guy. He was one hell of a monster, let me tell you. Brought down a Fireball right on his head, and he didn¡¯t take a lick of damage. Fire didn¡¯t hurt him.¡± Adam¡¯s smile almost faltered. ¡°He was a Dragon, you see. An Ancient Dragon at least. I did as much as I could to beat him. I crit him, dealing enough damage to knock out the average Expert. We all fought him, just one old man, and we were crushed. He killed Lucy, stole a magical weapon from us, and walked away like nothing happened.¡± ¡°So you know the consequences of your actions.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°I do. I know the consequences of my actions, and I know if I had to come across him again, even now, I¡¯d fight him.¡± Adam¡¯s neck pulsed, and he refrained from grinding his teeth. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to take a guess at what you¡¯re thinking. You see us, Bronze Ranks the lot of us, and you think we¡¯re a group of Experts. We might be a little harder to deal with, considering one of us is wearing puthral plate mail, four of us are Iyrmen, and that we all carry magical weapons. That right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°What you don¡¯t know is how strong these magical weapons are. You don¡¯t know what kind of damage my brother here can do with Phantom, or Kitool can do with Tigerstaff, or what Jaygak can do with her magical weapon. What¡¯s even more funny is that not even my brother knows what Wraith can do,¡± Adam said, moving his arm to reveal his axe a little clearer, ¡°and he¡¯s been waiting a long time. You don¡¯t know that, technically, Jonn is the strongest out of all of us, he¡¯s the most experienced you see. You don¡¯t know that I beat him twice, and that from this entire group, I¡¯m probably the strongest.¡± ¡°Why are you speaking so much?¡± Sir Dunnock asked. ¡°Are you trying to bluff your way out of this?¡± Adam smiled, but this smile was real. ¡°You think you can beat us.¡± ¡°I know we can.¡± ¡°You hear that, Jurot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam began to laugh. Oh dear. 528. Strangers On The Road III 528. Strangers On The Road III ¡°Tell me, Sir Dunnock, how do you think this will go?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We will fend off the Iyrmen, and I will take down the Demon¡¯s with my own blade,¡± Sir Dunnock stated, simply. ¡°They will die, and the matter will be done.¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± ¡°How do you think it will go?¡± ¡°That depends,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I have two choices before me, and no, it¡¯s not what you think. We¡¯ll be fighting, but I¡¯m trying to think what I should do. I could summon two Fireballs, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be very fun for my companions.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at the older woman. ¡°Right, right. I know what¡¯ll happen. I¡¯m going to face you, and I¡¯ll fend you off. Jurot here will face one of yours, Kitool will face one of yours, and Jaygak will face one of yours. Jonn is going to support us, he¡¯ll probably help out one of the Iyrmen in some way. Lucy and Mara?¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°Hmmm. No, wait, I think that¡¯s wrong. Lucy and Mara are going to maybe come for you, or maybe help Kitool and Jaygak, and though I won¡¯t kill you, and the Iyrmen won¡¯t kill you, we¡¯ll hold back when we land the final blow, Lucy and Mara? They¡¯ll kill whoever they fight, and Jonn? Jonn¡¯s a Guardian, like you. He¡¯s sworn his oaths, as have you. He¡¯s sworn them to me. He¡¯s sworn them for vengeance.¡± ¡®He¡¯s sworn his oaths to you?¡¯ Sir Dunnock thought. Adam leaned in slowly, his smile gone, rage simmering on his face. ¡°Jonn is going to kill your boy. You¡¯re going to fight us, and because of the consequences of your actions, at the very least, your heir is going to die. He¡¯s either going to die by Jonn¡¯s hand, or mine, or the Demon¡¯s, or Jurot¡¯s, because you decided to come into my camp, and threaten my friends, and you¡¯re not even a fucking Dragon.¡± ¡°You overestimate yourself, boy.¡± ¡°Jurot, what do you think? What are our odds?¡± Adam asked, his body tense, like a coil sprung, ready to unfurl into action. Jurot knew the odds, but as he was about to say them, he remembered what Adam had told him earlier in the day. ¡®Well, I¡¯ve got a crit in my back pocket, so we should be alright.¡¯ ¡°Eight to two,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will win.¡± ¡°Jurot, if we can¡¯t kill the heir, will you?¡± Adam asked. The Iyr held a great respect for the Watchers. They were the best of the orders, in the sense that they kept neutral in all conflicts, except for those against greater threats from outside forces. The civil wars did nothing to spur them into action, though they assisted the land against typical creatures, the Undead, and the Beast Waves. They asked for very little in return, doing what they had to and only asking for the kindness of the people¡¯s heart. No Iyrman had ever shamed themselves by killing the heir of a Watcher. ¡°If Lucy and Mara have done something worthy of death, then it shouldn¡¯t be hard to tell me what they have done. If you want to kill them because they exist, don¡¯t make excuses, just tell me that you¡¯re a bunch of no good beasts, thirsty for blood so I can put you down.¡± ¡°Demons are Demons!¡± Sir Dunnock shouted. ¡°They are a plague on this land! How could you extend the rights afforded to our people to Demons!¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m fucking stupid?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There are plenty of people who want to kill me because I¡¯m an Elf. They¡¯d say the same thing, especially those who survived Rock Hill. No, that¡¯s not right. You¡¯re much worse. Not only have the Demons done nothing to you, but I¡¯ve met someone from Rock Hill who holds little to no hatred for me being a Half Elf. Hell, he even stepped aside, not wanting to fight you because he holds so much respect for you. Fred fought by my side to protect a Demon, and he did so facing a terrifying foe that could kill all of us here without blinking an eye.¡± ¡°I am compelled by my oaths,¡± Sir Dunnock said. ¡°And I¡¯m compelled by not being a huge piece of shit,¡± Adam replied, finally standing up. Jonn, Lucy and Mara also stood, the maid crossing her hands over her navel. Though the Half Elf stood, ready to fight, Jurot and the other Iyrmen remained sitting. They waited since it hadn¡¯t gotten too late just yet. The other Guardians remained sat, waiting for Sir Dunnock. The older woman remained still, thinking, unsettling her companions. Sir Dunnock, she who could clash with their leader and who loved to fight as much as any Iyrman, remained quiet, even with every reason to fight. Her eyes went from Adam to Jurot. The Iyrman seemed close to Adam, but it wasn¡¯t just that he was close, the pair were brothers. Brothers. They were so close, to the point the Iyrman would even kill her heir? The future Sir Dunnock, who would protect the land from the threat of outsiders? The Iyr had never gone so far before, not when the Iyr and the order protected the world together, typically in secret. The Order of Wings knew, and the Iyr knew, and that was all that mattered. He¡¯d give it up, not for a pair of Demons, but because his brother asked? The way the Iyrmen sat, the lack of tension in their bodies, as though they were simply minding their own business, it was very different to the way the Guardians sat. The Watchers, the Guardians who swore their oaths, remained tense. ¡®Eight to two.¡¯ Sir Dunnock thought back through the fifty years she had lived. She did her duty, as was expected of her, keeping the world safe from threats which had yet to arrive on the surface. The creatures she had faced would have been mere fantasy to the typical folk across Aldland, and even across the world. It was a feeling shared by Iyrmen, who, collectively, did the same. They went out and fought unimaginable creatures, and they would return with stories. They would have their own names of creatures, sometimes those names were the same as those in the Aldish, Aswadian, or Drakken tongue, but sometimes they would have their own names. The Iyrmen, known as Deathsingers by those who remembered, were the same in many ways as the Watchers, and yet so different. It was one thing for the Darkknights of Deadwood, or the Hillknights of Hill Grave, or the Eagleknights of Eagle Wing, to overestimate themselves against herself and her four companions, but it was another thing entirely when it came to Iyrmen. In the same way that she had seen unimaginable things, the Iyrmen too, saw unimaginable things. ¡°What is your story, Iyrman?¡± Sir Dunnock eventually asked. ¡°My name is Jurot, son of Sonarot,¡± Jurot said, before beginning the tale. Sir Dunnock: These Iyrmen are way too calm to be facing us... 529. Strangers On The Road IV 529. Strangers On The Road IV ¡°Did you know?¡± Adam asked, biting into the magical chicken which he had flavoured with his magic. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°How?¡± ¡°They are Watchers.¡± ¡°Thanks, Jurot.¡± Jurot nodded. He knew the Watchers were going to find out about Lucy and Mara, and he knew how they would react. There was a delicate balance Jurot had to maintain as an Iyrman, and as Adam¡¯s brother. He knew Sir Dunnock¡¯s penchant for fighting, and had to consider she was only slightly weaker than the greatest Watcher. However, Sir Dunnock was a member of the Order of Wings, and with Jurot backing up Adam, he understood the chance of them fighting was low. The Watchers had settled themselves in one corner, while the Demons retreated to the opposite corner, where they could sleep in peace within the tower Adam had summoned. ¡°The Order of Wings is well known in Aswadasad,¡± Rose said, eyeing them from afar. ¡°Was it wise to start a fight with them?¡± ¡°Jurot, let¡¯s kill Zishan,¡± Adam said, standing up, reaching for his axe. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, standing up and reaching for Phantom. Rose stepped back, turning her body slightly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Zishan is wicked, a threat to this world, so I must kill him,¡± Adam said, donning his shield. ¡°My Oaths compel me.¡± Rose raised her fists, which began to heat up, her eyes darting between the Iyrman and the Half Elf. ¡°Do you see this, Jurot?¡± Adam asked, gasping. He placed Wraith away, and Jurot did the same. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. We saved your lives, invited you into our party, we paid for your fees and your stay within the towns. Do you think it¡¯s wise to start a fight with us?¡± ¡°Why do you have go so far to prove your point?¡± Rose asked, cautiously placing her fists down, though her body remained tense. ¡°I think I already warned you once for saying something stupid in front of me, so you can¡¯t blame me when you didn¡¯t learn the first time,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°You should be careful of your words, for they are filled with venom, and misunderstandings can arise.¡± ¡°Then tell me, what kind of tone of voice and words should I use when someone threatens to kill my friend for existing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I meant when you speak with me.¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me.¡± Adam cleared his throat, doing his best to keep his voice clear and neutral. ¡°Tell me, what kind of tone of voice should I use for someone who thinks it¡¯s wrong of me to defend my friend when she¡¯s threatened to be killed for existing?¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°I thought so. Don¡¯t say stupid shit, and I won¡¯t treat you like a fucking idiot.¡± Adam glared at the woman, before turning and leaving, marching away. ¡°You should be careful with what you say,¡± Jurot said to Rose. ¡°Would you allow him to speak with you in that way?¡± ¡°Yes. If I said something so foolish, I expect Adam to reprimand me.¡± ¡°Would you have really killed the heir?¡± Rose asked. ¡°Yes. We Iyrmen may say foolish things, but we do not lie.¡± Rose slowly bowed her head, swallowing her nerves. She wondered what kind of group she had joined. She originally thought the group would allow her to travel peacefully through Aldland, but considering how they were willing to kill members of an order, she thought she may have made a grave mistake. Sir Dunnock bowed her head in response, before she rode out. She had expected Adam to do much more than to threaten her with the God of Death¡¯s name. They rode away for a short while, becoming tiny ants on the horizon. ¡°Do not suffer the wickedness of Fiends, or those who barter with their wickedness,¡± her oldest companion quoted. Sir Dunnock remained silent for a long while as they rode, before she slowed her warhorse with her thoughts, until they were moving at a snail¡¯s pace. ¡°Do you know how many secrets the Iyr and the Iyrmen hold?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No one does,¡± Sir Dunnock stated. ¡°We know things the Iyr does not, and the Iyr knows things we do not. When we swear our oaths, they are based on our knowledge, and the knowledge of our predecessors. Even you, who have sworn your oaths from the Right Hands and Left Hands of previous Dunnocks, know things I do not. And I, who have sworn the same Oaths the previous Dunnocks have sworn, inheriting their memories and duties, know things you do not.¡± Her Right Hand thought about her words. His eyes fell down to the magical steed, which would have disappeared with the rest of her powers if she had truly broken her oath. Sir Dunnock motioned with a hand, allowing her Right Hand to ride up towards her right, and she reached out to her heir, rubbing his back. ¡°Do you know how many orders have come and gone? Once, the entire north knew of an order. The White Dragon Knights.¡± ¡°One of the first orders,¡± the Right Hand replied. ¡°It had stood for over a thousand years.¡± ¡°A member of it¡¯s order could have started their journey with no coin, no armour or weapons, and even no clothing. From the very north of North Aldland, all the way down to Central Aldland. By the time they would have reached Central Aldland, they would have been adorned in full plate mail, wielding their pick of all manner of weapons, some magical, with more gold than they could carry in all their clothes and pouches.¡± ¡°They were destroyed by Queen Silvari¡¯s mother a few hundred years ago,¡± the Right Hand said. ¡°It still lives in some ways,¡± Sir Dunnock said. ¡°The descendants of such an order still work hard in the orders of North Aldland, and some within the orders of other regions. Yet, none of the orders today, not even the Order of the King could match up to the heights the White Dragon Knights had managed to reach. Three hundred years, and barely anyone recalls them, save for some within the north. They speak of the orders which exist today, some of which existed at the same time, and yet even they may have forgotten.¡± ¡°The Order of the Thousand Hunts hasn¡¯t forgotten,¡± the Right Hand said. ¡°Perhaps not.¡± Sir Dunnock smiled, spurring her steed to move a little quicker. ¡°The order did not fall because it failed to heed the Iyr¡¯s warnings, nor it was because it lost the Iyr¡¯s favour. It was formed to deal with Wiseraith, perhaps the greatest of the north¡¯s enemies. He harassed the land for a thousand years, and the White Dragon Knights pushed him back, again and again, until the Demonic Devastation.¡± ¡°Then he disappeared, never to be seen again,¡± Harry said, finally speaking up. He had to study the history of the land in order to become the next Sir Dunnock, and he recalled the tale of the nearly forgotten order. Sir Dunnock smiled. ¡°It would be difficult to train a new heir when you¡¯re already so smart.¡± Harry blinked, taken aback by his mentor¡¯s words. ¡°Some say he died, but we know better than to assume such things,¡± Sir Dunnock said. ¡°In the same way that we know better to assume that the Demons are no longer a threat to our world. The White Dragon Knights had spent hundreds of years fighting against different threats, and their powers extended further. They became so influential, they held defacto rule over certain regions of the north. Some say they were responsible for the death of the Blackheart family, but even we do not know the truth.¡± ¡°It was all but confirmed,¡± the Left Hand said. ¡°All but confirmed,¡± Sir Dunnock agreed, ¡°but not confirmed. The White Dragon Knights believed themselves too big to fail. They began to push for more and more, moving outside of their initial goal to protect the north. The Grandmasters ruled their land like they were Kings and Queens, and every time the White Dragon Knights began to lose their influence, they would bare their blades towards a new threat. The Tribesfolk. Drakken. Giants.¡± ¡°Then they pointed their blade towards Antalia the Silver.¡± ¡°Antalia the Silver.¡± Sir Dunnock smiled. ¡°She was less active during the time Wiseraith was. She was a small bother to the Iyr when it was so much smaller and weaker than it was now. She was a greater bother to Aldland, when it had barely began to stretch its wings. The White Dragon Knights fought Wiseraith often, but then he disappeared. Hundreds of years later, they decided to face Antalia. Antalia, who had grown quiet for over a thousand years. Do you know what happens to Dragons when they grow to over a thousand years old?¡± ¡°They become Ancient,¡± Harry replied, though it wasn¡¯t special knowledge. Even a farmer¡¯s boy knew that Dragons grew in various stages, and a thousand years old was a great milestone. ¡°Yes,¡± Sir Dunnock said, nodding her head. ¡°The Dragon was a match for the great Golden Dragon, she who has guarded the capital for over two thousand years. So the White Dragon Knights pointed their blade against a foe who could match even Lady Jaeryael. Who knows truly why. Was it practise to see how they would fair against Lady Jaeryael? Was it because they wanted to unite the entire north against a common foe to push their own ideals? All I know is that the war which claimed Antalia¡¯s life, completely destroyed the White Dragon Knights, and had changed the landscape and history of North Aldland for generations to come.¡± ¡°Some say that the Iyr was involved,¡± Harry said, thinking of how many times the Aldishmen tried to blame the Iyr for things which happened to them. ¡°Who knows?¡± Sir Dunnock replied, smirking under her helmet. ¡°The order did not fall because it failed to heed the Iyr¡¯s warnings. Nor did it fall because it lost the Iyr¡¯s favour. It fell because it decided to point its sword against something they shouldn¡¯t have. Yes, they did eventually kill her, but at what cost?¡± ¡°A Whitely victory,¡± Harry said. The White Dragon Knights had indeed eventually slain Antalia, and had forced away many of her allies, but the White Dragon Knights did not last much longer. The term was now used to describe a victory which inflicted such a great toll to the victor that it was essentially a loss. ¡°We cannot die,¡± Sir Dunnock stressed. ¡°We are the Watchers, the Order of Wings. Though the Iyr may not, this land will forget us, and great enemies which threaten to invade our world, our home. The Iyr protects this land due to its duty for its people. We protect this land because it is our duty for all people. If two Demons who have not sinned may traverse this land freely for us to complete our duty, then it must be so, no matter how much I wish to face a brat who has such a wonderful story and brother.¡± The fight would have been so cool, though. 530. Strangers On The Road V 530. Strangers On The Road V ¡°Damn it, Jurot,¡± Adam grumbled as they made their way forward. Though his mood had improved after his bath, the Watcher¡¯s words continually replayed within his mind. ¡°She¡¯s right. I have to be careful.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve told you before to stop me doing something stupid,¡± Adam accused. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you do something stupid?¡± Jurot asked, his eyes also accusatory. ¡°I suppose not.¡± Adam wondered if Jurot would stop him from doing something stupid, or if his brother would fight by his side when it happened. ¡®Seriously.¡¯ ¡°Anyway!¡± Adam exclaimed, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°We should be careful since there will be all kinds of beasties on our way to River Hill.¡± ¡®I hope there¡¯s a little, since we¡¯re running out of moneys.¡¯ Adam blinked. He stared at the rushing river ahead of him, and the large town up ahead, which was built atop the hill, with streams flowing all around and through it. The large walls were made of stone, and small towers littered the landscape. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a few days since we met with the Watchers, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t met any beasts?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam threw him a look. ¡®Right, I used a negative.¡¯ ¡°So, uh...¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel like...¡± Adam paused, glancing back to his party, before his eyes returned to his brother, leaning in to whisper. ¡°Something¡¯s, you know...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Adam had a sneaking suspicion that his presence was the reason as to why they hadn¡¯t come across anything. ¡°Is it common for us to find no creatures?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How rare is it?¡± Jurot remained silent for a moment, falling into thought. ¡°It could only happen to you.¡± ¡°Yeah, I thought so. I don¡¯t like the sound of that one bit...¡± Adam bit his lower lip as he stared at the town. ¡°Not one bit.¡± They approached the front gates, which were open, revealing the inside of the town, which was built around several streams. There were plenty of people hustling and bustling within. Several guards remained on the walls and at the gates, each adorned in scale mail, greyish in colour with a hint of blue. Those atop the walls carried crossbows, though they were unloaded. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± one of the guards at the front gate called out, though it was bordering evening as the group approached. ¡°Heading to the tournament?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Just passing through.¡± ¡°Just passing through?¡± the guard asked. ¡°Not willing to spend your coin in River Hill? We¡¯ve got all sorts of goods for your kind.¡± ¡°What do you mean my kind?¡± Adam replied, almost indignant, though he quickly chuckled to make sure the guard knew he was joking. ¡®Seriously, what the hell am I doing?¡¯ ¡°Weapons, armours, supplies. Our rations are the best, don¡¯t you know? The fish in River Hill is the best across the entire land, even the King thinks so.¡± ¡°Which...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡®Seriously.¡¯¡¯ ¡°Which fish would you recommend?¡± ¡°I¡¯m partial to flale personally, but I know Bobby here enjoys snowfin,¡± the guard said, motioning to his companions. ¡°Aye, nothing like snowfin with a bit of salt,¡± the second guard confirmed. ¡°Good to know. I like your scale mail,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do they sell that kind of scale mail in River Hill?¡± ¡°This is custom made for we here guards, but I¡¯m sure you could get some,¡± the guard said, eyeing up the purple armour Adam was wearing. ¡°Is that, uh...¡± the guard snapped his fingers, trying to recall the name. ¡°Stormsteel?¡± Once they had settled within the guild, Adam checked the board, wondering if they should complete a request. ¡®Probably not,¡¯ he thought, perusing the quests. ¡®I should go grab some souvenirs, and some fish.¡¯ Omen: 14, 18 ¡°Are you all heading to Water Ford?¡± a voice called to the party as they approached the gates to leave. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, noting the figures. The pair stood. The tall woman was adorned in heavy chain, with a greatsword against her back. The other was a tan skinned young man, who wore leather with studs, though on closer inspection the studs were scales. A rapier remained dangling at his side, but Adam was too busy admiring his large hat, which was pure white, with a white feather which swayed gently. ¡°Nice hat.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the young man smiled, tipping it slightly, the feather shimmering from white to iridescent. ¡®Damn, that is a nice hat.¡¯ ¡°The name¡¯s Pual, and this is my companion Iggritte. We were heading towards Water Ford, well, East Port for the tournament. Iggritte here is quite the warrior.¡± ¡°Yeah, no doubt. The name¡¯s Adam. We¡¯re Fate¡¯s Golden, and more, and we¡¯re heading to East Port too.¡± ¡°Wonderful! Could we perhaps join with you? It¡¯s always best to move in a bigger group, until it¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I disagree with that I suppose,¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot for guidance. Jurot nodded. ¡°Alright. You¡¯ll have to chip in for the gate fee and pay for your own lodgings, but otherwise we¡¯ll move together.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Pual grinned wide, his eyes scanning across the group. ¡°Are you all entering the tournament?¡± ¡°Most of us,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Which segment?¡± ¡°Segment?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Which age group, and will you be fighting in the martial or magic segment?¡± ¡°Twenty one and above, martial,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°With magical weapons.¡± ¡°Magical weapons? Aren¡¯t you an Iyrman?¡± Pual asked. ¡°Wait, twenty one and above?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯re twenty.¡± ¡°They are stronger,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°I have a magical weapon I wish to use.¡± ¡°An Iyrman relying on a magical weapon?¡± Pual joked. ¡°Never heard that before.¡± ¡°Many Iyrmen possess great magical weapons,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± Pual admitted. ¡°Well, we thank you kindly for accepting us!¡± ¡°Is your friend okay?¡± Adam asked. Iggritte was currently staring at Nobby, who was staring back at the woman. The pair were around the same height, and were both well built. ¡°Sorry about that, she¡¯s young,¡± Pual said. ¡°Iggritte, stop staring at the nice man.¡± ¡°Nobby¡¯s young too.¡± ¡°He is?¡± ¡°Six... seventeen,¡± Adam said, before looking at the boy. ¡°That right? Iggritte¡¯s seventeen too.¡± Pual glanced between the pair. ¡°He strong?¡± ¡°Scarily strong,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I bet my Iggritte¡¯s stronger,¡± Pual stated. Adam tilted his head back slightly, eyeing the young man up. ¡°How much?¡± I believe in you, Nobby! 531. Strangers On The Road VI 531. Strangers On The Road VI ¡°Swifter than any river. Sturdier than any hill.¡± Pual held the woman¡¯s helmet, staring into her eyes through her visor as he half sang the words. ¡°Iggritte,¡± the woman said. ¡°Iggritte.¡± ¡°Taller than the skies! Mightier than the mountains!¡± ¡°Iggritte,¡± the woman repeated. ¡°Iggritte.¡± ¡°Nobby,¡± Adam called, causing the boy to turn to face him. ¡°Yes, mister boss?¡± ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll send the gold to your family,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, donning his shield.¡± ¡°Ten gold on my Iggritte!¡± Pual whipped around, pointing towards the sky. ¡°Bregor would never forgive me if I bet any less.¡± ¡°Ten gold it is,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Your girl got any magical items or such?¡± ¡°No,¡± Pual replied. ¡°Your boy?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t believe so,¡± Adam said, eyeing him up. ¡°I don¡¯t think his axe is at least. Sir Vonda, mind checking for us?¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Vonda replied, holding onto her shield as she began to pray, beginning the ritual to cast her spell. She did not have free access to the spell, but as a ritual, as long as she had the time to cast the spell, she would not need to expend much of her magical might. The guards watched from the walls, having forced them out of the town so as to not distract the others around them. ¡°What do you think?¡± Bobby asked. ¡°I¡¯m betting on the boy,¡± James said. ¡°I¡¯ll bet on the girl. A copper?¡± ¡°A copper it is.¡± ¡°Why the boy?¡± ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s big. He¡¯s tough. He¡¯s also got no armour, and carries with him an axe and shield. Who else is unarmoured and carries an axe and shield?¡± ¡°Damn it,¡± Bobby grumbled, eyeing up Jurot. The other guards had also bet on their favourites, evenly split between the young man and woman. Sir Vonda bowed her head, confirming that neither of them were using magical weapons. ¡°How can I believe you?¡± Pual asked. ¡°She¡¯s Sir Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Order?¡± Pual asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sir Vonda confirmed. Pual took off his hat, placing it against his chest before he bowed his head. ¡°It is my pleasure to meet you, Sir Vonda.¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± Sir Vonda replied, returning a gentle bow of her head. Adam handed Jurot his ten gold. ¡°Will you hand your gold to the Iyrman.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for now,¡± Pual replied. ¡°It¡¯s easier just to collect yours.¡± Adam chuckled lightly from under his helmet. ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Iggritte and Nobby stood opposite one another, greatsword, and shield and axe in hand. The pair remained still, while Pual brought out a small flute. ¡°May I?¡± Pual asked. ¡°You may.¡± ¡°Once I blow my flute, you may begin,¡± Pual said, before he inhaled deeply, and he played a small ditty. He was acutely aware of the spell which still permeated the air from the Priest. Nobby¡¯s entire body unwound like a pouncing tiger, his axe meeting the young woman¡¯s greatsword, the sound of steel striking steel sang in the air. His entire body had turned red with rage, his veins throbbing, his eyes almost purely white as they glared at the woman. Iggritt¡¯s muscles burned with effort as she managed to defend against Nobby¡¯s blow, but she brought her blade down to strike against the young man, striking his shield, denting it. They made their way into Water Ford to rest up for the night. Adam paid the gate fee, including the gate fee for the new pair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s awfully kind of you,¡± Pual replied, tipping his hat. ¡°Why¡¯s it awful when I do it?¡± Adam asked, before chuckling to himself. ¡°Man, it feels so nice making jokes when they won¡¯t get me killed. Gods, I missed it so much.¡± ¡°Who threatened to kill you for jokes?¡± Pual asked. ¡°Everyone, basically,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I felt like I¡¯d die in the Iyr if I joked around too much.¡± ¡®Though, considering Elder Story is gone, that makes sense.¡¯ ¡°Nobles too, but they mostly want to kill me for another reason.¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re a...¡± Pual asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°It is.¡± Pual nodded, and let the matter end there. He and Iggritte made their way to a different inn, though promised to meet up in the morning. The group made their way to the guild to settle themselves. This guild was built similar to every other guild, though was built beside the river. Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool exchanged a look once they had settled within the guild, making their way out. Omen: 7, 13 Without much bother, they headed out the next morning. They didn¡¯t spend much time exploring any of the towns, with Adam too focused on heading to East Port. Near the late afternoon, the Half Elf stopped, causing everyone else to stop. Adam turned back to look to the horizon, unable to see the town behind him. ¡®God damn it!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an idiot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t we ask around for Amira in the previous towns?¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°It would be best to ask in East Port.¡± ¡°Even so...¡± Adam sighed, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Alright. Once we¡¯re in East Port we¡¯re going to quest like there¡¯s no tomorrow. We¡¯re going to make a bunch of money to fill up the party fund and we¡¯re going to put hundreds of gold into finding Dunes¡¯ girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s not my girl,¡± Dunes replied back. ¡°Yeah, yeah, and I¡¯m not an idiot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You are not an idiot,¡± Vonda confirmed. ¡°Don¡¯t you start, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam grumbled, before he marched forward. ¡°Where the hell is all the trouble? I want some XP!¡± ¡°Who in the seven underworlds is Ecks?¡± Pual asked. Jaygak coughed into laughter. ¡°Now that was funny!¡± ¡°Be careful, Jaygak,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ve only got the one magical weapon, and whose to say it won¡¯t find its way back to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯d take away your gift to me?¡± Jaygak gasped, grabbing her blade. ¡°Only if I¡¯m bullying you.¡± Jaygak remained silent as they continued along their way, following the King¡¯s Road to East Port, which was only a few days away. As the days passed, they found themselves finding a stranger on the road. There he stood. It was a man who stood taller than any other man Adam had ever seen, save one. He came like a mountain, adorned in heavy plate mail from head to toe, with a sword as big as he strapped to his back. ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam muttered, motioning his head to the large figure up ahead. ¡°Isn¡¯t that...¡± ¡°Sir Robert, the Mountain,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°There are only two things I know about Sir Robert. He¡¯s stronger than Vice Master Paul, he¡¯s from Rock Hill, and the last time we met, the only time we met, he wanted to kill me.¡± I made the joke in the comments and didn''t realise I also wrote it in this chapter. Adam''s joking has gotten worse, but so has his chances to die. Nice. 532. Strangers On The Road VII 532. Strangers On The Road VII ¡°Now there are more of you,¡± Sir Robert said, his eyes scanning across the group. ¡°Didn¡¯t you meet Jonn?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Which one of you is Jonn?¡± ¡°The Guardian,¡± Adam replied casually, motioning his head to the heavily armoured warrior, the same Half Elf who had swore his Oaths to Adam. Sir Robert¡¯s eyes then fell to Pual. ¡°Do you think you can hide your stench from me?¡± ¡°You must be Sir Robert, the Mountain,¡± Pual said. He had heard the name from Adam, but he knew of the knight before him. ¡°I¡¯m from the Confederacy, and I have no qualms with you, Sir.¡± ¡°You may not have qualms with me, but I have qualms with you,¡± Sir Robert replied, his voice full of venom. He stood like a tower before them. Adam stepped forward, grasping Wraith with his right hand, while grasping his forearm with his left hand. ¡°Let us thank the Gods for our meeting, and continue along our way.¡± Sir Robert remained still. The last time they had met, Adam had several great warriors at his side. The knight had been stronger than any of them, by his estimations. Though the warriors beside him were now weaker, there were more of them. His eyes fell across the Iyrmen, three of whom had stepped forward slightly, and had straightened. ¡°It is within my rights to demand war tax from you,¡± Sir Robert said. ¡°One gold per head.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, who nodded. The Half Elf reached into his personal pouch, grabbing four pieces of obsidian, and handed them to Jurot. Jurot approached the knight, allowing the mountainous figure to pick up each gem from his palms. He picked them up one by one, placing each into his own pouch. Wordless, the knight marched forward, his heavy boots thunking along the King¡¯s Road. Adam stepped aside, and his companions did the same. Pual stepped slightly in front of Iggritte, keeping his eyes on the ground, following the boots of the knight. The knight passed them by, but as he broke away from the group, the thunking stopped. ¡°What is your name, boy?¡± ¡°Adam. Adam Fateson.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you, Adam Fateson,¡± the knight said, stepping forward again. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you too,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Sir Rockhill.¡± Sir Robert of Rock Hill stopped. He turned to glance over his shoulder towards the Half Elf. Seconds passed as he took in Adam¡¯s sight. He turned, and continued his way. ¡°Why are you always trying to get yourself killed, Adam,¡± Jaygak grumbled quietly. ¡°You wish to face him?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°It¡¯ll happen one day,¡± Adam said. ¡°How can you be so sure, young man?¡± Pual asked, no longer as tense as he was previous. ¡°It¡¯s Fate.¡± Pual tipped his hat, bowing his head, before they continued towards East Port, following the road and river to the city. Omen: 4, 11 Adam whistled as they approached East Port during the afternoon. The walls of East Port were numerous and large, though not quite as impressive as the Iyr¡¯s. Two major rivers met together, with branching streams all around them, each heading out towards the sea. Adam had passed by South Port before, another large city which was the capital of South Aldland, now currently at war with the rest of Aldland. However, they had passed through it quickly since he wanted to reunite Lucy and Mara together after the Demon Lord had been unceremoniously killed. ¡°That¡¯s right. He managed to impress the Duchess by becoming an Expert. Must have been earlier this year, I think?¡± ¡°He reached the level of an Expert so young?¡± Sir Vonda smiled. ¡°It is no wonder the Duchess accepted him.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± came a shout from behind, as an older guard sauntered his way to the gates. ¡°What¡¯s taking so long over here?¡± ¡°Nothing, captain, just speaking with Sir Vonda.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t...¡± The captain blinked, before looking to the heavily armoured Sir Vonda. ¡°Sir Vonda?¡± ¡°Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± the Priest confirmed. The captain stood a little straighter. ¡°I apologise for intruding, Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose. Shall I clear some rooms for yourself and your companions?¡± ¡°No, that is not needed. I apologise for taking up so much time. It had been some time since I saw Timothy and I did not consider that we were blocking the way.¡± ¡°No, no, nothing like that, Sir Vonda,¡± the captain replied, clearing his throat. ¡°Never any issues from the great warriors of Life¡¯s Rose. Do you have room and board within East Port, or should I send word?¡± ¡°We were planning to stay at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°Timothy, escort Sir Vonda to the guild once you¡¯re done with your conversation,¡± the captain said. ¡°I should return to my rounds, Sir Vonda, but it was an honour to speak with you.¡± ¡°The honour was mine, captain,¡± Sir Vonda replied, bowing her head. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk as we walk, Sir Vonda?¡± Timothy asked. ¡°A wonderful idea.¡± Adam leaned in to Jurot. ¡°Sir Vonda seems to hold a lot of weight in East Port.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°She is from Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam still wasn¡¯t sure how much sway the orders held within the land. ¡°I thought it would be because of her name, but she hasn¡¯t even mentioned it yet. Is this all the influence from her order?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Should I join an order?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Or should I make my own?¡¯ ¡°Are you here for the tournament?¡± Timothy asked as he led the group forward, taking another guard with him to escort them through the city. The guards kept a hand at their blades, but casually, their chain jingling quietly as they marched through the city. ¡°I am not, but my companions wish to enter.¡± ¡°With all the Iyrmen in your group, I should have expected as much.¡± Timothy chuckled. Adam whispered to Jurot. ¡°Hey, Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why the hell are there so many coloured folk in this place?¡± Excuse me? Also we''ll be meeting my favourite npc soon. 533. Colour Full 533. Colour Full No matter where Adam looked, all he could see was coloured folk. Everyone, from the children to the children, wore something bright and vibrant. It was either their entire outfit, or a scarf, a sash around their waist, or even a strip of cloth tied to a finger. It wasn¡¯t just the people which were full of colour, but the buildings too, each painted with splashes, and sometimes more, of any colour imaginable. Adam saw different kinds of reds, and if he had a girlfriend she would have certainly mentioned how it wasn¡¯t red, but scarlet, and that over there was crimson and such. East Port, with its various districts, boundaries formed by the various canals, was an attack on his sight. Any time he saw a person without colour, they were either street urchins, or the guards, who wore more muted colours. ¡°East Port is known for its colours,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°You know, it makes sense to me that Sir Vonda¡¯s an artist,¡± Adam said. His eyes continued to scan the area was they stepped over the various bridges, heading through the small districts. As they continued, he also spotted a large number of those who weren¡¯t Aldish, mostly those who he assumed were Aswadian, Half Elves, Devilkin, Noskan, and even Dwarves. Adam noted children carrying packs made of wood, which were full of all manner of items as they followed adults. ¡®This place sure works them hard while young.¡¯ They found themselves at a large road with stalls on either side as far as the eye could see. ¡°Market Road,¡± Timothy said, glancing around the area. ¡°If you want to buy anything, you can find it here. If you can¡¯t, Dock Road will surely have it.¡± As they passed by the stalls, Adam could see that the place truly did have everything, or at least, everything Adam could think of. From weapons, to books, to musical instruments. However, he found that many of the stalls sold cloths of all manner of colours, with some merchants selling only a single type of colour. ¡°Yellow Turban!¡± Timothy shouted towards a Devilkin with deep red skin, wearing a yellow turban. Adam noted he was also wearing scale mail, and carried a scimitar at his side, but noted it had no blade, only a hilt dangling at the man¡¯s side. ¡°Timothy,¡± Yellow Turban replied. ¡°Have you come for your cloth?¡± ¡°Not yet. I came because a familiar face appeared.¡± He turned and motioned to Sir Vonda. ¡°It¡¯s Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°Eh? Sir Vonda? It is you?¡± the old man opened his arms and approached Sir Vonda, taking her hands in his own. ¡°Noor blesses me, for you have returned.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Yellow Turban,¡± she said, squeezing his hands. ¡°How fares Kalid?¡± ¡°The foolish boy, son of a cat, is always sleeping!¡± Yellow Turban shouted over his shoulder. A boy, no older than seven, sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked up at his father with the most indignant look Adam had ever seen, before he spat out a response in their tongue. Jaygak gasped, and Dunes shook his head, as if not believing what the boy had said. ¡°What are you doing still sleeping when mister Timothy is here?¡± Yellow Turban asked. The boy hopped onto his feet, splashing some water from a nearby basin onto his face, before he slicked back his hair, which fell to his shoulders, and he straightened his clothing, which was a creamy yellow. ¡°Hoi hoi hoi,¡± the boy said, sauntering up to the guard. ¡°Mister Timothy only need to pay me nine copper but he pays a silver. So handsome, so generous.¡± He clasped his hands together, before pulling his collar up, waiting expectantly. Timothy raised a brow at the boy, but flicked him a silver, which the boy easily caught, slipping it into the robe. ¡°There is no need to be so shy, mister Timothy. You tell this Kalid where you need to go, what needs to be carried, and Kalid will take it there. You need it done in one hour? Kalid do it in fifty nine minute, no problem, as Noor wills it.¡± ¡°You little bastara,¡± Yellow Turban said, tugging him by his ear gently. ¡°Come, say thank you to Sir Vonda, or I will buy a cat for you to eat.¡± ¡°Sir Vonda?¡± the boy asked, trying to search through his brain. ¡°Ah! Sir Vonda! Hoi hoi hoi, you are as beautiful as father has said.¡± Timothy continued leading the way, heading towards the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Kalid sauntered after him, his eyes scanning across the area around them. Sometimes he¡¯d motion his hands as though to direct traffic, and other times he¡¯d sigh and shake his head, grumbling to himself, and if he saw something too egregious, he¡¯d slap his forehead. ¡°Why do they call him Yellow Turban?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Because he is Yellow Turban,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Is that some kind of title?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam waited. ¡°What is a Yellow Turban then?¡± ¡°They come from Aswadasad, and from the lands of the Confederacy. There was a time when they revolted against a Shen of old, The Turban Rebellions. They were eventually forced away, save the Yellow Turbans and Red Turbans. The Red Turbans fled away to the Red Desert for safety, though some split off further. The Yellow Turbans remained in the Golden Desert, and managed to appease the Shen.¡± ¡°How did they manage that?¡± ¡°They stood in lines of tens, and slit their own throats line by line, until the Shen commanded them to stop, and he forgave them,¡± Jurot explained. Adam¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Later, they made a name for themselves on the battlefield, though they eventually became traders. Yellow Turban is the title of a Great Elder, but each goes by Yellow Turban. He must be Yellow Turban of the West, since he does business in East Port.¡± ¡°Right, because we¡¯re west of Aswadasad?¡± Adam asked, trying to build a map within his head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What¡¯s with his sword?¡± ¡°It is the Windsabre,¡± Jurot whispered, as though speaking of an ancient legend. ¡°It is passed down from Yellow Turban to Yellow Turban. It holds a Greater enchantment, and forms a blade of wind when willed forth.¡± ¡°These Yellow Turban guys are cool,¡± Adam said, looking at the boy who shook his head at a nearby woman, who was wearing yellows which did not compliment her complexion, in the boy¡¯s opinion. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°They are.¡± ¡°Is Yellow Turban strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How strong?¡± ¡°A Grandmaster at least.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Damn. They¡¯re stronger and funnier than me? That¡¯s not right, Jurot. It¡¯s not right at all.¡± ¡°It is life, Adam.¡± We meet my favourite npc on 7/7. 7 is one of my favourite numbers. This must be Fate. 534. Fair Pay 534. Fair Pay The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was as Adam had expected, similar to the others, but surrounded by water. This Adventurer¡¯s Guild, however, was far larger than the previous Adventurer Guilds. Adam thought back to the other guilds he had seen in the larger towns, and realised they were slightly bigger than the guilds he had seen in Red Oak and Deadwood, but this guild? It was easily four or five times as big as the guild in Red Oak. ¡®She¡¯s a big girl,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I should stop here,¡± Timothy said, not wanting to approach the guild any further. ¡°Adventurers don¡¯t appreciate us guards hanging around too close.¡± ¡°Yeah, I noticed there was some bother between guards and adventurers in other towns,¡± Adam said. ¡°The guild protected me quite a few times.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Adam replied, frowning. ¡°Right, Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°For once, Adam is right on this,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°What do you mean for once?¡± Jaygak smiled innocently, raising her brows towards him. ¡°That time you didn¡¯t try to aggravate anyone, from what I remember. Though, it might have been after you and Sir Harvey fought?¡± She snickered quietly. ¡°It might have been,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°Either way, Vice Master Paul pulled me out.¡± ¡°Well, I hope that they won¡¯t need to pull you out while you¡¯re in East Port,¡± Timothy said. ¡°You¡¯ll find that the Duchess doesn¡¯t give the guild as much leeway in our fine city, though we barely find any trouble from the guild anyhow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m just here to win the tournament with my companions and nothing more.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Timothy replied. ¡°Sir Vonda, it was a pleasure to see you again. If you need any assistance, the guards are always eager to assist.¡± ¡°It was a pleasure to see you again too, Timothy,¡± Sir Vonda replied, the pair placing a hand on their hearts and bowing slightly. Timothy stepped aside, his eyes glued to the young Devilkin boy, who was still carrying the golden cloth. Kalid looked up towards Timothy, placing his hand on his heart before pointing with his entire hand towards the guard, and tilted his head, as if to tell the guard to have no worries. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head in and...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, glancing around the group. ¡°Where¡¯s Pual?¡± ¡°He left after we entered the city,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam replied, still chuckling. ¡°Kalid, you¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°If you call yourself second best, I can only say I am third best,¡± Kalid replied, not even needing to think about the compliment. ¡°You stay safe out there, Kalid.¡± ¡°You must keep your pouch like you keep your heart,¡± Kalid replied, placing a hand against his heart and then pointing at Adam with his whole hand, before finally slipping away out of the guild. ¡°Jaygak, why can¡¯t you be as charming as him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That kid is going to earn ten thousand gold before any of us.¡± ¡°Ten thousand gold is a pittance for the likes of Yellow Turban,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I can¡¯t be as charming as anyone being groomed to be the next Yellow Turban.¡± ¡°That kid certainly is going places,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly, taking a seat to one side. ¡°Rose, Rick, take a seat.¡± As the porters entered, Adam nodded, motioning a hand to the table beside them. Rose and Rick sat down opposite him, while Jurot took his place at Adam¡¯s right. ¡°We came here with the intention of splitting the shares evenly between us all, and though the party fund has taken care of our needs, we didn¡¯t really come across anything.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Unfortunately, that means we didn¡¯t make a lot of gold, and though none of you are down anything, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s probably some slight disappointment in not being able to slay anything.¡± Rose bowed her head. ¡°A fair assessment.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Rick said. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure your Red River Squad is probably fine, considering you didn¡¯t really have to pay for anything, and managed to safely traverse the land, though it was quite hurried.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I apologise for that, of course. I was thinking, perhaps we could remain together for a short while longer, with the same rules. We¡¯ll go out and quest, and we¡¯ll split everything in even shares.¡± ¡°That...¡± Rose paused, thinking about what Adam had said. Typically, adventurers went out to adventure once every short while, making enough coin for their expenses, with very small amounts put aside for savings towards one thing or another. At first, she had thought against it, but two things came to her mind. Firstly, Adam and his cohorts were strong, meaning their ability to quest was greater than their own. Secondly, Adam was a slave driver, who apparently quested multiple days in a row. ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against you if you don¡¯t want that, but Rick here isn¡¯t an adventurer, not like us. He came with us very specifically for coin, not to adventure through the land.¡± Adam turned to meet Rick¡¯s eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll quest here for a few days so you all can send something back to your families, I won¡¯t let you return empty handed.¡± ¡°It is greatly appreciated,¡± Rick replied, bowing his head. He had planned to bring up the matter to Adam at some point, but he was glad that Adam had thought about it. ¡°Let us do that,¡± Rose said. ¡°Until the end of the next month.¡± She didn¡¯t want to push her luck, but it was also a good way to give her and her group an out, just in case the deal was too bad, or too good, for them. ¡°I think that is fair since you didn¡¯t split the big blacks.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°I suppose we didn¡¯t. I think most of that went into the party fund. I think that was what, twenty gold to everyone?¡± Adam tried to use his maths. ¡°No, nevermind. Let¡¯s just do this new thing. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll beat more than just some big blacks. Let¡¯s take a few days off and then start adventuring. I¡¯ll pay for the stay while we¡¯re splitting it this way.¡± Jurot wondered if they would take a break before they started adventuring. An early chapter? What could this mean? 535. Good Sir I 535. Good Sir I Omen: 4, 15 The knight stood at the entrance of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, waiting for Adam and his companions to finish with their morning preparations. She had been told to wait, especially for the Half Elf, who enjoyed his baths. ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam groaned, stretching out his neck and his shoulders as he stepped out. Adam eyed up the heavily armoured knight in front of him, nodding his head at them. ¡°Appreciate you waiting, thanks.¡± The knight¡¯s eyes fell across the group. The Half Elf, who wore his puthral breastplate, and a scarf around his head, and three Iyrmen, one of whom was a Devilkin. ¡°I shall escort you now,¡± the knight said, before turning on her heel and marching away. Two city guards brought up the rear as the guard brought them to a carriage, with two large warhorses ready to pull them along. The coat of arms on the carriage was that of a small wave within a large circle. The knight opened the door for them, and offered her hand. Adam motioned a hand to his companions, entering after them. None took her hand, but Adam thanked her, before he sat down within the carriage, beside Jurot. ¡°Ooh,¡± Adam said, feeling the cushion under his bottom. ¡°Nice.¡± The knight hopped onto her own horse, and the guards stood behind the carriage as it set off towards the Littlesea estate. ¡°Did you know his name was Littlesea?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smirked and shook his head. ¡°No wonder he always said he was of East Port.¡± ¡°It is a good name,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He descends from the original Eastport family.¡± ¡°That right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°What happened to that family anyhow?¡± ¡°They were forced to step down,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°They tried to rebel against Aldland, but they failed,¡± Jurot stated as matter of factly as he always did. ¡°They were spared, but were forced to take the position of Barons Littlesea of East Port.¡± ¡°Well, damn.¡± Adam replied, his brows raised. ¡°Why did they rebel?¡± ¡°It was during a time that the royal family¡¯s influence and power waned.¡± ¡°Did that happen a lot?¡± ¡°More than once.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Soon the group arrived at the Littlesea estate, which spread wide and far. Adam assumed at least a few hundred people must have lived here, most of them servants. It was separated by walls and fences, and was beside a few other noble estates. At least a dozen or so guards patrolled around the area, while dozens of other servants went about their work. The knight offered her hand to assist the group out, but none took her hand. Adam nodded and thanked her, before she began to lead them along the long path towards a large manor, which could have easily housed a hundred Littleseas, but no doubt only housed a handful and their many servants. They eventually veered off to the side to a smaller manor, which would could have houses thirty or so Littleseas, but no doubt only housed just one. There were other manors and small estates which lay nearby. A beautiful young woman stood at the front of the manor they were brought to, her dark hair slicked back, cut shorter than typical. She wore a small hat atop her head, and carried at her side a dagger. Her eyes were a deep grey, which glared at the group with a deep intensity. ¡°Greetings to Adam, Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak,¡± the young woman said, bowing stiffly at a particular angle. ¡°Please, follow me.¡± She turned swiftly and almost bounced away into the estate. It was about as Adam expected, with various plinths which held the busts of all manner of important people, some out of marble, others out of bronze and silver. In the large entrance hall, a suit of armour was posed in a strike, while a stuffed wolf lay under it helplessly. As they continued, Adam noted the other furnishings, and the painting hanging on the wall, great scenes of history, most false, others less false. As they passed through an archway into a dining room, Adam saw the form of a familiar face, one which was mangled in the noble¡¯s youth. Freshly trimmed black hair, and striking blue eyes, the young form of Sir Landon, who was in his mid twenties or so, sat at one side of a table. The table was a large semi circle, though Sir Landon sat at the side with a flat edge. Two knights stood on either side of him, both familiar to Adam. Adam¡¯s eyes lingered on one of their swords. ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Sir Landon said, motioning for them to sit. ¡°It has been some time.¡± ¡°It sure has,¡± Adam replied, taking a seat opposite him. Jurot sat to his right, placing the crimson shield onto the table. Iyrmen could carry weapons wherever they pleased, and this extended to the estates of nobles. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you all to come to East Port so soon,¡± the young nobleman said, pausing. ¡°Well, you know.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°We thought about visiting the large city, for one reason or another.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Is it named after a place? Oh.¡¯ ¡°The joke¡¯s funnier if you... it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Adam sighed, sipping more wine. Adam picked at the fruit in front of him, tasting how sweet each was. ¡°It really was a good joke.¡± ¡°I am sure it was,¡± Jurot replied. Adam continued to pick at the fruit. ¡°So, what do you think, Jurot? Is the wine and cheese good?¡± ¡°They are good,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Your hospitality is wonderful, Sir Landon,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°I appreciate the fact that you didn¡¯t ask us to remove our weapons too.¡± ¡°I do not believe you are so foolish to attack me in my own home after being paraded through the city,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate how stupid...¡± Adam paused, furrowing his brows. ¡°You¡¯re right, of course, Sir Landon.¡± Sir Landon wasn¡¯t sure if he should give so much faith to Adam. ¡°Have you come to enter the tournament?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been thinking about it.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to enter under our name?¡± ¡°Perhaps. What are the benefits of entering under your name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You would be under the name of a noble, and would be awarded certain privileges that come with that fact. If you would come into any minor trouble, my name would shield you. Of course, if you certainly did do something wrong, my name would take a hit, but I¡¯m sure it is in our best interest for us to both remain on our best behaviour in a mutually beneficial relationship.¡± ¡°We were planning on entering with our weapons with the purpose of promoting a business we are a part of,¡± Adam said. ¡°Which business is that?¡± ¡°We work for an enchanter who works closely with the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°They made our weapons. You¡¯re familiar with their work, I¡¯m sure.¡± Jurot placed Phantom onto the table, causing his knights to tense up for a moment, but they relaxed. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this axe your weapon?¡± ¡°A weapon made by the Enchanter, but another was made for me, and this was found best within Jurot¡¯s hand,¡± Adam said, carefully. Sir Landon furrowed his brows. ¡°I am quite familiar with your Enchanter¡¯s work. It is fine work.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°It sure is.¡± ¡°I would like to offer yourself, Jurot, and Kitool my name,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°I would have offered more, but three is best. I will pay you fifty gold for each win in the main tournament, and you may keep all the prize money you earn. I would also like you to assist me after the tournament.¡± ¡°How do you want us to assist you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I need your assistance, all your assistance,¡± he said, glancing towards Jaygak, ¡°in slaying a few creatures. I am engaged, and wish to offer my betrothed something of great value.¡± ¡°Romance, eh?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°You really know how to pull my heartstrings, Sir Landon. Alright, well, we¡¯ll fight for you during the tournament, and we¡¯ll try and assist you after, but we might have some other matters to attend to. I can¡¯t spend too long adventuring, I need to return to... do some business in duskval.¡± ¡°As long as I have your word that you will assist me,¡± Sir Landon said, signalling to his butler, who pulled out a scroll from her pocket, which was far too small to house such a scroll. Adam read through it, realising it had been written by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild last evening. Adam handed it to Jurot, who scanned it, and returned it back to Adam. Adam gave him a look, but Kitool and Jaygak didn¡¯t seem bothered in the slightest about reading it. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, signing the document with the name of the party. ¡°Before you go, my knight would like to face you in combat,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Adam eyed the knight up, glancing down at his sword once more. ¡°Alright.¡± A familiar, mangled face? Am I bringing back NPCs to flesh them out? It couldn''t possibly be... Thank you for 100K views! 536. Good Sir II 536. Good Sir II ¡°I didn¡¯t wear all my armour, so you¡¯ll have to forgive me,¡± Adam said, strapping the crimson shield to his forearm, clutching it tight. The shield held a Greater bonus, and held no need for attuning with the shield, meaning it could be used to its full potential at all times, unlike Phantom and Wraith. The knight bowed his head and drew his blade, wielding it with both hands. It was no greatsword, but it was still a powerful weapon, one with a Basic Enhanced enchantment. He could have used a shield, but for the sake of fairness, and his pride, he decided against it. ¡°Should we bet on the bout?¡± Adam asked, stretching his neck from side to side, walking along the soft floor of the pathway which led between the various minor estates. ¡°One hundred gold?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, pulling Wraith up from his side, casually swinging the weapon around. ¡°I should warn you, I¡¯m not quite as weak as I was before.¡± ¡°Nor am I.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 7 (6) The knight¡¯s entire body burst forth, causing Adam to raise his shield. The flames licked at the edges of the shield as he struck against Adam¡¯s shield. The knight, with a level of brutality Adam had only seen from Iyrmen, showered blow after blow onto the Half Elf, slamming his blade furiously down onto Adam¡¯s shield. Health: 78 -> 42 ¡®God damn!¡¯ Adam thought, feeling his arm already beginning to ache from the furious blows of the knight. He stepped back from the force of the blows, but the knight could not keep up his furious assault for long, and in the moment the knight needed to breathe, Adam inhaled deeply. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 42 -> 47 Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 10 (1) D20 + 9 = 19 (10) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 22 (1, 4)(5, 5) 22 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 16 (7) D20 + 9 = 21 (12) Hit! Mana: 17 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 23 (2, 6)(3, 5) 23 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 21 (12) D20 + 9 = 24 (15) Hit! Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 20 (3, 4)(3, 3) 20 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 9 = 20 (10) D20 + 9 = 21 (11) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 14 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 18 (2, 4)(1, 4) 18 damage! Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 6 = 15 (3, 6) Health: 47 -> 62 Adam¡¯s arm moved swiftly, his axe blurring through the air. He met the knight¡¯s blade, but the great force behind his blade caused the knight to slide aside, before his axe continued to blur through the air. Magical steel sang against magical steel, and as Adam pounced on the knight, giving him a taste of his own medicine, each blow hammering down against the nobleman¡¯s personal guard, the knight buckled. Adam inhaled deeply, flexing his muscles, regaining much of his strength. He looked to the unconscious knight under him, deciding against healing him with his magic, just in case it appeared as though he had cast too many spells. Adam forgot the fact Sir Landon had seen him do all manner of incredible feats, never mind defeating his knight with little to no effort. Victory! Knight XP Gained: +300 XP: 11 000 -> 11 300 ¡°How much do you think we should break our word for?¡± Adam asked, forming a long smirk. ¡°Nothing less than Sir Landon¡¯s death.¡± Adam coughed. He blinked hard, shaking his head, before opening his eyes to stare at Jurot. Sir Landon raised his brows in surprise, and even Sir Manon tilted his head at the words. ¡°Jurot, what the hell?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You dare to threaten a noble? Within our own home?¡± Sir Manon asked, his voice clear and low. His personal guard, who stood next to Adam, reached for his greatsword. ¡°No,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°It is the truth. If Sir Landon dies, we will no longer be beholden to him, he would be dead. If you wish for us to break our word, we will not. If you kill Sir Landon, we will no longer need to keep our word.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say it like that,¡± Adam whispered loudly. ¡°You¡¯re going to get us into trouble.¡± ¡°It is no threat, for it is true.¡± Jurot said. ¡°Even if I did threaten a noble, we Iyrmen follow the King¡¯s Law out of courtesy. If I threaten, or kill, a noble, I will be punished by the Iyr. Only the Biodi would dare to kill me for breaking the law, and only if the pay is right. You Aldishmen, noble or not, cannot.¡± The knight drew his greatsword, the large blade made of a darkish blue metal with golden flecks. It shimmered slightly, the flecks glowing lightly. ¡®Jagite, and it¡¯s enchanted? Nice.¡¯ Adam thought, nodding his head approvingly at the sword. He wondered which magical enchantments lay on the blade. ¡®I¡¯ve gotta be careful, otherwise they¡¯ll lump me in with Jurot.¡¯ Jurot reached for Phantom, but did not unsheathe it yet. Instead, he looked to Adam, waiting to see what he would do. ¡°Don¡¯t involve me,¡± Adam said, raising his hands as he slowly backed away. ¡°You¡¯re the one that can kill everyone and get away with it. I¡¯m no Iyrman, I have to follow the rules of the land, so I¡¯m stepping back. Just gonna step right here, and just watch everything unfold. I¡¯ll let everyone know about what happened.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes fell back onto the knight. He drew his axe, and rolled his shoulders, but made no move to attack just yet. He narrowed his eyes at the large figure, who wielded such a large weapon. It held at least a Basic enchantment, but it was certainly no Phantom. Adam looked to Sir Landon. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sir Landon. I¡¯ll be sure to tell the Iyr that you weren¡¯t involved in this. I can¡¯t promise you¡¯ll be free of their wrath, since I¡¯m not sure if my words mean anything, but the rest of your family? Well, we¡¯ll see how long the Littleseas last.¡± ¡°Surrender yourselves before me, and I shall consider it a mere slip of the tongue,¡± Sir Manon said. ¡°The guards will process you according you to the King¡¯s Law. Threatening a noble is punishable by death, and it will be they who will judge you. Don¡¯t think that you will be able to evade justice either, Fae.¡± ¡®Baktu damn it.¡¯ Damnit, Adam! Why are you always- *Rereads chapter.* Wait. It''s NOT Adam''s fault? 537. Good Sir III 537. Good Sir III ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa,¡± Adam said. ¡°Like I said, if you want to die, don¡¯t involve me. Sir Landon, hurry up and tell-,¡± Adam cleared his throat, inhaling deeply as he calmed himself. ¡°Sir Landon, I implore you to speak with your brother. If Jurot starts spilling blood, I don¡¯t believe we will be able to stop him. It may come to pass that your brother will find himself at the mercy of my brother¡¯s axe, and, inevitably, there¡¯s going to be a lot of death. I¡¯m sure that things will escalate, and we¡¯ll get involved because, let¡¯s face it, you¡¯re going to want to kill us to keep things quiet since we¡¯re witnesses.¡± Sir Landon¡¯s face contorted in immense confusion, trying to understand what Adam was saying. ¡°Once the Iyr finds out that Sir Manon Littlesea has broken the treaty, you¡¯re going to find that there may not be a Littlesea family in East Port, if East Port is even allowed to exist.¡± ¡®What is this fool saying?¡¯ Jurot remained standing tall and proud, ready to fight the knight in heavy armour. He supposed they were almost the level of a Master, but they were more than likely an Aldishman. Jurot estimated, with Phantom in hand, he would be able to defeat the knight before him, but that wasn¡¯t the question at hand. ¡®Do I kill him?¡¯ ¡°Hey, I¡¯m just letting you know,¡± Adam began, glancing between the two nobles, ¡°no guard is going to ask me to disarm and to follow any of you nicely.¡± Adam stated the words casually, as though he had a choice in the matter, keeping his hands up, though not quite as high as they once were. ¡°Once Jurot¡¯s done killing your guard, that¡¯ll be the end of it, because you shouldn¡¯t even try to push your luck. Look, if you were the Duchess, maybe you¡¯d be able to get away with it, but I don¡¯t want to hear any of it from the children of a Baron.¡± Sir Landon blinked again. He knew that Adam was queer, he was a Half Elf after all, and it was about what he expected after adventuring with the Half Elf. ¡°What are you daring to suggest?¡± ¡°I know how this is going to go,¡± Adam said. ¡°Let me tell you, it¡¯s not going to go the way you think it¡¯s going to go. The Blackwater Kingdom, Aldland, is going to find itself in an awkward position. If you two want to be the reason that the Iyr decides to burn down East Port, be my guest, but I thought it would be best to at least warn you.¡± ¡°You dare to threaten our Littlesea family?¡± Sir Manon almost growled, though even he was full of confusion. Adam backed away towards Sir Landon. ¡°Sir Landon, please, you have to-,¡± Adam turned his head, noticing Sir Landon¡¯s second guard drawing his blade. ¡°Please, don¡¯t embarrass yourself.¡± The guard remained silent, having half drawn his blade. Adam side eyed the guard, glancing back to the original guard he beat, and then back to the second, unharmed guard. He let out a sigh and shook his head, as though he was berating a child. ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Adam began, his voice growing far more serious. ¡°Allow me to offer you some advice. You should stop this before it goes too far. You know the Iyrmen and how they speak. Jurot didn¡¯t actually say you should die, just that we will not break our word. If, Lord Sozain forbid it, somehow you pass away before the tournament, we will be free of our oaths. We would not prefer it, since we rather like you, Sir Landon. You¡¯ve done right by us, and we¡¯ll do right by you.¡± ¡°Jurot, is a guest I have brought into my estate,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°The Iyrmen did not learn our way of speaking, for they are not Aldish. We have an agreement, and they do not wish to break it. I see no reason why anyone needs to die.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll allow the guards to deal with the matter,¡± Sir Manon said. ¡°Jurot, come over here,¡± Adam called, motioning with his head. Jurot turned, and as he did, the knight stiffened. The Iyrman did not pause, walking back to Adam and the other Iyrmen. ¡°Stop,¡± Sir Manon demanded. The knight stepped after Jurot, quickly grabbing his blade when he saw Adam step forward, donning his shield. Kitool and Jaygak also reached for their weapons, Kitool grabbing Tigerstaff, and Jaygak reaching for Stormdrake. ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Adam said, staring at Sir Manon. ¡°We will discuss other matters another time, perhaps at the guild, since there are issues within the estate.¡± ¡°I will escort you out,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°I should heal your knight,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pouch, pulling out a small vial, one of his many health potions. ¡°May I?¡± ¡°You may.¡± ¡°My cousins will fight in the tournament for under eighteens,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The same as Nobby.¡± ¡°Under eighteens?¡± Sir Landon said, falling into thought. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Five of them?¡± Adam said. ¡°I will sponsor Nobby, and those that are of the Rot and...¡± Sir Landon looked to Kitool. ¡°Your family.¡± ¡°Not the Gaks, the Kans, or the Jins?¡± Adam asked. Jaygak rolled her eyes, glancing aside as she rested her arm against her blade. She looked away from him, her eyes scanning along the horizon. ¡°It would be best to sponsor only one or two families,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°It is simpler.¡± ¡°I¡¯d recommend sponsoring...¡± Adam cleared his throat, throwing a look to the Devilkin, before he bit his lower lip, chewing it gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam cracked his neck. ¡°Let¡¯s say you officially sponsor the two Rots, Ools, Nobby and I. If the others come into any issues, I¡¯d like you to assist them, the same as you¡¯d assist us.¡± ¡°As long as all of you try to place in the top ten, top five if you can, I will extend my influence.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not my place to say, but allow me to state this, Sir Landon,¡± Adam began, keeping his voice neutral, and as polite as he could manage. ¡°Jaygak here holds the same rank as Jurot and Kitool within the business. Their cousins are also trainees under the business, and the Enchanter holds them in high regard. I¡¯m sure the Enchanter would appreciate it if you decided to assist them.¡± Sir Landon met Adam¡¯s eyes, noting the simmering anger, and the fact the Half Elf was holding back. ¡°What rank do you hold within the business.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the Chief Executive Officers,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot¡¯s mother is the President, and holds the highest position, alongside the Enchanter. Kitool and Jaygak, their parents hold the position of Directors, second to the President and Enchanter. We, are third in command, in charge of much of the business. We can bring back information for the President, and sometimes, the Enchanter, for them to make key decisions, like who not to do business with.¡± Sir Landon nodded. ¡°I will keep your words in mind, Adam.¡± The group made their way out, Adam moving swiftly ahead to lead them back to the guild. He ignored the carriage, his hand gripping Wraith tight as he marched away, followed by his companions. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I should be asking you that.¡± ¡°You do not need to get so angry on my behalf,¡± Jaygak said. Adam stopped, turning to face her. ¡°If not for your behalf, then for behalf of the business, Jaygak.¡± ¡°Think about the gold, Adam,¡± Jaygak urged. ¡°If you get mad at every Aldishmen for their views on Iyrmen, and certain types of Iyrmen, then you¡¯ll have no one to do business with.¡± ¡°Gold is a means to an end, Jaygak,¡± Adam said. ¡°There are plenty of people who want magical weapons. If we can¡¯t do business in Aldland, then we can just do business in Aswadasad.¡± Jaygak smiled, but sighed. ¡°Okay, Adam.¡± ¡®Even just by existing, I¡¯m causing trouble. Is this how Adam feels?¡¯ She eyed up the Half Elf as he continued to march away, exuding annoyance. ¡®No, he¡¯s not smart enough to think that.¡¯ Jaygak smiled sadly. Adam stopped. ¡°I forgot my one hundred gold.¡± The first son is still confused. 538. Questing I 538. Questing I Omen: 5, 9 Adam sighed, staring out into the distance. The ground rumbled as they charged towards the group, who had begun to prepare themselves to accept the charge. Korin held out his shield, and Sara¡¯s fingers crackled with magical energy, ready to blast out magic. Fred peeked over his shield, his magical blade in hand, at the ready. Jurot, Jonn, Lucy, and Mara all waited, far too relaxed for the trio¡¯s liking, their weapons in hand, their bodies ready to spring forward to attack. ¡°Jurot, do you think they¡¯re having fun without us?¡± Adam asked, frowning. ¡°They¡¯re growing up way too fast. They¡¯re probably already walking and talking, worrying about their taxes.¡± ¡°They do not pay taxes in the Iyr,¡± Jurot said. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± He clutched his shield tighter in his left hand, waving it slowly, and raised up Wraith with his right hand. The magical energy flowed through his veins, with a comfortable heat, before the magic dissipated into the air. ¡°Fireball,¡± Adam chanted. Mana 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 22 (1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 4, 6) Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana 15 -> 12 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 22 (1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) A tiny bead of light shot from his axe, towards the approaching mass of beasts. They were as tall as Adam while on all fours, bullish creatures, with large horns which curled out from their skulls. Their fur was thick, hiding their muscular form. A dozen aurochs charged towards them, snorting angrily. The tiny bead of light passed the first few aurochs, and Adam forced his body to act once more, forcing the magic through him again, chanting the words to the spell. Yet, the aurochs did not hear the words, for an explosion of fire engulfed them, causing them to cry out. Auroch slammed against auroch as another ball of flame engulfed them, causing four of the mighty beasts to fall, and three others to cry out in pain, almost dead from the fire. The beasts looked around, confused by the flames, some toppling over, while others tried to veer away. Unfortunately for them, Adam¡¯s group fell upon them, like ravenous beasts themselves, as they leapt into the fray. Jurot leapt towards a wounded auroch, cutting into it with Phantom, expending a charge to kill the beast instantly, its body shuddering for only an instant as it snorted blood, before he spun and struck another wounded auroch through its skull, expending another charge. He pulled his axe out, before a shadow engulfed him. Jurot managed to flip over an auroch, only for another to skewer his side, punting him away. He grunted as he tumbled against the earth. Korin inhaled deeply, striking the auroch which struck Jurot, his blade narrowly grazing its side, but as he cut across a shoulder, his holy magics flashed white hot, causing the auroch to squeal. Lucy cut the last wounded auroch clean in half with her Great Destroyer. Destroyer, Mara¡¯s greataxe, struck an auroch deep through its side, almost cleaving it in half, as dark magic engulfed the creature, Sara¡¯s magic causing the skin of the creature to flake. Mara turned, quickly, seeing Lucy wrestling with an auroch as it tried to slam her down. Jonn and Fred stepped forward to slay another auroch, their blades piercing through the chests of the mighty beast, causing it to screech in pain, before it dropped. ¡®Oh my Gods,¡¯ Adam thought, shuddering. He held Wraith in hand, hesitating as the aurochs cried out in pain. Jurot leapt up onto his feet, inhaling deeply, before looking at the auroch which had managed to force him onto the ground. He roared and cut its head clean off with a single swipe, expending his last charge. Lucy bisected another auroch, while Korin, Jonn, and Fred, killed that last auroch, blades sticking through the muscular form. ¡°This didn¡¯t feel that great,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Killing aurochs.¡± Victory! Aurochs XP Gained: 700 XP: 11 300 -> 12 000 ¡°We will butcher them,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°They will not go to waste.¡± Adam nodded. Jurot began to butcher the creatures, while Korin began to cook. Lucy and Sara kept an eye out, while Adam began to summon a tower for them. It was late in the day by the time they had found the aurochs, and the journey back would have taken them deep into the night, and would have been exhausting. Fred, Jonn, and Mara cut the nearby trees to form a fence around, while Adam summoned a tower. Mana: 12 -> 9 Spell: Adam¡¯s Tower He wiped his brow, before beginning to strip out of his clothes, and going off to take a quick dip. Once he was out, wearing his breast plate over his chain, he went about assisting his companions in creating a small fort. Korin raised his brows at the slur, glancing awkwardly towards Sara, before looking back to Adam. ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± ¡°Good stuff.¡± The pair were still unsure of Adam, but considering he was casually nice to them, they didn¡¯t think too deeply about the topic. ¡°Mind if I have some of the food with the pero pepper?¡± Adam asked. Korin handed him some meat which had been cooked with the pero pepper. Adam bit into it, feeling a familiar heat strike his lips. ¡°Oh! Oh?¡± Adam tilted his head, blowing through his lips to cool them. ¡°Have we had this before, Jurot?¡± ¡°Dunes cooked food using pero,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Lanarot did not like it.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Makes sense.¡± ¡°Dried pero lasts for years,¡± Korin said. ¡°I still have some from when we left.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, gree does not last quite so long,¡± Sara said. ¡°Only a year at most.¡± ¡°Yes, but gree is not as good as pero.¡± ¡°Gree is much better than pero,¡± Sara retorted. ¡°Not even Lady Arya thinks so, otherwise why would she not make it last as long?¡± ¡°It is because gree is too wonderful to last so long, otherwise it would be perfect, and nothing is perfect.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s gree like?¡± ¡°It is wonderful. It is flavourful, and hot, and brings a wonderful sensation to the lips,¡± Sara said. ¡°Jaygak enjoys gree,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is very hot.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, his eyes falling over the Devilkin. ¡°Fair.¡± ¡°It is just that Korin cannot handle heat.¡± ¡°I can handle heat!¡± Korin replied. Sara said something in the Aswadian tongue, but Adam swore he could hear the word Aldishman. Korin opened his mouth wide in shock for a moment, before closing it quickly. He replied with a whisper, and Sara raised her brows. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you¡¯re poking fun at Aldishmen, you¡¯re not allowed to. That¡¯s my thing, isn¡¯t it, Fred?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Fred replied, a hint of confusion in his voice. Adam chuckled. ¡°Alright, well, make sure you all use the baths, if you want to. I¡¯ll clean it between people. Since there are eight of us, we¡¯ll also take one hour shifts. Zeus and Hades will keep an eye out too, so we don¡¯t have to worry about being alone. I would prefer it if I can have seven hours of uninterrupted sleep, so the last shift or the first shift, if it¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°Fred will take first watch,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Korin will take second, and I will take third.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, not needing his brother to explain anything. Adam glanced between the members of the group. ¡®Oh. More than half of us have darkvision?¡¯ Thus begins XP farming! 539. Quest II 539. Quest II Omen: 17, 17 The guards watched as the group returned, a giant elk dragging along a sled across the stone road, the skins of the aurochs tied over its back, stacked a dozen high. Jurot, too, carried a large pack, filled to the brim with the skulls of the creatures. The guards leaned over, noting the sled was covered in pelts, each brown and green. ¡°Forest wolves?¡± ¡°Forest wolves,¡± Adam confirmed, smiling politely. They had disrupted Adam¡¯s bath, but quickly found themselves dead from the Experts of the group. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Six.¡± The guard slowly nodded. ¡°No trouble, I assume.¡± ¡°None at all.¡± ¡°How many aurochs?¡± ¡°Twelve.¡± The guard nodded, glancing to his companion. ¡°They fared awfully well.¡± ¡°That they did.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes from behind his helmet. ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ ¡°You all fighting in the tournament?¡± ¡°We¡¯re planning to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a month earlier, in case you didn¡¯t know,¡± the guard informed. ¡°We did, but thank you kindly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of your party?¡± ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Are you fighting under a noble?¡± ¡°Sir Landon Littlesea,¡± Adam said. ¡°Third son of Baron Ramon Littlesea,¡± Jurot completed. ¡°Ah! My uncle¡¯s cousin works at the estate,¡± a guard said. ¡°Third son, eh? I would have expected you to work for the Baron himself, killing so many aurochs with so few of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s partly thanks to our weapons,¡± Adam said. ¡°Made by the Enchanter who works with the Iyr.¡± ¡°What do they do?¡± ¡°A few of them are Basic Enhanced, some are Greater Enhanced.¡± The guard whistled. ¡°Willyseas, ain¡¯t that something! Greater Enhanced? I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to earn enough in my lifetime for that sort of weapon. This Enchanter, he looking for any more guards?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to ask,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯re planning on expanding the business over the next few years.¡± The guard chuckled. ¡°Well, if they¡¯re handing out Greater Enhanced weapons, even Basic Enhanced weapons, I don¡¯t suppose he¡¯ll be looking too hard for guards.¡± Adam returned with a chuckle. ¡°True enough.¡± Quest Complete: Aurochs XP Gained: +100 XP: 12 050 -> 12 150 Quest Complete: Forest Wolves XP Gained: +50 XP: 12 150 -> 12 200 Stamps: 17 -> 19 Adam stared at the stamps, realising he was only about half way to being able to rank up. ¡®So I need about forty then?¡¯ The group gained one hundred gold for taking the auroch quest, but also an additional twenty gold for the wolves, which was on top of the coin they received for slaying each creature, at least ten gold for each head. The group had to give up some of the parts they had butchered, but that was only to be expected. As the group split the gold, Adam realised if he included the party funds as its own share, the gold would be split nine ways into sixty nine gold. ¡®Nice.¡¯ Adam stretched out his neck, rubbing the side of it. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about how we should adventure. I think taking half the group out should work. We¡¯ll go out and adventure for a week, and return with all our bounty. If we kill too many, then we¡¯ll return sooner.¡± ¡°Is there a need to adventure so much?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got kids to feed, you know?¡± Adam said, before his eyes darted to Jurot. ¡°Ah, well, no, it¡¯s not for me, I suppose...¡± He cleared his throat, realising that his joke may have made it seem that the Iyr wasn¡¯t doing it¡¯s role well, and more importantly, he was spitting on the Rot family¡¯s assistance. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea for me to take everyone around, making sure they grow stronger. We¡¯ve got a little while before the tournament begins, and I want to make sure we earn enough money beforehand so we can survive during the tournament. Plus, it¡¯ll give everyone a chance to do whatever they need to do during their days off.¡± ¡°I will follow you,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Depending on how blood thirsty some of you are, I can take some of you with me at all times, and split the rotating group into three different groups. I¡¯d like to take Nobby with me, make sure he¡¯s an Expert before the tournament.¡± Adam paused. ¡°Nobby, do you want to join the tournament?¡± ¡°Okay, mister boss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to join, I¡¯m asking you if you want to join the tournament,¡± Adam said. ¡°...¡± Nobby remained silent, unsure if he wanted to enter. ¡°If he enters, he will fight in the same grouping as we Iyrmen,¡± Nirot said. ¡°We, too, want to adventure with you.¡± Adam looked to the teen Iyrmen, who he had promised to take with him last year, only to cut the adventuring short because of the monster they faced. ¡°Then, I suppose the permanent grouping will be me, Jurot, the teen Iyrmen, Nobby, Lucy, and Mara?¡± Adam said, looking to the Demons. ¡°We will join you since we will be unable to fight during the tournament,¡± Mara said. If Lucy wasn¡¯t able to fight during the tournament, then there was no doubt that her blood thirst would need to be dealt with before it started. ¡®So it¡¯ll be me, Jurot, Nirot, Uwajin, Naqokan, Faool, Laygak, Bavin, Nobby, Lucy, and Mara? That¡¯s quite a few of us, plus we¡¯ll take a Priest, and then a handful of the others? Cycle them every so often so they all get the appropriate amount of XP, and can spend their time relaxing. I¡¯ll take a few days off between adventuring too, so I don¡¯t burn out, and then we¡¯ll stop adventuring a few days before the tournament...¡¯ ¡°I guess we can do three cycles of seven days,¡± Adam said. ¡°Take a few days between to rest up, and then the last week to relax...¡± ¡°It may be difficult to remain outside for a week,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We may face creatures daily.¡± ¡°I plan on taking one of the porters with each group,¡± Adam said. ¡°One Priest and a porter, that way we have someone who can heal and carry each time...¡± Adam glanced between everyone. ¡°Let¡¯s make two groups. One with Vonda, Jaygak, Brittany, Rick, John, Jonn, Fred, and Remy. The other will have Dunes, Kitool, Ivy, Charley, Greg, Korin, Lady Sara, and Jeremy.¡± Adam had to take into consideration not only the strength of the parties, which were similar, but also the composition. Ivy, Brittany, and John were archers. However, Ivy, Charley, and Greg also preferred to be together, the same with Korin and Sara. Jonn and Fred were more powerful, but he guessed that Dunes and Kitool would beat Vonda and Jaygak, though he wasn¡¯t really sure how well they each fought. Technically, Vonda did not like to kill, so he put Jonn, who did not mind it, in the group, since his abilities were greater than Korin¡¯s. Plus, he supposed the pair would like to be with Dunes. ¡°What of the Red River Squad?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°Will they not join us?¡± ¡°They are free to join us,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s too awkward to split them into the two groups, so they can join either one. We¡¯ll be splitting our loot with them anyhow, since I gave them my word.¡± ¡°Even if they do not quest?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I said I would. I¡¯ll take care of them, in the same way I¡¯ll take care of everyone else within the group, at least, for the next few weeks.¡± Rick slowly nodded his head, and said no more. No! Where''s all the murder? Where''s all the death? Stop talking and get to slaying! 540. An Expected Interlude I 540. An Expected Interlude I Omen: 2, 4 The group decided to take the day off to rest from the previous adventuring. It would allow them to leave during the last week of dawnval to adventure. Adam¡¯s thoughts fell to the Iyr, which he missed dearly. The festival would begin during the last week, in which the Iyrmen would dress up in their festival attire. ¡®Those damn cute brats! How dare they enjoy themselves without their daddy?¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Something stupid.¡± Vonda slowly bowed her head. ¡°The festival begins in the Iyr soon. Are you thinking of your children?¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of scary you know me that well, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam replied, his eyes daring to glance her way. ¡°Would you like to go to the market for some gifts to bring back to the Iyr?¡± Vonda offered. ¡°It¡¯s kind of scary how you¡¯re that smart, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam said, before smiling. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± The pair made their way out. Vonda wore a scarf around her face, covering her burn marks, but decided against wearing any armour due to the heat. She carried her shield against her back, marked with the symbol of her order, a white rose, and her mace hung at her side. Adam wore a scarf around his head, forgoing his armour that day, though he kept Wraith at his waist. The city was bustling as it always was, with far more people moving through and around. There were easily a million people within the city, the noise and smells betraying the number. The pair ducked through side roads, under laundry lines, which were drying bright clothing. ¡°So this is your home?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Not quite,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°I was raised in the order, not within this city.¡± ¡°What about your family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They live here,¡± she confirmed after a pause. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful place,¡± Adam said. ¡°Very colourful.¡± ¡°Red Oak has wood, Gold Port has gold, but East Port has colour,¡± Vonda said. ¡°The city of a thousand colours.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your favourite colour?¡± Adam asked. ¡°White,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°I like its simplicity.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a fan of white, black too, and purple. I suppose I find blue comforting too.¡± Vonda smiled from behind her scarf. ¡°Your sister likes the colour too.¡± ¡°That she does, the little scamp,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°I can¡¯t blame her, I guess.¡± They finally arrived at Market Road, which was nearly a mile long, with thousands of stalls. Adam could see how many people moved about on the road, each accompanied by child porters carrying their wares.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°What¡¯s with the children?¡± ¡°Little walkers,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Street urchins, typically, who accept handfuls of copper to assist you carrying your wares.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Cool.¡± ¡°What do you wish to buy?¡± Vonda asked, her eyes glancing around the area, spotting all manner of objects being sold, from arms to armour, to clothes and cloth, to inks and paints. ¡°I¡¯m not sure...¡± Adam thought about the children, and the older Iyrmen too. ¡°I suppose stuff like wooden carvings and such. Perhaps some jewellery made of shells and such, since we¡¯re in a port city.¡± They continued to pass by the stalls, before Adam spotted someone selling sea shells, each polished to look pristine. ¡°How much for each shell?¡± ¡°What size?¡± the Devilkin man asked. ¡°For one,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Food and drink?¡± ¡°The special for the day,¡± Jaygak said, placing down a gold coin. ¡°The special is two gold.¡± ¡°My mistake,¡± Jaygak said, placing down another ten silver coins beside the gold coin, counting them out slowly. A young worker took her to the side, but she was not taken to the room she expected, but rather, a room all the way to the end. She did not react, however, choosing to follow the young worker to the top floor, where the most prized room waited. Several Devilkin were enjoying themselves within the room, drinking and smoking, eating their meals in between conversations. One was an older Devilkin, who wore a yellow turban. Jaygak had wondered who could dare to interfere in the process of the Iyrmen within the inn, but it made sense for it to be Yellow Turban. ¡°It is our friend, Jaygak, who has come.¡± Yellow Turban smiled, inviting the young Iyrman inside. ¡°Come, sit.¡± Jaygak sat down opposite the smiling Yellow Turban, who was flanked by his companions, each of whom were relaxing. She noted there was an Aldishman there too, one who wore fairly plain clothing, save for the red scarf around his neck, which covered a gruesome wound. ¡°It is always good to see Iyrmen,¡± Yellow Turban said, pouring Jaygak a drink, his face still a wide grin. ¡°Many blessings to us all for the sight.¡± Jaygak remained silent, and did not touch the drink, even as Yellow Turban waited patiently. ¡°The gates of the Iyr close,¡± he said. ¡°I have not heard this in the tales passed through our tribe.¡± Jaygak remained silent, waiting for Yellow Turban to get to his point. ¡°I have but one question, Iyrman,¡± Yellow Turban said, his lips still a smile, but as he switched to their tongue, the smile faded. ¡°Have you come for Mother?¡± Jaygak picked up the cup, and tasted the wine, which was fiery hot. She placed the cup down, acutely aware of the others around them. ¡°No.¡± Yellow Turban remained staring at Jaygak¡¯s face for a long while, before the smile returned to his face. ¡°Many blessings to you, Jaygak, daughter of Lavgak.¡± ¡°Many blessings to you, Wahib,¡± Jaygak replied. Yellow Turban smiled at the audacity, and bowed his head. ¡°It was our pleasure to drink with you.¡± ¡°The pleasure was mine.¡± ¡°Does the Iyr need the assistance of Yellow Turban?¡± the old Devilkin man asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°The Iyr need only ask,¡± Yellow Turban said, before offering the Devilkin a bottle to take with her. Once Jaygak was done with the meeting with Yellow Turban, she stashed the bottle away before going to speak with a member of the Iyr¡¯s network. Once she had finished with her report, she turned to face the informant. ¡°There are rules to be followed,¡± Jaygak warned. The informant bowed their head apologetically, but said nothing. She eventually picked up the bottle from the front desk and made her way out. She wondered if Yellow Turban would have killed her if she had said anything else, but a hundred year ban would have been a great price to pay for them. ¡®At least he isn¡¯t cheap with the wine.¡¯ What is this politicking? I want to see blood and death and more blood! 541. An Expected Interlude II 541. An Expected Interlude II ¡°Kalid is always thankful,¡± Kalid said, taking Vonda¡¯s hands in his own, before taking Adam¡¯s hands too. ¡°You come to stall, I get you best cloth, no problem.¡± ¡°I appreciate that young man,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I am not young man, I am Kalid,¡± the boy replied, firmly, before he fixed his yellow turban and marched off, a guard following him. ¡°You think the guard is mad we decided to tag along?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°I am sure they are thankful they did not have to pay the silver.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah, I guess that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Should we return to the guild?¡± ¡°I suppose we should,¡± Adam said, turning on his heel, before trying to recall where the guild was. ¡°Oh. Sir Vonda, do you know where a, uh...¡± Adam tried to find the right words for it. ¡°You know, an agency for finding lost people?¡± ¡°You could put up a request in the guild,¡± Vonda offered. ¡°I could, but isn¡¯t that a little too public?¡± Adam asked, before clearing his throat. ¡°You know what, Sir Vonda? Sometimes I¡¯ll say something, and after saying it, I realise just how stupid it sounds.¡± ¡°You have the wisdom to realise it, and that is most important.¡± Vonda smiled from behind her scarf. She escorted Adam back to the guild, taking the side roads away. ¡®Isn¡¯t this city the best for buying cloth?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I could get some for the business.¡¯ The pair passed by a particular shop, causing Adam to stop. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t we grab one for adventuring?¡¯ Meanwhile, the teen Iyrmen sat within the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, eyeing up the other adventurers nearby. They guessed how powerful each adventurer was, finding most fit in the Expert category. ¡°Have you felt yourself growing more powerful?¡± Naqokan asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Nirot admitted. ¡°Is he ignoring us on purpose?¡± Laygak asked, whittling away at a piece of wood in the corner, blowing the scraps and dust into a sack nearby. ¡°No,¡± Nirot replied, firmly, glaring at the Devilkin. Laygak smiled innocently, before returning back to his whittling. ¡°Adam is focused on empowering Nobby. He did promise the young man first.¡± ¡°Adam will take us with him to quest, he has promised,¡± Nirot reminded the Devilkin, who shrugged his shoulders, returning back to whittling away at his block. It was beginning to take form into the rough shape of an owl. ¡°Adam has so quickly made Nobby into a near Expert,¡± Faool said, biting into a dried fruit. It was chewy, and still ever so sweet. ¡°It will be fortunate if we become Adepts by the end of the year.¡± Nirot thought about how powerful she would be as an Adept. With her abilities, that of the Rot family, she would be as powerful as perhaps the average Expert, or only slightly weaker. However, it was such a large difference to be an Adept with such abilities, and though being an Expert would increase her strength by another tier, there was nothing like the jump between that of her current state into an Adept. ¡°I still wish to become an Expert before the year ends,¡± Nirot admitted. ¡°We must work hard,¡± Faool said, simply, returning back to his food. Uwajin remained napping, her arms crossed as she sat opposite them. Naqokan stared at the young Iyrman who she had brought into the group, before her eyes fell to Bavin, the young man who was the grandson of the previous Elder Wrath. He was far meeker than the previous Great Elder, who was known as a genius among geniuses. Even Jarot, Nirot¡¯s grandfather, the wild, untamed beast that he was, couldn¡¯t beat the mind of that Iyrman. Naqokan¡¯s thoughts then wandered, as they always did. ¡°Bavin, are you well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the young Iyrman replied, quietly. Naqokan wondered how Bavin felt considering they were travelling with Dunes. Dunes¡¯ father had been the one to beat the previous Elder Wrath, and had joined the Mir family, due to the convenience his name ended with Mir, and then the family managed to win the vote for Shamir to become Elder Wrath. ¡®Was it Adam¡¯s fault?¡¯ ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I had the genius idea of asking the guild to put up a reward for information on Amira,¡± Adam said. Dunes blinked, before looking towards the counter, and the wall behind it, where several posters were stuck to the wall, one of a young Devilkin woman. ¡°You know, Dunes, sometimes I feel like the world is against me.¡± Vonda smiled from beside Adam. ¡°Perhaps you will think of another way to help.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°Perhaps I will. Speaking of which, I bought something which¡¯ll help us during our adventuring.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Come outside, I¡¯ll show you,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to outside. ¡°Adam, did you buy a cart?¡± Jaygak asked, half peering outside as she stepped into the guild. ¡°Why did you have to ruin the surprise?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If I don¡¯t do that, why would I even be here?¡± Jaygak retorted. Adam remained silent, trying to come up with something. ¡°Not sure.¡± Jaygak frowned. ¡°That was mean, even for you, Adam.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡± ¡°What have I done that was ever so bad?¡± ¡°You stole Raygak¡¯s peppers.¡± ¡°What did I do to you?¡± Jaygak corrected. ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t steal his peppers, I borrowed them.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Surely you can do better than that.¡± ¡°Why did you buy a cart?¡± Jaygak said, changing the topic as quickly as she could. ¡°How will we use it when we go off the trail?¡± ¡°Jurot and I can lift it,¡± Adam said, flexing his muscles from under his clothing, only to realise his clothing hid it too well. ¡°If we need more help, then Nirot, Bavin, Naqokan, and Uwajin can help us carry it off the road for a bit.¡± ¡°Laygak can help too,¡± Jaygak added, frowning. ¡°Just because he¡¯s my cousin, it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s as weak as me.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to, since he¡¯ll be too busy looking out for you,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Who is looking out for who?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s whom is looking out for whom,¡± Adam replied, unsure if that was true. ¡°Adam, let¡¯s show them the cart,¡± Vonda said, trying to get Adam to stop teasing Jaygak, who had been sighing far too often for her liking during their journey. ¡°It was only fifty gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°Carts are usually forty,¡± Jaygak informed. ¡°Yeah, but this isn¡¯t any cart, it¡¯s our cart.¡± Adam smiled wide. The Iyrmen stared at the cart, before looking to Laygak, who shrugged his shoulders. He had no idea what was so special about the cart that Adam overpaid by at least ten gold. However, seeing the smile on Adam¡¯s face, they didn¡¯t mention it. Thank you, Laygak, for allowing Adam to live his peace. 542. Questing III 542. Questing III Omen: 9, 18 ¡°So this Stone Sword guy is strong?¡± Adam asked, leading the group north, towards the forest. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°He has travelled through Aldland, and into other realms, and has made a name for himself with his magical weapon. The weapon was was once used by an ancient warrior before the time of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Oh? Cool.¡± ¡°His blade is a Greater Enhanced weapon, which strikes more like a hammer than a sword, and strikes heavier than a typical blade. His skin is also tougher, like that of our Rot family.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Quite a wonderful blade.¡± ¡°He will fight in the tournament,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He should place well.¡± ¡°How well do you think?¡± ¡°Top five,¡± Jurot assumed. ¡°In his age bracket?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that the strongest bracket?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He will fight among the warriors who do not use magic. Those who fight with magic are typically stronger.¡± ¡°You¡¯re fighting in the bracket that doesn¡¯t use magic either, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Not in the age bracket.¡± ¡°I just meant that I feel like you¡¯ll be able to beat the one¡¯s in the magical bracket,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You will fight in that bracket.¡± ¡°You think I could beat you?¡± Adam asked. Jurot thought Adam and them fighting. ¡°It would be a close fight.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. ¡°The Knight of the East would have fought in the tournament,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He would have faced Stone Sword.¡± ¡°Who would have won?¡± ¡°It is too close to tell,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°They would both place in the top five. The Knight of the East, Stone Sword, Rising Sun Blade, Raging Bull, The Hawk, and Moon Dancer. It is their tournament to win, but the Knight of the East was killed recently in the south.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He went south to fight in the war and was killed? I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d kill a noble like him.¡± ¡°They would not have,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°The figure who killed him is unknown.¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t die to a beast or anything?¡± ¡°There are few beasts which could kill the Knight of the East.¡± ¡°Damn... How strong was the Knight of the East exactly?¡± ¡®Now that I think about it...¡¯ XP: 12 250 -> 11 050 Mana: 18 -> 21 Feature Gained: Expert Diviner Spells Gained: Tiny Ward, Sending ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought. Mara twitched, narrowing her eyes at Adam. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam called. ¡°Yes?¡± the Iyrman replied, carrying the giant boar towards the half made fort. ¡°I¡¯m strong.¡± Jurot, feeling that this had happened before, nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡®Now I can cast Fireball eight times.¡¯ The group returned back to completing the fort around the two towers. Adam thought about which abilities would suit him from other classes. ¡®Rage?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, that¡¯s Jurot¡¯s thing. What about Sneak Strike? I could deal so much extra damage with it...¡¯ Adam reread the description, only to realise the huge flaw with his logic. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡®Lay on Hands?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the ability. It scaled well, though it cost a little more than he expected. The other Guardian abilities were also great, from Divine Health to Aura of Protection, which he could since he was Level 6. Most of the other abilities were greyed out for him since the XP penalty was so severe. ¡®2000 for Lay on Hands, 1500 for Divine Health, and... 3000 for Aura of Protection? Damn. That¡¯s so much XP.¡¯ Yet, Adam stared at them, wondering if he should take them. ¡®Let¡¯s at least take Lay on Hands and Divine Health.¡¯ XP: 11 050 -> 7550 Mara twitched again, eyeing Adam suspiciously. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam called, frowning as he stared at the XP. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m poor,¡± the Half Elf said, almost pouting. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, unsure of what Adam was talking about. It didn¡¯t sound like he was talking about money, though it was the most obvious answer. Adam bathed quickly once the fort was finished, before cleaning it with his Tricks trick, and allowing the others to enter. ¡°We¡¯ll put two people on watch,¡± Adam said. ¡°Dunes, Lady Sara, and I will not take watches, but everyone else will take an hour watch each. I¡¯ll keep Hades and Zeus on watch, as always.¡± ¡°I can take watch,¡± Lady Sara said. ¡°You can, but let¡¯s make sure all of our mages rest up properly, so we¡¯re not stingy with our spells,¡± Adam said, smiling. ¡°Casting eight Fireballs a day is going to make me tired.¡± ¡®Eight?¡¯ Lady Sara thought, wondering if it was a slip of the tongue. Adam winked at his brother, who bowed his head, understanding that Adam had grown more powerful. Adam was still someone Jurot couldn¡¯t understand, but he knew that Adam was Adam, and that was all he needed to know. ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s work hard this week and earn tons of XP!¡± Adam raised up his cup of water. ¡®Eckspee?¡¯ Lady Sara and Korin haven''t gotten used to the entity known as Adam yet. 543. Questing IV 543. Questing IV Omen: 7, 10 ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes? ¡°Are you seeing what I¡¯m seeing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are those...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, staring out towards the large creatures, which had been spotted by those on watch. The group had one person on watch at all times, with Zeus and Hades also keeping an eye out, ready to make noise. The creatures were large, the size of brown bears, and though they were bearish in both form and size, their faces were different. They had the faces of birds, and their upper third was covered in feathers, which shifted as though they were blooming flowers. ¡°Owl-,¡± ¡°Hawkbears,¡± Lady Sara gasped. ¡°I thought our teachers were jesting, but there really are hawkbears in Aldland!¡± Korin¡¯s eyes were wide too, nodding his head slowly. Dunes eyed up the creatures, barely able to believe it. There were times when their mentors had spoken of great beasts in Aldland, but sometimes it would be purely to jest. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Yeah, they do look more hawkish, I suppose.¡± As the seconds passed, the hawkbears noted the outpost which had been built over the last evening, and even more appeared. Adam counted them as they approached, each from one side of the forest. They had made towards the other side of the forest, but had stopped upon seeing the group. ¡°A baker¡¯s dozen,¡± Adam said, counting thirteen. ¡°A baker¡¯s dozen?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Thirteen.¡± ¡°Is that a saying from where you are from?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, casually, donning Strong Shield. ¡°It means thirteen, probably because bakers didn¡¯t want to get their heads lopped off for not providing enough bread.¡± Jurot blinked, donning his own shield. He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond, so responded as he always did. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s true,¡± Adam admitted as the group readied themselves. ¡®Should I go in and fight with just the teens and Nobby? How would the XP be split then? Bell?¡¯ [If the others do not wish to support you, then it would be split between the active participants.] ¡®Hmm...¡¯ Adam eyed up the creatures. He could probably kill a handful of them by himself, and if the teens dodged, he could probably take out enough of them to force some away. ¡®Each would give what, 500? So that¡¯s 6500XP, split about 700 each or so? That should make a dent in increasing their XP. What if I can¡¯t kill enough? Then my precious Cousins would be in danger.¡¯ Adam could feel it, the glare from his companion, who was eager to spill blood. He sighed, and raised his axe. ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± Mana: 21 -> 18 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 35 (2, 3, 3, 3, 6, 6, 6, 6) Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 25 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5) ¡°What are you doing worrying your uncle like this?¡± Adam asked, frowning at the young man. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to charge in to every enemy we face, alright?¡± ¡°Sorry, mister boss.¡± ¡°Nirot, good work on protecting Nobby.¡± Nirot nodded her head in return and went back to assisting her cousin in bringing in the bodies. Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Bavin. ¡°You don¡¯t have to charge in either, Bavin.¡± ¡°I am an Iyrman,¡± Bavin replied, simply. ¡°I know, but still.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should be telling Bavin off. He may have been meek, but he was still an Iyrman. ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re going in to fight, stay beside Nobby. I want you two helping each other out from now on.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Bavin replied. ¡®Seriously, how is this kid that guy¡¯s grandson?¡¯ Adam thought. As the group returned to the fort, beginning the butchering, Adam mumbled aloud. ¡°I wonder how hawkbear meat tastes.¡± ¡°I hear it tastes like chicken,¡± Korin said, readying the large pot, grabbing his pouch of spices. ¡°Then we¡¯re going to be eating good tonight,¡± Adam said, unable to contain his smile. ¡°If only we had some...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Do we have oil?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Korin said, the one who had been in charge of procuring ingredients before they left. ¡°We have chicken. We have flour. We have eggs...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°You bought some salt and spices?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Korin replied. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam thought deeply. ¡°Let¡¯s cook a little bit of the meat to confirm whether it cooks like chicken, and then I have something I¡¯d like to make.¡± Jurot cut a small slab of meat, while Korin cooked it, only seasoning it with some salt. He spoke aloud, counting each second as it passed by, and once it had been cooked on both sides, he cut into it, feeling how easy it was to cut, before biting into it. ¡°It¡¯s a little tougher than chicken, but tastes similar enough.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam said. ¡°Let me use a pot and some of the spices. I¡¯ll also need some flour and some eggs.¡± Korin looked to Dunes, who shrugged his shoulders, but they allowed Adam the ingredients. Adam cooled the pot repeatedly over the next few hours, while the group ate in peace, some of them relaxing, while others kept an eye out. Adam bit into the crispy concoction he had formed. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± he said, licking his lips. ¡°Not quite as I remember it, but this would kill with some sauce.¡± Adam bit into the fried chicken again. It was slightly dry, but he had missed the taste regardless. ¡®I¡¯d love some salad cream right now. Sweet chilli? Oh man, oh man.¡¯ Adam could feel the burn in his eyes as he reminisced. ¡°I thought you were going to make chicken tikka masala,¡± Jurot admitted, biting into the crispy fried chicken. ¡°I need to taste different spices for that,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though, then again, I¡¯m not entirely sure how it¡¯s made. I think there¡¯s cream and yoghurt, but, it is what it is. Actually, if I want to make it, I probably want to go to Aswadasad. I assume the spices would be found there, so...¡± ¡°It does need some sauce, but it is good,¡± Korin admitted. ¡°I did not know you could cook.¡± ¡°Ah, barely,¡± Adam said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°You should swing by the Iyr for some pizza, though. It¡¯s probably the best thing I¡¯ve invented since we¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°I will have to,¡± the Aswadian Guardian said. Adam looked up towards the sky, falling into thought. ¡®I do miss it...¡¯ He made the same face he always made, one which Jurot recognised. Adam was thinking about that thing, the thing he swore not to bring into the world. His twin cousins had mentioned they had tried it before, but they had disliked it. Jurot supposed, however, that everyone had their own tastes. I''m craving some fried chicken... 544. Questing V 544. Questing V Omen: 11, 12 ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, looking out towards the road. ¡°Are we in trouble?¡± Adam asked, staring at the large group marching down the road towards them. Jurot remained silent for a short while, but as they approached, he shook his head. ¡°We should not be.¡± All the soldiers carried with them a spear, at least one blade, a bundle of javelins, and a shield. There were those who only wore thick clothing and a helmet, while a few wore chain over their thick clothes. Others wore more with their chain, and the soldier leading the entire group wore a breastplate. Their cloaks were dark, near black, but the sun revealed the hints of blue. A third of the group followed behind the four mules, two of which were pulling along carts. The soldiers themselves all carried at least three wooden stakes over a shoulder. ¡°We should meet them on the road,¡± Jurot said, untying the ropes around the logs within the ground, allowing the gate to fall forward like a bridge. He motioned a head to Kitool, who followed him out, and Adam stepped out after them. The soldiers continued to march until they were no more than fifty paces away, with the leader and her four companions stepping forward. Her companions were those which wore full chain main. She noted the tattoos on Jurot and Kitool, and slowly bowed her head. ¡°Iyrmen,¡± the leader said. ¡°Jurot, son of Sonarot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Kitool, daughter of Citool,¡± Kitool added. Adam noted just how young the entire group was, with most of those wearing only helmets in their late teens. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, noticing the woman was looking at him. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Sergeant Zera Ironwood,¡± the young woman said, bowing her head slightly. ¡°How many make your party?¡± ¡°Twenty people,¡± Adam replied, including Jaygak in the estimation, who had forced her way into the group. ¡°Plus a couple of animals.¡± Zera eyed up the man in puthral armour. She assumed he wasn¡¯t an Iyrman, but with the puthral armour, he must have been close to them. ¡°Are you here to quest?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She eyed up the trio, before she noted the others on the walls, pretending to keep a lookout, but were actually listening on their conversation. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± ¡°This is the third day, I think,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Any trouble?¡± ¡°Boars and hawkbears.¡± ¡°Hawkbears?¡± the woman asked, unable to control her surprise. ¡°About thirteen of them,¡± Adam said. ¡°Ill news.¡± She straightened up. ¡°We welcomed them eagerly,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Killed them all before they could do much.¡± Zera saw his Bronze Rank token, and she nodded. ¡°We will be making camp here for the night.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Can you pay war tax?¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Twenty gold.¡± Adam opened up his pouch, stacking up gold within Jurot¡¯s hands, and the Iyrman stepped forward. ¡°May Lady Arya bless you in these times,¡± Zera said. Adam smiled. ¡°May the good goddess bless you too, Sergeant Ironwood.¡± The woman turned and the soldiers began to make their camp, quickly forming a ditch before they set up their stakes and tents. They made their camp on the opposite side, across the river, which was not so deep here and was easily a fifty steps wide. Luckily for the soldiers, there were stone steps they could use to cross the river without getting too wet. ¡°Anything I should know?¡± Adam whispered to Jurot within their own camp. ¡°We should share some of the meat, but otherwise leave them be,¡± Jurot said. Lord Stokmar, too, was an Idol, but she was no doubt the strongest Idol they had met. The difference between her and someone who would have just reached an Idol would have been the difference between a Paragon and an Expert. No Expert could beat a Paragon. Though, perhaps with enough luck, it could come to pass. Lucy¡¯s eyes fell to Adam. When speaking of luck, she couldn¡¯t help but think of him. He was an Expert and had beaten someone who was strong enough to be considered a Paragon. ¡®I was lucky,¡¯ the Half Elf had said back then. ¡®Lucky? Isn¡¯t that just another way to say chaotic?¡¯ Korin bit into the smoked hawkbear meat, before looking to Dunes. Dunes returned his look with a smile on his face, the Aswadian Priest deciding to eat peacefully. Omen: 16, 17 The soldiers awoke early in the morning, and didn¡¯t take long to clean up their camp. They filled in the earth, pulled up their stakes, and once their leaders checked everything was in order, they made their way to East Port. ¡°Lots of young soldiers,¡± Adam said, watching them go. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°They¡¯re from the north?¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°I expected them to be older and grizzled from how you speak of the north.¡± ¡°They are a new company,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°The King has standardised the military. Equipment, ranks, they have all been taken into consideration. He wishes to form a military of at least fifty thousand strong, controlled directly by himself. The nobles are allowed to form their own orders for their own defence, and will be sent to lead armies, but cannot keep their own.¡± ¡°So most of the army is made of fodder, given thick clothes and a helmet, to appease the nobles?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not great news,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°There are other companies which are more experienced, and hold greater ranks and equipment, so the army has not been reduced so low,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They will find it difficult even though they outnumber their opponents in the south.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam spent very little time thinking too deeply about the soldiers, for soon he had greater matters to think of. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam stared up ahead. ¡°Are those what I think they are?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s more than one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Three?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, staring at the three creatures which were currently wading through the river towards them. Each was larger than any of them, larger than even the aurochs they had faced not long ago. Each also had several heads, long and almost snake like, with thick scales. The fort was full of life as the groups each formed their defences, Adam staring at the three creatures as they approached them. Jaygak reached for a quiver, chanting a spell, before the arrows tingled with magic. ¡°Fire stops their regeneration?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied, as Ivy pulled up an arrow from the quiver, feeling it tingle. ¡°Use them to assist the young Iyrmen.¡± Ivy nodded her head slowly, readying her bow and arrow as the group prepared themselves. ¡°It just had to be hydras,¡± Adam muttered to himself. However, his lips formed a wry smile, and Wraith tingled within his hand. Ironwood is a cool name. 545. Questing VI 545. Questing VI Battle Order D20 + 1 = 18 (17) Mana: 21 -> 18 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 29 (1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6) 29 damage! Adam pointed Wraith towards the three hydras, and he chanted the words to his spell. ¡°Fire. Ball.¡± He felt the rush of magic flood through him before a tiny bead of light shot out, striking the middle hydra, before exploding around towards the others. The water sizzled around them as they screeched in pain, a cacophony of shrieks piercing through the air. Yet, the hydras did not stop, as they charged towards the group. ¡°Lady Arya,¡± Dunes began to chant, clutching his shield tight. ¡°I call upon you to strike our foes.¡± The great magics of his spell also filled the area, swords made of divine might floating all around him. Yet, as the hydras approached, the need to spill blood filled the air. Without waiting for the hydras to approach the walls of the fort, the most eager of Iyrmen charged forward. Jurot charged forward, axe in hand, quickly followed by the Demons, his cousin, and the other teen Iyrmen. The Iyrmen with cooler heads, whose names just so happened to be Gak and Ool, sighed as they went to assist their companions. Bavin and Nobby, too, charged forward into the fray. Jeremy groaned, before grabbing his spear, and charging after his nephew. Korin and Dunes exchanged looks between one another, before following the rest into combat. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 31 (2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 6) 31 damage! ¡°Fire! Ball!¡± Adam shouted, chanting the magic once more, the bead of fire exploding, and as the flames dissipate, the hydras found themselves beset by the wicked creatures known as Iyrmen. Dunes¡¯ magic managed to slow the hydras as Jurot charged towards the centre hydra, hacking into a neck, slicing it clean off as another bit into his shoulder. As it struck his neck, its jaw slackened, and the head fell as Jaygak¡¯s blade cut it clean off. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have waited?¡± Jaygak asked as a hydra head forced her back, causing her to grunt as it slammed against her shield. Her arm throbbed with great pain, but she gathered herself as she forced herself beyond her limits and swung wildly to cut the head which had tried to strike her down, managing to slice two heads clean off. A shadow blurred above them, as Kitool¡¯s lithe form sprung atop them, holding Tigerstaff clutched with both hands. She swung downwards with her staff, crushing one of the heads, and as she landed behind the hydra, she pivoted on her foot, using the momentum to strike a hydra¡¯s skull, shattering another skull. As a hydra head grazed her side, she crushed its head with a well placed elbow, before the hydra¡¯s form shuddered, and it dropped before them. At the same time, the teen Iyrmen leapt onto the hydra to the right, far too eager to face it in combat. Nirot¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as she struck a hydra in the neck. ¡®A hydra!¡¯ she thought, and as a head tried to bite her, Naqokan and Uwajin cut it clean off with their greatswords. ¡°Careful,¡± Naqokan shouted, her body red hot with rage, before a head slammed against her, forcing her back. Another hit Uwajin beside her, and she was forced back with her companion. Faool struck the hydra with its side with his staff, and while Laygak thrust forward with his sword, but before it reached the creature¡¯s side, he saw the blur of a hydra head smack his side. Faool ducked as the Devilkin Iyrman was flung over him, but he found a hydra head making for him from the front. ¡®Oh, Baktu,¡¯ Faool thought as the head slammed into him, causing him to tumble back, his staff landing beside him. Bavin¡¯s axe cut across the extended hydra head, but he did not manage to cleave it through, but thankfully, a spear poked its eye from over his shoulder, and a flaming arrow pierced the other. ¡°You alright, Iyrman?¡± Jeremy asked, raising his shield. ¡°Okay,¡± Bavin replied, raising his shield too. Nobby cut a head clean off with his axe, while Greg and Charley managed to strike its side. Dunes raised his blade and aimed to strike the creature, his magic already piercing through it. He cried aloud as he swung his sword, which almost missed, but he willed forth the divine guidance of his goddess, and his blade pierced through its tough scales, felling the beast. As it dropped, he noticed the pair of Iyrmen had fallen beside them, and were still. Lucy let out a roar, swinging Great Destroyer with all her might, cleaving two heads clean off. Another aimed for her, but it dropped as Mara managed to hack the head with ease, as another pair of heads managed to strike the pair. Yet the Hydra found that Mara had managed to cut another with Destroyer. The flames from their weapons managed to stop any of the hydra¡¯s regeneration, causing it to shriek wildly. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be killing a hydra beside Demons,¡± Korin admitted, slashing at a head, nearly smiting it clean off, before a bolt of fiery magic struck a head beside him, allowing him a moment to step aside. ¡°We haven¡¯t killed it yet,¡± Lucy growled, her lips forming a wild grin. Mana: 15 -> 14 Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 5 (2) ¡°Dunes!¡± Adam shouted, spurring the Aswadian Priest to move. Dunes reached Faool first, placing a hand on his side, healing the young Iyrman, while Adam¡¯s voice carried over him towards the Devilkin Iyrman. ¡°Laygak! Are you alright?¡±Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com The healing magic soothed Laygak, who sat up suddenly, groaning in pain as he felt the bruising at his side. He looked around, trying to remember what was happening, watching as Lucy and Mara bisected the hydra opposite him, while the Iyrmen regrouped around Faool and him. ¡°It is done?¡± Laygak asked, reaching for his side, feeling how badly he was aching. As the group continued to butcher the hydras, Adam picked up a scale, holding it in hand. ¡°We should have farmed their heads.¡± ¡°Farmed them?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°No, nothing. It would have been too dangerous.¡± Adam was glad they had managed to slay so many hydras. He stared down at the scale, rubbing it gently. It was hard to the touch, like bone. ¡°I want the biggest scale.¡± ¡°Why do you get the biggest scale?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to slash at it with Wraith,¡± Adam said, pouting. ¡°It¡¯s not fair that you guys were in such a rush to fight it and I didn¡¯t get to kill it.¡± Lucy, who didn¡¯t care about wanting the biggest scale one bit, narrowed her eyes. ¡°That just means you weren¡¯t very good at fighting!¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Nirot, do you see how Lucy is bullying me? She didn¡¯t talk to me for all that time and now she wants to claim the scale I want.¡± ¡°My Cousin struck all three hydras with two Fireballs, he should be allowed to claim the biggest scale,¡± Nirot said. ¡°You can¡¯t involve Iyrmen into this!¡± Lucy replied, frowning. ¡°Besides, that scale came from the hydra we killed!¡± ¡°Korin was there too,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Dunes¡¯ magic hit it, and like my Cousin said, I cast two Fireballs.¡± ¡°Everyone knows that hydras resist fire!¡± Lucy declared. ¡°They are not,¡± Nirot replied, firmly. ¡°They¡¯re not?¡± Lucy asked, in shock. ¡°Fire weakens them, and delays their regeneration too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really a thing?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I thought you were joking. They can regenerate heads?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They¡¯re nothing like the hydras I know,¡± the Demon Lord said. ¡°Aren¡¯t these juvenile hydras?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°Oh...¡± Lucy replied. ¡°Is that how large they normally get?¡± ¡°Some are slightly bigger,¡± the Iyrman admitted. ¡°How big are your hydras?¡± Adam asked. ¡°At least three or four times larger and longer,¡± Lucy said. ¡°The size of a Dragon Turtle?¡± Nirot asked. ¡°If that¡¯s how large Dragon Turtles are.¡± ¡°Either way, I want the scale,¡± Adam said, rubbing it gently. ¡°Nirot.¡± Lucy grumbled quietly, and allowed Adam to have the scale. There needed to be some push back in order to save face, but she cared very little about the scale. She noted the way he looked at the scale, and the small smile on his face. ¡®What¡¯s so special about that scale?¡¯ "Our hydras are way bigger." *Iyrmen''s need to kill intensifies.* 546. Questing VII 546. Questing VII Omen: 6, 20 ¡°Should we expect anything stranger than three hydras?¡± Adam asked, cleaning the various scales. They left the hides over the walls to dry out, with Lady Sara and Dunes watching over them. They used their magics to speed up the process of drying the hides. Jurot began to list a large number of creatures, some which Adam was familiar with, and others which sounded like jibberish. Meanwhile, Korin was making all manner of facial expressions upon hearing the names of the creatures. ¡°Noonval elks are prized, but we should not expect to come across them until next month,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are also flamehounds, which are extremely common, and hold great fiery magics innately. Most possess cores, and some possess more.¡± ¡°More?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They possess Living Fire, but that is rare.¡± Jurot gave Adam a pointed look, as though he fully expected to come across such an item with Adam at his side. ¡°I see,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°What¡¯s the most dangerous creature we might come across?¡± ¡°A Dragon.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°They will not wish to face us unless they are powerful, since we are too many, and we possess such great magical weapons.¡± ¡°Will we really split the hide with the other Aswadians?¡± Korin asked. ¡°I said we will, so we will,¡± Adam said, simply. ¡°You¡¯re quite honest.¡± ¡°I have to be,¡± Adam replied, firmly. His lips formed a coy smile. ¡°My brother¡¯s an Iyrman.¡± Jurot nodded, confirming the words. Korin smiled in response, nodding his head slowly in return. He stared at the pair, glancing between the Half Elf and the Iyrman. He had heard the tale of how they had met, though there seemed to be something greater between them than just what he had heard. ¡°I wonder if Lanarot is enjoying the festival,¡± Adam thought aloud. ¡°You think she¡¯s watching the fights?¡± ¡°She may,¡± Jurot replied, thinking about his little sister. The tiny girl who enjoyed watching the fights more than perhaps any other Iyrman he knew. ¡°She will scream well.¡± Adam threw a look towards Jurot, frowning slightly. ¡°Jurot, you can¡¯t corrupt my children like you¡¯ve corrupted Lanababy.¡± ¡°I have not corrupted her.¡± ¡°How can you say that when she¡¯s so thirsty for blood?¡± ¡°She is an Iyrman,¡± Jurot stated, as though it were obvious that she would be thirsty for blood. ¡°Even the most docile Iyrmen become thirsty for blood if the situation calls for it. If the Iyr is threatened, or if a child of the Iyr is killed.¡± ¡°When was the last time a child of the Iyr was killed?¡± Adam asked, cautiously. ¡°The last time was Churot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh...¡± Adam remained silent. Adam stared at Korin, and then his eyes fell to Jurot, whose smile had grown. He understood there was more to the story, and wondered if he should ask for more. ¡®The Iyr is so scary...¡¯ ¡°The war against the Aldish lasted some time, and by the time it was over, a draw that was considered a win by both sides, the matter of the Iyrmen was mostly forgotten. A new family, appointed by the Shen, ruled over Severtain, while she paid a visit to the eastern capital, making sure the transition to the Faro went smoothly.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t smooth?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There was a minor uproar cause by some local rulers who tried to complain about the new Faro, but the nearby towns quickly fell into line when recalling how close the forts were. There are three so close to the eastern capital, and they have always been fiercely loyal to the Faro¡¯s family, for many of the leaders there are related to the Faro¡¯s family. There have been times that a family member has made a play, but such would have brought much danger from the Shen.¡± ¡°A parade was sent to mourn the Faro¡¯s death,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It was also used to usher in the new Faro,¡± Korin admitted. ¡°When one rides beside the East Scimitar, and five thousand soldiers, it is hard to remain steadfast against such an appearance. Then, of course, there was the West Scimitar, and another five thousand soldiers beside the Shen.¡± ¡°That went by smoothly then?¡± ¡°Yes. The situation with the Iyr did not resolve for some years, and when the ten years passed, they brought a sack of salt to the town, and thanked the order of Ten Blades for their blades. It was the only acknowledgement the Iyrmen made about the situation, and they returned back to the Iyr.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°You Iyrmen are savage.¡± Jurot threw Adam a glance. ¡°Ah, I mean, not that you¡¯re savages. It¡¯s a saying from where I¡¯m from. It¡¯s like if someone took my dagger from me, and then I took it back, but before I did, I made sure to carve thief into the thief¡¯s chest, you know? I got my revenge, but damn, I didn¡¯t mess around, you know?¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, thinking he understood. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°So, uh... are you guys cool with Severtain?¡± ¡°The matter was resolved,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°It was a shame so much occurred to the town and region.¡± Korin knew of the Iyr and its many rules and stories. Some stories were no doubt exaggerated, but there were many stories in which the Iyr was mentioned, but it was always vague, like smoke. Yet, where there was smoke, there was fire. When the order was established, it had come to blows with the Iyrmen. He recalled a story, long old, about the Iyr, and how it was almost reduced to nothing. It was a time before history. The order had its own rules, and many of them had been placed due to the Iyr. It was partly because they worshipped the same Goddess, in a way, but one of the rules was always clear. Do not kill any child of the Iyr. It was a rule etched into the stones by Brandon the Bold, Lady Arya¡¯s greatest Champion, who had retired within the Iyr. He had returned once to etch the rules, and it was before the order was established within Black Mountain. He had carved it with a great weapon, which had been gifted to the temple. The very same blade had been lost several times, and every time the Iyr found it, they either sent word of where it was, or retrieved it themselves. ¡°Manticores!¡± came a shout from Laygak, who donned his shield. Adam looked out to see four manticores in the distance, flying towards their outpost. He stood up, grabbing his axe and Strong Shield. ¡°Man, the Iyr is so scary.¡± Adam marched his way towards the while. Korin bowed his head to Jurot, grabbing his own shield. ¡°Let us kill some manticores.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head towards Korin, seeing the question in his eyes. His lips slowly twitched into a smile, confirming Korin¡¯s suspicions. I forgot how crazy the Iyrmen were. 547. Questing VIII 547. Questing VIII Adam stared at the sky, watching as the four manticores circled around them. The sun caused him to glance away slightly. ¡°Seriously, these guys aren¡¯t that stupid, eh?¡± Adam said, not really talking to anyone in particular. ¡°It will be difficult to face them since they fly,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°We don¡¯t have too many people who can fight at this kind of range...¡± Adam blinked at the creatures. The manticores, with their wicked tails, sent down clusters of spikes, which dropped among the group. Faool narrowly dodged a spike, though it managed to graze his side. ¡°How rude,¡± Adam said, raising his Wraith towards the creatures. Mana: 21 -> 18 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 31 (2, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) 31 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 31 (1, 2, 3, 3, 5, 5, 6, 6) 31 damage! Adam channelled his magic through his veins, which emanated into two beads of fire which shot upwards and exploded against the manticores, engulfing them within the flames twice. The sickening cries pierced through the air as one of the four manticores began to fly away, causing the rest to fly after them, not wishing to come across the force of Fireballs again, with arrows chasing after them, as well as bolts of fire. ¡°Why do you always have to ruin our fun?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°You can just fly after them if you¡¯re upset,¡± Adam replied dryly, before blowing against the top of his axe and sheathing it at his side. Victory! XP Gained: +150 XP: 7900 -> 8050 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought, figuring the XP was shared between them all. The howling in the distance caused the group to remain on guard, with two more people placing themselves on guard. ¡°It¡¯s not just the Iyr which is scary,¡± Korin said to Adam. ¡°You¡¯re quite scary yourself.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve not seen the things I¡¯ve seen, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t even think of me as scary,¡± Adam said. ¡°You speak of the Lord of Flames, Shama?¡± Korin asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You cannot blame yourself, since it was Lord Shama after all.¡± ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°Lady Sara knows the tale. He once roamed the land, before the Iyr came to be, back when Aswadasad became known as Aswadasad.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°What was it called?¡± Adam muttered to himself. ¡°Aswa...¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of wolves,¡± Adam said, whistling. ¡°We should fight them,¡± Jurot said, strapping his shield to his arm. ¡°Alright.¡± Adam nodded, eyeing up both Faool and Laygak, who stood beside their older cousins, while Nirot stuck with Jurot, and the others grouped together with Nobby and Dunes. Lucy and Mara stayed near the large group of teens. They stepped out of the fort, ready to fight, while Charley and Greg remained behind with Korin, protecting Ivy and Lady Sara, just in case. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 7 (6) Health: 78 -> 65 Strength Save D20 + 7 = 18 (11) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 65 -> 70 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) Hit! Mana: 15 -> 14 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7= 25 (3, 6)(4, 5) 25 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) Hit! Mana: 14 -> 13 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 20 (1, 6)(1, 5) 20 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 13 -> 12 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 12 (3) D20 + 10 = 20 (12) Hit! Omen: 6, 20 -> 6 20 + 10 = 30 Critical hit! Mana: 12 -> 11 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 7 = 57 (1, 2, 6, 6)(1, 4, 6, 6)(1, 5, 6, 6) 57 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 11 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 7 = 28 (1, 2, 2, 3)(2, 2, 4, 5) 28 damage! ¡°Kill those that I attack,¡± Adam said to the teen Iyrmen, before he stepped forward, yet found himself coming under the assault of a large wolf, which slammed its claws across his breastplate as it leapt atop him. Adam managed to stand tall against its heavy claws, while other wolves darted around him towards the other, less armoured prey. Unfortunately for the wolves, the unarmoured prey they came across were Lucy, Mara, Jurot, and Kitool. Lucy nearly bisected one of the direwolves that came upon her, while two halves of a whole wolf dropped on either side of Mara, who managed to do so. Jurot split the skull of a direwolf, and Kitool smashed the direwolf she faced, while freezing another in place which had knocked Faool down. The moment allowed Dunes to bring Faool up with a spell, only for the Iyrman to flip away from the creature to take a defensive stance. Jaygak managed to wound a wolf, but remained ahead of it, trying to block it from passing her. Adam struck the wolf which had attacked him, allowing Naqokan and Uwajin to claim it with their greatswords, before he stepped forward and came across another wolf, striking it along the side, allowing Bavin and Nobby to kill it. Another wolf tried to leap up against Adam, and since the teen Iyrmen had found themselves against too many direwolves, Adam decided against holding back. Standing atop the fort walls, the figure watched as Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, causing her scales to shift, before they balanced themselves. The Thread of Fate shot towards the scale, sucked into the great artefact. It wrapped itself around the scales, causing the Goddess of the Scales to glance towards it, having never seen this occur before, but the Thread of Fate finally disappeared. ¡°...¡± Adam cut a wolf in half, before he stepped forward to cut another wolf against their neck, causing it to whinny in pain, before it met its end under a bolt of fire, a flaming arrow, and a javelin. The wolves turned to leave, and while Adam glanced around to check his companions, he shuddered. He could not see the golden bead frozen just millimetres from his head, threatening to pierce his skull. Ulaveil recalled the bead, sighing. She rested her head against the scales, which balanced themselves once more, having shifted from her involvement. ¡®Balance,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I cannot kill him personally.¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +150 XP: 8050 -> 8300 Adam: casually adventures The gods: and I took that personally 548. Useless I 548. Useless I Adam chose against resisting the spell, allowing the magic to take hold. It was warm, though slightly invasive as he felt his mind and throat tingle. The rest of his companions also allowed the spell to overtake them. ¡°I will ask that you all confirm with yes or no,¡± the guild worker stated, staring at them suspiciously. ¡°You slew a dozen boars and a giant boar?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, along with his group. ¡°Thirteen hawkbears?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Three hydras?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The guild worker paused, glancing between the group. There were quite a large number of Iyrmen within the group, and there were almost two dozen of them. ¡°You fended off four manticores, but did not kill them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, while the others replied properly. ¡°Please reply with a yes or no.¡± ¡°Yes, sorry.¡± ¡°You were attacked by twelve direwolves, and you killed them all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you...¡± The young woman blinked at the notes she had written down. ¡°You killed a wyvern, fending off another four?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Finally, you killed five trolls?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Korin and Lady Sara sat with the group, and hearing it back, they glanced between one another. Dunes, and the others around Adam, didn¡¯t seem to find this out of the ordinary in the slightest. Adam, on the other hand, tilted his head, furrowing his brows. ¡®Man, that does sound like a lot...¡¯ Quest Complete: Trouble in East Port XP Gained: +600 XP: 9400 -> 10 000 Stamps Gained: +6 Stamps: 18 -> 24 Due to the roaming beasts after a Great Twilight, one didn¡¯t make quite as much from adventuring, since the price to kill creatures had decreased, and the price of their parts had also decreased somewhat. However, many adventurers continued to adventure, because the experience was invaluable. Due to all the creatures the group had killed, they received a bonus. Jurot calculated the gold to be around three thousand, if it wasn¡¯t after a Great Twilight. With the roaming beasts around, he supposed they could manage to earn roughly a thousand gold, plus whatever bonus the group received. If they sold off the parts of the creatures, they could easily earn more. The guild handed over just under two thousand gold for their service, taking their fee from the reward. Adam stared down at it, realising each of them had earned just under a hundred gold each. ¡®Well, damn...¡¯ That was until he realised that the teens and Nobby all shared a single share. ¡°So that¡¯s what, fourteen shares for the gold?¡± Adam began to do what he dreaded most within his head. ¡°Let¡¯s call that...¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°Actually, if we say the party funds has a share, it works out at one twenty each.¡± ¡°That sounds good,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°Perfect. Jeremy, you can keep a full share, because I don¡¯t want to do any more maths today.¡± Adam waved his hand dismissively at the porter. Jeremy wanted to retort, but the entire journey had been rather exhausting, and terrifying. He had forgotten how crazy Adam was, but was glad that he paid appropriately. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°For staying out of their business,¡± Jaygak replied. Faool understood it was to do with the fact the Iyrmen had closed their gates, and he fell silent once more. ¡°I¡¯m not like Jurot, Kitool, or even Adam,¡± Jaygak said, pouring them each another cup. ¡°But even I can do this much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strong,¡± Laygak said, before drinking the wine. ¡°Anyone can become strong fighting side by side with Adam,¡± Jaygak stated, smiling towards them all. ¡°So make sure you stick by his side, and bring great glory for your families.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the teen Iyrmen replied, with far more vigor than when they were answering the guild worker. ¡®This is all I can do for you,¡¯ Jaygak thought, pouring them each another cup. Over the next few days, Adam relaxed and ate his food. The Iyrmen went about their rounds, sending information back to the Iyr, as well as receiving news. They were informed of the current events from the underground network. ¡°If you¡¯re staying here, we should head out to the west,¡± Dunes finally said over dinner one evening. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving on the morrow.¡± Adam frowned slightly, feeling the guilt eat away at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we haven¡¯t been more helpful, Dunes. I should have put it as my priority.¡± ¡°You have done so much for us, Adam,¡± Dunes replied, smiling reassuringly. ¡°I¡¯m sure you had something to do with bringing me together with Sara and Korin.¡± ¡°Lady Sara,¡± Korin corrected. Dunes threw a response back at him in Aswadian, before continuing to speak with Adam. ¡°If you can stay here and keep an eye out for her, it would be appreciated.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course.¡± Adam glanced between the trio. He couldn¡¯t blame them for wanting to leave, but it was rather dangerous. ¡®Aswadians travelling through Central Aldland? Sounds like a bad idea...¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t you take Jonn with you?¡± ¡®A Half Elf? What am I, an idiot?¡¯ ¡°Fred too.¡± ¡°You do not need to change your plans for us,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I¡¯m not changing no plans,¡± Adam said. ¡°Look, how about...¡± Adam paused for a moment to think. ¡°Take Jonn and Fred, and I¡¯ll feel more at ease. Jonn was once a member of an order, so he probably knows something about something, and Fred is an Aldishman, which should keep some people off your back. Actually, sending Vonda along with you might be best too.¡± ¡°I should remain here if you are to continue adventuring as you have,¡± Vonda said. ¡°You may need my healing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± ¡°Fred and Jonn are more than enough,¡± Dunes said. Adam slowly nodded his head, smiling sadly as he did. When he went to bed that evening, he thought about what he had to do. ¡®Damn it. I should have helped Dunes more. His friend was in trouble and all I¡¯ve been doing is slaying monsters. Then there¡¯s Freya too.¡¯ Adam rubbed his eyes as he stared up at the ceiling. ¡®I need to get to Level 7. No, Level 9? There¡¯s a rule about Fourth Gate spells or something...¡¯ The Half Elf sighed, losing himself to his thought. ¡®Bell, how much is it to increase my Trained Bonus?¡¯ [1000.] ¡®A thousand? What? Since when?¡¯ [Since Level 5.] Adam hit his head on his pillow, groaning quietly. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m this damn stupid...¡¯ XP: 10 000 -> 9000 Trained Bonus: +2 -> +3 ¡®I have what, 78 HP? 91 when I¡¯m Level 7. Fourth Gate spells too...¡¯ Adam thought about the Fourth Gate spells he would take. ¡®Just having more Mana would be good too.¡¯ Adam¡¯s thoughts fell to his children, who were being raised in the Iyr, and would soon be raised within the fort outside of the Main Iyr. ¡®No. Level 9 isn¡¯t good enough.¡¯ I can''t believe Adam is such an idiot to forget that he could increase his Trained Bonus. Wow. What an idiot. How could he forget something so important. >.> 549. Questing Again I 549. Questing Again I Omen: 9, 19 ¡°I can go,¡± Jaygak said, as the two groups began to prepare themselves. ¡°They could find my support useful.¡± ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam began, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Do you want me to die?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know how precarious the situation is. You know how badly they want to kill me. Do you want to give them more of a reason to want to kill me? They¡¯ll look at me and say, Adam, you did not allow Jaygak her glory, so now you must die.¡± Adam frowned. Jaygak blinked at the Half Elf. ¡°You don¡¯t think I want to go? Of course I do, but I know if I go with them, chances are, I¡¯ll get them killed. Fred and Jonn will do well enough, and I¡¯ll pray for their success.¡± ¡°Adam is right,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I appreciate your concern, but we should be safe. We will move along with other adventurers if we must.¡± Jaygak frowned, but allowed them to talk her out of it. She had thought she would be useful to them, far more useful than fighting in a tournament which she had no chance of winning, and a very low chance of placing. The groups made their way out, Dunes heading up north, and Adam¡¯s party heading westward along the southern river. Adam was still plagued by how he hadn¡¯t done much for Dunes. He sighed, wondering how he could help the Aswadian. There was the whole issue of the tournament, but the tournament was mostly a selfish desire for him and his Iyrman companions. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jurot could tell Adam wasn¡¯t telling the truth, but he didn¡¯t take it as Adam lying, but rather Adam trying to figure things out. The group began to make their outpost for the evening, creating it near the river. There was no protection afforded to them by the vast plains, and finding proper wood was slightly difficult, causing them to spread out further than expected. The Iyrmen made sure to plant whatever seeds they could, which would grow into great trees, expected to tower over them within a handful of years. Adam summoned his towers and then checked on the barrels of food and water, covering them with a tarp to protect them. He looked to Vonda, wondering if he should speak with her about her spells. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, looking out to the distance. ¡°What is it? What do your Iyrmen eyes see?¡± Adam asked, looking out to where Jurot was looking. Perception Check (Advantage) D20 + 4 = 14 (10) D20 + 4 = 7 (3) ¡°A noonval elk,¡± Jurot said, pointing towards a shadow far in the distance, which was a dark tan, matching the rest of the plains during the evening. ¡°Do you wish to slay it?¡±Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Is it a good fight?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Should we go kill it?¡± ¡°Yes. It is worth great coin and may contain a core.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Adam said, grabbing his shield. ¡°We should take it, you and I,¡± Jurot said, donning his own shield. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam said, looking out to it. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡®Bell, would the XP be only shared between us then?¡¯ Health: 78 -> 65 Adam and Jurot both charged for it, as it also reared up on its hind legs, before slamming down to charge towards them. Adam inhaled, focusing himself as he struck the noonvalk elk around its side, before nearly hacking off its leg. Jurot struck it against its other side, causing it to screech out in pain, before it slammed its head down onto the ground. Adam forced himself to move, striking the creature across its hind, almost killing it outright, as a sea of fire engulfed him and his brother. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 65 -> 70 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Mana: 11 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 21 (2, 5)(2, 5) 21 damage! Adam grit his teeth, focusing once more as he healed himself slightly, before he and his brother struck against it, managing to fell it with a final blow. His puthral armour glowed for a moment as the fire faded, and the noonval elk lay before them, dead. Victory! Noonval Elk XP Gained: +50 XP: 9000 -> 9050 ¡°That was easier than I expected,¡± Adam said. ¡®If I had used Wraith, I would have killed it earlier.¡¯ Jurot looked to Adam, and Adam could see the question in his eyes. Adam replied with a smirk, before Jurot lifted the giant elk up, which would have caused even Adam to struggle, and carried it back to the fort. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered, wondering how the Iyrman had become so strong that he could carry a noonval elk with such ease. Once they returned to the outpost, Jurot began to butcher it with Nirot¡¯s assistance, while Adam looked to the side, seeing Vonda beginning to cook. He blinked, having sworn he had seen Korin there for a moment, before recalling the young man had gone with Dunes. ¡°That was easier than I expected,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°It did burn quite nastily, though.¡± ¡°When near death, its strength increases,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Yeah, no doubt,¡± Adam said, doffing his armour so he could tend to it. ¡°Does it have a core?¡± Jurot stuck his arm deep into it, the blood spilling against the ground beneath them, before he pulled it back out. He revealed a tiny core, no bigger than Adam¡¯s pinky nail. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered, smiling. ¡°You think we¡¯ll find more creatures with cores?¡± ¡°It is likely,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Noonval is upon us, and therefore its creatures shall dot the land.¡± ¡°Is that how that works?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. He noticed Vonda out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope we won¡¯t have to kill much.¡± Jurot blinked towards the Half Elf, hoping otherwise. Omen: 5, 9 ¡°What are those?¡± Adam asked, staring off into the distance. ¡°Firehounds,¡± Jurot replied, simply. Adam slowly nodded his head. They were indeed hounds, and they were indeed on fire. ¡°They didn¡¯t call them noonval hounds?¡± ¡°Firehounds also appear at other times,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh.¡± I can''t believe Adam is such an idiot to forget that he could increase his Trained Bonus. Wow. What an idiot. How could he forget something so important. >.> 550. Questing Again II 550. Questing Again II The firehounds were of little consequence to the group, with Adam and Jurot killing one each quickly, and the other three finding themselves under the heavy brunt of sixteen others, some of whom did very little, and others who went on a rampage for blood. Victory! Firehounds XP Gained: +200 XP: 9050 -> 9250 The Iyrmen butchered the creatures, finding five cores, while placing their hides out to dry out. Adam and Vonda used their magics to speed up the process. ¡°Sorry about all the slaying,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°Some creatures may be slain to allow for safer travel,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°This year there is an influx of far too many creatures, and, so, it is permissible to cull them.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Adam still wasn¡¯t sure about it, but since Vonda had reassured him, he pushed away the thoughts. Omen: 5, 20 Several noonval wolves tried to bother the group, but quickly found themselves dead under the might of the group of seventeen. Victory! Noonval Wolves XP Gained: +100 XP: 9250 -> 9350 ¡®I wonder if they¡¯re Experts yet,¡¯ Adam thought. They had slain a great many creatures, and though they had to share the XP, they still gained a great amount. They had travelled together for some time, so he assumed that they were close enough to Experts, or at the very least, Nobby was close. ¡®Hey, Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®How close is Nobby to being an Expert?¡¯ Bell did not respond. ¡®Come on, don¡¯t be like that.¡¯ Bell remained silent. ¡®How much XP have I made total?¡¯ [Almost eighty thousand.] Adam whistled, causing the others to glance his way. ¡°Sorry, I was talking to myself in my head.¡± They left him in peace, understanding that Adam was Adam. ¡®If I didn¡¯t spend my XP on other stuff, I could have been Level 9 or so? That¡¯s not bad. Three levels isn¡¯t so bad, though I suppose I probably punch well above my weight regardless.¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Do you have any recommendations for me?¡¯ [No.] ¡®Do you want to talk about anything?¡¯ [No.] ¡®Okay.¡¯ Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 22 (3, 5)(2, 5) 22 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 12 (1) D20 + 11 = 24 (13) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 25 (4, 5)(4, 5) 25 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 14 (3) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) Hit! Mana: 19 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 25 (1, 5)(6, 6) 25 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) D20 + 11 = 25 (14) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 22 (3, 3)(4, 5) 22 damage! Jurot¡¯s entire body unfurled into a raging leap, as his entire body turned red hot with rage, and he swung his axe with such might, he cut through the body of his firta, which engulfed him for but a moment, before it almost entirely dissipate into nothingness. The flames tried to reform themselves as Jaygak¡¯s Stormdrake crackled with lightning through them, destroying the flames. Adam inhaled for a moment, feeling the heat of the creatures, before he stepped forward and swung towards the creature made of fire, managing to sink his axe deep into the flames. He almost expended a charge of his Wraith, but decided against it, instead carving into the flames until they were almost gone. Stormdrake cut through the last of the flames, and they were left with a final firta. The final firta swam around Jurot, trapping him in a sea of fire, burning him slightly with its flames. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 25 (14) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Mana: 17 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 29 (5, 6)(5, 6) 29 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 17 (1) D20 + 11 = 27 (16) Hit! Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 7 = 20 (2,2)(3, 6) 20 damage! Jurot did not inhale, instead roaring as he swung wildly with his axe, cutting into the flames raging around him. Adam¡¯s axe and Jaygak¡¯s blade cut into the fire, swiping them out, while Jurot continued to burn. Victory! Firtas XP Gained: +300 XP: 9350 -> 9650 ¡°Jurot, you okay?¡± Adam asked, watching as the flames continued to spread across Jurot. The Iyrman dropped onto the ground before rolling around, putting out the fire. Adam looked out to the flames spreading across the plains, before using his magic to put it out before it became too much to handle. Jaygak glanced between the pair, each of whom who had managed to nearly slay a firta with ease, while she barely struck them to finish them off. Even when she held resistance to fire, somehow the easiest enemies for her to face ended up being so easily dealt with by the pair. The teen Iyrmen watched from the outpost, nodding their heads approvingly. Nirot and Laygak inhaled deeply, puffing out their chests in pride, seeing how well their cousins fought. The back of Naqokan¡¯s mind tingled. She had watched how the trio had fought over the passing months, and she could feel her mind fill with greater insights. It wasn¡¯t just about how to move one¡¯s weapons, but also how to move one¡¯s body. Jurot, though unarmoured, moved as though he wore armour. He allowed himself to take strikes that could kill any normal Aldishman in order to grant himself a greater boon against his foes. Jaygak fought in a way that was very much not like an Iyrman, for she hesitated a half step. Yet, thanks to that, she was able to react to the scene as it unfolded. If she had faced the third firta, then the other two firtas would have engulfed the area in greater fire, which would have led to disastrous consequences. Adam... Adam was Adam. Even without fighting, the teens could feel themselves grow more experienced. Such a process was typically much slower than actively fighting, and yet, somehow, they were filled with greater knowledge and wisdom of battle. Their eyes fell to Adam, who picked up a core. Health: 83 -> 82 He gasped and tossed it between his hands, blowing against the core to cool it down, while Jaygak picked the others up, smirking at him playfully. Though she smirked playfully, Jurot could see the strain against her brows. I can''t believe Adam is such an idiot to forget that he could increase his Trained Bonus. Wow. What an idiot. How could he forget something so important. >.> 551. Questing Again III 551. Questing Again III Omen: 10, 15 Four boars charged their way towards the outpost. Each was larger than the boars they had seen previously, slightly larger than even giant boars. Their fur was partly ablaze, smoke trailing behind them. ¡°Noonval boars or flameboars?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Noonval boars,¡± Jurot replied. Adam nodded, following Jurot, Jaygak, Lucy, and Mara out. The teen Iyrmen, as well as Nobby and Remy, stepped after them, remaining slightly behind the group. It didn¡¯t take long for the group to deal with the boars, along with the support of the two archers from the walls. Victory! Noonval Boars XP Gained: +250 XP: 9650 -> 9900 Jaygak sheathed Stormdrake and approached the noonval boars. She squatted down beside the creatures, running a hand along their fur, which was hot to the touch. ¡®Four noonval boars?¡¯ Jurot kept an eye on Jaygak, wondering what she was thinking. ¡°Beast Wave?¡± Bavin asked. Nirot slowly nodded her head, narrowing her eyes. She, too, thought about what these creatures meant. ¡°It¡¯s rare to see only four noonval boars,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°If they are not with a group of smaller boars, then it¡¯s likely a Beast Wave will appear soon.¡± ¡°We should return back to the city, or we will find ourselves in great danger,¡± Jurot said, looking to Adam. Adam looked up towards the sky, the sun having already passed high noon. If they were to leave now, they¡¯d get the city around night, if they marched quickly with few breaks. ¡°Yeah.¡± The group chose against dismantling the fort, in case the time spent would set them too far behind, or in case they needed to retreat to it for some reason. The group moved with great efficiency, with Lucy and Mara keeping an eye out, while Remy and Jurot confirmed whether everything was strapped correctly. Adam looked at the towers he had summoned, tapping them gently for their hard work in keeping them protected, and clean. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Lucy called, motioning her head. The Demon remained staring at the distance as Jaygak approached, the Devilkin looking out to the landscape, wondering why she had been called. The Demon whispered. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m...¡± Jaygak remained staring out to the landscape, wondering what she was really asking. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lucy replied, saying no more. After a few moments, Jaygak pulled away. She glanced back towards Lucy as she stepped away, but she said no more. Jaygak wondered why Lucy had been so quiet during the days they had been here, even allowing them to fight the Fire Elementals without her. The group began their journey back to the capital of East Aldland, marching along the wide road quickly. Zeus pulled the cart along at their pace, while Hades circled around them, keeping an eye out. Adam had cast the tower spell once in the morning, rested to regain his Mana, and waited until the evening to cast the second tower spell, that way they would always have one up if something were to happen. He had all of his Mana thanks to his routine, but even though he could still fight at his peak, his nerves ate away at his gut. Quest Complete: Experts Rising XP Gained: +200 XP: 10 600 -> 10 800 Adam whistled, smiling. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m wrong. It appears to be the case he¡¯s already an Expert.¡± ¡°I will train with him in the mornings to assist him,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Careful he doesn¡¯t accidentally beat you like he almost did to me,¡± Adam said, before his eyes fell to Brittany, who was sitting in the corner with Jaygak. The young woman was looking at her mug of ale, staring at her reflection, a frown on her face. ¡®She¡¯s probably an Expert too, then?¡¯ ¡°I will see to it that Brittany is training,¡± Kitool said, causing the young woman to perk up. ¡°Good stuff!¡± Adam grinned wide. ¡°It¡¯s a little late, but if you consider it hasn¡¯t even been half a year, I suppose we were right about making them Experts quick, eh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you do not know how to rest properly,¡± Jaygak accused, doing her best not to think about how ridiculous it all was. ¡°I know how to rest properly!¡± Adam retorted, crossing his arms. ¡°Just you wait until we head back the Iyr, I¡¯m going to rest like nobodies business. Anyway, let¡¯s drink and eat our fill.¡± Omen: 9, 15 ¡°Nobby is close,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°He will need to train with me to stabilise his strength.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you,¡± Adam said, patting his brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Since you¡¯re both Experts, I¡¯ll need to pay you more too. We¡¯ll figure it out soon, but why don¡¯t you take the day off and enjoy yourselves? Ah, right, I should probably congratulate you properly.¡± Nobby and Brittany stared down at the strings of gold coins before them. There were five for each of them, and each string held ten gold coins. ¡°This is for us?¡± Brittany asked, staring at the fifty gold. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied simply. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d spend it on a new set of weapons. Since you¡¯re working for the Enchanter, I¡¯m sure they might be able to do something for you...¡± Adam winked. ¡°Take Jurot or Kitool with you, since they¡¯re the ones that probably know you best, and as Iyrmen, they probably know what a good weapon feels like.¡± The pair left with Jurot, doing as Adam had advised, since the weapons would keep them alive. They didn¡¯t have to worry about payment much, even without knowing that Adam was giving them each an additional fifty gold, since he would be paying them while taking care of their needs. Jurot thought about how quickly he had become an Expert, and how quickly Nobby had become an Expert soon after. At first he had thought it was a fluke since he had assisted in killing a Dragon, but Nobby? Nobby hadn¡¯t really reached such a great height in terms of feats, and yet he was already so strong. Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if, at his strength, he could face Nobby. Yes, he was slightly more experienced, but Nobby¡¯s raw, natural abilities were even greater than his own. He felt the tingling sensation, his hair standing on end, as excitement overwhelmed him for a moment. Kitool stepped beside Jurot, her shadow casting over him to cool him down, before they continued to find their trainees weapons. ¡®I should put some more coins in their accounts too. Ah, right, I need to do that too. Should I do it today?¡¯ Adam looked towards the farmers. He spent his day at the guild, relaxing as he chatted with his companions, eating and drinking. He didn¡¯t want to spend the day on his feet, so decided against doing much. No! How can they do this to us? Bloodthirsty Iyrmen retreating from a fight? 552. Business I 552. Business I Nobby and Brittany returned a couple of hours later, with fresh weapons at their side. Nobby revealed his new axe and shield, each simple in design, but more than likely well made. Brittany revealed a pair of shortswords, which were also simple in design, but seemed to be well made. ¡°Not a bow?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I already have a deadwood bow,¡± Brittany said. ¡°Magical arrows are easier to lose.¡± ¡°A fair point,¡± Adam replied, smiling at the pair. ¡®I should make them each +1 weapons. Brittany already has a +1 shortsword, but it¡¯s not exactly hers.¡¯ Brittany still wasn¡¯t sure if she was actually an Expert, though Kitool had confirmed she was close. An Expert. Someone who could easily dispatch the average person, even when facing multiple people at once. She could feel a slightly tingling sensation in her gut, but it quickly disappeared when she remembered the old man they had met in the previous year. Adam, who could easily dispatch Experts, had fallen instantly to him. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you think our adorable cousins are already crawling?¡± Adam asked, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s about that time, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Children grow strong in the Iyr,¡± the Iyrman replied. ¡°I am sure they are crawling well.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam whispered, frowning. ¡°How can they do this to me?¡± As the hours passed, Adam called for the farmers into a private room of the guild, one of the many facilities the guild provided to the adventurers. The room was fairly plain, and Adam ordered food for the group to eat as they discussed. ¡°Thank you for meeting with me,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake their forearms, before motioning for them to eat and drink at their leisure. ¡°Of course,¡± Rick replied, settling himself opposite Adam, beside his companions. He waited for Adam to broach the topic as he helped himself to some fried doughy snacks. ¡°We haven¡¯t known each other that long,¡± Adam began. ¡°Roughly a year.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rick replied. ¡°I¡¯ve known Nobby only a little longer,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I met him about two years ago now, near the beginning. He was a porter, like his uncles, but Jurot was smitten with his physique. Not in a weird way, of course, just in the way that he wished to make the boy a cold blooded killer.¡± Rick slowly nodded his head as he listened to Adam¡¯s words. The pair lived in different worlds, so it was still weird for Jurot to want to make someone into a cold blooded killer, in his humble opinion. ¡°Two years and he became an Expert. Technically this is the third year, but roughly two years, right?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°So the business will provide education?¡± Rick asked. ¡°I know my letters and numbers, I had to, but the business will provide education for others too?¡± ¡°All members of the business will learn their letters and numbers,¡± Adam assured. ¡°These benefits will also extend to your spouses, and your children.¡± Rick narrowed his eyes further, noticing the smile on Adam¡¯s face. It was innocent, but there was a slight hint of a smirk. ¡°Words. Numbers. Religion, if it¡¯s appropriate,¡± Adam offered. ¡°How much will these benefits cost?¡± Adam tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°How much will housing, food, and education cost us, and how much are we going to be paid?¡± Rick was sure Adam had said it was all free, but he probably meant that some of these things would be free. ¡°Let¡¯s take a step back for a moment,¡± Adam said, slightly confused. ¡°The business probably won¡¯t pay a lot of coin monthly, however, these benefits are all benefits you¡¯ll receive on top of your pay. They won¡¯t cost anything.¡± Rick leaned back, trying to process what Adam was saying. ¡°Healthcare, housing, food, and education, are all free?¡± He couldn¡¯t have misheard twice, could he? ¡°Like I said, you won¡¯t be earning much coin on top of these benefits, but all basic needs will be dealt with by the business. Eventually, the business will expand to an inn, so we¡¯ll need farmers and such, fresh food that we can use to make the most delicious meals.¡± As Adam spoke, he wasn¡¯t sure how feasible an inn would be. Though he was excited for it, enchanting provided so much more coin for the time involved, and a single business was much easier to deal with than managing so many different inns. ¡°If we were Experts, how much would you pay?¡± Rick asked. ¡°I assume you wouldn¡¯t want us as farmers?¡± ¡°Well, you might have to work as farmers, but as a guard...¡± Adam tried to think about how much he wanted to pay them. Technically, they were already decently strong before they joined the party, around Level 3 or so. However, Level 5 was quite different. He recalled the price being roughly one hundred gold a month or so. ¡°We¡¯re figuring that out still,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t join our business for the pay, you¡¯d join because it¡¯s stable living, with all your basic, and less basic, needs dealt with. You¡¯d make enough money that you could spend it on some fun weekly, at least, and it would depend on the rank, how long you¡¯ve worked there, so on. Of course, if you work as a guard, expect some magical weapons coming your way in the future.¡± Rick leaned in, narrowing his eyes, his eyes stern. ¡°Magical weapons?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, as though it were obvious. Rick blinked, trying to understand what he was hearing. Most of their needs would be dealt with, save for clothing and taxes, and they would have free healthcare, housing, food, and education. Education alone was worth accepting the deal, even if they received almost nothing as payment. Yet, there was also a magical weapon on offer? ¡®He¡¯s crazy.¡¯ Thus begins Adam''s empire building. 553. Business II 553. Business II ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention that we worked for an enchanter?¡± Adam asked, glancing between them. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of people willing to pay you, what, fifty gold per month? One hundred gold a month for an Expert? Still, how much of that month would you send home? How much of that money would be used to maintain your equipment? How much of that money would be spent on potions for healing?¡± ¡°A fair amount,¡± Rick admitted. Though Experts earned a lot of coin, it came with the expectation that they were in danger at all times. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with those sort of things through the business. You don¡¯t have to worry about your equipment, potions and such. All you need to worry about is where you¡¯re going to spend your money. Now, who can offer an Expert an enchanted weapon to borrow, and then eventually, keep?¡± Adam tapped his chest. ¡°This guy. I mean, obviously the business, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°We would borrow the weapon and then we would be able to earn it?¡± Rick asked. ¡°How long would that take?¡± He noticed Charley was tapping her knee, falling deep into thought. There were no doubt many questions she had too, but she remained silent, leaving it to Rick. ¡°After enough years of service, you¡¯ll keep the weapon,¡± Adam assured. ¡°How many years?¡± Adam remained silent for a short while, thinking. A Basic magical weapon typically went for about a thousand, which was more money than they¡¯d probably ever be able to save. ¡°Do you have any recommendations?¡± ¡°An Expert makes roughly fifty to one hundred gold each month. If they saved every penny, then a year or two, but that doesn¡¯t include the shelter and food. If they had the discipline to save and scrimp, then that might be realistic, but that isn¡¯t reasonable. I¡¯d say four or five years.¡± ¡°Sure, but if they had to send money back home to their family, it¡¯d take longer, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Then there¡¯s the matter of buying appropriate gear to make sure they don¡¯t die, as well as health potions and such, again, to make sure they don¡¯t die.¡± Rick nodded his head, agreeing with Adam¡¯s statement. It did take a long while for most people to save up when they worked as mercenaries. ¡°Still, five years isn¡¯t a terrible idea,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though I heard that the price of magical weapons is fluctuating due to the war.¡± ¡®Five years might be good, but ten years might make more sense? Unless we also offer magical shields and armour?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll have to think about that a little deeper, since we may also offer magical armours too.¡± Rick was now certain Adam was crazy. He hadn¡¯t heard of such an offer in his entire life. ¡°We should probably also discuss hours. If you¡¯re a guard, and you¡¯re at the business, then I expect something like... six hours a day, six days a week? Something like that? It would depend on the number of guards, but that would be the end goal.¡± ¡°Though, if they do end up learning a greater trade, then we will need them to sign a contract stating they will work for the business for much longer than typical,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll allow them to buy their way out of the contract, though it¡¯ll be quite costly. I want to make it difficult for you to leave after we provided you with all the benefits, but I don¡¯t want to force you to be with us forever if you don¡¯t want to be.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t speak for anyone else here, but I will accept,¡± Rick said. ¡°If what you¡¯re telling me is right, that you¡¯ll take care of all our needs, and you¡¯ll offer my children the same, and educate them with a trade so they can live decent lives, then I¡¯ll accept.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear, Rick. I¡¯ll get the contract written up once the business is up and running properly.¡± ¡®I still need to figure out how businesses operate in Aldland. Ah, well, can¡¯t I just pay someone else to do that?¡¯ ¡°If you really will take care of our needs, from clothing to food to shelter, then I suppose I could spend the gold on paint supplies,¡± John said, his thoughts trailing off. Adam looked to Charley, whose fingers were tapping along her thigh. ¡°You can spend the spare coin on dyes.¡± He smirked slightly. Charley replied with a similar smirk. ¡°I could...¡± ¡°Of course, if you¡¯re an archer, a magical bow, or sets of arrows, will be offered instead,¡± Adam said, looking to Ivy, who remained half hidden under her cloak, still hunched over. ¡°Though, I¡¯m sure the Enchanter will probably provide a few magical arrows when you go out on duty, if they¡¯ve enchanted any. It won¡¯t be good to lose capable warriors by being stingy.¡± Adam looked to Greg, thinking about what to say to him. He really didn¡¯t have much, he supposed, since Greg was always so quiet. ¡°Anyhow, this was just me telling you about the business and what to expect. We¡¯ll figure out the proper terms later, and then you can accept or decline then. Our current deal, with everyone earning the same share, remains intact, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that. However, if you need to send more gold back home, let me know and I¡¯ll send some coin back to your families. I¡¯ve got enough coin to deal with it from my personal purse, but we can also use the party fund.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve send coin home already, but thank you,¡± Rick said, not wanting to give Adam too much leverage over them. ¡°Once the loot is split, we¡¯ll be able to send more home.¡± ¡°Good shout. Alright, well, enjoy the snacks and drinks, on me. I¡¯ve got to speak with the other Executives about the matter, and bring them up some concerns that our future employees may have.¡± Adam winked. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to speak to them about the matter of magical weapons, and also the pay for Experts and such.¡± As he stepped out, a thought came to Adam. ¡®This is becoming more expensive than I originally thought.¡¯ Free clothing, housing, food, clothes, healthcare, education, gear, magical gear, a day off every week, a month of paid holidays, and twenty gold a month? This really is a fantasy novel. 554. Business III 554. Business III ¡®I need to finish learning the formula for the enchantment, and then I should be able to make more weapons easily,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Now that I think about it, is making a formula for weapons even feasible? Bell?¡¯ [Yes.]Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡®Oh, great.¡¯ Adam continued to think about the formula. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s mostly just trying to mass produce weapons as cheap as possible. I need to be able to make swords and spears quickly.¡¯ Adam returned back to his room to gather his thoughts. ¡®There¡¯s probably a way to make an assembly line, right? There must be. I suppose that won¡¯t work for enchanting, but for making swords and spears? There¡¯s got to be a way to do that.¡¯ ¡®I can enchant fire swords, but is mass producing Basic magical weapons better? I¡¯d probably earn less, but they would be easier to enchant for...¡¯ Adam realised he was the only enchanter. ¡®I need more enchanters. I wonder if there¡¯s a way I can teach others how to enchant?¡¯ He thought back to how he had Awakened Churot¡¯s magical abilities using his XP, and how it had drained him terribly. ¡®+1 weapons, +1 with an additional enchantment...¡¯ Adam supposed they sold for roughly a thousand, and a thousand and a half each, or so. ¡®+2 weapons probably sell for way more though. Can I mass produce them? How much does a +2 weapon go for anyway? Two, maybe three thousand? No, they must be rare, so even more? Four thousand? Five?¡¯ Adam crossed his arms, trying to gather himself. ¡®A basic weapon which regains charges daily. That way it can¡¯t be spammed, in case they end up using it against the Iyr, or if I have to come across it. Just an additional 1D6 damage, like a smite. Should I make weapons which can cast a spell once per day instead? They¡¯d probably sell for quite a bit. What if I made a combination of the two?¡¯ Adam¡¯s thoughts fell to how technology had evolved within his lifetime. ¡®I should stagger the releases of each new enchantment, probably. After a few years, I could probably combine both. No, no, once I bring that into the world, it¡¯ll be hard to stop that sort of thing. It¡¯s way too deadly. I should probably market my weapons somehow, with quality, reliability, and being an all around pompous prick, people love that.¡¯ Adam smiled to himself. ¡®If I market my weapons to be of... no, wait. Couldn¡¯t I do both? Have a set of weapons for the masses, and then a more bespoke thing? That might work. Though, I would like to mass produce the weapons that are higher end too. Should I find better materials to make those weapons? So the enchantment can be a slightly higher tier, but the materials are nicer. I could mark them up way more...¡¯ However, there was quite a huge issue which lay in front of Adam. ¡®I need to bribe the nobles. If they want to stop my business, they could do it pretty easily. I¡¯ll need to ingratiate myself with a high ranking noble. A marquis? Isn¡¯t the ruler of this place a duchess? Duchess Eastsea, I think?¡¯ Adam let out a long sigh. ¡®I¡¯ll need to bribe her to get her on my side, and then use her as a shield if anyone tries to come for me. Even the king will have to be wary of offending one of his greatest allies.¡¯ Adam looked over to the supplies he had placed to the side. ¡®Then there¡¯s the matter of alchemy. I should really make more healing potions...¡¯ Adam sat up. ¡®Wait. Are there other enchanters in this land? There must be, right? The Iyr has a few, but I haven¡¯t heard of an Aldish enchanter yet. Plus, I¡¯ll need to figure out who makes health potions too. If I try to step on another noble¡¯s toes, or gods forbid, the clergy¡¯s toes, I¡¯ll find myself burnt at the stake.¡¯ Adam lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. ¡®Who the hell am I going to teach how to enchant too? I¡¯ll give away my identity to the others. Dunes, Vonda, and some of the rest know, but I trust them enough not to spill my secrets. Rick? The others?¡¯ ¡®Churot? Churot. Churot? Maybe. I have to pick someone who has Mana, meaning Wizards and Blood Mages. The Iyr probably has a few Blood Mages, but...¡¯ Adam wondered just how much influence the Iyr should have over the business. It was then he remembered that he had given it all to his Aunt, and a board of Directors formed by the other families in the shared estate. ¡®It¡¯s too late to try and distance myself now...¡¯ ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called as he approached the Iyrman, who was sitting down with his cousins. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk.¡± Jurot, who had gotten used to Adam¡¯s antics, blinked. He recalled how Adam had Awakened Churot into a Scribe Mage, though he wasn¡¯t sure of the details. ¡°You are able to Awaken more Scribe Mages?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Adam said. ¡°I could probably Awaken another person,¡± Adam said, his eyes glancing to the side to check his XP, ¡°two people.¡± Jurot noted Adam¡¯s eyes glance aside, as though he was reading something. However, he remained silent, for what he must know, he knew. Jurot wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to Adam¡¯s words. ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Hmmm...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°I¡¯d rather they be Iyrmen, since I trust you all. I¡¯d rather have Iyrmen who can enchant rather than strangers. They need to know magic, so...¡± ¡®Jonn? Dunes and Vonda? They already have their own things to do, though. Jonn¡¯s meant to be teaching too, and protecting my children.¡¯ Jurot remained silent, trying to take in what Adam had said. ¡°You should speak with the Chief when we return.¡± ¡°I should?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°No, I suppose you¡¯re right. I should speak with him about a lot of things...¡± Eventually, the pair made their way out, returning back to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. ¡®How does he know all these places anyway?¡¯ Adam thought, but he dared not to ask, just in case it was the Iyr¡¯s secret. For what he must know, he knew. Adam returned to find his group relaxing together, many having returned from a day of enjoying the markets. He noted Jaygak sharing a look with Jurot, but said nothing about it as he dropped down to one side. Adam continued to think about his business, trying to find ways to make more money. He realised that he¡¯d have to dip into being evil if he really wanted to make a lot of money, but he wasn¡¯t sure how far he¡¯d be willing to go. Then, a thought crossed his mind. He looked to the three Iyrmen who had adventured with him the most, from his brother Jurot, to the trickster Jaygak, to the quiet, wise Kitool. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jaygak asked, noting the look on his face. ¡°Just some business stuff,¡± Adam replied, returning back to his meal of boar stew, which had been on the menu for a short while now. ¡®I didn¡¯t even ask them if they wanted to be Executives of the business, I just forced them into it. I can¡¯t be forcing everyone to do what I want...¡¯ ¡°Do you think Tavgak and Kavgak are already crawling?¡± Jaygak asked, trying to cheer Adam up. ¡°How can you do this to me, Jaygak?¡± Adam whispered, frowning. Jaygak :( 555. Temple I 555. Temple I Omen: 6, 12 Adam awoke early next morning, stretching out his entire body. He had thought more about his business, and the manner in which he wanted to proceed. After his morning bath, spending far too long relaxing in the hot water, he made his way down for breakfast. He found some of his companions together in their own corner, though noted the lack of Iyrmen, as well as Nobby and Brittany. ¡°Morning,¡± Adam said, dropping down beside Vonda, who he had spent some time thinking about. ¡°Good morning, Adam,¡± Vonda greeted. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°I did, and yourself?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Are you enjoying East Port?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Adam continued to nod his head slowly, and Vonda waited for him to continue. ¡°You, uh, you know, the business?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam glanced around and whispered, doing his best to make sure no one could see his lips either. ¡°You¡¯re still willing to join?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°With a shrine to Mother Soza and all?¡± The Priest bowed her head slowly. She had to make plans for retirement since she was an Expert. Chances were, she¡¯d retire within the next ten years, after she¡¯d learn Fourth Gate spells, due to the laws surrounding those who learnt greater spells. Adam¡¯s offer was perfect. ¡°I will teach the workers and those who wish to become Priests to the good mother will learn our magic, and the business must not send them to battle,¡± Vonda said, quietly. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s all good, still?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± Adam had wanted to make sure, just in case Vonda had changed her mind. However, it would take many years to train anyone to learn magic, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to start until next year anyway. However, having the name Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose attached to his business would lend it some credibility. Food was brought out as the Iyrmen returned. The group prayed before eating. Adam prayed too, lightly. ¡®Baktu, thanks for all you¡¯ve done. I thank all the gods for what you¡¯ve done too. Unless you¡¯re evil, then no thanks to you. Actually, thanks to you too, since I don¡¯t want you to bother me either. Thank you.¡¯ ¡°I should visit a temple,¡± Adam said, rubbing his stomach once he was done with his meal. ¡®Being a Priest sure is easy, knowing all those spells without having to...¡¯ Vonda smiled, before noticing the look on Adam¡¯s face. Jurot, too, noted the look on Adam¡¯s face. ¡®Bell?¡¯ ¡°We should go pray too,¡± Jeremy said, looking to his cousin and nephew. Since they had managed to earn some coin, they should probably thank the divine. Rick looked to the farmers, who nodded. It wouldn¡¯t do for them, peasants who earned very little coin, not to pay respect to the divine when they came into coin, especially since they gave so little compared to the nobles. Adam wondered how much gold he should take with him. ¡®I suppose I should take enough to drop at least a gold to each god, but also a few more to my favourites?¡¯ However, he wasn¡¯t sure how many gods there were, nor if minor gods would be included. Adam decided to break some of his gems down so he had more coin to spend to the gods. ¡®Just you wait until after the tournament, I¡¯ll be flush with so much coin.¡¯ ¡°You should leave your weapons behind,¡± Vonda said, noting Adam had returned with Wraith at his side. Adam looked down at Wraith. He blinked. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± The group, once they had placed their weapons aside, made their way towards the temple, with Vonda leading the way. They passed over various bridges, and though several districts, before making their way towards the sea. Vonda led them to a long wall, with several archways dotted along it, going further and further away. Clusters of people shifted through the archways. Several guards stood outside the gates, each wearing breastplates, and carrying blades at their side. They also wore amulets, with the symbol of a star within a circle. ¡°Halt,¡± a guard said, stopping the group. ¡°You cannot bring your shield.¡± ¡°It is my holy symbol,¡± Vonda said, unstrapping it from her back to show them the symbol against the front. ¡°Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± The guards pat their chests, greeting Vonda, before allowing the group inside. Adam had expected to find a large building within the wall, but realised he hadn¡¯t seen anything too large, save for the trees. This place was not like the temples he was used to, as rather than one large building, Adam found something more akin to a village. Dozens of colourful buildings, and a great number of fountains and stalls. Adam could spot a priest no matter where he looked, finding them swarming around the place, adorned in their fine garbs, each muted or monochrome in design. The commoners moved through the area, wearing their most colourful attire, following the flows of traffic dictated by the pathways, which were separated by greenery, all leading to a place where they could admire something. They would be greeted by statues, religious artefacts, stalls, or priests who would speak sermons and old tales. People would place down a copper for each attraction, which was enough for the entire family to partake. ¡°This is a temple?¡± Adam asked, finding it seemed more like an amusement part, eyeing up the area ahead where people were buying food from the stalls. However, it didn¡¯t end there, for the entire area, which was already quite wide, as much longer, and disappeared behind distant buildings. He wondered how many people there were, and assumed the number reached well into the thousands. ¡°This is the temple district,¡± Vonda confirmed, before leading them forward. They passed through the attractions, and Vonda led them towards the first temple of many, which was formed of black stone. The priests were adorned in black garbs too, and carried at their side small daggers. They were currently cooking large pots of food, and were pouring food into metal trays, and were handing out the food to any person walking past, seemingly for no coin. Many only spent moments within the dark temple, quickly praying before the statue of a young child sat upon a throne of bone, though many of the older generation spent more time sitting at the benches around the temple, speaking eagerly with one another, and the priests. Adam eyed up the statue, which was intricate and detailed, save for the face which was vague and nondescript. Adam tried to recall how Lord Sozain looked when they had last met, but found it difficult to find any details. ¡®I should have expected that.¡¯ The farmers and the porters placed their coins at the long box at the foot of the statue, where the silver coins clinked, and dropped to a knee. They began to pray quietly, muttering to the God of Death. Adam placed down an obsidian gem into the box, before dropping to a knee. ¡®Hey, Baktu, how are you? It¡¯s been quite a while, how come you never call? Did you find a new chaotic little Half Elf? I¡¯m just letting you know, but I¡¯m the best little Half Elf. Think about it. Who else has such adorable children? That¡¯s right. Don¡¯t forget my cute little sister, neither.¡¯ Adam cleared his throat, shaking his head. ¡®Sorry. You know how I am. I hope you¡¯re well. If you need anything, I mean, not that you need anything, but if you would like my assistance you can just send me a message. I was hoping that I could pray to you, but I was looking at the Forge Priests. Is there any chance we-,¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda gasped. Adam threw a glance back over his shoulder towards her, shocked she¡¯d disrupt his prayers, but followed her eyes to the statue. Lord Sozain¡¯s eyes were glowing, but they faded slightly as the glow shifted to the donation box. Adam remained silent as the priests quickly darted towards him, clutching at their blades, while checking the donation box. ¡®Baktu damn it.¡¯ Surely Adam isn''t going to start bother with the gods... 556. Temple II 556. Temple II The priests were ready to strike, though Adam remained still, doing his best to make himself appear less of a threat. He was glad he was unarmed and unarmoured, otherwise they would have had an excuse to deal with him. ¡®Thank you, Sir Vonda.¡¯ A few of the priests unlocked the donation box, finding the source of the glow. It was a gem, obsidian, which was morphing, becoming rounder and thinner. As it morphed, etched within was the symbol of Lord Sozain, that of an eye within a circle. He had many symbols all across the different lands, but this symbol was the very same which had been adopted by the Iyr. The ever watching eye, for none could escape the sight of death. The priests remained frozen, staring at the symbol. Their own symbol was that of a skull within a circle, but this symbol was well known within Aldland still, for many Iyrmen wore it. ¡°I suppose Lord Sozain has answered my prayers,¡± Adam said, keeping his voice even, beginning to sweat. He could still sense the open blades, and the piercing gazes upon his back. ¡°What were your prayers?¡± came a raspy voice of the eldest priest, who looked as though he was going to meet the God of Death any second now. He was perhaps in his eighties or nineties, with rivers of wrinkles across his face. He wore the deep black of the Death Priests, and carried at his side a blade. He was one of the few who had not drawn his blade. Dangling from his neck was a wooden amulet, that with the Aldish symbol of the God of Death. ¡°I asked him how he was, and was rather sad he didn¡¯t call for me. I spoke of my adorable children, and then apologised. I said if he ever wanted my assistance, he could have it. Then I asked him to answer my prayers if I ever wished to grant my blessings, though I did not wish to become a Priest of Death, but rather, a Priest of the Forge, and then...¡± Adam motioned his head to the gem. ¡°I suppose he answered my prayers by changing my offering?¡± ¡®He speaks like a fool,¡¯ the Head Priest thought, staring down at Adam. Though he was old and thin, he stood tall and wide, as though he were a man half his age, and twice as strong. ¡°I am Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda began, clasping her hands together as she greeted the Head Priest. The Head Priest¡¯s eyes fell to Vonda, softening slightly. He reached out a hand, and held hers. ¡°It has been many years since I have seen you, young Vonda.¡± ¡°It has been some time, Father,¡± Vonda replied, bowing her head slightly, revealing some of her burn marks under her scarf. The Head Priest¡¯s eyes lingered on the burn marks, which confirmed her identity, and his eyes fell back to Adam. ¡°Is this young Half Elf a companion of yours?¡± ¡°He is,¡± Vonda confirmed. The old man let go of Vonda¡¯s hand and motioned a hand to the other priests around them, who stepped back and began to clear out the area, sending the old men away, as well as blocking off the area for other visitors. They carried their large pots and crates outside, so they could still offer free food to the people who passed by. ¡°What is your name?¡± the Head Priest asked. ¡°My name is Adam Fateson, good Father.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt by the words, but what more could he do? ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Father Death took the obsidian disc from the priest who had picked it up, and felt how cool it was to the touch. He stared at the symbol, which was definitely of Baktu, the Iyr¡¯s bastardisation of Lord Sozain. He wondered if he should keep it, and while he thought of keeping it, it flashed almost ice cold. He held the holy symbol out towards Adam. ¡°Lord Sozain has accepted your prayers, young Adam.¡± ¡°Glory be to Lord Sozain,¡± Adam replied, bowing slightly as he accepted the symbol with both hands, cautiously staring into the Father¡¯s eyes, noting the hint of greed which quickly faded. ¡°It is great news that Lord Sozain has picked someone to follow him so intimately.¡± ¡°I only hope that I can be half as devout as yourself, Father Death,¡± Adam replied, trying to remain subservient and charming. Father Death could still see that Adam was nervous, and he smiled. ¡°If you wish to pray, you may come to any of our temples within East Port. I will inform them to treat you well, Adam Fateson.¡± ¡°Thank you dearly,¡± Adam said, holding the holy symbol tight in his hands. ¡°I will be participating in the tournament soon, and once I earn some coin, I¡¯ll be able to donate more to the great God of Death, who always watches over me.¡± ¡°The God of Death will always accept coin, but the coin of the dead is worth more to Lord Sozain, than those of the living,¡± Father Death stated, his tone of voice light considering the unintentional threat. ¡°Of course.¡± Adam bowed his head again. ¡°I, uh, I¡¯ll leave another obsidian gem here for my offering, and I think, maybe, I should leave the temple, since there¡¯s been a bit of a situation.¡± ¡°If that is what you prefer,¡± the Head Priest said, motioning a hand towards the temple, and having his priests assist the group out. He watched Adam leave through the back. As a Priest of Death, he could see how little the Aura of Death clung to the boy, so he could only wonder why Lord Sozain picked him. ¡®Is it because of his potential for death?¡¯ Adam and his group managed to slip away from the temple district through the back, heading around the back all the way to the middle of the district, where they could step back onto a path and in the middle of the large crowds. They left casually, as though they hadn¡¯t just caused a stir near one side of the district. ¡°You always cause such trouble, Adam,¡± Vonda said, her eyes smiling towards him. ¡°What can I say?¡± Adam asked, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m so charming that even the Lord of Death loves me.¡± He held onto the disc, the symbol of Baktu protruding out, with a tiny hole at the top to loop string through. ¡®I¡¯ll take it that I can still be a Priest of the Forge then, Baktu.¡¯ The farmers and porters remained silent, their bodies still cold from the shock of what had happened. Their minds were simultaneously racing with excitement, but also blank from awe. Rick wondered if he had made the right decision in following Adam, as his eyes then fell to Sir Vonda, who was still smiling at Adam from behind her scarf. He looked up towards the sky, praying to all the Divine to assist him. His heart continued to thunder in his chest. Somehow, Adam didn''t die. 557. Yes 557. Yes ¡°Look,¡± Adam said, revealing the amulet to his brother and the rest of his companions. ¡°I prayed and got this from Baktu.¡± Adam¡¯s voice was a whisper, not wanting to bring too much attention to himself. Jaygak¡¯s eyes remained glued to the symbol for a long while, before glancing towards Kitool, communicating with her companion with her eyes, before her eyes finally landed on Jurot. The Iyrman¡¯s lips were twitching ever so slightly constantly, as though he were keeping in laughter. Jurot crossed his arms, bowing his head slightly. ¡®He is my brother.¡¯ The others could feel the thoughts enter their mind from Jurot¡¯s response. ¡°It seems Baktu likes me quite a bit,¡± Adam whispered, staring down at his amulet as he brushed his thumb along it, feeling the ridges of the symbol. The day had been far too eventful for his liking already, so he decided against leaving the guild. A group of adventurers entered the guild during the evening, and Adam threw a look their way. He smiled and waved towards them. Once they had finished with their dealings at the counter, they joined Adam¡¯s large group. ¡°How was your adventuring?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s been going well,¡± Rose admitted. They had spent a few days adventuring, spending some time in other inns so they could experience for of the city, but they finally returned to deal with their business with Adam. ¡°We will no longer be adventuring for some time, so shall we split our loot?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Rose¡¯s brow was full of sweat as she stared down at the items which would be shared with her group. Everything had to be split twenty six ways, twenty five for individuals, and one for the group of youths. Considering the shares, very little would truly go to each person, however, many of the items were of great value. Adam went down the list, using some parchment and ink provided by the guild in order to sort out the items. ¡°Alright, so technically you should be getting between a fifth and a fourth of the loot, so why don¡¯t we just call it a fourth?¡± Adam asked. Rose sighed, but paused, realising a fourth was a greater number of items for her group. ¡°A quarter? You are certain?¡± ¡°It just makes math so simple,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Knowing how to split in fifths and fourths is easier than six of twenty six parts, don¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, who nodded his head, allowing Adam to make the call. It was technically a small hit for the group, but it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal. He had to rework the split within his own group in order to make it easier to split, with Rose¡¯s group still earning a quarter of the loot. ¡°We will do as you say,¡± Jurot reassured. Adam still felt guilty since the rest of his companions would be out some of the loot. The way he split it was awkward after suggesting to split it into fourths, but Rose allowed them to split it less awkwardly in order to allow them to split everything smoothly. It took a short while for them to deal with their items, with Adam splitting the loot as best as he could between the two groups. However, there were certain items which didn¡¯t split cleanly, and though some of them could easily be dealt with, a few of those items were very important. ¡°Okay, so how should we deal with the cores?¡± Adam asked, leaning back. He really wanted to buy them, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could afford it, and nor could the party fund. The Red River Squad currently had almost three cores claimed as part of their loot. ¡°We will trade them for one more Basic Enhanced weapon,¡± Rose replied simply, extending out her hand to shake Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Well, damn,¡± Adam said, extending out his forearm, shaking the woman¡¯s forearm. ¡°Quick and easy.¡± ¡®Now that I look at it, do I even need Baktu for that ability?¡¯ Adam asked. [No.] ¡®Oh.¡¯ Adam decided to leave it at that. XP: 10 300 -> 9 300 Gained Fighting Style: Defence! XP: 9 300 -> 7 300 Gained Fighting Style: Dueling! ¡®I really should have taken those all before,¡¯ Adam thought, glancing between everything he had gained. Mara¡¯s eyes fell across Adam. ¡°...¡± Adam eyed up a few more of the Abilities he could buy with his XP. There was one which tempted him, but it was far too pricey, though it may have been useful for him during noonval. ¡®No, I should keep some XP in my back pocket, just in case.¡¯ Adam checked out his Stats and eyed up the various Abilities he had taken. ¡®Hold on a second.¡¯ Adam tilted his head slightly, causing some of his companions to stir slightly, wondering what he was doing. Puthral plate mail. Strong Shield. Defence. Blessing of Forgia. A combination of all such effects would place his Defence at 24. 24 was great, so great, that very few creatures would ever reach such heights. However, Adam also possessed Shield, the First Gate spell, which would put his Defence to 29. Then he thought about Wraith, and the potential damage it could put out with Smite. Then he thought about how he could Critically Hit much easier than the typical person. Then he thought about his healing abilities with Lay on Hands. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, opening his eyes, which were full of shock. He glanced towards his brother, who met his eyes. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so fucking strong,¡± Adam whispered, as though he had only just realised how crazy his power was. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam said, forgetting he already killed two Dragons. 558. Days In East Port 558. Days In East Port Adam and his companions spent the rest of the month hunting down aurochs, for they were plentiful in the area, and proved fierce foes. One auroch was still frightening, as these beasts were perhaps the strongest mundane creatures around, and their horns could still prove deadly even to the likes of Adam. However, Adam didn¡¯t want to push his companions too much, so made sure they each took a day off between adventuring, and checked up on the others, who were relaxing within the city. Jeremy and Remy drank their ale, wondering if they really should be sitting out while the six adventured out to slay aurochs. It was their job to porter, to pick up the creatures and to bring them back, and yet they were told to remain at the guild. ¡°Are you sure you want us to remain behind?¡± Rick asked during one of Adam¡¯s days off. ¡°Just enjoy yourselves here,¡± Adam reassured. ¡°I¡¯m sure the library in this place is much more extensive than the library in Red Oak.¡± ¡°It does,¡± Rick confirmed. Seeing that Adam wasn¡¯t going to budge, Rick just thanked the Half Elf and decided he may as well take the time off. They had been working quite hard recently, so he supposed he could spend his free time without guilt. After the first day of adventuring, Adam explored the market, scanning through the area to find some weapons. ¡®Should I buy him one after the tournament? Speaking of which, I¡¯ll need to buy... Hold on, he won¡¯t use a sword any more, right? What would he use? A shield? No, that¡¯s silly...¡¯ Adam sighed when he returned from the market, noticing that Jaygak was wiping down a new sword she had bought. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll buy him a shield then.¡± Jaygak¡¯s ears twitched and she smiled. ¡®Right. Adam is Adam.¡¯ One morning, as the group was preparing to leave, Vonda approached. ¡°Shall I come with you?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going off to kill stuff,¡± Adam replied awkwardly, exchanging a look with the Priest of Life. Vonda bowed her head and let the matter pass, allowing them to enjoy themselves as they went to kill. She knew better than to convince Iyrmen and Demons from killing. As the last week approached, Adam wondered if he should really spend it slaying aurochs. ¡®Might as well, since we¡¯re not making the full amount from the kills. I still need to up the party fund, make sure it¡¯s healthy...¡¯ As the last few days of the month approached, Adam gathered his group together. They wondered what he had in mind as the Half Elf sighed, no doubt reminiscing about ¡°The tournament begins in only a few days so lets spend the time relaxing as we prepare,¡± Adam said. ¡°You want to stop working?¡± Jaygak whispered, almost in an accusatory tone. ¡°I still need to figure out tomorrow,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to need your help.¡± Adam felt awkward asking Jaygak for help, since it was Jaygak. Jurot and Kitool he didn¡¯t mind, since they were nice, and sensible. Jaygak? Jaygak was Jaygak. The Iyrman smirked at Adam, crossing her arms. ¡®Look at how the mighty have fallen!¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s probably thinking something stupid,¡¯ Adam thought. Omen: 2, 5 ¡°I mean, he doesn¡¯t need a sword, does he?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Or a shield.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jaygak admitted as they scoured the market, trying to find something to buy. ¡°Why did I have to...¡± Adam began, though the guilt quickly filled his gut. ¡°No. He should do what he likes.¡± Jaygak thought about Adam¡¯s influence on the Iyr, and how he was teetering on the precipice of getting himself killed. The fact he had been given permission to return to the Iyr after it had closed its gates was already shocking, but the fact it had been for the reason of celebrating his Goblin twins¡¯ first birthdays was ridiculous. ¡°Yes. We can decrease the number of the dead by our presence alone, and if there are those who are heavily injured, we can assist them. When one looks to the west, they will find seven rays of hope.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°We will send a Hope, seven Rays, and a dozen of our youth to assist during a war.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Hope and a Ray?¡± ¡°Our Seven Hopes and Forty Nine Rays are our greatest warriors, sent out to assist regions which need Mother Soza¡¯s touch. Our Seven Hopes are the greatest, besides our Mother Priest and High Priests. Our Forty Nine Rays are weaker than the Seven Hopes, but each are at least an Expert.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awfully powerful for some healers,¡± Adam joked. ¡°It is rare that we must draw our blades, but there are times we are forced to do so.¡± Vonda frowned. ¡°We can only pray we must not need to fight.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that.¡± Vonda thought about her strength at the moment, which matched that of an Expert. If she wanted to, she could apply for a position as one of the Forty Nine Rays. She glanced towards Adam, who was slowly nodding his head as he thought. ¡®There is still work to be done.¡¯ ¡°If the Iyrmen respect you for your strength, then I have no doubt that your order is powerful enough to hold sway across the land,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should go check it out one day.¡± ¡°I hope you will.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re hoping something from me, you¡¯ll fine yourself sorely disappointed.¡± ¡°Have you ever disappointed me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve disappointed you at some point,¡± Adam said, a wide smile appearing on his face. ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m not doing a very good job at being me.¡± ¡°Do you always put yourself down like this?¡± ¡°I have to keep my ego in check when the Iyr can¡¯t.¡± Vonda stared at the Half Elf. She could feel the gravity within his tone of voice. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Vonda remained silent, before returning her attention back to her food. She stared down at the grilled vegetables, picking at them slowly. ¡°The tournament is soon.¡± ¡°That it is. Will you be betting on us?¡± ¡°I will bet that you will place high.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t bet on me to win?¡± ¡°I am certain you will all place high, but winning?¡± Vonda threw him a look. ¡°Are you allowed to win?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Many of those who will participate in the tournament will be of noble blood.¡± Adam winced at the words she used. ¡°Right? Ah. Right, right.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have Sir Littlesea helping me out, but I suppose he¡¯s the third son of a Baron, so even his influence doesn¡¯t go too far.¡± ¡°Be careful, Adam.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The tournament arc begins? 559. Preliminaries I 559. Preliminaries I Omen: 8, 16 ¡°Oh ho? What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, finding a familiar face waiting for him in the morning. Sir Landon¡¯s knight, who Adam had beaten recently, was waiting for him at the guild. A large box sat on the table in front of the knight, while adventurers glared at the heavily armoured figure. ¡°I have come to deliver your capes,¡± the knight said, unlocking the box to reveal short capes, each with the symbol of the Littlesea family, a small wave within a circle, embroidered into them. The capes were short, barely covering half of their backs when worn. ¡°I see,¡± Adam said, feeling a slightly giddiness within him. ¡°Is it because the good sir is sponsoring us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam noted how many capes there were. ¡°There seems to be quite a few.¡± ¡°Sir Landon wishes to sponsor yourself, your three Iyrmen companions, and each of the teen Iyrmen, and Nobby,¡± the knight said, eyeing Nobby up, who towered over even himself. ¡®What do they feed him?¡¯ Adam lifted the cape up, holding it in his hand. It was soft to the touch, and shiny, the light reflecting off the silk. ¡®Cool.¡¯ ¡°You and your three companions will earn fifty gold for each win, and the teens will receive ten gold.¡± The knight held out the contract, which stated the additional terms. Adam eyed up the contract, before looking to the teens. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°We will fight,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Nobby said. Adam signed the paper, allowing each of them to sign the paper, before it was handed to the guild to process. Once it was done, the knight revealed another box, which held small badges with the Littlesea symbol upon them. Once his business was done, he left the guild. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head to the tournament then,¡± Adam said, grinning slightly. The group made their way out, followed by several other adventurers, who were also planning on joining the tournament. ¡°How did you manage to find someone to sponsor you?¡± an adventurer beside him asked. ¡°We worked with Sir Landon previously,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°He offered to sponsor us.¡± The adventurer just nodded their head, before returning back to their group, allowing them to leave in peace. The arena was made of sandstone, three floors tall, and was easily a hundred steps wide on each side. Adam tilted his head, noting the arena did not cut off at right angles, but was more circular in shape. ¡°Is it an octagon?¡± Adam asked, eyeing up the sides of the arena. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Cool.¡± They passed the crowd, instead heading to another entrance, which was reserved for those who wished to join the tournament. Adam wondered how many people could fit within the arena, as all he could see was a sea of people around him. Jurot led the group forward, approaching one of the guards of the arena to one side. She guarded an entrance to the side. She was adorned in breastplate over chain, and wielded a spear. A blade dangled at her side. ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Jurot said, motioning to his badge. After a moment, the guard nodded, allowing them to step through the side entrance to bypass the rest of the warriors trying to sign up. ¡°You guys stay here, and stay out of trouble,¡± Adam said, his eyes glued to Lucy. ¡°I won¡¯t cause any trouble,¡± the Demon huffed. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam said, bowing his head lightly. A guard escorted the group through the side, and Adam noticed how quiet it had become. He was becoming accustomed to the noisiness of the city. They were taken to a group of arena workers, each wearing grey outfits with silver trim. Most were busy with other great warriors sponsored by other nobles. An old woman, who carried a dagger at her side, approached the large group. ¡°How may I assist you?¡± she asked, spotting their badges. She hadn¡¯t expected any noble to have sponsored so many, but considering it was a Littlesea, she supposed it was one of the children trying to toss as many as he could to see if one would stick. ¡°The second range of the magical magic tournament is full of great warriors this year,¡± she said as though it wasn¡¯t a mouthful. ¡°Many great mercenaries, but the greatest are Sir Roseia, the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, and her cousin, Sir Karra.¡± ¡°I wonder how strong they are,¡± Adam mused aloud, smirking slightly. ¡°I will process your applications,¡± the woman said. ¡°You may leave if you wish.¡± ¡°Should we watch the fights today?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. The group made their way out towards the side exit, which led to other rooms. However, Adam could see to the side, in the centre of the arena, a smaller octagon, with smaller walls emanating out towards the outer arena walls, though they only blocked off sight to the first two floors of the arena. On the ground was a large square platform made of stone, set within the earth so it was flush beside it. ¡°What¡¯s the smaller octagon in the middle?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is where most of the greater nobles relax,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The top floor of the arena is for minor nobles and merchants.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Adam almost rolled his eyes. The group made their way up to the first floor, sandwiched between the floor for the nobles, and the floor for the masses. Other warriors relaxed within the large area, looking out to the arena floor where warriors without sponsorships would partake in unofficial fights. ¡°Brother Jurot!¡± came a shout from nearby. Adam blinked, recalling the voice. They found a set of Iyrmen alongside a group of adventurers. Adam recognised the three faces, smiling. The handsome bronze skinned Iyrman extended a hand to shake Jurot¡¯s forearm. ¡°You have come to fight in the tournament?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°Adam,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°Amokan,¡± Adam replied, shaking his forearm. ¡°What are you three doing here?¡± ¡°We are here to fight in the tournament,¡± Amokan declared. ¡°It is our first step to become Unrivalled Under The Heavens.¡± Adam winced at the title which he had brought into the Iyr. The guilt of corrupting the Iyrmen youth with such cringe inducing words hurt him deeply, and he couldn¡¯t blame the Iyrmen for wanting to kill him because of it. ¡°We are already Experts,¡± Amokan declared, grinning wide. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have many stories to tell.¡± ¡°I have!¡± the Iyrman replied, unable to control his wild grin. ¡°I have avenged my sister!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam replied, stumbling over his words. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, I¡¯m glad.¡± Adam exchanged a look with Jurot. ¡°Timojin,¡± Jurot called, having already greeted the Horcish Iyrman. ¡°We have returned your sister¡¯s body to the Iyr.¡± Amokan raised his brows in surprise, glancing to Timojin. The Horcish Iyrman closed his eyes, furrowing his brows in thought for a long moment. ¡°Thank you,¡± Timojin said. ¡°She fought well,¡± Jurot assured. Timojin nodded, and continued greeting the rest of the Iyrmen, including his younger cousin, Uwajin. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too,¡± Adam said, forgetting the beautiful Iyrman¡¯s name. ¡°You as well,¡± Amokan¡¯s cousin replied, shaking Adam¡¯s hand. ¡®Damn it, what was her name?¡¯ Adam thought, before the group settled down to speak with one another. Imagine thinking I''d go straight to fighting and not giving you another ten chapters of Adam talking way too much. 560. Preliminaries II 560. Preliminaries II ¡°We should deal with the most important matters first,¡± Adam stated, his voice serious. Jaygak felt the hairs on the back of her neck tingle. ¡®Should I stop him?¡¯ ¡°I have five adorable children now,¡± Adam declared with his arms crossed, puffing out his chest. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°I have heard the news,¡± Amokan said. ¡°They¡¯re so cute!¡± Adam began to gush about them to the group, while the other adventurers, Amokan¡¯s companions, glanced between one another. ¡°You have a cute little sister too. Her name¡¯s Inakan, and she¡¯s so tiny.¡± ¡°I have heard,¡± Amokan replied. ¡°I will win the tournament and return to see her.¡± Timojin snorted, but said nothing. Amokan crossed his arms and leaned back, before eyeing up Timojin. The pair made to quarrel, but Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Which tournament are you fighting in?¡± Adam asked, stopping the pair from arguing. ¡°Magical martial, second range,¡± Amokan replied. ¡°Ah? Isn¡¯t that the same as you guys?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jurot. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, sitting up taller. He met their eyes, recalling when he had faced them both together. Back then, they had barely mastered the basics, and he had narrowly lost against them. This time, he would show them how much he had grown. ¡°This time I will beat you without Timojin¡¯s help,¡± Amokan said. ¡°This time you will be conscious when I beat him,¡± Timojin stated. ¡°What kind of magical gear do you both have?¡± Adam asked, seeing as they were about to fight again. ¡°A Basic Enhanced greatsword,¡± Amokan replied, and Timojin nodded. ¡°What do they do?¡± Adam leaned in, narrowing his eyes. He looked to the blades beside them. They were large, one seemingly made of marble, and the other was more intricate in design, but made of typical steel. ¡°You will see.¡± Amokan grinned wider, exchanging a look with Timojin. ¡°Hmph! Then I won¡¯t tell you what my axe does.¡± ¡°I will find out when we face each other in the tournament.¡± Amokan chuckled. ¡°I probably won¡¯t be facing you. I¡¯m going to be fighting in the magical magic segment.¡± Adam paused, wondering if he said it right. ¡°Then you will face Ilyakan.¡± ¡®Ilyakan! That was it!¡¯ ¡°Will I?¡± Adam asked, looking to the beautiful Iyrman. ¡°I will not be fighting in the tournament,¡± Ilyakan replied, simply. Amokan recalled back to when they were signing up for the tournament. He had been too busy arguing with Timojin and hadn¡¯t realised. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Adam replied, glancing between the pair of Kans. He smirked slightly. ¡°Did you know I faced your grandmother, Amokan?¡± ¡°You did?¡± Amokan asked, leaning in quickly, unable to contain his surprise. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I fought the old geezer, Jarot, and...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°The old geezer, Jarot, beat me up and bragged to her.¡± ¡°You fought Jarot?¡± Amokan asked, even more surprised. ¡°Then we returned and found my Jirot and Jarot,¡± Adam said, remembering the day. ¡°It was the eigth day of the ninth month, a day before Nobby¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°It was the seventh,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, feeling his heart drop. ¡°The seventh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam¡¯s cheeks turned red as he flushed. He thought back to the time. ¡®Front Iyr was the ninth. The night before we were at the village, and then...¡¯ ¡°I hate maths, Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was the seventh.¡± Adam closed his eyes and repeated it within his mind. ¡°Anyway, then I found out I had three more children from a previous engagement.¡± ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t mention they¡¯re Entalia¡¯s kids from another world.¡¯ ¡°Twins and triplets?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Your seed is strong,¡± Timojin said. ¡°Well, they¡¯re not my children by-,¡± Adam stopped himself. ¡°Well, I mean. The triplets are obviously, but they¡¯re special. My twins didn¡¯t come from my seed.¡± Adam cringed at the words. ¡°We found them in the mud when the Goblins were eating each other.¡± ¡°They tried to eat your children?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Adam admitted, barely remembering the scene other than when he had almost fought Dunes. ¡°Anyway, I picked them up, and they were so tiny. They¡¯re already walking and talking. Jirot keeps bullying me. Jarot is, somehow, well behaved.¡± ¡°Jarot?¡± Amokan asked. However, there was something else Adam said that caused him to think. ¡°Jurot named them,¡± Adam replied awkwardly. ¡°There¡¯s Konarot, Kirot, and Karot, and also Jirot and Jarot.¡± ¡°They are good names,¡± Amokan said, nodding his head. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should mention their race, but he didn¡¯t want to say it in public with so many people around. ¡°Anyway, yeah. So what¡¯s your story like?¡± The pair spoke of their adventures, killing all manner of creatures. Manticores, wyverns, and so many more. They had fun during the current year due to all the beasts they had come across. Soon, the unofficial fights began. ¡°Can we bet?¡± Adam asked, realising it was a stupid question. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Jurot. Are you going to win first place?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bet on...¡± Adam frowned. If he bet on Jurot, that would mean he was betting against Kitool and Jaygak. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯ll bet on Nobby to win his segment. Can we bet on each fight too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°You should be careful with your strength,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Especially your magic.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to use much magic,¡± Adam admitted, smiling slightly. After all, he could just do that, the thing he had yet to reveal. His magic was great, and though he could probably use Shield and get away with it a few times during the bout, all of his Mana was instead going to go into smiting. ¡®First place, here I come!¡¯ Still no fighting? A thousand curses upon his bloodline! 561. Preliminaries III 561. Preliminaries III Omen: 1, 5 ¡®Should I have bet so much on Nobby?¡¯ Adam thought, glancing at the boy. He was well built, and though he had been trained by Jurot, he still wasn¡¯t sure if he could really place first. ¡®He¡¯ll probably come across some rising star or something. That¡¯s how it always goes.¡¯ ¡°Vonda, please take some of the party fund with you to pay for your fees, and to pay for food and the like.¡± Adam had checked the party fund, which had become rather lean. They had started off with hundreds of gold, and now it barely reached triple digits. ¡°You should all bet on us too. Just a gold or two, so you can make a little coin. Don¡¯t bet too much, just in case you end up losing it all. In fact...¡± Vonda could see Adam was thinking deeply, his eyes falling to the party fund. ¡®Should I use the party fund? If I bet on myself, I could double it at least...¡¯ Adam wondered if he could really afford to that. ¡®I could do some alchemy to make some coin if I really need to...¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll use one hundred gold of the fund,¡± Adam said. ¡°That should be fine since we¡¯ll have some left over.¡± Vonda, who knew how much was in the party fund, gave nothing away. If they lost the bet, it would have almost nothing. However, she didn¡¯t know Adam still had more gold within the bank, though it still wasn¡¯t much. ¡®I should have kept better tabs on it, really.¡¯ Adam began to sweat slightly. Then a flash of insight came to him, something he was told long ago. ¡°Jurot, can I access the line of credit with the guild?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I have some coin in the Iyr that I could use to bet.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that,¡± Adam said, feigning a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s make bank!¡± Dawn was still welcoming the city as Fate¡¯s Golden made their way to the arena. They managed to slip through the side since Adam was fighting that day, though since some of them weren¡¯t fighting in the tournament, they had to pay. ¡®I¡¯m really counting silvers at this point?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®We had almost a thousand gold before we started. I really should have quested more.¡¯ ¡°Adam Fateson,¡± called a guard as the group settled to one side. ¡°Adam Fateson, of Fate¡¯s Golden!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, raising his hand. ¡°Come along,¡± the guard said, leading Adam away. ¡°Make sure you bet on me!¡± Adam waved at his companions before he left. They made their way down some side steps, going down to the ground floor. They made their way to the inner walls which split the arenas, where many warriors were readying themselves to fight. Most wore plate mail, and many wore symbols of various orders. ¡®I suppose if you¡¯re young and have magical items you¡¯re probably a member of an order or a noble,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how he didn¡¯t realise something so obvious. The guard took him to a small room, reaching for a book and a quill. ¡°So you use magic?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°All kinds,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Mostly divine, I suppose?¡± Adam motioned to the symbol of Baktu on his chest. ¡°That¡¯s Lord Sozain, isn¡¯t it?¡± the guard asked. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s symbol for the great God of Death, I mean.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Head Priest of the temple handed it to me after I prayed to Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± the man replied dryly. ¡°Your equipment is magical?¡± ¡°My axe and shield, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Oh, I suppose my armour too. I prayed over it in the morning and it holds some minor magic.¡± The guard glanced at Adam¡¯s chest, noting the symbol on the badge which kept his cape together, and he nodded. ¡°Alright. Two hundred gold it is.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam watched the fights, noticing that each time someone was called, only one person left their room, and their opponent would appear from the opposite wall which split the arena, and sometimes they¡¯d fight in the other arena behind them. ¡°Are you an adventurer?¡± a young Aldishman beside him asked. He wore plate mail, though his helmet was at his side, revealing his reddish hair. He wore a symbol of an order, that of a blade above a bow. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Which family has sponsored you?¡± ¡°The Littlesea family.¡± The young man nodded his head. ¡°Your armour is beautiful.¡± ¡°Oh, well, thank you,¡± Adam replied, smiling from behind his helmet. ¡°I like your armour too.¡± The young man nodded. ¡°Where did you acquire it?¡± ¡°I received it in the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you close with the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Somewhat,¡± Adam admitted, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°My brother is an Iyrman.¡± ¡°But you are not, since you have not removed your helmet to reveal your tattoos.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The young man tilted his head slightly, eyeing Adam up. ¡°How did you become an Iyrman¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°His mother told him to be my brother.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°We have an adorable little sister who will be hearing of our tales, so we hope to do well.¡± Adam glanced around. ¡°Though I think, perhaps, I might find that difficult.¡± A guard approached Adam. ¡°You¡¯re up next.¡± She motioned her head to the arena which he¡¯d step out towards. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll chat another time,¡± Adam said, extending a hand. ¡°Adam Fateson.¡± ¡°Sir Charles,¡± the young man replied, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. Adam stepped up towards the wall and began to limber up. He donned his shield and stretching out his arms and kicked out his legs. ¡°Sponsored by Sir Landon Littlesea, adorned in purple, with axe of great magical might, Chief Executive Officer Adam!¡± Adam stepped out of the wall, feeling his heart beginning to pound in his chest as he heard the cheers of the crowd, finding that there were easily thousands of people staring at him from the open bleachers to the side, whereas his companions sat within the first floor above them, surrounded by stone. He stared ahead of him to see his opponent, who had been introduced as Gregory of the Order of Ice Blades. He was pale skinned, with black hair, denoting that he was from the north. He wore full plate mail, and carried a large axe at his back. The Aldishman from the north stepped out, his eyes glued to Adam. Behind him was a guard, and Adam noted a guard behind him, the pair being escorted towards the centre. ¡°The bets are to be placed,¡± the guard behind him said. ¡°Circle around your opponent and greet the crowd. One you are done with a rotation, reveal your weapons, and greet one another. After a few moments, you will be told to fight.¡± Adam did as he was asked, circling around the arena. He waved his hand to the crowd, noticing that many children were watching from under the bleachers, shouting and pointing at him. Adam waved towards them, before returning back to waving at the crowd. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so, for once, he kept his mouth shut. ¡®I need to be careful,¡¯ Adam thought as he kept circling around the arena. ¡®I can¡¯t win too easily.¡¯ Sorry I didn''t realise I didn''t post up yesterday! I haven''t been feeling too well recently so it must have slipped my mind! I''ll try and post up a few more chapters some time next week. 562. Preliminaries IV 562. Preliminaries IV Battle Order D20 + 1 = 19 (18) Health: 78 -> 48 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 14 (4) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 18 (8) Hit! 2D6 + 9 = 20 (5, 6) 20 damage! Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 6 = 14 (3, 5) Health: 48 -> 62 After the pair prepared themselves, the guards shouted for the fight to begin once they had moved to the side. Adam could have taken the lead, but allowed his opponent the first step as he raised his shield. The Aldishman bolted forward with his greataxe in hand. ¡°With the might of my conviction!¡± the Aldishman chanted, before slamming it down against Adam¡¯s shield. Adam stumbled backwards from the might of the blow, the explosive magic running through his bones. ¡®Oh Baktu! So that¡¯s how that feels like.¡¯ Adam groaned under the weight of the blow, before the flash of divine magic ran through him. ¡®Damn that hurts!¡¯ As the Aldishman swung his axe for another blow, Adam threw a feint, before stepping around him to strike his axe against the Aldishman¡¯s side, striking him with Wraith, though choosing against expending any Mana or charges. He inhaled deeply, flexing his muscles, regaining back his strength. ¡®I have to be careful.¡¯ The crowd cheered as the pair clashed, while Adam¡¯s companions watched from the first floor above. ¡°He¡¯s holding back,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise he could do that.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly. The pair had bet a pretty sum on the fight. Their eyes remained glued to the pair as they continued their fight. Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! 2D6 + 9 = 15 (2, 4) 15 damage! The pair continued to fight, with Adam meeting the hefty blows of the magical greataxe with his magical shield, deflecting them with some effort, before he swung his axe wildly, managing to land a blow against the Aldishman¡¯s armour. ¡®Careful,¡¯ Adam thought, narrowly dodging the young man¡¯s greataxe. ¡°He¡¯s pretty strong, but not as strong as Adam,¡± Jaygak said, watching as Adam continued to hide behind his shield. Without its magic, he probably would have been hit a few times. The Guardian would have been difficult for Jaygak to face, and yet Adam was holding back in order to not beat him too quickly. ¡®...¡¯ Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 1 (1) Critical miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! 4D6 + 9 = 26 (3, 4, 4, 6) 26 damage! The crowd continued to cheer as Adam ducked under the greataxe, before springing upwards and slashing violently, only to find the Aldishman had long disappeared, and was aiming a heavy downward swing against him. Adam gripped Wraith tight in hand before swiping his axe against the Aldishman¡¯s helmet, slamming with such heft that Wraith dented it. The Aldishman stumbled to the side, before dropping. Adam blinked, before raising his axe into the air, causing the crowd to cheer, shouting and yelping with such bloodthirst, Adam thought he was in the Iyr. Victory! Expert XP Gained: +400 XP: 9300 -> 9700 ¡®Did I win too easily?¡¯ Adam thought, waving his axe still. ¡®I should have pretended to struggle more.¡¯ ¡°So the King¡¯s Swords¡¯ daughter and her cousin? I wonder if we¡¯ll get to fight one another.¡± ¡°It will be a good fight,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have to be more careful, then.¡± Adam began to whisper. ¡°Going to bet my way into oblivion.¡± The group continued to watch the fights. The fights between those of the older segments were far greater than the fights of their own segments. It was obvious, of course, since they were Masters and Grandmasters. The Iyrmen were more familiar with such sights, and though they were familiar with them, they still appreciated the fights deeply, even if many of the fights were greatly mismatched. Stone Sword fought that evening, though had come across someone that was a member of a minor noble¡¯s guard. Stone Sword and the guard clashed several times, the pair almost dancing together as they went through the motions, but eventually Stone Sword ended the fight, allowing it to appear closer than it truly was. ¡®I should be careful in not offending nobles while not losing,¡¯ Adam thought. Unfortunately, Adam was the only one to think that way. The next morning, the youth were going to fight. Luckily, none were facing against one another, which allowed Adam to bet on them all. They would be allowed to bet by handing over paper and the coin as a group. Typically, the group would have their bets ready, and once they saw the opponent, they would go through with the bet or to retract it. ¡®Holy,¡¯ Adam thought, watching at the teens fought. They all fought with such fervour, even the typically quiet Bavin and Nobby. The youth crushed through their opponents with ease. ¡®Nice.¡¯ A short while later, Adam¡¯s companions went to fight in the arena. Adam bet a hundred gold one each Iyrman, and they completely demolished their opponents. Kitool and Jaygak had gone against members of an order who seemed promising, whereas Jurot made short work of the mercenary he faced. ¡°You guys are winning too easily,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t win so easily so we can keep betting on you.¡± The winnings he made on the teens and the Iyrmen were far less than one to one. He bet five hundred gold on the Iyrmen, and won back an additional four hundred and some change. ¡°I will show my opponents the same respect they show me,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Respect doesn¡¯t feed my kids,¡± Adam grumbled again, though he smirked, his eyes shining with pride. ¡°Timojin and Amokan did pretty well too. Did Amokan really have to fight like that?¡± ¡°It is how he fights,¡± Jurot said. Amokan was the kind to swing wildly within a fight, even more wildly than a typical Iyrman. Yet, any time he hit, it was near deadly. Even his opponent, a mercenary, had chosen to surrender after the first blow, her armour dented to such an extreme degree that she required medical assistance. ¡°Iyrmen are so scary,¡± Adam whispered. The farmers and porters were inclined to agree, though they enjoyed how much coin the Iyrmen had made for the group. ¡°It¡¯s so awkward moving between the places to watch the fights,¡± Adam said, wondering if there was a way for him to watch all the fights at once. ¡°You can buy a place at the bottom of the central octagon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is one hundred gold for each segment per day.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°Excuse me? One hundred gold?¡± Adam¡¯s jaw almost dropped. ¡°So that¡¯s, what, four, five hundred gold each day if I want to watch every fight? Let me guess, most of the noble don¡¯t have to pay, or they have discount prices?¡± ¡°They donate much less,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Donate?¡± Adam scoffed, crossing his arms. ¡®What a bunch of pricks!¡¯ Sorry I didn''t realise I didn''t post up yesterday! I haven''t been feeling too well recently so it must have slipped my mind! I''ll try and post up a few more chapters some time next week. 563. Preliminaries V 563. Preliminaries V Omen: 11, 15 ¡°They have sent someone to fight?¡± Jurot asked, staring at Adam¡¯s opponent. Adam¡¯s opponent was heavily armoured, adorned in full plate. The metal was almost a liquid silver, with tiny black etchings against it. The metal was worked exclusively by the Magisterium, an ancient order of Magesmiths. Such were the rumours which the Iyr had gathered from all the corners of the world. It was difficult to confirm such rumours, due to who the Magisterium worked for. ¡®This fight will be more difficult.¡¯ Adam had bet quite a pretty penny on himself, using a large portion of his own personal funds, as well as a sensible amount from the party fund. Looking at his opponent, Adam wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good idea. The pair circled around the arena, before meeting at the centre. Adam donned Strong Shield, the red shield glinting with the sun, and gripped Wraith tightly. His opponent before him held out her hands in front of her, as though she was gripping an invisible blade, before a greatsword appeared between her hands. It was a blade which matched the colour of her armour, with tiny runes etched along the metal. ¡°Cool,¡± Adam whispered, nodding his head towards her. ¡®I should have expected that sine they introduced her as Blade of the Magisterium.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 20 (19) Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) Miss! Health: 78 -> 48 Once the signal was given, which was drowned out by the noise of the crowd, Adam charged forward, swinging his axe wildly at Blade. He found his opponent was not quite as simple as she seemed, as she stepped to the side, clashed with his axe twice as though she were dancing with him, before spinning her blade in her hands. Adam was full of confusion as she dropped her blade, though still made to strike with her hand. Adam brought it up to the imaginary blade, but the young woman, known as Blade, inhaled deeply. She forced her body to shift as she changed the position of her hands. Though her sword had almost tumbled to the floor, it appeared at Adam¡¯s side as she struck him with a hefty blow. The crowd sheered at the display of magic which had taken even them by surprise. ¡°Gah!¡± Adam groaned as he stumbled. He had yet to see her form, but considering she was almost as tall as him, and her blows were about as great as his, he felt how physically strong she was. ¡®Damn!¡¯ The crowd roared, noting how Adam had almost keeled over from the hefty blow. ¡®She managed to strike so deeply twice?¡¯ Jurot thought. The odds were hundreds to one, and certainly wasn¡¯t seen every day. Except for when he was beside Adam, in which case it happened almost daily. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 48 -> 53 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 26 (16) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 37 (3, 4, 5, 5)(1, 2, 3, 5) 37 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Hit! 2D6 + 9 = 15 (1, 5) 15 damage! Adam and the young woman engaged again, Adam managing to duck under a while swing, keeping his attention on the fact she could summon her blade into her hand if she chose to drop it. As Adam stepped forward, almost shoulder barging her with his shield, before his axe struck right across her front, almost scratching the pristine armour as it flashed white hot for a moment. The woman stumbled, and Adam could almost hear the exclamation mark from her lips as she raised her blade, gripping it tighter. They clashed once more, and though a near invisible barrier tried to deflect his axe, he managed to strike her again, causing her to step back once more. Adam held his axe, and as he thought about forcing himself forward, he found that the moment had passed, and the pair clashed again, with Adam narrowly dodging a swing, before the pair stepped back to find themselves a moment to themselves. ¡®Fifty two damage,¡¯ Adam thought, holding his blade. ¡®So if she¡¯s an Expert, she¡¯s probably only got a little bit of Health.¡¯ ¡®He did not refresh his strength?¡¯ Jurot thought, watching over the fight. He was certain Adam would win, but Adam was dancing on a knife¡¯s edge. The Adam he knew was both more reckless and more cautious. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 53 -> 58 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 17 (7) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! 2D6 + 9 = 20 (5, 6) 20 damage! ¡°Is your name Adam Fateson?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Adam,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Technically Fateson is a name I gave to myself, but Adam is truly my name.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Twenty years old, like my brother Jurot. We have the same birthday.¡± ¡°The Iyrman is your brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did that come to pass?¡± ¡°I prefer not to say under the spell,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Why did you surrender yourself under our spell without confirming what we were doing?¡± ¡°If you did anything inappropriate to me, I¡¯m sure the Iyr would do something to you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If I had to bet between the entirety of East Port or the Iyr, I¡¯d bet on the Iyr.¡± The Devilkin reached to a drawer to one side, and revealed a large glass vial. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°If I had to take a guess, a poison.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Widow¡¯s Tears. You drink this before bed, and you pass peacefully in your sleep. Just a few drops will kill any child. During the time of the Demonic Devastation, such a poison was widely circulated. Rather than allow Demons to claim their children, widows fed themselves and their children this poison. The price of such a poison was great, of course, but the price of salvation was so much greater.¡± ¡°I hope, if the Iyr wants to kill me, they use Widow¡¯s Tears,¡± Adam admitted. The Devilkin paused. ¡®What?¡¯ She reached to her other drawer, and pulled out a pouch, which she placed on the desk, something jingling within. She took another pause to try and gather herself. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°A pouch of gold?¡± ¡°One thousand two hundred and seventy gold,¡± the Devilkin said. ¡°Mostly in gems, due to convenience.¡± Adam remained silent. The Devilkin woman pushed the pouch towards him. ¡°Congratulations.¡± She smiled. ¡°The rest of your party¡¯s bets have been paid out to them.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, reaching out for the pouch. He could feel how heavy it was. ¡°Blade was in the top five contenders for winning the segment. There will be many complaints, I¡¯m sure, but we have confirmed that you are fighting in the appropriate segment.¡± She motioned a hand for him to leave. ¡°I hope you enjoy the tournament.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, slipping into his boots, before stepping out. ¡®Oh. I forgot to ask her for her name.¡¯ ¡®What a frightening young man,¡¯ Layla thought, surrounded by two Masters, and wearing several magical items to protect her. The Guardians glanced between one another, while the woman who had cast the spell nodded her head, confirming he was still under her spell. ¡°Who bets five hundred gold on themselves?¡± Layla whispered, rubbing her head. ¡°His companions bet a hundred or two gold at most. Do you know who decided to bet three hundred gold on the young man?¡± ¡°No,¡± one of her personal guards admitted. ¡°It was that bastard,¡± Layla grumbled, popping more fruit into her mouth. ¡°Oh.¡± Who do you think bet on Adam with that much gold?Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com 564. Preliminaries VI 564. Preliminaries VI ¡°Yeah, I think so,¡± Adam replied. Jurot crossed his arms, wondering if they needed to do anything if the arena owner was going to threaten them. Since she hadn¡¯t done anything to Adam, Jurot decided to let it go. ¡°I made bank,¡± Adam whispered, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep betting on us, though I don¡¯t think that I¡¯ll be able to make as much as I did today.¡± ¡°Blade could have taken one of the top three spots with Sir Roseia and Sir Karra,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There were many who would have bet for her.¡± ¡°Does that mean they¡¯ll bet for me if I face Sir Roseia?¡± Adam asked, frowning. ¡®So I¡¯ll make a lot less money.¡¯ ¡°The Aldish will think themselves above the Magisterium. They will bet on Sir Karra and Sir Roseia.¡± ¡°The Aldish still have their pride,¡± Jaygak added. ¡°Good.¡± Adam smirked wide, tasting the gold to be made. ¡°I¡¯ll milk their pride for all it¡¯s worth.¡± The farmers and the porters shared glances between one another. They, too, felt their pouches begin to grow heavy. Once they were at the guild, the farmers and porters met together. ¡°Do you follow the silver rule too?¡± Rick asked. ¡°We do.¡± Rick bowed his head slowly. The silver rule was a rule owed to the Golden Lord, the Lord of Trade, Musa. Simply put, they would pool together their resources together, and would each take a share once the business was concluded. This included the time Adam had split them apart, so though the gold they had gained was different, it was split between them all the same. ¡°We should do the same with the bets,¡± Rick said. ¡°How much have you bet so far?¡± ¡°Thirty gold on each of the older Iyrmen, including Timojin and Amokan,¡± Remy said. ¡°We did the same,¡± Rick admitted. ¡°How much did you bet on Adam?¡± ¡°Thirty gold. You?¡± Rick nodded. ¡°Would you like to join our pot?¡± ¡°What are the rules?¡± ¡°We will all pool into the same pot to bet, and we will only bet with the lowest amount comfortable,¡± Rick said. ¡°We will win the same and lose the same.¡± Jeremy threw a look to his cousin, before the pair thought about what Rick was offering, and why. They didn¡¯t need Rick to suggest something like that since they could have made the rule between themselves. However, if they joined the farmers, it would mean there were more people to caution them against betting too much. Rick was a father, and the most cautious among them all in the matter of gold, whereas the porters were cautious in the matters of blood. Remy nodded to Jeremy, who returned with a nod. ¡°We¡¯ll join, but I have a condition.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°We always bet on Nobby.¡± Remy stared deep into Rick¡¯s eyes, the porter¡¯s glare unyielding. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be much, just a gold.¡± ¡°Nobby?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll place high, so we should bet on him too,¡± Remy said. ¡°We¡¯ve already placed twenty gold each on the boy to win.¡± ¡°The point of the group is to bet comfortably,¡± Rick replied. ¡°Forcing us to bet goes against its principles.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s one gold, we should bet on Nobby,¡± Remy said. ¡°It¡¯s not about whether he wins or loses, it¡¯s about the principle. The boy¡¯s been trained by the Iyrmen, and Adam.¡± Rick exchanged a look with the farmers. ¡°Even if we bet only one gold?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rick said, extending a hand, shaking Remy¡¯s forearm. ¡°Look at the monster we¡¯ve raised,¡± Adam said, with far too light of a tone. ¡°Do you know what the odds were, Sir Vonda? Twenty to one! Nobby¡¯s going to make me rich once he wins! Well, maybe not rich, since I already have a fair amount of gold, but certainly more comfortable!¡± The others around looked his way, wondering who the Half Elf was. Stating he was rich while surrounded by capable warriors certainly put a target on his back, even if he was settled beside a member of an order. ¡°We¡¯re going to take first in at least two different segments,¡± Adam said. ¡°Should we aim for three?¡± Nobby and the Iyrmen made their way up to the group. The teen Iyrmen, who had shown themselves capable, caused the coveting gazes to back away. Adam clasped Nobby on his shoulders. ¡°Nobby, do you know how much I bet on you just now?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam smirked wider. ¡°Five hundred gold, my boy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Brittany wasn¡¯t sure why Adam was lying, since five hundred was only half of the gold he had bet on Nobby. ¡°I bet some of the party fund too,¡± Adam said, patting Nobby on his back. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to take a bit of my earnings and send them to your family.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the least I can, my towering muscle of gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°Number one enforcer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam continued to laugh. ¡°I¡¯m sure you guys did well too?¡± ¡°We did,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°I thought so. You guys win too easily, so the bets don¡¯t really favour you much.¡± Adam sighed, though his lips twitched into a smirk. ¡°Oh well.¡± The group remained together, as they had paid the gold required to remain to watch the fights the entire day. Jurot had made sure to pay for the first day with the party fund. He, too, had forgotten in his excitement to watch the tournament. They bought more food as time passed, spending silvers for the snacks. The others weren¡¯t sure how to feel since the party fund was paying for it all. ¡°How many people are in this room?¡± Adam asked a guard. ¡°A thousand?¡± the guard replied. ¡°Damn, that many, really?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How much for a mug of ale?¡± ¡°Three coppers.¡± Adam held out four gems to a nearby server. ¡°If anyone orders a mug of ale, please take it from this first.¡± ¡°As you say,¡± the server replied, bowing their head. ¡°Who should we refer to ask their benefactor?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s quite up to the title of benefactor, but tell them that...¡± Adam thought about it. ¡°The United Kindom.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡®I wonder how much I should bet on Jurot and the others?¡¯ Adam thought. Enjoying the tournament by watching the fights? :/ Enjoying the tournament by taking all their gold? :) 565. Preliminaries VII 565. Preliminaries VII ¡°Sponsored by Baron Barthold Eastlake, with his great blade in hand, William of the Thunder Riders!¡± ¡°Sponsored by Sir Landon Littlesea, the Iyrman with skin of steel, Chief Executive Officer Jurot!¡± William stepped forward into the arena. He wore full plate mail, and wore a half cape with the East Lake¡¯s symbol printed against it. At his back was a greatsword of fine steel, well built, with no frills. However, from the red hilt, Jurot understood it was a blade from the turbulent time of the Demonic Devastation. The Fifty Red Swords, which eventually declined, and was the inspiration for the Three Hundred Blades some few hundred years later. Jurot stepped forward, adorned in the furs of travelling Iyrmen, very different to the uniforms they typically wore in the Iyr. Jurot was the typical appearance of what the Aldish thought the Iyrmen were. Tall, strong, dishevelled hair only combed by a swipe of the hand, adorned in heavy furs. As they circled around the arena, Jurot held up his axe and shield, feeling the gentle burn of his arms as he displayed his endurance, his muscles flexing and twitching for the crowd. ¡°Sometimes I forget how handsome my brother is,¡± Adam said, nodding his head approvingly. The group had finished with their bets, with Adam betting twice as much as normal. He had to do that at least once since Jurot was his brother. ¡°How strong is the guy?¡± ¡°He is strong,¡± Vonda said, doing her best to avoid looking at William, a young man three years her senior. ¡°Thunder Riders is such a cool name, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°It is.¡± Once the pair met in the centre, William swiped his blade through the air, before holding it in front of him. ¡°Are you ready for the hardest fight of your life, Iyrman?¡± The young man chuckled, his tone of voice light. ¡°I am ready,¡± Jurot said, holding his axe out towards his opponent, Phantom gleaming in the sun. Seeing that his opponent was so open, William dashed forward, swinging his blade wildly in an arc in front of him to strike Jurot. His blade held such force, it would have cut a normal man in half. But Jurot was no man. As the heavy swing threatened to bisect Jurot, he leapt up above the swinging blade, with such height it had taken even William by surprise, the crowd¡¯s gasps echoing his feelings. The air under Jurot shuddered from the thunderous force of the blade¡¯s magic. Jurot landed in a squat, but with the strength forged by the training of the Iyr, he forced his way up, his thighs burning. He used the moment to strike with Phantom, aiming for the young man¡¯s helmet, his axe almost blurring in the air. The thunk was audible in the arena, even managing to reach the crowd, and Phantom flashed as Jurot spent all the charges. A single blow and William fell to the side, dropping still. Jurot exhaled, flexing his muscles for a moment, raising his axe high above him before he relaxed. The crowd¡¯s noise drowned out the conversations on the first floor above them. ¡°Yeah!¡± Adam shouted. ¡°Woo! Hahaha! That¡¯s my brother!¡± Adam kept howling with laughter. ¡°Just a hit! Only one!¡± Nirot snorted quietly, crossing her arms as she did her best not to act out. She glanced towards the other Iyrmen, her lips twitching into a smile. ¡°First place! Let¡¯s go!¡± Adam continued to cackle and howl, already feeling the buzz of alcohol. Though there were those around him who wanted him to quieten down, they allowed him this moment. They weren¡¯t going to act up, not when one of the Iyrmen nearby had the same tattoo as the young Iyrman who had dropped an Expert in a single blow. From the second floor above the crowd, Baron Barthold Eastlake stared at the fallen mercenary. He had managed to procure the young Expert for a sum of one hundred gold, and a hundred gold for each win, plus an additional five hundred gold if he placed, a fair sum of coin. William had once been a candidate to become one of the Three Hundred Blades, but Fate had taken him away on the path of adventuring. The Baron almost threatened to slam his cup of wine against the wall, but kept his cool in front of the other minor nobles and merchants. ¡°It seems the Iyrman was more of a savage than you let on,¡± another lord said from nearby, a merchant pouring him some wine. ¡°It is my honour to face you,¡± the young man in plate mail said as they met in the middle. He donned his shield, and held his blade out towards the space between them. ¡°The honour is mine,¡± Adam replied, raising his shield, readying himself for the fight. ¡®Damn. He¡¯s a nice guy.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 4 (3) Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 22 (12) Hit! 2D6 + 9 = 15 (2, 4) 15 damage! Adam managed to deflect a blow with his axe, and as he struck when he saw a chance, he was forced back by a harsh swing by the blade, which glowed gently, causing his puthral armour to sparkle. He stepped aside, barely striking the young man across his thigh. Carter leapt away from Adam, shocked by how much damage the Half Elf had managed with just his axe. ¡®He hits like a mountain tiger.¡¯ The pair circled around one another, their blade and axe pointed towards each other. Health: 78 -> 52 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 52 -> 57 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 35 (2, 4, 4, 4)(1, 3, 3, 5) 35 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 24 (14) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! 2D6 + 9 = 16 (1, 6) 16 damage! ¡°I shall return your strike with greater fury,¡± the Guardian said, and his blade almost blurred in front of Adam, who managed to bend backwards. Adam raised his shield, but the blade struck down against his side, causing him to roll backwards, his side stinging from where the divine magic struck him. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adam leapt up onto his feet, inhaling deeply, before he raised his axe towards the young man again, before they met in battle once more. This time, with Adam deeply focusing on his assault, the Half Elf managed to land a strike across the young man¡¯s armour, which was seared from the divine smite, and he slipped under the shield, managing to force the young man back. The crowd had long drowned out for them, as the pair focused only on each other. Sir Carter¡¯s mind tingled, feeling as though Adam was still holding back against him. He raised his blade again towards Adam, but spent a moment catching the Half Elf¡¯s eyes. He bowed his head. Adam returned a bow of his own head. Health: 57 -> 20 Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 20 -> 25 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 20 (10) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 35 (1, 2)(3, 6) 35 damage! Carter charged forward, the pair bumping shields, before they swung together, dancing in the centre of the arena. As Adam focused himself, Carter managed two heavy blows against the puthral plate mail, marking it with his divine magic, while Adam swung wildly, striking the young Guardian harshly across his own armour. Sir Carter dropped down to a knee, but Adam caught him, half embracing the Guardian. Carter tried to catch his breath, but was unable to gather more strength as his vision faded to black. Mana: 19 -> 18 Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°It was an honour to face you, Sir Carter,¡± Adam said, his voice full of healing magic. Sir Carter felt the strength return to him as the Half Elf held him. He tensed slightly, but relaxed, before stepping away from the Half Elf. He bowed his head. ¡°The honour is mine, Chief Executive Officer Adam.¡± I keep forgetting to italicize the stuff my bad. Hardest fight of Jurot''s life? LOL! 566. Preliminaries VIII 566. Preliminaries VIII Victory! XP Gained: +400 XP: 10 200 -> 10 600 ¡®If he had tried to attack me, I would have had to Onward Soar,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If I had lost so much gold because he wanted to take a cheap shot, I¡¯d have to stop holding back against everyone.¡¯ ¡®What a crazy bastard,¡¯ Layla thought from the top of the central octagon, magically hidden from sight. ¡®His party alone managed to shift the odds back to favour them.¡¯ Betting more than a thousand gold was something Layla saw from the wealthiest of nobles and merchants, those within the central octagon beneath her, and typically only for the fights in the older ranges, those full of Masters, Grandmasters, and Paragons. ¡°Should we refuse his bets?¡± a senior worker asked. ¡°No. If he wishes to bet all that money, then he¡¯ll have to accept losing all of it when he makes the wrong bet. If he keeps making the right bets each time, we won¡¯t act.¡± Layla wondered if the nobles were going to kick up a fuss after losing such a great bet. Under her, the greatest nobles and merchants were snacking on various fruits, sipping fine wines, and drinking the most delicious teas. ¡°How fortunate,¡± Duchess Eastsea said, beaming towards the beautiful Half Elf. ¡°I¡¯m sure the odds of the bet were greater then two to one.¡± Kira smiled towards the Duchess, leaning back in her plush chair. ¡°I should bet on my own kind, at least.¡± She had bet on Adam out of courtesy, and for the sake of betting. She hadn¡¯t bet on Adam previously, when he had faced Blade, but this time she had decided to throw a fair sum of gold on the Half Elf, who was currently undefeated. The Duchess had already motioned for one of her guards to find out more about Adam. She would need to keep an eye on him, the young man who had beaten two of the favourites to win the segment. She did not recognise the armour as one which was traded through the regions, though it hadn¡¯t taken long to recall the Iyr¡¯s special alloy known as puthral. ¡°You did not use Wraith?¡± Jurot asked. He was certain that Adam could have used a greater smite, as well as whatever Wraith could do, in order to completely defeat his opponent. ¡°I can¡¯t show you up the day after you do something cool,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Even if I do want to one shot some great prodigy, I don¡¯t want to take away anything from you.¡± ¡°Many will know your name now. You defeated a prodigy of the Three Hundred Blades.¡± Adam smirked. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°The bets will no longer pay as well.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, the fights will take a pause, and we can rest,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The small fights will begin.¡± ¡°Small fights?¡± ¡°Fights which are not official by the eyes of the arena,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Many warriors who could not join the tournament will fight. There are some warriors from the tournament that participate too.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Can we bet?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head. Omen: 7, 19 Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head. There were more commoners on the first floor of the arena now, with the arena selling places within the first floor to those who weren¡¯t merchants or adventurers this day. Adam and his group arrived before noon in order to watch some of the fights. ¡®Should I fight too? I want to make some money so...¡¯ ¡°Hey, are you Adam?¡± an Aswadian man asked. He was in his late twenties or early thirties, and wore studded leather, with a round disc of painted metal against his chest. At his side were a pair of scimitars. ¡°That I am.¡± ¡°Hari,¡± the Aswadian said, extending a hand. Adam shook Hari¡¯s forearm. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I thought you looked pretty good at fighting. Thought I¡¯d try to have a go myself. I¡¯m pretty well known back home for being a decent warrior. I¡¯m a little older than you, but I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t mind that, right?¡± Defence: 24 Such a Defence was only rivalled by the toughest of creatures, and as Jurot had said once before, even the great Urkina, a Dragon Turtle, would envy the Half Elf. ¡®Curses upon your father and his father before him!¡¯ Hari thought, unable to penetrate Adam¡¯s armour. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack - Battleaxe D20 + 8 = 11 (3) D20 + 8 = 15 (7) Miss! Attack - Battleaxe D20 + 8 = 11 (3) D20 + 8 = 27 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 19 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D3 + 4D6 + 7 = 37 (3, 4)(3, 3)(1, 4, 6, 6) 37 damage! Adam inhaled deeply, watching as Hari stepped back, putting some distance between them. Adam stepped forward, and Hari dashed towards the Half Elf, one scimitar aiming to block Adam¡¯s axe, and the other aiming for Adam¡¯s neck. Unfortunately for the Aswadian, Adam pulled up his shield just in time, before forcing his way through the scimitar, almost breaking the steel, before managing to contact the Aswadian¡¯s chest, the metal disc denting as the divine magic flashed. ¡°Argh!¡± the Aswadian cried, before crumpling to the ground, his eyes white as he fell unconscious. ¡°Good fight,¡± Adam said, placing Strong Shield away. He looked to the worker. ¡°Are you going to deal with him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good stuff.¡± Adam half saluted the worker, before heading out. ¡®That was easy.¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +400 XP: 10 600 -> 11 000 ¡®Was he really worth so much XP?¡¯ Adam thought, almost walking into someone. Adam tensed up, before noting the lithe Kitool at his side. ¡°What¡¯s with you Iyrmen and always sneaking up to me?¡± ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Yeah, it was,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I did not want you to get into trouble.¡± ¡°You can trust me alone, Kitool.¡± Adam chuckled. He stopped chuckling noting Kitool¡¯s silence. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this. I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m very good at keeping out of trouble when I want to.¡± The group watched the fights, and as late afternoon approached, the group made their way out of the arena. ¡°Vonda, would you come with me to the market?¡± Adam asked. Vonda smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± Adam explored the market with Vonda in order to find a particular set of items. Upon finding them, Adam spent his gold, and placed them into his bank. ¡®Did I charge Phantom last night? I think so...¡¯ Omen: 11, 15 In the morning, the group approached the arena, which was bustling with greater life. ¡®Whoa. It¡¯s so much louder now.¡¯ ¡°You there, halt at once!¡± Adam stopped, narrowing his eyes. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ He stared at the guard pointing at him. She wore breastplate with the markings of the city guard, and she held the hilt of her blade with one hand. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam replied, growing tense. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for suspicion of murder.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°You what?¡± Try not to get into trouble challenge!!! (IMPOSSIBLE EDITION)!!! 567. Preliminaries IX 567. Preliminaries IX The captain of the guard had pulled Adam to a side room of the arena, understanding there was a certain procedure she needed to follow since the arena was partially involved. The room provided was large and bare, just a small table between Adam and the captain, the pair sitting on a set of basic chairs. A pair of guards stood on either side of the exit of the room. They wore half plate mail, and carried blades at their side. Their cloaks were a deep red with a golden trim, just like their captain. ¡°Do you recognise this man?¡± Captain Clara asked, revealing a piece of paper with a sketch. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, staring down at the sketch. ¡°Hari, the Red... something. Serpent, maybe? I faced him yesterday in the arena. Easiest one hundred gold of my life, save for the bets I made. Still, I didn¡¯t kill him. The priests can attest to that since they checked on him.¡± ¡°He was found dead in the river with slash marks against his body,¡± the captain informed. ¡°We can tell they were done by an axe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Adam said, frowning. He had only met the man last night and he had seemed a decent enough fellow. ¡°You think I got something to do with that?¡± ¡°Now how did you come to that conclusion?¡± Clara leaned in, narrowing her eyes towards the Half Elf. Adam remained sitting opposite her, his hands on the table. He had handed over his axe and shield to Jurot, understanding that it was a bad idea to take them with him. The guards had made to try to take them from the Iyrmen, but the arena guards had quickly stepped in to stop the situation from escalating too hard, and had moved Adam¡¯s group to a nearby room, where they could be easily accessed if they needed to gather them for any reason. ¡°If I had to take a guess, it¡¯s because I fought him, won a hundred gold, used an axe, and I¡¯m a Half Elf whose made quite the name for himself and probably upset a noble or two.¡± Adam had an inkling that this was something done by a noble in order to deal with him. He was someone who could challenge the favourites of his segment, and was perhaps an eyesore for the nobles. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve sent word to Sir Landon Littlesea that one of his warriors has been accused of murder.¡± Clara threw a look to one of the guards, who stepped out, before she turned her gaze back to Adam. ¡®Sir Landon Littlesea? The son of Baron Ramon, was it?¡¯ Adam leaned back to relax, seeing that the woman was no longer questioning him, and had pulled away herself as she waited for Sir Landon to be brought before them. Sir Landon arrived a short while later, far shorter than expected, escorted by the same guard who had left, as well as an arena guard. A seat had been brought for him, as well as a cushion which was placed upon it. Some tea and fruit was brought for the young noble, and the tension in the air began to melt away. ¡°I hope you have a good reason for bringing me here,¡± Landon said, giving the captain minor trouble for calling him here. However, he understood what the situation was, the unspoken gazes between them explaining everything. ¡°Your warrior, Adam, is accused of murder.¡± ¡°Murdering who?¡± Landon asked, before leaning in to look down at the paper to see the rough sketch. ¡°An Aswadian? I¡¯m sure he had it coming to him. Adam wouldn¡¯t kill a man like this unless it was for self defence.¡± Clara relaxed slightly, leaning back away from the young noble and the Half Elf. Since Sir Landon had managed to form a decent enough justification, and was willing to defend the boy, it meant that this wasn¡¯t about charging Adam for murder, but rather to learn more about Adam. When two nobles were involved like this, it wasn¡¯t good to aggravate one side over the other, and she hadn¡¯t been given any special requests to make sure Adam was brought to justice. This justification was good enough for her to write up a short report, and for her to continue with a much lighter interrogation of the Half Elf. ¡°Whoa, whoa,¡± Adam raised his hands up from the table, as though he was threatened under crossbowpoint. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was self defence,¡± Landon said, sipping his tea, before giving Adam a look. It was a look to tell him that the matter was settled. ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him,¡± Adam repeated, noting that Landon was looking at him strangely, and gathered that something else was going on. ¡°You didn¡¯t murder him even if you did kill him. Murder is the unlawful killing, and killing with the justification of self-,¡± ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Adam said, daring to interrupt the noble, even causing the guards to pause in shock. ¡°You¡¯ve travelled with me before. You know how strong I am. You know that I¡¯m much stronger than before too. Think about it. The wolves. The cult. The Twilight Fox. Even your own warrior. Do you think I, Adam, need to kill a guy if he came to attack me? This guy, he was pretty skilled, sure, but please. I¡¯d be able to knock him out, drag him to the guards, and still fight in a match, and win.¡± Landon knew Adam had been holding back in his fights, though to hear Adam speak so earnestly about his strength like this, it revealed to him that Adam was stronger than even he imagined. He had seen Adam do some pretty crazy things, and then there was his brother, Jurot. The Iyrman had fought the previous King¡¯s Sword, known as perhaps the greatest King¡¯s Sword to date, and had forced the now Traitor King to use his greatest spells to deal with him. ¡°The Brands are currently active around the port district,¡± Jurot confirmed. Clara nodded, the Iyrman revealing quite a bit of information with just that singular line. ¡°One thing I know about Iyrmen is that, once you¡¯re a man, or woman, you get tattooed.¡± Clara motioned to Adam¡¯s bare forehead. ¡°He¡¯s got no tattoo.¡± ¡°Adam is no Iyrman,¡± Jurot confirmed, ¡°but he is my brother.¡± Clara remained silent. She had assumed Adam was lying when he mentioned they were brothers, since he wasn¡¯t an Iyrman. Yet, if the Iyrman said it, then this was another matter entirely. She had been sent in order to gather every little detail. If Adam had been confirmed to be lying, then even Sir Landon wouldn¡¯t have been able to deal with the matter, and it could have escalated further than either side expected. ¡°How can he be your brother if he is not an Iyrman?¡± ¡°We have the same sister,¡± Jurot replied. The captain held the Iyrman¡¯s gaze. ¡°Alright. He says he didn¡¯t kill the Aswadian. What do you think?¡± ¡°He did not do it.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Adam, did you kill him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Then he did not do it.¡± ¡°You believe him just because he said so?¡± ¡°Adam is queer, but he is no liar,¡± stated, as though it were fact. ¡°He would not bring shame to the Rot family name.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes remained firmly fixated onto the captain¡¯s. He was daring her to disagree. He knew what she was doing here, but even so, he wasn¡¯t going to let her act up freely, not when it came to the Iyr¡¯s matters. ¡°I hear you¡¯re doing quite well in the tournament,¡± Clara said, smiling slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to watch your bouts, since I have been working. You¡¯re quite young still, though, so you shouldn¡¯t let it get to your head.¡± ¡°You are strong, captain,¡± Jurot said. He had noted the colour of her cape, red, which meant she was a member of the elite guard. The trim was golden, revealing she carried magical weapons. The buttons that clasped her cloak to her armour were far more stylised, meaning she was close to the level of a Master, while the other two were Experts. ¡°There are six warriors in this room, and you would place in the top half, after my brother and I.¡± ¡°You think you can beat me?¡± Clara asked, raising her brow, as though daring him to state it again. ¡°No,¡± Jurot stated, keeping his gaze glued to hers. ¡°I know I can beat you.¡± The pair remained glaring at one another. Adam, who had been remaining silent, swallowed. He had figured that something was up, but to think that the greatest card he had drawn in order to deal with the situation was trying to get him killed. ¡®Damn it, Jurot! Stop trying to aggravate her!¡¯ Adam now understood how it felt to be on the receiving end. Jurot wth bro. 568. Preliminaries X 568. Preliminaries X Adam glanced between the guards, Jurot, and Sir Landon. The group were drinking tea together, eating the snacks provided by the arena, various fruits cut small and fried dough snacks. ¡®What is going on?¡¯ Jurot spoke their tale, stating his personal involvement clearly, while vaguely brushing past Adam¡¯s actions. He understood the game which was being played, and though it annoyed the captain, she couldn¡¯t help but admire his audacity. Learning more about Jurot did end up telling her more about Adam too, since there seemed to be a deep connection between the pair. ¡°Are any of yours in the Hundred Iyrmen?¡± Clara asked. ¡°My grandfather is fighting in the war,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°The same grandfather you mentioned?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s fighting in the war with one arm?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Clara blinked. ¡®Iyrmen are crazy.¡¯ ¡°Is he strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The old geezer¡¯s pretty strong,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°He¡¯s one of only two guys to beat me in the last few years. Him, and a... Demigod?¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°Idol,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°An Idol?¡± Clara squinted her eyes. She was sure she had heard the term before, but couldn¡¯t quite recall it. ¡°Those greater than Paragons,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Such as the Golden Dragon which protects the capital, Lord Stokmar, and other Greater Dragons and Demigods which roam the land.¡± ¡°That guy was one hell of a monster,¡± Adam said, his voice low. ¡°He is stronger than even the previous King¡¯s Sword,¡± Jurot said, crossing his arms as he tensed up. He recalled the flames which had engulfed him. ¡°Now, now, Iyrman, you can¡¯t say that,¡± a guard said. ¡°The Traitor King was the greatest King¡¯s Sword to date, even if he¡¯s currently rebelling.¡± ¡°Jurot would know, since the Traitor King used two Fourth Gate spells to defeat him,¡± Adam said, smirking slightly. ¡°You can ask Sir Landon, since he was around at the time.¡± Sir Landon nodded, confirming their words. Jurot had merely stated he had the chance to spar with the King¡¯s Sword, and said no more as he continued the topic. Yet, to think the King¡¯s Sword had to use two Fourth Gate spells against him, it was unbelievable. ¡°A fellow stronger than even Sir Merryweather?¡± Clara asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°His fire was so strong that it knocked me out in a single burst,¡± Adam stated, his face souring at the memory. ¡°Fire? They say the south is being protected by someone known as the Fire Lord.¡± Clara stared at the pair, wondering if they knew anything about the figure. From what she gathered, the figure may be the same.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.coma¡¯s father,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Who is-,¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam interrupted the captain, his eyes snapping to Jurot. ¡°He¡¯s Shama¡¯s dad?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about the old man from the village? The one you drew your axe against? Asa?¡± Adam asked. He remembered their first meeting. Though the old man seemed to be quite mysterious and dangerous, he had been rather nice to them. ¡®He¡¯s Shama¡¯s dad?¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°There really are mountains beyond mountains.¡± Jurot nodded. Though Adam¡¯s statements were weird, they did make some sense to the Iyrman. As they stepped up to the nearby room, Adam paused. He recalled something he had been told earlier in the year. ¡°Is it true that Lord Stokmar made half of all the mountains in Aswadasad?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Kitool asked as the pair stepped inside. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Where are Nobby and the others?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They went to fight.¡± ¡°Ah! Did you bet on my behalf?¡± ¡°We did,¡± Vonda assured. ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°Did you kill the man?¡± Vonda asked. Adam frowned. ¡°No.¡± Vonda bowed her head. ¡°I knew you had not, but I wished to hear you say it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel comfortable killing people around you,¡± Adam said. ¡°I barely feel comfortable killing animals.¡± Vonda continued to smile towards the Half Elf, though her face was covered by her scarf. ¡°Let¡¯s hope I don¡¯t get into any more trouble,¡± Adam said. The group made their way up to the first floor in order to watch the fights, while Jurot and the others went to the walls for their fights. ¡°Did they ask you many questions?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Yeah. It was really weird. They accused me of murder, and pretty quickly Sir Landon dealt with it. Then we started talking about my story.¡± Vonda understood it must have been because of that. Some noble or another may have tried to embarrass Adam, but it was more than likely to try and gain more information about him. Eventually, it was time for the older Iyrmen to fight. ¡°Sponsored by Marquis Logan Bluewater, the young knight groomed by the late, great Knight of the East, Sir Devon Clearsea!¡± ¡®What¡¯s with all these names being based on water and the sea?¡¯ ¡°Sponsored by Sir Landon Littlesea, the Iyrman with skin of steel, Chief Executive Officer Jurot!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Woo! Jurot!¡± ¡°Sir Devon Clearsea is the nephew of the now deceased Knight of the East,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Is he strong?¡± ¡°He is,¡± Vonda said, noting the prying ears on their conversation. She decided against adding more, not wanting to draw more attention to them. ¡°I¡¯m still betting gold on Jurot, though,¡± Adam said. Asa retires to Ever Green before everything goes to hell. Old man can''t catch a break. 569. Preliminaries XI 569. Preliminaries XI The young knight and the young Iyrman circled around the arena, allowing the people to make time for their bets. Adam had bet the typical amount again, though he thought about betting more. Simultaneousness, he found out that Jaygak was fighting too, and so was Timojin. Once the pair were ready, they faced against one another, greatsword against axe and shield. The young knight was first to spur into action, and though Jurot managed to deflect a blow with his shield, another blow managed to draw blood out of his side. The knight stepped forward, walking into the jaws of the Iyrman, managing another blow against the Iyrman, managing to wound the Iyrman greater than any of his previous foes. Adam noted the lack of thunder. Jurot¡¯s entire body flashed red hot, and Phantom blurred. The knight tried to block the blow, and though his blade had managed to do so, he skid back and almost dropped to a knee, before Jurot brought the axe down towards his helmet, and crushed it, dropping the knight. ¡°Woo!¡± Adam shouted, clapping wildly as Jurot raised his axe into the air. The priests approached quickly and checked on the young knight, healing him with their magics. The knight gasped for air, glancing around as the light blurred his vision. He looked towards the Iyrman and pointed with his blade. ¡°You wicked savage!¡± The knight managed to stand with his own strength, still pointing his blade to the Iyrman. ¡°You must have used some sort of sorcery to defeat me.¡± Jurot turned to face the young knight as the crowd fell silent. The priests glanced between one another, and the nearby guards clutched their spears tighter. The Iyrman remained glaring at the young knight, who had groomed to become one of the Great Five Knight¡¯s successor. ¡°Heal,¡± Jurot said, cracking his neck from side to side, flexing his muscles. ¡°I will show you no mercy.¡± The knight glared at the Iyrman, but seeing that Jurot was unmoving, even as his blood trickled out of his side, he felt a chill run through his back. He sheathed his blade and turned. Jurot raised his axe once more, and the crowd fell into another thunderous applause. ¡°You¡¯d never catch me calling an Iyrman a cheater,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even I¡¯m not that stupid.¡± Vonda sipped her water. ¡°It was quite the shame he marred his defeat. Being gracious in defeat is greater than being gracious in victory.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam found out that Jaygak had done well too, having fought quite the difficult match. ¡®Should I have created a Greater weapon for her too?¡¯ Adam¡¯s thoughts then fell to his winnings. He had made so much money that he didn¡¯t need to place in order to earn coin. However, he still had a bet on himself, and losing free money on the table didn¡¯t sit right with him. ¡®Am I becoming too enamoured by gold?¡¯ The names of those who were beginning to sweep was becoming more evident. By this time, everyone understood who would place in the top ten in each segment, as long as nothing too crazy threw the rankings off track. It was a wonder to most of the tournament goers that the most of the names belonging to those sweeping in certain segments were all sponsored by the same figure, a young noble whose name would have faded into irrelevance within a decade, and yet was beginning to become the talk of the largest city in East Aldland, and one of the greatest four in all of Aldland. Omen: 4, 9 Adam¡¯s opponent this time was a Priest of the Golden Sea, an order of Eastern Aswadasad. He had pale skin, bright blue eyes, and golden hair. ¡®Noskan?¡¯ Adam thought. He wondered how a Noskan had managed to become a member of an order of Eastern Aswadasad, before recalling that Noska was roughly north east, across the sea. ¡®Right, I guess that does make sense actually.¡¯ Adam glanced to the others. ¡°What about you all?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rick said. ¡°Aye,¡± Jeremy said, nodding his head. Adam looked to Nobby and the others, before remembering he hadn¡¯t given them any money to spend. ¡®Oh, crap.¡¯ ¡°I was planning on splitting some of the winning with everyone anyhow. The party fund has grown, and my own pockets have gotten fat too, but I can¡¯t just let you all do the work while I¡¯m raking in the gold.¡± Rick remained silent, though his mind was abuzz with more thoughts about how queer Adam was. Jeremy and the others looked to Jurot, as if to have him sort the Half Elf out. ¡°You do not need to share your winnings with us,¡± Nirot said. ¡°We bet using money from the Iyr.¡± ¡°Alright, then all your shares can go to Nobby then,¡± Adam replied, before looking to Brittany. ¡°Did I give you money to bet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you some of the winnings too.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re one of ours too. You didn¡¯t join the tournament for one reason or another, but as an Expert, wouldn¡¯t you have placed quite high?¡± ¡°Against the Iyrmen and Nobby?¡± Brittany replied. ¡°I¡¯m best with a bow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not too bad with a rapier or shortswords, right?¡± Brittany wasn¡¯t sure about Adam¡¯s statement. She preferred the bow, since it felt more comfortable to wield. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not really here for the money, but for the freedom, right? Don¡¯t worry. Give it a few years and you¡¯ll be strong enough to explore the land without us. Though, you¡¯ll probably need some coin to hire some guards with you.¡± Adam thought about what he could do with Brittany. ¡°Or we could send you to other lands for the business?¡± Brittany thought back to Shama, who had completely defeated Adam, the craziest person she knew, with about as much effort as it took to sneeze. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard at the business.¡± Adam returned a smile towards her. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it! Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll treat you right. I¡¯ll be sure to let you explore different lands, as long as it¡¯s relatively safe.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Brittany replied. She had already given up her freedom to join the business. ¡®As long as I¡¯m alive, then I can still have the chance to be free.¡¯ Ah man it''s so good to see Adam and the group completely dominate in a tournament. I should mention that gold rank patrons are seeing some really fun stuff too! 570. Preliminaries XII 570. Preliminaries XII Omen: 11, 18 ¡®I should increase my bets,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If I split some of the winnings between everyone, even two hundred gold will be too little. I should at least give them all a tiny bit, but Nobby and Brittany should get the most since...¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure why they should get the most. ¡®Since they were the first to believe in me?¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡®I can¡¯t bet too much, can I? Won¡¯t the arena get annoyed with me? I wonder what the biggest bets amount to. There¡¯s no way we¡¯ve broken that when the Duchess can swing around tens of thousands of gold with ease.¡¯ ¡°Chief Executive Officer Kitool!¡± came the shout from one side, before it was repeated. ¡°Chief Executive Officer Jaygak!¡± came the shout from the other side, before it was repeated. Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ Jaygak thought, frowning as she stared at Kitool opposite her. She gathered they¡¯d have faced each other like this, but to think it would be so soon. ¡®I should have guessed since my luck had been so good.¡¯ Jaygak and Kitool circled around the arena, while everyone was beginning to place their bets. ¡®Probably Kitool, right?¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the gazes of his companions sear into his soul. Adam crossed his arms, and did not make a motion. A worker passed by their table, pausing. ¡°Are you not wishing to bet?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, simply. Rick met Remy¡¯s eyes, and the pair remained silent, not moving to bet their coin on either Iyrman. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°The Iyrman,¡± Adam replied, simply. Vonda smiled, wondering if she should tease Adam more, but she decided against it. Jaygak and Kitool met in the centre of the arena, while the bets had been placed. The bets were fairly even, with a slight edge towards Kitool, since she had faced against plenty of opponents wearing heavy armour, though none had been Iyrmen. Jurot crossed his arms as he watched the fight from the wall. He had essentially forced him way into the wall to watch it, the same as Timojin and Amokan, who stood on the opposite side. They each thought against who was going to win, instead focusing on the pair ahead of them. Jaygak held Stormdrake in hand, gripping it tight, tighter than she had ever done so before. Kitool held Tigerstaff, pointing it towards her best friend. She inhaled sharply, before letting out a soft breath. The guards shouted for the pair to begin, but neither moved. A second passed. Two seconds. Three seconds. The three seconds felt almost like an eternity, and the entire arena was eerily quiet. The sounds of distant fighting from the arenas could barely be heard. The tension snapped. ¡®Aren¡¯t the fights only going to get better now? Since they¡¯re be facing only the greatest of warriors?¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure how it worked exactly, but he assumed that the quality of the fights were going to increase, and the fights were going to become more even. ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam said, looking at Jurot as he returned from his fight. ¡°You look like crap.¡± Jurot, whose hair was dishevelled, and was bandaged by the arena¡¯s priests, sat down opposite Adam. ¡°The Order of Ice Blades gave their Rage Dancer a set of magical items which almost matched Phantom and Mighty Roar.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°They must have bet on Logan,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any thunder.¡± ¡°I did not need to use it.¡± Adam smiled. ¡®Hehe. That¡¯s my brother.¡¯ ¡°Logan wielded Third Ice,¡± Jurot said. Brittany almost spat out her drink, wiping her mouth quickly as she stared at Jurot. ¡°Third Ice? The sword made from the Silver Dragon Queen of the North?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Jaygak sobered up from hearing the name of the blade, and exchanged a look with Kitool. Third Ice? ¡®What?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Silver Dragon Queen of the North?¡± ¡°Antalia, Queen Silvari¡¯s mother,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°She was hunted down by the White Dragon Knights, though the price was their utter demise, and a great shift which rocked the entirety of the north. The King of Aldland at the time managed to assist the Blacksnow family in stabilising the region, before they were able to force their way into Drakkenlan to sack and raze much of its southern region. Drakkenlan has barely recovered since.¡± ¡°Third Ice is made of Antalia?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Third Ice is the weakest of the Three Blades of Ice. First Ice, Second Ice, Third Ice. Third Ice is a Greater Enhanced blade. Second Ice is a Legendary Enhanced Blade. First Ice is an Artefact.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Logan must be a candidate to become the Grand Commander of the Order, or he would be unable to wield Third Ice as an Expert.¡± ¡°And you, Jurot, son of Sonarot, have beaten him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, a shadow of a smile appearing on his face. Poor Jaygak. 571. Preliminaries XIII 571. Preliminaries XIII ¡°Even against Third Ice, you still won!¡± Jaygak complained. ¡°I bet I couldn¡¯t even land a hit on him either!¡± The Iyrmen had rented a room to share drinks and snacks, allowing Jaygak to get rid of her pent up frustrations. Jurot poured Jaygak another drink. ¡°You would be able to strike him, since he is not Kitool.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m weak, but because Kitool is too strong! Kitool! Why did you beat me so easily in front of everyone? I¡¯m your best friend!¡± Jaygak grabbed Kitool and hugged her tight, resting her cheek on top of Kitool¡¯s head. ¡°My best friend.¡± Amokan poured some wine in for the Iyrman too. ¡°It was expected you would be the first to lose.¡± Jaygak opened her eyes to glare at Amokan. The handsome Iyrman returned a soft smile towards her glare, pushing the cup of wine towards her. ¡°You were the weakest out of all of us, even when we were young,¡± Amokan stated. ¡°How could anyone blame you when you were born so small?¡± ¡°Just you wait!¡± Jaygak picked up the cup of wine and drank it down. ¡°Adam¡¯s going to make me a Master and then I¡¯m going to beat you!¡± Amokan flashed another smile, a smile far more charming and playful. ¡°I am certain that will be the case. Timojin and I have worked so hard to become Experts, and you were all able to rest within the Iyr for half a year and still grow more powerful. Who but Adam could do such a thing?¡± Jurot bowed his head. He had informed Amokan, Timojin, and Ilyakan, of what had occurred over the years. Amokan, who had grown up with the three Iyrmen, had reacted as expected. He had almost cried from his laughter. ¡®He has to be at least that crazy for us to beat him,¡¯ Amokan had declared. ¡°So, you have decided at least to become a Master?¡± Amokan asked, looking to Jaygak. ¡°You, who only wished to reach Steel Rank?¡± ¡°A Master is still Steel Rank,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Almost Silver,¡± Amokan retorted. ¡°Almost, but not Silver.¡± ¡°Iyrmen Steel is Aldish Silver.¡± ¡°I might be an iyrman, but the Aldish can still beat me.¡± ¡°This tournament proves you wrong.¡± Jaygak grabbed a bottle of wine, and reached out to grab Amokan¡¯s collar. ¡°Don¡¯t argue when you¡¯re still sober!¡± Amokan opened his mouth, drinking the wine Jaygak poured down his throat, laughing once he was done drinking. Jaygak eventually drank herself to sleep. Kitool dragged her away to sleep, while Jurot cleaned up the area. Amokan accepted the bottles of wine and went to share them with Timojin and Ilyakan. ¡°Sponsored by Sir Landon Littlesea, standing firm like an immovable wall like his brother, Chief Executive Officer Adam!¡± Adam smiled at the introduction, raising his axe in the air as he stepped into the arena from his wall. ¡®An immovable wall?¡¯ The crowd was already shouting, filled with a fervour of excitement. One of the warriors was adorned in purple plate mail, and had made a name for himself as defeating one of the top contenders from the nobles. The other wore full plate too, though his helmet was fashioned in the shape of a hyena. At his chest was an amulet made of diamond, one worth three hundred gold at least. ¡®What a nice sword.¡¯ Adam was unable to contain his smirk as he circled around the arena, before finally coming across his foe. ¡°So you¡¯re Adam,¡± Flaming Hyena said, unlatching the lower jaw of his helmet, allowing it to drop. He had tan skin, that of am Aswadian, and his dark eyes stared at Adam fiercely. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I see you¡¯re under Sir Tamon Littlesea.¡± ¡°He paid a pretty penny.¡± ¡°How much is a pretty penny?¡± ¡°More than you-,¡± Flaming Hyena cleared his throat. ¡°Five hundred gold upfront, and one hundred gold each month for each member of our group to be paid monthly, for a year.¡± ¡°How many of you are there?¡± ¡°Six.¡± ¡°Are you the strongest?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam smiled from behind his helmet, before realising how rude he was being. He shifted his visor so his opponent could see his face too. ¡°Let us have a fair fight.¡± Flaming Hyena latched his helmet together once more. ¡°Yes. May I have a moment to compose myself?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, stepping away, while stretching out his muscles, and he waited for the man known as Flaming Hyena. Jurot stared at the pair as they prepared themselves. He had thought to mention the Golden Savages to Adam, since they were quite decent. In fact, in terms of power, Jurot may have bet on them to win their segment. However, there was one flaw the group possessed, and it was that they did not use shields. ¡®It deals 1D6 plus 1D6 fire damage, so it can match a greatsword, but why does he have no shield?¡¯ Adam thought, trying to figure out what his opponent was up to. He remained standing still, his hand the hilt of his sheathed blade. ¡®Isn¡¯t it weird that my swords have come to haunt me twice from the same family? What are the chances of that?¡¯ ¡°Are you the strongest?¡± ¡°No.¡± *Increases bet.* 572. Preliminaries XIV 572. Preliminaries XIV Rook dropped before the imposing figure before him. His four companions were in various states of disarray, while the second oldest member of his group, was currently being choked out by their target, a woman who was definitely their age. Rook gathered whatever strength he could to force himself forward, before sinking his teeth against the woman¡¯s leg, but found her thick trousers formed quite the protection against his teeth. He should have thought twice against trying to jump someone who wore full chain, and carried a blade at her side. While four of them clubbed the woman, their nimblest would try to snatch her purse, and they would flee. Yet, somehow, she had managed to defeat all five of them. The woman¡¯s lips curled up into a wry smile, and she began to cackle with laughter at the five of them. Flaming Hyena drew his sword, the faint wisp of smoke floating through the air. He began to shake slightly, before the sounds of cackling filled the arena. Adam held up Strong Shield, and gripped Wraith tighter. ¡®Whoa! Damn! Sheesh!¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply to try and calm himself from the fright. Flaming Hyena continued to cackle before it turned to howling laughter, and, with his blade drawn, he leapt forward to fight. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 10 (9) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 17 (7) Miss! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (12) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 39 (1, 2, 3, 6)(1, 5, 6, 6) 39 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) Miss! The laughter unnerved Adam, who, while trying to focus himself with his Fighting Spirit, was unable to land a blow as he dodged the flaming blade, and then caught it with his axe, trying to gather himself. He inhaled deeply and urged himself to act, ducked under a flaming swing, before landing a heavy blow, his divine magic flashing white hot as he forced Flaming Hyena back. Adam had expected a moment of respite after striking his opponent so dearly, but he heard the words to a spell, and watched as the shadow of a flaming sword approached the side of his head. His heart stopped for a moment, and in that split second, as the shaking sword reached towards his neck, he plucked a Threat of Fate. Omen: 7, 11 -> 7 The thread shot outwards towards the beautiful woman standing but ten steps away from him, the scales within her hands balancing, forcing whatever Fate had in stored to dissipate into the ether. However, the thread darted past her, but froze in the air, as though realising the mistake it had made, before it was swallowing by the scales. ¡°...¡± Flaming Hyena¡¯s laughter stopped, as his blade vibrated against Adam¡¯s pauldron harmlessly. ¡®What?¡¯ He knew, with every fibre of his being, that he had managed to strike Adam¡¯s neck. He had called forth his magic, his blade ready to smite, not just with thunder, but with divine magic too, as much damage as he could muster, which would have killed any normal Expert. Adam inhaled. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 16 (6) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 28 (18) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 29 (1, 2, 3, 4)(1, 1, 3, 5) 29 damage! Health: 78 -> 54 Wraith struck the air as the Aswadian Guardian stepped back, managing to deflect the blow with his flaming sword, while Adam charged towards him, with axe in hand. Adam¡¯s axe managed to strike against his opponent¡¯s chest, followed moments later by an explosion of sound. Adam stepped back, feeling the heat against his side, the divine magic, the fire from the sword, and the thunderous force having rocked through his body, causing his side to pulse. ¡®This guy is no laughing matter.¡¯ Flaming Hyena continued to cackle, before he stepped forward to meet Adam again, swinging his blade across his palm, then spinning as he leapt into the fray, swinging his blade sideways. Fighting Spirit: 1 -> 0 Health: 54 -> 59 ¡°Yes,¡± Flaming Hyena said. ¡°...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I mean... I haven¡¯t used something during the entire tournament to its full extent.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s shield has yet to roar, and I have something similar which I haven¡¯t decided to use yet,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°So you have been holding back?¡± Flaming Hyena asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In all your fights?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Aswadian blinked. ¡°You may leave, Rook,¡± Layla said. Rook, the man known as Flaming Hyena, picked up his helmet, and stepped away. ¡®He held back? Even against me? What a crazy Half Elf.¡¯ Rook was in the top ten, and his strength was pretty close with the top three strongest slated to win, from the pair of nobles who were favourites to win, to Blade. He was only slightly weaker than even his leader, who would have stepped down, not to win, for the sake of the nobles. Layla stared at Adam. ¡®In all my time, have I seen anyone as monstrous as him at his age? There¡¯s his brother too, the damn Iyrman, and those other three Iyrmen.¡¯ She thought of the Devilkin Iyrman, who would have been able to place if she had plate mail. ¡°You know,¡± Adam began, clearing his throat, glancing between the guards. ¡°If you¡¯re planning on...¡± Adam paused. ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t say it so openly.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sure my brother is waiting for me.¡± The threat hung in the air for a short while. ¡°Who are you?¡± Layla asked. Adam could still feel the tingle in his mind and his throat. ¡°I¡¯m Adam.¡± ¡°What are you?¡± Adam thought for a short moment how to respond. He reached up to his amulet, feeling the ridges of the gem, tracing the symbol. ¡°One could say I¡¯m favoured by Lord Sozain.¡± Layla narrowed her eyes slightly. ¡°I have heard the Iyr is chosen by Death.¡± ¡°So he said.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°He has said so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°To you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Layla remained silent for a long while. All his words were no doubt thinly veiled threats towards her. Then she saw the realisation on Adam¡¯s face, and he squirmed before them before coughing into his fist awkwardly. ¡°I just realised it sounded like I kept threatening you,¡± Adam said, glancing to the side awkwardly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to after the first one.¡± ¡®What a crazy bastard!¡¯ Tfw you kept accidentally threatening the arena owner. 573. Second Phase I 573. Second Phase I ¡°Jurot, aren¡¯t I strong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Adam slowly nodded his head. He checked his payment, and realised it was more than he expected, considering his showing up to that point. ¡®Yeah, he was pretty strong, I guess...¡¯ The next day, Jurot and the other Iyrmen dealt with their opponents with relative ease. Adam continued to bet, wanting to make as much free money as he could while in the tournament. He no longer felt any gold troubles, and was glad for it. ¡®My weapons have probably auctioned off by this month? How much have they made me?¡¯ Once the fifth fights were dealt with, the next two days were exhibitions to show off the prowess of various warriors and the great magics some possessed. The military, the priests, and even the various orders put on a show for the crowd, taking donations as they advertised themselves, inspiring the people with their shows. Adam didn¡¯t spend much time at the arena during the weekend, though allowed his group to watch as much as they wanted, using the party fund to pay for them. Instead, Adam spent time with Vonda, exploring the market, which seemed as lively as ever. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked once they were back at the guild, with his group currently relaxing together with drink and food. ¡°The Grand Master of the Order of the Thousand Hunts is a Paragon,¡± Jurot repeated. ¡°He has revealed his ability to use Fourth Gate spells during the exhibitions today.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Nice.¡± ¡®I guess that¡¯s pretty big news then?¡¯ Adam thought, though he couldn¡¯t quite understand how big it was considering he was certain the Iyr had far more Paragons than Aldland. ¡°He can now match King Merryweather,¡± Jurot said, seeing how lost Adam was. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, before his eyes flashed with even more surprise. ¡°Oh! Wow. Yeah, I forgot about that.¡± ¡°Their bout would be too close to tell, but King Merryweather would have the slightest edge.¡± ¡°That sounds like pretty big news, then.¡± ¡°The city will speak of it for some time.¡± ¡°Are there any other Paragons who are Grand Masters?¡± ¡°There are two which are confirmed,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°The Order of Wings, and the Order of Three Hundred Blades each have Paragons.¡± ¡°Why would they not want to reveal it?¡± ¡°There are many reasons to hide one¡¯s strength.¡± Adam noted the look in Jurot¡¯s eyes, before bowing his head slowly. ¡°The Order of the Thousand Hunts has closed its gates,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is an order within the south, which is rebelling. They have decided to remain neutral, though some warriors, who had been sent outside before the war began, have chosen to fight for King Blackwater.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re not neutral?¡± Jurot slowly nodded. ¡°The Grand Master remains within East Port. His presence will deter any skirmishes from approaching too close to the city or the coast. Aswadasad has chosen against sending any ships near the area since the tournament is ongoing, but once the tournament passes, and duskval approaches, they may think to send their navy.¡± ¡°Aswadasad? Ah! They¡¯re fighting their civil war and Aldland at the same time, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I wonder how the war is going...¡± Adam glanced around, before recalling Dunes wasn¡¯t around. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡°Prices have begun to increase in East Port,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Trade has decreased, and though Central Aswadasad deals with much of the food supply, East Port still needs to send some supplies southward.¡± ¡°I heard the war was going to end before the year ends.¡± ¡°It will,¡± Jurot said, with the certainty of an Iyrman¡¯s truth. ¡°It will be too costly for all sides to continue the war. Neither side will be able to make any significant gains. Even Aswadasad¡¯s borders have been drawn, with Aswabayad, the name of the eastern shendom, taking much of the northern forests, and has expanded itself southward towards what was once South Aswadasad, but is now an ejirate.¡± ¡°How long ago did the borders shift like this in the regions?¡± ¡°Aldland has rarely changed borders, save for it expanding further north, it has remained a unified kingdom. There were various calamities, plagues and great invaders, which had temporarily changed its borders for no more than a year at a time. Aswadasad, too, was similar, though it had lost much of its eastern territories during a terrible betrayal of family. However, Aswadasad is recognisable today as it was during the formation of Aldland.¡± ¡°Two thousand years?¡± ¡°Yes. Aswadasad grew much larger, expanding to cover most of the confederacy, but that lasted no more than a couple of generations, and its currently borders have remained near constant since.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡®Cool.¡¯ ¡°Oh, Flaming Hyena, Rook, he was from Aswadasad wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He is from the Confederacy,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°The Golden Savages follow particular oaths, drawn from many of the mercenary groups which are active in the east. The region has a long history of mercenaries which follow such a path, and there have been many Mercenary Kings, though the title now holds less weight after the Confederacy of the Seventeen United Free Ejirates of the People of Many Bloods and One Tribe.¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°It is the full title of the Confederacy.¡± Adam wondered if he should tell Dunes he was about to place in the top four, but there was something else he needed to deal with which was more important. ¡°Happy birthday, Taygak,¡± Adam said, casting the spell a second time on the same day. Taygak, who was currently in the middle of exercising, stopped, glancing around. Kaygak threw a look to her daughter. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam,¡± Taygak replied. Kaygak blinked. ¡°Taygak?¡± ¡°Cousin Adam, speaking,¡± Taygak said, tapping her head. ¡®What?¡¯ Kaygak thought, before taking Taygak to go see Elder Zijin. Meanwhile, the young Iyrmen prepared themselves for their last fights. Due to the fact all of them had managed to reach the higher stage, some of them had begun to face one another. Nobby faced against Nirot first. It was a fight between two people who knew the Rot family¡¯s way. The hugely built Nobby managed to force Nirot back almost immediately. Even with Nobby attacking wildly, Nirot found that Nobby was much harder to hit than even Jurot. Nobby, somehow, was not only as strong as Timojin, he was almost as nimble as Kitool, and he was tougher than any of the monstrous Rage Dancers that were Adam¡¯s compatriots. Nirot¡¯s heart pounding heavily, and her lips almost formed a wild grin as she faced the monster known as Nobby. Thanks to her rage, she lasted longer than anyone who had faced Nobby thus far, but she was eventually whittled down, like Jurot¡¯s wood carvings, until she finally fell. ¡°You did well,¡± Adam reassured her. Uwajin also faced Faool. The Rage Dancer had prepared herself, while Faool resigned himself to his fate. He couldn¡¯t blame Fate, as he had managed to reach the top ten in his first ever tournament. After the fight ended, Faool clutched his staff tightly, staring down at Uwajin. His face was full of uncharacteristic confusion. The crowd erupted into hectic applause as the greatest upset in the entire tournament set them off. Even though Uwajin had forced herself conscious from the first time she was knocked out, and had managed to press Faool back, Faool had managed to knock her down for good. He stared at his staff, questioning how it had managed to do it. ¡®Uwajin lost?¡¯ Naqokan thought, hearing of the defeat as she stepped into the arena. She exchanged glanced with Laygak. The Devilkin Iyrman approached her and took off his helmet to reveal his bewilderment, before bowing his head. ¡°Okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Naqokan replied, as the pair prepared themselves. Spurred on by the knowledge that Uwajin had lost, Naqokan fought with an even greater abandonment than typical as she faced Laygak. She had managed to leave a deep dent into his shield as she found victory. Laygak sat beside his cousin, Jaygak, wincing as he felt the pain in his arms. Jaygak pat his back, smiling down at her cousin who had managed to place in the top ten, as had the others. Naqokan sat beside Uwajin, who had accepted her loss to Faool. Though it was a shock to her, it did make sense, since Faool was quite skilled, and he could strike as many times as a typical Expert, though he wasn¡¯t one himself. ¡°The last phase is full of Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Vonda noted. ¡°Even those in the top ten, they¡¯re mostly Fate¡¯s Golden.¡± ¡®Crazy,¡¯ Adam thought, glancing between the teen Iyrmen. His pride was overtaken by his shock. Adam was sure Uwajin was going to win. He would have bet five hundred on her if he hadn¡¯t made a rule not to bet when his people faced one another, but she lost to Faool? ¡®The Ool family is so damn scary.¡¯ Shaool came to Adam¡¯s mind, Kitool and Faool¡¯s grandaunt. She was one of the first Iyrmen who had truly frightened him, and was considered to be one of the top ten in the Iyr. ¡®Yeah, that makes sense.¡¯ Adam had forgotten it wasn¡¯t just the top ten in the Iyr, but in all of Aldland. Then came the last fights of their segment, with Jurot and the others also fighting that day. They had all managed to win, as expected. Jurot and Amokan had managed to take two of the top four spots. ¡°What?¡± Adam had been worried something like this was going to happen. It was more than obvious that at some point the youth would be facing against one another due to how many of them there were in comparison to the others in their age range. However, each of the older Iyrmen had yet to face one another since Jaygak faced Kitool, and somehow, Kitool was fighting another Iyrman. He glanced between Faool and Uwajin, wondering how this could be. As the bets came, Adam refused again, and the others took the same cue. Jaygak, too, refused to bet. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Kitool will win,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°She should win if she beat me.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Jaygak. ¡®She¡¯s starting to sound like me.¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Kitool¡¯s opponent. If Adam truly had to bet, and he wasn¡¯t close with Kitool, he¡¯d have bet against her. However, he had thought the same when the younger Jin and Ool faced against one another. The dice are scary, man. 574. Second Phase II 574. Second Phase II Kitool held Tigerstaff in hand, pointing it towards her opponent. She sized him up, wondering if she could truly beat him. Even with Tigerstaff in hand, she didn¡¯t like her odds. Timojin inhaled deeply, before drawing his greatsword, pointing with it towards the sky, before slowly dropping his arms into position, warming up his muscles for the fight. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, the words holding deeper meanings only understood by the pair. Once more, the arena was silent, waiting for the pair to begin. They had only just watched a younger version of the fight, but these two were so different. The last time Kitool had faced an Iyrman, it had been the Devilkin Iyrman with the chain mail. She had managed to defeat such a great foe with her staff and fists, but this was no normal Iyrman. Timojin had been called the Grey Wall, partly due to the colour of his greenish grey skin, and partly because he refused to drop. He had yet to be even taken down by anyone within the tournament, and though he had yet to face anyone at the same calibre as Jurot and Amokan, he had still faced some great foes. It was a match between fists of steel and skin of steel. A bead of sweat fell down Kitool¡¯s cheek. The normally quiet Timojin began to flex his muscles as his body turned red with rage, but his body fell still, his blade frozen still. Kitool¡¯s Tigerstaff was pressed against Timojin¡¯s chest, her body having burst forward to strike him. Timojin wasn¡¯t only Amokan¡¯s rival because he was strong. Amokan and Timojin were both of equal strength, even stronger than Jurot. They were both equally as tough as Jurot too, though Jurot¡¯s family¡¯s abilities allowed him to go against foes with different powers greater than either of them. Jurot was nimbler than Amokan, but Timojin? Timojin was as tough as Amokan and Jurot. Timojin was as strong as Amokan. Timojin was as nimble as Jurot. Timojin was the greatest of them all. Kitool¡¯s entire body was flush with heat, telling her to act as quickly as she could, before he could manage to break free. She struck him with a great flurry of blows with her staff, the magical staff gifted to her by Adam. One blow had struck his chest, but she forced as many blows as she could, landing as many as possibly as she could, before digging the staff into the earth to kick Timojin up into the air. Timojin¡¯s body, which was frozen from Kitool¡¯s most terrifying ability, almost slumped as he dropped, the great assault upon his body leaving large bruises even on his skin. Kitool had did all she could to the Iyrman, and had managed to deal as much damage as she could before he could fall into his rage. Thankfully, her damage, not minimised by his rage, had managed to rock through the entire Iyrman¡¯s body, and she had knocked him unconscious. Still, Kitool leapt into the air, with her staff in hand as she tried to attack the unconscious Timojin. For Timojin was not like Amokan, nor was he like Jurot, who had faced Timojin before. Jurot had faced both Amokan and Timojin simultaneously, and though he had managed to defeat Amokan, Timojin was another beast entirely. Timojin, an Iyrman like any other, was still, as the Aldishmen might call him, if they were particularly polite, a Horcish Iyrman. As Tigerstaff fell down, threatening to crack Timojin¡¯s skull, the Iyrman¡¯s entire body turned hot red with rage, and his magical blade hummed to life as he spun. Kitool barely managed to block the blow, which had used the momentum she had gifted to him by kicking up him, causing Tigerstaff to almost bend as Kitool skid to the side. A shadow formed over Kitool, a shadow by the name of Timojin, as she barely managed to catch Timojin¡¯s blade with Tigerstaff. Her entire body screamed in pain as she blocked the blow, the blade slowly forcing her to the ground. She was almost forced to kneel, but instead of fighting against the blade, Kitool spun, allowing the blade to scrape off across Tigerstaff¡¯s side, before her heel met Timojin¡¯s skull. She pivoted on her foot and managed to right herself, letting out a quick sigh as Timojin fell before her. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®She can do that.¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t able to hear any more of his thoughts as the crowd¡¯s raucous shouts and applause filled the arena, the vibrations even shaking the wooden stands. Kitool¡¯s heart pounded wildly within her chest, but as she held her staff tightly in both hands in front of her, she inhaled and exhaled deeply. Timojin jerked awake from the healing touch of a Guardian, instantly falling into a rage as he willed his body upwards. ¡°Timojin,¡± Kitool called, stopping the Iyrman from trying to swing at the Guardian nearby. Timojin stood, catching his breath, before turning to face Kitool. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The pair left to the walls, and then up to the group, which were waiting for them. Adam had furrowed his brows together, doing his best to keep his face neutral. ¡°Do you need the bathroom?¡± Jaygak whispered. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡®When was Kitool so damn strong?¡¯ ¡°Did you bet?¡± Kitool asked. Timojin placed down the first mug of ale, before picking the next up. He raised it to Kitool, who was still making her way through the first mug. ¡°He¡¯s no knight!¡± Amokan said. ¡°He¡¯s an Iyrman!¡± Adam finished the punch line of the joke. ¡°Ah,¡± Rose said, nodding her head. Considering the set up, it certainly made sense. She smiled slightly, before exchanging a look with her companions, who smiled slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s get wasted!¡± Adam spent more coin from the party fund. When night fell, the group returned back to the guild to sleep. Kitool stared at the ceiling above. She thought back to facing Jaygak, how she had managed to stun the young woman before beating her unconscious, and doing the same to Timojin. It was her greatest ability, but there was no doubt that Tigerstaff allowed her to defeat her opponents with greater ease. Amokan exchanged a cup of wine with Timojin, having barged into his best friend¡¯s room to share more drinks. ¡°You need not worry,¡± he began, smirking slightly as he brought the cup to his lips, ¡°I will win on your behalf.¡± ¡°You will have to face her too,¡± Timojin replied simply, sipping the fruit wine. ¡°No, she will have to face me.¡± ¡°Do not forget, there is still Jurot,¡± Timojin said. ¡°Last time you needed me.¡± ¡°Last time he had learned his family¡¯s way,¡± Amokan said. ¡°This time, he will have to face me when I have learnt my family¡¯s way.¡± Timojin thought about Amokan¡¯s grandmother. Even though she had held back, the fact she had lost against Adam was still shocking. ¡°This tournament was not for our Jin family to win.¡± ¡°I would not have thought Faool could have beaten Uwajin.¡± ¡°Jurot picked up a strong warrior.¡± ¡°My cousin will be fighting in the top four,¡± Amokan said, pouring Timojin more wine. ¡°Bavin will be fighting.¡± Amokan nodded, thinking about the teens, and how they must be feeling. Amokan thought about how he had beaten one of the favourites to win, and how Adam had managed to beat two of them. ¡®This is how the crowd must have felt.¡¯ ¡°Naqokan, Bavin, Nobby, Faool.¡± ¡°Amokan, Jurot, Kitool, Gordan,¡± Amokan said, feeling his heart sink slightly. ¡°If we had more luck, it would have been your name.¡± ¡°Roseia, Kanna, Vasera, Adam,¡± Timojin continued. Amokan thought Adam¡¯s segment. Their own may have been stacked, but Adam was going against the likes of those three? The future King¡¯s Sword, her companion who rivalled her, and of course, that Vasera of the Golden Savages. They thought about the other great names in the other ranges. ¡°Stone Sword,¡± Amokan said. ¡°Raging Bull.¡± ¡°The Hawk.¡± ¡°Moon Dancer.¡± ¡°Rising Sun Blade,¡± the pair said, together. There were others too, those long retired, but these were the names which would take the world for the next generation. ¡°This tournament will go down in history,¡± Amokan stated. Timojin¡¯s mind wandered to something else. ¡°I would like to see the fight between the brothers.¡± Amokan¡¯s smile widened, but he said nothing. Kitool is so scary. 575. Final Phase I 575. Final Phase I The next day, the tournament held no official fights as the final phase was prepared. Instead, Adam gave the teens each some pocket money from his own personal coin, and allowed them go and buy weapons for themselves, or whatever else Iyrmen would buy in East Port. The last day had taken too much out of Adam. ¡®I need to find some normalcy.¡¯ ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, staring at Sir Landon. ¡°You will be the first to face Sir Roseia,¡± Sir Landon repeated. Adam squirmed within the seat, which was far too comfortable for his liking. Sir Landon had invited him to each lunch at an extremely expensive restaurant, one which did not have a menu, nor prices. Their room was small, private, and though there was little which furnished the place, Adam understood everything here cost more than a year¡¯s worth of income for the average person, even the fork in his hand. Sir Landon, seeing that Adam held the question in his eyes, bowed his head. ¡°You cannot beat her.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get this right, I can definitely beat her, but we¡¯d rather not that I beat her,¡± Adam corrected the young sir. Sir Landon relented to Adam¡¯s words. ¡°You will be facing each of the finalists. The placements will be formed once you have faced them all. I will request that you do not beat Sir Karra either.¡± ¡°Two losses in the finals?¡± Adam asked, sighing. ¡°You¡¯re just asking me to lose, right?¡± ¡°I am not foolish enough to ask the Iyrmen to surrender.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± ¡°I know you usually bet a lot, but this time...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just bet on my fight against Vasera,¡± Adam said. ¡°She, too, knows not to beat the young knights.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Is she also hired by a small noble family?¡± ¡°She is hired by my elder brother.¡± ¡°Sir Manon? Adam frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to beat her good then.¡± ¡°No, my other brother.¡± ¡°Oh. Sir Tamon, was it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Is she from the Golden Savages?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sir Landon wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was pretending to be an idiot again. ¡°Ah! She must be the strongest within her group, then. What was his name? Rook? Flaming Hyena? He said he wasn¡¯t. I thought Blade and, what¡¯s his face, uh...¡± ¡°Sir Carter?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one, yeah.¡± Adam snapped his fingers, causing a server to step into the room, ready to take his order. ¡°Uh...¡± ¡°Star wine,¡± Sir Landon stated, before the worker swiftly left them. ¡°I thought the pair of them would be in the top four with me.¡± ¡°You beat them both,¡± Sir Landon said. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Vasera is undefeated. It was expected she would remain undefeated until the finals, where she would understand her place.¡± Omen: 12, 19 ¡®Damn it! They want me to lose just because they were born lucky? What a bunch of-,¡¯ ¡°Sponsored by the Duchess, the one who will claim the title of the Greatest King¡¯s Sword in less than a generation, Sir Roseia Drakkenslayer!¡± ¡®Damn, that is a cool name,¡¯ Adam thought, his annoyance falling away. ¡°Sponsored by Sir Landon Littlesea, the warrior who shines in purple, Chief Executive Officer Adam!¡± Adam stepped out through the main gate, staring out at the crowd all around them. This time, the crowd was even larger, and far more colourful. There were as many peasants as there had been during the previous fights, but these peasants were those which held slightly more money than their average fellows. Adam held out his axe, walking along the side, while the peasants waved their colourful scarves around. As he circled around towards the centre of one side, a pair of guards motioned for Adam to approach, while a large group of peasants held out an extremely large banner of purple, with two words, each which were bold and giant. EXECUTIVE ADAM Adam stared at it, stunned. A guard stepped up to him and whispered. ¡°Take it and wave it around.¡± Adam blinked, before nodding. He took the large banner, holding it within his hands for a moment, before he swung it over his shoulders, and held it up behind him. His heart pounded wildly as the chorus of shouts began from both sides, alternating between the phrases. ¡°Executive Adam!¡± ¡°Sir Roseia!¡± Adam sauntered around the arena, holding the cape over his shoulders as it billowed. He saw that Sir Roseia was doing the same, before they made a full circle around the arena. Sir Roseia handed the large banner to the guard beside her, and Adam did the same. The pair stepped towards one another to meet in the middle of the arena. Sir Roseia was adorned in full plate, silver and red. Her armour was no doubt magical, due to the tiny runes along the trim. She also wore a heavy cloak, which fell to her knees, billowing even in the slightest breeze. Adam swore it was made from blood considering how it glistened. Her cape was without the symbol of the Grand Duchess¡¯ family, which did not need to be shown, though was perhaps kept at bay due to the fact Sir Roseia was one of the King¡¯s people. ¡®How does that even work?¡¯ ¡°So you are the leaf ear who has made his way to the final?¡± Sir Roseia said. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I am sure you are quite strong, but your luck ends here,¡± Sir Roseia said, drawing her greatsword. It was one of the only Greater Enhanced weapons within the tournament, and was rumoured to be even greater than Wraith. Adam remained silent. He donned Strong Shield. He rubbed a hand along his holy symbol, bringing it up to his lips to kiss it. Then he grabbed Wraith, feeling the cool metal, before he drew it. ¡°She must have called him a leaf ear,¡± Jurot said, watching from above the crowd. ¡°So that¡¯s why he became so tense,¡± Jaygak said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Will he...¡± ¡°Adam will keep to his word,¡± Jurot reassured. Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure if they could deal with the fallout if Adam beat the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s heir, especially if she was representing the Grand Duchess. ¡®Will Yellow Turban help us to smuggle him out?¡¯ The crowd fell silent as the pair prepared themselves to fight. It was a match which deserved the price of the tickets and food increasing to roughly triple. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Adam stepped forward as Sir Roseia gripped her blade tightly, before stepping towards him, ready to strike the Half Elf as he approached. Adam inhaled deeply, before raising Wraith. Mana: 21 -> 20 Spell: Thunderous Smite ¡°I guess I won¡¯t hold back.¡± When you finally meet someone who can''t keep their mouth shut worse than even Adam. Lord Sozain watch over her soul. 576. Final Phase II 576. Final Phase II Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 18 (8) Omen: 12, 19 -> 12 19 + 10 = 29 Critical hit! Mana: 20 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 3 -> 0 4D6 + 4D6 + 8D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 113 (1, 4, 5, 5)(2, 3, 5, 6)(1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5)(1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6) 113 damage! Sir Roseia blinked. She watched as the red threads of her cape floated all around her. She turned slowly to stare at the Half Elf who had walked past her casually. Adam continued to walk away from her, sheathing Wraith as he reached for his helmet. He paused for a moment, wondering how she was still standing up, but then removed it. ¡°I,¡± the Half Elf began, his entire face tense, his jaw twitching as he clenched it, ¡°surrender.¡± An eery silence filled the arena. The crowd was shocked by what they had seen, but even they didn¡¯t truly understand what they had witnessed. The Duchess placed her cup of tea down onto the table before her. Even her guest, the typically boisterous Kira, needed to take a moment to gather herself. She already understood why the arena had refused her bet, since they wouldn¡¯t dare to take coin from anyone from the second floor, or the inner octagon if they had suggested who should win. However, this... Blood Cape. It was a magical item which was handed to only the wealthiest, and greatest, of families. The cape was no doubt gifted to Sir Roseia by her family in order to make sure she had a greater chance of winning. It was one thing for them to equip her with not only a Greater Enhanced greatsword and a Greater plate mail, but the Blood Cape? If she had been brought down to no Health, then she would remain standing at a single Health. It was the same ability that the Jin family possessed, and had revealed during the tournament, something which every figure envied. Adam, who casually struck Sir Roseia with a single blow of his axe, and walked past her, had managed to deal enough damage to almost outright kill the young woman. It was something one could only expect from the likes of the Grand Master of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, not some rising star from the second range within the tournament. Adam bowed to the audience on each side, still annoyed that he had lost, but he felt cold that he had to lie like this. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ As he walked out towards the main gate, the audience jeered, expecting a greater fight than what they had seen. None had truly understood what they had witnessed. However, those on the first and second floors, as well as the octagon, knew what Adam¡¯s surrender meant, and the meaning behind the crumbling cape. ¡°That,¡± Jurot said, lifting up his mug of ale, ¡°is my brother.¡± Those who sat nearby glanced the Iyrman¡¯s way. ¡°What a shame he had to lose,¡± said a familiar face behind the young Iyrman. ¡°May I sit with you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Fisher Black rested his stony blade against the wall beside them. ¡°That young man, he¡¯s your brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He¡¯s no Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Stone Sword said, understanding how the Iyrman responded. ¡°There were those from the ground floor who bet on Adam, I¡¯m sure. No one in this room was foolish enough to bet on him, knowing who he was against, and who the good sir was sponsored by.¡± Stone Sword¡¯s words struck some of the mercenaries nearby, who had decided to bet big on the off chance Adam did actually have permission to fight her. ¡°Did they ask you to step down?¡± Stone Sword asked, asking Jurot the most important question. It wasn¡¯t just a question for Jurot, but for Kitool and Amokan too. ¡°The Grand Master spoke with us,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°The Grand Master?¡± Stone Sword sighed, recalling, as they all did, the news that he had become a Paragon. ¡°What a shame.¡± Jurot began to stack up gold coins onto the table, the gentle clinking sounds echoing nearby, only drowned out by distant whispers. Jurot then pushed the gold coins towards the edge, and motioned with a hand to order drinks for everyone. ¡°An Iyrman will take first place,¡± the young Iyrman stated, his voice firm and clear, carrying towards the whispers. ¡°You sure you should be annoying the order?¡± ¡°The Iyr and the order have both closed its gates.¡± ¡°The Grand Master isn¡¯t inside the order.¡± ¡°And we are not in the Iyr.¡± The shadow of a smile appeared on the Iyrman¡¯s face. ¡°You think you¡¯re that strong?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot began, ¡°I know we are.¡± ¡®What a bunch of crazy bastards,¡¯ Stone Sword couldn¡¯t help but think. ¡°While you Aldishmen were littering the south with the bodies of your soldiers against the Aswadians, we Iyrmen were busy killing demigods,¡± Amokan said, a wild grin appearing on his face. ¡°A Grand Master of an order? Even if it is the Order of the Thousand Hunts, we Iyrmen do not stop at just one thousand hunts.¡± ¡°Every Iyrman?¡± ¡°All Iyrmen of able body and mind reach the rank of Expert before the age of forty. It is our duty.¡± The look in Jurot¡¯s eyes almost unsettled Stone Sword. It was as though he was within the Iyrman¡¯s sights. ¡°So, you¡¯ve got a new Great Elder?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is he anyone special?¡± ¡°The Aswadian who defeated the previous Great Elder joined his family,¡± Jurot said. ¡°His family is on the rise.¡± ¡°The Lion King?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of Ashmir?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Who in Aldland hasn¡¯t?¡± Stone Sword replied. ¡°He¡¯s been dominating the arena in Aswadasad for almost two generations. They say he was born in the arena, and has lived his entire life there. They also say he¡¯s a Paragon.¡± ¡°He is,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°He joined the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can I join the Iyr?¡± Stone Sword asked. ¡°You wish to join the Iyr?¡± Jurot asked as the Iyrmen around suddenly leaned in towards Stone Sword. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just askin¡¯ is all.¡± Stone Sword raised up his hands innocently. ¡°If you wish to join the Iyr, it is a simple matter,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You may be adopted by any family which uses a shield and sword, or another if you wish.¡± ¡°Do you want to join the Gak family?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head to Jaygak. ¡°He has no horns!¡± Jaygak snapped towards the Half Elf. ¡°He should join the Gek family.¡± ¡°The Gek family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh, Uncle Tonagek?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah, well, I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Stone Sword smiled awkwardly towards the group. ¡°I should be heading out to prepare for my fight.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll bet on you.¡± Stone Sword smiled, bowing his head towards the Half Elf and the Iyrmen, as he made to leave. ¡°We should go too,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yes,¡± Amokan replied, following Jurot out. ¡°Good luck, Kitool,¡± Adam said, holding out his fist for her to bump it. Kitool did so, gently, before leaving. ¡°Finally, those crazy monsters are gone,¡± Adam said, sighing out all the tension in his muscles. ¡°Iyrmen are so scary.¡± Rick, Remy, and their companions all remained silent. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from your mouth, Adam!¡± Jaygak replied, crossing her arms. ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°You almost killed the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s heir!¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°Just now?¡± ¡°Oh please, if I wanted to kill her, I would have killed her! I can¡¯t go around killing people during a tournament, Jaygak, that¡¯s ridiculous. Think about Sir Vonda, why don¡¯t you?¡± Jaygak huffed, but did not continue, as she looked past Adam. Adam heard the heavy boots stop behind him, and he looked back up. A heavily armoured guard, one who wore full plate mail, a cloak of purple and gold, and a longsword at her side. ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t kill her!¡± Adam repeated, quickly. ¡®Damn it! Me and my stupid mouth! Why can¡¯t I just learn to shut up?¡¯ Adam just can''t help himself. Hopefully one day he learns to keep his mouth shut. 577. Final Phase III 577. Final Phase III Nobby¡¯s eyes scanned the inner octagon, which was much larger than it appeared form the outside. The walls were also as thick as he, the floor was made of equally stable stone. Though the walls were thick, they were enchanted so one could look out of them towards the arena, but not through the walls which typically held some of the warriors during the arena fights. He found Adam and the others relaxing at a table, which was positioned in a way they could look out at every side as the different tables were set staggered so they could all in every direction. A half floor split the section so the nobility and merchants could stay technically above the bottom floor, which split apart the greatest of the common folk from their betters. Adam waved a hand. ¡°Nobby, my boy! Good fight!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nobby said, while Bavin followed after him, bandaged around his arms and chest. ¡°Are you alright, Bavin?¡± Adam asked, pushing out a chair for each of them. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam held out a hand, placing it against Bavin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Bavin replied, feeling a gentle warmth fill him. Lay on Hands: 20 -> 10 Adam winked. Faool sat beside Laygak, who understood what it felt like to face against someone like Naqokan. She had the ability of the Kan family, which allowed her to strike with divine might during her Rage Dance. ¡°So it¡¯s Nobby against Naqokan,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll see who is the best N here.¡± ¡°Nobby is stronger than I,¡± Naqokan said, without any hint of self deprecation. ¡°It is a great glory for the Rot family to train him.¡± Nirot nodded her head slowly, throwing a look to Adam for a moment, before looking to Nobby. ¡®This generation is for our Rot family.¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t it a greater glory that one of theirs will be Elder Peace?¡± ¡°Turot may not-,¡± Nirot began to say, before seeing the way Adam tensed up. He was smiling, but she could see the pulsing in his neck and forehead, that of annoyance. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Turot¡¯s going to be Elder Peace, but what about the others?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Katool wants to be like Kitool, and...¡± Adam thought about little Katool, with her tiny little bob cut. ¡°No. She¡¯s not allowed be that scary. My adorable Katool has to remain small and cute.¡± ¡°Stop being so queer,¡± Jaygak replied, physically cringing. ¡°If Katool wants to grow up as skilled as Kitool, it is a great glory for their family.¡± ¡°Kitool, you need to work hard so Katool doesn¡¯t have to, okay?¡± Adam glanced towards the side, only to realise the Iyrman wasn¡¯t there. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ Kitool stepped out into the arena to the sounds of a crowd full of blood lust. They cheered for the young Kitool, with a banner of blue and red, the colours of her family, and two words. EXECUTIVE KITOOL Kitool bowed in front of them before accepting the banner, before wrapping it around her staff. She walked the crowd¡¯s edge, waving the banner this way and that, to more applause and shouts. ¡°Executive Kitool!¡± ¡°Sir Gordan!¡± The pair finally prepared themselves. Kitool glanced to the young warrior, who was no doubt one of the greatest warriors she had personally faced. He was adorned in full plate, which was no doubt magical. She hadn¡¯t expected the blade he was wielding, however. Sir Gordan unsheathed the blade within his hands, feeling the great tingling of the magic within it. The blade was long and silver, made from an Ancient Silver Dragon. It was nearly freezing to the touch, which constantly reminded the young warrior that the blade did not belong to him. ¡®I can feel why it¡¯s considered one of the greatest weapons in the order.¡¯ Grand Master James Greatwood stood at the edge of the octagon, looking out to his personal apprentice, and the Iyrman who had dared to refuse his offer. Even the nobles on the top floor dared not to- ¡°Move out of the way,¡± Kira called out towards the Grand Master, annoyed that he would dare to block even a fraction of her view. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t feel too bad, since Jurot used Phantom,¡± Adam said, trying to make Amokan feel better. ¡°Phantom is great, but isn¡¯t it unmatched by your Wraith?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Even Jurot could not drop me with a single blow using Phantom.¡± ¡°He could have,¡± Adam stated. ¡°He just didn¡¯t feel like it, or maybe, he wasn¡¯t lucky. Why didn¡¯t you use Mighty Roar¡¯s thunder?¡± ¡°I did not wish to end the fight quickly,¡± Jurot said, before catching Kitool¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will not use it against you.¡± Kitool bowed her head in return. Mighty Roar was quite the shield, not just giving him a bonus to his Defence, but also holding a thunderous might which could rock whoever struck the Iyrman. Jurot rarely used it, however. ¡°So tomorrow, what are the fights looking like?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Tomorrow, you will face Sir Karra.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°The winners of the fights will face the other losers of the day tomorrow,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°What a weird system.¡± ¡°It ensures the best fights are for the finals.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Also the worst fights?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fair enough. So you¡¯re fighting Gordan, and Kitool¡¯s fighting Amokan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nice. You know, I¡¯m getting a little sick of fighting so much, but...¡± ¡°But?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes moved slightly, as though he were looking at something unseen. XP: 13 500 ¡®Oh, when did I get more XP?¡¯ [You technically defeated Sir Roseia.] ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ An intermission was called, allowing some warriors to face one another, while other groups put on a show for the arena. Adam glanced to the side, noting the guards nearby. He had been invited into the octagon on behalf of the Duchess, but she had yet to meet with him. No other noble had come to speak with him either. Adam looked up, wondering if those above could see him. ¡®Probably, the pervs.¡¯ A server approached the group, placing down platters of foods which were cut up to snack size, and also refilled the cups of wine. However, they said no more, leaving as suddenly as they appeared. ¡°The invitation was so you could watch all the fights,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They will want to meet with you on another day.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, before relaxing and enjoying the rest of the day. ¡®Nobles, man. They¡¯re so weird.¡¯ Oh. Somehow Adam didn''t get into trouble. 578. Final Phase IV 578. Final Phase IV Omen: 8, 19 Jurot sat down opposite Adam, helping himself to some cheese as Kitool and Amokan finished circling around the arena. They didn¡¯t need to talk about his win, since Jurot was the least likely to drop from Sir Gordan, even if he possessed First Ice. Jurot was pretty sure even Nobby would be able to beat Sir Gordan with Phantom in hand. ¡°Okay?¡± Amokan asked, gripping his magical blade tight. ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, pointing Tigerstaff at him. Amokan couldn¡¯t allow her go first, so the moment the fight was called, he¡¯d need to dart forward. Unfortunately for him, Kitool was, as always, quicker on the draw. Tigerstaff rained down against Amokan, and a final heel kick dropped Amokan before he could even managed to swing towards the lither Iyrman before him. ¡°My gods,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Is she...¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡®Jurot¡¯s tankier than the others too, isn¡¯t he? So Kitool probably won¡¯t be able to basically one shot him. Right?¡¯ Jurot let slip none of his thoughts as he sipped his drink, eating the bread and cheese on offer. The others were able to read Adam¡¯s face, and they, too, held the same thoughts. Could Kitool beat Jurot? Timojin threw Amokan a look as the Iyrman approached. Amokan relented with a bow of his head, taking his place beside his best friend. The group remained silent, as the one who typically directed the conversation, was preparing for his fight. Amokan spotted something gleaming red from the corner of his eye. ¡®What is that doing there?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Sir Landon called as Adam swung Wraith in front of him casually, warming up for his fight. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Adam stepped out into the arena, holding the banner over his head. He walked around the arena to the cheering crowd, which had figured out the issue Adam was facing, and had long forgotten their reasons to jeer. Though the crowd typically alternated the chants, Adam could still hear shouts of his name when it was Sir Karra¡¯s turn. Adam smiled. He tossed the banner into the air, and though he drew Wraith with one hand, he held up a bottle of wine with the other. He gulped down the last bit of wine left within the bottle and dashed it against to the side, before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 23 (17) ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sir Karra asked. ¡°I¡¯m just having some fun,¡± Adam replied, managing to stave away any drunkenness. He pointed Wraith towards the young knight. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Sir Karra glared at him through her visor. She wore full plate mail, and also wielded a great blade. As Sir Roseia¡¯s contemporary, and a distant relative, she also had great magical items, though not quite at the level of her cousin. Still, her armour held Basic magic, and so did her shield, and sword was Greater Enhanced. ¡°Since you have no manners, I will have to teach you,¡± the knight said, raising her blade high. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Sir Karra swung her blade wildly downwards towards Adam, calling forth the magic of her oath. Her blade flashed white hot with divine magic as she almost struck true, her blade scraping across Adam¡¯s puthral plate mail, sparks flying across. Health: 78 -> 43 The crowd cheered as Adam was struck. He wiped his mouth with the back of his mind while Sir Karra¡¯s blade clattered off his armour. ¡°I think it¡¯s my turn?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What?¡± Sir Karra replied, bringing her shield up. ¡®Is he doing it again?¡¯ thought the third figure beside them. Mana: 21 -> 20 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 18 (8) Omen: 8, 19 -> 8 19 + 10 = 29 Critical hit! Mana: 20 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 3 -> 0 4D6 + 4D6 + 8D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 112 (1, 3, 4, 6)(3, 4, 5, 6)(1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6)(2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6) 112 damage! GREAT AMOKAN ¡®Damn. Great is a pretty cool moniker.¡¯ ¡°If Amokan can land his blows, it will not be close,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Does he always have to fight like that?¡± ¡°It is the way he prefers to fight.¡± ¡°Even against someone like Sir Gordan? He¡¯s got plate mail, and it¡¯s probably magical.¡± ¡°Amokan is...¡± ¡°Amokan is Amokan,¡± Jaygak said. The Iyrmen, including the teens, nodded their heads at Jaygak¡¯s words. ¡®I guess I should bet on one of ours, then...¡¯ ¡°Again?¡± Layla asked, leaning back in her chair. She rubbed her forehead, wondering why Adam would continue to harass her like this. She already had to deal with the fallout due to his supposed losses, and now he was taking the noble¡¯s money? ¡°Should we refuse the bet?¡± one of her personal guards asked, before realising she had said something utterly stupid. ¡°Refuse the bet?¡± Layla snapped her quill. ¡°If the nobles want to make deals with the fighters, that¡¯s their choice to make. If they want to tell me to make less money, then they can take their gold and shove it up their-,¡± The guard cleared her throat. ¡°They can find another great arena in East Port if they want to tell me how to do business! Don¡¯t refuse his bet! In fact, tell him to bet more! I want to see him take all of their gold! Tell them to bet their estates too!¡± Layla snapped. Not even the Duchess, the floor beneath, could hear the outburst since the magics kept sounds within their respective floors. ¡°One thousand gold?¡± Kira asked the Grand Master. ¡°A thousand gold,¡± Sir James confirmed. There was no way Gordan would lose to all three Iyrmen. Amokan was probably the weakest of the trio, and the best chance for Gordan to win. ¡®Top three isn¡¯t terrible.¡¯ ¡°Holy,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Was Amokan always that strong?¡± The group watched as Gordan crumpled onto the ground. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When he hits, he really does hit,¡± Adam said. ¡®He probably averages, what, thirty damage each hit? Without any smites? What a damn monster.¡¯ Jurot nodded at Adam¡¯s thoughts. Adam may be able to do average as much damage as Amokan, but Amokan could do it without using any magic. ¡°Third and fourth place have been decided then,¡± Adam said, before getting up. ¡°I should probably claim my rank too.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Jurot said. Adam glanced to the rest of his companions. ¡°You better all bet on me! I¡¯m going to bet at least half my coin!¡± Damn, Adam is so crazy? *Me rereading the chapters I''ve written recently.* Nevermind, Adam right now is super sane. 579. Final Phase V 579. Final Phase V ¡°Don¡¯t feel too bad that you¡¯re going to take fourth,¡± the Drakken woman said, removing her helmet to reveal her hardened face. She was more handsome than pretty, with short hair that was cut at the side, with slightly longer hair at the top. Brass scales fell down the sides of her neck, going down to her back. ¡°It¡¯s just your luck to come across me.¡± ¡°Funny that,¡± Adam said, revealing his own face to her. ¡°I was going to say the same thing.¡± ¡°What is a handsome fellow like you doing in the finals?¡± Vasera asked. ¡°I¡¯m trying to make a name for myself, you know how it is.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Vasera confirmed, her hair bouncing as she nodded. ¡°They say I don¡¯t have to surrender against you.¡± ¡°They said the same to me.¡± Vasera donned her helmet. ¡°Good luck, Faeken, you will need it.¡± ¡°You too, Drakken,¡± Adam replied, donning his helmet, before lifting up Strong Shield, and Wraith. ¡°Hey! Do you want to make a bet?¡± ¡°Ah? You¡¯re speaking my language, Faeken.¡± ¡°Firstly, it¡¯s Vifaeken,¡± Adam replied, stating the term in the Drakken tongue, before continuing in the Aldish, ¡°and secondly, I know more than just that.¡± ¡°You speak our great tongue?¡± Vasera asked, speaking in Drakken. ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam replied, in the Aldish tongue. ¡°How much do you want to bet?¡± Adam thought about how much he could spare. ¡®I have quite a bit.¡¯ ¡°A thousand?¡± ¡°Make it two.¡± Vasera reached for the diamond amulet at her chest, holding it up. It shone golden for a moment. ¡°Confirm the bet.¡± Adam reached down to the symbol of Baktu on his chest. ¡°Two thousand gold it is.¡± He felt his hand pulse with warmth as his symbol glowed gently for a moment. ¡®What the hell was that?¡¯ Vasera was adorned in full plate mail too, brass in colour, though it didn¡¯t appear to be magical. However, she held out her hand, and the brass of her armour seemed to almost melt before it formed a longsword within her hand. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered in the Drakken tongue. ¡®I¡¯m a little scared now.¡¯ ¡°Should we have warned him about her weapon?¡± Jaygak asked, only realising then that it was more powerful than she realised. Due its magical enchantment, she didn¡¯t seem too bothered about it, and nor was Jurot, but Adam did not have their tolerance for heat. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot began, ¡°is Adam.¡± Adam tilted his head, noting Kitool¡¯s staff. ¡®Hold on...¡¯ He threw a look to Jaygak, who remained focused on the pair who were about to fight. Jurot held up both Mighty Roar and Phantom, as he always did. Kitool taking damage before the fight began was surely to add to her story, but there was an even greater decision she had taken to make the story truly great, or tragic. ¡°You will not use Tigerstaff?¡± ¡°I do not wish to end the fight quickly,¡± Kitool replied, bowing her head. Jurot lips formed a wide smile, before he felt his body heat up. He controlled the rage, as the fight had yet to begin. Had she used Tigerstaff, Jurot would have had a greater issue to deal with her, but to think she wouldn¡¯t even use it against him. Jurot held Phantom out towards her, and Kitool held Seekerstaff towards him. The pair remained still, their entire bodies taut, ready to spring into action. A silence fell across the arena, while thousand of eyes fell across the pair. Adam¡¯s fight had been a warm up for the audience. Once the order was given, Jurot¡¯s entire body turned red hot, but it was unable to take hold within the Iyrman, as Kitool struck him with Seekerstaff, freezing him in place. The dust floated in the air around them. Kitool inhaled deeply. She struck Jurot across the side of his leg, before planting Seekerstaff into the earth, kicking Jurot upwards. As Jurot was forced upwards, Kitool slid under him and onto her back, before kicking him further into the air. The dust continued to swirl around them, betraying Kitool¡¯s near ghostly movement. She flipped backwards and swung Seekerstaff with all her might, striking Jurot across his chest, slamming his frozen body onto the earth. At this point, Amokan and Timojin would have been knocked out, though Timojin would have immediately gotten back up. As Jurot¡¯s body bounced up, Kitool used the momentum of Seekerstaffs blow to pivot on her foot, and aimed a heel against Jurot¡¯s head, but she found only the dust she and Jurot had kicked up from moving so swiftly. Timojin had focused on his natural strength and might. Amokan had focused on striking wildly with great weapons. Jurot had focused on taking on hell of a beating. Jurot stood beside Kitool, the pair taking a moment to gather themselves. Jurot¡¯s entire body was hot red with rage, but even Kitool could see that he was one blow away from falling. Kitool spun Seekerstaff around her to try and strike Jurot, but before her staff could bruise his neck, it slipped out of her grasp. The people had already seen Phantom in action, and Jurot had revealed its true abilities. Before Adam had earned the phrase, Jurot had displayed Phantom in full force against William of the Thunder Riders. One strike. One kill. Kitool fell within a single blow, in which Jurot had not only struck true, but had used all three charges of Phantom, each of which were stronger than Wraith¡¯s, but Jurot had no luxury of showing Kitool any mercy after her onslaught. He would have caught her too, but after expending all his strength on striking her down, Jurot was barely able to keep himself standing. He couldn¡¯t even hear the crowd, as his vision blurred. It wasn¡¯t just that Jurot was a simple blow away, but that he stood at a single Health. ¡°Kitool is so scary,¡± Adam said, breaking the silence of his group. Brittany stared at the young Iyrman who had assisted in training her. Her eyes fell to Nobby, before they fell back to Kitool. Her lips twitched into a small smile. Kitool is way scarier than I originally thought... 580. Final Phase VI 580. Final Phase VI ¡°Damn,¡± Vasera groaned, rubbing her forehead. ¡°What kind of monsters came to join this tournament?¡± Adam smiled innocently. ¡°Why did you have to come and bother me while the finals are ongoing anyway?¡± ¡°Is it that fun to watch them play at who takes first and second?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sir Roseia is going to take first, and Sir Kanna is going to take second.¡± ¡°So why did you leave the octagon to come and speak to me about?¡± ¡°I thought we might as well chat,¡± Adam said, pouring her some wine he had bought. The rest of his group was settled around them, in the corner of one of the first floor segments, to keep out of the way of those interested in the final fight between Sir Roseia and Sir Kanna. Vasera pinched the cup with her thumb and index finger, making the okay sign as she slammed back the cup of wine. Adam wasn¡¯t sure that was how to drink wine. ¡°Rook told me about you. He said there was someone to be careful of, some crazy bastard called Adam. If he had told me you wore purple, I would have remembered.¡± ¡°I did say that,¡± Rook said. ¡°Gods damn it,¡± Vasera grumbled. ¡°Was I drunk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How can you blame me for not remembering when I was drunk?¡± ¡°You swore on the symbol you would remember.¡± ¡°You know that doesn¡¯t count.¡± Vasera shot back another cup of wine, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°Did I make a bet with you too?¡± Her symbol flashed white for a moment. ¡°Damn it. How much was it?¡± ¡°I said a thousand gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°A thousand gold?¡± She clicked her teeth. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°You said two thousand, and we agreed on that,¡± Adam added. ¡°Two thousand? Gods damn it!¡± Vasera grabbed the bottle of wine and began to guzzle it down, before she slammed the bottle of wine down. ¡°What are our bets looking like?¡± ¡°You placed, so we have at least one thousand and five hundred,¡± Rook explained. ¡°That¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s the money the little noble sir is going to pay us...¡± Vasera spoke as though she was suffering from a terrible poison. ¡°Do you accept magical items?¡± Adam blinked, looking towards Jurot for a moment. He hadn¡¯t expected to be on the receiving end of such a statement. ¡°Perhaps?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got a magical shield. It¡¯s Basic, but it usually sells for about a thousand and five hundred. We¡¯ll trade it at a price of a thousand gold. We¡¯ve got a couple of Basic weapons too.¡± ¡®A Basic shield? I did need one for Nobby.¡¯ ¡°I noticed you all use longswords and such, but no shields?¡± ¡°Shields?¡± Vasera flexed from under her armour, with such force the armour visibly shifted. ¡°I am the shield!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the blade?¡± ¡°How can I be the blade when I couldn¡¯t even hit you?¡± Vasera replied, glaring at the Half Elf. She still wasn¡¯t entirely sure how he managed to bring her down with a single blow, but upon hearing he had basically done the same to the other two, she didn¡¯t get too worked up by it. She eyed up Wraith. ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s a pretty cool blade.¡± ¡°It¡¯s warm,¡± the Drakken replied, almost smirking. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ll come across it another time?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no use in beating you twice,¡± Adam replied. ¡°This bastard!¡± Vasera reached out and slapped Adam¡¯s arm quite roughly. ¡°Everyone¡¯s a funny guy when their shield is an Iyrman.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll find my shield is quite strong without my brother.¡± ¡®Who the hell is she?¡¯ ¡°May I sit with you?¡± called a voice. ¡°How are you doing, Stone Sword?¡± Adam asked, motioning a hand to the older warriors, allowing him to sit with them. ¡°Well.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯re fighting in the finals tomorrow?¡± ¡°I am,¡± the older man admitted. ¡°I¡¯m going to be betting quite a bit on you.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°A few hundred gold, maybe a thousand gold?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you have so much coin to throw around?¡± ¡°The perks of winning almost every fight.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help the smirk which crept up on his face. He had watched many of the great warriors fight. There were quite a few which had caught his interest. Of course, almost all the older warriors who fought after the preliminaries were over were absolute monsters. There were quite a few Noskan warriors who had managed to place quite high. Even Raging Bull, who Stone Sword was facing against, was a Noskan. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bet on me,¡± Stone Sword admitted. ¡°Raging Bull is another breed of warrior.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He looked to Jurot. ¡°He¡¯s like one of you.¡± ¡°A Rage Dancer?¡± Stone Sword nodded. ¡°Have you heard of Ajax the Mouse?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Iyrmen replied, simply. ¡°Whose Ajax the Mouse?¡± Adam asked, throwing an awkward glance towards the Iyrmen. ¡°He¡¯s collected the Three Gems of the Jiad,¡± Stone Sword informed, his voice low. ¡°He¡¯s the only one whose been able to do so since they were split. Even when the Iyrmen tried, they collected one or two pieces, and were killed shortly after. He¡¯s the only one whose managed to live long enough to claim all three, and after collecting all three...¡± ¡°Ajax the Immortal.¡± Stone Sword bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s really immortal, but he¡¯s close to it. The Strongest Paragon is another title for him. He¡¯s so strong already, but I hear he¡¯s aiming to find the fourth gem.¡± ¡°The fourth gem of the Three Gems of Jiad?¡± Adam asked. ¡°There are many gems, but the Three Gems of Jiad are the greatest three gems. There are more. Some say seven or eight, others say ten or eleven. Whatever the case, if he really does collect each of the gems, he¡¯ll become unstoppable.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with the Noskan?¡± ¡°Ajax rarely ever talks, it¡¯s why they call him the Mouse. That, and the bloody mouse he keeps on his shoulder. Of the last few things he¡¯s been recorded to say, one of them was that he didn¡¯t want to fight Fjord Vytdrak again.¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot. ¡°Raging Bull¡¯s name is Fjord Vytdrak.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t bet on you then.¡± Idk why I found the last line so funny but it still cracks me up. Vasera is such a cool npc. I''m sure she''ll have many more chapters to come... 581. Ceremonies I 581. Ceremonies I Omen: 1, 3 ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. He was glad he hadn¡¯t bet on Stone Sword, especially not after almost dying to the Noskan. The Noskan seemed relatively unhurt even after facing one of the top four warriors of the greatest segment. The audience understood Stone Sword was no slouch, they had watched every fight, some of which he had struggled, but that was only expected since they were all within the final stage. However, Fisher Black, who was native to East Port, had the same showing as the rest of the great warriors against the monster known as Raging Bull. Thankfully, Kitool and Adam had warmed them up to such great upsets, and the crowd went wild for the ridiculousness which was shown even during the last day of the tournament. With the tournament over, the winners of the various segments were announced constantly throughout the day. Adam and the others relaxed at the guild. The tournament had burnt Adam out, but there was something greater burning in his pockets. The farmers and the porters spent time in their rooms, trying to understand what was happening. They had, at first, bet thirty gold on each of the fights. Then they increased the bets, before they finally bet three hundred on Adam¡¯s fight against Vasera. They hadn¡¯t lost a bet thanks to them never betting against Adam¡¯s intuition. If they, who were betting conservatively, had managed to earn a thousand gold, then what about the likes of the Iyrmen? Or, more scarily, Adam? ¡®I should buy new clothes,¡¯ Adam thought, staring up at the ceiling within his own room. ¡®My trousers will rip if I carry all this gold around with me.¡¯ The Iyrmen gathered together in a private room to eat and drink. The teens remained together at one half of the room, holding their own conversation. ¡°You should have fought too,¡± Amokan said, pouring his cousin some wine. ¡°You would placed in the top ten of your segment.¡± ¡°The gifts given to me are not to be used lightly,¡± Ilyakan replied, taking a sip of her wine. ¡°There was no need for me to fight in the tournament with so many of we Iyrmen already participating. You and Naqokan have brought much glory to our family.¡± Amokan didn¡¯t press her. Ilyakan followed the pair near silently, and though he did not like the fact that his cousin didn¡¯t seem to want to espouse her own opinions, he was glad she assisted them in whatever ridiculous nonsense they wanted to partake in. Jaygak and Kitool shared drinks and food together. ¡°Katool is going to be so happy. Second place in your first tournament, and you would have beat Jurot if you had used Tigerstaff.¡± ¡°That is not certain,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Nothing is certain with Adam,¡± Jaygak agreed, but she brought up a cup to Kitool¡¯s lips, ¡°except that you would have won.¡±Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°Why did you sacrifice it?¡± Timojin asked, in their tongue. ¡°I had no need for it,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°If I did beat Jurot with Seekerstaff, then my story would have been greater.¡± ¡°Did you hold back during the fight?¡± ¡°No.¡± Timojin just replied with a bow of his head, continuing to drink and pick at the fruit. The top ten of each segment and range were brought up, starting from the youngest range, before moving along to the older ranges. ¡°Sponsored by Sir Landon,¡± and ¡°of Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± was said so often that one would have thought Adam had spent thousands of gold for the marketing. ¡®Nice.¡¯ Nobby, Uwajin, Naqokan, Nirot, Faool, Laygak, Bavin, had taken the top seven spots of the top ten rankings. During the statements, the Iyrmen responded about as expected. They thanked the Iyr and their families, as well as Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°Thank you, mister bosses,¡± Nobby said, before falling silent. Moments passed. The crowd cheered for their statements, including the brief, almost forgettable statement by Nobby. ¡°I¡¯d like to thank Sir Landon for giving me the opportunity to partake in this great tournament,¡± Adam began. ¡°I will never forget the grace the good sir has shown me. To see Fate¡¯s Golden, a group formed by my brother and I and our best friends reach such a height, it fills me with great pride.¡± Adam glanced across the thousands of people watching him. ¡°I want to thank the business, United Kindom, for providing the magical weapons which have assisted the members of Fate¡¯s Golden. As an Executive of the business, I hope that you all have seen the quality of the magical items provided, and will keep the name United Kindom in mind if you have need of magical items. Thank you.¡± As Adam stepped out into the back, he was swarmed by his companions. ¡°Are you okay, Adam?¡± Jaygak asked, grabbing his head to see if his head was hot. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything cringe!¡± Jaygak stated. ¡°You didn¡¯t mention your sister or your children!¡± Adam turned up his nose at her words. ¡°Showing off for coming in third place? The next time I fight in a tournament, I¡¯m going to come first place, and then I¡¯ll be sure to embarrass the kids properly.¡± The Iyrmen, however, were far more eager to show off their placing, mentioning their families by name during their speeches. The crowd continued to whisper about how it was rather ridiculous that one group dominated the tournament so handily. Fate¡¯s Golden placed high, and so had almost every Iyrman. Save for Jaygak, who had dropped out, everyone else had managed to dominate the top ten spots. Adam noted Sir Karra and Sir Roseia glaring at him from nearby as he waited with all the others who placed high from the bottom two ranges. He waited for Jurot and the others. Apparently they needed to wait in order for some of the nobles to want to meet with them once the ceremony was over. ¡®At least they know how to have fun,¡¯ Adam thought, noting all the magic between the ceremonies. He mostly ignored it all, instead kicking it with the Golden Savages and Fate¡¯s Golden. Adam didn''t mention his children in his speech? 582. Ceremonies II 582. Ceremonies II ¡°What despicable fellows,¡± Sir Karra said, staring at the Half Elf and the Drakken. ¡°This should be a place of honour, but it¡¯s sullied by the likes of the beasts,¡± Sir Roseia agreed. Sir Charles narrowed his eyes at the Half Elf who he had spoken to at the beginning of the tournament. It had been queer that the Half Elf hadn¡¯t removed his helmet to speak with him, but it made sense. He was a damn leaf ear. Of course, the group did not speak too loudly while in their corner, unlike the boisterous rabble in their own corner. ¡°Do you want to go again?¡± Vasera growled, leaning in towards the Half Elf. ¡°I already told you that I wasn¡¯t interested in beating you a second time,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°You really think your boy could beat me?¡± ¡°If you didn¡¯t have any magical weapons, I¡¯d bet on him, that¡¯s all I¡¯m saying,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders far too emphatically. ¡°I mean, look at him. He¡¯s bigger than any of us, was trained by Jurot, mostly, and a little bit from me. He¡¯s ridiculous. Hell, he gave me so much trouble when I fought him.¡± Vasera¡¯s brow pulsed, seeing the unsaid words on his lips. However, being Adam, they didn¡¯t remain unsaid for long. ¡°More trouble than you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hold me back, Rook!¡± Vasera growled, standing up. ¡°Okay,¡± Rook replied, before returning back to picking at the potatoes. Vasera remained standing awkwardly, while Adam chuckled. Eventually he poured her a drink from the bottle she had managed to smuggle in. Jurot and the others soon arrived back within the long room where the other fighters waited. ¡°Jurot, do you think Nobby could beat Vasera?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It would be difficult,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°What about without her magical blade?¡± ¡°It would be much easier.¡± ¡°See?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯ll be easy!¡± Vasera growled again, before drinking from her cup, and then grabbing the bottle to drink from it. She eyed up the rest of the Iyrmen, each of whom were a part of Adam¡¯s party. ¡®How many Iyrmen are around him?¡¯ ¡°I see most of you have the same tattoos. How did you come to join together, you five?¡± ¡°Four of our families grew up together,¡± Amokan began. ¡°The Jin family and our Kan family have been long time rivals.¡± ¡°So you all grew up together?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you all meet?¡± Adam asked the Drakken. ¡°They tried to rob me so I beat them up.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± ¡°Vasera offered us a way out of our life,¡± Rook said. ¡°She beat us up and offered to help us. We¡¯ve been together for almost ten years now.¡± ¡°So she beat you up when she was about fifteen?¡± ¡°They then prepared four armies to deal with us from all sides. Kilyun killed half of two of the armies, and some of the other two armies. They assumed Kilyun wouldn¡¯t have fought since he had gained the nickname Restful, and had said he wasn¡¯t going to deal with politics. How they thought Kilyun meant he would allow them to kill some of his descendants, I still don¡¯t understand. Even if the Confederacy was one of the greatest forces of the world, they still couldn¡¯t go around fighting Dragons.¡± ¡°I have heard the tale,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Jaygak is more familiar with it, but I have heard the Confederacy wished to continue the war.¡± ¡°They only gave up once three of the nearby neutral Tribe States decided to fight alongside the hostile faction. It caused one of their Dragons to move. That then caused the two nearby neutral Dragons, who weren¡¯t a part of any of the Tribe States, to become hostile too. Even now, they¡¯re still considered hostile, while two of the three Tribe States returned to being neutral Tribe States.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, doing his best to keep up. ¡°This is all so complicated.¡± ¡°You haven''t heard of why almost all the desert Tribe States turned hostile,¡± Vasera replied, chuckling. ¡°Even I barely understand.¡± Adam threw a look to Kitool. ¡°I have heard something about it, but I cannot give a reasonable explanation,¡± Kitool admitted. ¡°Those bastards hated each other with a passion, the Tribe States, but they were neutral to the Confederacy. Then, after a series of events happening over the course of the first ten years of the Confederacy, the neutral Tribe States in the desert ended up becoming hostile with everyone around them. Then, over the course of about five years, each separate estate changed stances at least six times each. One Tribe State flipped only six times, the rest all flipped at least ten times. Now they¡¯re all generally hostile to everyone around them. They aren¡¯t hostile towards the Dragons, since all the Dragons near the desert are hostile to the Confederacy. Only Glasswing has decided to remain neutral, which usually would have caused issues with the desert Tribe States, but Glasswing is a Wing, and that name carries greater weight than even an ejir of an ejirate, or a shen of a shendom.¡± ¡°In all honesty, I¡¯m still trying to understand why the Confederacy hasn¡¯t united to fight everyone one by one.¡± ¡°We have almost zero contact with half of the states. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever met anyone from a place like Voodur. The Confederacy has plenty of enemies at its borders, from the various fallen empires, shendoms, and of course, Aswadasad to its west, which is always looking to reclaim its borders. No, no. There is very little outright antagonism. The Confederate states each pay a peace tax to its bordering antagonistic Free People, and have other agreements with the neutral Tribe States.¡± Adam wondered what the difference between Free People and Tribe States was. She had used them interchangeably, but other times she used them to mean two different things. ¡°Cool. How¡¯s the road situation in the Eastern Confederacy?¡± ¡°If their network was anything like Western Confederacy, there would be no Free People in the land,¡± Vasera said. ¡°I once passed through Western Confederacy lands. Even a village in the middle of nowhere had a road, not a simple dirt path. I heard from a local that they allow the Free People their territory in order to train their blades and I¡¯m inclined to believe them. The people of the Western Confederacy are perhaps some of the kindest, and craziest, people you will ever meet.¡± ¡°They are?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t speak poorly of their culture or religion, they will leave you alone. I had some trouble finding some women there, but as long as I didn¡¯t cause trouble out in the open, in the sun, they did not mind it, even if they knew.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°How does that make sense.¡± ¡°Keep it out of the light,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°It is a rule even in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Oh. You know, the more I learn about other places and cultures, the more I want to travel. Are you familiar with Yellow Turban?¡± ¡°Speaking of crazy bastards,¡± Vasera said, shaking her head. ¡°Some of the Turbans remain in the desert in Aswadasad, but one group has taken a spot north of us with other Tribe States. They¡¯re up to some dark business, but they keep to themselves so no one bothers them.¡± ¡°Dark business?¡± ¡°Everyone has their own secrets, but the Turbans? They¡¯re...¡± Vasera tried to find the word for them. ¡°Have you seen Salafi gold?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Adam said, looking to Jurot. ¡°Oh, you mean the colour of cloth?¡± ¡°The cloth itself is great, but the gold it¡¯s named after is stunning.¡± Vasera held up her gauntlet, the brass which moved like liquid at her will. ¡°This is Yunni brass. It was gifted to me by myself when I slew the man who held it, and it¡¯s considered nothing compared to Salafi gold. The magical weapons made from Salafi gold are, at a minimum, Greater Enhanced. One cannot make Basic or Basic Enhanced weapons with it, it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Cool.¡± Author mentions a dragon. Remember that Adam has killed two. Author reminds people this dragon is old, powerful, and wise. Remember that Adam is an idiot. So that''s how the story ends... 583. Yellow Turban Business I 583. Yellow Turban Business I The laughter echoed through the room as Yellow Turban slapped Adam¡¯s shoulders, greeting his companions in the same manner. Sir Landon¡¯s presence had kept most of the other nobles away, and though the Duchess could have intruded past him, she had remained with Sir Roseia and the others, not wanting to spit on their face. Yellow Turban? He was technically not a noble of Aldland, and therefore did not have to play by the same cultural rules as the other Aldishmen. His position as a quasi noble and great merchant always caused some awkwardness between him and the other nobles, considering the Yellow Turban¡¯s wealth matched some of the greatest families in the land, and their pedigree was considered quite great in the other lands. ¡°Bringers of gold! Why have you not come see me in my room, eh? You think this Yellow Turban cannot afford drinks? You think this Yellow Turban is too cheap?¡± Yellow Turban asked, though his grin was wider than even Vasera¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m sure my friends enjoyed your company,¡± Adam said, glancing to Lucy and Mara at Yellow Turban¡¯s side. Everyone in the area seemed to tense up, considering the pair were well known to be Demons thanks to the various Guardians within the area. ¡°They can drink well,¡± Yellow Turban confirmed. ¡°First, second, third place, all good, yes?¡± Yellow Turban pat Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°This Yellow Turban bet much on your fights.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam smirked. ¡°I bet a bit of coin too.¡± ¡°I think I have made thirty, forty thousand gold?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°That is a lot of money!¡± ¡°My son has made so much less, son of cat, what can he do?¡± Yellow Turban sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Ten thousand gold? What wine you can buy with ten thousand gold? I cannot buy boots for ten thousand gold. What I do? He is my boy, to be Yellow Turban, but what money he can make?¡± Yellow Turban continued to shake his head. ¡°Sometimes, all we can do is prepare our children for the best, and allow them to make their mistakes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Haa,¡± Yellow Turban sighed once more, before shaking his head in defeat. ¡°I can only do so much.¡± Adam had really wanted to make a joke, but the joke was going to put him on everyone¡¯s radar, and would have probably led to him getting in trouble with the nobles at best, and killed at worst. ¡®I really am maturing.¡¯ Sir Landon sat with the group, glancing between them all. Mostly, nobles only gathered a few warriors, at most five or six, but he had sponsored so many more. All but one of those he sponsored had managed to place. ¡®I almost refused the gift the fool gave me.¡¯ He went from having two people claiming first and third, to having almost ten people place, with roughly half of them placing in the finals. He could feel all the gazes his way, as well as beside him, where his brother sat with his group. He had only sponsored two of the six Golden Savages, and though Flaming Hyena had done well, and had placed in the top ten, Vasera had also placed in the top four. Then there was his father, in the other room, who had sponsored three warriors, one of which had placed in the top ten. His eldest brother also had a pair who placed just outside the top ten, yet both of them had lost to someone who the Iyrmen had beaten. Sir Landon¡¯s heart warmed up within his chest, slowly growing drunk on victory and the attention. Due to the various presences around Adam and his group, they were left alone in peace for once. Though the Duchess refrained from meeting with them, but she had noted all the gazes which they had managed to gather. ¡°So they just stared at us?¡± Adam said, returning back to the guild, Sir Landon accompanying them with his guards. ¡°They will want to meet with you in the next few days,¡± Landon said, dancing around the reasons why. ¡°I will invite you some time soon to reveal the gifts the nobles will have offered you.¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± ¡°Your group has done well in the tournament,¡± Landon said, stating the obvious. ¡°You will be gaining the attention of many other nobles. Since you were sponsored by me, they will offer the gifts to me, and I will dispense them to you.¡± Nobby nodded, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. ¡°I just wanted to reward you with something,¡± Adam said, before stepping aside to the side of the room, where he undid the cloth which had hidden the shield, and he held it up for the young man. ¡°It¡¯s a magical shield.¡± ¡°For me?¡± the teen asked, unsure. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a Basic bonus, but it should serve you well. We¡¯ll be equipping everyone with better gear, but I thought I should equip you first so you can help protect everyone else.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied, holding the shield. He could feel the tingle of the shield between his hands, and a different tingling filled him. A childish smile swept across his face. Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he had seen Nobby smile before. He reached up and pat the boy on his shoulder. ¡°You did a great job, Nobby.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you, mister boss.¡± Adam wondered how many times the boy was going to thank him. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to eating.¡± ¡°How long will we spend in East Port?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°We¡¯ll need to do the thing with the nobles, and then once we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll head out to find Dunes and help him out. I would suppose that some of the nobles might have heard of Amira.¡± ¡°The name might not help, since Amira is also a title for the Shens¡¯ daughter,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We should ask for a Devilkin from the Order of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°They let her have the name Amira even though its used as a title?¡± Adam thought the world wasn¡¯t quite so progressive. ¡°It was once punishable by death, but the rules were relaxed over time.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°It is still punishable by death to name yourself King, Duke, Shen, or Faro, and the like.¡± ¡°Fair,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Not fair, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Do I ever know what you mean?¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Adam returned back to eating. ¡°Brittany, don¡¯t think I forgot about you either.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Brittany replied. Adam wondered where she would have placed if she had fought. ¡®Top ten, maybe? She¡¯s an Expert too.¡¯ ¡°I should probably go buy some cloth...¡± Adam thought about how much gold he had to spend now that he had bet so much. ¡®Oh, right. I need to figure out how much to give to everyone. I¡¯ll do that after I go to the market and figure out how much we¡¯ve made. I can¡¯t let the party fund get too low after what happened. Why did I have to make it so complicated?¡¯ Wooo boy! Adam is so rich! 584. Yellow Turban Business II 584. Yellow Turban Business II ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam said, rubbing the cloth between his fingers. He glanced between all the rolls of fabric, each of which were slightly different. He wondered how they blended the various fibres to form such soft fabric. ¡°Dark reds, a dark blue, and a lighter blue, almost grey,¡± the owner said, finding the swatches of the colours Adam had requested. The dark reds were exactly the kind which Adam had thought. He glanced between the several shades of darker blue, some even reaching indigo. The lighter blues held a hint of grey, but some were more like grey with a hint of blue. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They are all wonderful colours,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°Which colours do you enjoy most?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no painter, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam mumbled quietly. ¡°Which colours look the most pleasant in your expert eyes?¡± Vonda glanced between the reds especially, since they were nearly identical. Adam thought about praying to Baktu to guide her. ¡®No. That¡¯s too weird. I should also put some coin into the temples. I¡¯ve made well over ten thousand, so I should donate a little at least...¡¯ ¡°Which colours would you like for accents?¡± the merchant asked. ¡°That¡¯s a good question...¡± Adam looked to Vonda. ¡°Black.¡± Vonda had thought about silver, but it would have been awkward to match the lighter blue she had picked. Adam also followed Lord Sozain, and this business was in partnership with the Iyr, so black suited the most. ¡°How many outfits could the rolls make?¡± ¡°For someone of your height and build?¡± The merchant eyed Adam up, trying to displace the armour away. ¡°Eight, nine, or ten?¡± ¡®Considering I¡¯m a beefy boy, let¡¯s say ten,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°How much for each roll?¡± ¡°Ten gold.¡± ¡®That¡¯s pretty expensive, but it is pretty quality fabric.¡¯ ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go for that. I¡¯ll buy... three bundles of each colour, and one for black?¡± ¡°You should buy three bundles for black too,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Let¡¯s do that then. So that¡¯s what, one hundred and twenty gold?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Do you take gems?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Once Adam had finished paying for the cloth, he glanced around to the little walkers. Several had darted towards him before stopping nearby, standing tall and strong with their packs made of wood or rope. ¡°Just a moment,¡± Adam said, motioning to them all, before turning back to the cloth merchant. ¡°Could I buy some more cloth? I need yellow, blue, purple, red, and... no, just blue, purple, and red. One of each. Vonda, could you pick the nicest colours of each? After a short while of Vonda perusing the various colours, she picked her favourites for each, and Adam paid an additional ten gold for each roll. ¡°I need one walker for each bundle of cloth,¡± Adam said down to the young urchins. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you each two silver.¡± ¡°Yes, boss!¡± The urchins scattered. ¡°Ah! Find me at least two more too!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Adam made his way through the market, only to stop and let Vonda lead them, realising he barely had any idea where the particular stall was. ¡°For you? Only nine gold, but you pay me ten, yes?¡± said the young boy, who had yet to reach even ten years old. ¡°You will charge me?¡± the older Devilkin woman asked, standing tall and proud with her hands clasped behind her back. She stood with such authority, Adam almost didn¡¯t realise she wasn¡¯t even a head taller than Kalid. She wore a long dress of yellow, with a golden sash around her waist. A myriad of golden jewellery scattered across her entire body, from earrings, to necklaces, to rings, each formed in such a way that they appeared to be made of liquid gold. Four other Devilkin were about, two sitting near Kalid, and two standing near the old woman. Each carried sabres at their side. These Devilkin wore simpler uniforms, reminiscent of the Iyr¡¯s style of clothing. Kalid narrowed his eyes, as though making calculations within his mind. Did he really need to sit down for the rest of the day? Would the spanks be worth it if he was busy thinking of the pain rather than working hard? ¡°Charge you? You think I am son of a cat that I charge my own nana?¡± He cursed out in the Devilkin tongue before tutting at the old woman. ¡®His nana?¡¯ Adam eyed up the woman, before finding the eyes of one of the nearby Devilkin falling across him. Their eyes met. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± the Devilkin guard asked, widening his stance slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t all your rolls best?¡± ¡°You see this handsome man? He is so smart, so handsome, what can this Kalid say?¡± Kalid placed the swatches of yellow on the counter before slipping away to bring a roll of Salifi gold. ¡°Which is the cutest yellow, Sir Vonda?¡± Adam asked, noting one of the sitting Devilkin had followed after Kalid. ¡°There are many yellows which go well with greyish green,¡± Vonda said. ¡°What about red?¡± ¡°Red?¡± ¡°They need to match little Kavgak and Tavgak too,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Are you buying rolls for your Cousins too?¡± ¡°Of course! This yellow needs to be all the little babbies,¡± Adam said. ¡°They need to be bright and vibrant.¡± Vonda picked a vibrant yellow, though glanced around to see if there were any which caught her eyes. ¡®The kids should all match.¡¯ Adam thought about how cute his children would look. ¡®What should I bring back for their first birthdays?¡¯ ¡®Does he always look so stupid?¡¯ the older Devilkin thought. Kalid returned with a roll of the Salifi gold, which almost shimmered with the light. The roll of Salifi gold was almost as thick as the others, however, the fabric itself was slightly thicker, meaning it was probably only a little over half as much in terms of usable fabric. ¡°How many you buy? One? Two? Ten rolls?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy five of each,¡± Adam said. ¡°No problem, this Kali-,¡± Kalid stopped, eyeing Adam up. ¡°You buy five rolls?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Salifi gold is best gold, you wish to buy five?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Each roll is twenty five gold,¡± the young boy said. ¡°How much for the other five yellows?¡± ¡°Ten gold each.¡± ¡°Make it six Salifi gold then,¡± Adam said, placing down gems worth two hundred gold. ¡°You want meeting with Yellow Turban?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you buy two rolls,¡± Kalid said. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam thought about it. The roll was only good enough for roughly five people, he assumed. If they were babies, then it would probably be closer to fifteen or so? No, wouldn¡¯t it be silly to waste all that money for clothes which would no longer fit? Then he would just gift them to his Aunts and Uncles. ¡®Eh? Why¡¯s he trying to downsell me?¡¯ Once the business was conducted, Adam swiftly retreated, allowing them to continue their conversation. ¡°You sold two rolls of Salifi gold for fifty gold, and set a meeting with Yellow Turban?¡± The older Devilkin stared down at her grandson. ¡°A bronze deal.¡± ¡°My father will say gold deal,¡± Kalid stated. ¡°Why is that?¡± Kalid shrugged his shoulder in a way which suggested he didn¡¯t know, but his smirk and his eyes said otherwise. ¡®Should I flick your forehead, you little son of a cat?¡¯ I''m sorry. I completely forgot to post up yesterday''s chapter. 585. Yellow Turban III 585. Yellow Turban III Adam and Vonda enjoyed the street food of East Port, with its variety of spices, important from even the likes of Voska. Adam also brought some for the walkers, not wanting to let the young ones starve while they carried the cloth. Once they were brought to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, he handed the coins over to the young urchins, and made sure they each left with some more food he had brought. ¡°These are the colours I brought for the business,¡± Adam said, revealing a bundle of cloth of each of the four cloths he had brought four rolls of. ¡°Red is far too aggressive for our business,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Sir Vonda picked the red, and I trust in her ability to spot reds,¡± Adam replied. ¡°No, I meant that red is too aggressive for the business, not that this red is too aggressive.¡± ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam replied, frowning. Jaygak replied with an innocent smile. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually listen to me.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s treason then,¡± Adam replied, wondering if he should noogie her. Jaygak pulled away towards Kitool slightly upon seeing the way he was looking at her. ¡°Red can be the clothes for our guards then,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We can use the blue grey for the typical workers, and the brighter blue for some of the higher ranking people. We Executives should have blue clothes with the red for the trim, since that looks coolest.¡± ¡°What are the other rolls for?¡± Jurot asked, spotting the other set Adam was currently packing together. ¡°The red, blue, and purple are for our Aunts and Uncles. The yellow are for the children. The Salifi gold is for Aunt Sonarot, and your aunt and uncle, Jurot.¡± Adam began to write a letter for those back in the Iyr. He wrote who the bundles were for, allowing them to figure it out between themselves, while stating who the yellow and gold belong to. Adam then wrote the most important line. ¡®Also, please find a way to stop Lanababy and my little babbies from growing so they stay small and cute forever. All the best, Adam.¡¯ Adam smiled at his letter. Images of his children flashed through his mind. ¡®You little rascals. How can you make me miss you this much?¡¯ Adam thought about his business. It was a good excuse not to adventure if he needed to use it. Then he imagined his children being called the young bosses of the business. ¡®I¡¯m going to be the coolest dad ever.¡¯ ¡°You are writing a letter?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m planning on sending it back with the bundles of cloth.¡± Adam left the letter out to dry, staring at it with a stupid smile on his face. ¡°The gates are closed,¡± Jurot said. Adam blinked, before looking at the Iyrmen and Sir Vonda before him. He looked as though he had been slapped out of the blue. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°You can keep it in the Iyr¡¯s account with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild,¡± Jaygak informed. ¡°They will send it along once the gates are opened, or you can pick it up in Red Oak and take it with you when you return.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea...¡± Adam stared at her suspiciously. ¡°Who are you and what have you done to Jaygak.¡± ¡°I have to make it up for teasing you.¡± ¡°So you knew you were bullying me?¡± ¡°I have to bully you,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It must be done.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at her harder. ¡°Anyway, I realised something while we were in the tournament. You don¡¯t have plate mail.¡± ¡°Are you bullying me because I hurt your feelings?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m being very serious. Everyone I faced, from the Priests to the Guardians, all wore plate mail. Every Expert pretty much wore it, and I realised that you were the only one without plate mail. If you had it, you probably...¡± Adam realised she had won every fight up until Kitool. ¡°Damn, you¡¯re pretty strong, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak looked to Kitool for support, but Kitool replied with a soft bow of her head. Adam was technically not bullying her, he was just being Adam. ¡°Since this is the matter of the party, we¡¯ll use some of the party funds, and my own, to order the plate mail.¡± ¡°I can afford it,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I made a lot of coin in the tournament.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam said. ¡°I, uh, heard about this Salafi gold.¡± ¡°The cloth?¡± ¡°The metal.¡± Yellow Turban bowed his head, motioning for Adam to continue. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it can be used to enchant.¡± ¡°We know how to enchant it, yes.¡± ¡°As you probably know, I work for an enchanter, the Enchanter we call them,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly. ¡°I believe our Enchanter might be interested in this metal.¡± ¡°Only our people know how working it,¡± Yellow Turban replied. Adam bowed his head slowly. ¡°I was just hoping that, perhaps in the future, we could procure some.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I was also hoping to...¡± Yellow Turban raised his brows, slowly bowing his head. ¡°I was hoping to ask about Windsabre, and, perhaps in the future, the Enchanter could... study it?¡± ¡°Salafi gold, for one roll, fifteen gold. We sell to people we like, twenty gold. We sell to people we like like, twenty five gold. Yes?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, unsure of why he would work that way. ¡°I know you, Adam, few days. I know of Iyr, long time. Iyr ask me for Windsabre, I know they bring back, I still think for it.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Salafi gold, metal, worth much coin. Your axe, if Salifi gold, maybe thousand gold. You know how much we sell if you we like like?¡± ¡°Two thousand?¡± ¡°We do not sell if we like like. We only give if we like more than like like. I know you, Adam, days. We know years, maybe Kalid, my handsome boy, gift Salafi gold.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Adam replied, though he was still slightly confused due to the way Yellow Turban spoke the Aldish tongue. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to let you know that, once we are open for business properly, we are happy to do business with the Yellow Turbans.¡± ¡°Your business, it sell magical weapons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Magical armour?¡± ¡°Not right now, unfortunately.¡± ¡°Which weapons?¡± ¡°Basic,¡± Adam said. ¡°If we like like, Basic Enhanced and Greater.¡± ¡°And for this Yellow Turban?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only known you for a few days, so just like like right now,¡± Adam replied. Yellow Turban poured Adam and himself some wine, before raising his cup. ¡°I hope we know for years.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Yellow Turban knocked back the wine in one go, and Adam mimicked him. Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Adam swallowed down the wine, which set his throat ablaze, before coughing lightly into his shoulder. ¡®What the fu-hoooaaaark?¡¯ ¡°This wine, only for people we like like,¡± Yellow Turban said, offering Adam some more. Adam squirmed, feeling a wave of heat rock through his body, his head beginning to grow itchy with ease passing second. Adam nodded, his eyes burning with tears. ¡°Hokay,¡± he managed to gasp out. This Yellow Turban guy I like like, even if I can barely understand what he''s saying. 586. How Scary 586. How Scary Omen: 12, 13 ¡°Today?¡± Adam asked the knight. ¡°Now,¡± they replied. ¡°You sure are demanding, considering how hard I-,¡± Adam began, only to recall the knight wasn¡¯t a friend so he couldn¡¯t make that kind of joke. ¡°I have some business to deal with today, but I should show my face to the good Sir Landon.¡± ¡°It is the matter of your reward,¡± the knight explained. ¡°Oh! Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± The knight blinked. Adam donned the rest of his armour, and once the group were prepared, they made their way to Sir Landon¡¯s estate. Several carriages had been prepared, since the teen Iyrmen were also invited to join them, as well as the one who could have been mistaken for an Iyrman. ¡®First. Second. Third.¡¯ Sir Landon thought about how ridiculous it all was. He hadn¡¯t managed to take the top three spots once, but twice, technically. He stared at the large group before him, who were currently feasting on the breakfast he had prepared. He had chanced upon meeting them a couple of years ago to assist him with hunting wolves. He reached up to rub the scars on his face, which pulsed gently. ¡®From wolves to beating the greatest warriors within their age range. Iyrmen are truly monstrous.¡¯ ¡®These nobles really know how to enjoy some good fruit,¡¯ Adam thought, eating his fill. ¡°You have all done me a great service,¡± Sir Landon Littlesea began, motioning a hand to one of his servants. They brought forward a large chest, filled to the brim with gems and gold. There were two sets of blue gems, a set of red gems, and a set of black gems, as well as piles of gold. ¡°Five thousand gold.¡± ¡°Five thousand gold?¡± Adam replied. He stared down at it, and tried to complete the maths in his head. ¡°Since your young warriors also fought in my name, I thought to reward them,¡± Landon said. He decided against mentioning Jaygak, though had also offered gems equal to a thousand gold for her too. He had bet on each of them placing in the top four, which meant his bets had returned back eight to one odds. His eyed fell to Nobby, who he had bet on achieving first place, which returned odds of roughly twenty to one. This bet, however, was the greatest bet of all. ¡°Sir Landon, you¡¯re really...¡± Adam cleared his throat, trying his best to stop relaxing while in the presence of even minor nobles. ¡°I thank you for your magnaniminity?¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Magnanimity,¡± Sir Landon replied. ¡°Yes, thank you,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m neither good with numbers, words, or names. I can beat the future heirs of all kinds of people, but I just can¡¯t remember their names.¡± Sir Landon wondered why Adam was always trying to get himself killed. ¡°I hope you are still willing to assist with my request?¡± ¡°Right, the request,¡± Adam replied, as though he hadn¡¯t forgotten. ¡°I have come to the conclusion that I need the core of a wraith, or a similar creature.¡± ¡°Wraiths?¡± Adam frowned, recalling how tough they were in his previous life. ¡°You want to present her a wraith core?¡± ¡®Is it some kind of noble jewellery stuff?¡¯ ¡°It can be used to create a Greater Enhanced magical weapon,¡± Sir Landon replied. ¡°Oh?¡± A smile crept on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°Now, that would be a good gift. Alright, sure, we can handle some wraiths.¡± ¡°Jaygak¡¯s grandmother and Kitool¡¯s grandfather fell in the fight,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Grandfather cut his arm to repay their deaths and retired.¡± ¡°What?¡± Landon said, unable to control the words escaping through his lips. ¡°Your grandfather didn¡¯t lose his arm to Forgryn, but he cut it off himself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Landon fell silent. He had heard that the Azure Terror had been killed by Iyrmen, but he had no idea it had been Jurot¡¯s grandfather, nor the grandparents of those at his side. ¡°If they died to Forgryn, I am certain it was a good death.¡± ¡°It was certainly a good death,¡± Kitool said, bowing her head slightly, while the other Iyrmen nodded their heads. ¡°If they were your grandparents, were they also the grandparents of the teens?¡± The young sir asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Sir Landon¡¯s eyes grew wide. He wasn¡¯t sure about the way the Iyr¡¯s family system worked, but if they were descendants of those that killed Forgryn, then weren¡¯t they fairly high ranking families? ¡®They should be at least the level of a Marquis or Duke within the Iyr.¡¯ ¡°I had no idea I was in the presence of such great families.¡± The Iyrmen sat up taller and straighter, even Uwajin, whose family hadn¡¯t been mentioned. ¡°Each of our families are great,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Ool family holds the greatest honour among us.¡± Landon looked to Kitool, who bowed her head slightly. ¡°How is that?¡± ¡°My grandaunt is one of the Ten Paragons of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Ten Paragons of the Iyr?¡± Landon asked, not recalling anything about the phrase. ¡°The Ten Paragons of the Iyr are those who have reached the strength of Paragon,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°They are tasked to remain within the Iyr to defend it. It is one of the greatest honours in all of the Iyr.¡± ¡°The Iyr houses ten Paragons?¡± Landon asked. ¡°Those as great as the Grand Master of the Order of the Thousand Hunts?¡± ¡°Yes. Ten Paragons, Hundred Grandmasters,¡± Jurot said, stating the second group which were also tasked with protecting the Iyr. ¡°Hundred Grandmasters?¡± Landon wasn¡¯t sure how that was possible when the Iyr was so small. It did enter his mind that perhaps Jurot was exaggerating, but he had yet to lie, and he hadn¡¯t heard of Iyrmen lying before. ¡°Is your grandfather one of the Hundred Grandmasters?¡± ¡°No. Each family typically has a Grandmaster, though our family does not at this time,¡± Jurot admitted. These statements were the only statements he could truly mention, anything more would be dangerous to let slip. The Iyrmen spoke the truth, as it was true the Iyr had a group called the Hundred Grandmasters, and that each family typically possessed a Grandmaster. However, what he decided not to mention was the fact that the Hundred Grandmasters of the Iyr were a separate entity entirely, and did not include any Grandmasters outside of the group. The Hundred Grandmasters didn¡¯t include the Grandmasters of the various families, nor those who had retired outside of the Iyr, who could still be called upon to assist the Iyr. Sir Landon tried to count how many Paragons were across Aldland, and how many Grandmasters there roughly were. He was sure the land had about as many Paragons as the Iyr, but the number of Grandmasters was greater. ¡®Even if the Iyr matches the number of Paragons and Grandmasters, it is only useful for defending themselves. They couldn¡¯t take our cities with so few of them.¡¯ Yet, he still couldn¡¯t help but think. ¡®What a scary group.¡¯ Adam hummed quietly at the last block of text he read. It was smaller than the other red blocks, and though it was similar in value, it was valuable in different ways. The last red block had revealed the Duchess¡¯ gifts for them. ¡®What a scary woman.¡¯ I have spent a long while thinking about the Iyr and what it has in its possession. 587. Duchess I 587. Duchess I Later in the day, Adam met with the porters and farmers to explain the situation to them. None seemed to have any issues with heading north to deal with Sir Landon¡¯s request, though they could see the annoyance, and worry, on Adam¡¯s face. ¡®Seriously, I should be helping Dunes...¡¯ ¡°What is this for?¡± Jaygak asked. Her eyes were glued to the gems Adam had placed down before her. ¡°For the plate mail,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°It¡¯s what, a thousand and five hundred or so? I can pay for at least a third of it.¡± Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure if she should accept it, but Adam¡¯s threat hung within her mind. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll pay a visit to the bank later...¡¯ ¡°Any time,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head towards the Devilkin, before leaving her to stew in her awkwardness. He saw Nobby in the corner, his arms crossed as he thought deeply. Adam wondered why so many people were crossing their arms recently, wondering if he had done so too. ¡®Is it because of Jurot?¡¯ ¡°Hey, Nobby,¡± Adam called as he sat opposite the large Expert. ¡°Hello, mister boss.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I want to tell mother and father.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Should we write a letter back to them?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t write.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Your mother can read it out for everyone.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± ¡°Should we keep it a secret that you won the tournament?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We can write that you did well, and you can send back some gold to them. When we meet them later, you can tell them properly.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam assisted Nobby in writing a letter, writing that he¡¯s been doing well, and that he fought well in the tournament. He kept most of it vague, though mentioned some of Nobby¡¯s feats during his battles, and how he had assisted in fighting three hydras. Adam prepared the gold to be sent back home, a sum of fifty gold, which was around three months of decent pay for a labourer, as well as a scale from one of the hydras. ¡®Ah,¡¯ Adam thought once he had sent the payment back to the family. ¡®I think the money should be running out about now?¡¯ Adam thought about how much he should send back to Nobby¡¯s family, as well as to Brittany, since they had done quite well under him. ¡®Should I send back more money each month, or should I increase the length of time?¡¯ After thinking on the matter, Adam decided to send back ten gold each month into their account, ten going into Brittany¡¯s account, and another ten going to Nobby¡¯s parents. ¡®Should be alright if they get sent this much.¡¯ The guild worker¡¯s face remained neutral as Adam placed down so much money for the two different account they had at the guild. The payments were going to run out soon, but Adam had refilled them on time. The amount he had handed over, and the amount to be given monthly, meant it would take a while for the accounts to finish settling the gold. She wasn¡¯t sure if anyone had asked for such a request previously in her years of working at the guild. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild fell silent as a heavily armoured knight appeared. She wore full plate mail, each piece engraved with all manner of symbols. Her cape was thick, a deep blue which represented the Duchess¡¯ personal guard, with golden trim also designed with tiny patterns which shimmered in the light. She carried a blade at her side with was slightly longer than a typical blade, seemingly made silver, with blue gem accents for the pommel and hilt. Her heavy steps had silenced the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but her sheer size and presence forced the silence to linger. The knight marched towards Adam, her shifting armour breaking the silence, before she stopped abruptly before the Half Elf who she currently towered over. ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± she began. ¡°You have the honour of meeting with the Duchess in the morning.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, as Jurot opened his door. ¡°Your mother sends her love.¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I cast Sending,¡± Adam said. Jurot nodded. ¡°Please tell her that I love her.¡± Adam waited. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam returned back to his room to cast the spell once more. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Sending ¡°Hello there. Jurot says he loves you too. Please also send it to Lanababy and the other children too. Also my love to Gurot and-,¡± Adam noticed the magic fade. ¡®Oh, right, twenty five words.¡¯ ¡°Okay. I will. Please take good care. We will wait for your return. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot return your love.¡± Adam smiled upon hearing the names of his triplets. ¡®Those little rascals! How could they do this to me? What an adorable set of brats! I love you all so much! Should I cast some more to you?¡¯ Jurot remained in bed, staring at the ceiling. He wondered if there was a way for him to learn Sending too. He tried to remember the price of the stones. Omen: 9, 14 The entire group bathed in the morning. Adam wondered if he should have brought some scented soap from nearby. He had spent some of the morning assisting in cleaning their clothes and armour with his magic, before he went to bathe. He donned his puthral breastplate over himself, padding his neck and shoulders with extra cloth so they chafed him less. He carried no weapons, but had spent some time meditating with Wraith, before giving Jurot the ring to wear. ¡°I don¡¯t really know where else to put it,¡± Adam said. Jurot held the ring. He supposed that it was fine for him to wear the ring, since Adam was the one who couldn¡¯t bring it with him, but he, as an Iyrman, could. He wondered how Adam would have reacted if the Iyrmen couldn¡¯t bring their armour or weapons. Jaygak, out of respect, wore just her breastplate, but carried Stormdrake at her side. ¡°We will guarantee your safety,¡± Jurot assured the pair of Demons. ¡°The Duchess is no fool.¡± ¡°Mother Soza will watch over us,¡± Sir Vonda added, smiling from under her scarf. ¡°I have a duty to my liege,¡± Mara replied, simply. ¡°If we are not able to take our weapons, then-,¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Lucy grumbled quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to guarantee it, then I¡¯ll go.¡± Mara fell silent, and handed over the rings to the Iyrmen. Kitool took the rings, slipping them onto her fingers. ¡®Hmm. I should really guarantee our safety...¡¯ Mana: 21 -> 18 Spell: Sending I need to write in my notes how long the payments will last. 588. Duchess II 588. Duchess II ¡°I¡¯d like to head to the temple before we head to the Duchess,¡± Adam said to Sir Maria, the large knight from the previous evening. ¡°The Duchess is waiting,¡± Sir Maria replied, her voice stern. Adam stared through the knight¡¯s visor, catching the gleam of her pupils through her visor. For once, he wasn¡¯t actually trying to cause trouble for a noble, but rather, his heart wouldn¡¯t stop beating so harshly, and the back of his neck was sweaty, and not from the noonval heat. ¡°No, perhaps you¡¯re right,¡± Adam began, and the nearby Iyrmen tensed up slightly from Adam¡¯s tone of voice. The Half Elf reached up to his symbol of Baktu, that of the Lord of Death, stroking it gently, as though he was stroking Lanarot¡¯s tummy while she snoozed away. ¡°Who are the Divine in comparison to the Duchess.¡± Sir Maria glared at Adam through her helmet, though she remained silent as the moments passed. The nearby guards who had arrived with Sir Maria placed their hands on their weapons, causing the teen Iyrmen to reach for their own weapons, while those with shields strapped them against their arms. A horse whinnied from nearby, as a guard quickly grabbed its reins and began to calm it down. The other horses nearby also began to shift about, feeling the blood thirst in the air. ¡°We will stop by the temple district first,¡± Sir Maria stated, with an unsettling calmness. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied. The six carriages were of fine make, finer than any other Adam had ever seen. They were far more comfortable too, though Adam was too nervous to feel the plushness of the seats. The blue banners held the symbol of the East Sea family, that of waves crashing down from the right. ¡°Bronzewood,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Bronzewood?¡± ¡°Once the wood was cultivated near the northern peninsula of Aswadasad,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°It was once imported by the two great ports of Aldland, but during a war, East Port managed to claim it for itself when it pillaged the northern town, though it required great effort. They razed the town down, and had managed to stifle the wood¡¯s growth in Aswadasad for generations. It is still grown in Aswadasad by one of the towns, though no longer near the sea, but deeper within the land.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always war, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam joked. ¡°Every time you hear about something being introduced to the land, it¡¯s always from war.¡± ¡°Many times,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°The Halfzers like the wood, and have offered to protect the town in times of war.¡± ¡°The Halfzers?¡± ¡°They are also known as the Halfmen due to their small statue,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They are the farmer soldiers of the plains within North Aswadasad. They were forced away from the land thousands of years ago, but the Faro of North Aswadasad allowed them to resettle within the land when it was under constant threat by Aldland. The Halfzers claim most of the plains for themselves, and the Faro offered much of the northern forest in exchange for keeping the western plains for themselves.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Faro gave away his land?¡± ¡°Her land, yes,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°When the Halfzers returned, Aldland tried to settle on the northern territory beside the sea. Each time they were forced away by the Halfzers. Once they were forced away, the Halfzers returned back to the plains to work their fields.¡± ¡°These Halfzers sound pretty damn cool.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°When the Aldish returned for the fifth time, the Halzfers showed no quarter. During their first skirmishes, the captured nobles were ransomed back to the Aldish for piles of silver and gold. The fifth time, many young nobles of various of Aldland¡¯s houses were lost.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not giving hundreds of gold to the Duchess,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°I¡¯m also a little shy, and I thought, perhaps, it would be best not to show off too much.¡± The words of Crowseer came across Adam¡¯s mind, the mysterious figure having already warned Adam twice. Father Death understood what the Iyrmen understood, and that was that Adam was Adam. ¡°We will donate the gold on your behalf.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam stepped up to the statue, and knelt before it. He clasped his hands together. ¡®I appreciate your help. I hope you watch over us and make sure we don¡¯t die, or if we do, please allow us to take as many as we can with us. I¡¯ll personally offer her head to you if she acts up, but I¡¯d rather it doesn¡¯t get to that. I know that offending her was a bad idea, but I really didn¡¯t mean to ask for death.¡¯ Adam paused. ¡®If anything does happen to me, please accept my, uh, please accept the children once they¡¯ve lived long and healthy lives.¡¯ Adam didn¡¯t feel any response from the Lord of Death. He opened an eye to look at the statue and noted its lack of glow. ¡°...¡± ¡®Five hundred gold,¡¯ Father Death thought. It wasn¡¯t the highest donation he had ever received, though if he compared it to donations from living individuals, it may have been in the top ten of the surviving records. ¡®Your faith is not just for show, but the God of Death cares more for blood than gold, young Half Elf.¡¯ Adam felt a tingle in the back of his neck as he stepped away. ¡®Are you trying to tell me something?¡¯ Adam left his mind open, relaxing it to allow the God of Death to speak with him if he needed to. Moments later, he stepped out, still unsure of how he should feel. ¡°How come you didn¡¯t donate to the temple?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We do not offer gold to the temple of Lord Sozain,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°So you donated to everyone but Baktu?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, Adam replied. ¡®The Iyr is the Iyr.¡¯ He thought back to the Iyr, which housed his children, as well as his sister and his Cousins. ¡®You punks, are you growing up too quickly?¡¯ He sighed. ¡°If something happens, make sure you get Lucy and Mara out of there,¡± Adam whispered in their tongue. Adam sat up straighter, as Jurot, who sat with his arm¡¯s crossed, smiled. It wasn¡¯t just any smile, but the wide smile of his grandfather. Something about Jurot¡¯s smile caused Adam¡¯s hair to stand up. ¡°Do not tease Jurot,¡± Jaygak said in their tongue, shaking her head. ¡°He will think of the good fight he will miss if it does not occur.¡± Hearing Jaygak speak as stiffly as the Iyrmen caused Adam to sit up straighter. Jurot may have been chattier while he spoke of old tales, or wood, but it wasn¡¯t like the way Jaygak spoke. Hearing Jaygak speak like an Iyrman caused Adam¡¯s stomach to churn. ¡®I don¡¯t like this.¡¯ The carriages stopped, and Adam glanced outside, seeing that they were overlooking the ocean to one side, and the several forts across it, dotted like beads on the waves. A hundred ships docked along the port, and many more made their way about. There were easily hundreds of small ships working on catching fish, many far in the distance, barely able to be spotted by even Iyrmen eyes. The carriage began to move again once more, escorted by the mounted knights. Adam had originally though they were near the Duchess¡¯ place, but after minutes of travelling within the carriage, he wondered how far they were going to go. ¡®Seriously, come on...¡¯ I''m so glad Adam is taking it easy and not starting any fights with the nobl- At least he won''t try to offend the Divi- Damn it, Adam! Just one chapter! One chapter where you try not to get yourself killed! 589. Duchess III 589. Duchess III ¡°You will refer to the Duchess as Her Grace, and you will speak only when spoken to,¡± Sir Maria stated firmly as she guided them along the pathway towards one of the many gardens of the Duchess¡¯ estate. The land around was green, blankets of grass as far as the eyes could see. Adam spotted dozens of buildings of various different styles, each with their own section of greenery, each different to any other, from the flowers to the trees, none appeared elsewhere. Adam could see guards every so often too, but most of the figure he saw were the help, servants adorned in a dark blue, almost navy, except darker, closer to black. As they marched for at least ten minutes, they approached the archway made of all manner of flowers and greenery, and were welcomed into a large square garden. The pathways were cement, as the pathways for the entire estate were, with bushes of all manner of flowers growing around the garden. Around the garden were several tertiary tables, which were guarded by a single heavily armoured guard, whereas the table in the centre, a semicircular table which had no further tables between it and the exit, was guarded by at least a half dozen guards. It was probably the fact the Duchess sat at the centre of the flat edge that there were so many guards. She sat at an angle, one gloved hand laying on the edge of the table, her other gloved hand over it. She was beautiful as one might have expected, with tan skin that was contrasted by the silver jewellery she wore. Her hair was darker than the typical Aldish, her eyes a beautiful hazel. She wore dress of deep blue, like the ocean depths, and a necklace made of pearls, each catching the light in a way to make it seem like there was a rainbow sea constantly rippling among them. She wore a silver spaulder over one shoulder, with chains of silver connecting between each segment, matching the rest of her jewellery. Resting at her side was a sapphicule dagger settled in white leather. The guards around all wore plate mail. All carried blades at their side, with most also holding shields. Those at the exits wielded long spears, while those near the Duchess carried blades at their side, each made of what looked to be silver. The two warriors beside the Duchess were both female, and were almost identical to Sir Maria, with identical equipment and near identical stature. Servants also stood all along the side of the walls behind the Duchess, like statues. ¡°Good morning, Fate¡¯s Golden, and to Sir Vonda Littlesea,¡± the Duchess said, motioning with a hand to the various tables, though there were four main seats opposite her for Adam and his closest three companions. She also motioned to the seat on her side which was free, though it lay towards the edge. Sir Vonda took her place on the Duchess¡¯ side of the table. ¡°Good morning, Your Grace,¡± Adam replied, before taking his seat opposite her with the other Iyrmen, while the others settled themselves around the other tables, which were nearby. ¡°I am Duchess Dalia Eastsea of East Port,¡± she said, shifting her hands slightly. The servants nearby moved silently, attending to the tables nearby, silent as mice. ¡°I am glad you have accepted my invitation.¡± ¡°You honour us, Your Grace.¡± A servant brought over a clay teapot with detailed, intricate patterns, as they poured the tea in for the Duchess. Adam raised his brows towards the clay pot. ¡°Do you like the tea pot?¡± The Duchess asked. ¡°Yes, Your Grace. Is it from Persevia?¡± ¡°You¡¯re familiar?¡± ¡°One of our greatest tales,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°When East Port needed the Iyrmen, we sent many. My ancestor, Jogak,¡± the Devilkin said, before smirking slightly, ¡°fought hard to assist the Duke of the time. Some of our family were cut down by blades from the front, and others, through the back.¡± ¡°It was a terrible business,¡± the Duchess confirmed. ¡°The debt was paid.¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips formed a wider smile. One of the many stories of the Gak family, but one which all Gak children learned shortly after being taught about the various Blackwater Crises. The Iyr never forgets, and it¡¯s debts were always repaid. The Duchess held Jaygak¡¯s firm gaze for a while, before she bowed her head. ¡°I wished to meet with those who had made a name for themselves in recent times, and in the tournament. The rising stars working in Aldland. I wanted to offer you all roles, though I do understand some of you Iyrmen, but not all of you are off limits, I presume?¡± ¡°It depends on the offer,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though Nobby here is one of mine?¡± ¡°Yours?¡± ¡°He has a contract with me at the moment,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Your Grace,¡± Adam added, clearing his throat. ¡°We trained him up, well, mostly Jurot, and he¡¯s going to work for us for a while to pay that off.¡± Adam decided against mentioning his real plan with Nobby, since it would give her an easier time to try and take the boy from him. ¡°Would you take an offer from the Duchess of East Port into consideration?¡± the Duchess asked, before sipping her tea. Adam lifted his cup up, feeling the warm vapours of his tea, smelling the fruity scent. ¡°I will consider it, Your Grace.¡± He sipped the tea, which tasted faintly of berries. ¡°I hope you will take it into consideration, since I have spent some time thinking about the matter,¡± the Duchess stated, though Adam understood it held some threat. ¡°I would give you a position as a Vice Captain of my guards, and you would be paid appropriately. Five hundred gold upfront, one hundred gold for each month, and five hundred gold each Twilight Month. I will also gift you a magical item once you have reached five years of service, and an additional five hundred gold for each five years thereafter. If you work well, there is a chance for you to reach the rank of Captain of the Guard, and a potential knighthood.¡± ¡°In another life I would have accepted such an offer, Your Grace,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Unfortunately, a potential knighthood, and what works out to be a couple of hundred gold monthly, doesn¡¯t interest me. I make a decent sum as an adventurer, and, as you¡¯ve mentioned, I¡¯m quite the rising star.¡± ¡°Third place is a decent rank to achieve,¡± the Duchess stated, staring at the Half Elf. It wasn¡¯t just the pay, but the fact that it was simple work, work which didn¡¯t require him to face against wyverns and other creatures. ¡°It was a shame that my opponents were quite high up on the hierarchy of nobles, otherwise I would have been allowed to take first,¡± Adam replied, sipping more of his tea. ¡°I watched the fights personally,¡± the Duchess admitted, noting how hard Adam was fighting back against such a statement. ¡°You were quite impressive, perhaps the most impressive of all the warriors to fight. You were wise enough to understand your position then.¡± Adam let out a sigh as he stared into the woman¡¯s eyes as she tried to put him down. ¡®Relax. Don¡¯t get yourself killed because of the ego of the rich. I should try to get used to it, since I¡¯ll need it to live within this world. Should I make a revolution in this world so we don¡¯t have to deal with it any more?¡¯ Viva la revolution! 590. Duchess IV 590. Duchess IV ¡°A Bronze Rank adventurer is a decent rank for most, but with your strength, why have you not reached higher?¡± Dalia asked, sipping her tea slowly as the servants brought out tiny desserts. They were like cakes, but extremely thick and dense. Some were covered in flakes of white, orange, or green. ¡°I like my position right now,¡± Adam replied, simply, staring into the Duchess¡¯ eyes. Dalia continued to stare at Adam, wondering why he was trying to keep a low profile. Her eyes fell across the other Iyrmen, and she wondered if the Iyr had anything to do with it. ¡°Your Grace.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I just forgot to add the address when I replied.¡± Adam reached for a sweet dessert. ¡°I could feel the glare of your knights for being so rude. I hope you understand, but I wasn¡¯t born into nobility.¡± ¡°Forgiveable mistakes,¡± the Duchess replied. ¡®Seriously,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m thinking so positively of the French.¡¯ Adam stifled a shudder. ¡°You seem so close with the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Nephew of the Iyr,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You also work for a business which works hand in hand with the Iyr?¡± the Duchess asked. Adam wondered how much she knew, and how she had managed to gather so much information about him so quickly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The business is also looking after your children?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam sipped the rest of his tea, which, with the flavour of the cake, was probably among the most delicious items he had eaten since he had arrived into the world. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Adventuring is dangerous work,¡± Dalia continue. ¡°It would be best for your children if you chose to settle down peacefully. They would receive a great education as the children of a Vice Captain.¡± The education they would receive would only be slightly below that of the greatest nobles, and greater than even minor nobles. ¡°You sure know how to tug at my heartstrings,¡± Adam replied, almost letting slip a smile. ¡°They will also be raised well in the Iyr.¡± Adam thought about the children¡¯s nana and babo, the pair who were closest to the children, perhaps even closer than Adam. ¡®No, there¡¯s no way the old geezer can be closer to them than me.¡¯ ¡°Will they remain in the Iyr forever?¡± ¡°Perhaps. I assume they¡¯ll want to go out into the world, my precious little babies. If I love them, I should allow them to be free. Of course, I¡¯d make sure they¡¯d be safe out and about.¡± ¡°A difficult task,¡± the Duchess said, noting the smile on Adam¡¯s face, but also the tension against his brow. His smile was not like the other smiles he had revealed, those which were demure. This smile was far more... wild? ¡°I was offered, what, a thousand gold each month?¡± Adam asked, looking to Jurot. ¡°I think they offered me a few thousand as a bonus ever so often too, something like multiple times a month, or once every few months, depending on the situation.¡± Jurot nodded, recalling the scenario within his mind. It had been before the triplets put some distance between their father and mother. It wasn¡¯t the most ridiculous thing to happen to Adam yet, even though it was something already unbelievably ridiculous. The Duchess was struck by Adam¡¯s words. She was certain he wasn¡¯t so stupid that he¡¯d lie to her to get her to pay him more, but to see Jurot nod to confirm the words, she wondered what they were talking about. ¡°Who offered such a deal?¡± Adam paused to think, glancing around to the nearby guards, to see if they were casting any spells or such. Then he glanced to Jurot. ¡°Am I even allowed to say?¡± ¡°No,¡± his brother replied. ¡°Well, I can probably say they were at least the rank of a Duchess?¡± Adam said, before eyeing up Jurot to see if he had made a mistake, but his brother¡¯s face was like stone. ¡®Damn, sometimes I forget how handsome you are, Jurot. It makes sense, since you¡¯re my brother.¡¯ ¡°You refused?¡± the Duchess asked, under the assumption he was telling the truth. ¡°I refused for Lanababy.¡± The Duchess tried to recall the phrase, before remembering who it was. ¡°Lanababy?¡± ¡°Our sister.¡± The Duchess bowed her head slowly. ¡°You are no Iyrman, and yet have an Iyrman for a brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but it means that my children will grow well in the Iyr.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If you can somehow get the Rot family to move out of the Iyr, then I¡¯d be willing to leave them, but otherwise it¡¯ll be extremely difficult to coax me away.¡± ¡®That being said, should I really raise my children in the Iyr for long? It feels weird taking advantage of them so much...¡¯ ¡°You believe the Iyr is better than my capital, where gold flows freely like its rivers?¡± ¡°Gold is gold, but wise men invest in security, otherwise a fool and his gold are soon departed,¡± Adam replied, simply. The knights tensed up once more, with those closest to the Duchess reaching for their blades. The teen Iyrmen straightened up, but noted that the trio of Iyrmen made no move to act as of yet. The Duchess motioned with a hand and the knights slowly relaxed. ¡°You did not mean me, did you?¡± ¡°I was talking about myself, Your Grace, since I don¡¯t have one of the greatest navies of the region, nor three hundred thousand soldiers,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡®He was so nervous when he arrived, but now he is laughing so easily...¡¯ ¡°I do not believe you are a fool, though I cannot understand why your respect of the Iyr runs so deep, to the point that you do not hold Aldland in such high regards? They have many great warriors, that is well known, and has been so for hundreds, thousands, of years, but they cannot hope to match the might of Aldland.¡± ¡°We can agree to disagree, Your Grace,¡± Adam replied, smiling wider. ¡®Oh, my sweet summer child.¡¯ When Adam thinks positively of the French you know things are going bad. 591. Duchess V 591. Duchess V The Duchess wasn¡¯t sure how Adam had managed to put her on the back foot. She was certain she had held all the cards, and yet Adam seemed far more relaxed. With each conversation, Adam had grown far more confident, and after speaking of the Iyr, he had finally broken out of his shell. ¡°You spoke of a business which deals with enchanted weapons?¡± Dalia asked, finally pushing forward towards what she really wanted to talk about. There were many things she could tolerate, all for the sake of their relationship with this business he had mentioned. ¡°We are,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°I would have brought my axe, but I was told to leave it behind. Luckily for you, my brother was allowed to bring his axe.¡± Dalia had spent much of her time in the political world. Guilds, unions, domestic nobles, foreign nobles, pirates, beasts, all tried to harass her in order to try and topple her from her throne. She couldn¡¯t help but feel the last sentence was something meant to threaten her. Jurot reached for it, and the knights went for their own blades from beside the Duchess. Jurot did not pause however, holding up the axe as blades were drawn, but were stopped by a motion of the Duchess¡¯ hand. Jurot held her gaze, holding the axe in front of her. If he truly wanted it, he could have split her skull in half, even if the three guards tried to stop him. ¡°May we cast Identify on the axe?¡± the Duchess asked, reaching for the weapon, feeling its power as she gripped it. ¡°Please do,¡± Adam said, before his thoughts quickly flashed to the most pertinent issue. ¡®They can¡¯t just figure out it¡¯s me from a simple Identify spell, right?¡¯ [No.] ¡®Can they find out it was me?¡¯ [With greater magic, yes.] ¡®Hmm...¡¯ ¡°May I tell you what it does?¡± Adam asked, hoping that she had limited access to greater magic at this moment. ¡°You may.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an axe which assaults both body and mind, with the strength of an even greater weapon. It holds three charges, which can smite one¡¯s mind, but with great strength, that greater than even the weapon itself. It may even heal the wielder. The charges are regained over several dawns.¡± ¡°It holds a Greater enchantment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You work for an enchanter who created such an item?¡± ¡°We do.¡± ¡°This exclusive deal with the Enchanter, how long would it last, and how many weapons would be offered?¡± ¡°That depends on the offer,¡± Adam replied. ¡°The Enchanter is interested in knowing how many weapons they will need to make, for how long the exclusivity contract will be, and how much each weapon will be bought for. Of course, the Enchanter will also take into consideration all these factors from all the families which will make an offer.¡± ¡°Which families will be offered such a chance?¡± ¡°Any noble family of sufficient rank. I believe it goes King, Duke, Marquis, Count, and then Baron?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Then Count and above, for now. I came to you first due to your gifts, Your Grace.¡± Adam held her eyes for a long moment. The Duchess flashed an innocent smile, as though she had no idea he had accepted for such a reason. ¡°We have the authority to discuss a contract, and we will bring it back to the Enchanter to discuss it. Though your gifts were great, the Enchanter no doubt wished to inform the Duchess first of the situation, before all other nobles.¡± ¡°I will remember the Enchanters intentions,¡± Dalia confirmed. She wondered if that was true, or if it was because he feared her. ¡°I will not poach the members of the United Kindom. If the Enchanter has need of any materials to work with, we would be surely be willing to gift such as a show of good faith.¡± ¡°You have gifted us more than enough, Your Grace.¡± Adam glanced around towards the knights. ¡°I will be sure to keep in mind that the Duchess has offered us not just the greatest gifts, but the most insightful gifts.¡± Adam bowed his head towards her slowly. ¡°We will take this into consideration when we send out word for our business.¡± The Duchess thought about pushing for a deal now. She was sure she could do so, but considering how well everything had gone, she decided against it. If there was no enchanter behind them, she wouldn¡¯t have been so free with her gifts, and would have pressed them into her service. However, though Adam was a decent warrior, and Nobby seemed great too, the Enchanter was worth more than every single person within Fate¡¯s Golden combined. ¡°Many special materials flow within this city, such which will be offered at an appropriate price, if you will refuse them as gifts.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°That is greatly appreciated, Your Grace. I suppose we shouldn¡¯t take too much of your time. It was our honour to meet with you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, simply. Adam and the others prepared to leave. The Duchess had sized them up. The others were decent enough warriors, enough to fill out the lower ranks of her guards. If they were Experts, she could have offered them decent positions, but poaching any one of them could have offended the Enchanter. The Duchess stood and began to lead them out towards the nearby carriages. ¡°If your business finds trouble in East Aldland, for one reason or another, you may send word to my estate. The silver plaque should be proof enough of your affiliation with my great family, but if it is not, I will send a letter to deal with any minor matters which may occur.¡± Adam remained silent for a moment, thinking about the silver plaque she had offered to them within the scroll. ¡°Thank you, Your Grace.¡± ¡®She probably is the best choice...¡¯ The Duchess allowed Adam live thanks to the Enchanter. Adam is the Enchanter. Does that mean Adam saved Adam''s life? 592. Gifts of Silver 592. Gifts of Silver The Duchess watched the group leave, ruminating on the meeting. Adam¡¯s behaviour was queer, queerer than she had expected. She could sense some distaste of nobles from him, something which would lead to his death within years if he did not hide it better, but there was something else. Though he had tried his best to hide his thoughts early in the conversation, he had relaxed upon mention of the Iyr, but there was something else which had changed his behaviour, something which had unnerved her, even beside her guards. ¡°Your Grace, Stone Sword will arrive at noon,¡± one of her guards reminded her. ¡°Prepare the garden,¡± she said, before a scroll was brought to her. Her eyes scanned the text, refreshing her knowledge about Stone Sword. She had already prepared her offer for the warrior, and then an offer if he refused, and a final offer she would not surpass, even for his abilities. Still, her mind was plagued by Adam¡¯s expression. Adam thought about the gifts she had presented in order to meet with them. He had half expected her to force them to make a deal with her, but upon letting them go, he realised that they had little choice but to work with the Duchess. The gifts the Duchess had presented them were technically not the greatest items, and in terms of pure gold value, technically the other families may have offered more. However, the Duchess had offered them exactly enough coin to hand a hundred gold between the members of Fate¡¯s Golden, including the porters, farmers, the Aswadians, save for the Red River Squad. When they returned back to the guild, the others understood why Adam had met with her. She had offered them weapons made of seabronze, finely crafted by the greatest smiths who worked for her family. Each weapon was very deliberately picked too, with the Iyrmen receiving weapons of their families. The farmers and porters received the weapons they typically used too, while the archers received bows made of bronzewood. It wasn¡¯t just weapons, though, as the Duchess had handed over two items which almost forced Adam to meet with her. Laygak and Jaygak received such weapons, as their companions had, but they had also been gifted plate mail made of fine steel. The plate mail well made, with very few markings, save for the mark of the smith¡¯s workshop. With some minor adjusting, the pair would have the greatest armour available to them. ¡®How scary,¡¯ Adam thought, holding up the silver plaque which had been handed over to him by the knight who had escorted them back. The Duchess had not only gifted them thousands of gold, but also this silver plaque. It was fairly large, about the size of a letter, with various symbols all across it. One was the symbol of her family, but other symbols were also engraved into the silver. There were magical runes engraved all along the edge of the plaque too, which would be used to test its authenticity. The others had offered similar items, but they had all offered bronze plaques. Bronze plaques would allow them to trade within East Port with very little issue. It also set all gate fees in the region to one silver per person at most, even during war time. It set the tax of goods at a certain rate too, depending on the items to be sold. ¡°Silver plaques can only be handed out by the greatest of families in each region,¡± Jaygak explained. ¡°They can be used to set the gate fees in other regions, but business can only be conducted seamlessly in East Aldland.¡± ¡°Are there other plaques?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Gold plaques and platinum plaques,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°They can be used to conduct business in all of Aldland without issue.¡± Adam had seen only the greatest families had offered them bronze plaques, but the Duchess had been the only one to offer them the silver plaque. ¡°Can it be used for other things outside of it¡¯s formal scope?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°It alone can assist us in speaking with other nobles, especially since it¡¯s the Duchess¡¯ silver plaque. Gold plaques affect the entirety of Aldland, and can only be handed out by the royal family and the ducal families. Platinum plaques hold an even greater power by themselves as they are able to ward off most pirates. If one is awarded a platinum plaque, it means you hold a special relationship with the entirety of the kingdom, and are worth a great amount. It signals to the pirates that you have great loot on board, and that the navy and army will step in if something were to happen.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°Within weeks, tens of thousands of peasants formed together in a crusade against the east. The navies of the eastern states began to assault the empire with full force, and the navies of the western states assisted in patrolling their empty regions. It was a difficult fight, one they were no doubt going to lose.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Jaygak inhaled deeply. ¡°Aswadasad received the herbs which were found in the Confederacy in greater abundance. They were imported cheaply to deal with the plague. They even escorted the ships to Aldland, though their ships weren¡¯t a welcome sight at first, until the situation was explained to them. Aldland, too, was suffering from the plague, brought by the birds and rats. The two great forces had been preparing to war again, so they had enough gold to spend, but the Confederacy made sure the herbs were sold for a measly sum. They heard of the situation to the far east, thousands of miles from their borders, but the Confederacy promised to bring more herbs to each land so the plague was dealt with, even while warring with the eastern empire.¡± ¡°Was the Iyr affected by the plague?¡± ¡°We Iyrmen dealt with the plague quickly. We lost very few Iyrmen, those who were not in the Iyr at the time. We brought their bodies back to the Iyr.¡± Jaygak smiled, before continuing the tale. ¡°The Confederacy had never once broken the rules for the platinum plaques. They were the first to carry on the tradition after the empire of the Shen of Shens was broken and lost the territories within the region. It spurred the other nearby realms to follow the tradition too, since such trade was typically vital for the various nations.¡± ¡°When they finished unloading the herbs, they were rewarded greatly. Thousands of shields, spears, swords, and hundreds of thousands of arrows, brought back to the Confederacy by their Asfarawa ships, and dozens of other ships from both Aldland and Aswadasad. Such cooperation of great kingdoms hadn¡¯t been seen since the time of the Demonic Devastation some seven hundred years prior. The assistance proved quite useful, since the Confederacy lost the war, but the Suruk Empire had paid such a heavy price, that it fell within a few years.¡± Adam whistled, and reached up to wipe a near teary eye. ¡°A ship was destroyed by an sea kingdom some time later, apparently a storm had brought the ship to a sacred area. Upon finding out what the ship meant, the sea kingdom sent back an apology. It put the Confederacy and the kingdom in an awkward spot, but eventually the issue was resolved when the sea kingdom paid for their mistake, and the ships were painted at the bottom so the sea kingdoms knew. There was a question if it was enough, but the issue was put to rest as marriages were formed between some of the Confederacy and the sea kingdoms beneath.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Adam replied. It would have been easy for one of them to escalate the situation, but he was glad that it had been resolved lightly. ¡°Lord Morkarai¡¯s marriage was one of such.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°How adorable. The story about the ships are pretty cool too. Do they have more ships now?¡± ¡°One ship per state, though some are river boats,¡± Jaygak explained. ¡°Are the river boats respected too?¡± ¡°We Iyrmen are raised with a saying from the story. The Iyr has its children, the Confederacy its Black and Yellow.¡± Adam stared at her long and hard. Adam had understood its severity previously, but now? He couldn¡¯t even joke about it. ¡°Cool.¡± What''s this? A region Adam won''t travel for at least fifty years? 593. Rats Along The River 593. Rats Along The River Omen: 4, 5 The group spent very little time in East Port, as the next month approached, they made their way out towards the north, escorting Sir Landon and his two knights. Zeus, the mighty elk, pulled the cart along. Sir Landon sat upfront with Sir Vonda, his two knights flanking their sides. Lucy and Mara relaxed in the back of the cart, alongside the food which Jurot and Sir Landon had brought for the journey. Jeremy and Remy carried a sack of wheat each within their wooden packs, wanting to work their muscles once more. The month had been the most they hadn¡¯t worked, and it had made them more money than they could have imagined. They wondered how much money Adam had made, and had pegged it at around ten thousand gold. ¡®Man, I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m so rich,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I have so much XP too.¡¯ The Iyrmen, too, had made a pretty penny. They hadn¡¯t bet quite as much as Adam, but they had made far more than the thousand gold coins the farmers and porters had made. Even Lucy and Mara had made a pretty penny for themselves, betting on the Iyrmen, and Adam. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to get back home,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about all those who were waiting for him. ¡®I¡¯m going to shower you all in gold!¡¯ Omen: 3, 19 ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam looked ahead towards the river, which was easily a hundred steps wide, and watched as a small portion of it rocks from one side to the next as it snaked towards them. He had been wondering why their journey had been so safe recently, considering they had faced so many creatures the first time they had come this way. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is a waterwyrm,¡± Jurot explained. Adam exchanged a look with his brother, before glancing towards the river once more. They all were trekking on the road, but it wasn¡¯t that far from the river. If they had been travelling by river, Adam wouldn¡¯t be able to wear his armour for the risk of drowning. ¡°Do you want to fight it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will you drag me out if I fall into the river?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Jurot said, before reaching for the rope to tie it against Adam¡¯s waist. ¡®I could use my Omen, just in case.¡¯ Adam stepped up towards the waterwyrm as it rushed down the river towards them, Jurot and Lucy taking his side. He threw a look to Lucy, but she threw a look back that dared him to deny her this fight. ¡®Bell, please set it up so this one is for me, the trio, and the Demons.¡¯ Adam had realised that the others were far too close to them right now, and he needed to make sure that Jurot and the others were stronger. [Okay.] Adam inhaled deeply as the rushing waterwyrm approached him. The river heaved to and fro before the waterwyrm shot out from the river, water droplets falling like rain across the trio. It was as large as the giant pythons he had faced previously, easily twice Adam¡¯s height, though much of it remained within the water. ¡°Hello there,¡± Adam called. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 17 (16) Health: 78 -> 64 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 64 -> 69 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 17 (7) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 3 -> 2 2D6 + 2D6 + 2d6 + 9 = 27 (3, 5)(2, 3)(1, 4) 27 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 14 (4) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 2 -> 1 2D6 + 2D6 + 2d6 + 9 = 26 (1, 2)(2, 4)(4, 4) 26 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 2D6 + 2d6 + 9 = 21 (1, 2)(1, 3)(1, 4) 21 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 23 (13) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2d6 + 9 = 25 (2, 2)(6, 6) 25 damage! The waterwyrm hissed out water towards them, before water blasted the trio, with such force that Adam was pushed back as his shield was blasted. Jurot and Lucy fell into a rage, and though the water cut them like a blade, their skin was like steel. They leapt up to strike the creature with their axes, ready and eager for slaughter. Adam quickly stepped forward as the earth under him became more like mud, before also leaping through the creature, focusing as the pair before him cut into its water body, before he slammed into it, grabbing around it, the water almost like jelly, hacking it wildly with his axe. He struck it as many times as he could, using whatever strength he could muster, before the snake like body of water fell, with Adam dropping into the river with it. He inhaled deeply, his heart pounded wildly, but before he could fall into the water, he was tugged backwards by the two sets of rope tied to him. One was pulled by Nobby and Rick, the other was pulled by Remy and Jeremy. ¡°I want my children to grow happy and healthy,¡± Adam replied, hearing Lucy¡¯s groan from nearby. ¡°We will be able to provide such a living,¡± the old woman confirmed. ¡°Better than the Iyr?¡± The old woman¡¯s eyes fell to Adam¡¯s armour, and then to his eyes through the slits of his visor. Adam, who hadn¡¯t taken off his helmet, and yet wore armour made of puthral? ¡°What is your connection to the Iyr? Are you a Nephew?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then there is much less we can offer,¡± the old woman admitted, no longer smiling. The figure behind her stepped forward, undoing his hood to reveal his face. He was as old as the woman, roughly in his fifties, with the same tattoos on his forehead, though the tattoos fell down to his cheeks too. ¡°I, too, wish for my granddaughter to grow up happy and healthy, young man,¡± the stranger said. His eyes, like two pits into the void, stared deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°The name¡¯s Adam.¡± ¡°I would owe you a great favour, Adam.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. He could feel it in the air. The tension. Whoever these people were, they weren¡¯t easy to deal with. ¡°What do you think? Are they trustworthy?¡± ¡°The Black Rats are a cult who prove troublesome for Drakkenlan,¡± Jurot explained, before pausing. ¡°Their word is golden.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll trust that you repay this favour one day,¡± Adam said, before nodding his head. Jurot stepped forward, handing the living water to the Black Rat, before stepped back to Adam¡¯s side once more. The Black Rats glanced between the group, taking in the sight of the Demons, the Iyrmen, the nobles, and the labourers. They eyed up Nobby especially. ¡°We will repay this favour to you one day,¡± the Black Rat stated once more, before the group bowed their heads, and slipped away onto their ship made of black cloth, heading further down to East Port. ¡°So, who the hell are they?¡± Adam asked. ¡°An ancient cult,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°Are they strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How strong was the old guy?¡± ¡°A Paragon.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°They both were.¡± ¡°Both of them? The old woman too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Glad we didn¡¯t start a fight with them then. I had a crit in my back pocket, but I didn¡¯t have any more Wraith charges.¡± Adam looked out towards the disappearing ship near the horizon. ¡°So, what kind of favour can I request?¡± ¡°You assisted the one known as Elder Rat. It will be no small favour.¡± ¡°It feels a bit weird since it¡¯s meant to be shared between us all,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°At least we have the core.¡± ¡®Elder Rat?¡¯ Sir Landon thought, looking out to the group. ¡®...¡¯ He looked to Adam, wondering how he didn¡¯t know about the Black Rats, nor to the significance of the favour he had earned. Adam was a creature he still didn¡¯t quite understand. ¡®Should I make a play for the title of Baron?¡¯ It''s been a while since the Black Rats were last mentioned. I''m sure that favour will never come up again... 594. Life River 594. Life River ¡°They¡¯re that strong?¡± Adam asked, chewing on a leaf which stung the insides of his mouth, the fizzy sensation running along his teeth. Twilight was beginning to creep across the camp, the group already settling down for the night. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot confirmed. Adam spat out the leaf and whistled. ¡°It¡¯s like a mini Iyr up north then.¡± ¡°No.¡± Jurot¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°No?¡± ¡°They are not Iyrmen,¡± Jurot stated, his tone still firm. ¡°They may have roots in the Iyr, but they are not Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying they¡¯re Iyrmen, but that they are like a mini Iyr up north.¡± ¡°They are not.¡± ¡°They¡¯re similar.¡± ¡°In a way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying they¡¯re Iyrmen,¡± Adam repeated, awkwardly. ¡°They¡¯re not Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With the conversation over, the group began to settle down for the night, with two people on watch at all times, allowing the knights, the nobles, and Adam, to rest up for the whole night. ¡®These Black Rats are crazy,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing Entalia leaves them alone.¡¯ Omen: 2, 5 ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Sir Landon,¡± Adam replied, sipping some water after finishing his salted fish. ¡°I would like to discuss the matter of the waterwyrm core.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°I would like to offer two thousand gold for it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we already getting you a wraith core?¡± Adam asked. He didn¡¯t want to give up the waterwyrm core, not when he could use it for enchanting. ¡°It will be in place of the wraith core.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°That does make sense.¡± ¡°Two thousand gold for the core and we can part at Life River. You will be free of the task, and two thousand gold richer.¡± ¡°Hmm. Jurot, what do you think?¡± ¡°It is a good deal.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s pretty cool.¡± ¡®How do the nobles feel about that?¡¯ Adam thought, before another thought passed through his mind. ¡°How come its not a part of the Law of Orders?¡± ¡°It was negotiated when the law was first put into place,¡± Vonda explained, though she kept the threats their order made if they were included. ¡°In war, there are a number of warriors expected to join the war effort from the various orders, at least a Master and a few Experts from each order, but our order is not expected to join in the same manner. We provide our healing to all those who require it, and as such, we send our order members onto the front lines a short while later to assist with keeping casualties to a minimum.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like a good idea for Aldland,¡± Adam said. ¡°We are not beholden just to the land we live in, but all the lands, even those across the seas, for that is the Mother¡¯s will. Though it may be frustrating, we have garnered much sympathy from the surrounding lands. During times to call for peace, Aldland has gained many benefits due to our order, whether in victory or defeat.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± ¡°Our order carries weight even as far at the Confederacy, and Noska.¡± ¡°So the order is a little bit like the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°In some ways,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Cool.¡± ¡°I will escort you to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but I must visit the order. Are we to leave tomorrow?¡± ¡°We probably will, yeah.¡± ¡°I will meet you in the morning at the guild.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Adventurer¡¯s Guild was about as Adam had expected, though seemed more plain in this town. However, opposite the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was a tall building, and he spotted the symbol of Life¡¯s Rose, that of a blooming white rose. Vonda, and Sir Landon, went to visit the building once the group had been dropped off at the guild. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise the Order of Life¡¯s Rose was so big...¡± ¡°It holds the greatest influence in the land,¡± Jurot confirmed. Adam leaned in to whisper. ¡°If we make Vonda into a Master, you think they¡¯ll be nice to me?¡± ¡°They will be nice to you because it is their role.¡± ¡°Do they like Elves?¡± ¡°They may hold some judgement against you due to the massacre, but they will not leave you to die if you need help,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is not their way.¡± ¡°Have they ever left someone to die?¡± ¡°If it was too difficult to assist them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty convenient, no?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If they do so because they did not wish to help, they would lose their magic.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Woke up not feeling too great since my sleep is rough again but I caught so many typos in this chapter so I''m happy. 595. Nice 595. Nice Omen: 5, 9 ¡°A pleasure doing business with you,¡± Adam said, half saluting the noble. ¡°Do not allow me to keep you,¡± Sir Landon replied, nodding his head at the group as they made their way out. ¡°Thank you again for gifting the core.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I wish you the best of luck on getting married, Sir Landon.¡± ¡°I wish you luck on your journey, Adam.¡± The group made their way north, while Vonda glanced his way. ¡°You gave the core away?¡± ¡°I awoke with a terrible feeling in my heart,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I realised that selling a core in the city closest to the Mother was a terrible idea, especially when it¡¯s to do with marriage.¡± ¡°...¡± Vonda wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. ¡°I placed a thousand gold into the party fund, though, so it should be okay.¡± The group passed through the fields north of the town, Zeus pulling along the cart. Around noon, the road veered towards the east. ¡°The capital is west of us,¡± Jurot said, bringing up the mental image of the map of Aldland. ¡°It is home to more than East Port and Gold Port. It is the only city with two million inhabitants, though Gold Port is close.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the capital like?¡± ¡°It is expansive. It is the largest city, sprawling over for several miles on every side. The river we followed to East Port does not originate from the capital, but it is the first Aldish city which makes use of it, for previous Kings have disallowed any settlements from being built along it due to an insurrection.¡± ¡°Oh? The river that we followed past Water Ford?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°The fish along that river did taste pretty good. That saltfish, or whatever it was called, wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± ¡°Snowfin with salt,¡± Jurot reminded him. ¡°Right, right, that was it.¡± Adam paused in thought. ¡°Didn¡¯t I promise Water Ford something?¡± ¡°You promised to return to River Hill to buy scale mail from Sam¡¯s Scales,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°How do you even remember that?¡± ¡°You said it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like how you have such a great...¡± Adam recalled Jurot had even corrected him about his children¡¯s birthday. ¡°Jurot, you¡¯re the best brother ever.¡± ¡°I am a good brother,¡± Jurot confirmed. Jaygak and Kitool noted the way his ears twitched. ¡®Why are we going north if we need to go west?¡¯ Lucy thought. Dunes was, as far as they were aware, near the west. ¡®If it means I get to kill things then I¡¯ll just keep my mouth shut...¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll fight, three of us against the three Awakened Wolves. If you lose, you become ours. If we lose, we...¡± Adam threw a look to Jurot again, thinking. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want, other than food and gold.¡± ¡°If you lose, you three will become ours,¡± the Awakened Wolf replied. ¡°A fair trade.¡± ¡°Sounds like a good deal to me,¡± Adam said, while Lucy stepped beside him. ¡°We¡¯ve got our three.¡± The three Awakened Wolves stepped forward. ¡°You will not kill us if we lose?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Adam reassured, imagining the army of Awakened Wolves he would have as they travelled through the land doing business for the United Kindom. ¡®How cool!¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) They had each prepared themselves, but the Awakened Wolves could feel something was off. It had been a while since the greater warriors have travelled through the land, and they had made easy pickings of the few people who travelled along the road recently. They were all dressed up fancy, but they all seemed so young, so they felt quite confident in their chances, but something was definitely wrong. Due to their hesitation, Adam and the other were able to act, with Lucy and Adam charging forward, as one of the more eager Awakened Wolves charged forward and around towards the unarmoured one with the smaller axe. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 23 (2, 6)(2, 4) 23 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 16 (6) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 21 (1, 4)(1, 6) 21 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 16 (6) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Hit! Mana: 19 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 25 (2, 6)(3, 5) 25 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 27 (6, 6)(1, 5) 27 damage! Lucy was the first one into the fray, cutting across the side of the Awakened Wolf, which winced as its fur singled, and caught aflame for a moment. It managed to push through the pain and clamped its maw around Lucy¡¯s side, biting into her skin. However, as it clamped down against Lucy¡¯s side, its teeth could not break skin, and its eyes went up to meet Lucy¡¯s, which were filled with blood lust, her entire body hot with rage as she readied to bring Great Destroyer down. Adam met an Awakened Wolf in battle, which clamoured up against his armour harmlessly. Adam inhaled deeply, before raising Wraith up. Even as Wraith was raised, the creature slammed up against Adam, not yet backing down. ¡°You¡¯ll be Jirot¡¯s,¡± Adam said, bringing the heavy axe down towards the top of the Awakened Wolf¡¯s skull, expending his Mana to bring forth divine magic to sear it, before Adam knocked it out with a quick flurry of his axe. The Awakened Wolf which attacked Jurot, found Phantom blurring towards it, and its eyes stared past it, to the group behind the Iyrman threatening to bisect it. There were many others adorned in metal, and others who were not. Most of those who were not adorned armour were smiling. Smiling? The Awakened Wolf dropped under Jurot, whose face carried the shadow of a smile, and he raised Phantom once more. It had barely managed to scrape across Jurot¡¯s side with its claw, and yet it was the one whose entire body was rocked with pain, especially its mind, which was finding it difficult to think, doubly so after being struck by Phantom. It rolled over and whinnied, as another had done, while Adam¡¯s Awakened Wolf had dropped under his feet. Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: +13 500 -> 13 800 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought, watching as his XP was increasing steadily. ¡®I can prob-,¡¯ Mara tensed up as time fell still, and a coin was flipped. The title is in reference to the amount of damage Jurot dealt. 596. Coin and Colours 596. Coin and Colours A golden thread slipped through the air, as quick as lightning, threatening to cut the beautiful man¡¯s head clean off. His skin was liquid platinum, his veins like streams of gold. His eyes held the wisdom of the greatest elders, swirling with all manner of colours. He held a pocket watch in one hand. He clicked the secondary button on his pocket watch, the tiny red hand spinning quickly across the entire face, making a full rotation in a single second. As it spun around, he bowed his head in greeting, before the thread whipped across empty air where his head had been a second ago.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Good afternoon, sister,¡± Klok greeted, smiling warmly towards his sister, with that very same smile. The minute timer on his pocket watch continued to tick down, the seconds passing by as time remained still all around them. ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± Ulaveil asked, as though she hadn¡¯t just tried to kill her brother. She pulled the golden thread back with a pull of her finger, though Klok clicked the secondary button of his pocket watch once more, ducking under the thread. ¡°Haven¡¯t I bowed enough?¡± Klok asked, flashing another smile towards his sister. Ulaveil¡¯s brow pulsed upon seeing that smile of his, and she darted forward towards the spinning coin, but she found her brothers on either side of her. Klok pressed the button on his pocket watch, managing to freeze the golden thread in place once more, while their brother, Ono, tried to grab her to freeze her in place with his godly strength. Ono¡¯s form was far taller than either of them, and though he was quite thin, he still held great strength within his divine form. Yet, even he understood how foolish it was to grapple his sister like this, especially since she had that. The ring of the scales echoed through the air, and the pair of gods found their strength fading. Ulaveil grabbed Ono¡¯s head, and with her new found strength, slammed it into the earth beneath them. The dirt kicked up all around them, the earth beneath crackling. ¡°Using the scales against us?¡± Klok chuckled, as though he wasn¡¯t under threat of being killed by his sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Mother will tell you off.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it from you,¡± Ulaveil almost growled, forcing Ono¡¯s head deeper into the earth, before, somehow, her hand slipped across the back of his head, and the God of Luck quickly rolled aside, catching his breath. ¡°When mother finds out what you two are doing, don¡¯t expect to be able to take such forms again within a thousand Great Twilights.¡± Ulaveil was acutely aware of the flipping coin, which was slowly making its way to the earth beneath it, as well as the pocket watch in her brother¡¯s hand. Facing against just one of the greatest artefacts was difficult, but two? Without the scale, she would have had no chance, but right now her chances were even. ¡°Sister, please, if mother spots us fighting, she¡¯ll be upset,¡± Klok said, bending backwards to dodge the golden thread, which was nowhere near as great as the three artefacts in their possession, but was still more than enough to maim a God for a few millennia. ¡°Adam is my charge,¡± Ulaveil snarled, baring her teeth towards her siblings. ¡°How dare you barge in!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t share your toys with us?¡± Klok asked, clicking the secondary timer again, but found the form of his sister above him, bringing the bottom of the scales down upon his head. A red thread slipped out of the scale and wrapped Klok¡¯s waist, pulling him aside, the scale narrowly missing him. Ulaveil¡¯s brows pulsed again, as her glare fell upon Ono. ¡°I should have known it was you!¡± ¡°There are beings and matters beyond any of us,¡± Ono said, calmly. ¡°This is merely one of those things.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t any fool you¡¯re messing with, brother,¡± Ulaveil said, staring into her brother¡¯s eyes, but she could see the flipping coin still makings its way down past him. ¡°If he finds out you were the one to make him miss his children¡¯s birthday...¡± ¡°It is unlikely it would move into the Divine Realm,¡± Ono replied. ¡°The word unlikely is infinitely different to the word impossible.¡± Ono remained silent for a long moment, a moment that was perfectly as long as Ulaveil would wait before she would act. ¡°How would he know it was us?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I tell him?¡± ¡°I knew I smelled you rats!¡± the Goddess exclaimed, filled with a passionate fury. She had been far too calm during the bout, and in order to maintain balance, she allowed the fury to overwhelm her. The scales shook violently, balancing themselves constantly as the trio of Gods engaged in battle. The staff met the scales, still barely managing to remain intact against the artefact. Klok bobbed and weaved through the golden thread, spinning and flipping around as he continued to freeze it in place for a second at a time. He could barely manage to keep it from slicing him apart, but it was all that was required of him. ¡°How dare you interfere with my rights!¡± Ulaveil continued to press Ono backwards, having forced his Luck into Balance with her scales. Klok continued to try and bother her while his siblings fought seriously. Klok froze the golden thread in place, panting as he found the effort of dealing with a God far more troublesome. ¡®You should have called for Sekond instead.¡¯ His entire body began to grow heavy as he dodged the thread, freezing it as it almost cut his neck clean off, bowing once more. However, as he froze the golden thread in place, he watched as a small golden bead pierced through his chest. Klok fell before his sister, coughing up blood as the bead settled itself within him, and begun to poison his body with its magic. His entire body tensed up and convulsed, but he managed to land in such a way that the pocket watch was covered by the rest of his body, protecting it from Ulaveil¡¯s wrath. With his brother downed by Ulaveil¡¯s bead, Ono called forth divine magic. Golden light surrounded him and began to engulf Ulaveil, but it was torn apart by her golden thread, before the scale struck Ono in the gut, and his entire body rocked with pain as his bones shattered. As Ono stumbled backwards, Ulaveil struck the earth with the staff of her scales, with a dome of light beginning to expand towards Ono, and made its way towards the coin behind him. As the coin fell to the earth, the light began to near it, threatening to force it upwards. The light stopped a mere hair¡¯s width away from it, and Ulaveil turned to see Klok wiping his blood across the pocket watch¡¯s face, while he smiled in the way that he did. She heard the coin drop, and her eyes darted towards it. Tails. ¡°Mother damn it.¡± ¡®I can prob-,¡¯ Adam gasped as the earth beneath his feet gave way, and the entire group fell within the newly formed hole which had appeared in the blink of an eye. It wasn¡¯t dark as one might have expected, but rather full of colours mingling together. Golden light flashed nearby, but before they could see its source, the colours engulfed the group as they fell. Adam¡¯s mind was blank as he fell into the sea of colours, his entire body tingling as the magic invaded the area around him, flashing hot and cold repeatedly. Adam was ready to cast his spell onto the teens as Kitool¡¯s voice rang through the air. ¡°Grab onto someone!¡± the Iyrman cried, grabbing onto Jaygak, who was closest to her. ¡°By the Gods!¡± Remy shouted as the colours struck him all over, and began to pull him away like a river. Jeremy fared no better as the sea of colour began to drag him down. Adam swam through the colours, which ran all across his body, before he grabbed their wrists. ¡°Calm down!¡± Adam shouted, though his own heart pounded wildly with uncertainty. The Half Elf glanced around to see the teens grabbing onto each other. He heard Vonda praying as she held her shield, calm in the storm of colours, but Jurot grabbed her and swam towards Adam. ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam shouted. ¡°What the fu-,¡± The sea of colour raged around them, before dragging them under, until all was black. Of course this was going to happen. 597. Magic and Mystery 597. Magic and Mystery Adam groaned as he began to awaken from his slumber, opening his eyes slowly. He saw the form of a floating baby, translucent and blue. He could barely see the distant stars beyond, as well as the floating pieces of shattered moons. Adam blinked, but the baby didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°I am Bell,¡± the baby replied, its lips unmoving. ¡°Bell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The system, Bell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Adam stared at the baby for a long moment, before he sat up. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re definitely Bell.¡± Gentle hills welcomed his sight, trees sprinkled across the land. Adam spotted the others nearby, Jurot and Vonda, and the pair of porters. They had all awoken around the same time, though Jurot was the first to his feet, Phantom in hand, while Vonda grabbed her shield. Jurot stared at Adam for a moment, before his eyes floated to the side. ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°You can see him?¡± Adam asked, following Jurot¡¯s eyes to the floating baby. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s Bell.¡± ¡°The God of Chaos?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s Belle. This is Bell, the voice inside my head.¡± Adam¡¯s words were casual, as though he wasn¡¯t crazy. ¡°Okay.¡± The others stared at Adam, the baby, and Jurot. They waited for Jurot to continue to ask questions, before realising he was done, leaving the matter mostly unexplained. Vonda, Remy, and Jeremy decided against asking either. ¡°Jurot, I¡¯ve a feeling we¡¯re not in Aldland any more.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a reference.¡± ¡°To the War of the Stars?¡± ¡°No, to the...¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m actually not that familiar with the movie. Alright, let¡¯s...¡± Adam spotted the Awakened Wolves off to one side. He dashed to them, calling out with his magic. ¡°Hey! Who gave you permission to die?¡± Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) Spell: Healing Word 1D3 + 3 = 6 (3) As he cast his spells, Bell¡¯s colour deepened for a moment, before it returned back to the lighter blue it was normally. The Awakened Wolves shuddered awakened at the sound of his voice, which healed them with his magic, and they stared up at him. ¡°You guys lost, right?¡± Adam said, reaching for his axe, his smile polite and sweet. ¡°Yes...¡± one of the wolves replied, dropping before the Half Elf, revealing its stomach. The second wolf also did the same. ¡°Good,¡± Adam replied, pulling his hand away from Wraith. He threw a look to Jurot and the others, before realising they had left their packs with the group before they had gone to fight. ¡®Damn.¡¯ The explosive spell struck across the nearby hill, engulfing it in fire, before it soon dissipated. ¡°Blur me,¡± Adam chanted. Mana: 13 -> 12 Spell: Blur Bless dropped as Adam¡¯s mind focused on another spell which caused his body to appear as though it was stuttering around the area he stood. ¡°Let me heal you all,¡± Adam said, casting his Healing Word spell multiple times, far too many times, making sure everyone was at full Health. Mana: 12 ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°All my spells are a little cheaper,¡± Adam said. ¡°I can cast First Gate spells seemingly infinitely, and Fireball? I can cast that more than ten times now.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head. ¡°Magic permeates through this world easily.¡± Vonda raised her brow, before she began to chant. ¡°Good Mother, please fill us with your light.¡± She waited for a moment, before she glanced around. Then she clasped her hands together and tried to cast another spell. ¡°Good Mother, please allow us our sustenance.¡± ¡°Your connection has been cut?¡± Jurot asked. Vonda frowned, bowing her head. She had felt something had been off, her shield had been too cold for her liking. Now, having tried to cast her spells, she had confirmed her suspicions. ¡°Stick with me,¡± Adam said, nodding his head to the porters too. ¡°If my magic is greater, then I¡¯ll be even more of a monster.¡± ¡°We will need it if the Gods do not reach here,¡± Remy whispered, swallowing with a heavy heart. Jurot continued to look around the sky, and then across the land. ¡°Even if we slipped between realms, they all are within the sights of the Gods. If our Gods hold no power here, then we are outside the realms which connect to our world.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Jurot thought about the flash of light he had seen when they had been struck by the sea of colours which had transported them to another realm. He was certain it was the presence of one of the Divine, at least a form they could take while they travelled the realms. However, that only meant that what he was thinking was even less likely. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Something interfered and sent us here,¡± Jurot said, reaching down to grip his axe. He could feel the cool steel against his hand, the hard wood around his palm. ¡°I noticed a flash of light before we passed, could it have been that?¡± ¡°The light was from a God,¡± Jurot explained, though he wasn¡¯t sure what it was exactly. ¡°It was unlikely they had sent us here.¡± ¡°Unlikely, but not impossible, right?¡± Jurot thought about who it could have been. There was one figure who would dare to do such a thing, one of the Divine who was considered a member of the Greater Pantheon, though he had perhaps the fewest followers. ¡°It may have been the Lord of Chaos.¡± ¡°It was not him,¡± Bell said, looking to Adam as he spoke. ¡°How do you know?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow towards the baby. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Alright...¡± Adam was pretty sure the system wouldn¡¯t lie to him. Jurot frowned, unsure of what had send them here, but whatever it was, it could slip by another member of the Divine unnoticed. He was certain it wasn¡¯t the flash of light, since such a flash would have been from one of the Lesser Gods, which could roam the land. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll make another tower for us,¡± Adam said, before stepping away. He was certain that this was all his fault. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ Mana: 12 -> 10 Spell: Tower of Adam After casting his spell, he found that the group had increased in number. ¡°Oh no,¡± Adam groaned. ¡°I thought I had gotten rid of you.¡± When you roll for what the world is like and it makes Adam even more of a monster. 598. Goofs and Gaffs 598. Goofs and Gaffs ¡°Jurot says you¡¯re stronger now,¡± Jaygak accused, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I am,¡± Adam replied. Jaygak sighed, her eyes falling to the baby. ¡°Another child of yours?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°Your grandfather is going to be happy.¡± ¡°Whose my grandfather?¡± Adam huffed in reply. He settled with the rest of the group, crossing his arms. ¡°So, we probably haven¡¯t split too far if we all got grouped together like this?¡± ¡°Or they are on the other side of the planet,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°It could be the case.¡± Adam sighed. He glanced to Bell, wondering if he had anything he could do in this situation. As he stared at Bell, the baby turned white, displaying his various abilities on his stomach. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Wait. What?¡± Adam leaned in to stare at the baby¡¯s stomach. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡®Is he into stomachs? Is that why he always blows against the children¡¯s stomachs?¡¯ Adam reached for his axe and held out his hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± As he chanted the words, berries formed within his hand, dropping to the earth around him. ¡°I¡¯ve got all my spells prepared.¡± ¡°All your spells?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You mean those which you know?¡± ¡°Apparently so.¡± Jaygak blinked. It was already ridiculous enough that Adam¡¯s spells seemed to be cheaper to cast in terms of the raw magic required, but he also had access to every spell? That was... ¡®Crazy!¡¯ Jaygak¡¯s heart cried, causing her to sigh. ¡®How could he...¡¯ Jaygak stood up, her eyes wide. She caught Kitool¡¯s eyes with her own, and it took her companion a moment to understand what was going through Jaygak¡¯s mind. Jaygak quickly shuffled away, before she help up her hands and chanted, calling out the flames from her finger tips, which spread across the air. She waited for a moment, before chanting once more, and another set of fire escapes from her finger tips. She caught Kitool¡¯s eyes, her own fill of mischief. She continued to throw up the fire, mesmerised by the heat and light. ¡°All magic is enhanced?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Not weapons,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Only spells?¡± Jurot nodded in response. Every world was different, though this world seemed to be one of the greatest. He stared at the sky again, noting the fading stars. He realised there were fewer stars in the sky than typical, by about a tenth. His eyes trailed across the different streaks of light, and then the shattered moons around the land. ¡°If only the kids were here,¡± Adam grumbled quietly. ¡°Then I could show off as much as I wanted to.¡± ¡°We will need to explore the land in order to leave the world,¡± Jurot said, certain there was a way out, there always was. ¡°What do we need to do?¡± ¡°A feat must be accomplished.¡± ¡°What kind of feat?¡± ¡°Killing the Dragon which plagues the land,¡± Jaygak said, having returned from her fun of letting out fire. ¡°Or training the villagers to defeat it,¡± Kitool added. ¡°Or kill a great opponent in single combat,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are many ways.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s figure it out quickly. We don¡¯t have long until my little gobbos are one.¡± Adam made a face as he thought about his children, as though he was satisfied by a great meal. Then worry flashed across it. ¡®What if we take too long?¡¯ ¡°Time may pass different here,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°We may spend a year here and only a week may pass.¡± ¡°Or...¡± Kitool added, but she did not say more, seeing the look of shock, and anger, on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°If we miss my children¡¯s birthday, I¡¯ll have a word with Baktu,¡± Adam said, holding his amulet. ¡°How dare the Gods interfere! If it¡¯s because of them that I¡¯ll miss my beautiful little babbies¡¯ birthdays, I¡¯ll...¡± Adam noted Vonda from the corner of his eye. ¡°I¡¯ll write a sternly worded letter.¡± Vonda wasn¡¯t sure if she should be glad he had left it at that, or if she should be offended that he would dare to belittle the Gods in such a way. ¡°Let us take watches,¡± Jurot said, quickly stopping the blasphemous talk. ¡°I¡¯ll summon Zeus and Hades,¡± Adam said, casting his spells, watching as his Mana was reduced by just a single point for his Find Steed spell, summoning the giant elk to them, before realising he was carrying a bunch of stuff, and now it was all gone. ¡®Damn it!¡¯CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Hades remained atop the tower as Adam began to fall asleep, stewing in his annoyance and anger. Then a thought flashed through his mind. ¡®How did I summon Hades if I didn¡¯t use the dust? I definitely cast the spell, and didn¡¯t summon him from nothingness...¡¯ ¡°Look at them! No wonder they wear armour, they must not be allowed to walk around to show their face.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always said only ugly people wear armour.¡± ¡°Ugly people and smart people.¡± ¡°Yucky, smart people.¡± ¡°Yucky!¡± They all began to chant together. Adam¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Jurot, I¡¯m about to beat them up.¡± ¡°What are they saying?¡± ¡°They¡¯re calling me ugly.¡± Jurot reached down for his axe, causing them all to straighten up in shock. Adam reached out a hand to calm Jurot down, before he dropped to his knee. ¡°Hello there.¡± ¡°Yucky!¡± the group all began to chant again, before they looked at Jurot. ¡°You there! Can you speak our tongue?¡± one asked. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He asked if you could speak their tongue.¡± ¡°No.¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°Can they understand us?¡± ¡°Obviously not.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be too sure. You there, ugly one! Clap your hands if you can understand us.¡± Adam clapped his hands, but his brow continued to pulse. ¡®I¡¯m a handsome guy, you bastard! My Aunt even says so!¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s just a coincidence. Hey, cross your arms if you¡¯re tall.¡± Adam did so. ¡°Oooooh!¡± they all gasped up at Adam. ¡°Okay, you tell the handsome one our words. Clap hands for yes, cross arms for no.¡± Adam clapped his hands. ¡°They said clap your hands for yes, cross your arms for no.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What are you doing here?¡± one asked. Adam blinked. ¡°That¡¯s not a yes or no question, idiot.¡± Adam pointed at them. ¡°What? What¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡°He¡¯s pointing at us.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s asking us?¡± ¡°That might be it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re trapped here by a Sea God.¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°They¡¯re trapped here by a Sea God.¡± Jurot huffed, almost smirking, before he clapped his hands. ¡°Oooh!¡± they all replied together. ¡®This is going to take a while...¡¯ I both love this arc and hate it. 599. Sea God I 599. Sea God I ¡°So, how should we deal with it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be great since I¡¯m in heavy armour. I could take it off and trust my shield, I guess?¡± Adam¡¯s Defence would decrease by such a huge amount, and it was one of his greatest strengths. ¡°You can remain within your armour and use your magic,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Kitool and I can approach the sea, and Jaygak can remain a short way away with her magic.¡± Adam did have a number of spells which he could apply to increase his damage, and Chaos Bolt was a great spell, especially if he could cast it infinitely. ¡®Damn, this is really crazy...¡¯ ¡°I can assist,¡± Vonda said. ¡°No,¡± Jurot and Adam replied. ¡°I can.¡± ¡°Without Mahtu¡¯s strength, you will burden us.¡± ¡°Damn, Jurot, you didn¡¯t have to say it like that.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Sir Vonda, please remain a safe distance away, with Remy and Jeremy. Who is to assist them if something happens to us?¡± ¡°I know that I will be unable to assist them,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°We¡¯re going to aim to kill it, so you should be careful, just in case it will affect your relationship with Mother Soza when we return,¡± Adam explained, doing his best to try and keep her safe. ¡°Very well.¡± If they were going so far, Vonda couldn¡¯t refuse. She sighed, not liking how weak she had become without her Goddess¡¯ guidance. Vonda¡¯s ability to cast Third Gate spells was perhaps her greatest strength, but even her tricks would have proved useful. She touched her magical mace, feeling its magical tingle. ¡°We¡¯ve got to wait until evening for it, I guess?¡± Adam glanced across the Goofs, who were each jabbering away quietly, pointing towards Kitool and Jurot. Adam kept his spell up, since he could use it infinitely, and could understand they were admiring their handsomeness. Every so often, they¡¯d look Adam¡¯s way and gag. ¡®I should beat them up.¡¯ The group made their way to the Goof¡¯s village, settled atop a cliff as it overlooked the sea. Huts made of wood logs which had been cut in such a way they fit together, while they covered the gaps between with a deep green, near black, sludge. There were easily a hundred of them, though most were young children, perhaps three or four years old in Adam¡¯s estimation. ¡°We feed you all, come, come,¡± Chaka Chi said. He was the leader of the Goofs, as evident by his dagger, which Adam swore was the same as the rest, but was assured it was made of a better bone. Adam wondered what kind of sickly things these creatures ate as they set their fire. They began to grill fish moments later. ¡®Sometimes I surprise myself with how dumb I can be.¡¯ ¡°Ooooh!¡± The Goofs gasped as Jaygak threw out fire into the air. ¡°Fire God? Fire God! Fire God!¡± ¡°What are they saying?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°They¡¯re wondering how long the fish will be done...¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe your brother would lie to me, Jurot.¡± ¡°What are they saying?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°They¡¯re calling her Fire God.¡± Jaygak smirked wide, revealing her pearly white teeth. ¡°Are you going to joke even to me?¡± Jurot asked, causing Jaygak to narrow her eyes at him. Adam chuckled. ¡°Nice. Unfortunately, they are really calling her Fire God.¡± Jurot had already known it was the case, but he wanted to join in on joking too. He allowed Jaygak to bask in their attention, glad she was feeling better. ¡°I hope everyone else is okay...¡± Adam stared at the fish, which Jaygak was shooting fire towards, narrowly charring the scales. ¡°They will be fine,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Even the weakest are nearly Experts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true...¡± Adam continued to frown. ¡°Our adorable Cousins are in danger, Jurot.¡± ¡°They will be fine.¡± ¡°What about Nobby?¡± ¡°He is strong.¡± ¡°Brittany?¡± ¡°She is skilled with her bow.¡± Jurot and the others glanced Chaka Chi¡¯s way. ¡°Well, I guess we better earn our pay,¡± Adam said, getting up. ¡°We cannot pay you,¡± Chaka Chi stated. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just a saying.¡± Adam donned his shield and grabbed his axe, before he paused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can understand me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you talk to me before?¡± ¡°I could not understand you then, but I can understand you now,¡± the Goof said. ¡°You have eaten with us.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam furrowed his brows in confusion. ¡°Can you understand us?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes, handsome one.¡± ¡°What of now?¡± Jurot asked, in the Iyrman¡¯s tongue. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You can understand him too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. The pair of brothers exchanged a glance, before Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Magic, man.¡± Chaka Chi led Adam and his companions, with almost a dozen Goofs following them out. They each carried spears and shields made of wood and bone. ¡®They probably won¡¯t be very useful.¡¯ The group arrived at the beach a short while later, watching as the waves shook violently, before the water broke and the giant sea serpent, with scales as dark as night, greeted them with its mighty form. It could swallow all dozen of the Goofs in a single bite with its giant maw. ¡°What a big girl,¡± Adam whispered, almost whistling at the size of the sea serpent. ¡°Little ants,¡± the serpent hissed, its maw forming a wry smile. ¡°Why have you come with your little sticks.¡± ¡°Jurot, can you hear it too?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, still not quite understanding how they could all speak to one another. ¡°We have come to ask you to allow us safe passage,¡± Chaka Chi shouted at the Sea God. ¡°I have already promised you safe passage,¡± it replied, hissing out a laugh. ¡°You destroyed our rafts!¡± ¡°I already told you that was because I was having a nightmare!¡± The creature hissed out a laugh again. ¡°You will allow us to go freely, or we will fight!¡± The Sea God glanced between the entire group, its black eyes full of mischief. ¡°You found yourself some capable warriors, but have you forgotten who I am? I am-,¡± rather than finishing its sentence, it blasted a beam of water at the group. Dexterity Save Voluntary failure! Health: 78 -> 65 The beam of water cut almost like a blade, but as it threatened to kill Chaka Chi, a wall of purple covered the tiny form, shielding him from the blast, while the others blocked the beam of water from striking the other Goofs. ¡°You!¡± Chaka Chi gasped in shock, staring up at Adam and the others. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam said, towering over the Goof. ¡°Cocky bastards are our speciality.¡± Even if Adam is ugly, at least his heart is handsome. 600. Sea God II 600. Sea God II Battle Order D20 + 1 = 11 (10) Spell: Hex Spell: Flame Bolt D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Hit! 2D6 + 1D6 = 13 (6, 6)(1) 13 damage! Chaos erupted as the Sea God and the group began to fight. A jet of water blasted through one of the javelins from the labourers, managing to strike Jurot cleanly while the others dodged and ducked the beam of water. Another javelin struck across its side, with a set of darts striking against its underbelly, though they seemed to do very little as they bounced off. Jaygak held out her hand to blast the creature with fire, while Jurot pushed forward through the water, tossing his own javelins as he closed the distance. Adam also marched forward, holding up his axe as he cast his spells, first casting a Hex upon the creature to cause its strength to wane, before blasting it with a Flame Bolt, which shot out from his axe and struck the creature¡¯s side. Unfortunately, the Sea God was unlike most other creatures they had faced, and though they had dealt some damage, most of it was superficial. The Goofs, hiding behind their wooden shields, watched as the group of tall figures marched towards the sea, ready and eager to face the creature. Vonda had remained behind, her lack of ranged attacks causing her to remain distant, hiding behind her own shield. Mana: 21 -> 20 Spell: Spiritual Weapon Attack - Spiritual Weapon (Flanking) D20 + 7 = 10 (3) D20 + 7 = 12 (5) Miss! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 10 (9) D20 + 11 = 21 (10) Hit! Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 3 -> 2 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 9 = 29 (3, 6)(3, 4)(1, 1)(2) 29 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 10 (9) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 2 -> 1 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 1D6 + 9 = 40 (6, 6)(4, 6)(2, 5)(2) 40 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Spiritual Weapon (Flanking) D20 + 7 = 17 (10) D20 + 7 = 26 (19) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 1D6 + 3 = 14 (3)(5)(3) 14 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 14 (3) Miss! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 14 (3) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite Wraith: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 2D6 + 4D6 + 1D6 + 9 = 45 (5, 6)(2, 3)(2, 3, 4, 6)(5) 45 damage! Adam, forgoing his original plan, decided to charge in. Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool had done the same. It charged in to attack them with its maw, swallowing Kitool while she had leapt into the air, before it froze in place. Jurot, Jaygak, and Adam showered it with their attacks. Adam called forth his magic, a scythe appearing above the creature¡¯s still head, and he struck it with the magical scythe and Wraith, expending his magic for his Divine Smite. However, seeing that the creature was stunned, and that even his Divine Smite ability required less Mana, Adam decided to expend more, to make sure he did as much damage as he could for Kitool¡¯s sake. The creature remained frozen. The pair of porters charged forward, striking the creature with their spears, while Jurot and Jaygak continued to assault it with their blades. Adam made to move, when Bell flashed gold. Victory! Sea God XP Gained: +400XP XP: 13 800 -> 14 200 ¡®Nice.¡¯ Jurot pried open its maw, allowing Kitool to step out, wet from its saliva. She quickly dunked herself into the sea, before stepping out towards the shocked Goofs. Some of them approached the Sea God, poking it with their spears, before they stared up at the large forms of Adam and his companions. ¡°Kitool, you¡¯re so scary,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good. I don¡¯t want you to respond when it comes to trying to keep you alive. Kitool tempers Jaygak from doing anything too stupid, and you temper me from doing the same.¡± Jaygak threw a glance back to Adam, having heard her name, and assumed he was speaking poorly of her. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Wow! Jaygak! You¡¯re so amazing with your fire!¡± Adam shouted towards her, before giving her a thumbs up. ¡®...¡¯ Jaygak returned back to butchering the Sea God. Chaka Chi approached Adam and Vonda before they could continue their conversation. He held a longsword in hand, which was almost like a long staff within his hands. ¡°Great one, you have assisted us in our time of need. Please, accept this gift.¡± ¡°Oh? A gift? For me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°We thought it would be best to gift it to you, since we continued to speak poorly of your appearance, though you cannot help it due to your condition.¡± Adam glanced towards Vonda, before sighing. ¡°Remember, Adam, Vonda¡¯s still a Priest of Life.¡± Adam reached up to his amulet, rubbing it gently. ¡°Thank you, Chaka Chi. I appreciate that you are so benevolent.¡± ¡°This blade was passed down through generations of our families. Scary Sword. Upon wielding the blade, if you slay three creatures of the sea, you will gain the ability to swim well, and the ability to hold one¡¯s breath for a long while. Also, certain small creatures will adore you, and we thought it would be nice if something liked you.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± ¡°We will hand to you whatever you wish from the carcass of the Sea God, including its heart and heartstone.¡± ¡°Yeah. Thanks.¡± The sea nearby began to shift violently, while the Goofs stared out towards the breaking waves. A giant sea turtle broke through the surface, the water slipping off its shell, and it loomed over those who were butchering the Sea God. Adam stood up, brushing himself off, as he reached for Strong Shield. ¡°Welp, time to get to work.¡± ¡°Lord Biggu!¡± Chaka Chi shouted with delight, before the chorus of Lord Biggu¡¯s name began to spread through the air by all the Goofs. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Lord Biggu!¡± Chaka Chi rushed over towards the sea, before jabbering away at the giant sea turtle. ¡®What kind of name is Lord Biggu?¡¯ The creature''s stats were pretty crazy. Lucky for us we have Kitool! 601. Lord Biggu 601. Lord Biggu Omen: 5, 20 Lord Biggu carried Adam¡¯s party and many of the Goofs with him to the next island. The group had gathered some supplies from the Goofs, including much of the Sea God¡¯s scales, while Jurot had taken a small log. The Awakened Wolves relaxed nearby, laying on the turtle¡¯s shell as the sun overhead threatened to bake them. The fence of stone keeping much of the water away, but they could still easily access it so they could splash some water against themselves, though Lord Biggu shifted around every so often to splash the lightest spray of water against them to cool them down. Adam used his Tricks trick to dry their armour, making sure it wouldn¡¯t rust. As evening began to fall, they arrived at a large island which could house them. ¡°The island is home to no one,¡± a Goof named Rama Ri said. ¡°We will rest for the night and continue on the morning. The islands nearby house no one.¡± ¡°How long until we find civilization?¡± ¡°Weeks?¡± ¡°Weeks?¡± Adam frowned. ¡®Seriously...¡¯ ¡°We will escort you the entire way,¡± Rama Ri assured. ¡°You speak well, Rama Ri.¡± ¡°I am Rama, so I must speak well.¡± ¡°I see...¡± The others were also named Rama, though Adam wondered if it was perhaps a title instead, since Chaka Chi had been the only Chaka, and had refused to come without the rest of his Goofs, since he was a Chaka. The days continued to pass, and Jurot continued to collect logs, which were carried by the porter¡¯s wooden packs. Jurot had noted how uncomfortable they had become, and so tasked them with carrying the wood, which had eased their minds slightly. Omen: 13, 19 ¡°By the gods,¡± Adam whispered, flying up into the air as he noted how long the snake was. This Sea God, as the Goofs called it, was far larger than the Sea God they had faced. It had been burnt to a near crisp. ¡°It has been left here for some time, but has only died recently,¡± Jurot said, eyeing up the area, which had been taken by fire too. ¡°It was done by a single individual.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°You still can¡¯t contact the others?¡± Jaygak asked, her eyes glued to the giant Sea God. If they had come across it, they would find it difficult, but her cousins, and the others? They would stand no chance, especially against whatever killed it. ¡°No. We can talk their language after eating their meal, and though my magic has grown more powerful, but Sending? It doesn¡¯t seem to work.¡± Adam looked up towards the sky, seeing the colours all across the sky. ¡°Balanced, as all things should be.¡± ¡°This is not the work of Ritetu,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It¡¯s just a phrase that¡¯s said by a villain.¡± ¡°The father?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s a different thing entirely. Well, not actually different, since it was bought out, but...¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s part out what we can from it.¡± ¡°There is a village a few miles away,¡± Rama Ri said. ¡°The markings state it.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go check on them, then.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Adam said, excitedly. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°There is your leader, the Demon Lord.¡± ¡°Ah, so Lucy¡¯s here?¡± ¡°Demon Lord Lucy is indeed here,¡± the Shaka replied, narrowing her eyes at Adam¡¯s blatant disrespect. The group was invited into the large city, which, though housing but a few thousand people, was far more expansive than even the village beside the Iyr. None of the buildings were taller than even two stories, and the two story buildings were spread out wide from one another. Each building was like a small estate, seemingly only for a single family, which allowed them more than ample space to grow their own crops, to relax with their neighbours, and to live within their own rooms. As they walked towards the centre, Adam spotted familiar faces. ¡°You¡¯re safe!¡± Adam shouted, greeting his companions. ¡°Of course you¡¯d be the first one to find us,¡± Lucy said, shaking his forearm, before she was swallowed by Adam¡¯s hug. ¡°Has she been treating you well?¡± Adam asked, hugging his Cousins too, from Naqokan, Uwajin, and Laygak. He had awkwardly avoided doing the same with Mara, shaking her forearm politely. ¡°She has,¡± Naqokan replied. ¡°Have you found the others?¡± ¡°No, no, not yet.¡± Adam glanced around, seeing the other gazes on him and his group. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± ¡°For a few days. We arrived by turtleback after helping a nearby island with an issue.¡± ¡°A Sea God?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No. We awoke near a small Goof village. It had suffered from a landslide before we arrived. We assisted them and they brought us here, by way of a giant turtle named Lord Shakku.¡± ¡°Ours was Lord Biggu. He helped us here after we killed a Sea God.¡± ¡°A worthy foe?¡± ¡°When we have Kitool at our side, what could dare to claim they¡¯re a worthy foe?¡± Adam joked. Naqokan smiled. ¡°The others should be safe, if they are together.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to contact the others, but Sending isn¡¯t working properly. It keeps fading, and it takes up half my Mana each time.¡± ¡°Ill news.¡± ¡°So your magic isn¡¯t any good here?¡± Lucy asked, standing up taller. ¡°Then let¡¯s fight.¡± ¡°Weirdly, only that spell doesn¡¯t seem to be working,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. ¡°My other spells have been empowered. I can cast my First Gate spells infinitely now, and I can cast Fireball well over ten times.¡± Lucy frowned, sitting back down near the central fire. ¡°Never mind. My stomach¡¯s hurting from how stupidly lucky you are.¡± Adam laughed. The one good thing about being really sick is that I''m now the lightest I''ve been this entire year. 602. Mad Dragon I 602. Mad Dragon I The group began to eat together, mostly salted fish, along with other fruits and vegetables grown and imported from nearby islands. Naqokan and Uwajin sparred in the evening as entertainment for the people around, who were still excited to see the violent exchange of steel by Iyrmen. Adam and the others were led to an area to one side, where they could sleep under the stars. They were handed thick blankets of fur, and a jelly type gum which they could chew in the evening. ¡°Keep your teeth clean and strong,¡± the Goof explained, revealing their large toothy smile of near perfect teeth. Adam sighed as he stared at the night sky, seeing the stars in the distance. ¡°Jurot, is Jarot eating well? Is Jirot sleeping well? Is Konarot playing well with the others?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I have never seen someone love their children like you,¡± Mara said from nearby. Lucy was rolled over to the side, trying to keep out of the conversation. ¡°I want to pinch their cute chubby cheeks,¡± Adam replied, simply. He sighed, his lips unable to fight the frown. ¡°I want to pick them up and blow raspberries onto their tiny tummies too, hear their little squeals and giggles, and then watch them clap excitedly.¡± Adam thought about the other children, who also reacted the same way. ¡®You punks! You better not grow up too much without me!¡¯ ¡°Is that what you think about?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that all you think about?¡± ¡°Lanababy would always grip my finger tight when she slept beside me. It was like she was too afraid to let me go. I think about them a lot because our time is limited, and one day...¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°One day I¡¯ll be gone. I have to work, but... I want to spend as much time as I can with them. They¡¯ll be all grown up one day, saying how annoying I am, and they¡¯ll want to spend less time with me. They¡¯ll want to go to the cinema with their friends, only coming to see me for some money.¡± ¡°Time may pass by different here.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It may be that we return and they¡¯ll be all grown up.¡± ¡°Mara, did you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even Gods have stats.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Omen: 7, 9 In the morning, under the sun, the group met with the elders of the area properly. The Drakons, who were no doubt just Half Dragons, wore finer clothing, with precious metals against their collars, and some carried blades at their side. The feline beastpeople wore bits and pieces of armour, and all carried weapons at their side. The Goofs all wore simpler clothing, and some carried daggers, and others carried clubs, but Adam noted they were the ones who worked the most. ¡°I am Zambria, Father of Drakons,¡± the beautiful Drakon said. He seemed to be in his forties, but considering how slow they typically aged, he was likely in his sixties or so. His hair was dark, but not quite black, more a dark blue, and was swept back away from the horns at the side of his head. His eyes were silver and blue, and held a great deal of suspicion. He wore a shirt made of scales, and carried a blade at his side. At his collars were three golden studs. Adam stared at the man¡¯s face, which annoyed him to no end, but also caused his heart to drop. ¡®You little punks better not grow up too quick.¡¯ ¡°I am Champion, of the Agi,¡± the Agi woman said, her feline eyes narrowing suspiciously at the group. She was a beastperson, a humanoid cat. She wore a shirt of scales too, though it moulded to her torso almost like skin tight latex, and carried blades at her side, as well as a spear in hand, which was tipped with bronze. Dangling from her belt was a tassel, tied with five knots, compared to the other knots of the Agi, which were four or fewer. ¡°I am Shaka Ti, Chaka of all Chakas,¡± the Goof woman from the day before said. She wore a thick cloak, and wore a number of strips of cloth, which draped over her shoulders, with one, a blue strip, tied around her neck like a choker. She held out a chain made of gold towards Adam. ¡°Since you have helped my people, please take this gift of gold.¡± ¡°Oh, we couldn¡¯t possib-,¡± Adam began to refuse, only for Lucy to punch his side. ¡°What¡¯s her name anyway?¡± ¡°She has gone by many names, but she is nameless, for she will refuse any name given to her,¡± Zambria replied, awkwardly, as though there was something deeper behind his words. Adam watched as the memories flashed across Zambria¡¯s eyes, a bead of sweat dropping down the side of his face. ¡°If we¡¯re going to be fighting near the sea, I probably shouldn¡¯t be using my heavy armour,¡± Adam said, before looking to his friends. ¡°Also, if she¡¯s really that strong, we shouldn¡¯t take everybody.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go with you,¡± Lucy said, rubbing her finger along her ring. ¡°I haven¡¯t had any fun in this land yet.¡± ¡°So it should be me, Jurot, Kitool, Lucy, and Mara?¡± Adam asked, noting the looks on the young Iyrmen¡¯s faces. Even Laygak was staring forlorn towards Adam. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous to take you with us.¡± ¡°Would you deny us a great fight?¡± ¡°You know the rules, and-,¡± Adam almost sang, before reaching up to his chin, stopping himself quickly. ¡°Look, I¡¯m never-,¡± Adam continued, before he looked to Jurot, who could see how hard his brother was trying not to be cringe. ¡°Stay here, and wait for our return,¡± Jurot said. If it had been any other situation, he would have fought for the young Iyrmen, but since Adam was doing his best not to be cringe, he should reward it. ¡°It is not right!¡± Naqokan claimed, but she stepped back. ¡°With the matter of your armour, we have scale armour which also assists in swimming,¡± Zambria said. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Nice! I¡¯ll take that then. Then that means you three will be in charge in looking after my armour. If they threaten to take it away from you, let them have it, it¡¯s not worth your lives. Just remember who took it from you, and I¡¯ll... deal with it.¡± Adam winked. Vonda blinked. Adam had, almost, managed to get away with being diplomatic for once. Zambria also blinked. ¡°We will not steal your armour.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, you can try, but don¡¯t forget...¡± Adam paused, realising he had put his foot in his mouth. ¡°Just, don¡¯t trouble my Cousins too much, or Sir Vonda, or any of my companions.¡± ¡°We have not, and we will not.¡± ¡°Alright, cool.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I come along?¡± Jaygak asked, frowning. ¡°Obviously because you¡¯re the lead-,¡± Adam said, furrowing his brows. ¡°It feels wrong to say that Jaygak should be left in charge of them...¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly, and wondered if he should joke too. ¡°I trust Jaygak to do well.¡± Jaygak huffed quietly, and left the matter there. ¡®What a fiend!¡¯ Zambria stared at the Half Elf and wondered how he became the party leader. I''m losing even more weight. This cold, or whatever it is, is a super power! I haven''t been this light in years. ¡°Even Gods have stats.¡± Gods: o.o'' Baktu: ¡î*:.¡£.o(¨R¨Œ¨Q)o.¡£.:*¡î 603. Mad Dragon II 603. Mad Dragon II Lightning struck Jonn¡¯s blade, forcing him back as he slid across the earth, the blue light illuminating his armour. He panted with effort, feeling the burn of his muscles, as well as the burn of the lightning. His metal armour did him no favours, already charred from the initial blast. He stared at the woman ahead of him, gripping Oathkeeper tight. She was a beautiful woman. Long, dark hair, almost black, which parted around her horns. Her eyes were silver and blue, full of exhaustion, taken by a depression that weighed heavily even on Jonn¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I will block her,¡± Jonn said, while the woman raised her hands, readying to blast him with even more lightning. ¡°You will not deny us our rights!¡± Nirot replied, darting forward with her shield ahead of her, her axe gripped in hand. Her entire body filled with the heat of rage, and though she was swift, she was slowed down by a blast of lightning, which crackled against her shield. Faool and Bavin circled around from behind the young Iyrman, approaching the Drakon woman, who let out another burst of lightning from her fingertips, though instead of a beam of lightning, it came out in a cone, which struck the pair. Faool dropped to the ground, hacking from the blow, while Bavin managed to step up towards her side, swinging his axe wildly. The axe cut into the woman¡¯s side, but instead of meeting flesh, the axe met deep blue scales, and clattered off them. Faool, having managed to gather himself, leapt up ahead of her, swinging his staff towards the woman, but she grabbed him by his throat. Lightning threatened to sizzle the young Iyrman, when Jonn¡¯s greatsword threatened to cut apart her arm. She quickly dropped the boy and caught the sword in hand, and though Bavin aimed another blow to her side, she all but ignored it. Bavin, on the other hand, was forced back by Jonn¡¯s body, which the Drakon woman had tossed aside effortlessly. Nirot clashed with the woman, who caught her axe in hand. The Iyrman grit her teeth, trying to hack at her hands, but a blast of lightning forced her back. If she had been another person, even another Iyrman, she would have fallen. Yet, she was not just any Iyrman, but a member of the Rot family, so her rage resisted much of the lightning, and she leapt up, ready to fight again. His blade shook, from the pain and magic, and he swung wildly with a cry. In his desperation, and with his vow to strike her down, he managed to strike true, cutting across the woman¡¯s shoulder, causing her to stumble. His blade flashed white hot, with divine magic, and if she had been the average Expert, she would have fallen to his mighty blow. ¡°Go,¡± Jonn cried towards the young Iyrman, realising they were the only two still up. He managed to shift his blade deeper against the wound in her shoulder, Oathkeeper flashing white hot, with divine magic. It was a Greater Enhanced greatsword, one which dealt greater damage when he was heavily wounded, and such a wound was empowering his strikes. Yet, certain as he was that he would have killed even Adam with his attacks, the woman stood firm. The Drakon woman grabbed his blade to stop it from cutting her shoulder off, before she punched his jaw through his helmet, denting it. She punched him again, causing the Half Elf to drop. The farmers had fallen unconscious, some even dying, while the teen Iyrmen were almost all unconscious, and the towering form of Nobby, who perhaps was the strongest of the group, lay still where she had once stood. The Drakon woman raised her hands up, shifting the cloud above her, and lightning fell across Nirot, who had tried to hack at her leg, but she fell before her axe could reach flesh. Nirot panted, as she watched the Drakon woman began to ascend slowly, lightning falling across her form, knitting together the split flesh at her shoulder, before she concentrated the lightning together within her hands, before aiming it towards the young Iyrman, the last to remain conscious. A small bead struck the Drakon woman, exploding and engulfing her in fire, causing her to drop to the earth, awkwardly stumbling as she tried to keep herself up within the air. ¡°Just whose Cousin are you trying to kill?¡± called a voice from the sky. You dare! Courting death! Also. Did anyone spot something weird in this chapter? Not that it was shorter than usual, but something else? 604. Mad Dragon III 604. Mad Dragon III Adam, adorned in the blue scale mail, with Wraith in one hand, and his crimson Strong Shield in the other, flew towards the woman. She was beautiful, as far as Adam could tell, even with her body covered in burn marks from his spell, but whatever beauty she held didn¡¯t distract him from the task at hand. The Half Elf spotted the still bodies of his companions littered around the battlefield, and the single one who remained conscious, who looked up at him weakly. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are?¡± Adam asked, gripping his axe tighter, and pointing it at her. ¡°Explosion!¡± Mana: 17 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 32 (1, 1, 3, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6) 32 damage! A tiny beam of fire shot towards the woman, exploding around her as the area was engulfed in flames, but the flames expanded further than even Adam expected, and as the fire and smoke dissipated, a giant mass of blue flew towards him. A giant serpent? No, not a giant blue serpent, but a long serpentine Dragon with two large horns, and scales as dark as night. ¡®Did he say that his cousin was a Dragon?¡¯ Adam thought, but as the thought flowed through his mind, the entire area flashed with a light blue. Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 20 (19) Success! Resisting damage! Health: 78 -> 65 Constitution Save (Battlecaster) D20 + 6 = 17 (11) D20 + 6 = 19 (13) Pass! Adam tried to spin in the air as the lightning engulfed him, the lightning tearing his skin apart as he tried to resist it. Somehow, the blue scale armour managed to resist some of the lightning, which bounced off against its scales. Adam grit his teeth and managed to keep his mind focused on his spell, the pair flying towards one another. Adam began to descend slightly, just in case. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 65 -> 70 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Hit! Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 20 (1, 2)(3, 5) 20 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 22 (12) Hit! Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 25 (1, 6)(3, 6) 25 damage! Health: 70 -> 56 Constitution Save (Battlecaster) D20 + 6 = 9 (3) D20 + 6 = 14 (8) Pass! Health: 56 -> 42 Constitution Save (Battlecaster) D20 + 6 = 10 (4) D20 + 6 = 23 (17) Pass! The pair met in battle within the air, the Dragon¡¯s teeth and claws gnashing against the Half Elf and his armour, while his axe struck the Dragon¡¯s scales, managing to land two terrible blows against her. Yet, even with such great blows, she seemed wholly unphased. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adam grunted in pain as she managed to strike him twice, barely managing to stave off a third blow. He tried to remain focused on his Fly spell, which could drop if he was wounded too heavily. Thankfully, one of the Features he had taken was Battlecaster, which gave him greater strength to retain the spell. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 42 -> 47 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 23 (16) Hit! Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 20 (1, 2)(3, 5) 20 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) Critical miss! Adam continued to strike with Wraith, the pair tangled between one another. Adam tried to slip between the loops she had created with her body, flying between them. His axe struck her once, and as he tried to strike once more, her head appeared in front of him, and her giant maw began to clamp shut tight around him. He twisted his body in the air, almost dropping Wraith, before he raised his arm over his eyes to try and shield himself. If only he had some way of-, Spell: Shield In his anger he had forgotten that he had infinite Mana for First Gate spells, and so was able to cast Shield as much as he wanted to. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t forget how much of a monster I am right now!¡¯ Adam thought, the Dragon¡¯s claws meeting his crimson shield, with his magic also deflecting her mighty claws. Fighting Spirit: 1 -> 0 Health: 47 -> 52 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (4) D20 + 10 = 17 (7) Miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 26 (16) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Hit! Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 29 (5, 6)(3, 6) 29 damage! ¡°Any time.¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Jurot shouted from the Dragon. ¡°You must revive her!¡± Adam turned, raising his brow. ¡°You want me to revive the Dragon?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Adam rushed over towards his brother, while Zambria, the Father of Drakons, was also approaching them, floating over their way. ¡°She is dead,¡± Zambria said, glancing between the pair. ¡°You have completed your task.¡± ¡°Adam, revive her,¡± Jurot repeated. Mana: 9 -> 7 Spell: Revivify Adam prayed over the Dragon¡¯s dead body, before bringing her back to life. She gasped for air, reaching up to her heart, before staring up at the pair of them. She stared at them, confused, before looking up to Zambria. ¡°What are you doing here, you rat bastard?¡± the woman asked, groaning quietly. ¡°I have come to watch over your death,¡± Zambria replied, a bead of sweat dropping down the side of his face. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam stared down at the woman. ¡°I thought you were mad?¡± ¡°Mad?¡± The woman sat up, groaning as she felt the bones in her back crack. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 6 = 15 (3, 6) Health: 23 -> 38 Adam inhaled deeply, flexing his muscles, before exchanging a glance with Jurot. Jurot, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem ready to fight, so Adam relaxed. ¡°Why did you revive me?¡± the woman asked, staring up at the Half Elf who she had threatened to kill. ¡°My brother asked me to.¡± Adam motioned his head towards Jurot. ¡°So why did you want to revive me?¡± ¡°We should speak to one side,¡± Jurot said, glaring down at her. ¡°Why would I come with you?¡± ¡°Because I wish to speak with you.¡± ¡°...¡± She sighed and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s only right that the loser listens to the victor.¡± She brushed off her clothing, which had been torn apart from the battle with the youth, but still covered her well enough. Jurot nodded to Adam, and the three of them stepped to one side. Adam eyed up the woman, wondering if he should be angrier since she killed the farmers, but his eyes then fell to Jurot, wondering why he had asked him to revive the mad woman. Jurot stopped some ways away, before turning to face the woman. With each step, he had wondered whether he should mention it, but glancing towards Adam, he decided he should. ¡°You are Lord Strom¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°What?¡± the pair beside him replied. You might be thinking if that''s what I wanted you to notice? Yes, but that''s not actually it. Does anyone have any ideas? Someone was actually very close. 605. From The Dead 605. From The Dead ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the woman replied, snorting. ¡°If you dare mention my father again, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Jurot, what are you...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes towards his brother, then he looked to the woman. Dark blue hair, near black. Blue and silver eyes. Adam then looked back to Jurot, his eyes wide, and they darted between the pair a few more times. ¡°Are you...¡± ¡°What?¡± the woman replied, glancing between the pair, who were awkwardly silent. ¡°Umbra?¡± The woman fell silent too, her rage overcome by shock, before her eyes snapped between the pair. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Adam Fateson, and this is Jurot, son of Sonarot,¡± Adam said, motioning between them. ¡°Did you die by crossing a sea?¡± ¡°How do you...¡± the woman fell silent again, furrowing her brows. Her eyes flashed with a myriad of emotions, too quickly for either of them to keep track of. ¡°You¡¯re really Strom¡¯s daughter,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lord Storm, uh, Emperor Hadda.¡± Umbra swallowed. ¡°How do you know my father? From what I know, the worlds are not connected. The Gods, your Divine, are not connected to this world.¡± ¡°In all fairness, they weren¡¯t connected to my world either, but here I am,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly, though he still wasn¡¯t sure what was going on. ¡°We¡¯re from the Iyr. Well, he¡¯s from the Iyr, I¡¯m from another world entirely, but anyway, that¡¯s not important. You¡¯re definitely Strom¡¯s daughter.¡± Adam smiled, he couldn¡¯t believe that he got to meet her so soon after making his promise. Then his lips dropped, and he caught Jurot¡¯s look. ¡°Your father is dead,¡± Jurot said, bluntly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your old man, he passed away in the Iyr,¡± Adam informed. ¡°He died not even a year ago, the end of the previous year. He made me promise to help you if we ever met. I never thought it would happen so quickly.¡± ¡°There is no way my father could die,¡± Umbra said, though she was unable to grow angry, glancing between the pair. ¡°He... he¡¯s too strong to die.¡± ¡°He really was strong, but he gave up his Spark.¡± ¡°He-,¡± Umbra grit her teeth, turned, and marched away. ¡°Umbra-,¡± Adam called, before feeling Jurot¡¯s hand against his shoulder. Umbra remained near the trees, and the sky above her filled with clouds, before rain began to fall around them. Umbra hadn¡¯t realised they were Iyrmen. She had smelled the fact they weren¡¯t from this realm, but to think that they were Iyrmen, from the Lower Realms, it was impossible. These realms were distant, disconnected, or far enough away that they were considered disconnected. Lord Sozain, Mother Soza, and all the other gods, they had no sway here. Even they would need to travel through the cosmos in order to find this place, and if they did, they would find themselves to be little fish in a large pond, rather than a big fish in a small pond. The whiplash of going from wanting to kill them, to being killed by them, to finding out they knew their father, who was now dead, had washed away. She returned back to the pair. ¡°If you know my name, and you know his name, then you must speak true. Father is the kind who would give up on his Spark and retire in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Your father was... he was a great man, a great warrior, and...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°A great father.¡± ¡°He was annoying,¡± Umbra confirmed. ¡°Were you close with my father?¡± ¡°I¡¯d say so. He was interested in me because of my story, and we bonded together over our little sister.¡± ¡°Your story?¡± Umbra asked, before blinking. ¡®Their sister?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another time.¡± Adam smiled, though the smile was heavy. ¡°I¡¯m so glad we met so soon. I didn¡¯t expect to ever find you so quickly.¡± ¡°Well, she¡¯s not going to be killing any more of us,¡± Adam said, raising his voice. ¡°She¡¯s a friend of ours.¡± ¡°A friend?¡± Rick asked. ¡°She killed us.¡± ¡°She did.¡± Adam glanced between them all. ¡°We killed her too, and I brought everyone back. She¡¯s...¡± Adam threw a look to Kitool. ¡°She¡¯s a daughter of a friend of ours.¡± The others stared at Adam, but many of them, those who knew of Strom, quickly placed the dots together. The teen Iyrmen smiled with pride, realising the story they could tell to the Iyr, for how many could say they faced the daughter of Lord Strom? ¡°We¡¯ll rest here for the day and return back to the city tomorrow on top of Lord Biggu, who is a great giant turtle, whose been helping us out for a while.¡± The farmers weren¡¯t sure if he was joking, but this wasn¡¯t the craziest thing he had ever said before, nor the craziest thing he had done. Zambria remained to one side as the group set up a fire. He did his best to avoid Umbra, who threw a chilling glance his way. ¡°Adam,¡± Rick called. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly, first placing his hand at his axe to calm himself, before realising it could be seen as threatening, so he crossed his arms, realising that seemed like he was closing himself off, before he crossing his arms behind his back, and felt as though he was some kind of noble who ruled the world. ¡®What are people meant to do with their hands?¡¯ ¡°You brought us back from the dead?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± ¡°It...¡± Rick paused. ¡°Did it cost much to bring us back?¡± ¡°Luckily for you, it didn¡¯t cost me anything to bring you back in this world, may the gods bless it,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°Though, I guess you must be happy, since I chose to bring you back as one of the two.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°I only had two gems, so that would have been awkward.¡± ¡°Why did you choose to bring us back to life?¡± ¡°Why not? It cost nothing, and I had the Mana, and the spell.¡± ¡°You were still willing to use your diamond to bring me back,¡± Rick said. ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t know it wouldn¡¯t take it from you.¡± ¡°Rick. I¡¯m pretty sure you said you were one of mine, and that means I¡¯m going to need to bring you back, as long as I can afford it. I mean, you¡¯re one of the business¡¯ people, and so the business will bring you back. That¡¯s why I have these gems. It¡¯s why I have the spell. It¡¯s why I pray to Lord Sozain.¡± Rick wasn¡¯t sure praying to the God of Death to keep him alive was exactly what he should be doing, but Rick just nodded his head. ¡°Thank you. We, me, John, and Ivy, are grateful.¡± ¡°Of course, any time,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head to the farmer. Rick was certain that Adam was crazy, spending three hundred gold on bringing back a farmer. ¡®Crazy isn¡¯t so bad,¡¯ the farmer thought. This arc doesn''t last long I promise. 606. Her Story and History 606. Her Story and History Omen: 5, 18 Lord Biggu carried the group back to the main island. Umbra lay on her back casually, tossing branches into the air every so often, before shooting up bolts of lightning from her fingertips. Every time the farmers heard the lightning bolts, they winced, recalling their fight from the previous day. Rick could feel that he was different, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he was different because he had died, or if he felt different because he was over thinking about feeling different. ¡°You think too much,¡± Jurot said from beside the farmer. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Do not apologise.¡± ¡°No, I mean... right.¡± Rick cleared his throat. ¡°You were alive, then you were dead, now you are alive,¡± Jurot said, as though life was really that simple. ¡°Right...¡± The main island welcomed them in the evening, where the Goofs, Agi, and Drakon scrambled when they saw Umbra return, those out of sight going off to find weapons, while the leaders of each race came to meet them at the dock. ¡°Storm Lord! You have returned!¡± Shaka Ti called out, holding up her hands towards the sky. The other two were not quite so eager, with Zambria swiftly taking his position as the Father of Drakons, in front of the others. ¡°Shaka Ti,¡± Umbra said, before reaching down to rub her head. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°We all missed you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain,¡± Umbra replied, dryly, glancing across the other faces. ¡°You can all relax, since you¡¯ll live another day.¡± ¡°Storm Lord, you killed many of our Goofs...¡± Shaka Ti frowned up towards Umbra. ¡°I did?¡± Umbra asked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shaka Ti. I must have lost my mind during the time.¡± Shaka Ti sighed, nodding her head slowly, though she continued to mourn her people within her heart. ¡°I will not lose my mind any longer, at least, not for a while,¡± Umbra said. ¡°I will be leaving tomorrow morning with the rest of the outsiders. I will return to my original world.¡± Gasps filled the city, with each member whispering emphatically to one another. ¡°So it¡¯s true?¡± Zambria asked. ¡°It is.¡± Umbra reached up a hand onto his head, like that of a mother. ¡®How many years have passed? How many times did I reincarnate?¡¯ She sighed, before walking past them. ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll explain things to you and leave you with my parting gifts.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sure father would do the same.¡¯ ¡°Damn, she¡¯s so cool,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Jurot, you think I¡¯ll ever be as cool as her?¡± Jurot closed his eyes, allowing a thought to pass through his mind. ¡°Cringe.¡± ¡°You really must leave?¡± Shaka Ti asked, pouting up at Umbra. ¡°I must,¡± Umbra said, embracing the tiny Shaka. Out of all the peoples in this world, even those long dead, none had endeared themselves to her like the Goofs. She brushed the Shaka¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve left contingencies in place in case they act up, but don¡¯t say that Umbra, Mother of All Drakons, had left nothing behind to the three peoples she adored most.¡± Lightning crackled between her fingers as she summoned items from a small demi dimension, a crack which could store items unaffected by time. She held up the blade forged out of a Dragon¡¯s Heart, her own. She would spent the last days of her lives forging such great items, and this was her very first. She handed the gem blade to Zambria. ¡°Take this, my first weapon, since you are still my descendant,¡± Umbra said. Zambria took it tentatively, thinking it was all a trick, before he gasped, feeling the great magic within it. It was definitely greater than any weapon they currently had in their possession, even Dragon¡¯s Tooth, which was, as Adam would say, a Legendary Enhanced blade. This blade was similar in its might, but its additional effects were greater than Dragon¡¯s Tooth. ¡°Then, for the Agi, who have done their duty as the warrior class of our alliance,¡± Umbra said, summoning out a pair of claws, each made from a separate Dragon¡¯s Heart. ¡°The Champion must possess one, and the other shall be given to any Agi that the alliance chooses, save the Champion.¡± ¡°Thank you, Umbra,¡± Champion said, bowing her head deeply as she accepted the weapons. ¡°And finally, to my Shaka Ti,¡± Umbra began, before summoning out two items. One, an armour made of her scales, and the other was a spear, made of a Dragon Heart. ¡°Hold out your hand.¡± Shaka Ti did so. Umbra picked Shaka Ti¡¯s finger, and allowed the drops of blood to spill against the armour and the spear, the spear being the item she had created last. Had she been given the time, she would have created another item for the Goofs, but she had come across the Iyrmen. ¡°Each of these weapons are tied to Goofs, and their true potential is tied to them. These items are handed down to the Shaka, and will only be used by the Goof Shakas of the future.¡± Umbra picked Shaka Ti up and held her close in her arms. She whispered, not quietly in the slightest, into her ear. ¡°If any of them do anything to your Goofs, you may kill them as you please. This armour and the spear are my greatest treasures.¡± ¡°No,¡± Shaka Ti said, reaching up to hold her face. ¡°You are the greatest treasure.¡± Umbra kissed Shaka Ti¡¯s forehead. ¡°This is why I adore you Goofs the most.¡± Shaka Ti¡¯s eyes began to burn with tears, but she did not cry. As night fell, Adam stared up at the darkening sky, seeing meteors fall down onto the world, two or three just that night. The sparkling colours of broken stars and moons covered the sky. ¡®How the hell are we meant to leave this place?¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Jurot called. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°When we return, may I tell the story?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m no good at that sort of thing.¡± ¡°I would like to hold Lanarot as I tell the story.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam looked over to Jurot, who was staring at the sky, his eyes glued to the various stars. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d steal my own sister from me.¡± ¡°She is my sister too.¡± Adam smiled, returning back to stare at the stars. ¡°Yeah. She is.¡± I wonder how they''ll get out of here... 607. Crisis I 607. Crisis I Omen: 6, 18 ¡°It was wonderful meeting you all,¡± Adam shouted, waving at the city as they began to leave on turtleback. ¡°Take good care of yourselves!¡± Those within the city watched as the strangers, and their most precious Umbra, left. The final goodbyes had been painful for Adam to watch, so he had sat to one side as the Goofs cried for Umbra to leave. Whatever would happen between them without the shadow which had watched over them was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°Why do you have a child floating beside you?¡± Umbra finally asked. ¡°It¡¯s Bell,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°He¡¯s part of my story, but we can talk about that at another time.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to share it in front of the others?¡± ¡°The knowledge of my story will increase your chance of dying.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°It is forbidden knowledge, and knowledge which has almost gotten me killed several times by the Iyr.¡± ¡°The Iyr wishes to kill you?¡± ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°Then you must be cursed.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam smirked, before wiggling his brows to Jurot. Jurot nodded, since being a threat to the Iyr was a good story by itself, so Adam should be proud by that fact alone. ¡®Were they always this crazy?¡¯ Umbra thought. She could barely the last time they had met, lifetimes ago. ¡°So, where are we headed?¡± ¡°We will island hop until we find a place which could lead us elsewhere,¡± Umbra said. ¡°I do not know what could allow us to return.¡± ¡°Alright. I guess it¡¯s not that big of a deal. I¡¯ve got a spell that can keep us fed, though I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll want to find something to chew properly now and again.¡± Adam looked off the side of Lord Biggu, where countless fish swam. ¡°You think fish have passports?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing, just a little joke from home,¡± Adam replied, sighing. All the issues from home seemed like nothing now, not when he couldn¡¯t access the internet to have his own fun. ¡°What do you miss most about home?¡± Umbra asked. ¡°I want to say my family, but if I had to choose between them and this family, I¡¯d probably pick this family.¡± ¡°You did not have children,¡± Jurot stated, nodding his head. ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°No wife, no children, no savings,¡± Jurot repeated. ¡°A vicious circle.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m less at the whims of nobles in the shadows and a government focused on funnelling money to their mates. Nowadays I can make quite a bit of money by myself, what with my abilities.¡± Adam noted the farmers were nearby, and he didn¡¯t want to reveal that he was the Enchanter to them. ¡°I don¡¯t know how time passes in relation to the other world,¡± Umbra admitted. ¡°It may pass by quickly here, but if it¡¯s slower...¡± ¡°If it¡¯s slower, then I¡¯m going to have a word with Baktu,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°Do you have no respect for the Divine?¡± ¡°I have as much respect for them as they deserve,¡± Adam replied. ¡°And that respect is based on how they treat me.¡± Vonda cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, Mother Soza¡¯s pretty good, but I¡¯ve not met her before.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve met gods?¡± Umbra asked. ¡°A few of them, mostly the Main Pantheon. Lord Sozain, Lady Elaveil, Lady Arya, and so on. I¡¯ve met the Lord of Order and the Lord of Chaos too, though only one of them seemed to like me, but he¡¯s not that dependable. You know, Baktu is pretty strong. He had these long strings of black which can keep even the Lord of Order at bay.¡± The Iyrmen nodded their heads, for they worshipped the strongest of all the Divine, the God of Death, and took great pride in it. ¡°You¡¯ve met them and you still don¡¯t show them respect?¡± Umbra blinked at the Half Elf. ¡°They get exactly as much respect as they deserve.¡± Adam brushed along his talisman. ¡°I like a few of them, but if they start messing around, then...¡± Adam glanced to the side to Vonda, before his eyes fell away. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with them politely.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not so bad.¡± ¡°We need to get back before then, before he corrupts-,¡± Adam paused, remembering how much like Jarot was like him. ¡°Let¡¯s hope he returns back soon so the Iyr doesn¡¯t corrupt them.¡± ¡°The Iyr will not corrupt them.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already corrupted our sister, so leave my children in peace,¡± Adam retorted. ¡°Lanarot will grow up big and strong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I mean!¡± ¡°Does he always talk about his children like that?¡± Umbra asked, biting into a fish. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°I can see why you¡¯re always quick to anger.¡± ¡°I!¡± Lucy bit into her fish harder, chewing it slowly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If the Iyr writes his story, they will need to summarise each time he mentions his children.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯ll still be annoying.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just like my father.¡± ¡°Your father wasn¡¯t annoying,¡± Lucy said, thinking about Emperor Hadda. ¡°He was a hunk.¡± ¡°A... hunk?¡± ¡°A handsome guy.¡± ¡°...¡± Umbra threw her a queer look too. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! I¡¯m not as bad as Adam!¡± Umbra remained silent. ¡°Seriously!¡± The days continued to pass as they rode on turtle back and rested on the various islands. Umbra and Lord Biggu coordinated to head to the various magical spots along the land. Adam checked his XP, which had increased a little. ¡®Should I spend some of it?¡¯ ¡°What is that?¡± Adam asked, seeing as how the sea was basically torn apart in a way there were two large waterfalls. ¡°It¡¯s a wound in the world, left by the battle between Gods.¡± ¡°The what now?¡± ¡°The Gods fought across the world, the worlds,¡± she said, staring up at the streaks of colour in the day sky. ¡°Many vestiges of their battle remain, from the wounds within the world, to the majesties within the skies.¡± ¡°Wow...¡± Adam stared up at the colourful sky. ¡°So that was the result of the Gods fighting?¡± ¡°The laws of this world were uprooted by the gods, hence why you can cast an infinite number of first gate spells,¡± Umbra informed, holding up her hand as lightning crackled between her fingers. ¡°Even I can feel my magic is greater within this world than within our own.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind the whole magic being widely empowered bit, personally,¡± Adam said, innocently. ¡°Unfortunately, it means that the world won¡¯t survive after a few thousand...¡± Umbra stared at the wound within the sea, before she leapt up into the air, and shifted into her Dragon form. All the while, a hand reached up from the wound, a giant hand which was as large as the wound. Lord Biggu himself, who could carry Adam¡¯s entire party comfortably on his back, was barely as large as the first digit of its pinky. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°A rat bastard who should have died thousands of years ago,¡± Umbra replied, as the clouds around them began to darken, and lightning began to fall. The lightning illuminated the forms of the large Dragon and the giant hand. However, while thunder rumbled in the distance, Adam was more focused on the waves around them, which shifted and jolted the giant turtle about. ¡°Damn it!¡± Adam grabbed onto the shell of the giant turtle, trying his best not to fall. For once, he had the good idea of not wearing his armour, but meant it was free to slip and slide around. Nirot grabbed part of it, while the other teen Iyrmen grabbed the other bits, more than able to keep their balance while carrying his equipment. ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing!¡± Adam shouted, staring at Bell¡¯s stomach, trying to see which of his spells would be useful in this situation. ¡°Can you fly?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I can, but...¡± Adam looked to Jurot, who was probably the strongest in that regard. Mana: 21 -> 19 Spell: Fly ¡°Jurot, just in case,¡± Adam said, before grabbing the shell of Lord Biggu, who was shifting himself around to make sure the others were mostly stable. The sea around them continued to part as the giant hand loomed over them, causing a giant wave to form. Lord Biggu crashed up against it, while the wind and water around them began to pick up. Umbra¡¯s giant form darted down towards them as a whirlpool welcomed the group, almost tackling Lord Biggu, as they fell into the tsunami and were swallowed whole. Oh dear... 608. Crisis II 608. Crisis II ¡°He¡¯s awake,¡± Umbra said, forming a shadow over the near unconscious Half Elf. Adam coughed as he awoke, his blurry eyes taking in Umbra¡¯s form, before he looked to the side to see the teen Iyrmen and Vonda. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± ¡°They should be, I carried them all on my back,¡± Umbra said, reaching over to poke his cheek. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re fine too.¡± Health: 78 ¡°Yeah, somehow.¡± Umbra glanced towards Bell as Adam stared at the blue baby¡¯s stomach, but saw only blurred text. Adam stood, drying himself off with his trick, before his eyes crossed across the land, spotting Lucy and Mara fished nearby. ¡°Where are the others?¡± ¡°With Lord Biggu, elsewhere.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°We were split apart.¡± ¡°Of course we were.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Just my luck.¡± ¡°You seem to have a high opinion about yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just... you¡¯ll understand once you hear my story.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got time.¡± ¡°No, we don¡¯t,¡± Adam said, walking past her to the rest of the group. ¡°You guys alright?¡± ¡°We are well,¡± Nirot replied. Adam looked across the teen Iyrmen, his Cousins. ¡°How are you guys enjoying your first real adventure outside?¡± ¡°It is good,¡± Nirot said. ¡°I did not expect us to fall into another realm, one not connected to our own,¡± Naqokan admitted. ¡°You should have, since Adam is Adam,¡± Laygak said. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re Jaygak¡¯s cousin.¡± Adam chuckled, patting Laygak¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do you guys remember the first rule?¡± ¡°Lanarot is the Cutest In The Whole World,¡± the Iyrmen replied. ¡°That was the first rule?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Second rule?¡± ¡°No marriage,¡± the Iyrmen stated. ¡°...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Third rule?¡± ¡°Make sure you all listen.¡± ¡°Are you guys messing with me?¡± ¡°The fourth rule is that we cannot die without your permission,¡± Nirot said. Adam snapped his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s it! Remember, rules three and four, otherwise when we get back, I¡¯ll leave you in the Iyr and you won¡¯t be able to fall through worlds and find yourself fighting a Dragon.¡± The Iyrmen nodded, and Laygak spoke up. ¡°The fifth rule is to be kind to one another.¡± ¡°I sure as hell can¡¯t name things, but man, do I come up with the best rules.¡± Adam smiled to himself. Umbra exchanged a look with Lucy, who nodded her head. ¡®Should I go back to suffering Dragon Fall?¡¯ ¡°The group has split in about half, and an equal half at that too,¡± Adam said, eyeing up the group. ¡°No, hold on. There¡¯s way more of them, and they¡¯ve got the wolves. Damn. We should be careful.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam stepped back from the lake, only to find the lake had disappeared. ¡°What the...¡± ¡°Adam?¡± Vonda called, her eyes staring at him curiously. ¡°You found a sword?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam walked over to the rest of the group, who hadn¡¯t noticed him step aside. Umbra stared at him curiously, having not felt any shifts of magic herself, nor had she felt the presence of such a great blade until Vonda had called out to the Half Elf. ¡°Feels... good.¡± Adam could feel the magic within the blade, which tickled his palm. ¡°Feels really strong.¡± ¡°Can you identify its magic?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Spell: Identify Adam spent a few minutes with the blade, admiring it. As he did, its features began to stand out. At first, it was a vague golden blade, but as he studied it, it seemed to almost become more real within his hands. It was entirely golden, from the pommel, to the hilt, to the blade. It was engraved with all manner of patterns, like golden waves, and the blade itself also held pattern of waves, with a thousand different golds across its blade. It was heavy too, but it felt comfortable in hand. Golden Whisper Requires Attunement You gain a +6 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 4D6 slashing damage. The blade whispers to all those who are worthy. ¡°Damn! It¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s not a Greater blade, but... three times as good? Twice as good as a Legendary blade? No, twice as good as a Legendary Enhanced blade. It hits twice as hard as a greatsword too. There¡¯s something about it whispering to all those who are worthy, but I guess I¡¯m not worthy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s must be the weapon of one of the Dead Gods,¡± Umbra said. ¡°We should cast it away. Who knows what kind of curse it holds.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t say it has a curse,¡± Adam said. ¡°I should have been able to spot it, and I don¡¯t feel any different.¡± ¡°Then hand the sword over,¡± Umbra said, holding out her hand. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, holding out the blade to her. ¡°Since you can pass it with ease, then it must be fine,¡± Umbra replied, withdrawing her hand. ¡°Then can I have it?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°If it¡¯s a sword, then I should give it to Jaygak.¡± ¡°Why do you always give her great weapons? First Stormdrake, and now this weapon?¡± ¡°Golden Whisper, and yes, so?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You use greataxes, she uses longswords. If nothing else, I¡¯ll give it to little Tavgak, or Kavgak.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t just give great magical weapons to babies.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because...¡± Lucy stifled her tongue. ¡°No, nothing.¡± Lucy was still trying to ingratiate herself to the children. ¡°You gifted away Stormdrake?¡± Umbra asked, the curiosity having gotten the best of her. She had seen the blade at Jaygak¡¯s side, but had made no mention of it. It was, as far as she was aware, made from one of her uncles, and had been forged by her father. It was a Legendary Enhanced blade which needed to acknowledge the wielder before it allowed them to use it to its full potential. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Adam held up Wraith. ¡°I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, I don¡¯t use swords.¡± ¡°...¡± Umbra blinked, before looking to Lucy, who nodded her head. ¡°You gave away Stormdrake, even after knowing what it does?¡± ¡°Well, no, but I would have given it away regardless. I don¡¯t use swords, my brother doesn¡¯t, my sister won¡¯t, so I gave it to Jaygak.¡± ¡°You... you¡¯re a fool!¡± Umbra finally snapped, unable to control herself. ¡°Oh, why, thank you,¡± Adam replied, smiling towards the woman, who fell still, stunned by Adam¡¯s ridiculousness. Adam''s not that confusing, is he? He doesn''t use swords. The Gak family does. So the sword goes to the Gak family. That makes sense, right? 609. Crisis III 609. Crisis III ¡°Do you think Adam¡¯s in trouble?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°It is likely,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°If it is not the world, it is his mouth.¡± ¡°Umbra¡¯s taking his madness well,¡± Jaygak said, soft squelching sounds echoing around them. ¡°For now.¡± Jurot continued to butcher the great creatures they had slain. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s complaining about his children?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Days continued to pass as the groups tried to find one another. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 5 (1) ¡°Adam?¡± Vonda called. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. You?¡± ¡°I am fine.¡± Vonda looked down at the sword at Adam¡¯s waist, and then to the red baby. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Nirot, here. I don¡¯t really need Wraith if I¡¯ve got this beauty at my side.¡± Adam smiled, tapping the hilt of Golden Whisper. ¡°You will use a sword?¡± ¡°I mean, it is a really nice sword,¡± Adam replied with a smile, eyeing up the blade. ¡°Gorgeous.¡± Nirot stared into Adam¡¯s eyes, and for a moment, a single bead of sweat began to drip down her forehead. She reached up for Wraith and accepted it, causing the other Iyrmen to relax slightly, their hands pulling away from their weapons. Nirot glanced to Vonda, who had also reached for her mace, but the Iyrman had promised to look after the Priest, and couldn¡¯t guarantee her life if they fought Adam. ¡®...¡¯ Umbra remained silent. After waiting a few days, with the group eating the fish which was caught by Umbra and the Demons, the water began to shift. A giant seasnake emerged, one which held a carriage upon its back. It was three tiered and made of bronze, with waves of patina all across it. Standing atop the carriage was a small fishman, no bigger than Adam¡¯s triplets, with thick grey skin, with tiny slits for its gills around its neck. It was adorned in scale mail, made of some kind of serpent no doubt, and he carried a blade at his side. The fishman grumbled aloud towards Umbra in a language Adam didn¡¯t know, and the Half Elf decided against casting a spell to find out what they were saying. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you as well,¡± Umbra replied. ¡°Thank you again for carrying us.¡± The fishman threw his head aside, grumbling quietly, but didn¡¯t seem to make any hostile actions. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, he¡¯s always like that,¡± Umbra said. ¡°Who is he?¡± ¡°The Emperor of the First, Second, and Fifth Seas.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam decided against asking any more questions. ¡®Something is definitely wrong,¡¯ Nirot thought. Adam wasn¡¯t asking stupid questions, and he hadn¡¯t grumbled about his children in days. She caught the eye of Naqokan, who shook her head. Nirot remained silent. Technically, she was a lot stronger now, having attuned to Wraith, which was quite the weapon. Even without its miscellaneous features, it was a blade which rivalled some of the best weapons of the Rot family. As the snake submerged into the ocean, a bubble of air formed around the carriage, protecting the group, and providing them with air. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask about the air?¡± Lucy asked, staring at the Half Elf. She had decided against sitting at the top, instead sitting in the middle with Adam, Mara, and Vonda. The teens sat underneath, having their own conversation, which fell silent upon hearing Lucy¡¯s voice. ¡°No?¡± Adam replied. ¡°You¡¯re not going to mention how if you fart, it¡¯ll stay with us?¡± If the baby wasn¡¯t red, Vonda would have tried to stifle a laugh, but she didn¡¯t dare to laugh. ¡°Lucy, don¡¯t be weird.¡± ¡°Lucy isn¡¯t weird,¡± Mara replied. ¡°Why¡¯s she talking about farts for in front of Sir Vonda?¡± ¡°You can leave your sword behind.¡± ¡°Oh, no, I couldn¡¯t possibly. It¡¯s still dangerous around these lands, and you never know, we might need to fight at any moment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strong enough without the sword.¡± ¡°I feel more comfortable with the sword at my side,¡± Adam replied, his voice growing firm. ¡°Just like how you want to keep your shield, and scarf, with you.¡± Vonda eyed up the sword, and then the breastplate of puthral that he wore. ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t want you feeling uncomfortable, Adam.¡± She smiled towards the Half Elf from behind her scarf. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam returned her smile with his own, far too innocent for her liking. Omen: 18, 19 The teen Iyrmen grew antsy while sitting here for days on end, especially since Adam was so... normal. He didn¡¯t do anything queer, just living his days peacefully, and never once mentioning the need to hurry, his children, or even the food he missed from home. However, they needn¡¯t have worried for long, since their missing companions had finally arrived. ¡°Nirot, have you been well?¡± Jurot asked, the Iyrman having grown a beard since they had last seen one another. ¡°Yes,¡± Nirot replied, though her eyes widened slightly, and they pointed towards Adam. Jurot, standing tall and proud, stared at Adam. He had noticed something strange at Nirot¡¯s side, and something even stranger at Adam¡¯s waist. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, reaching out to grab Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam replied, grabbing Jurot¡¯s forearm as they shook it. ¡°You have a nice sword at your side,¡± Jurot said, still holding Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°May I see it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, as the pair stopped shaking one another¡¯s forearm, and Adam motioned to his blade. Jurot reached for it, and Adam grabbed his wrist. ¡°You can see just fine with your Iyrman eyes.¡± The Half Elf chuckled. The group stopped chattering with one another. They all glanced between Jurot and Adam, the pair of brothers who had journeyed with them this far. ¡°What is the matter, Adam?¡± ¡°Just, you can see it with your eyes, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°There is no issue, since you do not use swords,¡± Jurot replied, keeping his gaze locked to his brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Swords are cool. Romantic.¡± ¡°You are a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my sword, Jurot.¡± ¡°I just wish to hold it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I just wish to see examine it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my sword.¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have it,¡± Adam whispered, his voice growing firm. ¡°You have Phantom already.¡± ¡°I will not keep it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so greedy, Jurot.¡± Adam eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°You have so much already, but you won¡¯t even let me keep this sword?¡± ¡°What do I have that is not yours?¡± ¡°Everything,¡± Adam replied, his eyes growing dark. ¡°You were born and raised in the Iyr. You have a family. You have an entire people. What do I have, Jurot? I don¡¯t have a family, I don¡¯t have anything, but this sword. I found it. In the lake. It¡¯s the sword that is mine by right. I was worthy enough to take it.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t exactly sure what Adam was talking about, but he was sure it had something to do with the near mythic King Arthur from his first life. ¡°You have a family too, Adam. You are my brother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your pity, Jurot,¡± Adam said, squeezing his brother¡¯s wrist a little harder. ¡°You think I really am stupid, don¡¯t you? I just pretend to be stupid, Jurot. I know you¡¯re not my real brother. I know I don¡¯t have a real family. Lanarot. The twins. The triplets. I know they aren¡¯t m-,¡± Health: 78 -> 57 When you almost forget the author is willing to kill the mc. 610. Crisis IV 610. Crisis IV A crackle of lightning had broken Adam¡¯s words, as the onslaught of Stormdrake struck across him. Even with Adam¡¯s attention solely on his brother, Jaygak was barely able to strike him cleanly, his armour still providing the Half Elf great protection. Jaygak¡¯s body had moved without her thinking, and she had been the first to act. Every fibre of her being had known that Adam couldn¡¯t say those words. ¡®Wake up, Adam!¡¯ Adam¡¯s head turned slowly, and he caught Jaygak¡¯s eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 3 (2) Omen: 18, 19 -> 19 Health: 73 -> 23 Jaygak readied her blade, but Adam felt a heat against his wrist, and he turned his head to meet Jurot¡¯s gaze again. Jurot¡¯s eyes were white, his entire body red hot. Adam watched as Phantom blurred, threatening to strike across his neck, but he plucked a Thread of Fate, and Phantom struck across Adam¡¯s shoulder, and the intense pain of the psychic energy invaded his mind, but the Half Elf stood tall. The Awakened Wolves snarled, but paused, realising that one of their owners was attacking the other, and the third remained still, watching. ¡°We will be merciful, Adam,¡± Jurot said, almost growling the words towards his brother. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Adam replied, finding the fine blade was already in his hand. Jonn, too, reached for his greatsword, but Uwajin, Laygak, and Faool stepped forward, reaching for their own weapons. ¡°I swore my oaths,¡± the Half Elf said. ¡°So have we,¡± the Iyrmen replied, waiting for the Half Elf to respond. ¡°...¡± Health: 23 -> 9 Constitution Save (Aura) D20 + 6 + 3 = 19 (10) Success! Health: 9 -> 0 As Adam readied to attack, beginning to focus, the staff that he had enchanted rained down strikes against his back, almost threatening to freeze him, but with Jonn¡¯s aura, he managed to shrug it off. He turned to try and meet Kitool¡¯s next blow, but it was already too late. The labourers remained still, eyeing up the Iyrmen, as well as the unconscious Half Elf, their boss. Nobby stepped forward, but Brittany grabbed his wrist. She wasn¡¯t sure which side Nobby was on, and didn¡¯t want him to do anything he¡¯d regret. She looked to Jonn, seeing he was still in two minds about attacking. ¡°What happened to these brats?¡± the Emperor asked in his language, staring at the scene before him. He wondered whether he should get involved, and left it to Umbra¡¯s will. ¡°One of their minds was taken by the blade, and so there was a fight. It seems the other Half Elf also fought on his side, probably because they are both Faeken?¡± Umbra mused. ¡°I believe the fight is over, but there is the matter with the sword.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The Emperor marched forward, and lifted up the blade, feeling it try to invade his mind, but he forced it away. ¡°I will bury it.¡± ¡°I will come with you,¡± Umbra said, before shouting out to the others. ¡°You, Iyrmen, come with me.¡± Kitool and Jaygak glanced her way, while Umbra motioned a hand for them to come with them. ¡°Afraid I have been taken?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have not.¡± ¡°You may be taken while burying it.¡± ¡°I am too powerful for its likes.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± The Emperor let out a curse, before leading Umbra and the pair of Iyrmen away, while the teen Iyrmen were left in charge of the unconscious bodies. ¡°His third loss?¡± Nirot thought about Adam¡¯s three losses. Technically, he had lost five times, but the two times he surrendered didn¡¯t really count. Once was to her grandfather, the next was to Emperor Shama, and the last was to the combined might of Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak. However, he was the strongest during this time. ¡°My cousins are strong.¡± ¡°He¡¯s my Cousin too,¡± Laygak said, squatting down as he reached down to poke Adam¡¯s shoulder, making sure he had been knocked out. Hours later, the Half Elf groaned, before his eyes fluttered open. He saw the handsome fellow that was his brother. ¡°Jurot, who, you handsome bas-, guy.¡± He stretched out his entire body. ¡°You¡¯re never going to guess the weird dream I had.¡± ¡°How did you not know you were under the curse if he was red?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know? How did you not know fighting an Iyrman was a bad idea when your dad didn¡¯t dare to start a bother in the Iyr? We all do stupid shit.¡± ¡°You definitely aren¡¯t cursed, but you should watch your mouth without your armour, weapons, or shield.¡± Adam motioned a hand to his three companions. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try.¡± ¡°I could still kill you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only been killed by the Gods twice. Well, the same God, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°I mean, you¡¯re no Ggod.¡± Adam raised his brows towards her. ¡°How can you be so casual at this time?¡± ¡°Humour is my defence mechanism,¡± Adam said, slowly shuffling on the bed so he could stand. ¡°Plus, even if you did kill me, and if you somehow managed to escape, you¡¯ll find that trapping yourself here would be a bad idea. The Iyrmen here used to hunt Gods, and I have no doubt they wouldn¡¯t mind spending all of time killing you and your people.¡± ¡°You make it sound like they¡¯re an unstoppable force.¡± ¡°Your father seemed to think so.¡± ¡°...¡± Umbra caught Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is he always so eager to die?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Alright, enough joking around. Let¡¯s figure out a way to get out of this damn place. The quicker we get back to our world, the quicker I get to see my cute little babbies.¡± Umbra all but confirmed that Adam was finally free of the curse. ¡°Did you have any ideas of how we can leave?¡± ¡°I could use my Omens a bunch and just pray it¡¯ll work, but otherwise, maybe I make some other creatures into my pet?¡± The Emperor appeared, and grumbled quietly to Umbra. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Emperor motioned his head outside, while the group followed him out. Adam let out a long sigh as he stared above, pointing up towards it. ¡°I, uh...¡± He met Umbra¡¯s eyes. ¡°I think that¡¯s our way out.¡± Umbra stared at the Half Elf, wondering what, and who, he was. ¡°You believe that is the way out?¡± The fishmen around stared above them, towards the sea sky, which was once so dark and stable. ¡°A whirlpool of colour? Yeah, I think that¡¯s a pretty huge indicator, considering its exactly the same as the way we arrived.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Within a pool of a myriad of colours?¡± ¡°Yeah. Alright, no offence, but I hate this place, so let¡¯s get out of here.¡± The teen Iyrmen approached, carrying parts of Adam¡¯s armour. Nirot held up Wraith for Adam. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam grabbed Wraith, feeling its cool wood against his palm. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, old friend. I¡¯m sorry to you too, Nirot. I-,¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Umbra shouted, stepping towards the colourful pool. That was oddly convenient... 611. Idols I 611. Idols I Omen: 16, 20 ¡°Oof!¡± Adam stamped onto the soft grass and dirt, squatting down to half kneel within it. He slowly righted himself, stamping both of his feet onto the earth, before glancing around. He could see the rest of his companions, as well as the Awakened Wolves, had managed to land well into the earth. ¡°Is this...¡± Adam glanced around, finding his cart to one side, beside a figure. It was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, her skin liquid platinum, her veins running like streams of gold. Her eyes held an a wisdom of the greatest of elders, swirls of all manner of colours floating around. In one hand she held a staff with a set of scales, which balanced every so often. Ulaveil let out a low sigh, which caused Mara to perk up, crossing her hands over her navel. ¡®Whoa,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Goddamn, she¡¯s so hot.¡¯ She raised her free hand in a greeting, before speaking, though it was more like she was reciting poetry than speaking. ¡°I am Ulaveil.¡± Adam stared at her, realising what she was by her sight. Though he was enamoured by her beauty, he steeled his mind, before walking over to the teen Iyrmen, before he began to don his armour. ¡°Good morning, uh, afternoon, Lady Ulaveil,¡± Adam greeted, before throwing a look to Jurot and the other Iyrmen, who stood relaxed, though he noted that Lucy and Mara were far more tense. ¡°There is no need for that, Adam,¡± she said, her voice still near musical. ¡°We shall not be fighting today.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Adam said, still strapping his armour. ¡°I have no doubt that yourself, a Goddess, are no doubt here to chat. Yourself, a Goddess with the suffix of veil. Any relation to Lady Elaveil?¡± ¡°She is my mother.¡± ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Adam said, slipping on his chain shirt, so that he had some protection at least. ¡°The Goddess of Balance. I¡¯m not sure if the Goddess of Balance has any issues with me, the one who disrupts such balance, in more ways than one, but...¡± Adam paused, beginning to strap on his gauntlets, before glancing her way, eyeing her up, noting the scales, which were made of pure whiteness, like light, but Adam swore he could see its true form now and again, though his mind kept forgetting its appearance. ¡°Last I spoke with your mother, the good Lady Elaveil, we seemed to have no issues. In fact, I believe she was on my side, alongside her brother, Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°You seem more eager to reveal your dealings with the Divine in front of all your companions,¡± she said, motioning a hand to the rest of his companions. The teen Iyrmen were a buzz with excitement, meeting with one of the Lesser Divine, a child of one of the main pantheon, the child of Ritetu. More excitingly, perhaps they could even come to blows? Vonda held onto her shield with both hands, praying silently as she stared at the young Goddess. Her heart thundered in her chest, though she tried to calm herself. Rick remained frozen, his entire body both hot and cold. ¡®A Goddess? Really?¡¯ His eyes flashed across the Iyrmen, then to his own group, the farmers each staring at the woman. Rick dropped to his knees, with the other farmers, and the porters, following right after. ¡®A Goddess!¡¯ Brittany thought, also on her knees, her head growing lighter with each passing second. ¡®It¡¯s a Goddess! Lady Ulaveil!¡¯ She had heard the name from when the village would have its religious sermons now and again. As far as she knew, she was the daughter of the Goddess of Balance, and she knew no more beyond that. Nobby wasn¡¯t sure who she was, but had dropped to his knees beside his uncles. He stared up at her, wondering how strong she was. The sweet, innocent Nobby, long corrupted by the way of the Iyrmen. The Awakened Wolves lay on their back, revealing their stomachs to the Goddess, unsure of what to do. ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether they¡¯ll believe something that crazy,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Even though you¡¯ve shown how you defy all reason?¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s hard to believe that I¡¯ve met the Divine, isn¡¯t it? Plus, it was only through a dream.¡± ¡°You may only meet the Divine through a dream.¡± ¡°Uhuh,¡± Adam said, staring up at the Goddess as he continued to strap on his equipment. ¡°It¡¯s fine for them to know, since most of them work for me. If they¡¯re about to die, they should at least know the truth.¡± ¡°Why would they die?¡± ¡°Lord Sozain doesn¡¯t exactly give people a heads up when he wants to claim them,¡± Adam retorted, tapping his amulet, which was cool to the touch, the kind of cool that revealed his ever watchful eye. ¡°A fair point.¡± Adam remained silent as he continued to slip on his armour. Once he had donned most of it, he spoke up. ¡°What do we owe the pleasure, Lady Ulaveil?¡± ¡°I remained with your cart to make sure no one stole it.¡± ¡°How long have you been standing there?¡± ¡°Long enough that it became awkward to not speak up,¡± Crowseer replied. ¡°Right. So... did you have anything to do with it?¡± ¡°You played a greater part than I.¡± Adam looked to Jurot, sighing. ¡°And I thought the Gods were cryptic.¡± ¡°I see you¡¯ve not taken my warnings to heart,¡± Crowseer said. ¡°Well... I mean... I have, a little.¡± ¡°If you wish to act in such a way, you are free to do so. If you do not wish to act such a way, then you are free to do so.¡± Crowseer smiled, placing both hands top his cane. ¡°I hope your children are well?¡± ¡°They¡¯re good.¡± ¡°All... six of them?¡± ¡°Six?¡± Crowseer began to think. ¡°No, five, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Do I have another child I don¡¯t know about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so,¡± Crowseer replied, smiling innocently. ¡°What of your sister?¡± ¡°She¡¯s doing...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Crowseer, the Iyr has corrupted her.¡± ¡°They do love their fighting.¡± ¡°What am I to do?¡± ¡°What are any of us to do?¡± Crowseer bowed his head lightly. ¡°What of the other children? You must adore your new Cousins too.¡± ¡°I do, but they won¡¯t let me spoil them,¡± Adam grumbled in response. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be allowed to get them as many magical items as I want?¡± ¡°Spoiling them too much will not help them in life.¡± ¡°You know, I hear that a lot, but how many times do you hear the children of nobles failing at life because they were too spoiled? Doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re snorting coke or go around killing peons. Hell, last I checked, telling a noble the truth can get you killed. If you¡¯re rich enough to make the law, it doesn¡¯t matter if you spoil your children and they cause a mess, no one¡¯s going to punish them. Or they¡¯ll be punished with kicking it at home, you know, to snort more coke.¡± Crowseer remained silent. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°Anyway, my point is that if they get into trouble, I¡¯ll be rich enough to sort the situation out, or strong enough to deal with it personally.¡± ¡°No one man can change the world.¡± ¡°No, but being rich helps you influence it.¡± Crowseer remained silent. Ulaveil also remained silent. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Sorry.¡± Adam has definitely learned not to be so cocky. *Reads chapter.* Nevermind. 612. Idols II 612. Idols II ¡°You really won¡¯t tell me?¡± Adam asked, eyeing up Crowseer, who continued to refuse to answer clearly about his involvement.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°When it is time for you to know, you will know,¡± Crowseer replied. ¡°As long as I live that long?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Then I¡¯m never going to know.¡± ¡°Would you really die when you have five adorable children waiting for you?¡± ¡°No... I guess not. Am I going to find some other guy who is depressed in life and is half dying who will want to join me?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Perhaps. I was here due to sheer coincidence.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. Crowseer exchanged a look with the Ulaveil. ¡°You are fortunate that it was the Guardian of the Scales to greet you. If another God had been here, perhaps you would have been dead already.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Crowseer bowed his head, though Maurice, the crow, leaned back so she wasn¡¯t bowing her head. ¡°I should be leaving. It was good to see you again, Adam, and it was a pleasure to see you too, Lady Ulaveil.¡± ¡°You as well, Crowseer,¡± Ulaveil replied, watching as he began to leave. She understood his threat, and wondered what he had to do with Adam, and how much he had to do with slipping between worlds. ¡°Speaking of depressed guys who needed me, where¡¯s Jonn?¡± ¡°He must have returned to Dunes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°He...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Yeah. Wasn¡¯t he with Dunes¡¯ group? What? How?¡± Adam furrowed his brows even deeper, wondering how Jonn had appeared into the world. ¡°He must have slipped through too.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little out of the ordinary?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, simply, before giving Adam a look. It was not a look, but the look. ¡°Good point.¡± Once Crowseer was far enough away, he reached down to his heart, wincing. He had felt the phantom pain of a knife made of ice piercing through his heart long ago, and had almost let it slip. ¡°I beg your pardon, Mistress,¡± Crowseer said, chuckling through the pain. He was far enough away that Ulaveil wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, her attention to the entire group. She waved a hand, and light and warmth fell across those kneeling. ¡°I will leave you with my blessing.¡± ¡°Thank you, Goddess!¡± came the chorus from those prostrating themselves before her. Shock and awe filled them as the radiance of her divinity passed through them. Every part of them was full of content, and as they opened their eyes, they noticed she had disappeared. Mara remained tense for a moment, before pulling her hands away from her navel. ¡°Alright, since she¡¯s gone, who don¡¯t we...¡± Adam glanced around, noting the forest nearby, and the plains behind them. ¡°You know what? Let¡¯s make up camp, and I¡¯ll send word to Dunes that we¡¯ll make our way to him.¡± ¡°We should return to East Port,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Though the hills are dangerous, there is less danger heading through Central Aldland.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°It should take us no more than five weeks to get to West Fort.¡± ¡°Then we can get there by mid next month then...¡± Adam thought about what day it was. ¡°So it¡¯s what, the second week then? I don¡¯t really remember...¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve paid me back already, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°If you say so...¡± ¡°Anyway, I feel like I needed to do something in one of the towns in the south. Something about buying some fish.¡± ¡°Sam from River Hill, to buy scale mail,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°I feel like you told me this before.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam rubbed his forehead gently. ¡°How do you even remember that?¡± ¡°You said it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like how you...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Did I say this before too?¡± ¡°Yes. You said I was the best brother ever.¡± ¡°You are a good brother,¡± Adam confirmed. Jaygak and Kitool noted the way Jurot¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s set up the watches again. We¡¯re no longer in the other world, so I can¡¯t go around saving everyone from death for free again. Zeus and...¡± Adam looked around, realising the giant elk wasn¡¯t about. ¡°Damn.¡± The group slept the night, and once morning came, Adam was able to regain all of his Mana, and he was able to pick between his spells once more. ¡°Dunes. Making our way. Jonn should be back to you. He¡¯ll explain.¡± ¡°I hope everything is well. I wish you good fortune.¡± ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m going to need it.¡¯ Once Adam was done with summoning his elk and owl, the group made their way back to Life River. With some bother about the wolves, they were allowed to enter, with assurances they would look after the wolves. They managed to arrive at East Port without any trouble on the road, though at the gate, they had some bother once more due to the wolves. With the Duchess¡¯ silver plaque, and Vonda¡¯s word, they managed to enter the city, where they could rest in peace. ¡®Should we take a break in the towns every so often?¡¯ Adam thought while continuing on the road the next day. Water Ford was the same, with them not allowing the group through due to the wolves, though with the plaque, Vonda¡¯s sway, and Jurot and the teen Iyrmen offering to stay with the wolves, they managed to pass through. Omen: 12, 17 ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked. They were midway between Water Ford and River Hill when they came across a large group, fifty people at least, each heavily armed. ¡°They are a band due to the Beast Waves,¡± Jurot said, eyeing up the group¡¯s weapons and armour. ¡°Oh yeah. That was meant to be happening this year, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he was the reason why they hadn¡¯t come across much. ¡°Are they going to give us trouble?¡± Jurot noted the colour of their cloaks, the patterns on their tabards, and whatever other identifiers the group held. ¡°They could be trouble. They outnumber us three to one.¡± Adam looked back to this group. Almost half of the group were Iyrmen, each at least Experts now. Another two had been trained by Iyrmen, and one was someone only the Iyrmen could handle. Then came the porters and the farmers, each near Experts too. Adam checked something, glancing aside, before remembering Bell was no longer a floating blue baby. ¡°A fair fight,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot almost smiled. Sane person: We''re outnumbered three to one. Iyrman: Good. 613. Alright I 613. Alright I ¡°Hail travellers!¡± called one of those leading the party, one of the five heavily armoured warriors who were mounted. He wore a breastplate over his heavy chain, with a long cloak of black, and even his great steed wore barding made of chain. At his side was a blade, and he wielded a long spear, which he rested over his shoulder. He pulled up his visor to reveal his face, with pale skin and dark hair, that of most of Aldland. ¡°How do you fare?¡± ¡°Greetings,¡± Adam replied, walking up to meet him, while the other mounted warriors approached more slowly, but stood some ways behind. Jurot, Jaygak, Kitool, and Sir Vonda, stepped up, though remained behind the Half Elf. ¡°Well enough.¡± ¡°Not well enough to remove your helmet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rather cold down here on the ground, so the helmet¡¯s keeping me warm,¡± Adam replied, glancing across the five heavily armoured warriors, each adorned in similar gear, though they wore different capes and cloaks and scarves. ¡°You cannot blame your lack of a mount on your lack of respect.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t lack a mount, I just don¡¯t need to ride it to feel better than you,¡± Adam replied, still eyeing up the others behind him. They wore more simpler chain, some of them wearing thicker clothing under the chain, others did not. Some wielded simple spears and shields, others wielded blades and shields, and some even carried pikes in hand. Adam glanced back at his companions, realising he needed to equip them in plate mail, not just Jaygak, who was fortunate enough to receive one from the Duchess. ¡°It seems you have a problem with us,¡± the stranger said. ¡°Not all of you, just you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Clarence, of the Black Cloaks,¡± the man said. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve heard of us.¡± Adam looked back to Jurot. ¡°My brother seems to know of you, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t say I do. I¡¯m Adam, from Fate¡¯s Golden. You might have heard of us as the ones who killed Vandra a couple of years ago, or the ones that killed a Blue Dragon shortly after. If you haven¡¯t heard of us through that, then perhaps you¡¯ve heard that we recently placed in the tournament, taking the top seven spots for one, the third spot for another, and then top two in another.¡± ¡°Rather boastful, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know how this¡¯ll end up when you forget your place,¡± Adam retorted, inhaling deeply. ¡°You sure have some guts for someone who isn¡¯t at least a Count, no, a Marquis.¡± ¡°You¡¯re out manned and out geared, so watch your tongue, before things get more troublesome.¡± ¡°Out manned?¡± Adam looked back to his companions, and then back to the group. ¡°How many Iyrmen you got?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°How many Greater Enhanced weapons you got?¡± Adam asked. ¡°...¡± Clarence looked back to his companions curiously, before turning his gaze back to Adam and the others. ¡°None?¡± ¡°Your definition of out manned and out geared is very different to mine,¡± Adam stated, casually. ¡°How many of yours can sling Fireballs?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How many of yours are from an order?¡± ¡°One.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam replied, more eagerly. ¡°Which order?¡± ¡°Order of the Thousand Hunts,¡± one of the mounted warriors said, pulling up cloak away from her breastplate to reveal the symbol on her chest, that of the order. Adam vaguely recognised the blade and bow as the symbol of the Order of the Thousand Hunts.¡± ¡°One of yours was in the tournament wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°There were several, yes,¡± the woman replied. ¡°I must have beaten one, but I feel like you guys did more,¡± Adam said, glancing back to Jurot. ¡°We beat Sir Gordan.¡± ¡°Sir Gordan? Sir Gordan.¡± Adam tried to recall. ¡°The Iyrmen can confirm his words, for one is his brother.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a brother to an Iyrman?¡± Sir Liana asked, barely masking the surprise in her voice. ¡°Adam is my brother,¡± Jurot confirmed. Suddenly, the mood shifted in the air. At first it had been tense, and though it had slowly relaxed with Sir Vonda and Sir Liana talking, it became tense and awkward again. It was one thing for Adam to be boastful, but it was another thing if he was an Iyrman¡¯s brother and said all of those things. Sir Liana turned slightly, straightening up. Sir Vonda accepted the invitation, and the pair walked to one side, away from the keen ears of the Iyrmen, leaving the two groups in awkward silence. ¡°Do you know you have two Demons in your company?¡± Sir Liana¡¯s voice was neutral, doing her best not to sound threatening. ¡°I keep a watchful eye on them,¡± Sir Vonda replied, simply. Sir Liana slowly nodded her head, pausing to think. ¡°You are still outnumbered three to one. I can guarantee your lives, and perhaps the lives of the Iyrmen, but the others...¡± ¡°If it should come to blows, I am uncertain of how many of you will die. I can guarantee your life, and I believe Adam will...¡± Sir Vonda thought about how new some of the warriors looked, and how Adam could blast them with a Fireball and instantly kill them all. ¡°You have seen the amulet on his neck.¡± ¡°Do you really think your group will win?¡± ¡°The weakest of our members are Experts,¡± Sir Vonda replied, simply. Sir Liana remained silent, glancing towards the group. She noted the attire of some of the group, the porters and the farmers, who may have worn decent gear, but were no doubt wearing the typical attire of those who were not adventurers, but porters and farmers first. ¡°You are all at least Experts?¡± ¡°I am certain of it,¡± Sir Vonda replied, looking to the group. ¡°Those who join with us, the farmers, have been adventuring at an extreme pace, and have gone through quite through several experiences which should have killed them, and some which did. Adam, too, had gone through such experiences.¡± ¡°How strong are you?¡± ¡°I, too, am an Expert.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Priest, not a Guardian?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°...¡± Once the pair returned, Sir Liana mounted her horse, and her horse slowly walked up to beside Clarence. ¡°Adam,¡± Sir Vonda called. ¡°Yes, Sir Vonda?¡± ¡°I have guaranteed Sir Liana¡¯s life.¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Of course, Sir Vonda.¡± Clarence¡¯s face remained neutral as Sir Liana whispered something into his ears. His eyes fell across the entirety of Fate¡¯s Golden, all twenty three members. Then his eyes fell to Lucy, and Mara, before they finally fell to Umbra. He leaned in to whisper into the woman¡¯s ear. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be the one betting my life on it,¡± came the response, for all to hear. Our villains are... rational? I don''t like this. Blood for Baktu! 614. Alright II 614. Alright II ¡°Adam, are you okay?¡± Sir Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam said, throwing a glance back towards the band approaching the horizon behind them. Vonda remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°I think so?¡± Adam blinked at her curiously. ¡°Why? Do I look like there¡¯s something wrong?¡± ¡°You just seemed tense.¡± ¡°I did?¡± ¡°Were you relaxed?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°You were rather aggressive.¡± ¡°Yeah, he was aggressive too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re normally not quite so aggressive.¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t come at me with that type of energy, I wouldn¡¯t have returned that type of energy.¡± Adam shrugged, as though it was truly that simple. ¡°You normally don¡¯t give in to such taunts easily.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t about the taunt, it was about what would have happened after the taunt,¡± Adam explained, throwing a look back towards the band once more. ¡°As much as it sounds like an excuse, because, let¡¯s be real, it is an excuse, if we rolled on our backs when he came at us with that kind of energy, then he¡¯d think he could do whatever he wanted to us.¡± ¡°I would have stepped in,¡± Vonda reassured. ¡°Sure, but you shouldn¡¯t have to step up just because some idiot thinks he¡¯s something because he rides on a warhorse.¡± ¡°We were outnumbered three to one.¡± ¡°A fair fight,¡± the brother replied together. ¡®Nice.¡¯ ¡°Many could have been hurt.¡± ¡°Sure, but I care more about my group than his group. The fight would have ended after the second Fireball, maybe the third. If we really needed it, I¡¯d cast it a fourth, a fifth time if need be.¡± Vonda blinked. ¡°We are no longer in the other realm.¡± ¡°Sure, but I can still cast five pretty easily,¡± Adam replied, as though what he said wasn¡¯t ridiculous. ¡®Ah. Adam is Adam.¡¯ Vonda let out a long sigh. ¡°Many of them would have died.¡± Adam tapped his amulet. ¡°I don¡¯t mind sending a bunch of idiots to the Lord.¡± ¡°You do mind.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam closed his eyes, feeling his heart slow slightly. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry, Vonda, uh, Sir Vonda, I¡¯ll try and... you know.¡± ¡°I know.¡± The young woman held out her hands. Adam held up his hands and she held them. ¡°Be careful the Iyr does not corrupt you, as it has corrupted your sister.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a terrible thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°A terrible thing, indeed,¡± she replied, her eyes smiling up towards him. ¡°See, this is why I like you Sir Vonda. You got jokes.¡± ¡°I got jokes?¡± ¡°You got jokes.¡± ¡°Is that... good?¡± ¡°It may not be good, but it is cool.¡± ¡°Is cool not good?¡± ¡°I guess it is good.¡± Omen: 3, 14 The party approached the front gates of River Hill, which were still open even that late. It revealed the inside of the town, which was built around several streams. The denizens hustled and bustled about within the town. Several guards remained on the walls of the town, and two stood eagerly at the gates. Each were adorned in scale mail, greyish, with a hint of blue. Those atop the walls carried crossbows, though they were unloaded. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°You¡¯ll be keeping an eye on them?¡± ¡°We will.¡± ¡°Alright...¡± Garry eyed up the group. ¡°We¡¯re meant to tax mounts and such a certain amount. With twenty six of you, the elk being a magical steed, it should be twenty six gold. You trading any goods?¡± ¡°None,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Oh, speaking of trade, we¡¯ve got a plaque from the Duchess.¡± Jurot pulled the plaque out of his inner shirt pocket, revealing it to the guard. Garry whistled, the same as the other guards had when they first saw the plaque. ¡°A silver plaque? From the Duchess? The Duchess of East Port?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Garry held it, noting the stamps on the plaque, and he handed it to Bobby, who took it back to verify it. ¡°How¡¯d you managed to get a silver plaque.¡± ¡°We work for a business called the United Kindom, which isn¡¯t very active right now, but it¡¯s a business which sells magical weapons.¡± ¡°You got any magical weapons on you?¡± ¡°On us? Yeah. For trade? Not right now.¡± ¡°So no trade goods?¡± ¡°No?¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Still, the silver plaque changes the fees to a silver per head, per mount, and per cart.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hand over three gold, since I don¡¯t want to deal with the change.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°How goes the war, anyhow?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard,¡± Garry replied. ¡°We¡¯ve pincered off the left and right side of the plains, and there¡¯s little chance the Traitor King is going to march his army through the hills towards us.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not aiming to fight and take territory, he¡¯s aiming to protect his lands,¡± Garry said. ¡°Heard that Ever Green should be taken by the end of next season. Price of food¡¯s rising a little, but the price of grain is the same as always, but that¡¯s no surprise.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not from Aldland?¡± ¡°No.¡± Garry slowly nodded his head. ¡°The price of grain rarely changes in Aldland, and in Central Aldland, it¡¯s always been the same. Across Aldland, the price of flour is subsidised by the nobles, and some flour is guaranteed at a certain price. In Central Aldland, we have the King¡¯s Dole. It¡¯s the only region of our great country which has it, and it¡¯s why we¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°The King¡¯s Dole is given out seasonally, at least. A giant sack of flour,¡± Garry said, holding up his hands to reveal how big the sack was, apparently as big as his torso, ¡°given to every family. In the capital, it¡¯s a monthly occurrence, and usually, it¡¯s twice a season for most towns and cities in Central Aldland. Course, cause of the war, it¡¯s been reduced to once a season again.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°The flour that¡¯s given out. Is it... free?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°All that flour?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°Now that¡¯s something.¡± ¡°Central Aldland can grow enough to feed all of Aldland. The subsidised flour of other regions is all flour which is grown within Central Aldland too.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of Aldish soldiers dying from wounds of battle, poisons of the enemies, and disease,¡± Garry said, before his lips formed a small smile. ¡°Never heard of any Aldish solder starving to death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty cool.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Garry said. ¡°It is.¡± When I become president of the UK I will give everyone free bread. 615. The Promises 615. The Promises Omen: 10, 15 ¡°So, this is Sam¡¯s Scales...¡± The building was a small wooden shack in one corner, with quite a breadth of space of greenery between it and the other nearby buildings. A sharp smell in the air tickled Adam¡¯s nostrils, though it was kept at bay by the nearby flowers. A sign board hung in the air, that of a large scale with a large tilted S painted within its edges. Adam pushed the door open, the bell ringing above him to declare his entrance. The smell struck him sharply, causing the Half Elf to wince. To his surprise, the store was much larger on the inside, essentially one long room, with basic shirts of scales tied to wooden posts. An older man, perhaps in his sixties, sat in one corner, sewing scales together. His salt and pepper hair was cut short, though he wore a thick goatee, which was black as night. He was shorter than a typical Aldishman, and though he was thin, his fingers were thick and heavily scarred. ¡°Mister Sam?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know about no mister, but I¡¯m Sam,¡± the man replied, staring at the stranger who wore a purple breastplate. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± he replied. ¡°I passed through the town a while ago and your nephew, Garry, made me promise to buy some scale mail after the tournament. I placed well, so I¡¯m flush with coin.¡± Adam eyed up the scale all around, most of it scale on leather. ¡°How well did you place?¡± ¡°Third.¡± ¡°Third?¡± ¡°Yeah. They call me Purple Adam, I hear.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t pay attention to the tournament,¡± Sam admitted, cutting the string once he was done tying it up. ¡°Was too busy working.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t disrespect that,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°You covering your ears because you¡¯re a leaf ear?¡± ¡°How could you tell?¡± Adam¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°You¡¯re a handsome bastard.¡± ¡°Will you deny my coin?¡± ¡°No. Coin¡¯s the same, whether it¡¯s from an Aldishman, an Aswadian,¡± Sam said, before his eyes caught sight of Adam once more, ¡°or an Elf.¡± ¡°Only half.¡± ¡°What are you lookin¡¯ for?¡± He eyed up the puthral armour. ¡°Don¡¯t know what I can offer anyone wearing Iyrman steel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not steel, it¡¯s-,¡± ¡°Puthral, yes, it was an expression.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good with expressions, being a leaf ear and all.¡± Adam chuckled. Sam placed his scales to one side, and leaned back on his stool, up against the wall. ¡°I can¡¯t offer you anything better.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t be buying anything for myself, but I could buy something for someone else, can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You can. I¡¯ll need measurements to make sure it¡¯ll fit, but I¡¯ll suppose it¡¯s a gift?¡± ¡°Something like that. Measurements aren¡¯t too important, it¡¯ll be enchanted.¡± ¡°Enchanted?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam flashed a smile towards the older Aldishman. ¡°I¡¯m Executive Adam, from the United Kindom. We work for an enchanter, and I would like to procure your finest work for them to enchant. It might be put up for sale, but chances are, it¡¯ll be gifted to someone very special.¡± ¡°...¡± Sam stared at the Half Elf. ¡°My finest work is pricey.¡± ¡°I placed third, so I¡¯m flush with coin.¡± ¡®Third? So he¡¯s got at least a thousand, no doubt.¡¯ Sam thought, eyeing the Half Elf up. Puthral armour, a fine axe at his side, he wasn¡¯t a nobody, that was for sure. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°Do you work with Dragon scales?¡± Adam asked, before wincing. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Well, alright...¡± ¡°Who is the scale armour for?¡± Jurot asked while Sam used his string to take his measurements. ¡°It¡¯s a gift for someone,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m keeping it a secret.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®That was it?¡¯ Sam thought. He began to grow curious, but he knew not to ask too many questions. They were paying him good coin, and he wasn¡¯t going to ruin such a chance of making extra coin. ¡°I¡¯ve brought fifty gold, and once you¡¯re done, head to the guild and hand the armour there. They¡¯ll pay you the rest of the gold once they check it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°For the sake of future business, if I wanted basic scale armour, the full set, how much would that cost, and how many days would it take?¡± ¡°About fifty gold, about ten days,¡± Sam replied. ¡°Good to know.¡± Adam held out his hand. ¡°Pleasure doing business with you, Sam.¡± ¡°You too, Adam,¡± Sam replied, holding out his hand, shaking Adam¡¯s. Adam and Jurot stepped outside. Adam inhaled the fresh air, until the back of his nose stung, and he coughed. ¡°Is scale armour that good?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I feel like it¡¯s pretty effective for money, and it¡¯s pretty quick too.¡± ¡°It is decent.¡± ¡°Might have to equip the future warriors with scale armour if it comes down to it.¡± ¡°If they are not strong, scale mail is reasonable,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Cool, cool. I¡¯ll think about it. Rick and the others have some nice chain mail and stuff, so we probably shouldn¡¯t get scale for them.¡± Adam wondered if he could get something for them to increase their Defence. ¡®I wonder if there¡¯s an easier way to equip my workers. He can do what, forty or so a year? I doubt I¡¯ll gain that many a year, so I guess it¡¯s not too bad as a way to equip them. Spears and shields are pretty easy to grab too, so if I¡¯m in a pinch it¡¯s not a bad idea.¡¯ The pair returned to the guild, where most of their group relaxed. Adam eyed up the armour the group wore, and his eyes fell to Vonda. ¡®I should probably equip our Priest with plate mail too. I¡¯ve got enough enough to equip her, but would she feel mad? She probably has enough money after betting too, probably? Would she rather donate it to her temple?¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking so deeply about?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Something stupid.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re our designated lifesaver, otherwise we¡¯d have a problem.¡± Adam slowly smiled, chuckling lightly. Vonda continued to smile at him. ¡°So we will leave in the morning?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you done with your business?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Did you need to buy scale armour?¡± ¡°I gave my word.¡± ¡°Who is the scale armour for?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be a gift to someone special.¡± ¡°A special someone?¡± ¡°No, someone special. I don¡¯t think I have a special someone.¡± Adam leaned back. ¡®I do need a mother for my kids. Thank Baktu they haven¡¯t asked about their mother. They¡¯re a little young so far, so I have what, one or two years before they start asking? Three years if I¡¯m lucky.¡¯ Vonda decided against interrupting Adam¡¯s thoughts, seeing as he was thinking about his children. Who is the scale armour for? If you read on patreon don''t reply here with the answer! 616. Journey To Southshire 616. Journey To Southshire ¡°Who are they?¡± Adam asked as the group trekked along the King¡¯s Road through the hilly forest. He could see a pair up ahead who had glanced the group¡¯s way before pulling away into the forest. ¡°Tribesfolk,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We will go speak with them.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The trio of Iyrmen stepped forward along the King¡¯s Road, while Adam glanced around. He had yet to trek this way previously, for this was the path north from River Hill, which apparently led to a place called South Shire. ¡®To the north towards South Shire?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I¡¯m bad enough at geography without this nonsense.¡¯Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Deathsingers,¡± the young woman said, no later than in her thirties, while the other was a young man in his late twenties. The pair looked like any other Aldishman, pale skin, with brown hair and brown eyes. They wore thick furs and carried blades at their side, though they did not concern the Iyrmen one bit. ¡°You are so far from home?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°A cub of ours is missing.¡± ¡°Missing?¡± ¡°Some beasts came upon us suddenly, and our father took her to safety. We found him dead, and our sister nowhere to be seen. We followed her scent this far, but it has faded.¡± It didn¡¯t answer Jurot¡¯s question, since they were still at least fifty miles away from their region, but he decided against prodding further. ¡°We have not come across her.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to help us?¡± the young woman asked. Jurot remained silent for a moment. ¡°I am Jurot.¡± ¡°Kanya.¡± ¡°I have learned your name, Kanya,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I have learned your name, Jurot,¡± Kanya replied. ¡°I will speak with my brother,¡± Jurot stated, making no promises. ¡°Come.¡± Adam eyed up the pair as they approached with the Iyrmen. ¡®Aldishmen? Just the pair?¡¯ ¡°They are looking for their little sister,¡± Jurot said. ¡°How little are we talking?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is nearly one hundred moon cycles,¡± the woman said. ¡°About seven, then?¡± Adam replied, furrowing his brows, annoyed he had to do maths. ¡°Alright, where did you last see her, and which way did she go?¡± ¡°She passed through...¡± the young woman¡¯s eyes slowly passed through the party to Umbra. ¡°Deathsinger?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The pair of strangers stared at Umbra, their noses twitching. ¡°She is with us,¡± Jurot said. Kanya¡¯s eyes met Jurot¡¯s for a moment, before they returned back to Umbra. However, Umbra was looking off to one side, further west, through the forest. ¡°Hello?¡± Adam called. Kanya remained frozen still in place, but she visibly relaxed, only for her head to snap to the side, her brother¡¯s head doing the same. They tilted their heads, standing at the ready as they stared into the forest. ¡°Excuse me,¡± called a voice from the forest, a familiar voice. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Adventurers can pay the most and the least in taxes,¡± Rick said. ¡°The gate fees also strike adventurers the worst. It¡¯s usually one copper per head for most people, and for most adventurers. Sometimes it¡¯s a silver, like during war time, but for adventurers? During war time it¡¯s a gold per head.¡± ¡°Fair enough. How much do you usually pay in taxes?¡± ¡°One gold per head for each adult in the household, but we also have to pay for the land we work, and the land we live on. All the land within Aldland belongs to the royal family of Blackwater, so everyone has to pay the land tax to them.¡± ¡°Sounds like a lot of tax.¡± ¡°Roughly half our income,¡± Rick said, nodding his head. ¡°Still, we can eat our fill, and can spend a few days drinking without much worry.¡± ¡°And saving for school?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re lucky.¡± Adam eyed up the five riders who made their way towards the group. Each wore chain, like their steeds, though they also wore plate armour over it, though their legs were also covered in steel. They wielded long spears in one hand, holding the reins of their mighty steeds in the other, and each carried more weapons at their side. ¡°Halt!¡± came a shout from one of the riders, while they slowed down in front of the group. The heavily armoured riders wore a tabard over their armour which was bronze in colour, with two S¡¯s, though they were staggered in a way that each was in the centre, but the left S was higher, and the right lower. ¡°State your names and your business.¡± ¡°Adam, of Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Adam replied, motioning a hand to his companions. ¡°We¡¯ve come to pass through.¡± ¡°Where are you headed to?¡± ¡°West Fort.¡± ¡°What is your business in West Fort?¡± Adam looked to Jurot, unsure if this was an appropriate amount of questioning. ¡°First of all, who are you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who are you? You¡¯re asking a lot of questions, but you haven¡¯t introduced yourselves.¡± The heavily armoured riders glanced between one another, while Jurot spoke up. ¡°They are guards of South Shire.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Just making sure. Uh, we have friends in West Fort that we¡¯re meeting.¡± ¡°How long do you plan to stay in South Shire.¡± ¡°A night, I think?¡± Adam looked to his companions. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take too long getting to West Fort, we¡¯re in a bit of a rush.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a rush.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam looked to his companions, wondering if he should say it. ¡°What¡¯s with all these questions.¡± ¡°Just making sure you¡¯re above board. If you have nothing to hide, then you should be able to answer my questions. If you¡¯re hesitant, it means you have something to hide, and we might not be willing to let you inside the walls of South Shire.¡± ¡°Alright, fair, I suppose. We¡¯re in a rush to help a friend of ours with a missing friend of his. Magic can¡¯t seem to reach her, but we¡¯re not sure if she¡¯s dead. I¡¯d like to do it quickly, so I can eventually return back to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Back to the Iyr?¡± the guard asked, eyeing up all the Iyrmen. ¡°What business do you have with the Iyr?¡± ¡°My children are in the Iyr and they¡¯ll be turning one.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°This here is Jurot. He¡¯s my brother. I¡¯m not an Iyrman. I have children in the Iyr being looked after by his family. Their first birthday is soon. I¡¯d like to be there on that day. Jurot¡¯s grandfather is fighting the war. He won¡¯t be there for their birthday. He adores the twins a lot, they¡¯re adorable after all. When he comes back from the war, after missing their birthday, I¡¯m going to bully him. I can only do that if I manage to get there on time.¡± ¡°...¡± You know what? When he''s right, he''s right. 617. Journey To West Fort 617. Journey To West Fort The group spent only the night in South Shire, Adam not feeling comfortable considering how they had been treated the previous evening. There had almost been a fight when the guards asked for Adam to remove his helmet and the Half Elf had refused. ¡°We placed well in the Noonval Tournament so we¡¯ve got gold to spend. If you don¡¯t want us to spend it in South Shire, just tell me, we¡¯ll go camp outside and continue along our way.¡± Though the guards had tried to extort the group for gold coins, Jurot revealed the silver plaque which they had received from the Duchess, and the situation was quickly resolved. The days continued to pass as they travelled through the plains and the hills of Central Aldland, the sun high above still roasting them, though the air had begun to grow chilly. They managed to stay within the village around the nearby order before they finally arrived at Eagle Wing. The walls of Eagle Wing were long and wide, wrapping around towards the hills, where they wrapped upwards to protect the tiered city. The guards outside stood tall and proud in their breastplate, each stamped with the symbol of an eagle. Dusky tan cloaks fell from their shoulders, with spears in hand, and short blades at their side. Small wings of metal peeked from the side of their helmets, reminding Adam of the avian helmets of those of the Order of Wings. ¡°I forgot how serious the guards looked,¡± Adam admitted, eyeing up the guards as they approached. ¡°Halt!¡± came a shout from a guard, who raised their hand towards the strangers. ¡°State your name and business.¡± ¡°Adam, of Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Adam motioned behind him. ¡°We¡¯re just passing through Eagle Wing to get to West Fort.¡± ¡°What is your business in West Fort?¡± Adam let out a sigh. ¡°We want to help a friend of mine help his missing friend, and West Fort seems to be the place they might be.¡± The guards eyed Adam up, noting his Bronze tag, his puthral armour, and the cart and steed. ¡°What is in the cart?¡± ¡°Some companions, and barrels of food,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Is it for trade?¡± ¡°No, but we do have a silver plaque from the Duchess of East Port.¡± ¡°You do?¡± the guard asked, uncharacteristic surprise filling their voice for a moment. Jurot revealed the plaque, which they then took and checked, before they nodded and allowed Adam and the others through. The pathway inside the town was wide, extremely wide. Fifty people could stand side by side with ease if they needed. The next tier began almost a half mile ahead, with its own set of walls and guards, but the bustling people made it hard to see. The floor was smooth, the buildings to the side were made of smooth stone, or wood, each of them formed into small cubes. Everything in the city was was a light tan or a creamy colour, and most people wore muted clothing. Many people walked about with a small blade or axe at their side, and some carried staffs too. ¡°It feels so weird considering how bright and colourful East Port was,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Sir Vonda agreed, glancing around. She could feel a chill run through the back of her spine from the lack of vibrant colours. However, she noted the large number of accessories the people wore, and the ways they were fashioned. Though the colours were muted, the people wore their colours in various different fashions. ¡°How long until we get to West Fort from Eagle Wing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If we hurry, six to seven days. If we take caution, ten days.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s much quicker than I originally thought,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°There are hills, then the plains, and then the forest and hills beyond, before we will finally arrive at West Fort,¡± Jurot said, simply. ¡°We make decent pace thanks to the cart and your steed.¡± ¡°Sometimes I have my moments.¡± The group spent only the night in Eagle Wing, the party fund also replenishing their food. Adam had first cycled his berries between the people, but upon feeling how awkward it was when some of the group were eating and talking over food, while others sat awkwardly, he had stopped the practise, even though it cost several gold daily. However, he did eat berries himself every so often, with the other Iyrmen around also joining in, as well as their Priest of Life, Vonda. Omen: 3, 3 ¡°You have got to be kidding me,¡± Adam said, staring out into the forest. ¡°Didn¡¯t you head south?¡± The pencil thin Crowseer flashed a smile from behind his cloth mask. ¡°It is good to see you again, Adam.¡± ¡°For once, I¡¯m not causing any issues, and yet you¡¯re bothering me, what, twice? Three times now?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± ¡°Well, no, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°There are rumours he is allied with other great Idols, though I do not know of which,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam wondered how many Idols travelled the land. ¡°You think I could become an Idol?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam noted the others throw him queer looks. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t asked such an obvious question in a long time,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Well, you know... it¡¯s been a while since I said something stupid.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± Lucy replied, sipping her soup. ¡°You talked about how chubby Lanarot would be when you returned, and if Gurot would be as chubby too.¡± ¡°Like I said, I haven¡¯t said anything stupid in a while,¡± Adam repeated. ¡°It will take us more than two weeks to return to the Iyr,¡± Jurot said, trying to change the topic. ¡°We will not have much time to assist Dunes.¡± ¡°Mnnn.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll leave him with a bunch of gold that he can use to search for his friend if we aren¡¯t done. Do you know of any information networks in West Fort?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Any that deal with missing people?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Could you meet with them and ask them for help?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°If they want a ton of gold, that¡¯s fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve got gold to burn.¡± ¡°I will discuss with them,¡± Jurot assured. Rick stared down at his soup, listening to what the pair were talking about, before going on to recall what happened this year. He looked to his companions, and leaned in to whisper to John. ¡°John. Did we meet a Goddess?¡± ¡°We did,¡± John confirmed, his throat closing as he tried to swallow, before he calmed his heart. Rick slowly nodded his head, sipping his soup. Once he was done, he went to bathe in the tower. He used the soap he had bought in East Port, which was beginning to run out, but he still had another full bar in his pack. He stared at the soap in his hand. ¡®Did I smell well meeting the Goddess?¡¯ The thought was the second most grateful Rick had been towards Adam, the first being the mass of gold coins he had made betting on the Half Elf. The days continued to pass as the group made their way through the forest and hills, seeing the mountain to their north east, and the cool air from the sea from the west. ¡°Jurot, I feel like you told me that this area was particularly dangerous,¡± Adam said, spotting the plains ahead, and the large river which cut through the city in the distance. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did we manage to travel for weeks through Central Aldland without coming across any beasts or anything?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°The bands may have dealt with the Beast Waves,¡± Jurot said, though he agreed that it felt weird. He had heard there were very few this year, much less than anticipated. ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You think maybe Crowseer had something to do with it?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°Are we going to have problems in West Fort?¡± ¡°We may.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Damn. I don¡¯t like it, Jurot. We... coming across nothing now means something bad will happen later.¡± I don''t like this... 618. West Fort I 618. West Fort I The walls of West Fort were large, made of thick stone. The city was large, and spread all across the land, starting from the sea, and heading towards the mountains to their right. Adam could spot the walls continued all the way to the mountains, losing themselves to the horizon in the distance. ¡°How many people are in West...¡± Adam¡¯s brow twitched. ¡°Is this place West Fort or West Port?¡± ¡°West Fort is West Port,¡± Jurot replied. Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°There are almost two million people in West Fort. It is the capital of West Aldland,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Is this the place Duke Lionheart is from?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°You think we¡¯ll meet him?¡± ¡°No, he is fighting on the front line.¡± ¡°Oh. Cool. I¡¯ve met with the Duchess, so I thought perhaps I could meet the Duke.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°You have met the Duke previously.¡± ¡°I have?¡± History Check D20 + 6 = 8 (2) ¡°When we first made our way to the Iyr,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°A carriage made its way to Red Oak from the villages. The handsome man with yellow hair and blue eyes.¡± ¡°Oh. You know what? I think I do remember that.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I remember he tried to scare me. He hated me for being a Half Elf, right?¡± ¡°He disliked you for it, yes.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he try to threaten the Iyr?¡± ¡°He tried.¡± ¡°Hmm. What do you think?¡± ¡°What do I think?¡± ¡°Can the Iyr take on West Aldland.¡± ¡°West Aldland is difficult,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Almost as difficult as North Aldland.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The warriors from North Aldland are considered the greatest of all Aldishmen, they are the hardiest. South Aldland¡¯s warriors are greatest with the bow. East Aldland¡¯s warriors are greatest on the sea. Central Aldland possesses the greatest cavalry. West Aldland, however, may not be the greatest in any of these regards, but they are decent in all matters.¡± ¡°Ah, a jack of all trades.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head while Jurot tried to understand what Adam was talking about. ¡°Jurot, why is everything always about the army?¡± ¡°There is a civil war.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah.¡± Adam looked around, seeing how peaceful the land was. ¡°It¡¯s always weird when war happens. Lots of death. Lots of, you know, other bad stuff. Lots of migrants, refugees, and so on. Feels weird. I, uh...¡± Adam glanced back to the rest of his companions, before sighing. ¡®Yeah. War is real. Probably best not to think about what the great patriots of each country are doing to their enemies.¡¯ The road led to a set of large gates, each manned by guards wearing a scale tunic over mail, wielding spears in hand, with blades at their side. Long rectangular shields rested on the ground, a hand resting against the top of each, as though daring the group to act up in front of them. Their helmets were open faced, with what appeared to be angry eyes glaring down from above. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Jurot replied, recalling the memory. ¡°Father slew two dire wolves, and aunt slew two, but almost fell to the third.¡± ¡°Your father only killed two because he was too busy protecting us,¡± Sir Roland stated, smiling. ¡°What a great warrior he was, and I¡¯m sure you are just as great.¡± ¡°I placed first in the Noonval Tournament,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Hah! Of course you did!¡± Sir Roland laughed. ¡°Did you all fight in the tournament?¡± ¡°Kitool took second, and Adam took third, only surrendering to Sir Roseia and Sir Karra,¡± Jurot confirmed. Lord Zakaria was certain of it now. One of the riders beside the Lord approached him and leaned in to whisper something into his ear. Though the Lord had heard the specific phrase, and though he was certain the member of the order was right, his eyes did not go from Jurot to the cart. Originally, he had planned to request coin from the group, at least ten gold, which would have paid for the horses¡¯ feed for a short while at least. Yet, upon seeing the group of Iyrmen, and not just a group of Iyrmen, but Iyrmen with that tattoo, he fell still and silent. ¡°What of the rest of your group?¡± Sir Roland asked. ¡°We hold at least one Master, and the weakest are each Experts, or near Experts,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°The entire group?¡± Sir Roland asked, spotting the teen Iyrmen. They were each probably eighteen or so? Experts, though? ¡°Yes. They all placed well in the tournament too. Nobby was first place, and my Cousins placed second to seventh.¡± ¡°They¡¯re really Experts?¡± Sir Roland asked once more, looking across the entire group. ¡°What of the porters?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Sir Roland stared at the group, and then his eyes fell to Jurot. ¡°How amazing. Do you intend to sell your blade to fight in the war?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°If you are, I hope you¡¯ll join the WAF.¡± ¡°We will remember your words.¡± Sir Roland nodded. ¡°A pleasure to see you again, and I do hope you will visit our estate one day.¡± ¡°I will remember your words. If we come to West Aldland again, I will surely pay a visit.¡± ¡°We should be leaving,¡± the Lord said, before leading his horse away, leaving the soldier beside him stunned, while Sir Roland retreated back to the company. The third soldier was certain he had warned the Lord, but he wasn¡¯t going to do anything? ¡°Your family is pretty cool, eh?¡± Adam said, chuckling as he watched the company leave. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It feels weird they didn¡¯t start any issues...¡± ¡°Lord Zakaria is a Baron, and Sir Roland is the second son of a Count,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It would have been awkward to deny Sir Roland his respect.¡± ¡°Yeah, but still. The Baron was giving you a weird look.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I wonder why...¡± Adam watched as the company left, riding away as about twenty riders fell behind the chariot to protect it from behind. ¡°What¡¯s the WAF?¡± ¡°The Western Auxiliary Force,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Ah.¡± The nobles... didn''t start a fight? 619. West Fort II 619. West Fort II ¡°To allow Demons to travel the land, it is a-,¡± ¡°Sir Markin, do not misunderstand,¡± Lord Zakaria replied. ¡°I am glad for your counsel, but you must remember there are many who know things you do not.¡± ¡°If the order learns of this matter-,¡± ¡°You should be wary of trying to break our cohesion with your incessant complaining about the matter,¡± the Baron replied, glaring at the knight through his helmet. ¡°Have you no idea why I may have decided against starting trouble?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°You heard how powerful they were,¡± the Baron said. ¡°Even their porters are Experts.¡± ¡°Tall tales, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°From an Iyrman?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You have no idea who that Iyrman is, do you?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Apparently, his father assisted Sir Roland, that alone should be enough to stifle your complaints, but if it¡¯s not enough, then perhaps I should tell you of another who holds the same tattoo?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Did you receive news recently about a Vice Commander of your order.¡± ¡°Yes, he...¡± The rider fell silent for along moment, recalling the information he had received. He reached up to the amulet on his chest, that of a black moon. ¡°That young Iyrman, he...¡± ¡°When I was a boy, I was expected to study in order to take the duties of a Baron. Every morning I would run along the same trail before I would bathe. I do not remember the soap I had used, whether it was from Aswadasad or East Port. I would eat porridge, but I do not remember which fruit I ate with it. As we age, our memories of our past change, so we forget obvious details...¡± The Baron fell silent for a long moment. ¡°We received a guest that day. A young Iyrman, around the same age as Sir Roland is now. Apparently, he had visited our family once previously, in order to fight against the captain of our guard. Do you recall of the one called Seasword?¡± ¡°Dane Seasword?¡± ¡°Dane Seasword,¡± Lord Zakaria confirmed. ¡°Are you talking about the same Seasword who went to the northern island and returned back alive?¡± ¡°The very same.¡± ¡°I know of him.¡± ¡°He was the captain of our guard.¡± ¡°Five thousand.¡± ¡°Is that a large number?¡± Adam asked, considering the city could easily raise a hundred thousand. ¡°There is a larger number of soldiers in the north, where most skirmishes occur,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°The five thousand within the fort are veterans. It does not include other outposts nearby, they house an additional five thousand soldiers, a thousand of which are riders, like those who had left.¡± ¡°So about ten thousand?¡± ¡°Five thousand in the main fort, and a thousand in each outpost nearby,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°There are conscripts who are trained and used as a reserve force for policing too, and they number five thousand in this city, and a thousand in other towns and cities within Central Aldland.¡± ¡°Do the cities have their own guard?¡± ¡°Yes. The reserve force are additional warriors, those which are gathered first to be led by the experienced veterans.¡± ¡°Oh, makes sense.¡± The Adventurer¡¯s Guild within West Fort was built near the docks district, beside a stream. It was built as large as the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in East Port, and could easily house dozens of parties with ease, and perhaps hundreds if required. Nearby was a guard outpost, and an estate full of artisans. As they entered the guild Adam noted how relaxed everyone was. Though adventurers relaxed in the other guilds, here most people only carried a blade at their side, and there were fewer people adorned in any bit of armour. ¡®What¡¯s this about?¡¯ Adam thought, before glancing to the side where he saw the familiar form of his companions. ¡°Dunes!¡± Adam called out as Jurot went towards the reception to speak of their business. ¡°Adam!¡± Dunes replied, standing up quickly to greet the Half Elf. ¡°Were your travels safe?¡± ¡°They were, they were,¡± Adam replied, shaking his forearm. ¡°How have you all been?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been well.¡± Dunes flashed a charming smile towards the Half Elf. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Adam.¡± ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s... fine,¡± Dunes sighed lightly, though his face was still filled with half a smile. ¡°We¡¯re still looking for Amira, but we have been unable to locate her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m here now.¡± Adam pat Dunes¡¯ back. ¡°We¡¯ve got quite the story to tell you, my friend.¡± ¡°I noticed,¡± Dunes replied, motioning his head to Jonn. ¡°He would not tell us.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°He said that it would be best if it came from the lips of Adam, or the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not wrong.¡± Adam chuckled, before going to greet Lady Sara, Korin, Fred, and finally Jonn. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jonn replied, before falling silent. Well, he was the first one to beat Adam, so he must have been kind of strong?Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com 620. West Fort III 620. West Fort III ¡°How is it that such things always happen to you?¡± Dunes laughed. The buzz of alcohol permeated through him, as it did for most of them. The group was no longer in the guild, but an inn which Kitool had found for them. There were a fair number of patrons, with quite a few who seemed to wear fine clothing, with rings that denoted their families. They were taken to an underground room lit by small gem stones, and food and drinks had been brought to them before they were left be for the next hour, with walls which could not hear. Jaygak frowned, thinking about how useful she had been to Adam. ¡®Attacking him first was good, but...¡¯ She looked to Kitool who had brought them to a place they could speak freely, something extremely valuable to Adam, who wanted to speak his words freely. She glanced aside, noting the lack of Jurot, who had gone to do what was expected of him. He had done so much for Adam, unlike her. ¡°It do be that way sometimes,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. Since Kitool had said it was safe to speak, he had decided to tell Dunes as much as he could, all the while sipping his tea. He had decided against drinking, wanting to keep his mind clear. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll be here for at least a few weeks to try and help you. I¡¯ve got gold to burn, so let¡¯s not spare any expense in helping you find your wom-, friend.¡± Adam cleared his throat, though his eyes sparkled mischievously. Dunes sighed, fighting away the flush on his cheeks. ¡°It will be awkward to find her still. There are almost two million people in this city, and two million across the region at least.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find her,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Jurot said he might know some people who can help.¡± Jaygak¡¯s brow twitched, and she slumped slightly. ¡®Jurot will probably meet one of his contacts. It¡¯s awkward for me to move freely since we¡¯re in West Aldland.¡¯ She looked to Uwajin, who was perhaps the only one who would find it more difficult to act alone in the city, due to West Aldland¡¯s general hatred of Horcs, though of course she was no Horc, she was an Iyrman. ¡°You don¡¯t have to spend any coin in helping, we can sort it out diplomatically,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°There are two metals which allow diplomacy,¡± Adam said. ¡°Gold and steel.¡± ¡°Steel is not a metal, it is an alloy,¡± Korin spoke up, sipping more of his drink right after. ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Adam grumbled, while they continued to drink and eat within the underground room. The bread here was soft, not quite as bland as typical bread. ¡®Did they put milk into it? I bet Lanababy would love it.¡¯ While the group were having fun eating and drinking their fill, Jurot was busy with his own business. He had decided to head to a particular building on a particular road, to place down a particular amount of coin, to meet with a particular fellow. Jurot was led to a room in the back, where he sat by the candle light, his arms crossed. ¡°How long have you been following me?¡± Jurot asked the darkness. ¡°Not that long,¡± the young man replied, before stepping out from the shadows and into the light, grabbing the chair, turning it around so that his back was free to leap away in peace. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give us a report before you make a request?¡± ¡°I can give my report to you,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°So what¡¯s your name?¡± the young hooded man asked. ¡°You should introduce yourself first.¡± ¡°You can call me Tarren.¡± He flashed a charming smile towards Jurot. ¡°Jurot, son of Sonarot.¡± ¡°First place in the Noonval Tournament,¡± Tarren noted. ¡°I¡¯m rather scared to be stuck in the same room with you.¡± Jurot was pretty sure he could beat the young man, though it would have been awkward due to how swift they could move. If he could have the first swing, he¡¯d win for sure. Still, it would have been an awkward fight. ¡°What is your rank?¡± ¡°Silver.¡± ¡®Is he the next...¡¯ Jurot let the thoughts fall away. ¡°I am in need of you to find someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Amira. She is a Devilkin from Aswadasad.¡± ¡°You think she¡¯s here?¡± ¡°She may or may not be,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Are you calling in a favour?¡± ¡°We will pay for it.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°I have more than that,¡± Adam stated. ¡°I¡¯ve got all this gold, now tell me, what am I going to spend it on?¡± ¡°Your business?¡± ¡°Sure, but if I need a few thousand gold, I¡¯ll just work and make a bunch of gold,¡± Adam said, letting slip his ability to make too much gold too quickly. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to spend the money on right now, so I might as well help you out.¡± ¡°Adam, that¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not doing it out of the good of my heart. I¡¯m doing it because it¡¯s an investment in you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll repay me in some way, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much, Adam.¡± ¡°Gold is meant to be spent,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Just because my children are part Dragons, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m a Dragon.¡± Jaygak let out a cough, stifling her laughter. There¡¯s no way he could be a Dragon, considering how much wealth he had given up freely. ¡°You¡¯re going to spend thousands of gold on Dunes?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Just like that?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Adam... are you actually crazy?¡± Jaygak asked. It was a weird question to ask, since she knew the answer. She continued to drink down more wine, staring up at the crazy Half Elf. ¡°If I need money, I¡¯ll just borrow it from the Iyr,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll pay them back as much as they want, so it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Still, it¡¯s so much money!¡± Jaygak exchanged glances with Dunes, who seemed uncomfortable that Adam was doing so much for him. However, it wasn¡¯t like she was trying to talk him out of it. ¡°Dunes isn¡¯t a stranger to me,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I can spend three hundred gold bringing back Rick from death, then spending a few thousand gold on Dunes makes sense.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a few thousand gold, Adam! It¡¯s ten thousand! Ten thousand gold!¡± Jaygak threw back another shot of wine, sighing. ¡°Do you know what you can do with that much gold? If you wanted to be a noble, you could do so! You could even create a small army with that much coin!¡± ¡°Become a noble? What kind of guy do you think I am?¡± Adam shouted back at her, his jaws tensing. ¡°Jaygak, are you trying to start a fight?¡± ¡°Draw your axe right now, you crazy bastard!¡± Jaygak shouted at him. ¡°If you think I won¡¯t beat you up just because I¡¯m weaker than you, then you have forgotten I¡¯m an Iyrman too!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my money! I can spend it however I want! If I want to give each of my children three thousand gold, I¡¯ll do it damn it! If I want to spend it all on Dunes, then I¡¯ll spend it all on Dunes. If I want to throw it into the sea, I¡¯ll throw it into the sea! You can¡¯t stop me!¡± Adam shouted back at her, the pair threatening to fight one another. ¡°Damn it, Adam! You crazy bastard!¡± ¡°Whose a bastard? You¡¯re the bastard, Jaygak!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Jaygak threw herself at Adam. Athletics Check D20 + 8 = 21 (13) They grabbed onto each other¡¯s hands and Jaygak forced Adam to sit back down, pinning him under her. ¡°There¡¯s a limit to how much of a fool you can be, Adam!¡± ¡°A fool?¡± Adam grit his teeth, trying to push her away from him. She almost looked like she really wanted to kill him, or perhaps it was something else? ¡°You can call me a fool for starting a fight with the Duchess, but you can¡¯t call me a fool for wanting to help my friend!¡± ¡°I can call you a fool for whatever reason I want! Your gold is your gold, but my tongue is my tongue!¡± ¡°Jaygak,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Enough.¡± Jaygak stared down at Adam, the pair still wrestling with one another, hands intertwined roughly. She slowly relaxed, and Adam did the same, before she finally retreated back. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, Adam,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t a crazy idiot, you wouldn¡¯t like me as much.¡± Jaygak covered her eyes, her face twitching as she forced herself to calm down. She wiped away the tears with her palms. ¡°Damn it, Adam.¡± Poor Jaygak. She''s surrounded by monsters and can''t do a damn thing. She did roll really high for that athletics check though! 621. West Fort IV 621. West Fort IV ¡°Dunes, come with me back to the Iyr,¡± Adam said, looking to the Aswadian priest. ¡°You should come and see them on their first birthday.¡± ¡°Adam, I...¡± Dunes almost tilted his head. He stared at Adam, long and hard. He wanted to refuse. The first time Dunes had met the little Goblin babies, he had threatened to kill them. It was the first time Adam had ever threatened him, not as a joke, but with every intent to beat him down. Now he was spending a thousand gold each month in order to get him to visit them on their first birthday. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll put up the gold for them to search until Dawnval passes,¡± Adam said. ¡°Then we¡¯ll head back to West Fort and we can spend the entire year searching for your friend. I¡¯ll help, and whoever else wants to help will help too.¡± Dunes sighed. He reached up to rub his eyes. ¡°Adam. Seriously...¡± Adam smiled innocently towards the Aswadian priest. Rick sighed too, leaning back as he gave up. The other farmers exchanged looks with one another too. Remy and Jeremy decided just to act normal, deciding to ignore everything they had heard in order to be able to sleep well that evening. Lady Sara and Korin exchanged looks between one another too, though they weren¡¯t certain what they should think. Jonn sipped his wine slowly, pouring some for Fred, the young Aldishman raising his cup to the Half Elf in thanks, the pair just enjoying their drinks calmly while the others did their best to understand Adam. They had long decided against trying to understand what Adam was. Once the group was done with eating, they returned back to the guild, in order to put some space between themselves and the inn. Nirot stared up at the ceiling above her in her room. When she had first met Adam, she had believed him to be an idiot, a charlatan. When he had beaten her, he had earned her respect for being a decent fighter, but she didn¡¯t truly believe any of his words. However, as the years passed, she realised what Adam was. Naqokan stared at the ceiling in her own room, wondering how she could manage to win the Half Elf¡¯s heart. She was his Cousin, which seemed to put some distance between them in that particular way. ¡®No. Is it because I am an Iyrman?¡¯ Korin stared at the ceiling too, his thoughts remaining on Adam. A thousand gold a month? A thousand gold was more than a decade¡¯s worth of work for poorest of their land. The average wage was roughly ten to fifteen gold, and much of that went to taxes. Adam could spend a hundred people¡¯s salary every year to find their friend, Amira? All because of Dunes? Jaygak sipped her wine slowly, leaned up against Kitool. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. How can he be this stupid?¡± ¡°Adam is Adam,¡± Kitool replied. Jaygak sniffled. ¡°How can he do this to us? He¡¯s bullying us too much.¡± ¡°He enjoys bullying you.¡± ¡°How can he enjoy bullying Dunes more? I thought he was my friend like that! Aren¡¯t I his friend, Kitool?¡± ¡°You are.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°That idiot, he¡¯ll spend thousands of gold on us, and he¡¯ll even spend more than ten thousand for Dunes. Dunes! He¡¯s not even an Iyrman!¡± ¡°Dunes is his friend.¡± ¡°The mines?¡± Adam said after breakfast. ¡°I suppose that makes sense?¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure about the slavery issue in the land. He hadn¡¯t seen any from what he had seen of the land, but he supposed if they worked out of sight, it made sense. ¡°Hmmm. I think you should take Sir Vonda with you, just in case. I should head to the bank to ready the gold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ready the gold,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I received an extra thousand and a half gold from an idiot that I don¡¯t need, so I¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°Being an idiot is my thing, Jaygak,¡± Adam replied. ¡°No, I guess it¡¯s your thing too?¡± Jaygak sighed, but let it go as a small smirk appeared on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s not like it was really my money anyway.¡± ¡°It was given to you so it¡¯s your money.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll spend my money however I want.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam watched as the Devilkin left, taking Kitool with her. ¡°You know, maybe I should beat her up. If she takes being an idiot away from me, then what do I have? Other than my adorable children, my dashing good looks, my wonderful heart, and being the most humble of the group?¡± Jurot almost let slip a smirk at the joke, but was acutely aware of the eyes on him. The group made their way out, and Jurot could spot a young man adorned in dark robes, his hood hiding much of his face. As they turned onto a main road, a pair of workers, carrying large sacks of wheat, walked across from them. ¡°You hear about the Devilkin in the mines? They say she¡¯s a worshipper of Lady Arya. Can you imagine that? A Devilkin worshipping Lady Arya? Next you¡¯ll tell me the sun is going to fall down from the sky.¡± Dunes blinked, his eyes snapping to Adam suspiciously, before seeing Adam¡¯s shocked face, his eyes meeting Dunes in return. Dunes swiftly marched over towards the workers, who could see an angry Aswadian marching up to them. ¡°Excuse me!¡± Dunes almost shouted towards them. ¡°You were talking about a Devilkin who worshipped Lady Arya.¡± Dunes pointed to his amulet, revealing the symbol of the Goddess, which caused the workers to relax slightly. ¡°Can you please tell me more about what you know?¡± ¡°I heard there was a Devilkin in the mines who said she was a worshipper of Lady Arya,¡± one worker said. ¡°Heard she was from an order or something?¡± ¡°Where did you hear this?¡± ¡°I just heard it about,¡± the man replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I heard about it before, about some Devilkin in the mines. I heard this morning it was someone who was worshipping the good Lady.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for the information,¡± Dunes said, scrambling for his pouch, before handing the pair a gold coin each. ¡°May Lady Arya bless you.¡± ¡°Oh, well kind of you,¡± the workers replied, bowing their heads. Dunes met Adam¡¯s eyes, who was staring into the sky, all the while thinking about how unlucky the day would be. ¡®Am I going to die today?¡¯ There''s no way... right? 622. West Fort V 622. West Fort V They sat within the barracks, waiting for the Commander of the barracks to arrive. Adam sipped the drink which had been placed out for them. The tea was quite bland, as though only a single tea bag had been used for all their cups, but tea was tea. ¡®I wish we had some milk and sugar...¡¯ The barracks were stark, grey and bare, with furniture that dug into them. If it weren¡¯t for the blankets which softened the sharp edges, Adam was pretty sure he¡¯d had cut himself. It was too cold for someone to say it was cool within the room, but not quite cold enough to be called cold, but more importantly, the entire area was filled with a heavy tension. Heavy steps approached the even heavier door, before it was almost slammed open by the tall, mighty form of the knight who had appeared. He wore full plate from head to toe, made of darker steel, with the symbol of a lion¡¯s head stamped atop the breast of the armour. The blade at his side was also made of dark steel, the golden pommel smooth, and from his sword belt a large ring of gold hung loosely. He wore a long cape of yellow, with golden pins which pinned the cloak to his shoulders. ¡°Commander Rodrick of the First Minor Fort,¡± the knight declared before removing his helmet, revealing his handsome face. He appeared to be in his fifties, though seemed to have aged quite gracefully. His hair was salt and pepper, and save for the tiny nick right below his ear, his face was smooth and unmarked. ¡°What is your business?¡± ¡°We wish to head to the mines to see if our missing companions is there,¡± Adam said. ¡°We have been searching for a Devilkin by the name of Amira, who is from the Order of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°What business do you have with such a fiend?¡± ¡°Our companion here, Dunes, is also from the Order of Black Mountain,¡± Adam said, before quickly continuing, ¡°and Lady Sara is also from the order too.¡± The Commander¡¯s eyes snapped to the other Devilkin within the room, the young woman with a gem cantered within her forehead. He was vaguely aware of the others, the Iyrman and Guardian from the same orders. As much as the Commander wanted to dismiss them, it was awkward when there was a formal treaty recognising even the Devilkin nobility from Aswadasad. ¡°Are you a Lady?¡± ¡°My parents are both Peysh,¡± the Devilkin confirmed. ¡°I have heard the Devilkin within the mines is not a noble.¡± ¡°She is not.¡± The Commander slowly nodded his head before turning his head to shout back. ¡°Bring more tea and food, and bring the Lady a cushion!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± came a shout from outside the room, before the sounds of heavy steps bolted away. The Commander took his seat opposite the group, eyeing them up. ¡°The Devilkin is currently enslaved within the mines, but I do not know much else about the situation.¡± ¡®Seriously,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I wonder how they¡¯ll get rid of slavery in this world.¡¯ ¡°If I recall, she arrived within the last three or four years, so she has at least two years left.¡± Adam¡¯s brow pulsed. ¡°She¡¯s been a slave for that long?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The First Minor Fort was an outpost which housed a thousand soldiers, though Adam noted only five hundred of them were active at the moment, with the nearby villages full of the other soldiers and at least ten thousand villagers. There were also young recruits, those in their teens, who were currently being trained out in the yard. ¡°How much did you offer?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°A fair price,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You will not tell me?¡± ¡°We can speak of it when we return to the business, Manager Dunes,¡± Adam replied, winking at the Aswadian. ¡°Right...¡± Adam wondered how much weight the silver plaque held. It was something he had used quite often, and it had gotten him out of several situations. ¡®Seems I¡¯ve got to make my bed with the Duchess...¡¯ If he hadn¡¯t used the silver plaque quite as often, he could have tried to remain distant with the Duchess. ¡®Politics, man...¡¯ The group remained to one side, out of the way of the soldiers. Adam relaxed, though the Aswadians remained tense, noting the way the soldiers stared at them, those who were technically enemies due to the ongoing war. It was an awkward situation, though Adam seemed to be rather relaxed while kicking it in the outpost. It was late afternoon by the time the soldier appeared at the outpost near the mines, a Captain from the First Minor Fort. The Captain had stated it was an emergency, and he had personally brought the Commander¡¯s seal, something the Marquis couldn¡¯t shirk easily. Upon reading the letter, the Marquis understood why the Commander had sent his personal seal with the Captain. ¡°What is it?¡± the older man opposite the Marquis asked. ¡°A letter pertaining to one of the slaves,¡± the Marquis replied. He was a man in his late forties, with blonde hair and green eyes, that of many of the noble families in West Aldland. He wore a breastplate, though very little other armour since he wasn¡¯t expecting any fights within the outpost. The blade at his side was made of darker steel, with a dark gem set within as its pommel. The older man wore no armour and was dressed in fine, if simple, attire. He had silver hair and green eyes, though streaks of blonde slipped through in bits and pieces. The wrinkles across his face suggested he was much older, though he had aged gracefully. He reached out with his scarred hands to take the piece of paper from his nephew, and read it. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Slaves were typically sold for one hundred to five hundred gold, so to see someone offer so much money for this slave, it was pretty awkward. However, technically, she was a slave with some status, since she was a prisoner of high value. One thousand gold wouldn¡¯t have been out of the ordinary, but considering the amount of magical items meant they had offered far larger than one thousand gold, he wondered what this Devilkin meant to them. ¡°The Enchanter would surely appreciate it. Signed, Executive Adam.¡± The older man stared down at the slip of paper. ¡°Executive Adam. Didn¡¯t he place third in the Noonval Tournament?¡± ¡°Did he?¡± the Marquis replied. The older man glared at the Marquis, causing him to slump slightly. ¡°So what will you do? Will you give up the golden egg which the Dragon has laid?¡± Meanwhile, Adam thought to send word to the Iyr about what he had offered. He was pretty sure his deal was good enough to set Amira free. Even if she held a higher rank within the order, his offer was just way too good. ¡®Ending slavery is expensive business! No wonder we had to pillage a subcontinent and force the freed slaves into working for free for decades!¡¯ There''s no way... right? 623. West Fort VI 623. West Fort VI ¡°Dunes?¡± called a voice from nearby. It was a figure adorned in heavy chain armour, with a blade strapped to her side and an amulet around her neck. ¡°Amira!¡± Dunes called out, almost in shock, though his heart stated he shouldn¡¯t be in such a shock, especially since he was here. ¡°What are you all doing here?¡± the woman asked, embracing Dunes with a hug, before doing the same with Korin and Sara. She said something in the Devilkin tongue, before chuckling. ¡°We came to find you,¡± Dunes replied, his heart pounding as his entire body flushed with the heat of relief. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Amira replied. ¡°I was told to inform you that all I did was work in the lumbercamp and the mines now and again.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Dunes asked, his eyes falling to the Captain beside her. ¡°True enough?¡± She shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I was moved here a few years ago, and I was working eight hours a day, five days a week. I didn¡¯t cause any trouble and they didn¡¯t cause any trouble with me. They said they sent word back to the order, but hadn¡¯t received word back.¡± ¡°The order did not received such word,¡± Sara replied, glaring at the Captain. ¡°We sent word to the order,¡± the Captain stated. ¡°We do not know if the message was received.¡± ¡°Not an unlikely story,¡± Sara stated, though she continued to glare at the Captain. ¡°We¡¯ve got to thank you for putting us up for the day, but we should be heading back,¡± Adam said, noting the tension in the room. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, we¡¯ll send the donations tomorrow, or you can send a few soldiers to come with us to get the gold.¡± ¡°Do you not wish to stay here for the night?¡± the Captain asked. ¡°Nah, I¡¯d rather spend the night in the guild,¡± Adam replied, wiggling his ears as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯d feel more comfortable there, though please send my thanks to the Commander.¡± ¡°I will call the Commander so you can give your greetings,¡± the Captain said, before quickly retreating away to find the Commander. Amira glanced between Adam and the Iyrman, before looking back to Dunes. ¡°Did you ask for the help of the Iyrmen and... whoever this stranger is?¡± ¡°Adam is no stranger,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Adam, this is Amira, a member of our order. Amira, this is Adam, he paid for your release.¡± ¡°I hope you paid a lot for me, since I¡¯m worth so much,¡± Amira said, extending her hand. ¡°I think I paid a fair amount,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°How much?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it when we return back to the guild.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you say it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a matter of the business.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll explain everything later.¡± She eyed up Adam¡¯s attire, noting the lack of armour, as well as the lack of his weapons. ¡®A merchant? No, he¡¯s quite well built for a merchant.¡¯ She noted the token around his neck too, which implied he was more than just an Expert, and that. The obsidian disc which revealed he was a follower of Baktu, the Iyrman¡¯s God of Death. Commander Rodrick appeared a short while later, still adorned in his heavy armour. ¡°I see that the matter has been settled well.¡± ¡°How fortunate,¡± Adam replied, smiling politely. ¡°I¡¯d like to return back to the city, if you don¡¯t mind. We prepared the gold before we made our way, but it¡¯s currently within the city proper. I¡¯d also like to rest within the guild, since I¡¯m an adventurer at heart. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± Adam continued to wiggle his ears as he spoke, and he raised his brows knowingly. ¡°I will send some soldiers with you to make sure you return safely,¡± the Commander said. ¡°Do you take payment in gems?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to transport back.¡± ¡°The soldiers will accept the gems from the guild,¡± the Commander replied, with a gentle bow. With their business sorted, Adam and his companions made their way back to the carriage. ¡°George, we¡¯re heading back.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the carriage driver replied, an older man in his fifties, adorned in clean, simple clothing, with silver buttons keeping his collar pinned to his shirt. Adam smiled as he saw the XP appear. ¡°Anyhow, you now have no excuse to skip my children¡¯s first birthday.¡± ¡°Adam, you...¡± Dunes began to sweat from the swirling emotions within him. Even now he couldn¡¯t handle the chaotic maelstrom known as Adam. ¡°It¡¯s just a bit of gold, so I don¡¯t want to hear about it,¡± Adam stated. ¡°If you¡¯re thankful, then you better bring a good gift for little Jibaby and Jababy. It can¡¯t be too good though, since mine has to be the best, but it still has to be good.¡± ¡°Jibaby? Jababy?¡± Amira asked. ¡°His children,¡± Dunes replied, before rubbing his face. There was more to say, but it was already confusing enough. Korin and Sara noted the look of utter bewilderment on Amira¡¯s face, who was still trying to understand how the conversation was flowing. They realised she was making the same faces they had when they first met Adam. ¡°Adam,¡± Korin said, patting Amira¡¯s back, ¡°is Adam.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means that...¡± Korin looked to Adam for a moment, before catching Jurot¡¯s gaze, and then he sighed. ¡°Just prepare yourself. This isn¡¯t the queerest he gets. He¡¯s...¡± Korin wondered what else he should say. ¡°He¡¯s quite the father.¡± ¡°Father?¡± Amira asked, trying to understand what any of this had to do with Adam being a father. ¡°We¡¯ll spend a while in West Fort,¡± Adam said, changing the topic quickly. ¡°We need to buy a ton of souvenirs back for the kids at the Iyr.¡± Amira gave Dunes a look, but Dunes replied that Adam wasn¡¯t queer in that way. ¡°You guys drink and eat, I need to go apologise to Brittany,¡± Adam said, getting up and leaving the Aswadians to catch Amira up. Jurot, too, left, taking Jaygak and Kitool with him. As they made their way down, Jurot stopped, waiting until Adam had left. He turned, looking at Jaygak. ¡°Did you do it?¡± ¡°Did I do what?¡± Jaygak replied, her face full of feigned innocence. Jurot remained silent, before he continued making his way down. He sat down at the table where Adam was apologising to Brittany. ¡°I promise the business will set this right one day,¡± Adam assured. ¡°I know,¡± Brittany replied. Though she had lost a magical weapon, she didn¡¯t feel too bad about it. ¡°If I¡¯m in trouble, will you help me this much too?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an investment I can¡¯t lose yet, Brittany,¡± Adam reassured, chuckling lightly. ¡°Am I just an investment?¡± Brittany asked. ¡°I have to say it that way, otherwise I¡¯ll say something embarrassing.¡± ¡°Something... embarrassing?¡± Brittany raised her brow. ¡°Even I have my limits, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What a crazy bastard.¡¯ Once the group was done eating, they made their way to their rooms. Adam stared at the shoulders of his brother as he stepped into his room. ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam called out. ¡°Thanks.¡± Jurot stood still for a moment. ¡°It was not me.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied. ¡®Was it just a coincidence then?¡¯ Meanwhile, in the darkness of the night, a young man stared at the wine bottle before him. The threat of the Iyrman played within his mind, keeping him awake. ¡°You¡¯d better find out quickly, otherwise I¡¯ll come for your neck,¡± she had said, handing him the bottle of wine. ¡®You didn¡¯t have to threaten me,¡¯ Tanner thought. ¡®The moment I received the thousand gold, I would have sent news shortly after.¡¯ The young man sighed, having accepted the bottle of wine instead of the gold. ¡®Who in the darks is Adam?¡¯ It was rare for any Iyrman to use their favour for an outsider, especially since if they weren¡¯t siblings. Jaygak, you''ll always be a hero in my heart. 624. West Fort VII 624. West Fort VII The group spent the next few days within West Fort, with Adam spending as much coin as he could before he began feeling guilty. ¡°He¡¯s just... buying stuff?¡± a young Aldishman asked while eating, his eyes glued to the Half Elf. He wore basic clothing, tan and cream, as most within West Fort did. At his side was a dagger, but many wore daggers at their side, so no one thought much of it. ¡°It seems like it...¡± his companion, another young Aldishman, wearing similar attire, replied. ¡°He¡¯s just buying stuff?¡± a young Aldishman asked while eating, his eyes glued to the Half Elf. He wore basic clothing, tan and cream, as most within West Fort did. At his side was a dagger, but many wore daggers at their side, so no one thought much of it. ¡°I can see that,¡± his companion, another young Aldishman wearing similar attire, replied. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the other pair also keeping an eye on the Half Elf. ¡°Looks like the guards are keeping an eye on him too.¡± ¡°Probably just want to keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s he so important anyway?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, isn¡¯t it?¡± Still, even he wondered what was so special about this Half Elf. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, holding up ribbons of a multitude of colours towards his brother. ¡°Should be good for our adorable little Cousins, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I know you don¡¯t think, but I¡¯m asking how good they are?¡± Adam stated, seriously, before his lips began to quiver. ¡°...¡± Jurot decided against playing into the joke. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you,¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°What else should we buy?¡± ¡°Weapons.¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Jurot, you¡¯re a genius.¡± Once the group was done with the smith, they headed back out to the guild, with a porter who assisted them with their donkey, which pulled the small cart along with it. The guards blinked at the smith¡¯s apprentice. ¡°He bought the weapons and armour for... children?¡± ¡°Babies,¡± the smith replied affirmatively. ¡°I heard they hadn¡¯t turned one yet.¡± ¡°...¡± The guard exchanged glances between one another. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± the smith¡¯s apprentice replied, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°You know how Iyrmen are.¡± ¡°Thank you for the information,¡± the guard said, placing down two silver coins onto the counter. The urchins blinked at the porter. ¡°He bought the weapons and armour for children?¡± ¡°Babies,¡± the porter replied affirmatively. ¡°Not even one yet.¡± ¡°Iyrmen babies?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I gathered.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± the urchins replied, nodding towards one another. ¡°Thanks Nine Finger Tom.¡± ¡°Ah course,¡± Nine Finger Tom replied, adjusting his flat cap. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard the previous Knight of the West is currently staying at West Peaks. My cousin¡¯s niece works as a server there, and she¡¯s sure of it.¡± ¡°West Peaks, eh? Thanks.¡± ¡°Ah course.¡± ¡°Your wheel¡¯s a little loose, head to Marty¡¯s and he¡¯ll put it right as wood,¡± the young urchin said, nodding at the porter before leaving him be. ¡°Thank yous.¡± As the days passed in West Fort, the group prepared for their journey. ¡°So about a month?¡± Adam asked. ¡°When¡¯s the childrens¡¯ birthdays exactly?¡± ¡°We will make it on time,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°Their birthdays begin at the end of the eighth month.¡± ¡°Could we spend a couple of days in Red Oak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam looked towards the rest of the group. Really, they could rush back to the Iyr since they didn¡¯t need to take the farmers and porters with them. He did want Nobby, though, since it would be the twins¡¯ first birthday and Nobby¡¯s job would be to protect them. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back soon. We¡¯ll rush back to Red Oak so they can return back to their families. It¡¯ll be almost half a year, so there might be issues if they remain any longer outside.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You know...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Considering the place is called West Fort, we had very little issues with the Awakened Wolves here.¡± Adam thought back to how easy it was for them to find lodging for the wolves, and how they hadn¡¯t had any issues at the gate either. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°West Aldland has an affinity with wolves.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°It appears his children are also extremely intelligent, even though they are so young.¡± ¡°Is it due to their Fae ancestry?¡± ¡°It may be the case, though he mentioned that his triplets had horns. He avoided the topic about them, but we realised that he was quite close to the Devilkin Iyrman too.¡± ¡°Could they be married?¡± ¡°They fight like it, but it does not seem to be the case.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Sir Vonda confirmed that Adam was unmarried, though he had five children.¡± ¡°Bastards?¡± ¡°Apparently, though we are uncertain if they are his by blood, since their definition of family is not by blood.¡± ¡°Did she give up any more information?¡± ¡°She said it was best not to pry too deeply about the children.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She said...¡± the Commander paused. ¡°I pray to Mother Soza, so I would like for you to live long lives.¡± The older Aldishman remained silent. The young woman was a member of one of the greatest orders in all the land, and so she could dare to threaten them like this. However, considering who she was, it didn¡¯t appear to be a threat. ¡®What is to be done with them?¡¯ Meanwhile, Adam and the others made their way southward, following along the main road back to Eagle Wing, so they could head south from there to Dead Wood, though they could have veered westward to the middle village. ¡°So, whose the Knight of the West?¡± Adam asked, once they were a safe distance away from West Fort. ¡°The current Knight of the West is Sir Johnson, the son of a merchant. He was trained by the previous Knight of the West. Sir Johnson became the Knight of the West in the past few years, after his mentor retired from the position.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? How strong was the previous Knight of the West.¡± ¡°Some say he is only slightly weaker than King¡¯s Sword,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°The previous Knight of the West, Sir Edward, was the only of the Five Knights of Aldland to keep his ego in check when they fought on the battlefield. King Merryweather had once stated that of all the Generals he had worked with, Sir Edward was the one he looked forward to working alongside most, after the King.¡± ¡°After the King, or did he just say that because he didn¡¯t want to offend the King?¡± ¡°The latter.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°In Aldland, the King is closest with those of North Aldland, but recently he has become closer with those of West Aldland. The Grand Duchess of the North, due to her relation to the previous Queen, managed to place northerners into the King¡¯s court, and the current King¡¯s Sword is also a northerner. However, the Knight of the West, the uncle of the current Marquis, managed to form closer relations between the Lionhearts and the King, and also shuffled westerners into the army, and the current Grand Minister, is a westerner.¡± ¡°Whoa...¡± ¡°The Knight of the West had a part to play in the frigid relationship between King Merryweather and the King. The pair have retired, but the Knight of the West had been more active in the King¡¯s life, beyond just teaching him. If King Merryweather had assisted during his retirement, they would not have come to blows this way.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. He wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever betray Jurot, but perhaps time would have created distance between them, and if something happened... ¡°So Sir Edward is a pretty scary guy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I should avoid him then.¡± ¡°It is too late for that.¡± ¡°It is?¡± ¡°The Marquis¡¯ family owns the mines, which Sir Edward assists in managing. Your offer must be known to him, and he has already looked into you.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam replied, frowning slightly. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡°It is?¡± ¡°He knows that we know that he is looking into you.¡± ¡°Jurot, why are you bullying me by reminding me about how scary you all are?¡± Umbra glanced between the Iyrmen. She had heard about the Iyr¡¯s fervour, so it was a surprise that the Iyr had lasted so long. Though, it appeared to be the case that the surrounding lands had also managed to survive for a while, compared to the other kingdoms and empires within this world, all with mortals who barely reached a hundred years of age under perfect conditions. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ When West Fort learns... Adam is Adam. 625. Journey Home I 625. Journey Home I Omen: 10, 13 ¡°Brightly coloured stuff, eh?¡± Adam said, staring at the stalls within Eagle Wing. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, recalling someone informing him about Goblin sight previously. ¡®So that¡¯s why they liked Jaygak.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll buy a bunch of that sort of thing then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Should I ask Jaygak about jewellery?¡¯ Adam thought as he finished buying up the items from Eagle Wing. Their journey had been disappointingly smooth. For whatever reason, many creatures left them be. It was as thought they had been walking around with a terrifying creature, like a Dragon, within their midst. Once at Eagle Wing, Adam allowed them an extra day, but he was eager to head to Red Oak, where he had several tasks to handle. ¡°Hey, Jaygak,¡± Adam called out before settling down with her and the other Iyrmen within the guild. ¡°Since you work with jewellery, could you make stuff for the kids if I get you some gold and silver?¡± ¡°I could.¡± ¡°Would you?¡± Jaygak remained silent for a long while. ¡°Perhaps?¡± ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°After all I¡¯ve done for you?¡± ¡°What have you done for me?¡± ¡°I only teased you a little when you lost the tournament.¡± Jaygak hummed quietly in thought. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± She smirked slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°I guess the kids don¡¯t need any jewellery yet, but I thought it would be nice for them to have something you made in their hoards, you know?¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Adam waved his hand, dismissing the topic since Jaygak was being difficult. He eyed up the group, noting how smooth everything was going. ¡®We might not be this lucky next year when we adventure. I should make us some rings? I could enchant them with protection magic and it should be able to bump our Defence.¡¯ ¡°Stop thinking so much, Adam,¡± Jaygak grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re making the food taste bad.¡± ¡°You sure are talkative now, Jaygak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re thinking too often.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always thinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always annoying.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far, Jaygak.¡± ¡°When you think about your children I leave it be,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°You can tell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°If the look on your face is stupid, you¡¯re thinking about something stupid. If it¡¯s really stupid, you¡¯re thinking about your children.¡± ¡®Are my thoughts always on my face?¡¯ Adam thought, making a face. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking about your children that time.¡± ¡°If I¡¯ve become so predictable, that¡¯s rather dangerous...¡± The next day the group set out of Eagle Wing, heading down towards Deadwood. As evening began approaching, they found a camp of soldiers who were making their way up towards Eagle Wing. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You do the... Kitool, you do the talking.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, going up with Sir Vonda and Jurot to speak with the group of soldiers. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Trouble on road?¡± ¡°We have been very lucky,¡± Adam said, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t say the same for another group.¡± ¡°Noor watches over you.¡± Adam smiled, tapping his amulet. ¡°Baktu, Lord Sozain, seems to not bless me.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Do you have any trinkets to sell?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to buy some for my children.¡± ¡°No trinkets, only treasures.¡± Adam reached into his tunic, and though the heavily armoured warriors tensed up behind them, Zain and Adil did not seem to react. Adam held out a gem. ¡°Then I¡¯d like to buy a few treasures for my children. I have five, but I should buy some more for the other children too. I¡¯d like at least... fifty items?¡± Adam reached into his pouch and pulled out another tiger eye. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Very rich Half Elf,¡± Adil said. ¡°I made a lot of money betting in the tournament.¡± ¡°Aha, bets in tournament? Very good?¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Adam said, motioning a hand to Jurot. ¡°My brother here came first place, and Kitool here came second. Nobby here, and my Cousins, also placed very well, first through seventh in their segment.¡± ¡°Oho! Very strong! You fight too?¡± ¡°I did okay too.¡± ¡°Very okay?¡± ¡°Very okay.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I beat Vasera, if you know of her.¡± ¡°Golden Savages?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°You beat Vasera?¡± Adil asked once more, narrowing his eyes at Adam. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I beat everyone I fought.¡± ¡°You place third.¡± ¡°I beat everyone, but I surrendered too.¡± Zain said something in their tongue, before Adil replied, his eyes never leaving Adam¡¯s. Zain eyed Adam up, narrowing his eyes at the Half Elf. He spoke, mentioning Vasera¡¯s name, and Adil replied to him in their tongue. ¡°We trade,¡± Adil said, nodding his head to Adam, before handing the gems to one of the riders, who brought it back to a merchant. The merchant pulled out a tiny monocle and stared at the gem. ¡°The gems are from the Iyr, aren¡¯t they?¡± Dunes said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. Adil shouted something back, and the merchant glanced their way. The merchants eyes fell across the group, taking in the sights of the Iyrmen, before he pocketed the gems and called for one of the servants to bring some trinkets. Adil asked something in Aswadian, causing Dunes to laugh, before the Priest of War smiled wide. He replied something in their tongue, motioning his head to Jurot. ¡°Why did you choose the God of Death?¡± Adil asked, his eyes staring suspiciously at Adam. ¡°I like him,¡± Adam replied, before thinking back to his past life. ¡°It¡¯s probably more correct to say he chose me, though?¡± Dunes and Sara turned towards Adam, even more surprised he¡¯d admit to something like that. Adam trying to be careful when he''s on his way home. "I was chosen by Death." ... 626. Journey Home II 626. Journey Home II ¡°Is the Iyrman your brother?¡± Adil asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is he really your brother?¡± Adil asked Jurot. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He is no Iyrman.¡± ¡°He is no Iyrman, but he is my brother.¡± Adil extended a hand out towards the Half Elf. ¡°It is pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°You too, Adil.¡± The guards brought a small crate of trinkets, many of which were made of wood. Jurot and Laygak inspected the different woods, noting the woods which came from further east. Adil also held out a small pouch of spices. ¡°A gift.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring something for you.¡± ¡°No problem, is gift for you, no problem.¡± ¡°Adil Al Zuhd, was it?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Is that the name of your people?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If I ever make my way that way, I¡¯ll be sure to pay a visit,¡± Adam assured. ¡°We are from very far.¡± ¡°How far?¡± ¡°Confederacy.¡± ¡°Oh. I suppose we could still make our way one day, in the far future.¡± ¡°You come to our land, in plains in Chakar, say you know Zain Al Zuhd and Adil Al Zuhd.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Adam stated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can say the same, since technically I live in the Iyr, but if you ever have need to buy magical weapons, please do come to us.¡± ¡°You sell magical weapons?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Chief Executive Officer of the United Kindom, and we work for an enchanter who currently specialises in magical weapons,¡± Adam stated. ¡°We currently aren¡¯t active with our business, but we will be in the next few years.¡± ¡°We will remember,¡± Adil stated. The pair kept conversing for a short while, before the groups said their goodbyes, and passed one another. Adil rode up to Zain, staring out ahead, but not looking at anything in particular, lost deep within his thoughts. ¡°He said he works for an enchanter in the Iyr,¡± Adil said. ¡°He said that Flaming Hyena, Rook, used a weapon that the enchanter made, and that it was difficult to face him in the tournament.¡± ¡°He must beat Rook if he beat Vasera,¡± Zain said, before realising how young Adam was. ¡°So he is the same age as Vasera?¡± Zain wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard of Adam before, but that wasn¡¯t shocking since Adam was a prodigy of a distant land. ¡°No. He is the same age as his brother, Jurot.¡± ¡°How old?¡± Zain asked, noting how the older man had avoided answering so clearly. Adil remained silent for a long while. ¡°Twenty.¡± ¡°Twenty?¡± ¡°It will be fine, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Omen: 7, 9 ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Adam whispered, staring at the walls of Deadwood before them. The journey had been fraught with little danger. ¡®Aren¡¯t there meant to be Beast Waves?¡¯ ¡°Do you think another God is nearby?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, Jurot. I don¡¯t like it one bit.¡± ¡°Awakened Wolves?¡± the guards asked, tensing up as Jurot reached within his tunic. ¡°Yes,¡± the Iyrman said, handing over the silver plaque, before the group were allowed within the town walls without much more trouble. Once the group were settled at the guild, Adam let out a sigh of relief, especially when he saw the appearance of a familiar form. A heavily armoured woman, adorned in darker metal, with a large blade on her back. ¡°Sir Kanna, what do we owe the pleasure?¡± Adam asked, almost beaming up at her. Sir Kanna hadn¡¯t expected him to be smiling so much, but it made sense. ¡°I have come to congratulate your group on behalf of the Countess.¡± ¡®If it¡¯s just the Countess, I¡¯ll be fine,¡¯ Adam thought, still beaming up at the knight. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why she had to go so far for the likes of us, but I appreciate the sentiment.¡± ¡°The Countess invites you to her estate.¡± ¡°Once again, I must refuse,¡± Adam replied, still smiling so joyfully at the knight. ¡°We have done very little to allow our business to work here within the recent future, due to our business elsewhere.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a wider smile. ¡°The Duchess of East Port found our insignificant business sufficient enough to strike a deal.¡± Sir Kanna remained silent, glaring down at the smiling Half Elf. ¡®Is he asking for death?¡¯ ¡°It appears we¡¯re still welcome in Deadwood, though, so I can at least say that I appreciate that,¡± Adam stated, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to keep out of trouble.¡± ¡°As you say, Executive,¡± Sir Kanna stated, before excusing herself, stepping out of the guild, with so many adventurer¡¯s eyes glaring at her back ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called out quietly, before switching into the Iyrman¡¯s tongue, leaning in to whisper. ¡°What do you think? Could you beat her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot was pretty sure, with Phantom and Mighty Roar, he could beat the Darkknight, not that it would have been easy. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°I could not beat you.¡± ¡°No, I mean, you probably could,¡± Adam replied, raising his brow at Jurot, ¡°but I¡¯m asking whether or not I could beat her.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. He wondered how strong she was, sure she was at least a Master, but was she closer to a Grandmaster? ¡®Whose the strongest person I¡¯ve beaten?¡¯ Adam thought about the tournament, not remembering how he had fought a Fire Giant Prince. ¡®Hopefully she doesn¡¯t start any trouble, but if she does, then the rest of the journey should go smoothly, right?¡¯ Adam thought, looking out towards the doors Sir Kanna had walked through. ¡®I wonder if another God is nearby, ready to cause trouble...¡¯ The group only spent a single night in Deadwood, with Adam not comfortable with spending much time in the town due to their frosty relationship with the Duchess. They made their way through the dangerous forest, following the road towards Red Oak. They could feel distant gazes as they made their way through the forest. The forest was quieter than usual, but they could hear the ecosystem at work, from distant insects and birds, to a number of smaller creatures. Omen: 9, 20 ¡°I don¡¯t like this one bit,¡± Adam whispered, staring at the walls of Red Oak. ¡°Not one bit.¡± ¡°We are close now,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes scanned across the walls. ¡°We¡¯re close.¡± Wow I hope nothing terrible has happened to Adam''s family with all this luck...Vissit for updates 627. Red Oak I 627. Red Oak I The group entered Red Oak with little fanfare, and after the situation with the Awakened Wolves was resolved, the group made their way towards the guild. ¡®I don¡¯t like this one bit,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®What the hell is going to happen on the way back?¡¯ Adam set up the group within the guild, procuring rooms for the farmers and labourers still. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all excited to go back to your family, but we¡¯ve got something we need to do before that, and I¡¯d like to speak with you in the morning. I¡¯m pretty tired, and I¡¯m sure you all are too, so let¡¯s talk when we¡¯re less tired and my brain actually works.¡± Once that business was done, Adam could feel Jurot¡¯s gaze on the back of his head. ¡°Tomorrow morning,¡± Adam assured, before taking the Iyrmen aside into a separate room to speak with them. ¡°Good job, everyone.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head. ¡°The journey was surprisingly uneventful and eventful,¡± Jaygak said, thinking about how they hadn¡¯t come across much, and yet had come across so much more than she ever would have thought. ¡°No waves, but at least one Demigod.¡± ¡°A Demigod, not a God?¡± ¡°A Demigod that was given the rights of a God temporarily,¡± Jaygak confirmed, before glancing aside. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t speak of this right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who mentioned it.¡± ¡°I mentioned it because I wanted to mention it.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, the business with Dunes was quick.¡± Adam threw Jurot a look, wondering if he really did have nothing to do with it. It was all so convenient, and if they didn¡¯t have anything to do with it, it meant that Fate was playing with him. ¡°We¡¯ve managed to return pretty quickly, but the deal with the farmers was pretty raw for them,¡± Adam continued. ¡°They didn¡¯t really make that much, I mean, outside of the fact they made a ton of money betting. I plan on giving them at least another hundred gold to each of them.¡± ¡°From the party fund?¡± Jaygak asked, wondering if he was being stupid. ¡°No, from my personal wealth.¡± She slowly nodded her head, realising he was being stupid. ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak with us about that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I just felt like it, I guess?¡± Adam glanced to the side, wondering if this would be one of the last few times he¡¯d get to speak with her. ¡®Eh? When did she start wearing plate mail?¡¯ Adam blinked, but sighed as he fell into deeper thought. ¡°Okay?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Should be okay once we¡¯re at the Iyr.¡± Adam continued to think for a long moment. ¡°Ah, let¡¯s call it here tonight.¡± He stood up, glancing at the trio. ¡°Hey. The matter with Dunes...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Did the Iyr help?¡± ¡°You should know what you should know,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Yeah. Alright.¡± Adam left, heading to bed. ¡®Just a few more days.¡¯ Adam¡¯s stomach churned as he stared up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and clutched the amulet at his chest. ¡®Please, Baktu. I¡¯ve been pretty good recently. I swear I¡¯ll try and be better, so...¡¯ Omen: 5, 11 Adam stared at the Omen rolls. ¡®Bell, are you fucking with me?¡¯ ¡°...¡± Rick stared up at Adam. He was certain that wasn¡¯t a part of the offer. ¡®Is he trying to say that he¡¯ll give us more if we join him?¡¯ ¡°Nobby, let¡¯s go,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to the boy. ¡°We should get going too,¡± Jeremy said, following the Half Elf and his nephew out. ¡°Mister Adam, mind talking for a moment?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± Adam said, stepping to one side with them. ¡°I just wanted to say thank you,¡± Jeremy began. ¡°Aye,¡± Remy said, nodding his head. ¡°Wanted to thank you for what you¡¯ve done for us.¡± ¡°Oh dear,¡± Adam said, half smiling. ¡°Sounds like you won¡¯t be taking my offer?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Can¡¯t say for sure, but we¡¯re of a mind to join you.¡± ¡°Aye. On the journey we found that we¡¯re a lot stronger too,¡± Remy added. ¡°Experts,¡± Jeremy confirmed. ¡°Couldn¡¯t have done something like that without you. You kept us safe, and took good care of us. Never known anyone like you before. Sometimes you get people coming by who treat their workers well, but I never heard of no one like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there is no one like me,¡± Adam replied, flashing a smile, one he couldn¡¯t control. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for your words.¡± ¡°Thank you again, mister Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Adam nodded, before heading out with Nobby. ¡°Ah, right. Could you tell everyone to meet with me at the guild? We still need to do one more thing.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam gathered the entire group, from the Aldishment, the Aswadians, the Iyrmen, and even Umbra. Then they made their way through a certain set of roads. Adam stared at the building for a moment, before placing a hand on Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°The party fund will pay for it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Who are these strange faces?¡± the baker asked, smiling up towards the pair. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in a long moment.¡± ¡°We were busy, fought in the tournament,¡± Adam said, looking up to Jurot expectantly. ¡°Which tournament?¡± ¡°The Noonval Tournament.¡± ¡°Oh! Wow! Normally the tournament for South Aldland is the Dawnval Tournament, but it¡¯s been a little...¡± Pam quickly glanced aside, ¡°what with the war and all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°Well, we fought in the tournament. I had to fight against the...¡± Adam grit his teeth together. ¡®I¡¯m meant to be the wing man!¡¯ ¡°Go on, Jurot, why don¡¯t you tell her about the tournament. Meanwhile, can we get a few baskets?¡± Adam placed down ten gold coins. Will Jurot have little baker babies? Everything''s going too well... 628. Red Oak II 628. Red Oak II Adam and the others remained outside, eating their bread slowly. Adam could taste the jam filled buns, though to say they were jam filled was a bit of an overstatement. Still, the sweetness, though not matching the sweetness of the jams in his first life, still sparked his taste buds to life. He exchanged a look with Lucy, the pair nodding towards one another, before they went back to enjoying the meal for their hearts. Pam stared up at Jurot in shock, not realising that her father, who was hiding in the other room, was also frozen in shock. They had heard that a group of Iyrmen had placed extremely well in the tournament, but she had no idea Jurot had managed to take first place. ¡°You ranked first?¡± Pam asked, a bead of sweat dropping down the side of her cheek, and not from the heat of the ovens slipping through the doorway behind her. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I heard that there were the members of the orders in the tournament too!¡± ¡°There were,¡± Jurot confirmed, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Did you fight one?¡± Pam asked, smiling slightly. The members of the various orders were often the best of the best. Many of them, even when they were young, were stronger than many other warriors within their age group. ¡°I fought many.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Pam almost whispered, her eyes sparkling with awe towards the Iyrman. ¡°You said you had fought ertas, but... I didn¡¯t realise you were that strong!¡± ¡°I am strong,¡± Jurot confirmed, crossing his arms. ¡°We left the tournament and came across...¡± Jurot paused, realising he shouldn¡¯t mention anything more. ¡°I have gained much honour for my family.¡± ¡°The Row family?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, though understood that she was probably imagining a different spelling. ¡°How amazing.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips twitched and he tried to speak more, but his throat clogged up. He tensed up slightly, but he couldn¡¯t work up the courage ask her that. ¡°I should go.¡± ¡°Since you gained first place, why don¡¯t you take another few buns for you and your friends?¡± Pam swiftly procured more buns for the young Iyrman, flashing him a smile. ¡®Our bread is feeding so many great warriors! If we start telling people about it, we should be able to gain more customers!¡¯ ¡°Are you done?¡± Adam asked, watching as Jurot stepped out with a large basket of buns for them. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam stared at Jurot expectantly. ¡°You know, your grandfather is going to expect more greatchildren soon.¡± Jurot¡¯s ears turned red as he ate a bun, before the group then parted ways. Adam made sure the farmers and porters each had more than their fill of bread for the rest of their families. Adam carried a basket as they made their way through the roads, while the others of his group made their way about to finish their own business within the town. ¡°Nobby!¡± Annie gasped as she saw her giant boy, quickly embracing him tight. The woman was still thin, but not quite as thin as before, with her hair now cut much shorter. Her strength seemed to have increased too, since she was hugging Nobby tighter than previously. ¡°Ma,¡± Nobby replied, awkwardly. He embraced his mother in return, his arms gently wrapped around her like a blanket. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re all safe,¡± Annie said, breaking the hug as she noticed the other two giants. ¡°Come in, come in. Ted¡¯s working, but he should be back in the evening.¡± ¡°Is Anne at school?¡± Adam asked as he stepped into the small house, glancing aside to see nothing much had changed, though Annie seemed to be working on sewing a small dress, a muted blue in colour. ¡°She is,¡± Annie confirmed, pouring them each a cup of a drink she had stored in a small cask. ¡°Good, good. I hope she¡¯s learning well.¡± ¡°She¡¯s counting well, and she can even write her name now,¡± Annie confirmed. ¡°No issues with her school, is there?¡± Adam asked, taking a seat opposite Nobby, taking a sip of the grain drink. It was a thin drink, with a slightly sour taste, and didn¡¯t seem to be alcoholic. ¡°True.¡± Adam watched the guards leave. ¡°What¡¯s with that anyhow?¡± ¡°Always a good idea to give the guards notice about a party, and to gift them some food,¡± Annie said. ¡°Alright, fair.¡± ¡°Congratulations on your placement,¡± Annie said, going off to begin pouring ale for the pair of young men. ¡°Well, we should be celebrating the fact that Nobby here is an Expert,¡± Adam said, reaching over to pat Nobby on his back. ¡°Once your pops is here, you can tell everyone about your achievements during the adventure, and the time we spent in East Port.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± The party began with some of the younger folk drumming along. There was a slight bother with a set of guards making their way in, and Annie explaining they had already spoken to other guards, but sent them on their way with some bread and meat once more. The others mostly left Adam and Jurot alone, deciding against bothering the pair at the moment. As evening began to fall across the area, the workers, mostly the fathers and older children, both boys and girls, returned back to find a party in full swing. ¡°Nobby!¡± Ted almost shouted, before embracing his son. His hair had greyed further, but his body had grown fuller. No longer was he quite so thin, with his muscles filling out once more. ¡°Pa.¡± Nobby hugged his father in return, before their hug abruptly ended by each of them. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re both well,¡± Ted said, shaking Adam and Jurot¡¯s forearm. ¡°How¡¯s my boy been?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Adam replied. ¡°More than well, but why don¡¯t we let him say it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Expert,¡± Nobby said. Ted¡¯s eyes beamed up as he placed his hands on Jurot¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I knew you could do it.¡± ¡°First,¡± Nobby said. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I came first.¡± ¡°You came first?¡± ¡°In the tournament.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ted asked, squeezing his son¡¯s shoulders gently. ¡°You came first?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°In the tournament?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ted looked to Jurot and Adam, his eyes curious. Annie also did the same, staring at the pair of young men. ¡°Look at this punk!¡± Adam exclaimed. ¡°How can he be so happy that he showed his boss up? I only came third, you know?¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a smirk, threatening to break into laughter. ¡°Though, you shouldn¡¯t be surprised, since he was taught by my brother.¡± I can''t believe Nobby would show Adam up like that smh! 629. Red Oak III 629. Red Oak III ¡®By the Gods...¡¯ Ted thought, sipping more of his grain wine. ¡®First place! My Nobby!¡¯ Nobby was busy being overtaken by all the boys and girls who were jabbering away asking questions about the tournament, though giving him no time to speak as they filled in their own answers by talking over one another. The adults were more shocked, almost not believing the matter, wondering if it was some kind of trick, but there was an Iyrman right beside the Half Elf who was acknowledging the words. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Adam said, drinking some of the grain wine, which had been mixed with fruit juice. ¡°I¡¯d make him into an Expert. Having him win the tournament was just a bonus, though he worked hard for it. Our Cousins were also a part of the tournament, the Iyrmen teens, and when they came across Nobby, even they couldn¡¯t beat him.¡± Ted wasn¡¯t sure what he was hearing. He wasn¡¯t dreaming, he was certain of that. Things seemed too clear, the faces of the pair ahead of him, especially the one smirking at him, and the sounds of the party nearby, even his own words. Nobby. Beating Iyrmen. Winning a tournament. Ted thanked all the Gods he could name within his heart, from the Major Divine to the Minor Divine. He thanked even the Minor God of Portermen, Lord Porter, for watching over the boy when he was young. ¡°I would let him stay here with everyone now that our journeying is done for the year, but...¡± Adam felt awkward saying any more. ¡°I need him to be there for my children¡¯s first birthday.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Ted replied, wondering what was so important about it. ¡°Nobby may be a part of the business, but more importantly, he¡¯s one of mine,¡± Adam explained. ¡°His role in the future will be my number one enforcer, and the most important role he¡¯ll have is protecting my children. I¡¯d like him to be there for their first birthday, even if they probably won¡¯t remember it.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Ted replied, sipping more of his grain wine. ¡°You have been paying us ten gold each month for the boy, as well as some more every so often. With that coin, we¡¯ve been able to eat well enough, and send Anne to school.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll still receive ten gold each month as part of his wages, but I¡¯m also sending a bonus for the rest of the year,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll also send Nobby¡¯s winnings to you, splitting it apart into monthly payments once more. It wasn¡¯t much compared to the greater segments, but it was still a hundred gold.¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d change his pay once he became an Expert,¡± Ted said, cautiously. He had half a mind not to speak about it, but he was abuzz with liquid courage. ¡°Yeah, and I said that part of his payment would be taken out for the items we provide him,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We¡¯ll keep the pay as ten gold each month for the rest of the year, and then next year, or rather, next time we¡¯re in Red Oak, we¡¯ll sort out his payment then. Until then, he can enjoy his magical shield.¡± ¡°Magical shield?¡± ¡°I made a bet with a well known mercenary,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly. ¡°Since she couldn¡¯t pay up, she forked over her magical shield. I¡¯ve handed it over to Nobby, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll protect him well enough.¡± ¡°What does the shield do?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Basic shield.¡± Ted raised his brows in surprise. He had heard of magical shields. Some enhanced one¡¯s senses, or provided other bonuses rather than protecting someone. However, a Basic shield was extremely rare, and well sought after. Great warriors often possessed magical weapons, but magical shields? It was borderline unheard of. Ted just bowed his head, understanding that a magical shield could require Nobby to work for Adam without pay for years. ¡°I¡¯ll set up the bonus before I leave, but even if Nobby isn¡¯t working, you¡¯ll still get paid monthly,¡± Adam assured. ¡°I¡¯ve set up the payment for the next... few years, so you probably don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve set up payment for a few years?¡± ¡°Ten gold a month for... a few years,¡± Adam said, trying to recall how many years it was. ¡°Three or four?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ted said, keeping his face straight. It was weird to hear that someone had set up payment for so long, typically they¡¯d only set it up for the contracted amount, or for a year at most. However, it was a relief that Nobby had steady pay for that long, and it seemed that Adam intended to increase the pay eventually. ¡°You must be quite strong then.¡± ¡°I suppose I am, though I¡¯m trying not to let it fill my ego.¡± The guard smiled. ¡°Iyrman, you were first, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded her head, smiling slightly. ¡°What are your names?¡± ¡°Adam Fateson,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Jurot, son of Sonarot.¡± ¡°Alright, good evening to you, and safe travels,¡± the guard said, tipping her helmet gently. ¡°You as well, thank you,¡± Adam said, waving at her, before turning and heading back. ¡®I didn¡¯t get in trouble? That feels nice...¡¯ ¡°Ted should be proud of Nobby,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he is.¡± ¡°It was hard to see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll do it once they¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while. ¡°Since I have come first, mother will be proud of me.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Father too.¡± Adam gently nodded his head. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure he will be.¡± ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your children will be proud too.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Ah, well... maybe I should have gotten first place after all?¡± He didn''t get beaten, he surrendered! 630. A Storm Of Trouble I 630. A Storm Of Trouble I Adam made the necessary preparations for the payment to Nobby¡¯s family. He had given Nobby ten gold coins to hand to his parents for that month, but he¡¯d need to set up the payments for the ninth month onwards. ¡®Oh, right, Sir Landon also paid money to Nobby too,¡¯ Adam recalled, trying to figure out how he should split that coin to the family. ¡®I¡¯ll give them another ten gold for this month, and then fifteen gold each month for two years? I¡¯ll make it start from next year.¡¯ The group spent a few days in Red Oak, allowing everyone to relax. Adam thought about going to visit the porters and the farmers, but decided against it. Instead, he set up an additional payment of ten gold each month for them, starting from the ninth month, up until the end of the year. Adam spent more money on gifts for the children, buying daggers for each of the children, from his own children, to the other babies, to even the older children. Once he had spent a princely sum within Red Oak for the gifts, the group readied themselves to return back to the Iyr, with a cart full of all the souvenirs the group had bought, most of which were bought by a singular Half Elf. Mana: 21 -> 18 Spell: Sending ¡°Chief. In Red Oak. Returning soon. Can I bring back the group? Also more guests. Oh! Very important guest! Very very important guest! Chief, very-¡± The spell cut off. ¡®Oops,¡¯ Adam thought, having completely forgotten about Umbra. He wasn¡¯t sure how to talk about her through the spell either. ¡°Okay.¡± Omen 6, 15 Adam stared at the cart, which had been covered by a large tarp, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure if it was enough to protect the gifts. ¡®Hmmm...¡¯ He eyed up Zeus too, wondering if this was too much for the elk to pull along. Nobby also returned, bringing with him two small sacks, which he held out to Adam. ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked, reaching for the sacks. ¡°Ma finished your task.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam smiled, peeking into one of the sacks, before seeing the fresh vegetables. ¡®Eh?¡¯ He checked the other, which was full of bits. ¡°Nice!¡± Once the group were ready, having secured the crate of food, and the barrels of ale, near the back and side of the cart, they stepped out of Red Oak, making their way back to the Iyr. ¡®A shame I couldn¡¯t meet with Paul, but I guess he was busy, what with the war and all...¡¯ Other than the soldiers which had passed through Red Oak, they had barely recalled there was an ongoing war. Adam thought little of it, since it was, apparently, going to end before the year¡¯s end. Adam eyed up the barrels of ale, half of which Jaygak had bought with her. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect her to bring back so much...¡¯ They had fought lightly about the ale, since they had so many things to bring back, but she was adamant that they needed to bring the barrels. Jurot and Lucy rode the Awakened Wolves, while Jonn rode on his elk. Mara rode Cloud, though Adam had offered Vonda the wolf, but she was heavily armoured and therefore would have placed a heavy strain on the Awakened Wolf. Dunes, Korin, Amira, and Lady Sara all gathered as a group together, standing behind the pair who were leading the wagon, Jaygak and Kitool. Adam remained near the back with the teen Iyrmen, Nobby, and Fred. Umbra lay on the wagon¡¯s seat, staring up at the sky. Adam remained tense, but within the walls of his puthral armour, he felt safe. Mostly safe. There was still the fact that they had met two random fellows, each who were such a great threat that they could, by themselves, sway a war in the favour of their allies. ¡®Home stretch, but we gotta be careful...¡¯ They trekked through the forest, with Adam creating two towers to protect them in the evening. The group used a small outpost that they had made previously, though it had taken a short while to reclaim it from nature. Omen: 2, 16 ¡°A storm is coming,¡± Umbra said, still relaxing on the driver¡¯s seat of the cart. ¡°A storm?¡± ¡°A terrible storm,¡± Umbra said. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A storm.¡± ¡°Yeah, but who is it?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a... oh, you mean like lightning and thunder?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not a monster, what are you?¡± ¡°An ant!¡± ¡°An ant? An ant? If you¡¯re an ant, what am I?¡± ¡°Jaygak, daughter of Lavgak!¡± ¡°You and your glib tongue,¡± Jaygak grumbled, before sipping some wine too. She continued to pour Adam some cups of wine, every so often doing the same for Jurot and Kitool, but she knew they wanted to be alert in case anything happened. ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t say that type of thing,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You¡¯re not some ant, Jaygak. Aren¡¯t you pretty damn strong?¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°Fred fears you.¡± ¡°Fred fears his own shadow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. He¡¯s an Expert, like you, but he¡¯s still scared of you. Jaygak, the Devilkin. Wait until you¡¯re a Master, then we¡¯ll see who will call you an ant.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one whose going to bring the name of Gak to the continent,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°This generation will not belong to me.¡± ¡°If not you, then who?¡± ¡°Taygak,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Raygak, Saygak too.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Adam thought about the young Taygak, who was always so stern, and the pair of boys. Raygak, who was often bullied by Jaygak, and Saygak, who Adam had corrupted into becoming a Blood Mage. ¡°I guess that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just clear the path,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to carry them up.¡± ¡°Of course I will,¡± Adam said, sipping more of the wine. He stared at Jaygak. ¡°Jaygak, you know I think you¡¯re cool, right?¡± ¡°Cool? I¡¯m hot!¡± She reached out with her hands, but decided against spraying out fire, in case they really did need to fight. ¡°Hot means something else,¡± Adam said. ¡°What does it mean?¡± ¡°Something like beautiful.¡± ¡°I am hot,¡± Jaygak stated, motioning to her horns. Adam shook his head, smiling slightly. Then he thought about the other Devilkin. ¡°Hey, uh, Amira doesn¡¯t have horns. Should I avoid talking about them?¡± Adam¡¯s words were a whisper, almost drowned out by the rain and thunder, but Jaygak was still an Iyrman, and her keen ears picked up on the whisper. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they were cut off, but that¡¯s probably a good idea,¡± she admitted. ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°You think their kids will be cute?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Not as cute as mine,¡± he retorted, firmly. ¡°They might be as cute as yours,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°They¡¯ll have horns.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°They¡¯ll have horns.¡± ¡®Since I helped save her, that means I can dote on them too, right? They won¡¯t complain if I gift them a few magical items, will they? Just, two or three for each of them, it¡¯s more than I spent on their mother...¡¯ ¡®Jaygak knows him so well,¡¯ Jurot thought, noting how Adam¡¯s shoulders were no longer so stiff. ¡°You have a visitor,¡± Umbra¡¯s voice called, carrying through the whipping winds and the heavy rain. Adam¡¯s shoulders tensed up once more as he stood, making his way down to the bottom floor, before stepping out into the rain, which crashed against him and his armour, splattering into tiny pieces. He couldn¡¯t see anything past the fence they had made, but cutting through the thick rain was a cane. ¡°Oh no,¡± Adam whispered, staring at the cane. ¡®Gods damn it.¡¯ Not again! 631. A Storm Of Trouble II 631. A Storm Of Trouble II ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that you are well,¡± he said, smiling from behind his cloth mask. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, Crowseer,¡± Adam replied. ¡°At least, I think it¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Thank you for allowing me to stay within the tower,¡± Crowseer said, having dried himself off with a tap of his cane to the floor. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re always welcome around our camp.¡± ¡°It is a great fortune that I¡¯ve met you.¡± ¡°It is?¡± ¡°I have some business with the Iyr.¡± ¡°May I inquire as to what?¡± ¡°It would be best if you didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he should have Crowseer stay with the cart, or Umbra. Eventually, he decided to take Nobby, Brittany, and Vonda. He trusted each of them, and other than Vonda, they didn¡¯t have an important task assigned to them. ¡®Jurot and Kitool should be able to bide for time if something happens...¡¯ Adam thought, cleaning his armour. He looked over the cart towards the items that were covered by the tarp. So many of the items were the souvenirs, while some were food stuffs. ¡®Do I have my priorities correct?¡¯ The storm continued to pass through the night. Umbra remained atop the tower, opening an eye as she stared out towards the small group of Storm Giants who were staring at the towers. If there were so many towers, it meant there would be quite a few mages, something they probably needed to keep an eye on. However, they stared towards one of the windows, where a crow glared at them, and they retreated away from the area. ¡®What a shame,¡¯ Umbra thought, watching as a decent fight slipped away from her grasp. She closed her eyes and went back to relaxing. The next day, the rain was gentle, but Adam decided against moving through the rain, instead waiting for the next day. Omen: 2, 20 The land around them was still wet from the rain, but they could travel along the road without much issue. Adam was glad that Aldland had spent the effort in making a road even to as far as the borders of the Iyr. ¡®Good to try and invade them, but also lets them know where you¡¯re coming from,¡¯ Adam thought, staring out ahead. He glanced over to Umbra, still laying on the driver¡¯s seat of the cart. ¡°You really liked the storm, eh?¡± ¡°The rain was soft,¡± Umbra replied, simply. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°The breeze is cool.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°If we had more drinks, I would have enjoyed it more.¡± ¡°Next time I¡¯ll be sure to bring more drinks so you can enjoy the storm.¡± ¡°If only there was a fight.¡± Umbra let out a long sigh. ¡®She really is his daughter...¡¯ The group made their way westward towards the Iyr. They passed through the first village without many issues. The villagers were keen to see what was within the cart, but upon hearing they were gifts for the children in the Iyr, their curiosity slipped away. ¡°You want to spend some time with your family?¡± Adam asked Brittany once they were within her village. Adam turned his head to the woman he had brought along. Then he turned his head back to the Chief. ¡°Do you remember the...¡± Adam closed his eyes. ¡®If I tell her about Asa, wouldn¡¯t that put her in danger? She also probably knows Strom, but it would be awkward if she knew about Umbra.¡¯ ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s that important.¡± Merl eyed up the young woman nearby. ¡°Is that your wife?¡± Adam coughed, almost bursting out into laughter. ¡°No! Definitely not! I mean, she might be beautiful, but...¡± Adam thought about his children. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it make sense for her to be my wife though? The daughter of my friend. Part Dragon, so she would know how to raise the triplets. She seems to like the Goofs, so maybe she¡¯d like Goblins too?¡¯ ¡°Well, let¡¯s get you situated, and you can tell us all about the things you can, and not the things you can¡¯t,¡± Merl said, seeing the thoughts on his face. ¡°Oh, speaking of which...¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°Nobby joined the tournament.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Merl replied, staring back at the large boy. ¡°How well did he do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get some dinner made and we can discuss some more,¡± Adam said, smirking towards the Chief. Adam handed the Chief¡¯s granddaughter the payment for their stay, thirty gold. The Awakened Wolves had gone with Jurot, Lucy, and Mara, to hunt some food for themselves, and had returned within a couple of hours, when the party was in full swing. Amira remained silent as she sipped some of the grain wine from the villagers, her eyes falling to Dunes. She had heard the various stories a few times, from Dunes, from the Iyrmen, and now from Adam, who had certainly been the worst at telling the stories in many ways, but when it came to speaking as though his companions were above the clouds, there was no one better. How did he say it? Hyping up? ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I?¡± Adam said, looking to the younger Merl. ¡°Nobby here is not only an Expert, but he came first place in the Noonval Tournament.¡± Merl couldn¡¯t deny that, and not only couldn¡¯t she deny it, she couldn¡¯t diminish the victory either. It was one thing to win the tournament of the youngest section, which was full of the weakest of warriors, but it was another to win first against half a dozen Iyrmen. ¡°How did you do it?¡± Merl asked. ¡°I said I¡¯d do it, so I did it. There¡¯s always something along the horizon for me, what with how much Fate likes to play with me.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Some stuff happened.¡± He sipped some of the grain wine, which had been mixed with some fruit. It tasted different to the grain wine of Red Oak, the drink from the village far sweeter. ¡°And when I say some stuff happened, I mean something crazier than fighting multiple hydras at once.¡± ¡°Does that kind of thing always happen to you?¡± Merl asked. Adam reached down to his amulet, feeling the symbol of Baktu. ¡°Do you know who made this amulet?¡± ¡°It must have been a fine crafter.¡± ¡°A fine crafter?¡± Adam replied, raising his brow. He glanced to the side, towards the Iyr¡¯s lands beyond the river. ¡°That¡¯s putting it lightly. This amulet wasn¡¯t exactly made by a crafter, but...¡± Adam sipped more of his wine. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe who made it, and you wouldn¡¯t believe that we also met with a niece of his.¡± ¡°What is so special about his niece?¡± Merl asked, before looking towards Umbra. ¡°No, no, she¡¯s not a...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Well, she was something like a God from where she was from, but she¡¯s not the God I¡¯m talking about.¡± Merl¡¯s eyes snapped to Adam. ¡°You have to be careful with your words, Adam.¡± ¡°Careful?¡± Adam grinned wide, tapping his amulet gently. ¡°With this around my neck?¡± ¡°Just because you carry an amulet of Baktu around your neck, it doesn¡¯t mean he will grant you all his protections.¡± ¡°If the God of Death went so far as to gift me-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, holding out a small clay bottle of wine to pour some into his cup. ¡°You cannot say more.¡± ¡°Whose going to stop me?¡± Adam replied, his cheeks flushed red, huffing out with a sigh. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Hmph! Just because you¡¯re my brother, it doesn¡¯t mean you can stop me from talking! Freedom of speech! Freedom of speech! You can¡¯t take away my freedom of speech! You can¡¯t take it away unless I disagree with it!¡± Adam howled with laughter at his joke, almost beginning to cry from his laughter. Merl looked to Jurot, wondering what Adam was talking about, and wondering what he had been talking about previously, to the point that even the Iyrman would choose to interrupt. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be...¡¯ Adam is so close to the Iyr that he''s now an idiot again. 632. A Storm Of Trouble III 632. A Storm Of Trouble III Omen: 1, 18 ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam stared at Shaool, wondering if maybe he had joked too close to the sun while so near to the Iyr. He eyed up the other Iyrmen nearby, recognising a couple of familiar faces, from Rasam to Okvar, and then the Iyrman with the skull across their face. ¡°We have heard you had brought an important guest,¡± Shaool said, smiling politely towards the Half Elf. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, smiling awkwardly in return. ¡°You¡¯re never going to believe me.¡± ¡°When it comes to you, many things are not unbelievable,¡± Shaool stated. ¡°Who is this guest of yours?¡± ¡°Jurot, you wanna tell your grandaunt?¡± Adam said, motioning with his head. ¡°You¡¯re the one who confirmed it.¡± ¡®Jurot,¡¯ Shaool thought. What could it be that Adam would leave it to Jurot to speak of. The pair stepped to one side, and after Jurot whispered something in their tongue, just two words, Shaool slowly nodded her head and returned back to the group. ¡®Of course.¡¯ Adam raised his brows, his eyes knowing, and he sighed lightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We will confirm the matter in the Front Iyr,¡± Shaool said. ¡°The gates have opened for you, Adam.¡± ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°They may step within the Iyr¡¯s lands too,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Phew.¡± She looked out to the rest of his group, noting that the number of Aswadians had increased, though it didn¡¯t seem like he was going to introduce them. ¡°Who are your companions?¡± ¡°Oh, this is Korin, and Lady Sara, and Amira,¡± Adam said, motioning back to the group. ¡°They¡¯re from the Order of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Welcome,¡± Shaool said, bowing her head lightly to the young warriors of the order, which the Iyr had some relations with. ¡°I must confirm, if you are to step within the Iyr¡¯s lands now, you may not be able to leave for some time.¡± The Aswadians exchanged glances. They had never heard of the Iyr doing something like this previously. ¡°It is understandable,¡± Lady Sara replied. ¡°Dunes has sent word that we will be unavailable for some time.¡± ¡°The wisdom of the Black Mountain is well known,¡± Shaool stated, bowing her head once more. Crowseer sat awkwardly, trying to find a good point to step in to speak. However, Shaool continued to check up on Adam¡¯s group, with the older Iyrmen remaining to one side. It wasn¡¯t until the appearance of a particular Iyrman when the Iyrmen finally acknowledged the great figure. He was an older man, with long hair which had been dyed red, though streaks of white peeked through. He was clean shaven, with a strong jaw, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes. He was fairly lean for an older man, and walking with the floating grace of a butterfly. He was dressed in the finest of silks, black like starless night, with golden thread which darted all along the hem, the thread forming some kind of pattern. At his side was a longsword, made of a fusion of bone and metal. Adam was about to call out to him, but his eyes were firmly fixed on Crowseer. ¡®Is he a bigger threat than me?¡¯ Adam frowned slightly, before realising how good that news was. ¡®Phew.¡¯ The Front Iyr Elder stared down at the group. A silver fox of a man, with a chiselled jaw, and greyish hair which fell to his shoulders. At his side was a flail, though none could think it was impractical, as his Adventurer¡¯s tag hung loosely across his bare chest, glinting the blueish silver of mithril. His eyes soaked in the entire group. He had received word that Adam had brought a special guest, and his eyes fell to Crowseer, who was quite the special guest. ¡°The gates are closed,¡± Elder Lykan said, staring down at them. Shaool raised her hand, placing it over her temple. Elder Lykan motioned with his head. "You may approach, Shaool.¡± The gates were opened ever so slightly, allowing Shaool to slip through, and after a short while, she appeared beside Lykan, whispering something in their tongue. Lykan¡¯s eyes then fell to Umbra. Shaool had just given him a greater reason to refuse their entry, but if it was really true, then it meant that... ¡°Okay,¡± Elder Lykan said, and the gates opened, slowly, loudly, as though to remind them that these gates were not to be trifled with. Adam blinked. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ He had forgotten that the Front Iyr had changed, with walls almost as impressive as the walls of the Main Iyr. A large mass of Iyrmen awaited for them, most quite old, and some in their teens. The large estates welcomed the group as they made their way through the new Front Iyr, which had been restructured to allow a quick response to any threat which may come for them. The group were taken towards the fire in the centre, where many guests relaxed, sipping and drinking wine as they chatted. Adam saw Burgwing and Wingburg, who were tensed up, staring in their direction. ¡®Where¡¯s Wiseraith and Stokmar?¡¯ ¡°So you¡¯ve returned!¡± a familiar voice called out. Slightly taller than the average person, adorned head to toe in plate mail made of flamedarksteel, which betrayed his rank among the Fire Giants. ¡°That I did,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake his forearm. ¡°I see you¡¯re well, Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°I am,¡± the Fire Giant confirmed. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Pretty good,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head slowly. ¡°How have you been? Working hard, I hope?¡± ¡°I hope the Iyr will agree that I am,¡± Morkarai replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°I am keeping my end of the deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you are.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Have you been adoring the children while I¡¯ve been gone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been too busy working.¡± ¡°I thought we were friends,¡± Adam replied, frowning slightly. Morkarai smiled. ¡°It will only mean they will enjoy it more when you adore them.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You know what, Lord Morkarai? You¡¯re on to something with that.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯ve returned,¡± called a familiar voice beside them, the beardless Dwarf woman, though she was neither a Dwarf nor a woman. ¡°I smell something good.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam said, almost continuing, before shuddering. ¡®No, Lord Stokmar would actually kill me if I made a joke like that.¡¯ ¡°Where¡¯s the ale you promised me?¡± Lord Stokmar asked. ¡°The ale that I...¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ Adam, with all the chaos of what had happened, had completely forgotten about the barrel of ale he had promised to the Lord of Earth, the only figure which could clash against the greatest of figures in the world. ¡®Oh fuck.¡¯ Oh no. 633. A Storm Of Trouble IV 633. A Storm Of Trouble IV Adam¡¯s face was like a stone, neutral and unmoving. ¡®Jaygak. You¡¯re the best. I¡¯m not going to bully you for at least the rest of this month.¡¯ Jaygak¡¯s smirk was wide, the widest it had ever been, all the while Lord Stokmar guzzled down the barrel of ale she had brought along. ¡®Now I can bully you harder, at least until your children¡¯s birthday.¡¯ ¡°Did you bring only one?¡± Lord Stokmar asked, finishing the barrel. It was fine enough for her taste, though she wondered if they had also brought her a sweet wine to wash down the taste. ¡°Apologies, Lord Stokmar, there were quite a few things which ended up happening on our journeys,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head lightly, frowning. ¡°Speaking of which, I should probably speak with the Chief.¡± ¡°Just what happened that you dared to ignore my wants?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°We met a Divine,¡± Jurot stated, causing the many great figures to turn their gazes on the Iyrman and his companions. Lord Morkarai remained silent, not daring to speak out of turn in front of someone like Lord Stokmar. Lord Morkarai was called Lord Morkarai in the Iyr because he was a Prince, and there were no Princes in the Iyr. However, Lord Stokmar was called Lord because they were a Lord of Earth, and perhaps not a Lord of Earth, but the Lord of Earth. Morkarai¡¯s own father, the King of Fire Giants, the strongest of his people, wouldn¡¯t dare to claim the title of Lord of Flames, so the Prince understood the difference between himself and Lord Stokmar. Even so, all he could think was the same as many of the Iyrmen about. ¡®Of course he did.¡¯ ¡°Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± Adam asked, noting the Dragons slyly glancing his way, the way the Lord of Earth eyed him, and the Iyrmen staring. ¡°This time it wasn¡¯t even my...¡± Adam paused, thinking back to when he met the Goddess. ¡®Oh, wait. I think it was my fault.¡¯ ¡°Just this one time, maybe it was my fault.¡± The various figures, from the Dragons, to the pair of Lords, and even the Prince of Fire Giants, wondered why exactly the Iyrmen allowed him to walk around freely, even if they did surround him with several Iyrmen. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not like that¡¯s the most important thing anyhow,¡± Adam said. ¡°Meeting a Lesser God while being surrounded by great wondrous figures, it¡¯s not exactly, you know... special. I mean, I¡¯ve met with Lord Stokmar several times, so meeting someone like Ulaveil isn¡¯t something out of the ordinary for me, especially in comparison to the Lord of Earth¡¯s majesty.¡± Charisma Save D20 + 3 = 20 (17) ¡°It is always the Divine¡¯s fault,¡± Lord Stokmar confirmed, allowing the matter to rest. ¡°I will forgive you this time.¡± ¡®Lord Stokmar, you¡¯re truly the best,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I thank you for your grace.¡± ¡°Where did you procure that amulet?¡± the Lord of Earth asked. ¡°This amulet? It was gifted to me by Baktu.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to come to my children¡¯s first birthday?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Jirot and Jarot will be turning one soon.¡± The others paused, wondering what Adam was up to. Even he could feel the tension in the air, and yet he asked about such a ridiculous thing? ¡°Why would I want to come and visit your children on their birthday?¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re cute,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ ¡°I hear that you¡¯re... not opposed to Goblins, so...¡± ¡®Adam, what are you doing?¡¯ Morkarai thought, glancing down towards the Half Elf. ¡®Do I speak up? No, Lord Stokmar will probably beat me.¡¯ Stokmar still wasn¡¯t used to this sort of audacity. The stupid, queer, Half Elven kind of audacity. The audacity of a young man who had lost his family twice, and now doted upon them too much. He reminded her of Hadda in that respect, and it was no doubt why the Half Elf got along so well with the Emperor before he passed. Stokmar¡¯s eyes passed to Jurot, who had spoken up about his family, and to Adam, who had spoken up about his family too. In some sense, the pair were so different, and in another sense, they were almost the same. ¡°I will spare a moment if there is something good to drink,¡± Stokmar said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure there will be alcohol at my children¡¯s birthday,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I will see what I can do. They have a... I have a...¡± Adam paused, trying to understand what Rajin was to him. ¡°There¡¯s a Family Elder, Rajin, who seems to know his way around making drinks.¡± ¡°I have heard of this one,¡± Stokmar confirmed, recalling the sour wine the Horcish Iyrman would sometimes bring. ¡°His drinks are acceptable.¡± Uwajin nodded her head slowly, throwing a smirk to Naqokan. It was certainly her grandfather who had the best wine in all of the Iyr, and Lord Stokmar¡¯s praise was a great honour to his name. ¡®Damn, am I going to have to marry into the Jin family?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, the old geezer will throw a fit and stop it for sure. He won¡¯t let me go so easy, not when he loves my Jirot and Jarot so much.¡¯ Adam huffed, making a face, startling most of them. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Their babo won¡¯t even be there for their first birthday,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°How can he do this to them?¡± ¡°Grandfather is bringing them great honour for fighting in the war,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It will only add to his name.¡± ¡°He better win,¡± Adam stated. ¡®Old man, how can you miss their first birthday when you¡¯re the one that helped them the most?¡¯ ¡°Otherwise I¡¯m going to...¡± Adam paused, thinking about his chances of winning against him with Wraith. ¡°I¡¯m going to sternly speak with him.¡± ¡®Should I just kill him?¡¯ Stokmar thought. Cringe. 634. A Storm Of Trouble V 634. A Storm Of Trouble V Wow! The Half Elf tapped the word on in her book. Adam turned to face her, having not noticed the arrival of the dark skinned Half Elf. She wore long, thick robes, dark green and brown, and her staff rested beside her. It was made of a dark wood, with a gem settled at the top. ¡°Oh, hey Tariel,¡± Adam said, blinking at her. ¡°You¡¯re still about?¡± The young Half Elf tapped another word in her book. Yes. ¡°Been a while, have you been well?¡± Yes. ¡°Anything interesting happen?¡± Yes. Tariel then shifted through her book to begin writing once more, while Adam glanced aside to find Jurot had decided to step aside, following the Chief away. He had mentioned most things within the story, though kept the specifics of the other world light. I spoke with the Dragons. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice. They treating you well?¡± She flipped back to the beginning of her book. Yes. ¡°That¡¯s good. The Iyr too?¡± Yes. ¡°Cool. What did you talk to the Dragons about?¡± She tapped a separate word next to where she wrote Yes. Life. ¡°Oh, cool.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. She tapped another line nearby. My hand hurts, sorry. ¡°Oh, well I¡¯m sorry for chatting so much,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± She flipped to the back of the book to write something anew. ¡°No, no, if your hand hurts, you can tell me another time. I have some healing through some of my abilities, do you need any?¡± ¡°I thought I should warn you that the status quo that you¡¯ve maintained is beginning to crumble.,¡± Crowseer stated, opening his eyes slowly, cautiously. He stared into Iromin¡¯s eyes. Aldland and Aswadasad were perhaps two of the greatest powers in the entire world, each right beside one another. Aswadasad kept Aldland¡¯s reach away from the east, and the Aldland distracted Aswadasad so it couldn¡¯t extend its reach east either. The number of empires which had grown and fallen while these two empires, the two Dragons, had enjoyed relative stability over the course of two millennia, were near countless. How was it that two such great powers were able to remain on top for so long? Especially considering the hundreds of wars that had almost torn apart each nation, and the great calamities which would occur, at least once in a century, and yet, from the ruins, the two Dragons would rise again. Yet, somehow, under the watchful eyes of the Iyrmen, two civil wars broke apart two of the greatest nations in perhaps the entire world? ¡°We Iyrmen have eyes,¡± Iromin replied, simply. Crowseer¡¯s lips twitched into a wide smirk. ¡°It is not as though such a conflict doesn¡¯t benefit you, however.¡± ¡°The Iyr¡¯s secondary focus is on the stability of the nearby regions, and it will always remain secondary,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s alliance with Aldland is the longest standing alliance known between the land nations,¡± Crowseer said, speaking very particularly. Technically, the Iyr¡¯s alliance with other realms has lasted longer, but he decided against speaking of something so dear when the Iyr was on such high alert. ¡°I¡¯d have thought you would have done more for Aldland.¡± ¡°King Merryweather has made no motions to come for the lands of the Iyr, and though our promise to the Blackwater family remains, we are currently not in the position to assist in fixing Aldland¡¯s issues as we have done previously,¡± Iromin stated, firmly. He motioned a hand for Crowseer to eat some snacks. Crowseer picked up one of the snacks and held it up to Maurice, who snapped it between her beak and instantly swallowed it down. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realised that the Iyr had a connection to Grimraith.¡± ¡°The Iyr has many dealings,¡± Iromin replied, though he wasn¡¯t sure the depths of Crowseer¡¯s knowledge. ¡°You seem to know much of the Iyr.¡± ¡°I know what I must know.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°In the next few years, the landscape will shift,¡± Crowseer said. ¡°The balance that the Iyr has maintained will be broken. Great Calamities will begin to fall from the sky. Will the Iyr continue to keep its blades hidden, or will it reveal its blades to the world?¡± The words of the Idol were merely thoughts he was saying out loud, not quite expecting a response from the Chief. ¡°It may come to pass that all manner of ancient and hidden orders will begin to step out too.¡± ¡°The Iyr¡¯s concerns are the Iyr¡¯s concerns,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°The Iyr is not alone in this world.¡± ¡°The Iyr has never been alone in this world,¡± Iromin confirmed. Crowseer realised his words were taken in a very different way, but he supposed he couldn¡¯t do much against the Iyr¡¯s words. The Iyr, which had only come to be shaped this way due to the influence of its mother, as well as the near genocide of its people. Crowseer bowed his head, hiding his eyes. He was glad the Iyr hadn¡¯t mentioned the Crowseer¡¯s involvement during that time. Crowseer wasn¡¯t sure if this future was ever expected by the individuals involved during that time. The Iyr, which had not forgiven those that had decided to almost wipe out its people, and had spent several centuries hunting the greatest Idols and even the Divine, for their transgressions. ¡°Ritetu made a mistake,¡± Crowseer said, pausing for a long while. ¡°There are few mistakes the Lady of Balance has ever made. It seems the only mistakes she can make involve the Iyr, which has always shown grace towards her.¡± ¡°The debts were repaid,¡± Iromin stated, firmly. ¡°This time, her mistake was keeping an eye on Adam,¡± Crowseer continued. ¡°Placing her daughter to watch over the boy was a mistake, especially since she passed along those scales.¡± Crowseer shook his head, though Maurice¡¯s head remained still, staring down at the Chief. ¡°Who would have thought that such a mistake would have caused so many other of the Divine to react, and would have led to the delicate Balance she had maintained to finally crumble.¡± ¡°Balance must be maintained,¡± Iromin said. ¡°There has been far too much Order for far too long, Chief Iromin,¡± Crowseer warned. The shadow of a smile appeared on his face. ¡°The world is begging for a little more Chaos.¡± Cringe. 635. The Tale I 635. The Tale I Days continued to pass within the Front Iyr. Adam assisted the Front Iyr, pulling along rickshaws full of grain for the Iyrmen, while also bringing the Iyrmen stationed within the Front Iyr their drinks too. He had no idea the Iyr produced so many drinks, enough to deal with the thirst of a figure like Lord Stokmar, but also enough for the older Iyrmen who were settled in the Front Iyr. The Front Iyr, which was the first line of defence against any invading force, and was currently under the protection of several Dragons, from the likes of three Dragons, and a Lord of Earth, as well as a Fire Giant Prince. Perhaps most impressively were the hundreds of older Iyrmen, with many reaching into their sixties, who remained in the Iyr. Adam noted the tags around many of these Iyrmen, Steel, Silver, Mithril, and every so often, Gold. However, Adam kept his head down, not wanting to bring any more attention to himself. He didn¡¯t spend much time with Tariel either, as she was busy spending most of her time with the pair of Dragons, listening to their exciting tales, and their grand abilities. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Adam so quiet before,¡± Dunes whispered, looking at the Half Elf, who was settled in the corner. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Vonda said, staring at the Half Elf as he sipped his milk. Dunes narrowed his eyes slightly. It felt weird for Adam to behave so well. ¡®I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ Adam just worked around the Front Iyr, keeping himself out of trouble, somehow. Even Lord Morkarai, seeing the way Adam was behaving, decided against speaking with him. There wasn¡¯t much to be done in terms of farming due to all the snow around them, but there was always need for them to clear the roads, as well as to move around food stuffs, and other resources. Adam sighed, longingly. Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Early evening had fallen across the entire Iyr, with the late sun still illuminating the Main Iyr. Soft fire crackled in the shared family estate. Lanarot scribbled on a piece of paper with her little gem, drawing all manner of contraptions she was imagining. She was beside her mother who was in the middle of breastfeeding a baby. The Half Dragon triplets rested nearby, cuddled on a pile of blankets, their tails resting beside them. Their tails twitched, before they shot upwards towards the sky. The children pushed themselves up from their blanket and looked towards one of the four entrances to the shared family estate. The soft steps of the Iyrmen were not quite so pronounced, but the heavily armoured Half Elf wasn¡¯t quite so silent as the group entered the shared estate. The Devilkin was much worse, her armour was not made of puthral. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot began to squeal, before her mother grabbed her head, trying to hush her down. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot hoisted herself up, scrambling onto her feet, before she darted towards the arriving figures. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot¡¯s back. Jurot dropped to a knee and Lanarot threw herself into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck as he lifted her up. Lanarot hugged her elder brother tight. ¡°Papa! Is papa!¡± the girl declared, as though she needed to inform the others. Jurot held the girl close within his arms, his heart pounding wildly within his chest. He held the girl tighter, before she began to melt up against him, beginning to relax within her brother¡¯s embrace. Jurot understood, at least a little, as to why Adam was so excited to return. Adam dropped to his knees and held out his arms to scoop his triplets within his arms, his heart suddenly thundering within his chest. He said no words at first, just enjoying the embrace as he held his children within his arms. He kissed them each on their foreheads, before returning back to hugging them again. Adam began to make noises, quiet noises, that sounded like an engine getting rid of all the pressure within it. He slowly fell back, allowing his children to climb on top of his armour as they continued to nuzzle up to his neck and face. Adam brushed their hair gently, rubbing their horns lightly too, before he planted another kiss onto each of their foreheads warm. ¡°Konarot. Kirot. Karot.¡± He whispered into each of their ears, kissing their leaf shaped ears gently too. ¡°Ohohohohoho.¡± He wrapped his arms around them and pinned them on top of him. The others allowed Adam to melt into the side with his children, while they noticed the situation, realising what had happened while they had left. Jaygak embraced her brother, Raygak, lifting him up within her arms. ¡°Did you eat up all my peppers?¡± ¡°No,¡± Raygak replied, wrapping his arms around her. ¡°I do not do that.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Jaygak let him down. ¡°I will ask Elder Zijin.¡± Raygak huffed out quietly, while his sister then went to embrace Saygak. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat my peppers did you?¡± Adam was certain of it. He counted the number of babies, and not including his own, he was sure there were fourteen, which was only possible if... Adam glanced around awkwardly, noting how his aunts were currently in the middle of feeding their newborn children, while the others were snoozing lightly nearby, still somehow not awakened by the other children being so loud nearby. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Do we have enough gifts?¡± Jurot thought back to all the gifts Adam had bought, recalling how much money the Half Elf had spent personally. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam then threw a look towards the older children, who were waiting patiently and quietly near to the fire. ¡°Alright, hold on.¡± Adam walked over to his twins slowly, before dropping to a knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of items, each made from various strips of cloth. He held them out with each hand, wiggling them lightly in front of the twins. Jirot and Jarot stared at the cloths as they shifted around, the colours swirling within the air as Adam swayed his hands. ¡°Come on,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You can have them.¡± He held them out to the twins, who looked up to their grandaunt, and with a nod of her head, the children stood up and approached Adam, taking the ribbons from him. Adam then wrapped his arms around them and lifted them both up, before showering them in kisses. ¡°You little punks, how can you make daddy bribe you like that?¡± Adam constantly peppered them with his kisses, but they squirmed away from him, and he allowed them to run free to their grandmother, who was done with feeding the baby she was caring for. Sonarot handed the baby to Halikan, who took the baby with her to rest with the others. ¡°How can they do this to me?¡± Adam whispered. Dunes¡¯ lips formed a smile, though his eyes glanced aside away from the sight. Vonda smiled more eagerly from beside him. ¡°It is time to give the souvenirs,¡± Jurot said, patting Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Lanababy, do you love papa, or do you love gifts?¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± Lanarot asked, staring up at him expectantly. Adam sighed. He looked down at his triplets, who were standing right beside him, staring up at him expectantly. ¡°I¡¯m only letting you all bully me like this because you¡¯re cute.¡± As the group began to settle themselves, the older children eyed up the large sacks the group had brought along. The others within the group also began to settle down, with the Iyrmen preparing for the babies to be sent elsewhere. ¡°Why are Jirot and Jarot cuddling up so close to your aunt and not me?¡± Adam whispered, keeping a rather large sack beside him full of gifts, as well as a large leather sack. ¡°Aunt is also raising them well,¡± Jurot replied, as if it were obvious. ¡°...¡± Adam threw a look towards Mirot. ¡®I thought she didn¡¯t like me though?¡¯ Then his eyes fell to the newborn children, who were being organised. ¡®I can¡¯t believe it. Who thought it was a good idea for the Iyr to give me more children to spoil?¡¯ Sonarot walked over to Umbra with a cup of water. ¡°I see you are a new guest my son has brought.¡± Umbra, half focused on the children, and the way the other Iyrmen around were tense around her, accepted the cup. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°This is Umbra, Lord Strom¡¯s daughter.¡± The adult Iyrmen sighed, and the adult Iyrmen who had just appeared, the fathers and uncles, also sighed. They picked up the babies and moved them elsewhere, some of the mothers going with them. ¡®...¡¯ Umbra stared at Adam, wondering how he could just spill everything just like that. FINALLY! 636. The Tale II 636. The Tale II ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam said, his eyes darting between the pair of young men. Not quite men, they weren¡¯t even ten years old yet. ¡°Jurot, I recognise this one. Turot, but who is this handsome young man?¡± ¡°That is Aso-,¡± Jurot began, allowing himself to fall for Adam¡¯s joke. ¡°Asorot,¡± Sonarot called, wiping clean a bowl for him. The young boy quickly darted over to his aunt, before taking the bowl from her, confused since he already had a bowl, but his aunt passed him another bowl, and he understood, returning with two bowls. However, he didn¡¯t understand what had actually happened, too young to understand what Sonarot had signalled to the pair. Adam narrowed his eyes slightly, looking to Jurot. Jurot nodded his head, as if that was that. ¡°Thanks, Asorot,¡± Adam said, accepting the bowl from him. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t recognise you.¡± Asorot sat opposite them, beside his brother, Turot. Adam was pretty sure that wasn¡¯t the case when he left. ¡®Did the world change when we passed through the realms or something?¡¯ ¡°Asorot is Mirot¡¯s son,¡± Sonarot said, pointedly. Adam¡¯s eyes twitched, and he looked to Jurot. ¡°Jurot,¡± he whispered, and then he looked to Asorot, who squirmed slightly. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°He has been adopted into the family?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot stated, more so for Adam¡¯s benefit than his own. Adam raised his brows. ¡®Just like that?¡¯ Jurot nodded his head in response, before reaching out to rub Asorot¡¯s head. ¡°You will grow well.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Asorot replied, squirming slightly. He looked down at his bowl, squeezing the bottom of it with both hands. He shuffled awkwardly beside Turot. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to like it much,¡¯ Adam thought, reaching out with a hand to pat Asorot¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t we start giving out gifts, eh?¡± ¡°Oooh,¡± the children replied, eager to respond now that the babies were gone. ¡°I¡¯ll save some of the gifts for the chonky boy and the other cuties, but let¡¯s start with my Konarot, Kirot, and Karot.¡± Adam brought out small strips of golden cloth. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°Salafi gold,¡± Raygak said, pointing towards it. ¡°That¡¯s right, Salafi gold, from Yellow Turban,¡± Adam said, before tying the ribbon around Konarot¡¯s arm, doing the same with the rest of the triplets. ¡°That¡¯s one of your gifts. I¡¯ll give you the rest later.¡± Adam embraced his triplets one by one, kissing their cheeks too. The twins were staring at their older siblings, and Jirot pointed up to the ribbon and complained, groaning quietly as she looked at her nana about such an injustice. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I already gave you your first gifts.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jirot complained, narrowing her eyes at the Half Elf before her lips formed a wide frown and quivered. ¡°Okay, fine, fine,¡± Adam said, before finding another pair of strips for each of them, tying it against their arms gently, causing the pair to stop whining, their eyes glued to the ribbons. Adam also quickly pulled them up to kiss their cheeks quickly, letting them down beside their older siblings, each of them showing off their little ribbons to one another. ¡®You punks, who gave you permission to be so cute?¡¯ Adam thought, ruffling their hair. ¡°Daddy,¡± Konarot informed Jirot, pointing up towards Adam. Asorot finished the last of his soup whilst Adam shimmied away from Jurot, picking up Konarot to sit on his lap. Asorot quickly sat between the pair of them, glancing up between the two who had killed hydras. Hydras! ¡°I got this for you because your...¡± Adam held out the scale to Asorot, before looking to Jurot. ¡®Wait. If he¡¯s a Rot now, that means his grandfather... did he still kill a hydra, or is the story no longer the same?¡¯ ¡°A hydra scale... for me?¡± Asorot asked, looking up at Adam innocently. ¡°I got you more than that, Asorot,¡± Adam said, brushing his hair. ¡°I heard it was a young man¡¯s birthday a few months ago. First of the sixth month. I don¡¯t quite recall exactly whose birthday it was...¡± Asorot flushed slightly, looking down at the scale. ¡®My birthday.¡¯ It was a thought that he was too shy to state. ¡°Ah, well, maybe as the story continues, I¡¯ll remember?¡± Jaygak continued to speak the tale, revealing the fact they dealt with wyverns and trolls too, and not just a small number of them either. ¡°When Adam returned from the temple, it was found that Baktu chose him personally.¡± Adam tapped his amulet, causing the children to gasp up at him, while the adult Iyrmen exchanged glances between one another. Of course he did. Though it was perhaps the most significant event, it was glossed over quickly, so that they couldn¡¯t ruminate on the thoughts for too long. They mentioned the aurochs, but before Jaygak continued speaking the tale, she looked to Adam. He nodded, reaching into his leather sack, unbuttoning the side of it since he was going to be giving out most of the items from within it. ¡°So there I was, within the depths of a labyrinth known as the East Port Market,¡± Adam whispered, as though it was grave news. ¡°Through the gentle fog, I could see a beast like no other.¡± Adam slowly pulled out the item from his leather sack. ¡°I fell in love the moment I saw it. The greatest shield that I had ever seen, that day and in that particular moment. One might say it was the only shield I had seen that day, but no, I saw a few more, I just wanted the best one.¡± Adam pulled it onto his lap. ¡°A shield as strong as this, it should be able to help someone with their older sister bullying them.¡± Jaygak narrowed her eyes. ¡°I also found an item.¡± She reached into her own leather sack, revealing a long blade. The cross guard was wider than typical and curved slightly upwards. It was a well built sword, that was for certain. Jaygak pulled it out of its scabbard, revealing the faint waves along the blade¡¯s edge. ¡°I already have a sword though, so you can have it, Raygak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that!¡± Adam snapped at her, holding out his shield. ¡°You have to tell him its for his birthday. Raygak, you see how she bullies you like this? That¡¯s why you need this shield.¡± ¡°Sister, you must not bully me,¡± Raygak said. ¡°I am a big boy now. You are not allowed to bully me.¡± ¡°I can bully you if I want!¡± Jaygak held out the sword, but her eyes fell to the top of his head, and she readied herself to noogie him, but she could feel her father shift nearby, ready to do the same to her. ¡°I¡¯m not even bullying you, I bought you such a nice longsword for your birthday.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Raygak said, taking the sword from her. He looked down at the blade, and then to the shield, taking it from Adam too. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam.¡± Adam smiled slightly, doing his best not to allow it to creep across his face any wider. ¡®You little punk, how can you be so cute when you¡¯re her little brother? You should be my brother instead.¡¯ ¡°Adam, Raygak is my brother,¡± Jaygak said, hugging her brother, causing the young Raygak to flush deeper. ¡®Damn, she really does know me that well...¡¯ Okay. So I rolled for the children''s stats when they were born, as you might have expected me to do since this is a DiceRPG where even the author is at the whims of the dice. 4D6D1. I roll four dice and drop the lowest, so if I roll 1, 3, 4, 5, that''s a 12, because the 1 is dropped. 12 is basically the average for the stat. Sometimes you''ll roll 8 and 16, but the average is usually about 12. Set A, Gurot, Kavgak, Tavgak, Inakan, Minakan, Jitool, Maool, rolled a little bit worse than average. One baby rolled really great and will probably end up as one of the strongest across the land. That baby would be considered the second weakest in Set B. Set B, Murot, Maygak, Faygak, Mokan, Alykan, Minool, Jazool rolled crazy. I think we need to take drug tests for them. That doesn''t consider how much Adam is going to spoil them. Chapter 6,000 these kids are going to pop off. 637. The Tale III 637. The Tale III ¡°I have such a nice, long block of wood,¡± Adam said, revealing another item from his leather satchel. ¡°I wanted to make it into a staff, but I¡¯m not really good at wood working, and I know Jurot¡¯s busy.¡± ¡°I am not,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You¡¯re busy, right?¡± ¡°No. I am not busy.¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, raising his brows. ¡°The twins babo are gone, so they¡¯re going to need another positive role model to follow.¡± ¡°Grandmother can take that role.¡± ¡°Yeah, but Jarot needs a male role model too,¡± Adam stated, raising his brows further towards his brother. ¡°You are a good role model.¡± ¡°From the Rot family, I mean.¡± ¡°You are a member of this family,¡± Jurot stated. Adam looked to his Aunt, before taking a moment. ¡°Jarot needs a male role model from the Rot family, who is tattooed, so that he feels welcome by the family and well taken care of.¡± Jurot inhaled deeply, ready to retort, but he could see that way his mother was looking at him, and then Jaygak¡¯s expectant eyes. There was something he was missing for sure. ¡°I may be busy...¡± Jurot finally said, glancing between everyone, still uncertain of what was going on. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear,¡± Adam said, looking to Saygak. ¡°This wood can be made into such a nice staff for you, but we¡¯re going to need to find someone to help with carving it.¡± Saygak squirmed shyly under the sight of Adam¡¯s gaze, before he looked over to his elder brother, Laygak, who was sitting right beside him, breaking apart a pepper for the boy. Laygak looked up at Adam with a half smile on his face, shaking his head lightly. ¡°I am sure my brother can find someone who can work the wood into a staff,¡± Laygak said, ruffling Saygak¡¯s hair, before offering the boy a pepper. Saygak bit it from his brother¡¯s hand, eating the pepper with a small smile on his face. Taygak inhaled deeply, and pointed up at her elder brother, before stopping, looking to Adam. She narrowed her eyes at him, and then slowly nodded her head. She gave him a thumbs up, as he always did to her. Adam smiled, returning the thumbs up, before Jaygak continued their stories, mentioning how they had met with the other Iyrmen, and then the stories began. ¡°I met some guy named Sir Gregory, I think it was?¡± Adam said. ¡°Order of the Ice Blades. I fought him in combat, and I managed to beat him.¡± The children stared up at Adam, waiting for more, but that was all he said. ¡°Ooooh!¡± ¡°But then, right as I beat Blade, I had to face an even greater foe!¡± Adam stated, sitting up straighter as he stared down at the children with a deep seriousness. ¡°I was escorted to the arena owner, a Devilkin woman by the name of... Layla? I took off my axe and shield and placed it to the side, and she checked to see whether I was lying about my age. Lying, me? Adam? Adam the Honest? I might joke sometimes, but I do not lie!¡± The children nodded their heads, mumbling between themselves in agreement. Katool wanted to speak up, but realised every time Adam had lied, it was for a joke. Is that still not lying, though? She narrowed her eyes. ¡°So she had a spell cast on me to speak only the truth.¡± ¡°Zone!¡± Taygak said. ¡°That¡¯s right, Zone of Truth,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°She threatened me with a poison, Widow¡¯s Tears. Apparently, a very powerful poison, something that can kill people quickly.¡± Adam looked to Sonarot. ¡°An easy way to go.¡± He winked, before smiling at the others. ¡°Then she paid me my bet and let me go. It wasn¡¯t the last time I¡¯d be speaking with her, I assure you.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Cousin Adam, strong!¡± Taygak stated, pointing up at the young man. ¡°Ho? I¡¯m strong? Just you wait until you hear the rest of the story...¡± The Iyrmen each spoke of their own fights, and how well they had fought, as well as how well Timojin and Amokan had also fought. As Jaygak mentioned her fight with Kitool, her father placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. ¡°Good fight,¡± Taygak said, patting Jaygak¡¯s thigh. ¡°Yes,¡± Raygak confirmed. ¡°My sister is strong too!¡± ¡°Kitool, is scary,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°I¡¯d rather face anyone else but Kitool.¡± Katool looked up to her sister, her cheeky little grin pointed up towards her sister. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± Adam said, staring at the young Katool. ¡°I am Katool,¡± she replied, smiling wide at Adam¡¯s joke, before realising it wasn¡¯t her birthday. ¡°What happened to your hair, Katool?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s so long!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Katool shook her head and let her hair bounce. ¡°It is nice.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°When you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right.¡± They continued the tale, with the others not realising what was to come. Jaygak, one day you''ll become a monster too. 638. The Tale IV 638. The Tale IV ¡°My Jurot...¡± Sonarot whispered, almost in shock. She looked to Adam and then back to her son, reaching over to brush her boy¡¯s hair. Jurot had his arms crossed, and though he sat up tall, he bowed his head lightly so his mother could brush his hair easier. He held Lanarot tight within his arm while the girl hugged him, looking up towards him through the strands of her hair. Katool was also looking up at her sister, having not realised she was so strong. She looked around, her mouth forming a tiny circle in shock, glancing towards the other children, before looking back up at her mother. Citool wasn¡¯t sure she had heard correctly either, that Kitool had almost beaten Jurot without her Tigerstaff. ¡°It was my most difficult fight,¡± Jurot confirmed, sipping his milk. Even with Phantom in hand, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could beat Kitool again. If she had Tigerstaff, he still may not be able to defeat her, considering how swift she was to act. Jogak continued to rub Jaygak¡¯s shoulder gently. Even though she had dropped out, he was pretty sure she would have placed well. ¡°You did well, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak decided against even joking about it, instead sipping some fruit wine. It was worse for her that her own her father tried to cheer her up. She looked to Adam, who was feeding Karot from his hand, the boy shyly eating from his father¡¯s fingers. Even though he had chosen to come third, the Half Elf didn¡¯t seem to care one bit. ¡°Speaking of which, the teens did pretty good too,¡± Adam said. ¡°They claimed all the top spots.¡± Adam reached over and pat Nobby against his back. ¡°What a bunch of scary monsters you¡¯ve all become.¡± ¡°Strong!¡± Taygak confirmed, hugging her brother who had placed so well. ¡°Taygak, win.¡± ¡°You will have to,¡± Laygak confirmed, hugging his sister back. ¡°You have to get revenge for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I will fight well too,¡± Raygak said. ¡°Sister, I will win for you.¡± ¡°Do whatever you want, Raygak,¡± Jaygak said, reaching over to pinch his cheek. ¡°If you want to win, or if you want to stay at home.¡± ¡°I will win,¡± the boy stated. ¡°I will win too!¡± Katool stated.T/his chapter is updated by okan and Kalokan both remained silent, cuddled up beside their sibling, who had placed high in the tournament. ¡°You think Bavin¡¯s showing off too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Bovin will be happy,¡± Jurot replied, simply. ¡°I kept my end of the promise, so he¡¯d better be happy,¡± Adam said, daring to speak of the previous Great Elder. ¡°Papa, stwong,¡± Lanarot said, patting Adam¡¯s leg gently. She gave him a thumbs up and nodded at him, her hair gently bouncing. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Adam smiled, reaching down to ruffle her hair gently, causing it to cover her eyes. The others continued to speak the tale, with Jurot speaking of what happened in the other world with greater details. He held Lanarot on his lap, the girl laying against him as she sucked on her thumb, staring up at her older brother with narrowed eyes. However, it was Nirot who would state what happened during the fight with Umbra. She revealed the great loss they had faced, and the fact they had almost died. She also revealed what she had seen, half conscious as she was. ¡°River Hill,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°I knew it was one of the two,¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡°It¡¯s nonmagical right now, but I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t have a conversation with the Enchanter in the future.¡± Adam winked at the young man. ¡°It¡¯s a little big right now, sure, but you¡¯ll grow into it. Even if it won¡¯t protect you, it will look cool, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Asorot said, hugging the scale armour, which was way too big and heavy for him at the moment. ¡°It is cool.¡± ¡°Of course it is! Only the coolest gifts for my Cousin, of course.¡± Adam eyed up the rest of the kids. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll get you all the coolest gifts too.¡± Umbra stared at Adam from nearby. At first she thought he was a fool of a father, but he was more than just that. He was wholly a fool and wholly a father. Amira exchanged a glance with Dunes, wondering just how much Adam adored his Cousins. She had heard him mention them a few times, but when the Half Elf was among them, he couldn¡¯t help but dote on them. ¡°I bought some more gifts for everyone,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Unfortunately, I had to leave quite a bit of it behind at the guild bank, so I won¡¯t be able to see all these cute little brats wearing cute clothes, but maybe in the future.¡± Adam lifted Konarot up, blowing raspberries against her stomach, causing her to giggle and cry out, before peppering her with more kisses. He settled the girl on his shoulders and did the same to Kirot and Karot, though settled them on his thighs. ¡°Sorry for spending so much time away. Daddy will try not to leave for so long next time...¡± Konarot rested her head on top of her father¡¯s, purring quietly. She held onto his head with her tiny hands, her fingers clutching at his head, as though she wouldn¡¯t let him go. Kirot pat Adam¡¯s chest gently, before resting her head against it, while Karot snuggled against his bicep, staring up at his father. ¡°No!¡± Jirot declared, pointing up at him, yawning lightly. ¡°Jurot, look at how smart my daughter is,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jirot, what¡¯s the opposite of yes?¡± ¡°No!¡± The girl cackled. ¡°Will you refuse your father?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°See? She¡¯s a genius.¡± Jurot looked down at the Goblin girl who continued to cackle wildly, clasping her hands together diabolically. ¡°Jirot, is your name Adam?¡± Jirot looked up at Jurot, before she grabbed her nana and climbed on top of her, hiding her face into the woman¡¯s bosom. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Your daughter is a genius,¡± Jurot confirmed. Adam smiled wide, gently rubbing his younger triplet¡¯s sides. ¡°Of course, all my children are so cute and smart.¡± He looked to the little Jarot, the tiny boy staring up at his father suspiciously, before hiding beside his twin sister. Adam smiled even wider. ¡®How adorable!¡¯ Jirot do you like this story? Wait... 639. The Tale V 639. The Tale V Sonarot helped with brushing the twin¡¯s teeth, while Adam cleaned the triplet¡¯s teeth, and Jurot assisted his sister. Lanarot complained at first, but since it was Jurot helping, she opened her mouth wide for him. ¡°Did you listen to mother?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°No,¡± Jirot stated, yawning lightly. ¡°You must listen to your nana,¡± Jurot said, reaching out to place a hand on Jirot¡¯s head. Jirot shyly moved away from his hand and cuddled with her nana. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that you would take away the children from me,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to hug my chonky boy.¡± ¡°You may hug Gurot tomorrow,¡± Sonarot said, brushing Jirot¡¯s hair gently with a brush. ¡°He may not remember you since you have been away for so long.¡± ¡°Why did I even leave?¡± Adam thought. ¡°It¡¯s been almost a half year since we¡¯ve gone, of course they¡¯d forget us. Luckily, we didn¡¯t miss his birthday.¡± ¡°Murot was born today,¡± Sonarot informed. ¡°Murot?¡± ¡°Gurot¡¯s younger brother.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Is he a chonky boy too?¡± ¡°He is not as chonky as Maygak and Faygak,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Maygak and Faygak are both so big for their age.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to spoil them all,¡± Adam whispered, almost as though it was a threat. Jarot eyed the Half Elf up from the corner of the room, all the while holding his twin sister¡¯s hand. Jirot yawned and mewed quietly to Jarot, before she dropped down with her brother onto the thick blanket. She pointed up to Adam and babbled quietly. Jarot just nodded. The pair then kissed each other¡¯s forehead, and they turned to the triplets, who came over to hug and kiss their younger siblings too, embracing them tight. Adam was sitting down against the wall, closing his eyes as he ate the dessert for his heart. ¡®No. This should be illegal. My kids are too cute.¡¯ He sighed. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, hugging his head before kissing his forehead. ¡°Good?¡± ¡°Yes, very good.¡± ¡°Weading?¡± ¡°You want me to read for you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°Lanarot, it¡¯s time to sleep,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°No,¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°Book.¡± ¡°Tomorrow your papa can read.¡± ¡°Books!¡± Lanarot stated firmly. ¡°Lanababy,¡± Adam said, picking her up, blowing against her stomach. ¡°Papa will read you a book tomorrow, okay?¡± ¡°Book...¡± Lanarot pouted. ¡°I will,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair gently with a hand. ¡°If you sleep like a good girl, papa will read you a book tomorrow.¡± ¡°Mowoh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Jurot, will you hug them?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°If you hug them, they¡¯ll drop their defences around us and then I¡¯ll be able to smother them.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, before holding out his arms. ¡°Jirot, come.¡± Jirot looked up at Jurot, before looking back at her nana. ¡°Oo?¡± ¡°Go, hug your uncle,¡± Sonarot said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. Jirot slowly walked over to Jurot, clasping her hands together shyly. Jurot slowly lifted her up and hugged her, the girl resisting for a moment, before she slumped, melted against her uncle. ¡®Bell, how much is that now?¡¯ [One hundred thousand.] ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, biting his lower lip. ¡®That¡¯ll take me a couple of years.¡¯ ¡°Ah!¡± Jarot cried aloud, before Jurot let Jirot down, and held out his arms for the boy. Jirot slowly awoke from the aftermath of the hug, and quickly ran back to her nana, her eyes darting towards Jurot in shock. Jarot ran away after her and held onto his nana¡¯s leg too. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying Jirot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it scary?¡± ¡°I do not hug as well as father,¡± Jurot stated, simply. ¡°Where are Murot and the others?¡± Adam asked, realising he didn¡¯t want Lanarot to ask about him yet. ¡°They are elsewhere for now,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°They will be taken care of by the extended family and their parents.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s just going to be Aunt and the bois,¡± Adam said. ¡°The girls as well.¡± ¡°No, not the boys, the bois,¡± Adam said, trying to emphasise the word. ¡°You know, like... the homies.¡± ¡°The homies?¡± ¡°Jurot, I told you to interrupt me when I was being cringe,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Were you being cringe?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Okay. Stop it, Adam.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam sighed, looking at his kids. ¡°Do you think daddy is cringe?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot replied, giving him a thumbs up. ¡°If nothing else, my children are not liars,¡± Adam said, ruffling her hair. ¡°So how is it that my twins have forgotten me?¡± ¡°They are growing up quickly,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°They are already speaking and moving so well. They understand as much as the triplets and Lanarot.¡± ¡°My kids are too smart,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°How the hell did that happen?¡± Jurot remained silent, also wondering how his children were so smart. ¡°Perhaps it is because of their mother?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Right, maybe you¡¯re on to something,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°It can¡¯t be because of me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oi.¡± 100,000 XP for Best Hugs. 640. The Tale VI 640. The Tale VI ¡°I still can¡¯t get used to how queer you are, Adam,¡± Amira admitted, watching as Adam fed his triplets from his fingers, but also the twins, who had complained, jealous that the triplets were being fed in such a way. ¡°I have managed to worm my way back into their heart using food,¡± Adam said, looking over to the Aswadian woman. ¡°It works for everyone.¡± Amira smirked slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you loved your children so much. I had heard from Dunes and the others, and with how much you complained... I still wouldn¡¯t have guessed it was this much.¡± ¡°You underestimate my power,¡± Adam said, feeding his youngest daughter a hard carrot from his hand, the girl¡¯s teeth crunching through it with ease. Adam lifted Jirot up onto his lap and he kissed her forehead, causing the girl to look up at him. She smiled and shoved more carrot into her mouth, before she squirmed away from him. Adam did the same to Jarot, the boy staring up at his father, taking in his sight. There was certainly a sense of familiarity with the Half Elf, but the man did not have the tattoos on his forehead, like the others who raised him. The others watched as Adam also helped feed Gurot, spooning some of the thick, mashed fruit, before feeding the boy. Gurot looked up at Adam shyly, but allowed the Half Elf to feed him. ¡°Did you think I forgot about you, my chonky boy?¡± Adam asked, brushing his hair gently. ¡°Turot, Asorot, I can¡¯t believe your brother is so cute. Are you spoiling him properly?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot replied. ¡°I spoil him good.¡± ¡°Are you feeding him properly?¡± Adam asked, half hugging the giant baby on his lap. ¡°Gurot, you let me know if they don¡¯t give you the right amount of food, I¡¯ll sort them out.¡± Gurot smiled, before eating from the spoon again, sucking the mashed fruit down. He looked up towards his aunt, before he smiled shyly again, sticking his hand into his mouth. ¡°I feed him!¡± Turot stated. ¡°Mother asks me to feed Gurot.¡± ¡°Then he must be fed well,¡± Adam confirmed, flashing a smile. ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of you two. Look at how cute your little brother is! I don¡¯t have a cute little brother to spoil.¡± ¡°I am!¡± Lanarot said, sitting up straight. ¡°You¡¯re a little sister, not a little brother,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Lanarot confirmed. ¡°I am your kaka.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, scooping up more food for Gurot. ¡°I want a little brother to spoil. Hold on... don¡¯t you two now have two little brothers to spoil? There¡¯s Murot too.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot confirmed. ¡°Hold on, doesn¡¯t that mean...¡± Adam thought deeply. ¡°Nirot, Turot, Asorot, Gurot, Murot. Five! Five children! Aunt Mirot, how could she have so many children? Five is too many. Who has five children? She needs to leave babies for the rest of us!¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. ¡°Adam, you have five children.¡± Katool started to laugh at Adam, and the other children joined in. Even Jirot, who had no idea what was going on, began to laugh, causing the younger babies to smile and laugh too. ¡°What? No way, that doesn¡¯t count! I have triplets and twins, so that only counts as two children.¡± ¡°No,¡± Konarot said, pointing up at her father with an accusatory finger. ¡°What do you mean no?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t steal your sister¡¯s joke.¡± Konarot huffed, before looking to her nana, pouting up at her for support. ¡°Aunt, how can you do this to me?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Konarot was the one that loved me the most, but now she looks to you for support. What have you done to my children? You¡¯ve stolen them away from me.¡± Adam lifted Gurot up and hugged him tighter. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m stealing Gurot and the others then! Right, Gurot, you want to be with Cousin Adam, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Mama,¡± Gurot said, seeing his mother approach with Murot. Adam closed his eyes, and allowed the boy to leave his arms, the chonky baby boy waddling his way to his mother before he was picked up by her strong arm. Mirot was pretty certain that Adam was doing something stupid, especially since he seemed to be stunned. Konarot kissed her father¡¯s cheek to awaken him from his stupid thoughts. Adam looked down to his eldest daughter. He brushed her hair gently and pulled her head to his chest. ¡°I missed you all so much.¡± He ran his fingers through her dark hair, which was nearly black, but with a hint of silver. ¡°Daddy is going to try and work less so he can spend more time with you.¡± Konarot purred affirmatively at his words and rested her head against his chest. Her tail swayed gently from side to side. Kirot and Karot also cuddled up beside their father on either side, while Jirot and Jarot stared at their elder siblings, seeing how close they were with the man. Adam looked out to all the children, even the baby girls who were eating beside one another, near their mothers and fathers. ¡°Jurot, I¡¯m going to spoil them all.¡± ¡°You could have.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°With Stormdrake in hand?¡± Elder Zijin asked. ¡°Even with Stormdrake in hand. If I had plate mail, I may have continued, but... it wasn¡¯t the time for the Gak family.¡± ¡°Laygak placed well.¡± Jaygak slowly nodded her head. ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Jaygak. You always cause me such trouble, but I accept it all, because I know you do not mean harm.¡± He leaned in towards her, staring into her eyes. ¡°If your heart is not up to the task, I ask you to remember this one thing. Even if you were to fail, I expect you to fail with a mouth full of blood. I do not expect this of you as an Iyrman, but as the elder sister to Raygak, and the one Taygak looks up to most¡± Jaygak swallowed. Failing with a mouth full of blood? It was something she hadn¡¯t heard in a long while. ¡°I think they should find someone else to look up to.¡± ¡°Who? Adam?¡± Zijin shook his head. ¡°In their eyes, in our eyes, there is only you, Jaygak.¡± ¡°I want to retire, Elder.¡± ¡°It is refused.¡± ¡°It is my right.¡± ¡°What am I to say to Raygak?¡± Elder Zijin whispered, raising his brows towards her. ¡°I will tell him.¡± ¡°Will you?¡± Zijin remained staring into the woman¡¯s eyes, his own trying to see what she truly meant. Jaygak frowned. ¡°...¡± ¡°It is not time for you to retire yet, Jaygak,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°As I clear the path for Adam, I will do the same for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re clearing a path for me?¡± ¡°I do not need to clear a path for Jurot,¡± Zijin began. ¡°I do not need to clear a path for Kitool. Raygak and Taygak, they both see a wall they cannot climb. That wall is named Gak. When was the last time anyone from the Gak family has risen? Gangak? Yes, perhaps she was the only one to break through it, but that was a long time ago. Even Kaygak stopped before she could climb the wall. I will clear the path for you, Jaygak, and you must clear a path for them.¡± ¡°What is my path, Elder?¡± Jaygak asked, cautiously. She had heard what Taygak had said before, and it had broken her heart. Adam had heard it too, but he had reacted differently. Whereas Jaygak could only react with shame, Adam reacted with shock and had argued against it. It was always Adam who could do such things. Elder Zijin smiled. ¡°Your path...¡± The older Iyrman sighed. ¡°You would not believe me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It is more unbelievable than even Adam.¡± Jaygak raised her brow towards the Elder. This was the very first that she had heard he had plans for her. No matter how much Jaygak thought, she had no idea what the Elder was thinking. She supposed that one had to think in such a way in order to be an Elder. ¡®Something more unbelievable than Adam?¡¯ ¡°I do not care if your mouth if full of your foe¡¯s blood or your own,¡± Zijin said, ¡°but Jaygak, please. It must be full of blood.¡± ¡°I understand, Elder Zijin...¡± Jaygak replied, though her lips were still a frown. Zijin could see she didn¡¯t believe in herself still, but it was fine. She said she understood, and that was all he could ask. ¡°Oh damn,¡± Adam whispered as he stopped at the entrance of the shared estate. ¡°I forgot to give the twins their gifts.¡± Jurot was certain their birthdays hadn¡¯t passed yet. Jaygak, do not believe in yourself. Believe in the me who believed in you! 641. The Tale VII 641. The Tale VII ¡°Why?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Why are you all so cute?¡± Adam fawned over the six girls, Gurot¡¯s cousins. Inakan completely ignored him, but the two Devilkin girls, Kavgak and Tavgak, stared up at him. The pair had been sitting, playing with their blocks, but upon seeing Adam, they focused completely on the Half Elf. Kavgak, Jaygak¡¯s baby sister, was the largest of all the children, even bigger than the likes of Gurot. Adam squeezed her cheeky together lightly, causing her to twitch backwards away from him, while Tavgak, Taygak¡¯s baby sister, smiled up towards the Half Elf shyly and giggled. Minakan, Naqokan¡¯s baby sister, ignored him too, just like her cousin, but partly because she sat by herself elsewhere from the children, and continued to stack her blocks. Her face was contorted with the focused concentration of an Iyrman ready to slip a dagger between one¡¯s ribs. Jitool, Kitool¡¯s baby sister, would often bring herself to Jirot and Jarot. She showed off her blocks before playing alongside the twins. Her cousin, Maool, Faool¡¯s baby sister, often played beside Karot, who would allow her to set the pace of their play. The boy picked up the blocks when they fell and handed them to her. ¡°Jurot, it¡¯s not right for them to be this cute,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Cutest In The Whole World,¡± Jurot replied. Adam¡¯s eyes widened, and he stared down at all the children. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Jurot.¡± Jurot blinked, wondering what Adam was up to. He had been whispering about the gifts he had prepared, but had immediately decided to fawn over the babies instead. Adam inhaled deeply to try and calm himself. ¡°Damokan, Kalokan,¡± Adam called out for the twins. ¡°Come here.¡± The boy and girl walked over to him. The pair had been keeping an eye on Inakan and their own sibling, who was playing by herself. ¡°Have you been good?¡± Adam asked. The pair nodded in reply. ¡°What a silly question, of course you¡¯ve been good,¡± Adam stated, nodding his head slowly. ¡°I forgot to give you two your gifts, but I didn¡¯t forget about you!¡± The pair blinked at him. They had waited for their gifts yesterday and assumed they had been forgotten by their Cousin. Adam quickly left to find his leather sack, before he returned. He held out a pair of rings in hand, each made of a different colour metal. ¡°I found these rings at a market, they were side by side, and I thought of you two instantly.¡± Adam held the rings out. ¡°Perhaps in the future they could be enchanted with something to protect you, but for now, just accept them as they are.¡± Adam winked. Damokan and Kalokan looked at the rings, one blue, and the other red. Damokan reached for the blue ring and Kalokan reached for the red ring. Adam narrowed his eyes. He swore that Damokan gave him a scale made of bloodsteel and Kalokan had given him one made of stormsteel. ¡®These punks, are they giving me the stuff they don¡¯t like?¡¯ ¡°Thank you,¡± the pair said, together, staring up at Adam with their innocent eyes. Adam could see it within their the eyes, the memory of the promise they had forced out of him. Adam smiled, reaching up to ruffle their hair. ¡°Grow up big and strong, okay?¡±Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°Okay,¡± the pair replied, together. ¡°No, wait,¡± Adam whispered, frowning. ¡°Stay small and cute forever.¡± They blinked at him, before retreating away. They held onto the ring within their fists, clasping it tight. ¡®Protect...¡¯ ¡°Naqokan, your siblings are so scary with how cute they are,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± Naqokan confirmed, before realising something. She glanced around, almost beginning to panic. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Adam, I did not bring them a gift,¡± Naqokan whispered. Adam blinked. His eyes stated that she wasn¡¯t allowed to do that, but his mind rushed in a buzz. ¡°Naqokan, didn¡¯t you want to speak with the Elder?¡± ¡°So I beat them up,¡± Adam said, holding up his clenched fist. ¡°One strike. One kill.¡± Adam made a noise as he punched through the air, audibly shifting the air. ¡°Oooh!¡± The Iyrmen children clapped. ¡°I had to surrender though.¡± ¡°Why?¡± a child asked. ¡°Because...¡± Adam crossed his arms, sighing. ¡°They were nobles.¡± ¡°They were nobles,¡± the child replied, before bobbing his head up and down, understanding why Adam had to surrender. The other children nodded too, with the younger few not quite understanding why. ¡°You, too, must do well to honour your ancestors,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You do not have to fight in a tournament, but you should do well for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Not just for your ancestors though. You all have little siblings, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the children replied. ¡°Good. Make sure you do well to honour your ancestors, but also make sure you help out your little brothers and sisters. Jurot and I came first and third, but just you wait until Lanarot grows up.¡± Lanarot looked over their way, sticking a piece of bread into her mouth. She had heard her name, and glanced between her brothers. She blinked, chewing her bread slowly, before furrowing her brows at Adam questioningly. Adam lifted her up and placed her onto his lap. He rubbed her stomach gently. ¡°Are you happy? Your papas placed well in the tournament.¡± ¡°Stwong?¡± Lanarot asked. ¡°Yes, your papa is very strong,¡± Adam confirmed. Lanarot smiled, before offering Adam a torn bit of bread. She glanced towards her other brother. ¡°Papa, stwong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good,¡± she said, breaking him some bread too before offering it to him. ¡°Eat. Stwong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam confirmed, brushing her hair. ¡°Eat up the bread and become strong.¡± Lanarot smiled. ¡°Yes!¡± She held up her arms and flexed them for her brothers. ¡°Wow! Do you see how strong my little sister is?¡± Adam kissed her cheek. ¡°Lanarot, you¡¯re going to protect me now, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lanarot smiled even wider. Adam beamed down towards his children with the largest smile. ¡°See? Your daddy is strong!¡± Konarot pat Adam¡¯s leg, before giving him a thumbs up. ¡°Good.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a cheeky smirk, and he did his best not to laugh. ¡°You know what? Next time daddy will come first place! I won¡¯t let anyone stop me!¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± the Iyrmen children replied, clapping their hands excitedly towards the statement. Strong. 642. The Promise I 642. The Promise I ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam looked over to the twins who were eating up the meat from their nana¡¯s fork. Adam snatched Jirot up and kissed her cheek all over. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re ignoring me? Is it because daddy only came in third place? Did you expect better from me? I¡¯m so sorry, Jibaby! I¡¯ll do much better next time.¡± Jirot huffed quietly and squirmed, trying to get out of his grasp, until she finally gave up, relenting to her father¡¯s affections as he kissed her all over and hugged her tight. Jarot puffed up his cheeks, pouting up at his father, looking to his grandmother for support. ¡°What are you doing?¡± an Iyrman child asked. ¡°I¡¯m kissing my children.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I love them so much,¡± Adam said, picking up Jarot to kiss his face all over too, causing the boy to shyly look away and squirm. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? I¡¯m a father, that¡¯s why.¡± The children narrowed their eyes at Adam. ¡°Does mother love me?¡± ¡°Of course your mother loves you.¡± The child blinked, before looking to an Iyrman nearby with a curious look. The woman motioned for the child to come, and the pair embraced. ¡°You see?¡± Adam said. ¡°Why do you think your parents are so strong? It¡¯s because they love you so much.¡± The children looked to their family, trying to understand what Adam was saying. The adult Iyrmen sighed, annoyed by Adam¡¯s words, since they were... The adult Iyrmen glanced between one another. He was... right? ¡°Daddy, stwong,¡± Konarot said, patting his knee gently. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m strong because I love you all so much.¡± Adam lifted Konarot up, kissing her forehead, before doing the same with the rest of his triplets too. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry! Daddy is going to protect you all! Daddy¡¯s going to become the strongest!¡± ¡°I will protect you too,¡± Jurot said, reaching down to ruffle Jirot¡¯s hair. ¡°That¡¯s right, uncle Jurot will protect you too, so you have to be nice to him,¡± Adam stated. Jirot cackled up at Jurot and hugged his arm, giggling wildly as she trapped his arm to her. ¡°Not that nice,¡± Adam whispered, ruffling her hair. ¡°Jarot,¡± Jurot called, causing the boy to look his way. Jarot nibbled on some meat, but stopped nibbling as he stared up at his uncle, frozen. ¡°You must grow up well.¡± Jurot rubbed the boy¡¯s hair, causing him to turn away, hiding himself from his uncle. ¡°No, he needs to stay small and cute forever,¡± Adam retorted. ¡°His name is Jarot, so he must grow well,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°He¡¯s too young to grow up well,¡± Adam replied. ¡°He¡¯s the youngest, so he should stay small and cute forever.¡± ¡°So Konarot will grow up big and strong?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No, Konarot is too young, so she should stay small and cute forever.¡± ¡°I am not as strong as grandfather,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Even with one arm, grandfather can beat me.¡± ¡°Yeah, that old man is pretty damn strong,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°He should be, since he was the first one to beat me.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Did you hear, Jarot? Your greatfather is strong.¡± Jarot looked up to Jurot, before waddling over to his grandmother, hugging her leg. The boy hid his head against her leg, before looking back to see Jurot still looking at him, before he hid himself once more. Sonarot rubbed his head gently, smiling down at him. It was only thanks to Jarot leaving to fight that Sonarot was able to be so close to them, otherwise her father would have monopolised the twins for himself. The chaos which would have ensued if Adam returned back to find the old man closer to the twins than himself... Sonarot closed her eyes, and almost wished she could have seen it. ¡°Kekekekeke,¡± Jirot cackled, looking back towards her grandmother as she grabbed some more meat to chew. ¡°Jirot, you cannot eat it all,¡± Sonarot said, picking up the girl and placing the tiny twin on her lap. She had come to check on the children to make sure they were behaving well, especially Jirot. The little girl continued to nibble on the meat, before offering some to her twin brothers. Adam poured the wine into a cup and sipped it slowly. He winced. ¡®Caught me slipping.¡¯ He coughed and shook his head. ¡°I think I¡¯ll give this to Jaygak.¡± ¡°It is good wine,¡± Jurot said, his face contorted as he sipped the sour wine. Konarot looked up at the gourd, but Adam rubbed her head. ¡°This is not for you, my daughter.¡± Adam rubbed her head gently. ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°My daughter,¡± Adam stated, smirking slightly. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°My daughter...¡± Adam kept rubbing her head. ¡°My daughter.¡± He sat up straighter, his chest out with pride. His entire body tingled as he realised what that meant, and his heart lightened slightly, realising why he left to fight so much. Konarot smiled up at her father, before resting her head against his leg, half hugging him. She allowed him to feed her some of the fried meat, with Adam almost falling to the wayside as the others excitedly heard the tale from Jurot and Kitool. Meanwhile, Umbra was relaxing on a rooftop, sipping some wine. She could feel the gaze of several Iyrmen upon her, as well as figures from the shadows. ¡°You are not Lord Storm, so we cannot allow you to move freely while Elder Story is not here,¡± Iromin had stated to her. Umbra recalled her father, and how much joy he had speaking of his friends, especially the one known as Elder Story. Since she was his friend, she decided against causing trouble in the Iyr, especially recalling the warnings she had received from Adam. Adam, who would dare to fight the world, but not the Iyr. Umbra decided to wait for Elder Story to return. ¡®She¡¯s off to keep my boy in check?¡¯ Umbra thought about whether she should return to the Upper Realms, but with her arrival, chaos would ensue, and she would be engulfed in a civil war, one she wasn¡¯t particularly interested in. ¡®I could request the Iyr¡¯s assistance...¡¯ She winced, thinking about ruling the soon to crumble empire. ¡®Uncle Shama has gone too? Is he going to help keep it stable for a few years?¡¯ Umbra thought back to the old man who used to fight with her father. Even back then, that old man was considered one of the strongest across the Upper Realm, and her father¡¯s name would cause the world to shake. The pair had once made a mess in the Lower Realms, but it was thanks to a great number of individuals, including Elder Story, that the mess was cleaned up well enough. ¡®He didn¡¯t kill Asa?¡¯ Umbra frowned. There were things she had been told, and things she thought she knew. Shama had certainly killed his father to take his throne, but that old man was alive? The Asa? The same Asa that was a legend before Jaeryael was even a babe? That Asa? Who was now fighting to defend South Aldland? She wondered if the arrival of these impossible figures, including herself, were thanks to the machinations of other figures. Her thoughts then fell to Crowseer, who had decided to trap himself within the Iyr. ¡®Are those bastard Stars to blame?¡¯ Finally, her thoughts fell back to the fool of a father she had met. ¡®...¡¯ This upcoming arc is very, very slow. Some important things may or may not happen. It may or may not set up important things in the near (next 100 chapters) or far (500+ chapters) future. It may or may not be wholesome. It may or may not be tragic. It is, however, very, very slow. The next arc after that? Fufufu. Fufufufu. Fufufufufu. I''m posting up twice because I''m pretty sure I still owed a double chapter from before when I accidentally skipped a day. 643. The Promise II 643. The Promise II Omen: 6, 8 Adam stared down at the two girls, narrowing his eyes towards them. Katool was already giggling, covering her mouth with her hands. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes further. ¡°These kids. They look... familiar.¡± The other children snickered at Adam¡¯s joke, all the while the Half Elf rubbed his chin. ¡°Aha! This must be Maool and Minakan!¡± Katool cackled, slapping her knee as she began to laugh. ¡°No, cousin Adam, it is...¡± She stopped laughing and furrowed her brows. This time, he was right?Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°Of course it is Maool and Minakan,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°It all makes sense.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak replied, nodding her head. She reached up to pat Adam¡¯s back for doing such a good job in remembering who they were. The tiny girls were dressed up in the Iyrman attire, and their foreheads were painted with marks, each the colours of their respective families. The attention the pair received caused Maool to smile, while Minakan ignored it as best as she could, her face transfixed into a sour pout. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, reaching into his shirt, pulling out two small pieces of paper which had been rolled up into small scrolls, with tiny ribbons of black tying them together. ¡°This is my gift for the two of you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shikan asked, surprised it wasn¡¯t a set of weapons as he had originally expected. ¡®No. Even Adam is not that foolish.¡¯ Adam held the paper out to Halikan and Raool, since it was their daughters¡¯ birthdays. ¡°It¡¯s a promise.¡± ¡°A... promise?¡± Shikan asked, before feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His eyes met Sonarot¡¯s for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that!¡± Adam frowned. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s anything crazy.¡± ¡°What is the promise?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, this and that...¡± Adam reached up to hide his guilty smirk with a fist, clearing his throat. ¡°Adam...¡± Sonarot called. ¡°It¡¯s just, you know... they can bring the paper and the Enchanter will promise to make them a magical item with their elder sibling¡¯s guidance.¡± ¡°The gifts are magical items?¡± Shikan asked, covering his face. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s the promise of a magical item. The promise is only to them, and not to their family.¡± ¡°...¡± Faool and Naqokan glanced between one another, wondering if their gifts could match that. Though, Adam had also included them with the gifts. Amira looked to Dunes, her eyes asking whether Adam could do such a thing. Dunes replied with only a soft smile, before sipping his milk. Adam was Adam. ¡°You can¡¯t gift babies magical weapons,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It¡¯s not a magical weapon,¡± Adam replied, firmly. ¡°It¡¯s a promise to create a magical item. Item! It doesn¡¯t have to be a magical weapon!¡± ¡°For you?¡± ¡°I want to see them being all cute giving away gifts, then I can show off to the other parents about how good my children are,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Just like how you all show off to other parents about your own children.¡± Sonarot raised her brow towards the Half Elf. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± Adam grumbled quietly. ¡°Aunt, your son came first place. I know you¡¯re giving the other adults side eyes and smirks about how your son is so amazing. Aunt Citool, you think I don¡¯t know how much you¡¯ve been showing off your daughter? Uncle Jogak, you think I don¡¯t notice how you... okay, maybe Jaygak doesn¡¯t have any-,¡± Adam slapped his leg, realising he was about to say something bad about Jaygak. ¡®No, I need to be nice since she saved my life.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know how you show off how...¡± Adam began to shake lightly, and coughed, as though he was taking internal damage. ¡°Smart. Jaygak. Is.¡± Adam covered his face, stopping himself from shaking too much. Jaygak exchanged a look to her father, her brow pulsing slightly. ¡®Don¡¯t you stop me from beating him.¡¯ ¡®Beating him?¡¯ Jogak replied, raising his brow towards his daughter. ¡®Do you wish for Raygak to see you get beaten up again?¡¯ Jaygak frowned, crossing her arms, letting the matter go. She thought about going to the Elder to get her revenge. ¡°They do not need to give gifts,¡± Halikan confirmed. ¡°They are the nieces and nephews.¡± ¡°Aunt Halikan, do you think I¡¯ll forgive you just because Minakan is so cute?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Konarot, do you have something you want to give your...¡± Adam paused. He looked to his triplets, realising they were older, but they were of a younger generation. ¡®...¡¯ He glanced between his aunts and uncles. ¡®They do have a point...¡¯ Konarot hopped off the stool and rushed away to the house, with Kirot and Karot chasing after her. The triplets finally returned with little cups in hand, as well as ribbons. Konarot had brought four of each, Kirot too, while Karot had brought two of each. They tied up the ribbons around the cups, and handed the one year olds the cups. ¡°Jiwoh,¡± Konarot called, before handing the girl a cup and ribbon, with Kirot doing the same to Jarot. Jirot took the cup and tried to drink from it, before realising it was empty. She raised it up to her grandmother. ¡°Nana.¡± ¡°You are to gift it, Jirot,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°No,¡± Jirot replied, shaking her head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot said. Jirot looked to Konarot, confused for a moment. Konarot pointed to the ribbon and helped the girl with putting the ribbon around the cup and within it, before guiding her to hand it to Minakan, doing the same for Maool for the last cup and ribbon. Kirot guided Jarot, who did not resist, instead following the motions which had been shown to him. Jirot stared at the cups she had given away, before looking up to her nana. ¡°Mik.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot said, picking her up to breastfeed the greedy girl. ¡°My kids are so cute and so smart,¡± Adam said, nodding his head, ignoring the fact that they hadn¡¯t brought enough. ¡°You see that? She even brought her sister gifts to give. My Konarot, and my Kirot and Karot, are so sweet and smart.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a wide smirk. The others stared at Adam, seeing how he was restraining himself from hugging and kissing his children. Jurot stared down at Adam¡¯s children, crossing his arms. They were truly good children, and were growing up well. Adam remained sitting down, frozen with his arms crossed, eating the dessert that was his children¡¯s adorableness. However, Jurot could see something glisten at the back of the Half Elf¡¯s neck. ¡°Your children are truly adorable,¡± Jurot said, patting his brother¡¯s back, casually. However, he felt something against Adam¡¯s back that he hadn¡¯t expected. It was wet, and cold. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam whispered in response, clearing his throat, realising that Jurot had felt how cold he had become. ¡®...¡¯ Uh oh. 644. The Promise III 644. The Promise III The children played on the soft grass within the park, while Adam sat on the bench. Konarot sat on her father¡¯s lap, holding onto his shirt as she rested her cheek against his torso, feeling his beating heart. Adam gently brushed through her silver hair, his eyes glued to the children as they played. Lanarot led the play, with Kirot and Jirot following her, running all around, leaving their brothers to chase after them too. The other children, Gurot and the younger set of children who were only a year old, remained sitting and playing by themselves. Two were missing, off in their family estates to celebrate with their families. Adam looked down at his daughter, his eldest, noting the faint scar across her cheek. He continued to brush her hair gently, before lifting her up, kissing her forehead. ¡°What a good girl you are, my Konarot. So sweet. So polite. So responsible.¡± The word responsible cut through his heart. She was too young for such a word. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything¡¯s going to be okay. Daddy¡¯s here to protect you. Daddy is going to become so strong, and daddy¡¯s going to protect you from everything.¡± Konarot smiled and nuzzled her neck against his chest, enjoying the way he brushed her hair. Adam eventually held her tiny hand in his own, brushing his thumb along the back of it. ¡®Small.¡¯ Even now, the girl was tiny. Yet, she behaved more maturely than any child, even those in their early teens. ¡®It¡¯s not fair, my baby.¡¯ He kissed her forehead again and held her close to his chest. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Daddy¡¯s going to find all sort of strong warriors to look after you. I¡¯ll find a bunch of Grandmasters, Paragons if I can, and I¡¯ll set them up with the best weapons and armour to protect you. No. I¡¯ll get an entire squad for each of you.¡¯ Adam continued to hold her against his chest, doing his best to keep his heart calm. ¡®Should I just leave you in the Iyr?¡¯ Adam¡¯s heart fell. Konarot looked up at her father, feeling the way his heart beat had shifted. He smiled down at her, kissing her forehead again, before rubbing her head. ¡°You¡¯ve done so well, haven¡¯t you?¡± Adam whispered, his lips almost twitching. ¡°Looking after the children.¡± She nodded and smiled, hiding her face in his chest again. ¡°Not just the triplets, but your little siblings, Jirot and Jarot, too?¡± She nodded again and cuddled up against him tighter, her tail swaying from side to side. ¡°Good girl, good girl!¡± He continued to pet her head gently. ¡°You are such a good big sister, Konarot. Such a good girl.¡± Konarot squirmed against his hand and rubbed her head against it harder. Adam smiled and lifted her up again to kiss her face repeatedly, nuzzling her nose. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and play with your siblings? They probably want to have some fun with you too.¡± Konarot looked up towards the shadow past her father, and squirmed slightly. ¡°You silly girl,¡± Adam said, tickling her nose. ¡°Don¡¯t bully your uncle like that.¡± Jurot sat beside Adam, looking down towards his niece. She was so small, but the look in her eyes was defiant. ¡°Just because he¡¯s big and strong, it doesn¡¯t mean you can hurt his feelings,¡± Adam said, poking her nose gently. Konarot hid her face within his chest. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why are you being so shy now? He¡¯s my brother, you know. Just like how Jarot is your brother.¡± Konarot looked up towards her uncle, pouting slightly up at him. Jurot stared down at her, unsure of how to respond. She didn¡¯t like him much for one reason or another, though she seemed to adore her grandmother. ¡°Jurot, why don¡¯t you rub her head for doing a good job?¡± ¡°What did she do?¡± ¡°She¡¯s looking after her younger brothers and sisters so well.¡± ¡°That is good,¡± Jurot said, rubbing her head, causing her to squirm and cuddle her father harder. ¡°Now, go on, you little rapscallion,¡± Adam joked. ¡°You should go play with your brothers and sisters.¡± Konarot slipped out of her father¡¯s embrace and rushed off to go play with her aunt and siblings. ¡°Lanababy is the oldest of the small kids,¡± Adam said, watching as Lanarot hugged her niece and kissed her forehead, before playing with her. ¡°She¡¯ll be the Young Boss of our business once it¡¯s up and running.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a wide smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to funnel some coin into their hoards, too.¡± ¡°She is growing well,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam smiled, though his lips twitched awkwardly. ¡°They¡¯ll be less shy around you one day.¡± He watched as the children played. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take advantage of the Iyr. The Iyr has done so much for me, and... I don¡¯t want the Iyr to think that I¡¯m using it.¡± ¡°We do not think such.¡± ¡°Once the fort is made, I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re raised there. They can come back for the festivals, and during the Twilight Month, but otherwise, they should remain within the fort. Jonn and Nobby will protect them, they¡¯re pretty strong. I doubt they can go against the greatest of foes, like, uh, the guys you were telling me about. What do you call them? The Blades?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Flame Blade is the weakest, but even Jonn would have trouble against him.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I was planning on making a few more warriors. I might even hire some of them, if they¡¯re available for hire.¡± ¡°Grandfather will want to see them often,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He will miss them too much.¡± ¡°He can stay around the fort then, I guess?¡± Adam replied, awkwardly. ¡°Or they can visit him often in the Front Iyr, or the Main Iyr, during the festivals.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if Adam should pull them out of the Iyr, it was the safest place for them. However, he understood that the relationship between Adam and the Iyr was quite awkward, especially considering how he was Jurot¡¯s brother, and yet only considered a Nephew outside of the Rot family. Adam exhaled. ¡°I¡¯m real worried, Jurot. I have a feeling that something big is going to happen. Something bad. I wouldn¡¯t mind if it happens to me, but...¡± Adam stared at his children, feeling his throat clog up. ¡°They¡¯ll be safe here until the end of the year, I¡¯m sure of it, but...¡± ¡°They will be safe in the Iyr. If something happens to them in the Iyr, they will be fine. The Iyr allows its children to fall, but it does not allow them to stay down.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not children of the Iyr, though.¡± ¡°They are my niece and nephew,¡± Jurot stated once more. ¡°They¡¯re no-,¡± ¡°They are my grandfather¡¯s greatchildren,¡± Jurot stated, staring at the youngest of Adam¡¯s children. ¡°Grandfather will not allow the Iyr to refuse their rights.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what the Iyr would do if something would happen, and he decided he never wanted to find out, so pushed the thought away. ¡°Jurot. I hope that, whatever happens, happens to me. And if something does happen to me...¡± Jurot swallowed. He remained staring at the children, the same as Adam. ¡°Would you take them as your own?¡± Jurot swallowed again, crossing his arms. ¡°I would not be a good father.¡± ¡°You¡¯d be the best father.¡± ¡°Kitool and Jaygak would be better.¡± ¡°It can only be you, Jurot,¡± Adam stated, feeling a little guilty to attack Jurot so out of the blue with this. ¡°I will do so. You are my brother, Adam,¡± Jurot replied, swallowing again. ¡°You did not need to ask.¡± Adam felt his throat twitch, his lower lip quiver. ¡°I know. I just... I just needed to hear it from your mouth.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Thanks.¡± Adam quickly looked back to his children. ¡°Let¡¯s hope nothing happens to me so you can be free to do as you please, Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It might be awkward to marry Pam if you have five kids already.¡± Jurot sighed, relaxing slightly. ¡°They are so cute, she would adore them.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help the smile which crept across his strained face. ¡°Yeah. Cutest In The Whole World.¡± I''m not sure if there''s anything scarier in the world than a parent knowing their kid is going to die and being unable to stop it. 645. Birthdays I 645. Birthdays I Omen: 5, 17 ¡°No!¡± Katool pointed up at Adam, glaring up at him with a pout. Adam glanced to the side, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Katool, how can you do this to me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Katool warned, still pointing at Adam with her finger accusatory. ¡°My kaka.¡± Adam looked down at Jitool, who was sitting on his lap, eating a small bun. ¡°Impossible.¡± Katool puffed out her cheeks before she marched to her mother, and pointed towards Adam once more. ¡°No.¡±The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Adam, you should not bully Katool like this,¡± Citool said, brushing her daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m not bullying Katool,¡± Adam replied, before bringing another piece of bread to the girl¡¯s lips. Jitool looked up towards him, slowly chewing her bread. ¡°She¡¯s bullying me. How can she steal Jitool from me?¡± ¡°Jitool is hers to steal.¡± ¡°My kaka,¡± Katool confirmed. ¡°Jitool, come!¡± She held out her arms, and Jitool squirmed out of Adam¡¯s grasp to hug her elder sister. ¡°I¡¯m only forgiving you this once because you¡¯re both so cute,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Next time, if you steal my Jitool, I will call you a smelly girl.¡± ¡°I smell very nice,¡± Katool retorted, hugging her sister as she rubbed the back of the girl¡¯s head. She planted a kiss on her sister¡¯s forehead. ¡°What happened to the cool Katool that used to cry when I... didn¡¯t bully her,¡± Adam said, recalling the fact that he didn¡¯t actually ever bully Katool but she still cried. ¡°She is older now,¡± Jurot stated, as though it explained everything. It did, of course, but Adam refused to acknowledge it. Once the gifts were given, with Adam also passing Jitool a promise for a magical item, only with Katool and Kitool¡¯s support, they returned back to eating peacefully. ¡°Are you going to make them into monsters?¡± Lucy asked, chewing on a piece of bread Lanarot had given to her. ¡°Monsters? Of course not! I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re raised well! My cute little Cousins will be raised well in the Iyr, and I¡¯ll make sure to spoil them rotten!¡± Adam stated, firmly, in front of all the parents who had remained. ¡°I earned that right.¡± Adam threw a look to Mirot and Kaygak, the pair gently rubbing their newborn children¡¯s backs to make sure they had drank well. ¡°They¡¯re really going to get magical weapons?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Magical items, but yes,¡± Adam confirmed. Lucy sighed, looking to Mara. The pair had already begun training within the Iyr, slowly gaining more strength. They thought about what to do with the Iyr, which had treated them so well. ¡°Hey, Lucy, why don¡¯t you help them out when they¡¯re young?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°They¡¯ll be sure to help you out once they... once you¡¯re in trouble.¡± Adam refused to admit they would grow up. ¡°How can I do that when you¡¯re always stealing them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stealing them!¡± Adam huffed out defensively. ¡°There are plenty of children now, you know? They¡¯re all so cute that I can¡¯t help but steal them.¡± ¡°You said you weren¡¯t stealing them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stealing them, but I can¡¯t help but to steal them. Look! They are so cute and chubby! Look at my Chonky boy! Look at little Jitool, whose got the same bob cut her sister usually has! Aren¡¯t you so adorable?¡± Adam lifted her up once more and made all manner of noises, rubbing his cheek against her tummy, causing her to squeal. Katool placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I will play with her.¡± ¡°Katool, just because you¡¯re her sister, it doesn¡¯t mean you can steal her away from me.¡± ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to remain a little chaotic, so I never have to see that kind of thing...¡¯ Adam rolled the ball over to Gurot, the boy giggling lightly as they played together. Gurot picked up the ball and tossed it over to Adam, who kept rolling the ball back to him. Jurot sat behind Gurot, rubbing his head gently. Gurot looked up at him before squealing and crawling away. Adam lifted the boy up, groaning as he did. ¡°What are you doing, running away from your cousin like this? You can¡¯t bully him like this.¡± Gurot sucked on his hand shyly, before hiding his head into Adam¡¯s chest. ¡°He already likes you so much,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Of course he likes me, I play with him everyday,¡± Adam replied, brushing the boy¡¯s hair back. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right Gurot? I¡¯m your favourite Cousin, and not because I¡¯m so handsome.¡± ¡°I am handsome too,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°When you¡¯re right, you¡¯re right, Jurot,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. ¡°Not as handsome as our Gurot, of course. Look at him. So stout. He¡¯s going to swing the biggest axe around. Isn¡¯t that right, Gurot?¡± ¡°Choo,¡± Gurot confirmed. An Iyrman approached the estate, coming to give orders for the teen and young adult for work. ¡°Jurot will be unable to work today,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman replied, marking Jurot as unable to work that day, before he waited for Sonarot¡¯s reason. ¡°He must remain with the children,¡± she said. ¡°...¡± The Iyrman wrote the reason, but with a punctuation that marked he was unsure, but he stepped out. It was evening when Jurot finally approached his mother. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Sonarot asked, finishing with cutting Karot¡¯s nails, before letting him go to his siblings, Konarot hugging the boy before sitting with him. ¡°The children...¡± Jurot began, awkwardly. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say to his mother. ¡°They will grow up, and they will die?¡± ¡°They are young and small now, but they will be older, and they will gain the rights afforded to them, like you. They will grow big and strong, and they will have the right to leave the Iyr. To fight, and to die.¡± ¡°I do not wish for them to die,¡± Jurot said, frowning. ¡°Is it our choice to make?¡± Jurot¡¯s frown deepened. That¡¯s not what he wanted to hear. She should have said something like he should do what he feels is right. That he should protect them well when he¡¯s stronger. However, there were no words of comfort from his mother, who would always comfort him well. Sonarot reached up to brush his hair, smiling sadly. As much as she wanted to comfort him, there were rules the Iyr followed, and there was a reason why the Iyr, outnumbered hundreds to one by its enemies, was still able to exert so much influence. Jurot held Lanarot against his chest that night, allowing her to sleep atop him. The girl cuddled with her brother excitedly, though quickly succumbed to his hug, falling fast asleep. Konarot cuddled up with her father, while her siblings were cuddled up with their grandmother. Jirot and Jarot both stayed with their other nana, their grandaunt, who had allowed them to grab her hands to sleep together. Jurot¡¯s eyes remained glued to the ceiling. His heart had been gripped by the darkness once more, and though his body had grown cold, the blanket kept his sister warm. Originally, he had thought that Adam refusing to become an Iyrman was foolish, but he realised something he hadn¡¯t thought of previously. Adam was chained by the Iyr because he chose to be, but he was no Iyrman. The rules of the Iyrmen did not apply to him, and therefore... Therefore, Adam could refuse the Iyrman way to live. Poor Jurot. 646. Birthdays II 646. Birthdays II Omen: 7, 8 ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Asorot called while Adam was gently rocking Jirot and Jarot to sleep. ¡°Yes, Cousin Asorot?¡± Adam replied, smiling towards the young boy. ¡°When I grow up, will I be as strong as you?¡± the boy asked, glancing down to the floor, frowning slightly. Adam smiled. ¡°Have you forgotten who your grandfather is?¡± Asorot thought back to his grandfather, who was currently one of the highest ranking Iyrmen in all of the Iyr. As one of the Great Eld-, ¡°Back in the day, he was a crazy, wild Iyrman,¡± Adam said, thinking back to the story he had been told. ¡°He was someone who could go toe to toe with the likes of Elder Wrath, and could cause such a mess in the Iyr.¡± Asorot narrowed his eyes. ¡®Grandfather? Cause a mess?¡¯ Asorot visibly tilted his head to one side. ¡°He was the one who went to go kill a Dragon for killing his grandchild,¡± Adam said, noting the way Asorot puckered his lips, furrowing his brows in anger. ¡°Right, exactly. He was the kind of man to cut off his arm to apologise to his family, and then... and then...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°And then be the first guy to beat me up!¡± Asorot realised that Adam was talking about Jarot, who was... Right. Jarot was Asorot¡¯s grandfather. ¡°Your grandfather, is that kind of guy,¡± Adam said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, your cousin came in first place. You¡¯re lucky, because you¡¯re one of the few people who can say that your grandfather chose not to cause trouble for the Iyr, and that you have a cousin who is strong, stronger than even the future Grand Commander of an order.¡± Asorot snorted slightly, standing a little taller. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°As long as you train hard, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be stronger than even me!¡± Adam reassured, smiling wide at the boy. Asorot smiled wider. ¡°I will grow strong and cause trouble for the Iyr.¡± Adam grit his teeth, trying to stop himself from laughing too hard. ¡°How can you say that, Asorot? Your brother is going to become Elder Peace, so you can¡¯t cause him too much trouble. Just a little trouble, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Asorot smiled shyly in response. ¡°Thank you, Cousin Adam.¡± ¡°Why are you thanking me?¡± ¡°Because you made me feel good,¡± Asorot said, flushing slightly. ¡®My Cousin is the cutest,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Ah, well, thank you for making me feel good too.¡± ¡°Can I hug you, Cousin Adam?¡± ¡°You silly boy,¡± Adam said, leaning forward. ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask.¡± Asorot hugged Adam awkwardly, trying not to bother Jirot or Jarot, before he stepped back. ¡°I will grow up strong.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t grow up at all, my Asorot.¡± Asorot flushed again, before running away. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Adam asked, looking down to Jirot and Jarot. ¡°I was talking about your greatfather, you know? The guy who caused a mess in the north and then retired.¡± Jarot sucked on his thumb, staring up at his father. He closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep. Meanwhile, Jirot reached up to grab her father¡¯s shirt, before she rolled closer to his chest, trying to fall asleep too. ¡®Old man, when are you coming back?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Are you really going to miss their birthday?¡¯ ¡°The brothers have great weights on their shoulders,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°I will speak with him if he still holds such weight after the twins¡¯ birthday.¡± Dunes had seen how eager Adam was to fight, but to see him so anxious, even within the Iyr, it caused him stress too. ¡°That is a good idea.¡± ¡°Adam may fall, but he always stands back up,¡± Vonda said. ¡°He is closer to the Iyr than one might realise.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a brother of an Iyrman, so I would say he is quite close.¡± ¡°He is closer than just being the brother of an Iyrman.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell to his amulet around the Half Elf¡¯s neck. Dunes wondered if perhaps Kitool or Jaygak should speak with Adam and Jurot, but Adam seemed to trust Vonda too. He wondered if he should speak with the Half Elf, but his eyes fell to the twins once more, and he glanced aside. Meanwhile, Elder Zijin was checking the maths behind all the movement within the Iyr. He confirmed the sheet, handing it to one of his aides, before he sat down in his chair. ¡®Churot is a gift from Baktu, that is for certain.¡¯ The Devilkin had assisted all the Elders in their tasks, and the Great Elders often had him assist too, though they had to make sure that Churot didn¡¯t understand exactly what he was calculating since he was still a boy. ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± called the Jin Family Elder. ¡°How may I help you, Elder?¡± Zijin replied to his uncle, who he technically outranked, but also didn¡¯t, as was the way of the Iyr. ¡°I need drinks to offer to Lord Stokmar,¡± Rajin said. ¡°I will offer one of the first bottles I had enclosed within the family treasury.¡± ¡°What is the occasion?¡± Zijin asked, pulling out a little notebook before writing within it. ¡°A birthday.¡± ¡°On the seventh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It has been written,¡± Zijin confirmed. Rajin turned, but paused. ¡°How goes the war?¡± ¡°It goes well.¡± ¡°Are you replying as an Elder, or as my nephew?¡± ¡°I can only reply as an Elder,¡± Zijin stated. Rajin grunted. ¡°Are you replying to me, your uncle, or the Family Elder?¡± ¡°I can only reply to you as the Family Elder.¡± Rajin sighed. ¡°You should be flexible, or you will find that you will break.¡± ¡°I am flexible in some matters,¡± Zijin replied, letting out a sigh that could only be given if one was the Elder of that particular young Half Elf. ¡°If the war requires more blood, the Jin family is always ready,¡± Rajin stated. ¡°The war has enough blood, and it will end soon,¡± Zijin said, dismissing the older Iyrman. However, in his heart, he wondered how well the Iyr would fare at the end of the war. Asa had been kind to the Iyrmen thus far, no doubt not wishing to rock the boat too much, but it wasn¡¯t just Asa who had chosen to defend King Merryweather. Another figure had also made his bed with the King of the South, a figure which was familiar with rituals of death and blood. Zijin kept an eye on Adam until the day of the twin¡¯s birthday, wondering if perhaps he had done something which had caused the war to shift. Poor Jurot. 647. Birthdays III 647. Birthdays III Omen: 9, 16 ¡°Daddy,¡± Jirot said, trying to squirm away from his attention. Unfortunately for her, this was one day that Adam refused to stop showering her with affection. Adam held both of his twins together, and constantly peppered them with kisses. This was also the one day that the others decided against calling him cringe for how much he adored his children. ¡°You punks, how can you do this to me?¡± Adam whispered as he blew into Jirot¡¯s stomach, causing her to squeal and laugh before doing the same to Jarot, who also squealed with glee. ¡°You¡¯re both so big now! How can you do this to me? It¡¯s not right!¡± ¡°Adam, I must dress them,¡± Sonarot said, eventually, trying to take them away to clean up and dress in proper attire for the day. ¡°On this day, you would steal them from me?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°They are my grandchildren.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam let his twins go, who excitedly rushed up to their nana, before being taken away to bathe. Adam sighed, hearing them splash away in their tubs with glee, before they were changed into a set of grey and blue Iyrmen clothing. Sonarot dabbed their foreheads too, marking them with the crude symbols representing the Rot family tattoo. The others began to give their gifts to Jirot and Jarot, strips of colourful cloth, which they excitedly grabbed and shook about in the air. Adam gave a thumbs up to the older children, who had gifted his children something so perfect. ¡°No!¡± Jirot said, pointing to Jurot. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked, feeding Jarot, who sat on his lap. ¡°No seep!¡± Jirot stated, squatting with her hands out to stop Jurot from picking her up and doing that to her. ¡°No sleep,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°Uncle Jurot just wants to feed you yum yum.¡± ¡°Yum yum?¡± Jirot asked, retreating to her father as she eyed her uncle up suspiciously. Jurot picked up a bowl of porridge and pat his lap. ¡°Come, Jirot. I will feed you.¡± ¡°No seep?¡±Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°No sleep.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jirot said, shuffling her way to her uncle. She did not allow him to pick her up, instead she climbed atop his lap, and allowed him to feed her. ¡®My kid is so smart,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is she...¡¯ Adam didn¡¯t continue the thought even as a joke. ¡®It¡¯s because she¡¯s so cute.¡¯ ¡°Daddy?¡± Jarot asked, looking up at him with those large, expectant eyes. ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Adam said, feeding his youngest son more porridge, as well as some fruit which some of the older children had gifted to the twins. Before the twins were taken away, Jaygak lifted each of them up. She kissed their cheeks and gently bounced them in her arms. She whispered quietly into their ears. ¡°Today is the day you can bully your father most, so make sure you take full advantage of it.¡± Jirot smiled, cackling quietly, while Jarot smiled shyly at her. He pointed up at her. ¡°What? You want to bully me?¡± Jarot nodded his head, before hugging her tight. Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about this, but she supposed she could only relent since it was their first birthday. Adam waited nearby, his arms crossed. He did his best not to let out huffs of frustration as Jaygak stole away his children. ¡°Kitool, I¡¯m worried for Jirot and Jarot,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Maybe they should be my children?¡± ¡°You are not Jirot?¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So you are not Jirot or you are Jirot?¡± Tarot asked. ¡°Wait,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes at the older man. ¡°Today, only I¡¯m allowed to bully my children.¡± ¡°You would refuse me my rights?¡± Tarot asked, grinning wide towards the Half Elf. ¡°You, who have finally come to see us after so long? I have heard that you have a story to tell us! You have been back for so long and have not come to speak with us?¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Oh, yeah. Oops.¡¯ ¡°Why should I come here when I can¡¯t even bully the old man?¡± ¡°Brother will return soon, but you should bring your children to us often,¡± Tarot said. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam replied, before pulling his lips taut. He glanced around towards the others awkwardly. He decided against mentioning anything since it was their birthday, and he had already said that he had forgiven them. ¡°Right.¡± Tarot placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Come. Sit and tell the tale.¡± ¡°Jurot will tell it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tarot said, taking the baby Jarot with him, reaching up to tickle the boy¡¯s nose. Jirot huffed out after him, before being picked up by Zirot, Tarot¡¯s wife. ¡°Jirot, how big have you become?¡± Zirot held Jirot close to her chest. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot twitched, having not been refused like this before. She sucked on her thumb and held onto Zirot¡¯s shoulder, before cuddling up to her. They all began to eat together, with Jirot and Jarot being handed vegetables that were quite tough to eat, which they excitedly bit into and chewed. Adam could hear every little crunch as they bit into the food. Once Jurot finished the tale, the children excitedly clapping, causing Jirot and Jarot to clap too, and Tarot laughed. ¡°News should have travelled to brother already,¡± Tarot said. ¡°What a shame he is not here to see them.¡± Tarot brushed the little baby Jarot¡¯s hair, allowing him to rest against his chest. ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Oh, right, I should probably bully him.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Tarot stared at Adam as he held onto his symbol and began to speak into the air. ¡°Old man, how can you do this? First to the triplets, and now to the twins? Shameless! Shameful! You can¡¯t bully my kids like this!¡± Adam heard laughter enter his mind before it shifted. ¡®Tell them not to grow up too quickly, and that I will return soon!¡¯ The Iyrmen blinked, staring at Adam. Did he really just cast a spell to send a message to outside the Iyr¡¯s walls? He wasn¡¯t allowed to do that... was he? ¡°You two!¡± Adam said, looking to Jirot and Jarot. ¡°Your babo said not to grow up too quick and that he¡¯ll return soon!¡± Jirot and Jarot blinked at their father, but returned back to cuddling with their other babo and nano. ¡°Adam, you-,¡± Mulrot began, before Sonarot held up a cup of water for the Family Elder. Sonarot shook her head, stopping Mulrot from saying any more. Mulrot¡¯s eyes said there were rules to follow, and Sonarot raised her brows. Mulrot decided to relent, especially considering what they had done. Our adorable twins are growing up too fast :( 648. Birthdays IV 648. Birthdays IV ¡°Why¡¯s he smiling so much?¡± a soldier whispered to his companion. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He was so happy hearing his grandson placed first in the tournament, but today he was all dower. Now he¡¯s all... happy? You think he killed someone?¡± ¡°Probably...¡± The crippled older Iyrman remained with his companions, drinking with the Devilkin and the older woman, both of whom he had remained with the entire time. ¡°I will bring back a head for each of them!¡± Jarot stated, grinning wildly like a beast. ¡°What need of your greatchildren of heads?¡± Gangak asked. ¡°You should bring them gems.¡± ¡°Gems, yes,¡± Jarot said, smiling wildly. ¡°Should I beat some gems out of the Order Masters?¡± ¡°Do not cause any more trouble.¡± ¡°Trouble? Who do you think I am? I am Jarot!¡± Jarot cackled with laughter, which echoed through the camp. He, who shared his name with his greatson, only wished to add to his story. ¡®Jarot, I will return soon! Wait for me, my boy!¡¯ Meanwhile, Jarot waited for his babo, having all but forgotten the older Iyrman. ¡°I heard there were going to be drinks,¡± a figure said, a beardless Dwarven woman. She had walked in through an entrance of the extended family estate, her four escorts remaining outside. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you, Lord Stokmar,¡± Adam said, smiling awkwardly towards the Lord of Earth. ¡°Of course, I made sure to speak with my granduncle and he assured me that there would be drinks.¡± Adam had no idea where the drinks would be, but Elder Zijin had promised that the drinks would be ready. ¡°Brother Rajin brought a bottle that he had kept aside for decades,¡± Zirot said, motioning a hand for one of the teens to go and bring it for the Lord of Earth. ¡°Hmph,¡± Lord Stokmar said, approaching Tarot and Zirot. She looked down at the pair of Goblins, and reached out to them. She rubbed their heads gently with her hands, causing the Goblins to purr and mew quietly. ¡°...¡± Morkarai remained silent as he watched Lord Stokmar rub the children¡¯s heads, standing at the entrance. He glanced over to the Iyrmen escorts, nodding his head to them, before he quietly stepped into the estate. Eventually, the Lord of Earth stopped rubbing their heads, and made her way to the side. The Rot youth began to whisper between one another, shocked to see the Lord of Earth there. It wasn¡¯t just anybody, but perhaps one of the most powerful figures to ever step foot within the Iyr. She was considered as prestigious as the Ancient Golden Dragon which protected the capital. Tarot rubbed the little Jarot¡¯s head, glad that his first birthday would be a tale all by itself. Not everyone could say that the Lord of Earth had visited them during their first birthday. Zirot held Jirot closer, squeezing her cheeks gently, smiling towards the girl. Jirot let out a wicked cackle, before she gasped up towards her grandaunt, who had squinted suspiciously towards her. Jirot flushed shyly and hid her face within the woman¡¯s bosom. ¡°Oh, hey Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake the Fire Giant¡¯s forearm, flashing a smile. ¡°Glad you could make it.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Morkarai replied, not wanting to give up a chance to grow closer to the likes of Adam. ¡°I hope I was not late?¡± ¡°No, no, plenty early,¡± Adam said, leading the Prince of Fire Giants to his twins. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, look! It¡¯s Lord Morkarai!¡± The twins looked up towards the Fire Giant, seeing his fiery red beard, and reached up for it. Morkarai allowed them to grab his beard, which had been well conditioned, and was as thick as ever. ¡°They must see colour well.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam replied, doing his best not to joke about not seeing colour. ¡°Then they will enjoy my gift,¡± Morkarai said, reaching into his pocket, before pulling out two rings. They were made of metal, though the metal seemed to shift colours within the light. ¡°I will give them to your father, since you are too small to have them.¡± ¡°Make sure you say thank you properly,¡± Adam said, accepting the rings into his palm. He raised his brows as he felt the gentle tingle of magic within them. ¡°Are they magical?¡± ¡°They are rings of protection,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°I brought some for your triplets too, since I had missed their birthday.¡± ¡°Lord Morkarai, you¡¯re such a cool guy,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°It was a simple matter to make such items. I hope your children will grow well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they will.¡± Adam accepted the other rings Morkarai had brought too, these more silver, and sometimes also caught the light. The soft tingle of magic ran through him. ¡®Morkarai really is a cool guy...¡¯ Jirot and Jarot eventually went to nap, along with the numerous other babies who had been born in the past couple of years. Zirot and Tarot went to watch over the children, along with a few of the mothers, who were still not allowed to work since they just had children. ¡°Thanks for coming,¡± Adam said to the Lord of Earth, offering her another bottle of wine, one that Mulrot had given to him to gift. ¡°The drinks are acceptable,¡± Stokmar replied, sipping the sour drink slowly, savouring it. ¡°It means a lot to me, and it will mean a lot to the children in the future.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Stokmar waved her hand to dismiss the Half Elf. ¡°You¡¯re ruining the flavour of the drinks.¡± ¡°No, no, can¡¯t be showing you disrespect,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. Morkarai rubbed his forehead, the corners of his lips curling upwards. ¡°You speak with so much vigour for a young man who placed third.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I beat you already?¡± Morkarai grinned wide. ¡°You did.¡± ¡°I held back, though?¡± ¡°I did too.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Adam laughed, patting the Prince of Fire Giants against his back, and they continued to chat between one another. A few hours later, Adam and the main Rot family began to make their way back to the shared estate. They were welcomed by the smell of spiced meat, and the sight of Adam¡¯s companions, and various bottles. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Adam asked, as his companions had prepared drinks for them, and some food, which the Aswadians had cooked for them using their spices. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to relax,¡± Vonda said, plating some food for him, chunks of meat and grilled vegetables. Lucy picked up Jirot, hoisting her up with a light huff, before rubbing the girl¡¯s hair. Mara picked up the boy, poking his nose gently, while the boy tried to hide away from her, giggling lightly. The pair took the children to one side to play with them. ¡°Relax?¡± Adam glanced between his companions, noting the way they were looking at him. He raised his brows, but gave in to them. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The others had brought gifts for the twins too, from scarves to ribbons, which the children excitedly waved within the air while playing with the Demons. Dunes remained to one side, cooking the food, while Korin, Sara, and Amira each ate and spoke with Adam. Amira looked to Dunes, who remained at the grill, cooking for the group, and keeping away from the twins. His eyes were focused on the grill, not allowing his eyes or mind to wander. Fred sat awkwardly nearby, looking at the twins as they tossed the balls back to the Demons. ¡®Goblins. Demons.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure how he managed to become in the service of such a father. He eventually handed the pair bracelets made of colourful beads. The colours were more intense than other beads, though that was to be expected since he had bought them in East Port. He retreated back to the corner, keeping an eye on the pair. ¡®I should be used to it, but...¡¯ Jonn also gifted the children strips of cloth, staring down at the pair who he had promised to protect. How he had managed to come to swear his Oaths to protect Goblins, he didn¡¯t know, but he supposed it was a good enough reason to live for the future. Vonda brought a pair of amulets to the children, made of carved wood. ¡°Live long, happy lives,¡± she whispered, praying to Mother Soza, before handing the amulets to the pair, who grabbed at them and raised them, staring at them for a long moment, before raising them up to their father. ¡°Do you see?¡± Adam said to his twins, picking them up instead. ¡°Everyone knows you¡¯re so cute, that¡¯s why they all showered you in affection!¡± Jirot and Jarot smiled, cackling lightly as they embraced their father. They rested their cheeks against their father¡¯s chest, holding the amulet tightly. ¡°No one loves you as much as daddy, though.¡± Adam kissed their foreheads. ¡°Daddy will protect you, and if daddy isn¡¯t around, then it¡¯ll be nana and papo, and probably your babo too, once he¡¯s back.¡± Mirot narrowed her eyes, wondering why he hadn¡¯t mentioned her. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t remember anything, remember that, okay?¡± Adam kissed their cheeks repeatedly, holding them closer. The twins, who had first refused Adam when he had returned, quickly had allowed their father into their hearts. He was the one to give them the most affection, as much as everyone else combined. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, even if you forget me again, I¡¯ll remind you that I love you!¡¯ Jurot was glad to see Adam so joyful, having lost the stress which had been building within him, even on the day. ¡®Will my children be the same?¡¯ ¡°Lanarot¡¯s still a baby too,¡± Adam whispered, letting his children relax against his chest. ¡°She probably won¡¯t remember much of this time, but she needs to remember that we love her.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lanarot assured, holding up a piece of bread affirmatively. ¡°Love papa!¡± ¡°Lanababy, you¡¯re too cute.¡± Lanarot smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± She returned back to eating her bread. ¡°My first memory was of grandfather,¡± Jurot said, his eyes looking back towards the past. ¡°Not your father?¡± Adam asked, surprised. ¡°No,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°It was of grandfather. He was so... big.¡± ¡°Well, you must have been so small then.¡± Adam embraced his small children tighter within his arms, allowing them to nap within his arms. ¡°Just like my widdle babies.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, but didn¡¯t elaborate, instead closing his eyes. His memories returned to him, recalling when he was just a boy. It had been raining on that day, Jurot recalled. As the lightning flashed, it illuminated his grandfather in his entirety. He saw the rage on the older Iyrman¡¯s face, and how his muscles were flexed, poised to kill. So much foreshadowing! I can''t wait for Jarot to return so he can spoil them. 649. Reasons To Kill I 649. Reasons To Kill I Omen: 4, 13 ¡°No,¡± Jirot said, while Adam embraced her tight and kissed her face all over. ¡°What do you mean, no? You think just because it¡¯s not your birthday I won¡¯t give you all my love?¡± Adam rubbed her stomach, but she squirmed out of his grasp. He grabbed Jarot and kissed him all over too, and though the boy pretended to squirm, he fell further into his father¡¯s arms and hugged him close. ¡°Why are you pretending that you don¡¯t want this?¡± Adam nuzzled his nose and let him go to his sister, before he continued with the triplets. Sonarot wondered if Adam was showing more affection today because he planned to do that today. ¡°You! You all need to hug each other since you¡¯re siblings!¡± Adam began, raising his voice slightly. ¡°Lanarot, you too, you need to join in since they are your niece and nephew. Make sure you hug each other every morning.¡± Adam stared down at the children. ¡®They¡¯re too cute!¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t care if you are angry at each other, hug each other nicely every morning, otherwise...¡± Adam wondered how he could threaten them. ¡°Daddy won¡¯t give you as many gifts, do you understand?¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes at her father. Less gifts? ¡°Lanarot, do you hear that? Papa won¡¯t give you as many gifts if you do not hug them.¡± ¡°I hug them,¡± Lanarot confirmed, before hugging Jarot first, causing Jirot to complain, until Lanarot hugged Jarot and then the triplets. ¡°You two! It¡¯s not your birthday today, so hug your aunt back!¡± Adam pulled Jirot and Jarot to Lanarot. ¡°Hug!¡± Jarot and Jirot both hugged their aunt, who returned their hug again, rubbing their heads. She brushed their hair back, as Adam and Jurot often did to her. ¡°He is fostering good relations between them,¡± Jurot said, wondering if this was a step towards being a good father. ¡°No, he just wants to eat,¡± Jaygak said, seeing how Adam was struggling to not smile as they all hugged one another. ¡°Well done, well done!¡± Adam embraced them all. ¡°Just like that from now on, okay? Every morning!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lanarot said, hugging her brother¡¯s leg. ¡°My papa.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s right!¡± Adam lifted her up and hugged her, feeling how warm she was in the morning. ¡°Don¡¯t you forget it.¡± ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot smiled wider and embraced him even tighter, before she also hugged Jurot, who returned the hug, though this time did his best not to hug her so that she was slumped. ¡°Now, daddy has to inform you all that...¡± Adam looked down at his children, who all stared up at him expectantly. He almost gave in to them. ¡®No, Adam. You¡¯ve acted too much like a fool, you¡¯ve got to actually be productive now.¡¯ ¡°Daddy has to go work, so he won¡¯t be able to hug and kiss you as much daily now.¡± Konarot gasped, blinking up at him in shock. Kirot and Karot pouted too, while Jirot smiled up at her father, reaching up for a high five, which Adam caught, and Jarot also asked for a high five, which Adam replied to. ¡°I know, I know, but daddy needs to work hard so you can all live happy and healthy,¡± Adam explained. ¡°So make sure you listen to your nanas properly, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot replied, nodding her head, though she was still pouting up at her father. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 11 (7) ¡°Nevermind, I won¡¯t work a day in my life and I¡¯ll spend it all with you,¡± Adam said, wrapping his arms around Konarot to pick her up in a hug. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. His eyes held a particular look. Adam frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t say it, Jurot. Not in front of the children.¡± ¡°If you know, then you must go and work,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ooh! Ah!¡± Adam gasped, feeling how cold the rain was. He quickly found a place to hide from the rain, looking up towards the sky, where the dark clouds had rolled across with such alacrity. Umbra remained laying atop a building, relaxing as the cool rain fell across her. She noted the shadow which formed over her, and she opened an eye to see the Chief of the Iyr staring down at her, his arms behind his back, but with his blade of bone and metal at his side. She noted the question in his eyes, and she closed her eyes. ¡°What an ominous rain,¡± she said, and soon the shadow slipped away. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Adam said, having returned back to the shared estate. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Jarot looked up towards his father with his large eyes, sighing after drinking his warm milk. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°What happened to your leg?¡± ¡°He slipped due to the rain and scraped his knee,¡± Sonarot said, reaching out to rub Jarot¡¯s head. ¡°He cries so well.¡± ¡°Of course he cries well, he¡¯s my son,¡± Adam said, picking up his youngest child and rubbed his head, brushing the boy¡¯s hair back. ¡°Hmm? Did someone cut your hair?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He kept pushing it aside but it continued to block his sight.¡± ¡°No wonder you slipped,¡± Adam said, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. Adam smiled, brushing his son¡¯s forehead with a thumb, feeling how warm he was to the touch. ¡°Adadada?¡± Jirot asked, pointing up at Vonda. ¡°I am certain that must be true,¡± Vonda replied, bowing her head. ¡°Eez go nana odeh,¡± Jirot said, pointing to her grandmother, before shrugging her shoulders. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Vonda said ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot said, nodding her head, before placing her hands behind her back and walking off to think deeply on the matter, the gentle rain not bothering her one bit. ¡°You silly girl,¡± Adam said, hoisting her out of the rain. ¡°Why are you acting all cool in the rain? You¡¯ll get sick.¡± Inakan coughed as though to prove Adam¡¯s point, but she remained focused on staring intently at the statue Jurot had created. She rubbed a tiny hand all across it, and leaned down to stare at it, sometimes bringing it closer to her face. ¡°No,¡± Jirot said, but she leaned back to snuggle up to her father. She closed her eyes. ¡°Ez go odeh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°She¡¯s speaks so much,¡± Vonda said, smiling down at the young girl who had closed her eyes, to think deeply and not to nap, of course. ¡°Are you talking Vonda¡¯s ears off?¡± Adam asked his daughter. ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll forgive you just because you¡¯re cute?¡± ¡°Daddy, sh,¡± Jirot said, rubbing her eyes before she rolled over towards his chest, grabbing his shirt with one hand, before sucking her thumb. ¡°How rude,¡± Adam whispered, but he sat there with a stupid smile on his face. He stared down at his daughter, her curly hair having been cut a little shorter too. He looked to the side to see how long the triplets hair was, though it appeared to be easier to manage as the hair could be pulled back over their horns and kept at bay thanks to the tiny nubs. A shadow formed over Adam. He looked back to see the Chief looming over him. I''m sure the title of this chapter isn''t ominous at all. 650. Reasons To Kill II 650. Reasons To Kill II ¡°For a moment, I thought you had come to kill me,¡± Adam said, sipping the orange juice the Chief had offered. They were sitting in the Chief¡¯s gazebo. Iromin had told his assistants to step out, and had motioned for those lurking in the shadows to leave them be. ¡°I apologise for interrupting your time with your children,¡± Iromin said, reaching for his dried dough snacks, which were lightly salted, just as he preferred. ¡°As long as you understand it was something bad, then it¡¯s fine,¡± Adam joked, sipping more of the orange juice. It was was sweet and pulpy, with the slightest tangy after taste. ¡®These oranges are definitely the freshest.¡¯ ¡°Does it pain you to stay out of trouble?¡± Iromin asked, staring down at the boy. ¡°Is it a hobby of yours to try and get yourself killed by speaking so terribly?¡± ¡°I need to make sure you have some spice in your life, Chief.¡± Adam chuckled lightly, his lips forming the most playful smile. ¡°There is enough spice within my life now that the Iyr¡¯s gates are closed.¡± Adam¡¯s lips quickly dropped, and he sipped at his orange juice awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, and I really appreciate what you did for me.¡± Adam placed down his cup, staring at it for a moment. He realised that he should be a little more serious now that he was speaking to the Chief, especially considering they were alone. ¡°I won¡¯t forget that the Iyr did me a great favour.¡± ¡°That is how our relationship is.¡± Iromin pushed the jug of juice closer towards Adam. ¡°We do not forget the favour you have shown us, and you do not forget the favour we have shown you.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± Adam poured more juice for himself. ¡°Thanks for accepting everyone else within the Iyr even though it closed its gates.¡± ¡°The gates are harder to open, but as long as the Front Iyr Elder agrees, it is little issue,¡± the Chief stated, though his tone of voice was serious. ¡°Elder Lykan holds that much power?¡± ¡°Each Great Elder holds supreme authority over their domain,¡± Iromin explained. ¡°Elder Gold over the wealth of the Iyr, used for the Iyr¡¯s sake in internal and external affairs. Elder Forest over the resources of the Iyr to build the Iyr, for infrastructure and so on. Elder Teacher, who guides over the next generation. Elder Peace, who declares wars, and Elder Wrath, who commands the army during times of war.¡± ¡°You too, right?¡± Adam asked. He knew the general authority of each of the Great Elders, but had no idea how some of the other psuedo Great Elders. ¡°I hold great authority in all matters, and allow each of the Great Elders to work smoothly in their own domains. The position of Chief, in some ways, may be the second most important position in the Iyr. The position of Elder Peace, though, is the most difficult.¡± ¡®I guess Elder Peace being the most important makes sense, but what about Elder Story?¡¯ ¡°The Front Iyr Elder, and Elder Shaman, each also hold great authority over their domain,¡± Iromin continued to explain. ¡°Elder Shaman, though not a Great Elder, is in charge of the Shamans of the Iyr. We defer to their authority in most matters, but they are least free when it comes to their authority. The Front Iyr Elder is important too, for reasons I am sure you understand.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first line of defence?¡± Iromin smiled, bowing his head. ¡°There are votes to veto against the supreme authority of the Elders, but it is easier to veto the likes of Elder Shaman and the Front Iyr Elder, than it is to veto a Great Elder. A veto against a supreme decision also forces that Great Elder to step down, even if they believe in their heart that they were correct.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± Adam said, quietly. ¡®So if the Great Elders need something to be done, the Front Iyr Elder can¡¯t choose to cause trouble. If every other Great Elder refuses the Chief¡¯s order, then it means that his decision was too risky, and so he¡¯d need to step down? They¡¯ll want someone with a clear vision, one which agrees with theirs, and so that they will accept it as theirs wholly?¡¯ ¡°The Iyr has evolved its laws over time, and has been able to react accordingly to the great calamities which have come to plague the world,¡± Iromin said, hiding none of the pride he had for being an Iyrman. Iromin recalled the times when the Iyr had reacted to the calamities, and had ended them before they had even surfaced. They may have been good stories, but if Elder Story stated something needed to be dealt with, it was dealt with, with Iyrman efficiency. ¡°You have to be that good if you want to survive beside great kingdoms and empires,¡± Adam stated, nodding his head slowly. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s influence probably can¡¯t be understated across the land, though I¡¯m sure you keep it as invisible as possible so you aren¡¯t bothered by the other kingdoms.¡± Iromin let slip a smile, one which Adam was certain he showed on purpose. ¡°Perhaps that is the case.¡± ¡°Yeah, perhaps,¡± Adam replied, recalling how terrifying the Iyr was. A bead of sweat formed down the side of his forehead. Adam understood that if the Great Elders all decided to kill him, they could vote against the Chief and deal with him. ¡®I really gotta be careful...¡¯ Adam sipped more of the drink, but could no longer taste the sweetness. ¡°So, what did you want to chat about, Chief?¡± ¡°Do you wish to return to work?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Most likely,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What of other magical items?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± Adam stated. Iromin clasped his hands together as he fell deeper into thought. ¡°Then, is it easier for you to create recipes?¡± ¡°I think so?¡± Adam replied. ¡®Bell?¡¯ [...] ¡°I¡¯m not actually sure,¡± Adam continued. ¡°Speaking of recipes, I¡¯m hoping to create recipes for rings of protection, and other items that might be useful. I think there¡¯s also gauntlets that can be enchanted for defence, and also archery too? I think they might be useful. Certain other items that are less about beating people up and more about utility, like things that could allow me to fly, or other stuff...¡± Iromin was certain he couldn¡¯t allow Adam to act too freely to create such items, or he really wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the Great Elders from wanting to kill him. It was a good thing Elder Wrath was out leading the one hundred Iyrmen. ¡°Right now the goal is Basic weapons, armours, and stuff like rings of protection, maybe even cloaks of protection too,¡± Adam admitted. ¡®+1 weapons, +1 armour, rings of protection, those three alone are enough for a pretty basic set of gear.¡¯ ¡°You wish to create recipes for such items?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Which you will gift to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Iromin remained stone faced, but Adam could see the question flash within his eyes. ¡°Obviously, I¡¯ll grant many such recipes to the Iyr,¡± Adam said, quietly, sweating a little harder. ¡°I know how dangerous these items would be, but I¡¯ll pass them to the Iyr, so they can be kept safe.¡± ¡°No,¡± Iromin said. ¡°The existence of such recipes could be too much for the world.¡± They already existed within the world, and the Iyr already possessed many, but having more copies, each a different recipe, may lead to unintended consequences in the future. ¡°Then I guess I won¡¯t make recipes for it, since I can just passively enchant?¡± Adam said, tilting his head. Iromin was glad Adam had picked up on what he was thinking about. The Chief sighed. ¡°Adam, should I keep you alive?¡± ¡°You¡¯d really kill me after my children¡¯s first birthday?¡± Adam joked. ¡°You¡¯re an existence which threatens this world more than any other,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°I heard you guys hunted Gods before,¡± Adam said, meeting Iromin¡¯s eyes with his own. ¡°If I get out of hand, you can just ask me to calm down, and I¡¯ll probably do it.¡± ¡°Are there times you will not give in to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Sure, probably.¡± ¡°What are those times?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m too angry, to say it lightly. It really does depend, though, but there isn¡¯t a lot that would make me go against the Iyr.¡± Adam smiled, sipping more of the juice. ¡°Anyway, doesn¡¯t the Iyr have access to my weaknesses? All six of them?¡± Adam trying not to die seems a lot like him trying to live. 651. Reasons To Kill III 651. Reasons To Kill III ¡°...¡± Iromin still wasn¡¯t used to the fact that Adam was so open. He understood what was so crazy about him, but also the fact that he was so weak, and had given up so much to the Iyr, making sure the Iyr had ways to keep him in line. ¡°No, I guess it¡¯s more than six, isn¡¯t it? If you include Turot, Katool, and all the other children. Then there¡¯s their younger siblings too, ah, right, there¡¯s also Asorot too.¡± Adam thought about how many weaknesses of his the Iyr held, though most were sources of great strength for him too. ¡®Asorot...¡¯ Iromin thought of the boy. ¡°Are you still willing to mentor the boy?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been slacking on that, but I¡¯ll try to be a little better,¡± Adam replied sheepishly. He had meant to assist with teaching the boy, but he had been too busy, and he had left most of it to the Iyr. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what he must be feeling. I lost my parents too, but I got to choose my family. Asorot, he¡¯s a good kid. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s been keeping his emotions bottled inside. You know, it wasn¡¯t long ago when I was speaking about his grandfather. He seemed confused until he realised it was about the old man, Jarot.¡± ¡°Your grandfather?¡± ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± Adam replied with a huff, before quickly relaxing. ¡°Anyway, he probably needs some time to adjust. I still think it will be best for him to be raised by the Iyr.¡± Adam thought back to what the boy had asked so long ago. ¡°You know, he asked to be my son.¡± ¡°He did?¡± Iromin asked, as though he hadn¡¯t heard of the matter previously. ¡°You refused?¡± ¡°I told him that if he was my son, he wouldn¡¯t be an Iyrman,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Why would he not be an Iyrman?¡± ¡°Because, he¡¯d be my son first, right?¡± Adam replied, staring up at the Chief. ¡°You can¡¯t steal my children away from me, Chief.¡± ¡°Are you saying that your children are not Iyrmen?¡± ¡°As far as I am aware.¡± ¡°Their greatfather is an Iyrman. Their grandmother is an Iyrman. Their uncle, their aunt, are Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me already,¡± Adam whispered, as though he didn¡¯t want to say the words. ¡°I need to remember, though, that I¡¯m not an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Is that so important?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think being an Iyrman is for me.¡± ¡°Will you raise your children elsewhere?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m more beneficial to the Iyr than I am dangerous,¡± Adam replied with a level of calmness the Chief hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Though I do have to wonder, why haven¡¯t you killed me? I mean, you of all people have the reasons to kill me, considering you know what I can do.¡± ¡°I think your heart is good, Adam,¡± Iromin admitted. Adam blinked, taken aback by the words. He flushed red slightly, unable to control his lips. ¡°You say that now, but just you wait until you hear my ideas about how to make money.¡± ¡°How?¡± Iromin asked, leaning in slightly. He was sure Adam was drawing back to his first life, the life in which Adam had revealed great items which would no doubt cause great destruction to the world, and yet Adam seemed to find such technology normal. ¡°Planned obsolescence,¡± Adam said, raising his finger as though to accentuate the point. ¡°I¡¯ll create magical items which will break once you¡¯ve used them. They¡¯ll be cheaper than typical magical items, sure, but they won¡¯t be permanent. No, once they break, and you have had a taste of them, you¡¯ll come back and open your coin pouch again, passing over gems and gold to fund my business. Sure, the profit margins won¡¯t be quite as high, but more people could afford them, and they would definitely break over time, so they¡¯ll always come back.¡± ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Chief, don¡¯t be so surprised yet,¡± Adam stated, his lips forming a wide smile. ¡°Do you know what a subscription is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I would create an item which would would be magical, and the magical effects would cost a certain price each month. Instead of paying, what, four thousand gold for a Greater Enhanced blade that deals fire damage? No, no, you pay a thousand gold upfront, maybe two thousand gold upfront, for the Greater part of the weapon, and then every month you¡¯ll pay, I don¡¯t know, fifty gold? A hundred gold? Every single month you pay the coin, you¡¯ll get access to the Enhanced part of the weapon.¡± Iromin furrowed his brows, doing the maths in his head. ¡°Instead of paying four thousand gold, you pay two thousand gold upfront, and then, what, fifty gold a month to keep access to the Enhanced features? Fifty gold a month, meaning about, six hundred gold a year, six fifty, but let¡¯s say six hundred because it¡¯s a little easier to do maths with. Three years down the road, I¡¯d have made that coin I missed, but then...¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Then, all the money after the third year? That¡¯s free money.¡± Iromin stared at Adam, seeing the playful look in the Half Elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yeah, you might realise that you¡¯ve paid more, but maybe you couldn¡¯t afford the entire weapon at first? Well, fifty gold a month, for an Expert? Not terrible. Technically, Experts could make about a hundred gold a month, and half of that on a magical weapon that you could buy a few years sooner to catapult you further up? Even a Master might want to save that money upfront, instead wanting to buy better armour, or maybe even another magical item or some such, hence why they would want to save the two thousand gold. It¡¯s not a big deal, is it? If the people keep paying for the extra features, for ten years, that¡¯s an extra, what? Four and a bit thousand gold? The price of basically another whole Greater Enhanced weapon?¡± Iromin wasn¡¯t sure if people would want to do that, but there were plenty of people who went into debt for all manner of things. Not Iyrmen, of course, but Aldishmen? Aswadians? ¡°Could even do it for Basic weapons. They¡¯re normally, what, a thousand gold? Hard to get a thousand gold for an Expert, right? Fifty gold a month, though? They could pay for the weapon, and the Basic enchantment would be on the weapon, but would only be activated when they pay that fifty gold a month. They¡¯ll pop on the Basic subscription for a few months, and maybe, maybe I put a penalty for unsubscribing, not just taking away the magic, but maybe it costs a little bit of money to unsubscribe?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Or, if I¡¯m feeling nicer, maybe if you pay for three months, instead of one hundred and fifty gold, maybe it¡¯s one hundred and twenty gold? That¡¯s only forty gold a month, a whole ten gold per month off the typical price. Perhaps six months could be two hundred gold? That¡¯s what, thirty three ish gold a month? Say you don¡¯t work during the Twilight Month, that¡¯s only four hundred gold a year.¡± Iromin remained silent, hiding his lower mouth with his clasped hands, staring into Adam¡¯s eyes. Capitalism! Woo! 652. Reasons To Kill IV 652. Reasons To Kill IV ¡°So over the course of three years, you basically paid for a full Basic weapon, and you have to keep paying to still use a Basic weapon? Feels bad, right? Well, maybe three years pass, and... I could maybe update your weapon.¡± Adam spoke as though the Chief was the one buying a magical item from him. ¡°You subscribed to this Basic weapon, Chief, because you couldn¡¯t afford it. However, you spent those three years grinding hard, and now... now you¡¯re stronger. Now, you¡¯ve got more money.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°So we have something called a trade in offer. You come back with the blade, the blade you paid, what? At least a thousand and two hundred gold? So basically, you paid off the weapon, but if you don¡¯t keep paying, it just becomes a mundane weapon. Still, a Basic weapon doesn¡¯t really work well for you, you need something better. You trade in the weapon that you paid for, basically full price, and we give you a discount on an upgraded version of the weapon.¡± Iromin narrowed his eyes. ¡°You upgrade from a Basic weapon, to a Basic Enhanced, or a Great, weapon. Right? What are they, like three, four thousand gold? Well, you don¡¯t have three or four thousand gold, but you brought in the weapon that you don¡¯t need, right? I mean, it¡¯s so silly to have two magical weapons you pay for. Well, that¡¯s five hundred gold off the price. Let¡¯s say it was four thousand originally, I think I used that before, so we¡¯ll use four thousand for simplicity. Well, now the weapon is three thousand five hundred, but maybe you still can¡¯t afford that. Well, normally, it¡¯s two thousand and a monthly fee, but you traded in the weapon you don¡¯t need, so it¡¯s one thousand and five hundred with a monthly fee.¡± ¡®...¡¯ ¡°You pay one thousand and five hundred, and look at that, the monthly payment is roughly the same, just a little more. You¡¯ve rationalised the payment before, right? Well, now it¡¯s for something even better, so you can spare an extra ten gold a month, an extra one hundred or so gold a year, no problem. Plus, now you¡¯re earning even more, so it¡¯s technically even cheaper than before.¡± ¡®How did he come up with this?¡¯ ¡°So don¡¯t you feel happy with a better weapon, and you even got a discount for returning the weapon you didn¡¯t need any more! You leave a happy customer, and we¡¯re happy you¡¯re happy, but we¡¯re even more happy, because now...¡± Adam held up Wraith, and then began to clean it using his sleeve. ¡°We¡¯ve got the weapon that you paid over a thousand gold for.¡± Adam checked Wraith, eyeing it up. ¡°Needs a little elbow grease, but it¡¯ll be as good as new, and it¡¯ll be on the shelf. Would you look at that, a new customer, a brand new customer, who needs a Basic weapon. Well, we¡¯ve got a Basic weapon, and what¡¯s that? You want a subscription? No problem. We have this weapon, a wonderful weapon, that someone is paying full price for once more. Then, maybe in another three years, would you look at that? Someone¡¯s come to return this weapon that has been bought and paid for twice.¡± ¡®How terrifying!¡¯ ¡°Perhaps, a noble wants a really nice weapon. Legendary Enhanced. Obviously, who has the...¡± Adam thought about the price of such a weapon. ¡°Fifty thousand gold? Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s the price for such a weapon, even if it isn¡¯t. Perhaps, instead, they can afford ten thousand gold, and that¡¯s about the price for a good Greater Enhanced blade, or might be expensive for that too? I don¡¯t know. Anyway...¡± ¡®How far is he willing to go? ¡°That noble buys a Greater Enhanced weapon for ten thousand. It¡¯s got some extra fire damage, because that¡¯s classic, right? Then, that noble, maybe he wants to show off to his friends. They have their own wizards with Identify, right? Well, before he lets them Identify it, he pays the one thousand gold for the month, and maybe, just maybe, there¡¯s a Legendary bonus on the weapon. He pays another thousand gold? Well, maybe the extra fire damage the weapon does, maybe there¡¯s a little bit more fire now.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, sipping more of his juice. Iromin remained staring at Adam. ¡°It is unreasonable to assume they will pay two thousand gold a month for such extra bonuses.¡± ¡°He might go to war to show off his weapon, and he doesn¡¯t want to die, so he¡¯ll keep paying a thousand gold each month, maybe even two thousand each month. There¡¯s a lot of wars happening around the area. Maybe he goes out to hunt a powerful hydra? His kids will also fight in wars. His kids kids will fight in wars. Maybe it averages out to a thousand gold a year, but over the course of fifty years? A hundred? That¡¯s a lot of money, Chief. Money from the Aldishmen that might find its way into the Iyr¡¯s coffers, slowly bleeding them dry.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Iromin wasn¡¯t even able to think. The words Adam had spoken to him, they should never have been uttered. ¡°With such weapons, they would deal great damage to we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Even with the Iyr¡¯s help?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen had remained as a defensive force. They shall soon return, however, as the King will be forced into a peace. If the King does not wish for peace, then we will send the Iyrmen tot he capital, where they will defend it to keep our promise.¡± ¡°So he might still want to keep fighting the war even if he loses?¡± ¡°It is unlikely, since the King will want to press his claims to the islands he has won, and will be unable to do so if he cannot access the strait. The strait will allow his various ships to access the islands. He has access to them now, but only Duke Lionheart is able to send his ships. If the King allows the Duke to act first, the Duke may be able to gain more influence.¡± ¡°Politics.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I spoke to Jarot recently, and he seemed fine,¡± Adam said. ¡°I swear, if he dies, I¡¯ll bully him. He can¡¯t go dying without saying happy birthday to his greatchildren.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should kill you after all?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just joking, right, Chief?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright, fine, don¡¯t reply,¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°I do have a request, though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Be careful of subscriptions! I wonder what the request is. 653. Number One 653. Number One Omen: 1, 19 Jirot lay within her father¡¯s arms, drinking the milk from her bottle. She held it tight with both hands, having learnt not to let it go, otherwise it would fall and she would lose the milk. She looked up at her father, pausing for a moment, before returning to drinking. ¡°Jurot, today, would you mind helping me with something?¡± Adam asked, while scooping up some porridge with his spoon, and feeding his youngest son, who somehow managed not to wear his food, unlike his uncle Gurot. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, cleaning Gurot¡¯s face with a wet cloth, the boy closing his eyes and wincing, before looking up at his cousin. The boy smiled, before finding a piece of bread had suddenly appeared in front of him, not realising it had been Adam who had placed it before him. Adam hugged each of his children, placing a kiss on their forehead, before walking off. He stopped. He returned to the children, picking up Gurot, with a noisy grunt, before hugging him close too. ¡°Oboo?¡± Gurot asked. ¡°Of course I can!¡± Adam placed a kiss on his forehead, brushing his hair. ¡°Be good for your mother and aunt, okay? You can bully cousin Kitool, though, she¡¯s tough. Jaygak... you have to be nice to Jaygak since she helped me out, do you understand?¡± Gurot blinked, before smiling up at his Cousin. ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand,¡± Adam said, brushing his hair once more, before placing him down. ¡°If you all grow up too fast while I¡¯m gone to work, I¡¯ll give you a good talking to. No, a bad talking to, bad. Do you understand?¡± All the babies were busy playing, completely ignoring the Half Elf. ¡°Good,¡± Adam said, walking off to go and smith that day. ¡°Daddy?¡± Konarot called as she followed him. ¡°What is it, princess?¡± Adam asked, lifting his daughter up without meaning to. ¡°Working?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Working?¡± Konarot asked, pointing to her chest. ¡°No, no, you should go and play with your siblings,¡± Adam said, rubbing his cheek against her forehead. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Konarot¡¯s tail drooped, but she returned back to her siblings to play with them. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. Smithing (Intelligence) D20 + 6 = 9 (3) Smithing (Strength) D20 + 8 = 13 (5) Omen: 1, 19 -> 1 19 + 8 = 27 Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and Jarot refused to return to the Iyr, choosing to die on the battlefield, and thus Fate was forever changed. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, staring at his work. ¡°It is large,¡± Jurot said, staring at the axe head. It was a little too large, more for using with two hands, but if the wielder was strong enough, it wouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue. ¡°What is that, Jurot?¡± Adam asked, staring at the long, thick, piece of wood. It stared at Adam angrily, with such beautiful curves, a heaviness that he had never seen before on such a piece of wood. ¡°The handle,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Have you been holding out on me?¡± Adam asked, reaching out to hold the hefty handle. There were smooth patterns within the wood at the bottom and at the top. The middle would be wrapped with leather, but Adam had requested words to be etched across the surface. ¡°I do not know what that means.¡± ¡°I mean, you made something so special today,¡± Adam rubbed his fingers along the words etched along the middle. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thanks, Jurot.¡± As the smell of food permeated through the air, Naqokan spoke a tale of her family. It was the tale of Dragon slaying, a classic in the Kan family, and the rise of a Great Elder within their family, more than likely a Chief considering their heritage. ¡°What a great story,¡± Adam said, clapping his hands, with his triplets also clapping their hands beside their father. They didn¡¯t seem to mind hearing about the Dragon slaying, since it was about slaying a Red Dragon, and not a Silver Dragon, which was totally different. As the food was passed around, Adam cleared his throat and then opened his mouth in order to speak. His mind went blank. He had completely forgotten all the things he had prepared to say. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ He noted all the looks that he had gathered, since they had noticed he wanted to say something. ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep it short and sweet, just like my-,¡± Adam raised his fist to his mouth, and closed his eyes as he tried to stop himself from being cringe. ¡®Just this once.¡¯ ¡°I wanted to say thank you to everyone here. To my Aunts and Uncles, to the rest of my family, and to my friends, and those who decided to follow me for whatever reason. I only get to live with such joy because of you all.¡± Adam¡¯s cheeks turned red and he cleared his throat again, quickly moving on from saying something so embarrassing. ¡°I wanted to specially note someone who trusted us early. Someone who we came to meet by pure Fate, though, then again...¡± Adam glanced around to all of his companions. ¡°Okay, so maybe the Fate thing isn¡¯t that special, but with him, it¡¯s a little different, since he was fated to meet not me, but my brother, Jurot.¡± Slowly, the attention turned to the giant of a boy, who was technically no longer a boy to Adam, though he had long been a man to many of them. ¡°Nobby here has been a member of our motley crew for a long while, since the first few months I arrived in this land.¡± Adam paused, realising he had said way too much. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Nobby turned slightly red from all the attention, and stopped eating, too conscious from all the gazes. ¡°Jurot, did you have fun training Nobby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s not much more to say, other than perhaps, that we¡¯ll take good care of you Nobby, as we have so far. I¡¯m not sure about you, but I¡¯m glad that you came with us, Nobby. Today, you turn eighteen, and...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Nobby, you do turn eighteen today, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so good with the numbers,¡± Adam admitted, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°The only reason I know my children¡¯s ages is because it¡¯s less than five.¡± Adam smiled, chuckling at his little joke. ¡®Damn it! Just one time, Adam! One time!¡¯ ¡°Anyway, I just wanted to say it was a pleasure Nobby, and that I hope you¡¯ll continue to work with us. Well, specifically me, since I need you. Well, I need all of you in one way or another, but Nobby, you¡¯re a little special. It¡¯s not that I need you for myself, but I need you for my children, and the business too, I guess. You might be an Expert, Nobby, but I hope to see you fly a little higher, and to help you with that, I had to speak with Elder Zijin, and he gave me some nice steel to work with. I had a little bit of wood from helping the Iyr previously too.¡± ¡°Stormwood,¡± Jurot confirmed, as Adam reached back to the sack he had brought with him, revealing the axe they had made together. Laygak nodded his head, unable to control himself, noting the stormwood and stormsteel together. ¡°I hadn¡¯t worked with stormsteel before, and didn¡¯t realise it was so heavy when I was done with it, that¡¯s my bad,¡± Adam said, before holding out the weapon. ¡°Under the leather, there¡¯s a little statement I left for you, but you can read it later.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t read,¡± Nobby replied. Adam¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Oh. I¡¯ll write it down for you lat-,¡± Adam looked to Jaygak, raising his finger towards her. ¡°Yes, I understand what I said.¡± Jaygak had her brows raised, and she had leaned forward, ready to snap at the bait, but she pulled back and held up her hands innocently. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you it later, Nobby.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°That axe, it¡¯s mundane, but it¡¯s our gift to you. It comes with a promise, too.¡± Adam held out a piece of paper that had been tied by a ribbon. Nobby blinked, sure he had stated he couldn¡¯t read only moments ago. ¡°In the future, you can bring this to have your axe enchanted,¡± Adam promised. ¡°Happy birthday, Nobby.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Nobby replied. Receiving such an axe caused him to turn warmer, glad that Adam had remembered this time. The axe itself was perhaps the best present he had received on his birthday, never mind the offer for enchantment. No, perhaps it wasn¡¯t the best birthday present since his family wasn¡¯t here? Adam chatted with Nobby later, about his ideas for what to pay the young man in the future considering his status, as well as what was engraved onto the wood. Nobby lay in a guest room in the shared family estate, his entire body warm, with the smallest of smiles as he stared up at the ceiling. Sure, he could have gone to work for someone else for fifty gold a month, perhaps even more, but... Nobby thought about the axe, and what was engraved on the side. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, still smiling. This time he didn''t forget! Thankfully he used his Omen and nothing horrible happened. 654. Stories Of Old 654. Stories Of Old Adam had decided against using his rolls or Omens during enchanting, not wishing to tempt Fate any more than he had. If his Omens could really shift Fate in the world, he didn¡¯t want to end up causing any civil wars, or worse, cause any illness to befall his children as he had done the previous year. His morning began with a light workout, a bath, and then breakfast. He read to his children after breakfast, a single chapter of one of the many stories of the Rot family, before going off to enchant. He enchanted from late morning to the early evening. He returned to play with the children, before eating with the group. He spent his evenings then reading to the children again, before spending time with his own children. He spent the early nights with his friends and family, just chatting away, before they would need to turn in to the night. However, he was not the only one hard at work. Jonn continued to train Brittany, focusing on her agility and her skill. Nobby assisted the Iyr with his might, for strong bodies were always welcome in the Iyr. Fred also assisted the Iyr, wanting to keep his body moving, and his mind occupied. Kitool had chosen to begin her studies into the way of the Iyrmen. Jurot continued to assist the Iyr as he usually did, though worked a few hours less than typical. His mother saw him spend more time with the youth, speaking of their tales, as well as generally assisting the parents with the young children. ¡°Ji?¡± Jirot asked, looking up towards her uncle¡¯s face. She sat on his lap, beside her brother, who also looked up at Jurot. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°You were named after Ji of the Rot family, Jirot.¡± ¡°Oooh,¡± Jirot replied, as though she understood. ¡°Ji?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oooh.¡± The girl stared down at the book, before placing her hand on the page. ¡°Wead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The pair of Goblins stared down at his finger as he continued to read, following along. In the back of Jurot¡¯s head, he thought about how distant the triplets remained. Konarot was currently whispering to a bird, while her younger siblings played nearby. Jaygak assisted the Iyr with whatever matters they required, trying to keep her body busy as she thought about what she wanted to do. ¡®I have plate mail now, but they don¡¯t need me,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I should retire now that I am an Expert.¡¯ Yet, Elder Zijin¡¯s words plagued her mind. She sighed, staring at the lumber that was to head to storage. When she returned back to the shared estate during the evening, she saw Raygak sitting beside Kavgak, reading to her. Kavgak was not quite as, to borrow the phrase which Adam often used, chonky as Gurot, but she was still rather tall and broad for her age. She sat up straight, and Jaygak could have sworn the girl was more like Taygak than herself. ¡°Look,¡± Taygak said, holding up Tavgak, her own younger sibling, towards her cousin. ¡°Poop.¡± ¡°She soiled herself?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak said. ¡°Big poop.¡± ¡°I will go clean her.¡± ¡°Taygak help,¡± Taygak said, before following Jaygak to clean up her sister. Jaygak returned with a sleepy Tavgak, who had also decided to pee all over the older pair, before finally yawning and making to sleep. Jaygak placed her aside with the other children who were also sleeping, and she returned back to see Maygak suckling on the teet of their mother. Maygak, who was so young, and had yet to hear of her elder sister¡¯s tales. Raygak sat nearby, his hands clasped together, the boy deep in thought. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jaygak asked, reaching down to rub the boy¡¯s head. Mara nodded. ¡°We have made our intentions known.¡± ¡°We will consider them,¡± Iromin assured. He waited for a long while, and seeing that she had no more to say, he raised his hand to dismiss her. Mara stood. ¡°I appreciate that you met with me so soon.¡± ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± Iromin replied, watching as she stepped away. ¡°Do you know the story of Jirot?¡± ¡°The Jirot of the Demonic Devastation?¡± Mara replied. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°A tale as sad as time,¡± Iromin said. ¡°She once trusted the Ancient Dragon, the Demon General Balakazor, only to come to blow many years later. She fell, allowing Jurot to save the child.¡± ¡°Jurot has spoken of the tale to the elder twin.¡± Iromin nodded. ¡°I am fond of the girl,¡± Mara said. ¡°So was Balakazor,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°...¡± Mara understood the threat behind Iromin¡¯s words. ¡°She is no Iyrman.¡± ¡°Whether she is an Iyrman or not,¡± Iromin began, his voice remaining neutral, ¡°she carries the name of Rot. You may not know of this, but her greatfather was wild in his youth.¡± ¡°I have heard the tales.¡± ¡°No,¡± Iromin said. ¡°You have not. If you knew of the tales, you would never have mentioned that the girl was no Iyrman.¡± ¡°I am merely stating facts.¡± ¡°The Iyr has many rules,¡± Iromin said, holding the woman¡¯s gaze. ¡°Even I, the Chief of the Iyr, find it difficult to keep track. However, every rule derives from one singular rule, or as you might call it, the first law. Every time we Iyrmen wake up to welcome the next day, the sun¡¯s ray¡¯s greeting us in the morning. Every time we Iyrmen reach for our weapons, ready to wet the steel with our enemy¡¯s blood. We do it for the sake of the first law. Do you know of it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°It is a rule which we have engraved into this land, by blood and steel,¡± Iromin said, recalling the last time it happened. ¡°We Iyrmen never forget. One year. Ten. One hundred. One thousand. It does not matter. We Iyrmen never forget. Where you are from Aldland. Whether you are from Aswadasad. Whether you are from this realm. Whether you are from outside our realm. It does not matter. We Iyrmen never forget.¡± ¡°I shall take your words to the Demon Lord.¡± ¡°Adam has offered us a great many boons,¡± Iromin said. ¡°We will repay him in kind. It does not matter whether you are an Elf, full blooded or otherwise, or a Demon. We Iyrmen never forget.¡± Yeah if anything happens to our little Jirot I''m sure the old man Jarot will do something. Oh... 655. Altered Deals 655. Altered Deals Omen: 1, 9 [I would like to make a deal.] Adam wiped his brow, finishing his tenth and final Flame Blade. He had passively enchanted the last two over the course of twelve days. He stared down at the blade, before glancing off to one side. ¡°Well, well, well, how the turntables have turned table,¡± Adam said, butchering the phrase. He noted the way the nearby Iyrman looked at him, though they had been informed that sometimes Adam spoke to himself. ¡®Well, well, well, how the-,¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®What is it that you want, little Bell?¡¯ [I am not little. I am a system.] ¡®Right, right. Are we going to get to the point?¡¯ [Creating an enchanting formula should take much longer, and should require effort.] ¡®I don¡¯t like where this is heading.¡¯ [I would like to make a deal.] ¡®I¡¯m listening.¡¯ [I will allow you to make enchanting formulas. You may request a quest, and I will send you a quest that, upon completion, will grant you the enchanting formula as a reward.] ¡®Sure, but...¡¯ [I will grant you additional XP in exchange for this formula, and I will grant a special quest to you in the future in relation to enchanting.] ¡®Will it be good?¡¯ [Yes.]CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¡®Okay. Sure.¡¯ Quest Complete: Deals Struck XP Gained: +1000 XP: 9 700 -> 10 700 ¡®Should have said I would have gotten a thousand XP,¡¯ Adam thought, before smiling slightly. He sighed, glancing over to the side. ¡°I need to go speak with Elder Zijin, maybe even the Chief.¡± Adam made his way through the Iyr, following his escort, the greyish skinned Iyrman. His eyes wandered about, noting the various Iyrmen moving about. Some pulled along rickshaws carrying bags of wheat, others carrying small crates. Some where adult Iyrmen, assisted by teens with their own rickshaws. Eventually, Adam placed down the tenth flame sword in front of Elder Zijin, the Elder placing aside his book. ¡°Elder Zijin, a word?¡± Elder Zijin smiled, waving a hand towards Adam¡¯s escort to dismiss them casually. ¡°Of course, Adam.¡± The Elder poured Adam a cup tea, and offered the Half Elf dried fruit he had managed to procure. Adam chewed on the thick fruit, feeling the fibres break apart within his mouth, before chewing it further to swallow it down. It was as sweet as ever, and still mushy and juicy even after it had been dried out. He sipped the tea slowly, tasting the light flavour, something akin got berries, before sighing. ¡°That¡¯s some good stuff,¡± the Half Elf said, smiling. ¡°Others prefer stronger tea, but I prefer my tea lighter,¡± Zijin admitted. ¡°I get that. Where I¡¯m from, we have tea with milk and sugar. Pop on the kettle, and less than five minutes later you can sip your tea, ten minutes if you don¡¯t want to scald your mouth.¡± ¡°Sounds reasonable,¡± Zijin said, sipping his tea. ¡°Why did you wish to speak with me.¡± ¡°Well, you know, something awkward happened,¡± Adam fell silent for a moment, glancing downwards, thinking of how to say it. ¡°The formula thing is a little harder than expected. I was denied the, uh, rights to the formula.¡± Adam winked at his little joke. ¡°Denied?¡± ¡°The baby,¡± Adam said, raising his brows slightly. Zijin slowly nodded. He had heard of the tale, and about this baby which seemed to be connected to Adam in some way. ¡°So you cannot make formulas?¡± ¡°I can, it¡¯s just a little more difficult. Requires a lot more effort than just sitting at home and passively enchanting while kicking it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Konarot, use your words.¡± ¡°Playing bird.¡± ¡°You¡¯re playing with the bird?¡± She nodded. ¡°I see...¡± Adam ruffled her hair again. ¡°Jirot, your sister is playing with birds, so she can¡¯t play with you right now.¡± Jirot continued to bite into the vegetable, staring up at her father as she chewed noisily. She turned slightly to look at her sister. ¡°Ater?¡± ¡°Later?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Paying?¡± ¡°Konarot, make sure to play with your sister later, okay?¡± Adam said, rubbing her hair, before also rubbing Jirot¡¯s hair too. ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot said, before going off to the bird to growl lightly towards it, causing it to tweet in return. Kirot and Karot also followed her, while Jirot and Jarot sat and ate their vegetables. ¡®Now that I think about it, Karot and Jarot are pretty meek. Should I try and play with them more often? I don¡¯t want them to be too shy when they grow up...¡¯ Adam lifted Jarot up, causing Jirot to stare up at him in shock. She turned, looking for her nana, before looking back to her father and brother. ¡°No!¡± Jirot held up her arms, still flabbergasted she hadn¡¯t been picked up yet. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam said, giving in to his youngest daughter, lifting her up so she could embrace him as she ate. He kissed her forehead, before rubbing his cheek against Jarot¡¯s forehead. ¡°Jarot, why do I never hear you cry?¡± ¡°No,¡± the boy confirmed, smiling slightly. ¡°What a good boy you are,¡± Adam said, nuzzling his nose. ¡°If you want to act up a little, daddy will forgive it.¡± ¡°Jarot is a good boy,¡± Mirot said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d call your own father by his name,¡± Adam gasped. ¡°Do not corrupt him.¡± ¡°I can corrupt him, he¡¯s my son,¡± Adam said, kissing his son¡¯s cheek and ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Jarot smiled wide, revealing all eight of his canines, and he quickly hid his head into his father¡¯s chest. Mirot glanced away from Adam, though the stupid grin on his face had seared deep within her mind. She looked towards her own son, Gurot, who was laying down and staring at the sky. Gurot narrowed his eyes and frowned to the one who had picked him up, but upon seeing his mother¡¯s face, he smiled and his eyes lit up with delight. ¡°Mama.¡± Mirot held her to his chest, holding his large form against her. She brushed his hair and his cheek gently, before planting a soft kiss against the side of his head. ¡°What are you thinking so deeply about?¡± ¡°Mama.¡± The boy smiled. Adam eventually let his children down when they were called to eat. The Gak family had finished cooking a meat soup, and had baked plenty of fluffy bread for dinner. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot said, reaching up with her bread in hand. Adam took the bread and waited, raising his brows towards her. ¡°Peas.¡± He tore the bread in half, and the girl grabbed the pair in each hand, dual wielding the bread. She dipped one into the soup and brought it to her mouth. ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°Yummy!¡± Lanarot said. ¡°What do you say to me for helping you?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°What great manners my sister has, so polite, so polite. Do you hear how polite she is? You all need to be that polite too, do you understand?¡± Konarot was handing out the bread she had broken apart to each of her siblings, before beginning to eat. She began to break up more bread for her siblings, and Adam thought to reach down to assist. ¡®No, I can¡¯t spoil them too much today. I should spoil them the next week instead.¡¯ Pray I do not alter it further. 656. Duskval Festival I 656. Duskval Festival I Omen: 6, 11 ¡°Stop it,¡± Adam said, picking up Jarot to embrace him tightly, showering him with affection. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s illegal to be this cute?¡± Adam¡¯s five children were all adorned in the attire of the Iyr, with all those within the Rot family wearing identical outfits. They wore grey clothing, the Rot family symbol of a blue circle and diamonds embroidered along the shoulders where the outer shirt cut off at an angle. They also wore a deep blue sash around their waists, which kept their outer shirt contained together, rather than with buttons. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, kissing Jarot¡¯s neck, causing the boy to squirm and smile within his father¡¯s arms. ¡°Yes, they are,¡± Jurot confirmed, his eyes staring down at the triplets. They were staring up at their father, wanting more affection for themselves. Konarot noted Jurot was staring at him, and she stared back at him. During the last duskval festival, they hid behind their father, but now they looked at him so defiantly. ¡°Papa! I am cute!¡± Lanarot shouted, pointing up at her brother. ¡°Quietly,¡± Adam whispered, before lifting his sister up, hugging her tight, planting a firm kiss on her forehead too. ¡°Yes, you are.¡± Lanarot smiled, her eyes narrowing with satisfaction, before she grabbed Adam¡¯s head and kissed his cheek. ¡°Papa is cute.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If you say so, then it must be true,¡± Adam ruffled her hair, before realising it had been brushed to look so neat. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Adam spent a short while brushing her hair to fix her hair. Jurot and Lanarot explored the festival with Adam, who was mostly trying to rein in his youngest daughter, who was marching off randomly through the festival. Adam held her in one arm and fed her with the other, realising it was the best way to keep her out of trouble. Luckily for him, Konarot kept the other children in line, whereas Jurot watched over their little sister. ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam said, chewing the food Jurot offered to him, holding it towards Adam¡¯s lips so he could eat too. The wraps contained long strips of meat and thinly cut vegetables. The bread itself was also lathered in hot butter and herbs, adding a little kick of flavour with every bite. ¡°No, I feeding,¡± Lanarot said, holding out her food towards her older brother. Adam leaned in to eat from her hand, though some of the vegetables spilled on the floor. ¡°Oh no.¡± The girl gasped. ¡°Papa Jurot will feed me, okay?¡± ¡°No, I feeding.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t waste food, it¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°No good,¡± Lanarot confirmed, huffing slightly, before pulling the wrap together and devouring it like she had been starving for generations. Eventually they found the area where the children could toss small filled bags into circles which were made of ropes. Lanarot was eager to start, tossing the bags eagerly. Adam and Jurot watched the children as they played. The soft music in the distance echoing around. ¡°Look at ¡®em,¡± Adam whispered, watching Jirot and Jarot tossing the bags too, both managing to land them within the various circles. ¡°They could only crawl when we left, and now...¡± ¡°They are growing up well.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam smiled slightly, his lips pulled taut as he thought about what he needed to do for them. ¡®I spent so long enchanting, so I should make sure to hug them a lot this week.¡¯The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) The pair continued to explore the festival with the children, watching the fights, in which Lanarot squealed so eagerly, but Karot and Jarot shirked way from the sight. Adam fed each of them, before finding the Iyrmen who were cooking pizza. ¡°You should eat this,¡± Adam said, excitedly, offering slices to the children. Jirot and Jarot seemed to enjoy eating all of the pizza, while the triplets offered Lanarot their crusts. Lanarot, being a bread fiend, happily accepted every bit of crust, dipping them into a small pot of sauce they had been offered. Jarot yawned, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand. He looked up at his father with his sleepy eyes, and Adam picked the boy up. He was still so small, shorter than all of his triplets, and he was a little chubby. Adam recalled that Gurot had finally managed to grow taller than the pair, who were once the size of pears within his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a nap,¡± Adam said, leading them out to find a small section to the side. A few Iyrmen were already watching over young children who were snoozing aware in the courtyard of a shared family estate. They eyed up Adam suspiciously, but said nothing as Jurot placed down a basket of food for them, before carrying a smaller basket so Adam and he could snack in peace as they watched over the children. Jurot sometimes threw Adam a glance, noting the satisfaction on the young Half Elf¡¯s face. ¡®...¡¯ Adam had killed a hydra, something which only a few people could claim, but he was far happier handing Asorot the scale tunic. Adam had killed two Dragons, but he preferred to talk about his children than such a great feat. Yet, though Adam loved his children so much, he still went to work for twelve days, to enchant a pair of flaming swords. Jurot wasn¡¯t entirely certain how to connect those thoughts together. ¡°I do,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°See.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t count, he¡¯s your brother,¡± Jaygak grumbled quietly. ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Adam smiled, drinking into the night with his companions. Fortunately for him, they stopped him before he became too much of a fool, not wanting him to act up in front of his children. The festival continued to pass, with Tarot and Zirot also stealing his children from him, though it allowed Adam to meet with Dunes and the others. Adam noted that Dunes was spending a lot of time with Amira, and Sara and Korin remained a pair glued together too. Dunes held out an extra kebab for Adam, eating some of the grilled vegetables. ¡°Thank you again, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time,¡± Adam replied, accepting the kebab, unsure why Dunes was thanking him. ¡°What are you thanking me for, exactly?¡± ¡°For your assistance with finding Amira.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I did much,¡± Adam said, before realising he had spend a few thousand gold. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like I helped find her, I just paid the bribes.¡± ¡°It is more than I could do.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, now you¡¯ll be doing things I can¡¯t do, right?¡± Adam winked, rubbing his elbow against Dunes¡¯ side. Dunes furrowed his brows curiously, before he understood what Adam was getting at. ¡®I should leave him to his friends and family.¡¯ Fred thought, exploring the festival himself. He glanced around towards the Iyrmen women, wondering if he¡¯d be able to catch any of their attention. Then he noted the other Iyrmen nearby, their steel and silver tokens, and he realised that there would be no way he could do so, not when he was considered average in the Iyr, even as an Expert. Adam was able to spend one day with all the children, taking the teen Iyrmen with him. ¡°Yes, good job, Gurot, high five!¡± he said, allowing the boy to high five him when he managed to throw the bag well. He missed the landing, but it was a mighty throw. ¡°Inakan, no!¡± Adam picked her up as she almost walked into the way of other Iyrmen. They had stopped, but hadn¡¯t realised that she wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡°What are you doing, you silly girl?¡± Adam stared at the girl, who twitched and looked his way, squinting her eyes towards him. ¡°I can¡¯t be mad at you, though, my Inakan.¡± ¡°He keeps calling them his,¡± Nirot said, throwing a look to Naqokan. ¡°When we marry, she will be his little sister,¡± Naqokan replied, simply. ¡°...¡± Nirot couldn¡¯t refute that. Adam excitedly played with the children, before going to nap with them, Nirot and Naqokan remaining with him to watch over the children. Eventually they returned back to the shared estate, where they saw a set of familiar faces, those they hadn¡¯t seen in almost a year. ¡°My my, who are these strange faces?¡± Adam said, approaching the trio, holding Inakan in his arms. ¡°So you finally show your faces now? After you missed our beautiful babies birth-,¡± Adam joked, before he froze in place, shocked. He hadn¡¯t expected the older Iyrmen to return. One was an older woman, with red skin and a set of horns which grew out the side of her forehead. She was Gangak, the Family Elder of the Gak family, who had forced her way to fight, leaving her duties to another Gak. She carried a blade at her side, a blade of deep blue, the Gak¡¯s family¡¯s most prized possession. The other was Otkan, who was tall and strong, and would have been a beautiful woman if it wasn¡¯t for the huge scar across her left eye and down the side of her neck. Adam had fought her once, and she had held back against him, giving him just enough of an edge to bet her with his luck. She carried a greatsword against her back, but it was a weapon she could no longer used, for where her arm should have been, was the inner shirt that was tied around the stub which formed at her elbow. The same Otkan which had gone to kill Forgryn and survived? The last was the one Adam¡¯s youngest son was named after. The Jarot, whose name was still well known among the older generation. The Jarot, who went out to the north to make a mess. The Jarot, who had defeated Seasword in his youth. The Jarot who had gone to kill Forgryn, and had given up his arm in shame afterwards, and retired. The Jarot who, even with his one arm, had been the first figure to beat Adam handily in this life, even though the old man had used a mundane axe. Adam had been wielding one of the greatest weapons he had created even to that day, and he had still lost against the terriying old man. Adam grew hot with shame for a moment, and his heart pounded wildly in his heart. Jarot sat beside Otkan, whose missing arm was more obvious. Jarot¡¯s hand remained on his knee, and had almost hidden the fact that he now had a wooden leg. ¡®What happened?¡¯ Oh no. 657. Duskval Festival II 657. Duskval Festival II Adam stood before the older trio awkwardly, still holding onto the tiny Inakan. Her head rested against his shoulder, her fist clutching his outer shirt tight while she sucked her thumb as she tried to snooze. Adam¡¯s eyes glanced to the side where he saw Citool and a few of the extended Ool family, one of whom he recognised, but his eyes returned back to the old man. When Adam had first met Jarot, the older Iyrman had been watering plants in the background. Like every Iyrman, he wore a weapon at his side, and since he was a member of the Rot family, it was an axe. After the old man had cursed out his daughter, Aunt Sonarot, the pair had come to blows. had been armed with a magical weapon at the time, one which had enchanted for Dunes, a blade of wonderful enchantments. It could choose to critically hit three times each day, and had the ability to heal whenever the wielder critically hit. Jarot, with his one arm and his mundane axe, had taken many great blows from Adam. If he was a normal man, he would have fallen, and even if he was an Iyrman he would have fallen too. Adam had managed to deal one hundred and fifty damage to the old man. It was more than enough to even deal with Grandmasters, though with Jarot¡¯s toughness, and the rage of the Rot family, it had been merely a flesh wound. That man, who had lost so much in his life, and had given up his arm to retire, had still been the picture of strength. Yet, now... ¡°What are you doing, standing so far away?¡± Jarot asked, a heavy smirk appearing on his face. It was as though the smirk was trying to fight him, and Adam could see the strain on the old man¡¯s face. Adam stepped towards them cautiously, the children following him, staring up at the trio, before noting their aunt to the side, who was currently looking after the shared estate, and had stayed behind for their arrival. ¡°Inakan, look,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat as he tried to find his strength to speak. ¡°It¡¯s your nana.¡± Inakan looked up towards Adam, hearing his voice and she squinted up at him. Otkan held out an arm to accept the girl onto her lap, and Adam awkwardly placed the girl onto her lap. Otkan was still fairly powerful, with Adam only having defeated her when he had used everything in his power, and while she held back a great degree. For her to lose her arm, it was almost unthinkable for Adam, who viewed almost all the older Iyrmen as killing machines. ¡°Gurot, my chonky boy, come here,¡± Adam said, lifting the boy up, planting a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Look, it¡¯s your baba. Your mama¡¯s dada.¡± Gurot peered towards Jarot, who was still smiling towards him sadly, before he noted the tattoos. He smiled towards the older man, and then hid his face into Adam¡¯s chest. ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam feigned a groan as he pretended to struggle holding the boy. ¡°I think you¡¯re too heavy for me today, but your babo, he¡¯s so strong, he can hold you.¡± Adam placed the boy onto Jarot¡¯s leg, his right leg, the lower half of which had been taken. ¡°You are definitely Mirot¡¯s son,¡± Jarot said, reaching up to brush the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°You are as big as her when she was just a little girl.¡± Gurot giggled and hid his face inside of the old man¡¯s chest, allowing him to brush the boy¡¯s hair. Jarot held the back of the boy¡¯s head, embracing him lightly, pressing his cheek against the top of the boy¡¯s head. Gurot was so heavy, so warm. He held the smell of a baby, that of milk and various lotions the Iyrmen used to keep the baby¡¯s skin healthy. It was a smell he hadn¡¯t smelled in so long, not since he had left almost a year ago, which was more than a lifetime ago for these children, and for Jarot too. Jarot, being a trained Iyrman, didn¡¯t let up that he knew what Adam had accomplished that year. ¡°I have believed many things I should not believe when it comes to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let Jurot tell the tale, since he¡¯s the one that can tell it the best,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, I want to hear it from you,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Sit, and tell us the tale, and when they return, we will speak our tale.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jurot can say it so much better than me...¡± ¡°You see how my grandson bullies me? I give up my leg for him, and he will not tell me the tale!¡± Jarot leaned down to kiss Gurot¡¯s forehead, hugging him tighter. ¡°Will you be so defiant when you are older? You should! You should take after me, my Gurot!¡± A softer smile slipped through the darkness, but the old man stifled a deeper laugh. Shame filled Adam through Jarot¡¯s words. No doubt the old man was joking, but it hurt that there was some truth to it. Adam had wanted to let Jurot tell the tale, since he would be most excited, but if the old man wanted to hear it from him... ¡°Alright, I can at least tell you the first half, since it¡¯s the most boring bit,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll go get some food and you can situate the children. They napped already, so they¡¯re full of energy, but I¡¯m sure you can handle it since you¡¯re all so strong.¡± Though the joke left his lips, it hadn¡¯t lifted his spirits one bit. Adam found some food and drink, mostly bread, pizza, and meat, and brought the food back to the group. Kavgak was already laughing at Gangak as the older Iyrman nuzzled against her nose and asked her all kinds of questions in their tongue. Tavgak also laughed, seeing as that her cousin was laughing. Gurot was happily eating cut pieces of fruit from Jarot¡¯s hands, the old man staring down at the chubby boy, thinking of another time. Inakan was almost completely ignoring her grandmother, who was doting on the Ool and Kan children, while the tiny girl pressed her cheek against a block to feel it against her skin. Adam placed down the basket, and sat opposite the trio of older Iyrmen. His eyes remained focused on relative eye level, trying not to peek at their lost leg and lost arm. The curiosity was eating him up from the inside, but he decided against asking. They would tell their tale, and he¡¯d hear it along with everyone else. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll begin the tale then?¡± Adam said, before he picked up Inakan, leaning in to speak to her ear. ¡°Story time, Inakan.¡± Inakan looked up towards Adam, blinking rapidly before she squinted up at him, before a wide smile appeared on her face. ¡°That¡¯s right, so you have to be a good girl and listen.¡± Adam rubbed her head gently, before he began the tale. I''m sad. 658. Duskval Festival III 658. Duskval Festival III ¡°So Jurot came first, Kitool came second, and I came third,¡± Adam stated, finally. ¡°Also, you know, everyone else who did well.¡± The tale had taken Adam a short while, though the others had yet to return to the extended family estate even by the time he was done. ¡°That¡¯s right, Inakan, even your big brother did so good,¡± Adam said, right next to her ear. ¡°He and I did just as good, so make sure you¡¯re proud of us, okay?¡± Inakan looked back up towards Adam with her narrowed eyes, though her lips formed an innocent smile, in the same way that Jirot¡¯s lips formed an innocent smile before she would do something not quite so innocent. ¡°Inakan, please, mercy,¡± Adam said, holding her closer to his chest, gently brushing her hair. The little girl returned back to playing with her block, rubbing it against her cheek, deciding to show mercy to the one who had spoken his tale. ¡°Of course my grandsons did so well,¡± Jarot said, his lips a wide smirk, fighting off the heaviness within his face. ¡°First and third, it should be at least that much!¡± He roared with laughter, causing Gurot to jolt and look back at his grandfather. He looked back towards Adam in shock, before his lips began to tremble, and he let out a screeching cry. ¡°How can you do this to my Gurot?¡± Adam asked, placing Inakan down, before going to steal Gurot from the old man. Jarot let the boy go, who was still crying and screeching, but quickly began to calm as Adam held rocked the boy gently within his arms. ¡°How can he do this? I know, I know. Don¡¯t worry, Gurot, when you¡¯re big, I¡¯ll give you Phantom and you can teach him a lesson.¡± Adam placed a kiss on the boy¡¯s forehead. ¡°Your Gurot? He is my Gurot!¡± ¡°He¡¯s my Cousin!¡± ¡°Your cousin,¡± Jarot corrected, ¡°but my grandson.¡± ¡°Your grandson?¡± Adam asked, rubbing the back of Gurot¡¯s head. ¡°As if he¡¯s your...¡± Adam suddenly felt hot with embarrassment and shame once more. ¡°Just because he¡¯s your grandson, it doesn¡¯t mean you can bully him.¡± ¡°I can bully him because he is my grandson.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Damn it, the old man¡¯s right!¡¯ Adam held onto Gurot tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Gurot, Cousin Adam will protect you.¡± Gangak held onto her granddaughters, cuddling them close. ¡°Do not worry, Jaygak did well. It is good to know when to step forward, but it is more important to know when to step back.¡± Gangak could only think about how Jaygak felt about stepping back from her first tournament. It was true she was unprepared, she should have been given plate mail at least, but to do so well, undefeated by the time she took a step back, the young Iyrman could take pride in that. ¡®Third place?¡¯ Otkan thought. ¡®My Shikan?¡¯ Her grandson aimed to become the Chief, and so of course he would have placed well, the top ten if not the top four, but... for him to lose against Kitool? Shikan, Timojin, Jurot, these were each golden children. Kitool was a golden child too, but her sights were set so much lower than any of theirs. Kitool was also a golden child, but it would have been difficult for her to defeat Shikan so easily. No. The common thread between everything was obvious. Shikan, though possessing a decent magical item, didn¡¯t possess anything similar to the likes of Tigerstaff. Tigerstaff was a weapon which was perhaps the greatest in its league, and could match the likes of Phantom and Wraith in its own way. For Kitool, there was perhaps no greater weapon to wield. Then, of course, there was the fact that Shaool, one of the top ten strongest Iyrmen, was also the young woman¡¯s grandaunt. It only made sense for Kitool to place well, and manage to beat almost everyone, save for Jurot, who she had held back against. She, who had chosen to step back when facing Jurot, though had almost won an even greater victory to share with her family. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam said, smiling widely, an innocent smile, the kind which Inakan had revealed not long ago. ¡°Next time, Jaygak¡¯s going to place at least in the top four, if not first.¡± ¡°It is only right,¡± Jarot said, nodding his head. ¡°You cannot forget those by your side, and the sacrifices they make for you.¡± Adam could hear the guilt within Jarot¡¯s voice, and though back to how two of his closest companions had died for his vengeance. ¡°I won¡¯t. I won¡¯t forget anything the Iyr has done for me, neither.¡± ¡°If you say so, it must be true,¡± Jarot said, smiling slightly, though the heaviness had returned. ¡°You will not continue the tale?¡± ¡°Gangak, do you see? Otkan, do you see? They have grown up so much!¡± Jarot said, reaching up to cover his face. ¡°How can they do such things to me?¡± ¡°You should speak of the tale,¡± Gangak said, offering Jarot the right. ¡°No,¡± Jarot said, wiping away the tears which had fallen. ¡°I have heard there is a tale I must hear from my grandson. Jurot, I have heard the tale from Adam, but I must hear the rest of the tale from you.¡± Jurot threw a look towards Adam. ¡°You have spoken of the tournament?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The Iyrman nodded, understanding why Jurot left the rest to him, and he placed down the twins. Adam placed down Gurot, who went to hug his Iyrman cousin¡¯s leg, while Adam lifted up his twins and kissed them repeatedly. The pair squirmed and giggled. Adam looked towards Jarot with a satisfied look, and the old man smiled, glad that Adam was still willing to tease him like this. ¡®Should I beat him?¡¯ Jarot thought. ¡°You two, look,¡± Adam said, motioning towards the older man. ¡°It¡¯s your babo.¡± ¡°Bababoo?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Bah. Boh. Babo.¡± ¡°Babo,¡± Jirot said. ¡°That¡¯s right, babo. It¡¯s your nana¡¯s dada.¡± Jirot blinked, looking to Jarot, who blinked and looked towards her. ¡°Babo, he is babo, okay? You have to love him... after daddy, but not before daddy, okay?¡± Adam kissed their foreheads. ¡°Jarot, do you know what babo¡¯s name is?¡± ¡°Nay?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes, do you know?¡± ¡°Jawoh.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s right! His name is Jarot too!¡± Adam peppered the boy in kisses, who had only said his own name. Little Jarot didn¡¯t quite understand, but he smiled from his father¡¯s affections. ¡°Me!¡± Jirot commanded, also wanting her father to kiss her. The older Jarot stared at the twins, before his eyes met Otkan¡¯s. He sighed, smiling slightly, and relenting to the fact that he owed her. He was glad that she had convinced him to return so that he could see the pair, who were so grown up now, though the price still ate at his gut. He resisted the urge to embrace them himself, waiting for his turn to come. ¡®Goblins?¡¯ Wazool, the young boy with the sun kissed hair and blue eyes, which betrayed his heritage, thought. He had been adopted into the Ool family, thanks to Jurot and Kitool, and though he thought they were a savage lot, this was something else entirely. He stared at the Goblins, and then to the rest of the Iyrmen, who seemed to think this was completely normal. ¡®By the Divine!¡¯ Oh no. 659. Duskval Festival IV 659. Duskval Festival IV Katool lifted up her yawning sister, Jitool, who blinked sleeping and stared up at her older sister. The young girl leaned in to kiss her little sister¡¯s forehead, causing the little girl to smile, before Jitool placed her head against her sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Is it time for sleeping?¡± Adam asked, looking over towards the young children who were all in varying stages of sleep, with Inakan completely passed out in her father¡¯s arms. ¡°It is time for sleeping, not hugging,¡± Katool accused, narrowing her eyes at Adam. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to hug them, I¡¯m their Cousin,¡± Adam stated. ¡°I am Jitool¡¯s sister,¡± Katool replied firmly, hugging her sister a little tighter, before she turned and carried her sister away. ¡°Katool is almost as wise as you, Kitool,¡± Adam said, frowning slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve corrupted her like this.¡± Kitool knew it was best to ignore Adam so he could wallow in the awkwardness, so picked up Maool and took her to her home. Adam sighed, glancing around at the others, who were trying to assist their siblings. Raygak had picked up Kavgak, and Taygak was holding Tavgak, planting a wet kiss against her forehead. Gurot was carried about by his mother, while Naqokan lifted her sister up. The youngest babies were all taken away to sleep already. They slept in their own section outside of the shared family so that they would not be disturbed, and so the adults could take watch over the night. The extended family also assisted, allowing the main family to function properly even with so many needy children.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Jirot had fallen asleep during the story, her head resting against her grandmother¡¯s bosom, and her brother had fallen asleep in the same way. The triplets had remained awake, and though they were yawning, they didn¡¯t seem too tired. Konarot¡¯s eyes were glued to a beetle nearby, and she whispered quietly to it, sometimes even telling it to be quiet during the story. The older Jarot remained silent as he ruminated on the story, thinking about what had happened to his grandchildren. To think the youngsters had managed to enter a new world, seemingly a dying realm with dying Gods, and not only survived, but found Lord Strom¡¯s daughter? That Lord Strom? Jarot thought about Lord Strom, who he had personally faced, along with Otkan. The pair who had faced the old man seemed to be the ones to lose their limbs. Jarot looked towards Adam for a moment, but realised that both the Chief and Shaool no doubt retained their limbs. ¡®No, it cannot be.¡¯ Whatever had happened that day, it wasn¡¯t due to Adam, it was due to their own weakness. He could feel Otkan trying to catch his eyes, but he refused to entertain the thought. The others began to leave, but Jarot glanced towards a pair. ¡°Turot, Asorot, come.¡± The boys almost jolted upright upon hearing Jarot¡¯s voice, turning to face the old one armed and one legged Iyrman. They stepped towards him cautiously. Jarot reached up towards Turot¡¯s head first, rubbing it gently, before his eyes met Asorot¡¯s. ¡°Is Adam treating you well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, slowly bowing his head, too shy to stand tall in front of the older Iyrman. ¡°If he bullies you, you must tell your grandfather. I will deal with him.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Asorot squirmed, bowing his head a little more as the old man rubbed his head. ¡°I will tell you my tale tomorrow, but you must first sleep well, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Go, and Turot, take good care of your younger brother,¡± Jarot said, feeling his throat clog up slightly. ¡°You must do so, do you understand?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Turot replied, almost letting out a snort. ¡°If you say so, it must be true,¡± Jarot replied, watching as the pair of boys left. ¡®You must be a better brother than I, Turot.¡¯ ¡°Meeting one of the Divine is a great boon,¡± Gangak said, reaching out to the returning Jaygak, rubbing her head. ¡°You have all done well to bring a great story back to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°In the next tournament, even if you face the Prince himself, do not surrender first place,¡± Jarot said. ¡°I will deal with the fallout.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯d slit my throat by the time the moon rises,¡± Adam replied. ¡°They¡¯re Aldishmen.¡± ¡°You are strong enough to deal with the assassins they would send, and Jurot would hear of it,¡± Jarot replied, as though it were truly that simple. ¡°What if they cast Silence?¡± ¡°He would hear the quiet,¡± Jarot said, and Jurot nodded. ¡°It would be a good story for you to tell.¡± ¡°Only if I live.¡± ¡°If you die, the story will return to the Iyr.¡± ¡°You just want me to die so you can keep my children for yourself,¡± Adam accused, glaring up at the old man. ¡°...¡± Jarot remained silent for a short while, deep in thought. ¡°Is that so wrong?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s wrong!¡± Adam thought about whether he should beat the old man, but losing to him with one arm was embarrassing enough, and now he¡¯d beat the old man when he was crippled. ¡®Is he doing it on purpose?¡¯ ¡°Stop bullying your grandson,¡± Gangak said. ¡°He has given you five greatchildren, and you wish for him to die before he gives you ten?¡± Jarot hummed quietly. ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, shouldn¡¯t I be your favourite since I gave you five greatchildren?¡± Adam asked. ¡°My favourite what?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Your favourite, uh, brother of your grandson.¡± ¡°You are the only brother of my grandson.¡± ¡°There¡¯s Asorot too, he¡¯s a brother of your grandson, and so is Turot, and so is...¡± Adam realised if he said more, it would state that he was the old man¡¯s grandson too. ¡°Hold on, my greatchildren are your favourite greatchildren, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They are grandfather¡¯s only greatchildren,¡± Jurot said. ¡°No need to be jealous, Jurot,¡± Adam said, patting his back. ¡°I¡¯m sure your children will be his favourite too, one day.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly, and once the mood was lifted, they shared more drinks and ate more food, before the older Iyrmen finally finally began the tale. Adam''s only three losses are insane. I''m going to post up a couple of chapters at a time to speed up the slice of life arc, even though important stuff is being set up for the far future. 660. Duskval Festival V 660. Duskval Festival V ¡°I will sleep here tonight,¡± Jarot said, having finished the tale. He nodded to Gangak and Otkan, who had decided to head back to the extended family estate. Jarot stood, holding the wince at bay as he balanced himself on his wooden leg, before he slowly shambled his way to a spare room to sleep in. Adam watched him as he stepped away, noting how slow the old man had become after losing his leg. Usually he was as swift as Jurot, even in his older age, but now he was about as slow as the children. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, also ready to turn in for the night. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to take a walk first,¡± Adam said, who could not bare to look at Jurot, staring at the building for a while. ¡°Okay.¡± Once Adam was left alone, he started walking through the Iyr, which glistened under the stars, the rain still gently falling from the dark sky, though it was barely a drizzle. He walked through the Iyr, not noting the eyes glued to him from the shadows, but he had no need to look out for them this day. Adam finally stopped, staring at the walls around him, and then the cabins to one side, the same cabins which held the youngest children. ¡®How is it that all of a sudden Asa decided to attack, and the Blood Knight, or the Blood Demon, whatever his name was, claimed his leg? Did I spend an Omen then? No, didn¡¯t I spend the Omen the day after, so...¡¯ Adam clenched his fists tight behind his back, glaring down at the floor before him. ¡®Blood Knight, Blood Demon, whatever they call you, you bastard! You better watch out!¡¯ The rain continued to fall within the Iyr, and atop a roof top, a beautiful woman sipped at the wine the Iyr had given to her. She had been enjoying the festival by her lonesome, relaxing as she heard the distant music, the clashing of blades, and the noisy chatter of people during the day, and the quiet, near ominous silence of the night. ¡®Is this what you did last year?¡¯ Umbra thought, thinking of her father. ¡®What were you thinking when you drank away your sadness?¡¯ She placed the bottle to one side and lay down against the roof, staring at the sky for a long while, seeing the stars of this land, so different than the stars of her previous world. She closed her eyes, and the gentle pitter patter of rain lulled her to sleep. Omen: 5, 20 Little Jarot stared up at the older one armed Jarot confused, but happily accepted the food from the spoon his babo was feeding him with. ¡°Have they not been feeding you?¡± Jarot asked, bringing another spoonful of porridge up to the boy¡¯s lips. ¡°You are too thin, my greatson.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Jababy is...¡± Adam looked to his young, who was shout and round, still a little chubby. ¡°No, you¡¯re right, he needs to be eating more. He should be a chonky boy like little Gurot.¡± ¡°Jirot, come, I will feed you too,¡± Jarot offered, the girl looking up at him shyly from beside her twin brother, before she leaned towards her father, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Why are you running away from your babo?¡± Adam asked, ruffling her hair. ¡°Let him feed you, it¡¯s the least you can do after all he¡¯s done for you, you little punk.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but rub her head, smiling slightly as she continued to fall back to him. ¡°Then I will feed my little Jarot,¡± Jarot said, picking up the sliced fruit, feeing his greatson from his fingers. ¡°Eat as much as you like, my greatson, no one can stop you while I am here!¡± Little Jarot smiled up at the old man, before finally retreating away from him, hiding beside his father. The older Iyrman smiled, glad to see how active the pair had become. ¡°When I left, you were both so small. It was I who would hold you so you could sit, but now you can run from me? They are already so strong, but it is only right, since they are my greatchildren.¡± The old man surged with pride, his eyes almost sparkling as he stared down at them. ¡°What of your grandson?¡± Mirot asked, rubbing Gurot¡¯s hair gently. ¡°Will you not feed him?¡± ¡°If I feed him, he will burst,¡± Jarot replied to his daughter, almost growling at her. ¡°Gurot, come, I will feed you. Let no one say I will not fatten my grandchildren or my greatchildren.¡± ¡°Baba,¡± Gurot said, before looking up at his mother, and hiding into her bosom. Jarot smiled warmly, and returned to eating himself, having neglected his own food for the sake of the children. ¡°I will remain here with the youngest children, they should not forget who I am as they grow.¡± ¡°You do not wish to explore the festival?¡± Mirot asked. ¡°With this leg of mine?¡± Jarot asked, rubbing his knee. ¡°No. I will not.¡± Jirot stared up at the older Iyrmen, confused. ¡°Nana?¡± the girl asked, pointing to her grandmother. ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot pointed to the older Jarot. ¡°Nana daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot stared up at Adam in shock, before staring at both her grandmother and her greatfather. The fact that other children had daddy¡¯s didn¡¯t surprise her, she knew of Inakan and her father, and so on, but the fact that even her nana had a father, shook the girl to her core. ¡°No!¡± the girl said, as though it couldn¡¯t possibly be true. ¡°No!¡± She shook her head with passion, her eyes staring up at Adam in utter bewilderment. She babbled noisily towards her father, as though trying to present evidence it couldn¡¯t be true, but eventually she hugged her father and then glanced back towards her greatfather. Little Jarot blinked, glancing between his grandmother and greatfather. ¡°Nana?¡± Jarot asked, pointing to his grandmother. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Babo?¡± Little Jarot pointed to old Jarot. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oo,¡± the boy said, as though he understood. Finally, the children made their way out, with the triplets looking back to their father. Konarot stopped, and Sonarot called for her. Konarot looked back towards her grandmother, before pointing to her father. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s staying with your babo,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°...¡± Konarot looked back to the pair. ¡°Staying?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl said, before walking back to her father. Kirot and Karot followed after her. Sonarot waited, watching as Adam embraced them, wondering what they were doing. ¡°Staying,¡± Konarot said, hugging her father, before reaching out her arms to her greatfather to let him hug her too. She understood her father wanted them to be close with the old man, so she did as he wanted. ¡°Look at how you have grown, Konarot,¡± Jarot said, holding the girl on his lap. ¡°Was it you who taught my Jirot to be so defiant?¡± Konarot shook her head, while the older Iyrman brushed her hair. They embraced lightly together while Adam held Kirot and Karot. ¡°I still remember how you growled at me, Konarot,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You are such a good elder sister.¡± Konarot flushed slightly and squirmed, before resting her head on his chest. Jarot held the girl close to him, smiling slightly. Whatever darkness which had overcome him was kept at bay by the girl. These kids are too cute. Oh no. Whose going to die? 661. Duskval Festival VI 661. Duskval Festival VI ¡°Adam?¡± Vonda called, staring at the young man, who was holding the youngest pair from his triplets, while the older girl half snoozed lightly against her greatfather. She could spot the newborn babies nearby, tended to by Halikan and Shikan, as well as a few of the teens. ¡°Sir Vonda,¡± Adam called out, raising his brows towards her, noting that she carried a large basket of food. ¡°What brings you to these parts?¡± She placed down the basket, before taking her place opposite the group. ¡°I brought food and drinks, and I wanted to see your children.¡± ¡°You know I won¡¯t be able to help myself if you want me to show off my children,¡± Adam said, planting kisses on the top of his children¡¯s heads. ¡°How are you enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°I¡¯m enjoying it, as always,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°You have decided to stay here?¡± ¡°Just listening to the old man¡¯s stories,¡± Adam said. ¡°Hearing all about the mess he made in the north.¡± ¡°I was wild in my youth,¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°If it was not for my children, I would have brought the north under my heel.¡± His lips widened into the most wicked smirk. ¡°Sir Royce probably would have had something to say about that,¡± Adam replied. ¡°The Marshal would have tried,¡± Jarot replied, grinning wider. ¡°If I continued, they would have had to call for a new Knight of Death.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I hear he¡¯s about as strong as King Merryweather?¡± ¡°If I chose to continue with my journey, I would have clashed with him,¡± Jarot said, certain of it. ¡°I would have grown to become a Paragon, and I would have beaten him, as I had so many Aldishmen before him.¡± ¡°You sure have a lot of faith in that.¡± ¡°Faith? The Rot family is tougher than any other family in the Iyr,¡± Jarot stated. ¡°King Merryweather has nothing to deal with our toughness, save for forcing us elsewhere. Even Jurot will be able to defeat him, if he travels with you for a few more years.¡± ¡°Yeah, Jurot is pretty strong,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°He¡¯s hard to kill.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot stated, grinning like a beast, slowly nodding his head with pride. Vonda blinked, unsure of how the pair could speak about such a topic like that so quickly. ¡°I have heard many of your tales. Adam often reads them to the twins before they sleep.¡± Jarot threw a look towards Adam, who pretended as though he hadn¡¯t heard what they were talking about, but the flush at his cheeks revealed his embarrassment. ¡°If I knew I would have such cute greatchildren, I would have gone to face the likes of the White Lion.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°When I was a boy, there was an Aldishman called the White Lion,¡± Jarot said. ¡°He slew a Grandmaster of the Order of Ice Blades. He was hunted by the other orders of the north, but he managed to defeat his pursuers. They were unable to assassinate him too. He retired within Central Aldland, and though some caused him trouble, he slew most who had gone to do so.¡± ¡°He sounds pretty strong.¡± ¡°He was considered one of the strongest of the generation before mine,¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°It is a shame he has since passed, he would have been a good fight.¡± ¡°Did he have some kind of great magical weapon?¡± ¡°A glaive,¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°A heavy glaive which could rival even the likes of the Drakkenslayer. It is now missing.¡± ¡°Missing?¡± ¡°It may be in the hands of someone who does not wish for the world to know they possess it,¡± Jarot admitted, before shrugging his shoulders. ¡°A Dragon may possess it within their hoard, or it may have been swallowed up by the earth.¡± ¡°So we have no idea?¡± ¡°Jirot is a good kid, but she¡¯s not quite so nice.¡± Adam smiled, even at the thought of his daughter bullying him. ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t go around bullying the children.¡± ¡°Konarot guides her well.¡± Adam looked to his eldest daughter, who was sucking her thumb, looking over to her father from her greatfather¡¯s chest. ¡°That¡¯s right, you are a good girl too, Konarot.¡± Konarot smiled, before she returned back to sucking on her thumb. She felt a hand against the top of her head, and she rubbed her cheek against her greatfather¡¯s chest. She glanced up towards him, seeing the smile on his face. She quickly hid herself against his chest again and closed her eyes. Vonda remained with Adam, and the pair assisted Shikan with the other babies too, going off to change them. Adam was trusted, as a Nephew of the Rot family, though Vonda required an escort. It was one thing for Vonda to go around alone through the Iyr, it was another for her to walk around with a child, considering the Iyr¡¯s penchant for massacres when their children were harmed. The festival continued, until the final day, when Jarot decided to explore the festival with the twins, with Adam watching over the twins. Jarot held up some food for the pair to eat from his hands, the two enjoying eating the hard vegetables. ¡°They eat so well,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Of course they do, my little chubby twins love to eat.¡± ¡°They used to embrace me so tightly when they were children, but they do not remember me.¡± ¡°They were the same with me not long ago,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Just give it a few weeks and they¡¯ll want to play with you all the time.¡± Jarot sighed, rubbing his knee gently. If he had both legs he would have been able to keep up with the pair, but with the wooden leg, it was far more awkward. He thought about his dream of walking through a field carrying the pair, and realised it was impossible to truly enjoy something like that. ¡°You two, if I hear you¡¯re bullying your babo, I¡¯ll...¡± Adam stared down at his twins who looked up at him innocently, slowly chewing on the food. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you off, even if it hurts me. Do you understand? You have to be nice to babo.¡± ¡°Babo,¡± Jirot said, pointing at the older Iyrman. ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Adam reached over to rub her head gently. ¡°He¡¯s your babo, so be nice.¡± Jirot rubbed her head against his hand in return, before pointing up at her father and babbling. ¡°What do you mean you want to change the deal?¡± Adam asked. Jirot babbled with more passion, before pausing, waiting for her father to respond. ¡°You can¡¯t just change the deal, Jirot.¡± Jirot sighed, looking to her greatfather, pointing at her father. ¡°Ee?¡± She shrugged her shoulders, before sighing again, returning back to eating. ¡°What did she say?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°She said what she said,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head slowly. Jarot wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, but he reached down to lift the girl up, before kissing the side of her head and nuzzled into her neck. He could feel how warm she was. ¡°You cannot bully your father, Jirot.¡± ¡°Wa?¡± Jirot asked, shocked. She babbled furiously towards her greatfather. Jarot smiled. ¡°Would you like more food?¡± Jirot stopped babbling, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Num num,¡± she confirmed. You have to respect Jirot for trying. 662. Enchanting I 662. Enchanting I Omen: 6, 15 Karot yawned after his teeth were brushed, before he rested his head against his father¡¯s arm. He wanted to return back to sleep, the festival having exhausted all the children out. The last day had been the most relaxing day, but the children continued to play their games while the adults relaxed in the evening. Adam made a face as though he had just eaten a raw lemon, trying to resist the urge to skip work that day in order to play with his children, but he let out a long sigh. ¡®I need to work hard so they can sleep easy.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re going to work?¡± Filliam asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, sighing lightly. ¡°I¡¯ve got to work, you know?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Filliam said, adjusting his glasses. ¡°I know.¡± Adam turned to face the tinkerer, blinking towards him. Adam¡¯s face remained neutral, almost tired and sad. ¡®When did Filliam get here?¡¯ ¡°What work will you complete?¡± Filliam asked, innocently. ¡°I was thinking about speaking with the Chief and Elder Zijin about smithing, but I¡¯m not entirely sure,¡± Adam said. ¡®There¡¯s also the magical weapons I owe Rose. I should work on those passively too. Luckily they only asked for Basic Enhanced. I think they wanted it with a charge like Jurot¡¯s?¡¯ Adam finished playing with the children in the morning, his own children, as well as Gurot and the others. They walked together for a short time before they played with the balls, pushing and kicking them with some effort, before they were ready to wash their hands and eat. ¡°Adam,¡± Mirot said, staring at the Half Elf. ¡°He must learn to feed himself.¡± Adam held a sliced vegetable in his hand, which was nearing Gurot¡¯s lips. ¡°Just one, please.¡± ¡°Just one,¡± Mirot allowed, watching as the Half Elf offered each baby something to eat, but only one thing. Gurot waited for more, and pouted when he didn¡¯t receive any more from the Half Elf, and he made to cry. However, his mother placed his hand over the vegetable, and he grabbed it, before shoving it into his mouth. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot huffed at the Half Elf. ¡°You!¡± She began to babble at him noisily, staring up at him while her mouth was covered in porridge. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot said, before returning back to her porridge. ¡°What did she say?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°She said what she said,¡± Adam replied, before eating a light breakfast of scrambled eggs, lightly salted. ¡®Should I skip breakfast? It always feels awkward eating before working, my stomach feels so weird.¡¯ He looked to the children, who were eating happily. ¡®No, they might try to copy me.¡¯ Once they were done with breakfast, Jirot pointed up at her father. ¡°No!¡± She stared at him in shock, before looking to her grandmother. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Your father must go to work,¡± her grandmother said. Jirot shook her head, her hair bouncing from side to side. ¡°No...¡± Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet, slowly dipping her head as her lips quivered into a pout. ¡°Come, Jirot, I will take you to babo,¡± Sonarot said, reaching out her arms. Jirot rushed into her grandmother¡¯s arms, and as she was picked up, she thought about what the older Iyrman had said. ¡°Babo?¡± ¡°Yes. Babo will play with you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Would you like another book?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll get you another book.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Have you come here to speak with only the boy?¡± Elder Zijin asked. ¡°No, I actually came to speak with you about...¡± Adam paused, looking to Churot. ¡®Hold on...¡¯ ¡°Actually, I think Churot might be useful for this.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I was thinking about how to become an industrial powerhouse of a smithy for the business so we have a large stock of weapons that we can pump out quickly to enchant,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s nice to have one smith who can make a sword every other day, but I wanted to figure out a way to create more weapons quickly, and consider the Iyr is the death machine of this entire land, I realised it¡¯s probably best I tell you how it works, so that maybe the Iyr can go through the trials to figure it out?¡± ¡°What did you have in mind.¡± Adam began to explain to Elder Zijin the concept of an assembly line, but also how to use maths to have the appropriate number of people within the same station. ¡°I would recommend finding out how many days it requires for each section of an item, from the pommel, the hilt, the blade, and so on.¡± Adam began to draw out the hypothetical into a book. ¡°Let¡¯s say one person can make ten pommels each day, another person can make five hilts each day, and the last person can make one blade each day. Then what you need to do is find out a number in which all these three meet up, in a reasonable way.¡± Churot leaned in to pay deeper attention to the conversation, since he would be tasked with this. ¡°Luckily, ten, five, and one, all have a shared number they meet up with pretty quickly. Ten. So, all you need to do, is find the number of people for each task to reach that number. Which is one person for the pommel, two people for the hilt, ten people for the blade.¡± Elder Zijin narrowed his eyes slightly, slowly nodding his head, Churot doing the same. ¡°Of course, there are other factors you have to take into consideration, but once you figure out that thing for basically everything you can manufacture, you can make double, triple, maybe even more, in terms of the weapons. The thing you lose, obviously, is that people become specialised doing one thing. However, if you have people who aren¡¯t smiths, they can still do something to help out, like assembling things, and each person assembles the same thing, every time.¡± ¡°So we will create weapons at a faster rate, but of lower quality?¡± ¡°Potentially lower quality, but considering you¡¯re Iyrmen, as long as you don¡¯t focus too much on speed, you can make items of the same quality. Really, does a pommel need to be the best quality? No. As long as it meets the minimum standard, should be alright, and obviously it depends on which weapons you make.¡± Elder Zijin thought, furrowing his brows. The Iyr made sure they always had enough smiths, enough to repair and create whatever they needed. However, if they really could speed up their process by even a little, they could shift some smiths into this new process and test it out. ¡°You are going to work?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s another thing I wanted to speak to you about.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I need to repay someone for something, and it requires two Basic Enhanced weapons, similar to Phantom, although, obviously, not going to make something like Phantom. I¡¯d like to know how much I can do...¡± ¡°As long as it is weaker, it will be acceptable,¡± Zijin confirmed. ¡°A weaker charge once per day?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That sounds acceptable.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Adam let out a gentle sigh. ¡®Politics sucks.¡¯ Thus begins an enchanting arc. 663. Enchanting II 663. Enchanting II Adam spent the next two weeks enchanting the greatswords for Rose, enchanting them with a Basic Enhanced enchantment, with the ability to expend a charge once per day to smite a foe with holy energy. It was nothing compared to Wraith, but more than enough for Experts to wield. ¡®How good would these weapons be anyhow?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I guess they¡¯d be better than most magical weapons since the average one would be just a Basic blade, but in terms of Basic Enhanced weapons, where would they rank?¡¯ Adam spent the first six days enchanting, and the seventh day with his family and friends. He would typically play with the children in the morning every day, but he spent the seventh day watching over the children for the rest of the day too. He fed them, he changed them, and he read them the tales of the Iyrmen, their own family¡¯s great stories typically. ¡°Gurot, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked, the boy whimpering as his lips trembled. He picked the boy up and placed the boy on his lap. ¡°You-,¡± Adam said, before feeling why the boy was whimpering. ¡°You could have warned me, Gurot.¡± ¡°Poopoo,¡± the boy said, pouting up at his Cousin. ¡°This betrayal, Gurot. I will never forget it.¡± ¡°Poopoo,¡± the boy repeated, sniffling. Adam finally picked him up to take him away to change him, and upon his arrival, he saw the look on Jirot¡¯s face. The girl had that look on her face, the smirk, the defiant, playful look in her eyes. ¡°No,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Not like this.¡± Adam took his children to the extended family estate during the afternoons, with Jarot¡¯s eyes lighting up as he saw his five greatchildren. ¡°Did you miss your greatfather?¡± Jarot asked, embracing each of his five greatchildren, before giving them all of his affection. Jarot picked up Little Jarot, and rubbed his cheek against his greatson¡¯s cheek. ¡°Have you been behaving well, my little Jarot? Is your father treating you well? Do you wish to stay with your babo?¡± ¡°Babo,¡± the boy replied, allowing the older Jarot to continue to embrace him with all his affection. ¡°Yes, that is right, my boy.¡± Jarot embraced him tighter. ¡°I will tell you the tale of how I took the arm of a Vice Commander. It was earlier this year, and I thought of you when I did so.¡± Little Jarot flushed slightly with embarrassment from all the attention and then rested his head against the older man¡¯s chest. The older Jarot hummed with joy as he held the boy, before he speak the tale, rubbing the little boy¡¯s back. Adam motioned with his hand for his children to sit down and listen to their greatfather, though Jirot stormed up to the old man¡¯s side so that she would be beside her brother. Adam decided to let his children spend time with their greatfather, while spending his own time with the extended family estate. ¡°Lucy?¡± Adam called, blinking towards the Demon in the corner, who lay in the corner. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Training,¡± the Demon replied, staring up towards the sky. ¡°Training?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Seeing as how she was replying stiltedly, Adam decided against asking more from the Demon. He glanced around, noting the distinct lack of some of the other older Iyrmen, save for Mulrot and Zirot, who were completing their duties at the extended family estate. They mostly watched over the children. ¡®There¡¯s a bunch of new kids here too,¡¯ Adam thought, glancing between the really young children, some of whom were fawned over by the Family Elder, Mulrot. ¡®Can she stop me from giving them magical items?¡¯ Adam thought, but he shook his head gently, decided against thinking too deeply about the matter. ¡°Dimo?¡± Jirot asked, looking at the red skinned woman in the corner she was familiar with. ¡°Demon Lord.¡± ¡°Woad?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m the Demon Lord,¡± Lucy said. ¡®Dimo Woad,¡¯ Jirot thought. She had heard the name previously through the various stories of the Iyrmen. She blinked at Lucy and raised her hand, forming a thumbs up. ¡°Okay.¡± She walked off towards her father, with Little Jarot following after her, who looked back to Lucy for a moment, before rushing over to his father. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Did you poopoo?¡± Adam asked, picking her up, his eyes accusatory. Jirot forgot what she wanted to say and just smiled cheekily. ¡°Noooooo.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re so cute.¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on her cheek. ¡°Jarot, did you poopoo too?¡± Little Jarot shook his head. ¡°I was talking to-,¡± Adam cleared his throat, understanding it was still too soon for that kind of joke. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Little Jarot replied, though he reached up with his arms to be picked up too. ¡°You have to tell Adam that your brother Jurot is your favourite, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Upon Adam¡¯s return, he was assaulted by his triplets, as well as his sister. ¡°Do you think you can defeat me?¡± Adam asked, feeling them hug at his legs. ¡°Yes,¡± Lanarot stated, defiantly. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lanarot confirmed. ¡°Papa!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Bwead?¡± ¡°You want some bread?¡± ¡°Yes. Favewit.¡± ¡°Do you love bread more than papa?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°...¡± Lucy blinked. ¡®That works too.¡¯ ¡°Do you see how she bullies me?¡± Adam asked, before picking the girl up to kiss her face all over. ¡°No bread for you, you smelly girl.¡± Lanarot giggled and squirmed. ¡°Bwead.¡± She continued to try and dodge her brother¡¯s kisses, but he pulled her head to his chest so she couldn¡¯t bob and weave, and she finally gave up. ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll get you some bread,¡± Adam assured, placing the girl down. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What good manners you have!¡± Adam picked her up again to kiss her once more. Lanarot huffed, but allowed it, since he was going to bring her bread. ¡°Jarot,¡± the older Jarot called, causing the boy to look his way. The old man had a platter of vegetables that had been cut up. ¡°Jarot, Jirot, come. I will feed you.¡± The children charged up towards their babo, and allowed him to feed them. ¡°I am feeding you, but you must stay small and cute.¡± Jirot bit into the vegetable, before allowing Little Jarot to do the same, while the older Jarot finished the vegetable. It was mostly made of water, and had only a slight flavour to it, like a cucumber. The water dripped down the sides of their faces, though their greatfather dabbed their mouths clean. ¡°Why is it always food?¡± Lucy whispered. ¡°We slaughter for food, we eat for slaughter,¡± a familiar voice said, carrying large sacks over his shoulders. ¡°I forget that you¡¯re scary too,¡± Lucy admitted, throwing a look towards Jurot. ¡°We Iyrmen never forget.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m told.¡± Lucy eyed Jurot up, wondering if she should steal Jurot from Adam, and then his children via the Iyrman. Then she thought about the baker, and she glanced aside, defeated before she could even try to make a play. ¡°Working hard, I see,¡± Adam said, handing Lanarot a piece of flat bread, before going to help his brother with the sacks. He huffed as he took one of the sacks, which he could barely hold within his arms, while Jurot seemed perfectly fine. ¡®Sometimes I forget you¡¯re scary, Jurot.¡¯ ¡°We Iyrmen never forget,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even say it.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes remained staring at Adam¡¯s, before they looked down towards the triplets who had been followed their father. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot replied. Jurot nodded. She''s a little confused but she''s got the spirit! I''ll be posting up double chapters until the next arc to speed up the wholesomeness. 664. Enchanting III 664. Enchanting III ¡°Asorot, come,¡± Jarot called, embracing the boy who had been adopted into his family. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Asorot replied, sitting beside his grandfather. ¡®What¡¯s he doing here?¡¯ Adam though, returning back from enchanting for the day. Then he glanced to the side, noting another figure who hadn¡¯t spent much time here either. ¡°Hey, Wazool,¡± Adam said, noting the boy for the second time that year. ¡®Even worse than Filliam and Tariel, I almost forgot about him.¡¯ Adam glanced aside to Jurot, who seemingly had finished work early that day, and was spending his time with his grandfather at the shared family estate. ¡°Adam,¡± the boy replied. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Katool stated. ¡°You cannot say such things, cousin Wazool.¡± Wazool let out a long sigh. The little girl was the sister of the one who had managed to bring him to the Iyr for safety, so he had to be careful with his words towards his benefactors. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said, glancing between the boy, who now had sun kissed hair and blue eyes. He swore the boy had looked differently last time, but couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on why. He looked vaguely familiar too, and while he was trying to connect the dots, he cut them off. ¡®This feels like dangerous knowledge, so I probably shouldn¡¯t peer in too deeply.¡¯ Konarot snoozed beside her greatfather, before she sniffed the air, noting her father had returned. She forced herself to wake up, and sat upright, blinking away her sleepiness, before she stared up towards the Half Elf. Seeing that he was thinking, she leaned over beside her greatfather, and then fell back to sleep. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, sipping on some wine from opposite his grandfather, with the twins only slightly beyond him, also snoozing lightly. ¡°The war is considered over.¡± ¡°It is?¡± Adam asked, sitting opposite his brother, accepting a small cup of wine. ¡°The negotiations for peace have begun, the Order of Life¡¯s Rose has sent some of their warriors to assist.¡± ¡°So an order from East Aldland is trying to negotiate peace between its country and...¡± ¡°Floria,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Floria?¡± ¡°It was the old name given to the southern lands, before the time of Kal Blakvatr,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°What was that, more than two thousand years ago?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn. So he¡¯s trying to invoke the name of the kingdom when they were free last time? King Merryweather isn¡¯t messing around. I¡¯m surprised he managed to end the war quickly, no matter the reason.¡± ¡°Floria and Aswadasad have formed a union, the Union of Black and Green,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Black for the Aswadian Shendom, and Green for the Kingdom of Floria.¡± ¡°Feels a bit racially charged,¡± Adam joked. ¡°...¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°The black is for the name of the shendom.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°The Black Dragon Shendom.¡± ¡°Oh. I feel like I knew that, actually.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°End of the war, eh? Didn¡¯t last very long.¡± ¡°It was not expected to last long,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°It is a large blow for King Blackwater and Shen Asad.¡± Gurot spun his head towards Jurot, blinking towards him. He smiled and hid his head back into Adam¡¯s chest once more. ¡°You cannot steal him from me,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly. ¡°Gurot, come.¡± Gurot looked back towards Jurot, blinking again, before he smiled and held out his arms, almost falling, though Adam grabbed him by his waist. Jurot took the boy from Adam, who whispered to himself quietly about the betrayal, yet he had already forgive his young Cousin. Jurot brushed the boy¡¯s hair too. The boy who was his cousin, his aunt¡¯s son. She had four sons now, Turot, Asorot, Gurot, and Murot. Turot he understood, for Turot could speak, and even Jurot could tell when the boy was trying to hold in his excitement or a question. Gurot, though? He was too young. Jurot didn¡¯t understand why the boy¡¯s eyes lit up every time he saw his older cousin, or what his blustering babbling meant. ¡°Gurot,¡± Jurot said. Gurot replied with a questioning grunt through his dummy, sucking on it lightly. The boy remained waiting as Jurot thought deeply about what he wanted to say. However, he did not say a word, instead Jurot brought the boy¡¯s head to his chest. ¡°Hugging,¡± Lanarot accused, pointing at her older brother. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, before opening his arms out towards her. The girl smiled and rushed up towards her older brother, almost tackling him as they embraced tightly. ¡°You¡¯ve become so big now, Lanarot.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Big girl.¡± ¡°Big girl, that¡¯s right,¡± Adam whispered, slowly rocking from side to side as he held his sister. ¡®Big girl,¡¯ Jurot thought, staring at his siblings. Then his eyes fell down to Gurot, who had been staring up at the older Iyrman still. ¡°Big boy.¡± Gurot smiled once more, and squealed, slowly bouncing on his feet, which were firmly placed on Jurot¡¯s thighs. ¡°One day, you will grow up, Gurot,¡± Jurot whispered. ¡°You will be as strong as me.¡± Gurot cackled from under his dummy, before he grabbed Jurot¡¯s shirt tightly, bouncing more excitedly. Jurot continued to brush the boy¡¯s hair gently. Jurot could not recall any memories from when he was as young as Gurot was now. ¡®He will not remember.¡¯ Jurot pulled the boy closer to his chest, and leaned in to his ear. He whispered a phrase no Iyrman should whisper, and hoped that, even if the boy did not remember anything, he would at least remember that. Adam was the only one close enough to hear, and he smiled, sadly. He looked down to his sister, who was reaching up to grab his jaw, squeezing it gently. She could feel the light hair that begun growing, due to the fact it was nightval. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to, either.¡± Adam kissed her forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, papa won¡¯t allow it to happen.¡± ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot confirmed, wrapping her arms around his neck to embrace him tightly. Jarot sighed, staring out towards his grandsons who sat nearby. He brushed Asorot¡¯s hair, understanding that the boy must still feel out of place here. ¡°Adam,¡± Jarot called. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Have you made Asorot an axe and shield?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°You must.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Adam assured, smiling at Asorot. ¡°Axe and shield.¡± ¡°Axe and shield,¡± the boy whispered. ¡®Right, I can spoil him too,¡¯ Adam thought, smirking slightly. Even the brat Wazool has given up to the Iyr. Our Lanababy is way too big now! Why is she growing up? Right. Adam can spoil Asorot too, can''t he? 665. Enchanting IV 665. Enchanting IV ¡°Finally,¡± Adam whispered, before finally standing. He groaned as he stretched out his body, taking a few laps around the enchanting shrine, while an Iyrman by the name of Kojin, from the extended Jin family, watched the young man. The Jin had been placed as Adam¡¯s escort personally by the Elder, who knew Adam wouldn¡¯t make a fuss around one of his. ¡®If you act up, I¡¯ll ask Rajin to speak with your grandfather about your marriage,¡¯ Elder Zijin had warned. ¡®Whose my grandfather?¡¯ Adam had retorted back then, before the old man had returned from the war. ¡°Oh by the Gods,¡± Adam groaned, stretching out his arms, his legs, and his back, which made all manner of noises as he reached for his toes and then planked, curving his shoulders up and back, before finally standing once more. The Half Elf made his way towards the Elder, who had prepared for him by brewing tea, as well as setting up an assortment of snacks. Adam smiled, taking his seat opposite the Iyrman Elder, before eyeing up the fruit, fresh and dried, as well as fried bread balls. ¡°What¡¯s the special occasion?¡± Adam asked, popping a bread ball into his mouth. As he bit into it, he realised it was filled with melted cheese, smiling slightly as he ate the food slowly. ¡°I wanted to speak with you now that you are done with your enchanting,¡± Zijin said, sipping his warm milk. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°What plans do you have now that you are done enchanting?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Adam admitted. He still had a couple of months of enchanting left, so he could enchant much more to sell off, but he also wanted to spend more time with his family. ¡®Then there¡¯s the little cutie pies who are still growing up...¡¯ Elder Zijin allowed Adam to think about the children for a short while, before he cleared his throat. ¡°Would you be willing to enchant items for the Iyr again? One hundred gold for each Basic weapon.¡± ¡°I assume you¡¯re paying for the gems and such, so sure,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Three days for each magical items, so I can make two hundred gold a week. One hundred gold if I want to spend more time with my family?¡¯ ¡°You wish to sell bespoke weapons to the Aldish,¡± Zijin said, thinking about what they had talked about. ¡°Those which grow weaker as time passes?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I might make more permanent items, but the goal is to switch over to the charges so they feel like they¡¯re missing out on the magic. I think it¡¯s a good idea to still supply some items with permanent magic, especially if they¡¯re gifts.¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll probably get into a lot of trouble, so I should prepare for that, you know?¡± Adam smirked slightly, winking at the Elder. ¡°Have you thought about staying out of trouble?¡± Zijin asked, pouring Adam a drink. ¡°Trouble comes to find me,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°That is my life, Elder Zijin. I just need to adapt to it, and hopefully, things will work out alright in the end. Of course, I hope the Iyr will assist with that.¡± ¡°The Iyr always pays its debts.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Adam confirmed, sipping the warm milk. ¡°The auctions will bring in a little extra coin, since the weapons will go for a little more there. I¡¯m thinking about creating a Greater Enhanced weapon every year to be auctioned, and a monthly Basic Enhanced weapon, or perhaps it should be seasonal? Basic weapons monthly.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zijin said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°The price of magical weapons may not fall for some time, so there will be much gold to earn.¡± ¡°Yeah, but the Iyr is making out like bandits,¡± Adam said. ¡°One hundred gold for each Basic weapon?¡± Adam chuckled, and then noted the way Elder Zijin was looking at him. ¡®What did I just say?¡¯ ¡°Oh. Wait. It¡¯s just a phrase where I¡¯m from. It doesn¡¯t have any bad connotations. It just means you¡¯ve got the best deal.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Zijin said, letting the matter go. Adam was often thoughtless with his words. ¡°I see why you will need to create so many items to gift.¡± Adam flushed slightly. ¡°I am trying, Elder Zijin.¡± Jarot twitched and looked up to see that his father had returned. ¡°Daddy.¡± Jarot smiled, Adam ruffling his hair. ¡°Are you bullying Sir Vonda?¡± Jarot smiled innocently, before hiding himself beside Vonda. He started squealing and giggling. Vonda rubbed his head gently, before pulling her scarf up to cover her face. She noted the triplets had been staring up at her face. ¡°Jirot seems tired,¡± Adam said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Did she spend all day bullying everyone?¡± ¡°She caused quite the mess,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°She kept throwing things that would shatter, but her grandmother dealt with it.¡± ¡°She was acting up?¡± Adam frowned, looking down at his daughter, who was sleepily drinking from her bottle. ¡°Acting up?¡± ¡°I mean, was she causing havoc on purpose?¡± ¡°No, she is still a child, and she is trying to understand the world. She was allowed to play with a ball later and she did not shatter other cups.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My good girl only is mean to me on purpose.¡± Adam brushed her hair gently, feeling how hot her face was. The girl stared up at him, awakening slightly from her sleepiness as she stared up at her father. Adam smiled, and couldn¡¯t help but bring her up to kiss her forehead, before nuzzling her nose. ¡°Make sure you drink all your milk, smelly girl.¡± Jirot pulled away from the bottle and cackled at her father, before holding up the bottle to him. ¡°No more?¡± ¡°No!¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Okay.¡± He picked up the bottle and allowed the girl to grab onto his shield, standing on his thighs as she rested her head against his chest. She babbled quietly to herself and rubbed her face against his shirt. ¡°Adam, your children are so cute,¡± Vonda said, rubbing the boy¡¯s nose gently. ¡°You can¡¯t keep them all to yourself.¡± ¡°I can! They¡¯re my children!¡± Adam lifted Jirot up to kiss her face all over. The girl squirmed and giggled, staring down at her father with a smile only a child could have for their father. ¡°Even if you bully me, I will spoil you so much!¡± ¡°I want to spoil them too,¡± Vonda said, brushing the boy¡¯s hair gently, who continued to hide shyly from her. ¡°You can¡¯t spoil them more than me, I¡¯m their father,¡± Adam said. His triplets sat near him, and sometimes rubbed their heads against his legs, even hugging them slightly. ¡°I can try.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°You can try.¡± Adam glanced down to see his daughter staring up at him suspiciously, Jirot wondering how she should mess with her father. ¡®A hundred gold for Basic weapons?¡¯ Adam thought, pinching the girl¡¯s cheeks. ¡®No. Aren¡¯t I the one making out like a bandit?¡¯ Jirot smiled, letting him go, just this once. Jirot is such a little punk! We''ll forgive her but only because she''s too cute. The Iyr always pays its debts... 666. Terrible Talks 666. Terrible Talks Lucy panted as she fell onto the ground, not quite as gracefully as she would have liked. Her heart thundered, her chest heaved for air. The sun had only risen a short while ago, long enough for her to walk and arrive at one of the long fields of the Iyr, where the walls gave way to fields for miles and miles, only to be hidden by the shadows of distant mountain peaks. The chill of nightval began to seep within her body, cooling her sweat, but the burning within her body did not leave as the ache set within. ¡®These damn Iyrmen!¡¯ The clashing of steel rang in the air once more, a song of death formed by two figures who were ready to kill one another. A shadow formed over Lucy before she saw a cloth block her vision. She reached up, wincing slightly, before accepting it. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, politely, as she did with all Iyrmen. Tarot pat his face with his own cloth. ¡°You fight well,¡± he admitted, barely able to keep up with the young woman. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lucy repeated. She stared up at the smiling Iyrman, who was apparently Jarot¡¯s brother. The two were almost entirely different, with Tarot far more relaxed and more like a gentle uncle. Jarot was more like a crazy beast, though he seemed to have settled down in his later years, and especially after he lost his limbs. Tarot, by comparison, was almost a kitten. He was perhaps one of the weakest of the Rot family, with many who were younger than him who could claim to be stronger. His wife, on the other hand... Mara clasped her hands over her navel and gently bowed her head. ¡°Thank you for the teaching.¡± The Demon¡¯s entire body ached, only a moment away from passing out. ¡°You may rest,¡± Zirot said, smiling innocently towards the young Demon. Her eyes then passed to the other Demon, the one who claimed to be the Demon Lord, and then to her husband, who was panting heavily. Though she was easily far more experienced than any of them there, she, too, had grown old. Tarot eventually hoisted himself up, glancing around the large field, noting the other Iyrmen nearby, those who were trying to train. He noticed a few carried dambells with them, choosing to lift weights rather than to spar. He threw a look to his wife and the pair began to walk, trying to stretch out their legs, leaving the Demons to relax and talk before they continued to the next set of sparring. ¡°I had not expected to be bested by such a young one,¡± Tarot admitted, chuckling lightly. His lips formed a wide grin. ¡°You retired so young,¡± Zirot stated, matter of factly, without judgement. ¡°Too young,¡± Tarot stated, bringing the judgement. ¡°I did not think Sarot would leave so soon.¡± ¡°He had taken that responsibility for so long...¡± Zirot looked up towards the sky, looking at the clouds above. ¡°I thought Jarot would take it, but he cannot.¡± ¡°I must take responsibility,¡± Tarot said, stretching out his neck. ¡°Sister cannot, so it must be me.¡± Jarot was crippled and Mulrot was the Family Elder. Sarot and Lukkrot were both dead. It left Tarot and Zirot the responsibility, and though Zirot was second to Jarot, she had already spent so much time training to take on the work he had left behind. ¡°It would be awkward for me if you were stronger,¡± Zirot said, reaching out to clasp the old man¡¯s bicep, smiling adoringly towards him. ¡°If you become so strong, I will be unable to control you.¡± ¡°If I did not wish to be controlled by you, I would not be controlled by you,¡± Tarot replied, bursting out into laughter. Zirot smiled, rubbing her husband¡¯s bicep, walking with him to one side before they sat together. ¡°Are they flirting again?¡± Lucy asked, staring at the sky. ¡°Yes,¡± Mara replied. ¡®Do I tell him he is cringe?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®No, he has not spoken aloud.¡¯ ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot asked, preparing himself. ¡°How can they bully their greatfather like that?¡± Adam asked, shaking his head gently. ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you see how they bully me, Otkan?¡± Jarot asked, sipping the rest of his milk. ¡°They only bully me this well.¡± The old man smiled, reaching out an arm for Little Jarot, who Mulrot offered towards him. ¡°My boy, how can you do this to me?¡± Little Jarot smiled shyly, before he hid his face into the old man¡¯s chest. Jarot held the boy close, feeling how light he was still. ¡°Are they not feeding you, my boy? I will speak with my daughter to make sure they feed you more.¡± ¡°You know, when your grandfather¡¯s right, he sure is right,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. Jurot blinked. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Baba!¡± Lanarot called, pointing up at the old man. ¡°Eating the bwead?¡± ¡°Do you want some bread?¡± Lanarot, who had not meant that, smiled and nodded her head hesitantly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let me pour you all some milk,¡± the old Iyrman said, smiling wide as he started pouring more drinks into the spare cups, allowing Lanarot to pick up her own while he brought a cup to Little Jarot¡¯s lips. ¡°Slowly, slowly.¡± Some of the milk dripped down onto the boy¡¯s clothes, but he drank as much of the milk as he could, before sighing, smiling up at his greatfather. The old man used his scarf to dab the boy¡¯s face clean. ¡°You are my greatson, who else could drink milk so well?¡± Little Jarot hid his face against his greatfather¡¯s chest once more. Jarot rubbed the back of the boy¡¯s head, snorting proudly, before smirking towards Otkan. ¡°There is no need to be jealous, I am sure your greatchildren will come soon.¡± Adam felt a chill run down his spine, pausing as he handed Konarot to Otkan, his eyes meeting the old woman¡¯s eyes expectantly. ¡°You can¡¯t keep them.¡± ¡°When will you give me greatchildren?¡± Otkan asked. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, his cheeks flushing red. Luckily for Adam, someone unlikely appeared to help him, as Jirot stormed towards the entrance of the extended family estate. When you remember other people also have things they want to do. Damn. Everyone needs homies like Otkan. 667. The Passing Days I 667. The Passing Days I ¡®Naqokan is not bad,¡¯ Jarot thought, before his eyes fell to the side, watching as Jirot stopped before Lucy, staring up at the woman. Jirot pointed up towards the woman, babbling towards her. Lucy blinked, staring down at the young girl, her entire body still aching, filled with exhaustion from the heavy training. ¡°I see,¡± Lucy replied towards the little girl. Jirot smirked, before nodding her head and cackling, rushing back towards her greatfather. She tripped over, letting out a low grunt, before she hoisted herself to her feet and ran towards the older Iyrman, hugging his leg. She giggled wildly, betraying the fact she had been rather naughty, though no one knew how. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Jarot said, glaring up towards Lucy, before noting how Mara clasped her hands ahead of her navel. He grinned wide towards the Demon woman, who was currently being beaten by his younger siblings. ¡®Even with one arm and one leg, I could bury you into the earth.¡¯ Mara¡¯s eyes remained focused on the older Iyrman, understanding the difference between herself and the crazy old man, but she had a duty to fulfil, and not even the Iyrmen could stop her. As the pair glared between one another, Lucy fell beside Adam, staring down at the Goblin girl. Jirot looked to the side, giggling wildly, but she stopped when she didn¡¯t see Lucy, and instead looked up at her greatfather. Then she looked to the side, smirking at her father, before noticing Lucy. Jirot quickly waddled towards the Demon. ¡°Up!¡± Jirot demanded. ¡°Pick up!¡± Lucy slowly bent forward and picked the girl up, wincing in pain, before she pulled the girl onto her lap. Jirot stared up at the Demon woman, blinking up at her, before she cackled again, bringing her hands up to her mouth. ¡°She seems happy today,¡± Lucy said. ¡°She¡¯s happy everyday,¡± Adam said. ¡°How can she not be when I adore her so much?¡± ¡°She seems to like to sit with me and not you even though you adore her so much?¡± Lucy replied, her lips twitching slightly. ¡°You sure have grown quite courageous, Demon Lord,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°Even though I can¡¯t cast my First Gate spells infinitely any more, I¡¯m still a bit of a monster.¡± ¡°A bit?¡± ¡°Well, I suppose more than just a bit?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Nn!¡± Little Jarot complained, reaching out towards Lucy. ¡°See? Even your son wants to play with me.¡± ¡°He wants to play with his sister,¡± Adam corrected, though it still annoyed him. ¡°Whatever allows you to sleep at night.¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re starting a fight with me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Babo,¡± Konarot called, staring up at him, seeing the way he smiled. ¡°Yes?¡± Konarot blinked, before she sat down beside him, staring down at the wooden leg. The old man, who had seemed like a wall, had returned to them looking so... Small. As the days passed, Adam continued to enchant and relax, alternating between the two. He would enchant every first, third, and fifth day of the week, completing one weapon a week, much to everyone¡¯s surprise. Adam took his triplets for a walk during his first break, allowing the twins to spend time with their greatfather, who couldn¡¯t help but spoil them daily. Even though he was a crippled old man, he was still an Iyrman, and kept up with the boundless energy of the twins. However, Adam wasn¡¯t the only one spending time with the younger children. ¡°Raygak, come,¡± Jaygak called. Raygak looked up at her, unsure of what she was planning. He rushed up towards her, however, since his elder sister had called. Jaygak reached down to her belt, and undid it, holding it out towards her brother. ¡°Yes?¡± Raygak asked, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°You can carry it today,¡± Jaygak said. Raygak blinked. He stared at the blade, a beautiful blade. He knew of its worth vaguely, since it was a weapon from Lord Strom. The Lord had lost it in a bet to Adam, who had gifted it to his sister and the Gak family. Apparently, it was a blade which was Legendary, though it was not yet quite that powerful. One needed to be worthy to use its full capabilities. ¡°I can?¡± Raygak asked, wondering if this was a prank. ¡°Don¡¯t unsheathe the blade, and don¡¯t let anyone else unsheathe it,¡± Jaygak said, rubbing his head. ¡°You can let others hold it too, but you are to carry it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Raygak grabbed Stormdrake, his eyes shooting up to Jaygak, waiting for her to pull it back, before he slowly pulled the blade towards him. His eyes beamed down towards the weapon, which apparently was the greatest weapon within the Gak arsenal. Raygak held the blade to his chest, as though to hug it. His heart pounded with excitement. Jaygak watched as the boy admired the blade, his eyes completely glued to it. Not only was there a deep joy, but his greedy thoughts slipped through, the boy imagining his future wielding such a grand weapon. Jaygak¡¯s lips twitched into a smile, though her eyes remained without their typical playful light. ¡®I was able to keep up with the likes of those four all thanks to him,¡¯ she thought. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for you, what could I have done?¡¯ Jaygak thought of the Half Elf, who had done so much for her. Stormdrake itself was an unbelievable gift. If Adam had given it to the Iyr, he would have been accepted into it with very little fuss. Yet, he hadn¡¯t just given it to the Iyr, he specifically gave it to Jaygak. Perhaps he truly didn¡¯t know of it¡¯s great capabilities, but even after being warned of it several times, he had merely shrugged his shoulders. Even after using her favour, and recalling Lord Stokmar¡¯s request, she still hadn¡¯t repaid the debt Adam had made. Even now, watching Raygak hold onto the blade, almost frozen in shock, how could she think to stop? She glanced over to the side, seeing that Taygak was staring their way. Jaygak held out a hand and motioned the girl to approach, so that she could admire the blade too. ¡®What am I to do?¡¯ Jaygak is cute too. 668. The Passing Days II 668. The Passing Days II ¡°Hoi hoi hoi,¡± Adam said, lifting Gurot up, brushing the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Now that we¡¯re done reading, should we go for a walk?¡± Gurot smiled, pointing up behind him for Adam to carry him, but the Half Elf placed Gurot down. The boy pouted up towards his Cousin, his lips trembling. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± Adam squatted to pinch the boy¡¯s cheeks, jiggling them lightly. ¡°Who asked you to be so chonky?¡± He ruffled the boy¡¯s hair, distracting him from the want to be carried, before Adam began to walk off. ¡°Just because I ask you to be chonky it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m prepared to carry you everywhere.¡± Adam stopped, turning and waiting expectantly for the boy, who shuffled up to Adam and then stopped, waiting for Adam to continue. ¡°Ooboo!¡± Gurot said, pointing towards a plant. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s a plant,¡± Adam stated, nodding his head. ¡°Pah,¡± Gurot confirmed, before rushing past it, pointing towards the wall. He looked back at Adam and waited. ¡°Wall.¡± ¡°Oo?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. Gurot smiled and continued to point at various things, having Adam name them for him. The Iyrmen glanced Adam¡¯s way often, though considering he was wearing the Iyrmen¡¯s attire, embroidered with a blue circle, with blue diamonds emanating from either side, they left him be. Eventually the boy stopped and looked up towards Adam, holding up his arms towards his Cousin. Adam lifted the boy up, brushing his hair. ¡°Since you walked so well, I¡¯ll carry you back, okay?¡± Adam said. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone though, otherwise they¡¯ll expect me to carry them all too.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Gurot promised. As the pair made their way back, Gurot squirmed, before he pulled his head away from Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Dada!¡± he cried, pointing to an Iyrman in the distance. ¡°Dada!¡± Adam noted the boy¡¯s smile before he turned, seeing Gorot in the distance, pushing along a rickshaw of wood. Adam walked over, and the boy¡¯s calls eventually caused Gorot to tense up and he turned, seeing the boy, who had been allowed to run towards his father. Gorot lifted his son up. ¡°Gurot.¡± ¡°Dada!¡± The boy showed off his toothy smile towards his father, before he clapped his hands excitedly. ¡°Dada!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gorot replied, before brushing the boy¡¯s hair, allowing the boy to hide into his chest. Gorot was like any other Iyrman, with the tanned skin of someone who laboured under the sun, a lean body shaped by sparring. He had lighter hair and eyes than Mirot, though not by much, though his son had been gifted his hair and eyes. At his side hung an axe, ready to spill blood should the Iyr call for it. Gorot¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, the Half Elf who had been adopted into his family. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Uncle Gorot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You are well?¡± ¡°Well enough, thanks to all the hard work the Iyr is doing for me, and you as well,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head lightly. Gorot nodded his head in return, and with that, he was done with his yearly conversation with the Half Elf. ¡°Gurot, I must return to work.¡± ¡°Oo,¡± the boy said, staring up at his father for a moment, before going back to resting up against his father¡¯s chest. ¡°You must listen well to Adam,¡± Gorot said, holding the boy out to Adam. Gurot began to squirm and whimper, and Adam¡¯s heart sank as he stole the boy away from his father. ¡°Let¡¯s go to mummy,¡± Adam said, taking the boy, who shifted his body so that he could see his father. ¡°Say bye bye to daddy.¡± Adam held up the boy¡¯s hand and waved it to his father. ¡°Hoo!¡± Gurot whimpered as he waved his hand, his eyes beginning to tear up as he was torn away from his father too quickly. He sobbed and shook, before wailing in Adam¡¯s arms as the Half Elf returned him back to the shared estate. Mirot rubbed the boy¡¯s head, noting how his eyes were so puffy. ¡°Why did he cry?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam smiled, before Lanarot barged up to him and hugged him. ¡°Papa!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Lanawoh big,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s right, you are big.¡± She pulled away and pointed at the die expectantly. Adam smiled, handing the die to her, before the girl rolled. 11. Lanarot smiled, looking towards her brother. Adam smiled. ¡°Good job!¡± He ruffled her hair, before she giggle and hugged him tight. ¡°Big girl,¡± she said, cuddling up to him. ¡°Big girl,¡± Adam confirmed, before he ended the session, carrying his sister back home. The days continued to pass, with Adam spending some time with his companions too. He noticed Filliam was speaking with Dunes quite regularly, and Vonda was often found besides Jaygak. The triplets lay on the floor, staring at the purple sky, the sun beginning to set. Konarot¡¯s eyes remained focused on the sky, wanting to see the purple turn to dark blue, and eventually to black. Jirot and Little Jarot lay beside the triplets, the pair babbling between one another. They would often point towards the sky, and some time later, the stars became more noticeable for the rest. ¡°Ogoo?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Bab,¡± her brother replied. ¡°Bab,¡± Jarot confirmed, sitting from near them. The twins looked over towards him, before they started to cackle with laughter towards him. For one reason or another, their babo saying such a word caused them to fall into hysteria. ¡°My kids are so-,¡± Adam began, before he turned to see little Kavgak, who was actually quite large, even chonkier than Gurot. ¡°Hello Kavbaby.¡± Kavgak held up her hand, which clutched a stone tightly. She glared up at Adam. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam asked, holding out his hand, before the girl dropped the stone into his hand. She glared up at him for a few moments longer, letting out a soft sigh, before she marched off. ¡°...¡± Adam glanced towards the others, confused, but he said nothing of the matter. Later in the evening, Adam made his way up to the store room, and he unbundled a blanket from a crate, before opening it up. There he found a small box, kept shut by strips of leather which were slipped through a latch. He undid the latch to find a strip of noonval elk, scales made of wood, scales made of metal, and a book wrapped within cloth. Adam tore a bit of spare cloth and wrapped it over the stone, before placing it in the corner. He then closed the box, latching it shut, before placing it in the corner of the crate, beside other items wrapped in cloth. ¡®Who gave Kavgak permission to be so cute?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Of course she¡¯s such a trouble maker, she¡¯s Jaygak¡¯s sister!¡¯ It was during the last day of the month when Jurot approached Adam. ¡°There is a new litter.¡± ¡°A new litter?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Of pups.¡± ¡°Pups?¡± Kavgak is our chonky girl too. 669. The Passing Days III 669. The Passing Days III ¡°You punk! Who gave you permission to have such cute kids?¡± Adam grumbled. ¡°They are not kids, they are pups,¡± Sky replied. ¡°You see how he talks back to me?¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot, frowning slightly. ¡°He¡¯s lucky these kids are so cute, otherwise I would have sorted him out.¡± The nine pups twitched lightly beside their mothers, who licked at their fur, and nuzzled against their sides. Adam watched with quivering lips, doing his best not to fawn over them too much. ¡°Nine pups,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Iyr will wish to claim some, but there will be enough for your children.¡± ¡°Five pups for my kids, and four for the Iyr?¡± Adam said. ¡°No, it should be six for us, one for Lanababy.¡± ¡°She likes to play with Sky. I will give Sky to her.¡± Jurot has already spoken to Sky about the matter, since Lanarot enjoyed laying against the Awakened Wolf¡¯s side. ¡°That¡¯s good, but what about your children?¡± ¡°My children?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already given your grandfather five children, won¡¯t you?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows, his lips almost smirking slightly. Jurot blinked. ¡°Where are the other pups anyhow?¡± Adam had completely forgotten the existence of the first batch of the wolves, which were born to the same Awakened Wolf and pair of dire wolves the previous year. ¡°They have been gifted to the Iyr, since they were raised during this time,¡± Jurot said, glancing up towards the sky. ¡°This time?¡± ¡°The time the Iyr closed its gates.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam hadn¡¯t heard that they had been stolen from him, but he supposed he shouldn¡¯t begrudge the Iyr, not since they did so much for him already. ¡°Alright.¡± Jurot nodded, having expected that Adam would understand, especially since he was willing to give the Iyr so much. Jurot kept an eye on the little pups, wondering if they would be taken from Adam too. There was only so much the Iyr could take from Adam before the Rot family would need to speak up. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about making Jaygak a weapon. Raygak seems to like Stormdrake, so maybe he should play with it in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Raygak is too young,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Stormdrake would be best for Jaygak.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t actually mean that Raygak should play with it, but that Stormdrake, which is apparently this great weapon and catches so much attention, should probably remain here.¡± Jurot grunted, relenting with a nod. He should have realised Adam meant something else, even he wasn¡¯t that... ¡®No, it is an Adam thing to do.¡¯ ¡®Should I go ask Elder Zijin for a sword?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I probably should.¡¯ Adam returned back to the shared family estate, where he found his triplets rushing up to him. ¡°You¡¯re always spoiling the surprise.¡± Adam hoisted them up one by one to hug and kiss them, before letting them down to follow him. Jurot glanced his way, noting the lack of a sword, but returned back to whittling at his wood. Adam sat opposite the young Iyrman, yawning, before stretching out his back. He stared at Jurot¡¯s figurne, that of an elk. He blinked towards it and then thought about Zeus, who remained at the village, along with the cart. ¡®Zeus is way too useful,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking about how much the elk had helped him. ¡®I should try and get more steeds somehow.¡¯ The evening passed uneventfully, with Adam reading to the children and playing Warriors and Wanderers with the older children. It was a routine that Adam had become used to, wondering how he had managed to work so much in the past. ¡°Oof,¡± Jirot said, dropping down beside her father, before half climbing on top of him, placing her head on his stomach. She placed her hand towards his chest and she gripped his shirt. ¡°I guess I¡¯m sleeping with you two today?¡± Adam asked, reaching for the girl¡¯s hair, before brushing Jarot¡¯s head too. ¡°Babo?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Babo? He¡¯s at the other estate,¡± Adam replied, rubbing his head. ¡°Oo?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, before sucking his thumb as he rested up against his father. ¡°You two are a little close with your aunt, right?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°What do you think? What kind of sword do you think Jaygak would want?¡± ¡°Ogoo,¡± the boy replied. ¡°No,¡± Jirot said, before she sucked against her thumb. She looked up at her father and then pointed up at him. ¡°I know I¡¯m your favourite, but that wasn¡¯t the question,¡± Adam whispered, rubbing their backs gently, before he rested his head back, and he stared at the ceiling. ¡®I need to make something that¡¯s at least as good as Wraith,¡¯ the Half Elf thought. ¡®Can I? I mean, it is passive enchanting...¡¯ Jurot wondered what Adam was planning. Phantom was a weapon that would be coveted by the entire land, and Tigerstaff and Wraith were equally as impressive. Perhaps Wraith was a slightly toned down version, but for someone who used magic, Wraith was worth much more. ¡®A flaming sword would be kinda sick,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Very thematically appropriate, but would that be weird? What about lightning instead, just a weaker version of Stormdrake? No, it has to be a stronger than what Stormdrake can do right now.¡¯ Adam looked down at his children. ¡®You¡¯ll probably like it with the fire since it will look cool, right? She¡¯ll be cooler than daddy, though...¡¯ Adam sighed lightly, causing his daughter to stir slightly, looking up towards her father. She crawled upwards towards her father. ¡°Daddy,¡± she said, looking down at his face, placing a hand against his chin, her we thumb pressing against the side of his neck. She felt the softness of her father¡¯s beard, which had been growing slowly during nightval. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam said, reaching up to brush her hair. ¡°Daddy will think of something.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said, resting her head against his shoulder, pulling the pillow under head head, before pinning her father¡¯s arm down. ¡®Am I allowed to be this happy?¡¯ Adam thought, smiling. I wonder what kind of weapon it will be? 670. The Passing Days IV 670. The Passing Days IV ¡°That¡¯s a nice sword,¡± Adam said, holding the sword in hand. The hilt was dark, not quite black, but a dark grey. The blade itself was dark too, a similar colour, but shifted purple under the light. The hilt of the blade was slightly longer than usual, with a diamond shaped pommel that was smooth. ¡°Moonsteel,¡± Elder Zijin said. ¡°It holds properties without magic, for it gently glows in the night, and it is easier to enchant.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Adam whispered, smiling. ¡°I think I need to change what I originally wanted to enchant, but not by much.¡± ¡°What did you wish to enchant onto the blade?¡± Elder Zijin asked. Adam smiled. Adam enchanted every other day, no longer taking the weekend off. It was during the second week that snow began to fall onto the Iyr. It was a light snow, but more than enough for the triplets to lay against it with their bare bodies, almost melting into the snow as though it were a cloud. They were taken elsewhere by Sonarot so they could do so without influencing the other children. ¡®These punks!¡¯ Adam thought, staring down at his twins. ¡®Who gave them permission to be so cute?¡¯ Jirot and Jarot were both bundled up so they looked as though they had doubled in weight, with their nose tips red from the cold. They were playing in the snow, sometimes feeling the snow drops fall across their faces, causing them to twitch. ¡°Snow,¡± Lanarot said, pushing the snow together to pile it high, while the older children made snow castles and snowmen. The younger children were sitting around the snow, staring all around it, while also twitching when the snow fell against their cheeks. Kavgak and Tavgak felt the snow drop onto their cheeks, twitching as it did. They looked up towards Adam, before their faces contorted, their tiny red lips trembling, they they finally shook and sobbed. Adam lifted the pair up, bringing them to his chest, hiding them from the snow. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear. Is it too cold for you? What silly snow. Do you want me to speak with Mother Nature and tell her off?¡± ¡°Do you wish to cause trouble with Nahtu?¡± Jurot asked, pouring hot milk into the cups for the children. ¡°Nahtu?¡± ¡°The Goddess of Nature,¡± Jurot explained, leaving it at that. ¡°...¡± Adam looked down at the pair of girls, who were only sniffling now. ¡°For Kavgak and Tavgak? Of course.¡± He embraced the girls tighter, before slipping his scarf over them so they were protected from the wind. During dinner, the Iyrmen melted cheese over the grilled meat, and chewed it slowly. The Gak family didn¡¯t wait for their food to cool, but the other Iyrmen did not have such heat tolerances. Adam kept some of the cheese to nibble against, but Lanarot pointed towards it. ¡°Cheese, peas.¡± ¡°You want some of papa¡¯s cheese?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes, papa. Peas, papa.¡± ¡°Hmmm, just this once, because you¡¯re so cute,¡± Adam said, offering her a chunk of his cheese. ¡°Cheese!¡± Jirot demanded from beside her father, her brows furrowed, as though daring him to deny her. ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Adam said, offering her the rest of his cheese. Jirot bit into the cheese and slowly chewed, before looking towards her brother, offering him the cheese. Jarot leaned in and ate it from her fingers, before Jirot offered it to her older siblings. Konarot pushed the girl¡¯s hand back towards her sister¡¯s mouth, letting Jirot eat the rest of the cheese. Konarot then looked up at her father expectantly. He let out a low sigh, realising he still had at least fifteen or sixteen years before he had to think about it. Then his eyes fell towards the older children, Katool, then to the Gaks, the twins, and then he realised who has the most important in terms of how quickly he needed to progress. Taygak brought a pepper to Tavgak¡¯s lips, before she kissed the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°Eating. Good.¡± Taygak took a bite of her own pepper, waiting for her baby sister to finish eating, before offering another pepper. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the creeping darkness once more. ¡®I¡¯ve got less than eight.¡¯ ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. Adam let out a long, slow sigh, one that didn¡¯t push away the darkness. ¡°Which of the Gods do I have to blame for having such cute Cousins?¡± Adam continued to enchant as the days passed by, but he also spent time with the babies during his breaks. He read to them as much as he could, but during the second week, the Shamans appeared to check their health, staring with the youngest babies, before moving on the to the slightly older children. ¡°Inakan¡¯s ears are weak, but her eyes are much weaker,¡± a Shaman said, writing something down within his book, while his aides also wrote within their own. ¡°The rest are blessed with health.¡± His eyes fell to the youngest set of babies, who seemed to be among some of the healthiest he had seen. He was acutely aware of the Half Elf nearby, who was waiting for the Shamans to be done with the children so he could read to them. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Inakan,¡± Adam said, holding the girl to her chest once the Shamans had left. ¡°It¡¯s because the world needs to remain in balance. You can¡¯t be perfect, you know?¡± Adam brushed her hair. Adam also spent time with Filliam, walking with him every morning to make sure he was working on his health. Adam needed him in tip top shape, just in case he needed the young man for something. ¡°Filliam, how much would it cost for a watch?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They¡¯re quite expensive,¡± Filliam said, thinking. ¡°At least fifty gold each?¡± ¡°How about a hundred gold for each watch? I want them to be slightly nicer than a normal watch, and maybe with some custom work for each one?¡± ¡°That could be arranged.¡± ¡°I need quite a few.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°At least twenty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s... a lot of watches.¡± ¡°Will you be able to do it?¡± ¡°A hundred gold for each watch? I can, of course. It will take some time...¡± Filliam wondered if he could still experiment with each watch. ¡°I¡¯ll just pay you three thousand gold, that should be enough for the watches. I don¡¯t think I need thirty, but let¡¯s just say I¡¯ll hand you three thousand gold. Do you accept payment in gems?¡± ¡®Three thousand gold?¡¯ Filliam thought, blinking at Adam. Yet, somehow, this wasn¡¯t that crazy for Adam. ¡°Yes.¡± Spending three thousand gold on watches... Has Adam becomes what he hates most? Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com 671. The Passing Days V 671. The Passing Days V ¡°Six Blades and Eighteen Sheaths?¡± Adam asked, sipping on his tea, a fruit tea with no milk or sugar, which was what he usually preferred as a Brit. ¡°Some of our best warriors,¡± Dunes confirmed, sipping his own tea, which had been brewed within a pan with certain spices. ¡°Each Blade is a Grandmaster, each Sheath is a Master.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Adam said, hearing about the great warriors across the lands. He wondered how he would stack up to them, especially about how he would stack up to them without a weapon like Wraith. ¡°Just like Aldland, our land has many orders, and many who can be considered Grandmasters and so on.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess there is a reason why Aldland has been unable to take out Aswadasad,¡± Adam said, sipping more of his tea. ¡°You should be careful in Aswadasad too, Adam,¡± Dunes warned. ¡°No, you should be more careful. There are many Dragons who make their home near civilization within Aswadasad, and they may not be so forgiving to your jokes.¡± ¡°I mean, I¡¯ll have Jurot right beside me, so what will they try?¡± ¡°When you are beside Iyrmen? I¡¯m sure they will not try much. They may not try much within the year. Within ten. Within a hundred. Dragons live long lives, and they may not even try to do anything while you live. Two hundred years? Three hundred years? Perhaps your descendants find themselves at the mercy of the Dragon when you are dead...¡± ¡°...¡± Adam remained silent for a long while. ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re friends, Dunes.¡± Dunes smiled, raising his cup of tea, bowing his head, before sipping it. ¡°Of course, Adam.¡± Adam continued to enchant as the days passed, and finished enchanting the sword, which he named. XP: 10 200 ¡®Damn, I still have so much XP even after everything?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the sword. ¡®I guess it should be good enough for her?¡¯ Adam continued to enjoy the days as they passed by, playing with his children in the snow, but also playing with the other children every so often. Inakan could only play for a short while in the snow each time, but was taken away often to keep her fairly warm, along with the Gaks, who enjoyed the warmth more. He continued to enchant every other day too, focused on enchanting an axe. Adam let out a low sigh, watching as the vapour floated out of his mouth. ¡®What should I get for the kids?¡¯ His thoughts focused on his children. ¡®No, not just magical stuff, but stuff like education. Vonda and Dunes, they said they¡¯d join the business, so they can teach them a fair amount. Then there¡¯s Amira too, Dunes¡¯ woman, so I gotta make sure she¡¯s well taken care of too. If she was trained by the order it should be okay too..¡± Adam sighed, rubbing his forehead. ¡®Hold on, does she even want to join?¡¯ ¡°Dunes,¡± Adam called, approaching the Aswadian, who was currently sipping hot tea to warm himself up in the corner. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°About, uh, Amira.¡± Adam sat beside the Aswadian, glancing around. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You, uh... you going to... you know?¡± ¡°I may,¡± Dunes replied, sipping his tea. ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Well, I was wondering, if you were to, you know, would she also join the business?¡± ¡°You may have to ask,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I will join, you can be certain of that, though you will need to speak with the Priest Commander.¡± Jirot, at first shocked by his sudden actions, smiled. She giggled lightly and pointed towards him. ¡°Izi mo daddy!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I am your daddy! Don¡¯t you forget it, you punk!¡± Adam pulled her in close, kissing her cheek, before embracing her tight. ¡°Look at you! Look at you! My darling little girl!¡± Amira cleared her throat. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it, Adam.¡± ¡°Relax, you¡¯re Dunes¡¯ girl... friend.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Though, you have to understand, even though I think your culture might be cool, it¡¯s nothing compared to what I think of the Iyr, which is almost nothing compared to what I think of my babies.¡± Adam blew into the girl¡¯s neck, causing her to giggle. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± Jirot squirmed against her father. ¡°That¡¯s right! Daddy is right here! Jarot, come here, I¡¯ll kiss you too.¡± Adam hoisted his son up, who had been patiently waiting at the side, as though he were but Jirot¡¯s shadow. Adam kissed his boy¡¯s face all over. ¡°Daddy is right here and he¡¯s going to make sure you¡¯re both happy and healthy.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied. Amira stared at Adam as he kissed and held the babies, both of whom were apparently his children. She knew they did not share the same blood, but to see him with his children like this, how could she say they were not a family? ¡°Half Dragon children too?¡± ¡°Goblins? Half Dragons? No. These little cutie pies, they¡¯re my children, and there¡¯s nothing else you need to quantify!¡± Adam hoisted them both up, allowing them to kiss his face too. Amira turned towards Dunes, speaking in the Devilkin tongue. ¡°How can he be like this? I heard he was meant to be strong.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°He is. I¡¯ve only known him to lose three times. Once to his grandfather...¡± Dunes paused, raising his brows as he gave Amira time to think about the old man, who was also a monster, and was similar to Adam in the way he was affectionate with the twins. ¡°Second, it was to...¡± Dunes stated a title in the Aswadian tongue, revealing the existence of that figure. Amira narrowed her eyes, unsure if that was certainly possible. She had heard it several times, but even now she didn¡¯t believe it. How could she? That figure was technically part of the founding myth of the currently royal family, and yet... he was still alive? ¡°He could definitely defeat multiple Elders of the Iyr at once,¡± Dunes stated,still speaking in their tongue, thinking back to when they came across Shama. No, considering what they head learnt about Asa, the figure¡¯s supposed father, then Shama was even stronger than his original estimates. ¡°The third time he lost was to a combination of Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool. If he didn¡¯t surrender in the tournament, surely he would have placed first, against figures who would make us seem like children.¡± Amira still wasn¡¯t sure about Adam. It wasn¡¯t that he was weak or evil, nothing of that sort, it was just that... she wasn¡¯t sure about Adam. Undead, Dragons, flying castles, these were normal. Adam? Adam was not. ¡°Staying with him will ensure future success.¡± ¡°You trust him that much?¡± Amira asked, noticing how Dunes did his best not to look at the twins while Adam nuzzled them and played with them. ¡°Adam is queer, but I know his heart is true.¡± Dunes thought about how he was going to slit the twins¡¯ throats mercifully when he had met them so long ago, silencing them before they could even giggle and call for their father. ¡°He may forget things. He may take a while to assist his companions. He may start trouble with those he shouldn¡¯t. But, in the end, he will always help.¡± Jurot stepped forward while wearing Lanarot, the girl hugging his torso, while he wrapped an arm around her. Lanarot clutched at the back of his shirt, her eyes shut as she started to fall asleep. ¡°Who is this cutie?¡± ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot replied, glancing towards her elder brother sleepily. Adam rubbed the top of her head, smiling at her. ¡°Ah!¡± Adam gasped, having remembered something for the tenth time that month. ¡°I almost forgot again. Jurot, can you make a small wooden elk figure, please?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. What did Adam remember? How adorable his kids are? No, he can''t remember that because he won''t forget it. 672. Passing Days VI 672. Passing Days VI ¡°Adam,¡± Elder Zijin said, finishing up with his paperwork for the morning. ¡°How may I assist you?¡± ¡°I was wondering, could I get a spell scroll for a certain spell?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Rather than paying me the gold for the Basic weapons, I¡¯d like to get scrolls for some spells.¡± ¡°Which spell?¡± ¡°Find Steed.¡± Adam paused for a moment as the Elder waited. ¡°It¡¯s so that we can move a little swifter while we¡¯re out an about, or to have a an extra... mount around for stuff.¡±CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¡°Stuff?¡± ¡°You know. Carrying stuff for us. If we¡¯re in combat, it¡¯s an extra body. That sort of thing.¡± ¡°You should be careful being so reliant on magic, or magical steeds.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know, but I think having it as an option might be good. The plan was to make a figurine which could cast the spell, once per week, or when it¡¯s refilled, but having a few spell scrolls on hand would be nice.¡± Zijin remained silent for a long moment, before bowing his head slowly. Adam had enchanted so many weapons, but he also possessed the ability to enchant much more. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam continued to alternate between working and taking a break, though on a particular day, the third of the month, he took a moment before heading to work to call out to a particular Iyrman. Nirot held the axe in hand, feeling the strange tingling sensation at the handle. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an axe that I made a while ago,¡± Adam said. ¡°I had it enchanted for your birthday. You just turned eighteen, and back where I¡¯m from, that means you¡¯re an adult.¡± Nirot narrowed her eyes towards the Half Elf. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I, uh... I¡¯ve been giving everyone else great gifts, but you¡¯re my Cousin too, Nirot.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, enjoy your day.¡± Adam excused him, heading to work. Nirot stared at the axe in hand. It was a magical axe, that was for certain, but she had no idea what it did. However, it seemed to be a Basic item, otherwise she would have felt a greater tingle from the handle. She reached into her torso pocket and pulled out a small bracelet, one which her brothers had made and had gifted to her earlier in the day. She rubbed along the smooth metals, before wrapping it around her axe, swapping her mundane axe at her side with the magical axe. The days continued to pass. Snow continued to blanket the Iyr. Adam continued to spoil the children. ¡°How can you keep them away from me even on this day?¡± the older Iyrman asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to explore the festival and eat,¡± Adam replied, standing in front of his five children, as though to protect them from their greatfather¡¯s affection. ¡°My Jirot and Jarot are bundled up so adorably, yet you would deny me my rights?¡± ¡°I have rights too, as their father.¡± ¡°What of my rights as their greatfather?¡± Adam and Jarot both faced off against one another, their eyes glued to one another. The distant music revealed the festival was already underway, with some of the teens working to assist with general labour. ¡°Babo,¡± Little Jarot called. ¡°My boy,¡± Jarot called back, chuckling with adoration towards his greatson. Little Jarot, wrapped up as much as he was, shook slightly as he giggled and squealed at his greatfather. He hoisted out his arms, waiting for his greatfather to pick him up, his eyes lit up with joy. Jarot tried to kneel to pick up his son, but it was awkward with his wooden leg. Adam hoisted the boy up, placing him onto his greatfather¡¯s torso, which Little Jarot wrapped himself around. Jarot wrapped his arm around the boy and held him close, leaning in to nuzzle his nose. ¡°How can you do this to me, my boy? Why do you not come to see me?¡± Little Jarot cackled lightly before he embraced his grandfather¡¯s neck, struggling to wrap his arms around the older man¡¯s thick neck. It was still well muscled, even after a whole season in which he could not walk as much as he wished. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot shouted, pouting up at her greatfather. ¡°I did not forget you, my girl,¡± Jarot assured, before offering the boy back to his father, who helped him down. ¡°Come. Let us explore and eat.¡± ¡°Num num,¡± Jirot confirmed, while her greatfather ruffled her hair, embracing her lightly for a moment before he held her hand. Adam spent the first day of the festival with his family, that of his children, brother, sisters, and the old man. Jurot kept an eye on the young girl, while Jarot watched over the twins with Adam¡¯s assistance, and each vaguely watched over the triplets, who behaved sensibly. Adam ate well that day, not just because all they did was eat, but also because the twins kept feeding their greatfather with their hands. The triplets also fed their father from their hands, and Adam placed a hand on their heads. They wore slightly thinner clothing than the rest, enjoying the cold more than the other children. Adam had noted that the triplets slept more often during nightval, though were also more energetic, playing furiously for hours at a time before napping for hours at a time. Adam spent the second day of the festival with the other children, with their elder siblings also watching over them. From Taygak to Kitool, they each enjoyed their time with their one year old siblings, who sometimes cried for their mothers and aunts, but were often soothed by their older siblings, or Adam. Adam yawned, stretching out his muscles, before he was commandeered by Lanarot to read her a story. He sat on the blanket, ready to read her a bedtime story, one of the Rot family. Sonarot blinked. ¡®He will not say something ridiculous?¡¯ ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot pointed up at him, her finger accusatory. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Weading book!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m about to do that.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes, waiting for a moment, before she shuffled up beside him. Jarot sat beside her and stared up at his father expectantly. The triplets gathered around too, but almost immediately fell asleep, snoozing lightly. Adam smiled and read for the children. Still, Sonarot waited, and waited, and waited. Yet, as she stared at the dark ceiling, hearing the light snoring of her family nearby, she closed her eyes. ¡®...¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about Adam maturing. Adam spent much of the last week with his children, taking them daily to the extended family estate. The twins loved to play with their babo and the Demons, with the rest of the extended family also enjoying their company. The triplets did not come as often, spending their time sleeping. The Shamans had checked on the children to make sure there was nothing wrong with them, but as far as they could gather, not being experts on Half Dragons, the triplets seemed fine. ¡®I made quite a lot from the flaming swords,¡¯ Adam thought. His cut was much lower than he expected, almost losing a third of it, but he didn¡¯t mind much. The Iyr had taken a little more, having informed Adam they were going to do so, but he had almost doubled his money so he didn¡¯t mind much. The Elder had also gifted several scrolls to the Half Elf, which he was more than happy to accept. The Iyr never forgets. Elder¡¯s Zijin¡¯s words remained ingrained within his mind. It was a vague sense of hope, a hope which Adam prayed would come into effect if something happened to him. There was of course the Rot family, but it was always nice to have extra insurance, just in case. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, causing the Half Elf to stir from his thoughts. ¡°Elder Zijin is calling for you.¡± Adam hoisted himself up, doffing his children, before he patted the snow off his back. ¡°Well, if the Elder¡¯s calling for me, I suppose I should go and see him.¡± Jirot glared up at her father, as if daring him to leave. Adam glared back at her, narrowing his eyes at her. Jirot huffed, pointing up at him. Adam pointed back down towards her. Jirot gasped, before looking up towards Jaygak, rushing towards her leg. She pouted towards her horned aunt. ¡°I know,¡± Jaygak said, picking the girl up. ¡°How can he do this?¡± Jirot hugged Jaygak, glancing away from her father, refusing to look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, Jibaby,¡± Adam said, making his way out. ¡°No!¡± Adam smiled. Elder Zijin, for once, had just a single black book on the table. It was a nondescript black book, though it did seem out of place, and ominous to the Half Elf. ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Adam called. ¡°Take a seat, Adam.¡± Adam did so, only pausing for a moment, before he dropped down ahead of the Elder. Adam made to speak, but something told him to keep his mouth shut, a gently tingle at the back of his head. ¡®Am I dying today?¡¯ Elder Zijin remained silent. Moments passed. ¡°I have asked you if you wished to grow stronger many times.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, vaguely remembering how many times Elder Zijin had asked him if he wanted to grow stronger. After his defeat to Shama, and what with him becoming a father, Adam had thought about it often. Shama was strong. No, he was insurmountable, stronger than any Iyrman Adam had ever met, and Adam had met plenty of Iyrmen who could kill him. Adam thought back to Shama. The fight which he had instantly fallen. The fight which had killed Lucy. The fight which had almost killed the teen Iyrmen. The fight which had lost him Wizard¡¯s Axe, Wraith¡¯s predecessor. He thought back to how Shama had then arrived at the Iyr, and nothing was done. He thought back to how Shama had even tried to cause trouble in the Iyr. He thought back to how Sonarot had admonished Adam and Jurot for being rude to a guest, a guest who had killed their friend. Adam thought back to how Sonarot had the gall to then admonish the Emperor, then to the Chief stating that the Iyr was always up to fight even someone like him, and then the strange Iyrman who had appeared to watch over the Emperor. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought, thinking of the Emperor. If Shama was an insurmountable mountain, then the Iyr was the sky beyond. With all it¡¯s resources. With all it¡¯s warriors. With all it¡¯s secrets. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam stated, more confidently this time. I hope you all enjoyed the double chapters! 673. The Sun, Stars, And Moon 673. The Sun, Stars, And Moon ¡°Do you wish to grow stronger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you must pack up you items today. You will spend the entirety of the Twilight Month away, and the first week of Dawnval.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a bit sudden,¡± Adam said. ¡°No,¡± Elder Zijin replied. ¡°We have thought on the matter for a long while.¡± ¡°Since last year?¡± ¡°Since it was appropriate,¡± Elder Zijin said, glancing towards the black book. ¡°There was much to think about.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Adam replied, his eyes glancing towards the black book, wondering what it was. Yet, his thoughts fell elsewhere, biting his lower lip as he chewed on his thoughts. ¡°The first week?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam remained silent for a moment, thinking over what the Elder had said. The first week was home to a large number of birthdays. Adam¡¯s. Jurot¡¯s. Vonda¡¯s. Adam frowned. ¡®The triplets¡¯ too.¡¯ ¡°It is your choice to make.¡± ¡°Please make sure my gifts get to them, Elder.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°This, uh... training. What¡¯s the chance of dying?¡± ¡°You may die.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll get stronger?¡± ¡°I am certain of it.¡± Adam continued to slowly nod his head. ¡°Can I write some letters for the kids?¡± ¡°Letters?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just in case.¡± ¡°I must read them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. They¡¯ll only be cringe.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool will go with you,¡± Zijin stated. ¡°Take what you can, for it is dangerous.¡± ¡°Dangerous for even the likes of Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head again. ¡°Okay.¡± Once he was done with his letters, taking quite a long while since there were so many to write, having chosen to write some for his companions too, and his family, Adam returned back to the estate. He caught Jurot¡¯s gaze, the young Iyrman already sitting while in his furs, with his pack at his feet. The Iyrman nodded towards his brother, who nodded back, before going to grab his own gear. He donned his puthral armour, his magical axe, and all which he typically took during his adventures. He remained within the house for a short while, his eyes twitching slightly. He reached down to his holy symbol, feeling how cool it was to the touch. He brought it up and kissed it, before letting it hang once more, before he stepped out, adorned in all his equipment. Konarot yawned, before noting her father. She tilted her head before quickly leaping to her feet, pouting up towards her father. Adam smiled, fighting off the sadness, the chill which was beginning to fill him. He dropped down before his children and embraced them, starting with Konarot first, gently rocking side to side as he held her. ¡°Daddy has to go.¡± Konarot frowned, but she embraced him. Adam regretted putting on his armour before embracing his children, but he peppered them with kisses and ruffled their hair as much as he could. Kirot and Karot hugged him tight, almost locking him into place. ¡°No,¡± Jirot stated, frowning up towards her father. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I must go.¡± Adam lifted the girl up, kissing her neck, before rubbing his cheek against hers. ¡°You must bully your babo a lot while I am gone.¡± Jirot huffed quietly, before smirking slightly. She cackled lightly. Jarot also pouted, but hugged his father, exchanging kisses with him. ¡°Going?¡± Lanarot asked, also hugging her brother. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl held her brother¡¯s head, cheek against cheek. ¡°Papa. Love you.¡± ¡°I love you too.¡± Adam almost melted into the snow, quickly donning his helmet, so that his tears could fall in peace. He turned to the rest of the babies, each of whom were napping. He wanted to embrace them too, but left them to sleep. ¡°You have to spoil them a lot,¡± Adam said to the teens and the older children, clearing his throat. He sniffled. ¡°They¡¯ll look up to while we¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak stated, giving Adam a thumbs up. ¡°If it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be okay.¡± Adam hugged all of the children one by one. ¡°Raygak, you can¡¯t bully your sisters while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°I will not!¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Kitool asked, tickling the back of her head as her little bob cut hair wiggled against her hand. ¡°Okay,¡± the little Katool replied, sniffling into her sister¡¯s chest. Then, with a wave, the four left the shared estate, finding a group of Iyrmen waiting for them. They were escorted away by the six Iyrmen, each adorned in dark clothes, and each unarmed. Adam decided not to pay too much attention to them. ¡°I don¡¯t think he understood,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°He was focused on the sword. I don¡¯t think he understood that may be the last time we see each other.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam replied. ¡°His last thoughts of you will be happy.¡± Jaygak felt the sting in her eyes. When she had heard they were leaving that day, she had gotten ready without much thought. However, to see Adam so serious, and to think that this may be the last time she would see her family... ¡°What does the blade do?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You¡¯ll find that out once we fight.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you.¡± ¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to fight you when that¡¯s in your hands, Jaygak,¡± Adam stated. ¡°...¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Great Moon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice name.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why did you name it that?¡± ¡°If the Rot family is my sun, then the Gak family is my moon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s romantic,¡± Jaygak replied, trying to smile, but she couldn¡¯t force it. ¡°What about the Ool family?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a star,¡± Adam said. ¡°Then why are we a moon?¡± Adam wondered how he should word it, in a way not to bring up old wounds, or to make the other families feel bad. He thought back to the first Family Elder which had accepted his children wholly. ¡°They say the Iyr never forgets. Well, I won¡¯t forget what your grandmother did for me either.¡± Jaygak swallowed, not liking how serious Adam had become. For once, even she was speechless, unable to think of a response to such a statement. She hoped that it didn¡¯t effect Adam too deeply, especially since the Rot family had adopted the Goblins wholeheartedly. ¡°You need to meditate with the weapon to use it properly,¡± Adam warned. ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± The four approached a cart to one side, where a sack, a set of shackles, and a pill waited for them. Adam eyed up the sack and the shackles, glancing towards one of the Iyrmen. ¡°You must swallow the pill, and we will blindfold you and shackle you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, placing his pack on the cart, and without hesitation, he reached for the pill and swallowed it. Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 14 (8) Failure! Adam¡¯s body naturally fought against the pill, but a warmth overcame Adam, and he jolted awake. The light from the stars and edge of the moon greeted him as he awoke. He yawned, rubbing his eyes, before glancing to his side where he saw Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool, as well as a lake beyond them. Jurot and Jaygak both awakened upon sensing Adam startling awake beside them. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± Adam asked, rolling his shoulders. ¡°You fell asleep,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I took a pill and...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°That¡¯s one hell of a pill,¡± Adam whispered, cracking his neck from side to side. ¡°We must enter the lake soon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam glanced towards it, hoisting up his pack. He did his best not to take in too many details around him, vaguely aware they were in some kind of cave. ¡°So, do we go one by one?¡± As he asked the question, the lake began to gently glow, the gentle moonlight falling across its surface. The others stood, and Jurot reached for his hand. ¡°We should hold hands and enter together.¡± ¡°How cute.¡± Adam held his brother¡¯s hand, and took the other hand offered to him, Jaygak nodding her head at him. Once they formed a chain, they approached the water, and began to step into it. They slowly submerged into the cool water, which grew warmer as they stepped deeper into it, before the light grew too bright, and they were forced to shut their eyes, the water engulfing them whole. Meanwhile, Elder Zijin bit into his dried fruit, chewing it slowly. He stared down at the black book. ¡°Did I make the right choice?¡± ¡°I believe you did,¡± Sonarot replied, sipping the hot milk which the Elder had offered her. She knew of the existence of the various books of the Elders, and she could assume what a black book meant. ¡°Adam is...¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°If Adam dies, what will you do with the children?¡± Elder Zijin asked. Without skipping a beat, Sonarot replied, her eyes sternly glaring at the Elder. ¡°They are my grandchildren.¡± No. How can I do this? An entire arc without our adorable children? I didn''t even mention the newborns that often! 674. Common Problems I 674. Common Problems I Omen: 4, 17 Adam gasped for air as he submerged through the water, before he swam towards land, quickly scrambling up. He rolled onto the land, panting for air as he stared up towards the sky. The sun¡¯s rays began to peek over the land, nature¡¯s melody of the gentle swaying of branches accompanied the sight. ¡®The water is so scary,¡¯ Adam thought, panting as he shook his body, trying to dry himself. He sat up, seeing they were beside a small lake, with rock all around them, keeping them closed in from the four sides. Vines fell down like a skirt, keeping the most of the walls covered. ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°We are in another realm,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°We must be careful, for it is dangerous.¡± ¡°So I won¡¯t have access to my spells?¡± Adam asked, before glancing to the side, expecting to see a baby. ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®Oh, thank Baktu you¡¯re here at least.¡¯Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Your magic will be sure to work, for it is still within the grasp of the Divine,¡± Jurot began, shaking himself to dry himself. ¡°You should be careful, for magic is not welcome here.¡± ¡°Not welcome?¡± ¡°The people do not like it.¡± ¡°Can I use some now, though?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Trick: Tricks Adam used his trick to dry them all, before he stretched out his body. The water had woken him up, and seeing that the sun was still rising, he was thankful for it. ¡°No magic in front of people. Got it. How about my smites?¡± ¡°You must be careful with your smites.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Adam said, sighing. ¡°Would this world be considered dangerous even if I had my magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Adam let out a groan, before stretching out his body. ¡°So you guys know about this world?¡± ¡°We were briefed.¡± ¡°How come I wasn¡¯t?¡± ¡°You are no Iyrman.¡± ¡°It will be fine,¡± Jurot said. As they continued to walk through the path, heading towards the village centre, which was fenced with logs, they saw figures beginning to gather along the entrance. They carried spears, many of them wearing thick clothing, while a couple wore shirts made of scale over their thick clothing, while the last, an older man, wore leather with palm sized metal discs set within. ¡°Travellers,¡± the older man called, stepping forward. He was bald, with a large burn mark against the top of his head, and he had a thick, grey beard, sprinkled with strands of black and white. ¡°What brings you to our humble village, Farm by the Lake¡¯s Way.¡± ¡®The Lake,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if the group was familiar with the lake they had emerged from. ¡°We have come to assist the village if it requires help,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We wish to make a name for ourselves within this land.¡± ¡°Warriors trying to make a name for yourselves?¡± the older man asked, glancing at the group, noticing two of them wore plate armour, and the other two wore clothing which allowed them freedom of movement. They were all heavily armed too. ¡°There¡¯s been a few wolves who have been attacking some of us when we go to cut down trees, so if you can deal with them, we¡¯d be happy to welcome you inside,¡± the older man said. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Where are the wolves?¡± Jurot asked, simply. The old man narrowed his eyes at the four ahead of him. Of course, if they wanted to cause a bother, the villagers would have a hard time dealing with it. Most of the villagers weren¡¯t trained warriors, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to even nick their armour, never mind wound them. ¡°What my brother is trying to say is that we¡¯re happy to take the task,¡± Adam said. ¡°We just need someone to guide us, or point us in the right direction, and we¡¯ll do our best to deal with the wolves. Speaking of, I assume you want us to bring the bodies back? I¡¯m sure the pelts would be useful.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the old man replied, narrowing his eyes at the man in the dark purple plate mail. ¡°It would be best not to waste the creature¡¯s pelts, meat, and bones.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam nodded, before a horn was blown nearby, towards the east of the village. ¡°Gah! Shadows take you!¡± The old man¡¯s entire body jolted from the sound of the horn, before he gripped his spear tighter. He remained tense as he stared at the strangers, unsure of whether to leave. Jurot moved first, running towards the sounds of the horn, while his companions followed after him. The older man was suspicious of the four who were rushing forward up ahead of him, and he wondered if he should start shooting at them now. Jane, Emily, and Maisie each had light crossbows that could probably hurt them quite hard. ¡°I guess wolf meat¡¯s on the menu tonight,¡± Adam said, still unsure of how this land was going to help him grow stronger. ¡®I could have slain wolves near the Iyr...¡¯ The howling up ahead spurred the group as they watched as villagers scrambled away from the unseen wolves, until one burst from the heavy bushes, before snapping its jaws around one of the lumberjack¡¯s side. ¡®They¡¯re not even that strong looking,¡¯ Adam thought, until a wolf, easily the size of a brown bear, leapt over the villages towards the four, before its attention snapped towards them. ¡®Alright, fair.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) I''m sure Jirot is bullying her greatfather well. 675. Common Problems II 675. Common Problems II Jurot, Kaygak, and Kitool were all Iyrmen. They all had their reasons to fight, the first reason, and perhaps the main reason, was that they were Iyrmen. Warriors who fought for glory, not for themselves, but for their families. Each were eager to go into the fray, but there was only one creature which would bring them the greatest glory. It was obvious to each Iyrmen what they should kill. Phantom shone under the late afternoon sun, almost blinding the great wolf as Jurot slashed against its side. A pained howl filled the air as Jurot faced the creature in combat. Its maw clamping tight against the side of his body, managing to pierce through his near iron like skin. It would have killed any normal man. The great wolf¡¯s eye shifted upwards, meeting the Iyrman¡¯s empty, rage filled gaze. Kitool¡¯s staff crashed against a wolf, crushing its skull into a dozen pieces, before her staff blurred and struck another wolf, causing it to fly backwards, and it crashed against a nearby tree. Jaygak¡¯s blade silenced the wolf for good. A wolf snarled towards Kitool, leaping up towards the unarmoured Iyrman, but its head landed bounced behind her, its body falling slump in front of the young Iyrman. Jaygak paused for a moment, surprised at how she had easily bisected the wolf, as though she was wielding a hot knife and had carved through butter. ¡®...¡¯ Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 11 (1) Critical miss! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 14 (4) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 23 (2, 6)(3, 6) 23 damage! A wolf snarled towards Kitool and leapt up towards her, but Adam struck it across its side, his axe flashing white hot for a moment, and dropping the wolf instantly. He turned towards the greater wolf, which was currently trapped beside Jurot. ¡®Did they see me whiff it before it leapt up towards Kitool?¡¯ Adam thought, flushing red at the thought of his miss. The trio waited for Jurot to finish with the larger wolf. The greater wolf clamped harder against Jurot¡¯s side, but still couldn¡¯t pierce through the tough skin, before Phantom shone against its eyes, and it dropped. The great wolf¡¯s head landed behind Jurot, while its body slumped in front. ¡®I have to be careful,¡¯ Adam thought, having almost healed the villagers around. ¡®They said no magic...¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +100 XP: 10 200 -> 10 300 The older man stared at the four who had so easily killed the wolves. He watched the young man flex his body and crack his neck, before he calmed from his rage, and glanced around. ¡°Who are you?¡± the old man whispered, still in shock from the scene before him. ¡°We are Fortune¡¯s Steel,¡± Jurot said, thinking of their original party name, but shifting it. ¡°We work as mercenaries, of sorts, but we are new across this land.¡± ¡°I see...¡± The old man wondered why they were here. If they wanted to make a name for themselves, then they¡¯d want to head to a larger town away, not stay in this random village here. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Very far away.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Well, we¡¯ve killed the wolves.¡± He looked to the villager to the side, who had been mauled quite harshly by the wolf, though Kitool had put an end to it swiftly. ¡°He going to be okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the villager replied through a pained grunt. ¡°I¡¯m going to be just pears.¡± ¡®Pears?¡¯ Adam thought, before his mouth began to water. ¡®Pears are good, yeah.¡¯ ¡°Allow me to thank you for your assistance,¡± the older man said, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m Old Jim, the chief of the village.¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Kitool.¡± ¡°Stopping you from being an idiot,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Why did you dodge?¡± ¡°Do you want to fight, Jaygak?¡± ¡°Adam, Jaygak,¡± Jurot called. He stared at them blankly. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam replied. Jaygak glanced Adam¡¯s way, thinking if she should push her luck, but eventually deciding against it. The group were situated into one of the long houses, which had been cleared out for them. Adam placed down his pack, and checked his items. He had brought so much, and he realised that most of them would have gotten wet during them submerging themselves. That¡¯s when he realised how light his pack had been. Most of the stuff was missing. ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Half my stuff is gone.¡± ¡°Yes. It was replaced.¡± ¡°Replaced?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did the Iy-¡° ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, raising a finger right in front of his own lips. Once Adam was quiet, he slowly lowered his finger. ¡°Your items are safe.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam continued to rifle through his pack. He hadn¡¯t checked it since he had arrived, not needing to. Jurot had handed Adam some of the rations he had brought, some nut balls which left much to be desired, but were packed full of calories. Thankfully, the village was currently cooking food for them, as the smell of bread wafted through the air. ¡°We should spend a month here to gain coin,¡± Jurot said. ¡®Yeah, they took away our coin, which is a bit awkward,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Gems too. Well, except for the...¡¯ Eventually they stepped out towards the central fire, where many of the villagers had gathered. The villagers seemed to stare at them awkwardly, but as time passed, and drinks were brought out, they all loosened up. Adam bit into the fresh bread, which tore apart like meat, requiring some effort, and he tasted the soup, which was slightly salted, and full of vegetables. The wolf meat was being cooked in butter and spices. ¡®The food in the Iyr tastes so much better,¡¯ Adam thought. As the night approached, the villagers began to retire for the night, all save for three, who began the nightly watch. Adam wondered why there was a nightly watch, but he didn¡¯t ask, instead going to bed. ¡°Keep your weapons close,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head to Adam. ¡°Always do,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. The group spent many days within the village, protecting it from all manner of threats. Mostly, they walked around and helped out the villagers, Adam finding it awkward to do nothing all day. Jaygak and Adam wore their breastplate, since wearing their entire armour intimidated the villagers. Jim wondered if he should ask them to wear their plate mail, but the pair seemed more comfortable without their entire set of armour. One of them always remained back at the long house to keep an eye on their equipment, just in case. ¡®We really should get ourselves some kind of magical bag that holds things.¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Then we can move around with all our stuff with us.¡¯ The day after the new moon, the bell rung within the village. Thus ends their first quest! Wow! Everything is going so easy! 676. Common Problems III 676. Common Problems III Omen: 9, 12 ¡°Misfortune, perhaps?¡± Jaygak asked, flashing a smile towards Adam. It was a knowing smile, and her brows raised in an accusatory manner. ¡°You never know with me,¡± Adam replied, meeting with the chief at the village¡¯s centre. Jurot and Kitool stood, already waiting for the pair. ¡°It¡¯s tax day,¡± Old Jim informed, glancing towards the newcomers. ¡°The lord¡¯ll come and take our taxes.¡± ¡°Tax day, eh?¡± Adam said, almost sighing. ¡®Can¡¯t escape death or taxes even in this realm?¡¯ He shook his head slowly at his own thoughts, almost smirking. They could see the shapes in the distance, three heavily armoured individuals on horseback, one towards the front, with two riding slightly behind them. One of the pair in the back carried a banner, chequered yellow and white. As they approached, Adam noted the leading rider wore full plate, while the others wore chain, with extra bits of metal strapped to them to form greater protection for their shoulders and front. As the leading rider approached, slowing once he was within the village, he lifted his visor to reveal his face. He was scarred from cheek to cheek, and wore a thick beard under his helmet, which was hidden behind the chains that fell like a curtain to cover his chin and neck. ¡°Chief.¡± ¡°M¡¯lord.¡± The lord¡¯s eyes fell across the four newcomers. He noted their plate mail, meaning they could have easily been nobles, though no doubt were just fortunate adventurers. Two did not wear armour, but they seemed quite fit and capable, and considering their weapons, they didn¡¯t seem to be wet behind their ears. ¡°Any trouble?¡± ¡°No, m¡¯lord.¡± ¡°The tax is due.¡± ¡°Of course, m¡¯lord.¡± The chief nodded towards another, who brought over a small chest, opening it up to reveal the gold and silver. The knight glanced towards it, and seeing that it was mostly in order, he nodded, and the rider who wasn¡¯t holding the banner, trotted up and took the chest. ¡°The tax from travellers is a gold per head,¡± the knight said. ¡°It must be paid if you wish to survive in a village under my protection.¡± Adam chewed on his thoughts for a moment, resisting the urge to speak up. He had so much he wanted to say, but realised he shouldn¡¯t start a fight with every little lord that he met. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We have yet to be paid, but we have earned more than four gold.¡± Jurot¡¯s head slowly turned to the chief, waiting to see what he would do. ¡°Right,¡± the chief said, nodding his head. ¡°We¡¯ll, uh, gather some more silver, shall we?¡± As someone went to find some silver, the knight continued to eye up the group. Jurot thought for a moment, and noted the look in the knight¡¯s eyes. It was obviously displeasure, something they had all picked up on, something which they were all used to. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Bring the pelt.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam stepped away for a moment, feeling the gaze of the knight against his back. He grabbed the pelt which had been treated, and had been bundled to one side, and brought it out with him. ¡°We are new in this land, and have yet to learn of its customs,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will gift you this pelt.¡± ¡°A greatwolf pelt?¡± the knight asked, his eyes glancing across it. ¡°I did hear that you had managed to kill it.¡± He continued to eye up each of them. He had also heard that only one of them had fought it, an impressive accomplishment. ¡°Did you slay it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Unarmoured?¡± ¡°I do not shirk from blows.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Shall I confirm such a matter?¡± the knight asked, reaching for his blade. Adam cleared his throat, and was about to speak up, before Jurot spoke up. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to-, the Iyrman stated, before he was interrupted. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak stated, slapping his shoulder. ¡°It does.¡± Adam threw a look towards his brother for support, before sighing. ¡°Alright. Sure.¡± The chief stared at the trio, wondering if they were going to be the death of him. The bell rung within the village. It had been a couple of weeks since the knight had taken their tax. As the days had passed by, the group continued to help the village deal with the beasts which drew close to the town. It had been a week since they had last seen any beasts, but even when they had attacked, the villagers hadn¡¯t rung the bell. Adam marched calmly through the streets, the villagers bustling chaotically, grabbing various arms as a group of ten figures approached the village. Three wore chain armour, six wore thick hides, and another was half naked, her chest almost bare. The half naked woman carried a large scythe, one that was far too unwieldy for any normal person to wield, but she was even taller than Adam, and was thick with muscle. Her dark hair had been cut short, though not quite as clean as Katool¡¯s bobs. It was as though she had used the scythe to cut her hair. ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought. It was then he noticed that most of the figures were women, all save three. ¡°We¡¯ve come for your taxes!¡± shouted the dark haired, half naked woman. She noted the appearance of the four, each far more heavily armed than the villagers, with two wearing full plate. Her lips formed wide grin, revealing her jagged, yellow teeth. Adam looked to Jurot, wondering if he wanted to talk, but Jurot motioned Adam with his head. The Half Elf stepped forward, relaxing his arm between his axe head and his thigh. ¡°Weird, that. I recall we paid taxes to the lord not so long ago.¡± The woman grinned wider. ¡°You¡¯ve got a quarter, otherwise we¡¯ll start ruining your farms, and beating a few of you.¡± She eyed up the four. They did seem quite tough, but they didn¡¯t need to fight them in particular, they could just cause some trouble and retreat. They could always hit another village if they needed to. ¡°A quarter?¡± ¡°A quarter¡¯s plenty of time for you to grab your valuables,¡± the woman said, smirking wider. ¡°Nice armour.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, glancing to his side. ¡°Quarter¡¯s plenty of time to figure out what we should do. Hey, chief, bandits a common problem around these parts?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fair.¡± Adam nodded to Jurot. ¡°You handle the woman, I¡¯ll handle the three guys to the side?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want the leader?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°If I beat a woman I¡¯ll get cancelled,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°So?¡± ¡°I will deal with the leader,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°You good to handle three women each?¡± Adam asked the pair. ¡°Hey!¡± the woman snarled, stepping forward. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Just how we¡¯re splitting you all,¡± Adam replied, casually. ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± Jim asked, staring at the woman. ¡°That¡¯s Red Scythe Brenna. Hadn¡¯t heard she had made her way here.¡± ¡°They got a bounty on their head?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± ¡°Looks like we¡¯re eating good tonight,¡± Adam said, grinning wide. ¡°Can you really fight them?¡± Jim asked, while Jurot removed his tunic, revealing his under shirt, which he pulled off. ¡°Chief Jim, bandits are our speciality.¡± Adam shrugged off his cloak, and drew Wraith. ¡°Bastards!¡± Brenna growled. ¡°Get ¡®em!¡± A quarter is more than enough time. 677. Common Problems IV 677. Common Problems IV Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) Kitool was first to move, her staff blurring as she cracked it against the sides of two of the bandits, who crumpled like paper before her staff, even though they were adorned in chain. They dropped, spitting up from the sheer pain of her blows, and Kitool ducked under another¡¯s blade, slamming her staff into the earth before drop kicking the third bandit, who slammed against the nearby wall. A blade made for her side, but the arm dropped as the bandit howled in pain. Another two dropped beside the bandit, deep gashes across the pair who had fallen. Jaygak rested her blade against her shoulder casually, glancing to the side, where she watched as the rest of the bandits clashed with Adam and Jurot. ¡®What?¡¯ Brenna remained frozen in shock as she tried to push her scythe harder against the young man¡¯s neck. Yet, even as she tried to reap the man¡¯s neck clean off, it was as though she was trying to cut against a solid oak trunk. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 30 (3, 6)(6, 6) 30 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 24 (14) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 25 (1, 6)(4, 5) 25 damage! The chief, Old Jim, watched as the four strangers he had hired cut down the bandits with ease. The young Half Elf in purple plate mail easily cut down two of the bandits, seemingly not breaking a sweat, his axe flashing white hot with... something. Meanwhile, Brenna was fighting the topless Jurot, whose axe sank deep within the woman¡¯s shoulder, though that didn¡¯t seem to explain the nose bleed, nor why the young woman dropped and clutched at her head. ¡°S-stop!¡± Brenna shouted, spitting up blood, trying to catch her breath. ¡°We surrender, damn it! We surrender!¡± The last bandit, whose blade had been shaking as Adam approached him, dropped his weapon and he dropped down before the giant wall of purple. ¡®Sun Father!¡¯ Jim felt the strength in his legs give, but he leaned against his spear. ¡®How terrifying!¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +100 10 600 -> 10 700 ¡°Why¡¯d you chop off her arm for?¡± Adam asked, shaking his head. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to live an honest life now.¡± ¡°She tried to stab Kitool,¡± Jaygak replied, simply. ¡°Alright, fair.¡± ¡°Tie them up,¡± Jim stated, and the villagers glanced his way, shocked. How were they going to tie up that group? ¡°We can¡¯t let the bandits walk freely.¡± The villagers let out a collective sigh of relief, realising who he was talking about. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll leave them to you, then,¡± Adam said, yawning lightly. ¡°I thought you said she was some kind of terror or something?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were even more terrifying,¡± Jim admitted. ¡°Yeah, fair.¡± ¡°You will take them to the town?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jim stated, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. ¡°I will go and inform the lord of what happened.¡± ¡°Will you bring back the bounty then?¡± Adam asked. The village chief nodded. The bandits were tied up, with the villagers barely bandaging the missing arm, before the bandits were forced to march towards the town. There were five villagers to ended up taking the bandits, the village chief, another man in his forties, and three women who wielded crossbows. Omen: 10, 16 Quest Complete: Bandit Subjugation XP Gained: +100 XP: 10 700 -> 10 800 ¡®Oh? Why didn¡¯t I get it yesterday?¡¯ ¡°Waive it,¡± the older guard said, waving his hand to dismiss the matter. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll lead you to the castle.¡± The small town was exactly such. A small town, barely a half hour walk from gate to gate, with perhaps a few thousand people at most. It was smaller than even the villages beside the Iyr. Adam noted most people were working hard, though many were no doubt working in the fields outside the walls. ¡®Quiet,¡¯ Adam thought. The group were led to the castle, which had its own set of walls, and its own small villages beyond. The guards of the castle were adorned in chain and carried spears, but they wore a blade at their side too. Adam hadn¡¯t noted any other guards than the gate guards, but he hadn¡¯t been paying much attention to the area. ¡°The guests,¡± George said, nodding his head to the guards, who nodded back. ¡°Follow me,¡± a new guard said, leading them through the gates, then upwards towards the castle. The way up had the slightest of incline, Adam¡¯s calves beginning to tingle as they made their way up. ¡®The walls are thicker and taller around the castle,¡¯ Adam thought, eyeing them up. ¡®I guess that makes sense.¡¯ He noted a few more guards, easily a dozen, who patrolled around the area like pairs of dutiful ants. ¡®Are they expecting some kind of attack?¡¯ His eyes fell across the stable, where a five horses relaxed. A boy no older than ten hurried towards them with a heavy bucket. The castle was small, but Adam hadn¡¯t expected much compared to the estates of the various orders. The order¡¯s had estates easily a square mile, about as large as this entire town. Even Sir Landon¡¯s estate was several times larger than the castle, and the young man was the third son of a low ranking noble. ¡®I wonder how strong we are compared to everyone.¡¯ They were led through the castle towards a dining room, where a servant was still setting out the silverware, while another brought forth hot tea and cakes. ¡°The Baron will be with you soon,¡± a servant said, bowing their head lightly, before the sounds of distant steps filled the area. ¡®I feel like this place is meant to be impressive, but its so...¡¯ Adam glanced around towards all the silver and the various furniture and items, which caused the already small area to feel far more cramped. An man in his forties appeared not soon after Adam¡¯s thoughts began to wander. His greying hair was cut short, and he wore a thick beard. The man was strongly built, though he definitely seemed to have retired a few years ago, filling out his breastplate well. He carried a blade of silver at his side. He was flanked by two heavily armoured warriors, each adorned in full plate, and each carrying fine blades at their side. Their long cloaks fell down their shoulders, squaring their great stature. ¡°You must be the four strangers who assisted my village so well,¡± the Baron said, motioning a hand to allow them to sit at the sides of the table, while he took his place at the head. His two knights flanked him on either side. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, before taking his place to the seat nearest to the Baron on one side, Adam sitting opposite him. The food was hurried in as the Baron praised them so eagerly, cutting into his food with his knife and fork with expert precision. Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about the Baron praising him so much. It felt weird for a noble to be so polite, save for Lord Morkarai and a few other nobles he had met. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you all possess such fine weapons,¡± Baron John Firstfield stated, having swiftly pushed through the pleasantries. ¡°Though I am most interested in admiring the sword.¡± He motioned to a knight who stepped towards Jaygak and waited patiently. Jaygak undid her sword belt, and once the blade was within the Baron¡¯s hands, he drew the blade to admire it. He pointed it up towards the sky, and admired the way the light refracted from the dark steel. He smiled like a boy with a new toy. ¡°How much would you be willing to part with it for?¡± the Baron asked, still admiring the blade. ¡°I will not sell it,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I certainly would not accept such a fine blade as a gift,¡± the Baron said. ¡°I will not part with it.¡± ¡°I just fear it will fall into the wrong hands.¡± ¡°It will not.¡± The Baron sheathed the sword, and though his lips were still smiling, his eyes no longer sparkled quite so brightly. ¡®There we go,¡¯ Adam thought, letting out a soft sigh as he relaxed. He caught Jurot¡¯s face, which was stone cold. His brother could see how Adam smiled, suddenly far more comfortable. Ah. There we go. 678. Noble Problems I 678. Noble Problems I ¡°I remember the last guy who tried to take a weapon from our Jaygak,¡± Adam said, leaning back into his chair, glancing up towards the ceiling. ¡°What a monster...¡± Adam slowly smiled. ¡°Beat us like dogs. I fell instantly. Me. Adam. In this armour of mine. Didn¡¯t even last more than a moment against him.¡± Adam shook his head, sipping the wine slowly. ¡°My second loss to date. My last loss... no, I¡¯ve lost three times? Right? Right.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, recalling that he had been beaten by the trio around him. ¡°That guy, he let us wail on him.¡± Adam motioned as though he was striking someone repeatedly with a blade. ¡°Not just us four, but other pretty scary companions too. Just let us beat on him, but he didn¡¯t twitch. We were like ants against a boar. Then, he almost killed us all.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, before staring into the noble¡¯s eyes. ¡°You know what he did?¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°That weapon. It was a weapon much better than this one. A weapon worth more than all of our weapons, and even this castle, combined.¡± Adam remained staring into the noble¡¯s eyes, and though his lips were playfully smiling, his eyes were starkly serious. ¡°He left it. He was too scared to take the weapon. Why? Why did a monster like that leave it?¡± Adam leaned in, chewing on his thoughts for a moment. ¡°Even the greatest of monsters across the entire land value their lives, and if you want to take Great Moon from us, you¡¯d better be prepared to pay the price.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Baron John¡¯s lips continued to form a smile, though his eyes remained focused on Adam. ¡°Threatening a noble?¡± Adam asked, watching as the knight tensed up. ¡°We¡¯ve sent all manner of creatures to meet the God of Death. You know, the thing with the God of Death...¡± Adam leaned back, still smiling towards the noble, this time his eyes beaming with a playfulness. ¡°Death doesn¡¯t discriminate, and nor do our blades. If you want to covet something like Great Moon, then you need to send a letter to call for other knights, because you certainly don¡¯t have enough to deal with us.¡± ¡°There are many who believe themselves to be more powerful than our great warriors,¡± the baron said, his eyes also growing playful. ¡°Do you believe yourself to be so powerful?¡± Adam glanced between the heavily armoured knights, noting the sounds of other guards surrounding the room, though not yet entering. ¡°I count what, a dozen guards? Two knights. A retired nobleman whose only half armoured. I reckon that Jurot and Jaygak can handle the three of you, and Kitool and I can handle the rest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re outnumbered four to one.¡± ¡°A fair fight.¡± Intimidation Check D20 + 6 = 22 (16) The Baron held out the blade to Jaygak, letting it go, but his eyes never left Adam¡¯s. A cold bead of sweat ran down the back of his neck. He had faced many a creature. Those who crept in the night. Those who did not. John had managed to live until his forties, with blade in hand, because his neck would tell him when he should and should not step forward, with blade in hand. ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know, Baron John Firstfield, that if your knight draws his blade, you¡¯re going to have to find a new knight.¡± ¡°Threatening a noble is punishable by death.¡± ¡°Funny that,¡± Adam replied, smiling wider, his eyes still playful. ¡°Threatening my friends has the same punishment.¡± Jurot reached up to rub his ear lobe gently, feeling the tension within the air. Jaygak spotted the sign, and Kitool did so a half moment later. ¡°Yes...¡± Adam slowly nod his head. He inhaled deeply. He hadn¡¯t killed anyone in this life. Beasts, sure. Undead, of course. People? No. Even when he fought against Balrog and the other bandits who trafficked children, he had held back to not kill any of them. ¡°Okay.¡± The baron let out a sigh as he heard the word, and as he stepped forward to meet Adam in battle, Wraith cut through the noble¡¯s arm, disarming him of both bone and silver. The nobleman howled in pain and dropped to his knees, trembling before the Half Elf. The guards to clutch their spears tighter, but they could not step forward. No, not when such an intense aura of death clung around the four. ¡°We-we surrender,¡± Baron John whimpered, clutching his arm, trying to pull his sleeve up and around his wound to stop the blood. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°No?¡± The baron stared up at Adam, his eyes wide with shock. Adam threw a look to Jurot, nodded, and turned. He heard the Iyrman¡¯s axe hack apart the three, while he watched the guards jolt and shake from the shock of the sight. Blood began to pool under Adam¡¯s boots, the young man¡¯s lips quivering. ¡°We¡¯re...¡± Adam began, trying to gather himself. ¡°We¡¯re going to take our loot, and we¡¯re going to leave. Anyone else who wants to die to protect someone else¡¯s wealth, you can be my guest.¡± Adam motioned a hand towards his brother. ¡°Otherwise, you should step aside, so we can take our silver and gold.¡± The guards swallowed, staring at the Half Elf. The four seemed relatively unphased after being targeted by two knights and a dozen knights, and with their strongest dying so easily before the group, the guards decided against stepping forward. ¡°Who is going to be a good little helper?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Who knows where the lord¡¯s room is, and where he keeps the good stuff?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t expect us to help you,¡± a guard said, doing his best to stand tall. If they couldn¡¯t stop these crazy savages, they at least wouldn¡¯t help them. ¡°If no one steps forward with the information then you¡¯re going to be the first to get cut down,¡± Adam said, pointing towards the guard who spoke. ¡°One by one, we¡¯ll start killing you. If you run, you¡¯ll be hunted, like deer.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± one said, inhaling deeply. ¡°I, uh, I c-can take you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll let us live?¡± ¡°Not only will I let you live, I¡¯ll hand over some coin to you, young man,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯re the only reason why any of you are going to be returning to your families tonight.¡± Nobles, am I right? 679. Noble Problems II 679. Noble Problems II Adam had wished for a hot bath, a proper hot bath, with the steam rising against the tiles, and his favourite soap that would create such a thick lather across his body. He supposed that a warm bath in the wash room of a small inn, with a near rock like soap was good enough. ¡®Thank all the Divine I¡¯m a Half Elf,¡¯ Adam thought. As someone with some Fae ancestry, Adam did not sweat quite as much, and he didn¡¯t smell too bad after a long day. Once the group were together they ate the leftovers of meat and potatoes, which had cooled over the evening. They glanced between one another while eating quietly, leaving their words unspoken. Adam could see the innkeeper from the corner of his eye, whose eyes would sometimes wander towards the group of four who had arrived in the dead of night. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam whispered in the Iyrman¡¯s tongue. ¡°No more ransacking and burning down castles.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We¡¯re probably not going to be able to sell off anything in this place.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I do think... that was my bad. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± ¡°It was he who wished to fight,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°If he wished to take the blade, it was only through killing us.¡± ¡°I received this blade so recently, I don¡¯t want to give it up, yet!¡± Jaygak wrapped an arm around her blade, feeling its magic coursing through her. ¡°Will you ever give it up?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°I might.¡± ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± ¡°I may gift it to Raygak.¡± ¡°Fine, but only because I adore Raygak so much.¡± ¡°You do not play with him enough.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡± Jurot reached into his pocket, pulling out the map which a local from the town over had drawn for them. It had cost them a gold though it was not worth a gold, but paying a guide well made sure they didn¡¯t get any bright ideas. ¡°We will be able to travel at least forty miles tomorrow if we continue to trade horses.¡± ¡°Can we afford it with all the horse trading?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes. We will be able to sell the jewellery once we are further away.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± They left early in the morning and continued to trade horses along the way, before they finally approached a town at night. A few gold shorter, and with the guard¡¯s warnings, they made their way to the inn to stay the night. Omen: 4, 14 ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve probably travelled far enough?¡± Adam said, biting into his hot, buttered potato. ¡°I am Baron Kegan Rockcastle.¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Jaygak.¡± ¡°Kitool.¡± ¡°Where do you hail?¡± the baron asked. ¡°We have come from very far away to make a name for ourselves,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We slew many great creatures from our land, but wished to make our way in new lands.¡± The baron noted how he hadn¡¯t responded to his question, but he let it go. ¡°How strong are you?¡± Jurot glanced between the knights. ¡°I could face your knights well.¡± ¡°Can you defeat them?¡± Jurot thought for a moment. He was pretty certain they didn¡¯t want to start a fight with the noble this time. ¡°If I held back, I would certainly lose.¡± The vague response caused the baron to smile. However, Jurot had taken a step back, showing the baron and his knights respect, even if he meant something else entirely. ¡°Charles, test this one.¡± ¡°By your will, my lord,¡± one of the guards standing nearby said. He was a middle aged fellow, in his early forties, wearing chain, and wielded a blade and shield. Jurot pulled up Phantom and held it in hand, his eyes glued to the guard ahead of him. ¡°You won¡¯t use your shield?¡± Charles asked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I wish to show off.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t regret it!¡± Charles growled. Once the pair were ready, the baron smiled, reaching up with his hands. ¡°You may begin.¡± He clapped his hands once. Charles waited to see what the young Iyrman would do. Unfortunately for him, giving an Iyrman a chance to make the first move was always a bad idea. Jurot rushed in towards him like a boar, swinging his axe wildly. The pair clashed, though it was only for a moment. Charles skid back, feeling the throbbing against his shield arm. He stared at the Iyrman in shock, bringing his shield up once more, dropping to a knee as the blow shook through him into the earth. ¡°At least he¡¯s not holding back that much,¡± Adam said, noting that other than not using his shield, Jurot was doing his best to crush Charles. Charles managed to strike Jurot against his side, a glancing blow against his iron skin, which did more to his clothes than his body. Charles¡¯ eyes went wide, and he stepped away from the red Iyrman. Jurot marched forward, raising his axe once more. ¡®This kid is a damn monster!¡¯ Jurot, the Terminator. 680. Noble Problems III 680. Noble Problems III Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: 11 100 -> 11 400 Quest Complete: Noble Problems XP Gained: +100 XP: 11 400 -> 11 700 The third body dropped while Adam sheathed his axe, placing Wraith at his side. He glanced towards the Baron, resting his elbow between his axe and himself, and raised his brows. Jurot had defeated Charles with little effort, and considering the old man was an Expert, it was quite a feat. Kitool fought next, facing against a pair of opponents who were quite tough, not quite Experts, but decent. With Tigerstaff in hand, she was unstoppable, dropping the pair before they could even cut her clothing. Jaygak fought after the unarmoured Iyrmen, facing a mercenary who was taller and wider than her. He was adorned in thick chains, and wielded a giant axe, one which could have sliced a boar as though he were slicing an onion. Against his giant axe, her armour had some trouble to deal with his blows, but Jaygak, too, was an Iyrman. Though the axe had forced her back, with Great Moon in hand, Jaygak managed to defeat the mercenary with some effort. ¡®I should have used my shield,¡¯ the Iyrman had thought, though she also wanted to show off. Adam had fought next, facing against three individuals who were all weaker than the others who had fought, but had already long finished with basic training. They had barely a chance to defend themselves when the storm known as Adam had come upon them. He knocked one away with a mighty swing, side stepped another¡¯s blow before beating him unconscious, finally spinning and striking the last with the back of his axe. The baron clapped his hands, flashing the widest smile towards the four newcomers. If it was them, then there was no doubt he could finally extend his reach. ¡°Wonderful! How wonderful! With such great warriors in my employ, those wicked fiends stand no chance!¡± Kegan Rockcastle laughed with glee. ¡®I guess we passed,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Wonderful!¡± The baron nodded to his knights. ¡°I believe all those who have arrived are great enough to form an army. You will all be paid a gold for each day, doubled for those who have shown themselves to be skilled.¡± One gold a day? Two gold for those who were skilled? Some of the eager youth smiled, for a gold per day was stellar pay. However, those who were not quite so young understood that they were being robbed. Baron Kegan raised a finger upwards, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I will receive one tenth of all the spoils, but the rest will be split equally among everyone else, with the greatest mercenaries receiving a double share.¡± Suddenly, the mercenaries straightened up, flashing greedy smiles. This was completely different from what they had originally expected. It was more than typical for the lord to claim at least half the loot, but only one tenth? That meant their share had essentially doubled. No, not quite. Typically some of the better mercenaries would share more between themselves, but if the difference was only up to double, then that meant there would be more spoils for them, and they wouldn¡¯t be hyenas who would lick across the scraps on the bone. ¡®Will he give us a letter if we do well?¡¯ Adam thought, not interested in the spoils one bit. ¡°With your assistance, surely the people of my land will be able to thrive. They will remember you always as great heroes, those who came in times of darkness as their light, to wash away the shadows with hope!¡± Baron Kegan grinned wide, all the while wondering how lovely the title of count would be. The mercenaries swiftly gathered within their groups, each discussing loudly how to split everything between themselves. The eager youths weren¡¯t sure why everyone was so excited, not yet understanding the worth of loot in comparison to gold. Baron Kegan circled around from group to group, informing of them of their rate of pay, while also praising them for their wisdom in joining him. He approached Adam¡¯s group, eyeing them up as they stretched out their bodies and yawned. One of them, a Volar like them all, though handsome and with pointy ears, was deep in thought. ¡°A verbal agreement with a noble is enough,¡± the baron stated, flashing a charming smile. ¡°I am certain you will not break such a deal.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not about us...¡¯ Adam looked towards Jaygak, smiling towards her. His eyes were beaming like a boy. Jaygak slowly nodded her head, glad that he had held back from getting them killed. Adam had grown cocky since they hadn¡¯t come across anything which had proved to be a great threat, and he had forgotten the Iyr¡¯s warning. ¡°We have had some issues with nobles not keeping their promises,¡± Jurot said. Adam glanced towards Jurot in shock, surprised he was the one to mention it. ¡®Jurot, are you trying to get us killed?¡¯ Jaygak and Kitool exchanged looks, before their eyes fell back to the knights beside the noble. ¡°Who do you think you are?¡± one of the knights growled, shifting his stance towards the Iyrman. ¡°I am Jurot.¡± ¡°And who gave you permission to belittle the baron?¡± the knight asked, standing straighter, a menacing aura emanating from the warrior in full plate. Jurot tilted his head slightly, cracking his neck. ¡°I am not given permission. I take it, by blood and steel.¡± ¡®What is this crazy bastard saying?¡¯ The knight reached for his blade. ¡°Your words against the baron are-,¡± ¡°I¡¯ll warn you the same as I warned the other noble,¡± Adam said. ¡°Your knight draws his blade, and you¡¯ll need to find another knight.¡± The baron raised a hand towards his knight. ¡°Now, now. It would not be good for misunderstandings to arise while we¡¯re about to rid the land of great evils. Whatever petty, mortal, issues we have, they are but small before the greater evils, those of the night.¡± Baron Kegan wasn¡¯t sure why his knight was trying to start a bother with those who carried such artefacts. They were the keys to his plan, those who were going to lead the charge into making him a count, and perhaps, a true king. Not just one of those little brats, the petty kings that were barons but pretended to be more. No, he would have influence over so many others with their help. ¡®They must be the children of nobles from another land. No doubt they¡¯re from a land which had pushed back the darkness and have formed greater nobility. Are they exploring these lands to gain fame and fortune, or are they the undisciplined lot to be punished? Sun Father, help me.¡¯ He hoped they were the former, so he could ask them for advice on rallying the realm together. He wouldn¡¯t mind their assistance in helping him to become a king, even if it meant bending the knee. Once he had established his realm, he could work on rallying the land against the outside threat for their independence. If someone''s trying to fix their sleep, please don''t wake them up at 4am to mumble some random nonsense and then just leave. Thank you. 681. Noble Problems IV 681. Noble Problems IV ¡°What are those?¡± Adam asked. He had gone ahead with a few of the mercenaries, and as the sky darkened, they expected to find other visitors. The labourers screamed and shouted as they rushed towards the heavily armed and armoured warriors, who readied themselves within the small fenced outpost. They were a half day away from town and had begun creating the small outpost needed by the baron to assist in defence of the lands. ¡°Mandogs,¡± a labourer gasped, clutching at their hammer tight against their chest, their eyes wide. Emerging from the wood all around them were wild dogs. Their fur thick and jagged, a dark grey which melted into the shadows. Adam frowned. Dogs were awkward to fight, since they were man¡¯s best friend. However, these things were... Their faces were contorted wickedly, but most unnervingly, each wore human faces. Human heads upon a dog¡¯s body. ¡°They strong?¡± Adam asked, hearing his party shuffling, readying themselves for the fight. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are they strong?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, donning Strong Shield, and raising Wraith ahead of him. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve got to beat my annoyance into them then.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 5 (4) Health: 78 -> 70 Strength Save D20 + 8 = 21 (13) Pass! The monstrosities leapt towards the labourers, though found the mercenaries ahead of them. They didn¡¯t seem to mind, however, as the mandogs leapt up to claw at their foes, regardless if they wore leather or metal. Adam pulled up his shield, and though he was forced back by a heavy claw, he managed to keep upright from the heavy blow. ¡®Alright, they are a little strong!¡¯ Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 70 -> 75 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 29 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 35 (1, 2, 3, 6)(1, 4, 5, 5) 35 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 14 (4) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 30 (1, 2)(2, 4)(6, 6) 30 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 14 (4) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 19 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 22 (1, 2)(2, 6)(1, 2) 22 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 17 (7) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) Hit! Wraith: 1 -> 0 Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 24 (2, 3)(2, 4)(2, 2) 24 damage! Adam¡¯s axe bisected the first mandog which had struck him, but he didn¡¯t spend much time thinking about it. Instead, he swiftly moved towards another which had tried to slip around him. His axe flashed white hot with divine strength, but the air turned cold as his cool steel ran through another, causing blood to spray out. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact there were innocents all around him, he wouldn¡¯t have revealed the magic which flashed from his axe. His axe cut through a second mandog, before he leapt over its dead body and he cut another, dropping it dead. A fourth tried to snap its maw around a labourer nearby, who swung his axe, which crashed against a dead mandog¡¯s face, its guts already spilling across the floor from an axe wound. ¡°You slew ten of the mandogs?¡± Baron Kegan asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± Baron Kegan wasn¡¯t sure if a group of his four greatest knights could kill ten of twelve mandogs while competing against a mercenary group. Seven, certainly. Eight, perhaps. Ten? It was borderline impossible. ¡®Is it luck?¡¯ The baron thought back to what he had seen of the group, who had held back and had still passed his tests with flying colours. ¡®No.¡¯ Adam and the group, who had been whispering in Iyrish before the baron had arrived, fell silent for the rest of the evening. Since they had figured a way to do that, Adam felt more comfortable with his chances of survival. ¡°It would be untoward of myself to not pay you appropriately,¡± the baron said, having caught Adam as he was about to start watch. ¡°Two gold a day is too little, so I will pay you each five gold daily for your services.¡± Adam¡¯s brows raised in surprise. ¡®What is going on this year?¡¯ ¡°I appreciate your generosity, Lord Kegan.¡± ¡°I hope you all continue to do good work.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The baron smiled, wondering if the young man was shirking him on purpose. ¡®Do they address one another differently in the other land?¡¯ Over the next few days, they continued to make their way out, creating a series of outposts in a line, with Adam¡¯s group leading the frontier force, while the baron¡¯s force would arrive later in the evening, or the evening after. Eventually, they formed a larger outpost, more closer to a fort, one which could house a larger army more permanently, rather than the small outposts which could house half of them easily, and their full one hundred far more awkwardly. Days passed as they formed this larger outpost, which was build with several fences within to form walls, but a much larger wooden wall outside with a larger ditch surrounding them. Adam smiled as he heard the screaming from the labourers all around them, and he donned Strong Shield, and grabbed Wraith. ¡®I knew things were going too smoothly.¡¯ The blackness emerged from the forest. The torch¡¯s flames flickered angrily, and then they fell still, barely illuminating the area. The blackness was a sky made of pure blackness, not shadows. It was certainly something greater, something wicked, than what they had faced previously. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 22 (18) Pass! The blackness cast a great shadow across the entire area, and the temperature dropped all about them. A cold sweat ran through the entire group, and even the normally steadfast Kitool, fell still, her heart thundering within her chest. ¡°Haa!¡± came a wild, terrified shout, and the mercenaries darted forward, striking towards one of the dark figures. Yet, as their blades pierced through the darkness, they found it to be formless, like air. They continued to frantically swing their blades, trying to destroy the darkness which had crept into their hearts. The baron¡¯s knights stepped all around him, ready to defend their liege lord. ¡®No!¡¯ Baron Kegan stared at the darkness he had only heard about when he was but a boy. The Encroaching Darkness, which he swore was just a myth to make him behave when he was a boy. A darkness which would consume all within its sight, with weapons of iron, steel, and silver rendered completely useless against the impeding death. ¡®Has the Sun Father abandoned me? Moon Mother, what have I done to earn your wrath? What is this most ill fortune as I finally set out to civilise the darkness to bring safety to my people?¡¯ ¡°I guess we gotta earn our pay,¡± called a voice through the darkness, cutting the baron¡¯s dark thoughts. The baron''s paying well so might as well help out. 682. Noble Problems V 682. Noble Problems V ¡°We must retreat!¡± the baron shouted, finally able to shrug off the fear, though his entire back was slick with a cold sweat. This darkness was not just any darkness, but a darkness which utterly consumed. He had sworn it was a myth, for it was perhaps one of the greatest disasters known to man. It wasn¡¯t a monster, it wasn¡¯t even a Night Lord, it was more like the Night King, no, the Night God. Though the shout for retreat had been given, the commoners remained still, clutched by a dark fear, even as it began to swallow the mercenaries towards the edge. ¡°Just a sec.¡± The Baron turned, his eyes staring at the Half Elf and his three companions. The Half Elf¡¯s armour was eerily quiet as he stepped forward, while his companion, the red skinned woman, jangled to his left, her blade clutched tightly in hand. ¡°Great Moon,¡± Jaygak called, willing the blade to glow faintly, before she focused, and the blade grew even brighter, pushing back the edges of the darkness. She raised her shield to cover most of her torso, hiding behind it like a turtle. Jurot¡¯s entire body filled with red hot rage, his neck pulsing as he marched forward towards the encroaching darkness. He gripped the shield¡¯s handle tighter with one hand, and pressed the handle of Phantom harder against his palm, his index finger loosening slightly. Kitool wielded Tigerstaff as though it were a walking stick, gently pressing it against the earth with every other step. She inhaled deeply, calming her heart from the initial fear which had frozen her body. She remained on the right flank, which soothed her. ¡®Katool will enjoy this tale.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 17 (16) Jurot leapt into the fray, swinging his axe wildly as he always did, and he met the darkness as though it were but a beast. Phantom tore through the blackness, and though Jurot swore he would have mortally wounded an Expert, the darkness seemed as ever present as it had been before his wild blows. The darkness seeped within his body as he tried to prepare himself. Kitool¡¯s staff swam through the creature, also flowing through it near harmlessly. She was certain she would have mortally wounded an Expert, yet the darkness seemed to encompass her, sapping her strength. The blackness began to swallow the pair whole, threatening to slip them into Baktu¡¯s embrace. Yet, a light flashed beside the pair of Iyrmen. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 27 (17) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 30 (4, 5)(1, 1)(2, 4, 4) Damage resisted! Damage vulnerability! 39 damage! Health: 78 -> 75 Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 13 (3) Miss! Wraith flashed white hot with holy magics, cutting through the creature¡¯s darkness, illuminating Adam¡¯s companions. Adam swung once more, though the darkness slipped around his head, stealing his warmth. The back of Adam¡¯s head grew cold as he realised what had happened. This creature had certainly taken enough damage to deal with pretty much any Grandmaster, and yet it was still threatening to consume the entire outpost. Adam realised why the baron was so terrified of this creature, and why the Iyr had warned him. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 ¡®Crazy,¡¯ Adam thought, before inhaling deeply, clenching his fists tight as his muscles flexed before they relaxed. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 6 = 12 (1, 5) Health: 47 -> 59 ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said, waving Great Moon to illuminate the area around them, but its light couldn¡¯t pierce the stone nearby. No, it wasn¡¯t a stone. It moved too much to be a stone, pulsing every few moments. ¡°How ominous,¡± Adam stated, staring at it, watching as it sucked in the light. ¡°I hope that no one has any issues with us taking the spoils?¡± He glanced around, noting the terrified faces, the dozens of unconscious bodies, as well as the handful which lay forever still. His eye¡¯s then caught the baron¡¯s, who seemed to still be gripped by a heinous terror. The entire area was still nearly ice cold, the flames barely beginning to beat back the chill which had taken the land. The baron remained shuddering, not just from the cold, but from the sheer terror which had gripped him. His eyes remained focused on Adam, though his vision had grown blurry, his eyes twitching. Baron Kegan clenched his fists tight, letting out a long exhale as he tried to calm himself, his breath visible in the air before it dissipated. He could still feel the hand against his shoulder, his knights ready to assist him still, even though they had most certainly been overwhelmed by the creature and the sight. ¡°I do not believe anyone would disagree such a request by our saviour,¡± Baron Kegan Rockcastle stated, his face still pale, his smile cold, lips shuddering. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the pulsing heart. ¡°We should probably contain it somehow. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, also thinking about how to take the heart. ¡°We need a silver box.¡± ¡°A silver box?¡± ¡°A silver box will keep the magic contained.¡± ¡°That¡¯s going to cost a lot of money.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, I hope the lord is feeling grateful, because I don¡¯t think we can afford that.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°The matter will be dealt with,¡± the baron said, letting out another exhale as his heart continued to pound wildly within his chest. ¡°Oh, brilliant. Thank you, my lord.¡± Adam gently bowed his head, smiling at the baron. ¡®A heart made of some kind of shadow thing? That¡¯s so cool!¡¯ ¡®He knows magic,¡¯ the baron thought. ¡®So he¡¯s... he¡¯s not a Volar? He¡¯s no mortal, like us?¡¯ The baron swallowed. ¡®Is that why I am so pleasant with him? Has he charmed me with his wicked magics?¡¯ The baron¡¯s heart was still weak from the encounter with it, so he stumbled his way back to his tent, thinking deeply on such a terrifying matter. ¡®A Night Lord! A Night Lord who can walk in the light?¡¯ The partly dealt more than 500 damage and Jaygak did 1/4 of it. She did more than Kitool and Jurot, even with Tigerstaff and Phantom. I think she critically hit two or three times. 683. Noble Problems VI 683. Noble Problems VI Jaygak stared at her blade, which had glowed so brightly during their fight. They had only managed to defeat the creature so easily thanks to Adam¡¯s ridiculous abilities, but her blade had also cut through it, the light banishing the darkness. ¡®Is this what Adam feels like normally?¡¯ Jaygak was certain that she had dealt enough damage to the being that she could have dropped a Master, and even a Grandmaster would have been staggered by her viciousness. Still, a single strand of doubt floated through her mind. ¡®It was only because of Great Moon.¡¯ Great Moon, the Greater Enhanced blade, made and gifted by a particular Half Elf. The Half Elf was still involved with in her successes. She sighed. As the days passed, they continued to trek through the forest, encountering all manner of beasts. They were not quite as spectacular as the mandogs, or the great darkness which threatened to kill them, but Adam took them all seriously. ¡®Why the hell did I get all cocky when the Iyr told me it was dangerous?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I almost got everyone killed!¡¯ Adam glanced aside to Jurot, the young Iyrman butchering the beasts they had slain. ¡®No, I suppose he wants that, but I still don¡¯t want to die yet! My kids are waiting for me!¡¯ Adam continued to patrol the area. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t die. If you¡¯re going to kill me, at least let me feel the warm embrace of a woman, damn it!¡¯ His eyes fell across the sky, before he let out a low sigh. The group continued to force their way deeper into the forest, the group still cutting their way through any foe which dared to step towards them. Adam¡¯s group formed the vanguard, and would march on ahead, clearing the path for the rest of the army. ¡°Careful, Barry,¡± Adam called, assisting the older man with the crate. ¡°Can¡¯t be hurting your back this young.¡± The old man¡¯s lips formed a small smirk, his thick beard rustling slightly as he did. ¡°I¡¯m too old t¡¯care about tha¡¯ sorta thing.¡± He stood up straighter, the thin, short man reaching around to his back to massage it, his bones cracking slightly. ¡°Gunna get me some pik. Make sure you getta eatin¡¯ too.¡± ¡°Will do, Barry,¡± Adam said, waving the older man away as he shuffled the crate further to the side, up against the rest. He wiped his brow, before walking around the camp, nodding his head and waving towards all the other labourers. He checked the casks of water to make sure they were at least half full as he made his rounds, before he made his way towards the centre of the camp, where the cooks were hard at work, baking bread and roasting meat. ¡°Ten gold a day,¡± Adam said, dropping beside his companions. ¡°After the, you know what, I ten gold a day doesn¡¯t seem like much, but since it¡¯s been calm, I feel like I¡¯ll grow old and fat.¡± ¡°Are you trying to call more disasters upon us?¡± Jaygak asked, narrowing her eyes towards the Half Elf, her lips forming a pout. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I¡¯m liking how much money we¡¯re earning,¡± Adam said. ¡®We¡¯ll have what, three hundred each at the end of the month.¡¯ ¡°Pay day can¡¯t come soon enough.¡± Jaygak raised her brow, wondering why Adam was excited by some gold coins. No doubt it was for something stupid, and upon seeing him making that face, she decided to ignore him. As the days continued to pass, and Adam¡¯s pockets grew heavy with coin, Adam wondered when they would be done. They had chosen to work for a little while longer for the baron, who seemed to be making his way through the land with some fervour. ¡°We will continue to clear the forest around, I fear there may be something else we have missed,¡± Baron Rockcastle said to the nearby knights, slowly tilting his head. ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± came the response from the knights, who were preparing for that for the next morning. Omen: 13, 19 Adam sipped the soup, tasting something a little saltier than he expected. ¡®A new kind of spice?¡¯ Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 15 Success! Adam forced his body to action, smashing Wraith against the guard who had grappled him, instantly dropping the warrior. He glared at the warriors ahead of him, who stared at him in shock, before he turned, stepping beside Jaygak, who clashed with a mercenary. ¡°You stupid, fucking,¡± Adam began, before he swung his blade towards the mercenary who had kicked Jaygak away to meet Adam in combat. As the mercenary swung towards Adam, the Half Elf chanted the words to his magic, and he hacked into the mercenary¡¯s head, slamming through the visor of the plate, cutting deep into the man¡¯s face. Adam forced his axe into the man¡¯s head, and before he could even scream, Wraith squelched deep, before the warrior¡¯s lifeless body dropped. Another mercenary dropped dead, as Phantom pulled out from the side of his neck, and Jurot turned to face another. Kitool broke the knee of one of her foes, before slamming her staff against the back of the head of one of the mercenaries facing Jaygak, causing him to drop. Adam could hear Jurot still fighting behind him, but other than his brother¡¯s senseless victims, no other moved. The flames from the Fireball crackled lightly, barely alight on the tent. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam said, holding out a hand towards her, though still staring at their foes. Though he had taken out at least a dozen by himself, there were still many guards all around them, though many with legs which shook beneath them. Jaygak stumbled beside Adam, Great Moon in hand. She felt Adam¡¯s hand against the back of her head, a gentle warmth filling her from head to toe, before she shuddered, shrugging off the chill of poison which had taken her. Lay On Hands: 30 -> 25 Adam¡¯s amulet glowed faintly, causing the others to take a step back, their eyes flashing with fear. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called. ¡°You should kill the knight.¡± Jurot, who had almost struck another guard dead, paused. He turned, allowing the guard to strike at his back, though this guard decided against giving the Iyrman a reason to swing that mighty axe towards him, and fled. Jurot marched up to the knight, who swung his blade wildly towards the Iyrman, and though his blade cut against Jurot¡¯s side, he barely cut even a nail¡¯s width, before his head rolled on the floor. Jurot stared down at the baron, and he raised his axe. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, stellping away from Jaygak and towards the baron, causing the warriors around to step away from his approaching form. Adam stared down at the baron, who had landed against his side. He was charred, but Adam could see the way the noble¡¯s chest shifted with each breath. His eyes glanced to the side, where he saw the charred remains of the others he had killed alongside the baron. Adam raised his axe. Victory! XP Gained: +1000 XP: 15 000 -> 16 000 Quest Complete: The Baron¡¯s Betrayal XP Gained: +100 XP: 16 000 -> 16 100 The four rode away silently on horses, leaving behind them a fiery mess. Jurot held the reins tightly in hand, staring out ahead of him, towards his brother. Kitool and Jaygak rode together, trailing a short ways behind the pair. ¡°Lala,¡± Adam said, riding up ahead. ¡°That was the nickname Barry used for his granddaughter.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot remained silent. ¡°The cook, the one with the ginger hair, she was caught in the blast,¡± Adam said. ¡°So was her nephew.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Adam.¡± ¡°That bastard baron should have been my first.¡± A silent tear slipped down Adam¡¯s cheek. Damn. 684. Noble Problems VII 684. Noble Problems VII Screams and shouting echoed in the distance as the four rode up to the town near the late afternoon, their fresh horses letting out whinnies, slowing from the riders pulling their reins. Adam threw a glance towards Jurot, who nodded his head, and they trotted in, past the gates which had been forced open, with dead guards scattered about like toy soldiers. They rode in on their horses, who snorted at the scent of blood, but did not back away. They rode through the main road, watching as people peeked out from their homes, others still running around, trying to keep out of the way. The centre was filled with chaos and death, with dozens of bandits, each adorned with furs and blades, slashed and cut at the nearby guards. The bodies of commoners lay dead all around them, like litter on the road. Several of the bandits were unlike the others, wielded much larger studded greatclubs, with large metal discs covering their chests. They clashed against the guards with greater fervour, and broke bones with every other swing, even through their thin chain armour. The nobles were easy enough to spot, adorned in their full plate, with long capes which fell from their shoulders. One wore a cape of brilliant silver, and the other wore a cape which was the colour of the ocean depths. One wielded a longsword in hand, and the other wielded a large warhammer, not quite a maul. Their opponent was a humanoid wolf, which snarled at the pair, but held them both at bay. The blade cut against its skin, but the warhammer slammed against the creature and bounced off harmlessly. Yet, while the creature was facing two heavily armoured warriors, it was forcing them back with its terrifying claws, which tore apart the plate mail as though it were cardboard. ¡°Ha!¡± the silver caped noble roared, his blade managing to cut a deep gash across the creature¡¯s chest, causing it to wince for the first time in their bout. ¡°You wicked beast! Back to the moon with you! Back!¡± ¡°Boss, we need to get outta here!¡± a bandit shouted. ¡°Boss! Trouble!¡± another bandit shouted, noting the approaching four, two of whom were adorned in full steel, though one was purple, and each were heavily armed. The silence within the storm surrounded the town as the three groups stepped in line between another, while the commoners swiftly retreated away from the scene. Adam¡¯s eyes glanced from the bandits to the wolfman and then to the nobles. His eyes fell across the scene, the wolves which had been slaughtered, and the many more commoners. Many of the guards and bandits seemed relatively fine, and though some were heavily wounded, none were dead, yet. Adam almost hopped off his horse, and he sauntered a few steps forward, resting his arm between his axe and his waist. ¡°Hm.¡± Adam hummed out, his eyes still glancing around the scene. ¡°Who are you?¡± the wolfman growled. ¡°Careful!¡± the silver caped noble shouted. ¡°His bite is contagious!¡± ¡°Really now?¡± Adam replied, his eyes meeting the wolfman¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m rather good with diseases.¡± ¡°A lycanthrope¡¯s bite is a curse, not a disease,¡± Kitool stated, slowly bowing her head. Adam paused, blinking for a moment. ¡®Kitool, you really had to do me like that?¡¯ ¡°Well, either way, this is a little awkward.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± snarled the wolfman, extending his claws towards the Half Elf from his rag tag group. ¡°I am a guy whose been betrayed by two nobles,¡± Adam replied, his eyes darting between the werewolf and the noble. ¡°Which is a little awkward in this situation.¡± ¡°We have earned our spoils, so let us pass, and you may take whatever we have not snatched from their fiendish grasp,¡± the werewolf stated, their voice still a growl. The werewolf howled, bringing his other arm to strike Adam, before Adam sliced it off, and left the creature on his knees, screaming and howling in pain. Adam pulled away from the wolf, before turning, going to deal with the remaining enforcers who were battering away at his brother¡¯s body. ¡°Sorry, Jurot,¡± Adam said, having knocking a pair of enforcers down, while Jurot killed the others. ¡°Thought we should deal with it quickly, otherwise the nobles might start getting bright ideas.¡± Jurot nodded, glancing to the side as he watched the bandits flee. They took with them their hard earned loot, only to find commoners ready to pelt them with stones, and jabbing them with sticks and spears. Had they not seen their baron force back the creature, or the new gang which had stepped into town and dealt with the beast with ease, they certainly would have remained within their homes, safe and sound. Yet the bandit¡¯s morale had broken, and thus they began to avenge their fellow peoples, whose riches had been stolen. The clean up had taken not long at all, while the silver caped noble stepped up towards the four. ¡°I cannot thank you enough, great heroes.¡± ¡°Great heroes?¡± Adam asked, shaking his head lightly. ¡°We got paid to do our job, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Adam says that, but he would have helped you out even if you didn¡¯t pay as much,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Yeah? How do you gather that?¡± ¡°Commoners were killed,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You would have at least made it troublesome for them to leave after that.¡± ¡°You know me too well.¡± ¡°How Guntherian,¡± the noble said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Guntherian? It¡¯s a term used for those who follow the teachings of Gunther.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who that is, but I suppose he sounds like a good guy,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You must not be from these lands,¡± the noble stated, eyeing them up through his visor. ¡°Gunther is the most well known hero across all the land, spoken in the same breath as Saul and Petra.¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re pretty new,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Though he sounds like a good guy, so I won¡¯t use it against you.¡± The noble glanced towards the wolfman, who had fallen unconscious, though his arms had seemingly healed over. ¡°You have left him alive?¡± ¡°I thought you might want to interrogate him,¡± Adam replied, though his heart still ached from killing recently. The baron drew his blade, a blade of shimmering silver, runes etched across the blade. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have abandoned the Sun Father, beast.¡± He cut through the werewolf¡¯s neck cleanly, before blood pooled towards Adam¡¯s boots. Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: 16 100 -> 16 400 Look at that sweet, sweet XP! 685. Noble Problems VIII 685. Noble Problems VIII ¡®Damn, that was cold,¡¯ Adam though, staring at the dead body before his feet, which lay still. The blood continued to seep against his boots. ¡°I know who and what it is,¡± the noble stated, cleaning his blade with a rag, before sheathing it. ¡°Thank you once again, strangers. Without your help they would have been far too much to deal with.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied, gently bowing his head. The noble walked around, checking on those who had been injured and wounded. Adam noted the another heavily armoured knight who lay to one side, slowly panting and wheezing, having been taken out early in the fight. The silver caped noble stepped up towards him and dropped to one knee. He pulled up his own visor, so the knight could see his lord¡¯s face. He then removed the knight¡¯s helmet, seeing how pale the knight had become. ¡°Sir Ronald,¡± the silver caped noble said. ¡°It is my displeasure to announce that you were bitten.¡± The knight, with his pale face, his clumped ginger hair, only bowed his head lightly. ¡°It was an honour to serve you, my lord.¡± ¡°The honour was mine, Sir Ronald.¡± The lord pulled down his visor and assisted the knight onto his knees. He reached for the knight¡¯s blade and held it tightly in hand. The commoners had begun slipping out of their homes, noting the sounds of violence had died down, and though they hat chattered together, they glanced around to see the Lord and the knight, each falling silent. ¡°A decade ago, you swore your fealty to me, Sir Ronald,¡± the lord began, clutching the blade tight in hand. ¡°You¡¯ve served my family well. It is only your honour that you were wounded in battle, and for that your family will be cared for. To save your soul from damnation, to make sure that your soul will reach the Sun Father, I will slay you now, under the Lord¡¯s rays.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± ¡°Do you have any last words?¡± the Lord asked. The knight looked over towards the terrified commoners, some of whom had been bitten by the wolves, and would no doubt be put down, just in case. He placed his hands onto his knees, slowly bowing his head as he closed his eyes, and muttered a prayer. After a short moment, he opened his eyes and looked up towards the sky. The sun may have arched from high noon, but it still provided the town day light. ¡°It is the sky at day which is most beautiful.¡± The lord bowed his head, beginning a prayer, before, suddenly, he swung the blade, with a most practised swing, cutting the knight¡¯s head clean off. ¡°N-no,¡± a commoner said as a guard dragged them forward towards the lord. ¡°I wasn¡¯t bitten by no creature of tha night, I was bitten by a proppa wolf.¡± ¡°I am not graced with the fortune of taking such a chance,¡± the lord said. ¡°Speak your last words, and be sure they do not shame your family, or our Lord above, while his gaze is upon you.¡± The commoner¡¯s face trembled, but he looked up towards the sky. He prostrated himself before the sky, and wept. ¡°Forgive me, my Lord!¡± Adam watched as the lord, the noble and not the God they referenced, cut down each and every person who seemed to have bite marks from any of the wolf creatures. Adam understood it, but he wasn¡¯t a fan of the noble going around killing everyone. The noble also killed the bandits who had raided them, and though they were given the chance to speak their last words, the noble was not quite so polite in allowing them to seem quite so faithful before the Sun Father. The lord let out a low sigh, before he removed his helmet, revealing his handsome face. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, removing his own helmet. Adam was surprised to see they were going to sit at the centre of the square. He had been sure that they would have been invited into the keep, but he didn¡¯t mind it one bit. His horse followed after him, holding most of the treasures. ¡°I will guide your horses to the stable,¡± the knight said, while the Iyrmen undid their bags to keep their items close. ¡°Zed stays with me,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to the horse beside him, which followed the young man with supernatural obedience. ¡°The horse may be spooked during the festivities.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°The baron¡¯s security is my highest priority,¡± the knight stated, firmly. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Sir Gerald,¡± the knight replied, his eyes stern. ¡°Well, Sir Gerald, I think you need to slow your roll.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at the knight. ¡°If the baron¡¯s security is your highest priority, remember who saved his town. It sure wasn¡¯t you, struggling against the wolfman as you were, and it wasn¡¯t your sword which incapacitated him.¡± ¡°Disarmed,¡± Jaygak corrected. Adam pointed towards Jaygak, who had a point. ¡®I forgot how funny she was.¡¯ Sir Gerald¡¯s jaws pulled taut. ¡°I merely request you do this favour to me.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°My family¡¯s security is my highest priority. Now, I wonder how that could be troubling for you.¡± ¡°We will guarantee their lives.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even guarantee your baron¡¯s life, never mind the strangers who walked into town to save you,¡± Adam replied, glaring into his eyes. ¡°So either draw your sword, or find my horse some delicious apples.¡± A horn blasted from nearby, and as Adam turned to find out what was going on, he quickly tensed up, before glancing to see Sir Gerald. The knight, too, had glanced over to the sounds of the horns, though his hand was firmly wrapped around the hilt of his blade. Five heavily armoured warriors rode into town, upon mighty horses, covered in chain. Each wielded long spears, with blades at their side, and other weapons latched onto the saddlebags. Adam reached for Wraith, sighing. ¡®Here we go again.¡¯ Here we go again! 686. Noble Problems IX 686. Noble Problems IX The laughter echoed through the town, the commoners silent from the arrival of the familiar faces. One was younger than all the rest, not even in his twenties yet. The rest were older, in their late thirties and early forties, each well known to the town for they had each been knighted in the town square, the same square they had all gathered to celebrate. ¡°Truly a great shame I was not here,¡± the young noble said, his hair like liquid copper, his eyes emerald green, his ears leaf shaped. ¡°I would have cut down the dogs like... dogs.¡± He continued to roar with laughter as he pulled out his blade, which was seemingly made of pure silver, and he swiped through the air swiftly, so swiftly they could hear the wind whip around the blade. ¡°Sit down, Mikael,¡± Baron Matteas Moonglow stated, firmly. The young noble smirked even wider, before he walked up to the older noble. ¡°You keep shuddering, you¡¯re old. Your bones, like you, are too cold. If I was here, we wouldn¡¯t have lost such a valuable knight.¡± ¡°If you were here, I¡¯d need to remarry so my line could continue, boy,¡± Matteas stated. ¡°There is a reason you arrived with four knights, and I only needed two.¡± ¡°Yet you can see that I still have four, and you only have the one.¡± ¡°While you were prancing on your pony, I was beheading beasts that only appear in your nightmares,¡± Matteas stated, firmly. ¡°Now sit down, boy, and drink.¡± Mikael smirked, before he raised his glass, and finished it all in a single gulp. He stepped aside, going off to find more alcohol to drink, and to find a wench or two to warm him up that evening. Matteas glared at the boy as he stepped away, going off to party. It was a miracle the boy was still alive, his only living descendant, considering the curse which plagued his family. There was no thought within the baron¡¯s mind that the young man had conveniently arrived after they had dealt with the attack, nor that he had been somehow safe from the bandits. The baron sighed, before making his way towards his personal knight, and the four strangers who had arrived. The young man in purple fed his horse an apple, stroking the side of the creature tenderly. ¡°Once again, I must thank you for your assistance,¡± Baron Moonglow stated. He needed to make sure the mercenaries were on his side, so that they wouldn¡¯t think of using his own grandson against him. ¡°As long as we¡¯re rewarded, we don¡¯t mind,¡± Adam replied, still rubbing the side of his mount. ¡°You said you wished for an unrestrained knighthood?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°What does that entail, exactly?¡± ¡°You will knight us for our good work, give us our dues, and then allow us to leave away as knights.¡± Adam turned to face the noble, feeling the deathly glare from the knight beside the baron. Adam flashed a charming smile towards the knight and winked at him, before his eyes fell back to the lord. Matteas remained silent for a long while, trying to decipher what the young man meant. ¡°You would like me to knight you, but you do not wish for the responsibilities of a knight?¡± ¡°There are some things you can say and some things you cannot say, Adam,¡± Jaygak stated, frowning towards the Half Elf. ¡°If you want to call us nobles, then what are you?¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa,¡± Adam said, raising his hands up defensively. ¡°I¡¯m no noble.¡± ¡°You know multiple languages, you were raised well, know how to fight better than even myself, and your equipment makes my own look like toys, so on and so on,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Yeah, but I-,¡± ¡°What of your children?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°They will be raised better than yourself and even any of us. Will they be considered nobles?¡± ¡°They¡¯re my adorable little Princes and Princesses,¡± Adam replied, though he cleared his throat. ¡°There are no-,¡± Jurot began, before he crossed his arms, stopping himself from saying too much in front of the baron. ¡®Is he...¡¯ Matteas narrowed his eyes towards the young man in purple. If he was the son of a distant ruler, things made much more sense, though why would he need a knighthood from a lowly baron if that was the case? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adam said, frowning slightly. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any offence by it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t joke that much, Adam,¡± Jaygak stated. Adam caught the other Iyrmen staring at him and he quickly glanced aside. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°We forgive you, this time,¡± Jaygak stated, shaking her head lightly. Adam paused for a moment, thinking deeply. ¡°Right. The only way for my children to be called princes or princesses are if I was a duke or king, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam fell deep into thought. ¡®Should I?¡¯ The baron blinked, realising they were using the term noble as a pejorative. ¡®He wants to become a duke or king?¡¯ Matteas remained silent, realising just how dangerous the four warriors were. Then his eyes fell to the mount nearby, as well as the well saddlebags, which were filled with sacks of coin, a silver box, and something long which was wrapped within cloth. ¡®...¡¯ Hold on. Wait a minute. If he becomes a Duke... 687. Impending Doom I 687. Impending Doom I Somehow, Adam and his companions hadn¡¯t been poisoned during the party. They slept within a shared house, each taking turns for their watch, while Zee rested up directly outside the house. Days passed, and they were eventually moved to their own house. Somehow, Adam and his companions had yet to fall under a scheme from the baron, though they kept on guard at all times. They lost several silvers each day to live peacefully within the village, eating whatever the villagers had brought them, but making sure they were paid for their labour and produce. Baron Matteas Moonglow, flanked by a pair of knights, approached the house. He was adorned in his armour, and his knights were also dressed head to toe in heavy plate mail, and each carried their weapons at their side. One carried a box. Adam stepped out first, Wraith at his side, and his shield strapped to his back. ¡®No other knights or guards?¡¯ ¡®No,¡¯ Zee replied. The baron motioned a hand to the knight beside him, the same knight who was carrying the small box. ¡°I have brought to you your plaques. You are to be knighted at great light.¡± The knight opened the box to reveal four plaques, each made of silver, with the baron¡¯s sigil stamped within it, as well as their names. ¡°You may take your plaques,¡± the knight informed. Adam reached for the silver plaque first, tensing up as he reached for it, before he lifted it up, holding the heavy plaque within his hand. It was as long as his palm and half as wide. ¡°What do we need to know about this ceremony?¡± ¡°You do not need to know much. You merely have to present yourself, and once the rites are completed, you will be considered a knight by my authority.¡± ¡°By your authority and not under it, correct?¡± Adam asked, staring into the baron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Correct.¡± The baron then excused himself, returning back to the nearby fort. ¡°This is going rather well...¡± Adam threw a look towards his companions. ¡°You think he¡¯ll betray us at the ceremony?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the best time for the betrayal,¡± Jaygak said, slowly nodding her head. ¡°He might be Aldish and betray us when our backs are turned.¡± ¡°True.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡°Not gonna lie, I hate this place.¡± ¡°We just need to survive,¡± Jaygak said, resting her arm between her blade and her waist. ¡®Just a year.¡¯ Once it was high noon, Adam and the others made their way to the town centre, where they found the baron, his grandson, the knights, the guards, and the commoners waiting for them. Adam threw a look to Jurot, before raising his finger towards the sky, waiting to see how Jurot would respond. The Iyrman stared ahead of himself towards the others, and narrowed his eyes, which meant Adam should wait a little longer. The baron unsheathed his blade, and motioned for Adam to approach. Adam stepped forward towards the baron, and waited. The lord of the town motioned to the ground, and Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°You must kneel for the knighting ceremony,¡± the baron stated. ¡°Oh.¡± Adam frowned, staring into the lord¡¯s eyes for a moment. He sighed, before dropping to a knee. ¡®I guess he is a noble.¡¯ ¡°For the service you have provided for our humble town, it is my honour to knight you,¡± Baron Matteas Moonglow stated, placing the flat side of his blade against Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°May the Sun Father forever watch over you, and for his light to guide you.¡± He then brought his sword up over the young man¡¯s head, and placed the same flat of his blade against Adam¡¯s other shoulder. ¡°Thus rise, Sir Adam.¡± Adam stood up, awkwardly, glancing between the knights and the other guards, before furrowing his brows. A knight brought a cup of wine, and suddenly Adam smiled, before sipping the wine. He waited, and waited, but nothing happened. ¡°I will not kneel,¡± Jurot said, crossing his arms. ¡°Can they be knighted if they don¡¯t kneel?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± the baron replied, his eyes also falling across the women, who made no move to step up towards him. Adam visibly winced in front of the baron, before he let out a soft sigh. ¡°If I must.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Matteas wasn¡¯t sure how much he should allow Adam to make fun of him before he needed to teach the young man a lesson, especially since his own grandson was currently stifling his cackling. ¡°Yeah, I guess we should do that?¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out.¡± ¡°I will send word that you have been knighted,¡± the baron said, motioning a hand to his knights, all but two leaving upon horseback to bring word back to their village, and beyond. ¡°You must return the plaques.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hand back the plaques, and then once I knight you, then you can get them back,¡± Adam said. The commoners glanced between one another, wondering if that¡¯s how that worked. Someone fighting to become a baron was unheard of, for that was something that was from before, not something which happened in the now. The day passed by and both Adam and the baron were surprised that the other hadn¡¯t made a move. However, a knight had returned back to the town the next day, and Adam and his companions were summoned. They stood opposite the baron, who was flanked by his knights and a handful of guards, all armed and armoured. ¡°We have received word that Lord Kegan Rockcastle was slain by a Night Lord,¡± the baron said. ¡°They say that the Night Lord was adorned in purple, and was surrounded by three companions.¡± Adam turned back to Jurot, furrowing his brows. ¡°What¡¯s a Night Lord?¡± ¡°A Night Lord is a dangerous being which is most active in the night,¡± Jurot replied, thinking carefully. ¡°They are those who are not volar, not mortal, and are creatures, like vampires, dragons, and so on.¡± ¡°The last Night Lord who was a dragon was killed centuries ago,¡± the lord stated. ¡°Regardless, I wish to know if it was you who killed the baron.¡± ¡°I mean, I definitely killed him, but I¡¯m no Night Lord,¡± Adam said. ¡°I would like to hear of the situation...¡± Matteas was fairly certain they had no chance against the Night Lord before them, but there was something wrong. No Night Lord travelled in the day, as that was the Law of the World, for the Sun Father would destroy them. The baron listened intently to Adam¡¯s words, who explained the rough situation. ¡®That was not what I heard...¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s how we killed Baron John Firstfield,¡± Adam stated, before continuing on with the story. ¡®They killed... two barons?¡¯ ¡°So that¡¯s why we killed the barons,¡± Adam said. ¡°Basically, don¡¯t covet our weapons, and don¡¯t try to poison us.¡± ¡°...¡± Matteas blinked. ¡°You know of great magics, but you are not a Night Lord?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Matteas, though surprised he was so willing to reveal that he had killed two barons previously, was more shocked by the fact the young man knew great magics and wasn¡¯t a Night Lord. As far as he was aware, some of the volar knew minor magic, a spell or two at most, but he hadn¡¯t heard of any half fae who knew such great magic, at least, not one who wasn¡¯t a Night Lord. The knights beside the baron stood awkwardly, certain they were going to fight, but the baron hadn¡¯t called for them yet. ¡®Sun Father, help me.¡¯ I''m not sure who is more confused in this situation. 688. Impending Doom II 688. Impending Doom II ¡°Nice place,¡± Adam said, taking a seat opposite the baron within the dining hall. Several guards stood nearby, some within the room, others at the various exits, while two knights stood beside their lord. ¡®Are we going to Firstfield this place?¡¯ Servants brought out food for the lord and his guests, though they were brought separately for each person. First came the soup, which the baron sipped from his spoon first, allowing the others to eat. Though, as time passed, Lord Moonglow realised the group weren¡¯t going to eat. ¡°The baron has invited you to eat,¡± a knight said. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°The baron has invited us to talk. So, when the good baron wishes to talk, we¡¯ll talk.¡± ¡°It would be rude to refuse the baron¡¯s grace.¡± ¡°Is it rude for you to shut your stupid mouth?¡± Adam asked. The knight blinked through his visor, before reaching for his blade, though the baron raised a hand. ¡°Will you continue to antagonise my guards?¡± Adam inhaled deeply, before tilting his head back as he closed his eyes. ¡°By all the gods, the goddesses, the demons, the angels, and all the other higher beings, including the Night Lords, I¡¯m asking for your help. I don¡¯t want to kill people, even considering who I worship, but these nobles can¡¯t help themselves.¡± Adam let out a long sigh, before glancing to the side, catching Jurot¡¯s eyes. Jurot bowed his head simply. ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°The baron is far too close to my axe to be starting nonsense with me, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The knights and guards tensed up, while Moonglow stared at the young man, who seemed to have such a big mouth. ¡®Is he asking to die?¡¯ ¡°You know...¡± Adam turned back to stare into Moonglow¡¯s eyes. ¡°Firstfield was about sitting about as far away as you were.¡± The half elf remained focused on Moonglow¡¯s eyes, leaning in slightly, though he raised his voice slightly. ¡°It didn¡¯t help him. Ain¡¯t that right, Jaygak?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Jaygak stated, the young woman resting her arm between her blade and thigh. Adam raised his brows and made to speak, before pausing for a moment. ¡°Sorry, one second. What was his name? Rock something? Rockcastle, that was it, sorry.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Rockcastle, he was smarter, you see. He surrounded himself with more guards than you have right now, mercenaries too, and he poisoned us without us realising he was trying to kill us. The mercenaries also got the jump on us too. He stood so far away, surrounded by knights...¡± Adam continued to stare into the noble¡¯s eyes. ¡°It didn¡¯t help him. Ain¡¯t that right, Kitool?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Now,¡± Adam said, leaning away from the baron, his neck pulsing slightly as he tried to cool the heat of annoyance which filled him. ¡°You wanted to speak with me, and perhaps, if you¡¯ll forgive the unsolicited word of advice, you should remember that. The next time one of your knights starts acting up, I¡¯m taking one of your fingers, baron. Not theirs. Yours. If you can¡¯t control your dogs, you need to put them down, or you¡¯re going to start losing fingers.¡± ¡°You seem to believe I will fall for your bluffs,¡± Baron Moonglow replied, still trying to gather what he knew about the young man before him. He certainly saw the young man do things he could only dream of, but that didn¡¯t mean he could handle all the guards and knights around. ¡°The territory south has been overrun by all manner of wicked beasts, and if I am able to tame it, then I will be able to expand my territory. If I bring other barons to heel, I can gain a greater title, and I will be able to unite the lands against the darkness which encroaches across our lands.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t work together?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I thought you were all nobles?¡± ¡°Though we respect one another¡¯s power and title, we are each independent from one another, for it has been difficult to extend our influence too far from our walls. The darkness of the night causes too much trouble for us to focus beyond our walls. There are some distant lands which have managed to deal with the darkness to unite, but such are but stories in these lands.¡± ¡°So basically, you want me to make you a count?¡± ¡°If you assist in making me a count, as you have mentioned previously, you will be able to knight your companions.¡± Adam thought for a moment, wondering what the count really wanted. Power was obvious, but was there something else he wanted? How was he going to betray them? ¡°If you are willing to assist, I will also hand your companions titles of their own, if you are willing.¡± ¡°A temporary title might be nice,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°We¡¯re currently adventuring to make some coin, and to make a name for ourselves, and then we¡¯ll head back home once we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°You do not wish to stay in these lands?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What if you are made nobles within this land?¡± Baron Matteas asked, eyeing up the four before him. ¡°Would you not wish to bring your families here?¡± ¡°I would rather lay in a bed of fire than to stay in this land longer than I have to,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°I can barely tolerate you when you know we can kill you, but not everyone¡¯s like you, Lord Matteas. Some people have no idea we have no qualms with killing nobles and getting away with it.¡± Baron Matteas cleared his throat, shocked by how overt Adam¡¯s words had become, but also how light they sounded. Adam was speaking about killing them as though he was about to go for a walk. ¡°We have no time to make you a king,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It would take too long, and we have other business to deal with.¡± ¡°Though, perhaps making you a king isn¡¯t the best idea for the future of the land,¡± Adam said. ¡°Perhaps making a confederacy of...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes drifted to the side. ¡°...¡± Jurot remained silent, staring at Adam, who seemed to be looking at something else. The baron swallowed, a moment moment away from signalling his knights to attack, ready to draw his own blade. ¡°Just how lucky can you get, your lordship?¡± Adam asked, sighing, his eyes still glued to the side. ¡°It seems like we¡¯re going to make you a king.¡± Hmmm? 689. Impending Doom III 689. Impending Doom III Adam remained silent for a long while. ¡°You know, you¡¯re probably the noble whose pissed me off the least. From what I know, this land is cursed. I hate this place, but I understand that everyone else here doesn¡¯t have as many options as me. Sometimes, even though my mouth almost gets me killed, I am very glad that I¡¯ve made my home where I¡¯ve made my home.¡± ¡®Why is he being so vague?¡¯ Matteas thought, narrowing his eyes at the Half Elf, who called one of his companions his brother. ¡°This is what you¡¯re going to do. You¡¯re going to make my companions into knights, without all the kneeling nonsense. I don¡¯t care that¡¯s not how it¡¯s done, you¡¯re going to be the king, and you need to act like one. You¡¯re going to be put into a position of power, so you need to stand upright, and that also means you need to break whatever shackles other people have decided to put on people from the past.¡± Adam raised his brows towards Matteas, who had almost spoken up about decorum. ¡°We¡¯re going to help you conquer the land, and you¡¯re going to elevate us into barons, and then we¡¯re going to legitimize you as a count. We¡¯re going to keep doing that until you¡¯re a king, and while we¡¯re doing that, I¡¯ll need to figure out a way how to give you your keys to power so you don¡¯t lose it all once we¡¯re gone.¡± Adam placed his hands together, trying to think about everything a future king would need. ¡®The biggest threats to his regime are me and the others, so he might end up stabbing us in the back. We might need to figure out another way of keeping him in check.¡¯ ¡°If you are able to assist me, you will be compensated fairly,¡± the Baron stated, wondering if he could pull the conversation away from knighting them and giving them more power. Adam narrowed his eyes at the Baron. ¡°We want half the treasure.¡± ¡°Half the treasure?¡± Matteas asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to get land as we become nobles, but we don¡¯t need titles or land, so we¡¯ll return the land back to you for you to use as you see fit, but if I¡¯m going to make you a king, then I better get enough money for being a damn kingmaker. Gems, treasure, so on and so on, that¡¯s what we want. You¡¯ll become a king, you¡¯ll get your land to spread among your vassals, and we get to go home with all kinds of treasure. A fair trade.¡± ¡°A fair trade?¡± ¡°You become a king, we get the money. There is no one else in this land that would want to make someone else a king. We don¡¯t care for your titles, as you¡¯ve seen, so you don¡¯t have to worry about us stabbing you in the back, as long as you don¡¯t mess with our coin.¡± Baron Matteas wasn¡¯t sure if he should believe Adam, but of all the people in the world, wasn¡¯t Adam the craziest person he had met? Every word which left his lips were unbelievable, but he said such crazy things as though they were completely normal. ¡®Should I use my alchemy and enchanting to help him out?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If I reveal a bunch of my secrets, he might want to keep me, but we can use it for leverage too.¡¯ Matteas still wasn¡¯t sure about the young man. Moments ago, he was threatening the Baron, and then the boy offered to make him a king? ¡®Is this how the youth are these days?¡¯ ¡°Fate is truly a harsh mistress,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I could use some of my other abilities, then I¡¯d be able to help you out. Alas, I don¡¯t have the tools required.¡± ¡°Truly, a most harsh mistress,¡± Matteas agreed, frowning slightly. ¡°My family once owned a shrine which could bless weapons with divine magic, but we have long lost such abilities. Three of my ancestors knew how to utilize it, but they died, all within a week of one another, and thus the knowledge was forever lost.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°My ancestors, they once knew how to bless weapons using a shrine and the moon,¡± the Baron stated, sighing once more. ¡°A hundred years ago, a short while before I was born, those who knew how to use the shrine all passed away rapidly. I was gifted Wolffang, as was my right as Baron Moonglow, but from my generation onwards, we have lost the ability to create magical weapons to push away the darkness.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡®How much XP to use the shrine to enchant?¡¯ [As long as the conditions are met, you are able to enchant using the shrine.] ¡®You¡¯re being awfully nice, Bell. Do you feel that guilty about taking my ability to create formulas?¡¯ Adam smirked to himself. ¡®Can I unlock it for him the same way I unlocked it for Churot?¡¯ [Yes.] Adam stared at the Baron, still smiling slightly. ¡®So I can unlock his ability to enchant? How much XP?¡¯ ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Do you know what it does?¡± ¡°Somewhat.¡± ¡°Do you have a pearl I can borrow?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A pearl?¡± Matteas asked, before understanding what Adam might need the pearl for. ¡°You wish to understand more about my blade?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You want me to risk my life for you in making you a king, and you can¡¯t do this much?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°Considering the darkness which we vanquished, I feel like we¡¯ve earned quite a bit of good will from the land, and you should understand just how powerful that probably makes us.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Matteas undid the blade at his side and handed it to Adam. ¡°You may study it tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it right now,¡± Adam said, eyeing up the weapon. It was made of almost pure silver, and had a weight to match, almost twice as heavy as most blade its size. ¡°I need the pearl.¡± The Baron motioned a hand to one of his servants, who swiftly brought the pearl, one set within a necklace. Adam held it and the blade, meditating with it, clutching the pearl with his other hand. Spell: Identify Wolffang You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. When fighting against lycanthropes, gain an additional +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. While wielding this weapon you may will its greater magic to activate once per day causing Wolffang to glow for one minute. Any lycanthrope within the glow will suffer three levels of exhaustion. Adam whistled. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good.¡± Adam handed the blade back to the Baron. ¡°As you know, good against lycanthropes and such. You can will it to glow too, and it¡¯ll... poison them as long as they stay within its glow.¡± ¡°How can I will it?¡± ¡°You just think about it glowing I guess?¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°It lasts a minute and you can only do that once per day.¡± ¡®Is he truly not a Night Lord?¡¯ Matteas thought. ¡®Only some volar know how to use minor magics, and though the spell is considered minor magics, he seems to be able to wield greater magics...¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t you take me to this shrine and I¡¯ll make you a nicer weapon?¡± ¡°What?¡± Matteas blinked. Adam could see his Iyrmen companions glance his way, and the look within their eyes. ¡°What? If we¡¯re going to make him a king, I might as well make sure he doesn¡¯t die.¡± He''s not wrong but... what is he doing? Also thank you everyone! I''ve been recently getting a lot of views and I don''t know why but I want to thank everyone for their support! 690. Impending Doom IV 690. Impending Doom IV Baron Moonglow remained silent, while his guards and knights nearby glanced between one another, unsure of what to do. From the moment Adam opened his mouth, he had been speaking utter nonsense, and yet they couldn¡¯t deny that he had been so open and candid. Either he was the world¡¯s greatest scammer, or he was an existence that was borderline unexplainable. ¡°Pick a sword and I¡¯ll enchant it for you,¡± Adam said. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll need gems too.¡± The Baron blinked, while Adam glanced to the side, his brows furrowed questioningly. ¡®Holy on. Do I need gems? That¡¯s only for the Iyr, isn¡¯t it? Bell?¡¯ [The price to pay is dependant on the shrine.] ¡°So how exactly do you use the shrine?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Baron Moonglow admitted, furrowing his brows. ¡°The knowledge had been passed to my ancestors, but I am uncertain of the specifics. I hear magics and the moon are used.¡± ¡°The moon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Matteas thought for a moment. ¡®Is the full moon not tomorrow?¡¯ He narrowed his eyes. ¡®Did the Sun Father send such a ridiculous figure to me for this purpose?¡¯ ¡°Then I don¡¯t think I need gems?¡± Adam replied, unsure. ¡®I thought enchanting required a cost?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Either way, aren¡¯t you happy? You met me and didn¡¯t annoy me enough to not help you, and now you¡¯re going to get a magical weapon.¡± Adam grinned wide towards the noble. Kitool remained still, thinking deeply on Adam¡¯s erratic behaviour. ¡®Is he cursed once more? Is it because he misses his children so much?¡¯ ¡°If you are truly an enchanter, then tomorrow¡¯s sun will be the brightest,¡± the Baron said, wondering if he could truly place his faith in the crazy young man in front of him. ¡°I¡¯ll help you out and the magical weapon I make you should allow you to keep a hold of the power once we¡¯ve given it to you,¡± Adam said, before his eyes fell across the rest of the knights and guards. ¡°Such power is intoxicating, and turns even brothers against one another.¡± Matteas frowned. Adam had surely planted a seed within each of them, even mentioning that they could betray him would spur some thoughts. ¡®Is he trying to make me a king, or is he trying to kill me with the blades I¡¯ve raised?¡¯ ¡°Obviously, Jurot and I wouldn¡¯t do something like that, but then again, no one¡¯s quite as queer as us.¡± ¡°No one is quite as queer as you,¡± Jaygak confirmed, letting out a short sigh. Adam behaving like this put her at ease, since he had been far too serious for far too long. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, if I was a king and Jurot wanted to be a king, I¡¯d give it up for him.¡± ¡°I do not wish to be a king,¡± Jurot said. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re my brother,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°Anyhow, I believe there¡¯s enchanting to be done?¡± ¡°It would be best to start tomorrow since the full moon will bless us,¡± Matteas stated, still not entirely certain he should trust the young man. ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly still. ¡°What kind of enchantment would you like on the sword?¡± ¡°...¡±Matteas narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°Something which can hold against the vile darkness.¡± ¡°Do you have anything less vague?¡± ¡°I do not entirely understand the question.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have enough children.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing!¡± Adam huffed in response. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not like that. I want to find a kid so I can...¡± Adam was about to say he wanted to adopt them, but that wasn¡¯t quite what he meant either. ¡°I want to train a kid.¡± ¡°You want to train a kid?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be good practise for when I train Asorot, and when I teach and train my own kids.¡± His eyes glanced between the townsfolk who spotted the heavily armoured four making their way through town, leaving them a wide berth. ¡°What are you going to do with them?¡± ¡°Just... train them?¡± Adam replied, having not thought too deeply about it. ¡°There¡¯s a boy whose been following us for a short while,¡± Jaygak said, motioning with her head back towards a boy who was about ten. He had short, dark hair, cut into a bob. He was mostly clean, still partly wet from having dipped himself in the river recently. ¡°Come here, boy,¡± Adam called, eyeing the boy up. ¡°Yessir,¡± the boy replied, his voice weak as he shuffled his way towards Adam. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°They calls me Bobby.¡± ¡®Of course it is.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing following us around?¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t quite answer my question, but why don¡¯t we grab some food?¡± Adam asked, leading the boy to a nearby stall, placing down some copper coins for some bread, and some more for a bowl of fresh porridge. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be at home, or... work?¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t got no home, ain¡¯t got no work.¡± ¡°Where are your mother and father?¡± ¡°Never had no ma.¡± The boy slowly formed a small smile. ¡°Pa died from the wolfman.¡± ¡°You¡¯re happy about that?¡± ¡°They¡¯re mean to be now, callin¡¯ me a beast¡¯s boy, but I don¡¯t mind. Pa always hit me. It hurt.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Twelve.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so thin? You don¡¯t have anyone to look after you?¡± ¡°Mm. Sometimes they give me food in the market at night. Sometimes they give me bread in the morning, from the temple, but I¡¯m still hungry.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Alright.¡± He glanced to the side. ¡°Jurot, what do you think?¡± ¡°He is small. Weak.¡± ¡°Yeah. Think you can train him with your rage?¡± ¡°It will be difficult,¡± Jurot thought. They had less than half a year, and seeing how small the boy was. However, Jurot had to take into consideration his brother. ¡°I can.¡± ¡®What are you planning, Adam?¡¯ Kitool thought. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°No. Maybe he shouldn¡¯t learn to rage.¡± Adam is Adam. 691. Impending Doom V 691. Impending Doom V ¡°Look at this handsome young man,¡± Adam said, smiling down towards the boy. ¡°Son of a beast? I think not!¡± Bobby flushed red, shuffling between his feet. He wore deep blue clothing with silver trim. The boy felt the soft cloth against his skin, the fabric a different blend than what he typically wore. He was the cleanest he had been since he was born. A servant had trimmed his hair around the back and sides to reveal more of his young face. ¡®So he¡¯s a boy lover?¡¯ the servant at the doorway thought, bringing in food for the young boy. A pile of bread waited for the boy, with a bowl of hot soup, and strips of fried meat. ¡°Wash your hands first and then eat the food slowly,¡± Adam said, picking up the hot bread buns, cutting them in half before buttering each half. ¡°You have to eat it all, otherwise you¡¯ll still be all skin and bones.¡± Bobby didn¡¯t complain, dipping the buttered bread into the soup before eating it slowly. He had never tasted such flavours before, the spices dancing along his tongue. He nibbled bits of the meat between bites of the bread and soup. ¡®He¡¯ll need to learn etiquette, otherwise they¡¯ll all pick apart everything he¡¯ll do.¡¯ Adam sighed, thinking about how much he disliked the politics of it all. Once the boy was full of bread, Adam assisted him in making sure he was washing his hands properly after eating, before guiding the boy in brushing his teeth and flossing. ¡°I know it¡¯s awkward, you have to do it every morning and night, understand?¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Adam corrected. The boy was eventually allowed to sleep within their room. Adam had forced his way into the castle and had commandeered a room for them all. The Baron, still unsure of the young man, allowing him to take the room, posting up guards nearby to make sure he behaved. The four delayed their sleep for a while, though took watch to make sure there was no funny business from the Baron. Omen: 6, 20 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought, smiling. ¡®This magical weapon is going to be so sick.¡¯Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Adam had the boy train with them that morning. Bobby walked a few laps around the yard before joining them with running. Adam handed the boy a staff, before training the boy with the staff, teaching him the basic movements with the staff. ¡®I¡¯ll have to figure out something for you,¡¯ Adam thought, training the boy well past noon, though the training was still light. ¡°I want you to take another walk later in the day, alright?¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°I¡¯ll request the baron send someone to tutor you, but I¡¯ll be in charge of your physical training, alright?¡± ¡°Yessir!¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Adam corrected once more. Adam ate with the boy, assisting him with his meal, before the Baron assigned someone to tutor the boy. The lord stared at the young man, wondering what he was planning. ¡°That boy is going to be the key to your success,¡± Adam said, flashing a charming smile towards Baron Moonglow. Matteas only saw a wicked smile on the young man¡¯s face, but he said nothing. His thoughts were full of scenarios of Adam betraying him. ¡®I can¡¯t allow him the upper hand.¡¯ Adam napped later in the day, trying to force his schedule forward so he could enchant throughout the night. Jaygak forced him awake, causing him to twitch towards her angrily, before he sat up. The tiredness of half sleeping twice clung to his body, dragging his steps as he marched towards the field, where he found the young boy and the young lord. Bobby wore a pair of shorts and a sea of bruises across his body. Fortunately for him, Kitool stood in front like a wall, her staff resting against her shoulder casually. Adam grabbed Mikael¡¯s hair, gripping it tight in hand, before bringing his head up. ¡°Even your grandfather knows his place, so who do you think you are to act up in front of me, you little shit? I¡¯m the one who let your grandfather live. I¡¯m the one whose going to put a crown on his head. I¡¯m the one making you a prince.¡± Adam pulled Mikael up by his hair, turning his head so he could see the onlookers. ¡°Who is my little bitch?¡± Adam asked, glaring at them all. ¡°Go on, tell them.¡± ¡°You are a bastard,¡± Mikael growled, readying to spit on Adam¡¯s face, but he could only spit on the floor as Adam slapped him across the face. ¡°Wrong answer,¡± Adam said, dragging the boy by his hair, stepping towards the Baron. ¡°Who is my little bitch?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± the Baron asked, his eyes filled with shock, seeing the red flush against Adam¡¯s face. ¡°Your son is seconds away from death, so someone better answer my fucking question right,¡± Adam replied, glaring back into the baron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let him go.¡± Adam stepped up towards the baron, leaning in uncomfortably close. ¡°Or what?¡± ¡°This is unbecoming of you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of reasons why I hate nobles. You¡¯re stuck in the past. You think you¡¯re big shit because you were born into the right family. You think you¡¯re unkillable. Motherfucker, don¡¯t you forget how many barons we¡¯ve killed this year alone.¡± ¡°I asked you to let him go,¡± the Baron stated, grinding his teeth together, his jaw clenched tight. Adam pushed Mikael away from him and tilted his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a guess at what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re thinking, oh yeah, I¡¯ve got my armour. I¡¯ve got Wolffang. I know what it does now. He doesn¡¯t even have Wraith, which makes my Wolffang look like a toy. Even if he has magic, I can cut him down before he can cast a spell.¡± The Baron remained silent and still, glaring into Adam¡¯s eyes. He could see how the young half elf¡¯s face was deep red, almost crimson, from rage. ¡°Try it.¡± Adam beckoned with his head. ¡°Go on. No armour. No magical axe. This is the best chance you have to cut me down.¡± The Baron remained still, feeling the cold sweat on the back of his neck, though his face was also growing red hot with anger, the same as the young man opposite him. ¡°Whose. My. Bitch?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°It is enough.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes remained glaring at the baron, before he reached up, finger pointing towards the lord before him. ¡°You are.¡± He looked towards the young man, pointing towards him. ¡°You are.¡± He turned his back to the baron, and waited, and waited, before pointing to all the knights. ¡°You are. You are. You are.¡± Adam continued to point at the knights and guards. ¡°All of you are my bitches,¡± Adam stated, firmly, before he stepped towards the young boy, who was wincing from breathing. Adam dropped down to a knee before placing a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. Lay on Hands: 30 -> 25 The warmth flowed into the boy, soothing his aching wounds, healing them until his body was free of blue and black. ¡°Anyone hurts my Robert, I¡¯ll butcher Mikael before you, Matteas, and then I¡¯ll castrate you. Am I understood, Lord Matteas?¡± ¡°You are understood, Sir Adam,¡± the Baron replied, a bead of sweat dripping down the side of his face. Uh oh. 692. Kingmaker I 692. Kingmaker I ¡°Robert?¡± the boy asked, staring up at the half elf. ¡°That¡¯s your name now.¡± ¡°The name¡¯s Bobby, sir.¡± ¡°That the name your pa gave you?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°You want to keep that name, or do you want to be Robert?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Robert is more refined, and you¡¯re going to need it.¡± ¡°Fined?¡± ¡°Refined. More... noble.¡± Adam smiled. Robert narrowed his eyes towards the half elf, though squirmed under the man¡¯s gaze, before he pulled up his blanket and made to sleep. The boy remained thinking about what Adam had done for him. He had fought against nobles for him. Nobles! How can he do such a thing? Adam went back to napping too, before he was awoken by Jurot, and the four of them made their way with the Baron to the shrine. A knight and a pair of guards followed them to the top of the hill nearby, still within the walls of the castle, where a tiny ruined shack hidden within the woods lay. Once Adam stepped within the musky shack, dust kicking up all around them, illuminated by the moon. He noted the markings on the floor, glowing from the moonlight flooding through the broken ceiling. ¡°Not going to lie, thought it was going to look fancier than this,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°The shrine was always quaint,¡± Baron Moonglow admitted, awkwardly. His eyes scanned the four who seemed to be almost wide awake. ¡°Alright, so, I¡¯ll figure out how to enchant, and then I¡¯ll try to teach you another time,¡± Adam said, his eyes falling across the shack. ¡°About, uh... you know. Earlier in the day. I was hot headed, and got a little...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Hitting kids around me is a bad idea.¡± ¡°You are more idealistic than I thought.¡± ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Either way. I¡¯m sorry, Lord Moonglow.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir Adam.¡± Adam could still see the displeasure in the Baron¡¯s eyes. ¡®He¡¯s probably pretty close to betraying me.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to work hard on enchanting this sword.¡± ¡°As you say.¡± The Baron left, taking his entourage with him. He was too tired to deal with Adam, especially since there were so many moves to be made. Enchanting Check (Intelligence)(Moon Shrine) D20 + 9 = 8 (17) Omen: 6, 20 -> 6 20 + 7 = 27 (20) Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, a crow fluttering over the shack, a bloodstone within her beak, and thus Fate was forever changed. The half elf held onto blade the Baron had offered to him, sitting under the warm moonlight. He remained silent and still as he felt the moon¡¯s glow, which caused his entire body to tingle. He opened his eyes to see the moon¡¯s light had all but disappeared from within the room. Runes faintly glowed on the blade¡¯s steel. ¡®What?¡¯ Adam blinked, glancing around, confused. ¡®Did I fall asleep?¡¯ ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I will sleep.¡± ¡°How can I help you, lordship?¡± the chief asked. He was a young man, no older than twenty, but he wore his ancestor¡¯s armour with pride, and carried a spear in hand. He stared up at the Baron with the confidence only a foolish youth could hold. ¡°I have come to assist your village,¡± Lord Moonglow stated. ¡°I have heard that your lord was recently killed, and I have come to extend my offer.¡± The chief glanced across all the soldiers, and raised his brows. ¡°Your offer?¡± ¡°You will swear yourself to me. Nothing will change, save that you will have someone living to lord over you, rather than a foolish baron who got himself killed by extending himself too far.¡± ¡°Heard the young lady took over.¡± ¡°She will be relieved of her duties.¡± The chief threw a look to Adam, slowly chewing on his thoughts. ¡°That the killer?¡± ¡°That is Sir Adam, who indeed had killed the Baron for his betrayal.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know about no betrayal, but heard he killed the Night Terror.¡± ¡°So he claims.¡± ¡°Suppose you have to be that strong to kill a bunch of knights,¡± the chief said, planting his spear into the earth. ¡°You¡¯ll need to speak with the baroness, but you can stay the night.¡± ¡°Will you guarantee us?¡± ¡°Aye, I will.¡± Adam, in his near exhaustion, passed out almost immediately with Robert. The others took their watches, with Zee and Jurot¡¯s steed also keeping watch. Somehow, the Baron hadn¡¯t decided to betray them so far, but things always changed when darkness came. Omen: 1, 15 ¡°Looks like they were prepared,¡± Adam said, noting the soldiers who had stepped out to meet them halfway between the village and the town. There were easily a hundred soldiers, each as hastily brought together as Moonglow¡¯s forces. ¡°It seems that way.¡± The Baron stared at his opponents, almost outnumbered two to one. He rode up to meet with the enemy lord, each of them flanked by their entourage. Adam followed on his horse too, too curious to stay behind. ¡°Only my knights are to escort me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more than your knight, Baron,¡± Adam replied, almost chuckling. ¡°You bring to me my father¡¯s murderer,¡± the young woman said, wearing her grand armour. Full plate, intricately detailed, certainly made to fit her rather than being passed down through the generations. ¡°Not in chains, but on a steed?¡± ¡°Sir Adam is my knight,¡± Lord Moonglow said. ¡°He¡¯s a wicked fiend, a Night Lord!¡± the young Baroness snarled. ¡°He is no Night Lord, and though he may be wicked, he is no fiend,¡± the Baron stated, firmly. ¡°I ask that you surrender to my authority, so that-,¡± ¡°Surrender to your authority? You, who surrounds himself along with my father¡¯s murderer?¡± She undid her visor to reveal her tan skin and angry green eyes. She spat on the floor between them. ¡°Curse on you! Curse on your father! Curse on your son! Surrender under my authority, and perhaps I will show you mercy!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s to blades.¡± ¡°It¡¯s to blades,¡± the young woman confirmed, raising her sword, which seemed to be made of earth. ¡®Damn, that¡¯s a nice sword.¡¯ *Checks sword stats.* Damn, that is a nice sword. 693. Kingmaker II 693. Kingmaker II ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad you had me here?¡± Adam asked, doing his best to ignore the fact their army was currently cutting down fleeing soldiers. The Baron¡¯s eyes were wide with shock, having never seen such a force of nature before. ¡®He is surely a Night Lord!¡¯ Yet, though Adam was smiling, the Baron could see the look in his eyes. It was a deeper pain than he would have expected, considering how eager Adam was to rain down balls of raging fire against his foes. Some of the soldiers assisted with putting out the flickering flames, which was threatened to set the fields and woods alight. Robert stared at the death before him, frozen in fear. ¡®The sir is a Night Lord?¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s head to the town, I guess...¡± Adam said, staring ahead of him. ¡°You do not wish to claim the loot?¡± the Baron asked. ¡°Leave some of the army behind and let them handle the loot.¡± ¡°It would be too dangerous to leave even half the army behind,¡± Matteas stated. ¡°The darkness may engulf them.¡± ¡°Then leave behind your most trusted knight and three quarters of your army,¡± Adam said. ¡°Even if they try to rebel, they can¡¯t do anything, not when I¡¯m by your side.¡± Matteas was going to refuse exactly because of that, but he wouldn¡¯t have admitted to it. Of course, there was also the fact the army would protect him against Adam. ¡®No...¡¯ Matteas thought back to the three giant balls of fire which had rained from the sky. ¡®Even with my army, I would be unable to defeat him.¡¯ ¡°Arm one of your knights with that blade, though I might consider to take it as our share of the loot,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Ah, actually, I¡¯ll let your knight use it for now, but once I return the barony to you, I¡¯d like that sword.¡± ¡®Does he truly not wish for the power of a baron?¡¯ Matteas slowly bowed his head, before they made their way forward. Victory! XP Gained: +200 XP: 16 400 -> 16 600 ¡°You finished the battle too easily,¡± Jurot stated, his entire body itching to fight. ¡°Against some random baroness whose family we already defeated?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow. ¡°We¡¯re here to make a decent story for ourselves.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I would like to fight in a duel.¡± ¡°A duel...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Now that¡¯s a great idea.¡± Jurot nodded again. ¡°You¡¯re a Night Lord!¡± Robert accused, staring up at Adam in awe and shock. ¡°I¡¯m no Night Lord,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You are!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You are!¡± ¡°Robert, have I lied to you so far?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When?¡± Adam was about to speak up, but paused. He rode up gently to beside the baron, leaning in to whisper into his ear. ¡°We won¡¯t loot the town or the village.¡± Matteas stared at Adam. ¡°If we deny the army their loot, we will find their spears pointed at us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll pay them well enough that they won¡¯t, but more importantly, we can spread some of the old noble family¡¯s items around. I said half the loot was yours, half is mine. The noble family probably has most of the loot. Let¡¯s split that in half, and you can use some of your half to reward the soldiers.¡± ¡°What of your half?¡± ¡°If things get really bad, I¡¯ll help you out with it, but I¡¯ll be using that to make sure the town doesn¡¯t rebel.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The Baron turned towards Charles, but Adam leaned in once more. ¡°Can I do the talking?¡± ¡°I would rather you not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like talking to nobles, but with the commonfolk? I have a deep love for them.¡± ¡°...¡± Matteas remained silent for a long moment, unsure of how to proceed. Adam was... Adam rode forward on Zee, staring up at the guard. ¡°Do you remember me, Charles?¡± ¡°How can I forget?¡± ¡°I was the one to kill your lord, so I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t forget that, but it wasn¡¯t just your lord I killed. I killed a lot of people when I killed your baron. I only wanted to kill your baron, but I was poisoned at that time. Your baron really shouldn¡¯t have poisoned me or my companions. We saved him from the Night Terror, and that was how he repaid us?¡± Adam frowned, before realising he had started off too negatively. ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t mean to kill the others. The guards, sure. The mercenaries, definitely. The knights, a great pleasure. The cook? No. Barry? No.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t apologise for the guards, the mercenaries, the knights, even the noble. I will apologise for killing the cook, Barry, the others. I¡¯m sorry, truly.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Night Lord,¡± Charles accused, swallowing his fear. ¡°A great evil, no, the greatest evil.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no Night Lord, Charles. You¡¯ve seen my companions. I mean, you¡¯ve been a victim under my brother¡¯s great might. Our powers aren¡¯t unexplainable, and our weapons are perhaps the greatest in all the land, but not unimaginable. I don¡¯t really know what a Night Lord is exactly, but I know I¡¯m not one of them, not when I¡¯ve come across beings that would make even the Night Terror look like a baby sucking at its mother¡¯s teet.¡± Adam stared into Charles¡¯ eyes, though flashes of fire crossed his eyes, the same as Charles¡¯. ¡°Charles,¡± Adam continued, though he paused for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ve got a choice to make. I¡¯m going to be your baron. Then, as time will pass, I will become a count, then so on, and so on, until I become a duke. Then, one day, I¡¯ll pass that title on.¡± Baron Moonglow raised his brows in surprise he was admitting to it right away. If Adam didn¡¯t, then the Baron would have a just reason to go after him. ¡°Baron Moonglow here, he¡¯s going to knight you. You¡¯ll become his knight. Then I¡¯ll become a baron, and you will be a knight in my employ. Once I leave, you will take your position as a lord here. Your family will be raised into nobility. You¡¯ll protect this town, your town, and your family will do so as generations pass. You will serve your king faithfully, and will honour him for the chance you¡¯ve been given, for the chance that you took. There is another choice, but I wouldn¡¯t recommend that choice, because that choice is a choice where you keep your gates closed, and you will be remembered forever as the man who put so many of his people to death.¡± Charles stared at Adam, his words sweet, so sweet that he was certain to be a Night Lord. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a word you say.¡± ¡°Then come. Come here and see for yourself.¡± Adam threw a look towards the Baron while motioning a hand to the guard. ¡°I hope you will knight him, my lord.¡± ¡°If you submit yourself to me now, I shall do so,¡± the Baron said, holding out his hand, his knight placing the blade into his lord¡¯s hand. Charles did not make to move or speak for a long moment, though he could feel the expectant gazes of his companions all around him. He retreated from the wall, disappearing behind it, before the door was slowly opened, only slightly, just enough to let him through. ¡®Sun Father, help me,¡¯ Charles thought, approaching the small army ahead of him, ready to die. Good luck. 694. Kingmaker III 694. Kingmaker III The ceremony for Adam had been simple, with the baron lifting the young man up to the status of a baron, before he lifted himself up to the status of a count. The nearby knight glared at Adam with a terrifying fury. The young man had taken the title meant for him, and had promised the town meant for him to another, a local, lowly guard captain. ¡°What did I say?¡± Adam asked, patting Charles on the back. ¡°Once I¡¯m done here, you¡¯ll be in charge, you can be sure of that.¡± Charles blinked. His voice had long left him. The man who had killed his lord, the various knights tasked with protecting the town and nearby villages, and many of the commoners, had kept his word. He blinked once more, still trying to process what had happened. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s put you to work, Sir Charles,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly, awkwardly. ¡°We¡¯ll leave you here to administer the town since we¡¯ve got to go and fight. Figure out stuff from the workers of the previous lord, ask them what the tax situation is like and all that.¡± ¡®Of course,¡¯ the newly appointed knight thought. ¡®Money and power, that¡¯s how it always is. Suppose I can¡¯t say nothing about it though...¡¯NewW novels updates at novelhall.com The soldiers made their way up to the castle, while Adam and the others remained at the town centre. He glanced around, wondering if he could find the young fellow. Perception Check D20 + 4 = 20 (16) He managed to spot the figure glaring at him. Adam furrowed his brows, before motioning a finger towards them. However, they disappeared into the crowd and the shadows. ¡®They must have really loved the lord...¡¯ ¡°I want to thank you all for accepting me so easily as your baron,¡± Adam began, standing tall, the light of the flickering fire cascading all across his puthral armour. ¡°We didn¡¯t meet on the best foot, but I hope that you will remember me as a decent lord. I can¡¯t do much for you right now, though if you have any issues you may bring them to Sir Charles, who will work to deal with the town¡¯s matters in my stead.¡± Adam could see the awkwardness all among the people. ¡°However, know that I am no tyrant. Next month, I expect you to all work hard, as you have done so for years and years, and be glad that you will be able to enjoy the fruits of your labour, for next month you shall pay only half your tax!¡± A liveliness filled the town upon hearing they would only need to pay half the tax for the next month. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m no tyrant, so from now on, the townsfolk will pay half the tax twice a year, during months of the lord¡¯s choice. I have chosen next month, and I will leave it to Sir Charles to pick the second month for this year. I am but your lord temporarily, and I will do my best to work together with Sir Charles so that Rockcastle will prosper for you, your children, your grandchildren, and so on and so on!¡± Adam raised a mug of ale into the air. ¡°Lit! Lit!¡± came the response from the villagers, who raised their mugs into the sky, before sipping their ales. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Adam whispered to the stunned knight beside him. ¡°It means they wish you will live a long life.¡± ¡°There is no need for you to deal with such matters, my lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s no need, but I want to make sure my house is in order,¡± Adam stated, smiling once more. ¡°Such matters are typically dealt with by myself, my lord.¡± Adam continued to smile, and as the seconds passed, his eyes stopped smiling. ¡°It seems as though you are all quite a loyal bunch to your old lord. I understand that it might displease you that I killed your previous lord, the same lord who aimed to murder me, but I want to make sure you understand the situation. If you wish to be stripped of your roles here, I am more than happy to allow you to leave with the clothes on your back, a pouch of silver, and a dagger to protect you as you make your way to the nearby villages and towns, one by one.¡± The attendant head stared at Adam, his eyes widened slightly, and he could feel the chill at the back of his neck. ¡°A baron who has no respect for his staff, is no lord worth following.¡± ¡°Staff who have no respect for their baron, are not staff worth employing,¡± Adam replied, thought he raised his brows slightly at the attendant head. ¡°I am certain, with your age, that you are stellar at your role. It would be a shame to lose your job because you do not want to serve your temporary lord, who will not spend much time within the castle, and will leave you to your business once he understands the situation within the castle.¡± The attendant head swallowed, certain that he had baited the young baron into trying to kill him, but he made no such moves. ¡°I don¡¯t care that you disrespected me in front of the Count. I don¡¯t care that you disrespected me in front of the other staff. What I care about is that you are trying to play with the livelihoods of those you grew up around, and those you lead. I¡¯m not entirely certain what the attendant head deals with, which is why I wanted you to help me understand, but you don¡¯t seem to want to.¡± Adam frowned, trying to play a fine line between being compassionate, but also getting the job done. ¡°Understand that I will not just punish you for your disobedience, but those around you as well. If you will not tell me what the other servants do, then I must fire them. If you will not follow the simplest of orders, then I must fire you. You, with your generations of serving this family dutifully, fired. Why? Is that family so important? Is it Rockcastle, or its rulers, you should be serving?¡± The young attendant head did not reply to Adam¡¯s words. ¡°If you want me to do my job properly, then you should do yours. Now, fill me in with the situation at the castle.¡± ¡°As you say, my lord.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The attendant head let slip a look of shock towards the new Baron, understanding he was not noble born. Even the Count threw a look towards Adam, blinking. ¡°A word of advice, Baron Fateson,¡± the count began, staring at the young man, who continued to shock him. ¡°It is not right for a man of your rank to thank their lessers.¡± Adam swallowed for a moment and closed his eyes. ¡®Lessers?¡¯ He inhaled deeply, before letting out a long, tired sigh. ¡°A word of advice, Count Moonglow. If you have a man that wants to make you a king, don¡¯t give him a reason not to.¡± So it begins. Adam has become what he hates most. 695. Kingmaker IV 695. Kingmaker IV ¡°I¡¯ll leave the town to you, Sir Charles,¡± Adam said, tipping his helmet. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll remember the advice I give you.¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com Sir Charles merely bowed his head in response, watching as the group began to make their way out, continuing on their journey to bring the various different baronies to heel. With Adam was the newly appointed knight¡¯s grandson, Charles Junior, or Junior as he was known by most. The Count had left behind a knight and a quarter of his soldiers, while taking along half the soldiers which Adam had pardoned, leaving the other half behind. He was certain his soldiers could hold out in the castle if anything were to happen. He disagreed with Adam¡¯s actions, pardoning all the soldiers, though he understood the pragmatic decisions behind it. Yet the young man wouldn¡¯t hear of even killing a single soldier to send a message. ¡°I have sent my message, loud and clear,¡± the young man had stated the previous day, before the rest of his army had even arrived at the castle. ¡®He¡¯s dancing far too close to the sun...¡¯ They continued to march forward, towards the nearby villages, who were now under their domain. Adam made sure to greet the chiefs of the various villages, bringing them each pieces of silver and brass he had taken from the treasury. The army received small bags of flour and moved along their way. They camped within a village, almost doubling its residents for the night, but continued along the next morning. The heat of the summer days were brutal, but this army had something no other army possessed in the land, and that was Adam. Trick: Tricks Adam sipped his cool water, glad that he was able to use simple magics to assist with the heat of the Sun Father. ¡°We really had to go during the summer?¡± ¡°Battles are most just during the second season,¡± Count Moonglow stated. ¡°The Sun Father will watch over the most noble.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡®That¡¯s how it always is...¡¯ ¡°Adam, are you okay?¡± Jaygak asked, riding up beside him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± Jaygak pat his back. ¡°Let¡¯s bring back a lot of gifts.¡± A wide smile crept along his face, before he nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± As evening descended across them, they approached the town, which had already formed its armies outside the walls, at least three hundred strong, though most were peasants with farm utensils. The baroness, a young woman adorned in full plate, with a brass blade at her side, rode forward with her knights. ¡°Count Moonglow,¡± the young woman greeted, bowing her head gently. ¡°Baroness Brasswall,¡± the Count replied, bowing his head in a similar fashion. ¡°You have come to conquer me, but know that it will not be easy, for our walls are tough.¡± ¡°I ask that you bend the knee to me and I will allow you to continue to work as you have.¡± ¡°We of the Brasswalls once ruled over the nearby lands, though not quite to Rockcastle or Moonglow, and though we have lost our distant lands, we have never bent the knee. That will not end with me this year.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather use it against beasts than people,¡± Adam stated, with almost a furious glare within his eyes when the Count had informed him of how much the giant lizards were worth. They also came across various armies which were out to conquer the lands, and Jurot was finally able to duel appropriately. He defeated each army¡¯s greatest warrior before Adam rained Fireballs upon the armies which chose not to surrender. Within a month, Count Moonglow had brought over a half dozen towns under his fold, and he raised Adam and Gerald into counts too. ¡°You want me to kneel?¡± Count Moonglow asked, surprised Adam could still shock him. ¡°These ceremonies are important, Count,¡± Adam stated. ¡°If you don¡¯t do this much for the nobles beneath you, resentment will grow. You want to make sure you¡¯re working with your partners, or as you might call them, your lessers. If you don¡¯t, then continue looking over your shoulder for the daggers they¡¯ll send your way.¡± ¡°I am to be a king,¡± Count Moonglow declared, his eyes glaring deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°A king for a day, or a king for a century?¡± Adam asked. ¡®A century?¡¯ Count Moonglow could already feel how heavy his body had become, even as they rode forward to bring all the towns to heel. ¡°The ceremony shall be only once for each ranking, save perhaps for the title of duke, and since you¡¯ll be a king, you¡¯ll only need to do it once. It¡¯ll be only before your dukes and duchesses, who will need at least this much from you. It will be expected of them to raise you to kinghood, and if they use that ceremony to grab power, then you will know who your enemies are out in the open.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°The Moonglows can be in power for one generation, or they will be a dynasty lasting thousands of years. It is up to you to pick which you would like.¡± ¡°You are going too far, Count Fateson.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you what I¡¯ve seen, Count Moonglow. What I am doing is giving you the keys to make sure your realm is stable from your people. I can¡¯t deal with everything, but this much should give your lords pause in trying to deal with you. Some might want more power, but with this much power? They should be satisfied for a while. Those who are stronger may want to vie for greater power, but the other nobles will recall how you treated them, and the people? They¡¯ll love you too. If you can do that much, the people will want you in power, even if they are worse for it.¡± ¡°...¡± After the ceremony, with the Count kneeling to take his title as a margrave, Adam returned back to his group. ¡®I¡¯ve earned quite a bit of XP, and they should level up soon too. How the hell do people learn magic though? How am I going to get Robert to be a...¡¯ Robert and Junior had been fighting on the battlefield with Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool guiding them, but Adam still needed to work them hard. The group began to return back to their original town, having conquered enough, but needing to settle the towns they had already conquered. Adam¡¯s group had gained quite a few baronies, and they had been given to Jaygak and Kitool to administer, while Adam raised Robert to the status of a baron, and his heir. ¡°Count Fateson,¡± Margrave Moonglow called during one night within a village, staring beyond its walls, the moonlight illuminating the land beyond. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. Margave Moonglow finally realised Adam wasn¡¯t a Night Lord. Okay, so I know there''s a lot happening in this chapter, but let''s ignore all that. In the most recent chapter I''m writing, I rolled three natural 20s in a row. Three. That''s roughly a 1 in 8000 kind of roll. It''s also not the craziest thing that happened in that chapter. Hype! 696. Kingmaker V 696. Kingmaker V ¡°What are you, some kind of Night Lord?¡± Adam asked, staring at the figures ahead of him. Jurot stepped forward, slightly ahead of his brother. The Iyrman crossed his wrists, similarly to a Demon Lord¡¯s aide, his shield arm covering his stomach as he waited. He could feel it. The thundering of his chest. The heat of excitement filling his body. A large wolf, larger than any other wolf they had seen previously, glared towards Adam. It was not the wolf Adam was looking at, but rather the heavily armoured warrior atop it, adorned in armour that was made of the night sky, wielding a large glave which seemed to almost reach the sky with its presence. An army of creatures, which were part man, part animal, part darkness, shambled behind the mysterious being. A darkness emanated from the mysterious figure, pressing down even against Adam¡¯s shoulders. Adam could feel it, that sensation which had seeped into his heart, a darkness which had taken him during the year, even within the Iyr. When he had come across the Encroaching Darkness, he had been too cocky, but this figure? This figure gave the same presence as that man, a presence which stated that they thought of the creatures before them as nothing but ants. They believed themselves not just above the people, but they believed themselves to be among the Divine. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 8 (7) The figure motioned with its glave towards the group. It did not wish for subjugation, but slaughter. The soldiers had prepared themselves, spears and shields in hand, ready to face the Night Lord in combat. ¡°Ha!¡± came a shout from a soldier, whose face had grown pale, sweat dripping down their entire body. They charged forward, and a half step behind the rest of the army charged with them. Health: 78 -> 64 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 32 (2, 6)(3, 6)(1, 5) 32 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 15 (4) D20 + 10 = 20 (9) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 33 (4, 6)(2, 6)(1, 5) 33 damage! Onward Soar: 0 -> 1 Mana: 19 -> 16 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 32 (1, 2, 2, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6) 32 damage! Adam raised his shield, barely managing to deflect a blow from the wolf, though the wolf¡¯s paw held such might that he was forced back a step. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adam¡¯s arm throbbed, but he inhaled and focused, stepping aside another blow, which clattered against his side, before he swung Wraith across the creature¡¯s side. Though Wraith flashed white with divine magic, the axe didn¡¯t manage to cut too deep. ¡®Whoa!¡¯ Due to Adam taking a step forward first, Kitool and Jaygak both charged around it, cutting off the creature¡¯s escape, while blade and staff cut and crashed against its side. Jaygak did not hold back, her glowing blade moving with expert swiftness as she cut into the creature. Kitool¡¯s staff blurred wildly, crashing against the wolf, managing to finally crush its skull. It was a wolf that would have eaten even an Expert for breakfast, but it was nothing before the monsters known as Adam, Jaygak, and Kitool. ¡®I¡¯m an Iyrman too!¡¯ Jaygak thought, forcing her blade down, while the glave struck across the side of her neck, denting her helmet, striking against her jaw with so much effort that she spun and landed to one side, while her own blade struck against the Night Lord¡¯s helmet in the same manner, though it felt like she had cut into stone. ¡°Gah!¡± Jaygak coughed out, her head ringing as the battle raged around her. Margave Moonglow slashed towards the enemy soldiers who had managed to slip through, along with a handful of guards who had remained by his side. The labourers threw stones and jabbed with their spears towards the enemy, their hearts pounding with fright. Mana: 13 -> 10 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 15 (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5) 15 damage! Adam continued to rain down fire onto the enemy, cursing from his lack of damage as the enemy soldiers continued to march forward. The trio of Iyrmen continued to press the Night Lord. The giant glave crashed against Jaygak, who swung her blade wildly to barely deflect the blow, though she crashed against a tree. She coughed, almost falling unconscious. Jurot and the Night Lord continued their dance, steel meeting steel, ringing even through the screams and shouts of dying soldiers. Kitool¡¯s blows landed upon the Night Lord from the darkness, forcing the Night Lord to take a knee, though they still focused solely on the red Iyrman ahead, who could shrug off blows which could kill any normal man. ¡®Jaygak¡¯s in trouble,¡¯ Adam thought, throwing barely a glance back towards the fights. However, he pointed Wraith forward once more, and willed his magic. Mana: 10 -> 7 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 21 (1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6) 21 damage! The flames engulfed the enemy soldiers once more, with Adam having taken out or wounded over fifty of them. Images of the charred birdcat corpses filled Adam¡¯s mind, perhaps one of the first times he had used Fireball in such a manner previously, but now... The glave filled with darkness, before flashing white for a moment. The Night Lord brought down their glave with a great heft, threatening to split the earth in half, while Jurot swung wildly to meet their glave with Phantom. Jurot winced as he was forced to bend his knees, squatting down as he tried to resist the Night Lord, his thighs burning with effort. Jurot could already feel his consciousness slipping. He had already found it difficult to clash with the Night Lord, each blow threatening to force his arms to fly back if not for his sheer strength and rage. This blow, however, was unlike any other he had felt previously. It was a blow which almost downed the young Iyrman, but it was also a blow which told Jurot something important. Taking the moment gathered from the Iyrman¡¯s thinking, the Night Lord spun their glave wildly, managing to catch Tigerstaff, causing it to bend and flex, forcing Kitool to skid away. With Kitool taking a moment to gather herself, Jurot readied to fight, but he was in so much pain and Phantom had never felt heavier. He raised his axe and clashed with the Night Lord, but this clash was unlike any of the previous blows either. The glave shook violently as the Night Lord clashed with Jurot, while Kitool struck against the back of their head, though the armour made of the night sky still felt like stone. It was not that blow which caused the Night Lord to barely meet Phantom with their mighty glave, but the blade which had pierced through the back of their knee. Jaygak held the hilt of Great Moon against the back of the Night Lord¡¯s knee, gritting her teeth as she fought through the pain. She had crawled through the dirt, willing her blade to darken as the bright light had been too blinding to her eyes, and the sounds of battle had drowned out the noise of her armour. ¡°I¡¯m an Iyrman too!¡± Yes, you are. 697. Kingmaker VI 697. Kingmaker VI Lay on Hands: 30 -> 25 Lay on Hands: 25 -> 20 ¡°You absolute baboons!¡± Adam shouted, darting back towards the mounts, before grabbing onto their shoulders. ¡°Who told you to fight?¡± ¡°Protect the mounts,¡± Robert grunted, feeling the warmth of the divine magic flow through him, slowly knitting the slashes at his side. Junior let out a long sigh, his body still sweaty as the divine magic poured through him, healing the young man. He didn¡¯t reply, keeping a cautious eye on the young Half Elf. ¡®Scary!¡¯ He had just come across a true Night Lord, but compared to that figure, Adam was far more terrifying. ¡°The Night Lord is dead! Fight, my warriors! Fight!¡± Margrave Moonglow shouted, his chest growing tense, his entire body seizing up for a moment, before he stepped forward. Count Gerald followed at his side dutifully, ready to catch his lord at any moment. Their forces managed to force the Night Lord¡¯s army back, slaughtering many of them as they retreated, though the nearby knights and lords kept their own army from scattering too far ahead. Victory! XP Gained: +200 XP: 17 800 -> 18 000 Quest Complete: Night Lord XP Gained: +100 XP: 18 000 -> 18 200 ¡®These kids, seriously,¡¯ Adam thought, sighing. ¡®Since I¡¯ve been sharing my XP with them, they should be at least Level 2 or Level 3, right?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, standing beside the remains of the Night Lord. Adam walked over to the Night Lord, whose glave and armour remained deathly still on the ground. Jaygak panted from beside the dead Night Lord, trying to catch her breath. Her armour dented and marked all over from the abuse of the Night Lord, but it fulfilled its role dutifully. Jurot remained standing stiffly, while Kitool clasped her staff tightly in hand in front of her, as though in a silent prayer. Lay on Hands: 20 -> 10 ¡°You alright?¡± Adam asked, healing the young Iyrman. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, feeling the gentle warmth fill her, dealing with her wounds. She could still feel the pain throughout her body, but she no longer felt on the verge of death. ¡°So, we claiming the weapon and armour?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It would be best,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Alright.¡± The group looted the dead Night Lord, whose remains were but dust, scattering into the wind. The armour was heavier than typical armour, almost twice as heavy, and the glave felt heavy, as though Adam was lifting a boulder. With his great strength, he could lift it with some effort, though Jurot seemed to be able to carry it easier.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com ¡°Do you want to use the glave?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I am a Rot.¡± Adam smiled, winking at his brother, before rubbing his chin. ¡°Should I?¡± ¡°You are a Nephew of the Rot family.¡± XP: 18 500 -> 15 500 The many nobles under the Margrave sent word of their success, which spread like wildfire to the distant lands. It was in the middle of the third season, when the leaves began to fall, that word was returned back to the Margrave of distant baronies wishing to swear fealty. ¡®No doubt those who wished to depose me will remain quiet,¡¯ the Margrave thought. The Margrave did not rest on his laurels, refusing Adam¡¯s offer as he pushed forward with his army, dealing with the threats of the night. Jurot and Kitool assisted him as his personal guards, the pair of knights, each of whom had been knighted by Adam, made sure the Margrave was safe. Adam and Jaygak remained elsewhere, dealing with other matters, each also important. As the season passed, Adam had been focused on that. Jaygak trained the two knights, Sir Robert and Sir Charles Junior, who had grown in strength. They were nowhere near Experts, but they were greater than the average commoner on the street. Duke Moonglow returned from the warring to find Adam with four knights, each of whom the young man had personally knighted. Sir Robert, Sir Junior, and two others who the Duke vaguely recognised. ¡°I heard about your promotion, Duke,¡± the young Count stated, flashing his liege lord a smile. ¡°I have heard that you were finished?¡± the Duke asked, unsure of what the words had meant. He had simply received word that Adam was about to finish, though it was no more than that, and when he had returned to the town, he had been informed that Adam had indeed finished. ¡°Allow me to introduce you to Sir Flame Blade,¡± Adam said, patting Sir Junior on his back. ¡°Then we have Sir Ice Blade and Sir Storm Blade, who I¡¯m sure you recall, for they were the pair who had been gravely wounded during the skirmish against the Night Lord.¡± The Duke recalled the young soldiers Adam had healed with his magic, though many of them had been terrified of him originally. ¡°Of course.¡± The Duke bowed his head towards them, noting the blades at their side. ¡°Then we have Sir Oathblade,¡± Adam said, motioning towards Sir Robert. ¡°Who will soon be raised to the position of a Duke, once I¡¯m given my proper titles.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam winked. ¡°He is my heir, and will take my position once I retire.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I have your grand weapon too, your grace,¡± Adam stated, flashing the slyest smile. ¡°Stop sounding so suspicious,¡± Jaygak said, elbowing his side. ¡°Adam here-,¡± ¡°Lord Adam,¡± Adam stated. Jaygak winced, throwing Adam a look. Adam bowed his head, clenching his fists together as his entire body tensed up. ¡°Never have I said anything more cringe in my entire life,¡± the young man said, his voice full of shame. ¡°I¡¯m about to be sick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky, Duke Moonglow, for Lord Adam has used Littletree well,¡± Jaygak informed, flashing the slyest smile. ¡°Stop being so suspicious, Jaygak,¡± Adam said, elbowing her side. The Duke blinked, wondering what they were up to. ¡®If it¡¯s Littletree, then it must be that?¡¯ Of course, it must be that. 698. Kingmaker VII 698. Kingmaker VII He was certain he was going to be betrayed. He had been told to arrive with no armour, though he was informed to carry his weapon at his side. His companions were allowed to keep their arms and armour, however, so his heart was eased slightly, but he was still in a precarious situation. The lords had arrived to the town with a small retinue of their elite body guards, a half dozen knights, each on horseback. However, with how many lords had arrived with so many of their guards, Duke Moonglow¡¯s brow pulsed with stress, and his entire body grew colder. It didn¡¯t help that many merchants had arrived too, each ready to flock their wares, but also ready to earn information to be sold to others. They, too, had their own guards, and so the town was suddenly in the awkward position of hosting more foreign soldiers than it could reasonably raise. Something was going to happen this day. ¡®He has kept his word thus far.¡¯ Duke Moonglow let out a long sigh, before he continued to step through the hallway, heading towards his main chamber. He opened the doors to find Adam checking a slip of paper, before the young volar glanced his way. ¡°You¡¯re finally here, your grace,¡± Adam stated, before his head snapped to a nearby servant. ¡°I want the Duke spotless, and make sure he wears the proper garb for the ceremony.¡± ¡®Ceremony?¡¯ Duke Moonglow flushed slightly, realising what Adam had planned, unless it was smoke and mirrors in order to betray him. The servants washed their lord and dried him as though he were the fine clothes he wore. He did not wear any jewellery, as ordered by the young volar, but he wore his blade at his side. He wore clothing of silver, with a deep purple, almost black, trim. Adam had asked about whether his hair could have been trimmed, but the Duke refused. An hour passed before he decided to mount his steed. Guards lined either side of the road from the castle to the town square. A mass of lords awaited at the centre, their knights and guards forming the second layer around the group, whereas the commoners watched and listened from further away, some even from within and atop buildings. The Duke noted the four Margraves waiting for him, unarmoured, though only one was accompanied by a pair of retainers who were also unarmoured. The Duke dismounted from his horse, which was led away by another, before he marched up towards the rest of the lords. Four margraves, six counts, and a dozen barons all waited for the Duke. He stopped once he was among his peers, glancing between them all. Suspicious glances. Unspoken plots. Readied blades. The air was thick with the calm before the storm. Adam caught the Duke¡¯s eyes, and bowed his head, allowing the Duke to set the pace. ¡°We are gathered here today to create history. They will speak of this moment as a turning point for we volar, those who have inherited the world from the Sun Father and Moon Mother. When I grew up as a boy, I was told the distant tales of Saul and Petra.¡± He paused for a moment, noting the nodding from the other lords, who had also heard of the tales of ancient heroes, echoes of another time. ¡°I wish nothing more than peace and stability for this land scourged by darkness. We must vanquish the darkness. We must reclaim our heritage. We must fight today so our children may know peace tomorrow. It is my hope that you all share the same view.¡± The lords all began to grumble affirmatively towards the Duke, as though it were their natural inclination. The names of Saul and Petra spoke to something deeper within their souls. In times when old lords used to meet every decade to discuss matters of the realm, grumbling to agree or disagree on particular matters. That was a different time, a time before the darkness took root within the land, like an unwashed sin. ¡°I cannot fight this fight alone,¡± the Duke stated, looking across all the gathered lords. ¡°I am but one man, and one man cannot change the world alone.¡± He looked towards Margrave Gerald Brasswall and motioned a hand. ¡°I could not have united the land if it were not for the great Lord Brasswall, who has stood by my side dutifully as a knight, and then a peer. For that, I wish to bestow upon you the title of Duke, to stand among me as an equal.¡± The lords grumbled loudly, some clapping their hands in approval. Adam also clapped his hands, grumbling quietly along with the other lords. ¡°Even now, unarmoured as I am, I could gut your greatest knight like he was a pig,¡± Adam stated, grinning wide. ¡°They say that a ceremony without blood is a boring affair. Go on, your grace, pick the sacrifice you wish to make.¡± ¡°Has the Margrave lost his mind?¡± the Duchess turned to face Duke Moonglow, catching the face he was making. It was the kind of face a parent made when their child was causing a mess, but they were unable to stop it. ¡°Allow me to face him, your grace,¡± a heavily armoured knight behind the Duchess stated, stepping forward. He was built like an auroch, and almost towered over even the likes of Adam. ¡°There is no need to hear more disrespect from the Margrave.¡± ¡°We will duel until first yield,¡± Adam said. ¡°If I lose, not only will I give up the position of Margrave, but I will also gift the great warrior a great enchanted blade, one befitting of his stature. However, if your knight loses, I want your crown. You can keep the title of Duchess, but I want your crown.¡± The Duchess smiled. ¡°With the Sun Father as my witness, I shall accept your conditions.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± Adam said, grabbing Phantom. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) Health: 78 -> 48 Adam barely managed to deflect the heavy blows which wrought down against him, threatening to cut him in half if they ever truly landed. He inhaled deeply before side stepping the heavily armoured knight. He inhaled deeply, but smiled wide as he raised his axe and swung it down. Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 3 (14) Omen: 10, 20 -> 10 20 + 10 = 30 Critical hit! Wraith: 3 -> 0 Mana: 21 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 12D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 83 (1, 3, 5, 5)(1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6)(1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 83 damage! Adam plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. His axe finding a chink in the knight¡¯s armour. The knight fell, his side hot and cold from the magics, while his entire body screamed in pain. He stared at the young man in utter shock through his visor, while the young man just smiled innocently. ¡°Do you yield?¡± the unarmoured Margrave asked. Adam graciously accepted the Duchess¡¯ crown, handing it to Jurot for safekeeping, before accepting his own crown as Duke. ¡®So, from now on my kids are princes and princesses?¡¯ ¡°What a coincidence,¡± a voice called out from the crowd. Adam heard it. Something striking the floor. The guards quickly moved towards the figure, who had stepped onto the road. Duke Moonglow stared at Adam, having never seen him with such an expression before. His eyes then turned to the figure. He was tall, with pale skin, and was pencil thin. He was adorned in long cloths all about him, with a rapier at his side, and a cane in hand. His eyes were dark, his face hard to see under the thin cloth across his face. Upon his head sat a large crow. EXCUSE ME? 699. Kingmaker VIII 699. Kingmaker VIII Duke Moonglow felt his heart pound heavily in his chest, though it struggled to pump. It was one thing for Adam to be utterly baffled by the appearance of such a stranger, but it was another thing for even his trio of companions to react. Whoever this new being was, he was definitely trouble, even more trouble than Adam. Thankfully, the stranger stepped to one side at Adam¡¯s insistence, beside the young Duke¡¯s retainers. Duke Moonglow inhaled deeply. ¡°It was the son of Saul who became the first King of Volar thousands of years past, far to the east.¡± His words cut through the air sharply, like a honed blade, gathering all the attention upon him once more. ¡°I have no wishes to become the King of Volar, for it is a burden I cannot bear. However, with your assistance, I will claim the title of King Matteas Moonglow, King of all of Maronia.¡± Adam noted how quickly everyone straightened up at such a declaration. He assumed it was because the Duke wanted to become a king, and so readied himself to support the lord in his endeavours. Though that man was here, Adam was certain the Iyrmen would keep an eye on him. The lord had been eager to speak of the stranger, but with such a declaration, their thoughts turned to what Duke Moonglow had stated. Maronia? ¡°Maronia is the heritage of my family,¡± a young noble called. He was pale of skin, dark of hair, and his eyes deep grey. He wore a cloak, deep black, one of the few nobles to do so, though he was the only noble who dared to wear a cloak which was entirely black, without another colour to mar it¡¯s richness. ¡°The tides of history ebb and flow,¡± Duke Moonglow stated. ¡°Once your family ruled over the old kingdom as peerless kings. Your family ruled after the time of the Ficians and the Arazians, and after such a time came the Taemuns. Still, it was the Marons who built the greatest empire, in which all our beliefs have formed.¡± ¡°That does not take away from the fact that Maronia is the heritage of my family,¡± the young noble stated firmly. ¡°No one else may claim the kingdom of Maronia, save my own family.¡± ¡°I would dare not deny you your rights to the kingdom, and so I ask that your family take the role of the Stewards of Maronia.¡± The young noble inhaled deeply to refute the statement, but noted how the Duke bowed his head lightly, raising his brows expectantly. The air fell silent for a long moment, just enough time for someone else to quickly change the pace. ¡°Duke Moonglow, you speak of Maronia before you speak of the stranger in our midst?¡± Duke Ironrock stated, taking a step forward to draw attention to him. He was a young man, with milky white skin, amber eyes, and hair the colour of ash. ¡°Strangers standing among strangers, standing among the retainers for the most important ceremony in generations.¡± The lords nearby grumbled in approval. Duke Moonglow¡¯s eyes slowly shifted to the side, towards the stranger. ¡°It seems the lords are at unease at your presence, stranger. At the very least, should you not introduce yourself?¡± ¡°I did not mean any offence,¡± the stranger said, bowing his head slightly as the crow shifted back as to now appear to be bowing. ¡°I am known as Crowseer.¡± ¡°Who is the young woman at your side?¡± ¡°I¡¯m-,¡± the young woman started to reply. ¡°You may call her Kiara,¡± Crowseer stated, flashing a smile towards the gathered lords. ¡°Who is she anyway?¡± Adam asked, far too casually for Moonglow¡¯s likings. ¡°Is she your daughter?¡± ¡°No.¡±Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Duke Moonglow blinked. He was certain Adam had been unnerved by the figure, and yet he was speaking so casually to this stranger known as Crowseer? ¡°What are you doing here anyway?¡± ¡°I have come to speak with you,¡± Crowseer said. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you here to complain about what I¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°You¡¯re risking your life to cause trouble,¡± Adam grumbled quietly, annoyed that his plan had been derailed. ¡°To hear that from you...¡± Crowseer smiled. ¡°Look at how tense you¡¯ve made my brother,¡± Adam said, tutting towards the mysterious figure who had been plaguing him this year. Jurot remained glaring at Crowseer, who had promised to remain within the Iyr. ¡°Perhaps I received permission to come?¡± Crowseer asked. ¡°Somehow, I doubt that.¡± ¡°You wound me, Adam.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you later.¡± He rubbed his forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s get to crowning Duke Moonglow as the King and then I can sort out everything else.¡± ¡°You are all from a foreign force?¡± Duchess Cloudhill asked. ¡°We are foreign, but we¡¯re not here on business from our people,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Well, not our people, their people, but don¡¯t worry about that.¡± ¡°You see? A foreigner plots amongst our midst.¡± Duke Ironrock held out a hand towards the nearby lords. ¡°You are perhaps the stupidest noble I¡¯ve ever had the displeasure of knowing,¡± Adam said, cracking his neck. ¡°You should have accepted your title in peace, but you just had to keep pushing me. All you needed to do was wait. I would have left by the end of the year, and if you wanted to rebel, you could have done it then. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to help the King keep his title, and you could have spent some effort in trying to take his crown. Instead, you decided to pick a fight while I was still around. Not just me, but my brother and companions, each of whom are twice as powerful as your greatest of knights. Twice, meaning two, which just so happens to be the number of Night Lords we¡¯ve managed to deal with.¡± ¡°Lord Adam,¡± Duke Moonglow called. ¡°You have said too much.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I haven¡¯t said enough. Once the ceremony is over, you better return to your castle, Duke Ironrock, and enjoy your last few days there, because I¡¯m going to come and burn it down. I don¡¯t want your title, I don¡¯t want your castle, I don¡¯t want anything to do with your land. I¡¯m coming for one thing, and one thing only, and that¡¯s your life.¡± Jaygak placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, causing him to turn his head, his entire face hot red with rage, tense. He wasn¡¯t going to draw his axe here, for he couldn¡¯t set the precedent of blood being spilled here in the ceremony. There was too much at stake for the future of the world. If a rogue lord here started a fight, it meant there could be no hope for a stable future. ¡°Is this why we have gathered? For we great nobles to act at the whims of a foreigner?¡± Duke Ironrock shouted. Duke Moonglow reached up towards his chest. He could feel it tighten, the stress of the situation filling him with greater dread as he tried to pull away from the darkest embrace. ¡°How is it that you feel so free and open to speak when my grandfather showed you such honour?¡± called a voice from behind the Duke. The attention of all those gathered, from the lords to the commoners, turned towards the young handsome fellow, his hair like liquid copper, his eyes emerald green, his ears leaf shaped. ¡°I told you to retire,¡± the young, heavily armoured Prince stated, stepping forward towards his father, placing a hand on the older man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If I was in charge, do you think they would have dared to step out of line?¡± Duke Moonglow stared towards his grandson, who had caused him so much trouble, and yet had come along during his last campaign. He had proved to be a bother with his words, fighting with him in front of the other nobles. Yet, when it came time to fight on the field, he was there, blade in hand. Duke Moonglow then turned to face Adam, his entire body stiff as a statue. ¡°Please,¡± he began, before he found his strength fading. Prince Moonglow felt his grandfather¡¯s body slump, quickly catching him into a hug. Adam¡¯s eyes went wide, realising he had just heard the last words of the Duke, and gasps filled the area as the first legitimate Duke in generations fell. F 700. Kingmaker IX 700. Kingmaker IX Adam stared at the Duke¡¯s face, his eyes still open, staring ahead of him, propped up on his grandson¡¯s shoulder. The air grew thick and heavy. The shock of the Duke¡¯s death rippled through the lords, like a pebble dropping into a still lake. All remained silent for a moment before the gasps of the commoners broke the silence. Duke Ironrock stepped forward, though stopped as Adam almost leapt beside the Prince. The Prince turned, staring at Adam, his eyes lost like a deer struck by headlights. ¡°Duke Moonglow has worked hard and now he must rest,¡± Adam said, trying to find his thoughts, swallowing deeply. ¡°Sir Charles, please take the lord¡¯s body and prepare him for the funeral.¡± Duke Brasswall stepped forward, but stopped upon seeing Adam¡¯s sharp look towards him, threatening to cut him like a blade. Duke Gerald Brasswall glared at the half elf. ¡°I was the closest with the Duke.¡± ¡°You were,¡± Adam relented, ¡°and you were greatly rewarded for your service to a higher station. This matter should be dealt with by his knights and household, not by the nobles of other houses.¡± Duke Brasswall remained glaring at the half elf, but he couldn¡¯t step forward, not when it wasn¡¯t his place to do so. He, who had stood by the Duke¡¯s side for so long, couldn¡¯t step forward at this time? An older man stepped forward from the crowd, a man in his late sixties, stopping Duke Ironrock¡¯s words as they all turned to face him. He wore finer clothes than a typical commoner, though not quite as fine as the lords around. He carried a short blade at his side. His hair was thin, though he had still grown it out, yet his moustache was thick. ¡°Sir Hadrick,¡± Duke Brasswall greeted the older man. ¡°If it will please your lordships, I will assist with the funeral,¡± the old man offered. Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°I will leave the former Duke in your capable hands,¡± Duke Brasswall stated. ¡°Prince Moonglow, we should proceed with your ceremony before we continue discussions,¡± Adam said. ¡°What an ominous sign,¡± Duke Ironrock called. ¡°The former Duke wished to be a king, but the Sun Father took him away.¡± The lords nearby grumbled. ¡°The Sun Father took him at great light for his hard work in life,¡± Adam replied, glaring at the Duke. ¡°How suspicious that the Duke had fallen as you caused trouble.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°I believe you may have a point, Duke Ironrock. You caused trouble for the former Duke and now he has passed.¡± ¡°It was the former Duke Moonglow who brought us here together, but now what? You want us to coronate his young son as the King of Maronia?¡± ¡°With the blessing of the Steward of Maronia, I do not see why we cannot,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I will not agree,¡± Duke Ironrock stated. ¡°I will not agree,¡± the Duchess added. Duke Brasswall stepped forward, his entire body tense as he glared at the pair across from him. ¡°I will agree with the coronation of the Prince.¡± Adam sighed. ¡®I wasn¡¯t sure if he would step forward, but that makes it easy.¡¯ ¡°I also agree with Duke Brasswall.¡± ¡°I will not accept the words of a foreigner,¡± Duke Ironrock stated. ¡°Such a state born from the meddling of foreigners will only lead to disaster.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not like I can refute that, considering I¡¯m a Brit,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I was brought up to the rank of Duke by the former Duke, and so I will do what I can for this land in his honour.¡± ¡°You all speak so easily while my grandfather has passed,¡± the Prince said, his entire body shaking red hot with rage. ¡°Prince Moonglow, what were the last words of your grandfather?¡± Adam asked. The Prince blinked, his fury tempered by confusion. ¡°Please?¡± ¡°And to whom did he say such words?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Your grandfather, with his dying breath, requested I make you a king, and I intend to do just that,¡± Adam said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many more nobles I have to kill to do it.¡± ¡°This farce should come to an end,¡± Duke Ironrock shouted. ¡°I will not kneel before some puppet king of a foreigner!¡± ¡°I agree with the good Duke Ironrock,¡± the Duchess added. The lords glanced between another, wondering what was going to happen here. ¡°You!¡± Duke Brasswall growled, reaching for his blade, but he found a firm grip against his elbow. ¡°No one will dare to spill blood here under the sight of the Sun Father,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°Those who wish to remain within the protection of the Kingdom of Maronia may remain, and those who wish to leave, may do so peacefully. Once the coronation of the young Prince is dealt with, we shall come and bring you to heel, and you will see what it means to refuse the mercy which had been gifted to you.¡± The lords all glanced at the two ducal lords, the pair throwing a domineering look towards their own nobles, leaving no room to disagree, before they made to leave. ¡°Knights, escort the lords out of town and bar the gates,¡± Adam commanded. The knights of the town glanced towards Adam, a duke under their own lord, but he was still not their liege lord. However, it was the knights Adam had knights who escorted the ducal lords out, though the trio of Iyrmen remained near Crowseer. ¡°You¡¯ll owe me one too?¡± ¡°I will surely repay you for your faith in me.¡± ¡°Faith and not trust?¡± ¡°Should you trust me?¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult to keep her protected considering what I have planned.¡± ¡°You may allow her to remain with Duke Brasswall, who will appreciate her presence while you assist the King.¡± ¡°Crowseer, you¡¯re one scary guy...¡± Crowseer smiled once more. ¡°I am nothing compared to those you surround yourself with.¡± Adam sighed, looking towards Jurot. ¡°Can we take her?¡± ¡°Crowseer¡¯s plans are not the Iyr¡¯s plans.¡± ¡°You will accept, for you are Adam¡¯s brother,¡± Crowseer said, flashing the Iyrman another charming smile. ¡°...¡± Jurot remained silent, his arms crossed. ¡°I have gifted the Iyr with the presence of another Fate Enchanter,¡± Crowseer said. ¡°Are you certain she should remain in my hands?¡± ¡°A Fate Enchanter?¡± Adam asked, looking to the young woman. ¡°I see...¡± ¡®Damn!¡¯ Jurot tapped his bicep for a long moment. ¡°Adam, will you call Kitool?¡± Adam glanced towards his brother, wondering why he didn¡¯t go get her himself, but then his eyes fell to Crowseer. He stood up and went to find the Iyrman, who had remained nearby, before they returned to find the air between Jurot and Crowseer much calmer. ¡°Kitool, we must take the girl with us,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It cannot be done.¡± ¡°It must be done.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, seeing as how Jurot was pushing for it. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Adam asked. Jurot nodded, and left it at that. ¡®What just happened?¡¯ ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you all again but I have some business I must attend to,¡± Crowseer said, before standing to excuse himself. He had so much work to do due to the Prince¡¯s death. ¡°What a shame that you¡¯re going so soon. I¡¯ll see you next year, Crowseer.¡± Crowseer flashed a knowing smile, before excusing himself to the door, but he paused as Jurot spoke to him. ¡°How do you know the Iyr¡¯s symbols?¡± Jurot asked. Crowseer turned back to meet Jurot¡¯s gaze, still smiling innocently. Then his eyes fell to Adam. ¡°I almost forgot. Congratulations, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Crowseer just bowed his head lightly, Maurice pulling back so she didn¡¯t seem to be bowing her head, before Crowseer stepped out and left. Adam sighed, leaning back. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we met him again.¡± Jurot nodded. Kitool sat beside the girl, opposite the pair. She caught Jurot¡¯s eyes, and saw the look within the young Iyrman¡¯s eyes. Jurot shook his head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s focus on the task at hand,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ll form an elite team with us, the knights, and the King. Then we¡¯ll go on and deal with everything ourselves, and once we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll return back and leave with our spoils and the girl.¡± Adam, Jurot, Kitool, Jaygak, the knights, and the King. A small army of perhaps twenty figures, each on horseback. If it was just twenty of them, Adam would need to expend but two Mana in order to cast Goodberry, and he could feed the lot of them. ¡®Ah, wait, I¡¯ll need to expend four casts, for the horses too. I¡¯ll need enough for three or four Fireballs, and if we need to run, we¡¯ll ride our horses away. That should be enough to conquer the land, especially since most of us will be Experts before too long.¡¯ Jurot thought on Crowseer¡¯s words for a long while. ¡®Yes. I am a good brother.¡¯ Adam in a low magic world is just too broken. Next chapter is an interlude and the last for Year 02 of Beyond Chaos! Expect the next chapter not the following Monday, but the Monday after? Interlude: Family Interlude: Family The old one armed Iyrman huffed as he curled the dambell with his one good hand, feeling the burn against his bicep. He could hear the nearby clashing between his siblings, the married couple doing their best to kill one another. Once his brother lost, he returned back to the one armed Iyrman. ¡°I knew you had fought to gain your strength, but did you truly face against such monsters?¡± Tarot joked, sitting opposite his elder brother, panting for air. ¡°Sister is holding back against you,¡± Jarot replied, almost smirking. ¡°I would not call her such a monster.¡± Tarot chuckled, before drinking a cup of water. He sighed as though he had drunk his favourite peach wine. ¡°Do you think brother is doing well in paradise?¡± ¡°What a brother we have to leave us behind to have his fun,¡± Jarot joked, lifting up the dambell above his head, completing his presses. He stabilised himself through his good foot, rather than his wooden leg. Tarot thought of his elder brothers, one who had grown so wildly and yet had become so tame in his older age, and another who had been so tame, and yet had to leave to be wild. He watched as Jarot carefully lifted the weight over his head, each repetition completed with intention. ¡°You are too old for this now, brother,¡± Tarot said. ¡°You have done enough for the Iyr.¡± Jarot remained silent as he continued to lift the weight, before placing it down onto his knee, and then beside him onto his seat. ¡°I do not train for the Iyr, but for those named Rot.¡± Tarot let out a guilty sigh, before he smiled once more. ¡°It is this way.¡± ¡°It is this way,¡± Jarot confirmed. Zirot allowed the brothers to stew in their thoughts before continuing to clash with Tarot, until the trio returned back to their shared estate. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot exclaimed as the old man approached, rushing up to him with little Jarot in tow, grabbing onto his leg. ¡°What is this gift given to me today?¡± the older Iyrman asked, dropping to a knee to embrace the pair. ¡°Have you come to play with your babo?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot declared, before she started to climb up the old man¡¯s arm to ride his back, while little Jarot waited to be lifted up. The old man hid his wince with the wide grin on his face, before he lifted the boy up. ¡°Since you have come to play, we must play!¡± He laughed wildly, but the children nearby had become so used to it. ¡°I come play!¡± Jirot stated, wrapping her arms around his pulsing neck. ¡°Babo playing with me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jarot chuckled as he held the twins against him. Konarot pointed to her grandmother and looked up towards Vonda, who smiled and nodded her head, before Konarot led the rest of the triplets to their nano. Vonda placed down the basket of goods onto a table before she greeted the little Rot children of the extended family, who were excited to see the Priest of Life once more. After all, she was a member of the most prestigious order across the land. Mulrot lifted the triplets up one by one and kissed their foreheads, before letting them go off to play with the other Rot children. The Family Elder sent one of the young Iyrmen to bring tea and peach wine, while she settled herself opposite the priest. ¡°You did not bring Lanarot?¡± ¡°Turot began reading the tale early,¡± Vonda replied. Mulrot poured the young woman tea first, and the pair sat in silence as they watched the children play together. The triplets ran around with the children of the extended family estate before they all settled together to listen to Jarot¡¯s stories. ¡°Did you think this old man would lose to the likes of a manticore?¡± Jarot exclaimed. ¡°No!¡± the children shouted back in response. Jarot howled with laughter. ¡°You are right! You are right! I would not lose to the likes of a manticore!¡± Jarot went on to tell the tale of when he slew the some of the last few manticore many years ago, before even their parents¡¯ time. It was the last week of the year, and within the next fortnight, the Rot family would know if Adam was dead or alive. Mulrot stared at the children, especially the twins who sat against their babo, sucking their thumbs as they gripped his shirt. ¡°The children are growing so well,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Jirot speaks so well now.¡± ¡°She speaks so much how can she not speak well?¡± Murlot asked, wondering what the young girl would speak about once the tale was done. ¡°She will be able to bully Adam so well when he returns.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mulrot replied, before she sent a young Iyrman for some fruit. Once the fruit was brought, she cut it, though Vonda and Tarot both assisted her. Karot took a piece of fruit and brought it up to his lips, before picking one up to offer to Vonda. Vonda smiled and took it from him, thanking the boy, before the boy offered some to his nano and his other babo. ¡°You must eat too, Karot,¡± Tarot said, picking the boy up, bringing the fruit to the boy¡¯s lips. Karot smiled shyly and rested his head against the old man¡¯s chest, chewing the fruit slowly. Tarot held the boy close to his chest, brushing his hair tenderly. ¡°I fighting!¡± Jirot declared, pointing up towards the sky. ¡°I fighting the ball and it the wall and the ball coming.¡± ¡°He will return and we will find another way to redeem ourselves,¡± Mulrot stated. ¡°If he does not return?¡± ¡°Then redemption will come easy.¡± Mulrot sipped her tea quietly. Jarot remained laying with his greatchildren in his room, feeling the pair snooze against him. ¡®If you do not return soon, I will steal them away from you, Adam.¡¯ He smiled, before closing his eyes to sleep. Karot held onto Vonda¡¯s hand, sucking on his thumb. ¡°Vonda?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Kako is home?¡± ¡°Which kako?¡± ¡°Kako Lanawoh?¡± ¡°Yes. She is back with your nana.¡± ¡°Nana is home?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I like nana.¡± ¡°I like your nana too.¡± Karot smiled. ¡°I love nana.¡± Vonda reached over and brushed his cheek gently. ¡°That is because you are a good boy.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kirot said, climbing up beside Karot to hug him tight. ¡°Good boy.¡± Karot smiled and hugged his sister in return. ¡°Good boy.¡± ¡°You are a good girl too, Kirot,¡± Vonda said, before watching as Konarot got up and made her way out. ¡°Konarot, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Toilet.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda said, getting up. ¡°You two stay here, okay?¡± Kirot and Karot stood up, and Vonda smiled slightly. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to the toilet together.¡± The triplets led Vonda away to the nearby toilet, while Tarot followed them from nearby, pretending to take a walk in the night, before assisting the triplets. ¡°What? You wish to sleep with me tonight?¡± Tarot asked, picking up Karot. The boy shook his head and pointed to Vonda. ¡°What? But I am your babo too!¡± He peppered the boy with adoring kisses all over his face. Kirot reached up to hold his hand and led her babo back to where they were going to sleep, and pulled him in so he would also sleep with them. Tarot held the girl close to his chest. ¡°Kirot, you are the one who loves me most?¡± Kirot smiled. ¡°I love babo.¡± She hugged him tighter. ¡®I understand why your father adores you so much.¡¯ Tarot let out a sigh as he held the girl close to his chest. ¡°Kirot, you cannot allow my brother to steal you.¡± Kirot looked up towards her babo, before she smirked, the same way her younger sister would smirk and cause trouble. Tarot sighed. ¡°Your babo will train hard for you, my girl.¡± ¡°Good boy.¡± Kirot reached up to pat his head. Tarot tried to stifle his chuckle as to not howl with laughter. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Thus ends Beyond Chaos, Book 3, Year 02 AA! AA? After Adam of course. Y03 – 701. The Return Y03 ¨C 701. The Return The lake glowed brightly for a moment before the five figures broke through the surface, gasping for air as they swam towards the nearby land. Adam, adorned in his full puthral plate mail, clutched at the grass as he scrambled onto dryer land, almost kissing it as relief washed all over him. ¡°Oh land! Sweet lan-,¡± the young half elf began, before his entire body flashed with heat as though he had swam through a sea of fire. Strength Save D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 14 (13) Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 14 (8) Intelligence Save D20 + 6 = 22 (16) Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 5 (1) Failure! Wisdom: 12 -> 9 Charisma Save D20 + 3 = 11 (8) Failure! Charisma: 16 -> 13 Exhaustion: 0 -> 2 Adam¡¯s entire body seized up before it tried to fight off the exhaustion which hit him like a truck, the young half elf convulsing for a moment before he fell onto the earth, panting for air. Adam had experienced this several times previously, though previously he had awakened someone¡¯s abilities to use magic or to enchant. He turned to one side where he found the twelve year old girl being choked out by an Iyrman, while another set of ominous shadows loomed over him, and another pair pulled on the rope tied to his brother. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked, feeling his heart still thundering within his chest from the assault on his body. ¡°Only four should return,¡± the Iyrman replied. Adam could barely make out that he was a horcish Iyrman, with greyish green skin, and a pair of tusks jutting out. He couldn¡¯t see the tattoo on his forehead due to his blurred vision. ¡°Alright, just don¡¯t kill her.¡± ¡°It is not up to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the Chief myself,¡± Adam managed to pant out as he felt the exhaustion fill him further. The girl slumped beside him, but he was sure the Iyrmen wouldn¡¯t kill her. Adam reached into his cloak before holding up a pouch towards the Iyrmen. ¡°Hand this to Aunt Sonarot.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please,¡± Adam said, holding the pouch up while he lay on the earth, staring up at the Iyrman. Though his vision blurred and the pouch felt like the entire world, his arm shaking slightly, he continued to hold the pouch up. Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 24 (18) The Iyrman picked up the pouch from the half elf, feeling the few items as he fondled the pouch. ¡®...¡¯ He was fairly certain he understood what was in the pouch, though had no idea why the young man wanted to hand this to his Aunt. ¡°What day is it?¡± ¡°The first of the first,¡± the Iyrman replied. ¡°Good,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°Please make sure they get it today.¡± With those final words, Adam¡¯s eyelids shut tight, and he passed out, beside his brother, his two other Iyrman companions, and the unconscious girl who had been forced into his party by the most suspicious and mysterious figure he knew. The group of Iyrmen who had been tasked to the lake glanced between one another. The four were to make sure the four had returned safely, and to assist with pulling the rope to make sure whatever they had brought through the realms made it to them. They turned to face the older Iyrman beside them, a fifth, who clasped a bird within her hands. ¡®How much trouble will you make for me?¡¯ the bald Iyrman thought, staring at the young man who had travelled with one of her own. The bird within her hands tweeted in a panic, before it fell still from a finger jab, and as the vibrations ran through it for an instant, it fell forever still. ¡°Hoo!¡± Jirot pouted up towards her nana, who hadn¡¯t given her a ring. Her tiny lips twitched and her brows furrowed angrily, though she was halfway between fury and distress. ¡°It is their birthday,¡± Sonarot stated, rubbing the girl¡¯s head. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Do not worry, babo will spoil you soon,¡± Sonarot informed. ¡°No!¡± Jirot huffed, before she twitched and her brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Babo?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, the Chief stepped up towards the cave, having heard the complaints from the other Great Elders. He walked in to find the three Iyrmen half sat within the basin, with a heavy liquid pressing them down. They were unable to shift their position due to the weight of the liquid, which appeared to be water, but it was easily twice as heavy. ¡°Chief, did you hear that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°How can she say something like that?¡± ¡°It is true.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you start with me too!¡± Adam huffed, trying to lift up his arms and hands out of the water, but he was unable to move them. The water came up to his neck, and though he was unable to sink further in to drown, he was also unable to lift himself up. ¡°What is this stuff anyway?¡± ¡°It is to assist you in your recovery,¡± the Chief reply simply. ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s good to see you again, Chief.¡± ¡°It is good to see you too, Adam.¡± ¡°You¡¯re speaking too soon.¡± ¡°Do you bring more ill news?¡± ¡°First...¡± Adam stared up the Chief. The Chief was an older man, with long hair dyed red, streaks of white peeking through. He was clean shaven, with a strong jaw, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes. He was fairly lean for an older man, dressed in the finest of silks, black like starless night, with golden thread which darted all along the hem, the thread forming an Iyrman pattern. At his side lay a longsword, made of a fusion of bone and metal. ¡°You gotta promise me that you won¡¯t kill me.¡± ¡°I will not make such a promise.¡± ¡®Yeah, expected as much.¡¯ Thus begins Book 4, Year 2003 AA! I try to write each year as though new readers will be picking up the story from that particular year so expect some explanations even if they''ve already been explained previously. I will also be writing as though you can pick up the crumbs I''ve left, but I''ll also be keeping some things a mystery like always, which may or not pay off in the next 10-1000 years. I''m going to give a trigger warning for cringe for at least the next 20 chapters. Please be merciful because it is my birthday. Y03 – 702. Reasons To Kill Y03 ¨C 702. Reasons To Kill ¡°Then at least promise me that I¡¯ll be able to see my family and say goodbye,¡± Adam asked, far too casually considering how close he felt to dying at the moment. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam let out a sigh of relief. If he could at least see his family before he died, it was more than what the God of Chaos had offered before he was ripped apart from his second life and family. ¡°Did they get my gifts?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d give them considering, you know...¡± ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I recall last year that my own brother and best friends abandoned me to have fun in another world without me.¡± Adam turned his head away from the trio of Iyrmen who lay in their own basins. ¡°You must know what you must know,¡± the Chief stated, doing his best not to find reasons to kill the young man, no matter how much the young man wished for death. ¡°I really do appreciate that you let it slide for me.¡± ¡°Have you grown stronger?¡± ¡°Something like that...¡± Adam glanced aside, checking his statistics. ¡°I can probably learn Fourth Gate spells soon, but that¡¯s not really that important right now.¡± ¡®Something more important than Fourth Gate spells?¡¯ Iromin, who couldn¡¯t cast any spells, knew the relevance of Fourth Gate spells, for there were many within the Iyr who could cast such great spells. Fourth Gate spells would put anyone on the map within the surrounding lands, thousands of miles in any direction from the Iyr. Adam knowing such spells would cause them so much trouble for certain, but there was something even more important, even more troublesome? Jaygak remained silent, pretending as though she wasn¡¯t listening to Adam¡¯s words. Whenever she had asked him about his new ability, he had refused to answer, instead deflecting the conversation to how his children were now considered princes and princesses. It had felt good to remind him that it was only true while they remained in the other world, wiping that smug look off his face. Jurot noted the look on Jaygak¡¯s face, realising she was remember that from the other world. There were few people who could match the wicked tongue of Adam, Jaygak counted among them, considering how much trouble she used to cause. Of course, the trouble Jaygak caused was very different to the trouble Adam caused, with only Adam being considered for death. ¡®You should remember he can still beat you,¡¯ Kitool thought, hoping Jaygak wouldn¡¯t take things too far. However, it was refreshing to see Adam put back into his place. He had grown too comfortable in the other world, the same world which was said to be extremely dangerous, and yet had been almost entirely trivial due to Adam¡¯s peculiar magic. ¡°I have come to hear the tale from you,¡± Iromin said, leaving Adam¡¯s ridiculous abilities for later. There was something about the way Adam was speaking that tickled the back of his head. He was certain the other world was dangerous even for the likes of Adam, but the young man had been too relaxed. ¡®Is it because it was too stressful, or...¡¯ ¡°Man, do we have a tale for you!¡± Adam¡¯s laughter echoed through the cave. Something dark crept into the Chief¡¯s heart. The world which the four had been sent to was considered extremely dangerous for the likes of Experts, those who gained a certain level of mastery with their abilities, being able to strike more swiftly, or being able to cast Third Gate spells. Even so, the four had returned, with relatively few wounds, and Adam was far too joyful. ¡®Were they lucky enough not to come across a Night Lord?¡¯ Iromin¡¯s eyes caught Jurot¡¯s eyes. The young Iyrman who was Adam¡¯s brother, not by blood, but by rights of the Iyr, which were simple to Iyrmen but complex to outsiders. The eyes of the young Iyrmen stated that, that which entered the lexicon due to the appearance of this crazy young man. ¡°We killed a few barons, then we picked a baron to become a king. We...¡± Adam¡¯s smile dropped. ¡°We had to kill a lot of people, and well...¡± Adam tried to reach up to his amulet out of habit, but he still couldn¡¯t move his arm through the water, and his amulet had been taken away by the Iyrmen. ¡°Anyway, long story short, we killed a bunch of people, made some punk a king, and I became a duke.¡± ¡°...¡± Iromin blinked. ¡°Such a tale is missing many details.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the outline, but it¡¯s not like anything special happened.¡± ¡°We killed several Night Lords,¡± Jurot added. ¡°Oh, right. Yeah, we killed a Night Lord, a Night God?¡± ¡°A Night God?¡± ¡°The darkness thing.¡± ¡°The Encroaching Darkness?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Yes.¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.comin slowly nodded, keeping his face blank, something which he had learnt to do when he became one of the Great Elders of the Iyr. ¡°We killed the darkness, then another Night Lord, then we joined forces with another Night Lord and killed him, uh, her?¡± Adam looked to Jurot, trying to recall what the figure was exactly. ¡°Them? Anyway, they ended up betraying us so we killed them too.¡± ¡°You killed three Night Lords?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°We killed three and forced away a fourth and fifth when they joined forced to try and attack us,¡± Adam informed. ¡°That was really hard, since one of them could cast Counterspell, so my Fireballs didn¡¯t work. Luckily, he could only do it three times, so I could still cast about four more, and by that time we had made a bunch of knights into Experts and I had made them some magical weapons too. Oh, right, I mentored a kid into being a guardian, and that was pretty fun.¡± Iromin realised there was an even more pressing question to ask, something he had missed due to how ridiculous the tale was. ¡°You played kingmaker?¡± Adam winced. ¡°I only did it to become a duke and because I got a really nice reward once I finished it.¡± ¡°We met Crowseer,¡± Jurot added. ¡°...¡± Mulrot remained frozen in shock. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Elder Zijin brought a pouch with their gifts.¡± Mulrot wasn¡¯t sure how Adam had managed to break the rules of the Iyr, but it was because of that, that which entered the lexicon due to the appearance of this boy who her daughter had vouched for, and had quickly become their grandson¡¯s brother. ¡°Konarot, bring your babo to us,¡± Mulrot called, rubbing the girl¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Konarot darted off to her babo to call for him. The old man was currently nuzzling into his greatson¡¯s leaf shaped ear, causing the boy to giggle and squeal. ¡°Ah, little Kona, come here my greatdaughter!¡± He reached out with a hand to pull her in close. ¡°Look at how much you have grown! How can you do this? You must stay small like Jirot and Jarot.¡± ¡°Nano,¡± the girl said, pointing back towards the older woman. ¡°Let me spoil you first!¡± Jarot leaned in to blow raspberries into the girl¡¯s neck, before calling for Kirot and Karot to give them his affection too. ¡°Oh how big you are becoming! When your father returns, he will not recognise you!¡± ¡°Daddy coming?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Soon, soon, I am certain of it,¡± the old man replied. ¡°Since it is your father, he will certainly return. It is the same as when I had faced against Seasword.¡± ¡°Dane?¡± Konarot asked, recalling the name. ¡°Have I already spoken of the tale?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot replied, nodding her head, causing her silver hair to bounce. ¡°Did I tell you the tale of the manticores?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Blood Hound?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Flame Blade?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The wyverns?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The wraiths?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Prince Raknar? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How many stories will you go through before you realised you have told them all?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°Come here quickly so we may tell you the news.¡± ¡°Do you see how your nano misses me?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Jarot chuckled, causing Jirot to cackle too, before he carried the twins to their nano, shuffling with his wooden leg, before sitting opposite his wife and daughter. ¡°What was so important that I could not dote on my greatchildren?¡± ¡°Your grandsons have returned.¡± Jarot did not reply for some time. ¡®They have returned?¡¯ He looked between his wife and daughter, before his lips began to form the widest of smiles. ¡°Of course they have!¡± He began to roar with laughter, since the rule could only be broken by that young punk. His laughter caused the other children about to also laugh, from Adam¡¯s children, to his sister, to even the nearby children of the extended family. ¡°He should be at least that wild as my grandson!¡± This year is dubbed "The Fast and the Furious" though it is neither fast nor furious, but there is a lot of F. How is it that this chapter is already called Reasons to Kill? It''s only been two chapters! Luckily, I have been inspired to write so much more recently, and really crave writing the story! Some of these chapters are longer than typical too which is unfortunate for the chapter count but at least you all get more! Y03 – 703. The Future Y03 ¨C 703. The Future As the children enjoyed their time with their family, the Chief continued to interrogate their father. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why it had to me, but if I had to take a guess, I guess it¡¯s because a similar thing happened to me?¡± Adam replied, staring at the Chief. ¡®Did I tell Jaygak and Kitool my story? I don¡¯t remember.¡¯ ¡°Even if you trade all the treasures we cannot allow her to remain.¡± ¡®Damn it!¡¯ ¡°Is there something I could offer?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I mean, I did gain quite the special ability.¡± ¡°That would depend on the ability you have gained.¡± ¡°Well...¡± As the Chief listened to Adam¡¯s explanation of his new abilities, he raised a hand, stopping the half elf. Chief Iromin stepped out. Adam threw a look towards his brother, wondering if he was actually going to die that day. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t joke as much...¡¯ The Chief returned a short while later, having taken the moment to breathe. After listening to Adam, who had just informed him of something utterly crazy, he needed to process his thoughts. ¡®I thought I had become used to his chaos.¡¯ ¡°Welcome back, Chief...¡± Adam said, feeling the impending doom of death lingering over his neck. Iromin placed a bracelet beside Adam, atop his basin. ¡°You have received a gift from your children.¡± Adam let out a small squeak, before glancing to the side. ¡°Give me a second to compose myself.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, before letting out a sigh. He counted the beads atop the bracelet. ¡®Eh? Is there an extra one?¡¯ He counted one for each of his children, each of the babies, and then each of his cousins. He rubbed the little clay bead which was certainly a bead little Taygak had made for him. The red and blue bead was certainly from the twin Kans, and then each of the others were more difficult to ascribe to the various children. ¡®Why is there an extra one?¡¯ ¡®The square bead is from Churot,¡± Jaygak said. Adam¡¯s eyes snapped towards Jaygak, blinking rapidly towards her. ¡°Jaygak, are you some kind of genius?¡± Jaygak was about to retort, before she heard Kitool let out a quick, sharp breath, causing her to remain quiet. ¡®I can¡¯t even tease him when he has such a ridiculous ability?¡¯ ¡°Chief, how can these children be so adorable?¡± Adam asked, flashing the widest of smiles. ¡°...¡± Iromin realised how long Adam had spent without his children, considering a year had passed in the other realm, and how much it had affected the young man. ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Jurot thought, but he allowed Adam his moment since so much had happened in the other world. ¡°It is my birthday too, Chief.¡± ¡°Konarot did not pass along a gift for you.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if the Chief was messing with him. ¡°I have not given Adam his gift either.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Iromin saw the defiant gaze in the young Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°You wish to save the girl?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jurot¡¯s neck tensed up. He could barely believe what he was about to say. ¡°I am a good brother.¡± He felt his brother¡¯s gaze upon him, and realised what Adam felt when they looked at him whenever he was being cringe. Iromin exchanged a look with Adam, wondering what the young man had done to his brother in the other world for him to say something like that. Adam shrugged his shoulders, surprised, but with the most playful smile spread across his face. ¡°Chief,¡± Jurot called again. ¡°You will vouch for her?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What? That¡¯s... it?¡± ¡°Jurot is an Iyrman,¡± the Chief stated, as though that explained everything. ¡°...¡± Adam turned to face his brother, still taken aback by the fact it had been that easy. ¡°I will leave you to rest,¡± Iromin said, making to leave. ¡°Once you learn Fourth Gate spells, please inform me.¡± ¡°Oh, sure. I can do it right now, if you want?¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Iromin blinked. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°One second.¡± Level Up! XP: 23 500 -> 10 500 Health: 78 -> 91 Mana: 21 -> 25 Gained two spells! ¡°There we go. I know Divination and Dimension Door.¡± Konarot patted the Prince¡¯s leg gently. ¡°Is good.¡± Morkarai chuckled, before taking his place along with the older trio of Iyrmen. ¡°I am surprised to see Adam hasn¡¯t returned. If he hasn¡¯t returned yet, it must mean something serious is keeping him away.¡± Jarot smiled knowingly, pouring the fire giant a cup of peach wine. ¡°Do you wish to know?¡± ¡°I value my life too much to pry into the Iyr¡¯s affairs,¡± Lord Morkarai said. ¡°I will remain with the Iyr until I am no longer needed.¡± ¡°Will you not stay to win the favour of my grandson?¡± ¡°If I am required home to assist with the war, I must return,¡± the Prince replied. ¡°Let us hope the war ends,¡± Jarot said. ¡°...¡± Jarot began to chuckle lightly at his words, before his granddaughter distracted him, climbing on top of his lap. ¡°Little Lanarot, what is wrong?¡± Lanarot pointed up at Lord Morkarai. ¡°Coin!¡± ¡°Are you upset I did not give you a coin?¡± Lord Morkarai asked. Lanarot pouted in response, her lower lip trembling. ¡°Why noh?¡± ¡°Your birthday is next month, so you must wait?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°What has Jirot done to you?¡± Jarot chuckled lightly, placing a hand on her head. ¡°How can you bully his sister like this, Lord Morkarai?¡± The Prince shook his head, before reaching into his pouch. ¡°Here you are, little Lanarot.¡± Lanarot gasped, pointing to the coin face. ¡°Is papa!¡± She brought the coin to her chest. ¡°Is my papa.¡± ¡°Do you miss your brothers?¡± ¡°I missing them so much,¡± Lanarot replied, resting her head against her grandfather¡¯s chest. ¡°Baba, you ah missing papa?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Jarot replied, as though he was truly thinking about it. ¡°Yes,¡± Lanarot replied on his behalf. ¡°Woad Mohk, you ah missing papa?¡± ¡°I am missing your papa too.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lanarot replied, nodding her head approvingly. ¡°I missing my papa, I do not miss my mama.¡± ¡°Why do you not miss your mother?¡± ¡°Mama is here,¡± Lanarot replied, pointing towards where she thought her mother was, before her head scanned around the area, eventually finding her with Murot. ¡°Mama is here! Look, is Muwoh.¡± She pointed towards her mother and her cousin. ¡°Muwoh is baby.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a little baby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you a little baby?¡± ¡°No, I not a baby, I am Lanawoh.¡± Lord Morkarai remained staring at the little girl, who was doted by all manner of monsters. Not just Adam, her brother, but the crazy figure known as Emperor Hadda, who she no doubt had forgotten. Considering who she was doted by, from the likes of Emperor Hadda, Mad Dog Jarot, and her brothers, Lord Morkarai couldn¡¯t help but wonder just what kind of a monster she would grow up to be. ¡®I should also try to please this little one,¡¯ Lord Morkarai thought, trying to forge two blades with one strike. The giant¡¯s eyes fell to the half dragons, who were half silver dragon from their mother¡¯s side. ¡®...¡¯ Lord Morkarai couldn¡¯t help but tie the connection between the Talia family and the half dragons, especially since Entalia had appeared several times within this region recently, around the times they had been born. ¡°You should not think of such stressful things.¡± Gangak poured a cup of wine for one of the Princes of Shakador, who seemed to be deep in thought. Lord Morkarai sighed. ¡®Just what madness will you bring this year, Adam?¡¯ ¡°Nano!¡± Jirot shouted at Gangak, before reaching up her arms. ¡°Yes, my Jirot?¡± Gangak asked, picking the girl up. Once Jirot was within her arms, she cuddled up with the older Iyrman, sucking on her thumb. Gangak also picked up her brother, so they could cuddle and sleep within her arms together. She smirked towards the older Jarot. ¡°You cannot have them,¡± the old Iyrman grumbled. ¡®Are they really not blood related?¡¯ Morkarai thought. The buff of being an Iyrman is too OP. Y03 – 704. The Cousins Y03 ¨C 704. The Cousins Konarot rushed up towards the entrance of the shared estate, followed by her siblings, who bounced with joy with each step. She hugged the purple leg and pressed her cheek against the cool metal. Kirot and Karot also grabbed at the metallic figure, their rings pressed up against his puthral armour from their necklace. ¡°Papa! Is papa!¡± Lanarot squealed, hoisting herself up onto her feet with a grunt before she charged her brothers. Adam bowed his head to Jurot, who stepped forward and lifted the girl up, hugging her tight. Meanwhile, Adam stared down at his children through his visor. He removed his helmet, his narrow eyes staring suspiciously at the triplets before him, while another pair of squeals filled the air, before their tiny green forms appeared behind their eldest siblings. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes further. ¡°Daddy,¡± Konarot called, blinking up at him expectantly. ¡°Who are these handsome young women and men?¡± Adam asked, his eyes still full of suspicion. Konarot arched her back and narrowed her eyes towards her father, before she hugged his leg again. Her silver tail swayed from side to side, dragging across the floor. ¡°I recognise Jirot and Jarot, of course, since they¡¯re so small and cute.¡± Adam tried to squat down to rub their heads, but his triplets kept him pinned, so he merely reached out with his hands so the pair could hold his hands with their tiny little green hands. ¡°Who are these three handsome little, uh, big ones?¡± ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot called as she was set down before she rushed up towards her brother. ¡°Lanababy, did you miss me?¡± Adam asked, reaching down a hand so she could hold it, but the girl bounced excitedly. ¡°I miss you so much!¡± Adam glanced away, as though struck by a heavy blow, before he shimmied his way through his triplets to squat down. He hugged Lanarot first, kissing her face and neck all over. ¡°I missed you too.¡± ¡°No, I missed you.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Adam chuckled before letting her free, the little girl taking a step back so she could see his face properly. Lanarot smiled and giggled, clapping her hands excitedly, before she turned to find her mother. ¡°Mama! Look! Is papa! Is papa!¡± She pointed at her brothers with a blade like thrust. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, come,¡± Adam called, embracing the tiny little goblins, who he hoisted up against his chest. ¡°Come, you must take me to Konarot, Kirot, and Karot.¡± ¡°Kaka?¡± Jirot asked, before pointing down to her eldest sibling. ¡°Konawoh.¡± ¡°What? Since when did you speak so well?¡± Adam asked, peppering her with kissed, before doing the same with his youngest son. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stay small and cute?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled, clapping her hands excitedly. ¡°I should have expected as much from you, you little troublemaker.¡± Adam blew a raspberry into her neck, before he returned his attention to the triplets. ¡°So these are your eldest siblings?¡± ¡°Kaka, papa,¡± Jirot confirmed. ¡°How can this be? Are you really my Konarot, Kirot, and Karot?¡± Adam asked. The triplets nodded once, their silver hair bouncing as they did. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot stated. ¡°Jurot, how can this be? These children, aren¡¯t they too big to be my triplets? My triplets, they¡¯re only a year old, aren¡¯t they? These children, no matter how adorable they may be, aren¡¯t they too big? They¡¯re at least two years old, aren¡¯t they? ¡®Should I stop it now?¡¯ Jurot asked, but considering how dour Adam was in the other world, he decided to let it go. ¡°They have grown.¡± ¡°What? How can you do this to daddy? You grew up while I was gone? This betrayal will never be forgotten!¡± Adam squatted down once more, trying to pull all five of his children into a single hug. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you just this once since you¡¯re so cute, but you cannot do it again.¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Konarot wrapped her arms around her father¡¯s neck, pulling him in close. Adam remained kneeling for some time as he embraced his children. A torrent of joy filled him, quickly washing away the darkness rooted within his heart from the other world. He could feel their warmth against his face, smell the ointments rubbed into their skin, and hear their soft breathing and mews of joy at being within their father¡¯s arms. Jurot brushed Lanarot¡¯s hair, causing the girl to giggle before she hugged his leg once more. Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to the other four children of the Rot family. One remained upon their back, too young to do much else, while another young boy stared up at him from beside his two elder brothers. NewW novels updates at novelhall.com ¡°I have returned.¡± ¡°Welcome back, cousin Jurot,¡± Turot said, sitting awkwardly at the table as he waited for their cousins to come to them. ¡°Turot, how can you sit there like that?¡± Adam asked, huffing. He led his children to the table, before he held out his arms for one of the boys. ¡°How can you leave me like this?¡± Asorot stared up at Adam confused, but he embraced the half elf, the pair hugging one another. ¡°Have you been well, my Turot?¡± Adam asked. Asorot blinked, before glancing towards his elder brother, the boy known as Turot. Turot blinked too, before tilting his head. ¡°Jurot, do you see how he¡¯s ignoring me?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Bird friend gone?¡± ¡°Your what friend?¡± Adam asked, furrowing his brows disapprovingly. ¡°Bird friend gone.¡± ¡°Bird friend?¡± Konarot nodded, causing her father to let out a sigh of relief. He rubbed her head gently. ¡°Perhaps your bird friend has gone back to their family?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Konarot pouted. Jarot shared a knowing look with Sonarot. ¡®How dare they kill my greatdaughter¡¯s bird friend.¡¯ He reached up to brush the girl¡¯s cheek tenderly, his thick, rough hands brushing against her smooth skin. The girl leaned up against her babo, her tail swaying gently. Sonarot could see the look within the old man¡¯s eyes, and she wondered if he really would cause a mess. She exchanged a look with Mirot, who motioned her head to Adam and Jurot, who would no doubt be able to stop the old man¡¯s rampage if he decided to do something. The Rot family was now filled with two troublemakers, one by the name of Jarot, and the other by the name of Adam. At the very least, Adam was afraid of the Iyr. ¡®How can he steal her away from me like this?¡¯ Adam thought. Sonarot let out a sigh, realising Adam may still cause a mess if it was for his children. The role of a Family Head was truly burdensome with the likes of those two. ¡°Cringe,¡± Jurot said. Adam bolted upright. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cringe.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even say anything.¡± ¡°You were thinking it.¡± ¡°Asorot, do you see?¡± Asorot smiled shyly. ¡°Cringe.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Cousin Adam, look,¡± Katool called, pulling her hair behind her ears before she tilted her head upwards. ¡°Oh my, oh my, where did you get that tiara?¡± ¡°Sister gifted for my birthday,¡± Katool said, smiling wide. ¡°I am too pretty.¡± She shook her head, causing her hair to bounce. Adam chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s unfair if you¡¯re that cute, Katool.¡± ¡°It is okay, cousin Adam, because I am cute.¡± ¡°When did your sister become so smart?¡± Adam whispered loudly. ¡°Katool has always been so smart,¡± Kitool replied firmly. ¡°Yes!¡± Katool flashed her wide grin, before hiding beside her sister, giggling. ¡°Gifts?¡± Taygak asked. ¡°We¡¯ll give the gifts soon,¡± Adam assured the young Iyrman. ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, the Great Elders gathered together, though one of the seats remained empty. Even after a week, Iromin wasn¡¯t sure how he was going to explain the matter to the rest of the Great Elders. ¡®Elder Story, when will you return?¡¯ How can they grow up? Just a reminder that the Iyr is not Lyr but iyr. Iyr, like Ireland. Rot is also pronounced row, as in to row your boat gently down the stream. Y03 – 705. Convening Y03 ¨C 705. Convening ¡°It would be best for Elder Zijin to continue to watch over Adam,¡± the Chief stated after informing the other Great Elders of the matter. Elder Teacher remained silent. He was in the awkward position in which he didn¡¯t come across Adam much, other than when the young half elf had awakened the first Iyrman scribe mage, the Iyr¡¯s first wizard. Awkwardly, he had taken a stance against the young half elf recently. His eyes fell to Elder Forest and Elder Gold, both who had more personal dealing with the young half elf. Elder Forest, who was the most recent Great Elder outside of the Chief to make a deal with the young half elf, crossed her arms as she fell into thought. She threw a glance towards Elder Gold, who caught her eye for a moment, before the pair returned to their thoughts. They were put in the awkward spot of still viewing Adam as a threat, even though he had only helped them, especially with his introduction of certain mathematical concepts. Then there was the matter of Churot. Churot. He was an Iyrman like that of Elder Teacher, with red skin and horns on his forehead. He was born into the Rot family, and the circumstances of his birth had been terrible. If it weren¡¯t for his birth, certainly that old man would have continued to rampage across the land when the spirit took to him. Churot, who was the first scribe mage of the Iyr, and who had understood the mathematical concepts the best. The boy had assisted his Elder and the pair of Great Elders so much in the past year, the Year of Silence. It was only today the boy had completed the calculations for many of the Iyr¡¯s logistics for the entire season of dawnval. Even upon hearing Adam¡¯s ridiculous ability, they couldn¡¯t help but think of just how much it would assist the Iyr. Although it was another reason to kill the young man, whose existence was borderline unbelievable, who brought chaos wherever he walked, who did nothing but worry the various Iyrmen. Even so, the young half elf had given them a collar and leash to keep him in check. ¡®Even if we are unable to use his children against him, they are still within our grasp,¡¯ Elder Forest thought. Then her thoughts went to the old man who doted after the five children. There was no doubt the old man doted on the children with all his heart, but there was the thought that part of it was to keep the Great Elders at bay. Elder Gold¡¯s thoughts were also on the young half elf. They had created an unprecedented deal within the Iyr. The Iyr had guaranteed the lives of many outsiders, but they had never guaranteed the lives of Iyrmen for an outsider. There were so many factors to take into consideration, reasons to kill the young half elf, and reasons to let him live. Elder Wrath leaned in to speak. ¡°I do not believe it is a good idea to keep him alive, but Elder Zijin has yet to falter in this regard.¡± ¡°I am in agreement with Elder Wrath,¡± Elder Teacher said, before the pair eyed up the last two Great Elders who had yet to make a decision. ¡®Elder Zijin...¡¯ Elder Gold recalled the day when Elder Zijin had come to speak with her. It had been about Adam, of course. He had offered Churot¡¯s assistance to the Great Elder, and though it was unconditional, the Elder had stated they shouldn¡¯t forget the roots of Churot¡¯s assistance. In order for the Great Elders to make a move against Adam, there were several hurdles to overcome. The Chief, Elder Zijin, the Family Elder and the Family Head of the Rot family. Only one of these hurdles would have been difficult to overcome, even the old Jarot would have been nothing compared to such authority, but all four together? Then there was Elder Story. ¡°I agree,¡± Elder Forest said. Elder Gold remained silent for a long while. The votes had been cast, so her vote wasn¡¯t important, though she had also been the most likely to agree. However, she thought back to the meeting with Elder Zijin, and the warning he had given to her, and the promise he had made. ¡°If it is Elder Zijin, then I will cast my vote to agree.¡± The Chief hadn¡¯t expected them all to agree. It was most surprising that Elder Wrath of all people had been the first to agree, since he was the most vehement against the young half elf, even considering their distant, fated connection. ¡°Will we speak of Adam¡¯s new ability?¡± Elder Gold asked, putting forward the second most important topic onto the table. ¡°We should leave it within Elder Zijin¡¯s judgement for now,¡± the Chief stated. ¡°...¡± Elder Gold wondered if she should press for it, and she could see Elder Forest was also struggling for it too. The ability, which they trusted to be true since it was Adam, was something which very few possessed, and it was something which technically fell under their domains. Elder Gold, who dealt with the wealth of the Iyr when it came to external affairs, and Elder Forest, who dealt with the wealth of the Iyr when it came to domestic matters. This time, Elder Wrath and Elder Teacher waited for the other pair to vote. ¡®He must be speaking of the tale now,¡¯ the Chief thought, waiting for the pair to cast their votes. ¡°No!¡± Jirot complained, yawning as she rested her head against her nano¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll put you to sleep,¡± Adam said, reaching out for Jirot. The girl squirmed away from him for a moment, before she eventually reached out for her father. He kissed her leaf shaped ears and embraced her tight, feeling her warmth against him. He lifted up little Jarot too, nuzzling against a leaf shaped ear gently, before kissing his cheek. He allowed them to say good night to the others first before he carried his youngest children to bed, followed by his triplets. Adam assisted his children in brushing their teeth and washing their faces, before he changed them and their clothies for bed. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this? Aren¡¯t you all too young to not wear your clothies?¡± Jarot huffed in response. ¡°It is fine if they are not royalty, for they are still my greatchildren.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like they aren¡¯t nobles considering how well they¡¯re being raised in the Iyr...¡± Adam glanced between the Iyrmen. ¡°Even I wouldn¡¯t joke about that, Adam,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I take my words back.¡± ¡°The tale is a good tale,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You should be proud to bring such glory to our families.¡± ¡®Good thing the kids won¡¯t know about it.¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡°You did well, Adam.¡± Jarot pat the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I killed way too many people.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jarot paused. ¡°It had to be done.¡± ¡°Did it?¡± ¡°You had no time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good enough reason.¡± ¡°Did you do it to become a duke?¡± ¡°Partly, but...¡± Adam thought about that world and how awful it had been for the people. He had killed a lot of people in order to put in place, what he assumed to be, a stable foundation. ¡°I guess I really am British.¡± ¡°You feel guilty?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Killing does not come easy to even we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it ever to come easy.¡± Jarot pat the young man¡¯s back. ¡°You have brought back many gifts?¡± ¡°Yeah, though not as much as I would have liked since I didn¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°You did not wish to die?¡± ¡°Adam has gained a new ability,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°What is it?¡± Jarot leaned in towards the half elf. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, and the Iyrmen around prepared themselves. What''s this? An early chapter? It couldn''t be... Thank you everyone for your support and I hope you all enjoy the holidays. Y03 – 706. Brothers Y03 ¨C 706. Brothers Adam stared at the night sky, staring at the vaguely familiar sight. The stars in the other world had been so different he had almost forgotten what the stars of this world looked like. ¡®Staring sombrely into the night sky... who am I, Lucy?¡¯ Jurot stood nearby, keeping an eye on his brother. Adam was leaned up against a wall, staring at the night sky. Adam had his arms crossed, having chosen the position after awkwardly shifting his hands about. ¡°Jurot, I stopped counting after a hundred,¡± the young half elf whispered. Jurot remained silent, his eyes still glued to his brother. ¡°I don¡¯t think I reached a thousand, but there were definitely more than a hundred. It might sound bad, but when it was the nobles, I didn¡¯t mind as much. I still didn¡¯t like to do it, but I didn¡¯t feel that guilty over them. Still, there were a lot of commoners. A lot of them. Most of them, actually. Farmers and cooks, probably forced into fighting. I just had to give a word. I just had to wave my hand. That was it. It was so... easy. I killed them like they were, they were those birdcats, remember?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m lucky, Jurot. I think about that a lot. I died twice, but I was revived both times. I... I found you both times. Your family looked after me both times.¡± ¡°Our family.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched for a moment, but they remained a frown. ¡°I was gifted a lot of great abilities. I was gifted a lot of great children, some of them technically sharing the same blood as me, apparently, but as far as I¡¯m aware, I didn¡¯t sleep with a dragon. Not yet, anyway.¡± Adam shook his head, his lips having formed a smile by the time he mentioned his children. ¡°I¡¯ve had such great luck and I went around killing the most unlucky people around. It¡¯s a little... it¡¯s a lot bad, you know?¡± Jurot bowed his head as he fell into thought. ¡°No. I do not.¡± Adam glanced towards his brother, who had been born within the Iyr. It was, as Adam would have politely described it, a communist death cult. They worshipped one god above all, Baktu, or as he was commonly known across the land, Lord Sozain, the God of Death. ¡°For most people, death is permanent. They won¡¯t be lucky enough to find a God of Chaos, who doesn¡¯t exist any more, to save them twice. They won¡¯t be lucky enough to have some idiot with a diamond worth more than their entire life¡¯s earnings to save them. Three hundred gold, Jurot. That¡¯s the worth of a person¡¯s life if you want to bring them back. More if you take too long. If you want to kill a man? That doesn¡¯t cost anything.¡± ¡°Death is a part of life.¡± ¡°What right do I have to impart death?¡± ¡°You are chosen by Baktu.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam reached down to his amulet, rubbing along it. ¡°I only picked him because I wanted some abilities.¡± ¡°He also chose you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think either of us made a bad choice. I¡¯m, well, me, and he¡¯s the same god who protected me from the Lord of Order. I suppose I should thank Strom too, since he ended up killing the Champion of Order too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you...¡± Adam paused for a long moment. ¡°Lanarot won¡¯t remember him.¡± ¡°She is too young.¡± The flashes of Jurot¡¯s first memories struck him. It was raining that day. ¡°If I died in the other world, would she remember me? Would they remember me? Konarot, Kirot, Karot? Jirot, Jarot? They¡¯re smart, too smart, but they¡¯re still young.¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°If I died, what would you have told them? Would you have told them that I killed a bunch of people? I¡¯d be dead, so I guess my opinion doesn¡¯t matter, but I wouldn¡¯t want them knowing that. I¡¯d want them to know that I loved them very much. I wouldn¡¯t mind if they knew I was an idiot, but a killer?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m no Iyrman, Jurot.¡± ¡°You are my brother, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If you cannot kill, I will.¡± ¡°Does that make me any better?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°It¡¯ll make me feel better, but the sin is still on me. Does a king get off scot free because his servants killed?¡± ¡°You are no king, and I am not your servant.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t turn it back around like that,¡± Adam¡¯s eyes snapped to Jurot, who remained as composed as ever. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°You were a duke, and I am your brother,¡± Jurot said, and while Adam was thinking, he added, ¡°Was I also a prince?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam blinked. He looked up towards the sky, the twinkling stars, the streaks of colour all across the dark sky. ¡°Oh. Right. Gods. They exist in this world. So does magic.¡± Adam blinked again before he threw a look towards Jurot, though his face was still full of confusion, having not thought of the obvious connections between the world and how it was so different to his first life. Jurot remained silent as Adam continued to think. He had heard of Adam¡¯s first life, where there were giant carriages of steel which could fly the masses without magic, at a pace which could cross the entirely of Aldland in hours rather than days. ¡°Jurot, I think, after pretending to be an idiot for so long, I¡¯ve actually become stupid.¡± ¡°You think too much of your children and not enough of the world.¡± ¡°So... you know how Sa-, I mean, granduncle Sarot died, does that mean he¡¯ll be in the afterlife? Paradise?¡± ¡°He will enjoy his time reliving his wonderful memories and he will fight and hunt creatures which are not native to this realm.¡± ¡°I mean, will he really exist? With a body and all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can people travel to the afterlife without dying?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°The afterlife is another realm, like ours. It has its own rules, like the rules of the previous worlds we have explored. Baktu administers the realm, and so do his many guards.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam blinked as he continued to think. ¡°How strong are the guards of Baktu?¡± ¡°Most are stronger than the Night Lords we faced.¡± ¡°Damn...¡± Adam blinked again. ¡°I feel a little bit better knowing that death isn¡¯t the end of someone¡¯s existence, but it still feels bad.¡± ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you kill me to protect your children?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Would you kill me to protect your children?¡± ¡°Why are you asking something like that?¡± Adam frowned, feeling his body heat up, partly from the shock of the question, and partly because of the answer. ¡°You must answer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You must.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam caught Jurot¡¯s eyes, which stared deep into his eyes expectantly. ¡°Of course I would.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I would do the same.¡± ¡°I would never hurt my children.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nothing says brotherly love like promising to kill one another. Y03 – 707. Family and Business Y03 ¨C 707. Family and Business Omen: 4, 20 ¡®Nice.¡¯ Though the Omen tickled Adam, he knew not to tempt Fate, and so decided against using it. ¡®Right, I have to do that...¡¯ Adam worked out lightly in the morning, along with the older children, before he went to bathe. He carried Jirot and Jarot back from the baths while his triplets followed him. He fed them all, including his sister, resisting the urge to also feed the other children around. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, following Adam out. ¡°You must use your magic upon the gem.¡± ¡°The gem?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ah, the one that Crowseer gave?¡± ¡°Yes, but also the blood gem.¡± ¡°The blood... ah, that gem?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ll do that later tonight then. Thanks for reminding me.¡± Jurot nodded, before letting Adam leave to enchant. Crowseer¡¯s words had burned into his mind. The young Iyrman was uncertain if their talk in the night had helped his brother, but hopefully this would do something. He was uncertain if he should trust Crowseer, but with what he had said... ¡®I will inform Elder Zijin.¡¯ ¡°Lovely to see you again, Fawyx,¡± Adam called to the Iyrman who was accompanying him. ¡°You as well, Adam,¡± the Iyrman replied. He wore lighter clothing and carried a blade at his side. He was one of the few Iyrmen who was thin rather than muscular. He was one of the tusked Iyrmen, with greyish green skin. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°I enjoyed my time with my family so was unable to miss you,¡± Fawyx replied. ¡°Ouch, harsh.¡± Adam pretended to wince. ¡°I am sure you can handle it, Unrivalled Und-,¡± ¡°Lovely weather we¡¯re having,¡± Adam interrupted, almost cringing at the title. A shadow of a smile crept across Fawyx¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. It is.¡± Adam enchanted that day, passively enchanting as he had done near the previous year¡¯s end. Fawyx blinked towards the young half elf, having never seen him do such a thing before. The Iyrman recalled what Elder Zijin had told him, something which sounded so impossible that it could only be something Adam could do. ¡°...¡± Adam¡¯s spent the three days enchanting a Basic modifier, a typical +1 to hit and damage. Due to his passive enchanting it required only three days to enchant such an effect onto a weapon, which was already great enough, though it did not reach the likes of the fire giants, who could enchant one Basic weapon each day. Adam went to see Elder Zijin, who he would see every evening whenever he expended his Health and Mana into the blood gem. This time the Elder had his books in front of him, checking the ledgers, making sure the families he was watchful over had their needs taken care of. Mana: 19 -> 9 Health: 91 -> 57 Adam winced as the blood gem drained his Health and Mana, and the pulsing gem pulsed with more life than it had done so the day before. Each day Adam fed the gem, it grew more powerful, more lively. Adam did his best not to look at the shadows, understanding the Iyr probably had a few warriors nearby, just in case something happened. ¡®I wonder if that old lady is also here.¡¯ ¡°Would you be willing to sell the magical weapons at the same rate as the previous year?¡± Elder Zijin asked. ¡°A hundred gold for each one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam raised his brows, smirking at the Elder. However, he thought better than to joke about the Iyr, not when he was still in the process of feeding a mysterious gem which required his blood and magic. ¡°Of course. Such lovely weapons they were, each identical to the other.¡± ¡°We thank you for your assistance in these matters, Adam. You have done so much for us.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯ll keep being nice to me.¡± ¡°The Iyr never forgets.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s always done right by me. Mostly.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Elder Zijin placed a diamond onto the table. The diamond, with its gleam, was identical to most of the diamonds Adam had in his possession. The half elf eyed it up for a moment before he picked it up and slipped it into his pocket. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said. Elder Zijin bowed his head, and with their business over, the half elf began to leave. ¡°Adam,¡± the Elder called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam turned to face him.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°If you have trouble sleeping, you may request night tea from a warehouse.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot shouted once he returned, with Jirot following after with her own shout, before he was swarmed by the six children. Adam dropped to his knees and lifted them up, showering them with affection, before letting them go. ¡°Were you all behaving today?¡± ¡°Papa, look!¡± Lanarot grabbed Adam¡¯s hand while Jirot replied with her favourite word, before Adam was dragged away. ¡°Look!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Adam replied, staring down at the picture the girl had drawn. The girl began to point out each of the people she drew to her brother. ¡°Where¡¯s Inakan?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Lanarot pointing to one of the scribbles, which just so happened to be where she had pointed to for Gurot, Jaygak, and her grandfather. ¡°Of course. Where was papa Jurot again?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Lanarot pointed to the blob she had said was Kavgak, and also Gurot, again. ¡°Gosh, your drawing is so amazing!¡± Adam lifted her up and kissed her face all over. Lanarot squealed with joy, while Jirot rushed up towards Gangak, who had come to visit the children. ¡°Babo?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°He is at the estate,¡± Gangak replied. Jirot hugged Gangak, kissing her cheek, before pointing towards a seat. Jarot remained hugging her neck as he sucked his thumb. ¡°Your grandfather tells me you are working hard again,¡± Gangak accused the half elf. ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± Adam replied, crossing his arms. Gangak smiled. She dodged a few of Jirot¡¯s pokes, before she brought the girl¡¯s head to her bosom. ¡°Do you think you can bully me?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, cackling. ¡°That is right.¡± Gangak rubbed her cheek against the girl¡¯s head. ¡°You must listen well to your father.¡± ¡°...¡± Jirot smirked slightly and whispered. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Do you plan to bring more chaos to the world this year?¡± Gangak asked once the group settled together to eat. ¡°Is that up to me?¡± Adam asked, feeding Kavgak from his lap. The girl looked up towards Adam, before shyly looking to the side, opening her mouth for the spoonful of porridge. ¡°Your way of causing trouble is just like your grandfather¡¯s.¡± ¡°That old man...¡± Adam found his triplets looking up towards him, and his twins were also staring at him as they drank from their bottle. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that sort of thing is up to me, but I would prefer not for things to get too chaotic.¡± ¡°Not daddy!¡± Jirot said, pointing towards Kavgak. She pointed towards her nano. ¡°Mama?¡± ¡°I am her grandaunt, like I am your greataunt, my Jirot,¡± Gangak replied with utmost affection. ¡°Even though Kavgak is not my daughter, she still love me so much, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Adam planted a kiss against her cheek. ¡°She gave me a lovely little gift.¡± ¡°You changed her clothy?¡± ¡°Not that kind of gift, but even if she gives me that kind of gift, I¡¯ll still love her forever.¡± Adam held her closer to him, while noting the envious eyes of his children. ¡°I¡¯ll hug you too, but right now it Kavgak¡¯s turn, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot replied, but she continued to pout, her tail swaying from side to side. Her face darkened as she glared at Kavgak, before her grandmother rubbed her head, and wiped her face clean. ¡°Jaygak, you should give me Kavgak since you¡¯ll just bully her. Raygak, we should protect little Kavgak, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Raygak nodded his head, while Jaygak reached out towards her brother subconsciously, but instead of bullying him, brushed his hair gently, having caught herself. She could sense her father was ready to act too, but he had remained seated while she brushed her brother¡¯s hair. ¡°Taygak, Adam is trying to steal Kavgak from me.¡± Taygak¡¯s eyes widened as she glared at Adam, as though daring him to try. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Taygak, you cannot do this to me.¡± Taygak looked towards her nana for support, the older Iyrman brushing Jirot¡¯s hair gently, while Jarot clutched at her shirt with a vice grip, slowly drinking from his bottle of milk. Gangak¡¯s eyes then met Adam¡¯s. ¡°I will take Jirot and Jarot, you can take Kavgak and Maygak.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam remained silent for a long moment. ¡°If their babo agrees,¡± Adam replied, his tone too serious. ¡°What a shame.¡± Gangak gently rocked the pair within her arms. ¡°I should have taken you when I had the chance.¡± An air of awkwardness filled the air, while Gangak grinned wide, enjoying the moment of chaos she had created. She pulled the goblins closer to her chest, the pair she was ready to adopt when the Rot family had initially refused. ¡®Damn. Old people really don¡¯t care, do they?¡¯ I hope you enjoyed the triple chapters today! The next two chapters are rather crazy, 709 especially. Y03 – 708. Business and Family Y03 ¨C 708. Business and Family Omen: 18, 18 ¡®I guess I can¡¯t enchant even if I really wanted to...¡¯ Adam thought, trapped under the weight of his children. The twins drooled over his chest and stomach, while his arms and legs lay trapped under his triplets¡¯ silver tails. ¡°Are you working today?¡± Adam asked Jurot over breakfast, holding Inakan in his lap as he fed her. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°I am needed in the fields.¡± ¡°Oh, fair.¡± ¡°Are you going to work today?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Adam replied, feeling his eldest daughter¡¯s glare against the back of his head. ¡°I fear I will be unable to handle the reprisal.¡± ¡°She has you by the leash.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just jealous that my daughter is cute.¡± ¡°That is beside the point.¡± ¡°That is the point.¡± Adam continued to feed Inakan, who slowly ate the food, feeling the texture of the oatmeal within her mouth as she pressed it against the roof of her mouth with her tongue. ¡®Should I keep waiting before I tease him?¡¯ Jaygak thought. Adam had doted on the children too much recently, but he still seemed bothered by the events within the other world. ¡°It¡¯s not fair that you keep Jirot for yourself. She adores my grandaunt the most, so she should play with me too.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t allow you to corrupt her.¡± ¡°Jirot, come here,¡± Jaygak called. Jirot threw her head aside to find out who had been calling her. She looked up at the red skinned Jaygak, shoving a sliced vegetable into her mouth. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Jirot, come to daddy,¡± Adam called, reaching out a hand. Jirot smirked towards her father, and with a menacing whisper she replied. ¡°No.¡± She remained silent, still smirking towards her father. ¡°Do you want to change her clothy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is your daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Once they had finished with breakfast, Adam brought the children together to read to them. He read the tale of an Iyrman from the Kan family to the children, of one of the many who had gone on to become a Chief. Once he was done with the story, he relinquished the babies to their mothers so they could be fed and napped. ¡°Asorot, the hydra winds its head back and snaps it vicious maw towards you,¡± Adam said, rolling his die. ¡°Oh no! That¡¯s a natural twenty!¡± The children gasped, with Asorot¡¯s lips stuck in a small circle. The boy frowned. ¡°How can it do this, cousin Adam?¡± ¡°Of course it had to do this, since you are so strong,¡± Adam replied, as though it were a fact. ¡°I will gain my vengeance.¡± ¡°No,¡± Saygak said. ¡°I will cast my spell!¡± ¡°Oh, what are you casting?¡± ¡°Fates and Pots,¡± the little Gak replied. ¡°Cousin Adam, you must roll again.¡± Adam rolled once more and the children all gasped. ¡°Wow. I¡¯ve never met anyone unluckier in my life. That¡¯s another natural twenty.¡± Saygak frowned, before marking the spell on my sheet. ¡°No!¡± Turot shouted, raising a hand towards Adam to stop him. ¡°I will protect my little brother.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? How are you going to do that?¡± ¡°My shield is very good,¡± the boy said, picking up the little card with the shield¡¯s statistics. The shield, Very Good Shield, was indeed a very good shield. ¡°Oh, I gotta roll again?¡± Adam picked up the large twenty sided die once more. ¡°There¡¯s no way I get three natural twenties in a row.¡± He rolled the die, the children leaning over to watch it roll. It struck off the side of the tray before it settled within it. Even Damokan and Kalokan made faces upon seeing the roll. ¡°This is all my fault,¡± Adam said. ¡°The hydra must know that I gifted you the vest.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°This cannot be!¡± Turot stared up towards his cousin in shock. ¡°This is not right!¡± ¡°It is not right!¡± the children agreed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s how it is,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s a one in eight thousand chance, but three natural twenties in a row is still a possibility.¡± Asorot sat in shock, glancing around towards the other children, unable to believe Adam was able to roll so well three times in a row. ¡°You are so lucky, cousin Adam!¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m lucky! Have you ever seen anyone as lucky as me? What adorable children I have! What adorable cousins I have! Who in this world can be as lucky as me?¡± ¡°Cousin Adam!¡± Raygak held up a little slip. ¡°I critically hit last time so the hydra must roll a bad dice.¡± ¡°Is that right? Where does it say that?¡±Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Raygak pointed to the first ability of his weapon. ¡°It is Big Bad from Big Sword.¡± ¡°I see, Big Bad. When you critically hit, the enemy rolls their next attacks with bad dice. Wow, that is big bad, isn¡¯t it? Alright, well, everyone¡¯s trying to save Asorot, even though he¡¯s raging and can handle the critical hit.¡± Jirot¡¯s head snapped from her grandmother to her father, her eyes piercing into Adam. ¡°Working?¡± Konarot stood up straighter as she stared at her father expectantly. ¡°Working, daddy?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m not working! I just need to do this one thing, it¡¯s not work at all!¡± Jirot pointed towards her father, staring up at her grandmother for support, while Konarot did the same towards her greatfather. ¡°Are you working when you promised not to?¡± Jarot asked, his eyes narrowed towards the half elf. ¡°No, no. I just need to do something, it won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Something that¡¯s very dangerous.¡± ¡°It is not work?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°If it is dangerous and it is not work then it must be fun,¡± Jarot reasoned. ¡°Since your father is not going to work, he may go.¡± ¡°Not working?¡± Jirot asked, staring up at her greatfather to confirm. ¡°It is not working.¡± Jirot huffed, crossing her arms as she stared up at her father. ¡°Daddy working, is bad boy.¡± She wagged her finger up at her father. ¡°Daddy¡¯s a very good boy.¡± Adam lifted the girl up and blew a raspberry against her neck, causing her to squeal and squirm, before he let her down, allowing his giggling daughter to retreat back to her babo. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the old Jarot said. ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot said, though she remained focused on her father as he left, narrowing her eyes. She tilted her head upwards. ¡®You must tell me if daddy is working.¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡¯ the bird replied, fluttering off to follow the half elf. Jarot watched as the bird left, before glancing down towards his greatdaughter, who watched the bird fly away. ¡°Konarot.¡± ¡°Babo?¡± The girl waited beside her greatfather expectantly. ¡°...¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°You must bully your father more.¡± Konarot pouted. ¡°I not bully daddy.¡± ¡°Will you bully me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Babo.¡± ¡°I am your babo so you will not bully me?¡± ¡°My babo.¡± Konarot climbed up beside her greatfather. ¡°At first you wanted to fight me, and now you wish to cuddle me?¡± Jarot smiled wider. ¡°Yes, you must be my greatdaughter.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jarot felt the girl¡¯s head against his arm, his hand still wrapped around his youngest greatson. He let out a joyful sigh. ¡®I should bring Otkan a drink.¡¯ ¡°Is Adam working?¡± Jurot asked, stepping into the shared estate. ¡°No. He has gone to visit the Elder for something dangerous but not work.¡± ¡®It must be that,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°You can probably add studs to the bottom,¡± Adam informed the Elder within his estate. ¡°I don¡¯t actually remember how it was done, but that should help?¡± Elder Zijin stared down at the doodle Adam had created. ¡®The dwarves and gnomes would understand how to work the steel this way. Should I request Filliam to assist?¡¯ ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Since this should help some of the Iyrmen, I hope you¡¯ll work on it for my children¡¯s greatfather first.¡± ¡°Your grandfather?¡± ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± Adam retorted. ¡®He must be feeling better if he¡¯s joking again.¡¯ ¡°Will you place your strength into the gem?¡± Adam glanced to the side, noting the nearby Iyrmen. He assumed they were at minimum at the level of Masters, though he wondered if they had also brought more Iyrmen nearby, just in case. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t think about how much the Iyr prepares.¡¯ Mana: 25 -> 15 Health: 91 -> 50 Adam hissed out in pain, wincing as his mana filled the gem, and the fiery pain flooded through his arm and into the rest of his body. Whatever the gem was doing to him, it was dealing more damage than a Fireball, and he couldn¡¯t resist the damage either. ¡®Thankfully it didn¡¯t reduce any of-,¡¯ Adam¡¯s thought cut off when he stared within the box where the gem had lain. In the moment between him wincing in pain and thinking about the pain, the gem had disappeared. No, it hadn¡¯t quite disappeared, for where the gem once lay, something else had appeared. The Iyrmen nearby grew tense, but staring down at what was within the silver box they had made to keep the gem¡¯s magic from leaking, was something they hadn¡¯t expected. Adam met Elder Zijin¡¯s gaze, the pair¡¯s eyes filled with confusion. ¡°I¡¯m going to be honest, that was not what I expected.¡± What could it be? Next chapter is going to be crazy and not for the reasons you think. Y03 – 709. The Father Y03 ¨C 709. The Father Elder Zijin closed his little black book, before clasping his hands together, staring at where the half elf had been sitting. Only a short few moments ago, the pair had been discussing something which Adam wished to bring existence within the Iyr, and now... He had been promised the day off, but at the very least he didn¡¯t want to lose progress on the pulsing gem. It was something the Iyr wasn¡¯t entirely familiar with, and even as they tried to identify the gem, the magic was merely absorbed into the gem. ¡®Of course.¡¯ The Elder rubbed his forehead, thinking of the phrase which had entered the Iyr¡¯s lexicon. Jarot¡¯s laughter filled the shared estate. The Iyrmen were glad they had taken the youngest babies away, though the laughter had alarmed Murot and the others, causing them to cry. Even so, the old one armed Iyrman was unable to stop his laughter, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Adam stood there awkwardly, holding the back of the baby¡¯s head. ¡°Can¡¯t you hear the babies crying? If you¡¯re going to laugh, at least muffle your laughter.¡± Jarot tried to respond, but he was unable to do so through his laughter. Jurot lifted little Jarot up, holding the boy to his chest, allowing his grandfather to cover his mouth, tears still burning with his eyes. His laughter caused Jirot to laugh, and soon Adam¡¯s children all began to add to the symphony of laughter which filled the estate. Inakan joined in the laughter, having barely heard it erupt nearby, but even Gurot, who had been crying within his mother¡¯s bosom, began to laugh and squeal. ¡°I get what this looks like, but this time...¡± Adam caught Jaygak staring at him, giving him that look. It was the look that dared him to finish his statement, but Adam couldn¡¯t, having realised it wasn¡¯t honest midway through. ¡°Actually, no, even this time it is my fault.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Jurot blinked as Adam sat down with the baby, still supporting the back of the tiny one¡¯s head. ¡°So, apparently, that gem thing was... I don¡¯t know what it was, but yeah.¡± Adam could feel the warmth of the newborn baby¡¯s body against him. The baby looked like any half fae out there, except the babe¡¯s skin was deep red, like blood. ¡°A demon?¡± Sonarot asked. The devilkin from Aswadasad all had horns, but there were tales during the Demonic Devastation which stated some demons did not have horns. ¡°Just because he¡¯s that adorable, it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a demon,¡± Adam replied, causing Jarot to almost howl with laughter again. The half elf could feel all the gazes upon him, since this was exactly something which would have happened to him. Jurot thought about what Crowseer had said. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am the best brother.¡± ¡°How can you say that when Turot and Asorot are sitting right there?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Turot and Asorot play so well with one another and little Gurot.¡± ¡°I play well too,¡± Raygak added. ¡°I did not borrow Jaygak¡¯s peppers all year.¡± ¡°The year has only begun, Raygak,¡± Adam retorted. ¡°I read to Kavgak too.¡± ¡°Raygak¡¯s right, of course,¡± Adam stated. ¡°How can you say that when there are such great brothers all around us?¡± Jurot remained silent, blinking. Jaygak stifled a laugh, before noting the way Kitool stared at her, and the young Iyrman glanced aside. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you all to say you¡¯re joint first at being the best brother,¡± Adam finally relented, winking. ¡°Daddy,¡± Konarot called, walking up to her father. ¡°Is baby?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is your baby?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. ¡°Uh...¡± A pair of familiar faces arrived, a bald Iyrman who wore the same tattoo as some within the shared estate, and another Iyrman, a beautiful woman with deep red skin, with a purple tilted cross in the centre of her forehead and six hollowed hexes. She wore the attire of the shamans, dresses in her heavy cloak, dark green with a golden hem, and wore two amulets of Baktu. Lokat stared down at the child, before she muttered a prayer, and bowed her head. ¡°The babe is a demon.¡± Adam held the child against himself still, his eyes glancing between Lokat and Shaool. Shaool rubbed Konarot¡¯s head, while the girl glanced around in the sky, trying to find her bird friend. Shaool smiled tenderly towards the young girl, who pouted up at her, before eventually giving into her nano¡¯s affection. ¡°Adam,¡± Jarot finally called, having managed to stop his laughter. ¡°I forgive you.¡± ¡°You forgive me?¡± ¡°You have kept your word.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is he not my sixth greatson?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, flushing red hot. ¡°Uh...¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes remained glued to Adam¡¯s face, seeing the look of alarm on the half elf¡¯s face, and the sweat across the back of his neck. ¡°Jirot.¡± ¡°No!¡± She pointed up towards Jurot angrily. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Jaygak called, softly. ¡°Obviously you are Adam¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot sobbed, before Sonarot picked the girl up, holding her close. Jirot continued to wail and cry, even as she was rocked within the woman¡¯s arms, which had always soothed her. Jaygak sighed. ¡°Of course it¡¯s your daughter causing trouble.¡± Jaygak took little time gloating, instead making her way to the Gak section of the shared estate. Adam¡¯s heart continued to thunder deep within his chest. He held the boy closer to his chest. ¡®Of course you¡¯re my children, you little punk!¡¯ Adam winced, unable to shake the feeling that he was just saying it to convince himself. ¡®No! Of course you¡¯re my daughter! Jaygak¡¯s right! Only my daughter can make this trouble.¡¯ Even so, Adam couldn¡¯t find the strength to speak. Jaygak finally returned, holding up a mirror she had received when she was a girl. The amount of chaos she had caused with the mirror caused Jogak to sit up straighter and raise his brows at his daughter. ¡°Jirot, come.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cried into her grandmother¡¯s bosom. Jaygak sighed. ¡°You¡¯re looking at the picture wrong, Jirot.¡± ¡°No.¡± Jirot sniffled. Jaygak picked up Konarot, holding the girl to her chest. ¡°Is Konarot daddy¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot sniffled, turning back to look towards her eldest sister, then towards her father. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Right. You see?¡± Jaygak brushed Konarot¡¯s hair. ¡°Daddy does not have silver hair, but Konarot is still his daughter.¡± Jirot stared at the girl, narrowing her eyes at Konarot, before she nodded her head slowly. ¡°Siva¡¯air.¡± She sniffled once more, staring up towards her kako¡¯s beautiful red skin, distracted for a moment. ¡°Karot and Kirot, they¡¯re Konarot¡¯s sister and brother too, just like you.¡± ¡°I not.¡± Jirot slapped the air, pouting towards Jaygak. Jaygak sighed, throwing a look to Adam, who was still trying to understand what she was doing. ¡°How can you say he is not your father when you are both the same? Look.¡± Jaygak sat beside Adam, before bringing Konarot¡¯s head up to her father¡¯s. Konarot took the chance to kiss her father¡¯s cheek before she pressed her cheek against his. ¡°Konarot is definitely your daughter, Adam.¡± Jaygak pulled the girl¡¯s head away from Adam¡¯s for a moment. ¡°Do you see it?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Konarot has horns, daddy does not. Konarot has silver hair, daddy does not. But...¡± Jaygak rubbed Konarot¡¯s ear gently. ¡°Do you see it? Their ears are the same.¡± Jirot sniffled again, furrowing her brows, staring at their ears. ¡°Jirot, look.¡± Jaygak brought Konarot beside the little Jarot, who was gently bouncing on his babo¡¯s lap. Jaygak rubbed their ears gently. ¡°They have the same ears, just like daddy.¡± Sonarot took the mirror from Jaygak, holding it up to Jirot. ¡°Do you see? Your ears are the same, Jirot.¡± Jirot reached up to her ears, seeing her reflection doing the same. She rubbed them gently, and noted they were pointed, leaf shaped, like her father¡¯s. ¡°Eahs?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Who else but this leaf ear can be your father?¡± Adam asked, his eyes burning. ¡°You silly girl, how can you worry your father like this?¡± Jirot¡¯s lips quivered. ¡°Daddy!¡± She reached out for her father and began to wail. Jurot took the demon baby from his brother, allowing the father and daughter to embrace one another. Adam and Jirot hugged tight, the young man gently rocking from side to side. He could feel how light she still was. ¡°Jirot.¡± Adam grit his teeth for a moment, his entire body filling with relief. ¡°My Jirot! Of course you are my daughter!¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot held onto her father¡¯s neck tightly, still sobbing and sniffling. Her tears and snot covered her father¡¯s neck as they hugged tightly. Little Jarot sniffled too. ¡°Daddy?¡± the boy asked, staring up towards his father with his large eyes, his lips trembling. ¡°Yes, my Jarot?¡± Adam held out his arm, and stole his son away from his greatfather. Adam embraced his twins tight, gently rocking them against him, calming them, and himself, down. ¡®What nonsense is this?¡¯ the boy thought within the arms of the Iyrman, who stared down at him. ¡®Who do you think you are, you brat?¡¯ Jurot stared down at the demon baby. ¡°You, too, are his son.¡± ¡®Whose son am I?¡¯ The baby squinted towards Jurot, barely able to make the sights and sounds around him. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ Of course Jirot is the one to cause the most trouble.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com Y03 – 710. Family and Politics Y03 ¨C 710. Family and Politics Jirot sucked on her thumb as she lay her head against her father¡¯s chest, clutching his shirt tight with her tiny green hand. Her brother mirrored her on the other side, feeling his father¡¯s chest rise and fall with every breath. The pair had been so quiet during the evening, and even in the night. Other than some light complaining before they cuddled with their father they had been eerily silent. Adam let out a sigh, noting his twins shift upon hearing and feeling their father¡¯s sigh. ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Adam brushed their hair back as the children shifted once more to try to sleep. ¡®Six kids...¡¯ Meanwhile, the older Jarot held Karot within his arms. ¡°You must not cause trouble for your father.¡± He pat the boy¡¯s knee gently. ¡°Since it is you, I know you will not.¡± Konarot noted the accusatory glance her greatfather threw to her and she pouted. Jarot laughed, pulling her closer to him too. ¡°There is less of me to hold, but I will love you all the same!¡± Kirot pointed up at the old man, wagging her finger at him, before she returned back to his side to cuddle him, her tail swaying behind her. Konarot stood and sauntered her way to the corner, squatting down to find it, before bringing it back to her greatfather. It was an older story of the Iyr, a story which every family possessed, and typically several copies. Each copy of the story was almost the same, except certain sections where more or less developed depending on the family involved. ¡°Babo?¡± Konarot asked, holding the book up. It was an older book, a book which had been read at least a hundred times throughout the years. ¡°You wish to hear the tale?¡± Jarot asked, before reaching up for the book with his one hand, flicking through its pages. As he did, he creased a page, before noting the crease on the next page. He smiled, recalling the memory of his father creasing the page, before handing the book to him when he was a boy. ¡°You must hold the book so I can read it well,¡± Jarot said, recalling the words his father had said. Konarot sat on her greatfather¡¯s lap, her tail falling between their legs, the same as Karot¡¯s. She held the book up for her greatfather to read, glancing aside to see Kirot¡¯s eyes were closed while her tail swayed behind her. Karot also leaned back against his greatfather¡¯s chest with his eyes closed, waiting to hear the tale, not for the first time. Gangak received word at the extended family Gak estate of the trouble in the shared family estate. ¡°If it was not Adam¡¯s family, I would worry.¡± She held out the book to her husband, the current Family Elder, before she stood, stretching out her back. ¡®How can my greatniece worry me like this?¡¯ ¡°Where are you going?¡± Rogak asked, his thumb pressed against the line he needed to start at. ¡°I miss my grandnephew,¡± she replied, before crossing her arms behind her back as she made her way towards the collection of shared estates. The extended family estates were each built similarly to the shared family estates. Each building three floors tall, a large square when seen from above, with a smaller square in the centre which had been cut out for the courtyard. The extended family estates were different in their format, rather than being built around the Elder¡¯s estate, the main family estate was the primary focused, with other estates flowing out of it in different designs, though each approved by Elder Forest. ¡°What do I owe the pleasure?¡± Elder Zijin asked, sitting at his desk within his estate, a candle illuminating the books before him. ¡°I have heard you have caused trouble,¡± Gangak said. ¡°I have caused trouble?¡± the Iyrman asked, certain she was here about what had occurred earlier in the day. ¡°You have kept my grandnephew away from his family for so long.¡± ¡°...¡± Zijin tried to pick up the pieces together. ¡°Must you speak like an Aldishman?¡± Gangak inhaled deeply. She supposed her joke had gone far enough. ¡°Churot should spend more time with his family. He has been working so much, his nieces and nephews will forget him.¡± ¡°He is working hard for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Since when was the Iyr so shameless?¡± ¡°...¡± Zijin reached up to his chin, rubbing it gently. ¡®I see.¡¯ ¡°I will inform the Great Elders.¡± Gangak had come with the intention to threaten the Elder with Rogak and Mulrot, but since he had given in, she let the matter end. ¡°I will stay with my niece so I may see my grandnephew in the morning.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, Jirot, who had almost fallen asleep, forced herself up, staring at her father as her hair fell across her face. ¡°Daddy.¡± Jaygak¡¯s eyes went from Churot to Gangak, before she realised how simply the situation could have been resolved. ¡®I worked so hard to prove it too...¡¯ During lunch, Elder Forest and Elder Gold met together to discuss matters. The pair brought their books, each which had been completed by the same boy. ¡°Have you noticed it too?¡± Elder Forest asked. ¡°I have,¡± Elder Gold replied, sipping her tea. ¡°My aides are no longer as relaxed during work.¡± ¡°I should have refused.¡± ¡°How can we refuse?¡± Elder Gold thought about who had asked for the boy to return. The previous Family Elder of the Gak family, who had gained the title due to the death of her brother, during the time when Churot had been killed. Elder Forest sighed, crossing her arms as she leaned back into her chair. Churot had certainly been a boon for the Iyr, especially the pair who dealt with the logistics of the Iyr. ¡°I hope he does not take the girl¡¯s words to heart.¡± Elder Gold¡¯s eyes met Elder Forest¡¯s and she bowed her head. Even if his family was in an awkward position considering their status with the Rot family, they should never question their connection to their father. It was not the way of the Iyr. ¡°It is a surprise since he spoils his children so dearly.¡± ¡°How can she not be his daughter when he adores her so much?¡± Elder Forest joked. She hadn¡¯t believed Adam¡¯s behaviour with his children, but as she grew to know more about the half elf, she realised he was just a foolish father, just like his grandfather. Especially considering how Adam treated Asorot, who had been adopted into the Rot family as one of their own. As far as she knew, Adam had no idea the boy was a direct descendant of one of the Great Elders. Adam had chosen against working that day in order to play with his children. His eyes fell to Jirot and Jarot, who were settled beside their greatfather and their grandaunt. His triplets remained near their grandmother, though mostly lazed around under the dawnval sun. ¡®Six kids...¡¯ Gangak held Adam¡¯s youngest son within her arms while relaxing in the corner. The boy snoozed lightly, and had yet to make many sounds, save for a few coughing and mewing noises for when he was hungry or when he needed to be changed. ¡®Will you cause trouble when you grow too?¡¯ Her eyes then fell to the nearby Elder, who had arrived with his aides. ¡°May I take the boy?¡± Elder Zijin asked, noting how relaxed the little boy was within Gangak¡¯s arms. ¡°Where will you take him?¡± Gangak asked. ¡°I will bring him to the shamans.¡± ¡°You may bring a shaman here.¡± ¡°...¡± Elder Zijin smiled politely. ¡°It must be done.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Gangak called, before handing the boy to his father. ¡°You should remain with your son while he is still a newborn.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam glanced between the pair, wondering what they were up to. ¡°How can they take my greatson away from me so soon?¡± Jarot asked, his eyes also glued to Elder Zijin. ¡°Return with him quickly.¡± ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Adam thought, glancing between them all, noting the tension in the air from all the older Iyrmen and the Elder. ¡°Come, Adam.¡± Adam strapped the boy within his chest with the leather contraption, and though he didn¡¯t need to, he placed his hand against the back of the boy¡¯s head, which was already supported by the leather. ¡°Right...¡± ¡®...¡¯ ZIjin refrained from frowning as he felt two pairs of piercing eyes burning against his back. ¡®Did I not also protect his children?¡¯ Y03 – 711. Young Business Y03 ¨C 711. Young Business Adam was in no position to refuse as he handed his son away to the shamans. He wasn¡¯t sure what this was all about, considering they hadn¡¯t done this to the goblins when they had been born. ¡®Ah, well, they did take the kids away after we brought them here...¡¯ ¡°He will be safe and unharmed,¡± Zijin assured, before leading him to a cabin to one side, and offered the young half elf some tea. ¡°We wish to confirm his health and other matters. We must make sure he is able to grow well.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam thought there was more to it but was in no mood to joke about it. He thought back to how Jarot and Gangak had basically threatened the Elder. ¡®Are they even allowed to do that?¡¯ ¡°We hope for Elder Story and Elder Peace to return soon,¡± Zijin said, noting Adam¡¯s thoughts on his face. ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I probably should head out to finish some business.¡± Zijin nodded, sipping his tea. ¡°We shall begin work on the fort soon after they return.¡± ¡°The fort...¡± Adam had almost forgotten about the matter. ¡®Nice.¡¯ ¡°So, what¡¯ll be the deal with the fort?¡± ¡°You will pay one hundred gold monthly for the land, and we will...¡± Elder Zijin paused, realising who else would be listening to the conversation. ¡°Let us speak of it once the boy has been checked.¡± ¡°Sure...¡± ¡°Have you thought of a name for the little one?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t yet.¡± Adam sipped the tea, barely able to taste it. ¡®They¡¯ll also have the name Rot, right?¡¯ ¡°I heard Jirot bullied you yesterday.¡± ¡°She always bullies me, but that was much harder on my heart...¡± ¡°When children are upset, they do not mean their words,¡± Zijin assured. ¡°Even my own daughter refused to acknowledge me when she was angry.¡± ¡°Even though it hurts, I forgive her, because she¡¯s so cute,¡± Adam stated, making the face he always made when he thought of his children. ¡°How can she say that, though? Is it because I haven¡¯t given her enough gems? Magical weapons?¡± Zijin sighed once more, unsure if he was able to stop Adam from speaking about something so stupid. He allowed Adam to rant and rave, though the young half elf found every way to gush over his children. The shamans returned with the boy, who squinted at them annoyed, before they handed an envelope to the Elder, while two shamans stepped away. ¡°He will grow up well,¡± Lokat stated, before allowing Adam to pick up the boy. ¡°Yeah. Thank you, as always.¡± Adam bowed his head, before he carried his son away, following Elder Zijin. ¡®Three envelopes?¡¯ Elder Zijin thought. ¡®If Elder Shaman and the Chief need to be informed...¡¯ Adam followed the Elder back to his estate, taking a seat opposite him. He glanced down towards the baby, noting how sour his face was, though he was half asleep from what Adam could gather. ¡°We will rent the land to you for one hundred gold each month, while the enchanters may remain within the Front Iyr.¡± ¡°In the Front Iyr?¡± ¡°They will remain safe within the walls of the Iyr, so they may enchant in peace.¡± ¡°Speaking of enchanters...¡± ¡°The girl is safe.¡± ¡°Kiara,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°She is safe within the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she is, for now.¡± ¡°She must familiarise herself within the Iyr.¡± ¡°The poor girl must be scared. I dragged her through a pool and she was choked out almost immediately by the most terrifying people across this entire land.¡± ¡°Your compliment is noted, but there are some who are more terrifying than us, even across this land.¡± ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Lord Stokmar.¡± ¡°Okay, fair, but if you can be talked about in the same breath as Lord Stokmar, then it still counts.¡± Elder Zijin¡¯s lips formed the most satisfied smile and he bowed his head. ¡°It would be best for the enchanters to remain within the Front Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like for them to stay in the fort so they can live among their families.¡± ¡°That would be difficult.¡± ¡®Right, they probably won¡¯t have shrines out in the fort.¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡°I would have liked to have spent time with my children. I guess I¡¯ll find a shrine I can put into the fort, somehow.¡± ¡®Jurot mentioned something about asking the Iyrmen to keep an eye out before. Wouldn¡¯t they just hand it to the Iyr?¡¯ ¡°You may rent shrines from the Iyr.¡± ¡°Oh? I can do that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How much would that cost?¡± ¡°You will need to discuss the matter with Elder Gold.¡± ¡°Not Elder Forest?¡± ¡°He will assist in teaching my children.¡± Elder Gold fell silent for a short while, before bowing her head gently. ¡°You will create only Basic weapons?¡± ¡°For now.¡± ¡°The Chief had mentioned you had other ideas, something about the terrors of capitalism.¡± ¡°Planned obsolescence, subscriptions, yeah.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Essentially, Basic Enhanced weapons with charges. Ten, twenty, fifty charges, and then, once those charges run out, they become just Basic weapons. Then there¡¯s subscriptions, where someone will pay monthly for the weapon for the magic to be activated, and if they stop paying for it, they no longer have the magic, and there¡¯s a little more than that, but that¡¯s the gist of it.¡± ¡°You are able to do such a thing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but if I put my mind to it, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to.¡± ¡®...¡¯ ¡°I had a few ideas about the marketing, what with nobles wanting to spend more money for the sake of spending more money, but I¡¯ll need to figure out trade routes for various different materials, but that¡¯ll come in the future.¡± ¡°When you awaken the enchanters, will they be able to create all your enchantments, including in the manner you do so, several at once, without active effort?¡± ¡°I can pick and choose that sort of thing separately, and each of those things takes a lot out of me. I¡¯m happy to allow them to create Basic weapons passively, one at a time, if the Iyr prefers it.¡± ¡°We would prefer such.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯ll be how it¡¯ll be, whatever lets me sleep peacefully at night, without worrying about the Iyr wanting to kill me.¡± Adam flashed a knowing smiled towards the Great Elder, who no doubt wanted him dead. ¡°I just want to be more useful to the Iyr, that¡¯s all.¡± Elder Gold chose to ignore his statement, placing the gem onto the table. ¡°We have taken into consideration your achievements for the Iyr. You may own this gem for the business and use it how you see fit.¡± ¡®Yeah, I would hope so,¡¯ Adam thought, recalling what he had to sacrifice to keep Kiara alive. ¡°Thank you, Elder Gold.¡± ¡°You may expend your magic within it and it will grow over time, granting you plentiful supply of material to create your weapons.¡± ¡°Not armour?¡± ¡°It would be difficult to form into armour, but it can be done,¡± Elder Gold admitted. ¡°You will need some ability with jewellery.¡± ¡®Should I ask Jaygak?¡¯ Adam thought, taking the gem from the Great Elder. ¡°I appreciate the advice.¡± Elder Gold had calculated the number of magical weapons Adam could make within a single year. It was a feat which could match the likes of Prince Morkarai, who could create Basic weapons within a single day. Adam could do the same, though in a more awkward manner since he could enchant multiple at a time, but over the course of several days. With such an ability, the business would have funds until the rest of Adam¡¯s days, even if they allowed him to live until a natural death. ¡°Though, I guess if I really wanted to make money, I should sell ammunition rather than weapons. Magical ammunition which will lose its potency once used. It¡¯ll ensure infinite business, but I¡¯ll see about that.¡± Adam flashed another innocent smile towards the Great Elder. ¡°Can you create magical weapons with charges which lose all their magic once their last charge is expended?¡± ¡°I think so?¡± ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡°Yeah, I think I can.¡± ¡°Just my curiosity.¡± ¡°You know what they say about curiosity?¡± Adam joked. ¡°What do they say?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dumb, even for me.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anyway, I won¡¯t really understand the gold cost of the business until it¡¯s up and running. If you don¡¯t want us making too much money, I¡¯m sure you can speak with Aunt, since she¡¯s the President.¡± ¡°We will speak with her when it is required.¡± ¡°Oh, and once the fort is formed, can the people farm around it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to starve to death.¡± ¡°They may do so as long as they do not exceed the small river.¡± ¡°Are the borders clearly defined?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright. We shouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about.¡± ¡®I still need to figure out the price for other food stuffs, since I want them to be taken care of pretty well.¡¯ ¡°One more thing, will you also make a temple?¡± ¡°It is within the plans.¡± ¡°One big temple for all the major gods?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fair. I guess it would be awkward having too many temples.¡± Adam reached up for his amulet, rubbing it gently. ¡®Don¡¯t be too jealous, Baktu.¡¯ ¡°Oh, actually, can I ask for a small favour?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I would like some really nice ore to make a really nice pair of weapons.¡± Adam smiled. I think Jirot needs to bully Adam some more. He''s really out here working when he should be cuddling them. Y03 – 712. Magic and Prayers Y03 ¨C 712. Magic and Prayers Omen: 14, 20 ¡®Damn! How many am I going to roll this month?¡¯ Adam sighed, staring at the numbers. ¡®Should I pick a fight with someone?¡¯ He turned his head, finding Kirot¡¯s face twitching slightly as she slept. ¡®No, not yet.¡¯ ¡°He is not training this morning?¡± Jurot asked, glancing down towards the six children, all without their father. There was something wrong with the scene. ¡°Adam is praying,¡± Sonarot informed. Jaygak and Kitool exchanged a look, the pair thinking the same thing. It was that, that which had slipped into the Iyr¡¯s lexicon. Jaygak trained lightly, watching over Raygak and Taygak as they trained with her. Kitool did the same for Katool, teaching the girl various stretches, gently assisting her little sister. Jurot noted the expectant eyes of his cousins before he allowed them to join in his run. Turot and Asorot ran along with their older cousin, the pair carrying small sacks filled with earth, while Jurot held a larger sack, and a pack full of bricks. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam groaned, stretching his body, before his children surrounded him. They completed their morning routine together, bathing and changing, before they returned together for breakfast. ¡°Sister!¡± Katool raised up a small copper ring upon a chain, not unlike the gift Adam had given her for her birthday earlier in the month. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kitool replied, clasping the girl¡¯s hand in her own, before pulling the young Iyrman with the bob cut onto her lap. ¡°Sister,¡± Raygak called, before revealing the small gem in his hand. It was the size of a pinky nail and was as black as death. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not too old to bully you,¡± Jaygak replied, pulling him onto her lap too, embracing him tight. ¡°Thank you.¡± The children continued to give their gifts, Taygak having made cups for them with their family¡¯s designs painted across them. Jaygak and Kitool both stared towards the half elf expectantly. Adam blinked, flashing an innocent smile. Mirot threw her sister a look, causing Sonarot to smile politely in return. ¡°It¡¯s nothing too crazy,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I created you both weapons.¡± ¡°I already have Great Moon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a magical weapon, but it¡¯s still pretty nice. They¡¯re gifts from my children and I, partly because I forgot to tell them to bring you something. The gifts are from them, and them being mundane is my gift to my aunts and uncles.¡± Adam had managed to technically gift the children magical items, gifting them a token which they could use to procure a magical item from the business with their sibling¡¯s support. ¡®They¡¯re really just mundane weapons?¡¯ Jaygak thought, holding the blade in her hand. Her eyes still glared towards Adam suspiciously, but he didn¡¯t shirk or break. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be happier? My children handed the weapons to you, so you should be happy. Jirot, do you see?¡± Jirot pouted towards her aunt, crossing her arms before she turned her body away from Jaygak. Jaygak let out a soft sigh before she lifted the girl up and held her close. She rocked with her gently from side to side.Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Thank you,¡± Kitool said, bowing her head to the children, ruffling their hair. ¡®Stormwood and stormsteel?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®Nice.¡¯ ¡°Hey, now that I think about it, where are our other cousins?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Dunes and the others either.¡± ¡°They are dealing with the undead,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Ah. Makes sense.¡± Adam paused. ¡°Hold on, they¡¯re having Nirot and the others fight the undead?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they too young to be doing that sort of thing?¡± Adam asked, sitting up straighter. ¡®Didn¡¯t they just turn eighteen?¡¯ ¡°We fought the undead at their age, but we were not Experts.¡± Jurot lifted up his spoon before he saw Gurot staring up at him from the corner of his eyes. ¡°...¡± ¡°They¡¯re Experts?¡± Adam furrowed his brows, blinking rapidly. ¡°How did that happen?¡± It was only when he could feel Jaygak¡¯s questioning gaze that the young half elf tried to recall the events which had occurred last year in this world, which was two years ago to him. ¡°Look, it¡¯s been a long month.¡± Jaygak and Kitool spent the day at the estate and Adam allowed them to read to the children and play with them. Adam sat down and dealt with the estimations of his business, his eyes glued to the numbers within his book. He heard some clattering nearby, and as he glanced to the side, he saw Inakan sitting nearby playing with her blocks which were full of colour. She piled the blocks high and sat opposite them, just looking at them. She smiled with satisfaction. ¡®...¡¯ Adam reached up towards the top of his business plan where he wrote a word and underlined it several times. ¡®If I can¡¯t do at least that much, why am I even making a business?¡¯ Eventually, Adam decided to take his children to the extended family estate, settling himself in the corner as he held his youngest son against him. The other Rot family members approached Adam, coming to see the new child. Adam glanced around, noting the lack of two of the older Iyrmen, but he remained silent. ¡°Jarot spoke of your youngest,¡± Mulrot, the Family Elder of the Rot family, and Jarot¡¯s wife, said. She sat beside Adam, her eyes glued to the young boy. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I have heard his birth was special.¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam replied awkwardly. He tried to keep his mind off of what she had said previously. The woman reached with a wrinkled hand to rub the boy¡¯s head gently, brushing along his cheek. Sonarot had already informed her of a certain matter, something which caused the boy¡¯s existence to be so complicated. ¡°Have you thought of a name for him?¡± ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s partly why I¡¯m here. I was hoping to figure out a good name for him.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice.¡± Adam waited for Sonarot to continue. ¡®Oh, is that all? I expected him to have done something crazy stupid.¡¯ ¡°Ah,¡± Jurot gasped, realising who she was talking about. ¡°He did not use an axe.¡± Sonarot nodded. ¡®...¡¯ Adam spent the next few days enchanting, enchanting two sets of weapons, before he took the day off to play with his children. He took them out to the park and played with them, taking Turot, Asorot, and Gurot too. ¡°I refuse,¡± Adam said, keeping Gurot pinned to him. ¡°He is my brother, cousin Adam,¡± Turot replied, pouting towards Adam. ¡°I should carry Gurot because I am stronger,¡± Adam stated. ¡°You...¡± Turot paused, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You are right.¡± The young boy relented, leading them back to the shared estate. ¡°...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about Turot giving up so easily to him, but he held Gurot close to him. ¡°Asorot, do you see how wise Turot is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Turot let out a huff, but smirked slightly, standing a little taller as he led the way back. Adam returned back to work the next day, but as he approached the enchanting shrine, he heard the shouts from behind him, causing him to spin on his heel. ¡°Daddy! Is daddy!¡± Jirot pointed towards him, leading her grandmother forward. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, reaching for Jirot, before seeing how dour little Jarot looked. ¡°Oh, my baby boy, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°He is sad because you did not kiss his forehead before you left for work,¡± Sonarot informed. ¡°Ah! How was I meant to do that when you were out with nana?¡± Adam asked, kissing his son¡¯s face all over. ¡®He¡¯s awfully close to Mirot...¡¯ The boy wrapped his arms around his father¡¯s neck tight, hugging him tight, not allowing his father to leave him. ¡°How can you be so cute? Of course it¡¯s because you¡¯re my son.¡± Adam continued to kiss his children¡¯s foreheads, cuddling them close to his chest, which felt so close to bursting from joy. ¡®How can you be so cute? Of course it¡¯s because you¡¯re my children!¡¯ Sonarot smiled, exchanging a glance with Fawyx, who remained professionally silent. ¡°Daddy is sorry,¡± Adam said, kissing Jarot¡¯s cheek. ¡°I guess I won¡¯t work today...¡± He raised his brows towards Fawyx, who nodded in response. ¡°Jarot is so different to father,¡± Sonarot said, still smiling. ¡°That¡¯s right, my baby Jarot is so much cuter,¡± Adam said, peppering him with kisses, before doing the same to his daughter. Jarot sucked his thumb and held onto his father¡¯s shirt tight. ¡®My kid is too cute!¡¯ ¡°I bet Jurot was this cute when he was a boy too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied, thinking back to her darling boy when he was such a shy, quiet one. ¡°Unkoh Juwoh is boy?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°A long time ago, yes,¡± Sonarot confirmed. Jarot and Jirot both snapped their heads towards their grandmother, their eyes wide in shock. Upon their return, they gathered the other children to inform them of what they had learned. ¡°I was a boy,¡± Jurot confirmed when he returned in the late afternoon. The children gasped, though the younger babies were unsure of what they were talking about, instead focusing on their food. Gurot was too focused on the porridge Jurot was feeding him to notice their topic of discussion. Jirot stared at the wall in the corner, her arms crossed behind her back. Her face was contorted in deep contemplation. ¡°First, you are small. Then, you are big?¡± Her voice was barely a whisper as she contemplated on such dark secrets. ¡®Why is my kid so smart?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No wonder she¡¯s always bullying me.¡¯ ¡°She¡¯s too smart to be your daughter,¡± Jaygak whispered. ¡°She is cursed like her father,¡± Adam replied. ¡°As smart as she is cute, whereas I¡¯m as chaotic as I am handsome.¡± Jaygak only replied with a nod. First, you are small. Then, you are big. Y03 – 713. Prayers and Magic Y03 ¨C 713. Prayers and Magic Vonda pulled up her scarf as she hid her smile, stifling her laughter from Adam¡¯s tale. ¡°I saw how wise your daughter was, but it seems she is more intelligent than I realised.¡± ¡°What am I to do, Vonda?¡± Adam replied, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°She will cause you such great trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one thing for a son to be smart, but daughters? That¡¯s completely different. It¡¯s so much... scarier, you know? There¡¯s a reason why everyone was afraid civilisation was going to be destroyed when women were finally able to be free.¡± Vonda furrowed her brows, though noting the way Adam struggled to keep in his laughter, understood it was probably the funniest joke he had said thus far. She began to piece Adam¡¯s story together whenever he slipped up and made his jokes, though he still kept much of his background a secret. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Konarot and Kirot haven¡¯t acted up, otherwise I¡¯d be in serious trouble.¡± Adam sipped his tea, feeling the warmth against his tongue. ¡°Raising children alone sure is tough.¡± Vonda remained silent. ¡®Shall I...¡¯ She pulled her scarf up further, her burnt jaw and neck long covered by the scarf, but this time she hid her flush. She shifted slightly, turning to face the children, who were napping in the corner. ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯m not alone.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the scene, his various aunts and uncles cooking and watching over the children. It was the Rot family¡¯s turn to cook that week, so bread was baked and boar was boiled. ¡°I¡¯ve got my family, and my friends, helping me out.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes smiled towards the half elf. ¡®Though, I really should find someone else to help raise them. They¡¯ll grow up well with everyone, but...¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡®A child should have two parents still, even if they¡¯re being raised by their extended family.¡¯ In another corner, Dunes drank with Jurot and the others, informing them of the tale against the undead threat. ¡°That boy you trained is so terrifying.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot stated, nodding his head. ¡°He has learnt our way well.¡± ¡°You should keep your wits about you, otherwise he might be able to defeat you.¡± ¡°Without Phantom I would struggle against him.¡± ¡°You would?¡± Dunes asked, Jurot nodding to confirm. ¡®I¡¯m surrounded by monsters.¡¯ He caught Jaygak¡¯s eye, and the pair sighed together, before raising their cups of wine. Dunes eventually caught the sight of Adam and Vonda. It was a good enough excuse not to speak with him, but if he didn¡¯t, Amira would certainly tease him for it. Sir Vonda noted the appearance of the Aswadian, and upon seeing the look in his eyes, she excused herself, allowing the pair a moment alone. Dunes sat across from Adam, where Sir Vonda had been sitting, and he bowed his head towards Adam. ¡°Dunes, Dunes, Dunes,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°Heard you went to have some fun without me.¡± ¡°Was I the only one?¡± Dunes replied, his green eyes accusatory, but he let the matter go almost immediately. ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about anything, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a secret of the Iyr.¡± ¡°You have no idea.¡± Adam poured the dark skinned man some tea, before he leaned back into his seat. ¡°Did you hear about what happened?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jirot bullied me.¡± ¡°I heard,¡± Dunes confirmed. ¡°Jaygak couldn¡¯t stop laughing when she spoke of it.¡± ¡°I was wondering why she was laughing so hard...¡± Adam glared towards the Iyrman for a moment. ¡®Should I beat her up?¡¯ Dunes waited awkwardly. Speaking of Jirot, the goblin girl who he had tried to kill, had caused his heart to sink. ¡®How shameless can I be?¡¯ ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I wish to marry.¡± Adam coughed against the cup, an instant away from sipping the smooth liquid. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I intend to court Amira for the year and propose near its end with a scarf. I will need to leave to South Port or East Port, for there may be a scarf there that should be satisfactory. The symbols I intend to use are typical, so there will be someone selling a scarf with such symbols.¡± ¡°Symbols?¡± Adam asked, unsure what this scarf business was about. ¡°A large family, one which worships Lady Arya, and a life of fortune. They¡¯re common for those from Aswadasad and Black Mountain, so there will be someone selling such a scarf.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Adam flashed a smile, before raising his cup. ¡°Here¡¯s to you, my friend.¡± Dunes raised his cup, before he sipped it slowly, but he could not taste its sweetness. ¡°I have a favour to ask of you.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I could.¡± ¡°What of those who are not Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Brittany.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Adam replied, almost wincing at the thought. ¡°Brittany is a great gal and all, but she¡¯s like... I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s more like a younger sibling or something, you know?¡± ¡°What of Sir Vonda?¡± ¡°Vonda? I¡¯m not good enough for someone like the grand Sir Vonda, whose both a noble and someone who is from the most prestigious order across all the lands. No offence.¡± Dunes bowed his head, relenting to the greatness of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡°She plans on giving up her noble title this year.¡± ¡°She does?¡± ¡°She did not tell you?¡± ¡°She probably didn¡¯t have enough time because I was gushing over my children.¡± ¡°Understandable.¡± ¡°I suppose if she¡¯s giving up her nobility, I should probably think about it. How could I live with myself if my children¡¯s mother was a noble? After how much I say I didn¡¯t like them?¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡®I mean, I was a duke, but that doesn¡¯t count because I¡¯m no longer a duke.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ll joke even now about such a matter?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll find someone, I¡¯m sure. Vonda, Sir Vonda, probably isn¡¯t interested in the likes of me. I mean, look at me. I¡¯m handsome, sure. I have the most adorable children, undoubtedly. I still hide behind my humour, and I¡¯m probably the most cringe person in the world.¡± ¡°I have known some who are cringer than you.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s cringier, actually? Did you see how cringe that was? I corrected you on the pronunciation, isn¡¯t that more cringe?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m useless, Dunes.¡± ¡°If you are useless, then what am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a handsome fellow from the Order of Black Mountain, an Expert with magic, and a follower of Lady Arya. If Amira doesn¡¯t marry you, I might.¡± ¡°I thought you were not into men?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, it¡¯s a compliment. I¡¯m suggesting that you are so amazing, I might be gay for you, even though I am not into men.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Dunes replied, recalling how the Iyrmen would speak of strength. ¡®Perhaps he really is an Iyrman?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll find someone who¡¯ll accept my children one day, and then I¡¯ll go from there. I¡¯m a lucky guy, so it shouldn¡¯t take too long.¡± Dunes remained silent about the matter, his eyes quickly glancing towards Sir Vonda apologetically, unable to defeat Adam¡¯s denseness. ¡°Thank you again for assisting me with the blade, Adam.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± ¡°I will repay the debt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that our relationship was transactional?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°You¡¯ve already agreed to joining the business, so I¡¯ve got to look after you,¡± Adam replied, waving his hand dismissively again. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re a nobody. You¡¯re my friend, Dunes, which means more to me than you knowing great spells, or that you¡¯re from a prestigious order with the oldest temple to the Goddess of War, so on and so on.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°Anyway, if you do want me to awaken your enchanting ability, let me know,¡± Adam said, sipping his tea. ¡°I recently gained the ability to enchant three weapons passively at a time.¡± Dunes blinked. ¡®Excuse me?¡¯ Excuse me? Happy New Years everyone! Y03 – 714. Gifts Y03 ¨C 714. Gifts Omen: 1, 8 ¡®It¡¯s not like I was going to enchant today anyway,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I¡¯ll need some nice rolls for Amira¡¯s magical weapon, but I can do that later.¡¯ Once they were done with their morning routine, Adam sat, with Lanarot on his lap, embracing her tight. The girl smiled, resting her head against her brother¡¯s chest. ¡°Adam, even if it¡¯s this day, you can¡¯t do something ridiculous,¡± Jaygak stated, glaring at him. The other adult Iyrmen slowly bowed their heads, though supporting Jaygak was so awkward considering how much of a mess she used to cause. ¡°I am still her brother, Jaygak,¡± Adam replied, returning the glare. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to be cringe on three days. The first of the first. The first of the second. The seventh of the ninth, as Baktu intended.¡± Adam could feel the intense gazes from the adults, who then looked to Sonarot for support. ¡°How dare you all focus on me today when it¡¯s my sister¡¯s birthday?¡± Adam asked, lifting the girl up to pepper her face with kisses. The girl was adorned in a light blue outfit, her family¡¯s symbol embroidered against her head. Her forehead had been dabbed with blue, the vague shapes of her family¡¯s symbol. Adam¡¯s children also wore similar outfits, and their foreheads were dabbed in the same way, save for Larot. Once the children passed along their gifts, each giving tiny ribbons, bits of smooth metal, or parts of various creatures their relatives had slain years past, it was time for the adults to give their gifts. Vonda handed Lanarot a small scarf she had purchased the previous year, while Dunes passed along a shield he had bought, since the family weapons of the Rot family were an axe and shield. Jurot picked up the girl and swallowed her within his arms, the girl melting against his great hugging abilities. ¡®Still a hundred thousand XP?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°I have brought you an axe,¡± Jurot said, revealing the axe he had brought for her. It was a simple looking axe, but it had been an axe which their father had gifted to him when he was still a boy. ¡®...¡¯ Adam blinked. He had a joke prepared when he was going to gift her an axe, stating he was her shield once they complained about how many axes he had gifted her. ¡®What else am I meant to do now?¡¯ Adam held the girl in his arms and thought deeply. The others knew he hadn¡¯t forgotten, supposing his gift had been an axe or shield. ¡°Lanababy, you tell papa what you want, and he¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°I want...¡± Lanarot thought for a moment. ¡°I want to mawwy papa.¡± Jaygak almost snorted as she covered her mouth, while the other Iyrmen smiled, a wave of light chuckles filling the air. ¡°You want to marry me?¡± The girl nodded, smiling up towards her brother, cuddling up to his chest. ¡°Lanarot...¡± Sonarot stopped upon seeing Adam¡¯s raised hand, the young half elf frozen in place as he thought deeply. Adam inhaled deeply, feeling her warmth against him, smelling the scent of bread which clung to the girl. ¡°Lanababy. If I get married to you, I will no longer be your papa.¡± The girl jerked, her eyes wide as she stared up at her elder brother in shock. ¡°No!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± Adam said, his tone more serious than it had ever been. ¡°No more papa.¡± Lanarot gasped, before she looked towards her mother, the shock having invaded her face, before it contorted as she made to cry. Adam held her closer to his chest and rocked her, feeling her shaking, sobbing body. ¡°Smelly girl. Do you want me to be your papa?¡± As they entered the extended family estate, the young Iyrmen swarmed the approaching group. Adam smiled, placing his children down, allowing them to run towards their babo and nano. After greeting the extended Rot family, Adam settled down near Jarot and Mulrot, who doted after his children so tenderly. ¡°Where¡¯s Churot?¡± ¡°They are working him so hard,¡± Jarot replied, making the face he made when he thought about troubling the Great Elders. ¡°Speaking of missing members, I haven¡¯t seen granduncle or grandaunt about.¡± ¡°Brother has gone to train for the family. Sister is training the demons.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise grandaunt was that strong.¡± ¡°With Sarot gone, and the passing of our cousin, sister is second only to me,¡± Jarot replied. ¡®Damn! She was that strong?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Are you a Grandmaster?¡± ¡°No, but it is why Tarot trains. Zirot will not allow him to take the title without also earning the title.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°With this arm and leg of mine?¡± Jarot replied, hoisting up little Jarot to his chest. ¡°Even with this arm and leg of mine, I am still so strong I do not need to claim the title.¡± He chuckled as he rubbed his cheek against little Jarot¡¯s forehead. ¡®I wonder if I can beat him now,¡¯ Adam thought. The old man was not yet a Grandmaster, so roughly Level 11 or 12, whereas Grandmasters were each Level 13. When Adam was Level 4, the old man had beaten him, but he had gained the title of Expert, Level 5, soon after. Level 5 for Adam meant two things, Third Gate spells and an additional attack when he swung with his axe, though for most it was one or the other. With Wraith in hand, his second greatest creation, Adam was sure he could match the old man. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam eventually relented. ¡®If I had Phantom, maybe I could, but he didn¡¯t use a shield, and he didn¡¯t use a magical axe either.¡¯ Adam thought back to the weapon he had used. Dunes¡¯ Sword, which was still one of the best weapons he had created. Even with it, he couldn¡¯t defeat the old man, who had crushed him, even though the old man had long retired and only had the single arm. ¡°Babo, I can mawwy you?¡± Little Jarot asked. ¡°You must ask your nano, for she is my wife,¡± Jarot replied. ¡°If we marry, she cannot remain your nano, and I cannot remain your babo.¡± Little Jarot pouted, before hugging his greatfather tight, wrapping his arms around the old man¡¯s neck. ¡°No...¡± ¡®Are we actually related?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Of course we are, since he¡¯s my children¡¯s greafather.¡¯ ¡°Little Larot is growing well,¡± Mulrot said, gently brushing the boy¡¯s cheek with the back of her finger. ¡°Was he drawn within the portrait?¡± ¡°He was,¡± Sonarot replied, exchanging a look with the Family Elder. They were both in an awkward position, Mulrot for refusing Adam¡¯s children at first, and Sonarot for not informing Adam of the news. Mulrot smiled warmly as she continued to brush the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°You will grow well within the Iyr, as your family before you.¡± Sonarot wondered how she would inform Adam of the issue, but she decided to leave it until it was truly confirmed. She thought about how much trouble the boy was even as a babe who only slept, ate, and soiled himself. ¡®He is certainly Adam¡¯s son.¡¯ Larot as a baby causing as much trouble as Adam is so funny to me. Thank you so much for everyone for your support. I have been drafting the story while I was sleeping poorly so just know that I know where the story is going. I wonder if we''ll get to THAT this year, but who knows? Y03 – 715. Best Friends I Y03 ¨C 715. Best Friends I Once the group returned back to the shared estate, Adam spotted his companions. ¡®Good job, you punks.¡¯ ¡°Mister boss,¡± the young man called. He had short dark hair and a baby face, which was contrasted by the fact he was as wide as a bull, thick with muscle, and even towered over the likes of Adam. ¡°Nobby, my boy, how have you been?¡± Adam asked, patting the young man on his shoulders, feeling how sturdy they were. Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°Good,¡± the boy replied. He held up a necklace of beads. ¡°A gift.¡± Adam allowed the boy to leave before his eyes snapped to the figures handing his sister gifts. He watched as the young woman slipped aside, slinking towards the shadows, with the other half elf following her nearby, making to sit out of the way. ¡°Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam greeted the dark skinned fire giant, the fiery red beard shifting as the fire giant smiled. ¡°Adam,¡± Morkarai replied, shaking the young man¡¯s forearm with a large hand. ¡°Are you well?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t be anything but fine while I¡¯m in the Iyr.¡± Adam motioned his head to sit with the Prince in one corner. ¡°How are you doing, Lord Morkarai?¡± ¡°I am well. I cannot be anything but fine while I am in the Iyr.¡± Adam raised his brows, smiling slightly. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I was hoping to see you soon, I wanted to thank you for your gifts to my children.¡± The Prince bowed his head. ¡°It was my pleasure.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you upstaged me on my children¡¯s birthday. I only gave them a few rings and such. I wanted to give them more, but I was bullied into handing over just a few rings.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°It was my pleasure,¡± Morkarai repeated, his beard shifting, still hiding his smile. ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± Adam asked, glaring up at the fire giant. ¡°Do you wish to fight again?¡± Morkarai asked, sitting up taller. He wore the clothing of the Iyr, a top which wrapped over itself, requiring a sash at his waist. It held a large pocket on the inside, which flowed towards his side, able to keep a large number of items. Adam had seen an Iyrman keep a child within the pocket previously. The trousers of the Iyr were simple though well made. ¡°No, I¡¯m still afraid of you,¡± Adam replied, though he recalled his Omens. ¡®I could guarantee he¡¯d miss me once, but what am I going to do to him without Phantom?¡¯ ¡°I have heard you are working hard,¡± Morkarai said, his gaze knowing. Adam smirked in response. ¡°Something like that. What about you? Creating lots of Basic weapons and Rings of Protection?¡± ¡°I have,¡± the Prince confirmed. ¡°When do you plan on returning?¡± ¡°I may not return for some time,¡± Morkarai admitted. ¡°I wish to remain within the Iyr for a while longer. I pray the Iyr will continue to stand for another thousand years, and if I must remain here for a few more years to fill its coffers full of magical items, I will do so.¡± ¡°What do you get out of the Iyr for helping it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Wealth, the support of the Iyr, the stability of the nearby regions, and pride,¡± Morkarai replied. ¡°If Voodur is threatened, the Iyr will send their support.¡± ¡°Have you ever called for the Iyr¡¯s assistance?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°There was a situation which required immediate attention, pirates who had begun to grow active on the nearby islands, and though the Confederacy asked for our support, we giants are too slow with our politics. If the situation was closer to home, perhaps we would have moved quickly, but it was far enough away that we spent months discussing the matter. My father, in his great wisdom, called for the Iyr¡¯s assistance the moment the issue arose to placate the Confederacy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam recalled how an empire had currently struck the east of the Confederacy, and apparently the Confederacy had yet to rally together against the threat, leaving the various ejirates to fend for themselves. ¡°The Confederacy, what was it called again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s full name? The Confederacy of the Seventeen United Free Ejirates of the People of Many Bloods and One Tribe.¡± ¡°That was it,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head. He had forgotten how many ejirates formed up the confederacy. ¡°I hope Lady Shamia¡¯s doing well.¡± ¡®Now that I think about it, I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s even still within the Iyr...¡¯ ¡°Is the new child yours?¡± Morkarai asked, his eyes falling to Larot. ¡®A demon?¡¯ ¡°You have good eyes, Lord Morkarai,¡± Adam replied, flashing the cheekiest of smiles. ¡°Although, isn¡¯t it obvious that such a cute kid is mine?¡± ¡°Which child here is not adorable?¡± ¡°Why did he do that?¡± ¡°We fought a war and we abandoned our homes for the future,¡± the fire giant stated. ¡°We once called the event The Greatest Calamity, though the generation before my own, we changed its name to The Great Leaving.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Adam was shocked to hear of a long lived race like the fire giants, who took forever to respond to an attack, daring to change something that was a part of their cultural heritage and a foundation story of their people. ¡°Though it was a great misfortune, our people now thrive alongside the great Sansant family. The Sansant family granted us great favour.¡± ¡°Right, the Sansant are pretty nice.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡®For elves, I mean.¡¯ ¡°I would be remiss not to mention Lord Hadda, for his family assisted us for some time, before we left the realm. We travelled for many years through the land, but it was after the formation of the Iyr, and after Lord Hadda took power, when we came to this realm and settled with the great Sansant family.¡± ¡°Is that how you guys came to form an alliance?¡± ¡°The alliance was formed later, once we had gathered our bearings, as the dwarves are one to say.¡± ¡°Many dwarves in Voodur?¡± Adam mused. ¡°Many. They live within their volcanoes, and we live within our own.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t live within the volcanoes you¡¯re now in?¡± ¡°They were forced away by the Sansant some time before we arrived, and now that we have settled here for this long, the dwarves have... quietened much of their grumblings.¡± ¡°You still get some grumblings, eh?¡± ¡°Some, but I believe they like us more than the elves.¡± Morkarai smiled. ¡°We both enjoy drinking and crafting.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the elves and dwarves on this land really despise one another.¡± ¡°I have heard,¡± Morkarai stated, slowly nodding his head. ¡°The elves are free to roam within South Aldland, but even half elves will be harassed if they make their way too far north. Even the great Sansant family would have issues heading north through the land.¡± ¡°I wonder what happened between them...¡± Lord Morkarai shrugged his shoulder. ¡°I heard they were once the greatest of friends, but a rift formed, and even before the time of the Iyr itself.¡± ¡°Damn, that long ago?¡± Adam whistled. ¡®For the dwarves to change their tune, something big must have happened...¡¯ ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot shouted, storming her way to her father, with little Jarot bouncing after her. ¡°Is going today?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jirot held up her hands, and once she was within her father¡¯s arm, she pointed up towards the sky. ¡°Is going today?¡± ¡°Perhaps it is?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jirot sucked against her thumb before she looked towards the Prince. ¡°Woah Mohky?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you nice to him?¡± Jirot pulled her head towards her father¡¯s chest. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jirot smirked. ¡°Do you see how she bullies me? Do you know what she did before, Lord Morkarai?¡± Adam asked. The fire giant Prince remained silent as he listened to Adam gush about his children, giving Fred no chance to come and speak with the half elf. The young man sat with Brittany and Jonn, sharing drinks with them. He had been in the Iyr for so long, and upon seeing how terrifyingly powerful they were, the young man wondered if he¡¯d truly be able to marry any of them. ¡®When will we be able to leave?¡¯ Fred thought, sighing. Rain began to trickle that evening, before the storm came upon the Iyr, a thundering end to the Year of Silence. What''s this? The plot is... moving forward? Y03 – Interlude: The Front Iyr Y03 ¨C Interlude: The Front Iyr The figure stood up, his white scales illuminated for a moment by the flash of lightning, the opening of the sky and the return. ¡°I have kept my end of the deal, Iyrmen,¡± the white scaled drakken said, causing his watchers to approach. ¡°We will call for Elder Lykan,¡± one of his watchers informed, before swiftly leaving to retrieve the Front Iyr Elder. The silver fox of a man wore his chiselled jaw as well as his long grey hair, which fell below the shoulders. He wore a flail at his side, but more impressively, the blueish silver of mithril hung around his neck, revealing his rank during his adventuring days. ¡°I hope you clear the debts quickly, Iyrman,¡± the white scaled figure stated calmly, still feeling the attention of the strange figures of the Iyr, those who wreaked with the stench of death. ¡°The debts have been cleared,¡± Elder Lykan assured, flashing a charming smile. Grimraith turned and left, escorted by his watchers. He made no move to say goodbye to the other Lord here, for they were too busy drinking, watching from atop a nearby hill top. ¡®I¡¯m so glad he¡¯s gone,¡¯ the bronze scaled drakken thought. The snow had invaded the Front Iyr for well over a year, even burying the various effects of his own influence, as well as the influence of his companion. ¡®Wingburg must be glad too.¡¯ ¡®The old man is finally leaving?¡¯ Wingburg, the black scaled drakken, thought. She could feel the presence of the old man make its way towards the gates of the Front Iyr, with various, strange figures following after him. She remained tense, just like Burgwing, the pair still on duty. Even if it was perhaps the most foolish idea one could have, Grimraith could still attack the Iyr. Why Grimraith would do it now the Iyr had regained its two missing Great Elders, while also being watched over by the Lord of Earth, no one would ever be able to understand. However, the Iyr took such thoughts into consideration, for how else could they have survived this long? ¡®If he attacks, we¡¯ll have to act too...¡¯ Burgwing let out a sigh. Even if the Lord of Earth would assist them, it was still a difficult task to beat the likes of someone who could claim the title of Lord of Ice. Lykan approached Burgwing¡¯s estate along with his own escorts, those tasked with assisting the Front Iyr Elder. ¡°Your assistance has been appreciated.¡± ¡°Do you no longer require my service?¡± Burgwing asked, yawning as he leaned against the doorway casually. ¡®It would be good to get back to the desert.¡¯ ¡°We wish to extend our request until the end of dawnval,¡± Lykan informed, while a group of Iyrmen brought large wooden cases and a crate, each made of Iyr oak. Lykan opened one of the crates, revealing the large number of books stacked neatly within, motioning a hand towards them. Burgwing picked up one of the books, feeling its fresh pages, noting how recently it had been inked. He spoke the title, written in Old Aswadian, brushing a hand along the page¡¯s edge tenderly, as though it was his own child. His eyes then darted to the other boxes. ¡°We believed you would have wanted to read the books without worry for destroying the original copies,¡± Lykan stated. ¡°To think I would be able to possess such grand items...¡± Burgwing let out a long, satisfied sigh. ¡°The two were contemporaries of one another. Though the pair spent twenty years within the Grand Library, and mostly within the same section, it was so large and vast, neither met one another in all their days. If only I could have been born in such a time, drinking wine from while overlooking the Pearl River...¡± Lykan left the bronze scaled drakken to wallow in his imagination, stepping away towards Wingburg¡¯s small estate, which had been built nearby. ¡°You¡¯ve brought my payment?¡± Burgwing asked, the black scaled woman asked, having noted they had visited her companion first. She was glad they had silenced each courtyard so she wouldn¡¯t hear about that damn Al Kaim again. ¡°Ten weapons from the Fifty Red Blades,¡± Lykan confirmed, while the Iyrmen brought ten large cases, one larger than any other. Wingburg¡¯s lips twitched into a smile, checking each of the weapons. Though they had been well preserved, considering they were roughly a thousand years old, she would need to spend time restoring them. ¡°If you ever come across any more, I am more than willing to lend my support to the Iyr.¡± ¡°We thank you again for your support,¡± Lykan replied, before motioning a hand for another aide to approach. ¡°Please stay until the end of dawnval.¡± ¡°The end of dawnval?¡± Wingburg asked, frowning slightly. She had spent too long away from her swamp and could already feel the sleepiness set within her. ¡°What is that?¡± She eyed up the blade, which was almost pure white, including the steel. The hilt at the tip of the blade was of an older drakken design, those seen in the north. However, the colour combination, or the lack thereof, was not like any other blade of the region. It had been well taken care of, considering it was much older than the other ten weapons she had been gifted, even though they had come several hundred years later. ¡°A blade which belonged to the White Dragon, or as he was more commonly known as, Lord Jorn, Third Grand Commander of the White Dragon Knights.¡± ¡°A Grand Commander who wielded a mundane blade?¡± ¡°It was a blade he wielded when he was still young, one which he gave up when he was defeated by Shikan, who became Chief of the Iyr during the Third Grand Commander¡¯s time.¡± Wingburg remained silent for a long while, staring at the blade. She had heard of the Third Grand Commander vaguely, a half spawn of one of the Talia family members. ¡®What a sick turn of events, the order which once was commanded by a Talia would then turn their blades on Antalia the Silver, which eventually caused their demise.¡¯ The blade¡¯s significance did not just come from the fact it was wielded by a grand commander, but the fact that the Talia family would also be interested in it. ¡®Goreburg will be so jealous,¡¯ Wingburg thought, almost smiling at the thought of possessing the blade. ¡°Very well, I can at least remain until the end of the season.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lykan left the blade with her before the Iyrmen left the state, making their way back to his own estate. ¡°Will Lord Stokmar remain within the Iyr?¡± ¡°The answer remains vague,¡± an aide replied. Lykan sighed, expecting the answer. Lord Stokmar worked on their own time and had their own plans. Thankfully, they had not caused any trouble during the Year of Silence, and considering they were one of the very few figures in the world which could cause a mess within the Iyr and then leave without much trouble, Elder Lykan¡¯s shoulders remained heavy with anxiety. ¡®I would rather deal with the dragons,¡¯ the Front Iyr Elder thought. Side character development that won''t pay off in the next 1000 chapters is my bread and butter. Y03 – 716. Best Friends II Y03 ¨C 716. Best Friends II Omen: 15, 20 ¡®Damn, look at that Omen!¡¯ Adam smiled to himself. ¡®How can one man be so lucky?¡¯ Once Adam was able to doff his children, he continued to complete his morning routine. Gurot sat beside the half elf once it was time for breakfast, the boy picking up slices of his banana to eat, making a mess over his face, his hands also growing sticky. ¡°Do you like your salya?¡± Adam asked, wiping the fruit off the boy¡¯s face once he was done. Gurot only smiled shyly in response, before Adam picked him up to hug him tight. ¡°How can this be? Gurot, my boy, how can you be this cute?¡± ¡°Stop it,¡± Jirot called out, pointing up to her father. ¡°My daddy.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, letting out a large smile. ¡°Adam,¡± called a familiar voice. ¡®I wasn¡¯t that cringe, was I?¡¯ Adam thought, before following the Elder out. Zijin didn¡¯t take the half elf towards his estate, this time leading Adam though the various tunnels of the Iyr. ¡°We will rent to you the plot of land between the rivers,¡± Elder Zijin informed as they made their way. ¡°You may use it as you please, but the Iyr reserves the right to rescind the offer when it pleases.¡± ¡°Please give me a month¡¯s notice so I can resettle the others.¡± ¡°I cannot promise you such, but we will try.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s good enough...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure he could press the Iyr. ¡°You will pay one hundred gold monthly for the land, one hundred gold monthly for each shrine you require for business,¡± the Elder informed. ¡°We will also offer to assign some Iyrmen to assist with safeguarding the business at the price of one Basic weapon seasonally, or one Greater weapon yearly.¡± ¡°When you say seasonally, is that four seasons?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Does the Twilight Month count as a season?¡± ¡°Four seasons.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°We have already formed a plan for the fort, and will reveal to you most of the secret rooms within. The payment for the fort shall be taken over the course of many years.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°The cost of the fort is typically tens of thousands of gold, but we would be willing to accept five Greater weapons, or thirty with the first pluck of a Greater enchantment.¡± ¡®First pluck?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Oooh!¡¯ ¡°So it works?¡± ¡°It does.¡± Adam glanced to the side, noting how his XP had increased by a hundred. ¡®Oh. I see.¡¯ ¡°Nice. So, what, about ten days of enchanting this month? We were planning leaving by the end of the month...¡± ¡°I have faith you will return and repay such debts,¡± Zijin stated, causing Adam to smile. The Elder led Adam though the tunnels towards a larger shrine, one with a similar set up of six stones standing in a circle. Adam glanced around, noting a door set within the stone. ¡°Where does that lead to?¡± ¡°Nowhere, at this moment,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°There is rock behind it.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Adam decided against asking more about the topic. ¡°When you say you want the first pluck, do I have to pay for the gems used during the first pluck?¡± ¡°No.¡± Gubbu turned his head to look towards his twin brother, the earth giant who stepped towards the girl to tower over her. ¡°Little girl, you have to watch what you say. You¡¯re lucky we¡¯re kindly folk, otherwise you¡¯d find yourself in trouble.¡± The girl inhaled deeply as the shadows loomed over her. ¡°It¡¯ll take too long if you come one by one, so both of ya, come at me together.¡± The earth giant¡¯s body flashed red hot as he reached down towards the girl. ¡°Little girl, you should-,¡± ¡°Young man, why don¡¯t you step aside?¡± a voice called from behind Gabba, the stranger placing a hand on the kneeling earth giant¡¯s shoulder. He was an older man, adorned in the finest of battle garments. His forehead was tattooed, a collection of four dots in the centre which formed a diamond. ¡°Who do you thi-,¡± Gabba began, before his entire body flashed red hot, embers tickling across his skin. Gubbu remained frozen still, staring at the stranger who had appeared. No, he was no stranger, for who in these realms didn¡¯t know who this figure was? The little girl stared up at the older man. ¡°Just who do you-,¡± she began before she gasped, her mouth forming a tiny circle in shock and excitement. ¡°So you¡¯ve finally come, ya punk!¡± ¡°Who might you be?¡± Emperor Shama asked, allowing the pair of earth elementals, criminals who kept causing issues in the Outskirts, to leave. ¡°I¡¯m Emperor Hadda, and I¡¯ve come ta beat ya!¡± the girl exclaimed confidently. ¡®...¡¯ Emperor Shama couldn¡¯t believe he had rushed away from his duties to come and find one of that bastard¡¯s brats messing around in his territory. He could imagine the mess right now thanks to his sudden disappearance, including from all those annoying fools who kept begging him to do something about the tiny issues they couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°Little girl, you-,¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a little girl, I¡¯m Emperor Hadda!¡± she shouted, daring to cut off the Lord of Flames. She raised her fists up, ready to fight. ¡°Come on, ya punk! There¡¯s no way yer gonna run away, are ya, Shammy boy?¡± ¡°...¡± The Emperor undid the blade at his side, which floated to one side. It was a weapon which could match some of the greatest in the Higher Realm, and was all but extinct in the Lower Realms. ¡°You two kids should head on out of here.¡± Gabba exchanged a look with his twin brother, the earth serpent, before they stared at the pair, the Emperor and the girl. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Our fight has begun earlier this century,¡± the Emperor informed. ¡°Let them know not to disturb us.¡± Emperor Shama recalled the mess they had made over the week of their fight. The little Emperor Hadda needed to take breaks now and again, and would sometimes break character to speak of their great grandfather, before the pair would return back to fighting. It had been the most difficult fight to date, for the old Emperor did his best to look flashy, destroying the floating island all along the week. It had ended as Emperor Hadda¡¯s win, though it had pained the Lord of Flames. ¡®I should have beaten up those two brats who made such a mess.¡¯ Emperor Iskur stared at the man who was his grandfather¡¯s match, wondering what he was thinking about. He assumed it was the time when his daughter had caused such a mess within the Outskirts recently, although she had left for the Lower Realm not long ago, no doubt making a mess there too. ¡°Bael, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Shama asked. ¡°He took the name of that old fool while he was making a mess in the Lower Realms.¡± ¡°Her name is-,¡± ¡°Emperor Iskur,¡± Emperor Shama dared to interrupt the boy. ¡°Do you know the single sign which makes an empire great?¡± ¡°A happy populace?¡± ¡°You are close,¡± Emperor Shama admitted, though he thought back to the past. ¡°It was something a crazy old woman once said.¡± The words which Emperor Shama stated next flooded Emperor Iskur¡¯s mind with the memory of the first time he had met his grandfather. When he was a little boy he had caused so much trouble due to the fact he never got to see his mother and father. The pair had appeared to tell him off, and though it had left him a blubbering mess, through his blurry eyes he saw the Emperor for the first time. He wasn¡¯t sure what the old man had said to his father and mother, but he was sure the Emperor had berated them. It was then he picked up the boy, with such a wide smile on his face, something which had shocked even the boy since he had never seen such joy before. ¡°Children should dare to dream!¡± I miss Lord Strom. Y03 – 717. To Prepare Y03 ¨C 717. To Prepare ¡°No!¡± Jirot shouted. ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°I have to, my dear,¡± Adam informed, lifting the girl up to stop her complaining by cuddling her tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave the Iyr one day to go work for you, my sweet.¡± ¡°Kiss!¡± the girl complained, pouting towards her father. Adam kissed her cheek and held her close to his chest. He gently rocked her from side to side. ¡°You did not wish to tell her the day we left?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I can¡¯t just do that,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I have to prepare them for me to leave. I can¡¯t just leave one day out of the blue.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure what the colour meant, but he remained silent. He caught little Jarot pouting up towards his father before he was lifted up and embraced too. ¡°Daddy is going to work today but he¡¯ll be back like normal, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Jirot sniffled. ¡°You are leaving, daddy?¡± ¡°Not today.¡± ¡°Not day?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam spent the days enchanting the magical weapons. After six days of enchanting, creating six Basic weapons to auction off, he took the day off to spend time with his family and friends. He played warriors and wanderers with the children and spent time with his companions, many of whom spent their days speaking of their tales to the different Iyrmen families. ¡°Vonda, you aren¡¯t allowed to steal my children from me,¡± Adam stated, noting how much time Karot spent listening to her order¡¯s tales. ¡°Karot, do you like me more than your father?¡± Vonda asked. Karot pouted shyly, before shaking his head. ¡°Daddy...¡± Vonda smiled, brushing the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Do you love your grandmother or your father more?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tease him like that, only I can do that,¡± Adam complained, opening his arms for his son go run into them, embracing the boy. ¡°You don¡¯t have to reply.¡± Adam peppered the boy with kisses. ¡°Am I allowed to steal Gurot from you?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°I would not?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°How can you do this to me? This is why you have to be careful of nobles, Karot! They¡¯ll steal away your chonky uncle from me!¡± Adam blew raspberries into his son¡¯s stomach, causing him to cry and squeal. Vonda smiled, though her thoughts fell to her goal for the year. They would need to head to East Port to confirm the matter. ¡®I hope we can spend time in Liferiver...¡¯ Once Adam was done with enchanting so many Basic weapons, he began working for the Iyr, placing the first pluck of the Greater enchantments onto each magical weapon, three at a time. He worked hard, even up until the day before the group were about to leave. When he returned, he found a set of familiar faces. ¡°You guys came back at the right time,¡± Adam informed, approaching the group in the corner. ¡°We couldn¡¯t leave you to corrupt the children,¡± Lucy retorted, allowing Jirot to grab onto her horns as they played. Little Jarot sat on Mara¡¯s lap, staring up at the woman while she spoke about their adventures thus far. ¡°Have you been filled in on the plan?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a plan?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°There¡¯s always a plan,¡± Adam replied, taking a seat opposite her. ¡°Just because you don¡¯t follow the plan, it doesn¡¯t mean there isn¡¯t a plan.¡± ¡°I always follow the plan.¡± ¡°Name one time you followed the plan.¡± ¡°I sat with Yellow Turban during the tournament.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t the plan, that was just very lucky.¡± ¡°It worked out in the end.¡± ¡°Just because-,¡± ¡°I was meant to equip everyone else with magical items too,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I was more focused on making sure the auctions would pass by smoothly.¡± Mara realised she should have expected something that ridiculous coming from his mouth. ¡°We are all armed with magical weapons that you-,¡± Jurot began. ¡°That the Enchanter has graced us with, yes,¡± Adam replied, raising his brows towards Jurot. Jurot furrowed his brows, unsure why Adam wasn¡¯t speaking so openly about it considering everyone here knew about his abilities. ¡°The Enchanter makes such great weapons, don¡¯t they?¡± Adam asked, kissing Jirot and Jarot¡¯s foreheads. ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied, giving Adam a thumbs up. ¡°Gweat.¡± Little Jarot agreed with a nod and a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± ¡®I have to be more careful from now on. I can¡¯t have too many people know, otherwise they might hurt you...¡¯ Adam cuddled them closer. ¡°Nirot also has a magical weapons,¡± Jurot said carefully. ¡°Right, but what about Faool? Laygak? Naqokan, Uwajin, and Bavin? I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve gotten one yet.¡± ¡®I should have focused on that instead of the Iyr...¡¯ ¡°I mean, even Nobby has a magical shield.¡± ¡°Have you thought of who should command the wolves?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Not yet, no. I was thinking about meeting with various noble families, so I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be the one commanding them. I was thinking you and Vonda help me out with that.¡± ¡°Kitool would be best,¡± Jurot stated. Adam threw a look to Kitool, who nodded, before he slowly nodded too. ¡°Alright, fair. An Iyrman and a noble priest of the land¡¯s most respected order. That should cancel out how much of an idiot I am.¡± ¡°Mara and I can go adventure with the wolves,¡± Lucy offered. ¡°They can be our mounts.¡± ¡°Sometimes, Lucy, I think you might actually be a genius.¡± ¡°I am a genius.¡± ¡°Keep telling yourself that and one day it might be true.¡± Adam chuckled, before stopping upon seeing Mara¡¯s glare. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s a great idea. We can have you three on the wolves since you don¡¯t need to wear armour and they¡¯ll appreciate that.¡± ¡°Nirot and Naqokan could ride Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a,¡± Jaygak offered. ¡°I want all the teens together in their own squad, and actually, I was hoping you would command them.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Jaygak asked, almost taken aback. ¡°Yeah. You and... Dunes, probably?¡± Adam thought. ¡°Oh, and then Brittany and Nobby could go with the wolf squad, maybe? You guys won¡¯t have healing, though... unless I put Jonn with you?¡± ¡°There would be an additional wolf.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s too many wolves...¡± Adam thought about it for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s leave Cloud here, and you guys can take...¡± ¡°Mighty,¡± Lucy informed. ¡°Wolfy,¡± Mara stated. ¡®How am I not the worst at naming them?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Alright, well, sure...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about giving up his wolf to Jurot so he could give up his own to Mara. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s lock in the wolf squad, and then say there¡¯s also a teen squad, and we can figure out the rest from there.¡± ¡°Not that much of a plan.¡± ¡°We can deviate from the plan when we feel like it, like when you went with Yellow Turban,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Speaking of Yellow Turban, I hope we get to meet Kalid again, what a character.¡± ¡°Your obsession with children is becoming worrying, Adam,¡± Jaygak said, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡°Jaygak, don¡¯t joke about that sort of thing,¡± Adam replied, his voice never more stern. Jaygak remained staring into Adam¡¯s eyes, before relenting. ¡°Sorry.¡± Adam bowed his head, his cheeks flushing slightly. ¡°I¡¯m only pretending to be a little cringe, but Kalid is genuinely such a character.¡± ¡°You were pretending?¡± ¡°Mostly.¡± Lucy and Mara both tensed up, before their eyes snapped to the side, where they found Vonda and Sonarot returning with the triplets, as well as a basket containing a certain baby. If they talk about plot progression, does that mean the plot progresses? Y03 – 718. To Leave Y03 ¨C 718. To Leave ¡°He is?¡± Adam asked, his brows raised in surprise. ¡°Yes,¡± Lucy confirmed, still sitting tall and tense. Mara glared at the young demon baby. ¡°We were uncertain,¡± Sonarot admitted, placing the small basket onto the tablet, the tiny demon baby twitching as he jolted awake, his eyes snapping to the side to see the presence of the Demon Lord and the other demon. Jirot and Jarot squirmed within their father¡¯s arms to look into the basket, noting the red skin of their younger brother. They tried to make for the table, before the pair were scooped up by their grandmother, who took their attention away from their youngest sibling. ¡°You knew?¡± Adam asked, his eyes glued to Sonarot. ¡°The shamans checked, but were not certain.¡± ¡°You guys didn¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°We wished to ask Lucy and Mara,¡± she said, nodding her head towards the demons. ¡°So, my boy¡¯s some kind of reincarnated demon?¡± ¡°He may not be a true demon, but I can feel something within him which is different to a fresh newborn,¡± Mara informed, her eyes still glued to the boy. ¡°I see...¡± Adam stared at the boy, who squinted up sourly towards him. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the only one I know who is reincarnated.¡± ¡°He could be someone dangerous.¡± ¡°Of course he is. Look at how adorable he is, how can he be anything but dangerous?¡± Adam reached over to lift the boy up, carefully bringing the boy to his chest. The boy was heavier than when he was born, though he was still hot, hotter than a normal child. ¡°He¡¯s my son too, so of course he¡¯s inherited being a dangerous fool.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your son isn¡¯t really your son, he¡¯s-,¡± ¡°What do you mean not my son?¡± Adam replied, his voice stern. He pulled the boy deeper against his chest, gently swaying from side to side. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s a reincarnated or reborn being, it only makes it more right that he¡¯s my son. You think he¡¯s the only one whose like that between us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not exactly what I meant,¡± Lucy replied, frowning slightly. She avoided looking at the goblins, feeling the rush of guilt fill her. ¡°Even if he was a thousand years old before, he¡¯s my boy right now, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°If he grows up, who knows what will happen?¡± ¡°If he grows up poorly, it¡¯ll be my own fault!¡± Adam snapped, his eyes narrowing towards the demon. ¡°If someone wants to deal with my Larot, then they¡¯ll have to go through me first.¡± ¡°Even the Iyr?¡± ¡°Did I stutter?¡± ¡°...¡± Lucy was still surprised to hear Adam willing to fight against the Iyr, especially considering how they had already managed to tame her, a Demon Lord. ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t mean that... do you?¡± ¡°What don¡¯t I mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll risk your life for some...¡± Lucy quickly realised what she was saying, and to whom. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I admire the Iyr, and it¡¯s because of their policy when something happens to their children,¡± Adam stated. ¡°They¡¯re not the only one with that policy.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like killing?¡± ¡°There¡¯s always a line, Lucy,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You of all people should understand how much I¡¯m willing to risk my life for a friend, no matter what others think.¡± ¡°...¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes filled with the most awkward guilt, the young woman falling silent as she avoided his stern gaze. Mara remained silent. ¡®...¡¯ She couldn¡¯t speak against Adam, considering her relationship with Lucy, and what the young man had done for her. ¡°The Iyr cannot kill Larot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Even if he causes a mess?¡± Adam asked. ¡°...¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while. ¡°The Rot family will deal with it.¡± ¡°Would you?¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°I would kill you, Adam, but I would not kill your children.¡± Adam let out a small sigh of relief, though he wondered who the Iyr would send to deal with Larot if he did end up being a Demon Lord and doing something. ¡°Just make sure to kill me first, and don¡¯t make him suffer.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, as simply as that. The young man¡¯s eyes turned to the babies, each who were yet about to crawl. ¡°If any of you grow up, I won¡¯t ever forgive the gods.¡± While Adam was going around saying goodbye to his adorable cousins, Jurot hugged Lanarot in the way he did, causing her to melt against him. ¡°I must go, but I will return.¡± Jurot rested his cheek against the top of her head. Jaygak grasped Raygak¡¯s forearm, squeezing it gently. ¡°You must practise the sword every day.¡± ¡°Every day,¡± Raygak confirmed, feeling his body tingle. His lips twitched between a smile and a frown. ¡°Are you sad to see me go?¡± ¡°No,¡± the boy replied, on the verge of tears. ¡°You will bring back glory!¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll return back just so I can bully you.¡± Raygak hugged her tight. ¡°Okay!¡± Katool wrapped her arms around her sister¡¯s neck, holding her close. ¡°You will come back?¡± ¡°I will try.¡± ¡°You must try hard! Okay?¡± Katool sniffled. ¡°I will try hard.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Taygak clasped Adam¡¯s forearm and shook it. ¡°Adam, strong,¡± she said. ¡°Of course I am.¡± Her eyes were as intense as ever. ¡°Brother Laygak go.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Brother Laygak, strong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, unable to control his smile. Taygak nodded, and with that, she left, making her way to her classes. Adam watched her go, still smiling. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, reaching out for him from her other brother¡¯s arms. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Adam replied, picking her up, feeling how heavy she had become. He peppered her face with kisses. ¡°Will you miss me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aaaw, how can my sister be so cute?¡± Adam asked, gently swaying with her in his arms. ¡°We can¡¯t spend all day saying goodbye,¡± Lucy said, holding Jirot and Jarot in her arms. ¡°...¡± Adam decided against teasing her. His eyes fell to Larot, who was sleeping besides the other children. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back.¡¯ They grabbed their packs, strapping their weapons to their side, before beginning to make their way out. Sonarot, Jogak, Shikan, and Citool all made their way with the group, taking some of the children with them, all save for the youngest babies. The children followed them out towards the main gate, the very same gate which had caused even the greatest of creatures to pause. The gate required several Iyrmen nearby to push it open, many of whom where in the middle of work, but how could they resist opening the gate? The path ahead the path ahead revealed itself, the sound of the nearby river crashing. Adam picked up each of his children once more, kissing each of them, doing the same to his sister. He embraced Turot and Asorot tight. ¡°You two, look after your brothers well, and don¡¯t forget to watch over Lanarot and your nieces and nephews.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± the pair replied, embracing Adam in return, one within each arm. The young man sighed, causing the nearby Iyrmen to wonder why they were taking so long, before he turned and started to march off. He had showered all the children in as much affection as he could get away with, understanding this could be the last time they saw him. ¡°Come home safely!¡± came the chorus, as it always did. Not just the children who were seeing off their siblings and cousins, but also the nearby children who had watched the Iyrmen and others begin to leave. ¡°Last year, Lanarot cried when we left the Iyr,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, recalling the previous year. She hadn¡¯t followed them to the gate, but he recalled the crying. ¡°We are fortunate enough to say goodbye,¡± Kitool informed. ¡°Laygak and the others have been working hard and you¡¯ll be working them harder once we leave,¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Adam asked while the group made their way to the Front Iyr. As Sonarot and the others returned back to the shared estate, long after the group had made their way out, they stopped as they entered. Sonarot exchanged a look to Shikan, before the pair sighed. Maygak, the oldest child of the second set of babies, crawled excitedly towards her mother, who lifted her up and held her close, a giant smile across her face, peppering her daughter with prideful affection. Sonarot prepared to take her grandchildren to the extended family estate. She could already hear how hard Jarot would howl with laughter upon hearing how Adam had missed one of the children crawling before he even reached the Front Iyr. Oh the plot actually is progressing? Y03 – 719. The Front Y03 ¨C 719. The Front The Front Iyr was as Adam recalled, though it was still vastly different from the original Front Iyr he had stepped into three years ago. Beyond the mighty walls and gate, through the valley of death, once lay the small village known as the Front Iyr. It had been a village of a few thousand at most, surrounded by a small wooden fence. Yet the Front Iyr before him was a Front Iyr also made by the very same Iyrmen, and yet, was so different. Where once they could see the open plains which hid mysteries unknown to outsiders, there were large walls of jagged rock, like those of mountain peaks. Where where once a sparse, expansive village of wooden cabins dotted across the land, now lay hundreds of large estates. The ground floor of each estate was made of hard stone, and the few buildings with more than one story, the upper stories were made of wood. However, Adam spotted a handful of building which reached towards the sky, three stories tall, made completely of stone. ¡®Did they change it again?¡¯ Adam thought, glancing around. He was uncertain, for the Front Iyr had once been blanketed in snow even outside of nightval, and now the snow had disappeared, revealing a new Front Iyr. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ The group could hear a gentle tune playing throughout the Iyr, as though there was a distant bard coaxing them. Yet as they approached the central square, which grew more expansive with its buildings and open spaces, the music still appeared to be in the far distance. There, sitting and drinking wine together, were the forms of Burgwing and Wingburg, the bronze scaled man and the black scaled woman. ¡®Where¡¯s Wiseraith and Lord Stokmar?¡¯ Adam thought, glancing around, but not finding them anywhere. ¡°I was wondering when I would see you,¡± Burgwing called, motioning a hand towards the group to approach. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Burgwing,¡± Adam said, shaking the bronze scaled drakken¡¯s forearm, though he was certain he was not a drakken, but a dragon in disguise. ¡°You too, Wingburg.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you too,¡± she replied, her eyes calm and relaxed compared to the last few times Adam had seen her. Burgwing, too, was far more relaxed. ¡°How are your children?¡± Burgwing asked, chuckling lightly to himself. ¡°Are the goblins growing well?¡± ¡°All children grow well in the Iyr,¡± Jurot replied firmly. ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± Adam asked, glancing aside in annoyance. ¡°They¡¯re growing up too much! Let me tell what my daughter did!¡± ¡°We heard from Lord Morkarai,¡± Burgwing said, chuckling lightly. ¡°Do not take it to heart, boy, for she does not truly mean what she said.¡± ¡°I know, she¡¯s just bullying me, because that¡¯s how she is.¡± ¡°You will forgive her because she is cute.¡± ¡°What else can I do?¡± ¡°Careful, or she will become as useless as me,¡± Burgwing chuckled. ¡°You must not be useless if the Iyr called upon your aid.¡± ¡°Are you trying to seduce me?¡± The drakken grinned wide, his eyes on the verge of tears from laughter. ¡°I¡¯m not gay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± Burgwing replied, his brows raised in shock. His brows furrowed as he thought back to their previous conversations. ¡°Yes, you did mention. I was surprised by that too.¡± ¡®How did I forget something like that? Ah, right, it¡¯s because he¡¯s an outsider.¡¯ Burgwing chalked it up to the stress of being beside Grimraith and Lord Stokmar for so long. ¡®Does he not also have three other children?¡¯ ¡°Are you planning to cause a mess in Aldland?¡± Wingburg asked, the woman offering to pour Adam some wine. ¡°I hope not.¡± Adam smiled as he sipped the fruit wine slowly, letting it loosen him up, the warmth beginning to flow through him. ¡°Though now that the Iyr is open again, I do feel more comfortable causing trouble.¡± Burgwing laughed wildly. ¡°Some of my children have also caused such a mess.¡± ¡°Right, children do cause a lot of messes.¡± ¡°What am I to do? They all fight on different sides believing their cause to be most righteous.¡± Burgwing let out a sigh as though to say he truly didn¡¯t care of the matter. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you both here considering the Iyr¡¯s open again,¡± Adam said, slowly sipping his wine as he caught their eyes. ¡°Thought you would have left.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave soon, once we finish earning our pay.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re getting paid a lot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°More than you could possibly imagine,¡± Burgwing assured. ¡°I mean, I can imagine a lot.¡± ¡°I was offered priceless artefacts.¡± ¡°How can you be confused by something like that when it¡¯s me?¡± ¡°...¡± Dunes slowly nodded, before they clasped forearms. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°I¡¯m annoyed, Dunes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why do we have to leave the Iyr? It¡¯s such a wonderful place? Little Larot is going to be so lonely without me, you know? What about the old geezer? He¡¯s going to steal my children away from me!¡± Dunes pat Adam¡¯s shoulder. He understood what Adam was doing. He was getting rid of all the pent up cringe before they were going to leave the Iyr. ¡®Hopefully it will reduce the trouble on our travels...¡¯ ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If I...¡± Adam fell silent for a moment, feeling the tension in his neck. As he stepped out of the Main Iyr, it meant he was stepping closer to death. ¡°If I go too far, you need to stop me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°If I... you know... start killing people, you have to stop me.¡± ¡°...¡± Dunes blinked. Adam? Kill people? ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you ask Sir Vonda?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll speak up, but just in case she¡¯s not around at the time,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Adam let out a sigh, feeling the tension pulse within his shoulders and the rest of his body. ¡°The Iyr has corrupted me, Dunes. I... I can¡¯t say much more than that, I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll go too far, but if you do, I will be sure to stop you.¡± Dunes realised how ridiculous it sounded, considering he had almost killed the goblins when they had first met, while Adam had stopped him. ¡®Just what has the Iyr done to you?¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply before he let out another exhale. ¡°I¡¯m serious, Dunes.¡± ¡°So am I.¡± Adam nodded his head slowly. ¡°Thanks. Oh, and here.¡± Adam pulled out the diamond from within his robes, handing it to the Aswadian priest. ¡°Just in case.¡± ¡°I already have three,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°I thought you only had one or two?¡± ¡°I procured a diamond during our travels,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°Oh. That makes sense, yeah. I thought you and Sir Vonda only had two, so I brought enough to make sure we at least had three each.¡± ¡°I believe Sir Vonda also has three.¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯re rather close with Sir Vonda, aren¡¯t you? I thought you were-,¡± ¡°Sir Vonda and I often speak of the trouble you cause,¡± Dunes replied, flashing a charming smile towards the half elf. Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head in response. ¡°That was a good one.¡± Dunes is a real one. Y03 – 720. The Village Y03 ¨C 720. The Village Omen: 13, 19 ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, looking upon the isle between the rivers, where roughly a hundred Iyrmen were beginning to outline the walls, using various poles and strings to measure the walls. ¡®Right, they said it was going to be done around noonval so I guess they would start pretty soon. A fort in four and a half months? That¡¯s pretty cool.¡¯ They approached the small fenced village across the river, the villagers nearby noting the arrival of the Iyrman and the queer half elf in the Iyrman¡¯s purple steel. An older woman approached to greet the group. She was short, barely reaching Adam¡¯s chest with the top of her head. She wore thick furs around her body, as well as a set of scale around her chest, which also fell down her waist, and a belt wrapped around her front to keep her armour pinned to her. An axe hung against her belt, though she wielded her trusty spear in hand. ¡°I see you¡¯ve decided to come out of hiding,¡± Chief Merl said, flashing a smile towards the group. ¡°I never said I was a smart man, chief,¡± Adam replied, flashing his own smile back towards her. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Well, thank you. The Iyr has sent so many warriors to protect us during the last few months. I thought the closed gates would have caused us to worry, but the Iyr has always watched over us.¡± She motioned a hand for them to enter the village. Adam reached into his pouch, but Merl reached for his hand, slapping it away from his pouch. ¡°What? My leaf ear coin no longer good enough for you?¡± Merl tightened her hand on her spear. ¡°Stop it, you!¡± She raised her brows in shock, but they shifted, as though daring him to continue. ¡°I¡¯ll just have Nobby slip a gem to your granddaughter, surely she won¡¯t refuse the gem from her future husband.¡± ¡°They should have married last year so I can see my great grandchildren,¡± Merl stated, nodding her head as she led the group towards the centre of the village. Though the village held the same population as the Iyr, the air was so different. The wooden fence, the commonfolk working lightly in the fields and their gardens, with very few rushing to anywhere in particular. ¡°Does Merl still want to marry Nobby?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That was the deal she made.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not one to enforce that sort of deal,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. ¡°If she has someone else in mind, she shouldn¡¯t be forced into marrying Nobby.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be quite lucky to marry Nobby.¡± ¡°That she is,¡± Adam replied. ¡°That she is.¡± ¡°Are you taking him out to make him a Master?¡± Merl asked, her eyes playfully teasing the half elf. ¡°That¡¯s harder to do in a single year,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯m not even a Master yet, even I I can probably take one in a fight.¡± Merl continued to smile, though it faltered for a moment, realising Adam was probably serious about the statement. Who else but Adam could say something that ridiculous and mean it? ¡°You lost against the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I surrendered after I beat her up, yeah,¡± Adam corrected, smirking slightly. ¡°...¡± Merl had heard the tale a few times, at least ten times in the last month considering the arrival of those Iyrmen. Her eyes fell to the other subject of their tale, Jurot, the one who had placed first within the Noonval Tournament. Then it flashed between Kitool, who had placed second, and Nobby, who placed first in another segment. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°So this is where you¡¯ll all been hanging out,¡± Adam said upon seeing the group of Iyrmen. ¡°This entire time your...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes then fell to Bavin. ¡°Hey, Bavin.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± the Iyrman replied. Adam could barely recognise the young Iyrman, who had short dark hair, and carried an axe at his side, the Vin family weapon. Adam swore the young man had grown at least an inch, and his body was thicker with muscle. He was no Nobby, even if the pair were nearly identical in their meekness. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect...¡± Adam smiled warmly, patting his shoulder gently. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you, Bavin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam frowned, noting the doubt within their eyes. ¡°You will not fight with the nobles?¡± Nirot asked. Adam inhaled deeply before looking to Jurot for support. ¡°Jurot, how can she say that to me?¡± ¡°Adam will try,¡± Jurot replied, though he said no more about the topic. ¡°I¡¯m nice to nobles,¡± Adam stated, as though it were true. ¡°Sometimes. I mean, I treat Sir Vonda nicely, most of the time.¡± ¡°It is true,¡± Vonda said, smiling from behind her scarf. ¡°See?¡± ¡°Sir Vonda does not count, since she is a member of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Who is not nice to such a figure?¡± ¡°What about Lady Sara?¡± Adam asked, throwing a look to the Aswadian devilkin, who had a gem embedded within her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m nice to you, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Adam is right,¡± Lady Sara replied. ¡°One might wonder why he only behaves politely with young, beautiful, single noblewomen, but that is not the point.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Adam replied, flushing slightly redder. ¡°Just because that¡¯s true, it doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s anything to it. I¡¯ve been nice to noblemen too. I mean, think about...¡± Adam thought to the nobles he was polite to, a slim list, and then the nobles who were men. ¡°Sir Landon?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve threatened him several times.¡± ¡°Only now and again,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Just a bit of banter, that¡¯s all. Well, what about Lord Strom?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t count, since he had given up his title at the time,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Okay, well, Lord Morkarai?¡± ¡°You beat him.¡± ¡°Yeah, but he¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why he gave us that really nice shield he made yesterday,¡± Adam retorted. ¡°Anyway, anyway, look. Enough messing around. I can¡¯t help but be cringe if you¡¯re going to amplify it.¡± Amira exchanged a look with Dunes. She had spent the least amount of time with the half elf, though they did meet when he had spent several thousand gold freeing her from working in the mines. Dunes merely replied with the same smile. Once the group had gathered in the centre, the Iyrmen began to speak of a tale, while Adam relaxed near the fire, drinking his grain wine mixed with fruit juice. He glanced between his companions, from the demons, to the Aldishmen, to the Iyrmen, to the Aswadians. ¡®Right, I should probably equip them all in plate mail when I have the chance. I have enough gold for it now. Why didn¡¯t I do that before we left?¡¯ The young half elf pulled out a book from within his robe, writing down the note to himself for the future. ¡®I need to make a deal with Chief Merl too...¡¯ Adam swallowed, thinking about his future workers. ¡®I can¡¯t just let them all starve to death. Need some drinks for them all too. Won¡¯t they need entertainment too?¡¯ Adam let out a long sigh. ¡®Why did I decide to be in charge? Damn it...¡¯ I will not promise Adam will become less cringe this year, but I promise he will try. Y03 – 721. Red Oak I Y03 ¨C 721. Red Oak I ¡°Hey, Bill, you see what I¡¯m seeing?¡± the guard asked. ¡°Not again,¡± Bill replied, letting out a low sigh. The pair of guards were adorned within the chain mail of the guard, and covering their chain shirts were red tabard, with a tree imprinted against it. They wielded spears in hand, with a shield within arm¡¯s reach. They guarded the town, though one would be far more impressed with the walls, made of heavy stone, around three Adam¡¯s tall, with several towers running along the perimeter. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± Adam greeted, pulling up his visor to reveal his handsome half fae face. ¡°How do you all fare?¡± ¡°We fare well,¡± George replied, glancing between them all, taking note of their bronze adventurer tags, their gear, all their mounts, and finally the half dozen giant wolves. George threw a glance to Bill, who exchanged the same look back, before they eyed up the group together once more. Jurot reached into his shirt, sliding out a plaque made of silver. It was fairly large, about the size of a letter, with various symbols all across it. One symbol was the that of a noble¡¯s family, but there were many other symbols and runes engraved against it. George reached up for the plaque, before his eyes scanned across the Iyrman who had handed it. ¡°Who gave you this plaque?¡± ¡°My brother,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Your brother?¡± ¡°Duchess Eastsea gifted us the plaque,¡± Adam explained. ¡°I handed it over to my brother because it¡¯s the safest place.¡± George replied with a nod. ¡°Alright. That¡¯s a silver per head, per mount, per vehicle.¡± The guard handed the plaque back to Jurot. ¡®They¡¯re not going to check it?¡¯ Adam thought, half prepared to small talk with the guard while they checked on the plaque. ¡°The elks are magical steeds.¡± ¡°All four of them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t include them,¡± George replied, waving his hand dismissively. ¡®Right, it¡¯s not just the orders who have magical steeds.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll just pay the three gold so we don¡¯t have to deal with change,¡± Adam said, palming the guard three gold coins. ¡°If the wolves cause any bother, we¡¯ll have to put them down, and you¡¯ll have to pay the fine.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me how much the fine is because they won¡¯t cause any issues,¡± Adam replied, looking back towards the four awakened wolves and the two dire wolves. ¡°Ain¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the awakened wolves replied. The pair of guards jolted for a moment before reaching for their chests, having forgotten Adam had an awakened beast with him. ¡®I knew I forgot something about this queer fool.¡¯ ¡°No issues with the awakened beasts, are there?¡± Adam asked. The guards eyed up the group once more, counting the Iyrmen again. George sighed, motioning with his head for them to enter the town. Once the group were inside the guards glanced between one another once more. ¡°You sure we shoulda let them in just like that?¡± Bill asked. ¡°You gonna stop a group with all those Iyrmen from coming inside?¡± George replied. ¡°They sent a hundred passed this way last year for the war, and I heard they didn¡¯t allow any of theirs to come out.¡± ¡°Right, yeah, forgot about that,¡± Bill replied, slowly bouncing his head as he thought. ¡°They said something about closing their gates? For the war?¡± ¡°For the war? You think Iyrmen close their gates cause they¡¯re at war? You been drinking, Bill?¡± ¡°Just a sip in the morning to keep me warm.¡± ¡°For you?¡± Adam flashed a playful smile before following the Vice Master around back. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°We have received news of several outbreaks in the near future,¡± Paul began, leaning up against the wall, letting out a long sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve gathered several groups together, but I still need more adventurers, those with experience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rather fortunate for you that a group of thirty adventurers, each at least an Expert, many of whom are Iyrmen, have suddenly fallen onto your lap. Actually, we¡¯ve got another half a dozen who might be joining too, with the farmers and the porters.¡± ¡°Mother Soza truly blesses me,¡± Paul replied. ¡°I¡¯d like for your group to head back to the area you had protected before.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the party, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to refuse,¡± Adam offered. ¡°Would you mind sending word to the porters and the farmers? I mean, not you, obviously.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Paul bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°I hope I get some more tags,¡± Adam said, patting his bronze tag. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°When¡¯s the rank up, anyway?¡± ¡°When you receive forty stamps.¡± ¡°Oh! I have thirty six, I think. Is this going to rank me up?¡± ¡°I am certain it will.¡± ¡°Nice,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Adam returned back to the noisy guild, glancing around the group. His eyes fell across the large form of Nobby in the corner. ¡®Right...¡¯ ¡°More outbreaks,¡± Jurot mused aloud, his arms crossed as he thought of the matter. ¡°Strange.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, last year we didn¡¯t come across much,¡± Adam said. ¡®Did Ulaveil have anything to do with it?¡¯ Jurot could see what his brother was thinking. The previous year they had barely come across any beast waves even though a Great Twilight had passed. Then they had come across Crowseer several times, but more importantly, one of the Lesser Divine, Ulaveil, the daughter of the Goddess of Balance. ¡°I say we help, but what do you guys think?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. A wave of agreement washed over Fate¡¯s Golden, the party which had once consisted of Adam, Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool, and within the span of a few years had ballooned up to almost forty, each at least Experts. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure the rest are all Level 5 too...¡¯ Adam thought. He recalled back to the previous year. ¡®Ah, no, wasn¡¯t it a couple of years ago? Was it really that long ago? What the hell did we do last year? Oh, right. The hydras and then the tournament.¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Nobby. He leaned in to whisper into Jurot¡¯s ear. ¡°Jurot, would you mind taking Nobby to his home? Let the boy relax with his family.¡± Adam pressed a gem against the side of Jurot¡¯s hand before the Iyrmen slipped it into his palm. ¡°Oh, and hand Anne this.¡± Jurot felt the cool metal press against his hand, before slipping the coin into his hand. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯d go, but I think I¡¯d just get us into trouble.¡± ¡°You are growing wiser.¡± ¡°I wish.¡± Outbreaks? Fighting? Adam becoming wiser? What''s going on to my fatherhood simulator? Y03 – 722. Red Oak II Y03 ¨C 722. Red Oak II Omen: 3, 11 ¡®I feel like we¡¯re going to be dealing with the Divine again this year,¡¯ Adam thought, rubbing his obsidian amulet gently, feeling the ridges of the symbol of Baktu. ¡®How did we not come across any beasts on the way to Red Oak?¡¯ The morning in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was lively, though after breakfast, it was as though the guild was full of ghosts, with only two groups remaining behind to relax. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam called, noticing the new group entering the guild. He raised his hand towards the farmers, who approached Adam and his companions, who made up almost all the adventurers in the guild currently. ¡°Adam,¡± Rick greeted, shaking the half elf¡¯s forearm, before greeting the others. Rick sat opposite Adam, taking off his helmet to reveal his heavily scarred face, his neatly trimmed hair and freshly shaven jaw. He wore heavy armour, chain mail, with a shield on his back, and an axe at his side. His four companions also greeted the rest of Fate¡¯s Golden, before taking their place near the leader.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Been well, I hope?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Rick confirmed. He couldn¡¯t say otherwise considering the half elf was responsible for making them each a mountain of gold, more gold than they ever would have thought possible. Adam eyed up the rest of Rick¡¯s companions. John, who carried a pair of daggers, and a bow. Ivy also carried a bow in hand, though Adam couldn¡¯t spot anything else since she was wrapped up in her dark cloak, the woman hunched over as usual to hide much of herself. Adam had forgotten how heavily tattooed Greg was, though he had recalled how much Charley liked to keep her hair dyed red. The pair wore heavy chain armour, carrying larger glaves, while John and Ivy wore lighter armour. The group made small talk before the trio of porters appeared, though to call Nobby a porter, considering his great strength, was rather silly. Nobby brought his uncles, Jeremiah and Jeremy, two identical men, both tall and strong, with dark hair, partly brown and partly red, like a conker. They also wore armour made of the kurabaras, lizard creatures whose backs were covered in scales as hard as stone, which they had slain a couple of years prior. Though the pair were almost identical, they were actually cousins, and more confusingly, they preferred to be called by their nicknames. Adam pulled out his journal, writing a note within it, before slipping it back into his shirt. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re all ready for a fight, but we¡¯re probably going to take the day off today. I¡¯ll pay you your gold for the day anyway, but I would like to talk about the business. The Iyr says the fort should be completed by duskval.¡± Rick leaned in closer, the farmer turned Expert having already spoken to his companions about the matter. Jeremiah and Jeremy remained sitting upright, though their gazes were glued to the young half elf, who had his ears covered with a scarf in an Aswadian manner, like a turban. If not for the other Aswadians nearby, Dunes also covering his head in such a manner, he would have garnered far more attention. ¡°Is the deal the same?¡± Rick asked. ¡°Mostly. I forgot what I said for the pay, but all the other benefits? Housing, food, clothes, education, healthcare, trade apprenticeship, the ability to defend themselves, the chance to learn magic, the magical equipment, the gear, so on and so on? Yeah.¡± Rick was almost certain Adam had added benefits, but he wasn¡¯t going to complain about such a thing. ¡°How many years?¡± ¡°Once they finish basic education, I want to lock them in for at least five years, once they turn... sixteen, I think? The end of their basic education. If they want more advanced education, then after that training, ten years at least, probably. As long as you work for me, the benefits of housing and clothing and all that will go to your family. Also, your spouses will be paid too, though they probably won¡¯t be earning much more than the starting wage if they don¡¯t want to progress up the ranks.¡± ¡°You said it was the Iyr¡¯s land?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Rick slowly nodded his head. He wasn¡¯t sure of that aspect, but the offer, which was too good to be true, sounded so enticing. If it were anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t have entertained the thought, but it was Adam. Rick thought back to how he had met one of the Lesser Divine, Ulaveil, his entire body tingling at the memory. ¡°His younger sister was taken away by bandits and after what happened to her, he killed them all, bandits and sister. They say his scarf was white, but was dyed red from the blood of them all. Say he wears it so he never forgets.¡± ¡°He killed his sister?¡± Adam asked, his brows raised in alarm. ¡°She did not wish to live.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He is not merciful to bandits,¡± Rick said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t care for their reasons, he kills them all.¡± ¡°He has tried to give up his knighthood,¡± Jurot continued. ¡°Though he gave up his position as heir, he was advised to keep his knightly rank. He refuses to use the title of Sir, which annoys the nobles, but many respect his wishes.¡± ¡°He prefers to remain alone, even from his own companions,¡± Rick said. ¡°They say that is why he does not have a wife.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jurot stood and made his way to Red Neck Stephen. Jurot greeted him, shaking the man¡¯s forearm, before chatting for a few moments and returning. Upon seeing Adam¡¯s questioning gaze, Jurot bowed his head. ¡°It is good to introduce ourselves.¡± ¡°Alright, fair.¡± ¡°I will speak to him too.¡± ¡®I thought you said he doesn¡¯t like to talk to people?¡¯ Rick returned a few moments later. Upon seeing Adam¡¯s questioning gaze, Rick bowed his head. ¡°The Red Scarves assisted us when we first began adventuring. He was there when one of ours was killed. He made sure they were buried properly and even paid the funeral fees to the temple.¡± ¡°Oh. That is rather nice of him.¡± Adam glanced towards the man in his forties, taking in his sight for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s got rather nice armour, almost as good as mine.¡± ¡°A gift from a lord, like the rest of their gear,¡± Rick informed. ¡°Ah.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, pulling out his journal, writing in it for a moment, before slipping it back into his shirt. Rick wondered what he was writing within the journal, but decided against asking, going back to drinking his milk. His eyes fell to Nobby, the young man who had placed first. ¡®Will he train my children too?¡¯ Woo! Welcome back to the commonfolk! We need people to ground the party. Y03 – 723. Red Oak III Y03 ¨C 723. Red Oak III The room was, large enough to allow the dozen adventurers to stand comfortably around the table in the centre, which was also suitably large. The room was cool, the stone around them doing little to warm the group, though the tiny crystals set within the wall provided plenty of light. The Vice Master stood at the head of the table, still adorned in his breast plate. The other adventurers also wore parts of their armour, carrying their weapons at their side, save for a half elf, who, like his two companions, wore no armour, though they carried their weapons proudly. ¡°Thank you again for answering my summons,¡± Paul began, nodding his head to the adventurers in gratitude. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild appreciates your rapid response.¡± ¡°As long as we¡¯re paid well,¡± one of the adventurer¡¯s replied, a young devilkin woman, a companion to another devilkin who shot her a look. The young woman smiled innocently, a charming smile which lightened the mood in the air. Paul tapped the four different outposts on the map. ¡°It is fortunate we had created such outposts previously, two years prior. I will send the Red Scarves deal with the outpost to the south east, for it is the which requires the least support.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Red Neck Stephen replied, not arguing the point, and no one else dared to suggest anything by Paul¡¯s words. ¡°The Grave Sword will take the outpost to the north, the Firewalkers to the south east, and finally, Fate¡¯s Golden will take the outpost to the south west.¡± Paul tapped each of the outposts on the large map of Red Oak and its surrounding area. ¡°Which is the most difficult outpost?¡± a Grave Sword asked. ¡°The south western outpost,¡± Paul replied. ¡°We should take it,¡± the Grave Sword said, their eyes falling onto Adam and the Iyrmen. ¡°No disrespect to you Iyrmen, but we have more experience.¡± Adam eyed up the Aldishman, an older man, in his late forties or so, with pale skin, black hair and black eyes, which was so common in the north. He wore a breast plate made of darker steel, and he carried on his back a large blade made of jagite. Not the same kind of jagite Adam had bought previously, but true jagite. ¡°I respect your advice, but may I ask how large is your group?¡± ¡°We are six total,¡± the Grave Sword replied. ¡°We will be supported by several other adventuring parties, each also at bronze rank, like yourself.¡± ¡°We number almost forty, with the weakest of us being Experts,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Well, technically the weakest of us are direwolves, but they don¡¯t count. No, actually, the weakest of us are elks, magical steeds, but you know what I mean.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Twenty one, just like my companions around me,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to Jurot and Kitool. ¡°I understand why the Iyrmen are here, but why do you stand among us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the leader of Fate¡¯s Golden.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A boy like you?¡± ¡°Yeah, a boy like me.¡± Adam returned a smile towards the older man, his neck pulsing as he did. ¡°Adam and his companions are dependable,¡± Paul stated. ¡°I have no doubt the Iyrmen are dependable, but have you ever taken part of an outbreak?¡± The northerner stared at the young man before him, who was as new as the dawn. ¡°Funny you should mention that, considering the outpost the Vice Master wants us to commandeer is the very same we built,¡± Adam replied. ¡°An outpost which was led by another,¡± Paul informed the Grave Sword. ¡°However, Adam and his companions completed the request with a great performance.¡± ¡°I do recall allowing you to pay someone else more when we did most of the work,¡± Adam replied, standing up a little taller, his eyes narrowing slightly as he continued to smile. ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild places great trust in Adam,¡± the Vice Master stated, noting the way Adam was beginning to smile. ¡®Please, Adam.¡¯ ¡°You are rather young,¡± one of the Red Scarves stated, crossing his arms as he glanced between the trio. ¡°It is no offence to you, young man, but if you fail, we will also be effected by the rumours.¡± ¡°Adam is strong,¡± Jurot finally said when Adam let out a sigh, which meant he was ready to blow. ¡°Yeah, I got third in the Noonval Tournament,¡± Adam said. ¡°Third?¡± the young devilkin woman asked, before her eyes soaked in the sight of the Iyrmen around Adam. ¡°I thought I recognised those faces! Didn¡¯t you place first, and didn¡¯t you place second?¡± Paul straightened up, narrowing his eyes at the young Iyrman. He raised a brow towards the Iyrmen, who both nodded in response. ¡°Adam, are you free for a bout today?¡± ¡°Yeah, but I wish you would have asked me yesterday,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I had two crits in my back pocket.¡± ¡°Crits?¡± ¡°Nothing. Anyway, what do you need?¡± ¡°I would like to assess you to rank up,¡± Paul replied. ¡°If you are that strong, you will need the appropriate ranking.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I already going to rank up once I¡¯m done with the quest?¡± ¡°Depending on the results of the test, you may receive additional stamps.¡± ¡°Ah? What about Jurot and the others?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What about Jurot and the others?¡± ¡°Well... I¡¯d rather just stay the same rank as them. Anyway, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m strong because I¡¯m strong, I just can fight in a way that allows me to punch above my weight. Without this axe of mine, I¡¯d probably lose against you.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to fight Braun?¡± Paul asked. ¡°It would be off the record.¡± ¡®Wouldn¡¯t that give me a lot of XP?¡¯ ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Would it not be best for him to face me?¡± Eddard asked. ¡°It would allow us to deal with our issues.¡± ¡°No killing, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to kill within the domain of the guild.¡± ¡°Oh? What about outside?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from the north, boy,¡± Eddard replied, his eyes growing darker. ¡°I¡¯ve heard only good things about the north from my brother,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head lightly. ¡°Once the bout ends there will be no issues,¡± Eddard replied, almost instantly calm again. ¡°I¡¯m down to fight you, but what about betting on it?¡± ¡°What is the bet?¡± ¡°One hundred gold?¡± ¡°What of your axe and my blade?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your blade?¡± ¡°Greater Enhanced.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? What does it do?¡± ¡°What does your axe do?¡± ¡°It can smite, and more,¡± Adam replied. ¡°My blade strikes harder than most,¡± Eddard replied. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°It¡¯s a bit awkward if we bet our weapons, since the entire reason we¡¯re here is to help Red Oak out. How are you going to do that without your trusty weapon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re wiser than you look.¡± ¡°Plus, what am I going to do with a greatsword?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m a nephew of the Rot family, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡®Rot?¡¯ Eddard thought. Adam getting into trouble for that sweet, sweet XP. Y03 – 724. Red Oak IV Y03 ¨C 724. Red Oak IV Adam inhaled the crisp air before he donned his puthral helmet, covering himself head to toe in his purple armour. He donned his magical shield, feeling its great magic tingle through even his gloves, before he gripped the handle of Wraith, his axe, and perhaps the greatest weapon he had created thus far. Eddard knelt in front of the half elf, though faced away, the older man praying lightly. ¡®Jurot. Rot.¡¯ The name sounded so familiar, though he couldn¡¯t quite place it. He stood and turned to face Adam, noting the axe and shield, the shield which Adam had picked up when he went to don his armour. The shield was crimson, like blood. ¡°Ten gold?¡± a Grave Sword asked. ¡°I will bet on my brother,¡± Jurot replied. The Grave Sword, another northerner, nodded their head. They wrote within the book of bets, handing it to Jurot to add his own bet, before the book continued to be passed along the rest of those who were watching. The small field had been cleared for the pair for their fight, though many adventurers had stepped out to watch the fight between Black Blood and the young punk in purple. ¡®Should I rinse them for all they¡¯re worth?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Nah.¡¯ ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Eddard replied, gripping his blade in both hands while Adam raised his shield. Once the bets were placed, Paul grabbed the book, closing it. ¡°You may begin.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) ¡®I just have to-,¡¯ Adam¡¯s thoughts stopped as Eddard had charged him before he could even blink. He brought up his shield, skidding backwards as the older man struck his shield violently, before he side stepped another swing. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ The pair clashed within the centre of the field, the adventurers watching near silently as their bout rung through the air. Magical steel crashed against magical steel. Adam grunted, trying to defend himself from the onslaught of the older man. Eddard pushed through his limits to try and shatter the boy¡¯s defences, to teach him a lesson, and yet his blade only clattered against the puthral armour.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 22 (12) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 28 (2, 6)(5, 6) 28 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 21 (11) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 23 (2, 6)(2, 4) 23 damage! Adam inhaled and focused, finding a moment to push back the older Aldishman, magical steel clashing against magical steel, though this time Adam took lead of the bout. Eddard brought up his mighty magical blade to defend himself, but as he stepped back and aside to try and deflect Adam¡¯s blows, he could already feel the great burning within his arms as he tried to deal with the young man in purple. ¡®The boy¡¯s a guardian?¡¯ Eddard thought, feeling the flash of hot divine magic run through him as the pair clashed. Jurot watched intently. He understood the thoughts going through Eddard¡¯s head as the pair fought. Adam was a great warrior, that was for certain. He was considered a guardian, one of those who could wield the magics of oaths, though Jurot knew that to be foolish. Adam was a guardian, in the same way he was a warrior, in the same way he was a priest, in the same way he was a scribe mage, a wizard. Health: 91 -> 58 Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 58 -> 63 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 21 (11) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Mana: 23 -> 22 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 29 (4, 5)(5, 6) 29 damage! Adam focused intensely as his axe blurred through the air, the young half elf stepping forward as his blade managed to barely bend over the old man¡¯s sword, and struck him harshly against the side of his helmet, denting it. Eddard stumbled back, feeling his vision fade, his entire body growing heavy as he tried to right himself. His mind rang wildly as he swayed, barely able to keep the grip on his blade. ¡°Do you surrender?¡± Adam asked, still gripping Wraith tightly. ¡°Boy,¡± the old man began, inhaling deeply as he managed to right himself. ¡°Young man. I¡¯m a northerner.¡± Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Critical hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 17 (1, 3)(2, 2) 17 damage! Adam swung his axe with surgical precision, striking the old man across his helmet again, though the old man had pulled his head back to dampen the blow. Yet, Eddard dropped onto the floor, his sword still gripped tightly in hand, though he remained still. Victory! XP Gained: +200 XP: 10 600 -> 10 800 Quest Complete: Northern Respect XP Gained: +100 XP: 10 800 -> 10 900 A gasp filled the air as Adam, a relative newbie, who wore a tag of bronze, knocked out Black Blood, the man who wore a tag of silver, stamped quite some ways through. The same Black Blood who had slain such a large number of drakes, who had even clashed against Black Blade, the Black Blade, for his title, who had even demanded respect from members of the various orders. ¡®Adam held back,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®The first blow against his helmet would have struck him down if Adam had decided to use Wraith or a greater smite.¡¯ ¡°Young man,¡± called a Grave Sword, tossing a pair of gems to the half elf. ¡®A pair of tiger eyes?¡¯ Adam thought. He had also brought a few, being a gem worth fifty gold a piece, so he didn¡¯t need to carry a ton of coins with him. It was also one of the most popular gems within the Iyr. ¡°This the one hundred gold?¡± ¡°What else do you think it is?¡± ¡°How can I be su-,¡± Adam stopped as he felt a hand against his shoulder, glancing aside to see his brother beside him. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head to the Grave Sword, who had begun narrowing their eyes towards Adam. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, glad Jurot had grabbed him. ¡®Seriously, I was so good during the fight, and almost cocked it up.¡¯ ¡°It was my honour.¡± The Grave Sword nodded, allowing the half elf to step away from the fight, while the bets were all paid out. ¡®I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s a time I win ten gold from a bet and think it¡¯s more like copper,¡¯ Rick thought. He had already made so much from betting on the half elf the previous year that ten gold seemed like almost nothing, even if it was about a month¡¯s salary for a great number of people he knew. ¡°That fight got me all hungry,¡± Adam said, slipping Wraith to his side. ¡°Why don¡¯t we grab some bread?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, far too eagerly. Thank you, Jurot. Y03 – 725. Red Oak V Y03 ¨C 725. Red Oak V It was a large building with a small door which opened to a tiny room, revealing some of what it had to offer. A young woman, who very much looked like a woman who grew up on bread, packed loaves from behind the counter. She was full bodied, and looked as though she smelt of pastries, with copper touched hair and acorn eyes. As the bell rang, her eyes darted up to take the sight of the pair of adventurers. ¡°Who are these strangers?¡± the young woman asked, already tasting the gold, her lips forming a tiny, greedy, smile. Adam elbowed Jurot gently, motioning his head to the young woman, while his eyes danced around the myriad of pastries all around them. ¡°Hello,¡± Jurot stated as awkwardly as one could. ¡°We have come to buy bread.¡± ¡°Buying bread in a bakery?¡± Pam teased. ¡°What he means to say is that he¡¯s come to buy the best bread in Red Oak,¡± Adam said, patting his brother¡¯s back. ¡°Jurot, why don¡¯t you tell her what our latest quest is while I pick out some bread for the group.¡± Jurot crossed his arms, towering over Pam as he thought for a moment. ¡°We are to assist with the outbreak.¡± ¡°Oh? Is it that bad they had to send so many strong...¡± Pam glanced to Adam, recalling he wasn¡¯t an Iyrman, ¡°adventurers? And an Iyrman at that, too.¡± ¡°There is a tyrantboar,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°A tyrantboar?¡± ¡°It is a boar which is larger than even this room,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°That sounds dangerous.¡± ¡°I will defeat it,¡± Jurot assured. ¡°Can you?¡± Pam asked, before quickly gathering herself. ¡°Of course you can, winner of the tournament that you are.¡± ¡°Spent all the gold you made betting on my brother?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can spend all that much in just a year,¡± Pam replied. ¡°I did buy a little bit of red oak.¡± The young woman reached down to her side, pulling up the small cube of red oak, clipped to her side by a strip of dark leather. ¡°Some fruit wine from down the way too.¡± ¡°Do you like peach wine?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Mm, though don¡¯t get the chance often.¡± ¡°I will bring a bottle when I can. ¡°Aw, you don¡¯t have to do anything like that.¡± Jurot fell silent, unsure of how to respond to her, or where to take the conversation. ¡°You know, Jurot here, is the best uncle,¡± Adam began, patting his brother¡¯s back. ¡°Uncle?¡± ¡°Oh yeah. He¡¯s always looking out for my children. I¡¯m not going to gush about how adorable they are, I mean, look at me.¡± Adam stroked his jaw. ¡°How can they not be adorable when they have such a handsome father, but speaking of handsome, Jurot, he¡¯s so good with the kids. Our little sister, Lanarot, she¡¯s always happy to see him, and they play so well. He might look like a hunk of steel, and I do mean both hunk and steel more literally, but he¡¯s soft where it counts.¡± Pam blinked, smiling politely towards the half elf, barely understanding anything he was talking about. ¡°Speaking of steel, we¡¯re aiming to reach the rank this year,¡± Adam said, doing his best to help out his brother. ¡°We¡¯re probably going to be steel after the outbreak, and when that happens, we¡¯ll be sure to come here to buy all kinds of bread and pastries. We won¡¯t be leaving until we¡¯ve spent at least ten gold, probably more.¡± ¡°I will pray for you,¡± Pam assured, flashing a more eager smile. The bell rung behind them, an older man stepping into the bakery, finding a pair of adventurers within. ¡°Oh, oh dear, pardon me,¡± he said, beginning to retreat. ¡°Noorhabi, if I did not know the steel of Iyrmen, I would not be allowed to sell sand to the Shen,¡± Badhl replied, eyeing up the young man whose turban covered his ears. ¡°When the Iyr has fae?¡± ¡°When my brother adopted me.¡± ¡°Brother? You are Iyrman¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°He is,¡± Sir Vonda said. The merchant pulled back, eyeing up the half elf more obviously now. ¡°How is this?¡± ¡°We share a sister,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s very cute.¡± The merchant smiled, though his eyes quickly flashed with darkness, and his lips faltered. ¡°Yes, it must be so. Your sister, Iyrman?¡± ¡°She is.¡± The merchant slowly nodded his head. ¡°The Iyr, well known in our lands.¡± ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°From, how you call, South Aswadasad, but we are now Zuhdi Ejirate.¡± ¡°Oh. Is that far from Black Mountain?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We are opposite side,¡± Badhl replied, motioning with his hand on an invisible map. ¡°You know of Black Mountain?¡± ¡°We have a few friends from there,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Don¡¯t have many friends from Aswadasad, but they¡¯re all from Black Mountain, and the surrounding region. We know a few others, but yeah.¡± ¡°You have been in Aswadasad?¡± ¡°Not yet, unfortunately.¡± ¡°Very warm, too warm for Aldishmen, it is why they could not conquer land,¡± Badhl chuckled. ¡°Is too cold in Aldland, is why we could not conquer land.¡± ¡®Is every merchant from Aswadasad this funny?¡¯ Adam though, smiling at the merchant. ¡°I¡¯ll, uh, how much for your books?¡± ¡°Each book, five gold. Book from Al Tasad, ten gold.¡± Adam whistled, glancing over to Vonda. ¡°I¡¯ll grab five, no, six books, no...¡± Adam thought deeply for a moment. ¡°One second, I need to count in my head.¡± ¡®I should probably get one for each kid. Ah, but if I grab these, we¡¯ll have less money for more gifts.. One for my sister, one for my children, one for the first set of babies, one for the second set of babies, and one for Churot. What is that? Five? Five books? Though, should I really be buying those sort of books for them?¡¯ Eventually, Adam brought one book, a book from Al Tasad, before they said their goodbyes to Badhl. ¡°You know the merchant?¡± ¡°I would save up coin every month to buy books from him every duskval,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°Sometimes, if I was lucky, he would have a book from Al Tasad or Zufar.¡± ¡°I hear they have good paper,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Ah, right, I bought you a gift too, Sir Vonda. You¡¯re always the best, so here.¡± Adam reached into his sack to reveal a scarf he had brought for her, which had cost him quite the pretty gold coin. The scarf was a lighter shade of pink, though Adam would only be able to refer to it as pink. Vonda¡¯s eyes smiled, before she reached into her own pack, pulling out a scarf of purple, which she would have referred to as something else, due to its meaning. ¡°I brought you a gift too, Adam.¡± ¡°Great minds think alike,¡± Adam replied, trading the scarf with her. ¡°I do quite like the colour of purple. Thank you, Sir Vonda.¡± ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± Vonda replied, pulling up her own scarf higher to hide her flush, which was a certain type of red, which had its own meaning. Romance? In my fatherhood simulator? CRINGE. Y03 – 726. Outbreak I Y03 ¨C 726. Outbreak I Adam hoisted the last of the barrels onto the wagon, letting out a short grunt. Jurot only let out a soft breath as he placed down two barrels, one in each arm, before stepping back, eyeing up the items within. ¡®How can you be both handsome and strong? It¡¯s not fair, Jurot.¡¯ Adam shook his head lightly. ¡°Kitool, will you double check we have everything?¡± Adam asked, hanging the journal to her. ¡°It would be best for you since you¡¯ll have fresh eyes.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, doing as he asked. ¡®As much as I probably could just make a bunch of magic food, it won¡¯t do good for the morale of the party,¡¯ Adam thought. He checked on the wolves, who had been feasting well within the town. ¡°Sky, you¡¯re the one whose going to be leading the pack whenever we send you out.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the awakened wolf replied, a soft growl escaping his throat. Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°If you guys take that opportunity to run...¡± Adam raised his brows, as if daring them to do so. He stepped around towards Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a, reaching out to rub their heads and scratch their necks gently. ¡°If they¡¯re mean to you, let me know. Just cause they¡¯re awakened wolves, it doesn¡¯t mean they can bully you.¡± Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a brushed their faces against Adam¡¯s, the young half elf continuing to dote on them while the others double checked their gear. Adam made his way to the group of Aswadians within his party. ¡°Korin, did you grab any of the...¡± Adam paused, trying to recall the name. History Check D20 + 3 = 13 (10) ¡°Pepo? No, pero, right?¡± ¡°Pero,¡± Korin confirmed. ¡°I still have a pouch from East Port.¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯m putting you in charge of cooking. You can use as much spice as you like, since we¡¯ll be heading to East Port later, and I¡¯ll give you enough to buy yourself at least a barrel of the stuff.¡± ¡°That would be expensive.¡± ¡°How expensive?¡± ¡°Over one hundred gold.¡± ¡°A cask, then.¡± Korin chuckled lightly, nodding his head. ¡°I will cook well, Adam, you do not need to worry about that.¡± ¡°Alright, are we all ready to go?¡± Adam asked, clapping his hands to gather his party¡¯s attention. ¡°If you need any help or anything, just ask me, Jurot, Kitool, Jaygak, Vonda, or Dunes.¡± Once the party was settled with their affairs, they began to make their way out. The group was full of Aswadians, Iyrmen, Aldishmen, wolves, and elks. Adam did his best to ignore all the attention they were receiving, though he couldn¡¯t blame the townsfolk. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a big group?¡± the guard called out, glancing back towards the party as they approached the gates. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen this many Iyrmen pass by in some time, not since the war¡¯s end.¡± ¡°We¡¯re preparing for a sort of war too, I suppose,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We¡¯re heading south west to deal with the outbreak.¡± ¡°Ah! May the Divine bless you, adventurers.¡± The guard eyed up their tags. ¡°Are only a few of you bronze rank?¡± ¡°Well, technically we¡¯re all Experts, but yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°A few of us placed well in the Noonval Tournament back in East Port, and actually, two of us won. Jurot and Nobby.¡± The guard eyed up the pair, who were built as though they had been carved from marble. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the pair of you came first.¡± Though there was doubt in her voice, she faced Jurot, staring at him through her visor. ¡°Didn¡¯t he say he was an Expert?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s the leader, isn¡¯t he stronger?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± ¡°He must have spent all his time with the Iyrmen.¡± The guards watched as the large group continued to trail his way along to the horizon. They were a large group, larger than most, with creatures they weren¡¯t used to. The pair had heard about the wolves over the past couple of years, though they had scarcely believed it. ¡°He can¡¯t be too bad if he¡¯s helping out during the outbreak,¡± Marie said. ¡°I¡¯m thinking the same,¡± Mary replied, also thinking about the Massacre of Rock Hill. ¡°Right, I forgot that they didn¡¯t like elves around these parts,¡± Adam admitted, flushing slightly in his embarrassment. ¡°I spent all that time hiding my ears with a scarf and then I went and took my helmet off.¡± ¡°They may have had family in the town,¡± Fred said. Adam glanced back towards Fred, slowly nodding his head. ¡°It is what it is, I suppose. It¡¯s not like I can say I had nothing to do with it, no one would care. That¡¯s how it is...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re so bad, Adam,¡± Fred stated, the sudden rush of awkwardness rising within him. ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± Adam exhaled lightly. ¡®Elves. Half dragons. Goblins. Demons.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Jurot remained silent, and the others left Adam be in his thoughts. As late afternoon began to swallow the land, Adam squinted his eyes. ¡°Is that a...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. The large walls of the minor fort imposed upon the plains, earth having been stacked at least half a man tall, with wooden logs set within them. A large ditch ran around the fort, with carved wooden stakes pointed outwards in front. The large banners flew above the group, a black flag with a golden dragon. The fort was large, easily large enough for the likes of a few hundred soldiers. A new road shot out towards the east from the outpost, disappearing into the distance. ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain there wasn¡¯t an outpost like this here last time,¡± Adam said. ¡°There are two more,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°They were built last year.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Adam stared at the ominous walls of the minor fort. ¡°The war is over, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We going to have any problems?¡± ¡°There should be no problems.¡± Adam exchanged a knowing look to his brother, his lips almost forming a smirk. ¡°Sir Vonda, would you be willing to speak with the soldiers on our behalf?¡± ¡°Of course, Adam.¡± Thank you, Sir Vonda. Y03 – 727. Outbreak II Y03 ¨C 727. Outbreak II ¡°Halt,¡± called a knight from the wall, adorned in full plate, carrying a blade strapped to his side. He was surrounded by at least a dozen soldiers, each armed with crossbows. ¡°What is your business with the south?¡± ¡°I am Sir Vonda Eastlake of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± the young woman replied, removing her helmet to reveal her scarred face. ¡°We have no business with the south, we only wish to stay the night within the protection of the outpost¡¯s walls. We have been sent by the Adventurer¡¯s Guild of Red Oak to deal with the outbreak. We will be heading westward in the morning.¡± The knight stared down at the young noblewoman. ¡°Do you have proof of your words?¡± Vonda took off her amulet and held it up for a soldier to come take it from her, though they would need to open the gates. ¡°Do you have any proof you are from the East Lake family?¡± ¡°I have my name, but I am a sister of the order before I am a daughter of nobility,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°...¡± The knight disappeared for a moment before the gates opened and he led a group of a dozen soldiers out, his eyes glued to the young priest. He took sight of the amulet, which Vonda turned so he could see the intricate details of the back, before he bowed his head. ¡°Welcome, Sir Vonda. You are here to deal with the outbreak westward?¡± ¡°That is correct. Two years ago we also dealt with the outbreak in a small outpost we had built west of here.¡± ¡°The southerners once passed that way to flank us. I am uncertain if they remain, but they may not be as kind as we who have nothing but the greatest of respect for those within the Order of the Good Mother,¡± the knight stated, bowing his head. ¡°I will pray they retain their senses.¡± The knight eyed up the wolves, the Aswadians, and the Iyrmen. His eyes paused upon seeing the young man in puthral, and then Jurot, who wielded an axe and shield, and whose tattoo was painted with a blue circle and blue diamonds. His eyes returned to Vonda. ¡°I must ask that your group pay the tax if they are to remain within our walls. Out of respect, we will only ask for thirty gold.¡± Vonda bowed her head in response. ¡°We thank you for your kindness, Sir...¡± ¡°Sir Earl Hightree,¡± the young man replied. With that, the group were allowed within the outpost walls, led to a section where they were allowed to settle themselves. Meanwhile, the knight made his way to the office building, motioning an aid to gather the captains together. The bell rung three times, and Adam raised his brows towards Jurot, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Are we going to have to...¡± Adam noted a soldier watching them from nearby. ¡°It will be a good story,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There is no reason for them to act upon us,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I can name three reasons right now,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam, Lucy, Mara.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell towards the two demons, relenting to Adam¡¯s words. As the captains approached the officer, the knight, tasked with defending the outpost for the next year, turned to face them. ¡°There are some visitors within the quarters, those who have brought Aswadians, wolves, and Iyrmen. One unit will need to take command in watching over them from a distance.¡±Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°What is so special about the newcomers, sir?¡± a captain asked. ¡°I recognise some of them. I was in the company of Sir Roland Fords, who had arrived with the horsemen sent from West Fort. He spoke of a group he had met, an Iyrman he was familiar with. I do not recall the name, but I remember his description. I recognise him from another, too. Last year, there was a tale that passed through, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of it. The Vice Commander of Black Moon.¡± ¡°He was disarmed,¡± the captain replied, doing his best to hide his smile. ¡°The old Iyrman who beat him was a cripple.¡± ¡°One arm, I heard.¡± ¡°I heard the same. He had a particular tattoo, that of a blue circle with blue diamonds. The Iyrman in that group matches the description of the fellow Sir Roland knew, and not just that, I heard he had won the Noonval Tournament, even against the likes of Sir Logan.¡± The captains weren¡¯t entirely certain how strong Sir Logan was, but slowly nodded their heads at the knight¡¯s explanation. ¡°He must be related to the crippled Iyrman, and if he is half as crazy, we might find ourselves coming into some trouble with Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose. Keep an eye on them, and if there are any issues, bring them directly to me.¡± Adam spent a short while summoning two towers using his magic. The ground floor for each was different, one a bathroom, the other a dining room, while the rooms above were bedrooms, one for each of the noblewomen within their party. As always, Adam was first to bathe, cleaning the water and the bathroom with his magic between each group bathing. ¡°Name one other business that lets you bathe daily while on the road?¡± Adam boasted, his face a large grin. ¡°Are we a part of your business too?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Do you want to be?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like working under you.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Then no?¡± ¡°Would we get paid?¡± ¡°Yeah. Everyone will get paid.¡± ¡°Do we get magical weapons too?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you already have one of the best the Enchanter has made?¡± ¡°Mara doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I believe Lucy means to say I do not possess a Greater Enhanced weapon,¡± Mara said. ¡°Oh, right, yeah...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll send word back once the outbreak is over.¡± ¡°What of the watches?¡± ¡°With thirty people, we can set up, what, one hour shifts, three people at a time?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯ll have Hades and the others on...¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Oh, oops.¡¯ He snapped his fingers, trying to summon the owl, but it did not appear. ¡®I don¡¯t have the stupid thing to cast the spell.¡¯ ¡°The mounts can take watch too, so actually it¡¯ll be about five or six beings on watch at all times.¡± ¡°Three people for two hour watches,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will allow people to sleep in further during the morning to catch up on their sleep.¡± ¡°Should we do an hour and a half?¡± ¡°We could,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Let¡¯s do four people for hour and a half watches. We¡¯ll have six watches, so that¡¯s... twenty four people? We¡¯ll have all the people that know magic not go on watch, like normal.¡± ¡°So less work for you?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°If you want to summon two towers so you can bathe, be my guest,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I think you should take a tower so you can rest better,¡± Lucy relented instantly. ¡°No, no, can¡¯t be having the nobles think we¡¯re looking down on them,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I do not mind sleeping outside the tower,¡± Vonda informed. ¡°They are your towers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a chivalrous gentleman, milady,¡± Adam replied, tipping his helmet, before tensing up. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s the last time I¡¯m going to be cringe for the rest of the month.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t last a few days,¡± Jaygak stated. ¡°By the end of the first week you¡¯ll gush about your children.¡± ¡°It is my right as a father to gush about my children. You¡¯re just jealous you don¡¯t have adorable children like me!¡± Thus began their month within the outpost, with a light air, and tension in the distance. Adam''s right when he''s right. Y03 – 728. Outbreak III Y03 ¨C 728. Outbreak III The days began to pass by as the party fell into a rhythm. Most trained lightly in the morning while a handful remained on watch. The shifts lasted only an hour and everyone participated in at least one watch as the day passed. Though they had been sent to deal with the outbreaks, much of the day was spent passing the time. Chats were had. Dice were rolled. Children were adored. ¡°How can he say something like that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she stay small and cute forever?¡± ¡°She is an Iyrman,¡± Dunes replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I hope...¡± ¡°You hope?¡± Adam asked, catching the flush on Dunes¡¯ cheeks. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Adam made sure to speak with everyone daily, typically when they had finished their watches. ¡°Next time we head back to Red Oak, I¡¯ll make sure you can spend even more time with your family,¡± Adam assured the large young man, patting his back. ¡°Have you told them about Merl yet?¡± ¡°No...¡± Nobby flushed slightly.Fiind updated novels at novelhall.com ¡°I¡¯ll sort it out. If she doesn¡¯t want to marry you, I¡¯m sure there will be a few hundred Iyrmen who want to marry the likes of you.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Jaygak stared out onto the horizon, overlooking the distant plains. She stood adorned in her armour, her magical blade at her side. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± Adam asked, stepping up beside her on the platform. ¡°If you work too hard, everyone will feel awkward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not on watch, I¡¯m just thinking.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I used to play with a ball. It was red, made of leather, stitched together by one of my grandaunts from the extended family. I used to kick it against the wall when I was little. I would need to take breaks often because of how weak I was as a child, but when I played with that ball, it was as though my body had forgotten I was weak.¡± As Jaygak spoke of her memory, she smiled. ¡°Mother and father, and all the aunts and uncles, heard me count to ten thousands of times. I eventually learnt to count to one hundred. I would kick the ball, chase after it, counting to one hundred.¡± Jaygak narrowed her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t remember when I stopped playing with the ball.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. He remained beside the young Iyrman. ¡°I had a stuffed ship that I called fluffy. I bought him at a school thing, they sold toys children brought in to fund our education. It¡¯s a bit silly to say that, considering who was in power at the time. I was probably... I don¡¯t know. Six? Seven? Eight? I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°You were a young boy, but not a toddler?¡± ¡°Yeah, something like that. I used to sleep with him beside me, and then my brother was born. When he was still a baby, I gave fluffy to him. I used to settle fluffy right beside him whenever he slept. I¡¯m not sure what happened to the ship. I also bought a ball from school, a small, plastic thing, that eventually was crushed and it had to be thrown out.¡± ¡°You were a father back then too?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°No.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I, uh... I don¡¯t know. It felt like a brotherly thing to do, but I didn¡¯t really play with my brother or anything.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I thought you must have, since you always play with the children now, and with how much you tell us to play with our siblings...¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I regret not playing with my brother more when I had the chance.¡± Adam stared out onto the horizon. ¡°You¡¯re busy now, Jaygak, but Raygak isn¡¯t too busy. There will come a day when he¡¯ll be busy too, and then you won¡¯t have enough time to play with each other. Maybe, one day, you¡¯ll come across a dragon, and being the hero you are, you keep it at bay to let your friends go on without you, making a name for yourself, dying a hero for future Gaks, and then?¡± ¡°...¡± Jaygak remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Will you...¡± Jaygak felt her throat clog up for a moment. ¡°Grandaunt is strong, but she wasn¡¯t able to lift the Gak family up much. Aunt Kaygak, too, wasn¡¯t able to pull up the Gak family. We¡¯re not quite as low as we were after the betrayal, but we haven¡¯t reached the height we were at right before the betrayal, and it still seems so far away, beyond the horizon.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to grow stronger beside you, but... among my generation, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be me.¡± ¡°I think you can do it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have that will, Adam.¡± Jaygak remained standing tall beside the half elf. ¡°When Taygak was younger, she said she¡¯d only reach steel rank at the guild...¡± The young woman stared out into the field. ¡°I know where she got that from. Taygak is naturally stronger than me, she may be one of the strongest Gaks in a long time, but she only aimed for steel because of me.¡± ¡°Taygak¡¯s aiming for gold rank, I thought.¡± ¡°She is. You promised to help her reach gold, and she changed her mind. That¡¯s something Taygak will do, because she can put her mind to it. She has that will, Adam. Raygak, he¡¯ll surely do well, since he¡¯s my little brother. Saygak, too, will be a blood mage, all because you corrupted him.¡± Jaygak smirked wide. ¡°Laygak, too, has managed to place well in the first tournament he joined.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say, not when she was smiling so much. ¡°Kavgak and Maygak, and Tavgak and Faygak, they won¡¯t grow up hearing the words I used to say, so they can grow up stronger too. I... I always felt pride I wouldn¡¯t be the weakest in my generation, that I wouldn¡¯t bring shame to the Gak family name, but now...¡± Jaygak let out a long sigh as she looked up towards the sky, feeling the sun¡¯s warmth against her skin. ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier thinking that I, Jaygak, daughter of Lavgak, will be the weakest of this generation. I¡¯ll stop once I¡¯m a little stronger, and then I¡¯ll guide Taygak and the others.¡± Her eyes darted to Adam, her glare accusatory. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll corrupt them to become stronger.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll stay small and cute forever, my adorable Cousins,¡± Adam replied. ¡°They¡¯re your cousins, Adam.¡± Adam fought away the smile. ¡°Taygak is the oldest of the children, so she¡¯ll be getting her tattoos in a few years, and then, she¡¯ll leave the Iyr¡¯s walls, its protection.¡± Jaygak let out another sigh. ¡°You sometimes look at the children with a peculiar gaze. A gaze of dread. I didn¡¯t understand it before, but know that I do now, Adam.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh too, staring out towards the plains. ¡°...¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop them from growing old, or from dreaming, Adam. I can¡¯t do that. I won¡¯t. I can¡¯t do much for them, but whatever few things I can do, I will. I¡¯ll cheer them on. I¡¯ll give up whatever weapons and armour I can. I¡¯ll give up on the stories I could gather, all so they can grow the Gak family with their own. I also know that it isn¡¯t my own doing.¡± Adam remained silent, unable to speak a word. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the young man replied, clearing his throat. ¡°Any time.¡± As Adam retreated, he heard Jaygak call after him. ¡°Did you run out of tea?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°I have some if you would like it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright, but thank you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam turned back to catch her smiling after him. ¡°Thanks, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak bowed her head, allowing him to leave in peace. Vodam or Jaydam? Which ship is better? Y03 – 729. Outbreak IV Y03 ¨C 729. Outbreak IV Shriek whistling filled the air and the entire outpost scurried into action. Adam and the older Iyrmen taking to the walls, their eyes taking in the sight before them. A gentle rolling dust approached from the horizon. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It will be a good fight,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Tell me, Jurot, what do your Iyrman eyes see.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. For a moment, he thought of the statement his brother had just made. Adam had said that specific phrase multiple times. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Birdcats.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, before turning back. ¡°Birdcats! Get your prayers in now while you can, and then let¡¯s...¡± Adam spotted Vonda nearby. ¡°Politely deal with their lives and take little to no pleasure with it.¡± Vonda¡¯s helmet hid her playful smile, before the young woman raised her shield, Dunes doing the same as the pair began to chant a prayer to fill their companions with vitality. ¡°You know...¡± Adam began, glancing around the outpost. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there the other outpost here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°What happened to it? I didn¡¯t really see much evidence of it.¡± ¡°The land may have reclaimed it,¡± Jurot replied, avoiding even thinking about the other outpost, which they had created a few years ago, and which had been taken over by the tribesfolk. ¡°Yeah, fair,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Do you want me to spell you up?¡± ¡°Which spells do you have prepared?¡± Adam checked his spells. ¡°You know what, not many I can cast on you. I forgot to swap out my spells, and I swore I had certain spells that I don¡¯t...¡± ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡°How did I not even take Mirror Image?¡± Adam asked, shaking his head. ¡°And Blur? Seriously, it¡¯s like I¡¯m asking to die.¡± ¡°It is more fun when it is difficult.¡± Adam let out a sigh, shaking his head lightly, though his lips formed a smile. ¡°Iyrmen...¡± The archers stepped onto the walls, preparing themselves. Lady Sara stepped onto the walls too, Korin standing nearby, ready to take her place once the creature¡¯s were closer. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t use any fourth gate spells, they¡¯ll probably have a heart attack if they know I can cast them...¡¯ Adam checked his spells once more. ¡®Why do I have Counterspell? Are birdcats going to start slinging out spells?¡¯ ¡°Everyone is too relaxed,¡± Amira said, glancing between the group. The farmers seemed slightly anxious, though the porters didn¡¯t seem bothered one bit, quietly making jokes between one another. Only a handful of them were under the effects of priestly magic, but everyone else was too relaxed. ¡°We have faced such creatures previously,¡± Dunes replied, thinking back to a couple of years ago, when he got to reveal his abilities as an Expert. ¡°It¡¯s still dangerous.¡± Dunes smiled, readjusting his shield, before brushing along its face. He glanced over towards Vonda and Jonn. The half elf was assigned to protecting the priest, in the same way Amira was tasked with protecting him. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it yet.¡± ¡°Seen what?¡± Dunes pulled up his visor, revealing the smirk across his face, before he dropped it once more. He heard Amira huff quietly, the young woman glancing around again. ¡°What do you mean I forgot Bavin?¡± Adam asked, glancing back towards the mass of muscle. ¡®He¡¯s so quiet, how am I meant to remember him?¡¯ ¡°Everyone knows how strong Bavin is. Do I need to state that the grandson of the previous Elder Wrath is strong? Last I checked, the only one who could beat Elder Wrath was Lion King Ashmir, and it¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have his son here, either. I just didn¡¯t want Nirot to feel inadequate, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I would not feel inadequate,¡± the young Iyrman replied. ¡°My grandfather can only be defeated by the likes of Bovin, who is considered one of the greatest in several generations. It is our honour.¡± ¡°Did you hear that? Greatest in several generations. Then we have Bavin, who became an Expert before his grandfather, who was considered the greatest in several generations!¡± Adam¡¯s laugh filled the air. ¡°Then, when you consider the fact that these amazing warriors of the Iyr came second to the one assigned to protect you, the same young man Jurot and I taught? Doesn¡¯t it mean you¡¯re the one whose the most well defended from any of us?¡± ¡°...¡± Brittany turned her head to look at Nobby, who wielded his axe and his shield, a shield which had been traded to Adam from Vasera, the Golden Savage, and was magical. It was one thing to have a magical weapon, but a magical shield? She gripped her bow, made of the famous deadwood. ¡°The birdcats will be upon us soon,¡± Jurot said, before squinting his eyes once more. ¡°There are duabears behind,¡± Kitool added. ¡°You hear that everyone?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯re eating good tonight!¡± ¡°Dunes,¡± Amira whispered, leaning in the young priest. ¡°Did he say Lion King Ashmir¡¯s son is among us?¡± Dunes remained silent for a long moment. ¡®Did I not tell her?¡¯ ¡°Once we have slain the creatures, we can speak of the story.¡± Dunes wondered how, in all the times Jurot, Jaygak, Kitool, and Adam had spoken of the tale to her, they hadn¡¯t heard how Lion King Ashmir was his father. Adam gripped Strong Shield tight, holding Wraith loosely in his free hand. ¡°Jurot, Kitool, you two will set the pace of whether you¡¯ll be leaving the walls to hunt them down. Jaygak, Laygak, we¡¯ll be too slow to keep up with them, so we¡¯ll stay.¡± Jaygak nodded, having made no plans to leave the safety of the outpost. ¡°Lucy, Mara, you can follow Jurot and Kitool out if you want.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your permission to fight,¡± Lucy said, holding her Great Destroyer in hand. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, motioning with his head. ¡°Lucy,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°Fine...¡± Mara stood up taller, crossing her arms in front of her navel. Jurot noted the demon shifting from his peripheral, slowly turning his head to meet her gaze. The pair glared between one another, one the right hand woman of the Demon Lord, the other the right hand man of the crazy fool. Adam¡¯s heart began to pound in his chest. As the seconds passed, he could feel how cold he was becoming, the sweat on the back of his neck beginning to slip down his back. As a half fae, Adam rarely sweat, but even he couldn¡¯t help but sweat when the darkness invaded his heart. ¡°If we want to preserve their fur and all that, I probably shouldn¡¯t Fireball,¡± Adam joked, clearing his throat. ¡°If you don¡¯t Fireball, I won¡¯t be able to use my magic,¡± Jaygak complained, waving her javelin at him threateningly. ¡°Laygak will feel awkward too.¡± The porters exchanged a look between one another, while Rick gripped his pike tighter in hand, their eyes trailing up towards the half elf who stood atop the wall. Adam inhaled deeply. The distant sounds of the creatures began to fill the air, while the wolves behind started to howl with excitement, drowning out the sounds. Adam¡¯s heart continued to pound harshly within his chest. Though his head hung loosely, Jurot stood tall, holding his javelin in hand, ready to toss it from one side. Lucy and Mara waited to assist with their axes in hand, just in case. No one spoke as the rumbling ground and the howling filled the air. Then, a voice cut through the air. ¡°Nock!¡± John shouted. So it begins. Y03 – 730. Outbreak V Y03 ¨C 730. Outbreak V Konarot stared up at the Iyrman, whose hair and eyes were dark, like most Iyrmen, but especially like her nana. He was tall, and thicker than most other Iyrmen, though not quite at the level where one might mention it. A thick beard covered his jaw, hiding much of his face. He wore a blade at his side. She squinted her eyes, feeling as though the Iyrman was familiar. His tattoo was extremely familiar, a purple five pointed star with yellow flowers emanating out from it. It was almost identical to the Kan family, except the colours were inverted. The Iyrmen stared down at the young girl, who was barely two years old, yet was already walking around with such intelligence in her eyes. The girl who had been so defiant against the world. He noted the faint scar across her cheek, something from before the time they had met. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the Iyrman said, his voice low and raspy. ¡°Hello,¡± Konarot replied. After an awkward moment of silence, the girl reached up to grab his free hand, the other holding a large basket full of food. The Iyrman allowed her to grab his hand, and allowed her to pull him along towards the rest of the triplets. ¡°Look!¡± Konarot pointed out the Iyrman to her siblings, pointing towards his tattoos. The trio of triplets stood in front of the Iyrman, each staring up at him, their eyes expectant. Slowly, the memory of the Iyrman returned to them, though they had been so young when they had last seen him, and even younger when they had first seen him. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°Hello,¡± the triplets replied. ¡°Are you well?¡± The triplet nodded their heads, causing their silver hair to bounce and shimmer under the dawnval sun. The trio were adorned in the attire of the Iyr, their tunics wrapped with a sash at their stomachs, their trousers rolled up slightly, their thick leather boots, which conformed around their feet and allowed them to trek the Iyr freely and safely. ¡°You did not bring Danagek?¡± Sonarot asked, returning from a separate entrance. She held a red baby within her arms, and following her was her aunt, who carried a tiny pair of goblins. Jirot and Jarot laughed and squealed as their nano played with them, nuzzling against their faces and cheeks, causing them to clap their hands excitedly. Their eyes were glued to their nano¡¯s face, but once they had finally calmed down, they spotted the stranger amongst their midst. ¡°He was to nap,¡± the Iyrman said, placing down the basket, his eyes falling across the other set of babies within the estate, who were also beginning to yawn, though their eyes were glued to him too. ¡°They are growing well.¡± Sonarot bowed her head. ¡°Come, Jirot, Jarot, greet your baba.¡± ¡°Baba?¡± Jirot asked, still within her nano¡¯s arms. ¡°He is my papa.¡± Jirot twitched upon hearing the words, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Jawoh is my papa.¡± ¡°That is right, Jarot is your papa, and Tonagek is my papa,¡± Sonarot stated. ¡°Is baba?¡± Jirot asked, her eyes scanning across the Iyrman. He was slightly chubbier than most Iyrmen she had seen, and she could see the dark bags around the Iyrman¡¯s eyes, something she hadn¡¯t seen in many Iyrmen, save perhaps her greatfather now and again. ¡°Is not baba.¡± ¡°Jirot, you must behave,¡± Sonarot said, lowering her voice, her tone shifting to become more serious. Jirot pouted, hiding within her nano¡¯s chest. The old woman leaned down to kiss her cheek gently, but drew closer with the pair. ¡°You must treat your baba well,¡± Gangak said, placing the children down, causing Jirot to groan and complain, but the older woman ruffled the children¡¯s hair. ¡°Do you think I will fall for your cries? I am not your father, I will not give in to your every demand.¡± ¡°Jirot, what is your papa¡¯s name?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Is Jawoh,¡± Jirot replied, holding onto her nano¡¯s trouser for emotional support. ¡°What of your other kakas and papa?¡± Sonarot asked, her eyes falling to the triplets. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl said, before she followed her eldest sister away, nibbling away at the nutball still. Sometimes she¡¯d glance back towards the Iyrman suspiciously. ¡°She means well, our Jirot,¡± Sonarot said, smiling smugly towards her brother. ¡°The three should have been mine,¡± Tonagek said, his eyes glued to the half dragon triplets he had saved years ago, back when his own son had been so gruesomely killed. His entire body tensed up, his head pulsing, though he felt his elder sister¡¯s hand against his own, quickly calming him. ¡°They are still yours,¡± Sonarot assured. ¡°Adam would not deny you your rights.¡± ¡°What right do I have?¡± ¡°Without you, he would not have known of his three children.¡± ¡°He would have found them,¡± Tonagek replied, his eyes falling to the red skinned boy. Sonarot smiled, that kind of smile which came to be the moment Adam entered into the Iyr, and the phrase had come into the lexicon of the Iyr. ¡°Are you envious I have six?¡± ¡°Tanagek does not intend to return for some time, so there will be much time before I claim the title of grandfather,¡± Tonagek replied. Sonarot held out the boy towards the brother, who paused for a long moment, before taking the boy. She quickly left to bring some tea, allowing Tonagek to eye up the boy, who squinted up at him suspiciously. ¡°The boy is a relic,¡± Sonarot informed, placing down the pot against the large red stone. Tonagek blinked, furrowing his brows before he slowly turned to face his sister, his face taken by surprise. ¡®What?¡¯ It was the same thought Amira had held when she heard the fiery explosion in the distance, as well as as the screeching and crying of the birdcats. It was shocking enough the half elf could cast a Fireball considering how many towers he had formed. Amira, who wasn¡¯t a mage, and didn¡¯t know magic, was fairly certain it was difficult for Adam to cast more than two Third Gate spells. Yet. There he was. Raining down several Fireballs from the heavens. Even as the divine magic of her companions filled the air, pressing against her with warmth, Amira¡¯s mind raced as the third Fireball fell from the heaven. Mana: 19 -> 16 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 27 (1, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6) Mana: 16 -> 13 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 26 (1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 5, 5, 6) Mana: 13 -> 10 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 39 (4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6) The birdcats were thin felines, with light grey fur and feathered tail. Though they were struck with a supernatural viciousness, even they howled and cried as fire engulfed them to the brim, striking at least a dozen of them each time. Even the duabears, large bears with two heads, growled in pain. As Adam readied his axe, the distant flames caught his attention, the other outpost surrounded by a wall made of fire. ¡®Is that a-,¡¯ Adam thought, before his attention was caught by the duabear trying to climb up to bite his head clean off. ¡®Mother Soza, please watch over them,¡¯ Vonda thought, the sounds of death filling the fort. So it begins. Y03 – 731. Outbreak VI Y03 ¨C 731. Outbreak VI The creatures did not slow, for they leapt towards the fort, skewering themselves against the stakes in front of the pit, arrows and javelins slaying many more. They finally reached the wooden walls, scrambling up towards the fresh warriors who began to pierce them with their mighty weapons. As Adam prepared to attack, Jurot growled out from beside him, slamming his shield against the duabear. ¡°Step back, Adam,¡± Jurot said, keeping the duabear at bay. ¡°Protect the priests.¡± ¡°The priests are already protected,¡± Adam replied, though his body was already stepping backwards, his body growing lighter with relief. ¡°Nobby, come,¡± Jurot called, his clear and stern, causing the young Nobby to step forward. The young man, built like an auroch, almost didn¡¯t obey his mentor, for he was a young man in Adam¡¯s employ, but Jurot¡¯s words were also Adam¡¯s. Adam pulled back towards Brittany, taking Nobby¡¯s place, holding up his shield in front of him. An arrow whipped through the air from behind him, far too close to his head for his liking, so he dropped to a knee and aimed his axe out. Fire engulfed the last few birdcats, the young Gaks killing them with their innate magic, before their blades cut through the beasts in front of them. Trick: Flame Bolt D20 + 6 = 19 (13) Hit! 2D6 = 7 (2, 5) 7 damage! ¡°Fire,¡± Adam called out, holding out his fist, shooting a flaming fist towards one of the duabears to the side, assisting his companions with what little magic he could. ¡®I should have prepared Spiritual Weapon. While Adam blasted out flame from his fist towards the beasts, he thought of the walls of the Iyr, which were so safe for all within. ¡°The shamans believe the boy is reincarnated, though they do not know who,¡± Sonarot said. Tonagek couldn¡¯t hide the surprise on his face. ¡°A relic...¡± ¡°The Demon Lord also confirmed the matter.¡± ¡°The girl?¡± Sonarot nodded, gently stirring the pot as she brewed the tea. It was as though they were talking about enjoying baked goods rather than the revelation the young boy was a relic. ¡°If the boy is a relic, why has he not been taken?¡± Tonagek asked, his eyes glued to his sister, feeling the warmth of the demon boy within his arms. He had come to check up on the children and speak with his sister about nothing in particular, but to hear the boy within his arms was a relic... ¡°How can he be taken when he is ours?¡± Sonarot asked, smiling politely towards her younger brother. It was that kind of smile, the kind of smile a Family Head could use against the Elder and Great Elders. Laygak, who was nineteen this year, moved as well as many of his elders, those who had children even half his age. His skill with a blade was greater than even the one hundred Iyrmen who had been plucked in childhood to form the One Hundred, not to be confused with the One Hundred Grandmasters, a confusing enough name since the Iyr had many more Grandmasters who were not part of the group. Laygak raised his shield, grunting slightly as he deflected a blow from a duabear. ¡®When did I start thinking of such matters during a fight?¡¯ Laygak, who was considered one of the weakest within his group, had gained the luxury of casually thinking of other nonsense during his fray with several duabears. Faool jabbed a duabear in one of its throats, exhaling for a moment as the creatures body seized up. There was a moment of hesitation as he expected Laygak to strike it, before he drove his staff into the ground before drop kicking the beast back towards the stakes, skewering the beast upon them. He squatted to dodge another duabear as its mighty paw tried to crush him. ¡®Did I kill a duabear alone?¡¯ Faool thought, bringing his staff up to defend himself from a pair of bites, bringing a finger up to jab at one of the bear¡¯s heads to freeze it into place. The action felt so unnaturally natural, his body understanding he had the ability to do things he would have dreamt of earning by thirty, and yet he could do so before he was twenty? Something his cousin, Kitool, was able to do. She was someone who had been dubbed as one of the golden children in her generation, like Jurot, Shikan, and Timojin. ¡®No, the priest¡¯s magics are also assisting.¡¯ Naqokan¡¯s attacked viciously, with reckless abandon, her greatsword slicing through the spine of the duabear as though it were made of hot butter. Beside her, Uwajin also bisected a duabear in half, though vertically, blood splattering all across her as another took its place. Though the duabears themselves were clawing at the pair as they disregarded their own defence, their bodies were still forged through years of training, and the terrifying claws which could tear any normal Aldishman apart, merely scratched against the raging savages known as the Iyrmen. The pair roared with joy as they enjoyed the fight, even as they were slowly being torn apart by the mass of duabears who climbed up towards their death. ¡®Is this how Shikan and Timojin feel?¡¯ Naqokan thought as she fought side by side with Uwajin. ¡®Our tale will spread through the Iyr!¡¯ Uwajin thought, her lips wide as she formed a wild grin on her face. While the teen Iyrmen enjoyed their time slaughtering the creatures, their aunt and uncle enjoyed their time drinking tea within the Iyr. ¡°You do not have to be so hesitant to speak to me,¡± Sonarot said, seeing the look on her brother¡¯s face. He had always been like that with her, even when they were children. ¡°Adam¡¯s children have a vague relationship with the Iyr,¡± Tonagek said, holding the baby within his arms, allowing him to remain asleep within his arms. ¡°Is the relationship so vague?¡± ¡°Is it not?¡± ¡°It is not vague to the Rot family,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°They are my grandchildren.¡± ¡°...¡± Tonagek noted the look on Sonarot¡¯s face, telling him to speak his mind. ¡°If something were to happen to the boy, the Iyr may not act.¡± ¡°The Rot family will act, even if the Iyr will not,¡± Sonarot replied, her neck pulsing slightly, her lips forming a wide smile, but it was that kind of Iyrman¡¯s smile. These kids aren''t do so bad. Y03 – 732. Outbreak VII Y03 ¨C 732. Outbreak VII ¡°Jirot reminds me of you when you were young, sister,¡± Tonagek admitted. ¡°You can say that this soon?¡± Sonarot replied, her lips forming an even wider smirk. Tonagek bowed his head. ¡°I can because it is true.¡± ¡°She does not cause trouble for father, she adores him too much, but she likes to test me,¡± Sonarot said, letting out a soft sigh, one full of satisfaction. ¡°I will place the boy to sleep so that I may drink with you,¡± Tonagek said, standing up to place the boy aside. Sonarot watched as her brother took the boy away. Tonagek, who had been so prideful, who had come face to face with all manner of beasts and monsters, who had considered to fight for the position of a Great Elder, had become so small after the death of his son so recently. She waited for him to return, though was unable to think of words to soothe his aching heart. Though the Iyrmen welcomed death, the death of a child was so different, and even the hearts of Iyrmen, which were often considered to be made of steel or stone, could only ache for the children of the Iyr. ¡®Are you safe?¡¯ Sonarot thought of the young Iyrmen who had left, those she had raised from when they were babes. Nirot¡¯s heart pounded within her chest as her axe cut through a duabears skull, letting it fall, allowing another to climb up to take its place. Though she was red hot with rage, she had a different task, the same task as her cousin and his trainee, the same trainee who could defeat her. They were trained with the Rot family¡¯s ability. While the rage of Naqokan allowed her to smite her enemies, and the rage of Uwajin allowed her to strike with greater fury, the rage of the Rot family was the kind which did not empower their strikes, but rather their bodies. The ability of the Rot family was to push through almost any kind of damage. While most rage dancers could push through the pain of a duabear¡¯s claw, or a birdcat¡¯s bite, it was the Rot family¡¯s rage which allowed them to walk through a Fireball as though they were Gaks, but also all other elements, shrugging off acidic rain, lightning storms, wicked poison, all save for that which assaulted the mind. Her role, like that of Jurot and Nobby, was to hold the front line. They would take the blows at the front, allowing Naqokan and Uwajin to slaughter as much as they could. Nirot¡¯s blows were more controlled, slicing the heads off the creatures, while raising her shield to defend against their terrifying blows. How could she, a young Iyrman who was to turn nineteen this year, stand beside her cousin? She, who had claimed the rights of an Expert before turning twenty, something which many of the one hundred could not? A pike struck the duabear from over her shoulder, Bavin¡¯s mighty strength pushing it away from her. Bavin, like the farmers, were using larger weapons from behind the Iyrmen. It was not a position most Iyrmen would want, but the young man, who had been gifted such a grand opportunity due to his grandfather, did not want to shame his family. The memory of returning back to the Iyr as an Expert filled the young man¡¯s mind. He had returned with the news, and had shocked the entire family when he had defeated his twin sister, who had mastered the basics of the Vin family way, but was not yet an Expert. He had never understood why his sister had been so prideful of her family, nor why she was so eager to fight, but upon seeing his sister¡¯s smile when he had defeated her, he understood. An itch appeared at the back of Bavin¡¯s neck, the young man wishing to step forward so he could form the vanguard, but he forced the thought away. He would remain beside the farmers, who were in little danger, and would make sure nothing would happen to them. It was not the time of Bavin, or the time of Iyrmen, but the time of Fate¡¯s Golden. Amira held her blade tightly in hand as she watched the carnage unfold before her. It was one thing to see Iyrmen bathing themselves in the blood of their enemies, but to see the porters and the farmers working with systematic efficiency, as though they had been trained by the Order of Black Mountain. She had yet to step forward to attack or assist in any capacity, even including throwing javelins. At least Jonn and Korin had cast a spell on the priests to increase their defensive abilities, but she had only drawn her shield and blade. She scanned the area for threats, something the keen senses of the wolves rendered near useless. Even Adam had stopped throwing out his fire, focusing instead on catching a break point within their line, which did not come. The Iyrmen were too sturdy, their weapons also eager for blood. The farmers and porters, who assisted with their longer weapons, finished off any creatures which dared not to die within moments to the Iyrmen. Vonda and Dunes both held up their spell, Spectral Sentinels, one of the greatest spells within a priest¡¯s arsenal. Lay on Hands: 35 -> 5 Adam placed a hand on Laygak, Faool, Nirot, Naqokan, Uwajin, and Nobby, each of whom had been in the thick of things. Once they were healed, Jonn did the same, while Adam kept a few points in his back pocket, just in case. ¡°Good work,¡± Adam said, patting Fred¡¯s back. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Keeping an eye on our flank is more important than you think, Fred,¡± Adam stated firmly. ¡°Not everyone needs to draw their blades to be useful.¡± Fred¡¯s eyes fell to the magical steeds, each which would have no doubt been able to do his role better, though they had remained within the fort, staring at the various walls to spot anything which could have snuck around. ¡°I understand now,¡± Amira admitted to Dunes, while the younger Iyrmen began to butcher the creatures, and the older Iyrmen went to check on the other fort and deal with any rogue flames. ¡°No,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°We have met no grand figures, yet.¡± ¡°What of those in the Iyr? Burg and Wing?¡± ¡°They do not count,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°They were due to the Iyr. Adam...¡± Dunes wasn¡¯t sure what to say, but he recalled the words which had entered the Iyr¡¯s lexicon. While the group began to set the tea, a pair of Iyrmen finished their own tea. ¡°The Rot family will not act alone,¡± Tonagek stated after swallowing the least of the tea. He could barely taste its flavour, though he was certain it was plum flavoured. ¡°Will you come?¡± ¡°Half dragon. Demon. Goblin. These are Aldish terms, for Aldish ways. The children, they are your grandchildren, so they are my family too,¡± Tonagek replied sternly, the other Tonagek shining through for only a moment, before it slipped away back to the boy Sonarot knew. ¡°What of Adam?¡± Sonarot asked, staring into her brother¡¯s eyes, though her eyes were relaxed, without judgement. ¡°Adam...¡± Tonagek thought about the young man, who his sister had all but adopted into the family. His story was well known to him, for they had crossed paths in the most awkward way, and yet it was perhaps one of the most significant mark upon the boy¡¯s journey. Tonagek recalled the phrase which had entered the lexicon of the Iyrmen, something which had been used to make sense of a young man who was equally as terrifying as he was embarrassing. A young man who would face against the likes of Emperor Shama, Lord of Flames, even if it meant his death, and yet would shirk at the sight of his daughter, who bullied him so eagerly. A young man who was terrified of the Iyr, and yet would give them plenty of reasons to kill him. ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± My sleep is F again. Y03 – 733. Outbreak VIII Y03 ¨C 733. Outbreak VIII ¡°Adam, we should gift the tribesfolk a sack of flour,¡± Jurot said upon his return. ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, leaving Jurot to deal with it. He wasn¡¯t going to get involved with the tribesfolk, understanding there was something between them and the Iyr. The group butchered the birdcats and duabears. They set up an area in the expanded section of the outpost they had formed slowly as the days had passed, leaving the various parts to dry out. The mages within the group spent some time using their magics to speed up the process. ¡°Adam, you used so much magic, you shoulder rest,¡± Jaygak said, patting the half elf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not that tired yet.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t start relaxing, we won¡¯t be able to relax either,¡± Jaygak stated, motioning her head to the Iyrmen who were still in the process of butchering, most of whom were still wounded from the battle. ¡°Right...¡± Eventually, Adam retreated to Korin, assisting him with the meal, along with the farmers. ¡°Lovely weather we¡¯re having, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, chopping the potatoes they had bought in Red Oak. ¡°Yes,¡± Rick replied, his eyes falling onto Adam. If the young half elf was asking about the weather, something must have been on his mind. ¡°...¡± Adam said no more, however, his thoughts elsewhere. ¡°Adam,¡± Jeremy called, walking over to the young half elf. ¡°About the business...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You said our partners¡¯d be able to join, they¡¯d be taken care of, they¡¯d be paid, that and all.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°My mother and father, they¡¯re getting on in their years. Pa¡¯s been taking more time off from work, but he¡¯s still able to work. Ma¡¯s still spry as ever, but her eyes aren¡¯t what they used to be, and sometimes she needs to sleep more. I was wonderin¡¯ if the business would be able to take care of them.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied, furrowing his brows in thought. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it once the outbreak is over.¡± Jeremy bowed his head. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good food for thought,¡± Adam replied. As he watched Jeremy leave, Adam felt something in his stomach churn. ¡°Jeremy.¡± ¡°Yes, boss?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll uh...¡± Adam paused for a moment, feeling the gazes of the farmers. ¡°I have no doubt the business will take in your parents, I just don¡¯t know what the conditions would be.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be a fair price.¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but to smile. ¡°Well, I try.¡± Jeremy¡¯s compliment had filled Adam with a gentle warmth, the kind of joy he received when his children complimented him. Rick exchanged a look with his companions, before returning back to assisting Korin with the meal. ¡°I won¡¯t put in too many spices, I know how you Aldishmen are,¡± Korin promised, flashing an innocent smile. ¡°That¡¯s mighty kind of you,¡± John replied, flashing a charming smile in response. He and Ivy had responded worst to the spices, unable to handle more than the tiniest amount, something which caused Korin to separate the soups midway through cooking, pouring some out for the Aldishmen with soft tongues. The last of the archers, Brittany, stared out along the horizon, on watch duty while the others worked within the outpost. She clutched her deadwood bow tight in hand. ¡®Deadwood...¡¯ The thought of wielding a deadwood bow had been something only found within her dreams, but she had wielded the bow for so long now. She had only just recalled how ridiculous it was for someone like her, a random village girl, to wield such a bow. Deadwood, like red oak, was one of the greatest woods across the entirety of Aldland. ¡®I¡¯m an Expert...¡¯ The thought stunned her at least once a month. Even though she had gained the status the previous year, she hadn¡¯t been able to use her skills to much effect. Yet, today, she had felt it. When she steadied herself, her arrows flew true and struck deep. She was no Nobby, that was for certain, but she could fire the bow like no one else within the camp ¡°Okay?¡± Nobby asked, stepping onto the wall, assisting her watch. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The pair stood in silence for a long while as they watched out across the horizon. ¡°You really think I¡¯ll be able to do it?¡± Brittany asked, unsure if she could rise greater than an Expert, or if she should. ¡°...¡± Nobby continued to stare out into the distance. He had travelled for so long with Fate¡¯s Golden, and had seen so many unbelievable things. Then came the previous year, where they had come across a terrifying foe who essentially faced against all the young Iyrmen, the farmers, Nobby, and Jonn, simultaneously, and beat them. Nobby had almost died in the confrontation, and though he had managed to trap Umbra for a moment, his body had taken too much of a beating, and he had fallen. Dunes replied with a bow of his head, making his way up the wall, glancing towards Amira for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Aldishmen are outrageous,¡± Amira replied, still smiling. ¡°Yes?¡± Dunes replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°I would not make such jokes about the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°What was the joke?¡± She shook her head, for the time had passed. ¡°Aldland is so green.¡± ¡°Aswadsad is gold and Aldland is green,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°It has been so since Aswadasad was Aswadasad and Aldland was Aldland.¡± ¡°It was so when Aswadasad was Aswabayad,¡± Amira corrected. ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes relented. ¡°So it was.¡± ¡°The land is too cold.¡± ¡°They say Aswadasad is too hot.¡± ¡°The Aldish say many things.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°So they do.¡± ¡°Why are you pretending to be smart?¡± ¡°It is because I know so many things you do not, and you are pretending to know many things you do not.¡± ¡°Do not think I won¡¯t beat you, Morn.¡± Dunes chuckled upon hearing his first name. ¡°Amira, should you be so lucky. I am more powerful than I have ever been, and with this blade at my side, not even you could defeat me.¡± Amira¡¯s eyes fell to Dunes¡¯ sword, which was so aptly named. ¡°You are so fortunate to have ingratiated yourself with the Enchanter.¡± ¡°So I have.¡± Amira raised her brows, causing the young Aswadian man to chuckle. ¡°Even with that sword of yours, I could beat you still.¡± ¡°Once we return back to Red Oak, we can check.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of beating you?¡± Amira replied, dropping the matter. ¡°It is too cold,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I must get used to it, for I will work at the business.¡± ¡°What trouble are you thinking to cause? You are a member of Black Mountain. A Priest of Black Mountain, Dunes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve a debt to repay,¡± Dunes replied. Amira inhaled deeply, letting out a long sigh. ¡°Oh, Dunes...¡± Dunes smiled, though there was little joy within his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve given him my word.¡± ¡°What of your word to Black Mountain?¡± ¡°I will repay those debts too.¡± Amira said no more, since it was not the time nor place to speak of such matters. ¡°Are you certain you are not in love with him?¡± ¡°Perhaps I should beat you once we are in Red Oak?¡± Amira smiled. Side characters getting development? [734] – Y03.034 – Outbreak IX [734] ¨C Y03.034 ¨C Outbreak IX Adam stared at the stars above, the same stars Lucy and Mara spent their nights staring at. It wasn¡¯t that long ago when Adam used to lay beside Lanarot in the night while the girl pointed at the stars and babbled. He recalled a particular question she had asked about the stars. ¡®Stahz? Boosh.¡¯ If two stars fought, who would win? Adam smiled at the thought. ¡®Ah, you punk! How can you be so cute?¡¯ ¡°Trouble sleeping?¡± Jaygak asked, approaching the half elf. ¡°I just was thinking is all,¡± Adam replied, still staring at the twinkling stars above, the streaks of colours all across the night sky. It was such a different sky than the sky in his first life, though it had become familiar to him. Adam glanced towards Jaygak, whose brows were furrowed slightly. ¡°What do you need?¡± Adam asked, sitting up. ¡°Nothing,¡± Jaygak eventually replied, bowing her head lightly to Adam. ¡°Good night, Adam.¡± ¡°Good night, Jaygak.¡± Adam hoisted himself up, making his way to the long shack where many were already fast asleep. He settled himself quietly into his corner. He slept to the thoughts of those who waited for him within the Iyr. Omen: 2, 14Geett the latest novels at novelhall.comn, that was a lot of XP.¡¯ XP: 11 800 ¡®Woo, baby. We¡¯re going to be eating good tonight, Bell.¡¯ [...] ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®What do you think? Should I start spending this on something fun? Probably could grab Mould Earth?¡¯ [Okay.] XP: 11 800 -> 10 800 Trick learnt! Trick: Mold Earth ¡®Bell, let¡¯s not start any problems...¡¯ [...] Trick: Mold Earth -> Mould Earth ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Jurot¡¯s eyes remained glued to his brother. ¡®Did he speak with Bell?¡¯ ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called, motioning with his head to one side. As they passed by the farmers, Adam noted Vonda carving letters into the walls while the farmers watched, listening intently to her explanation of the alphabet. ¡®I should have bought more books,¡¯ Adam thought. He wrote within his journal, slipping it back into his shirt a moment later. Jurot waited patiently in the corner with his brother. Adam unstrapped Strong Shield and offered it to the Iyrman. ¡°...¡± Jurot retreated from the wall, making his way out to meet with the singular tribesfolk who had approached their outpost. They conversed for a moment, partly with their hands, before Jurot returned back to the outpost. ¡°The tribesfolk wish to claim the tyrantboar.¡± Adam raised his brows expectantly. Jurot bowed his head. ¡°We will allow them to claim it.¡± ¡°So we¡¯ll deal with the rest?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How are they going to pull the tyrantboar aside?¡± ¡°They will not,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°We Iyrmen will assist them in their outpost.¡± Adam frowned slightly, unsure of how he felt about the Iyrmen leaving them for some suspicious tribesfolk. However, if he couldn¡¯t trust Jurot¡¯s words, who could he trust? ¡°Okay.¡± The Iyrmen swiftly made their preparations as they made to leave. Jurot placed a hand on Nobby¡¯s shoulder, bowing his head gently, before leaving for the other outpost. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Jaygak smirked. ¡°Kavgak¡¯s going to hear such a great story from me.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, wondering if he should force his way to the other outpost. Jaygak clasped his forearm, glancing around towards the rest of the group. ¡°Dunes, Sir Vonda, we¡¯ll leave the outpost in your care.¡± The pair of priests bowed their heads gently in response, while Adam fumed, thinking of how to get his revenge. ¡°If the tyrantboar aims for us, will you assist?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°If the tyrantboar is smart enough to avoid us, it will still have to deal with a father who wishes to bring back a great story,¡± Jaygak replied, before her eyes fell across the group. She wasn¡¯t sure which half of the group was stronger. Those born and bred for war and death, or the group which remained, filled with the likes of a Demon Lord, members of prestigious orders, farmers and porters, and finally, a fool of a father. ¡°Don¡¯t have too much fun without me,¡± Adam called out, waving as the young Iyrmen made their way out. ¡°Except for you Bavin, you¡¯re allowed to have as much fun as you like.¡± Bavin flushed slightly as he made his way to the other outpost. ¡®The tribesfolk aren¡¯t stupid enough to try anything with the Iyrmen, are they?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s time for us to shine,¡± Lucy said, holding her giant axe in hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry at all, my dear followers, I will protect you!¡± ¡°Lucy, don¡¯t be cringe,¡± Adam said, before quickly glancing to his companions. ¡°We¡¯ll have Nobby, Lucy, and Mara hold the front line this time. Jonn, Fred, you both deal with one wall, I¡¯ll deal with the other.¡± Adam donned his magical shield. ¡°Amira, if you¡¯d be so kind as to watch over our dear priests, that would be stellar. The wolves will keep an eye out and Zeus and the other magical steeds will support whichever side needs it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not cringe,¡± Lucy replied, hoisting Great Destroyer over her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re cringe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if my Fireballs are going to work so we¡¯re going to have to actually work hard today.¡± Adam began to stretch as the creatures approached, only a few minutes away at most. Sir Vonda and Dunes began their prayers to empower the front line, Adam feeling his body swell with strength. Health: 91 -> 96 ¡®I¡¯ve almost broken a century,¡¯ Adam thought, rolling his shoulders. ¡®It¡¯s so awkward that my best stuff won¡¯t be as useful...¡¯ Adam held out Wraith in hand, feeling the weight of the axe. His heart began to throb, sweat pouring across the back of his neck. ¡°Adam!¡± Lucy shouted, feeling the divine magic within her. ¡°The one who kills the most gets to keep the biggest fang.¡± She grinned wide. ¡°How can you say such a thing in front of Sir Vonda, our Priest of Life?¡± Adam replied, returning a smile. ¡°Who am I?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I¡¯m the Demo-,¡± she began, only to remember who she was amongst. ¡°I¡¯m Lucy, damn it!¡± I thought this chapter was a different chapter and was so excited. You''ll have to wait for a little while longer for that. [736] – Y03.036 – Rights I [736] ¨C Y03.036 ¨C Rights I The triplets sat alongside their distant baby uncles and aunts. They were so through their nana, as they were her nieces and nephews. Tonagek spoke a tale to the children, Danagek sitting on his lap, the large boy about as large as Gurot and Kavgak. The children listened intently to one of the many Gek tales. During the tale, a few guests had arrived, those which the children had long become accustomed to. ¡°Papo,¡± Lanarot called, embracing Tonagek. ¡°Little Lanarot,¡± Tonagek greeted, hugging her with one arm, before allowing her to greet her cousin. ¡°Dana,¡± Lanarot said, hugging the boy tight. ¡°You ah okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, hugging the girl back. ¡°Did we interrupt the tale?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°It was the end of the chapter,¡± Tonagek replied, before the children were dismissed, allowing them to play. The pair shared tea, though since it was the Gek family estate, Tonagek poured the tea for his sister. Sonarot noted the necklace her brother wore, a simple necklace made of string and three scales of the blue dragon his nephews had slain a few years ago. ¡°I will bring Jirot and Jarot tomorrow to play,¡± Sonarot promised. ¡°Can you take them from their greatfather?¡± Tonagek asked. Sonarot smiled in response, sipping the tea her brother had made, which tasted lightly of berries. ¡°Father is like that.¡± ¡°So he is,¡± Tonagek replied. ¡°He is not like greatfather at all.¡± Sonarot thought of their greatfather, who had gone to die when Jurot and Tanagek, who had been named after the old man, had been born. ¡°Yes.¡± The old man had been rather cold, very much like what the Aldishmen thought Iyrmen were. Tanagek the Dutiful. He had been a man of duty, taking the duties of Family Head and Family Elder. He was a man of the Gek family before he was a husband or father. ¡°Since I am an Iyrman,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°I should do as an Iyrman does,¡± Sonarot continued. The line had been passed down to them to explain the ridiculousness that was Tanagek the Dutiful. ¡°Have you spoken of his tale to the children yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Tonagek admitted. ¡°The tale of Bloodblade is next.¡± If it was the tale of Bloodblade, Sonarot assumed it must have been one of the first Bloodblades, for it made no sense to speak of their uncle¡¯s tale before their greatfather¡¯s. After all, it was Tanagek the Dutiful who had returned the Bloodblade back to the family. She glanced to the side to find Karot standing beside her, Danagek beside him, though the rotund boy stared at his father expectantly. Tonagek lifted his son up onto his lap, pushing away his cup of tea so it was out of the boy¡¯s reach. Sonarot lifted Karot up, who wrapped an arm around her neck and rested his head against her shoulder. She turned to see the rest of the triplets waiting expectantly. Sonarot smiled. While the triplets cuddled their grandmother, Adam watched the fight between the large summoned earth elemental and the tyrantboar. The large summoned earth elemental caught the tyrantboar within its rock hard arms, lifting it up as though it were a pillow, before slamming it into the earth behind it. The tyrantboar¡¯s flames flickered for a moment while the tribesfolk darted around it, though only three stepped forward to face it. They wielded long spears, jabbing away at the creature, while it violently thrashed. ¡®That¡¯s one way of handling it, I suppose,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes glancing aside to see the Iyrmen dispatching the smaller boars. They worked with glorious efficiency, which was different to Iyrman efficiency, for the way they fought certainly wasn¡¯t to kill them as quickly as possible, but rather, to bring back a story to the Iyr. Iyrman efficiency would have seen the fireboars already dead, with the tyrantboar on the way. As Adam¡¯s eyes fell back to the tribesfolk, he gasped. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fly ¡°What¡¯s so important about dying a good death?¡± Adam asked, his voice quivering for a moment before he calmed himself. ¡°Jurot. If I end up dying a good death and Vonda can bring me back, will you deny her?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I would bring you back, because that is what you wished for.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just letting you know, if you die a good death, I¡¯m bringing you back.¡± Adam glared into Jurot¡¯s eyes through his visor. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Would you prefer it if I left you to die?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°So Lanarot, Turot, Asorot, Gurot, Murot, will hear the tale and will go on to do more,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°If you want them to do more, you should stay alive and make sure they do more themselves,¡± Adam replied. ¡°My death will inspire them.¡± ¡°What would I tell your mother.¡± ¡°You-,¡± Jurot began, though found his throat clamping tight. ¡°...¡± ¡°While you¡¯re happy dying a good death, I¡¯m the one whose gotta pick up the pieces, Jurot. I¡¯m the one that has to tell your mother. To tell Lanarot, our sister. To tell our cousins, some of whom won¡¯t even remember you. To tell my children. I¡¯m the one who has to watch them cry.¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while as Adam went back to using his magic to move the earth. Jurot stared at the grave, a grave which may have been meant for him. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°If I do die, and you cannot bring me to life, you must bring my body back to the Iyr.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t have to worry about that since you won¡¯t die.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, causing him to stop moving the earth. ¡°You must promise me, brother.¡± Adam saw the serious look in Jurot¡¯s eyes, and upon hearing the last word, his heart almost skipped a beat. He had heard so many of the Iyr¡¯s tales, and rarely, he would hear how the Iyr could not reclaim the body. Every time such words were spoken, there was a sadness within those words. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam promised. Jurot bowed his head, standing silently beside Adam as he continued to dig the grave. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I am not so easy to kill.¡± Adam paused for a moment, turning back to face his brother. ¡°Yeah.¡± The death flags have been raised. [735] – Y03.035 – Outbreak X [735] ¨C Y03.035 ¨C Outbreak X ¡°Potato!¡± Jirot gasped, charging up towards her greataunt, who hoisted the girl up once they clashed. ¡°Tato!¡± ¡°Would you like the potato?¡± Gangak asked, holding the girl to her chest with an arm, holding the warm potato in the other. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Where are your manners?¡± Gangak asked. Jirot threw a look over one shoulder, then the other, before smirking innocently. ¡°I found it.¡± Gangak raised her brows expectantly. ¡°Peas.¡± The older Iyrman smiled, offering the girl the potato, before hoisting up the younger twin up towards her chest. ¡°Jarot, you always have such good manners, yes?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, smiling innocently as his cheeks flushed. Jirot bit into the warm potato, feeling how soft and mushy it was to her teeth, before she held the potato out with both hands to her brother. Jarot leaned in to bite the potato from her hands while their nano carried the pair back to their nana. ¡°Soht peas,¡± Jirot called, holding up her potato towards her nana. ¡°I will go bring some salt.¡± Mirot left them for a moment, before returning with a small shaker. She made the motion of sprinkling the salt onto the potato, but covered the hole with her thumb. Jirot leaned in to bite into the potato, chewing it slowly. She narrowed her eyes, not able to feel the granules. ¡°More peas.¡± ¡°Yes, my Jirot,¡± Mirot replied, this time sprinkling salt onto the potato properly, before the girl bit into the potato, causing Jarot to pout. ¡°Mmm! So dishus!¡± Jirot offered the potato to her brother, who ate it out of her hands, the pair eating the salted potato between them. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Mirot asked, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. Jirot smirked slightly, but since her nana was rubbing her head... ¡°Yes.¡± Mirot smiled warmly at the pair, before leaving them be with their greataunt. Gangak held the pair within her arms, the pair melting against her as they finished their potato. Jirot sat up. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Daddy is gone?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Do you miss your father?¡± Jirot smirked slightly. ¡°No.¡± Her lips instantly formed a pout. ¡°Why are you so sad?¡± ¡°Not sad.¡± Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 18 (2, 3)(1, 3) Damage vulnerability! 22 damage! Health: 91 -> 88 Adam focused on the two fireboars which dared to leap towards him, scrambling up the wooden walls of the outpost. He inhaled for a moment as the heat of their bodies tickled up against his armour before he swung Wraith towards each. He sliced through one with some effort, Wraith flashing with cold energy for a moment as he sliced through the first fireboar. He could feel the heat of the boar singe against him, but he thought little of it. ¡°Baktu, take you,¡± Adam grunted through his gritted teeth, chanting the words to cast his spell. He aimed his axe towards the second boar, which had scrambled onto the wall, its mighty hind legs allowing it to leap onto the post. ¡®Can boars even leap up this high?¡¯ His axe shook slightly as it struck the boar, blowing apart its body, while the cool blow of Wraith shook through it, silencing the fireboar forever still. Thunder echoed across the outpost. It was a thunder which let his companions know he was still there, and eager to fight. Adam turned, noting the divine magic of the priests piercing through the fireboars which had tried to leap onto their side of the wall, though their slowed movement made it difficult. ¡®That was easier than I expected,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Careful!¡± Fred shouted, slashing with his blade against the boar Jonn had just slain. ¡°They get back up!¡± Adam snapped his head back towards his two boars, but he had almost bisected them. Had they returned back to life, it would have been rather impressive, but he had sent them on their way to Baktu. Jonn¡¯s magical blade cut through one of the boars, flashing white hot with divine magic, causing him to wince slightly as the fire of the boar struck him, before it died out. However, Fred¡¯s blade pierced through its skull, to silence it forever before it could get back up to trouble them. Lucy and Mara struck with their great weapons with great force, slicing apart a boar each. The flames of the boars did little to them, just like Nobby, who had been taught the Rot family¡¯s way. His rage resisted the flames as it resisted blades of steel, and he struck the boar ahead of him with his axe, the same axe which had been crafted by Adam and Jurot. As the boar tried to gore the young man, Nobby pushed it back with his shield, almost forcing it off the wall. It would have no doubt gored anyone within the camp, but like Adam, Nobby was hard to hit. Even without his shield, Nobby was as hard to hit as any who wore full plate mail, the young man too tough, too nimble. After confirming his companions were doing well, Brittany¡¯s arrow striking through the side of a fireboar to ease his worries, Adam glanced towards the other outpost. ¡®What the?¡¯ The Iyrmen had formed an arrow, with the tip of the arrow formed of the range dancers, with Jurot upfront. Within the middle of the arrow was a second arrow, made up of the tribesfolk. Instead of staying within the safe walls of the outpost, the group had rushed outside. As the tyrantboar charged the group, the first arrow shifted, breaking apart to deal with the surrounding boars, Jurot raged as he tackled two of the boars aside, with his companions following suit. The rage dancers managed to force away the smaller fireboars, with Naqokan, Uwajin, and Bavin feeling the heat through their rage, while the pair of Rot managed to resist its stabbing pain. Laygak and Jaygak also managed to resist the heat, though the tusks of the creatures caused their shield arms to throb. They were glad for the steel which protected them as they pushed the small fireboars aside, even the likes of them being able to deal with something that simple. The pair who formed the Ool family did not force the creatures aside with their strength, for while the other families prided themselves in their strength, Kitool and Faool took pride their agility and wits, along with their family¡¯s technique. Though they could not resist the flames of the creatures as they struck with their staves, the pair of Ools used their nimbleness to defend against the fireboars. ¡°Faool!¡± Laygak shouted as Faool¡¯s body skidded aside, using his staff to stop himself. The young man¡¯s side had been gored apart by a particularly vicious boar, one which had managed to resist his drop kick. Kitool had managed to force away two with her inner strength, though that was a given. ¡°Focus,¡± Jaygak exclaimed as they faced against the fireboars side by side. Laygak grit his teeth as he squared off with the fireboar ahead of him, leaving Faool in their cousin¡¯s care. ¡°Step aside, Faool,¡± Kitool said, holding out her staff ahead of her towards the boar which had managed to strike Faool so viciously. Had he not been an Expert, the young man may have been close to death. It wasn¡¯t that long ago when the young man would have fallen to such a blow. ¡°I can do it,¡± Faool replied, standing up tall again, inhaling deeply as he forced away the pain. ¡°You have completed your role,¡± Kitool replied, though she could feel her stomach churn. She had denied her cousin glory today. He had almost defeated a boar himself, while the other had clipped his side, which was more than good enough. ¡®There will be greater glory for you still, Faool.¡¯ While the Iyrmen faced against the smaller fireboars, the tribesfolk dealt with the giant tyrantboar without fear of the smaller boars around them, the Iyrmen handling them with Iyrman efficiency. The tribesfolk numbered a dozen, yet thought they numbered fewer than Fate¡¯s Golden, they too had their own Experts. The eldest tribesfolk, the only one to wear a mask with a hood emerging from around it to cover their shoulders, raised the wooden staff up. ¡®Ah,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if that was how the outpost had been destroyed previously. I''m sorry for missing the most important chapter. [737] – Y03.037 – Rights II [737] ¨C Y03.037 ¨C Rights II ¡°They have brought gifts,¡± Jurot stated. Dusk had yet to blanket the sky when the tribesfolk appeared, gifts in tow. There were two large gifts wrapped in blankets, though Adam could spot the tips of the tyrantboar tusks peeking out from the sides. The group had also brought cuts of the tyrantboar¡¯s skin and meat for the group. ¡°We appreciate the gifts,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head towards the tribesfolk. The tribesfolk with the staff motioned a hand to the other tribesfolk, before signing with their hands as they made noises towards Jurot. Jurot almost turned to Adam to ask for permission, but instead replied with short grunts and his own signs. The tribesfolk with the staff then stepped towards Adam placing a hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder, needing to tip toe to do so, before they formed a thumbs up, bringing it to beneath their jaw. ¡°It means thank you,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head lightly. The tribesfolk made a noise towards Jurot, smacking the back of their hand to their palm, before chuckling lightly. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, standing a little taller. The tribesfolk bowed their heads a final time and led the others out. Adam looked towards Jurot expectantly. ¡°They spoke the truth.¡± ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°They said I have a good brother.¡± ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Adam replied, standing a little taller. ¡°How did they know I was your brother?¡± ¡°I told them.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Makes sense.¡± ¡°A tyrantboar tusk,¡± Jaygak said, admiring the tusks. ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Looks like the business is going to have some cool weapons.¡± ¡°Bonecleave is made of tyrantboar,¡± Jaygak said, thinking back to the blade. ¡°It belongs to the Min family.¡± ¡°Is that what the Chief¡¯s weapon is made of?¡± ¡°No, that blade is made from titan bone and dragonsteel.¡± ¡°What bone?¡± ¡°Titan bone,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Titan?¡± ¡°Ancient beings who were said to be the precursors of giants, though that may be rumour.¡± ¡°How ancient are they?¡± ¡°They come from the time before the Iyr, before even the dragons,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°The story of its procurement was buried.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied, suddenly far less eager to hear about the weapon. ¡®No need to seek my death so eagerly.¡¯ Adam swapped out Faool with Bavin, since Bavin was a rage dancer, and was much better on the front line, even if Faool could force multiple creatures away with the Ool family¡¯s abilities. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t quite as good with a pike, but settled with a bow, the young man was a fierce archer who could then close the gap if needed. Brittany¡¯s eyes fell to the Iyrman, the cousin of the same Iyrman who had trained her. ¡®Isn¡¯t he considered one of the weaker Iyrmen?¡¯ Brittany had understood the Iyr was full of monsters, but to think what they considered to be weak was still stronger than what she considered to be strong... ¡°You Iyrmen are so crazy,¡± Adam said, glancing between Jurot and the younger Iyrmen. He stood with his arms crossed, and tapped his finger along his bicep, frowning slightly. Then his eyes fell to the large pythons which had appeared on the horizon, making their way to the fort. ¡°It is time for glory,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you already get enough glory with the fireboars?¡± ¡°We assisted others, but now it is time to earn our own.¡± Adam huffed, still tapping his bicep. He wouldn¡¯t have minded allowing the Iyrmen to fight outside the fort, but Jurot had asked only for the Iyrmen to participate, which was more awkward. If he was around, he¡¯d be more eager to allow them to fight, but... ¡®But what?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®They¡¯ve got Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool. What, you think you can outmatch those three, you idiot?¡¯ ¡°Alright, but none of you are allowed to die.¡± ¡°It is-,¡± Nirot began, before she stopped, seeing the glare in Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°We will follow the rules,¡± Naqokan assured. ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± Adam asked, turning aside. ¡°You just want to show off to your siblings, taking all the glory for yourselves.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± all the Iyrmen replied. ¡°You punks!¡± Adam exclaimed, turning further away from them. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you go down! What will I say to little Inakan and the others?¡± Since Adam was being cringe, Jurot understood they had permission to fight the giant pythons themselves. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, offering Strong Shield, which Jurot had returned as the days had passed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to meditate with it, so it should be fine to use it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°The pythons will want to eat those with magical items.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam thought back to the creatures they had been facing, and it did seem as though they were more focused on those with magical items. The group made their way to the other fort, Jurot communicating their intentions, which the tribesfolk relented to. Jonn watched as Adam followed from a distance, far enough away that he couldn¡¯t interfere, but close enough to get to anyone who dropped shortly. ¡°Will you not follow him?¡± Mara asked, watching from the wall beside him. ¡°He does not need me beside him.¡± ¡°It is our duty to follow our...¡± Mara felt the sharp gaze from Lucy. ¡°I would only be a bother.¡± ¡°Then you must grow powerful enough not to be a bother,¡± Mara replied. ¡°Yes,¡± Jonn replied, wondering why the demon was picking a fight with him. The Iyrmen formed an arrow as they had done so previously, once more with Jurot at the tip, followed by the other rage dancers. Adam stared at the group ahead of him as they prepared themselves, ready to deal with the half dozen or so giant pythons. From what he knew, each was more powerful than an Expert, and their jaws could crush any normal man apart. ¡®They should be fine, right?¡¯ I''m sure nothing will happen to them facing six giant pythons by themselves :) [738] – Y03.038 – Rights III [738] ¨C Y03.038 ¨C Rights III Faool inhaled deeply as he watched as the pythons grew larger as they slithered their way towards them. He held his staff in front of him, holding it up with both hands, bowing his head to press his forehead against the cool wood. Kitool made an identical motion right beside him. ¡°Faool,¡± Kitool called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You will not fall before me,¡± Kitool stated. ¡°I am not like you, cousin Kitool.¡± ¡°No,¡± Kitool agreed. ¡°I wield Tigerstaff, and you wield a mundane staff.¡± Kitool pushed out the staff in front of her, with her cousin doing the same, the pair completing their stretches together. ¡°When they hear the tale, they will hear how you kept up with your cousin even when you did not wield one of your family¡¯s greatest weapons.¡± Faool¡¯s lip trembled for a moment, before he let out a low sigh. He held the staff from either end, holding it raised in front of him horizontally, covering the sight of the pythons for a moment. ¡°I, too, am an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool replied, and the pair continued their stretches together. ¡°Uvajin would look good in dress made of python leather,¡± Uwajin said, swinging her blade around. ¡°I was thinking the same for Minakan,¡± Naqokan replied, swinging her blade around too, though in a different manner. ¡°I will kill one myself.¡± ¡°I will kill two myself.¡± Uwajin turned to face Naqokan, raising her brow. Naqokan replied with a small smile, causing the tusked Iyrman to chuckle lightly. ¡°It¡¯s warm today,¡± Laygak said, swinging his blade in the motions he had learnt to prepare himself. ¡°It¡¯s almost the perfect weather,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Almost,¡± Laygak agreed. The ground shook furiously as the giant pythons, each at least fifty metres long, slithered towards the group. Their skin was no doubt as thick as an Iyrman, their large fangs easily larger than even the likes of Nobby. Just a single misstep and most of them would die, even Jurot would not come out unharmed. Bavin inhaled deeply and let out an exhale. ¡®I,¡¯ the young Iyrman thought as the pythons were upon them, ¡®am Bavin!¡¯ The hiss of the pythons were quickly drowned out by the cacophony of Iyrmen roaring as they raged. The pythons sped up at the last moment, their jaws snapping as they tried to swallow the Iyrmen whole. Their nimbleness was not betrayed by their large, thick bodies, the pythons almost blurring as they began their assaults. Laygak¡¯s eyes went wide as he froze in shock for a moment, for where his cousin once stood, was now the tightening jaw of a giant python. A muffled voice called from within, before a blade pierced through the side of the python¡¯s cheek, the bright light shining off the creature¡¯s scales. The python hissed in annoyance, before another blade pierced into the side of its face. Jaygak forced her body to react, tearing between the two holes to form an escape before she pushed her way through, almost dropping to a knee before she turned, raising her shield in front of her. Faool crashed his staff against the side of the python which had seemingly swallowed his cousin, though it bounced off against its thick hide. He spun his staff, before leaping up onto the python¡¯s back, crashing his staff against its head once more, filled with his inner strength, though it didn¡¯t even seem to register his blow. Faool¡¯s heart pounding wildly in his chest before he inhaled deeply, forming a fist, before he punched downwards, almost like a drill as his fist spun, before he struck the top of the snake¡¯s head. Its entire body shuddered for a moment before it froze into place, before he spun to the side and aimed a heel kick to its eye, using the momentum of the kick to spin himself to land onto his feet. He turned back towards the frozen snake, while a shadow loomed across him, blotting out the sun as the spinning form of Kitool began to shower the large python in death. Tigerstaff blurred as the staff crashed against the same spot Faool had struck to freeze the creature in place, before she also forced a heavy blow into the python, finally hopping off to land beside the young Iyrman, readying to face the creature together with her cousin. Uwajin and Naqokan darted on either side as the python tried to claim one, its fangs tearing up the earth as though it were bread. They grinned wildly in their rage, as Naqokan¡¯s blade struck across the creatures side, flashing hot with divine might, while Uwajin forced her body into a deeper rage, reaching deep within her as she tore into the creatures side, the pair beginning their dance of death. ¡®What are the hell are they playing at?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the combination of Iyrmen and the number of pythons. He had thought Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool would handle one each, but that wasn¡¯t the case. Even if they had decided to partner up with their cousins, with Nirot and Jurot facing one each, it made sense to allow Uwajin to handle one by herself. Bavin winced in pain as the venom of the giant python sizzled against his side, but he tore into the creatures side with his axe, barely managing to slice out a scale as his entire body shook. He was not like the Rot family, who were able to deal with the venom of a python, his family¡¯s way was similar to that of the Kan family. His axe flashed white hot with divine magic as he tore into it once more, though he had only managed to scar the creature. Nirot managed to fend off her python by dancing around it, keeping her shield up to force away a fang before she hacked into its side. She was completely focused on the python she was facing, understanding even she couldn¡¯t ignore its threat. Adam stepped forward, feeling something strike against his side, before he turned, glaring at the tribesfolk elder. They raised a finger and shook their head towards him, before clasping their staff with both hands, slamming it into the earth. Adam¡¯s eyes snapped back to the group. The giant python which had aimed for Jurot, and the deliciousness of magic it could taste coming from him, snapped its head towards where Jurot had tensed his body towards, and yet it only found the earth. Its eye snapped towards the Iyrman, who hadn¡¯t even taken a step to the side. Jurot¡¯s entire body was red hot with rage, and he raised his axe, slashing towards the creature¡¯s eye. It let out a pained hiss as its entire body convulsed, Jurot expending every charge of Phantom, before he darted towards Bavin¡¯s side. Though the snake made to move to strike at his back, its entire body writhed in pain from the blow which rocked its mind. Jurot¡¯s axe sunk in to the side of the snake Bavin was facing, trying to catch its attention. ¡°Come!¡± The original plan was for the trio to handle the likes of the pythons, with Bavin taking the place of Uwajin in order to bring glory to his own family, and to allow Uwajin to fight beside Naqokan, where she preferred. Kitool, too, had thought to allow her cousin glory, and Jaygak did the same. This was not a matter of winning, this was a matter of creating a good tale for their cousins, who had entrusted their elder cousins thus far. Yet, Bavin had taken such a heavy blow, so Jurot was forced to assist. If Bavin fell, the battle became twice as difficult, and Jurot wouldn¡¯t be able to face his brother. The rolls for this fight were insane. [739] – Y03.039 – Rights IV [739] ¨C Y03.039 ¨C Rights IV Uwajin managed to stifle the grunt of pain as the python managed to catch her side, the venom eating through her skin. She gripped her greatsword tight in hand, flexed her muscles, stepped forward to attack once more, ignoring the pain. Jurot was already at Bavin¡¯s side, if she allowed them to come support her, the momentum of the battle would shift. Jaygak slashed against the side of the creature, Great Moon carving a heavy wound onto its scales, while Laygak¡¯s blade bounced off its tough side. ¡®One swing at a time!¡¯ Laygak thought, gripping his blade tighter. He heard the sickening crunch of metal, his eyes darting aside to see the fang piercing through Jaygak¡¯s armour. His heart started to pound heavier as the chill seeped into him. ¡°Jaygak!¡± Jaygak inhaled for a moment, raising her blade. ¡°Focus,¡± she said calmly through the pain. She could feel the venom start to eat away at her side, and though she was happy to face the fireboars and firewolves, venom was not something the Gaks resisted. Yet, if she made a fuss and a bother now, they would need to retreat, and Adam would come to help them. She was glad she wore armour, the helmet hiding her pained expression. ¡®Keep stepping forward, Laygak. Even if it kills me, I¡¯ll make sure it can¡¯t kill you!¡¯ She forced away the pain, her entire body flexing as she raised the bright weapon. ¡°Faool, to Bavin,¡± Kitool shouted as the pair made to move in tandem. Though the pair were mirroring one another, Faool bolted away towards the other Iyrman, leaving Kitool to handle the frozen python by herself. Kitool¡¯s staff blurred once more as she struck the top of the pythons head, striking the same spot where Faool had struck, using her own inner strength to freeze the python in place, while hammering it to break its skull. Faool understood what he needed to do. First, he would need to hit. As he struck with his staff right into the side of the creature, it still made to swallow Bavin, whose entire body shook with rage and pain. He tried to force his staff deeper, but it flexed, bouncing off the creature¡¯s scale. The young man stomped on the earth as the creature shifted its body, sliding across from him. He stared in front of him as he held his fist at his side, before he found a spot between two scales, and he threw his fist forward, spiralling towards the side of the creature as he struck it, his inner strength exploding into the creature, which suddenly convulsed and froze into place. Bavin stared at the creature ahead of him, which had threatened to swallow him. He inhaled deeply before striking furiously towards its open maw, aiming to cut its fang. His axe didn¡¯t managed to lodge itself against its gums properly, though he bathed in the creature¡¯s blood. He expected Jurot to attack it, but found the Iyrman had turned to face against the creature which he had left. Thunder rumbled as the python struck Jurot¡¯s side, and yet the Iyrman didn¡¯t even seem phased by either its fang or venom. Had it been a normal Expert, they would have almost died, and yet Jurot¡¯s skin, though red and raw, did not even sizzle at the creature¡¯s venom. ¡®He¡¯s like a damn wall,¡¯ Adam thought, staring at his brother as he seemed to take a blow which would have caused Adam to think twice. However, hearing the thunder rumble from Mighty Roar, Adam understood Jurot was taking the fight seriously, his axe hacking into the creature¡¯s side viciously, ready to kill. Nirot continued to circle around the python she face, slowly hacking away at it, though barely managing to slice into its side, more like a tiny ant biting an elephant. However, she had yet to take any wounds herself. Though she wanted to throw caution to the wind, she was going to play her role. Her heart pounded wildly, her entire body tingling with a stray thought. If she continued this up, wouldn¡¯t she be able to kill the python herself? Nirot panted, her entire body aching with effort, the venom having managed to seep through her defence, and yet, she could see it. Though she was barely able to deflect its fangs off of her shield, which was beginning to melt, she could see its movements more clearly. Though her entire body was aching, it still reacted when she needed to. She could feel her rage fade for a moment, before her entire body grew hot as she fell into the dance once more, leaping into the air as the snake finally twisted and flew upwards to swallow her hole. ¡°Ha!¡± Nirot shouted, understanding this was the last blow she could manage, as she watched the darkness engulf her, before spinning her entire body as she aimed for the skull from within. Adam darted forward finally, but slowed as the snake¡¯s maw opened, with a completely red Nirot, her shield, axe, and clothes mostly melted, yet her body remained firm. She stared at the others, only just recalling she had been in a battle alongside her cousins, noting the long dead body of the other pythons. The young woman raised her arms up, still holding the her axe and shield, which had broken before her body. The shouts and whistles filled the air as the younger Iyrmen embraced their victorious cousin, the only one who had managed to slay a python without any assistance, needed or otherwise. Jurot turned to face Adam, who was still shocked to see Nirot, whose body was now permanently marked by her victory, stood so strong and mighty after facing such a mighty foe. Adam met Jurot¡¯s gaze, the Iyrman bowing his head slowly. Adam¡¯s lips formed a smile, mirroring Jurot¡¯s own. ¡°Should I heal her?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°No,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Those scars were hard fought and well earned.¡± ¡°Yours were too?¡± Adam replied, having already expended some healing for the proud Iyrman. ¡°I don¡¯t need them.¡± The rolls for the fight between Nirot and the python were insane. She managed to barely win with only 1hp left! [740] – Y03.040 – Rights V [740] ¨C Y03.040 ¨C Rights V ¡®Crazy,¡¯ Fred thought, staring at the young Iyrman. ¡®Iyrmen are crazy!¡¯ Nirot sipped the alcohol slowly, enjoying the attention she was receiving from all her companions, from the praise of the Iyrmen, to the shocked gazes of others. She could still feel the sting of the python¡¯s fang. The bone and venom would have killed any other warrior, even the likes of Naqokan and Uwajin. Only she, a member of the Rot family, could have resisted the python as well as she had. Still, she could feel the thought at the back of her head. Did she truly face the creature with her own strength? Certainly, she had no magical weapon or shield at her disposal. The creature was also focused on her because she engaged with it, even if she didn¡¯t possess the magical items it wished for, she was a fine enough meal for its liking. However... Nirot¡¯s eyes peered across the area, trying to find her pair of cousins, the pair having disappeared from the party. Laygak grilled the meat of the pythons, mostly the python Nirot slew, and offered the meat to each of the Iyrmen. He began with Nirot first, while Korin cooked for the others. Naqokan was the first to cut a portion of her own meal for Nirot, but the other Iyrmen began to do the same. ¡°When we return, the tale will delight our families.¡± She bit into the meat and chewed it slowly. Uwajin was doing her best not to nap, silently chewing on her meat, but she gave a grunt and a nod. ¡°It is a great tale to bring back for your four brothers,¡± Faool said. ¡°Turot will need to become Elder Peace if he wishes to match it,¡± Laygak joked. ¡°Turot may do as he pleases,¡± Nirot said. ¡°I will bring back the glory so he may live freely.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you believe in him?¡± Laygak asked. Nirot growled quietly. ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer the question?¡± ¡°Turot and Asorot may do as they please, just like Gurot and Murot,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°I will bring back enough glory so they will feel no pressure.¡± Laygak chuckled, though what else could he say? It wasn¡¯t as though he could do the same as Nirot, who had earned such a grand tale for herself. His eyes fell to Faool, who was also lost in his own thought. The young man had done so well, for a man of his age to freeze in place the pythons, such a thing had only been matched by Kitool, and yet he was younger than her by the time he had learnt the technique. Naqokan sipped at her alcohol too. Her body only ached lightly, the young woman having been fortunate enough not to take a heavy blow, unlike Nirot and Uwajin. Her eyes fell to Uwajin, who had fallen asleep. The fang had torn away at her side and the venom had marked her skin, a mark she could bring back to the Iyr to confirm the tale. ¡®...¡¯ Naqokan glanced aside to try and find Adam, though he had disappeared with Jurot. It would be difficult to impress him if she didn¡¯t take many blows. She barely had the chance to play with his children, either, since she was so busy during the first month. ¡®I will need to work harder.¡¯ ¡°You did well,¡± Kitool said, placing a hand on Faool¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes,¡± Faool replied, sipping his alcohol slowly, falling deeper into thought. His fist had swollen slightly from the effort of stunning the pythons using his great strength, the young man too eager. The throbbing was a good throbbing, though, a throbbing he could be proud of. ¡°Laygak,¡± Jaygak called, patting the ground beside her. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°I did not do much,¡± Laygak replied. ¡°What you did do, you did well.¡± Laygak raised his brow, his eyes full of doubt. ¡°Are your wounds healed?¡± ¡°What wounds?¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°There is no need for you to minimise your own contributions to make me appear greater than I was, cousin Jaygak.¡± ¡°Cousin Jaygak? You¡¯re too old for that, Laygak.¡± Adam and Jurot sipped their drinks from atop the wall, staring out onto the land while the evening sun began to fall to bring in the dusk. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do as well as her. I mean... no magic axe, no magic shield, no magic?¡± ¡°It is a great tale,¡± Jurot confirmed. Nirot had claimed the battle as her own, a solo victory. Yes, they had handled the other pythons, but she had faced the python herself. ¡°Insane.¡± ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while, wondering if he should ask. He inhaled deeply, and as though ripping off a plaster, he turned to face Adam. ¡°Did you help her?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes slightly, frowning slightly. ¡°Nirot became an Expert because she adventured with us.¡± ¡°Did you assist during the bout?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jurot nodded, before looking out to the horizon. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°She should be thanking you, you¡¯re the one who let her fight it alone,¡± Adam stated, letting out a disapproving sigh. ¡°We could only do so because of you.¡± ¡°I could only do so because of you.¡± Jirot remained silent, unsure of how he was able to do such a thing. ¡°They did so well...¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I can feel the pride inside me.¡± Adam threw a look to his brother. ¡°If you¡¯re acting adorable, then it must be good.¡± ¡°I am not acting adorable,¡± Jurot replied. Adam laughed in response. Jurot thought deeply about the swirling emotions within him. To watch as his cousin, Nirot, defeat a python by herself... ¡®Is this how it feels?¡¯ He thought back to his mother, who listened intently to his tales with a smile. The way she beamed at him. It was the same kind of look she gave to her daughter whenever she did something well. The way all the parents did so for their children. Jurot had felt it slightly, when his sister had learned to crawl, when she had learned to walk, when she had learned to talk. ¡®She speaks so well...¡¯ He had never felt this level of pride in being an Iyrman before. ¡°The boys are going to be so happy,¡± Adam said, his thoughts on Turot and Asorot. ¡°Gurot and Murot probably won¡¯t understand it, but they¡¯ll be happy too, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Nirot¡¯s nieces and nephews will be happy too,¡± Jurot said. Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure they will be.¡± He''s not wrong. [741] – Y03.041 – In The Red I [741] ¨C Y03.041 ¨C In The Red I Fate¡¯s Golden had spent an eventful month within the outpost, a greater month than most thanks to Adam¡¯s magical abilities. The daily baths and the variety of food on offer was something very few could dare to enjoy. Even the nobles of Aldland could scarcely enjoy such luxuries on the road. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll leave the outpost here, just in case something happens on the way back, like last time,¡± Adam said as the group quickly prepared their things. Adam glanced aside to his cart, which had been kept to one side, out of the way. It had been slowly emptied as the month passed, but then also filled with each wave of beasts. Yet, so much of their loot had to be left behind, for they did not have enough space for the large number of items. ¡°Nirot, come here,¡± Adam called, before holding out Strong Shield to the woman. ¡°I¡¯ll feel more comfortable knowing that the dependable Nirot was holding onto this shield for me.¡± ¡°It would be best in your hands,¡± the young Iyrman replied, though her fingers twitched with excitement. ¡°Do you see this, Jurot? She thinks just because she can solo a giant python she can dare to refuse my orders.¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°This is what happens when kids get too cocky.¡± ¡°I am not a kid,¡± Nirot replied. ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam replied, flashing her a smile, still holding out Strong Shield. ¡°Jurot and I have both made a story for this gift which Turot had given to me...¡± Nirot reached out for the magical shield, feeling how it tingled against her fingers. The shield once belonged to her grandfather, and though many knew him as Mad Dog, he had also held the epithet of Bloody Jarot. She thought of the stories it held, and how she was going to add to it, she hoped. Unfortunately for her, the walls of Red Oak greeted the party a few days later, the large walls hugging the town with its protection. The guards eyed up the visitors, the purple armour, the mass of wolves, which seemed vaguely familiar to them. ¡°Good afternoon,¡± a guard called, holding out their hand for them to stop. They eyed up the cart, which must have been full of goods from the rebellious South Aldland. ¡°Fine trading, I hope?¡± ¡°I wish,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Trading would have been less dangerous.¡± ¡°Trading¡¯s dangerous business, what with bandits, all manner of beasts, and the outbreaks and such,¡± the guard said. ¡°What do you trade in?¡± ¡°We typically trade in magical items, but those are being auctioned here at the moment, a special privilege for the town which is so close to the Iyr,¡± Adam replied. The guard slowly nodded their head, having little clue as to what Adam was talking about. ¡°What¡¯s in the cart?¡± ¡°Bits and pieces of different creatures from the outbreak.¡± ¡°Oh? Which creatures?¡± ¡°Birdcats, duabears, firewolves, fireboars, giant pythons, a bit of tyrantboar,¡± Adam replied. The guards whistled. ¡°Hadn¡¯t realised the south was so dangerous. Must be because of the Traitor Duke.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say anything about the south, but we slew these guys around the west.¡± ¡°You slew a tyrantboar?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Adam replied, smiling awkwardly through his helmet. ¡°Actually, my cousin here, Nirot, came face to face with a giant python and defeated it by herself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she-,¡± the guard began before noting Adam was pointing to an Iyrman, whose grin was as wicked as any demon. ¡°We were tasked with defending the west,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We have completed our task.¡± ¡°Ah, so you were one of those dealing with the outbreak?¡± the other guard asked. ¡°Ah, what was the name of your group?¡± ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right,¡± the guard replied, nodding her head slowly. ¡°We were told to expect you about this time.¡± ¡°Oh yes, that¡¯s right,¡± the first guard said, also nodding her head. ¡°Apologies.¡± ¡°No problem at all,¡± Adam said, motioning to Jurot, who revealed the plaque. The group stepped into Red Oak, the noise of the town filling their ears. They made their way towards the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to complete their quest. The guild was lively, filled with adventurers who were drinking and eating after a day¡¯s adventuring. Adam glanced around, finding a few familiar faces he had seen earlier in the year. ¡°Nirot, you should go in to make sure he¡¯s telling the tale properly,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Make sure you help him with her.¡± ¡°...¡± Nirot threw a look to Adam. ¡°Actually, Lucy¡¯s on to something. You need to watch over them since she¡¯ll be your future cousin, potentially.¡± Nirot furrowed her brows, glancing between the pair, before she entered the bakery. ¡°She understands we want them to get together, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s all up to them now,¡± Lucy replied. The group ate their bread together, while Adam escorted Nobby to his home, being escorted by Vonda himself, so he didn¡¯t get into trouble. ¡°Nobby!¡± Ted shouted, embracing Nobby. He was an older fellow, and was no longer thin, his body having filled with the bread and meat Nobby¡¯s coin had bought for him and his family. Ted then noted the appearance of Adam and Vonda, bowing his head towards them. ¡°Good evening.¡± ¡°Good evening, Ted, hope we aren¡¯t a bother,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, no bother. Annie, put on the kettle, mister Adam¡¯s here.¡± ¡°As much as it pains me to say this, there¡¯s no need for that, not for us anyhow,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m just here to make sure Nobby got here alright, and, well, I wanted to check on Anne, if she¡¯s about.¡± ¡°Anne, come here,¡± Ted called. The tiny Anne appeared, wearing a dark blue dress, and a tiny copper pin in her hair. She was still small, more like a seven year old, rather than being almost ten years old. Her hair had grown out slightly, down to her shoulders. Adam dropped to a knee, reaching into his pouch, before holding out a gold coin. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Anne nodded. Adam handed it over to her, hearing a quiet thanks, before the girl quickly shimmied away behind her father¡¯s leg. ¡°Are you enjoying school?¡± The girl slowly nodded her head, but in the way that meant she didn¡¯t want to reply affirmatively but was told to do so. ¡°Don¡¯t enjoy it too much, since the fort should be done soon, and then you can all move there,¡± Adam said, his eyes meeting Ted¡¯s. ¡°I hope you¡¯re all willing to move when the time comes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to give it a thought.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°I hope you all have a wonderful evening. Nobby, make sure you tell them about all that you¡¯ve done, and give out the gifts properly.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°Oh, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to be rude. Sir Vonda, this is Ted, Nobby¡¯s father. Ted, this is Sir Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ted blinked, the shock filling his body. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean no respect, my lady.¡± The man bowed his head, bending at the knees slightly. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright,¡± Vonda replied, bowing her head slightly in reply. ¡°Adam and I would love to stay, but we must head to the temple to pay our respects.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam replied, seeing how smoothly Vonda tried to slip away. Ted stumbled over his words, before bowing his head again. ¡°Of course, of course, wouldn¡¯t want to let the gods wait. Many blessings to you.¡± ¡°May the Good Mother bless you.¡± Adam and Vonda made their way out, a shocked Ted watching over their backs. Ted threw a look to Nobby, wondering if the boy had ever stated that they were travelling with a Priest of Life, and not just any Priest of Life, but a member of Life¡¯s Rose! ¡®The gods are truly shining on our family!¡¯ He''s not wrong. [742] – Y03.042 – In The Red II [742] ¨C Y03.042 ¨C In The Red II The main temple within Red Oak blanketed the entire area with dozens of various buildings, though it was not quite as huge as the main temple in Jaghi. The temple complex held the highest concentration of red oak within the entire town, the purple haze of twilight shimmering across the wood. ¡®Damn, I should come here more often around this time.¡¯ A dozen statues watched over the people who arrived at the temple in the evening. Adam estimated the number of people to be in the hundreds, if not a thousand, each making their way across to the meals being served for a pittance, while some of the commoners, those who most tried to ignore in their alleyways, where only the cold embrace of darkness would embrace them, were shuffled to one side where they could be fed without disturbing the other, donating, citizens. Adam eyed up the statue in one corner, almost hidden away to one side, the elven form of Lady Aesof, a Champion of Mother Soza. ¡°Last time we were here, there was a Champion walking around the land, doing the Lord of Order¡¯s bidding,¡± Adam said, his eyes falling across the sight of the various statues, each made of marble, though with a clear gem¡¯s dust settled atop or within each. ¡°Now that he¡¯s dead, when¡¯s the next Champion going to ride?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Vonda admitted, her eyes also taking in the sight of the statues, paying most of her attention to the statue of Lady Aesof. ¡°It may be you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell to Adam¡¯s amulet, raising her brow knowingly towards the half elf. ¡°I doubt it. I don¡¯t think Lord Sozain wants a guy who is so...¡± Adam wondered if he could truly call himself hesitant after how many people he had killed with his Fireball in the other world. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to be a Champion.¡± ¡°If it is your calling, can you refuse?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, as though it were truly that simple. ¡°To refuse such a calling would be unwise,¡± Vonda replied, letting slip her alarm before she quickly gathered herself. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If you refuse the call, you may find your prayers falling on deaf ears.¡± ¡°If Lord Sozain doesn¡¯t want to answer my prayers, someone else may, Divine or otherwise,¡± Adam replied. Vonda¡¯s eyes grew wide, her brows shooting up. Adam¡¯s words being a surprise were a shock in and of itself, the young woman realising she could still be surprised by her companion. ¡°You would call for darker powers?¡± ¡°If the Divine want to abandon me, that¡¯s fine, but there are consequences for such a choice.¡± ¡°You must live by the consequences too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m prepared to do that, Sir Vonda,¡± Adam replied, smiling casually while speaking of such deep blasphemy. ¡°I hope the Divine are too.¡± Vonda clasped her hands together, quietly muttering a prayer to herself, trying to calm herself. ¡°We should visit the temple to pay our respects, Adam.¡± The acolyte led them them into the temple building, where they walked into a small section designed to take off one¡¯s shoes before entering the temple proper. A set of open doors revealed the large prayer room, with an altar at least a hundred steps in. The section to the left seemed to be an area to clean oneself, while the section to the right held a set of stairs, which led upwards. The acolyte continued to lead them, heading towards the stairs, then behind it, revealing another small area where they could remove their boots and slip on some slippers provided by the temple. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to see you, Sir Vonda,¡± the priestess said, swapping her slippers for a different set, those which were beside a box she slipped her outside slippers within. ¡°A member of Life¡¯s Rose visiting is always a joyous occasion.¡± ¡°It is always a pleasure to visit the temple, which puts my heart at ease.¡± ¡°The warmth of The Mother is eternal, though she may not speak directly to our minds, she answers within our hearts,¡± the acolyte stated. ¡®Now that I think about it, when I met the Divine, I didn¡¯t meet Mahtu, did I?¡¯ Adam though, slipping into a pair of visitor¡¯s slippers, before following the women. The acolyte reached for a rod which, at her prayer, glowed lightly before turning into several small balls of light, three which floated forward and one which floated behind them, coating them in a gentle light. Adam could hear the gentle cries of newborn children through the corridor, which led out and around for what felt like an eternity, the corridor growing dark some minutes through. Meanwhile, the women chatted between themselves of their own matters, while Adam¡¯s thoughts wandered. ¡®How much money should I donate to you, Baktu? Do you even want gold? No, I¡¯m sure you want gold. I know in East Port your guys feed people for free, so you probably do need the gold. Would you like dead bodies instead? Or maybe you want animals I¡¯ve hunted or something? That makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ Adam jolted up, almost walking into Vonda, while the acolyte prayed quietly, before knocking on a door, seemingly at random. Adam glanced on either side, seeing through the darkness beyond the glowing orbs, but found the corridor was the the still seemingly endless both ways. ¡°Come in,¡± called a disembodied voice. The acolyte stepped within the room, which seemed so tiny, before Adam stepped within it, and watched as everything expanded outwards. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Adam reached out to the door frame, bracing himself as he blinked furiously. Vonda¡¯s eyes smiled towards the half elf, understanding what he felt since she had felt the same many years ago when she first stepped within the Mother Priest¡¯s chambers. The chamber was made of thick stone, though they had certainly been walking within a wooden building, and though the room was bare, there were still a number of items Adam had never seen before. To one side was a tiny statue, of a kneeling woman, adorned head to toe in plate mail, wielding a large staff that was more like a greatclub. To the other side was another small statue, that of a dragon made of diamond, its features unlike the dragons had yet to see, neither as slender as a silver dragon, nor as brutish as a blue dragon. Then there was the club, which hung on the wall with a pair of red oak hooks which clung to it. The club was made out of diamond, catching the light in such a way that it covered the area in a rainbow. Even from where Adam stood, he could sense the electricity of the light emanating from the club, which coated his body with a strange tingle. ¡®Damn, I wonder how powerful that club is,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Good evening,¡± called the disembodied voice, before Adam realised that the woman had been sitting right beneath the club the entire time, but he had been too distracted by the three items within. Though, one couldn¡¯t blame him, since where else would he find three artefacts which were considered to be Legendary all in a single room. Other than the Iyr, of course. I''m sure Adam won''t get into trouble with Mother Priest. [743] – Y03.043 – In The Red III [743] ¨C Y03.043 ¨C In The Red III ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Mother Priest,¡± Sir Vonda said, bowing her head lightly. She offered her hands in the same way she had offered the other acolyte, who quickly retreated out of the room. ¡°Sister Vonda,¡± the older woman replied, also wearing a set of robes which covered her from head to toe, save for her face. Her wrinkles swam across her face, though her skin remained taut even after all these decades. Her eyes were light grey, just like her lips, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure if it was the natural colour of her lips, or if she was wearing something over them, since the grey was so perfectly applied. Once the pair had greeted one another, the older priest¡¯s eyes gently floated over towards the young man, whose head was covered with a scarf, bound in the way of some of the Aswadians. ¡°Many blessings upon you, Mother Priest,¡± Adam greeted, bowing his head lightly as Vonda had done before him. He kept his hands at his side awkwardly, unsure if he was meant to offer them, his eyes falling to Vonda for support for a moment. ¡°Many blessings upon you, Brother,¡± the young woman replied, deciding against using his name. Her eyes fell down to the amulet across Adam¡¯s chest, which was forged from obsidian, with the Iyr¡¯s symbol of the God of Death engraved within its face. ¡°Adam, this is Mother Priest, who watches over the main temple in Red Oak. Mother Priest, this is Adam, a member of Fate¡¯s Golden. He is the Priest of Death I spoke with you of previously.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to finally meet you,¡± the priest stated, holding out a hand, waiting for Adam to offer his. Adam held out a hand towards the older woman, who took them like a nobleman would before they were to kiss a maiden¡¯s hand, but she merely held it, her eyes warm as she stared at the young man. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you too, Mother Priest,¡± Adam replied, doing his best not to sound so awkwardly stiff. ¡°I hope you have heard wonderful things about me.¡± ¡°Death, too, is a way of life,¡± the priest replied, rubbing her wrinkled thumb along the back of his knuckles gently. ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied. He hoped Vonda didn¡¯t speak about how cringe he could be. His cheeks flushed slightly at realising what Vonda knew about him. ¡®I should really stop pretending to be an idiot. I should probably stop being an actual idiot first, at least.¡¯ ¡°We were allowed to return to the Iyr in the previous year thanks to Adam¡¯s relationship with the Iyr, though they were finally opened once more,¡± Vonda said. ¡°We completed our task in the outbreak.¡± ¡°It is a shame so much death is brought onto the land during the time of dawnval, but Lady Gale¡¯s wrath has yet to subside, even after all these centuries,¡± the priest replied, calling out a prayer to the Good Mother. She let out a gentle sigh as she let go of Adam¡¯s hand. Vonda only smiled politely towards the older woman, who brought her hand behind her back, while motioning for the pair to sit at the nearby table, the table and seats made of red oak, while she stepped aside to prepare the tea. ¡°I intend to give up my noble titles,¡± Vonda said as Mother Priest poured her some tea, before she did the same for Adam, who sat awkwardly to one side. ¡°A difficult decision,¡± Mother Priest replied, her eyes falling onto the young Vonda. She had gathered a few insights from speaking with the young woman over the past few years, understanding that the woman did not like her family. She had not pried deeper, allowing the woman to open up to her in time, if she chose to. ¡°Once I give up my noble titles, I intend to continue adventuring, and I believe I should take the title of one of the Forty Nine Rays.¡± ¡°It is a grand calling to become one of the Forty Nine Rays,¡± the older priest said, smiling warmly towards the young woman. ¡°Adventuring provides much experience.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a Nephew of the Rot family, and even though that¡¯s an awkward title, my brother and sister are Iyrmen, and my children are currently being raised by their grandmother, my Aunt, and their greatfather, my brother¡¯s grandfather.¡± Mother Priest did her best to keep up with the various different family terms Adam was using. ¡°You are a Nephew of the Iyr, but also a brother to Iyrmen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That is a curious position. I am certain your children will grow well within the Iyr.¡± ¡®Oh? Quite some respect for the Iyrmen.¡¯ Adam smiled towards Mother Priest. ¡°I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll grow well, but...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How can I leave them alone without their father?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I should stay with them all day every day so they can grow well. What am I to do?¡± Mother Priest thought about what Adam had mentioned thus far. ¡°What of their mother?¡± ¡°Well...¡±Adam cleared his throat. ¡°The circumstances of the children¡¯s births are such that they have no mother, and have never known such.¡± ¡°My condolences,¡± Mother Priest replied, wondering how none of his children have never known their mothers. ¡°Well, I mean, technically...¡± Adam thought back to his triplets. He had met them when they had been brought to the Iyr, and Entalia had been there too, though she had given up her rights. ¡°Anyhow, that might be something I¡¯ll work on this year. Of course, it is rather awkward, since my children are so... special.¡± ¡°All children are special.¡± ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I have so many adorable little... cousins, too.¡± ¡°Cousins?¡± ¡°My brother¡¯s aunts and uncles, they have had children too.¡± Adam thought, wondering how awkward this was all becoming. ¡°The children are so adorable, and I can¡¯t help but wish to spoil them!¡± Mother Priest stared at the young half elf, seeing the look on his face. Though it could have been that he was pretending to be a fool, how could someone pretend to be this foolish? ¡®Is he that kind of father?¡¯ Not again. [744] – Y03.044 – In The Red IV [744] ¨C Y03.044 ¨C In The Red IV ¡°It¡¯s not my stah, is your stah, okay?¡± Jirot asked, though in a way which was more like a statement than a question. She pointed up towards the evening sky, watching as the stars began to fall across the Iyr. She laid beside her younger brother, who was also enjoying the sky. ¡°Okay,¡± Jarot, gently nodding his head in response. He pointed up towards the sky, before pointing out other stars, but tried to find the same star as before, though they had slightly shifted position. ¡°Is gone?¡± ¡°Is gone?¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes and stared intently at the stars. ¡°No, is, is back.¡± Jirot pointed to the side, where she noted the stars with the sparkling colours, which shifted within her eyes at every passing moment. A tiny girl, clutching a bottle of milk, stumbled her way towards the pair, before she fell to her bottom, drinking her milk. ¡°Jitoo¡¯, come,¡± Jirot called, patting beside her. The girl shuffled on her bottom to beside the goblin girl, before she eventually lay down, drinking from her bottle as she stared up at the stars with the pair. Konarot sat and stared down at the board, narrowing her eyes towards it. Tonagek stared at the board opposite her, though sometimes his eyes pulled away to watch her tail sway from side to side. ¡°How far can the knight move?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°Two,¡± the girl replied, looking at the knight pieces on the board. She picked up the knight and moved it. ¡°One. Two.¡± ¡°You have claimed the peasant,¡± Tonagek said, allowing her to take the peasant off the board, to place it in the small pile of pieces on her side. ¡°I will move the sorcerer beside your priest and pin him.¡± The Iyrman placed his sorcerer beside Konarot¡¯s priest, freezing him in place. Konarot inhaled sharply, sitting up taller and straighter, annoyed by the move since the priest was going to move towards one of his pieces to shift their allegiance the turn after. She reached up to her mouth as she thought deeply, in the same way Tonagek would do on his turns, her tail swaying from side to side. Kirot ran around the courtyard, with Karot following her, the pair counting to five each time they did so, and once they were done, they sat together to toss a ball towards one another. ¡°Hoo!¡± Kirot would grunt, as though she was lifting a heavy weight while she lifted the ball, before tossing the ball towards her brother. The ball was made of leather stitched together, and rather than a ball, it was more like a cube, one which landed and rolled perhaps only once depending on if it landed on a corner. ¡°Hoo!¡± Karot grunted in a similar manner, tossing the ball back towards his sister, panting lightly. ¡°They are working so hard,¡± Mosen said, sipping his wine. His young daughter sat on his lap, drinking her milk from her bottle as she lay her head on her father¡¯s chest. ¡°They wish to grow so big and strong,¡± Sonarot said, sipping her wine, while Lanarot slowly chewed her bread nearby. ¡°Adam will be displeased.¡± ¡°That nephew of yours is so queer,¡± Mosen stated. ¡°Chisen, you will become so big and strong, yes?¡± Mosen reached down to his daughter¡¯s cheeks, rubbing them gently. ¡°You cried so much to come and now you are so quiet and drinking your milk. Go, sit with your aunt.¡± As Mosen raised his daughter for Sonarot, Chisen squirmed and coughed, making to cry as Sonarot gave Mosen a look to take back his daughter. Chisen stared up at her father, clutching at his shirt so he couldn¡¯t rid of her easily. ¡°Must you distress your daughter so much?¡± Lanarot smirked. ¡°Yes. I am.¡± Adam also confirmed the young girl was kind to Mother Priest, gushing about all the children. ¡°Of course, then there¡¯s Gurot, who is such a chonky boy. His older brothers, Turot and Asorot, are looking after him well. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re playing with him every day, since they¡¯re both good kids. If Turot can¡¯t even play with his brother, then how can he become Elder Peace? He should do at least that much, shouldn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Of course Katool is also looking after Jitool well. She¡¯s protecting her so much, too much. She won¡¯t even let me hug her for more than a minute! Why can¡¯t I hug her for more than a minute? She likes playing with Jirot and Jarot, but shouldn¡¯t she also play with me? I¡¯m her cousin too, aren¡¯t I? They keep saying I¡¯m their cousin and not their Cousin, so shouldn¡¯t I be able to do that much? I have permission from the Chief! In writing!¡± ¡°Kavgak¡¯s such a good girl too, she¡¯s so chonky, and her heart is even bigger. You know, she was the first one to give me a gift from my adorable little cousins. She gave me a stone, the best stone, let me tell you, if you want some nice stones, I know just the girl to find you some nice stones.¡± ¡°What do they mean they¡¯ll become monsters? What, just because I¡¯m hanging around them? Just because I want to-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda called, quickly cutting the half elf off. She was surprised Adam hadn¡¯t already slipped up, but he had grown dangerously close with the last few statements. If he was mentioning them becoming monsters, it was too close to that particular secret of his, and once Mother Priest knew, it wouldn¡¯t be long until such messages were spread across the temples of the land, and even the lands beyond. Adam stopped, twitching slightly as he threw Vonda a look, before his face rapidly shifted into realisation, until he finally hid his face behind his hand. ¡®Did I really just go on a tangent about the kids? Baktu damn it, am I actually an idiot? This is so embarrassing, holy. I should drop a Fireball on myself.¡¯ His entire face turned red hot with embarrassment. ¡°It was wonderful to speak with you both,¡± Mother Priest stated, smile gracefully. The pair stood, making their way out. Adam stepped out first, almost stumbling into the corridor as the land around him seemed to shift once more, throwing a look at the older acolyte who had guided them there. He smiled awkwardly, fixing the scarf around his head, clearing his throat. Vonda didn¡¯t step out just yet, instead turning back to face Mother Priest. ¡°It is always a pleasure to speak with you Mother Priest.¡± Mother Priest continued to smile. ¡°If you ever need an ear to listen to you, I will lend mine to you, Sister Vonda.¡± ¡°I hope you will keep my words in mind, and take my words to heard, of all the matters we have discussed.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes stared deeply into the priest¡¯s eyes. Mother Priest smiled slightly wider, bowing her head, watching the young woman leave. Once she stepped out, the older woman held up her hand, and the door glided to shut, light flashing across the outline of the door to denote it had been magically locked. She reached into her pocket, pulling out the string she had gently pulled from Adam¡¯s sleeve, before she raised her hand towards the wall, which shifted slightly, as a book floated over towards her. She opened the book, which held Adam¡¯s name inked against the spine, and tucked the string into the back of the book, where a little sleeve had been formed to keep a person¡¯s possession to allow for the priests an easier time to cast their magic. Mother Priest thought about what the young woman had told her about Adam. ¡®He is dangerous, but he has a good heart.¡¯ She sighed, before reaching out her hand once more, and a long strand of hair floated towards her. She thought to replace the item within Vonda¡¯s book, but a strand of her was not quite as clean as one of the threads of the woman¡¯s scarf she had claimed years ago. Dun dun dun! [745] – Y03.045 – In The Red V [745] ¨C Y03.045 ¨C In The Red V ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Seriously, man, how the hell are you still like this?¡¯ Adam rubbed his eyes with his thumb knuckles, shaking his head lightly. ¡®How many kids do you have now? Six? Come on, man...¡¯ Vonda only beamed as the pair made their way out. Adam had tried to donate the gold to the acolyte, who refused. After slipping a gold coin into the donation box, Adam promised to return the next day with more gold for the Divine. ¡°Vonda, what am I to do?¡± ¡°What do you wish to do?¡± Adam fell silent as they made their way back to the adventurer¡¯s guild. ¡°I want to eat.¡± Once the guild¡¯s doors opened to splash them with heat, Adam exhaled, walking up to the corner where he found many of his companions. His eyes scanned the area to find other groups, some he was familiar with, others he was not. The older northerner he had beaten bowed his head lightly towards the half elf, who returned a bow of his head, before he settled himself beside his companions. ¡®Oh, right, I have to order the food.¡¯ While Adam ordered food from the guild, Kitool ordered food from a particular tavern. ¡°Two potatoes, salted, no butter. A half portion of meat, and a cup of buttermilk.¡± ¡°Which meat?¡± ¡°It would be your recommendation,¡± the young woman replied, placing down a silver coin over a copper coin. ¡°Any drinks?¡± the barkeep, an older, overweight man, whose arms were thick with fat and muscle. ¡°It would be your recommendation,¡± Kitool replied, placing down another silver coin over a copper coin. She waited for her meal in the corner, and once she was done, she slipped out of the tavern, making her way through the alley. A worker lifted up the crates to stack them, and as he reached for the other, Kitool hopped atop the crates behind him, onto the third story window, before slipping inside. She silently crept through the place, heading to the attic. There she found more crates. She undid a particular crate¡¯s lid, finding the ladder which fell down to the underground. As she reached the bottom, into the tunnel network of the underground, she reached for the torch, lighting it, before making her way through the dark tunnel. She stepped past several of the outward tunnels, before finding one with a particular chip in the corner. She turned an made her way through it, only her breath keeping her company. Once it split, she took the left path, the path most travelled, following each of the paths which were most travelled, before finally taking the last two paths in the opposite manner. She entered a large room, one which was easily a hundred paces long in every direction, full of tables, drawers, and ten people. A large map of Red Oak covered the wall, marked with all manner of colours and symbols. Several tunnels led out towards other business who were in the know. Each worker wore a copper pin, though there was a woman in her thirties, a devilkin, who wore a silver pin against her collar. She smiled towards Kitool, bowing her head lightly. The others around all turned to face Kitool, reaching for the blades at their side. ¡°Are you lost, little Iyrman?¡± Kitool walked towards the woman with the silver pin, before sitting opposite her. ¡°I have come with information.¡±Upstodatee from ¡°We don¡¯t pay for information from no Iyrman.¡± ¡°The fruit represent her children,¡± Vonda said. ¡°They make up most of the Divine, from the God of Death to the Goddess of Twilight. Ten pieces total. Lady Arya, Lord Musa, and Lord Zaladhin are not considered her children, and therefore are not represented in the fruit.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a fruit missing near the top,¡± Adam said, noting towards the missing piece right below the topmost one. ¡°The fruit atop represents Lord Sozain,¡± Vonda said. ¡°The missing fruit beneath represents the place where we mortals should sit, for who but the Good Mother, loves us most?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes as he stared at the fruit. ¡°No,¡± he whispered. Vonda¡¯s ears twitched and she tilted her head slightly, a gentle, nervous, smile encroaching her lips. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam replied, clearing his throat. He dropped down upon a knee before the statue of the woman, bringing his hands up together ahead of him. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Mother Soza. I haven¡¯t forgotten about Bandlor, even if the world has. The rest of your children should recall his name, too.¡¯ Adam felt nothing from the statue, half expecting it to react to his thoughts, but he still placed a gem worth fifty gold within the donation box. The acolyte beside him raised her brows, the young woman¡¯s eyes wide, certain she had seen the young half elf place a tiger eye within the box. Adam stepped back, crossing his arms in front of him casually, waiting for Vonda to finish her prayers. She placed a gold, a silver, and a copper coin. ¡°Shall we pray to Lord Sozain next?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°It should start with life and end with death,¡± Adam replied, staring up at the statue of the Good Mother. ¡°Let¡¯s head to one of the other gods.¡± Adam and Vonda prayed at each and every temple. Though Adam noted each feature of the temple and statues, comparing them with the other temples and statues, he spent little time or effort speaking with many of the gods, save for four. The Divine, as Adam learnt, was made up of those considered to be the Greater Gods of the region. Soza, the Goddess of Life. Sozain, the God of Death. Elaveil, the Goddess of Balance. Gale, the Goddess of Nature. Noor, the God of Light. Arya, the Goddess of War. Poli, the Goddess of Peace. Magi, the Goddess of Arcana. Erudite, the Goddess of Knowledge. Tempest, the Goddess of Storms. Klaus, the God of Trickery. Fae, the Goddess of Twilight. Musa, The God of Wealth. Zaladhin, the God of Souls. Then there were the Two Lords, the Lord of Order and the Lord of Chaos, who took place of the other forgotten god, that of Belle, the God of Order and Chaos, and the father of most of the pantheon. Adam slipped in gems worth ten gold coins to each of the Divine, save for two Goddesses he was most familiar with, slipping them fifty gold gems. When it came time to pray in front of the Lord of Order, Adam remained behind, allowing Vonda to pray before his statue, which was that of a knight. The statue opposite his was the Lord of Chaos, which Adam knelt before. ¡®Don¡¯t go causing too much of a mess,¡¯ Adam thought to the Lord of Chaos, slipping a gem worth ten gold, before continuing on. The acolyte¡¯s eyes grew wide as Adam stubbed the Lord of Order, but prayed towards the Lord of Chaos. Her eyes darted to Vonda, who merely smiled politely once she returned. ¡®How can he do such a thing?'' It said this chapter was 1,666 words in my document. That was completely accidental. [746] – Y03.046 – In The Red VI [746] ¨C Y03.046 ¨C In The Red VI The section for Mother Soza was as expected, filled with greenery and life, an open space welcome to all. The section for Lady Gale was similar, though with far more greenery, like a well cared for park. The section for Baktu, Lord Sozain, the God of Death, was as expected. It was stark, bare, with well built but simple furnishings all around. The temple proper was more like an altar, with rows of curved seat emanating from it, split by the cross of pathways. The altar was simple, made of hard stone, with steps leading up to a flat surface where one could preach. Several acolytes, some male, some female, sat and chatted with the elderly who came to visit, as well as a few adventurers Adam had spotted around town. Adam¡¯s eyes swam across the area to try and find her, but he didn¡¯t find the woman. ¡®I guess it¡¯s not like I¡¯m in the position to go find Freya anyway...¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes then fell to the small grove nearby, which hid the small cabin of the priests, which led further into the ground where the Priests of Death could deal with their affairs. The acolyte escorting them remained at an invisible boundary, allowing the pair to pray in peace. ¡°Good morning, Brother, would you mind escorting me to the statue of the Lord?¡± Adam asked one of the nearby acolytes, who bowed their head lightly, silently leading Adam to the statue near the cabin. They followed a trail outlined by black orchids, heading towards a small statue of a boy sitting on a jagged throne. Adam knelt before the God of Death, with the acolyte and Vonda for company, while another watched from the cabin. Mother Death, the priest with the highest rank within this temple to Lord Sozain, watched over the young half elf, who possessed an amulet which had been forged by the will of her Lord. Even as he had passed by the cabin, she could sense the divinity from the amulet. The statue of the young boy on a jagged throne of bone watched over Adam, who fell deep into his thoughts. The young half elf was sitting on his legs, not wholly prostrating himself before the God of Death. Adam held onto his knees tightly, before his fingers relaxed and he bowed his head. ¡®For all that you¡¯ve done, Lord Sozain, Baktu, thank you. I won¡¯t forget it. If you have need of me, just let me know, and I¡¯ll do what I can. I... I don¡¯t want to go around killing people, but if you need something...¡¯ Adam hoped his intentions were being sent through to the God of Death, who had saved him from the Lord of Order in the dream, which was certainly no dream, and had favoured him thus far. ¡®Also, if you want more money, let me know.¡¯ Adam pulled away, allowing Vonda to drop to her knees to pray to the God of Death, before they made their way back. He reached into his pocket and held out a gem worth fifty gold, holding it up to the acolyte. ¡°Whose funeral are you preparing?¡± the acolyte asked, not yet reaching out for the gem. ¡°I¡¯m not going through this again,¡± Adam said. ¡°Take the gem and fund the food you¡¯re giving to the people.¡± The acolyte frowned slightly at Adam¡¯s bluntness. ¡°We have no need for donations without service.¡± ¡°The service is that I follow the Lord of Death, who has granted me so many grand abilities, like being able to cast certain Third Gate spells.¡± The acolyte blinked. ¡°Lord Sozain has blessed you with such grace?¡±Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Brother Adam,¡± called a voice, Mother Death eventually revealing herself to the group. Like the Mother Priest of Life, she was the highest ranking individual when it came to her own section. She was pale of skin, dark of eyes, and she also wore a similar attire to that of the Mother Priest of Life, covering her from head to toe, only showing off her face. Mother Death also wore a set of gloved, wrinkled with centuries of use, matched only by the wrinkles on her face. ¡°Mother Priest,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Ah, no, Mother Death?¡± Mother Death smiled, bowing her head lightly. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, finally.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of me?¡± Adam asked. Mother Death held up a hand towards the acolyte, who quickly bowed his head, and retreated away from the group. ¡°I know of you.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, still holding out the gem awkwardly. ¡°Will you accept the gem?¡± ¡°Lord Zaladhin was given a position as the Lord of Souls during The Dark Times,¡± Vonda said. ¡°It was during the Demonic Devastation in which Lord Zaladhin, an Aswadian mortal at the time, was granted Divinity, and took his place among the Major Divine. However, his influence is not comparable to any of the Major Divine.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered. He hadn¡¯t spent much time learning about the Divine, but he had no idea a mortal could ascend to Godhood, and even take his place among the Major Divine. ¡®Even if he¡¯s mostly ignored, that¡¯s still crazy!¡¯ ¡°Lord Zaladhin¡¯s ascension was quite problematic, especially in Aswadasad, though it was eventually accepted across the lands.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Lord Zaladhin was once a general within the Aswadian army, and thus to place him among the ranks of the Major Divine, said to be equal to Lord Noor...¡± Vonda paused for a moment. ¡°It was only due to the chaos of that time that such a thing could have occurred.¡± ¡°Chaos, eh?¡± ¡°Though one might have expected the two Lords to bring the matter up or to deny it, it was Lord Sozain who forced Lord Zaladhin¡¯s ascension into the Major Divine.¡± ¡°He forced it?¡± Adam asked, shocked. Vonda bowed her head. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I do not know, but that is what is taught.¡± Adam was fairly certain that was a huge deal, but he had never come across such knowledge before, even when he was in the Iyr. ¡®I guess I know a lot about the different families roles during the time, but isn¡¯t the ascension of a mortal into the highest position also ridiculously insane?¡¯ ¡°So Lord Sozain and Lady Elaveil both widened the pantheon of the Major Divine?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam recalled the Iyr¡¯s thoughts about which of the Major Divine were the most powerful. Baktu and Ritetu. Lord Sozain and Lady Elaveil. ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Makes sense.¡¯ Beyond Apotheosis: A DiceRPG [747] – Y03.047 – In The Red VII [747] ¨C Y03.047 ¨C In The Red VII ¡°Is me, nano?¡± Jirot asked, leaning in to find her name, her tiny hands pressing against the paper, the saliva on her thumb beginning to soak into the paper. Gangak quickly grabbed the girl¡¯s wrist, bringing it up to kiss the back of her hand before bringing it to the girl¡¯s lips so she could suck against it once more. ¡°It is not you.¡± ¡°I not the same Jirot, because I am Jirot, and I am not the same,¡± the girl said, before sucking her thumb quietly. ¡°That is right,¡± Gangak said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair, revealing her large forehead, nuzzling against it. Little Jarot began to twitch as sleepiness began to take to him, nap time having approached far too quickly that day. Gangak placed the pair down in the corner, and as Jirot reached up for her hand, the woman smiled. She sat beside them, allowing them to hold onto her finger as they fell asleep, before she slipped away from them and their vice grip. Konarot sat beside her grandmother as the woman knitted her a blanket, the little girl staring down at the pictures of all manner of creatures, her eyes scanning against their features. Kirot panted softly as she ran around the courtyard, her eyes darting from side to side as she fought against imaginary creatures. Karot lay nearby, staring up at the sky, his thoughts upon the morning porridge, which he had eaten with shredded nuts. He preferred fish, but he supposed he didn¡¯t mind porridge, especially when he was allowed to eat salya between bites. Meanwhile, their youngest sibling remained in the extended family estate, where their greatfather showed him off. ¡°You see?¡± the old one armed Jarot stated, waiting expectantly. Otkan blinked, her eyes falling down towards the baby, who was fast asleep. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Only my greatson can grow so well,¡± he stated, as though it were fact. Otkan wasn¡¯t sure if she should mention the fact all babies grow so quickly when they are so young, but she decided to sip her tea instead. ¡®Needs more honey.¡¯ Larot slept as he always did, fussing so little for such a young boy. He could begin to see and hear things more clearly, though the brain of a baby still caused him trouble. He was unable to resist the call to eat, the moment a teet was pressed up against his lips, he would suckle as though he needed it to survive. He did, of course, need it to survive, but he didn¡¯t like that one bit. Although, he did like to hear the sounds of Jarot¡¯s grunts as the old man worked out, which helped soothe him to sleep. They reminded him of the sounds of battle. Meanwhile, the demon¡¯s father sat opposite the demon¡¯s uncle, with questions abound. ¡°Sohtu¡¯s story is one of the greatest,¡± Jurot stated, crossing his arms as he thought of the tale. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.come no one told me about the tale?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I feel like it¡¯s a really important tale.¡± Jurot thought deeply. ¡°Zaladhin clashed against several Iyrmen, but we have not spoken of their tales. There are many more tales in these lands, we have not yet been able to speak of the other tales in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Lord Zaladhin,¡± Vonda corrected. ¡°Sohtu is Sohtu, Zaladhin is Zaladhin,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Zaladhin was the general. Sohtu is the Divine.¡± Vonda frowned slightly, but she did not continue to argue the point. ¡°There are many tales you have not heard,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There are thousands. If you are to hear one each day from start to finish, you would not have heard more than one thousand and five hundred, even if we did not adventure.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right about that, I guess...¡± Adam wondered how many outrageous secrets the Iyrmen held from their different stories. ¡°Do you have anything where...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Does that even make sense?¡¯ Jurot waited for his brother to continue. ¡°Do you have any stories where, you know, you have this thing that the Aldishmen would never believe, but for the Iyr, or the Iyrmen, it¡¯s pretty normal?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°It was my ancestor who brought the lesser rukhs to the land.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°It was Jarot?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Ah. Nepotism, classic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all nepotism, Adam.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Nephew of the Rot family?¡± ¡°I do good work.¡± ¡°How many times have I, a devilkin, gotten us into trouble?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a devilkin, you¡¯re an Iyrman, that doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°You should know what my horns mean for me in these lands, Adam.¡± ¡°I was just joking and you had to make it all serious.¡± Jaygak smirked, eating more of her nuts. ¡°Plus, it was the Enchanter who put me in this position, and has guaranteed it with Great Moon.¡± ¡°That they have, I suppose,¡± Adam replied, crossing his arms, refraining from smirking. ¡°Anyway, could I ask for your help, Jaygak?¡± ¡°What do you need from this Executive who doesn¡¯t deserve her permission?¡± ¡°I want to buy some jewellery for gifts.¡± ¡°Gifts for who?¡± ¡°You mean gifts for whom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Vonda smiled, watching the pair banter between one another for a short while longer, though Jaygak eventually relented to assist him in his goals. ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, sitting back down, though he had made to go to the market. ¡°We should probably figure out what to do next. I don¡¯t think we have anything we need to get done immediately, or around these parts, so I was thinking we head east so Sir Vonda can become a decent person, and...¡± ¡°And?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°And... that¡¯s the most important thing, I think?¡± Adam didn¡¯t want to give away what Dunes wanted to do. ¡°Right, I need some really nice material for some weapons too.¡± ¡°We could speak with the Duchess for that,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°So this is why you¡¯re an Executive,¡± Adam whispered. Jaygak threatened to toss a nut towards him, but instead of wasting a good nut, she tossed it into her mouth. ¡®Should I buy nicer jewellery?¡¯ As the days passed in Red Oak, Adam spent much of his time relaxing, assisting the guild with any identification of magical items they needed, and allowing the porters and farmers to earn coin while doing nothing. ¡®Adam isn¡¯t working us to death?¡¯ Lucy thought, relaxing in her bed one afternoon. ¡®Having children has made him soft...¡¯ She thought for a long moment. ¡®I should buy them some gifts too.¡¯ ¡°I not the same Jirot, because I am Jirot, and I am not the same,¡± ... She''s right? [748] – Y03.048 – Onward I [748] ¨C Y03.048 ¨C Onward I ¡°She is well built, like a cow,¡± Nirot said, nodding her head approvingly. ¡°Hey, hey, hey, we don¡¯t call women cows in this group, alright?¡± Adam stated. ¡°New rule.¡± ¡°It is a great compliment,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Don¡¯t you start, Jurot, she¡¯s meant to be the one you-,¡± ¡°Cows are one of the most important animals throughout history, one of Nahtu¡¯s greatest gifts,¡± Jaygak said, interrupting the half elf. ¡°Look. Cows are great and all, but it¡¯s just weird.¡± ¡°Cows are most important for life,¡± Vonda added. ¡°Okay, hold on, I can¡¯t be the guy fighting against women saying that we shouldn¡¯t call women cows, this is not a good look for me,¡± Adam said, glancing around at the rest of the party. ¡°If you want to call her a cow, be my guest, but we won¡¯t be buying stuff from here any more out of shame.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot decided against fighting the point, chewing his bread quietly. ¡°Seriously...¡± Adam inhaled deeply, rubbing his brow. ¡°What am I going to do with you all?¡± Kitool and Jaygak checked the items in the cart, Dunes and Korin having spent time in the market acquiring various different foodstuffs for the road. Lucy and Mara checked on Demon and Wolfy, while Jurot checked on Sky and the pair of dire wolves. Jonn¡¯s magical steed, a horse meant for pulling carts, was in charge of such a matter. Meanwhile, Adam¡¯s steed carried some personal supplies, while Korin¡¯s steed did the same, the pair¡¯s steeds in form of riding horses, which they could use to scout up ahead. ¡°Did you have fun with your family?¡± Adam asked, patting Nobby against his powerful back. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± Adam pat his back gently some more. ¡°Did you tell them about how you worked hard for the coin you brought them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are they happy they get another ten gold a month for basically the rest of the year?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°They should be happy that they have such a wonderful son. Whose son is as good as theirs? Let¡¯s hope it¡¯ll help your family with their meal and your sister¡¯s education.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss. Thank you.¡± Adam let out a satisfied sigh. ¡°Any time.¡± ¡®Being rich feels so good!¡¯ It was later in the evening when the group approached the fort south of Red Oak. The guards hailed the group, their eyes throwing suspicious glances at the group for only a moment. ¡°What business brings you here? Thought you dealt with the outbreak?¡± ¡°We¡¯re passing through the south to head to South Port,¡± Adam explained. ¡°South Port?¡± The guards eyed up the group. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous across these lands. Not quite the same as it was in previous years. I¡¯d recommend you head up north, through the Deadwood, and along the hills, and then the river to East Port. Much safer, and whatever you need in South Port can be found in East Port, and I¡¯ll say it¡¯s much better too.¡± ¡°We appreciate your advice, and actually, we are heading to East Port, but we wanted to pass through South Port first.¡± ¡°What business do you have in South Port?¡±Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com glanced towards his companions, realising the guard was going to be difficult, and he should keep his mouth shut. ¡°Our group merely wish to pass through the land to make our way to East Port.¡± Marcia continued to smile towards the young woman, who was both a noble from her family, Eastlake, which had some distant relation to the current Duchess of East Port, but also held a title from the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, the singular order which was not held under the same laws as the other orders, but was treated with equal respect, if not more. It was all so suspicious. A group with a member of Life¡¯s Rose, so many Iyrmen, and so many wolves? What an odd group, one which no doubt brought trouble. She was young, barely in her mid twenties, and yet had been assigned to the minor fort to make a name for herself. As the heir to the Storm Petal Knight, Aldland would understand the significance of her presence here. ¡®Spies?¡¯ Her eyes glanced across the number of Iyrmen. ¡®No.¡¯ ¡°What are your intentions in Floria?¡± ¡°We had a choice to pass through the wicked Deadwood and the treacherous hills of Hill Grave, or to pass through the gentle hills of Ever Green and the wondrous forests beyond.¡± Sir Vonda smiled politely. ¡°It was an easy choice to make.¡± Lady Marcia understood the choice which had to be made in Red Oak, and she couldn¡¯t blame them for heading southward, but with the matter of the civil war only having just ended, and the meetings still ongoing, they were put in an awkward position. Sir Vonda waited patiently as Lady Marcia thought of what to do. She could have rushed the woman, but there was no need to disrespect her as the commander of the minor fort in the most precarious situation. ¡°Who the hell is the Storm Petal Knight?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°The Storm Petal Knight is a title passed down through the Peachgrove family,¡± Jurot whispered. ¡°The Knight of Flowers is often considered the best knight among all of what is now Floria, but the Storm Petal Knights are often spoken in the same breath.¡± ¡°Sort of like the Knight of Death and the...¡± History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°The, you know, the guy with the greatsword, and the-, he fought the, you know, the thing.¡± ¡°The White Dragon Knight?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s... he¡¯s got a really cool name.¡± ¡°The Knight of Snow?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean cool like that, but that sounds similar...¡± Adam thought, trying to place the name. ¡°What are you whispering about over there?¡± Lady Marcia asked. ¡°Sorry, my lady, but do you know of the knight that¡¯s not the Knight of Death, but has the greatsword, and he killed the...¡± Adam tried to recall what they had killed. ¡°It¡¯s not the White Dragon Knight or the Knight of Snow.¡± ¡°The Midnight Blade?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°There was another, sounds similar to the Knight of Snow...¡± ¡°The Ice Knight?¡± Adam shook his head once more. ¡°I don¡¯t believe so.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called. ¡°Do you mean Lady Natasha Snowpeak, The Knight of Peaks, who killed the snowdrake with her greataxe?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one!¡± Adam said, snapping his fingers. ¡°Is it like that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Adam pulling people down to his pace. [749] – Y03.049 – Onward II [749] ¨C Y03.049 ¨C Onward II Lady Marcia was glad the young man in puthral armour was an idiot, lightening the mood within the air. It had allowed her a moment to gather her thoughts. Whatever the group was, and if Sir Vonda Eastlake was truly of Life¡¯s Rose, she needed to be careful. ¡°It is not often you see an outsider wear an Iyrman¡¯s steel,¡± Lady Marcia eventually called out, her eyes falling to Adam. ¡°You must be a great warrior.¡± ¡°Oh, why thank you,¡± Adam replied, bowing lightly before the noblewoman. ¡°Although I can¡¯t match the likes of my brother, who placed first in the Noonval Tournament last year, nor my cousin here, who placed second in the Noonval Tournament, while holding back, I did still place third.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®What a braggart!¡¯ The woman smiled, standing up straighter as her eyes narrowed, looking down at the young man. ¡°You mean to say that we are not only in the presence of a Sister of Life¡¯s Rose, but also in the presence of great warriors who have claimed the top three places in the Noonval Tournament?¡± ¡°I mean to say that not only are we in the presence of a Sister of Life¡¯s Rose, but also in the presence of great warriors, with several of use taking the top three spots. Nobby here, the big one that¡¯s not an Iyrman, placed first in his segment, with my cousins here placing second onwards, while Jurot and Kitool here came in the top two of their own segment, and I placed third in my own, only surrendering to Sir Roseia and Sir Karra.¡± ¡°Sir Roseia?¡± Lady Marcia replied, her lips pulled taut. She narrowed her eyes, thinking of the current King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, who had faced her years ago. Had it not been for the fact the young had worn her cape, she would have certainly won the bout. ¡°The next time I join a tournament I¡¯ll ask for the support of a greater noble so I can place a little higher,¡± Adam replied, sighing. ¡°What am I to do when I am just a little boy without the backing of a greater power within the lands of Aldishmen.¡± ¡°You are not Aldish?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Florian?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Aswadian?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Drakken?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I am from a very distant land, one which no longer exists.¡± ¡°I will pray for that which you have lost,¡± the young nobleman stated, bowing her head lightly. ¡®Everything feels so heavy here,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes glancing all across the group. Though many of the soldiers seemed to be off duty, he couldn¡¯t help but shake off the feeling that he was a lamb within the wolves den. The group were led to a set of simple tents to one side where they could rest in peace. As Adam placed his things within the tent, he whispered to Jurot. ¡°Isn¡¯t Lady Marcia a big deal? If she¡¯s the daughter of the current Storm Petal Knight, isn¡¯t she, you know, a really big target?¡± ¡°Lady Marcia¡¯s presence here means the minor fort is well defended,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°The Whirlwind Arrows protect the fort, and the two knights, who are probably some of the Peachgrove¡¯s best, are also defending her. If the Aldishmen want to take over the minor fort, they¡¯re going to need a big army, and an even bigger army once the Storm Petal Knight marches her own army to save her daughter.¡± ¡®Are all the great warriors in the south women?¡¯ Adam thought. He looked around, noting the split between male and female soldiers. There were slightly more women than men here, with a similar split between male and female officers. ¡®Now that I think about it, I have met quite a few male and female soldiers and officers thus far. Same with the guards.¡¯ Lady Marcia motioned a hand for a few guards to keep an eye on the group, before making her way to the central command hut, where her aides worked on counting the supplies. She hoped another few thousand arrows made their way to the minor fort, though that wouldn¡¯t come to pass for at least the next month, not since the dealings were being dealt with. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose was currently mediating between the two sides, along with various priests to Lady Poli, the Goddess of Peace. ¡°Are you sure you should have allowed such a group within the camp?¡± one of her personal knights asked. ¡°A large group of Iyrmen, and someone claiming to be a noble?¡± ¡°It is a simple matter to confirm whether they are truly who they say they are,¡± Lady Marcia replied, before writing down a message, placing it within a tiny scroll case to protect it from the elements. She handed it to the knight who made his way out to find one of the pigeons to send word back to Ever Green. The young woman marched through the area with a knight in tow, before coming across the group which had already begun to settle down. She glanced between the Aswadians and then the Iyrmen. As much as the Iyrmen had fought against them during the war, they had done very little. Then there was the matter of the Aswadians, who had allied with Floria, or rather, Floria had allied with the Aswadians. ¡®The previous King¡¯s Sword raised his sword in rebellion against the King he had once sworn his blade to, and now sits upon a throne of blood,¡¯ Lady Marcia thought. Of all the reasons why King Merryweather, that Merryweather, had raised his blade, it was for the Aswadians, who were in their own bloody civil war, which had only recently settled down. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you,¡± Lady Marcia called out to Sir Vonda, flashing a warm smile. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you,¡± Sir Vonda replied, flashing her own warm smile. ¡°I do not mean to intrude, but I was hoping if we could share in some entertainment,¡± the young noblewoman said, noting how the Iyrmen were suddenly focused on her and her words. ¡°It has been some time since my soldiers here were able to stretch their muscles. I was of the hope you would be willing to spar with my soldiers.¡± Adam glanced towards his companions, noting the buzz of excitement between many of them. ¡®I really thought we were going to get through this place without any trouble.¡¯ Lady Marcia¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, wanting to see the braggart in action. Yet, something tickled the back of her head. Her eyes fell to his forehead, then to Jurot, and finally back to Adam, who wore a scarf over his head like that of an Aswadian. ¡®Did he not refer to the Iyrman as his brother?¡¯ Adam needs to learn to shut his mouth. [750] – Y03.050 – Onward III [750] ¨C Y03.050 ¨C Onward III ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Adam said, feeling the gazes of the nearby Iyrmen, from his trio of companions to the younger Iyrmen he was partly in charge of. ¡°We wish to fight,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will you deny us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that much of an idiot!¡± ¡°...¡± Adam switched to the Iyrman¡¯s tongue. ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass me in front of the noble.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied in the Aldish tongue. ¡°I¡¯ll let you guys play around, get rid of the pressure that¡¯s been building up in you,¡± Adam said, switching back to the Aldish tongue, letting out a tired sigh. ¡°I thought the outbreak would have tuckered you out, but I should have expected.¡± He shook his head in defeat. ¡°Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Would you not wish to fight?¡± Lady Marcia asked, her eyes glued to the young man¡¯s forehead, before noting the supernatural beauty of the young man¡¯s face. ¡°I may be a brother to an Iyrman, but I¡¯ve had enough fights this year. Black Blood was good enough.¡± ¡°You fought Black Blood?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did that come to pass?¡± ¡°He-,¡± Adam began, before clearing his throat, lowering his voice slightly, doing his best to speak more neutrally, ¡°didn¡¯t like my tone.¡± Lady Marcia smiled politely. Adam¡¯s tone, which was far too humorous and light, did invite trouble. Even she had been caught by it. ¡°What a shame, we would have loved to have seen your fight, since you wear the Iyr¡¯s purple.¡± ¡°I apologise for being a disappointment, but I¡¯m sure that, like my-,¡± Adam began, before coughing. ¡°I thank you for your understanding in this matter.¡± ¡°I will fight,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I wish to fight too,¡± Naqokan said, before the other Iyrmen began to speak up, save for one. Laygak¡¯s eyes fell across the area, unsure if he should step. Jaygak pat his back lightly, her face filled with that kind of devious smile she liked to show off. Their eyes met for a moment, and Jaygak nodded her head. ¡°I wish to fight too,¡± Laygak eventually said, though his voice was meek. ¡®We can defeat most here,¡¯ Nirot thought, her eyes scanning the area. That wasn¡¯t why she was so excited to fight, nor the reason why the rest of the Iyrmen were excited to fight. If they beat some of the seasoned fighters here, surely they¡¯d gain a good story, but if they could come across a hidden, great warrior who could defeat them, that would be a good story too. ¡®I should have expected the Iyrmen to be so eager,¡¯ Lady Marcia thought, her eyes taking in the sight of the rest of Adam¡¯s companions. She wondered what they were, for some of them wore armour made of kurabara, and others seemed to be farmers turned adventurers, considering the way they held themselves. ¡°Nobby, do you want to fight too?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jurot stated, standing a little taller. ¡°It was a good fight.¡± ¡°Do you see how greedy my brother is?¡± Adam asked, letting out another tired sigh. ¡°He already faced against one of the greatest in all the land, and he¡¯s still wanting more. This is why I¡¯m always so tired, it¡¯s because you won¡¯t let me rest, not even for a moment! If you ask me to take you to Lord Asa, I¡¯ll do it, since my brother asked, but I won¡¯t like it, let me tell you that right now.¡± ¡°Lord Asa is not someone anyone can meet so easily,¡± Marcia said, her lips faltering for a moment upon hearing that monster¡¯s name. After all, if not for Lord Asa, the war would have gone very differently. ¡°My brother here¡¯s already met him,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Plus, his grandfather fought him during the war, kept him at bay. Jaygak¡¯s grandmother, too.¡± ¡°Grandaunt,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My grandaunt, Gangak, also kept Lord Asa at bay during the war, near its end.¡± ¡®Her grandaunt?¡¯ Adam thought, furrowing his brows. ¡®Oh. What?¡¯ ¡°First Vice Commander Kris and several of our elders kept Lord Asa at bay,¡± Jurot said, recalling the tale of the previous year, the same tale which had ended in his grandfather¡¯s leg being lost. ¡°It was a good fight.¡± ¡°...¡± Marcia wasn¡¯t sure what was happening. She had wanted to assess their abilities, to understand more about them, but the group was speaking of so many ridiculous things. This group had managed to meet several great names, to the point that even Black Blood seemed like a nobody. ¡°I heard the old man made quite a mess during the war,¡± Adam said. ¡°Taking the arm of a vice commander? Not even I¡¯d do something that stupid.¡± ¡°It was not stupid, it was to teach the vice commander a lesson,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Grandfather took the arm to inspire the vice commander.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°Your grandfather was the one to take the vice commander¡¯s arm?¡± Marcia asked, her eyes glued to Jurot. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot stood up even taller, brimming with pride. Kitool and Jaygak exchanged a glance between one another, once more overshadowed by the name of the Rot family. Jaygak sighed. Even her grandaunt, considered the most famous of the Gaks in generations, was overshadowed by Jarot, who was but one of many famous Rots. Marcia had heard the tale of a crazy Iyrman who had fought with a vice commander and claimed their arm during the war. ¡°Your grandfather is Bloody Jarot?¡± Sir Katherine asked, her eyes glued to the young Iyrman. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Sir Katherine¡¯s eyes remained completely focused on Jurot, having only just connected the pair together. Then her eyes fell to the young woman nearby, whose face was plastered with a wide, prideful smirk, her forehead tattooed the same as the young Iyrman. Mara crossed her hands over her navel, wanting to show off her liege too, but she sensed how small Lucy made herself. Lucy had been wanting to fight this entire time too, but understood the precarious situation they were in. Then, upon thinking of Jarot, that Jarot, she completely lost all of her will to fight. ¡®I¡¯ll take it easy this year,¡¯ Lucy thought. She was glad Jurot and the others were taking the attention away from her, only now realising how close to death she probably was, considering she was a demon. ¡®Bloody who?¡¯ Marcia thought, her gaze falling onto the older woman, whose eyes looked back to another time. I forgot how many chapters the party spend here. [751] – Y03.051 – Onward IV [751] ¨C Y03.051 ¨C Onward IV It is the hope of the elder generation that they struggle so the next may not. It is often the case the first generation struggles, the second generation benefit from the struggle but hear of it, while the third benefit from the struggle and dismiss it. Sir Katherine had heard of Jarot years ago, when she was still in training. She had been young by the time Jarot¡¯s rampage had truly ended, the young Iyrman almost disappearing into myth. It was in every generation, dozens upon dozens of Iyrmen made names for themselves, but most did not force their story further than it naturally reached, even if it was suppressed. However, there were some stories which could not be suppressed, and every generation, there were always a few Iyrmen who breached further ahead, until they were brought into the stories to stop children from causing trouble. Jarot was one such name. Mad Dog. Bloody Jarot. The Crimson Shield. Jarot had gained those nicknames, and many more, a rarity even among Iyrmen. Typically, one would gain a nickname, and it would stick, but sometimes, when the stories were still building, still passing through the various taverns, one would do so much, it was no surprise they gained several nicknames. All knew the name Mad Dog, for a name like that passed through the land like wildfire, but the name Bloody Jarot? The story behind that nickname? The name Crimson Shield? The story behind that nickname? The various other nicknames Jarot held and the stories behind them? There were only a few who realised they all belonged to the same man. The Jarot. The Jarot who had gone around fighting the guard captains of so many nobles. The Jarot who had gone from region to region, fighting all that he could. He was not famous because he had defeated them, but because he had lost to so many. Jarot The Kid, they had called him originally. He was brash, a fool, and many dismissed him as one of the childish maniacs of the Iyrmen. Then, as the years passed, and not as many as one might expect, there were tales of Iyrmen going around doing their business, being Iyrmen. They slew countless creatures, fought against legends of the past, present, and future. Yet, of the Iyrmen, there were a few which spread across the land. Drakebane. Wildheart. Deathhand. Mad Dog. Three of those names went on to become the Great Elders of the Iyr, and although many assumed the Mad Dog would take the title of one of the Great Elders, they heard nothing of it. In fact, as Jarot rampaged across the land, eventually the tales of his defeats were surpassed by tales of his victories. Sometimes the tales had become muddied, for he had defeated so many great warriors and knights, many had no idea what was true and what was false. Marcia narrowed her eyes. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was trying to show off, or if he just wanted to face against one of her knights. ¡°Would you like to rest beforehand?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°My body is warm.¡± Marcia wasn¡¯t sure why Jurot was undermining her authority, but she turned to face one of her knights, a knight who could be considered a Master. ¡°Sir Karen, if you would.¡± Sir Karen stepped forward, adorned in her platemail, head to toe, while drawing her greatsword, which was no doubt magical. The knight bowed her head and Jurot returned the same respect. The pair clashed together, far more viciously than when Jurot faced the Expert. Sir Karen was no slouch, that was for certain, her magical greatsword rushing through the air, almost cracking it with her strength. Adam watched intently, trying to understand what Jurot was doing. His brother continued to clash with Sir Karen, the knight who seemed to be extremely powerful. Even though Jurot had fought the Expert to completion, this bout was a greater struggle for the Iyrman. ¡®What¡¯s he doing?¡¯ Adam thought, watching as the pair traded blows, axe against refined steel, greatsword against thick flesh. Sir Karen inhaled deeply, shrugging off the blow, realising this Iyrmen, who was hot red with rage, was not someone to be trifled with. Yet, she was one of Lady Marcia¡¯s personal knights, one of the knights who was from a branching family, brought up as a knight to complete her duties for the main branch which spawned her family. The pair danced, with Sir Karen setting the pace, pushing through her limits to show the Iyrman a wall. It was a wall made of a knight which would put the young man in his place. Sir Karen, who could go toe to toe with some of the greatest warriors in the various orders, perhaps not the absolute top brass, but certainly those who would be contenders for vice commanders in the future. The magical blade clattered off the magical shield, but Adam couldn¡¯t hear it. As Phantom struck across the knight, he couldn¡¯t see it. ¡®What are you doing, Jurot?¡¯ Sir Katherin watched with bated breath, her eyes piercing the two figures locked in combat. Sir Karen was someone she would have some difficulty facing against, surely she¡¯d win, but it would take quite some effort. Yet the Iyrman was still clashing with her even after facing an Expert? She was certain the Iyrmen was around the level of an Expert, and yet he seemed to be holding on. It was only the victor loomed over the defeated when a thought came to Whirlwind Arrow. ¡®Yes,¡¯ she thought. ¡®He is truly his grandson.¡¯ I forgot how many chapters the party spend here. [752] – Y03.052 – Onward V [752] ¨C Y03.052 ¨C Onward V The air was still as Jurot loomed over the defeated knight, his heart pounding within his chest, his entire body aching from the fight. They hadn¡¯t been fighting to the death, but it had felt like it with how heavy their blows were. ¡®Are you trying to get us killed, Jurot?¡¯ Adam thought, inhaling deeply. His eyes fell to Marcia, who stared at the pair, her eyes wide. The silence in the air was only broken by the pair of heavy breaths. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Jurot said, sheathing Phantom, his chest still rising and falling with effort. His body was hot, slick with sweat, which seeped into his robes. Jurot wore the furs he typically wore when Iyrmen stepped out onto Aldland, dressed like savages, though he had also decided to wear his typical Iyr clothing underneath, since he was also representing the United Kindom. It was a strange feeling for Jurot to feel his sweat against his clothing when coming against Aldishmen, a feeling he had only known when going against other Iyrmen. Of course. There are strong Aldishmen, too. ¡°It was a great bout,¡± Sir Karen confirmed, standing up tall, bowing her head lightly, before returning to the commander¡¯s side. ¡°Forgive me, my lady.¡± ¡°What is there to forgive? It was a good fight, as the Iyrman said.¡± Lady Marcia¡¯s heart pounded wildly in her chest. Did the young Iyrman really just face one of their seasoned warriors, beat them, and then beat one of the top ten strongest warriors in the entire minor fort, her own guard? A minor fort which had been reinforced with a group like the Whirlwind Arrows? Adam¡¯s eyes met Jurot¡¯s, and the young man spoke in the Iyrmen¡¯s tongue. ¡°You didn¡¯t use Phantom or Mighty Roar?¡± Jurot stepped beside Adam, crossing his arms as he stood, still like a statue. Though he still wielded a magical shield and magical axe, he had faced an Expert and then a Master, back to back, with the Expert wielding a blade that was at least a Greater weapon. He had managed to defeat them both, all without using the active effects of either item, even though it was the active effects which made them truly deadly. A shadow of a smile appeared on Jurot¡¯s face. ¡®Damn, just how strong is he?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Even without using Phantom properly?¡¯ Though the soldiers of the minor fort were taken aback, there was a buzz of excitement from one group. Unfortunately for the soldiers, it was the buzz of excitement which often surrounded the Iyrmen when they were eager to fight. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can stop them now,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the intense aura emanating from the Iyrmen around him. ¡°I will fight next,¡± Naqokan said. Jaygak opened her mouth to speak up, but paused. ¡®No. Not yet.¡¯ The soldiers glanced between one another. The young woman was confident, that was for certain, but she was younger than Jurot by a couple of years at least. Jurot had already gone up against those older than him, but it was still a little shameless for them to send someone much older to the likes of her. ¡°Are you an Expert too?¡± Lady Marcia asked, cracking a joke to try and lighten the mood. ¡°We can send an Expert to face you if you wish.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Naqokan replied. ¡°Are you certain?¡± Marcia asked, before feeling something tingle at the back of her mind. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What Naqokan means to say is that she is an Expert, and she would like to face an Expert in battle,¡± Adam said, smiling innocently. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Marcia eyed up the group. ¡®Did he say she was an Expert?¡¯ Her eyes snapped back to Naqokan, who wielded a large greatsword. The young woman seemed barely to be twenty, no, perhaps even younger, but she was considered an Expert? ¡°Did you said you were Executives?¡± Lady Marcia asked, only familiar with the word in a particular sense, though it was doubtful any of them were some of the greatest judges in the land. ¡°That¡¯s right. We four are Executives, and some of my companions here, like Sir Vonda, are Managers. We work for the Enchanter, as part of our business, the United Kindom. They create magical weapons, and we deal with the trading aspect of it.¡± ¡®An enchanter?¡¯ Lady Marcia thought, her lips pulled taut. ¡°I do not believe I have heard of this enchanter.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still in the process of getting our name out there for the world to hear, but right now the Enchanter has mostly only made us magical weapons,¡± Adam said, motioning a hand to generally to the Iyrmen beside him, and then to his axe. ¡°One of the reasons why we were able to face against the likes of the members of the various orders and such was because we, too, were gifted with great magical items. Although some of the members here don¡¯t possess any, those with the rank of Executives, like Jurot and I, each have Greater Enhanced weapons, while Manager Vonda has a Basic Enhanced mace.¡± As Adam spoke, he realise how little he cared for the terms created by the land. ¡®I should change them to something easier to say.¡¯ ¡°Are you heading to East Port for such business.¡± ¡°No, we have other business in East Port,¡± Adam said. ¡°We also have official business in East Port,¡± Jaygak said, raising her voice slightly. ¡°It would not be wise to shirk the Duchess after her gifts.¡± Adam furrowed his brows for a moment in thought. ¡®Oh. Right.¡¯ ¡°This is why she¡¯s an Executive.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied, realising any other answer would have just fallen into Adam¡¯s ploy. ¡°...¡± ¡°Though, what a shame,¡± Adam said, glancing around at the soldiers. ¡°My companions were so excited for a spar, but-,¡± Marcia stared at Adam, who slapped his upper thigh, and winced as though it hurt him through his armour. ¡°I want to thank you for the honour and the story you have gifted to my brother,¡± Adam said, bowing his head lightly. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ ¡°Are you also Mad Dog¡¯s grandson?¡± ¡°Whose grandson?¡± Adam replied, almost subconsciously. ¡°My brother is my brother, my children are his nephews and nieces, and his grandfather is their greatfather.¡± Sir Katherine tried to keep track of the family relations. ¡°Does that mean Mad Dog isn¡¯t your grandfather?¡± ¡°He...¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°He¡¯s the first one I, Adam Fateson, lost to. I¡¯ve lost a few times since then, but he was the first.¡± ¡°You fought against Mad Dog?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you call it,¡± Adam said. ¡°That old man, with one arm, and carrying an everyday axe, beat me up so badly even though I wielded Dunes¡¯ Sword. That sword is so amazing, it¡¯s still considered one of the best made by the Enchanter. Isn¡¯t that right, Manager Dunes?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Dunes replied, feeling Amira¡¯s gaze beside him. He understood why he was getting such a gaze, since Adam already considered him one of business¡¯ highest ranking members, even though he was also a member of an order. ¡®We will discuss it later.¡¯ Lucy remained deathly silent, glad Adam was an idiot. The more he acted up, the less attention she, a demon surrounded by hundreds of people who wanted to kill her, would gather. ¡®I just want a bath.¡¯ Surely nothing will go wrong... Also, would you guys prefer if I capitalised stuff like Vice Commander every time, rather than when it''s referring to an actual person? Same with Baron, Duchess, etc. I''ve been inconsistent because I''m not sure which is better. I feel like doing it every time is probably best, if for no other reason than consistency. [753] – Y03.053 – Onward VI [753] ¨C Y03.053 ¨C Onward VI ¡°It is an honour to meet someone from the Order of Black Mountain,¡± Lady Marcia said, pouring Dunes some wine from her wineskin. It was fruit wine reserved for the officers stationed within the minor fort. It was only slightly more refined than the alcohol meant for the rest of the troops, which they were allowed to drink once a week or so, or when they could order some from nearby travelling merchants authorised by the nearby nobles. ¡°It is an honour to be welcomed within your fort,¡± Dunes replied, flashing a charming smile, bowing his head lightly. ¡°An audience with the Commander of the fort is not something I would refuse.¡± Marcia was certain the noblewoman with them would have accepted her invitation, but she wasn¡¯t going to shirk Dunes. There must have been a reason as to why they had sent him instead. ¡°I hope the swill is to your liking.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°It is not the alcohol, but the company, which makes the meeting.¡± Dunes sipped wine, before making a face. ¡°Though...¡± His face relaxed into a smirk. ¡°A good drink certainly helps.¡± Marcia smiled, taking a sip of her own wine from the tiny cup. ¡°I am inclined to agree.¡± ¡°I would like to apologise for Adam, and the Iyrmen,¡± Dunes began, still smiling brightly. ¡°Adam is quite the fool, a good man, but a fool, and the Iyrmen... well, they¡¯re Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I should dare not call any man a fool who seems to lead such a band of mighty warriors, and one who works for an enchanter, no less?¡± ¡°Would you like to hold the blade the Enchanter created for me?¡± Dunes asked, and after a bow of the Commander¡¯s head, Dunes unstrapped his sword belt, holding the blade¡¯s sheath flat, near both ends for her to take. He offered the blade in the old Aswadian way, and not the way of the newer Aswadians and the Aldishmen. Marcia plucked the sheath from his hands, holding the handle of the blade. She drew it slowly, noting the jagite blade, not true jagite, but that which was sold to the masses, though it still held some respect. It was pricier than typical steel, and considered better forged. She eyed up the flakes of gems within the metal, almost perfectly smooth to the touch, only the slightest difference between the materials, betraying that it wasn¡¯t true jagite. The gentle tingle of magic ran through her fingers, clasping against the hilt tighter. ¡°It is a Basic Enhanced blade, one with the ability to allow me to strike true a few times a day, and to regain some of my vigour when I do so,¡± Dunes said. ¡°A worthy weapon to use in Lady Arya¡¯s name.¡± ¡®It has so many abilities?¡¯ Marcia thought. Most magical weapons were of the Basic variety, that which allowed one to bypass the resistances of certain creatures, but also struck truer and heavier than mundane weapons. There were some which only held the property that they were magical, but they were far and few between, and worth much less than the likes of the typical Basic weapon. However, if a weapon held more than just that property, it was considered Basic Enhanced. Some Basic Enhanced weapons, though in the category of Basic Enhanced, were even greater than Greater or Greater Enhanced weapons. A weapon such as Dunes would be able to match the likes of some Greater Enhanced weapons. ¡°Ah,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It also strike greater than some blades, with its fire.¡± ¡°What a magnificent blade,¡± Marcia said, brushing along the blade¡¯s side. Many Basic Enhanced weapons also held a certain amount of charges to deal additional damage, and to hear this blade was the same, it made sense. However, that was not what Dunes had said. Dunes had said it struck greater than other blades with its fire, not that it held charges like Wraith or Phantom. It, technically, dealt more damage than most weapons, even weapons like Wraith and Phantom, if one was to ignore the fact they were Greater weapons. ¡°You have mentioned the name several times,¡± Marcia noted, realising that was why the woman had arrived to meet with her. ¡°Who was he?¡± Dunes let out a long exhale, his eyes falling to the older woman, the pair sharing a look. ¡°Do you know of the tale of the Mad Dog?¡± Katherine asked. ¡°I have been told the tale a few times recently, sometimes from the man himself,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°You speak of him as though he is a nightmare,¡± Marcia stated, feeling the heaviness among the pair. ¡°His tale is second to who he is, for he is a man who brings trouble even to the Great Elders of the Iyr,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Not just him, but one of his grandsons too.¡± ¡°If it is Mad Dog, then it understandable,¡± Katherine said, allowing Marcia to pour her a cup of wine. ¡°Mad Dog was a name from before even my own time. He was the kind to clash against so many great names, but most of those names have also been forgotten. When the pair were still making names for themselves, Flame Blade and Mad Dog clashed together, and it was said to have ended in a draw.¡± ¡®Flame Blade?¡¯ Marcia thought, thinking about the current Flame Blade. He was a man who had retired fairly quickly, considering his heritage. He was considered the weakest of the Blades, but that was only because he retired so quickly. If he had continued, he¡¯d be among the likes of Gold Blades and the others, so for Mad Dog to have clashed with him to a draw while he was still active, it was quite impressive. Katherine could see the look on Marcia¡¯s face, realising they had only scratched the surface of the one known as Mad Dog. ¡°Mad Dog may have come face to face with the current Flame Blade, but one must remember what Flame Blade was like in his youth. Though we are considered to be of the same generation, even I have only recently managed to reach the height he had reached when he had retired.¡± ¡°Jarot,¡± Dunes said, picking up his cup of wine. ¡°Jarot is the kind of Iyrman to come face to face with Lord Asa, knowing how truly strong he is, and draw his axe, eager to fight.¡± ¡°Do you know of Lord Asa?¡± ¡°Lord Asa is the father of one of the myths within Aswadasad,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I had the pleasure of meeting both on my journey.¡± ¡°You have met Lord Asa and his child?¡± Katherine asked. ¡°I have met the one known as Lord Asa, I have met the one known as Lord Shama, I have met the one known as Lord Stokmar,¡± Dunes stated, slowly nodding his head. He decided against saying more, especially not that he had met a contemporary of his Lady Arya, the daughter of one of the Major Divine. ¡°Whatever you know of the names I have mentioned, Iyrman or otherwise, that is not why you should fear them. It is not what you know, but what you do not.¡± No one is telling the Commander who Jarot is... [754] – Y03.054 – Onward VII [754] ¨C Y03.054 ¨C Onward VII ¡°This opening is called the General Asad opening,¡± Tonagek said, placing the last knight where it needed to be, while Konarot placed her own pieces to form one of the most popular and versatile openings. Her opening was referred to as the Slumber Claw opening, named after the brass dragon who developed it while playing against so many dragon chess experts. ¡°It is also called the Prince Asad opening, but in the Iyr, we show the General the appropriate respect,¡± Tonagek said, sipping his tea slowly as the girl reached up to her chin, hiding her lip behind a furled finger, her eyes narrowed in thought. Tonagek pat his thigh and the girl climbed down from her seat before Tonagek lifted her up onto his seat. ¡°You see? The wizards are still to the side, because General Asad and The Slumbering King both did not trust the wizards, so they remain outside. Here, you see? The knights surround the priest, while the other remains with the king. The priest must advise the king, but one knight must remain. With the Slumbering King, both priests remain beside the king, yes?¡± The girl nodded, her silver hair bouncing gently. ¡°Wizards to the side. Priests protect. Two knights protect. Two knights attack.¡± The girl held up two fingers, her thumb and index finger, before she pointed to each of the knights, paired up in defence and offence. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tonagek said, pointing out towards her side of the board. ¡°With your pieces you can attack or defend. The Slumbering King created this opening because it is versatile, it is good against many openings. There are a few openings I will teach you later, which are difficult to deal with with this opening so you know. Do you remember why I taught you this opening first?¡± ¡°So useful,¡± Konarot replied, leaning her head back to look up towards her grandmother¡¯s brother. ¡°That is right. It is always one of the first openings taught. This opening, the General Asad opening, is the opening my grandfather taught me.¡± ¡°Baba¡¯s baba?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Tonagek brushed her hair gently. ¡°I will teach you this opening because it is a good opening to develop against the Slumber Claw opening. This opening is very good with defence, and you are of the Rot family. A battle of attrition is a battle a Rot enjoys most.¡± Konarot blinked, not quite understanding his words, but she nodded again, before her eyes fell back to the board. She listened intently as Tonagek explained the pieces to her and the positioning, as well as showing her how the pieces should develop. Meanwhile, in the minor fort, another pair were also playing dragon chess. Sara set up the board with her own pieces, while the senior officer of the minor fort opposite her set up her own board. The senior officer was an old woman, perhaps in her sixties, with white hair cut extremely short, and with rivers of wrinkles across her face. She wore a simple breastplate, but the various rings and medals all about her buckle revealed her status as a lifetime soldier. She had invited the young devilkin to play dragon chess, but in the tone of voice was very much in the way of an old person who wasn¡¯t asking. ¡°Where are you from?¡± the senior officer asked after placing the last piece down. Sara blinked, taken aback from how abrupt the question was. ¡°I am Lady Sara of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Sir Margaret Rosekeep,¡± the old woman replied, offering the woman the coin to flip. ¡°Heads.¡± Sara raised her brows in shock before noting the glare of the old woman telling her to hurry up. She flipped the coin, catching it in the air before placing it onto the table, revealing heads. ¡®Rosekeep?¡¯ Margaret took the first move, moving one of the knights forward, a very classic opening move which did not betray her opening as of yet. Sara moved her own piece forward, mirroring the move. ¡°Staring at my pretty face, are you?¡± Margaret asked, glaring at Korin, who watched the match from beside them. Sara remained silent for a long moment, her thoughts no longer about the board. ¡°The Priest Commander is well.¡± ¡°That is good to hear,¡± Margaret replied, waiting for Sara to make her move. Sara wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about such a statement, not when it was the Priest Commander who had killed a Rosekeep in his younger years. It had been in the middle of a skirmish, and though typically the nobles wouldn¡¯t kill one another, in the heat of battle much was at stake and tragedy could strike without effort. Sara moved a priest into position, pressing them forward towards the nearby soldiers, while Margaret moved her knight forward, taking command of the centre of the board, and threatened the priest. Korin remained silent, providing no support to Sara while the awkward air hung in the air. His eyes remained focus on the board, and though he had only casually played dragon chess as he grew up, he understood how terrible of a position Sara was in. It was only amplified by the older woman coaxing her verbally. ¡®The Rosekeeps are so scary.¡¯ Laygak sighed, sitting down beside Faool, who pat his shoulder. The young Iyrman crossed his arms, smiling to himself. He had fought last, facing one of the soldiers who wasn¡¯t a soldier, though had apparently fought quite well in previous wars between Aldland against Aswadasad, and then Floria against Aldland. ¡®I was meant to reach such a strength at thirty,¡¯ Laygak thought. Faool understood his friend¡¯s thoughts, though he also understood the difference between them. As much as Faool wasn¡¯t quite on the level of Kitool or the others, their family had managed to reach heights the Gak family hadn¡¯t in some time. Shaool, their grandaunt, had managed to train to become one of the top guardians of the Iyr, and though Laygak had his grandaunt, Gangak, the level wasn¡¯t quite the same. Yet... Jaygak was strong, able to match the likes of the One Hundred. Jaygak, that Jaygak, was able to match them? Then Laygak, who was already an Expert so young, just like himself. Faool couldn¡¯t have imagined such a life. No, he had previously, always imagining them to reach Experts at a quick pace, by the time they reached their mid twenties, but before they turned twenty? Such a thing was impossible. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Nirot said, nodding her head to Laygak. ¡°Yes,¡± Laygak replied, allowing Nirot to pour him a drink. He sipped the alcohol lightly, his face still holding a satisfied smile. Naqokan stared down at her hands. They were calloused, as one might expect of an Iyrman. She could see the scars she had gained from her life being raised as an Iyrman. She heard some Iyrmen preferred their lives outside of the Iyr, retiring in the various cities or towns across Aldland and Aswadasad, but Naqokan couldn¡¯t imagined her life away from the Iyr, not when it had done so much for her. Yet, equally as impressive, she had been raised by the hand of another, who was linked to the Iyr, but who was no Iyrman. While the Iyr had slowly raised her, it was Adam who had quickly tempered her into great warrior. Uwajin snoozed lightly beside Naqokan, having been unable to sleep as much as she liked. The young woman, who preferred to sleep at least half the day away, continued to dream her dreams, though she could feel the thoughts of the Iyrmen all around her seep into her dreams. She fought alongside them against all manner of terrifying foes. Bavin remained silent and still, almost forgotten as he sat in the corner. He could feel the gaze of another against the back of his neck, a gaze which had been glued to all the Iyrmen as they won every bout against the soldiers in the early evening. I wonder how they still ended up fighting... Iyrmen. [755] – Y03.055 – Onward VIII [755] ¨C Y03.055 ¨C Onward VIII Fred¡¯s eyes remained glued to the Iyrmen, who were in the middle of enjoying themselves, chatting about their fights. Even Bavin had fought, and though he had crushed his opponent, he had remained eerily silent. Though Bavin and Nobby were similar in many ways, Fred felt something colder from Bavin, something more deadly. Even though Nobby had been trained by two of the scariest people Fred knew, Bavin was born in the Iyr, where blood was almost currency. He could feel the corruption of the Iyr begin to seep into his heart. ¡®I want to fight too.¡¯ A soldier eyed up the Iyrmen, the very same Iyrmen who had completely demoralised the camp with their strength. In his forty year career of being a soldier, he had seen his fair share of Iyrmen fighting soldiers, many of them victorious, but he hadn¡¯t seen a group this young with a streak this long. The older veteran sighed, before approaching the dour young man. ¡°You¡¯re surrounded by monsters, eh?¡± He chuckled lightly. ¡°Iyrmen.¡± He had said it in that kind of way, the kind which caused him to shrug casually. ¡°Iyrmen,¡± Fred agreed, nodding his head.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) ¡°You an Aldishman or a Florian?¡± Fred paused for a long moment. ¡°I¡¯m from Rock Hill.¡± The older veteran¡¯s smiling face dropped. He nodded his head slowly, keeping his eyes glued to the young man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± He tipped his helmet lightly. ¡°Captain Phil¡¯s from Rock Hill too.¡± He motioned his head, inviting the young man to one side, towards his unit. Captain Phil was an older man, just like the veteran who had brought Phil over. He had short hair, a thick beard, and carried a blade at his side. He wore a breastplate over chain, betraying him as someone of higher rank, and the medals on his belt revealed more than the title of Captain. ¡°Captain, we¡¯ve got a kid from Rock Hill,¡± the veteran said, nodding his head. Phil eyed up Fred, his dark eyes taking in the sight of the boy. He glanced down towards the boy¡¯s chest, before raising his brow. ¡°So you were still a boy?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Fred replied, throwing a look at the Captain¡¯s neck, noting a small bit of string which disappeared into his armour, between his chain and breastplate. ¡°Didn¡¯t get my stone before I left.¡± ¡°You from Pasmund?¡± Phil asked, feeling a vague sense of familiarity from the way the boy spoke. ¡°Roundmund.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the captain replied, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Same shit.¡± He held out his hand, a wide grin on his face. If there was one way to rile up a boy from Pasmund or Roundmund, it was to say they were from the same place. Fred shook the captain¡¯s hand, the pair holding a firm grip, before they ended the handshake by bringing up their fist in front of them. ¡°I¡¯m Fred.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see a boy from Rock Hill doing well for himself. Ain¡¯t seen many youngsters like you, only the old ones like me. Might be funny to say as a soldier from Rock Hill, but my unit was stationed elsewhere at the time. We were meant to make our way, but they told us to stay for an extra month to keep an eye on the Aswadians.¡± The Captain inhaled deeply, pushing the pain deep inside of him, for he was a soldier who fought for other people¡¯s homes and families, his own now the fort and his comrades. ¡°We¡¯re tough bastards to kill, though, us lads from Rock Hill.¡± ¡°Look at that!¡± Phil smiled. ¡°He¡¯s definitely from Rock Hill, him. Knew he could bring us some alcohol. James, fill up a skin and send it up, don¡¯t want them complaining later.¡± ¡°Yes, Captain!¡± a young soldier said, before taking the cask and filling up a skin with it. The soldiers sipped some of the alcohol conservatively, watering much of it down with their water, though they brought out some of their treats they had saved from their rations. They all began to share their various food stuffs as they talked with the young man who had come from Rock Hill. ¡°Three years? That¡¯s quite some time you¡¯ve spent with them.¡± The Captain sipped more of his watered down ale. ¡°Working you like a dog, huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m in the army,¡± Fred admitted. ¡°Iyrmen are crazy.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that right, ain¡¯t that right.¡± Phil nodded. ¡°I was alive during the time Mad Dog was active. I had joined the army about the time he disappeared, but he was talked about for years after, him and the others. One arm and one leg? If it¡¯s anyone who can live with one arm and one leg, it¡¯s him for sure.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Fred nodded. ¡°How¡¯d he lose his arm and leg then? Must have been some crazy monsters.¡± ¡°He cut off his arm himself, but his leg was cut off by the Blood Knight. He was fighting Lord Asa at the time and the knight had come out of nowhere.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Phil whispered. ¡°I can believe that...¡± The mention of the Blood Knight caused a dark mood to befall the group. ¡°If it¡¯s the Mad Dog I heard about, that sounds right.¡± ¡°The girl with the axe and shield, she¡¯s his granddaughter too,¡± Fred informed. ¡°Makes sense since she¡¯s got the same tattoo as the lad. Knocked out Old Bill, and Old Bill doesn¡¯t get knocked out by nobody.¡± Fred sighed, raising his brows. ¡°That ain¡¯t the half of it. She fought a giant python during the outbreak. All by herself.¡± He leaned in. ¡°She beat it.¡± ¡°Auroch shit.¡± The captain leaned back. ¡°You ain¡¯t lying to me, are ya, boy?¡± Fred shook his head lightly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have believed it neither, but I seen it, with my own two eyes. The Iyrmen stepped out the outpost to fight five of them. She was meant to buy time, cause she can handle the venom, the poison, whatever it is, she can handle it better. It¡¯s the way their family fights, I hear, they can handle that sort of thing. Poison, fire, they say they can handle the storm too.¡± ¡°It makes sense, since she¡¯s one of the Mad Dog¡¯s lot,¡± Phil said, still not quite believing it. Fred eyed up the group, realising they didn¡¯t quite believe him. He couldn¡¯t blame them, who could? But after all he had seen, after all he had experienced, he didn¡¯t doubt any of the words coming out of his mouth. As he sipped the ale, he wondered if he had become crazy too. What a week to become sick! [756] – Y03.056 – Onward IX [756] ¨C Y03.056 ¨C Onward IX ¡°Last year, Jurot placed first in the tournament,¡± Fred said, nibbling the cheese the soldier offered to him. It was a few days away from going off completely, the sourness dancing all across his tongue. ¡°He placed first in his segment. He fought against Sir Logan, who wielded a weapon from back in the old times, one of those the order gives to their heirs. Third Ice, I think it was called.¡± ¡°So he beat one of those from the Order of Ice Blades, eh?¡± Phil replied, no longer picking at his food or drinking, instead keeping a keen eye on the young man before him, and an even keener ear. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Fred said, keeping the old man¡¯s gaze. ¡°He fought against Sir Gordan too, who was trained by the Grand Commander of his order.¡± ¡°Which order?¡± ¡°The Order of the Thousand Hunts.¡± ¡°He was trained by Sir James Greatwood?¡± Phil asked, sitting up taller, and suddenly the rest of the soldiers turned their attention to Fred. Sir James Greatwood was a Florian, though unfortunately had been found outside of the land when chaos erupted.Updated chapters at novelhall.com what the captain recalled, the Grand Commander had remained within East Port, under the excuse he was going to keep any Aswadian assault from the sea at bay. His presence alone wouldn¡¯t have done such a thing, but it was in the last year when Sir James Greatwood had revealed something to the world. He was a Paragon. Fred, the young Florian man, was an Expert, a respectable position. The knights defending the Commander were Masters, some of the greatest warriors one could ask for. Jarot, the Mad Dog, was yet to become a Grand Master, but this would place him among legends of the land. Then there was the realm of Paragons. From the tens of millions of people across all of Aldland and Floria, the number of Paragons could be counted upon the hand. King Merryweather was a Paragon. He was widely considered to be the strongest across all the land, the old Guardian who had been the King¡¯s Sword for the last three kings of Aldland. He was also considered the strongest King¡¯s Sword to date. Then there was Lord Marshall Royce, the previous Knight of Death, King Merryweather¡¯s contemporary, who was one of the few who could clash with the old King as an equal. Then there was Sir Robin, the leader of the Order of Wings. It was the longest standing order to date, save perhaps those from Aswadasad. Unlike other orders, the entire order numbered barely in the couple of dozens officially, and those which held the avian titles, only eight. Sir James Greatwood numbered among such figures now, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, a prestigious order which came from Florian lands. Two of the Paragons were natives to Florian lands, a great achievement for the once duchy, now kingdom. ¡°Kitool, the woman with the staff also faced against the likes of such great warriors,¡± Fred said. ¡°She also beat them. She not only beat them, but like Jurot, she beat the Iyrman who had placed third too.¡± ¡°The de-,¡± the captain began, before clearing his throat. ¡°The woman in the plate?¡± ¡°No. She dropped out of the tournament after the first few stages. If she joined again, I¡¯d have no doubt she¡¯d be able to place in the top ten, but the one who placed third was the cousin of the Iyrman with the greatsword, Naqokan.¡± ¡°She fought well,¡± Phil said, nodding his head slowly. ¡°Cousins?¡± ¡°Cousins,¡± Fred confirmed. ¡°There was another Iyrman who should have placed fourth, but he had come across Kitool too.¡± Fred¡¯s lips refrained from twitching. ¡°Those two with the greatsword, their cousins are aiming for the title of Chief in the Iyr.¡± Phil¡¯s brows raised in surprise. ¡°They must be two of many to aim for the title.¡± ¡°I would bet a lot of money either one of them becomes the Chief,¡± Fred said. ¡°I¡¯d bet my life on it.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s the other big lad,¡± Fred said. ¡°He¡¯s the grandson of the previous Elder Wrath.¡± ¡°The previous Elder Wrath?¡± ¡°Wildheart.¡± Phil leaned back, his eyes falling to the group once more. He had never heard of such a party travelling the land before. These kids, whoever they were, were no doubt somebodies in the Iyr, and would end up rocking the world with their stories. Every fibre of his being had come to that conclusion. ¡®Mother take me.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m below average,¡± Fred said. ¡°I¡¯m not sad about it. I¡¯m not dreaming for anything big. I don¡¯t want to be a Gold Rank adventurer like Jurot. I don¡¯t want to be Silver like the other two. I don¡¯t want to be no Chief of the Iyr either. I just want to get married, have my own kids, have a few drinks in the evenings, that¡¯s all.¡± Phil could see the look in Fred¡¯s eyes. He was a man who had found a purpose in his life, but he knew his limits. No, it wasn¡¯t that he knew his limits, it was that he had limited himself, because he knew not to fly too close to the sun. ¡°All these Iyrmen,¡± Fred began, almost whispering. ¡°They¡¯re all so... prestigious. They¡¯re all amazing. They¡¯re all... they¡¯re all following the same guy, same as me. The half elf in purple. He¡¯s Jurot¡¯s brother, but he¡¯s no Iyrman. He might not be an Iyrman, but...¡± Fred shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen him be beat twice, and I¡¯ve heard him been beaten three times. Mad Dog beat him first. The third time, I heard it took the three Iyrmen, Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak.¡± ¡°The second?¡± ¡°...¡± Fred swallowed. He wasn¡¯t sure what he should say. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t say it, but rather, he didn¡¯t want to say it. To speak such names, it was dangerous. ¡°When I first met Adam, I was dying. I... I thought about Rock Hill. Roundmund. Gunthers. The Aswadian merchants that would come by and sell their jewellery.¡± ¡°I thought about the fields I used to play in when I was a boy, and the mud that used to get stuck on my boots. Ma¡¯d get mad when I came back with all that mud, and Pa¡¯d spank me. I used to curse at them when I was a boy, but then I¡¯d eat the porridge, sad I couldn¡¯t eat a peach. Didn¡¯t track mud much after that...¡± Fred smiled at the thought, but it passed within a moment. ¡°I thought about how I couldn¡¯t...¡± Fred sipped some of his ale, Phil nodding his head in understanding. ¡°I was half dying. Adam rushed over to me, let me sip water from his skin. Within the week we met some... thing. It¡¯s name was Lord Stokmar. You know the stories about the moving mound?¡± ¡°Earthenbeast, aye,¡± Phil replied, nodding his head slowly. ¡°I met it.¡± Phil¡¯s head sunk slightly, his eyes narrowing. ¡°It¡¯s just a story to put kids ta bed. I used to...¡± Phil swallowed, recalling the memories of telling the tale to his own children whenever he could return. ¡°Lord Stokmar, they call ¡®em.¡± Fred remained silent for a long while. ¡°I hear Lord Stokmar¡¯s apparently about as strong as Lord Asa. We...¡± Fred remained silent for a long moment later. ¡°I met... someone related to Lord Asa. Apparently, just as strong. I saw him...¡± Fred shook his head lightly, recalling the memory. ¡°A being like Lord Asa beat him. I don¡¯t mean he surrendered, like how he surrendered to Sir Roseia and Sir Karra. I mean beaten. He was... he was half dying. When he fought Sir Roseia, he almost killed her with a single blow. He tried to fight a man who spat on the gods, and he was almost killed. He probably didn¡¯t want to. He probably didn¡¯t even have to, he could have-,¡± A horn blew threw the fort and quickly the soldiers shot to attention, even Captain Phil, who had been so engrossed by Fred¡¯s words, and the intense look of terror within the boy¡¯s eyes. He was almost glad to be pulled away from the tale, unsure if his heart could handle it. Yet, Fred remained seated. He sipped the ale slowly, wondering what Adam had done this time. Adam stared up at the sky. ¡°Jurot...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Is that a...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Is that a... What could it be? [757] – Y03.057 – Onward X [757] ¨C Y03.057 ¨C Onward X The bronze scales glittered above, even as dusk began to fall all across the land. The soldiers marched to the walls, while the various captains and their aides brought out barrels of arrows, though not just any barrels, those which had been painted completely black. However, though the captains of the various units had brought out the barrels, they did not bring the barrels to their own soldiers, instead they went to a particular group. Sir Katherine ran her finger along the bowstring, feeling how smooth it was to her fingertip. It was made of vulfaire, a canine creature from the north, with the softest fur one could imagine, and with a hide which could be used to create some of the best bowstrings. ¡°Sir Katherine,¡± one of the Captains called, placing down the barrel before the leader of the Whirlwind Arrows, named after the woman herself. She only nodded, letting the several Captains leave, while the Captains of her own squads began to disseminate the arrows between themselves. There was one particular barrel which remained, a black barrel with a single white skull painted across its top. She pulled off the lid, revealing the arrows within. She reached for one of the arrows in the centre. It was an arrow made of dragon bone, the faint tingle of magic running through her fingers as she held it within her hand. She looked up towards the dragon, watching as it continued to fly overhead. ¡®If you¡¯re going to reveal those arrows...¡¯ the bronze dragon thought, smelling the vile scent of the arrows from the fort, even this far away. The arrows were not typical arrows, but those of dragon slaying, which would strike viciously against his kind. ¡®Should I go down to have a chat?¡¯ The dragon yawned, feeling the tiredness set within his bones. ¡®No, I should return and kidnap a bard to read the stories to me.¡¯ The soldiers watched as the dragon sped up to its maximum speed, veering off to the side slightly, around the minor fort. However, they did not relax. They watched as the dragon slowed until it was cruising once more, and as the minutes passed, it disappeared across the horizon. Katherine sighed, glad the dragon had decided against attacking, or coming down to chat. They were still in an awkward spot, so a dragon coming to speak with them would have been quite some news, and would have put their newly fledged kingdom in an even more precarious position. ¡°You were rather focused on the dragon,¡± Adam accused, his eyes glued to the young Aswadian priest. ¡°It was no doubt a dragon from Aswadasad,¡± Dunes replied, simply. ¡°Why¡¯d you think that?¡± ¡°Where else but the sands of Aswadasad would a bronze dragon find their home?¡± ¡°The Confederacy?¡± Adam replied. Dunes shrugged his shoulders, narrowing his eyes at Adam, smirking slightly. ¡°That is a fair point, but I¡¯m certain this bronze dragon, who has left us be, is a decent dragon.¡± ¡°Are there dragons who aren¡¯t decent?¡± ¡°Many, but I will not name them.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It might find its way to a dragon.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Dunes smiled wider. ¡°Yes. I may end up dead.¡± ¡°Does that happen?¡± ¡°It has happened, yes.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam blinked. ¡®I guess that makes sense. Dragons are basically nobles with the power to put the people beneath them through sheer force.¡¯ While the soldiers returned back to their posts, a specific Captain made his way to the Commander of the fort. ¡®The grandson of the previous Elder Wrath?¡¯ Lady Marcia thought, trying to recall the young man who had fought in the spar against the soldier. ¡®The grandchildren of Mad Dog. The cousins to a pair of Chief candidates. Why has such a group come to us?¡¯ The soldiers kept an eye out on Adam¡¯s group, which had brought them so much stress without doing anything. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll have someone on watch in the camp, just in case the dragon comes back,¡± Adam said. ¡°Is it also a group of the business?¡± ¡°We are currently Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We are an adventuring group. Some of us work for the business of the United Kindom, but the fort has yet to be made.¡± ¡°The fort?¡± ¡°A fort for the business.¡± ¡°Why does a business need a fort?¡± Jurot remained stone cold, staring into her eyes. Since she wasn¡¯t budging from her stupid question, the Iyrman inhaled deeply. ¡°The Iyr is creating a fort in partnership with the business. The fort will be made in the Iyr¡¯s land. The fort is to provide safety for the people of the business.¡± Marcia remained silent, wondering how far she could push the topic. ¡°Your group, Fate¡¯s Golden, has quite some figures within it. The grandchildren of Mad Dog, the grandson of the previous Elder Wrath, two cousins of a Chief candidate. Are you currently undergoing operations under official authority of the Iyr?¡± Jurot thought for a long moment. There was a thought which ran through his mind, a thought which had only appeared while he was trying to think of an answer for the noble. A secondary thought entered his mind too, wishing Kitool was here to reply instead. ¡°We Iyrmen are here to adventure as members of Fate¡¯s Golden while the fort is built.¡± ¡°Is it a coincidence that your group is full of individuals with connections to such great figures?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I am Jurot, of the Rot family. I grew up with members of the Gak, Ool, and Kan families. The Kan family has produced many Chiefs, and Amokan wishes to continue that legacy. The Jin family also do the same, and Timojin wishes to continue that legacy.¡± ¡°What of the young man by the name of Bavin?¡± ¡°He is the grandson of Bovin, the previous Elder Wrath.¡± ¡°Why is he wish your group?¡± ¡°Bovin has requested we assist in training Bavin,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Bavin is meek.¡± ¡°...¡± Marcia narrowed her eyes. That Iyrman was meek? She had watched the fight, and if that¡¯s what the Iyr considered meek... Jurot waited to see if the Commander had any more questions for the young Iyrman. ¡°You said the farmers and porters were Experts?¡± Marcia asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are they also members of the business?¡± ¡°They are considered to be members of the business,¡± Jurot replied. Marcia thought about the farmers and porters in the group. ¡°Are the farmers and porters from Aldland?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, before keeping the woman¡¯s gaze with his own. ¡°They are from Red Oak.¡± ¡°...¡± Marcia slowly bowed her head. Red Oak was in quite the spot, since technically it was a part of South Aldland, which had now become Floria, but it had worked closely with Aldland, and had certain assurances from the Iyr. ¡°What is your opinion on Floria?¡± Marcia asked. ¡°Your King is strong,¡± Jurot replied, the shadow of a smile appearing on his face. He''s not wrong. [758] – Y03.058 – Ever Green I [758] ¨C Y03.058 ¨C Ever Green I Omen: 3, 9 Lady Marcia watched as the group began to leave, having packed up everything quickly. She had kept her eyes on Adam, who, along with several of the others, managed the process of packing up, also getting hands on with packing. ¡®Adam is my brother.¡¯ The young woman recalled the words Jurot had spoken. She couldn¡¯t help but feel there was more to the group than what was let on, but what they had let on was quite a lot. The Iyrmen had been so free with their words, but when it came to Adam, there were very few things they said, but one of the statements was something which replayed constantly within her mind. Adam is Adam. She had learnt he was strong. She had learnt that he was a father, and quite the fool of a father at that. She had even learnt the name of his children, all six of them, and that one of them had been born earlier that year. There was, however, no mother. Any further prompting was awkward, so they hadn¡¯t asked for more in casual conversation. The relationship between Adam and the others seemed rather awkward. Adam was considered a Nephew of the Iyr, so he was no stranger to them. However, he was also a brother to Jurot, and not just in a friendly sense, but in the sense the Iyrmen viewed Adam as Jurot¡¯s brother, in the same way Nirot was their cousin. The Aswadians also viewed him favourably, though it seemed Dunes was the closest to him. The farmers and porters also seemed to speak quite highly of the young half elf, almost in an awkward reverence. It was Dunes who had been the key for Marcia to understand the situation, however. ¡®Is that why he came to speak with me?¡¯ Marcia thought. It was Dunes, after all, who had come to speak with her. ¡®Manager Dunes.¡¯ That was the title of the young Aswadian, who was a member of an order and yet seemed to hold such a title. ¡®Manager Vonda...¡¯ Lady Marcia retreated back to her office. She sat in deep thought for a long while. She tried to recall all she had learnt about Fate¡¯s Golden, as well as Adam. She wrote down the list, and as she kept writing, she could feel a sense of ridiculousness within the situation. The information was preposterous, improbable, bordering impossible. Marcia dipped her quill within the ink, before beginning to write a letter. She, as a Commander of perhaps the most important minor fort in the land, should have been able to send word to the Lord Marshal. The letter explained the situation, the reason as to why she was sending word to the Lord Marshal, and finally, a question to confirm something. The moment it could be confirmed, they would need to view the written words not as rumours, but as fact. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Marcia thought, realising she had forgot to mention the pair of demons, before adding it in as a footnote, and the promise Jurot had stated to her, hoping it was enough to deal with the ramifications of allowing the demons to rest at the fort. Marcia wondered if she should have mentioned it earlier, considering one of the bits of information the young woman had written about Adam. Adam remained silent as they made their way along. The others could feel it, an aura of darkness coming from the half elf. Adam¡¯s eyes met Lucy¡¯s, and the pair nodded between one another, before they continued onward silently. When it was time for lunch, Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°I¡¯m going to do it.¡± His eyes fell to Jurot, who looked to Kitool. When she didn¡¯t, Adam stepped aside. Mana: 25 -> 22 There were several contenders for Adam¡¯s favourite Third Gate spell. One was Fireball, a spell which made battles trivial. Another was Sending, which allowed Adam to send short messages to others. He hadn¡¯t yet sent any messages back to his children, the children too young to understand what would be happening, which pained him so. However, while journeying out across the land, all of Adam¡¯s companions would say this was his favourite spell, and they had to one of the soldiers. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. As they stepped inside, Adam whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t we have the plaque?¡± ¡°The plaque is for Aldland,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Right.¡± Ever Green was as beautiful as ever. The roads were wide and small clusters of wooden buildings dotted around the area. The buildings were fairly small, though they were stacked quite high, three to five stories tall. However, no matter where Adam looked, all he could see was greenery. There were as many parks as there were roads, some which became dirt paths through the greenery which people could walk through from one area to the next. The town had a grid layout, as any other town, but there were many sections of the town which gave to a more natural layout, where buildings of old had been preserved, some curving and winding this way or that way. The town was also layered, with steps leading upwards to the next layer, though there were a few large roads on either end of the town which were slightly steeper, but allowed carriages and carts to be pulled through. As they trekked through the town, which bustled with life, Adam noted how similar, yet different it felt to Red Oak, a vaguely familiar sensation. The Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Ever Green was huge. It was fairly similar to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Red Oak, made of stone for the first floor, and the next three floors were made of wood, getting slightly smaller towards the top. However, there were so many flowers and vines growing all around the guild, and there were even small sections where a bunch of old people were currently relaxing on the roof top garden. To one side was a training field, and the other a small field, more like a garden, full of herbs. The building proper was also slightly larger than the guild in Red Oak. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to find an alchemist for the business here,¡± Jaygak joked. ¡°Why are you thinking about that when we should be thinking about the most important thing,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, the second most important thing.¡± Jaygak guessed what the most important thing was. ¡°What is the second most important thing?¡± ¡°Tea,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Ah.¡± Jaygak¡¯s head bounced, for of course it was that. ¡°They have moon tea, which assists with sleep.¡± ¡°Mnnn...¡± Adam¡¯s sleep, though slightly troubled, seemed to be getting better. ¡°Good idea.¡± ¡®I should be careful, since I¡¯m a half elf in the south.¡¯ Adam glanced around, noting the large number of people glancing their way. ¡®Do they know?¡¯ The younger Iyrmen led the awakened wolves and dire wolves towards the stables. Why are they looking at us? Said the half elf who wore puthral armour, surrounded by Aswadians, Iyrmen, a member of Life''s Rose, demons, awakened wolves, and dire wolves. [759] – Y03.059 – Ever Green II [759] ¨C Y03.059 ¨C Ever Green II Jarot held Larot to his bare chest, rising and falling with every breath. While his arm held the tiny boy, his hand covering the back of his head. He could feel the warmth of the boy¡¯s cheek against his skin, the soft breath tickling his chest. The shade swallowed them both, so even as the late afternoon sun beat down onto the Iyr, the pair were still cool. ¡°It is time to feed him,¡± Mulrot¡¯s voice called from nearby. Jarot exhaled. He did not wish to surrender the boy, but since it was time for feeding, he couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°You must eat well, Larot.¡± Jarot brushed the back of the boy¡¯s head gently, before allowing his wife to take the boy from his arm, the woman carefully stealing him away. While Jarot huffed and puffed in annoyance, Konarot played with her siblings nearby, with Jirot rushing around with the ball, little Jarot following after her. Kirot handed a small sack of lentils to her brother, who accepted the sack, walked to the next spot, before handing it back to his elder sister, who carried it to the next spot. Konarot acted as a third for both pairs, alternating between the twins and the triplets. ¡°Silly boy,¡± Lanarot said, kissing Gurot¡¯s forehead before she pulled his head to her chest, brushing the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°No tripping when walking, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, embracing his cousin. ¡°Good boy.¡± Lanarot pat the boy¡¯s head, before letting him waddle away to his grandmother. She stood tall, clasping her hands behind her back, keeping an eye out on the younger children, before finally rushing off to one of her aunts who called the children to drink water. ¡°Not here, not here,¡± the bird tweeted to Konarot, who was sipping away at her water. The young girl frowned. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± the bird said, before flying up away. Konarot frowned deeper, her eyes narrowing slightly, her entire body growing chilly. ¡®Daddy! You are not back!¡¯ ¡°Konarot,¡± called a familiar voice, before she turned to find Tonagek, who was carrying a large boy against his chest with one arm, carrying a basket with his free hand. ¡°Would you like to play dragon chess?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Dragon chess?¡± Jarot asked, watching the pair settle to one side. ¡°What is the need of dragon chess? She should run to be healthy.¡± ¡°She must train her mind as well as her body,¡± Tonagek replied. Jarot huffed, but upon seeing how Konarot was placing the pieces to their proper places, he relented. ¡°I will allow it, but only because my greatdaughter is so smart.¡± ¡°...¡± Tonagek began to set up his own board, while his son remained by his side, clutching his shirt. Danagek stared up at Jarot, the old one armed and one legged man, before shyly hiding his face away at his father¡¯s side. ¡°Danagek, you are growing well,¡± Jarot said, causing the boy to twitch slightly upon hearing his name. ¡°He is as big as my Gurot.¡± ¡°He is bigger,¡± Tonagek replied. Jarot inhaled deeply, narrowing his eyes at the young punk trying to pick a fight with him. ¡®Since my greatdaughter is here, I will show him mercy.¡¯ Tonagek wondered if he should mention his grandfather, but seeing as the old man was being nice to him, he decided against teasing him any more, instead allowing him to watch the young girl play dragon chess. ¡°The General¡¯s opening?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°The General Asad opening,¡± Tonagek confirmed. ¡°The Slumbering Claw is best for Konarot,¡± Jarot said. ¡°It is our way.¡± It was then he recalled who they were. ¡°Not too bad,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Didn¡¯t kill any gryphons this time, so we¡¯re in the clear, I think.¡± ¡°The King might have had an issue with that if you did,¡± Barks stated, the memories flooding back into his mind. He remembered how the group had gone to meet the King before he was a King, but the retired King¡¯s Blade. ¡°Yeah, well, I don¡¯t think I want to go around spending so many diamonds to make it even,¡± Adam joked, glancing aside to Jurot, whose had turned and was staring at the figures in the corner. ¡®Oh dear.¡¯ One figure was a familiar face, an older man in his early fifties, wearing a breastplate and carrying a blade at his side. There was a sharp scar across his face, from the top of his eye to the bottom of his chin. Jurot walked over to the group, his eyes taking in the sight of the other figures, before his shadow loomed over the old man. ¡°What are you-,¡± the older man said, before squinting his eyes at Jurot. ¡°Iyrman, no, you¡¯re not just any Iyrman. We¡¯ve met before, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°You are Vandal, no relation to the Dal family.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you a... Row?¡± ¡°Jurot, yes,¡± Jurot replied, shaking the adventurer¡¯s forearm. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Vandal said, his eyes falling down to the steel tag around the Iyrman¡¯s neck. ¡°Say... were you steel rank previously?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I would have remembered you if that was the case,¡± the adventurer said. ¡°When did we meet?¡± ¡°Three years ago.¡± ¡°What rank were you then?¡± ¡°Bronze,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°You must have been working hard to become steel so quickly,¡± Vandal said, unable to hide his surprise. ¡°You¡¯re pretty young for a steel rank adventurer,¡± a figure from beside Vandal said. ¡°Though, you Iyrmen were always queer like that.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, his eyes falling to the half elf sitting beside the older man. She was a bronze skinned half elf, with long wavy red hair, deep green eyes, with a lean build. She wore a breastplate made of flamedarksteel and carried a blade at her side. She was no doubt a Sansant, but the four rings in her right ear gave away her true identity. She was not just any Sansant, but one who carried a particular title and role within the family. An Executor. ¡°It is an honour to meet you,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you too, Iyrman,¡± the half elf said, reaching out a hand to clasp his forearm, though she remained sitting casually. Jurot held her gaze, wondering if she had come for Adam. Everything is fine, he says as the fire rages behind him. [760] – Y03.060 – Ever Green III [760] ¨C Y03.060 ¨C Ever Green III ¡°I am Elyanor,¡± the half elf introduced herself, feeling the young Iyrman¡¯s grip against her forearm. Jurot nodded, still holding her forearm, squeezing it firmly, though not painfully, before he let go. He remained standing, his eyes glaring into hers. Since she had not stated her title, it either meant she was on duty as her role secretly, or she was instead here casually. ¡°Do we have business?¡± Elyanor asked, smiling politely towards him, but wondering why he was acting so strange. Jurot remained glaring down at her for a long while. ¡°I wish to speak with you, Elyanor of the Sansant family. Elyanor smiled, her fae beauty almost glowing. ¡°What need does an Iyrman have of me.¡± ¡°I wish to speak with you.¡± ¡°Do I have need to speak with you?¡± ¡°It is your choice to make.¡± ¡°I am in the middle of a conversation with such great companions,¡± the half elf replied, smirking slightly towards Jurot. ¡°I am sorry, Marak the White, Rowan the Squire, I have business with Lady Sansant,¡± Jurot said. Marak the White, an Aswadian with near black skin and dark green eyes, eyed up the Iyrman. His thick hair was stark white, parted at the centre. ¡°You know of my name, but you are so rude?¡± His voice was light with humour, though his eyes held a particular viciousness within them. ¡°Don¡¯t start trouble with the Iyrman,¡± Rowan replied, though he stared at the young Iyrman who had managed to recognise him. He was an older man, into his seventies, and his name had begun to fade. His hair was thin, though fell down to his shoulders, and his thick beard covered his face. He was the second oldest there, though Elyanor was a half elf so still seemed quite young. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Jurot said, his eyes firmly fixed on Marak¡¯s. Marak¡¯s eyes glanced to the side for a moment, to a smiling Aswadian who had stepped forward. The older man stood, reaching out to shake Dunes¡¯ forearm, the pair slipping into Aswadian as they greeted one another. ¡°Peace with you, nephew.¡± ¡°Peace be with you, uncle,¡± Dunes replied, shaking the older man¡¯s forearm. ¡°You are from Black Mountain?¡± ¡°I thank the Lady for the grace.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°I was taught by Kal Samra, Kal Kamira¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡®Adam, how did you manage this?¡¯ ¡°You were trained by sister Kamira¡¯s daughter?¡± Marak replied, his brows raised in shock. He patted the young man¡¯s shoulder eagerly. ¡°Lady Arya blesses us to meet, nephew. Come, sit with us.¡± Dunes chuckled lightly, sitting beside the Aswadian man. Marak the White¡¯s nickname referred to his white hair, which had gained when he was a young man. ¡°Sir Rowan, this is my nephew, Dunes,¡± Marak said. Sir Rowan, understanding that the term nephew didn¡¯t mean the term for a blood relative, bowed his head, reaching out to shake the young man¡¯s arm. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Dunes.¡± ¡°You as well, Sir Rowan,¡± Dunes replied, also knowing the tale of the man known as Sir Rowan. ¡°How do you know each other?¡± Sir Rowan asked. ¡°My sister, Kamira, her daughter trained him.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Sir Rowan replied, surprised to hear of the connection between the pair. Of all the people in the land, he had just so happened to meet an Aswadian who had a connection to him? He supposed it made some sense, as members of the various orders were free to travel across the lands, unlike many of the commonfolk. Dunes smiled. Marak had trained alongside Kal Kamira by their mentor, Yaya the Brave. Marak was not an official member of the order, Yaya had trained him as a reward for his family saving the older man¡¯s life, but hadn¡¯t been inducted into the order formally. ¡°You do have quite the grandfather,¡± Elyanor said, her voice low. She had grown up hearing tales of that terrifyingly vicious dragon, a dragon crazy enough to cause trouble even with many of the greatest dragons in the neighbouring Aswadasad, even the likes of the Princess of the Red Desert. ¡°Is your grandfather well?¡± Sir Rowan asked. ¡°He is well,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I¡¯m sick and tired about hearing that old man,¡± Adam finally said, patting Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Why are you talking about him when you¡¯ve killed a dragon too?¡± ¡°It was not like Forgryn.¡± ¡°It was a blue dragon too, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Adam replied. ¡°It was-,¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s leave them in peace,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just because your old man was so strong, it doesn¡¯t mean you can intrude on them.¡± ¡°This young man is so smart,¡± Marak said, eyeing up the armour Adam wore. ¡°You wear puthral?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, partly shocked by someone calling him smart. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about it. ¡°You are Iyrman?¡± Marak asked, noting Adam had yet to take off his helmet. ¡°No, I¡¯m not, but I am Jurot¡¯s brother,¡± Adam replied, patting Jurot on his back. ¡°It¡¯s so terrible being the brother of such a strong, famous brother like mine, I¡¯m constantly overshadowed.¡± Jaygak coughed from nearby, trying to keep herself from laughing, before noting Marak¡¯s eyes falling to her with recognition, noting her tattoo. She stepped forward quickly, shaking the old man¡¯s forearm. ¡°It is an honour to meet you, Marak, I am Jaygak.¡± ¡°You are related to Flame Brand?¡± ¡°She is my grandaunt,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°My grandfather, Tangak, who fell against Forgryn, was her brother.¡± ¡°It can only be Forgryn who could kill a man like your grandfather,¡± Marak said, shaking the young woman¡¯s forearm, noting how she was also steel rank, just like Jurot, yet the pair were still so young. ¡°You are all so strong?¡± Jaygak smiled politely. ¡°I am not quite as strong as Jurot or Adam, but I am capable. I¡¯m smarter than Adam, though.¡± Adam huffed quietly, before noting Jaygak¡¯s look. He hadn¡¯t seen the look in a long while, a look which told Adam he should stop before he got into trouble. ¡®I should try to get out of this situation.¡¯ ¡°Come on, Jurot, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you all, especially you, Lady Sansant.¡± Jurot sighed, and Jaygak smiled even wider, realising even she couldn¡¯t rein in Adam¡¯s stupidity. ¡°Especially me?¡± Elyanor asked, eyeing up the fellow in the puthral armour who had yet to take off his helmet. Iyrmen. A young man in puthral who was no Iyrman. His familiarity with the Sansant family. ¡°Ah, well, you see-,¡± Adam began, before noting the way she was staring at him. The knowing look in her eyes. The smile which crept along her face. A chill ran through him as he fell silent. Jurot remained standing tall and firm, his eyes focused on Elyanor. He realised she hadn¡¯t come for Adam, but that had changed now that she recognised him. Even Marak and Rowan had grown silent, feeling the intensity in the air. Vandal, who had been patiently listening, not wanting to interrupt the legends talking, could feel it. Elyanor¡¯s eyes soaked in Adam¡¯s sight, before she finally looked towards Jurot. She smiled, now understanding why the young man wanted to speak with him. She smiled wider, before speaking in a tongue which only few here knew, that which was so musical to the ears. ¡°You can inform that brother of yours I have not come for you.¡± Adam blinked, realising how rude she was being by being so curt while speaking the fae tongue, yet he still felt the chill deep within him. ¡°Okay.¡± I apologise for missing a few chapters, I had a virus that my software, White Blood Cells, were unable to contain. [761] – Y03.061 – Ever Green IV [761] ¨C Y03.061 ¨C Ever Green IV ¡°She¡¯s a what?¡± Adam whispered in surprise. ¡°An Executor,¡± Jurot repeated. ¡°Like... she kills people?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam understood what he had been feeling previously. He had been prey for a predator. ¡°So she¡¯s not after me?¡± ¡°She is not.¡± ¡°You believe her?¡± ¡°It is best to believe her.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how much he should trust her words, but if his brother was going say so, what else could he do? ¡°How strong is she?¡± ¡°Strong,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°She is around the level of a Paragon and her magical equipment could surpass our own.¡± ¡°That strong...¡± Adam sipped his milk, trying to avoid looking in the woman¡¯s direction. ¡°Somehow she¡¯s not here for me?¡± ¡°The Sansant family has many enemies,¡± Jurot said. ¡°An Executor does not mean they are here to kill,¡± Dunes said. ¡°One may be sent to gain information. They may wish to torture you and leave once they are done.¡± ¡°That makes me feel so much better,¡± Adam replied dryly. Dunes smiled innocently. ¡®I guess I should go around with Jurot at my side...¡¯ Adam glanced around, noting Kitool was missing. His eyes fell to Jaygak, who was talking with Marak in the corner, speaking of her families tales. ¡°Mind if I sit?¡± Vandal asked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. Vandal was about to sit when he paused. ¡°May I sit?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vandal sat beside them all, glancing across from the group. ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since we last met, but here you all are, Steel rank.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, sitting taller. ¡°How¡¯d you all manage that?¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, noting the gazes which fell across him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! It¡¯s not like I...¡± Adam sighed, sitting awkwardly under their gazes. ¡°Obviously it¡¯s because we have kids now.¡± ¡°Kids?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got children now,¡± Adam said. ¡°Six adorable children. I¡¯ve got to work hard to make sure they can live good lives, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Vandal said, raising his mug of ale. ¡°No kids, me.¡± ¡°No kids?¡± ¡°Not the kind of fun that I enjoy,¡± Vandal replied, glancing between them awkwardly. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Kids are fun. Smelly, but fun.¡± Vandal stifled a burst of laughter. ¡°Smelly, but fun? Haven¡¯t heard children described like that before.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll bully you in whatever way they feel. Sometimes you¡¯ll change their clothy and they¡¯ll smirk at you again, before you need to change them again.¡± ¡°It was, for them,¡± Jaygak replied, smirking slightly. ¡°Though many great warriors fell, few were Iyrmen, and from those few Iyrmen, some were killed by treachery rather than demons. My ancestors were stabbed in the back by the duchal family.¡± ¡°How terrible,¡± Elyanor said, her smile fading slightly. ¡°That is truly a shame.¡± ¡°The debt was paid,¡± Jaygak replied simply. Elyanor bowed her head gently, her eyes taking in the sight of the young woman. She did not seem like the type to rise too far in life. ¡°I hope the Gak family rises with you.¡± ¡°The Gak family will rise soon, though it will not be because of me,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°My cousin Laygak is already quite capable, but it is our younger siblings who will raise the Gak family¡¯s standing.¡± ¡°I hope your younger siblings will be able to do so.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°It is a shame Gangak retired too soon,¡± Marak said. ¡°I heard it was because of a promise.¡± Jaygak¡¯s smile faltered slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What was the promise?¡± Elyanor asked. ¡°Grandaunt assisted in slaying a Gryn,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°She returned soon after.¡± ¡°That was the promise?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak stated. ¡°The Aswadians grew wary of my grandaunt. Several orders came together to speak of what to do with my grandaunt, and upon meeting with her, they swore to assist her in slaying a Gryn immediately if she swore to return to Aldland and not return for many years. Even when my aunt was killed by Forgryn, she was unable to enter the land at the time, for the promise was still in effect.¡± ¡°Terrible news,¡± Marak said. ¡°It is a shame such a promise was made.¡± ¡°Grandaunt did not regret the promise, even now,¡± Jaygak said, inhaling deeply as she filled with pride. ¡°The debt of my cousin¡¯s death was paid.¡± ¡°The death of your cousin?¡± Marak asked, certain she had said aunt. ¡°The debt was paid,¡± Jaygak replied simply, thinking back to the tale she had learnt when growing up. Some of the first tales the Gak children were taught were the oppression under the Gryn dragons as well as the liberation thanks to Jarot around two thousand years ago. However, in her generation, another tale had been added, that of Forgryn and the death of their cousin, that child which held the lineage of both Flame Brand and Mad Dog. Marak noted the look of silent fury within her eyes dropped the topic, realising that this young woman, though perhaps not as powerful as her peers by her own words, was still an Iyrman. Adam wondered just how much trouble he was going to get in whilst in Ever Green, but as the days passed, and souvenirs were bought, somehow he didn¡¯t cause trouble, and trouble didn¡¯t come to him. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong...¡¯ Adam thought, not liking how obviously trouble seemed to avoid him that year. ¡®Either I¡¯m thinking too much about this, or something terrible is going to happen...¡¯ ¡°You are thinking too much, Adam,¡± Vonda said, sipping her warm milk. ¡°Think about it, Sir Vonda, when we were going around the market, we didn¡¯t find anything strange.¡± ¡°That is normal.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°It was all so normal.¡± ¡°Do you wish for strangeness to occur?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I wish for it, it¡¯s that I won¡¯t be able to sleep well unless something bad happens,¡± Adam said. ¡°Otherwise it means something worse will happen.¡± ¡°You met an Executor.¡± ¡°Who wasn¡¯t aiming for me.¡± ¡°Meeting an Executor is strange enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair, I guess...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, causing Adam¡¯s leaf shaped ears to perk up. Unfortunately for Adam, Jurot was just talking about something normal, like the meeting between the two kings, the pair having finished negotiations for peace. Hopefully nothing goes wrong... [762] – Y03.062 – Path To South Port I [762] ¨C Y03.062 ¨C Path To South Port I The fort of the Order of the Floral Sun watched over the sprawling village around it, the group arriving at the fields still at least an hour away from the fort. As they trekked along the road, they noted the villagers glancing their way, which was not out of the ordinary, but they noted the large number of soldiers around, something which was new. A half dozen riders trotted their way up to the large group made up of Iyrmen, Aswadians, and large wolves. The riders were heavily armoured, carrying blades at their sides, revealing their true nature as foot combatants rather than mounted warriors. The horses were armoured too, wearing thick scaled barding which added to their already imposing stature. ¡°Halt,¡± called a voice full of authority from the central knight who rode upfront. She wore a breastplate which was heavily engraved with all manner of flowers across the front, carrying a banner with a hand, resting up against her shoulder, while her free hand held a rein of her horse. The banner was quite simple, white background with seven pink petals spiralling to form a circular flower. Adam glanced towards his companions, realising quickly he shouldn¡¯t open his stupid mouth, feeling the intense pressure of the knights before them. The knight pulled up her visor, revealing an older, wizened face, her green eyes glaring down at the group of newcomers who were all so heavily armed and armoured. ¡°I am Commander Elizabeth Grovepetal by authority of King Harold Merryweather. State your business at once!¡± Upon hearing her name, Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, before nodding to Sir Vonda to step forward. The young woman removed her helmet, smiling politely at the Commander, before bowing her head lightly. ¡°I am Sir Vonda Eastlake of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± The Commander dismounted from her mount, stepping forward to meet with the young noblewoman, who just so happened to be a member of Life¡¯s Rose? ¡°May we speak to one side?¡± Sir Vonda asked, still smiling politely. Taking the hint, the pair of women stepped aside so Sir Vonda could explain the situation in a way which would end the matter cleanly. Meanwhile, Adam glanced at the five heavily armoured mounted knights, before glancing across to the minor fort which had been created near the village¡¯s edge, full of soldiers of the new kingdom. He guessed there to be at least two hundred soldiers, each of whom were heavily armoured. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, breaking him out of his thoughts. ¡°We must be careful.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. It was rare even Jurot would warn him so overtly. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The Commander returned with Sir Vonda, before the group were allowed to make their way to the minor fort, where they were watched with a keen eye, but left be. Commander Elizabeth understood the awkward spot she was put in thanks to their arrival, especially considering the fact they walked around with two demons, which wasn¡¯t going to help the rumours of the King consorting with demons. However, since Sir Vonda promised to keep them within her sights, as well as the rest of the group, she relented to allow them to stay nearby, under the condition they would be overtly watched. Adam noted the way the Iyrmen were keeping an eye on some of the older soldiers, each holding the rank of captain, but were not like the captains of the other minor fort. Each soldier was heavily armoured, while many wore full plate, even those who did not hold a higher rank. ¡°Commander Grovepetal holds a high rank within Petal Grove,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Any relation to the Petalgrove family?¡± Adam joked. ¡°I know it¡¯s rude to make a request, especially considering our circumstances, but would you be willing to draw my blade?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I would like to pass the story to my younger siblings.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± the woman replied, standing and taking the weapon from the young Iyrman. However, upon clasping the blade, she paused. She could feel the magic tingling through her fingers. She drew the blade, noting it was well made, the blade dark, like the shadows within an alley. ¡°Does this blade have a name?¡± ¡°Great Moon,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°It is a good blade,¡± the older woman said. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°How did you come across this weapon?¡± ¡°I work for a business by the name of United Kindom, which works alongside the Enchanter, who enchanted such a blade for me,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You are blessed with great fortune.¡± Gladys held the blade within her hand for a long moment, feeling its weight. ¡°Is it a Greater Enhanced blade?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Gladys held it tight in hand for a long moment, before returning it back to the young woman, who held the blade by clasping her fingers along the blade rather than the hilt. Gladys undid her sword belt, and held her sheath up, offering the hilt of her blade to the young woman. ¡°You may draw the blade.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°It is my honour.¡± The Iyrman reached out for the blade, feeling the intense stares from the nearby soldiers, but she drew the blade calmly, feeling the great magic within the blade. She could feel it was a Greater Enhanced Blade too. ¡°How does it feel?¡± ¡°Light,¡± Jaygak admitted, daring not to swing the blade. ¡°It was a blade enchanted by a brass dragon centuries ago for a now dead Aswadian family,¡± Gladys explained. ¡°It was won in conquest by the first Blazing Petal Knight, Lord Oscar.¡± ¡°The Nadar family fell into irrelevance after losing the blade and the brass dragon in such quick succession,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°The family held so much sway in the Red Desert, but no more.¡± Gladys raised her brows. ¡°You know of the tale of this blade?¡± ¡°Lord Oscar killed my ancestor, Rogak, with this blade,¡± Jaygak said, her eyes glued to the blade. ¡°It was a good fight.¡± I almost forgot how weird the Iyrmen were... [763] – Y03.063 – Path To South Port II [763] ¨C Y03.063 ¨C Path To South Port II The group continued to trek through the land, the hills of the south to their right, before they came across another minor fort. It was a minor fort which had been built recently, for Adam recalled there had been no fort here the previous years. This minor fort was full of a few hundred soldiers, like the other, and like the other fort, also possessed veteran units within its walls. Sir Vonda and Kitool took charge of dealing with official matters here, but once more, the tale of their elders spread through like wildfire within the fort, many knowing the name of Mad Dog, while one figure also knew the tale of Flame Brand. ¡°How strong is the Silver Arrow?¡± Adam whispered, staring at the figure known was the Silver Arrow, an older woman who wielded a bow which seemed to be made of pure silver. ¡°Strong,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°At the level of Whirlwind Arrow.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, glancing around. Silver Arrow was apparently the strongest warrior here, around the level of a Grandmaster, but many of the officers reached the rank of Master. Adam thought back to the unit he had met from the north. They were apparently a new unit, a hundred soldiers strong, but compared to any random hundred soldiers from this fort, they were but children. ¡®Okay, I get why Aldland lost the war. If they were trying to fight against soldiers who wetted their blades, and arrows, in Aswadasad...¡¯ Thankfully, no one came to bother Adam, who kept out of the way. ¡®It feels good not being the centre of attention.¡¯ Adam sipped the tea he had bought in Ever Green. It held a gentle flavour, though not one he was familiar with. It soothed his heart, warming his body, preparing him for slumber. Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Somehow the group had managed to arrive at Petal Grove unmolested. Adam had passed through Petal Grove previously, though he could barely recall it. It had been a quick journey, a journey which had been marred due to meeting the terrifying existence known as Emperor Shama. The town had a large fence around the outer fields, which spread out from the town almost like a spiral, just like the large walls around the town proper. ¡°Floria is in a precarious situation,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We should spend little time within it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a slave driver!¡± Lucy complained. ¡°Why can¡¯t we relax in Petal Grove? We weren¡¯t able to spend much time in Ever Green, and now we can¡¯t relax here?¡± ¡°We need to be careful,¡± Adam said, glancing towards the demon. ¡°You need to behave, just like me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been behaving this entire time!¡± ¡°Really? I haven¡¯t noticed.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Lucy grit her teeth, her neck tensing. ¡°I¡¯ve met all those hunks and I wasn¡¯t able to drool over them!¡± ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. He thought back to all the times she used to fawn over strong people, including those in their twilight years. ¡®Right, I haven¡¯t seen her act up this entire year...¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lucy. You have been working hard.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Once we get to East Port, we can relax then,¡± Adam assured. ¡°We can use our connection to the Duchess to keep you safe, so you can probably relax easier there, rather than in Floria, which just came out of a bloody civil war for their freedom.¡± Lucy hated when Adam made sense, since it meant that even he was thinking deeply about something. If he wasn¡¯t going to be cringe, she couldn¡¯t be cringe either. ¡°Fine...¡± ¡®Nice.¡¯ As the group followed along the road to South Port, Jaygak sped up to Adam. ¡°How many days will we spend in South Port?¡± ¡°One, two, or three, why?¡± ¡°We should leave before the month ends,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°King Merryweather will step onto Florian land soon.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°He is escorted by Elder Peace and other Iyrmen,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Are you sure you wish to be on the land while Elder Peace is escorting the King?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°There is no need to stress the Iyr with your presence,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You know, you make me feel like I¡¯m some kind of monster, saying stuff like that...¡± ¡°You are some kind of monster,¡± Jaygak stated, patting his back. ¡°If you leave the city quickly, I¡¯ll tell Elder Zijin you did so for the sake of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Well now I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No, hold on, I¡¯ll do it,¡± Adam said, feeling a shiver run through his back. ¡°We¡¯ll head out to East Port soon.¡± ¡®Yeah, I probably shouldn¡¯t mess around too much.¡¯ Jaygak pulled back, smirking slightly. She couldn¡¯t believe he had fallen for something like that. Her smirk faltered. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t bully Adam too much when everything¡¯s so... chaotic.¡¯ Jaygak noted the silent glare within Kitool¡¯s eyes, before she returned an innocent smile. ¡®I hope nothing goes wrong in South Port,¡¯ Fred thought, before realising he must have jinxed it. Things really are going too smoothly. [764] – Y03.064 – Trouble at Port I [764] ¨C Y03.064 ¨C Trouble at Port I Sir Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose allowed for smooth sailing into South Port. South Port¡¯s main road was noisy, as one might expect, with the group passing thousands, if not tens of thousands, of citizens. The various carts making their way through the city, the thousands of labourers carrying all manner of materials, the many pedlars and merchants selling their wares, the smell of fried foods wafting through the air which thankfully overpowered the other, less savoury smells. ¡®I forgot how massive this place was...¡¯ Adam remained silent as they approached the guild, travelling through the city for at least an hour. The guild was more like an estate complex, rather than the typical guild buildings he was used to in the other towns. The guild, overlooking the ocean to one side, was set up similarly to that within Red Oak, except it was much longer and wider. instead of a pair of fields, there were several large fields nearby for the adventurers, as well as several other buildings set within its grounds, providing gear an adventurer might need from weapons to armour. Their group gathered some eyes, for very few groups held so many dire wolves, and as some people had surmised, awakened wolves, while almost no group possessed so many Iyrmen. The younger Iyrmen stabled the beasts elsewhere, dealing with the guild worker, while Kitool went to speak with the guild clerk. Adam noted how many dozens of groups relaxed within the guild, but the guild still felt empty. He spotted the large wall of quests to one side, which was far larger than the wall in Red Oak, containing at least ten times the number of quests. He settled in the corner as Kitool sorted out their stay. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Adam thought, watching as a pair of Iyrmen approached the group. ¡°Yarkez,¡± the older Iyrman said, clasping Jurot¡¯s arm. The older Iyrman had dark hair and dark eyes, and he wore a goatee as well as he wore his bow. Between the layers of fur, he wore a dagger belt strapped around his side and shoulder, connected to the belt at his side which carried a shortsword. A steel token hung around his neck. ¡°Warkez, son of Yarkez,¡± the younger Iyrman said, shaking Jurot¡¯s forearm. He was in his late teens, and wore similar attire to his father. The token which hung around his neck was copper, though it was stamped a few times. ¡°Jurot,¡± Jurot replied, nodding his head to each of them. Yarkez eyed up the party around. ¡°Do you lead the group?¡± ¡°My brother leads the group,¡± Jurot said, motioning his head to Adam. Yarkez eyed up Adam, who wore puthral armour but no tattoos across his forehead. ¡°You are Unrivalled?¡± Adam winced visibly, noting the smirks from his companions, before he stood and held out his forearm. ¡°I¡¯m Adam, Nephew of the Rot family.¡± ¡°Yarkez,¡± the older man replied, bowing his head as he clasped Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Warkez,¡± the younger Iyrman repeated, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have heard your tales, Unrivalled. Your-,¡± ¡°Warkez,¡± his father called, patting his son against his back. ¡°Let us return.¡± The young Iyrman frowned, but he bowed his head, following after his father. ¡°What was that about?¡± Adam whispered. Jurot kept the paper pinned to his palm. ¡°It is good to introduce ourselves.¡± Adam, unsure if there was more to it, decided to leave it be. The food arrived a short while later, with Adam feasting on the eggs and potatoes, thinking deeply about important matters. Jaygak returned later, her own meal kept warm by Adam¡¯s magic, the young woman digging into the steak. Her eyes met Jurot¡¯s for a moment, and he replied with a bow of his head. While Adam went to bathe, Jurot left the guild, making his way down a particular alley, to find a particular tavern, to meet with a particular Iyrman. Omen: 5, 10 ¡°I will find passage on a ship heading towards East Port for tomorrow morning,¡± Jurot said over breakfast. Lucy inhaled deeply, her eyes narrowing towards Jurot. She quickly let out an exhale, not liking the serious look within Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡®It must be bad...¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± a sailor whispered to another. ¡°Too many Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be happy when the mermen attack us,¡± another replied. ¡°Don¡¯t think Iyrmen are good in the water.¡± ¡°Better than us.¡± ¡°Doubt it. What are they going to do? Swim after the mermen?¡± ¡°Shut up, Jim.¡± Adam greeted the other Iyrmen one by one with Jurot, before the Iyrmen gathered together to speak of their families tales. ¡®I don¡¯t like it,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If the Iyrmen are leaving South Port, it must mean something big is going to go down. Is it because of the orders?¡¯ The travel across the sea was uneventful, no mermen or sea creatures to fill their tales, and no vicious storms, or portals to other realms. ¡°The sea¡¯s so big,¡± Fred said, keeping to the centre of the ship, not wanting to get too close to the edge. He had been told not to wear his armour while on deck, same as the others, but without his chain, he felt naked, powerless. Bark Port was a large town, one which they managed to arrive at when night fell across the sky, but Adam spent little time admiring it. The captain docked his ship, allowing the group to sleep within one of the inns, and Adam found himself a nice bath. Omen: 10, 11 When morning came, the ship was gone, replacing its passengers with others, while Adam stared at a similar ship, but with an entirely new crew, and an entirely new set of passengers. ¡°Say that to my face,¡± the drakken growled to an unscrupulous adventurer. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean no offence by it,¡± the adventurer replied, an older man, with thick white hair and a thick moustache across his lip. ¡°I just thought your scales would make for some nice armour.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we take this off the ship and we¡¯ll see whose hide makes better armour?¡± ¡°You savages, always so eager to resort to violence.¡± The adventurer smirked wide, his eyes staring down at the drakken woman with an expectant gaze. The captain watched as the pair made to fight, unable to stop either of them. The infamous pair, the older adventurer, and the drakken mercenary, were not people he could handle. ¡°I knew she¡¯d be trouble,¡± Adam said, standing beside the captain. ¡°Always is.¡± ¡°Keep your mouth shut, brat, I don¡¯t want to drown beside you.¡± ¡°As if she could drown me,¡± Adam said, before stepping forward, feeling the captain¡¯s hand at his shoulder. ¡°Relax, relax. My brother and I will defuse the situation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, cracking his neck, ready for a fight. ¡®Mother Tempest help me...¡¯ Adam... stopping a fight? [765] – Y03.065 – Trouble at Port II [765] ¨C Y03.065 ¨C Trouble at Port II The captain¡¯s pouch was heavy with gold, however, other issues were still present. He had hoped the mass influx of Iyrmen didn¡¯t request to come onto his ship, and while the largest group of Iyrmen had paid to come on board, they were in a mixed group of Aldishmen and Aswadians. His prayers had been answered, but other groups had offered coin to board his ship, quite a lot of coin, though they seemed to be more troublesome than the polite Iyrmen who had offered him so much coin to take them to East Port. He eyed up the warrior in purple and the Iyrman, wondering what the pair of Iyrmen were going to do to the two group who were ready to brawl. The glint of steel they wore meant they were capable, but were they capable enough for the likes of those two infamous warriors? ¡°This is why you drakken should stay in your lands up north,¡± the adventurer stated, his lips forming a wider smirk. The drakken, her scales a shimmering brass under the noonval sun, snarled. She was a drakken, obvious by the scales across her neck, and the small horns which peeked through her short hair. It was also obvious she was from the east, since most drakken from the north had white or silver scales. However, it wasn¡¯t as though the adventurer was going to show her such decorum, no, there was no doubt that it was on purpose. ¡°Enough talking!¡± she snarled, though her lips formed a slightly smirk. ¡°You Aldish always like to talk with your mouths, but we speak with our blades.¡± Her hand twitched towards her blade. ¡°And mighty blades they are,¡± Adam called, approaching the group which made their way from the east. ¡°Especially yours, but who doesn¡¯t know how mighty your blade is?¡± Adam reached over to pat the drakken woman¡¯s back. She turned swiftly, reaching for her blade and made to strike, but the glint of purple caused her to stop. ¡°Ha! What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Stopping a fight from breaking out, apparently,¡± Adam said, extending out his hand, shaking the woman¡¯s forearm. ¡°I see you¡¯re still eager to fight as always, Vasera.¡± The older man eyed up the pair of newcomers, though his eyes fell to Jurot¡¯s, and remained fixed within the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Iyrman.¡± ¡°Thorn,¡± Jurot replied. The older man narrowed his eyes. It wasn¡¯t exactly a surprise he was noticed, considering he was a steel rank adventurer who was bordering silver, but for the Iyrman to be so firm even in the face of him, there was something unnerving about it. ¡°I was going to teach this kotha a lesson,¡± Vasera said, her eyes returning back to the older man, whose gaze met hers once more. ¡°Come. Draw your blade. Once I spill your blood, we will be done of this.¡± Adam shook Rook¡¯s forearm. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been hard at work trying to keep everyone alive.¡± Rook smiled slightly in response, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°What can I do to keep her at bay? I was unable to keep her from drinking much this morning. Not even the promise of firewine from East Port could manage to keep her from the sailor¡¯s piss they sold.¡± ¡°Vasera,¡± Adam called, patting her shoulder gently. ¡°Let¡¯s not cause any trouble for the captain, who is being so kind to allow us to board his ship.¡± ¡°There is no such kindness when we have paid him his gold,¡± Vasera replied, cracking her neck from side to side. ¡°Look, let¡¯s, you know, be nice for the captain, who will surely appreciate us taking a step back.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, his voice low. ¡°It¡¯s hot. I put on my armour like an idiot. I really want to take it off, but here I am, trying to settle you both down so I can get on the ship peacefully while sweating bullets. I really don¡¯t like the heat, it makes me all itchy, and the stress of the past few days isn¡¯t helping at all.¡± Jurot could hear the reverberations in Adam¡¯s voice. There was a pent up annoyance within it, something Adam had pushed down the past few days. There was also something else, an apprehension, one which had plagued Adam while they had travelled through Floria. However, they were no longer in Floria, but in East Aldland. East Aldland, to Adam, was very different to West, North, or Central Aldland. ¡°I¡¯m so close to meeting with the Duchess, and if you¡¯re going to fuck it up, at least do it once we¡¯re finally in East Port! If you¡¯re going to fight now...¡± Adam inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. He glanced over his shoulder to his companions. He motioned his head to the Iyrmen in his group, who so eagerly stepped forward, even Laygak and Jaygak who were not wearing their armour. ¡°Sir Vonda, Dunes, if you notice things have gone too far, mind breaking up the fight?¡± Jonn remained standing there awkwardly. He was meant to be Adam¡¯s blade, but he was not told to step forward. He stood near Sir Vonda, as well as the demons, who remained silent, though Lucy¡¯s eyes seemed longing at the approaching fight. Nobby also remained silent, standing awkwardly. Brittany let out a sigh, glad she was not expected to join the fray. As the Iyrmen of Fate¡¯s Golden approached, a whistle blew from nearby, before a pair of guards approached, each wearing scale armour. Another group of distant guards marched towards them, a guard in full plate leading the group, the other four adorned in scale. As the guards approached, they noted the aura the Iyrmen were giving off. It was an aura of excitement, an aura of trouble. The groups remained still as the guards approached, the pair of guards upfront glancing between them awkwardly before their captain approached. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± the captain snapped, taking off his helmet to reveal a young face. He was in his early twenties, his eyes a deep blue like the ocean, his hair white as salt, revealing his ancestry to those who were set to guard the docks of Bark Port. ¡°Business,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What business is that, Iyrman?¡± the captain stated, glaring at the young Iyrman. Jurot remained silent for a long moment. There were two paths before him, paths which he could not take while in Floria. One path was that of business with the highest ranking noble of East Aldland. A thought entered Adam¡¯s mind. He had called forth the Iyrmen only because he was sure they¡¯d be eager to fight, and because they probably wouldn¡¯t kill people if he asked. Sir Vonda watching over the situation could have smoothed over some issues, but the other reason he had called for the Iyrmen was because of a rule he had internalised. Jurot thought of the other path. It was a path which had been granted to him through the Iyr¡¯s dealings with Aldland, that which had been granted by blood and steel. Any Iyrman who committed a crime within Aldland would be judged only by the Iyr. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Adam was fairly certain murder was also included within the statement. Call a priest. But not for me. Thank you for 150,000 views! [766] – Y03.066 – Trouble at Port III [766] ¨C Y03.066 ¨C Trouble at Port III ¡®What has you so confident, Iyrman?¡¯ William thought, his eyes glued to the Iyrman who was giving off such a terrible aura. The captain¡¯s fingers twitched slightly, almost reaching for his blade. He vaguely recalled the rules when dealing with an Iyrman and the caution which was often advised. Jurot remained silent for a long moment, and seeing as the Captain was allowing him the long moment, it meant there was still a possibility to avoid bloodshed. Often times, Iyrmen did not look for bloodshed, but they did welcome it. It was awkward, however, for both paths were valid, and often advised. When an Iyrman wanted to fight, they fought. When an Iyrman didn¡¯t want to fight, which was either often or little, they did not unless forced. Jurot reached into his shirt, causing the Captain to tense at his action, but as the moment passed he revealed the plaque. It was a silver plaque, that kind of silver plaque, which held much sway in Aldland, and even more sway within East Aldland. William stepped forward, the young man wearing full plate head to toe, but it was his ocean blue cape which commanded more authority, for it was embroidered in a particular manner which denoted his position, a position which could be held by a particular family within Bark Port. He grasped the silver, feeling the ridges of the plaque, so perfectly cut, and the gentle tingle of magic. ¡°How did you come to possess a silver plaque?¡± William asked, his voice clear and full of authority. ¡°The Duchess granted us the plaque,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She wished to do business with us.¡± ¡°What business is that?¡± ¡°The United Kindom.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We trade magical items.¡± ¡°I see.¡± William was fairly certain a business like this would be quite valuable for the Duchess, but enough for a silver plaque? ¡°We work alongside the Enchanter, who currently resides within the Iyr,¡± Adam explained. ¡°The business will eventually offer bespoke enchanted items to be sold.¡± Adam tried to leave everything else unspoken, but the words he spoke should have been enough. William understood just why the business would earn the Duchess¡¯ favour, or rather, the Duchess would try to earn the business¡¯ favour. This business had earned a lifetime of support from one of the greatest forces in the entire land, and so no longer had any wants or desires which couldn¡¯t be fulfilled. ¡°So what is this trouble being caused within the docks?¡± William asked, holding onto the plaque still, his eyes falling across the various troublemakers. With so many Iyrmen, things had become rather awkward, when it was meant to be just the Golden Savages and the Hard Thorns. ¡°We saw there seemed to be a disagreement so we-,¡± Adam began, feeling Jaygak slap his back. ¡°There seemed to be a disagreement between our friends of the Golden Savages and the Hard Thorns,¡± Jaygak said, flashing a smile towards the young nobleman. ¡°We were trying to resolve the matter peacefully.¡± Vasera let out a huff, clenching her jaw. Though the drink still fuelled her lust for battle, she knew better than to start a fight now that the guards were about. It was one thing to be a savage, and another to be stupid. ¡°A disturbance at the docks is not a light matter,¡± William stated, glaring at the party. ¡°Were blades drawn?¡± Jaygak glanced towards Vasera, whose hand was firmly placed against her magical blade, while the Thorns remained standing tall and tense, though they had yet to reach for their blades. ¡°It appears not.¡± William fell silent for a long moment, feeling the gazes of so many dock workers, as well as all the different sailors, adventurers, and other ne¡¯er do wells. He continued to hold the plaque firmly. ¡°The fee for causing a disturbance at the docks is one gold per head.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied. Vasera glanced to the rest of his party, each scattered around. She noticed how the Iyrmen were paired up, and how they were scattered around, keeping an eye on the two groups who had caused such a bother. ¡°How scary are they?¡± ¡°They probably won¡¯t mind the rumours of their decline are running rampant around the lands,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, it might even be beneficial.¡± ¡°...¡± Vasera stared out across the sea. ¡°Aye. That is scary.¡± As the day began to pass, Adam spent time speaking with the rest of the Golden Savages too, listening to their tales. They had made the mistake of asking Adam about his own tale from the previous year, allowing him to gush about his children, and the other children. Meanwhile, those children were busy being children. They spent much of their time playing, but also learning from their elders. Gurot cuddled up to his grandfather¡¯s chest, feeling how warm it was to his cheek. He looked up towards the old man, blinking at him, before he was distracted by freshly cut vegetable his grandmother brought to him. ¡°Why are you bothering my Gurot when he is resting against his baba?¡± Jarot grumbled to his wife. ¡°Gurot must eat,¡± she replied, simply. ¡°...¡± Jarot relented almost instantly, since it was about Gurot and food. ¡°Just because they are doing so well, it does not mean you can hide within their shadows. You must make sure to run forward quickly, my boy.¡± ¡°If he does not wish to run so quickly, then he may remain with us,¡± Mulrot said. Jarot opened his mouth to complain, but quickly shut it. He pulled the boy further against his chest. ¡°Yes. You may stay with us, Gurot.¡± Gurot smiled up towards his baba. ¡°Okay.¡± He was then distracted by another vegetable from his grandmother¡¯s hand. Jarot stared down at his grandson. He had begun to spend more time with the boy, who cried so hard and so often for his father. Even though Jirot and Jarot complained that their babo was not playing with them, they eventually stopped crying as others played with them. ¡®If only this grandfather of yours had both his arms and legs...¡¯ Jarot pulled the boy closer to his chest, gently rocking from side to side. ¡°Baba?¡± Gurot called, gasping in shock. ¡°Yes?¡± Gurot remained staring at his grandfather in shock, before he sucked on his thumb and rested his head against the old man¡¯s chest. He reached out with his other hand to feel the hardness of his grandfather¡¯s muscles. ¡®My boy...¡¯ ¡°Baba is stwong.¡± Gurot smiled up at his grandfather, before returning back to cuddling him. ¡°Stop making such a face,¡± Mulrot said, sighing at her husband. Jarot had felt the head of rage flush through his entire body before he let it go, chuckling wildly. ¡°How can I stay still when my grandson is so cute?¡± Mulrot shook her head, before leaning back in her chair. ¡®What a fool my husband has become.¡¯ A small smile fell across her lips. Our chonky boy is cute too. [767] – Y03.067 – East Port I [767] ¨C Y03.067 ¨C East Port I The cliffs of High Cliff were the most perilous Adam had ever seen, and yet, they also held various villages. The villages swept upwards towards the large castle, which loomed over its denizens. The dock began towards the sea, but eventually seeped into the cliffs, before meeting the rest of the town. ¡°How do they get things from the docks to the rest of the town?¡± Adam asked, his eyes taking in the town as light of the evening fell across it. ¡°With difficulty,¡± Jurot replied, and after a moment to allow Adam to stew on the thought, he continued. ¡°Much of the town is not within the cliffs. The tunnels lead to the town of High Cliff. Those who live within the cliffs are those who cannot afford to live within the town, sailors, and those who prefer to remain within the dark.¡± ¡®Must be a lot of criminals in those tunnels,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Wonder why they let them so close towards the docks when it¡¯s so important for trade...¡¯ His eyes noted the large number of guards, each adorned in a cuirass made of light scale, carrying short blades at their side, and spears in hand. They were the only figures who carried weapons, or it appeared to be that way to Adam¡¯s half fae eyes. The journey to High Cliff had been thoroughly uneventful. The group stopped near the small ports of the various military outposts along the coast, and somehow there was little trouble. ¡®I don¡¯t like this,¡¯ Adam thought, the group sailing on the seas once more, apparently only a few days away from East Port. He looked up towards the clear sky. ¡®I don¡¯t like this one bit.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re over thinking again,¡± Jaygak said, leaning over the rail. She didn¡¯t wear her armour either, not stupid enough to joke about that sort of thing, though Great Moon rubbed against her thigh gently. ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t come across much trouble this year,¡± Adam said. Jaygak blinked, glancing over towards him, raising her brow. ¡°We haven¡¯t?¡± ¡°I expect trouble to be bigger after meeting...¡± Adam threw a look over his shoulders, before raising his brows knowingly towards Jaygak. ¡°There is much trouble we will come across and not all of it will be divine in nature.¡± ¡°No, Jaygak, we always need to get into bigger trouble, that¡¯s just how it works.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it is.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°So this year it¡¯s probably going to be her mother, or someone else, or something else, or maybe...¡± Adam¡¯s voice, which first began light and forcefully playful, shifted. ¡°Maybe?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®As long as it doesn¡¯t come, everything should be good.¡¯ The sea was kind to the ship as they continued their journey, before finally the city known as East Port greeted them. The ships numbered in the thousands, many still sailing around the docks even as evening fell across the land. Adam could spot the colours of the city even during the evening sun, the homes each painted or covered in bright coloured fabric. The entire city was about as large as South Port, big enough to easily get lost within the maze of side roads. Even as the day died down, Adam could spot all the figures still making their way through the city. Once the docking procedures were dealt with by the captain, the group made their way onto the docks. The steeds were summoned once more to pull along the cart, while many eyes fell upon the pack of wolves which stepped onto the docks with the group. Thankfully, the dockguard had already come to escort the group, making sure none of the wolves would cause issues. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be sure to let you guys stretch your legs tomorrow,¡± Adam said, embracing Jay¡¯a and Kit¡¯a, who were almost twitching to bolt around the area. The awakened wolves were less twitchy, partly because they were terrified of what would happen if they would act up. Adam wasn¡¯t familiar with the docks of East Port, but even here, so many of the workers wore bits and pieces of vibrant colour, from sashes around their waist to bandannas tied around their heads, even tiny strips of cloth wrapped around their belt buckle. ¡°Offers for the business,¡± Jaygak replied, smiling politely to the half elf. ¡°...¡± ¡®Oh yeah.¡¯ Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡®I forgot we said we were going to take orders for a while from East Port. It¡¯s been almost a year so the nobles are probably really pissed off.¡¯ ¡°We need to send back a reply to as many as we can, even if they have been refused,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°If we shirk them so openly, we¡¯ll get into trouble. Unless, you want to invite that trouble?¡± ¡°Not quite the trouble I¡¯m looking for, no.¡± Adam sighed, smiling slightly. ¡®We were running out of coin, so I guess if we accept some business, we can take half the money upfront and once we get back, I¡¯ll enchant stuff passively?¡¯ As Adam began to check the orders in the night, he smiled. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ He let out a soft sigh of relief. The orders placed by the different nobles were similar to that of an auction. Who could offer the most amount of money for the least amount of items. ¡®This¡¯ll make it a little easier.¡¯ However, since he was in East Port, he decided to do that. Sonarot rubbed the top of Konarot¡¯s head, the girl no longer pouting angrily at her baba, who had utterly crushed her in dragon chess. Konarot gave in to her nana, who kept rubbing her head, and even rubbed along the base of her horns with her thumb. Sonarot froze, waiting for a few moment, before responding. ¡°Yes, they are. I will tell them. They miss you too.¡± She noted the sets of eyes falling upon her. ¡°They have made it safely to East Port.¡± ¡°Has he sent any news?¡± Shikan asked, holding his sleepy daughter within his arms. ¡°No,¡± Sonarot replied. She lifted Konarot up, brushing the girl¡¯s hair tenderly. ¡°Your father sends his love.¡± ¡°Message?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Yes. Your father spoke to me with his magic.¡± ¡°Daddy is coming back?¡± ¡°Perhaps he will return soon, perhaps he will not,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°He will bring many gifts. He promises.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Konarot rested her head against her grandmother¡¯s shoulder, sucking her thumb gently. ¡°Daddy is coming?¡± Jirot asked, rushing over to her grandmother, her eyes bright and eager. ¡°Not yet.¡± Jirot huffed. ¡°Silly daddy. I do not like...¡± She turned around and crossed her arms. Her younger brother did the same. ¡°Stop it,¡± Konarot said, pointing at the girl. ¡°Daddy is love.¡± Jirot turned back to face her elder sister. She made to respond, but noted the way her grandmother was looking at her. ¡°Silly daddy.¡± She rushed off quickly. Konarot remained pointing at her sister, before gasping towards her grandmother to see what she would do. ¡°She does not mean it,¡± Sonarot assured, brushing the girl¡¯s hair gently once more. She noted how cold Konarot would flash whenever she was upset, but it was only for a moment. ¡®...¡¯ Silly daddy indeed. Surely he''ll stay out of trouble... [768] – Y03.068 – East Port II [768] ¨C Y03.068 ¨C East Port II Omen: 3, 15 Adam yawned as he ate a late breakfast, or as some might call it, lunch. He had worked until the early hours of the morning, replying to every offer he had received, before handing the letters for the guild. It had cost him a pretty penny, due to the fact this wasn¡¯t technically guild business, but with the money he should be making from the business, it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Adam asked, sipping his milk as he eyed up Brittany, Jonn, Fred, and Nobby. ¡°Relaxing,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°Fair. Don¡¯t waste all your time here, though. You should go out to the market and spend the coin while you can. You¡¯ll probably be able to find nice stuff in East Port.¡± Adam noted the way Brittany was looking at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got no money.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Do I?¡± ¡°Your bank should be full of coin from how much we¡¯ve paid you.¡± ¡°Are you paying it into the guild?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Brittany replied. She flushed slightly with embarrassment, having thought she wouldn¡¯t been able to enjoy the city. ¡°That being said, I guess I can give you some coin to spend while you¡¯re still here anyhow. Consider it a bonus for working so hard, and make sure you spend it all, alright?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes were glued to the large boy known as Nobby. ¡°Okay, mister boss.¡± ¡®I¡¯m glad I left the party fund in the guild, otherwise we¡¯d be in big trouble,¡¯ Adam thought. They were nearing two thousand gold in expenses, and it had been only half the year. They did complete a task which paid the group three thousand, but that only meant three hundred went into the party fund. ¡®It¡¯s not like we had plans to make much coin this year outside of enchanting.¡¯ Upon Kitool¡¯s return a short while after lunch, Adam recalled the important business which needed to be done. ¡®Oh yeah.¡¯ As the pair approached the outer area of the Duchess¡¯ estate, barely able to see beyond the large walls, they were greeted by several armed guards. Adam gathered they weren¡¯t as easy to deal with as the typical guard, no doubt birthed into life solely to become guards of the Duchess¡¯ estate. They wore breastplates, engraved with all manner of simple designs, long blue cloaks which were not quite as vibrant as those of the Duchess¡¯ personal guard, and carried spears in hand, which were firmly stamped into the ground. ¡°Turn back,¡± a guard warned. ¡°This is Duchess Dalia Eastsea¡¯s estate!¡± ¡°Yeah, we know,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We¡¯re here to speak of business with the Duchess.¡± ¡°State your business.¡± ¡°We¡¯re Executives from United Kindom,¡± Adam explained, before motioning to Kitool, who revealed the silver plaque. Upon seeing the silver plaque, one of the guards stepped forward, taking it with their free hand. They eyed it up for a long moment while the other guard eyed up the pair. The guard checking the plaque then took in the sight of the pair. ¡°What are your names?¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I have seen it.¡± ¡°Alright, this conversation¡¯s making me depressed. Let¡¯s talk about what we should buy for Katool, Jitool, and Minool.¡± ¡°They will enjoy all we buy.¡± ¡°What¡¯s something nice from East Port we can buy? Colourful scarves? Maybe some sashes?¡± Kitool blinked, her eyes falling to Adam, who, for once, said something sensible. ¡°You do not wish to buy them weapons?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already bought them so many weapons, and they¡¯ve also gotten a token to enchant them.¡± Kitool bowed her head, understanding this was merely the calm after a storm, or perhaps it was the calm before the storm? ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve turned Katool against me.¡± ¡°I have not turned her against you.¡± ¡°When did Katool bully me as eagerly as this?¡± ¡°Always.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam thought about his relationship with Kitool. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kitool thought of her younger siblings, from the tiny Katool to the even more minuscule Minool. She originally planned to squander her abilities, but after meeting Adam, and seeing the changed within Jaygak, she had decided to finally take a step forward. Like her grandaunt, she would give herself to the Iyr. Her grandaunt, Shaool, had paved the way for her and she had almost stopped before taking a step onto the path, but now she would clear the way for her younger siblings. Jaygak was doing the same for Laygak, though he had chosen to do the same for Taygak. The path had been paved by the previous generations, and the path was cleared by them. The shade was a metaphor for stunted growth typically, but in the Iyr it was something which allowed the older generation to grow their young carefully. Once the stable foundation was formed, the youth would be able to step outside, only knowing unbridled growth under the sun. The sun for most Iyrmen were the various beasts and warriors within Aldland. They would wet their blades with blood, and return enriched by the nutrient only the crimson liquid could provide. However, Katool and the others, their sun was very different. Their sun was made of pure chaos, a sun which beat down heavily, and overbearingly, and yet not in a way to destroy them, but in a way to rapidly force them towards the sky. That sun was Adam. ¡®No,¡¯ Kitool thought, realising how quickly the metaphor broke apart. Adam may be able to provide the children a rapid growth, something which no doubt kept the Great Elders, and her aunts and uncles, awake, there was something else which was important to factor into the equation. ¡°No, maybe we should get them some more magical items?¡± Adam asked, thinking about how many months he hadn¡¯t seen them. ¡°They¡¯ve probably forgotten us so we need to bring back a lot, don¡¯t we?¡± Adam was definitely far too overbearing, and his rays of light would definitely burn the children. If Adam was the sun, then Kitool, Jurot, and even Jaygak, would provide the shade to make sure Adam didn¡¯t burn the children. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long...¡± Adam thought about his abilities to passively enchant. They would also need to make sure Adam didn¡¯t get himself killed. Alternate title: Nothing Happens And Adam Still Stresses Out Kitool [769] – Y03.069 – East Port III [769] ¨C Y03.069 ¨C East Port III The market of East Port was not like any other market. Yes, there was Market Road, something not unique to East Port, but the market was larger, more expansive, and full of colour. While other markets focused on a variety of ways to focus on themselves, very few did so with the aesthetic eye of East Port, the City of a Thousand Colours. Adam, wore a scarf around his head, though it was not needed. The scarf was yellow, though the the East Portians would have certainly called it something else. He had left his puthral armour behind, though carried his axe at his side, causing some eyes to fall across him. If it wasn¡¯t for Sir Vonda, he would have surely gotten into trouble already. Vonda brushed her fingers along the fabric, feeling how smooth it was to the touch. Adam, who had brought so many pieces of cloth previously. However, he realised he would need so much more cloth, and he also needed assistance to recall the exact colours which he had brought previously. ¡°This feeling is right,¡± Vonda said, nodding her head finally. ¡°How much for each cloth?¡± ¡°Each roll, nine gold,¡± the devilkin merchant replied. He wore loose fabric over his body, an orange which no doubt brought the fruit such envy. He wore a turban atop his head, and his eyes were lined with black, emphasising the deep red of his pupils, while his thick beard had been dyed so it appeared orange, though the black could be seen from the streaks following his moustache. ¡°How many rolls would you like to buy?¡± Vonda asked. Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°Vonda, do you recall how the colours were going to be distributed?¡± Vonda closed her eyes, trying to recall the conversations she had with Jaygak about the colours after she had tricked him. ¡°Red for the guards, the greyish blue for the workers, the brighter blue for higher ranking individuals, red for the trim, and black...¡± ¡°Right, black was for the elite squad, probably,¡± Adam replied, vaguely recalling his thoughts from back then. ¡°Then let¡¯s go with... five each? No, let¡¯s make it five each for the red and blue, but let¡¯s get ten for the blueish grey.¡± ¡°Greyish blue,¡± Vonda corrected. ¡°If you¡¯re going to correct me, at least tell me the name of the colour,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll order the twenty rolls total.¡± Adam glanced around and noted the urchins around. ¡°I need five walkers.¡± The walkers swarmed around him, though Adam picked five of them at random, before passing along copper coins to those he didn¡¯t pick. The walkers who he had picked each readied their wooden packs, accepting four rolls in each pack, before they made their way through the market to check out more wares. Adam ordered food from some of the nearby stalls, spending the coppers for the walkers too, allowing them a break. ¡°Ooh! Aah!¡± Adam gasped, having not realised the food he had ordered was so full of fiery spice. Vonda smiled, nibbling on her stick of meat, with flecks of red and green within them, denoting how hot they were going to be. Thankfully Adam didn¡¯t order the meat with the purple flecks, which even cause devilkin trouble. The devilkin merchants had brought so much with them to East Port, not just the wares they brought from foreign lands across the seas. Adam noted the different cuisines on offer within the market stalls, from simple potatoes and local fish, to exotic meats and fruits. He continued to silently eat away at his food, doing his best to push through the spice. Had it been spicier, surely he would have had to roll to see if he could handle it. ¡°Since we¡¯re getting some cloth...¡± The devilkin merchant had skin of the deepest red, and wore a turban which was the most yellow of yellows. He wore a scale cuirass which covered his body, and carried the hilt of a scimitar at his side, the blade lost to the winds. ¡°Yellow Turban,¡± Adam called, and the devilkin pretended to notice him at that moment, his eyes going wide, his pearly white teeth flashing into the most charming smile. ¡°Noor blesses me for it is mister Adam, with handsome face, who grace my stall!¡± Yellow Turban held out his hands to emphasise his point. ¡°The most dear Sir Vonda, always good to see you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you as well, Yellow Turban,¡± Vonda replied, bowing her head. ¡°Son of cat! Wake up, you foolish boy, always sleeping!¡± A boy, no older than eight, sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked up at his father with the most indignant look Adam had ever seen, before he spat out a response in their tongue. ¡°This Yellow Turban cannot complain,¡± the merchant replied, flashing a wide smile. ¡°Alright...¡± Adam decided against prying further since it was Yellow Turban business. ¡°Your brother is to fight in tournament?¡± ¡°Not this year.¡± ¡°Your brother, any children?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Adam replied with a small smile. ¡°I believe he¡¯s working on that.¡± ¡°I pray for him.¡± ¡°I will too.¡± Kalid returned holding two rolls, one of a beautiful shimmering gold, and another of a yellow which was yellow, but not quite the yellow Adam expected. It was a moderate yellow, not as vibrant as the yellows around, or as pale as some of the yellows Yellow Turban kept mostly out of sight. ¡°It¡¯s a nice yellow,¡± Adam said. ¡°Son of cat! I said yellow solar, not solar yellow!¡± Yellow Turban whipped a cloth just above his son¡¯s head, though the boy dodged needlessly, taking the cloth with him. He returned but seconds later with the right roll as though it had been stashed aside, the cloth slightly more vibrant than the previous. ¡®There are too many colours in this world,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Take the rolls as gifts,¡± Yellow Turban said, offering the roll of Salifi gold from his arms to Vonda. ¡°How can we accept when we came empty handed?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I would have brought some magical items, but the business is so busy.¡± ¡°No need to say,¡± Yellow Turban said. ¡°When your business is open, there is no need to be strangers, yes?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. ¡°After all, we¡¯re no strangers, especially after how much gold you made from us.¡± Yellow Turban smirked wide. ¡°Let us see if this meeting brings such gold, yes?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s hope. Well, thank you for the gift. Any chance I could ask for Kalid¡¯s company?¡± Yellow Turban let out a long, exaggerated sigh. ¡°He cannot, this son of cat, for he is to be learning this day.¡± ¡°You see, mister Adam? I am only slave for my father.¡± Yellow Turban almost slapped the boy¡¯s head, grabbing it seemingly roughly, though the pair moved with practised violence, doing little to actually hurt the boy. Yellow Turban held Kalid¡¯s head seemingly tightly. ¡°It is your business to be slave for your father, son of cat!¡± ¡°Ah, what a shame,¡± Adam replied, glancing around at the devilkin nearby, including a guard dressed all in yellow, covering all but their eyes, staring directly at the stall from nearby. ¡°Thank you for the kind gifts, Yellow Turban.¡± ¡°Many gratulations to you and your son, mister Adam,¡± Yellow Turban replied with a knowing look, a small smirk across his face, one that said they were more than able to take care of their business. My favourite NPC has returned! [770] – Y03.070 – East Port IV [770] ¨C Y03.070 ¨C East Port IV ¡®I wonder what¡¯s up with Yellow Turban...¡¯ Adam returned back to the guild, slipping coins to the walkers. Once the rolls of fabric were placed away, Adam retreated to the corner of the guild, relaxing as he sipped away at his light ale. ¡®I guess the war¡¯s been rough for them too?¡¯ ¡°Drinking already?¡± Dunes asked, dropping opposite the half elf, leaning back as he drank. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re drinking milk in that cup.¡± ¡°This is fruit wine,¡± Dunes replied, sipping the fruit wine. ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Adam smirked, sipping his light ale slowly. ¡°So... we¡¯ve been here a couple of days now...¡± Adam raised his brows expectantly. Dunes smiled, slowly sipping his fruit wine. He lifted up the pitcher to refill his wine, but before bringing it to his lips, he smiled wider. ¡°I have completed my business.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it,¡± Adam said, raising his mug towards the Aswadian, the pair drinking together. ¡®I should get some fruit wine myself.¡¯ ¡°Korin wished to buy a set of knives,¡± Dunes said. ¡°They are crafted by master smiths within Damikus." ¡°Master smiths?¡± ¡°Smiths who are the best of the best, and those who have earned the right to work the metal known as Damikus steel. Many generations ago, there was only one such master smith, but as Damikus has grown, the number of master smiths number over one hundred.¡±Vissit for updates ¡°They must be an expensive set of knives.¡± ¡°One hundred gold.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°How many knives are there?¡± ¡°Three.¡± Adam almost choked on his drink, originally expecting each knife to be around ten gold, but they were closer to thirty gold each? He had no idea how the smiths could charge such an outrageous price for the knives. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money for a set of three knives.¡± ¡°They are good knives. It would be an investment into the quality of tools for the chef.¡± ¡°I guess it makes sense for the business to pay for it,¡± Adam said. ¡®It¡¯s a lot of money, but we¡¯re spending more than that just by relaxing in East Port for a few days.¡¯ ¡°Assisting with the cost would be good enough,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I have offered some gold, but Korin will not accept much.¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s been taking the role of the chef, I should probably get him something nice as a gift. A hundred gold for a set of knives is quite a lot, but since it¡¯ll go to allowing us to eat good food while on the road, it¡¯s a pretty cheap price to pay.¡± Adam pulled out his book, adding in a note. He was already several pages within the book with all the notes he had made over the year. ¡®Speaking of knives, I need to go buy some gifts for the others,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Everything which has happened... I believe there to be a reason. My faith has led me here, Lady Arya has led me here. She had guided me to this land, guided me to find you, and guided me to Adam. He is someone, something, which causes and shifts even the Divine. Who else should remain with him to watch over him?¡± ¡°Is that all you have?¡± Amira snapped. ¡°You will abandon the family which took you in, Morn Dunes, and raised you? You learnt how to read and write, to speak not just the tongue of our great land, but also the neighbouring empire of the Aldish. Weapons, armour, magic, the faith of our Lady. For years, Dunes, years.¡± ¡°Would you allow him to remain within only the hands of the Iyrmen?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°With all he can do? The Iyr and the Aldish watch over him, if we do not, we will find ourselves caught with our sheaths unpolished!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try it with me, Morn!¡± Dunes inhaled deeply, pulling back slightly before he crossed his arms. ¡°There are things I have yet to tell you about Adam. You would understand why I¡¯d want to remain with him, but if it is not because it a good idea to keep an eye on Adam, who is a force of chaos, it is because Adam is my friend, and I am his.¡± ¡°Are you so close that you would abandon Black Mountain?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dunes replied, letting out another sigh. ¡°I will speak with the Priest Commander. Once I speak with him, and explain to him why I wish to join the business, he will understand. Even if it is a trade of my body for the access to such a great enchanter, it is a trade which is best for us.¡± ¡°You are not a good to trade, like that of a steel blade.¡± ¡°No, but it is the best way to repay Black Mountain. With one priest, Black Mountain will know only an age of gold and magic for generations to come. I can advise Adam, and when I speak of Black Mountain, such advice will prove valuable.¡± ¡°You are a damn fool, Dunes.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± Amira grit her teeth together, glaring at Dunes. ¡°How can you abandon us like this? Do you believe you will find greater glory with him?¡± ¡°I will, but that is not why I would join him,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°It was Adam who found my father.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Adam helped reunite us together, but he helped reunite my father and I.¡± ¡°You...¡± Amira hadn¡¯t heard about that in the almost year she had reunited with Dunes. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Dunes.¡± Dunes inhaled deeply once more, wondering how she was going to take it once she knew who his father was. ¡°I have a debt to repay, and I intend to repay it.¡± ¡°Is this about your father?¡± Amira asked. She couldn¡¯t help but feel it was because of the children instead. Dunes, wanting to change the topic, decided to reveal who his father was. 100 gold for three knives? This Damikus steel better be worth it! [771] – Y03.071 – East Port V [771] ¨C Y03.071 ¨C East Port V Chimir reached up towards her father¡¯s face, almost digging for gold within his nostrils, though the older man snatched her tiny hand and leaned down to rub his cheek against her forehead. She was hot to the touch, as children tended to be at this age. Chimir giggled. ¡°Dada! Be¡¯id tickying,¡± the girl protested as she tried to squirm away from it, giggling wildly. ¡°You used to tug it when you were small but now you ignore it,¡± Ashmir replied, brushing her hair back, rubbing her forehead with his thumb. ¡°Be¡¯id ih white,¡± the girl said, pointing to the thick beard of her father, which was black and sprinkled with heavy white all through it, though his hair was darker. ¡°I had no stresses but now I have five daughters and one son, how can I not worry?¡± Ashmir replied, placing his hand over his daughter¡¯s face, as though swallowing her head with his large calloused hands, causing the girl to squirm again. He could feel her giggles against his palm before he pulled away his hand to reveal his white smile, causing the girl to shriek with joy. ¡®Mmm...¡¯ the old man thought. ¡®Five daughters... and two sons?¡¯ ¡°Ashmir,¡± Mamir called, the older woman the Family Elder of the Mir family. ¡°Visitors have come.¡± ¡°Chimir,¡± Ashmir said, setting her down, before leading her out, letting her half stumble after him. Ashmir didn¡¯t need to check the Iyrman¡¯s forehead to see which family he was from, for he was a familiar enough sight to the Aswadian. ¡°Ashmir,¡± the Iyrman called, grinning wide, reaching out his hand. He was strongly built, as Iyrmen were, but unarmoured. At his side was an axe. He carried a bandoleer of clay bottles. Ashmir bowed his head and shook the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. The relationship between them was complex, for this Iyrman was the reason why Ashmir was no longer a slave gladiator, and Ashmir was the reason why this Iyrman was no longer a Great Elder. ¡°Bovin.¡± ¡°I have brought drinks,¡± Bovin said, grinning wider. ¡°Chimir, go find your mother,¡± Ashmir said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair once more, before she darted off to go find her mother. ¡°Are the drinks as sour or hot?¡± ¡°Hot,¡± Bovin assured. The pair settled down for the evening for a chat, while chaos brewed with the Aswadians in Adam¡¯s party. Omen: 2, 3 ¡®Oh no,¡¯ Adam thought, staring up at the ceiling. ¡®What is going to happen today?¡± The half elf decided to spend a long while within the guild baths that morning, before making his way down, finding his party already midway through breakfast. ¡°Bad luck?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah.¡±¡¯s breakfast was made up of lightly salted and peppered potatoes and eggs, as it almost always was, as well as a pitcher of hot milk. He decided to eat a bowl of porridge with a teaspoon of a sweet syrup, just in case. ¡°Dunes, mind coming with me to the market?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not mind.¡± ¡°I will come too,¡± Amira said. ¡°I have some business at the market.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, hiding his smirk as he glanced towards Dunes. The trio made their way a short while after breakfast, finding the market was still fairly busy, even during working hours. Adam kept his axe by his side and the pair of Aswadians kept their blades at their sides, though they all left their armour behind. Wearing armour within town caused more trouble than it was worth, and they were all confident in their health, the trio all at least Experts. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right that we¡¯ve spent coin on Amira and Korin when we haven¡¯t spent coin on Sara...¡± ¡®What can I even get for her?¡¯ Dunes also thought about what the noblewoman might want. ¡°Perhaps...¡± Dunes thought about Adam¡¯s meeting with the Duchess tomorrow. ¡®Is that a good idea?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not like I can buy her jewellery,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Even if I wanted to enchant it. Should I have Korin buy her something and then say the Enchanter will enchant it?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s thinking about something stupid,¡¯ Dunes thought, seeing Adam¡¯s face. ¡°You know, a dagger is just a tiny sword,¡± Adam said, and even though he could see the offence within their faces, Adam committed to his words. ¡°A dagger would be nice in case she¡¯s in a terrible position where she needs a dagger.¡± ¡°An expensive gift.¡± ¡°Would she think so?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is a noble, so it should be alright?¡± Amira raised her brows towards Adam, causing him to smile innocently in return. Once the business had paid for the dagger, a dagger made by a great smith, the group continued to travel through the market, buying bits and pieces as souvenirs, before finally returning back to the guild. ¡°Does he always buy so many gifts for the children?¡± Amira asked. She was fairly certain Adam had spent far too much coin on such gifts already. ¡°He is holding back.¡± Amira narrowed her eyes towards Dunes, before her eyes fell back onto Adam. ¡®...¡¯ ¡®The ore should be good enough for a few weapons for the kids,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Raygak and Saygak¡¯s birthdays have already passed... should I have sent them birthday wishes?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda called. ¡°May I accompany you to meet with the Duchess?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, thinking nothing of it. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Vonda remained silent, deep in thought for the rest of the evening. Omen: 7, 16 The adventurers within the guild fell silent as a heavily armoured knight stepped into the guild. She wore full plate mail, each piece engraved with all manner of symbols. Her cape was thick, a deep blue which represented the Duchess¡¯ personal guard, with golden trim also designed with tiny patterns which shimmered in the light. She carried a blade at her side with was slightly longer than a typical blade, seemingly made silver, with blue gem accents for the pommel and hilt. Her heavy steps had silenced the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, but her sheer size and presence forced the silence to linger. The knight marched towards Adam, her shifting armour breaking the silence, before she stopped abruptly before the half elf, towering over him. ¡°The carriage is prepared for your departure.¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t it still morning?¡¯ Adam thought. However, for once, he decided against aggravating the noble before him. Adam isn''t picking a fight with a noble? Does he have a goal not to pick any fights with nobles in March? Wow, that''s really so mature of him. *Rereading the chapters I''m writing.* I appreciate that at least you tried, Adam. [772] – Y03.072 – East Port VI [772] ¨C Y03.072 ¨C East Port VI Jaygak sipped the fruit wine slowly, feeling the warmth of the alcohol flow through her. The sweetness of the fruit wine danced against her tongue, washing away the taste of the salted potato she had finished at the end of her meal. She placed down her cup, slowly turning it within her hand. ¡®Since Kitool is there, there should be no trouble...¡¯ Lucy silently ate her last bite of grilled meat. The demons always danced on the edge, almost falling into danger every few weeks. Yet, somehow, the shield that was Adam had protected them. It was awkward to find that Adam, a half elf who could have been local to the lands, caused more trouble than demons, who were responsible for some of the greatest devastation across the lands. Her eyes fell to Jurot, who was in charge of babysitting them that day. With the Iyrmen, the demons had very little to worry about, since a pair of, what looked to be devilkin, walking around with Iyrmen didn¡¯t seem out of the ordinary. Then her eyes fell to Mara, her closest companion, and the one who had watched over her for so long. A life like this, trapped by the actions of others in the past, was almost unbearable. Lucy was glad Mara was here beside her, otherwise there would have been no reason to live this life, a bird trapped in a steel cage. ¡®What do they talk about?¡¯ Fred thought. The young Florian couldn¡¯t help but wonder how various trades and deals were formed outside the ears of the commonfolk. ¡®It¡¯s a good idea to get on the Duchess¡¯ side...¡¯ Even though Fred thought about the beneficial relationship between Adam and the Duchess, there was the thought that the deal included someone who was far too chaotic to really understand. ¡®If he dies, will I still have a job?¡¯ Brittany thought, frowning slightly. Adam sat within the carriage, overlooking the ocean to one side, and the several forts across it, dotted like beads on the waves. A hundred ships docked along the port, and many more made their way about. There were easily hundreds of small ships working on catching fish, many far in the distance, barely able to be spotted by even Iyrmen eyes. The carriage began to move again once more, escorted by the mounted knights. Adam recalled how long they had to go before they were finally at the Duchess¡¯ place. ¡®Are they going to move the meeting place a little closer?¡¯ ¡°You will refer to the Duchess as Your Grace, and you will speak only when spoken to,¡± Sir Maria stated firmly as she guided them along the pathway towards one of the many gardens of the Duchess¡¯ estate. Adam let out a sigh, the sense of dejavu filling him. The land around was green, blankets of grass as far as the eyes could see. Dozens of buildings lay across the land, each of various different styles, each with their own section of greenery, each different to any other, from the flowers to the trees, there were no duplicates. Guards could be spotted every so often, but most of the figure who roamed the land were the help, servants adorned in a dark blue, almost navy, except darker, closer to black. Adam sipped the tea quietly, the fruitiness of the tea gentle, like a warm blanket on a nightval evening. ¡°I want to thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. We should have sent word previously, for we had planned with meet with you for some time, but we came across other matters which took our thoughts away.¡± ¡°What matters were those?¡± Duchess Dalia asked. ¡°Though I am seemingly the leader of Fate¡¯s Golden, and perhaps am the most active Executive in the United Kindom, I¡¯m not very good at keeping my mouth shut to keep us out of trouble. That¡¯s why Kitool and Sir Vonda are here, to make sure I don¡¯t offend the good Lady.¡± Adam smiled innocently, bowing his head lightly. The Duchess smiled. ¡°What brings you to my estate?¡± Adam spotted the cakes being brought over, but his eyes quickly snapped back to the Duchess. ¡°We wanted to thank you for your patronage, Duchess. I suppose patronage isn¡¯t quite the right word, but, what I mean to say it, your plaque has been very useful in legitimising our business, even though we have very little in the way of business within this land as of yet. We have come to say our thanks, and to personally receive any business orders which the Duchess may have for the Enchanter.¡± Duchess Dalia Eastsea blinked. She hadn¡¯t expected Adam to be so forward, or blunt, with his words. Though he was trying to play coy, he was giving up everything immediately. However, she couldn¡¯t quite help but feel this next stage, which had been set by the young half elf, was also a game to be played coyly. The young man hadn¡¯t offered the items or the prices for the item, so it meant he was doing that again. He had replied to the orders of the various nobles, many of whom had been rejected, but a handful had been confirmed. She knew of some of the orders, for he had accepted the order of a minor noble family, who had simply ordered a single Basic blade for slightly over the typical price of a Basic weapon. Should she make a large order, and pay an egregious amount for it, or, due to the building of the business, should she place a smaller order and pay a decent amount for it? She had already invested quite some coin into the group, having gifted two full sets of plate to the Gaks, as well as several thousand gold, and a silver plaque. It, alone, was more than enough favour. They hadn¡¯t even brought them any gifts for their meeting. ¡®Perhaps...¡¯ Wow. Adam is being... mostly polite! [773] – Y03.073 – East Port VII [773] ¨C Y03.073 ¨C East Port VII Konarot remained deep in thought as she stared at the board before her. This time, Jarot had decided to play dragon chess with her. The one armed Iyrman¡¯s play was slow against her, taking his time thinking about moving the pieces, and also moving the pieces themselves. Konarot held her chin, hiding her lip, the way her baba did. Her eyes scanned the battlefield on the board. Her greatfather played differently to Tonagek, the old man making less than optimal moves, allowing her to press forward, though he was still an adult who had played at least a hundred games, and so didn¡¯t make it too easy for the girl. ¡°Which piece would you like to move?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°The priest,¡± Konarot said, pointing to the priest and then to where she wants to put it. ¡°It is a good move to make, but will it be protected?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Knight can protect,¡± Konarot said. Jarot grinned wide. ¡°My greatdaughter is so smart! Hmm! Can babo threaten the priest?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl said, pointing to the knight on his board. ¡°So I will take your priest with my knight and you can take my knight?¡± Konarot nodded and reached for her piece, while Jarot reached for her hair to brush it behind her head. ¡°You will lose your priest and I will lose my knight, but which is more important?¡± Jarot asked, brushing the girl¡¯s cheek, feeling how cool her skin was compared to her younger siblings. Konarot placed down the piece and looked up towards her greatfather, furrowing her brows in thought. ¡°Which?¡± ¡°There are four knights and two priests. If I lose one knight, I have three knights. If you lose one priest, there is one priest left. I will have many knights, but you will only have one priest.¡± Jarot took the priest with his knight, before the girl used her knight to take his knight. ¡°It is a better trade for me.¡± The girl placed her finger over her mouth once more, falling back into thought. ¡°It is bad trade?¡± ¡°It is not a good trade, but my greatdaughter cannot make bad trades!¡± Jarot replied, ruffling her hair before brushing her forehead with his thumb tenderly. Konarot¡¯s lips formed a shy smile, squirming slightly against his touch, before giving in with her head, allowing him to rub her head. When they had first met, the girl had been so aggressive towards him, ready to fight him, but now she was so meek at his touch. ¡°You are spoiling her too much,¡± Mulrot called, holding a sleepy Jirot and Jarot within her arms. Upon seeing their grandfather, the waking children smiled, rubbing their eyes lightly. They waited to be dropped so they could go and hug their greatfather¡¯s side. ¡°This cannot be true, I am their greatfather!¡± His lips formed a wild grin before he pulled the sleepy twins against himself. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot called, with little Jarot calling for him a moment later. ¡°Did you miss your greatfather?¡± ¡°No!¡± the pair replied before cackling. ¡°Hmph!¡± Jarot replied before brushing their hair, allowing them to settle themselves on his lap. ¡°Where is my Larot?¡± ¡°Sleeping peacefully.¡± ¡°Who cannot sleep peacefully within the Iyr?¡± Jarot almost cackled, before noting Kirot and Karot had approached, awaiting his affection. He reached out to rub their heads and their hair too. ¡°Babo! You are playing chess?¡± Jirot asked, leaning over his arm, her eyes squinting towards the pieces. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am playing too.¡± ¡°Okay, you may play,¡± Jarot replied, watching the girl as she picked up the piece. ¡°This is priest?¡± the girl asked, picking up the piece. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked, his eyes falling over Vonda. She seemed to be taken by her thoughts constantly, something Adam wasn¡¯t used to. ¡°...¡± Vonda remained silent for a long moment, before inhaling deeply. ¡°Will you both assist me tomorrow morning?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, glancing over to Kitool, who bowed her head. ¡°What do you need to do?¡± ¡°I wish to meet my family.¡± ¡°The Eastlakes?¡± Vonda nodded, her eyes staring through the carriage, looking off to another time. Adam tried to recall what he knew of the Eastlake family, but realised hadn¡¯t heard much from the woman herself. ¡®It¡¯s not like I give her enough time to talk about her family when I¡¯m always droning on about mine...¡¯ Although Adam¡¯s joke ran through his mind, he could feel the heaviness within the air. When they finally returned to the guild, Adam slumped within the corner, letting out a soft sigh. He rubbed his stomach, remembering the taste of all the desserts and cheese he had consumed within the Duchess¡¯ estate. ¡®All those cakes, man. How is she not fat? Does she have her own gym or something?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve returned,¡± Dunes called, noting the young half elf in the corner as he returned from his own business. ¡°Did you enjoy yourself?¡± ¡°Next time I¡¯ll try and take you with me,¡± Adam said. ¡°She has someone from Aswadasad who makes desserts and they¡¯re so good.¡± ¡°Do they sprinkle coconuts across the cakes and call them Aswadian?¡± Dunes replied, taking his place opposite Adam. ¡°No, no, well, yes, but they have legitimate desserts too, apparently. There¡¯s this thick, dense, dessert with coconut flakes all across the cake. It¡¯s messy, got some kind of syrup, but damn, it¡¯s so good.¡± ¡°Kalum?¡± ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s delicious,¡± Adam said, trying not to drool. ¡°One day, when we travel through Aswadasad, I will take you to the Dakun Manzil, and there you will see what Aswadasad can truly offer.¡± ¡°Dakun Manzil? That¡¯s the...¡± ¡°The Great House.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°One day we¡¯ll pass through Aswadasad and we can head to the Dakun Manzil. I¡¯ve heard only good things about it.¡± ¡°It is a place which treachery dares not to step foot within,¡± Dunes said, almost smiling. ¡°When we go, I will pay for drinks.¡± ¡°Pay for drinks? Pay for the dessert!¡± Dunes chuckled. ¡°You can pay for the dessert, since you will eat so much.¡± ¡°They¡¯re that good?¡± Dunes bowed his head gently. ¡°You will see whether I speak any lies.¡± ¡°My expectations have been raised.¡± Dunes chuckled once more. His eyes fell across the rest of the party, before he leaned in. ¡°How did the business with the Duchess go?¡± ¡°Well enough,¡± Adam replied. ¡°She made quite the order.¡± Dunes raised his brows. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another time,¡± Adam said, glancing around the guild, where people were no doubt pretending not to listen. ¡®I hope we can head back soon.¡¯ His eyes then fell to Vonda, who had yet to tell them what she really needed help with. What''s this? Time for the side characters? [774] – Y03.074 – Vonda of East Lake I [774] ¨C Y03.074 ¨C Vonda of East Lake I Jaygak sipped the fruit wine slowly, feeling the warmth of the alcohol flow through her. The sweetness of the fruit wine danced against her tongue, washing away the taste of the roasted honeyed meat. She placed down her cup, slowly turning it within her hand, her eyes glued to the cup. ¡®Since Kitool is there, there should be no trouble...¡¯ His eyes fell to Lucy and Mara, who would be watched over by Jaygak that day. ¡®Since Jaygak is there, there should be no trouble.¡¯ Jurot¡¯s fingers twitched, wondering if there would be noble blood spilled that day. ¡®Since Kitool is there, there should be no trouble.¡¯ It was a different sentiment than the one Jaygak expressed, for Jaygak was not quite so bloodthirsty. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Laygak called. ¡°Will you spar with me this morning?¡± ¡°Jurot will spar with you,¡± Jaygak replied. Laygak¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot, who nodded, before the young man smiled. It was better for him to spar with Jurot since he had already sparred with his cousin so much already. Jurot could feel the expectant gazes of the other Iyrmen upon him. He supposed he could spar with them that day, though he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle them all. Jaygak smirked towards him, glancing towards Lucy and Mara, who could assist him, though probably didn¡¯t wish to bring attention to themselves. ¡®Should I offer to spar too?¡¯ Fred thought, his eyes swallowing the sight of the Iyrmen, before they ended up at Nirot. His eyes fell to Nirot. ¡®No, I¡¯m too weak.¡¯ Jurot looked towards the others, from Jonn, to Nobby, to Fred. He could ask them to assist, though technically Fred was considered weaker than the Iyrmen, and no doubt it would have been considered bullying. Nirot thought about teasing Jurot, but realised he was already doing them a kindness with sparring them. If they teased him, he may use Phantom against them, cutting their spars short. Though, being struck by Phantom, which had even cut Lord Shama, would have been quite the story. Jonn thought about how much Adam was going around without him, a Guardian who had sworn his oaths to the half elf... The air within the carriage was filled with an awkwardness, and not the awkwardness of Adam, but the awkwardness of seriousness. The half elf¡¯s eyes were glued to the woman, who wore her vestments. Adam wondered if he had seen her in her vestments before, but couldn¡¯t recall a time. They were almost pure white, with silver embroidery all across the trim. They seemed so soft to the touch, not that Adam would have dared to cop a feel from the good Sir Vonda. ¡®They¡¯re right about people in uniform,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Should I get a uniform? Would I be able to find someone if I wear some vestments of death? Would the women into the God of Death be utterly crazy?¡¯ Adam paused his thoughts only for a moment. Kitool¡¯s ears twitching upon hearing the near silent words from Adam. ¡®...¡¯ Vonda furrowed her brows, falling out of her thoughts upon Adam¡¯s whisper. ¡®A cloth mommy?¡¯ Vonda flushed slightly, wondering if he was talking about her. Adam sighed. ¡®I want to talk about my adorable kids so bad, but they¡¯ll just think I¡¯m cringe. At least if it was all guys, I could be cringe.¡¯ The carriage continued its journey through the roads of East Port, stopping every so often, before the group slowed down to a near crawl. Vonda barely glanced to the side, noting the familiar scenery, before letting out a soft exhale. She clasped her hands together and began to pray. Adam¡¯s eyes fell between Vonda and her parents. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°I have come with another intention, Baron,¡± the young priest said. ¡°I will inform the administration of my wish.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a perfect wish,¡± the Baron stated, flashing a white smile. ¡°Sir William of the Thunder Riders is a more than capable young man, and with his prestige, and future accomplishments, there is no doubt he is a grand fit for you.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®Sir William? Thunder Riders?¡¯ History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 13 (10) ¡®Why does that name sound so familiar?¡¯ Then his eyes snapped to Sir Vonda, having realised what the topic was about. ¡®I didn¡¯t hear about a marriage.¡¯ ¡°I have come with the intention to inform you I intend to give up the family name.¡± ¡°Vonda...¡± the Baron stared at her, as though he was struck by a slap. ¡°Vonda, what are you saying? To give up your family name...¡± ¡°I am a Priest of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I will give myself to Mother Soza.¡± ¡°Think about what you are saying, my dear,¡± the Baron said, carefully, his eyes full of displeasure. ¡°We have found you a suitable marriage partner in Sir William, you have been promised to him.¡± Adam tilted his head to the side, suddenly full of heat, but he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. ¡®Calm down.¡¯ ¡°He may marry another woman who better suits him.¡± ¡°Vonda, my dear,¡± the nobleman said, his eyes falling between the two beside her. He recognised one of them, and though the handsome man seemed familiar, he couldn¡¯t quite place him. ¡°You can¡¯t do this. You have to think of your duty, not just to Mother Soza, but to us, your parents who raised you.¡± ¡°It was the order which raised me into the woman I am,¡± she snapped back. ¡°Vonda, you are our only child, you must fulfil your duty. What would Bartholomew-,¡± ¡°You!¡± came a vicious voice, one which had caused even Adam to sit upright, his eyes snapping to the side. Adam had known Vonda for years, a young woman who had joined him during his first year within this land. In all that time, Adam had never seen her face so red hot, nor her eyes so eager to spill blood. o.o [775] – Y03.075 – Vonda of East Lake II [775] ¨C Y03.075 ¨C Vonda of East Lake II ¡°How dare you say his name!¡± Vonda snapped, her brow pulsing with rage, even causing her father to pause. ¡°You have no right!¡± Adam remained frozen, his arms crossed, his eyes glued to the young priest beside him. Though her lower mouth was covered by her scarf, Adam could see the unbridled fury within her eyes. ¡°Vonda, there are guests,¡± the Baron said, trying to calm the young woman, though he could still feel her rage press against him. His own annoyance began to block out the shock. ¡®How dare you raise your voice against me.¡¯ ¡°I knew it was a mistake to send you to the order. A once respectable order, but now-,¡± ¡°I went to the order to pay for your mistakes,¡± Vonda snapped, her eyes glued to his own. Anger flashed across the Baron¡¯s face, but it was quickly slapped away by shock. He clasped his hands behind his back, trying to brace himself once more, vaguely aware of the servants, and the two strangers, still with them. His heart began to beat quickly, though he tried to calm himself. ¡°I spoke without thought...¡± Baron Barthold said, swallowing down his anger and shock. ¡°I merely meant that you have spent too long away from our home, and have perhaps forgotten your etiquette.¡± ¡°I am a Sister of Life¡¯s Rose. The etiquette I know is the etiquette of worship for the Great Mother.¡± ¡°Is it not by the Great Mother¡¯s grace that you were born to us?¡± Barthold asked. ¡°It is by the Great Mother¡¯s grace that I joined the most prestigious order, which has raised me to the woman I am.¡± ¡°Vonda, please. You must understand. You are our...¡± Barthold realised he needed to be careful not to set her off. He had already, certainly accidentally, slipped and offended her with his words, but with the tension within the air he needed to be more careful. ¡°Vonda... you understand why you must marry.¡± ¡°I know why you wish for me to marry, but you know why I will not, and why I will give up this family¡¯s name.¡± ¡°This family¡¯s name which descends from those who ruled and still rule this city, and the region around it,¡± Barthold stated. ¡°This name is full of honour, of awe, of grandness that other Barons can only wish for.¡± ¡°It is this cursed name which I will abandon. I do not know this family¡¯s honour, awe, grandness, only it¡¯s shame. It is by the Mother¡¯s grace I do not share this shame elsewhere.¡± Barthold¡¯s forehead began to grow cold, and sweaty. He could still see the pair beside the girl. His eyes fell across them, and before he could address them, he heard the heavy footfalls of a heavily armoured knight. ¡°I heard the estate had received distinguished guests,¡± a fellow called, a handsome young man with golden locks, blue eyes. He wore full plate armour and carried a greatsword of fine steel against his back. It was well forged, with no frills, save the red hilt, which defined it as one of the Fifty Red Swords from the time of the Demonic Devastation. ¡®Oh?¡¯ Adam thought, vaguely recognising the figure. ¡°Apologies for being so late, My Lord,¡± the young knight said, bowing his head towards the Baron. ¡°Such a matter is insignificant,¡± the Baron assured. ¡°Sir William, meet my daughter, Sir Vonda Eastlake.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Sir William said, smiling towards the young woman. He stepped up towards her, extending out a hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you.¡± ¡®Fate...¡¯ Vonda let out a soft exhale. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Barthold began, only to pause upon Vonda¡¯s glare. ¡°Adam, I am sorry to bother you like this, but could you fight for me?¡± Vonda asked, her hands tensing. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t Kitool be better right now?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®She could probably deal with him easily enough.¡¯ However, to shirk Vonda¡¯s request in this moment, would have left a sour taste in Adam¡¯s mouth. ¡°If it¡¯s a duel I better prepare myself. S-,¡± Adam began, before pausing for a moment. ¡°Sister Vonda, would you be willing to send word to my brother?¡± Vonda reached down to her amulet. ¡°Would you please bring Adam¡¯s armour and axe to the East Lake estate? He is to duel with Sir William of the Thunder Riders. Apologies.¡± The nobles around kept their faces neutral, though hadn¡¯t expected Vonda to be able to cast a Third Gate spell. ¡®She can cast Third Gate spells?¡¯ William thought, realising how amazing Vonda was. She was so young, a few years younger than himself, but was an Expert as a priest. Priests often grew slowly, under the care of temples. A single word came in response from Jurot, who was relaxing after sparring with the teen Iyrmen. The Iyrmen around him perked up, their eyes glued to Jurot expectantly. ¡°Is Adam in trouble again?¡± Laygak joked, making the joke on behalf of the missing Jaygak. Jurot gave Laygak a look, a look which had entered the Iyr¡¯s lexicon. ¡°I believe there seems to be a misunderstanding here,¡± Adam said, his eyes meeting William¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m not fighting for Sister Vonda¡¯s hand in marriage, but on behalf of the Enchanter of the United Kindom, since she¡¯s a precious Manager.¡± ¡°You are a Manager of the United Kindom?¡± William asked Vonda, recalling the name of the business from the previous year. ¡®She is a Baron¡¯s daughter, a member of Life¡¯s Rose, and a Manager of the United Kindom?¡¯ ¡°I hold such a position, though it is secondary to my position as a worshipper of the Great Mother.¡± ¡®She¡¯s a Manager of the United Kindom?¡¯ Baron Barthold thought. Vonda¡¯s status was already quite high, considering the order she belonged to, but a Manager of the business which was still up and coming, and yet had also received the Duchess¡¯ attention. Vonda was not a woman who was worth her weight in silver, but in gold. ¡®It would be best not to press too much.¡¯ ¡°If I lose, the business will step back from this matter, and leave it to Sister Vonda and the East Lake family,¡± Adam began. ¡°However, should I win, you will drop this matter, and she will be free of the Eastlake name, and that will be that.¡± ¡°This duel is between yourself and Sir William,¡± the Baron replied. ¡°I will give my blessing, as Baron Eastlake, between the marriage of Sir Vonda Eastlake, my daughter, and whoever holds the appropriate status.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, gripping his knees tight. ¡®So you think you can drag me in and then walk away like you didn¡¯t do anything?¡¯ ¡°Sister Vonda, perhaps the Duchess needs to be informed of this duel, then?¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, who was simmering with anger. She hadn¡¯t expected Adam to instantly use his connection to the Duchess for something like this. ¡°Who are you to bring the Duchess into such matters?¡± the Baron asked, before noting how Adam went from angrily annoyed to holding the most smug smirk imaginable. The flag has been raised, the ship is sailing! [776] – Y03.076 – Vonda of East Lake III [776] ¨C Y03.076 ¨C Vonda of East Lake III The hot noonval sun beat down against Jarot¡¯s body, though the gentle stream cooled his body. He sat at the bank, staring at his reflection and the stones beneath the water, which sometimes unfocused his face. He heard the gentle steps of another approach him. The elder Iyrman sat away from most of the younger Iyrmen who were wading through a deeper part of the river further aside. The tall, thin Iyrman sat beside Jarot, pulling off a gourd from his chest, offering it to his one armed companion. Jarot let out a grunt in response as thanks, accepting the gourd. Rajin remained silent, staring off into the sky as he listened to the Iyrmen nearby chatting away without a worry in the world. ¡°It is days like these I recall the noonvals of youth,¡± Jarot said. ¡°The fields of green which I once rushed through as a boy. The noonval festivals when Black Boar and Blood Hound wrestled. The blood of Aldishmen I used to soak within.¡± ¡°...¡± Rajin remained silent, allowing Jarot to continue. ¡°I can feel it. The itch of battle. It grows stronger, but I can no longer scratch it.¡± Jarot sighed. ¡°It is a good day for a fight.¡± ¡°How is your leg?¡± ¡°I can feel it too,¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°The ghostly sensation of where I should step. The feeling of the stream against the invisible leg I no longer possess.¡± He reached to his stub, rubbing it gently. ¡°I am slower now. I cannot plant my feet firmly into the earth. My swings do not cut through the air to tear steel apart. It is worse than when I gave up my arm.¡± Rajin pulled the cork off his gourd, sipping the fruit wine, which was only slightly alcoholic, due to how early it was in the day. ¡°It is a good story.¡± Jarot winced. He narrowed his eyes slightly, rubbing his knee again. He had faced against Lord Shama with wild abandonment, such wild abandonment, a sneak attack from the Blood Knight took his leg. Otkan engaged the Blood Knight to keep him at bay, but by then, it was already over. Lord Shama, who had caused such utter destruction and chaos, was able to retreat with the Blood Knight easily. The fight was over, but more importantly, it had not ended. To lose his life in a fight, that was more than fine, but for the fight not to end with a clear victor, for the fight not to claim his life? How could Jarot live to face his grandchildren, or his greatchildren? Jarot reached down for the gourd, feeling its fine texture against his thumb. His thoughts fell to Otkan, who had paid the price for his return, a price too heavy for his heart to bear. ¡°...¡± Rajin remained silent, quietly sipping at his wine. ¡°Hisbik?¡± Jarot asked, eyeing up the small flower resting over Rajin¡¯s ear. ¡°Konarot gifted it to me.¡± Jarot inhaled deeply. ¡°Was it a gift to me?¡± ¡°The girl handed it to me...¡± Rajin noted the redness which filled Jarot, the old man¡¯s rage flooding through his entire body. ¡°It is because my greatdaughter is so kind, of course,¡± Jarot stated, hiding his growl within his throat. ¡°Yes.¡± Jarot splashed more water against himself before slipping his leg through the hold for his new leg, before pulling up the suspenders around his shoulders. He had found the suspenders helped him keep his balance, distributing more of the pressure around his waist and shoulders rather than his right leg. Of the two legs the Blood Knight had taken, the right was the worst to take. ¡°Babo!¡± came the shout, the little girl charging over to the old man, with her twin brother in tow. ¡°Look! Fower!¡± She showed off the white flower within her hair, pressing it down with her hand, hiding most of it from her greatfather. ¡°My greatdaughter, you are so cute,¡± Jarot said, bending his left leg to half squat to pet her head gently. ¡°Caeh full, babo, caeh full,¡± the girl said, bowing her head lightly. Jurot nodded. ¡°William of the Thunder Riders.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sir William now,¡± the young man replied, reaching out to shake the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you like this again.¡± Jurot nodded, shaking the knight¡¯s forearm. ¡°You will face my brother?¡± ¡°I will be facing...¡± Sir William paused, his eyes falling to the young man donning... purple armour? Purple armour. Puthral. Sir William had fought in the martial section of the tournament, for the warriors who did not use magic, like Jurot and himself. Kitool¡¯s presence was awkward, due to the fact she was not quite like other warriors, though did not exactly use magic. However, he had personally come across Jurot, who had been a wall he couldn¡¯t overcome. It wasn¡¯t just that he couldn¡¯t overcome Jurot, it was that Jurot was a vicious wall who had completely crushed him. However, the young knight recalled another figure who had made a name for himself during the tournament. He was a young man adorned in purple who had gone against Flaming Hyena of the Golden Savages and beat him. He then went up against the Golden Savage herself, Vasera. Vasera, who had no doubt forfeited her matches in order to allow the future King¡¯s Sword and her cousin to gain recognition for themselves, the same with this young man. However, what was even more shocked, was the fact that he had beaten both Sir Roseia and Sir Karra, before surrendering to them. It wasn¡¯t that the young man had beaten them, he had beaten them in the same way Jurot had beaten him. One strike. One kill. Purple Adam. The Baron watched as Adam unwrapped the scarf around his head. ¡®A leaf ear?¡¯ ¡°I had heard you held the blood of fae,¡± Sir William said. Adam pulled the helmet onto his head, before he strapped Strong Shield onto his left arm. ¡°Sir William...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I want you to know that this matter is just business,¡± Adam began, pulling up his axe, stretching out his arm to prepare him. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°However, I have to admit, I take great pleasure in beating up nobles, so I have to apologise for the fun I¡¯m about to have.¡± Dunes let out a soft sigh. ¡®If you¡¯re saying something that stupid...¡¯ Vonda smiled from behind her scarf. You know it''s good when Adam says something stupid to nobles. [777] – Y03.077 – Vonda of East Lake IV [777] ¨C Y03.077 ¨C Vonda of East Lake IV Sir William could feel an aura emanate from the half elf ahead of him. The young man stood tall, his stance open, the axe pointed towards him, as though inviting William to step forward. There was definitely an arrogance within the young man, who was so eager to face William. William had to be careful. The young man wasn¡¯t the easiest person to face, as he had certainly put in a good showing. Jurot was quite the terror, but if Adam was of roughly similar strength, then he was in quite some trouble. For some reason, Adam was picking a fight with him, meaning he couldn¡¯t just keel over, not in front of all the nobles. ¡®God damn nobles and their god damn egos and their god damn stupid games,¡¯ Adam thought, sending out his displeasure into the world. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 21 (20) Adam¡¯s entire body had been ready to spring into action, and though he could have forced his way forward, he decided against it. His body was still taut from his anger, and was there a need to finish everything so quickly like his brother? No. One strike, one kill, that was Jurot¡¯s claim to fame within this area, so he would leave that to his brother. ¡°Sir William,¡± Adam called, the young warrior tensing up, preparing to meet in a clash of steel with the half elf. ¡°You can have the first swing.¡± Adam held out his axe slightly towards the side, as though ready to embrace the young knight. ¡°...¡± William could feel the intense pressure still emanating from the half elf, but something else began to rise within his own body. This half elf had provoked him too much. William¡¯s body burst forward, meeting Adam¡¯s challenge. His blade clashed against Adam¡¯s shield, the young half elf having given up the first blow, though hadn¡¯t chosen the path of defencelessness against his foe. William¡¯s steel crashed against Adam¡¯s steel, magical or otherwise, but he found no purchase against the half elf. His blade only managed to slip across the axe, or glance off the side of the rounded edges of the armour, clattering against the red shield which had once been so synonymous with death decades ago. Jurot watched the fight with his arms crossed, standing slightly in front of Dunes and Vonda, who stood to his left. He watched as his brother defended against William¡¯s blows, the young warrior¡¯s blade held within both hands, and would have dealt crippling blows to him but a few years ago. ¡®Quickly, William, put him out of his misery,¡¯ the Baron thought, having deluded himself. He had seen the terror known as Purple Adam, but of course there was one reason or another as to why the half elf had won previously. With his connection to the Duchess, perhaps that was how he had managed to reach third place, ignoring the fact the young half elf hadn¡¯t met the Duchess until after the tournament. William stepped forward, letting out a soft exhaled, swinging his blade wildly, threatening to bisect Adam at the waist, before a shield rocked his blow aside. He inhaled deeply, forcing his body forward, pushing through his limits to force his body to continue its assault, swinging his blade with greater desperation. He just needed to land a single clean blow, just to wind the half elf, before he could press forward. It was easy to shatter a blade once it had been chipped. Yet, as William continued to step forward, forcing himself to strike at the young half elf, he only managed glancing blows off the puthral armour and crimson shield. Adam¡¯s defensive posture had forced William¡¯s blows to entirely miss him, even though the young warrior would have no doubt have struck him several times if he hadn¡¯t been solely focused on defence. Defence: 25 It was already hard enough for someone to strike him with such a high Defence, but with Adam focused solely on defending himself rather than attacking his opponent, it was even harder. The chance of William striking Adam was less than one in ten for every blow. Even as an Expert who could push through his limits, the chance of striking Adam was only one in three. Even if he did manage to land a decent blow against Adam¡¯s armour, Adam had a certain ability in his back pocket which all but made it so that it was all but his own choice when to be struck by the young warrior. Already, William could feel how heavy his blade had become, his shaking hands growing numb from smashing his magical blade against puthral ineffectively. The wall known as Adam was higher than he imagined, with Adam¡¯s pressure pressing down against his shoulders. William¡¯s heart pounded as he felt the bones in his arms shatter, or so he thought from how fierce Adam¡¯s blows were. The first strike winded him, the young knight barely able to contain the blow with his magical sword, before the second blow struck against his side, bruising his side, but also splitting skin with ice and holy magic. ¡°Gah!¡± William let out a shout, threatening to fall, and as he swung his blade mightily, he heard Adam¡¯s sharp inhale. Dunes let out a sigh, muffled by William¡¯s fall. ¡®...¡¯ Dunes glanced towards the nobles, wondering what they had done to their Executive to anger him this much. Baron Barthold¡¯s eyes widened a touch, but he remained standing tall and resolute. His heart pound wildly in his chest, watching as a warrior, who was skilled for his age, and well known across the land as quite a prodigy, fell so easily to a damn leaf ear. ¡°Stand, by Mother Soza¡¯s virtue,¡± came the chant, Vonda¡¯s amulet glowing, before the young knight jolted awake on the ground. Adam marched his way beside Jurot, letting out a heavy sigh, his entire body still tense. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Jurot could still hear how Adam was restraining his voice, the young half elf still breathing heavily, inhaling and exhaling thoroughly. Adam continued to stare ahead, ignoring the nobles behind him. ¡®These fu-,¡¯ ¡°Executive Adam,¡± Vonda called. Adam exhaled, as though he had been struck by a javelin through his side. He pulled off his helmet, revealing his red face, which was slowly growing less annoyed. ¡°Yes, Manager Vonda?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes sparkled with gratitude, her eyes revealing the truest smile. Adam flushed a little redder. ¡°Any time.¡± The romance blooms. Also patrons are having such a fun time! [778] – Y03.078 – Vonda of East Lake V [778] ¨C Y03.078 ¨C Vonda of East Lake V Minister Florence remained silent, watching the scene with the eyes of a hawk who hungered for blood. Though she had spotted many tiny cuts, she had yet to strike. She watched, perched from nearby, continuing to silently watch. ¡®Ridiculous...¡¯ Baron Barthold stared at the young knight who stood with shaking legs, sheathing his magical blade away. A pair of guards had already stepped nearer while the duel was prepared, though had stepped even closer after William¡¯s defeat. The sound of a clap broke the awkward silence. The Baroness smiled, continuing her gently slow clap. ¡°It was such a wonderful duel, Sir William, Executive Adam. Since the victor has been called, the right of marriage has passed through to your hands, Executive.¡± ¡°That...¡± Barthold began, before noting how red Adam¡¯s face had become, as well as the vicious look in his eyes. He had never seen anyone glare at him so furiously before, the hairs standing on the back of his neck. ¡°You should lower your impudent gaze.¡± Adam tilted his head, his forehead pulsing. He raised his brows expectantly, and though he wanted to throw back a retort, his throat tightened, forcing him to remain silent. Adam crossed his hands behind his back and made to step forward, ready to challenge the Baron¡¯s authority, however, he found a hand on each shoulder. ¡°You fought well, Executive Adam,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Are you going to allow a noble to rile you up that much?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°You¡¯ve already embarrassed him enough.¡± Adam¡¯s neck tightened, before he let out a soft sigh, feeling his frustrations leave him. A small smile approached on his face. ¡°Of course. How glad I am that we have such capable Managers at our side, isn¡¯t that right, Executive Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Minister Florence noted the other young Iyrman¡¯s gaze fall upon her, and she supposed it was time for her to step forward. ¡°I have witnessed the end of the duel. The matter of the duel is over.¡± ¡°Our gratitude to the great Minister Florence for your assistance in this matter,¡± the Baron said. Minister Florence smiled, though made no motion to leave. How could she, when she had come here for a particular matter which concerned someone of great rank to deal with a great issue? ¡°Now that the matter is over, I will continue with my-,¡± Vonda began, only to be cut off by her father. ¡°You should think this through, Vonda,¡± Barthold began, his eyes holding a deep glare. ¡°We will accept this half elf, and your children will continue the name of Eastlake.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Eyes fell onto Adam, watching him as he shook slightly, keeping his laughter inside. He held a fist over his mouth to keep himself from laughing too hard. ¡°If you have something to say, speak freely, leaf ear.¡± ¡°We were not informed of the order¡¯s involvement.¡± ¡°Though it may have broken common etiquette, it did not break any laws of the land,¡± the Minister stated, pushing up her glasses using her ring finger, her head tilted backwards slightly as she looked down upon the nobles. The Baron grit his teeth together, his neck pulsing. It was rather rude of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose to shirk them this way, ignoring the common etiquette of informing the noble family of their support to free their daughter of her family name. Of course, it was only beneficial for the order. The Baron could write a letter to send someone to find if they had forced the situation, but that was extremely difficult, especially considering Vonda had grown up with the order, and the order currently held so much influence from their involvement with ending the civil war. ¡°Minister Florence,¡± Vonda called, before bowing her head. ¡°I understand.¡± The Minister reached into her robe and pulled out a bottle of near clear cider, motioning with her hand to pour it into a clear cup, while a small pin floated towards the young woman. Vonda pricked her finger, before dripping a single drop of her blood into the pear cider, and pressed her finger into the piece of paper, before it rolled up, magic wrapping a ribbon around the scroll. ¡°This is the last of your noble blood,¡± Minister Florence said. ¡°Once you drink you will no longer be considered a noble of the Eastlake family, but simply Vonda.¡± Vonda immediately threw back the cider, keeping a neutral expression as the alcohol, with the single drop of her noble blood, disappeared. Minister Florence held out a hand. ¡°Sir William, I will need to borrow your blade, since it is the most suitable for someone of Sister Vonda¡¯s stature.¡± William, not wanting to offend a Minister of all people, undid his sword belt, offering it to the Minister. The blade shifted slightly from an invisible force, before the Minister, an older woman, held the large magical blade with a single hand, and with a fluid motion, pressed the side of the blade against the slightly bowed Vonda¡¯s shoulder, starting from the left, and finally the right. Although it was expected the woman should kneel, to as a priest to kneel was rather awkward, even for the Minister. ¡°This is all your fault, leaf ear,¡± the Baron almost snarled towards Adam. If the business was somehow Vonda¡¯s guarantor, the Baron could have done something, but his hands were, seemingly, tied. Adam, seeing how furious the Baron had become, smiled. Making nobles angry had a certain pleasure to it, and Adam¡¯s heart beat quickly, the addiction of such a pleasure beginning to set in. He could feel Dunes¡¯ presence beside him, the young Aswadian watching the process with interest. ¡®Is that all?¡¯ Dunes wondered. Such an affair was vastly different within Aswadasad, though it was almost unheard of. Within Aswadasad, one was not simply an individual of a family, but a part of the family, that was to say, if you were Vonda of Eastlake, you were an Eastlake before you were Vonda. Though, Dunes supposed that Vonda may have been of Life¡¯s Rose before she was Vonda. The sword floated back towards William, who awkwardly grabbed the blade from mid air, wore the blade once again. His blade had felt almost weightless when he had grabbed it, but now that it was on his body, it was even heavier than before, especially with the glare of the Baron upon his back. ¡°Now that the matter is resolved, we should leave,¡± the Minister said. ¡°I expect you will escort my return.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Ah, before we go,¡± Adam began, standing a little taller, crossing his hands over his navel, as Mara would do. ¡°As an Executive of the United Kingdom, I wish to inform you of our formal refuse for your offer, Baron Barthold Eastlake.¡± He bowed his head ever so slightly, which did little to hide the widest smug grin upon the half elf¡¯s face. Such delicious trouble was caused. [779] – Y03.079 – Vonda I [779] ¨C Y03.079 ¨C Vonda I Adam¡¯s laughter echoed through the near empty roads. He could still feel the gaze of the Baron piercing through his back as the group began their walk back, though first escorted the Minister back to her carriage, which was surrounded by five knights, each wearing full plate, each wielding an aura of altertness. ¡°Executive Adam, creating a public disturbance is punishable by a fine,¡± Minister Florence stated. ¡°A public disturbance near a noble¡¯s estate is a greater crime.¡± Adam clenched his jaw, but he still let out quite the snicker, almost tearing up from the sudden burst of joy within his chest. ¡°Executive Jurot, Executive Kitool, please escort the Minister back, I will escort Manager Vonda back to the guild.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if both Iyrmen should leave him alone with the priests, though it wasn¡¯t as though Vonda¡¯s background with the order couldn¡¯t deal with most issues. ¡°Minister Florence, I hope you¡¯re willing to take our words of gratitude at the moment,¡± the young half elf said, bowing his head lightly to the Minister. ¡°We appreciate the assistance of both the Minister and the Duchess in this matter.¡± ¡°I merely completed the role of a Minister,¡± Florence replied, pushing up her glasses. ¡°I am certain the Duchess will appreciate your kind words.¡± ¡®I guess I¡¯m going to need to make sure the Duchess gets a few more gifts when we complete her order,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can¡¯t have her think we¡¯re just using her authority without paying for it.¡¯ The Minister pushed her glasses up once more, her eyes glued to Adam for a few moments longer, still trying to settle her thoughts, before she approached the carriage with Kitool. Kitool bowed her head to Jurot, allowing him to escort Adam, while the young woman would remain with the Minister to make sure she understood how the situation came to pass. Once the carriage made its way out, Adam let out another soft sigh, the tension in his shoulders releasing almost completely. The group began their journey away from the long line of noble estates. ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam let out a noisy sigh, a sigh to break the silence rather than for any other particular reason to sigh. ¡°Man, that felt so good.¡± ¡°Do not enjoy it too much, or you will find yourself with an addiction to beating nobles,¡± Dunes said. ¡°It¡¯s already too late for that,¡± the half elf replied, chuckling lightly. Dunes smiled slightly, though his mind wandered, focused on a particular comment Adam had already made. As far as he knew, Adam didn¡¯t lie, so one comment had shocked him more than any other. ¡®What title do their children hold?¡¯ The first thought which came to mind was that they held the title of Iyrmen, though Adam had never outright stated such a thing before. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you didn¡¯t enjoy watching me beat him,¡± Adam accused. ¡°Why else did you come to watch?¡± ¡°Jaygak requested I should accompany Jurot.¡± ¡°Jaygak?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes replied, flashing a smile. ¡°She spoke a statement which is true even in Aswadasad. Those who can make a mess in front of the nobles are priests. Two priests can cause a larger mess than one.¡± Adam almost fell into a cackle from the joke, grinning wide. ¡°I suppose Jaygak¡¯s right. That¡¯s why she¡¯s an Executive.¡± Dunes let out a light chuckle. ¡°How can it be that even now you can still joke.¡± ¡°Is there any reason why I shouldn¡¯t be joking?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve offended a noble.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t the first, he won¡¯t be the last.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted to Vonda, who remained silent as she walked, with Jurot following after her, the Iyrman¡¯s eyes sometimes darting about, checking for unseen threats. ¡°...¡± Adam decided against bringing her into the conversation, allowing her to stew in her thoughts. Dunes pat Adam¡¯s back gently, causing the young half elf to eye him up curiously, before noting the look in the Aswadian¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have completed my task here.¡± ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes towards the Aswadian. ¡°My adorable children, my cute kids, my... they¡¯re going to stay small and cute forever.¡± Dunes smiled, sipping his wine slowly, patting Adam¡¯s back. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What do you mean of course?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Say it like you actually mean it, Dunes.¡± ¡°...¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re a priest, otherwise I¡¯d cause trouble.¡± ¡°We cause trouble for nobles, but you cause trouble for us,¡± Dunes joked. Adam chuckled. ¡°Well, now I¡¯m not going to cause trouble for any more nobles, cause we have none among us.¡± Adam glanced over to Vonda, who was slowly sipping away at her drink. ¡°Hmmm. You seem so different, Sister Vonda. Ah, is it because you have no more flaws?¡± ¡°Everyone has flaws,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Seriously?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°What flaws do you have? You¡¯re powerful, pretty, prestigious, and...¡± Adam tried to find out more words beginning with the letter. ¡°A great pal?¡± ¡°Perceptive,¡± Dunes added. ¡°Yeah, yeah, everyone knows that skill is worth so much,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°You¡¯re, you know, you persevere, and you¡¯re persistent, got a good personality, and uh, philosomething, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s plenty of words that work, phenomenal, that¡¯s a great word, and...¡± ¡°Prepared,¡± Dunes added. ¡°Yeah, proper too.¡± ¡°Punctual.¡± ¡°Yeah, time¡¯s important, just ask Filliam,¡± Adam joked. Vonda let out a soft, embarrassed sigh, trying to keep her cheeks from flushing too much. ¡°You¡¯re too much, Adam.¡± ¡°Me? You¡¯re the one that¡¯s so... I don¡¯t know, you¡¯re one of the few people, who aren¡¯t Iyrmen, who make me feel so...¡± ¡°Inadequate,¡± Jaygak said, sipping her own wine. ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Jaygak, who had closed her eyes to avoid catching anyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t give you up.¡± Vonda flushed harder from Adam¡¯s words, understanding they were mostly quite playful. She stared down at her drink, brushing her thumb along the clay cup, a cup which she had received from a little Iyrman who always enjoyed her stories. ¡°Plus, if I let you go, wouldn¡¯t Jirot tell me off?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Jirot and Jarot both adore you so much, so I can¡¯t just let you run off without saying goodbye to them.¡± Vonda stifled a laugh into her scarf, before pulling it down, revealing her burnt face and neck. The marks fell from her lower lip and made their way down towards her neck, disappearing beneath her shirt. She folded her scarf in half, before tying it around her waist. Adam only smiled. He wished he had so much courage, but with those ears of his, he decided against doing so. He was sure that East Port had little prejudice against half elves, but he decided against seeking that kind of attention. ¡°Although, I don¡¯t really need an excuse to-,¡± Adam tensed up as Vonda¡¯s face came into view, and their lips pressed together. ¡®???¡¯ The ship is setting sail, I repeat, the ship is setting sail! [780] – Y03.080 – Vonda II [780] ¨C Y03.080 ¨C Vonda II ¡°How could you tease him like that?¡± Dunes asked, causing Vonda to flush hard, the young woman drinking her water silently. They stood atop one of the many gardens of the guild, overlooking the city as the purple haze of dusk fell across it. ¡°The alcohol had clouded my mind,¡± Vonda replied, her voice full of guilt and shame. ¡°Yes, it is always the alcohol¡¯s fault.¡± Dunes continued to sip away at his own alcohol, though it was very light. ¡®I don¡¯t think I could be so brave, even with such liquid courage.¡¯ Vonda stared up at the evening sky, the sun setting as dusk washed over the City of a Thousand Colours, coating it in a particular type of colour the denizens could identify. She stared across the city, the same city which she had once called her home. She could no longer name the colour of purple that dusk brought. Her true home lay north. Dunes remained silent, allowing Vonda to set the course of the conversation, but the young woman did not speak up. He remained at her side, allowing the various emotions to swirl within her, so she could sort through them at her own pace, with Dunes nearby to assist if she so needed. Like Vonda, Dunes understood his role, to remain silent and to listen. Vonda, too, needed such a voice, just as Dunes had done, often speaking with the young woman. They were both from their own order, so their relationship with their divine was different to those who were raised within temples for the masses. They had similar responsibilities, but some of those responsibilities were different, and more extreme. However, they were each similar in the way they were disimilar to other priests, and found friendship in that. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask her soon,¡¯ Dunes thought, thinking of the scarf he had bought, and the young devilkin woman who was still annoyed at him for his apparent betrayal. Adam lay in his bed, fresh out of a bath, his eyes glued to the ceiling. The light seeping through the window, though gentle, illuminated the room as though it was noon for his half fae eyes. His body had cooled from the shock of Vonda¡¯s action. The phantom of the kiss remained upon his lip, her soft upper lip, her rougher lower lip. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ The word gave way to nothingness. ¡®Damn.¡¯ The word gave way to more nothingness. ¡®Wasn¡¯t that technically...¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I guess I¡¯m a guy, so no one cares.¡¯ Adam¡¯s cheeks remained flushed red at the thought of the kiss. ¡®Hold on! Wasn¡¯t that my first kiss? I can¡¯t believe you stole away my innocence like that, Vonda! I knew it! You¡¯re really a noble through and through!¡¯ He pulled a pillow over his face, as though to hide his embarrassment. Jurot wondered what Adam was thinking, and how he was processing what had just happened. He had no doubt in his mind the young half elf was coping through his queer humour. ¡®Their children would be strong.¡¯ Omen: 4, 20 ¡®Nice,¡¯ Adam thought. Breakfast was mashed potatoes, which had been cooked with a little bit of milk and butter, as well as lightly salted and peppered, along with fried meat and scrambled eggs. A small plate of fruit made up Adam¡¯s dessert, the young half elf trying his best to eat healthily. ¡®Should I also get some grilled vegetables next time? I have to keep my heart healthy so I can live a long time to spoil my adorable children.¡¯ ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied, an awkward smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve got a crit in my back pocket.¡± ¡®Should I remain behind?¡¯ Jurot thought. He had promised the teen Iyrmen they would leave today to adventure, but if Adam was able to strike true today, it would only add to the fuel of his chaos. He could feel Naqokan¡¯s eyes piercing the back of his head, and he supposed he would need to help his cousin. Jurot was caught between who Adam should marry. Vonda was a great option, for she was a member of Life¡¯s Rose, one of the most respected orders across all the nearby lands. Then there was his cousin, Naqokan, whose family was well known even among the nearby lands, and her cousin was a candidate to become Chief, and if not the Chief, one of the Chief¡¯s aides. Then there was Mara, who was Lucy¡¯s closest confidant, whose strength, though currently only slightly better than an Expert, would no doubt reach the height of a Paragon, or even an Idol. ¡®Their children would be strong.¡¯ It was the thought he had for whoever Adam paired up with. However, it was Vonda who had taken the lead, and with Adam refusing Naqokan so obviously, she was the likeliest. Also, Mara had shown almost no interest in Adam in that regard. Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to Lucy for a moment. ¡®No.¡¯ He glanced away almost immediately. There was no way Adam and Lucy would get together, it would be too troublesome. However, the thought of how close Lucy was to Jirot and Jarot came across his mind. It wasn¡¯t impossible... Nirot threw a look to Naqokan, who had awoken with focus that morning, the intent to kill leaking out of her body. ¡®Good luck, Naqokan.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s quite... simple,¡± Jaygak said, surprised Adam was being so meek about the design. It was merely a shirt and trousers, and fairly simple shoes. ¡°KISS...¡± Adam said, wincing slightly. ¡°Keep it simple, stupid.¡± Jaygak shook slightly, her lips trembling as she avoided bursting into laughter at how red Adam had become. She could feel the heat emanating from the pair even from where she sat. ¡®They must both be virgins if they¡¯re this embarrassed?¡¯ ¡°A pattern upon their breast could assist with identifying them,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Badges or embroidery.¡± ¡°Right, but I feel that¡¯s too close to the Iyr¡¯s design, and as much as we are protected by the Iyr, we should be careful not to officially be a business of the Iyr, just in case some of us go around causing trouble.¡± Adam cleared his throat as a joke, raising his brows. ¡°Stripes?¡± ¡°Along the shoulder,¡± Adam said, sketching across the shoulder. ¡°I was also thinking pins across the collar, too, or maybe the cloak, or arm, or something.¡± ¡®Adam thinks so much like an Iyrman,¡¯ Jaygak thought. ¡°I was thinking, and don¡¯t take any offence to this, but a circle which denotes the tier, and then diamonds flowing out of the circle, or maybe around the circle, to denote the little tiers between the ranks. So a bronze circle would be among the lowest, and then each bronze diamond means you¡¯re slightly above the bottom bronze rank, and a silver circle puts you above those with bronze circles and diamonds, in their own tier, and then gold.¡± Jaygak slowly nodded. The pins would be precious metals, meaning they held their own worth, though that did come with a slight issue. ¡°What if they sell the pins?¡± ¡°They shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°What if they do?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll cast a spell to see if they¡¯re telling the truth, and if they¡¯re found to have sold their pin, then they should be punished.¡± ¡°What if someone else steals the pin to sell? Will you cast spells on everyone to find out who stole the pin?¡± ¡°Mnnn, well...¡± Adam replied, crossing his arms. ¡®That would be pretty bad for morale...¡¯ ¡°Embroidery is fine, with thread or patches, either along the sleeve, the shoulder, the breast, or the collar.¡± ¡°Good shout,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°You know, maybe we should keep the blue cloth for the normal workers, and the management could be white?¡± ¡°Do we have nothing to hide?¡± Jaygak joked. ¡°Well, white cloth is harder to keep clean, and easy to sully,¡± Adam said. ¡°If the workers are going to take us seriously, we should be the one¡¯s with the hardest cloth to clean.¡± ¡°Why are you so serious in matters like this?¡± Jaygak teased. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m serious when I need to be.¡± ¡°Serious when you need to be, but always a fool.¡± ¡°Yes, and I take great pride in being a fool, Jaygak.¡± ¡°Instead of Purple Adam, they should call you Foolish Father,¡± Jaygak snapped. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. ¡°They should.¡± What nicknames should everyone have? Patrons, you aren''t allowed to make nicknames because... you know. [781] – Y03.081 – Vonda III [781] ¨C Y03.081 ¨C Vonda III ¡°Right, speaking of epithets, I¡¯m still trying to figure out who should be a part of The Numbers,¡± Adam said, though his voice had lowered. ¡°The Numbers?¡± ¡°You know, like, Mister Zero, Mister One, Madam Zero, Madam One, so on and so on,¡± Adam replied. ¡°The lower the number, the stronger the person. They¡¯ll be those we dress up in black, and they¡¯d be the elite force of the business.¡± ¡°Would Mister Zero be Jurot?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°We can¡¯t be The Numbers when we¡¯re Executives,¡± Adam said. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Well, because...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Actually, why not?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t we hold the highest rank?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°We should be the strongest so we can be The Numbers.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually not a bad idea to have some of the Executives as members of The Numbers,¡± Adam thought. ¡®Mister Zero is a cool name, maybe I should be one of The Numbers?¡¯ ¡°I guess, aren¡¯t you all The Numbers? Jurot would be Mister Zero, Kitool would be Madam Zero. I¡¯d be Mister One, you¡¯ve be Madam One.¡± ¡°Why would you be Mister One?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too stupid to be Mister Zero,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°Why would I be Madam One? Even Nirot can defeat me. I¡¯m sure even Sister Vonda here could deal with me, with her magics.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you can be a, the, uh, a Number, since you¡¯re a member of Life¡¯s Rose, and it would be awkward to have you in such a position,¡± Adam stated, throwing a look to Vonda, crossing his arms awkwardly. His eyes couldn¡¯t meet hers, but as they glanced at her lips, he quickly corrected them to her ear. ¡®Oh no, I¡¯m being cringe.¡¯ The young woman bowed her head. ¡°I thank you for your understanding, Mister One.¡± Adam flushed. ¡®Damn, that is a cool name.¡¯ ¡°Yeah, any time.¡± Adam spotted Jaygak barely containing her laughter again. ¡°Anyway...¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t your children want to call you Mister Zero?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°...¡± Adam crossed his arms. ¡®Damn it, when she¡¯s right, she¡¯s right.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll speak with Jurot about it.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll want to face you to confirm it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let him have the title then.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll let him?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°No one allows we Iyrmen to do anything, we take it.¡± ¡°Stop saying scary stuff like that, Madam Ten.¡± Jaygak inhaled deeply, but was kept at bay by a piercing glare from Kitool. ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Actually...¡± Adam flushed slightly. ¡°Before we continue, you must all understand, I¡¯m a man.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jaygak replied, while Kitool and Vonda stared at Adam curiously. ¡°From where I¡¯m from, this is a very normal thing for men to do...¡± Adam flushed slightly. ¡°It¡¯s from our days of being boys.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about codenames for some of the business members who hold high ranks.¡± ¡°Codenames?¡± ¡°Yeah, like... kind of like nicknames, and kind of like Mister Zero, but... you know... sort of...¡± With every passing word, Adam began to regret his words, feeling as though he had revealed a side of him he should have kept secret. ¡®Wow. I think I¡¯ve pretended to be cringe for so long I may actually have become cringe. I really am cringe.¡¯ ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°The Maelstrom. That¡¯s kinda sick.¡± ¡°Sick?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Like, cool.¡± ¡°It should be hot, since it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Cool just means amazing, but more hip.¡± ¡°Hip?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but it¡¯s a good word.¡± ¡°What about warm?¡± ¡°What about warm?¡± ¡°Warm should mean amazing instead,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Being cool is uncomfortable, even for those not blessed with the ability to truly appreciate the sun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a figure of speech.¡± ¡°It is a ridiculous figure of speech.¡± ¡°That¡¯s beside the point, beside the point, Jaygak,¡± Adam said. ¡°Anyway, those are the codenames I¡¯ve thought of so far.¡± ¡°The Elf doesn¡¯t suit you, since you¡¯re only half an elf,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It should obviously be The Father.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s too on the nose, and it doesn¡¯t sound as cool as The Advisor, or The Maelstrom, you know?¡± ¡°Your children will love to call you The Father, since you are their father,¡± Jaygak added. ¡°No, they should call me dada, daddy, pops, and nothing else. Father is too formal, and it means they¡¯re growing up.¡± ¡°The Dada?¡± Jaygak joked. ¡°The Daddy,¡± Vonda joked. Adam flushed even more. ¡®Seriously, why do you have to be the one to call me that?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll figure something out. My nickname might be The Storm, since I¡¯m always so chaotic.¡± A general hum of agreement passed through the trio, causing Adam to narrow his eyes. ¡®Oi.¡¯ ¡°I will procure the yellow cloth for the crafters,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Will you go around trying to find the children today?¡± ¡°I suppose I should,¡± Adam said, glancing between Kitool and Vonda, who had been stuck with him to keep him out of trouble for some time now. ¡®I guess Jurot¡¯s babysitting the demons today, but they usually keep out of trouble...¡¯ ¡°There are plenty of children who find their homes on the road,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Some of the walkers may be willing to join you, though it may be difficult to encourage them since some are protected by bosses.¡± ¡°Bosses?¡± ¡°A city like this has hundreds of bosses, some of them crime lords, others bosses of various factions,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Golden Turban is a boss, though none would dare suggest he was a crime lord.¡± The young Iyrman smirked ever so slightly. ¡®...¡¯ Adam stared at the way Jaygak was smirking at him. ¡®Is she going to cause trouble?¡¯ Jaygak met Kitool¡¯s eyes, before she smiled innocently. ¡®Hold on,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Boss is such a cool codename.¡¯ Mister Boss? [782] – Y03.082 – Vonda IV [782] ¨C Y03.082 ¨C Vonda IV The roads of East Port were so full of noise, with hundreds of cityfolk making their way through, going to work, coming back from work, going to meet a friend, leaving their meeting with a friend, making their way to the tax office to pay their taxes, making their way to the tax office to complain about how they had already paid their tax and have the receipts to prove it. Adam spotted a large number of dogs, cats, and even goats, most being led around by their owners, save for many of the cats, who lazed around freely. Whatever droppings of the animals were quickly swept away to the side, or near an alley, though some particularly decent cityfolk swept them into a small sack full of hay or dead greenery they had filled the sack with in order to prevent the excrement from leaking through. ¡®Damn, that¡¯s a lot of-,¡¯ Adam heard a squeal of shock beside him, snapping his head to find Kitool holding up a boy of seven or eight, who struggled against the Iyrman¡¯s grip. ¡°Let go a¡¯ me, ya bloody tieves! What¡¯cha doin¡¯ catching a good likkle kid loik me?¡± the young boy said, still trying to struggle against the Iyrman, who had so suddenly appeared to snatch him up. As the boy complained, several dirty looking children all swarmed around the group, complaining towards them, all the while accusing them of being outsiders. ¡°Let go of the gem,¡± Kitool said, her voice low and stern. The young boy let it go, and while the hands of the nearby urchins blurred, they could not match the speed of the Iyrman, who had also felt the boy¡¯s muscles relax, giving her a head start in snatching the falling gem. ¡°What a bunch of cute kids,¡± Adam said, eyeing up the little ones. ¡®Damn, Kitool wasn¡¯t messing around when she said she knew a way to catch them quickly. That¡¯s Iyrmen for you...¡¯ The young boy stopped struggling, noting the woman¡¯s attire, as well as her tattoo. ¡°Ain¡¯t got no business wiv ya, miss. Was jus¡¯ pickin¡¯ up tha¡¯ gem the mista dropped, tha¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Well, I appreciate that,¡± Adam replied, his eyes scanning across the children¡¯s faces, some of them scattering away, not wanting any business. ¡°Now that we¡¯re speaking face to face, I¡¯d like to meet with your boss.¡± ¡°Sum kinda mistake here, mista, we ain¡¯t got no boss.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got no boss like I haven¡¯t got no gems,¡± Adam said. ¡°I would appreciate it if you could bring me to your boss, since I have some business I¡¯d like to discuss.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t got no boss, but what kinda business are ya wantin¡¯ ta discuss?¡± ¡°The business of gold, young man,¡± Adam replied, flashing a polite smile. Persuasion Check (Charisma) D20 + 6 = 12 (6) ¡°Like I says, ain¡¯t got no boss, mista,¡± the boy said, pulling himself away from Kitool, nodding his head to the trio, before backing away and scattering. The other children scattered too, all save for one child, a child who seemed to be about seven or so held out his hand. ¡°You taking me to the boss?¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t got no boss, but ah¡¯ll take ya to ¡®im.¡± Adam held out a silver coin. ¡°You take me to the boss properly and I¡¯ll hand you a gold coin once I¡¯m done speaking with him.¡± This young man smelled of trouble, but that was fine. Once he was inside, he¡¯d be surrounded by far more capable fellows, and he¡¯d have to change his tune once he understood his position. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the greeting area, mister...¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Mister sounds kind of like a cool codename. The Mister.¡¯ Adam pulled out his book, writing it down, the thugs around him giving him a queer look. Adam followed the thug inside, the other thug following behind Kitool, who brought up the rear. They made their way through one room of a building into another, where Adam spotted about ten unscrupulous fellows, six men, four women. They all wore thick clothing, while a couple wore leather with metal discs, and one wore chain. Each carried clubs, daggers, or axes. The woman in chain carried a shortsword, keeping a hand over the hilt. There was also a young boy, perhaps nine or ten years old, who sat quietly beside a desk. ¡°Would you mind bringing a pair of seats for the ladies?¡± Adam asked. The thugs glanced between one another, still noting the playful tone of voice Adam held, even while surrounded by ten others. One of them locked the door from behind, the tension in the air growing thick. ¡°Sister Vonda, do you have Spirit Sentinels prepared?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Mnn,¡± Adam replied, affirmatively. ¡°A great spell for such close spaces, just like Fireball.¡± ¡°No killing, Adam.¡± Adam glanced back towards her, and then her amulet, before smirking to the others. He brushed along his own amulet. ¡°The sheer audacity of a Priest of Life telling a Priest of Death not to kill. It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ve got a few diamonds to bring a couple of them back.¡± ¡°No need for such threats, mister Adam,¡± the thug said, the confusion filling him. ¡°I¡¯ll be getting the boss now.¡± ¡°Careful with your words, boy, unless you want to be losing that tongue of yours,¡± the woman with the chain said. ¡°No offence, but you¡¯re not paid enough to be threatening me.¡± ¡°Paid more than you.¡± She eyed Adam up. His clothing was decent, but not anything special. Except, it did seem to be of Iyrman design, just like the woman beside him. ¡°Yeah? How much?¡± ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°Like I said, not enough.¡± The woman stood up, but the door opened, revealing an overweight fellow, who wore heavy fur coat over his breastplate made of scale. They weren¡¯t any scales, but hydra scales, with silver along the trim. Rivers of golden necklaces fell down across his breastplate, and at his side was a blade, with a gem set within the pommel. He had a clean shaven face, his hair long and thick, his eyes dark, but full of greed, and a smile which revealed his arrogance, and a silver tooth. ¡°I heard we had guests!¡± Mister Trouble? [783] – Y03.083 – Vonda V [783] ¨C Y03.083 ¨C Vonda V ¡®I hate him already,¡¯ Adam thought, smiling politely, raising his brows slightly as though he enjoyed meeting such a fellow. ¡°Guests, perhaps. Prisoners, apparently.¡± Adam motioned his head to the locked door behind, though his lips remained in a smile. The man smiled. ¡°I heard you had business with Cobra.¡± ¡°Well, mister Cobra, I do so happen to have business with you.¡± ¡°I am Moons,¡± the fellow replied, still smiling, though his eyes narrowed. How could someone meet him and not know who he is? ¡°Moons?¡± ¡°Moons.¡± ¡°Then who in the under realms is Cobra?¡± ¡°The woman who had a misunderstanding with us and was... politely escorted out.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°If her name¡¯s Cobra, then I want her even more now.¡± ¡°How do you know of Cobra?¡± ¡°I saw her get thrown out,¡± Adam replied, simply. ¡°I need someone who can take a beating like that, and seeing how a couple of your guys looked after fighting her, I thought she might be useful. She has guts, and I want those guts.¡± ¡°I am not in the business of organ trafficking,¡± Moons joked, flashing a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure. You¡¯re an upstanding businessman, who has plenty of talented youths under his employ, that I would like to take off your hands, for the appropriate sum of coin, or rather, gems.¡± Adam pat his pouch, the muffled sounds of gems clattering together perking Moons¡¯ ears. ¡°So you have come to me to buy bodies?¡± ¡°Yes, though if you don¡¯t have any available, I¡¯d like it if you could point me in the right direction. I¡¯d like someone like Cobra, she¡¯s great. Perhaps you have people who are troublesome for you, and would be better managed elsewhere?¡± ¡°You wish to buy those we have trouble with?¡± Moons asked, allowing his voice to let slip his curiosity. ¡°Sort of. I want to employ people that are capable, and I presume if someone is going against you, then they¡¯re probably capable in some way.¡± ¡°You wish to... ally yourself with those we find troublesome?¡± ¡°More like... we¡¯ll take them off your hands, offering them a deal they might not be able to refuse, and they¡¯ll leave you be.¡± ¡°Unorthodox, and perhaps, if I may admit so, potentially troublesome.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Perhaps you use them against me?¡± Adam glanced around between the others. ¡°I have no reason to do so. I have come here to do business, and once it¡¯s done, it¡¯s done. I don¡¯t really have much business in East Port, or rather, not with the underground types. I just know the best place to find talented people is by speaking with esteemed gentlemen, such as yourself.¡± Moons kept an eye on Adam for a long moment, before his eyes fell to the Iyrman, and then the Priest of Life. ¡°You are a strange group. I have not met someone who walks with such company wishing to speak with me for business. What business does a Priest of Life, of the Good Mother, have with us?¡± ¡°I am here as a Manager, not as a Sister,¡± Vonda replied, smiling politely. ¡°You are a Sister?¡± ¡°What if they have no debts?¡± ¡°State an appropriate price and I will pay it.¡± Moons eyed up the pouch again, wondering if all of those gems were obsidian, or if there were others. Then his eyes went up to Adam¡¯s amulet. ¡°Would you like those who are particularly devout?¡± ¡°It would be nice.¡± Adam thought about what and who he needed. ¡®I guess he probably won¡¯t be willing to give up anyone actually talented. Do I really need people who are talented? I could just train them up like how I¡¯ve trained up the Iyrmen, let them share XP with me...¡¯ ¡°They don¡¯t have to be particularly talented. If you have those who are less than useful, you can offer them up too. We don¡¯t really need anyone who are particualrly talented, I suppose, we¡¯d be the ones to teach them their skills. In fact, if anyone owes you a large debt, and doesn¡¯t seem able to pay it off, and perhaps is too troublesome to chase to pay off, you can offer them too.¡± Moons glanced between the Iyrman and the priest. ¡°I may have some children who would be better under the guidance of a Priest of the Good Mother.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± Adam said, far too eagerly. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Three.¡± ¡°How much for each?¡± ¡°One hundred gold for all three,¡± Moons said. ¡°Done.¡± Moons blinked. ¡®That was easier than I thought.¡¯ ¡°Would you mind bringing in Cobra?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to check them out properly too.¡± ¡°Let us head out to the other room to discuss the matters more clearly,¡± Moons said. However, as he did, the group heard a knock at the door. ¡°Boss! They¡¯re here!¡± Adam glanced over towards the door, and then eyed up Moons expectantly, before the overweight fellow stepped towards the door, unlocking it, the door revealing a homeless man. ¡°Those snake bitches, they¡¯re makin¡¯ a mess!¡± Moons let out a sigh. ¡°There are two more like Cobra you may be interested in.¡± Moons motioned with a hand for Adam and the others to leave. Adam stepped out to see two more women, both wearing lighter clothing, with their arms and legs wrapped with leather as they, with unexpected skill, beat back the homeless around them, who were apparently not quite as harmless as they appeared. Adam watched as they fought, managing to sweep the homeless with ease, before realising they were both at least at the level of Experts, though not quite as refined as those he typically hung around with. ¡®Oh ho! Not bad!¡¯ The pair of women panted, their eyes falling to Cobra, who was tied up to one side, being watched by a couple of thuggish fellows. Then their eyes fell to Moons. ¡°Moons!¡± one shouted. ¡°Damned son of a goat!¡± the other added. ¡°Where¡¯s Alex?¡± The pair raised their fists, ready to fight, while Cobra remained still. ¡°Alex?¡± Adam asked. Wait. For once... Adam isn''t the source of trouble? [784] – Y03.084 – Vonda VI [784] ¨C Y03.084 ¨C Vonda VI Moons inhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing towards the pair of women who had stepped forward. ¡®I should have dealt with them properly.¡¯ ¡°Looks like they brought some mercs to help...¡± one of the women said. ¡°An Iyrman and a pair of priests...¡± the other added, her voice filled with hesitation. ¡°Take another step and who knows, my hand might slip,¡± a thug said, holding a dagger near Cobra¡¯s neck. ¡°Hey, Moons, if something happens to Cobra, we might have a problem,¡± Adam warned. ¡°You¡¯re standing too close to me to speak like that, son,¡± Moons replied, his lips forming a gentle, polite smile. Adam returned the smile. ¡°Funny, that, I was thinking the same. If you¡¯re planning on having a problem with me, you should call more of your friends.¡± ¡°...¡± Moons narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate your tone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given you enough warnings. If you¡¯re going to ignore them, be my guest, but don¡¯t complain to me when I burn down your entire operation because you can¡¯t control one of your men.¡± Adam sighed, slowly feeling the annoyance build up within him. ¡°Adam, your tone of voice always invites trouble,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I thought it was because everyone I talk to has an ego,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Normally it¡¯s just the nobles, though I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, considering nobles are just those who were best at being criminals previously.¡± Vonda smiled towards the half elf. ¡°You are currently representing the business, Adam.¡±Vissit for updates ¡°...¡± Adam sighed, a sigh full of annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re right, Manager Vonda. I have to play the game properly.¡± Cobra¡¯s companions glanced between one another, still panting lightly, though having regained some of their breath. ¡°You young ladies should quieten down,¡± Moons said, focused on the two girls. ¡°This gentleman here wishes to speak with you for his business.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Alex?¡± one snapped at Moons. ¡°Who?¡± Adam asked. The women¡¯s eyes snapped around, though took in the sight of the amulets around the priest¡¯s necks. ¡°Our little brother.¡± ¡°Why would he be here?¡± ¡°The boy came to work for us,¡± Moons said. ¡®Boy?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is it the kid from inside?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re here to take him back!¡± one woman shouted, the other still eyeing up those around her, watching as the defeated homeless scampered away. ¡°It seems they¡¯re set of bringing back their little brother,¡± Adam said, eyeing the group up. ¡°How much would their little brother go for?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not for sale.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°That is our business.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam glanced at the trio of women. ¡°So, you¡¯re here to get back your little brother?¡± ¡°Viper,¡± one of the women whispered. The woman known as Viper narrowed her eyes, unsure of where the conversation was flowing. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve misunderstood what I¡¯m asking,¡± Adam said, still smiling. He placed a hand on Moons¡¯ shoulder. The man reaching up to grab Adam¡¯s arm. Athletics Check (Strength) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) ¡°I¡¯m asking you, politely, to bring the boy,¡± Adam said, his hand gripping the man¡¯s shoulder, feeling the thick scale armour against his hand. The older man¡¯s hand was firmly fixed on his forearm, trying to pull Adam¡¯s hand off, but his hand was stuck almost like a vice. Moons tried to push Adam¡¯s hand away from his shoulder, but even as his face turned red, his neck pulsing, his brow straining, he couldn¡¯t force Adam¡¯s hand away. ¡°If I have to ask again, I won¡¯t be so polite.¡± Adam snapped his hand away from Moons¡¯ grip, before brushing his attire gently. ¡°Send for the boy,¡± Moons said, still keeping an eye on Adam. ¡°You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re messing with. The boy¡¯s been called for.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam cracked his neck. ¡°By who?¡± ¡°Someone who you don¡¯t want to mess with.¡± ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got that much status that not even your business can escape from them.¡± ¡°The Duchess?¡± ¡°...¡± Moons remained silent. ¡°If it is the Duchess, I¡¯ll speak with her personally, and let her know the situation.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a mad man if you¡¯re willing to aggravate the Duchess.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see about that. We already owe the Duchess quite a bit for her assistance, another magical item or two won¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t the Duchess, but someone the Duchess has got to worry about?¡± ¡°The King?¡± ¡°No. King¡¯s not the only nobility the Duchess has to worry about.¡± The young boy, short, unremarkable, stepped out with the woman who wore chain. He looked over to the trio who had arrived, before looking down. ¡°You didn¡¯t need ta come.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Viper said. ¡°We¡¯re going to get you out of here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lot of money.¡± ¡°Money is our worry, not yours,¡± the other woman said. ¡°...¡± Moons glanced towards Adam, and then to Kitool, both of whom had ranked fairly high in the tournament. Then his eyes fell to Vonda, who was a member of Life¡¯s Rose, and no doubt someone who had some ability. The situation had escalated, but Vonda¡¯s status at least gave him an excuse. ¡®Gods damn it. Gods! Fuck!¡¯ ¡°How much for the boy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Just take them and leave, and don¡¯t ever come back,¡± Moons said. ¡°Whatever fire is going to rain, it¡¯s going to rain on you, not me, not mine.¡± Adam eyed up Moons, whose face had flushed red. He was a man who wanted to clean up the situation, but couldn¡¯t. ¡°Well, thank you.¡± Moons motioned with a bejewelled hand, before he stepped away, many of the others followed him, while a couple kept an eye on Adam and the others. ¡®Which noble have we pissed off this time?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Why¡¯s the kid so special?¡¯ Damn. What were those rolls? [785] – Y03.085 – Vonda VII [785] ¨C Y03.085 ¨C Vonda VII ¡°Boss, we really had to let ¡®em go? Coulda killed him.¡± ¡°Too much light,¡± Moons replied. ¡°If the noble wants the kid, they can get him from them. We know who they are, so send the word to let them know what happened. If she wanted to avoid this, she should have paid upfront.¡± The thug remained silent. He hadn¡¯t seen Moons like this before, but then again, he couldn¡¯t blame him. The one known as Adam was someone who was crazy strong, someone who had completely pummelled the likes of Viper and Python, who were not unknown even to the likes of Moons. ¡°Who was it that brought them to us?¡± Moons asked. ¡°George.¡± ¡°Sink him.¡± Moons growled quietly, before a thought passed through his mind. ¡°No. Don¡¯t sink him. It¡¯s bad luck sinking him when we met with someone like the Sister. Deal with him, and make sure he doesn¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°Alright, boss.¡± Meanwhile, Kitool led the way out, while Adam and Vonda escorted the four. The trio were heavily injured, and moved with the speed of those who were such. ¡°Manager Vonda, would you mind?¡± Adam asked. Vonda prayed, placing a hand onto their shoulders, healing them with her magic. Due to her particular worship, her healing was greater than healing from other priests who did not worship Mother Soza as their primary Goddess. ¡°How about you, Alex? Do you need any healing?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright...¡± Adam glanced towards Cobra and the others. ¡°So, if you¡¯re Cobra, and you¡¯re Viper, then...¡± ¡°Python,¡± the young woman replied. ¡°Of course.¡± Adam eyed each of them up. They were all similar enough in appearance, lightly tanned skin, dark hair, dark eyes, and they each wore similar outfits. Cobra¡¯s hair had been cut short, while Viper¡¯s hair was almost in a bob, and Python¡¯s was shaved at the sides, and fairly short up top. ¡°So, what¡¯s your story?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head back first,¡± Cobra said, her voice cold and stern. ¡°We¡¯ve got to make sure our brothers and sisters are okay.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Once Kitool had led them out of the alleys, Cobra took point, leading the way through a different set of alleys, making their way towards another area which lay in the shadows. The houses here were in a terrible state, boarded up, the wood rickety and rotten, and the people around were as hungry as they were dirty. The homeless around kept a small fire going which they bunched up around, though some of the streetfolk stayed away from them. Cobra stumbled her way to a building, her eyes holding a vicious glare towards the others around, before she knocked on the door three times, before opening the door. ¡°We¡¯re back.¡± Adam stepped in after the trio, noting the number of children around, over a dozen, as well as two more young women and a young man. Each were in quite the state, not quite as dirty as the others around, but equally as malnourished. ¡°This is quite a lot of siblings,¡± Adam said. ¡°Pardon the mess,¡± Cobra said. ¡°Julia, put on some kip for our guests. You¡¯ll have to excuse us, we¡¯ve got no drinks to share.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it...¡± Adam said, noting the looks from the children, half curious, half apprehensive, wholly afraid. ¡°Good morning, everyone.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I usually wear purple armour.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Purple Adam?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders gently, sighing at the name. ¡°Yeah... I¡¯m Purple Adam.¡± ¡®It¡¯s better than Unrivalled...¡¯ Cobra took a berry, eating it, before noting how she felt slightly rejuvenated after eating it. She nodded to the others, who reached for the berries, biting them in half before offering the rest to another. ¡°No need to share,¡± Adam said, before reaching for his amulet, creating more berries. Mana: 18 -> 17 Mana: 17 -> 16 ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll work if you share them, but there you go.¡± Adam watched as everyone picked up a berry to eat, including Julia, who had brought over a large pot to begin cooking. ¡°Hold on, let me clean your hands.¡± Trick: Tricks Adam reached over to cast a spell against the young woman, before the dirt and grime disappeared from her, scattering away onto the floor. The young woman eyed up her hands, noting how clean they had become. ¡°Thank you,¡± Julia said, though her eyes remained suspicious on the young man. Adam nodded, smiling politely. ¡°Were you all born in East Port?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cobra replied. ¡°Do you have any attachments to the city?¡± ¡°We were born here.¡± ¡°What about to the people of East Port?¡± ¡°Not much. Sometimes they show their kindness, but we still grew hungry.¡± ¡°Fair...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°You¡¯re looking to hire people for work?¡± Cobra asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of work?¡± ¡°We work for the Enchanter. We need some muscle, hence why I¡¯m interested in you snakes, but also youngsters to train into crafters, guards, labourers, so on.¡± Adam scanned the group as they ate, while Julia began making a fire. Adam could have used magic, but decided against using too much, just in case it offended her. ¡°You work for an enchanter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra narrowed her eyes, even more confused. ¡°What I¡¯m offering you all is a deal you probably won¡¯t find anywhere else,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can stay here and grow hungry, or you can join the business. We¡¯ll deal with your housing, your food, your education, and so on and so on. Letters, numbers, a trade. If any of you have an affinity for the Divine, we can teach you priestly magics.¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra¡¯s eyes remained focused on the stranger before her, who used so much magic, as though it was second nature to him. ¡®What?¡¯ Surely nothing will go wrong. [786] – Y03.086 – Vonda VIII [786] ¨C Y03.086 ¨C Vonda VIII ¡®This has to be bullying,¡¯ Adam thought, while the children sat around Vonda to listen to hear tale. Cobra had held a suspicious gaze over the young man, but upon realising who Vonda was, some of the suspicion had faded away. Julia listening vaguely as she prepared the meal, along with the other young woman and man. The smell of boiling porridge filled the air, while vegetables were roughly cut to cook within the pot. Adam winced as he sipped on the water, having used his magic to clean, heat, and flavour it. He did the same for the other children, but they were more entranced by Vonda, who had received such attention from Cobra. Adam listened to Vonda¡¯s tale, realising he hadn¡¯t heard much of it previously. He had heard some of her story, but he had no idea how active she had been in the region. She had gone from town to town assisting with all kinds of matters, but also assisting different adventuring groups with their tasks. She had worked hard during the beast waves too, something Adam had heard little about. ¡®What a crap friend I am...¡¯ Kitool returned with food, a half sacks of milled wheat, fresh meat, dried meat, vegetables, fruit, while the pair of women behind her brought along a cask each. Adam nodded to Kitool, who had brought quite some food, while a small group of walkers remained outside, handing over the fried food. Julia stared at the fried food the children flocked to, sighing slightly, before lowering the heat and placing the lit atop the gruel she had cooked, before helping herself to the food. ¡®Thank you, Kitool,¡¯ Adam said, while Vonda and Kitool began to cook. ¡°Should I call Korin over?¡± Adam joked. ¡°Eat slowly,¡± Julia said, patting a child¡¯s back, one who had been far too eager to fill their stomach. ¡°No one¡¯s going to steal your food,¡± Adam assured, chuckling lightly. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to eat peacefully like this from now on, so there¡¯s no need to rush.¡± Adam crossed his arms, letting out a satisfied smile. ¡®So this is what it feels like to be rich?¡¯ Though the house had been quiet when Adam had arrived, with the food Kitool had brought, and the warmth of the gentle embers, the noisiness took hold of the household, with the children chattering away. Cobra spoke with Viper in the corner, whispering about Adam¡¯s offer to the young woman. Viper narrowed her eyes questioningly, while Kitool understood the look, since it was a look which was rather familiar after meeting Adam. The trio of snakes continued to eye up the young man, who was sitting by himself, looking over the group, and falling into his thoughts. ¡®These kids are too thin, Adam thought, his eyes falling across the scrawny children. ¡®They must have been eating half meals for a short while. Cobra and the others don¡¯t look particularly beefy, either, but if they end up dying, then these kids probably wouldn¡¯t last much longer. I wonder if there were more of them previously...¡¯ ¡°Are you enjoying the food?¡± Vonda asked, cutting up pieces of meat for some of the younger children, whose jaws were uncomfortably pronounced. ¡°Yes,¡± the child replied, smiling shyly, before pushing their hand into their mouth as they ate. Vonda smiled, still cutting up the food, before checking on the dough. ¡°Since we¡¯ve eaten breakfast, why don¡¯t we get you all cleaned up, and get you some new clothes?¡± Adam asked. The children¡¯s clothing, though holding colour, denoting them to be children of East Port truly, were frayed and patchy. ¡°We can head to the guild first and gather a few of the workers who will assist in watching over you all.¡± ¡°We appreciate your offer, but we haven¡¯t accepted yet,¡± Cobra stated, not wanting to owe Adam any more before she could think about it. ¡°Then consider a gift,¡± Adam said, waving his hand. ¡°We¡¯re going to stay in East Port for a short while, so you can just consider it our good will. It¡¯ll give you time to make an excuse to your siblings as to why they won¡¯t be receiving a proper roof over their heads, warm meals in their tummies, and new clothing once we leave.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What Executive Adam means to say is that Adam wishes you will accept the courtesy of the business, as we are sincere in our offer,¡± Vonda said, still smiling politely towards the young woman. Adam cleared his throat, flushing slightly. ¡°Manager Vonda is correct. I apologise for my jokes.¡± ¡®How do I have such a high Charisma when I keep acting like such a damn fool. Is it because my Wisdom is so low?¡¯ ¡°Are you feeling tired, Leah?¡± Adam asked. The tiny girl, with her short hair, and her little belt of yellow wrapped around her waist, twitched slightly as she looked up towards Adam. Her lips trembled and she began to cry. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear,¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°Why don¡¯t we order a carriage for the children to ride in? Manager Vonda, do you know where one could find a carriage?¡± ¡°There are a few along Market Road,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Wonderful,¡± Adam said. ¡°Would you mind going with Python to procure a carriage for us?¡± Adam reached into his pouch and picked up a few gems, handing it over to the priest. ¡°Only one gem will be needed,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Oh, right. Just take a couple anyway, just in case.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Vonda left with the two gems, along with Python. The child continued to cry and sob, causing a few of the other children to cry, though their five eldest siblings soothed them. Alex remained silent, staring at Adam and Kitool, who formed a wall around them, keeping an eye out on the other cityfolk who passed them by. There were some glares and suspicious glances from the cityfolk. ¡°Hey, keep the kids quiet,¡± a young woman snapped towards them. ¡°They¡¯re disturbing the good people around.¡± Adam felt a flash of heat run through him. He opened his mouth, though Kitool stepped forward. ¡°We apologise for the noise, we are dealing with the matter,¡± Kitool said, her eyes cold and dark as they stared into the young woman¡¯s soul. The young woman stepped back, her eyes flashing with shock. ¡°Yes, well...¡± ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± another young woman called, stepping forward. ¡°Leave Melina alone!¡± ¡°She walked up to bother us,¡± Adam replied, his voice filled with annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re all bothering us, what with your noise, and look at all these poor children! What are you doing to them?¡± ¡°Trying to soothe them.¡± ¡°You just wait right here and we¡¯ll call the guards! See if you¡¯re proper right folk!¡± the young woman pulled Melina away and stormed away. The commotion had gathered a few glances their way. Adam sighed, glancing to the side towards Kitool. ¡°How much you wanna bet that was my fault?¡± ¡°I do not have so much gold to lose in such a bet,¡± Kitool replied, stern and cold. ¡°Damn, Kitool. You didn¡¯t have to do me like that.¡± Ah, the greatest foe of all. A Karen. [787] – Y03.087 – Vonda IX [787] ¨C Y03.087 ¨C Vonda IX Fred sighed as he relaxed at the guild, sitting alongside the others who formed Fate¡¯s Golden but were not working that day. From the farmers, to the porters, and to the three Adam had adopted first into the business. His eyes fell across the large form of Nobby, currently accosted by other adventurers, a familiar sight. ¡°A body like that, you should be joining us,¡± Throm said, a Silver Rank adventurer, better known by his epithet, Strong Arm. The light wrinkled around his face revealed him to be in his late forties or so, and with his black hair and dark grey eyes, was certainly a northerner. He wore dark clothing, near black, and carried a warhammer at his side, no doubt magical. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re offering you, I bet we could beat it.¡± ¡°No,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Throm asked, his lips forming a wide smile. ¡°What are they paying you? A gold a day? Two? Three? We just spent the last week hunting down a hydra, so our coin purses are heavy.¡± ¡°So heavy we can barely spend the coin,¡± another adventurer added, raising his mug of ale, causing the nearby adventurers, even from other groups, to cheer as they raised their mugs to drink. ¡°No,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°Thatta boy, so what do you say? How much do you want? We can say a half share for now, which should be more than what you¡¯re getting now.¡± A wild grin painted firmly across Strong Arm¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ll need to speak with the Executives if you want to buy him out of his contract,¡± Fred said, sipping his grain wine lightly. It had been heavily watered down, and flavoured with a few bits of fruit, which he could eat from the bottom once he finished his drink. ¡°A contract? Didn¡¯t know there were still people offering contracts as part of adventuring.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a contract for the business, not for the adventuring party.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°Nobby¡¯s a...¡± Fred paused, thinking carefully back to who trained Nobby, and the particular offer he had received along with Brittany. ¡°We¡¯re members of a business. We deal with magical items.¡± ¡°Magical items, eh?¡± Throm rubbed his chin, feeling a day¡¯s growth up against his palm. ¡°So you¡¯re getting paid well?¡± ¡°Well enough that we don¡¯t have to worry about gold,¡± Fred confirmed. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in trading with magical items? Come on, lad, Nobby was it? Join our party and maybe you¡¯ll slay a hydra or two in the next couple of years.¡± ¡°Nobby¡¯s already slain a hydra,¡± Brittany said. ¡°We¡¯ve all slain some last year.¡± Throm¡¯s laughter filled the air. ¡°You kids have gone around killing hydras?¡± ¡°Several,¡± Fred replied. ¡°Just the last year, after Nobby here won the tournament.¡± ¡°Before,¡± Brittany said. ¡°It was at the end of dawnval, before the wyverns and the trolls.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Fred replied. ¡®Hydras. Wyverns. Trolls...¡¯ Fred had completely forgotten the last year when they had managed to kill so many creatures. In comparison to last year, this year had gone so smoothly. ¡®They also met the Goddess too...¡¯ smiled, his smile widening, though his jaw and forehead pulsed. He slapped the table in front of them, the sound silencing the nearby area of the guild, which rippled like a wave as other adventurers glanced towards them. ¡°If you want to refuse, refuse properly,¡± Throm said. ¡°You southerners always act like this.¡± Rick sipped his grain wine loudly, calling the attention to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t mean no offence, but if you want Nobby, you¡¯ll need to speak with either Adam or Jurot. They¡¯re the one¡¯s who trained the boy.¡± ¡°What kind of auroch shit are you saying?¡± Throm asked. ¡°You guys killed some hydras, and your boy here won the tournament? Anyone else here listening would think you¡¯re trying to pick a fight.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t mean to bother you, just speaking the truth,¡± Rick said. ¡°We¡¯re just simple folk. We want to eat our food and go about our day. If you want to speak with someone, you should speak with the leaders who pay us.¡± ¡°Speaking the truth?¡± Throm asked, clenching his fist as he grinned even wider. ¡°You-,¡± ¡°You are causing a bother within the guild,¡± a guild worker called, a younger man who wore glasses, whose hair and beard were neatly trimmed. ¡°A bother?¡± Throm asked, a wider grin appearing on his face. ¡°I¡¯m just having a conversation, that¡¯s all.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes as he glared at Throm. ¡°If you want to fight, just say it. I¡¯m not someone who runs away from a fight.¡± ¡°Executive Adam,¡± Kitool said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You have fought enough today.¡± ¡®He already fought today?¡¯ Fred though, before his eyes fell to the trio of women who were battered. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°I see you¡¯re good at hitting little girls, but I¡¯m no little girl,¡± Throm said, smirking wide. Adam closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly. ¡°You know, the one thing about nobles and guards bothering you, is that you¡¯ll get into trouble if you fight them back. But adventurers? Adventurers are easy money.¡± ¡°You want to bet?¡± ¡°A thousand gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°Let me get my armour.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Kitool, are you really going to stop me?¡± ¡°You may fight tomorrow in the morning, after you have rested,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I can fight right now,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll drop in one blow.¡± ¡°Is he getting himself into another fight?¡± a figure asked, stepping beside Vonda. ¡°I should have expected as much.¡± ¡°Today has been a challenge for Adam,¡± Vonda replied, glancing towards the other priest, who had crossed his arms as he watched the scene. ¡°There have been multiple challenges he faced today, this is another.¡± ¡°I thought he wouldn¡¯t get into trouble if he was with the wisest members of Fate¡¯s Golden?¡± Amira asked. ¡°The chances decreased, but it doesn¡¯t mean the world will allow him to walk so freely,¡± Dunes joked. The guild worker cleared his throat. ¡°You may fight at the range, but you should all settle down.¡± His eyes fell to the large group of dirty children, as well as the trio of women who seemed to have taken a harsh beating. ¡®...¡¯ Vonda smiled. ¡°Adam, please step down.¡± ¡°Sister Vonda, you heard what he said,¡± Adam replied, his eyes falling back to the priest, almost as if asking for her permission to fight. ¡°The children are watching.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes then fell across the children, who were eyeing up the tense situation. They had already had to deal with the guards, the carriage driver, and now there was another fight in front of them. ¡°I want to go home,¡± a child whispered, tugging on Viper¡¯s leg. Adam closed his eyes, reaching into his shirt, before pulling out his amulet, keeping a hand gripped around it. The cool metal pressed firmly against his skin. ¡°Of course, Sister Vonda. You¡¯re right.¡± Throm could feel the intense pressure emanating from the young man before him. There was something rising within the young man, ready to burst, but it was kept at bay by the young women at his side. His eyes fell across the Priest of Life, and then the sight of the Aswadians, each who were no doubt members of an order from across the sea, some of whom were watching the scene with a playful smile, as though it was a show. His eyes fell to the apprehensive eyes of the dirty children. ¡°I apologise, Sister Vonda,¡± Throm said, bowing his head meekly towards the young priest. ¡°My joke went too far.¡± ¡°It is fine since the joke has come to an end,¡± Vonda said, still smiling politely, her eyes clear and firm. Wow. Adam can step back from fighting? Of course this will save him in the future... [788] – Y03.088 – Vonda X [788] ¨C Y03.088 ¨C Vonda X ¡°Kekeke!¡± one of Throm¡¯s companions, a middle aged woman, snickered. ¡°How could you try to bully some random kids?¡± Throm¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°Random kids? Apparently they fought in the tournament.¡± ¡°So they say, but I don¡¯t listen to every bird which cheeps so eagerly at me,¡± a devilkin chuckled. ¡°Those kids, who are they?¡± Throm pondered. ¡°Just some kids,¡± the woman replied, waving her hand dismissively. ¡°Why do you need to worry about those children?¡± ¡°That guy is Purple Adam.¡± ¡°He was in the tournament wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He beat Vasera.¡± ¡°Vasera?¡± ¡°Golden Savage,¡± the Aswadian said, his eyes falling onto Adam from his seat. ¡°That girl beside him, she is Kitool, yes?¡± ¡°Apparently so,¡± Throm added. ¡°He said his brother was the Iyrman who placed first.¡± ¡°Do you believe every bird which cheeps?¡± ¡°The Iyrman beside him didn¡¯t correct him.¡± The Aswadian hummed quietly. ¡°That priest beside him, the handsome man, he is Aswadian. He is from the Order of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°What is a group like that doing together?¡± Throm asked, his eyes falling onto the group again. ¡°There is strength in numbers.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s something else. They say they work for an enchanter.¡± ¡°An enchanter?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes fell onto the party, noting some of them glanced their way. She smiled, raising her cup towards them, before sipping her milk. ¡°There is only so much big talk they can say,¡± the Aswadian said, chuckling lightly. ¡°That boy wanted to bet a thousand gold to fight,¡± Throm said. ¡°He didn¡¯t know who I was, but he saw I was Silver Rank. He¡¯s only Steel Rank, but he¡¯s got the eyes of a beast.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much, Throm,¡± the woman said, patting his shoulder gently. ¡°Just drink and eat.¡± ¡®Did they really kill hydras?¡¯ Throm thought, his eyes glued to Adam. ¡°So we can¡¯t let them bathe here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°The guild is for adventurers, and sometimes their families, not for the business,¡± Dunes said. ¡°So I guess we gotta go to the river then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can make a little bathhouse near the river for them,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Unless...¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply now?¡± ¡°Can we grab ourselves a wooden basin?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Just a few, to fill them up using the river.¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± ¡°We could fill up the basins and then warm the water up, allowing them to bathe, before pouring the water back into the river.¡± Dunes waited for a moment, before inhaling deeply, letting out a soft sigh. He exchanged a look with Amira, whose eyes returned a doubtful look. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take them to another inn and allow them to bathe there.¡± ¡°This is why you¡¯re a Manager, Dunes,¡± Adam said, flushing red slightly. ¡°The inns might now allow the kids inside since they¡¯re so dirty.¡± ¡°Take enough gems with you and they¡¯ll allow you to take them through the back,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Jonn, escort Manager Vonda,¡± Adam called, causing the young half elf, who wore a breast plate, to follow the priest. ¡°Why are you going this far?¡± Cobra asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re spending so much coin on taking them to clean up and eat and we haven¡¯t even said yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretending as though you¡¯ve said yes already to show you how you¡¯ll be treated going forward.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t asked our opinion.¡± ¡°I assumed you¡¯d be fine with making sure your siblings are fed and cleaned, or are you fine with them being susceptible to being diseased?¡± Adam asked, his tone light and playful. Cobra narrowed her eyes lightly. ¡°Nobby, Brittany, you two will be coming along too,¡± Adam said. ¡°I want you to assist in escorting the children.¡± ¡°Should I come too?¡± Fred asked. ¡°If you¡¯d like to come along, I won¡¯t stop you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Actually, why don¡¯t we have Charlie and Greg come along too, you both look pretty tough. Let¡¯s make sure no one starts bother with us as we¡¯ve got the children with us. We¡¯re considering the children and their older siblings as VIPs.¡± ¡°Vee eye pees?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Very important persons, or people if you prefer,¡± Adam replied. ¡°So how are we meant to treat them?¡± ¡°You should treat them as if...¡± Adam paused for a moment. ¡°We will essentially treat them as if they¡¯re my children. If anyone wants to take a single hair on their heads, they¡¯d better be prepared to risk their lives.¡± Dunes raised his brows, his eyes holding a question, though he knew better to ask right in front of those they were escorting. ¡®Why are you going so far?¡¯ Adam smiled, before glancing towards Cobra. ¡°You should understand that the United Kindom is very serious in it¡¯s business.¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was doing. He was spending so much coin on them. No, if he knew what Alex was, then surely this all made sense. ¡°Right, make sure you all bring your weapons with you. You probably shouldn¡¯t put on your armour, since that¡¯s a little too much, but don¡¯t leave without your weapons. Brittany, don¡¯t bring along your bow, just your blades.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the young woman replied, leaving to her room to grab her blades. ¡°Nobby,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re my number one enforcer, so I¡¯m going to leave this special task to you. I want you to watch over Alex personally.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®So he does know...¡¯ Cobra thought. ¡°Would you like for us to assist?¡± Korin asked, the young man wearing his breastplate. ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam thought, his eyes glancing across the four Aswadians. They were each members of an order, and three of them were well versed with magic, with half being men and the other half women. Then there was Sara¡¯s status as a noble, which could be useful if something happened. ¡°It might be a good idea to bring you all along too. We should leave a message for Jaygak for when she¡¯s back that we¡¯re gone.¡± Cobra eyed up the group which was apparently escorting them. Dunes, a priest, Korin, a guardian, Amira, a warrior, Sara, who seemed to be a noble from Aswadia, each apparently from an order. Then there was the Iyrman and Adam, who was apparently a brother to an Iyrman, the pair having placed in the tournament. Then there were the Aldishment, Brittany, Fred, Jonn, Nobby, who had placed first in the tournament, and Vonda, a priest from the Order of Life¡¯s Rose. What she didn¡¯t know was that at least each of them were considered Experts in the land, while several of them could punch above their weight. ¡®He definitely knows.¡¯ The order of the most protected children 1. Adam''s kids 2. These dirty urchins 3. The children of nobility Obviously at 0 we have the Iyrmen children. [789] – Y03.089 – Vonda of Life’s Rose I [789] ¨C Y03.089 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose I Adam exhaled, allowing his annoyance to leave through his lips. The carriage driver kept his mouth shut when his pockets were heavy with gold, while the inn keeper, annoyed by all the urchins making their way into their inn, also kept her mouth shut when her hands were full of gems. Arcane Recovery: 1 -> 0 Mana: 16 -> 20 Mana: 20 -> 17 Spell: Sending ¡°Jurot, when you¡¯re done with adventuring, and you¡¯re done with dealing with the guild, head to the Mother¡¯s Rest, an inn near Market Road, around-,¡± Adam felt the magic fade before he could finish his sentence. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ He rubbed the side of his neck, feeling the annoyance of the day filling him up. ¡®I need to relax, otherwise I¡¯m going to get into trouble and they¡¯ll all make fun of me.¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡¯ came the response. Adam thought about casting his spell once more, wanting to hear Konarot¡¯s voice, but he decided against it. ¡®Okay, just this once, I¡¯ll let you grow up quickly so I can send you messages.¡¯ Even if the Iyr had opened its gates once more, Konarot was still far too young to receive such messages into her mind, while Jirot would cause too much trouble if Adam sent her a message. Adam could see it, the rampage Jirot could cause because she heard her father¡¯s voice in her head. ¡®Even if you¡¯re cute, you can¡¯t do that, okay?¡¯ Adam thought, before hiding the smile on his face, though he was alone in a room he had rented. ¡®I¡¯ll forgive you, just this once.¡¯ A knock came at the door. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a problem,¡± Fred said. Adam made his way out of the inn to find a group of heavily armoured guards, each adorned in breastplate over chain, while another wore full plate from head to toe. Each wore blades at their side, kept at bay by Vonda, who had politely met them at the front. ¡®What did I do this time?¡¯ ¡°Do you intend to obstruct us from our duties?¡± the heavily armoured knight asked, whose armour was made of darker steel, engraved with the image of one of the noble symbols which seemed vaguely familiar to the half elf. Adam was sure he had seen it previously from the letters with all the offers. History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 9 (6) ¡®Must not be anyone of importance if I can¡¯t recall the sigil,¡¯ the young half elf thought. ¡°If that is how it appears, then you may send word to the Priest Mother of the Order of Life,¡± Vonda replied. The knight remained quiet for a long moment as the young woman invoked the name of the order. ¡°Are you truly a member of the order?¡± Vonda revealed the back of her amulet, which held the detailed patterns and symbols which mostly confirmed her identity as a member of the order. ¡°This matter has nothing to do with your order,¡± the knight urged. ¡°The Marquise wishes for the boy to enter her employ, as was promised.¡± ¡°That is a difficult matter,¡± Vonda replied, before falling silent. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adam asked. The heavily armoured warriors all turned to face Adam, who wore his axe at his side, and a shield at his back, though wore no armour. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Executive Adam,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am Sir Olivia Seahill, and I have been sent under the authority of Marquise Amelia Tiderock.¡± ¡°I would not state otherwise, publicly,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°I would not suggest any merchant wields greater authority than the Marquise, not even Yellow Turban, who sells such fine yellow fabrics.¡± ¡°I would not even speak his title in the same sentence,¡± Olivia replied. ¡°Yellow Turban may be well respected in his lands, but in these lands, he is but one merchant of many.¡± ¡°It is wonderful you think that way,¡± Dunes replied, smiling politely towards the knight. The knight remained silent for a long moment, taking in the silent threats of the priest. The symbol of Lady Arya hung down against his chest, while three others near him wore the same. ¡°Are you members of an order?¡± ¡°We are members of Black Mountain,¡± Dunes confirmed. ¡°Will you say Black Mountain has put the boy under its care?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Then you are wiser than you look.¡± ¡°Though the boy is not under its care, the boy is under my care.¡± ¡°Just who are you to put the boy under your care?¡± ¡°I am Manager Dunes,¡± Dunes replied, flashing a charming smile as he bowed his head lightly. ¡°Just why is the boy so important to your business that he is under your care?¡± Olivia asked. ¡°Executive Adam has stated the boy and his siblings are VIPs.¡± ¡°VIPs?¡± ¡°Very important persons, or people if you prefer,¡± Adam stated. ¡°It means we will stake our reputation to protect them.¡± ¡°What reputation do you have?¡± ¡°My reputation is that I¡¯m a crazy fool of a father who will find trouble with everyone, from the poor, to the rich, commonfolk and nobles, and even the fine folk the of Iyr. Though, I try not to do find much trouble with the Iyr since they¡¯re so...¡± Adam fell quiet, glancing to the side, Kitool standing silently like a statue, waiting for him to continue. ¡°The Iyr is the Iyr.¡± ¡°So you will find trouble with the Marquise for the sake of the child?¡± ¡°If the Marquise wishes to find trouble with us, that¡¯s fine,¡± Adam replied. ¡°However, should she find herself in the mood to procure magical weapons from our business, you can politely inform her not to spend the effort, for we will do as she request and place her upon the blacklist.¡± ¡°Blacklist?¡± ¡°It means the Marquise shall be banned from procuring magical items from our business,¡± Adam stated, firmly. ¡°A small business such as yours has no bearing upon the Marquise¡¯s mind,¡± the knight retorted, almost glaring at the young half elf. Fred watched as the knight and his boss continued to verbally argue between one another. ¡®He¡¯s not crazy enough to pick a fight with the Marquise, is he?¡¯ Fred¡¯s eyes fell onto a young boy who had appeared, a child of seven or so, quietly shuffling through the group. He was a dirty young fellow, quite thin too, who had been beaten recently. ¡®Poor kid. Must have gotten caught trying to snatch some food. I¡¯ll get some silver for him once we¡¯re done with the situation.¡¯ ¡°Sure, then you can tell the Marquise that she should look elsewhere for magical items,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Since you intend to-,¡± Kitool and Vonda were about to call for Adam to calm him down, seeing as how annoyed he had become, but he wasn¡¯t interrupted by them. Health: 91 -> 82 Adam felt a sharp pain at his side, causing him to wince, before he turned, looking out to see the rest of his companions staring down at him in shock, before he glanced down to see a little boy, a child of seven or so, dirty and beaten, with a dagger in both hands, the blade hidden within the half elf¡¯s gut. The boy¡¯s eyes burned with hate. Oh. [790] – Y03.090 – Vonda of Life’s Rose II [790] ¨C Y03.090 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose II ¡°Look, is my name, babo,¡± Jirot said, pointing down onto the page with her tiny chubby finger. ¡°Ji. Woh.¡± ¡°Do you already recognise your own name, my Jirot?¡± Jarot asked, pulling her a little closer with his arm. ¡°I know it, I know. Look, is my name, but I am not in the book, it is different,¡± the girl said. ¡°That is right, it is your name, but it is not you,¡± Jarot confirmed, kissing the top of her head, while her brother sucked his thumb, resting up against the old man¡¯s chest, barely able to remain awake. It was tiring work to keep up with his elder sister, so his greatfather couldn¡¯t blame the boy for being so tired. ¡°It is time to nap, Jirot.¡± ¡°No! I am not tired,¡± the girl replied, before immediately yawning. ¡°No.¡± Vissit for updates ¡°Your babo will sleep with you.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± the girl replied, before hopping onto her feet, falling down almost immediately from the force, while Jarot grabbed her by the back of her clothes, stopping the fall. ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the old man replied, refraining from grunting as his back cracked lightly, before setting her free. ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, smirking slightly, before cackling and rushing away, before returning back to her babo to grab his hand to lead him to nap. Jarot spotted the triplets, who were lazing around in the shade, not enjoying how hot noonval was. They were silver scaled half dragons, so they preferred the cold to the heat, though to Jarot, they were each Iyrmen, for they were his greatchildren. Murot twitched lightly in his sleep, sucking away at his little dummy. The boy had grown so much bigger, and was certainly his brother¡¯s brother, for he was growing as well as Gurot. The boy would crawl almost everywhere, even Jarot was having trouble keeping up with him, but thankfully Konarot assisted the boy. ¡®My greatchildren are too wise,¡¯ he thought. He thought about how much trouble Jirot was already causing with her swiftness and the chaos she brought with destruction, though she was slowly growing out of that phase. ¡°Babo,¡± the girl whispered, grabbing a blanket which her grandmother had knitted, the spirals of colour sometimes causing the girl to stare at it for minutes. She held it up, allowing her greatfather to settle between them, before covering his chest with it, though pulled it slightly off him so she could be covered by the heavy knitted blanket. ¡°You must be quiet, okay? Babies are sleeping, you cannot be loud.¡± She wagged her finger towards her greatfather seriously. ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot replied, smiling towards the little girl, who then quietened herself by sucking her thumb. He let out a soft sigh as he stared at the sky, before hearing the girl quietly shooshing him, her finger pointing at him threateningly, her eyes daring him to act up in front of her. He smiled and kissed her forehead, before brushing little Jarot¡¯s head, the boy already fallen into a deep sleep. ¡®Jurot, when will you give me such cute greatchildren?¡¯ While the old man thought about his grandsons, he had no idea that the most outrageous one was currently in the middle of something so... Adam. The silence in the air beat against them, while they remained frozen, staring at the scene before them. Just like that, a boy had walked up to stab Adam in the gut. The guards had eyed up the boy for a moment, but had been more focused on the heavily armoured warriors nearby, and the half elf who seemed intent on causing them bother. The members of United Kindom had been mostly focused on watching the scene play out, also looking out towards the group of a half dozen or so guards who were there to take away some random child Adam had met earlier in the morning that day, and yet he was so focused on keeping the child safe. Adventuring with Adam had made the impossible seem possible, and yet a child stabbing him wasn¡¯t something any of them expected. Gods causing Adam trouble? That made sense. A child trying to assassinate Adam? That didn¡¯t seem right, but it was exactly because it didn¡¯t seem right, which made it plausible. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too young to be an assassin?¡± Adam asked, reaching for the boy¡¯s hand, while the boy twisted the dagger within Adam. Health: 82 -> 76 ¡°You believe yourself to be above the law?¡± ¡°I believe myself to be someone who is fair and just, and there is nothing more fair and just than making sure no one bothers these children,¡± Adam replied. ¡°If you¡¯re wanting to kidnap them out of my security, then you should understand the cost of doing so.¡± ¡°So you have finally spoken your true intentions,¡± the knight said, before motioning a hand to a guard, who stepped forward with a pouch. ¡°Five hundred gold for the boy.¡± They tossed the pouch over to Adam, who caught it, feeling the gems within it. Adam inhaled deeply, before tossing the pouch back towards them. He reached into his shirt, pulling out his amulet, the dark obsidian cool to the touch. ¡°I work for the enchanter, who has showered me in magical weapons, armour, and gold,¡± the young half elf said, brushing his hand along the cool obsidian. ¡°It is not gold which is the price for the boy, for gold is too cold a price to pay.¡± ¡°Executive Adam,¡± Vonda called, causing the half elf to pause. The release Adam required was that of blood, Vonda was fairly certain of that, but if he spilled their blood here, then the situation would be difficult to resolve. ¡°May I handle this?¡± Adam closed his eyes, nodding his head, barely able to keep himself from exploding. It was the sharp pain at his side which had brought him back to reality. Vonda inhaled for a moment. ¡°I have informed the good Sir of the proper protocols in dealing with this matter. Yet, you have spat upon the order of the Great Mother, offering gold coins for a child¡¯s body. I will inform the Mother Priest of this transgression, and you will need to answer this disrespect.¡± ¡°We did not offer the order five hundred gold, but the business which wished to trade gold for the child.¡± ¡°We will see if the Mother Priest of Life¡¯s Rose will view it the same way,¡± Vonda threatened. ¡°Your order, though holy and well respected, cannot intrude on such matters so lightly. Even if you are a Sister, would you be willing to drag in the order for a simple matter such as this? I do not believe so.¡± ¡°I am Sister Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose, and though my name does not hold as much respect as that of Sir Olivia Seahill, I still am a member of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose. I have not yet returned back to my order to claim my rites are complete, and though I speak to you as Sister Vonda, it is not long from now I will claim the title of Mother Vonda, or perhaps a title as one of the Forty Nine Rays.¡± ¡°You are still a young woman yet,¡± Olivia stated. ¡°You are many years from claiming such titles.¡± ¡°We will see.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Vonda in surprise, partly because of her words, but also partly because of the look within her eyes, which dared the knight to act up in front of her. ¡®She is certainly a Priest...¡¯ Sir Seahill thought. It was rare for a Priest to become a Hope, only the truly most powerful could claim such a title, though it had been generations since, due to the awkward restrictions on the Gates. The sheer confidence within the woman¡¯s eyes caused him to wonder if she really could claim the title of one of the Forty Nine Rays or the Seven Hopes soon. How could such a thing be true? Gods messing with Adam? Makes sense. A child trying to assassinate Adam? It is quite Adam. Vonda becoming unhinged? Adam, what have you done? [791] – Y03.091 – Vonda of Life’s Rose III [791] ¨C Y03.091 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose III The boy stood beside his father, his eyes scanning the fields, where he watched as many of his elders worked. Though their faces and tattoos were unrecognisable, for the boy only recalled a handful of tattoos, each and every one of them adored the boy, though none adored him as much as his father. ¡°Fieuhs,¡± the boy said, pointing at the fields, his head turning upwards towards his father, waiting his approval. ¡°Yes, you are right,¡± the man replied, placing a hand on the boy¡¯s head, brushing it gently. ¡°Muntun,¡± the boy said, pointing towards the mountains to the side. ¡°Yes, you are right,¡± the man repeated, patting the boy¡¯s head again. ¡°Fohr,¡± the boy said, pointing to the ground. ¡°Yes, you are right,¡± the man replied, still patting the boy¡¯s head. ¡°Sky,¡± the boy said, pointing to the open sky. ¡°Yes.¡± The boy fell silent, staring at the sky. He twitched as his father picked him up, causing him to stare at him in shock at first, before it turned to delight. He started to giggle lightly, while his father stared into his eyes, seeing how joyful his son was. The boy¡¯s father was tall and thicker than most Iyrmen, though not quite at the level where one might mention it. A thick beard covered his jaw, hiding much of his face. He wore a blade at his side. His tattoo was that of a purple five pointed star with yellow flowers emanating out from it, something which filled the boy with such relief. There was another tattoo which was familiar, though he rarely saw those of such a family, only when his father took him to see his aunt. The boy was heavier than most children at his age, for there were few children who ate as well as he did, and few children who ate all which was given to him. The boy had never made a fuss when it came time to eat, though that did lead to some trouble as the boy liked to put many things into his mouth. Tonagek raised his son further up towards the sky. ¡°Do you see how far away the sky is?¡± The boy looked up towards the sky, which was so clear, and so... big. It was even bigger than the whole of the Iyr, which, to the boy, was his entire world. He reached up towards the sky. ¡°Sky.¡± ¡°You are so high up, but you cannot reach the sky,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°You are too small.¡± ¡°Smoh,¡± the boy confirmed, still reaching up towards the sky. ¡°You are small now, but one day you will be as tall as your father,¡± Tonagek said, pulling the boy to his chest, allowing the boy to cuddle up to him, the boy¡¯s tiny, chubby hand clutching at his shirt. ¡°One day you will go out into the world, a world full of danger,¡± the man said, his voice lowering slightly. ¡°You must grow well, Danagek, so that danger will not trouble you.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± the boy replied, still embracing his father close, almost feeling his father¡¯s heartbeat through the man¡¯s shirt. ¡°...¡± Tonagek kept his thoughts to himself. He did not want his son to grow strong, for if he grew strong, it meant he would come across such things which could challenge him. ¡°Dada,¡± the boy called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are too young to be giving me such advice.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Romajin chuckled. ¡°You should see my Ronajin, she is so small, I can almost hold her in one hand. She smiles so much when she sees me.¡± ¡°Is she well?¡± ¡°She is well, just small,¡± Romajin replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°She must not be well if she smiles when she sees you,¡± Gorot replied, finishing his cup of milk. Romajin howled with laughter, before returning to work with Gorot, though he noted how Gorot fell into deep thought while working. While Gorot thought about Romajin¡¯s words to see his sons more often, a thought came to his mind. There was a young man who adored his children so much but also worked hard. Yet, even that young man took days off to play with his children. ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ Cobra thought, watching as Vonda and Adam stared down the knight who had come. ¡®She¡¯s not just any knight, she¡¯s a knight under the Marquise! You can¡¯t offend her!¡¯ The city guards around watched the scene continue to unfold. The knights had caused quite a commotion in front of the inn, while Adam and his companions continued the commotion. However, they decided against interrupting just yet, since it would have been awkward to deal with the Marquise before business was finished. The inn keeper watched with bated breath, her sweat pooling at her forehead. Suddenly, the gem, which had felt so heavy in her pouch, felt heavier across her shoulders. Sir Olivia remained silent as she glared at the young woman in front of her, who was so eager to clash with her. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose had been particularly influential across the land, but at this moment, they wielded more influence than perhaps ever before, save for when a certain lie permeated through the entire land. Even after the lie had been found out, they still held tremendous influence. It was not just their influence that caused the knight to pause, but the fact they were no longer busy dealing with the two Kings who had finally come to an agreement. Now they were merely mediating over the agreed proposal, meaning the young woman here could indeed bring the order to act, if she truly meant what she was saying. The knight¡¯s eyes then fell to Adam¡¯s chest. The young man had hidden his amulet, something so inconceivable, she wasn¡¯t certain if her eyes were playing tricks on her. No priest hid their amulet, for it was a symbol of not just their faith, but their reason of being. Priests used the amulets to channel their spells, and to hide their amulet, it was to shirk their Divine, and they would find themselves punished for the slight. The amulet was also certainly to that God. It wasn¡¯t just any God, but the God of Death, the same God which the Iyrmen prayed to. Yet, he wore no tattoos over his forehead, though one of his companions was certainly an Iyrman. She vaguely recalled the rules when dealing with Iyrmen, which was to avoid them as best as one could, for dealing with Iyrmen was terrible business. Iyrmen, Aswadians of an order, and a Sister of Life¡¯s Rose. Had it not been for the Marquise¡¯s orders to procure the boy, even if it meant spilling blood and paying the appropriate penalties, she would have stepped back. She would do her duty, as her Lady wished. ¡®Is she truly aiming to become one of the Rays or Hopes?¡¯ It was this particular doubt which had caused her to pause even with the orders to do what she must to procure the boy. The boy was worth his weight in gold, and if the other nobles understood what he was, they would have already swarmed him. However, it seemed as though the boy had been claimed by the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, and was already within their care. No, he hadn¡¯t been claimed by the order, but by a business, which was somehow reinforced by the prestigious order. It was all so confusing and murky. ¡®As long as we do not kill the Sister, our duty shall be fulfilled, and our souls safe,¡¯ the knight thought. I''m finally 40 chapters ahead on Patreon again! I changed the tiers recently. Silver is ¡ê5 and has 40 chapters ahead. Gold is ¡ê10 and also 40 chapters ahead, but it''s for extra support. I might post up some art work or something for Gold patrons, but it''s mostly just for extra support. I would say that the current chapters are 100% worth subscribing to Silver for. No spoilers, but damn. Alll latest novels at novelhall.com [792] – Y03.092 – Vonda of Life’s Rose IV [792] ¨C Y03.092 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose IV Vonda let out a sigh of relief as the knight retreated. She had felt the intense aura of the knight as she readied to fight, and Adam¡¯s eagerness to do the same, the young half elf¡¯s hand clutching his amulet. Vonda was vaguely aware of her mace at her side, glad she did not need to draw it that day. ¡®Thank you for watching over us, Mother Soza,¡¯ Vonda prayed, her heart filling with relief. ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have accepted your gold,¡± the inn keeper said, huffing out. ¡°You can take back your gold, and you should leave at once.¡± ¡°Keep the gold,¡± Adam said, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°We have bothered you tremendously, so you should at least get paid for it. Manager Dunes, will you procure a few carriages for us?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Dunes replied, smiling innocently. ¡°Jonn, please escort the Manager,¡± Adam said, glancing to the side to find Jonn wasn¡¯t about. ¡®...¡¯ The half elf was found and he escorted the Aswadian away, while the children were gathered again, most of the upset they had to move again. Adam took Cobra to the side to speak with her privately. ¡°What¡¯s so special about Alex that even a Marquise wants him?¡± Cobra stared at him for a long moment. ¡°Why do you have to ask the obvious?¡± ¡°If it was obvious, I wouldn¡¯t have to ask,¡± Adam replied, rubbing the side of his neck again, his forehead pulsing again. ¡°After all I¡¯ve risked for you, you should at least speak openly.¡± ¡°Alex is gifted.¡± ¡°Did you not see me threaten the knight of a Marquise?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Say it properly, otherwise I¡¯m going to lose my damn mind.¡± ¡°Alex is a...¡± Cobra¡¯s voice went as low as it could to barely still be audible, ¡°Sorcerer.¡± Adam waited, raising his brows. ¡°Yeah, and?¡± Cobra furrowed her brows in confusion. ¡°So he knows magic and that¡¯s why they want him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Sorcerer,¡± Cobra repeated, still whisper quiet. ¡°Right?¡± Cobra furrowed her brows again, her eyes full of confusion. ¡®What¡¯s he doing?¡¯ ¡°Could you call Manager Vonda, please?¡± Adam asked, stretching his head this way and that, feeling the annoyance build up deep within him. ¡°Are you okay, Adam?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied, still stretching out his neck. ¡°Cobra said that Alex was a Sorcerer.¡± Vonda¡¯s brows raised in uncharacteristic alarm, her eyes darting over towards the children, taking in the sight of the young boy. ¡°That certainly explains the Marquise¡¯s actions.¡± ¡°It does?¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell onto Adam. She had almost forgotten Adam was from elsewhere. ¡°Sorcerers were hunted down within this land.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, before vaguely recalling something along those lines. ¡°Right, yeah.¡± ¡°A Sorcerer¡¯s powers are chaotic, and are seen as dangerous.¡± ¡°Most magic is dangerous,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why are Sorcerers so special?¡± ¡°No it¡¯s not!¡± Fred unstrapped the belt and held out the blade, keeping his fingers around the handle so they couldn¡¯t pull it out. One of the children reached out for it, before shuddering as they felt the gentle tingle of magic, before pulling back, their eyes wide, their mouth forming a small circle in utter shock. The other children reached out for the blade, feeling the tingle of magic, each of them acting in similar shock and excitement. George also placed a hand against it, before pulling back in shock too, his eyes glued to Fred. As far as he knew, Fred didn¡¯t hold any rank within the business, since Adam specifically used titles to refer to the business members. ¡°Have you killed a bear?¡± a child asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure I have,¡± Fred replied. ¡°Bears and wolves and the like.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t kill a wolf,¡± a child said. ¡°Wolves have so many, they¡¯re a big pack, so wolves are hard to kill.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but I¡¯ve killed wolves before. I¡¯ve even fought a hydra.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a hydra?¡± a child asked. ¡°It¡¯s the one with the heads,¡± another replied. ¡°It¡¯s got lots of heads, like, like, ten, or seven.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have seven heads, that¡¯s too many. I¡¯ve only got the one!¡± ¡°Hydras can have more heads because they¡¯re hydras, dummy.¡± ¡°Yeah, hydras have lots of heads, and they come back when you cut them, but they don¡¯t if you cut them real good.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, that¡¯s trolls. They have generation.¡± ¡°Trolls only have one heads!¡± ¡°No, they, yeah they have one head, they have generation.¡± ¡°Do hydras have generation?¡± a child asked Fred. ¡°They do, that¡¯s how their heads come back, but you can stop the regeneration with fire, just like trolls,¡± Fred replied. ¡°Fire stops regenation?¡± ¡°It stops regeneration for both trolls and hydras,¡± Fred confirmed. ¡°Have you fought a troll?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The children gasped, before showering Fred in awe and more excited questions. Fred could still feel the piercing awe of the boy beside him, and suddenly the children didn¡¯t think about how much they didn¡¯t want to go to the next inn, not when there was such a great hero beside them. A warm, tingly sensation filled Fred. He sometimes felt the feeling when the Iyrmen children would ask him questions, but they were surrounded by monsters. To these children, he was like the Iyrmen, a powerful figure who was awe inspiring, which would fuel their dreams of heroism. A thought passed through Fred¡¯s mind, and his eyes fell across the young half elf who had adopted him into the business. Suddenly, Adam was not the ridiculous figure who was utterly insane. No, Adam made all the sense in the world. Adam was a father. Oh dear. I hope the Marquise doesn''t bother them... [793] – Y03.093 – Vonda of Life’s Rose V [793] ¨C Y03.093 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose V The children¡¯s noisiness filled the inn, sitting in the corner with their siblings, and several of the business members. They jabbed away at Fred, Nobby, and Jonn, excitedly touching the magical items they possessed, from the two blades to the shield. ¡°S¡¯only a shield,¡± a child said. ¡°Magical shields are rarer than magical swords,¡± Fred said, his eyes falling to Nobby, who was currently being poked and prodded by the children¡¯s tiny fingers like little daggers against his iron skin. ¡°Who wants¡¯ah magical shield?¡± another child added dismissively. ¡°Magical shields are more important than magical weapons,¡± Fred said. ¡°Magical shields can make it so that magical swords can¡¯t hit you, then how good can a magical sword be if it can¡¯t hit you?¡± The child narrowed their eyes, before slowly nodding their head, understanding the logic of the statement. ¡°Can shields go on fire?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a fire shield, but I have seen a thunder shield.¡± ¡°A thunder shield? Like the storm?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ooooh!¡± the child¡¯s eyes beamed up at Fred. ¡°Executive Jurot has a thunder shield, it¡¯s called Mighty Roar.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± the children all replied. ¡°Does your sword have a name?¡± a child asked. ¡°It¡¯s called Lifeblade.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s it called that?¡± ¡°It can heal me, like a priest can, but I don¡¯t need a priest.¡± ¡°Ooooh,¡± the child replied. ¡°Do you like to get hit?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°So why do you need to heal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because sometimes I get hit through my armour and it hurts so I need my sword to heal me.¡± ¡°If you hadda magical shield then you wouldn¡¯t need ta heal.¡± Fred smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Brittany watched the children swarm the trio of men, though Nobby was struggling to reply, only responding in one word answers. The children eventually instead grabbed at his arms and neck instead, kept at bay by their elder siblings. One of the inn¡¯s workers stepped up towards the group in the corner, only to find Adam stepping up to meet them, the young man smiling towards them. ¡°The other patrons are finding it difficult to enjoy themselves while there is so much noise coming from the corner,¡± the worker informed, smiling politely in that sort of way. They would have been a little more aggressive, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact they were quite heavily armed. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam replied, tilting his head slightly as his neck pulsed. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you tell them-,¡± Dunes silenced Adam by placing a hand on his shoulder, noting how tense Adam was, the entire situation weighing heavily upon him no doubt. ¡°We apologise for the noise. The children have had quite a rough time recently, and we¡¯re trying to rid their worries. I understand it¡¯s quite noisy, but if you¡¯d inform the other patrons that their food and drink shall be compensated for by the United Kindom, our business, I hope they¡¯ll be more understanding of our predicament.¡± ¡°To compensate for all the patrons, it will cost quite the coin,¡± the worker said. Adam exhaled lightly. ¡°How much gold would it cost?¡± ¡°I will go speak with the keep,¡± the worker said, gently bowing their head, before quickly scampering away. ¡°I¡¯ve fought lots of knights, and I¡¯ve never lost to one,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Have you fought strong knights?¡± Adam paused. ¡°Have you heard of the King¡¯s Sword?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°His daughter fought me in the tournament. Even though she won, she won through other power, not with her sword.¡± Adam¡¯s smile was tainted by a tinge of annoyance. ¡°But now, we work closely with the Duchess, so I don¡¯t have to lose to the knights any more.¡± ¡°You work with the Duchess?¡± ¡°The Duchess does business with us,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Are you going to take me to her.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m going to make sure you stay with your brothers and sisters, so don¡¯t worry, okay?¡± ¡°Cobra, Julia, and the others, they¡¯re... they¡¯re not... we don¡¯t have the same parents, but they¡¯re my brothers and sisters. I... I don¡¯t want nothing bad happening to them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a good brother, Alex.¡± Adam ruffled his hair. ¡°Nothing bad is going to happen to them. Didn¡¯t I tell you? You¡¯re all VIPs, so I won¡¯t let nothing bad happen to you.¡± ¡°If something bad happens...¡± ¡°If something bad happens, I¡¯ll sort it out as best as I can,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Plus, it¡¯s not just the Order of Life¡¯s Rose that¡¯s helping us, we¡¯ve also got another order helping us, so you don¡¯t have to worry, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Adam kept ruffling his hair. ¡°Hey, Alex, what¡¯s your dream?¡± ¡°My dream?¡± ¡°Yeah. When you grow up, what do you want to do?¡± ¡°I... I¡¯m going to grow up and be a good man.¡± ¡°Yeah? What does that look like?¡± ¡°I want to... I want to have money to make sure I don¡¯t grow hungry, and I don¡¯t want my brothers or sisters to grow hungry, and I want to buy a house so we can all stay together, and I¡¯ll use my magic to keep everyone safe, and I¡¯m going to have all the milk for the porridge, because I don¡¯t like water in my porridge.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°That¡¯s right, I don¡¯t like having water in my porridge either. Come on, let¡¯s head back, and you can tell me all about your favourite foods.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± While Adam returned with the child, he glanced around. ¡°Where¡¯s Manager Vonda?¡± ¡°She said she needed to pray,¡± Dunes replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Do you need to go pray too?¡± ¡°I should.¡± Adam chuckled. While they were chatting, Vonda burned her incense, and placed an egg within the silver chalice. She chanted quietly, and over the course of several minutes, the silver chalice swallowed the egg whole, before the incense and silver egg began to burn rapidly, disappearing into nothingness. ¡°I beseech the wisdom of the Divine,¡± the young woman began. ¡°Must blood be spilled to protect the children?¡± The taste of iron filled Vonda¡¯s mouth. Oh no... [794] – Y03.094 – Vonda of Life’s Rose VI [794] ¨C Y03.094 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose VI ¡°Where did you take Alex?¡± Cobra asked, her eyes suspiciously glaring down at the half elf. ¡°I took him to one of the rooms to chat,¡± Adam replied. ¡°He wanted to speak alone.¡± ¡°What about?¡± Adam let out a light chuckle. ¡°He told me about how much he cherishes you all, and his dream to eat porridge with milk.¡± Cobra blinked, her cheeks flushing slightly with shame for a moment, before she inhaled sharply. ¡°Please, tell me.¡± ¡°Your brother is very adorable, and I¡¯ll tell you the same thing I told him. You don¡¯t have to worry. You¡¯re all VIPs, so everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Cobra stared down at Adam, the complex emotions filling her heart. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing the stories from Fred and Jonn. They told me that you helped them. They both were at their lowest, but you helped them.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°The business likes to invest in people.¡± ¡°They said this was before the business was made, back when you were adventuring a few years ago. They said you helped them, and that when they joined the business, you gave them magical weapons.¡± ¡°The Enchanter made magical weapons, and I merely gifted them, so all the thanks should go to the Enchanter.¡± ¡°Nobby, too, they say he got a shield from you, from a bet you made with someone strong.¡± ¡°Vasera, yeah. Have you heard of her?¡± ¡°Not much, but they say she¡¯s strong. I think she placed in the tournament last year.¡± ¡°Yeah, I beat her up, and got a magical shield as part of the bet.¡± Cobra was surprised he was so casual about it. ¡°I believe that you¡¯re strong. Fighting in an arena and fighting on the street is different, but I¡¯ve seen the way you fought with my sisters. Is it true that you¡¯re only an Expert?¡± ¡°I might be an Expert, but I punch above my weight class, as they say.¡± Cobra wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he meant by that, but she nodded. ¡°Are you strong enough to fight the Marquise?¡± ¡°If the Marquise sends an army, then I¡¯m going to get myself killed,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°If she sends anything less than an army, we¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Adam leaned back, thinking back to what he had done the previous year. He closed his eyes, the fire flashing through his mind. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time nobles have sent armies to hunt us, and it certainly won¡¯t be the last.¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra wasn¡¯t sure how serious he should take her, since most of the time he spoke so casual and light, but this time, his voice was lower, darker, and more... hungry? ¡°I haven¡¯t done much,¡± she replied. ¡°You haven¡¯t?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I would have sworn I saw you fire some arrows in the two beast waves we handled,¡± Adam said, thinking back to those times. ¡°You¡¯ve done quite a bit, I gather. You should go speak with them, tell the girls how you can use a bow better than any of us.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°Kitool¡¯s much better with the bow.¡± ¡°Executive Kitool may be great with a bow, but her arrows don¡¯t hit quite as hard as yours, do they?¡± Adam replied, raising his brow. ¡°Plus, you¡¯re pretty quick, you can keep up with her pretty well, and you¡¯re pretty good at not being seen. All very valuable skills.¡± ¡°Right...¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one with the deadwood bow, right?¡± Adam glanced around. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to chat with them now, but make sure you show off your bow, at least to the girls.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Brittany wasn¡¯t sure why it had to be the girls. Her eyes fell to the side, noting how none of the woman around were speaking to the children. Amira was off to the side with Dunes, while Sara was beside her, and Vonda was nowhere to be seen. There was something about the situation which seemed... wrong. ¡®Kitool, you should come back soon and show off to the kids too.¡¯ Adam understood that half the battle with dreams was the marketing. If none of the women around showed off, then would the girls growing up understanding they could be like them too? ¡®It should be alright, since we¡¯re a party full of monsters, men and women alike.¡¯ ¡°My deepest apologies, but we¡¯re currently at maximum capacity,¡± the worker said, their voice low, almost a stutter. The commotion caused the patrons to turn, and suddenly stiffen up. Standing at the doorway was an unmistakable group. Each wore neat attire, something against their typical reputation, though the heavy furs they wore gave hints at their heritage. They were all heavily armed and armoured, which had seen some use that day, as they were still caked in dried mud and blood, no doubt some belonging to themselves. Many of them also carried large sacks, including the man up front who carried a large sack over each shoulders. Cobra¡¯s eyes darted to the group which appeared, each filled with that kind of aura, the aura which said they had taken more than a few lives, which wasn¡¯t a surprise considering who they were. ¡®Are they here to hunt us?¡¯ Cobra thought, her eyes wide. ¡®Did the Marquise send-,¡¯ ¡°Ah, sorry, they¡¯re with us,¡± called a voice, the young half elf chuckling lightly. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear, what are you all doing? You¡¯re getting the entire place dirty.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Cobra thought, her eyes glued to Adam, who was reaching into his pocket, sliding out another gem to pay the inn. ¡°What¡¯s the emergency?¡± Lucy asked, huffing quietly, seeing as how they had rushed back to try and save Adam, only to see him all smiles and teasing them. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked, his eyes growing slightly wide as he motioned his head to the children. ¡°There¡¯s no issue, I just wanted to introduce you all to the new members of our business. Right now, they¡¯re currently VIPs, so we¡¯ve got to put in our whole effort into protecting them.¡± Though Adam was smiling, Lucy noted the tension in Adam¡¯s jaw and neck. ¡®What happened?¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ Jurot also noted the way Adam was smiling, and the look in Adam¡¯s eyes as the pair locked eyes. Oh yeah. [795] – Y03.095 – Vonda of Life’s Rose VII [795] ¨C Y03.095 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose VII ¡°You know the Iyrmen?¡± Cobra asked, watching as the Iyrmen left, going off to bathe and change. ¡°Considering one of them is my brother, yeah,¡± Adam replied as though it were really that simple. ¡°Your brother?¡± ¡°Jurot, the big one with the axe and shield.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t seem like he found much trouble out in the field.¡¯ Cobra recalled how many times Adam had mentioned his brother, and that he was an Iyrman, but she hadn¡¯t processed it. It made such little sense that she put almost no stock into the words, but with everything which had happened, it made more sense for it to be true. She blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are all the Iyrmen part of the business?¡± ¡°Not exactly. Jurot¡¯s an Executive, like me, but the younger Iyrmen are more like our trainees...¡± ¡°Trainees?¡± ¡°Yeah, we trained them to become Experts, and now they¡¯re working for us.¡± ¡°You trained them into Experts?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re all Experts?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra stared into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡®The Iyrmen are all strong, so that isn¡¯t a surprise...¡¯ ¡°The kids can listen to some of their stories, and then they should be able to sleep peacefully...¡± Adam paused. ¡°No, hold on, I¡¯ll tell them not to tell the particular scary stories.¡± Cobra suddenly realised where Adam got all his confidence from. If he was walking around with a group of Expert Iyrmen, of course he would be confident enough to stand up to the Marquise. ¡®Experts aren¡¯t going to be enough, but if they¡¯re Iyrmen, it might make the Marquise think again. She¡¯s got some Masters and Grandmasters, but will she send them all for Alex?¡¯ Vonda made her way down, taking her seat opposite Adam. She sat casually, as though nothing was wrong, but her eyes focused on Adam¡¯s face, and when he caught her eyes, he watched as her eyes darted to one side and then met his again. ¡°Oh, right, Manager Vonda, Cobra here has good news,¡± Adam said, before motioning a hand to the young woman to speak up. ¡°We would like to join the business,¡± Cobra replied, awkwardly, noting how Vonda wanted to speak with Adam. ¡°That is wonderful news,¡± Vonda replied, flashing a relaxed smile, though it was certainly a practised relaxed smile, the kind a priest needed to learn. ¡°I am glad to hear that you accepted the offer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to discuss the offer,¡± Cobra said, bowing her head lightly, before stepping away. Adam waited for Vonda to speak up, but the young woman remained silent for a long time. ¡°We should wait until Executive Jurot returns,¡± Vonda said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait long, he¡¯s off in the baths now,¡± Adam said, motioning his head to the side. ¡°That is good news.¡± ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Adam asked. At Vonda¡¯s silence, Adam sat up straighter, and his eyes began to take greater notes of the area around them. ¡®It looks like this day isn¡¯t ending soon.¡¯ Eventually, the Iyrmen returned, offering Adam their clothes within a basket, the young man stealthily drying off their clothes. The action made him relax, for if he was drying clothes so casually, perhaps everything was well after all? ¡°Let us speak privately,¡± Vonda said. ¡°The Executives, the Managers, and of course the...¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell to Lucy and Mara. ¡°If you could join us too.¡± Lucy felt something cold against the back of her neck. ¡®Is it that bad?¡¯ ¡°Nobby, remember, you need to look after Alex, and Fred, don¡¯t forget about...¡± Adam realised he had no idea what the boy¡¯s name was. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can ask him either...¡¯ ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Duchess may find out about the Sorcerer.¡± ¡°So?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She may be tempted to claim the Sorcerer as her own.¡± ¡°Even if that means we won¡¯t be working with her?¡± ¡°She may not understand the consequences.¡± Jurot gave Adam a knowing look, the kind that said that he shouldn¡¯t forget she was a noble. ¡®Right...¡¯ ¡°So... what do we do?¡± ¡°How did this situation come to pass?¡± Jurot asked. Adam, Vonda, and Kitool explained the situation to the group. Jurot and the demons listened intently. ¡®I¡¯m glad they understand my magnificence, but did I really need to be present to listen to this?¡¯ Lucy thought. Jurot crossed his arms, deep in thought. Jaygak had refused to tell him what had happened back at the guild, the young woman having been informed by Kitool when she had been sent by Adam to speak with those at the guild to inform them about the situation. He understood why she had seemed so full of sheer mischievous joy. Jurot exchanged a look with Kitool. She shook her head. Jurot raised a single finger, and Kitool remained silent. Kitool had already done it once, and it had gone quite smoothly, but this time they had people specifically looking to go after their group. Even if they did manage to slip the Sorcerer out, it didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t send a group after them, and it didn¡¯t mean that group would believe them. Plus, Adam said all of them were VIPs. ¡°Adam, how are we to treat the VIPs?¡± Jurot asked, still not entirely certain what it meant. Adam thought about how to describe it. He had previously used a particular phrasing, using his children, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that was appropriately apt. Adam¡¯s children were his children, and as much as he wanted to protect these children, he couldn¡¯t compare them to his own. ¡°Even if Shama appears again, I wouldn¡¯t allow him to touch a hair on their heads.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I had thought to provide them sanctuary within the order, but it may be difficult,¡± Vonda said. ¡°If we can arrive within Life River¡¯s boundary, I believe things will become simple.¡± ¡°So we need to brave the road for what, three days, before we can guarantee their safety?¡± Adam asked. Vonda nodded. ¡°I am uncertain if the order will be willing to assist too deeply, since the children are claimed by the business.¡± ¡°If we say they¡¯re in danger, then what?¡± ¡°I will be asked what the danger is, and if I state the Marquise, there will be some complications...¡± ¡°I see...¡± Adam let out a sigh. ¡°Once we¡¯re on the road, anything could happen...¡± ¡°I did have some idea of how to force the order to act,¡± Vonda said. ¡°What do you mean by force them to act?¡± ¡°Our party currently possesses a pair of figures which would force the order to act, although that may escalate the situation.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Adam asked. Vonda¡¯s eyes fell across to Lucy and Mara. Mara narrowed her eyes. ¡°You wish to endanger Lucy?¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°She was talking about you too.¡± ¡°I will not allow it,¡± Mara stated firmly. Vonda bowed her head, relenting to the woman¡¯s words. Oh, right. Demons. [796] – Y03.096 – Vonda of Life’s Rose VIII [796] ¨C Y03.096 ¨C Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose VIII ¡®Why is he doing so much for them?¡¯ Lucy thought, eating her meal silently. She stared at her fried meat, poking at it, before slowly chewing it. ¡®He¡¯s going to risk his life not just for a sorcerer, but for them all? What is he thinking? He¡¯s already risked his life for me, but we¡¯re friends. These kids, they¡¯re just...¡¯ Lucy looked out to the children, who were listening intently to the Iyrmen¡¯s tales. Brittany clutched at her deadwood bow, sitting awkwardly at the table. Once the Iyrmen appeared, her want to tell them her stories disappeared into a puff of smoke. Her eyes fell to Nirot, who informed the children of how she had defeated a giant python by herself. Fred sat opposite Brittany, sipping at his milk. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you join us?¡± ¡°No reason,¡± Brittany replied. Fred gave her a look, which she ignored, deciding to keep to herself. His eyes fell to the Iyrmen too, who had taken away his spotlight. The children were delighted to hear of the Iyrmen¡¯s tales, who were loud in a quiet kind of way, understanding how to tell their tales without disrupting others, though the children hadn¡¯t yet learnt such courtesy. Yet, no one had come to bother them, partly because of Adam¡¯s payment, and partly because there were so many Iyrmen about. Everyone knew Iyrmen were crazy. Cobra eyed up the Iyrmen. Each of them were powerful, there was no doubt, each holding a bronze tag, revealing them to be Experts. She had already known that, since Adam had informed her of that, while she had missed the bronze tags while being in awe of them. Nirot¡¯s tale of facing the giant python herself had caused Cobra¡¯s heart to stir, a slightly envy seeping into her. Everyone knew Iyrmen told the truth. While she could barely believe Fred and the others, it was a completely different matter with the Iyrmen. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but think that they were still in a terrible position. Then her eyes fell to Laygak, one of the devilkin who wore full plate armour. ¡®He should be able to fight well since he wears full plate, but the others might struggle.¡¯ Her eyes fell to Naqokan, who relaxed to the side, ready to entertain the children when it was her turn, and then the sleeping horcish Iyrman, Uwajin. The pair wielded great blades, blades which could cut her clean in half. ¡®They would do well too.¡¯ Then she thought about the two Iyrmen who had left with Adam and the others, who apparently had some unfinished business within the city. One of them held the same tattoos as Kitool, an Executive of the business, meaning he was probably pretty tough, and the last? The last was a young man who was built like Nobby, and seemed equally meek. Yet, he didn¡¯t seem to hold the same aura as the others. He didn¡¯t seem to be related to the Executives either. ¡®He¡¯ll probably struggle too.¡¯ Bavin marched alongside the others, the five marching through the city roads and alleys, slipping through this way and that. They gathered some attention, though not very much. One was a young man who wore a scarf over his head, but that wasn¡¯t too out of the ordinary, but the four Iyrmen around him certainly brought some eyes upon them. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure why he had come with them, but Adam had brought him along. ¡®I am Bavin.¡¯ They spotted a group of guards, five strong, stepping out from a particular alley, and Adam paused, veering off into an alley. He spent a few moments within the alley, raising his brows towards the Iyrmen, before they continued along their path, until they came to a gruesome sight. Adam blinked, staring at the dead forms of the homeless folk all around them, and the tracks of boots which headed out in every way through the blood. ¡°What the hell?¡± Adam¡¯s voice was a shocked whisper, almost trembling. ¡°The guards killed them,¡± Jurot said, eyeing up the tracks, recalling the bits of blood across the guard¡¯s attire. ¡°...¡± Adam glanced around, not finding the appearance of Moons or the rest of his goons. Suddenly, he felt a chill run through his back. ¡®Why did I come here anyway?¡¯ He thought of the boy who had guided him here and had his tongue cut out immediately afterwards. ¡®I would have taken his tongue, but... no, I wasn¡¯t going to kill them, I¡¯m better than that.¡¯ Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, having watched his brother cover his eyes with a hand, falling into terrible thoughts. ¡°We should leave.¡± ¡°There is also a cask for young Max if he feels the need to throw up, and I will clean it with my magic whenever you call.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Cobra was feeling more unsettled by Adam¡¯s words with each passing moment. However, the half elf had created a patrol to watch over the children over the night, assigning all the Iyrmen, while also assigning a... Cobra looked up towards the owl which sat atop the wagon which was going to be pulled by Adam¡¯s warhorse. Adam smiled, before leaving them be, going off to meet the other folk of the business. Cobra eyed up the other adventurers who had appeared. One of them was an Iyrman who wore full plate armour, and was seemingly the elder cousin of the other Iyrman who wore full plate. ¡®They had another Executive? The others are all Bronze Rank too, does that mean they¡¯re all Experts?¡¯ There were eight more Experts who had randomly joined the party, something which had also happened the previous day, though the others had been all Iyrmen. No, not all Iyrmen, there were those two too... ¡°Why can¡¯t I sit in the wagon?¡± Lucy grumbled. ¡°I need you out here,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Even though I¡¯m feeling lucky today, I want everyone on guard. Plus, aren¡¯t you going to ride your wolf?¡± ¡°I wanted to show off to the children too! They should know of how amazing I am! They¡¯ll be so scared if I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Nirot¡¯s already shown off, or do you intend to outshine the Iyrman?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow towards her. Lucy fell silent, grumbling quietly, before going off to her wolf, brushing their fur gently. ¡°Can you believe it? It¡¯s utterly ridiculous.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Mighty replied. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I make the best boss?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right...¡± ¡®I believe you would make the best boss too,¡¯ Mara thought, though she remained silent, brushing Wolfy¡¯s fur gently. Dunes assisted in the preparations, before catching Vonda¡¯s eyes. The young woman revealed more of her nerves now that the children were out of sight. ¡°Have you completed your morning prayers?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I have...¡± Vonda let out a long sigh. She had to prepare the kind of spells she preferred not to prepare. ¡°Let us hope they are not needed.¡± Dunes looked up towards the sky. A small smile appeared on his face. ¡°You may hope, Sister Vonda, but I am a man who follows Lady Arya.¡± Vonda¡¯s lips formed the smallest of smiles. I''m sure the journey will go smoothly! [797] – Y03.097 – Journey to Hope I [797] ¨C Y03.097 ¨C Journey to Hope I ¡°Wow, this bow is so nice,¡± one of the children said, reaching out to touch the bow. ¡°Gently,¡± Julia said, watching over the boy. ¡°It¡¯s made of deadwood,¡± Brittany said. The boy gasped, pulling his hand away from it, before staring at his hand, his eyes wide. ¡°Oh no!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Brittany¡¯s lips formed a wide smile. ¡°The mister said we weren¡¯t going to get hurt no more,¡± another child said. ¡°Is that true?¡± another child added. ¡°Am always gettin¡¯ ¡®urt, but¡¯s always me own fault, tha¡¯s what Julia always says.¡± ¡°We will try to make sure you don¡¯t get hurt,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°Sometimes we get hurt and it¡¯s a part of life.¡± ¡°Yeah but you get hurt because you¡¯re a hero, I¡¯m not a hero.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a hero, I¡¯m a farmer.¡± ¡°What?¡± The child blinked towards the young woman. ¡°I was born in a small village near Red Oak. We always fought with the undead that rise up, but it was always with stones and sticks.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t use sticks and stones, you¡¯ve got a bow!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been decent with a bow, but now I¡¯m much better,¡± Brittany said. ¡°I¡¯m an Expert now, but I¡¯ve only been an Expert for a little bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be strong when I grow up,¡± a child said. ¡°I¡¯m going to be an Expert.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be a Master!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be a Master, that¡¯s for big people!¡± ¡°I¡¯m small now, but I¡¯m going to be big tomorrow!¡± ¡°Nu uh!¡± ¡°Yes I am.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get big tomorrow, you get big in the future.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s in the future, it is, that¡¯s what Gilbert¡¯s always saying.¡± The boy looked towards Gilbert, one of the elder siblings, with a look for support. ¡°Copper¡¯s right, tomorrow is in the future.¡± ¡°Then what about yesterday? That¡¯s not in the future.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Yesterday is in the past.¡± ¡°Is soup in the past too?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You always say to pass the soup.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s another word.¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Why¡¯ve they got two words that mean the same thing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the academics did it.¡± ¡°I fort they was meant to be smart?¡± ¡°Sometimes academics are smart, sometimes they aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gunna to be an academic, I¡¯m gunna to be a sweeper,¡± Copper said, letting out a huff of annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m gunna be the best sweeper ever. I¡¯m gunna use two brooms.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be a smart academic,¡± a boy said. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a dumb academic so I don¡¯t need to study but I¡¯ll still make lots of money.¡± The boy looked towards the girl, realising she was a genius, and too smart to be a dumb academic. Brittany remained silent, listening to the children¡¯s conversations. Nobby was also listening to the children, who were speaking about this and that. The children in the other wagon were quite talkative too, each asking about how Charley¡¯s hair was so orange, even though it looked black near the roots. Eventually they started to talk about mud and trolls and hydras and vegetables. ¡®If you¡¯re going to make a mess, do it now,¡¯ Adam thought, doing his best not to glance behind himself. He left the task to Nirot, who rode Sky, and Faool, who rode Kit¡¯a. ¡®I¡¯ve got a crit in my back pocket so I can take out whichever prick decides to lead your party.¡¯ Unfortunately, they forest around them blocked much of their sight, and though the road was mostly straight, it weaved around the terrain, conforming to the forest¡¯s will. The caravan stopped at a child¡¯s insistence, who needed to use the bathroom. ¡°It¡¯s about time we set up for lunch anyhow,¡± Adam said, recalling the nearby area which had the tiny outposts one could use to make camp. There was another, greater camp, further ahead, about another half journey beyond. ¡°Are you from an order?¡± ¡°I was.¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re not no more?¡± ¡°I...¡± Jonn paused for a moment awkwardly. ¡°I left it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They did not want me.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I am a half elf.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re so pretty?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the girl replied, slowly nodding her head, as though it all made sense. ¡°What can a magic horse do?¡± ¡°I can speak to it with my mind.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it saying.¡± ¡°It is saying nothing right now.¡± ¡°Mister horse, are you okay?¡± the girl stared at the horse. ¡°What¡¯s it say?¡± ¡°It did not reply.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± She frowned. ¡®How are you?¡¯ ¡®Fine.¡¯ ¡°It said it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Is it a boy or girl horse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magical horse.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s not a boy or a girl, it¡¯s magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± The girl nodded slowly, as though that made sense to her. ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡± ¡°It does not have a name.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It is a magical steed, it does not need a name.¡± The girl squinted towards Jonn. ¡°Even vegetables have names, mister.¡± ¡°...¡± Jonn was stunned by the logic of the child, who was right. ¡°Would you like to name the horse?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened with shock, her tiny mouth forming a circle. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The girl stared at the horse. ¡°Mister Snake.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be a mister, it¡¯s not a boy,¡± the girl said, thinking deeply again. ¡°Captain Snake.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Captain Snake, do you want some food?¡± the girl asked. ¡®Would you like some food?¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡¯ ¡°Captain Snake said it would.¡± The girl tore off some bread for the horse before stepping closer towards it, holding out her hand fearlessly. The horse gently bit into the flat bread before taking it out of her hand. ¡°You eat so good, Captain Snake, good boy, good-, um, good magic.¡± She brushed the horse¡¯s side. ¡®We¡¯re moving too slow,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It¡¯s not like the horses are struggling with the wagons, but we should move a little quicker. Should I have the wolves assist? They probably will have some difficulty too. Damn it, I wish I had...¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Vasera¡¯s groups horses, no doubt each magical steeds. ¡®I should pay her more.¡¯ Wow. Vasera is there too? What a coincidence. [798] – Y03.098 – Journey to Hope II [798] ¨C Y03.098 ¨C Journey to Hope II ¡°Good afternoon, travellers,¡± called out the stranger. No, perhaps they weren¡¯t wholly strangers. Each wore full plate, their steeds adorned in chain barding, though each wore heraldry of their Lady, that of a rock looming over a the treacherous tides. ¡°I hope so,¡± Adam replied, stepping up with his companions beside him. He noted that each carried saddlebags, with a sack tied to the animals, save for the leader, whose armour and weapons and steed were grander than all the others. ¡®They only brought fourteen?¡¯ ¡°Are you by any chance good fellows of a particular business by the name of United Kindom?¡± the woman asked, undoing her helmet to reveal her pretty face, and her deep red hair and near emerald eyes. ¡°That we are,¡± Adam replied, letting out a soft breath. ¡°Are you by any chance good fellows who follow the Marquise, Lady Amelia Tiderock?¡± ¡°You are astute in your observations. I am Sir Ivy Torrent, Blade of the Tide. I am here by authority of the great Marquise to return that which belongs to her.¡± ¡°I am Executive Adam of United Kindom, and I wish your Lady Marquise with all the fortune in the world to find that which belongs to her, but I fear that you will find nothing here which belongs to the Lady Marquise.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes scanned the group before her, taking in the sight of all the figures around. She noted the appearance of another, her eyes now glued to the woman. ¡°Are you the Golden Savage Vasera?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Are you currently in the employ of the United Kindom?¡± ¡°Until Life River, yes.¡± ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ivy fell into thought. Suddenly, it had become rather difficult. They were already outnumbered previously, but a group made up of farmers and porters were nothing compared to fourteen highly trained, mounted warriors, some of whom were knights. However, Vasera and her companions were not cut from the common riff raff which the United Kindom plucked off the road, but rather savages from the east who wet their blades on the blood of such terrible beasts from their lands, and the lands around. Adam¡¯s heart pounding in his chest. ¡®Fourteen is easy. I thought they¡¯d send more, unless each of them are Masters?¡¯ Sara eyed up the group, who were grouped up quite orderly, revealing their training, for they were four by three along the road, with one upfront, and another bringing up the rear, and carrying much of their supplies, no doubt a youth who was in training and not expected to fight. ¡®How fortunate for us they have grouped up for us.¡¯ Amira threw Dunes a look. As much as she was willing to help assist, she didn¡¯t want to. This wasn¡¯t really their fight, and if they were to step forward, they¡¯d drag their order into a diplomatic incident. However, she also couldn¡¯t just step back, not when Adam had spent so much gold to assist the order in finding her. ¡®Lady Arya, please...¡¯ ¡®The wolves may prove some difficulty too,¡¯ Ivy thought. ¡°Are you certain you do not possess that which belongs to the Marquise?¡± ¡°I am certain,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Do you understand the consequences of your actions, Executive?¡± Sir Ivy asked, speaking the title as though it were a filthy word, though her lips remained a smile. ¡°I hope the Marquise will understand the consequences of her actions,¡± Adam replied. Cobra exchanged a glance with Viper and Python, the trio understanding the situation was escalating quite terribly. Fourteen knights! Each adorned in full plate, while those around Adam wore heavy armour, only a few held full plate. No doubt each of the knights also wielded magical weapons, and some may have been Greater weapons too. Her eyes fell to the rest of the group. The adventurers they had picked up at the guild in the morning were all mostly relaxed, staying around the caravan, while the Iyrmen and the others had stepped forward to meet with the mountain knights. She vaguely recalled that Nobby and Brittany were both in one of the wagons too. Fred spoke about Nobby¡¯s strength as though he were some kind of monster, so what was he doing sitting in the wagon? Remy threw a look towards Adam. ¡°Nobby¡¯s my nephew, my cousin¡¯s nephew, but he¡¯s one of our lads. The, uh, Executives, Adam and Jurot, they picked him up when he was just a boy porter, and they trained him good. We watched him fight in the tournament last year. I would have never have thought the boy would be that strong. He beat all the younger Iyrmen you see, Nirot and the others.¡± His eyes beamed with pride. Viper remained speechless. ¡°The Executive taught him the way of his family, the Roh family. They say its harder to burn our Nobby now, and poisons and that sort of thing, they¡¯re all harder to hurt him. All I know is that Nirot beat up a giant python by herself, I seen it with my own eyes, and that our Nobby¡¯s apparently stronger.¡± ¡®Is he really that strong? Stronger than the Iyrmen?¡¯ Viper thought. She had thought Nobby was pretty tough, but to think he was stronger than even the likes of Nirot. ¡®They did say they beat the others in the tournament, but...¡¯ Remy inhaled deeply. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous business, that. I don¡¯t want it for my children, but the Executives said that our kids¡¯ll be educated. Letters, numbers, they¡¯ll even learn a trade, like smithing, and if they¡¯re able to be learned, they¡¯ll become priests.¡± ¡°Priests?¡± ¡°Aye. Priests. Adam, the Executive, he said that the kids¡¯ll be cared for. It¡¯s dangerous business, this, but he¡¯s watching over our families, and he¡¯s going to make sure they¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°What happens if you die? What then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll look after them still.¡± ¡°He will?¡± ¡°The Executives are all queer in their own way, but I know they¡¯re good at heart. The Iyrmen, they all want to fight and die, but even now I can see them thinking about how they shouldn¡¯t be fighting. They could have killed those knights who came, but they didn¡¯t. They¡¯re looking out for you and yours, just like how they look after me and mine.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯re a farmer?¡± Python asked, having her own conversation with the farmers. ¡°Yes,¡± Rick replied, sipping at his water. ¡°We picked up adventuring work to make some extra coin. John likes his paints, Charley likes her dyes, and I like my books. We¡¯re mostly farmers, though, we just wanted the extra coin, for the winters which come.¡± ¡°I heard you fought in the beast waves.¡± ¡°We did.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still calling yourself a farmer?¡± ¡°Once this is all done, and once we¡¯re at the business, I might have a different role. Right now I¡¯m a guard, but it¡¯s only temporary. Once we¡¯re at the business, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Python couldn¡¯t believe it. Even as she spoke with Viper and Cobra, she still couldn¡¯t believe it. Then again, the business had just offended one of the greatest powers in the region for their sake. Vonda looked out the forest towards the path towards Life River. Lucy¡¯s words continued to replay within her mind. She stood and made her way to a tower to pray. She hoped that bloodshed could be avoided. Man, nothing cool happened this chapter. *Checks next chapter.* Oh. [799] – Y03.099 – Journey to Hope III [799] ¨C Y03.099 ¨C Journey to Hope III The late afternoon sun began to fall across the Iyr. The five had come to meet once more, a gathering which hadn¡¯t held all five of them in some time, not since Elder Peace assisted with the negotiations between the two kingdoms. A heavy air filled the meeting, as this meeting was unlike any other which they had taken. The previous year, the Year of Silence, had been unprecedented within the Iyr¡¯s history, and though it was far more troubling than the current day, they couldn¡¯t overlook any threat to the Iyr. ¡°The kingdom has split, but we cannot overlook how little the situation has changed for the Iyr,¡± the Chief said, motioning a hand to the map before them, as well as all the tiny bits and pieces which represented so many different threats, from great figures to soldiers. The Chief motioned a hand to a few of the pieces, three which were of particular attention. ¡°King Merryweather is forcing them out, and they will settle within Central Aldland or East Aldland,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°West Aldland was unable to create a satisfactory offer, their orders would not allow it.¡± ¡°If they do not end up in West Aldland, then Central Aldland is where we should look,¡± the Chief said. ¡°If they settle within Central Aldland, the King may bequeath a fort to them.¡± He placed the tiny items along the new forts which were currently being erected by King Blackwater. ¡°The number of forts the King has called for cannot be understated,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°When the Aldish spend as freely as the Iyr, it is a prelude to greater chaos.¡± ¡°The Aldish cannot spend as freely as the Iyr,¡± Elder Gold replied. ¡°There are too many politics within the land to allow for such a thing.¡± ¡°The King¡¯s army knew great defeat,¡± Elder Wrath said. ¡°His political strength has decreased.¡± ¡°If he has managed to spur the lands to obey his decree, it must mean he has given up much to compromise,¡± Elder Forest said. ¡°The King had allowed the nobles to form their own knightly orders of limited numbers for his original plans, but if he is to reform his plans, he may have increased their autonomy in creating their own knightly orders.¡± ¡°The greater knightly orders the nobles can make, the greater likelihood the three grand orders in each region will react. They will not allow the nobles to gain equivalent privileges, not when they had already been restrained to their positions, they may also call for greater autonomy.¡± ¡°King Merryweather has forced the orders within his land out, it may be a way for the King to seize the orders for his own ends.¡± Elder Forest¡¯s eyes fell across the map. ¡°If he inherits the orders, he could offer to fund the migrant orders, or perhaps offer to replace unruly orders under his domain.¡± ¡°If King Blackwater¡¯s plan to create his Grand Army come to fruition, what need will Aldland of their orders?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°Perhaps the time of the orders as we know it will come to an end, or perhaps they will be forced to adapt to the new winds blowing, and will bleed to create a sturdier order.¡± ¡°The King of Aldland wishes to create his Grand Army, one which will numbers more than the tens of thousands of professional soldiers, of which we are familiar, but also greater than the hundreds of thousands of farmers who were once used to feed the land,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°One hundred thousand professional soldiers shall form a threat for any land around the kingdom, including that of we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°The Aldish will need ten times the force if they wish to invade the Iyr.¡± Adam spotted Sir Ivy, but she was not the knight leading the group. Instead there was another, a man who wore heavy plate like his companions, except he wielded a blade which seemingly was made of silver. His armour had as many details as Sir Ivy¡¯s, but the armour was made of deep blue, like the depths of the ocean, and he rode on his horse as though he owned the world around him. ¡°Morn,¡± Amira called, her voice full of annoyance. ¡°Deep blue armour.¡± ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t have a scar across his face, it may be someone else,¡± Dunes replied. As though he had tempted Fate, the knight removed his helmet to reveal his face, his deep blue eyes, and his dark grey hair, and the scar running across his face. Dunes shrugged his shoulders towards Amira, glad he had cast his spells upon the group with Vonda beforehand. Together, they had managed to cast spells on almost everyone, save for the Executives. ¡®Why didn¡¯t they accept the spell?¡¯ Cobra thought, feeling the holy magics fill her. Almost all the warriors, from the devilkin who weren¡¯t Iyrmen, the Aswadians, the Aldishmen, the Iyrmen teens, and even the trio of snakes, all had been blessed by Lady Arya and Mother Soza. It only made sense to her that the Executives, the most important members, who perhaps were the strongest too, would accept the spell first so they could fight with even greater zeal. ¡°I am Lord Benjamin Gravesea,¡± the figure stated. ¡°Marshal of the East.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes slightly, his heart pounding in his chest. ¡®That sounds important.¡¯ Dunes let out a sigh. He exchanged a look with Amira, who gave Dunes the most vicious look, but she didn¡¯t step back. Korin and Sara stood with them too, ready to face off against the small mounted army. ¡®Lady Arya, please,¡¯ Amira thought. ¡®Lady Arya, I¡¯ll at least have a good showing,¡¯ Korin thought, his eyes glancing towards Sara, whose lips formed a calm smile. ¡®How polite,¡¯ Sara thought, eyeing up the way they were positioned so perfectly for her. ¡®It just had to be Lord Gravesea,¡¯ Dunes thought. Oh no. [800] – Y03.100 – Journey to Hope IV [800] ¨C Y03.100 ¨C Journey to Hope IV ¡®The Marshal of the East...¡¯ Duchess Dalia thought while bathing within her large, marble bath. Fresh water poured in from the spouts within the statues, three which were warm, and the last, the one furthest away from the Duchess, hot, allowing the steam to rise up and around, before dissipating right before the Duchess. Several attendants worked her body, while guards remained nearby, their eyes like hawks as they watched the attendants work. One brought over a fresh platter of soaps, which had been freshly unpacked for the Duchess, who perused over the dozens of bars, before she picked a fresh bar which smelt of mint, dismissing the remaining soaps, the servants to dispense the items among themselves. Of course, the head servants claimed their own first before some were gifted to her favourite servants, while the last few were handed down on a rotation so that every servant had a bar of soap to last them until the next time they were within the rotation. The Duchess¡¯ thoughts fell back to the Marshal and the situation. She had sent her own knight, the Marshal of East Port, but when she had heard about the Marshal of the East leading the group, she had recalled her Marshal swiftly. ¡®Why have you sent your Marshal, my dear Marquise?¡± the Duchess thought as the hands lathered across her skin, not only bathing her, but dealing with the tension and stress of the day. She thought of Lord Benjamin Gravesea, one of the very few within East Aldland who could have matched the previous Knight of the East, who had died mysteriously, their body lost to the unknown. ¡®Stone Sword would have been a pleasant sight for the business,¡¯ the Duchess thought, thinking of the connection between the two. Apparently they had spoken during the tournament, something the Duchess had taken into consideration when choosing who to send to patrol the lands towards Life River, completely coincidentally, certainly not to see what the Marquise was up to, or to see what issue she had with the business which was going to provide the Duchess with grand weapons. ¡®To risk Stone Sword against Lord Gravesea...¡¯ The cost was far too much for the Duchess to bear. She would hope that the group would survive, and that Lord Gravesea would show some mercy to the business. She closed her eyes, allowing the warmth of the bath to soothe her. ¡®The business will lose much of its manpower. Shall I send some of my own men to replace the Enchanter¡¯s workers?¡¯ The Duchess let out a soft sigh, her lips forming a small smile. Though the Marquise held the Marshal of the East, she had decided to cause bother for the Enchanter. Once the Enchanter learnt of the Marquise¡¯s foolishness, a crack would form, a crack she would need to deepen, before she would offer to fill it for the Enchanter while pushing away the Marquise. Then her thoughts wandered. ¡®Surely, you will know your place when dealing with Lord Benjamin, Executive?¡¯ The Duchess hoped Adam would not pick a fight with the Marshal of the East, for that would make it difficult for her to deal with politically. Surely he couldn¡¯t be that stupid? ¡°Good evening, Lor-,¡± Adam began, only to be cut off by the Lord. ¡°Hand over the boy, and I will show you the mercy of a quick death, Executive Adam,¡± the Lord said, his voice stern, his eyes almost bored of the situation. Adam tilted his head slightly, feeling his neck pulse slightly. ¡°What fine mercy which has been offered by the Marquise.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lord Gravesea replied, his eyes glued to the young man in puthral, who had created quite the storm. ¡°The Marquise only wished for you to be branded for your crimes, but it is my mercy which will allow you to die with honour. It is the mercy I have granted to you as a boy who knew when to step back for his betters within the tournament.¡± Adam¡¯s face formed a wider smile, the annoyance of speaking to nobles quickly filling him. He could feel it, the itch within him. The heat of noonval had battered him all day, and though he had cooled himself with his magic, it had still been annoying. ¡®Of all the months they wanted to bother me, it just had to be in noonval...¡¯ ¡°Lord Benjamin Gravesea,¡± Vonda called, glad Adam had kept quiet. ¡°The children here are under the-,¡± ¡°Your silence is appreciat-,¡± the Marshal began, though Jurot continued, completing his full name. ¡°You should learn t-,¡± ¡°My name is Jurot,¡± Jurot interrupted. ¡°I do not care for the words you speak, Aldishman. I do not care for the tone you display, Aldishman. I do not care for your arrogance, Aldishman.¡± The way Jurot spoke the name of the people was in the same manner one might call Adam leaf ear, but not in the playful, or even aggravating manner, but in a way which suggested he would need to soap his tongue to clean it. ¡°Manager Vonda has requested we do not kill you and yours,¡± Jurot said, his eyes then falling across the group, seeing all the warriors, many of them knights, ready and eager to fight. ¡°Jaygak...¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± came the reply from the young woman. ¡°A thousand years ago, who was the Marshal of the East?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Mark the Gryphon?¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Romark the Seastorm,¡± Kitool corrected, fairly certain Mark the Gryphon was more active a generation or two after the Demonic Devastation. ¡°A thousand years ago, when the Gravesea family was not yet born from the split between its main family, the Marshal of the East cowered within Blackwater,¡± Jurot said, his eyes returning back to the Marshal¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°Jaygak?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°While the Aldish cowered, did Jogak cower?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Executive Jurot,¡± Vonda called, wondering why Jurot was aggravating the Marshal. There were so many knights here, each adorned in heavy armour, carrying blades, many which were magical. ¡°Manager Vonda,¡± Jurot said, feeling the magic of Mighty Roar against his arm, and the weight of Phantom at his side. ¡°We are not in Florian lands.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Vonda replied. ¡°The Marquise cut our adventuring short,¡± Jurot said, feeling his body fill with rage. ¡°We should not return without a good story.¡± ¡°...¡± Vonda turned to look at the knight, who donned his helmet. ¡°Very well,¡± the Marshal of the East said, pointing his sword forward. ¡°Let us complete our task swiftly.¡± Oh yes. [801] – Y03.101 – Death and Hope [801] ¨C Y03.101 ¨C Death and Hope Tension and tempers snapped, and the forest filled with negotiated death. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Mana: 16 -> 13 Spell: Fireball 8d6 = 25 (1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 6) Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 13 -> 10 Spell: Fireball 8d6 = 26 (1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) ¡°Lord Sozain, please accept my offerings,¡± Adam prayed, feeling his magic fill through his body. He could feel the warmth of the magic leave through his body, his magical axe tingling within his hand. A bead of fire fell from the heavens as the mounted warriors began to charge forward to meet the uncivilised savages. The explosion of fire engulfed the warhorses, which shuddered in terror as the flames licked at their skin through their chain. The guards had been so orderly, and so perfectly lined for the Fireball, one might have thought they had trained to be lambs to the slaughter. However, as Adam prepared another Fireball, feeling his magic rush through his body, another explosion rocked the horses, silencing them, and causing the heavily armoured guards to fall. Sara held out her hand, pointing a finger towards the house guards of Tiderock, her eyes glued to them, her gaze as though they were ants. ¡°Oh dear, I¡¯m quite so afraid.¡± Korin, with blade in hand, turned to face her, only to be distracted by the cries of the fallen guards, as another ball of fire engulfed them, almost silencing them permanently. The Marshal didn¡¯t dare to glance backwards, barely out of the radius of the fiery explosion, the screams echoing through his helmet as he slashed his blade downwards, meeting with the mouthy savage who had dared to offend him. Jurot¡¯s entire body was red hot with rage, only amplified by his excitement. The Marshal had yet to be struck by the flames, meaning he was fresh, and this honour would be his own. The pair clashed, magical axe meeting magical blade, while the other Iyrmen charged forward, ready and eager to fight. The younger Iyrmen left the four leaders in the capable hands of their own Executives. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Jurot called, the blade bouncing off his shield, almost disregarding one of the greatest warriors he had faced to date. ¡°Sir Ivy is untouched.¡± Jaygak had stepped forward to deal with one of the fallen knights who was trying to get up from under his dead steed, but pivoted as her glowing blade met the blade of Sir Ivy, their blades clattering for a moment. ¡°Retreat!¡± the Marshal shouted, while his warriors were being slaughtered like sheep. He brought down his blade heavily against the Iyrman, and though he had struck so heavily that he would have almost slain one of the Experts within his company, Jurot stood as sturdy as an oak.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°Do you believe the Marquise will leave you be?¡± Sir Ivy asked, her blade clashing with Jaygak¡¯s once more, the shining light almost searing her through her armour as they fought. ¡°I hope not,¡± came the playful response from the devilkin before her. No, not a devilkin, but an Iyrman. Sir Ivy and Jaygak clashed viciously while the sounds of cries filled the air, and the rage filled howls of the Iyrmen began to cut such cries short. Laygak brought his blade through the gaps of the guard¡¯s visor, causing him to begin to beg, before he was silenced. He stepped towards another. ¡°Wait, wait,¡± the guard shouted. ¡°I-, I-, please, wait!¡± The begging was silenced forever, Laygak bringing his blade back up, his eyes falling across the sight of death. ¡°Sleep peacefully, for Baktu will watch over you.¡± Naqokan almost danced along the field, cutting two Aldishmen, before glancing to the side to see Uwajin forcing her blade through the gut of another, while a sickening crack distracted her, Bavin¡¯s axe splitting a helmet in half. ¡°I should have expected there would be little fighting around Iyrmen,¡± Vasera said, crossing her arms, before glancing around at the battlefield. ¡®I knew Iyrmen were vicious, but this...¡¯ She glanced towards the Marshal, who was still engaged with Jurot, hearing the sounds of his companions dying all around him. ¡°Remind me not to cause trouble for the Iyrmen,¡± Rook said, before cackling with laughter. ¡°That is your role,¡± Vasera replied. ¡°I¡¯m the one who is foolish enough to fight them.¡± ¡°Do you still wish to fight him?¡± ¡°It would be fun.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± came a shout, though it was not a voice any of them recognised. ¡°There is no more need for death!¡± Adam heard the voice and turned towards it. Vonda, who clasped her hands together in prayer, clutched a diamond. ¡°Adam, please! This is enough!¡± Vonda pleaded as she stared into Adam¡¯s eyes, but noted Adam wasn¡¯t looking at her, but through her. She grabbed his shoulder, and he jolted awake, causing his arm to twitch as he raised raised his axe, scraping it against her armour. ¡°Huh?¡± Adam asked, before his eyes fluttered, and he realised his had his axe ready to strike Vonda. He dropped it, his eyes still fluttering wildly. ¡°It is over.¡± Adam glanced across the field, seeing the guards on the ground, half dying, half dead. The Iyrmen had killed those who were conscious, save for the four leaders, while the other guards who had been knocked out by the flames had been left to Fate, for now. ¡®So that¡¯s what they meant,¡¯ Cobra thought, staring at the mass of death before her. ¡®They¡¯re just porters...¡¯ ¡°What wicked darkness brings such death?¡± asked a voice from behind. Adam turned, noting the appearance of another eight heavily armoured knights, each adorned in heavy full plate, wearing white tabards with a rose emblazoned across it boldly. They wore holy amulets in the shape of a rose, each with a sun beneath it, seven with silver suns, one with gold. The seven who wore silver suns focused on the wagon, or rather, the demons beside it. Their authority pressed down against the nearby peoples like a disease. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Oh dear. [802] – Y03.102 – Hope and Death [802] ¨C Y03.102 ¨C Hope and Death ¡°What a vicious look you have within your eyes, young man,¡± the tall figure stated, feeling the way Adam¡¯s eyes glared up towards him. He wore the only golden sun among the group. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Sister Vonda?¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes were almost wide, having not expected to see him here. She had prayed hard, and the answers had gone seemingly unanswered, but to see the tall figure here, surrounded by seven Rays, a sudden torrent of relief filled her. ¡°There are still those who are dying,¡± Vonda quickly replied, urgency slipped deep into her voice. ¡°Rays!¡± called the lead figure, clenching his fist in the air, before the seven heavily armoured priests rode their steeds forward, swiftly making to heal the half dead guards who were trapped under their dead mounts. Adam quickly picked up his axe, watching as the priests worked, having dismounted from their steeds. The sounds of clashing had stopped, Jurot and Jaygak holding still as the newcomers had arrived. The lead figure rode up towards the Marshal of the East, pulling up his visor to reveal his wrinkled face. ¡°Lord Gravesea.¡± His voice still held authority, but there was something else mixed within it, almost a playful familiarity. ¡°Hope Robert,¡± came the response, stern, with a hint of just enough respect once the Marshal had pulled aside his visor. ¡°What brings the First Hope so far from home?¡± The trio of snakes¡¯ eyes snapped to the new figure, though the Iyrmen had been the first to take the First Hope within their sights when he had arrived. ¡°Am I so far from home?¡± Hope Robert asked, still playfully familiar. His lips formed a wider smile, polite, in the way that was smug and eager. ¡°I had heard a Sister of our order was in trouble. I had not expected to see you here, Marshal.¡± ¡®So the priest informed them of their charge,¡¯ the Marshal of the East thought. ¡°The boy has been claimed by the Marquise.¡± Hope Robert remained silent for a moment, still smiling politely. ¡°Sister Vonda.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Please inform the Marshal of the order¡¯s position in the matter.¡± ¡®Does he not know?¡¯ the Marshal thought, refraining from making any expression. ¡°The children, and adults, who are currently escorted by the United Kindom, are under the protection of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°Is that the official position of the order?¡± the Marshal asked, his voice clear and stern. Hope Robert¡¯s steed took a single half step forward and the Hope, leaned in only the tiniest amount, almost perceptively so. ¡°The position of the order... is not problematic, would you not agree?¡± ¡°Hope Robert, the knight has fallen,¡± a Ray called, checking on the knight Kitool had crushed with her staff. The pair of mounted knights continued to glare at one another, the pressure of their authority clashing against one another. One, a Marshal of the East, who held sway across all of East Aldland with his prestige. The other was the First Hope of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, which may have been one of several orders within East Aldland, but held even the awe of those from distant lands. ¡°I would agree,¡± the Marshal replied after a momentary pause. ¡°I had hoped so,¡± came the playful response before the Hope held out his hand, in a particularly awkward salute in Adam¡¯s first world. ¡°There is much death on the field. Bring all those back that we can.¡± Vonda stepped forward, before watching a blur of a hand reaching out for her, and she turned to see Adam, who had reached for her shoulder, but had instead clenched his fist in annoyance. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ Adam thought, before letting out a sigh. ¡®No, this way is fine.¡¯ ¡°The souls have been claimed by Baktu,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Their deaths will serve as nourishment for the people.¡± ¡°You are no longer within the Iyr, Iyrman,¡± Hope Robert said, his eyes falling across Jurot. ¡°The death here was needless.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, calming himself. As much as he wanted to teach the Marquise a lesson, Vonda had pleaded to him far too much. Of all the people Adam didn¡¯t want to offend, Vonda, who was definitely the best of them, even if she was more naive than Adam in matters of life and death, was the one he didn¡¯t want to offend the most. It was not because he believed Vonda would do anything terrible to him, but the fact that she wouldn¡¯t do anything bad to him caused his heart to tremble with guilt. ¡°Though I wish to treat them in the same manner as they have treated me, out of respect for the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, I will show them true nobility. I will not take them prisoner and ransom them back, for the business does not need pennies from the Marquise. Though we have shown them mercy previously, we shall, for one last time, and I swear upon my faith in Lord Sozain that it shall be the last time, show them mercy again. They may leave, their pride wounded, their honour no better than the mud their blood accompanies, but with their lives, and the knowledge that they-,¡± Vonda reached out for Adam¡¯s forearm, holding it gently, causing Adam to pause. He glanced towards the priest for a moment, before slowly bowing his head. ¡°The knowledge that the good people of Life¡¯s Rose, whose honour gleams greater than their armour, have saved their lives. I would ask you to make sure to pay the gods their proper respects, but-,¡± Adam paused upon feeling Vonda gently pull her arm towards him. ¡°...¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡®Damn it. Vonda¡¯s right, I should keep my mouth shut.¡¯ ¡°Manager Vonda, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little untoward to be flirting with me so openly.¡± Jaygak coughed, refraining from snorting, while the tension in the air gently began to dissipate, while Vonda was glad her helmet hid her face. ¡°I shall inform the Marquise of your grace,¡± the Marshal said. ¡°You may also inform her that she is banned from ever procuring an item from our business,¡± Adam said, his eyes glued to the Marshal. It was then it struck him. Adam¡¯s lips began to form a sly smile as he realised what had happened. The Marquise had sent a small army of Experts to deal with them, only to have them come home licking their wounds like sick pups. ¡°I hope to see you again, Marshal of the East,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I have no doubt we will meet again, savage.¡± ¡°Sir Ivy, do you know what an Iyrman¡¯s greatest pleasure is?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°...¡± Sir Ivy remained silent. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, her lips wide with a smirk. ¡°What greater pleasure is there but to kill an Aldishman twice?¡± Adam burst out into laughter, the laughter of the Iyrmen soon drowning out the sounds of the area. ¡°Is death so humorous?¡± Hope Robert asked, his voice pressing upon the air once more. ¡°Only if it is of the Aldish,¡± Kitool said, her voice clear. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, before his eyes met Kitool¡¯s. Then his lips formed a smile, winking at her. He felt Vonda pull his arm again, and Adam decided against putting his foot in his mouth. ¡®Only if is of the nobles.¡¯ The order came to save Adam from the nobles, but ended up saving the nobles from Adam. Also big news! For the entirety of April this year, any new patron who joins at Silver tier or above will result in an additional chapter being released. Thankfully the rest of the chapters are slice of life so it''s not like... *Checks notes.* ... Oh no. [803] – Y03.103 – An Ignoble Threat [803] ¨C Y03.103 ¨C An Ignoble Threat Victory! XP Gained: +500 XP: 11 100 -> 11 600 Quest Complete: An Ignoble Threat XP: +200 XP: 11 600 -> 11 800 ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the First Hope!¡± ¡°Amazing!¡± The children were all kept at bay by their elder siblings, though the First Hope stepped closer to check on the children, beaming down with a delighted smile. His smile was almost as radiant as him. ¡°Are you all well?¡± the calm voice called out, the First Hope peering over the excited children. ¡°Yes, mister First Hope.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not mister First Hope, it¡¯s Sir First Hope,¡± a child corrected. Sir Robert chuckled at the children. ¡°Are you listening to your elders properly?¡± ¡°Yes, mister Sir.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± the Hope said, reaching down to ruffle their heads. ¡°It¡¯s just Hope, not Sir. You may sleep peacefully, we will take watch.¡± His eyes fell across to the large tower to one side, and then the other, and finally the third. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Who is the First Hope anyway?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The oldest of the Hopes?¡± ¡°He is the oldest, but he¡¯s also the strongest,¡± Vasera replied. ¡°You should be careful not to offend him, Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll offend who I want,¡± Adam replied, letting out a huff. His eyes remained glued to the First Hope. ¡°So how strong is he anyway?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the strongest of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, matched only by a handful across the entire land,¡± Vasera said. ¡°I¡¯d fare worse against him than you.¡± ¡°How much worse?¡± ¡°Worse enough that you should be thankful for his help here, just like how I¡¯m thankful I¡¯m getting paid to do nothing now that he¡¯s here,¡± Vasera replied, sipping from her wine skin. ¡°How do you know so much about him?¡± ¡°You are the fool if you do not know of the First Hope. He may be from the generation after King Merryweather, but like every First Hope, his name is known across all the realms.¡± ¡®Is he really that strong then?¡¯ Adam thought, noting how the children were in utter awe of the old man. ¡®He¡¯s probably a little weaker than the Chief, then?¡¯ Adam hadn¡¯t realise how ridiculous his thoughts would have sound to the others around him, daring to think so ill of the First Hope. ¡°Stop thinking something so stupid,¡± Vasera said. ¡°If I¡¯m telling you someone¡¯s strong, they¡¯re strong. If I tell you someone isn¡¯t worth bothering, then I¡¯m either ill or serious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the illness of a broken heart ails you even now.¡± ¡°It is not others who break my heart!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I break your heart when I beat you so soundly?¡± ¡°You are too close to me to speak so brazenly!¡± Vasera¡¯s face formed a wild grin. Adam smiled. ¡°If the Golden Savage is telling me to relax, then the world has gone to the under realms.¡± Vasera cackled with laughter, offering Adam a sip of her wine. Adam took it and took it a sip. Constitution Save D20 + 1 = 7 (6) The fire spread through Adam¡¯s throat, causing him to spit out as much of the wine as he could, his nostrils stinging, and he let out a hoarse cry as the flames of the spice rushed him. ¡°Ah! Gah! Haa!¡± Adam cursed, though he was unable to bring his lips together due to how they were on fire. ¡°Now my broken heart has been healed,¡± Vasera said, taking back the wineskin to sip more of the fire wine, feeling the burn run through her body. Hope Robert eventually stepped away from the children, taking a walk around the perimeter, before he coincidentally came across Vonda, who was also, coincidentally, by herself. ¡°Sister Vonda, I see you are well,¡± Robert said. ¡°I am, Hope Robert,¡± Vonda replied, her entire body no longer as tense as it had been for the past few days. ¡°I received word you were in the company of demons.¡± The First Hope¡¯s eyes fell across the pair of demons who were assisting with the firewood, chopping the logs to be used for the pit. ¡°Curious that you assisted them to face the like of the Marshal of the East.¡± Vasera cackled in laughter. ¡°You Iyrmen! The stories of your insanity have reached even we in the far east.¡± ¡°Do you wish to fight?¡± Naqokan asked excitedly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you when you¡¯re tired from killing Aldishmen.¡± ¡°Killing the Aldishmen did not tire me.¡± Vasera cackled wildly once more, sharing more of her wine with the Iyrmen, until her firewine was gone, though there was no bitterness at the emptied wineskin. Kitool watched Vasera, who had decided to keep the younger Iyrmen company. ¡°Should we have fought?¡± ¡°A message had to be sent,¡± Jurot replied, cleaning his axe and shield. ¡°They now know of Adam¡¯s abilities. They will send greater foes next time.¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°It may endanger Adam.¡± ¡°Adam will endanger himself,¡± Jurot said, rubbing his magical shield with a cloth, staring at its face. The tingling sensation ran through his fingers. Might Roar, the shield he had received from Adam. ¡°They should understand the conviction we hold.¡± ¡°I did not expect to hear you complain about killing Aldishmen,¡± Jaygak said, strapping her sword belt against her side, putting a foot up on the stump of a tree they had recently felled. ¡°I am not complaining about killing Aldishmen,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°They are consequences for confronting nobles in the land.¡± ¡°We shall be judged by the Iyr.¡± ¡°And Adam by the Aldish.¡± Jaygak frowned. ¡°He¡¯ll get out of trouble.¡± ¡°Will he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Adam.¡± Adam continued to cool his mouth against the pauldron before the fiery spice had numbed his face. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she did this to me.¡¯ Adam winced, cooling the water to sip more of it, before letting out a gasping sigh. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Dunes asked, the young man tossing the dough between his hands, before placing it down beside the other flat breads which needed to be heated on the skillet. ¡°I need to go thank the noble before he gets annoyed,¡± Adam replied. Dunes chuckled, nodding his head as he allowed Adam to leave, keeping an eye on the young half elf. ¡°Sir Robert,¡± Adam called out, approaching the older man, still adorned in full plate. ¡°I am Executive Adam of the United Kindom.¡± ¡°Yes, so you are.¡± Adam smiled, feeling the tinge of annoyance. ¡°I came here to thank you for your assistance. The appearance of the First Hope of Life¡¯s Rose is something which honours our business, and we hope to show you our proper gratitude soon. Please, make use of the faculties provided by the business, and join us to eat dinner. Once we are in the town, we will be able to show appropriate gratitude.¡± ¡®So you can behave...¡¯ Robert thought. ¡°I see you follow Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you may refer to me as Hope Robert, for I am a priest before I am a knight.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied, unsure if that was meant to be a slight. ¡°Executive Adam, could you raise another tower for the members of Life¡¯s Rose?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°A tower with two sets of bedrooms.¡± Adam paused for a moment. ¡°Of course, Manager Vonda.¡± ¡°Sister Vonda is only a temporary Manager,¡± Robert said. ¡°I hope you do not intend to cling onto her.¡± ¡°Manager Vonda has graced us with her presence voluntarily. Of course, you know that you¡¯re free to leave whenever, no matter how much it will break our hearts to see you go.¡± Adam raised his brows towards Vonda, a gentle look within his eyes. ¡°I know, Adam.¡± ¡°Of course, if you do intend to leave, I would like to know, so I can prepare your compensation for you.¡± Adam flashed a smile towards her, but it was a strained smile. ¡®Is he picking a fight, or is she really going to kiss me and then leave?¡¯ I can''t believe she''s going to do that! Also thank you to my new subscriber! Expect two chapters out tomorrow! Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com [804] – Y03.104 – Live River [804] ¨C Y03.104 ¨C Live River Never had a town looked more inviting to Adam. Built around a large river, surrounded by miles upon miles of farms, and rather than the high, dull grey stone he was used to, the walls, or rather the fences, were formed up of wood, emanating from the river like ripples. The wooden buildings were of a myriad of sizes, made of all manner of wood, and in all manner of styles, though each did not daring to grow too tall to the sky. It was not that they feared growing too tall to upset anyone in particular, but they feared their homes could not be overlooked by the imposing stature of the large stone fortress which made its home upon the island in the middle of the river which split the town in two. Only a bridge connected it to the town together. The fortress was the largest structure, at least five stories high. The island itself was large, a village of its own, and the only bridge of the town wound its way around the island, not quite connected to the island, which was almost its own little isolated civilisation. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered, noting the number of people crossing along the bridge during the evening, easily numbering in the hundreds, if not thousands. Each side of the river had its own docks down river of the fort, though Adam couldn¡¯t see much past it. The guards at the front were a young boy, perhaps in his early teens, and an older woman, in her late fifties or so. They both wielded a staff in hand, while carrying smaller clubs at their side, and the boy wore a scale tunic, one which was far too large for him, while the woman wore thick clothing, with a thin disc of metal which lay over her breast. Their cloaks were pinned together by a token the size of one¡¯s palm, the engraved rose within the token perhaps their greatest armour. Upon seeing Hope Robert riding his mount, leading the procession of wagons, the pair stood at attention. Robert raised his hand, motioning them to sit from afar, though Adam raised his brows at the gesture, as it meant something completely different to him. ¡°Please, sit,¡± Hope Robert called once they had approached from far enough away. The boy made to sit, but the older woman slapped his back, grumbling at him to remain standing. ¡°Hope Robert, you¡¯re returned!¡± the old woman exclaimed, smiling joyfully towards the First Hope. ¡°It warms my heart to see you return safe and sound.¡± ¡°The Great Mother warmed us with her presence,¡± Hope Robert replied. ¡°I do not wish to appear rude, but I must take this group to the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother, for certain matters of the order.¡± ¡°Oh yes, no bother, Hope Robert, didn¡¯t mean to keep you,¡± the old woman said, stepping aside with such swiftness, one might had expected she was a woman half her age. The boy shuffled to one side, his eyes beaming towards Robert, who smiled down towards him, waving a hand, before continuing to ride up ahead. He watched as the wagons continued, while the young man in purple remained behind, holding a a handful of gold coins. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing like a gate fee in Life River, Brother,¡± the woman said, noting the amulet on his breast. It was made of obsidian, and held quite the terrifying symbol, one she was familiar with only from a particular culture. ¡°I merely wish to donate to the temple appropriately,¡± Adam said, holding out the ten gold coins. ¡°Life River has always treated us well, and we¡¯ll be imposing for some time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing like imposition here, Brother,¡± the older woman said, still not daring to take his coin. ¡°Sister Vonda, would you mind?¡± ¡°Jannet, please.¡± ¡°Oh! Sister Vonda, you¡¯ve returned!¡± the old woman said, having been distracted by the appearance of the First Hope and the young priest who worshipped the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death. ¡°I have, with many blessings from Mother Soza,¡± Vonda said, who placed the gold into the old woman¡¯s hands, while Adam shuffled away as quietly as he could, allowing Vonda to deal with the gate guards. Adam spotted all the liveliness within the town, even as it approached this late, with commonfolk all meeting together outside their homes to share their food and drink with one another, speaking of the day¡¯s work. The snake sisters followed silently, their eyes glued to Adam, who was humming quietly to himself in the best mood. Yesterday, he had been so utterly stressed out, but that morning he had awoken with a chipperness they hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡®I can probably take on two Masters today,¡¯ he had informed Vonda with such a wide smile. None of the others had reacted as though what he had said was out of the ordinary, from the Iyrmen to the porters, it was as though it was just any other day to them. ¡°Though, whether you live or die, it is up to whether you find the one thing you need.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°An order which will be willing to defend you against the accusations that the Marquise will send your way.¡± ¡°Where am I going to...¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡®Right. The only people who can cause nobles trouble are priests...¡¯ Adam glanced towards Dunes. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can...¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes then fell to the fortress. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡°Jaygak...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve been pretending I¡¯m stupid for so long that I might actually be stupid.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been pretending?¡± Adam sighed, unable to respond. ¡®No, I might actually be that stupid.¡¯ Hope Robert led the group towards the bank of the river, the fortress up ahead. He blew a horn, and made a motion with his hands. A group of priests arrived, and a spell was cast, before the First Hope replied aloud. ¡°By the Mother¡¯s grace, I have brought special guests for the order.¡± ¡°You hear that?¡± a child asked. ¡°We¡¯re special guests!¡± ¡°Yeah, we are!¡± ¡°Yo,¡± Adam exclaimed aloud as he watched as a bridge of light formed from the island in the middle, connecting to the bank on this side. He glanced around to the others, seeing only the commonfolk responding with surprise and awe. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you guys impressed?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a bridge made of light,¡± Jaygak replied, shrugging her shoulders. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s just a bridge made of light? That¡¯s so cool!¡± ¡°Why are you acting like it¡¯s so impressive?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to see the Bridge of Fire one day, and then you¡¯ll see something even more impressive.¡± ¡°I mean, yeah, a bridge of fire is cool, but it¡¯s a bridge of light! It¡¯s a bridge of light!¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Lucy snorted. ¡°It¡¯s only a bridge for a few steps. The Bridge of Fire is easily a mile long.¡± ¡°Damn, that is pretty impressive,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a bridge of light! Of light!¡± A bridge of light! [805] – Y03.105 – Life’s Rose I [805] ¨C Y03.105 ¨C Life¡¯s Rose I The group made their way across the bridge of light, which felt as solid as stone. ¡®I wonder how they cross when they¡¯ve got no magic...¡¯ Adam thought. The wagon was pulled along with no trouble, as the magical steeds had no need to fear a bridge made of magic. The wolves seemed slightly suspicious, but didn¡¯t dare to refuse the order of their masters, following along as though they weren¡¯t bothered by a bridge made of light. Adam glanced around, noting the large group of servants all around, most of whom were women. ¡®I would have expected a temple of life to be mostly women, but not all among the lower roles.¡¯ A few servants came to assist, taking the wagons, the magical steeds, the wolves, with the younger Iyrmen, away to one side. As they stepped into the large stone fortress, Adam realised it wasn¡¯t just the farmers, or the acolytes, but the priests were also mostly women. As he glanced around, noting the guards, Adam realised that the group which had come to meet with him, who had been made up of almost all men, were a large portion of the men to be found within the temple. ¡°Is this the temple?¡± a child asked, shuffling with the other children, shepherded by the acolytes. ¡°It¡¯s the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother,¡± Alex confirmed. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°As this is the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother, I will request you remove your armour, and leave your weapons within our care.¡± Vonda turned to Adam, almost ready to speak, when she paused, watching as he began to remove his gauntlets. ¡°It is awkward to request us to remove our swords,¡± Dunes said. ¡°We have no qualms with those who worship Lady Arya,¡± Hope Robert replied, allowing them to keep their weapons. His eyes then turned to the Iyrmen expectantly. Jurot remained with his arms crossed, waiting for the Father to ask, the refusal already building within his throat. ¡°We¡¯re here as Executives of the United Kindom,¡± Adam said to Jurot. ¡°Let¡¯s pay our respects, especially considering all the great people of the temple have done for us.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, undoing his axebelt, and doing the same for his shield, as Adam had passed away his shield to a nearby acolytes, whose eyes were wide as they felt the magics flowing through the items. Lucy glared at Mara, who had almost made a motion to refuse, asking her if she wanted to get them killed. Hope Robert watched as the acolytes took the various items in a particular manner which revealed how many magical items the group possessed. ¡®...¡¯ However, that was not as surprising as the fact the Iyrmen had given up their weapons so easily. ¡®Are they not Iyrmen?¡¯ ¡®Look at those adorable kids,¡¯ Adam thought, hiding his smile behind a fist. ¡®You punks, what, you think you¡¯re as cute as my kids? No way, but maybe you¡¯re a close second. I¡¯m going to forgive you, just this once.¡¯ ¡®Our order is better defended,¡¯ Dunes thought. ¡®Though, the river proves a great barrier for any invaders.¡¯ Lucy remained standing near the trio of Iyrmen, with Mara standing right beside her. Though some of the priests were guiding the children to a place to sit and relax, other priests were completely focused on her and her best friend. She could feel a cold chill run through her entire body, realising she was in perhaps the most danger she had ever been in, save against Shama and within the Iyr. Jurot remained silent, standing with his arms crossed, barely giving any attention to the looks their way. Kitool and Jurot placed themselves with the pair of demons, while Jaygak sat nearby, ready to provide support. The teen Iyrmen would assist them upon their return dealing with the wagon and the wolves. ¡®Vonda said she¡¯ll deal with it...¡¯ Lucy thought, though she began to sweat. Her heart began to pound wildly within her chest. ¡®Adam won¡¯t let them hurt us...¡¯ ¡°Hope Thomas,¡± one of the golden sun people said to Hope Thomas, who also wore a golden sun. Thomas nodded his head, stepping to one side, keeping the demons within his sight, while a few of those with silver suns followed him, before spreading out, forming a circle around the demons, while saying on the outer edge of the courtyard. ¡°It must have been such a long travel,¡± one of the Guardians said, an older woman in her fifties or so. She wore a golden sun beneath her amulet. ¡°It was quite long,¡± Cobra confirmed. ¡°Mother Soza watched over us, and we¡¯re very grateful.¡± ¡°You seem rather tense, young miss. You are safe within the temple now. Whatever threats which had affected you upon the road are now at an end.¡± The old woman placed a hand on Cobra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you are in trouble, you merely need to speak the words and we will assist you.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t seem to be in any trouble in the temple,¡± Cobra replied. ¡°What kind of trouble plagued you on the road?¡± ¡°Nobles.¡± ¡°...¡± The woman¡¯s face was still warm, though there was certainly a hesitation on her face, one mixed with slight confusion. ¡°Nobles?¡± ¡°The Marquise, she sent the Marshal of the East.¡± ¡°...¡± The woman remained confused as Cobra spoke of the Marquise and not of the Iyrmen or the demons. ¡®What?¡¯ What? [806] – Y03.106 – Life’s Rose II [806] ¨C Y03.106 ¨C Life¡¯s Rose II ¡°It must be important for you to interrupt my evening prayers,¡± Mother Priest said. A familiar pale, face, with deep eyes, which held both compassion and annoyance in equal measure. She was an older woman, as one might have expected. ¡°I have come to inform you of many things,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Those which I had not spoken previously, and those which had only come to my eyes recently.¡± ¡°Is this about the demons you have brought to the order?¡± Mother Priest asked. Vonda threw a glance to Hope Robert, wondering how long he would remain here. ¡°You may speak of your matters first, Sister Vonda,¡± the First Hope stated. ¡°I would dare not to speak before the First Hope,¡± the young Sister replied. ¡°There is no need to worry about this old man.¡± ¡°To refuse to hear of your wisdom before I speak with my youthful foolishness, it would only be a disservice.¡± Mother Priest watched as Vonda kept deflecting Hope Robert, whose annoyance was growing. ¡®What could be so important you would be so impudent to Hope Robert?¡¯ ¡°Hope Robert, let us speak privately first, while Sister Vonda prepares herself to speak with me.¡± Hope Robert frowned, but he followed Mother Priest into her quarters, speaking with her for a few minutes, before stepping out, politely greeting Vonda on the way out with a smile, though continued back to the courtyard. ¡®I hope you stay out of trouble, Adam...¡¯ Vonda sighed, before stepping into the Mother Priest¡¯s quarters, noting the four women in prayer in each corner, each wearing something which covered them head to toe, including thin piece of cloth which hid their faces. Mother Priest¡¯s quarters was as bare as it was opulent, as warm as it was cool, moderate in almost every way one could try to measure. A small statue of Mother Soza, made up of Red Oak, sat within an alcove made of earth. It was not any kind of special earth, just earth which had been found from nowhere in particular, and then formed into a place to provide shade for the statue, which was worth its weight in silver. ¡°Sit,¡± the Mother Priest called, waving a hand as a stool floated towards Vonda, while Mother Priest sat on the area which was slightly raised in front of Mother Soza¡¯s statue, though she was with the statue to her side, so she did not sit with her back to the statue. Vonda sat opposite the Mother Priest, still within her armour, her magical mace still at her side. She had no thoughts of harming the Mother Priest, especially not when she sat within the room which held the holy mace she had returned the other year with the assistance of Fate¡¯s Golden. ¡°I have much to speak of, Mother Priest...¡± Vonda said, wondering where she should begin. ¡°I should first inform you that the Great Mother has blessed me with a grace which I do not deserve.¡± ¡°...¡± the Mother Priest waited, slowly narrowing her eyes. ¡°May I?¡± Vonda asked, and once Mother Priest bowed her head, Vonda began to pray, calling for Mother Soza¡¯s grace, before she reached out to touch the most powerful Priest of Life with her bare hand, holding it in the way of the Priests of Life. Mother Priest felt the warm magic of the Great Mother fill her, feeling the protective magic encompass her like a blanket. It was a sensation she had felt before, for it was the same sensation certain priests had brought to her when they claimed the title. Her eyes remained focused on Vonda, who had refused the title of Mother when last she had come, stating she had more business to deal with, and yet, not even a year later, the young woman had returned with the ability to communicate with their Goddess with the same level of a High Priests, those who were only beneath her in the hierarchy. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°You worship Baktu, not Lord Sozain,¡± Robert replied. ¡°The root of death is the same, but Iyrmen¡¯s Lord knows little of Lord Sozain¡¯s grace. Lord Sozain is a child of Mother Soza, but this Baktu? Whoever it may be, they did not inherit the Mother¡¯s love of life.¡± ¡°There is no doubt within my heart that Lord Sozain is Baktu,¡± Adam said, reaching own to his amulet, feeling how cool it was to the touch. ¡®He did personally tell me himself, so I should probably believe the God himself.¡¯ ¡°I see that you are too emotional to speak of the matter any longer,¡± Robert said. ¡°You must wish to return to your companions.¡± Adam huffed out, but kept his tongue at bay. He understand what the Father was doing. ¡®What an asshole.¡¯ Adam stood. ¡°Thank you for the conversation, it was truly enlightening.¡± ¡°You are most welcome.¡± ¡®What an absolute prick! He¡¯s definitely the First Hope.¡¯ Robert motioned to one of his Rays, glancing over to Hope Thomas, before he went to check on the children, making sure they were all safe. ¡®The Iyr has certainly taken to the young man¡¯s heart, though he is no Iyrman. What have they done to him?¡¯ Adam huffed, dropping down beside Jurot and the others. ¡°Can you believe it?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°Forget what?¡± ¡°You need them.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam let out another huff. ¡®Right. I need them to help me out with the Marquise.¡¯ ¡°We will need an escort for when we return to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Why do we need an escort?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t, the children do.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes met Jaygak¡¯s for a moment before the half elf turned, looking to the children, who were sitting and eating with the other Hopes. ¡®Right. I can be stupid if it gets me in trouble, but I can¡¯t endanger them because some noble is being a prick to me.¡¯ Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to the newcomer who had approached them. It was a young man, with chestnut hair, bright blue eyes, and a handsome face. He was perhaps thirty years old, and was the youngest to carry the golden sun beneath his amulet. ¡°May I sit?¡± the Seventh Hope asked. ¡°You may, Hope Thomas,¡± Jurot replied. The audacity! [807] – Y03.107 – Life’s Rose III [807] ¨C Y03.107 ¨C Life¡¯s Rose III ¡°You know of me?¡± ¡°Who does not know of the Seven Hopes?¡± Jurot asked, ignoring how Adam had glanced away awkwardly. ViiSiit for latest novels Thomas remained silent for a moment before taking his place opposite the Iyrman, surrounded by Iyrmen. ¡°You keep interesting company.¡± ¡°My brother attracts much fun and glory.¡± ¡°Your brother?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, motioning his head to the young half elf. ¡°A fae brother?¡± ¡°Only half,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You do not have a tattoo.¡± ¡°We are brothers, but I am no Iyrman.¡± ¡°Is such a thing possible?¡± ¡°Apparently so.¡± ¡°The customs of the Iyr are so... queer,¡± Hope Thomas said, his voice cautious. Adam smirked slightly. ¡°That they are. To think a group of...¡± Adam stared at Jurot. ¡°Those who are so eager for death are also so eager to protect life.¡± ¡°The Iyr protects life?¡± Hope Thomas¡¯ tone was obviously derisive. ¡°The Iyr watches over my children with such fervour,¡± Adam replied. ¡°My sweet, adorable children...¡± Adam crossed his arms, inhaling deeply. Jaygak understood what Adam was doing. In order to keep himself from doing something stupid, he needed to be stupid in another way. ¡°You have children?¡± Thomas asked. ¡°Who remain within the Iyr?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They stay with their family. Their babo is probably playing with them right now. I¡¯m sure Jirot is bullying him as we speak. Ha! What is she doing? She should be bullying her father right now!¡± ¡®...¡¯ Thomas stared at Adam with a peculiar gaze, unsure of what the young man was doing. He then glanced around to see how the others seemed to be ignoring the half elf at the moment, even the demons. ¡°It is such a grand temple,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I came here when I was a girl, but I do not recall it.¡± ¡°We have always welcomed the Iyr within our temple.¡± Thomas glanced to the children to the side. ¡°They do not seem like Iyrmen children.¡± ¡°They are not,¡± Kitool confirmed. ¡°Why is it that you have so many children with you?¡± ¡°They are future members of our business.¡± ¡°Which business is that?¡± ¡°The United Kindom.¡± ¡°An Iyrman business?¡± ¡°We work closely with the business, but it is not a business of the Iyr.¡± ¡°What kind of business is this business?¡± ¡°We deal with magical items.¡± ¡°Magical items?¡± ¡°We trade magical items.¡± ¡®They trade magical items?¡¯ Thomas thought. ¡°Oh!¡± Adam said. ¡°Wait, is this the place which asked us for that mace?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Oh, that makes so much sense,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°What about the eg-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot interrupted quickly. ¡°Did you assist in retrieving the artefact?¡± Thomas asked, realising what they were talking about. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡®Why does everyone always take what I say in the worst way possible?¡¯ Adam pulled back slightly. ¡°You are powerful,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I would wish to face you.¡± ¡°I have no need to prove my strength against Iyrmen,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°You were talking so much smack, but now you¡¯re pulling back?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Talking so much smack?¡± ¡°It means you were speaking so poorly of the Iyrmen, but now that you¡¯ve been challenged, you¡¯ve decided to step back.¡± ¡°I have no need to prove myself to you or the Iyrmen. Mother Soza knows of my faith and capabilities.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam replied, barely able to contain his eye roll. ¡°I would like to see my brother face against you if I cannot,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Right, I¡¯m not an Iyrman, so you don¡¯t have to be so afraid of me,¡± Adam teased, before Jaygak kicked him gently. ¡°I mean, uh, it would be so great if we could spar so that I could, uh, you know, because I¡¯m a Priest of Death and you¡¯re the Seventh Hope, it would be my honour.¡± ¡°I am a Hope of Life¡¯s Rose, it is not becoming of me to beat any man or woman who wishes to be beaten within the temple.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious, since I know the quality of warriors is different depending on the order, and even the Iyr has great respect for your order. I want to know how strong I am in comparison.¡± Adam was fairly certain he hadn¡¯t faced anyone high quality yet. Adventurers and such, sure, but a Hope? That was completely different, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°You would win,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I would?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I would bet on it.¡± ¡°What are you speaking of?¡± Thomas asked Jurot, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Your brother could defeat me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Thomas looked to Adam, eyeing him up. ¡°The lies of the Iyrmen are few and far between, but it is a myth they do not lie. Various myths have already been dispelled recently. From the lies of claiming the Awakened Forest to the south, to their inability to assist in the wars, the statue known as the Iyr is beginning to crumble. Once it crumbles, we will welcome you with open eyes.¡± ¡°What did you say about the Awakened Forest?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Awakened Forest in the south,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°It was three years ago, the Awakened Forest formed in the south. Duke Lionheart claimed it, but the Iyr forced their way with the threat of death. The Duke did not wish to risk the lives of the innocent Aldish souls, and so retreated. He is most noble, as one might expect.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked, smirking wide. ¡°Duke Lionheart claimed it? You¡¯re certain?¡± ¡°It is widely known.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall seeing you in the forest,¡± Adam replied. Thomas narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What I mean is, when the forest threatened to swallow my brother and I whole, I could only wish for the Seventh Hope to be there to protect us,¡± Adam replied, keeping the young man¡¯s gaze. ¡°I recall the Aswadians had also tried to claim the Awakened Forest as their own, but they weren¡¯t smart enough to back off. They even tried to shoot us, but thankfully Elder Peace was there, otherwise I¡¯d have a crossbow through my throat.¡± ¡°You mean to say you were there?¡± ¡°I mean to say it was my brother who claimed it,¡± Adam said. ¡°I watched him claim it.¡± ¡°Of course, any braggart can say such things.¡± ¡°Well, I might be a braggart, but can¡¯t you confirm it? I¡¯m sure you have the ability to cast a spell to see if I¡¯m telling the truth or not.¡± ¡°To use the Mother¡¯s grace for such a trivial affair would be a dishonour.¡± ¡°Right, right, it¡¯s a shame to use the Mother¡¯s grace for the truth, especially when you¡¯ve realised you¡¯ve been speaking misconceptions about a matter to the people who were there.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Then you spoke of how the Iyrmen were not able to assist in the wars? Last I recalled, it wasn¡¯t under the command of an Iyrman that three hundred Aldish lives were wasted, something which I thought would bother you, since you worship the Goddess of Life.¡± ¡°It was certainly a tragedy, and I prayed for the lives lost during the massacre,¡± he said, his eyes falling upon Adam once more, and then his ears, before he continued. ¡°I mean to only speak of their inability to assist during the civil war.¡± ¡°Last I recalled,¡± Adam continued, his lips forming a smirk, ¡°during the civil war, the Iyrman unit was the one which had the best results.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Over three thousand Aldish dead, only four Iyrmen were killed.¡± ¡°The Iyrmen were not a part of the main fighting force,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°The so called courage of the Iyrmen is to remain hiding within the fort.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam snapped, his eyes glaring at the Hope, whose lips had formed the smallest smirk. ¡°You have no right to speak so ill of those Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Those Iyrmen, elderly and crippled, were but a hindrance on the battlefield.¡± Adam grit his teeth, clenching his fist, his eyes full of fury. ¡®You damn son of a bitch!¡¯ ¡°You have no-,¡± Adam felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned, seeing the redness which had engulfed his brother. This Hope is courting death. [808] – Y03.108 – Life’s Rose IV [808] ¨C Y03.108 ¨C Life¡¯s Rose IV ¡°My grandfather lost his leg while facing Lord Asa,¡± Jurot said, his hand firmly gripping Adam¡¯s shoulder. He pulled the young man down beside him, before he crossed his arms. ¡°I only know great pride for my grandfather, whose leg was taken by the Blood Knight while he fought Lord Asa.¡± Thomas cleared his throat, awkwardly. ¡°I meant no disrespect to your grandfather. I just meant to say that those who should have fought are not those who should remain within the Iyr to retire peacefully, but those more suitable.¡± ¡°My grandaunt fought Lord Asa with his grandfather,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°They fought alongside a Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts, Sir Kris Huntsmaster. He fought bravely beside the Iyrmen, but Lord Asa¡¯s strength far surpasses most.¡± ¡°To the Iyr, Lord Asa is considered of similar strength to Great Jaeryael,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I understand your proclivity to speak so highly of Lord Asa, since he defeated your elders, but to compare that fellow to the magnificence of Lady Jaeryael, it is humorous at best, and insulting at worst.¡± ¡°It is a great shame that Lord Asa did not defeat our elders,¡± Jaygak stated. ¡°The bout was undecided,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is a great shame,¡± Kitool stated. ¡°Though the emphasis has been placed on Lord Asa, it was King Merryweather who caused such death. His brilliant mind, and his great blade, was what caused so much avoidable death.¡± Thomas shook his head. ¡°It is a great shame.¡± However, he could say no more, not since he had grown up hearing such great tales about the previous King¡¯s Sword, to the point they overshadowed even the current King¡¯s Sword. Adam still felt the simmering anger within himself. ¡®Stupid Aldishmen and their stupid stupidness.¡¯ ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not like King Merryweather is... actually, he is pretty strong.¡± Thomas smiled ever so slightly. Not even the braggart was stupid enough to speak so poorly of the Florian King. ¡°Speaking of King Merryweather, my brother here got to face him a few years back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll say he won.¡± ¡°No, that would be ridiculous, Hope Thomas,¡± Adam said, raising his brow. ¡°However, he did use two Fourth Gate spells against my brother.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips twitched into a small smile. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Of course, I am certain,¡± Thomas replied, almost sighing out. ¡°Since you won¡¯t listen to we commonfolk, you can ask... what was his name?¡± ¡°Sir Landon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Sir Landon Littlesea. He was with us. We went on to defeat a twilight fox for him. He¡¯s been rather decent to us, considering that he¡¯s a-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said, raising her brows. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s a great fellow. Speaking of which, we didn¡¯t go see him when we were in East Port.¡± ¡°Sir Landon has married,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Really? Ah, right, he wanted a gift for the Lady he was courting. We should go congratulate him at some point.¡± Thomas glanced at the group before them all. ¡°What else would you like to speak of? That you have slain dragons?¡± ¡°I mean... yes, but they weren¡¯t, you know, big dragons.¡± ¡°You slew Vandra,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I assisted in slaying Vandra,¡± Adam corrected. ¡°I know that too!¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± The children chattered between one another, while Cobra watched with a curious look. ¡®Did he pick a fight with a Hope.¡¯ She glanced aside to Rick, who raised his brows in a way to say that this was about as expected. ¡®It¡¯s a Hope!¡¯ Dunes sighed, sipping on the milk the Fourth Hope had offered to him. ¡°It is Lady Arya who teases me. The moment I speak of Adam and his proclivity to causing trouble, I hear him challenge the Seventh Hope.¡± ¡°He would trouble even a Hope?¡± Hope Willow asked, raising her brow curiously. ¡°If Adam could, he would trouble the Divine themselves,¡± Dunes said, before recalling the events of the previous year. ¡®No, he¡¯s already troubled them.¡¯ ¡°Is causing trouble within our temple so praiseworthy?¡± ¡°Adam might cause trouble, he might be disrespectful, but he had a good heart. Jurot mentioned something about his grandfather being spoke ill of. I am sure the Hope did not mean any disrespect, but Adam is very twitchy about his family.¡± ¡°His family? He is no Iyrman.¡± ¡°From what I know, Adam has lost his family, and it was the Iyr which adopted him. It seems Hope Robert wishes to see Adam¡¯s abilities. I hope he is willing to accept the consequences of such an action.¡± ¡°Should he be reminded that this is the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother, the Goddess of Life?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Adam...¡± Dunes leaned back. ¡°Adam.¡± Adam, who was putting on his breastplate, turned slightly. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°This is a temple of life,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to kill someone in the temple of life,¡± Adam replied, only to hear Dunes loudly slurping on his cup. ¡°You seem so certain Adam is going to win.¡± ¡°Do you wish to bet?¡± ¡°Are you asking a Hope to bet?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting a priest has asked a Hope to bet?¡± ¡°We will welcome a donation of one hundred gold to the temple if Adam defeats our Seventh Hope.¡± ¡°I will welcome your support in keeping Adam alive in case he does something ridiculous,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°It would be beneficial for you.¡± Hope Willow, a pretty woman with short hair, dark eyes, and a large build, that which would have been best for a member of Black Mountain, smiled wide. ¡°What has he done for you to speak so highly of him?¡± ¡°There is a saying in the Iyr,¡± Dunes said, before sipping the last of his milk. ¡®Are you trying to get me killed?¡¯ Lucy¡¯s eyes pierced towards Adam¡¯s back as he changed. ¡®Damn it! Adam! Damn you to the Fires of Averzon!¡¯ Dunes placed down his cup, before glancing aside to his companions, who had gotten so used to Adam¡¯s antics, they continued their conversations casually while preparing to watch the fight. ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± It''s actually happening? [809] – Y03.109 – Life’s Rose V [809] ¨C Y03.109 ¨C Life¡¯s Rose V ¡®Who does he think he is?¡¯ Hope Thomas thought, his eyes narrowed towards Adam, who strapped on his gauntlets, stretching out his hands, before the young man started to... dance? ¡®Wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to pull a muscle in front of the kids,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I haven¡¯t lost in front of my kids before, and I can¡¯t embarrass myself by having these kids tell their future bosses about their old man being a loser.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± a child asked. ¡°He¡¯s praying cause he¡¯s a priest.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not praying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Iyrman praying,¡± the child said, as though it was true. ¡°Ooooh.¡± Amira sipped her milk, eyeing up the young half elf in purple. ¡°How can he be like that when he¡¯s so terrifying?¡± ¡°He is Adam,¡± Sara replied, simply. ¡°I just hope he doesn¡¯t cause too much of a mess,¡± Korin said, glancing to the side to Dunes. ¡°Out of the desert into the storm.¡± ¡°He will hop out of the storm and enter the whirlpool,¡± Amira added. ¡°Then he will swim through it only to be swallowed by lava.¡± ¡°What is after lava?¡± ¡°The mountains?¡± ¡°Let us hope it is not Black Mountain,¡± Sara joked. Amira thought about Adam and his effect on Black Mountain. ¡®Lady Arya, we will do our best to keep him away, but please forgive us if we are unable.¡¯ ¡°No, after the mountains, it will be Adam.¡± Korin didn¡¯t like how it made so much sense. Nirot let out a low groan, her arms crossed. Naqokan pat her back gently, understanding the frustrations of the young Iyrman. Her grandfather had been spoken ill of and she was not the one to fight. However, there was something else, the reason why Nirot was shaking ever so slightly. It was not the shaking of anger, but that of excitement. ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam said, having calmed himself down while warming up his body. ¡°If I¡¯m going up against the Seventh Hope, I think I¡¯m going to need some help.¡± ¡°This is a duel between you and I under the watchful eye of Mother Soza,¡± Hope Thomas stated. ¡°Do not sully the duel with any outside interference.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, pointing his hand past the Hope. ¡°Since my opponent is so powerful, I¡¯m going to need some help. Who is going to support me with their prayers? Copper, will you support me with your prayers?¡± The boy looked between Adam and the Seventh Hope. ¡°Mister Adam, he¡¯s a Hope.¡± ¡°Ack!¡± Adam reached for his heart. ¡°Copper, you¡¯re not going to support me?¡± Thus Fate was forever changed. The thunderous roar of Adam¡¯s smite filled the air as Wraith clashed against the longsword of the Seventh Hope. Wraith struck with such violent force, that the Hope¡¯s blade swung backwards wildly, while his entire body followed afterwards, tossed like a used rag as his body crashed onto the ground. The explosion rocked through the temple, the thunder even reaching beyond the temple, even gently rumbling through the town proper. The children¡¯s faces were stuck in a permanent shock and awe from the thunder, which caused them to clutch at their ears harder, while their gasps had been drowned out long ago by the rumble of might which emanated through the temple. A second passed. Two. Three. Four. Five. The body of the Seventh Hope remained still on the floor. Victory! XP Gained: +1000 XP: 11 800 -> 12 800 ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam exhaled, before raising his axe. ¡°Thank t...¡± Adam noted the heaviness within the air. Hope Robert clutched the blade at his side, almost ready to draw it. The older man had reached for it instinctively, and he only realised he was grasping the hilt of his blade when Adam¡¯s gaze fell upon him. ¡°Oh ho, what¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, noticing how several of the Hopes and Rays had turned their attention upon him, a darkness seeping out of them. ¡°To think I would feel such... murderous energy coming from the likes of the Hopes and Rays right within the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother.¡± The shock rippled through the temple even harsher than the thunder. Though Seventh Hope Thomas was young and though he was the weakest of the Hopes, he was still a Hope, at least holding the strength of a Master. A Master in full plate, with the magical equipment afforded to all Hopes, those which had clashed in countless battles from his predecessors. His speciality was also his defence, for the young man was harder to strike than his peers, even if he bore no shield. ¡°You wicked fiend,¡± First Hope Robert called out. ¡°What kind of sorcery is this?¡± ¡°Oh, come on now, surely you have something better than that,¡± Adam replied, casually putting his axe away, before motioning a hand to Thomas. ¡°Might want to take a look at him, just in case he had a heart attack tanking that kind of blow.¡± One of the Rays prayed, sending out waves of warmth magic towards the Seventh Hope, whose body jolted awake, his vision returning as he groaned, feeling his body tensing and relaxing repeatedly. Adam wanted to make a joke, but feeling all the eyes on him, he let out a sigh. ¡°Mister Adam, are you fighting the order?¡± Leah asked, the smallest of the children. ¡°No, no, of course not,¡± Adam said, stepping towards the young girl to one side, before Robert stepped around, hiding her away from view behind his form. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Adam heard the shifting of the other Hopes and Rays, forming multiple layers of circles around the half elf, almost like a Rose unfolding, each with Adam in their sights. ¡®...¡¯ How predictable. [810] – Y03.110 – Treachery I [810] ¨C Y03.110 ¨C Treachery I ¡®The Seventh Hope!¡¯ Cobra thought. ¡®He beat the Seventh Hope?¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You are armed and armoured.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes through his visor, but he slowly reached up towards his helmet, pulling it off to reveal a polite smile. ¡°Oh, of course, of course. How silly of me, I forgot I was in my armour. I was so used to being on the road, and admiring all the amazing Hopes and Rays all around me, I was stunned in awe.¡± Robert¡¯s eyes remained glued on the half elf, even ignoring the demons nearby. ¡°Of course, I hope you will keep your promise,¡± Adam said, not making a motion to move the rest of his armour yet. ¡°I would like to know what... demonic powers you have adopted.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Adam let out a stilted laugh. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not my place to speak of this, but be very careful what you call the powers bestowed upon me by Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°Baktu.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, though his lips still formed a smile. ¡°Hope Ro-,¡± ¡°Adam, just leave it,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°You know how the Aldish are when they¡¯re beaten.¡± ¡°I do, but-,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget why we¡¯re here.¡± Adam ground his teeth together, almost cracking his teeth. He tongue scraped against the back of his teeth in annoyance, but he started to pull off his gloves and his gauntlets. ¡°Of course, Executive Jaygak, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡®Damn priests and nobles, they¡¯re all the same. They better not be aiming to keep these kids, who knows what they¡¯ll do.¡¯ ¡°I believe it¡¯s time you spoke the truth, Adam,¡± Hope Robert stated firmly, his voice clear and threatening. ¡°I always speak the truth, Bo-, Hope Robert,¡± Adam said, managing to pull his tongue back just in time. ¡°What of those pair you travel with?¡± ¡°My friends?¡± ¡°You are friends with de-,¡± ¡°Careful, Hope Robert,¡± Adam snapped, his eyes glaring at the Hope, while his lips formed a wider smile. ¡°There are children about.¡± ¡°It is precisely because there are children that I speak to you about your company.¡± ¡°You should be rather reassured none of them are nobles, otherwise who knows what would have happened to these children,¡± Adam snapped, tossing his gauntlets onto the ground, pulling off the straps off his breastplate. ¡°If you wish to speak, we can do so privately.¡± Dunes tapped the cup onto the table lightly, his eyes meeting Hope Willow¡¯s. ¡°I hope you will be willing to keep your end of the bet.¡± Willow¡¯s eyes fell across the rest of the Hopes and Rays who had surrounded Adam. It was quite a threatening formation which they had taken, that of Life¡¯s Rose most vicious. With this many Hopes and Rays, with the spells they could cast, the young man would have been wiped out by holy radiance before he could spell his name. With the other Hopes, it was awkward to step in, but she sighed, standing up. She wasn¡¯t going to break her word, not when she swore upon Mother Soza, and was currently under her watchful eyes. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± called a voice. Adam was halfway through stripping off his breastplate when he glanced to the side to see an older woman, who wore a set of robes which covered her from head to toe, save for her face. Her wrinkles flowed out from the centre of her face as though they were streams of wisdom. Her eyes were deep brown, and her lips were pure white, as though made from a pearl, though it swallowed all the light to return only white. Standing beside the priest was a familiar face, which wore a familiar kind of look. ¡®I¡¯m trying to make sure you don¡¯t die and you¡¯re out here trying to get yourself killed?¡¯ Adam threw Vonda his brows, trying to explain with his eyes that he had no choice. The young priest reached up to cover her eyes, while rubbing her temples, certain she had gained wrinkles in that moment. ¡°The young man faced against our Seventh Hope and used some kind of wicked sorcery to defeat him.¡± Adam let out a grunt of annoyance, looking towards Jurot as he continued to unstrap his breastplate. ¡°What right does the Seventh Hope speak ill of our elders when we have not mentioned one Hope or Ray during a tale of such grave death?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°It was our elders who formed the rays of hope on that day filled with death and destruction.¡± Adam hadn¡¯t seen Kitool¡¯s brows furrow so deeply before, the rage shimmering on the surface of her eyes. The words were obviously meant to dig deep into the pride of their order. If the Iyrmen were speaking so brazenly to them, then it meant this was a serious matter. ¡°Did you say your grandfather¡¯s name was Jarot?¡± Second Hope Ava called out, a beautiful woman with strawberry blonde hair cut short and green eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Is he related to Undying Jarot?¡± ¡°That is one of his epithets,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Your grandfather is the Mad Dog?¡± Hope Robert asked. ¡°He is.¡± ¡°I had heard he was dead.¡± ¡°He still lives, even after clashing with Lord Asa.¡± ¡°...¡± Hope Robert remained silent, deep in thought. Along the journey, Jurot and Nirot had spoken their tale to the Rays, but they hadn¡¯t mentioned their grandfather was the Mad Dog. No, many of their stories were ridiculous, but if their stories were even half true, it made sense since they were his grandchildren. ¡®Who is Mad Dog?¡¯ Thomas thought, part of the next generation. ¡°I have heard that your grandfather left death in his wake,¡± Hope Robert said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, his lips almost forming a smile. ¡°He killed many, but he spared many more.¡± ¡®He still wishes for us to apologise?¡¯ Father Robert asked. ¡°It seems our Seventh Hope has spoken brash words,¡± Mother Priest spoke up, seeing that Robert was trying to find a way to diffuse the situation. ¡°I hope you will forgive him for his recklessness, he is still a young man.¡± ¡°We have not heard his apology,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Then I will apologise in his stead,¡± Mother Priest said. Adam¡¯s eyes grew wide at her words. ¡°I apologise,¡± Thomas said quickly. ¡°What you said was true, Iyrman. I spoke poorly of your elders, and I was wrong.¡± Jurot let out a sigh. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I accept,¡± Naqokan said. ¡°...¡± Eyes fell onto Jaygak, who had her arms crossed. ¡°Jaygak...¡± Kitool called out. ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡± ¡°It is not time for jokes.¡± ¡°Jokes?¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Perhaps this is a joke to you all, but it is the Gak family which has taken the worst wound in this.¡± That moment you remember there''s another troublemaker in the party... [811] – Y03.111 – Treachery II [811] ¨C Y03.111 ¨C Treachery II ¡°Grandaunt Gangak is the only Gak in generations who has formed a name for herself, but the Seventh Hope spoke so poorly of her. The Gak family has yet to recover from the betrayal of the East Aldish during the Demonic Devastation, and it is the East Aldish have spoken poorly of my grandaunt? She who fought while they were in no danger, for who attacks the Order of Life¡¯s Rose upon the battlefield? You remain safe within your medical tents, your symbol emblazoned for all to see, and all to avoid.¡± ¡°What did the East Aldish do to the Gak family during the Demonic Devastation?¡± Mother Priest asked. ¡°Hmph! While the Order of Life¡¯s Rose remained away from the battlefield when they were needed most, it was Jogak the Firestorm who fought upon the battlefield, slaying demon after demon. It was only after he was bloody and half dead, when the Order of Life¡¯s Rose should have helped him, it was then the Duke and the Aldishmen around him acted no different to demons. A blade struck through the chest, and another through the throat. His cousins, Gingak the Inferno, and Gangak the Blade, who slew not one, but two generals, were slaughtered with not the blades of demons, but the blades of the Aldish.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, seeing how Jaygak of all Iyrmen was putting the ire into Iyrman. ¡°How many years does one have to go back to find a Gak who has done as well as my grandaunt? How many centuries? The Rot family has so many names, one does not need to even stray away from those named Jarot. Jarot the Mad Dog, but before him there was another Jarot, he who had defeated Zalander of the Wastes, and what of the Jarot who became a warlord in Aswadasad? Or the Jarot who brought back one of the Fifty Red Blades back to the Iyr, only to find another two in his future adventures? I do not even need to mention the most famous of all, he who brought my ancestors to the land, freeing us from the clutches of the blue tyrants!¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, for he, as a member of the Rot family, had learnt about the tales of all the Jarots, while being responsible for telling Jaygak the tales as they grew. ¡°How many Kans have become Chiefs? It is even expected of Amokan to become a Chief, and if not a Chief, one of the aides of the Chief, for there are many Jins who have become Chiefs too. Even Kitool, your grandaunt is one of few Iymen who have reached the level of Paragon, that which puts her name along the King¡¯s Sword, the Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts.¡± The words rippled through the air, for the knowledge that Kitool was related to a Paragon was not something which was secret, but it wasn¡¯t quite so eagerly stated, not unless it was relevant to the situation. There were many Paragons in the Iyr, but it was often not said so loudly, not quite so obviously. ¡°Before your grandaunt, it was only a handful of generations before her that we have another Ool, that of Jinool, whose only loss was to that age¡¯s King¡¯s Sword. What of the Gaks of that time? Our metals are those of Steel and Silver, not the Mithril and Gold that you know.¡± Kitool bowed her head lightly, reaching out to place a hand against her friend¡¯s thigh gently. ¡°Even Bavin who has joined us, his grandfather was the previous Elder Wrath,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°What shame can he know when his grandfather is spoken so poorly of? The only shame he knows is that he can barely keep his mouth shut, lest the laughter pours out like the blood his grandfather has spilled to earn his place.¡± Mother Priest¡¯s eyes fell to Bavin, who nodded his head slowly, sitting up taller with pride. The boy had been so quiet, like a looming oak tree, and had seem so docile, but upon hearing his grandfather¡¯s title, he sat up taller, and his eyes were no doubt the eyes of an Iyrman. ¡°No. None of you know the shame that only a Gak can know. Nirot does not need to look towards her grandfather, she can look beside me. Her cousin fought in his first tournament and earned first place, only barely defeating the one who Faool can look towards. What of Laygak? Who can he look at, if not Flame Brand? You of the Rot family, you of the Kan family, you of the Ool family, you do not know.¡± Her eyes snapped to the Seventh Hope, who stood awkwardly. ¡°Look at the Aldishman. He sees me speaking, his eyes full of contempt. Do you know why they look at me like that? They do not see my tattoos, they see my red skin, my horns. They do not think we are Iyrmen, they do not even look at Uwajin the same way, with her grey skin, her tusks. No, they see savages of the Iyr, but when they look at me, they see devilkin. A devilkin who dares not accept their empty apology.¡± ¡°I mean what I said, miss Jaygak.¡± ¡°Kah!¡± Jaygak snarled. ¡°I know you meant what you said. You believe my grandaunt to be a crippled elder who should not have fought. You have no idea who my grandmother is, for she fought in Aswadasad. She fought so viciously and fervently, various orders had to join together to force her out.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you see his eyes? This East Aldishman? He does not believe my words. Grandaunt, if she stepped here, not the Seventh, not the Sixth, not even the Fifth Hope could fell her. I will allow the Fourth and Third to claim they could not be easily beaten, but it is only the First Hope and the Second Hope who could dare to even suggest they could defeat her. My grandaunt who fought against a foe which was so terrifying, no members of your order dared to step close, not until the war was over, and yet I had to hear of your slander of my grandaunt?¡± ¡°You speak to me viciously, and so I will reply that you have spoken viciously.¡± ¡°The only thing which is vicious, is the audacity of your East Aldish,¡± Jaygak said, before pointing at the older man. ¡°Heed my words, Order of Life¡¯s Rose. Though I, Jaygak, am young and vicious, it is nothing compared to those who will come after me. My cousin, Laygak, fights well. My cousin, Taygak, grows well in the Iyr. My brother, Raygak, though he may not be as smart as I, or as charming as I, possess all he needs to make a name for himself.¡± Jaygak raised her hand so it was at head level, so the First Hope could undoubtedly know who she was speaking to specifically. ¡°It may not be this year, it may not be this decade, but heed my words, Order of Life¡¯s Rose. Within this generation, a Gak will come. It may even be my cousin Laygak, who sits so politely before you all, lest you call him vicious for sitting peacefully. A Gak will come. They will come, and even the First Hope will swallow his courage before them, as you have when we Iyrmen take to the fields, as you do when we carry our blades and wear our armour, as you will when Executive Adam beats your First Hope.¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise, standing still half undressed of puthral. ¡°The business will offer you your gold for the lives you denied us, but you will earn it. We will offer an additional thousand gold for your cowardly coffers, two thousand gold total, and if you beat our Executive, we will increase it to four thousand. If we win, we will ask nothing of you, for what do we need from the order we Iyrmen cannot take for ourselves?¡± ¡®Jaygak...¡¯ Adam could feel her fury even from where he stood. ¡°As for your apology, you may keep it where you keep your honour and your pride, in the latrines,¡± Jaygak snarled. ¡°Where you East Aldishmen remain while we Iyrmen, even we Gaks, slaughter our way through the land, while the Order of Life¡¯s Rose looks upon the river, wondering when the fish will crawl for them.¡± The First Hope closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. The words she had spoken in the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother, had been too much. He could not step back now, not that he wanted to, not when the wicked fool was still there. ¡°You have recently fought Hope Thomas,¡± Robert said, his voice cold, but even. ¡°You may rest for the night, and we will duel upon the morning, lest they say we have treated you unfairly.¡± ¡°No,¡± came the response. Mana: 21 -> 18 Wraith: 0 -> 3 ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to rest.¡± Robert turned his head, staring at the young half elf, whose lips were painted in the most smug smile. Did he really intend to face two Hopes one after another? Robert¡¯s eyes remained focused on Adam¡¯s eyes, which were so hungry. ¡®No,¡¯ Vonda thought, her heart pounding wildly within her chest with the stress. Adam intended to beat two Hopes one after another. LET''S GO! [812] – Y03.112 – Treachery III [812] ¨C Y03.112 ¨C Treachery III ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said, approaching the young half elf, assisting him into his armour. ¡°You have to win.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°No, you have to win. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to tell Jirot you did not win for her sake.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t...¡± ¡°My grandaunt wished to accept the girl as her own, but it was refused. If you do not win now, how will you face her?¡± ¡°Jaygak... are you still joking?¡±CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Jaygak let out a little snort beside his ear, tickling it as she strapped his belts tightly. ¡°If you win, you win, bringing back glory for your family. If you lose, the business loses four thousand gold.¡± ¡°If I win, you need to speak about how amazing I was to my kids, no tricks.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Do you believe me to be a devilkin or an Iyrman? Did I not say okay?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, filling with awkwardness. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Laygak called, also approaching, beginning to assist Adam to don his armour. ¡°You must win.¡± ¡°What are you offering?¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°I will tell Taygak.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam¡¯s entire body began to tingle. ¡°Okay.¡± Dunes threw a look to Amira, the young devilkin crossing her arms, eyeing up the others around. Unlike Jaygak and Laygak, and Lucy and Mara, she was actually a devilkin, just like Lady Sara. The pair exchanged a glance together. ¡®Even Iyrmen have such worries...¡¯ ¡°To think that our Executive Jaygak exploded in such a way...¡± Dunes threw a look to Hope Willow. ¡°It seems things have become serious.¡± ¡°Are you going to ask Adam not to kill our First Hope?¡± Willow joked. ¡°No,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°I will refuse.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Dunes glanced down at his empty cup. ¡°I have no right to.¡± ¡°...¡± Willow wasn¡¯t sure what was unnerving. The look on the young priest¡¯s face, which was full of a seriousness of a man who was still atoning, or the fact that he was suggesting Adam might win. Hope Thomas stood somewhat awkwardly, his entire body beginning to throb with pain, especially his shoulder and his arms, which ached all the way up to his elbows. Adam had struck him with a ferocity he had never been hit with before, not even by the First Hope. Such a heavy blow had threatened to kill him. He wanted to step up to the First Hope, but the First Hope held his blade out, stretching out his arms, while he whispered his prayers to himself. ¡®The First Hope is taking it seriously...¡¯ ¡°How could she speak such words within the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother?¡± a Ray whispered, shaking her head. ¡°We should have expected such, the omens were dark.¡± ¡°Why are you speaking so dourly when the temple will receive such gold?¡± ¡°Do you believe they will donate so much gold?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen speak true, it is said.¡± ¡°You know, First Hope...¡± Adam began, staring into Robert¡¯s eyes as he put on his helmet, not yet pulling down his visor. ¡°There is something worse than death.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Living with the fact you didn¡¯t die.¡± Adam glared at the First Hope, letting him see the rage within Adam¡¯s eyes, before he dropped his visor. ¡®I can¡¯t lose. Baktu, do you hear me? I can¡¯t lose.¡¯ ¡°Indeed, it does sound like a fate worse than death,¡± Robert replied, placing on his helmet, his small smile disappearing under his helmet. Silence filled the air. ¡®I can¡¯t lose.¡¯ ¡®I will teach you respect, boy.¡¯ ¡°Begin,¡± Mother Priest said. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 20 (19) Adam¡¯s entire body bolted forward. The young man moved as though he was the explosion of a fireball, his entire body flinging forward. He had no need to aim, he concentrated on being the first one to strike. Robert¡¯s blade swung downwards to meet him, while Adam darted almost like a crossbow bolt let loose. 114 damage. It was the damage which had floored the Seventh Hope, but the Seventh Hope was not the same as the First Hope. While Jaygak and Laygak had assisted him in his armour, Adam had racked his brain. Was there a way to defeat the First Hope in a single blow? Thunderous Smite dealt 2D6 damage, but it couldn¡¯t be cast using more Mana to deal more damage. His smite, however, was able to deal greater damage, though he hadn¡¯t wanted to reveal that just yet. If only there was a smite which could be cast with more damage. He had checked his spell list, which had ten spells he could use, though most of them had been for making his way to Life River, rather than to fight, trusting in the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, or rather, trusting in Vonda¡¯s faith in the First Hope. The ten spells were fine, but he couldn¡¯t use Fireball here. What of Hex? Hex was fine, but if it was a single blow, it was worse than Thunderous Smite. So he checked his spells, again and again. Then he remembered. He may have worshipped Lord Sozain, but he wasn¡¯t a Priest of Death. Forge¡¯s Magic Gain access to the prepared Forge Priest spells. ¡®Does he believe he can hit me without looking?¡¯ Hope Robert thought, while his sword continued to swing downwards, threatening to strike Adam¡¯s shoulder. Though Hope Thomas was one of the most defensive amongst his peers, First Hope Robert was similar, priding himself in his defence. What did this boy know of fighting? He knew less about combat than he knew about respect, the boy barely off from suckling the teet of his mother. ¡°Mother Soza¡¯s fury,¡± came the chant to a Fourth Gate spell from the guardian. ¡°Lord Sozain¡¯s fury,¡± came the chant of a spell from the fool. Adam¡¯s voice trembled full of excitement and desperation, before the flames of the rising rage began to float towards his axe, accompanying the chill of the death known as Wraith. Adam continued to charge forward, still not looking at Robert, his axe beginning to swing, both from his shoulder and his elbow. Adam did not need to look at his enemy in order to beat him, he just needed to act first. He had rolled well, though his Dexterity was fairly low. Even so, it meant that he was probably going first, but there was a chance the First Hope still managed to roll better. ¡®Even if I get hit, I¡¯m going to make sure I beat you good!¡¯ Adam plucked a Thread of Fate. Thanks to Pillow for subscribing! Enjoy the double chapters out today everyone! [813] – Y03.113 – Treachery IV [813] ¨C Y03.113 ¨C Treachery IV ¡®I can¡¯t lose him now,¡¯ the Black Lion thought, rushing through the alleys, following the trail of blood. A cry interrupted him as he turned a corner, and he readied his blade, before seeing a young boy crying, having fallen, while a blood splatter continued past him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± the Black Lion asked, halting beside the boy, placing a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder, sending warm healing through him. ¡°The man pushed me and went that way,¡± the boy said, pointing to the opposite side of the splatter. ¡°He pushed me and threw his blood.¡± The Black Lion noted the blood splatter, which did look to have been tossed from the side. ¡°You are such brave young man, thank you. Quickly, head back to your house, before the demon comes back.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes went wide and his lip quivered. He began to sob again as he ran away while the Black Lion continued to follow the path away from the blood splatter, another Black Lion catching his sight before following him, while another followed the blood splatter, just in case. The boy rushed away from the area, darting into a building, before he stopped sniffling. ¡°Ha! Really, to think you¡¯d have to ask me to play the fool. Kids these days, honestly.¡± ¡°I must thank you again, Master Sage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Death Sage to you, Death Sage, you goat of a boy!¡± The boy huffed out, before raising his hand, and various small clay bottled floated towards him. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come to find me, leading those damn kids near my home, it must be an emergency.¡± The wounded Bloody Viper didn¡¯t want to admit that he had met the figure by pure chance, especially considering he had thought the Death Sage had died, rather than having gone through the mythical procedure all martial artists strived for. Though he was going to hold these wounds for the rest of his life, at least he had managed to find the Death Sage. Thus Fate was forever changed. While the evening sun fell across the Iyr, Jirot tackling her greataunt¡¯s leg, while Jarot clutched at the other. ¡°My Jirot, my Jarot, what brings you to me?¡± Gangak asked, lifting the boy and girl up. ¡°I missed you, nano,¡± Jirot said. ¡°I miss you too,¡± Jarot added. ¡°Yes, I missed you too,¡± Gangak said, lifting the pair up within each arm, showering them in kisses. ¡°You have come to me without that annoying old man.¡± ¡°Daddy is not annoying,¡± Jirot said, pointing her finger up towards her greataunt. Then her lips formed a small smirk. ¡°Daddy is annoying.¡± She cackled with joy. Gangak raised her brows to Sonarot, who merely replied with a smile, before leaving the twins with their grandaunt. Gangak took the children to her own seat within her estate. ¡°Which story should I read?¡± ¡°Mmmm. The big story.¡± ¡°Which big story?¡±Alll latest novels at novelhall.com. The boy, mmm, the snake, the big snake story.¡± ¡°I will read you a story with a big snake,¡± Gangak replied, sending one of the children to bring back a book. ¡°Nano, your hand is so big,¡± Jarot said, placing his hand against the back of her hand. ¡°My hand is so small.¡± ¡°My hand is big because I am big.¡± ¡°Nano, your head is bigger,¡± Jirot said, pointing at the woman¡¯s head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is because you are bigger.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Gangak smiled. ¡°My heart is big,¡± Jirot said. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I love so much,¡± the girl said, tossing out her hands as though to show the extent of her love. ¡°You are not dado?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Do you want me to be your dado?¡± Tonagek asked, pausing while it was his turn. ¡°You are my baba?¡± ¡°I can be your baba or your dado,¡± Tonagek replied. Konarot thought deeply, but said no more. She decided not to continue the conversation, not yet understanding what it meant. Tonagek continued to play against her, though part of his thoughts were taken by what she had spoken about. ¡®Is she warring with my mind?¡¯ While the children teased their elders, their father was also teasing an elder. Mana: 18 -> 14 Spell: Searing Smite Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Omen: 20 -> 0 20 + 10 = 30 Critical hit! Wraith: 3 -> 0 Mana: 14 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 8D6 + 12D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 127 (2, 4, 4, 5)(1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6)(1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6)(1, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5) 127 damage! The fire engulfed the First Hope, while the chill slipped through his armour, and the holy magics flashed through his entire body. Robert had never been struck so viciously before, and not with so many elements. From fire to frost to radiance, his entire body flooded with a pain he had never had the displeasure of feeling previously. As he swung down his blade, his body contorted, and the angle of the blade shifted, clattering against Adam¡¯s side harmlessly. Robert held in a grunt of pain, a pained sigh slipping out as quiet as a shadow. ¡°Hey, Bobby boy,¡± Adam growled a whisper, ¡°you better not fall down just yet, I¡¯m not done.¡± Robert¡¯s eyes fell to the side, through his visor, and went through even Adam¡¯s visor, to see the look within Adam¡¯s eyes. It was a glare full of hope, hope that Robert wouldn¡¯t step back. The look was a look of the Iyr. Robert inhaled, trying to pull up his sword to clash once more. ¡°Enough,¡± called a voice, breaking through the air. Adam stopped. Adam allowed many voices to stop him, but there was only one from the Order of Life¡¯s Rose which he would have stopped for, but she wasn¡¯t the one to speak. ¡°Manager Vonda,¡± Adam said. ¡°Isn¡¯t it awkward to stop this duel.¡± ¡°Please stop, Adam.¡± ¡°Can I stop?¡± Adam couldn¡¯t stop, not when Jaygak had put her faith in him. If he stepped back now, wouldn¡¯t these troublesome noble priests cause even more trouble in the future. ¡°It has to end cleanly.¡± ¡°Will you step back and consider this a draw?¡± ¡°A draw?¡± Adam asked, glancing back towards her. ¡°Manager Vonda, every time things up a draw, it¡¯s always troublesome.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility,¡± Vonda said. She stared at Adam with the most serious gaze. Adam wasn¡¯t certain if she was speaking as a Sister or as a Manager, but she was certainly speaking for the benefit of both sides. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to stop, not until one of us is clearly beaten,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will accept it even if I lose.¡± Vonda wasn¡¯t sure what else to say to try and stop him. There was only one reason why she wanted him to stop, and it was because Adam wasn¡¯t going to lose. No, not only wasn¡¯t Adam going to lose, he was going to defeat the First Hope far too easily. Such a thing couldn¡¯t occur even if it brought Adam and the others great honour. The consequences could ripple out into a tsunami that Aldland couldn¡¯t handle, especially not the home which raised her. ¡°Have you taken a breather, First Hope?¡± Adam asked, unable to keep his voice from causing issues, the playfulness beating down the First Hope¡¯s pride. Robert stood, tall and ready, his blade pointed towards Adam. The blade which had been so sturdy and proud, shook slightly. It was not the shaking of fear, but the shaking of a body which had been battered by a young man less than half the Hope¡¯s age. ¡°Even if I¡¯m going to take pleasure in beating you, I¡¯m doing this for the Gak family which has always treated me politely,¡± Adam said, clutching Wraith tight in hand. ¡°Will you step forward even when the children are looking at you like that?¡± Vonda¡¯s words caused Adam¡¯s eyes to looked past the shaking blade pointed towards him towards the children, whose eyes were glued to him, with darkness across their faces. Adam¡¯s axe lowered slightly. He had never seen any children look at him like that. The look was not that of awe, but of sheer dread. The eyes of the children poured a heaviness onto Adam¡¯s shoulders. ¡®Why are you looking at me like that? I¡¯m doing all this for you.¡¯ The eyes of Copper were wide. Leah was clutching at Julia¡¯s leg. Max had grown pale, as though he had just thrown up. Even Alex had pulled back, the eyes of a boy who had been so brave, coming to speak with Adam to sacrifice himself for the rest of his siblings. Adam was so close. One more blow and he would have beaten down the First Hope. A clean victory, the cleanest one may have ever seen. Yet, the victory, which should have been great, couldn¡¯t feel any hollower. :( [814] – Y03.114 – Treachery V [814] ¨C Y03.114 ¨C Treachery V ¡®...¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes glanced aside, avoiding the look the children were giving him, though noted the way the other Hopes and Rays were looking at him with shock and awe. They were not blind as to what had happened, nor were they deaf to what Vonda was doing. ¡®Damn it. Damn it!¡¯ Wraith dropped at Adam¡¯s side, the young half elf reaching up to his helmet. He paused for a moment, before pulling off his helmet with a beaming smile. ¡°Oh dear! It took so much out of me to do that one blow, I don¡¯t think I can keep fighting at full strength! Wow, the First Hope really is so...¡± Adam grinned, gritting his teeth, ¡°strong!¡± Vonda let out a sigh of relief. She was glad Adam was Adam, otherwise this really would have turned out terrible for the order. ¡°Thank you, Adam. We will consider this a draw, as promised.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need the-,¡± Adam began, before shutting his mouth. ¡°No, consider this my loss. We¡¯ll hand over the four thousand gold before we leave.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to-,¡± Vonda began, watching as Adam turned, revealing a face that was barely contained, one that was ready to burst. Adam marched back to his companions, dropping down beside them, before beginning to unstrap his amour, his eyes shut tight. Adam¡¯s rage and annoyance weighed heavily in the air, pinning the silence. Moments passed. Adam let out a sigh, and he opened his eyes. The eyes were very Adam like. They had been full of rage and annoyance, but now they were filled with something even more dangerous. They were filled with playfulness. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jaygak, Laygak,¡± Adam began, before a small smile appeared on his lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to beat him in one strike.¡± Victory! XP Gained: +1500 XP: 12 800 -> 14 300 The silence remained in the air. Jaygak coughed, before the cough turned into full blown laughter, the Iyrmen joining in the symphony. Of course, it was only the Iyrmen who dared to laugh at the shame of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose within their own temple, though Dunes let out a soft sigh, hiding his smirk by sipping his cup. had stepped back so much recently, but he wasn¡¯t going to step back without at least having the last laugh in the situation. You may keep your pride, but only after I¡¯ve trampled upon it. The Hopes¡¯ eyes remained focused on Adam, while the Rays stared at the First Hope, who had still to speak, while his blade was still pointed forward. It was still shaking slightly. His eyes remained focused on Adam too, though his blade was unfocused, his hands clasped around the hilt of his blade, unable to loosen without dropping it. His entire body was still currently rocking after the aftermath of such a terrible, a blow which Adam hadn¡¯t even looked at him, and yet had been so sure would have struck him. ¡°Adam, will yo-,¡± Vonda began. ¡°Manager Vonda, would you kindly check on the children and make sure they¡¯re okay?¡± Adam asked, interrupting her. Though he looked her way, his eyes were firmly shut, and the strained smile informed Vonda of everything she needed to know. ¡°Please inform the order that we are quite tired, and so if they wish to speak, we may speak in the morning.¡± ¡°...¡± Vonda felt a chill run through her. ¡°Okay.¡± Once she was gone, Adam opened his eyes, catching Jaygak¡¯s eyes. He could see the questioning look in her eyes, and though she wanted to joke, she could still see the tension on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jaygak.¡± ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to win?¡± ¡°We Iyrmen are not blind,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Words say you have lost, the bruises say you have won.¡± ¡°Cousin Adam...¡± Laygak called, leaning in slightly. ¡°Would you have won?¡± ¡°I wanted to say that...¡± The expectant eyes stabbed like tiny needles into Jaygak. ¡°I don¡¯t think the people of East Aldish are awful people. I was only talking about the nobles who hurt my family, and the nobles who were trying to hurt you.¡± ¡°You said lots of bad things,¡± Alex said. ¡°They weren¡¯t nice.¡± ¡°I was a little angry because the Seventh Hope said bad things about my family. You would be angry if they said bad things about your family, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯d be scared,¡± Alex replied. ¡°I¡¯m too weak to be angry.¡± Jaygak threw a glance to Adam, who had also been slapped by the boy¡¯s words. ¡°Are you weak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re weak, you¡¯re all members of our business, and your Managers and Executives are all strong.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°So if someone says bad things about you or your family, you can come and speak with us, and we will deal with them.¡± ¡°Are you going to fight?¡± ¡°If they want to fight, we¡¯ll fight.¡± ¡°And win,¡± Adam added. ¡°You didn¡¯t beat the First Hope,¡± Oliver said, narrowing his eyes, pouting. ¡°Haha!¡± Adam laughed awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s because I needed to rest, and that time, I didn¡¯t ask you for help did I? If you pray for me, next time I¡¯ll definitely win! Isn¡¯t that right, Executive Jaygak.¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Executive Adam isn¡¯t very smart, but he¡¯s an Executive because he¡¯s so strong.¡± ¡°Miss Executive, why are you an Executive?¡± Poppy asked. ¡°I have the best horns.¡± Poppy blinked. She looked to the other children, before they glanced over to the others. It was certainly true she had the best horns out of all the Executives. ¡°I like Miss Lucy¡¯s horns,¡± Oliver said. ¡°Do you like mine?¡± Oliver looked up at Jaygak, before looking to Adam. He then pulled back to Julia, shaking his head lightly. Jaygak huffed, glancing aside. ¡°Everyone has their own tastes.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± Adam laughed, slapping Jaygak¡¯s back a little too hard. ¡°Well, I think I agree with Oliver, Manager Lucy¡¯s horns do look so good.¡± ¡°I like Miss Mara¡¯s horns more,¡± another child said, before the conversation allowed Adam and Jaygak to slip away. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re causing this much trouble for the children,¡± Adam said, tutting. ¡°You really need to think about your actions, don¡¯t you know they have consequences?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Taygak.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you just this once!¡± As night fell, the groups were all taken away, with Adam leaving some of the Iyrmen with the children, just in case, while they were given their own rooms. The group weren¡¯t asked for their donation, meanwhile the Hopes and Rays all had to rest with the knowledge that some random guy had come into their order and caused so much trouble. They had to do something. It''s always Jaygak''s fault! [815] – Y03.115 – Life’s Lessons I [815] ¨C Y03.115 ¨C Life¡¯s Lessons I ¡°It seemed you had some trouble to sleep last night,¡± Fourth Hope Willow said to the Iyrmen, having been tasked with watching over them. ¡°Who sleeps peacefully in East Aldland?¡± Jaygak replied, her eyes meeting Willow¡¯s. ¡°You asked us to disarm ourselves, then caused trouble,¡± Jurot replied, more obviously. He had to say things Jaygak couldn¡¯t, for precisely the reason she had stated the previous day. Nirot grumbled affirmatively at her cousin¡¯s words, while Laygak let slip a small smile. ¡®They really are audacious!¡¯ Fourth Hope Willow wondered why the Iyrmen were starting a fight with them. ¡®They are Iyrmen, after all.¡¯ Jurot sat with his arms crossed. He was annoyed he wasn¡¯t able to go with Adam, but since Vonda was there, it should be fine. ¡®If they cause trouble for Adam, I will speak with Elder Zijin.¡¯ Adam sat within a small room. He was unarmed and unarmoured, as was expected of him, but he sat with the greatest defence of all, that of a sarcasm rooted in bitterness. Vonda poured Adam a cup of tea, and rather than speak, she just allowed him to taste the tea. He waited for her to sip her own tea first, before he sipped his own. The lightest of fruity flavours pranced on his tongue, but Adam used his magic to change the flavour to taste more like a mango juice he enjoyed in his first life. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Adam.¡± ¡°What do you have to be sorry about?¡± ¡°I should have informed you that I was going to speak with Mother Priest.¡± ¡°Why did you need to inform me about that?¡± ¡°I spoke with Mother Priest about many things. I kept many secrets, but there were some things I needed to explain, and many things about you.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°How you have great abilities.¡± ¡°What kind of great abilities?¡± ¡°The ability to cast so much great magic while having great abilities with just an axe. That you are a Wizard, a Priest, a Guardian, a Fighter, and so much more.¡± ¡°That is quite a lot...¡± ¡°Mother Priest should know, since she will make the right choice for the order.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the right choice?¡± ¡°The choice she will make will certainly be the right choice.¡± ¡°I hate when nobles speak like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Two Hopes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little-,¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Excuse me. I was just talking about how... hopeful this tea is making me.¡± ¡°I hope that hope remains as we speak,¡± the Mother Priest said, taking a seat opposite Adam. ¡°Sister Vonda has informed me of many things, but she has informed me especially that you prefer to speak openly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good at noble talk,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m too honest for it.¡± ¡°I will speak plainly, though it has been some time, for my role is to speak so that one can search for their own truth within the words.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You have promised to us four thousand gold, and I know you intend to keep your promise. I have heard of this trouble with the Marquise who wishes for the sorcerer within your midst. You have adopted these children into your business, a business which deals with magical items, a business which Sister Vonda holds the rank of Manager. I have heard that you have trouble dealing with nobles, and that Sister Vonda, and your companions, advise you on such dealings, trying to keep you from getting yourself killed due to how you wish to bruise the noble¡¯s egos, though you know better.¡± Adam smiled, holding up his hands. ¡°Guilty as charged.¡± ¡°Sister Vonda has shown incredible growth while travelling with you. If half of what she has said is true, then you are truly as frightening as she suggests.¡± Mother Priest inhaled deeply and exhaled. ¡°Sister Vonda has grown too much. She must accept the title of Mother, and retire.¡± ¡°So you want her back at the order?¡± ¡°So that you may cause more trouble without her oversight and bring death to the land with the Iyrmen at your side?¡± Mother Priest replied, causing Adam to sit up straighter from the shock of her words. ¡°Sister Vonda will be tested, and her vows shall be taken, and she will continue her role within the United Kindom, if she so wishes.¡± The Hopes glanced between one another. ¡°The Order of Life¡¯s Rose will guarantee the children¡¯s safety. I will send a Hope and their Rays to assist you on your travel so that you may return to your business safe and sound.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam paused for a moment, uncertain of what else to say. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You should not thank me, but Sister Vonda, who has risked everything to make sure you do not get yourself killed because you are a fool.¡± Adam raised his brows even in further alarm. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± Mother Priest asked. ¡°You keep aggravating powers you should not have. Yes, it was unfair for you, but you should not have killed the nobles of this land. Even in self defence, it is unlawful. The King¡¯s Law may not affect the Iyrmen, but you are no Iyrman. The nobles in this land aren¡¯t foolish. They understand they can do whatever they want to you and the people around you. If you kill them, even in a way you feel is justifiable, they will find whatever reason to bring down the hammer of the law, even if the law is not on their side. What of the farmers and porters under you? What of their families, Adam? What of Nobby? What of Brittany? What of Fred?¡± ¡®Jesus, how much did you tell her, Vonda?¡¯ Adam thought, looking towards the young priest. ¡°Look at me, Adam,¡± Mother Priest demanded, her voice clear and stern, her eyes filling with a hint of anger. ¡°You may not wish to play the games of nobles, but you must. If you do not, you will find that the nobles will continue to strike away at the people around you, all because you are too foolish, because your ego cannot handle that they can do so.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my ego,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s unfair.¡± ¡°Yes! Life is unfair, Adam! You, a boy of twenty, cannot change that. Is that not why you created the business? You met the Enchanter, you met the Iyrmen, you were given so much fortune in this life, even your children, and you squander it because you wish to draw your blade at those you dislike, knowing full well that justice within this land is what the nobles make of it!¡± Adam frowned, pulling back, the words of the woman continuing to batter him down. ¡°The United Kindom is a fairness that you have brought into this world with your companions. Iyrmen. Priests of multiple orders. An Enchanter. You, a figure who is unfathomable to comprehend, and yet are so simple that you can be manipulated by a noble who smirks at you in the wrong way.¡± Adam clutched his hands together, wincing at her words. It''s always Jaygak''s fault! [816] – Y03.116 – Life Lessons II [816] ¨C Y03.116 ¨C Life Lessons II ¡®She¡¯s right.¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply. ¡®I can handle the nobles, but what about Nobby? Fred? Jeremy? Rick? Even if we killed the Marshal, it would have ended up terrible for us.¡¯ Mother Priest allowed Adam to think on his thoughts for a short while. She motioned a hand to dismiss the Hopes, though they remained there for a moment, wondering why they were being dismissed. ¡°Leave us,¡± Mother Priest said. ¡°Mother Priest...¡± ¡°I will not repeat myself.¡± The Hopes glanced between one another before they stepped out. Adam stared at the woman expectantly, also wondering why she let them go.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°May I hold your amulet?¡± Mother Priest asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Adam pulled the amulet over his hand, offering it to the woman. Mother Priest felt the cool obsidian within her hand, brushing along the ridges. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s symbol of Lord Sozain, Baktu.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you meet with a Lesser Divine last year?¡± Adam glanced towards Vonda, who remained still and silent. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Which of the Divine?¡± ¡°A, uh...¡± Adam looked to Vonda. ¡°Sister Vonda, if you don¡¯t mind. You know I¡¯m bad with names.¡± ¡°Lady Ulaveil.¡± ¡°Lady Elaveil¡¯s daughter,¡± the Mother Priest said. ¡°I believe the Iyr worships Lady Elaveil too. They often consider the Divine with their power, as though the Divine would fight between one another. The Iyr believes Lady Elaveil to match Lord Sozain in strength, due to her ability to even the playing field, as they say.¡± ¡°The logic is sound.¡± ¡°Logic and faith are two sides of the same coin.¡± ¡®Perhaps in this world.¡¯ ¡°Have you met the Divine?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam remained silent. ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t tell Vonda about that yet, did I?¡¯ ¡°Which of the Divine did you meet?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°All of them?¡± ¡°Well, you know, not Mother Soza.¡± ¡°You met all the others?¡± ¡°I think so. I¡¯m not sure I met Lord, uh...¡± Adam snapped his fingers trying to recall the name. ¡°Wealth.¡± ¡°Lord Musa.¡± ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t think I met Lord... Zaladhin?¡± Mother Priest nodded. ¡°I met the others. I also met the Lord of Order and the Lord of Chaos. They wanted to speak with me.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m allowed to say.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I would, but I¡¯ve been in so much trouble that I think even this is too much.¡± ¡°Why did Lord Sozain choose you?¡± ¡°Lord Sozain and I have a special relationship.¡± ¡°What kind of relationship?¡± ¡°He helped me in a previous life, he and... Lady Arya, and others.¡± ¡°Which others?¡± ¡°What offer?¡± ¡°The offer to protect the children all the way to the business?¡± ¡°Ah, right... I didn¡¯t mean it that way. What I mean is...¡± Adam sat awkwardly for a moment as he thought about how he should say it. ¡°I really appreciate it. Thanks, Vonda.¡± ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°For not causing a mess?¡± ¡°For what you have done for me.¡± ¡°What have I done for you?¡± ¡°Gifting me a magical mace at least, and helping me become a Mother so young.¡± ¡°Vonda, if you say that my magical mace made you into a mother, there are going to be-,¡± Adam began to laugh at Vonda¡¯s shocked face, which turned red, her hand quickly covering her mouth. Adam and Vonda returned back to the group, who, upon seeing Adam¡¯s face, realised things were going to be okay. ¡°How much trouble did you cause while with the Mother Priest?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Not enough, I¡¯m sure.¡± Jaygak smiled, offering Adam a seat beside her. Adam dropped down beside her, before sitting up straight, half expecting the chair to fall, before he relaxed into it. ¡°It is as fun to tease as it is to see you think you are about to be teased.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a sadist.¡± ¡°Has the order offered to assist us?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°They did.¡± Jurot nodded, before falling silent again. ¡°They said Manager Vonda¡¯s going to be a Mother soon, and they¡¯re going to send a Hope and some Rays with us.¡± ¡°Adam, what did you do?¡± Jaygak asked, her eyes wide. ¡°Hey, I already made that joke,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can¡¯t take it from me.¡± ¡°I do not know what you are speaking of, I am merely asking you how you made Manager Vonda into a Mother.¡± ¡°If you think that¡¯s going to make me blush, you¡¯re right, but I want the record to show that I made the joke first, and I already teased the Manager with it, and I won¡¯t accept-,¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t accept responsibility for making Vonda a mother, how can you remain an Executive?¡± Jaygak replied. Adam¡¯s cheeks flushed, while Vonda threw a look towards Jaygak, while her face had turned red hot. ¡°Executive Jaygak!¡± Vonda gasped out, her brows raised, still in shock from Jaygak¡¯s words. ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°Jaygak,¡± Jurot said, his eyes falling onto the Iyrman to stop her from going too far. ¡°Congratulations on becoming a Mother, Manager Vonda.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Vonda replied, still flushed red. ¡°It seems you¡¯re going to be stuck with us for a while still,¡± Adam said, flashing a smile. ¡°Does this mean I can cause bigger messes now that you¡¯re a Mother?¡± Vonda let out a sigh, while a low grumbling fell through the Iyrmen, who smiled at Adam¡¯s words. If Adam caused more trouble, wouldn¡¯t we be able to kill more? ¡°The order¡¯s going to deal with the issue with the nobles,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Thankfully, with Manager Vonda¡¯s assistance, and the assistance of the order, none of them remained dead. Speaking of which, I thought the rules were that only adventurers could bring them back?¡± ¡°It was by the assistance of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose the Adventurer¡¯s Guild was able to create an exception,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah, that makes sense.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± called a voice from behind the half elf. Adam glanced back to see the heavily armed and armoured First Hope glaring down at the young half elf. ¡°Let us speak.¡± I''m sure everything will go well. Thanks to Olaf for subscribing for a double chapter! [817] – Y03.117 – Life Lessons III [817] ¨C Y03.117 ¨C Life Lessons III The children watched as Adam followed the First Hope away, quietly gossiping about their own rumours about the two. ¡°Are they gunna fight away from us?¡± ¡°I dunno.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯re going to make secrets?¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re gonna make secrets.¡± ¡°What kinda secrets?¡± ¡°Secret secrets.¡± ¡°Oh, secret secrets,¡± Penny replied, her hair bouncing lightly. Adam followed the First Hope silently. ¡®Don¡¯t let him bother you if he picks a fight. Don¡¯t let him bother you when he picks a fight. Don¡¯t let him bother you.¡¯ He paid little attention to the hallway they stepped through, before finally coming across a small open garden within the temple complex. Adam could smell the freshness of the air, hear the gentle ambiance of tiny, unseen critters living their life peacefully within the temple, the sounds of drips of water slipping into the pond. ¡°Do you know why I have brought you here, Adam?¡± ¡°I can only begin to guess, Hope Robert,¡± Adam replied, glancing all around himself, noting the few acolytes making their way around, either pretending not to pay attention, or actually not paying attention, though it didn¡¯t matter to Adam. ¡°I wished to speak to you about the children you have brought to the order.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I believe it would be best for them to grow here, under the guidance of Mother Soza.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Do you agree?¡± ¡°I believe that you believe so. I, on the other hand, believe they would grow best under the business, under the guidance of not just Mother Soza, but other Divine too.¡± ¡°Baktu?¡± ¡°Lord Sozain, Lady Arya, and so many more.¡± ¡°What of the... darker influences which surround you?¡± Adam smiled as politely as he could manage, the troublesome gaze within his eyes growing. ¡°Though there are many nobles in Aldland, there are very few in the Iyr, and where the business is stationed. I¡¯m sure that the children will grow up healthy and well without interference of what the people in this land call their betters.¡± ¡°Is there a need to be so obtuse?¡± ¡°Are we not talking about the only figures which threatened the children, or are we talking about figures which helped protect the children against such civilised folk?¡± Adam replied, raising his brows towards the First Hope. ¡°I do hope you are willing to enlighten me about who you mean to speak about.¡± ¡°You make your bed with demons, young man.¡± ¡°I make my bed among Iyrmen, First Hope. Those demons are my friends, who have assisted me against all manner of injustices from the true demons of this land, those who would dare to-,¡± Adam could feel the heat rush to his face, but he quickly pulled back. ¡°What kind and noble folk the demons are.¡± ¡°Kind and noble are not the descriptors I would use to describe the demons.¡± ¡°For your words against the Order of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°The only words I have for the Order of Life¡¯s Rose are the praises I have sang from what I have seen of Manager Vonda, who is a Sister of Life¡¯s Rose, and the truth.¡± ¡°Do you believe I will allow you to step back from your words against the fine order?¡± ¡°Since when have I ever needed your permission to step back?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is for Manager Vonda¡¯s sake that I stepped back previously to allow you to save face. Shudder at the thought that the First Hope, whose arms shook as violently as his words when he came across the might of the magical item gifted to me by the Enchanter, would suggest I would need his permission.¡± ¡°You should be wary of your words.¡± ¡°Executive Jaygak was right! The only bravery I have seen from the order is that which is displayed when their opponents are unarmed and unarmoured.¡± ¡°How-,¡± ¡°Executive Adam,¡± Mother Priest¡¯s voice shot through the air. The older woman approached the pair with a swift step, escorted by a pair of priests. The woman¡¯s eyes darted between the pair. ¡°I have recalled I have not yet invited you to pray.¡± Adam smiled politely, though the annoyance on his face was obvious. ¡°Ah, what a great honour.¡± Mother Priest motioned a hand, allowing him to take to her side, before leading him elsewhere, allowing the First Hope to stew on his thoughts and the denial of justice from Mother Priest, though he soon followed after. ¡°Did you not take my warning to heart?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Then why did I find the pair of you bickering?¡± ¡°He was bickering with me.¡± ¡°You were both bickering with one another.¡± ¡°He started it.¡± ¡°Does that matter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No, and that is unfair, but that is why I gave you such advice.¡± ¡°What else should I have done?¡± ¡°You should not have allowed the First Hope to take you away from witnesses who would corroborate for you,¡± Mother Priest said. First Hope Robert listened to her words, taken by shock. He had no idea Mother Priest would speak so openly about the situation. ¡°What should I have done?¡± ¡°You should have refused politely, and allowed him to attack you verbally, then retorted politely in return, perhaps even threaten the order lightly with the business, which may or may not intend to provide the order with magical items which could assist with its duties. If he continued to press the matter, you could have suggested that whether the business deals with the order or not depends on his behaviour to the business. Perhaps we could have caused some issue, but you could respond that this was merely a mutual arrangement based on the treatment provided by the order. You would still be considered in the wrong in many eyes, but it would be the best position, as you are not yet a business with any heritage.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam remained silent as Mother Priest spoke so assuredly about the scene. ¡°How can I threaten you with the business when I admire you so much, Mother Priest?¡± ¡°If your ego was bruised? Easily.¡± Adam¡¯s laughter echoed through the halls of the temple. She might be my second favourite NPC. [818] – Y03.118 – Life Lessons IV [818] ¨C Y03.118 ¨C Life Lessons IV ¡®I expected something more impressive from the Order of Life¡¯s Rose and the Holy Temple of Our Great Mother.¡¯ The prayer room had been simple and small, with little to no decorations, and the statue on its plinth was utterly minuscule. Adam dropped down onto his knees, placing his hands together, before he began to pray to Mother Soza. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for being so eager for death this year. The Iyr¡¯s corruption is-,¡¯ Adam winced, inhaling deeply for a moment, before letting out a soft sigh. ¡®I apologise for what I¡¯ve done thus far. I¡¯ll do my best to reflect on my mistakes in life and do better. If you ever need any help, let me know. I know that you¡¯ve quietened down from the world, but I have only a deep respect for you.¡¯ ¡°How do you feel?¡± Mother Priest asked, escorting Adam back to the courtyard of the temple. ¡°Normal?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything different.¡± Mother Priest smiled, bowing her head, before they finally arrived at the courtyard. ¡°Would you prefer to stay within the temple, or would you like to settle yourself within an inn?¡± ¡°I think an inn might be a wise decision,¡± Adam replied, his lips forming a small, awkward smirk. ¡°I appreciate all you¡¯ve done for us, Mother Priest. I won¡¯t forget it.¡± ¡°I should hope that you do not,¡± Mother Priest said, glancing aside to Vonda. ¡°We will deal with Vonda¡¯s matters within the temple today. You should prepare the donation you promised.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam replied, letting out another sigh, before returning back to his group. ¡®Four thousand gold. It¡¯s a good thing we accepted so many jobs from the nobles, otherwise we¡¯d be screwed. As much as I don¡¯t like them, they are paying us for some magical items. Well, we are providing them a service, and we are overcharging them.¡¯ A small smile appeared on Adam¡¯s face. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s right, we should keep auctioning weapons off to make coin.¡¯ ¡°What trouble are you thinking of now?¡± Dunes asked, patting Adam¡¯s back. ¡°I just realised there were some magical items which were being auctioned off in Red Oak and I forgot.¡± ¡°There have been magical items auctioned in Red Oak?¡± ¡°Yeah, I set it up before we left. The Iyr¡¯s in charge of taking the weapons to Red Oak to auction off. I¡¯ve forgotten the Enchanter is making magical weapons to auction off monthly, and I didn¡¯t take it into consideration when I was worrying about money.¡± Adam smiled even wider. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s right. We should auction them off to nobles and squeeze them dry. If we don¡¯t make enough at the auctions, we¡¯ll just set up our own auctions and charge people an entry fee to make coin. Ah, or maybe we should give the people who spend the most coin the ability to spend even more coin in other ways?¡¯ ¡°Why do you have such a greedy smile in the temple?¡± Dunes flashed a cheeky smile. ¡°Hah! If we¡¯re talking about greedy, how could I compare to...¡± Adam felt Dunes¡¯ hand against his shoulder. Adam met the Aswadian¡¯s eyes, as though daring Adam to continue. ¡°So what if I¡¯m greedy? Do you know how expensive putting kids through university is?¡± ¡°Does the Enchanter not pay you enough?¡± ¡°Do you know how much I want to spoil my kids? Even all the gold in the world isn¡¯t enough!¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes remained focused on Adam, her will to live slowly crumbling as Adam continued to cause trouble in the order. ¡®Just you wait, Adam. Just you wait.¡¯ ¡°Are you fighting with the order again, Mister Adam?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I¡¯m not fighting with them,¡± Adam assured. ¡°They¡¯re going to help us head to the business. Would they help us if we were fighting them?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Right, right, so that¡¯s why we aren¡¯t fighting. It¡¯s not like I fight against everyone we come across.¡± Alex blinked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Yes. You do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only fighting for...¡± Adam cleared his throat, realising how bad that would sound. ¡°You¡¯re right, but sometimes there¡¯s a need to fight, and sometimes there isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam retreated away. ¡°Jurot... Kitool, you should be in charge of dealing with the children. They¡¯re too scared of the rest of us, and they think I¡¯m an idiot.¡± The group made their way out, going to the side of the island once more, before the bridge of light was formed again. The Fourth Hope rode her steed forward, leading the wagons. ¡°Where do you wish to stay?¡± Willow asked. Adam looked to Jurot, who looked to Kitool, who thought for a moment. They needed to find a place which would be acceptable for the Hopes and Rays. Adam glanced around, noting how quickly the people seemed to be moving. ¡®I thought this place was meant to be slow going...¡¯ ¡°Vasera?¡± Adam asked, staring at the woman while she was drinking in the corner. He hadn¡¯t expected to see her in the inn, considering all the fine woods, as well as how it appeared to be almost like an estate rather than an inn. ¡°You¡¯ve finally come out have you?¡± Vasera glanced towards the other Hope, raising her brow towards them. ¡°You brought quite an esteemed guest.¡± ¡°The Fourth Hope is going to be leading us back to the business.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t need our help?¡± ¡°Actually, I was going to find you to speak with you. Executive Kitool, why don¡¯t you get us set up in the inn?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam made his way to Vasera, kicking up a seat beside Rook, leaning back in his chair. ¡°We¡¯re hoping there isn¡¯t going to be a mess on the way back, but you know how the Aldish are.¡± ¡°Treacherous kotha.¡± ¡°Exactly. So... how much for your assistance?¡± ¡°One hundred gold per head for one month.¡± ¡°One hundred gold per your head, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam held out his hand, not needing to barter with her, even though she did owe him a favour. However, as far as Adam was concerned, she had gone a long way to paying off that debt. ¡°Where¡¯s the priest?¡± ¡°She¡¯s becoming a Mother.¡± ¡°Congratulations,¡± Vasera replied. ¡°Is that your seventh child then?¡± ¡°Not that kind of Mother.¡± ¡°...¡± Vasera tilted her head slightly. ¡°The priestly rank,¡± Rook explained. ¡°Oh! Congratulations to her! We need more drinks!¡± Even Vasera... Looks like all the issues are solved and Adam won''t be in trouble with any of the orders!Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com [819] – Y03.119 – Ray Of Hope I [819] ¨C Y03.119 ¨C Ray Of Hope I The gentle hum of prayers filled the small prayer room, with dozens of acolytes sitting, spreading out in a slightly circular pattern, almost like those of a petal. A young woman sat at the front of where the petals emerged, sitting closest to the simple statue of the Great Mother. Vonda had heard the bell four times, once when she began, and three times for every passing hour. As the fourth ring trailed, she slowly stopped rocking, before ending her prayer. She stood, placing her palms together in front of her, bowing lightly, before slowly backing out with the rest of the acolytes. The young Sister made her way to the baths, heading underground, where most of the priests and acolytes found their personal rooms. The walls had been expertly carved with all manner of religious symbols and images, each denoting different relationships between Life and the other domains. The bath awaited for her, one which had been set out a short while ago, the rising steam having long dissipated. She stripped out of the simple garments she wore before stepping into the bath, feeling the warmth water against her foot before the rest of her leg and body was swallowed by the water. She reached for the unscented soap, feeling how hard it was within her grasp. She washed for a long while, her thoughts unfocused, allowing them to come and go. The doubts began to build into the back of her head. Is this right? Is this what she deserves? She did earn this position herself? What of the others? What of the business? What of Adam? What of his children? These thoughts entered her mind and swiftly left, even as she dried off. A long white cloth lay to one side, so white one might have called it a different colour, and those within East Port certainly would have. She began to wrap it around herself, layering the cloth around her entire form, revealing how long it truly was, until she was covered from her neck to the calves. Vonda inhaled deeply. Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com hungry.¡¯ She allowed that thought to leave too. Her foot pressed against the freshly lain carpet, feeling how soft it was, how every fibre tickled the bottom of it before they gently folded. She followed the carpet to one of the many underground prayer rooms, though this prayer room was unlike the others. It was only used once in a priest¡¯s life, and only some priests would be able to use it. As she entered, she could smell the smell of an unused room, one which would be cleaned out the moment she was done here. The young Sister did her best to ignore the ancient scriptures, though only after cautiously walking around them, following along the carpet. She sat down before the scriptures, closing her eyes, though the scroll, which looked as though it could crumble from a glance, had engraved itself within her mind. It was the scroll. Written by the hands of a descendant of the Great Mother herself, a Demigod who once walked the land. Their body had been lost to time, save for a single piece of bone which lay behind her, locked within a simple box, defended by a myriad of magical protections. Mother Priest led in a group of other priests, each who would be referred to as Mother, before they sat in front of her. Mother Priest sat to Vonda¡¯s left, leaving the right for the Great Mother herself. The silence remained as the old woman began to mix the oils together as the Mother Priest had done for her when she went through the rites. As they pooled within the small bowl, she began to mix them with a brush, made of the hairs of a living vulfaire which had been shaved. Once they were mixed, the Mother Priest began to hum a prayer, sometimes mumbling the words, before she dipped a finger tip into the oil, before dabbing it against the young Sister¡¯s forehead. Mother Priest continued to hum a prayer as she began to light various incense sticks, which was hard to burn, and would last almost four days once lit, before taking her seat to Vonda¡¯s left once more. Slowly, the humming and mumbling quietened. Yesterday, Adam had sent Jaygak and Kitool to hand over the coin. He realised he couldn¡¯t keep throwing out thousands of gold, otherwise they would really have no money left. ¡®Who would have thought when you spend money you lose it?¡¯ Adam frowned at the thought. ¡®Still, I can¡¯t go around buying swords with Dunes without at least letting the kids spend some coin.¡¯ ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve noticed everyone was rushing about today,¡± Adam said. ¡°When I bought the sword with Dunes, I noticed the entire town was different.¡± ¡°They¡¯re preparing for the celebrations,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Celebrations for what?¡± ¡°Life.¡± Dunes smirked slightly. ¡®Does he not know?¡¯ ¡°Oh.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Makes sense.¡± The group relaxed within the inn, but as evening approached, bells rung, calling for the populace to step out onto the roads. The members of United Kindom formed a barrier around the children, but allowed them to step out, especially upon Cobra¡¯s insistence. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Adam thought, before noting everyone was looking in the same direction. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡®I should have expected.¡¯ The bells continued to ring for a short while, until they fell silent. Seconds turned to moments. Yet the silence remained. It was then a flash of light appeared atop the order, within one of the towers which was taller than any other. The light certainly held some shape, though from the distance Adam wasn¡¯t able to make it out. As the light appeared, the cheers and shouts began, with people yelling all about. Adam watched as the populace filled with zeal, some even dropping to their knees in prayer, others sobbing with joy. He glanced to the side, wondering if he should ask, but found it too awkward to ask in that moment. Meanwhile, Vonda sat at the top of the tower, feeling the cool breeze across her skin. The Guardian of Faith watched vigilantly behind her, its light able to be seen from across the entire town, and even further across. Vonda could hear the chants from even where she sat. Great Mother. Great Mother. Great Mother. Life River. Life River. Life River. Vonda shut her eyes tight, failing to keep her tears at bay as the euphoria filled her body. Mother Soza! Life River! [820] – Y03.120 – Ray Of Hope II [820] ¨C Y03.120 ¨C Ray Of Hope II ¡°So, what was that about?¡± Adam whispered once they had returned within the inn, sipping at his warm milk. ¡°Manager Vonda has become a Mother,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. He continued to sip his milk. ¡®That¡¯s so nice.¡¯ ¡°Oh!¡± Adam¡¯s brows flashed upwards for a moment as the realisation hit me. ¡°She¡¯s a Mother now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Gosh, I wonder who the...¡± Adam sipped his milk. ¡°No. I¡¯m better than that. So what was that light?¡± ¡°The Guardian of Faith spell which has confirmed her ascension to gaining the title of Mother.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes... isn¡¯t that a Fourth Gate spell?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh! I didn¡¯t know she knew Fourth Gate spells.¡± ¡°She has known them for some time.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Jurot threw Adam a knowing look. ¡°There are many steps to be taken to become a Mother within Life¡¯s Rose. The morning prayers. The cleansing. The declaration. The first prayers. The first reading. The first meal. The solitary prayers. It is once the Guardian of Faith is revealed that she is considered a Mother.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡®I wonder what they all look like. Will I need to do that to become a Father? No, what am I saying? Aren¡¯t I already a father already?¡¯ Jurot ignored Adam¡¯s stupid face. ¡°Mother Vonda must complete ten water fasts from sunrise to sunset for the next ten days.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam said. ¡°I tried water fasting once. I drank tea an hour in.¡± Jurot nodded, having no doubt it occurred sine Adam is Adam. ¡°Should I return back to the order to become a Father?¡± Dunes pondered. He was strong enough that he could also gain the title, though it wasn¡¯t timely to return at the moment, since he needed to solidify a few matters. ¡°Well...¡± Adam pulled back in his seat and crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m growing up.¡± ¡°Perhaps the world is coming to an end?¡± Dunes joked, before noting Amira¡¯s glare towards him, causing him to hide his smile behind a cup. ¡°Hopefully not any time soon...¡± Adam replied, more seriously than the others would have liked. ¡°The festival will begin tomorrow and will last three days,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°So we¡¯ll probably see her after that? I guess we¡¯re not in a rush, and I don¡¯t mind not moving much in noonval. Who decided it was a good idea to make a season that¡¯s so damn hot? Don¡¯t they know fae lack melatonin.¡± Jurot¡¯s gaze fell on Adam for a moment. ¡°Or is it melanin? I think I need more melatonin to help with my sleep?¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Anyway...¡± ¡°Where did you get that sword?¡± Amira asked, noting the new sword at Dunes¡¯ side. It was quite a well built blade, made of silversteel, or steelver as some called it. ¡°I bought it,¡± Dunes replied, glancing towards Adam, who was pretending not to listen in on the conversation, but the sly smirk said otherwise. ¡°Why did you buy a new sword when you have such a nice magical blade?¡± ¡°I will request the Enchanter to enchant it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you too greedy?¡± ¡°Since I am a Manager, can I not request for a Greater Enhanced blade like those of the Executives?¡± ¡°They¡¯re Executives of the business, and you are a priest of Black Mountain,¡± Amira stated firmly. Dunes smiled politely towards her, the same kind of smile which often riled her up. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Morn...¡± Amira¡¯s eyes fell to Adam. ¡®Even if he is ridiculous, he...¡¯ Amira paused. She had been with Adam for a long while now, and she had heard so many ridiculous things. She had even heard about his meeting with a Lesser Divine, though Dunes had not been present. Many things were unbelievable, but became more plausible as time passed but... ¡®Did I not just see him defeat the Seventh Hope in a single blow?¡¯ Amira thought. ¡®Then go on to fight the First Hope and almost defeat him too?¡¯ The scene replayed within the devilkin¡¯s mind. It had been such a ridiculous scene, she hadn¡¯t really processed it within her mind or heart. Her eyes then snapped to Dunes and the reason why he wanted to remain with Adam. At first, she had believed it to be such a ridiculously weak reason, but now... Adam is Adam. Adam poured Dunes some wine. ¡°You know, I¡¯m finding a greater appreciation for wine.¡± ¡°You drink so much in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess I do, but I gotta be careful otherwise it¡¯ll put my throat on fire, or make my tongue numb.¡± Dunes chuckled. ¡°We have similar jokes in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Seriously...¡± Dunes winked, holding up his cup. Adam gently clinked it, before the pair sipped their wine. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I feel well, and you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing pretty well...¡± ¡°Good. Why did you wish to speak with me so late in the evening?¡± Dunes asked, as though he didn¡¯t know. Adam smirked slightly. ¡°Happy birthday, Dunes.¡± Dunes chuckled. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Adam had been so coy earlier in the day, pretending as though he didn¡¯t know it was Dunes¡¯ birthday, and just taking him out to buy something for Taygak. ¡°I¡¯m glad we met, Dunes.¡± ¡°I am glad we met too, Adam.¡± ¡°You know...¡± Adam inhaled deeply before exhaling. ¡°I¡¯m very glad that I have all the companions that I do. Rarely, you¡¯ll push me further into trouble, but I can¡¯t blame my brother for that. I had no idea I was such an idiot I¡¯d need two priests, one who was a Priest of War, to stop me from being an idiot and picking fights.¡± ¡°You rarely pick fights, Adam. It is just that fights come to you.¡± ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam poured Dunes more wine. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m happy to have you with me.¡± ¡°I am happy that I am here to watch over you too.¡± Dunes smirked. ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam waited a moment until Dunes was sipping his wine to continue. ¡°When you and Amira have children, I¡¯ll be allowed to spoil them, right?¡± Dunes managed to not choke on his alcohol. ¡°It depends on how much you¡¯ll spoil them.¡± ¡°Are you going to stop me from getting them all kinds of gifts?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What kinds of gifts.¡± Adam grumbled quietly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Iyr is stopping us from handing them Greater or greater weapons...¡± Dunes chuckled. ¡°We shall see if you will become Uncle Adam as you are Father Adam, isn¡¯t that right, Brother Adam?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Should I also become a Father?¡± ¡°Are you not already a father?¡± Dunes joked. ¡°No. They would restrain you too much, and it may be difficult to gain Sixth Gate spells.¡± ¡°Sixth Gate spells? Who, me?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°You say some dangerous things, Dunes.¡± ¡°At some point you had as many children as you had access to the knowledge of Gates,¡± Dunes said, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Is it still true?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that strong... yet.¡± Dunes sighed. ¡°The greatest gift I have received is the knowledge that you are not yet that troublesome.¡± ¡°I thought the sword for your future wife would be good enough.¡± ¡°Shall I speak of the new Mother?¡± ¡°I apologise gravely, Manager Dunes.¡± Just a bit of banter. [821] – Y03.121 – Ray Of Hope III [821] ¨C Y03.121 ¨C Ray Of Hope III As the days passed, Adam completed a few tasks he had written in his book. ¡®I already got Dunes and Taygak something yesterday, but what about the other kids? I haven¡¯t brought them anything. Isn¡¯t Asorot¡¯s birthday soon too? Then what about our adorable Damokan and Kalokan? Churot¡¯s birthday isn¡¯t that much later either...¡± Adam worried little of his own children¡¯s birthdays, already knowing what he would get them, certain he would be back in the Iyr by then. ¡®Obviously I¡¯ll give them all my love, isn¡¯t that the best gift?¡¯ ¡®How many magical items does he intend to give away?¡¯ Kitool thought, surveying Adam¡¯s face. Adam stared at a smithy, noting all the wooden tags hung up to the side, orders which had been placed that day. ¡®Are they enjoying the festival?¡¯ Adam then realised he noted many of the shops had closed up for the day, though as he made his way through the town, the noisiness of the festival vaguely all about him, he found the market was still open. ¡®Phew.¡¯ While Adam was exploring the market stalls for gifts, the children under the business¡¯ protection moved about in small groups, each guarded by a handful of the business¡¯ warriors and a Ray. One older Iyrman, two teen Iyrmen, one farmer, each joined by a Ray. There was also a snake triplet in each group, though they were still considered under the business¡¯ protection. Even though they were there to look after the group, Adam had told them the business would handle any issue which arose. ¡®After all, a Ray will be escorting you.¡¯ Unfortunately for the group, their plan had backfired. Rather than people leaving them be, many came to congratulate the Rays. The Rays each smiled, though annoyed they were being bossed around by the business¡¯ Executive, though with the Hope informing them they should listen, since they were spreading their influence to the commonfolk, it wasn¡¯t all bad after all. The children remained blissfully aware as they spent their coppers and silvers, their elder siblings holding onto their gold. The children were split in groups of six, save for one group. ¡°You want the cup?¡± Fred asked. George nodded his head. ¡°How much for the cup.¡± ¡°Five copper.¡± George threw a look towards Fred, as though having no idea cups could cost that much. ¡®It¡¯s daylight robbery! How can they do that?¡¯ ¡°Is there any chance you can let it go for four copper?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not running a charity here, young man.¡± ¡°No, I suppose not,¡± Fred said, rubbing George¡¯s head. ¡°I know. I always thought East Port was expensive, I had no idea Life River was the same.¡± Fred quickly pulled his hand away, realising he was there to protect George, not be his elder brother. ¡®I¡¯m meant to be the youngest...¡¯ ¡°Won¡¯t find any cups as cheap as mine.¡± ¡°There are plenty of cups out there,¡± Fred said. ¡°Let¡¯s find one that¡¯s worth five copper. There are some that pattern their cups.¡± George glanced up towards Fred. ¡®Never understood why they¡¯s always patternin¡¯ their cups...¡¯ Alex eyed up a wooden block print with the patterns of waves. It was a silver piece, but with some ink, couldn¡¯t it make a lot of patterns? He could also use it to make designs on all kinds of items, from pictures to clothes. ¡°...¡± Nobby said nothing as Alex bought a wooden block for a silver piece, the boy¡¯s eyes so bright. He showed off the block to Nobby, who remained silent, unsure of what to say. Cobra eyed up the large young man, wondering how strong he really was. She hadn¡¯t seen him fight much yet, but the others said he was one of the strongest, between the Executives and the younger Iyrmen, who themselves were Experts. He was huge, yes, but his eyes seemed far too innocent, unlike the eyes of the Iyrmen which gleamed so eagerly at death. ¡®He must be strong if they¡¯ve left him with Alex as his personal guard.¡¯ Then her eyes went to Uwajin, who seemed seconds away from sleeping constantly. ¡®Is she okay?¡¯ Once the children returned back to the inn, Adam greeted them with a beaming smile. ¡°Did you all have fun spending your coin?¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± the children replied, taking the cue from Nobby. Adam let out a satisfied sigh. ¡®Yeah, that should definitely be my codename!¡¯ ¡°Did you enjoy yourself, George?¡± The boy hid behind Fred, staring at Adam with shock and awe within his eyes still. He had seen Adam fight the Hopes, and though the other children may have been struck by his words, George understood. Not only was Adam fighting the Hopes, he had almost beaten both of them, and only stepped back because Vonda asked. ¡®Scary!¡¯ ¡°If you say it is that way, then I can only feel happy.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam remained looking out at the festival. ¡°Dunes, if I ever become like that, make sure you keep me grounded.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°A filthy noble.¡± ¡°If you become a noble, I fear for the world.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I will assist you when I can, and stop you when I must.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What are friends for?¡± Dunes poured the wine in for the half elf, sipping it alongside him. ¡°I had a friend by the name of Ahmed. We grew up together, he was taught by Kal Samira, Kal Samra¡¯s younger sister. We used to fight all the time, though the order made sure to punish us heavily if we ever struck each other¡¯s heads. Body? It was fine, they would heal the wounds of the body, but to strike one¡¯s head, it may rattle the brain, so we must be careful. We would fight and then we would laugh. He said one day he would ride a dragon and blot out the skies with his name.¡± ¡°Sounded like a funny guy,¡± Adam said, noting how Dunes had used past tense. ¡°Kal Samira, along with other order members, left on a journey. After they missed their deadline by three days. The order sent a few members to scout ahead, those who returned for aid later. Their bodies were found, having been struck by greywyrms, creatures which had long been considered dead across the land. They were brought back to the temple in a hurry. By the time they returned, they had been dead for eleven days.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°Eleven days, Adam,¡± Dunes said. ¡°If it is within one minute, it is a Third Gate spell. If it is ten days, it is a Fifth Gate spell. Eleven days is one too many.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Dunes remained silent for a long while. ¡°There is a Second Gate spell which can delay such a limit.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°When Kal Samira was brought back to life, there was a deep grief which fell across our temple. In their haste, they had forgotten to cast the spell upon some of the younger priests.¡± ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± ¡°Adam, when I saw you fight the Hopes, I thought, ah, so it would have been the same here too.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Even in our temple, though we have sworn our oaths, to the Gods and the people, there are politics. Kal Samira held great power and influence, and often clashed with some of the other Elder Priests.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I dared to think, but I did not dare to ask.¡± Dunes fell silent, sipping his wine slowly. ¡°I hate politics, Dunes.¡± Dunes nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll crush it in the business.¡± ¡°Adam. There are two things which are true in life.¡± ¡°Death and taxes?¡± ¡°What are taxes if not politics?¡± ¡°...¡± He''s right. [822] – Y03.122 – Ray Of Hope IV [822] ¨C Y03.122 ¨C Ray Of Hope IV ¡°Ho? Who is this strange-er,¡± Adam said, realising he shouldn¡¯t call her a strange face. Vonda beamed with joy towards the party, almost glowing with the warmth of the Mother¡¯s embrace. She was slightly different from when they last saw her, Adam wasn¡¯t sure if it was because her hair was completely tucked away behind her headdress. She wore all vestments which covered her from head to toe, only revealing her face, to the point her neck to chin was hidden. An amulet of Mother Soza dangled over a silver sun. ¡°The modesti suits you,¡± Dunes said, doing his best to hide his smile. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam glanced around, raising his brows, ready for someone else to mention it. ¡°This Ray of sunshine isn¡¯t blinding anyone else?¡± Vonda¡¯s lips formed an even wider smile, so bright it caused Adam to glance away. ¡°I have taken the vows.¡± ¡°Does that mean I can¡¯t call you Mother Vonda anymore?¡± ¡°Ray Vonda is more appropriate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also less awkward,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. ¡°Congratulations on your promotion.¡± Adam smiled, doing his best to remain genuine in his smile. ¡®I thought she said Vonda was going to go with us?¡¯ ¡°Mother Priest would like to speak with you,¡± Vonda said. ¡°She will arrive at the nearby temple soon.¡± ¡°Alright, well...¡± Adam noted her expectant gaze. ¡°Shall we go now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam followed Vonda towards a nearby temple, which was part temple, part park. The buildings were made of wood, and through the park there were plenty of priests and acolytes busying themselves, while the main building, the largest building within the park¡¯s centre, loomed. It was hexagonal, and held a gentle relief across the top of various tiny figures, each repeating with different poses. Adam vaguely recognised them from other temples. ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid that a fire might spread accidentally?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The wood is treated so it resists fire,¡± Vonda assured. ¡°Fair.¡± Adam stepped into the temple, reaching into his pouch, ready to place down the gems. A priest stepped forward, before noting the Ray beside him, before quickly bowing her head, though there was a confusion on her face. She did not recognise this Ray. ¡°Good afternoon, Sister,¡± Vonda said, holding out her hand. ¡°Good afternoon, Ray,¡± the Sister replied, allowing Vonda to take her hands. ¡°How may I assist.¡± ¡°Mother Priest will arrive soon to inform you of many matters,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°She wished to speak with Adam.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± the Sister still appeared somewhat lost at the scene, slightly suspicious of the two. A Ray and a Brother of Death? ¡°Where can I donate?¡± Adam asked, pulling out a small gem worth ten gold. ¡°Please follow me, Brother.¡± The young Sister turned, making her way through the wooden temple, which could easily hold a few hundred people within for prayers, with four statues in the centre, made of stone, each of Mother Soza in different positions, positions Adam had only ever seen her in. Adam placed his gem within the box at one of the statue¡¯s feet, which was full of copper, with the glint of silver coming through, open for all to see. Adam was already on his knees to place down the coin, but he decided to settle himself into a deeper kneel. ¡®Thank you for always watching over Ray Vonda, Mother Soza.¡¯ Adam was becoming used to feeling nothing as he stood. He had already felt more than most people with true divinity from the Divine, both by meeting the Greater Divine and a member of the Lesser Divine. ¡®I assume you can hear my thoughts?¡¯ As Adam stood, he noted Vonda praying, having placed a gold coin within the box, before his eyes darted to the side, noting the appearance of another familiar face. Adam bowed his head, not sure if he should be speaking as Vonda prayed, before Mother Priest motioned a hand to one side, and Adam stepped away from the Ray, awkwardly shuffling with his side, not wanting his back to the statue. ¡°I have heard there were no issues for the past few days,¡± Mother Priest said. ¡°So you can behave.¡± The older woman smiled politely. ¡°We are quite fortunate in that regard.¡± ¡°So... Ray Vonda¡¯s going to be joining us then?¡± Adam glanced around. ¡°Is she going to join Hope Willow¡¯s cohort of Rays?¡± ¡°Ray Vonda works directly under my command,¡± Mother Priest said. ¡°Her task is to assist with the business.¡± ¡°What happens if... a different Mother Priest decides to recall her?¡± ¡°If Ray Vonda has no other ties to the business, she shall return.¡± ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°If she wishes to leave the order, it is her choice to make.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t stupid to think she should be able to travel freely considering what the order had done for her. ¡°I appreciate what the order has...¡± Adam paused for a moment. ¡°I appreciate the assistance the order has provided, and the United Kindom will not forget it.¡± ¡°I will pray it does not.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still setting up the business, but once the business is settled, we will begin working on the requests we have had so far. I will try and push up the priority for the order.¡± ¡°I appreciate your assistance in this matter.¡± ¡°You always leave me with a smile on my face, Mother Priest.¡± ¡°You always leave me with a prayer on my lips.¡± ¡°Is that good or bad?¡± ¡°The Mother Priest of Life¡¯s Rose prays for you. Is that not good?¡± ¡°Whose to say?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam chuckled, before the pair finally said their goodbyes, and Mother Priest went on to inform the temples of the situation. Adam waited for Vonda, who returned a short while later. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Adam, I had to introduce myself as a Ray.¡± ¡°Oh dear, Ray Vonda. How could you leave me here waiting for a few minutes while you got to show off such a prestigious event. How can you not think about me in this time?¡± Adam cracked a smile. ¡°I¡¯m very happy for you, Ray Vonda. I hope that uh... this doesn¡¯t really change much between us. I¡¯d find it too awkward to speak so jilted with you.¡± ¡°If you treat me as you have so far, it is good enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve probably got to take your words more seriously now, and I suppose I¡¯ll have to disagree with you less once we¡¯re in public.¡± ¡°Have you disagreed with me publicly before?¡± ¡°When I had to... when there was a misunderstanding between the Hopes and I.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for your words.¡± ¡®I suppose we¡¯ll be heading out tomorrow then?¡¯ WHOA! WHOA! SHE''S A RAY! [823] – Y03.123 – Troublesome I [823] ¨C Y03.123 ¨C Troublesome I ¡°Nana, come, nana,¡± Jirot called, holding out her free hand hand, beckoning her grandmother with her fingers as though she wanted to fight. ¡°Come, nana, come.¡± Sonarot approached her granddaughter, who beckoned her down, before bringing a sliced peach to the woman¡¯s lips. ¡°Is peach, okay? It so yummy and you can eat it, okay?¡± The girl said, before rubbing her stomach, an affirmative grunt escaping her lips. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sonarot said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. The girl smirked, allowing her grandmother to brush her hair. ¡°Nana!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I do not like you!¡± the girl waited to see if she would get into trouble, her brows raised expectantly, before cackling as she bounced away on her tiny legs. Sonarot swallowed the peach, noting the way the other children looked at her, each in shock. Even little Jarot was looking back towards her as he slowly shuffled away to follow Jirot, before Sonarot pointed for him to look forward, the boy pouting, thinking he was in trouble. ¡°Do you like me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the triplets replied, still in shock by her younger sister¡¯s words, before Konarot hugged her grandmother¡¯s leg. She stared up at her grandmother, still waiting expectantly to see what she would do. Kirot and Karot stared expectantly too, Karot slowly bringing a cup to his lips, his eyes wide like a deer in headlight. Sonarot smiled, brushing their hair tenderly, before returning back to the others who were watching after the youngest children. The other younger children were currently too busy amongst themselves to be paying much attention, though she could feel the expectant gazes of the other adults around. Sonarot did what Adam could not. Keep her mouth shut. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa,¡± Adam said, holding up a hand towards the Fourth Hope. ¡°Hold your horses.¡± ¡®Mine does not need to be held, for it is a magical steed.¡¯ ¡°We need to finish our checks first, so let¡¯s take a moment.¡± ¡°We should leave earlier,¡± Hope Willow said, unsure of why they had waited so late in the day to leave. It was still a couple of hours before noon, but that was still far too late to be leaving the town. ¡°I appreciate your advice, but we¡¯ve got our system, and it¡¯s worked out so far.¡± ¡®Were you not hunted by the Marquises¡¯ guards?¡¯ her look said. ¡®That doesn¡¯t count, I¡¯m talking about preparing to leave without missing anything, obviously,¡¯ his look replied. ¡°I¡¯ve double checked the food,¡± Korin said. ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, ticking off the little box. ¡°Arrows seem full,¡± John said. ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak said, ticking off a box, before adding in the comment. Seem full. Once the list was checked, the Iyrmen handed it to one another, checking the other¡¯s work, before checking the list together. With the list done, the group began to make their way out, the children in each of the wagons. The Hope and Rays rode upfront, while Ray Vonda rode with the children up front, with Nobby and Fred, and Cobra and Julia. She kept Max beside her, her presence able to calm him somewhat, keeping him from constantly heaving. ¡®I hope the journey goes well...¡¯ Adam thought, sitting at the front of the wagon, beside Nirot. Every so often, Adam would freeze in place. An owl flew overhead. There were other birds flying too, especially within a distant land, tiny little birds which cheeped towards a little girl with tiny horns and silver hair. ¡°How she can say that?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°She cannot, she cannot.¡± ¡°She cannot,¡± the bird replied affirmatively. ¡°You must watch, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Unfortunately, Konarot had mostly forgotten about the matter a few hours later, up until she heard Jirot¡¯s voice cut through the air. ¡°No! Not weading!¡± Jirot pointed up to her grandaunt. ¡°Nana is weading to me.¡± ¡°Jirot, sit well, I will read,¡± Citool said. ¡°No! I will not! You, you are not weading to me! I want nana!¡± Jirot huffed, inhaling deeply, ready to cry. ¡°Jirot...¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Sonarot called. ¡°Bring the book you wish for me to read.¡± Jirot stood up straight, a smile encroaching across her lips, before she darted away with Jarot. ¡°Will you spoil her today?¡± Mirot asked. ¡°She often sits and grumbles about her father,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°I will see if she continues to misbehave.¡± Jirot brought back a book, climbing onto Sonarot¡¯s lap, opening the book. ¡°Look, nana, look.¡± The girl pointed to a particular word. ¡°Jiwoh. Is my name, nana, is my name, but it is not me, I am not in book, I am your lap, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± Hope Willow decided against saying anything else, not liking the annoyed look he held within his eyes. ¡®What?¡¯ As night crest over Aldland, the children were bathed by their elder siblings, while Fred watched over George. Fred recalled the way Adam had informed him previously of how to handle George. There was a threat within Adam¡¯s eyes as he had spoken to Fred. ¡®Let the kid wash himself, just make sure he doesn¡¯t drown,¡¯ Adam had said. Fred wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was trying to infer that he was going to do something untoward towards the boy, but the look in Adam¡¯s eyes, and the intense pressure had caused his tongue to dry up. Ever since then, however, Adam had been rather polite and respectful, to the point Fred wasn¡¯t sure if he had imagined it. Night had already taken the Iyr so many miles to the west. Jirot stared up at her grandmother, who had asked her to brush her teeth. As she was about to decline, she noted the look in her nana¡¯s eyes, and decided against causing trouble, brushing her teeth lightly. ¡°Mama,¡± Lanarot called, holding up her brush, allowing her mother to help her brush the back of her teeth. Lanarot then went on to kiss and hug each of her nieces and nephews, making sure to say she loved each and every one of them, and they returned the sentiment. Sonarot did the same, though one smirked up at her. ¡°I do not like you, nana.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot replied, kissing her forehead, brushing her hair. ¡°Daddy coming back now?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°No.¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°I do not love daddy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Jirot, no!¡± Konarot said. Jirot huffed, before dropping into the corner, sucking her thumb, with her younger twin brother settling himself beside her, his eyes wide. ¡°I will speak to her later,¡± Sonarot assured the eldest of the siblings, ruffling her hair gently, feeling how cold she had become. She lifted Konarot up, holding the girl close to her chest. ¡°Nana will deal with it, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Sonarot nuzzled the girl¡¯s neck gently before letting her down, allowing the children to sleep in their own corners. She also kissed Gurot¡¯s forehead, the boy squirming slightly, already half taken by slumber, before she stepped away. She made her way to the others, who were speaking quietly in the courtyard of the shared estate. ¡°Will you allow her to keep behaving this way?¡± Mirot asked. ¡°What way?¡± ¡°The words are not right.¡± ¡°She brings peaches to my lips. She sits so quietly on my lap. She kisses me before it is time to sleep. Her words may be Aldish, but her actions are those of we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I would not go so far to say her words are Aldish,¡± Mirot stated firmly. Sonarot shrugged her shoulders, before the sounds of crying children brought the Iyrmen to attention. In the blink of an eye, Sonarot and Mirot were at the Rot estate, where Gorot had appeared from another room, checking to see what was wrong too. The other Iyrmen had darted all around, checking on their own estates, while Citool had leapt up onto the roof, just in case. The children were all crying, from Gurot to Konarot. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Sonarot asked. The children all whimpered and cried before looking over towards Jirot, who was crying the hardest. ¡°Nana! Nana!¡± The girl held up her hands, before she was swept into the woman¡¯s arms. ¡°Oooo! Oooo!¡± the girl whimpered and cried. ¡°What is the matter, my Jirot?¡± ¡°Ay di noh seh I wub you, nana.¡± The girl continued to shake as she sobbed, while her grandmother cleaned her face. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I did not say I love you, nana.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot said, kissing the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°I love you too, Jirot.¡± ¡°I do not like you nana, I love you, okay?¡± Jirot said, hugging her grandmother tight, before sucking her thumb. Sonarot¡¯s breath tickled the girl¡¯s neck, wondering how she could cause so much trouble. ¡°Why must you be as troublesome as you are cute, Jirot?¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± the girl replied, sucking her thumb still, before the other children were soothed by their baba and nanas. Thankfully, Adam wasn¡¯t causing as much trouble as his daughter. When the sun rose to high noon, Fourth Hope Willow glanced towards Adam in confusion. ¡°My children must be missing me so much,¡± Adam whispered, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®Why is he mentioning his children now?¡¯ Willow thought, drawing her blade, hearing the roars of dozens of serpentine heads. ¡®It¡¯s okay,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®One hydra for each of my kids, that should be okay, right?¡¯ Our Jirot is certainly the cutest. [824] – Y03.124 – Troublesome II [824] ¨C Y03.124 ¨C Troublesome II ¡°Nana,¡± Jirot called, holding up her cup towards the woman. ¡°Mik peas.¡± She tapped her chin as a sign of gratitude. ¡°Okay,¡± Mirot replied, taking the cup from the girl. She waited a moment to see if Jirot would start a fight, before going off to fill her cup with milk. Sometimes the girl would be breastfed, but it was about the time they had to wean her and her brother off. Jirot drank up the milk, sighing with joy, before handing the cup to her brother, letting him drink the rest of it. ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°Thank you, nana.¡± ¡°Do you love me?¡± The girl smirked. Mirot raised her brow. ¡°I love you so much, nana.¡± The girl giggled, reaching out to hug her grandmother¡¯s leg. ¡°Good.¡± She brushed Jirot¡¯s hair, while little Jarot also thanked her and hugged her. ¡°I love you so much, nana,¡± the boy said. ¡°Nana always so nice.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot agreed. ¡°Do not forget.¡± Mirot hoisted them both up within her arms, holding them close. ¡°I will always love you, my grandchildren.¡± Between Mirot and the children, there was no need to call them anything but her own grandchildren. Tonagek stepped within the estate, his eyes glancing around, before noting the lack of the triplets. ¡®Are they with their greatfather?¡¯ ¡°Hello,¡± Danagek said, waving at Gurot. Gurot turned to look at him, before waving a hand back. Danagek sat nearby his chonky cousin, playing with some of the blocks to the side. ¡°Chonky boy!¡± Lanarot called, rushing up to Danagek, before hugging him tight. ¡°Danagek, you are okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, letting his cousin hug him tight. ¡°Oof. So big. So big.¡± Lanarot brushed his hair, smiling down at him, before grabbing his hand and leading him away to play with her. ¡°Hello, baba,¡± Jirot called, staring up at Tonagek. ¡°You have come pay dwagon chess?¡± ¡®Carefully,¡¯ Naqokan thought, her body full of excitement. If the pair managed to slay the creature without the support of the others, then they¡¯d be able to claim their own victory too. ¡®Even if I am no Ray, I am still a Kan!¡¯ Uwajin¡¯s thoughts were very simply. ¡®Cut now. Do not cut now.¡¯ ¡°Finally!¡± Lucy shouted, Mara assisting beside her, the pair also filled with their own battle lust, their axes tearing through the hydra. Though they had paired together to face against the hydra, they cared little for the tactics of the Iyrmen. Destroyer and Great Destroyer flickered with flames as they tore through the heads of the hydra the pair faced, which snarled and howled in pain and anger, their own maws snapping against the pair. While the three sets of Rage Dancers held off their hydras, with one set ready and eager to kill a hydra, the other hydras found a more difficult time ahead of themselves. Jurot¡¯s body, red with rage, tore into the side of a hydra, a head clattering against his shield, though it clamped down against it, before pulling it up, along with Jurot into the air. As Jurot clutched at his shield tight, for he was a member of the Rot family, how could he lose his shield? Jonn focused on the hydra head ahead of him, his eyes glued to the creature as it darted out towards him. There were many bodies all around him, each moving to tear into the hydra. He inhaled deeply, narrowing his eyes, claiming the hydra as a creature which needed to be put down, and with vengeance on his mind, he stepped forward, his blade flashing white hot as he cut a head clean through. A glow fell across from his side as the head dropped onto the earth beside him, red splattering all across his armour. Jaygak inhaled quietly, her blade swinging through the air without a thought in her mind, cutting through a hydra head, cutting through it clean, while flamed spread all across the hydra¡¯s side, Laygak¡¯s holding out a hand, flames washing over the monstrosity while he hid behind his shield. Though the hydra tried to snap at the pair who seemed to wear the least amount of metal, the heads found themselves snapping only at air, while a staff clattered across a skull, crushing it to bit, while another staff struck against its throat, before a pair of fists struck each set of ribs simultaneously. The pair of Ools were still holding back, since the battle would take quite some time. While the Iyrmen were having their own fun, and in the midst of the various roars, howling laughter and cackle filled the air. ¡°We¡¯re going to be eating good tonight!¡± Vasera roared, inhaling deeply, before letting out a breath of fire against the hydra, while the rest of her companions, each at least Experts, swung their blades with divine fury towards the creature, cutting off several of its heads in one go. It tried to turn and flee, but the smell of gold caused the Golden Savages to drool. ¡°Rays!¡± Willow called, before before motioning a hand, dispersing the Rays between each of the groups to assist. Meanwhile, another hydra snuck its away around, towards the wagon. ¡°It seems there is another for us to fend off. Will you assist me, Brother Adam?¡± ¡°If you want to fend it off, then it won¡¯t be a good idea for me to join in,¡± Adam said, still standing there, sighing out as he thought about his adorable children. ¡®I can¡¯t go around killing too much around these losers, so I hope you can forgive me.¡¯ ¡°Even I am not confident to face it alone,¡± Willow admitted, though she was preparing to do so anyway. Adam raised his hand casually. ¡°I can¡¯t have you go by yourself, Fourth Hope, what will they say about our business? Why don¡¯t you take the farmers with you? Rick, will you assist the Fourth Hope with her hydra?¡± ¡°Right,¡± Rick said, feeling a deep chill fill his heart, though with how casual Adam was being about it, he stepped out, donning a shield, while the other farmers also stepped out, two of them grabbing their pikes, while the other two knocked their arrows. ¡®Farmers? He¡¯s sending farmers to assist me?¡¯ Willow¡¯s eyes glanced around. She had heard about them being farmers, though they were rather heavily armed for farmers. ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Hey, Bell, make sure you share the XP with-,¡¯ From the opposite tree line, the bushes exploded, as another large figure charged towards one of the carriages. Adam¡¯s entire body turned in shock as another hydra stepped forward, ready to claim a wagon as its own. Sorry. I forgot to schedule the chapter! [825] – Y03.125 – Troublesome III [825] ¨C Y03.125 ¨C Troublesome III The howls filled the air as the awakened wolves and dire wolves leapt into action, each tearing into the hydra as their teeth gnashed at their flesh. The chanting was almost drowned out by the noises, but light filled the air and a gentle warmth pressed upon Adam¡¯s shoulders. ¡°To think you would move Rick and the others before you would move us,¡± Dunes said, holding onto his shield, reaching for his magical blade. ¡°Are we so unreliable?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t I want you by my side exactly because of something like this?¡± Adam asked, noting how only Dunes and Sara had stepped forward, the woman slinging fire towards the hydra, making sure it couldn¡¯t regenerate. Dunes¡¯ holy magic formed blades of light, which fell across the beast, while he stood a short ways away, out of the creature¡¯s range. ¡®I forgot how amazing that spell was,¡¯ Adam thought. Not only did it strike their foes with divine might, it slowed them down too. In order to survive, the hydra have to kill the wolves, then the priest who was heavily armoured and pressing them down with his divine magic, before coming across the rest of the Aswadians, and then finally a young half elf in purple. The wolves snarled as they attacked, each emboldened by their nearby allies, tearing into the hydra as though it were a chicken. A very powerful, vicious chicken, which tore into the wolves in return with its ravenous maws. Adam¡¯s ears twitched, hearing the whimpering of the children behind him. He shuffled his way towards the children, the sounds of terror all around. ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± ¡°There¡¯s so many monsters out.¡± ¡°Haha, right, aren¡¯t we lucky?¡± Adam replied, smiling calmly, though he had personally counted how many figures remained to protect the children. His eyes glanced aside, towards the other side of the forest. ¡®I should be enough if one more comes, but if there are any more...¡¯ ¡°Lucky?¡± Max asked, his voice a whimper. ¡°Yes, don¡¯t you think? We¡¯re going to bring back so much hydra leather, scales, and so much more. I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t ruin the hydras too much, that way you can all get your own scale.¡± ¡°We can have our own scale?¡± Copper asked. ¡°Me too?¡± ¡°Of course! Why wouldn¡¯t you get your own scale? You¡¯re a part of the business, just like me and your sisters, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Are we gunna get magical swords?¡± Copper asked. ¡°Once you¡¯ve done some good work and you¡¯re older, sure.¡± ¡°I want two.¡± ¡°Then you need to work twice as hard.¡± Copper looked to Shannon, raising his brows, as though he wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was being serious. ¡°Would you like us to assist?¡± Cobra asked. ¡°We could probably help out a little.¡± ¡°Perhaps if a ninth hydra appears you might be needed,¡± Adam replied, drowning out the sounds of bestial death, though kept his ear towards the other forest. The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Ninth? I count seven.¡± ¡°Everyone else is working so hard, but I¡¯m also an Executive, you know?¡± Adam flashed a confident smile, one which gave the vibe of someone who actually believed their words, but it was Cobra who already believed Adam more than himself. ¡°Heave!¡± ¡°Ho!¡± The pair tossed their javelins one by one, a stream of javelins slipping through the air, striking alongside the hard scales of the hydra. Adam¡¯s eyes also peered towards the farmers, just for a moment to check they were alright. They seemed fined, with the Hope and her flaming blade leading them into battle, the farmers were spurred with a zeal he hadn¡¯t seen from them previously. ¡®I gotta be careful, otherwise the Hope¡¯s going to steal my people.¡¯ The music of slaughter continued to play all around them, the cackling and shouts growing louder than the roars as the hydras fell, one by one, while the children watched in awe and shock. Adam¡¯s worried were unfounded, as the hydras fell, each slain with the assistance of flame, otherwise the group would have found themselves to be quickly overwhelmed by the wicked beasts. Once the first hydra fell, it was only a matter of moments before the tide of battle changed. Jurot and the others stepped, not towards the trio who were fending off the hydra they were up again, but rather made their way towards the Hope and the farmers. ¡°Come,¡± Jurot said, his axe tearing into one of the hydra¡¯s many necks, while the Hope¡¯s flaming blade pierced through the creature¡¯s heart. ¡°May the Son watch over you,¡± Willow whispered as the hydra fell before her. She and the farmers followed Jurot, while the others went to assist Uwajin and Naqokan, Vasera¡¯s warriors already making their way to Lucy and Mara. The Hope¡¯s blade tore through the hydra, which had torn the wolves apart with its monstrous teeth. Sky snarled, wincing as he tore into the hydra¡¯s chest, his maw tasting the hydra¡¯s death, while the other wolves pounced upon it, several pikes piercing through its hide. Once the most dangerous hydra was dealt with, the group turned, watching as the last of the hydras were dispatched with, with minimal injuries, in no small part thanks to the floating shields all around the Rays of their Spirit Sentinels, while their healing magics made sure to deal with any of the nastiest injuries. Nirot and Bavin, Uwajin and Naqokan, Lucy and Mara, each were Rage Dancers. Though they were wounded by the hydras, their rage suppressed much of the damage from the monsters. Adam¡¯s Health was over 90, outpacing many other warriors, the only exceptions being perhaps Rage Dancers, who would have held a similar amount of Health given their great toughness. However, while a hydra could strike Adam for a fair amount of damage, such damage would be almost trivial even to the likes of Nirot. Though the young woman was an Expert, and so her Health would have been in the fifties or so, technically she could last longer than Adam with her rage. So while the six were tasked with facing the hydra themselves, they were tough even to deal with the blows of the hydra, while their own blows battered the hydra more viciously. Also, while Dunes could heal the Rage Dancers for a fair amount with his divine magic, Priests of Life each could heal for greater amounts, thanks to their connection with the Goddess of Life. While the hydras dealt less damage to the Rage Dancers, each Health regained by the magic of a Priest, even those who did not worship Mother Soza as their main deity, was twice as effective than Health regained by Adam or Jaygak, who were not Rage Dancers. Thus, someone like Jurot, whose Health was no doubt similar to Adam¡¯s, could last not just twice as long as Adam, with the ability to shrug off blows with his rage, but even longer with equivalent healing, and the more someone was to wound Jurot, it meant they would wound his companions less. Though no one had thought so deeply about that particular relationship between Priests and Rage Dancers, they had naturally felt into the rhythm of partnership, with almost every prayer flowing into the veins of the Rage Dancers, keeping them eager for battle. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, eyeing up the trio of pairs who had formed the walls to keep the three hydras at bay. ¡®They look pretty good considering they were being chomped by the big snakey monsters.¡¯ ¡°I tolds yous they were gunna win,¡± Copper said. Alex blinked. ¡®No casualties?¡¯ Hope Willow thought, her heart full of relief, though the curiosity tainted it. Adam stands around and does nothing, and yet that''s still scary! [826] – Y03.126 – Troublesome IV [826] ¨C Y03.126 ¨C Troublesome IV Victory! XP Gained: +500 XP: 14 300 -> 14 800 ¡®Did you split the XP with everyone?¡¯ [Yes.] ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adam raised his brows. He supposed it made sense that so many hydras would give them so much XP, but he hadn¡¯t even thought how it would be split among roughly fifty or so people. ¡®Hold on, should I be splitting XP between the children? Will they randomly begin to get a bunch of skills? How does that work?¡¯ [...] ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®How does that work?¡¯ [It works.] Adam let out a sigh, realising why he didn¡¯t speak to Bell often. Jurot¡¯s eyes remained focused on the dead hydras, which had been killed with Iyrman efficiency. The hydra had torn into his side, and though it had broken through his skin, Jurot did not gather the wound was too serious, outside of a light medical touch from one of the priests. He stared at the hydra. Its scales. Those heads which had provided those who could deal with the vicious creatures ample leather and scale to be used for armour, and so many other items. Hydras were quite a popular resource within the Iyr due to how easy they were to farm their materials. Many an Iyrman in each generation was often tasked with such, though... ¡®Seven hydras?¡¯ Jurot hadn¡¯t heard of so many hydras together. One was uncommon, two was rarer, and three rarer than even that. Four? Yes, there were some stories with four, and one with five. Six? Jurot hadn¡¯t heard of such a story, though perhaps it was because six hydras together could deal with almost every grouping of warriors to have walked the land in the last few millennia. Jurot¡¯s thoughts fell to the several figures he had met who wouldn¡¯t have had to struggle against even ten hydras. The flames appeared in front of his eyes, which narrowed. ¡®Stronger.¡¯ ¡°We should be careful,¡± Jaygak said, her eyes scanning the forest around them. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard a tale with seven hydras.¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯ve never heard a tale with seven hydras?¡± ¡°The most I¡¯ve heard numbers five,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It was...¡± ¡°Tamin, Sharat, Manfan, Zojyn, with the support of the East Rain Sword, Strong Fist, and Dawnblade,¡± Kitool said. ¡°The Iyrman each held their own against the hydras while the trio of Aldishmen assisted them, in a similar manner as we have fought.¡± ¡°Ah? Are they famous heroes of the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°What did she do?¡± ¡°It was during the time of the Great Plague, during the time of the nascent Confederacy, the group had adventured, and were some of the few survivors who were able to return to the Iyr well. They had each managed to gain favours from dragons they had let free. The Chief at the time stepped down and allowed new blood to step into the role, which they advised. It was in the chaos of the plague in which several dragons decided to act up across the land, trying to enforce their will onto the nearby lands.¡± ¡®Damn, that must have been brutal,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It makes sense the dragons made a play during the plague, since everything would have been so chaotic. Trust an Iyrman to call something like that acting up.¡¯ ¡°In the histories of the lands nearby, the dragons who acted up during the time are considered a footnote, barely appearing within the plague. They brought some devastation, but the histories say they were pushed back by brave warriors, probably those of their noble blood...¡± Jaygak almost rolled her eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The dragons who acted up were numerous, but more importantly, it was one of the few times three Ancient Dragons acted up. One in the north, one around the south of Aldland and the west of Aswadasad, and one in East Aswadasad. There are more tales of the Ancient Dragon who tried to bend East Aswadasad to his will, but there are few of the pair who tried to ravage the nearby lands...¡± Jaygak leaned in. ¡°Chief Manfan, with the previous Chief as her advisor, and Tamin the Scourge as one of her Commanders and Sharat the Bane as another Commander, not including all the other great figures of the time, understood these dragons needed to be forced away, and so they forced them away. She watched over the next generation of not just Iyrmen, but Aldishmen and Aswadians alike, making sure the order was maintained. Though the plague should have led to the a great collapse and more chaos across the land, it was Chief Manfan¡¯s wisdom and might which kept the land stable. The next generation, the Quiet Generation, was filled with a time of very few stories for we Iyrmen. The Iyr had grown quiet. Not silent, quiet.¡± Adam could see within Jaygak¡¯s eyes something dangerous. It was that kind of dangerous, as though she knew a secret Adam wanted to know, daring him to ask. ¡®Should I?¡¯ ¡°Though we Iyrmen love our stories, and though she presided over a time which brought in the fewest stories to date, but the stories which were brought were unlike any other.¡± ¡°Chief Manfan was not just a Chief for the Iyr, but a Chief for the lands around,¡± Kitool said. ¡°She is considered among the greatest not because her name appears in the lands around, but because her name did not. The Aldishmen do not know of the fortune which was Chief Manfan, because it was what Chief Manfan had chosen.¡± ¡®I know they¡¯re pretty shadowy, but considering how they¡¯re talking about Chief Manfan...¡¯ Adam raised his brows. ¡°Well, that¡¯s pretty great for the Fan family. Though... it is weird hearing about a Chief who wanted peace across the land considering you¡¯re Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You may name any Chief of the Iyr and it is likely they had undermined the nearby nations in some way, while keeping the land balanced. However, how many were able to keep the status quo during a time of the greatest calamities? It was always hard work, but for Manfan.¡± Jaygak held up her hand, writing in the air. ¡°She wrote it to be the case, and so it was.¡± ¡°It was that easy?¡± ¡°It was difficult, but she had done so greater than any Chief previously. The first few Chiefs are among the Iyr¡¯s greatest Chiefs, and she had matched them in some ways, and surpassed them in other ways.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Adam said, thinking about Jaygak¡¯s words. ¡°I guess that means Chief Iromin¡¯s going to be considered as great as Manfan then.¡± Jaygak coughed, almost snorting with laughter. Tears formed within her eyes as she tried not to laugh too wildly. She glanced towards Adam¡¯s smirk, which set her off into raucous laughter. Kitool let out a soft sigh. No doubt Adam was joking, but the fact it could be taken seriously caused her forehead to pound. It was crazy to think that Chief Iromin may truly be considered on the same level as Manfan. Manfan who not only quietly kept the peace across the nearby lands for a generation during one of its worst calamities, but had gained favours from not one but four different Ancient Dragons. It was something which surpassed even the feat of the most well known Fan ancestor, Razfan, the White Wolf of the North, was something that brought too much stress to her shoulders. Who will cause more trouble? Four Ancient Dragons, or a father of the most adorable kids? [827] – Y03.127 – Troublesome V [827] ¨C Y03.127 ¨C Troublesome V ¡°Oh dear, oh dear,¡± Adam said, hugging both Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a, his arms wrapped around each of their heads, which lay atop his shoulders. He nuzzled against their necks, rubbing his cheek against their ears. ¡°You two worked so hard. I¡¯ll be sure you get fed as much hydra meat as you want, though don¡¯t eat too much, your tummies will get upset, okay?¡± The pair barked adoringly towards Adam, licking against his face and neck, causing him to cringe slightly, but he let it slide. He ruffled their furs and let them be to relax before making his way to the awakened wolves. The wolves seemed not quite as rough as Adam had recalled. ¡®Did they heal the wolves?¡¯ ¡°I see you¡¯re all looking well.¡± ¡°The priest, Vonda, healed us,¡± Sky replied. ¡°Manager Vonda,¡± Adam corrected, reaching over to brush Sky¡¯s neck gently. ¡°You all did such a great job. If you need any more healing, let me know, I¡¯ll make sure to top you up. Also, I¡¯ll let the Iyrmen know to separate some meat for you to one side.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Sky replied, watching as Adam went to brush the fur of the other wolves, petting their heads gently. ¡®I should spend more time with the wolves. They¡¯ve worked pretty hard, I should figure out another way to reward them. What would an awakened wolf like?¡¯ Adam left the wolves be, double checking on his companions, glancing around to find them all busy. Korin was in the middle of heating up the slabs of metal he had brought to grill food, Julia assisting him. The children had begun to trust Julia around the food, though every so often there were suspicious eyes towards the young woman. Korin held his hand above the grill, his eyes closed as he felt the heat of the fire slip around the metal slabs. ¡°Do you believe Manager Vonda would like the hydra meat?¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It is full of death.¡± ¡°What meat is not full of death?¡± ¡°Fair, but... I think just set her up with whatever delicious food you can. We should have some dried fruit from Life River, make sure you add more of that. I¡¯ll offer her a berry for when she eats.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how the fast was going to affect the priest and her ability to fight. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll need to work harder to make sure she doesn¡¯t have to step forward to fight.¡¯ ¡°Mister Adam, are we gunna get some scales?¡± the ginger girl asked, her hazel eyes staring up towards him expectantly. ¡°Of course, Ginny.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes beamed. ¡°Are they gonna generate?¡± ¡°Are they going to what?¡± ¡°When, you, the scale, it¡¯s gunna generate?¡± ¡°Like trolls,¡± a young boy with dark hair and dark eyes asked, his hair cut short in a bob. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°No, they won¡¯t regenerate.¡± ¡°If they generate, we can have more scales?¡± Ginny asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, but we had to kill them quickly so we could eat.¡± ¡°Oh yeah.¡± The girl nodded in understanding. ¡®These kids are so adorable,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Mister Adam!¡± a boy shouted towards Adam, though he was already quite loud. ¡°Yes, Daryl?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, when I grow up, I¡¯m gunna fight hydras too.¡± ¡°Perhaps not tomorrow, but when you grow up, I¡¯ll make sure you train hard so you can fight hydras.¡± ¡°They have to know I respect them, and that I¡¯ll always respect them, that they can come to me for anything. They should never be afraid to come and speak with me, and perhaps that will avoid more trouble than if they keep something quiet and I don¡¯t know they¡¯re going to do something dangerous because they were too afraid of telling me...¡± Adam inhaled again, a pained breath. ¡°If I know, then I can at least make preparations.¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra stared at the father, who was facing the sky, his eyes shut tight. He had tried to place reason, logic, within his feelings, emotions. However, she could hear something even darker within his words. It was about a darkness only he knew. ¡°I heard... that you¡¯ve fought a bunch of monsters.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Fred, he mentioned that you all faced hydras and trolls before. He said... he said he didn¡¯t fear hydras, but he feared the monsters you came across.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind of monsters?¡± ¡°The kind of monsters you shouldn¡¯t worry about.¡± ¡°I have to worry about them.¡± Adam let out a humoured sigh. ¡°Leave that kind of thing to us Executives.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll train hard so that I can fight them.¡± ¡°Cobra,¡± Adam called, his eyes slowly falling across the young woman, whose face was like stone, her eyes stern and ready. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°How many years do you think it¡¯ll take you to train to beat the Ancient Gold Dragon which guards the capital?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How many years?¡± ¡°...¡± Cobra furrowed her brows. ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost impossible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not almost impossible, it¡¯s impossible. Lady Jaeryael, she¡¯s...¡± Cobra couldn¡¯t form the words to even state how powerful she was. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s the strongest being in the world?¡± ¡°She must be, or maybe... maybe she¡¯s one of a few.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam noted the expectant eyes of the young woman. ¡°We¡¯ll train you to be strong. My brother wants to reach Diamond Rank at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and the other Executives will become Paragons. If you want to be that strong too, then just work hard, and we¡¯ll naturally get there over time. You¡¯re considered an Expert, so the next step is Master. Until then, don¡¯t even think about anything greater.¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve come across someone as strong as Lady Jaeryael?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying we¡¯ve come across multiple,¡± Adam replied, simply. A small smile appeared on Adam¡¯s face when he saw the look on Cobra¡¯s face. It was that kind of look. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard,¡± Cobra said, her voice trembling. ¡°I¡¯ll work hard, and they¡¯ll trade within the business.¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°My kids will never grow up.¡± Sometimes it''s cringe, but sometimes it''s sad. [828] – Y03.128 – Trouble in East Port I [828] ¨C Y03.128 ¨C Trouble in East Port I ¡°Are you alright?¡± Adam asked, bringing Vonda¡¯s food to her in the tower. ¡°I am fine, thank you.¡± Vonda placed down her waterskin, having just finished her evening prayer. Her lips formed a smile upon seeing Adam bringing the bowl of food for her. ¡°You did not need to bring the food.¡± ¡°We are very grateful for your assistance, Ray Vonda,¡± Adam replied, flashing a charming smile towards her, one that insisted he¡¯d be troubling her often in the future. ¡°Once you¡¯re done fasting, then we¡¯ll treat you like before, but for now just accept our pampering.¡± ¡°I am a Ray now, it is not suitable for you to pamper me so.¡± ¡°You might be a Ray, but you¡¯re still a Manager, so accept the business¡¯ good will, Manager Vonda.¡± Adam placed down the bowl of grilled vegetables, parted by a small wooden block which kept the dried fruit separated. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I should bring some meat, so I brought the vegetables first. Are you allowed to eat meat?¡± ¡°It is more pious to eat only fruits and vegetables and such during the fast.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Adam remained standing there awkwardly for a moment. ¡°I think Jurot¡¯s still got some cheese, should I steal some for you?¡± ¡°Stealing from an Iyrman?¡± ¡°Who said I¡¯d steal it?¡± Vonda smiled a deeper smile. ¡°I will enjoy the vegetables and fruit just fine, Adam. Thank you.¡± ¡°Should I go bring a wineskin for you?¡± ¡°I should not drink alcohol during this fast.¡± Adam waited with an expectant gaze, flashing a quick wink once she raised her brow questioningly towards him, before he chuckled and left with a bow of his head. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t tease her too much.¡¯ ¡°Adam, will you assist us in cleaning and drying?¡± Dunes called, noting the half elf stepping out of the tower. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied. With the magics of Adam and the Priest, the pair dealt with most of the cleaning of the hydras, while the Iyrmen continued to butcher the several creatures. Adam glanced around the creatures. ¡®We don¡¯t really have enough time to butcher them all cleanly. It¡¯s not like we need the meat or bones, though, so we can probably just get away with dealing with the scales and skin then?¡¯ Then Adam¡¯s eyes fell towards the Hopes and Rays, who were busy keeping an eye on the children, alongside Fred, Nobby, Brittany, and Jonn. ¡°Mister Adam says we can get some scales,¡± Barry said, smiling so brightly towards the Ray. ¡°He says it ain¡¯t got no regenerayshun but if I feed it, it might get bigger.¡± ¡°Scales don¡¯t get bigger, Barry,¡± Poppy said. ¡°Scales are scales, and hydras are hydras.¡± ¡°Everything gets bigger if you feed you, you just gotta feed it right,¡± Barry stated confidently. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true in some way,¡± Adam said, smiling politely towards the members of the order. ¡°Are you kids all behaving properly in front of the Hope and Rays?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the children replied. ¡°Penny¡¯s not behavin¡¯,¡± Gales said. ¡°She¡¯s sleepin¡¯.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s fine too,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you all go and bathe before dinner?¡± ¡°Okay, mister Adam,¡± the children replied, before they were ushered away. ¡°Is there a need to keep them away from us?¡± Hope Willow asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m still working and there¡¯s no point in them sitting here doing nothing. The food will be done soon so it¡¯ll be best to clean up first while it¡¯s free.¡± Hope Willow narrowed her eyes at the young man. Though it made sense, she still couldn¡¯t help but feel he was picking a fight with them, especially with how light his tone was. ¡°Is it wise to give such precious items to the children? Hydra scales are worth their weight in silver.¡± ¡°We will do what we want with our share, you can do what you want with your share.¡± ¡°Our share?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t defeat the hydras by ourselves, did we?¡±Updated chapters at novelhall.com ¡°We do not require a share.¡± Omen: 3, 15 ¡°We¡¯ve got a big group comin¡¯,¡± a guard said, squinting his eyes, covering above his helmet to try and avoid the sun against his eyes. ¡°You ate your veggies, Addler, we know,¡± the other guard said. ¡°I¡¯m just warnin¡¯ you, tha¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Big group, small group, no way they¡¯ll cause trouble in East Port.¡± ¡°That kinda talks gunna get you killed, mate.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t know we¡¯re lowborn or nothing like that. We¡¯re guards, and who causes trouble for guards?¡± ¡°Adventurers.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re adventurers, we¡¯ll deal with them the same way we deal with adventurers.¡± ¡°Who shit in your porridge?¡± ¡°I put in a half spoon of salt instead of sugar.¡± ¡°Ooooh,¡± Addler replied, wincing. ¡°You still not sleepin¡¯ right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check if we don¡¯t got some moon tea.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯re gonna pass out moon tea to us?¡± ¡°Might be lowborn, but we¡¯re still guards.¡± ¡°Lowborn, lowborn. We¡¯re commonfolk, Addler, commonfolk.¡± ¡°Same thin¡¯.¡± ¡°No. Not the same thing, mate. Lowborn means you¡¯re licking the boot of the betterborn.¡± ¡°They ain¡¯t betterborn, they¡¯re noblefolk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± Addler let out a sigh, shaking his head. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Say, Jerry?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Is that a Hope?¡± Jerry squinted his eyes as he stared in the distance. ¡°They look like ants at this distance.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not that far.¡± ¡®It¡¯s the damn sun that¡¯s killin¡¯ my eyes.¡¯ ¡°Hold up, hold up.¡± Jerry squinted his eyes further, slowly shifting his head downwards to avoid the sun. ¡°Addler. I think it is a Hope.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°Say, ain¡¯t they...¡± Jerry glanced towards Addler, before shutting his mouth. Addler gave Jerry that kind of look back, keeping his mouth shut. Lowborn, commonfolk, it didn¡¯t matter. The matter between the Order of Life¡¯s Rose and the Marquise was for the betterborn or noblefolk. ¡°Is the Captain in?¡± Addler asked. Jerry noted the large group led by the Hope. ¡°For that many? She better be.¡± I''m sure everything will be fine. [829] – Y03.129 – Trouble in East Port II [829] ¨C Y03.129 ¨C Trouble in East Port II Lanarot let out a sigh as she finished her cup of juice, holding up the cup towards her mother with both hands. ¡°Mama, more peas, mama. Mama, more peas, mama.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot replied, wiping the girl¡¯s face with her sleeve, before pouring holding the girl¡¯s cup and pouring more juice into it. ¡°Thakh you,¡± the girl said before sipping her juice. Konarot¡¯s nose twitched as she smelled a familiar form, glancing over to the entrance of the shared estate. There, an Iyrman appeared, with pale skin tinged with grey, dark hair and dark eyes. He wore a long fur cloak over his thick clothing, also dark. At his back was a greatsword, like a handle stuck to a giant slab of metal. The Elder smiled at the children, who stared at him with awe. His eyes fell to Citool, who stepped aside to speak with the Elder. ¡°I have come to collect the sheets,¡± Zijin said. Citool waited to see what else he wanted, but after a moment she nodded, stepping away to collect the sheets for the Elder. Zijin stepped towards the central fire, his eyes passing along the children, flashing them another warm smile. Sonarot sent her eldest granddaughter to hand the Elder some fruit, the girl placing them down into his large hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Elder said, eating them one by one. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, before retreating away from the Elder. She glanced back towards the Elder, before she returned back to eating herself, her tail swaying behind her lightly. Citool returned with the sheets, the Elder glancing over them quickly in front of them, before slipping them into his book. ¡°Okay?¡± Citool asked. ¡°Okay,¡± the Elder replied. He glanced down towards the children once more, from Inakan to Konarot. His eyes then fell to the napping babies to one side, where Gurot and Shikan sat, eating silently, while keeping an eye on the children. They kept to themselves and their thoughts. ¡°It is Elder Zijin?¡± Jirot whispered to her grandmother. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Is... is Majin¡¯s daddy?¡± ¡°No, he is not.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Majin¡¯s father is Tijin. Elder Zijin is his cousin.¡± Jirot slowly nodded. ¡°Papo Saygak is papo Raygak¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°I am not papo¡¯s cousin, I am niece.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Sonarot brushed the girl¡¯s hair gently. ¡°I am daddy¡¯s dohta.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡®Me neither.¡¯ A small sigh of relief left their lips, before they noted the smile across the Hope¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, apologies for keeping you here.¡± ¡°Are your companions members of the order?¡± Jerry asked. It was awkward to ask for a gate fee, but he spotted a heavily armoured fellow in purple who was currently palming several gems within his hands. ¡°We are escorting them through the land,¡± Willow replied simply. ¡°Ah, right, of course.¡± The guard tipped his helmet towards her. The jangling of armour filled the air before a slightly heavier armoured woman appeared, a woman in her forties, with a scar across her ear. She raised her brows towards the Fourth Hope, who remained mounted. ¡°Many blessings to you, Hope,¡± the Captain called, clasping her hands together in prayer. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Captain,¡± the Hope said, still sitting tall and proud upon her mount. ¡°We had no idea we were going to be graced by a Hope tonight, otherwise we would have prepared.¡± ¡°There is no need to prepare for our arrival,¡± Willow replied, smiling towards the Captain. ¡°We are merely escorting this group through the land.¡± The Captain glanced towards the party before she blinked. She stared at the figure wearing the purple armour, her mind racing as she tried to recall what she had been told about someone wearing purple armour. ¡°Excuse me, but are you Adam?¡± the Captain asked. A long sigh filled the air. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°...¡± The Captain looked towards the Hope. ¡®She¡¯s escorting...¡¯ ¡°Is there an issue?¡± ¡°We received word that a young half fae by the name of Adam who wore purple armour kidnapped a child from the Marquise¡¯s employ...¡± The Captain suddenly tensed up, noting the way the Iyrmen shifted their position, some standing taller, pulling their weapons further in front, hands placed over their weapons. Some of them looked to have made it harder to draw their weapon while others seemed to have an easier time. ¡°Who said what now?¡± ¡°...¡± the Captain could hear something in the purple fellows voice. His voice had trembled in such a way. It was that kind of way. The kind of way which meant he was utterly annoyed by life. It was the kind of voice she heard from those higher up whenever someone bothered them too much about nonsense, from the abuse of their subordinates, to commonfolk who complained about the guards and some of the less savoury actions they took upon them. ¡°Do you mean to step forward against someone within our protection?¡± Willow asked. The Captain¡¯s eyes glanced upwards towards the Hope. ¡°The...¡± The Captain reached up towards her helmet, dropping her visor. It was obviously threatening, but she bowed her head, staring down at the floor. Addler and Jerry glanced between one another again, hoping to all the Divine, especially Mother Soza, the Captain wouldn¡¯t say something stupid. ¡®You want me to treat him like the worst criminal when he¡¯s being escorted by a Hope?¡¯ the Captain thought, recalling the knight¡¯s words. What else could the Captain do but press the issue? ¡®Divine take you!¡¯ Uh oh. [830] – Y03.130 – Trouble in East Port II [830] ¨C Y03.130 ¨C Trouble in East Port II ¡®Well that was easy...¡¯ Adam thought, walking alongside the Hope. He had seen the smile on the Hope''s face, one that stated she was ready for whatever the Captain decided. Addler let out a soft sigh, a cautious eye falling across the captain. "Y''alright, Cap''in?" Jill turned towards Addler, her eyes filled with a viciousness the guard hadn''t expected. "The noble''s going to have my head." "..." Addler decided against saying any more while the Captain marched back into the city. ''Divine take you!'' the Captain thought, already hearing the sighs of the higher ups, and could smell the assignment she would be sent to for at least a few months, or if they were particularly annoyed, years. ''Damned Marquise and her ridiculous games!'' The group arrived at one of the temples, a smaller temple within one of the districts, though calling it a small temple was quite the disservice. It was a large estate, one not quite matching a minor noble estates, though no doubt it held great wealth. The entire complex was near white, save for the colours all across it''s trim, the etched stone revealing many stories of the temple, painted vibrantly with colours only East Portians could name. ''Damn,'' Adam thought, glancing around the temple. A Mother guided them through the temple, allowing the children to stay within rather bare, but well built, rooms. However, the children didn''t seem to mind, not when the shelter was so sturdy, and filled with the tingles of divine magic all throughout. "What would be an appropriate donation within the temple?" Adam asked, letting out a soft sigh. "You are under our protection," the Hope replied. "You have donated much." The Mother beside the Hope smiled innocently, annoyed the Hope would refuse a donation to the temple. Though they worked closely, it wasn''t as though the entire city worshipped them with as much zeal as those of Life River. "Right..." Adam met the Mother''s eyes, noting the look on her face. "Well, we''re not the kind who will leave the temple without appropriate worship. I''ll leave the children here with Ray Vonda and the Aswadians, but we''ll find our lodgings elsewhere. We''ll be sure to return with a donation for the Good Mother, lest you believe we shirk her." The Mother''s eyes fell towards the heavily armoured young man adorned in purple, then towards the amulet around his neck, that made of obsidian. She vaguely recalled a rumour which had passed by, of a young man who had been chosen by the Lord of Death. "..." "Ray Vonda, you don''t mind, do you?" Adam asked. "No," Vonda replied, smiling warmly. "The children will be safe within the temple. I believe it would be best for Hope Willow to assist you, so that trouble is delayed by her presence." Hope Robert could still feel the phantom pain within his arm after coming to blows with Adam. ¡°I will admit we had underestimated him, but I do not believe the next time we clash...¡± He felt the gaze of Mother Priest against him. ¡°If we were to clash again, I do not believe he would be able to defeat me.¡± ¡°His companions all believe he would be able to clash with you, our First Hope, who claims the title as the strongest within our order, and who can clash against the strongest across not just East Aldland, but all of Aldland. Does he not travel with the likes of the grandchildren of Mad Dog, and not just his grandchildren, but the grandson of the previous Elder Wrath.¡± The silence grew for a moment. That was it. Indeed, Adam¡¯s strength was truly terrifying, but wasn¡¯t his company also ridiculous? What did the Iyr see in the young man, or was it that it was just Fate that so many great figures surrounded him? The discussion had lasted for a long while after, though eventually one of the Rays retired, taking the title of High Priest, while allowing Mother Vonda to immediately ascend to her place. It was done right before the young woman returned back to the group, with orders to watch over the group. Willow followed Adam as he made his way to procure an inn for his group, while the Iyrmen and porters took the cart and wagons full of hydras to the Guild, with a Ray to confirm the matter. ¡®Should I have left Jonn with them too?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, Nobby and Fred are enough. They need to personally watch over the boys, otherwise I won¡¯t be able to sleep, but I need to show them that I trust them.¡¯ Adam found an inn with the farmers, an inn which was fairly close to the temple, just in case anything happened. However, as he approached the inn, he glanced to the side, where another group coincidentally met them. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought, noting the way the knight was staring at him. ¡®It¡¯s not a coincidence.¡¯ She was a heavily armoured knight, whose armour was made of a darker steel, engraved with the image of one of the noble symbols which seemed vaguely familiar to the half elf. That of Tiderock. A small smile appeared on Adam¡¯s face. There was no chapter in Ba Sing Se. [831] – Y03.131 – Trouble in East Port IV [831] ¨C Y03.131 ¨C Trouble in East Port IV Jaygak¡¯s eyes fell across the group. There were the Iyrmen, of course, including Jurot and Kitool. ¡®Ray Vonda remains as the temple. Jurot, Kitool, and I are here...¡¯ ¡°It will be fine,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°He is walking with the Hope, and we know which inn he is procuring.¡±Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com Jaygak glanced around them. Adam had told them to gain honour for their kills, and while the adventurers had grown lively upon seeing the amount of hydra they had brought back, as well as the Ray accompanying the Iyrmen, it didn¡¯t seem like a good idea for them to leave Adam be. ¡°If Adam causes trouble, we may have our fun,¡± Jurot added, his arms crossed as he allowed the teen Iyrmen to explain the story to the guild, the Ray accompanying them to moderate. ¡°Do you want him to cause trouble?¡± ¡°Adam will cause trouble whether he wishes for it.¡± Jaygak exhaled, unable to deny that. ¡®How much trouble can Adam cause while with the Fourth Hope?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t that she did not believe it, but rather, she wanted to imagine how much trouble Adam could cause, and what kind of trouble he could cause while in the Hope¡¯s protection. ¡®...¡¯ The Hope would protect Adam, wouldn¡¯t she? Did the Hope need to protect Adam, or did someone need to protect the Hope from Adam? Quest Complete: Hydras, Hydras, Hydras and More Hydras XP Gained: +250 XP: 14 800 -> 15 050 The intense aura filled the air as the two groups met. Adam remained within his heavy armour, beside the Hope and her Rays, while the knight and her companions glared towards Adam, each adorned in full plate armour. ¡°I do not know if you have courage, or if you are fool, but how dare you-,¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, stepping forward, before noting the way the guards reacted, each grabbing at their weapons. Adam stopped, tying his hands behind his back, standing taller, as though daring them to draw their weapons. ¡°I am as stupid as I am courageous, and I dare.¡± ¡°Your head is held too high while within the realm of our Marquise,¡± Sir Olivia stated, stepping towards him, the guards following after her, but she stopped upon seeing the Hope stepping forward, beside Adam. ¡°I have heard that your order has stepped in to mediate.¡± ¡°We are not to mediate,¡± Hope Willow replied. ¡°It is the Marquise who believed she could step into the matters of the order.¡± ¡°Do you intend to step forward here?¡± ¡°This matter is between the Order of Life¡¯s Rose and the Tiderock family.¡± ¡°...¡± Sir Olivia eyed up the taller woman, their eyes meeting through their visors. ¡°Even if you are from the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, you cannot behave so inappropriately within East Port.¡± ¡®How much trouble will you cause?¡¯ Willow asked. ¡°Indeed, it is beneath the Marquise and her knights to state such. Will the Marquise state that Ray Vonda is a criminal for defending the children who were under the Order of Life¡¯s Rose protection?¡± ¡°We shall see whether the child was under the protection of the Order of Life¡¯s Rose or the Marquise first.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Marquise would threaten those under the protection of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Adam said, raising his voice. ¡°It was even the mercy of Life¡¯s Rose which raised the nobles who raised their trea-,¡± Adam began before Willow turned swiftly to glare at the young half elf, realising he was going to let words spill which would prove to be difficult to deal with even to Life¡¯s Rose. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Even though the nobles died valiantly while reaching for those within the protection of Life¡¯s Rose, it was the mercy of Life¡¯s Rose, whose hearts are cleaner than even the gold of justice, which brought them back to life, but even now the Marquise has brought her knights to stand against the valiant Hope!¡± Sir Olivia wondered why Adam was being so awkward about his speech. He was a terrible actor, and it wasn¡¯t as though the commoners would believe his words. Though... Her eyes glanced around, noting the way the nearby commonfolk were staring at the group. ¡®I am standing against a Hope...¡¯ Meanwhile, it was at the estate of a particular noble that a servant passed along a letter, before handing it to the head maid, who swiftly brought the note to her liege. The Duchess allowed the head maid to open it and read it to her. ¡°The Marquise has sent Sir Olivia and a small group of house guards to the temple where the United Kindom had left part of their group, including the child which is assumed to be a Sorcerer. It is presumed that they may be sent instead to track the Executive, Adam, who does not hold the protections afforded to him by the Iyr.¡± The Duchess scanned through her own documents, signing the bottom of the document, before beginning to stamp her seal within it. ¡°It should be expected the Marquise has prepared to act. She will no doubt move her knights within the city, though that may lead to some terrible consequences if the young man does not obediently follow her.¡± The Duchess handed the letter to one of her servants. ¡°To Sir Landon Littlesea,¡± she said, before holding her hand out for the letter with her gloves hand, before reading the note herself. ¡°It would not be right for me to believe such a group will act quite so predictably, not after the rumours of the return of the Marshal of the East, who had returned empty handed...¡± The Duchess had no idea how the group had returned empty handed, though it was said that they did some face to face with a Hope. However, was it truly so simple? Their armour seemed to have gone through the signs of battle. The Duchess sensed something else had happened, though what happened then was truly only known by those who were there. ¡®Perhaps I am thinking too much on the matter. The group came across the First Hope, and not even the Marshal of the East would dare to clash blades with him.¡¯ However, the Duchess had noted something peculiar. A rumour in which two knights had been slain during a confrontation, something which was painting the Executive in purple as a criminal. It had begun recently, and had passed through her ears several times, but she wasn¡¯t sure what the Marquise was trying to do, not when it was obviously a ridiculous rumour, one which reeked of desperation. ¡®Regardless of how the Marquise wishes to play, I cannot allow her to set the pieces as she wishes,¡¯ the Duchess thought. ¡®My preparations should suffice.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t as though Adam enjoyed killing nobles. ¡°What justice is this, Hope?¡± Adam asked, trying to create a bigger scene, so the rumours could spread far and wide. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted anyone to believe his words, but rather the murkiness of the situation could be used by the group. ¡°Hey!¡± shouted a voice, before the figure cleared his throat. ¡°Excuse me, would you mind keeping it down?¡± ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. The figure was heavily armoured, wearing full plate armour, armour he had rushed to don upon hearing the news the group had returned. It was finely made plate armour, and stamped within the armour was a symbol of East Port, not of the Eastsea family, but the city itself. At his side was a blade wrapped within a scarf, though even through it, everyone could see the blade was made of stone. Adam does a little trolling indeed. [832] – Y03.132 – Trouble in East Port V [832] ¨C Y03.132 ¨C Trouble in East Port V ''Who the hell is this guy?'' Adam thought, narrowing his eyes at the finely adorned figure wearing full plate. However, he did note the silver medallion worn against his chest, which pinned the long cloak he wore, which had been almost unseen due to how similar the colour was to the plate armour. "Marshal Black," Sir Olivia called, eyeing up the figure. ''A Hope and now the Marshal of East Port? The Marquise surely trusts me the most when I have to face both a Hope and a Marshal.'' The knight stifled a sigh, the kind of sigh of someone who was about to have extreme difficulty completing their task. "I heard a commotion around these parts," the Marshal said, before bowing his head towards the Hope. "An honour to meet you, Hope." "Good evening, Marshal," the Hope replied. ''What has the boy done to bring even the Duchess to cause him trouble?'' The Marshal glanced between the entire group, the knights on one side, already impressive in their own right due to their connection with the Marquise, against the Hope and her Rays, who were even more prestigious. ''Damn it.'' He then glanced towards the heavily armoured man in puthral, who was nowhere near as prestigious as either of them, and yet caused the most trouble. ''Is it a different Marshal the other one? Should I beat him up, or should I save him for Jurot? No, I''ll let Jurot deal with him, otherwise I''ll get in trouble.'' Adam¡¯s lips twitched slightly. "I''d like to ask you, with the authority granted to me by the Duchess, to disperse at once,¡± the Marshall stated. "What do you mean to suggest?" The Hope replied, her eyes falling across the Marshal. "I mean to suggest that the Marquise and the grand Order of Life''s Rose, who I have nothing but respect for, should settle this properly, outside of the looks of the commonfolk, that''s all." ''He talks like me,'' Adam thought. ''Is he from another world too?'' "The Marshal is right," the Hope said, eyeing up the the knight once more. "The letter should arrive at the Marquise''s estate soon." Sir Olivia inhaled deeply. "Of course. I hope the misunderstanding can be resolved." "Yes," Hope Willow replied, before watching the knight turn and leave. "Mother''s blessings upon you, Sir Seahill." The knight paused. She turned, placing a hand over her heart, bowing her head lightly. "Mother''s blessings upon you, Hope." The knight turned and left, feeling the gaze of the commonfolk and the Hope upon her back as she left. ''The Sister was a Ray? Impossible...'' She vaguely recalled the conversation she had with the young woman earlier that month when they first met. ''Did she know she was going to become a Ray? Was she groomed into the position? I''ll need to report to the Marquise.'' Seahill felt a sigh leave her lips. She had failed her Marquise thrice in such a quick span. ''Was the Marshal''s appearance coincidence? I shouldn''t think so, not when it comes to the Duchess.'' "Sir Seahill," Adam called out, causing the others to glance his way. "I would appreciate it if the trouble on the road begins next month." The knight stopped, shifting her body to face him. "..." "Ray Vonda is still fasting, and it feels like bad luck if I were to kill during the fast." The knight refused to refused to reply, setting off once more. Marshal Black let out a long sigh. ''The Hope doesn''t seem to have taken any offence by me stepping in.'' "It is a pleasure to formally meet you, Marshal Black." "It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Hope," the Marshal replied, awkwardly. The Marshal pulled off his helmet, revealing his half greyed hair, his deep set wrinkled, with scars of old. "Oh! Stone Sword!" Adam blinked, as though he had been slapped in the face. ''Right, didn''t they mention he had been promoted?'' "Marshal Stone Sword," he corrected. "If I have to call you Marshal, you have to call me Executive." "Mine''s a title given to me by the Duchess." ¡°They¡¯re not? I thought you were causing trouble because of them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble because of them, but...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re in any trouble. The children are going to get to the business safe and sound, ain¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Copper said. ¡°We¡¯re gonna get to the business safely.¡± ¡°Safely, safely,¡± Max added, sitting beside Julia. ¡°I¡¯ve ¡®urd of you,¡± Jack said. ¡°You¡¯re strong, ain¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not quite as strong as the Fourth Hope, but I am quite strong.¡± ¡°Are you stronger than mister Adam?¡± ¡°I suppose I am.¡± ¡°Mister Adam¡¯s strong. He fought the Seventh Hope.¡± ¡°Yeah, he beat the Seventh Hope, can you?¡± ¡°He...¡± The Marshal, Fisher Black, turned to face Adam. ¡°You beat the Seventh Hope?¡± ¡°I was quite fortunate,¡± Adam replied, flashing a gentle smile. Black raised his brow. He thought back to Adam¡¯s fights the previous year. ¡®Was it like that?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility for someone like Adam to beat the Seventh Hope, especially with that axe of his. ¡°Mister Stone Sword, did you beat up a dragon?¡± ¡°Yeah, I ¡®urd you foht a dragon, and you, and you didn¡¯t run aways.¡± ¡°I came across a dragon once, but I never fought it,¡± Black replied, noting the way one of the children stared up at him. He sat beside a young man who wore a chain shirt, and carried a blade at his side. ¡®He¡¯s carrying weapons within a temple?¡¯ Then he glanced towards the large form of Nobby, who carried an axe at his side. ¡®At least he¡¯s not wearing armour...¡¯ ¡®Stone Sword!¡¯ George thought. ¡®It¡¯s really Stone Sword!¡¯ George pulled on Fred¡¯s leg, pointing towards Stone Sword excitedly, before trying to speak up, only to hear the noises he made, quickly silencing himself. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°...¡± George remained silent, unsure of how he can tell Fred that he once helped Stone Sword out before. He had personally ported for the old man a few years back when he was a walker. ¡®He probably don¡¯t remember me.¡¯ Some time later, the Iyrmen returned, noting the appearance of the Marshal. They made to swarm him, but instead formed a wall around the children, partly to listen to his stories, but partly to watch over the children. ¡®Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t know the kid¡¯s name...¡¯ Adam rubbed the side of his neck awkwardly. ¡®It won¡¯t be too hard to figure it out though.¡¯ ¡°The Duchess has sent the Marshal to escort us?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Apparently.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot. ¡®Is that a good or bad one?¡¯ Okay is either good or bad with Iyrmen. [833] – Y03.133 – Port of Hope I [833] ¨C Y03.133 ¨C Port of Hope I "A gee, eh?¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Gilbert?¡± The boy looked up at Adam incredulously, sitting right beside Fred. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. We already have a Gilbert, I thought maybe it was the same. Wouldn¡¯t that have been nice?¡± ¡°George?¡± Fred asked. The boy nodded emphatically. ¡°Okay, okay, obviously it was George, I¡¯m just saying. If I had said Groderick, or something, maybe you could look at me like I was crazy...¡± Fred decided not to say any more to his boss, the same boss who had handed him a magical weapon, a Basic Enhanced weapon of all things. ¡°Seriously, wouldn¡¯t it have been cool if he was named Gilbert too? What? Don¡¯t look at me like that. George is a fine name, but if you had the same name as Gilbert, then it would have been like Fate...¡± Adam stopped after seeing the way George was staring at him from beside Fred. ¡®I¡¯ll leave you to Fred then...¡¯ Adam sighed, leaning back in his chair as he sat by himself in the corner. He sipped his wine lightly, tasting the sweetness, his eyes glued to the plain wall. ¡®Is he thinking about his children again?¡¯ Jaygak thought, drinking her own wine from the corner. ¡°Adam,¡± called a gentle growling voice. ¡°Vasera.¡± ¡°Your Executives are offering us a split of the coin from the hydra,¡± Vasera said. ¡°We can¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked, before glancing her way, noting the glare within her eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve accepted the coin for the task, and we¡¯ve accepted the hydra parts, but we can¡¯t accept this coin. We have a deal, and the coin has been promised.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you accept it as a tip?¡± Adam asked. ¡°An additional bonus?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Vasera narrowed her eyes. Adam offering her the bonus did spit on her pride, but she understood Adam was queer. ¡°We¡¯ll accept only half of it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± Vasera remained there for a moment. She was about to turn, but paused once more. Adam raised his brows expectantly. ¡°Why are you offering us the gold?¡± ¡°We¡¯re offering Life¡¯s Rose a portion of the coin too.¡± ¡°So you offered us the same?¡± ¡°In a sense. We gave them about two hydras, whereas you got one. We¡¯re splitting the gold the same way. I hope you don¡¯t take any offence, but it is the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, so we have to show them more favour.¡± ¡°No offence,¡± the woman with dragon blood replied. She wasn¡¯t quite a half dragon, truly, nor a drakken, though she was descended from a dragon. She could feel the greed fill her, wanting all which Adam offered to her, but she was someone who had sworn an Oath of Gold. She had to be careful not to press for more gold, otherwise she would lose some of her powers, and though it was Adam offering the extra coin, she couldn¡¯t form a reputation of accepting more gold than what was agreed upon. ¡°You cannot interrupt the fight between Sir Seahill and I,¡± Jaygak said, adopting the tone of the Iyrmen. ¡°If I die, then so be it.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡®Is she really asking me to let her die if it comes down to it?¡¯ ¡°You have to do this as my friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a friend? You should at least call me your best friend if you¡¯re asking me for that much!¡± Adam growled back at her, gritting his teeth, his entire body tensing up. ¡®Why do you have to be so damn annoying like this, Jaygak?¡¯ Jaygak smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re my best friend, that¡¯s why I trust you to do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to do it,¡± Adam said, glancing aside, avoiding her gaze. ¡°Ask Kitool or Jurot.¡± ¡°You will do it,¡± Jaygak said, sipping her wine. ¡°I am leaving it to you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t have me return without you. What will I tell Kavgak?¡± ¡°You will tell her I wasn¡¯t strong enough, but she will be.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to be the Maelstrom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to die to Sir Seashill, but if it comes to pass, I want to make sure Kavgak gains a gift too.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Raygak will learn my tale as his gift,¡± Jaygak said, almost pausing upon seeing the fury in Adam¡¯s eyes, but she didn¡¯t falter. ¡°He already has the blade, but Kavgak and Maygak, they¡¯re too young. Kavgak will receive Great Moon, and Maygak...¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll receive something even greater from the Enchanter.¡± ¡°Hmph! You still need to speak with her to create a weapon, don¡¯t you? So don¡¯t go dying on me just yet.¡± Jaygak bowed her head, and the pair continued to drink together. Jaygak¡¯s thoughts fell to Raygak and the others. She grew up within the Iyr, where death was like shadows in dusk. The Iyrmen were so eager to die, and she was an Iyrman too, so she knew her path in her life. She could become like any other typical Gak, assisting the Iyr with menial tasks, or she could go out in a blaze of glory, facing a knight who was so much greater. She had already clashed once, and dying while facing the knight a second time, surely it would inspire her brother and sisters, as well as her cousins. ¡®I won¡¯t be able to bring the Gaks up, but if I die now, Taygak will be inspired when she steps out. Raygak will follow her path, and Saygak, he¡¯ll be sure to be the best Blood Mage. I know the four babies will grow well too, especially with Adam watching over them...¡¯ Jaygak closed her eyes, feeling the alcohol spread through her like a gentle warmth. ¡®This is all I can do for you.¡¯ It was during that evening that another sat at his desk, hearing the gentle scribbling of the young teen writing away in his book, calculating all the matters for the Iyr. Elder Zijin stared down at his book, staring at all the notes. He slipped out a note he had kept in every single of the books. It was a note written with what seemed to be scribbles, though the Elder knew the words for he had read them hundreds of times, if not thousands. ¡®What terrible handwriting...¡¯ Zijin smiled, slipping the note back into his book. He glanced towards the pen, picking it up, before writing a note. Though he merely wished to write with the practised hand he had spent years learning after his daughter had been killed, he wrote a note. He folded the paper, sealing it with a particular wax. He felt the smooth paper at his touch, staring at it, his hand pulsing at straining to write so neatly. ¡®I can¡¯t retire yet...¡¯ He let out a long sigh, one which threatened to age him. Being the Elder to Adam came with a great set of difficulties, and surely his successor would find him troublesome too. He thought about who he had picked. ¡®This is all I can do for you.¡¯ It was a sentiment mostly for his successor, who would watch over Adam. As long as he didn¡¯t get himself killed... If Jaygak dies, who will bully Adam while on the road? [834] – Y03.134 – Port of Hope II [834] ¨C Y03.134 ¨C Port of Hope II Omen: 6, 20 stared at the letter, which had been sealed with a familiar noble family''s sigil. He stared at it long and hard before breaking the seal to read it. He was in his room, having been informed of the letter over breakfast. He scanned through the letter, his thoughts racing for a long moment. "Hmm." It was such an awkward time for a meeting, and Adam already had some business with the Duchess so he didn''t need another noble ally. However, although their relationship had started off quite rocky, Sir Landon had been a rather decent enough fellow, even if he was a noble. Once the noble understood his place, he didn''t keep acting up, and there was also the huge boon which Sir Landon had facilitated in the previous year. ''I can''t just deny him, not when he allowed Jurot to fight in the tournament...'' Adam eventually went to meet with the Iyrmen, who thought about Sir Landon''s offer to meet. "A request?" Jaygak asked. Jurot grunted while Kitool nodded. "I don''t really want to take a request while we''re looking after the children." Adam rubbed the side of his neck. "What if this is a ploy by the nobles to get to Alex?" "It would be a good fight," Jurot said, his arms crossed as he thought about how he could also kill nobles. Adam stared at his brother. ''Do I make that kind of face too?'' "We can deny him the request to meet just in case it leads to further trouble, but we may sever the thread to cause more issues," Jaygak said. "We should meet with him, it might be nothing." "We should meet him if it''s nothing?" "If it is nothing it means there¡¯s no loss to us." "That oddly makes sense..." Adam didn''t spend long preparing for the meeting, shifting his axe into a ring, leaving his armour behind along with his shield. "Jurot, I''ll leave the children in your care," Adam said, patting his brother''s shoulder. He switched over to the Iyr''s tongue. "If the Hopes try to take the kids, I''ll leave you to handle it however you want." "Okay." ''Vonda as a Ray should be enough to deal with Littlesea.'' Sir Landon''s blue eyes were wide upon seeing Vonda. He had seen her previously many times, but last he recalled, she was a Sister, and yet within the year they had last seen one another, she had not only become a Mother, but a Ray? Adam glanced to the woman beside Sir Landon, who was also quite new, in the sense he had never seen her before. She had a cute round face, suggested by the rest of her physique, which showed an obvious love of desserts. Adam understood why so much food was brought out, though he didn''t say anything about how many snacks the noblewoman was consuming, especially not with the look she was giving her guests. "It''s good to see you again, Sir Landon," Adam said, almost reaching out to shake the noble''s forearm. "The Hope and Rays are great figures, how could we hope to manage to even pretend to be half as decent as they?" Adam replied, smiling politely once more. ''Who is this deplorable young man?'' "So, you''ve come to request we assist you in this matter," Adam said, his eyes meeting the young noble''s. "What is the payment of such a request." "If you complete this request, I will consider it a personal favour." "A favour?" Adam replied. "The favour of a noble." "..." Adam narrowed his eyes, unsure of how much that was worth. He turned towards Kitool, who thought of the offer. ''The favour of a noble.'' Adam remained quiet, allowing Kitool to think. Meanwhile, he reached for a small block of cheese, leaving the dessert for the noblewoman. Landon also reached for his own small block of cheese. His thoughts were mostly focused on that. The group he had travelled with had rapidly begun to climb into relevance, but it wasn''t just that they were beginning to grow in relevance, but they were a unique set of individuals. ''If I can grow closer to the group...'' Landon thought about how useful he would become to the Littlesea family if he gained a connection with the United Kindom. ''I may even be able to inherit father''s position.'' Though the first child did have preference of inheritance, the matter was up to the Baron and the Baroness. If he could show that he was better than Mandon in some way, he could grasp the barony for himself. Even if he couldn''t, just being able to procure magical weapons easier than other nobles could allow him to live a very different life than most secondary children of a Lord. ''The new laws allow even someone like me to create a new order...'' The thought had passed through his mind several times. If he was able to procure magical items, he could create a decent order, one which could bring him fame and glory, even if he wasn''t able to gain the barony for himself. There was only one problem... ''Why does she keep trying to pick fights with me?'' Adam thought, trying his best not to glance the woman''s way. He nibbled against the cheese lightly. ''I didn''t even take any of your damn desserts.'' "It is a good deal," Kitool said. "Then we''d be glad to accept," Adam said, bowing his head towards the noble. "When do you wish to leave?" "We intended to leave on the first of next month," Landon stated. "Perfect, so were we." Adam flashed another smile, this one more genuine. "Seems like it was Fate." ''Yes,'' Kitool thought. She had heard Jaygak and Adam speaking the previous night, and the promise forced upon the young half elf. If they left the city, there was a small chance, the kind of small chance that if Adam wasn''t around, they would consider it nil, but with Adam, it would have no doubt been a certainty they would have had some issues on the road from someone, the Marquise or otherwise. However, with a noble, a true noble like Sir Landon, the son of a Baron, the Marquise would have to be careful. Hopes, Rays, and a noble? It was far too difficult for the Marquise to make a move, especially when Landon would have the justification of a Littlesea to protect him. The favour of a minor noble was decent, though not quite good enough for them to consider it when they were so busy, but the presence of Sir Landon was what pushed Kitool to accept the deal. Vonda remained silent, feeling the deep thought of the young woman beside her. A small smile appeared on her face, understanding what Kitool was thinking. ''The Iyrmen are not so different after all.'' Sorry, I''m really sick. [835] – Y03.135 – Port of Hope III [835] ¨C Y03.135 ¨C Port of Hope III The days the group spent in East Port passed by uneventfully, somehow. Adam had spent most of his time within the inn, with the Marshal keeping an eye on him, though eventually going about to do his rounds, promising to return on the first. Adam also found himself in some trouble, having delayed in gaining his stamps from the Guild. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t annoy them either...¡¯ Omen: 10, 15 The children stared at the ship that Jurot had chartered for them, while Adam stared at the pouch Jurot handed over to the ship, which was going to take them all to South Port. ¡®Kids really are expensive...¡¯ Adam had little complaints, especially considering how little trouble they had with the wolves, which were allowed on with the Iyrmen¡¯s guarantee. The children stared out across the ocean, with many of their elder siblings, and the members of the business keeping an eye on them. Some of the children were far too eager to stand at the railings, while other, less ambitious children, settled themselves within the lower decks. Adam stared at Max, who somehow wasn''t spilling out his guts as the ship sailed. ''Does he just not like land travel then?'' "You think we''ll see a water dragon?" "Can''t see water dragons, they''re rare." "Yeah, but maybe we can see a water hydra?" "What about a dragon turtle?" "No such thing''s a dragon turtle." "Yeah, it''s like saying dragonlion." "There''s dragonlions in Aswadia." "No there ain''t." "Yes there is." Adam stared at the horizon across the seemingly endless ocean. He watched the waves in the distance, the way they gently pushed back and forth, even noting the fish which leapt up and around the surface of the water. "It''s so big," Alex said, standing beside Adam, the shadow know as Nobby looming nearby. "Yeah." "I''ve always seen it in the city, but I''ve not seen it on a ship before. Is it even bigger?" "Massive," Adam said. "Most of the world is water, I think." "There''s a lotta land." "There''s a lot of water." Alex stared across the ocean. "They say that the water''s dangerous." "It is." "Why?" "It''s water," Adam replied. "Well, everything is dangerous in the extremes. A lot of something is always dangerous, even gold." "How''s that dangerous?" "If you have the most gold, someone will want to take it from you." "Oh. What about... the air?" "Yeah. Too much air and you get light headed, and worse." "What about... food?" "You''ll grow fat and it''ll hurt your body." "What about... love?" "You''ll become unhinged and destroy the world." Alex looked up towards Adam, who was staring at the ocean. "Why would someone destroy the world?" The attention the group received with the Hope and Rays escorting them brought too many eyes to the group. ''Let''s Hope they''re more reverent and afraid of the Hope than curious about the kids.'' George remained beside Fred at all times, the boy barely stepping away from the young man. "We''ll spend a couple of days here and pass through," Adam told the children, having spent another heavy sum for their stay. ''I''m going to be bankrupt if we keep this up...'' Somehow, the pair of knights and the Lady didn''t cause Adam any trouble. The lack of trouble almost caused him to forget they were even around, Kitool and Jurot dealing with the nobles, while Adam remained elsewhere. Adam swiftly made his way to the baths once the inn was dealt with, leaving Kitool and Jurot to hear the complaints from the nobles about how they had a certain appearance to maintain, and so Jonn and Jaygak went with them to another inn, acting as additional guards. When the next morning came, Adam allowed the children to explore South Port, handing a few silver pieces to each child. Vasera and the others also assisted in guarding the children, while the Marshal remained near Adam, watching over the half elf, though kept an eye on Alex and George. He assumed Alex was the child that he needed to keep an eye on and to report back to the Duchess, having heard of George''s story from Fred. ''They said the fort''s going to be done in noonval. By the time we return, it''s probably going to be the first week of duskval.'' Adam had calculated that if the group rushed back, they''d be able to return to the fort by the end of the month, perhaps even midweek, but pushing the children so much caused his heart to fall. "Are you okay, Adam?" Dunes asked, noting the look on Adam''s face, taking a seat opposite him. "I''m fine." "Are you worried about the return?" "A little." Dunes slowly nodded his head. "Once we return to the Iyr, you will see your children again." "Yeah..." A small smile appeared on Adam''s face. "We''ll be able to see the kids again and I''ll get to spoil them. It''s a shame I won''t be able to see them in their cute little festival outfits, but..." Dunes could see the way Adam winced. A thought crossed the young half elf''s face, a thought which could allow him to return back to the Iyr swiftly, perhaps with only a few others so he could see his children sooner to spoil them, but that gave away to the duty he had to the business and the others he had guaranteed. "I pray every morning our journey is uneventful," Dunes said, pouring the young man some wine. "Me too." "You have begun to pray?" "Lightly." "Do you pray in the way the Priests of Lord Sozain do so, or is it your own prayers?" "My own prayers." Dunes slowly nodded, sipping his wine. "I try to pray as much as I can, but it is difficult on the road. The best time to pray is at dawn, and noon, and dusk. I try for all three, for it is most pious, but sometimes I can only make one or two of the prayers." "Is it bad to miss the prayers?" "I must pray at least once each day, unless it is an extreme circumstance. Though, if I am training, that is also considered a prayer. If I am sick, of course the Good Lady understands, and I am exempt. If I do not pray, and I do not have a reason to not pray, or I do not pay my dues, then I will know the Lady''s scorn." "Her scorn?" Dunes raised his hands, staring at his palms. "There are tales of priests of old who squandered the gifts the Divine had given to them. They did not appreciate them, and they did not pay the proper respects." Dunes closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, before letting out a low sigh. "I can feel within my body a warmth, Adam. It is a warmth that I do not feel because I am so used to it, but if I concentrate, I can." Dunes opened his eyes and stared at his palms, as though seeing them for the first time. "There is written an account of Kal Kalid, a Brother from many years ago," Dunes said, motioning his head as though to say it was many, many years ago. "He speaks of the Lady''s scorn. It was not overt. It was not, how they say in East Port, colourful. It was a chill, Adam. A chill that entered his body because the warmth of the Lady fell away." Dunes fell silent for a long moment, before whispering. "He felt like any other person. A Brother feels the warmth of the Lady''s divinity, but when it goes, it does not feel like you are like any other who lives around you. It is as though you were the Shen of Shens, with all the mountains of gold, and then, one day you fall asleep, and when dawn comes, it is gone. You are like the goat herder across the hill, but not the same. You knew of the gold you once had, and then it is gone. You can feel the emptiness within your heart, not like that of a goat herder who did not know the pleasure of the mountains of gold you once had." ''I kinda get it,'' Adam thought. "Kal Kalid, the Fool we call him, for he continued to spur the Lady. Within the month, he jumped off a cliff. He wrote in his journal every day, and we still have it. He spoke of his thoughts, and the thoughts he spoke of were that of anger, but it was anger which came through the grief of pride. He could not live without the Lady''s warmth, no one can once they feel her warmth." "..." "Thankfully, I do not spur the Lady. I revere her with all my heart, and she gifts me the power to protect those I love, and for me to complete my duties to my people." Dunes smiled warmly. Adam slowly nodded his head. ''Damn.'' "I will not ask you why you asked me that question, Adam, for no priest would ever ask of it," Dunes said. "Your relationship with Lord Sozain must be special if the Lord of Death has not given you warmth, and you do not believe you will miss it." "If you want to know, I''ll tell you." "Risk my life for forbidden knowledge?" Dunes waved his hand. "Have you forgotten why I had come to South Port in the beginning?" Adam laughed. Sorry, I''m really sick. [836] – Y03.136 – Journey to Home I [836] ¨C Y03.136 ¨C Journey to Home I Max heaved from within the wagon as the group made their way overland once more, dusk approaching as they came across the small fortress which was once home to the Order of the Thousand Hunts. The aura within the village had changed, not quite as dark as it was previously, though no doubt still not quite as lively as it once was previously. Jonn stared at the walls of the order, the walls he once called home. He was but a boy when he was been adopted into the order. His eyes gazed across the fields he had worked, the walls he used to walk across, and his mind wandered back to the buildings he once trekked through. His mouth salivated as he thought about the apple trees within the order''s walls. Soldiers approached the group, though upon seeing the Hope and her Rays, they relaxed, though their suspicion changed to caution and reverence. Adam allowed the Hope to deal with the soldiers, who left them be after a few moments of conversation. "It doesn''t look like as though they fought," Adam said over breakfast. "Did they leave voluntarily?" "Their Grand Commander remained within East Port at the time," Jaygak said. "Even if he returned, he could clash with King Merryweather, but the might of the order could not be compared to the army the King leads.¡± ¡°What if all three orders came together?¡± ¡°Only two orders remained within Floria. The Massacre of Rock Hill led to the demise of the Order of the Cherry Blades. If the three orders joined together, it would have proved difficult for the army, but the King aimed his entire force against the nearest order, using the might of South Port¡¯s army, as well as units from South Fort, since the King did not need to worry of his southern border.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The King raised his blade in rebellion after refusing to invade Aswadasad,¡± Jaygak said, sipping her soup, feeling the fire against her lips and her throat. ¡°The Shen of Aswadasad is too busy with his own civil war to focus his attention to his western border.¡± ¡°Oh, right...¡± Adam cut into his cheese, placing it between the small bit of flat bread Korin had baked. ¡°How strong is the order anyway?¡± ¡°The order possesses many great warriors, with hundreds of Experts, dozens of Masters, many Grandmasters, and now a Paragon,¡± Jaygak informed. ¡°Large enough to prove a threat to the land if they wished to turn their blade against it. They would be unable to take a town or city, even the smaller towns, but they could make it difficult for those in Petal Grove to travel to South Port.¡± ¡°I am still a little surprised by how this land has formed,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I¡¯m more used to villages and towns being much smaller, well, I mean, not quite, but basically. However, usually towns and cities aren¡¯t that far away from one another, and there are hundreds of villages all around the towns.¡± ¡°It was that way many years ago, but it was too dangerous. The wandering undead, the bandits and warlords of the time, the various beast waves, they were too much for small villages and towns to handle. It has been contained now, but that is only because of how large the towns have become. Once, a town meant a population of tens of thousands, but now if one is not at least one hundred thousand, it is not considered a town.¡± ¡°Is there a town with a population of one hundred thousand?¡± Adam asked. He was certain they hadn¡¯t passed through any town that small yet. ¡°In the north there are many.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I heard that the north¡¯s entire population barely reached the population of South Port.¡± ¡°Their population is much smaller, but they are a hardy people. There are many adventuring parties which have formed in the land, but still, two tenths are still from the north. Their culture has formed around the defence of the land from various threats. Even the beast waves in the south cannot compare to the waves in the north.¡± ¡°Yeah, I noticed we¡¯ve come across quite a few group of northerners who are all pretty strong.¡± ¡°The south believes wraiths to be myths, whereas within the north, wraiths are hunted by the best of the best to gain recognition. In East Port, Stone Sword gained the title of Marshal for placing within the tournament. In the north, it is when one slays a wraith in single combat that one gains the title of Marshal.¡± ¡°Often, groups camp outside the walls to avoid paying tax, though there is still some protection provided from camping beside a town or village,¡± Vonda informed. ¡°We should not allow them to believe we have taken advantage of them, or resentment might grow.¡± ¡°Even though they asked us to remain outside?¡± ¡°If they ask us to remain outside and we still hand over silver, some may view that as us acquiescing, but most will view us as respecting their rules, and will provide good will for the next time we pass through.¡± ¡°Alright, fair,¡± Adam said. ¡°It is especially noteworthy since you are travelling with a Hope and many Rays.¡± ¡°Hopefully we¡¯ll still be travelling with one Ray going forward,¡± Adam said, raising his brows towards her, flashing a smile. ¡°We shall see.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so coy, Ray Vonda,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. The group continued along their way, and with the Hope and Rays leading the way, each upon their magical steeds, they found little trouble. They followed along the river and road, eventually marching up the hills, before they finally came to Petal Grove. ¡®The journey is going too smoothly...¡¯ Adam thought, unsure of how he should feel. He glanced towards the Hope and Rays, before letting out a soft sigh. ¡®I guess that¡¯s just how it should be.¡¯ The days in Petal Grove passed by uneventfully too, though Adam noted the Hope went missing for a few hours, though he made no mention towards it. The less he knew about their affairs, the better he felt. Adam glanced towards Sir Landon. They were being pulled along in their own carriage, as one might have expected, though Adam felt odd about the situation. ¡®Why¡¯s he so quiet?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I keep forgetting he¡¯s with us.¡¯ The group continued their journey along, following the dangerous road towards the minor fort, before they continued to the next order, which was in a similar position as the previous order, the order having been expelled, the soldiers taking over it. ¡®It feels too weird that everything¡¯s going smoothly.¡¯ During the next evening, upon the hills, the group felt a shaking. ¡®Ah, there we go,¡¯ Adam thought, donning his shield, his heart relaxing. ¡®Let¡¯s get it over with.¡¯ He glanced around, watching as the children were ushered into the towers, the farmers and porters having stripped out of much of their armour, though they grabbed their weapons and shields. ¡°Rick, Remy, you guys should-,¡± Health: 91 -> 69 I really did roll that much damage... [837] – Y03.137 – Journey to Home II [837] ¨C Y03.137 ¨C Journey to Home II ¡®Nice.¡¯ Strength Save D20 + 8 = 24 (16) Adam, struck against his side and shield from an unknown force, slid towards a tree. He braced himself against it, his thighs aching from slowing him down, and he turned his head towards the creature, a familiar creature. A lizard the size of a tiger with scales all across its back, seemingly made of stone. It¡¯s stone scales matched the armour the porters wore. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 5 (4) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 69 -> 74 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (2, 4)(1, 1)(3, 6) 26 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 15 -> 14 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 32 (3, 5)(4, 5)(1, 5) 32 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (15) D20 + 10 = 27 (19) Hit! Wraith: 1 -> 0 Mana: 14 -> 13 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 55 (2, 4, 5, 5)(3, 4, 5, 6)(3, 4, 5, 5) 55 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Mana: 13 -> 12 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 24 (1, 4)(5, 5) 24 damage! As though carving a cake, Adam¡¯s magical axe cut across the kurabara¡¯s neck, dropping it near instantly as the creature tried to ram him against the tree. The half elf in purple marched forward towards the other beasts, which had slammed against the farmers, almost forcing them into the tower, where the awaiting Hope was ready to strike, before his axe sliced against their sides. He cut one kurabara¡¯s neck so deeply its head dropped to the floor, before he marched to another, grabbing its head as it rammed against Remy¡¯s shield, slicing down through its skull, allowing it to drop beside him. He glanced backwards to see the Iyrmen had also cleaved through the creatures with ease, the dozen or so creatures finding themselves dead in almost an instant. Victory! XP Gained: +50 XP: 15 050 -> 15 100 The farmers watched as the death filled the land around them. The Hope and Rays were ready to assist, as kurabaras were awkward to deal with, but apparently Adam by his lonesome could kill each one with a single blow, while the Iyrmen around were eager to slaughter the creatures. ¡°The soldiers are not sending out routine patrols,¡± Jaygak said, cleaning Great Moon, glancing across the death they caused as though it were a minor inconvenience. ¡°They are weary of the villagers,¡± Jurot replied. Fo?llo?w new stories at novelhall.com ¡°The loyalty of the villagers to the order must be taken into consideration,¡± Kitool added. ¡°Let¡¯s split the kurabaras the same way we did before,¡± Adam said, glancing towards the Hope and Vasera, who had remained at the ready, though hadn¡¯t dared to step forward to deny the Iyrmen their fun. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡®...¡¯ Remy exhaled, glad the half elf had come to assist him when he had. Within his armour, he would have been far more eager to fight, but most of the group had stripped out of their armour, ready to retire for the night, though there were a few still in their armour for first watch. ¡®Did they punch a kurabara to death?¡¯ Cobra thought, her eyes going from Kitool to Faool, the pair having used their staffs, but also their fists. ¡®My back hurts,¡¯ Adam thought, stretching out his back, feeling a bruise at his side where the kurabara had crashed into him. Stone Sword remained silent, having been ready to draw his blade, yet having no need to do so. ¡®...¡¯ He had no idea the group was this vicious. His eyes fell across the Iyrmen, who held greater abilities than he expected. ¡°May we enter the fort?¡± Ray Vonda asked, holding out the gem worth one hundred gold. ¡°It has been a long travel.¡± ¡°I would not deny a Ray,¡± the Commander said, accepting the gem, her eyes upon the group as they entered. The Hope noted the nearby woman and the group of archers settled within the fort. Hope Willow approached the older woman, who stood up and placed a hand over her heart. ¡°How may I assist a Hope?¡± Sir Katherine asked. ¡°I merely wished to give my greetings, Sir Katherine,¡± Hope Willow said, removing her helmet. Sir Katherine had though she wasn¡¯t the same Hope. ¡°It is my honour to meet you, Fourth Hope.¡± Hope Willow smiled. ¡°I will pray there will be no more warring across the land, for your arrows will certainly bring much death.¡± ¡°I am also sorry that such death may occur.¡± ¡°I have heard only good things from the Third Hope of your abilities.¡± ¡°It was my honour, and my pleasure, to assist Hope Lily during the recent clashes against Aswadasd.¡± Sir Katherine wondered what the Hope was doing with the group which had returned, noting the fellow in purple, and the grandchildren of Mad Dog. ¡®Why is a Hope travelling with the grandchildren of that man?¡¯ As evening fell across the fort, the children stared at the soldiers. The previous fort they had passed through were filled with general soldiers of Floria, the elite squads having been sent elsewhere for the moment. However, even these children had heard of the Whirlwind Arrows, some of the best archers across all the land. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Whirlwind Arrows.¡± ¡°Yeah, the Whirlwind Arrows!¡± ¡°They says the Commander¡¯s the daughter of the Storm Petal Knight!¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Brittany heard the group speak of the archers with such reverence. ¡®Should I ask for that competition?¡¯ Lucy remained silent, noting the look on Adam¡¯s face. The young half elf was sitting, his arms crossed, deep in thought. ¡®Kurabaras aren¡¯t that strong,¡¯ Adam thought, but in the same way that a tiger wasn¡¯t strong compared to an Iyrman. ¡®Should I pick a fight with the Whirlwind Arrow?¡¯ He glanced at his Omen. 2, 20 ¡®I don¡¯t even need to look at the target...¡¯ ¡®Adam,¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡®Please stop thinking whatever you¡¯re thinking!¡¯ I really did roll that much damage... [838] – Y03.138 – Journey to Home III [838] ¨C Y03.138 ¨C Journey to Home III Omen: 9, 15 He was a towering figure. Even from where Adam stood, he could feel the pressure of the man''s gaze upon his shoulders. The heavy armour he wore was well made, the intricate engravings within, those of all manner of divine symbols, and the blade at his side was no doubt one of the greatest across all the lands. ''It just had to be him...'' Hope Willow thought, a cold sweat dropping down the back of her neck. Of all the figures across the land, it just had to be one of the figures which could be counted amongst Lord Marshal Royce, King Merryweather, and Sir Robin. Sir James Greatwood, Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, glared down towards the group, a group he had heard of in passing, and some he recognised from the previous year. The group waited outside, feeling the intense pressure of the order members pressing down against them. For once, it wasn''t the children who were under the gaze of the noblefolk of the land, but the demons. Lucy could feel the intense pressure of one of the handful of Paragons of the land, and one of those who were sworn to kill her. Though her shoulders felt such intense pressure, she stood tall and strong. No Grand Commander was going to put the pressure on the future Demon Lord. The Iyrmen? She would allow them, of course, since they were Iyrmen, but an Aldishman? "Open the gates," the Grand Commander stated. "I will consider your advice," the other figure adorned in full plate said. He wore full plate armour from head to toe, just like the Grand Commander, but his armour was far simpler. He was an older man, into his seventies, and his name had begun to fade, like his hair, though his beard was full. At his side was a blade made of blue. Not blue steel, or even sapphicule, but blue which had been formed into the shape of a sword. Adam squinted his eyes. ''He reminds me of that guy from Ever Green.'' The Commander of the fort, waved his hand, allowing them to open the gates for the group, who walked inwards. As the group stepped inside, the Commander made his way down to meet with the Hope and Rays, casually walking over towards them. "It''s been a few years since I last met with a Hope while I was on active duty," the Commander said, placing a hand over his heart, before bowing his head. "I was informed you had retired many years ago, Sir Arthur," Hope Willow replied, bowing her head lightly in return. "I had, but the King requested I take command of the fort for the rest of the year, and I am but a humble servant of Aldland." ''The King must have been certain of his victory to not move Blue Sword before,'' Hope Willow thought. "The land will remain safe with you as the Commander." The Iyrmen hadn''t read that Blue Sword had taken position at the fort, meaning the old warrior had only recently arrived as the Commander, no doubt within the last few days. ''The Grand Commander is to defend the fort as part of his order being accepted into the land.'' Jaygak thought, glancing around to note there were only a handful of the order members here, while the rest must have been travelling across the land to the capital, where they would negotiate for a position somewhere in the land. ''Blue Sword must have been moved to keep the Grand Commander in check.'' Fred''s eyes were wide from beneath his helmet. He had been a boy when Blue Sword had retired, but even growing up he had heard the name of Blue Sword. ¡®Blue Sword? That Blue Sword?¡¯ A chill ran through his spine, his eyes falling across Adam, hoping he understood not to act up. After all, Blue Sword was someone who had clashed with the previous First Hope, Hope Robert''s mentor. Jaygak grabbed onto Adam''s elbow, causing the young man to pull away slightly, glancing towards her. Jaygak pulled up her visor, her eyes staring into Adam''s with that kind of look to tell him to keep silent, before she pulled down her visor, just in case. A moment of silence filled the air. The children stared at the Hope and then the Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts. They had heard of the order, for it was an order which once made its home near East Port, near the border between East Aldland and what was now Floria. To the north of the Order of the Thousand Hunts was a local order to East Port, placed there to watch over what was once South Aldland, though of course there were many great dangerous upon the hills and forests surrounding the order, but everyone knew what the purpose of the order was. Of course, there was also the rumours of a dragon nearby, but those were simply rumours. However, the difference between the Order of Shimmering Swords and the Order of the Thousand Hunts was simple. The Grand Commander of the Shimmering Swords wasn''t a Paragon. Nor was the Fourth Hope, who was considered average among the Hopes. Indeed, among the typical populace, Fourth Hope Willow would be considered in the top, firmly in the top 1%. However, among the many orders and their elites, she would also be considered average, whereas Sir James Greatwood would be considered among the top five at worst, truly only rivalled by Sir Robin among those of the orders. Fred stared towards Blue Sword, hoping he would step forward. It was Blue Sword, after all. If anyone could request for the Grand Commander to step back, it would be the Commander, not because he was a Commander, but because he was Blue Sword. The Blue Sword, who was a relatively unknown fellow before he clashed with the previous First Hope to a draw within a duel. It was one of the few times Blue Sword was active, otherwise disappearing into the shadows and rumours, before returning to do something impressive. He only had a handful of stories, but each story was impressive. "It would be dangerous to the security of the nation to allow the demon to walk through the land," Grand Commander James stated. "Is that the opinion of the Commander as well?" "It isn''t as though it is my opinion, but I cannot refute it either," Blue Sword said. "I would have preferred the Grand Commander not step forward in this regard, but it is the oaths he has sworn, and I cannot place one oath above another." "Do you intend to stay out of the this?" "Unfortunately my hands are tied in this regard." Blue Sword let out that kind of sigh that said he was glad he didn''t need to make a decision in this regard. "Will you continue to defend the demons?" the Grand Commander asked, still not reaching for his blade. "..." Hope Willow remained silent for a long moment. "What are the opinions of the Executives?" Adam inhaled deeply, ready to speak, but he grit his teeth, still recalling the way Jaygak glared at him. ''Damn it, I''ll leave it to the others?'' ¡°You are just a Paragon?¡± James Greatwood fell still for a moment. He recalled the phrase from a year ago, almost a year to the day. His eyes fell across the Iyrman, whose forehead was painted with a familiar pattern. Lucy''s eyes fell across the Iyrman too, whose arms were crossed, the Iyrman standing tall and proud. ''Are you trying to get me killed?'' ''Damn,'' Adam thought. ''Why is my brother so much cooler than me?'' It could only be the grandson of the Mad Dog who could speak such words. Also, May the fourth be with you. [839] – Y03.139 – Journey to Home IV [839] ¨C Y03.139 ¨C Journey to Home IV ¡°You¡¯re the boy they call the Savage,¡± the Grand Commander said, his eyes glued to the young Iyrman. His pressure exuded upon Jurot¡¯s shoulders, like a heavy pool of murderous intent. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, feeling the gentlest of pressures against his body. He had almost not noticed, but he was an Iyrman, so of course he¡¯d notice such a thing. However, compared to those he had grown up alongside, the Grand Commander¡¯s pressure was far too gentle. ¡°The difference between courage and stupidity is subtlety.¡± ¡°You cannot afford me even now.¡± The pressure against Jurot¡¯s increased as the Grand Commander focused his entire attention onto the boy. ¡°I expected the Iyrmen to step to the demon¡¯s aid, for it is expected of your people,¡± the Grand Commander began, still standing tall, his hands tied behind his back casually, too casual for someone speaking so ill of the Iyrmen while within the range of their rage. ¡°Do you intend to step forward now?¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes remained focused on the Grand Commander¡¯s, his entire body tensing and relaxing, heating himself up for a fight. ¡°You are just a Paragon?¡± ¡°I had not expected the grandson of the Mad Dog to be so eager, not when he was so meek.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°When I met your grandfather, the one they call the Mad Dog, he was but a shell of his former self. He was not the Mad Dog who plagued this land with his wickedness, but a meek little pup who dared not to raise his axe in front of me.¡± Jurot could feel the rain of that day, feeling it pitter patter against his skin. His eyes darkened once more, and his fingers twitched. ¡°Okay?¡± Kitool called. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, still feeling the rising heat, but understanding he couldn¡¯t draw his axe first. ¡°Will the soldiers step forward?¡± Hope Willow asked. ¡°If you are to fight, you should do so outside of the fort, and as long as you do not assault us, we will not interfere in the matter,¡± the Commander assured, too old to deal with the nonsense of the orders. ¡®If I was younger, I might have caused your orders some trouble, but I¡¯m just an old man now.¡¯ ¡°As long as you do not step forward while we apprehend the demons, we will guarantee your lives,¡± the Grand Commander stated, still standing far too relaxed. ¡°If you keep insisting, I must step forward, Sir James Greatwood.¡± ¡°I do insist.¡± Hope Willow clenched her fists together. The difference between herself and the Grand Commander was far too high. However, there was something else which put her at a disadvantage. ¡®The Rays cannot step forward here.¡¯ She eyed up the other members of the Grand Commander¡¯s order, noting they were each at least their Experts, with a Master among their midst, and perhaps another. Though there were only a handful, did she have enough support to deal with them? She could only do that. ¡°Iyrmen, are you willing to step forward in this regard?¡± Hope Willow asked. ¡°I will face the Grand Commander.¡± Jurot¡¯s throat let out a groan, the kind of groan one would give out in dissatisfaction and thought. ¡°If you wish to fight us,¡± Lucy said, with a tone of voice no one had heard from her, that of the arrogance from authority, ¡°we will also fight.¡± ¡°...¡± Hope Willow hadn¡¯t realised the other figure she had spotted wasn¡¯t actually a Master, but a Grandmaster. He wielded a blade at his side which wasn¡¯t special, not like those wielded by the Grand Commander or the other Master, a figure who probably also held a title. If he was a Vice Commander who wielded a blade that looked completely normal, then it was probably only him. ¡®If only the Grand Commander wasn¡¯t here...¡¯ Willow was fairly certain she could clash with the Vice Commander, but beating him would have been difficult. It was essentially a flip of a coin if they were to fight. ¡°These young men are friends of the demons,¡± Hope Willow said. ¡°I will leave it up to them who they wish to face.¡± ¡°Friends?¡± the Vice Commander turned to look towards Adam. ¡°Those who cohort with demons bear their sin too.¡± ¡°Those who believe they fight for justice may inflict a greater injustice.¡± Another heavily armoured figure stepped forward. ¡°You know of our scriptures?¡± The figure removed his helmet, revealing his handsome, half fae face, and the look of dangerous defiance within his eyes. ¡°I was always very good at my scriptures.¡± The Vice Commander removed his helmet, revealing his own handsome face, his dark hair and eyes. His dark hair had been cut in a particular way, cut at the start of every month, and allowed to grow out, just like another within Adam¡¯s company. His dark eyes held a hint of guilt. ¡°Vice Commander.¡± ¡°Jonn.¡± Adam glanced between the pair, deciding to remain quiet. ¡®Is he his...¡¯ The Grand Commander¡¯s eyes fell to Jonn, a young man he instantly recognised. He decided against speaking, not since there was someone else with a greater connection to him. ¡°I see you are well,¡± the Vice Commander said, noting the Steel token against his chest. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is terrible to see how far you have fallen. I can only blame myself for not being able to stop you from leaving.¡± ¡°It was not our choice to make,¡± Jonn replied, controlling his voice, his eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°To break one¡¯s oaths, it can only be done so under extreme circumstance. When one is close to death, or¡±, his eyes darted towards the Grand Commander he had idolised as a boy, ¡°if the King demands you to throw away one of the brothers of your order.¡± The Vice Commander remained silent. ¡°It was a shame what happened back then,¡± the Grand Commander said. He then held out a hand towards Jonn, ready to shake the young man¡¯s arm. ¡°We have lost our home, our heritage not enough for the Traitor King. It is important that we all remain together. We will reform our order, and you may return.¡± Jonn remained silent for a long while. He had been kicked out so many years ago, and he had to fend for himself in the north. He used to dream of being accepted back into the order, even as far as a couple of years ago, when he had refused to swear his oaths to Adam. ¡°If the King is displeased, I will deal with it,¡± the Grand Commander assured. ¡°You are just a Paragon?¡± Jonn replied. You have to be at least that crazy if you''re with Adam. [840] – Y03.140 – Journey to Home V [840] ¨C Y03.140 ¨C Journey to Home V ¡°It is a shame that our time training you did not rid of the wickedness in your heart,¡± Sir James Greatwood said. ¡°If we are done with this farce, let us step outside.¡± ¡°You really are suited to be in Aldishman lands,¡± Adam said, flashing a smirk towards his brother. ¡°They pick a fight with us and then call us wicked for defending ourselves.¡± ¡°It is so,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Careful now, young man,¡± the Commander of the fort called out. ¡°All the soldiers here are Aldish. If you speak so carelessly, you might find yourself in trouble.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t control your men, that¡¯s on you,¡± Adam replied, his eyes meeting the Commander¡¯s. ¡°Speaking of which, you seem like you¡¯re pretty strong. Are you about as strong as the Grand Commander?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little too old, but he wouldn¡¯t kill me so easily.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Adam hummed, glancing between the Grand Commander and the Commander. ¡°Jurot, you can have the Grand Commander, but if it comes to it, I want the Commander.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± ¡°...¡± Arthur glanced towards the Grand Commander, who felt the gaze and met it, his own eyes full of confusion too. ¡°Do you have a crit prepared?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Blue Sword, you may,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t need any towers, so...¡± Adam stretched his neck. ¡°I¡¯m almost at full strength.¡± ¡°You will need it if you wish to face him.¡± Jaygak glanced across the group. ¡®Since Laygak is watching...¡¯ "It is unfair that you are facing both the Vice Commander and the Commander? I should face the Vice Commander.¡± ¡°The Commander isn¡¯t fighting.¡± ¡°You know how Aldishmen are, he might want to come in when we beat them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right...¡± ¡°You can stay out of the fight until he steps in.¡± ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t step in?¡± ¡°You might not know the treachery of the Aldishmen, but I¡¯m a Gak.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Right, since your family is an expert at knowing that sort of thing, I guess I should take it into consideration. Still, there¡¯s a chance I won¡¯t get to fight.¡± ¡°You can pick a fight with the Commander once the fighting is over.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Adam let out a soft sigh. He had thought he¡¯d be able to bring back a proper story. ¡°I mean, I did beat up the...¡± Adam was surprised he had caught himself before letting slip his trash talk against one of the allies escorting him. ¡°Hey, Marshal Black, do you want to claim the Commander from me, or is it okay if I fight him?¡± ¡®...¡¯ Hope Willow held her breath. Now that Vonda had spoken the words, they couldn¡¯t step back. ¡®If a Ray is going to step forward to fight...¡¯ She could already hear the talking to she was going to get once she returned back to the order. ¡°You will fight too?¡± the Grand Commander asked. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°For the likes of demons?¡± ¡°The Mother watches all, and while the Hope is here to escort the children to safety, the demons are my responsibility,¡± Ray Vonda said. ¡°If I cannot complete the first task ensured to me as a Ray, I am not worthy of the title.¡± Sir James Greatwood, Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, had already acquiesced to the demands of the King, a shame which still marked him to this day. However, if he drew his blade against a Ray, the damage not just to his reputation, but to his order, would be irreparable. ¡°Why must you step forward?¡± ¡°I have sworn my oaths too, Sir Greatwood.¡± Commander Arthur finally cleared his throat. ¡°It seems things have gone a little too far. What say the Grand Commander send a letter to the Mother Priest of Life¡¯s Rose and inform her of his intentions to deal with the demons, and once such has been resolved, the Grand Commander can continue his hunt, irrespective of the response from the Mother Priest?¡± ¡°We have sworn our oaths to defend the land, and to rid of them of such evils,¡± the Grand Commander stated. ¡°You are not Sir Robin, Sir James Greatwood,¡± Commander Arthur said, smiling politely, finally stepping forward properly. ¡°If you wish to continue to press the issue, I will sign a letter of reprimand of your behaviour.¡± ¡°Even if you write such a letter, it must be done.¡± ¡°It will count against your plea to the King for his assistance in establishing your order within his lands,¡± the Commander said, his smile fading, his eyes darkening. ¡°You are fortunate enough I am showing you more respect I have ever shown your previous Grand Commander.¡± ¡°...¡± James glared at Arthur. He hadn¡¯t expected the near meek Commander to stop so obviously on his authority. ¡®Do you believe I will step back under your threat?¡¯ ¡®Yes,¡¯ the Commander¡¯s eyes seemed to reply. ¡°The King has requested I assist you within the fort, I am merely doing as the King has requested.¡± ¡°Indeed. You, Grand Commander, are to assist me.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam glanced between the pair. ¡®Stop fighting between each other and let me beat one of you up, damn it.¡¯ Jaygak grabbed Adam¡¯s arm. He glanced towards her, noting the look in her eyes. ¡®What? Really? They¡¯re that strong?¡¯ Jaygak nodded her head. Adam glanced between the two once more. He could still feel the pressure between them. ¡®If Jaygak¡¯s saying they¡¯re that strong, maybe I shouldn¡¯t be so eager to fight...¡¯ Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡®Right. The only reason I could fight the First Hope was because I had a crit in my back pocket. I probably shouldn¡¯t pick fights with two guys who are about Paragon level...¡¯ Adam pretending to be sensible is awkward. I love how unassuming the chapter title is for something so crazy. [841] – Y03.141 – Journey to Home VI [841] ¨C Y03.141 ¨C Journey to Home VI The sun passed had noon, its rays beginning to draw longer shadows. It was only a short while ago the land was graced with noon, meaning it was that time. "Babo!" Jirot shouted, her finger pointing towards her greatfather, as though her finger was a blade. ¡°Pick up!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the old Iyrman replied, picking up the tiny little Jirot. She was normally as light as a feather, but this time she was as light as a feather which had ate two, small, bowls of potatoes, and drunk two cups of milk. The expectant gaze of her younger brother beamed towards the old man, who pulled the girl close and leaned back, allowing his greatson to climb onto his lap, the boy clutching his greatfather¡¯s robes tightly in his tiny hand. The pair wore a set of blue clothing, sleeveless, cut at the knees, and wore hats to protect them from the intense heat of the noonval sun. Tied to their hats, ribbons of identical blue, Jirot having complained that the ribbons they had originally received were too different. There had been a slight difference, a subtle difference, caught only by the keenest of eyes, but the girl had demanded a different ribbon which was apparently the same colour as the one her brother had received. ¡°Are you enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, cackling before returning back to suckling her thumb. She brushed her hair with her free hand, before pointing at her babo¡¯s cheek, slowly drawing closer before she pressed against it. She smiled as she gently tickled his cheek. ¡°You have eaten so much,¡± Jarot said, feeling their stomachs against him. ¡®Of course they eat so well, they are my greatchildren.¡¯ ¡°Mmm, tatos, babo, tatos,¡± Jirot said. ¡°Yummy tatos,¡± little Jarot confirmed. ¡°Yes. You must eat well so you will grow well.¡± ¡°I eated all the tatos,¡± the girl replied, smirking. ¡°I love tatos.¡± ¡°Do you love potatoes too, little Jarot?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What of the pizza?¡± ¡°I do not like,¡± Jirot said, shaking her head, and her little brother did the same. ¡°Your father brought the pizza to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Jirot smirked slightly, before returning back to suckling her thumb, cackling to herself. ¡°Babo...¡± the little boy called. ¡°Yes, my Jarot?¡± ¡°I like the pizza.¡± ¡°I like, I like the pizza too,¡± Jirot said with desperation. ¡°I like the pizza and I like tatos.¡± ¡°I like pizza and tatos too,¡± little Jarot confirmed. ¡°I like to eat them too,¡± their babo added, bringing the pair closer to his chest, his half arm wrapping around the little boy, keeping them pinned to him. ¡®My greatchildren...¡¯ Jarot¡¯s heart was filled with a great warmth, which kept away the chill of his old age. It was rare two different orders had such issues, though it was more likely for the Order of Life¡¯s Rose to be involved due to their rather unique oaths. ¡®Demons.¡¯ The Grand Commander could have stepped back if it was the Sorcerer, but demons? He couldn¡¯t do such a thing, not since he had sworn his oaths. However, drawing his blade against a Ray, it was going to set a terrible precedent, one he wasn¡¯t sure he could take responsibility for. ¡®Why have you chosen to break precedent first?¡¯ Greatwood¡¯s eyes remained focused on Ray Vonda¡¯s. It was not right for her to step forward, not when there was the unspoken rule of Rays not drawing their weapons during a fight, instead they were given great respect and certain privileges. ¡°Hey, Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, hearing Jurot¡¯s grunt, before continuing. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal with the Manager fighting?¡± ¡°Rays do not fight.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°They do not fight,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is this way.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Rays remain in the back, and they may support, but they are not to fight in a confrontation. They may do so against the like of creatures and beasts, but that is a last resort. Ray Vonda has made her intentions known to step forward in this battle. It is now complicated.¡± ¡°Politics?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t like it...¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Still, what else can we do? If the Grand Commander won¡¯t step back, we might have to fight. That¡¯ll make things complicated. Even if the Order of Life¡¯s Rose is the one taking the blame, they might still try to blame us for it...¡¯ Adam cleared his throat, causing Vonda¡¯s head to snap towards him. ¡°I¡¯ll be polite.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°One moment. I realised the way I was going to word it would have implied something rude, so allow me a moment to gather myself.¡± Adam closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. ¡°No one can fault either party in the situation here...¡± ¡®I can, but I won¡¯t?¡¯ Adam was glad he had grown up. ¡°Young man, you should not speak up when it is not needed,¡± the Grand Commander said. ¡°We will resolve this matter between us, without the business¡¯ interference.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam smiled, smiling in that way that he did when he was close to bursting, his jaw and forehead pulsing. ¡°Out of everyone here, I¡¯m the one who can interfere most. You¡¯re speaking of two of our Managers, and then you¡¯ve invoked the Sorcerer, who is someone the business has adopted. If you didn¡¯t want me to interfere, you shouldn¡¯t have involved me.¡± ¡°Will the Order of Life¡¯s Rose still step forward?¡± the Grand Commander asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Hope Willow replied. ¡°Though they are members of the business, we have given our word to escort them safely to their business.¡± ¡°Even without the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, you¡¯ve got little to no chance to take my friends from me, but when it comes to our VIP, you¡¯ve got less than little to no chance,¡± Adam said, standing taller. ¡°Does the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death give you faith to speak such words?¡± Sir James Greatwood pressed his gaze and intent onto the young man¡¯s shoulders once more. ¡°I do not need the powers Lord Sozain blesses upon me to have confidence against you, Grand Commander,¡± Adam said, straightening up alongside the rest of his companions. ¡°A greater being than you had tried to take Lucy from me, and it was only thanks to the grace of Mother Soza and her most faithful, that Lucy remains beside me. If you want to take Lucy from me, you should be at least half as strong as Lord Asa.¡± ¡®Oh, Adam,¡¯ Ray Vonda thought. The Grand Commander reached for his blade. At least he tried. Kind of... [842] – Y03.142 – Journey to Home VII [842] ¨C Y03.142 ¨C Journey to Home VII As the Grand Commander reached for his blade, Jurot stepped forward. Sir James Greatwood drew his blade and lunged forward, his blade crashing against Jurot¡¯s shield. Jurot winced slightly as the blade struck his shield, almost forcing him back, before the rumble of thunder echoed through the fort. The pair fell into a dance of magical steel, thunderous might racking through the Grand Commander¡¯s body, while radiant might flashed through the Iyrman. The red hot rage filled the Iyrman who continued to strike eagerly, throwing caution to the wind as the excitement filled him. The other members of the order began to reach for their weapons, while the Iyrmen did the same. Adam reached for Wraith, but he felt a hand against his shoulder. He glanced back to see Jaygak, who shook her head, while donning her shield, the other Iyrmen doing the same. The gleaming eyes of the Iyrmen shone brightly, eager for the poetry of death. ¡®...¡¯ While the pair clashed in the centre between them, the others watched. Kitool held her staff tight in hand, completing her stretches, while Jaygak swung her blade lightly, warming herself up. The younger Iyrmen also warmed up, waiting to see if the warriors of the order would move, while the warriors of the order waited to see if the Iyrmen would move. Thunder continued to rumble, the sound of steel filling the air, before they finally clashed together, magical blade and axe together. The Grand Commander continued to press down against the Iyrman¡¯s axe. ¡°If you do not step back, you will end up dying to my blade,¡± the Grand Commander said. ¡°If you do not step back, your companions will end up dying to our weapons,¡± Jurot replied, his eyes staring into the Grand Commander¡¯s. ¡°Do you believe you-,¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, before the pair continued to clash, thunder echoing once more before the pair finally created space between themselves. Adam donned his shield, but once more felt Jaygak¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°Seriously, Jaygak?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°We are in Aldish lands now.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam frowned. ¡®I have to be careful, otherwise I¡¯m going to be blamed.¡¯ ¡°You are correct, Iyrman,¡± James Greatwood stated. ¡°You should surrender while I allow you to, and you will be judged by the King¡¯s Laws.¡± ¡°We Iyrmen are not bound by the King¡¯s Laws,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We will be judged by the Iyr, and if we do not at least kill three of you, we will be judged harshly.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t kill them,¡± Adam said. ¡°If we kill them, they¡¯ll criticise the business.¡± ¡°We Iyrmen are acting as Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You know how the Aldish are...¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot remained silent for a long moment. ¡°We will only beat them heavily.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The Grand Commander raised his blade, ready to smite the Iyrman, before the Hope drew her blade. ¡°If you intend to continue the fight, then I will be forced to subdue you,¡± Hope Willow said. ¡°We should stop now while we can,¡± Marshal Black called. ¡°If it¡¯s any more than this, I¡¯ve got to inform the Duchess of the situation.¡± Marshal Black wasn¡¯t looking towards the Grand Commander, but rather the Commander of the fort. The Commander sighed, placing his hands on his waist. ¡®The Duchess? If she¡¯s going to guarantee them...¡¯ ¡°Has the Duchess sent you to escort the group?¡± He already knew the answer, but if it was brought out again, there would be another branch towards the path of peace. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If both the Order of Life¡¯s Rose and the Duchess has allowed them to pass through the land...¡± Commander Arthur glanced between the group. ¡°Since the Order of the Thousand Hunts cannot stay still while you are here, I will allow you to pass through the fort. You will have to sleep outside.¡± ¡®Can we make it to Red Oak? Probably, but we¡¯ll be exhausted if we march so far.¡¯ ¡°It sounds like a threat.¡± ¡°It is the truth.¡± ¡°I would like to see it.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said. ¡°Stop provoking the Aldishmen, you know how they are. You should be thanking the Commander for giving us a way to kill the Grand Commander. Let¡¯s go, make our fort, and wait for the Grand Commander to come after us.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± Vonda smiled politely, her tired eyes wondering if she could truly complete her task in guiding the business. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll sanctify the deaths as a Priest of Lord Sozain,¡± Adam said, reaching over to his amulet. ¡°At least, anyone my brother and my cousin end up killing, will not be able to be returned to life by Life¡¯s Rose.¡± Willow snapped her head towards the young half elf. ¡°You would stop us from reviving them?¡± ¡°I will not allow you to revive those sent to Lord Sozain,¡± Adam said. ¡°You can bring up those that Jaygak and Kitool kill, but if anyone is killed by a Rot...¡± ¡°You should not interfere...¡± Hope Willow stated, before seeing the way Adam clutched his amulet. ¡°...¡± Adam waited for her to continue, so he could throw out his retort. After all, as much as the Hope was a follower of the Goddess of Life, Adam was a follower of the God of Death. ¡°How despicable...¡± Sir James glanced towards Jonn. ¡°You have found a foolish lot to lay your bed beside.¡± ¡°They did not abandon me.¡± ¡°Did we not feed you, house you, teach you? Where else did you find the skill to afford such fine armour and weaponry?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If you have any sense of decency, you will remove your armour and leave it here, as recompense for all we have done for you.¡± Jonn narrowed his eyes. ¡°...¡± ¡®What an absolute...¡¯ Adam thought, before he felt something tickle his mind. ¡°You know, you¡¯re right. You did end up training one of our best workers, so I suppose we should pay you appropriately.¡± Adam held out his hand. ¡°Fred, please hand over Lifeblade.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Fred unstrapped the blade at his side, bringing it to the young half elf. He flushed slightly, his heart beating wildly. ¡®Will he really take it from me?¡¯ ¡°Lifeblade...¡± Adam stared down at it for a moment. ¡®I feel bad taking it from Fred, but...¡¯ ¡°It seems almost like Fate.¡± He held out the hilt towards the Grand Commander. ¡°It¡¯s a Basic Enhanced blade. It holds three charges, and allows one to heal themselves, and upon the dawn, it regains its charges.¡± ¡®What a great blade.¡¯ ¡°You offer it to us as recompense for absconding with one of our members?¡± ¡°No, this is a bonus I¡¯m offering to the order as a form of respect.¡± Adam smiled politely. ¡°Your life, though worth little, is what we¡¯re giving you as recompense for our dear Jonn.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Adam!¡¯ Vonda thought, her eyes glued to the young half elf. The laughter of a hyena filled the air. Jurot clashes with the Grand Commander. What should I call this chapter? I got it! [843] – Y03.143 – Journey to Home VIII [843] ¨C Y03.143 ¨C Journey to Home VIII It was raining that day. The Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts couldn¡¯t help but admire the large walls of the Iyr. The walls of the Iyr were less like walls and more like mountains. ¡®What large walls.'' His eyes scanned across the large incline towards the village at the Front Iyr. He could feel the gazes of unseen figures all around him, but he ignored them. The Iyr would dare not take a swing towards him. The small fence around the Front Iyr was so small, it was almost for show, forming a boundary around the village proper and the rest of the fields all around. Hundreds of children made their way around, some glancing his way, a few making their way over, before their elders shouted for them, and the children darted away. The Vice Commander spotted a few Iyrmen with bronze tags from the Adventurer''s Guild, and he even spotted a figure with a steel tag, but he mostly ignored such tags. Compared to him, a Grandmaster, they were more like ants than Experts. Though, there was another, a handsome Iyrman, a man who would no doubt become a silver fox, with a chiselled jaw, his hair cut so short he wasn''t able to gather the colour, and at his side he wielded a flail. It was the blueish silver tag around his chest which impressed the Vice Commander, revealing his rank as a great warrior. Just like the Vice Commander, the Iyrman was more than likely a Grandmaster. ''The Front Iyr Elder...'' The Vice Commander followed the Elder of the Front Iyr, who led him towards the side, to a small cabin. There were other Iyrmen around, each wearing their savage furs. Some were decent folk like him, but there were others, the wicked devilkin, who swarmed around the area. The boy stood firm and tall as he stared at the Vice Commander, his stance wide, as he had been taught, his fists clenched together beside him. A younger girl stood by his side, holding onto his shirt with a firm grip, the girl¡¯s dark eyes staring up at the heavily armoured Vice Commander. The pair were under a small shelter at the front of the cabin, keeping them dry from the rain. ¡®...¡¯ The Vice Commander could feel more gazes upon him, rather than just the gazes of the children. ¡°If he wishes to come and speak with me, he may step inside,¡± called a tired voice. The Vice Commander stepped within the cabin, noting how small it was, barely enough for the large number of figures within, a half dozen figures about his age or older. A devilkin woman, two older human women, and two human men. The older devilkin woman, who held an unlit pipe in her lap, eyed up the Vice Commander obviously. He ignored her savage glare, bowing his head towards the other older women, one who wore a tattoo of blue and red, and another who wore a tattoo of blue, the same tattoo as the older man, that of a blue circle flanked by blue diamonds. His eyes fell to the older man in the corner, who had aged from grief, his eyes dark and hollow. He held a tiny devilkin within an arm. ¡°Are you the one they once called Mad Dog?¡± the Vice Commander asked. ¡°You are a long way from home, Sir James Greatwood,¡± the Iyrman replied, his lips forming a sly smirk, though his eyes remained dead. ¡°I had heard rumours you died.¡± ¡°Baktu has yet to claim me.¡± ¡°Recent rumours suggest you headed east to Aswadasad...¡± Jarot¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Did you slay Forgryn?¡± Jarot¡¯s eyes flashed with a viciousness the Vice Commander hadn¡¯t expected, but it disappeared after an instant. The old man gently rubbed his thumb along the little boy¡¯s leg. ¡°There were many who slew Forgryn alongside me.¡± The rumours of what the Mad Dog had done had spread like wildfire, though few believed the words until they had been confirmed by those who had returned. Of course he would take an arm from a Vice Commander of the Order of the Black Moon, it¡¯s the Mad Dog. That Mad Dog. ¡®Old and crippled, but you still posses such great strength?¡¯ He clenched his fist together. ¡®Even so, the difference between you and I is that of a wolf and a tiger.¡¯ ¡°The Iyrmen really are insane...¡± Vasera said, her lips forming a wild grin as she rode her steed beside Adam. She had remained silent, since it was a matter of the demons and not the children. ¡°How are you almost as insane as them?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You should have seen...¡± ¡®Wait, wasn¡¯t she there?¡¯ Adam thought back to the Marshal of the East. ¡®That feels like forever ago...¡¯ ¡°Ah, well, it is what it is.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll come?¡± ¡°Definitely, since I¡¯m involved.¡± ¡®He¡¯s insane,¡¯ Cobra thought, her eyes glued to Adam from behind. ¡®Insane!¡¯ Her heart pounded within her chest. ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to be after us, but...¡¯ Fred let out a long sigh. He could feel it. The emptiness at his side. The tingling sensation no longer filled his body. ¡®Did he take it cause I didn¡¯t want to fight the order?¡¯ Fred glanced across the people all around him. The children around him were urchins, those with even less than him. He could hear Remy and Jeremy outside, the pair sometimes inhaling sharply, letting out a ¡°heave¡± or a ¡°ho¡±, keeping their bodies warm and ready. ¡®Warm and ready for... what? Are you going to be fighting the Grand Commander?¡¯ He thought to the warriors around the Grand Commander. They were at least Experts, just like Remy and Jeremy, but the difference was that Remy and Jeremy were porters, whereas they were trained warriors, Guardians, with the ability to call for the divine magic of their oaths. Fred twitched, feeling a hand pat against his, before looking down towards George. The boy let out a reassuring sigh, understanding what it felt like for someone to take something which belonged to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Fred reassured. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you good, even without the magic sword.¡± ¡®I wish the Captain had been at the other fort. Would have been nice to talk with him...¡¯ Jurot remained silent. His hand pulsed, having felt the might of the Grand Commander when they clashed. Though he was still able to fight, and was seemingly fighting the Grand Commander evenly, he had spent all his effort in the fight, while the Grand Commander had yet to use any of his Second Gate spells or greater. ¡®Stronger...¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®I need to grow stronger.¡¯ Within the Iyr, another thought the same way. The older man was pinned down under the pair of his greatchildren, who clutched at his shirt as they sucked their thumbs, sleeping peacefully. Meanwhile, the little red skinned baby scowled towards the trio. ¡®How dare they show me an unsightly visage before I sleep!¡¯ The Mad Dog, tamed not by a dragon, but our adorable children. [844] – Y03.144 – Thoughts of Family I [844] ¨C Y03.144 ¨C Thoughts of Family I Kirot lay on her back, her eyes staring at the open umbrella which blocked out the sun. The shade it provided her cooled her body, but she could still the haze of heat across her skin and scales, causing her to squirm uncomfortably. Sonarot wondered what she should do with the triplets who wanted to remain within the shade. Even Konarot, the eldest and most well behaved of almost every child in the Iyr, wanted to remain within the shade. The little girl held her finger over her lip in thought, her eyes glued to the dragon chess board. Tonagek held his son against his chest as the boy snoozed lightly. He could feel the warmth of his child against his hand. He had brought Danagek because the boy was slightly older, while little Donagek was too young, and would not sit quite as well, or sleep quite as peacefully. Konarot moved a piece forward, her tail swaying behind her as she waited for her granduncle to make his move. ¡°You are learning well, little Kona,¡± Tonagek said. He reached over to brush her hair gently before moving his piece. ¡°One more turn and then we will go to explore the festival, okay?¡± ¡°Five turns?¡± the girl asked. ¡°This is now the fifth turn.¡± Konarot pouted. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°We must keep our word, because we are Iyrmen,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°Daddy dohtur?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl took a long while with her turn, before Kirot and Karot both arrived, watching her make her move. Tonagek took a piece with his next move and the pair stood up. Danagek twitched awake, staring up at his father with confusion, before resting his head against his father¡¯s neck. ¡°Danagek, it is time for the festival,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°Num num?¡± the boy asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The boy smiled, trying to wake up quicker so he could walk beside his father and eat the delicious food. ¡°Pizzah?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The boy smirked wider, before he was let down. He grabbed his father¡¯s shirt for a moment to stabilise himself, before he held his father¡¯s hand and followed him as they went to find food. Konarot¡¯s ears twitched and she sniffed the air, before pointing to a side. ¡°Mamo.¡± The group made their way to the screeching and the delight of the fights. Konarot stood on the other side, alongside her brother and sister, away from the fighting. She allowed Karot to hold their grandmother¡¯s hand, however, since she was the eldest. The cackle and screeching filled the air before it was silence as the girl was handed a cup of water. She looked up and smiled. ¡°Mama!¡± Lanarot sipped her water slowly, before pointing towards the fighting. ¡°Is fighting, mama, is fighting!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sonarot wiped the girl¡¯s face, picking her up. ¡°Has kako fed you?¡± ¡°I eat all the bread, mama,¡± the girl said, inhaling with pride, before returning back to her water. ¡°She behaved well,¡± Citool assured, before Katool popped up from nearby, panting for air. ¡°I do not know. A few years ago, Jaygak would have, but now, who can tell when it comes to that daughter of mine?¡± ¡°Shikan will push it back, since he is aiming to become Chief. Kitool may, she has thoughts of wielding death, and Jurot...¡± ¡°Jurot may marry first. Since his brother has many children, but leaves the Iyr, he may choose to do the same.¡± ¡°What of Adam?¡± ¡°...¡± Jogak raised his brows towards Shikan. ¡°I do not know if Naqokan will manage to take his heart, but perhaps she will.¡± ¡°Their children would have quite the heritage. The child of a Kan, and the child of Adam.¡± ¡°They would be the children of Rot.¡± ¡°Will Naqokan give up her name?¡± ¡°It is more likely.¡± ¡°Are you speaking of chance when it comes to Adam?¡± Shikan smiled, rubbing his daughter¡¯s back gently still. ¡°I should not.¡± Meanwhile, Larot glared at the one armed Iyrman, who had decided to complete a midday workout. The old man was sweating profusely, a puddle of sweat forming beneath him as he pulled himself up towards the bar, before finally dropping after his final set. He almost dropped down onto his knees, but the knowledge his greatson was watching allowed him to drop onto his one good leg properly. The young boy had glanced away, however, just in case he had failed. ¡°Did you see, my boy? If you grow well, you will gain as much strength as your greatfather!¡± ¡®I shudder at the thought of being so weak,¡¯ the boy though, letting out a soft sigh, before looking up towards the sky. He could recall the faint sensation of the wind against him as he flew. ¡®Once I regain my power, you will see how foolish you are.¡¯ ¡°Come, let us go bathe,¡± Jarot said, beginning to strap on his leg, while his greatson waited for the old man¡¯s hand to be free so they could walk to the baths. The festival continued, and as late afternoon fell across the Iyr, the fighting and the music died down, and the Iyrmen met with other families they hadn¡¯t seen in so long. A giant figure approached a particular estate where a particular group of seven children sat. ¡®Should I tease him when he returns?¡¯ the Prince thought. While the Prince thought about teasing Adam, the young half elf let out a long sigh, his heart heavy from missing the festival. The others around him left him be. Sir Landon let out a long sigh at the walls of Red Oak, which were still many miles away. He was glad the situation had been resolved before he stepped forward, and that they hadn¡¯t decided to hunt them after. As much as he wanted to assist Adam, to pick a fight with the Order of the Thousand Hunts, such would have thrown him out of the running for baronhood. His thoughts were distracted by his wife needing to pause the carriage for the umpteenth time that day so she didn¡¯t heave and throw up again. ¡®You never spoke of your travel sickness...¡¯ Landon thought. ¡®Why did you wish to travel all this way?¡¯ However, such a question remained deep within his heart, for he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to speak the word aloud. Sir Landon is turning out to be an entirely irrelevant character. Damn nobles. [845] – Y03.145 – Thoughts of Family II [845] ¨C Y03.145 ¨C Thoughts of Family II Adam caught Jurot¡¯s eyes, noting the expectant eyes within the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s assist the Lord and Lady, and get cleaned up first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Landon remained silent. The group hadn¡¯t come across much on the way to Red Oak even though it was noonval. ¡®This hunt didn¡¯t go as well as I expected...¡¯ He assisted his wife to the inn, an inn for nobles and those of higher class. The knights followed the nobles inside, while Adam and the others watched them step into the inn, which was made almost entirely of red oak. ¡®Damn. I need to get me some red oak...¡¯ ¡°Do you have any ideas for an inn?¡± Adam thought. ¡°There are many which will accept us,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Do you wish for an inn which is considered middle class?¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Dawn¡¯s Rest was made of wood too, though not the famous red oak, but it was large enough that it dwarfed any other building nearby. It was almost it¡¯s own little district with how large it was, with a large walled garden, rooms a plenty, and even their own guards which patrolled around the inn. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we only take particular-,¡± the guard began, before noting the appearance of the Hope and Rays. The guard, a man in his forties or so who wore breastplate over chain, fell silent, his face contorting with confusion. Hope Willow smiled towards the guard. ¡°I¡¯ll call for an attendant to assist you,¡± the guard said, unsure of what was happening. In the back of his mind he wondered if perhaps this person wasn¡¯t actually a Hope, but the consequences of someone taking the guise of a Hope and their Rays were too grave for any random person willing to do so, not just from the government, but from the divine order, and perhaps even the Divine themselves.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com The guard watched as the attendant quickly escorted them away, the young woman eagerly serving the group, who were made up of members of various orders and Iyrmen. ¡®If they¡¯re willing to walk around pretending they¡¯re Iyrmen and Hopes and Rays, then there¡¯s no need for us to get ourselves killed...¡¯ ¡°Mister Adam,¡± Remy called. ¡°We¡¯d love to stay in a place like this, but we¡¯re finally home.¡± ¡°Ah, right. We¡¯re about to complete our task, and once it¡¯s done, then you can head home. We¡¯ll stay here for a few days, and you can stay with your families for that time, and you should inform them that the business will probably be escorting them to the business...¡± Adam paused. ¡°I mean, once it¡¯s confirmed that the shelter of the business... the buildings, are made, we¡¯ll send figures from the business to escort them there.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do just that,¡± Remy said, fairly certain he understood what Adam was saying. ¡®Damn, this journey really has taken a lot out of me.¡¯ The inn was vast within, dozens of tables scattered all around the garden, each filled with merchants and others. They all speaking between one another about various matters, some completing their business with a client, others being wooed by potential clients. However, as the Hope and Rays stepped within, the discussions fell silent as the figures noticed the newcomers, and recognised them for who they were. Their eyes fell across the Iyrmen and the Hope and Rays, utter bewilderment filling the group, and soon the rumours grew, and were to be spread with a swiftness only matched by the words of Iyrmen. ¡®This is a lot of attention,¡¯ Adam thought, noting the gazes falling upon his group. ¡®This might end up dangerous.¡¯ ¡®Good,¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®Look at us and wonder.¡¯ ¡®How much?¡¯ Adam thought, his ears twitching at the price. He had expected roughly a hundred or so gold, but then he recalled that was the typical going rate of a mediocre inn. ¡®I didn¡¯t realise inns could be so expensive...¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this much,¡± Vasera said, grinning wide. ¡°We should work for you more often.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re able to afford a night there then you should be able to afford our bread.¡± ¡°Speaking of your bread, we¡¯ve had so much trouble on the road. I¡¯d like to buy as much as I can with this.¡± Adam placed down a gem for ten gold. ¡°How much trouble have you had that you¡¯re willing to spend this much?¡± ¡°We ended up getting into trouble with the Marshal of the East, the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, and the Order of the Thousand Hunts.¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Jurot here got to clash with the Marshal of the East, Lord Benjamin¡¯s his name, I think. Gravesea? Right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, crossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten into trouble with the Order of Life¡¯s Rose?¡± ¡°Not that much,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It was a misunderstanding. They¡¯ve sent a Hope and some Rays with us.¡± Pam raised her brow towards the half elf, her eyes full of doubt. ¡°Adam speaks the truth,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh?¡± Pam raised her brows, surprised by Jurot¡¯s words. She, like many within Red Oak, knew the Iyrman¡¯s reputation when it came to truth. ¡°Even Manager Vonda¡¯s become a Ray now,¡± Adam said, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°It¡¯s so hard creating gold with these hands of mine.¡± Adam shook, doing his best not to laugh. ¡°...¡± ¡°That would have killed back in the Greylands Anyway, Jurot here, he¡¯s really hungry. He fought against both the Marshal of the East and the Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts.¡± Pam¡¯s brows raised even further. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°I clashed with them,¡± Jurot confirmed, puffing out his chest slightly. ¡°I fought them with Phantom.¡± ¡°How did that come to pass?¡± Adam smiled, allowing Jurot to speak the tale as he picked up the bread and stepped out, offering it to the others. He threw a look to Lucy, and the pair stood near the door, eating their bread from beside the door. ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ the Marshal thought, watching the pair as they closed their eyes and ate their bread. Each of the farmers carried small half sacks of bread, but waited outside, glancing between one another, allowing their Executive to fill his stomach and his heart. ¡®Jurot, don¡¯t talk about how your arm felt, damn it, show off about the fight!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s right, you should tell her all about how big your delicious arms are,¡¯ Lucy thought, the stress of the year falling away from her body. ¡°King Merryweather is stronger,¡± Jurot assured to the baker, who had all but forgotten that Jurot had fought the previous King¡¯s Sword. ¡®Is he aiming to become the Chief?¡¯ Pam thought, considering all she knew about the young Iyrman. Jurot, not like this. [846] – Y03.146 – Thoughts of Family III [846] ¨C Y03.146 ¨C Thoughts of Family III ¡°Nano!¡± Jirot shouted, removing her thumb from her mouth as she squealed with joy. Gangak held out her arms and the tiny girl squirmed out of her greatfather¡¯s arms, the tiny girl still giggling and squealing so eagerly as she climbed into her nano¡¯s arms, before she offered the same to the younger sibling who followed after his sister. ¡°Nano, you are here,¡± Jirot said, wrapping her arms around the woman¡¯s head, her saliva brushing off the older Iyrman¡¯s neck. ¡°Nano...¡± Little Jarot cuddled up to her bosom, sucking his thumb shyly as he looked up at her. ¡°My greatchildren, did you miss me?¡± the older woman asked, peppering the children with kisses. ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied, leaning in to kiss the woman¡¯s cheek, her brother doing the same on her other cheek. Gangak smiled, settling beside the older one armed Jarot, pulling them closer to her chest. ¡°Are you enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°I eat the pizza, nano,¡± the girl said. ¡°I drinking the mik, I eat the pizza, I seep.¡± ¡°They are fighting, nano,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°Who is fighting?¡± ¡°Mmm, all the big.¡± The boy pointed away. ¡°Yes.¡± Gangak smiled wider. ¡°We Iyrmen like to fight, and sometimes we fight for the show. Did you enjoy the fighting?¡± The boy shook his head lightly, pouting. Gangak laughed. ¡°Do not worry, little Jarot. We fight so you are safe.¡± ¡°Daddy is fighting?¡± ¡°Your father fights to keep you safe too.¡± Little Jarot smiled shyly once more, before returning back to suck his thumb. ¡°Daddy is smelly boy,¡± Jirot said, her face in shock from her words, expecting her nano to reprimand her. ¡°Your father is not a smelly boy,¡± Gangak said, brushing the girls curly hair. ¡°Is your nano smelly?¡±...¡± The girl thought for a moment. ¡°Sometimes you smell like fire.¡± ¡°I do not smell like fire any more, do I?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, shaking her head. ¡°You smell like nano.¡± Gangak smiled. ¡°What do I smell like?¡± their greatfather asked. ¡°Babo smell like babo,¡± the girl replied, her brother nodding his head. ¡°Babo smell like babo,¡± Konarot confirmed from nearby, bringing a small bowl of fruit for her greatfather and greataunt. ¡°Hmmm...¡± Gangak reached down to pet the girl¡¯s head gently. ¡°You have such great manners. You have too many greatchildren, you should surrender some to me.¡± ¡°You cannot steal my greatchildren away from me,¡± Jarot growled in response. ¡°Jirot, do you want to be Jigak?¡± ¡°I not Jigak, I am Jiwoh,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Mamo Jaygak is Jaygak, not Jaywoh.¡± ¡°Do you miss your mamo?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied with a smirk. ¡°It was a bad joke.¡± Jurot nodded his head. Pam furrowed her brows, before realising what he meant. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say nothing like that to an Iyrman.¡± ¡°You may speak freely.¡± ¡®Damn it, Jurot! You were doing so well!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Do I need to step in.¡¯ ¡°Coming to blows with figures like that, it must have been like a dream come true for you as an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, the shadow of a smile forming on his face. ¡°It is fun to clash with great figures.¡± ¡°You Iyrmen are always like that, enjoying your fights.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot puffed out his chest further. The bell rung as Adam stepped into the bakery, having allowed the farmers and porters to leave with the extra bread for their families. ¡°Let¡¯s grab a few more buns and head out. Jam buns, if it¡¯s not an issue.¡± ¡°No issue at all, not with the gem you paid with.¡± ¡°Good, good...¡± Adam smiled, patting his brother¡¯s back. ¡°Jurot here, he¡¯s quite capable you know.¡± ¡°I noticed. You¡¯re both quite capable, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m useless in comparison to my brother here,¡± Adam said. ¡°He probably hasn¡¯t mentioned all the times he¡¯s kept me alive. Jurot here, he¡¯s got the smarts to keep me out of trouble, and the wisdom to step in whenever I go too far.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making it sound like you¡¯re some kind of nightmare.¡± ¡°A nightmare isn¡¯t far enough,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Still, I¡¯m a nightmare my brother can handle. Speaking of, did he tell you about why he fought with the Marshal of the East?¡± ¡°He mentioned there was an issue with the business and some nobles?¡± ¡°The Marquise of East Port was eyeing up some of our workers, and she wanted to take them from us.¡± ¡°The Marquise?¡± Pam asked. She tried to recall the ranking of the nobles. She knew that the royalty of the Kings, Queens, Dukes, and Duchesses were at the top, and at the bottom were knights, who were barely noblefolk, and then Barons and Counts. ¡°We were travelling around with Sister Vonda, this was before she was a Ray, and the Marshal wanted to kill me for protecting the kids. Jurot here, he didn¡¯t want that to happen, so he stepped forward to protect me. He¡¯s the best brother ever.¡± ¡°I am a great brother,¡± Jurot confirmed, feeling his cheeks and ears begin to burn slightly with embarrassment. ¡°Jurot¡¯s willing to clash with the Marshal of the East for someone like his family...¡± Adam smiled politely. ¡°Speaking of family, I¡¯ve got so many kids, but his grandfather keeps telling him to find someone nice. Isn¡¯t a shame that this handsome fellow, with these large muscles, is going around fighting so much, but not thinking of his parents?¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a filial duty to get married, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve to worry, since Iyrmen will marry when they get married,¡± Pam replied. ¡°Right, but uh, don¡¯t you think, you know, he¡¯s a great guy?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows expectantly towards Pam. ¡°I think so. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll have any trouble finding anyone, as long as they¡¯re not spooked by the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Yeah, it is awkward since so many people are so scared of Iyrmen...¡± Adam paused. ¡®How obvious do I want to make it?¡¯ ¡°It is good we are feared,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Aldish should not forget why they fear the Iyr.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam glanced towards his brother. ¡®Bro. Come on.¡¯ Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, Pam, uh...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Pam smiled politely. Adam looked towards his brother, who felt his gaze and glanced his way. Adam raised his brows, motioning his head towards Pam. ¡°What?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°What do you mean, what?¡± Adam asked, before switching to their tongue. ¡°Ask her out.¡± ¡°Ask...¡± Jurot replied in their tongue before pausing. ¡®What?¡¯ What? [847] – Y03.147 – Thoughts of Family IV [847] ¨C Y03.147 ¨C Thoughts of Family IV Pam¡¯s eyes darted between the pair of brothers, each towering over her. One was heavily armoured, his muscles hidden behind his armour, but from what she knew of the young man, he was ridiculously strong. The other was unarmoured, and though he was lean, there were certain times when she could glimpse the great strength his muscles possessed, especially when she glanced towards his thick neck and broad shoulders. Jurot¡¯s ears turned red hot as he swallowed, accentuating his wide neck for a moment, before he glanced aside. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tease your brother so much,¡± Pam said, her hands swiftly working the bread. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Pam narrowed her eyes towards Adam. ¡°Just because his grandfather is in a rush to have grandchildren, he shouldn¡¯t be looking at any old baker.¡± Adam flushed slightly, though his lips formed a smirk. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a baker?¡± ¡°For someone like the two of you, wouldn¡¯t you want to marry someone better?¡± ¡°Better in what way?¡± ¡°Better. I¡¯m just a baker. I wake up in the morning and I bake bread and pastries. We make enough coin to do the same the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. That kind of life, it¡¯s no good for an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Would you want to remain here as a baker once you¡¯re married?¡± ¡°Baking¡¯s all I know. I¡¯m going to stay here and bake, just like my mother and my father, and their mother and father, and their mother and father...¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like he¡¯d ask you to stop baking. We¡¯ve made a business, the one with the enchanter, and we are looking for a baker.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a baker, then I¡¯m interested. If you¡¯re looking for anything more, you¡¯ll have to look elsewhere.¡± ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no pressure,¡± Adam replied, flashing her a smile. ¡°As much as my brother has a huge crush on you, I¡¯m not one who is going to force someone to marry someone they don¡¯t want to. Nobby, the other big guy, the one that won the tournament, he¡¯s meant to be marrying the Chief of the village beside the Iyr, well, her granddaughter, the future Chief?¡± Pam stared at Adam as the young half elf tried to recall the relationship. ¡°I think she¡¯s meant to be the future Chief... anyway, they promised to marry if Nobby became an Expert, but if they don¡¯t want to, they don¡¯t want to, and I¡¯m not going to force the issue. Nobby¡¯ll find plenty of pretty women who will want for him, considering he¡¯s being taught by my brother here.¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s back. ¡°Still, we are really looking for a baker for our business.¡± Pam glanced between the pair suspiciously. ¡°Are you wanting me to leave this place to join the business?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How will I know you won¡¯t force me to do anything else.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, you don¡¯t want to,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°The business is partly to make and spend gold. We¡¯ve got quite a few farmers and porters who we¡¯ve made into Experts that want to join, even though the pay isn¡¯t as good as what others pay.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the pay?¡± ¡°The minimum is ten gold a month, and...¡± Adam paused. ¡°We¡¯re still figuring out the pay scale for the rest of us.¡± ¡°How much are you getting paid?¡± Pam asked, not entirely impressed by ten gold a month, but it wasn¡¯t that far off for most people. ¡°Baking is a trade too, so that¡¯s fine.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If they have aptitude for magic, we can teach them to be Wizards or Priests or Guardians.¡± ¡°What?¡± Pam¡¯s eyes darted to the young half elf, her thoughts having gone from the potential to marry the Iyrman and living her life as an Iyrwife, to the utter shock of hearing Adam¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re going to be training children to become... or do you mean if I marry into the Iyr?¡± ¡°If you join the business and your children have aptitude for magic, we¡¯ll teach them magic. If you marry into the Iyr, my brother specifically, if doesn¡¯t matter if they have aptitude or not, we¡¯ll teach them whatever they want.¡± Another figure cleared his throat, emerging from the back. He was a tall man, thickly built as though he had ate bread all his life, with large forearms. He was clean shaven, with a bandanna over his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to intrude, but I heard you teasing my daughter,¡± Bam said, glancing between the pair. ¡°I heard about your business, and though I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not interested, I hope you¡¯ll keep the discussion professional. It¡¯s not good to mix family business and professional business together.¡± ¡°How does the offer sound to you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not tempted...¡± Bam¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot. ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, standing taller. ¡°Who?¡± Pam asked. ¡®I was wondering why his name sounded so familiar...¡¯ Bam thought. ¡®Mad Dog...¡¯ ¡°Who?¡± Pam asked once more, this time jabbing her father in the side with her elbow. ¡°Mad Dog was an Iyrman who made a name in the north and the surrounding lands,¡± Bam informed. ¡°Pa always spoke of him like a ghost, sending me to bed, telling me the Mad Dog would come after me if I didn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°He killed more nobles than I can count.¡± ¡®You¡¯re not that good at counting,¡¯ Pam thought, though she decided not to say it. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, smirking slightly. ¡°Old Joe, Little Joe¡¯s grandfather, he came across Mad Dog back when he was adventuring. Said he never knew Iyrmen were so dangerous.¡± ¡°Old Joe?¡± Pam asked. She had met him a few times, though she was more familiar with Little Joe. ¡°Mad Dog¡¯s the one that forced him to retire.¡± ¡°I thought he said it was some kid?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Bam said, recalling all the tales he heard about Jarot, his eyes focused on Jurot. ¡°Jarot The Kid.¡± ¡°...¡± Pam turned to face Jurot, whose lips had formed a proud smile, the most obvious smile the Iyrman had ever revealed. ¡®...¡¯ Love is heavy, but damn, gold is pretty heavy too. [848] – Y03.148 – Thoughts of Family V [848] ¨C Y03.148 ¨C Thoughts of Family V ¡°If I had known you were the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson, I would have insisted you didn¡¯t pay for our bread,¡± Bam said, feeling his daughter step on his foot, gently pressing against it. ¡°How are we going to feed ourselves if we give away our bread for free?¡± Pam asked, before noting the look on her father¡¯s face. She glanced towards Jurot who continued to stand with pride, while Adam seemed more annoyed. ¡®That old man keeps plaguing me, but maybe we can use him to...¡¯ Adam also noticed the look on Bam¡¯s face. ¡°Even if Jurot is the old man¡¯s grandson, they¡¯re quite different. Jurot here doesn¡¯t go around fighting...¡± ¡®No, that¡¯s not right. I can¡¯t really say that when he fought both the Grand Commander and the Marshal of the East.¡¯ ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like he goes around killing no-,¡± Adam inhaled deeply, glancing aside as images of Jurot cleaving nobles from the other world filled his mind. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°Are you threatening us?¡± Pam asked, crossing her arms. ¡°No,¡± the pair replied quickly. ¡°You¡¯re not a noble,¡± Adam added. Pam and Bam raised their brows in alarm towards the half elf. ¡°I mean, you know, I mean...¡± Adam looked to Jurot for support. ¡°Adam does not enjoy killing, except for nobles who cause him trouble.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t killed any noble of this land.¡± ¡°Have you killed nobles of other lands?¡± ¡°I definitely have not killed nobles in this land or the surrounding lands.¡± ¡°Have you really killed nobles?¡± Pam asked, her entire body cold from the shock of Adam¡¯s audacity. The only people who killed nobles were Iyrmen and the insane. Adam reached over to his amulet, brushing along it gently. ¡°I have assisted in sending nobles to Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anyway, I can guarantee nothing like that¡¯s happening here.¡± Adam waved his hand to dismiss the thoughts. ¡°My brother has a crush on you and I just wanted to help him in his romance, especially since his grandfather has been asking for more grandchildren. I¡¯ve already given him six, but I can¡¯t be the only one giving him children, you know?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°All I¡¯m asking is, if you don¡¯t dislike him, why don¡¯t you both... you know... just... go on a walk,¡± Adam said, feeling the awkwardness filling him. The bell rung behind them. ¡°Must be a special day if there¡¯s such a big crowd outside,¡± the newcomer said, a heavily armoured man with an amulet around his neck. He had dark hair and dark eyes, just like his companion. ¡°The bread must be that good,¡± the woman replied, equally as heavily armoured and armed. Just like her companion, she carried a blade with the handle wrapped in red leather at her side. She glanced towards the Iyrman and the half elf, sizing them up with her curious eyes. An awkward silence filled the air. ¡°What would you like?¡± Pam asked. ¡°We¡¯ll let the Iyrmen order first,¡± the man said, before noting the lack of a tattoo on Adam¡¯s forehead. ¡®Why¡¯s he wearing a scarf?¡¯ ¡°We have already ordered, and my brother is not an Iyrman,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°How is it that a young man like you have come to wear the Iyr¡¯s purple steel?¡± ¡°Luck.¡± ¡°Luck?¡± The man narrowed his eyes at Adam, wondering why he was being so coy. ¡°Young man, did you fight in the tournament last year?¡± the woman asked, her voice full of curiosity. ¡°I did,¡± Adam replied. ¡°My brother here managed to place first, and I placed third.¡± ¡°First?¡± the man asked. ¡°So are you Jurot the Savage?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, standing taller. The Vice Commander glared at Adam. ¡°Are you trying to force yourself upon the-,¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, his eyes darkening. ¡°The last time someone accused me of that, they ended up getting scolded by the Vice Master.¡± ¡°The Vice Master?¡± ¡°Vice Master Paul, of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± ¡°Do you believe the Guild¡¯s authority will save you from us?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Wait, hold on. I realised how that sounded. What I mean is, we ended up saving a group, and they accused us of doing something bad. It ended up with my name being cleared thanks to the Guild and their spell which forced out the truth. All I was asking was that the young baker consider going out with my brother since he has a crush on her.¡± ¡°You, a heavily armoured Steel Rank adventurer were merely asking that the young baker go out with the grandson of Mad Dog?¡± the woman asked, her eyes still glaring at the young half elf. ¡°...¡± Adam flushed red. ¡°Okay, I realise how that looks. Uh, I¡¯m sorry. I forgot that I was wearing my heavy armour and that I was carrying an axe. I didn¡¯t mean to threaten you or anything.¡± ¡°My brother speaks the truth,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We did not intend to threaten anyone.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t intend it, it does not mean you did not.¡± ¡°I am an Iyrman, most are threatened by my presence.¡± ¡°You should take extra care in the way you behave because of it.¡± ¡°I cannot stop their feelings,¡± Jurot replied simply. The bell rung once more as another heavily armoured figure stepped inside. The Vice Commander glanced back. ¡°Marshal.¡± ¡°Vice Commander,¡± the Marshal replied, before he glanced towards Adam and Jurot. ¡°I heard there was a misunderstanding.¡± Adam exhaled, reaching up to rub his forehead. ¡°Yeah, of course there is. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°You know one another?¡± the Vice Commander asked. ¡°I am escorting Adam to keep him out of trouble.¡± ¡°What kind of trouble does he bring for you to escort him like this?¡± ¡°His words often bring him to trouble.¡± ¡°I have noticed.¡± The Marshal merely bowed his head. ¡°I believe it is time that you leave, Executive Adam.¡± Adam rubbed his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m sorry again, Pam. I didn¡¯t mean to appear threatening or anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you were threatening me,¡± the young woman replied. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll consider my words. My brother, Jurot, he really does like you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said, but he hasn¡¯t.¡± Adam raised his brows towards his brother. ¡°...¡± Jurot could feel the gazes upon him, the three order members and the Marshal. ¡°My brother speaks the truth.¡± ¡°What truth is that?¡± Pam asked. ¡°...¡± Adam whispered in their tongue. ¡°You can fight the Grand Commander, but you can¡¯t say you like her?¡± Jurot¡¯s ears turned red hot. He inhaled deeply and spoke up in the Aldish tongue. ¡°I understand why you are so afraid of Ray Vonda.¡± It seems Jurot does know how to fight with his words. [849] – Y03.149 – Thoughts of Family VI [849] ¨C Y03.149 ¨C Thoughts of Family VI Adam remained in the corner, sighing to himself. Sitting opposite him was Lucy, sighing equally as exhaustedly. ¡®I really should be more careful with the way things look.¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t believe I had to miss it...¡¯ It was in that evening Adam decided to head to bed early. He lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling above him. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing Jurot is so handsome. I wonder how their date is going.¡¯ ¡°Where is Adam?¡± Jurot asked upon his return, noting the expectant eyes of the other Iyrmen all around him. ¡°He went to sleep,¡± Jaygak replied, a small smile appearing on her face. ¡°I will sleep too,¡± Jurot said, his ears turning red as he stepped towards the stairs. He stopped, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ a worker thought, their eyes glued to the Iyrmen, who had surrounded one of their companions. ¡°Before you sleep, you should inform us how it went...¡± Nirot said, placing a hand on her cousin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°...¡± Jurot glanced around, noting the eyes of the other patrons who were keeping an eye on him. He realised he couldn¡¯t make a mess here, not when Adam had taken such a hit in the heart for how much gold he had lost. ¡°It went well.¡± ¡°You must tell us the details...¡± Jurot exhaled. Omen: 4, 9 ¡°Hey, is it alright if I take the meteorite?¡± Adam asked during breakfast, causing Lucy to glare at him. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, and the others nodded their heads. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to ask?¡¯ Lucy thought, staring at Adam. ¡°Great,¡± Adam replied, before finishing his meal. They all watched as Adam left without asking. ¡°...¡± ¡°Thanks for coming with me, Dunes,¡± Adam said, letting out another sigh. ¡°It¡¯s no problem,¡± the priest replied, patting Adam¡¯s back. ¡°Why are you sighing so much.¡± ¡°Dunes...¡± Adam glanced up towards the sky. ¡°Do you think Larot knows how to crawl now?¡± ¡°I am sure.¡± ¡°He must look so cute in his little outfit...¡± Dunes could feel the lightness in Adam¡¯s tone, unsure if Adam was really worried about his children at the moment. ¡®He must miss them, but he¡¯s sighing too much for that.¡¯ Adam made his way to the Adventure¡¯s Guild, but instead of heading to the guild itself, he made his way to the nearby smithy. It was made of stone, as one would expect, but it was far smoother than any other building he had seen in the town so far. The rhythmic pounding of the hammer filled the air, warm and soothing. Adam knocked on the thick red oak door. ¡°Master Thundersmith.¡± The rhythmic pounding continued for a few more moments before it fell silent. The heavy patter of foot falls approached the thick red oak door, before it opened up to reveal a short, stout fellow. He was wider than the average man, but far shorter. His beard fell down to his gut, braided at the sides. He had tan skin, and black hair, which was curled down towards his back, being kept tame by a metal ring at the back of his skull. He wore dark overalls, and carried in his hand his hammer. It was silver, with bits of green metal woven through it. His grey eyes glared at Adam for a moment. ¡°Good morning.¡± ¡°What kinda dwarf do yah take me for? It ain¡¯t a blade ahm sellin¡¯, but a gift.¡± ¡°Thank you kindly, master dwarf,¡± Adam said, bowing his head towards the dwarf once more, doing his respect to remain respectful. ¡°Can¡¯t believe I managed to get what I needed even after being refused...¡± ¡°Can¡¯t have yah tellin¡¯ others that we Thundersmiths dunnae pay our debts.¡± ¡°I would never,¡± Adam replied. ¡®I¡¯m not so stupid that I¡¯d pick a fight with a dwarf.¡¯ ¡°Now that yer done here, yah can leave. May the Salt Mother watch over yah.¡± ¡°You as well, Master Thundersmith.¡± The dwarf returned back to his forge, leaving Adam to admire the heavy dwarven blade. It was made, seemingly, of bronze, though Adam could see there was a faint green tint to it. ¡°Dwarf Bronze,¡± Dunes said, whistling lightly. ¡°Dwarf Bronze?¡± ¡°A metal that only the dwarves can forge, or so they say. It¡¯s not like the bronze of old. It¡¯s definitely of true dwarven make too. Even without enchanting, it is considered to be greater than Basic weapons. Not on par with Greater weapons, though, since it isn¡¯t magical.¡± ¡°So it holds similar properties to Greater weapons, except it¡¯s nonmagical?¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t say dwarves don¡¯t pay back their debts. This weapon would sell for thousands in Aswadasad.¡± Adam glanced down at it, feeling the smooth handle. It was a wood unlike any other he had seen before, almost golden in colour. The pommel was a thick block of metal, as rigid and the blade itself, and also seemed to be made of Dwarf Bronze. Though it was slightly heavier than the blades he was used to, Adam couldn¡¯t help but admire the weapon. ¡°It¡¯s definitely better than anything I¡¯d ever made.¡± ¡°It should be, it¡¯s a gift from a dwarf,¡± Dunes said, chuckling. ¡°Did you forget you helped his niece?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t forget, I just didn¡¯t think about it,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. Dunes chuckled. ¡°Did you want a dwarven made weapon?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°An axe?¡± ¡°No, I was looking for a sword,¡± Adam said, swiping the air with the blade. ¡°Swords are romantic, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Is it a gift for the Ray?¡± Dunes teased. ¡°Now that we¡¯re done here, I don¡¯t really have many plans today,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Should we head back to the inn?¡± ¡°Shall we buy gifts for your children?¡± ¡°How wise you are, Manager Dunes.¡± The pair explored Red Oak for a while, going from stall to stall, talking about nothing in specific. It was in the late afternoon when they finally returned back to the inn. ¡°Pregnant?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows in surprise. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Sir Landon wishes to remain in Red Oak, and will wait for the Hope and the Rays.¡± ¡°Well, congratulations to them!¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I hope the Lady is well. We should probably get them something as a gift.¡± ¡°We?¡± ¡°The business.¡± Jaygak blinked. ¡®Is he trying to form a relationship with the noble? It¡¯s not a bad idea, since Sir Landon is much weaker than the Duchess, but holds great power as a minor noble. Does he want to push Sir Landon into becoming a Baron?¡¯ ¡®I hope the Lady remains healthy during the travels,¡¯ Adam thought, hoping the pregnancy would go well. ¡®Hey, you better not mess with other people¡¯s kids.¡¯ Adam¡¯s thoughts shot out to the world, daring to threaten the Divine, especially one in particular. When I saw the word pregnant I almost did a spit take. [850] – Y03.150 – Homeward [850] ¨C Y03.150 ¨C Homeward ¡®That should be good enough,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Kitool¡¯s an Executive, and Vonda is a Ray, so that¡¯s enough respect from our end. They¡¯d better understand we¡¯re being nice by offering them such fine stuff.¡¯ Adam was still uncertain if the items they had sent over were considered decent, but after stressing about it for a short while, which was already too long to stress about nobles, he let out a soft sigh, allowing the stress to escape him. ¡®No need to worry about nobles.¡¯ He was glad they had moved from the expensive inn to another inn, one which was still fine enough for the children and the others, but also didn¡¯t lighten the pouch too much. Jurot stepped into the inn, noting the glances towards him, before he approached Adam. ¡°What time do you call this?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been worried sick.¡± ¡°It is early evening,¡± Jurot replied, sitting opposite his brother. ¡°Where were you?¡± Adam asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously. ¡°I walked with Pam.¡± ¡°You just walked?¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°What a gentleman.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°You have a new sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, placing the sword onto the table. ¡°It¡¯s dwarven made.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Did Thundersmith gift it to you?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You had not received a reward from him.¡± ¡°It has been a few years...¡± Adam thought. ¡®Four years now?¡¯ Jurot eyed up the wood, feeling how smooth it was to the touch. ¡°It is good wood. The woodwork is dwarven too.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise he was so good at woodworking.¡± ¡°It was not Thundersmith. This work was done by a dwarf who is a master at woodworking.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°I cannot sense any imperfections. Thundersmith¡¯s abilities with wood are similar to my own, but this is greater.¡± ¡°High praise.¡± Jurot nodded, his eyes taking in the sight of the sword¡¯s colour, before holding out the blade, feeling how heavy it was. ¡°Will you use a sword?¡± ¡°How can you tease me like this?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t I your brother? I should use a sword and shield.¡± ¡°Axe and shield?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I meant,¡± Adam replied, his lips working quicker than his mind. ¡°Even if swords are more romantic.¡± ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Adam exchanged a glance towards Jurot, who nodded, and Jaygak and Kitool stepped beside Lucy and Mara. ¡°Do you intend to protect the demons?¡± the Vice Commander asked the Hope. Hope Willow fell silent for a long moment. She inhaled deeply. ¡°Your Grand Commander tried to deal with the situation. He failed.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The Vice Commander narrowed his eyes towards the Hope. He had received word of demons passing through and that he should do his best to deal with the situation. ¡®What do you expect me to do against a Hope?¡¯ ¡°What if I press the issue?¡± ¡°I have no doubt that you could press the issue, but you have other matters you should prioritise,¡± the Hope replied. ¡°The land has only begun recovering from the death which was wrought by the civil war. Let us wait to heal before you must draw your blade again.¡± ¡°They are demons, Hope.¡± ¡°They are within the care of a Ray.¡± ¡®Grand Commander...¡¯ ¡®Damn, having a Hope accompany us is like having a cheat code,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Iyrmen, Hope, Rays, and even members of Black Mountain...¡¯ Adam decided against summoning a tower that evening, not wanting to give the soldiers or the order any reason to pick a fight. Adam also spotted a road currently being dug out towards the south west. ¡°They are creating another outpost to the south,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They will create this one first and prepare to create the southern outpost a day¡¯s journey south.¡± ¡°Why are they making another outpost to the south?¡± Jurot glanced around. He switched to their tongue as he spoke. ¡°It is where the Tribesfolk we met make their home.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡®They must have found out about them, eh? That sucks for the Tribesfolk. I hope they¡¯ll be fine.¡¯ It was the next day when they approached the village, noting another one hundred soldiers within the village. Adam left the Hope to deal with them, keeping to himself. ¡®Almost...¡¯ Lucy and Mara also kept a low profile, with Kitool and Jaygak remaining beside them. ¡®Another outpost?¡¯ Jurot thought. He made a mental map of the area, realising there were going to be three forts so close to the border of the Iyr. ¡°I heard the soldiers say they¡¯re making a few forts all about,¡± a villager said, having sold off some grain wine to the Iyrmen. ¡°One north of the next village over, one north of ours, and apparently one south of Eagle Wing too. They say they¡¯re making a few more along the road of from the towns, like those near Hill Grave.¡± ¡®So many forts?¡¯ Jurot thought. It would mean just a few days away from the Iyr, there were at least five forts, something which hadn¡¯t been seen in generations. ¡®Is he planning to tame the land of Tribesfolk? Or...¡¯ The only Tribesfolk near the Iyr were those far to the north, those a few days south from them, and those to the east, deep within the forest, towards Deadwood. However, the amount of forts the King had begun to build... ¡®You will need more than five forts for the Iyr,¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡®I thought the King was meant to be a military genius?¡¯ Only five? [851] – Y03.151 – Fort I [851] ¨C Y03.151 ¨C Fort I The fort loomed over the nearby villages. The thick stone walls were easily an Adam and a half tall, with several watch towers on each side, with the large river also providing the walls protection on each side. Compared to the newly made forts they had come across, which were made to house soldiers who defend the land, and to assist in defending the land, this fort was made to impose upon the land. ¡®Holy,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes glued to the fort, his heart pounding within his chest with excitement. ¡®Now that¡¯s a fort.¡¯ However, Adam was certain the Iyrmen within the village were no doubt far greater in keeping the land safe than the fort. ¡°It is our honour to meet you, Fourth Hope Willow,¡± the Iyrman said. He was tall, handsome, and his forehead was tattooed with a blue circle flanked by diamonds. His eyes and hair were dark like his nephews, his hair falling down a little past his shoulders. ¡°I am Fakrot.¡± ¡°It is our pleasure to make your acquaintance,¡± Hope Willow replied. ¡°Are you Jurot¡¯s father?¡± ¡°I am his uncle.¡± Hope Willow bowed her head. The curiosity got the best of her. ¡°Are you one of Jarot¡¯s children?¡± ¡°No,¡± Fakrot replied, almost smirking. ¡°My father was uncle¡¯s younger brother.¡± ¡°I am sorry to hear of your loss.¡± ¡°Your thoughts bring us great comfort,¡± Fakrot replied, bowing his head lightly, before his eyes passed to the other figure he thought best to greet. ¡°It is also our honour to meet with Marshal Black.¡± ¡°The honour is mine,¡± the Marshal replied. ¡°Your stories are well known within the Iyr.¡± ¡°I noticed. I have heard my tales more from the lips of Iyrmen than my own.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the fort once more, taking in the sight of the imposing walls. ¡®Trust the Iyrmen to make a proper fort.¡¯ ¡°I will lead you into the fort,¡± Fakrot said, leading his nephews¡¯ group towards the newly formed bridge further along the river. The bridge approached the south of the fort, over the large river formed by the mercy of the Iyrmen. ¡®...¡¯ Fourth Hope Willow followed the group, as she had promised to escort them to the business. The large gate towered over the group, the heavy, thick, wooden doors opened by a crank within the inside of the fort, revealing the large dirt path heading to the next gate within the fort, which allowed the wagons to travel easily. On either side were two fields, each already tilled and worked, outlined by the fruit trees, up until the dirt road which crossed from side to side in the centre of the first section of the fort. The wooden buildings ahead were large, three stories tall. They were rectangles, with large open archways in the centre of each side for the pathways within, with an inner courtyard reminiscent of those of the Iyr¡¯s estates. ¡°The farms here will supplement the farming upon the land across the river,¡± Fakrot explained. Adam spotted the Iyrmen who had remained within the fort, currently relaxing after a long day of work within the buildings. They passed through the second gate within the fort to reveal another section equally as large, with more buildings on either side of them as they stepped through the gate, with the large pathway heading forward to an open area, a set of rectangular buildings made of stone, and another gate. Fakrot motioned his head to the gate further ahead. ¡°The last area is a smaller, private area, for the Managers and Executives.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Adam said, noting the estates around him were empty. ¡°I guess this is where you guys are going to stay.¡± ¡°If your business expands, we will build a village across the river,¡± Fakrot said, motioning his head towards the Iyr¡¯s land. ¡°I can¡¯t help but wonder what I¡¯d do without the Iyr,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Thanks for your help. We¡¯ll be sure to pay the Iyr appropriately.¡± ¡°Is he your father?¡± Cobra asked, eyeing up the handsome fellow. ¡°He is my uncle, Fakrot.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam vaguely recognised the pair from his time at the Gak and Ool estates. ¡®I really need to work on my ability to remember names.¡¯ Vasera grinned wide as she eyed up the Iyrmen who approached. She noted the tags on their persons, most at least Bronze Rank, though some held Steel Rank tokens, while a handful wore Silver Rank tokens. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Rook said. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen much fighting recently.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not paid to fight the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Our job is done.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still being paid.¡± Vasera let out a quiet snarl, before calming herself. The Golden Savages remained near the children. They had technically finished their job, but Adam was still paying them for the month. ¡°Have you already forgotten how scary they are?¡± ¡°Are they all as crazy as Mad Dog¡¯s grandson?¡± ¡°We should assume so.¡± George glanced around at the Iyrmen. He noted the way they were sitting. He could feel something wrong with it, though couldn¡¯t quite place it. The stories began, while Adam thought deeply about what to do. ¡®I want to go see them.¡¯ He glanced between the group. ¡®Who should I leave here with the kids and the others? It¡¯s probably a bad idea to take all the Executives. Fred and Nobby should stay to protect the pair. No, that doesn¡¯t make any sense at all. The farmers should stay, that makes sense.¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jaygak whispered from beside the half elf. ¡°I¡¯m wondering who to leave behind here while I go back to grab my children.¡± ¡°I can stay here.¡± ¡°Kavgak will be sad if she doesn¡¯t see you.¡± ¡°The priests could remain here.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they heading back?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± ¡®Dunes and Vonda would be pretty good to leave here... I guess only the Executives can head on in for now and then we can figure out a schedule for next time.¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the fort once more. The walls were large, greater than the outposts they had come across thus far. They would provide more than ample protection for the business from the typical threats from the land, though the river around the fort made that borderline impossible already. ¡®The Marshal of the East and a Grand Commander?¡¯ Fakrot thought, before his eyes fell to Adam. ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Are we really going to be safe now?¡¯ Cobra thought. ¡®They¡¯re already making forts around this place...¡¯ ¡®A fort...¡¯ Adam smiled to himself. Quest Complete: A Fortress Earned +100 Now that''s a fort! [852] – Y03.152 – Fort II [852] ¨C Y03.152 ¨C Fort II Omen: 7, 15 ¡°We have completed our task, and Sir Landon awaits our return,¡± the Fourth Hope informed. The dawn¡¯s sun glinted off her armour, and it was then Adam recalled how amazing a Hope was truly. ¡°Once again, we appreciate your assistance in this matter,¡± Adam replied, doing his best to keep his voice neutral. ¡°I will be sure to inform the Enchanter of your assistance, and I¡¯ll try and expedite the matter of the shields.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Hope Willow bowed her head and gathered the rest of her companions. As she began to leave, she met with the remaining Ray. ¡°Ray Vonda, we wish you the best of success in your endeavour.¡± ¡°Thank you, Hope Willow,¡± the young Ray replied, the pair holdings hands in the way the priests did, before the other Rays said their goodbyes to Ray Vonda. As Vonda watched them prepare to leave, she recalled back to the previous night, when Hope Willow called out to her, only to pause in thought, and then leave her be. ¡®I will leave them in Ray Vonda¡¯s capable hands,¡¯ Willow thought. She understood why Mother Priest allowed Vonda to remain watching over the demons and Adam. The demons were one thing, but they had caused such little trouble, whereas Adam... ¡°Adam,¡± Vasera called, rubbing the side of her neck, stretching it out. ¡°You paid us for the entire month, but if you don¡¯t need us, we can return half the coin and leave.¡± ¡®Should I have them stay to show off my kids?¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes fell across towards the rest of the Iyrmen, before his eyes took in the sight of the other children about. Vasera and the group were mercenaries, and though they were great mercenaries, he needed to establish the business¡¯ authority. ¡°I appreciate all you¡¯ve done for us this far. Why don¡¯t you escort the Marshal back? The Hope and Rays are heading back to East Port too, but they might take a little while. I¡¯m sure the Marshal will appreciate returning back to East Port swiftly to complete his tasks.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I can¡¯t show off your sword to my kids,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake the Marshal¡¯s forearm. ¡°Perhaps in the future,¡± the Marshal replied. He had wanted to do something to form a relationship with the business, but he supposed there was no need to rush it. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Adam allowed them to say their goodbyes to the children, the mercenaries showing off to the kids a few more times, revealing their magic born from their oaths. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Jimmy pouted towards the mercenaries. ¡°We have to leave so we can continue to make money,¡± Rook said. ¡°The business pays good!¡± ¡°It does, but we have other wishes for now.¡± Rook noticed the boy¡¯s quivering lips. ¡°Perhaps one day we¡¯ll return to work for the business, and we¡¯ll have many more stories to tell you. However, if it¡¯s stories you want to hear, you are in the right place.¡± ¡°Goodbye, mister,¡± Jimmy said, his eyes fluttering as he avoided from tearing up. ¡°What a good kid,¡± Rook said, reaching out to pat the boy¡¯s head, before quickly stopping himself. ¡®It is no wonder that you keep speaking of your children...¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ Adam crossed his arms, frowning. ¡®I really should show off my kids to them all, but... I should make it so they only meet the workers for now.¡¯ ¡®Just how much does he think about them?¡¯ Lucy thought. She let out a sigh of relief, her eyes towards the southern gate of the fort, where the Hopes and Rays had left not long ago. Then her eyes fell to Vonda, a Ray who had been assigned to watch over them, and yet wasn¡¯t paying the demons any attention. ¡°You¡¯re leaving the fort?¡± Cobra asked. ¡°The Executives and I have some business within the Iyr that we need to deal with,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Very important business.¡± ¡®Does he want to see his children that badly?¡¯ ¡®Yes,¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes replied. ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°How can I be worried when there are so many Iyrmen?¡± Cobra glanced to the side where she saw the other Iyrmen all about, some of whom wore the tattoos of their monstrous Iyrmen Executives. None of the older Iyrmen spoke their tales, from those who wore tags of bronze, to those who wore tags of even silver. ¡°To resolve the matter completely.¡± ¡°...¡± Merl remained silent for a long moment. There was a question she wanted to ask, but hesitancy trembled across her lips. ¡®What good comes from knowing something like that?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s terrible to hear they spoke poorly of the Iyrmen. It doesn¡¯t surprise me, since they¡¯re so different.¡± ¡°Right you are.¡± The heavily armoured group began to ride through the village, pausing at the centre. The Hope undid her visor. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Chief.¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Hope.¡± The Chief stared up towards her, feeling her heart beat quickly. She could see the stature of the woman, who was a tower of a woman, almost matching Nobby. ¡°Are you leaving?¡± ¡°We are,¡± the Hope confirmed, upon her eerily still mount. ¡°We must return to the order.¡± ¡°Safe travels.¡± The Marshal tipped his helmet towards the Chief while the Hope paused, her eyes over Adam, but she merely bowed her head, and the group rode out. The villagers watched as the group rode swiftly away, as though they wanted to clear the entire way to Red Oak in a single day. The Chief watched them go. Her eyes then fell to Adam, who watched the group go, holding his amulet. ¡®It¡¯s best not to think of that.¡¯ ¡®Should I mention it?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Nobby. Even though you don¡¯t need to stick to Alex, would you mind keeping an eye on him anyway?¡± ¡°Okay, mister boss.¡± ¡°Chief, is there any chance we could pay the village for a supply of food? We don¡¯t have any animals, so there isn¡¯t much in the way of fresh milk and meat.¡± ¡°We can offer that,¡± the Chief replied with a nod. ¡°Good stuff. You can sort out the monetary details with the Managers.¡± ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Front Iyr in a short while.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s worked hard.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve brought back so many children?¡± ¡°They¡¯re new workers for the business.¡± ¡°How many children did you bring?¡± ¡°Seventeen,¡± Adam replied, before quickly correcting himself, ¡°eighteen, though the children of the other workers will be joining soon.¡± ¡°Were they urchins?¡± ¡°They were.¡± ¡°What does the business need of urchins?¡± ¡°It just so happened that Fate brought us together, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You got into so much trouble with the nobles on the way...¡± Merl said. ¡°You need to be careful when dealing with...¡± She blinked at Adam¡¯s response. ¡®He¡¯s... smiling?¡¯ Adam''s favourite hobby is beating up nobles. [853] – Y03.153 – Front Iyr I [853] ¨C Y03.153 ¨C Front Iyr I ¡°You do not wish to follow them?¡± Amira asked, standing beside Dunes as he watched the group of Iyrmen and demons trekking towards the hills. ¡°No.¡± Amira only nodded her head gently, hearing the tone within Dunes¡¯ voice. It was low, tired, the tone of a man who could not go on. She remained at Dunes¡¯ side as silent as the wind around them, until the priest chose to return back from his thoughts. ¡°You have finally returned,¡± the handsome, silver fox of an Iyrman, said, staring down at the group as they approached the gates of the Front Iyr in the late afternoon. His long grey hair fell down to his shoulders, his blueish silver tag glinting in the sun, his flail dangling at his side. ¡°Did you miss us?¡± The Front Iyr Elder decided against replying, instead escorting the group into the Iyr, along with his aides. The Front Iyr greeted Adam in all its glory. His eyes glanced around, noting the lack of the elderly who had been shifted to the Front Iyr in the previous year, the Front Iyr now noisy with the returning younger Iyrmen families. The Front Iyr¡¯s jagged walls remained, and so did the new buildings, those which had been built so swiftly, the fort outside of the Iyr was thought to have been built as a snail¡¯s pace comparatively. Lucy let out a soft exhale, the pressure of the entire year leaving as she was finally in the Iyr proper. ¡®There¡¯s no way they¡¯re going to let anyone kill me.¡¯ ¡°Life has finally returned to the Front Iyr, eh?¡± Adam said, following Elder Lykan to the centre of the village, where he spotted a particular grand figure. ¡°You have returned,¡± the Prince said, standing up as he made to shake Adam¡¯s forearm, greeting his companions. ¡°Did you cause a mess?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ll find I was very well behaved this year.¡± ¡°If you speak it so...¡± Adam exhaled through his nose. ¡°At least let me take off my armour before you tease me.¡± ¡®I guess I gotta wait here for a whole week to meet those adorable brats of mine...¡¯ ¡°Daddy!¡± came a shout from nearby. ¡°Is daddy!¡± Adam straightened up, his ears instantly perking up, his head snapping to the side. That voice was unmistakably someone who had inherited his trouble. Adam¡¯s brows raised in shock. The tiny green skinned girl charged towards him, with her siblings in tow. Adam dropped to his knees, holding out his arms as the girl tried to tackle him, only for Adam to lower his hands to slow her down, before she finally grabbed his hand, cackling at him as she stole it. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± the girl cried aloud, before climbing on top of her father, hugging his head while her brother cuddled up to Adam¡¯s chest, his eyes glued to his father¡¯s purple armour. Adam¡¯s entire body flushed with a deep warmth, which pushed away the chill of the stresses he had gained that year. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot called, staring up towards Jurot expectantly. Jurot lifted the girl up, hugging her close, causing her to instantly melt against him, half asleep. He felt the heat of her body against him, and felt her thundering chest against his own. ¡°I have returned.¡± ¡°Welcome back.¡± ¡°You have behaved?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot nodded, brushing his sister¡¯s hair, feeling the strands tickle against his arm. He pulled the girl into a closer hug, and he too felt the warmth of the Iyr and its people, and his family, once more. Adam¡¯s shock eventually wore off, before he pulled he started to unstrap his gloves, reaching to his twins¡¯ heads, his fingers wiping through their curly hair, revealing their faces to him. ¡°Oh....¡± Adam said, feeling his eyes burn up. ¡°Oh, my little babies. Oh I missed you so much.¡± ¡°I miss you too, daddy!¡± Jirot said, having completely forgotten her want to tease her father as she reached up to her father¡¯s face, feeling his skin against her hand, feeling the ridges of his bone beneath. Adam pulled his children into a deeper embrace, feeling the twins¡¯ cheeks against his own, feeling how warm they were to the touch. Their scent was that of the Iyr¡¯s oils, which were often rubbed into all the children. His breath hitched for a moment before the young half elf began to rock from side to side. He glanced upwards towards his awaiting triplets. ?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°...¡± The boy continued to narrow his eyes towards Adam. ¡°How can they do this to me, Jurot? Are they too grown up now?¡± Adam said, though Jurot remained silent. ¡°You are such smelly boy,¡± Jirot said, cackling towards her father. Adam continued to narrow his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll figure out who they are soon.¡± Adam rubbed his cheek against Larot¡¯s head, before turning to face Jurot. ¡°How can you do this to my Larot? You should be greeting my son too.¡± Jurot accepted the boy from Adam, blinking down at the boy. He was certainly heavier than before, and had filled out since he last saw the boy. Those eyes were clear and annoyed. ¡°You all, how can you do this to your uncle, you need to bully him too!¡± ¡°Smelly boy,¡± Jirot said, pointing at her uncle, cackling lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t bully him like that, you smelly girl. You need to hug him!¡± ¡°I want to hug daddy!¡± ¡°You...¡± Adam stopped, unable to deny his daughter, dropping to his knees to hug her once more, showering her with more kisses, before doing the same to the rest of his children. He finally picked up his sister, hugging her close to his chest. ¡°Smelly girl, did you miss me?¡± ¡°I missed you papa.¡± ¡°Did you miss Jurot too?¡± ¡°I missed you both.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay,¡± Adam said, nuzzling her cheek. ¡°We missed you so much, but we brought back such a big story.¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Lucy called, extending her hands towards the girl. ¡°Jarot, you too.¡± The twins smiled as they charged towards Lucy, before they stopped. ¡°Jirot, Jarot,¡± Jaygak said, extending out her hands towards the pair. Jirot and Jarot veered to one side and charged towards their aunt, who hoisted the pair up with a grunt. Mara glanced away from the betrayal. ¡°Are you two well?¡± ¡°Yes, kako,¡± Jirot replied, hugging her aunt¡¯s head. Adam watched as the children were greeted by the rest of their families. The teen Iyrmen each embraced the twin Kans, who couldn¡¯t help but flush at all the attention they were receiving on that day. Adam glanced towards the Front Iyr Elder. ¡°Elder Lykan, is there anyway I could ask for a favour.¡± ¡°What kind of favour?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very important favour.¡± Adam let out a long sigh, closing his eyes, as though preparing himself for death. ¡°Perhaps the most important favour of all.¡± FINALLY! THE BEST ARC HAS ARRIVED! [854] – Y03.154 – Front Iyr II [854] ¨C Y03.154 ¨C Front Iyr II Damokan and Kalokan held their cups in their small hands, each with their brows raised in utter shock. They stared at their cousin, the grandson of Mad Dog. Their theory had begun to bloom within their hearts and minds. ¡°...¡± Morkarai also remained silent. ¡®A Grand Commander?¡¯ Morkarai had heard of the great abilities of the various Grand Commanders. Their names were well known, especially those who had reached the heights of Paragons. Even he, a Prince of the Fire Giants, would have great difficulty facing a Grand Commander, and yet Jurot managed to clash with one? ¡®The explosive growth of Iyrmen is not to be underestimated,¡¯ the Prince sipped away at his wine, the sweetness floating along his tastebuds, having coated his tongue with grain wine first to empower the fruit wine¡¯s taste. ¡®I suppose it is impressive of a mortal your age,¡¯ Larot thought, sitting upon his grandmother¡¯s lap, his face still stuck in the statuesque annoyance. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot called, having noticed the way her eldest sister had glanced to the side to see their returning father. Adam¡¯s voice hitched in his throat, before he eventually fell beside his daughter, pulling her to his chest. ¡°How can you be so cute, my lovely little daughter?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, embracing her father, who was no longer in his puthral armour. She clutched a hand against his collar, not allowing her father to escape from her grasp while he continued to kiss her head all over. ¡°Did you listen to the story well?¡± ¡°Yes! I am fighting hydra and you ah not.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I am fighting, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam brushed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Do you like all the gifts we brought back?¡± ¡°No.¡± The girl cackled, throwing her head back in delight. ¡°Then I won¡¯t bring you back any more gifts.¡± Jirot¡¯s laughter stopped, staring up at her father in shock. Adam smiled, brushing her cheek, causing the girl to laugh and squeal again. ¡°You ah joking, daddy!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it was just a joke.¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on her forehead, their cheeks rubbing together once more. ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, offering Jurot a piece of break she had broken. ¡°You are so stuhrong.¡± ¡°I am not strong,¡± Jurot said, taking the bread from her hand, eating it slowly. ¡°You are so stuhrong, papa. You are fighting all the, the, you are fighting all and I do not fight.¡± ¡°I will grow stronger.¡± ¡°You are grow up?¡± ¡°I have grown, but I can grow stronger.¡± ¡°I am grow up and I am stuhrong too, like papas.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, feeling his heart pound a little quicker for a moment, the electricity sensation of pride rushing through him. ¡°I finally figured it out,¡± Adam said. ¡°You two, you¡¯re both Katool, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kalokan and Damokan ignored Adam, each offering their elder sister a cup of their milk. Naqokan accepted the cups, only to feed them in return, tenderly brushing the backs of their heads as she fed each one. ¡°I will bring back greater tales,¡± Naqokan promised. ¡°You did good,¡± Kalokan said, with her brother agreeing with a nod of his head. ¡°You are strong,¡± Damokan said, his eyes held the hint of a sparkle as he stared up at his elder sister, who had fought a giant python! Naqokan reached down to their heads, pulling them to her chest. ¡®Yes. Just like that.¡¯ The rushing pride of an Iyrman filled her entire body, and once more, she felt the joy of being born within the Iyr. The fire continued to crackle, while the scent of the food began to fill the air. The adult Iyrmen began to return to their various houses, including the likes of the beautiful Halikan and Rokan. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Rokan just nodded and began to lead Adam back towards the building the young man would be sleeping in that evening. Konarot opened the door, looking up to see her father, and Rokan walking away back to the house to the side. ¡°Good night, baba.¡± Rokan stopped, turning towards the girl after fixing his face. The man smiled warmly towards the tiny girl. ¡°Good night, Konarot.¡± ¡°He¡¯s your dado,¡± Adam said, picking the girl up, kissing her cheek. Konarot looked towards her nana. ¡°If Konarot says he is her baba, it must be so,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Oh, of course, silly me,¡± Adam said, nuzzling his daughter¡¯s cheek. ¡°Have you brushed your teeth?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, her tail swaying, while Adam placed her down to embrace all his children now that they had swarmed him. Adam grunted as he lay in the corner, allowing his children to climb over himself. ¡°Wait, we need to...¡± Adam glanced down towards his children, before sighing. ¡®How can I refuse any of them like this? I¡¯ll let you all sleep with me tonight, but we have to sleep only one by one from now on...¡¯ He could not speak the words, finding no courage when it came to his adorable children. ¡°Daddy, you beat up Hope?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He was saying means things about your babo and nano.¡± Jirot gasped, her head snapped towards her father, her eyes filled with shock. ¡°No! Cannot!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so I beat him up.¡± ¡°That is good daddy!¡± Jirot brought up her fist, shaking it angrily. ¡°I will beat up Hope.¡± ¡°I already beat him up so it¡¯s okay.¡± Adam wanted to reach down to brush her hair, but his arms were currently possessed by Kirot and Karot. ¡°Daddy, you ah losing nobles?¡± ¡°What can your daddy do? He cannot beat them up, otherwise he will get into trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you ah losing. Babo is always losing, and babo is always winning. You can lose, but you must win, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what she was talking about. ¡°Of course, my dear. You are so smart.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied, smirking wide into the most smug grin. ¡®Aren¡¯t my kids so cute?¡¯ Adam thought, allowing his children to pin him down as they made to sleep. He glanced towards Lanarot, who was currently sleeping beside her other brother, who was deep within his own thoughts. Jurot thought about how the Front Iyr Elder was manipulating Adam. It was one thing for the Front Iyr Elder to send for Adam¡¯s children, but also the twins? It was their birthday, but they should have spent it at the estate, not here. However, even if the Front Iyr Elder had sent for them, it was up to the decision of the parents. Sonarot looked to her daughter and her son, and then to her grandchildren with their father. She eyed up the two girls. They were both so smart and so troublesome in their own ways, frightfully so. She smiled to herself. ¡®You should cause this much trouble, since you are his greatchildren.¡¯ After all, there was no doubt that old man would be causing trouble at this moment. My heart always feels so light when we see our cute kids. [855] – Y03.155 – Front Iyr III [855] ¨C Y03.155 ¨C Front Iyr III ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± The old Jarot growled aloud, before wrapping his arm around his greatchildren, who stormed towards him. ¡°How could you do this to me?¡± Adam growled aloud, before wrapping his arms around his cousin, who had appeared with the rest of the children. ¡°Gurot, how could you become chonkier without me?¡± Gurot smiled shyly, sucking against his thumb for a moment, before cackling with laughter as he clapped his hands together. He felt Adam¡¯s hard chest against his cheek, snuggling up to it as his cousin held him close, feeling the large, strong hand through his hair. ¡°Cousin Adam, I should greet him first,¡± Nirot said. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Nirot, how can you do this to me?¡± Adam asked, before surrendering the boy towards his elder sister. His eyes fell to Asorot and Turot. ¡°You need to keep her busier so I can spoil Gurot more.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Turot and Asorot both replied, their smiles holding a hint of shyness. A gentle smile twitched upon Adam¡¯s face. ¡°You two! Look at how handsome you¡¯ve both become! Wait, hold on, I messed that up.¡± Turot and Asorot both smiled in response, each standing a little taller. ¡°No, no, hold on, firstly...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Asorot, who blinked up towards Adam innocently. ¡°Who is this handsome young man?¡±?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com Turot snickered. ¡°Cousin Adam, you cannot!¡± ¡°I cannot?¡± Turot pointed up towards Adam, still smiling, doing his best not to laugh. ¡°You cannot bully my little brother.¡± Adam could feel the brightness of his cousin as the young boy continued to point towards him, with the fearlessness only an Iyrman child knew. ¡°I see. If the future Elder Peace says so, then I cannot.¡± Turot inhaled sharply before he patted the side of Adam¡¯s leg gently, slowly nodding his head with approval. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Asorot, look at you, you¡¯ve grown so big.¡± Adam dropped down and brushed the boy¡¯s hair. He had been brushing so much hair, his hair was beginning to feel raw from the tips. ¡°Has Turot been bullying you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I do not bully my brother!¡± ¡°If Turot bullies you, you can tell me and I¡¯ll sort it out, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I will not bully you.¡± Turot hugged his younger brother close. ¡°Okay.¡± Asorot embraced his brother back tenderly. ¡®They¡¯re all so cute, these cousins of mine...¡¯ Adam waited for the children to greet their elder siblings. Gurot smiled shyly towards Nirot. ¡°Kaka.¡± He grabbed her collar tightly with his wet hand as he stared up at her. He started giggling wildly as she continued to stare down into his eyes, leaning in to nuzzle his nose, before pulling back, the boy bursting into more giggles. ¡°Minakan,¡± Naqokan called, causing the girl to look towards her sister for a moment, before resting her head back onto her elder sister¡¯s shoulder, sucking her thumb lightly. Naqokan decided against doing more, allowing the girl to cuddle up to her. ¡°Tavgak, you are so big,¡± Laygak said. The girl glanced down towards her other brother, before hiding her face with her hands, glancing through the cracks of her fingers, before hiding her face into her eldest brother¡¯s chest. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak agreed, nodding her head. Laygak ruffled Taygak¡¯s hair. ¡°Are you training well?¡± Kavgak¡¯s head snapped towards Raygak. She held out her hands towards him. ¡°Papa.¡± Jaygak surrendered Kavgak to Raygak, feeling a sense of great loss within her heart. She ignored the look Adam was giving to her, unable to take the smirk upon his face. ¡°Now, now...¡± Adam cleared his throat, his gaze floating to the side. ¡°Since Amokan isn¡¯t around, I suppose I¡¯ll have to be the one to spoil Inakan.¡± ¡°She is my cousin,¡± Naqokan said. ¡°Your arms are already filled with Minakan.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes slightly, sending out a pressure against the young Iyrman. Shikan let out a gentle sigh. ¡°Inakan,¡± he said, placing a hand atop her head, gathering her attention. The girl glanced towards her father, leaning in to stare at his face. ¡°Kaza Adam has returned.¡± The girl twitched, before she found herself within the strong arms of another. She glanced across the chiselled jaw, which seemed familiar, then the handsome face, and finally those leaf shaped ears. She smiled wide, before cackling. ¡°Kaza Ada!¡± ¡°Gosh, my adorable little Inakan, how are you?¡± Inakan giggled wildly, before closing her eyes, looking away from him. She continued to cackle and giggle, unable to control herself. ¡®Amokan! You idiot! You need to get back here and spoil your sister!¡¯ Adam swayed slightly, as though struck by her adorableness. ¡°Inakan is surely the most adorable of the...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he could say that. The other children¡¯s faces flashed within his mind. ¡°Oh, my dear Inakan. How is the world so unfair to you?¡± Adam pulled her head to his neck, allowing her to snuggle up to him. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Now that your cousin is back, I¡¯m going to make sure that you¡¯ll be okay.¡¯ Shikan watched as Adam tenderly held his daughter so close to himself. He had every right to as a Nephew of the Rot family, but he had taken a step further to codify that in writing from the Chief. ¡®Amokan.¡¯ Shikan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he sent out his annoyance into the world towards his son. ¡®Hey, Bell, how much to enchant some-,¡¯ ¡°How can you greet the children before you greet me?¡± the one armed Iyrman growled. ¡°I should greet them first since I¡¯ll inspire them with how crazy I am.¡± ¡°You!¡± Jarot replied, though he couldn¡¯t refute the young man¡¯s words. ¡°How can you take my greatchildren from me.¡± ¡°They¡¯re my children.¡± ¡°Do you believe I will not beat you?¡± ¡°Do you think with that new leg of yours, you can beat me?¡± ¡°It would be a fair fight,¡± Jarot said, leaning back slightly, his wild grin expanding on his face. He stood taller than previously, the new metal leg at his side far more comfortable than the wooden leg he wore previously. ¡°Stop it,¡± Jirot said, pointing towards her greatfather. ¡°You ah bullying daddy! Not good!¡± ¡°Your father wishes to fight.¡± ¡°You are gown up,¡± the girl said, wagging her finger at her greatfather. ¡°You must be good now.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jarot replied, smirking wide towards his greatfather. Adam ruffled Inakan¡¯s hair. He whispered into the girl¡¯s ear, the girl feeling his tickling breath. ¡°My biggest regret in this life is not beating up the FIrst Hope. Otherwise, would my darling daughter treat me this way?¡± Inakan giggled in response to his words, her breath tickling his face. Her warmth spread through Adam, the joy in her voice causing his heart to pound in his chest harder. The guilt filled him. ¡®Inakan...¡¯ Adam closed his eyes. He tried to recall how many times he had shifted Fate back then. He had no idea if his abilities had anything to do with her near sightedness. ¡®Bell¡¯s taking a whi-,¡¯ [20 000] My heart always feels so light when we see our cute kids. [856] – Y03.156 – Front Iyr IV [856] ¨C Y03.156 ¨C Front Iyr IV ¡°Wait a moment...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell across all the children, scanning across them all. ¡°We¡¯re missing at least two children, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Which children?¡± Elder Lykan asked, having thought to step away before he heard Adam¡¯s troublesome words. ¡°Elder Lykan... where are Uwajin¡¯s and Bavin¡¯s younger siblings?¡± ¡°They were not to be brought.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfair.¡± ¡°I have kept my word.¡± ¡°You...¡± Adam felt Inakan¡¯s breath tickle against his neck while her hands grabbed at his face, the girl giggling wildly. ¡°Kaza Ada,¡± she said, before pulling herself closer towards his head, climbing almost on top of it as she stared down at his hair, grabbing a tuft of his hair within her grip. ¡°Since Inakan is threatening me, I¡¯ll drop the matter.¡± Elder Lykan noted the way Adam¡¯s eyes glanced towards Uwajin and Bavin. Uwajin held the twins in each arm, blinking away her sleepiness, while Bavin remained standing off to the side, his arms crossed. ¡®I wanted them to have a good time too, but I guess I shouldn¡¯t mess around too much.¡¯ Adam winced every so often as Inakan pulled his hair, before he finally returned her back to her father. Shikan wanted to tell his daughter off, but the innocent smile on her face, the utter joy within her eyes of seeing her father again, caused his heart to shudder. ¡°Adam, will you forgive her, since she is so cute?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to forgive her, since Inakan has done no wrong,¡± Adam said, swiping his hair back. ¡®I really should cut it.¡¯ ¡°Is there anything else you require?¡± Elder Lykan asked. Adam motioned with his head to the side, following the Front Iyr Elder to one side. ¡°I¡¯m planning on making something for Inakan.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Glasses.¡± ¡°The Iyr is currently considering the matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not considering it.¡± Lykan switched to the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Are you going to enchant glasses for her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied in their tongue. ¡°When?¡± ¡°Soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lykan watched as Adam stepped away after the awkward silence. His eyes then fell to the little girl, Inakan, who he rarely saw. She certainly took after his cousin, who held the girl close, allowing her to hold onto his hair, her eyes glued to his hair, squinting to catch all the details she could. ¡®Since they¡¯ve got their babo, it should be okay for me to slip away...¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I¡¯m just going to go do some work quickly.¡± Jirot¡¯s head snapped towards her father, her eyes almost blank as she glared towards him. ¡°No!¡± She raised her finger towards him threateningly. ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°Just a little bit, my dear.¡± Adam reached over to ruffle her hair. ¡°You must allow your father to work,¡± Jarot said, forming a small smirk on his face. ¡°Come, your babo will play with you.¡± ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Adam returned to the group a short while later, with the children all sitting and babbling away to the Iyrmen who had returned. Adam stopped, closing his eyes as he crossed his hands behind his back, causing a few to glance his way. Though Konarot had managed to throw Tonagek off, she hadn¡¯t ever been in such a position previously, and though she had managed to claim the centre, her pieces were not able to defend her against Tonagek¡¯s rush towards her weakened flank. ¡°You did well,¡± Tonagek said, shaking the girl¡¯s hand gently, the proper etiquette for the end of the match. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, pouting slightly, her tail swaying behind her. ¡®You punk! How can you beat my greatdaughter like this?¡¯ ¡®How can you beat my daughter like this?¡¯ ¡°Lucy! You must pay with me now!¡± Jirot said, pointing towards the woman. ¡°You want to play dragon chess with me?¡± ¡°No. It is Demon Load chess.¡± ¡°Demon Lord chess?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s play it.¡± Tonagek surrendered the board to the young demon woman, while settling himself beside his sister. He felt the piercing gaze of the young half elf from nearby. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want to spoil Danagek too,¡± Adam replied. ¡°...¡± Tonagek continued to stare into Adam¡¯s eyes, which were filled with annoyance. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam¡¯s lips shot up in delight before he settled himself beside Danagek. ¡°Hello, my chonky Danagek. How are you?¡± The boy looked to Adam, twitching as the near stranger appeared. He looked to his nana and began to pout, making to cry. ¡°Lanababy, tell him I¡¯m your brother.¡± ¡°Danagek,¡± Lanarot called, reaching out to brush his face. ¡°Is my papa.¡± Danagek stopped pouting as he stared at Adam suspiciously. He narrowed his eyes, unable to see the tattoos against the half elf¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯m your Cousin, you know, your Cousin. You can call me kaza Adam too, okay?¡± The boy looked to his father, pouting once more, making to cry, but his father¡¯s hand stopped him by covering his eyes, causing Danagek to freeze in place in the darkness. His father¡¯s face appeared once more, the boy hoisted up onto his father¡¯s lap. ¡°He must be hungry if he is crying so easily,¡± Tonagek stated simply. ¡°Of course. How can this Cousin of yours be so silly to not allow you to eat, my chonky boy.¡± Adam leaned back in his chair, feeling his children¡¯s tails rub against the side of his leg. He pulled them closer to his chest, peppering them with kisses. ¡®Even though you¡¯re stopping me from cuddling your aunts and uncles, I¡¯ll forgive you.¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s still not calling for Kavgak?¡¯ Jaygak thought. ¡®How long will you last?¡¯ Morkarai watched the group from afar. ¡®Should I go sit and speak with them?¡¯ His eyes fell to Jirot, who was currently distracted by Lucy. ¡°No! I am go first!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the Demon Lord,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°You said the Demon Lord goes first.¡± Jirot blinked. She looked to the side towards her greatfather. How could she do this? The sheer audacity of Lucy to use her own logic against her. Jirot pouted and her face contorted as she made to cry. Lucy suddenly straightened up, a cold chill running through her spine, the guilt filling her. ¡®Oh no!¡¯ She wanted to play chess, but she was actually playing checkers. [857] – Y03.157 – Front Iyr V [857] ¨C Y03.157 ¨C Front Iyr V ¡°Wait,¡± Adam called out to the Gaks as they turned in for the night. ¡°How can you do this?¡± ''Will he act the fool even now?¡¯ Jogak thought, feeling his daughter shift to glance back towards her Cousin. Adam narrowed his eyes towards the children, scanning his eyes across Raygak, Saygak, before finally looking across Taygak. The silence passed as they awaited for his stupidity. ¡°I need to give you your gifts.¡± ¡®Is he not going to be an idiot?¡¯ The thought flashed across Jaygak¡¯s face. ¡®Is it because-,¡¯ ¡°I forgot to bring them,¡± Adam finally said, tapping his pockets. ¡®That¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ ¡°Jaygak, Kavgak, why don¡¯t you help me with bringing the gifts?¡± Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was an idiot or a genius considering how smoothly he transitioned from being an idiot to a genius, or rather, an Adam type of idiot into an Adam type of genius. The tiny girl glared towards her elder Cousin, clutching onto his tunic as he carried her towards where he was staying before he stopped. ¡°Jaygak...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I forgot to bring them here too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just this once, please forgive me.¡± ¡°Did you truly forget.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Kavgak, you need to be smarter than me, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, her voice filled with a crackle as though full of embers. She reached up to Adam¡¯s ear with her thick hand. Health: 91 -> 90 Adam hissed slightly, while Jaygak grabbed her sister¡¯s wrist, gently. ¡°Kavgak, stop,¡± Jaygak said, raising her voice slightly. The girl furrowed her brow towards her elder sister, before pulling her hand away from Adam¡¯s ear. She continued to glare at her elder sister, before a hand covered her chubby face, rubbing it all over, before she yawned. ¡°She really is strong,¡± Adam said, rubbing the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your daddy.¡± ¡°Dada,¡± the girl confirmed. Jogak opened the door and spotted the trio. ¡°...¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Adam replied, flushing slightly. ¡°I brought back the best gift, your little sister. Plus, look, I also brought back Tavgak!¡± Kaygak narrowed her eyes towards the half elf, but said nothing, carrying the exhausted Tavgak into the house. The girl awakened slightly as her mother placed atop the bundle of furs, before she stuck her thumb into her mouth and closed her eyes. ¡°Once we¡¯re at the fort, I¡¯ll give you your gifts,¡± Adam promised. Jaygak smiled. ¡°I did not forget my gifts for you.¡± Adam glanced towards the Iyrman in shock. ¡°That¡¯s a low blow, Jaygak.¡± ¡°You should not have forgotten.¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t allowed to bring them in.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You know how the...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Wait... why didn¡¯t I just put them in the sacks like last time?¡¯ Adam sighed as he dropped down beside his daughter, who glanced his way, before reaching out to tap his arm. ¡°You ah okay?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Jirot returned back to speaking with Lucy. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ Lucy thought, reaching down to feed Jirot a sliced vegetable, the girl eating from her hands, all without Adam glaring at her. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°You are smelly boy.¡± She cackled with delight, before her brother appeared, also cackling lightly, taking his place beside his sister. He had to chew on another teethleaf after it had dropped. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Adam wrapped his arms around his twins. ¡°You little punks, teasing your old man like this...¡± Konarot eventually dropped down beside her father, Kirot and Karot both dropping down nearby too, each ready to claim his arms once more. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, you can sleep with me,¡± Jurot said. ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, sleep with your papo,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot, come. Lanarot, you should sleep with your papa.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl said, charging over towards Adam, dropping down beside him, giggling beside him as she flashed her pearly white teeth. ¡°It looks like I was being so greedy keeping all my children to myself,¡± Adam joked, ruffling his childrens¡¯ hair one by one, kissing their foreheads. Once they were spread between their uncle and grandmother, Lanarot wrapped her arms around her brother¡¯s arm and rested her cheek against his bicep. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I miss you so much.¡± ¡°I missed you too.¡± ¡°You miss mama too?¡± ¡°Of course. I missed everyone.¡± Adam reached over to tickle her cheek gently. ¡°Papa. I can beat up Seventh Hope too?¡± ¡°Perhaps one day.¡± ¡°I am going to fight, mmm, Marshal.¡± ¡°Which Marshal?¡± ¡°All the Marshal.¡± The girl waved across the air, her grin so wide and cheeky. ¡°I see...¡± Adam leaned in to rest his cheek against her forehead. ¡°How can you beat them up when you are going to be small and cute forever?¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± Lanarot giggled, reaching over to clutch his shirt within her hand. Jurot stared down at Konarot, who stared up at him, pouting at him. He could feel how cold the girl had become within his arms. He wrapped his arms around her. She very quickly warmed up as she melted against him, barely able to keep her eyes open though she tried to fight it. ¡°Do not worry. You may tease your father tomorrow.¡± He noted the expectant eyes of his niece and nephew. He let Konarot go, the girl quickly scrambling away, shocked by how quickly he could disarm her. Jirot yawned, understanding she couldn¡¯t cause trouble for her grandmother. The girl smiled innocently before wrapping herself around one of the woman¡¯s arms, her brother mirroring her from the other side. Sonarot smiled, feeling their bodies pressed up against her arms. She wanted to hug them properly, but they had already claimed her arms, and she supposed she could give in to them. The one armed Jarot slept off to a different room, Larot sleeping nearby, still free from a blanket. The boy slept peacefully, his breaths low and even, far too even. The old Iyrman could feel it, the tingling within his arm. He wanted to go out and fight. He stared down at his hand, clenching his fist, flexing his arm. Yet, even now, he couldn¡¯t feel it. The strength in his prime was long lost. While the old man basked in the solemness, another spent his time also thinking deeply within the fort. ¡®One hundred,¡¯ Korin thought, swinging his blade downward one last time, before, he shifted the angel of his blade, and began to cut another way. His sweat clung to his clothing, and the wetness distracted him just long enough to realise there was another watching. ¡°You couldn¡¯t sleep?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°I had a nightmare.¡± ¡°A nightmare? Aren¡¯t you too old to be kept awake by nightmares?¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Korin asked, cutting through the air, whispering the count. Dunes basked in the starlight, his eyes taking in the starscape above him. ¡°A nightmare.¡± The sword fell silent for a moment. The silence covered the pair. The sword swiped through the air again. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°No.¡± Korin swung through the air again. ¡°You?¡± Dunes remained silent for a long moment, the silence accompanying them once more. ¡°No.¡± Eventually, a pair of blades swiped through the air in quiet harmony. Just a nice wholesome chapter filled with a little bit of depression. [858] – Y03.158 – Serious Business I [858] ¨C Y03.158 ¨C Serious Business I Korin diced the onions, wiping away his tears with his forearm. The crackling fire heated the pot, the oil already beginning to bubble and pop, before he swiped the onions into the oil, causing it to burst to life. As the sizzling onions cooked, he began to pour in the various spices, a teaspoon of most spices, a tablespoon of another. Julia stopped cubing the meat, noting the children were all gathering together, before shambling towards the entrance. She began to stand, but a swifter trio of women were already darting towards the children. Dunes grunted as he twisted the wheel, allowing the drawbridge to fall, before he opened the gates with Amira¡¯s assistance. ¡°Wa!¡± Jirot said, her head sticking out of the side of the carriage, while her nano¡¯s arm kept her from pulling too far away. ¡°Is a foat!¡± Konarot peeked her head out slightly, staring at the large walls. ¡®Small.¡¯ The carriages swiftly crossed the bridge, through the gatehouse, continuing further ahead, slowing as the children stared at them. Viper moved them along the side path between the fields and the estate, allowing the carriages to pass through the gate house and into the inner area of the fort, before the carriages finally stopped. The Iyrmen stepped out, the children following after. ¡°It is a very nice fort,¡± Turot said, smiling towards Adam. ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam replied, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°This is the fort which your cousins have worked hard to procure.¡± The Aldish children watched as the Iyrmen poured out of the carriages, all of whom wore tattoos they had become familiar with during their travels. The Iyrmen who had remained within the fort greeted the newcomers, also greeting the children by brushing their hair. ¡°Marmak,¡± Jarot called, growling towards the older man, who wore a smile on his face like one might wear armour. He also wore the Iyr¡¯s furs, along with a large greatsword across his back. ¡®Marmak?¡¯ Dunes thought, glancing towards the Iyrman who had not yet introduced himself and had kept to himself while he was around. ¡°Jarot,¡± Marmak called, reaching up to ruffle the red skinned baby¡¯s hair. ¡°Is this your greatson.¡± ¡°He is Larot, son of Adam.¡± ¡°He is growing well.¡± Jarot growled affirmatively. ¡°You are within the fort?¡± ¡°I was tasked with the watch.¡± ¡®I did know they sent Marmak.¡¯ Jirot and Jarot held their nano¡¯s hands, staring out towards all the other children, each who were definitely not Iyrmen, for they did not carry themselves with the lack of fear the Iyrmen children carried with them. Konarot remained standing beside her grandmother, along with Kirot and Karot, while Lanarot held Adam¡¯s hand. Adam lifted his sister up, carrying her against his chest as he stepped up towards the others. ¡°Hello everyone, how are you all?¡± ¡®Jogak,¡¯ Alex thought, his eyes glued to the devilkin, or as the Iyrmen would call him, Iyrman. ¡°To inform you of the business hierarchy once more, it begins with the President and the Enchanter. However, the Enchanter doesn¡¯t bother with matters of the business, they just enchant. Then it¡¯s the Board Directors, like Director Mirot, who deal with broader, high level matters. You don¡¯t really have to understand what they do, because it¡¯s easier that way.¡± Adam smiled, the kind of smile a hostage would give. ¡°Then comes we Chief Executive Officers, like Executives Jaygak, who go out and speak on behalf of the President and the Directors. We have almost supreme authority, though we are ultimately bound by the orders from those above us. You¡¯ve already seen the kind of mess we have caused in the field, that¡¯s the kind of authority we have.¡± Dunes let out a soft sigh in response, exchanging a smile towards Amira. ¡®He speaks it so easily.¡¯ ¡°Then we have the Managers, like Manager Dunes and Manager Vonda, who hold great authority within the business, specialised in their own matters. Manager Dunes is in charge of a particular role, like that of teaching the workers all kinds of subjects, mostly reading, writing, and to defend oneself. There are other titles within the business too, though they¡¯re still being formed. Right now the position under Manager is that of a Team Leader, or Lead, like Fred.¡± ¡®Me?¡¯ Fred thought, raising his brows. ¡®I¡¯m a Team Leader?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure what a Team Leader was, but it did sound like someone important. His lips formed a small smile. ¡°If you ever have any issues, big or small, please come to anyone ranked Manager or higher. We have faith that the Managers will be able to form a proper opinion when it comes to whatever issues arise, though if you do have any issues with how a Manager, or even an Executive, handles something, you can escalate the issue to another who is higher up. I¡¯d ask that you don¡¯t bo-,¡± Adam quickly paused, trying to understand how to word it properly. ¡®I can¡¯t use the word bother...¡¯ ¡°I ask that you bring your issues to a Manager or an Executive, but if it is really important or urgent, then you should bring it up to a Director.¡± Mirot, Shikan, Citool, and Jogak each threw a look between one another. They weren¡¯t entirely sure what their role was meant to be. They understood Sonarot was Adam¡¯s shield, and someone who Adam would trust in for advice, like any of them, but she was truly the greatest power within the business. ¡°Right, and...¡± Adam rubbed the side of his jaw gently, unsure of how to approach the topic. ¡°There are also other important figures within the business. I mean, Lucy and Mara, they are each considered Managers too.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be an Executive too?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°You can be an Executive once you¡¯re an Iyrman.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Talk to me when your brother is an Iyrman.¡± Lucy frowned. ¡°Jirot, how can he do this to me?¡± Jirot smirked. ¡°Obviously, we should introduce all the other important figures in the business too.¡± Adam motioned a hand to Lanarot, who was tearing a piece of bread, before she froze, staring up at her brother. She slowly pulled back towards her mother¡¯s side when she noted all the attention upon her. ¡°This is Lanarot, our adorable little sister,¡± Adam said. ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of the President, and while her elder brothers each hold the title of Executive, she holds a very different title. All the children of the various higher ups hold a title that confers to them very little power, but remind you who they are related to and how little trouble you should cause them. My sister here, as the daughter of the President, must be referred to as the Young President.¡± ¡®Young President?¡¯ Rick thought, his eyes falling across the tiny girl, who hid her head within her mother¡¯s arm. Adam can finally be mega cringe! [859] – Y03.159 – Serious Business II [859] ¨C Y03.159 ¨C Serious Business II ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to say it, but I have acted like quite the fool this entire time. Is it an act, or is it not an act? The truth is probably in the middle.¡± Adam flashed the cheekiest smile to the workers, certainly unexecutively. ¡°I have to admit that I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for an embarrassingly long time. I was the one to really push for the business to exist, partly because I would hold such a high position, I mean I am the one who smiths the weapons, and I hold the position of High Alchemist, hence the title of Executive. I truly did create, or rather, push the creation of the business for mostly selfish reasons.¡± Adam motioned a hand for his sister, but she hid away. ¡°You see? She thinks she can ignore me now that she¡¯s so big. She used to cry all day and night and now she won¡¯t even step beside me!¡± Dunes began the chuckle, which spread through the listeners. Even the Iyrmen joined in the chuckling, with the old Jarot letting out a playful grunt. ¡°I am a father before I am a fool, though the wise amongst you might say I¡¯m a fool because I¡¯m a father. However, before I was a father, I was a brother. I spent quite a bit of time thinking about this business, and I wanted to look cool in front of my sister. Once I had children, I understood I needed something. It¡¯s my goal as their father to pass on something to them, and to make sure they¡¯re raised well. As an Executive of the business, I realise I can do something for them.¡± His eyes then met Rick¡¯s, but they continued along the porters and farmers, then towards the three sisters. ¡°I am surrounded by people who have their own families. Obviously, as the children of the high ranking members of the business, almost all of whom are Iyrmen, they will live great lives. They will be enriched by the business, it¡¯s part of the reason why the business was created.¡± Adam paused for a moment, not to punctuate his point, but he realised he was about to begin ranting. ¡°However, I intend to make sure that your families are taken care of, that your children are raised well. Perhaps they¡¯d be better raised in Red Oak, but how much would it cost you? How hard would you have to work to put one of your children through decent education? How hard would you have to work to put multiple of your children through such? How likely will you die doing so? If you die, what will happen to your family? Within the business, you don¡¯t have to worry about any of that. I would say I¡¯ll show you how much trouble I¡¯m willing to cause to make sure all your children are well taken care of, but you¡¯ve all seen it already.¡± Another chuckle rippled through those around. Dunes and Korin exchanged a look, gently bowing their heads to one another. Another louder laugh spread through the air, causing the others to glance towards the Iyrman¡¯s way. ¡°Did you hear that, Larot?¡± Jarot asked, rubbing the boy¡¯s head gently. ¡®Of course I did,¡¯ the boy thought, his face still, with the slightest hint of annoyance. ¡°That is my grandson!¡± ¡°Whose your grandson?¡± Adam replied. Jarot continued to laugh, before his eyes fell to Marmak. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Marmak only smiled in return, though he sent back the same energy towards Jarot, who was trying to show off to him. Adam clapped his hands together, trying to gather the attention back to himself. ¡°So, once more, allow me to introduce to you the Young President!¡± He motioned a hand towards his sister, who looked up towards her mother. Sonarot picked the girl up onto her lap, brushing her hair gently. ¡°Greet them.¡± The girl glanced around, noting all the looked her way. She pulled back and hid her face against her mother¡¯s bosom and her bread. ¡°Young President,¡± a voice called, clearly through the air. Nobby remained sitting, slightly hunched over. ¡°Hello, Young President.¡± The girl squirmed within her mother¡¯s lap and continued to remain hiding. ¡°Greetings to the Young President,¡± Dunes finally said, smiling. ¡°Not Cousin!¡± Taygak replied. ¡°Not Cousin?¡± ¡°Taygak cousin.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam heard the slight difference in the term. ¡°Do you see how adorable our Little Director is?¡± ¡°Taygak big.¡± ¡°Please forgive me, Big Director.¡± Taygak crossed her arms and snorted once more. Another bout of laughter suddenly filled the air. ¡°You should not bully my grandniece so.¡± ¡°No bully, daddy,¡± Jirot said from her nano¡¯s arms, pointing towards her father with an accusatory finger. ¡°I¡¯m sure you all understand the positions of the rest of the children as Little Directors, but now we have a special group of children.¡± Adam held out his hand. Konarot looked towards her grandmother, and once the woman nodded, she charged towards her father. The workers eyed up the triplets who darted towards their father, who dropped to a knee, and embraced them all within their arms. ¡°What¡¯s this, where are my twins?¡± Jirot squirmed within her nano¡¯s arms. Though the old woman allowed them to leave, Jirot remained within her arms. ¡°Are you not going to come to daddy?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, noting all the looks her way, before hiding herself within her nano¡¯s arms. ¡°Do you see? Can you tell whose kids they are from how adorable they are?¡± Adam allowed Konarot to wrap her arms around his neck, feeling how cool the girl was, while lifting Kirot and Karot up in each arm. The silver tails swayed under them. The workers who had only seen his children for the first time that day noted the tails and the tiny horns on the children¡¯s heads, as well as the tiny scales on the back of their necks. ... Half dragons? The cringe continues. [860] – Y03.160 – Serious Business III [860] ¨C Y03.160 ¨C Serious Business III ¡®He truly is a father,¡¯ Rick thought, his eyes glued to Adam as he embraced his children so publicly. Adam held onto his triplets, though it appeared he was wearing his children rather than that he embraced them. He rubbed his cheeks against his children, feeling their weight within his arms. They had certainly grown since last he had left, each slightly taller and heavier. He had barely noticed it previously, but with all three of them atop him, he could definitely feel the weight difference. Konarot¡¯s arms kept her father pinned to her, wrapped around his strong neck. Her gentle breath tickled across the side of his neck, her eyes glued to his skin, which had tanned under the noonval sun. Her siblings each clutched at their father¡¯s back, their legs clamping against his front and back, their father the filling within the taco of love.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com¡¯s entire body swirled with complex emotions. Though he had been acting a fool in front of everyone, he was not immune to the embarrassment which his actions brought. He was a fool, and everyone knew that much, but this had gone a step further than just being a simple fool. ¡®Cringe?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®How can this be cringe when they adore me so much?¡¯ The adoration of his triplets in front of everyone caused him to flush red, but he could only adore them deeper. Compared to all the children in the Iyr, his children were truly those that displayed their love most. He squeezed them against his body a little tighter, before pressing his lips against each of their foreheads. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam finally said, pulling back slightly so he could speak. ¡°Now that I¡¯m done adoring my children, allow me to introduce them to you properly.¡± Konarot slowly peeled away from her father, not wanting to, but she did as was expected, with her siblings following after her. Adam brushed their heads, brushing a finger along Konarot¡¯s scar beside her eye. ¡°These are my eldest children. The eldest is Konarot, then it¡¯s Kirot, and finally Karot. They¡¯re my children, and they¡¯re Executive Jurot¡¯s nieces and nephews, and the President¡¯s grandchildren. It¡¯s a little awkward, but they¡¯re the Little Executives of the business. Konarot, no doubt, will grow up to be one of its greatest...¡± They could feel it grow within the air. ¡°They¡¯ll remain small and cute forever,¡± Adam whispered, remaining still for a long moment. The farmers and porters remained focused on the half dragon children. The tiny horns, the scales, the tails. ¡®He has half dragon children...¡¯ Rick thought, though all those around him thought the same thing. Half dragon children were extremely rare, but almost all of them became great warriors when they grew up. They had silver scales, meaning their mother was no doubt a dragon from the north. These triplets had a dragon as a mother. They had a crazy fool like Adam as a father. They were apparently related to the Iyrmen too? All of such, with the education the business, these children would no doubt grow up to become more than simple great warriors. ¡°Then we have my twins. They¡¯re so small and cute, but be careful, Jirot is quite vicious. She¡¯s the one who is currently hiding within her nano¡¯s chest, while my Jarot is cuddling up with her. My Jarot is so sensible and so well behaved, unlike his greatfather who he was named after.¡± ¡°You are too close to be speaking so poorly of me,¡± the Iyrman snarled. ¡°Speaking of their greatfather, the adorable little baby within his arms is almost my son, Larot, my youngest. All of my children are quite special, as you can tell, but even if they¡¯re cute, you can¡¯t steal them from me.¡± Adam reached down to brush his triplets¡¯ hair, tickling the top of their skulls tenderly, causing them to purr quietly. "Okay?" Jurot asked, tearing his flatbread in half, offering a porting to his younger sister, before scooping the food with another smaller chunk of flatbread. "Yeah," Adam replied, in the way that stated he wasn''t entirely okay, but he needed to think. "Just, we''ve got so much to do." Jurot dropped the topic any further, noting his brother had fallen into such thought, he was no longer feeding his children. ¡°Daddy,¡± Karot called, bringing his father out of his thoughts, opening his mouth. ¡°Oh dear, how can your father be so silly, thinking so hard when he still needs to feed his adorable son?¡± Adam nuzzled his son¡¯s head gently, before returning back to feeding him. As the minutes continued to pass, Adam¡¯s thoughts fell towards the fort. ¡®I need to show off more to my kids.¡¯ Adam glanced around towards the other children, those sitting beside their trio of snake sisters. They spoke in hushed whispers, glancing around, especially towards Adam and his children. ¡®Hold on... did I buy enough supplies for them?¡¯ Adam thought back to how many items he had brought. ¡®I didn¡¯t really buy any books, for them to read or write. How didn¡¯t I buy more colours and paints from East Port while I had the chance?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Korin called, taking a seat opposite the half elf, wrapping his grilled meat within his flatbread. ¡°Korin.¡± Korin glanced down toward Adam¡¯s children. ¡°Are you enjoying the meal?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot replied, sipping more of her water. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Korin beamed down towards her, before his eyes met Adam¡¯s once more. ¡°Congratulations on the fort.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam returned a smile towards the Aswadian. ¡°What do you think? Are you impressed as a member of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°It is a good fort. It is well built, especially considering how quickly it was formed. I understand now why they call it Iyrmen efficiency.¡± ¡°Right? They¡¯re so scary.¡± ¡°They are...¡± Korin glanced around towards the Iyrmen. There were many about them, and quite a number of them were elderly. Though many of them did not wear armour, he could feel the aura of death emanating from them. Cobra furrowed her brows as her thoughts came to her. ¡®Konarot. Karot. Kirot. Jirot. Jarot. Larot.¡¯ She thought back to what Adam had said, and the laughter of the old man. Her eyes trailed towards the one armed Iyrman who had given up the... red skinned baby to the President, and was currently sitting beside the figure with the greatsword. ¡®Is he...¡¯ I''m not saying that Patreon has access to something hype right now, but... [861] – Y03.161 – Serious Business IV [861] ¨C Y03.161 ¨C Serious Business IV Marmak poured grain wine into Jarot¡¯s cup, who sipped it lightly. The old Iyrman sipped away at his own grain wine too, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Did you see?¡± Jarot asked. Marmak replied with a questioning grunt. ¡°Did you see how my greatdaughter causes trouble?¡± His lips formed a small smirk, his eyes full of pride. ¡°She is your greatdaughter.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jarot cackled with laughter, finishing his grain wine before pouring them each another cup. ¡°She will grow up well, and the mess she will cause, it will be written within our books.¡± ¡°If she causes half the trouble you have, it will be too much.¡± ¡°These new generations are too orderly. In our generation, how much chaos did we create? What of the generations before us?¡± Jarot thought of a particular Iyrman who had beaten him so viciously even after he had made a name for himself, his eyes falling towards Sonarot. ¡°There is still time. Two ancient empires of old have broken. The Aldish have laid claim to newly found islands, which provide great resources. Ancient evils still lay dormant, and may awaken soon. The Iyr closed its gates.¡± The pair fell silent as the words left Marmak¡¯s lips. ¡°The winds of our time had long grown stale, but the winds now...¡± Jarot leaned back and inhaled the air. ¡°The winds are fresh.¡± ¡°You can feel it too?¡± ¡°I am no longer young. These old bones of mine, they can feel the change within the wind.¡± ¡°The children will grow up with these winds.¡± ¡°Great winds threaten to uproot trees, but which winds can uproot sprouts of we Iyrmen?¡± Marmak remained silent, his eyes slowly falling towards the young half elf and his children. The thoughts remained within his mind. The children did not look like any other children within the Rot family. However, they did wear the Rot family clothing, as if they were truly members of the family. ¡°Why are you two sighing so much?¡± Gangak asked, bringing a gourd with her, placing it before the pair. ¡°We were reminiscing.¡± ¡°Why reminisce of your youth?¡± ¡°We have such to reminisce about,¡± Marmak retorted. ¡°You should have worked harder to be forced away from the land,¡± Gangak replied playfully, pouring him the fruit wine she had brought. Marmak¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Your words are as fiery as ever, Flame Brand.¡± ¡°I will not step back even for you, Butcher.¡± Marmak sipped his wine slowly. ¡°You are close with the twins?¡± ¡°They adore me so much.¡± Jarot snorted slightly. ¡°I am still their favourite.¡± ¡°You are their favourite babo, but I am their favourite nano.¡± Jarot decided against retorting, relenting to the woman who had done so much for the children. ¡°I will not give them to you.¡± ¡°Should I take them?¡± ¡°Can you take them from me?¡± Gangak and Jarot both glared between one another, before they returned to sipping their wine slowly. ¡°The Iyr placed you here?¡± Gangak asked. ¡°They did.¡± Gangak glanced towards the Aswadians. She noted Sara¡¯s eyes upon the group of them. The young woman¡¯s eyes took in the sight of the three figures. ¡®Mad Dog. Flame Brand. Butcher...¡¯ George raised his brows in response. ¡°It¡¯s too early to be surprised by Adam.¡± George glanced towards the half elf once more, who wiped his daughter¡¯s face clean, the tiny goblin girl cackling at her father, before rushing away towards the older devilkin Iyrman. He had yet to see Adam adore the goblins as much as his half dragon children. ¡®Can I be a Team Leader too?¡¯ Brittany thought. Her eyes fell to the bow at her side. She reached out to brush along the smooth wood with her pinky finger. ¡®I¡¯ll need to be stronger.¡¯ Jonn remained silent as he sat in the corner, eating his meal silently. ¡®Am I a Team Leader?¡¯ He still wasn¡¯t sure if he was connected to the business, or if he was specifically Adam¡¯s servant. ¡®Servant?¡¯ ¡°We plan on returning to Aswadasad soon,¡± Korin admitted. ¡°Who?¡± Adam asked, almost smirking knowingly. ¡°Lady Sara, myself, and Amira...¡± ¡°Amira too?¡± Korin¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°What a shame...¡± ¡°We intend to stay until the end of this year at least, but next year we should return. Until we return, we are able to assist you with your business for free.¡± ¡°Free? Who do you think I am? I¡¯ll pay you properly, though the pay might not be that great. Still, you had a share of all the loot when we were travelling, I¡¯m sure that was a pretty decent pay. Maybe not, considering how rich you all are.¡± ¡°Much of our coin will return to the order, where it will be better used, but the coin we earned whilst with you wasn¡¯t terrible.¡± ¡°I suppose money isn¡¯t the most important thing in the world once you have all the basics?¡± Korin bowed his head. ¡°Just let me know a month before you leave so I can prepare your compensation, and any other gifts we can spare for you.¡± ¡°Do you need to hand us gifts?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends?¡¯ Korin flashed a smile. ¡°As you say.¡± ¡°I hope Amira ends up staying.¡± ¡°It is my hope too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The pair smiled between one another before a shadow loomed over Adam. Adam glanced back towards Marmak, whose eyes remained focused upon Adam. ¡°Yes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You are the Nephew of the Rot family?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°I am Marmak,¡± the Iyrman replied, noting how the Aswadian beside the half elf tensed up, his eyes shooting up towards the older Iyrman. ¡®Marmak?¡¯ Korin thought. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°I have heard of your tales. I have come to speak with you of a matter.¡± ¡°What matter is that?¡± Marmak remained silent for a moment. ¡°Let us fight.¡± Korin¡¯s eyes widened further. Next chapter might confuse you. Don''t say I didn''t warn you. [862] – Y03.162 – Serious Business V [862] ¨C Y03.162 ¨C Serious Business V The heavy greatsword fell like the rain around them, the crimson shield barely manage to contain the vicious force within the blow. The crimson shield, splattered with rain, threatened to dent under the might of the Butcher¡¯s blade, which crackled with great magic. ¡°Marmak!¡± Jarot shouted, raising his axe. The axe met the side of the Iyrman¡¯s flesh, but he was no simple Iyrman, for he was Marmak, the Butcher. Though the axe tore into his side, it did not break through his flesh, which was as hard as the steel which struck it. ¡°Jarot!¡± Marmak¡¯s entire body, hot red with rage, strained as he tried to cleave the Mad Dog in half. Jarot¡¯s red hot body also strained as his axe dug into Marmak¡¯s shoulder, while the greatsword struck against the crimson shield, the red steel flexing as the blow tore through the rest of Jarot¡¯s arm, threatening to fracture his bone. ¡°Jarot! Marmak!¡± Zaool shouted, the flash of lightning illuminating him, while the rumble of thunder echoed across the land. ¡°Stop this at once!¡± Gangak sighed, the woman clutching her blade against her chest, watching the pair fight. ¡°Do you believe those two will listen to you?¡± ¡®Are they trying to kill each other?¡¯ an adventurer thought, watching as the Iyrmen fought. They had been ready to fight, seeing as how Marmak charged forward to assault the Iyrmen. However, the trio of Iyrmen beside the Iyrman with the crimson shield had remained standing to one side, mostly relaxed. ¡°What brings you so far south?¡± Marmak asked, bringing down his blade, readying to bisect the Mad Dog. ¡°My son...¡± Jarot replied, before his eyes turned white, his entire body growing so hot the rain threatened to turn to steam upon touching his bare skin, ¡°was killed.¡± Marmak¡¯s blade clashed with Jarot¡¯s axe, the magical steel ringing in the air as the lightning flashed, the thunder rumbling all across them. Marmak¡¯s face held a wild, vile grin. ¡°How did he die?¡± ¡°Forgryn killed him,¡± Jarot said, his voice trembling with sheer rage. ¡°That bastard killed my boy!¡± Jarot pressed the Butcher back with the new found rage within him, the Mad Dog like a force of nature rather than a wicked Iyrman. Marmak stepped back, partly due to the Mad Dog¡¯s strength, but partly because of the shock of the sheer enmity within the Iyrman¡¯s axe. ¡®Forgryn?¡¯ Thoughts flashed within Marmak¡¯s mind. ¡°Was it Fakrot?¡± Jarot¡¯s axe threatened to tear into Marmak¡¯s chest, though his axe stopped, his arm pulsing from slowing his arm in the instant. ¡°...¡± ¡°I met Fakrot and Chayrot a few weeks ago,¡± Marmak admitted. ¡°...¡± ¡°Forgyn killed my son and daughter,¡± Jarot growled, his throat clogging up, his entire body still red hot with rage. The rain fell across his face, his hair falling down to his shoulders, dark and wet. ¡°Jarot...¡± Marmak said, his rage filling him once more, his entire body flashing with a rage which matched that of Jarot¡¯s. ¡°Your daughter-,¡± ¡°Jarot, Marmak,¡± called a voice from the darkness. Zaool shuddered, glancing back towards the darkness, watching as the dark robed figures stepped towards the group of Iyrmen and adventurers. Otkan glanced their way with a look, but she kept most of her attention towards the adventurers, her arms crossed, as though she wasn¡¯t ready to fight them. Only the leading figure stepped forward, undoing her hood to reveal her bald head, and her tattoo, a deep blue semicircle in the centre, with the flat side pointed up, with deep red hollowed ovals emanating out from the tattoo. She held a staff in hand, made of the purest of whites.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com ¡°Have you come to stop me?¡± Jarot asked, his body still red hot with rage. ¡°There is news,¡± Shaool replied. The adventurers near the Iyrmen turned ice cold, and by the time they had come to their senses, they realised they had reached for their weapon. ¡®Did they just... kill him?¡¯ ¡°Whose grandson?¡± ¡°I wish to fight him.¡± ¡°There is no need for you to fight him.¡± ¡°It is only fun.¡± ¡°Fun?¡± Jarot¡¯s eyes narrowed. He switched to the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Do you believe the words you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s asked me to fight in front of my kids, I guess I have to fight,¡± Adam joked, before noting the looks he received from both Jarot and Gangak. ¡®Eh?¡¯ ¡°If your grandson wishes to fight, then we may.¡± Marmak¡¯s lips formed a small smirk. ¡°Although, I have to warn you... I¡¯ve never lost in front of the kids.¡± ¡°If you can defeat me, it is only an honour for you. If you are defeated by me, it is still your honour.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to lose.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Marmak began to chuckle with delight, already feeling the heat flood through his entire body. ¡°Although, let¡¯s be clear... whether or not I marry your daughter, it¡¯s not up to you or me. It¡¯s up to whether she marries me, and whether my children end up accepting her.¡± ¡°My granddaughter will be accepted by your children,¡± Marmak assured. ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t feel too bad about her grandfather being beaten by some kid.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes twinkled mischievously. Marmak roared with laughter, though it was cut short by Gangak¡¯s words. ¡°Step back, Adam,¡± the old woman said in their tongue, her glare serious. ¡°If you are so eager to fight, I will fight you.¡± ¡°What need of I to beat you in front of your greatchildren?¡± Marmak replied, his eyes meeting Gangak¡¯s. ¡°It is no dishonour for me to lose against you.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam interrupted in their tongue. ¡°Let¡¯s just stop this.¡± ¡®They really don¡¯t want me to fight?¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure why he was being asked to step back, considering the reputation of Iyrmen. He also didn¡¯t want Gangak to fight, considering she was so certain she would lose against this Iyrman. ¡®Gangak¡¯s the best of the Gaks. If she loses...¡¯ Taygak watched the scene with a hint of excitement within her eyes. She looked up towards her mother. ¡°Grandmother, fight?¡± ¡°She may,¡± Kaygak confirmed, sipping her milk. Her thoughts were very different to Adam¡¯s, who did not want Taygak to watch her grandaunt¡¯s loss. ¡®The fight will inspire Taygak.¡¯ ¡°Grandaunt, I¡¯ll fight,¡± Jaygak called. ¡°It will be my honour!¡± Raygak gasped, his eyes darting to his sister. ¡®She is to fight Marmak?¡¯ ¡®Who is this old man anyway?¡¯ Adam thought, suddenly feeling like he was out of his depth. Adam is finally the confused one for once. [863] – Y03.163 – Serious Business VI [863] ¨C Y03.163 ¨C Serious Business VI Jaygak flung backwards, landing on her side as she skid to a halt, her entire body ringing in pain. She could no longer feel her shield arm, and she had no idea if her hand still firmly gripped her blade, she could only hope so. She tried to stand, but her body refused to listen to her will. Marmak¡¯s blade tinked lightly against the floor, certain she was unable to stand. The fight hadn¡¯t lasted long, about as long as he had expected. He reached up to his cheek, feeling the crimson hotness against his finger, before tilting his head slightly so it would not pool into his eyes. A wild grin appeared on his face. ¡°Your grandniece takes after you, Flame Brand.¡± From those the business adopted, to those Adam peppered with kisses, and those who Adam peppered with kisses, but were not his kin, the children around all stared at the twitching form of the fallen Iyrman. ¡®He beat up the Executive just like that?¡¯ Alex thought, his eyes wide. ¡°Kako,¡± Jirot called out, her voice low, her head darting towards her nano to see how she should react. ¡®Good,¡¯ Taygak thought. A cry filled the air, as Kavgak¡¯s face contorted and tears fell down her cheeks. Her cries were joined by the chorus of other babies nearby, before their parents and guardians began to lift them up to soothe them. Jaygak inhaled deeply, flexing her muscles, before forcing herself into a sitting position. Her entire body shook within her armour, though it felt as though a mountain pinned her to the earth. Shuddering and spluttering, the young Iyrman clambered onto her feet, almost making the mistake of resting her forearm upon her knee, before she finally forced her head upwards, the rest of her body following like a snake. ¡°Thank you for the fight!¡± ¡°You are politer than your grandaunt,¡± Marmak replied, still grinning wide. ¡°I am so old, do not make me wait so long to hear your tale.¡± ¡°You cannot say that,¡± Jaygak replied, barely able to speak so many syllables without gasping for air. ¡°Taygak will bring us-,¡± Jaygak gasped for air, barely able to hide the deep pain rocking through her body, ¡°great glory.¡± ¡°Taygak?¡± ¡°Taygak, me,¡± the girl said, standing up tall and proud. ¡°Cousin Jaygak, strong! Cousin Jaygak, great!¡± ¡®Our Taygak is speaking so much!¡¯ Adam thought, his lower lip quivering slightly as he filled with pride. Jaygak wanted to say more, but every breath felt like swimming across an entire ocean, so she did what she did best. She cracked a smirk. Marmak returned the smile, noting it through her visor, before Jaygak finally stepped aside, Kitool assisting her as the young woman almost collapsed beside her. ¡°Okay?¡± Kitool asked. Jaygak glanced to the other Gaks around her. She nodded in response, wincing. She was glad her helmet hid her face. Adam watched as Marmak returned back to Gangak to praise her grandniece in front of her. ¡®Damn. He knocked out Jaygak like I knock out Seventh Hopes. No, Jaygak did better than the Seventh Hope...¡¯ ¡°I had no idea he was the Butcher,¡± Korin admitted, his eyes glued to the old man, just like the other Aswadians around. ¡°The who?¡± ¡°The Butcher...¡± Korin fell silent for a long moment. ¡°He caused a mess in Aswadasad when I was younger, but he disappeared. He killed many Kals who hunted him for what he did.¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°He killed a noble, and many great warriors who were sent to hunt him down. The Black Lions were almost sent, but he disappeared. We thought he had died since he disappeared so suddenly.¡± ¡°No! You ah not scahree, kako.¡± Jaygak rested her cheek against the girl¡¯s cheek, rubbing it gently, before planting kisses on her forehead. She accepted Jarot too, who pouted up towards her, before he was also showered in her affection. ¡°I¡¯m going to let it slide since you did me a solid,¡± Adam said. ¡°What did I do for you?¡± ¡°Take credit when it¡¯s due,¡± Adam replied, annoyed, reaching out to pat her shoulder, though he decided against it in case she was still in pain. Jaygak returned with a smirk across her face. Her eyes then snapped towards the older Iyrmen, who were relaxing in the corner, one whose cheek was currently being tended to by another Iyrman. ¡°It will grow into a good scar,¡± Marmak said, allowing one of the other Iyrmen stationed here to patch up around his eye and cheek. ¡°She almost took my eye.¡± ¡°You are lucky my grandniece is so well behaved.¡± Gangak smiled playfully at her words, exchanging a look with Jarot. ¡°She should have taken your eye for the trouble you tried to cause,¡± Jarot growled. ¡°What trouble would I cause?¡± ¡°My grandson would have beaten you!¡± ¡°Am I as weak as the First Hope?¡± ¡°I would face the First Hope and my grandson with greater success than you,¡± Jarot replied. Marmak narrowed his eyes slightly, but did not refute the statement. It was difficult to refute it, for Jarot would not lie to him, and he knew more of the situation. Jarot knew how strong Marmak was, and he knew how strong Adam was. Although, there was a gentleness to Jarot¡¯s words, one which stated he was still conflicted by his statement. ¡°Your grandson is so strong?¡± Marmak asked. ¡°If you wish to harm a hair on his head, your luck must be greater than his, or he must allow you.¡± ¡°He is that difficult to fight?¡± Jarot leaned back as he sipped his wine, smirking as he did, barely hiding it as he stared into Marmak¡¯s eyes. ¡°It would be difficult for him to live within the Iyr if it was confirmed,¡± Gangak replied, speaking more openly. ¡°I did not mean to cause such trouble,¡± Marmak admitted. ¡°You did not?¡± ¡°The trouble I wished to cause was smaller.¡± Jarot growled, though his lips formed a wide smile. ¡°Only my grandson should cause so much trouble.¡± ¡°Since he is your grandson,¡± Marmak agreed, pouring wine for the pair. Sorry I forgot to post this up yesterday. [864] – Y03.164 – A Quiet Time I [864] ¨C Y03.164 ¨C A Quiet Time I "Look at this chonky girl,¡± Adam said, holding Kavgak within his arms, feeling how heavy she had become. The girl squinted her sore eyes towards him, narrowing further from her sleepiness. "Your sister is too cute, Jaygak." "She is not too cute, she is perfectly cute." "Have I corrupted you too?" Jaygak flashed a smirk in response, leaning further back in her chair. Her body ached, though it had soothed over time. "Has your father corrupted me?" "Yes," Jirot replied, cackling lightly, hiding herself against her aunt''s neck. Jaygak reached up to the girl''s hair, brushing it gently, while little Jarot also smirked lightly. "What of you, Jarot? Do you think your father has corrupted me?" "Daddy," the boy replied, his lips forming a shy smile, before he sucked his thumb and rested his head against his aunt''s shoulder, the cool steel pressing against his cheek. "How could you bully your sister, you smelly girl?" Adam asked, reaching up to brush his hand through Kavgak''s hair, before running along her chubby cheek. The girl squirmed within his arms, before turning over as she sucked her thumb, her sleepy eyes calling her to the darkness which brought light soon after. ''It''s not fair that your sister is so cute...'' Adam closed his eyes, exhaling lightly. ''No. It''s only fair, since my sister is so cute too.'' The children, overwhelmed by their sleepiness, were then gently guided away to sleep. Adam spotted a particular chonky boy as his father carried him over a shoulder, the boy''s drool leaking against his father''s shoulder. ''I didn''t get to spoil Danagek!'' Adam huffed quietly, before placing the little Gak girl into the corner, stepping back to see her tiny form in the darkness. With his half fae sight, she was grey, but equally as adorable as in the light. "It''s time to return to your father," Jaygak said, pulling the children away from her. "No," Jirot groaned quietly, trying to find her energy to cause trouble, but she slowly melted against her aunt, seconds away from falling asleep. "Did you spit out the teethleaf?" "No..." The girl yawned, revealing the lack of the leaf within her mouth, which had fallen on the journey here. Adam gently peeled Jirot away from her aunt, and did the same with his sleeping boy, the pair squirming until they rested against their father. Adam let out another huff, overwhelmed by how cute his twins were. ''How can they do this to me? I''ll forgive you, just this once.'' Adam returned back to the shared estate the group had made their home within the fort. The tiny form of his daughter shuffled up towards him, the girl fending off her sleep after smelling her father''s return. Adam dropped to a knee and nuzzled into her forehead, while her younger brother and sister stumbled their way to embrace their father''s leg too. ''I really should have beaten up the First Hope...'' Adam assisted his children to sleep, planting firm kisses on their foreheads as they began to lay, one by one. Lanarot yawned, letting out a soft groan as her brother kissed her forehead, before she rubbed her cheek against his chest. ¡°Goodnight, papa.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Lanababy.¡± Jurot had already said his goodnights to the children, who had also embraced him tight. His heart pounded within his chest. He could feel the heat within his body, and his desire to slay a hydra in that moment. ¡®It is like this.¡¯ ¡®Should I have wrestled one of the hydras to make a pet?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®One of them had six heads, maybe it was a sign?¡¯NewW novels updates at novelhall.comen: 3, 4 "Rowajin is so cute," Adam confirmed, rubbing the boy''s head, feeling how thick his hair was. The tiny boy stared up towards Adam, before his lips quivered, only for Uwajin to pull her younger brother back, embracing him tight to stop him from crying. Cobra watched Adam from afar, her eyes glued to the mysterious form which was known as Adam. ¡®He...¡¯ She blinked. ¡®How did he threaten the Marshal of the East and the likes of the First Hope, but...¡¯ As the group came together to eat in the morning, Adam lifted up Danagek. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to spoil him last night since it was so late, but this is my cousin, Danagek. Do you understand what that means?¡± Danagek squirmed within Adam¡¯s arms, before noting his father nearby. He spluttered into a cry, but stopped the moment he was within his father¡¯s arms, retreating into his chest. ¡°This is Tonagek, who is the brother of the President. Although technically he doesn¡¯t have a position, that doesn¡¯t mean he has no sway here. As much as the business and the Iyr are different, we Executives heed the advice of those we are related to, and since we heed the advice of the President¡¯s brother as if he were like Director Nirot, that means that Danagek is also a Little Director. Am I understood?¡± ¡°Good morning, Little Director,¡± Fred called out, before the wave of voices joined together. The tiny Iyrbabies all glanced towards the voice, including the tiny girl who was slightly hard of hearing. ¡°You should treat him like the Little Director, because otherwise I don¡¯t get to spoil him. If any of you end up becoming the reason I can¡¯t spoil these adorable children, don¡¯t expect to work here for long!¡± ¡®He¡¯s really an idiot,¡¯ Cobra thought. ¡®Did I make the right choice?¡¯ ¡°If you keep behaving like that, they will lose their faith in you,¡± Dunes said, sipping his milk. ¡°I¡¯ve got to act that way, otherwise they¡¯ll just fear me,¡± Adam replied. Dunes froze, stunned by Adam¡¯s logic. ¡®He¡¯s... right?¡¯ ¡°I am really an idiot, I just emphasise it a little, that¡¯s all... plus, how could I forget to spoil my Danagek yesterday? I might have really become stupid when dealing with all those Aldishmen!¡± Dunes watched as Adam broke apart some of the meat, before taking the plate to Gurot, slowly swiping some of the meat for the boy, patting the boy¡¯s back gently and ruffled his hair, before returning. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, come,¡± Gangak called, before taking the twins away. Once breakfast was done, Adam watched as the people around mingled together. ¡°Dunes!¡± Korin whispered, though it was almost a shout. ¡°What?¡± Dunes asked, noting the Korin was wide eyed. ¡°The President is the great granddaughter of Hadi!¡± He continued to whisper loudly towards Dunes. ¡°Hadi?¡± Dunes replied, wondering who the guide was in the context. ¡°Hadi!¡± Dunes furrowed his brows. ¡°Gek, Dunes, Gek. Tanagek.¡± Dunes shut his eyes tight, before his eyes snapped to meet Korin¡¯s once more. ¡°Hadi Tanagek?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Adam asked. Who? [865] – Y03.165 – A Quiet Time II [865] ¨C Y03.165 ¨C A Quiet Time II The smell of death marred the taste of the ale. The tiny figure, a figure who looked so much like a beardless dwarf, wiped the back of their mouth, letting out a loud sigh. It was a sigh filled with annoyance, the annoyance pressing down against the figures keeping an eye on the Lord of Earth every moment of the day, from the starlight to sunlight, from sunlight to starlight, from morning drink, to late morning drink, all the up to late night drink. ¡®I should leave...¡¯ Each figure reeked of death, not just that they had slain thousands upon thousands, but the death of those with bodies of ice and hearts of stone. She was older than time, her wrinkles like ripples within a lake. She wore thick clothing, black as the starless sky, and wore a black, wooden medallion shaped in the symbol of Baktu. She wielded a staff made of the same black wood, but that was not the most notable thing about her. Her tattoos were small, hollow circles, also a deep black. They were notable because an Iyrman¡¯s tattoos were usually filled or hollow, with the central shape as the largest. However, her tattoos were all uniform and were smaller than those of other Iyrmen, and within the central circle was a symbol of death. The figures who kept an eye on Lord Stokmar were the same, each prepared to face the Lord of Earth, and perhaps more terrifyingly, each eager. Save perhaps one figure, a heavily armoured warrior in black armour, who wielded a blade at his side, and carried a shield upon his back. Stokmar could barely feel his presence, and though his eyes stared at the Lord of Earth, they were cold and emotionless, so unlike the typical Iyrman. ¡®He is more agreeable.¡¯ The rising sun beat down upon the lazing Lord of Earth, who remained to protect the Iyr, or rather, to laze about it unless it required their assistance. It beat down across the entire Iyr, including those towards the edge of the Iyr¡¯s land. ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered, shocked to hear the figure¡¯s tale, or rather, what little he had done to gain such recognition within Aswadasad. ¡°I don¡¯t think I heard much of his tale before today. I feel like I¡¯d remember if I heard someone like that.¡± ¡°When you are surrounded by those who have such prestigious families, it must be a Balda¡¯s ransom for you.¡± ¡°Balda?¡± ¡°An ancient figure who was extremely wealthy.¡± ¡°How many stories are there in the world?¡± Adam rubbed his forehead gently. ¡®I can¡¯t believe Jurot¡¯s related to all kinds of monsters. No, what am even I thinking, of course he is.¡¯ ¡°Nana babo?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, brushing his daughter¡¯s cheek, her tail swaying from side to side. ¡°Your nana¡¯s babo was so great, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re related to such an amazing figure?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Aren¡¯t you so glad your family is so powerful and strong? Since they¡¯re so strong and powerful, it means you can stay small and cute forever.¡± Adam peppered her with kisses, the girl squirming against her father, a small smile encroaching across her lips. Dunes and Korin watched as Adam embraced his triplets, showering them with his affection. Their eyes fell to Jurot, who was holding Larot upon his lap, the boy glaring at the world. ¡°Jurot, how come you didn¡¯t show off my children¡¯s nana¡¯s babo?¡± Adam asked, letting out a huff. ¡°You should show off something like that.¡± ¡°There are many stories to be told,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I will speak of his tale if you wish.¡± ¡°You should, you should. You probably know more than Dunes and Korin, since you know tales that happened around Aldland too! You should show him off to my kids, so they can...¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°So they can stay small and cute forever.¡± ¡°Tanagek the Dutiful¡¯s tales are some of the greatest within the last few generations,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°I will read them to the children.¡± ¡°Did you hear that? Papo is going to read the tales to you. Aren¡¯t you so happy?¡± Konarot glanced towards her uncle for a moment, before retreating to her father¡¯s chest. ¡°Daddy...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam replied, reaching down to brush his daughter¡¯s hair, noting her eyes glancing up towards him. ¡°You reading...¡± ¡°You want me to read to you?¡± Konarot¡¯s tiny head rubbed against her father¡¯s chest as she nodded. ¡°Of course, my dear! If that¡¯s what my daughter wants, I will read them to you!¡± Adam peppered her with more kisses, embracing her tight, before Kirot and Karot also climbed onto him to embrace him. ¡°First there was Great Giahroh, Jarot, and now Hadi Tanagek...¡± Dunes said, his voice apprehensive. ¡°Do you have any other ancestors who will cause my heart such terror.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I claim only the stories between the Rot and Gek family, from father and mother, and the Fev family from my grandmother.¡± ¡®The Fev family?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°There is Ramfev, who was active in the time before Tanagek.¡± ¡°Ramfev?¡± Dunes asked. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°If you wish to cause a mess, you should, since you are my grandson!¡± ¡°Whose your grandson?¡± The older Jarot burst into laughter, causing Jirot and little Jarot to laugh too. The old man wrapped an arm around the pair, pulling them closer. ¡°I can¡¯t believe your family is so stacked,¡± Adam said. ¡°Stacked?¡± ¡°Stacked with great monsters.¡± Jurot, still unsure of what Adam was saying, nodded slowly, for he understood at least that Adam was saying his family was powerful. ¡°I will create a greater story for my children and-,¡± Jurot realised quickly what he had done, having fallen into Adam¡¯s pace. ¡°When are you going to give me grandchildren?¡± Jurot could feel the intense pressure from his grandfather. His ears turned red, causing the old man to pull off the intense pressure. ¡®Does he...¡¯ ¡°Before you cause a mess about this, old man... is there any way you can cause a mess since Churot¡¯s birthday is soon and he isn¡¯t about for me, us, to spoil him?¡± ¡°They will bring my Churot soon,¡± Jarot confirmed, his lips twitching slightly. ¡®I guess he¡¯s already threatened them?¡¯ ¡°Good. Speaking of, Churot¡¯s family is pretty stacked too. I mean, he¡¯s got the Rots, the Fevs, and the Gaks.¡± ¡°He is fortunate,¡± Jaygak confirmed, holding the pair of children closer to her chest, rubbing her cheeks against their horns. ¡°I keep forgetting Churot is related to you,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°How can he be related to you when he¡¯s so smart?¡± ¡°Kitool is related to him too.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam replied, his brows raised in shock. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°His grandmother was born into the Fev family, and Kitool¡¯s father is her nephew.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Yo! I didn¡¯t know that! So that means Kitool has Sha-, grandaunt Shaool,¡± Adam quickly stated upon feeling the glares from Jarot and Gangak, ¡°and the Bloody Hawk? Doesn¡¯t that mean that Churot is related to the most amount of...¡± Adam tried to keep the family relations within his mind, but he stopped. ¡°So really, you¡¯re all related to one another?¡± ¡°In a way.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense. No wonder Churot is so smart, he¡¯s related to Kitool after all.¡± Jaygak frowned. She hadn¡¯t expected the obvious conclusion. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Churot¡¯s not allowed to grow up either,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot added. ¡°Our Churot is helping the Iyr well,¡± Gangak said. ¡°Unlike the Aldish, who are threatening to starve one another now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°The Priests of Nahtu across Aldland are pressuring the King due to the devasation he caused within Floria,¡± Gangak informed. ¡°They are threatening to not cast their magics upon the fields.¡± ¡°Their magic?¡± ¡°Plant Growth. A Priest of Nahtu has such an ability once they learn Third Gate spells. They can call forth a ritual over the course of many hours to enrich the plant all around over a large distance. If they do not cast such spells, the amount of land required will double, and the farmers required to work such land would increase. In Aldland, only Priests of Nahtu can cast such a spell, so the King cannot ignore it.¡± ¡°The King has made questionable decisions,¡± Jarot stated, recalling what had happened over a decade ago. ¡°He may allow the famines to spread through Aldland.¡± ¡°The duchal families are already strengthening their grip,¡± Gangak replied. Jarot groaned in response, wondering how the King would react. ¡®Oh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®The duchal families are strengthening their grip?¡¯ Vonda noted the smirk on Adam¡¯s face. ¡®Oh, Adam...¡¯ Oh Adam... [866] – Y03.166 – A Quiet Time III [866] ¨C Y03.166 ¨C A Quiet Time III "You can¡¯t be serious!¡± Gilbert whispered, his eyes full of doubt. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Cobra replied, in the corner with Gilbert, away from prying eyes, and from seen ears. ¡°You know exactly why not!¡± ¡°You know exactly why we have to.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t, Cobra.¡± ¡°We can, and we will, Gilbert.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gilbert inhaled deeply. ¡°He¡¯s crazy, he¡¯s insane! I thought he was queer for his love of his children, but this... this is too much. Goblins, Cobra, goblins! He thinks those goblins are his children! What of the demon? My soul isn¡¯t going to be damned because of some half elf, a damn half elf who barely acknowledges the demon boy that he pretends is his child.¡± ¡°We were already travelling with demons this entire way,¡± Cobra replied, his voice calm and clear. ¡°What¡¯s the matter now?¡± ¡°I thought they were Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Did you?¡± Gilbert fell eerily silent, his cheeks filling with heat. ¡°What do you want me to do, Gilbert? We¡¯ve come all this way, we¡¯ve troubled them so much, you think we can leave now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to work for anyone who will threaten us if we walk away.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t threaten us. He¡¯ll let us walk away, and once the Marquise hears about it, we¡¯re all done for.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t look for us, we¡¯re nobodies.¡± ¡°We know she wants Alex. You might be willing to give him up, but she won¡¯t let us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up Alex!¡± Gilbert snapped back. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Cobra¡¯s doubtful voice cut into Gilbert. Gilbert couldn¡¯t refuse that, not when he thought about the pedigree of all these Iyrmen. ¡°The grandchildren of the Mad Dog, the grandchild of the previous Elder Wrath, whose like the Marquise of the Iyr, and that woman, Naqokan, half her ancestors ended up as the Chief of the Iyr, and you¡¯re too busy thinking of some goblin children?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly my point, Cobra! They¡¯re all outstanding people with outstanding families! Who are we? We can¡¯t do anything like that!¡± ¡°What about Nobby? They picked him up off the road and in a couple of years he ended up beating all those outstanding Iyrmen with outstanding families.¡± ¡°Nobby¡¯s different. He¡¯s not like you or me, Cobra! Look at the size of him! No! That¡¯s not right.¡± Gilbert¡¯s eyes began to gleam as they grew wet. ¡°You and Nobby, you¡¯re the same. You both, you¡¯re talented, but I ain¡¯t like that, Cobra. I got nothing. Even before, I couldn¡¯t do nothing. All I got was that the boys needed me around, but now...¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve got Nobby, they¡¯ve got Fred. Not even Max looks at me no more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Bert.¡± ¡°It is like that, Cobra. You wouldn¡¯t know, because whenever we¡¯re in trouble, we¡¯re always looking to you.¡± ¡°Bert, this is what I mean. Sometimes you think too little, sometimes you think too much, but you¡¯re not thinking about the right thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯d never understand.¡± Cobra inhaled deeply. She could see Gilbert was on edge, and that her previous words had been too much. ¡°The kids are still young, Bert. I know... I think I know how you feel, but... I can¡¯t say that I know all of how you feel, not after...¡± Gilbert remained silent. ¡°Stay, Bert. The kids still need you. You might not think so, but they will. We talked with the farmers and porters. They¡¯re all Experts, proper Experts, not like me. Kitool, she said that I¡¯m pretty close, I just need more training. They weren¡¯t always like that though, they say Adam helped more than anything. Two, three years, and you¡¯ll be an Expert too.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of things you can say that about, but is this really that impossible? You didn¡¯t see what Adam did to Viper and Python. What you saw was what he did to the Seventh Hope. You saw the way Jurot fought the Marshal, you saw how he fought the Grand Commander. These guys, they¡¯re all monsters, but a few years ago, three or four years ago, they were weaker than me.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right,¡± Gilbert replied, his eyes full of doubt. ¡°That¡¯s what they told me. Whether you believe it or not...¡± Cobra shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m telling you what I¡¯ve heard and saw, not that you need it. You¡¯ve got a chance to do something here. The farmers and their families, they¡¯re still not situated here. We are. They haven¡¯t signed the contracts yet, just like us. We¡¯ll be some of the first people in the business. Even if I¡¯m not a proper Expert, I just need to work harder than the others. The farmers and porters, they don¡¯t seem like they want to grow much stronger, but we could. Experts first, then Masters, then more.¡± ¡°You should speak with the Ray,¡± Gilbert replied. ¡®You¡¯re crazy too, Cobra...¡¯ ¡°You should speak with Adam.¡± ¡°...¡± He really should. [867] – Y03.167 – A Quiet Time IV [867] ¨C Y03.167 ¨C A Quiet Time IV ¡°Vonda!¡± Jirot declared, pointing towards the woman adorned in her full garb, covering her almost head to toe, save for her face. ¡°Yes?¡± the young woman replied, leaning back within her seat while Dunes shifted awkwardly opposite her. ¡°You ah fightin¡¯ me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jirot jerked away from the response, blinking as her mind processed the denial. ¡°Good. I am stwong.¡± ¡°Yes, you are.¡± Jirot snorted, standing up taller. ¡°I am daddy¡¯s dohta.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°I am not nana¡¯s dohta. I am nano¡¯s ganandohta.¡± The girl smirked, raising her chin smugly towards the Ray. ¡°You are so smart, Jirot.¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± the older Jarot called, carrying his greatson within his arm. ¡°You must call her Ray Vonda.¡± ¡°Way Vonda?¡± ¡°She is a Ray now,¡± Jarot said, taking a seat between Vonda and Dunes. ¡°You must show your respect.¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes towards the woman, her lips forming a wider smirk. ¡°Jirot,¡± her greatfather called, his voice lowering slightly. Jirot pouted. ¡°Okay, babo. I am good girl.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Jarot reached out with his arm to ruffle his greatdaughter¡¯s hair. ¡°Even if you are to be wild, you must be appropriately wild.¡± Little Jarot held onto his greatfather¡¯s neck, sucking his thumb. He glanced over towards Dunes, noting the Aswadian¡¯s gaze fell elsewhere. Jarot¡¯s eyes remained firmly focused on Dunes¡¯ face, and though the Aswadian could feel the burning gaze of the goblin, he remained intensely focused on the cup of milk before him. ¡°You are Way Vonda?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°I am Way?¡± ¡°No, you are Jirot, daughter of Adam.¡± Jirot snorted once more. ¡°No... I am babo¡¯s daughter.¡± The girl cackled, glancing back towards her greatfather. Jarot wanted to tell her off, but how could he do so when she was so cute? ¡®Just this once, because you are so cute.¡¯ ¡°Way Vonda!¡± Jirot accused, pointing at the woman. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I became a Ray because I grew closer to Mother Soza.¡± ¡°Mutha Soza?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the Goddess of Life.¡± ¡°Mahtu?¡± ¡°Yes, that is what the Iyrmen call her.¡± ¡°I know Mahtu! Is Baktu¡¯s mama.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°That is right. Mother Soza is the mother of many of the Divine.¡± ¡°Mahtu is your mama?¡± ¡®What am I going to to do with you?¡¯ Adam thought, before closing his eyes. He had spent the morning going about checking on the children, but other thoughts filled his mind. ¡®We spent so much money this year... I need to secure more money so the business doesn¡¯t fall over in a year...¡¯ Adam hadn¡¯t yet realised how much money the business still had, having been too busy doting on his children. ¡®It¡¯s probably not too important to sell off anything too crazy right now, I just need to do the least amount of work for the most amount of money...¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply. ¡®Of course it¡¯s the nobles, it¡¯s always the nobles. I should milk them dry for as much as I can. I need to finish off the current set of weapons and shields, and that should tide us over for now, but I should try and figure out a way to take more money from the Aldish. Might be a good way to get closer to the noble families. Overcharge them and have them thank me for it?¡¯ ¡®What kind of wicked thoughts do you have?¡¯ Dunes thought, eyeing up the half elf and the smirk on his face. ¡®There¡¯s no real reason to leave for the rest of the year so I can just stay here and spoil my kids while working on the enchanting...¡¯ ¡®So he¡¯s thinking about his children now...¡¯ ¡®I should complete all the items I owe, then I should enchant a few more, just in case. I also need to enchant some weapons as gifts too...¡¯ Adam leaned back in his chair further. ¡®Has he resigned himself to all the work he needs to complete?¡¯ ¡®If only I could...¡¯ Adam furrowed his brows together. ¡®Hold on...¡¯ Passive Enchanting Multi Enchanting ¡®He has realised he is stupid,¡¯ Dunes thought, fairly certain he was correct in his assessment of Adam¡¯s facial expressions. ¡®Holy, that¡¯s so broken.¡¯ ¡®He has definitely recalled how ridiculous he is.¡¯ ¡°Jirot, your father is so strong,¡± Adam called. ¡°No! I am stwong!¡± ¡°Of course you are.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gilbert glanced at the group from afar. He could feel Cobra¡¯s gaze against him, urging him to step forward, but it was awkward to walk over to Adam when he was holding the sleeping demon baby so tenderly against his chest. ¡®How am I meant to speak to him like that?¡¯ While Gilbert was deep in thought about how to speak with Adam, Konarot was deep in thought about which move to make next. Her finger curled around her face, her eyes glued to the board in front of her. Tonagek remained silent as he watched the girl¡¯s mind race, her eyes flickering between all the point on the board. Beside him, the awakened wolf gently snoozed away, with Lanarot laying against his side, the tiny girl swaying lightly with the wolf¡¯s breathing. Danagek lay in the shade nearby, the boy beside his cousin, Gurot, who squirmed within his sleep for a moment, before falling still once more. ¡®How peaceful...¡¯ Tonagek thought. Kirot and Karot both lazed within the shade to one side, neither sleeping without their elder sister, who did not want to sleep before the game ended. The pair twitched slightly, and their elder sister glanced to the side, noting the appearance of their grandmother, who ruffled the eldest¡¯s hair, before settling herself with the twins, allowing them to climb atop her, embracing them tight. It was only when the cry of the tiny troublemaker struck through the air that the peaceful air dissipated. Jirot continued to scream and cry, even as her greatfather tried to soothe her, before her father lifted her up quickly, the girl gasping for air as she stared down at her father. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jibaby?¡± Jirot sniffled, pointing at her father once more. ¡°Smelly daddy!¡± Her face contorted once more before she made to cry once more. Adam stared at her, bewildered by what he had done to cause her to cry randomly. ¡®Even if you¡¯re cute when you cry, how am I meant to know why you¡¯re crying?¡¯ ¡°Nano!¡± the girl screeched, still crying within her father¡¯s arms. Larot squinted towards Vonda, his sleepy eyes then slowly glancing to the side to see his elder sister crying. ¡®Of course it¡¯s her...¡¯ Of course it''s her. [868] – Y03.168 – A Quiet Time V [868] ¨C Y03.168 ¨C A Quiet Time V The tiny goblin girl suckled down the milk from her bottle, holding it with both hands. Her reddish eyes glanced upwards, causing the milk to shudder as she stopped sucking for a moment to smile towards her father, fnally returning back to drinking. The tiny goblin boy beside her also slowly suckled his milk, the pair pinned to their father by his large, strong arms. Adam could feel the deep warmth within his body, and the need to slay a thousand hydras filled his heart. ¡®Jirot¡¯s going to be the death of me! She¡¯s so cute, I might actually have a heart attack.¡¯ Gangak remained off to the side, ignoring Adam¡¯s stupid face, and the glare from the older one armed Iyrman beside her. Jarot fumed at the woman who had been called by his little greatdaughter. He remained silent only because he held Larot against himself, the tiny boy falling back asleep. Once Jirot was done with her milk, she sucked her thumb as she rested against her father¡¯s chest. She clutched at his shirt, while her younger brother clutched the other side of their father¡¯s shirt, the pair cradled within their father¡¯s warm arms. ¡°Of all the children in the world, aren¡¯t mine the most adorable?¡± Adam asked, planting firm kisses on his twins¡¯ foreheads. Jirot smiled, though her sleepy eyes narrowed, and she placed her head against her father¡¯s chest once more, the warmth of the milk sending her to slumberland. Little Jarot snoozed lightly beside his sister, his hand clutching his father¡¯s shirt tight. Adam carried his twins to the side, placing them under the shade with Sonarot¡¯s assistance, before covering them with a light blanket. His triplets followed after them, dropping down beside their younger siblings. They waited until Adam¡¯s kissed their foreheads before dropping down to fall asleep. ¡°Your daughter is so loud with her love too,¡± Vonda joked once Adam returned. ¡°She¡¯s so troublesome, even when she shows her love,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out the stone. It was a smooth, round stone. He rubbed his thumb along it, feeling how smooth it was, his eyes glued to the little stone. Jirot had cried so much for the stone, before Gangak brought it, allowing little Jarot to hand it to their father. Jirot had eventually calmed down to explain how much she didn¡¯t love her father while finding him the best stone. ¡°My daughter is the best at causing trouble,¡± Adam said, letting out a huff of pride. ¡°Name one other child as troublesome as my girl!¡± Vonda smiled at Adam¡¯s words, while Dunes awkwardly sipped his milk. The day continued to pass by uneventfully, with Adam showing off his stone to the others, as well as the children. Rick wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about Adam¡¯s children, watching as Jirot continued to bully her father, while being adored by so many Iyrmen. She seemed close to the President, to the point of calling the woman her grandmother, while also calling the President¡¯s father, by marriage Rick had gathered, as her greatfather, which was easy enough to decipher. Then there was Gangak, one of the Director¡¯s aunt, an Executive¡¯s grandaunt. ¡®That goblin is adored by so many monsters...¡¯ Rick¡¯s eyes then fell to the triplets, who seemed close with many Iyrmen too, many of them the same, some slightly different. The President¡¯s brother cared especially for them, spending so much of his time playing with them, one in particular. ¡®The Iyrmen are so relaxed.¡¯ He had half expected the Iyrmen to be working every moment of every single day, considering their reputation. Yet, so many Iyrmen seemed to be relaxing at the fort upon Adam¡¯s insistence, or perhaps, upon his favour. ¡°Oof, how big have you become?¡± Adam asked, picking up Turot, the boy flushing red. ¡°Big and strong!¡± ¡°Asorot, how can you do this to me? You should stay small and cute too!¡± ¡°As far as I am aware,¡± Adam replied, almost cautiously. Rick wondered if that was equally as dangerous for him to know. ¡®They¡¯re named after the family so it must be the case?¡¯ ¡°How are you finding the fort?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an amazing fort. It feels more secure than even the forts we¡¯ve come across.¡± ¡°Right? The Iyrmen are so scary.¡± Rick gently tilted his head, unable to refute Adam¡¯s words. ¡°Feels safe here. You say we can work the farms around?¡± ¡°Yeah, you can work on the Iyr¡¯s side of the river, and then come back to the fort.¡± ¡°Will you be teaching the children in the fort?¡± ¡°Mostly,¡± Adam replied, though he hadn¡¯t thought about it. ¡°In some ways, I suppose. Manager Vonda and Manager Dunes want to teach them.¡± Rick fell silent for a long moment. ¡°Ray Vonda is going to be teaching our children?¡± ¡°Ray Vonda, Manager Dunes, probably a few different people, but I supposed they would be the best.¡± Rick¡¯s eyes remained glued to Adam. ¡®A Ray is going to teach my children?¡¯ ¡®Why¡¯s he so stunlocked?¡¯ Adam thought, surprised at how Rick could still be surprised by him. ¡°Did you say Ray Vonda was going to teach the children?¡± Jeremy asked, leaning in. ¡°I believe so. I spoke to her previously about it, and as far as I recall, she was fine with it. Same with Manager Dunes.¡± Adam continued to emphasise Dunes¡¯ name within the conversation. Rick leaned back and let out a sigh. He was already wondering how he would speak to his family about moving entirely to a new fort, something he had broached previously, though if it was the case that a Ray would teach their children, moving the family was a very small ask. ¡°I¡¯m sure Ray Vonda will be excited to teach your children regardless of if they¡¯re capable of becoming Priests in the future. Even if they¡¯re not talented at being Priests, it¡¯s probably a good idea to allow them to learn magic if they want it. Priestly magic is useful, even if you don¡¯t include any First Gate spell.¡± Rick blinked. He glanced aside towards the others. ¡®Did you just hear what I just heard?¡¯ ¡°You want to train our children into Priests?¡± Jeremy asked. He had vaguely recalled Adam promising to teach the talented children to become Priests, but wasn¡¯t what he saying now more broad? ¡°Not all of them, but I¡¯d like a few for sure,¡± Adam replied, noting the way the group were looking at him. ¡®Why are they looking at me like that?¡¯ Adam is Adam. [869] – Y03.169 – A Quiet Time VI [869] ¨C Y03.169 ¨C A Quiet Time VI The days in the fort began to pass, the air solemn with a lethargy which struck upon them like a sickness. The fort brought much joy to the children, who were still awed by the newness of it all. ¡°We getta stay here,¡± Copper said, staring at the rest of the fort. ¡°We gots to work here later,¡± Daryl replied. ¡°That¡¯s what Cobra says.¡± ¡°They say we have to learn first,¡± Mia said. ¡°We¡¯ve got to learn lots.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Cobra watched as the children explored the fort and their thoughts of their futures. They were banned from moving from one area to the next, with Adam stating the children should be watched over in the same area so they could all be found immediately. They also weren¡¯t allowed to walk upon the wall without an adult, who would need to make sure the children didn¡¯t accidentally, our purposefully, leap off into the river and their certain death. ¡°Kids are stupid, but it¡¯s okay, because they¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ban them from doing it?¡± Cobra had asked. ¡°They should know to do it only if they¡¯re with us. If we stop them from doing it, they might find it more curious. It might have the opposite effect, but we have to do our best to instil that within them.¡± The same rules didn¡¯t apply to the Iyrmen children, who were allowed to step into the other sections of the fort as they pleased, including the inner area meant for the Executives. ¡°Is smaller,¡± Jirot had said upon first seeing the private area of the fort. ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s our place.¡± ¡°I do not like it.¡± ¡®Uh oh...¡¯ Adam had tried to figure out how to make his children like the place, since they¡¯d be staying there from now on. ¡®I can¡¯t continue to impose on the Iyr, not when they¡¯re...¡¯ A long silence fell through Adam. Adam¡¯s existence was awkward, but the existence of his children were even more awkward to the world. Not only were they marked for death due to their race, but they were his children, a Nephew of the Iyr, and though the Rot family had stated the children were their own, he wasn¡¯t sure how that worked. ¡®I should try and distance ourselves so the Iyr isn¡¯t affected by it. Since they¡¯re my kids, they should be free to do what they want. They shouldn¡¯t be burdened by the Iyr, or by...¡¯ Adam felt stupid thinking of anything more, understanding that his children would forever be in danger. ¡®What am I meant to do?¡¯ ¡®Stupid Aldland,¡¯ Lucy thought, still fuming at the year. ¡®Just you wait until we¡¯ve spread our name, and then I can cause whatever mess I can.¡¯ ¡°Mnnnnn,¡± Jirot thought, staring at the board ¡°No more.¡± She got up from the table and quickly rushed away from the Demon Lord, who blinked after her. ¡®Are you abandoning me too, Jirot?¡¯ Lucy thought as Jirot hopped onto her nano¡¯s lap. ¡®I¡¯ll forgive you since the Iyrmen are scary, just this once.¡¯ Vonda swept up at her temple every morning, with some of the children forced to assist due to their elder siblings, though they willingly prayed with Vonda. She formed a smaller prayer for the children, that which lasted only a few moments, before allowing them to leave. Sometimes the children would come to Dunes for the same, but he was mostly left alone when he worked his temple. Except, some of the children preferred his prayers, since they were often more physical, swinging the small staves in front of them while chanting a prayer for Lady Arya, Goddess of War. The meals of the fort brought many of the children together, and brought more children towards Dunes as the days passed. ¡®Divinity through the stomach.¡¯ Dunes thought, recalling Ahmed¡¯s words. He sighed, a small smile upon his lips. ¡°Why are you so stressed now that you¡¯re in the fort?¡± Jaygak asked, noting how tense Adam was. ¡°I¡¯m in the fort now, but there¡¯s so much to do...¡± Adam glanced towards Jaygak, who could see the thoughts within Adam¡¯s eyes, that which he couldn¡¯t state allowed since he needed to dwell on them further. ¡°Are you stressed about tomorrow?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m stressed about tomorrow!¡± Adam replied, letting out a long sigh. ¡°What am I meant to do?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Since I¡¯m his favourite anyway.¡± Gurot smiled shyly. ¡°No way, how can our Gurot lose weight when he¡¯s around me!¡± Adam called out, before noting the looks from the farmers and porters. ¡°I mean....¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot, motioning his head to Mulrot. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you introduce everyone?¡± ¡°You will not?¡± ¡°They need to know who they are.¡± Jurot still wasn¡¯t sure why Adam didn¡¯t want to introduce them. ¡°These are my cousins, Cirot and Sirot, daughters of Fakrot.¡± ¡®Oh,¡¯ Cobra thought, noting how similar they appeared to the handsome Iyrman. ¡°This is my grandmother, Mulrot, the Family Elder of the Rot family.¡± The farmers and porters and the East Portians glanced between one another. The Family Elder? That sounded important. Yet, it didn¡¯t seem like they were treating her with much reverence. ¡°The Family Elder is the President¡¯s mother, so you better treat her appropriately,¡± Adam stated, his voice carrying a heavy weight within it. ¡°I have little business with the business,¡± Mulrot stated, kissing Jirot¡¯s head. ¡°I will only come to see these children who I miss dearly.¡± ¡®Doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯s the Mad Dog¡¯s wife?¡¯ Cobra thought, her eyes snapping between the pair. ¡®Is she as strong as him?¡¯ ¡°Did you have fun with your other cousins?¡± Adam asked. Churot stared up at him questioningly. ¡°I mean, because it¡¯s your birthday.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You did not meet the extended estate?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°No.¡± Jarot slowly nodded. It would not have been difficult for the Iyr to allow for both, but it was awkward to display such abilities in front of the outsiders. ¡°You didn¡¯t meet them?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh... I feel so special.¡± Adam smiled, ruffling his hair a little more fervently. ¡°Shall I give you your gift now?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so shy!¡± Adam embraced the teen closer. ¡°What a cute kid my cousin is!¡± ¡°Nana!¡± Lanarot called, arriving with her mother right behind her. She charged over towards the old woman who lifted her up. Adam glanced around the fort, his eyes falling across the entire group. The little Iyrmen, the older Iyrmen who made up his companions, and then those who had adopted him and his own into their family. His eyes burned slightly as the tears welled, but he blinked them away rapidly. ¡®I really am so lucky in this life.¡¯ Our kids are growing up. [870] – Y03.170 – The Front I [870] ¨C Y03.170 ¨C The Front I ¡°We should return tomorrow,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°So soon?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It has been long enough.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s like that...¡± ¡°It is best for the children to return to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Sonarot waited patiently for Adam to continue, noting the awkwardness in the air. ¡°Are my children going to stay in the fort from now on?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You wish to take my greatchildren from me?¡± Jarot asked, growling quietly. ¡°You can visit them whenever you want.¡± ¡°With these legs of mine?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make this more awkward.¡± ¡°I am allowed to make it so, for I am a crippled old man and you wish to take away from me my greatest joy?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Churot your greatest joy?¡± ¡°Will you take him from me?¡± Adam smirked slightly. ¡°Perhaps I can?¡± ¡°You cannot,¡± Churot replied. Jarot reached out to stroke his grandson¡¯s hair gently, all the while Adam ignored the old man¡¯s smile. ¡®Seriously, this old geezer...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not like I can fight that. I wanted them to live here, since they¡¯re my kids, but it is probably best for the children to stay at the estate...¡± ¡®It¡¯s probably better for me to move around than for the kids to move around. They need the stability of staying in one place while they¡¯re young, and they might feel lonely without all the other children around. The Portians didn¡¯t play with them much so I guess it¡¯s fine?¡¯ Omen: 10, 20 ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading back into the Iyr. I¡¯m going to spend a little bit of time with my children, I¡¯ve been holding back too much since I didn¡¯t want to embarrass myself in front of you all.¡± Adam beamed towards them with a smile. ¡®He¡¯s definitely not joking.¡¯ It was a thought which passed through most of their minds. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out how to send you all out safely so you can speak to your families and bring them to the business, and of course the contracts that you¡¯ll need to sign. We¡¯re still figuring out the specifics, especially since we¡¯re not wholly certain about the pay structure between all the different levels, but I¡¯m sure you know we won¡¯t jib you.¡± Adam paused. ¡°Gab you?¡± Adam paused a little longer. ¡®What¡¯s the phrase?¡¯ ¡°Stiff you, right.¡± ¡®Stiff us?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll be working hard to make sure your families live great lives within the business, I assure you. Until then, please be patient.¡± Adam was unsure of what else to say. He glanced to the side, noting the other figures. The Aswadians were to remain at the fort with Vonda, while the Iyrmen promised to watch over the fort with a few of their own for now, though the protection would lighten over time. ¡®They¡¯re already doing so much for me... I¡¯ll need to work harder.¡¯ Tariel began to question Adam using her book, writing down within it, while Adam replied verbally. It had been a while since they last spoke, and Adam had adventured, so he spoke part of the tale, before allowing Jurot to take over to speak of it. Wow! ¡®Did she write a new wow?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the piece of paper. He was certain she was holding a new book in hand, one gifted to her by the Iyr. ¡°What plans do you have now?¡± Morkarai asked, pouring the group more wine, offering it to Adam once more, though the half elf shook his head. ¡°There is a half year still left, and I do not recall you one to spend a half year within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Ah, you know, just working,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. He noted the look within Morkarai¡¯s eyes, and he replied with a smile. ¡°Just this and that.¡± ¡°This and that,¡± Morkarai replied, though he shared a knowing look. ¡°How your children must be so proud of your tales, and of your diverse skills.¡± ¡°I hope so. What about you? You still working here?¡± ¡°I have changed my mind many times, but I have decided to delay my return until next year. It may be some time before I return to the Iyr, and I may never see many of the figures here, for their lives are short, even for...¡± Morkarai paused a long moment. ¡°They are of the mortal persuasion who may perhaps reach a century if they are lucky.¡± Adam smirked slightly towards the Prince. ¡°You are wise beyond your years, Lord Morkarai. Speaking of which, how old are you?¡± ¡°I am bearded,¡± Morkarai replied. ¡°Spoken like a true noble.¡± ¡°Will you speak with such distaste even for me?¡± ¡°You know, Ray Vonda is no longer a noble.¡± ¡°A Ray is similar enough.¡± ¡°Not the same, though.¡± Morkarai chuckled. ¡°It is no surprise she has become a Ray, for she was beside you.¡± ¡°You make it sound like I¡¯m a fortune bestowed upon my companions, and not a troublemaker.¡± ¡°You are both.¡± Adam laughed, before stopping, noting his son yawn within his lap. ¡°It seems my Larot is tired, Lord Morkarai. I¡¯ll put him to bed and then you can tease me and we can drink together.¡± Morkarai bowed his head, allowing Adam to leave. He glanced towards Tariel¡¯s book, the young woman having written within it. ¡°No. He may be too busy for such.¡± Tariel shrugged, before writing down more. ¡°Perhaps he could, but you should stay away from him, for your presence together may cause too much trouble. Adam has the Iyr, but you, you are still... what do they call you?¡± Tribesfolk. ¡°Yes, that was it.¡± Dangerous. ¡°You have caused enough mess for the Iyr with your presence, Star Tariel.¡± Tariel smiled. Compared to Adam¡¯s smirks, hers was far more shameless. [871] – Y03.171 – The Front II [871] ¨C Y03.171 ¨C The Front II ¡®The Iyr¡¯s done so much for me,¡¯ Adam thought over breakfast, spooning porridge into his mouth. Although he had given up ground to the Iyr, the fact that they had allowed him to give ground was something he appreciated. ¡®They could just tell me to do whatever they want and I¡¯d probably have no recourse.¡¯ His eyes fell to the side. Sonarot wiped Jirot¡¯s mouth, the girl reaching out to grab her cup, before drinking her water. The tiny girl let out a soft sigh once she was done, holding her cup out for her grandmother, who took the cup from her to fill it up. ¡°Did you enjoy the porridge?¡± Sonarot asked, while reaching over to wipe little Jarot¡¯s mouth clean. ¡°I love powwidge,¡± Jirot replied, a long smile encroaching across her lips. ¡°Mm,¡± little Jarot added, closing his eyes as his grandmother wiped his face and his mouth clean. ¡®They did mention that I was a Nephew of the Rot family, so I guess they can¡¯t really push me much, but still...¡¯ Lykan sipped his cup of warm milk, his eyes taking in the sight of the half elf who approached. ¡°What brings you to me this day?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve come to repay my debts this week,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Your debts?¡± ¡°I still owe the Iyr for the fort.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam¡¯s week was so. Every morning he woke up, brushed his teeth and worked out before his children awoke. He would assisted them with their morning, brushing their teeth, allowing them to play, before they¡¯d eat and then went to bathe. He spent the days away, while the rest of his companions remained to assist the Front Iyr, going about farming, chopping down trees, general assistance which was required in the Front Iyr. He returned in the late afternoon, where he would spend some time reading to the children and playing with them, before relaxing in the evening. ¡°I can go myself,¡± Jirot declared one morning, storming off to the toilet by herself. Adam followed after her, but remained outside the little outhouse. He heard the sound of sloshing, the girl humming to herself, noting she was washing her hands with soap, before she stormed out and pointed towards the toilet. ¡°Look!¡± Adam checked within the toilet, the small outhouse. ¡®Hold on. Did they always have these small toilets?¡¯ Adam could only recall seeing them a few weeks ago, when he originally returned to the Front Iyr. ¡°See?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Adam confirmed, picking his daughter up, peppering her with kisses. ¡°I need hep when I go poopoo,¡± Jirot said. ¡°I do not need help for peepee.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Adam said, holding her close. ¡°I can go myself too,¡± little Jirot stated, staring expectantly at his father. ¡°You¡¯re both such geniuses! Aren¡¯t I so lucky?¡± Adam lifted his son up and kissed him too. ¡°You¡¯re growing too much, how can you do this to me?¡± Jirot cackled wickledly. It was during one late afternoon Katool climbed up beside Adam. ¡°Cousin Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you like my hair?¡± Katool asked, the girl shaking her bob. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It is too small.¡± ¡°It is small, but it is cute.¡± ¡°I am not cute, I am fast.¡± ¡°You can be cute and fast.¡± ¡°I want to be faster.¡± ¡°If you want to be faster, then maybe you should cut more of it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Mmm. Okay! I will cut it more.¡± ¡°You should ask your mother.¡± ¡°Mnnn.¡± The girl squirmed quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Father does not want me to cut it.¡± ¡°Do you want longer hair?¡± ¡°I want longer hair.¡± ¡°Six,¡± Katool said. ¡°Seven,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What¡¯s your modifier?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Zero? Well their modifier is plus one, so they go first.¡± ¡°Ock!¡± Katool said, as though her heart had been wounded. ¡°Katool, strong,¡± Taygak said, sitting tall and proud. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam assured. ¡°You hunted him down because you knew you could beat him up! You and your Goldblade, you¡¯ll definitely be able to defeat them! Speaking of which, how much gold did you want to put in your sword?¡± ¡°How strong is he, cousin Adam?¡± ¡°Very strong.¡± ¡°I use all my gold.¡± ¡°All of it? How much is it?¡± Katool glanced down at her paper. ¡°Mmm. One thousand... five hundred... sixty seven.¡± ¡°Mark off the one thousand gold because that¡¯s the limit of your sword.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl erased the first digit among her currency. ¡°That means that your sword is currently a plus three blade and it deals... plus three die six.¡± ¡°I put the gold on the sword and I can feel that the sword is full because it ate all the gold and now it wants to nap, but I say that it cannot nap, we have to fight.¡± Katool explained. ¡°That¡¯s right, but first, he goes first. He whips around to face you, knowing that he can¡¯t run. Please, you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m a good man. But you know he¡¯s not a good man, you saw him cast such a terrible spell against your allies.¡± ¡°You have lied to me!¡± Katool declared. ¡°That¡¯s right so he reaches for his sword and it, fwoosh, with fire.¡± ¡°Flame Blade?¡± Raygak asked. ¡°It cannot be.¡± ¡°He is different,¡± Adam assured. ¡°So he begins to engage you in combat. Oops, that¡¯s cocked. Hold on. Miss. Miss. Hit! He uses Onward Soar to attack another three times.¡± ¡°Ock!¡± ¡°Hit!¡± ¡°Ock!¡± ¡°Miss, miss! Wow, he rolled so poorly.¡± ¡°Six. Ten. Fourteen. Uh...¡± Adam tried to add in the bonuses. ¡°Thirty? No. Thirty two damage.¡± ¡°Ock!¡± Katool pulled back. ¡°That is so much!¡± ¡°Sometimes that¡¯s how the dice roll,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Kaka, please help,¡± Katool called, showing her sister the paper, allowing her to do the maths for her. ¡®It does look like fun...¡¯ Jaygak thought, watching the group play Warriors and Wanderers. Jarot and Gangak joined the group, watching them play Warriors and Wanderers, with Larot watching the group. ¡°This is not right,¡± Gangak said. ¡°Taygak would easily defeat the chimera.¡± ¡°Turot, how can he say you have missed?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°You will not miss the python, they are easy to hit.¡± ¡®You guys were all depressed in the corner and now you¡¯re heckling me?¡¯ ¡°Father is right,¡± Nirot said. ¡°His sister has defeated many, and so will Turot.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turot replied, his lips forming a smirk. ¡°Asorot, you must defeat it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Asorot replied as his mother brushed his hair. ¡®It really does feel like Asorot has become Turot¡¯s brother,¡¯ Adam thought, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®No. Asorot is Turot¡¯s brother.¡¯ ¡°Anyway, stop backseating, and let them play!¡± My heart is full. [872] – Y03.172 – Home I [872] ¨C Y03.172 ¨C Home I ¡°I will never forget this betrayal,¡± Adam whispered. Though the Iyr has treated him kindly, how could they do such a thing to him? Certainly it was the worst betrayal Adam could possibly imagine. The late afternoon sun, not quite as overbearing as the noonval sun while in duskval, beamed down against the shared estate. ¡®He must have many tales to share,¡¯ Arokan thought as the group returned, her eyes glancing towards Shikan, who gave nothing away. Adam stared at the children before him, his eyes darting from side to side. ¡°No! This... you can¡¯t do this to me! How are you all walking so well?¡± Murot darted, as a baby who was yet to turn one could, towards his mother. His face lit up with delight as his mother returned, reaching out his arms towards the woman. ¡°Mama!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam let out a small cry, his entire body shuddering lightly. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s your little brother who defeats me like this, Gurot.¡± Gurot ignored Adam as he darted forward, as a toddler who was yet to turn two could, towards his father. ¡°Daddy!¡± Gorot picked up his son, the boy shyly smiling towards his father, before the pair embraced together. The rest of the children did the same, save for Inakan and Minakan, until Inakan was picked up by Arokan, much to Mokan¡¯s groaning. His groaning quietened once his father picked him up, and the boy squirmed within his father¡¯s arms, until he sucked his thumb. ¡°You will not call for me?¡± Shikan asked. Mokan glanced upwards, smiling shyly, like a flower refusing to bloom, before he turned. Shikan could feel his son beginning to shake as the boy began to giggle wildly. ¡°Jurot... how can this be?¡± ¡°They have grown well.¡± ¡°Jurot, why are you starting a fight with me like this?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes began to tear up. ¡°They couldn¡¯t even crawl when we left but they¡¯re walking and talking when we return?¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to Murot, who was, as Adam would put it, a chonky boy, like his brother. He was certainly so small and tiny previously, but now he was walking around calling for his mother and father. ¡®Of course he is growing well, he is my cousin.¡¯ ¡°The day you left, Maygak crawled for the first time,¡± Jogak said, having waited for this moment for all these months. Adam¡¯s eyes darted towards Jogak, who kept a straight face, picking up Maygak within his arms, the tiny girl so big for her age, her hand gripping onto her father¡¯s collar, threatening to tear it as it creased, giving into her grip. ¡°You¡¯re...¡± Adam fell silent for a moment, not allowing his stupidity to overwhelm me. ¡®Maygak, how could you betray me like this?¡¯ ¡°Of course it just had to be your sister who bullies me like this.¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips formed a wide smirk towards the half elf, who glanced down and crossed his arms behind his back, bracing himself for further heartache. ¡°I¡¯m...¡± Adam began, sniffling slightly. ¡°I¡¯m only going to forgive you just this once, because you¡¯re so cute.¡± ¡°Dahdah,¡± Maygak called, her voice clear and strong, her eyes beaming up towards her father. Murot smiled, laughing at his grandfather¡¯s words, though still not understanding them. He cuddled into his one armed grandfather¡¯s chest. ¡®You cannot worry me.¡¯ Jarot let out a long sigh. ¡°Did you have fun with your father?¡± Lavgak asked, lifting Jirot and Jarot up, holding them against her sides. ¡°No! Daddy is working!¡± Jirot huffed. ¡°Always working. All day daddy is gone and daddy always working.¡± She raised her hands and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Your father works so hard to make sure you are well.¡± ¡°I work hard too,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Yes, you work so hard to cause trouble.¡± The girl smirked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°No.¡± She cackled, hiding herself against her grandaunts shoulder. ¡®Since you get to dote on my kids...¡¯ Adam thought, before lifting up Maygak. ¡°How can you bully me so?¡± Maygak eyed up the half elf, narrowing her eyes towards him, squirming against his arms. ¡°My Maygak, how can you bully me like Jaygak? Has she corrupted you?¡± Adam brushed through her hair. Maygak squirmed against him and began to cough as she made to cry, before Adam kissed her forehead and let her down. She stormed off towards her father, clutching as his trousers, before trying to climb up to sit beside him. Faygak was more like a deer in headlights as Adam held her, the girl about as big as Maygak, but not quite as loud with her emotions. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think because you¡¯re Taygak¡¯s sister that I won¡¯t bully you?¡± Adam heard a snort nearby. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right because I¡¯m so scared of Taygak.¡± Adam kissed her forehead and let her down, though the girl remained staring up at him. Adam embraced Mokan, who narrowed his eyes towards Adam, before he squirmed and fled away to his mother, Arokan. Alykan was busy with Damokan and Kalokan, but Adam hugged her for a moment, ruffling her hair. ¡°You two, you better look after Alykan well, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the twins replied, blinking towards the half elf. Adam followed after Minool as she rushed from one wall to the other, before finally noticing the shadow, around her. She glanced around before she found Adam right behind her, causing her to twitch and fall. The tiny girl began to twitch and shake as she cried. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Jazool slept peacefully while Adam wrought havoc upon the rest of the children, oblivious to the affection she would soon gather from the half elf. The cute kids arc continues! [873] – Y03.173 – Home II [873] ¨C Y03.173 ¨C Home II ¡°You did well.¡± Gorot rubbed Nirot¡¯s head, the young Iyrman smiling wide as her father praised her. Kaygak placed a hand on her son¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°If you dare to speak so poorly of yourself in front of me, I will speak with Elder Zijin to place you within a cave.¡± Laygak flushed slightly, feeling the buzz from his mother¡¯s affection. ¡°Then I will speak poorly when you are not listening.¡± Kaygak squeezed his shoulder, before pulling him in for a deeper hug, planting a kiss on his head. ¡®What am I to do with you?¡¯ Ikool brushed her son¡¯s hair, staring down at his face. The young Iyrman flushed slightly, though she could see within his eyes he barely believed the tale he had lived. She said nothing, but her embrace said all it needed to as Faool allowed his mother to hold him close to her chest. Raool remained silent too. Though he had given a few words of praise to his son, he was uncertain of what else to say. ¡®Sister is much better at this.¡¯ He glanced aside towards Maool and Jazool, who knew little of their elder brother¡¯s accomplishments. ¡®It is enough for your siblings to know.¡¯ ¡®Uwajin did well too,¡¯ Rokan thought, thinking about how much joy Mojin would have upon hearing the tale. Halikan and Rokan had bought left to the Front Iyr, leaving Minakan behind, the girl preferring Arokan as much as her own parents. They had already showered their daughter with praise and affection, though it still stunned them that their daughter had already managed to surpass almost any other Iyrman her age in the history of the Iyr, save perhaps only the most legendary figures. Yet, it wasn¡¯t just her, but the entire group. Adam ignored all of the gazes on his skin as he fed his twins milk from their bottles, the pair holding the back of their father¡¯s hands as he held onto the bottles. ¡®They can¡¯t bully me since I did so much for them... right?¡¯ The air changed for a moment as the Iyrmen¡¯s attention honed onto the figure who appeared at the entrance of the estate. Very swiftly Adam understood it was a Jin, considering the tattoo which matched with the Jins he knew, and the greatblade he wore upon his back. It was the yawn which confirmed whose father he was. ¡°I heard my daughter¡¯s tale,¡± Uwajin¡¯s father called out. He was tall and strong, with long braids which fell down in front of his torso, his thick beard covering most of his face. He held up a basket. ¡°I have brought wine.¡± The older Jarot tilted his head slightly, smiling as he noted the basket. ¡°You should bring at least that much.¡± ¡°I have come to request a favour from your grandson, so I should bring at least this, aaah, much,¡± he replied, blinking rapidly to keep himself awake. ¡®Oh no.¡¯ The Iyrman placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Since you are so strong, you should marry into our family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have no intentions of marrying into the Jin family.¡± ¡°Why not our family?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already refused Elder Zijin and Ra-,¡± Adam heard Jarot stifle a threatening groan. ¡°I¡¯ve already refused... granduncle Rajin too.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if that was the problem, but no one made a comment about it. ¡°If you¡¯ve already refused grandfather...¡± The Iyrman paused, though Adam watched as his eyes slowly fell together, as though he were falling asleep. ¡°Let us fight.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Jin family are so scary.¡± ¡°The Jin family will accept you,¡± Mojin assured. ¡°The children will grow well as the nieces and nephews of the next Chief.¡± ¡°Then he should stay here,¡± Shikan said, catching Mojin¡¯s eyes, the pair glaring between one another. ¡°Jirot, do you want to become a Jin, or do you want to stay with nana and babo?¡± Adam asked. Jirot pulled away from the bottle, her eyes narrowing towards the Jin. ¡°I stay with nana.¡± ¡°What about babo?¡± ¡°Babo I stay with you?¡± ¡°You can always stay with me, my Jirot.¡± ¡°I staying with babo.¡± Mojin smirked wide. ¡°My father is also very strong.¡± ¡°My babo so stwong!¡± ¡®I have to stop forgetting about Tariel and Filliam, seriously.¡¯ As Elder Zijin knocked on the cabin door, Adam¡¯s thoughts continued. ¡®Oh, I completely forgot about you too.¡¯ Her eyes gleamed towards Adam, darting from the Iyrman to the half elf. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°I am.¡± She glanced towards Elder Zijin suspiciously and then back to Adam. ¡°Are you really Adam?¡± ¡°Who else would I be?¡± ¡°...¡± Kiara wasn¡¯t sure how she could believe him, since it could have been an illusion. ¡°Are they treating you well?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± ¡°We¡¯ve allowed her to remain within the Iyr and have kept her sheltered and fed,¡± Zijin said. ¡°She has enchanted weapons for the Iyr.¡± ¡°You had her enchanting?¡± ¡°There was no need to leave her here to do nothing.¡± ¡°Alright, I guess.¡± Adam blinked towards the young woman. ¡°Did you change her appearance, or did she always have silver hair and silver eyes?¡± ¡°It changed over time.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Cool. Well...¡± Adam thought about how young she was. ¡°Since you¡¯re still a kid, they shouldn¡¯t have you work.¡± ¡°She is fifteen.¡± ¡°She¡¯s twelve at most.¡± ¡°Kiara,¡± Elder Zijin called. ¡°I¡¯m fifteen. I must be sixteen now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When did you turn sixteen?¡± Adam asked, surprised the teen looked so young. However, she had gained some weight compared to the last time he had seen her, and she had grown slightly taller too. ¡°My birthday is at the end of the warm month.¡± ¡°Oh, well, congratulations. I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t get you something for your birthday.¡± ¡°...¡± Kiara glanced towards Elder Zijin. ¡®This must be Adam.¡¯ ¡°Anyway...¡± Adam glanced between the Elder and Kiara. ¡°What do you want me to do exactly?¡± ¡°You said you¡¯d protect me.¡± ¡°That I did, and now you¡¯re in the Iyr.¡± Kiara glanced towards Zijin and then to Adam. She remained silent. ¡°Looks like she wants to talk to me alone.¡± Adam raised his brows towards Zijin. Zijin bowed his head and left. He motioned a hand, signalling for the Iyrmen to pull back, though there was one Iyrman he couldn¡¯t command, and it was up to them whether they pulled away from the shadows or not. Still, he signalled once more towards that Iyrman. ¡®Adam is mine to deal with.¡¯ The cute kid arc ends? :( [874] – Y03.174 – Home III [874] ¨C Y03.174 ¨C Home III ¡°I don¡¯t like it here.¡± ¡°Really? I thought you were having a ball of a time,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°The Iyrmen... they¡¯re scary.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose you¡¯d think so, considering you got choked out when you appeared.¡± She reached up to rub her neck gently, recalling the first time she was in this world. ¡°I want to leave.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh. He glanced around in her cabin, before pouring in some water into a set of cups, cooling and flavouring the liquid with his Tricks, before placing a cup in front of her. He accepted his thoughts and let them flow out of his mind, like a river parting around a rock. He inhaled deeply before letting out a long sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I understand why you don¡¯t want to stay here.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°This place is your home, but it¡¯s not mine.¡± ¡°Is this place my home?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an Iyrman, but you¡¯re an Iyrman¡¯s brother.¡± ¡°You got that much right. I think this place is my home. I think so. I don¡¯t know, though. This place welcomes me, and I feel like it¡¯s my home, but I have my doubts.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have much, and now I don¡¯t even have my world. It¡¯s gone. The food here tastes different. It¡¯s not the same. I lost everything.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head as she spoke. ¡°Of all the people in the world who understand, I¡¯m the one who understands that. ¡°...¡± ¡°Difference is...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t tell her, but...¡¯ ¡°I died.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the difference between you and me.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam sipped his cup of water, which he had flavoured. ¡°Do you know what this tastes like?¡± ¡°It tastes sweet.¡± ¡°It tastes like my childhood. I used to drink so much of this mango juice when I was a kid. They¡¯d come in this blue carton, and they had a white lid you¡¯d need to twist. I think at some point they changed it from something else, this little lid you forced down, but I remember later that they had this top you had to twist. They probably changed the recipe for it too, but I don¡¯t remember it exactly.¡± Adam sipped the water slowly. ¡°I can only drink it like this, but... I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s exactly the taste within my memories. A facsimile, if I¡¯m being fancy.¡± The girl had no idea what the word meant, but she listened intently to Adam¡¯s words. ¡°The Iyr is scary. It¡¯s scarier to people who know too much. You and I? We know too much. I¡¯m trapped here, like you. I know a lot about the Iyr, too much. I know a lot about other things which the Iyr are interested in, some things they¡¯re interested in to keep out of this world. In all fairness, they should have killed me a long time ago.¡± Kiara frowned. She glanced down towards the water which tasted so sweet. She gathered he was a noble from how delicious this drink was. If he had this even once a month, he was probably someone from a wealthy family. Except, the way he spoke was far too casual. sure we can get you some friends. Is there anything else you want to speak to me about while we¡¯re alone?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright. Come on, let¡¯s introduce you to everyone properly.¡± Adam stood, finishing the rest of his water, before cleaning the cups with his Tricks. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the aide asked, stopping Adam and Kiara. ¡°We¡¯re going to the shared estate.¡± An awkward silence fell through them. ¡°You should meet with the Elder first.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Adam followed the aide towards the Elder¡¯s central estate, where Churot sat, perusing through the books. ¡°You cooking the books, Churot?¡± ¡°You do not cook books, cousin Adam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam walked over to ruffle his hair. ¡°They¡¯re already getting you to work?¡± ¡°Only a little.¡± ¡°Elder Zijin, how did you manage to sneak Churot away? Was the old man distracted by my daughter bullying him?¡± ¡°Are there other ways to distract him?¡± the Elder joked, a small smile across his face. ¡°Are you here to ask for the young lady to stay at the shared family estate?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°I have been tasked with watching over you. If I did not know that much, they would no longer have such faith in me.¡± ¡°Well... yeah, alright, fair. Is that okay?¡± ¡°You will need to ask Sonarot and the others. If they accept, I will not refuse their words.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Konarot charged towards her father as he stepped through the entrance, the girl hugging his legs while Kirot and Karot followed after her. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Adam brushed their hair. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It was only a few minutes.¡± Adam smiled, lifting up his daughter, allowing her to wrap herself around his torso before he lifted Kirot and Karot, waddling his way inside. ¡°Aunt.¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Kiara was feeling a little lonely, and we thought it would be a good idea for her to stay here, in the shared estate.¡± Sonarot glanced towards the young woman with silver hair and silver eyes. She knew Crowseer had something to do with her, and it was a surprise she was still alive. Having Kiara stay here around the children was a terrible idea. ¡°If she harms the children, we will kill her,¡± Sonarot said in their tongue. ¡°If she harms the children, I will kill her,¡± Adam replied in their tongue. When you forget the side npcs. At least she''s the only side npc we''ve forgotten. Tariel and Filliam glare disapprovingly. I''m not saying that Patreon has the first chapter of the next year, but whose to say? [875] – Y03.175 – Duskval Days I [875] ¨C Y03.175 ¨C Duskval Days I ¡°Daddy,¡± Jirot called, placing down her cup of milk onto the table before she climbed up beside her father. ¡°Oof. What you ah doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m writing.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have some work to do for the year and I need to plan it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You ah always wuhking.¡± ¡°I will be taking breaks to play with you, like today.¡± ¡°You ah paying with me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I fohgive you, just this once,¡± the girl said, holding up her finger like her father would when he would say the same. A small smile appeared on Adam¡¯s face. The young half elf whisked the tiny girl up into his arms to shower her cheek with kisses, the girl squealing and giggling against her father¡¯s embrace. Adam settled her within his lap and brought up the cup to her lips, feeding her, while his son nestled up against his chest and drank from his bottle too. The suckling noises relaxed Adam as he held both of his children, the tiny bundles of warmth who had him work so hard. Konarot eyed up Kiara, her eyes narrowed towards the strange woman. ¡®Bad smell.¡¯ She had kept her siblings away from the woman who found herself surrounded by terrifying monsters known as the Iyrmen. She was older than the oldest children, but younger than the teens, with only Churot roughly her age, and yet that boy spent most of his time assisting the Elder with matters of the Iyr. Nirot and her companions spoke of their tales to Kiara, who listened intently to their words. She was surprised the Iyrmen could speak her tongue, though the Iyr had understood the transition between realms had allowed her to speak their tongue. It was not rare for such magics to work that way for it was within Ritetu¡¯s domain. ¡®I¡¯ll need to finish up with business first before I start with personal stuff,¡¯ Adam thought as he soothed his twins to sleep within his arms. They were small enough still that they could sleep within their father¡¯s arms peacefully. ¡®I¡¯ve got to watch over so many children now.¡¯ The duskval rain began to fall across the Iyr as the days began to pass by. Adam passively enchanted many new magical weapons, starting with the easiest set of weapons. Though he had enchanted many magical items earlier in the year, he still needed to complete the orders he had received throughout the year, which had financed so much of his adventure. Elder Zijin glanced at Adam¡¯s proposed schedule. He had already enchanted a set of three Basic magical weapons, and he had decided to take the last day of the month off. It was awkward to say he had taken the day off when he had spent a short time casting a particular spell, but considering it was Adam, he would consider it a day off. He checked the comment on the twenty fourth day of the eighth month. Of all the things Adam had done to surprise him most, the comment was truly among the top. He would have bet so much money, and more, to state Adam would do the opposite. ¡®Business first,¡¯ Zijin thought. He leaned back in his chair, unsure of how to feel about Adam¡¯s words. ¡®Duty is heavier than a mountain. Perhaps they won¡¯t understand the pain in your heart, but I do, Adam.¡¯ ¡°Seven hydahs?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied. ¡°So many hydahs, daddy,¡± Jirot replied, raising her brows in surprise. ¡°You ah so stohng, daddy, so stohng.¡± ¡°I try,¡± Adam replied, gently rocking from side to side with his twins in his arms. His triplets lazed around under the shade nearby, enjoying the cool breeze of duskval against their silver scales. Kiara kept to the side, eyeing up Adam and his children. ¡®Goblins and half dragons...¡¯ There had been goblins in her realm too, feral beasts, and to see Adam dote on his twins, it filled her with a sickly sensation. Dragons existed too, as myths and legends, and perhaps as Night Lords, but half dragons were not real, for they could not mate. ¡®He¡¯s a queer folk.¡¯ As the eighth month approached, Adam continued to work dutifully. The thunder and storms fell across the Iyr like clockwork. Adam stared up at the sky as lightning fell in the evening, rain falling all across the Iyr. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder why the eighth month was always like this in the Iyr, but of all the things he could ask, he knew this was not one of them. ¡°I will go and lead the Silver Fate Squad and the farmers and porters into Red Oak,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The who?¡± ¡°It is the name Nirot and the others have given themselves.¡± ¡°How could they call themselves the Silver Fate Squad when they¡¯re only Experts?¡± Adam joked, hiding his smirk behind his cup of milk. ¡°...¡± ¡°Come on, that was funny.¡± The warmth of home spread through Adam, relief blossoming within his heart as he melted into his chair. ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°For what?¡± Jurot remained silent for a long moment. ¡°I felt the need to thank you in my heart and so I did.¡± ¡°Well, thank you too.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For about the same reason.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Though, if you come back too late, I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± ¡°I will return.¡± ¡°Is Naqokan going?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the most important one to return on time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you can miss it, and if Laygak dares to come by late, tell him I won¡¯t allow any of his siblings ask him to help them with their weapons.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With Adam¡¯s threat within his heart, Jurot and the Silver Fate Squad left the next morning. It was similar to how they left previously, which surprised Adam, as the children followed the Iyrmen out. ¡®They¡¯re only going for a bit,¡¯ Adam thought, hearing the children call out to the Iyrmen. ¡°Come home safely!¡± Lucy stormed in later in the day, returning from the extended family estate. ¡°Adam! I heard Jurot...¡± Lucy paused, unable to continue her stupid joke. Adam¡¯s eyes were filled with a darkness she hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine...¡± Lucy glanced towards Sonarot, who merely bowed her head. Konarot cuddled up beside her father¡¯s side, hugging him close. She hadn¡¯t seen her father like this before, and the others could also feel something had changed with Adam. However, Sonarot had yet to make a move, and so the Iyrmen left Adam be. ¡®He does not look cold,¡¯ the old Jarot thought when Adam came to visit them during his day off. The thunderstorm continued to rumble in the sky as the old man rocked gently with his greatson atop his chest. After a short while, the old man realised what his daughter was talking about when she mentioned Adam¡¯s darkness. Except, she refused to tell him the reason why Adam seemed to be so stiff that week. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam replied towards the Family Elder of the Rot family. ¡°I feel fine.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Mulrot replied, placing a wrinkled hand on Adam¡¯s, warming his hand with her own. There was something off about Adam, and it hadn¡¯t taken long for the old woman to figure it out. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Lucy thought in the night, after Adam had returned from the extended family estate. ¡®Right...¡¯ Big sad. [876] – Y03.176 – Duskval Days II [876] ¨C Y03.176 ¨C Duskval Days II Adam rubbed the oil against little Jarot¡¯s face, the boy closing his eyes and scrunching his face as his father oiled him up. Adam then ran his fingers through the boy¡¯s hair, and massaged the oil into little Jarot¡¯s scalp. ¡°Does that feel good?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy replied, his eyes opening to look into his father¡¯s eyes with delight. A small smile flashed across Adam¡¯s lips. He leaned in to smell the scent of the oil within his son¡¯s hair, before he planted a firm kiss atop his son¡¯s head, rubbing his cheek atop his son¡¯s head, feeling the thick strands of hair tickle across his cheek. ¡°My boy, oh my boy,¡± Adam whispered, embracing his son tighter within his arms. His entire body rushed with a gentle warmth, his heart throbbing wildly as the boy squirmed against him, giving in to his father¡¯s affection. ¡°Oof,¡± Jirot said, dropping down beside Adam, holding up the teethleaf for her father and brother. ¡°Keening your teeth now, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the pair replied before accepting the teethleaf from the girl, the pair chewing against the leaf. Their saliva activated the leaf, causing a foam which tickled their teeth and gums. After chewing the leaf for a minute, they spat it out into a cloth, which Adam placed to one side. ¡°Daddy, is time for weading.¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes slightly, tilting her head, waiting to be told she was the one to pick the story that day. ¡°You want to daddy to read to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What about nana?¡± ¡°No.¡± Jirot snorted quietly, raising her brows, daring her father to refuse. ¡°What about...¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± The girl crossed her arms, her brows raised again. She raised a finger towards her father to tell him off. ¡°You are joking so much now! Eenuff, now. No moh!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Adam replied, reaching over to brush his daughter¡¯s hair gently, tickling the tip of her ear with his thumb. ¡°Which story should daddy read?¡± ¡°Is my turn to pick!¡± Jirot rushed off towards the other room, her twin following after her. Konarot yawned, dropping down beside her father, before leaning up against him. She purred quietly as her father rubbed her head and brushed along the stubs which formed her horns, her tail swaying from side to side behind her. Kirot walked beside her father and placed her hand on his shoulder, leaning in to kiss her father''s cheek, causing him to glance her way. She blinked before bowing her head slightly while her father kissed her nose and cheek. Karot waited for Lanarot, who quickly hopped her way to her brother. "Papa!" "Yes, Lanababy?" Adam asked, pulling his eldest son close before pulling his sister onto his lap. "Papa is gone?" "That''s right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He has so much work to do and...¡± Adam wondered how much he should tease his sister, especially while Sonarot was listening, the woman currently brushing her hair. ¡°Papa is doing something really important.¡± ¡°Impohtan?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s doing something amazing, and in the future... who knows, you¡¯ll get to eat lots more bread?¡± ¡°Buhread?¡± Lanarot¡¯s brows raised expectantly. ¡°I can eat more buhread?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Papa is working hard,¡± Lanarot replied, nodding her head understandingly. ¡°Let¡¯s hope he returns quickly though.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Whose kids can be so amazing but mine?¡¯ Adam thought, hugging all of his children, and his little sister. Larot lay nearby, glaring at the ceiling, annoyed by their loudness. ¡®They should have lain me beside Gurot.¡¯ Omen: 8, 15 ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot pointed an accusatory finger towards her father. ¡°You said you ah not wuhking today!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not working, I just need to do some magic and then I¡¯ll be done.¡± The thunder rumbled and Jirot blinked. ¡°I not saying it again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not working, I just need a little while to do something...¡± Adam lifted the girl up and blew raspberries into her neck. ¡°Just because you can read, it doesn¡¯t mean you can bully me.¡± Jirot squealed and fled away to her grandmother, glancing back to see her father was raising his brows at her. She blew a raspberry towards her father and clutched at her grandmother¡¯s trousers, the girl climbing up into her grandmother¡¯s bosom to protect herself. Sonarot pulled the girl closer, glad to see the dark cloud over Adam had begun to lighten. She kept an eye on Adam as he left, wondering what he was doing during his day off. He had also spent a little while away during his last day off before he returned to take his children to the shared family estate. ¡®I can¡¯t believe my own daughter is bullying me like this,¡¯ Adam thought as he procured the silver ore he needed from the warehouse. ¡®I¡¯ll forgive you just this once since you¡¯re so cute.¡¯ Mana: 25 -> 1 Adam cast his spell several times over the course of the hour, using all the silver he had procured from the warehouse. ¡®Alright, that should be enough for today.¡¯ Konarot rushed towards her father as he stepped into the shared estate, before Adam hoisted her up, brushing his children¡¯s hair. ¡°Are you all ready to go to see babo?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot declared darting up to her father with little Jarot rushing after her. ¡°You guys seem to love your babo more than your own father.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot declared, not realising what Adam meant. Adam inhaled sharply. ¡®Just this once!¡¯ At the extended family estate, Jarot sat patiently, his body buzzing with expectation. Gangak poured the old Iyrman a cup of tea, while Otkan allowed Churot to show off the book Adam had gotten him for his birthday. ¡®How can he keep them to himself for this long?¡¯ Jarot fumed, yearning for his adorable greatchildren to come and bully him. ¡°Your excitement will destroy the table,¡± Gangak joked. ¡°Are you not here for the same reason?¡± ¡°I often spend my time in this estate, is there a special reason as to why I am here today?¡± ¡°Will you deny it?¡± ¡°How can I deny it when my Jigak will come and hold me so close.¡± ¡°You cannot call her Jigak while she adores me most!¡± ¡°It is why I can call her Jigak.¡± ¡°Jarot,¡± called a familiar voice from the entrance of the extended family estate. The Iyrman wore a blade at his side, and the tattoo on his forehead was almost identical to Otkan¡¯s tattoo, save the colours were inverted. Jarot narrowed his eyes towards the figure, before he sighed, rubbing his leg. He stood, narrowing his eyes towards the Iyrman. He couldn¡¯t shirk the old man. ¡®What trouble have you brought to me?¡¯ Adam arrived at the estate, noting both Gangak and Otkan sitting there, while his children charged towards the older woman. ¡®Where¡¯s the old man?¡¯ How can our Jibaby be so smart? She''s definitely going to bully us to death! [877] – Y03.177 – Duskval Days III [877] ¨C Y03.177 ¨C Duskval Days III ¡°My greatdaughter is so smart,¡± Jarot said, holding the tiny Jirot against his chest, ruffling the girl¡¯s hair. He had begun to notice she would be able to pick out words on the page, but to think she could read entire sentence? ¡®My greatdaughter is a genius!¡¯ Gangak decided against teasing Jarot, for the satisfaction on his face was surpassed by the shy smile on Jirot¡¯s face. Little Jarot eventually climbed onto his greatfather¡¯s lap and cuddled with him too, while the triplets went to play with the other children within the extended Rot family estate. ¡°You are working hard,¡± Otkan said, pouring Adam a cup of tea. ¡°I should work hard while I still can,¡± Adam replied, sitting beside the one armed Otkan. He did his best to ignore that the pair were crippled, but it was awkward. Adam had once faced Otkan, who he had defeated thanks to her holding back against him. ¡®Didn¡¯t I also use one of the best weapons I made too?¡¯ Had she not held back, he would have certainly been beaten into the floor, but now they would be unable to face against one another fairly. ¡®Not that I¡¯d want to face you again...¡¯ ¡°It is why Amokan continued to adventure, though he had yet to meet his younger sister,¡± the old woman said, sipping her tea lightly. ¡°He should return to meet her. He should understand why we swing our blades as we do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he understands.¡± ¡°He cares for his glory and the glory of the Kan family, but he does not know the greatest glory of all.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to the Iyrman, who was speaking so critically of her grandson. Adam had heard many of her tales, which were as impressive as any other Iyrman her age. ¡®The Iyr really does house monsters...¡¯ Lucy returned later in the day, noting Adam and the others. ¡®It¡¯s the last day of the week already?¡¯ Jirot charged the Demon Lord, almost tackling the woman¡¯s leg. ¡°Lucy! I can wead.¡± ¡°You can read?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, holding up her hand and beckoning the Demon Lord. ¡°Come! I show you!¡± Lucy allowed the girl to read the first line of a book to her, and though she struggled, it was true enough that the girl could read. ¡®You are the scariest of all the children...¡¯ Lucy ruffled the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°You are so smart.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot smirked. Konarot pouted as she saw her little sister gain all the praise. She grabbed the dragon chess board and held it up towards her greatfather, her eyes resolute. ¡®Is she jealous?¡¯ Jarot thought, before allowing her to set up the board. ¡°My greatdaughter sets up the board so well.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gangak replied, smiling ever so slightly. ¡°How smart you are, Konarot.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, flushing slightly while her head was rubbed by the elder Iyrmen. Mulrot brought fruit for the children, feeding little Kirot and Karot from her fingers, while Konarot was claimed by her greatfather, and the twins were claimed by their other nano. ¡®Should I really keep the children away from their families?¡¯ Adam thought, his arms crossed as he stared out at the scene before him. ¡®They¡¯re not the children of Iyrmen, so we can¡¯t impose on them for too long, but... aren¡¯t they also the grandchildren of Iyrmen?¡¯ ¡®If it storms like this within the Iyr, it must be them,¡¯ the little demon baby thought. It was during one morning when Adam thought about the question which had plagued him. ¡®Should I make one of the first set or one of the second set? I already need to give up two of each set anyway, so I¡¯ll get to keep one of them anyway, but...¡¯ It was only when he was beginning the enchantment he realised. ¡®Can¡¯t I just make both and pick later?¡¯ ¡®He is working even now?¡¯ Mirot thought. ¡®Is he going to work those days too?¡¯ Mirot¡¯s worries were not needed. It was the morning of the twenty fourth day. The gentle rain swept across the Iyr, rhythmically soothing the people within the Iyr. The lightning and thunder rumbled every so often, but the people of the Iyr had become used to the loud sounds, including the children. However, one child above any other was fascinated by the thunder and lightning, for her world was far quieter than the others, and not quite as clear. Unfortunately, on this day, she could not enjoy the lightning and thunder as she had for the rest of the month. ¡°Ada?¡± the girl called while Adam held her close, hugging her tight. ¡°How can I even pretend to not know who you are as a joke?¡± Adam asked, planting a kiss atop the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, my sweet Inakan.¡± Adam swayed from side to side as he held the girl, feeling her warmth against himself. ¡°Ada!¡± The girl reached up to grab at his jaw, feeling his smooth skin against her tiny hand, recognising his face by touch. Adam grabbed her tiny hand and kissed the back of it. ¡°How big you¡¯ve become now, Inakan.¡± Though Inakan had grown, she was the smallest of all her contemporaries, almost as small as her younger sibling. ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you, just this once, since you¡¯re so cute.¡± Shikan found it awkward to intervene as Adam embraced his daughter. The girl squealed as Adam lifted her up and almost tossed her, but he decided against it as though the girl was as fragile as clay. ¡°Before they steal you away from me, let me give you my gift to you,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pocket. He revealed the smooth silver bar, which held the girl¡¯s name engraved within it. ¡°I¡¯ll give this to your father since you don¡¯t really need it, but it¡¯s not for you to spend. It¡¯s a token that I¡¯m giving to you and if you need a favour from me, you can hand it to me and I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± Inakan stared at the silver, noting the way the light bounced off it. She reached for it, feeling the smooth metal within her hand. She leaned in to suck against it, though her father quickly snatched it from her hand, causing the girl to twitch in shock. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Shikan felt the cool metal against his hand. The other Iyrmen were also surprised by Adam¡¯s gift, since it seemed so... normal? It was only Sonarot who understood the significance of the fact Adam had made it out of silver and not another type of metal. ¡®Just what kind of favour could they ask for?¡¯ Adam continued to smile, though Sonarot could see something beyond the smile. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re going to miss your cousin¡¯s birthday, you punk!¡¯ Sonarot smiled, deciding against informing Adam. The cute children arc continues! [878] – Y03.178 – Duskval Days IV [878] ¨C Y03.178 ¨C Duskval Days IV Inakan accepted the colourful ribbons passed to her, along with the tiny bits and bobs the older Iyrmen had crafted for her, from the tiny cup Taygak had forged, to the spoon Laygak had carved. ¡°Blue wibbon, okay?¡± Jirot said, handing over the ribbon she and her brother had picked out. She then embraced the girl and kissed her cheeks, before allowing her brother to do the same. She looked towards her father, who smiled, the little girl quickly rushing up to him as she giggled. ¡°You are so good, Jirot. What a lovely gift you both gave.¡± Adam ruffled their hair, while Konarot and the triplets handed over a piece of fabric their father had gifted to them, also embracing the girl. ¡°All of you are so good! What lovely gifts you¡¯ve all given!¡± ¡®My kids are really the cutest!¡¯ The adults assisted their young children in giving away their gifts, some of them crying as they could not continue playing with their items, before they were distracted away.UppTodated from Shikan let out a long sigh. ¡®Two years old...¡¯ Now that the child was two, he worried less about the girl¡¯s survival, and more about how to keep her from getting herself killed from exploration. Once the gifts were passed, Shikan picked up his daughter, who smiled up towards him. Shikan stared down into her innocent eyes, the eyes which had yet to know how cruel the world was. The Iyrman carried his daughter to one side before he brushed the girl¡¯s hair with a brush, fixing it before their visit to the extended family estate. He picked a ribbon and tied it within his daughter¡¯s hair, and before the girl could reach it, he lay a small scarf across her shoulders, distracting her with the knitted clothing. ¡°Are you taking my Inakan away?¡± Adam asked, his heart already aching. ¡°We must go visit the Kan estate.¡± ¡°How can you do this to me...¡± Adam held out his arms, raising his brows expectantly. Shikan surrendered to the girl to him, allowing Adam to hold the girl close to his chest for a moment. ¡°Inakan...¡± Adam rubbed his cheek against hers. ¡°If anyone bullies you, make sure to tell me, okay?¡± ¡°Kekekeke,¡± Inakan replied, giggling wildly before Adam showered her with his affection, doing his best not to ruin her hair, rubbing his cheek against her cheek and the top of her head. Adam handed Shikan the girl back, glancing aside as he crossed his arms behind his back. ¡°Don¡¯t miss me too much, Inakan.¡± Lucy remained silent. Adam had worked too hard the past month for her to call him cringe, and she wasn¡¯t stupid enough to call him cringe on Inakan¡¯s birthday. ¡°Will you work today?¡± Sonarot asked, already knowing the answer to her question. ¡°No, no...¡± Adam watched as the Kans prepared for the children to leave to the extended family estate. ¡°Wait...¡± Once Adam had embraced the little Kan children, the Kans left, heading to their estate with the birthday girl. Adam watched as they left, narrowing his eyes to refrain from tearing up. ¡®How can you grow up? Do you think I¡¯ll forgive you because you¡¯re so cute?¡¯ ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Mara thought. ¡°Daddy,¡± Jirot called, pointing up towards the half elf. ¡°You take me to babo.¡± ¡°How do you ask nicely?¡± ¡°Pwease.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mirot also decided to go to the extended family estate, preparing both Gurot and Murot. Due to the number of children, Adam pulled along a rickshaw full of the little ones, while Mirot followed behind. Mirot knew better than to push the rickshaw herself, deciding against giving Adam any reason to complain about not spoiling the children. The old one armed Jarot laughed upon seeing his family arrive. ¡°I did not think you would come since it was Inakan¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Jirot demanded, politely, that I bring her.¡± Jirot climbed down from the rickshaw with her brother before the pair rushed towards their greatfather, who swept the pair up into a tender embrace. ¡°Babo!¡± the pair cried aloud. ¡®She really has lost a lot of weight.¡¯ Several other Iyrmen sat with her, one from the Rot family, though the others wore tattoos of other families Adam vaguely recalled. Each were wrinkled and white haired, and carried their family¡¯s weapons. ¡°Hello,¡± Adam said, noting the way the Iyrmen were staring at him. They glanced across his ears quickly, and then his attire, before assuming who he was. ¡°Adam,¡± Rirot called, reaching out a hand to pat his head. Adam bowed his head awkwardly. ¡°I wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°What is it that you need?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just wanted to say hello and check on you.¡± Rirot smiled. ¡°Thank you. Have you brought your children?¡± ¡°They¡¯re at the... they¡¯re with their babo and nano.¡± Suddenly, an awkwardness filled Adam. ¡®Is she really dying?¡¯ Adam¡¯s heart began to beat quicker, a small layer of sweat beginning to form across his forehead. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°Just...¡± Adam flushed, his heart throbbing harder. ¡°Could...¡± Adam¡¯s throat tightened for a moment. ¡°Could I bring my children here to hear your tales.¡± Rirot¡¯s eye filled delight. ¡°I will speak them.¡± The older Iyrmen eased up near the boy, leaning back, one nodding approvingly towards the half elf. As Adam stepped back, he felt a sweat fill him. He swallowed once more, though found it difficult. ¡°Okay?¡± Zirot asked, escorting Adam back to retrieve his children. ¡°Yeah...¡± Zirot reached up and rubbed his head. ¡°You must not be brother¡¯s grandson. You are too well behaved.¡± Adam glanced towards her. ¡°Well behaved? Me? How can I be when I¡¯m Jirot¡¯s dad?¡± Zirot smiled. ¡°Yes. It is so.¡± As Adam stepped back into the extended family estate, Konarot charged up towards him. He let out a soft sigh as he picked her up. ¡°Come on, we need to go and see nano Rirot.¡± ¡°Nano Reeroh?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Yes. She is the family¡¯s Grandmaster. She¡¯s very strong.¡± ¡°Strong,¡± Konarot replied firmly. ¡°Like daddy?¡± ¡°Stronger,¡± Adam said, almost choking on his words. ¡°I will come too,¡± the older Jarot said, allowing the twins to cling to him tight as he held them with his arm and his forearm. He glanced towards Adam, whose mood had darkened, much worse than even when Jurot had left. ¡®He is too soft hearted, but he is wise.¡¯ Jarot wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was doing this to ingratiate himself within the Rot family, but it was a great move to make by the young half elf. How can our Jibaby be so smart? She''s definitely going to bully us to death! [879] – Y03.179 – Duskval Days V [879] ¨C Y03.179 ¨C Duskval Days V ¡°Nano is so stuhrong, daddy, oh my gosh,¡± Jirot began to babble towards her father. ¡°When I am big I will be stuhrong too,¡± little Jarot said, inhaling deeply. ¡°You should stay small and cute forever,¡± Adam replied, embracing his twins within his arms, carrying them back as the triplets followed after. Konarot glanced back towards her greatfather, who remained behind with their greataunt, before she continued to bring up the rear, keeping her siblings within her sights. ¡°Did you see?¡± Jarot asked, puffing out his chest. ¡°Our greatchildren, they are so good.¡± ¡°I saw,¡± Rirot replied. ¡°His children are so well behaved.¡± She exchanged a look with Jarot, the pair smirking between one another as they thought of the girl who had beamed up towards Rirot upon hearing her tales. ¡®Wait!¡¯ she had declared. ¡®I go poopoo! Wait!¡¯ She had stormed away during one of the tales, with her twin and father following after, the half elf pink in the face. ¡°You have worked hard,¡± Jarot said. ¡°I should work harder.¡± ¡°If you work harder, we will not go in peace.¡±T/his chapter is updated by Rirot looked towards the sky, darkened by clouds. Lightning fell, thunder rumbling nearly an instant later. She could feel the rumbling deep within her bones. It was uncomfortable, but the life of an Iyrman was often uncomfortable, burdened by their duties. ¡°Zirot is also training to become a Grandmaster?¡± ¡°She cannot allow Tarot to surpass her.¡± Rirot smiled, letting out a soft snort. ¡°Once Kamrot returns, I will leave.¡± Jarot poured the woman her tea, the pair still alone. The others had sat in the corner to have their own conversation by the time they had arrived, all but certain the Mad Dog would come. They understood not to coax out trouble from the Mad Dog, especially when he was behaving so well. ¡°You must speak of my tales when they are older,¡± the woman said, sipping the tea, which was near scalding. ¡°They will forget.¡± ¡°I will speak of them yearly,¡± Jarot assured. ¡°They will engrave your tales within their heart, though it will be under my own.¡± Rirot smiled warmly, leaning back within her chair. She could feel the slow creep of death beckon her, but she had already resolved herself to see her husband. Jarot remained silent for a long while, sipping the tea opposite the woman. As a member of the extended family, she had completed her duty well. If not for her, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to cause his mess, and the Rot family would not be stable enough to prepare for war, if it ever came to it. Jarot could still recall the rain of that day. It was a sorrowful rain. There had been a single flash of lightning, and a single rumble of thunder. ¡°With Sarot and I gone, you should not be so careless,¡± Rirot dared to say to her cousin, the one who had caused such a mess within the Iyr. Even if she wasn¡¯t dying, and even with his one arm and one leg, Rirot wasn¡¯t confident enough to face her crazy cousin. ¡°Will you stop me?¡± Jarot grinned wide. ¡°Little Jirot will stop you when I cannot.¡± Jarot¡¯s laughter echoed through the estate, drowned out by the gentle rain and the rumble of thunder. Jirot allowed her father to feed her, opening her mouth whenever he brought the fork to her lips. She clamped her lips tight along the fork while her father pulled the fork away from her lips, before she slowly chewed the meat. ¡°Cahruh, daddy.¡± The girl pointed towards the sliced orange vegetable, which her father brought to her lips. She crunched into it, slowly chewing the raw vegetable with her molars, smiling to herself in satisfaction. Little Jarot reached for his own carrot, before Adam brought a slice to his lips. The boy smiled and bit it out of his father¡¯s hand, pushing the rest of it into his tiny mouth. He let out a small squeak of satisfaction while he leaned into his father¡¯s hand, which brushed his cheek tenderly. Lucy was glad Adam and Jarot were there to tease Jurot, quickly placing herself beside Jirot and Jarot, feeding the pair. She could feel the glare from Adam, who wanted to keep spoiling his children. ¡®You should let me feed them since we¡¯re companions in arms in this regard,¡¯ Lucy¡¯s gaze said. ¡®I¡¯m only going to forgive you just this once,¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes returned. Jurot was not used to this feeling. ¡®This is how it feels to be a sheep surrounded by wolves?¡¯ The thunder rumbled lightly in the distance as Adam gently soothed his children to nap, while the sky darkened from the clouds, though evening had yet to blanket the Iyr. He gently pat his youngest son¡¯s back, who rested his head against his father¡¯s shoulder, sucking along his dummy. Jirot and Jarot were sprawled in front of their greatfather, who was trapped within the minefield of children, with the triplets snoozing behind him and beside him. However, he was also an Iyrman, so he quietly, slowly, began to shift away from the children. It was awkward with his metal leg, but he placed it down first, and once he felt confident, hoisted the rest of his body away from the children, landing with his flesh leg, before slowly peeling his metal leg off the ground, and he silently crept away. Adam gently lay his youngest son down, before creeping away to one side, allowing Mulrot to silently knit beside the children. Gurot and Murot slept beside her, the pair within their own blankets, near identical, save for a thread which denoted their names. ¡°I forget how big the Rot family is,¡± Adam whispered, sipping his juice. ¡°I come here once a week and, yeah, I shmooze with everyone, but... everyone has their own lives, families, stories.¡± ¡°Those stories are ours to share,¡± Jarot said. ¡°They are my stories, they are Jurot¡¯s stories, they are your stories, and those stories are your children¡¯s stories too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re my stories, but I¡¯m happy that they can be my children¡¯s stories.¡± Jarot grunted. As much as he didn¡¯t want Adam to pull away from them, he was fine with Adam at least compromising that the children get to have their stories. ¡°No,¡± the old man began, feeling the discomfort within his heart, ¡°they are your stories too.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°You are my brother Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accept everyone¡¯s stories but yours, old man.¡± ¡°You will not accept my stories? I am your grandfather, brat!¡± Jarot snapped, gritting his teeth, his lips forming a wild grin. ¡°Whose grandfather are you?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Will you treat me so when I am so close to death?¡± ¡°Close to death? Who gave you permission to die, old man?¡± ¡°Baktu demands it of all of us.¡± ¡°What will I tell my children?¡± Jarot grinned wide, though the crack in his smile was obvious to Jurot. ¡°You haven¡¯t even met Jurot¡¯s children yet!¡± ¡°You are right. I do not plan to die soon, I must spend more time spoiling my greatchildren!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jurot remained silent. He had thought about the death of the Rot family, and even his own death, but it took a moment for him to realise. ¡®Grandfather will die too...¡¯ Slow arc begins, but you can make it quicker because for every new patron from today, the 14th, to the end of the month, I''ll post up an additional chapter to Patreon and here! [880] – Y03.180 – Duskval Days VI [880] ¨C Y03.180 ¨C Duskval Days VI ¡°No,¡± Adam said, using his body to protect the pair. ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°They must go visit their families,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Jaygak, you should know when your jokes go too far!¡± ¡°And what are you doing right now?¡± Adam sniffled, pulling Maygak and Faygak in closer, rubbing his cheek against theirs. ¡°Maygak, Faygak, you two...¡± Adam planted firm kisses on their cheeks before he allowed Jaygak to take the girls from his arms. ¡°I¡¯m only letting you both go since your siblings treated you so well.¡± ¡°You are so silly, cousin Adam,¡± Raygak said, his cheeks flushing slightly. ¡°Silly,¡± Taygak agreed, nodding her head as she crossed her arms. Maygak and Faygak, adorned within almost identical outfits of dark red, were taken by their parents. Jogak whisked his daughter into his arms, before Kaygak gently lifted her own daughter up, the tiny girl smiling shyly. Adam watched, teary eyed as the pair of girls were taken away. He caught Jaygak¡¯s eyes, the young woman smirking towards Adam. ¡®I¡¯m only going to let you go today, Jaygak!¡¯ Jurot pat Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Jirot.¡± Jirot¡¯s head snapped towards her uncle, who rarely spoke with her. She waited, unsure of what to expect. ¡°Do you wish to see your nano?¡± ¡°Nano?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Nano Gangak.¡± ¡°I want to see!¡± Jirot said, quickly standing up rushing over towards her uncle. ¡°Papo! We go now?¡± ¡°We can leave soon,¡± Jurot said. ¡®My brother is a genius!¡¯ ¡°Jurot, it¡¯s not fair for you to be smart, handsome, and strong. You need to leave something for me.¡± ¡°You are handsome and strong too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What need of I to be smart when Jirot is smart for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Jirot smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Konarot, do you want to see nano Gangak too?¡± Konarot blinked. ¡°Baba?¡± ¡°Baba?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Baba Tonagek?¡± Konarot nodded. ¡°When¡¯s Danagek¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°The fifth,¡± Jurot replied. ¡®Damn, he answered that so quick...¡¯ Adam flushed slightly. ¡®Hold on, I should know that!¡¯ ¡°The fifth?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°How cute.¡± After a few hours, they made their way to the extended Gak family estate, not far from the Rot family estate. Jitool had come too, the girl crying as she watched the twins leave once more, but quickly calmed down as Kitool carried her to the extended family estate. ¡°Did you miss me that much?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You think I¡¯ve come here for you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Of course I¡¯m here so my twins can trouble their nano.¡± Jirot and Jarot remained beside Adam, noting their nano from afar. Jirot tugged on her father¡¯s leg and pointed. ¡°Look, daddy, look. It is nano!¡± ¡°Jaygak is Jaygak.¡± The Iyrman narrowed his eyes towards the half elf. ¡°Will you fight, or will you run away?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll run away.¡± ¡°You will run so easily?¡± ¡°Why are you challenging me?¡± ¡°I wish to face you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Is there a need for me to face you?¡± ¡°You are an Iyrman,¡± Adam said, his tone lowering. ¡°You should speak the truth.¡± ¡°I have yet to lie.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have enough self respect to-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called. Adam inhaled deeply. He glanced around towards the Iyrmen glancing towards him, their eyes watching the scene as though it were a drama. ¡°I¡¯ll adore the girls for a moment and then take my children to their baba.¡± Adam lifted the girls from their grandmother¡¯s arms, planting kisses on their cheeks, embracing them close within his arms. ¡°Why have you become so big now? You should stay small and cure forever! Maygak, why must you bully me like this? Faygak, I¡¯ll forgive you since Taygak will beat me up if I tease you.¡± ¡°No,¡± Taygak said, snorting lightly. ¡°Cannot.¡± ¡°Taygak, how can you say that when you are so strong?¡± ¡°Not strong.¡± ¡°Jaygak, what do you think?¡± ¡°Of course our Taygak is strong,¡± Jaygak said, flashing a smile towards the girl. ¡°Taygak and Rigak, they¡¯re both so strong.¡± ¡°Since Jaygak has said so, it must be true.¡± ¡°Jaygak, joking,¡± Taygak said, letting out another snort. ¡°What do you think, nano Gangak?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Taygak, you are strong, you are my brother¡¯s granddaughter. Rigak, you are strong, you are my brother¡¯s granddaughter.¡± Gangak placed the twins beside her, lifting Jitool up as she stood. ¡°Have I spoken a lie?¡± Taygak flushed slightly, glancing away. Rigak smiled, glancing towards her mother, who sighed, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jaygak fought the Blade of the Tide. If it wasn¡¯t for the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, she would have beat her up! Obviously our Taygak and Rigak will do so much more! Our Maygak and Faygak, they¡¯ll...¡± Adam paused. ¡°They¡¯ll stay small and cute forever so I can spoil them!¡± ¡°Stop being so cri-,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this to me, Jaygak,¡± Adam said, embracing the girls closer. ¡°Are you two listening? Your elder sisters are so amazing, and they¡¯re so strong, so you can stay small and cute forever.¡± ¡®Is he an idiot?¡¯ Tagak thought. Yet, the want to fight Adam increased, if nothing else than to stop the feeling of sickness which could only be described as second hand embarrassment. His eyes fell to his sister, Rigak, who was beaming so happily. ¡®I will forgive you, since you have made my sister smile so brightly.¡¯ The rain continued to fall across the Iyr. Tonagek moved the piece against his uncle, who remained still for a long while. Lightning flashed and illuminated his form for a moment. Just as he was about to move his piece, he noted the appearance of several others approaching them. ¡°I will leave you to the grandchildren.¡± ¡°They are your greatniece and greatnephew too,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°You should be careful with your words,¡± Dogek said, standing, his face as stonelike as ever, just like his grandfather¡¯s. ¡°The Gek family must abide by its duty to the Iyr first.¡± Tonagek said nothing as the troublemaker and his children appeared. Adam knows when not to cause trouble at least... [881] – Y03.181 – Duskval Days VII [881] ¨C Y03.181 ¨C Duskval Days VII Adam sighed as he held the chubby boy within his arms. He could already feel the expectations against his shoulders. His mind raced as to how he could keep the boy within his arms forever, though that was difficult, and then he thought about how he could keep the boy for only a century or so, before relenting to a decade, then to a year, a month, an hour, a minute, and finally, a moment longer. ¡°Adam,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Mokan...¡± Adam whispered, his heart pounding wildly within his chest. ¡°You have to have lots of fun today. Make sure you eat as much dessert as you can. I¡¯ll only forgive you if you¡¯re spoiled a lot, okay?¡± The boy sucked on his hand, shyly glancing up towards the half elf, before Adam finally surrendered him to his father. Shikan held his son, brushing through the boy¡¯s hair, before he carried the boy away, taking his sister and cousins away to the extended Kan family estate. ¡°One day, Jurot...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°One day I¡¯ll become so strong enough no one can stop me from spoiling our adorable cousins.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say dangerous things on their birthdays,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°How can they do this to me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Jirot, why can kako Jaygak bully me?¡± ¡°Is because you ah so handsome, daddy,¡± Jirot said. Adam inhaled deeply before smirking slightly. ¡°Ah yes, of course.¡± ¡°Of coas,¡± Jirot agreed. ¡°Should we go and play with nano Otkan?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No! I puhlay with daddy!¡± Jirot pointed towards her father. Adam let out a sigh, realising he couldn¡¯t defeat his daughter. ¡®Truly, my children are the strongest.¡¯ Adam played with his children until noon, when the families gathered together to eat together. ¡°Did you know, your uncle, Jurot, sparred with the previous King¡¯s Sword, King Merryweather.¡± ¡°King¡¯s Soad?¡± Jirot gasped, her eyes snapping to Jurot. ¡°So stuhrong, papo!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Even though papo lost, he made sure the King had to use Fifth Gate spells to beat your papo!¡± ¡°Fif Gate?¡± ¡°Even I, your father, only know how to use...¡± Adam paused, glancing around the Iyrmen around him. He realised he technically hadn¡¯t formally stated to everyone he could use Fourth Gate spells. Plus, if he told his children, they could somehow inform others and the rumours would spread. ¡°Even I, your father, usually use Third Gate spells!¡± ¡°King is stuhronger, daddy?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam glanced to the side, while the gazes of his aunts and uncles were upon him, each playfully smiling. ¡°You know, whose to say?¡± ¡°Even if you are not stuhrong, I love you, daddy,¡± Jirot said, patting her father¡¯s leg gently. ¡°I love you because you ah my daddy.¡± ¡°Oh! Jirot!¡± Adam¡¯s heart filled with a tsunami only known as love as he picked up his daughter and kissed her all over, doing the same for all of his children. His entire body buzzed with delight. ¡°Papa, you are stuhrong?¡± Lanarot asked Jurot. ¡°I am not yet...¡± Jurot wanted to say he wasn¡¯t yet, but the beaming eyes of his sister caused his heart to stir. ¡°I am strong for my age.¡± ¡°I am small but I am stuhrong too?¡± ¡°This is your gift, Danagek,¡± Adam said, with three more tokens at his side. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to your father, but it belongs to you. Tell me if anyone tries to steal it from you.¡± Tonagek accepted the token, which had caused so much trouble for so many people. The token held Danageks name within it, while the other three held the names of the other Gek children, that of Donagek, and then the children of his sister, Fonasen. ¡°Aunt said I can spoil her nieces and nephews too,¡± Adam said, handing the silver tokens over. ¡°Okay,¡± Tonagek replied, simply. Adam let out a sigh of relief, before stepping to one side. He watched as Gurot and Danagek were showered with attention for their birthdays. He sat with his arms crossed to one side, feeling the gazes of various Geks upon him. His eyes fell across his children, who were playing so eagerly with the Gek children around. Adam¡¯s heart stirred. Every time he brought his children to any of the extended family estates, they always welcomed his children. The difference between his children and the other children was minuscule, so blurred, he wasn¡¯t sure if there was a difference at all. ¡®Seriously, how much do I owe you already?¡¯ Adam thought, though the smile on his face revealed what he truly thought of the debt he owed to the Iyr. Tonagek played dragon chess with Konarot, the girl focused on the game, her tail swaying from side to side, while she held a finger curled over her lip like her baba. Fonasen, who looked exactly like their nana, cut up fruit for the children, Kirot and Karot both at her side, while Jirot and Jarot played with the other children. Lanarot rushed towards Fonasen, before stopping in front of her. The woman looked like her mother, except the tattoo on her forehead was that of the Sen family. ¡°Kako?¡± ¡°Yes, my Lanarot?¡± Lanarot stood taller. ¡°I am Woh! Not Gek!¡± She pointed towards her aunt. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The girl smiled and rushed off to Danagek and Gurot. Once the children finished their naps, Adam and Jurot took the children away. Lanarot melted against Jurot, the girl having refused her nap, but had silently fallen asleep on her against her brother¡¯s shoulder. Tonagek stared down at Konarot. ¡°Konarot, come.¡± The girl rushed over to him, her siblings following after her. The Iyrman fell to a knee and brought the girl in for a deep hug. He could feel how cool the girl was against him, the girl colder than any other child. He could smell the ointments of the Iyr across her skin, no doubt dutifully applied by her father or her grandmother. The girl furrowed her brows, confused, but she held her baba back. ¡°Baba...¡± ¡°Konarot. You must remain as you are, so thoughtful, wise, and sweet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tonagek closed his eyes tight as he embraced her, before letting her go, embracing each of her siblings. He held the little green twins close to his chest, ruffling their hair, before allowing them to leave. Adam wondered if he could push to hug Danagek, but he felt too embarrassed in front of everyone. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Do you think my feelings will change with this?¡± Dogek asked, watching as the children left. ¡°Will you refuse it, even after the silver tokens?¡± ¡°Whatever his intentions with our children, the line has been drawn. It is the official position of the Gek family from the Family Elder.¡± ¡°What if the official position of the Family Head differs?¡± ¡°It will not, for we are the Gek family.¡± It was at this time, Tonagek had wished his parents were still alive, or that Jarot was still the Mad Dog of the past. Even Dogek would have to take care against the Mad Dog of the past, regardless of his status as someone who could clash against the likes of Sir Robin and the other Paragons across the land. Dogek remained silent as Tonagek limped out of the estate, his left hand holding onto the blade at his side, in the way he normally held it whenever he went to train. ¡®It has to be this way, Tonagek.¡¯ Who is this random side character I just introduced? Surely no one important... If you really want to know, Patreon has the next arc all done, and the start of Y04! Surely Adam won''t cause trouble at the beginning of the next year! :D Interlude: Elders’ Worries Interlude: Elders¡¯ Worries "Father, look," the girl said, holding up a tiny red flower towards her father. The man picked the flower from her fingers, like it was as fragile as the flowers within Aldland. The girl''s face was the painting of joy as she giggled wildly, before her younger sister rushed up beside her, panting for air, before coughing, a cough that was not like the cough of a little girl, but of an older fellow who had smoke from a pipe since the womb. "Oh my, my dear," the man dropped to a knee, patting the girl''s back. "Did you drink your water?" "Yes!" the girl said, before shaking her head to deny her words. She smiled innocently, before her father ruffled her hair, and led the twins to a nearby well to cool their fathers and to quench their thirst. Their little brother stormed onto the scene from their mother, who led the children away to play further away. The Iyrman turned, feeling the wind shift slightly as his brother approached him. "You have come?" "I have come," the brother replied. "How is sister?" "Well." "The child?" "Healthy." The Iyrman nodded his head slowly, a small smile appearing on his face. "The second child is not easier." "No," the brother confirmed, stepping beside the Iyrman, staring out to watch as the twins and their little brother ran across the field. "Tonagek plays well with his sisters." "His sisters play well with him," Shogek corrected. "..." "..." "..." "It will be fine, Dogek." "It does not feel easier." "It will not be." Shogek reached over to pat his younger brother''s back. "Sister will assist you. She will care for them in the ways you cannot, and you will care for them in ways she cannot." "In what ways can she not care for them?"Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com "There are times she will require your assistance. Look at me, Dogek. My daughters, they can act as they please in front of me, but there are times when their mother comes to me. She comes to me because there are ways she cannot care for them, it wounds her heart, in the ways that I cannot care for my daughters, for it wounds my heart." "You are better with others, brother. I am not." "You are like grandfather, but..." Shogek thought carefully of his next words, before sighing. He was no good at speaking so thoughtfully with his brother. "You are not grandfather. You place your duty first, but you are still my brother. I do not know if grandfather worried when he stepped out to complete his duties, I do not believe he did, but you? You worry. You, who live within my shadows, and yet complete the duties you must without complaint. You are not grandfather. You are not me. You are Dogek.¡± Dogek remained silent, listening to his elder brother¡¯s words. ¡°A rigid blade will break. A blade which flexes much, cannot draw blood. A blade which is rigid and flexible will spill enough blood, from the Iyr to the Confederacy." "Not beyond?" Dogek joked. "Beyond is too far," Shogek replied, a wide smile encroaching across his face. "There will come a time when their father cannot deny them, and their mother cannot. It is those times we may come to you, Dogek. You must succeed where we fail." "If you cannot, and if sister cannot, I cannot." "No," Shogek said, placing a hand on his brother''s shoulder. "You can." He squeezed Dogek''s shoulder gently. Shogek pulled his hand away, lifting up the flower within his hand. He brought it up to Dogek''s face. "Do you see?" Dogek had lit the candle the first time after their funeral. He had remained silent throughout, his body frozen from the chill. He had no words to say to his nieces and nephew who had lost their mother and father so rapidly. He had no words to give to their children, who had no idea they would be unable to see or speak to their grandmother or grandfather any longer. ¡°It does not feel easier.¡± Dogek whispered, staring at the thin strand of smoke above the flame. Lightning fell and the thunder rumbled. Silence followed for a long while. He reached up to the flame and quenched it between his fingers, allowing the darkness to consume him. Tonagek cut through the rain with his blade. He could feel the tingle of magic of his blade, vaguely aware of the water which bounced off his blade. He continued to cut at the rain before he sighed, standing in the darkness as the rain engulfed him. ¡°Have you brought drinks?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°If I did not bring drinks, would I still be your friend?¡± Mosen replied, stepping out from the darkness, holding out a gourd. ¡°How long were you watching?¡± Tonagek asked, taking the gourd. ¡°You caught me soon after I arrived.¡± ¡°Why did you not call out?¡± ¡°I know better than to interrupt you when you are thinking.¡± Tonagek undid the cork and sipped the wine. He could taste the sweetness, wincing slightly, having not expected for Mosen to bring something so sweet. ¡°Which wine are you drinking.¡± ¡°The same.¡± ¡°Sweet?¡± ¡°It is to balance your bitterness.¡± Mosen winced as he sipped the sweet wine. ¡°I cannot believe my mother would drink this.¡± Tonagek thought of Mosen¡¯s mother, who had always allowed them to cause trouble when they were younger. ¡°She has good taste.¡± ¡°Mother knew how to kill, but good drinks? It was not her speciality.¡± ¡°You can only dare to say so now that she is dead.¡± ¡°I am truly wise.¡± The pair fell silent for a long time as they stood in the rain. ¡°Did Danagek sleep well?¡± ¡°He called for you, but sister soothed him to sleep.¡± ¡°What of Chisen?¡± ¡°I made sure she was asleep before I crept away.¡± They continued to drink and stand in silence. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Mosen finally said, the lightning falling and thunder rumbling. Tonagek remained silent for a long while. He sipped the sweet alcohol. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I am glad it is raining,¡± Mosen admitted, feeling the wetness across his face. ¡°Yes.¡± This was actually a titled chapter but I realised it makes more sense for it to be an interlude so expect another chapter later. [882] – Y03.182 – Twins I [882] ¨C Y03.182 ¨C Twins I ¡®The thunder left late this year,¡¯ Sonarot thought, rocking with Larot within her arms. The rain fell lightly across the Iyr, a gentle trickle of background noise which soothed those within the Iyr. ¡°You are working today?¡± Jurot asked as Adam made to leave. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do this season,¡± Adam said, glancing aside. ¡°I¡¯ve got to make sure everyone gets paid.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jurot watched as Adam left for the day. Jurot had the day off to do as he pleased. ¡°Papo!¡± Jirot called, pointing at him with a threatening finger. ¡°You must puhlay with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot let out a snort of approval before she led the play for her uncle and her siblings. ¡°I am Jiroh, Demon Load, okay?¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You are papo.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I am babo,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°Kaka, wot you ah?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°I am kaka.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jirot said. ¡°I am kaka too,¡± Kirot said, and Jirot nodded. ¡°I am daddy,¡± Karot said. ¡°You cannot,¡± Jirot said. ¡°You are papa.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Karot replied, his tail flopping down beside him. Jurot placed a hand on Karot¡¯s head, brushing it gently. ¡°You are Karot, son of Adam.¡± Karot flushed slightly at his uncle¡¯s attention. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot played with the children, allowing Jirot to set the pace. She shouted often, her imagination running wild as she ducked under the dragon, and called forth lightning from her fingers. Jurot pretended to be struck by her magics often. ¡°You ah stuhrong, you cannot die,¡± Jirot said, her words full of a confidence gifted to her by her greatfather. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. Eventually Konarot and the triplets slipped away to relax in the cool wind of duskval, while Jirot and Jarot continued to play with their uncle, exploring the shared estate together, while the other children joined in to play with them. Minool rushed all about alongside them, while Jitool remained beside Jirot and Jarot. Inakan and Minakan both remained elsewhere, playing by themselves. ¡°It is time for water!¡± Lanarot said, calling all the children to drink. Sonarot and Jurot poured the drinks for the children as they sipped away. Lanarot joined the children in their play, taking the role of the leader. ¡°Papo,¡± little Jarot called, tugging on Jurot¡¯s trouser. ¡°Will you puhlay with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam choked out, pulling them closer in, as though to hide them from the rest of the world. Adam recalled how he first met his children, born in the mud, their family dead, ravenous from hunger. ¡°Do you know how old you are?¡± ¡°Two!¡± Jirot said, confidently. ¡°That¡¯s right! Two years old! You¡¯re both two! So big, oh my gosh, how can you do this to me?¡± Adam kissed them repeatedly, unable to let them go. ¡°How can you do this? You should stay small and cute forever!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled. Adam¡¯s heart felt so close to bursting as he continued to pepper his children with kisses. He pulled them closer to his chest, ruffling through their curly hair, his lips assaulting their faces and necks. ¡°You smelly girl! You smelly boy! You cannot bully your father like this!¡± Jirot and Jarot giggled wildly as their father adored them, all the while the rest of their family watched. Adam eventually sat down, pulling his children onto his lap, the tiny little twins clutching at their father¡¯s shirt while cuddling up to him. ¡°Daddy!¡± the pair cried aloud. ¡°You two... even if you bully me, I love you so much.¡± ¡°I love you too, daddy,¡± Jirot said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. ¡°I love daddy too,¡± Jarot said, climbing up to kiss his father¡¯s chin. A vortex shook within Adam as he closed his eyes shut, feel his children¡¯s faces against his own, their hair tickling his skin. Wetness dripped out of his eyes even through how tight he had shut them, the half elf swaying with his children within his arms. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you for being this cute! Never!¡± Adam reached up to hold the back of their heads, pinning them to his neck, sniffling as he rubbed his cheeks against theirs. Jirot continued to cackle lightly while Jarot¡¯s giggles tickled his ear. ¡®Why are you crying?¡¯ Jurot thought, though he remained silent. ¡°Have you received your gifts yet?¡± Adam asked, reaching into his shirt. He clutched the cool silver, but waited a long moment. ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, glancing around. ¡°I want reebun, daddy.¡± ¡°Well first...¡± Adam held out the silver tokens, each engraved with their names. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you this. I gave all your papos and kakos this for their birthdays, but you get them too.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± Jirot¡¯s eyes beamed towards the silver token, which shone all manner of colours where it caught the light. ¡°We¡¯re going to put this in your vault, but if you need something big from daddy, you can give it to daddy and daddy will do something for you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot held up the token towards her father. ¡°Daddy, you must puhlay with me today.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to use it today,¡± Adam said, his lower lip trembling as his daughter continued to damage his heart. ¡°I¡¯ll play with you today!¡± Konarot rushed up with her siblings, holding out a ribbon she had received, and she tied it around her sister¡¯s arm, with some help from her father. Kirot and Karot also revealed their gifts, more ribbons for their siblings. ¡°Larot is also giving you ribbons, isn¡¯t that right, Larot?¡± Adam asked, holding the boy up, who glanced aside while holding the ribbons. Jirot and Jarot accepted all their gifts, including those from their papos and kakos, the younger children crying about losing their toys, though they were distracted once more. Adam watched as Jirot and Jarot were showered in gifts, even from their elder papos and kakos. His eyes glanced across Turot and Asorot, who revealed the hydra scales they had for the children, and Taygak, who had created bowls for them. ¡®I won¡¯t forgive any of you for being this cute!¡¯ This was actually a titled chapter but I realised it makes more sense for it to be an interlude so expect another chapter later. [883] – Y03.183 – Twins II [883] ¨C Y03.183 ¨C Twins II ¡°Do you see?¡± Jarot asked, sitting up taller as the twins charged towards him. ¡°They will not forget their babo on this day!¡± ¡°Babo! Babo!¡± the twins called out, though they stopped their charge as Mulrot reached out her hands towards them. The children held up their hands so the old woman could take their hands within her own, gently feeling their soft hands, tenderly brushing her thumbs along the backs of their tiny hands. She released them, allowing them to charge their babo. ¡°Kekekek!¡± Jirot cackled towards her greatfather, who could see she was up to no good. ¡°It is your birthday, so I must give you a gift!¡± Jarot chuckled as the twins laughed. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot all walked to their nano, who brushed their hair tenderly, allowing them to sit beside her as she knitted. "Daddy give me silva,¡± the tiny Jirot said, her voice much louder than her size. ¡°So pitty." "A silver token?" Jarot asked, his lips twitching into a small smirk. ¡®Do you need to give your children silver tokens?¡¯ "Yes," the girl stated, her eyes beaming. "Do you like it?" "Yes." "I can give you silver too." "Yes?" the girl asked, her eyes sparkling with greed. "How much silver would you like?" "All the silva," the girl replied, smirking. "How smart my greatdaughter is. If you want all the silver I have, I will give it to you." Jarot pulled her closer. "My silver is yours, my greatdaughter." "All the silva?" "Yes." Jirot cackled with joy. "Is my silva, babo! My silva!" The girl''s glee filled the air, lighting the grey day. "Babo..." Little Jarot called, his amber eyes peeking up towards his greatfather. "Yes, my Jarot?" "I want too." "What do you want? My silva?" Jarot had already promised all the silver to his greatdaughter. ¡®They share well...¡¯ "Mmm.¡± The boy thought deeply. ¡°No." "What do you want, my little Jarot?¡± Jarot pulled the boy closer to his chest, planting a kiss on the boy¡¯s head, nuzzling into his hair, which tickled his jaw. ¡°My gold?"Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com "No. I want babo." The boy pointed up to his greatfather and bowed his head shyly. "You want me?" "Yes...¡± The boy nodded his head, causing his curly hair to bounce lightly. "You already have me, my Jarot!" Jarot pulled the boy closer to his chest, his body rapidly filling with the urge to kill, his lips forming the wildest grin as his heart pounded wildly. "Okay." The boy climbed up and wrapped his arms around his greatfather''s neck, hiding his face into his greatfather''s neck, thick and wide, a neck made of pure muscle, a neck built as sturdy as the Iyr''s walls. The walls of the Iyr, so tall and sturdy, but the boy always felt warmest within his greatfather''s embrace. The smell of light sweat. The hard muscles, forged through blood. The warmth of his greatfather''s love, who cherished every second with the boy and his sister. The boy¡¯s tiny index and middle fingers clutched at his greatfather''s collar, his fourth and pinky finger pressed against his greatfather''s skin, the back of his neck, with freshly cut nails from his grandmother, who would always cut his nails weekly. She had cut his nails today since it was his birthday, and had painted them black, just like his sister. Though the boy may not remember this day, the warmth engraved itself deep into his heart. ¡°What is papa Jurot?¡± ¡°Papa Jurot is my papa but he is not papa, he is papo.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam brushed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°You must look after them well.¡± ¡°Yes! I always give my bread.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re such a good girl.¡± Adam pulled the girl in for a deep hug. ¡°I can sleep well because you are such a good kako.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The girl wrapped her arms around her brother. ¡°I am so well beehayved!¡± ¡°Yes. You are...¡± Adam brushed the girl¡¯s hair. In the same way he owed almost all of his joy to Sonarot, he owed an equal amount to Lanarot. He fought off the tears within his eyes, recalling the Lanarot of his previous life, who he had only known for a year. ¡°If you want anything, you can come to me, and papa Adam will get you it.¡± ¡°I want... bread.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam wiped the tears with his wrists and smiled warmly towards the girl who blinked up at him expectantly. ¡°I¡¯ll go get it for you now, smelly girl.¡± Lanarot cackled, but she stopped and climbed down, chasing after her brother who left to bring her bread. ¡°Were you lonely?¡± Adam joked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who gave you permission to be so cute?¡± Lanarot smirked in response before Adam lifted the girl up, and took her to her grandmother to ask for bread. Upon his return, with crumbs across his shoulder and his chest, carrying the hungry girl back, he spotted familiar faces. ¡°Hello, strangers,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Hello, Adam,¡± Vonda called, wearing her Ray attire, with a backpack at her side, while the twins sat within her lap. ¡°You look well,¡± Morkarai said, flashing a wide grin towards the half elf, sitting opposite the Ray. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you two to be here, but I suppose it makes sense, since my children are so cute you can¡¯t help but be charmed by them.¡± Vonda flashed a warm smile. ¡°I have brought gifts from the business.¡± ¡°The business?¡± ¡°Many wished to send their wishes towards your children,¡± Vonda said, revealing the mass of tiny bits of creatures within the backpack, most of them hydra parts. ¡°Did the kids fill up the sack with their things?¡± ¡°They each wanted to give a gift to Jirot and Jarot.¡± ¡°What adorable kids...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°They like my gifts most,¡± Lucy said, smirking slightly. The pair of twins wore a handkerchief like a bib, each handkerchief made up of a hundred different colours swirling together, as though each switch had been formed from a different threat. ¡°What about you, Lord Morkarai? Surely you brought my kids something nice?¡± ¡°I forged a pair of chains,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°Fancy!¡± Adam smiled, all the while Filliam sat off to one side, unsurprised he was being ignored when there was a Ray and Prince around. I know three chapters for a birthday is a little much, but let me have this! The twins deserve at least one chapter each, and then we need to have one for a cool down. Maybe I should have four chapters? [884] – Y03.184 – Twins III [884] ¨C Y03.184 ¨C Twins III "How can you be so stubborn?" Amira asked. Dunes remained silent, sipping his tea. He built up the walls against Amira''s words, which continued to chip away at him, but a man''s shame knew little bounds. "He would appreciate it if you were there." Dunes had a response, but it did not matter. They could bicker and argue, but there was no reason for him to bite back. He would not go, he could not go. "Morn." Amira sighed, leaning back in her chair. She sighed, her eyes glued to the dark skinned Aswadian, who kept sipping away at his tea. "I hope they enjoy their gifts," Dunes admitted. "Your presence is a gift." Dunes gagged slightly, throwing Amira a look, who tried to keep her face neutral, while her eyes held the mischievous humour of her words. "You are so annoying, Dunes." Dunes smiled. "I did not want to admit it, but..." Amira sighed again. "Amira?" "Yes?" "I have a gift for you." "I don''t want it."Findd new stories at novelhall.com Dunes smiled wide. "If you don''t want it, that''s fine, but you should see it first." "I will refuse it unless you go to meet Adam." "Adam would not like that." "I am certain he would." "I am certain he would not." Dunes stood, stretching out his back, glancing across the children who were writing on the ground with the chalk the Iyr provided. ''Today is a good day for gifts.'' While Dunes was on the precipice of a new life, Vonda, too, was on the precipice on a new life. ¡°Suhleepy,¡± Jirot said, yawning as she revealed her entire maw as she yawned, her sets of double canines peeking out further. She leaned back against Vonda¡¯s bosom, sucking against her thumb. ¡°Shall I take you to sleep?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, still cuddled up to the Ray of Life, who was so warm. Little Jarot was almost fast asleep, so full of warmth within the woman¡¯s arms. Though she was not like his greatfather, she was still warm and soft to his heart. Vonda smiled and picked them up, ignoring the gazes of the nearby Iyrmen, before she took the twins to one side. She felt the gaze of another. ¡°Are you sleepy too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot replied, fighting off a yawn while her siblings waddled after their elder sister. ¡°I will take you,¡± Vonda said, a small smile on her face as she led the children away. Adam sat awkwardly, watching Vonda steal his kids away. ¡®I¡¯m only going to allow it today since you played with my kids so well.¡¯ Adam ignored the feeling of her soft lips against his own, steeling his heart against her wicked wiles. ¡®Just because you¡¯re sweet, cute, and strong, it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll be swayed by you.¡¯ Filliam glanced towards Adam¡¯s red face, wondering what he was thinking about for him to have such a stupid look on his face. ¡°How have you been?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been fine,¡± Filliam replied. He wore the clothes gifted by Iyrmen, who had been funding Filliam¡¯s work for the past few years, allowing him to create as many watches as his heart desired. ¡®He¡¯s still pretty thin,¡¯ Adam thought, glancing down at the cloth belt, still holding a vibrant yellow even after all these years, with a repeated red swirl all across it. ¡°I should have come to thank you before.¡± ¡°Thank me?¡± ¡°For your help with the leg.¡± Filliam adjusted his tiny spectacles, two round glasses with a small triangular bridge connecting them. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no bother at all.¡± ¡°If you need anything, let me know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need anything. The Iyr provides for me and my work.¡± Filliam glanced aside awkwardly. He was able to craft as he pleased, the young tinkerer able to keep quite a few of his pieces while the Iyr made sure to take most of the watches he created as payment for their patronage. However, Filliam couldn¡¯t help but feel there was something else he was needed for. ¡°Either way, if you ever need something, you can always come speak with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Filliam adjusted his glasses once more. He still thought about heading to the capital to admire its clocks, but he had no idea how long this patronage would last and wanted to milk it for all it was worth. Filliam¡¯s eyes then fell across towards the large form of the dark skinned Prince who was no doubt the source of many of the pieces he had required from the Iyr. ¡°What of you?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m not married?¡± Adam replied, smirking back towards the Prince. ¡°I can give them as many gifts as I want until I¡¯m married.¡± Filliam adjusted his glasses. ¡®Will I be able to speak with the Prince?¡¯ Unfortunately for Filliam, there were many other Iyrmen ready and eager to speak with the Prince, only kept at bay by their parents for the moment. As the hours passed, the group found themselves back in the shared estate. Adam held onto his twins, refusing to let them go. The older Jarot had also followed them, not allowing them to leave. Gangak allowed Adam to hold them only for a short while, before she stole them away from their father. She had spoiled them rotten with desserts earlier in the day, and coaxed them with more desserts she had hidden away. ¡®I¡¯m only surrendering them because your gifts were nice,¡¯ Adam thought, sighing as he sat beside the rest of his companions. Jaygak¡¯s eyes were glued upon the children, while Kitool was focused on eating the light snacks before her. Adam glanced aside to Jurot and Vonda. ¡°You guys don¡¯t need to be so jealous, since you¡¯ll one day have children as cute as mine.¡± ¡°My children will be cute since I am so handsome,¡± Jurot joked, though his tone was as stone cold as ever. ¡°I hope my children are as cute as yours, Adam,¡± Vonda said. Adam¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t tease Vonda too much, otherwise I¡¯ll get ground to dust.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m certain that they will be.¡± Adam felt a chill run through his spine, glancing to the side to see Jaygak¡¯s smirk. ¡®It¡¯s my children¡¯s birthday, Jaygak.¡¯ ¡®It is not yours,¡¯ her eyes replied. ¡®Just this once.¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡¯ ¡°Nana, you cannot,¡± Lanarot said. ¡°It is not time for eating, it is time for buhrushing teeth.¡± ¡°Just one more?¡± Gangak asked. ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°I have some bread for you too,¡± Gangak offered, tearing a small piece of flat bread to bring up to the girl¡¯s lips. Lanarot gave up instantly. ¡°Just this once,¡± the girl said, holding up a finger as she chewed her bread. ¡°Nano,¡± Jirot called, clutching the woman¡¯s shirt with a saliva covered hand. ¡°I love you.¡± Gangak¡¯s eyes darted down to the girl. ¡°I love you too, my Jirot.¡± ¡°I love you too,¡± little Jarot said, waiting expectantly. ¡°I love you too.¡± Gangak brought the pair closer, kissing their foreheads. ¡°If you wish to learn the sword, I will teach you.¡± ¡°I learn fuhrom babo,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°I learn the soad,¡± little Jirot said. ¡°I guhrow up big and stuhrong.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gangak held the pair closer to her chest until she finally had to surrender them to allow them to sleep. She assisted in their nightly routine, while the older Jarot waited with their teethleaf. The pair also checked up on the twins¡¯ siblings, making sure they were well taken care of too for the evening, before they finally left them be. Adam embraced his twins, while his triplets embraced him. They all exchanged kisses, with their uncles and aunt joining in too, Murot going first since he was the youngest. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said, ruffling Turot and Asorot¡¯s hair, who had always treated his children with such care. ¡°You must sleep well too, cousin Adam,¡± Turot said, hugging Adam¡¯s arm. ¡®What an adorable kid!¡¯ Adam embraced Turot too, and did the same to Asorot, who smiled, before they finally left with their younger brothers. ¡°Daddy...¡± Jirot clutched at his shirt as she readied to sleep. ¡°My Jirot.¡± ¡°I am so happy.¡± Adam¡¯s heart throbbed. ¡°I¡¯m so happy too, my princess.¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on her cheek, before peppering her ears with kisses too, before doing to the same to Jarot. ¡°Smelly daddy, I am not Puhrincess, I am Demon Load.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said, embracing the pair closer, allowing them to sleep atop his chest. His chest filled with a tingling sensation as they all fell asleep together. ¡®Thank you, Mother Soza, Lord Sozain. Thank you.¡¯ Of course. Not a Princess at all, but our Demon Load. I just reread next chapter. I forgot THAT happens... Uh oh. [885] – Y03.185 – Duskval Festival I (NEW) [885] ¨C Y03.185 ¨C Duskval Festival I (NEW) Jarot and Gangak remained at the shared estate for a few more days, understanding it would be the best time for them to spoil the children without Adam, since, as they had predicted, he would be right back to work. ¡®Now that I¡¯m almost done, I probably should send word to everyone about finishing their payments,¡¯ Adam thought, making his way to enchant. He stopped on the way to the shrine. ¡®Right, I also need to do that, don¡¯t I?¡¯ Adam completed all but one of the enchantments he needed to complete for the business for that year. However, the last enchantments he needed to complete, for the business and for his personal tasks, were the most important of all. He held his youngest son within his arms, while the light rain fell across the Iyr. The gentle pitter patter of the water rhythmically falling. Konarot sipped along her warm milk, before offering some to her father, her siblings already finishing their own sips. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you should drink it all up,¡± Adam said, reaching over a hand to brush her hair. ¡®I should probably finish the weapon I owe to the fort, and then I¡¯ll work on theirs? No, I should work on hers first.¡¯ Adam continued to enchant until the last week of duskval, with one more day of enchanting left. However, in fear of Jirot¡¯s wrath, Adam refused to enchant, for it was that time of year. ¡°Stop right there,¡± Adam said, holding out his hand towards his children. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s illegal to be this cute? You¡¯re coming with me!¡± Adam¡¯s six children all wore the attire of the Iyr, with all those within the Rot family wearing identical outfits. They wore grey clothing, the Rot family symbol of a blue circle and diamonds embroidered along the shoulders where the outer shirt cut off at an angle. They also wore a deep blue sash around their waists, which kept their outer shirt contained together, rather than with buttons. ¡°Silly daddy,¡± Jirot replied, while her father reached over to pull her in close for a tight embrace. Eventually she sat down, ready for her father to brush her hair, the half elf smiling with such joy. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Adam asked, smiling towards Lucy, who had readied herself to brush Jarot¡¯s hair. ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°Lucy....¡± ¡°This entire year I¡¯ve behaved so well,¡± Lucy stated. Adam inhaled deeply, before bowing his head gently. Lucy sat and brushed Jarot¡¯s hair beside his father. Vonda watched them from the side, watching them silently. Konarot and the others waited for their father to be done, and even Jarot, who allowed Lucy to comb through his hair, allowed his father to brush his hair too. ¡°Ray Vonda,¡± Lanarot called, holding up a brush towards her, her tiny expectant eyes beaming with delight. Vonda smiled and brushed the girl¡¯s hair, the girl¡¯s heart beating quickly, understanding Vonda was someone of significance. ¡°Mama, look,¡± Lanarot said, bowing her head so her mother could see the top of her head. ¡°Ray Vonda buhrushed my hair!¡± ¡°How wonderful,¡± Sonarot said, brushing the girl¡¯s cheek, the girl''s smile shining so brightly in the duskval air. "It is Ray Vonda," Lanarot said, still shining brightly. "Yes." "I am Lanawoh, not Ray." "Yes. You are Lanarot, daughter of Sonarot." ¡®My brother and sister are the cutest,¡¯ Adam thought, leaning back as he held Larot against his chest. ¡°Oh? Are you sleepy?¡± Larot replied with a yawn, while the other children also began to quieten. Vonda and Adam took them to an estate, with the Iyrmen paying close attention to the pair. There were already several other children preparing to sleep within the courtyard. Adam placed Larot down in the corner, while an Iyrman approached. ¡°Are you Adam?¡± the Iyrman asked, one who was slightly grey of skin, with tusks at at the corners of her mouth. Her tattoo was that of a central red tilted cross with yellow hollow ovals emanating out from it. She wore a bronze tag. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman replied, before stepping away. ¡°Are you a member of the Var family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I am,¡± the Iyrman replied, bowing her head knowingly. Adam bowed his head in return. ¡®I should really speak with Okvar more.¡¯ ¡°I am not Vah, I am Roh,¡± the tiny Jirot said, yawning, before she rested her head against the pillow. Adam ushered his children to sleep, before quietly slipping away as other Iyrmen watched the sleeping children. He sat against the side of the estate, sitting at a free table, while Vonda sat opposite him. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s festivals are always so lively.¡± She glanced across towards the centre of the district, where most Iyrmen were enjoying their time. ¡°I¡¯m glad they made the outskirts quieter,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Vonda felt her heart beat swiftly. She had tried to push through the words before her throat stopped her, but it seemed her body was too keen on betraying her. ¡°I am glad we are friends.¡± ¡°Me too...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Who else is going to keep me from being such a chaotic moron.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°Konarot will stop you, since she is so wise.¡± ¡°Jirot will enable me.¡± Vonda smiled wider. ¡°She will.¡± While they enjoyed the peace, a little girl screamed for blood, while her elder brother held her upon his shoulders. ¡®Your lungs are so strong,¡¯ Jurot thought, the shadow of a smile upon his lips. Just a wholesome chapter and nothing crazy happens next chapter... [886] – Y03.186 – Duskval Festival II [886] ¨C Y03.186 ¨C Duskval Festival II "My Jirot, my Jarot," Jarot called, embracing the twins close to his chest. ¡°Babo,¡± little Jarot called, burying his chest within his greatfather¡¯s chest, while Jirot climbed up beside the old man¡¯s shoulder to babble into his ear about this thing and that thing. Adam sat opposite the old man, sipping his tea quietly, while his triplets lay about him, relaxing as they basked within the cool air. Their ears twitched, their nostrils itched, and they glanced to the side. ¡°May I join you?¡± a smooth, ashy voice called out to Adam. ¡°How can I deny a Prince?¡± ¡°There are no Princes in the Iyr,¡± Morkarai replied, taking his seat opposite the half elf. Adam poured the fire giant tea, before offering the same to his children, chilling the cups slightly with his magic. ¡°Are you spending your time in the Main Iyr?¡± ¡°I am,¡± the Prince replied, sipping his tea after boiling it further, feeling the warmth fill his throat. ¡°I have completed my tasks here. I have the freedom to spend much of my time relaxing now.¡± ¡°How much of the Iyr can you explore?¡± ¡°I can explore much of the Iyr, but it is kinder to my heart if I take my time not exploring the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam still wasn¡¯t sure what the nature of their alliance amounted to. The Iyr and the fire giants of the east had little to do with one another, the fire giants too far away from the Iyr, and yet the Iyr formed a connection with them. The particular kind of connection, Adam was still uncertain. Morkarai seemed to have created magical weapons for the Iyr, to the tune of at least a hundred, Adam guessed, though the number could have reached several hundred. Then there was the fact the giant could create other magical items, though Adam knew little of his true abilities. ¡°I remember how much trouble Strom was,¡± Adam continued, flashing a small smile. ¡°He could go about the Iyr with ultimate freedom, apparently.¡± ¡°Emperor Hadda was Emperor Hadda,¡± Morkarai replied. ¡°Even my father would need to show him the appropriate respect.¡± ¡°Did he cause you any trouble while he was here?¡± ¡°It was Emperor Hadda. The land may believe you to be trouble, but you are not half as troublesome as the late Emperor.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam leaned back in his chair, sipping his tea slowly, warming himself from the chilly duskval day. ¡°Who knows, perhaps one day I¡¯ll be as strong as him?¡± ¡°If you continue to develop as you have, in a few hundred years you may surpass him yet.¡± ¡°A few hundred years?¡± ¡°No, perhaps not a few hundred, but you will not reach the height of his strength in a century, not unless you decide to give up raising your children and go to fight for the rest of your days.¡± ¡°I suppose I won¡¯t be able to grow as strong as him then.¡± ¡°A good choice to make.¡± ¡®The one thing that¡¯ll be awkward is my Health. His Health was probably close to a thousand, while I can probably get a couple of hundred, maybe three hundred, at most. No, about... three hundred and sixty? That¡¯s if I can¡¯t become an Idol...¡¯ ¡®What dangerous thoughts is he having now?¡¯ Morkarai thought, his eyes falling across to the old man¡¯s face, noting his expression of curious delight. ¡®Iyrmen...¡¯ ¡°You have denied becoming a Hill Lord, but are you willing to visit the volcanoes of my home?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I haven¡¯t been thinking about it,¡± Adam replied, his eyes slowly meeting the Prince¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about a specific magical item.¡± ¡°Which item?¡± Morkarai asked, his mind forming a few magical items which Adam may be thinking of. ¡°A Belt of Fire Giant Strength.¡± Morkarai closed his eyes, slowly bowing his head. He had presumed Adam was thinking about that kind of magical item, since it was one of the most famous items belonging to the giants. The item allowed one to possess greater strength, surpassing the limits of most mortals. One who wore such an item possessed strength equal to that of the fire giants. ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± Vonda¡¯s lips formed a long smile. It was later in the evening when the young woman checked upon her backpack, staring at the bottom, where it lay. The rain fell across the Iyr as the duskval festival continued, though the rain was still gentle, and only pitter pattered in moments. ¡°It¡¯s getting colder,¡± Adam said, noting how his triplets seemed far more energised, as though he had dumped sugar into their mouths. ¡°It is,¡± Vonda confirmed, holding the tea within her hands, feelings its warmth. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Adam asked, noting how red the woman was. ¡®It is time for people to get sick about this time of year, I guess?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m fine...¡± Vonda inhaled deeply. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Vonda remained silent for a long while. ¡°Jirot is so smart.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Jarot is so shy and sweet.¡± ¡°He is, isn¡¯t he? Karot¡¯s the same.¡± ¡°Your sons are so meek, but your daughters are so...¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Kirot¡¯s pretty forward too, when she needs to be.¡± Vonda smiled. The pair continued to chat for the day, spending much of their time together, sharing tea and food. ¡®Strom used to watch over us,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It feels weird without him humming in the distance.¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Yeah?¡± Vonda remained silent for a long while. She reached into her waist pack, and revealed a yellow scarf, one which she slowly unfurled to reveal all manner of symbols and patterns across the scarf. ¡°Nice scarf,¡± Adam said, eyeing it up. Adam had seen a similar scarf previously. ¡°I think I saw a similar scarf that...¡± Their eyes met. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam¡¯s heart began to beat harder as the heat rushed through his body. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam managed to reply, clearing his throat. ¡®Calm down, you idiot.¡¯ ¡°I hope you will accept it with my heart.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 14 (10) Wow! I didn''t expect this at all! Who would have seen this coming? [887] – Y03.187 – Duskval Festival III [887] ¨C Y03.187 ¨C Duskval Festival III Adam''s heart pounded wildly within his chest, his entire body flashing red hot as his ears tingled, his cheeks burning a furious red. ¡®What?¡¯ Adam remained silent for a long moment, noting the burning red on Vonda¡¯s face, and though he wanted to look away, Vonda¡¯s eyes remained firm and fixed upon his own. Adam cleared his throat, his fingers twitching for the cup in front to wet his throat, but Vonda¡¯s firm conviction paralysed him. ¡°I... don¡¯t know what to say, Vonda.¡± Vonda smiled warmly, though her heart sunk. It was one thing for Adam to accept, one thing for Adam to deny, but this answer, a vague, half drawn picture, hurt the most. ¡°I...¡± Adam blinked, trying to wet his dry mouth, and to give him some time away from Vonda¡¯s gaze. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to say the same thing I said to Lord Morkarai...¡± Adam¡¯s reached up to his face, hiding his mouth from Vonda, his eyes glancing aside now that Vonda¡¯s pressure had subsided. ¡°You¡¯ll need to get permission from my children, and of course, my dear Lanarot.¡± ¡°I will request their permission,¡± Vonda half joked, her voice light. Adam¡¯s heart continued to beat hard, his entire body tingling with an unknown sensation. Adam felt as though he could take on the Divine with just his fists. ¡®Whoa. So that¡¯s how that feels like? Damn.¡¯ ¡°Are you... sure?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sure of what?¡± ¡°Of... choosing me?¡± Adam¡¯s face flushed a deeper red, the young half elf coughing into his fist to hide his embarrassment. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I... fear I may not be worthy of you.¡± ¡°If you are not worthy of me, I fear I will remain unmarried for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°I doubt it. You¡¯re quite the...¡± Adam hid behind his fist once more. ¡®Won¡¯t you roll me a check to see if I can flirt with her?¡¯ViiSiit for latest novels Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 9 (5) ¡°I think you¡¯re pretty great, Vonda.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh, his entire body still red hot with embarrassment. ¡°That is lovely to hear, Adam. I think you are... too.¡± Even Vonda, with all her training with keeping calm, was unable to say any more, her throat closing up. The pair remained in their silence, the soft rain in the distance and the screams and shouts of fighting, being unable to drown out their heartbeats, which reached even their ears. ¡°You are so warm, daddy,¡± Jirot said when she finally returned, having charged at her father, oblivious to the reason behind his new redness. She rubbed her cheek against her father¡¯s as they embraced. ¡°How can I not be warm when I love you so much, my girl?¡± Adam asked, kissing her cheek. ¡®Seriously, my girl is too smart!¡¯ He embraced the rest of his children, with Konarot¡¯s embrace cooling him down. The next day was chillier. The rain fell heavier across the Iyr. Adam was still in the afterglow of the proposal, and he was glad Vonda had decided to give him some space. He could feel the gaze of the old man honed upon him like a blade, all the while the half elf tried to relax. Jarot remained silent, sipping his tea opposite the half elf. He leaned back, feeling the ache of his missing arm and leg. Larot¡¯s tiny body warmed the old man, the boy¡¯s breath gently pressing against the old man¡¯s shirt. ¡®Will I be able to stay here forever?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If I do get married to Vonda, how does that work? Will I be beholden to the order? To the Iyr? To neither? To both?¡¯ As Jarot held the boy within his chest, he narrowed his eyes until they were almost shut, only able to see vague, blurry shapes. He thought of his youngest son, who would sleep upon his chest so peacefully, save for the one or two coughs. He used to read while his son slept upon his chest, though with his single arm, it was far more difficult. ¡®My Farot...¡¯ The old man inhaled deeply, his chest rising slowly, causing the tiny Larot to stir slightly, before he was called to slumber once more. The old man¡¯s thoughts then fell to Churot, who was still yet to be tattooed. Though he was a quiet boy, and remained away from many others, Adam still spoke with the boy and embraced him dearly. ¡°Which yummy food did you eat?¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± The girl thought. ¡°Meat.¡± ¡°How nice.¡± Adam kissed her forehead once more, before moving on to speak with Kirot, who spoke of her love of the tossing game, while Karot spoke of the music. ¡°I like puhlaying with Ray Vonda, and I liked, ummm, when nano pick me up,¡± Jirot said. ¡°I like when babo pick me up, and nano, and nana,¡± Jarot said, nuzzling against his father¡¯s neck as they embraced. ¡°I¡¯m glad...¡± Adam¡¯s heart thundered once more in his chest as he felt the overwhelming force of his children¡¯s adoration. ¡°I love you all so much. You have to remember that, daddy loves you so much.¡± ¡°I love you too!¡± Lanarot said, storming over to embrace her nieces and nephews. ¡°I love you so much!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, even your kako loves you this much.¡± ¡°I love kako too,¡± Jirot said, embracing Lanarot tight. ¡°Do you like kako Jaygak too?¡± Adam asked. Jirot smirked, before cackling. The next morning, the chill in the air increased. There was no rain, save for gentle showers far in the distance, across some of the Iyr¡¯s land, but not upon its people. Dunes sat opposite Adam, having finally worked up the courage to step into the Main Iyr and the shared estate. Adam glanced aside, noting Fred had come with him. ¡°How¡¯s the others at the business?¡± ¡°Well. How are your family?¡± ¡°They¡¯re good too,¡± Adam said, and though he tried to stop, he went on a long tangent about the children. ¡°How can they do this to me? How can they be so cute?¡± Dunes smiled. Listening to Adam speak of his children soothed all the worries in his heart. Dunes inhaled deeply, and his eyes fell onto Adam. Adam felt his gaze, and slowly, their eyes met. A silence fell between them. Adam narrowed his eyes towards Dunes, whose lips formed a small smirk. ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Dunes replied, the smirk slowly encroaching upon his lips. ¡°I have heard a rumour.¡± Adam¡¯s heart began to quicken and he sipped his tea. ¡°What rumour is that?¡± ¡°Did you really deny her?¡± Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 25 (19) Adam managed to swallow down the tea without choking, though unable to taste its flavour. Where is it? Where is my romance? No! Come back to me! Come back! Since our adorable kids are here, I''ll forgive you, just this once. [888] – Y03.188 – Duskval Festival IV [888] ¨C Y03.188 ¨C Duskval Festival IV ¡°It¡¯s not like that...¡± Adam placed his cup of tea down, deciding against reaching for it now that they were on the topic. ¡°It¡¯s just... she has to convince the children first, after all, she¡¯ll become their mother.¡± Dunes had forgotten Adam wasn¡¯t quite so Aldish. ¡°Of course. Does she know?¡± ¡°If she doesn¡¯t know that, then I should refuse.¡± ¡°That is so?¡± The rhetorical question remained in the air for a long while. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve teased me.¡± ¡°She accepted.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, blinking wildly. ¡°Amira accepted.¡± ¡°Accepted what?¡± Adam leaned in, his eyes wide, his brows raised with delight. ¡°She accepted my proposal.¡± ¡°Are you messing with me?¡± ¡°I speak the truth.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Adam reached over and pat Dunes¡¯ shoulder far too roughly. ¡°Whoa! When did this happen?¡± ¡°Not long ago now,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°A few weeks at most.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me until now?¡± ¡°She did not accept until recently.¡± ¡°Nice! When¡¯s the wedding? Are you planning on heading back to Aswadasad for it?¡± ¡°I am uncertain,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°I wish for it sooner rather than later. I would like to have it here, since I wish to stay.¡± ¡°What about Amira? Will she stay too?¡± ¡°She will.¡± ¡®Nice.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m really happy for you, Dunes, really. I can¡¯t believe it...¡± A wide grin fell across Adam¡¯s face. He reached up to rub his forehead, wiping his face, though was unable to wipe the grin on his face. ¡°Sooner rather than later? If you want, you can have it at the business. If you send word back to your order, some people could make it if they rush.¡± ¡°We can hold a second wedding in Aswadasad,¡± Dunes said, though his voice was full of apprehension. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Weddings are very important in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain they are important everywhere.¡± ¡°In Aldland, weddings last for a day, perhaps two. In Aswadasad, weddings...¡± Dunes smiled, the pride of his homeland beaming within his eyes as he sipped his drink. ¡°There are several days for the betrothal itself. I should have spoken to her family first, and then offered my betrothal to them. They would have judged me, and I would then be allowed to propose. Since I am a member of the order, it is different, so I am allowed to bypass such, as long as I have informed someone of the matter. I spoke with Kal Samra of my intentions, and she informed my intentions to Kal Alya, Amira¡¯s mentor.¡± ¡®I guess that makes sense?¡¯ ¡°The wedding should last for several days. The betrothal and the wedding should last three days at least, especially since we have our positions as a member of our order. A wedding is a meeting of two families, those of Dunes, Morn, and those of Amira. We should feed the local community, and the community should bring us gifts. It is the union of such in which we can look to the future. The poor, they are betrothed one day, and married another, though sometimes it is the same day.¡± Dunes shook his head, inhaling deeply as he fell into thought for a moment. ¡®Weddings are really important, so...¡¯ ¡°A wedding should last three days at least, and can be pushed as far as five,¡± Dunes said, looking past the half elf. ¡°Seven days are common for nobility, but it is seen as excessive, not that the commoners mind, who enjoy the sweet rice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of days for a wedding...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure he could handle so many days for a wedding. ¡°Weddings should have a day of laughter, a day of eating, and a day of colour.¡± Dunes sighed. ¡°Amira has decided we can forgo our traditions and marry as the Aldish would, or as the Iyrmen would.¡± ¡°Is that good or bad?¡± Dunes remained silent for a long while. ¡°Amira and I, we come from Aswadasad. We should marry in our way. She has decided to forgo the traditions, and she has decided to remain here... I should be able to provide at least three days for her, but she has refused it.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°Next month, you¡¯ll provide something greater.¡± ¡°Next month?¡± Dunes asked, thinking about what the next month was. ¡®The tenth month?¡¯ He tried to think of the significance of the month. ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s more like you¡¯ll have something so that she can¡¯t complain about missing all those days...¡± Adam paused for a long while. ¡°It¡¯s not like you have to miss them, right?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Did you enjoy yourself?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes...¡± Kiara replied, glancing awkwardly towards the half elf. He had all but ignored her during the week, while she had spent much of her time with Vonda, Jaygak, and Kitool. ¡°Good...¡± Adam remained silent for a long while. ¡®I probably should have let her play with my kids, but... I¡¯ve got to work hard for the entire next season, you know?¡¯ Jirot rushed up to her father, glancing towards Kiara for a moment, before she climbed up beside her father with a gentle grunt. ¡°Daddy! Who is Load Stokmah?¡± ¡°Lord Stokmar? Lord Stokmar is... they¡¯re the Lord of Earth.¡± ¡°Load of Uth?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Lord Stokmar is very strong.¡± ¡°Stuhronger than you, daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot gasped, her eyes wide. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot¡¯s lips formed a circle as she glanced towards her brother. ¡°Load Stokmar is stuhronger than babo?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot twitched, as though she had been slapped by Adam¡¯s words. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot and Jarot stared at their father in shock from his words, glancing between one another for a moment, before returning their gaze upon their father. ¡°You know, Lord Stokmar is stronger than even the Chief.¡± ¡°No! Stop it, daddy!¡± The girl pointed a threatening finger to her father, the shock cascading through the tiny girl. ¡°What?¡± Adam smiled, leaning in to kiss her nose. ¡°Lord Stokmar is very strong, you know?¡± ¡°Stuhronger than Demon Woad?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jirot huffed, glancing towards her grandmother to the side to tell her father off, before she glanced back towards her father with a pout. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I going to be Demon Woad, and I stuhronger Load Stokmah, okay?¡± ¡°Of course, my dear,¡± Adam said, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead, pulling her in even closer. ¡°You have to eat your fruit and vegetables and listen to daddy if you want to be that strong.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled towards her father, who bullied the girl with his affection. Little Jarot smiled too, embracing his father tight. ¡®I going to be stuhrong too.¡¯ ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, raising up her cup of milk. ¡°Milk is stuhrong like papa.¡± ¡°I am stronger than milk at least,¡± Adam replied. Lanarot narrowed her eyes towards her brother. ¡°Silly papa.¡± As the last night of duskval fell, many stared at the stars of nightval approaching. Elder Zijin leaned back in his chair, staring up at the sky from within the centre of the Elder estate. ¡®He did not cause any trouble?¡¯ Zijin was sure Adam would want to spoil the Jin children too, considering how he had passed on silver tokens for them too during their birthdays. Zijin reached over towards his dried snacks and slowly chewed them, chewing further upon his thoughts. ¡®Should I have lent him so much money?¡¯ The Elder sighed. ¡®How could I refuse?¡¯ As much as the Elder wanted Adam to take a break, partly due to Sonarot¡¯s words, there was so much Adam wanted to do, not for himself, but for those around him. ¡®Elder Zijin, I¡¯m about to be poor as hell. I need a favour.¡¯ Zijin let out another long sigh. ¡®I should think of retiring soon.¡¯ The Iyrman Elder continued to eat his snacks. Meanwhile, those within the fort at the edge of the Aldish lands, felt the chill of nightval approach. Fred stared at the stars above, his eyes glued to the night sky. ¡®The festival has ended.¡¯ He let out a soft sigh. He had spent the last few years in the Iyr, and had been present for many of the festivals. ¡®Are you enjoying yourself, Manager Dunes?¡¯ Fred continued to stare at the stars, along with many of the others within the business, many of them having just arrived at the business recently. ¡®Does he treat Dunes better because I¡¯m Florian?¡¯ Fred thought back to the massacre which took his family away. The wedding arc begins. Surely Adam can''t screw this up... [889] – Y03.189 – Days of Nightval I [889] ¨C Y03.189 ¨C Days of Nightval I "I miss daddy,¡± Konarot whispered to her bird, laying down beside it as her tail swayed from side to side. ¡°Daddy is gone?¡± ¡°He is always working.¡± ¡°Working hard! Working hard!¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Konarot said. ¡°Kaka, what is bird saying?¡± Kirot asked. ¡°The bird saying daddy is working hard.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kirot said, pouting slightly. ¡°Kaka, can I be friends with the bird too?¡± Karot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot replied. Karot smiled and leaned in to the bird. ¡°Hello. I am Karot.¡± ¡°Karot, Karot.¡± ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°It saying your name.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Karot smiled wider. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°No name.¡± ¡°The bird does not have a name.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°No name given.¡± ¡°No one gave a name.¡± ¡°Then I can name bird?¡± Karot asked shyly. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I want to name him too, kaka.¡± Kirot pouted. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Tiger,¡± Kirot said. ¡°Paper,¡± Karot said. ¡°Tiger Paper is your name now,¡± Konarot informed the bird. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot, come,¡± Sonarot called. ¡°Ray Vonda is leaving.¡± The triplets rushed over to Ray Vonda, who smiled peacefully at the children. She pet their heads one by one, before getting to a child who pouted up at her. ¡°Why you are leaving, Ray Vonda?¡± Jirot sniffled. ¡°I must return to the fort to watch over the people.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I am a Ray.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was given the title to watch over the people.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Stop bullying her,¡± the older Jarot called, reaching down to brush the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°She must go to work.¡± ¡°Always working...¡± Jirot sniffled. ¡°I do not like it!¡± Jarot chuckled and picked the twins up. ¡°They are working hard for you.¡± Jirot crossed her arms and looked away. Little Jarot pouted at his babo. ¡°Come. Say goodbye. We may see her soon if you behave.¡± ¡°I always behaving,¡± Jirot said. ¡°I am too cute to behave.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot kissed her forheead. Adam continued to enchant the various weapons. The weight of the fort lay upon his shoulders, and though he could delegate many tasks to his companions, no one could enchant magical items of his quality and his quantity. ¡®A lot of blood on these hands to be able to earn all this gold...¡¯ Adam let out a soft sigh, remaining at the enchanting shrine for a long while in the late afternoon. ¡®I¡¯ve got to take the proper breaks too.¡¯ ¡°How amazing! First you must stay small and cute, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jarot smiled, embracing them closer to his chest. For a moment, Jurot, who could gleam someone¡¯s parentage with ease, wondered if perhaps a Adam was a grandchild of a fae woman his grandfather had lain with. Mulrot could see the look on Jurot¡¯s face, though decided against telling him how difficult it was to lay with her grandfather, who refused a woman¡¯s touch until he finally decided to complete his familial duty on his return. ¡®You should not be as foolish, my grandson.¡¯ Adam continued to enchant as the month of dawnval passed, though spent his breaks with his family. ¡°Who gave you permission to be this cute?¡± Adam asked, peppering his youngest daughter with a dozen kisses, before continuing with a dozen more until he finally relented. ¡°Nana!¡± ¡°Nana gave you permission?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot¡¯s eyes gleamed mischievously. ¡°You! Why are you so scarily smart when it comes to things like this?¡± Adam held her close to his chest. Tonagek, too, wondered if his uncle had lain with an fae woman on his travels. ¡°Check,¡± Konarot said, sitting up taller as her tail swayed behind her. ¡°So it is...¡± Tonagek replied, pretending as though he hadn¡¯t left the path open for her, moving a piece against the girl¡¯s check. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot declared with a dagger like finger. ¡°You are so stuhrong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Papo is stuhrong?¡± ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Papo is one.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Fighting, one! Papo is fuhst pace.¡± ¡°Ah, right, your uncle did come first place!¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°Daddy is not, daddy is three!¡± The girl held up three fingers, holding up her thumb and two fingers in the Iyrman¡¯s way. ¡°That¡¯s right, I was third place. The vicious nobles, they wouldn¡¯t let daddy take first place so they conspired against him, you know?¡± ¡°Is okay. I love daddy all day.¡± ¡°I love you too, Jibaby.¡± ¡°Daddy,¡± little Jarot called, hugging his father¡¯s arm. ¡°Babo say I am small, but when I grow up, I am stuhrong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re small and cute,¡± Adam replied, choosing to hear the first half. ¡°I am growing up big and stuhrong, like papo, like, like babo, like Load Stokmah.¡± The boy said, sitting up taller. ¡°No way, small forever!¡± ¡°No! Kaka Katool telling me I am big when I grow up!¡± ¡°Katool? Katool, how can you do this to me? Isn¡¯t that bullying?¡± Adam recalled when the girl cried when he informed her of that fact. ¡®Now you¡¯ve used my own tricks against me?¡¯ Jurot was fairly certain he had seen this scene play out before, but he decided to allow Adam to have his own fun. As the first month began to come to a close, Adam read to the children, from Larot to Katool. Inakan sat upon his lap and listened carefully, though paid more attention to her scarf. However, Adam brought up the book to her face so she could see the images. She leaned in closer, her nose rubbing against the paper as she stared at the lines upon the paper, which formed so many shapes, to form a greater body. Adam allowed them to walk and play once he was done reading to them. He had worked hard that entire month, which had gone by in the blink of an eye, and yet had dragged along as the days passed by. Minool zoomed on by, tripping over, before she stood up and continued to rush off. ¡°Minool, come,¡± Adam called. Minool stopped upon hearing her cousin¡¯s voice, and she tossed her head to glance towards him. She smirked slightly. Lay on Hands: 35 -> 34 ¡°Seriously, I should tickle your cheeks for making me run after you, you punk!¡± Adam planted a kiss on the girl¡¯s cheek after healing the scrape upon her knee, before allowing the girl to zoom away from him. Adam leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. Kiara watched him from the side, wondering why he worked so hard, but as she glanced between Adam and the children, she understood. If Adam didn¡¯t work this hard, he would be useless. Adam¡¯s eyes fell to Inakan, who did not go around walking, but instead was sitting upon her mother¡¯s lap, giggling wildly as her mother tickled her with gloves made of all different kinds of materials, allowing the girl to play with her gloved hand, her other hand keeping the girl close, as though she¡¯d be blown away in the wind. Adam closed his eyes, and thought about how many days were left for him to complete his enchantments. He reached into his book, flipping it to the first page, where he had underlined a name several times. He checked the boxes, which had been filled less than half way. He brushed his fingers along the empty boxes. ¡®Soon, my Inakan. Soon.¡¯ Where''s my wedding arc? [890] – Y03.190 – Days of Nightval II [890] ¨C Y03.190 ¨C Days of Nightval II As snow fell across the Iyr, little Jarot yawned, tilting his head back, before he saw the upside down face of his father. The boy smiled towards his father, who continued to gently brush his hair. ¡°Are you still sleepy, Jababy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you want to go back to sleep?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh dear, oh dear. If you go to sleep, you won¡¯t be able to eat your potato.¡± ¡°I do not want to sleep.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Adam finished brushing his son¡¯s hair, which was as long as his sisters, falling down almost to his shoulders. Adam leaned down to kiss the boy¡¯s forehead, before letting him go, going on to brush his youngest son¡¯s hair with his hand. ¡®I really should do more with you...¡¯ He planted a kiss on the tiny boy¡¯s forehead, hot to his lips. Larot glared to the side, letting out a huff. Adam cut into his twin¡¯s potatoes, the children watching as the steam rose from within. Jirot reached for the potato, but Adam grabbed her hand, tickling her palm with his thumb. ¡°Let me butter and salt it, first.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, squirming slightly as she narrowed her eyes, plotting a mischief, before deciding against it since the potato was almost ready. ¡°Uncle Shikan,¡± Adam called, while he nestled fried meat within the cut of his potato. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you for a favour soon.¡± ¡°What is the favour?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ask yet,¡± Adam replied, his lips forming a small smile, filled with an innocent mischief. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Daddy, what ah you doing?¡± Jirot tilted her head downwards and raised her brows, as though daring her father to act up. ¡°You will see.¡± Jirot raised a finger towards her father. ¡°You ah making trouble?¡± ¡°I am always making trouble, since I am your father.¡± ¡°So smelly, daddy.¡± She pulled back slightly, cackling as she reached for her grandmother¡¯s sleeve. ¡°How can you bully me like this, my dear?¡± Jirot looked away from her father before returning back to the potato, picking it up with her tiny hands, before slowly biting into it. To her, the potato was almost like salya in the way it easily gave in to her teeth. Adam stared at his little girl. The girl who spoke so much, and caused him so much trouble. He recalled her when she was smaller, and would smile so joyfully towards him, just like now. Her smile then was more innocent, though she would always leave him the best gifts within her clothy. His children always looked at him with such delight, and he was glad the Iyr had raised them so well while he was out adventuring. ¡®So many debts...¡¯ It was late afternoon when it happened. It was any other day within the Iyr. The Iyrmen moved about, moving this thing over there, and moving that thing over here. It was not the seventh day of a week, which meant Adam was enchanting. ¡®Please, Bell.¡¯ [That is not how it works.] ¡®Please.¡¯ [...] XP: 15 200 -> 200 ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Adam felt a deep chill within him as his Experience slipped away. ¡®Thousands of gold and even more XP. Still, it¡¯s more than worth it.¡¯ Adam returned to the estate with a small smile, one he could barely hide. Lucy glanced over towards him, Jarot within her arms, and Jirot upon her back, her arms wrapped tightly around her neck. However, the pair squirmed away from her to follow after their elder siblings to embrace their father now that he had returned. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t thank me until you hear about the enchantments.¡± ¡°What do they do?¡± ¡°They¡¯re hard to break, and they can be summoned. She just needs to focus, and they¡¯ll appear with her. They have to be in this realm, but yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Ah, right. She¡¯s... she¡¯ll be good at seeing things and hearing things, and she¡¯ll be able to see in the dark too.¡± Adam decided against saying more. Technically, she wasn¡¯t just good at seeing things and hearing things. Avitis Requires Attunement These glasses are difficult to break. These glasses may be summoned as a Swift Action as long as they are within the same realm as the user. While wearing these glasses one is considered Mastered in the Perception skill. While wearing these glasses one may roll Perception checks requiring sight twice and take the highest. While wearing these glasses one gains Darkvision up to 50 metres. ¡®They are like the Eyes of the Eagle,¡¯ Shikan thought, though they were slightly different. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± Inakan continued to squeal as her mother talked to her. ¡°Mommy!¡± She reached up to feel along her mother¡¯s face, the sight of it so different, but the feeling was definitely that of her mother. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Inakan,¡± Arokan replied, embracing her tight. ¡°I will repay this debt,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Don¡¯t mention a debt,¡± Adam replied, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot called. ¡°Inakan can see?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The glasses make Inakan see.¡± ¡°Ooooh! I can see, daddy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you can. Inakan always had difficulty, but now, with those glasses, she can see even better than you.¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°No! I can see so good! I eat all the tatos!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam ruffled her hair. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Taygak called, approaching the half elf. She placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Good.¡± Jirot¡¯s hair swirled as her head snapped towards her father. ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m very good, aren¡¯t I?¡± Adam smiled. The other children swarmed around Adam and began to thank him, each patting his shoulder, from Raygak to Katool. ¡°Good job, daddy, good job,¡± Jirot said, patting his knee. Jurot glanced between Inakan and her parents, and then to his cousins who were praising his brother. The relief in his uncle and aunt were obvious to him, while the admiration of the children were obvious to all. The satisfaction on Adam¡¯s face said so much, that one needed to be blind not to notice. ¡°How much did it cost?¡± Shikan asked. Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡°Nothing. Nothing at all.¡± Jurot crossed his arms, watching as Lanarot pat their brother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good job, papa.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam asked, swallowing his sister within his arms. ¡°I should get a kiss from you, right?¡± Adam tapped his cheek. Lanarot grabbed her brother¡¯s face and kissed his cheek, brushing his hair with a small hand. ¡°Good job.¡± Jurot¡¯s entire body flexed, tensing up, before he finally relaxed. ¡®I want children too.¡¯ Oh no. Adam''s too strong! He''s corrupted Jurot! [891] – Y03.191 – Days of Nightval III [891] ¨C Y03.191 ¨C Days of Nightval III The flag of the Rot family fluttered in the wind, and the carriages veered towards the fort. ¡®Within the Iyr, even the snow gives way to the Iyrmen...¡¯ Dunes thought, waving a hand towards Fred and Charley, who turned the wheels to allow the bridge to fall and the gate to open, allowing the carriages to enter the fort without friction. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam said as Jirot leapt up towards her father, the half elf dropping to a knee as he feigned dropping his daughter, though planted her firmly onto the ground. ¡°You¡¯re so big now, Jirot! How can you do this?¡± Jirot cackled, her tiny green face flushed slightly red from the cold of nightval all around them. She raised her arms up, clenching her gloved fingers together. ¡°So big and stuhrong!¡± ¡°No, no, so small and cute,¡± Adam said, though he was distracted by Larot climbing down the side of the carriage with some assistance from his grandmother, before the boy glanced around the fort, his red face full of unceremonious neutrality. ¡®The cold is not so bad.¡¯ ¡®Is he walking by himself?¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes glued to his son, though he didn¡¯t see the boy step just yet. Larot could feel the gaze of the one who poured in his blood and magic to birth him, understanding the expectations within those eyes. However, he did not move, deciding to stand tall and strong, the baby¡¯s stance wide as he crossed his arms behind his back and waited to be carried. Shumf. Shumf. Shumf. Adam glanced aside to see his triplets laying face first into the snow to one side. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot, what are you doing? The snow might be dirty! Come to daddy.¡± The triplets hoisted themselves up before they rushed to their father, the triplets pouted, their tails slumping behind them, their leaf shaped ears also moving as the flaps to their hats shifted slightly. Adam cast his Tricks, the snow shifting off their fronts. ¡°Why the long faces? You¡¯re not in trouble, you smelly little brats. Daddy cleaned you up. We¡¯ll find you some clean snow to play in later, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the triplets replied, staring up at their father with small smiles across their faces. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, come here,¡± Adam called, hearing them already darting away. ¡°No!¡± Jirot shouted back, cackling. ¡°Jirot, come,¡± Sonarot called. The tiny girl darted to her grandmother, blinking up towards her innocently. ¡°Your father wishes to speak with you.¡± ¡°No?¡± Jirot replied, trying to challenge her grandmother, only to dart towards her father after the woman raised her brow. ¡°Smelly girl, how can you bully me in front of everyone?¡± Adam asked, picking the girl up, tossing her up a tiny amount, before planting her onto the snow. ¡°Let me show you off first, okay?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled, squealing with delight, before she squatted down to avoid her father¡¯s hand, which snapped atop her head to ruffle her hair through her large hat. Little Jarot smiled up towards his father, revealing more of his teeth, which only emphasises his various set of canines, which typically peeked from the corners of his lips. ¡®These kids! They¡¯re so cute? How can they be so cute? Ah, of course, it¡¯s because they¡¯re my children.¡¯ Vonda eventually approached the carriages after what felt like an appropriate amount of time for Adam to be cringe for his children. ¡°Welcome, President, Executives, Little Bosses.¡± ¡°Ray Vonda!¡± Jirot shouted, charging with conviction towards Vonda, before skidding to a halt. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Hello, Little Boss,¡± Vonda replied, stroking the girl¡¯s warm cheek tenderly. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Good! I eated poreege, and I eated salya, and I ride in the carriage aaaaall the way and I am so well beehaved,¡± the girl replied, puffing up her chest, smug satisfaction painting her green and red face. ¡°Hello,¡± little Jarot called, smiling up towards her, while Karot stepped beside him to greet her too. The farmers gathered around with their families, each adorned within thick clothing, having donned their scarves and gloves as they stepped out to greet the high ranking members of their business. ¡°Nobby, my boy,¡± Adam called, reaching up to pat his strong shoulders. ¡°Whoa! Did you grow taller and stronger?¡± ¡°Hello, mister boss,¡± the boy replied, flushing slightly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so different about you then?¡± Adam asked, glancing up at the boy. ¡°Did you always have a beard?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nobby admitted. Whereas once Nobby wore a clean face, he wore a gentle beard, one which was still growing, and revealed how he was still so young, for it was thin as of yet. His hair had been neatly trimmed too, and his clothing, though thick, seemed to be so neatly pressed. ¡®I see you¡¯re a man now, Nobby...¡¯ Adam had all but forgotten Nobby had turned... ¡°How old are you now, Nobby?¡± ¡°Nineteen.¡± ¡°Goblins, Rick?¡± ¡°Harriet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t Harriet me, Rick! Why didn¡¯t you mention that the Executive was so...¡± Harrier glanced towards her children, who were watching their parents fight. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me he was so queer?¡± Harriet¡¯s voice became soft and endearing, though her eyes pierced her husband. ¡°This opportunity was not something I could decline.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Do you know how much gold I made?¡± ¡°Yes, I know, one hundred gold more than usual.¡± ¡°That is how much we received in our mutual fund.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I opened an additional fund where I placed most of the coin. It will trickle into our main fund over the years.¡± Harriet furrowed her brows. ¡°What are you talking about, Rick?¡± ¡°Do you recall the tournament last year?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how you made the one hundred gold.¡± ¡°I made more than a hundred gold.¡± ¡°How much did you make?¡± Rick glanced to his children, who had gone off to play by themselves, before he leaned in. ¡°It was a thousand gold.¡± ¡°A thousand!¡± Harriet gasped, her eyes darting to her children for a moment before she leaned in to Rick. ¡°A thousand?¡± ¡°A thousand.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t ever have to worry about food again.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t have to worry about much, but here, that thousand gold isn¡¯t worth much.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? A thousand gold! We could buy a cart, and mules, and so much more. You could buy horses with a hundred gold, you could buy a...¡± Harriet spluttered, trying to think of a creature. ¡°You could buy a gryphon with a thousand gold.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need to buy a gryphon.¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the point.¡± ¡°That is the point.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The Executive is queer. Most of the Executives are queer, but Adam¡¯s especially queer. He¡¯s...¡± Rick wasn¡¯t sure what else to say. ¡°A thousand gold is nothing compared to what we¡¯ll gain here. The children, they¡¯ll be educated. Manager Dunes and Manager-, Ray Vonda, they¡¯ll be teaching our children. If they¡¯re any good, they¡¯ll learn the priestly ways, they could become Brothers and Sisters, Fathers and Mothers.¡± Harriet remained silent. Rick mentioned the Ray previously, but she had already decided to move to the business for him. ¡°Do you really believe that? You¡¯re not that naive, and I¡¯m not either.¡± ¡°If you knew what I knew, if you saw what I saw, you would understand.¡± ¡°What do you know? What did you see?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not going to say it, don¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m mentioning it because you should know there¡¯s something we can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°How dangerous is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You should tell me.¡± Rick sighed. How could she say this about our adorable children? [892] – Y03.192 – Days of Nightval IV [892] ¨C Y03.192 ¨C Days of Nightval IV ¡°I¡¯m glad the Iyr¡¯s looking out for me,¡± Adam admitted, his hands glued to the cups full of warm milk. The building was warmer than he expected, the stone keeping away the chill. ¡°Of course, Manager Dunes, Manager Vonda, your wisdom is appreciated too.¡± ¡°It would be awkward to allow them to freeze to death when the Mother guides me,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Right...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll check the books later for the coin, but I hope everyone is getting paid properly?¡± ¡°The pay is handed out twice a month, the first and fifteenth,¡± Dunes assured. ¡®The Iyr¡¯s estimates were pretty spot on. I¡¯m glad they ended up dealing with everything on our behalf.¡¯ ¡°I brought over the code of conduct. I didn¡¯t end up making anything too serious.¡± Adam slid the paper over to Dunes, who scanned through it, before handing it to Vonda. ¡®It is very like Adam,¡¯ Vonda thought, scanning across the rules. They were firm and blunt, and of course the first rule was about children. ¡°I ended up making the disciplinary actions too...¡± Adam slid the two documents. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FOR CHILDREN DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS FOR ADULTS ¡°No heathenic punishment,¡± Dunes asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Physical punishment for those who break the rules.¡± ¡°Corporal punishment? No. We don¡¯t do that here. We might have them run laps or something, but we don¡¯t hit people.¡± ¡°It makes sense not to hit children...¡± Dunes recalled all the time he was hit. ¡°But as an adult?¡± ¡°We beat our foes, not our workers.¡± ¡°You have a softer heart than I thought.¡± ¡°I come from a land in which violence is seen as uncivilised. Well, it¡¯s seen as uncivilised for the masses to engage in violence, but the wealthy and the elite? They worked hard to be able to beat the masses in whatever ways they see fit.¡± Dunes was always surprised with the disdain in Adam¡¯s voice. ¡®Were you not a member of the wealthy elite?¡¯ Vonda remained silent, still slowly forming a painting of Adam¡¯s life within her mind. He seemed just like her, a young man born into a noble family, who ultimately rejected it for all the sins and flaws which came with such a life. ¡°Anyway,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°In this scenario we are the wealthy elite, but instead of using our violence against our workers, we¡¯ll use it against those that dare to threaten us.¡± ¡°What if those who threaten us are within?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be within for long if they threaten us.¡± ¡°What if it was I?¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± ¡°It is a hypothetical.¡± ¡°If you decide to threaten the business from within with everything you know about me and the Iyr, you¡¯re possessed, or you¡¯ve gone insane. In which case I¡¯ll be sure to try and fix whatever¡¯s wrong, and if not, then we¡¯ll make sure you get back to the order back safe and sound.¡± ¡°I appreciate your thoughts.¡± Dunes smiled, feeling the relief ooze within his muscles. ¡®I am no so foolish that I would threaten the business.¡¯ ¡°You better not threaten the business, not when I¡¯ve brought you such a fine gift.¡± Adam stood, quickly stepping to the other room where he had placed several bundles, before returning with a particular pair of bundles. It was obvious enough what they were, long and wrapped in a black cloth, tied on either end with thin strands. ¡°Must I prepare myself to receive these gifts?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°You probably should.¡± Adam held out the first blade. ¡°This is what you asked me to make.¡± ¡®The hazya althifaf?¡¯ Dunes thought. His eyes beamed as he accepted the bundle. ¡°May I open it?¡± ¡°I would hope so.¡± Dunes began to unravel the cloth, revealing the blade within its sheath. The haft was long, the pommel in the shape of a circle, but engraved within was a sun with rays that seemed more like flames. The leather around the handle was tightly wrapped, made of thick leather, dark greyish, brown, and green. Dunes glanced up towards Adam questioningly. ¡°Adam!¡± Adam crossed his arms. ¡°Just remember, I get to spoil your kids.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to spoil them like this, I¡¯ll have to decline.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want it, gift it to your kid.¡± ¡°...¡± Dunes leaned back within his chair, rubbing his forehead, which had grown slick with sweat. ¡°Like I said, common sense is a myth,¡± Adam said, far too proudly. ¡°Even children know the significance of a dwarven gift,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Aren¡¯t I pure of heart like a child? So sweet and innocent?¡± Adam smiled, though his smile faltered as the flashes of fire flashed within his mind. For a moment his eyes fell to the floor as shame flashed through him. ¡°Two Greater Enhanced blades?¡± Dunes covered his eyes with his hands. ¡®Just how much is this debt between us?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m walking around with a Greater Enhanced weapon, so you should too. I mean, Jonn¡¯s walking around with one too, so why shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Dunes had forgotten Jonn¡¯s blade was Greater Enhanced too. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± Dunes could still feel the great magic tingling against his palm. ¡°What is the enchantment?¡± ¡°Greater obviously, and though it doesn¡¯t do extra fire damage, it still hits harder, like a greatsword. You get to choose to strike true three times each day, and when you strike true, you regain some of your vigour. Technically, it¡¯s a little weaker than your current blade in terms of how hard you hit, but you do regain more vigour on average.¡± Amira¡¯s Strength Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. Three time per day, on a hit, choose to Critical Hit instead. On a Critical Hit, regain 2D6 Health. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty scary sword,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ve called it Amira¡¯s Strength, and I¡¯ve called the other one Dunes¡¯ Strength.¡± Dunes furrowed his brows for a moment, before a small smile slipped across his face. ¡°How apt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite the poet, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You are too talented.¡± Adam winked cheekily once more. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a bit of a... well, that doesn¡¯t make sense here since it hasn¡¯t happened?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ah, just...¡± Adam waved his hand, still unsure of how many sayings he should bring from his world. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t tempt all the higher powers which are waiting for me to make a mess.¡± ¡°Sometimes you say such scary things...¡± Adam glanced towards Vonda. ¡°Do you agree?¡± Vonda glanced between the blades. ¡°It is not your words which are most terrifying.¡± ¡°Why are you speaking to me like I¡¯m some kind of monster?¡± Adam asked, while the gentle rasping of a knock sauntered through the silence. Adam glanced towards the door for a moment. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± called the muffle noise of a troublemaker. Adam let out a light snort. He opened the door, while Jirot paused as she stared at his leg, before her arm blurred through the air and a snowball struck her father¡¯s shin. She squealed and stormed away in the snow. ¡°Could a monster have such a cute kid like her?¡± Adam asked, squatting to grab some snow, before a shadow loomed over him. ¡°Executive,¡± Rick called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Could we speak?¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll have Jirot thank you since you saved her from my snowball.¡± Rick blinked. Just this once, I''ll let you go, sweet Jirot. [893] – Y03.193 – Days of Nightval V [893] ¨C Y03.193 ¨C Days of Nightval V Rick awaited. Noted how Adam was thinking so deeply about the matter. ¡®It is important...¡¯ ¡®He wants to tell his wife about last year?¡¯ Adam thought, thinking deeply. ¡®He must have already told her about everything, but he¡¯s asking for permission? What happened last year that he needs to ask for permission about? I mean... we did the outbreak, right? No, was that the year before? We definitely went to the tournament. We hunted a bunch before that. Then after the tournament, we went to help out Amira. Is he talking about the Black Rats? Or is he talking about...¡¯ Adam shut his eyes tight. He thought a deeper moment. ¡®Oh. Right.¡¯ ¡°Why do you need to tell her about that?¡± ¡°My wife is in two thoughts about remaining.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I did not speak to her about all which the business entailed...¡± Rick sighed. ¡°I did not tell her about your children.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first thing you should have told her,¡± Adam replied, sitting upright. ¡°It¡¯s all I ever go on about, you should have told her how adorable they are.¡± Rick remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Goblins have a different reputation within the land. Demons too.¡± Adam sat there awkwardly for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll...¡± ¡®No, they¡¯ll be spending some time at the fort. I can¡¯t just stick them in the Iyr all the time, not when I¡¯m not an Iyrman...¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± ¡°She can see reason. If I tell her about the meeting with Lady Ulaveil, her heart would not cloud her mind. I know it¡¯s dangerous, and I do not wish to put her into trouble, but I wish for my children to live a better life than I, and I believe you are their best chance.¡± Adam paused for a long moment, simmering in Rick¡¯s believe in him. ¡®How can I convince her without letting her know about that?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d like to think of it for some time, if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯ll think of a way to convince her without the mention of you know what.¡± ¡°Thank you, Executive.¡± Adam nodded, dismissing the fellow with his nod. Adam sighed, crossing his arms behind his back. He felt a sickness course through him, but he pushed it away. ¡®Relax. It¡¯s not the first time. It won¡¯t be the last. Once they¡¯re used to the children, they won¡¯t hold those kinds of views. If Jirot causes them trouble, it¡¯ll only escalate their prejudice, though.¡¯ The silence allowed Adam to wallow within his thoughts. ¡®Should I just leave my children at the shared estate? I can¡¯t do that. They need to exposed to one another so they can grow comfortable...¡¯ Adam ran a hand through his hair, tickling the back of his neck gently. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Adam tensed up and reached out for something, but he clenched his fist, stopping himself from the outburst of frustration. ¡®Damn it! Seriously? Why do I have to deal with this when I¡¯m offering them so much? Damn it!¡¯ Adam stepped out of the building, feeling the cool wind against his hot face. He let out a breath, watching as the vapour trailed upwards, before his ears were tickled by the sounds of laughter in the distance. Adam made his way towards the group which had gathered together to eat, all the workers and the visitors gathered around the fire. He stopped, the cool wind against his face. Jirot and Jarot giggled and squealed beside Vonda, while Karot leaned in and smiled shyly sometimes. Konarot and Kirot chatted away between one another. Sonarot held Larot, while the boy held his bottle, drinking it with his eyes closed, the warmth of the milk coaxing him to sleep. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes, his mind blank for just a moment. ¡®I should do that first.¡¯ He opened his eyes and met Jurot¡¯s eyes, who had been tearing bits of flat bread for the girl. Adam motioned with his head, and Jurot excused himself. ¡°Psst,¡± Fred whispered, holding out the dried apricots. George raised his brows, holding up his plate for the rain of dried fruit to fall upon his plate, before the pair picked them up one by one to eat. George chewed long and slow, tasting bursts of flavour across what little of his tongue remained. ¡°Not quite like dried apricots from home, but they¡¯re alright,¡± Fred whispered, a small, sad smile upon his face. George, who had eaten such little dried fruit, did not care they were not like the dried fruit of Fred¡¯s home. Beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers, after all. ¡°George,¡± Poppy called, carefully walking over towards the boy while holding a bowl of cut fruit. ¡°Fruit.¡± George glanced towards the fruit, letting out a small shy smile. Poppy sat beside him and the pair began to eat together, though Poppy spent more time talking with the boy than she did eating. ¡°It¡¯s so cold. I don¡¯t like the cold. Do you think Captain Snake likes the cold? I think he doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s too cold.¡± As the people ate their meals, warming themselves from nightval¡¯s chill, the pair of Executives returned. Jurot held three cloth bundles, while Adam returned with one. Jurot stepped forward, towards the large fire, until he was surrounded by all the people who remained within the fort, including those of the Iyrmen who provided additional support for the business. The young Iyrman commanded respect, his mere presence silencing those around. ¡°Nobby,¡± Jurot called. Nobby stood, feeling the gaze of his father, mother, and sister as he trekked up towards the Iyrman. The bearded young man would have been slightly taller than Jurot if he stood up straight, and he would have been wider, easily swallowing Jurot with his mass if he held such a posture, but everyone could see how Jurot¡¯s presence dominated the young man. However, even now, Jurot wasn¡¯t confident enough to face Nobby, whose natural talents surpassed even his own. ¡°Good work,¡± Jurot said, holding up the axe shaped bundle. ¡°Thank you, Executive,¡± Nobby replied, taking the cloth bundle. Upon Jurot¡¯s nod, Nobby unwrapped it, revealing the axe. It was well built, so perfect in shape and form. The handle was smooth, made of Iyr oak, wrapped in hydra leather, the blade made of steel. The tingling sensation within the axe was greater than Nobby was used to. ¡°It is a Greater weapon.¡± Jurot nodded. An excitement filled the air as the words left Jurot¡¯s lips. All these gifts had been expensive. The Basic weapons cost hundreds by themselves, a Greater Enhanced weapon was a thousand. They were worth so much more, however, for if Adam had sold them to the nobles, a Basic weapon could have been bought for over a thousand, and the Duchess had paid a whole six thousand for the exact weapon Adam had gifted to Fred. Five thousand gold in profit could have sustained the entire business and all of its employees and the children for months. It would have been enough to start Larot¡¯s hoard too. Adam clapped his hands, followed quickly by an energetic set of clapping from the rest of the group. Fred remained shock as he stared at Adam, unsure if he had heard it correctly. Adam raised his brows expectantly towards the young Florian. ¡°Th-thank you, Executive Adam!¡± Fred said, clutching the bundle of cloth within his hands firmly, bowing his head. Rick remained silent as he stared at Fred, who was still frozen for a few more moments, before he finally pulled back, sitting beside the mute boy and the girl with the widest of eyes, her teeth half clamped upon the fruit. His eyes then met his wife¡¯s, who furrowed her brows questioningly at Rick. ¡®...¡¯ Rick¡¯s eyes then fell to Adam, who had been waiting to meet Rick¡¯s gaze. The half elf winked, a strange smile crossing his lips. Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡®I need to upgrade them all, but I can¡¯t do it too quickly, or they won¡¯t appreciate it...¡¯ ¡°Papa, good work,¡± Lanarot said, patting the half elf¡¯s leg, holding up a small bun. Adam leaned in for the girl to feed her, the half elf pulling his sister closer to his chest, kissing her forehead. ¡°Thank you, Little President.¡± ¡°No, I am so big now!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmmm... I suppose if you say it¡¯s true, it must be true?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lanarot smiled wide, before she was distracted by the bread Adam brought to her lips. ¡°Since you are our Little President, you need to do something.¡± ¡°Mmm?¡± Adam held out a gold coin. ¡°I need you to give this to Nobby¡¯s sister.¡± ¡°Nobby kaka?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, his little sister, Anne.¡± Adam held out the coin for the girl. Lanarot stared down at the coin for a moment. ¡°Okay! I can do it! Papa, I can do it!¡± She grasped the coin with her hand, before she shuffled away. Adam leaned back and crossed his arms. ¡®This is the life.¡¯ While Adam enjoyed his time within the fort, there was another causing a mess within the Iyr. It was the usual suspect, of course. ¡°I am annoyed today, since that brat of mine has taken my greatchildren away,¡± Jarot growled, feeling the cool wind against his old bones, threatening to freeze him in place, though the cold would not dare to. ¡°...¡± Jarot¡¯s eyes narrowed towards his opponent, who was so warm within his full plate, a shield at his side covering the blade. ¡°You should have refused.¡± ¡°I have this responsibility as the Family Elder,¡± the Iyrman replied. Jarot¡¯s lips formed a wild grin. ¡°Do you believe you are your grandfather?¡± ¡°I am not my grandfather,¡± the figure said, donning his shield. ¡°Not even brother spoke to me so carefree.¡± The Iyrman paused. He reached for his sword, feeling the magic tingle through his fingers, before he began to unsheath it. ¡°I am not my brother,¡± Dogek said. ¡°No,¡± Jarot grinned, feeling the rage warm his bones. ¡°He would not have made the mistake of refusing my greatchildren.¡± The old Iyrman drew his axe and leapt forward. [894] – Y03.194 – Days of Nightval VI [894] ¨C Y03.194 ¨C Days of Nightval VI A pair of blades swiped through the air, following the same trails through the air. For the pair who came from that prestigious order, this was a meditation, a prayer. ¡°Adam is always so heavy,¡± Dunes said, sheathing his blade. ¡°Not quite as heavy as that dwarven blade?¡± Korin joked. ¡°No, perhaps not quite as heavy as the dwarven blade.¡± Dunes chuckled lightly, his eyes falling to the sky. The blade tugged the sword belt, which dug deeper against him. The pressure of this blade was greater than one might have expected. ¡®At thought I was overreacting, since there are few dwarves within our lands, but if Ray Vonda also believes it to be so great...¡¯ ¡°He gifted a dwarven blade...¡± Korin said, staring at the sky while he palmed the pommel of his blade, rubbing it tenderly. ¡°He may have met a Minor Divine, but this is a greater shock.¡± ¡°Pff.¡± Dunes grinned wide, shaking his head lightly, exchanging a glance with Korin before the pair glanced back up towards the sky. The stars sparkled so dimly through the nightval sky. ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am still your closest companion, yes?¡± Dunes let out another soft sigh. ¡°I am not so easily bought.¡± ¡°That is not a yes.¡± ¡°Perhaps if you gift me a dwarven blade?¡± ¡°I would not even gift it to my wife.¡± ¡°Not even Sara?¡± ¡°Kch! Morn Dunes, do you think I will not beat you?¡± Korin asked, grasping the handle of his sword, raising his brows towards his best friend. ¡°It would be your honour for me to unsheath my dwarven sword.¡± Dunes¡¯ tone of voice almost made Korin draw his blade. ¡®What a futha.¡¯ ¡°When I am one of the Sixteen Sheaths, I will be sure to beat you well, even with that dwarven sword!¡± The pair fell into a gentle chuckle, before returning back to their sword dance. Meanwhile, another pair had already finished their own dance of steel. ¡°What good was there to beat a Mad Dog who had lost his bite?¡± Dogek asked, looming over Jarot. Jarot panted, his vision blurry as the vague outline of Dogek blocked out the night sky above him. His entire body burned with pain and effort, while the towering form over him seemed almost statue still. ¡°We all grow old, Duteous.¡± Jarot continued to pant, barely able to keep his consciousness. ¡°You should not have called upon me,¡± Dogek said, his voice clear, cutting through the air with the same efficiency as his blade. ¡°There was no need to see you like this.¡± ¡°There is no shame in losing against the likes of you.¡± Dogek continued to glare down at Jarot, who could barely hold onto his axe even now. ¡®You have lost your touch this much? I did not even use my family¡¯s techniques.¡¯ Dogek, who had grown up in the same era as the one known as Mad Dog, had created his own stories in Aldland over the course of almost a generation. Just like his strength, his stories were built upon a stable foundation, and he did not stop. Dogek recalled the stories of the Mad Dog, still so impressive to him. Jarot¡¯s flames burned brightly throughout Aldland, though many of his stories had begun to fade, only engraved within the hearts of the elderly who had heard of the crazy fool who had fought and killed many nobles across the land. Dogek had met Jarot once during his own travels, the pair having crossed paths during a particular incident. Dogek¡¯s heart shuddered. How could he have beaten Jarot so easily? The old man had barely pressed Dogek even with the great strength which remained. His eyes fell to the arm and leg of the old man, who continued to pant on the floor. ¡®Did the loss hurt you so?¡¯ Dogek calmed his heart at the thought of Churot¡¯s death. The matter had passed, resulting in the death of a Gak and an Ool, and the death of the foolish dragon who had caused a mess for Aswadasad for generations. Dogek sheathed his blade. In his heart, the seed of sorrow grew. Out of respect he had fought Jarot, and though he had held back, the fact Jarot had been so easy to beat shook him deeply. Jarot¡¯s weak chuckle broke the silence. ¡®I have grown old, Tangak, Zaool.¡¯ He closed his eyes, his heart dropping as he thought of his greatchildren. ¡®...¡¯ The next morning no snow fell across the Iyr¡¯s land. The porridge warmed the bodies of all those at the business. The dried fruit added texture and flavour to the porridge, while the crunch of hard vegetables filled the air as a pair of twins enjoyed the food their grandmother was feeding them from her fingers. ¡°What do you need?¡± Adam asked, noting the awkwardness from Gilbert. ¡°I¡¯d like to work so that I can get a magical weapon,¡± Gilbert said. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Adam replied, equally as confused as Gilbert. ¡°I can?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I meant that... I want to help out so that I can get a magical weapon.¡± ¡°What kind of helping out?¡± ¡°Going out and fighting.¡± ¡°How strong are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m strong for a normal lad from East Port.¡± ¡°Are you an Expert like Cobra?¡± Gilbert frowned. ¡°No. I ain¡¯t no Expert.¡± ¡°Do you want to be?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± Adam glanced over to see the boys had disappeared. ¡°Won¡¯t the boys need you while they grow?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t need me, they¡¯ve got Cobra.¡± ¡°There will be stuff they can only trust with you.¡± ¡°Are you saying I can¡¯t leave?¡± Adam inhaled deeply, thinking for a long moment. ¡®I can take him to become an Expert, but the boys still need him here. It looks like he¡¯s got a reason to be an Expert, and it¡¯s not like he can stay here and become an Expert by doing nothing...¡¯ ¡®Is that too difficult?¡¯ Gilbert thought, noting Adam¡¯s hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d like for you to remain here for some time at the fort. The children will need you in order to settle. Once the business is settled, and the children are used to their daily lives within the business, we will take you to become an Expert if you¡¯re still interested in that time.¡± ¡°I would like to earn a magical weapon quickly.¡± ¡°How quickly?¡± ¡°As soon as I can.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m...¡± Gilbert flushed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m their older brother. I should do that much.¡± ¡®How cute.¡¯ A small smile crossed Adam¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out for you. There¡¯s no need to rush, the business will take good care of you and your siblings.¡± ¡°Alright...¡± Adam bowed his head. As Gilbert turned, Adam¡¯s voice cut through the air. ¡°I appreciate your patience, Gilbert. If you want to become a Master or a Grandmaster, let me know and I¡¯ll see what I can do for you.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Jarot rolled really poorly but damn he got absolutely bodied. [895] – Y03.195 – Days of Nightval VII [895] ¨C Y03.195 ¨C Days of Nightval VII ¡°Babo!¡± shouted the tiny green girl, rushing up towards her greatfather. The old Iyrman dropped to a knee, opening out his arm for the girl, while his greatson also rushed around to nestle his head into his greatfather¡¯s chest. ¡°My greatchildren, did you miss me?¡± ¡°No, I did not! I did not miss you, babo! Kekekeke!¡± Jirot squealed with delight as she embraced her greatfather. ¡°Hmmm.¡± The older Jarot brought the pair in closer towards his chest. He planted firm kisses on their heads, pulling them even closer as he felt their tiny hands clutching at his shirt. ¡°Baba,¡± the eldest sister called. ¡°Dragon chess?¡± ¡°I have brought the pieces but I am no good,¡± Shikan admitted, ruffling the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°No?¡± Konarot pouted. ¡°We can play one game later.¡± ¡°Uncle Shikan, uh, Director Shikan, what brings you around here?¡± Adam asked, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°I have come to deal with the deliveries.¡± ¡°The...¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°You?¡± ¡°I cannot?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, I just mean...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°I thought they¡¯d send someone else.¡± ¡°I should go, since I am a Director.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t realise he¡¯d be the one to go.¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t want to stay with Inakan now that she can see?¡± ¡°She will enjoy seeing my return.¡± ¡°Right. Exactly. You have to come back safely home.¡± ¡°I intend to do just that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that from an Iyrman¡¯s lips.¡± ¡°There is a time to die and a time to live.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. It wasn¡¯t long before the children had to retire for the night, with Jirot almost tackling her father. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Ray Vonda will take you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ray Vonda is taking you, daddy?¡± She pouted. ¡°What do you mean, Princess?¡± Adam flushed slightly, picking the girl up to place her within his lap. ¡°Babo say Ray Vonda will take you.¡± ¡°How can Ray Vonda take me? Do you think daddy is so weak?¡± ¡®You old geezer, what did you say?¡¯ Adam flushed red. ¡°No. Daddy is stuhrong!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Daddy¡¯s so strong, isn¡¯t he?¡± He nuzzled against his daughter¡¯s nose. ¡°Daddy, I am stuhrong too! Ray Vonda cannot take you!¡± ¡°You will become the Demon Lord, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The girl snorted, puffing up her shoulders and chest as she clenched her fists. Little Jarot cuddled up beside his father. He nestled against his father¡¯s affectionate hand, which brushed along his hair. ¡°Daddy, is cold.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s nightval now, so it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Nightval?¡± Konarot rushed over from her grandmother, who had been brushing her hair before bed, and she squatted down before she knelt beside her siblings, hugging them tight, kissing their foreheads, before her younger siblings did the same. They all embraced each other tenderly, before Lanarot sauntered over to embrace them too. ¡°You smelly little kahas, I always your kako too!¡± She huffed, embracing them all tight. ¡°Jurot, what do I do? They¡¯re all so cute!¡± Jurot glanced towards them, his eyes falling upon the children. ¡°I am glad we are brothers, Adam.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°I hope they will accept my children too.¡± ¡°Huh? Your children? Which children?¡± Jurot stared down at the children. ¡°It is frightening to care for someone like this.¡± Adam noted how tense Jurot looked. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jurot glanced down at his hand. ¡°I wish to kill for them.¡± ¡®Damn. How hardcore are you?¡¯ ¡°Is it the same for a grandparent and their grandchild?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I would think so.¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while, staring at his hand. The rough canvas which were his palms revealed the amount of blood he was trained to spill. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I will become a Paragon.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°If Jirot wishes to become a Demon Lord, I will protect her at that time.¡± Adam flushed slightly, still smiling wide. ¡°If she does anything bad, I¡¯ll definitely stop her, but she might just want to become a Paragon and have her own little troublemaker squad.¡± ¡°Will you allow Jarot to learn our way?¡± ¡°Jarot?¡± Adam glanced over to his boy, who had heard his name. Adam wiggled his fingers at the boy. Jarot smiled wide, revealing a toothful smile, and he snickered quietly. ¡°If he wants to learn the Rot family way, that¡¯s up to him.¡± ¡°If my children wish to become like you, will you teach them.¡± ¡°If they want me to, and if you want me to, of course.¡± ¡°What of smithing, alchemy... and your greater ability?¡± ¡°Enchanting?¡± Adam whispered. Jurot nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll treat your children like they¡¯re my own.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes sparkled with mischief, before they relaxed. ¡°I¡¯ll defer to you, obviously, but I want to spoil them a lot.¡± Jurot remained silent for a long moment, long enough for Adam to be stolen away by his children. ¡®Can I raise my children well?¡¯ As Adam cuddled his twins, his triplets stolen away by their grandmother, and Jurot taking Lanarot, he fell deep into thought. The darkness filled them within their room. ¡®There¡¯s so much to do.¡¯ Adam stared down at the grey faces of his children, seeing their features faintly through the darkness. Their tiny bodies shifted as they slept, the pair holding hands. ¡®Marriage...¡¯ Adam thought of Vonda. He flushed slightly, wondering what that old man was doing. ¡®I still need to find Freya. The north¡¯s a long journey, though, and I¡¯m not even sure it¡¯s that safe. I¡¯ll need to wait for Dark Harvest to find me first. I should figure out some cold resistance before then too. I¡¯ve got Goodberry, thankfully, but everything else? I¡¯ve got to take it carefully now that I¡¯ve got kids...¡¯ Adam glanced over towards Jurot, who lay under their sister. ¡®Then there¡¯s their dad. What am I meant to do about that?¡¯ Adam reached up to rub his face. ¡®I¡¯m still pretty strong, though, but what about the XP penalty? I need to be careful, otherwise I¡¯ll be summoning something terrifying into this world.¡¯ As Adam let out another sigh, deep in thought, another was also deep in thought. Jarot glanced over towards the little baby, his youngest greatson. The boy was still young, and moved at his own pace. He was no doubt something greater than just a newborn baby. ¡®It does not matter who or what you are, my Larot. I will not allow anyone to harm you.¡¯ Jarot closed his eyes, feeling how stiff his body had become. ¡®It is too cold...¡¯ He let out a soft sigh, his heart beginning to beat quicker as he thought of what could happen to his greatchildren if they were ever sent out into the world. No one will ever hurt our adorable babies, not even the youngest who has inherited his father''s cringe the most. [896] – Y03.196 – Days of Nightval VIII [896] ¨C Y03.196 ¨C Days of Nightval VIII ¡°Leaving?¡± Adam asked, blinking towards Jurot. ¡°It is time for Lanarot to visit Red Oak,¡± Jurot said, while his mother prepared their sister to be taken away. Sky sat down behind Jurot, ready to follow the Iyrman with utmost loyalty. ¡°What? It¡¯s her first time going, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I should go too.¡± ¡°You may come.¡± ¡°How long is it going to be?¡± ¡°A few weeks at most.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t just go though... I¡¯ve got so much to do here, and I... but my little sister is going, isn¡¯t she? I should go too? I want to be there for her first time out of the Iyr!¡¯ ¡°How long have you been planning this?¡± ¡°It was decided yesterday.¡± ¡°Yesterday?¡± Adam furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly. His eyes met Jurot¡¯s, his own full of suspicion. ¡°I know the Iyrmen are efficient, but considering how much you still plan...¡± ¡°There are matters to be settled within Red Oak.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡®If he can¡¯t talk about them, it must be really dangerous.¡¯ Adam huffed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re taking Lanarot out for the first time without me.¡± ¡°You may come.¡± ¡°How can I come when I¡¯m so busy in here?¡±Yo?ur favorite stories at novelhall.com ¡°You may bring your children.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam threw a look back towards his children. Alex sat opposite Jirot, having taken the initiative to sit opposite his boss¡¯ daughter. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, not when the others are adoring them as much as they should be adored.¡± Jurot pat Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We will take Lanarot out once more.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Adam and Jurot shook hands while crossing their wrists together. ¡°Don¡¯t have too much fun without me.¡± ¡°I will try.¡± ¡°Lanababy, you are abandoning me this soon?¡± Adam asked, his hands upon his waist as he playfully glared at his younger sister, who was like a burrito about to burst within her thick Iyr clothes. ¡°I am going Red Oak,¡± Lanarot said, pointing out of the fort. ¡°Are you excited?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The girl¡¯s eyes beamed so brightly, her entire face full of delight as though she was within a pool of bread. Adam¡¯s heart twitched, before the half elf swept his sister into his arms. ¡°How can you do this to me? You smelly girl!¡± Adam peppered her with kisses. ¡°You have to bring back gifts since you are leaving, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lanarot kissed her brother¡¯s cheek, before he rapid fired more kisses against her face, refusing to let her go until he had finally engraved his love within her heart. ¡°Lanarot, come,¡± Fakrot called, leading the girl to the carriage, while Sky followed along by Jurot¡¯s command. Adam glanced aside towards Marmak, who settled himself to drive the carriage. ¡®What a stacked carriage drive.¡¯ Adam glanced aside and noticed another Iyrman he vaguely recognised, who sat within the tiny carriage at the back of the carriage. ¡®Aunt, Uncle, or I guess he¡¯s my uncle with a lower case? Then Jurot, the Butcher, and... what was his name? Bloodblade?¡¯ History Check (Intelligence)(Advantage) D20 + 3 = 5 (2) D20 + 3 = 6 (3) ¡®Bloodblade. Bloodblade.¡¯ Adam glanced towards one of two older Iyrman who had appeared out of the blue that morning with the carriages. One of the two women wore a sword of sheer crimson, while the other wore a giant red glave. ¡®So who the hell is she? Why do so many people have red weapons, seriously...¡¯ However, Adam¡¯s boyish heart could at least admit the weapons looked cool. John stared at the horcish Iyrman, or as the Iyrmen liked to say, Iyrman. He squinted his eyes, certain he recognised the woman. The Iyrman¡¯s eyes fell towards John, who glanced away. ¡°Are you John?¡± the Iyrman called. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± John said, bowing his head lightly, his heart shuddering. ¡®How does an Iyrman know my name?¡¯ ¡°You are so old now.¡± ¡°I am?¡± John replied, unsure of what the woman was talking about. She was at least twice his age, perhaps three times as older. ¡°Redstick, but it is also how we would say Redglave.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°What are they doing here?¡± ¡°You did not know?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then I do not wish to know.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Adam thought of the pair who had left. ¡®Bloodblade. Bloodblade. Who the hell is Bloodblade?¡¯ Meanwhile, Bloodblade stared towards the fort lost to the horizon, his eyes sometimes glancing around for any threats. He thought of how many Iyrmen had come to the fortress which was on the Iyr¡¯s land. Himself, Vezar, Vizar, and Marmak. ¡®The Chief has moved us all...¡¯ He leaned back within the carriage, which held his niece and her son and daughter. It made sense for himself and Marmak to come along together with a carriage which contained a precious child of the Iyr, for nothing was allowed to happen to her, and what better way of guaranteeing that then to send both Bloodblade and the Butcher? ¡®Why Vizar and Vezar?¡¯ Shasen stared out towards the horizon once more. He thought of his niece¡¯s grandchildren, the six who each remained within the fort. The carriage came to a stop within one of the villages, the Iyrmen greeting the Chief, before they were allowed to step aside, the villagers leaving a wide berth around them. They vaguely recognised some of the Iyrmen, more so recognising Jurot who had passed by several times in the past couple of years, but seeing a child of the Iyr within their village, the mood completely shifted. ¡°Baba,¡± Lanarot called, rushing up to Shasen, before stopping in front of him. She smiled and giggled. ¡°Yes, my Lanarot?¡± Shasen reached down to brush her hair. ¡°Mama say it is time for bread.¡± ¡°Yes, it must be so,¡± Shasen said, picking the girl up, carrying her to the others, joining them to eat the bread and stew Marmak cooked. Jurot took Lanarot from his granduncle, before feeding her from his hands, while the girl offered her bread to him. ¡°Niece,¡± Shasen called, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Dogek has refused them?¡± ¡°He has,¡± Sonarot replied, a gentle smile of a Family Head upon her lips. ¡°Should I speak with him?¡± ¡°...¡± Sonarot glanced down towards her stew for a long moment. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Shasen fell into thought. ¡®The official policy is not to support the children...¡¯ ¡°Your grandchildren are cute.¡± ¡°They are.¡± Sonarot¡¯s smile widened, the light sparkling within her eyes. ¡°Little Jirot is very loud.¡± ¡°She is.¡± ¡°You must bring them to the estate more often.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Sonarot smiled even wider. ¡®Dogek, you fool.¡¯ Shasen sighed, before returning back to the rest of his meal. The Village Chief watched the group from afar, already feeling as though he was going too far by looking at them. ¡°Why not?¡± the boy, no older than eight, asked his grandfather. ¡°They are Iyrmen.¡± The boy blinked. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of the Order of the Crimson Blades?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Chief ruffled his grandson¡¯s hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go drink some tea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like tea.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find some fruit.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The boy smirked to himself, managing to swindle himself some fruit. ¡®I was going to feed you some fruit anyway.¡¯ Meanwhile, Adam spent his days within the fort, not realising the mess his brother and his sister were about to cause. Sometimes I need some wholesomeness in my life. [897] – Y03.197 – Family and Gold I [897] ¨C Y03.197 ¨C Family and Gold I ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, blinking towards his brother. ¡°Five thousand gold,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°She will accept the proposal if I offer five thousand gold to her as the dowry.¡± ¡°I should have expected her to have a taste for gold considering...¡± Adam leaned back in his chair, feeding his sister a piece of torn bread, refusing to let her go. The evening glow blanketed the shared estate, the four within one of the empty rooms of the Rot section. ¡°We can afford it,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°She wishes for her father to be taken care of within the Iyr.¡± ¡°He will become your father...¡± Sonarot stared within her son¡¯s eyes, noting a flash of sadness within them, though he forced it away a moment later. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we¡¯ll get a new sister?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Lanababy, do you hear that? You¡¯ll get your own sister!¡± ¡°Kaka?¡± Lanarot asked, her face full of shock and delight, the same face she had made when Jurot said he would buy the entire bakery¡¯s worth of bread for her many days ago. ¡°Maybe? Do you want to go and meet her?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Well, we need to the money for her first, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I have money, papa!¡± ¡°You do?¡± ¡°I have five gold,¡± Lanarot said, holding up her entire hand. ¡°Five gold? Oh my gosh! That¡¯s so much gold!¡± Adam gasped, kissing her nose. ¡°Then we only need a thousand more of those and we can see your kaka.¡± ¡°I have more!¡± ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Yes! I have...¡± Lanarot fell still for a long moment as she thought. ¡°Three?¡± ¡°You have three gold?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°So much gold!¡± ¡®What happened to the two gold?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go find even more gold, shall we?¡± Adam asked, picking his sister up, onto his shoulder. Konarot glanced towards her father, watching as he carried her aunt out of the estate. ¡°I¡¯m not bothering you, am I?¡± Adam asked, noting Elder Zijin place away his books, while Churot glanced up towards Adam. Zijin raised his hand, reaching out to hold Lanarot¡¯s for a moment. ¡°What is it that you require.¡± ¡°Well, about what I¡¯ve been enchanting...¡± Meanwhile, Sonarot and Jurot spoke within the room, the woman brushing her son¡¯s hair tenderly. She remained silent, noting the way her son gave in to her gentle touch. Her thoughts fell to Surot, who was still missing, presumed dead. She pulled her son¡¯s head to her bosom. ¡°My Jurot...¡± Sonarot brushed her son¡¯s cheek repeatedly, seeing her husband¡¯s face upon his own. She leaned down to kiss his forehead, at the centre of his tattoo. Jurot¡¯s ears turned red as his mother embraced him. He thought of embracing her in return, and his arms slowly unpeeled, only to reach up to hold onto his mother¡¯s forearm, feeling how thick it was. ¡®Strong...¡¯ He recalled the feeling of being a little boy within his mother¡¯s arms, which were so thick and wide even back then. A small smile encroached upon his lips. A knock at the door distracted them for a moment. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Can I come in?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied. While Zijin marked a note within his black book at the Elder¡¯s estate, Adam walked in to see Sonarot embracing her son. It caused him to freeze in place for a moment as the image struck him in the gut, before his lips formed a guilty smile, blinking away the burning within his eyes. He seared the image within his mind for a moment. ¡°Should I send word to Pam that you¡¯re getting married?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can cast Sending to let her know we have the five thousand.¡± ¡°It should be discussed with grandmother,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Five thousand gold is much gold.¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°The business will pay the five thousand gold.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Pam will help with baking within the fort now and again, we can consider this an upfront investment.¡± ¡°It is not an investment.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an investment into our Executive¡¯s business.¡± ¡°The business¡¯ funds should be used for the business.¡± Adam glanced towards Sonarot. ¡®Look at this guy, huh?¡¯ ¡°Jurot. I¡¯m saying that I¡¯ll hand over the five thousand gold, I¡¯m just using the business as a front to make it look better.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. ¡°You do not need to give so much gold.¡± ¡°If the family doesn¡¯t want to pay for it, I will. If th-,¡± ¡°You are family,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°No, I mean...¡± Adam paused. ¡°You know what I mean, Jurot, stop busting my damn balls and accept the gold.¡± ¡°It is too much?¡± ¡°Oh, what, you¡¯re too good for my gold now?¡±Findd new stories at novelhall.com ¡°No.¡± ¡°Check this guy out, eh, Aunt? He thinks he¡¯s a big shot now that he¡¯s about to marry, but don¡¯t you forget, I was proposed to first.¡± ¡°Will you marry Vonda?¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, let¡¯s not turn this around,¡± Adam replied, holding up his hands. ¡°Now, do you want me to send word to her or what? I mean, quicker we do it, quicker she¡¯ll come here and you¡¯ll-,¡± Adam slapped his thigh, taking in a sharp inhale. ¡®Come on, bro, that¡¯s your brother and his wife. Don¡¯t be weird.¡¯ ¡°The quicker the pair of you are married, the quicker I can spoil my nieces and nephews. It¡¯s not fair that you get to spoil your nieces and nephews but I don¡¯t have any to spoil.¡± ¡°You have your own children.¡± ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s not fair so you should have your own children too.¡± Jurot blinked from Adam making so much sense. ¡°...¡± He glanced towards his mother, who adored him so tenderly for his entire life, for support. However, there was one thing Jurot hadn¡¯t taken into consideration. ¡®Don¡¯t they come here all the time? Is the old man that sensitive?¡¯ ¡°Sure, I mean, it¡¯s not like he can¡¯t come to the shared estate whenever he wants.¡± ¡°He is a fool who needs to be told to go, but he will fight with me. He will not be able to refuse if you ask, or if his greatchildren ask.¡± ¡°I can do that no problem.¡± Mulrot reached up to brush his hair. ¡°Thank you, my boy.¡± Adam flushed red. ¡®Your boy?¡¯ ¡°Any time, grand...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Grandaunt?¡± ¡°If it is so,¡± Mulrot replied, still ruffling his hair. ¡°Why did you lend so much money to Jurot?¡± ¡°I¡¯m allowed to spoil my brother, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°He is not your child.¡± ¡°Family is family, and I didn¡¯t lend it to him, I gave it to him.¡± Mulrot brushed Adam¡¯s cheek, her wrinkled hand feeling his smooth fae skin. ¡°You are to marry Vonda?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that...¡± ¡°Jirot has mentioned she is your daughter often.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°She says you are her daddy and sometimes you are her mommy.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Of course, since I give her enough love for two parents...¡± The guilt filled Adam once more. ¡°Who can deny such?¡± Mulrot smiled wider. ¡°Let us return.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Kiara?¡± Adam asked as they stepped back. ¡°She is well. She is working well and is enjoying her time within the extended estate.¡± ¡°I told her that it was better at the extended estate, but you know how teenagers are.¡± ¡°What trouble will Jirot cause you when she is such?¡± ¡°What do you mean? She¡¯s going to stay small and cute forever!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot said, pointing at her babo, before cackling. ¡°Why are you bullying your babo so much?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Save some for when he¡¯s at our estate.¡± ¡°With this leg of mine?¡± ¡°What do you mean that leg of yours? If it¡¯s such a big bother, you should come to the main estate.¡± ¡°Hmph! I must remain in the extended estate, my place is here.¡± ¡°Do you hear that, Jirot, Jarot? Babo does not want to stay with you in the shared estate.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°My Jirot...¡± Jarot pulled the girl to his chest. ¡°How can your father say this, it is not true!¡± ¡°Daddy, you ah lying?¡± ¡°Lying? When have I lied?¡± Adam huffed. ¡°You heard him with your cute ears didn¡¯t you? Old man, are you coming to the estate or what? Jirot, Jarot, you miss your babo don¡¯t you, tell him to come with us.¡± Jirot held up her finger like a blade. ¡°You must come, okay?¡± ¡°Since my greatdaughter has asked, I must,¡± Jarot said, kissing her forehead, embracing the twins tighter. Adam winked towards Mulrot, who smiled. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m codenamed The Father, not you, Old Geezer.¡¯ Adam hadn¡¯t realised what a mistake he had made. For in the Iyr, many years before Adam poofed within the world, someone else was well known for causing a mess within its borders and outside. That evening, the old man had moved the pieces, the Slumbering Claw shifting to the Waking Claw. ¡°No!¡± Jirot hugged her father tight. ¡°Daddy is my daddy!¡± ¡°Jirot, you...¡± ¡°You cannot have my daddy!¡± the girl shrieked. The old Jarot kept his hand upon his knee. ¡®Have I caused too much trouble this time?¡¯ Yet, seeing his greatdaughter act up... ¡®I will forgive you, just this once.¡¯ Konarot glanced towards Vonda suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯ll still be your daddy, you smelly girl!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot said, pointing up her finger like a blade once more. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Ray Vonda doesn¡¯t want to steal me away from you.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot turned towards Vonda once more, holding up her finger threateningly. ¡°Cannot!¡± ¡°You smelly girl...¡± Adam rubbed his forehead. He was still partly stunned by Vonda asking his children to marry him, his heart thundering within his chest. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°If your father does not marry, how will you have a mother?¡± Jarot asked, sipping his tea innocently. ¡°Mother?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Mommy?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes snapped to the old man. He had a sneaking suspicion the old man had something to do with this. ¡®The day he comes here, somehow Vonda pops the question?¡¯ ¡°Babo is right.¡± Adam winced. ¡°If daddy marries her, then Vonda will become mommy, I mean, mummy.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot held up her finger once more to her father. She tilted her head down, her eyes glaring up towards her father, threatening to cry. ¡°Daddy cannot. Daddy not marry. Cannot. Vonda is mommy.¡± ¡°What, you think you can make deals with me? You¡¯re a hundred years too early.¡± Adam pulled her up to kiss her nose. ¡°You little punk! She has to marry me to become your mommy.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot¡¯s face scrunched up angrily, before she pointed at her father, on the verge of tears. ¡°Bad daddy! No good!¡± Adam brushed her hair, and the pair embraced. ¡°Oh, my baby Jirot.¡± ¡°Mommy?¡± Little Jarot blinked, his eyes turning to face Vonda. His eyes took in the sight of her face, noting her rough lower lip, the pale skin on her skin below. His lip trembled and he began to cry. I''m being stunlocked by how cute they are. [897.2] – Y03.197.2 – Family and Gold I [897.2] ¨C Y03.197.2 ¨C Family and Gold I ¡°Jarot, my boy,¡± the older Jarot called out, picking up his greatson to embrace him tight. The boy continued to shake and cry, tears falling down his face, snot beginning to fall. ¡°Mommy!¡± The boy continued to cry, calling out for a mother. ¡°Jarot...¡± The older Iyrman continued to hold him while the boy screeched and cried, causing his sister to cry too, followed closely by a cascade of other children beginning to cry in the distance, starting with Inakan, who was not used to all these noises. ¡°Jarot,¡± Vonda called, holding out a hand, and the boy reached out for her, his face still a mess. Vonda pulled him to her from his greatfather¡¯s arms, the very Mad Dog who had slaughtered so many people that the Order of Life¡¯s Rose had to involve themselves. She wiped the boy¡¯s face clean, and pulled him close to her chest, gently rocking him from side to side. Little Jarot continued to sniffle and sob, though he was no longer screeching and crying. He sucked on his thumb while the other children were soothed by their parents. ¡®You really are your sister¡¯s brother,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering how his son had caused more trouble than his sister. ¡°I do not want mommy,¡± Jirot whimpered, her father having cleaned her face. ¡°I want daddy.¡± ¡°Why not both?¡± Adam asked, kissing her cheek. ¡°I am daddy¡¯s dohta.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll always be my daughter, my Jirot...¡± Adam held her closer, gently brushing her cheek and her hair. ¡°Daddy is my daddy...¡± ¡°Always.¡± ¡°Vonda is mommy?¡± ¡°She can be,¡± Adam said. ¡°Just like how kako Katool has a mommy and daddy, right?¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°I want you to have a mommy and daddy too because you¡¯ll be even happier, and that¡¯s all I want, my baby.¡± Adam kissed her neck all over. ¡°Daddy.¡± Jirot¡¯s arms wrapped around Adam¡¯s neck and she pressed her cheek against her father¡¯s neck. Adam rocked with her gently, glancing towards Vonda for a moment. He kissed his daughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ray Vonda...¡± Adam paused for a long moment. ¡°She watched you as you grew up. She took care of you. She even fed you. She always played with you. She¡¯s so nice, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Mnnn.¡± The girl pouted. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Jirot, you smelly girl. You always play with Ray Vonda, I see you. How can you say that. Are you lying to daddy?¡± ¡°I not lying! I just joking, smelly boy!¡± Jirot stuck her thumb in her mouth, her arm still wrapped around her father¡¯s strong neck. ¡°Can I hold you too, Jirot?¡± Vonda asked, still holding little Jarot close to her bosom. ¡°Your brother is already here.¡± Jirot pouted, glancing up towards her father, before she gave in and reached out to her brother. ¡°Daddy is my daddy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Vonda said, holding the girl to her bosom, beside her twin brother. The older Jarot could feel the gaze of the other Iyrmen. He held onto the top of his knee, feeling the cool metal against his fingertips. ¡®What else should I have done? How many years will you make me wait so the Ray can be my granddaughter?¡¯ Konarot pouted, embracing her father, with Kirot and Karot doing the same. Their father brushed their hair and rubbed their heads tenderly. ¡°Ray Vonda is Life Puhreest, mommy?¡± Lanarot asked. ¡°That is right.¡± Lanarot narrowed her eyes at the woman who was holding onto her niece and nephew. She bit into her bread as she thought. ¡°Is good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Papa will marry?¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows. ¡°Ray Vonda is stuhrong?¡± ¡°I think so...¡± ¡°I am not as strong as your brother, but I know Fourth Gate spells,¡± Vonda stated. Lanarot looked up towards her mother with a questioning look. The woman nodded, causing her daughter to nod her head, before she bit into another bit of bread. ¡°Do you think Ray Vonda is good?¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lanarot nodded once more, swallowing her bread. ¡°That means Ray Vonda will be your sister.¡± Lanarot was midway through sticking bread into her mouth when she gasped, her head snapping to her mother for confirmation. ¡°My kaka?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lanarot¡¯s head snapped back to her brother and apparently her new sister, her mouth forming a tiny circle. ¡°You are my kaka?¡± ¡°If I marry your brother?¡± Lanarot blinked. ¡°You will marry now?¡± ¡°Well, we need to talk a little before that...¡± ¡°Papa always taking so long,¡± Lanarot said, sitting up, her incredulous eyes judging her brother harshly. ¡°This time I¡¯ll be quick.¡± ¡°Hmmmm.¡± Lanarot narrowed her eyes further. ¡®What¡¯s with all the suspicion? You punk! I¡¯ll forgive you just this once since you¡¯re so cute!¡¯ It was later in the evening when Sonarot poured the pair a cup of tea where Adam and Jurot had sat to discuss Pam. The woman held the cup, feeling its warmth. ¡°Vonda...¡± Adam stared at the woman, suddenly feeling his heartbeat quicken, his body flushing with warmth. ¡°Yes, Adam?¡± Vonda replied, waiting innocently. ¡®Stop it, you idiot. This is important. Calm down.¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the tea, feeling the vapours fill his lungs before he placed the cup down. He could feel the warmth of the cup against his hands. ¡°I want you to understand before we continue with this...¡± Vonda waited patiently as Adam gathered his thoughts. ¡°You¡¯ve been there with me since nearly the beginning. My first year within this land. You¡¯ve... seen a lot. You¡¯ve heard a lot. I trust you, a lot. You... you were there when my children found me. Konarot, Kirot, Karot. Jirot, Jarot. Larot. You¡¯ve seen how much I adore them. You know, y¡¯know, that if something were to happen to them, they¡¯d better hope the Iyr is going to protect them from me, because even Mother Soza won¡¯t be able to save them from me.¡± Vonda raised her brows, muttering a prayer in front of Adam. ¡°Mother, please send your warmth in this moment.¡± ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not the point. The point is that... I¡¯m their father. I would like... for you to be their mother.¡± Adam could feel his heart begin to beat quicker, and he inhaled again to try and calm himself. ¡°Not their... you know, I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s a concept in this land, but...¡± Adam tapped the table with a finger gently, staring into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not adopting them. They¡¯re going to be yours, just like they¡¯re mine. They won¡¯t be your half children or whatever they call it, they¡¯re going to be your children. If we, hopefully when we, have children, they¡¯ll be exactly the same as the rest of our children in your mind and heart.¡± ¡°I know, Adam.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I understood that was the case before I asked.¡± Adam exhaled, sipping his tea lightly, feeling it fill hsi heart. ¡°Alright, cool. Cool, cool, cool.¡± Suddenly the embarrassment rushed deep within his soul. ¡°So... how do you want to marry? Do you want to do it in East Port? Here?¡± ¡°The Iyr is fine.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Adam glanced towards his Aunt. ¡°Can we even marry in the Iyr?¡± ¡°If not the Iyr, the fort will be fine,¡± Sonarot assured. ¡°Do, uh... Vonda. Do you want to... you know.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°You see how many children we will already have. Do you...¡± Adam could feel his Aunt¡¯s presence nearby, like a looming shadow. ¡°I think my Aunt would like more grandchildren, you know?¡± Vonda flushed. ¡°I would like some.¡± ¡°Great, because six isn¡¯t enough for me!¡± ¡°You are a man of Death, and I am a woman of Life. I hope the children will accept Mother Soza within their heart as I have.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Vonda smiled wider. Adam chuckled, sipping the tea. ¡°Oh, yeah. Money.¡± ¡°Money?¡± ¡°Finances. We need to figure that out. How much we¡¯ll save, and for who and why, as well as how much of a dowry I need to give you, and the amount I¡¯ll need to pay if we ever divorce.¡± ¡°You have to think of such things?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to ever feel trapped with me. If you don''t want to be married to me one day, I want you to know you can leave.¡± ¡°Marriage is eternal,¡± Vonda replied, pulling back slightly, her voice low. ¡°Nothing is eternal.¡± Adam crossed his arms, swallowing his nerves. ¡°I will be the best husband I can, but that may not be good enough, or, it may be that is was not fated.¡± ¡°...¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes fell to the tea. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°So, how much do you want?¡± ¡°One gold.¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°One gold?¡± ¡°One gold for the dowry and one gold in times of a divorce.¡± ¡°I''ll give you a thousand gold both times.¡± ¡°It does not matter.¡± ¡°Good, then let¡¯s make it ten thousand for the divorce, if you''re that confident?¡± ¡°One thousand for each. It doesn¡¯t matter to me, Adam. My gold is your gold.¡± ¡°And mine is yours. Though... I¡¯m your boss and I have a business, so that¡¯s pretty awkward.¡± ¡°The business is not something I will consider as our gold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll skimp paying for anything. If you want something, just say it. I''ll try to get it for you. You won''t need to spend a penny.¡± ¡°I can spend my own gold.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I''ll feel manly if you spend my money.¡± Adam covered his mouth with his fist, feeling a deep red wash across his face. ¡®Damn.¡¯ Vonda smiled, and Sonarot continued to breathe silently, wanting to eat up as much dessert as she could. Meanwhile, Jarot held onto the twins he adored so deeply. ¡°Daddy is marry, but you ah still babo, okay?¡± Jirot said, pouting as she held her finger threateningly towards her greatfather. ¡°I will always be your greatfather.¡± ¡°I always your greatson, babo,¡± little Jarot said, cuddling his greatfather tight. ¡°Yes, my boy.¡± While Konarot¡¯s younger siblings were bullying their greatfather, she pouted towards her uncle. ¡°Your father will return soon,¡± Jurot assured, brushing his nephew¡¯s hair gently. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No mommy?¡± ¡°Vonda will be your mother soon.¡± ¡°...¡± Konarot pouted, glancing off to the side. ¡®No.¡¯ As the stars shone down to guide the way for many travellers within the night, a pair of stargazing lovers stared up towards them. ¡°Mara, the star is fainter than before,¡± Lucy said, pointing to the star. ¡°It is,¡± Mara confirmed. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Must not be important.¡± Mara inhaled deeply. ¡®So Fate has been tempted.¡¯ Another pair of stargazing lovers stared up towards the stars at the same time. ¡°The Lamp is bright today,¡± Amira said, pointing up towards the sky. ¡°Enduring love,¡± Dunes said, glancing off to the side towards the young devilkin woman. ¡°What are you trying to say, Dunes? We have to wait until marriage.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t saying that!¡± Dunes inhaled deeply. ¡°Should you be so lucky!¡± Amira smiled, glancing up towards the sky again. ¡°The Dragon is rising.¡± ¡°I can control my dragon just fine.¡± Amira reached over and punch Dunes¡¯ arm. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°If you cannot handle the horns, do not kick the goat,¡± Dunes joked. Amira clicked her teeth, her eyes remaining glued to the sky. ¡°How can you two flirt so openly under the eyes of the Divine?¡± Korin asked as he trekked through the snow towards them. ¡°Are you jealous you are still-,¡± Dunes raised his arms to defend himself from the snowball, chuckling as he wiped it off his arm. ¡°Stargazing?¡± ¡°Hah. Today feels like a good day.¡± ¡°I can feel that too,¡± Korin said, sticking his hands in his pockets, staring up at the stars. ¡°Dunes, Amira.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Mnn?¡± Amira grunted. ¡°The Order is looking faint.¡± ¡°The Order has looked faint for a few years now.¡± ¡°No, no, look.¡± Korin pointed up. ¡°The top of it, it¡¯s fainter.¡± Dunes and Amira both squinted towards the stars. The pair could see the first star within the sequence was fainter than previous. ¡°It is fainter...¡± Dunes whispered. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Korin asked, with Amira throwing a look towards Dunes too. ¡°What else could it mean?¡± Dunes threw back. Korin sighed. ¡®It just had to be the day I thought about proposing.¡¯ The marriage arc begins! [898.1] – Y03.198.1 – Heart of Ice I [898.1] ¨C Y03.198.1 ¨C Heart of Ice I Elder Zijin checked his schedule for the rest of the month, while also checking his schedule for the last month of the year. ¡®So much work...¡¯ He checked the schedule for a particular half elf out of habit. ¡®Ah. He has decided against working for the rest of the month.¡¯ Zijin glanced across the last few days in which Adam refused to work in order to play with his children and get them used to Vonda. Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed a particular mark he had made, estimating her arrival. ¡®Oh, yes.¡¯ ¡°Elder Zijin!¡± called an aide, causing the Elder to stand immediately. ¡°What is it?¡± The purple hue of dusk filled the air, filling even the crevices of the shared estate of a particular family, and the ice all around it. Pam blinked, having just stepped into the shared estate, with Adam and Jurot leading the young woman and her father into the Main Iyr. Adam blinked, his body moving forward as he processed what he saw. He dropped to his knees and embraced his eldest daughter, who was busy screaming and sobbing, causing Adam¡¯s breath to hitch, feeling the chill of the ice entering his lungs. The chill invaded every pour of his body. ¡°What happened?¡± Adam asked, his voice having never been so bland of emotion previously, his eyes glued to Vonda. Vonda winced, unable to feel her arm, which was near frozen, her blood dripping out beside her. Vonda prayed to Mother Soza for warmth and life, her wounds quickly healing. ¡°I was speaking with Kirot and Karot, and I heard a cry beside me.¡± Vonda was glad she had managed to cover her face just in time, otherwise the blast of ice could have blinded her. ¡°Konarot, what...¡± Adam held the girl close to his chest, the girl still sobbing. ¡°No!¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°No! No!¡± Adam brushed her hair gently, feeling a dagger pushing deep within his heart. ¡®Oh, my Konarot.¡¯ ¡°Did you do this?¡± Konarot¡¯s face was still contorted half within a cry and half in anger. She pointed to Vonda. ¡°No!¡± Adam inhaled deeply once more before he pulled back away from the girl. ¡°Go sit in the corner.¡± Adam¡¯s voice trembled slightly, but he cleared his throat and repeated himself. ¡°Go sit in the corner.¡± Konarot stared up at her father with a pout, clenching her fists wide on either side of her. Kirot and Karot stared at their elder sibling with shock. They hadn¡¯t seen her blast like that since they were out in the wild trying to search for their father. Konarot blinked a few times before she stormed off to the corner and sat down, her tail burying into the snow behind her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vonda,¡± Adam said, undoing his scarf and wrapping it around her neck. ¡°I¡¯ll discipline her properly.¡± The other Iyrmen kept the children away, the older Jarot with the twins against his chest, knelt within the snow nearby. The twins remained silent, their eyes wide, their eyes judging the mood by glancing all across the adults¡¯ face. Jirot looked up towards her greatfather, her lips shut firmly tight, her eyes saying all she needed to. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Adam glanced around, glad to see no one else had been hurt. Adam wasn¡¯t sure what would have happened if Konarot had hurt another child, though surely the Iyr wouldn¡¯t have done anything to her? ¡®I don¡¯t want to know the answer to that question...¡¯ Adam¡¯s heart began to beat harder as a pair of Iyrmen appeared. ¡°What happened?¡± Elder Zijin asked, feeling the mood in the air. His eyes snapped to the usual suspects, from Adam, to Jarot, to Jaygak, to Jirot. Then his eyes fell to Konarot, who sat by herself in the corner. Vonda explained the situation calmly to the Elder, while Sonarot eventually took him aside to confirm what the Ray said. ¡®How did she...¡¯ Adam let out a soft sigh. After a few minutes of thought, he called for his daughter who stood and shuffled her way towards her father, her tail leaving a trail behind her. She stood, head bowed, lips forming a large pout, her hands clenched firmly beside her. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Huu.¡± The girl sniffled, taking in a soft breath. ¡°She is not mommy.¡± ¡°Daddy is going to get married to her, which is going to make her your mummy.¡± ¡°She is not wife.¡± ¡°She will be.¡± ¡°She is not...¡± ¡°Konarot...¡± Adam swallowed, feeling the gaze of everyone around. ¡°Konarot, Vonda, follow me.¡± Adam turned, seeing the girl reach for his hand from the corner of his eyes. He almost ignored it, but his heart sunk and he outstretched a pinky for the girl. Once they were near the corner of the courtyard, Adam dropped to a knee. ¡°Konarot, listen to me. Vonda is kind. She¡¯s sweet. She¡¯s helped your father so much. One time, your daddy fell into a deep hole. It was Vonda who fell with me, she reached out her hand to try and help me, but she fell with me. She knew it was dangerous, but she still helped me. She¡¯s always helped me, so many times on our journeys. How can you attack her? You shouldn¡¯t be attacking anyone, never mind Vonda who is so sweet and kind to everyone.¡± Konarot stared down at the snow, her leaf shaped ears falling. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. You should feel ashamed for what you did to Vonda, who has always treated you so nicely.¡± Konarot shook as she began to cry, her face contorting as tears fell down her face. Wisdom Save (Advantage) D20 + 4 = 8 (4) D20 + 4 = 18 (14) Adam¡¯s heart sunk once more, and a deeper chill fell within him, but he crossed his arms and waited expectantly. ¡°Sohree, daddee,¡± the girl sobbed. ¡°Why are you sorry to me? You should apologise to Vonda.¡± Adam remained waiting with his arms crossed. ¡°Sohree, Vondah,¡± the girl sobbed. ¡°She will be your mummy soon. If you don¡¯t want to call her mummy, that¡¯s fine, but then you can¡¯t call me daddy.¡± ¡°No?¡± Konarot asked, sobbing harder as the tears fell down her face. ¡°No.¡± Health: 85 -> 86 Jarot stepped aside with the Shaman, who poured the tea to warm them up. ¡°Her veins glowed blue gently for a moment.¡± Lokat replied with a bow of her head, finishing the tea. Konarot eventually calmed down within her father¡¯s arms. Adam held the girl, sipping his tea as he rocked, trying to keep himself warm. He could feel the cold seep deep within him, though as always, tea forced it away. ¡°My baby.¡± Adam brushed her cheek tenderly, feeling his Health seep away. Health: 85 -> 84 ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my big girl. You¡¯re Konarot, my most sensible Konarot. You always look so well after your younger siblings. I¡¯ll love you forever, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Adam blew a raspberry into her neck. Health: 84 -> 83 ¡°I trust you the most out of all the children, but don¡¯t tell them that, so you cannot betray my trust, okay?¡± Adam pinched her cheek, narrowing his eyes at her playfully. ¡°Okay.¡± She reached out to hold her father¡¯s hand in her own, her eyes glued into her father¡¯s. She then leaned in to press her cheek against her father¡¯s as they cuddled. Health: 83 -> 82 ¡°Cuddle your father all you want, my princess. What is all this Health for but to cuddle you?¡± Adam brushed his cheek against hers tenderly. ¡°Daddy, staying?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my sweet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl hugged her father tighter. Lokat wasn¡¯t sure if she could ask for Adam to leave now. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°I will return to watch over Kirot and Karot,¡± Jarot said, hoisting himself up from his seat. He reached over to brush the girl¡¯s hair, before leaning down to kiss her forehead. ¡°If the Shamans bully you, you must tell your babo.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Konarot waved her hand as the old man left. Jarot stepped out of the cabin. He inhaled the crisp air, reaching up to brush his cheek, feeling the frost against him. ¡®Why am I training but to watch over you, my Konarot?¡¯ Lokat spent the next hours testing the girl, checking her breath, then feeling the girl¡¯s bare skin. She sipped red potion after red potion as she continued her tests, noting the chill growing deeper towards the girl¡¯s stomach. ¡°Was she angry?¡± Lokat asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, rubbing his hands and his cheek to keep himself warm. Health: 89 -> 90 ¡®It¡¯s getting slower,¡¯ Adam thought. Lokat warmed up her hands before she pressed them against her stomach, gently pressing into the girl¡¯s skin gently, downing potion after potion, between warming up her hands. Konarot¡¯s tail swayed with every touch. ¡°I can heal you,¡± Adam offered. ¡°It is not required,¡± Lokat assured. ¡°It will warm you up too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam held the Shaman¡¯s hands between his pressing the girl, dipping into his Lay on Hands with singular points. ¡°If you it stronger, let me know.¡± ¡°This is fine.¡± Lokat continued to press against the girl¡¯s tummy, until she finished pressing against the girl¡¯s stomach. She inhaled deeply, unsure of how to proceed. She reached for the girl¡¯s tail and did the same, Konarot doing her best to keep her tail still. ¡°Stay here tonight. I will cook you soup and check you later.¡± ¡°What do we say to Shaman Lokat for helping?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl replied, tapping her chin. Lokat began to cook the soup, though stepped out, glancing towards her side, towards the aide. She could see the faint outline of Elder Shaman sipping her tea, with a red sparrow staring right at her. Once it was night, the daddy daughter duo cuddled together, the girl¡¯s body having warmed up until it was bearable. Adam held the girl tightly against his chest. ¡°You can¡¯t act up to cuddle me like this, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Pramis.¡± Adam kissed the top of her head, ruffling her silver hair. The girl slowly fell asleep, while Adam stared at his daughter¡¯s face, noting the scar across her cheek. ¡®The world is so unfair to you, my Konarot. I didn¡¯t even use an Omen and...¡¯ Adam let out a soft sigh, before closing his eyes to sleep. No! How can this happen to our Konarot? [898.2] – Y03.198.2 – Heart of Ice II [898.2] ¨C Y03.198.2 ¨C Heart of Ice II Omen: 17, 20 ¡°We would like to keep her today,¡± Lokat informed over breakfast of porridge and fruit. Adam let out a long sigh. ¡°Konarot, did you hear that?¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± ¡°I know, I know, but you might be sick. Do you want your sisters and brothers to get sick?¡± The girl shook her head, though she pouted up towards her father, her ears and tail slumping. ¡°What a good girl you are, thinking of your siblings even now.¡± Adam brushed along her hair. ¡®It just had to be today, eh?¡¯ A knock interrupted the trio, before Jarot stepped within, carrying a pack. ¡°Is my Konarot well?¡± ¡°She needs to stay here for longer.¡± ¡°I will stay. It is difficult for me to explore the festival with this leg of mine.¡° Jarot sat opposite the pair, holding out a hand to his greatdaughter. ¡°Come, my Konarot.¡± Konarot glanced up towards her father. ¡°...¡± ¡°Your babo wants to play with you today. I¡¯ll go tell your sisters and brothers you¡¯re okay, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl pouted once more, her tail brushing along the floor a moment. Adam kissed the girl¡¯s nose. ¡°Come on, we can at least bathe together, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam bathed with his daughter, keeping the water warm, though not too hot, since his daughter preferred it only barely warm. He washed her hair, dried it, and brushed it. He slipped her into her festival outfit, while Adam slipped into his own. ¡®The old man¡¯s this smart?¡¯ The pair embraced tightly, Adam swaying with her within his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t cause too much trouble, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on her cheek before he stepped out, making his way towards the shared estate. He veered off slightly towards the Elder¡¯s estate, stepping in to see Zijin, who was marking notes by himself, his eyes snapping up to Adam. ¡°Good morning, Elder.¡± ¡°Good morning, Adam. How is Konarot?¡± ¡°She¡¯s... I don¡¯t know. She seems fine.¡± ¡°I pray she is well.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Adam felt the amulet within his shirt. ¡°I, uh... I need some materials to make up stuff. You know, like arms, legs, tongues, eyes, noses, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°Livingwood, livingwater, livingmetal,¡± Zijin noted off the top of his head. ¡°There is a spell, Regrowth.¡± ¡°Yeah. If I had a Ring of Regeneration this would be simply, but you know how it is, I¡¯m very lucky in some ways, less lucky in other ways.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°If you were that lucky, we would consider you a greater threat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m stupid.¡± Zijin bowed his head. ¡°Don¡¯t agree too quickly,¡± Adam joked, raising his brow. ¡°Alright, well... I guess I need a bunch of stuff.¡± ¡°Red oak can also work.¡± ¡°Red oak?¡± ¡°Some Rings of Regeneration are made of such.¡± ¡°So...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Does the Iyr have any?¡± ¡°We do.¡± ¡°So... can we make some kind of deal?¡± ¡°Elder Gold and Elder Forest may not trade for it.¡± ¡°They might if I offer enough.¡± ¡°Red oak is best bought from Red Oak.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, feeling the Elder¡¯s resistance within his words. ¡°Alright. I appreciate the information.¡± Adam bowed his head and turned to leave. ¡°Adam,¡± Zijin called. ¡°Your daughter will be well.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, as though he believed it. ¡®She better be, Baktu.¡¯ The triplets noticed their father first as they charged up towards him, hugging his leg, their tails shifting the snow behind them. ¡°Did you miss your daddy?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kirot replied, and Karot nodded. ¡°Kaka?¡± ¡°She¡¯s with the Shamans, she¡¯s okay,¡± Adam said, brushing their cheeks, feeling how warm they were in comparison to their sister. Adam glanced aside towards Vonda, who seemed healthy and well. ¡°Vonda...¡± Iromin inhaled sharply. ¡®Oh.¡¯ ¡°Is someone going to explain this gem to me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It possesses great power,¡± Iromin began, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®It must be his children to cause such trouble...¡¯ ¡°The Gems of Jiad are powerful artefacts. The Gem of Arcarius grants great abilities to the wielder, from ignoring the effects of the cold, to empowering one¡¯s own cold, and the ability to cast certain spells daily. It is cursed, causing one to rage with ease.¡± ¡°Our Konarot rages so quickly,¡± Jarot confirmed, puffing out his chest with pride. ¡°She takes after me.¡± Iromin blinked, recalling Jarot¡¯s threat which had forced him to arrive so swiftly. His eyes fell to Elder Shaman. ¡°Will the removal harm the girl?¡± ¡°It may, or it may not.¡± ¡°How much will it harm her?¡± ¡°It may kill her.¡± Iromin inhaled sharply, his eyes glued to Elder Shaman¡¯s. ¡°We do not allow our children to undergo death so freely, not without the appropriate price.¡± ¡°She is not one of our children.¡± Iromin raised a hand towards Jarot¡¯s chest, feeling the heat of rage filling the old man. ¡°She holds privileges as a Niece of the Rot family.¡± Elder Shaman inhaled sharply in return. She was about to reply when she paused. She caught Iromin¡¯s eyes for a moment, the Chief bowing his head lightly. ¡°She will not be harmed.¡± Adam glanced between the pair. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°She will not be harmed, Adam,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°Will you allow us to remove the gem from within her?¡± ¡°I mean... if it won¡¯t hurt her, sure.¡± ¡°She will lose its abilities.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Will it make her better?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then it is what it is.¡± ¡°I shall prepare,¡± Elder Shaman said, standing up taller. ¡°Who is the gem going to belong to?¡± Adam asked. Iromin and Elder Shaman glanced between one another before his eyes fell back to the half elf. ¡°What do you suggest?¡± ¡°Obviously it belongs to my daughter.¡± ¡°Will you leave it within the Iyr¡¯s hands until she has grown of age?¡± ¡°How old?¡± ¡°When she becomes a woman.¡± ¡°How old?¡± ¡°Sixteen.¡± ¡°Okay, but she can ask for it before then, and you must give it to her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I can ask for it, and so can my wife, but when we ask for it, it must be given to her.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°The removal will take some time,¡± Elder Shaman informed. ¡°How long?¡± ¡°It may require up to a week.¡± ¡°The entire festival¡¯ll be done by then.¡± ¡°It should be completed before the Twilight Month.¡± ¡°Can you do it the day after tomorrow? I want to take her to explore the festival with her siblings.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Elder Shaman left. Adam picked his daughter up, staring into her curious silver eyes. ¡°Did you hear? The Iyrmen will make you better.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, resting her head against her father¡¯s chest, clutching at his shirt. ¡°Let¡¯s have lots of fun tomorrow.¡± Konarot! Everything will be fine! Not even the Iyr can hurt you! Early chapter today to remind the Brits it''s voting day today. If you liked what''s happened the last 14 years in the government, please go vote. If you don''t like what''s happened the last 14 years in government, please go vote. [898.3] – Y03.198.3 – Heart of Ice III [898.3] ¨C Y03.198.3 ¨C Heart of Ice III Adam spent the next day with his children, taking them around the festival. He made sure to feed his daughter as much as he could, pampering his eldest daughter, who melted against her father with all the attention she was receiving. He also cheered her on with the games, though she rushed them before she returned to her father to hold him close. ¡®Oh, my Konarot...¡¯ Adam held her close after realising how little the girl cared for the various games, instead embracing her and carrying her around. The older Jarot remained with Jurot and Pam, finally giving the pair his attention. ¡°You are built well,¡± Jarot said, nodding his head approvingly. ¡°You will birth many strong grandchildren.¡± raised her brows with alarm, feeling a redness fill her cheeks. ¡°Thank you?¡± ¡®Is this the Mad Dog?¡¯ Jarot nodded, before a hand struck him upside the back of his head. ¡°Ignore my husband, he is still a fool,¡± Mulrot said, her eyes taking in the sight of the young woman Jurot had managed to seduce, or rather, had been seduced by. ¡°I am right,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You are right, but you should not say it.¡± Pam flushed deeper red, reaching up to try and hide as much of her face as she could as she pretended to scratch above her brow. ¡°Grandfather is like Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ah,¡± Pam replied, slowly nodding her head. ¡°He is my grandson.¡± ¡°He is my brother.¡± Mulrot wondered if Pam would be fine when she was surrounded by idiots. She reached out to hold the girl¡¯s hands. ¡°Thank you for accepting. Jurot spoke of you so warmly.¡± ¡°He did?¡± Pam glanced to Jurot, her cheeks flushing the same colour as Jurot¡¯s ears. ¡°He has spoken of your worries. Your father will be treated well within the Iyr. You will be treated well too, and your children will grow well within our walls.¡± ¡°Please take good care of my pa. He¡¯s taken care of me so good after my ma¡¯s death.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Mulrot assured. Pam exhaled. She thought of Adam and his children, thinking of the twins in particular. She supposed she could compromise since it meant her father would be taken care of in the Iyr, knowing full well of the rumours of how the Iyr treated its guests, and those who married within the family. As the hours passed by, the late evening brought a quieter day. Konarot¡¯s cries cut through the air as she embraced her father. ¡°I do not want it!¡± Konarot sobbed. Adam embraced the girl tight, who had waved goodbye to her siblings but a few minutes ago. ¡°Oh, baby. It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay! It¡¯s the Iyr!¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared, daddy.¡± ¡°Oh. Why are you scared?¡± ¡°Iyr is stuhrong!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so you don¡¯t have to be scared.¡± Adam brushed her hair along her cheek. The Iyr won''t do anything to you, if they do, daddy and babo will come!¡± Adam embraced her tighter, rocking gently. ¡°The Iyr has lasted all this while because it¡¯s strong and smart and wise. It¡¯s not going to give that up for a gem, my dear.¡± ¡®Hey, Baktu, don''t put me in an awkward spot, please.¡¯ ¡°Hmph! The Iyr will not hurt you! Babo is here! If they bully you, you must tell me, and I will cause them much trouble. Let us see if they are so shameless to steal my greatdaughter¡¯s gem!¡± ¡°Babo!¡± The girl hugged her greatfather¡¯s leg tight, sniffling. ¡°Where is my vicious Konarot who dared to even glare at me? They cannot harm you, they are so afraid of you!¡± Jarot held her close, kissing her cheek and neck, pulling her closer with his one arm. Even he didn¡¯t wish to surrender his greatdaughter, but he understood it was for the good of the child. ¡®If they harm you, let them see how mad this dog will be!¡¯ Konarot glanced towards where her grandmother had left with the rest of the children, before sniffling. She glanced towards Elder Shaman, who held out her hand. The old woman looked so different, no longer quite as sharp, more softer like her greatmother. Adam watched the girl as they took her away, the various Shamans following Elder Shaman. The girl continued to look back towards her father, who smiled with a tense jaw and wiggled her fingers. Once she was gone, Adam¡¯s eyes turned to the Chief. ¡°Chief.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam swallowed. He wasn¡¯t sure how deeply he should threaten the Iyr. ¡°I hope no mistakes are made.¡± ¡°There will be none.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to remember that.¡± ¡°I will continue to watch over your children as I already have,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°I appreciate that.¡± Iromin could feel something emanating from Adam he hadn¡¯t felt before, the eyes of the half elf holding something Iromin hadn¡¯t seen from the boy before. ¡®How Iyrmanly.¡¯ Gurot twitched and squirmed, opening his eyes. He glanced around and saw his aunt in the distance. He smiled. ¡°Sssh,¡± Sonarot said, going to pick him up, before settling back down slightly away from the children. ¡°How lucky you are my Gurot, your cousin will look after you. You must behave well.¡± ¡°Kaza,¡± Gurot said, his tired voice quiet, the boy rubbing his eyes gently. ¡°Gurot, you¡¯re going to grow up to be such a troublemaker, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gurot smiled innocently, a smile which was so much like his niece. ¡°Why?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°It''s because his brother will become Elder Peace and he¡¯ll show off.¡± Sonarot smiled wider. ¡°You taught the older children to play with their younger siblings.¡± ¡°They''ll regret not doing so in their future, so I made sure they learnt it quickly.¡± ¡°Now even my Jurot yearns for children. My Jurot who did not understand, and yet now...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve made him into an idiot.¡± Adam smiled wide, as though to say he wasn¡¯t quite so sorry. Sonarot reached up to rub Adam¡¯s head. ¡°I hope you do not change.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± It was during an evening Jurot and Adam drank together, the peach wine the Rot family loved so much. ¡°Thank you, Adam.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You have done so much for me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot for me too.¡± Adam poured his brother a drink. Jurot raised his cup to Adam, sipping it. ¡°Jaygak and Kitool too. We all owe you so much. With your assistance, we have managed to achieve things we would not have been able to, not this quickly.¡± ¡°It is what it is.¡± Jurot remained silence. ¡°I keep dreaming the same dream. I dream of being a father. I have a son who I carry on my shoulders as I walk through a field. He tells me he wishes to become a Rage Dancer, like me. I do not recall his voice, but I feel his weight upon my shoulders, the grass against my knees. I worry I will not be a good enough father, but I know it will be fine. I have mother. I have Kitool. I have you.¡± ¡°Jaygak won''t be too bad.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I can only say that Baktu has blessed me with such great family.¡± ¡°You''ll make me blush.¡± Adam said, feeling his cheeks warm, and his heart tingle. Jurot poured Adam a cup of wine. ¡°No matter what happens, you and I are brothers.¡± Adam raised his cup and the pair drank back their shot of wine, with Adam finally able to taste the wine for a moment. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea of what you''ll name your son?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You must wait and see.¡± ¡°What if I die before then?¡± ¡°Then I will name him after you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I won''t name any of my children after you. You''re the only Jurot in my heart. No homo.¡± ¡°No homo?¡± ¡°It''s a saying you say after you say something gay to make it not gay.¡± ¡°Is it a spell?¡± ¡°No, just a stupid, cringe joke.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± There''s a very very small part of me which wants to see Jarot cause a mess. [898.4] – Y03.198.4 – Heart of Ice IV [898.4] ¨C Y03.198.4 ¨C Heart of Ice IV The next morning, Jurot took Adam¡¯s children with him and Pam. Unfortunately, Larot had been claimed by Mulrot for the day. He had noted the way she had looked at them, and he did not like it. ¡°Papo Juroh,¡± Jirot said, fiddling with his collar while he carried her. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are so big and stuhrong.¡± ¡°I am not strong.¡± ¡°No?¡± The girl furrowed her brows, tilting her head slightly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Nana is big and stuhrong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Stuhronger you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She gasped towards her twin brother, their eyes wide, their brows raised in utter shock. ¡°Wow! Nana is so stuhrong! I love nana!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes! I love nana, and I love daddy!¡± ¡°I love nana and daddy too!¡± Jarot added. ¡°What of me?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled. Jarot cackled too, before he stared up at his uncle. ¡°Papo?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love you.¡± Jurot¡¯s heart throbbed. ¡°I love you too, Jarot.¡± ¡°Papo! I love you too!¡± Jirot claimed, grabbing her uncle¡¯s face before kissing his cheek. Jurot flushed slightly, and he wondered if the Iyr would allow him to leave to kill a hydra. ¡°I love you too.¡± Jurot kissed his niece and nephew atop their foreheads tenderly. Pam glanced towards them, her eyes wide. ¡®They really are his niece and nephew? Does he think they¡¯re...¡¯ She glanced around, noting the horcs and devilkin about, though she would never dare call Iyrmen such. ¡°Papo?¡± Jirot called, reaching up to his hair, brushing it gently with her tiny green hair. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You ah small?¡± ¡°I am big.¡± ¡°You ah small and now you ah big?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You have daddy?¡± Jurot paused for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Baba?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot blinked at her uncle, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡°Where is baba?¡± ¡°He is missing.¡± ¡°Missing?¡± ¡°Yes. He is missing and we cannot find him.¡± ¡°Baba is big and stuhrong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot thought back to his father, who had quite some time before he had left the Iyr to adventure. He thought back to all the expeditions he had taken in the Aldish lands. ¡°Baba is stronger than nana.¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± The girl exclaimed breathlessly. She stabilised herself with a hand against her uncle¡¯s shoulder before sitting up taller, pointing to her chest. ¡°I am stuhronger than baba!¡± ¡°Adam, your children were bullying me!¡± Jaygak huffed. ¡°You probably deserved it,¡± Adam said, holding out his arms, causing his twins to squirm towards him. ¡°Wait until I have children of my own!¡± Adam nuzzled against his twins, glancing to the side to see Pam peeking towards them, though her eyes darted away. ¡®You¡¯re going to have to get used to it.¡¯ The last day of the festival arrived, with no Konarot in sight. However, another guest appeared. ¡°You are to marry?¡± Morkarai asked, his eyes wide. ¡°To who?¡± Adam motioned a hand to Vonda. ¡°Lord Morkarai, Ray Vonda. Ray Vonda, Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°We have met,¡± Morkarai said, bowing his head to the Ray. ¡°It is always a pleasure,¡± Vonda replied, bowing her head. ¡°I thought Ray Vonda was the most obvious choice, so I thought you would marry another.¡± ¡°Who do you think I¡¯d marry?¡± ¡°Lucy, Mara, Kitool. I thought Jaygak, but she has spoken of her love for horns, and you are not blessed with such. I would have thought perhaps a Demigod would come to marry you.¡± ¡°Eugh,¡± Lucy said, before quickly sipping her wine. ¡°I would never.¡± She flushed slightly. ¡®It should be fine to tease him a little?¡¯ ¡°...¡± Mara replied. She sat tall and strong, her eyes slowly scanning towards the half elf who she owed a great deal towards. ¡°I couldn¡¯t marry any of them,¡± Adam replied, narrowing his eyes towards Lucy for a moment as he sipped his own wine. ¡°I mean, Lucy¡¯s my friend, same as Mara and Kitool. In terms of Demigods... Well, I don¡¯t really like nobles.¡± ¡°Was Vonda not your friend?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but, you know...¡± Adam flushed, sipping again ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re coming to my wedding, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I will if you are inviting me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°When is the wedding.¡± ¡°Uh, I think the end of next month?¡± Adam glanced over to Vonda, who nodded. ¡°Oh, and Dunes is marrying too, you should go to his wedding.¡± ¡°When is it?¡± ¡°The end of this month.¡± ¡°I will come if I am invited.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask him now, if you want.¡± Morkarai nodded. Dunes wasn¡¯t sure why Adam was trying to give him a heart attack from the contents of the Sending. ¡®He may. I hope you are enjoying yourself. Please inform me when Konarot has recovered.¡¯ Adam glanced around to his friends, who were all calm in her matter, more worried for Adam. ¡®I guess it is the Iyr...¡¯ ¡°I have heard your daughter is being treated by the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re taking out the, uh... Arcarius Gem?¡± Morkarai blinked. ¡®...¡¯ He blinked again, before glancing aside to see the Iyrmen were judging the way he had taken the news. He sipped his fire wine. ¡°Of course they are.¡± ¡®Of course it is your child who possesses such a gem.¡¯ Morkarai understood his chances of leaving the Iyr alive had decreased substantially. He reached up to rub his forehead. ¡°I wish you had not informed me of that matter.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It is a dangerous matter to know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It is one of the Gems of Jiad.¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°The gems which Ajax the Immortal possesses,¡± Jurot stated, having just realised Adam had no idea what they had been talking about. They had already spoken about it previously, but it had been some time. ¡®Adam truly is terrible with names.¡¯ History Check D20 + 3 = 6 (3) ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Ajax the Mouse, also known as Ajax the Immortal, has collected the Three Gems of Jiad,¡± Morkarai began. ¡°Each gem is worth an entire¡¯s city¡¯s blood. Any with the gem is a target, even for the likes of dragons, and not even dragons are exempt. They say some of the gems are in the possession of dragons, but even if they can grant great powers to even dragons, they may not accept such a boon for the target upon their back would be too great to bear.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, realising what the gem meant. ¡°Oh fuck.¡± ¡°Oh fuck,¡± called a little voice. Adam turned his head to see Jirot blinking up towards him innocent from beside him, holding her bottle of milk in her tiny green hands. He sighed. ¡®Oh fuck.¡¯ Mistakes were made... [898.5] – Y03.198.5 – Heart of Ice V [898.5] ¨C Y03.198.5 ¨C Heart of Ice V ¡°Oh! You!¡± Adam held his daughter tight within his arms, swaying from side to side, almost melting against his daughter. Konarot rubbed her warm cheek against her father¡¯s, clutching the back of his collar tight within her grip, not wanting to let go. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Oh, my baby, my sweet baby girl,¡± Adam whispered, peppering her face with as many kisses as he could to make up for the time they had spent apart. He nuzzled against her nose, their warmth bouncing off one another, while he rubbed her forehead with his own. ¡°Did they bully you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Konarot replied. ¡°I fall asleep and I wake up and I see daddy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam nuzzled her nose, on the verge of tears. ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam continued to embrace her tight, before he felt the gazes of others against his back. ¡°What, can¡¯t a father embrace his daughter after not seeing her in so long?¡± Adam caught the eyes of his children. ¡°Well, I suppose you¡¯ve all missed your sister too.¡± The four children swarmed their eldest sister. ¡°Kaka!¡± they cried, embracing her tight, each making sure to kiss their eldest sister¡¯s cheek as they hugged. Kirot sniffed the girl and the pair purred as they embraced. Konarot nuzzled Karot, the pair rocking slightly as they hugged. ¡°I miss you so much,¡± Jirot said, hugging her sister tight, her head resting against the girl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Kaka...¡± Jarot held his sister close, though the eldest girl brushed his hair and rubbed her cheek against his. Adam covered his eyes, sniffling slightly. ¡°Thank you, Elder Shaman.¡± ¡°I did what I must,¡± Elder Shaman replied simply, before leaving with the rest of the Shamans. Adam dropped down to a knee and reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small badge. To the entire world the design meant very little. It was fairly small, rectangular, and upon its face was a design close to Adam¡¯s heart. Within the centre was a plus outline by a slightly larger plus. Then an x, with a mark across the left side of each in the way of a windmill spinning. With such a design, several triangles formed between the x and plus, small and thin on the sides, much bigger on the top and bottom. ¡°Gift Giving has passed, but that doesn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t prepare anything for you, my sweet.¡± Adam placed the badge within Konarot¡¯s hand, clasping her fingers over it for a moment. ¡°This badge... I...¡± Adam paused for a long moment. ¡°This badge represents daddy¡¯s old home. It represents a lot. Lots og good, lots of evil, but it was daddy¡¯s home. One day I¡¯ll tell you more about it, but this design, it¡¯s only going to exist with you.¡± Konarot blinked, not quite understanding what her father was saying, but she could feel the affection coming from him. They held one another so tenderly once more. Adam inhaled her scent, the smell of the Iyr¡¯s oils upon her. ¡°I want to hug you more, but we¡¯ve got something to do.¡± Adam lifted her up, carrying the girl by her lonesome, his children following their father out, also wanting to be held. ¡°You brats, your sister has been all by herself, so daddy needs to hug her properly!¡± Konarot rested her head against her father¡¯s shoulder. It had only felt like an hour since she last saw her father so she was a little confused but she cuddled against her father and closed her eyes. ¡®Home.¡¯ While Adam took his children away, allowing Konarot to reunite with the rest of her family, the Chief stared at the gem within the cave. He could feel the chill emanating from the gem, and its intense power. ¡®How did the girl contain such power? I thought they were dangerous, but I did not realise they were sources of danger for the Iyr.¡¯ Iromin let out a defeated sigh. ¡®Even your children can surprise me so? Should I have expected less from Mad Dog¡¯s greatchildren?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long until that fellow adored his returning greatdaughter, tickling her tummy. ¡°Did they bully you, my greatdaughter?¡± ¡°No,¡± the girl replied, giggling lightly from her greatfather¡¯s tickling. ¡°I fall asleep and I wake up.¡± ¡°Are you certain? If they bullied you, you must tell me. Do you think I cannot make a mess?¡± ¡°No,¡± Konarot replied, bowing her head slightly as the old man rubbed her head, not understanding how much trouble she had saved the Iyr. A rush filled the shared estate, the families having waited for Konarot to return before they left. It didn¡¯t take long for Iyrmen to prepare to leave, however. The Iyrmen knew how to prepare quickly to leave, taking fewer moments to prepare to leave to kill. Although, there was one thing the Iyr spent extra time to prepare for. The prayers began early in the morning. Korin¡¯s voice cutting through the air. Though the white of nightval sullied the air, the chill invading through Korin, he continued to pray out in the Aswadian tongue. He held a his sword out in front of him, as though offering it to the world. He blew into the air, from left to right and right to left, before continuing the prayer, blowing the air once more, before finally bowing his head, offering the blade to Lady Arya. After a moment he glanced towards Sara who began to tap the drum, and music began to ripple through the fort as the Iyrmen began to play, a cacophony of leather, wind, and string. Adam glanced towards the bride and groom, adorned within their simple clothes of a dull red and blue. Amira wore a scarf which covered her hair and horns, wrapped around her neck and shoulders, while Dunes wore piece of thick folded cloth kept atop his head by a band of rope which fell over his ears and around his shoulders. The pair wore very little jewellery, though sat within the centre of the newly made village on the Iyr¡¯s side of the river, atop a stage which elevated them even as they sat. ¡®Korin and Sara are working so hard,¡¯ Adam thought as the pair guided the Iyrmen to provide for the visitors of the wedding. ¡®Should I do some work too?¡¯ Dunes stared down at his cup of wine. ¡®It¡¯s too cold for a wedding.¡¯ He sipped the wine which warmed his bones. Amira enjoyed the music and the general environment of pleasantness all around her. She fought away the nerves and the thoughts of whether it was a good idea to do this. ¡®The Priest Commander is going to kill us.¡¯ She glanced to her side where Dunes sat, deep in thought within his cup. ¡°Thinking of your last regrets?¡± Jirot glanced towards Amira, her eyes taking in the devilkin¡¯s sight. She smirked. She turned to flee towards her aunt, but Adam pulled her in close, attacking her with his affection. ¡°Smelly girl! What were you about to say?¡± Adam blew a raspberry into the giggling girl¡¯s neck, who was unable to escape from her father¡¯s grasp. Amira noted Jaygak raising her brows, the soft smile on the Iyrman¡¯s face, before the devilkin shrugged her shoulders. ¡°What a lovely daughter you have, Adam. She has the spirit of our Day of Laughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because she¡¯s a smelly girl,¡± Adam said, blowing another raspberry into her neck, the girl squirming and giggling as she almost began to cry. Adam let her go, the girl almost dropping beside Jaygak, who pulled the hysterical girl close. Little Jarot also cuddled up beside his aunt. ¡°I not smelly! I can go myself!¡± The girl panted for air, embracing her aunt close. Dunes glanced aside to see the elderly Iyrmen relaxing in their corner, with a tiny demon baby relaxing beside them. ¡®Mad Dog. Flame Brand. Butcher. Will there be a fight today?¡¯ Thankfully, the Day of Laughter passed, and the Day of Eating approached. Noon brought some warmth upon the wedding, which had brought together many more Iyrmen and even many villagers from the nearby village. As noon veered above, water and soap was brought to the bride and groom, who were wearing more jewellery than the day before. The music had shifted to bring attention to the pair, rising louder, before growing much quieter than before. ¡®Did Sara help with her nails?¡¯ Dunes thought, noting his bride¡¯s dark blue nails. They dried their hands on a towel provided to them by Korin, before they reached down to pick up a piece of fruit to feed one another. Dunes fed Amira a piece of cut salya from his fingers, before the woman fed him a slice of apple from her own fingers. As she fed him the apple from her fingers, noting the way she smiled as some juice dripped onto his thick shirt, his heart throbbed. Whatever regrets his heart may have kept hidden melted away, it throbbing wildly as he understood the significance of the Day of Eating. The pair continued to feed one another was their tradition. ¡®Dunes really is handsome...¡¯ Amira couldn¡¯t help but admit, seeing how clean the line of his beard was. ¡®Korin must have spent an hour assisting him.¡¯ Dunes leaned back and glanced up towards the grey sky. It was then he understood why weddings were so popular in noonval, and why so many children were born in dawnval. ¡°What do you think?¡± Adam asked, eating his porridge, raising his brows towards Alex. ¡°The porridge is delicious with milk, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. I love porridge with milk.¡± The boy continued to shovel spoonfuls of porridge. It was neither too hot, too cold, it was just right. ¡°It¡¯s my favourite.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, brushing Alex¡¯s hair, before going back to eating. He glanced around to all the food on offer. ¡®How much money did he make that he could afford to give away all this food?¡¯ Hundreds enjoyed the food Dunes and Amira had bought, and Korin and the Iyrmen, as well as the business workers had cooked early in the morning. Though nightval was white and lifeless, the Day of Colour was not so. While the many people around wore something bright, a scarf, a hat, a sash, but the bride and groom in the centre shone brightest. Dunes wore a bright red, his hair still black, but his beard dyed a fiery orange. There was only one person who matched such a beard, but they were adorned in a dull grey. Dunes¡¯ attire was red, the kind of red only matched by fresh blood, his scarf resting over his shoulders a red and gold which would make even the Priests of Noor proud. Amira wore a bright blue, like that of the Aswadian sky during noonval. Her face was also marked blue, contrasting her red skin, causing a pair of twins to remain mesmerised by her, and her soon to be husband. Korin stood, his hands crossed over his stomach, listening intently to the prayer from the Iyrman, an amulet of Wahtu dangling across her chest. He clenched his fist together, trying to focus on the prayer, though he could feel the sleepiness set within him. ¡®Stay awake, Korin. Soon! Soon!¡¯ ¡°Look, it¡¯s daddy,¡± Jirot said, pointing to Vonda as though she couldn¡¯t see the half elf dressed in a saturated purple with white highlights, matching the rest of his children. ¡°What is he carrying?¡± Vonda asked. Jirot shrugged. ¡°Soad?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I am always right.¡± Jirot sat up taller, while little Jarot smiled, nodding his head. Sara brought a bundle of blue cloth to Amira, who unwrapped the cloth to reveal a blade made of steel, the kind of steel one could only find within the Iyr. She was glad the Iyr had accepted her request to forge a blade. She held the blade in hand, holding either end within her hands, as though about to offer it to someone. Adam brought a bundle red cloth to Dunes, offering it to the Aswadian before retreating back awkwardly. Dunes unwrapped the cloth to reveal the blade. The haft was long, the pommel in the shape of a circle, but engraved within was a sun with rays that seemed more like flames. The leather around the handle was tightly wrapped, made of thick leather, dark greyish, brown, and green. The hilt of the blade held a cross guard which seemed to slowly melt into the rest of the blade. Korin held out his hands before himself, addressing the pair. ¡°You may exchange the hazya althifaf.¡± Dunes held out his hand to accept the gift first, though Amira had done the same. An awkward moment passed as Dunes smirked, causing Amira to pass her gift first. She was too busy cursing Dunes to thank him, because if she had reached for the blade without both hands, she certainly would have dropped it. ¡®Morn!¡¯ Amira thought, feeling the tingling of great magic within the blade. ¡®Dunes!¡¯ The shock had caused the blue marks upon her face to crack slightly. The fire giant Prince poured his companion more wine, pouring himself a cup too. ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°You¡¯re are congratulating the wrong person,¡± Ashmir said, raising his cup, before sipping the rest of his wine. He stared at the boy, a stranger, though not by blood. His eyes then fell to the girl. He stared at them for a long while, but instead of their faces, he thought of a different pair of faces. One was similar to Dunes¡¯, the other was a face he had not seen in decades, and would not see again in this lifetime. A single tear fell down his cheek as he stared into another life, another past. For once it''s not Adam causing trouble... [899.1] – Y03.199.1 – Twilight Days I [899.1] ¨C Y03.199.1 ¨C Twilight Days I ¡°They¡¯re fightin¡¯,¡± Copper said, his eyes squinting as he tried to watch the specks in the distance. ¡°Why¡¯s he fightin¡¯ foh? He just got married!¡± Jack said, shaking his head, letting out the kind of disappointed sigh Julia used against him. ¡°She¡¯s fightin¡¯ too,¡± Ginny said. ¡°Yeah, but she¡¯s not a Priest,¡± Copper said. ¡°Priests fight,¡± Ginny replied. ¡°Yeah, but ¡®e¡¯s...¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Priest of Lady Arya,¡± the girl said, tapping her forehead with her index and middle fingers in a botched attempt of the Lady of War¡¯s holy gesture. The boys tapped their foreheads the same way, relenting to Ginny¡¯s words. He was a Priest of War, after all. They squinted further to check the fights of their Managers, and them. Them. ¡®Where¡¯s all the fire?¡¯ Alex thought, expecting a flash of fire any moment now. No fire came, but the figures, like ants on the horizon, could feel blood splatter against them. ¡°Blood after a wedding?¡± Amira tutted, using the new blade she had been gifted. She barely had to slice the air and the blade struck deep upon her will. It was a strange sensation to strike true at one¡¯s will, even if she could only do so three times per day. No. It was crazy enough she could do so once per day, never mind thrice. ¡°The sign of a long marriage, and our lost innocence,¡± Dunes joked, distracting her from her ridiculous thought. ¡®It¡¯s dangerous to make such jokes when she wields such a blade.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ Merl thought, barely holding her shield as she watched a greater shield cut down the bear before her. The wall known as Nobby swung his axe and the bear lay dead. It was truly that simple when it came to Nobby. Merl gasped as the bear tore against Nobby¡¯s chest with a mighty claw, and Nobby¡¯s arm raised slowly, far too slowly, before swinging down to completely slice the creature¡¯s arm clean off. The bear howled in pain, and a swing silenced it forever. Merl had heard again and again about Nobby¡¯s adventures. She had heard how he had come first place in the tournament, but against those who had yet to turn eighteen, it was just a playground for boys and girls. He had fought hydras too, but hydras were... something. They were within her imagination and her imagination was wild, but she understood the unknown was more dangerous than the familiar. With how easily they had dispatched so many hydras, perhaps they were truly weaker than she had expected. She knew how strong bears were, however. A single bear could slaughter three or four villages with ease. Yet, Nobby stood. Even as two or three bears came to cut him down, their great claws which could kill her with a single swipe, merely pet away at Nobby¡¯s skin, which seemed almost as strong as iron.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Jurot,¡± a voice called through the air, taking Merl¡¯s thoughts for a moment. ¡°Can I use my smites?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± came the other voice, equally as terrifying as the first. Whereas Amira and Dunes fought with some semblance of modesty, still understanding the threats of the bears, there were two who seemed to enjoy the oncoming horde of beasts. Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 17 (1, 3)(2, 2) 17 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) Hit! Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 17 (1, 1)(1, 5) 17 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Hit! Mana: 23 -> 22 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 36 (2, 3, 3, 3)(1, 3, 6, 6) 36 damage! Attack - Wraith (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Hit! Mana: 22 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 28 (1, 1, 1, 3)(4, 4, 4, 5) 28 damage! Adam reached up to his chest, before he was stopped by Jurot¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°Oh. Right.¡± The Chief glanced up towards her granddaughter who had gone out to fight and had come back with nary a hair out of place. She raised her brows expectantly. The young Merl let out a long sigh and bowed her head. ¡®Nobby¡¯s far too strong to let him go. He¡¯ll make a good protector for the village.¡¯ ¡°Executive Adam, about the marriage between Nobby and Merl...¡± The Chief smiled towards Adam. ¡°Why are you asking me when you¡¯ve got a needle so close to my heart?¡± Adam replied playfully, certain they wouldn¡¯t actually try to kill him. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m not going to force you.¡± ¡°When can they marry?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I think it would be best if it was sooner rather than later, I¡¯m too old!¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°Not a day over twenty five, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Oh you!¡± Chief Merl smiled wider. ¡°Nobby, what do you think? Do you want to get married?¡± Nobby flushed a deep red. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What do you mean okay? Do you want to get married or not?¡± Nobby¡¯s cheeks turned red. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Merl?¡± The younger Merl nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t just nod, I want to hear an affirmative. This is important. You¡¯ll be getting married, and hopefully lots of children. This is the person you¡¯ll be wanting to spend your life with. Don¡¯t just nod.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There we go.¡± ¡°I will inform Nobby of our customs,¡± Chief Merl said. ¡°He must marry over the river. He should bring a gift too.¡± ¡°What kind of gift?¡± ¡°A gift of some worth.¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡®He has some magical items. He should probably gift that.¡¯ ¡°Daddy!¡± called a tiny voice which wished to tackle her father, while her older siblings and younger twin also charged towards their father. Adam let out a satisfied sigh. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have held back.¡¯ The marriage arc amplifies! Of course we get a little cameo from our favourite troublemaker too. [899.2] – Y03.199.2 – Twilight Days II [899.2] ¨C Y03.199.2 ¨C Twilight Days II As night fell across the fort, the queerness of the Twilight Month taking hold across the land, Jurot sipped at his peach wine. Adam half lay within his chair, feeling the sweet embrace of slumber call to him. ¡°You and I will marry soon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Huh?¡± Adam replied, blinking wildly. ¡°We can¡¯t do that, Jurot, we¡¯re brothers.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam smiled, stretching out his neck from side to side. ¡°We will no longer be men. You are already a father, but you will become a husband, and I will become both husband and father.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, feeling a tingle within his chest. ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Jurot crossed his arms, falling into thought for a long moment. ¡°How does one become a good father and husband?¡± ¡°You just need to treat your children a Jirot isn''t my favourite, but I love her so much. nd wife well, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Pam is no Iyrman. She has agreed to the Iyr¡¯s rules, but they are not easy.¡± ¡°You just need to trust her.¡± Jurot slowly bowed his head, though remained with his arms crossed. ¡°I must do my best.¡± ¡°You will. In our own ways, we¡¯ll do good. I¡¯m sure there will be times where I am better suited, and other times when you are better suited. Even now we both have our own strengths, what with me and my adoration, and you and your sensibleness, outside of your need to kill everything.¡± ¡°I do not wish to kill everything, only that which will bring honour to my family,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°That¡¯s almost everything.¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°I only meant it as a joke, don¡¯t agree that easy, Jurot,¡± Adam replied, his eyes meeting his brother¡¯s for a moment. ¡®Why do you have to be so damn scary all the time?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, you can lean on me whenever you need, and I¡¯ll lean on you whenever I need.¡± Jurot nodded, pouring his brother and himself a drink. Not far from the brothers, the pair of demons stared at the stars from the walls of the fort. They both shared a bottle of wine, eating the fried snacks from the wedding which were rapidly running out. The pair remained silent, staring at the stars, hearing the wind and the chatter. ¡®I didn¡¯t get to admire any hunks this year,¡¯ Lucy thought, letting out a soft sigh. She reached up to her throat, tracing an almost unseen mark. Though she travelled with a Priest of Life, she didn¡¯t want to lose her life for a third time. Mara remained beside Lucy. She thought of her previous strength, still so far away from her current form. ¡®A few decades and I will regain my strength...¡¯ As morning fell across the fort, all gathered to eat, save for the pair of Iyrmen walking the walls. Adam held Larot on his lap, feeding the boy the mushy fruit from the bowl. The commonfolk noted the look of affection Adam had for a demon, and their eyes wandered to the pair of demons who remained within the fort, each eating their food quietly, lost within their thoughts. ¡°Daddy, soht peas,¡± Jirot called, holding up her hot potato. ¡°Of course, my dear,¡± Adam said, taking the tiny wooden shaker, slowly sprinkling the salt onto the potato, doing the same for his son, who also held up his potato. ¡°My adorable little babies!¡± Adam fawned over his children in the morning, before allowing them to go play with the other children, including the new children who had joined the business. Adam watched the pair play, with Lanarot and Gurot joining them, while his triplets all lazed around near him, exhausted from doing their busy work of nothing in particular. Jurot stood beside Adam, feeling his brother¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Jurot, will you come with me to the Front Iyr?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, but I¡¯ve only just hatched. Give me a few decades, a century even, and we¡¯ll see if I don¡¯t beat that bas-,¡± Strength Save D20 + 9 = 12 (3) Failure! Health: 91 -> 72 The earth shifted beneath Adam¡¯s feet while Lord Stokmar held out their hand, flinging Adam back against the nearby wall, the half elf slamming into it roughly, though his legs burned with the effort to keep him upright. ¡°With a flick of my finger, I could crush you,¡± Lord Stokmar said, noting the lack of the Iyrman¡¯s response. ¡°You know, Lord Stokmar, they say you¡¯re unrivalled upon the earth,¡± Adam said, panting for air. ¡°Unfortunately for you, the earth is under the heavens.¡± ¡°With a mouth like that, do you intend to make the entire world your enemy?¡± Lord Stokmar asked, thinking of who Adam was speaking of when he was speaking of the one he wanted to beat. Adam inhaled deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°My children are my world.¡± Strength Save D20 + 9 = 24 (15) Failure! Health: 72 -> 58 The earth shifted under Adam¡¯s feet once more, slamming him against the wall once more, with the half elf dropping to the side. ¡®Cringe,¡¯ Lord Stokmar thought, recalling the word through its context. They understood what the word meant upon meeting Adam. ¡°The thought of you defeating me is laughable.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to face you, Lord Stokmar, not unless it was that serious,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Iyr would dare not to threaten me.¡± Adam¡¯s lips began to widen into that kind of smile which would cause Lord Stokmar to attack him once more. ¡°My brother speaks to you respectfully because he wishes to do so, not because he is compelled. Ain¡¯t that right, Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, without skipping a beat. ¡°Lord Stokmar. You have struck my brother twice.¡± ¡°What of it, child of...¡± Lord Stokmar paused for a moment. ¡°Rot.¡± ¡°I wish to be struck too.¡± The silence of an Iyrman¡¯s speech filled the air. It was the next evening when the pair returned back to the fort, Adam dropping to his knees and wincing as his children embraced him. ¡°What adorable children I have! Did anyone bully you?¡± Adam asked as he peppered them with kisses. ¡°No!¡± Jirot replied. ¡°Anyone bully dadd?¡± ¡°Hmm. A little?¡± ¡°Oh dear!¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°I help, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Jirot asked, standing up taller, her fists clenched at her side as she readied herself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear,¡± Adam brushed the girl¡¯s curly hair tenderly. ¡°Daddy will deal with it.¡± Jirot squirmed slightly before taking her father¡¯s hand when it was free, stroking the back of it. ¡°You ah bully, you tell me. I tell babo and I deal with it, okay?¡± ¡°What? Are you going to bully me by telling babo?¡± Jirot smirked. ¡°Yes.¡± [899.3] – Y03.199.3 – Twilight Days III [899.3] ¨C Y03.199.3 ¨C Twilight Days III ¡°What kind of weapons do you like to use?¡± Adam asked, having made his rounds at the fort. ¡°We brawl with our fists,¡± Cobra replied. ¡°We kick too.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡®I guess they don¡¯t want to use weapons?¡¯ ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll need to equip you wish more defensive equipment then.¡± ¡°Armour would slow us down.¡± ¡°I mean Cloaks of Protection, Rings of Protection, and there¡¯s some other stuff, like bracers, that can help.¡± Cobra blinked. ¡®Cloaks of...¡¯ ¡®I really should think about magical items which aren¡¯t just weapons. There are so many magical weapons that could be made to speed up our travel speed or make it nicer. I really should make something that pops up a house for us to sleep in rather than the towers...¡¯ Adam remained deep in thought. ¡®I already made a steed ring, shouldn¡¯t I make more?¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s thinking again,¡± Korin said, dicing up the vegetables for lunch. Dunes let out a long sigh. ¡°Why is he working so hard when it¡¯s the Month of Quiet?¡± ¡°Is he Aldish?¡± Dunes threw a look towards Korin, whose lips formed a small playful smirk, the young Aswadian returning back to dicing his vegetables. ¡®We are lucky he is far enough away he could not hear your words.¡¯ Adam made his way to the village, his eyes scanning across Nobby, Jonn, and Fred, who were assisting the village. Fred and Jonn were assisting with training the villagers, who held long staves of wood in hand, practising their slashes, blocks and lunges. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a lot of trouble now that there¡¯s an enchanter beside our village,¡± Chief Merl said, letting out a soft exhale as she stared at the villagers training. ¡°It¡¯s scary you were thinking what I was thinking,¡± Adam replied, glancing towards the older woman. ¡°I was thinking about increasing our workforce, including the guards. I thought it might do us well if we ended up finding some guards here, who can assist during the Twilight Month.¡± ¡°The young are always eager to fight. It would be nice for them to work for the business, but what is your offer?¡± ¡°Once their training is complete they¡¯ll join our lowest pay rate, ten gold for each month,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s... an acceptable pay.¡± ¡°Is it high or low?¡± ¡°Lower than expected.¡± ¡°Well, we also provide them food, shelter, clothes, and we pay for their education, their equipment, their taxes, from their religious tax to their land tax for the kingdom, and lend out magical items which they earn through their work.¡± The Chief tilted her head, eyeing up the half elf who always spoke so queerly, and spoke of such ridiculousness with a straight face. ¡°Why do you provide so much?¡± ¡°Our pay scheme is pretty low, but every copper you earn, you keep. The Enchanter allows us to make a lot of money, and our business will hold enough sway that we can provide all these items for cheaper than an individual can procure them.¡± Adam shrugged, feeling the Chief¡¯s gaze against his skin. ¡°Ten gold is not so bad if you do so much.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not like the pay doesn¡¯t increase. Every few years the gold goes up, and those who have additional tasks earn more coin, and with enough responsibilities, you¡¯ll go up a tier too. Our Experts earn double, but we also equip them with heavier armour and magical items.¡± ¡°What will you equip the guards with?¡± ¡°After they¡¯re done training, chain mail, a sword or spear or something, and as time passes, we¡¯ll improve their armour so they¡¯ll have heavier armour.¡± ¡®They¡¯re letting us use all these fruits for our baking?¡¯ Bam thought, staring down at the frozen fruit which the business had stocked up on. It was beginning to run out, so they were rationing some of the fruit towards the end of the year, but them rationing their fruit was greater than a typical family¡¯s normal fruit budget. It was during the end of the first week of the Twilight Month when Ted approached Adam. He had waited until Adam had finished playing with his children, who abandoned him to play with their grandparents. ¡°This contract says you¡¯ll pay Nobby twenty gold,¡± Ted said, settling opposite Adam, tipping his hat slightly as a greeting. ¡°I want to know why you¡¯re paying him less than you promised, not that you¡¯re paying him, uh, not paying him enough, I was just curious.¡± ¡°We changed the pay structure for the business, so the pay we promised had to be decreased in line with that, though we ended up giving him magical weapons sooner due to it.¡± Ted bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining at all, I was just asking.¡± Ted revealed the contract his family had signed, including Anne¡¯s contract, which Ted and Annie had both signed, even though only one signature was required. ¡°Nobby will one day become a Lead, so he won¡¯t be at twenty gold a month for long,¡± Adam said. Ted thought about the pay his family was receiving. Twenty from Nobby, twenty from himself and his wife, and then there was the fact Anne was being taught by a Ray. ¡°Thank you for helping us like this, Executive.¡± ¡°How did I help you?¡± Adam asked. Ted raised his brows slightly, his eyes full of a disdain for these kinds of jokes. Adam blinked. ¡°We¡¯re both helping each other. Nobby has been doing really well, and he¡¯s one of our strongest. The fact that he¡¯s stronger than some of the monsters I know, that¡¯s only beneficial for the both of us.¡± ¡°He only became that strong because of yourself and your brother.¡± ¡°He became that strong because he fought Iyrmen and hydras,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Sure, he was lucky in meeting us, but I saw him take heavy blows that would have killed any other man.¡± ¡°Nobby mentioned a stranger you met on the road, a man of fire, or a dragon.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°He said that the dragon fellow, he beat you all.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Nobby said you told him to step back.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to die.¡± Ted took off his cap and held it over his heart. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Any time. I hope he¡¯ll live a happy stress free life, and I hope his marriage to Merl goes well too.¡± ¡°I wanted to thank you for that too.¡± Adam waved his hand dismissively. ¡°He only grew up so well because you and Annie raised him so well.¡± Ted could feel his cheeks fill with heat. ¡°We did our best, but we couldn¡¯t provide him what he should have had.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because of you that we managed to meet him,¡± Adam said, reaching out to pat Ted¡¯s shoulder. ¡°A father¡¯s life is hard, eh?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Ted said, the images of Adam¡¯s children flashing through his mind. Ted placed a hand atop the back of Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°It is.¡± I need more spreadsheets to keep track of everyone... [899.4] – Y03.199.4 – Twilight Days IV [899.4] ¨C Y03.199.4 ¨C Twilight Days IV ¡®We¡¯ve got a few guards, but we¡¯re going to need more than a handful of orphans,¡¯ Adam thought, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Boosh!¡± Jirot shouted, holding out her fist to her father. ¡°I beat you up, daddy!¡± Adam fell down, watching as the giggling girl darted away, while Karot squatted before him, holding out his hands. ¡°I heal you, daddy,¡± Karot said, waiting for his father to stand. ¡°Hoo! What a lovely son I have!¡± Adam pulled him in for a tight hug, kissing his son¡¯s cheek repeatedly, the amplifying the noises. ¡°I feel so much stronger now that you¡¯ve healed me!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Karot flushed before he embraced his father until the half elf eventually surrendered the boy to his siblings, allowing them to go play. ¡°We¡¯re going to need more people,¡± Adam said, glancing around the rest of the fort. ¡®There¡¯s too many Iyrmen about.¡¯ ¡°You can buy slaves,¡± Jurot offered. Adam blinked, turning his head slowly towards his brother, his brows raised in alarm. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You can offer them freedom within the fort.¡± ¡°Yeah, but... buying slaves is...¡± ¡°Slaves have terrible lives. You will treat them better.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t buy slaves,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s...¡± Adam could already feel the guilt fill him. ¡®I mean... we did use it to become a super power. Thankfully there¡¯s little colonisation in this world, but who knows how long that will last for. Although, if I end up plundering trillions, I¡¯d probably do much better with that coin than how it was squandered.¡¯ ¡°The wars have harmed many across the lands. They may wish to join the business to find stability.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably a good idea,¡± Adam replied, thinking about how many people he could support. ¡®Each Basic weapon means about a hundred or so full time employees? No, it¡¯s slightly less than that, isn¡¯t it? About half or so?¡¯ Jurot was also doing the calculations in his head, though he was finding it difficult. ¡®Adam can create many magical weapons within a week.¡¯ ¡°We need more high earners, at least four or five to make us a ton of money monthly,¡± Adam said in the Iyr¡¯s tongue before switching back. ¡°I¡¯d like enough guards and warriors to protect the fort and the people around us. We¡¯ll need different types of guards and warriors, and more importantly, trusted guards for my kids. One for each of them at least. I need really trustworthy people I can gift magical items to all the while protecting my greatest treasures.¡± Jurot remained silent. ¡®We will protect them?¡¯ Lanarot tackled her half elf brother. ¡°Papa!¡± ¡°Lanababy,¡± Adam said, lifting the girl up to exchange kisses with her. ¡°You will fight?¡± ¡°I will fight when I have to.¡± Lanarot pointed off to the side, with Dunes approaching the pair, while whistles pierced the air. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± ¡°You must watch,¡± Jurot said to Pam, who stared at the four as they prepared themselves. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I think what Jurot is trying to say is that he¡¯s honouring this kill to you,¡± Adam said, poking his brother with his elbow. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, his ears turning red. The Iyrmen had thinned the beast wave, allowing Adam, Jaygak and Kitool to charge forward. Sonarot watched from the walls with the other children, from the screaming Lanarot, to the near silent Katool, whose eyes blinked through her glasses towards the four cousins who formed an arrow to cut their way towards the red bear. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) Health: 91 -> 79 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 79 -> 84 Attack - Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 23 (12) D20 + 11 = 25 (14) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 5D6 + 9 = 34 (1, 6)(1, 2, 4, 5, 6) 34 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 12 (1) D20 + 11 = 27 (16) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 5D6 + 9 = 29 (1, 1)(1, 1, 4, 6, 6) 29 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) D20 + 11 = 27 (16) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 17 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 40 (6, 6)(6, 6)(1, 6) 40 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 12 (1) D20 + 11 = 21 (10) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 34 (2, 3)(5, 6)(3, 6) 34 damage! Adam charged forward with Kitool and Jaygak beside him, his brother following behind. He had taken the lead, his purple armour allowing the others to keep track of him with ease. He crashed against the first beast, a giant black bear, not like the black bears he had faced previously. This black bear seemed to be a bear that may have eaten a black bear before arriving, as it was easily taller than even any brown bear he had seen, and its paws were larger than Adam¡¯s helmeted head. The red bear behind, however, was even larger. The mighty paw crashed against Adam¡¯s shield, causing him to stomp into the earth, leaving an imprint into the earth below. His arms throbbed heavily as the might blow almost knocked the wind out of him. ¡®Holy!¡¯ He swung Wraith towards the black bear in front of him, noting another trying to climb over it to crash against him. He swung with enough force he could have cut another bear in half, using the greatest smite he could muster. ¡®It¡¯s still fine?¡¯ Adam thought, his axe cutting a deep gash into the bear, and yet it continued to swipe at him. Adam ducked under the blow, slashing across its front, managing to fell the bear. Upon realising how hearty these bears were, Adam charged forward against the second, his axe flashing cold and hot simultaneously, tearing into the beast savagely. He dropped the second bear with his fourth slash, inhaling deeply. ¡®What are they feeding these bears?¡¯ Jaygak¡¯s voice cut through the air, blanketing the group with light as her blade tore through one of the bears, barely cutting through another. It was as though she was cutting through cement with her blade, the young woman thinking about how glad she was she wielded a great blade in hand. Kitool¡¯s staff clattered against the bear in front of her, noting the handful of other beasts around. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Kitool called, her staff stabbing deep within a bear, causing it to freeze in place, before she struck the other beasts in a similar manner, freezing them in place for her companion, while the monster before them cut down two with near ease. Jaygak replied with a grunt, understanding what Kitool was thinking. Jurot remained behind his companions, his fingers twitching as he readied himself, the red bear snarling wildly, waiting for its turn to charge forward. It''s become normal to see Adam deal 30+ damage but let''s be clear, dealing even 20 damage per hit is crazy. [899.5] – Y03.199.5 – Twilight Days V [899.5] ¨C Y03.199.5 ¨C Twilight Days V Adam turned, kneeling as he unstrapped his shield. ¡°Jurot,¡± the half elf called, while Jaygak pressed forward, raising her shield against the red bear, though she didn¡¯t swing her blade, instead keeping it at bay with her sheer strength. She had no idea what Adam was doing, her body reacting in the way of an Iyrman upon sensing the situation around her. Kitool stepped around the beast to try and gather its attention too. ¡°It¡¯s your turn,¡± Adam said, having stopped his brother for a moment, holding out the shield. ¡°You¡¯ve got to look cool in front of our sister and our cousins. Don¡¯t lose.¡± Jurot almost refused the shield, but the crimson shield gleamed. He unstrapped his shield while Jaygak struggled to keep the red bear at bay, before strapping Strong Shield against his left arm. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam bowed his head, picking up Mighty Roar as Jurot stepped forward. ¡®Those bears really took a lot out of me. I haven¡¯t been so tapped out in a while.¡¯ Health: 86 Wraith: 0 Mana: 11 Jurot¡¯s entire body flashed red hot as Jaygak leapt backwards, narrowing missing a giant claw swiping at her. Jurot emerged from behind the Iyrman, slamming into the red bear. The beast wave thinned around them, the Iyrmen around gleefully killing the stragglers, all the while the trio watched the pair of red masses in their heated battle. As Nirot had slowly cut away at the python, Jurot slowly cut away at the creature. Jurot hid behind his shield, feeling the gaze of so many hopeful children upon his back. Jurot understood the difference between himself and the creature. The creature could strike so much heavier than even his Phantom if it so chose to, and while Jurot was certain he could slay a normal brown bear with a single blow, this was no brown bear. This was a red bear, and even within his rage, he could not outlast the creature. For once, his best offence was not his great might, his Phantom which could slaughter even Aldish Grandmasters, but his defence. He was swift, his body hearty, and most importantly, his shield was a Greater shield. His defensive capabilities were not quite as great as Adam¡¯s, but he would prove troublesome to most. ¡®How does one kill a dragon?¡¯ The creature crashed against the red shield, splattered further red by the creature¡¯s blood. Jurot shrugged off the superficial blows of the creature, swiping against his iron skin. The creature roared and cried as the pair continued their dance of death, Jurot¡¯s body not quite used to the carefulness he was displaying, but it fell into the rhythm he had learnt while growing. ¡®One slash at a time.¡¯ Sweat clung to the Iyrman¡¯s body, growing cool for once. Jurot was not used to the feeling, it had been far too long since he had felt it. It wasn¡¯t long after meeting Adam that he stopped feeling the sensation of cold sweat against his skin whilst in battle. Again, his axe cut into the creature, not only against its body, but against its mind. Sonarot watched as her son fought the red bear, a creature so powerful, she gathered she would be unable to face it alone. Her heart pounded within her chest with a heaviness she hadn¡¯t expected. Her son was fighting, carefully, but he was fighting a creature of great strength. If he won, it was another great story he could share, and if he died, it was another great story they could share. ¡®Baktu,¡¯ Sonarot prayed, secretly within her heart. ¡®He is to marry soon.¡¯ Tonagek stood beside his sister, his arms crossed. He could feel her worry splash against his skin. He remained silent, watching the great fight of his nephew from beside her, while the children stared from around their feet. ¡°Smelly daddy! Not fighting any moh?¡± Jirot shouted out, throwing out her hand, exasperation across her face. Jarot remained focused on his uncle, who fought carefully, so tiny compared to the red bear. There was something about the scene which spoke deep into the tiny boy¡¯s heart. Jurot¡¯s body flashed a deep red as his muscles finally flexed, throwing all caution to the wind. Phantom, who had been yet spent, brimmed with great power. He swung with all his strength, and the explosive blow revealed why Phantom had been surrendered from Adam, as the creature¡¯s two halves fell beside him. Jurot felt the great magic slip out of his weapon. It was a blow so deep, so grievous, it would have struck even him unconscious within a fresh rage. Jurot stood tall, and as his right shoulder raised, he paused. He raised his shield instead, which gleamed with fresh sanguine. Victory! XP Gained: +2 000 XP: 700 -> 2 700 ¡®Damn, he¡¯s so strong,¡¯ Adam thought, watching as Jurot lifted the red bear by himself, his body almost swallowed by the beast. ¡°You did well,¡± Sonarot said, embracing her son gently as he returned. She took Adam¡¯s hands within her own. ¡°You fought well too.¡± ¡°Obviously I¡¯m impressive, but my brother was so much cooler,¡± Adam replied, while his children swarmed him. ¡°Daddy! No magic?¡± Jirot asked, narrowing her eyes towards him. ¡°Not this month.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Twilight Month.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Oh! Inakan!¡± Adam picked her up and held her close, peppering her face with kisses. Inakan smiled shyly, giggling lightly before she began to babble excitedly towards Adam, barely able to form her words in her excitement. ¡°What about cousin Jurot? He was strong too, wasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Stwong!¡± The girl flexed her arms together, puffing out her cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s right! So strong! So strong!¡± Adam laughed wildly, while the children gathered around the older four. ¡°Did you see?¡± Jaygak asked, nuzzling Kavgak¡¯s nose gently. ¡°See,¡± the girl replied, reaching up to poke her sister¡¯s cheek. ¡°Kaka, good fight,¡± Katool said, giving her elder sister a thumbs up. ¡°You will one day fight such creatures too.¡± Katool froze in place. She shook her head, her tiny bob jiggling slightly. ¡°No! You can fight, I will stay.¡± ¡°You do not wish to become strong?¡± ¡°I will become strong here, kaka.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool reached down to brush along her hair, fixing the girl¡¯s bob. Lanarot stared expectantly at Jurot, who lifted the girl up, the pair holding one another. ¡°Did you see that?¡± Adam asked, smiling wide. ¡°Aren¡¯t you so glad your future husband is so...¡± Adam flushed slightly upon saying the word, before his smile dropped. He could see the polite smile on Vonda¡¯s lips. ¡°Uh, I mean... it was a shame we had to kill such fine creatures.¡± Vonda smiled more politely. ¡°The loss of life is regrettable, but it was a beast wave. I cannot take away such pleasure from you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try not to take so much pleasure from their deaths...¡± Adam reached up to rub along his amulet. ¡°I¡¯m sure Lord Sozain won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°You should live according to such ideals.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine, since we have such a special relationship.¡± ¡°The bears are Adam¡¯s by right,¡± Jurot informed the Iyrmen, who had begun the task of grouping the bodies together to take inventory. ¡°What can I do with them?¡± ¡°Whatever you wish.¡± ¡°How many belong to me?¡± ¡°Four.¡± ¡°Then... I¡¯ll give one to the Iyr, and one to the business, one for my family, and one for the village.¡± ¡°There is no need to give any to the Iyr.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam smiled, nodding his head to Jurot, who returned a nod of his head. ¡°I will carry the bear to the village,¡± Jurot said, lifting the bear up, feeling his muscles ache slightly. His heart continued to pound wildly, feeling the gaze of Pam against him as the young man carried the large bear by himself. ¡®I should have killed quicker.¡¯ Just a husband wanting to impress his wife by flexing his muscles. Even our Jurot can be this cute? [899.6] – Y03.199.6 – Twilight Days VI [899.6] ¨C Y03.199.6 ¨C Twilight Days VI ¡°Thank you for the sword,¡± Amira said, pouring Adam a cup of tea. ¡°Why are you thanking me? You should thank the Enchanter.¡± Adam smiled innocently, noting the way Amira was looking at him, slowly sipping her tea as their eyes remained focused within one another¡¯s. Adam glanced towards Dunes, raising his brows. ¡°I trust her,¡± Dunes replied, trying his best to remain confident. Adam slowly nodded, smiling a little wider. ¡°Welcome aboard, Manager Amira.¡± ¡°I am a Manager too?¡± Amira asked, though it hadn¡¯t been the first time she had been informed she held such a rank within the business. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid enough to treat you less than a Manager.¡± ¡°You are smart when you need to be?¡± Amira joked. ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam sipped the tea gently, relaxing within the fort alongside the rest of his companions. ¡®Greater Enhanced,¡¯ Fred thought, sitting by himself in the corner. He stared at the sword in front of him, unsheathing the blade, noting the faint runes against the blade, before running his finger along the cool metal. It was almost ice cold. The blade was different than Lifeblade in many ways, mostly due to how much more offensively focused the blade was. He had already used it a few times, and he had sliced through the beasts like a hot knife through butter, or he supposed, a cold knife through... something. He was able to strike harder three times per day, the cold seeping into his enemies. ¡®Not much different than the Duchess¡¯ weapon?¡¯ Fred wondered how similar the blades were, keeping the other thought in the back of his mind. ¡®He isn¡¯t crazy enough to create the ¡®xact same weapon for me.¡¯ The time in the fort became more lively, mostly thanks to a pair of troublemakers. ¡°I am not mommy, I am not daddy, I am Demon Load,¡± Jirot stated confidently towards the other children. ¡°I am Load Stokmah,¡± little Jarot said, not quite as confidently as his elder twin. Alex blinked. ¡°That¡¯s not how you play the game.¡± Jirot inhaled deeply. She glanced towards the demon who was relaxing on the side, the girl¡¯s eyes beckoning her for support. ¡°Jirot, if you want to be the Demon Lord, come play with me,¡± Lucy said, finding the anxious eyes of the children far too much for her soul. ¡®I¡¯m not even that scary! It¡¯s not fair the Iyrmen get to move around peacefully but they look at me like this.¡¯ Jirot darted towards Lucy. ¡°We cannot puhlay Demon Load chess.¡± The girl narrowed her eyes towards the Demon Lord. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl confirmed, while Jarot smiled up towards Mara shyly. Mara smiled in return, reaching out to take little Jarot¡¯s hand within her own. As the days passed, more beasts appeared, though Adam remained at the fort. He blinked as a beast turned to red mist. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were that scary, Lord Morkarai.¡± Morkarai crushed more earth between his hands, before he tossed the ball made of earth towards another beast, like a cannonball it splattered the beasts it slammed through. ¡°It has been a while since I¡¯ve fought.¡± Wow! Tariel tapped at her book. It was the first time she had seen the giant¡¯s famous artillery, which had formed from their great raw strength. Sonarot brushed the girl¡¯s hair tenderly. ¡°My granddaughter is so well behaved.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Little Jarot chewed on his raw carrot, his eyes meeting his father¡¯s, the pair sharing a knowing look. ¡°Nobby is married?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Merl is Nobby¡¯s mommy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not Nobby¡¯s mommy, she¡¯s Nobby¡¯s wife. Once they have children, then she will be a mommy to that child.¡± ¡°Not my mommy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Konarot nodded her head. She glanced towards Ray Vonda, who had taken some attention away from the married couple, the young woman awkwardly trying to deflect the attention respectfully. As the wedding passed, figures approached on the horizon. Several figures drew closer towards the village, and if they were travelling at this time of year, and with so few, it was no doubt a group of them. Except, one was not one of them. The Iyrmen went out to escort the figures towards the village, revealing a group of familiar faces, save for one, who Adam did not recognise. The handsome bronze skinned Iyrman, who wore long dark hair and carried a long greatsword upon his back, also held a wild grin across his face as he reached out to shake Jurot¡¯s forearm. ¡°You had us rush all this way for your marriage.¡± ¡°You could have adventured,¡± Jurot replied, shaking his cousin¡¯s forearm. ¡°How could I miss your wedding?¡± Amokan replied, before his eyes snapped to Adam, who had greeted his father first. ¡°I have heard you have caused some trouble this year too.¡± ¡°What kind of trouble have I caused?¡± ¡°We passed by Liferiver.¡± ¡°Well, okay, but...¡± Adam shook Amokan¡¯s forearm. ¡°I don¡¯t need someone as handsome as you picking on me.¡± ¡°Timojin, you will need to pick on him,¡± Amokan joked. Timojin clasped Adam¡¯s forearm, the Iyrman no longer as bald as Adam remembered, but with curly hair which fell down to his shoulders, and a thick beard which hid his lower jaw. ¡°We have returned.¡± ¡°Welcome back,¡± Adam said, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have stories to tell.¡± ¡°We do.¡± Adam glanced across to the Iyrman to the side. He was wholly unfamiliar, save for his tattoo. Then his eyes fell to the other two, a woman who embraced Vonda tightly, and a heavily armoured figure who caught Adam¡¯s eyes for a moment, before glancing away quickly. ¡°Looks like you two did me a favour.¡± ¡°I have heard I owe you a great debt,¡± Amokan said, before he spotted a tiny girl with glasses. ¡°Inakan is as cute as you said.¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s cuter than I said.¡± Adam''s right. [899.7] – Y03.199.7 – Twilight Days VII [899.7] ¨C Y03.199.7 ¨C Twilight Days VII Inakan continued to stare at her brother curiously. His tattoo was familiar, the same as her mother and father¡¯s. ¡°Papa?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Amokan confirmed for the fifth time that day. Inakan glanced towards Adam for support, unsure of this familiar stranger she had never met before. ¡°Do you like meeting your papa?¡± Inakan glanced upwards towards Amokan once more, though she was swiftly distracted by the snack her brother brought to her lips. Timojin spoke the tale of their adventures, from the bandits they faced, to the vicious beasts. The story continued, revealing greater tales, from their fight against a nightval wolf, which had almost taken Amokan¡¯s arm, to the hydras they had come across the past two years. They spoke of the tournament too, where they were defeated by the two beside themselves. ¡°Jurot the Savage, Amokan the Wild. The Aldishmen are not creative at all!¡± Amokan complained before bursting into laughter. ¡°At least it¡¯s better than Purple Adam.¡± ¡°So it is!¡± The tale continued, revealing the pair having slain the creature they had set out to slay, and the rest of their adventures, which revealed them slaying several other great creatures. Of course, the children were used to impressive stories, but the adults all appreciated the stories since there wasn¡¯t a young half elf who was a ridiculous entity which led them. Amokan¡¯s eyes fell to Jirot and Jarot, glancing between the pair. They were busy playing with Timojin, who allowed them to play with his hair. ¡°Little Jarot seems too meek to be named after granduncle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Jirot inherited his troublesomeness,¡± Adam joked, before his face suddenly turned serious. ¡°Obviously that troublesome comes from me! Don¡¯t let that old geezer ever tell you otherwise.¡± ¡°We have spoken our tales,¡± Amokan said, grinning wider. ¡°Will you tell us of what you have done?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let Jurot tell you since he¡¯s better at that sort of thing.¡± Amokan glanced towards the girl who was staring at him. ¡°You are Konarot?¡± Konarot turned her head to the side slightly, side eyeing the handsome Iyrman. ¡°Yes.¡± Amokan held out his hand towards the girl. Konarot looked towards her father, who nodded, and she reached out to hold the Iyrman¡¯s hand. Amokan rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb tenderly. ¡°You are the eldest?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must watch over your siblings well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amokan reached up to brush the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°My sister watched over me well. Even when it is unfair, you must watch over your younger siblings. They will not forget.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the girl replied, bowing her head gently, flushing slightly. ¡°Are you well now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Amokan placed his hand atop her head for a moment, careful not to ruin her hair, before he pulled his hands away. ¡°I have heard you are good at dragon chess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you play with me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Amokan smiled. ¡°So you can speak more than one word?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amokan and Adam chuckled at the response while Konarot retreated to her father. Adam embraced the girl tight within his arms, leaning down to nuzzle her neck, before he sat her within his lap. ¡°Now that we¡¯re getting married, are you planning on getting married soon?¡± Adam asked. ¡°My father spent so much effort to bring me back, he will need to spend more for me to marry,¡± Amokan joked. ¡°You should also give him some grandchildren I can spoil.¡± Amokan smirked slightly, having heard much of Adam¡¯s proclivity to spoil the children. ¡°How much of a debt will you grow between us?¡± ¡°I am daddy¡¯s dohta.¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot smirked wide. ¡°My babo is stuhrong.¡± ¡°My grandmother is strong too.¡± ¡°Your nana?¡± ¡°Grandmother is called Otkan. Do you know of my grandmother?¡± ¡°Nano is your guhrandmother?¡± Jirot asked, gasping. ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°Nano is quiet but she is nice,¡± Jirot confirmed. ¡°You are nano¡¯s guhrandson?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes. ¡°Okay. You can be papo.¡± ¡°I am glad.¡± Amokan held out his arms and the pair embraced him close. Jurot glared towards Amokan, who was so effortlessly good with the children. ¡°It is not fair if you are so handsome, strong, and likeable with the children.¡± ¡°Jurot, I don¡¯t want to hear that from you,¡± Adam said. ¡°You cannot say so.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m stupid, so it¡¯s okay.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t agree so easily.¡± ¡°Daddy, you are smart,¡± Konarot reassured, rubbing her father¡¯s hand gently with her own. Kirot and Karot both stared towards Amokan and Timojin, who wore the tattoos of those they were familiar with. It was the first time they had met, but they understood it was similar to the situation of their father, when he left and returned the Iyr, but they stayed out much longer. ¡°Excuse me,¡± called a voice. The older woman, in her fifties or so, smiled warmly towards the Iyrmen, though her eyes eventually settled upon Adam. ¡°Are you free to talk?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, and after a pause, he realised he wanted to speak alone. He stood up, following the woman away, feeling the presence of the Seventh Hope following him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Mother Florence.¡± Mother Florence smiled warmly, but the kind of practised warmth of one who was a priest. ¡°I was not surprised Ray Vonda wished to marry. I was surprised she wished to marry this year, and that she would marry you.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who charmed her so, but my children.¡± Mother Florence remained silent, having already heard of Adam¡¯s children from Vonda previously, especially their particular heritage. ¡°I will not say I approve wholly for the marriage, but Ray Vonda is a grown woman, and though she has always been a hopeless romantic, I have complete faith in her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she appreciates your faith.¡± ¡°Ray Vonda is still a Ray of the order. Though she may become your wife, she is still a daughter of the order.¡± Mother Florence caught Adam¡¯s eyes with her own, a deep darkness within her eyes. ¡°She can be as close or as distant as she wants to be with your order,¡± Adam replied, his eyes slowly moving to the Seventh Hope, who tensed up upon Adam¡¯s sight. ¡°You should consider it a boon for your order that she¡¯s married me, since I¡¯ll consider your order well through the business.¡± ¡°Your favour is appreciated.¡± ¡°Although your order has some issues with me, I won¡¯t hold it against you. We will prioritise your order, and if you ever need anything, Mother Florence, I will always consider your words. If I can¡¯t do that much for Ray Vonda, what am I good for?¡± Meanwhile, the last Iyrman, an old fellow with a familiar set of tattoos, sat within the corner, drinking away with the other older Iyrmen. ¡°You have grown old,¡± the figure said, his eyes falling across both Jarot and Gangak. ¡°You have grown old too,¡± Jarot replied, grinning wide. ¡°How was your adventure within the Confederacy?¡± Gangak asked, having not seen him since the time she had been exiled from Aswadasad. ¡°Bloody,¡± the Iyrman replied, saying no more of his tale before he met the Chief. Tomorrow brings the last chapter of the year! Surely nothing can go wrong this late :D [900] – Y03.200 – Married Men [900] ¨C Y03.200 ¨C Married Men The razor glided across his jaw, wiping away the hair as though it were cream. He could feel the rough hands of his Aunt against his smooth skin, the woman dipping the razor into the water, before continuing to follow the contours of the young half elf¡¯s face. She dabbed his face with the damp towel, before applying the lotion and oils across his face. Finally, she carefully painted the symbol of the Rot family onto the young half elf¡¯s forehead. Adam, who had bathed three times that day though it had yet become noon, finally slipped into his fine clothing, much looser than the clothing he was used to, and black like the starless sky. Sonarot placed the long cloth over his shoulder, which lay upon his shoulder heavier than he expected, but not quite as his heavy as the responsibilities he¡¯d receive soon. The cloth was filled with the blues of the skies and seas, and patterned with all manner of different symbols, many of which had been chosen by Sonarot who had commissioned the cloth from the Iyr. Adam stepped out of the inner section of the fort to notice all the business folk staring at him. He flushed a deep red, though he was glad Jurot stood outside to wait for him too, adorned identically to the half elf. Jurot glanced across Adam¡¯s scarf to see how different it would be, though he spotted no difference at all. He let out a sigh of relief, the shadow of a smile across his lips. ¡°Look at this handsome guy,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake his brother¡¯s forearm. Whereas Adam¡¯s hair had been cut rather short around the sides, Jurot¡¯s hair had only been trimmed neatly at the edges, his hair falling down to his shoulders. ¡°You look good,¡± Jurot said, the pair half embracing one another. Jurot¡¯s heart began to beat quickly, and he could feel the temperature within his body raise as he realised the next steps they would be taking. He was glad they were taking the steps together. The Iyr had moved swiftly over the last few weeks, though much of the village had been built for the weddings earlier this month. All across the land, Iyrmen roamed the edges, making sure the wedding ran smoothly, with teen Iyrmen moving about within the village to deal with the guests to make sure they were taken care of. Adam spotted Vonda sitting towards the edge of one side of the stage, while Pam sat across the other. The pair wore loose black clothing, with similar cloths over their shoulders. Vonda¡¯s, however, was white and pink, rather than the myriad of blues the other¡¯s were. Adam¡¯s children, too, wore clothing of the Rot family¡¯s blues, each sitting beside their soon to be mother. They could feel all the gazes of the Iyrmen about them, so they hid behind the woman, who enjoyed their attention. Konarot remained sitting towards the centre, slightly away, waiting for her father. Adam stepped up atop the stage, feeling the sweat upon his body. He smiled towards Vonda, glancing a moment towards Pam, nodding towards her, before he sat towards one side of the centre, while his brother dropped down beside him. It was then sound began to ease its way within his ears, the gentle music finally pushing through his nerves. Adam wrapped an arm around Konarot, pulling her close for a moment, trying to gather his courage. He glanced down towards his eldest daughter, smiling towards her, the girl smiling back as she embraced her father. He glanced aside to his children, who quickly swarmed around him, embracing each of them tenderly. Then, finally, his eyes fell to Vonda. She wore her burn marks with pride, contrasting the blue make up across her face, from her deep blue lips, to the design from the corners of her eyes, and the marks on her forehead which matched Adam¡¯s and Pam¡¯s. Her nails were painted blue too, much to Mother Florence¡¯s chagrin, though she had relented since it was the Ray¡¯s wedding. ¡°You-,¡± Adam began, before feeling his throat close up. He swallowed, trying to deal with the brick of nerves within his throat. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 20 (16) ¡°You look wonderful, beautiful.¡± ¡°You look so handsome too,¡± Vonda replied, her face turning crimson to match Adam¡¯s. Jurot¡¯s ears twitched and he finally turned to face Pam, who noted movement from her peripheral. ¡°You are as beautiful as always.¡± Jurot¡¯s voice was a firm as his axe, though his heart thundered within his chest. Pam turned red, her brows raised in surprise. Her heart beat quickly too. ¡°You look great.¡± Sonarot took her place beside Mirot, who sat with the rest of the Rot family behind the brides and grooms. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You have raised Jurot well,¡± Mirot replied, handing Larot to her sister. The woman had shaved her nephew and had dealt with his markings rather than the boy¡¯s own mother. Yet, even so, Jurot did not seem to mind, even if Sonarot could have marked him first before moving on to Adam, or perhaps she could have started with Adam and then moved on to her own son. Any other way, and it would have meant something, but Jurot took the sacrifice on his shoulders, and certainly, Adam had no idea how much it meant. Adam spotted many of the Iyrmen he was familiar with, from Argon who had guided him to the Iyr, to Okvar, who had helped him gain medicine for his sick aunt, even Wahruv, who Adam had faced in a spar during a festival. Near the front of the stage, the cousins sat, from the Gaks, the Ools, to the Kans and Jins. Beyond them were Adam¡¯s friends, Dunes and the others, as well as the rest of the higher ups of the business, and then the rest of the business folk. The rest of the extended Rot family sat around the stage, along with Kiara, though Mulrot and Jarot sat beside Sonarot and Mirot and the young children. Adam hadn¡¯t expected so many Iyrmen to come, noting all those he had sent letters to. He glanced to the side to see Ashmir, who was sitting beside an Iyrman he had only met a couple of weeks ago, Karmin, who had remained eerily silent about his tales, so unlike an Iyrman. The drums picks up and groups of children from the left, Adam¡¯s right, stood up and make their way onto the stage. They were each holding small sacks in their hands, gifts to be given to the married couples. The children set their gifts in front of the brides and grooms, most bundles of fabric or pieces of pottery. Some had brought small clubs too, though daggers and smaller weapons were brought to Jurot and Pam. ¡°Who is this handsome fellow?¡± Adam asked, flashing a smile towards the sour faced boy, who flushed shyly. ¡°I am Polban, son of Aizaban!¡± ¡°Of course, of course, how could I forget?¡± Polban narrowed his eyes, before placing down a handaxe before Adam and a book before Vonda, before quickly scurrying away. Vonda watched the boy go, vaguely recognising him and his name. ¡°Who was the boy?¡± ¡°Vice Master Paul¡¯s son,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Ah!¡± The memories returned to Vonda, who watched as the boy left to his mother. ¡®Aizaban.¡¯ She recalled the name from one of Adam¡¯s adventures before they met, when he killed Vandra. Adam reached out towards the handaxe to place it to one side, feeling a slight tingling sensation from the axe. ¡®...¡¯ His eyes met Aizaban¡¯s, the woman holding a small smirk on her face. ¡®Here I thought we were the only ones to cause trouble.¡¯ The smell of grilled meats and vegetables were brought out, some of which had been lathered with a butter and herb dressing. Fruit was brought to Adam and Vonda, who could not eat meat that day, though she was allowed to sip away at milk. The pair washed their hands, while the children were taken away by the older Jarot. Vonda fed Adam, and he fed her, sometimes from their fingers, sometimes with their utensils. It was after the main meal that sweet rice was brought out, multicoloured, with bits of cooked fruit. The soft yellow fruit reminded Adam of cherries in both taste and texture, though it looked more like a small yellow tomato. ¡°You should try this,¡± Adam said, bringing the fruit to Vonda¡¯s lips, his eyes doing their best not to stare at her opening lips, though her eyes were far more embarrassing to stare at, though he couldn¡¯t pull away from her gaze. An old Iyrman appeared, whose forehead was covered. She was an ancient Iyrman, who wore a heavy cloak of dark green with a golden hem. Following behind her was another figure, who made his way towards his cousin in the corner, though much of the attention followed him. He was clean shaven, with a strong jaw, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes. He was fairly lean for an older man, dressed in plain silks, a deep grey. At his side lay a longsword, made of a fusion of bone and metal. ¡°Whose that?¡± Copper asked. ¡°I ¡®unno.¡± Penny replied, sticking another piece of fruit into her mouth. The Shaman stepped onto the stage, which caused the music to stop. She placed her backpack onto a stool which had been brought to her, while the brides and grooms shifted onto their knees before the Shaman Head, while she sat on another stool before her. The Shaman Head opened up her backpack, bringing out a small vial which was filled with a liquid. She poured a drop into two cups before Adam and Vonda. ¡°You may share your first drinks,¡± the Shaman Head said. Adam and Vonda lifted up the cups together, Adam concentrating on holding the cup as though it were the most precious cup in the world. The pair drank together at the Shaman Head¡¯s Command, and as they shared their first drink, the Shaman hummed a small prayer. ¡®Eugh!¡¯ Adam winced from the earthiness of the liquid, which tasted like dirt. He was quickly distracted by the prayer, which spoke of Baktu and Mahtu, and how Baktu was favoured among Mahtu. For a moment he thought the prayer had been changed for them, only to recall hearing their names often during Ashmir¡¯s wedding. ¡°You may share your first touch.¡± The pair shifted together to face one another, holding each other¡¯s forearms. Adam could feel how strong Vonda¡¯s forearms were, and how warm they were to the touch. They stared into one another¡¯s eyes, Adam¡¯s heart pounding wildly within his chest again as he turned red hot, while Vonda¡¯s lips formed a gentle reassuring smile.T/his chapter is updated by definitely going to marry you,¡¯ Adam thought, having half forgotten what they were doing. ¡°You may share your first blood.¡± Adam took a moment longer to let go of Vonda¡¯s arm, accepting the freshly forged dagger from the Shaman Head. Adam held out his hand for Vonda to prick his finger, while taking a moment longer to prick hers, doing so gently, so gently he didn¡¯t pierce through her skin. An awkward moment passed, before he less gently pricked Vonda¡¯s finger. All the while, the Shaman Head continued to hum a prayer. She placed a hand on each of their heads, before blowing atop their heads, three times, at the end of each of her prayers. The Shaman Head took the daggers, but did not say the final four words, going to Jurot, who repeated the process with Pam. Pam winced at the taste of the liquid. Adam noted the prayer was identical to the prayer which he had heard. Pam felt Jurot¡¯s strong forearms, almost losing herself in their sensation. She had thought Jurot was strong, since his tale was so crazy, but feeling his arms, she realised how safe she was. Jurot felt how thick Pam¡¯s arms were, not built like his, with far less muscle. He inhaled long and hard to calm himself, though he felt his heart slowly losing to Pam¡¯s thickness. Even now, he could not believe he was getting married. A tear dropped down the side of Jurot¡¯s cheek, almost imperceptible, though almost imperceptible in front of Iyrmen was more obvious than a blaring siren. Jurot¡¯s heart throbbed for a moment. ¡®I wish you were here too, father.¡¯ Jurot¡¯s thoughts were distracted by another who approached the stage, the symbol of Life¡¯s Rose and Mother Soza dangling from her chest, carrying a prayer book within her arms. Mother Florence opened the book and began to pray from it, speaking in a tongue Adam didn¡¯t recognise. She brought out a small vial, pouring each into a clay cup. As Adam sipped the water, his body tingled and he felt his breath come to him easier. ¡®Whoa. What is this, holy water?¡¯ ¡°You may speak your vows.¡± Vonda turned to face Adam, taking his hand into her own. She had worked on her vows for so long after she knew they were going to marry. There were so many she had written down, to the point she needed to procure another book. ¡°I promise to you to be the best wife and mother I can be.¡± Adam turned red hot in the face, feeling his heart thunder within his chest once more. ¡°I promise to be the best husband and father I can be.¡± Adam had written so much more for his vows, but these words were easier to say, and far truer than anything else he had written. He glanced back towards Lanarot, who quickly rushed up to her brother, holding a small box. ¡°Oof,¡± she said, opening the box, before the ring fell onto the wood. She gasped, looking up towards her brother. Adam smiled. ¡°Lanababy, go on.¡± Lanarot¡¯s face contorted and she made to cry, while the guests laughed, glancing between one another. Adam embraced her close to his chest, kissing her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m excited too.¡± Adam rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, before he wiped her face clean with a cloth. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk together later, okay? Just you and me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl sniffled, squatting down to pick up the ring, handing it to her brother. Adam pulled the girl to her side, embracing her once more, before allowing her to retreat to her mother. Adam held the ring for Vonda, who held out her hand, and he slipped the ring onto her finger. ¡°You must go for your father,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I want to do it,¡± Jirot complained. ¡°It must be your eldest sister.¡± Sonarot brushed Jirot¡¯s cheek tenderly. Konarot marched up to Adam, focusing on the box as she opened it, before revealing the ring to Vonda with a sour face. ¡°Eyegorger took it from me.¡± ¡°What is it now?¡± ¡°An urtur mage created this eye from sand.¡± Iromin slowly nodded. ¡°Congratulations on becoming the Chief,¡± Karmin said, pouring his cousin a drink. ¡°Congratulations on gaining your vengeance,¡± Iromin said, pouring his cousin a drink. ¡°Have you come to take the place among the One Hundred?¡± ¡°I will if it is the Iyr¡¯s wish.¡± Karmin continued to sip at the drink. ¡°This eye of mine can see much.¡± ¡°What can it see?¡± ¡°I resisted the urge to kill the boy since he is under the Rot family¡¯s protection.¡± ¡°You cannot kill him. He is under my watch.¡± ¡°Can you handle it.¡± ¡°He is easy to control, but hard to handle,¡± Iromin admitted. Karmin poured his cousin a drink. ¡°I will not lay a hand upon him, but if it is required, you may call for me.¡± Iromin bowed his head. He had two Paragons assigned to killing Adam already, but a third would be good to use. Adam¡¯s growth was still alarming, so he supposed perhaps another Paragon should be assigned to him, just in case. Sitting atop a distant hill, a woman sipped away at her drink, before pouring the red snake a drink. ¡°I should go pour a drink for father too.¡± The red snake did not refuse the woman, who floated away towards the river, and poured her father a drink, watching as the wine dissipated into the river. She thought about going to meet the half elf that day, but her appearance may have caused the other business fellows to remember her, and her presence could bring rumours. The day continued to pass with merriment and joy. Adam enjoyed his time speaking with his friends and family, and all the Iyrmen who he had met. Jurot also spoke their tale, with Adam and Vonda adding in insights to the journey, while Pam listened intently. She had heard the tale thus far, but hadn¡¯t yet heard everything from start to finish. Of course, Adam showed off his children as much as he could, and Lucy complained about the year¡¯s mess in which she couldn¡¯t act up. ¡°Are all weddings this relaxing?¡± Morkarai asked, pouring Adam a tiny amount of wine within his minuscule cup. ¡°I guess so?¡± Adam glanced around to all the other figures who were enjoying their food and talking to one another. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected so many people to come to the wedding.¡± ¡°Two weddings should have at least this many guests.¡± ¡°How many guests are going to come to your wedding?¡± ¡°Thousands,¡± Morkarai assumed. ¡°We will invite many nobles of all the neighbouring lands, even Aldland.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s me?¡± ¡°Are you not a noble?¡± ¡°Are you picking a fight with me on my wedding?¡± Morkarai smiled, pouring Adam another few drops of wine, the half elf sipping away the alcohol. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already bullied me with your gift.¡± ¡°What is so wrong about my gift?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°Just you wait until your marriage. I¡¯m going to bully you so much.¡± ¡°I will await for it.¡± Morkarai grinned wide, his beard flowing out like roaring flames. Adam spoke with the rest of his guests, thanking them for their appearance at the wedding, and for all the gifts they had brought. As the sun began to set, the brides and grooms retired to the fort, heading back to their inner area, while their family members dealt with the gifts. ¡°No?¡± Jirot asked with a pout. ¡°You can sleep with me tonight,¡± the older Jarot said, holding the girl close. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, do you want to sleep with me?¡± Jaygak asked, daring to tease the Mad Dog. ¡°Kako!¡± the pair replied, charging up to her. The one armed Iyrman growled quietly. ¡°Come, Larot.¡± Konarot, Kirot and Karot followed their grandaunt, who took them away. Sonarot remained for a long moment. A figure stepped out from the darkness, sitting opposite the woman. ¡°Thank you for coming.¡± ¡°My niece¡¯s son was to marry,¡± Dogek replied, pouring his niece a drink. ¡°I hope he will have many children for you.¡± ¡°I already have so many grandchildren, but I would like more.¡± ¡°So it is said.¡± Sonarot frowned. ¡°Will you refuse them even now?¡± ¡°It is the official position of the Gek family as the Family Elder.¡± ¡°What of the Family Head?¡± ¡°She has accepted them.¡± ¡°I hope you will change your mind.¡± Sonarot stood, leaving Dogek alone. ¡°She will not take it to heart,¡± called a weak voice, as Rirot took her place where Sonarot once sat. The old woman was as thin as pencil, her bones almost seen through her skin. Her one good eye seemed to strain to see Dogek. ¡°...¡± Dogek did not reply, instead sharing a drink with the old woman, who looked like she would die with any passing breath. ¡°Even if the Gek family will not officially accept them, the Rot family already has.¡± The old woman sipped away at the drink, barely able to taste the sweet peach the Rot family so adored. ¡°That is your family¡¯s choice to make.¡± Rirot smiled, leaning back within her chair, feeling it against her thin back. ¡°I had heard they were originally refused.¡± ¡°The first refusal was not on appropriate grounds.¡± ¡°Is yours upon appropriate grounds?¡± ¡°Yes. We do not refuse them because they are goblins or half dragons, we refuse them because we do not acknowledge the vague relationship of Adam and the Iyr.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the old woman replied, closing her good eye, sipping her drink in the awkward silence. It was late in the night when Adam and Vonda held hands. Their eyes grew heavy with tiredness, and though sleep wanted to invade, especially after their night together, they forced it away. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time I tell you everything.¡± Vonda smiled, drawing closer to Adam, as the pair embraced and Adam began to speak of his secrets. Her warmth staved away the chill of danger from his words. Vonda had thought she couldn¡¯t be shocked by Adam, but she realised how wrong she was. Although, wasn¡¯t it very Adam like for her to be shocked when she thought she couldn¡¯t be shocked any more? That wasn¡¯t shocking in the slightest. This chapter healed my heart. Tomorrow I''ll be posting up a Q&A and then it''ll be business as usual after that. I''ve really enjoyed writing this story. From Y04 onwards I think I''ll try and write 100 chapters per year, and I''ll take some days off so that the 100 chapters come out over the course of four months or so, meaning every single real life year we''ll be getting 4 years of Beyond Chaos. The chapters will be between 1000-3000 words or so depending on how much is happening in that particular year, and it''s probably going to be pretty rough on me, but I''ll do my best. [900.1] Unmarried Bot – The End of Book QNA [900.1] Unmarried Bot ¨C The End of Book QNA Year 03 was a wonderful delight to write. I ended up experimenting a few different ways and I was very glad with how much prose has improved. I''ll try and work more and more on my prose, there are so many chapters where I wasn''t concentrating on prose because I was tired. My health hasn''t improved much but recently I have been working more and more on my health, I''ve begun trying to exercise more and fixing my diet, but that''s something I won''t see results with for a few months, so please cheer me on. I say that, I woke up pretty sick today, so I probably won''t be exercising much today... However, enough of that. I wanted to inform everyone that if you enjoyed the story so far, the next year is better, in my opinion. I will try and pace things a little better so that each chapter doesn''t feel the same, but I will inform you that Year 04 is a little awkward because it is still setting up stuff for the future, but there is plenty of fun to be had! We''ll get to see some people in action we haven''t really seen before, and perhaps... new locations? New crazy powerful characters? New, dare I say it, adorable little babbies? I''m also changing the chapters of the next years so that everything comes out quicker. I''ll be writing 100 chapters per year, and each chapter should average a little more from now on. If the book has a quicker pace, expect the chapters to be 1000, but so far, Year 04 is averaging... However, enough of all my rambling. I want to say to all the people reading my novel, all the followers, all my patrons, thank you. I keep waking up and reading your comments and they motivate me to keep on writing. I want to write this novel to its completion, either upon the (complete) death of our long lived leaf ear cringe father, or perhaps, even further than that. Truly, thank you for all your support. It makes a world of difference, and I hope that one day I can actually make a living off of this, and do so much more. I have so many plans for this world, things that transcend the writing world, into other types of media. If you have any questions, go ahead and post them! If there are any spoilers, I''ll spoiler my answers for those that don''t want to know, but if it''s a big spoiler, I might choose to vaguely allude to something instead. I''m always excited to answer comments, but sometimes I don''t want to in the chapters just in case, but now that the book is over I''m happy to answer all kinds of questions. Thank you for all your support. [901] – Y04.001 – A Storm of Chaos [901] ¨C Y04.001 ¨C A Storm of Chaos A storm passed through the Iyr¡¯s lands. A storm of chaos, a chaos which could only be born within the lineage of those two in particular, as well as a third figure which poured tinder onto the flames. ¡°Jirot!¡± the expected voice called, calling out the name of the expected chaos. The tiny green skinned leaf eared girl squealed with menace as she charged towards the young woman who held a hornless red skinned babe within her arms, humming a gentle tune. The tune brought much displeasure to the babe, whose face was full of sourness, a deeper sourness than typical. Jirot cackled as she grabbed onto the woman¡¯s trousers, large amber eyes beaming up towards the woman, full of wickedness only the tiny girl could show. The cheeky grin on her face revealing her set of double canines, which were quickly hidden as the girl pressed her face against the woman¡¯s leg to hide her against the world while her father dove beside her, wrapping the girl with the towel. ¡°You punk, why are you causing such a mess? It¡¯s too early in the year, you should ease daddy into it!¡± Adam wrapped his arms around the girl and pulled her in close, kissing her forehead all over, before the pair rubbed their cheeks against one another. The older Jarot let out a sigh, glancing towards the girl¡¯s twin brother, named after himself. Little Jarot glanced up towards his greatfather and smiled coyly. The older Jarot reached down to rub the boy¡¯s curly hair. ¡®How is it that you cause such little trouble when you are named after me?¡¯ ¡°This is all Jaygak¡¯s fault! I knew I shouldn¡¯t have surrendered you to her last night.¡± Adam¡¯s barrage of kisses caused the girl to giggle wildly, before she tried to squirm out of his grasp. Adam refused to surrender the girl this morning, not until he had slipped on her shorts, before threatening a spank, but his body frozen, not even allowing him to spank his child gently as a joke. Jirot buried herself within Vonda¡¯s side, giggling wildly into her. Her twitching body eventually calmed, before she peeked out to see Vonda¡¯s curious eyes staring down at her, the girl returning back to her giggles as the fully clothed little Jarot joined her, climbing up to Vonda¡¯s other side. The boy¡¯s amber eyes took in the sight of the woman, her burn marks across her lower face and neck, and then down towards his youngest sibling. The hornless boy who had yet to turn one, with his blood red skin, and his annoyed eyes, filled with an intelligence which was far too much for his minuscule form. The shimmering amulet then distracted the green skinned boy. ¡°Do you see?¡± Jaygak asked, pouring warm milk into her little sister¡¯s mouth, the toddler sipping from the cup with a glare, as though daring the milk to refuse entering her mouth. ¡°You need to learn to keep Adam in check like that.¡± ¡°You took them from me and now you cause so much trouble?¡± the older Jarot asked, letting out a huff. ¡°It was your fault for allowing her to take them away,¡± Gangak replied simply. She, like Jaygak, was red of skin and horned. ¡°If she slept with her babo, she would not have misbehaved this way.¡± ¡°Will you say our Jirot would not misbehave?¡± ¡°She should misbehave since she is my greatdaughter!¡± Jarot inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest with pride. Gangak smiled, sipping away at her own warm milk this dawnval morning, before little Tavgak¡¯s eyes glanced up towards her grandaunt. Gangak reached down to brush her hair gently, before feeding the girl her own milk. While the pair of older Iyrmen chatted away, their awareness spread out further than their conversation, towards all the outsiders in the distance, even more acutely aware of the presence of their precious children. Within the walls of the fortress, which the United Kindom made its headquarters, dozens upon dozens of business members rested. Many of them, not yet used to the Iyrmen, whose land the business lay upon, remained cautious around the Iyrmen about. The Iyrmen carried weapons about themselves, and many traversed the nearby land and the walls, forming a net around the business, even upon the King¡¯s land. Among the great names of the Iyrmen around them, the business folk kept keen attention on one particular figure, even as he left the gates of the business towards the nearby Aldish village. He was clean shaven, with a strong jaw, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes. He was fairly lean for an older man, dressed in deep grey plain silks. At his side lay a longsword, made of a fusion of bone and metal. The tattoo upon his forehead, a pair of golden circles joined vertically within the centre, with three crimson six pointed stars flanking on either side, matched the other Iyrman who had returned during the Twilight Month but a couple of weeks ago. ¡°We will leave a few of our warriors for the undead,¡± Chief Iromin assured, the grace in his voice only matched by the grace within his stride, like a butterfly floating through the air. ¡°As always, thank you, Chief Iromin,¡± Chief Merl replied. She was short, barely reaching Iromin¡¯s chest with the top of her head. She wore thick furs around her body, as well as a set of scale around her chest, which fell down towards her waist, with a belt wrapped around her front to keep her armour pinned to her. An axe hung against her belt, though her trusty spear rested beside her. Chief Merl watched the Chief of the Iyr leave, taking with him his several aides, along with the beardless dwarf and the figure who held the same tattoos. No doubt there were other Iyrmen, unseen and unheard, who slipped away with the Chief of the Iyr. ¡®As ever, glad the Iyr watches over we villagefolk.¡¯ Iromin¡¯s attention remained upon the Lord of Earth, who marched beside him in their beardless dwarf form. Though he also needed to watch out for the large number of children of the Iyr nearby, his highest priority was upon the Lord of Earth. Stokmar ignored the gazes of the Iyrmen all about them, having no intention of picking any bother with the Iyr, especially when a red snake watched them from a distance. ¡®I should leave to the dwarven lands.¡¯ Stokmar narrowed their eyes, a sudden sense of disgust filling them. ¡®I should stay here since the Iyr still has drinks for me.¡¯ Deep within Stokmar¡¯s heart, the grudge of the dwarves refusing their oaths burned greater than even Shama¡¯s flames. ¡°He¡¯s gone?¡± Adam asked, beside the rest of his friends and family. ¡®Didn¡¯t he want to speak to me or anything? Did he really come just for our wedding?¡¯ ¡°The Chief has much work to do,¡± Jurot replied, biting into his hot potato, before tearing a small piece for his niece, who had caused so much bother that morning. ¡°Nana, soht please,¡± the definitely innocent Jirot requested, holding up the plum sized piece of hot potato. Sonarot sprinkled salt upon her granddaughter¡¯s potato, raising her brows expectantly. ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl replied, tapping her chin before motioning her hand towards her grandmother. She bit into the potato, holding it out to her twin brother, who bit into it from her hands. ¡®My kids are the cutest,¡¯ Adam thought, his heart eating the dessert that was their cuteness. ¡°Jurot, when are you going to have kids so I can spoil them?¡± ¡°It is too soon in the year to ask.¡± ¡°Too soon? Do you hear that, old man? How can he be so unfilial?¡± The older Jarot replied with a grunt. ¡°You should hurry and-,¡± Jirot smirked. ¡°No.¡± She cackled with delight, glancing towards her grandmother to see if she was in trouble, before cackling louder when she was in the clear. ¡°She just wants to double dip on presents,¡± Adam said, with far too much pride in his voice. ¡°You smelly girl, you can¡¯t say it¡¯s your birthday when it isn¡¯t.¡± Even so, everyone understood Adam couldn¡¯t do anything against the likes of the two year old, who was one of the few who had defeated him. ¡°Happy birthday, Vonda,¡± Adam said, reaching out to hold her hand. ¡°Happy birthday, Adam,¡± Vonda said, before she smiled down towards the triplets. ¡°Happy birthday, Konarot, Kirot, Karot.¡± ¡°Happy birthday, mommy,¡± Kirot and Karot replied, while Konarot mumbled something vague under her breath. ¡®Konarot...¡¯ Adam reached up to rub his triplet¡¯s heads. ¡°Happy birthday to you too, Jurot.¡± ¡°Happy birthday,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Happy birthday, Pam.¡± ¡°Happy birthday to you too, Jurot,¡± Pam replied, tearing a piece of bread for her husband. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday too?¡± Adam asked, before furrowing his brows. ¡®I feel like I knew that already.¡¯ ¡°There are too many birthdays on this day. We should all change our birthdays tomorrow so we can focus on spoiling my babies today. Vonda, you can keep your birthday as today too, you too Pam.¡± ¡°You wish to change your birthday away from your children?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Absolutely not. I¡¯ll keep my birthday as today, since my kids will feel lonely without it, and you should keep your birthday as today since that¡¯s cool if we both have the same birthday.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Shall we give gifts?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Will you give magical items again?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°Magical items to children? What am I, a fool?¡± Adam asked, reaching into his pocket, passing his holy symbol made of obsidian, revealing three silver tokens stamped with his childrens¡¯ names. ¡°Here you go. This is a token that you can give to daddy, and he¡¯ll grant you a wish. It¡¯s silver, so I won¡¯t declare war with Aldland, probably.¡± ¡°Do they need tokens for that?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯ve given all the other kids silver tokens already. I ended up missing their birthday last year since...¡± Adam could feel the gaze of the Iyrmen against his skin, a cold chill filling him. ¡°Since I was so busy doing important things, you know?¡± Adam reached into his robes to reveal three more tokens, these bronze. ¡°You forgive daddy, don¡¯t you?¡± Jaygak decided against teasing him more. Though Adam¡¯s voice held a light tone, since he was such a fool of a father, she could sense his soul ached from missing their birthday the previous year. Adam peppered his triplets with his affection, pulling them close. As the gifts were passed, from bits of pottery, to tiny ribbons, a horn blasted in the distance. ¡°Killing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s time to show off might as well go show off since someone dared to interrupt my adorable childrens¡¯ birthday.¡± ¡°Will you go kill on the first day of the year?¡± Vonda asked, smiling politely. The symbol of her holy order, that of Life¡¯s Rose, gleamed brightly. Adam, who wore a black holy symbol of the God of Death, particularly of the Iyr¡¯s variety, froze awkwardly. ¡°No?¡± Vonda smiled more warmly towards her husband, who had decided to step back for her. ¡°You know, even though there are two Demon Lords, and a bunch of Iyrmen, I¡¯m more scared of you,¡± Adam admitted. ¡®There are what?¡¯ Pam thought, her eyes wide, before a distant explosion distracted her. "A storm of chaos, a chaos which could only be born within the lineage of those two in particular, as well as a third figure which poured tinder onto the flames." [902] – Y04.002 – A Storm of Chaos II [902] ¨C Y04.002 ¨C A Storm of Chaos II ¡°Seriously, how could you create so much work for the Iyrmen?¡± Adam teased, peeking towards the large form of the Prince. ¡°I did not realise I was so strong,¡± Morkarai replied, his face twitching from beneath his fiery red beard, currently accosted by a pair of goblins. He peeked a red eye open towards the half elf, pretending not to smirk as the goblins doled out their affection to the Prince. ¡®On my birthday of all days!¡¯ Adam thought, sipping his warm milk. ¡®You two, how can you do this to me? I¡¯ll forgive you just this once, since you¡¯re so cute! Lord Morkarai, I¡¯ll forgive you too, since you gave such good gifts.¡¯ Pam glanced between Ray Vonda and Prince Morkarai. Her entire body remained tense, her heart light and giddy within the presence of such esteemed people. Royalty of the fire giant variety, and a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose? ¡®I still can¡¯t believe all the stories are true.¡¯ ¡°Jirot, Jarot,¡± Adam said, his annoyance having grown too high. ¡°You should spoil your mother today since it¡¯s her birthday.¡± The twins glanced towards their father, and while one of them smirked, the other glanced towards his mother. ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, since she¡¯s your mother, and it¡¯s her birthday.¡± Little Jarot blinked before he climbed down off the Prince, shuffling up shyly towards his mother, his twin sister following after him for once. ¡°Mommy?¡± ¡°My Jarot?¡± Vonda asked, picking the little boy up, before assisting his sister up, holding the pair upon her lap. Jarot sucked his thumb, resting his head against his mother¡¯s bosom, while Jirot did the same, cuddling up beside the Ray. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Vonda. Konarot will accept you soon.¡¯ Adam let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to cause you so much trouble when you¡¯ve just become my...¡± Adam paused. His heart began to pound within his chest. Morkarai sipped the warm milk, noting how quiet Adam had become, the half elf glancing away awkwardly. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, speaking in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Vonda¡¯s my wife now.¡± Adam hid his smile behind a fist. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you understand? My wife!¡± Jurot crossed his arms, falling deep in thought. Adam was certainly thinking of something very Adam. ¡°Pam is also my wife.¡± Jurot¡¯s heart throbbed, and he understood. ¡®This is Adam¡¯s genius.¡¯ ¡°Should we go kill a dragon?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. Morkarai wasn¡¯t sure what they were talking about, but it must have been something ridiculous considering the stupid look on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°What are you talking about? We can¡¯t kill a dragon! My wife¡¯s a Ray, ya know? We should beat up a dragon instead.¡± ¡°We could request their favours for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, let¡¯s beat up a dragon and request for some favours,¡± Adam said, gently nodding his head, narrowing his eyes as he fell deep into thought. ¡°What are you speaking of so secretly?¡± Vonda asked, rubbing her elbow against Adam¡¯s gently, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. ¡°We were just talking about beating up some dragons.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Vonda asked, her thumbs gently brushing along Jirot and Jarot¡¯s thighs tenderly, the pair melted against the woman. ¡°We¡¯re, you know... we¡¯re...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to explain it without feeling a little embarrassed. ¡°We are husbands now, so we should bring back glory,¡± Jurot stated, his eyes firmly focused on Vonda. He could feel Pam¡¯s gaze upon him, but also Jaygak¡¯s, the Iyrman ready to pounce on his exposed vulnerability. ¡®Why are they acting so queer?¡¯ Morkarai thought, having expected such behaviour from Adam, but not from his Iyrman brother. ¡®Ah. They married for love.¡¯ ¡°I will need to return back to my land this year, but I intend to meet my betrothed.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Princess...¡± History Check (Intelligence)(Untrained) D20 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°Dalia?¡± ¡°Princess Miza¡¯tu¡¯rea¡¯wyz¡¯wyl,¡± Morkarai corrected. ¡°Duchess Dalia Eastport,¡± Vonda added. Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°The fact I still remember it¡¯s called Life¡¯s Rose and not White Rose is impressive, honestly.¡± ¡°You slew Vandra, but you cannot remember names?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°Who?¡± Adam joked, smirking slightly. He wasn¡¯t smirking at his joke, but rather the fact he mentioned that particular dragon in relation to his betrothed. ¡°Princess Miza, eh? You know, I¡¯ve got a little business with the mermen myself.¡± ¡°You have business with the mermen?¡± ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡± ¡°No,¡± Morkarai replied firmly. ¡°I have enough of your secrets to keep without learning any more.¡± ¡®It¡¯s enough for me to know about the gem within the Iyr¡¯s possession.¡¯ ¡°Alright, well... how about the original members of Fate¡¯s Golden accompany you? A Prince like you, you probably need an escort to keep up appearances or something, right? Who better than a group of Iyrman, and me?¡± ¡°It sounds fine to me.¡± ¡°Wait, Vonda, do you want to come with?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We¡¯re newly weds, so we should spend the time together. It can be our honeymoon.¡± ¡°See? Mara, stop it.¡± Mara relaxed slightly, though she still sent out pressure towards Jurot, who sent back his own pressure. ¡°If you two keep acting like this, I¡¯ll have Jirot tell you off,¡± Adam warned. The pair pulled away their pressure from one another, noting Jirot¡¯s gaze upon them, the girl with her brows raised expectantly. ¡°So smelly.¡± Jirot glanced up towards her mother to see if she was in trouble, before cackling once more. ¡°The Iyr is a wonderful place, but I miss my mikir. It is delicious, especially upon panila.¡± ¡°Is panila bread?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A bread like food.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡± ¡°It is a thick, fluffy flat bread. You can eat it by itself, or you can use it to dip into other food, or use it as a vessel for meat.¡± ¡°Just meat?¡± ¡°You would not eat panila with vegetables,¡± Morkarai replied, as though the thought of it was so ridiculous. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°You would not use panila with vegetables, that is for paniya.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°It is. I will prepare some for when you visit.¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe we can swing by in a few years, though I¡¯m not sure if my kids will be old enough.¡± ¡°You should be careful bringing your children,¡± Morkarai said, his eyes falling to the triplets, who lazed nearby, their silver tails swaying. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam asked. Morkarai fell silent for a long moment, before glancing towards the rest of those around him. He was surrounded by Iyrmen, and a few of Adam¡¯s closest companions. It was Pam who caused him to pause most, since she did not seem privy to many of Adam¡¯s secrets. ¡°The scent of the Talia family is well known. It will cling to you for some time even after you leave the Iyr, but to bring them with you...¡± Adam sighed. ¡®I guess he does have a point.¡¯ ¡°Even when you grow more powerful, it will hound you, and the Talia family may not allow for the children to be used against them.¡± ¡°Whether they allow it or not, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Adam stated, his voice growing dark. Jurot also sat up taller, his arms crossed. Morkarai bowed his head, saying no more. He had no doubt Adam would do his utmost to protect his children, and within the Iyr, the children were as safe as any other child of the Iyr. ¡°You will need to consider growing your reputation if you wish to protect them.¡± ¡°My reputation?¡± ¡°You slew Vandra, but it was with the assistance of many.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re telling me is that I really should have beat up the First Hope?¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda gasped, causing Jirot to cover her mouth in surprise too, unsure of what was happening. Pam¡¯s eyes darted from the half elf to her husband, her eyes firmly glued into the side of his skull. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°I let him go, didn¡¯t I?¡± The older Jarot smirked, doing his best to remain at bay, though his laughter soon broke through the air, causing the twins to laugh, before the other children around joined in. ¡°Jurot, how much haven¡¯t you told me?¡± Pam asked. ¡°There is much to speak of.¡± Pam had heard the tale a few times already, though Jurot had glazed over a few, important details it seemed. ¡®Demon Lords. Beating the First Hope...¡¯ Pam slowly understood why Adam included himself in the same breath as a Demon Lord. ¡°When do you plan to leave?¡± Adam asked, trying to change the topic. ¡°I plan to leave at the end of this month.¡± ¡°Can we, by any chance, delay it until the second of next month or so?¡± ¡°You wish to...¡± Morkarai¡¯s brain lit up as the forge began to work within his mind, gathering the reason why Adam wanted to wait until after the first day of the second month. ¡°I can wait.¡± ¡°This is why we¡¯re friends, Lord Morkarai, even if you are a Prince,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am glad that the Iyr has decided to let you live,¡± Morkarai replied. ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered, reaching up to his heart. ¡°It hurts because it¡¯s too real.¡± Adam had no idea in a few moments he would feel a greater pain within his heart. Pam is only just beginning to understand... [903] – Y04.003 – Long Goodbyes [903] ¨C Y04.003 ¨C Long Goodbyes ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Do you wish to be so cringe so early within the year?¡± Vonda asked. couldn¡¯t believe his brother and wife were bullying him like this so early. ¡°It¡¯s my birthday. If I can¡¯t be cringe today, when can I be cringe?¡± ¡°Do you wish to return to the Front Iyr?¡± Vonda offered. ¡°They¡¯re taking the triplets too...¡± ¡°Then you may go.¡± ¡°Are you coming too?¡± ¡°I would like to spend some time with Mother Florence.¡± ¡®Damn.¡¯ Adam thought about how awkward it was. The triplets were having their birthday, and so was their mother. ¡®If she stays here, then it¡¯ll feel too distant. Konarot¡¯s already awkward about their relationship. Should I just keep the triplets here? No, I¡¯ll keep all of the children here, but what about their aunt? Lanababy¡¯s going to go too. Can¡¯t she stay too? No, the Iyrmen already said the children have spent too long outside of the Iyr.¡¯ Vonda held Adam¡¯s hands within her own. ¡°It will be fine, Adam.¡± Seeing the look on Adam¡¯s face, even Mother Florence felt bad. She had intended to leave quickly at the beginning of the year, as the wedding had passed, though she wished to spend more time with Vonda. However, seeing the conflict on the half elf¡¯s face, regardless of how much she disliked the boy, she couldn¡¯t refuse how he embodied much of Mother Soza¡¯s love, especially with his children, who were... special. ¡°I will leave today too,¡± Mother Florence said, taking Vonda¡¯s hands within her own, as the holy acolytes did. Technically, Vonda should have taken the Mother¡¯s hands in her own since she was a Ray, but Vonda refused to do so to Mother Florence. Vonda smiled warmly towards the older woman, the pair remaining silent for a long moment. ¡°I wish you a peaceful journey.¡± ¡°Ray Vonda...¡± the Mother called out, squeezing the woman¡¯s hands, brushing the Ray¡¯s knuckles gently. ¡°Do not forget, you are still a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose. If you need any assistance, we are but a Sending away.¡± ¡°I will send word when I can.¡± Mother Florence reached up to the young woman¡¯s face, brushing the young woman¡¯s cheek with her thumb. She did not see the eyes of the young woman before her, but that of a young girl, who knew a deep dark secret, one which only the Mother knew, and perhaps now the young woman¡¯s husband. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Ray Vonda.¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s bessings upon you, Mother Florence.¡± ¡°We should escort the Mother and the Seventh Hope,¡± Amokan said, still wiping his blade clean from slaughtering the beasts only a few minutes ago. The handsome Iyrman¡¯s smile contrasted his bronze skin, his long dark hair a mess, his eyes filled with a ferocity that had not been satiated by simple beasts. ¡°Are you asking for a fight?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t even spoiled Inakan enough and you¡¯re planning to leave.¡± ¡°We should leave soon since we have completed our tasks.¡± ¡°You should relax for a little while longer. What¡¯s the rush? You¡¯ll be gone for a few years at least, so you should spend more time spoiling your sister.¡± ¡°Will you not spoil her?¡± ¡°I will, but that¡¯s different, and this is different.¡± ¡°We cannot send the Mother and Seventh Hope alone.¡± ¡°Who said we¡¯ll let them go alone? We¡¯ve got tons of people we can send. We¡¯ve got Nobby and...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡®No, we can¡¯t just send Nobby, he just got married too.¡¯ ¡°Dunes and...¡± ¡®No, they just got married too. I forgot this is the newly weds arc.¡¯ ¡°We can send Lead Fred and Lead Jonn to escort them.¡± ¡°What of their return? They cannot return just with the pair of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send Brittany along too, and the farmers, they can go too.¡± Amokan crossed his arms. He wanted to leave, but Adam was making it difficult. Though they hadn¡¯t spent much time together, Adam was Jurot¡¯s brother, so he needed to take the half elf seriously with that relationship in mind. Plus, once he was Chief, he would need a good relationship with Adam to keep him in line. ¡°We can go,¡± Nirot said, too excitedly. ¡°We can escort the Mother and the Seventh Hope.¡± ¡°Executive Kitool.¡± ¡°Perhaps, in some ways she might be better, but I¡¯ve seen how your arrows tear through bears twice the size of me. You¡¯re an Expert now, trained by Iyrmen, and your arrows have struck through hydras. Last year I asked you if you wanted to compete against the Whirlwind Arrows, and I wasn¡¯t doing that because I thought you¡¯d embarrass yourself.¡± Brittany¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. The magical blades at her side, gifted to her by the business, felt so heavy. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, sir.¡± ¡°Mister or Executive, yeah?¡± Adam winked. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll send Jonn, but I want you to go. The Iyrmen, they might get a little crazy, but with you around, they won¡¯t do anything too silly, and they¡¯ll come back home safe and sound.¡± ¡®You want me to shepherd the Iyrmen?¡¯ Brittany¡¯s eyes remained cautious and incredulous. Adam smiled in response. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you just need to show your face. Leave the talking to the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam bowed his head, dismissing the young woman. He watched her leave, going to prepare herself. ¡®She¡¯s got to learn to show off more.¡¯ Adam made his way to the Silver Fate Squad. ¡°Jaygak?¡± Adam asked, spotting the Iyrman speaking with her cousins, who had lined up before her. ¡°I was just telling them they shouldn¡¯t get themselves killed.¡± ¡°Asking Iyrmen not to die?¡± Adam joked. ¡°What am I meant to say to Taygak?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You could tell her he died a good death, isn¡¯t that right, Laygak?¡± ¡°Cousin Adam is right, for once,¡± Laygak replied. ¡°What do you mean for once?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes at the Iyrman, who was no doubt Jaygak¡¯s cousin. ¡°Anyway, your task is to escort the Mother Florence and the Seventh Hope safely. You should prioritise Mother Florence¡¯s safety while escorting them, do you understand?¡± The Iyrmen exchanged glances between one another. They understood the relationship between Vonda and Florence, though the Mother didn¡¯t seem too happy about Adam. ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman replied. ¡°I¡¯m sending Brittany with you, she¡¯ll be representing the business too. Once your task is complete, you can spend a short while relaxing, but then you¡¯re to escort her back to the business safely.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The groups gathered at the gates of the large fortress which imposed upon the islet between split rivers. The businessfolk and all the Iyrmen gathered about to say their goodbyes to the esteemed visitors of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you Ray Vonda,¡± the Seventh Hope said, standing tall and proud within his full plate armour. A fellow considered a Master, even if he was the weakest of the Seven Hopes, he still gathered respect from any commoner within Aldish lands, and the surrounding lands, even the Iyr. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Hope Thomas.¡± ¡°Though you may remain within the Iyr¡¯s land, do not forget your roots.¡± Ray Vonda smiled a polite smile towards the Hope. ¡°I will never forget my roots.¡± ¡°Hope Thomas,¡± the voice cut through the air. Hope Thomas¡¯ body filled with a deep chill, which crept into his heart. His eyes slowly turned to meet Adam¡¯s, the half elf grinning wide towards the Seventh Hope. The Hope¡¯s arm throbbed from the memory. ¡°May Lord Sozain watch over your journey,¡± Adam¡¯s lips said, but his eyes spoke another sentiment. ¡®You punk! How dare you talk like that to my wife? Didn¡¯t I beat you hard enough?¡¯ ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Brother Adam.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Yeah.¡± Vonda let out a soft sigh, though allowed Adam his moment. She was glad he didn¡¯t start any bother with the Hope while he remained with them, and she was even more grateful that the Seventh Hope had learnt to keep his mouth shut around the Iyrmen. ¡®Mother Soza guide you both.¡¯ Adam really should have beaten him up harder. [904] – Y04.004 – Dangers on the Road [904] ¨C Y04.004 ¨C Dangers on the Road ¡°Come home safely!¡± the chorus of the children¡¯s voices echoed into the distance while the figures headed out towards East Port. Adam and Jaygak stood side by side as they watched the figures leave towards the village, the group continuing along their way after saying their goodbyes to the Village Chief. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing Director Shikan decided to go with them,¡± Adam said, letting out an obvious sigh of relief. ¡°Uncle only returned for your wedding.¡± ¡°Well, he returned for both of his nephews.¡± ¡°He returned because his son bullied him to return,¡± Jaygak joked, though she knew it was true. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll come across any hydras?¡± ¡°If they do, Laygak will fight well against it.¡±CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¡°Of course, since he¡¯s Taygak¡¯s older brother.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied, a small smile falling across her lips. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam whispered, switching to the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Do you think a thousand gold was enough.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I feel like I should have given them more.¡± ¡°If they cannot deal with their task with a thousand gold, what can they do?¡± ¡°Should we have given them the silver plaque?¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± Jaygak called, with Jurot¡¯s ears twitching, his head snapping towards her. ¡°Did you hand over the silver plaque.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°Jurot, you can¡¯t do this to me. Jaygak, how can he be so smart, handsome, and strong? It¡¯s not fair at all.¡± ¡°At least you¡¯re strong too.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I also handsome?¡± ¡°You¡¯re lacking horns.¡± ¡°What about Jirot and Jarot? They¡¯ve got no horns either?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Jirot and Jarot have such beautiful skin, like a leaf seen through the reflection of fresh morning dew.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®Since when did you get all poetic?¡¯ However, a smile forced its way onto his face. ¡°Yes. They certainly do.¡± Meanwhile, the Seventh Hope glanced about himself to the Iyrmen accompanying him, including the Director of the business. He ignored the sulking archer, who wondered what she was doing there when the Director had decided to come along. He had mostly kept to himself, though he had felt the glare of the devilkin Iyrman upon him often. He recalled what the young woman had said to him the previous year. ¡®Grandaunt, if she stepped here, not the Seventh, not the Sixth, not even the Fifth Hope could fell her. I will allow the Fourth and Third to claim they could not be easily beaten, but it is only the First Hope and the Second Hope who could dare to even suggest they could defeat her.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t read her true strength, nor was he impressed by her companion, the same companion who brought apprehension to the First and Second Hopes, the Mad Dog. ¡®That crippled old man provoked such fear?¡¯ Hope Thomas couldn¡¯t believe it, but his pulsing arm reminded him of the last time he had dared to underestimate the Iyrmen. No, it was not the Iyrmen he had underestimated, but a figure who did not provoke enough apprehension upon the land. ¡®Goblin children and a demon child?¡¯ The Seventh Hope muttered a quiet prayer under his breath. ¡°Thank you again for assisting us, Director Shikan,¡± Mother Florence said towards the handsome Iyrman, whose hair fell down to his shoulders. ¡°It is our honour to assist a Mother, and a Hope, of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°I have heard the Front Iyr Elder holds the same family name as you.¡± ¡°Elder Lykan,¡± Shikan confirmed. ¡°He is my cousin.¡± ¡°Is it true that your family has gained the title of Chief twice previously?¡± Florence bowed her head once more, recalling the one armed, one legged Iyrman. ¡°He lost his arm to the Azure Terror, and he lost his leg to Lord Asa.¡± ¡°No.¡± Shikan shook his head. ¡°He gave up his arm after he killed Forgryn, and he lost his leg to the Blood Knight.¡± Florence narrowed her eyes, glancing towards the Iyrmen around, spotting Naqokan, her tattoos of the yellow five pointed star and the purple flowers which flowed out from it, and then back to Shikan, who held the same tattoos. ¡°I heard it was a Kan who clashed with the Blood Knight.¡± ¡°He lost his leg and mother clashed with the Blood Knight,¡± Shikan explained, before continuining. ¡°You have seen the boy who clings to the Mad Dog and his wife, the Family Elder of the Rot family.¡± ¡°The red skinned boy?¡± ¡°Yes, the boy with the horns,¡± Shikan added, since his uncle clung to Larot closely too, but he was not the topic of discussion at the moment. ¡°He does not yet have his tattoos.¡± Florence nodded, recalling the quiet boy, who was in his teen years, a few years younger than the Iyrmen around her. ¡°Within the Iyr, Mahtu¡¯s influence takes great hold. Any Iyrman who is still a child, without a tattoo, shall be brought back to life if killed. It does not matter how they are killed, by the steel of a blade, by the forces of Nahtu, by the Azure Terror, who tore my nephew apart.¡± Shikan paused to calm his rushing heart, feeling the bloodlust of the Iyrmen around him. Florence remained silent. She had heard a great many tales within the Iyr, many of the families she was surrounded by, even the Jin family, which was technically not one of the four shared families of the Rot, Gak, Ool, or Kans. Yet, she had not heard of this tale. ¡°I pray he will forever know love,¡± the Mother said. Shikan wanted to say more, to explain to her of how dangerous Jarot truly was, but he could not bring himself to speak further of the topic. They continued along their way. ¡°Will Adam¡¯s children also take the tattoos.¡± Shikan froze, the Iyrmen freezing in place with him once more. The Seventh Hope fell still too, his eyes wide through his helmet as he stared at the Mother. Brittany¡¯s eyes remained completely focused on the Director, who was first and foremost an Iyrman. Her entire body refused to move, and even her breath fell still. Shikan¡¯s throat closed up, his heart thundering within his chest. His eyes remained glued to the Mother Priest¡¯s, who remained on the precipice of death. The rage of the unknown burned deeply within the Director, who could not even dare to answer this question, for he couldn¡¯t bear to hear the words. For a moment, the thought of killing them here came to him. ¡°If they do not take the Rot family¡¯s tattoos, they may take our tattoos,¡± the voice said, cutting through the tense air. Shikan¡¯s eyes snapped towards Laygak, who raised his visor to reveal the largest smile. ¡°They love my grandaunt the most.¡± It was on this day Shikan¡¯s appreciation for the Gak family increased tenfold. He was, somehow, glad that Jaygak had corrupted her cousin like this. ¡®Who would dare to hurt my adorable niece and nephew?¡¯ Laygak thought, before realising how deeply he had been corrupted by the trio of Jarot, Adam, and Jaygak. ¡°It is a fortune that a Ray is now their mother,¡± Mother Florence stated, calming her aching heart, which had almost stopped from the sheer intense terror imposed by the Iyrmen. ¡®Fortunate...¡¯ Shikan sighed, and he continued to escort the Mother. ¡°When the Mad Dog went to slay Forgryn, Laygak¡¯s grandaunt, Gangak, could not go, for she swore not to step foot within Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She made a promise to the various orders which gathered together to force her away.¡± ¡°...¡± Florence furrowed her brows. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Aunt¡¯s tale was cut quickly, like many of the Gaks before her. It is perhaps her greatest tale.¡± Shikan smiled, though his thoughts shifted. ¡°No. That will not go down as her greatest tale.¡± ¡°What is her greatest tale?¡± ¡°It is not a tale I can tell you,¡± Shikan said. He thought back to his nephew, who had adopted the goblins as his own children, before the half dragons came to him. Though the relationship of the half elf was a mess with the Iyr, it was much worse previously. ¡®Now, it is the fact that you accepted the twins before even the Rot family, which is your greatest tale.¡¯ Florence glanced to the side, towards the figure who was large and tall, and built like a damn auroch. He carried an axe at his side, like that of the Rot family, except he was neither related to the families through the main four, or even the Jin family. Instead, he was the grandson of one of the previous Great Elders of the Iyr. She wanted to learn more about him, but in her great wisdom, she realised she had already managed to survive a great danger with her words already. My heart hurts after this chapter. Thankfully, nothing terrible will happen to our children. ... [905] – Y04.005 – The Iyr’s Favour [905] ¨C Y04.005 ¨C The Iyr¡¯s Favour ¡°Sky! You must protect the foat, okay?¡± Lanarot said, hugging the awakened wolf, their heads glued together. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Bye bye, Sky,¡± the girl said, waving her hand at the wolf, before joining her brothers, and her nieces and nephews. The sight of the Iyrmen leaving was a sight to behold for the businessfolk, who watched as their Executives and Directors left, along with a great many Experts and Masters who had come, not for the wedding, but to scour the land. They had half a guess to think the Iyrmen were actually here to protect the children, but there was no way the Iyrmen would send so many great warriors just to escort their children. Right? The dozens upon dozens of carriages left, pulled away by the magical steeds. ¡°Wow!¡± Jirot said, as though it was the first time she saw the giant wall, which stretched from one horizon to the next, following the curves of the hills. The bottom of the wall was made of earth and rock, and was about as tall as her father. At the top of each hill was a tower, though it was covered by cloth, coloured similarly to the walls. They continued along until they finally arrived at, what Adam had called, the Valley of Death. The early evening sun illuminated the huge walls, which overlooked the incline. It was wide enough for twenty people to walk abreast, while the walls, at least a dozen Adam¡¯s tall on either side, loomed over them with unseen eyes gazing upon the group, and this was already beyond the first set of gates. However, since there were children within the returning horde of Iyrmen, the gates atop the Death Valley were swiftly opened, with Iyrmen beneath in the one in a million chance it would fall, the Iyrmen eager to catch the gate. The falling gate would skewer an Aldishman in half if they tried, save for the northerners who were heartily built. An Iyrman awaited for the group at the gates, a silver fox of a man, with a chiselled jaw, and greyish hair which fell to his shoulders. At his side was a flail, though none could think it was impractical, as his adventurer¡¯s tag hung loosely across his bare chest, glinting the blueish silver of mithril. The leader of the returning horde, Butcher Marmak, clasped Lykan¡¯s forearm. ¡°We have returned.¡± ¡°You have returned,¡± Lykan confirmed, before watching as the group quickly filed in, the carriages pulling towards the Front Iyr. One particular carriage stopped before him at his command, and the Front Iyr Elder knocked on the side. Adam and Jurot leapt out, while Adam held out his hand to assist Vonda out, before he motioned his head to Jurot, who assisted Pam out with a hand, though Jurot was fairly certain Pam¡¯s legs worked just fine. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Elder Lykan said, shaking Jurot¡¯s forearm, before doing the same to Adam. The pair were, in some respects, his nephews, though he had little to do with his family as the Front Iyr Elder. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head towards the Elder, allowing him to congratulate the others. The pair met eyes once more, with Adam¡¯s eyes holding a particular look. ¡°You wish to work so soon?¡± Lykan asked, unsure if he should be surprised by the fact, or if he should have expected it. ¡°I did a lot of thinking on the way here and I realised...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted about to see the few Iyrmen about, all the Front Iyr Elder¡¯s aides. ¡°The business doesn¡¯t have too much coin, so I probably should get to enchanting.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an-,¡± Pam began, quickly covering her mouth. Adam and Jurot both glanced towards the woman. They had informed her of quite a bit on the way to the Front Iyr Elder, though had kept a few things hidden. ¡®Did we forget to tell her about that?¡¯ ¡®I thought they did not wish to tell her,¡¯ Vonda thought, having kept silent when they spoke their secrets to Pam. Pam felt their gazes upon her skin, and her eyes narrowed, as suddenly the puzzle pieces began to fit together until things made sense while also making less sense than before. Lykan wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea for Pam to learn too much too quickly, but he kept his words to himself. Pam was the Iyr¡¯s collective responsibility, but she was first and foremost the responsibility of the Rot family. The Front Iyr was as Adam recalled, though it was still vastly different from the original Front Iyr he had stepped into four years ago. Where once lay the small village known as the Front Iyr, a village of a few thousands at most, once encased within a wooden fence, now lay a different Front Iyr, a Front Iyr his children had known their entire lives. Where once they could see the open plains which hid mysteries unknown to outsiders, there were large walls of jagged rock, like those of mountain peaks. Where where once a sparse, expansive village of wooden cabins dotted across the land, now lay hundreds of large estates. The ground floor of each estate was made of hard stone, and the few buildings with more than one story, the upper story were made of wood. A handful of buildings which reached the sky, three stories tall, were made completely of stone. A gentle tune guided them within, while the Iyrmen, mostly young families and their children, enjoyed themselves, busying themselves with work, school, and doing nothing in particular. Every so often they could spot older Iyrmen, those lazing in the brisk dawnval air, with the evening sun¡¯s rays basking their rough skin. ¡®Did they change it again?¡¯ Adam thought, glancing all about the Front Iyr, though he couldn¡¯t spot anything different. The group made their way to one of the outer fires, all of which connected to three other fires by the long, straight roads, two of which connected on the outer edge, to form the rest of the hexagonal shape of the Front Iyr, while the last connected to the central fire, which was connected to every other fire. The outer estates sprawled across the outer area, while Adam glanced over towards Morkarai¡¯s estate, pristine white like the first snow, where the fire giant disappeared behind the gates, as though entering a new world. ¡°Lanababy,¡± Adam called, lifting the girl up from beside her mother. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a walk, yeah?¡± ¡°I want buhread,¡± the girl replied, pouting towards her brother. ¡°Do you want papa to make you bread?¡± ¡°Kaka.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°This betrayal has hurt me the most.¡± Lanarot smiled innocently, brushing her dark hair behind her ears, before reaching out to grab her brother¡¯s collar, her attention falling to the soft cloth within her hands. She had no idea the pain and suffering she had brought to her elder brother, but of course he forgave her since she was cute. ¡°Do you wish to walk?¡± the spindly form of Filliam called, the young man adjusting his minuscule glasses, bridged by a triangle no larger than a pinky nail. ¡°Yeah. My legs are feeling all twitchy because we rode the carriage the entire way.¡± I will come walk too! Adam read the words across the paper, and he nodded, the dark skinned half elf smiling up towards him like a picture of innocence. ¡°You can¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± Tariel wrote furiously within her book. She was dark skinned, but not like an Aswadian, holding a gentle golden hue. She wore long, thick robes, dark brown, having adopted the Iyr¡¯s style within the Iyr. Resting between her pit was her long staff, made of dark wood which curled around a gem at the top, coiled like a viper. ¡°Yeah. You?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°Would you like to join us?¡± ¡°I wish to walk without such a vicious look against my skin.¡± ¡°Amokan, knock it off.¡± ¡°You beat me well, but I wish to fight again,¡± Amokan said. ¡°It is still the beginning of the year,¡± Ashmir replied, letting out a long sigh, the same kind of sigh which denoted he was a great warrior who had retired into the Iyr. In the same way he had bat away all the families wishing to marry their daughters to him, the old Aswadian had to bat away all the Iyrmen eager to spar him. However, Amokan wasn¡¯t exactly the same as the other Iyrmen who wished to spar with him. ¡°We may spar further into the year.¡± ¡°I will leave soon.¡± ¡°How soon?¡± ¡°Towards the beginning of the next month.¡± ¡°We may fight some time towards the end of this month.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam bowed his head towards Ashmir, understanding his pain. Why does no one want to fight me? ¡°You¡¯re not a warrior, you¡¯re a mage,¡± Adam replied. Tariel wrote furiously within her book. DRUID. ¡°Yeah, same difference.¡± Tariel tapped the corner of the last page. Meanwhile, the Chief of the Iyr sat within his estate within the Main Iyr, which was still a day away from the Front Iyr, ate his dried dough snacks, sitting opposite his cousin. The tale had been summarised to the Chief, though he had recalled much of the tale through the messages left behind. The most important matter was that the Iyr had gained another Paragon within its walls, one who he could place within the squad designed to kill Adam should he ever give the Iyr greater reasons to dispose of him. He wrote down the matter onto a piece of paper, and his aide took the paper to the Elder responsible for the half elf. ¡°Ten favours?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Ten favours,¡± Karmin affirmed. ¡°Do you have any requests?¡± Iromin asked, writing down the number of favours Karmin had gathered from distant dragons. The matters would need to be confirmed with the dragons, and should they refuse, they would need to figure out if the dragons would need to be hunted down, or if Karmin misunderstood. ¡°I was saved by a boy twelve years ago,¡± Karmin informed. ¡°Maharan is twenty two now, and works as a guide in the Free Territories, those at the bottom of the spine. Though Iromin was surprised to hear his cousin had been saved by a boy of twelve only a decade ago, yet he didn¡¯t skip a beat when it came to writing down the information. ¡°The pirates?¡± Karmin nodded. ¡°I have informed them to keep an eye on him while the Iyr will speak upon his reward.¡± Iromin continued to collect details of the boy, and with a stroke of his quill, he changed the life of the boy forever. ¡°I will go,¡± Karmin said. ¡°You will not rest?¡± ¡°Work today, rest tomorrow.¡± Iromin said no more, creating a copy of the letter, before stamping both, sending each to Elder Forest and Elder Gold. It was one of the few times when both Great Elders had a say upon using the resources of the Iyr, for it was a matter of both inside and outside. ¡°When do you wish to leave?¡± ¡°Once the matter is resolved.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Iromin allowed his cousin to leave, leaning back within his chair as he fell deep into though. He snacked away on his fried dough snacks. It was up to the young man whether he wanted to accept the gifts of the Iyr. He thought of a weapon which could assist the young man, and a certain blade came to mind, one which the Iyr had procured recently to fund a particular wedding. ¡®Did he...¡¯ Iromin thought, wondering if Adam was the reason why his cousin, who could clash with a Paragon almost a decade ago, was saved by a ten year old boy. ¡®No. He only came into existence four years ago.¡¯ The only problem was the small doubt within the Chief¡¯s heart, for even if it was impossible, such a word did not exist in the Iyr¡¯s vocabulary, and the word impossible meant almost certainty when it came to a particular half elf. I just realised. If anyone is familiar with murim manhwa, the Iyr is the Tang family. [906] – Y04.006 – Gifts Given [906] ¨C Y04.006 ¨C Gifts Given ¡°No, I suhleep with mommy,¡± Jirot said, crawling over to Vonda, climbing onto the young woman. Little Jarot also dropped down beside the woman, coyly cuddling up beside his mother. ¡°I want to sleep with mommy too,¡± Adam declared. ¡°Adam...¡± Vonda flushed lightly, her tan skin turning a deep crimson. ¡°We¡¯re newly weds so we should be spending time together.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jirot replied, pointing a finger to her father. ¡°My mommy.¡± ¡°Jibaby, I¡¯ve let you bully me all this time, but on this point I can¡¯t budge.¡± Jirot remained pointing at her father, her finger like a blade poised to strike if need be. She had no idea what he was talking about, but she was confident in her want to sleep with her mother that night. ¡°It¡¯s not mommy, it¡¯s mummy! In this household we say it correctly, alright?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t sleep with mummy unless you call her mummy.¡± ¡°Mommy.¡± ¡°Mummy.¡± ¡°Muhmee.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, surrendering to his most troublesome daughter. ¡®I guess Vonda and I can have our fun another time...¡¯ Adam¡¯s cheeks turned a deep crimson as he fell into his thoughts, only to be dragged away by a tug at his side. ¡°Yes, Konababy?¡± ¡°I sleep with daddy.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Adam and Vonda finished preparing their children for bed, before they glanced between one another. Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a wide smile, before allowing his triplets to swallow him in their cuddles. ¡®Damn. This is really the best life ever.¡¯ Konarot embraced her father tight, her silver tail swaying gently behind her. She could already feel that her father was going to go do that starting from the next dawn. As slumber camp to him, he noted something from the corner of his eyes. Quest Complete: Married Men XP Gained: +1000 XP: 2 700 -> 3 700 ¡®Nice.¡¯ Adam indeed did do that once dawn came. He did that for the next few days, spending his morning with his family, before leaving with the other young adults to work. They returned back in the late afternoon to spend time together. He broke his habit of working only for two precious days within the first month. The seventh day of dawnval arrived with a warmth across the Front Iyr. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Katool huffed, narrowing her eyes towards the half elf. ¡°Who could this be?¡± Katool glanced towards her elder sister, Kitool, who wondered if she should help, or if she should tease her sister too. As always, Kitool made the wise choice. ¡°Shall I beat him?¡± Kitool asked. Katool beamed up towards her elder sister with sparkling eyes of expectation. ¡°Of course I know who it is, it¡¯s our Katool, who else can bully me as harshly as my own daughter?¡± Adam replied, glancing aside to Kitool. ¡®Seriously, Kitool. Isn¡¯t it bad enough your grandaunt¡¯s going to be the one to kill me, you¡¯ve got to bully me too?¡¯ ¡°Kako,¡± Jirot called, reaching over to pat Kitool¡¯s leg. ¡°You can beat lightly, okay?¡± ¡°Jirot, how can you betray me like this?¡± ¡°You ah always wuhking,¡± Jirot replied with a frown. ¡°Kako, you must beat daddy only lightly, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The old man¡¯s howling laughter filled the air, while Adam embraced little Katool, brushing her hair, still fashioned within a bob, before finally letting her go. He slipped her a silver token for a personal favour, not that the girl ever required a silver token to have Adam act personally, but Adam had already handed out a bunch to most of the other children. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, staring out to the children who fawned over Katool, who was the youngest of the older children, and the oldest of the younger children. ¡°She¡¯s eight years old, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean...¡± Adam glanced around to all the children. Gurot stormed back to his mother, while Inakan cuddled up with her brother, while Jitool sat beside her sister, the birthday girl, with Jirot and Jarot beside her. ¡®I¡¯ve known Katool almost half her life now...¡¯ ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Katool¡¯s so tall.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Turot¡¯s begun to learn a trade too.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Taygak¡¯s grown too, and our sister, since when could she walk and talk so easily?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since when? When did they grow up this much? What happened to them? My adorable little cousins, my adorable little sister, my adorable little children...¡± Jurot knew how much Adam liked to joke, but this time... Jurot took in the sight of all the children. He recalled little Katool, who cried so easily. Then there was Lanarot, who only knew how to cry for her mother, and now she watched over Gurot and Danagek so well. He recalled little Taygak, who once barely knew how to crawl, and now she was a stellar example for all the younger children. ¡®In a few more years...¡¯ Jurot¡¯s entire body tensed up as the darkness slipped into his heart. His eyes remained focused on Taygak, who was the oldest of the children, and had yet to be granted her tattoos. Once she was tattooed... ¡°Old man, give me back my boy,¡± Adam snarled, reaching out to his youngest boy. ¡°When we were young, we fought a few times,¡± Jarot admitted. ¡°She was not difficult to beat, more difficult than the Aldish, but she was not talented for an Iyrman. She left when I left, and returned a few years later. She swiftly earned the title of Expert on her adventure, and retired within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Grandaunt worked hard to become a Grandmaster while retired,¡± Jurot said, holding up his cup of wine. ¡°She did not shame our family.¡± ¡°She did not shame our family,¡± Jarot repeated, glancing towards Adam. ¡°She did not shame our family,¡± Adam replied, awkwardly, before the trio sipped their drinks together. ¡°When¡¯s the funeral.¡± ¡°She was buried in the night,¡± Jarot said. ¡°She wished to be buried quickly. She was buried with her axe, her shield, and the cloth strips she had received from the children in the last year.¡± Adam wondered how Iyrmen burials worked, but he decided against asking for more. ¡®Rirot...¡¯ ¡°Sister will train hard to become a Grandmaster in her stead,¡± Jarot said, glancing aside towards the pair of demons who had been hanging out as the Rot family estate in order to train. ¡°You are still working hard?¡± ¡°Yeah. Tomorrow I¡¯ll be done with the business¡¯ stuff. Then I¡¯ll be making something personal.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t spoil the fun.¡± A figure approached the extended estate, and though they were expected, the Iyrmen still tensed up, their eyes focused on the stranger. ¡®I¡¯m still not used to their gazes,¡¯ the fire giant Prince thought. Thankfully, another figure also appeared, taking many of the gazes away, as a red skinned woman with dark green robes and golden thread across the hem of her robes stepped into the Iyr. ¡®Right,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®The Iyr takes such good care of my children.¡¯ ¡°Good morning, Shaman Lokat.¡± ¡°Good morning, Adam,¡± Lokat replied, her attention quickly returning back to the one year old. She checked the boy¡¯s sight, his teeth, and the rest of his body. She spoke few words, though every word she said was dutifully written by her aide. ¡°How is he?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He is healthy.¡± ¡°Of course he¡¯s healthy, since his family takes such good care of him,¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes.¡± With that, the Shaman checked upon the rest of the children. ¡°Our nephew is always healthy,¡± Turot stated. ¡°I make sure he is warm!¡± ¡°I bring the fruit,¡± Asorot said. ¡°Yes,¡± Turot said, patting Asorot¡¯s back. ¡°You are so well behaved.¡± ¡®How can my cousins be this cute?¡¯ Adam thought. Nirot understood why Adam wanted her to stay behind. ¡®I should remain for my nephew¡¯s first birthday.¡¯ She glanced towards her younger brothers, who took such delight in watching over the boy. It was the last day of dawnval when Adam finally completed it, even missing the break he should have scheduled, much to his children¡¯s chagrin. ¡°What is it?¡± Vonda asked, finishing her tea as she eyed up the mace upon the table. ¡°It¡¯s my gift to you.¡± Vonda raised her brows, before reaching out towards the mace. She almost pulled away from how tingly her fingers felt when she touched the weapon. ¡°Is it...¡± ¡°Greater Enhanced.¡± ¡°Oh, Adam...¡± Vonda reached up to her forehead, wondering how she could deal with a husband like this. ¡°You already gifted me such a fine weapon.¡± ¡°Even our Leads have Greater Enhanced weapons. What will they say when they hear that a Ray of Hope doesn¡¯t even have something which matches it?¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± Vonda asked, quickly snatching the mace up as Jirot reached for it, pouting up at the woman. Adam smiled. Vonda¡¯s Dawn You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 1D6 bludgeoning damage. State the command word to cause the weapon to glow brightly for 6 metres and dimly for another 6 metres. Holds 3 charges. When the weapon is glowing, the user may choose any creature within the radius of the bright glow to regain 2D6 Health. Regains all charges at dawn. ¡°How many did you make?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Three of these.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Vonda asked, her eyes staring deep into Adam¡¯s. ¡°Well, the business needs more money, so I¡¯ve been working hard before we leave...¡± Vonda reached over to hold Adam¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re working too hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll work lighter once we¡¯re on the road.¡± Adam wiggled his brows. ¡°Adam...¡± Vonda flushed again. ¡®I should do at least this much for my wife, right?¡¯ Adam thought, intertwining his fingers with hers. Noticing how her mother and father were distracted with their flirting, Jirot reached over towards the mace, only to find her mother was more observant than she realised. Jirot glanced towards her brother, as though she hadn¡¯t tried to cause any trouble at all. ¡°Who would like to hold the weapon?¡± Vonda asked. Jirot gasped, sitting up tall as her eyes beamed brightly. ¡®Yeah, exactly,¡¯ Adam thought, nodding his head approvingly. ¡®You should show off your husband¡¯s gifts!¡¯ Jurot eyed up his brother. ¡®I should bring back a dragon¡¯s head for Pam.¡¯ His eyes then darted to Pam, who was too busy ignoring the ridiculousness of her husband¡¯s brother, feeding Lanarot tiny bits of bread. ¡®No. She would not like that.¡¯ Jurot crossed his arms as he thought about what kind of gifts he could bring to his wife, who was an Aldishwoman born and raised in Red Oak, and a baker. ¡®Dragon meat?¡¯ Adam constantly flirting with his wife in the most cringe way. Jurot! You have to resist! [907] – Y04.007 – Longer Goodbyes [907] ¨C Y04.007 ¨C Longer Goodbyes Adam embraced his sister tight. The girl, adorned within the Iyr¡¯s typical attire, of a tunic with a sash around her waist, a set of trousers, and thick boots. Her forehead was dabbed with the vague shapes of her family¡¯s tattoos for the day. ¡°You smelly girl, how can you grow up this quickly?¡± Adam asked, peppering her face with kisses. ¡°Hehehe.¡± Lanarot squirmed bashfully, enjoying her brother¡¯s affection, before he finally surrendered her to the rest of her family, after handing her a silver token. ¡°Make sure you give your kako something nice, okay?¡± Adam said, queueing up his children so they could give her gifts, starting with the youngest, Larot, before each handed small bits of scales to their aunt. Lanarot embraced each of her nephews and nieces, kissing their foreheads too. Lord Morkarai stood awkwardly, feeling Adam¡¯s intense gaze upon his skin. He had been invited to come to the shared estate in the morning to give his gifts, though he wasn¡¯t sure if that was appropriate. ¡®Since the Iyr didn¡¯t refuse, it must be fine.¡¯ Adam pat Lord Morkarai¡¯s back, the fellow having gifted Lanarot a mundane weapon that had been forged well, well enough that it was considered a Masterwork weapon. ¡®That¡¯s right, you shouldn¡¯t give anything that outdoes either of her brothers.¡¯ Vonda wasn¡¯t sure about her own gift, but Pam¡¯s gift had eased her heart. A painting of the girl was great, though nothing compared to the items her brother and the Prince handed over, but with Pam¡¯s gift of a pile of bread bringing the most joy of all, she smiled. ¡®Should I have given bread too?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®No. Greatfather¡¯s shield is good too.¡¯ Adam refused to surrender his sister that day, holding her during the family portrait, missing the old man¡¯s glance towards Sonarot, but not the coveting gaze of another old man. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to play with her once we¡¯re gone, so today she had to be within my arms.¡± ¡°Baba!¡± Lanarot called, reaching out for her grandfather. The betrayal pained Adam¡¯s heart, but he surrendered the girl. It would not be the greatest pain, as the next morning, his daughter hurt him ever more. ¡°You ah going?¡± Jirot glared towards her father. ¡°I have to go with Lord Morkarai. Daddy¡¯s strong, so he needs to escort the Prince back home.¡± ¡°Papo is stuhrong too,¡± Jirot said, pointing Jurot. ¡°Daddy, you cannot. Papo will go.¡± ¡°Yes, but, if daddy doesn¡¯t go, then how will I bring back gifts?¡± Jirot narrowed her eyes. ¡°Papo, you can stay.¡± ¡°Papo has to go too since he¡¯s so strong.¡± Jirot glanced towards her mother for support, pouting up towards Vonda. ¡°I must go too,¡± Vonda replied, reaching down to brush her hair. Jirot¡¯s entire body jerked, as though she had been slapped, her eyes wide. ¡°Mummy is going?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot blinked, stunned as though she had been struck by Kitool¡¯s abilities. Jirot glanced towards her father in shock, before she then looked back to her mother. Her lower lip quivered before she hugged her mother¡¯s leg. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam¡¯s heart ached from how quickly Jirot surrendered to her mother leaving. His eyes watered slightly. ¡®Damn, we¡¯re going to be in so much trouble when we leave. Are we going to come across some kind of crazy monster again?¡¯ Jaygak picked up her youngest sister, who wouldn¡¯t come to see them off. Maygak was bigger than the other children around her, almost reaching the size of her two year old sister. ¡°You cannot forget me.¡± Maygak smiled, clapping her hands excitedly. ¡°Kaka!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jaygak kissed the girl¡¯s nose, brushing her hand through her hair, rocking gently. ¡°Minool,¡± Kitool called, causing the girl glance towards her elder sister. Minool smiled, before turning to dart away, only to find her sister already there, sweeping the girl into her arms. ¡°You must behave for your elder sister.¡± Minool smiled innocently, and Kitool wondered if instead of Jitool, it was Minool who remained beside the twins, for her smile was the same as Jirot¡¯s. Amokan pinched his brother¡¯s nose gently, causing the boy to twitch and sneeze. ¡°You will not remember me when I return, for I may not return for many years. You must remember within your heart I played with you often.¡± Mokan giggled, waving at his brother as he stepped beside the rest of his companions, sans the most obvious one. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You can¡¯t do this to me, I¡¯m about to leave.¡±Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°Murot should remain,¡± Mirot said, holding out her arms for her youngest son. ¡°Murot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°You have to bully your mother a lot for stealing you away from me, do you understand?¡± Murot reached out for his mother, giggling playfully as she accepted him against her bosom. ¡°Murot, I don¡¯t have to worry about you, because you¡¯re a good kid.¡± Murot glanced back towards his cousin, smiling innocently towards him, as though he wasn¡¯t related to the Mad Dog. ¡°Maygak, you have to stop with all the grabbing, we can¡¯t afford all the stitches required.¡± Maygak sucked her thumb as she stared at Adam. ¡°Faygak... I can¡¯t say anything since you¡¯re just like your older brother.¡± ¡°Kavgak,¡± Jaygak called, holding the girl up above her, feeling her weight within her arms. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the children in your capable care.¡± ¡°Kaka,¡± the girl replied, reaching out to grab at the woman¡¯s armour, only to be placed down, causing her to squat after feeling her weight against her legs. ¡°Katool,¡± Kitool called. ¡°Yes!¡± The tiny Kitool stood at attention. ¡°Jitool may cause some trouble because she loves to play with Jirot, and Jarot, but it is Minool you must watch over most.¡± ¡°Yes! I am much quicker, because I am her elder sister,¡± the girl assured. ¡°Inakan,¡± Amokan called, holding out his hand for the girl. As Inakan took it, he brushed his thumb against the back of her hand. ¡°You will also forget me since I will not return, but it is fine. When I return, I will tell you all the tales again, and all my new tales.¡± ¡°Papa,¡± the girl replied with a small smile, before they embraced together. ¡®I understand why the Iyr needs to be so strong,¡¯ Amokan thought, holding the small girl within his arms. Even at two years old, the girl was only slightly larger than her younger brother. He planted a kiss against her forehead, rubbing his cheek against hers for a long while. Timojin held onto Majin¡¯s hand. ¡°I must go.¡± He brushed Majin¡¯s hair, pressing his forehead against the boy¡¯s. ¡°When I return, I will bring many gifts.¡± ¡°Papa...¡± Majin replied, pouting slightly. Nirot remained quiet for a long while. Eventually she picked up her little brother. She technically wasn¡¯t leaving with the rest of them, but she was going to watch over the fort. Still, it meant she was in danger, and she could lose her life too. ¡°Kaka...¡± ¡°I will return, with the rest of your cousins.¡± The group stared at the expectant eyes of the children before them. However, before the group were finally ready to leave, Jirot grabbed Lucy¡¯s trousers. ¡°Lucy, you must protect mummy and daddy, okay?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You are stuhrong because you are Demon Load.¡± Lucy blinked. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll definitely watch over your mommy and daddy.¡± ¡°Is mummy, not mommy,¡± Jirot said, huffing. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl watched as they all began to leave, with Lord Morkarai awkwardly following them once they said their goodbyes. ¡°Come home safely!¡± the chorus began, the children shouting out as the gates closed behind them. Even as the gates closed, the chorus of shouts continued to push over the large walls, though were barely carried upon the wind. Even when the voices could not reach the leaving group, they continued to shout. ¡°Will you miss your father and mother?¡± Sonarot asked, brushing her granddaughter¡¯s hair tenderly. ¡°No,¡± the girl managed through the spluttering sobs, her entire body shaking as she cried. ¡°Huu! No!¡± The rest of the children also began to cry, their parents and siblings soothing them. They didn¡¯t try to stop their children from crying, however, since it may have been the last time they saw those who had left the safety of the Iyr¡¯s walls. ¡°We need to be careful,¡± Adam said, his voice filed with a deeper seriousness. ¡°Since our kids are so cute, it means the world is going to be even uglier.¡± Although his words were obviously a joke, they held a spark of truth within them. Amokan and Timojin glanced between one another, their stories almost unrivalled, but compared to the chaos which surrounded the half elf, they would need to seek even greater heights. As the late afternoon fell across the Front Iyr, a pair stood opposite one another with many eyes upon them. Ashmir stared at his opponent, a young Iyrman who he had promised to spar. ¡®What happened to you for your aura to become like this?¡¯ ¡®Did he always have a spear?¡¯ Adam thought, eyeing up the Lion King. Amokan charged forward, swinging wildly as he always did, throwing all caution to the wind. Even though he knew he wasn¡¯t going to win, he still needed to give it his all. ¡°Your blade has become heavier,¡± Ashmir noted, easily dodging the young man¡¯s blade, deflecting the blade off of his spear tips. ¡°Yes,¡± Amokan replied, swinging his blade so harshly, it threatened to bisect the older Paragon, yet his blade was caught by Ashmir¡¯s spear. ¡°A lion cub is still a lion?¡± Ashmir teased, stepping forward to begin his counter attack. Jurot¡¯s eyes remained focused on the bout, taking in any insights he could, while Jaygak drank with the Prince, and Kitool concentrated on her thoughts. ¡®As expected from the one that managed to beat the previous Elder Wrath,¡¯ Adam thought, watching as Ashmir crushed Amokan with relative ease. ¡°You must feel reassured with a Manager who has such a great father,¡± Vonda joked, relaxing beside her husband. Adam let out a small sigh. ¡®We marry and suddenly you¡¯re full of jokes, eh?¡¯ Adam pulled his wife closer to his side, nuzzling against her nose and neck. Though his heart still ached for leaving his children behind, her presence soothed his soul. ¡®Everything¡¯ll be okay since you¡¯re with us. No wonder they call you a Ray of Hope.¡¯ Jirot crying makes me so sad. [908] – Y04.008 – Business Matters [908] ¨C Y04.008 ¨C Business Matters ¡°Welcome back, Executive,¡± Dunes greeted, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm as the figures entered the fort, glancing aside to see Vonda adorned in her full plate. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°How¡¯s everything?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No issues with the undead?¡± ¡°Little issues with the undead, but there is currently a small matter.¡± ¡°What kind of small matter?¡± Adam asked, glancing aside to see the few businessfolk who had come to greet the Executives. ¡®Where are the others?¡¯ Fred¡¯s blade cut through the bear, his blade flashing cold with magic as the blood within the creature froze. As the bear dropped beside him, Fred pivoted on his foot, his eyes darting between the pair of bears before him, his heart thundering within his chest. ¡®Are you watching, George?¡¯ Another bear dropped behind him, while the tall, wide form of Nobby cut down the beast with ease, while another slashed across his chest, tearing through his shirt, but not through his skin, which felt more like iron than flesh. ¡®Merl is watching,¡¯ Nobby thought, gripping his axe tighter in hand as the red hot rage coursed through his veins, and he swiped his axe, and as though he were an Iyrman signing the deaths of nearby or distant nobles, he brought death to another bear. ¡°Their abilities are impressive,¡± Korin admitted from beside the statue known as Jonn, the pair watching from a short distance away, ready to charge in to assist at any moment. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Bear meat is no good.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is good?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You do not talk much,¡± Korin said, glancing aside towards the half elf. ¡°The fae from Aswadasad and the nearby lands talk much, when one is worthy.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Am I not worthy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good at talking to others,¡± Jonn admitted. Korin raised his brow towards the half fae. ¡°I will not push you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fred raised his magical blade in victory, panting as his entire body suddenly rushed with an ache. ¡®I did it!¡¯ He wanted to lean on his knees, but he could still feel the gaze from the villagers and the businessfolk. His thought returned to when he first became an adventurer, and how difficult it was for him and a group to face even one bear, but now he could slaughter three by himself, with some effort. Nobby lifted a bear, hoping his wife had seen him fight well. The pair turned to leave as Korin and Jonn escorted the villagers to take the bears upon the wagons, pulled by the pair¡¯s magical steeds. Fred glanced across towards the village, where he spotted many familiar and expected faces, before his eyes fell across another set of familiar faces. ¡°Greetings, Executives,¡± Fred called out, unsure if he was meant to be so formal. ¡°Greetings, Executives,¡± Nobby said a moment later, following Fred¡¯s leads. ¡°Well done,¡± Adam called out, reaching out to shake their forearms and patting their shoulders. ¡°What else can we expect from our great Fred and Nobby! So strong! So strong! Did you see, Chief Merl? Our workers are so strong, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Merl replied, furrowing her brows towards the half elf. ¡°Just you wait, in a few years they¡¯ll be Masters, then they¡¯ll be able to fight all kinds of monsters.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Chief replied, letting out a defeated sigh. She wasn¡¯t able to handle Adam¡¯s ridiculous yet, though she no longer doubted Adam¡¯s words. ¡°We¡¯ll leave the bears to you to butcher and part out appropriately.¡± Adam stared out in the distance where Korin and Jonn were on alert, their eyes towards the woods all about them, circling around the villagers who were in the middle of lifting the dead beasts onto the ¡°One part to the business, one part to the warriors, and one part to the village?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam flashed a charming smile towards the older Chief. ¡°You fought well,¡± the younger Merl said, reaching out to stroke her husband¡¯s arm gently. ¡°I¡¯ll have your clothes fixed.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nobby replied, turning slightly red from her attention, barely able to handle her beautiful gaze. ¡®You punk, how can you flirt in front of your boss like this?¡¯ Adam thought, though he allowed Nobby his peace. ¡®I should probably bring up him to thirty gold a month, but I probably shouldn¡¯t give him the title of Lead for now?¡¯ Fred settled himself beside George, feeling the gazes of all the villagers and the businessfolk on him. ¡°Did you see?¡± George nodded, his eyes firmly glued to Fred, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Give it a few years, and you¡¯ll be that strong too,¡± Fred reassured. ¡°The Executives will train you if you want.¡± George squirmed awkwardly, glancing towards the Executives who had returned, from the half elf to the trio of Iyrmen who had already revealed what kind of monsters they were. ¡®...¡¯ The memory of the boy stabbing Adam filled his mind, and he shuffled closer to Fred. Fred smiled slightly, reaching out to rub the boy¡¯s head, but he decided against it. He sat there in silence, basking in the attention he was receiving. As Jonn and Korin returned, Adam threw them a nod. ¡°I thought you would rest,¡± Korin said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Anyway, the Iyrmen are going to go to Red Oak every month or so. It¡¯ll take a week to get there, they¡¯ll spend a few days there, and then they¡¯ll come back. I was thinking, it¡¯s probably a good way of training some of the newbies, and those who want to become guards. We¡¯ll send a few of our own over with the Iyrmen, and cycle them like the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Cycle?¡± ¡°Yeah, like...¡± Adam spun a circle with his finger. ¡°Cycle.¡± Upon seeing Dunes¡¯ confusion, Adam blinked. ¡®Oh. They don¡¯t have cycles in this world, I guess?¡¯ ¡°Basically, split the trainees and the farmers into multiple groups, more than one for sure, two to five, in whatever way it¡¯ll split cleanly for you. Then as the Iyrmen go out, the first group will go and come back. The month after that, the second group, then the month after that, the third. Once a full rotation is done, start with the first group again. That way every month a group goes out, but not twice in a row, and hopefully, they¡¯ll all go the same amount, or we¡¯ll send the group we want to become most experienced multiple times.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I understand.¡± Adam snapped his fingers and pointed towards Dunes. ¡°This is why you¡¯re our Manager, Dunes.¡± ¡°When the workers take their holidays, should we send them with a group, and have them return with the next group?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great idea.¡± Adam nodded his head, flashing a wide smile. ¡°Are you trying to earn a raise?¡± ¡°If you give any more money, I will be unable to meet Lady Arya when I pass, I will be held down by the weight of all that gold.¡± ¡°Make sure you take the holiday too.¡± ¡°The holiday I wish to take will require more than a month.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Where do you want to go?¡± ¡°I would like to return to the order to visit.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam thought. ¡°I guess that is difficult if you only have a month off? I¡¯ll try and figure out a way so that you can take more days off, and... I mean, if you want to go, I¡¯m not going to stop you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already committed to your business. If I return now, the Priest Commander will beat me. He has already sent word to me in the beginning of the year.¡± ¡°He did? What did he say?¡± ¡°He congratulated me for the marriage once more, and says he will expect word back every season with news. He will not berate me since I have married so recently.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Korin and Sara say they wanted to go back soon?¡± ¡°They have decided to stay for some time, since the Priest Commander will be sure to beat Korin if he returns.¡± ¡°Not Sara?¡± ¡°She is still the daughter of Peysh.¡± ¡°Peysh?¡± ¡°Lords.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Dunes paused for a moment. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± Dunes continued to wait for him to complain about nobles, but after a long enough moment, he returned back to checking the paper, his eyes scanning across the estimates Adam had made for the business. ¡®Did he underestimate the costs?¡¯ Dunes made some quick calculations for how much it would cost to feed the figures within the business. ¡®If we procure the cheapest food from the village, it should suffice.¡¯ His eyes then fell down to the next section. ¡®Did he double the savings for the children?¡¯ ¡°I decided against adding my own children in since they¡¯re being taken care of within the Iyr. Once I move them into the business, then I¡¯ll add them in.¡± ¡°You wish to move them to the business?¡± ¡°I should, right?¡± ¡°Is there a need?¡± ¡°Well, you know... it¡¯s a bit weird to impose so much onto the Iyr.¡± ¡°Will their greatfather allow it?¡± ¡°Exactly! If I leave them in the Iyr, he¡¯ll steal them away from me! I can¡¯t allow that, you know?¡± Dunes smiled, sipping the rest of his flavoured water, trying to pace himself. ¡°What is misc?¡± ¡°Well, misc is misc. Basically, if you want to spend more money, as long as you write it down, you can go ahead and spend up to the full amount every month. I don¡¯t really mind if you want to spend the full budget every month, that¡¯s up to you. If Korin feels like he needs more spices, that¡¯s part of that budget. We should probably use the coin for those to head out too...¡± ¡®Damn, that means the budget¡¯s going to disappear real quick. Though, it¡¯s not like it¡¯ll cost a hundred gold for a couple of weeks away, so it should be fine.¡¯ Dunes glanced down towards the paper. He presumed misc would be used for items Adam hadn¡¯t thought of. ¡°Anyway, really, you can spend more than that, just write it down. I haven¡¯t figured out an entertainment budget, so I¡¯d like for you to deal with that, and to think about what kind of entertainment would be fun for them. Once we¡¯re in Red Oak, I¡¯ll be spending some coin on dragonchess and stuff, but I¡¯m not really sure what I should buy. Vonda said books and paints, but we need items which aren¡¯t consumed, or which won¡¯t wear down too quickly?¡± ¡°Balls are always fun, but there are many things children can busy themselves with. The most fun a child has, is with others. Warriors and Wanderers will keep them busy too.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Dunes, you¡¯re a genius!¡± ¡®It¡¯ll help them with their letters and numbers, and to figure out what kind of fighting style they¡¯d like too.¡¯ ¡°This is why you¡¯re a Manager, Dunes.¡± Dunes wasn¡¯t sure if he should take credit since almost everything was Adam¡¯s idea, most of which he expected Adam to implement anyway. ¡°Perhaps I should ask for a raise.¡± Adam smiled, stifling his chuckle for a moment. ¡°How can you ask for a raise after how many magical weapons you¡¯ve received?¡± I miss the kids already... Thank you for #1 trending! Whoa! [909] – Y04.009 – The Way to Red Oak [909] ¨C Y04.009 ¨C The Way to Red Oak ¡°What would you like me to buy?¡± Adam asked, upon one knee in front of the boy, whose skin was tanned by the the thousands of yellows of the sun. He was finally filling out with more meat on his bones.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m The boy held up his hands together, parting them open in front of him. ¡°A book?¡± The boy nodded, his long dark hair bouncing. ¡°A book to read or a book to write?¡± The boy held up his fist and scribbled in the air, as though carving with a dagger. ¡°Alright, no need to threaten me, sheesh,¡± Adam replied, reaching towards his side, where the dagger had once slipped through the chink within his armour. The boy turned red as the chill filled him, and he stared down at the floor, frozen in shame. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Adam said, patting the boy¡¯s shoulder, before pulling back before he gave the boy a deeper fright. He stepped aside towards Fred, leaning in slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll leave him in your care.¡± ¡°Yes, Executive,¡± Fred replied, standing a little taller. ¡°Keep an eye on him. If he shows interest in anything, let me know.¡± ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to reply like that every time, just the first time or so, or if we have some hoity toity noble about.¡± Fred¡¯s eyes glanced towards the large, coal skinned fellow, with the fiery red beard. ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the good ones.¡± Adam flashed a smile, before stepping away, slipping out his book before writing in it. ¡®G-Books.¡¯ ¡°Mister Amokan, you have to fight good, okay?¡± Jack said, the boy beaming up towards the handsome Iyrman. ¡°I will do my best.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to fight good too, mister Timojin,¡± Jimmy said, also beaming up towards the Iyrman, whose hair fell down to his shoulders, his thick beard braided with all manner of beads gifted to him by his younger siblings. ¡°Okay,¡± Timojin replied with a nod of his head. Lucy¡¯s heart ached, none of the children walking up to her to wish her well. ¡®I miss you two already.¡¯ Mara remained at her side. ¡®Should I speak with some of the children?¡¯ Her eyes darted to the parents, some of whom were warily eyeing them up. ¡°No need for porters, mister?¡± Remy asked. ¡°Not this time,¡± Adam replied, glancing between the cousins who looked more like twins. ¡°How are your families settling here?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Remy replied, tipping his helmet. ¡°Alright, well, if you have any issues, let us know.¡± ¡°There¡¯s, uh...¡± Remy glanced aside towards Jeremy, and felt the eyes of the others upon him. ¡°Well, you see.¡± Rick cleared his throat, stepping forward. He rubbed along his beard, scratching against it. ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult to to keep up some of our habits from the town.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Games and toys for the children, razors for us, and certain drinks and foods. We know it¡¯s not all practiseful.¡± Rick paused. ¡°Practical?¡± Upon seeing Adam¡¯s nod, he continued. ¡°We¡¯re hoping that some of our duties can have us head to Red Oak to buy those sorts of things.¡± ¡°Funny you should mention that. Manager Dunes¡¯ll let you know soon, but that¡¯ll be easily done. I¡¯ll let him know that some of the misc budget can be used for that.¡± Adam motioned his head to have Rick walk with him to the side. ¡°It¡¯s going to eat my heart if I don¡¯t tell you this, but right now the business¡¯ money is tied up in magical weapons.¡± ¡°Tied up?¡± ¡°The business has a lot of money, but right now it¡¯s not in coins, it¡¯s in magical weapons. In a few months, once everything¡¯s auctioned off, we¡¯ll have enough coin to deal with your wages. If there are any merchants or anything, let the Manager know what you want, and the business will pay for it, and then once the wages can come in properly, you can have the business order things on your behalf, and we should be able to procure things cheaper for you.¡± Rick nodded his head slowly, barely understanding Adam¡¯s words. ¡°The business has money, just in magical weapons. Business¡¯ll pay for things from merchants for now, until it can pay our wages. We can ask the business to buy for things on our behalf for a cheaper price, and we pay the business?¡± ¡°Basically.¡± ¡°Okay, mister.¡± He glanced back over his shoulder towards the other farmers eyeing him up. ¡°If there is a need to pay the wages, we¡¯ve got some money ourselves. If it comes to it, we¡¯ll let the Manager know that we can bring some money from Red Oak.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to that, but I appreciate your words. We¡¯ll be sure to pay you back properly too, and with a bonus.¡± Rick cleared his throat again, glancing over his shoulder again, noting the expectant looks of the farmers and porters, before his eyes darted towards the Ray. He scratched his beard again. ¡°If you could let the Enchanter know we¡¯re eager to help...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to do just that.¡± Adam made the rounds, checking in on Jonn and Nobby, leaving them with his expectations, before the group met together at the front. Jurot bowed his head. ¡°We should kill much since we are married.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s kill an appropriate amount.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. ¡®He agreed way too easily,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®That¡¯s why my brother is the best.¡¯ Vonda could understand Adam¡¯s thoughts even without seeing his face. ¡®An appropriate amount for an Iyrman is very different, Adam...¡¯ The trio of new companions blinked. They stared at the towers which had formed from nothingness in particular. ¡°Adam?¡± Morkarai began, his mind racing. He was already impressed by the swiftness at which the Iyrmen moved, forming a small outpost within an hour at most, but... ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°...¡± Morkarai furrowed his brows. He had heard of Adam¡¯s tales plenty of times, but it was only now he just realised. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± Morkarai nodded his head slowly, his eyes going to the towers and then the ditch on the outside of the fence. Whereas the Iyrmen had formed the fences around the camp, it was Adam who had formed the mound of their camp, and the ditch around the fence within the span of minutes. ¡®I thought you were a Priest?¡¯ ¡°Even though Korin isn¡¯t with us anymore,¡± Adam said, holding back a tear, ¡°we can at least enjoy our baths, you know?¡± ¡°Baths?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°Baths,¡± Lucy confirmed. ¡°We¡¯ll go last, so you guys go on ahead and enjoy yourselves. I¡¯ll clean the water between everyone too, so don¡¯t be too shy.¡± Amokan and Timojin exchanged glances between one another. ¡°You are enjoying baths daily?¡± Amokan asked in the Iyr¡¯s tongue, his eyes glued to Jurot. Jaygak smirked, reaching over to pat Adam¡¯s back. ¡°Adam, when we return, remind me to praise you to Kavgak and Maygak.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Adam stated, his eyes full of delight. ¡°When I return, I will speak of this to Inakan,¡± Amokan replied, feeling the annoyance build within him. ¡°By the time you return, I will have already stolen Inakan away.¡± Amokan¡¯s body flashed red hot with annoyance. ¡®Should I beat him?¡¯ ¡°We need to set up a watch too. Since there are a bunch of us, and we have Zeus and Hades, we can set up either four sets of two hours, with a pair on watch at all times, or eight sets of one hour, and we¡¯ll have Lord Morkarai-,¡± ¡°Prince,¡± the Iyrmen corrected almost simultaneously. ¡°Oh, right. I mean, yeah, Prince Morkarai, and Ray Vonda, they can stay in for the night.¡± ¡°I will take the same watch as you,¡± Vonda said. ¡°You can¡¯t seduce me like this while we¡¯re on the road.¡± Vonda turned beet red, raising her brows towards Adam. ¡°What am I saying, of course you can seduce me whenever you want.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure when Adam had gained so much courage. ¡°If you keep flirting like this, I won¡¯t praise you in front of Kavgak and Maygak,¡± Jaygak warned. ¡°What? You can¡¯t do this to me! Jirot and Jarot already stole Vonda away from me all this time, I should be able to flirt now!¡± ¡®Is he an idiot or a genius?¡¯ Morkarai wondered. The first night on the road passed by uneventfully, but upon their second day, the howling in the distance began, and grew louder every few minutes. Morkarai glanced around towards the eager Iyrmen, and decided against drawing his blade. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to kill them,¡± Adam assured his wife, who drew her own mace, feeling it tingle against her hand. ¡°I know.¡± Vonda smiled warmly behind her helmet. ¡®I¡¯m going to be the best husband ever, just you watch,¡¯ Adam thought, drawing his Wraith with a bloodlust that wasn¡¯t lustful for blood, but for his wife. The wood rustled about them as shadows darted from the trees. ¡°Finally!¡± Lucy shouted, the flash of rage filling her body. ¡®You damn Iyrmen! Finally I get to fight!¡¯ The demon stuttered with her steps, the hesitation filling her for a moment. Is this the quickest they left the Iyr? [910] – Y04.010 – A Fair Fight I [910] ¨C Y04.010 ¨C A Fair Fight I Adam watched from the cart, having fired off a single Flame Bolt towards the wolves, while the Iyrmen made short work of the wolves, three dead within seconds, while the rest of the wolves darted away. Victory! XP Gained: +100 XP: 3 700 -> 3 800 Adam¡¯s eyes fell down to the three large wolves which had fallen, each dire wolves like Kit¡¯a and Jay¡¯a. ¡®Have we really grown that much stronger?¡¯ The Iyrmen, who had burst forth with death, didn¡¯t even break a sweat. Lucy, however, remained beside Mara, staring down at the wolves awkwardly. She had been so eager to slay them upon first sight, but after a few moments, she realised how little she wanted for their deaths, especially considering their company. ¡®Last year I didn¡¯t get to fight much, but now...¡¯ Her eyes fell to Vonda. The shame filled the young woman. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to fight?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Are wolves worthy enough for me to kill?¡± Lucy replied, huffing as she rested her large greataxe against her shoulder, her eyes towards the sky, avoiding the gazes of her companions. ¡°There is no need to take much from the beasts,¡± Amokan said, taking note of Vonda¡¯s presence. ¡°We should take a few pieces for our trophies and leave the beasts behind for the forest to consume.¡± The Iyrmen began to butcher one of the beasts to part between themselves, while Vonda prayed for the beasts¡¯ souls, and the group continued along their way. The villages on their journey gave them little trouble, while Adam handed over the gold for the gate fee. The villagers¡¯ eyes lay cautiously upon the charcoal skinned fellow. When they came across the third village, the Iyrmen paid keen attention to how many labourers were working on the northern side of the village, and the soldiers overseeing the task. ¡®A road?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡®Towards the new forts they are building?¡¯ It was the day before Red Oak when Adam recalled the Aldish were building new forts, as they came across an outpost in which they found some trouble. The Vice Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts glared towards the group as they approached. ¡°Halt!¡± shouted the Commander of the fort, an old man as pale as time, who wore his wrinkles with pride, like the medals over his breastplate. He wore full plate armour, with a long dark cape, and he rested his elbow casually between the hilt of his blade and his side. ¡°I hear there are demons afoot within your group.¡± ¡°Greetings Commander,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I am Jurot-,¡± The Commander drew his blade, pointing it towards the Iyrman. His eyes then fell across the pair of red skinned women to the side. ¡°Are you the demons?¡± Lucy began to sweat slightly, noting the archers upon the walls, with bows pointing against the floor, with arrows knocked, ready to be drawn. ¡°Excuse me,¡± called the smooth voice of the Prince. ¡°I am Prince Morkarai, Seventh Prince of the Fire Giants of Shakador.¡± ¡°A Prince? What is a Prince doing, cavorting with demons?¡± ¡°They are escorting me safely to return home.¡± ¡°Demons, escorting?¡± the Commander asked. ¡°Have they charmed you?¡± ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Adam thought, his sharp sigh breaking through the silence around the group. Thankfully, there was still wisdom within the group, as a figure removed her helmet, revealing her face. She smiled, her lower face partly burnt. She reached down towards her amulet, holding it with both hands. The Commander¡¯s eyes darted from the Prince to the figure who had removed her helmet. His blade pointed downwards, away from the group. ¡°Blessings upon you, Mother.¡± The Commander¡¯s voice held the slightest doubt, vaguely recognising the black attire the woman wore, keeping her hair hidden, and only her face open to the world, not even her ears peeking against the world. ¡°I am Ray Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda said. The Commander inhaled deeply, his eyes falling across the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts beside him for a moment. ¡°What do we owe the pleasure, Ray Vonda?¡± ¡°We are merely escorting the Prince safely through the land. I have been tasked by Mother Priest to watch over those you call demons.¡± An awkward silence filled the air for a long moment, while Vonda smiled politely towards those within the fort. A soldier glanced towards his companion. ¡®I didn¡¯t sign up to shoot arrows at a Ray.¡¯ ¡®Relax,¡¯ the soldier replied, squinting her eyes towards the woman. ¡®No way we¡¯ll shoot arrows at a Ray.¡¯ The Commander inhaled sharply. There was still a doubt within his heart. She was too young to be a Ray, that was for sure, but there were very few people who would pretend to be a Ray. ¡°Do you have any proof you are a Ray.¡± Vonda held up her amulet, and the Commander marched down from the walls, the gates opening as the Commander stormed forward without missing a beat, the Vice Commander trailing behind him.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Vice Commander,¡± Vonda said, smiling politely to the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts. ¡°...¡± The Vice Commander vaguely recalled the woman. ¡®Did she pass by with the Hope previously?¡¯ ¡°The Seventh Hope passed by a few weeks ago,¡± the Commander said. ¡°Do you know of him?¡± ¡°Hope Thomas,¡± Vonda confirmed. ¡°He was escorting Mother Florence. They arrived for my wedding.¡± ¡°Your wedding?¡± the Commander asked. ¡°I married at the end of the last year.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Adam frowned. ¡®I wanted to beat him up.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Then I won¡¯t kill,¡± she replied, smirking as she donned her helmet once more. ¡°I will not kill if it is requested,¡± Kitool stated calmly, stretching out her neck from side to side. ¡°Shikan, Timojin?¡± ¡°You would ask us not to kill?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°Seriously? Are you going to treat my wife like this?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Timojin replied. ¡®His wife?¡¯ The thought passed through all those around him. ¡®Was he talking about the devilkin, or the human?¡¯ ¡°Dear, why don¡¯t you step back, I don¡¯t want to get blood on your armour,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on Vonda¡¯s back, guiding her to step aside. ¡°Why don¡¯t you remain beside Prince Morkarai, that way we¡¯re still considered to be escorting him.¡± ¡°You will be outnumbered,¡± Morkarai said, cutting through their thoughts of figuring out who the fellow in purple armour was talking about. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡®Why are they speaking so casually?¡¯ the Vice Commander thought. ¡°It seems you Iyrmen have yet to learn about this world.¡± ¡°We know more than enough, Vice Commander Harrison,¡± Amokan said, flashing a wide smile. ¡°Your companions make up four who hold the title of Senior, and six who hold the title of Warrior.¡± ¡°If you know that much, you should step back.¡± ¡°How strong are Seniors and Warriors?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Seniors are between Experts and Masters. Warriors are Experts.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If you know that much, you should step back,¡± Vice Commander Harrison said, drawing his blade, pointing it towards Lucy and Mara, calming his rage. ¡°We will forgive you for your transgressions if you step back now and allow us to execute the demons.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Adam said. ¡°I feel like this is bullying.¡± ¡°We are executing justice,¡± Harrison stated, his voice growing deeper and darker, full of authority. ¡°Lucy, Mara, you two should step back.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°I will not step back.¡± ¡°You need to step back, otherwise how can we show off?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If we talk about how we beat up a bunch of Experts, it¡¯s not that impressive, but if we¡¯re outnumbered two to one, then it¡¯s acceptable.¡± Lucy blinked. ¡°If they want to take our heads, they won¡¯t do it without me tearing them apart.¡± ¡°Take your heads?¡± Adam asked, donning his red shield, gripping it tight in hand. ¡°If they want your head, they should at least be as strong as that bastard.¡± The air suddenly shifted as Adam pulled out Wraith. The shaft was grey, the blade made of a steal the colour of dark night, with a small streak like lightning across its side. He could feel it brimming with great power. It was a weapon which was considered among the best he had made. Jurot drew his own axe, the purple metal gleaming in the late afternoon sun, the young Iyrman¡¯s body full of deathly anticipation. Phantom¡¯s magic filled his fingers, the blade perhaps considered the best that Adam had made, except one which could trade blows with it. Kitool grasped Tigerstaff in hand, feeling its great magic within it. The same staff which, if she had used it against Jurot, would have certainly granted her victory in the tournament two years ago. It was, as Adam would put it, a really nice staff. On the outside there was nothing special about it, but within Kitool¡¯s hands, she could feel as though she could defeat the Vice Commander. No, perhaps she could defeat even the Commander of the fort. This staff, no doubt, matched the might of Phantom. Jaygak strapped her shield shield, and unsheathed her own blade, the dark steel barely catching the light. The magic within it coursed through her finger tips, through her hand and up towards her shoulder. The blade glowed gently upon Jaygak¡¯s will, the young woman¡¯s eyes glued to the Vice Commander. The blade was also among the best Adam had made. Shikan and Timojin drew their own weapons, each considered Basic Enhanced, and though not quite as good as any of their companions, they were better than the Basic weapons their opponents held. ¡®I almost feel bad for them,¡¯ Shikan thought. ¡®I should beat them well since I cannot kill,¡¯ Timojin thought. The Vice Commander could feel his hairs stand on end, and as his blade pointed towards his opponents. He could feel it. A chill which he hadn¡¯t felt in so many years. Battle Order (Dexterity) D20 + 1 = 2 (1) Is this the quickest we''ve gotten to a proper battle? [911] – Y04.011 – A Fair Fight II [911] ¨C Y04.011 ¨C A Fair Fight II ¡°Mummy is back?¡± Jirot asked her grandmother, while stuffing a potato into her mouth, biting the soft vegetable, before holding it up for her grandmother to sprinkle more salt, then guiding it to her brother¡¯s mouth. ¡°She will return later,¡± Sonarot said, rubbing the girl¡¯s back. ¡°Your father will return with your mother.¡± ¡°I do not like daddy,¡± the girl replied, her head darting away. Konarot raised her brows towards her grandmother, waiting to see what she would do, Jirot also waiting. ¡°Do you love daddy?¡± Sonarot asked, trying to catch the girl at her own game. Jirot huffed, smirking slightly. ¡°I love daddy,¡± little Jarot said, offering his sister a bite of the potato, having had their other nana sprinkle salt on the potato. Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°Daddy is smelly boy!¡± Jirot declared, cackling loudly. No one could deny that Jirot was Adam¡¯s daughter, for the trouble she caused was no doubt inherited from her father. Indeed, for while Jirot caused some slight trouble for her family, Adam caused slightly more trouble for his wife. The dance of death had begun. Vice Commander Harrison charged forward, bringing his blade against the devilkin before him, striking down roughly against her shield, clattering against it harshly as his blade flashed white hot with divine magic. Jaygak winced, her shield battered aside, but she spun on her heel and swung her own blade towards the Vice Commander, who deflected her blade almost effortlessly. Harrison heard someone drop behind him. ¡°Do you see that, Iyrman?¡± He asked, catching her blade, turning slightly to allow her to see. ¡°Your companion is already down.¡± His eyes darted to the side, and he noted the familiar appearance of the heavily armoured Senior on the floor, with her arm and sword a few metres away. ¡°I¡¯m not so weak that you can look away while fighting me!¡± Jaygak shouted, urging herself forward, causing the Vice Commander to step back. She inhaled deeply, pushing away the ache with her tough spirit, stepping forward to exchange more blows with the Vice Commander, her blade glowing brightly. Jurot had charged forward, his skin a deep, hot red, and as he clashed with the Senior, Phantom slipped through at the elbow and cut clean through. As Phantom¡¯s magic sparked to life, it struck through the Senior¡¯s mind. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she fell to the earth. ¡®By the Divine!¡¯ Another Senior thought, and he swiftly turned to face Jurot, whose attention was focused on another, a Warrior who had dared to engage him. The Senior¡¯s blade struck harshly against Jurot¡¯s shoulder, with enough force to kill the last Senior. Yet, as his blade flashed white hot with holy magics, Jurot¡¯s head turned to face the Senior, while a Warrior clattered against his shield. ¡®How terrifying!¡¯ the Warrior of the Thousand Hunts thought, her heart pounding within her chest. He had just seen the Iyrman almost kill one of the Seniors who had trained her, and take a blow through the shoulder that would have killed her certainly, and yet the Iyrman stood, tall and proud, and red with rage. The other Warrior¡¯s blade shook as he faced off against the Iyrman, and though they were a Senior and two Warriors against the Iyrman, the fear had taken root within the trio. Kitool almost shouted for Jaygak as she leapt into battle, only to realise she was preoccupied with the Vice Commander. She spun her staff around herself, before stepping forward to face the last of the Seniors, her Tigerstaff like a storm as it clattered off against the Senior¡¯s armour. ¡®How vicious!¡¯ the Senior thought, ready to chant a spell, only to find his body freezing in place as the staff struck him within his throat. He couldn¡¯t even cough as the staff rained down upon his body, threatening to break his bones. By the time Kitool¡¯s onslaught was done, the heavily armoured Senior fell, unconscious, unable to even mutter a spell. ¡°Senior!¡± shouted the pair of Warriors in utter shock, the pair hammering heavy blows against the woman, barely caught by her staff, yet the divine magic flooded through the young woman, causing her to drop to a knee. ¡®I need to-,¡¯ Kitool thought, before she tilted her head, though the flat side of the blade struck her against her skull, and she dropped. Amokan¡¯s blade threatened to tear through one of the Warrior¡¯s plate armour, denting it with such force that the Warrior coughed out, only to find the shadow of another great blade strike across her helmet, denting it against her skull as she dropped to the floor, her body limp. ¡°Kitool has been knocked down,¡± Amokan joked, while the single Warrior glanced between the pair in utter shock. ¡°Do you wish to assist her.¡± ¡°Is it needed?¡± Timojin replied, casually walking away while the Warrior managed to strike Amokan¡¯s side, only to find his skin was almost like iron. Jaygak winced, raising her shield to deflect the heavy blows, and she could feel her mind begin to wander as the blackness seeped into her vision. ¡°Kitool!¡± Jaygak shouted, her words piercing through the air, through the sound of combat. ¡°How could you fall before me?¡± Jaygak laughed, twisting herself, the blade glancing off her pauldron, while her own blade struck through the side of the Vice Commander¡¯s knee, managing to draw blood as she struck true, causing Harrison to stumble backwards. Kitool¡¯s ears twitched and she inhaled deeply, spinning her blade around herself as she struck one of the Warrior¡¯s weakly, catching his attention, before she held her staff in front of her, ready to trade blows. As she inhaled, a blade forced its way into her shoulder, and though she managed to pull back before it could slip in too deep, but the divine magic which flashed against her shoulder caused her to fall once more. ¡°Step back!¡± the Warrior warned, pointing his blade towards the woman¡¯s neck, and yet a shadow blurred from the corner of his vision. As he raised his shoulder to deflect it, the helmet flew off his head, as he dropped his blade and fell. Amokan didn¡¯t even try to catch the blade as it headed for his neck, but his blade almost bisected the Warrior in half, the Warrior¡¯s body crumpling like paper as he dropped. ¡°I swear upon my oath, I shall destroy this wickedness,¡± the Warrior said, trying to clash with Adam, though the crimson shield deflected the heavy blows. Mana: 21 -> 20 Spell: Healing Word 1D6 + 3 = 6 (3) Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 19 (1, 4)(2, 3) 19 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Flanking) D20 + 11 = 22 (11) Hit! Mana: 19 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 29 (2, 6)(6, 6) 29 damage! ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Adam replied, his voice filling with magics once more. ¡°Kitool, get up.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes opened once more, feeling the magic fill her with a gentle warmth, hearing the heavy clashing as the Warrior, almost buckled under Adam¡¯s great strength. ¡°You guys, if you¡¯re getting a little tired, you can step back, you know?¡± Adam joked, glancing across the group. ¡®Three of us are looking kinda rough, but they¡¯re looking worse.¡¯ Vice Commander Harrison wasn¡¯t sure when it was when he and his companions had become outnumbered. ¡°Bring them up!¡± He commanded, while his voice filled with divine magic. ¡°With the will of my oath, return to us!¡± ¡°Who gave you permission to act up?¡± Adam asked, his own voice full of magic, and he glared at the Vice Commander. Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Counterspell As the words of life filled the ears of one of the Senior, magic whipped the healing magic away. ¡®What?¡¯ Harrison thought, holding his blade up towards Jaygak, and as the pair readied to clash, the Vice Commander¡¯s thoughts fell elsewhere. ¡®Was that Counterspell?¡¯ ¡°Hey,¡± Adam called out, still holding the blade at bay with Wraith, feeling his opponent¡¯s shuddering arm. ¡°If you want to keep this up, I¡¯ll stop holding back.¡± ¡°Vice Commander Harrison,¡± called a calm, hopeful voice. ¡°Will you step back?¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes caught the Vice Commander¡¯s, who had been tasked with eliminating the demons who trekked through the land. She had done all she could to allow the Vice Commander to step back with his pride, and though the fight was going against him, she was certain he thought otherwise. He was still fresh, and so was the Senior, while Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak were on their last legs. Timojin was already behind the Warrior, while Amokan was only a leap away from assisting Jurot. Harrison¡¯s eyes remained a glare, ready to continue the fight. ¡°If you continue to fight, some of you may die.¡± ¡°We do not fear death, Aldishman,¡± Jaygak panted, her voice full of venom, still eager to fight. The Vice Commander could see it through the woman¡¯s visor, a conviction which matched even his own. ¡®Raygak, do you see?¡¯ Though she could feel the blackness push in through the corners of her vision, though her arm pulsed, her blade shuddering. ¡®I would rather die than to step back, even against a Vice Commander!¡¯ Damn. They really disrespected Adam like that? [912] – Y04.012 – Red Oak I [912] ¨C Y04.012 ¨C Red Oak I Victory! XP Gained+ 500 XP: 3 800 -> 4 300 ¡°Thank you, Adam,¡± Vonda said, reaching out to hold his hand. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°For not killing.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Am I the kind of guy you need to thank for not killing?¡± Vonda intertwined their fingers, brushing her thumb along his. ¡°You also spoke with the Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam glanced towards his wife, whose smile shone so brightly. ¡°Of course, anything for you.¡± He turned a deep crimson, reaching up to hide his smile behind his fist. ¡®Whoa. My wife is so strong and so beautiful! I¡¯m definitely the luckiest guy alive! I really want to not kill a dragon right now! Damn it!¡¯ Vonda kept brushing her thumb along his, before the Commander approached the pair, noting how intimate they were. ¡°Are you two married?¡± the Commander asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda replied, noting how her husband waited for her to speak. ¡®Have you truly matured so much?¡¯ ¡®Of course,¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes replied. ¡°Congratulations. A Priest of Life and a Priest of... Death?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Lord Sozain and I are quite close, yes.¡± The Commander¡¯s brows raised in alarm. ¡®Quite close?¡¯ ¡°I wish you good fortune. I have to thank you for your mercy, it must have been difficult to go against your tenants.¡± ¡°As I said, Lord Sozain and I are close, even if I don¡¯t follow his tenants, he won¡¯t bring his fury upon me,¡± Adam stated confidently, as though it were true. ¡®Technically I¡¯m not even a Priest of Death?¡¯ The Commander looked to Vonda for support. ¡®This young man is so dangerous.¡¯ ¡°I have to thank you for asking the Iyrmen to step back too. Did you say you were the Iyrman¡¯s brother?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re brothers.¡± ¡°You are no Iyrman?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com ¡°How did that come to pass?¡± ¡°His family helped me in a previous life, and we formed a connection through that.¡± The Commander noted Vonda¡¯s look of surprise, and though he had originally thought it was an offhand joke, he gathered there was more truth than he originally realised. ¡°The reputation of the Iyr seems to stand up, even after all this time.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a small smirk. ¡°What kind of reputation is that?¡± ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of savages who want for death, and want to fight whatever they can,¡± the Commander began, reaching up to brush along a faint scar across the side of his neck. ¡°They¡¯re damn strong too.¡± ¡°Yeah, they are. I¡¯m glad I have so many Iyrmen around me, even if it does bring me trouble sometimes.¡± Adam could feel the look from his side. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m pretty troublesome too, but of course I am, since I¡¯m my daughter¡¯s father.¡± ¡°You have children already?¡± The Commander recalled how recently the wedding had been. ¡®Is it Mother Soza¡¯s doing?¡¯ ¡°I had a few children before.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Of course, some of them take after Vonda too.¡± ¡°Ray Vonda,¡± the Commander corrected. ¡°Even if she is your wife, you should speak of her title.¡± ¡°What are you, a noble?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the third son of a noble family. It¡¯s not a noble family which exists any longer.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°The Rockhill Massacre.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, feeling his leaf ears burn. ¡°Just to let you know, I have nothing to do with that.¡± The Commander slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m Commander Theodore Barrenhill.¡± ¡°Executive Adam Fate, of the United Kindom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard the name in passing. What is the United Kingdom?¡± ¡°United Kindom, it¡¯s the business that we are a part of. We trade magical items, weapons and such.¡± ¡°What kind of magical weapons?¡± ¡°Basic, Basic Enhanced, Greater, Greater Enhanced.¡± ¡°Who have you sold such to?¡± ¡°The Iyr and various Aldish nobles, and the Order of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± The Commander slowly nodded his head. ¡°You received a token from the Duchess?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Adam replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°The Iyrman who passed held the token.¡± ¡°Hello there,¡± Adam called, pulling up his visor to reveal his handsome, smiling, half fae face. ¡°Hello,¡± George replied, glancing between them all, taking note of their steel adventurer tags. ¡°Were you Steel last year?¡± ¡°Bronze.¡± George nodded, glancing across the group, noting the tattoos of all the Iyrmen, before his eyes darted to the charcoal skinned fellow with the red beard. ¡°You one of them fire giants?¡± ¡°Seventh Prince Morkarai,¡± Morkarai smiled politely. The guards stood at attention instantly. ¡°A Prince, you say?¡± ¡°A Prince.¡± ¡°Bill, go call the Captain.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Bill replied, knocking on the gate, before it opened enough to allow him to slip through. After a moment, there was a crash of chain against the floor, before the unmistakable sound of someone trying to get back up before stumbling away. ¡®I told you to stop drinking, you absolute prick.¡¯ ¡°Sorry about the bother, Prince, but we¡¯ve got to confirm the matter.¡± ¡°You do not have to worry.¡± Morkarai smiled wide, waiting patiently outside of the walls. The gates opened up a moment later, with the a dozen guards marching swiftly to place on either side of the group, who paid little attention to the guards, their eyes glued to the woman in breastplate. Her breastplate was stamped with the sigil of Red Oak, at her side was a blade made of red oak. ¡°Sir Robin Scarletwood, Sixth Branch of the Oakguard,¡± the woman declared before removing her helmet, revealing her long hair, as brown as an oak, her eyes as green as the first leaves of dawnval. Her beauty was only matched by the authority she exuded, not considering any of them to be a threat. ¡®Sir Robin?¡¯ Adam vaguely recalled the name. ¡®Don¡¯t I know someone whose name is Sir Robin?¡¯ ¡°Greetings, Sir Robin, I am-,¡± Ray Vonda began, before noting the woman inhaled sharply to interrupt her, only for her eyes to dart towards the Ray, and the knight froze. ¡°I am Ray Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you, Ray Vonda.¡± ¡°I am currently escorting Prince Morkarai.¡± ¡°May I see your amulet?¡± Sir Robin asked, before inspecting it with the Ray¡¯s permission, feeling the ridges against her fingers, closing her eyes and pressing it against her cheek. ¡°It is an honour to meet with a Ray.¡± ¡°The honour is ours, Sir Robin of the Oakguard.¡± ¡°I have been informed of other... guests within your company.¡± ¡°Which guests?¡± The Oakguards eyes glanced upon the demons. ¡°I have been informed that Life¡¯s Rose has taken responsibility for such guests.¡± ¡°We have.¡± ¡°We will escort you to the Countess¡¯ residence, but your guests may not come.¡± ¡°I must stay with the guests,¡± Vonda replied, simply. ¡°We will escort those who wish to accompany the Prince,¡± Sir Robin glanced to Morkarai. ¡°Does such please you.¡± ¡°I will not cause you trouble in this regard. May we take a moment to discuss who will accompany me?¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Royal Highness.¡± Adam winced visibly upon hearing the address, before catching Morkarai¡¯s smirk. ¡°Executives, would you wish to accompany Prince Morkarai?¡± ¡°I will remain,¡± Jaygak said, glancing across the Aldish guards. ¡°You and I should escort the Managers.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Executive Jaygak. Executive Jurot, Executive Kitool, could you accompany Prince Morkarai? Amokan, Timojin, would you also be willing to assist?¡± ¡°Until you leave Red Oak, we will accompany Prince Morkarai,¡± Amokan confirmed, flashing a charming smile. ¡°Four Iyrmen should be enough.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t wish to accompany me?¡± Morkarai teased. ¡°I think my wife¡¯s wisdom is brushing against me, so I¡¯ll choose to spend less time with other nobles,¡± Adam said, his voice full of a lightness he shouldn¡¯t be using with royalty. ¡°I almost believe you have matured,¡± Morkarai joked. Adam smiled wide. ¡°Well, it is what it is.¡± ¡°You should speak more politely to the Prince,¡± Sir Robin said. Adam narrowed his eyes towards the Oakguard. ¡°Jurot, please greet Sir Merrick on my behalf if you see him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t take the Oakguard¡¯s rudeness as the Countess wishing not to do business,¡± Adam stated, still glancing aside to his brother. ¡°Executive Jurot, please inform the Countess of our offers.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know, the ability to buy a few magical weapons if she so requires, and we will send word to the Enchanter to make them.¡± Sir Robin¡¯s eyes darted between Adam and Jurot, her eyes curious. ¡®What are these fools talking about?¡¯ ¡®We really need money for the road, and we should probably send some back to ease the worker¡¯s worries.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± I hate them. [913] – Y04.013 – Red Oak II [913] ¨C Y04.013 ¨C Red Oak II The Adventurer¡¯s Guild stood tall. The ground floor made of sturdy, smooth stone, the next three floors of imposing wood, each smaller than the previous, like a tiered cake. A handful of adventurers relaxed in the field to one side, some shooting their bows towards the targets at the back, while the other side held a smaller field, and another stone building connected to the side. As Adam pushed open the heavy red wood doors, the smell of the meal filled his heart, that of a stew made of something an adventurer had slain recently no doubt, as well as potatoes and vegetables. To his right, adventurers drunk eagerly to relax, and to his left, adventurers played dice and card games, the wall of overflowing requests awaiting beyond them with told and untold riches. ¡°Good evening,¡± the tall, young woman called, with long red hair which draped past her shoulders and down her back. Her red shirt disappeared under the counter. Her freckled face smiled politely towards the oncoming adventurers. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Emma,¡± Adam said, nodding his head towards her. ¡°Any rooms?¡± ¡°For adventurers, of course.¡± Adam nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to get...¡± Adam glanced over his shoulders, counting how many companions he had. ¡°Three rooms, two doubles, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Would you like your room?¡± ¡°My room?¡± ¡°The room as part of our deal.¡± ¡®Our deal?¡¯ Adam replied. ¡°Ah, well, I guess if Jaygak wants to stay in it?¡± ¡°We do require your services.¡± ¡®My services?¡¯ ¡°Oh! Yes, of course, absolutely.¡± Adam smiled awkwardly towards the beautiful receptionist. ¡®I really should review everything before I come out.¡¯ Emma glanced between the five who had returned, noting how many looks the demons were gathering. ¡®...¡¯ Her eyes then fell to the corner, where a young Aswadian adventurer sat, a blade at his side. He reached for it and stood, his companions also standing. A figure intercepted them, heavily armoured as she was, a mace at her side. She removed her helmet, revealing her tender smile. ¡°Good evening.¡± ¡°Step aside, miss, we-,¡± ¡°I am Ray Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Vonda said. The adventurer, his face flashing with annoyance at first, paused. ¡°You are a Ray?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°You are too young.¡± ¡°I am blessed to have been considered for the position, and my task is to watch over my companions,¡± Vonda replied, noting the bronze trim along his clothing. ¡°I hope you are willing to step back for the sake of the relationship between our orders.¡± The Aswadians eyes glanced towards the pair of demons, before his eyes fell to the Ray once more. He glanced towards his Aldish companions, who motioned their heads back, and the Aswadian bowed his head, stepping away. ¡®...¡¯ Lucy let out a small sigh. ¡®How annoying,¡¯ Adam thought, recalling how he was in the same place a few years ago. ¡®We should try and pass them off as devilkin, but I guess they can feel it due to their abilities?¡¯ An older man with pale bronze skin, short salt and pepper hair, and dark eyes stepped into the guild from behind the receptionist. He wore a breastplate, stamped with the symbol of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, overlapping initials, and he carried a blade at his side. He noted the appearance of familiar faces within the guild, and he nodded towards them all. ¡°Vice Master Paul,¡± Adam called, reaching out to his forearm. ¡°Adam,¡± Paul replied, his eyes scanning across the others, greeting them politely. ¡°What a shame you couldn¡¯t come to our wedding.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the Guild required me here,¡± Paul said, letting out a familiar tired sigh. ¡°It¡¯s always the Vice Master who needs to work the hardest, eh?¡± Adam joked. A small smirk appeared across Paul¡¯s lips. ¡°The Guild Master works the hardest.¡± Adam flashed a small smile. ¡°Unfortunately, we¡¯ll be unable to assist this year?¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Paul asked, as though he didn¡¯t know the answer. ¡°We¡¯re escorting a very special guest.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam smiled wide, before shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡± "They do not understand your majesty." "What majesty?" Lucy glanced around their small room. "I''m just a dirty demon here." "Only a few years and they shall know." "Know what? This land is full of great towns and cities, a hundred thousand in each town at least. The armies I would need..." Lucy stared at the ceiling. ¡®Even if I start a cult, just how much death will I have to bring? I¡¯m no Iyrman.¡¯ ¡°I just want to live peacefully.¡± ¡°I will endeavour to allow you to live peacefully.¡± ¡°You should live peacefully too.¡± ¡°I will strive to live peacefully too.¡± ¡°Stop talking like that,¡± Lucy reached out to poke Mara in the side. ¡°Talk like a normal person! You¡¯re not the attendant of royalty any more.¡± ¡°You are from a long line of-,¡± ¡°I know, Mara, but that¡¯s a different life. Here I¡¯m no one. Here I¡¯m just Lucy. I¡¯m Lucy, a demon, who should just die.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow anyone to kill you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow anyone to kill you either.¡± Lucy reached out to hold Mara¡¯s hand. ¡°We can¡¯t be beholden to our past life any more.¡± Mara squeezed Lucy¡¯s hand reassuringly, the pair laying down beside one another in the large bed. ¡®We can¡¯t be beholden to our past life any more?¡¯ Once they had spent their time in Red Oak, the group gathered themselves, resupplying for their journey eastward, deciding to follow the northern path through Aldland. ¡°I hope your journey is full of blood and wonder,¡± Amokan said, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°I hope your journey is full of peace and calm,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°We eagerly await your stories,¡± Timojin said, shaking Jurot¡¯s forearm. ¡°We eagerly await your stories too,¡± Jurot replied, shaking the young man¡¯s forearm. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯ll fight the Blade of the Tide again,¡± Jaygak pondered aloud, her hands on her hips, standing casually as though she wasn¡¯t picking a fight with the pair. ¡°Perhaps I will defeat her before you?¡± Amokan joked. ¡°You should stick with battling Experts.¡± Amokan grinned wide towards Jaygak. ¡°You are so courageous, standing beside Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m courageous standing beside Kitool,¡± Jaygak replied, her lips twitching into a smirk. Kitool bowed her head towards the pair of Iyrmen, who she had defeated in the tournament. The group made their way out of the town, while Amokan and Timojin waited at the gates to watch them leave, the pair of guards glancing towards the Iyrmen. ¡°What will they fight this year?¡± Amokan asked in their tongue. ¡°A dragon?¡± Timojin replied, only half joking. ¡°Jaygak will kill a Gryn eagerly.¡± Timojin slowly nodded his head. ¡°She has such rights.¡± The pair of Iyrmen watched the party move towards the horizon, with each passing moments their bodies grew warmer and their hearts began to pound with anticipation. ¡®We will need to work hard to match them.¡¯ At noon, the part took a break to eat, and while Adam mourned the loss of Korin in their party, he checked his book over lunch. ¡®I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re this smart, Jurot.¡¯ Adam wrote down in his book the additional coin they had made as the upfront fee of taking in the order for the Countess of Red Oak. ¡®Should we have ripped her off a little more? I feel like four thousand for each Basic Enhanced weapon is fine, but she¡¯s a noble, right? We can probably ask for at least a few hundred, if not a thousand more? The Iyr doesn¡¯t pay quite as much, but it is the Iyr too, so it¡¯s not like I can charge them any more than that. Still, it¡¯s pretty good. It takes twice as long to make Basic Enhanced than Basic weapons, but they sell of for about three to six times as much...¡¯ Adam slipped his book into his robes once more, before he sipped away at his flavoured water. ¡®We need to be careful now that we¡¯re down two Iyrmen.¡¯ His eyes fell towards Lucy and Mara, who were eating their food silently, each deep in thought. ¡®We should be fine going through all those forts, right?¡¯ Poor Lucy and Mara. [914] – Y04.014 – Trouble on the Road I [914] ¨C Y04.014 ¨C Trouble on the Road I ¡°Where does the wind flow?¡± the older one armed, one legged Iyrman sang lightly, holding the twins within his chest. ¡°Thoo my home!¡± the twins called out, the sister louder than the brother. ¡°Brisk.¡± ¡°Cold!¡± ¡°Where do the hills flow?¡± ¡°Along the huhrizon!¡± ¡°Tall.¡± ¡°Wide!¡± ¡°I call it my home.¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡°Where the wind flows. Where the hills flow.¡± ¡°Brisk! Cold! Tall! Wide!¡± ¡°I call it my home.¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡°The path outside is treacherous,¡± the old man said, brushing his cheek against theirs. ¡°Buhrootal! Buhloody!¡± ¡°Where do we march?¡± ¡°To war! To war!¡± ¡°What are we?¡± ¡°Ready!¡± ¡°For.¡± ¡°Death!¡± ¡°To whom does death call?¡± ¡°To all! To all!¡± ¡°I walk the treacherous path.¡± ¡°Buhrootal! Buhloody!¡± ¡°I am ready to be called!¡± ¡°Death! Death! Call to me!¡± ¡°Brisk.¡± ¡°Cold!¡± ¡°I call it my home.¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡°Tall.¡± ¡°Wide!¡± ¡°I call it my home.¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡°Brutal.¡± ¡°Buhloody!¡± ¡°To war.¡± ¡°To war!¡± ¡°Death.¡± ¡°Death!¡± ¡°I call it my home.¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡°Death.¡± ¡°Death!¡± ¡°I call it my home.¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± Jirot cackled at the end of the song, clapping her hands excitedly. ¡°Again! Again!¡± The older Jarot smiled, kissing her forehead. ¡°Should I teach you another song?¡± ¡°Prince Morkarai?¡± a knight whispered. ¡°Whose that?¡± ¡°The fire giants from the east,¡± the other replied, motioning with a hand towards the carriage. ¡°It may be a trick.¡± ¡°It would be a good illusion, but the details on the flamedarksteel...¡± The carriages stopped, and the servants from the middle carriage swiftly approached the front carriage to allow the noble lord to step out. He was a man with few wrinkles across his face, though his light hair, an extremely dirty blonde, or a sun kissed brunette, was sprinkled with white. He was adorned in full plate, that which was afforded to him due to the mass murder and pillaging which allowed him to claim the civilized title of a noble fellow. ¡°Count Westmoon,¡± Jaygak whispered. ¡°Prince Morkarai of Shakador, I am Count Joseph Westmoon of West Fort,¡± the noble called out, his face stern and humourless. ¡°I had heard rumours of your travels within the land.¡± ¡°I travelled for some time, but it is time for me to return home,¡± Prince Morkarai stated, shutting down the eventual request to be hosted. ¡°It is a shame you were not able to admire the maleficence of the greatest fort in all the nearby lands, but perhaps in the future you could visit the city.¡± ¡°I will take your words to heart.¡± ¡°Would you care to speak over dinner?¡± ¡°I would enjoy the company,¡± Morkarai stated. The servants swiftly dealt with the tents and the food, all the while the Prince, the Count, and the Ray spoke. Jurot and Kitool remained nearby, standing at attention, while Adam and Jaygak remained at one side. ¡°There¡¯s got to be some trouble,¡± Adam whispered in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°It¡¯s all going far too smoothly.¡± ¡°The Count may trouble Lucy and Mara, but Ray Vonda should be able to defend them.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam inhaled sharply. ¡®It should be fine since Vonda¡¯s around.¡¯ ¡°Isn¡¯t my wife the best?¡± Jaygak smiled, doing her best not to roll her eyes. Thankfully, the Count didn¡¯t make a fuss about the demons, instead chatting and drinking with the Prince, before allowing him to be on his way, handing over a bottle of wine as a gift, and a promise to host the Prince in the future. ¡°Well that was easy...¡± Adam glanced over his shoulders towards the leaving carriages. ¡°I don¡¯t like it one bit.¡± ¡°Do you always worry this much?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard half of the story.¡± As they made camp for the evening, Lucy approached Vonda. She sat down beside the Ray, who prayed lightly over her meal, thanking Mother Soza¡¯s grace. Once she was done, she smiled politely towards Lucy. ¡°Hey,¡± Lucy said, her voice raspy. ¡°Lucy. How may I assist you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that... I just wanted to apologise, and to thank you.¡± ¡°Why do you need to apologise and thank me?¡± Vonda asked, tilting her head slightly, though the gentle smile on her face revealed her delight. ¡°You know why...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologise or thank me, but I am glad that you are so appreciative of my assistance.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise I was going to be so troublesome,¡± Lucy admitted. She hadn¡¯t realised the news of her presence was going to cause so many issues, nor that every fort was on the lookout for her. ¡°I am not surprised it was going to be so troublesome, since Jirot adores you so much.¡± Lucy remained silent for a long moment, only now realising the young woman had become Jirot¡¯s mother. The shadow of a smile appeared on her face for a moment, though it was swiftly forced away. ¡°I am really sorry, Vonda.¡± ¡°You do not need to be sorry.¡± Lucy shrugged her shoulder, unsure if she agreed with the Ray¡¯s words. ¡°Do you miss them?¡± ¡°My children? I do. I hope I can spend more time with them.¡± Vonda thought of Konarot, who didn¡¯t seem to have accepted her yet. ¡°I miss them too...¡± Lucy played with the hem of her sleeve with her thumb and finger, staring down at the thread. ¡°Would you walk with me in East Port? I¡¯d like to buy the children something nice.¡± Vonda smiled wider. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The pair ate together, though Vonda struggled to eat the porridge, staring down at it for a short moment. She glanced towards Lucy, who ate the porridge quietly. Mara remained to one side, allowing the pair their time alone. ¡®It¡¯s the last month of dawnval, isn¡¯t it? Hopefully this month goes smoothly...¡¯ They passed through the next last town before East Port, though there were many days before they could reach the duchal capital of the region. Adam grew more tense as the days continued to pass, unsure of what was about to happen. ¡®Are we going to meet another Divine? Is it going to be a Major Divine? Vonda said they would come in dreams since they¡¯re so powerful. Will a Lesser Divine of Order come, then?¡¯ ¡®Is he really expecting so much trouble?¡¯ the Prince thought. ¡°Is this how it always is?¡± ¡°Last year it was that way,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°The previous year was full of trouble.¡± A smirk made itself at home upon Jaygak¡¯s lips, who thought of the trouble they had come across the previous year, and the escalating trouble they would no doubt come this year. ¡°...¡± As thought he young woman spoke a prophecy, a day away from East Port they saw it. ¡®There are some here?¡¯ Jaygak thought, while Kitool and Jurot darted forward to go fight. ¡°Where-,¡± Adam began. ¡°There is a child,¡± Jurot shouted, while Morkarai reached down to grab a stone he had picked up along the way. ¡°A child?¡± the Prince asked. ¡°Adam, what-,¡± Morkarai said, glancing back to see Adam¡¯s body blinking out of existence. ¡®What?¡¯ Uh oh. [915] – Y04.015 – Trouble on the Road II [915] ¨C Y04.015 ¨C Trouble on the Road II ¡®Ah,¡¯ Adam thought, the entire world shifting all around him, the hydra growing much larger than previous. ¡®I¡¯ve forgotten how it feels like.¡¯ Adam ran full sprint within his plate armour, hearing the soft and gentle sounds of his armour moving, like sifting grains, calming his exploding heart. ¡°...¡± Jurot stared up ahead towards Kitool, who was much further ahead than himself, and then the unmistakeable purple form of his brother, who was even further ahead. In his heart, Jurot understood Adam could do this, since it was Adam. Jaygak huffed, rushing beside fire giant prince as they charged forward, their armours clanging about. She inhaled, tensing her muscles before she barrelled past both the Prince and the Rage Dancer, before she started to slow once more, Jurot passing her with his greater swiftness. Mana: 21 -> 17 Spell: Dimension Door ¡°Let¡¯s,¡± Adam began, channelling his spell through his voice, before the world around him shifted once more, the hydra suddenly far larger as he cleared another hundred metres or so, the child so close to him now, ¡°go!¡± The child continued to run forward, her small legs forcing her ever forward, and yet the hydra¡¯s bloody maw seemed so close to snapping at her heels. She cried out, tripping over, before the shadow swallowed her whole. Health: 91 -> 43 ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Adam said, feeling the girl whimper within his arms, her face a sobbing mess. ¡°You¡¯re safe now.¡± Adam¡¯s voice remained calm and assured as the hydra sank its teeth within his armour, its maws clamouring against his puthral. ¡°Huu!¡± the girl replied, hearing the echoes of hydra against metal. Adam winced, before daring to shift his head, looking towards the four running towards him. ¡°Come on,¡± Adam said, his voice full of authority as he felt the magic pour through his body and through his voice. Mana: 17 -> 13 Spell: Dimension Door Within the blink of an eye, the scenery around them changed, while Adam rolled onto his back, causing the girl to scream and sob. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright.¡± Adam said, reaching up to rub her head. ¡°See? The hydra is so far away, and the Iyrman and the Prince are going to kill it.¡± ¡®That was too close.¡¯ She continued to sob, while Adam rubbed her head. A shadow loomed over the pair. ¡°You don¡¯t want to fight?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t need me,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I guess so,¡± Adam said, glancing over to the side to see Kitool preparing herself to face the hydra once Jurot and the Prince were beside her. Within moments, the hydra and the trio clashed, though almost in an instant, the hydra froze in place, allowing the trio to cleave through it as though they were carving a cake. Jaygak knelt, removing her helmet to reveal her red skin and her horns. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Huuu.¡± The girl sobbed quietly, sniffling. ¡°My name is Jaygak,¡± Jaygak said, smiling warmly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe now. Would you like to meet Ray Vonda?¡± ¡°Way Vonda?¡± the girl asked, still sobbing, as Adam pulled out some cloth to clean her face. ¡°Yeah, Ray Vonda,¡± Adam said, glancing towards Jaygak in awe of her genius. ¡°Hello,¡± Ray Vonda said, removing her helmet to reveal her face. The girl stared down towards her burns, but Vonda just smiled politely. ¡°I am Ray Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± The girl blinked, her sobbing quickly coming to a halt. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Elsie,¡± the girl said, sniffling lightly. ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°East Port.¡± ¡°I¡¯m from East Port too.¡± ¡°Life¡¯s Rose¡¯s in Liferiver?¡± ¡°Yes, but I was born in East Port.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The girl¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight upon hearing the news, quickly distracted from the distant death which fell upon the hydra. ¡°Where did you live?¡± ¡°The Browns.¡± ¡°Oh, I lived near the coast,¡± Vonda replied, vaguely recalling the distract, which consisted mostly of farmers. ¡°What¡¯s your favourite food?¡± ¡°Me favourite¡¯s porridge, with the milk.¡± Adam reached up towards his heart, doing his best not to be defeated by the girl. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam reached back to feel the blood seeping against the back of his arm. Lay on Hands: 35 -> 25 Health: 43 -> 53 The gentle warmth filled through him, closing up his wounds. The half elf, glanced to the side to see two forms carrying the hydra back, while the third scanned across the horizon for threats. ¡°Huuu!¡± The girl ran behind Vonda upon seeing the hydra. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it can¡¯t hurt you any more,¡± Adam assured. ¡°It¡¯s been killed.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be killed, it¡¯s too strong!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve killed lots of hydra before.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t kill hydras.¡± ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply?¡± Adam asked, having no clue how close to death he was flirting. ¡°It is impossible to cast so many Fourth Gate spells while not having the ability to cast Fifth Gate spells.¡± ¡°What if I had a magical item to cast it?¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°No, but you know, still...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Why are you thinking so deeply about that anyway?¡± ¡°It is my duty to make sure to know of such.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We have signed the treaty.¡± ¡°The treaty?¡± ¡°To watch over those with the ability to cast Fifth Gate spells.¡± History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 10 (7) Adam thought deeply. ¡®Why does that sound so familiar?¡¯ ¡°If Adams says he does not know Fifth Gate spells, he does not know Fifth Gate spells,¡± Jaygak said, simply. ¡°It¡¯s Adam.¡± Morkarai let out a long, defeated sigh. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Besides, Adam is not a citizen of the nearby lands, and he is close with the Iyr,¡± Jaygak said, smiling politely towards the Prince. Morkarai could hear the veiled threat within Jaygak¡¯s voice. ¡°I have not forgotten the fact the Iyr has not signed the treaty.¡± ¡°The Iyr does not mind if you forget.¡± Morkarai smirked lightly. ¡°It is good fortune the Iyr has not betrayed our trust.¡± ¡°Good fortune for who?¡± Morkarai smiled wider. ¡°Do you believe the Iyr can face against so many of the nearby lands at once?¡± ¡°Who would wish to sacrifice their people so eagerly to our blades?¡± Morkarai thought back to the Iyr, even just the Front Iyr, never mind the rest of the Iyr land, which was protected with greater magics he had felt and not seen. Plus, there was the rumour of the hidden Guardians within the Iyr¡¯s lands, and the many secrets they hadn¡¯t even dared to think of. ¡°It is good fortune the Iyr has little appetite for ruling others.¡± ¡°Jurot can tell you better than I, but trees which grow rapidly cannot uproot a tree with stable foundations.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain that is true.¡± ¡°It is when it is the Iyr.¡± Morkarai bowed his head, relenting to the young Iyrman, whose eyes filled with great pride. ¡°I am very glad we have formed our treaties together, Iyrman.¡± ¡°I am too, Prince.¡± ¡°Are you two going to stop threatening each other now?¡± Adam asked, letting out a huff. ¡°It¡¯s not fair that I can¡¯t walk around doing as much as I want while you two get to threaten each other like this with your people.¡± ¡°You should think to join the Iyr if you want such strength.¡± ¡°Join the Iyr?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think the Iyr would want me.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too dangerous, if I was an Iyrman, then... no, rather than the Iyr not wanting it, it should be you who shouldn¡¯t want it. I¡¯m dangerous enough without being an Iyrman, if I was an Iyrman, would you ever feel safe?¡± ¡°No, perhaps not.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Adam smiled innocently before the group began to form an encampment. Meanwhile, Vonda washed the girl, who was still in awe of this random two storied tower appearing from nothingness. ¡°When I grow up, I¡¯ll learn magic too,¡± Elsie said. ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda said, hiding the sadness in her heart. ¡°Perhaps you can join Life¡¯s Rose?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± ¡°I will write you a...¡± A though flashed through her mind. The girl probably didn¡¯t understand what happened, but Adam had used three Fourth Gate spells at once, and if Life¡¯s Rose knew that, it would become awkward for Adam. The treaty to pressure those who knew Fourth Gate spells provided even greater pressure against those who knew Fifth Gate spells, and though Adam didn¡¯t know such a spell, Vonda recalled their discussion when they had married. ¡®Fifth Gate? No, I won¡¯t stop until at least Seventh Gate.¡¯ ¡®Oh, Adam.¡¯ Vonda sighed, feeling how much trouble her husband would cause in the future. While there were discussions of great trouble at the encampment, the pair of Iyrmen found the sight of death, and the pair of hydras, each with more than ten heads. The pair of hydras feasted upon the bodies of the caravan, having torn through much of the caravan and its people. The sickening crunch of teeth crunching bone filled the air. Jurot raised a hand towards Kitool, and though he motioned for a retreat, he felt the gaze of a hydra¡¯s head turn towards him. Several others began to glance towards the pair of Iyrmen, the hunger deep within their eyes, matched only by the hunger within the pair¡¯s eyes. Press F to pay respects. [916] – Y04.016 – Trouble on the Road III [916] ¨C Y04.016 ¨C Trouble on the Road III The sun shone upon the mountains of the Iyr, basking the Iyrmen in its light. The Iyrmen worked their fields hard, many of whom had left fields of blood outside of the Iyr, but within the Iyr, the home they knew, they worked the fields peacefully. There were many within the Iyr who did not work the fields, however. The watermill worked hard in dawnval, assisting the Iyrmen in their papermaking. The masons and carpenters checked the various walls and buildings of the Iyr to maintain them. The guards of the Iyr, many unseen, trekked upon the lands to check their trails, with the hope they could find something which had dared to tread upon their lands. The Elders also worked, many within their estates checking over the books, including a particular Iyrman who sat opposite a particular teen Iyrman. The teen had reduced his workload so much, the Elder was able to stress about a particular fool of a father. Elder Zijin slipped his black book within his robes, pouring himself tea, pouring some for the teen Iyrman beside him too. The teen was focused upon the various equations within the book, as though it were as fun as bringing death to his foes. Zijin placed some of the books to the side, not checking them, each which belonged to other Elders. His calloused fingers slipped through his own book, confirming whether or not Churot had completed his task correctly. Ignoring the first few mistakes the boy had made when he originally helped the Elder, the boy¡¯s work was flawless. ¡°You work well,¡± Zijin praised, reaching out to brush Churot¡¯s hair, feeling his growing horns against the palm of his hand. ¡°Yes,¡± Churot replied, glancing aside slightly, before returning back to his work. Zijin stared down at the calculations within his book. Ever since Churot had learnt the art of maths from Adam, the Iyr¡¯s bookkeeping had changed to accommodate the maths, and their books gained a level of accuracy they had never held before, to the place of one digit, and sometimes two. Zijin marked the book, requesting an additional crate of potatoes, writing down the reason why, or rather, the two tiny green reasons why. ¡°I am done,¡± Churot said, placing down the last of the books for the afternoon. ¡°Are there more?¡± ¡°Not for now,¡± Zijin said, ordering the books to be sent to the other Elders, placing in the slip of paper to confirm Churot had finished their books, which would need to be signed by the Elders or their aides once they confirmed the maths. Zijin poured Churot another cup of tea, before taking out a tray of snacks for the boy, including the peaches, which had defrosted over the course of their work. He allowed the boy to eat as many of the peaches he wanted, since they were among his favourite food. ¡°Should I request more peaches?¡± Zijin asked, smirking slightly. ¡°There are not many peaches in the Iyr,¡± Churot said, recalling the number, but before he could state the number, he bowed his head lightly to allow the Elder to ruffle his hair. ¡°There are as many peaches in the Iyr as it needs,¡± Zijin assured. ¡°The Shamans have grown many more peach trees this year.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We are not Aldland, Drakkenlan, or Aswadasad. You do not need to worry of the number of peaches within the Iyr, but for how many you can eat before you are to grow thick and fat.¡± ¡°I walk with grandfather and grandmother,¡± Churot said, slipping another peach into his mouth, chewing it slowly. Zijin chuckled lightly, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Do you know how many farmers the Iyr has?¡± ¡°The Iyr has up to twenty thousand farmers.¡± ¡°So it does,¡± Zijin said, smiling gently at the young Iyrman¡¯s response. ¡°Do you know how many Aldland has?¡± ¡°At least ten million.¡± Zijin slowly nodded. ¡°Many work as farmers, for they have not given their Priests of Nahtu so much influence. Millions of farmers work the lands of the Aldish, but they worry for their harvests. Do we Iyrmen have need of such worries?¡± ¡°No,¡± Churot replied, with the confidence only Iyrmen children knew. ¡°No,¡± Zijin confirmed. ¡°We have no need of such worries, for we are the Iyrmen. The Shamans work their magics along our land, and where once there were peach seeds planted within the earth, grow trees, tall and sturdy in the Iyr, but one afternoon later.¡± Churot hadn¡¯t seen the Shamans work their magic upon their fields, not that he wished to, enjoying the presence of his books instead. He slipped another peach into his mouth. ¡°Whereas the Aldish harvest their worrisome fields, we Iyrman have no worrisome fields. Whereas they harvest their fields and keep half their bushels, what of we Iyrmen?¡± ¡°We keep nothing.¡± ¡°When I worked the fields as a teen, I carried the sacks, the crates, the bushels, to the warehouse. Sometimes I would need to place them outside the warehouse so the other workers could carry them within, to place them in their designated places. The farmers would harvest the crops, some would pack the crops, some would carry the crops, some would organise the crops, and some would place the crops, and all would return home empty handed. I worked with many of your uncles and aunts, and many Iyrmen you have not met in many years, and some who have long passed.¡± ¡°They died good deaths.¡± Zijin slowly nodded his head. ¡°We returned home empty handed, but we ate full meals. I,¡± Zijin emphasised the word, ¡°keep nothing, but we, the Iyr, gain everything. Whereas the Aldish and Aswadians miss their meals upon the whims of nature, the Divine, and their nobles, the whims of nature cower upon the lands of the Iyr, the Divine do not keep the Iyr within their covetous gaze, and there are no nobles in the Iyr.¡± ¡°Cousin Adam says we are all nobles.¡± ¡°It may be true to say there are no nobles in the Iyr, for we are all nobles in the Iyr,¡± Zijin said, chuckling lightly. ¡°We Iyrmen, we do not need to have Aldish worries, for we have Iyrmen worries.¡± Churot remained silent for a long while. ¡°Elder Zijin?¡± ¡°Grandfather asked me to tell him when you work me too hard...¡± Churot said, narrowing his eyes towards the Elder, who burst out into laughter. Yet, though they were tempting Mistress Fate, somehow Adam was not causing any trouble, which of course was most troublesome of all. Lucy eyed up the half elf who stood tall, with his arms crossed. Meanwhile Jaygak swung her blade forward, stretching out her arm, while Morkarai also completed his own movements with his blade. Mara, too, stretched her body, readying for the battle. Adam let out an annoyed sigh. ¡®Damn it, I want to show off in front of you, but it¡¯s awkward to kill them.¡¯ Elsie hugged Vonda¡¯s leg, the cloak almost hiding her from the world. She shook slightly as the four continued to charge towards them. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± The girl¡¯s voice was almost as small as her. ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± The girl sniffled slightly. ¡°Miss Ray. Is it gonna be okay?¡± ¡°It will be fine,¡± Vonda assured. ¡°The Iyrmen are strong.¡± ¡°They¡¯re hydras.¡± Adam stared out towards the approaching hydras, which were being led towards the encampment. They stood at the edge of the encampment as Jurot and Kitool, both of whom slowed down slightly every so often as they pulled the hydras along, rushed towards the camp. ¡°Elsie, would you like to see some magic?¡± ¡°Magic?¡± The girl¡¯s head snapped towards Adam from beside Vonda. ¡°Yeah, some magic.¡± ¡°Miss Ray, will you make the magic?¡± ¡°I will if I must, but they may not require my magic since they are so strong.¡± If the Ray was saying it, it must be true, so the girl¡¯s heart said. In the same way the Iyrmen were figures of great renown to Adam, the Ray was a great figure to that of a little girl from the capital city of East Aldland. ¡°I¡¯ll just cast one spell then,¡± Adam said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin the fun for you all, so I¡¯ll do that much.¡± ¡°Just one spell?¡± Lucy asked, swinging her greataxe to warm herself up. ¡°Yeah, just the one.¡± ¡°Is it going to be that spell?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s going to be that spell.¡± ¡°If you cast it twice, we¡¯ll get annoyed.¡± ¡°If I cast it twice, should I just cast it on you all, since it won¡¯t hurt you guys as much?¡± ¡°Does Kitool also have such resistance to fire as we?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. He checked his Mana, and though he had recovered some of it with a light rest, he wasn¡¯t sure if he should use so much Mana, just in case. ¡°It¡¯s not like I need to cast them since it¡¯s only a couple of hydras.¡± Vonda reached down to rub the girl¡¯s head. It was only truly the Aldishwoman who understood how ridiculous their conversation was. ¡®The strong have such different conversations.¡¯ ¡°Ah, I think they¡¯re in range now,¡± Adam said, raising his fist in front of himself, holding onto Wraith with his free hand. ¡°Elsie, are you watching?¡± Elsie glanced up towards Adam¡¯s fist. He unfurled it slightly, his thumb pointing towards the air, his index finger pointed towards the approaching Irmen and hydras, as though he were ready to shoot a crossbow. ¡°Explosion,¡± Adam said, chanting the words to his magic. Mana: 13 -> 10 Spell: Fireball I wish I had some peaches. [917] – Y04.017 – Trouble in the City I [917] ¨C Y04.017 ¨C Trouble in the City I 8D6 = 33 (1, 2, 4, 4, 5, 5, 6, 6) 33 damage! The shock within the girl¡¯s eyes was quickly overwhelmed by the reflection of the inferno appearing from nothingness. The inferno spread from the hydras to the girl¡¯s heart, which shuddered with shock, her fingers clamping tighter around Ray Vonda¡¯s cloak. Though the flames spread into the girl¡¯s heart, it was the death brought by the figures in front, which butchered the hydras with ease, which cemented something even deeper within her beating heart. Morkarai¡¯s blade swam through the air, cutting through a head, the heat of his blade almost cauterising the wound immediately. ¡°I will handle this hydra myself!¡± The fire giant¡¯s chuckle filled the air, the hydra¡¯s cries threatening to drown them as a staff crushed against a head. ¡°We are still escorting you, Prince Morkarai,¡± Kitool said, her voice calm, too calm for one who was in the middle of facing a hydra. Jurot¡¯s entire body, red hot with rage, burned with effort as his axe tore through a hydra¡¯s head, while the glowing blade beside him spun, cutting another hydra head. The pair of demons also spent little time debating how much to play with their food, their giant axes threatening to bisect the hydras in half. ¡°Do you see?¡± Adam asked, the distant screeching and growling growing quieter with each passing moment. ¡°As long as we are here, you¡¯re safe.¡± The camp fire crackled lightly as the girl stared down at her meal of hydra meat, salted lightly, though the half elf had waved his hand across it with magic. She bit into it slowly, the expectant eyes of the Ray urging the girl to eat. She winced at the flavour before pulling back, staring at the meat. ¡°How does it taste?¡± ¡°It¡¯s yummy, mister.¡± Victory! XP Gained: +1 200 XP: XP: 4 900 -> 6 100 ¡°I made it taste like chicken tikka masala, so of course you¡¯d like it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gotta lotta spices!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! See? This is why I like you East Aldish, you at least have good taste.¡± ¡°We only gets to eat spicy food during the festival,¡± Elsie said, stabbing her fork into the meat before bringing it up to her lips, biting into the hydra meat eagerly, almost shoving the entire thing into her mouth. She chewed the tough meat slowly, groaning with delight from the flavours dancing on her tongue. After the meal, Kitool took the girl for a walk around the encampment. She handed the girl Tigerstaff, the great magics jolting against the girl¡¯s fingers. ¡°So...¡± Adam began. Jurot shook his head. ¡°None survived.¡± ¡°Did you find her sister?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot shook his head again slowly. ¡°Damn...¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°So... what do we do with her? Vonda says we should adopt her into the business.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you have any other opinions?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Vonda sipped her water lightly, tasting the apple flavour from her husband¡¯s magic. ¡°We should allow her to remain within one of the temples in East Port. Upon our return, we should take her with us.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the brothers replied. ¡°Do you have any other opinions?¡± Vonda joked. ¡°No.¡± Jaygak¡¯s eyes fell towards the girl. She exchanged glances with the demons. ¡®Of course he finds another child.¡¯ Jaygak was also distracted by another thought. It was that kind of thought, a thought which had slowly begun to creep into her heart. ¡®Hydras have become easier to slay.¡¯ She understood the difference between a hydra and herself, however she was certain the trio of Iyrmen could take on a hydra with great success. Her eyes fell down towards her blade, which was greater than most blades with its enchantments, and even greater upon calling forth its greater magic within. Adam and Vonda used their magic to treat the hydra skin, before the group settled for the night, having buried the bodies of the dead creatures. They set up their watches once more, each taking an hour and a half as they had since the loss of Amokan and Timojin, though with the magical steed and familiar supporting them. Elsie¡¯s eyes remained fixated on the dark skinned fire giant over lunch, the girl slowly eating the porridge. Vonda remained beside the girl, who didn¡¯t feel comfortable without seeing the Ray within sight. The others were glad the girl was so distracted, allowing Adam, Jurot, and Kitool to step away for a short while. They weren¡¯t that far away, a few miles ahead of the road. Adam stared down at the packed earth, remaining quiet for a long while. He held the pieces of cloth within his hand, the colourful cloths stained with blood. Jurot and Kitool waited patiently for Adam to begin the prayers. ¡°Lord Sozain, Baktu, please watch over them well.¡± Adam cast his light magic, Tricks, to clean the blood, before slipping the cloths between the jewellery which they had found upon the bodies. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Elsie¡¯ll be treated well in the business, I promise you that.¡± Elsie eyed up the returning trio. ¡°Did you find it, mister?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m always dropping things too.¡± ¡°What do you drop?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is she okay?¡± ¡°She is quiet now.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°You buried the dead?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you have the items which belong to them?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It is customary to donate the items to the Priests who dealt with their funeral.¡± ¡°I¡¯m keeping them safe for Elsie for now, and then I¡¯ll hand them to her once we¡¯re at the business.¡± ¡°I have been informed you wished to adopt the girl into the business.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Since she is an orphan, we are also able to take in the girl, to provide a life for her at the temple.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine at the business,¡± Adam replied, still staring at the stars. ¡°It would be best for her to grow within the temple, where she grew up and where she was raised.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best for her to grow up surrounded by little worries and lots of love.¡± ¡°Do you believe you can provide that?¡± Adam inhaled sharply, glancing back towards the Mother, a small smile on his face. ¡°There are lots of things I¡¯m confident in, but that¡¯s the number one thing I¡¯m confident in most.¡± ¡°More so than our temple to Mother Soza?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do very good, but we¡¯ve already decided to adopt her into the business. Right now she¡¯s a VIP.¡± ¡°A vee eye pee?¡± Adam reached into his pocket and held out an amber gem towards the Mother. ¡°It means we¡¯ll be paying you a hundred gold a month to watch over her while we¡¯re gone.¡± The Mother blinked. ¡°The customary amount is one gold a day.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°She¡¯s our VIP. I hope you will watch over her appropriately while we finish our business.¡± The Mother could feel something emanating from the half elf. Her eyes glanced down towards the symbol on his amulet. ¡°You follow the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death.¡± ¡°Baktu, or Lord Sozain as you might know him.¡± The Mother opened her mouth to refute his words, but she paused for a moment. She could feel the heaviness of Adam¡¯s smile pressing upon her. It was a smile she had seen very few times previously, those who were high ranking members of various orders, or those among the higher nobility. ¡®What gives you such right to look upon me in such a way?¡¯ ¡°Mother,¡± Adam began. ¡°Last year, there were those who wished to take our VIPs from us.¡± The Mother¡¯s eyes flashed with recognition upon the words. Last year there were many goings on, from the meeting between the Kings, to the King of Aldland and his issues with the Priests of Nature, and even the Iyr¡¯s escorting of the Florian King back to his country. Then there was the exiling of the three orders which had watched over Floria for centuries. Among them, there were a handful of local events which had sparked a wildfire of rumours within the city. The rumour of the Marquess, one of the highest ranking nobles across East Aldland, who had caused trouble upon a group for a Sorcerer. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose had gotten involved, but rather than Life¡¯s Rose complaining about the death caused by the Marquess, it was the Order of Life¡¯s Rose defending the death caused by a particular group. Outnumbered by the elite army under the command of the Marshal of the East, and yet somehow the group had come out, not only unscathed, but having defeated the small army composed of Experts, and more. Adam smiled as the recognition fell across her eyes. Then, for a moment, something else flashed across his eyes. ¡°If anything happens to our VIP while we¡¯re gone, I¡¯ll be holding you responsible.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me,¡± the Mother asked, narrowing her eyes towards the half elf, who for a moment looked worried. Adam was Trained in a large manner of skills, and it was one particular skill which had caused worry for one of the Iyrmen at the Guild, who had been tasked with dealing with the matter of the hydras. ¡®It should be fine since he¡¯s with his wife,¡¯ Jaygak thought, with a supernatural sense. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t cause trouble for a Priest of Life...¡¯ In her heart, she knew she was wrong. Indeed, for Adam was the kind to threaten anyone, including the Divine. Damn it, Mother... Damn it, Adam... [918] – Y04.018 – Trouble in the City II [918] ¨C Y04.018 ¨C Trouble in the City II ¡°I¡¯m very sorry,¡± Adam said, bowing his head before the Mother. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said something like that to you, Mother.¡± Mother Alexia stared at the half elf, her eyes still stern. She could feel the gaze of the Ray sitting beside the sheepish young man. The Ray, as his wife, dragged him to the Mother after hearing what had occurred. "I didn''t mean to threaten you, I was just worried for Elsie, and knowing how treacherous the-," Adam paused as he felt Vonda''s hand against his own, he cleared his throat. "I was just worried for Elsie, because there are certain issues that certain individuals have with our business, and I believed they would take certain matters into their own hands." Mother Alexia held a deep frown across her face, though she could feel the Ray¡¯s gaze upon her. Even as a Sister, Vonda could have vouched for Adam, and as a Mother, it was a simpler matter, but as a Ray? Mother Alexia¡¯s hands were tied, but she couldn¡¯t allow the half elf to go around threatening Mothers of Life. ¡°Even if you were worried for Elsie, you should not have threatened a Mother. I am a Mother of Life, and if I wished for it, you would find yourself trapped within a dungeon for the next century.¡± ¡°I-,¡± Adam began, though he managed to stop himself before Vonda squeezed his hand. ¡°You¡¯re completely right, Mother Alexia. I have shown you a great disrespect, and though I am a follower of Lord Sozain, I hold Mother Soza deep within my heart. I have failed you as both a follower of Lord Sozain, but also as an Executive of United Kindom. I can only ask for your mercy at this time, and once we have completed our task, I will surely correct this matter as best as I can.¡± ¡°Since Ray Vonda has spoken highly of you, I will consider it a mistake of a youth, but I expect better of a Brother.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re absolutely correct, Mother Alexia. I am ashamed of doing something so stupid, and I promise to reflect on my behaviour.¡± Mother Alexia glanced towards Vonda, who waited to see what else the Mother would do. She was the highest ranking individual of the small temple, and though the temple was small, it could still rely on the main temple of East Port for support, as well as Life¡¯s Rose. ¡°I will take Ray Vonda¡¯s words to heart and I will forgive you of this matter this once. I hope I will not regret it.¡± ¡°You will not, I assure you.¡± Adam clasped a hand over his fist and bowed his head. ¡°I often forget the fortunes I have in this world and court death, and though I follow Lord Sozain, I hope to live a very long life still. Once I return back to the business, I will discuss appropriate compensation with the Enchanter.¡± ¡°There is no need for that,¡± Mother Alexia replied, stilling the greed within her heart. ¡°If you won¡¯t accept a magical gift, then please, at least allow me to hand over some of my own salary as a donation to the temple.¡± ¡°We will not refuse a donation to our temple,¡± Mother Alexia admitted. Once Adam was brought to the statue of the mother, a bust of the mother, whose face held no details, though the cloth around the bust that represented her robes were intricately details, the hem holding all manner of religious symbols, the folds crafted to the point they were nearly lifelike. Adam dropped down before the statue, his hands upon his knees. ¡®I¡¯m really sorry, Mother Soza. I shouldn¡¯t have been such an idiot.¡¯ The half elf reached into his tunic and placed down a particular gem, that of a tiger eye. ¡®If he¡¯s willing to donate that much...¡¯ Mother Alexia watched as the pair left after saying their goodbyes to Elsie. She smiled slightly, having gained two hundred gold from a single person that day. She prepared extra fruit that evening. A quietness had taken East Port in the night. Adam and Vonda made their way, Vonda¡¯s full plate jangling slightly as they made their way towards the Guild. ¡°Sorry, Vonda.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I mean it.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t be that much of an idiot. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve pretended to be an idiot so much that I¡¯ve actually become an idiot.¡± ¡°I trust you will think before you speak from now on.¡± ¡°You¡¯re trusting me a little too much.¡± ¡°I have to.¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Vonda reached over to hold Adam¡¯s hand, their fingers intertwining together. ¡°What could the reason be, I wonder?¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll treat the Priests of Life better from now on. I can¡¯t disappoint you, and I can¡¯t let them criticize you because you married an idiot.¡± ¡°I hope you will treat all Priests with such respect.¡± ¡°Baby steps, Vonda, baby steps.¡± Adam chuckled again, following along one of the many rivers within the city. ¡°We probably don¡¯t have enough time to meet Yellow Turban, right?¡± ¡°Is it Yellow Turban you want to meet?¡± Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com ¡°Don¡¯t call me out like that.¡± Adam smiled, squeezing her hand gently. ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯ll leave them be for now. We can meet them when we come back.¡± ¡°We are rushing so much.¡± ¡°Yeah, well... I¡¯ve got a Princess to meet.¡± ¡°You dislike nobles, but you are so excited to meet the Princess?¡± The guard glanced between the others suspiciously. ¡°Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°What business do you have with the Ray?¡± ¡°She is my sister.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What my brother means to say is that Ray Vonda is his sister in law,¡± Adam explained. The older guard narrowed his eyes towards the fellow in purple, who had not removed his helmet. ¡°Your brother? You¡¯re no Iyrman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, but my brother is my brother, and my wife is my wife.¡± Vonda sighed, understanding how much confusion the pair were causing. ¡°Though it is awkward to explain, it is true that my husband is the Iyrman¡¯s brother, and I am his wife. Mother Priest gave her blessing for the marriage, and so did Mother Soza.¡± The guard cleared his throat. ¡°Of course, Ray. It seems we¡¯ve misunderstood...¡± His eyes glanced between them all. ¡°We¡¯ll escort you to the inn and leave you be.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡®Oh, right,¡¯ Adam eventually thought, having realised how suspicious they seemed, and how little they had explained things. ¡®I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re a Ray, Vonda. One day, your Executive husband will be able to help you in the same way.¡¯ Adam¡¯s heart was uncertain of how he should feel that his wife had assisted him so much. He was a man, a husband, a father, he should also be dependable. However, he also enjoyed the feeling of his wife holding such authority, and doting on him in such a way. ¡®Mother Vonda? More like Mommy Vonda, am I right?¡¯ Adam chuckled in his helmet, before noting the attention he received from the others when he randomly chuckled. ¡®I¡¯m glad I¡¯m wearing my helmet.¡¯ ¡®He was definitely thinking something cringe,¡¯ his companions all thought. They arrived at the inn with little trouble, but Morkarai, Lucy, and Mara all understood how the guards had come to escort them. It was either because of Adam or the Iyrmen, about half of the reason falling on each of them, but if they had to make the bet, they would bet it was Adam¡¯s fault. The next day, they had gathered upon the ship, crewed by dozens of sailors, while the Captain, a man whose wrinkles were only matched by the number of scars upon his face. While the sailors all busied themselves, the Captain eyed up the Iyrmen, the Ray, the half elf, and the fire giant, who had left his armour in his room. ¡°Captain,¡± a younger sailor called, motioning his head to the group who had just arrived. ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you about it once you¡¯re older. Make sure we have enough rocks.¡± The Captain motioned with a hand to dismiss the teen. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect that I¡¯d have to sail with a Prince.¡¯ ¡®Of course we have enough rocks, old man, I had to wake up early to bring a ton on board!¡¯ The teen grumbled as he walked away. ¡®Just you wait until I¡¯m the Captain, I¡¯ll make sure you carry at least fifty rocks on board.¡¯ As the dawn¡¯s sun began to fill the docks with light, the Captain shouted for his workers, and soon the ship left the docks to sail across the sea, heading eastward, until they¡¯d finally head south and west, towards the southern side of Aswadasad. ¡°Feels weird being on a ship again,¡± Adam admitted, though he understood why it felt weird to him. He felt so light, and outside of the Iyr, it meant that he was in danger. ¡°I agree,¡± Vonda admitted, reaching down to her stomach, massaging it gently, trying to ease her sickness. She could feel a sweat come across her. She inhaled the crisp salty air, reaching out to grab the railings of the ship tightly in hand. ¡®The air smells so... unfamiliar.¡¯ Lucy stared out towards the sea, her eyes glued upon the horizon. ¡®I probably don¡¯t need to worry about Oathkeepers while I¡¯m out at sea?¡¯ ¡°Why are you all so worried?¡± Morkarai asked, smirking slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t like being on a ship,¡± Jaygak admitted. ¡°Unlike the desert, you can¡¯t wear your armour.¡± Morkarai nodded his head, understanding how she felt. ¡°You probably shouldn¡¯t wear armour in the...¡± Adam glanced between Morkarai, a giant with a particular affinity with fire, and Jaygak, a devilkin with a particular affinity with fire. ¡°Are you two picking a fight?¡± ¡°No fighting on deck,¡± the Captain said. ¡°The sea brings plenty of fights.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, far too eagerly. Though the Captain had said the sea would bring them plenty of fights, somehow it was not the sea, but the sky. Previous chapter: Damn it, Adam Current chapter: Damn, Mommy... [919] – Y04.019 – Trouble on the Seas I [919] ¨C Y04.019 ¨C Trouble on the Seas I ¡°No,¡± the tiny girl said, but she could only say it once before she gave up, her grandmother leading the girl and her siblings to the baths. Jirot chewed her teethleaf slowly, the fizz of the liquid tickling against her dual canines, before she spat it out into the cloth, along with the rest of her siblings. She allowed her grandmother to change her into the attire of the Iyrmen, but not just any attire, but the attire for the end of dawnval. She closed her eyes as her grandmother dabbed the paint onto her forehead, seven times total, the same as her aunt. ¡°Come, Jirot, I will brush your hair,¡± Mirot called, holding out a hand. The girl ran towards her other nana, sitting before her, with her twin brother also settling himself beside his sister. Mirot brushed their hair, feeling how long it had become, falling further down their shoulders. She glanced aside towards the triplets, each of whom had much longer hair, currently having their hair combed through by their grandmother. Larot sat, his face full of annoyance as Citool finished brushing his hair too, straightening his tunic, wrapping the sash around his waist gently, though she pinned it against his shirt. Though Larot was a babe, Citool understood he was special, so there was less to worry about him trying to get himself killed by exploring the world. Jirot yawned, before her head snapped towards her grandaunt. ¡°Babo?¡± ¡°Do you wish to see your babo?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The girl¡¯s eyes beamed with delight as she readied herself, so excited that she forgot her only joke. ¡°Okay,¡± Mirot replied, lifting the girl up, planting a firm kiss on her cheek, before doing the same for her younger brother, who had been named after her father. While the children prepared to enjoy the last week of dawnval, many miles away far to the east, their father stood towards the edge of the ship, his hands behind his back as he stared out towards the open ocean. ¡®I bet he¡¯s spoiling them right now and thinking about how much it would annoy me,¡¯ Adam thought, understanding deep within his heart how true his thoughts were. He closed his eyes, imagining how adorable his children would be while wearing their outfits, and how terrible it was for the world to take such a sight away from him. His eyes darted down towards the ocean floor, willing the world to send him something to beat up so that his heart would calm itself. The silver drakken beside him stared out at the ocean, letting out a long sigh. His long robes, as black as night, fluttered in the ocean breeze, his silver eyes full of a tiredness of people and life. He reached into his robes, pulling out a wooden pipe, before he removed the cap, slipping the pipe into his mouth. He hummed out words which sounded like the speech of dragons, a hand forming various symbols, before smoke began to shift out of the top of his pipe. He puffed the pipe lightly, before removing it from his lips, letting out the smoke from his lungs, watching it dissipate in front of him. ¡°Are you a Wizard?¡± Adam asked, leaning over the railing. The drakken glanced towards Adam, his eyes flashing across the young man for a moment, before his eyes fell upon the ocean once more. ¡°That I am, Brother,¡± the drakken replied, his voice holding an authoritative tone. ¡°I might be a Brother, but I...¡± Adam paused, realising how stupid he was being. ¡°I¡¯ve a respect for all magic.¡± ¡°You follow the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death, but you are not an Iyrman,¡± the drakken stated. ¡°No. I¡¯m Adam, a Brother, and a brother to an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Are you brothers by blood or blade?¡± ¡°We are brothers as though we hold the same blood,¡± Adam replied. ¡°By blade then?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you prefer to call it.¡± ¡°I have some knowledge of the Iyr, much of it from Ald-, Florian, sources.¡± ¡°Are you Florian?¡± The drakken inhaled deeply, staring out to the sea for a long moment. ¡°When I was born, my parents named me Ibrahim. The bread I ate was flat, instead of apples and peaches, I ate dates and olives. When I was a boy, we travelled on a ship to Gold Port. There, they changed my name to Abraham, and I ate bread full of air, and apples and peaches. I learned the Aldish tongue, and I am still surprised they have the sense to not change the name of the language when they are raising their blade so proudly of their Florian heritage. I studied in the Florian academies, for my father earned that much coin, so good he was in Aswadasad, he could sell sand to the Shen. I pray to Lord Sozain as I would pray to Lord Noor. They view me as a drakken, believing me to be from the north, though I was born in Aswadasad, I do not remember the taste of fresh dates, of fresh olives, for they are so far to the south and the east. No, Adam. I am not Florian, I am not from Drakkenlan, where they mistake my ancestors to be from, for my ancestors roamed in what we call Noska. Do I dare to say I am Aswadian when I have most of my life in Floria? I... I am merely Abraham.¡± ¡®What are silver drakken doing in Aswadasad?¡¯ Adam thought, though he bowed his head. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Abraham.¡± ¡°What pleasure does our meeting bring?¡± ¡°That depends. What brings you to Aswadasad?¡± ¡°I told my father and mother I should study in the east, where they were born,¡± Abraham said, staring at the ocean which he had crossed once before as a boy. ¡°After the victory of the Florians against the Aldish, those who I once studied alongside seemed to have forgotten I was a part of their class, some socially. There was always some trouble between merchants and nobles, but now...¡± ¡°I thought the King¡¯s Sword, uh, King Merryweather, he raised his blade for Aswadasad didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He raised his blade because of greed. He raised his sword for his Florian ancestors. He raised his sword to keep the treaty with Aswadasad. Who is to say? I was sent to the battlefield, I did what I was told, and upon my return, many wished to forget my service. I may have slept in the nicest tents, I may have had personal guards, but when the great King Merryweather needed Wizards to create forts in the span of a day rather than weeks, I was there to shift the earth. When he threw oil upon the enemy encampments, it was my flames which brought them alight.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°You fought in the war?¡± ¡°No, I did very little fighting. I do not wear chain, I do not draw blades of steel. I know my magic, but I did not fight, I was too valuable to fight, but not too valuable to keep once peace fell.¡± Abraham sighed. ¡°I suppose it was my own fault I was pushed away. I saw some things I shouldn¡¯t have seen, and said some things I shouldn¡¯t have said.¡± ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°What you see in war, blood, death, and the darkness of we mortals, of what we allow others to live with.¡± Abraham puffed his pipe, closing his eyes before exhaling. ¡°The kinds of things that you need dragonleaf to calm you down.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Adam reached into his robe and pulled out a tiger eye. ¡°Consider this a gift of our good fortune. It seems like Fate we met today.¡± ¡°Fate?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, glancing aside. Omen: 4, 20 ¡°Enjoy your dragonleaf, Abraham.¡± Abraham accepted the tiger eye gem, slipping it into his robes. ¡°I won¡¯t forget our meeting, Brother Adam.¡± ¡°Nor will-,¡± A shout was followed by the ringing of a bell, the blasting of a horn, and the blow of a whistle, the cacophony of noise scattering within Adam¡¯s head. ¡°What¡¯s all that about?¡± Adam winced. ¡°A dragon turtle, a dragon, or another great creature,¡± Abraham replied, taking another puff of his pipe, ready to embrace Lord Sozain while the sailors scattered around on deck. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, rushing up to the half elf. ¡°A blue dragon has been spotted.¡± ¡°A blue dragon?¡± Adam asked, noting the look of determination within Jaygak¡¯s eyes. Adam donned his shield and slipped out his axe. ¡°What¡¯s a blue dragon doing so far out?¡± ¡°They may have sensed our magical weapons,¡± Jaygak said, having donned her shield, before drawing her magical blade. Morkarai¡¯s eyes remained focused on the horizon as the sailors gathered themselves, going to grab any tribute they could find, while some grabbed their mundane weapons, which would no doubt bounce off the dragon¡¯s scales. A few brought over a crate, slipping off the rope, before revealing large, smooth stones. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A sailor asked, their eyes glued to the four heavily armed figures who were escorting the dark skinned fellow, who was important somehow, though they hadn¡¯t been informed how. ¡°Getting ready to kill another blue dragon,¡± Adam said, swinging his axe in front of him as he loosened up. ¡°I wish to claim the heart,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I want the heart, though?¡± ¡°You would take it from Taygak?¡± ¡°I guess if it belongs to Taygak then it belongs to Taygak,¡± Adam replied, giving up instantly. ¡°I want the horns for...¡± ¡®Hold on, isn¡¯t it weird to give them horns when their elder siblings are half dragons?¡¯ ¡°Silver dragons are different to blue dragons,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I don¡¯t know, they were pretty uncomfortable last time...¡± ¡°Adam, Jaygak,¡± Morkarai said, grabbing a large stone in hand, his arm flexing wildly as he began to slowly, almost imperceptibly, grow taller. ¡°I will deal with her.¡± ¡°What, you think because-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said, stopping him before he could reveal the Prince¡¯s identity. ¡°I mean, you know, he can¡¯t just take the dragon from us.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± the Captain shouted, staring at the five who were so eager to fight. ¡°Why are you condemning us to death? What if it¡¯s a Gryn?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a Gryn, then maybe I should claim the heart for our Churot,¡± Adam said, suddenly feeling a hotness fill within him as he reached up to press his axe against his obsidian holy symbol. ¡°That¡¯s fine too,¡± Jaygak agreed. ¡°What are you going to do to the dragon when it can fly?¡± the Captain shouted. Adam could feel Lucy, Mara, and Jaygak stare at him with an envious glare. ¡°I mean... that¡¯s not a big deal for me.¡± ¡®Just because you worship the Lord of Death, it doesn¡¯t mean I want to die!¡¯ The Captain¡¯s despair filled the entire crew. I can''t believe I rolled 4, 20 and then rolled an npc who smoked dragonleaf. Sometimes life really do be that way. [920] – Y04.020 – Trouble on the Seas II [920] ¨C Y04.020 ¨C Trouble on the Seas II The blue dragon blasted lightning towards the sky, the lightning crackling with death. Any average man or woman would easily die within the blast, and even Experts would find themselves upon death¡¯s door. The sailors watched in sheer awe at the approaching dragon, with a foolish hope. A hope that they¡¯d be able to survive the day. ¡°Step back! I will deal with her!¡± Morkarai commanded, his voice full of royal authority. He placed the stone back into the crate cautiously, as though he could destroy the ship by dropping the stone. He rolled up his sleeves towards his elbows, before his entire body began to shift, growing taller and taller rapidly, until the ship began to creak with his weight, and he slowed the magic to transform him until he was only twice as tall as the others around him. ¡®This should be enough.¡¯ Adam pulled back along with the others around him, only just realising how much the Prince had held back in their fight previously. ¡®Damn! He¡¯s built like a damn tank!¡¯ Morakarai flexed his muscles, feeling the way his clothing strained with his physique. The giant blade upon his back was now truly a giant¡¯s blade, though only Jaygak understood how it was still considered small, since Morkarai was not yet standing at his full height. The excitement flood through the Iyrman in great anticipation. Morkarai inhaled deeply, holding out both of his hands in front of him, his stance low. Lucy¡¯s eyes pulled away from Morkarai, with much effort since he was suddenly such a treat, to glance towards Adam for a short moment, before her gaze returned back to the blue dragon. She rested the axe over her shoulder, waiting for the dragon to come to them. The dragon snarled and growled, though Adam could hear what the true meaning behind the snarls. Joyous laughter. The dragon dove with sudden alacrity, approaching the fire giant Prince with joy, before slamming against him, the pair a mixture of blue, black, and red, a painting of strength. As the pair wrestled, the dragon¡¯s body landed upon the ship, almost breaking the railings around her. Morakrai growled as the pair wrestled, his minute form an equal drawback to the dragon trying not to destroy the ship within their fun, before finally the fire giant Prince pinned the dragon beneath him. ¡°This bout is mine!¡± Morkarai shouted as the dragon continued to squirm under him, half her body off the side of the ship, having finally destroyed the railing. Eventually the dragon stopped struggling within his arms, before he allowed her free, only for the dragon¡¯s body to shift, and moments later a woman of equal height to the fire giant prince, save perhaps a hair taller, stood before them all. The large horns atop her head could skewer any of them, the scales, blue as the deep ocean, ran along the side of her forehead down the side of her neck and into her shirt. Her tail, long and spiked, flowed behind her with every breath. She carried with her no obvious weapons, though she wore jewellery on almost every finger, and various necklaces, each like rivers of silver and gold. The woman spoke with the low gruff tones of the giant tongue, her teeth wide in a wild grin. ¡°You should speak the Aldish tongue,¡± Adam said. ¡°Who has issues with me speaking the tongue of the giants?¡± she asked, her blue eyes darting to the side, noting the Iyrman, the demons, and the half elf. She narrowed her eyes towards the half elf and the demons, a queer smell floating out of them. ¡°We don¡¯t have any issues, but Morkarai asked us not to beat you, so you should at least show some politeness.¡± ¡°You should refer to him-,¡± ¡°Karza,¡± Morkarai growled towards the half dragon woman. The woman replied in the giant tongue, with Morkarai confirming something. ¡°Hah! You should be glad that Morkarai is vouching for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be glad Morkarai is vouching for you,¡± Adam replied, courting death from the blue dragon. ¡°We¡¯ve killed quite a few dragons, but Jaygak here loves killing blue dragons most.¡± ¡°I will only hope that Morkarai will stop protecting you,¡± Jaygak said, her entire body buzzing with an eagerness she had almost never displayed before, not to Adam, not to the demons. Jaygak, so timid was she was normally, glowed so Iyrmanly. ¡°I am a Drunda.¡± Jaygak snorted, before glancing aside, almost disappointed. ¡°We have no blood between us then.¡± ¡°She cool?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you Lady Karza, how do you do?¡± Adam asked, reaching out his hand to shake her forearm. Karza howled with laughter. ¡°Are they companions of yours, Morky?¡± Morkarai remained silent, causing the woman to laugh. ¡°Are you friends?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Friends? Who would want to be friends with him?¡± Karza replied, laughing even wilder. ¡°He¡¯s good for wrestling and fighting and drinking and not much else.¡± Morkarai wondered if he should threaten her, but he understood how much trouble she could cause, and if it was just some disrespect, he could let it pass since he was mostly incognito. Meanwhile the sailors and passengers around stared at the dragon who had suddenly arrived, although one continued to smoke his pipe, staring out to the sea. ¡°Alright, well, it¡¯s nice to meet you anyway,¡± Adam said, pulling his hand back awkwardly. ¡°Right, you shake your arms to greet one another,¡± Karza said, extending out her arm. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I talked to you mortals.¡± ¡°Right, well...¡± Adam shook her forearm, unsure of how to feel about someone who was almost as cringe as him. As they shook forearms, Karza asked something in the giant tongue, to which Morkarai replied back softly. Karza then let go of Adam¡¯s forearm, crossing her arms. She glanced towards the demons, and asked the same question to the Prince, who replied awkwardly. ¡®They are Adam¡¯s friends.¡¯ ¡°Are you Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam replied, narrowing his eyes towards the dragon. ¡°She is from Lady Jaeryael¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Right, right...¡± Adam remained silent for a moment, the name sounding so familiar, and yet so... ¡°Oh! Right! Right, Lady Jaeryael.¡± ¡°It is recent, but White Frost has also...¡± Jaygak paused. ¡°It seems the times are changing.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jaygak shook her head. The deals with White Frost and Aswadasad have been ongoing for a short while, and if Jaygak revealed any more specifics, it could be noted that the Iyr¡¯s intelligence network reaches as far as Aswadasad. ¡°Does that mean that a dragon won¡¯t kill us?¡± ¡°It seems to be that way.¡± Jaygak inhaled deeply. ¡°We should be careful this year, Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always careful.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Lucy called, stepping up beside him, crossing her arms as she stared out at the ocean. ¡°Jaygak¡¯s right. You need to be careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always careful.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve become so arrogant.¡± ¡°Me? Arrogant?¡± ¡°We had no idea if the dragon was stronger than Karza or not. If it was a greater dragon, what would you do? With Vonda sick, with Jurot and Kitool watching over them, what would we have done? Morkarai would be safe, maybe, but us? One blast of lightning, one blast of fire, we may have died.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Lucy stated, her voice firm. ¡°Wake up.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam could hear within Lucy¡¯s tone something he hadn¡¯t expected, a seriousness which had never taken her voice before. ¡°Yeah. Alright.¡± The days on the sea continued until one day the ship no longer aimed for port, but rather, the deep ocean many miles away from land. The Captain held onto his magical compass, which pointed towards his desire, that of a particular section of the ocean. ¡®The weather has been too good,¡¯ the Captain thought a few hours before a storm took the ship, though he seemed completely relaxed within the middle of the falling rain, the thunder rumbling and lightning crashing nearby. ¡°It is time,¡± Morkarai said, staring at the distant whirlpool. ¡°Time?¡± ¡°We must jump into the whirlpool.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± ¡°Of course I do,¡± Adam said, glancing towards Jurot. He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t really like being underwater, but I guess if it¡¯s for our adorable little...¡± As the ship approached the edge of the whirlpool, which seemed to stop at a particular point of the ocean, a shadow formed within the water, before a serpent, its head easily as big as any of them, glared down towards them, made of pure darkness. Karza grinned wide, clenching her fist as she readied herself, though Morkarai placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from being an idiot. ¡°I am Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°I pay you respects, Lord Morkarai,¡± it replied, its voice as raspy as the sea air. ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°I have come to meet my betrothed.¡± The sea creature¡¯s eyes, a void of blackness, remained focused on the Prince. It bowed its head once, before disappearing into the whirlpool, the whirlpool glowing for a moment. ¡°Come,¡± Morkarai said, leaping off the edge of the ship, while Karza followed after. Adam reached out to hold Vonda¡¯s hand, the woman who was often sick while on the sea. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Vonda smiled, holding Adam¡¯s hand, before the pair leapt into the water, followed closely behind by their companions. Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 19 (13) The Captain¡¯s grandson glanced over towards him, unsure of what to say. The Captain remained silent, having only met the being the first time himself. He let out a long sigh. ¡®What a time to be alive.¡¯ Someone as cringe as Adam? It can''t be! [921] – Y04.021 – Trouble Across The Lands [921] ¨C Y04.021 ¨C Trouble Across The Lands The late dawnval sun had already set upon the Iyr, with the Iyrmen and their guests having taken to slumber, save for those who worked into the night, those who roamed the Iyr''s lands against unseen threats, those whose positions forced them to remain awake until the quiet hours of the morning, and those who still had great topics to discuss. "Aldland''s forts dot the land like moths drawn to a flame," Elder Wrath said, motioning towards all the new forts, with many along their own border and the surrounding lands. "Four," the Chief said, but his eyes passed along the six other forts which Aldland had formed near enough to its borders, and near enough for their consideration if something were to occur between their lands. "The forts may be given to the command of the exiled orders." "If they are given command of the near forts, we will need to secure greater defences," Elder Wrath said, glancing aside to Elder Forest and Elder Gold. Elder Gold, an Oathkeeper, reached up to hold her chin as she thought, her eyes glued to the forts. "It will be difficult to create a foreign counterbalance. If the King gives such great power to the three orders, the other orders will keep them in check. The King may choose to decrease the orders'' influence across the land with his new army." "The new army has left much to be desired," Elder Forest stated, almost disappointed their ally had formed such a pathetic army. "He has already acquiesced to the Priests of Nahtu, but he will need to surrender more to the nobles of the land if he wishes to form his own army, especially one which may number almost one hundred thousand." Her thoughts fell to whether they should also create forts on the borders of their lands, or rather, whether they should be obvious or not. "His nascent dream may bloom to bear fruit yet," the Chief stated, writing down a note into the book. "Though he has pulled his blade away from Floria, his grip on power is greater than the Shen''s, and with the expeditions west, to the islands he has claimed, we must assume his soldiers will grow powerful rapidly. A hundred thousand peasants in chain and wielding spears are almost irrelevant, but a hundred thousand soldiers in chain and wielding spears? The Iyr will need to consider the possibility the King may make the poor choice in wishing to covet our land." "We should consider reinstating our One Hundred," Elder Wrath said, writing down a note. The Iyr already had its One Hundred Grandmasters, and One Hundred Paragons, who were officially made up of those at least at the rank of Grandmaster, with some Paragons within. "Even if they are unable to secure any information about the army and its abilities, their proximity to the capital will assist in gathering more intimate information. If the King splits them up, we will have cast a wider net." "We should consider to rotate the soldiers so they may return with information at least yearly." The Chief wrote down another note, while the aides write their own from nearby, paying keen attention to the Great Elders and their words, formulating their own thoughts. "While the King Blackwater is trying to pass his reforms, King Merryweather is pushing through his own," Elder Wrath said, his eyes falling down towards the Florian lands. "With Lord Asa, their defensive capabilities are great. Their offensive capabilities are not as great as Aldland, so there is little worry of them coveting our lands." The Chief remained silent for a long while. King Merryweather had taught King Blackwater everything he knew, the two considered almost equals when it came to military stratagems. Their goals with their armies were completely different. Whereas the Aldish were forming a force to project power across far and wide, to conquer distant lands, the Florians were currently trying to form a defensive army to deal with the threat from their north, having allied themselves with their long time enemy of the Aswadians, who were currently going through their own civil war. "Their current goals will be to create numerous forts along their border, defensive troops that can hold onto such forts, and a large navy," Chief Iromin said, certain of his words. King Merryweather, outside of his great manoeuvre to which utterly decimated Aldland''s troops, was more predictable than one might expect. "Florian archery should not be underestimated," Elder Peace said, with her words breaking the silence like a hammer. Her presence extended out across the other Iyrmen, causing their hairs to stand on end. "Though Lord Asa and the Bloody Demon led to the demise of our own, it was not a bad death, we should not consider the Florians as our enemies for now. Their threat is low, and their ships have little effect upon our way of life. Aldland''s rise is something we have considered for some years, and though the King has failed for now, the delay may only last a decade. It is Aswadasad''s sudden shift which brings greater worry." Elder Teacher let out a sigh, having realised all this new history the Iyr''s curriculum required. Of all the things he had to teach, the split of the two greatest powers, and the fact that old enemies have become new allies, from Floria and Aswadasad, to Aswadasad and many of its dragons. "It is one thing for the Crimson Terror to consider dealing with Aswadasad politely, but for White Frost to suddenly shift her position of neutrality to an alliance..." "Many dragons have shifted their position with Aswadasad," the Chief said, wondering if the neutrality of the marauding dragons had changed her minds, for they could have teamed up to fight her for her wealth. "With White Frost''s new relationship with Aswadasad, the country may have secured itself against the emerging threat of this new Aldland." "The relationship should be defensive in nature, but if it is a greater alliance, we may need to consider if we can allow such an alliance," Elder Wrath said. "We may allow it," Elder Peace said, instantly shutting down Elder Wrath. "It would be dangerous." "There are cards to deal against White Frost," Elder Peace said, tapping the table three times, shutting the topic of conversation down. ''What card do you hold against White Frost?'' the Chief thought, though he thought of the cards he, as the Chief of the Iyr, held in case of emergencies. Still, a card against White Frost, who was considered an Ancient Dragon, one which matched the strength of Lady Jaeryael? Regardless of how eager the Iyrmen were for death, there were handful of figures even they needed to take great care of, and White Frost was among those few. With Elder Peace invoking secrets only she knew, the Great Elders continued the topics of discussion, still worried of Aswadasad. As the night continued, the Iyr awoke with a fresh sense of urgency. The various notes the Great Elders and their aides were collected and distilled, sent out to the various Elders.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Elder Zijin read the morning report, with Churot beside him, checking the books once more. Most of the notes were generalised for all the Elders, but the bottom of the notes were personalised with more pertinent information. Elder Zijin couldn''t help but to agree with the notes at the bottom, which underlined the source of the chaos which filled the air, or perhaps, more dangerously, he was not the source, but one of the many points in which the threads crossed together, along with his two companions. "It seems we will be busier this year, Churot," Zijin said, sipping his tea. Morkarai grinned wide as he waved towards the group. "You''re finally awake?" "Yeah." Adam stretched out his shoulders before hearing the gentle chanting of magic to his side, and the healing magic flowed through his wife, before she did the same for the rest of the group. Health: 90 -> 91 "Thank you," Adam said, feeling the warmth of his wife¡¯s magic fill him, like that of a mother¡¯s touch. A group of humanoids, each with skin of all manner of colours, with mostly webbed fingers approached, adorned within scale cuirasses. Their helmets covered in coral, with one wearing a particular piece full of coral that had been shaped into a helmet. The look of annoyance filled his face, his flat, wide nose flaring slightly as he tried to allow the stress to flow through him. "It seems our presence here has caused a mess," Morkarai said, innocently, as though he wasn¡¯t the source of the trouble. "A mess" "I caused trouble by not using the official channels." "Why didn''t you do it?" "I wanted revenge." "Revenge?" Morkarai was about to say more, but he could feel Karza''s gaze upon him from the distance, and he knew how keen her ears were. "I am petty, and that is all you need to know." "Even after I invited you to my wedding?" "I have invited you to mine too." "I''m going to tell Lanarot you bullied me." "I apologise, Jurot, for bullying you like this." "Okay," the Iyrman replied. "What, that''s it?" "Prince Morkarai has taught you to be careful." "That''s why you can''t trust royalty," Adam huffed, before noting all the gazes fall onto him, the mermen glaring at the half elf. ''Ah, right.'' Morkarai nodded towards the mermen, who stepped away into another room, before the bars and nets each slipped away into the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. Morkarai then spoke a few words to the mermen, who glanced between one another, before they eyed up the merman with the fanciest helmet. Though he was quite young, the mermen seemed to respect his authority most. A thought passed through the merman''s mind, which most guards understood, for it loosely translated to, ''I don''t get paid enough for this shit.'' There''s one thing that transcends culture, and that''s not getting paid enough to deal with Adam. [922] – Y04.022 – Trouble Under The Sea I [922] ¨C Y04.022 ¨C Trouble Under The Sea I The group spent their day relaxing within the underground area that made up the fort, the soft gentle glows of the ocean fauna lighting their way. Adam sat on the wall beside Vonda, their pinkies intertwined as their eyes gazed out towards the floating jellyfish in the distance, kept behind a thin net within the lake. A handful of mermen swam through the lake every so often. The mushrooms upon the ceiling glowed faintly, though most of the light within the cave was brought by the glowing stones within the wall, which glowed not quite as brightly as daylight, but not quite as dimly as a lantern. ¡°It feels a little hard to breathe,¡± Adam admitted, shuffling slightly closer to his wife, wrapping an arm around her waist, the pair cuddling closer. ¡°It is,¡± Vonda admitted, leaning in towards Adam¡¯s shoulder, resting her head against his. She could smell the faint smell of his soap against his skin. Though she had never smelled him when he hadn¡¯t taken a bath within at least a day, the tales of how difficult it was for fae to sweat and smell was well known throughout the land, compared to the dwarves who always smelled of earth in some way. They remained atop the fort walls, the pair embracing one another, while the guards stepped around the walls, glancing up towards the pair. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re married?¡± a guard asked another in the merman tongue. ¡°They might just be...¡± The guard narrowed his eyes towards the pair. ¡°She wears an amulet of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°They said she was a Ray, but doesn¡¯t she look too young.¡± ¡°How am I meant to know? All humans look alike.¡± ¡°Here here.¡± The guard shrugged, the pair continuing their rounds. Lucy contained herself within her room, not wanting to give the mermen any reason to kill her. Mara remained beside her, the pair trying to work the wood Jurot had brought them, each carving their wooden pieces slowly, doing their best not to cut themselves. ¡°We should have stayed in the Iyr,¡± Lucy said. ¡°Do you miss them?¡± Mara half joked, deflecting Lucy¡¯s thoughts. The young demon smiled a small sad smile. ¡°I do miss them...¡± ¡®No... I can¡¯t stay in the Iyr just because everyone wants to kill me. How would they feel once they grew up?¡¯ Lucy continued to whittle away at her wood, blowing the dust away, clearing her own mind and her resolve, though she knew she¡¯d need to speak with Mara more often to engrave the feeling within her heart. The next morning, the young Commander brought pieces of silk, each about a palm¡¯s size, and a look of annoyance on his face. ¡®To think I had to requisition more...¡¯ ¡°Living sea silk...¡± Morkarai said, before placing the silk against his throat before wincing, the silk beginning to unravel itself against his skin, kitting itself within, and then the side of his neck, the silk slicing up his neck before revealing lighter flesh beneath. ¡®I hadn¡¯t expected you to have this much influence.¡¯ Adam pressed the living sea silk to his throat, before the silk swiftly unravelled, slicing against his neck as though threading itself against his neck. Health: 91 -> 90 As it opened up his flesh, Adam shuddered, the hairs on his body standing on end as the alien sensation began to invade his body, before suddenly, the air cleared around him. He reached over to touch the sides of his neck, feeling the sore skin against his finger tips. Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°The gills are near permanent,¡± Morkarai informed. ¡°They will be removed once we are upon land once more. You may still struggle to breathe underwater, but you will not drown. It feels better than a Potion of Water Breathing.¡± Morkarai winced as the recollection of the potion. The group then passed through the fort, towards the end of the cave, where a lake awaited for them. The Commander bowed his head towards Morkarai, before leaping in, followed by the Prince, flanked by a pair of soldiers, before the last two soldiers remained, motioning with their pink tridents towards the lake. Jurot leapt in first, quickly followed by the rest. Adam and Vonda swam in the middle, feeling the water against their skin. Though Adam held his breath, he could feel his lungs pumping as the air filled his gills and entered his lungs, allowing his breath to last for much longer than he expected. Eventually the group swam through the tunnel and emerged at the open ocean, where they could spot small communities of mermen all around, the light illuminating them, though much of the distance was dark, unseen. Adam shuddered at the thought of the dangers beyond. Many hours later, with the sea carriage passing by the villages and towns, they finally came to a stop. Adam couldn¡¯t spot anything on either side, but as they floated out of the carriage, Adam spotted the light in the near distance, revealing a layered city, with much of it underwater, but the fourth layer and higher near the centre free of water, still in the sea, but within its own bubble. The buildings, carved from stone, marble, wood, and coral, numbered in the thousands, heading towards the inner rings. There were many walls within the town, though each littered with archways, with an even greater number of towers. There were many mermen swimming and moving up and about, not just going forward and back, but moving up and down through various arches. Adam could barely spot a faint dome of thread around the city. Around the city, hundreds of mermen made their way about, tending to the fields of underwater plants, as well as underwater beasts, which sometimes floated up and around, kept at bay thanks to the net faint. Adam glanced back towards the carriage which had brought them there, only to see a giant whale creature which the carriage lay atop. ¡®Yo!¡¯ The Commander motioned a hand towards his soldiers, before saying something to the Prince, who nodded, while another group of soldiers approached, led by a much larger merman, easily twice as tall as Adam. Adam wasn¡¯t sure of their gender exactly, noting most of the mermen looked vaguely similar, with some built differently to others, but in a way which was far more varied than even humans, from the shape of their hands and feet, the webbing between their fingers, the colour of their skin, to the size of their shoulders and tails, to even their own size, being anywhere between as tall, or short, as Adam, and taller than even Karza¡¯s half dragon form. Morkarai nodded in response, allowing this new set of soldiers to lead them within, each wearing a tabard with the symbol of their Princess, that of a trident, but it was the specific design of the trident, the specific design of the circle and the symbols within, which were familiar to the mermen, and easily distinguishable to them. Adam only spotted a trident within a circle, corals forming from the circle, stretching their way to the trident. Adam noted the pink coral armour and weapons, and how few the normal soldiers wore such weapons. He spotted other weapons nearby, each of made of coral or some kind of metal, but he wasn¡¯t sure as they were all pastel colours, from blue to pink to orange, and more. They were led to a carriage, which was pulled by six sea creatures, each like seadonkeys. They were pulled through the city, with the various peoples looking out to them, wondering what the strangers were doing here, and who was flying the banner of a guest of the Princess. The palace was large, and was the most central building within the city. It was building with the highest base floor too, towering over some of the outer city buildings. Arches poked through the dome ceiling, allowing the mermen to pass through with ease, though several faint nets protected the layers within. The group were escorted through the open path, Adam noting various items made of silver and gold, even gems all about, from lamps, to long ornaments that could have been lamps, to statues upon small plynths. Their steps echoed as they stepped through the land, their breaths no longer so laboured, able to breathe in air freely once more. ¡°Okay, I like these guys,¡± Adam said, beginning to strip out of his clothing. He and Vonda had been brought to their own section of a marble bathhouse, the pair bathing within the water. Adam glanced towards his wife, who was looking fuller than when they had adventured the previous year, though he wasn¡¯t sure if that was true since he had only become familiar with her body recently. Adam glanced at his own body, wondering if he had gained weight too, especially since he hadn¡¯t been able to work out in some weeks. ¡®I should workout more often while I have the chance...¡¯ ¡°Hey, now,¡± Adam said to the attendants, quickly dismissing them with a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± Vonda said, flushing slightly. She had already begun to clothe herself, and though she had grown up with attendants assisting her as a child, it was rarer within Life¡¯s Rose, and after giving up her family name, she had no one to assist dressing her, save for her overly eager husband. ¡°I can¡¯t blame you since my wife is so beautiful, but this is my role as the husband!¡± Adam half joked, while the attendants gave him a quizzical gaze. A servant spoke up, and though Adam was about to reply he didn¡¯t understand, the necklace the servant wore glowed with every syllable. ¡°We must get you ready for the Princess.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, blinking. ¡°We¡¯re going to meet the Princess?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the amulet glowed faintly, a moment after the servant had already stopped speaking. ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ Adam thought. He could feel Vonda¡¯s gaze upon his back, and though he normally would feel so eager to show off his strong back, the gaze upon his back was that kind of gaze. After all, Vonda knew Adam¡¯s penchant for killing nobles, and his annoyance when dealing with most royalty. ¡°I know,¡± Adam said, glancing back towards his wife. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to kill anyone.¡± The servant with the necklace blinked, head snapping towards another servant, their eyes full of shock. ¡®Did it translate the words wrong?¡¯ When they ask Adam''s kids how their father died, we know. Bro needs to shut up. [923] – Y04.023 – Trouble Under The Sea II [923] ¨C Y04.023 ¨C Trouble Under The Sea II The purple hue of dusk fell across the Iyr, blanketing the Iyr with a coolness from the dawnval sun. The Iyr¡¯s festival continued, with the families enjoying the food of those who had chosen to cook, having cooked not just for their own shared family estate, but for hundreds of Iyrmen. The Iyrmen fought, the Iyrmen loved, the Iyrmen relaxed. The one armed, one legged Iyrman sat in the corner of his estate, speaking with some of the older Iyrmen. He hadn¡¯t spoken to them in some time and the festival was a perfect time to catch up, for though the Iyr made no sense to most of the world in many regards, in this regard they were perfectly normal, or so one might have thought. ¡°I should have slain Korbyn,¡± one older Iyrman said, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°You would have slain him if he had not run.¡± ¡°If you lament on slaying Korbyn, should I lament on slaying Skulldrinker?¡± However, the group were soon stopped by the only beings who could dare to intrude in the conversation of such old monsters. ¡°Babo,¡± Konarot called, her tail dragging behind her, her leaf shaped ears falling. ¡°My Konarot,¡± the old Jarot called out, reaching out a hand for the girl to take, hoisting her up onto his lap. ¡°What causes your lips to turn like the moon?¡± ¡°I cannot,¡± the girl said, pointing to the bird. ¡°You cannot?¡± ¡°Bird is not talking, only teeting.¡± ¡°Birds tweet,¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°Is not talking?¡± Jarot groaned quietly, unsure of how to explain it to Konarot. ¡°You are special, my Konarot. Now you cannot speak to the bird, but in the future, you can try again.¡± Konarot pouted, bowing her head lightly, before Jarot lifted her head up so he could kiss her forehead. Kirot and Karot waited beside their greatfather, waiting for his affection. The old man showered each of the triplets in his affection, grinning wildly towards his companions. ¡°It seems the Iyr has changed since I have been gone,¡± Tarukan said, sipping the peach wine the Rot family adored. ¡°You should have slain more for your greatniece,¡± Jarot stated, ruffling the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°...¡± Tarukan sipped his peach wine again. He thought of his family¡¯s words upon the matter of the six children, whose relationship was so firm with the Rot family, and yet so vague with the rest of the Iyr. The triplets, with their long silver hair which matched their eyes and their scales, with their tiny nubs which made up their horns, nestled against their greatfather, Mad Dog, the Mad Dog. ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°Will they grow up in the way of the Iyr?¡± Yizys asked, the older woman sipping her peach wine slowly, her eyes cautiously taking in the gaze of the Mad Dog. ¡°They will grow up well within the Iyr,¡± Jarot replied, ruffling the children¡¯s hair, before they spotted their grandmother and quickly rushed towards her. ¡°Only my greatchildren dare to turn their backs to me so easily!¡± Yizys remained silent, feeling the awkward glares of the Mad Dog and Steel Strike, as well as the other figure, who remained silent. Upon his forehead was a particular tattoo, that of the Kan family, except the colours were inverted. ¡°Should I speak with my cousin?¡± Shagek, Silver Sword of the Wastes, asked. Just like Yizys and Tarukan, he had returned recently, and though he was not as close as Tarukan when it came to the children, he was closer than Yizys. ¡°Can I stop you from speaking with the Family Elder?¡± Jarot asked. There was another question he wanted to ask the three Iyrmen, but even he wasn¡¯t wild enough to ask them why three great figures had returned simultaneously back to the Iyr. It could have been coincidence, but they hadn¡¯t been the only three who had returned. In the same way the trio had more questions for Jarot, they each decided against speaking of the questions, for the only thing worse than an answer one didn¡¯t want to hear was a vague answer, one which they did not wish to test. Shagek¡¯s eyes fell to the twins. Though the half dragons held a special relationship in the Iyr, it was the twins which had worried him, even more so than the demon. For though he had only known these children for what was considered a moment in his life, if the Mad Dog said they were his greatchildren, Shagek took that to mean they were his family too. ¡°Hoi hoi hoi,¡± Jirot said, rubbing her stomach as she lay beside her grandmother. ¡°I eated so much!¡± ¡°Did you enjoy your potatoes?¡± Jaygak smirked, reaching out to the food, taking a bite of the local cuisine. She ignored Kitool¡¯s look, understanding the food was a trap to make them look like savages, but what did she care of some underwater people thinking she was a savage? ¡°Ha!¡± called a voice from the entrance, with the large half dragon noting the appearance of the fire giant in his full height. She shifted her height with every step, until she was also about three Adam¡¯s tall, except a hair¡¯s breadth taller, before she dropped down opposite the Prince, ignoring the gazes of all the guards. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Morkarai replied, certain she¡¯d cause trouble if he asked her to leave him alone with his betrothed at the table. Being a dragon allowed her to sit at the table, though he would have preferred to speak with his betrothed alone. The pair, though massive compared to their companions, were only slightly too large for the table, whereas their companions sat at tables which made them look like dwarves. The food was swiftly brought out for the smaller tables, that of clams and fish. ¡°This feels a little weird,¡± Adam said, looking down at the fresh food. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well... you know...¡± Adam flushed slightly. ¡®Hold on... isn¡¯t that kinda racist?¡¯ As Jaygak smirked towards him, Adam reached over for the flat bread, which was more like a cracker which could bend slightly. The soldiers slammed their tridents onto the floor, before letting out a shout, speaking in another tongue as a tall woman, about two and a half Adam¡¯s tall, stepped into the dining hall, adorned in sea silk, wearing bits of scale armour to cover her shoulders and her upper torso, as well as her waist and thighs, like a skirt. She carried a blade at her side which dwarfed even the largest blades of the Kan family, though the blade was barely considered a longsword at the woman¡¯s side. Her skin was the colour of the ocean, with small gills around her neck, her fingers slender and webbed, with long hair. curly, like silver kelp. Several soldiers, each at least twice as tall as Adam, accompanied her, adorned in their scaled breastplate, wielding long spears in hand, wielding no shields. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Prince Morkarai has betrayed us like this,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°He¡¯s smart, handsome, skillful, and has a beautiful wife. Even I only have three of those.¡± ¡°You also have something he does not,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Adorable children.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I also have such an adorable brother too.¡± Adam reached out for a fist bump, and Jurot returned the fist bump, not necessarily because he agreed, but because he liked the sensation of fist bumping. Morkarai stood, though Karza remained sitting. He bowed his head and held out his hand. ¡°Princess Miza.¡± ¡°Prince Morkarai,¡± the woman replied, allowing the fire giant to take her hand, holding it for a moment, before she went to sit at the head of the table, with the Prince sitting a moment later. ¡°If I had known of your arrival, I would have prepared a greater feast, and greater guests.¡± ¡°I had thought of sending word, but I had other matters to deal with,¡± Morkarai said, unable to admit the petty reason he had made it difficult to her. ¡°Once I reveal my gift, I am certain you will forgive me.¡± ¡°Stop with the flirting and bring out the food,¡± Karza snarled, gritting her teeth slightly in annoyance. ¡°I did not expect the majesty of a Drunda,¡± Princess Miza admitted, her eyes catching the dragon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who did you expect? A Raith? A Wing? You¡¯re lucky it wasn¡¯t a-,¡± ¡°Karza,¡± Morkarai warned, understanding which figure she was about to invoke. ¡®Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡¯ Jaygak let out a sigh, pouring herself a drink, raising the drink, taking a moment to look towards Morkarai, before sipping it. She understood the pain that was to be a troublemaker with an idiot of a friend. ¡®The Divine bless you, Prince Morkarai.¡¯ Wait a minute. What? That''s crazy! I introduced royalty and Adam didn''t start a fight? Is this progress? [924] – Y04.024 – Trouble Under The Sea III [924] ¨C Y04.024 ¨C Trouble Under The Sea III ¡®Holy! Is she trying to get herself killed?¡¯ Adam thought, beginning to sweat at how brazen Karza¡¯s words were. From what he knew of Emperor Moto, he was among the likes of some of the greatest warriors across all the lands, but to hear Karza speaking of him like he was some kind of whelp, it filled his heart with a shock. ¡®How can you be such an idiot to dismiss an Emperor like that?¡¯ ¡°Though our family does not have quite as many thousands of years of prestige as the name of Drunda, I am proud to see the peace and prosperity that the great majesty of the Wyl name has brought across thousands of miles,¡± the Princess replied. ¡°My condolences to the trouble that your family has forming kingdoms across a hundred miles.¡± ¡°We Drunda worry little of playing empire building,¡± Karza replied, annoyed that she would speak of the Gryns like they were Drundas. ¡°The only politics we need are leave us be or we¡¯ll bring the storm upon your people. You should know-,¡± ¡°Karza,¡± Morkarai spoke aloud once more, his eyes glaring sharply at the woman, doing his best to keep her from getting assassinated out of the blue. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing Karza here, but she has sniffed me out upon my journeys and forced herself to accompany me.¡± ¡°I have heard of your reputation of causing a mess, though not quite as much as the dragon who was recently butchered,¡± Miza stated, her eyes catching Karza¡¯s for a moment, waiting for the woman¡¯s retort. ¡°I apologise for bringing so many friends,¡± Morkarai said, trying to change the topic of conversation. ¡°I had wished for you to meet some Iyrmen I had befriended during my travels.¡± ¡°I am intrigued as to how such young Iyrmen, demons, and even a Ray, have become your companions,¡± Miza admitted in the Aldish tongue, ignoring the half elf, who was more than likely related to the Sansant family. Morkarai glanced towards the half elf for a moment, wondering how much he should say. ¡°I did not expect you to play with such children,¡± the Princess continued. Morkarai smiled slightly, his red beard shifting to reveal his pearly white teeth beneath. ¡°They are not quite so ordinary.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have expected so, considering the presence of demons,¡± the Princess said. ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ Lucy thought, inhaling deeply. ¡°I heard the lands above had some trouble with demons, but I had heard they had been eradicated, even the dragons who had fought along their side,¡± Miza said, her eyes slowly falling to Karza, who glanced aside. ¡°Even if they are young, I call some of them my friends, and since they are friends of my friends, I consider them my own friends.¡± ¡°What is so special about them that you consider them your friends after just a few years?¡± ¡°Two of them are grandsons of the one who killed Forgryn,¡± Morkarai admitted. Princess Miza¡¯s ears twitched slightly, doing her best to keep her eyes upon Morkarai¡¯s, though her curiosity was getting the best of her. ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± one called, huffing aloud, before turning red. The Princess¡¯ eyes snapped towards the half elf who had spoken up, the young man glancing aside, with enough shame to realise the mistake he made. ¡°Such keen ears you fae folk hold.¡± ¡°Excuse me,¡± Adam said. ¡°What is your name, boy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not talking to me, because I¡¯m no boy,¡± Adam replied, feeling a flash of heat fill him, though it quickly slipped away. ¡°Are you not a boy?¡± ¡°I might act like a boy, but I¡¯m very much a man.¡± ¡°I am not so familiar with you fae folk, especially those who are, more so, shorter lived.¡± ¡°Well, everyone has gaps in their knowledge. My name is Adam. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Miza.¡± ¡°I am certain it is your pleasure,¡± Miza replied. ¡°Are you not related to the Sansant family?¡± ¡°Sansant family? No. I¡¯m not really from any elf family that you would be familiar with.¡± ¡°I am familiar with many elf families, Adam. Which are you related to?¡± ¡°None of them.¡± ¡°I never said that,¡± Adam replied, smirking. ¡°I¡¯m Executive Adam of the United Kindom, a business which deals with crafting magical items and trading them.¡± Miza glanced towards Morkarai. ¡®You work together? Is this how you¡¯re offering a Greater Enhanced weapon to me?¡¯ ¡°Very well.¡± ¡®Vonda, when are you coming back?¡¯ Adam thought, watching as the servant approached with his armour. ¡®I really want to show off in front of you.¡¯ ¡®Their equipment holds similar strength,¡¯ Karza thought, her eyes falling onto Adam¡¯s armour and then his axe. ¡®His gear is slightly greater than the Coralguard?¡¯ She eyed up Morkarai and then Adam¡¯s equipment. The chances Morkarai had enchanted the equipment was extremely low, the Iyr would have allowed him to enchant some equipment, perhaps his shield, but that axe? It was far too great for Morkarai to enchant for the Iyr, or rather, for a half elf that was not an Iyrman. The Coralguard stared at the half elf while he donned his armour, with the young Iyrman assisting him. The Iyrman wore simple attire, very different to the typical attire the Iyrmen wore outside, a shirt and trousers along with heavy boots. He wore simple grey clothing, his forehead tattooed with a blue circle within the centre, diamonds flanking on either side. ¡®The boy looks barely twenty,¡¯ Sir Safu thought, waiting patiently for the half elf to adorn his armour. ¡®What is the Prince thinking sending a boy to face me? I did not enter The Torn Crevice to beat up children.¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said in their tongue, strapping the breastplate onto his brother. ¡°You must win.¡± ¡°Win? Am I allowed to win?¡± Adam joked, strapping the rest of his armour on, feeling the snugness of the puthral, and his heart beat slowed slightly. ¡°You are within Prince Morkarai¡¯s group. They cannot harm you.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a small smile before it disappeared under his helmet, the half elf then clasping his shield. He drew his axe and swung it in the air. ¡°Okay.¡± Jaygak threw a look towards the returning Jurot. ¡°Did you ask him to win?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If Adam beats the Coralguard, it¡¯ll cause a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°He should cause trouble, since he is his daughter¡¯s father, and grandfather¡¯s grandson.¡± ¡°Whose grandson?¡± Jaygak joked, smirking wide. ¡°Should I also cause trouble and fight a Coralguard?¡± ¡°It will be a good fight.¡± Jaygak¡¯s eyes fell across the Coralguard. She sighed, shaking her head. ¡°The Coralguard are different to the Aldishmen. I could trouble the Aldishmen, but there is no need to trouble the Crevians the same way.¡± Adam finished warming up with his axe. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting, Sir Safu. Thank you for your magnanimity.¡± ¡°You should ready yourself,¡± Sir Safu said, slamming her trident against the floor, before spinning it once, grabbing it with both hands as she squatted down, yet still towered above the half elf. ¡°You may surrender as you please.¡± ¡°You as well,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head, before he pointed his axe forward, hiding behind his shield. The Princess stared at the half elf, her eyes taking in the sight of his body. He was small, with his stance childishly simple. He was no doubt an Expert from above, but compared to the Prince or herself, he was a relative nobody. ¡®His gear is magical, so one cannot underestimate him, but having magical weapons does not place you upon our level.¡¯ ¡°Would you do the honours?¡± Morkarai asked. ¡°You may begin,¡± Princess Miza said, waving her hand, already bored of the fight. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 3 (2) Sir Safu inhaled a breath for a moment, before her entire body flexed and she sprung forward, like a tossed spear, putting all of her strength into her blow. The explosive strength within her body propelled her forward with such might, she would have skewered any Expert in half, even a Rage Dancer. Her trident struck Strong Shield with such force, she threatened to crush it with her great might. The shield, magical as it was, still vibrated with the force of her great blow, and her trident bounced off the side of the shield and towards Adam¡¯s helmet, the half elf letting out a yelp of surprise. ¡®It¡¯s your misfortune to...¡¯ Sir Safu thought, but the thought quickly faded away as she stared into the half elf¡¯s eyes through his helmet, even through the shadow her body formed over him. Mana: 25 -> 24 Spell: Shield Defence: 25 -> 30 Health: 91 -> 68 Adam¡¯s heart beat wildly, his arm shaking with the force of the Coralguard¡¯s blow. Had he not used his Shield spell, he would have certainly have taken more than enough damage to have him step back, but the pain against the side of his head filled him with more annoyance than fear. ¡°Is it my turn?¡± Well, at least Adam tried to be nice? [925] – Y04.025 – Trouble Under The Sea IV [925] ¨C Y04.025 ¨C Trouble Under The Sea IV Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 68 -> 73 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 31 (2, 6)(2, 5)(3, 4) 31 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 23 -> 22 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 24 (1, 3)(1, 2)(2, 6) 24 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Hit! Wraith: 1 -> 0 Mana: 22 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 22 (1, 3)(2, 5)(1, 1) 22 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 27 (4, 5)(4, 5) 27 damage! The Princess¡¯ eyes remained focused on the pair in their spar, who fought near the entrance, the tables having been pushed aside by the servants with assassin like stealth whilst they had prepared. Though she expected the Coralguard to all but put Adam down like a damn dolphin, Sir Safu barely managed to keep her wits about her as Adam swung his axe with such force, he threatened to break the magical trident within her hands. Though Sir Safu was larger and held greater strength, somehow this young half elf was forcing her to step back with his great blows, as though threatening to cut down the Cliffs of Avor. Safu inhaled deeply as her muscles flexed, doing her best to shrug off Adam¡¯s powerful blows, but his blows were greater than her own, the magic of the Divine flashing through her body, as well as the sickening chill of Wraith. The pair continued to crash together like a storm, with the Coralguard doing her best to try and find a way to slip through Adam¡¯s great defence. Had it been any other figure in typical plate armour, she would have already skewered them, but there was a greater force at work against her. Mana: 20 -> 19 Spell: Shield Defence: 25 -> 30 Health: 73 -> 55 Jurot watched as his brother managed to easily deflect great blows which would have killed Experts twice over. He was uncertain of how he felt about his brother revealing his great abilities to the Princess, but considering the mermen always kept to the Undersea, his heart remained at ease. In many ways, Adam had great strength. His abilities with a weapon was great, not quite as great as the best of the land, but great. His abilities with magic was great, not quite as great as the best of the land, but great. However, Adam was one of the few who could utilise magic and blade in such a way, even greater than Paragon Oathkeepers. Jaygak sipped at her milk, letting out a soft sigh. The young Iyrman thought back to a few years ago when they had first met, when they were all eighteen. Yet, within the span of a handful of years, Adam had brought himself to the level of facing a Coralguard, and not just to clash with them, but to have such a high chance of winning. ¡®What kind of abilities do you possess, Adam?¡¯ Adam¡¯s arms began to throb as he engaged with the Coralguard, but he pushed away the thoughts as he continued to clash against her, his magical steel against her magical steel. Even though she had managed to shrug off some of his strength, charging forward with a greater passion, her trident striking against his puthral, Adam continued to step forward towards her too. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 55 -> 60 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Hit! Mana: 19 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 25 (1, 6)(3, 6) 25 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (2) D20 + 10 = 27 (15) Hit! Mana: 18 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 24 (1, 6)(2, 6) 24 damage! Wraith struck against the woman¡¯s breastplate, flashing white hot with divine magic, forcing the woman back. Safu let out gasps of pain as the rest of the Coralguard remained focused upon her, the entire group watching as she stepped backwards, catching the axe with her trident. Her heart pounded wildly within her chest, her vision beginning to blur, but she refused to fall. ¡°You are no normal Priest,¡± she managed to pant out, realising how weak her voice had become, it shuddering almost as much as her arms. ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong too,¡± Adam replied, casually, though he could feel how much effort it had taken to bring her down this low. ¡®So this is what you meant, Morky,¡¯ Karza thought, not taking her eyes off the pair who were still engaged in their fight, the ringing of steel filling the air, though it grew weaker and weaker. She didn¡¯t dare take her eyes off the fight, now understanding the deeper meaning behind Morkarai¡¯s words. ¡°Adam,¡± Morkarai called as Adam¡¯s axe slammed between the forks of the shaking trident. The Prince leaned back within his chair innocently, as though he hadn¡¯t caused the mess that was about to occur. ¡°Will you consider it a draw?¡± Adam dared to glance aside, giving the Coralguard an opening for an attack. However, she didn¡¯t act, not when the Prince had spoken up on her behalf, and she remained still, slowly withdrawing her trident. She noted the look in Adam¡¯s eyes beneath his visor and she paused, another wave of shock filling her. ¡°Even if I stopped holding back, I do not think I could defeat you,¡± Morkarai admitted, choosing against speaking like a noble for once. ¡°You could not defeat him?¡± Miza asked. Morkarai smiled. ¡°One might say it¡¯s impossible for him to defeat me, but when it comes to Adam, I might lose again.¡± ¡®You lost to him previously?¡¯ ¡°I was just lucky, that¡¯s all,¡± Adam said awkwardly, not liking how much he was being praised by royalty. ¡°Just lucky?¡± Morkarai asked, raising his brow, feeling a fire grow within his eyes. ¡°How else could I defeat you, Prince Morkarai?¡± Adam smirked in response, sipping his sea milk, already feeling the alcohol loosening him up, too much for a meal with two royals. ¡°You seem so young. How old are you?¡± Miza asked, glancing across the rest of the Iyrmen and the Demons, each who seemed rather young too. ¡°I just turned twenty two this year.¡± ¡®What? He is not even forty?¡¯ Miza¡¯s heart skipped a beat from the shock of Adam¡¯s words. ¡°Adam...¡± Morkarai began, catching Miza¡¯s eyes, noting the shock within them, ¡°refused my offer to become a Hill Lord.¡± ¡°Why did you refused such a great boon?¡± ¡°How could I abandon my little sister who adores me so much?¡± Adam replied, as though he seriously meant it. ¡°He is a Nephew of the Rot family,¡± Jurot spoke up, cutting into his meal. ¡°He is my brother.¡± ¡°Your brother? He is no Iyrman.¡± ¡°He is no Iyrman, but he is my brother,¡± Jurot said, not for the first time, and not for the last. While the Princess turned her attention to the Iyrmen, Adam wondered when he could mention it. He continued to eat quietly as the Princess spoke to the Iyrmen, paying keen attention to Jurot, and though she mostly ignored Lucy and Mara, she did speak with them every so often. ¡°So...¡± Adam said, annoyed about hearing the old geezer¡¯s name so much. ¡°How is Princess Mina?¡± Silence filled the air. Adam froze as he cut into the meat on the table, staring at his meal, feeling a chill run through his back. He had felt the attention of everyone upon him previously, but this time the attention was different. His eyes slowly floated over towards Miza, who stared at him with a questioning glare. ¡°How do you know of that name?¡± The threat within her voice was evident enough for them all, with even Prince Morkarai heavy with tension. The Iyrmen continued to eat away as though nothing was wrong, since this was all very Adam like. I legitimately keep forgetting how strong Adam is. [926] – Y04.026 – Trouble Under The Sea V [926] ¨C Y04.026 ¨C Trouble Under The Sea V ¡°What do you mean?¡± Adam asked, blinking. ¡°I¡¯m the one who made her the potion.¡± Miza tilted her head slightly, suddenly taken aback by Adam¡¯s words. Adam¡¯s name flashed through her mind, and she recalled back to years ago. ¡°You are Adam, son of Fate?¡± ¡®He¡¯s the one that saved that runt?¡¯ ¡°So you¡¯ve heard of me?¡± ¡°You slew Vandra?¡± ¡°Well, I helped,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve killed another dragon more impressively, but Vandra, well, there was a lot of help from stronger Iyrmen and the Vice Master of the Guild.¡± ¡°A Vice Master of a Guild,¡± Jaygak corrected. ¡°Right, yeah.¡± ¡°I had not realised you were within my betrothed¡¯s company,¡± the Princess replied, still judging Adam and his words, noting how casual he was even upon the end of a trident. ¡°I was surprised to hear he was marrying into your family too,¡± Adam said, his eyes quickly meeting Morkarai¡¯s, the young half elf smirking slightly. ¡°It was like Fate.¡± Morkarai let out a sigh, not wanting to hear anything more dangerous from the half elf, but understanding it was a tall order. ¡°My sister is well.¡± ¡°Who cares about your sister?¡± Karza snarled. ¡°You killed Vandra?¡± ¡°Who cares about Vandra?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m glad Princess Mina is well. I hope she¡¯s growing up well, though, I wouldn¡¯t mind if she remains so small and so cute forever. Her laugh is the cutest.¡± Miza threw Morkarai a look, wondering if Adam was like that, and if she¡¯d need to send her guards to eliminate him within the night, but Morkarai shook his head. ¡°You should be careful with your words, Adam, you are speaking of Emperor Moto¡¯s granddaughter.¡± Morkarai¡¯s attention went from trying to make sure Karza didn¡¯t get herself killed to making sure Adam didn¡¯t get himself killed. ¡°What? Do you think Emperor Moto¡¯s granddaughter isn¡¯t cute? How could you say something like that? I¡¯ll have you know she¡¯s very cute! Even the way she bit my finger was so adorable. How dare someone curse-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, stopping the half elf instantly, doing his best to stop him before he said something that really would get him killed. ¡°You cannot speak of their business so openly.¡± Adam could feel his brother¡¯s gaze upon him, and it was then he realised he was truly dancing on a knife¡¯s edge. ¡°Right, of course, sorry about that.¡± ¡°You have done much to assist our family,¡± the Princess stated, her voice filled with a practised warmth. ¡°Is there anything you wish for a reward?¡± ¡°A reward? Well...¡± Adam almost thought to refuse. ¡°Is there a chance I can meet her?¡± ¡°You wish to meet Princess Mina?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You do not wish for a reward?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a greater reward than seeing her healthy and well?¡± Adam asked. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Although, if you can keep her small and cute forever, than I¡¯d like that as a reward.¡± Miza wondered how she should take that information. Either Adam knew that her family was related to her curse, or he was indirectly asking her to curse the tiny Princess, or he was just a damn fool. She was certain it wasn¡¯t the second, but there was an equal chance for it to be the first or third thought, both equally as dangerous, and the uncertainty even more dangerous. ¡°I will send word to her council that you wish to meet with her,¡± the Princess assured, managing to gather herself. ¡°How did you come to meet with the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°I owed them a great favour in a past life of mine so I went to go see them. Jurot and his family accepted me as their own.¡± ¡®A past life?¡¯ ¡®Oh, man... I shouldn¡¯t have said that. She knows I¡¯m strong now so things sound more believable now.¡¯ Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡°I will face him too,¡± Jurot said, his body tensing for a moment. ¡°I will not fall so easily,¡± Kitool added. Jaygak glanced between her companions, sighing. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to be there too.¡± Karza stared at the four, suddenly unable to speak, her eyes wide. ¡®They¡¯re crazy!¡¯ Miza was also silent from the utter audacity of their words which brought a silence through the air. The mermen were not quite so familiar with Shama, but even they knew he was comparable to Emperor Hadda, who had slaughtered so many mermen in a rage so many generations ago, far before even their empire¡¯s time. The name of Emperor Hadda brought terror even now, and though he had a hand in allowing many of the mermen to rise, even they spoke of him like a nightmare. ¡°Enough with the jokes, child,¡± Karza said, her voice stern. ¡°Youthful fancy is one thing, but to speak of Emperor Shama that way, it¡¯s suicide.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the strongest guy I¡¯ve fought,¡± Adam replied, sipping his wine, the annoyance on his face evident. ¡°What?¡± Karza asked, before another voice cut through the air. ¡°Adam?¡± Adam¡¯s head snapped to the side, suddenly feeling the annoyance escape him, as quickly as an Aldishman would resort to treachery against the Iyrmen. Vonda approached, adorned within the seasilk which covered her from her neck down, while wearing a scarf to hide her hair. Her amulet lay against her chest, the silver sun beneath the amulet of Life¡¯s Rose contrasting the shimmering blue, like the rippling waves of the sea under the dawnval sun. ¡°Vonda,¡± Adam said, his voice completely relaxed, as he stood, pulling out the chair for his wife. Vonda smiled, slightly confused, but she sat down upon her chair. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality, Princess Miza.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to host a Ray,¡± Princess Miza replied, her eyes having scanned her amulet, along with the rest of her body. She was built well, like a Priest of War, rather than a Priest of Life. The woman wore gloves, hiding away her hands, but the Princess gathered they were calloused and rough, like those of the Priests of Life¡¯s Rose, so different than the Priests of Life elsewhere. ¡°The food here is great,¡± Adam said, suddenly far more relaxed. ¡°Want some wine?¡± ¡°No thank you,¡± Vonda replied, staring down at the food. She inhaled deeply, before forcing herself to eat, finding herself eating more of the vegetables than much else. Princess Miza motioned a hand towards her servant, her eyes darting between Adam and Vonda. Instead of a young fool who wished for death at the hands of Emperor Shama, Adam looked more like a foolish husband, his eyes full of delight upon Vonda¡¯s arrival. ¡°You fought?¡± Vonda asked, raising her brows towards her husband. ¡°Prince Morkarai, you wanted me to fight, right?¡± Adam replied, asking for the Prince¡¯s support to defend against his wife¡¯s accusation. ¡°I requested the fight as a gift to my betrothed,¡± Morkarai said. Vonda remained silent for a long moment, their eyes meeting for a long moment. Vonda frowned towards the Prince. ¡®It¡¯s too late to stop it now...¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sure it is a good tale for our children.¡± ¡°Ah, well, it ended up as a draw,¡± Adam said, though the smirk on his face revealed what kind of a draw it was. Vonda sighed, suddenly filling with worry, her stomach pulsing with the stress. She picked away at her food, trying to ignore the pain in her stomach, which passed a short while later. ¡®How difficult it is to have such a handsome fool of a husband...¡¯ The Princess entertained her guests for a long moment, before they finally retired to their rooms that evening, each large enough to house an entire family, with a domed roof which held a different pattern with its mosaic, the floor also carpeted with a rug that was softer than even a cloud. Adam glanced aside to the bag of wine, reaching over to feel how thick the bag was, and yet it gave in so easily to his finger. ¡°Adam!¡± Morkarai called, daring to step into the room without knocking. ¡°Adam!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, holding the bag of wine in hand, turning around to show the Prince the bag. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of bagged milk, but bagged wine.¡± ¡°Adam, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sure you had your reasons for revealing my secrets, Prince Morkarai. I expect you to...¡± Morkarai¡¯s eyes remained glued to Adam¡¯s, the fire giant feeling his throat close. ¡°Your wife... is with child.¡± Adam gripped the bag of wine tighter, blinking. Adam¡¯s lips formed a wide smile across his face, the half elf staring past the fire giant, and in that moment, as the nerves flooded through his body, his heart pounding wildly, he lived another life time within his day dream. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ ¡°Adam!¡± Morkarai shouted, snapping the half elf back to reality. ¡°If I had known, I would not have brought you in such a way.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Adam¡¯s smile and heart dropped. Morkarai wasn¡¯t sure what he feared most, Adam¡¯s ability to ask for death so easily, or for the look upon the half elf¡¯s face, as though he were staring death in the face. Morkarai¡¯s body filled with a great shame, one which couldn¡¯t be wiped away with just his death. I ended up promising someone a double chapter. What a chapter to end it on. [927] – Y04.027 – Trouble Under The Steel I [927] ¨C Y04.027 ¨C Trouble Under The Steel I ¡°Vonda!¡± Adam called out, bursting into the room, almost knocking the nurses aside, finding his wife laying within a bed, tended to by at least four mermen. ¡°Adam...¡± Vonda replied, having heard his steps from afar, already having calmed herself. She held out her hand towards the half elf, who took it within his own, uncertainty clouding his eyes. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Vonda smiled warmly, though the wrinkles around her brows were more strained than normal. ¡°...¡± Adam swallowed. He couldn¡¯t dare to ask the other question on his mind, his heart thundering within his chest as he brought the back of her fingers to his forehead. Jurot glanced towards Vonda and Adam, having followed Adam so silently, he was certain his brother had no idea he was there. He stepped aside, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms. ¡®It will be fine...¡¯ Yet, the silence in his heart began to fill with something else. ¡°Vonda...¡± Adam continued to hold her hand against his forehead. ¡®You damn idiot! How didn¡¯t you notice your own wife was pregnant? Seriously, man! You goddamn... shit! Shit!¡¯ Vonda could feel Adam¡¯s grip grow ever so slightly tighter, before she also squeezed his hand gently, causing the half elf to come back to the world. ¡°I¡¯ll go speak with Lord Sozain.¡± ¡°I will pray to Mother Soza.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam kissed the back of his wife¡¯s hand, before charging away, not yet spotting Jurot¡¯s presence. ¡°Prince Morkarai, where is the temple?¡± ¡°I will lead you to it.¡±Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°I¡¯ll go...¡± Adam wanted to go alone, but understood it was probably best to take the Prince with him, just in case he found himself in trouble. ¡°Alright.¡± Several statues awaited for Adam, each made of marble, untouched by the water of the ocean. The details were fine, almost lifelike, save for the faces, as plain as simple stone. The statues were formed in the image of the various mermen, and though some were larger than others, the total mass of the statues seemed to be similar. Adam dropped down in front of the statue of the small merman boy sitting atop the throne of skulls and coral, the face plainly staring towards the half elf. Adam kowtowed before the statue, his forehead pressed firmly against the floor, his hands on either side of his head. ¡°I know. I know I don¡¯t pray to you enough. I know, I know.¡± Adam swallowed, and even with Prince Morkarai¡¯s gaze upon his pathetic sight, the half elf gave away whatever shred of dignity he had. ¡°I¡¯ve begun paying my taxes to you, and it may not be enough, but just this once, Lord Sozain. Just this once. Whatever you want, whatever you need, but don¡¯t take them away from me. Just this once.¡± Prince Morkarai wasn¡¯t sure how he felt. The phrase Adam used was a phrase he was so used to, but rather than begging the God of Death to ignore the domain he possessed, it was a joke for the children around him. Morkarai watched as Adam slipped his hands into his tunic, slipping out two diamonds cut in a particular manner. He placed them upon the bowl, the diamonds clattering, echoing within the private temple space, white and bare, speckled only by the patterns of marble. Adam clutched at his amulet, tight within his hand, his eyes shut tight. ¡®Please, Lord Sozain.¡¯ He remained upon his knees for a long while, praying with all his heart, blocking out the rest of the world around him. Morkarai silently crept towards another statue, that of the plain faced woman who held a bowl of fruit within her lap, with one piece of fruit conspicuously missing. He knelt before it, placing a gem within the bowl at her feet, and he prayed silently too. Though his heart thought of how futile this was, a thought passed through his mind. ¡®If it¡¯s Adam...¡¯ Adam had no idea how long he had prayed for, but as he returned back to the world, he felt his amulet almost searing his hands with how hot it had become. He inhaled deeply, smelling the scent of almost burning obsidian, before he let out a soft sigh. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Morkarai followed the silent half elf as he returned back to the room, finding his wife fast asleep, her hands crossed over the amulet upon her chest. Adam sat down beside her, sitting there silently for some time, not even hearing Morkarai leave. Even then, Adam didn¡¯t notice Jurot standing in the room to one side, before the Iyrman disappeared. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡¯ Jurot approached the figure standing in front of the statue of the plain faced boy sitting upon a throne of skulls and coral. He stared at the boy, who was no doubt Baktu, Lord Sozain, God of Death. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Jaygak said, reaching out to pat Jurot¡¯s side. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, staring at the statue. ¡°The Iyr will help.¡± Jurot remained silent. ¡°They must.¡± Jurot didn¡¯t reply. ¡°I¡¯ll cause a mess.¡± ¡®Seriously! We can¡¯t adventure because I can¡¯t keep it in my pants? Where¡¯s my husband and wife adventuring power couple fantasy? Damn it! Isn¡¯t this meant to be a fantasy world? So why can¡¯t babies just be born from magic?¡¯ Vonda continued to brush along Adam¡¯s hand tenderly with a finger, noting how he was thinking of something stupid. ¡®Home...¡¯ Vonda wondered if the Iyr was truly her home, quickly feeling the stress of her worries creep into her heart. ¡°I would like to sleep longer. You should walk and clear your head.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, not wanting to go, but also not wanting to refuse his wife. The pair kissed one another¡¯s cheeks before Adam slipped away, brimming with prideful annoyance. ¡®I¡¯m not whipped, I¡¯m just wise enough to listen. I¡¯m only listening to you because you¡¯re so smart, and beautiful, and you¡¯re the best, that¡¯s all.¡¯ Once Adam stepped outside the room, a chill seeped within him, and suddenly whatever stupid jokes he had to protect himself crumbled, like a sandcastle against the waves. He shut the door and inhaled deeply, trying to still his nervous heart. ¡®Everything¡¯s going to be okay.¡¯ Adam walked through the halls, though his eyes barely saw any details around himself, unable to admire the marvellous architecture around him, to smell the wonderful smells of the new land he was exploring, or hear the new, strange, curious sounds. ¡°You are Adam?¡± called a voice, filled with the holier than thou attitude only the children of the worst criminals could possibly hold, or as one might call them, royalty. Adam stopped, closing his eyes, inhaling deeply, before he turned his head. He took in the sight of the large merman, with a single guard beside him. He had long curly hair, and carried a golden trident upon his back, adorned in golden scales which shimmered so brightly almost threatening to blind those too close. ¡°You do not look so strong,¡± the merman said, grinning wide to reveal his wide teeth, each pointed like daggers. Adam¡¯s forehead pulsed, reaching up to his forehead, pressing his fingers against the pulsing bulge. ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± The merman narrowed his eyes, the smile fading from his lips and eyes. ¡°Not in the mood? Why do I need to care of your mood?¡± He reached up to pull his trident up, before slamming it into the ground. ¡°Come. Draw your blade. I will see whether there is truth to my sister¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, his eyes glaring into the merman fool¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m. Not. In.¡± Adam closed his eyes, turning his head as the merman threw water which seemingly appeared from nowhere towards his, feeling the coolness against his cheek and neck, before it dripped onto his seasilk attire, which allowed the water to fall onto his feet. The merman spoke words in another tongue, but Adam could already hear the barbarism that was noble civility. ¡®They say he fought Sir Safu,¡¯ the merman thought, staring at Adam, grinning wide towards him. ¡®Heh. Let us see if he is any good.¡¯ The merman had heard a rumour from his own servants of this half elf, but there were some things he hadn¡¯t heard. He hadn¡¯t heard of Adam¡¯s current worries. He hadn¡¯t heard of how Prince Morkarai had asked Adam to step back. He hadn¡¯t heard that Adam loved to relieve his stress by putting beating up nobles, with royalty being his absolute favourite. He hadn¡¯t heard of who his grandfather was, who lived so many thousands of miles away, within large walls which not even the mermen dared to covet. Dawn welcomed the Iyr and its mighty walls, the light engulfing the walls. Many Iyrmen went about their lives, worrying little of the outside. Many Iyrmen tended to the fields, others carried bits and pieces elsewhere upon their Elder¡¯s command, their payment not gold as the Aldish or Aswadians, but the pride of building something greater. A particular one armed, one legged Iyrman, awoke early in the morning, as the elderly tended to. He walked along the perimeter of the extended family estate, though he hated walking so slowly, the clanking of his metal foot only heating his heart with a greater stubbornness than he originally held. After his walk, the Iyrman began his workout, the same workout he completed every morning, from his various squats, to his push ups, to his pull ups, to utilizing the kettlebells, dambells, and barbells his grandson had created. Zirot inhaled sharply as she carefully lifted up the heavy barbell, one which remained in the same spot, weighing more than the average Iyrman, and only lifted in a particular way. There were many barbells upon the earth, each along various columns, each heavier than the last. The corner of the dead, the Iyrmen had dubbed it, for the so aptly named lift which had become a favourite for the Iyrmen. There were few Iyrmen which could lift those towards the end, but many Iyrmen hovered around that section in particular. Zirot dropped the weight, it clanking against the floor, with the flat edge of the weights falling upon the soft earth beneath, which had hardened under the many lifts. She stretched out her back, before glancing to the side to see her brother, who was her husband¡¯s brother by blood, and hers by marriage. The pair approached the field where many Iyrmen completed their morning spars, the soft wind cooling their sweaty bodies. The pair stretched their bodies, swung their axes, meditating within the feeling of working their old bodies. ¡°I can feel it,¡± Jarot admitted, breaking the silence. ¡°It has been some time.¡± ¡°I can feel it at the ends of my axe,¡± Zirot agreed. Jarot glanced aside to his sister, smiling wildly. ¡°It will grow harder for me to defeat you.¡± Zirot smiled. ¡°I cannot allow Tarot to beat me so easily.¡± Jarot thought of his brother who had left for quite some time. ¡°I cannot allow him to return more powerful than me. What will I say to Sarot when I go see him?¡± ¡°You will have many years to think.¡± Jarot inhaled sharply, feeling the air rush through his lungs, his body cracking as he warmed himself. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Your greatchildren are too young for you to leave just yet.¡± A back to back cliffhanger? [928] – Y04.028 – Trouble Under The Steel II [928] ¨C Y04.028 ¨C Trouble Under The Steel II Victory! XP Gained: +1 500 XP: 7 400 -> 8 900 "Adam!" Morkarai shouted, his voice echoing through the hallway. A bead of sweat dropped down from the side of his forehead as he stared at the scene before him. Adam towered over the Prince of the Mermen, the royal guard pointed his trident towards the half elf who had beaten his Prince unconscious. It was not the fact that Adam, whose greatest strength was perhaps his great Defense, had managed to beat the Prince without his puthral armor, which caused the Prince to pause, but the fact that Adam''s eyes were so full of shock and terror. "Vonda," Adam gasped, feeling the dread fill his heart, before he stepped over the unconscious Prince. Health: 91 -> 71 The guard slammed the back of his trident against Adam, causing the half elf to stumble forward, though he continued to dart forward. Several guards emerged suddenly, from both sides of the hallway upon hearing the echoes of the battle, and upon seeing the Prince down, and a fleeing half elf, they readied their longspears. "Wait, Adam," Morkarai called. "We need to check on Vonda," Adam replied, grabbing onto the fire giant Prince''s shirt, gripping it tight. "Now." "It will take more time if you rush." "You don''t understand!" "No, you do not understand," Morkarai replied, inhaling deeply before placing a large hand over Adam''s shoulder, squeezing it gently. "Explain yourself at once." "The Prince harassed me until we fought, but I made a mistake during the fight." "So you killed him?" "What? No." Adam turned back towards the unconscious Prince. "I''ll get him up." Lay on Hands: 35 -> 34 The Prince gasped for air as his eyes fell open to see the form of the retreating half elf, before the sight of his royal guard peeked down towards him. ''What?'' "Come on," Adam urged, moving a hand for the fire giant to lead them, who stood awkwardly. ''You should at least explain yourself...'' Morkarai sobbed, before leading the way towards the guards. "Step aside." The guards held their spears towards the pair, though their spears remained focused mostly upon the half elf, and not towards their guest. "Is this how you will treat me?" Morkarai asked, his beard shifted slightly as he narrowed his eyes. "You should know who I am." "You must remain while the matter is explained." "Is this how it is? Your Prince forces me into a spar and then you threaten me once he loses? I gave him the dignity of a clean defeat!¡± Adam grit his teeth, clenching his fists. ¡®I can¡¯t make a mess right now, Vonda¡¯s in danger. Damn it! This is why I hate nobles.¡¯ ¡°How did you do it?¡± the merman prince asked. ¡°You should not have been able to defeat me so simply.¡± ¡°I used all the powers afforded to me by the Divine to defeat you.¡± ¡°It is impossible for you to defeat me.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. He closed his eyes, reaching up to his amulet. ¡°Prince Morkarai. If anything happens to Vonda or my child because they¡¯ve delayed me, know that I¡¯m going to make a mess.¡± Morkarai could feel the throbbing in his head. ¡°Why would something happen to Vonda or your child.¡± ¡°I... made a mistake.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking straight,¡± Adam admitted. Adam, in his anger and annoyance, had plucked a Thread of Fate, and thus Fate was forever changed. It was only upon seeing the words of victory, that he had realised what he had done. ¡°Prince Merza, there is an emergency that I need to tend to,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°Will you stop us from moving?¡± Prince Merza, full of fury and shame, glared at the half elf, who seemed to be entirely ignoring him. ¡°You may go.¡± He motioned a hand towards the guards, who pulled their longspears back and allowed the pair to leave, their steps echoing through the hallway, before the lighter set quickened into a sprint. ¡°Vonda!¡± Adam said, panting for air as he stormed into the room. ¡°Are you okay?¡±Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com?¡± Vonda replied, staring up at the half elf, her eyes full of curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m fine. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you run into any trouble?¡± ¡°I crushed stone into dust and they thought against it.¡± ¡°Damn. You¡¯re so manly.¡± ¡°Adam... may we speak alone?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Adam followed Morkarai out, having no idea the mess he had caused while the mermen royalty argued against one another elsewhere. His heart had long calmed from his anxiety, Vonda¡¯s presence a gentle light that pushed away whatever darkness dared to dance too close to her husband. ¡°About Vonda...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I am sorry, truly. If I had known she was pregnant, I would not have brought her in such a manner.¡± ¡°I know...¡± Adam decided against threatening the Prince. ¡°Vonda will be alright, and so will my little one. They¡¯re both going to be okay...¡± Morkarai could hear it within the half elf¡¯s voice. ¡°I will pray they will both remain healthy.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The Prince allowed Adam to return back to Vonda, and since Jurot was there, he expected there to be little trouble. The guilt continued to eat away at his heart. ¡®I should speak with my betrothed.¡¯ ¡°How ridiculous! He must have used something underhanded to defeat me!¡± Prince Merza snarled, tossing the bottle against the wall, grabbing another to see if he could strike the same spot again. ¡°It is assured,¡± the guard replied, trying to recall the fight. It had lasted just a few moments, with the Prince eagerly dancing around the half elf, before the half elf struck with such a viciousness that the Prince fell a moment later. ¡°Are you done with your tantrum?¡± Prince Miza asked, sipping at her wine, noting all the good wine her foolish younger brother was wasting away. A knock at the door took their attention, while the guard beside the door exclaimed. ¡°Prince Morkarai requests an audience.¡± ¡°Inform him to wait a moment with our apologies,¡± Princess Miza replied, allowing the servants to clean up the area first, before allowing the Prince to step within. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you again like that,¡± Morkarai said, grasping Merza¡¯s forearm. ¡°I was defeated by unknown magics,¡± Merza replied, puffing up his chest. ¡°I am ashamed to say I let down my guard.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no shame to say you lost to Adam. Even I lost to him, though I held back at the time.¡± ¡°You lost to the boy?¡± Merza asked, the shock evident within his eyes. Morkarai glanced aside to the Princess, before taking a seat beside her, allowing her servants to pour him a warm drink. ¡°I¡¯ve come to speak with you both about my friend.¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve kept many things a secret from us,¡± the Princess said, before sipping her warm drink. ¡°I will continue to keep many things a secret from you, but you should be glad that you found that Ray Vonda was pregnant, otherwise Prince Merza here had almost spoilt my gift to you.¡± ¡°Your gift to me is a meeting with the boy?¡± ¡°You are smart enough to understand why it was my gift now, surely.¡± Princess Miza stared deeply into Morkarai''s eyes for a long moment. It was already something that Adam had managed to meet with her younger sister and managed to save her with his alchemy, it was another thing that his alchemic abilities were surpassed by his great fighting abilities, so great that they were, even if he only had a hand in killing Vandra, he had essentially defeated a Coralguard, as well as her younger brother, whose strength surpassed the Grandmasters of the landkin. ¡°Are you saying he has the ability to defeat me?¡± Prince Merza asked, narrowing his eyes towards the fire giant. ¡°Even without his ridiculously great defensive capabilities, he beat you so handily, your guards almost killed him. If anything would have happened to him, I would have broken the engagement, not wanting to fall whatever curse would have taken you.¡± Princess Miza sat up straighter, her eyes glued to Morkarai''s, which met hers as he glared towards her. ¡°I should be glad to say nothing happened.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Morkarai stated, feeling the heat within him quickly dissolved. ¡°You should be so glad. I will speak with Adam to make sure your relationship with him is still secured, but I cannot say the same between the relationship between your brother and him.¡± ¡°I do not need to be so close with a boy,¡± Merza said, causing his elder sister to glare at him, although he avoided the glare by glancing aside towards the wall. ''Just how much do you prize the boy for you to threaten such a thing?'' Miza thought. Sorry, I got sick. I''ll post up double chapters at the end of the week to make up for it. [929] – Y04.029 – Trouble in the Dark [929] ¨C Y04.029 ¨C Trouble in the Dark Omen: 15, 17 ¡°You are leaving?¡± Morkarai asked, surprised to see Adam so eager to leave so swiftly. The group had all gathered to eat breakfast together, with Merza silently ignoring them all, while Karza wolfed down her meat. ¡°Yeah, well, dawnval¡¯s going to be a pain, and I¡¯d rather we leave now before it becomes more difficult for my darling wife.¡± Morkarai slowly bowed his head, frowning slightly. The group leaving this quickly left a bad taste in his mouth. He glanced towards the mermen for a moment. ¡°Then it is my turn to escort you back.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to head back to your volcanoes?¡± ¡°I should greet your child before I leave to the volcanoes.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a wide smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel about telling my kid they met a Prince, but I guess since it¡¯s you, it¡¯s fine.¡± He glanced towards the mermen, who suddenly couldn¡¯t target Adam and his group any longer. ¡®I¡¯m glad Morkarai¡¯s coming along.¡¯ ¡°Princess Mina will be disappointed to hear you are leaving so soon,¡± Princess Miza said, thinking upon Morkarai¡¯s expectant look.Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°Please pass on my apologies. Perhaps in the future we will be able to have a more auspicious meeting, and I do feel rather terrible that I didn¡¯t bring anything good for our reunion.¡± Adam smiled, though it was a sad smile. He had been so excited to meet the little girl again, wanting to see how well she was growing. ¡®What bad luck...¡¯ ¡°Sir Nakcht, escort my betrothed and his companions to the strait,¡± Miza commanded, motioning with her hands. ¡°As you wish, Your Grace,¡± the Coralguard, who was much shorter than the others, replied, stepping slightly to one side, standing behind the fire giant. ¡°Sir Kari, escort the Prince to the strait,¡± Merza added, with a smaller, but still very tall, Coralguard bowing before stepping behind the fire giant. Morkarai could feel Adam¡¯s gaze upon his neck. ¡°With two Coralguard escorting us back, I am reassured our journey will pass by smoothly.¡± ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Adam frowned slightly, but he sipped at his drink. ¡®There¡¯s no way Mina could have been cursed unless some insiders helped...¡¯ The group prepared quickly for their departure, with the Iyrmen needing but moments, while Adam assisted Vonda. ¡®At least they¡¯ve let us keep the seasilk clothes,¡¯ Adam thought, packing away his own items, putting them within his pack. There was a vague sense that he had forgotten something, so he checked his items again and again, counting his diamonds, counting the rest of the gems and his coin. Princess Miza and Prince Merza awaited for them at the temple, leading the group towards one of the towers, Adam noting how large the steps were. ¡®What? Do they expect me to climb every single step?¡¯ ¡°I can assign the Coralguard to carry you,¡± Princess Miza offered. Adam let out a soft sigh, before reaching down to his amulet, kissing it, feeling his Mana run through him as he chanted the words to his spell. Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Fly ¡°My dear,¡± Adam called, holding out his arms, picking his wife up in the princess carry, before flying upwards. ¡®How dare you try to lay your hands on my wife. I¡¯m her husband, damn it, it¡¯s my right!¡¯ Jurot climbed over each of the steps, while Kitool walked along the steps vertically almost as easily as she walked across the land. Jaygak stared at the steps, in her full plate armour, and sighed. She grunted as she hoisted herself up the dozens of steps up towards the top of the tower. A pair of guards stared at the approaching group, the pair adorned in black cloaks, wearing dark scale armour, and wielding weapons made of what looked to be obsidian carved into tridents. The guards glanced across the group, and upon seeing the strangers, the Prince, the Iyrmen, the Aldishmen, the demons, and the dragon, they decided against using their authority against the Princess. The Princess bowed her head lightly towards the guards, who thought for a moment on how to still exert their influence. ¡°What business does the Princess have with the circle of our humble temple?¡± ¡°My betrothed and his companions wish to use the circle for safe passage to Aswadasad.¡± The guards remained silent for a long moment. ¡®We were not informed.¡¯ ¡®I will pay my dues,¡¯ the Princess¡¯ eyes assured. ¡°We wish you a safe passage,¡± the guards said in unison, before stepping aside. As Adam stepped by the guards, he noted the faint symbol of a skull upon their tabards. ¡°Do you follow the God of Death?¡± The guards bowed their heads, their eyes falling down upon the half elf who was about half their height. ¡°Oh. Nice. Me too.¡± Adam motioned towards his amulet. ¡°Is that the symbol of the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death?¡± ¡°Baktu, yeah.¡± ¡°May you offer many blessings to your Lord of Death,¡± the guard stated, a hint of disdain within their voice. ¡°Right...¡± Adam picked up the hint and stepped into the room, noting the entire room was black, with silver trim breaking up all the tiny mosaic pieces, as well as the tiles across the rest of the room, and finally, the large circle full of magical runes within the centre of the room. He noted one of the guards followed them into the room. The group could feel something within the room. Though the Prince and Princess felt the discomfort fill them, the Adam and his companions could feel something else. ¡®Weird,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the familiar sensation through his body. ¡°It kinda feels like the Iyr.¡± ¡°It is Baktu¡¯s influence," Kitool said, feeling the familiar sensation through her body, one which she would seen feel on a greater level once she decided to take the rites. ¡°Your Lord of Death is very different to our God of Death,¡± the guard in black stated, before he stepped towards the middle of the room, slamming her trident within the ground beneath her, and the silver within the room began to glow faintly. ¡°We wish you a safe journey,¡± Princess Miza said. ¡°Not exactly, but basically,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders, feeling an annoyance at being called Aldish. ¡°We probably should know more considering some of our close friends are Aswadians, but what are the chances that our friends are from Black Mountain, eh?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the Priest replied, smiling wider. ¡°Our cousins at Black Mountain are unique.¡± ¡°Yeah, you can say that again.¡± Many miles away, where Noor¡¯s rays reached after pouring his grace over Aswadasad, Dunes led the prayers for the business and its people. The awkwardness of an Aswadian leading the prayers to Lady Arya had long passed, the people eagerly accepting any prayer for the Divine, especially Lady Arya when war was as commonplace as the seasons passing. It was only the smell of breakfast which brought the group out of their prayers. Korin poured the porridge in for the children, smiling towards one of the boys. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of milk in the porridge.¡± Alex smiled shyly, before rushing up beside the rest of his siblings. A large platter of fruit and nuts awaited the children, which they could sprinkle onto their porridge. ¡°Here,¡± Fred said, handing a small plate of fruit for George, before sipping his water. George tapped his chin in response, and ate his porridge slowly, keeping his food separated so it was easier for the tongueless boy to eat. ¡°It¡¯s going to rain,¡± Amira said, staring at the clouds in the distance. ¡°Noonval has just begun and it¡¯s already raining?¡± Dunes shook his head. ¡°Aldland surely is a cursed land.¡± ¡°A cursed land you wanted me to stay in for the rest of my life?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not so bad after all.¡± Dunes smiled. He glanced across the rest of the businessfolk. He thought about informing them of their Executives returning, but decided against it. He glanced towards his wife, and wondered if he should inform Adam of the good news, but decided against it. ¡®Lady Arya, please bless their travels.¡¯ ¡°Dunes, I¡¯ll lead the exercises this morning,¡± Korin said. ¡°If you wish,¡± Dunes replied, glancing towards the Aswadian, who had been so antsy recently, and with noonval here, the young man needed to let off steam. ¡°I will prepare the studies after.¡± The Manager caught Cobra¡¯s look, the woman nodding her head, with Dunes replying with his own nod, allowing her to begin her watch, not that she needed to. Dunes noted the way the Iyrmen moved, with a few heading towards the south of the fort. Dunes approached the opening gates, noting the appearance of several more Iyrmen, many of whom he was familiar with. ¡®We already have so many...¡¯ ¡°Manager Dunes,¡± Fakrot called, shaking the Manager¡¯s forearm. ¡°Mister Fakrot,¡± Dunes replied, glancing between the tattoos. Each Iyrmen were of the Rot, Gak, Ool, and Kan families, the young Manager even noting the appearance of one of the Directors, Mirot. He glanced past the Iyrman¡¯s shoulder, but noted no children. ¡°I hope all is well.¡± ¡°All will be well soon.¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ Dunes thought, allowing the Iyrmen to enter the fort, to check upon the business folk and to exchange words with the other Iyrmen nearby. The businessfolk remained staring at the Director, unsure if they should greet her, but she was currently busy with the other Iyrmen. ¡°I will go,¡± Kamrot said, upon hearing the issue. ¡°I will give my place to you,¡± Gangak said, and though she wished to go, she understood it was awkward since she wore heavy armour. ¡°Where is Jarot?¡± ¡°He remains with his greatson.¡± ¡°It must have taken you great effort.¡± Gangak and Otkan both let out a sigh, raising their brows towards the Iyrman. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kamrot said, shaking Gangak¡¯s forearm. ¡°You must return safely so that I can return to adore my greatson. I will inform the others to trade places with those who wish to go.¡± Gangak made her way to the other Gaks, who could trade places to allow the group to move swifter and without worry. The Iyrmen quickly traded places, before the group were off, taking the boat out to follow the river southward. The businessfolk watched them go, staring at the Iyrmen who sailed downriver, each who were unarmoured, but carried with them an eagerness to kill. ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Dunes asked, approaching the Iyrman who had made a name for herself within Aswadasad. ¡°A child is sick.¡± ¡°Which child?¡± Gangak smiled. ¡°Manager Dunes, you should know what you know.¡± ¡°I should know if it¡¯s related to the business.¡± ¡°It is not related to the business.¡± Dunes stared into her eyes. The previous evening, he had heard Adam was returning, and he could hear something anxious within Adam¡¯s voice. ¡®Adam...¡¯ ¡°There is no need to worry.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°The Director has gone.¡± ¡®So, is it one of his children?¡¯ ¡°You should know what you know,¡± Gangak warned. Everything''s fine... [930] – Y04.030 – Worries on the Sea I [930] ¨C Y04.030 ¨C Worries on the Sea I ¡°Take me,¡± Jirot said, pointing out of the shared estate, while her grandmother wiped the porridge around her lips. ¡°Where do you wish to go?¡± Sonarot asked the girl, brushing a hand through her hair, before fixing the hair pin. ¡°I go see nano now.¡± ¡°Nano is gone.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± ¡°She has gone to help.¡± ¡°Help? I help too. I gone now.¡± Jirot hoisted herself up with the grunt of an old man. ¡°Hoi hoi hoi.¡± ¡°You cannot, you must stay.¡± Sonarot smiled, pulling the girl onto her lap, planting a tender kiss on her forehead. She hoisted the girl¡¯s brother too, pulling him in for a gentle kiss too, embracing the pair within her bosom. ¡°I go play with babo,¡± Jirot said, trying to pull away from her grandmother. ¡°You cannot. Babo is looking after Larot.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He is sick?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He is sick because sometimes children grow sick.¡± Sonarot trailed a finger around the girl¡¯s leafshaped ear, causing the girl to squirm and giggle. ¡°Do you wish to play with me today?¡± Jirot¡¯s ears twitched, and the girl narrowed her eyes slightly. Her lips formed the shape for the word, but the girl paused, wondering if she should chance it. She smirked playfully before cackling and tried to squirm away from her grandmother, who gave up instantly to allow the girl to flee from her. ¡°No!¡± Jirot declared giggly wildly, with little Jarot also cackling and clapping beside her, before the pair hid behind one of their other nanas. ¡°Larot?¡± Karot asked, his silver eyes staring up at his grandmother expectantly. ¡°Larot is sick.¡± ¡°Sick...¡± The boy pouted. Sonarot reached down and rubbed the top of his head. ¡°He will be healthy again soon.¡± ¡°Soon?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot assured, tickling his leafshaped ears, before the boy rested his cheek against her palm, still pouting, but growing sleepy with the noonval sun all over him. While his children caused trouble within the Iyr, Adam found himself troubled, hundreds of miles away. The thunder rumbled, and lightning fell. ¡°What the hell, Dunes. Didn¡¯t you tell me this place was the land of sun and sand?¡± ¡°We will not be able to leave today,¡± Jurot said, cleaning up the newly bought spears, wrapping them in the long cloth he had procured at the same time. ¡°First the cart and now this...¡± Adam¡¯s heart ached, letting out a soft sigh, the storm within his heart filling him with greater nerves. ¡®Isn¡¯t there anything I can do?¡¯ [No.] ¡®Come on, Bell. There must be some kind of, I don¡¯t know, a spell or something.¡¯ [You do not have enough Experience.] ¡®I can¡¯t go around killing when Vonda¡¯s a follower of Mother Soza. She¡¯s a Ray, Bell, a Ray!¡¯ [...] ¡®I liked you better when you were a floating baby.¡¯Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com inhaled deeply, recalling why he didn¡¯t speak to Bell. ¡®You know, even if you are the personification of my System, you shouldn¡¯t bully me this much.¡¯ [...] ¡®Oh, what, wyvern got your tongue?¡¯ Adam relaxed in the corner of a gathering room, forced out by Vonda and Kitool for being too broody. He bit into the rice dish slowly, sipping the goat milk with his meal. He kept his eyes on the disappearing meal beneath him, slowing as his meal grew colder. ¡°A storm so early in noonval?¡± Jaygak said, sipping her goat milk, pretending as though she wasn¡¯t eyeing up Adam for his reaction. ¡°It¡¯s an ill omen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too far, even for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re surrounded by Iyrmen, so it¡¯s a good omen.¡± ¡°Yeah? How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A storm in noonval is the best time to kill,¡± Jaygak poured Adam more goat milk, while the half elf raised his brows threateningly, though while in the temple, Adam couldn¡¯t do anything to her. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°I would be worried if it was someone else, but since it¡¯s your child, and the child of a Ray, it will be fine.¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t surrounded by you guys, I probably wouldn¡¯t be so chipper.¡± ¡°Chipper?¡± ¡°Uh, you know, light, happy.¡± ¡°That she is.¡± Jaygak continued to smile, before Adam cast magic on his meal to warm it up, offering the same to Jaygak, who bowed her head. ¡°Jirot and Jarot, they¡¯re cute too, even if they don¡¯t have horns.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go bullying my cute twins just because they don¡¯t have horns,¡± Adam replied, letting out an awkward sigh. ¡°It was already hard enough when Jirot stabbed me in the heart last year.¡± Jaygak smiled, recalling the trouble the girl had made last year when she thought she wasn¡¯t her father¡¯s daughter. ¡°She truly is your daughter.¡± ¡°Only my kid can be so cute.¡± ¡°Only your kid can cause so much trouble.¡± ¡°I thought it was because they were their greatfather¡¯s greatchildren.¡± ¡°Your grandfather does like to cause a mess.¡± ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± Adam replied, having only just realised how easily the words flowed out of his lips without even a thought. ¡°What about Kavgak and Maygak?¡± ¡°They¡¯re so cute. Kavgak¡¯s already so big.¡± ¡°So chonky,¡± Adam agreed. ¡°Maygak¡¯s growing so big too. They¡¯re growing larger than me at their age, though that¡¯s not much to say since I was always so sick as a child. If I had been born in Aswadasad, they might have killed me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I had been born in Aldland, they certainly would have killed me, unless I was a member of the Yellow Turbans.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk about stuff like that.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Jaygak smiled awkwardly, returning back to her rice meal. ¡°Kavgak is such a good girl. Raygak sometimes causes trouble, but Kavgak, she¡¯s too sweet. Even though she¡¯s so resistant to my adoration, she always let me adore her in the end. Maygak, she¡¯s...¡± ¡°She¡¯s a cheeky little brat, crawling right as we left,¡± Adam grumbled, causing Jaygak to laugh. ¡°Seriously, how could she wait until right as we left the Main Iyr to decide to crawl? Couldn¡¯t she at least crawl in front of me so I could steal her away?¡± Jaygak continued to laugh, thinking of her youngest sister, who was certainly her sister with how much she troubled Adam. ¡°My sisters are the cutest.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t want to embarrass them.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll become stronger too. I¡¯ll become a Master.¡± ¡°Not a Paragon?¡± Jaygak smiled, raising her cup again, and the pair drank their milk together. ¡°A Master is good enough to pave the way for them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pave the way for you, just become a Paragon. I need to make sure you¡¯re at least as strong as Nobby, otherwise Kavgak and Maygak will bully me for not helping you as much.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they bully you a lot.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to be at least a Paragon for that.¡± ¡°Then I may have to become a Paragon,¡± Jaygak admitted, thinking about how it would feel. She, Jaygak, could become a Paragon? ¡®I need to pretty much double, maybe triple my XP too...¡¯ Adam thought, glancing to the side. XP Required: 32 000 XP Penalty: 100% ¡®Come on, I became Level 7 a whole year ago, even more than that!¡¯ [...] ¡°Jaygak, let¡¯s say someone¡¯s aiming to become a Paragon, how old would they be if... say if they¡¯re like the Order of the Wings, they can, I think, allow their allies to be more ready for battle, right?¡± ¡°Such an ability would come between Expert and Master...¡± Jaygak thought for a long moment, trying to recall the rough age. ¡°I¡¯m not sure of their abilities in particular, but I am now greater at certain physical tasks than I used to be. I¡¯m also able to jump further than before. If I was extremely talented, I would have gained this strength when I was in my late twenties. I should have gained these abilities in my mid thirties.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Wow. So we¡¯re pretty young considering we¡¯re this... powerful?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied, almost exasperated by Adam¡¯s lack of common sense. ¡°Cool.¡± ¡®I guess I need to stay at this level for a few years, then? Damn...¡¯ The storm kept the group within the city for the next day, before they finally set out, still lacking a cart. Adam was glad the Prince carried with him a ring which tapped into another spatial realm to allow them to carry more than they otherwise could. The large ship carried the group from the capital of Western Aswadasad to a nearby outpost over the course of the entire day¡¯s travel, the group arriving nearby the outpost during the next dawn. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes glued to the sky, towards the green scaled winged figure. ¡°Jaygak?¡± ¡°It must be Gordoleaf.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The green dragon which watches over the Tribesfolk in this area,¡± Jaygak said, her eyes falling across the outpost. ¡°They were once neutral to Aswadasad, but after the civil war, they must have formed a greater connection with the Tribesfolk.¡± ¡°So are we going to be okay?¡± Jaygak glanced towards where she heard the crackle of lightning, as Karza grinned wildly, crossing her arms as she waited for the green dragon approach. ¡°We will be fine.¡± Oh no. We have too many idiots in the group. Also, there is the best cliffhanger for patrons right now. I''m not sorry. [931] – Y04.031 – Worries on the Sea II [931] ¨C Y04.031 ¨C Worries on the Sea II ¡°What in the fires are you doing here, Karza?¡± Gordo snarled, clenching his teeth as green smoke escaped through the corners of his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here,¡± Karza admitted. ¡°I came to annoy an old friend of mine, but what luck, I get to annoy two friends of mine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a thorn in my side.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m a beautiful rose? I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re too green for me.¡± Gordo snorted out more green smoke, which dissipated in the air. ¡°You¡¯re fortunate the Aswadian laws protect you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m not going to cause you any trouble this time,¡± Karza said. ¡°How¡¯s your forest?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, and unwelcoming to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve kept my word so far. I haven¡¯t come in the past decade, unless you¡¯re going to tell me that this outpost constitutes your forest?¡± ¡°As long as you stay on the ship, you¡¯ll find yourself safe from the tip of a spear.¡± ¡°What if I want to-,¡± ¡°Karza, shut the fuck up before I beat you,¡± a voice finally broke through the air, as his brow pulsed heavier. ¡°Lord Gordo, if you want to beat her up, I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Finally, a good fae folk,¡± Gordo said, sniffing the air. ¡®Why does he smell so weird?¡¯ ¡°Only half,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Morky, tell that friend of yours he better be careful with his tone.¡± ¡°Jaygak, that blue dragon is acting awfully uppity in front of you,¡± Adam said.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°You should understand when and when not to cause trouble,¡± Jaygak warned, speaking to the pair of them, before her eyes fell onto Karza. ¡°If anything happens to my niece or nephew while on this trip, it won¡¯t just be the Gryns we Gaks will hunt.¡± ¡°You Iyrmen would need to chase us for generations if you want to hunt us down.¡± ¡°I can only pray we will have such good fortune.¡± ¡°...¡± Karza swallowed slightly, feeling the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. ¡°You¡¯re lucky these fine Iyrmen are here to keep me at bay, Gordo.¡± ¡°You had better remember that,¡± Gordo replied, letting out another huff, before he stepped back towards the railing. However, before he could continue, Jurot held out a spear wrapped within the cloth. The dragon bowed his head, accepting the scarf and spear, before he bent backwards and fell off the ship, the distant splash revealing he had entered the sea in his half dragon form. ¡°Are green dragons good at swimming?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied simply. ¡°He is better at flying, and so am I,¡± Karza said. ¡°You should remember that the next time you think your axe can strike me.¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°So you are.¡± Karza exchanged a look with Morkarai, wondering what Adam was talking about, while the fire giant thought about the way Adam could keep up with the dragon. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Karza didn¡¯t like the look on the realisation on the fire giant¡¯s face. ¡®Eh?¡¯ The green dragon eventually left them be, flying away in the distance once they were further along. Many hours later, the ship approached the Dragon¡¯s Maw, where the land of Aswadasad allowed the ocean to enter through only a few miles, forming a small sea within. ¡°Captain,¡± a sailor called, carrying a large chest, which strained his thick forearms. The Captain, an old man with a bald head, a grizzled face, and a stark white beard, opened the chest, noting all the silver coins within, allowing its scent to float out towards the ocean. He reached into his ragged shirt, and he pulled out a leather pouch which had rested against his heart. He kissed the pouch and tossed it into the chest, before shutting the chest. ¡°Send it overboard,¡± the Captain said, while many of the soldiers approached the railing, placing their hands over their hearts, watching as the sailor tossed the chest within the ocean. ¡®There goes our beautiful booty.¡¯ Single tears fell down the sailor¡¯s cheeks as they spent a minute standing at the railing, before quickly returning back to their work. ¡°What¡¯s that all about?¡± ¡°Tribute for the dragon turtle,¡± Jaygak informed, biting into a nut, chewing it slowly. ¡°Oh, right, silly me,¡± Adam replied sarcastically. ¡®Of course it¡¯s tribute for a dragon turtle, what else would it be?¡¯ Jurot didn¡¯t care that the soldiers each stood, placing hands on their short blades. ¡°Which one was it.¡± ¡°That one,¡± Jaygak replied, motioning towards the soldier she recognised. Jurot stepped up toward shim, feeling the soldiers tense up, but he stared into the soldiers eyes. ¡°You should pray your Mulazim translates my words for you correctly.¡± ¡°If you wish to speak to me, you may,¡± the Mulazim said, approaching the Iyrman, before Jaygak stepped forward, her hand clasped over her magical blade. ¡°You, a devilkin, wish to stop me.¡± ¡°You goatherders need some more original insults for me,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°The journey across the sea is perilous,¡± Jurot began, staring into the soldier¡¯s eyes. ¡°You should be careful you do not find yourself at the bottom of the sea because you acted like an Aswadian around us.¡± ¡°You cannot threaten us,¡± the Mulazim said. ¡°You should translate while I still allow you to,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Do you beli-,¡± ¡°If I hear that any of the soldiers speak ill of my brother or sister again, I will gut your Mulazim like a fish, and I will hang him by his entrails,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°My grandfather spent his time in Aldland killing many nobles, and even today he lives. We will see if I can do the same in Aswadasad, if your Faro thinks she can punish me for teaching you a lesson, or we will see if she is as wise as the Shen and will hide within the walls of her home, her head bowed when she hears that Jurot, the Savage, walks freely in her city.¡± ¡°You should hope the story will play out as you say, Iyrman,¡± the Mulazim said. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Leave, while I still show you mercy.¡± Jurot remained focused on the soldier in front of him. ¡°Unlock the door.¡± The door unlocked, and the sound of the sailor¡¯s footsteps quickly disappeared, not wanting to be marked by the soldiers. Kitool opened the door with her staff, before stepping out, with Jaygak followed after her, and Jurot turning his back to the soldiers, leaving, the Mulazim holding his hand up to stop his soldiers from doing anything. Silence fell the group for a long moment as they heard the Iyrmen¡¯s footsteps heading away. ¡°We will see if they act so thoughtless when we return,¡± the Mulazim assured. It was in the middle of the night when the Mulazim found his answer, when the sudden yelping and shocked cries awakened him, while the figures, illuminated by the bright light of a blade, beat the soldiers within the span of moments, knocking them out before the scuffle could grow too loud, with the devilkin beating four, the young woman beating another five, while Jurot¡¯s axe slapped against the side of the Mulazim¡¯s head, dazing him. Jurot grabbed the Mulazim by his collar, a hand over his mouth as the Iyrman dragged an officer of the Aswadian army towards the railing. Jurot gripped the back of the officer¡¯s hair, gripping it tight in hand, the Mulazim barely able to see the sea under the starlight. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Jurot whispered into his ear. The Mulazim¡¯s heart pounded within his chest as he stared down into the sea. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Pray to Noor.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jurot slowly pushed the Mulazim¡¯s head over the railing, before the officer began to splutter and stutter out a prayer. ¡°Oh, Noor! All glory is due to you! I praise you! Your name is blessed above all, your majesty is highly exalted, and as the dawn¡¯s rays-,¡± Jurot pulled the Mulazim back by his hair again, and the Mulazim stared up at the Iyrman¡¯s face, barely illuminated by the stars. ¡°When we get to port, tell her.¡± ¡°Wh-what?¡± the Mulazim managed between his panting. ¡°Tell your Faro what I have done. Tell her that the grandson of the Mad Dog beat her soldiers, and tell her that if she wishes, he will continue to kill all those she sends to capture him. Tell her. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I-I understand!¡± Jurot pushed the Mulazim forward. ¡°It is not Baktu, nor Noor, who has chosen you to live this day, but I, Jurot, he who the Aldish call the Savage.¡± Lucy remained silent as she watched the Mulazim pant and stumble his way back to his room. ¡°Why do you have to be so scary?¡± ¡°It has been some time since we Iyrmen have caused a mess in the Aswadian lands.¡± ¡°Did you have to pick a fight now, when everything¡¯s so stressful?¡± ¡°The Prince will vouch for us, or we will sacrifice the Aswadians to ensure a healthy birth,¡± Jurot replied, in such a way that Lucy understood the Iyrman was completely serious. ¡®Scary!¡¯ I forgot I wrote this and scared myself. [932] – Y04.032 – Worries on the Sea III [932] ¨C Y04.032 ¨C Worries on the Sea III ¡°I don¡¯t want to know,¡± Adam said, staring over the waves as they continued the next morning. ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied, as simply as that, while Kitool stood a short while away. Lucy and Mara remained with Vonda, while Jurot sat outside by himself, his arms crossed, hoping he could slaughter a few wayward soldiers. The Captain walked towards the pair, leaning against the railing, sipping from his wineskin. ¡°You work for an enchanter?¡± ¡°That we do,¡± Adam replied, glancing towards the dark skinned Captain, who didn¡¯t look a day over forty, but was probably in his sixties. ¡°My cousin is enchanter too. Works with the Malawi. He was always good up here,¡± the Captain tapped his forehead, letting out a snort. ¡°I was no good. I was better on the sea. He was still training by the time our grandparents passed, but he sent gold back to his mother and father, and his aunts and uncles. I wasn¡¯t able to send back much gold, sailing is expensive business when you¡¯re not pirating. You have to be careful of all the dragons, the seabeasts, the weather, the Divine.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that right.¡± ¡°Praise Noor, I am almost seventy and I can send gold to my grandchildren, and my cousin¡¯s grandchildren.¡± ¡®Almost seventy? Damn, dude looks good for seventy.¡¯ ¡°Working for enchanter is good money, very good money. You must make sure they pay you good.¡± ¡°I get paid decent money,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°As a CEO, I make about forty or fifty gold a month.¡± ¡°That is good money,¡± the Captain admitted. ¡°That is why you can pay for boarding on my ship?¡± The Captain clapped his hands together before patting Adam¡¯s shoulder as he almost cackled with laughter. ¡°Yeah, something like that,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly. The days on the sea passed by uneventfully before the large port city welcomed them. Adam didn¡¯t focus, much on the port city set along the hills, too focused on assisting his wife, before the group found themselves at an inn near the sea. The dockworkers kept a wide berth around the mermen, the fire giant, and the Iyrmen. They glanced across the group, and though they sent word ahead, rumours beginning to fly already, spiralling out of control quickly, while others in the underground confirmed certain matters. ¡°Make sure you tell her who Jurot¡¯s grandfather is, and the name of my grandaunt,¡± Jaygak said, shaking Prince Morkarai¡¯s forearm, giving him a nod. ¡°I will.¡± Adam followed Jurot to the wooden inn, which had been built along the docks and out towards the rest of the city. It wasn¡¯t built like a normal inn, a square or rectangle, but spread out almost like a fungus trying to find water. The lower floors were dirty, smelling of the murkiness of hard working sailors whose breath were as bad as their language. Yet, the upper floors were clean, with warriors who wore scimitars at their side, and though they all wore dark blue, they each wore different coloured turbans, and some were even devilkin. Their beards were neatly trimmed, lined every morning with a razor. The guards of the docks approached, but stopped as they noted the people they wanted were upon the upper floors. ¡°We have business with the Iyrmen,¡± the Dockguard stated. ¡°You may have business with the Iyrmen, but the Iyrmen are doing business with us,¡± the tavern keeper upon the ground floor replied, rubbing a rag against her mug. She was a young woman, a decade younger than the Dockguard. The Dockguard narrowed her eyes, placing down a plaque from the military, made of pure silver. The tavern keeper picked it up, feeling how heavy the plaque was. She glanced across the title of the person and then the name. ¡°Raid Haifa,¡± the keeper replied, smiling slightly. The keeper glanced towards one of the patrons, raising her brows. ¡°Raid Haifa. She thinks she can come in with a plaque from Raid Haifa and walk up the stairs to arrest the patrons.¡± The fellow shrugged his shoulders and returned back to his drink. ¡®I¡¯d let him walk up with Raid Haifa¡¯s plaque, but I¡¯m not one of you.¡¯ The keeper slid back the plaque. ¡°Bring a plaque from a Liwa, even a Muqaddam, then you can walk up the stairs.¡± The Dockguard clicked her teeth, inhaling for a moment, before she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± The tavern keeper raised her brows, waiting for the Dockguard to speak further of the topic, but the Dockguard pulled back, stepping away.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com The old man stared down at Adam, his hair pure white, his long hair hidden behind his turban, his beard neatly lined that morning no doubt. He wore a deep blue set of Aswadian clothes, much looser than those of the Aldish, and he carried a scimitar at his side. ¡°Thank you. It is their first time upon the sea and ocean.¡± ¡°Oh, cool,¡± Adam replied, waiting awkwardly for the old man to step one way or another, but the old man waited for Adam to step one way or another. Adam bowed his head, allowing the old man to move, the old man returning a bow of the head. Meanwhile, as the ship began to sail away from the docks, the Dockguard swiftly made their way, shouting out. ¡°Has anyone seen an old man with seven children? Seven children, some horned!¡± ¡°Ope!¡± the little boy said. ¡°I know, I know.¡± ¡°What?¡± the Mulazim replied, glancing down at the boy. She dropped to a knee. ¡°You saw?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where?¡± The boy narrowed his eyes and held out his hand. The Mulazim wondered when the children had become so wise. She dropped a silver coin into the boy¡¯s palm, the metal cooling his palm. ¡°I saw at the market, at the, um, by Pacha¡¯s.¡± He pointed towards the end of the docks which led to a market. ¡°Pacha¡¯s?¡± The Mulazim nodded her head, and the Dockguard swiftly fled the area. ¡°Little boy, it¡¯s no good lying like that,¡± a sailor said, his eyes following the Dockguard, before he glanced down to his side, only to see no little boy. His eyes darted around, his head snapping like a hawk, for the sailor¡¯s nickname was Sea Eagle, for his keen sight. ¡®Noor take me, do I dream of boys?¡¯ The boy slipped from shadow to shadow, his hands pinned against his back as he almost floated away towards an abandoned building. ¡®You son of a goat, I told you to find yourself a nice devilkin woman. Kids these days, they never listen to their elders.¡¯ ¡°Is he back?¡± the older man whispered. ¡°He is,¡± the man¡¯s son replied, peeking through the door to see the boy disappear into the room he had paid for. ¡°Okay, remember, a meal every other day, and it has to be a large meal.¡± ¡°Did he say spices?¡± ¡°Son of a cat, he is still Aswadian, and he paid us a gem the size of your brain, so you¡¯d better treat the boy well, he¡¯s probably the runaway son of a Saib or Niza.¡± ¡°The gem wasn¡¯t that big,¡± the son replied, recalling how big the gem was, about the size of an eyeball, and easily worth at least a hundred gold, perhaps more. ¡°Hau,¡± the older man replied affirmatively. It was as noon drew overhead that the son understood what his father¡¯s words meant, long enough he couldn¡¯t say anything back unless he made himself appear a bigger fool. The noonval sun beamed down onto the ship, almost searing the young half elf, who was glad his brother had bought him a hat. ¡°A siieeoh?¡± the older man asked. ¡°Yeah, Chief Executive Officer, so our title is Executive. I¡¯m Executive Adam, and my brother is Executive Jurot.¡± ¡°Are you planting the seeds now to grow in the future?¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly. Right now my kids are too young, but when they grow up, they¡¯ll make great workers for the business. Obviously, they can do whatever they want, since they¡¯re my children!¡± Kitool narrowed her eyes towards the old man Adam stepped beside. Even from where she was, she could feel every fibre of her being screaming at her. The old man Adam was talking to was definitely a guy who had killed thousands. ¡®A Biodi?¡¯ Son of a cat! I miss Kalid... [933] – Y04.033 – Worries on the Sea IV [933] ¨C Y04.033 ¨C Worries on the Sea IV ¡°If you are still looking for workers, the children I am with, they are talented.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Adam furrowed his brows towards the old man. ¡°They will grow well,¡± the old man assured. ¡°They are their parents¡¯ children, each who were quite talented. If you are willing to take them in and nurture them, you will not lose, and I will assist your business.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll assist me?¡± ¡°I am good at medicine.¡± ¡°You are?¡± Adam asked, eyeing him up. ¡°Are you a doctor?¡± ¡°I have great medical abilities.¡±Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°Not a doctor though?¡± ¡°I did not take the exams, but I am very good with medicine. I have cured many, and I have delayed the death of many.¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s pretty good at medicine, being who she is, but I would like another doctor. Although, you¡¯ll need to prove yourself at that sort of thing, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m willing to potentially endanger someone for that.¡± ¡°I am good at fighting too.¡± ¡°Fighting?¡± Adam glanced down towards the scimitar at the old man¡¯s side. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How strong are you?¡± ¡°I am stronger than the royal one within your company, and the mermen guards,¡± the old Aswadian said confidently. ¡°You know who he is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°We almost crossed paths.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°We almost crossed paths.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I was tasked with facing another.¡± ¡°I feel like it¡¯d be too dangerous for me to ask.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re strong...¡± The old Aswadian bowed his head once more, feeling the gazes of the nearby Iyrmen on him. It was awkward for the Iyrmen to stare at him, considering they were likely to have heard of him, but with his current appearance, he was confident they would struggle to place him, and he was certain he could defeat these youngsters. ¡°You¡¯re pretty suspicious, and we¡¯re currently going through a turbulent time...¡± ¡®Is this some kind of test for me?¡¯ ¡°I only ask this of you because you keep company with Iyrmen.¡± ¡°You trust the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he was saying all the right and wrong things to mess with him. ¡°Do the children know magic?¡± ¡°One of the children¡¯s mother was a Priest.¡± ¡°Was?¡± ¡°She has passed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Are they orphans?¡± ¡°They are considered to be orphans now.¡± ¡®Seriously, you can¡¯t give me straight answers?¡¯ ¡°Is there anyone after you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How strong are they?¡± ¡°I can deal with those who chase after me.¡± ¡°I will fight the big one,¡± Jurot said, his entire body flashing red hot. ¡°Okay,¡± came the response from all three of the figures. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 20 (19) Jurot¡¯s hot red rage filled his entire body as he charged forward, approaching the largest of the mermen. A pair of tridents almost struck his side, but found their tridents against sword and staff. Jurot¡¯s axe clashed against the largest merman, who snarled with delight, but then shock as the pain rocked through their mind. The merman reached up, a mortal mistake as an axe split through their skull. Jaygak¡¯s blade tore through a merman¡¯s side as a trident clattered against her shield, before her shining blade pressed another back, the young woman spinning her blade over her hand as the merman retreated towards the railing, glancing towards their side to notice the rest of their companions quickly overwhelmed. Kitool struck a merman down with her staff, crashing against the merman¡¯s side, before she managed to drop kick another off the side of the deck, the merman flipping over the railing, dealing only minor damage to the ship as they fell into the water. Morkarai¡¯s blade cut through a merman almost clean through, the two halves dropping beside him as he plunged his blade into another merman, whose trident managed to slip through to his side, cutting through his clothing, but the merman fell forever still. The Coralguard, with their jaws flexing from the annoyance and shame that he they were charged to protect had taken a blow, pierced through the mermen viciously with their tridents, kicking them off the end of their tridents, slamming their tridents lightly against the ship. Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 21 (10) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 20 (2, 2)(2, 4) 20 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 21 (15) D20 + 11 = 26 (16) Hit! Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 27 (2, 5)(5, 6) 27 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 12 (1) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Mana: 23 -> 22 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 20 (3, 4)(2, 5) 23 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) Hit! Mana: 22 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (3, 5)(4, 5) 26 damage! ¡°Lord Sozain,¡± Adam called out, his heavy steps approaching the feral mermen, who forced the sailors back with their long tridents. ¡°Please accept these sacrifices in place of my family.¡± While the others had each slain one, two, or three mermen by their lonesome, there was a particular young man who, with every swing of his axe, slaughtered a merman. His steps were heavier than his heart, as Adam sliced through the mermen as though carving through tender chicken, his axe slicing through the ribs of the first merman, a back swing cutting the neck of the second, before he split the third¡¯s skull, and the fourth, who held up their trident to defend himself, and had tried to turn to flee, was split from their left shoulder to their right hip. Adam inhaled the salty air, feeling the gentle pitter patter of rain against his skin as he closed his eyes, barely hearing the retreating cries of the mermen. He steeled his heart, feeling a sickness rising within his gut, but he remained within the blankness of his thoughts, allowing the darkness to accompany him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to come out?¡± Karza asked, seemingly speaking to the air, but a moment later, lightning crackled from her mouth as the shadow of a serpent loomed over the ship, shifting it slightly while a beam of water struck against the pair of Coralguard. The lightning blasted the serpents side, causing it to convulse for a moment, before it retreated into the depths, fleeing with the handful of mermen who had managed to survive the ill timed attack upon a particularly fortunate ship. Victory! XP Gained: +500 XP: 8 900 -> 9 400 Quest Complete: Protecting the Ship XP Gained: +100 XP: 9 400 -> 9 500 ¡°You should have kept the mermen at bay if you were just going to run,¡± Karza grumbled, crossing her arms, glancing aside towards the rest of the figures. The Captain had mostly guessed Karza was a dragon, but after it was confirmed, he bowed his head with a hand over his heart. He shouted something in Aswadian, and the sailors quickly threw the bodies overboard, not wanting to bring the ire of the mermen for keeping the dead, nor the various Sea Gods who may take the opportunity to curse them for not returning the mermen back to the sea. ¡°Oi,¡± a figure called, wearing a tunic of scales, his long black hair kept at bay by the turban he wore, his long beard long and wispy. He wielded a scimitar at his side, and the shield of alcohol in the other. An amulet of silver dangled over his chest, engraved with the symbol of the waves, a general amulet of the sea rather than any particular deity. He shouted something in Aswadian, and the Captain replied. The Sea Priest glanced aside towards the sides of the ship and grumbled to himself, the sailors picking up the pieces, another holding onto the Priest so he wouldn¡¯t fall, while the Priest chanted the words to his magic and began to mend the broken bits of ship together, somehow managing to reconnect even the railings together, and as much of the damage caused by the weapons as he could. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Adam thought, clouded by a storm of worries as he thought about the death he had brought. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ As the ship continued to sail from town to town, the noonval sun continued to beat upon the half elf heavily, though the sailors had fixed up a small shelter for the half elf upon the deck, all the while he cooled their water for them. ¡°He is not stingy with his magic,¡± a sailor said approvingly, cleaning the deck with a rag, while another checked the health of the various ropes. ¡°He is fae, they are queer.¡± The sailor bowed his head, the logic completely sound to him. Adam sighed, drinking his cool water while in the shade, unable to face Vonda while the stench of death clung to him so recently. Adam winced slightly as a bird fluttered towards the shade, a bird no larger than his palm, a pale shade of blue, almost white, with its head a deeper blue, while its beak was black. ¡°Hello,¡± Adam called out. The bird¡¯s head tilted towards him. Adam reached up to his amulet, his free hand forming symbols in the air while he chanted the words to a spell. Mana: 25 -> 24 Spell: Goodberry The ten berries flowed into his hands, each slightly larger than a grape, before he held one out for the bird in his open palm. The bird half hopped towards his hand, before nibbling against the berry. ¡°Seatit,¡± Captain Rais said. ¡°Hard to see.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Good omen.¡± Adam noted the rest of the sailors were glancing their way towards him and the seatit. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Very good luck. Last time I see, ten, eleven years ago, Shen sent me letter. I helped protect the royal family on ocean. Paid for my grandson¡¯s wedding.¡± Rais smiled a long smile, almost revealing his teeth through his beard. ¡°Great fortune.¡± ¡®The whiplash of emotion I¡¯m having is going to take years off of me,¡¯ Adam thought, letting out a sigh. ¡°So, are you my good luck charm?¡± The seatit nibbled on the berry. I can''t wait for this seatit never to appear again! [934] – Y04.034 – Worries on the Sea V [934] ¨C Y04.034 ¨C Worries on the Sea V ¡°Merc City...¡± Adam whispered to himself, staring out towards the large city, the layers of walls separating the various districts like a tiered cake sliced randomly. Adam had no will to explore the city, his eyes barely taking in its intricate details, the large city so different to the cities in Aldland and Aswadia, no doubt home to thousands of different conspiracies, but Adam¡¯s heart yearned for home. The fishy smell filled the air, but thankfully the inn¡¯s food cut through, the menu lacking anything even remotely similar to fish, not even birds, the fish of the skies. Adam rubbed Vonda¡¯s back as the smells tickled her nostrils, threatening to regift the meals back to the inn¡¯s clean floor. Adam noted a pair of figures in the corner, a young woman with black hair and dark eyes, and her companion, the tall stilted figure he had seen during their travel to the south. ¡®Wasn¡¯t she headed eastward. What¡¯s she doing here?¡¯ As the ship sailed from the port, Adam noted the pair had joined the ship¡¯s ranks, the woman staring out towards the sea. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Adam asked, staring out at the sea, his eyes flowing across the waves. ¡°I just wanted to look at the sea.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t have seas where you¡¯re from?¡± Adam joked. The woman glanced his way, while the figure beside her, covered head to toe, hunched slightly, stared at the half elf through the cloth mask in front of their hat. The figure wore two crossed longswords upon their back, and a pair of shortswords on either side. ¡°Not this sea.¡± ¡°Yeah, fair.¡± Adam stared out towards the sea, the bobbing waves they tore through with swiftness upon their ship. ¡°Not quite like the sea from home, eh?¡± ¡°No,¡± the woman replied, swallowing slightly. ¡°Not quite.¡± A bead of sweat ran down the side of her head. Adam glanced towards the figure with the numerous blades. ¡°Does your friend talk?¡± ¡°He is mute.¡± ¡°Smart. I¡¯ve been told I talk too much. I do, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t know that, but...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, flashing a smile towards the young woman. ¡°What can I do, eh? I wasn¡¯t born with the gift of the gab, but I love yapping away.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The woman glanced his way once more, sizing him up once more, noting the axe at his side, and the shield upon his back. ¡°You walk with the Iyrmen?¡± ¡°That I do.¡± ¡°Are they protecting you?¡± ¡°In one way or another, I guess. One of them is my brother, and, I guess they¡¯re protecting my wife more than me?¡± ¡°Your wife is an Iyrman?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s a Ray.¡± ¡°A Ray of the Order?¡± the woman asked, her voice full of disbelief. ¡°Yeah.¡± The woman raised her brow towards the half elf, sizing him up once more, trying to understand him, especially considering the amulet against his chest. ¡°How did you come to marry?¡± ¡°She seduced me with her beauty and her personality, and my children adored her and I¡¯m sure if I didn¡¯t marry her, then they¡¯d bully me too much.¡± The woman blinked. ¡®He¡¯s queer, even for an fae.¡¯ ¡°What about you? What¡¯s your story?¡± ¡°I wanted to adventure while I could, before I have to return back to marry.¡± ¡°Ah. You have to marry? Well, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Unless you like it, in which case congratulations.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a strange one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very queer, I hear, even for a leaf ear.¡± The woman gasped, reaching up to hide her mouth at his fragrant use of the slur. ¡°Excuse me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Come on, Mustafa,¡± the half elf said, holding the boy¡¯s hand as they made their way through the docks. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to an inn and then we can go grab Elsie.¡± ¡°Feeah! Feeah!¡± The boy complained, holding his hands up, making to cry, before the half elf lifted him up. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Adam said, brushing the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°You must be so hungry, yeah? You want some food? Should we buy some fruit?¡± ¡°Fut,¡± the boy confirmed, staring at the various stalls of the docks, the fishy smell permeating the air. He coughed and hid his head against Adam¡¯s chest. ¡°Right, right, it smells so weird, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Trick: Tricks Adam chanted out the words to a spell and waved his hand, a puff of lavender filling the air, causing the boy¡¯s head to jerk to the side to find the source of the smell. ¡°What? You like that smell?¡± ¡°Haa?¡± Adam chuckled, followed closely behind by Jaygak, who held the devilkin twins, with Karim, Ali, and Omer following her, while Bilal held Zainab as he trailed behind them. Jurot and Kitool flanked the trio of boys, while Morkarai, Lucy, Mara, and Vonda followed closely behind, with Vonda wearing a scarf around her face to force away the smell of fish, glad the Captain had incense aboard. ¡°No more bird, no more cool water, no more swift sailing,¡± Captain Rais said, watching the group leave, letting out a sigh. ¡°Shukur, we made our gold.¡± ¡°Captain, what of the-,¡± ¡°No,¡± Captain Rais replied, shaking his head. ¡°You are thinking too much. They came onto our ship, paid our coin, they left our ship. We know no more of any of them.¡± The young sailor raised his brows, unsure of how the Captain knew what he was going to say before he even said it. ¡®He¡¯s sailed for that long...¡¯ Karza sniffed the air, glancing aside, managing to catch whiffs of all manner of different scents. Her large form, only a hair taller than the Prince, was still larger than most within the port, and so many gave her a wide berth as she lead the group forward. An hour after the group arrived in East Port, Adam and Jurot made their way to a particular district within the city, while Jaygak made her way to a different particular district. ¡°Elsie!¡± Adam called out, flashing a wide smile towards the girl, dropping down to a knee as he smiled warmly towards her. ¡°We¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Mister Adam,¡± the girl said, blinking towards the half elf. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Hello, hello! Did the temple treat you well?¡± ¡°Mhmm.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s good to know. I¡¯ll be sure to pay them a lot for looking after you so well, yeah?¡± Adam flashed a small smile, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Look at you in that habit, how adorable.¡± Elsie flushed slightly at Adam¡¯s words, glancing down at her clothes, which revealed only her face, just like Vonda. ¡°Thank you again, Mother. We¡¯ll have the money sent to you by the end of the year, hopefully with some more coin to apologise for the time. If you have any need of our services, please do call, we will prioritise you.¡± ¡°I would like to reconsider taking Elsie. She is a bright girl, and she would thrive within our temple.¡± Adam continued to smile towards the mother, his eyes shutting tight, his head pulsing, his jaw tensing up. An aura covered the half elf, who remained silent and still, standing almost like a statue. ¡°I appreciate your words, and I¡¯ll take your advice to heart, but I would like to take Elsie with us so that we can look after her personally. She is still our VIP, and though we usually wouldn¡¯t leave her within the hands of another, it was too dangerous to take her with us. However, now that we¡¯ve returned to land, I am confident that we¡¯re able to protect her, and provide for her a life that is great, even if it¡¯s not the same life as that which you could provide for her.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes remained narrowed almost to the point of being shut, yet he remained speaking with as much politeness he could muster. The Mother smiled, bowing her head lightly, relenting to the half elf. ¡°I like it in the temple,¡± Elsie said. ¡°I know.¡± Adam dropped down to a knee again and rubbed the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Ray Vonda is going to miss you if you don¡¯t come along. How about this? You can come along with us to the business. You can spend your time there and then later I¡¯ll ask you if you want to spend your time at the business or the temple, and if you want to come back, I¡¯ll bring you back.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Elsie squirmed slightly upon all the adult¡¯s gazes. Adam bowed his head towards the Mother, before walking away with Elsie, feeling his steps grow heavier and heavier, the warm hand within his own causing him to pause. ¡®Should I really bring her along? We barely have enough people to protect the other kids...¡¯ Wait, what? He has a name now? [935] – Y04.035 – The Road to Home I [935] ¨C Y04.035 ¨C The Road to Home I Adam returned back to the inn, The Black House Inn, built of stone painted black, and in the City of a Thousand Colours, such an inn stood out like a mole upon clear skin. The building was warm, and the soft scent of the noon¡¯s meal filled the air. Though certain meals could be bought, the main meal was always whatever the house decided one should eat, not that Adam seemed to mind, the fluffy flat bread sprinkled with cheese and herbs was a delight. ¡°Much better than porridge, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam teased Elsie, who smiled shyly, before going back to chewing her bread. ¡®We¡¯re spending a lot of money moving about. Thankfully we sold off a bunch of weapons on the way, but maybe I should sell more to the Duchess before we go? I¡¯d love to meet Yellow Turban before we go, too, but I probably shouldn¡¯t be doing too much, in case I accidentally cock something up.¡¯ Jurot remained silent as he ate his food, glancing aside to Kitool and Vonda, exchanging a look with the Iyrman. ¡®I should call for Iyrmen to assist us.¡¯ The doors of the inn opened, with a particular Iyrman, adorned in only a breastplate, stepped in the inn. She carried a basket full of bottles, and upon her lips she carried the wide smirk of mischief. ¡°What are you planning n-,¡± Adam said, before pausing, noting the heavily armoured figures behind her. ¡°Well, well, well!¡± The half dragon¡¯s brass scales shimmered under the noonval sun. She snarled as she entered the inn. It was also obvious she was from the east, since most half dragons and drakkens from the north had white or silver scales. ¡°I heard you needed help,¡± Vasera said, approaching the group, noting the gazes upon her and her group of Oathsworn. Her brass scales continued to shimmer even as she stepped into the inn, her horns covered with bits of chain and scales made of steel. She reached out to shake Adam¡¯s forearm, glancing aside towards Vonda, the woman nodding her head. ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Vonda replied, a gentle smile on her face. ¡°Are you guys free for business?¡± ¡°We¡¯re open for business, but we¡¯re too expensive to be free.¡± ¡°What is it? A hundred gold upfront, a hundred gold monthly?¡± ¡°Can you afford it?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to receive the payment a little later, once the business has cashed in it¡¯s...¡± Adam paused, furrowing his brow. ¡®Didn¡¯t I make... isn¡¯t there a bunch of fire swords being auctioned off?¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯re willing to be paid once we¡¯re at the business, we can deal with whatever other payments you need until then.¡± Vasera groaned quietly, falling into thought. ¡°Can you pay the seven hundred gold upfront?¡± Adam glanced towards Kitool, who nodded. ¡°Seems we can. I haven¡¯t been keeping track of the gold recently, so I¡¯m not sure how much we have, but we should be able to do that much. If nothing else, we can speak with the Duchess and figure something out.¡± ¡°If you can pay the upfront fee, we¡¯ll allow you to delay the rest of the payment for a short while,¡± Vasera said, dropping herself with the group, glancing across the large group. She nodded towards Morkarai, narrowing her eyes towards the fire giant. ¡®Is he...¡¯ ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Golden Savage.¡± ¡°You too,¡± Vasera replied, a wild grin appearing across her face, before her eyes darted to the half dragon beside the Prince. ¡°Whose half spawn are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a half breed,¡± Karza replied, grinning wider. ¡°You¡¯re not a Gryn, so are you a Drunda?¡± Vasera asked as if she didn¡¯t know. Karza¡¯s smile faded a touch, but she bowed her head. ¡°You¡¯re an awful way from home, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Home is where the gold is.¡± The pair cackled lightly at the phrase, a joke between those of dragon blood. ¡°How have you guys been?¡± Adam asked, glancing aside towards Rook. ¡°We¡¯ve been living as we have,¡± Rook replied, shaking his head, sighing lightly. ¡°That bad?¡± ¡°Vasera¡¯s been causing trouble when she¡¯s not hired so we¡¯ve been taking work swiftly. We haven¡¯t worked this month, though, since we¡¯ve been working so hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to cut your holiday short.¡± ¡°We were running out of coin anyway.¡± ¡°Running out of money? You?¡± The guards at the front were a pair of young men, one in his early twenties, the other in his early thirties. They both wielded a staff in hand, while carrying smaller clubs at their side, the pair wearing scale tunics which were slightly too large for them. Their cloaks were pinned together by a token the size of one¡¯s palm, the engraved rose within the token providing more protection than even their scale. ¡°Hah! Now that¡¯s a large caravan!¡± The younger guard¡¯s eyes beamed brightly. ¡°What is it that you trade?¡± ¡°Magical weapons,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head towards the guard. ¡°That purple armour...¡± The older guard glanced between Adam and the rest. ¡®Why do I recognise the armour?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d love to chat, but we¡¯ve some business with the Order of Life¡¯s Rose,¡± Adam said, reaching down for the gate fee. It was one gold per adult, a silver per child, and a gold per animal and cart, from what he recalled. ¡°Is this your first time in Life River?¡± The older guard eyed up the entire caravan, before his eyes returned back to the young man in purple armour who was dealing with his coins. ¡°We¡¯ve no gate fee.¡± ¡°I know, but I like paying anyway, it¡¯s the least I could do,¡± Adam said, handing over a flat twenty gold. ¡°It¡¯s not enough, but hopefully it¡¯ll be enough.¡± ¡°What business do you have with Life¡¯s Rose?¡± ¡°The Ray wishes to return.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ray Vonda,¡± Adam said, motioning his hand to the carriage. ¡°She wished to return to Life¡¯s Rose.¡± The guard narrowed his eyes, glancing towards the carriage. ¡°There¡¯s a Ray in the carriage.¡± Adam hopped off the carriage, before knocking on the door. It opened, with Mara peeking out towards the half elf, before she pulled away to allow Vonda to step out. She wore her full habit, covering her almost head to toe, and the pair of holy symbols rested against her chest. ¡°Ray Vonda,¡± the guard said, tipping his helmet, the other quickly doing the same upon seeing Vonda¡¯s face. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you were coming.¡± ¡°I apologise, I should have sent word ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no bother at all. I¡¯ll send along word, shall I?¡± ¡°There is no need, the Order is expecting me,¡± Vonda assured. The guard wasn¡¯t sure if this was proper protocol, but even if Vonda wasn¡¯t who she said she was, this was far above his station. ¡°As you say, Ray.¡± As the carriage passed through, the guards glanced between one another, and they informed their higher ups of the situation. ¡°It¡¯s most likely the real Ray,¡± the Captain replied, glancing over towards the caravan. ¡°The man in puthral is her husband.¡± ¡°Her husband?¡± ¡°The Seventh Hope came back from the wedding earlier this year.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was her husband,¡± the guard admitted, hoping he hadn¡¯t offended the fellow. ¡°I¡¯ll follow them to make sure they¡¯ve made it just fine.¡± The Captain, a woman in her thirties, donned her cloak of white, and stepped out, carrying her wooden blade at her side as she trekked through the town, following behind. She caught Rook¡¯s eyes, the mercenary bowing his head, and the Captain bowed her head in return. ¡°I should have asked the Ray to pray for me.¡± ¡°She looked a little sick,¡± the younger guard replied. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Ray¡¯s don¡¯t get sick.¡± ¡°Suppose you¡¯re right. Musta been the light.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the older guard replied, glad he wasn¡¯t the only one who had realised the Ray had looked a little off. ¡®Musta been the light...¡¯ Progress? This quickly? [936] – Y04.036 – The Road to Home II [936] ¨C Y04.036 ¨C The Road to Home II The light air of Life River allowed Vonda to finally relax within the carriage, staring out of the open window as they rode across the bridge of light, approaching the island. The workers, mostly women, assisted the group as they stepped out of their carriage, ready to take their mounts and vehicles off to one side. Adam held Vonda¡¯s hand as he helped her out of the carriage, before offering his hand to Mara, who accepted his forearm. Adam said nothing while the women approached him, undoing his axebelt. The women smiled as Adam handed over all of his weapons and his shield, the half elf unstrapping his armour too. The mercenaries also removed their weapons and doffed their armour. Prince Morkarai did the same, not wanting to offend the Order, nor their patron, Mother Soza, Goddess of Life. Jurot also offered his axe and shield, causing Kitool and Jaygak to pass their gear along too. The group were quickly escorted into the stone fortress, noting the large open courtyard, which seemed even larger within. There were dozens upon dozens of acolytes around, and a large number of Priests, including a particular set of devoted followers who wore silver or gold suns beneath their holy symbols. ¡®I guess Bobby isn¡¯t about?¡¯ Adam thought, smirking slightly, before noting the sight of Hope Thomas, bowing his head towards the young Hope, who narrowed his eyes in return. ¡®Is he still salty? Come on, man, that was almost a year ago now.¡¯ A particular Mother approached, far too quick for a woman her age, her strides long and powerful. She reached out to hold Vonda¡¯s hands within her own. ¡°Mother Soza bless you,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Mother Soza bless you,¡± Mother Florence replied, holding the young woman¡¯s hands. She noted Vonda had gained some weight, and with the way she looked, slightly nauseated, while noting the young Ray trying to keep something close to her chest, the Mother smiled. ¡°I will escort you all to your rooms.¡± Lord Morkarai remained silent, finding it awkward to introduce himself as of yet, while Karza¡¯s eyes snapped all across the fort. She could feel it, the heavy magic which pressed against her shoulders, and though she couldn¡¯t feel the gaze of the Divine, she was certain there was still some greater connection from this place to some of the Lesser Divine at least. A pair of Hopes escorted the group to their rooms, each room rather small and bare, but well built with stone. As Adam placed down his back, he inhaled deeply, letting out a long sigh. He glanced all around the room, feeling the tingling sensation across his body. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯d like to pray and donate to the Good Mother, if it¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°You may pray freely to the Mother within our temple,¡± the acolyte replied, bowing her head lightly. ¡°Is there a chance I can meet with Mother Priest?¡± ¡°Mother Priest is currently indisposed.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Alright, well, can I pray in front of a statue of the Good Mother?¡± The acolyte reached into her sleeve before pulling out a small statue, offering it to the half elf with both hands and a bowed head. ¡®Is she picking a fight with me?¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam plucked the statue from the acolyte and placed it onto the nearby cabinet. Once he was alone, he dropped down to his knees before the statue, placing down a gem in front of it, before falling into a prayer. Meanwhile, Vonda sat within another room with Mother Florence. She held the Mother¡¯s hand within her own, the pair ruminating in the gentle silence. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Mother Florence finally said after they had finished their silent prayers. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Mother Florence wanted to say more, do more, but she allowed the young woman to bask in the silence for moments longer. While Ray Vonda remained with Mother Florence, Lord Morkarai sat with the two Hopes, who had assigned themselves to watch over the demons, who had assigned themselves to watch over the Prince. ¡°We were not informed a Prince was visiting,¡± Hope Ava said, her green eyes staring over the fire giant curiously. She was a beautiful woman, in Morkarai¡¯s estimations, with strawberry blonde hair cut short. The Fifth Hope kept her attention on the demons, who seemed to do their best to ignore the dark gaze from her dark eyes. ¡°I must apologise for not sending word ahead, it had slipped my mind due to certain matters,¡± Morkarai replied, drinking the warm tea they had set for him, not daring to warm it up while in the Order of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡°Should you require an escort, we can assist,¡± the Second Hope offered, smiling politely towards the fire giant Prince. ¡°I thank you for your courtesy, but Lucy and Mara are quite capable themselves. Perhaps once I return back to my land, I will ask for your assistance, if the offer is still available.¡± ¡°It will surely remain, unless other matters call our attention,¡± Ava replied, doing her best to commit, but not completely resolutely.Findd new stories at novelhall.com As evening continued to fall, the group were invited to dine within the large hall, where dozens of acolytes and Priests sat for their evening meal, eating a light meal of grilled vegetables and fish, sometimes lathered in herbs and butter, porridge, and a small army of fruit, ready and eager to be devoured. Adam sat opposite a familiar face, one which was pale, the older woman¡¯s deep eyes full of compassion and delight. She was also covered head to toe in her habit, even her hands were hidden away from sight. An amulet of Life¡¯s Rose lay against her bosom, not truly betraying her rank within the order. ¡°Congratulations,¡± Mother Priest said, her lips wide with joy. Though Jaygak preferred less trouble here, she could feel how eager Jurot was for trouble. Last time, they had dared to speak ill of their elders. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose, which had not dared to step out to face against the monster known as Asa during the civil war, the same civil war which had taken Jarot¡¯s leg and Otkan¡¯s arm. Jaygak¡¯s eyes fell to Adam. Last time he had come, he had decided to beat their Hopes with his peculiar abilities, the most of important of which was perhaps his ability to shift Fate. Now, the half elf was so meek. ¡®Should I cause trouble?¡¯ Kitool pressed her knee against Jaygak¡¯s, causing her to huff and glance aside. ¡®I was just thinking about it, that¡¯s all...¡¯ Bilal¡¯s eyes fell across the entirety of the fortress, noting the pathways he could take to leave, pathways which were available only to his fleet of foot, and perhaps, Kitool¡¯s. ¡°Saba,¡± Zainab asked, holding up a piece of fruit for the older Aswadian, who guiding the fruit to the girl¡¯s lips. ¡°You should eat it.¡± ¡°This is Life¡¯s Rose?¡± Ali asked. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°It is so big.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Ali¡¯s eyes continued to dart all around, while Omer picked away at his food. ¡®No meat? No meat? You cannot grow big without meat.¡¯ ¡°Omer, you must eat up all the food, even if there is no meat,¡± Bilal stated. Omer raised his brows towards Bilal and quickly stuffed the vegetables into his mouth, chewing them with great effort. ¡°There is no basar!¡± ¡°Do you think Aldland has basar?¡± ¡®No meat, no basar...¡¯ The boy drank the milk, wincing at the flavour. ¡®No goat milk? I want to go back home!¡¯ As Bilal urged the children into their room, Jurot and Jaygak assisting the children to bed after their bath, Kitool placed a hand on Bilal¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Do not cause trouble in Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°I will not.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied, allowing the fellow to enter the room. She slipped away into the shadows, returning back to her own room beside theirs, along with Lucy and Mara. Adam sighed, laying upon his bed by himself. ¡®I need to do something...¡¯ Meanwhile, as the stars sparkled in the dark sky, Vonda remained silent, focused in her meditation within the depths of Life¡¯s Rose. Mother Priest continued to paint the markings against the young woman¡¯s stomach, the concoction formed with holy water and shredded silver. The gentle chanting from the Rays filled the air. This was magic which was not like the spells they formed, for they understood the effects of the spells to a great degree, but this magic? It was old. Ancient. They only assumed the magic would help, but in order to make sure Ray Vonda remained healthy and gave birth to a healthy child, the Order did what it could to make sure the myths of Life¡¯s Rose continued to live within the hearts of the people. Friendship ended with Kalid Now Omer is my best friend [937] – Y04.037 – The Road to Home III [937] ¨C Y04.037 ¨C The Road to Home III "Mistuh Fred, wots all this then?" Copper asked, his head tilted with boyish curiosity. "Mister Fred, miss ter, ter," Fred corrected, doing his best to emphasise the word for himself. "What is all this, mister Fred." "Wots all this then, wots, what is..." Copper blinked. "What is all this, miss ter Fred?" "These are staffs," Fred said, hoisting one up within his hand, feeling the heft within it. There were smaller staves within too, each slightly thinner and about a head shorter than the staff he held. "They''re for practising." "Ah we gunna be practisin'' with all this then?" "Are we going to be pracising with these staffs then," Fred corrected once more. "Staves," Gilbert said, picking one up, feeling it within his hand. "The plural of staff is staves." "Staves?" Fred asked. "Not staffs?" "No." "Why?" "Wizards, probably." "That''s a bit daft." "Yeah," Gilbert agreed, watching as all the children swarmed the staves, each grabbing a staff within their little hands. "Careful, now, careful." "I''ll start teaching you to fight too," Fred said, spinning the staff over the back of his hand before slamming it into the earth, causing the children to twitch, their eyes staring up at him in awe. "Manager Dunes is a Priest, so he''s a little busy, especially with him trying to help Manager Amira with her work." "Copper, why are you holding two?" Gilbert asked, resting his own staff into the earth. "I wanna learn to fight with both," the boy said, holding a staff in each hand confidently. "You need to learn with one first before you try learning with both." Copper frowned, clutching his staves to his chest. "You ain''t the one teachin''..." Gilbert narrowed his eyes towards the boy. "I didn''t teach you to talk back like that neither." "Gilbert''s right," Fred said, glancing between the brothers. "You should learn with one of the staffs, staves, first, and then learn with both." "I wanna learn with both..." "You need to learn with the one first." "Okay..." "Alright. Let''s start practising." Fred spun the staff across his hand once more, trying to recall the stances Dunes had taught them to warm up. George also grasped a staff in hand, feeling how smooth the wood was. He silently followed Fred''s words from the back of the group. The staffplay came easier to him, not because he was particularly talented, but rather, it didn''t require speaking to practise by himself. The boy continued to follow Fred''s words, Gilbert watched from the side, gripping his staff tight in hand. The young man let out a soft sigh as he watched the children practising with their staves, led by Fred, who had joined Adam first. The same Fred who had been travelling with Adam all this time. The same Fred who had grown as strong as an Expert, or perhaps even greater. The business was full of life, but as the late afternoon sun fell across Life River, there was a greater liveliness within the town. Farmers worked their fields, smiths fixed the tools, and the guards stepped through the town, with a pair of guards following a particular pair, one who was a pretty woman, and another who stood tall covered head to toe, as though they were a Priest of Life¡¯s Rose. ¡°What¡¯re they doin¡¯?¡± Jarot, who was named after his own grandfather, whose mischief was so polite and sweet, following after his elder sisters. Larot was Larot. The Iyrman could feel it. Tickling against the back of his neck. When he thought of his younger sister, who was growing so well in the Iyr, it was the same feeling as when he thought of his nieces and nephews. Right now, in the bastion of Mother Soza, all the Iyrman wanted to do was to kill something. Karza could feel the intense pressure emanating from the Iyrman as she passed him, feeling a cold sweat against her back. ¡®You weren¡¯t kidding, mother, the Iyrmen truly are insane.¡¯ Karza approached the Prince, who poured tea for the tan skinned visitor, the young woman¡¯s eyes like emeralds, her hair black as night. ¡®Has she revealed her true form?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m glad you took my words to heart, Lady Jasmine.¡± ¡®If I wrap up this gift in a bow, he¡¯ll get the wrong idea,¡¯ Morkarai thought, sipping his tea. ¡®He only has room in his heart for one woman and a hundred children.¡¯ Morkarai stifled a chuckle. ¡®A thousand children?¡¯ Jasmine accepted the cup of tea, bowing her head lightly, holding the small cup with her thumb and index fingers, the rest of her fingers cascading out, like a blooming flower, while her free hand held her wrist. Lucy and Mara noted the way she drank her tea, and figured there was some significance Morkarai had realised, but said nothing. Morkarai hadn¡¯t realised she trusted him that much, since he could have killed her with ease, even with her companion standing nearby. ¡°I had expected you to take me with you to the volcanoes,¡± Jasmine stated. Morkarai smiled. ¡°You should know how little we fire giants wish to play the politics of the Confederacy. I will send word that you are safe to my father, and by the time he receives such word, I will be too far to respond to any demands he may make of me, and you will be safe within the business.¡± ¡°What is this business?¡± Jasmine asked, uncertain of what the Prince was doing, letting her slip through his grasp. As far as she was aware, the fire giants liked to work on a grander scale than the other mortal races that made up the Confederacy, so taking her as a hostage would have been useful. Even if the war lasted for many years, or if they weren¡¯t able to take back her land in the next few decades, her title would pass on to her children, and they would still be useful for the fire giants if they wanted to make a play. ¡®Is he saying that he¡¯ll make sure the King can¡¯t use me? Is this business strong enough to even make the King of the Fire Giants to pause?¡¯ ¡°I could tell you about the business, but it is better to see it with your own eyes. If you do not wish to join it, you may join me on my return, and leave as you please.¡± ¡®Why is he so hesitant to speak of the business to me?¡¯ Morkarai¡¯s eyes then fell onto the companion of the Princess. ¡°It is better to see it with your own eyes than to hear the tales from my lips.¡± It was many days later when Jasmine understood what the Prince was talking about. She had followed the group, noting the two devilkin who were with them. The word devilkin translated to two horn kin, though she had made the mistake of calling Jaygak, a devilkin was one of Jaygak¡¯s appearance, there were many other peoples with two horns who were also called devilkin. Somehow, she had yet to realise what Lucy and Mara were, but she understood what they were once they came across the large lumbering masses of earth. ¡°Urtas,¡± Jurot said, donning his shield. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, wondering if their appearance here was a warning. It was the one time they would spend the night out in the open, having gone from outpost to town to outpost after Life River, passing through two towns on the way back home. They were halfway between the outpost and Hillgrave, and the one day they weren¡¯t able to find a place to stay, they came across the masses of earth. ¡®Four urtas?¡¯ Jasmine thought, blinking. Upon her land, such a sight was rare, but all the way in the western lands of Aldland, it was borderline unheard of. She glanced towards the Prince, who could no doubt destroy one with little effort, and then the dragon, who could also toy with one, which meant there were two left for the rest of the business. ¡°Vonda...¡± Adam glanced back, towards the carriage, with his wife staring at the urtas sadly. ¡°I¡¯ll stay back, you guys go ahead and fight.¡± ¡°Prince Morkarai, we will leave the Ray in your care so Adam can protect the children,¡± Jaygak said, her eyes sparkling with mischief towards the fire giant. Morkarai cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°Of course.¡± Jasmine glanced between the Iyrman and the Prince. ¡®How audacious.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll fight so the Prince is safe,¡± Lucy said, far too excitedly, grabbing her large axe in hand. ¡°I¡¯ll handle one of them, so you can share the three between you five,¡± Karza said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lift a finger either,¡± Lucy said, hiding her frown. ¡°Since they¡¯re so beneath you.¡± Karza let out a snort, though she was glad that she was finally being respected appropriately. ¡°As you say.¡± ¡®The five of them are going to fight the four urtas by themselves?¡¯ Jasmine thought, noting how close the shambling collection of dirt and rocks were now. ¡®That¡¯s suicide.¡¯ It was on that day when Jasmine understood the rumours of the Iyrmen were true. Jasmine, trust me when I say, you ain''t seen nothin'' yet. [938] – Y04.038 – The Road to Home IV [938] ¨C Y04.038 ¨C The Road to Home IV Vasera stood awkwardly, remaining at bay, as though she had been forgotten. She glanced towards Adam, who had thrown out a Flame Bolt towards one of the creatures from afar. Her thoughts wandering towards a particular question, before the question fell away. She had been paid to follow commands, and if Adam didn¡¯t want her to step forward, that was fine by her. Her eyes fell back towards the children, who watched excitedly as the Iyrmen and the demons fought the elementals of earth. Rook let out a soft, bored sigh, his wrist nestled between his sword and thigh. He exchanged a look with Vasera, the pair shrugging their shoulders, waiting to be commanded forward. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the Iyrmen would need their assistance if they didn¡¯t wish to die. Indeed, it was only a matter of time before they would be defeated. Kitool¡¯s body was almost a blur as she struck the urtas, her tiger staff clattering against each of them, two of the mounds of vaguely humanoid earth freezing in place. It was Jurot¡¯s axe which denoted which of the urtas they should strike, carving through an urta as his shield blocked the mighty blow of another, while Kitool spun between the rocky fists of another, rolling off of its back as she readied herself. While the pair were engaged with the urtas which could still move, the red skinned trio struck violently against the frozen urta. ¡®What?¡¯ Jasmine thought. The large axes wielded by the two Rage Dancers struck violently, bursting into flames, while the last blade, which glowed in the air, finished carving through the urta to silence it forever. Within moments, the five had managed to kill one urta, and while Jurot and Kitool engaged the two moving urtas, the second frozen urta fell into the earth while under the focus of all five, axes, staff, and blade making short work of the elemental. Morkarai stared at the fighting. He had been ready to throw a stone to assist, but watching the five tear through the urtas like this, he understood why the fire giants had long stopped trying to fight with the Iyrmen. ¡®Bell, I¡¯m married now...¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 9 500 -> 10 500 ¡®Didn¡¯t I tell you I¡¯m married?¡¯ [It was split seven ways.] ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam blinked. ¡®They¡¯re worth more than even a Coral Guard?¡¯ Vasera blinked. She closed her eyes and though back to the previous years. ¡®It wasn¡¯t surprising they managed to kill seven hydras since we outnumbered them by so much, and we had the assistance of the wolves, the Rays, and the Hope. Yet...¡¯ ¡°Good job,¡± Adam said, patting the returning group on their shoulders. ¡°Living Earth,¡± Jurot said, holding up the small bits of earth which seemed to melt almost like sand within his hands. ¡°Why does it look different?¡± ¡°Living Earth does not have one appearance.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kitool took the Living Earth and the cores of the creatures, slipping them into her pouch, to be split between the business. ¡°Hold on.¡± Adam motioned a hand to the pouch, before taking the cores. He tossed one to Karza. ¡°I appreciate you stepping back to allow them to have their fun.¡± Karza clasped her fingers around the core. ¡°Do you know how much they¡¯re worth?¡± ¡°About a thousand or so.¡± ¡°A thousand, sometimes more,¡± Karza confirmed, smiling slightly wider. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so smart.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Adam replied, before glancing towards Vasera. ¡°Are you going to be annoyed if I offer you one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you accept it anyway?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. We¡¯ll say one can go to the Iyr, and the business can keep the other two.¡± Adam handed the pouch back to Kitool. ¡°No, we¡¯ll say two can go to the Iyr, the business can keep one, and we¡¯ll keep all the Living Earth.¡± ¡°It is fine for the business to claim it all,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°We should pay our dues,¡± Adam replied, not even wanting to think he was shirking the Iyr. ¡°Even if the King makes that new army of his, I¡¯ll still be more afraid of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Are you planning to cause a mess?¡± Jaygak asked, a small smile encroaching across her lips. It was night when Jaygak approached Adam, who gently brushed his finger along his seatit¡¯s beak. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You?¡± Jaygak sat down beside the half elf, staring out across the wooden walls of the camp. ¡°Urtas are difficult to kill.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Jaygak raised her hand in front of her, staring at it for a long while. She noted the callouses against her fingers and her palm, those which she had gained from her upbringing. ¡°It was easier than I expected.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, you¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more than an Expert, but less than a Master,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I am strong, for an Aldishman. I am almost there, to the point that I wished to reach. With this blade, I have surpassed it.¡± ¡°Just wait until you¡¯re a Paragon,¡± Adam joked again, wondering how many times they¡¯d have this conversation. Jaygak remained silent for a long while. ¡°Your child will be fine, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you know why?¡± ¡°Baktu won¡¯t dare to take my child from me.¡± Jaygak smiled. It wasn¡¯t quite where she was going, but she bowed her head. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m glad that we¡¯re friends, Jaygak.¡± ¡°I know. Me too.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Jaygak?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Should I make another weapon for you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°This sword the Enchanter has made is good enough,¡± Jaygak replied, thinking on Adam¡¯s behalf. ¡°I suppose it is,¡± Adam said, having not realised how much he had let slip in front of a dragon. Meanwhile, Jasmine stared up towards the night sky, the stars sparkling. The expanse, so massive, so freeing, accompanied her. ¡®Four urtas?¡¯ The beating sun of noonval seared the group as they continued towards Hill Grave. Adam sighed, cooling his armour repeatedly, making sure to cool the water for the group too. As they rode forward, Adam noted a small critter to the side, which was panting off to the side in the shade. Adam stopped his carriage, before dropping down. Mana: 25 -> 24 Spell: Goodberry He formed magical berries within his hand and placed a few beside the squirrel, before placing down a bowl beside the squirrel, which continued to pant, having not realised there was a giant man beside it. Adam filled the bowl, before dropping a few drops onto the squirrel¡¯s body, causing it to twitch. He picked up the squirrel and guided it towards the bowl, dipping his face within it, allowing the squirrel to slurp up the water, before finally letting it down. ¡°I hate the heat too,¡± Adam said, gently brushing along the creature, before leaving the squirrel be. ¡®By all the Divine! What a gentlefellow! I shall remember your scent always, kind giant!¡¯ Adam, having no idea he had met a squirrelkin, continuing to be oblivious to the chain of events he had set forth. Unfortunately for him, such a thought would disappear a couple of days later. Looming atop the hill, the fort stood tall and strong. The thick forest provided some cover, but it was the heavily armoured warriors which were its greatest strength. Each adorned in bronze breastplates, wielding long spears also tipped with bronze. They stood like statues as they glared down upon the group as they approached along the road, shaded by the large hills on either side. The road had been cut into the hill, allowing the order to create small forts where the road had been cut into the hills, atop the cliffs which invited them coldly towards the order. ¡°They¡¯re no walls of the Iyr, but...¡± Adam glanced around, noting how the area had been set up almost like the Valley of Death in the Iyr, the walls easily three Adam¡¯s tall. The order itself, was half set through the hills, with the gates blocking the entryway into the hills themselves. However, it was one particular figure Adam was more interested in, the long figure who was walking towards the gates. He was tall, pencil thin, adorned in long cloths. It was the crow atop his hat which caused the group to pause. Adam inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ The amount of times I''ve remade my encounter table to make this guy appear less is far too many and he STILL shows up? [939] – Y04.039 – Mysteries [939] ¨C Y04.039 ¨C Mysteries Jirot lay within the shade of the Iyr, feeling its coolness against her skin. Her twin brother lay beside her, his thoughts on nothing in particular, just enjoying life as it had come. The children were quiet because it was time for quiet, the rest of the Gek family children also relaxing, their voices low, if spoken at all. Konarot held her finger hooked over her chin and lip, mirroring her baba opposite. The girl eyed up the board, blinking a few times, before finally moving a piece forward. Tonagek remained focused on the board, also waiting for a short moment, before he pressed the piece forward. ¡°Ock,¡± Konarot grumbled quietly, in the way Tonagek did whenever she made a decent play. The older man¡¯s lips twitched into a smile, hidden behind his curled finger. Kirot¡¯s tail swayed behind her as she held her book, her gaze fixed on the letters and the shapes that formed the images. She also noted a few symbols nearby, those the Iyr used to mark certain levels of danger in relation to one¡¯s strength. The letters were for Iyrmen only, but it was Sonarot, the Family Head of the Rot family, the girl¡¯s grandmother, who allowed her to read them. There was one Iyrman who had gone to complain. He wore no armour that day, the land far too hot to be wearing such heavy armour, but he carried a blade at his side. His eyes were stern, even as he spoke with the Elder. ¡°I understand your concerns, Family Elder, but I have approved of such actions,¡± Elder Zijin replied, offering Dogek a cup of tea. Dogek remained silent for a long moment as he sipped his tea. ¡°I will continue to raise my disapproval of the vague relationship between the children and the Iyr.¡± ¡°The Iyr does not need to worry when there are such dutiful Iyrmen, like you and your grandfather, who do not forget our rules,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Have you forgotten them, Elder?¡± ¡°I have not forgotten, but even if the children are only Nieces and Nephews of the Iyr, it is appropriate to learn this much of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Do you walk this line on purpose?¡± ¡°I do what the Chief has allowed me, and no more.¡± ¡°You believe such a relationship will be beneficial to the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What gives you such conviction?¡± Dogek asked, his eyes fixed to the Elder¡¯s. ¡°Our sources of conviction are the same,¡± Elder Zijin replied, his own eyes unfaltering as they stared into Dogek¡¯s eyes, who was not just the Family Elder of the Gek family, but someone who had reached the heights of a Paragon, and someone who had even beaten the Mad Dog. ¡°It was a foolish question,¡± Dogek admitted, bowing his head and drinking the rest of his tea. Zijin leaned back within his chair, the Elder closing his eyes as he thought back to his past. ¡°The life of an Elder is difficult. Though it has much glory, the sacrifices I had to make, as a son, a brother, a father, to complete my role, even now it pains my heart. My uncle, Rajin, knows of the pain too. If something were to happen, he must remain, shackled by the title.¡± ¡°Do you regret the shackles?¡± ¡°We cannot.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com Dogek remained silent. He stared into Zijin¡¯s eyes. Even now, as strong as he was, Dogek understood. It was up to he and Zijin to make the difficult decisions, even if it pained them so. If they faltered for even a moment, the long history of the Iyr, which had managed to keep its children safe for thousands of years, could come crumbling down, and once more, they would find themselves near extinct. ¡°We cannot,¡± Dogek confirmed. He finished his tea, and excused himself. ¡°I will prepare rose red next time,¡± Zijin promised, causing the Family Elder to pause with his gait, before he continued his way to return back to his estate. As the Family Elder returned, he watched as his niece carried her granddaughter away, the silver scaled girl¡¯s eyes half open as the heat finally pressed the weariness within her. Sonarot lay her granddaughter down into the shade, beside the rest of the triplets. She also settled herself beside the rest of the children. ¡°I come nap too,¡± the tiny green skinned girl said, rushing up to her grandmother, dropping down beside the woman, while her twin brother followed a beat later. ¡°Your elder siblings are tired, but you are filled with such energy.¡± ¡°I want to sleep with kaka,¡± the girl replied, daring to defy her grandmother. ¡°Then you must be quiet.¡± ¡°I am always quiet, smelly...¡± Jirot paused, raising her brows to mirror her grandmother. ¡°I do not say it, nana.¡± Sonarot smiled, reaching out to brush the girl¡¯s hair, before allowing her to take her place beside her elder siblings, the girl dropping down before sticking her thumb into her mouth. She turned towards her younger brother, reaching out to hold his free hand, the pair sucking their thumbs gently as they relaxed in the shade, slowly drifting off to sleep. Dogek noted the look from his niece, then his nephew, before his eyes fell across the rest of the main estate, to the rest of his nieces and nephews, to those of the other three families too. He turned and swiftly left. ¡®My place is at the extended family estate.¡¯ ¡°Dogek,¡± a figure called out, an older man who wore a blade that seemed to be made of blood at his side, holding a basket in one hand. ¡°Shasen.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That does make me feel better...¡± Adam let out a small sigh of relief. ¡°It makes sense since you don¡¯t want to be hunted by my brother.¡± ¡°He would be unable to defeat me.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, once Jaygak and Kitool are Paragons, they could probably take you out.¡± Crowseer¡¯s smile widened from behind his veil. ¡°I would find that most difficult.¡± ¡°So...¡± Adam leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What kind of trouble are you going to cause this time?¡± ¡°The die has been cast, I am merely wandering the land, as I always have.¡± ¡®This guy always has to reply so weirdly.¡¯ ¡°Yeah? How did you manage to get into the Order without any issues?¡± ¡°The Orders and I have a certain relationship.¡± ¡°Yeah? What kind?¡± ¡°I cause them no trouble as I wander, and they will not cause me trouble.¡± ¡°So am I special then?¡± ¡°Of course you are, but do you wish to speak of that within the air of the Aldishmen?¡± Adam frowned, but he dropped the matter. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not causing any trouble, then I guess that¡¯s fine.¡± Crowseer reached up to the brim of his hat, gently pulling it down, while Maurice pulled back and upwards, not wanting to seem like she was bowing to any of them. ¡°I am not so troublesome I would stress you when you have so many worries.¡± ¡°What am I worried about?¡± ¡°Your unborn child is-,¡± ¡°Crowseer,¡± Jurot said, his entire body flashing red hot, his entire body tensing up. ¡°I wish your child a healthy birth,¡± Crowseer said, bowing his head towards Vonda, Maurice pulling back once more, as though looking down upon them with her beak. ¡°Since you are a Ray of Hope, I have complete faith that your child will be born healthy, and she will certainly cause you great trouble.¡± ¡°Of course she will,¡± Adam said, his lips twitching into a nervous smile. ¡°She¡¯s going to be born healthy and then she¡¯s going to bully me, that¡¯s just how it is.¡± Crowseer remained silent for a long while, hesitating only because of how angry the Iyrman had become even upon the mention of the unborn child. ¡°I pray all your children are healthy and live a long life.¡± ¡°Of course they will, since I¡¯m their father.¡± ¡°They will grow well within the Iyr,¡± Jurot said. ¡°As long as they remain within the Iyr, they will certainly grow well,¡± Crowseer stated, his lips still in the shape of a smile, and he bowed his head again, tipping down his hat to cover his unseen eyes. ¡°All who grow within the shade of the Iyr have no need to worry of Death¡¯s cold grip.¡± ¡°We are not Aldishmen,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°No child of the Iyr may be claimed by Baktu.¡± ¡°How unfortunate it is for those who are born and die within the Aldish lands.¡± ¡°Such is their Fate, to be born in such wicked lands,¡± Jaygak replied, frowning, her eyes narrowing slightly. Crowseer clasped his cane tight in hand and stood. ¡°... I should retire for the night.¡± ¡°Good night, Crowseer,¡± Adam said, feeling the chill within the air. ¡°Good night, Adam.¡± Crowseer tipped his hat once more. Jaygak¡¯s eyes remained upon the Idol, who could defeat even the likes of King Merryweather. She didn¡¯t like the way he had worded his sentences, how he left some things vague and murky, and other things crystal clear. ¡®For your sake, my nieces and nephews shouldn¡¯t be within your gaze.¡¯ ¡®What am I to do, young Iyrmen?¡¯ Crowseer thought, feeling their vicious gazes upon his back as he retreated into a nearby cube. ¡®The die has been cast.¡¯ I don''t like all this crypticness... [940] – Y04.040 – Eagle Wing I [940] ¨C Y04.040 ¨C Eagle Wing I ¡°We must insist upon an escort,¡± Sky Commander Sienna said in the morning. She had already given up on convincing the Prince to remain, but she wouldn¡¯t allow him to leave with a pair of demons, without also sending along a few of her own. She vaguely recalled the nearby dragon, but she was certain Karza wasn¡¯t stupid enough to cause trouble in the order. ¡°I will consider intentions well, but I am already receiving an escort from the United Kindom,¡± the Prince assured, but he could how resolute she was, not just within her eyes, but within her authoritative voice. ¡°I ask that you consider our position. We are the Order of Eagle Wing. How can we allow you to walk the nearby lands without the reliable bronze of our order?¡± Morkarai¡¯s insistence would only become more awkward if he continued. He glanced to the side towards the businessfolk, since he was technically escorting them. ¡®How troublesome.¡¯ Adam glanced towards his brother, who was deep in thought, something which unnerved even the half elf. ¡®Are we going to get ourselves killed? What are you thinking about so deeply?¡¯ ¡°We will allow you to escort the Prince to Eagle Wing, and to the nearby fort, in exchange, we Iyrmen would like to drink tea with the Grand Treasurer before we leave.¡± ¡°Who are you to request a meeting with our Grand Treasurer?¡± Sienna asked, suddenly taking in the sight of the Iyrman. ¡°I am Executive Jurot of the United Kindom,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°You know of my grandfather.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± ¡°He is the Mad Dog.¡± Sienna blinked, but though the blink lasted an instant for those looking at her, the blink lasted a near eternity for the Sky Commander. The Order of Eagle Wing had barely changed in the last century, though it had added a few extra estates for its growth, the walls of the order were the same, the nearby fields were the same, and even the large courtyards were the same. The large courtyard, but a hundred steps away, had been the same when she was a girl too. She had played often in the courtyard, kicking the ball with her compatriots, some of whom had long passed due to blade and beast. It was the same courtyard in which she had watched her mentor leave, a Vice Commander at the time, who returned as the Sky Commander when the Sky Commander of that time was killed upon the battlefield. When her mentor returned, he had gained a new scar, that which had taken his left eye, as though an axe had threatened to cut through his skull, though his blade had managed to stop it in its path, barely. ¡®It was my mistake,¡¯ the Sky Commander had said back then. ¡®I should not have underestimated the threat the Iyrmen pose.¡¯ The one who had taken the previous Sky Commander¡¯s eye had been Mad Dog, that Mad Dog who gained so many nicknames, one might have thought him a myth. It was a name, however, which the newest generations had all but forgotten, but not the likes of Sienna, and not the likes of the Right Wing, the Grand Bishop, or the Grand Treasurer. ¡°You... are the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson?¡± Sienna asked, calming her heart. ¡°I am,¡± Jurot replied, inhaling deeply, pride filling his lungs. He didn¡¯t want to show off too much, but it was a chance for the Iyrmen to meet with the Grand Treasurer. ¡°Our warriors will escort the Prince to your business.¡± ¡°To a fort before the forest,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We will send four of our own.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°If the demons are seen as a threat, our members will have full rights to kill them.¡± ¡°Please send your best so that we may enjoy the fight.¡± ¡®He is definitely the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson.¡¯ ¡°Seriously, how many Orders are we going to have to beat up this year?¡± a voice broke through the silence, the young half elf letting out a sigh. ¡°If the Order of Eagle Wing wishes to slay them, they must first request permission from Life¡¯s Rose, as I, Ray Vonda, have been tasked to watch over the demons.¡± Sienna glanced towards the Priest of Death, adorned in his heavy plate of purple, wearing an obsidian amulet of the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death, then her eyes fell to the Priest of Life, who wore an amulet of a silver sun beneath the amulet of Mother Soza, Goddess of Life. ¡°If you fail in reigning them in, we will be forced to act,¡± the Sky Commander stated. ¡°I will not fail in my duty,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Whoa.¡± Adam thought about how strong Jarot was, and to think that old man was technically weaker than the Sky Commander... ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t mess around.¡± ¡°It is wise to be cautious.¡± As evening fell across the land, the walls of Eagle Wing greeted the group. The walls were long and wide, wrapping around the hill, which the layered town was built upon. The guards stood tall and proud, adorned in their breastplate, stamped with the symbol of an eagle, with dusky tan cloaks around their shoulders, compared to the vibrant brass cloaks of the Order members. The guards carried short blades at their sides, but wielded spears in hand. Their helmets were patterned with wings across the side, though did not jut out much, especially compared to the Order members. While the guards in the other towns were more lax, these guards were completely focused upon their task, and though they but shadows compared to the Order members escorting the group, these guards were still far more impressive than those found in most other towns. ¡°Halt!¡± the guards exclaimed as they approached the gate, the pair throwing out a hand simultaneously. ¡°Sir Evelyn, Vice Commander of the Order of Eagle Wing,¡± the Vice Commander called, handing over a small badge to the guards, waiting for the to process the group. ¡°What brings a Vice Commander along with such a group,¡± the guard asked. ¡°We are escorting Prince Morkarai through the land.¡± ¡°Prince Morkarai?¡± ¡°Seventh Prince of the Fire Giants.¡± Once the guards finished confirming the identification of the Vice Commander, double checking the information they had received that morning, they allowed the group in once the gate fee was paid. The pathway was wide, easily allowing fifty people to walk side by side. The next tier of the city began a half mile ahead, with its own set of walls and guards, but the bustling people within the town made it difficult to see. The floor was smooth, the buildings to the side made of stone or wood, each small cubes. Muted tans and creams dominated the city, even the people, who wore very little colour, as opposed to those in East Port. Many of the cityfolk within wore small blades or axes at their side, while some walked with a staff I hand. ¡°Let¡¯s stick to an inn on the outside.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, already feeling the gazes of all manner of figures eyeing them up. As the group settled within a large inn, one which was more like a large estate than an inn, a group of guards approached. These guards were not like the guards of the town, who were already impressive, but those who wore bronze breastplates, almost like the order members, save their bronze was slightly darker, and their capes were white with silver trim. ¡®Oh man...¡¯ Adam thought, preparing himself for trouble. He blinked, watching the guards escort Prince Morkarai away to the Count¡¯s estate. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Jaygak followed the Prince with Kitool, letting out a sigh. ¡®Why do I have to go too?¡¯ She glanced aside to the pair of Order members following them. ¡®The Vice Commander should have followed.¡¯ Jurot thought about whether he should remain within the inn since the Vice Commander was there to watch over the demons, but his eyes then fell to Vonda. He inhaled deeply and made the decision to leave, to go deal with matters of the Iyr, noting the plainly clothed guards following him. It was always awkward for the Iyr to move freely in Eagle Wing, so he made his way to the nearby market stall, procuring some wood quickly, and trapped between two pieces of wood, a small slip of paper. Jurot prepared himself to fight as he returned back to the inn, only to find it peaceful, with the Vice Commander sticking to one side, keeping an eye on the demons, while Adam assisted the Aswadian toddlers with their meals. ¡°Mustafa, I know you¡¯re cute, but you need to eat your vegetables.¡± The boy blinked at the half elf, before being distracted by the cup of milk brought to his lips, sipping it slowly. ¡°Seriously, this is all your fault for spoiling them, Bilal.¡± Bilal was still unsure of how close Adam was getting to the children, but he had already complained about how he was going to take good care of them at the business as part of the deal previously. ¡®You must be very stressed if you are behaving so adorably,¡¯ Vonda thought, before continuing to feed the youngest twins. Jasmine¡¯s eyes remained focused on the half elf, unsure of how to consider him. She glanced between Adam and Vonda, and considered how complicated and how simple the half elf seemed. ¡®Is he... just a husband and father?¡¯ While the group were relaxing within the inn, Kitool and Jaygak were full of stress as they watched over the Prince while the Count entertained him. As the Prince dismissed himself, Kitool and Jaygak stood, ready to follow the Prince, before the Count called for them. Jaygak and Kitool glanced between one another. The pair were tasked with watching over the Prince, so Jaygak glanced towards Kitool, allowing her to refuse the Count. ¡°Executive Jaygak will remain to speak with you,¡± Kitool said. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Jaygak thought. ¡®Me?¡¯ Kitool? Are you okay? [941] – Y04.041 – Eagle Wing II [941] ¨C Y04.041 ¨C Eagle Wing II Jaygak remained silent, falling deep into thought. ¡®Am I allowed to deal with this?¡¯ Count Eaglewing smiled politely towards the Iyrman. His short hair was stark white and made him appear older than he was, even though his wrinkles were barely seen. Like most nobility, the Count had learnt the martial ways, but the difference between Eaglewing and other nobility was his close relationship with the Order of Eagle Wing. ¡®He is roughly a Grandmaster,¡¯ Jaygak recalled, studying the Count from this close up. Even now she could see the way he carried himself, relaxed within his estate, but not quite relaxed to allow a blade to stick through his throat. Jaygak¡¯s blade remained within arm¡¯s reach, resting against the table to the side, far enough away the guards would have ample time to see her grab her blade and react accordingly. ¡°That would depend on what the exactly order of business would be,¡± Jaygak eventually replied. ¡°A Greater Enhanced blade, one which would spark to life with fire,¡± the Count replied. Jaygak remained silent for a long moment, waiting for him to give more details. ¡°That could be arranged, depending on the payment offered.¡± ¡°Though the war has emptied the coffers of other towns within our fair country, the coffers of Eagle Wing have yet to be emptied. The payment I offer will be more than appropriate.¡± ¡°Then I am assured that for the appropriate offer there will be an appropriate magical weapon of appropriate strength to be sent after an appropriate amount of time.¡± ¡°Ten thousand gold.¡± Count Oscar could see the rising playfulness in the Iyrman¡¯s eyes, the mischief which sparkled so brightly. ¡°Our business requires half upfront, and we require the rest of the half before delivery.¡± ¡°The payment will be sent upon delivery.¡± ¡°You may procure your weapons elsewhere if our terms are unsuitable.¡± ¡°Will you not consider my heritage?¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips formed a wider smile upon hearing the Count¡¯s words. ¡°Why does the United Kindom need to consider the heritage of Aldishmen when it works upon the Iyr¡¯s lands?¡± ¡°The Iyr¡¯s lands which have been protected by the blood of our people for millennia?¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips formed a wife smile. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s lands which have been protected by spilling the blood of your people for millennia.¡± ¡°The stories of the Iyr¡¯s are always of great joy to listen to.¡± ¡°In the Iyr, our history are our stories,¡± Jaygak began, calming her heart. ¡°In Aldland, our stories are fables.¡± She leaned back, sitting taller, prouder. ¡°Before I was born, my grandaunt¡¯s stories were cut short in Aswadasad. It was around that time when other stories were born in Aldland. When you were a child, you must have heard them, the tales of our Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Your Chief¡¯s tales are well known in Aldland.¡± ¡°The stories of our Great Elders were written in blood,¡± Jaygak stated. ¡°Drakebane. Deathhand. Wildheart.¡± ¡°Mad Dog,¡± the Count added, recalling the name that was spoken among them. ¡°There were many Iyrmen who had made names for themselves, but those from my time know of those four in particular. Drakebane, who slew draconic beings as though it were the fashion of the age. Deathhand, who painted with blood so effortlessly. Wildheart and Mad Dog, both who were so ravenous to fight. Wildheart was near undefeated, and defeated many of the legends I grew up hearing about.¡± Count Oscar sipped his wine, narrowing his eyes towards the girl. ¡°The Kid. Undying. Mad Dog. An Iyrman who did not know when to step back. An Iyrman who was defeated again and again, until one day, stories of him defeating, and slaying, all manner of nobles and legends began to spread like wildfire.¡± ¡®He even overshadows greater figures, like the Duteous, and the Bearded Dragon...¡¯ ¡°Stories of the Iyr,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I have no doubt that your people are great, who could deny the strength of the Iyr, but there are few Iyrmen who have reached such heights as those four. For every Drakebane, there is an Eagle, a Black Hawk, a Golden Hand.¡± It was only upon seeing Jaygak¡¯s smirk that the Count realised why those names came to him first, for the rumours were that the Mad Dog had defeated them all. ¡°We have Rain Blade, Gold Blade, Black Blade, and so many more. Even if one considers the Grand Commanders of all the orders, the Vice Commanders too, even if the Iyr possesses two hundred Grandmasters, and a handful of Paragons, Aldland possesses a far greater number.¡± ¡°There are many great warriors all across Aldland, from North Amber, all the way to Jaghi, all the way to West Fort, all the way to Red Oak, all the way to Eagle Wing, all the way to East Port.¡± Count Oscar remained silent, trying to understand Jaygak¡¯s point. She was admitting to him that Aldland possessed great warriors from all across the land, and yet, somehow, her tone suggested the Iyr was superior. ¡®Eagle Wing must have had greater influence on this fort,¡¯ Kitool thought, glancing around to note that the soldiers stationed here were adorned in the armour of Eagle Wing, while their Captains were each from the nobility of East Wing. ¡°I swear this road wasn¡¯t here,¡± Adam said as they drove along the new road, which was as wide as the previous roads, though the stones cobbled together were far smaller, the size of a fist rather than the size of a bull¡¯s head. ¡°Eagle Wing works swiftly,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°They made this road?¡± ¡°They started and finished it last year,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°I have to admit it¡¯s a little embarrassing to hear that...¡± Adam was surprised to see how quick and effective Aldland was in creating whatever it needed, not quite as quick as the Iyr, but faster than his civilised modern country from his first life. ¡®Damn.¡¯ The second fort was not quite as impressive, built slightly further away than a typical day¡¯s journey, was more like the outpost built towards the villages. It was here the Vice Commander watched the group continue on, not southward, but westward, veering slightly north, towards the other minor fort, following the newly built road. She had expected them to go southward, towards the village, not towards the other minor fort. ¡°Phew, finally...¡± Adam inhaled deeply one they had left, and let out an equally deep sigh. ¡°I half expected her to follow us. Actually, I fully expected her to pick a fight.¡± ¡°They must have received word of our confrontation with the Order earlier this year,¡± Jurot said, though he hadn¡¯t expected the Order members to pick a fight anyway. ¡°They are zealous in their duty, but they fight threats as a small army, not as handful of warriors sent to deal with two demons.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam realised he didn¡¯t know much about the orders, just bits and pieces. ¡®I should study Aldland more, just in case...¡¯ As the group continued back to the business, Jasmine continued to ponder Morkarai¡¯s words. It was only upon seeing Adam finally step forward that she understood what Morkarai had meant. ¡°Isn¡¯t the fort meant to be dealing with threats like this?¡± Adam asked, swinging his axe in front of him as he stretched out his muscles. ¡°Since it¡¯s undead, I can kill it, right?¡± ¡®Damn it. We¡¯re almost home and you¡¯re bothering me? You¡¯re courting death.¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, strapping his own shield, readying himself. In front of the group floated several creatures, one full of black death, the others a deep blue, reeking with the stench of death. The black creature was larger and thicker, domineering over the deep blue strands which formed vague humanoid shapes. ¡°I thought wraiths were a Northern thing?¡± ¡°It is far south,¡± Jurot admitted. It was rare to see such undead so close to the Iyr¡¯s land, only the mindless skeletons were typically so fearless. The wraith reached out a finger and beckoned them closer. The soft raspy breath filled the air. It spoke words of an ancient tongue long lost to man. ¡°Do you know what it said?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°If I allow you to fight, will you give me its core?¡± Karza asked, grinning wife. ¡°If you wish to fight, you may, but tickling them with your lightning will only assist so much,¡± Jaygak teased. Karza frowned. ¡°Even if my lightning only tickles them, it will still harm them.¡± ¡°You know, consider how much trouble I thought you were going to be, it should be okay for us to-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, readying himself as the mass of undead spectres charged towards them, the wraith floating behind them. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 6 (5) We''re getting close to the best arc! [942] – Y04.042 – Undeath [942] ¨C Y04.042 ¨C Undeath ¡°Pshoo!¡± Jirot held out her hands in front of her, concentrating as she squatted and narrowed her eyes. ¡°Fiyahball!¡± Her exclamations carried all through the park, while her greatfather sipped away at his wine, proud to think only his greatdaughter could play so well. ¡°Pshoo! Kwoo! Pshoo!¡± ¡°Hwah!¡± Little Jarot swiped the air with his imaginary axe, letting out grunts and gasps as he hopped and skipped about the imaginary battlefield, easily beating up the dragons who had dared to fight him. After all, he was the Mad Dog. ¡®I am so strong!¡¯ He huffed out arrogantly. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot shouted as she darted to him. She smirked, holding up her hands. ¡°Fiyah! Ball! Pshoo!¡± ¡°Hah? Are you your father, that you can cast such great magic?¡± ¡°Yes! I am daddy! I am cast fiyahball. Kwooroo!¡± ¡°I am your babo, not even your father¡¯s Fireball can defeat me!¡± Jirot blinked, staring up at her greatfather in awe. ¡°Babo! I not daddy! I daddy¡¯s dohta!¡± ¡°You are your father¡¯s daughter?¡± The older Iyrman reached up to rub his chin in thought, letting out a hum of thought. ¡°Then your Fireball can defeat me?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then I am defeated,¡± the old Iyrman said, slumping back in his seat, closing his eyes. ¡°Kekekeke!¡± As Jirot bullied her greatfather, her eldest sister grabbed the ball and tossed it back towards her baba. Tonagek caught the ball, before tossing it towards Kirot, who blinked as it fell in front of her. She squatted, her tails swaying from side to side eagerly, before it stopped, pressing onto the floor to help stabilise her as she tossed it awkwardly, the ball slipping out of her hand to fall behind her. She blinked, staring ahead of her to try and find the ball. ¡°Kirot, behind,¡± Konarot called, pointing towards the ball behind her. ¡°Ock!¡± Kirot dropped down to grab the ball, before tossing it again, this time towards Tonagek¡¯s knees, the Iyrman catching the ball with a gentle crouch. Karot braced himself, standing tall and strong, his tail pressed against the earth behind him. He scooped his arms forward right as the ball struck the earth before him, the boy pouting slightly, before he grabbed the ball and tossed it back, managing to toss it back towards the Iyrman¡¯s chest, who caught it with ease. ¡°You all throw so well,¡± Tonagek said, before tossing the ball to his son, who stood tall and firm. The chonky little Danagek grabbed the ball with a hand and tossed it towards his father, but it struck the floor but a few steps away from him.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m) Danagek stared at where the ball landed, before looking up, catching his father¡¯s eyes. ¡°Eh?¡± He threw out his arms in exasperation, as though it was the balls fault it was not thrown well. ¡°You are right,¡± Tonagek replied, limping towards the ball, before a cackling little girl darted past him to grab the ball. ¡°Babo! Babo!¡± Jirot giggled wildly, holding the ball up as she dashed towards her greatfather. ¡°You must pass it to your sister!¡± Jarot called out. Jirot stopped in her tracks, blinked as she processed what her greatfather said, before she cackled once more as she turned and ran towards her eldest sister, ball in hand. ¡°Jirot,¡± Konarot called, accepting the ball from her sister, waddling over to Tonagek. ¡°Konarot, bring the ball to me,¡± the old one armed Iyrman called. Konarot stopped, half way towards Tonagek already. She blinked. She looked up towards Tonagek, then to Jarot. ¡°Konarot,¡± Tonagek began. ¡°Go to your greatfather.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, rushing to her greatfather, holding up the ball to him. ¡°How sensible!¡± Jarot ruffled her hair before accepting the ball. ¡°Kirot! You must bring the ball, okay?¡± The next day, the group managed to approach the village during the late afternoon. Jurot and Kitool spoke with the Chief, finding out the bad news that there were a few villagers who had made their way north, but hadn¡¯t returned in time. While informing the Chief of the bad news, the Chief slipped the pair a small piece of paper, which Kitool read, before handing it to Jaygak. ¡°Karza,¡± Jaygak called, smirking slightly. ¡°You should leave.¡± ¡°Leave?¡± ¡°You should not approach the Iyr at this time.¡± ¡°Can the Iyr dictate where I can and cannot go?¡± Jaygak threw a look to Morkarai. ¡°If Karza wishes to come, she will be slain.¡± Karza met Morkarai¡¯s confused gaze. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Iyrman?¡± ¡°There are certain matters we cannot explain,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Matters of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Karza, don¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Morkarai warned. ¡°I came all this way and assisting escorting you all! Do you know how many creatures left us be due to my presence? Now you¡¯re telling me to leave?¡± Lightning crackled around the dragon. ¡°I¡¯ve said what I had to out of respect for Prince Morkarai.¡± Jaygak shrugged her shoulders. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll leave because you threatened me?¡± Karza growled, lightning crackling within her mouth. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Adam asked, noting how loud everyone had become. ¡°She cannot come to the business, due to certain matters of the Iyr,¡± Jaygak explained. ¡°Damn. What a shame, since you¡¯ve helped us quite a bit coming all this way...¡± Adam didn¡¯t want to know why the Iyr wasn¡¯t going to allow the dragon to approach. He hadn¡¯t heard of this happening before, since the Iyr welcomed all manner of guests openly, except for when it closed its gates. ¡°Unbelievable!¡± ¡°How about the business smooths things over. Lady Karza, you have been invaluable in assisting us all this way, and we truly appreciate it. Why don¡¯t we consider this a favour to us, one that you can cash in for a Greater Enhanced weapon?¡± ¡°Do you think a little gold will...¡± Karza paused, having expected for the half elf to offer her a pile of gold. ¡°A Greater Enhanced weapon?¡± ¡°Indeed. If you have a Greater Enhanced weapon with particular specifications, please let us know, and we¡¯ll pass it on to the Enchanter, who shall create it at some point and you may retrieve it from the business.¡± ¡°Not the business, but East Port,¡± Jaygak corrected. ¡°As you say, Executive Jaygak.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯d like a lightning sword,¡± Karza said. ¡°Of course.¡± Karza remained silent for a long while, before catching Morkarai¡¯s look. ¡°Is he messing with me?¡± she asked in the giant¡¯s tongue. ¡°It will be done,¡± Morkarai assured, confused as to why the Iyr wasn¡¯t going to allow the dragon close. It was rare to hear the Iyr treating them in such a way, but the next evening he understood. ¡®What madness is this?¡¯ Bilal cursed within his mind, almost frozen in shock. The best arc has now begun! Seeing what''s happened in the last 40 chapters and seeing what happens in the next 40 chapters is night and day. However, you need to give me at least 20 chapters first, because the best arc has begun! [943] – Y04.043 – Happy [943] ¨C Y04.043 ¨C Happy The purple of dusk basked the fields in its gentle warmth, and painted the mighty walls in its fluorescence. Yet, the sight of the great fort, not those of the Aldish sort, was not which brought Adam the most joy. "Daddy! Daddy!" called the chorus of voices, the five children charging towards the half elf in purple. Unable to pick which of his children he wished to embrace first, he dropped to his knees and held out his arms, allowing them to tackle him. "Careful," Vonda said, not wanting the children to slam themselves against Adam''s puthral plate. "Oooh! You! You smelly little girls and boys! How could you do this to me? How can you be so cute even when I''m gone?" Adam pulled his children in close, gently swaying from side to side as they all embraced so tenderly. A rush of warmth filled the half elf, so different than the tingling excitement which filled his children. "Daddy! You are back!" Jirot accused, trying to climb up her father. "I am, I am, and mummy is back too, look," Adam said, wrapping an arm around the twins'' bottoms as he pinned them to his chest. "What do you say to mummy?" "Welcome back, mummy," Jirot said, only to find herself assaulted by her father''s affection. "I can''t keep you all to myself." Adam nuzzled against their necks, smelling the oils of the Iyr upon their skin. The nostalgic scent filled his heart, the half elf burying his face against their necks, blowing raspberries against their skin. "Daddy! Daddy!" Jirot squealed, squirming as she tried to flee, managing to do so with her strength, swiftness, her cunning, and of course, her father''s permission as he squatted down to let the twins flee to their mother. Vonda hoisted the pair up with ease, pulling them close to her chest. "Mummy!" Jirot called, her amber eyes beaming up towards the Ray. Though her lips were a smirk, a shadow of shyness tempered the mischief. "My Jirot." Vonda leaned in to plant a kiss on the girl''s forehead, doing the same to her son, who rested his head against his mother''s bosom so peacefully. "Did you behave?" Jirot cackled. "Yes..." She continued to cackle wildly, almost squealing as she hid her face against her mother''s bosom, giggling wildly into it. Adam removed his gauntlets and his gloves, reaching up to hold his eldest daughter''s face, feeling how cool she was, how soft her skin was. He brushed along her face, his thumb brushing along the scar near her eye. "Konababy. Did you have fun?" "Yes." Adam pulled her head to his chest and he peppered her head with kisses, before doing the same to Kirot and Karot. He brushed their hair, and held their faces as he planted firm kisses on their cheeks, nuzzling their noses. "Daddy missed you all so much." Basking in the softness of his children''s adoration, Adam gently rocked from side to side. He could not feel the gazes of the others around him, though there were many staring at the fool of a father embracing his children, they thought nothing of it. Save a single figure. Quest Complete: Children Safe XP Gained: +100 XP: 11 000 -> 11 100 ''Bavwa? Why are there bavwa here?'' Bilal stared at the tiny green children, whose mother, a Ray of Life''s Rose, doted upon them so tenderly. ''What madness is this?'' "Mister Adam, what are those?" Elsie asked, pointing towards the two green balls within the Ray''s arms. "Those are Jirot and Jarot. My children." "They''re not children, they''re goblins," the girl replied, tilting her head slightly. "They''re my children, Elsie. I''m their father." Elsie furrowed her brows, glancing towards the Ray incredulously for support. "They are my children, Elsie,¡± Ray Vonda stated. ¡°Mother Soza''s grace extends to all children." The girl placed her hands on her chest, praying lightly as she did, all the while looking towards the Ray sheepishly. She glanced between the goblins and then the Ray. She had always heard goblins were beasts, but if Ray Vonda said they were her children, then did that mean her children were beasts? ¡®Damn it.¡¯ "Elsie, why don''t I introduce you to someone? Come on." Adam flashed a warm smile towards the girl, leading her to the side. Adam glanced between the figures, each of whom had cut their hair short, the sides and back slightly shorter than the hair atop their heads. ¡®It was hard enough to remember your names when you had different hair...¡¯ ¡°Executive,¡± Cobra greeted. ¡°Cobra, this is Elsie, she... I was hoping you would watch over her like you did the rest of your siblings.¡± ¡°You¡¯d like me to adopt her?¡± ¡°Not quite.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how the girl would feel with a new family so soon. ¡°Just, you know, watch over her. Treat her like you would your siblings, but...¡± Adam dropped down to a knee and ruffled Elsie¡¯s hair. ¡°Say hello to Cobra, Elsie.¡± ¡°Hello, miss Cobra.¡± ¡°Cobra here is from East Port, like you.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Elsie said, her eyes snapping up towards Cobra. ¡°I¡¯m from East Port too!¡± ¡°Right, right, so Cobra is going to look after you. She¡¯ll be like your cousin, since she¡¯s from East Port.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a cousin named Cobra.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Adam ruffled her hair again. ¡°Then Cobra will be your... I¡¯m not sure what the word for it is, but you¡¯ll be like her ward?¡± ¡°Ward?¡± Elsie asked, blinking. ¡°Ah, well, don¡¯t worry about it. Just know that you¡¯re a member of this business, meaning you¡¯re a part of our family now, so we¡¯ll take good care of you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not your family, mister, my family¡¯s dead,¡± the girl said, calmly. Her lower lip began to quiver. Adam picked the girl up, ruffling her hair as her body began to shake as she sobbed. ¡°I know. I know.¡± Adam rocked from side to side, catching Cobra¡¯s eyes for a moment, frowning towards her. He then carried the girl to Vonda, allowing her to take the girl from his arms to calm her down elsewhere. ¡°I expected you would bring back children,¡± Dunes called, shaking Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°Just the one,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Well...¡± Adam threw a glance towards the Aswadian children for a moment. Dunes glanced towards Vonda, narrowing his eyes slightly, before smiling towards Adam. ¡°I have good news too.¡± She blinked. She looked up towards the bird. ¡°Okay.¡± Jasmine furrowed her brows, staring at the family of the half elf. He was a half elf, his wife was human, his children were half dragons, goblins, and what seemed to be a demon, and his brother was an Iyrman. Adam remained sitting between his family, but his neck pulsed lightly. His own eyes fell to the newcomers of the business, Jasmine, Vasera, and Bilal. He hadn¡¯t informed them of the matter of his children, and with Vasera heading out, it meant there was a chance rumours could spread. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ ¡°Aunt...¡± Adam began, before glancing all across the others nearby. ¡°Director.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Even if you are his nana, it¡¯s not right for you to claim Larot for yourself! He¡¯s my son! I want to kiss him a lot too!¡± Sonarot smiled, holding the boy up for Adam to take, the half elf quickly, carefully, scooped his son out of her arms before he held the boy close to his chest, kissing the boy¡¯s forehead. However, Larot pulled his head away from his father, and reached out to his grandmother. ¡°What is this? Aunt! How could you steal away my son from me?¡± ¡®You bastard! I was so sick and it was definitely your fault!¡¯ Larot¡¯s face, usually stone cold, was even icier that day. ¡°How could this happen to me?¡± Adam sniffled. ¡°Do you see this, Bilal? How could this be?¡± ¡°...¡± Bilal wasn¡¯t sure what to say, glancing between all the Iyrmen, noting how many of them were focused on him. He could sense many others hiding in the shadow too, with their attention solely upon him. ¡°Jarot! Jarot, my boy, my beautiful baby boy, did you miss me?¡± Adam asked, asking Jarot before Jirot, because otherwise his heart couldn¡¯t take it. ¡°I miss you daddy,¡± the boy replied shyly. ¡°Oh my poor boy, how could your father do this to you?¡± Adam asked as he pulled the boy in for a deeper hug, kissing him more ¡°I did noh miss daddy,¡± Jirot said, smirking towards her father. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot smiled proudly. ¡°So... does that mean my little Jirot wants me to stay outside the fort?¡± ¡°No! You must stay here!¡± Jirot held up a finger threateningly. ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Adam held out his arms, and Jirot quickly rushed up into his arms and the pair embraced once more, Adam peppering her with kisses. ¡°Daddy, you make me sad you are gone, but I forgive you, just once, okay?¡± ¡°Just this once?¡± ¡°Just this once,¡± Jirot stated. ¡°How kind is my daughter?¡± Adam kissed her forehead. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why is mommy have baby?¡± Brittany spat out a shower of water, taking away attention from Morkarai, who pat his chest and quickly wiped his face as he almost choked on his own drink. ¡°Well...¡± Adam could feel all the gazes upon him. ¡°Mummy and daddy wanted a baby, so mummy is making one for us.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I love you all so much!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You smelly girl.¡± Adam kissed her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s because you make me so happy.¡± ¡°I make daddy happy?¡± ¡°Yes. So happy. The happiest dad ever.¡± Jirot flushed slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Vasera exchanged a look with Rook, who raised his brows, unable to contain his surprise. Vasera glanced back towards the children, her eyes glued to Jirot in particular, who leaned up to nuzzle against her father¡¯s nose. ¡°I see now why Adam is so afraid of her.¡± Rook chuckled. ¡°Yeah.¡± Konarot stared up at the seatit that lay on her father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Hello,¡± the girl whispered. The seatit looked towards Konarot and tilted its head before laying back down. Konarot frowned. ¡®I did not expect him to be this insane,¡¯ Bilal thought. ¡®If he treats bavwa this well, then...¡¯ Now it''s begun! The best arc that is filled only with wholesomeness and nothing hype happens. *Checks notes.* That happens? Only in... that many chapters? :) [944] – Y04.044 – The Test [944] ¨C Y04.044 ¨C The Test "Larot became sick," Sonarot said, spooning mushy fruit into the boy''s mouth. "Sick?" "A fever took him. Many left to find the herbs required. Fakrot lost his eye during the leave." A sudden chill filled Adam. It was a chill which hurt his heart deeply. He knew, deep within his soul, he was to blame for what happened. He had so many questions to ask, though none were more important than what he should say. "I''m sorry, and thank you." "Do you need to apologise?" Fakrot asked, sitting taller and prouder. "My eye was a small price to pay for my grandnephew''s health." Adam dared to glance into his Aunt''s eyes, before his eyes fell. "Yeah. Well..." Adam brushed along his daughter''s face, rubbing Konarot''s cheek gently. His eyes fell to Larot, who ate from his grandmother''s spoon silently, ignoring his own father. ''Was it an Omen? I didn''t use it much, but...'' "Larot eats well," Sonarot said. "Almost as well as Gurot." "He should eat more so he can become a chonky boy too," Adam said, cutting up a piece of meat for his daughter, bringing it to her lips with his fingers. Konarot opened her mouth wide for the food, slowly chewing it, gently purring within her father¡¯s lap. Adam held the girl within his sight, his eyes following along the shape of her face, the scar beside her eye, her leaf shaped ears, her minute nose, her thin lips, her pointed chin, her pale skin, the strands of silver hair which fell against her neck. Adam had no doubt she wouldn''t remember this moment, but for Adam, this was a moment he might never forget. He hoped he''d never forget. "Konarot." Konarot''s expectant eyes met her father''s. Adam smiled, leaning down to nuzzle her nose, before rubbing his cheek against hers. "Did you say welcome back to mummy?" Konarot shook her head. "You have to say welcome back to mummy too. Go on. Vonda, Ray Vonda," Adam quickly corrected himself. "Konarot wants to say something." Konarot pouted up towards the woman, but as her father brushed her hand with his own, she squirmed. "Welcome back..." "Thank you," Vonda replied, smiling gently towards the girl, but she allowed her daughter space. "Well done." Adam kissed his eldest daughter''s forehead, before glancing to the others. "Welcome back, mummy," Karot said, smiling shyly. "Thank you," Vonda replied, reaching out to rub along his cheek tenderly, while Kirot glanced at her sister, before slowly bowing her head and sheepishly mumbling a greeting too. Vonda reached out towards her silver hair, brushing it tenderly, rubbing her thumb along the girl''s forehead. ''I need to figure out a way for Konarot to get along with Vonda...'' Adam rubbed the side of his neck gently. He reached down to tickle Konarot''s nose gently, the girl squirming slightly against her father, before smiling innocently. ¡°Konababy, who gave you permission to be so cute?¡± Adam pulled her to his chest and planted a firm kiss atop her head once more. Bilal remained silent, his eyes fixated curiously on the half elf who adored his children so much. He had never seen anyone dote on their children as much as Adam doted on his own for the short while they had returned. As the evening continued to pass, the children finishing their meals, and some yawning and groaning for sleep, the stranger who had arrived with his own children stood tall and strong. The fire giant stood opposite, swinging his blade lightly as he warmed himself up. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to explain to either of you that this is just to test Bilal¡¯s abilities, and it¡¯s not to kill one another,¡± Adam said. ¡°If the Prince ends up dying, you¡¯re going to find yourself dead, and Prince Morkarai, if you kill Bilal, I won¡¯t let you go so easily.¡± ¡°I kn-,¡± ¡°Lord Morkarai,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It is Lord Morkarai, not Prince Morkarai,¡± Jurot said, his eyes glued to Adam¡¯s. ¡°This land is the land of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Bilal replied, readying himself. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 14 (4) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 28 (2, 5)(1, 5)(1, 5) 28 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 28 (18) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 28 (2, 3)(2, 3)(4, 5) 28 damage! Adam and Bilal clashed together, with Bilal wincing slightly as the chill of Wraith and the radiant might of Adam¡¯s abilities rocked through his body. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Adam asked, as though he hadn¡¯t just dealt enough damage to completely knock out an Expert. ¡°I am fine.¡± ¡°How many more of those could you take before you were knocked unconscious?¡± ¡°I could take twice as many clashes before I fall.¡± ¡®So about one fifty then?¡¯ Adam thought, before nodding his head. ¡°You¡¯re pretty strong.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Alright, well, I¡¯ll speak with the President to see if you can join.¡± Adam then noted how everyone was looking their way, the curiosity in their eyes betraying their thoughts. ¡°I hope you all enjoyed the fight, but I think it¡¯s time for the children to sleep.¡± Once the businessfolk fled the scene, Adam dropped down beside Vonda, letting out a sigh. He yawned, feeling the tiredness invade his body. ¡®I really need a bath.¡¯ Bilal could still feel it, the gazes of all the figures all around him, judging him. He had long heard of the Iyr while he worked in Aswadasad, and though he had come across a few, he had never had the chance to step onto the Iyr¡¯s lands. ¡®I see how they have lasted this long...¡¯ ¡°President, shall we discuss with Bilal about the deal?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot replied, handing Larot to his mother, before she led Adam, Bilal, and Jurot towards the building in the inner area of the fort. She began to make tea as the three men took their place at the table. ¡°Your name is Bilal?¡± ¡°It is what I go by.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot replied, pouring them each a cup of tea. ¡°You have great strength.¡± ¡°I trained in Aswadasad and was active for many years.¡± ¡°Not under the name of Bilal?¡± ¡°I believe you already know who I am,¡± Bilal replied bluntly. ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°I require assistance,¡± Bilal replied, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts. ¡°I would like for the children to remain here. I believe this business will allow them to flourish. Treat the children well, allow them to learn what they can, and I will lend you my strength. I will live for two decades, perhaps three decades more, and I do not need to eat or drink, so as long as I am housed at the business, you will have one as strong as I assisting.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll give them basic education,¡± Adam assured. ¡°If they want to learn more advanced education, they¡¯ll have to sign a ten year contract with us. They¡¯ll be able to leave once they¡¯re about, what, twenty six or so?¡± ¡°You mentioned the education previously, but you did not go into detail.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll teach the children basic education, and if they are more capable, we¡¯ll move them to advanced education. Basic education consists of numbers and letters, physical training, the languages of Aldish and Aswadian, and training with simple weapons. Advanced education consists of more numbers and letters, think more of a noble¡¯s education, though perhaps not quite as comprehensive as the topics they learn, since we focus on more practical skills. Martial weapons, alchemy, smithing, priestly magics, potentially arcane magic, and potentially enchanting.¡± Bilal blinked, taking a moment to compose himself. ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ A fight? During my adorable child raising arc? Bilal, do you want to die? [945] – Y04.045 – The Joy [945] ¨C Y04.045 ¨C The Joy ¡°Did you know?¡± Jasmine asked, her voice low. ¡°Did I know what?¡± Morkarai replied, sipping the grain wine the farmers had begun to cultivate. ¡°His children were so... unique?¡± Morkarai smiled from behind the cup, finishing the grain wine. He leaned back, his eyes falling on the young woman for a moment, before he closed his eyes. He brushed along his beard. ¡°When they were but babes, they would grab at my beard and tug.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have gifted them many items as the years have passed,¡± Morkarai said, smirking to himself. ¡°They prefer even my gifts to their own father¡¯s.¡± Jasmine fell into thought, unsure of what she should take from his words. The Prince acted as though this was completely normal, but she hadn¡¯t ever heard of anyone who had raised goblins at their own children, especially those of Adam¡¯s kin. ¡®Not even the Iyr is so foolish as to raise goblins.¡¯ Meanwhile, Bilal completed a round of his breath training, exhausting out the stress within his body. ¡°They will learn both Aldish and Aswadian?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the current goal is. We¡¯ve quite a few people from Aswadasad working for us, the Order members, and we¡¯re probably going to expand our business into Aswadasad at some point. We¡¯ll try and teach them Drakken too, but that might not come into play for a few years still since we¡¯re still gathering our bearings.¡± ¡°I would like for the children to learn magic, priestly magics of Life or War, but if they are more capable with wizardry, that is also acceptable,¡± Bilal stated. ¡°Oh? I thought you¡¯d want them to learn more about Noor?¡± ¡°They do not need to be so constrained,¡± Bilal replied, hoping the children would find their home in East Port if they did not find it here. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°We will also require you to train those we ask you to,¡± Sonarot said, holding the warm cup of tea between both hands, her eyes glued to the figure in front of her, who reeked of death as much as any Iyrman. ¡°I will do so.¡± ¡°Alright, then how much should we pay you?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I owe you a great debt.¡±U//ppTodated fr/o/m ¡°If your children are following the normal rules of our business, then we need to pay you properly,¡± Adam said sternly. ¡°We¡¯re still figuring out proper pay, but right now it¡¯s ten gold each month for the basic pay, but we¡¯re paying Experts twenty gold, and we Executives are earning about thirty a month or so?¡± Bilal noted how Adam was half confused as he tried to recall the numbers. ¡°Are you willing to tell us more about your situation?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is best you do not know.¡± ¡°Alright, well, will you tell me about these children?¡± ¡°They are children of my companions, but they do not know of their own parents. They were raised by a... relative of mine whose health had begun to fail.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t help them?¡± ¡°Even I cannot stand against the sands of time.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Are any of the children yours?¡± Bilal remained silent. ¡°Do you not want to say?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Alright, well... that¡¯s a little awkward because Jurot already knows.¡± ¡°I have a great ability to discern a parent and child,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I hope that you will keep it a secret.¡± ¡°I will inform the President and my brother, but I will not inform any other.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me,¡± Adam said. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from telling the President, but I don¡¯t need to know.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll put you on the silver track of payment, but you¡¯ll get ten gold a month, and I¡¯ll put aside the rest of the coin as a fund for the children. Once they are of age, they can take part of their share and do whatever they want with it, and once they leave the business they can have the rest of the share.¡± ¡°You may give the children all the money.¡± Jirot smirked, tightening her fists around the coins, causing little Jarot to do the same, the pair clutching the coins to their chest. ¡°What do you say to Lord Morkarai for his gifts?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Jirot.¡± Adam raised his brows. The girl pretended to pout, before she cackled. ¡°Jarot, you are so sensible, what do you say?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Jarot said meekly. ¡°Thank you!¡± Jirot exclaimed, before yawning, blinking away her sleepiness again. ¡°Do you see how well behaved my children are?¡± Adam fawned, kissing his children¡¯s cheeks before pulling them away, taking them to bathe. ¡°Konababy, come, you too Kibaby and Kababy. It¡¯s time to bathe and to sleep.¡± Konarot jumped up onto her feet, having already been half asleep, but she stumbled to her father, grabbing his leg to brace herself as she tried to fight off the sleepiness. Her siblings also followed after her as the group made their way to the baths, with Konarot glancing back towards Vonda, who brought up the rear. ¡®...¡¯ Morkarai watched as the family left, leaving behind Larot, who had already fallen asleep beside Fakrot. ¡°You should inform the Iyr of your identity.¡± ¡°...¡± Jasmine glanced towards the giant, who continued to sip away at his grain wine. ¡°They already know, but it is best to speak with them openly, so they will treat you well. They have no machinations so far east, or perhaps, you are not useful for their play in the Confederacy.¡± Jasmine thought on Morkarai¡¯s words, the Prince who had been born in Shakador, and was considered one of the best warriors across the entirety of the Confederacy, and yet he paid so much respect and attention to the Iyr and the fool of a father. Even now, she wasn¡¯t entirely certain what she should think about the half elf. The baths were warm that evening, while Adam used his magic to cool the water in the other basin which held the triplets. ¡°How¡¯s Elsie?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is well. She is more comfortable with the children of East Port. The sounds of their speech are familiar, and it must remind her of home. ¡° ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam rubbed his daughter¡¯s face. ¡°Now that I¡¯m home, you can bully me.¡± ¡°No?¡± Jirot replied, before cackling. ¡°Jarot, will you bully me?¡± Jarot shook his head, before closing his eyes as his father washed his face. ¡°Jirot is definitely my daughter since she causes so much trouble, and Jarot is definitely your son with how well behaved he is,¡± Adam joked, chuckling lightly. Vonda reached over to rub the back of Jarot¡¯s ears to clean them. ¡°Our children are all so well behaved.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, what am I saying?¡± Adam replied, before both he and Vonda looked down to Jirot, whose innocent amber eyes were focused on the water in front of her, which shimmered with the waves as the light from above fell upon it. ¡°Daddy,¡± Konarot called, pouting slightly. ¡°Ah, sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to ignore you all,¡± Adam said, reaching over to rub Konarot¡¯s face, before washing his triplets too. The pair worked the lotions into their children¡¯s skin, Adam assisting the triplets, before they finally changed their children. Adam carried his triplets, while Sonarot assisted in carrying the twins, having waited for them so she could assist with them brushing their teeth since Jirot liked to challenge her during such a time. ¡°Aunt,¡± Adam began, speaking to his Aunt to one side. ¡°During our travels, Vonda...¡± ¡°I know,¡± Sonarot said, reaching up to brush Adam¡¯s hair gently. ¡°We have divined the child will be born safe and healthy.¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I do that?¡¯ ¡°Well... as long as nothing changes, right?¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Yes. Vonda is here now. She is safe.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Jirot and Jarot were already snoozing beside their mother, while the triplets awaited their father¡¯s return, quickly trapping them under him, with the younger brother and sister each claiming an arm, while Konarot pinned her father¡¯s torso under her. ¡®You¡¯ve grown,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling his daughter¡¯s weight against his chest and stomach. The soft snoring of his family all around him coaxed him to slumber. Konarot¡¯s breath gently tickled against his neck. ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Adam thought, filled with a sense of great relief. How adorable. Thankfully nothing goes terribly wrong in this arc... :) [946] – Y04.046 – Promises I [946] ¨C Y04.046 ¨C Promises I ¡°Mummy!¡± Jirot called out, pointing a finger at her mother threateningly. ¡°Daddy say you must eat, okay? Is foh the baby, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda replied, bringing a potato to her daughter¡¯s lips, the girl quickly distracted by her favourite food. Konarot held Adam¡¯s hand, resting her head against his arm, her eyes glued to her younger sister and brother doting on the woman. ¡°You¡¯ll have a new brother or sister soon, and papo Jurot is about to have a little boy or girl soon too, your cousin, your first cousin, your first first cousin?¡± Adam said, almost confusing himself. ¡°We have to look after them, especially since you¡¯re the oldest.¡± ¡°Okay, daddy.¡± ¡°Nana always looks after you, doesn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The Iyr has always looked after us too, right? So we have to look after it as well.¡± ¡°Okay, daddy.¡± Adam held his daughter¡¯s hand, brushing along the back of her knuckles with his thumb. ¡°You¡¯re such a good girl, so I don¡¯t have to worry at all, I know you¡¯ll take good care of them.¡± Konarot smiled, burying her head against her father¡¯s arm, feeling his warmth, smelling his familiar scent. She gasped as she was hoisted up into her father¡¯s arms, the older man unable to contain himself as he ruffled her hair and hugged her tight. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely protect you all, my little babbies!¡± Adam peppered her eldest daughter with kisses, nuzzling against her nose, the girl smiling as she placed her head against his chest and sucked her thumb, her tail swaying lightly. Jurot remained silent, thinking of Adam¡¯s words. He wasn¡¯t sure if Adam had let slip his worries on purpose, nor if the children understood what their father had admitted. Jurot¡¯s heart throbbed as a darkness slipped further into it. ¡®It will be fine.¡¯ The morning routine of the business continued as normal after breakfast, with the children following Manager Dunes to begin their workout. ¡°Come on, Elsie,¡± Adam said, holding out his hand for the girl. Elsie stared at the hand for a moment, before taking his hand, following after the half elf. ¡°Adam, you should take the Aswadian children with you too,¡± Vonda called out. ¡°Ah, right.¡± Adam glanced back towards the children. ¡°Karim, Ali, Omer...¡± The trio of boys glanced upwards towards Adam upon hearing their names. ¡°It¡¯s time to...¡± Adam stared into their eyes, which didn¡¯t recognise what he was saying. ¡°Karim, Ali, Omer,¡± Korin called out, before speaking in the Aswadian tongue, the young Oathsworn¡¯s charming smile coaxing the children. It was only upon Bilal¡¯s nod that the children followed after Korin. ¡®I should learn the language. Should I take it now? Or should I pretend like I¡¯m learning it and then take it later?¡¯ Karim, Ali, and Omer each took to the workouts quickly, while Elsie followed with some effort. However, at one point in time the boys shifted to a set of lunges, while Dunes led the squats. The boys glanced between each other confused but followed in step with the rest of the children. ¡°They do it differently here,¡± Karim said to Bilal upon their return. ¡°The Priest is from the Order of Black Mountain, from the North,¡± Bilal explained. ¡°They train differently there.¡± ¡°It is so diculous,¡± Ali said. ¡°Tickilus,¡± Omer agreed. ¡°Ridiculous,¡± Bilal corrected. The children were then taken to bathe, including the new children, each watched over by their guardians, before they joined the rest of the children for tutoring. Dunes split them between age groups first, teaching them with stories first, before then focusing on more specific education.DiiSco?ver new stories on The only children which didn¡¯t join them were the six children who had come with the Iyrmen, each of whom were bullying their father with their cuteness. ¡°You are always killing hydras, daddy,¡± Jirot said, almost accusatory. ¡°What can I say? It seems that hydras are attracted to how handsome daddy is, but they don¡¯t know I¡¯m already mummy¡¯s.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Silly hydras,¡± Jirot said, oblivious to the redness of her mother, who couldn¡¯t help but be embarrassed by how cringe their father was. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°I saying it.¡± ¡°Sure?¡± Jeremy paused for a moment, wondering if he could mention it in front of the others. ¡°Ya see... I¡¯ve been wondering, that¡¯s all, nothing too serious, about how I can earn me a magical weapon too.¡± ¡°A magical weapon?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Jeremy said, clearing his throat awkwardly. ¡°Not saying that you don¡¯t treat us right, it¡¯s just that, I¡¯m hoping I can work harder so I can earn a magical weapon.¡± ¡°The magical weapon will come in time,¡± Adam assured. ¡°You¡¯ve been working with us for... almost five years now, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Close to it.¡± ¡°Five years...¡± Adam thought to how much they did together. ¡°Now that I think about it... Jeremy, Remy, were you both...¡± History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 6 (3) ¡°How do I say this... does the name... Lady Elaveil, no, Lady Ulaveil mean anything to you.¡± The cousins each tipped their hats, glancing towards Gimon, who glanced between them all. ¡®Were they there then?¡¯ ¡°What does that name mean to you?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the name of Lady Elaveil¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Aye, it was an honour for us to be of service for her.¡± ¡®It sounds like they were...¡¯ Adam glanced between their eyes. ¡°So... you guys were there with us, right?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Remy finally dared said. ¡°You reached out to us when we were sinking.¡± Adam flushed slightly, having forgotten that he had dove in for them when they had slipped between realms. ¡°Right, right, aren¡¯t I so amazing? Do you hear that Konarot? Your father is so amazing, even though he came third place in the tournament, isn¡¯t he first place for being such a great person?¡± Konarot held up a thumbs up for her father. ¡°Good job, daddy.¡± Adam closed his eyes, reaching up to his heart. First he had allowed the real sensation of pride flood through him, before he tempered it with his cringe. ¡°Do you see that? My kid is so cute, even though I never gave her permission to be so cute!¡± Remy and Jeremy, who had followed Adam all this way, and all this time, smiled. Not once had they regretted following Adam, even though adventuring with him had almost gotten them killed multiple times, but which within their families could ever claim to have slain as many hydras as them? ¡°Anyway, since we¡¯ve been on quite some adventures together, I¡¯ll pass on word to the Enchanter to see when we can schedule in some weapons for you. Since you¡¯ve been with us from the beginning, along with Nobby, I should have considered you at first. I passed along weapons to Nobby and Brittany since their work is a little different, I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Nothing like that,¡± Remy assured. ¡°Don¡¯t mind us.¡± ¡°Aye, I didn¡¯t think of anything like that, Executive, I just... as yer showing off to your own children, I wanted to show off too.¡± Adam smiled, reaching out to pat their shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re right. When you work for the United Kindom, you should show off to your kids!¡± He laughed, causing his children to laugh and giggle too, swept up in the atmosphere. Adam waved as he left the farmers to their work, noting that Rick and John remained, the others had gone to Red Oak to auction the weapon. ¡°Seeing you all work so hard so safely...¡± Adam paused, basking in what he had managed to accomplish, not by himself, but with his friends and family. ¡°It brings joy to my heart. Don¡¯t tell them that I said that, though.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Gimon assured. ¡°I don¡¯t want any of you working too hard when it isn¡¯t needed, though. Save your strength for when it¡¯s really needed. If there¡¯s nothing to do, then take a break. Take a break if you feel too tired too. If you¡¯re working harder than the Executives, how can we justify our pay?¡± Adam huffed, flashing Gimon a smile. ¡°Of course, sir.¡± A scream pierced the air. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Adam asked, his heartbeat quickening, before he heard where the scream came from, and he calmed his heart. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°A powerful scream like that, it could only come from one adorable little girl.¡± Adam puffed out his chest, crossing his hands behind his back as he approached the fort, the sobs and crying greeting him. Who could it possibly be? [947] – Y04.047 – Promises II [947] ¨C Y04.047 ¨C Promises II ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that you needed to look after mummy, you smelly girl?¡± Adam asked, ruffling Jirot¡¯s hair, before cleaning her face, doing the same for little Jarot, who shook as he sobbed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Huuu! Huuu!¡± Jirot sniffled. ¡°Eated the baby!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Eated the baby,¡± the girl said, pointing at Pam. ¡°You smelly girl, kako didn¡¯t eat a baby, she¡¯s pregnant too.¡± Adam blew into the girl¡¯s neck. ¡°Uncle Jurot and aunt Pam wanted to have a baby too. Soon, you¡¯ll have a sibling and a cousin.¡± ¡°Did not eated baby?¡± ¡°No, she didn¡¯t eat the baby.¡± The girl sniffled, her father wiping her face once more. She looked towards her aunt, furrowing her brows, full of confusion. ¡°You have to be nice to kako, and make sure she eats a lot. You need to talk to your cousin too while they¡¯re growing in kako¡¯s belly, but only when she lets you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Did you tell her you ate the baby?¡± Adam asked, noting how red Pam had become, and the awkward frown on her lips. ¡°I was just teasing her.¡± ¡°How can you bully me daughter like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Pam turned a deeper red. ¡°Even if she deserves to be bullied because she always bullies everyone else, she¡¯s too cute to bully, isn¡¯t she?¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on his daughter¡¯s cheek, before nuzzling into his son¡¯s cheek, letting them both slip out of his arms. ¡°You should take it easy too, Pam. You¡¯re giving your father a grandchild, his first, so he should be happy to help out instead.¡± ¡°I came here to make sure he wouldn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°After how much gold my brother handed over, neither of you should ever need to work again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s boring not to work.¡± ¡°Do what you like, but please, don¡¯t force yourself to do too much. It¡¯s a husband¡¯s romance to work hard so that his wife doesn¡¯t have to. Of course, considering this economy, it is quite difficult, especially when one has to raise a child. If only there was a communist death cult that would...¡± Adam glanced around, noting the queer looks he was receiving. ¡°We are not a cult,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It was a joke, but I realised none of you would get it,¡± Adam said, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°We¡¯re a little bit of a cult,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°We are not,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Just a little.¡± Jaygak reached down to pick up the twins, pulling them to her chest. ¡°Are you done causing trouble here? Should we cause a mess in the village?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jirot replied, smiling playfully. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s cause more trouble here!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Jirot threw up her hands, and Jarot smiled wide, holding onto his aunt¡¯s collar as she whisked them away. Adam¡¯s eyes followed the twins as they babbled at their aunt, their eyes darting all around the area, before they finally disappeared, heading towards the village. ¡°Pam...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what he wanted to ask her exactly. They hadn¡¯t had a discussion about his children, and he was feeling a little awkward calling her their aunt when she had signed up for the Iyr, and not for his children. ¡°Don¡¯t my kids cry the cutest?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam smiled, reaching out to brush his triplets¡¯ hair. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s find something mister Gimon can do without your father feeling guilty.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have ta think of anything like that, Executive,¡± the old orphan replied, smiling nervously. ¡°It¡¯ll make me feel better knowing we have someone that...¡± Adam glanced about the area. ¡°You know, now that I think about it, we really do need someone to take care of the greenery around the fort. I¡¯d like some more about the place, and I¡¯d like for you to water the plants.¡± ¡°I can do that, sir.¡± ¡°Mister, or Executive, don¡¯t call me sir.¡± Adam shuddered slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not a noble.¡± ¡®Any more.¡¯ ¡°Though, perhaps I should aim to be a noble. If I¡¯m royalty, doesn¡¯t that mean my children would be called Princesses and Princes?¡± ¡°I suppose they would,¡± Gimon replied, chuckling lightly. ¡®Should I should carve out my own kingdom around this area? I probably can¡¯t right now, not when I¡¯m the Iyr¡¯s dog, and while I¡¯m so weak. It¡¯s not like I can take out an army by myself.¡¯ Adam had conveniently forgotten the mess he had caused last year with the Marquess. Adam made his way to the village, greeting the Chief, before going to greet Nobby, who was chopping down trees in the nearby forest. Adam walked with Konarot, Karot, and Kirot, while Jurot, Kitool, and another Iyrman followed after them. ¡°Nobby, looking good,¡± Adam called out, causing the large fellow to stop and face him. ¡°Mister boss.¡± ¡°How are you doing?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Working hard, I see.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How¡¯s the missus?¡± ¡°Missus?¡± ¡°The wife.¡± ¡°She is good.¡± ¡°Good stuff,¡± Adam said, eyeing up the forest, noting how many trees had been felled that day. ¡°Preparing for winter?¡± ¡°Winter?¡± ¡°Sorry, nightval.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The village is preparing for nightval during noonval?¡± ¡°It is best to prepare sooner,¡± Jurot said, eyeing up the trees. ¡°Should we chop down a few trees while we¡¯re here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We should leave it to the villagers.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave it to my children?¡± Adam asked. Jurot remained silent, the confusion set within his eyes. He watched as Adam chipped into the tree in the side, cutting out a wedge, while he held the tree to make sure it didn¡¯t fall onto the children. Adam held the axe, allowing Konarot to hold it from between his own hands, and allowed her to press the axe into the tree, before he nodded to the Iyrman. Jurot flexed, pushing the tree with some effort, allowing it to drop in front of them. ¡°Wow! Look at you! So strong!¡± Adam lifted up Konarot and peppered her with kisses. ¡°Okay.¡± Dragon Chess (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 14 (11) The pair began to play, and while Konarot set up the Sleeping Claw, Adam had only pushed up three pieces of his own development, before completely pushing forward with his pawns and knights. Konarot blinked, unsure if he should be moving that way, but as she continued to set up the opening, her father continued to press forward, taking a handful of pieces. Konarot switched to the Waking Claw, but it was already too late, and though she managed to begin taking her father¡¯s pieces, Adam was a piece or two ahead the entire game, before they finally ended, with Adam¡¯s victory. ¡°Wow! Konarot, that was so hard,¡± Adam said, reaching up to wipe his brow of the invisible, and intangible, sweat. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear, your father is so tired now.¡± ¡°One more?¡± Konarot pouted. Adam pulled back slightly, feeling the burn of his daughter¡¯s expectant gaze. ¡°Fine, fine!¡± Dragon Chess (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 19 (16) The pair set up the pieces once more, and though Konarot was more prepared for her father¡¯s style, Adam this time played a more typical game. He beat her more swiftly, though quickly scooped the girl within his strong arms, and planted kisses all over her face. ¡°Gosh! Look at you, my little chess genius. Daddy had to work so hard to beat you, but now let¡¯s let the other children play, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot replied, still pouting, but she nestled her head against her father¡¯s neck. ¡°I thought you would let her win,¡± Vasera said. ¡°I might be no good at being a father, but I can¡¯t let her win. She should grow up learning the game properly.¡± Adam brushed along her hair, pinning the girl to her. ¡°No!¡± Jirot declared, pointing her finger at Lucy. ¡°You cannot!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± Lucy asked, frowning. Jirot smirked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°...¡± Lucy fell to the earth, groaning. ¡°Fine! I¡¯m... I¡¯m down now, you smelly Demon Lord!¡± ¡°I not smelly!¡± Jirot held out her hands towards her. ¡°Fyah! Ball!¡± ¡°Fire doesn¡¯t hurt me that much!¡± ¡°It is Demon Lord fire!¡± ¡°Then it hurts too much, stop it!¡± ¡°Kekeke!¡± Vasera sipped her milk, before standing up to stretch out her back and legs, about to go for a walk around the fort. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your children to be so special.¡± ¡°Are you jealous that my children are so cute?¡± ¡°Your triplets have such beautiful scales and horns, but your twins...¡± ¡°What about my twins?¡± Adam asked, narrowing his eyes, his smile widening on his face, though a shadow formed under his lips. ¡°Their eyes are beautiful ambers, and the girl¡¯s mind moves as swift as her lips,¡± Vasera said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were underestating her troublesomeness.¡± ¡°She¡¯s more cute than she is troublesome.¡± ¡°And she certainly is so troublesome.¡± Adam smiled, unable to contain his pride. ¡°Of course she is, since she¡¯s my daughter.¡± ¡°They must take after their mother since you are so ug-,¡± ¡°Vasera,¡± Rook warned. ¡°Ah, we¡¯re still working,¡± Vasera replied, clenching her jaw, cracking her neck from side to side. ¡°Adam... would you mind walking with me?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk outside, alone.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I¡¯m already married.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not my type,¡± Vasera growled. ¡°At least Jaygak has such lovely horns.¡± Adam chuckled and followed Vasera out, who trekked along the outskirts of the farms, noting the farmers glancing their way, partly because their Executive was out, and partly because Vasera, the Golden Savage, was around. Eventually, Vasera stopped, once they were well out of ear shot of the people around, though she was certain the Iyrmen would still be able to hear her, since it felt like even the grass could hear her. ¡°Why did you allow me to come to your business at this time?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Are you acting a fool, Adam?¡± ¡°You were meant to escort us back, that¡¯s what we paid you for?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen asked Karza to remain, but why didn¡¯t you ask me?¡± ¡°Why would I ask you?¡± Vasera¡¯s eyes fixated upon Adam¡¯s, realising he had no idea what she was talking about. ¡°I am a half dragon.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I can smell their scent too.¡± ¡°I bathe a lot so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Are you still...¡± Vasera narrowed her eyes, noting the confusion on Adam¡¯s face. ¡°Hand over a gold coin.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hand over a gold coin.¡± Vasera held out her hand. Adam reached into his pouch and shuffled through to find the gold coin, feeling the soft metal within his hand, before he tossed it to Vasera. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve paid up, I promise I won¡¯t tell anyone about your children.¡± ¡°What a terrible deal. You should be talking about how adorable my children are.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone that your triplets are related to the Talia family,¡± Vasera stated. ¡°...¡± Adam frowned slightly, feeling his heart quicken. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re stupid enough to tell anyone about that.¡± ¡°Stupid or not, my oath is to gold. You¡¯ve paid up, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it at all.¡± ¡°Just a gold?¡± ¡°Just a gold.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head. At first, the annoyance rushed through him, but he calmed, understanding the meaning behind her action. ¡°Appreciate that.¡± ¡®The Iyrmen should stop threatening me now, shouldn¡¯t they?¡¯ Vasera thought, recalling the previous night. She reached up to rub her collar bone, understanding the pain Morkarai had felt when he fought against Bilal. They''re definitely a cult. [948] – Y04.048 – A Child’s Joy I [948] ¨C Y04.048 ¨C A Child¡¯s Joy I As the late afternoon sun beat against the land, the guards blew the horns, and the carriage rolled into the open gates of the fort, veering off to the side. Out of the first carriage, the heavily armoured Iyrman stepped out, wearing a greatsword upon her back. The symbol of Baktu proudly displayed upon her armour. ¡®Damn, what is she doing here?¡¯ Adam thought, staring at the Great Elder. ¡®...¡¯ Bilal had spent a moment focused on the Great Elder, but his eyes were swiftly drawn away by a particular figure. The Iyrman was unarmoured, adorned in the Iyr¡¯s furs, and he also wore a greatsword upon his back. At first, he thought it was just a coincidence, but when their eyes met, Bilal understood it was no simple coincidence. Adam¡¯s attention quickly fell upon the group of children, wearing the tunics of the Iyr, each standing proudly beside their mother or father. Each of the children glanced around the fort for a moment, but upon seeing the familiar faces, they smiled. ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot called, charging forward towards Jurot, who dropped to a knee to embrace his sister. ¡°You are back!¡± ¡°I have returned,¡± Jurot assured, hugging her until she melted within his arms. Adam waited patiently, his entire body tense, until Jaygak and Kitool had also hugged their own siblings and cousins. ¡®Hold on...¡¯ Adam dropped to a knee and picked up the tiny girl, who smiled brightly towards the half elf. ¡°Kaza!¡± ¡°Inakan!¡± Adam embraced her tight, swaying from side to side. ¡®Since a Kan hasn¡¯t returned, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s okay if I hug them first!¡¯ ¡°Minakan, you too, where do you think you¡¯re going without hugging kaza?¡± Minakan glanced up towards Adam, blinking a few times, before turning to ignore him once more, her eyes glued to the fort. Unfortunately for her, Adam lifted her up to embrace her too. ¡°Hmph!¡± growled out an Iyrman. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot squealed, before charging towards her greatfather, almost tackling him as he quickly caught her, hoisting her up, before hoisting his greatson up too. ¡°You had this old man sitting in a carriage for all this time in order to come visit you?¡± Jarot blew raspberries into their necks. ¡°You should just stay with me!¡± ¡°You should hand them to me and greet the rest of your greatchildren,¡± Gangak said, holding out her hands. ¡°You should have remained so that I may dote on them more.¡± ¡°I missed them too, my precious greatchildren.¡± ¡°Are they yours?¡± ¡°Are they not?¡± Jarot frowned, clicking his teeth, surrendering his greatchildren to her, before he reached down to ruffle the silver hair of his eldest greatchildren. ¡°I should have kept my youngest greatson at the least! Where is he?¡± ¡°Good job on your mission,¡± Adam said, greeting the returned Silver Fate Squad. ¡°It was little trouble,¡± Naqokan assured. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was since you¡¯re all so sensible, except maybe Laygak,¡± Adam said. ¡°Laygak was most sensible of all.¡± ¡°How bad was it that Jaygak¡¯s cousin is considered the most sensible?¡± Laygak smiled. ¡°My sensibility is like a large oak.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Large oaks are most sensible,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡®Damn wood nerds.¡¯ Once the children were greeted, like a carousel of joy, they were finally free to join the central fire, which burned gently as the scent of the food wafted through the air. The pair remained completely fixated upon each other¡¯s eyes. The strong and mighty Iyrman, opposite the strong and mighty Aswadian. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Marmak asked. ¡°I do.¡± Bilal replied, feeling the intense pressure the Iyrman was giving off. ¡®He has grown so much more powerful since we last met.¡¯ Marmak¡¯s grin painted his lips. ¡°I heard you had a hard time in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Not quite as difficult as you.¡± ¡°Let us share a drink to the hard times we endured.¡± Bilal nodded, understanding he wasn¡¯t able to refuse, as the pair stepped away. He shoulder pulsed, the ache of their history filling his body. ¡®I did not expect them to call the Butcher.¡¯ Elder Gold¡¯s eyes fell to Marmak for a moment, before she approached the Prince. ¡°We welcome your return, Lord Morkarai.¡± ¡°I apologise for returning so abruptly.¡± ¡°It is our honour you have chosen to return.¡± ¡°The honour is mine to be hosted upon the Iyr¡¯s lands once more.¡± Elder Gold smiled, bowing her head lightly, before her eyes fell to the fool of a half elf who was still causing so much trouble. ¡°Executive Adam, let us speak.¡± ¡®Bell?¡¯ [One Basic per week.] ¡°They can make one Basic weapon per week.¡± ¡®One Basic per week...¡¯ ¡°Although, while working here, I won¡¯t be working them the entire time. They¡¯ll probably work about half the time, unless we really need them to work the entire time. I want them to be able to take enough breaks to enjoy themselves.¡± ¡°We Iyrmen enjoy our work.¡± ¡°You should enjoy spending time with your family and kids too.¡± ¡°We do.¡± ¡°Yeah, then you should enjoy the time I¡¯m giving you then. Why work for our business so hard, you should play when we give you time to play, you know? It¡¯s not like we won¡¯t push you to work hard when we need it, but you should work hard and play hard.¡± ¡®They will work a season for you and a season for the Iyr, for a total of ten years, with every Twilight Month free?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°Works for me.¡± ¡®Twelve Basic weapons a year for the business, twenty four for the Iyr,¡¯ Elder Gold thought. ¡®Is he giving us such a benefit on purpose?¡¯ ¡°If they are not to work for the business, they should continue to work to help create weapons for the Iyr.¡± ¡°They should take some time off.¡± ¡°They will take time off when the Iyr allows it.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°When they work during the business, they should follow the business¡¯ laws.¡± ¡°If they work during the season for the business, and they are not required to work during the season for the Iyr, they will not need to work.¡± ¡°Then I want it written in the contract that in a four week period, they should at least get four days off, no, eight days.¡± ¡°They may work for three of four weeks during the time in the business.¡± ¡°Three of four weeks during both times, but if it¡¯s an emergency, they can choose to work more, but it¡¯s an option given to them,¡± Adam said. Elder Gold was about to continue when she realised what the conversation was. She, Elder Gold, was fighting against Adam in order to treat the Iyrmen worse. She pulled back, furrowing her brows curiously at the half elf. She thought long and hard about Adam¡¯s typical deal for the other workers, then to why Adam wanted to create such a business. ¡°Do you have such little faith in us?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just that working too hard will burn someone out, even if it is for a good reason. Sometimes, your body needs a break, that¡¯s true for working out, that¡¯s true for working to make a person gold while they pay you coppers.¡± ¡°Will you pay the Iyrmen for their work too?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are to pay them even though you will Awaken them?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°Ten...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Should I only pay them ten gold? Shouldn¡¯t I pay them more? I mean, they will be making us a thousand gold each month, right? I can¡¯t pay them just a percent, but then again, I am giving them the ability to enchant, and I need to make sure everyone else is taken care of.¡¯ ¡°Ten gold for each of the thirteen months, and I¡¯m sure the Iyr will treat them fairly while they work for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Will you train the enchanters to become Experts?¡± ¡°Train them?¡± Adam asked, blinking slightly. ¡®Eh?¡¯ ¡°I suppose... it¡¯s not like I can¡¯t. It¡¯s just that...¡± Adam reached up to his chin and thought deeply. ¡®It¡¯ll take quite a bit of time, but... if I train them into Experts, the Iyr probably won¡¯t be so eager to kill me if I do something stupid.¡¯ ¡°I can try?¡± ¡°Would it be difficult?¡± ¡°Quite difficult, unless it¡¯s one at a time. However, they¡¯ll be taking so much time out of the Iyr that they won¡¯t be enchanting much, and I¡¯m sure the Iyr can train them even better than I can. Not as quick, perhaps, but far more stable, far more... acceptable?¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°I can take them out now and again if you like, but whether they¡¯ll gain some,¡± Adam smiled slightly, ¡±Experience... or not, is up to Fate, and, chances are, we might not be able to protect them since we¡¯re not that strong.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Elder Gold bowed her head. ¡°It is time I left.¡± ¡°Are you leaving right now?¡± ¡°Yes. I should return to the Iyr, swiftly.¡± ¡°Would you wait a few minutes before you go?¡± ¡°What do you require?¡± ¡°Just a few minutes.¡± Uh oh. Adam, stop! You can''t keep doing this! [949] – Y04.049 – A Child’s Joy II [949] ¨C Y04.049 ¨C A Child¡¯s Joy II Elder Gold waited at the carriage for the half elf, who brought all of his children. Her eyes fell down to the items in the children¡¯s hands. Hydra scales, strips of cloth, and even small rings of copper. Konarot stumbled up first, holding out her hands, in which lay a single hydra scale. ¡°Thank you, Elder Gold.¡± Her tail swayed lightly behind her. Elder Gold dropped to a knee, reaching out to hold the girl¡¯s wrist, brushing along it with her thumb, plucking the hydra scale from her hand. ¡°You are welcome, Konarot.¡± The girl bowed her head lightly, flushing slightly, before she retreated back to her father, hugging his leg. ¡®My kid! She¡¯s too cute!¡¯ Adam almost gave in to his daughter, but remained standing tall and firm. ¡°Kirot, Karot.¡± Kirot and Karot each handed over their own gifts silently, each accepting a ruffle of their hair from the Great Elder. It was then Adam inhaled deeply. He waited, watching as the tiny goblin girl stood tall and firm. ¡°Elder Gol!¡± Jirot declared. ¡°Look, is so shiny!¡± Jirot held out her ring to the Great Elder. ¡°It is,¡± Elder Gold said, plucking it from her fingers, feeling the warmth of the child who had clutched it so dearly. She brushed the girl¡¯s cheek, causing her to close her eyes and smile, enjoying the wrinkled hand of the older woman. ¡°Shiny,¡± Jarot said, holding up the cloth for the Great Elder. ¡°Salifi Gold?¡± The boy nodded his head, smiling shyly. Elder Gold paused a moment, before reaching up to the back of his head, rubbing along the back of his skull tenderly. She took the cloth from his fingers, but continued to rub his head, not allowing him to leave. ¡°You are well behaved, not like your greatfather.¡± Little Jarot flushed, before he finally ran back to his father, clutching at his leg. He peeked out from his father¡¯s leg to see Elder Gold was staring at the gifts she had received from the children. ¡°Jirot,¡± Adam whispered. Jirot blinked, and Adam nodded his head, causing her to return a nod of her own head. ¡°No, you smelly girl, the gifts!¡± ¡°Oop!¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°Waiting! Waiting!¡± Jirot said, holding up her hand to the Iyrmen. ¡°Waiting!¡± She reached into her pockets and charged towards the aides, holding up both of her hands, each clutching a gift. One a ribbon, the other a hydra scale. ¡°Good job, good job, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the aides replied, each accepting their gifts from the girl, before the rest of the children handed over their gifts to the aides too. ¡°Say thank you properly now,¡± Adam said, bowing his head lightly. ¡°Thank you,¡± the children each said, their words mostly following one another, though Jirot had taken in a breath to shout a moment later. ¡®He really is a father,¡¯ Elder Gold thought as the carriage rolling out of the fort, taking the Great Elder and her aides, led by her magical steed. She eyed up the gifts from the children, each no doubt gifted to them by their own father, and perhaps their uncle. The hydra scales were no doubt from the hydras their father had slain that year, the cloth from the time he fought in the tournament, the copper ring, probably from the other world he had been allowed to visit. ¡°He¡¯s more dangerous than I expected,¡± an aide said, staring down at her gifts. The Iyrman, one of the Iyrmen who were tusked, reached up to tie some of the gifts into her thick hair. The other aide chuckled, placing his gifts within his tunic. ¡°At least he is raising his children well.¡± ¡°It is good that their mother is so wise.¡± The male aide¡¯s laughter filled the carriage. Elder Gold rubbed her fingers along the gifts the youngest of the triplets had passed along. Kirot had handed her a small bit of hydra leather, while the boy had handed her a bracelet formed of string. ¡®Should we kill the mercenaries?¡¯ Vasera eyed up Shaool, who sat with three of the other older Iyrmen who had appeared. ¡®They say she¡¯s a Paragon.¡¯ Her eyes then fell to Marmak, who was drinking with the one known as Bilal, the pair relaxing together in the corner, Marmak speaking of his tale. Yet, the most troublesome Iyrman was not within her sights. ¡°Hmph!¡± Jarot grumbled, holding Larot close to his chest. ¡°How could they take my greatchildren from me?¡± ¡°It was only a few days,¡± Gangak said, pouring him a warm glass of milk. ¡°A few days? I am so old, how many days do I have?¡± Jarot held the glass of milk to Larot¡¯s lips, who pulled his head away. ¡°You see! When did Larot refuse to drink milk from my hands?¡± ¡°Always.¡± ¡°You see? Have I forgotten he does not drink from my hands? This is unacceptable.¡± Jarot sipped the milk. ¡°Did I even drink warm milk?¡± ¡°Your grandson is fool enough for the both of you.¡± ¡°He should kill more nobles so that he can wear the title of fool as proudly as I.¡± Gangak shook her head lightly, her eyes darting to the side, towards the squealing child who rushed towards her. She hoisted Jirot up within her arms, while little Jarot waited to be hoisted up. ¡°You would steal them from me even now?¡± ¡°You do not have enough arms to hold all three.¡± ¡°Even with his one arm of mine, I can hold them all!¡± ¡°Nano! I give Elder Gold my ring!¡± Jirot said, almost shouting the words. ¡°You did?¡± Gangak replied, placing a finger upon the girl¡¯s lip. ¡°Yes,¡± the girl whispered. ¡°I give shiny ring.¡± ¡°What a kind child you are.¡± ¡°Is not all my shiny ring, just a little shiny, I still have my shiny shiny ring,¡± the girl whispered, placing a finger on her lips. ¡°You cannot say, okay?¡± ¡°I will not say,¡± Gangak assured, causing the girl to smirk, her cackling easing the air. Little Jarot rested his head against his nano¡¯s shoulder, sucking his thumb. He stared at her deep red skin, noting all the familiar scars upon her neck. He stared at them long and hard, noting the contrast of the scars against the rest of her skin, and even how parts of her neck were darker than other parts, like those which were then hidden away by the rest of her attire. ¡°Nano, you must read story,¡± Jirot said, narrowing her eyes as though daring her nano to refuse. ¡°Okay.¡± The older Jarot inhaled deeply, but he glanced to the side. ¡®Since she has said you must read the story, you must.¡¯ Deep within his heart he had wanted to read them a story, but since it was Gangak, he did not complain. After all, after himself, Gangak was the one who loved the pair the most. Indeed, it had to be after him, for he wouldn¡¯t accept the fact she loved them as much as he did. As the next morning came, the fort was far more lively, with all the new children from the Iyr, as well as their elder siblings, from Nirot to Naqokan, to their parents, some of whom held the title of Director, now within the business. ¡°Right...¡± Adam still wasn¡¯t sure how his children¡¯s relationship worked in the Iyr, and more than anything, he really didn¡¯t want to find out. ¡°I¡¯ll let the others know that we might be going out, then. How long will that be?¡± ¡°A few days.¡± ¡°A few days...¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Damn. If only I could enchant at the fort.¡¯ ¡°There is still the matter of the business with the Countess,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Yeah.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Let us take a walk.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Adam followed the Director to the inner area of the fort, where a young Iyrman was walking across the northern most section of the fort, completing his rounds. He looked over his shoulder to the Executive and Director, nodding his head, getting a pair of nods in return. They approached Jaygak¡¯s place, made of stone like the rest of the buildings within the inner area, before stepping within. ¡°Manager Dunes often sweeps the inner area,¡± Sonarot said, walking through the first room, which was fairly bare, a room that was part kitchen, part dining area, part living area. She stepped through to the second room. She glanced around, noting the gathering dust within the room. ¡°He knows his limits.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, staring at the trap door that was very obvious beside Jaygak¡¯s bed. ¡°He suspected one of your children was sick,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°He did?¡± ¡°Gangak thought so. He seemed to know something.¡± ¡°When was it?¡± ¡°It was the end of the third month.¡± ¡°I think... I think that was the time I was in the... water place.¡± ¡°Did you tempt Fate?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It may not have been the case.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± ¡°Larot is not sick.¡± ¡°Uncle Fakrot lost his eye.¡± ¡°A small price to pay.¡± ¡°A price he shouldn¡¯t have had to pay.¡± ¡°Why did you tempt Fate?¡± ¡°The Prince picked a fight with me when I found out Vonda was sick... I... I was just really mad.¡± ¡°Fakrot lost his eye to help his grandnephew. It is a price any Iyrman would pay. In reality, he lost his eye to help his nephew and his grandnephew. It is an even smaller price to pay.¡± ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have lost his eye.¡± ¡°Your grandfather has lost an arm and leg, how can Fakrot complain?¡± ¡°He should complain to me at least.¡± ¡°He is happy that you did not marry his daughters.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just kids, but I¡¯m not that bad, am I?¡± ¡°They are considered adults, but it is not because of you, but because of him.¡± ¡°Because of him?¡± ¡°He is a father too,¡± Sonarot said, before undoing the trapdoor within Jaygak¡¯s room, the ladder falling to the ground. She climbed down first, while Adam followed after her, glancing around towards the long underground cellar, lit up by small gemstones which reacted to their presence. The cellar wall began right beside them, before the bathroom, continuing all the way to the side, stopping a short ways before Adam¡¯s own cellar. Adam noted all the weapons within the storage, along with the barrels of, what he presumed to be, food, and a mirror all the way to the side, covered in dust. Adam reached over towards a sword, eyeing it up. ¡®She bought this in East Port a few years back.¡¯ A small smile slipped upon his face, recalling when they went shopping for a sword together. ¡°Adam,¡± Sonarot called, holding up a small dagger, pricking her finger with it, before reaching over towards the mirror. She placed her finger against the stigma of the silver flower that lay atop the mirror, and the blood seeped into it. She held out the dagger. ¡°Prick your finger and drip the blood into the flower.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Adam said, picking his finger, before placing his finger on the stigma, allowing his blood to drip against the silver flower. Health: 91 -> 90 ¡°Do not allow your blood to drip upon the floor, it will leave clues for others.¡± Adam reached up to suck the blood out of his finger. ¡°Right...¡± She picked up the mirror and placed it against the small side wall, so it was opposite the ladder they climbed down. ¡°Press your thumb against the mirror¡¯s side.¡± ¡®Why my thumb?¡¯ Adam thought, pressing his thumb against the cool metal. The mirror continued to reveal their bodies to them, but then the centre of the mirror began to shift in colour, as though someone brought fire against it, and the mirror continued to shift between the spectrum of colours, until it finally turned blue. ¡°Follow quickly,¡± Sonarot said, reaching into the mirror with a hand, before climbing into it with the rest of her body, disappearing into the swirling blue. Adam blinked. ¡®You could have at least warned me.¡¯ More secrets? The next few chapters are... nice. The chapters after? :) If anyone subscribes at Silver or higher from 07 to 15, I''ll post up an additional chapter for each new patron. [950] – Y04.050 – A Child’s Joy III [950] ¨C Y04.050 ¨C A Child¡¯s Joy III The boy panted for air as the heavy noonval sun beat upon his skin. He opened his mouth as the cup pressed against his lips, slurping the water down, some of it slipping down the corners of his mouth, down his chin, seeping against his clothing. ¡°Is noonval still too hot for you, my Karot?¡± Gangak asked, brushing the boy¡¯s long hair silver, before flicking some water upon his head, wiping the boy¡¯s face with more. ¡°Hot,¡± the boy agreed, panting again, though he gave in to his nano, who wiped his face with a damp cloth tenderly. ¡°Let us rest in the shade,¡± Gangak said, picking the boy up, not even looking back to see if his sisters were following, leading them out to the side, dropping down with Karot upon her lap, the boy leaning against her bosom as his sisters each nestled against her side, their tails curling up around their feet. The four basked in the shade provided by the sturdy walls of the fort. The triplets relaxed against their nano, their tails gently swaying from side to side. ¡°This fort was made by the hands of Iyrmen,¡± Gangak said, brushing her hand through Kirot¡¯s hair, rubbing her cheek. The girl pulled her head up, her innocent eyes staring into her greataunt¡¯s eyes. Gangak leaned in to nuzzle against her nose, before she planted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°It is not like the forts of the Aldish, which will fall away when the wind blows too strongly. Here, as within the Iyr, you will be safe.¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Your father will be safe too, and so will your mother, within the walls of the Iyr. Even if the Great Elders... no matter who may threaten your father, we will continue to protect him.¡± ¡°Potec,¡± the girl confirmed, reaching up to clutch her nano¡¯s collar, brushing it with a thumb. ¡°Your father is a Nephew of the Rot family. Even if the Great Elders wished to deal with your father, they must ask the permission of the Family Head and Family Elder, your nana and nano. If they wished to deal with you... they cannot.¡± ¡°Cannot?¡± ¡°Cannot,¡± Gangak assured, before reaching over to pull Konarot closer, embracing her tight, allowing the girl to wrap herself around her, like a piece of flat bread. Gangak held the back of the girl¡¯s head, tickling the girl¡¯s skull. ¡°Even if he wishes to keep you to himself, you are my greatchildren too.¡± ¡°Nano?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Yes?¡± Konarot reached up to her horns with both hands. ¡°Horns.¡± Gangak reached up to her own horn, rubbing along it. ¡°Yes?¡± Konarot reached over to grab her greataunt¡¯s horns. ¡°Horns.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You are red.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am not.¡± ¡°You are not.¡± Konarot remained silent for a long while, holding the woman¡¯s horns, though her eyes were glued to the woman¡¯s tattoos. The scarlet x, the yellow tilted kites that emanated from them. The same tattoos that her grandaunts and granduncles wore, the same tattoo her aunt wore, the same aunt who reminded the girl of her own hornless sister. ¡°I like red,¡± Konarot said. Gangak inhaled deeply, before leaning in to blow against the girl¡¯s stomach, causing her to squeal aloud, the girl dropping down, allowing her greataunt to pull her in closer. ¡°My dear greatchildren, I cannot love you more than I already do.¡± She allowed the triplets to pin her down so they could nap atop her, the old woman letting out a gentle, satisfied sigh. There was another who was already starved of their attention, though he was focused on something else. Adam gasped for air, having held his breath when he stepped through the portal. His entire body shuddered, a splash of warm air striking him, and he glanced around towards the walls around him, which rose up and tilted inward, though the walls did not join together, allowing some of the sun light to beat down and spread the light throughout. ¡°I feel like I shouldn¡¯t know about this place,¡± Adam said, his eyes falling onto the enchanting shrine, this one slightly different than the shrines he was used to. Across one wall lay a myriad of weapons, of all manner of designs, in front of another wall lay a mass of raw resources, in front of another a collection of various gems, each different type of gem cut in a particular way, though the same as its own kind, and finally, the last wall held a shut door. ¡°If we did not wish for you to know, you would not know,¡± Sonarot assured, reaching out to rub his arm gently. ¡°The Iyr will leave any messages they have on the shrine, make sure you read them before you begin enchanting. Once you are done enchanting, ring the bell, wait a few moments, and then use the door to leave. Place the mirror back where it originally was.¡± ¡°Right...¡± ¡®Bell?¡¯ Adam glanced around trying to find the bell, only to find it right beside the door, exactly where it made logical sense, except he had somehow missed it the first time. ¡°The Iyr will keep track of the debts you owe upon using the gems, and they will be repaid once the weapon or sold, or through the business¡¯ finances.¡± ¡°Right, sure.¡± Sonarot smiled, bowing her head lightly. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Adam said, staring at the raw materials and the ingots to one side. ¡®These guys are really good at figuring out my abilities and how to use them best.¡¯ ¡°Do you have a moment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I just wanted to say...¡± Adam¡¯s heart began to beat quicker. ¡°Can anyone else hear us?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I had no idea I¡¯d live this long in this life. When I was originally reincarnated, or reborn, or transmigrated, whatever, I... I lasted about a year, I think. Less than a year? Now it¡¯s been... almost five. I¡¯ve done so much and so little. I still can¡¯t progress too quickly, because of the... thing.¡± Adam raised his brows, and Sonarot bowed her head knowingly. ¡°This life, though... it¡¯s been the best. It¡¯s all thanks to you, and Jurot, and everyone else. My children... I mean, I have children. In my first life, I...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Children? In that economy?¡± Adam¡¯s laughter shook, not due to joy, but due to his nerves. ¡°Truly, I¡¯m filled with joy daily, and... I just wanted to say, thank you. For everything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Whose kaka is she?¡± ¡°Mister Nobby is kaka.¡± ¡°Mister Nobby is her papa, that¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, reaching over to brush his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Jirot said, nodding her head. ¡°Who told you?¡± ¡°Um, I hear...¡± She looked around. ¡°Is nano, nano tell me.¡± ¡°Nano told you?¡± ¡°Nano, and babo, and nana, and daddy, and mummy, and papo, and kako, and I tell it.¡± ¡°Right, right, of course. I want you to treat her nicely too, okay?¡± ¡°I always nice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Mister Nobby is so strong, daddy, he first place,¡± the girl said, holding up a finger. ¡°Yeah, he is so strong, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Daddy, you are not strong, you are third place,¡± Jirot said, as though explaining a fact. ¡°Papo is strong, papo is first place.¡± Adam blinked. He glanced aside towards Vonda, who held her smile behind her hand, her mischievous eyes staring into Adam¡¯s with a curiosity. ¡°Well, you know, daddy is stronger than Nobby.¡± ¡°Daddy is strong?¡± Jirot asked, turning her head, her eyes incredulous. ¡°You! How can you look at daddy like that! Isn¡¯t daddy so strong?¡± Adam lifted her head, causing the girl to squeal and giggle. ¡°My brother is strong...¡± Anne said, her voice low, the girl clutching at her dress, pouting. ¡°That¡¯s right, Nobby is strong too. After all, papo Jurot taught him a lot, didn¡¯t he?¡± Adam blew a raspberry against his daughter¡¯s neck, the girl squealing and cackling, before Adam let her go, allowing her to retreat to her mother, climbing up her front. The girl moved roughly, but Vonda lifted her daughter up with one arm, shielding her stomach with the other. ¡°Carefully, dear, carefully, you smelly girl.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh, meeting Anne¡¯s eyes for a moment. ¡°Do you want to play Warriors and Wanderers too?¡± Anne nodded her head, her long hair bouncing as she did. Adam smiled, while the memories of her brother flashed in his mind. ¡®Right, Nobby¡¯s pretty scary too. He might not be an Iyrman, but he¡¯s naturally stronger than even Jurot. How can a family have someone as monstrous as Nobby, but someone as adorable as Anne? I guess they¡¯re both cute...¡¯ Adam let out a near silent snort, doing his best not to laugh. ¡°Anne,¡± Adam called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If anyone bullies you, make sure you tell me, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You¡¯re Nobby¡¯s sister, and that gives you special privileges in the business. Nobby was one of our first workers, and he works more for me than the business, so if you need anything, let me know. Right, weren¡¯t you... I¡¯ll ask after we play the game.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Anne replied, unsure of what Adam was talking about, but that was pretty normal. Adam reached into his pouch and slipped it into the girl¡¯s hand, winking at her. ¡°Whose gold coin is this?¡± ¡°Mine?¡± ¡°Can your parents take it?¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°Daddy! I want gold too!¡± Jirot called out, holding out her hand. ¡°Give!¡± ¡°Give, what?¡± ¡°Gold!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the magic word?¡± ¡°Fyahball!¡± I''m so glad that everyone is so safe and sound and that it''s all so wholesome. They are my favourite chapters to write. Quick note! Once Y04 ends, I''ll be taking a week off, and I''ll be taking a week off every 50 chapters too, but for this year I won''t. Also, because my chapters will be ~100 chapters from now on, I might need to post up every few days instead of every single day if a year is particularly long. I can see a case when chapters may become 5000 - 10000 words if a year is particularly crazy with tons of different plot points converging together. Hopefully they don''t, because that''s a lot of writing... [951] – Y04.051 – Elders Responsibilities I [951] ¨C Y04.051 ¨C Elders Responsibilities I Adam spent his mornings playing with the children, from his six adorable children, to his adorable cousins. The days he spent enchanting the weapons, which would pay the salaries of all the figures within the business. In the evenings he would continue spoiling the children, feeding Gurot from his hands, reading to Inakan, allowing her to show him all the pictures, and following Kavgak wherever she led him, usually just to one plant or the next, which Gimon had begun watering. The businessfolk had become used to Adam¡¯s antics of being a fool of a father, especially with his youngest daughter, who loved to bully him. ¡°Smelly boy! I am feeding mummy!¡± Jirot stood tall and proud, clenching her fists to the side. ¡°Daddy wants to feed mummy too...¡± Jirot inhaled deeply and leaned back slightly, pumping out her chest. Her eyes dared her father to say more. Adam closed his eyes. ¡®How can I defeat you when you¡¯re this cute? It¡¯s impossible, impossible! Not even for a trillion XP!¡¯ While his daughter bullied him, Adam had no idea the complications he brought to the Iyr. Already, there was a small issue of the young cousins spending their time at the fort, for they could not spent too long. However, it was technically considered an outing, so it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal, however, the request to take not just the Iyr¡¯s children, but also his own children out of the Iyr, brought greater complications. Technically, Adam did not need to ask for the Iyr¡¯s permission to take his children out of the Iyr. Technically, the children, in the eyes of the Iyr... Zijin stared down at the paper, unable to finish the thought. He tapped his finger on the table, thinking back to the small pebble the little goblin girl had brought to him while her father was out. ¡®Elder Zijin, I give it to you, okay?¡¯ There was no doubt the half elf had no idea, since the girl had already forgotten it, he was certain of that much, but he had not. Indeed, for though the half elf adored his children, there were things about his children only the others knew. ¡®They are behaving as though the children are truly children of the Rot family.¡¯ Zijin smiled slightly. It wasn¡¯t that they were behaving in such a way, it was that in the eyes of the Rot family, Adam¡¯s children were no different than even Jurot¡¯s future child. At such a level, the Iyr¡¯s hands were tied, such was the freedom afforded to the Rot family, to all the families of the Iyr. Zijin thought of Gangak, and the other two families, the Ool and Kan family, who no doubt treated the children in such a manner too. The Elder smiled wider, writing down the notes of consideration for such an outing. The Elder thought of all those who would be willing to leave with the children. It was a simple enough matter for the children of the Iyr. They would need two for each of the families, one for each of the children leaving. They would need to send eight Experts, plus a Master and a Grandmaster. However, there was also the consideration for the six other children, meaning another six Experts would need to be assigned. Whereas the Iyr could tap into the entire pool of Iyrmen for the eight children, for six of the children, the pool was far smaller. It was easy to ask someone like Litol to assist in the outing for someone like Lanarot, since in the Iyr, it was completely irrelevant for one family who had nothing to do with another to assist in protecting a child of the Iyr, it was the Iyr¡¯s greatest law, the law which underpinned everything about the Iyr. If not for a child of the Iyr, what did an Iyrman have to fight for? Yet, would Litol do the same for Jirot? ¡®If I asked, he would consider it,¡¯ Zijin thought, but he leaned back and thought of six names who would go. ¡®Jarot. Gangak. Otkan.¡¯ These three names came to him easily, but what of the the rest? ¡®Mulrot cannot, she is the Family Elder. Zirot? No, she has to stay too, since Tarot is still training. I could send Fakrot...¡¯ Zijin frowned. ¡®Since it is dangerous for those six in particular, I should consider those who are stronger.¡¯ As an Elder, Zijin had to consider all manner of politics within the Iyr, but not just the politics of the Iyr, but also the politics of the heart. ¡®I should not send those who the children are unfamiliar with. There is also the matter of appearance for the children.¡¯ Towards the end of the day, having thought of the matter deeply, as one would have expected from him since the matter dealt with the children of the Iyr, the Elder made his way towards a particular set of extended family estates. First he decided to speak with the estate which had shown promise for this particular matter. The children all stared towards the Elder as he approached one of their eldest family members. The older Iyrman bowed his head lightly, and when Zijin returned a bow of his own head, the old Iyrman stood. He did not wear his armour, but his trusty blade, the same blade that was his name sake, red as blood, hung at his side. The pair stepped away to one side in order to speak privately. ¡°What is it that you require from this old man?¡± Shasen asked. ¡°There is an outing planned for a group of children,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Your niece, Sonarot, wishes to take her grandchildren out to Red Oak.¡± Shasen narrowed his eyes slightly. He bowed his head slowly, allowing the Elder to continue. ¡°Would you be willing to sign yourself to go?¡± ¡°Which child will I escort?¡± Rajin reached up to his beard out of shock from the sheer audacity of his nephew¡¯s words. They could only speak as Elders, an Elder of the Iyr and the Elder of the Jin family. ¡®Is this so important that you would break convention and ask me to step down from my position?¡¯ There were many reasons as to why Zijin wanted Rajin to go. Rajin was, as the Aldishman might call, a horc. It wouldn¡¯t look out of the ordinary if he was with the twins, and so there was a first layer of protection. This layer was needed, especially due to a particular noble¡¯s presence within Red Oak. Rajin, who held the title Bearded Dragon, was also extremely strong. He had gained such great renown, he was considered Drakebane¡¯s rival, in not just strength, but also for the position which Drakebane held. Though he had stepped back from the position and what was expected of him, and though there was a joke that he had become the Family Elder for access to greater fruits for his wines, he hadn¡¯t shirked away his position from the Family Elder. No one could deny that he wasn¡¯t the best Jin for the role, the Jin family under the guidance of the best hand. Zijin had to consider him too. Mad Dog. If Jarot became too rowdy, Rajin could certainly temper the old man, either causing him to stay with his words, or with his blade. These were the considerations the Elder had to make. However, there was one more reason, and it was perhaps the most important reason. Zijin hadn¡¯t expected the Sen family to take the matter so seriously, for Bloodblade to accept the matter so easily to escort one of the triplets. It had been a simple matter for him to move for Lanarot¡¯s sake, since Sonarot was essentially Bloodblade¡¯s niece due to the fact she was born and raised in the Gek family, raised alongside the Sen family. However, for him to move for the triplets, it had sent a message to the Rot family, and to the rest of the Iyr. ¡®The Gak, Rot, Ool, and Kan families have officially accepted the children. Some from the Gek and Sen families have also accepted the children, though not quite as officially...¡¯ The Jin family was close to the Kan family, two families which were heavyweights in every era of the Iyr thus far. Zijin did not doubt that there was already a feeling of acceptance from the Jin family, especially since Adam had assisted them. Adam had brought back Timojin¡¯s sister¡¯s remains, and he also trained Uwajin. However, if Rajin stepped up now, then Zijin wouldn¡¯t need to worry about the children when it came to their place in the Iyr. ¡°Have you spoken to them?¡± Rajn asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It must have been a difficult decision.¡± ¡°It had to be done.¡± Rajin let out a long sigh, standing beside his nephew as the darkening sky basked them in its gentle light, the shadows growing longer. Rajin remained deathly silent, slowly ruminating on what his nephew was asking him, and why. He understood the difficult position Zijin was in, especially since he was given such great authority over matters concerning a particularly foolish half elf, who constantly stressed the Great Elders with his antics. ¡°You are working too hard.¡± ¡°Are you saying that as the Family Elder, or my uncle?¡± ¡°I can only speak to you as the Family Elder.¡± A sad smile formed on Zijin¡¯s face, and he gently bowed his head. The report made its way up to the Chief. It was expected for the Chief to share the report with the rest of the Great Elders, with Elder Gold and Elder Teacher both holding quite some influence when it came to outings. However, the Chief stared at the report. ¡®Elder Zijin...¡¯ The Chief read the report thoroughly, reading through Zijin¡¯s recommendations, and the reasons behind them. The report was several pages long, which was fairly typical, except there were two other pages upon the back the Chief read with a tentative heart. ¡®To think you would go this far.¡¯ Chief Iromin leaned back in his chair, reaching up to rub his eyes. He wasn¡¯t sure if he should share the entire report to the Great Elders, since Zijin had gone above and beyond his station. Of course, not reporting it wasn¡¯t an option, since that would only make things worse. Chief Iromin wasn¡¯t sure if he was glad Rajin had refused, or if he should have hoped that the Bearded Dragon should have accepted. ¡®Are you glad you are not in my position, Rajin?¡¯ Technically this should have been an interlude, but since our dear Jirot bullied her father, how could it not be a main chapter? [952] – Y04.052 – Elders Responsibilities II [952] ¨C Y04.052 ¨C Elders Responsibilities II "Daddy is going?" Jirot asked, panting after she finished her cup of milk. "Yes. We''re all going to be going soon." "I going?" "Yes..." Adam smiled awkwardly. "It''s going to be dangerous though." "Dangerous?" Jirot raised her brows, the way her babo did, and she flexed her arms, growling. "Look, daddy, look. I big and strong." "No, no, you''re so small and cute." Adam lifted up his daughter and peppered her cheek with kisses. "No! I am Demon Load! Big and strong!" Jirot growled, only to be stopped by her father''s tight hug, causing the girl to embrace her father too. "Yes, yes, my dear." Adam rocked from side to side, brushing her curly hair tenderly. "Some people don''t like the Demon Lord, though." "Why?" "The Demon Lord did so many bad things before." "No! I am good girl! Mummy! Mummy!" Jirot called, reaching out a hand to her mother for support, her eyes wide, urging her mother to inform her father of such an important matter. "I know you''re good, you smelly girl, but other people don''t know that." "How they can do this?" "I don''t know, my dear. It''s because they''re so smelly?" "All so smelly," Jirot confirmed, huffing. "They saying Jirot is not good? Not good? I always good, daddy, always good!" "I know, I know..." "We ah going Red Oak?" Jirot asked. "How did you know?" "I know it," the girl replied, smirking. "I am so smart." "You are so smart." "Is big town?" "It''s... bigger than the Iyr, I think." Jirot pulled her head back, furrowing her brows at her father. "What you are saying, daddy? So silly! So smelly!" "What, you think your father is lying? Daddy is telling the truth! There are so many people in Red Oak, about double than the entire Iyr." "Mummy? You hear this?" "I hear it, but your father is right, in a way. Red Oak has more people, but the Main Iyr is certainly more expansive, from what I have seen." Vonda scooped another spoonful for Larot, who allowed the woman to feed him, with most gracious magnanimity. "We''re going to leave the Iyr, but... Jirot, you need to be good, okay?" "Daddy!" Jirot held up a finger. "What I say? You do not listen! You not listening to me?" "I''m listening, I''m listening, you''re such a good girl, always a good girl," Adam assured, brushing the girl''s hair back, though her dagger like finger remained. Adam reached over to take her hand and kissed the back of it. "It''s just no one else knows, so that''s why you need to promise to be good, really good." "I promise I am good." "You promise you will be good?" "You are not listening?" "You can''t bully your daddy like this! Your daddy is growing so old his hearing is already going!" Adam shook his head before leaning in to blow a raspberry against the girl''s neck. Within Adam''s heart, a seed of darkness began to sprout. He closed his eyes as he held his daughter, rocking with her from side to side, feeling her warm cheek against his own, feeling her soft breath tickling his neck, smelling the oils of the Iyr. ''I''ll make sure to protect you from the world, my dear Jibaby.'' Little Jarot waited patiently beside his father, until he was finally scooped up, and peppered in all manner of kisses. He opened his mouth for the potato his sister offered him, and ate slowly while their father held the pair of them, not understanding why the half elf was so eager to hold them, other than the fact that he loved them so dearly. Once lunch was over, Adam made his way about the fort, checking on the rest of the businessfolk. ''I''ve got a bunch of Experts that should be able to protect them and handle most threats, but they''re meant to be going to invite their families.'' Adam then glanced towards the children within the business, from Alex to Elsie. ''Right, they need to be protected too.'' Adam let out a sigh, reaching up to rub the side of his neck, feeling the gentle pulsing which began to ache. ''Do I need to make my own army already? Should I go look for some more warriors?'' Adam completed his rounds, motioning a hand to Jonn, before making his way into the village, finding a particularly large fellow. "I''m going to need you two to come with me." "Okay," Jonn and Nobby replied, though Nobby continued with a, "mister boss." "Hopefully I won''t need either of you, but... you know how it is." Jonn bowed his head. As a half elf, one who had once been a member of an order, he was still discriminated against, something which increased after the Massacre of Rock Hill, which led to his exile from the Order. Nobby just nodded, thinking little of the issue, understanding that the others would treat the children poorly and he would need to protect them. The reasons why, they were completely irrelevant. ''It''s not like I''ll be able to constrain them within the fort their entire lives,'' Adam thought, continuing to walk around the business, lost within his thoughts. "Executive Adam," Fred called. "Yeah?" "Do you need me to come along too?" "No, there should be someone who stays here, just in case." "What is gone?" "My bread." "Did you eat it?" "..." The girl smirked before cackling with delight. ''She''s definitely my sister,'' Adam thought, proud that his sister was committed to her one joke. ''I''d rather you joke about bread rather than the other thing...'' "Shasen, the girl is my grandniece," Shagek said, reaching out to take the girl from him. "Dado?" Lanarot called, noting the older Iyrman, who wore the tattoos that were so similar to another who had arrived with them, though inverted. Tarukan stared down towards Inakan, who blinked up towards him through her glasses, before she smiled. "Dado!" The tiny girl held up her hand, allowing the old man to hold his hand. "You finally recognise me?" "Is dado." "Yes," the old man replied, dropping to a knee, ruffling her hair, before the girl quickly scampered back to her father, his nephew. "Did you bring drinks?" Jarot asked the approaching Iyrman, who had grown out his beard longer, wearing a greatsword upon his back. "I did not come for drinking," the Iyrman said, though he offered his own gourd. "You did not come for drinking?" Gangak asked, raising her brow. "I have come to escort the children." Jarot and Gangak exchanged a look of bewilderment between the pair of them. Otkan tilted her head slightly. "Rajin?" "I wished to play chess with the children," Rajin said, simply. Jurot was busy paying his greetings towards Tarukan and Shagek, each of whom he was technically related to. Kitool, too, was greeting the returning pair, but Jaygak, who had spotted the old Iyrman with his growing beard, had paused a moment. She eyed up the figures, Steel Strike and Silver Sword of the Wastes. It made sense for them to come, in a roundabout way. Shagek was Sonarot''s uncle, and Tarukan was close to the Rot family since he was a Kan. Yet, the Bearded Dragon? Jaygak blinked. ''He gave up his position to come?'' "What is wrong?" Kitool eventually asked, noting Jaygak eyeing up the Family Elder of the Jin family. Kitool hadn''t heard the conversation, and there was nothing out of the ordinary of a Family Elder coming to the fort one of the Jin family worked within. It was within the Iyr''s lands, after all. "Granduncle has come to escort the children." "He cannot," Kitool said, eyeing up the troublemaker. "He is no longer a Family Elder." "..." Kitool threw a look towards Rajin, then noted the air between the older Iyrmen around him, from the laughing Jarot, to the slightly bewildered Gangak, and the contemplatative Otkan. ''He gave up his position?'' "You must be Adam," Tarukan said, reaching down to brush Adam''s hair. "I have heard what you have done for my grandniece." "What did I do?" Adam asked, allowing the old man to brush his hair, before the pair shook forearms. He understood the old man was a Kan, not because of his tattoo, but because he was so damn handsome. "Oh, right, yeah. Any time, of course." "You do not need to speak with me so awkwardly, we are not strangers." "I mean, it''s the first time we''ve met." "I am Tarukan, Shikan and Halikan''s uncle." "Are you related to grandaunt Otkan?" "I am her brother." "Oh!" Adam said, suddenly recalling the name he had heard now and again. "I didn''t realise you had returned." "I returned recently." "Did you have fun?" "Yes," Tarukan replied, smiling slightly. Shagek also introduced himself, before the group were informed of how the children were to be to escorted, with each child assigned an Iyrman at all times. There was one Iyrman for each child, including Adam''s own, though Adam spotted a difference. Whereas the likes of Shikan and Kaygak were assigned to their own children, with Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool also watching out for their own siblings, Adam glanced towards the group which had been assigned to his own children. Shasen, Gangak, and Shagek had been assigned to Konarot, Kirot, and Karot. Rajin and Jarot had been assigned to Jirot and little Jarot. Tarukan had been assigned to Larot. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°How strong are the granduncles?¡± ¡°They should be stronger than your grandfather,¡± Jaygak replied, though not entirely certain. She was certain that her grandmother, a Grandmaster, and one of the strongest Gaks, was certainly the weakest among the group. ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± Adam asked, though his voice wasn¡¯t in the joke. ¡®What? They¡¯re that strong?¡¯ Jaygak was pretty certain Adam didn¡¯t understand the importance of Rajin¡¯s presence. She glanced around to see if anyone else was going to explain it, but it seemed to be the case that no one was going to bother. Jaygak glanced between the pair of goblins, who gleefully teased their babo. ¡®I¡¯m glad you are our Elder, Elder Zijin.¡¯ I wish I could tell you how important this chapter is, but you''ll have to se how important it is in the future. [953] – Y04.053 – Elders Responsibilities III [953] ¨C Y04.053 ¨C Elders Responsibilities III A silence of a thousand words fell across the pair, the old one armed Iyrman pouring his companion a drink. The trickle of the wine sung a tune which caused the pair to smile. Jarot and Rajin raised their cups, paused, before sipping the wine, their lips tingling, their tongues numbing. ¡°Gah!¡± Jarot snarled, wincing as the sourness shot through his throat, the fire of the wine burning harshly. ¡°This cup of wine is the most delicious.¡± ¡°It is fine,¡± Rajin said. Jarot smiled wide, staring down at the cup for a long while. His eyes slipped to the side, towards the Iyrman who was pouring them more wine. ¡°How many years has it been since you fought Thunder Falcon?¡± ¡°Too many years,¡± Rajin replied, closing his eyes as he reminisced about his youth. He felt the crackle of lightning against his neck and cheek, the rumble of thunder through his arm when their blades clashed. She had been ten years his senior, and had been one of the few who had shown such rapid growth, which had only been surpassed by the Iyrman opposite him. When he left the Iyr as a young man, around the same time as Jarot, he had made quite the name for himself. He had clashed against so many great names, some of whom had defeated Jarot early in their time away, but once Jarot retired to the Iyr and Rajin, the Bearded Dragon, continued to adventure, he found Jarot had long defeated them. ¡°So few legends from our time still roam,¡± Jarot said, almost sadly. ¡°Blue Sword has sat down once more.¡± Jarot let out a long sigh. ¡°They will not know it. The people of our time, they were so... different.¡± ¡°We have grown old...¡± Rajin joked. Jarot chuckled, sipping away at his wine. ¡°I sometimes think I should have returned to adventuring. I should have continued, to fight Thunder Falcon myself.¡± Jarot recalled her stories when he was a boy. He had listened to his uncle speak of the woman, she had defeated him when he was out adventuring. ¡°It is enough that she beat me, she did not need to beat you,¡± Rajin stated simply. Jarot smirked, bringing the alcohol to his lips. The pair continued to sip and reminisce of their past together, speaking of their fights, their tales. They spoke of old legends, whose names were known only by a few these days, with their own names nestled in the corners of libraries, covered in dust. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Rajin asked. ¡°There are few things I regret. Retiring early is not one of them.¡± Rajin slowly nodded his head. The pair had spoken of their regrets a few times before, and so far, they hadn¡¯t changed their minds. ¡°Will you regret this?¡± ¡°Regret what?¡± ¡°Giving up your title?¡± ¡°I am too old, too weak, to remain as the Family Elder,¡± Rajin said, the corners of his lips turned upwards. Jarot cackled, doing his best not to burst out into laughter. It was a cackle he had adopted from another troublemaker. ¡®If you are too weak, then what am I?¡¯ Morning came to the fort, and while the carriages were prepared, Adam made his rounds. He spotted more Iyrmen who he hadn¡¯t seen the previous evening, his eyes scanning the group that was preparing to leave the fort. Kamrot ruffled the children¡¯s hair, saying goodbye to Lanarot, as well as the other Rot children. ¡°I should go with them.¡± ¡°I was assigned,¡± Tarukan replied. He understood Kamrot¡¯s annoyance, since he was a member of the Rot family, and should have been the one to go. He must have made quite the complaint to be sent here to the fort to watch them go. Kamrot peeked towards the other Iyrmen, from Shasen to Shagek. Kamrot himself was considered a Master, but comparing himself to any of them was futile. He let out a sigh. ¡®I should have trained harder.¡¯ ¡°I will watch over them well,¡± Gangak assured, clasping forearms with her friend who she had grown up beside. ¡°If it is Flame Brand, I do not need to worry.¡± Gangak smiled, and as she turned to leave, she felt Kamrot¡¯s hand against her shoulder. Kamrot bowed his head, for a long moment, before letting her go. Gangak accepted his appreciation, unsure what she had done to receive such gratitude from the Iyrman. ¡°Who are these adorable children?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the triplets, each with deep red skin, tiny nubs on their head. He could imagine the way the children¡¯s tails fell, their lips pouting up towards their father. ¡°It is best to hide their appearance,¡± Jurot said. ¡®How cute!¡¯ Lucy thought, though she kept to the side, her arms crossed. Mara, too, remained beside Lucy, her eyes glued to the triplets, also seeing their still disapproving tails within her mind. ¡°I didn¡¯t give you permission to be this cute,¡± Adam said, punishing them with his affection. As he held them, he could feel their invisible tails against his arms. ¡®Why didn¡¯t they let you keep your adorable tails? I know it¡¯s a better idea to hide it, but won¡¯t everyone already be distracted by how cute you are? Seriously!¡¯ ¡°You must remember to wear your necklaces at all times,¡± Jurot stated, his words firm. ¡°You must not remove them.¡± ¡°Nano! I want necklace!¡± Jirot said, pointing at her eldest sister¡¯s chest. Konarot wore two necklaces, one a chain with a tiny black gem, just like all the other children wore, but the triplets, and the youngest, also wore an additional necklace with a ring slipped between. ¡°It is not theirs, and this is not yours, but you must wear them,¡± Gangak said, holding the girl to her bosom. ¡°You must always wear them, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, clutching at the woman¡¯s collar. ¡°You do not have necklace?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± Jirot reached for her necklace and began to remove it. She froze when Gangak grabbed her nose, before she giggled wildly. ¡°I told you you cannot remove it and you remove it right away?¡± ¡°I not moving it, I sharing, nano,¡± Jirot said, taking it off. ¡°You cannot take it off,¡± Gangak said. ¡°No! I sharing!¡± Jirot complained. ¡°Jirot, you must wear it.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot huffed, but upon seeing the stern face of her nano, she pouted. Gangak pulled the girl to her bosom once more. ¡°You cannot remove the necklace. Once we return, it will be my turn, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl was quickly distracted by her nano¡¯s tight embrace. ¡°I know you will not remove it,¡± the one armed Jarot said to the little boy named after him, ruffling his hair. Little Jarot smiled bashfully, leaning in to hug his babo, before he was shifted to the side, his sister joining him. The stub of his greatfather¡¯s lost arm kept the boy pinned, while his sister was held by the old man¡¯s whole arm, for he knew the trouble she could get herself in if he dared to underestimate her. ¡°Sky?¡± Lanarot asked. Bloodblade, who held Larot upon his lap, glanced down at the boy. His ears were also leaf shaped. Shasen gently rubbed the boy¡¯s head. Jasmine watched them go, standing beside Morkarai, who stared at the carriages, deep in thought. ¡®What are you thinking so deeply about, Prince?¡¯ ¡®Should I have insisted on going?¡¯ Adam sat with Lucy, Mara, and Rick, their carriage pulled by Zeus, trailing behind the rest. The Golden Savages rode their steeds around the entire caravan. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they¡¯ve done this.¡± ¡°Adam, it¡¯s too early for it to begin.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam sighed, staring out of the carriage. ¡°I hope everything is peaceful.¡± ¡°I hope we get to fight some...¡± Lucy glanced outside, noting the glare from Adam¡¯s eye. ¡°I hope everything is peaceful too.¡± With the carriages pulled by the steeds, the group continued through the villages, somehow peacefully. Some of those who had been assigned to Adam¡¯s children instead drove the carriages forward, leaving the children to those they were more familiar with. With the magical steeds, the group managed to clear many miles. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Adam said, before noticing he was gritting his teeth. He inhaled deeply and exhaled. When they finally took a break for lunch, the teen Iyrmen fanned around the group, keeping an eye out. Adam forced his way to his children, dropping down beside his sister, who eagerly waited for the bread her mother was baking. ¡°How can you do this to me? This is our first time out as a family, but I¡¯m stuck without you all!¡± Adam pulled Lanarot to his lap. ¡°Even you, Lanababy! How could you betray me like this? You already left once before and I had to work hard, and now you won¡¯t even stay with me?¡± ¡°Papa, I stay with you,¡± Lanarot said, reaching up to gently stroke her brother¡¯s cheek, patting it gently. ¡°What a sweet little sister you are.¡± Adam kissed her cheek and blew raspberries against her neck. ¡°...¡± Rajin recalled the warning Elder Zijin had given to him. ¡®I see.¡¯ ¡°Is village, daddy?¡± Jirot asked, looking all around. ¡°It is,¡± Adam confirmed, before realising where they were. ¡°You know, it wasn¡¯t too far away from here that...¡± Adam froze. Jurot glanced aside to his brother, who had fallen silent. ¡®...¡¯ Jirot waited for her father to continue, her tiny leaf shaped ears twitching. Adam lifted his sister up and handed her to Jurot. ¡°Come to your daddy you smelly girl and smelly boy!¡± Adam held out his arms, and Jirot cackled, clutching at her greatfather. The old Jarot grinned wide, but upon seeing his grandson¡¯s eyes, his grin dropped. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, go to your father.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Sonarot said, and the girl jolted upwards, before slipping away from her greatfather, rushing to her father. Adam embraced the pair, holding them close to his chest. He fought away the tears in his eyes, and held them tighter, gently swaying from side to side. It had been almost three years ago when he had found them. Their mother had been half eaten, each had been covered in mud. They had been so tiny, each no larger than a pair, their breaths so weak. Jurot also thought back to when he first saw the children, having no idea at the time they would be his niece and nephew. ¡°You two. Even though you¡¯re both such trouble, you are my greatest treasures.¡± Adam planted firm kisses on their foreheads. ¡°Your father has brought so much coin with him, so once we get to town, tell me what you want to buy, and I¡¯ll buy it.¡± ¡°How much did you bring?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°A hundred gold,¡± Adam replied. Jaygak noted the smirk on his lips. ¡®That doesn¡¯t sound like a lot...¡¯ ¡°What about the business fund?¡± ¡°That has enough...¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡®How much did he bring in the business fund?¡¯ ¡®Do you think I¡¯m talking about the fund? Oh, my dear Jaygak, you¡¯re not thinking big enough.¡¯ Once lunch passed, and the Iyrmen changed the children¡¯s clothies, they all entered the carriages. ¡°Adam, I¡¯ll ride in the carriage, and you can ride on the horse,¡± Rook offered. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to ride along whichever carriage you want.¡± ¡°Rook, how much?¡± Adam said, clasping the man¡¯s hands. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How much for you to stay with us?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t afford it.¡± Adam hugged Rook and pat his back. ¡°I should have prepared you all a tip before we left.¡± ¡°Buy us drinks the next time we meet.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam promised. With Adam free to ride along the carriages, the group were able to contain his cringe. ¡°Why were you so solemn earlier,¡± Vasera asked, riding beside him. Adam glanced towards the carriage for a moment, veering away to the side, motioning with his head. Once they were quite far away from the carriage, Adam inhaled deeply, and let a long moment pass. ¡°Between the last two villages, I found two treasures worth more to me than this world.¡± Vasera bowed her head simply, the pair returning back to the carriage. Her heart beat swiftly. She could sense something within Adam¡¯s words. Though he had spoken around it, she understood what he meant, and she understood that it was wholly true. I brought a tear to my eyes. Shout out to the new patron for an additional chapter yesterday, perhaps we''ll get another? [954] – Y04.054 – Visit at Red Oak I [954] ¨C Y04.054 ¨C Visit at Red Oak I They spent the night in the village closest to Red Oak, with the villagers eyeing up the large caravan. Sonarot dealt with the Chief as the Family Head of the Rot family, while Nirot watched over her younger brother. She lifted the boy up, who giggled and squealed as his sister played with him. ¡°Gurot...¡± ¡°Kaka?¡± Nirot understood Adam was a fool, but while within the village, her hair standing on end, the boy¡¯s eyes having never seen the land around, and yet he was glued to the familiar sight of his sister. She understood the genius of Adam and his cringe. Adam made sure his children were prepared for bed, having summoned his towers within the village, with the half elf staying with his children that night. The entire night his body remained tense. It was the first time he had slept with his family outside of the Iyr. ¡®No. Hold on...¡¯ Adam thought back to when he found his twins, who were technically his first children. They had slept so soundly through the night. Then, too, he was surrounded by the Iyrmen and his friends. ¡®What am I worrying about? It¡¯s not like the old man will allow anyone to mess with them.¡¯ The noonval sun beat heavily down upon the minor fort, the soldiers shouting out commands as they noted the appearance of the carriages, each waving a white flag with a black skull, that which denoted Baktu. They hadn¡¯t seen such a large caravan of Iyrmen before, especially when they were led by the Golden Savages. ¡®What trouble do you bring?¡¯ The Commander thought, motioning with a hand for the soldiers to prepare themselves. He saw the old Iyrmen driving the carriages, but as they approached, the Commander could feel it. In all his years, he hadn¡¯t felt such a chill grip of impending doom clutched around his throat. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Commander Theodore Barrenhill thought, his eyes glued to the older Iyrmen. He vaguely recognised them as figures who had recently returned to the Iyr. ¡®Silver Blade, was it? Silver Strike?¡¯ He was certain those two were particularly powerful, so what were they doing here? ¡®Have they come to attack us?¡¯ ¡°Halt!¡± the Commander shouted. ¡°What business do you have within the fort.¡± ¡°Lunch,¡± the one who the Commander thought was named Silver Strike replied. ¡°We wish to eat within the fort, and we continue to Red Oak for an outing.¡± ¡®Ah, an outing,¡¯ the Commander thought, suddenly feeling the chilly grip begin to warm. ¡°Welcome, Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I do not want to!¡± Jirot declared, daring to defy her father. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°I go myself!¡± ¡°Jirot, if you keep misbehaving, we will turn these carriages around and we will go back to the Iyr. No Red Oak for you.¡± Jirot gasped at the threat. She looked to her grandmother for support, rushing up beside her, clutching her trousers. ¡°Nana! You tell daddy!¡± ¡°Jirot, we are no longer in the Iyr. You must listen.¡± Sonarot lifted her up and kissed the girl¡¯s neck, nuzzling against her cheek. ¡°If you behave, your father will do something special for you.¡± ¡°Speshul?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl glanced around the fort. ¡°You¡¯ve returned,¡± the Commander called out to the young man in purple. ¡°It was not long ago that you passed.¡± ¡°My daughter bullied me into bringing her to Red Oak.¡± ¡°Your... daughter?¡± The Commander glanced towards the girl, who was currently being tended to by a horcish Iyrman with a long beard. ¡°Right...¡± His eye then fell to the demons. ¡°Will they cause trouble?¡± ¡°With the Mad Dog around? Definitely not.¡± Theodore¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Mad Dog is here?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, pointing to the old man. Commander Theodore¡¯s eyes darted to the side, glancing beside the bearded Iyrman, to the one armed, one legged Iyrman, who was cuddling the little horc boy within his arm. ¡®He is the Mad Dog?¡¯ Of all the older Iyrmen, he seemed the most docile. There was another word he would dare to use, not to the Mad Dog within his mind, but the Mad Dog in front of him? Sonarot¡¯s eyes fell to the noblewoman, surrounded by a group of guards, led by a single knight. She was off to one side, her disparaging eyes glaring towards the savages who had arrived. ¡°Jurot, Kitool, we should speak with the Countess.¡± Laygak and Faool both nodded towards their cousins, taking their place as the children¡¯s guardians, though it wasn¡¯t entirely needed, not with Adam there already tickling his squealing sister, who was about to devour as much bread as she could. ¡°There¡¯s not going to be a fight, so don¡¯t get too excited,¡± the half elf said, blowing a raspberry within her neck. ¡°No!¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you start.¡± ¡°Uwajin,¡± Rajin called, causing the girl to snap up from her nap. ¡°No, go back to sleep.¡± Uwajin instantly fell back asleep. ¡°Naqokan, watch over Jirot.¡± Naqokan scooped the girl within her arms, nuzzling her neck with her nose. ¡°Jirot, will you cause trouble?¡± ¡°I will not!¡± Jirot threatened with a finger. ¡°Stop it!¡± Naqokan laughed, tossing the girl up before she could continue her angry tirade. Rajin motioned a hand to the ten young Iyrmen who were extra hands to assist, and he stood with them, forming a line between themselves and the nobles. ¡®Already, they are beginning to cause us trouble.¡¯ Sonarot arrived at the Countess¡¯ estate, her eyes scanning across the large walls. The guards remained cautious as the trio of Iyrmen approached. ¡°Inform the Countess the President of the United Kindom has brought her order.¡± The woman held up the silver plaque. It wasn¡¯t long before the woman found herself opposite the Countess, whose eyes gleamed upon seeing the three magical blades. She reached out to rub a finger along the blade, feeling the tingling of magic. She nodded her head to the servant, who brought forward the chest of coins and gems, to pay for the rest of the outstanding sum. The Countess knew better than to test the items an Iyrman had brought, since they were always so honest with their dealings. ¡°We of the Iyr have booked an inn. A Lady refuses to leave.¡± Sonarot¡¯s eyes remained focused upon the Countess¡¯ eyes. The Countess¡¯s lips fell slightly. ¡°That is between the inn and the Lady.¡± ¡°If the Lady does not move, we will be forced to act,¡± Sonarot stated. ¡®Why is she...¡¯ It was then the Countess realised. ¡°Are children of the Iyr within the inn?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Of course.¡¯ ¡°I will write a letter.¡± ¡°You should inform the Lady of the consequences should she refuse.¡± ¡°I cannot make demands of a noble.¡± ¡°We can.¡± ¡®Just which family dares to trouble the Iyrmen?¡¯ The Countess wrote up her letter. ¡°Threatening a noble is an offence under our laws.¡± ¡°If the noblewoman remains, we will consider it a plot against our children,¡± Sonarot stated firmly. ¡°Should Elder Peace hear we had tried diplomacy, she will understand.¡± ¡°I hope you will not harm the Lady. It would put me in a predicament.¡± ¡°The Iyr will guarantee the Lady will not be harmed, but we make no such promise for her escorts.¡± ¡®This damned woman!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long until the Lady read the note. She couldn¡¯t refuse opening the letter, not when it was from the Countess, and it had been given to her by the Iyrman who had referred to herself as a Family Head. ¡°Apparently these Iyrmen are not so ordinary,¡± the Lady, with pale skin and red hair, said. ¡°Have any of you heard of this Bloodblade?¡± ¡°I knew it,¡± a guard said, sitting up taller. ¡°The man with the red sword at his side, he¡¯s Bloodblade. They say he¡¯s as strong as Blackblade.¡± ¡°Blackblade? Really?¡± the Lady asked, unable to contain her shock. ¡®Why is someone like that here?¡¯ ¡°I want him.¡± I love the smell of blood in the morning. [954] – Y04.054 – Red Oak Outing I [954] ¨C Y04.054 ¨C Red Oak Outing I They spent the night in the village closest to Red Oak, with the villagers eyeing up the large caravan. Sonarot dealt with the Chief as the Family Head of the Rot family, while Nirot watched over her younger brother. She lifted the boy up, who giggled and squealed as his sister played with him. ¡°Gurot...¡± ¡°Kaka?¡± Nirot understood Adam was a fool, but while within the village, her hair standing on end, the boy¡¯s eyes having never seen the land around, and yet he was glued to the familiar sight of his sister. She understood the genius of Adam and his cringe. Adam made sure his children were prepared for bed, having summoned his towers within the village, with the half elf staying with his children that night. The entire night his body remained tense. It was the first time he had slept with his family outside of the Iyr. ¡®No. Hold on...¡¯ Adam thought back to when he found his twins, who were technically his first children. They had slept so soundly through the night. Then, too, he was surrounded by the Iyrmen and his friends. ¡®What am I worrying about? It¡¯s not like the old man will allow anyone to mess with them.¡¯ The noonval sun beat heavily down upon the minor fort, the soldiers shouting out commands as they noted the appearance of the carriages, each waving a white flag with a black skull, that which denoted Baktu. They hadn¡¯t seen such a large caravan of Iyrmen before, especially when they were led by the Golden Savages. ¡®What trouble do you bring?¡¯ The Commander thought, motioning with a hand for the soldiers to prepare themselves. He saw the old Iyrmen driving the carriages, but as they approached, the Commander could feel it. In all his years, he hadn¡¯t felt such a chill grip of impending doom clutched around his throat. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Commander Theodore Barrenhill thought, his eyes glued to the older Iyrmen. He vaguely recognised them as figures who had recently returned to the Iyr. ¡®Silver Blade, was it? Silver Strike?¡¯ He was certain those two were particularly powerful, so what were they doing here? ¡®Have they come to attack us?¡¯ ¡°Halt!¡± the Commander shouted. ¡°What business do you have within the fort.¡± ¡°Lunch,¡± the one who the Commander thought was named Silver Strike replied. ¡°We wish to eat within the fort, and we continue to Red Oak for an outing.¡± ¡®Ah, an outing,¡¯ the Commander thought, suddenly feeling the chilly grip begin to warm. ¡°Welcome, Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I do not want to!¡± Jirot declared, daring to defy her father. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°I go myself!¡± ¡°Jirot, if you keep misbehaving, we will turn these carriages around and we will go back to the Iyr. No Red Oak for you.¡± Jirot gasped at the threat. She looked to her grandmother for support, rushing up beside her, clutching her trousers. ¡°Nana! You tell daddy!¡± ¡°Jirot, we are no longer in the Iyr. You must listen.¡± Sonarot lifted her up and kissed the girl¡¯s neck, nuzzling against her cheek. ¡°If you behave, your father will do something special for you.¡± ¡°Speshul?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl glanced around the fort. ¡°You¡¯ve returned,¡± the Commander called out to the young man in purple. ¡°It was not long ago that you passed.¡± ¡°My daughter bullied me into bringing her to Red Oak.¡± ¡°Your... daughter?¡± The Commander glanced towards the girl, who was currently being tended to by a horcish Iyrman with a long beard. ¡°Right...¡± His eye then fell to the demons. ¡°Will they cause trouble?¡± ¡°With the Mad Dog around? Definitely not.¡± Theodore¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Mad Dog is here?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, pointing to the old man. Commander Theodore¡¯s eyes darted to the side, glancing beside the bearded Iyrman, to the one armed, one legged Iyrman, who was cuddling the little horc boy within his arm. ¡®He is the Mad Dog?¡¯ Of all the older Iyrmen, he seemed the most docile. There was another word he would dare to use, not to the Mad Dog within his mind, but the Mad Dog in front of him? Sonarot¡¯s eyes fell to the noblewoman, surrounded by a group of guards, led by a single knight. She was off to one side, her disparaging eyes glaring towards the savages who had arrived. ¡°Jurot, Kitool, we should speak with the Countess.¡± Laygak and Faool both nodded towards their cousins, taking their place as the children¡¯s guardians, though it wasn¡¯t entirely needed, not with Adam there already tickling his squealing sister, who was about to devour as much bread as she could. ¡°There¡¯s not going to be a fight, so don¡¯t get too excited,¡± the half elf said, blowing a raspberry within her neck. ¡°No!¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you start.¡± ¡°Uwajin,¡± Rajin called, causing the girl to snap up from her nap. ¡°No, go back to sleep.¡± Uwajin instantly fell back asleep. ¡°Naqokan, watch over Jirot.¡± Naqokan scooped the girl within her arms, nuzzling her neck with her nose. ¡°Jirot, will you cause trouble?¡± ¡°I will not!¡± Jirot threatened with a finger. ¡°Stop it!¡± Naqokan laughed, tossing the girl up before she could continue her angry tirade. Rajin motioned a hand to the ten young Iyrmen who were extra hands to assist, and he stood with them, forming a line between themselves and the nobles. ¡®Already, they are beginning to cause us trouble.¡¯ Sonarot arrived at the Countess¡¯ estate, her eyes scanning across the large walls. The guards remained cautious as the trio of Iyrmen approached. ¡°Inform the Countess the President of the United Kindom has brought her order.¡± The woman held up the silver plaque. It wasn¡¯t long before the woman found herself opposite the Countess, whose eyes gleamed upon seeing the three magical blades. She reached out to rub a finger along the blade, feeling the tingling of magic. She nodded her head to the servant, who brought forward the chest of coins and gems, to pay for the rest of the outstanding sum. The Countess knew better than to test the items an Iyrman had brought, since they were always so honest with their dealings. ¡°We of the Iyr have booked an inn. A Lady refuses to leave.¡± Sonarot¡¯s eyes remained focused upon the Countess¡¯ eyes. The Countess¡¯s lips fell slightly. ¡°That is between the inn and the Lady.¡± ¡°If the Lady does not move, we will be forced to act,¡± Sonarot stated. ¡®Why is she...¡¯ It was then the Countess realised. ¡°Are children of the Iyr within the inn?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Of course.¡¯ ¡°I will write a letter.¡± ¡°You should inform the Lady of the consequences should she refuse.¡± ¡°I cannot make demands of a noble.¡± ¡°We can.¡± ¡®Just which family dares to trouble the Iyrmen?¡¯ The Countess wrote up her letter. ¡°Threatening a noble is an offence under our laws.¡± ¡°If the noblewoman remains, we will consider it a plot against our children,¡± Sonarot stated firmly. ¡°Should Elder Peace hear we had tried diplomacy, she will understand.¡± ¡°I hope you will not harm the Lady. It would put me in a predicament.¡± ¡°The Iyr will guarantee the Lady will not be harmed, but we make no such promise for her escorts.¡± ¡®This damned woman!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long until the Lady read the note. She couldn¡¯t refuse opening the letter, not when it was from the Countess, and it had been given to her by the Iyrman who had referred to herself as a Family Head. ¡°Apparently these Iyrmen are not so ordinary,¡± the Lady, with pale skin and red hair, said. ¡°Have any of you heard of this Bloodblade?¡± ¡°I knew it,¡± a guard said, sitting up taller. ¡°The man with the red sword at his side, he¡¯s Bloodblade. They say he¡¯s as strong as Blackblade.¡± ¡°Blackblade? Really?¡± the Lady asked, unable to contain her shock. ¡®Why is someone like that here?¡¯ ¡°I want him.¡± I love the smell of blood in the morning. [955] – Y04.055 – Red Oak Outing II [955] ¨C Y04.055 ¨C Red Oak Outing II ¡°I refuse,¡± Shasen said, standing opposite the Lady, with Konarot beside him, Gangak and Shagek with the remaining triplets. ¡°I¡¯m sure you would, but you have a price, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You need not be so shy, tell me, how much do you-,¡± ¡°One hundred thousand gold,¡± Shasen said, letting out a bored sigh. ¡°A yearly salary of ten thousand.¡± The Lady fell silent. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t need a savage who knows no manners, daring to interrupt m-,¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shasen said, turning and stepping away with Konarot. Konarot looked up towards the older Iyrman, who was her grandmother¡¯s uncle, in the same way Jaygak was her aunt, from a different family, but raised together. She blinked. Someone wanted Shasen because he was... ¡®Strong.¡¯ The Lady remained silent, stunned from the blatant disrespect of the Iyrman. She glanced towards her knight, who was as grateful as she was confused. ¡°That¡¯s why you can¡¯t speak with these savages.¡± ¡°Why are you getting so worked up?¡± Jaygak asked, noting how tense Adam had become. ¡°...¡± Adam remained focused on the noblewoman. ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s how it always is. I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t pick a fight.¡¯ ¡°Leave it to we Iyrmen,¡± Jaygak said, sipping her milk, barely able to contain her smile. ¡°It seems she is not leaving,¡± Sonarot said, glancing between the other Iyrmen. She needed to figure out who she should send. She couldn¡¯t send anyone from the Jin or Gak family, since the Aldishmen would be even more audacious. ¡®Should I send Jurot or Kitool? No. They were introduced to the Countess as Executives, so she might decide to trouble us that way.¡¯ ¡°Should I go?¡± a voice called, his lips curling upwards. ¡°No,¡± Sonarot replied, far too quickly. ¡°Jirot, you must tell your babo he cannot.¡± ¡°Babo! You cannot!¡± Jirot said, pausing from her meal to listen to her grandmother, who reached out to rub her head. The girl smirked. ¡°Aunt,¡± Sonarot called, glancing towards Otkan, before looking towards the other Iyrmen. She thought about sending Shasen, but realised that could be used against them. ¡°Uncle.¡± Sonarot approached the Lady, while Shagek and Otkan followed. ¡°If you do not leave now while you have the chance to, we will consider that you have thoughts against our children.¡± ¡°Who are you to demand something of me? Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°Lady Alice Crimsonash, daughter of Baron Edward Crimsonash,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°The last time your family held any relevancy was during the time of your greatuncle, the Crimson Sword. Was he still alive, I would have shown you respect still undeserving for an Aldishman child.¡± The Lady stood, her face flooding red. ¡°How utterly incorrigible. You Iyrmen, you always think you are so mighty! The recent war has shown you for what you are. Cowards, the lot of you. I didn¡¯t want your Bloodblade anyway, he¡¯d just cower in the corner while our knights spill their blood to keep you safe behind your walls.¡± Sonarot¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. For her to hear those words from an Aldishman, it meant Red Oak had long forgotten how it had managed to remain relevant for so long, even though the reforms of generations past which had forced so many people into the largest towns and cities. ¡°Even with your Crimson Sword, I would not need to worry of your family.¡± The Lady reached up to slap the woman, but Sonarot caught her wrist with ease, feeling how thin it was, how she could have snapped it should she had wanted. ¡°My Lady!¡± the knight called, reaching for her blade, though found a blade against her wrist from the one armed woman, while the silver blade gleamed in the air, keeping the escorts at bay. However, Sonarot turned back, having heard some commotion from behind them, and just in case, she forced the woman down with her great might, a hand around the axe at her side. She understood if the Lady was even slightly more Aldish, it would have been hard to control him. Adam could feel a hand at each of his elbows, one from Jaygak, the other from Jurot. His entire body was tense, like an arrow knocked, ready to loose. ¡°Mother is not so easily struck,¡± Jurot said, disappointed he hadn¡¯t seen his mother catch the Lady¡¯s hand from his view. ¡°Mommy!¡± Lanarot exclaimed, her fists in the air, the girl ready to shout and scream, though found Jurot¡¯s hand covering her eyes for a moment. She squirmed, trying to pull away, distracted from the fight. ¡°Uncle. Just one.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Shagek replied. The silver blade arced through the air. ¡°Stop!¡± came a shout. There were many who could have shouted stop, but there were few that would have caused the Iyrman to stop. Any Iyrman could have stopped him. The Countess? Perhaps. However, there was one more he needed to listen to, for the sake of respect. ¡°Lady Crimsonash, you must leave.¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± the Lady snapped, her eyes glued to the innkeeper, a woman who was roughly her age, and though not a noble, was extremely well kept, from her trimmed nails, to her hair, which was styled three times throughout the day to keep her fresh. Jirot blinked. She smirked, exchanging a look with her babo, before cackling with delight. ¡°Hmph! Then daddy will not.¡± ¡°Daddy! No! Daddy!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the magic word?¡± ¡°Please, daddy! Please!¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Adam said, waving his hand, speaking the words of magic for his Trick, cooling the potato enough for the girl. ¡°Soht please.¡± ¡°Of course, my dear.¡± ¡°Bu¡¯ah.¡± ¡°Butter?¡± the old Jarot asked. ¡°That¡¯s what she said,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Bu¡¯ah, innit.¡± Jarot stared at the young half elf, who was almost bursting with pride, his tears brimming with joy. ¡°That¡¯s right! You want some bu¡¯ah, don¡¯t you? Daddy will give you all the butter!¡± Adam pulled his daughter onto his lap, peppering her with kisses. ¡°I¡¯m the luckiest father alive! Whose children are as wonderful as mine?¡± Jaygak smiled, glad Adam had finally relaxed. She hadn¡¯t realised Adam could still fear the Iyr more than he already did, but upon recalling how many times he acted up, she realised perhaps Adam didn¡¯t understand just how terrifying the Iyr could be. Her eyes fell to her grandaunt, then to Mad Dog, and finally Otkan. ¡®None of us truly know how terrifying the Iyr truly is...¡¯ Adam scooped some mash potato to his youngest son¡¯s lips, though the boy pulled away, reaching for the spoon himself. ¡°Alright, alright...¡± Adam poured the boy a glass of milk, before reaching for his own meal, taking his first bite once all of his children had already begun eating. Once dinner was finished, Adam assisted his children with their baths and brushed their teeth, allowing the youngest three to chew on the teethleaf while he rubbed the cloth against his triplets¡¯ scales. He had already applied the lotion, but he needed to make sure the children¡¯s scales were dried properly, and that they had been polished. Not only did it keep their scales so vibrant and healthy, but it kept his twins distracted by how shiny they were. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, placing the second necklace over them, their skins instantly turning red, their tails invisible once more. Adam had almost taken off the tiny gem necklaces, but Jurot had grabbed his arm, stopping the half elf. ¡®You cannot,¡¯ Jurot stated, with a tone of voice that was bordering a threat. ¡®The necklace protects them.¡¯ ¡®Even during their bath?¡¯ ¡®You cannot.¡¯ Adam smiled slightly, glad that his brother was protecting his children with such fervour. ¡®Truly, I am the luckiest brother alive.¡¯ It was later in the evening, when the children had begun yawning, that they were finally called for to sleep alongside their guardians. Jirot blinked, glancing up towards her greatfather. She looked back to her father and then back to her greatfather. ¡°I sleep with daddy?¡± ¡°You must stay with us,¡± Jarot said, while Rajin waited for the girl to step out. Jirot smiled, though it was a smile Jarot had only ever seen in another context. ¡°I sleeping with Daddy...¡± ¡®Is she...¡¯ Jarot thought, feeling his heart stir slightly. He wanted to take her, but the nervous smile upon the girl¡¯s lips caused a deeper wound than any blade he had felt before. ¡°Okay.¡± Rajin glanced towards Jarot, who watched the squealing girl rush up to her father, embracing him tight. ¡°Will you take it from her?¡± ¡°I will assign Uwajin nearby,¡± Rajin replied. Jirot clutched at her father¡¯s shirt tightly in hand, sucking her thumb lightly. She kept glancing to the side in the darkness to see whether her father was still there. Her father continued to pretend to be asleep, not wanting her to take the opportunity to speak when their eyes met. He heard her breath begin to fall into a gentle rhythm, but her hand refused to let up. Even little Jarot did not grip his father so tightly. ¡®Damn it! Aren¡¯t my kids too cute?¡¯ Rajin walked around the courtyard, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®If this is how much trouble the Mad Dog is causing, then it will be fine.¡¯ I forget how stacked these Iyrmen are sometimes. [956] – Y04.056 – Red Oak Outing III [956] ¨C Y04.056 ¨C Red Oak Outing III The townsfolk left a wide berth as the heavily armed figures stepped through the large central road of the town, making their way towards the markets. The figure who wore the turban around his head, and ears, was surrounded by children, who were in turn surrounded by Iyrmen. Some of the Iyrmen wore full plate, even during the noonval sun, while others wore their typical furs, but more importantly, carried weapons that hung far too comfortably for a town. Shameless. Fearless. These were the words which came to the townsfolk, who knew to stay away from the group, allowing them to walk through the town as though they owned it, though they prayed within their hearts for the guards. ¡°Tell me...¡± the fellow wearing the turban, and the purple breastplate, began. ¡°What is it that you want? Daddy will buy you the world is he has to.¡± ¡°Food,¡± Jirot said, pointing to the stall to one side, the smell causing the girl to almost drool. ¡°How wise is my daughter? Why do you need the world when you have food?¡± Adam said, with all the seriousness he could muster, before placing down a gold coin for the cook. ¡°One for each of us.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the cook said, his eyes darting between the Iyrmen, praying they would move on quickly from his stall. Adam bite into the meat, frowning slightly, before using his magic to flavour the meat. Another stick of meat filled the air, as Jirot waited expectantly. ¡°Please, daddy, please.¡± Adam smiled, flavouring the meat with his magic, doing so for all his children at once, before doing the same for all the Iyrmen. Gangak had eaten first, to check if the meat was properly cooked, and since she raised no complaints, the other Iyrmen allowed the children to eat. None of the children noticed just how much the Iyrmen were looking out for them, from checking the food, to noting the people who wore weapons, to the people who didn¡¯t wear weapons but perhaps had them hidden, even to counting steps towards the nearest exits, and the quickest route back to the inn. They also didn¡¯t notice their father going still for moment at a time, while an owl flew up ahead, landing on nearby roofs every so often. ¡°Where should we go next?¡± Adam asked, wiping his children¡¯s faces with his damp cloth, cleaning it with his trick. ¡°Mmmm...¡± Jirot thought. ¡°Babo house?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go to babo¡¯s house, that¡¯s too far away?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We¡¯re in Red Oak now, smelly girl, not the Iyr.¡± ¡°Nano house?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also too far.¡± Jirot blinked, furrowing her brows. She had never heard this reason to refuse before. ¡°Far away?¡± ¡°Yes. Remember? We had to take the carriage all the way here. It¡¯s going to take so many days to get back. Plus, why do you want to go back?¡± ¡°I see nano.¡± ¡°How about this? Why don¡¯t we go buy nano a gift and then when we get back we¡¯ll give it to her?¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are so smart?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam blinked. ¡®How much Health do I have left?¡¯ Health: 91 ¡®Only 19?¡¯ Adam thought. Health: 91 ¡®I can¡¯t believe she did that much damage to me with one sentence.¡¯ Health: 91 ¡®Of course she did, since she¡¯s my daughter,¡¯ Adam thought proudly, feeling the ache within his heart. Rajin held onto Mad Dog¡¯s shoulder, feeling how hard the Iyrman was shaking, doing his absolute best not to burst out in laughter. He even felt the Mad Dog¡¯s body tense up, feeling the flash of hot red rage to stop himself from laughing. ¡°You should not waste your anger like this,¡± Rajin whispered. ¡°Ha? Do you-,¡± ¡°Jarot,¡± Rajin said, his voice stern. ¡°Do not forget.¡± ¡°...¡± Jarot slowly nodded his head, even the Mad Dog having to surrender when it came to this specific matter. ¡°Wow!¡± Jirot gasped, with little Jarot¡¯s mouth also agape. ¡°Look daddy! Look!¡± ¡°What am I looking at?¡± Once they were dressed, Adam would huff, tensing up. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± ¡°How can it not be so?¡± Eventually, Adam fell back to the tried and true, ¡°okay,¡± while nodding. Even now, the Iyrmen couldn¡¯t tell him to hurry up, since he looked like he¡¯d be willing to fight any of them at any moment. Indeed, how could they stop him, not when he was eating the most delicious dessert of all, that of his children being so adorable? ¡°Daddy, toilet,¡± Jirot finally said, daring to finally speak up. She had wanted to leave a while ago, but her father had given off the same aura as her grandmother, so she dared not to say anything. ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said, allowing Gangak to take the girl away to deal with her needs. ¡°Are you ready to order, dear client?¡± ¡°How much?¡± Adam asked, still standing tall, his arms crossed. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°How much for the clothes,¡± Adam replied, his voice stern and low. ¡°How many do you wish to prefer.¡± ¡°Everything,¡± Adam said, his eyes slowly turning to meet the merchant¡¯s gaze. ¡°Everything?¡± the merchant asked, feeling a chill down his spine. ¡°Everything they wore,¡± Adam said, his eyes still holding a vicious glare, as though daring the merchant to deny him. ¡°I¡¯ll just buy everything they wore, and everything that you own in their sizes.¡± The merchant blinked. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°We will buy everything they wore,¡± Jarot said, placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder to try and stop him from going overboard. ¡°No,¡± Adam said, tensing up, leaning back slightly as he glared at the old man. ¡°I¡¯ll buy everything in their size.¡± Jarot grinned wildly, the way he normally would. ¡°The children are still growing.¡± ¡°No, they¡¯ll stay small and cute forever.¡± ¡°There is no need to waste your gold today,¡± Jarot warned, daring his grandson to speak up. ¡°There are many days for the outing.¡± ¡°Wasting gold?¡± ¡°Will you spend it all?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam continued to glare, tilting his head slightly. Except, the old man did have a point. If Adam spent this much coin today, that meant he wouldn¡¯t be able to spoil them as much later. ¡°At least for the twins.¡± ¡°They...¡± Jarot paused, realising that sometimes Adam could be as smart as he was dumb. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Are they crazy? The price would be in the hundreds of gold!¡¯ The merchant¡¯s eyes darted between their equipment, and even the puthral breastplate. ¡®They¡¯re rich, but even so!¡¯ It was a short while later that the merchant stared down at the gems within his hands. He blinked in bewilderment. His clothing typically sold for a few silver to a few gold each, sometimes a noble would come by and procure several pieces, and they would generally spend a few tens of gold, with a few gold as a bonus. Yet, somehow, he had earned hundreds of gold in a single order, several weeks worth of great fortune in a span of a few hours. ¡®Is he a child of Lord Musa?¡¯ ¡°Old man...¡± Adam glared at the Iyrman once they were back at the inn. ¡°Do you know what I spent about half a thousand gold on?¡± ¡°Clothes?¡± Jarot replied. He wasn¡¯t sure anyone in the world had spent as much on clothes in a single go for their children, save perhaps royalty. ¡°It is for the joy,¡± Gangak said, as though it were obvious. ¡°Grandaunt is right,¡± Adam said. ¡°Do you know how much joy it brought me to bully my children like that? I got to force my children to wear such cute clothes, even my little Larot!¡± Sonarot raised her brows slightly, her eyes beaming. ¡®I should have gone with them.¡¯ Adam caught her eyes, and he slowly nodded his head. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, we can bully them even more.¡¯ It was that day when Sonarot realised she had never been happier protecting Adam from the Iyr. Of course, since he made the promise, she needed to return the favour. ¡°Adam, you should also accompany the other children,¡± Sonarot said, sipping her milk, not realising the storm which had begun. The most terrifying thing happens next chapter. [957] – Y04.057 – Red Oak Outing IV [957] ¨C Y04.057 ¨C Red Oak Outing IV The clothing merchant blinked. He had only opened his stall an hour ago and yet he saw the familiar purple mass appear once more. This time, the young man with the turban, placed down a pouch, containing about as many gems he had paid previously. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± Adam said, his face stone cold, as though preparing for war. ¡°The moment Kavgak complains, we¡¯ll have to leave.¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ the merchant thought, but his hands were already working upon finding the clothes for the half elf. ¡°What do you think?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°She looks so cute,¡± Adam replied, nodding his head sagely as Kavgak stared down at her frills. Jaygak wasn¡¯t sure what she was expecting, since that was all Adam said about any of his cousins¡¯ attires. Even when they prompt him about the colour, he repeated the words, in such a way that was so matter of factly, even the passing townsfolk understood it to be a universal truth. Kaygak wondered how she could thank Sonarot, since she had been at the forefront of forming good relations with the half elf. Halikan, too, was glad Adam had been adopted into the family. Citool and Shikan couldn¡¯t help but feel good since they had supported Sonarot from the beginning. ¡®Is it time?¡¯ Sonarot thought. Gurot squirmed slightly as he wore the uncomfortable set of clothing, before he noted all the gazes of his aunts and uncles upon him. He smiled with delight upon the attention, but then he noted the look within his aunt¡¯s eyes. It was that kind of look. Jurot didn¡¯t entirely understand why everyone was so glad to see the children wearing all these different clothing, but he could feel something beside him. He dared to look to the side, noting the intense look of focus upon Jaygak¡¯s face. ¡®How much should I tease aunt?¡¯ Jaygak thought. Indeed, Jurot didn¡¯t understand, and nor did Gurot. They didn¡¯t understand that Gurot was the only boy between them all. They didn¡¯t understand why Adam sighed a pained sigh. They didn¡¯t understand why Adam placed a hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. They didn¡¯t understand why Adam said those words. ¡°As a member of the Rot family, you are known for your toughness, our Gurot.¡± Adam closed his eyes, his heart already weeping for the boy. ¡°Kaza?¡± the boy asked, not understanding the treachery that was about to occur. ¡°You must endure it, okay?¡± Adam could only hope the boy would forgive him. However, this was his Fate, as the only boy born within the first set of children. Jurot wasn¡¯t sure why everyone was making a fuss, but it was then he froze up. He stared beyond the group, towards the past. ¡®No.¡¯ He blinked. ¡®No.¡¯ His eyes darted upwards the boy, who was about to get changed into a most terrifying outfit. Even now, the Iyrman recalled how uncomfortable the clothing had been. ¡°Adam, we...¡± Jurot felt a hand on each shoulder. ¡®You too, Kitool?¡¯ ¡®It is not the skirt which hurts the most,¡¯ Shikan thought, recalling back to when he was a boy. He was glad Otkan wasn¡¯t here, for he remembered when his mother used to force him to wear that. The men all understood. ¡®It was not the skirt, but the tights.¡¯ It was not the skirt, but the tights. Adam held Gurot upon their return, the boy sucking his thumb, a pout across his lips. ¡°My chonky boy, do you want some food?¡± Gurot perked up at the mention of food, forgiving Adam for his betrayal, just this once. Upon their return, Adam spoiled each of the children within the inn, making sure to feed them. Kavgak, who had managed to save Gurot from his fate with a defiant shout, allowed Adam to feed her, but she continued to glare at him. Of course, she wasn¡¯t glaring at him for any particular reason, she was just tired, though Adam continued to pray within his heart for forgiveness. ¡®I can¡¯t just keep playing here, I need to do some work too.¡¯ ¡°What do you think of Red Oak?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Big!¡± Jirot replied, holding up her hands. ¡°So big!¡± ¡°Small,¡± Konarot said. ¡°Just here to see how the discussions were going, and to deal with that other thing we talked about,¡± Adam said. ¡°Right...¡± Ted slowly nodded his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be so rude. I brought some food to make up for it. I hope I¡¯m not intruding.¡± Adam noted the older man laying in the bed, the handful of children nearby, some in the middle of chores, as well as the middle aged man and the young women who remained at home. The building was small, and smelled as one might have expected, full of sweat, but not too terrible. ¡°No, no,¡± Ted said, smiling awkwardly a moment, nodding his head. ¡°Ruby, pop the kettle on.¡± ¡°Ah, no need for that. Just some water. I can heat it and flavour it so you don¡¯t need to waste anything on me.¡± Adam waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Uh, right, this is Executive Adam, and Executive Jurot, and...¡± ¡°Little Boss, Lanarot,¡± Adam added. ¡°Hello,¡± the girl said, sitting up taller within her brother¡¯s arm. ¡°I am daughter of Sonarot!¡± Ted introduced the family to Adam, who ended up shaking forearms with each of them, including the old man, Henry, who tried to sit up. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be laying down for you, Brother,¡± Henry said, the old man speckled with wrinkles and marks across his face and arms, certainly far older than Adam had imagined. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me,¡± Adam replied, chuckling lightly. ¡®I guess that¡¯s why they couldn¡¯t make the wedding.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ve been hearing about your offer from Ted,¡± Archie, Ted¡¯s brother, said. ¡°Pa¡¯s in no place to be movin¡¯ about in his age, and I don¡¯t wantta leave him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise this was the situation, otherwise I would have offered something else.¡± Archie glanced to Ted, whose eyes urged his brother to say more, but Archie felt too embarrassed. ¡°Well, Executive, you see...¡± Ted began, feeling his brother poke him in the side. ¡°Even though my brother can¡¯t leave, some of the children, we were hoping you¡¯d take them in.¡± ¡°I feel bad taking children away from their parents,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Although, I guess we could send them back now and again to make sure they don¡¯t miss you, or maybe we can send them back during the times when you need to plant and harvest?¡± Ted hadn¡¯t expected Adam to think that far ahead. ¡°Well, it¡¯s no bother, really. Some of the girls, they¡¯re good with their handiwork, and some of the boys, they¡¯re too small to help much here anyhows.¡± ¡°What exactly are you interested in from us?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I mean, obviously we¡¯re offering you to join us, but what about our offer is most enticing?¡± ¡°Well, the reading¡¯s all good, but we¡¯ve never been smart folk, us,¡± Archie admitted. ¡°Payin¡¯ for their housing and their foods good, and training them too, that¡¯s real important. If they can work at a business like yours, the pay¡¯s good, and they can send some back without worrying.¡± ¡°How much would you like them to send back?¡± Adam asked, pulling out his book. ¡°I¡¯m not good with the numbers so I need some paper to help me.¡± He winked. ¡°About five gold,¡± Archie said. ¡°It¡¯ll help us work a little less to look after pa, and help with the taxes, especially with all the wars.¡± Ted cleared his throat. ¡°Some of the older boys would be good at the business. No point sending them to war for half the money.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Archie agreed. ¡°They¡¯re not cowardly, my boys, but there¡¯s no need for them to go out fightin¡¯ like that. They¡¯re not boys who dream of war.¡± ¡°If I take the older boys, will your farming be alright?¡± ¡°I can still work just fine, same with my siblings and my in laws, they take care of pa alright. It¡¯s my sister¡¯s turn tomorrow, so I can work the fields then. I only did it today cause there was some business at the mill she was needed for.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me for long,¡± Henry joked, causing Ted and Archie to glance back in shock. Adam let out a laugh, unable to contain himself. ¡°Ah, sorry! Sorry! Excuse me.¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Well, even if I am a Priest of Death, it¡¯s not like I want to see you go so soon.¡± A knock at the door caused them to pause, until the large form of Nobby stepped in, followed by another fellow, slightly younger, in his mid teens, who was still tall and well built, holding a basket. Jurot eyed him up, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡®Hmm...¡¯ It was not the skirt, but the tights. [958] – Y04.058 – Trouble in Red Oak I [958] ¨C Y04.058 ¨C Trouble in Red Oak I ¡°Nobby!¡± Adam called out, flashing a wide smile. ¡°Mister boss,¡± the young man replied, without even a hint of shock. ¡°How are you doing?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Not causing trouble are you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± The young man beside Nobby glanced between Adam and the Iyrman. He nodded his head slowly towards the Iyrman. He placed down the basket, and nodded towards Archie, before heading for the door. ¡°Wait,¡± Jurot said, standing up. The teen stopped, turning back to face the Iyrman, who he expected to be Jurot, the grandson of the Mad Dog. Apparently the Mad Dog was some kind of legendary figure. If he wasn¡¯t born in Red Oak, he would have thought it was nonsense, and if he hadn¡¯t heard about Nobby¡¯s win, he might not have stopped for the Iyrman. ¡°Another golden boy?¡± Adam joked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, sizing the young man up, walking around him. ¡°Acceptable.¡± ¡°Acceptable?¡± ¡°Better than most of the Aldish,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°He may be average for an Iyrman.¡± ¡®He¡¯s a little handsome too,¡¯ Adam thought, noting the messy hair on the teen¡¯s head. ¡®He¡¯d clean up good.¡¯ ¡°Freddie¡¯s my oldest,¡± Archie said. ¡°He might not be as big or tough as Nobby, but he ain¡¯t far off, and he¡¯s the smartest of us all.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t mind throwing him a...¡± Adam paused. ¡®Don¡¯t sound like a prick.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t mind testing him out to see how good he is. Do you work as a farmhand, Freddie?¡± ¡°Farmhand. Portin¡¯. I do this and that.¡± ¡°How much do you make a month.¡± ¡°Fifty, sixty silver.¡± ¡°How much of that do you keep?¡± ¡°A few silvers for drinks,¡± the boy admitted. ¡°Not much after the taxes and food stuffs. I¡¯m lucky ta have even a handful of silver.¡± ¡°Handful of silver buys a lot of drinks.¡± ¡°Not when yer buyin¡¯ Bert¡¯s.¡± Adam chuckled lightly. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°Freddie¡¯s got a good head on ¡®im,¡± Archie said. ¡°Does our taxes.¡± ¡°You ever skim some off the top after you pay your taxes?¡± Freddie¡¯s eyes, for an instant, stuttered to the side towards his father. ¡°...¡± ¡°Not our Freddie,¡± Henry said, lying through his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s the boy¡¯s coins anyhows.¡± Adam chuckled again. ¡°Ah, well, I¡¯m not going to tell you how to spend your coin. Well, have you thought of becoming an adventurer or a knight or a hero?¡± ¡°Not a boy no more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t dream like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m lowborn. Ain¡¯t no Red Scarf.¡± ¡°Tried to join the guard, but they said they wanted ¡®im to know how to read an¡¯ write already,¡± Archie said, letting out a soft sigh. He, and Freddie, knew what it meant. ¡°Reading and writing is good and all, but you know how to wield a blade?¡± ¡°No. Did some of the trainin¡¯, but I was too young to join the army for the war.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. Nobby didn¡¯t know much about using weapons either, and in, what, two or three years or so he won the tournament?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not Nobby.¡± ¡°No, but if my brother says you¡¯re average for an Iyrman, it means you could probably place in your first tournament,¡± Adam said, handing Lanarot to Jurot since she was beginning to squirm in his arms. ¡°No!¡± Lanarot complained before instantly slumping within her brother¡¯s arms, almost falling asleep. Adam didn¡¯t like Father Jacob. The Father was old, and adorned in fine vestments, but that was not what annoyed him. The cleanly cut hair and beard, white as snow, didn¡¯t annoy him either. What annoyed him most was that thing. That thing upon his chest. The amulet of a particular Divine. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°Good morning, Father Jacob.¡± ¡°Good morning, Brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Executive Adam, of the United Kindom, the business that works near the Iyr, we deal with enchanting and trading magical good, but I have come to discuss with you about a particular matter.¡± ¡°Which matter would that be?¡± ¡°I paid for the tuition of a young girl by the name of Anne, who studied here for about a year.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Father Jacob said, realising now that he did recognise Ted, who was not quite as thin as he remembered. ¡°I do recall the young girl.¡± ¡°Well, I was playing Warriors and Wanderers with her, it¡¯s a game with lots of maths, and reading, and so on and so on, and I noticed that, after about a year and a bit of studying, the girl... didn¡¯t know how to do simple maths. She didn¡¯t know her alphabet. She didn¡¯t even know how to write her own name.¡± Adam smiled politely, that kind of polite that he had to use when he knew he couldn¡¯t physically fight. ¡°It is a shame, but some children are unable to learn well, as is their place in life.¡± Adam remained smiling politely, his lips twitching slightly. ¡°Hmm. I see.¡± ¡°Is there something you wished to discuss particularly?¡± Adam inhaled deeply. He continued to smile and slowly began to nod his head, which only grew more violently as moments passed. ¡°Executive Jurot said that we should get back to the inn soon, since your children will miss you,¡± Ted said, having now understood why Jurot had taken him aside for a moment before they had left. Adam inhaled again, managing to catch himself. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. I should get back to my children, who are missing their father so much.¡± Adam stood, slapping his knees as he did, trying to get rid of the jitters which filled him. He started to hum to himself quietly. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 9 (5) ¡°You know,¡± Adam said, having already half turned. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, we find it rather pathetic to blame the student for a teacher¡¯s inability to teach.¡± ¡°Do you come from a land of disorder?¡± Adam smiled. ¡°If only I was so lucky, Father.¡± The Father smiled in return, the same polite smile Adam had shown him, watching as the petulant half elf left. He accepted the gold the half elf had donated, so there was no need to deal with him. Adam remained silent as he stormed through the town at random. He led Ted through the town, the man unsure if he should say goodbye here, or if he should follow the half elf. Adam stopped. ¡°Ted?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Do you want your daughter to be a Wizard or a Priest?¡± Ted remained silent for a moment. ¡°A Priest.¡± ¡°Yeah. A Priest. We¡¯ll see who is better, some dog of Order, or a Ray of Life.¡± Ted reached up to his head and ear, muttering a shocked prayer for the blasphemy of the half elf¡¯s words. ¡®By the Divine!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll show him! I¡¯m going to make Anne the best damn Priest across the world! Just you wait, she¡¯s going to learn Sixth Gate spells, and I¡¯ll see who tries to kill her for it.¡¯ Adam continued to fume with rage, though it quickly dissipated once he returned to the inn. ¡°Okay?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She threw a look to Jurot. ¡®You really are the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson if you let him go without you.¡¯ Jaygak was glad that somehow Adam had made it out alive without causing any trouble. Or rather, much trouble. Except, Jaygak had no idea that she was using the name of Mad Dog so lightly. She and Adam had taken Kavgak out, the girl having wanted to explore Red Oak, and with how demanding she was, and how much the pair couldn¡¯t refuse her, they allowed her to lead them around. Jaygak wore her full plate armour, and though she was a little worried about them going out, since they were a pair of Gaks, which was already bad luck in Aldland, but even worse, they were beside him. ¡°Kavgak, look, yummy food,¡± Adam said, pointing towards the stall. ¡°Should we-,¡± ¡°Adam! Jaygak!¡± shouted a voice from the rooftops. Faool panted lightly, wiping his brow of sweat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked, suddenly standing taller. ¡°Westmoon!¡± Faool shouted, panting for air still, having rushed the entire way towards them. Adam narrowed his eyes, his mind processing the information, but before he could put the pieces together, he watched as Jaygak¡¯s form blurred beside him, the young woman darting through the town. History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 4 (1) Adam did not recall Jaygak¡¯s words she had spoken to him many weeks ago. Indeed, it had even caused her to forget she was in charge of watching over Kavgak, a mistake which would have led to a great punishment, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Adam was a fool. Her mind was consumed by the words she had spoken. ¡®The family is well known for slaying goblins.¡¯ ... [959] – Y04.059 – Trouble in Red Oak II [959] ¨C Y04.059 ¨C Trouble in Red Oak II Rajin¡¯s hands were too swift as he grabbed little Jirot, pulling her to his chest, while the carriage charged past. For one moment, his heart beat too quickly for his old bones, but it had already calmed the next moment. ¡®She is definitely your greatdaughter!¡¯ The horses came to a swift stop, the carriage driver pulling the reins, the commonfolk all quickly pulling back from the scene. The carriage doors opened and a figure stepped out of the carriage, half in shock. The abrupt stop had certainly brought his heart aflutter, but it was what he had seen within the town which had set his heart ablaze. The man, who had few wrinkles across his face, with bits of white within his sun kissed acorn hair. He wore the finest of clothing under his breastplate, and at his side was a long blade, one that had been forged by one of the finest smiths in West Fort. ¡°What travesty befalls our land for goblins to walk before my path freely?¡± the Count growled aloud, while his knights dismounted from their horses, and took their place beside their lord. Rajin narrowed his eyes towards the Count, the most major reason why Zijin had asked him to come. ¡°Count Joseph Westmoon.¡± ¡°Iyrman,¡± the Count replied, to the one Iyrman he should have known, considering he had been quite active in his lands many decades ago. ¡°Do you escort these pests?¡± Rajin heard a crack beside him, and he reached out an arm to block Jarot from moving forward. ¡°These children are my greatniece and greatnephew.¡± ¡°Has the Iyr fallen so much that you have adopted vermin into your land?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Step aside, Iyrman.¡± ¡°Uwajin,¡± Rajin called, the young woman, who had been awake since Rajin had caught Jirot, quickly scooped up the children. ¡°Get back within your carriage, Count.¡± ¡°You should deal with the vermin before they make a mess within the town,¡± the Count said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jarot agreed, his lips forming a wide grin. ¡°Leave at once,¡± Rajin stated. ¡°Do you believe you are upon the Iyr¡¯s land?¡± Count Jacob asked, narrowing his eyes. Rajin did the disservice of glancing aside to the six guards, two of whom were knights, probably at the level of Masters, and then the other guards, who may have been as powerful of Experts. Though, individually, they were weaker than either of Rajin and Jarot, a group like that, including the Count who was probably greater than an Expert, was quite awkward to face. ¡°You should know how protective we are of our children,¡± Rajin warned. ¡°Since when were there goblins in the Iyr?¡± ¡°Since I have accepted them as my own,¡± Jarot growled back. ¡°Do you not follow our laws?¡± ¡°We follow the laws of your King in this land,¡± Rajin assured. ¡°However...¡± ¡°If you harm my precious greatchildren, the Westmoon shall only be spoken of in tales,¡± the old Mad Dog growled, daring to threaten them even while crippled. ¡°You should understand that our family has a special relationship with such vermin.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Rajin replied, still holding out an arm. ¡°Even now you have been unable to defeat them. We Iyrmen are different. You must know that the family which rules you were picked by our ancestors, as they were for East Port and Gold Port.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°In the history of our people, not once has Aldland defeated us,¡± Rajin said. Count Westmoon narrowed his eyes. ¡°You Iyrmen believe you are so great with the stories you pass by a time long forgotten. We are not the Aldland of old.¡± ¡°The time is not forgotten,¡± Rajin stated. ¡°We are still the Iyr of old,¡± Jarot added. ¡°I will show you mercy, Iyrmen. You are outnumbered, and you should not wish to face us, for we are not any normal family. Surrender the vermin, and be on your way, and I will forgive your audacity for interrupting my day with your foolishness.¡± ¡°Outnumbered?¡± Jarot asked, glancing across all the Iyrmen around. ¡°There are only a few hundred of you?¡± ¡°Jarot,¡± Rajin said, inhaling deeply. ¡°If you kill him here, we will have to return the children home.¡± Drakebane. Wildheart. Deathhand. Mad Dog. Three of those names had gone to become Great Elders of the Iyr. Truly, it was a golden age for the Iyr, and everyone from that generation knew those four names. Surely, many knew other names, especially those in Aswadasad, like those of Flame Brand and Butcher. However, within the top ten, everyone knew of those four, but one could include the likes of Bearded Dragon, The Kid, Bloody Jarot, and Crimson Shield. In the top ten names of an era, there was only one figure who had managed to penetrate the top four, but also the top ten multiple times. As the Aldishmen watched the fight, some calling for the guards, for the six warriors were no doubt going to kill these two old men, a gasp of shock fell through the air, and so did a loud grunt which fell silent a moment later. The crippled old Jarot had spun violently within the air, his axe audibly cutting through the wind, before striking against the guard¡¯s armour, scraping it hard enough to almost spark. The six guards struck viciously at the pair of old men, their blades striking against flesh. ¡®What old fools,¡¯ the guard thought, his blade firmly against the Iyrman, who keeled over, almost kneeling. Blade against flesh. Not through, but against. Even before the guard could feel the hint of confusion run through his mind, the shadow of a blade cut through the air, striking so harsh against his helmet, it dented and crushed against his face. The guard fell backwards, his blade clattering against the ground, and while they had momentarily let down their guards when they saw the old one armed Iyrman against a knee, they realised it was only to allow the horc to swing his blade freely. Even now they made the same mistakes the Aldish always made. The Bearded Dragon was no horc, for he was an Iyrman. An Iyrman whose name would have been known as far and as wide as Drakebane, if only he didn¡¯t lose against his rival for the position of Chief of the Iyr. ¡°Careful!¡± a knight shouted, feeling the intense pressure emanating from these dying old men. ¡°They¡¯re not-,¡± The guards were not careless, still trying to protect their Count, who had drawn his blade too, but that was the problem. The Iyrmen were careless, and with the lack of care, their blows so terrible, the old men threatened to kill the guards even with their heavy armour. In the moment the knight tried to warn his companions, another had fallen, as the Iyrmen, who accepted whatever blades came their way, with precision that could only be honed through years of slaughtering people like sheep, pierced through the chinks within their armour, their blades slipping through the air, the steel moving like the wind itself. ¡®What?¡¯ the knight thought, his body moving purely from the training he had undertaken over years, trying to flank around the Iyrmen. He was one of the two greatest threats, and even though he was now flanking one of the Iyrmen, neither of them had even turned to face him, while their blades swung down towards the pair. ¡®What is this?¡¯ His blade struck across the side of the Iyrman, and yet he had only managed a superficial blow. With terror filling his heart, one of the guards cried out, his blade cutting through the Iyrman¡¯s shoulder, managing the deepest blow any of his companions had managed. ¡°Take that, you beast!¡± He roared, suddenly feeling a rush of adrenaline through him. ¡®Yes! Just one more!¡¯ His thoughts rushed through his mind as he grew drunk upon his victory. ¡®Just one more and I-¡® Before he could finish that thought, an axe and blade simultaneously struck the knights across his helmet on either side, a blade even cutting through the visor to forever scar him, should he survive the terrible blow. There had been a reason why Rajin, who had vied for the Chief position, had been requested to watch over the Iyrmen the guard had tried to cut down. ¡°Okay?¡± Rajin asked. Jarot flexed towards the three remaining warriors, blood spurting out as he did, and yet the old man, even having taken multiple blades, stood tall and proud. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ The knights tried to gather themselves, each trying to carve the Iyrmen, like a butcher would carve a pig, but though their blades managed to break through their iron skin, they only painted the canvas slightly red. The knights, in sheer disbelief, watched as their fourth companion, another Expert, fell to the terrible blows of the Iyrmen, whose bodies were hot red with rage. ¡®By the Mother!¡¯ ¡°Left?¡± Rajin asked, as though asking for permission. ¡°Hmm,¡± Jarot allowed, turning to face the knight on the right. ¡°Aim for the cripple!¡± the knight shouted. Finally, two Masters turned their attention upon the crippled Iyrman, who was finally panting for air, and wore no shield, which was his family¡¯s way. Let''s go! [960] – Y04.060 – Trouble in Red Oak III [960] ¨C Y04.060 ¨C Trouble in Red Oak III The Count could only watch, mesmerised by the scene. He held his blade ahead of him, but he couldn¡¯t dare to step forward. The Count had fought in a number of wars, gathering so many medals, had he not been a Count, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford a room to store them all. The Count had fought beside Iyrmen too, many of them among some of the best he fought alongside, not that he wished to admit it. Even so, he had no idea what was befalling in front of him. Even though the knights, the pair Masters, and still fresh to fight, both focused upon the crippled Iyrman, the old man refused to fall. It wasn¡¯t just that he refused to fall, even with the pair entirely focused upon him, it was that he was still fighting, and placing down such heavy blows that the knight he was focusing had begun to step backwards. One of the Masters finally turned his attention to defending himself to the horcish Iyrman, who he could no longer ignore. The Count could see with his eyes, but one thing he noted were the sounds that managed to push through his pulsing ears. He could hear the sound of steel against steel. The sounds of roaring, grunting, and groaning. One was a knight by the name of Majestic Blade, whose bladework was almost like a dance. Yes, the majesty of his blade was well known, to the point that his blade could clash against some of the best within the various Orders across the land. The other was a knight who equalled the Majestic Blade, Gentle Heart, they called him. His sister was more famous, as one of the few who breached the top thirty of the Three Hundred Blades, but should he want to, he could have certainly placed near his sister. The grunting and groaning only came from his knights. The Count knew war. War was simple. This? He did not know this. Another pair were also watching the fights, with their large, innocent, amber eyes. ¡°Halt!¡± came the shouts. ¡°Halt! In the name of the law, halt!¡± Whistles blew, but were drowned out by the sounds which hypnotised the Count. The guards rushed to the scene, wearing their long cloaks of deep red, their shields in front, while some drew their blades, and others held out their longspears from behind their companions up front. ¡°Halt!¡± the guards shouted, noting the Count, so instantly they turned their weapons to those who were no doubt the cause of the mess. The Captain blinked. ¡®Oh, Divines...¡¯ Majestic Blade panted, unable to see through his blurry vision, holding up his blade desperately, swinging randomly, before finally dropping to a knee. Gentle Heart fared slightly better, holding his blade in front of him, but that was only because he was unable to feel his arms or legs. Meanwhile, the pair of Iyrmen towered before them. The Iyrmen before them had stopped their onslaught as the guards appeared, though the guards didn¡¯t step forward, waiting for their Captain, because even they knew they shouldn¡¯t find any courage for heroics against the half dying old men. The two Iyrmen spoke in their own tongue, which cut through the near stunned silence, and the ragged breaths. ¡°I should kill them,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°I have to send the message.¡± ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°Can you stop me?¡± Rajin let out a sigh. ¡°Jirot, your greatfather wishes to kill, but your mother will be upset.¡± The gasp caused the old Jarot to glance back, seeing the pout upon the girl¡¯s face, who had no idea she had been seconds away from death had they failed. ¡°What is this? I will not kill them!¡± Jarot declared. Meanwhile, a figure in the shadows fell against the wall. ¡®Did they teach the goblins the Iyr¡¯s tongue? Are they Iyrmen? I didn¡¯t hear anything about that!¡¯ ¡°We have kept them alive for the sake of Countess Redoak,¡± Rajin said. ¡°You may consider it our weakness.¡± The Aldishmen remained far away, even far away from the horcish Iyrman who carried the children, who were either horcs or goblins, but that was completely irrelevant. These random old men, who looked like they were half dying, had managed to defeat six warriors that belonged to Count Westmoon. Not just any warriors either, but the likes of Majestic Blade and Gentle Heart, while being outnumbered. One of the guards, whose spear pointed towards the earth, stared at the crippled old man who wore a particular set of tattoos. ¡®Blue circle. Blue diamonds?¡¯ It was then the memories came to him from a few years ago, back when he had tried to apprehend another Iyrman. ¡®If you wish to disarm me, it will be only after you pluck my shield and axe from my cold, dead hands.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no way he knows of me, right?¡¯ the guard thought, his heart beating in his chest. ¡®No, can¡¯t be, no way!¡¯ ¡°Babo!¡± Jarot called, reaching up his hands to be lifted by the old man. ¡°So cool! So ¡®mazing!¡± ¡°So good at fighting,¡± Jirot confirmed, cuddling up beside the old man, feeling the sweat against his skin, getting some of his blood upon her clothing. She brushed his sweaty brow. ¡°Oh dear!¡± ¡°Babo! I call mummy! She is help you.¡± ¡°Yes! Mummy is so good at helping! I also good at helping, babo.¡± ¡°Yes, your mother can help me, but is your babo not strong?¡± the old cripple asked. ¡°Babo so strong!¡± ¡°So strong!¡± ¡°That is right!¡± Jarot almost roared. ¡°No one can harm you while I am alive!¡± The old man embraced the children close to his chest, his face twitching as he tried his best not to fall into another rage. Even bloody as he was, he held his greatchildren close, planting firm kisses on their cheeks. ¡®What am I meant to do in this situation?¡¯ the Captain thought. ¡°Of course, you smelly boy,¡± Adam said, pulling his son onto his lap, the boy almost making to cry, though he stopped once he was within his father¡¯s arms. ¡°Who could not love you, my boy?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Hmph. Next time, I will kill them all, and you will see how much you are loved!¡± ¡®So he fought two Experts and a Master?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®He looks fine too, the old geezer. How the hell can you be this strong?¡¯ Adam was fairly certain there was no chance he could defeat two Experts and a Master with just his martial abilities. ¡°You were unable to drop Gentle Heart?¡± Rajin teased. ¡°You took too long to defeat Majestic Blade for one who has both arms and legs,¡± Jarot joked back. Rajin let out a small chortle, leaning over to rest his head on his fist. ¡®I can no longer say the Mad Dog has lost his bite.¡¯ Rajin understood why Zijin had asked him to come watch over Jarot, the Elder, in his wisdom, understood that there was only one way for the old man to regain his bite, and if that happened, someone like Rajin would need to keep him in check, or at the very least, try to keep him in check. ¡°Babo, I have it,¡± Jarot said, raising both his arms. ¡°You can have!¡± ¡°I do not need your cute little arms.¡± ¡°Not cute! So strong, babo, so strong!¡± Jarot huffed, raising up his tiny chubby arms, clenching his fist into the air. ¡°They are so cute!¡± Jarot pulled his greatson onto his chest, causing the worker to tut, before she focused back on bandaging his wounds. ¡°Babo...¡± Jarot hugged his greatfather with both of his arms, having no idea the pain he was causing the old man, who refused to let out the hiss in the middle of his throat. ¡°I love you.¡± Jarot tensed up for a moment, and in that moment, the others thought they¡¯d need to pin him down. ¡°I love you too, my Jarot.¡± The voice came out choked, the old man pinning the boy to his chest, refusing to let him go. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love daddy!¡± Jirot cackled. ¡°Do you love me?¡± ¡°I... love daddy!¡± She cackled once more. ¡°You smelly girl, you can love babo too.¡± ¡°I love babo?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I can love daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot blinked, furrowing her brows. ¡°I can?¡± ¡°Of course. What about nana? You love her right?¡± Jirot looked down, shyly glancing towards her grandmother. ¡°I love nana...¡± ¡°What about papo Jurot?¡± ¡°No!¡± The girl cackled. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Papo does not pick up! Does not carry me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re always so scared because he can put you to sleep.¡± The girl¡¯s eyes darted around to try and find Jurot. ¡°No! No! Not time for sleeping!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam ruffled her hair, feeling her thick and curly hair within his hand. ¡°You have to love papo since he named you.¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Yeah, my little Jirot. It was papo Jurot who named you.¡± ¡°Papo give me name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Papo Jurot loves me?¡± ¡°Of course he does!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you love him?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled with delight, clapping her hands. How dare they aim their blades towards our children! [961] – Y04.061 – Trouble in Red Oak IV [961] ¨C Y04.061 ¨C Trouble in Red Oak IV When Jurot had heard of the news, he crossed his arms. He needed a moment to channel through his rage, to allow it to take every inch of his body, before he let it flow through him. He looked towards his mother, who was holding little Lanarot, the girl napping silently within her mother¡¯s arms. ¡°They were attacked?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°It was dealt with.¡± Jurot remained silent, staring into his mother¡¯s eyes. His eyes simmered with rage, only tempered by apprehension. ¡®They were attacked? Jirot? Jarot?¡¯ Jurot looked away, his eyes still wide, still taking in the world. He met Jaygak¡¯s eyes, the girl slowly bowing her head, understanding the feelings which swirled deep within the Iyrman. Kitool held her staff tight in hand, and she had her eyes closed, the girl meditating upon her own thoughts. His eyes returned to meet his mother¡¯s once more, which held the same reassuring look they always did. ¡°Okay.¡± Sonarot could hear it within his voice. It was not the sound of an Iyrman who wanted to answer in such a way, but he understood he had to answer that way. ¡°Jirot, do you love your papo?¡± Adam asked, trying to coax out the right answer now that Jurot was here. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Jarot? Do you love papo?¡± Little Jarot looked towards his uncle, and hid within his father¡¯s chest. ¡°No?¡± He cackled, before waiting to see how Jurot would respond. The young Iyrman wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about that, though understood the children were teasing. ¡®It is okay, Jirot, Jarot.¡¯ ¡°I guess papo Jurot¡¯s favourites are Konarot, Kirot, and Karot then...¡± Adam joked. Jirot gasped, twitching as though she had been slapped. ¡°No! I am favourite!¡± ¡°How can it be?¡± ¡°Papo? I am favourite?¡± Jirot asked, tilting her head, her eyes full of shock. ¡°You do not love me,¡± Jurot replied, holding her gaze for a long moment. Those sweet amber eyes, full of innocence. ¡°No! No!¡± The girl pointed up towards him with her whole hand, something she only employed when she was truly offended. ¡°I can! I can all day!¡± ¡°Do you love me?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I love you, papo! What you are saying? Smelly boy!¡± Jirot looked towards her grandmother for support. Jurot reached out a hand and the girl took it. Jurot held the girl¡¯s hand, rubbing the back of it tenderly. ¡°I will protect you, Jirot.¡± ¡°No! I potec you! I so strong.¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about that either. He continued to gently brush her hand, realising he was doing it more for himself than he was doing it for the girl. ¡°Stop bullying your papo and hug him, you smelly girl.¡± Jirot climbed on top of her uncle and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°You smelly boy! I love you so much, unko Jurot.¡± She grabbed his head and kissed his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck again. ¡°I love you too, unko Jurot,¡± Jarot said, reaching out for his uncle. Jurot pulled the children into his arms, and once they were firmly nestled against him, the Iyrman felt the heat of rage fill through him, his eyes completely white. Even with his rage, he could not overcome the darkness which seeped through his heart. ¡®Jirot. Jarot.¡¯ Adam wanted to hug his children too, but he gave the children up, just this once. He glanced aside, to his triplets, who were half asleep, lazing near their father. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Everything¡¯s going to be okay. Your father...¡¯ Adam thought about it. ¡®I¡¯m a little strong, I guess...¡¯ ¡°Papo, you must tell story!¡± Jirot stated, bullying her uncle to tell them a story. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. As the children each began to fall to slumber for their naps, Adam found himself beside the one armed Jarot. His eyes remained glued upon his children, who slept so peacefully. ¡°Hey, old man.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°...¡± Jarot smiled, leaning back into his chair. ¡®This brat! He still will not call me grandfather, even now?¡¯ The Iyrmen waited for the message from the Countess, but it didn¡¯t come. The Countess, trying to figure out how to balance both the noble and the Iyrmen, spent the night deep in thought. ¡°It is fine,¡± Sonarot assured the next morning, noting that Adam was so tense. He kept his twins right beside him, even away from Jarot and Rajin, spoiling the pair of them eagerly. ¡°I... want to take them out.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot said, partly surprised that Adam would want to take them out after what happened. ¡°You two should stay here and rest,¡± Adam said, eyeing up both Jarot and Rajin, who had recovered decently well. ¡°Your magic healed us well enough,¡± Jarot stated. ¡°What? This old geezer! You did such a good job, now it¡¯s time for someone else to take some glory! Jirot, Jarot, you must tell him to rest, or what will mummy say?¡± ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot said, raising a threatening fingers to her greatfather. When the girl¡¯s mother was invoked, it was easy to get her to behave properly. ¡°Since my greatdaughter has asked me to stay, I will stay. However, you must stay with me.¡± Adam leaned in to whisper into her daughter¡¯s ear. The girl, her amber eyes full of mischief, smirked, and spoke her favourite words. Gangak had forced her way along, with Laygak and Jaygak both walking with the group. Jurot had also come along, the young man carrying his sister through the roads. The townsfolk gave the group an especially wide berth that day, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure if it was because they were so heavily armoured, even the half elf adorned in his full gear, or because of the rumours that had spread like wildfire. ¡®I can¡¯t take them to that place since it¡¯s too close to the Guild, but...¡¯ ¡°Is that puthral?¡± the old woman asked, reaching out to rub a finger along Adam¡¯s armour. She had long white hair, her body long and thin. He wore plain clothing, but it was well made, and the necklace she wore was thin and well made. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°What brings a fellow wearing puthral to my store, and so heavily armoured,¡± she said, before glancing aside to the Iyrmen. ¡°My children are looking to buy gifts for their family.¡± ¡°Are they Iyrmen?¡± ¡°No.¡± Uwajin accepted the gift, eyeing up the blade. It certainly wasn¡¯t a typical greatsword, the blade stamped with a particular symbol, while the patterns along the steel were faint. Adam sat down opposite them, with his triplets swarming around him. He reached down to brush their hair, picking each of them to allow them to swallow him whole, each of them claiming parts of their father for themselves. Even though Adam was sandwiched between his children, he could still feel it in the back of his mind. ¡®How dare they...¡¯ The evening hues began to dance along the sky when the Countess met with the Family Head of the Rot family. She was surrounded by two other Iyrmen, both who held the same first name, and who wielded a blade at their sides, each uncles to her. ¡°I have heard troubling news,¡± the Countess began. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied, sipping her tea. ¡°Is it true you Iyrmen have brought... monsters into my town?¡± ¡°We have not.¡± ¡°I have heard that you have brought goblins into my wonderful town.¡± ¡°They are not monsters.¡± ¡°I care little for what you call them, Iyrman, they are goblins.¡± The Countess¡¯s lips remained taut, barely a frown. ¡°These lands have laws that even you Iyrmen must abide by during your travels.¡± ¡°The King¡¯s Law.¡± ¡°So you do know of them,¡± the Countess stated, still full of annoyance. ¡°I will ask you to send the monsters away, or you may find they will be dealt with.¡± ¡°Who would dare to kill my grandchildren?¡± Sonarot asked, sipping her tea again, though she couldn¡¯t taste it. ¡°Your grandchildren?¡± The Countess¡¯ voice was full of confusion, though she quickly composed herself. ¡°I am the Family Head of the Rot family, and those children bear the name of the Rot family.¡± Sonarot placed down her cup, clasping her hands together. ¡°I am also the President of the United Kindom, a position equal to that of the Enchanter, and those children shall also gain a place within the business when they are old enough.¡± The Countess remained stone faced, but her mind was racing with the new information she had received. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Do you understand what I am saying, Countess?¡± Sonarot asked, her eyes holding the veneer of a threat. The Countess remained silent for a long moment. ¡®She mentioned that her title was equivalent of the Enchanter¡¯s? If she speaks it, it must be true.¡¯ ¡°I merely worry for your grandchildren, President. You may find that many within Red Oak, from guards to adventurers, to the commonfolk, wish to slay goblins, for they know no better.¡± ¡°Many may try,¡± Sonarot confirmed. ¡°If they wish to die, we Iyrmen will assist them to Baktu¡¯s gentle embrace.¡± ¡°I will not tell my guards to deal with the goblins, but I will not ask them to leave the goblins be. I hope they will leave soon.¡± ¡°You will not ask the guards to leave my grandchildren alone?¡± Sonarot asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Even after it was we Iyrmen who guaranteed the safety of Red Oak during the civil war? It was my father, he who tore apart the Count¡¯s guards like they were made of Aldishmen, who fought to defend your land during the civil war.¡± The Countess wasn¡¯t sure she liked her use of Aldishmen in such a way. ¡°Red Oak has always been under the rule of the Blackwater family, and such has not changed.¡± ¡°It would have remained under the King¡¯s rule, but how much of it would have remained without the Iyr¡¯s assistance?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°It would have been far too difficult for the King to assault Red Oak, should we have wished for it, but we did not.¡± ¡°It was never impossible to overtake your town,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°The losses would have been extreme, even for you Iyrmen.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sonarot replied, holding the Countess¡¯ gaze. ¡°The Iyr has assisted Red Oak for generations. It was Red Oak which first understood the strength of we Iyrmen. Your ancestor did well in creating a unique relationship with the Iyr. It was thanks to Red Oak that Aldland has survived for so long from our blades, and for that, the Iyr has made sure that Red Oak has remained relevant all throughout the years.¡± ¡°I have not forgotten the favour the Iyr has shown Red Oak, but I do not forget where my loyalties lay, and nor should you Iyrmen. Though you have great autonomy, do not forget your relationship with Aldland, and how little the Iyr has changed compared to the rest of the country.¡± ¡°If my grandchildren are harmed, we of the Rot family, and our shared families, will slay any involved. We will slay them and their families.¡± Sonarot had spoken the words as though she was talking about what she was going to have for dinner that evening. ¡°That is not how it works upon our land, Iyrman.¡± ¡°It has always worked in such a way, Aldishman. It worked that way generations ago when we slew who first ruled Red Oak, it worked that way when the King Solomon the Wise almost destroyed Aldland with his foolish mistake, and it is how it works even now, when we could have slain the Count of the Westmoon family, but showed mercy for the sake of your face.¡± ¡°The memories of the Iyrmen truly do stretch a long way,¡± the Countess stated, frowning as she sipped her tea, trying to figure out how to deal with the woman without losing access to the Enchanter. ¡°Do you know why the town is named Red Oak?¡± ¡°It is the name of the tree which was found here,¡± the Countess replied, simply. ¡°Do you know how the oaks became red?¡± ¡°No.¡± Sonarot remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Your family, when they migrated to this town, from what was once the land between Noska and Aldland, now fallen into the ocean, they found this town. It was ruined. They rebuilt the town and ruled it in place of its original family. It was we Iyrmen who destroyed it and moved on. The saplings of the trees soaked in the blood of the people we massacred, and thus the oak became red.¡± ¡°It is quite the tale...¡± ¡°We Iyrmen possess the old oaks which once grew in this land.¡± ¡°The Red Oak of then and the Red Oak are now are very different.¡± ¡°In some ways they are,¡± Sonarot said, nodding her head gently. ¡°In some ways, it is not.¡± ¡°Red Oak and the Iyr were once comparable, but that is not the case any longer, Family Head.¡± ¡°Red Oak and the Iyr were never comparable,¡± Sonarot stated firmly, her lips almost forming a smile. ¡°We will leave since it will become awkward for you if we kill too many within Red Oak. Aldish memories only last a generation, but there is no need to for bloodshed this day, for my grandchildren would prefer not to see any due to their mother.¡± ¡°I thank you for your kindness.¡± ¡°We of the Rot family will never forget your words this day,¡± Sonarot stated, standing up, towering over the woman. Shasen and Shagek both nodded their heads, following the Family Head as she left. ¡®She brought three of the Oakguard,¡¯ Shasen thought. ¡®It would have been a good fight.¡¯ Shagek was also impressed that the Countess had prepared, though he thought at least four should have been better, since Sonarot, too, could fight well. ¡®Should I have asked them to kill an Oakguard?¡¯ Sonarot thought as she returned to the inn. She stopped walking, her uncles also stopping with her, allowing her a moment to think. She thought of her little Jirot, who always tried to cause trouble, but the girl would always behave upon a single look. She closed her eyes, and the images of her grandchildren¡¯s dead bodies flashed through her mind. ¡®I should have threatened her.¡¯ Someone asked if the town was going to be renamed to Blood Oak, and I couldn''t help but smile. [962] – Y04.062 – Serious Business I [962] ¨C Y04.062 ¨C Serious Business I The journey back to the Iyr came with little fanfare. They had spent a few days in Red Oak, not quite enough to explore it completely, and Adam hadn¡¯t yet spoiled his children enough. He remained within the carriage, drawn by his large magical steed. ¡®I allowed your town to auction our weapons. I allowed you to buy our magical weapons. I allowed your High Alchemist to pick a fight with me and let him leave intact. This is how you repay me, you bit-,¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± Lucy¡¯s voice broke through Adam¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get to take the twins out, so next time, you can¡¯t keep them all to yourself.¡± Adam¡¯s lips formed a small smile, the half elf¡¯s eyes falling out to the window to see the the trees of the forest. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault they love their daddy this much.¡± Lucy also leaned back and looked out the window to the forest, the trees passing by, like shallow memories. Even though she had started the joke, and she wanted to continue it, she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Home?¡± Jirot asked, furrowing her brows at her grandmother. ¡°Yes. Did you like your time in the town?¡± Sonarot asked, reaching up to pinch the girl¡¯s nose gently, causing her to giggle. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you like the Iyr or the town the most?¡± ¡°Iyr.¡± ¡°What about the fort?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Mmm...¡± Jirot fell into thought, before being distracted by the passing trees. ¡°Your father lives in the fort,¡± Sonarot joked. Jirot glanced around to see if her father was here, and even so, she reached up to hide her mouth and whispered, loudly. ¡°I like the foat!¡± She squealed and cackled, clapping her hands together. Sonarot brought the girl to her chest. She then stole her grandson from his greatfather, who he had been named after, and held them both. Her heart throbbed in her heart. ¡°Some people tried to hurt you. They cannot.¡± Sonarot had to think for a moment. ¡°Your father will not let them. Your babo will not let them. Your nana will not let them.¡± ¡°Unko Jurot?¡± ¡°Uncle Jurot will now let them. Your mother will not let them. We will not let them.¡± She planted firm kisses against their foreheads. ¡°Nana. They do not like me because I am goblin?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°Is okay, I am daddy¡¯s dohta,¡± the girl said, smiling innocently, perhaps still not understanding how close to death she had come. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot said, holding the pair close to his chest. ¡°That is right. That is right, my granddaughter.¡± The old one armed Jarot also glanced aside, watching the passing trees as they passed. The memories came to him as they passed by. The memories of his youth, the flashes of red, the feeling of carving through flesh and bone, the screams, the cries, the begging. ¡®Mad Dog? Mad Dog? When did this Mad Dog kill children?¡¯ Gangak, who had forced herself into the position of watcher over Jirot, also stared out of the carriage. As the trees passed by, her mind fell deeper into her thoughts. In some small part, there was a joy which burned within her heart. She, who had worried for these children so deeply, had finally seen the confirmation. The Jin, Sen, and Gek families, had all stepped up. ¡°Nana,¡± Jirot called, pausing from her thumb sucking. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love papo,¡± Jirot said, before climbing up her grandmother, grabbing her head. ¡°You cannot say, okay? Is secret.¡± Sonarot pressed her forehead against the girl¡¯s, rubbing her cheek against the girl¡¯s, who kissed her grandmother¡¯s forehead, before nestling herself within her grandmother¡¯s neck. Little Jarot continued to suck his thumb, staring at his greatfather, who was so lost to his thoughts, he couldn¡¯t even feel the gaze of his greatson upon him. The boy thought of the scene before him. He had seen his grandfather fight with such might, such vigour, his aunt would have deafened his ears had she been beside him. The Iyrman had moved so quickly, his amber eyes could barely keep up, and even though the blades had pierced the old man, they hadn¡¯t drawn much blood. Just like his sister, his favourite colour was red. It was not any red, however, but the red that the old man turned when he fought. As the boy sucked his thumb and his heavy eyes fell. ¡®Babo...¡¯ The warm memories of his greatfather lulled the boy to sleep. It was evening by the time the carriages approached the fort. This was not the minor fort of the Aldishmen, who had not provided much trouble for the group as they passed through, either through ignorance, or great wisdom. The soldiers had allowed the Iyrmen through without hassle, and of course, the Iyr paid the tax appropriately. This was a fort that provided warmth for many, and not only did it not ask for tax, it paid the tax. Adam slowly nodded his head, feeling his entire body relax, the exhaustion taking him. He leaned back in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. ¡°Thanks for listening to me rant, Dunes.¡± ¡°It is no problem, Adam.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re friends.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°Me too.¡± Adam held up his drink and Dunes raised his own, the pair finishing their drinks together. While Adam spent the time with Manager Dunes, Fred dropped down beside George, holding out the book to the boy. ¡®Didn¡¯t know books were so expensive.¡¯ The boy''s eyes lit up, and he tapped his chin, before opening up the book. He smelt it and rubbed it against his cheek, before brushing his hand along the paper, feeling how coarse it was under his hand. ¡®Guess I get paid well enough.¡¯ The sky darkened, the stars soon sparkling across the sky. ¡°No!¡± she cried. ¡°Nooo!¡± ¡°It is time to sleep,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Mummy, I sleep with you!¡± Jirot said, hugging her mother¡¯s leg tight. ¡°Go sleep with your nana.¡± ¡°No! I will not! I sleep with mummy!¡± Jirot wrapped her arms around her mother¡¯s leg tighter. ¡°I potec you, mummy.¡± ¡°Jirot...¡± Vonda reached down to rub the girl¡¯s head gently, glancing aside to her husband, who seemed to understand something had happened. ¡°Alright, fine, mummy will sleep with you, but only because she misses you so much, okay?¡± Adam said, relenting to his daughter, not for the first time, and not the last. Adam placed a hand on Vonda¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m going to finish up some work, so why don¡¯t you head to bed early too?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda replied, reaching out to hold his hand for a moment, before leading the children away. ¡°I know, I know,¡± Adam said, lifting up his eldest, blowing a raspberry against her neck. ¡°Since daddy is finishing up some work, you need to look after your little sisters and brothers, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl¡¯s tail swayed from side to side beneath her while she held her father, before he set her down and she waddled off to follow her siblings and the woman that she had to call her mother. Adam let out another long sigh, trying to push away the stress, before he approached the rest of the businessfolk. He smiled politely towards them all, but the shadows from the firelight flickered across his face, revealing more than he would have liked. ¡°I apologise for being a little distant recently, I didn¡¯t mean to be, it was just that some personal matters came up,¡± Adam said, bowing his head to Rick and the others. He hadn¡¯t been able to bring along their families as intended, though he had offered to pay them some money to tide them over for a short while. Rick¡¯s eyes flickered to Fred for a moment, recalling the rumours he had heard, and though he had spoken to Fred, it seemed Fred didn¡¯t know what truly had happened. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Executive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to send for your family the next time we... have some business in Red Oak,¡± Adam stated awkwardly, reaching up to rub his knuckle along his brow. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Freddie, we¡¯ll be testing you out sooner or later, but just... Fred¡¯ll show you where you can sleep for the night. Manager Dunes will inform you of the rules you¡¯ll need to follow tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± Freddie replied. Adam smiled, nodding his head, before he stepped away. He paused. ¡°Lead Fred, why don¡¯t you show Freddie where he¡¯ll be sleeping now, and you can come meet the rest over near the inner area of the fort.¡± ¡°Yes, boss,¡± Fred replied, getting up quickly to do as he was commanded. Once he was done, he found them all sitting together, with the tension heavy in the air. There were the Executives, as he had expected, but there were also the Managers, sans the two pregnant women. However, there was also the other Lead, Jonn, an Oathsworn, who had sworn his oaths to Adam. Then, finally, there was him. Fred. A farmer from Rock Hill. He had been invited to speak in a meeting with all these high ranking officials, each of whom could beat him senseless, and yet he had been invited. He could feel the excitement run through his body. ¡°No...¡± Adam said, causing Fred to pause as he sat down. ¡°How dare he, the bastard. He¡¯s just a Count, and he thinks he can kill my kids? Let¡¯s kill him.¡± Fred blinked, suddenly regretting being invited to a meeting that would certainly lead to his death. [963] – Y04.063 – Serious Business II [963] ¨C Y04.063 ¨C Serious Business II ¡°Did you know?¡± Chief Iromin asked Elder Zijin, having finally decided to confront him. ¡°I did not,¡± Zijin replied. Iromin remained silent. Mad Dog had begun exercising in the past few years, especially after he held his first greatchildren. However, the way to revive that old Mad Dog was definitely to threaten the children, and it had all played out so perfectly. ¡°Okay,¡± the Chief replied. He didn¡¯t believe Zijin¡¯s words because he was an Iyrman, but because Zijin, along with the Chief, and Sonarot, had worked the hardest to try and keep the idiot alive. There was no way that Zijin, of all the people, would dare to threaten the children¡¯s lives for the sake of reviving the Mad Dog. Even if the children were only the children of the Rot family, the Iyr wouldn¡¯t dare to play with the children¡¯s lives. Meanwhile, the foolish half elf continued to rant, threatening to kill the Count himself, all in front of a particular farmer whose heart threatened to explode. Dunes remained silent, even though he could sense a set of expectant eyes upon him. He wanted to temper Adam, but he couldn¡¯t speak up, not when it was those children who had been targeted. Once Adam was done explaining the situation to both Jonn and Fred, and more completely to Dunes, the meeting continued. ¡°I¡¯m not going to show as much favour to Red Oak any more,¡± Adam stated. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want our favour, she won¡¯t have it.¡± Fred¡¯s heart began to calm, glad that the half elf had managed to talk himself out of their deaths. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t be so stupid as to fight the nobles. That¡¯s too crazy, even for him.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not in the business of doing business with people who hate us, or my adorable little children.¡± ¡°And Floria?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°What about Floria?¡± ¡°The Florians still feel the ache about the massacre,¡± Jaygak said, taking a moment to bow her head towards Fred, who glanced aside awkwardly, before then nodding her head to Jonn. Somehow, the massacre had led to the two of them joining Adam, both in similar and different ways. ¡°Right...¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°I should probably speak with King Merryweather about it, right? He¡¯s just finished with his civil war, so bringing a gift of gold and a magical item should secure me an audience? I could ask him to make it illegal to kill goblins, or at the very least, my adorable children.¡± ¡®Is that how that works?¡¯ Fred thought, unsure of how noble politics worked. ¡°Should I send word then?¡± ¡°It is best to send a letter or to seek an audience personally,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Alright...¡± ¡°We should adventure,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°We have many weeks left before the births.¡± ¡°Well...¡± ¡®I really do want to stay here, but I guess that¡¯ll worry Vonda if I¡¯m always fussing over her. Aren¡¯t I her husband? I should be fussing over her!¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s take the month off to watch over the children first,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°If they seem fine, then we should adventure.¡± ¡°Jaygak¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, his neck tensing up. Jaygak waited for the joke, but noted how hard Adam was trying in order to keep his words pure. She kept her mouth shut too, not wanting to bully Adam when he was so stressed. ¡°We have about three months or so, so I guess we can adventure nearby. Not Red Oak, fuck ¡®em. Let¡¯s head to...¡± ¡®Can¡¯t do Deadwood either, since she was a huge bitch to me too!¡¯ Adam could feel it, the rushing heat that chipped away through his body. ¡°Ever Green, I guess? That way we can earn some favour in Floria?¡± ¡°Adam, you should be careful with your language, otherwise Jirot will start causing more trouble,¡± Lucy warned. ¡°If my daughter...¡± Adam let out a quick huff, freezing in place. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Lucy didn¡¯t like how quickly Adam gave up. ¡°We¡¯ll adventure in Ever Green, but for this month, I¡¯ll...¡± ¡®How much work do I need to get done? I think I made a few fire blades, but... I still need Red Oak for that? Unless I start sending people out to Ever Green? That¡¯d be too dangerous though. Damn. Do I really need to...¡¯ Konarot stirred as her father approached. The girl nuzzled up against his chest as he held her. She trapped her father under her tiny body, though her father managed to reach out for the woman, and held her hand for a moment, before the family slept together. Quest Complete: Home Safe XP Gained: +500 XP: 11 100 -> 11 600 It was a little after breakfast when Adam managed to find some time with his wife, the pair sitting together, holding hands. Adam brushed along the back of her knuckles tenderly as the woman relaxed beside him. She was currently thinking on Adam¡¯s words, having heard that her children had been in danger. ¡°They are not allowed to kill my children, but it may be difficult for even my name to protect them,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°The Order of Life¡¯s Rose advocates for life, but it¡¯s difficult to enforce such when it comes to goblins.¡± ¡°I know...¡± Adam continued to hold her hand. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. They can stay at the business and in the Iyr. The villagers are used to them, and I don¡¯t think they¡¯re stupid enough to do anything to my kids when they know I¡¯m crazy strong, and that they¡¯re so close with Iyrmen.¡± Vonda smiled sadly, resting her head against his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re going to adventure?¡± ¡°Yeah. Ever Green. Need anything?¡± ¡°No. Nothing.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll return around the middle of the ninth month, so a while before when... you know.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Can you still paint and sketch?¡± ¡°I do, sometimes.¡± ¡°You need to be careful with painting, since it might be toxic. The gem lead stuff should be okay, since it¡¯s not actually lead. If you need any help, just ask Nobby or Jonn. No, Brittany, I guess?¡± ¡®I did promise for her to join us adventuring, though...¡¯ Eventually, the pair returned back to the central fire, where many of the children sat, eagerly listening to Amira. He sat off to one side, his wife taking her place beside him. Soon, the children of the Iyr were returned back to the Iyr, save for six children, who remained within the fort with their parents. Adam complained since he didn¡¯t get to spoil his cousins much, but he needed to begin enchanting. ¡°Are you going to work?¡± Jarot asked, before he was about to leave with the children. ¡°I am. I¡¯ve got a Count to please.¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± ¡°Greater Enhanced. Fire.¡± ¡°Is it a sword?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You should also do the same for two greatswords,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Greatswords?¡± Adam replied, but noting where the old man was looking, he nodded. While Adam enchanted, the others busied themselves, finally focused on the business. Jurot tested the newcomer, making him complete all manner of different exercises, from running, jumping, swimming with supervision, to carrying heavy objects. Jurot also tested the young man¡¯s balance, as well as his memory, and various other abilities. ¡°We¡¯ve finished collecting the information,¡± Dunes informed the Iyrman, placing down a book before them. Jurot flipped through the book. He noted the underlines of the people that Dunes, Amira, and Jonn had picked out especially. Though almost every orphan had some ability in a way, some of them surpassed others in various ways. A few were decent in multiple different attributes, not just strength, but their toughness or nimbleness, not just intelligence, but wisdom, as well as their ability to talk to people well, or a mixture of any of them. One thing which surprised him was the oldest woman, Luna, who was still younger than some of the oldest men, was extremely intelligent. ¡°It was difficult for some of the others to keep up pace with her,¡± Dunes explained. ¡°In the span of a few months, she¡¯s managed to learn how to read and write, beyond a satisfactory level.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said with a nod. Jurot noted some of the other women also held special notes, and some of the men too. While many were slightly above average, some were further above average. Comparing the notes, it seemed there were a couple who were some better than Freddie, though Freddie had one advantage over any of them. Alfie, who was in his mid twenties, was great. Tommy, who was about ten, was also great. Except, Freddie, was at the perfect age to be taught. He was fifteen, almost sixteen, so Jurot could begin today, just like with Alfie, but Freddie would have ten years longer to perfect his abilities, while Tommy would need to wait roughly four to six years before he could be honed into a great blade. Dunes eventually spoke with Adam too, informing him of the issue of payment. ¡°We did promise to pay them after the sixth month, so it¡¯s fine,¡± Adam replied, writing the note in his book. ¡°You ended up spending a lot on your children, are you sure we have enough?¡± Dunes joked. ¡°I¡¯m sensible. I spent my own coin on them, the business¡¯ coin was spent on business matters.¡± ¡°I found that George has a new book. He said,¡± Dunes paused, realising what he said. ¡°He informed me Fred bought it for him.¡± ¡°How cute,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Is that something the business funds?¡± ¡°If I was to decide, sure. I think that buying books for George, or anyone in the business, sounds like a business expense.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to refund him the coin.¡± ¡°You!¡± Jirot held up her fist towards her father. ¡°You are always working!¡± ¡°Daddy needs to work so he can play with you during the festival.¡± Jirot raised her brows, before she turned her head, catching her mother¡¯s eyes. She crossed her arms, and pouted towards her mother. ¡°Dear, how long must you work?¡± Vonda asked, smiling slightly. ¡°I need to work... well, I can work up until the festival, and then I can work a little after it, but I won¡¯t work during it?¡± ¡°Will you play with Jirot the entire festival?¡± ¡°Daddy will play with Jirot as much as she wants, and with the other children, during the festival,¡± Adam promised. Jirot inhaled deeply, but she climbed up beside her mother, cuddling up beside her. ¡°Smelly boy.¡± Adam did end up keeping his promise, though he did want to finish up the work. He also felt guilty, since they were at the fort for the festival, rather than the Iyr. However, seeing the businessfolk excited with all the food and drinks, most of which had been prepared by the villagers nearby, with Dunes dealing with the flow of coin, and Kitool dealing with the negotiations, he supposed it wasn¡¯t so bad. ¡®I wanted to spend it in the Iyr, but I guess this is fine too,¡¯ Adam thought, eating and drinking with his children, while also playing games with them, from kicking a ball, to tossing items, to Warriors and Wanderers. ¡°Hmm,¡± the one armed Jarot growled. ¡°How could you make me come all this way to see my greatchildren during the festival?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? Babo doesn¡¯t want to play with Jirot and Jarot today?¡± Adam replied, gasping. Jirot opened her potato filled mouth, the sadness filling the girl, her eyes snapping to her grandmother, who had returned during the festival. ¡°I did not say such a thing!¡± Adam spent his days with the children, and he spent the nights with the adults. He took special care of his wife, who could not drink, and so Adam refused to drink too, and since her diet consisted mostly of vegetables, Adam did the same. Every so often, his eyes would covet other foods, but he knew he couldn¡¯t cheat on his wife like that. She had eventually noticed he wasn¡¯t eating as much meat or cheese, so she decided to eat some meat, at least allowing him that much pleasure. ¡®What a fool of a husband,¡¯ she thought, a smile across her face. What''s this? A time skip? In my fatherhood simulator? Adam Sheet [964] Adam Sheet [964] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 7 XP: 11 600 STR: 20 (+5) DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 16 (+3) INT: 16 (+3) WIS: 12 (+1) CHA: 16 (+3) SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Wraith, dwarven warhammer, Strong Shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, obsidian holy symbol of Baktu, Fine Battleaxe Blanket, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick clothes, (2) clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf, journal, quill, ink, Steel Tag: 3 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 Obsidian (10), Tiger Eye (10), Amber (5), Diamond (5) 1: Identify, Searing Smite 2: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon 3: Elemental Weapon, Protection from Energy 4: Fabricate, Wall of Fire Prepared (10): Goodberry, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Sending, Adam¡¯s Tower, Counterspell, Revivify, Fireball, Healing Word, Hex 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds, 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door COMBAT Health: 91/91 DEF: 21/25 Mana: 25/25 Wraith: +10, 2d6 + 9/10 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 5/7 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +6, 2d6 Fire Frosbite (60¡¯). DC14, 2d6 Cold I will try my best to try and set up a sheet each time he adventures. [964] – Y04.064 – Finally Adventuring I [964] ¨C Y04.064 ¨C Finally Adventuring I ¡®I guess we should leave today,¡¯ Adam thought. He still had to finish the last bit for the weapons, but he supposed it wasn¡¯t too urgent, since the business still had quite a bit of coin. While the cart and wagon were being prepared, Adam hoisted up his children, showering them in affection. ¡°Always working!¡± Jirot accused. ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Except didn¡¯t I play with you for a whole week?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°What do you mean? We ended up slaying a dragon, didn¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I kill the dragon, I am strong!¡± Jirot agreed. ¡°Right, exactly, so when daddy comes back, let¡¯s go on another adventure, and maybe you can level up?¡± ¡°I want to level up.¡± ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Adam said, kissing the girl¡¯s cheek, before saying his goodbyes to all his children. ¡°You all, you need to listen to mummy, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the children replied, with one child mumbling the word. ¡°Come home safely!¡± The children¡¯s voices echoed through the fort, the other children also joining in, while the wagon and cart pulled away through the nearby village, towards Red Oak, towards the bad people. ¡°Daddy...¡± Jirot sniffled. ¡°Smelly boy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so hungry, Jirot. Come, let¡¯s eat some more potatoes.¡± ¡°I eating all the potatoes,¡± the girl said, sniffling. ¡°I need to eat some too, for your little papa or kaka,¡± Vonda said. ¡°...¡± The girl pouted and held up her finger. ¡°Just this once.¡± She wagged her finger. ¡®Should I craft the girl a ring?¡¯ Morkarai thought. Jonn watched out, unsure if he should have asked to come along, but instead, he followed the twins around. Fred also watched them go, wondering if he should have asked to go. ¡®I¡¯d only slow them down...¡¯ Within the wagon, Adam stared out towards the world. ¡°It¡¯s just us girls, this time...¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure what Adam by that, but as he glanced around, he did note most of them were women. Lucy and Mara sat in the cart, while Jaygak and Kitool each drove the vehicles. The six of them formed the core of Fate¡¯s Golden, and once more they set out, as they had done in the beginning of the year. However, this time it was different. Now there was no Prince to escort, and no pregnant woman adventuring. This time it was only the girls and death. By the next evening, the group approached the walls of Red Oak, which instantly brought a sourness to Adam¡¯s mouth. ¡°Business?¡± ¡°Adventuring,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°Gate fee?¡± Kitool handed over a gold coin, a silver for each member, plus a silver for the carts and the steeds. ¡°The steeds are magical, but we shall pay for them.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the guard replied, tipping his helmet, before the group made their way into the town. ¡°That was... surprisingly easy,¡± the other guard said. The group made their way to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and though Adam suspected trouble, they managed to procure rooms for themselves with ease. ¡°Adam,¡± called a voice. ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Adam thought, turning, before noting the dark skinned Vice Master. ¡°Vice Master Paul?¡± Once they were settled within a private room, the Vice Master poured the half elf some tea, and pushed forward snacks. ¡°I heard about what happened. I¡¯m glad that the Mad Dog and the Bearded Dragon were around.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Adam replied, sipping the tea, holding the Vice Master¡¯s gaze. Insight Check (Wisdom) D20 + 1 = 4 (3) ¡°What are your plans?¡± Paul asked, noting how relaxed the half elf was. ¡®Is the matter settled?¡¯ ¡°Just adventuring for a couple of months in Ever Green.¡± ¡°Would you be willing to assist me here?¡± Paul asked cautiously. ¡°I¡¯d have said no if it was any other person, but I¡¯ll hear you out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Sir Harvey, he...¡± Paul paused upon Adam¡¯s look. ¡°He needs assistance with a herb.¡± ¡°Is this by any chance the same Sir Harvey I¡¯m thinking of?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam replied, raising his brows, waiting to hear more. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t ask if it wasn¡¯t important, Adam.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important about it?¡± ¡°The herb is only ripe within a two week period, and it¡¯s dangerous to procure. It¡¯s... in Jaghi.¡± ¡°Is this a remix? You want me to help the High Alchemist in Jaghi?¡± Paul shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Please. I have no one else I can trust with this. You''re perfect for the task. You can escort the High Alchemist swiftly.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the herb?¡± ¡°Moonleaf.¡± Adam raised his brows again, smirking slightly. ¡°That sounds like a drug.¡± ¡°It is, but it can be used for medicinal purposes.¡± ¡°That''s what they all say.¡± Adam chuckled, sipping his tea, tasting the gentle flavour, though it was sullied by his memories. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard an Iyrman lie,¡± Adam said. ¡°Look at these guys, they win one war when the Iyr was holding back, and suddenly the Iyrmen are looked down on.¡± Adam laughed, rubbing Jurot¡¯s side. ¡°The Iyr was all locked up, then once the war ended, then they came out,¡± the soldier replied. ¡°True enough, I suppose. I heard that Ever Green had help. The old man, Asa, right?¡± ¡°Lord Asa,¡± the soldier stated firmly. ¡°He has been given a title for his deeds.¡± ¡°Lord Asa?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Isn¡¯t he the father of an Emperor?¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± ¡°He was given land to the west for his service, and the title of Lord, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s a proper noble though.¡± ¡°I hear uh... there¡¯s another guy, wasn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°Bloody Knight?¡± ¡°Yeah, though...¡± Adam paused, realising he shouldn¡¯t mention the other name. ¡°Sir Azazel is a great warrior,¡± the soldier said carefully. ¡°I hear he¡¯s powerful too.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°He ended up crippling my children¡¯s greatfather, and I wanted to see him.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°He took my grandfather¡¯s leg,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Oh... sorry to hear that.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, holding out his hand, and the soldier handed the axe over. ¡°Azazel?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Hold on. Is... is he a devilkin?¡± ¡°No?¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot. ¡®Azazel, right?¡¯ ¡°How strong is he?¡± ¡°Strong. They say he¡¯s probably in the top ten across all of Floria. They say he¡¯s right behind Lord Marshal Royce.¡± ¡°Lord Marshal Royce? The Knight of Death?¡± ¡°The previous Knight of Death, yes.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in a while, either. I guess he¡¯s probably busy as the King¡¯s side, eh?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at the village last I heard.¡± ¡°Village?¡± ¡°The, uh... King¡¯s Village.¡± The soldier shrugged his shoulders, having forgotten the name, since it had always been known as Sir Merryweather¡¯s Village, and now, King¡¯s Village. ¡°I do have business with all of them, so why don¡¯t we head there?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ the soldier thought, glancing between the group. As Fate¡¯s Golden prepared to sleep, a handsome man in his mid thirties, adorned within full plate of finely crafted steel, and an ornate blade at his side, approached. He was flanked by two others, each also in well made full plate, with fine blades at their side. ¡°Commander Alexander Silversky,¡± the handsome man said. ¡°I have heard that you have business in the King¡¯s Village.¡± ¡°A little bit, nothing too important, though,¡± Adam replied innocently, not realising he had made the same mistake he always did, opening his mouth. ¡°Who has business in the King¡¯s Village that isn¡¯t important?¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot for support. ¡°We wish to meet with Lord Asa once more and Lord Royce,¡± the young Iyrman said. ¡°I was informed you knew of them on a more personal capacity. How?¡± ¡°We met during our adventures. We met Lord Marshal Royce when he made his way southward. Lord Asa spent his time near the Iyr for some time.¡± ¡°Highly coincidental.¡± Adam let out a soft sigh, shrugging his shoulders, noting the way his companions were looking at him. ¡°Until we are to deal with the truth of the matter, I would like for you to surrender your weapons, and to remain within the cells.¡± ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ll need to wait?¡± ¡°No more than a few months.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re currently on a tight schedule, unfortunately,¡± Adam replied, already feeling the burning rise within him. ¡°You see...¡± Adam paused upon seeing the Commander¡¯s smile. ¡°I would pray to Lady Arya, that you are not resisting arrest, for it would be a shame for your business to lose its Executives like this.¡± Adam inhaled sharply, but he felt a hand on his shoulder, and as he glanced back towards Jaygak, he stared down at the floor. ¡®Okay.¡¯ ¡°Ask your questions, and we shall reply truthfully,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If you wish to detain us, you will-,¡± Jurot paused as he felt Kitool¡¯s hand on his shoulder. ¡°The Iyr has no qualms with Floria,¡± Kitool said. ¡°There is no need to aggravate relations between us.¡± ¡°Do you officially represent the Iyr?¡± ¡°I am a representative of-,¡± A horn echoed through the camp, and the Commander held out a fist, motioning it in a particular manner. ¡°Remain here. I will return once I have dealt with this new business.¡± ¡°Honestly, this isn¡¯t-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, trying to stop him from saying anything stupid. ¡°Sorry.¡± Lucy remained silent. She eyed up the knights. ¡®I can¡¯t believe they haven¡¯t come for us yet...¡¯ The Iyrmen are being awfully polite. [965] – Y04.065 – Finally Adventuring II [965] ¨C Y04.065 ¨C Finally Adventuring II The silver fox of a man, in his mid to late sixties or so, brushed his scruffy silver beard, his long hair down to his shoulders. He was heavily armoured in full plate, and upon his back was a giant maul. The maul itself was carved out of a dark gem, black as night, with specks of light within the gem which shifted about like fireflies. ¡°Who in the Divine are you?¡± Lord Royce asked, his eyes curious. ¡°You don¡¯t remember me?¡± ¡°No...¡± The Commander¡¯s eyes turned towards the half elf, his posture changing slightly, the handsome noble reaching down towards his blade. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Lord Royce inhaled the crisp air of Floria, which was far earthier than the air of the north. ¡°That stench of trouble. Perhaps I do recall a half elf and his Iyrman brother?¡± Adam shook his head lightly. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Lord Royce.¡± Royce nodded his head slowly, a wild grin encroaching his face. His eyes then fell to Jurot, who had fought with the King Merryweather previously. ¡°What brings you two so far south? Have you come to haunt this old man?¡± His eyes scanned across the others he vaguely recalled, but it was Adam and Jurot who had seared themselves within his mind a few years ago. ¡°I¡¯m here to speak with you, actually.¡± Adam smiled politely, in the way that meant he was going to cause just a little trouble. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°An offer, though...¡± Adam motioned his head to the soldiers. ¡°It seems they don¡¯t like us here, and if we¡¯re not welcome here, well, perhaps there might be fewer magical weapons making their way into Florian lands.¡± ¡°Magical weapons?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve come to offer the great King Merryweather the ability to procure from our business, if his majesticness should wish for it, and if his treasury hasn¡¯t been drained by the war.¡± ¡°Which magical weapons do you have on offer?¡± ¡°Right now, Basic weapons, but in the future? Who knows.¡± Royce reached up to scratch his beard, narrowing his eyes lightly as he thought. ¡®He¡¯d definitely want some magical weapons, since he¡¯s got to try and deal with Aldland when that boy gathers himself.¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± ¡°We have had some business with the Duchess of East Port,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯ve done some business with various Aldish nobles, and I didn¡¯t want the good King to think that I was ignoring him, it was just that our business has recently stabilised.¡± ¡°Did you supply Aldland with weapons during the war?¡± Royce half growled. ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Adam replied. ¡°We did auction some weapons off in Red Oak, and we did end up selling a few to Duchess Dalia Eastport.¡± ¡°Eastsea,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Very bad with names,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°So you sold magical weapons to our enemies and expect to come here with open arms?¡± ¡°We worked with whoever was closest and whoever wanted to work with us at the time. We didn¡¯t necessarily choose them in particular for any reason. Like I said, I wanted to make sure the King knew that we didn¡¯t ignore him during the time, it was just, we were still stabilising our business. Now that everything is settled, and we can consistently create such wonderful weapons, we can offer the King something that might suit his taste.¡± ¡°You can make any excuses you want, but... I won¡¯t allow you to walk away from this unscathed.¡± Royce grinned wide. ¡°Is that axe of yours something that was crafted by your business?¡± ¡°Indeed, it was.¡± ¡°Then draw it, and once we spar, I will see how good it is!¡± Royce grinned even more savagely. ¡®Should I threaten him?¡¯ Adam dared to think. ¡°How about this...¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Give us a few hours to prepare, and I¡¯ll show you something even better.¡± ¡°Something even better?¡± ¡°This weapon isn¡¯t our greatest, but should you give me a while, I can figure out a way to make the fight most fun for you.¡± ¡°Fine. If you don¡¯t please me, don¡¯t expect to travel so freely in Floria.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°About the misunderstanding between us, Commander?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve spoken the truth, half fae.¡± The Commander bowed his head to Royce, who was the highest ranking individual here, and retreated away. Adam¡¯s heart throbbed as he focused himself, aiming his axe against the old man once more. Attack - Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! Ah. Yes. There we go. It had been so long since Adam had used Phantom. Phantom, which was still perhaps Adam¡¯s greatest creation. It matched Wraith in some since, they were both Greater Enhanced weapons, meaning they held a +2 Bonus, while also containing an additional effect. Wraith had a few. Wraith Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. May be used as a spell focus. Can morph between a ring and weapon at your command. Can store up to 3 charges. 1D3 charges are regained at dawn, or by expending Mana whilst holding the axe, at a rate of one Mana per charge. Charges can only be spent when holding the weapon, but require no action. On a hit, spend 1 charge or more to deal 2D6 cold damage for each charge spent. Wraith was on the cusp of what the Iyr allowed Adam to hold. Phantom? Phantom had been too much. Phantom: 3 -> 0 Mana: 25 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 20D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 124 (1, 2)(1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6, 6)(1, 1, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6, 6, 6) 124 damage! Far too much. ¡®I told you, didn¡¯t I? I missed you so much, my dear Phantom. Ah, right, I should try to impress him, shouldn¡¯t I?¡¯ Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 21 -> 20 Spell: Thunderous Smite Attack - Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) Hit! Mana: 20 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D6 + 2D6 + 5D6 + 9 = (3)(1)(5, 6)(1, 2, 3, 4, 5) 39 damage! Attack - Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Hit! Mana: 16 -> 12 Ability: Divine Smite 1D6 + 1D6 + 5D6 + 9 = 37 (5)(4)(2, 2, 4, 5, 6) 37 damage! Mana: 12 -> 11 Defence: 25 -> 30 Health: 91 -> 20 While Adam stepped forward, his focus intense, the Lord Marshal attacked like a wild beast. Except, even though he attacked like a while beast, and even though he pushed forward, he realised that Adam, regardless of how he seemed like a little mouse, was more than he expected. It wasn¡¯t just that the half elf was more than he expected, but that he had brought the old man so low so quickly that he wasn¡¯t entirely sure if the boy was truly a half elf, or perhaps something greater. The clash of magical steel on magical steel echoed as the soldiers watched on, and it was only when Adam¡¯s puthral was struck square in the chest and the half elf almost slammed through a tent, did they catch their breaths. Adam dropped to a knee, reaching up to his chest, feeling the heavy blow which had certainly cracked his ribs. His arms burned, his lungs heaved, but he could hear it. Ragged. Weak. The old man was on his last legs. ¡®I can do it,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can beat him!¡¯ Jurot could sense it too. Adam had struck true with a blow, and not only did he strike true, but the half elf had done that. It was something Jurot had managed to do in the last year when he faced the Red Bear. Jurot, too, had expended every charge and had bisected the creature. ¡°Hah!¡± Adam coughed, dropping to his side. ¡°I surrender.¡± He lay on his side, panting for air, groaning and grunting. It was partly acted, but his heart pounded as the half elf felt the ache deep within his bones. They had clashed for only moments, but the old man was definitely a Paragon, and his maul definitely struck deeper than any other. Royce could feel it, the pumping of blood rushing through him, the throbbing and the ache, a throbbing and ache he only felt when clashing against the strongest. ¡®This boy...¡¯ Defeat! XP Gained: +1000 XP: 11 600 -> 12 600 ¡°Brat...¡± Royce said, almost growling, feeling the rage within him grow. Except, he stopped, glancing around towards the soldiers and the Commander, whose face was full of uncharacteristic shock. ¡°I will let the King know of your business.¡± Quest Complete: Saving Face XP Gained: +400 XP: 12 600 -> 13 000 ¡®Phew.¡¯ Damn! Phantom is such a great weapon! [966] – Y04.066 – Finally Adventuring III [966] ¨C Y04.066 ¨C Finally Adventuring III ¡®Did I do too much?¡¯ Adam thought, finally having cooled down from the fight. ¡®Oh man...¡¯ Royce inhaled deeply, flexing his muscle. He commandeered the main tent and invited the group to sit with him, and as he poured them tea, he eyed each of them up. ¡°When did you become so powerful?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that powerful,¡± Adam replied, smiling innocently as he did, which proved the old man¡¯s point further. ¡°This axe is perhaps the greatest the Enchanter has ever made, and it allowed me to go toe to toe with you. Well, that and my armour, and so on.¡± ¡°How many times do you think I have bothered Harry?¡± Royce asked. ¡°Harry?¡± ¡°That¡¯s King Merryweather to you, boy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know who King Merryweather is?¡± Adam raised his brows, feeling the sense of disappointment rise within him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many times you¡¯ve faced the old man.¡± ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what a Fourth Gate smite feels like?¡± Royce¡¯s eyes took Adam within his sights, and seemed to look through him. ¡°Did I not hold back enough?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to scratch his chin, an awkward smile across his lips. ¡°Had we fought another round, I¡¯m uncertain who the victor would have been,¡± the man noted. ¡°You are difficult to strike.¡± ¡°My great armour is one of my greatest abilities, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°The Enchanter made the weapon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Even without it, you are among some of the most powerful I¡¯ve faced,¡± Royce admitted, sipping more of his tea. ¡°Have you had any business with the North yet?¡± ¡°Not yet. We¡¯ve been busy for a while. We have been thinking about heading north for some ore from Jaghi, but...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°The Knight of Death needs a weapon, one like this maul of mine. It¡¯s greater than most mauls, not Legendary Enhanced, but it¡¯s among the best of the Greater Enhanced weapons. Can your Enchanter make something similar?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯d have to Identify it first to explain it to the Enchanter, if that¡¯s alright?¡± Royce allowed Adam to take it, letting him study it over the course of the next hour, while conversing with the others. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I¡¯m too tired to face you too, so relax those shoulders of yours.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jurot groaned quietly, letting out a long sigh, trying to calm himself. ¡°Tell me about your stories,¡± Royce said, before listening intently to not only the childrens¡¯ stories, but their family¡¯s stories too. Deathly Night Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 3D6 bludgeoning damage. Headsmasher. When you down a foe with this weapon, increase it¡¯s damage to 4D6 for an hour. Downing an enemy when Headsmasher is active refreshes the timer. ¡®Damn, it¡¯s not that bad,¡¯ Adam thought, staring down at the weapon. ¡®3D6 is already greater than most great weapons, but 4D6?¡¯ ¡°They could create something around this level, though exactly this? I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Then meet with the Grand Duchess of the North.¡± ¡°The Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°She is the greatest noble across the entirety of Aldland.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there the King?¡± ¡°Did I stutter, boy?¡± the old man almost snarled. ¡°No, no,¡± Adam replied, raising his brows again in alarm. ¡®Maybe I should have downed you?¡¯ ¡°A weapon like this will cost quite a pretty penny, more than any other weapon we¡¯ve made, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate the wealth of the North!¡± Royce almost growled. ¡°The North is rich in blood and gold!¡± The Iyrmen nodded their heads, while Lucy¡¯s eyes sparkled, wanting to see how rich the North was, especially when it came to a particular type of resource. ¡°A few of their heirs have died, so they need to take a step back to recuperate. Terrible news, since they¡¯re one of the only good orders around.¡± ¡°I wonder if they¡¯re in the business of buying magical weapons?¡± ¡°They couldn¡¯t afford it. They pass down their items from generation to generation. They receive gifts from nobles or wealthy merchants, and payments from villages now and again, but it¡¯s far too little. There are Orders which remain held up in their walls near villages and towns that are treated better then the Order of the Wings, who work harder than maybe every Order combined. Save Life¡¯s Rose, perhaps.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Adam replied, keeping his eyes glued to the old man. ¡®That really sucks for them.¡¯ ¡°The Order of the Wings is too small. Too insignificant. Even if most of them are quite strong, I hear everyone but little Maggie is a Grandmaster at least, but no one important would bother to look at them if their leaders weren¡¯t Paragons.¡± ¡°Damn...¡± Adam frowned. He had met a couple of them during his journey, and though tone of them had an apprentice who was rather rude, they were decent folk. ¡°What do you think of them?¡± ¡°An Order that actually does what it says it does? A neutral force who does their job even if no one appreciates it? Aye! They may not be Northerners, but I¡¯ll respect them as much as anyone can be respected, even little Maggie. I have to do that much since I¡¯m sitting in a comfy little castle now, keeping my arse warm beside the candle fire, with maids bringing new flowers every morning, not even giving the flowers proper respect to allow them to wither first.¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re enjoying your new life down here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too damn hot!¡± Lord Royce growled. Adam chuckled and finished his tea. ¡°Well, it seems like someone should start supporting the Order of the Wings properly if no one else is going to.¡± ¡®We could enchant them some weapons and have them advertise. The Order of the Wings is maybe the most well respected Order, even if no one puts their money where their mouth is. Plus, they¡¯re decent enough folk.¡¯ ¡°Can you afford it?¡± Royce asked. ¡°Well, maybe it won¡¯t be too much, but it should be at least something if no one else is going to step up. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s cheap for a nation to support them, especially when they do so much, but I guess since they¡¯re willing to work for free, the nations aren¡¯t going to throw them even a copper?¡± ¡°They get their coppers, but they need silvers to live. Damn shame. Orders going about wasting gold, but the one right and good Order?¡± Royce shook his head. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Ah, right. Lord Royce, you¡¯ve faced me, so I¡¯d like your opinion. Do you think I could beat the Bloody Knight? Azazael, was it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t fought him properly yet, but... I¡¯d bet on him.¡± ¡°Even if I had Phantom?¡± ¡°He¡¯s... strange,¡± Lord Royce stated, uncertain even he could defeat such a fellow. ¡°Alright...¡± ¡®Damn, seriously?¡¯ Night fell upon the camp, and Royce, who had interrupted Adam¡¯s ability to rest, decided against killing him. It would have been difficult, considering the Iyrmen beside him, but upon listening to the boy¡¯s words, he was either an idiot, or a genius posing as an idiot to lower his guard, or perhaps a bit of both. ¡®Since he¡¯s promised to do me the favour, and the Iyrman promised to assist, it should be fine.¡¯ Mana: 11 -> 8 Spell: Sending ¡°Greetings, Sir Magpie. This is Adam. Half elf. We met a few years ago in front of the Iyr. Are you busy?¡± ¡®Greetings, Adam. I vaguely recall you. I am always busy, my Oath is eternal.¡¯ Mana: 8 -> 5 Spell: Sending ¡°Great news. I wish you great fortune with your Oath. Are you too busy to accept magical weapons and coin?¡± ¡®Do you wish to donate to our cause? We can meet soon to discuss. We are in West Aldland at the moment.¡¯ Mana: 5 -> 2 Spell: Sending ¡°Correct. Currently out. We shall return to Iyr by nightval. Please come around then. All the best, Adam.¡± ¡®We appreciate your kind words. We shall busy ourselves until nightval. Many blessings upon you and yours.¡¯ Adam smiled slightly, hearing the woman¡¯s voice fill his mind. ¡®As long as you don¡¯t try to kill my kids, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re well taken care of, Wings.¡¯ Before Adam slept, he completed a shorter rest in order to regain some Health and Mana, but, somehow, nothing happened during the night. Perhaps his fortunes had turned? ¡®Also, Belle, you don¡¯t need to show me the die rolls for the damage any more, it is getting to be a bit much.¡¯ [Okay.] ¡®Thank you.¡¯ Politics? In my fatherhood simulator? [967] – Y04.067 – Ever Green I [967] ¨C Y04.067 ¨C Ever Green I Soon the walls of Ever Green, built upon raised ground, greeted them. The gate, set under the walls thick stone walls, loomed at the end of a long, swerving road, paining all traveller¡¯s soul upon the way there. All traveller¡¯s save Adam and his companions had brought along a wagon and cart, so their calves remained cool. The guards allowed the group in after the appropriate gate fee, which hadn¡¯t changed even under new management. Ever Green¡¯s roads were wide, with small clusters of buildings dotting the area, small, but stacked high, three to five stories tall. Yet, scanning from one side to another, all one could see was greenery. Green greenery, the greenest greenery one could possibly see. There were as many parks as there were roads, some of which became pathways from one area to the next, and even though sections of the town were formed upon a grid, some sections of town gave way to a more natural layout, vestiges of old. ¡°You know, it¡¯s so much nicer travelling through the levels with a wagon,¡± Adam said, letting out a long sigh, the wagon following the large side road. ¡°So much better.¡± Adam continued to look out at the town, which soothed his heart. ¡°I should have taken cues from this place.¡± ¡°It is beautiful,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°I should take Vonda here once our baby is born. The fresh air would do her good.¡± Jurot noted the smiled on Adam¡¯s face, which was both genuine and apprehensive. ¡°It is a good idea.¡± ¡°I should buy some tea while I¡¯m here, I ended up running out a short while ago. I should also buy that damn pouch I¡¯ve been wanting to get ever since we set out, but screw Red Oak if it thinks I¡¯m going to spend another penny there!¡± The Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Ever Green was slightly larger than the one in Red Oak. It was fairly similar to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Red Oak, made of stone for the first floor, with a tiered design of wood above. However, one could have gotten lost within the flowers and vines growing around it, and there were small sections on the roof top where older folks relaxed. The fenced off area to the side also housed herbs Adam could only envy. ¡®I should get myself a herb garden.¡¯ The sweet earthy smell invited him in, the flowery scent coaxing him to the front desk, where an older man sat, reading a book. ¡°Barks.¡± ¡°Adam, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Tha¡¯s right. How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°Fine enough. You?¡± ¡°Not too bad.¡± ¡°What brings you to Ever Green?¡± ¡°We were hoping to adventure. I¡¯ve got a little one on the way and I thought, why not make some coin before they¡¯re born, get them a nice little something, and something for the missus too,¡± Adam said, his voice lower and slower. ¡®Why¡¯s he talking like that?¡¯ Lucy thought. ¡°If you¡¯re interested, there¡¯s a forest drake about that¡¯s been giving me a headache, and if you could handle it, we¡¯d greatly appreciate it.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied. After a lovely bath, the group went to sleep. The next morning, the group set out to the nearby forest, allowing Jurot and Kitool to lead them, trekking through the nearby forest. ¡°Adam, you need to let us fight first,¡± Lucy said. ¡°If you fight, it¡¯ll be too boring.¡± ¡°Fine, but I need to do a little bit at least.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do much!¡± ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll let it go for your sake.¡± As the pair of Iyrmen trekked forward, they began to notice the disturbed nature all around them, from broken twigs, to trees which had seemingly been cut by a blade, tearing off the bark. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, raising his shield quickly, as the wind around them rushed. Adam quickly donned his shield. Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 18 (17) Health: 91 -> 65 The wind blasted the group, enough to push even Jaygak back, who slammed up against a tree with a grunt. The wind gathered together to form the shape of a long wyrm, branches and leaves forming the body of the creature, the whistling wind screeching in the air. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 2 (1) The roar of the Rage Dancers filled the forest, and the blades struck against the long creature, while Adam could barely see what was happening through the debris. He raised his shield up, hiding himself behind it, while hoisting up Wraith. ¡°Jaygak, you alright?¡± Adam asked, though the shining blade cut through the air, literally, striking through the creature, which writhed in pain, the leaves and branches pulsing. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 65 -> 70 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 13 (3) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 36 (8)(10)(9) 36 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 36 (10)(9)(8) 36 damage! Adam darted forward, through the blizzard of debris, flailing his axe wildly, managing to strike through the leaves and earth and wood, and as his blade flashed cold and hot at once, the whipping wind fell still. Victory! XP Gained: +1500 XP: 13 000 -> 14 500 ¡°Huh. That was... easier than expected.¡± Adam turned to face the rest of his companions. ¡°I didn¡¯t even do that much.¡± ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Red Scarf, right?¡¯ ¡°Aha!¡± the merchant called, rushing up to the fellows. ¡°The Divine have blessed me! Sir Stephen!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Stephen replied, eyeing up the woman for a moment. ¡°How may I assist, miss?¡± ¡°I was praying to the Divine to send me a group of great warriors, and thus the Divine have brought to me such fine warriors. I require escorting to Jaghi immediately.¡± ¡°We will not be able to leave today, but if you are willing, we can arrange to leave tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°That is acceptable,¡± she said, shaking the man¡¯s hands with her own. ¡°Unlike other petty adventurers, you are not only strong, but of good company.¡± ¡°Red Neck Stephen, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Adam called. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Has it?¡± Stephen replied, before narrowing his eyes. ¡°Yes. A short while. Last year?¡± ¡°I fought Eddard,¡± Adam said. ¡°Black Blade, was it?¡± ¡°Black Blood,¡± Stephen corrected. ¡°You fought well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°I know it¡¯s rude of me to ask, but would you be willing to spar?¡± ¡°What is the purpose of the spar?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to gain some Experience.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a small smile. ¡°I want to know the different between you and I.¡± ¡°I am similar in strength to Black Blood,¡± Red Neck said, glancing aside to notice the Iyrman who had an eye on him. ¡°I fear I would only disappoint you.¡± ¡®What am I even doing? She riled me up and now I want to fight Red Neck Stephen? He¡¯s apparently one of the nicest guys around.¡¯ ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sure you must be tired from your journey, how could I be so rude to ask you to spar now. Sorry about that, Sir.¡± Red Neck bowed his head politely towards the half elf. ¡®Wait a second.¡¯ ¡°Sir Stephen, do you by any chance wield a magical weapon?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Is it rude to ask what it does?¡± ¡°It is Greater Enhanced, and strikes harder than a typical weapon of its appearance,¡± the man replied calmly. ¡°Do all of your companions possess magical weapons?¡± Stephen remained silent for a long moment. ¡°No, two do not.¡± ¡°Which weapons do your companions prefer to use, the two without magical weapons?¡± ¡°...¡± Stephen furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°Pike and greatblade.¡± ¡°Good to know. Well, apparently you¡¯re about to make some coin, so if you need magical items, we sell some at our business, the United Kindom. If you follow the road west from Red Oak, right at the border of the Iyr, you¡¯ll find our business. ¡°Which magical weapons?¡± ¡°Basic or Greater.¡± ¡°How much are your Basic weapons.¡± ¡°Typically around a thousand.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, that will be difficult to procure for some time, as we often accept whatever little coin the commonfolk offer.¡± ¡®Ah! I knew I wanted to make this deal for a reason.¡¯ ¡°Well, perhaps we could... work out a deal?¡± ¡°What kind of deal?¡± ¡°The merchant is about to offer your party fifty gold a day for your journey to Jaghi. Let¡¯s say, five hundred gold total, for two Basic weapons, and a favour from the Red Scarves?¡± ¡°We will consider it.¡± Adam bowed his head. ¡°It¡¯s an honour to formally meet a hero like you, Sir.¡± ¡°You as well, Adam.¡± ¡®He¡¯s a merchant who works for an enchanter?¡¯ the woman thought, entirely befuddled by the conversation. ¡®A favour?¡¯ Jurot thought, wondering if part of the favour could be a spar with Red Neck Stephen. The group decided to relax that day, having no idea the old faces they¡¯d see tomorrow. These rolls are crazy. The amount of old faces we''re meeting is hilarious. Also! I posted up two chapters today because I was going to make another offer for this week, from the 22nd to the 30th, for every new patron, Silver or Gold, I''ll post up an additional chapter a day. Someone ended up subscribing yesterday so I decided to count it. Silver and Gold tier patrons get the same thing, +40 chapters, and by the time you read this, Y05 should have begun! [968] – Y04.068 – Ever Green II [968] ¨C Y04.068 ¨C Ever Green II The figure¡¯s skin was like ash, peeled apart, not by the nature around, but by the death and decay that had occurred over a thousand years. Yet the tracks it had left behind were only hours past. Jurot noted the symbol the figure had managed to write in their blood beside them, and as he scraped it, he threw a look to Kitool, the pair exchanging head nods. Kitool clutched her staff tighter, while Jurot donned his shield, and upon the sight, Jaygak did so too. ¡®A Tribesfolk?¡¯ Adam donned his shield too, and drew Wraith, while Lucy and Mara, feeling the air grow cold, and noting their companions arming themselves silently, drew their own weapons. Jurot held up his hand, before motioning forward, and he crouched down, though his steps were still swift. He followed the tracks, with Lucy following right beside him, while Mara followed Kitool, and Adam and Jaygak brought up the rear, the group having taken a triangular position in pairs. They continued forward through the hilly forest, and as the minutes passed, they could feel it through the trees, smell it upon the breeze, the chill of death. The bottom of the hill bore a hole, the earth having given way, leading to dark depths. Jurot entered first, and as Lucy stepped in, Mara placed a hand on her shoulder. She slipped in first, followed by Lucy, and then Kitool. Adam and Jaygak glanced between one another, the pair sighing, before climbing up within their heavy armour, sliding down the tunnel, the earth scraping against their armour louder than they expected. As they landed lightly on the earth, within the centre of the large chamber, the skeletons around them turned to face them. ¡°Sorry,¡± Adam whispered. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 9 (8) Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite empowered! 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 28 (7)(12) 28 damage! Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 13 (3) Hit! Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite empowered! 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 26 (7)(10) 26 damage! Wraith swerved through the air, tearing through each skeleton with ease, with such might that Adam¡¯s axe accidentally sliced through another skeleton with each blow, each falling like blocks of wood, each of the people around him barely even swinging their weapons with any effort. Victory! XP Gained: +100 XP: 14 500 -> 14 600 ¡°That was eas-,¡± Adam said, only to be interrupted by a blast of ice from the side. Constitution Save D20 + 6 = 12 (6) Failure! Health: 91 -> 55 As the cold blanketed the party, Kitool pulled back, her body moving without even a thought as she flipped through the air, dodging most of the blast. ¡®Fifth Gate.¡¯ ¡°More uninvited guests?¡± a voice called from the darkness, the voice raspy and low, yet brimming with great power. ¡°Deathsingers? Oh? And just what are you three?¡± Everyone here could hear the tone of voice. It was that kind of voice, like that of a hunter about to play with a kitten. The figure stepped from the shadows, pale and thin, the face of death itself. His cheeks were gaunt, his eyes dark, with hints of green swirls, and though he looked like he could blow over at a single breath, his body, floating through the air, remained completely relaxed. He wore dark garbs, and he floated through the air so casually, it was as though he had just been eating cheese and drinking wine. Behind him, following his fingers, several bodies floated through the air, trailing behind him. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°How rude,¡± the figure said, raising his hand, calling forth words of magic. ¡°Get down!¡± Jurot shouted. Mana: 23 -> 20 Spell: Counterspell Counterspell Check D20 + 3 = 15 (12) ¡°Who gave you permission to cast a spell in front of me?¡± Adam asked, pointing towards the figure with his axe, the magic coursing through his veins before it rushed against the magic from the being floating before them. ¡°Oh dear,¡± the figure said, feeling the magic dissipate in front of him. He flicked his hand, tossing the bodies near the group, and reached out his hand. A green orb floated towards him. Mana: 11 -> 8 Spell: Revivify ¡°Baktu, please return them to us,¡± Adam prayed, the diamond worth three hundred gold turned to dust, and not only did it scatter to the wind, it turned to light and disappeared out of existence. However, the figure remained still. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°Ah!¡± the young woman groaned, before crawling over to the young man. ¡°John.¡± She panted for air. ¡°John!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked, her accusatory glare piercing through Adam. ¡°I tried to bring him back, but my spell didn¡¯t work. He¡¯s been gone for too long. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The woman continued to glare at him, slightly confused, considering their relationship, but soon tears welled in her eyes, and she thumbed the earth beside her. ¡°Damn it. Damn it!¡± The remaining four each came to their senses, noting their companion crying over the still body of another. They crawled over too, checking on the young man, who Adam had met several times during his adventures. He stared down at the dead man¡¯s face, those lifeless eyes, unmoving like the rest of him. ¡®What¡¯s going on this year?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Our paths have crossed again. The alchemist. The merchant. The adventurer. The other two, though, they deserved it more than this kid. What did he ever do to me? Pick a fight and get his ass beat? Does that mean this kid should have died?¡¯ ¡°You tried to bring him back?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lucy asked, and as Adam turned his head, she met his gaze. She could see it within his eyes. The half elf¡¯s eyes looked past her to another time, seeing the flames of death engulf all around him. She wasn¡¯t sure what happened, but in the past few years, Adam had changed. The last year, he had been shocked by the death around him, he had even been hesitant to fight. Lucy wasn¡¯t sure if Adam was a killer or a little boy with the look in his eye. However, after a moment, the look in his eye changed. ¡°Because...¡± Adam said, his voice low, almost hesitant. ¡°I can?¡± Adam wasn¡¯t confused by his words, but rather, confused as to why he needed to explain his actions, especially to Lucy of all people. Adam looked out to his companions and then down to the adventurers. Adam remained silent for a long while, deep in thought. ¡°This is all your fault!¡± the woman accused, drawing her blade towards the half elf. ¡°You must have done something to him.¡± ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Adam tried to bring him back.¡± ¡°Shut up! Shut up!¡± she screamed, before swinging her blade towards the half elf, which weakly scraped her armour. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± Lucy stepped forward, but Adam held out his hand towards her, allowing the woman to swing her blade at his armour. Her companions quickly grabbed at her, pulling her back away from the half elf, still struggling as she continued to scream and cry, Adam could see how little she resisted them. Even then, with the young woman sobbing before him, finally laying on the ground, Adam looked past her, seeing the fire all around him. The pair had both come across an insurmountable foe. The difference between them wasn¡¯t just that Adam was strong, and richer, but that somehow, Lucy had been brought back, but John? John, the racist punk who had picked fights with Adam, was dead. He was dead now. He would be dead by the time she could come to her senses. He would be dead every day she would live. One day she would come to accept his death, but today was not that day. :( [969] – Y04.069 – Ever Green III [969] ¨C Y04.069 ¨C Ever Green III ¡°Come,¡± little Jarot called, reaching out a hand to Larot. Larot stared at his elder brother, whose hands were slightly chubbier than his own. The boy looked away. Jarot frowned, sitting down beside the boy. ¡°I am your big papa. You must listen.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Jarot hugged the boy. ¡°Smelly boy.¡± He reached up to his brother¡¯s hair, rubbing it, before he kissed the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°Jarot!¡± Jirot called, holding out her hand. ¡°Come.¡± Jarot stood, but looked back to his younger brother. ¡°Larot is coming?¡± ¡°Larot, come,¡± Jirot called. Larot sighed, hoisting himself up, while the twins assisted him, and they each took a hand. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°We are go bully babo, okay?¡± Jirot said, informing her youngest sibling. ¡°No, we cannot bully babo.¡± The girl smirked, cackling lightly, before the trio stormed their way to cause trouble. The old man stared out towards the sky. He stared at the storm that had long passed. It was raining that day. Jarot brought the cup to his lips, but paused, hearing the squealing that brought him back to the present. ¡°Have you come to play with your babo?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot declared, cackling. While the melancholy broke within the Iyr, miles away, the fire basked the area in warmth, flickering as it swallowed the body whole. The crackle of the pyre burning couldn¡¯t drown out the quiet weeping and sobbing. One of the party members stood tall, hands crossed in front of him, his eyes glued to the fire. He stared into the fire, looking through it to a camp fire the group had shared during one of their first adventures, when they had managed to take down a small black bear in the forest. ¡®Hah! You see that? Right between the ribs!¡¯ John had said, stabbing an invisible sword through the air. ¡®You idiot, I told you to wait for me,¡¯ Ruben had replied, his voice low and calm, even if he had been annoyed by John. ¡®Wait for you? I¡¯ll wait for you when I¡¯m dead, you pidgeon.¡¯ Ruben reached into his pouch, feeling for a copper coin, before he tossed it over onto the fire. ¡°Brother?¡± A moment later, Ruben cleared his throat. ¡°Brother half elf?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adam replied, glancing to his side. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I know of The Divine, but, uh...¡± Ruben swallowed. ¡°I know Lord Musa, but there¡¯s what¡¯s the name of the Divine who guides the souls?¡± ¡°Lord Zaladhin, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Priest.¡± ¡°I know Mother Soza, Lord Sozain, Lady Elaveil, Lady Arya, and that¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°Lady Fae, too?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Lady Fae?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Patron Divine of the Fae, who are named after her...¡± ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lord Zaladhin, right? Lord of Souls?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Ruben replied, before crossing his hands together in front of him, praying quietly to himself. It wasn¡¯t an official prayer, but a prayer that he spoke from the heart, begging the Divine to take John¡¯s soul to the next life. Adam tossed a copper coin too, before doing the same, praying to Lord Zaladhin. ¡®Hey, Lord Zaladhin. I, uh, hope you guide him well. Thanks.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry about John, Brother. I¡¯m sorry about Hallie, too. She didn¡¯t mean to attack a Brother like you, she was just...¡± Adam waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologise on behalf of dead men, or someone whose mind was clouded by grief. Make sure she¡¯s okay, and that she doesn¡¯t do anything drastic to herself.¡± Ruben raised his brows, taken aback by Adam¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on her. About the diamond, Brother. If it¡¯s alright with you, we¡¯ll pay you back at another time, if it doesn¡¯t displease me.¡± ¡°It would displease me if you pay me back, now or later. I¡¯m not so poor that I need to charge you for something I did for myself.¡± Adam turned, stepping away from Ruben, not wanting to continue the awkward conversation. ¡°Thank you, Brother.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam walked over to his companions, sitting down beside Jaygak, kicking up some dirt to get rid of some of his anxiety. ¡°Okay?¡± Jaygak asked. Ruben remained watching the flames until they finally disappeared, taking with them his friend. He gathered his group and followed the Priest and his companions to Ever Green. The journey back was silent, each lost within the darkness of their thoughts. The walls of Ever Green greeted them, and a few hours later, they stepped through the gates, the guards remaining quiet, sensing the darkness in the air. ¡°Adam, come,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Brother Adam,¡± Ruben called. ¡°Thank you again.¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°Yeah. Any time.¡± Adam tapped his helmet with a quick double finger salute, and turned to follow his brother. They made their way to a particular inn, to a particular section of the town, though Adam hadn¡¯t understood the difference between the districts yet. They approached a small shop, one which provided seats only for a handful of people at a time, whose cheapest items started at a silver piece. The building was wooden, as one might have expected, with a guard wearing light chain at the entrance, arms crossed, a blade at her side. ¡°Steak. Eggs. One baked potato, no salt, no butter.¡± Jurot placed down three silver coins above three copper coins. He looked to his brother. ¡°I¡¯ll have what he¡¯s having.¡± ¡°Steak,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Steak,¡± Adam began, following his brother, before placing down the coins, realising Jurot had placed them in a certain way, so the half elf copied him. The food was brought not long later, and though the potato was plain, Adam was certain his twins would appreciate it regardless since it tasted almost buttery by itself. Adam ate quietly beside his brother, almost like a mouse. He had wanted to compliment the cook, but Jurot remained silent, focused on his meal. ¡®Bit thirsty, though.¡¯ ¡°Peach wine,¡± Jurot said, placing down two silver coins, glancing to his brother, who repeated the action. Once the peach wine was brought, Jurot took a moment, staring at the peach wine. He poured the wine on the floor, almost offended. Adam, who had picked up the wine, furrowed his brows, and Jurot slowly bowed his head, and he did the same. ¡°The wine is no good,¡± Jurot said, his brother echoing his words. The guard glanced back to see the trouble, reaching for her blade. ¡°I apologise,¡± the worker replied, an older man, and he bowed his head lightly. He smiled nervously. ¡°Please, allow me to make it up to you.¡± The worker motions a hand back to the guard, before leading them deeper into the shop, taking them down a set of steps to an underground room, where the worker opened the door and allowed the pair in. Jurot waited, counting in his mind. ¡°We are safe now. No one is listening. No one can scry.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Do you have Sending prepared?¡± Jurot asked, as though he didn¡¯t know the answer. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Please send word to the Chief. I will tell you the words.¡± Many miles away, in the Iyr, the Chief drank his tea, eyeing up the notes. It was obvious that the Mad Dog would behave like this after what happened. He was just glad the crippled Iyrman hadn¡¯t pushed for much more, considering how much the Rot family could have asked for. However, he read the warning from the Family Elder of the Rot family, who was the childrens¡¯ greatmother. ¡®Ancient Lich awoken,¡¯ came the familiar voice, which only troubled the Chief more. ¡®After our time. Before Demonic Devastation. Wields green orb. Five ancient guards protectors. Fifth Gate spells. Dangerous.¡¯ The Chief realised they were not Adam¡¯s words, since he would have been too shy to group himself among the Iyrmen, and the words carried Iyrmen efficiency. He didn¡¯t check his notes to see if he had written them correctly since Adam had taken quite some time to send the message. ¡°Thank you. I will inform the Great Elders. I hope you are all safe.¡± ¡®We¡¯re safe, Chief. I hope everything¡¯s good in the Iyr, and don¡¯t spoil my children too much.¡¯ ¡°Everything is well in the Iyr,¡± the Chief assured. ¡°I make no promises not to spoil your children too much.¡± A long moment passed, and the Chief wondered if Adam would reply back. No, it was foolish to wonder of such. ¡®I¡¯ll forgive you since you¡¯re spoiling my kids.¡¯ Chief Iromin smiled. He stood up, checking his notes, before making his way out. He walked towards the meeting place of the Great Elders, the estate which had been designed for them to all meet, and he noted Elder Teacher was already there, his arms crossed, taking a nap from working so hard. The Great Elder awoke, his eyes falling on the Chief. ¡°Meeting?¡± Elder Teacher asked. ¡°Meeting.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Everyone.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Elder Teacher replied, wondering why the Chief needed to call a meeting with everyone. ¡°I apologise in advance for the work you will need to do,¡± the Chief said, knowing how difficult it had been for Elder Teacher to overhaul the children¡¯s teaching, only for him to be forced to overhaul it again. Hours later, once the meeting was done, the Great Elders left Elder Teacher be, to allow him to sleep in peace, praying for his sanity. Poor Elder Teacher. [970] – Y04.070 – Strong I [970] ¨C Y04.070 ¨C Strong I ¡°I¡¯m sorry about yesterday,¡± Adam said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to imply anything by it.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jaygak replied, eyeing up the shield in her hands, rubbing along the edge. Adam frowned, staring at the shield, at his own reflection through it. ¡°I knew it wasn¡¯t going to work.¡± ¡°You did?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Jaygak asked, knowing he wasn¡¯t talking about their conversation. ¡°I had to,¡± Adam said, staring into his own eyes. He wondered what his children saw within his eyes, what Vonda saw within them. Jaygak stared at the shield for a long while. ¡°These shields are well made.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± With their pouches lighter, the pair returned back to the Guild, where Barks grilled them upon their stories to see if they matched up with Jurot and Kitool¡¯s. ¡°There were some suspicions that you may have killed him, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d do something like that,¡± Barks said. ¡°I¡¯m mostly saying that because the Iyrmen said you wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just... want to go home.¡± Barks narrowed his eyes. ¡°Alright.¡± Quest Complete: Inform the Guild XP Gained: +100 XP: 16 600 -> 16 700 Stamps Gained: +1 Stamps: 5 -> 6 As the group made their way to their wagon and cart, Adam called out to Mara. ¡°You alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get you fixed up once we¡¯re at the Iyr.¡± Mara bowed her head, climbing into the cart, sitting beside Lucy. Her body was still pale, like Jurot had been, though the Iyrman had healed up shortly before the festival. ¡®Greater Restoration is Fifth Gate,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Just you wait, it won¡¯t be too long now, just a few years.¡¯ Adam thought of other spells, some of which were also Fifth Gate, especially one in particular. ¡®I can¡¯t be too quick, though...¡¯ He reached up to his forehead, rubbing it. ¡®Quick, but not too quick. Strong, but not too strong. Rich, but not too rich. Unhinged, but not too unhinged.¡¯ ¡°In the North, the tournament is considered the most difficult,¡± Jurot said, breaking the silence. ¡°Next year, I would like to enter the tournament.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. As noon came upon the land, Jaygak sighed. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked, peeking his head out of the wagon. ¡°Oh, man.¡± ¡°I see you are getting into more trouble,¡± he said, tipping his hait, Maurice glaring down at the group. ¡°Am I still making waves?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± ¡°You are making this quite awkward.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°You are strong, especially with that axe of yours.¡± ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°What can you do? I mean, Jurot¡¯s strong too, so is everyone else.¡± Crowseer smiled, tipping his hat once more. ¡°Congratulations upon your children.¡± He turned to face Jurot. ¡°Have you thought of a name?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It is a fine name... I¡¯m sure.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°So what are you doing here exactly?¡± ¡°I thought of meeting the ancient terror you unleashed, but I decided against it.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, I didn¡¯t unleash anything this time,¡± Adam said, though he didn¡¯t believe his words. ¡°I suppose you didn¡¯t. This time, somehow, you weren¡¯t directly involved.¡± ¡°How about indirectly?¡± Adam asked, surprised. ¡°Perhaps?¡± ¡®Damn. I guess that¡¯s better than it being directly, though?¡¯ ¡°Are you heading to Red Oak to adventure?¡± ¡°No. We¡¯re heading back to the business. We, uh, got into too much trouble with the ancient terror I definitely didn¡¯t unleash.¡± ¡°It is a waste to return so soon.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I do have some work to do, so...¡± ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Want to join us for lunch?¡± ¡®He¡¯s lucky he cooks so damn well,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Well. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°That¡¯s one word to describe it. We ended up facing a forest drake, and then, remember those kids? That kid, uh, the one that was racist all the time? He was with us during the outbreak, and he called Jonn¡¯s mother a, you know.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°We... we helped them out from a horrible ancient terror. I... I tried to save him too, but... I was too late.¡± Adam stared at his meal. ¡°I tried. I really did.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Vonda said, reaching for his hand, squeezing it. Adam shut his eyes tight, and forced away the encroaching darkness, and with his wife¡¯s words, he relaxed. ¡°A horrible ancient terror?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, Jurot knows more about it, he¡¯ll tell you.¡± Adam ate the meal of grilled vegetables, as well as the slice of meat, which had been well seared, perhaps a little too much. ¡°I need to take Korin with me.¡± In the night, Adam brushed his daughter¡¯s hair, the girl yawning. ¡°Daddy?¡± Jirot asked, staring at her hands. ¡°You are strong?¡± ¡°Daddy is a little strong?¡± ¡°Daddy is stronger than moon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can do things the moon can¡¯t, and the moon can do things I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Daddy is stronger than salya?¡± ¡°Salya? I think so. I can feed more people, and I can beat it up.¡± ¡°I like salya, but I like daddy more,¡± Jirot said, smiling shyly. Adam planted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Even though I love pizza, I love you so much more.¡± Jirot giggled and squealed. ¡°Smelly boy.¡± Vonda returned with the triplets, Konarot trailing behind, her ears drooped, her tail dragging behind. Upon seeing her father, the girl rushed up along with her siblings, dropping down beside him, her tail against her father¡¯s leg. ¡°Daddy is stronger than mummy?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Ah, well, maybe? Mummy is stronger than me in some ways.¡± ¡°Mummy is stronger?¡± ¡°Well, mummy can have a baby, but daddy can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll teach you when you¡¯re older,¡± Adam said, noting Vonda¡¯s smile, the woman brushing little Jarot¡¯s curly hair. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be able to understand it properly,¡± Adam said, picking the girl up to kiss her cheek, distracting her a moment. ¡°Look at you! So chubby! Is nana feeding you well?¡± ¡°Nana give me potato and nana Mi give me salya too.¡± ¡°Nana Mi? Nana Mirot?¡± ¡°Mm!¡± ¡®Ah, is that why she asked about salya?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Do you thank nana for the salya?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you hug her too?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not? She¡¯s babo¡¯s daughter too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jirot glanced at her father from the side, her eyes curious and questioning. ¡°Nana is babo dohta?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot gasped, reaching up to her father¡¯s shoulder to stabilise herself. ¡°Nana? Nana is strong?¡± ¡°She¡¯s very strong?¡± Adam replied, partly with a question. ¡°Nana is strong or daddy is strong?¡± ¡°Daddy is strong? Just a little bit?¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± Jirot paused a moment. ¡°Babo is strong?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam frowned. He growled quietly. ¡®How could she mention him when he was the one to beat me up first.¡¯ Meanwhile, the old one armed Iyrman stared at the sky, staring at the moon, replaying the girl¡¯s curiosity in his mind. ¡®Of course your babo is stronger than the moon!¡¯ Adam you coward! How could you come back after just two quests? I''ll forgive you just this once since our Jirot is so cute. Also the future chapters... :) Reminder that every new patron from the cheapest tier upwards unlocks an additional chapter! [971] – Y04.071 – Strong II [971] ¨C Y04.071 ¨C Strong II ¡°President, do you have a moment?¡± Adam asked, before the pair stepped into Adam¡¯s place in the inner fort area. ¡°I was thinking about donating some weapons and coin to the Order of the Wings.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°You wish to support them?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It is a good idea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about donating some Basic, or Basic Enhanced, or maybe Greater weapons...¡± Adam waited for the woman¡¯s response, noting her thinking. Within a few moments, the President thought of the Order of the Wings, its stories, its history, its relationship with the Iyr, its secret relationship with the Iyr she knew little about, its place in the world, the criticisms they might receive for donating the weapons, the arguments for and against the patronage, and finally, and perhaps most important of which, Adam¡¯s faith in her. ¡°Okay. Basic, Basic Enhanced, Greater are acceptable, but they must swear not to use them against the Iyr if you are to donate them.¡± ¡°What about donating some coin too?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°How about Greater Enhanced?¡± Adam asked, thinking about how useful his own weapon was. ¡°Nothing like Phantom or Wraith, but... just a little more.¡± ¡°If you feel it is appropriate.¡± ¡°I think so. Nothing too powerful, I swear.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam had time to think that day, once he was done enchanting the weapons, finally, he thought about the messages he needed to send. He checked the note the Iyr had left him, thinking on their words. ¡®That¡¯s fine.¡¯ ¡°Greetings, Sir Magpie. I hope I am not bothering you. Which weapons would you like for us to Enchant?¡± ¡®Greetings, Adam. It is no bother. We use longswords, mostly, and shortswords and warhammers. Thank you.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to speak with you. If you don¡¯t mind, can you come in the first week of the ninth month instead? Thank you.¡± ¡®Thank you. If it would please you, we will arrive then.¡¯ Adam thought about all the enchanting he needed to do. ¡®Should I do some Basic Enhanced stuff, so we still have some money left over?¡¯ The next day, Adam sent another message. ¡°Happy birthday, Churot. I hope you have a fun day today. If you want anything, let me know.¡± ¡°Thank you, cousin Adam. I would like one Basic shield.¡± Adam smiled. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll start enchanting some Basic shields today?¡¯ One he was done, Adam returned back to the fort, only to find the young teen before him. Adam blinked. ¡°Old man...¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Jarot replied, holding Churot beside him. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡®Do I need to fight the old man so I can hug our Churot?¡¯ Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡®Do you think I don¡¯t have a trump card.¡¯ Jarot¡¯s smile grew as he eyed up his annoyed grandson. ¡°Jirot,¡± Adam called, the girl¡¯s head darting to her father. ¡°Wait,¡± the one armed Jarot said, instantly crumpling to the threat. ¡°Churot, go greet your cousin.¡± ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s what I thought.¡¯ Adam embraced Churot. ¡°If I had known you were coming, I would have prepared the gift right away!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Churot hugged Adam for a moment before returning to his grandfather. Adam then glanced aside, noting that Korin was paying special attention to Mustafa. ¡°Did you bring a gift for Mustafa?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It is his birthday too.¡± ¡°Eh? It¡¯s our Mustafa¡¯s birthday?¡± Adam asked, his eyes darting over to Bilal. Bilal could feel Adam¡¯s gaze upon him, and for a moment, he swore Adam was pointing a vicious intent like a sharp blade towards him. ¡°...¡± ¡°Bilal, come with me.¡± Bilal followed Adam to the side, unsure of what he was planning. The half elf reached into his shirt, slowly pulling out his book. Adam tossed the ball towards his daughter as they played catch, alternating between his twins. He had already played dragonchess with his eldest, he let Kirot ride his shoulders, and he sketched something with little Karot, with the triplets each nearby one another, but allowing each other time with their father. However, Jirot and Jarot, the pair were a package deal, an adorable package deal. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Jirot cackled, catching the ball and running off with it. ¡°Jarot! Jarot!¡± Jarot chased after his sister, the pair running away from their father. Adam inhaled deeply again. ¡®Damn. Isn¡¯t this life the best?¡¯ The gentle rain of duskval brought them inside, and Adam read them a book, until Jirot finally claimed the book for herself to read to her father. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Flame Brand buhrought up her soad and cuhlashed with the Guhrand Com... mmm... ander,¡± Jirot read, her eyes glued to the page, almost angrily. ¡®She¡¯s reading so much more confidently,¡¯ Adam thought, while holding onto his youngest son, who sat upon his lap. Adam rested his hand upon the boy¡¯s knee, gently rubbing the side of the boy¡¯s leg thoughtlessly. He didn¡¯t know what he was meant to do with the little boy. Adam glanced down, and Larot looked up to meet his gaze. It was later in the day when the children surrounded their mother, though Konarot sat between the pair, when Adam spoke to Larot in the corner. ¡°Who were you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What were your plans?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What are you thinking now?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam reached up to brush the boy¡¯s hair, and he leaned back, frowning. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, alright? You¡¯re my son now.¡± Adam reached up to poke the boy¡¯s nose, and he brought Larot close to his chest, planting a firm kiss on his forehead. ¡°...¡± Adam continued to enchant all throughout duskval. ¡®Yeah. Until my kid is born, I should just...¡¯ While Adam continued to enchant peacefully, there were others who weren¡¯t enjoying themselves quite so softly. Freddie panted, his arms throbbing and aching, while Jurot waited for him to stand up again. ¡®How strong is he?¡¯ He had fought Jurot almost daily since the Iyrman had returned, and yet not once, not even one time, did he manage to even wind the Iyrman. Jurot wasn¡¯t only impressed by Freddie¡¯s abilities, however, for Aria was pretty much equivalent to Freddie physically, and she had better mental acuity. Then his eyes fell to Theo, the man who was in his late thirties. If only they had met twenty, even ten, years ago. Theo¡¯s physical abilities were great, and if he was an Expert like Nobby, no doubt his raw strength would have been the same. However, none of them were suitable for Jurot¡¯s way of fighting. Rather, some were, but the minimum wasn¡¯t good enough, because his minimums were for Iyrmen, not for Aldishmen. Except for Thomas. Thomas, who had turned thirty this year, held enough strength, enough nimbleness, enough toughness that he matched even Jurot¡¯s own natural abilities. Was he too old to really bring out that talent? In Aldland, they would have allowed him to join, with the expectation that he wouldn¡¯t truly be focused on. However, what about here? In the business? In the business where Jurot had full reign to beat the orphans into shape, like Iromin carving a statue? Thomas grunted, carrying the rock from one side of the wall to the next. ¡®Tommy is too young,¡¯ Jurot thought, even though the boy showed promise. The boy currently remained with Isaac and Teddy. Isaac would be a pretty good warrior, like Jaygak, but Teddy? Teddy was about average, and so would need to remain in the business as a worker. ¡°Is it my turn?¡± Jaygak asked, resting her blade over her shoulder, eyeing up the orphans and Freddie, many of whom she would need to personally train. ¡°I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re wasting their time,¡± Theo said, panting heavily. ¡°What do they think I can do at this age?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sound like to much of an old man,¡± Thomas replied. ¡°They say they¡¯re making us strong,¡± Alfie said, the young man getting up to ready for training. ¡°Executive,¡± Freddie called out. ¡°Are you going to make us as strong as Nobby?¡± Jaygak smiled, tapping her sword¡¯s hilt against her armour. ¡°I¡¯m not sure any of you have the capability to become as strong as Nobby, he¡¯s stronger than even the monsters I grew up with. Jurot is too strong for any of you to think about defeating, maybe in your dreams, but... I can train you so that you become stronger than me, at least?¡± Theo raised his brows. ¡®As strong as you?¡¯ The orphans from the village, some of whom were older than her, stared at the young Iyrman in shock. ¡°If you want to become stronger than Nobby, then train twice as hard as him. Fight twice as many hydras, twice as many dragons, then maybe you¡¯ll be able to defeat him.¡± The mention of hydras and dragons rippled through the group, filling them with dread, pausing their aspirations. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can train you to become stronger than Nobby, but...¡± Jaygak smiled towards them, and within her eyes, they could see it. It was a look only an Iyrman could possess. ¡°I¡¯ll train you to become strong enough to at least take an arm.¡± Jaygak is stone cold, damn. [972] – Y04.072 – Strong III [972] ¨C Y04.072 ¨C Strong III Gilbert swung the staff in front of him, practising under the stars. Dunes and Korin practised nearby too, each completing their evening prayers through their swordplay. Jasmine watched the men as they trained in the evening, wondering if she should start working on her own swordplay. She glanced aside towards her companion, who was dressed head to toe, not allowing anyone to see any part of him through his clothing and the metal he wore beneath, like skin. ¡°Their sword swings are beautiful,¡± Morkarai said. ¡°As one might expect from those trained by the oldest temple of Lady Arya.¡± ¡°The oldest temple?¡± Jasmine asked, raising her brows towards the Prince. Morkarai chuckled, raising his cup of wine. ¡°The oldest continuous temple solely dedicated to the Lady.¡± ¡°Where have you been walking off to?¡± Jasmine asked. ¡°I was requested to assist with something important.¡± ¡°...¡± Jasmine decided against prodding for more. Bilal stalked nearby, listening to their conversations. He watched the pair¡¯s routine too, though he, unlike the others, understood how deadly a blade from Black Mountain was, even a nascent blade like Korin. Various, unseen scars, throbbed. As the rest headed to bed, Gilbert leaned against the wall, staring out to the stars. Then he heard them, the quick sharp breaths he had become familiar with during the nightly hours of this month, of a particular Iyrman swinging her sword. She had gone to sleep earlier in the night, but had woken up once almost everyone else had gone to sleep. He watched her blade move through the air, her blade work similar to the Black Mountain members, though it was slightly different. Dunes was first and foremost a Priest, so his swordplay was fairly basic, but allowed for easy spellcasting. Korin used his blade with less of an emphasis on easy spellcasting, though he still worried with the need to cast spells, so his blade, like Dune¡¯s blade, returned to him to allow for the casting of spells. No, perhaps it wasn¡¯t just for their use of magic. Jaygak¡¯s blade did not return to her. Her swordplay was simple too, basic, not bad, but there were no fancy flourishes, just refined bladework. Except, Gilbert had spotted a very stark difference in one way. Jaygak had no spells, yes, but her bladework was similar in a way to how several others fought, even though they wielded different weapons. Jurot. Kitool. Jaygak. Each of them fought and practised in the way of the Iyrmen. While Dunes and Korin worried about how to survive until the next fight, the Iyrmen... Gilbert recalled another phrase that the Executive¡¯s cousin had taught him. ¡®How do you kill a dragon?¡¯ Laygak had asked. ¡®One swing at a time.¡¯ Gilbert had eventually realised the true meaning behind the statement. It wasn¡¯t that one needed to keep swinging, to not rush in a fight, and that eventually the dragon would fall once hit enough. The true meaning behind the statement was what it didn¡¯t say. It didn¡¯t tell Laygak to run and to live to fight another day. Gilbert thought of his siblings, not just the young children he had followed to the business, but of Viper, Cobra, Python, Julia, and Shannon. Viper, Cobra, and Python, they fought to live for another day. Any time there was a problem, any time they were hungry, they would always be there. What would have happened if any of them had died because they didn¡¯t live to fight another day? Then he thought about it. The difference between Cobra and Kitool. They weren¡¯t that different, really, in terms of strength. Yet no one would bet on Cobra. Not even he would bet on Cobra. ¡®Is that the difference?¡¯ Gilbert thought. ¡®Do I have to be crazy enough to want to die to be that strong?¡¯ Gilbert had been there. The hydras had come so quickly. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose had been there, not just any old members either, but Rays, and even a Hope! A Hope! Yet, which group was the most successful? The Order of Life¡¯s Rose? The Golden Savages, who fought with near wild abandonment? No. It had been them. ¡®Those crazy fucking bastards,¡¯ Gilbert thought, eyes glued to the woman considered the weakest of them all, and yet could cut him in half as if he were made of porridge. Every time she swung her blade, he could see the way she was cutting someone to kill them. Gilbert thought of the strongest member of the group. The one who was apparently stronger than the three Iyrmen. ¡®Yeah, he¡¯s the...¡¯ That was when he recalled the one old man who had beaten the craziest one of the group, and the nickname he possessed. Gilbert was glad that old man had disappeared back to the Iyr. Bilal, too, watched from the darkness. He remained focused on the young woman, whose bladework could be described exactly like the Iyrmen themselves. ¡®Efficient. Deadly.¡¯ The days continued to pass, the business¡¯ coffers slowly draining as Adam enchanted. ¡®Weren¡¯t the Iyrmen meant to train us?¡¯ Theo thought, following Fred¡¯s guidance. ¡®How am I meant to teach them?¡¯ Fred thought, swinging the sword in front of him, trying to recall how the Aswadians and Iyrmen practised by themselves, and how they had trained him. ¡®Are there any bears around we can...¡¯ He eyed up the men and women around him. ¡®They probably won¡¯t survive?¡¯ ¡°No,¡± Sonarot replied, later in the evening. ¡°The children miss you, but we cannot bring them often to the fort, so you must compromise to see them only on their birthdays.¡± ¡®Should I stop enchanting then?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°You should keep working as you have,¡± Sonarot said, reading the look on his face. ¡°They only arrive a short while before you finish.¡± ¡°Right...¡± Sonarot didn¡¯t lie to Adam. Nothing was going on in the Iyr. This was the choice the families had made, to send a message, so that it was indisputable. ¡°You all should be glad you came on my day off,¡± Adam said, picking up Alykan, Minool, and Jazool, before letting them down. He was more awkward, however, with a particular child. ¡°Hello... Rowajin, was it?¡± Adam said, pretending as though he didn¡¯t know the boy¡¯s name, even though he had definitely spoiled him before. ¡°Grandfather says you should spoil his grandchildren too,¡± Uwajin said. ¡°Well...¡± Adam began, standing there awkwardly. Uwajin, half asleep, tilted her head slightly. ¡°You did not prepare a gift for our Rowajin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s just... I¡¯m thinking about how much trouble I want to be in.¡± ¡®He is thinking of the trouble he causes?¡¯ Uwajin thought, suddenly wide awake. Jazool sat beside Larot, yawning slightly, but she reached out to hold his hand. ¡°Okay?¡± Larot slowly nodded his head, before the girl brushed his hair, returning back to doing nothing in particular. His eyes fell to the half elf and the Iyrman to the side. ¡°What is this?¡± Uwajin asked, feeling the tingling of magic within the blade. ¡°What do you mean, what is it?¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s a magical greatsword.¡± Uwajin waited. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something about spoiling his grandkids?¡± ¡°You wish to give him a magical weapon?¡± ¡°No, this is a gift for you. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I should be the one thanking you.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°If you keep bullying me, I¡¯m going to tell Jirot.¡± Uwajin blinked. ¡®Why does he need to thank me?¡¯ Uwajin remained the next day, when Tinajin, Timojin¡¯s sister, was brought along with Murot. She blinked, holding an identical greatsword in her hands, feeling the tingle of magic which was identical to the blade which had been gifted to her yesterday. Except, she was certain, positive, that blade had been sent back to the Main Iyr, and yet this one had appeared again from within the fort. ¡°Why did you send the other one back?¡± Adam complained. ¡°That one was for you, this one is for your grandfather. You can have this one instead, and you should keep it on you, it¡¯ll be a waste if it gathers dust in your family¡¯s treasury.¡± ¡°You already gifted us magical weapons?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t do at least this much, that old geezer would complain,¡± Adam said. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to go spoil my chonky cousin.¡± ¡®At least he didn¡¯t hand over the weapon to the children...¡¯ Dunes thought, letting out a relaxed sigh. You know what, Dunes? I wouldn''t put it past him. [973] – Y04.073 – Strong IV [973] ¨C Y04.073 ¨C Strong IV ¡°What?¡± Adam gasped, quickly rushing out from Jaygak¡¯s home, the young woman darting after him. Adam circled around the group had gathered together, but he stopped, taking the moment to pick up the children one by one. ¡°Kavgak, did you think I forget about you?¡± ¡°Tavgak, what a cute little ribbon.¡± ¡°Ah! Gurot! So chonky!¡± ¡°Danagek, have you forgotten me already?¡± Adam made sure to embrace them one by one, but he quickly barged his way to the side, into one of the estates which had been requisitioned for that, passing the statuesque Bilal on the way in. Amira lay within the bed, holding a small bundle within her arms, the devilkin woman¡¯s eyes half open from exhaustion. Dunes remained at her side, annoyed that he wasn¡¯t the one able to assist at the time, and even now his wife refused to let go. ¡°Who is this adorable little girl?¡± Adam whispered, peeking into the bundle to see the red skinned girl, with tiny nubs around her temples. ¡°Huh? Dunes, I thought it was your daughter, but how could you have such a cute kid?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of me,¡± Amira said, smiling weakly. Adam looked towards the Priest, smirking slightly. ¡°Of course, she¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Dunes replied, allowing her to pick a fight with him, today of all days. ¡°Have you thought of a name?¡± ¡°Ranya,¡± Amira said. ¡°It means victor, or one who triumphs,¡± Dunes said, wanting to hold his daughter so bad, but he remained at bay. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to call her Ramir?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Ramir is...¡± Dunes paused, understanding Adam¡¯s joke. ¡°Ramir is a boy¡¯s name, and I don¡¯t want to name my daughter after the Bloody Viper.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°He¡¯s one of the most wanted criminals across the entirety of Aswadasad,¡± Dunes explained. ¡°It would be a misfortune to name our daughter after him.¡± ¡°Oh? Yeah I guess so. I wouldn¡¯t want to name my kid Adolfrot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have no idea how hilarious that joke is, Dunes.¡± ¡°I will take your word for it.¡± ¡°No, I swear, if you come from the Greylands, that joke is top tier.¡± ¡°I am sure.¡± ¡°Why are you saying it like that?¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like you don¡¯t believe me!¡± Adam whispered loudly, not wanting to disturb the baby. While Adam fought with Dunes, Bilal remained still and tense. His eyes slowly veered to the door, in which Dunes and Adam had spoken of a particular individual by the name of Ramir, also known as the Bloody Viper, a man who was wanted by so many authorities, and by almost every Order within Aswadasad. His eyes fell to Omer, the oldest of all the children, whose birthday was up soon, and was the oldest child since he and his companions implemented their own removals from the world. For a moment, Bilal¡¯s heart throbbed. ¡®Do you think you are still human enough to feel guilt?¡¯ Bilal tensed up once more, returning a bow of the head towards the Iyrman, who stepped into the shared estate with the Managers. He remained tense for a long moment. ¡°Relax,¡± Jaygak said, reaching over to pat his shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± She smiled a reassuring, knowing smile, and walked in, carrying the sword against her shoulder. ¡°Anyway, I was racking my brain on a gift for your daughter, but I wasn¡¯t sure what to get,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Dunes replied, already feeling awkward since he hadn¡¯t been able to do much for Adam¡¯s children, especially the twins. ¡°It¡¯s not like...¡± Dunes watched as Adam accepted the blade from Jaygak¡¯s hand, and the pair stared into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡®He didn¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°So I thought, ah, wouldn¡¯t a sword be a nice gift for a child of a pair who were raised in Black Mountain?¡± ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°I thought, hmm, a mundane sword? Is that good enough? For two of our Managers to have their first child, wouldn¡¯t a mundane sword seem a little, well, mundane?¡± Dunes noted Adam¡¯s face, and realised that the half elf was in more trouble than he realised. ¡®Should I refuse?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s not as strong as Stormdrake, you shouldn¡¯t feel so bad.¡± ¡°Not that bad? It¡¯s an amazing weapon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should complain that it¡¯s too weak, or too strong, it¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± ¡°Perfectly fine?¡± ¡°Perfectly fine,¡± Jaygak said, smiling knowingly to the men. She bowed her head and turned to leave. ¡°Congratulations, Manager Amira, Manager Dunes.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, reaching out to pat Dunes¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°I need a drink,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°Me too,¡± Amira said. ¡°Me three,¡± Adam said, letting out a breath. ¡°Pretending to be this stupid takes a lot of work.¡± ¡°It seems to come so naturally,¡± Amira said, unable to control her smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± Bilal¡¯s eyes followed Adam¡¯s back as the half elf went to spoil his cousins properly. ¡®What kind of fool gifts a child a Greater Enhanced blade, one which he also gifts to a dragon?¡¯ Bilal was still getting used to how much Adam could shock him, especially since they would arrive, and he needed to hide himself. The village was abuzz as they appeared. The woman was adorned in full plate, nearly pure black, except for the years of wear and tear painted all across it, and a helmet with an avian design. She wore a longsword, shortsword, and a warhammer at her sides. Her companions, a pair of young women and men, wore breastplate over chain which was grey, with a bird¡¯s face printed on the front, their helmets plain in design. ¡°Sir Magpie,¡± Adam called, reaching out to shake the woman¡¯s forearm. ¡°A pleasure to see you again.¡± ¡°You as well,¡± Magpie replied, recalling Adam¡¯s face, and the positive feelings she associated with it, though she couldn¡¯t remember why. ¡°How do you do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing wonderful,¡± Adam said, flashing a smile towards the woman. ¡°I know I called you to the fort, but we¡¯re currently in the midst of preparing something, so if it would please you, would you mind staying in the village today? I¡¯m sure Chief Merl would be happy to put you up.¡± Adam tapped his chin with a tiger eye, tossing it to the Chief, winking at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to pay,¡± Merl said, pocketing the gem. ¡°The Order of the Wings always done right by us.¡± ¡°We can wait,¡± Sir Magpie assured, taking off her helmet, revealing her tan skin, brown eyes, and short red hair, sprinkled with more grey. ¡°Again, I¡¯m very sorry. I should have everything sorted tomorrow, and we can discuss how much we can donate to your cause then.¡± Adam had planned for them to come into the fort tomorrow regardless of when they had arrived. If they had appeared too late, he would have punished them, not that they would have known he had punished them considering what he had planned. ¡°Of course.¡± Sir Magpie smiled, bowing her head lightly. In the back of her mind, she wondered if Adam had planned to scam them, though all that would have happened was that they ended up wasting a few days at most. ¡°Nobby, why don¡¯t you remain at the village while the Order of the Wings is around?¡± Adam reached over and pat his shoulder. ¡°Yes, mister boss.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°May I stay and speak of our tales.¡± ¡°How about you tell the tales tomorrow?¡± ¡®Tomorrow...¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Tomorrow?¡¯ Sir Magpie thought. ¡®What is the significance of tomorrow?¡¯ Adam returned back to the fort, only to find a carriage making its way to the fort. He had not come with Murot. He had not come with Gurot. Instead, he came with Gangak. ¡°What are you doing here, you old geezer?¡± Adam asked, pretending to huff. ¡°Do I need a reason to come and see my greatchildren today?¡± Jarot asked, hearing the squealing and crying of his greatchildren, dropping to a knee to embrace them. Adam bowed his head to Gangak. ¡°It¡¯s always a pleasure to see you.¡± ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Everyone in the fort could feel it. It was the calm before the storm. What is happening tomorrow? [974] – Y04.074 – Strong V [974] ¨C Y04.074 ¨C Strong V ¡°Hmph!¡± Jirot was adorned in the attire of the Iyrmen, her forehead dabbed in the vague shapes of the Rot family. Little Jarot was adorned identically, even down to how his hair was styled, except one could easily tell which twin was which, because while Jarot stood awkwardly, his sister stood with a hand on her waist, and a threatening finger towards her father. ¡°Cannot!¡± Jirot stated firmly. ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°Cannot!¡± Jirot warned, raising her brows, wagging her finger. Should her father push too much, she would place her fists on her waist and glare at him even more angrily. ¡°I see. What can I not do?¡± Jirot inhaled sharply. She turned to her mother, pointing at her father. ¡°Mummy!¡± ¡°Adam, you cannot,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Your daughter has said it so.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°My... daughter?¡± Konarot smiled, reaching up to her mouth to cover her smile, glancing up towards her grandmother. ¡®Hehe.¡¯ ¡°Of course! Of course you are my daughter, my dear!¡± Adam reached down and tried to pick her up. ¡°Oh my! Look at how big you¡¯ve become!¡± Adam dropped to a squat and continued to falter at lifting his daughter. ¡°Nana!¡± Jirot called, pouting up towards the woman. ¡°Adam, your daughter wishes to embrace you.¡± ¡°What! You adorable little kids! Of course you¡¯re my children! Who else has such adorable children, if not me?¡± Adam pulled them both in close and peppered them with his kisses, embracing them even tighter. ¡°You smelly little children, how can you do this to your father? You¡¯re too big now! No! You cannot do this! I will tell your mother and your nana, you smelly little girl and boy!¡± The businessfolk understood Adam was cringe, and Freddie, who had seen how he had behaved with his children these past few months, understood that the young man was cringe too. However, just for today, they allowed it. ¡°Look, look.¡± Adam held them both up. ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± Jirot glanced over to the woman, and then back up to her father. ¡°Is...¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sir Magpie.¡± The twins gasped, forming tiny circles with their mouths. ¡°Ordah of Wings?¡± Jirot asked, her amber eyes wide, her leaf shaped ears shooting up in shock and excitement. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Sir Magpie sat among the crowd. She had gained all manner of attention from most of the businessfolk, and she had conversed with some of the upper management. She almost had a heart attack when she met Bloody Jarot, or as he was more commonly known, Mad Dog. Indeed, she even knew Flame Brand. Except, this was the most shocking of all. She could feel the gazes of her companions upon her. She understood why they were looking at her this way. Meanwhile, she kept her face strictly neutral. She had spotted the pair of Demons nearby, who eyed the Order up, but she already knew of them. However, the half dragon triplets? The demon baby? ¡®What in all the Divine is going on?¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself, my big little girl and boy,¡± Adam said, planting firm kisses on their foreheads. The old one armed Iyrman inhaled, but his companion placed a hand on his knee, patting it gently, calming him down. ¡°It is good for them to meet them,¡± Gangak whispered. ¡°I should greet them first!¡± Jarot whispered back angrily, but he relented. ¡°I am Jirot! I am Demon Load!¡± Sir Magpie blinked. ¡°I am Jarot!¡± Jarot sat up taller within his father¡¯s arm. ¡°I am big like babo.¡± ¡°My kids... they¡¯re too cute! Too cute!¡± Adam blinked. ¡°You can¡¯t take them, Sir Magpie. Just because they¡¯re cute, that doesn¡¯t mean you can steal them from me.¡± ¡°What are you playing at, elf?¡± Jon, the youngest companion, asked. ¡°Is this some kind of trick? What is this? Goblins? Are you-,¡± ¡°Sir Magpie,¡± called a voice, which silenced even Adam¡¯s affection. Sir Magpie glanced over towards the woman. ¡°Ray Vonda.¡± ¡°My twins are excited to meet you for their first birthday,¡± she said, smiling politely as she did whenever she needed to swing around her authority as a Ray. ¡°I hope you are willing to wish them well today.¡± ¡®Excuse me?¡¯ Sir Magpie blinked. ¡®What did you just say?¡¯ ¡°Come on, we have to make it a good show.¡± Almost everyone around understood what had happened. Harriet, Rick¡¯s wife, who had been convinced to join this almost cult of a business, had heard from her husband. The stories. Gimon, the oldest orphan, now gardener of the business, had heard from the village and the Iyrmen of the stories. The stories of them going against dragons. Freddie, who had joined them most recently, had heard them from Nobby. The stories of them going against hydras. Jasmine, who had listened to the Prince, and had decided to stay to check them out, had heard the stories. She had heard Adam had fought against a Prince of the Undersea, someone who could clash with Prince Morkarai himself. This was the first time they had seen Adam live up to those stories. Sir Magpie hadn¡¯t heard the stories. It wasn¡¯t that Adam wanted to ambush her for the fight with her being unprepared, but truly because he wanted Jurot to tell the tales during his children¡¯s birthdays as part of the festivities. She hadn¡¯t heard the story about Adam going to kill Vandra, with lots of help, after they first met. She hadn¡¯t heard the story of them killing another dragon. The story about the Outbreak. The story about the first set of hydras. The story about the tournament. The dozen or so stories Adam had produced. The Executives, Managers, Leads, Brittany, Nobby, the porters, and the farmers, none of them were surprised when Adam defeated Sir Magpie so soundly. She hadn¡¯t heard the story of Adam with the other Order. The Order of Life¡¯s Rose. Respected all across the land. In the same way there was Sir Robin and Sir Magpie, the greatest and weakest of their Orders, there was the First Hope and the Seventh Hope, the greatest and weakest Oathsworn. Sir Robin was greater than the First Hope, that much was for certain, but the Seventh Hope, young as he was, was considered slightly greater than even Sir Magpie. He had been a Master for a while, whereas Sir Magpie had achieved that rank fairly recently. She hadn¡¯t heard the story of Adam defeating the Seventh Hope. It bordered impossibility. She hadn¡¯t heard the story of Adam defeating the Seventh Hope, then immediately after, without resting, stepped forward to face the First Hope. She hadn¡¯t heard the story of Adam almost defeating Lord Marshal Royce, either. She only remembered, in this moment, that this half elf had been about as strong as her heir, Jon, who was almost twenty this year. Adam himself was probably only a few years older, and yet... The throbbing in her arm. The sweat trickling down her back. The pounding of her heart. Adam could see it. The woman was so shocked she was unable to move. The Sir Magpie, unable to act, because of him. A fool of a father. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Adam said, pointing his axe to the ground, taking a half step back. ¡°I was so rude to our guests. I apologise greatly, Sir Magpie, for I hadn¡¯t warned you that I was going to use my magical weapon. I wanted to show you a demonstration of one of the weapons our business had created, but how shameless of me, to use such a weapon in a friendly spar. Would you mind considering this a draw?¡± It was only then that Sir Magpie had come back to reality, her arm still shaking violently in front of her, before she pointed her blade downward, resting the tip against the ground. It wasn¡¯t good for the blade to do so, but she couldn¡¯t stop it from shaking wildly, not after clashing with such heavy blows, she couldn¡¯t help but think Adam was the source of the dragon when it came to his triplets. ¡°...¡± Adam pulled off his helmet. ¡°Haha! What a pleasure it was to spar against you, Sir Magpie. Did you see how strong she was, my Jirot, my Jarot?¡± Although the children cheered and clapped excitedly, the adults knew. Not only the adults, but Alex and George, even they knew, because they were there. They were there. They were there when Adam defeated the Seventh Hope with one blow, then immediately afterwards almost defeated the First Hope, only stepping back upon his now wife¡¯s words. For once, it wasn¡¯t Adam who had started the fight, but the Seventh Hope, who had spoken poorly of people he shouldn¡¯t have. The old one armed Iyrman glanced towards Gangak, who returned a smile, for they knew the story, and it was what they recalled upon seeing how Adam fought Sir Magpie so eagerly. They even knew the reason why the half elf raised his axe, and dared to get himself killed. ¡®Is my grandson not so cute?¡¯ Jarot¡¯s eyes said. ¡®He adores me more, though?¡¯ Gangak¡¯s eyes replied. Meanwhile, Vonda and Dunes appreciated that Adam had finally figured out how to speak with people. I''m shocked all these children are growing up so quick. [975] – Y04.075 – Strong VI [975] ¨C Y04.075 ¨C Strong VI ¡°Why doesn¡¯t daddy go talk to our guests for a bit, and everyone can give you their gifts. Daddy will go get his gift too, since he was so silly and forgot to bring it.¡± ¡°Okay, daddy! You cannot steal Ordah from me!¡± Jirot warned, holding up her dagger like finger, raising her brow. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Adam assured, nodding his head to the others, before throwing a look to Kitool and Dunes, motioning with his head, then beckoned the rest of Sir Magpie¡¯s companions to follow him. Sir Magpie could feel the gaze of her companions upon her, and even as she stepped into the inner area of the fort, where an Iyrman kept an eye on them, her thoughts were preoccupied. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°I got this tea from Ever Green a few months ago,¡± Adam said, pouring the tea for his guests, and his own companions, finally pouring some for himself. ¡°I wish I had my Persevian tea pot, but uh, I left that in the Main Iyr. Sorry.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Sorry about that. It¡¯s my children¡¯s birthday today, and they heard so much about you, I knew they¡¯d love to meet you on their birthday. It was part of my gift, not that you¡¯re objects to be gifted, just that I wanted to show off to my children. It seems, heh, I ended up showing off a little too much.¡± ¡°Your children are...¡± ¡°Three years old,¡± Adam said. ¡°My Jirot, though, she¡¯s crafty like a four year old. Let me tell you, the things that girl says, you¡¯d think she was an Aldishman with how much she backstabs me and Jaygak.¡± Sir Magpie blinked. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mean all Aldishmen are bad, it was in reference to Jaygak, her family, they helped during the Demonic Devastation and they got stabbed in the back by the Aldish once they had been weakened from saving the Aldishmen¡¯s lives.¡± Adam cleared his throat, noting Kitool¡¯s look. ¡°Sorry, anyway, uh, yeah. Thank you for meeting with my children and making me look good.¡± ¡°Your children are goblins?¡± Sir Magpie finally asked, getting her thoughts in order after meeting with the storm known as Adam. ¡°Goblins. Half dragons. A demon, apparently, and my seventh is on the way, a quarter elf.¡± ¡°A half elf?¡± ¡°Oh? I¡¯m not so good with the maths, but if you say so.¡± ¡°Your children, twins? They¡¯re... unique.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°My precious Jirot and Jarot. Jarot was named after his greatfather, you must have seen him already, one arm and one leg.¡± ¡°Mad Dog?¡± Magpie asked, keeping her voice neutral, doing her best not to seem too shocked. ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Adam said, chuckling. ¡°The old geezer, he adores them so much. You know, there was a... a Count who tried to hurt them, and he ended up going berserk and almost killing him. A shame.¡± ¡°That is a shame.¡± Magpie was still stunned by all the information she was receiving.¡®The Mad Dog is their...¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t think we think the same thing is a shame...¡¯ ¡°Anyway, again, apologies, we will have to donate more in order to make it up for it, it seems.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You mentioned magical weapons?¡± ¡°Yes. Although, due to the fact that the Iyr is involved, I must ask you to make one small, but very important promise, and that is that you cannot use these weapons against the Iyr.¡± ¡°I can... promise that much.¡± Magpie blinked away the other thoughts, trying to think upon just the donation. ¡°Wonderful! Now that the most important part is over, why don¡¯t I introduce you. Executive Kitool, who is the daughter of a Director, and Manager Dunes, who is our Priest, one of them, the other one being my wife, Ray Vonda.¡± As they greeted one another, Adam realised something. ¡°Sorry, Manager Dunes, would you mind bringing the President over?¡± Magpie almost regretted the silence, which lasted what felt to be an eternity, but she was thankful once Sonarot appeared. ¡°This is President Sonarot, who are the birthday twins¡¯ grandmother,¡± Adam informed, smiling with such delight, but Magpie could sense the threat hidden within. ¡°The Iyr has always shown us great favour,¡± Magpie said, bowing her head to Sonarot. ¡°The Iyr has gifted us weapons previously, but as the years passed, they have found themselves in the hands of others, through our incompetence, and misfortune.¡± ¡°We of the Iyr have always respected the Order of the Wings,¡± Sonarot replied, sharing a look with Magpie. She understood the Iyr had some business with the Order of the Wings, though even as a Family Head, she didn¡¯t know the details. ¡°We hope our donation will aid you on your journey.¡± ¡°You can have sword! I am Little Boss. I donating to you.¡± ¡°Slay all the monsters.¡± Jon took the the weapon from the children, and Sonarot ushered the pair a few steps back, out of the range of a sword swing. The chances of Jon swinging his sword was less than a single percent, and though the chances were small, the Iyrmen still worried about those chances. ¡°It¡¯s a Greater Enhanced weapon,¡± Adam explained to Magpie as the young heir felt the magic rush through his finger tips. ¡°It requires you to meditate with it, but it holds three charges daily, and upon expending a charge, one can turn a regular hit into a truer strike, and upon such, it can rumble like the storm. It¡¯s a powerful weapon, especially in the hands of an Oathsworn, who can smite their foes with great power.¡± Magpie turned to face Adam, still utterly bewildered that the business would hand them such a terrifying weapon, one that was among the best in its class to them. She couldn¡¯t even imagine how much one could sell it for. ¡°Thank you, truly.¡± ¡°Sir Magpie...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I heard recently that a heir died, Sir Sparrow, was it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± Adam said, staring at his twins, who squealed with delight upon seeing the blade unsheathed, appreciating the ways the sword gleamed, an appreciation only their amber eyes could behold. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what I would do if one of my children were to die.¡± Magpie wanted to pull her eyes away, but she couldn¡¯t, not when his eyes slowly turned to meet hers. She wasn¡¯t sure which she considered more important, the genuine condolences, or the genuine threat. Once more, she could feel it. Within those eyes of his, she wasn¡¯t sure what she could see bubbling to the surface, and she was glad once his eyes fell back to his children. Adam stepped forward, becoming almost unrecognisable as he smiled, approaching his children. He passed by Jon first, reaching out to pat his shoulder. ¡°I hope you enjoy the weapon.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jon replied, his eyes no longer quite so delighted upon seeing the half elf. ¡°I convinced the Enchanter to make that weapon for you,¡± Adam said, holding the young man¡¯s gaze. ¡°I made sure that you wouldn¡¯t be left out, as the heir, as the future Magpie.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled, pulling his hand away, as though only just realising Jon wouldn¡¯t like that, but the smile on his face suggested other. ¡°You know, we have a saying where I come from, not from the White Forest, but from... far away, in a place that no longer exists, that I cannot return to, nor can any of my children ever visit.¡± Adam kept Jon¡¯s gaze for a long while, wanting to see the understanding in his eyes. Jon slowly bowed his head. Adam smiled, slowly nodding his head. ¡°With great power... comes great responsibility.¡± Adam smiled. It was not the silly smile that he usually gave upon the cliched saying, but a smile that said that he almost regretted handing the blade over, but he hoped he didn¡¯t have to. ¡°It¡¯s a... good saying.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. He held the young man¡¯s eyes once more, thinking about threatening him more, but he frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your family, Jon.¡± Jon¡¯s lips trembled slightly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, and he turned, quickly grabbing his children. ¡°You two, grr, come to daddy! I got your gifts, you little smelly girl, you little smelly boy.¡± Adam planted kisses on both of their cheeks. Jon remained focused on the back of Adam¡¯s head for a moment, before the head went out of focus as his eyes spotted the Iyrmen beyond. The one armed Iyrman and the devilkin, as an Aldishman might say but he certainly wouldn¡¯t, Iyrman. The pair were staring at him, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He slowly sat down, sheathing his blade, and as his eyes darted around, he noticed more Iyrmen were still staring at him, not just him, but all of his companions. The words came back to him in that moment. ¡®If it¡¯s one force you can rely on, it¡¯s the Iyr,¡¯ Magpie had said. ¡®If anything were to happen in the future where you need help, retreat to the Iyr. They¡¯ll take good care of you, and will make sure Magpie won¡¯t end up like Starling and Blackbird.¡¯ Jon wondered if perhaps Magpie was feeding him a pile of horse shit, because right now, he felt like a gazelle surrounded by starving dragons. No. They weren¡¯t even starving. Our Adam is so cute too. [976] – Y04.076 – Planning for the Future I [976] ¨C Y04.076 ¨C Planning for the Future I Elsie ate her bread, her eyes glued to Adam. She glanced towards the black armoured woman, who was special. She was a member of an Order. An Order. ¡®She must be so strong? Mister Adam beat her up?¡¯ The girl¡¯s curious eyes remained on the pair, deep in thought. ¡°Look!¡± Adam said, revealing the small golden rings, encrusted with small gems, for his twins. ¡°Daddy has these specially made for you! Do you know who made them?¡± ¡°Mummy?¡± ¡°No, but close. Who else do you like?¡± ¡°Nana.¡± ¡°No, no, silly, you like playing with her.¡± ¡°Kako?¡± ¡°Which kako?¡± ¡°Horny kako!¡± Adam blinked, doing his best not to burst out into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re right! Horny kako made all these beautiful little rings for you!¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Jirot grabbed the ring tight in hand and rushed to Jaygak. ¡°Kako! Kako!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jaygak asked, lifting the girl up. ¡°Thank you!¡± Jirot kissed her cheek and Jarot claimed the other cheek with a kiss. Jaygak, letting out a long satisfied sigh, peeked towards Adam. ¡°I bejewelled them, but it was your father who ordered these from someone and provided the gems. I already gave you your gifts before. You should thank your father.¡± Jirot looked to her father, narrowing her eyes towards him. She turned her head away. ¡°No!¡± She hugged her aunt tight, nuzzling against her neck. Prince Morkarai smiled, sipping his wine, glancing to the side. ¡®That is payment enough.¡¯ ¡°Daddy...¡± Jarot reached out a hand. ¡°Daddy.¡± Adam picked him up, nuzzling his nose. ¡®My boy, you¡¯re too good to me.¡¯ ¡°Do you like your gift?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I love it daddy!¡± Jirot declared, squirming within Jaygak¡¯s arms, reaching out for her father. She pouted and started to groan. Adam plucked her from Jaygak, smirking at the woman, before peppering his kids with kisses. ¡°Why don¡¯t we listen to papo tell the tales?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Adam sat beside his wife, holding her hand, the pair looking out to their children, who sat upon their babo¡¯s and nano¡¯s laps once more. ¡°They¡¯re so big now,¡± Vonda said, recalling the tiny children who had been covered in mud. ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.¡± ¡°Jirot is so smart, and Jarot, he¡¯s so kind.¡± ¡°Yeah. How he¡¯s going to be a Rage Dancer, who knows? Ah, what am I saying? They won¡¯t grow up, they¡¯ll stay small and cute forever.¡± Vonda placed her head on his shoulder, nestling up to him close. Adam rested his head against hers. ¡°Is... Konarot treating you well?¡± ¡°She is. Kirot loves to listen to my prayers. Karot does too, and he likes to draw with me.¡± ¡°How about the children, the rest of them? Are they learning well.¡± ¡°They are, but it is difficult, since they are all different ages and abilities.¡± ¡°Should I find some more teachers?¡± ¡°What of the Iyr?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Adam glanced around, noting his cousins. Adam reached out to Konarot. ¡°Konababy, go call your kakos.¡± Adam pointed to the twins. Konarot looked up to the twin aunts, Fakrot¡¯s children, and she rushed over to them, followed by Kirot and Karot. Cirot and Sirot listened to Adam¡¯s offer. Cirot exchanged a look with Sirot, who raised her brows, but the pair eventually shook their head. ¡°Is that a no?¡± ¡°We can do it.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll pay you in coin, unless you want a magical weapon?¡± ¡°A magical shield,¡± the pair of them asked. ¡®Is life going well for me?¡¯ Adam thought, before realising he was actually a shield down. ¡°One for the both of you, or two?¡± ¡°Two.¡± Adam winked. ¡°Alright.¡± He reached out a hand, and shook each of their forearms. ¡°Daddy,¡± Jirot called, grabbing his hand. ¡°Toilet.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said, leading the twins away, before noting the other Rot twins followed him. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is poo poo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you clean up,¡± Adam assured. ¡®I should make a magic item for that.¡¯ ¡°I am,¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot rubbed her head against his chest. ¡°Daddy...¡± Jarot called. ¡°Yes, my boy.¡± Adam kissed his forehead too. ¡°I love daddy.¡± ¡°I love you too, my boy.¡± ¡°Me too! I love daddy!¡± Jirot declared, gasping in shock. ¡°I know, I know. Do you love mummy too?¡± ¡°I love so much!¡± Jirot stated, before crawling away from her father and to her mother, who brushed her hair. ¡°Hold on, you need to sleep with daddy today, you brat!¡± Adam called out, grabbing the girl by her ankle, causing her to squeal and giggle, trying to escape. Eventually, Jirot and Jarot slept upon their father¡¯s chest. The triplets allowed them to hog their father, having already spent their own time with their younger sister and brother. Adam glanced aside towards Vonda, seeing she was sleeping all by herself. ¡®I know, but still...¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡®I should keep it in my pants for a while.¡¯ The next morning, Adam realised something. ¡®Did I really make a Oathsworn of the Order of the Wings wait for me just to beat them up and look cool in front of my kids?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Man, that¡¯s pretty tyrannical... and cool as hell.¡¯ Adam spent the next day making the rounds, glancing aside to the Order members, who were preparing to leave. ¡®Oh, oops.¡¯ ¡°Executive Adam,¡± Magpie called, reaching out to shake his forearm. ¡°Thank you again for your generous donation.¡± ¡°Of course, any time,¡± Adam said. ¡°It completely skipped my mind yesterday, but we had a little bit more to donate.¡± ¡°More?¡± Jurot brought over a chest, about the size of a large skull, one that was a little too unwieldy, unless of course one rode upon a magical steed brought by one¡¯s oaths. The chest was carved with Iyrman precision, specifically his own. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, could you check if the denominations are appropriate?¡± Adam asked, motioning a hand for her to open it. The woman undid the latch, checking inside. There were five rows of ten columns total, with two columns full of copper, five of silver, two of gold, and finally, one row of obsidian, each stacked about ten high. ¡°Roughly six hundred and twenty six gold,¡± Adam said, as though he hadn¡¯t triple checked the numbers. ¡°I hope it¡¯s enough to keep you going until the rest of the year.¡± Magpie stared into the half elf¡¯s eyes for a long moment. ¡°You¡¯ve donated so much to us. The weapons were already more than we expected, and more than I ever would have thought, but coin too?¡± The half elf hadn¡¯t just given her flat gold, but different denominations of coin which were useful in different contexts, silver being fairly important, but copper had its uses too. Then, of course, gems to keep things light. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The business handed you the weapons,¡± Adam said, before tapping his finger on the chest. ¡°My brother and I, we came together and set this up.¡± ¡°I crafted the chest,¡± Jurot said, standing proudly. ¡°Like I said, we came up with the coin and the chest personally, him more personally than I, I suppose. I want to say, thank you. You do great work, and even though the land might not appreciate it, we do. I have only the greatest respect for you, truly.¡± ¡°...¡± Magpie slowly bowed her head. ¡°Thank you again, Executive Adam, Executive Jurot.¡± She reached out her hand to shake their forearms once more, before they mounted their magical steeds, and rode away. Adam watched alongside the villagers, watching as their magical mounts kicked up dust as they rode into the distance. ¡®Alright, well, since they¡¯re gone, might as well go get some work done.¡¯ Adam finished enchanting the set of weapons, one he¡¯d definitely need to sell off. ¡®We¡¯re running out of money quick.¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply. ¡®I have so much more work to do...¡¯ Unfortunately for Adam, he needed to politic the next day. Adam pat Nobby on his shoulder. ¡°Happy birthday, Nobby.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you thinking that the business forgot about your birthday. I pulled some strings and managed to acquire you a magical shield, that we¡¯re still only lending to you, but still. I know you have a magical shield already that we¡¯ve lent you, but... a Greater one is better, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam held up the shield. ¡°Go on.¡± Nobby held it, feeling it tingle. ¡°You have a Greater axe and a Greater shield. The axe? That¡¯s yours, part of the payment for delaying the proper payment on our end. The shield? We¡¯re lending it to you until you finish up some more great work. With those two items, you¡¯re among some of the best equipped, I mean, I¡¯m the only other person with a Greater shield, and well, it¡¯s made me into one hell of a monster.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss,¡± Nobby said, feeling the magic tingle in his hands. ¡°Now remember, we¡¯re lending it to you for now,¡± Adam winked. ¡°However, what we¡¯re not lending you is...¡± Adam held out his hand and pat Nobby on either shoulder. ¡°I hereby pronounce you... not a Lead, but you earn as much as a lead now, thirty whole silver coins a month.¡± ¡°Gold coins,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Adam reached up his fist to his mouth, stifling a yawn. ¡®Damn. I have been enchanting and stressed out of my damn mind for a while.¡¯ ¡°Three hundred silver, thirty gold, a month.¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± ¡°Alright, well...¡± Adam pat the young man¡¯s shoulder for a third time, then made his way to greet Merl nearby. ¡°Young Chief Merl, How are you?¡± ¡°Well, thank you,¡± the woman said, sitting down, knitting away. ¡°Is there anything you need?¡± ¡°Would you be willing to allow Nobby to stay by my side until the birth?¡± Merl asked, smiling warmly towards the half elf who had helped them so much. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam said. ¡°Nobby, for your birthday, and for all your hard work, stay with your wife and keep her company. You can stay for at least two weeks after the birth, no, make it a whole month. We can consider it your paternity leave, alright?¡± ¡°Okay, mister boss,¡± Nobby said, having no idea what paternity leave was. ¡°Thank you, Executive.¡± ¡°You too, Young Chief,¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°Just give birth to a happy and healthy child, one that is as big as Nobby, so that I can spoil them even more.¡± Merl let out a laugh, about to reply when she winced, and gasped. Adam¡¯s smile dropped as he blinked. ¡®You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡¯ These rolls are funny as hell. [977] – Y04.077 – Planning for the Future II [977] ¨C Y04.077 ¨C Planning for the Future II ¡®At least he¡¯s chubby,¡¯ Adam thought, having waited for the villagers to finish assisting Merl, before he sent healing magic through her. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re a father now, Nobby.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Nobby replied, unsure of what else to say, feeling a swirling of emotions. ¡®He was born a little quick, wasn¡¯t he?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Not too early, about a week or so, but still...¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad he¡¯s born on the same day as you?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Makes it easier for me to keep track of,¡± Adam said, pulling out his book, checking to see whose birthday was next. ¡®Eh? Nobody until the second month of nightval?¡¯ Merl didn¡¯t pay attention to Adam¡¯s stupidity, too busy staring at her son. She smiled, noting how adorably chubby the boy had come out. ¡°Congratulations, both of you,¡± Adam said, smiling wide. ¡°I¡¯ll, uh... I¡¯ll leave you two alone.¡± Adam stood, stretching out his back. ¡°Oh. About that other shield, that one you can keep, consider it a gift for the baby boy.¡± Merl almost let out an audible gasp, but was too tired. ¡°Thank you, mister boss.¡± Adam saluted Nobby, making his way out, his brother following him out. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit silly to give a Basic shield to a baby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We should send some silver too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°How much do you think?¡± ¡°Three hundred?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, three hundred silver, an extra month¡¯s wage. We have another box, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah, alright, let¡¯s fill the box full of silver coins, and then maybe sneak in a few gold coins in there too as a surprise.¡± Jurot realised Adam was having too much fun gifting away coin. However, he was also the one who was bringing in hundreds, if not thousands, of coin to the business. Kiara too, but Adam seemed to have forgotten about her, the young woman no doubt creating at least one Basic weapon a month. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What about Brittany? She¡¯s been with us too. We¡¯ve given what, two Greater items to Nobby, one of which we gave permanently, and a Basic shield? That¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I should go talk with Brittany, make sure she isn¡¯t too mad.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam found Brittany watching the children play dragonchess against each other. ¡°Brittany, mind if we have a chat?¡± Adam asked, motioning his head. The young woman followed Adam out, the half elf dropping down against the side of a wall, tapping the ground beside him. The pair stared out towards the centre of the fort, where the children had gathered to play. ¡°Nobby¡¯s kid was born today.¡± ¡°I heard,¡± Brittany said, having thought to go check on them later in the day, after the village finished their rituals. ¡°Since high ranking members of the business are having children, the business has been handing over magical items to their children. I felt guilty handing Nobby and his child so much, and I was thinking about what we can get for you. I just realised that we gave Nobby a Greater axe last year, and now a Greater shield, which we lent, and a Basic shield for his son? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to keep you out of the loop, so I wanted to let you know, we¡¯ll be figuring something out for you soon.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Brittany replied, surprised to hear how forthcoming the half elf was, but it was Adam. ¡°Alright, well...¡± Adam hoisted himself up. ¡°If you need something, let us know.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Brittany replied, watching him leave. She smiled slightly, glancing down at her magical blades. They were her own. She had often thought he¡¯d come take them away since she hadn¡¯t gone out in almost a year. For him to worry about her, when she wasn¡¯t anywhere near as useful as Nobby or Fred? ¡°Oh, Brittany?¡± Adam said, glancing back. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are now on the Gold pay scale, but we do not grant you the rank of Lead,¡± Adam said, nodding his hand towards her again, before stepping away. Brittany was pretty sure she hadn¡¯t asked for her any pay so far, but she smiled. ¡®Thirty gold?¡¯ Dunes wrote down the information Adam told him, listening to him rant once more, though it seemed like the ramblings of a mad man, until the half elf stretched and made his way away. ¡°You should rest,¡± Dunes called out. ¡°The one¡¯s we...¡± Adam paused. Vague memories returned to him from earlier in the year. ¡°Auctioned?¡± ¡°The,¡± Dunes flashed six fingers towards the half elf,¡± weapons that were assigned to be auctioned over the course of the six months.¡± ¡°Dunes, show me your book.¡± Dunes handed over his book, which revealed several items Adam had forgotten about, and also thousands of extra gold Adam hadn¡¯t taken into account that entire year. Adam stood up, pacing for a moment, before he faced the wall. He rested his forehead against it, and let the silence fill the air. Adam sighed. ¡°Wow.¡± He fell silent again. ¡°Sure.¡± Another long moment passed. ¡°Okay.¡± Dunes had half expected Adam had forgotten, but he was sure Adam hadn¡¯t. He had assumed Adam had instead begun work on the future months of auctions, but hearing him speak of the money had raised his suspicions. ¡°Do you know how stressed I¡¯ve been?¡± Adam shook his head, in physical disbelief. ¡°I didn¡¯t keep track of the stupid Basic Enhanced weapons. Not just that, but there were two more Greater Enhanced weapons? Oh, Baktu, take me.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Dunes called out, his voice stern. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean that, Baktu,¡± Adam said, tapping his amulet. ¡°Damn, Dunes. Damn.¡± ¡°You have been filled with stress,¡± Dunes said, his voice comforting. ¡°These things, they can slip your mind, and with all the stress which has ailed you.¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nice to know that we have all this money, though. I was really stressing about it, no joke, but now that I know we¡¯ve got more coin to spend, I can start being a little more free. Or rather, it¡¯s good to know that we can afford some time off. How much was it?¡± Dunes slid the book over, and Adam copied down the notes, correcting his own book. Dunes had thought Adam had been checking his own book. ¡®Does he not like to read other¡¯s private notes? They are for the business?¡¯ ¡°How come the weapons auctioned off for more than expected?¡± Adam asked, noting how each weapon had sold for about a tenth to a half more than expected. ¡°That is how it is in the auctions.¡± Adam leaned back, smirking slightly. ¡°She¡¯s going to be so pissed that we¡¯re not going to be auctioning more, eh?¡± Dunes shook his head. ¡°Now that you are free to do as you please, what will you do?¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll just take it easy until Vonda gives birth?¡± Adam replied, thinking. ¡°I should take part of your role, that way you can spend more time with your wife, and she can also relax too.¡± ¡°Some of the other women in the business are pregnant too. Are there special arrangements which need to be made?¡± ¡°Outside of time off, I¡¯m not sure what else we should do specifically. I know pregnancy effects, affects? It... you know what I mean, it effects, or affects, women differently. How about you ask Amira what she thinks would be good? Then whatever she thinks, increase it, because she¡¯s a member of an Order, so she¡¯s hardier than the typical person, but the farmers and such? They shouldn¡¯t work quite as brutally as any of you.¡± Dunes sipped his warm milk, staring at the half elf. ¡°You are so wise when it comes to the matters of children.¡± ¡°Wise? I don¡¯t know about that, but... those children, we should... I don¡¯t like saying it this way, but let¡¯s invest in the children. Those children, let¡¯s make the strongest into the best warriors, the smartest into the best mages. Those that don¡¯t have any talents, they can work peacefully here, with no need to worry about their next meal.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes replied. They had a similar conversation before, but this time, Adam had changed a few things subtly. ¡°What am I saying? Those kids, they should stay small and cute forever. We should find some other warrior and make them into guards.¡± ¡®Ah,¡¯ Dunes thought, recognising the Adam he had known for the last few years. Vonda poured the milk for her youngest son, before noting the appearance of her husband. She smiled warmly towards the half elf as he sat down opposite them. ¡°Daddy! You cannot work!¡± Jirot said, before sipping her milk, licking the froth off her lips. ¡°We are fighting?¡± ¡°I guess since my daughter has said I cannot work, then I suppose, I¡¯ll stop working as much,¡± Adam said. Jirot inhaled deeply, looking towards her mother. ¡°Mummy! You see?¡± ¡°Your father said he will work less.¡± ¡°Less?¡± Jirot asked, before eyeing her father up suspiciously. ¡°No more?¡± ¡°Only a little bit, but now, daddy will take more time off to spoil you.¡± Adam reached down to ruffle her hair. ¡°Like today.¡± ¡°Today?¡± Jirot asked, shocked. ¡°Yes.¡± Jirot glanced towards her mother, before smirking. ¡°Daddy, you are listening. Good boy.¡± She reached up her hand. ¡°...¡± Adam bowed his head, allowing her to brush his hair. ¡®That¡¯s right, I am a good boy.¡¯ That''s right, he is a good boy. Now that I''ve been writing Year 05, and seeing what happening... For the rest of this month, October of 2024, for every additional patron that signs up for Silver or above, I will post up an additional chapter. If I get 10 new patrons, I will also post up another 10 on top of that, so 20 chapters for 10 new patron sign ups this month. Why? Well... this arc is pretty slow, but the next arc? The next arc is... [978] – Y04.078 – Planning for the Future II [978] ¨C Y04.078 ¨C Planning for the Future II Jirot stood tall, snorting angrily. ¡°How you can do this, daddy?¡± ¡°Dear, it¡¯s Elder Zijin, he called for me.¡± ¡°You must take me!¡± ¡°I cannot...¡± Adam said, before glancing to the aide. ¡°Can I?¡± ¡®Can he?¡¯ The aide thought for a moment. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Oh. You can come along.¡± ¡°Mummy, come, we are going now,¡± Jirot said, holding up her hand. ¡°I cannot, I must stay here,¡± Vonda said. ¡°It is not good for me to move much now.¡± Jirot frowned. ¡°Mummy cannot?¡± ¡°I cannot.¡± Jirot glanced between her mother and father, torn between the pair. She remained stunned. How can this be? She had to choose between her daddy and her mummy? ¡°Jirot,¡± Adam called, ruffling her hair. ¡°My dear, you must stay here and protect mummy. I will go and speak with Elder Zijin, and I will tell him off for you, okay?¡± ¡°You must tell him off, daddy!¡± Jirot said, clenching her fist tight. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, holding up his hand, taking the girl¡¯s hand and slapped his own with it. ¡°It¡¯s at times like this you need to high five me, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot smacked her father¡¯s hand again. ¡°You too, Jarot.¡± Jarot reached up and slapped his dad¡¯s hand gently. He stared up at his father, smiled, before his face shifted, and he began to cry. Jirot glanced his way, looked up to her father, and began to cry too. ¡°What happened?¡± Adam asked, lifting them up. ¡°Did you do poopoo in your pants?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cried. ¡°Daddy! I did not hit you!¡± Jarot cried. ¡°I know, I know, it was a high five, it¡¯s not hitting, it¡¯s different.¡± Adam peppered his kids with kissed all over their faces, letting them cry into his chest. Their snot ran down their faces, onto Adam¡¯s shirt. ¡®Isn¡¯t it illegal for you to be this cute?¡¯ Even as Adam approached the Front Iyr, walking through the Valley of Death, he couldn¡¯t help but adore his children who he had left behind. He stopped, the group of Iyrmen escorting him also stopping. ¡°Hmph,¡± Adam said, continuing on. ¡®What was that?¡¯ the Iyrmen thought, glancing between one another. ¡®That Elder! How dare he take me from my children! This better be important!¡¯ Adam buried his thoughts deep within his heart, understanding how stupid it was to say something like that. Elder Zijin glanced aside to the half elf, who had answered his summons, having travelled this entire way without complaining, even though he had to walk an entire two days through hills and mountains. ¡°Elder Zijin,¡± Adam said, sitting opposite the old man. ¡°Do you think Churot will protect you from my children¡¯s annoyance.¡± Adam reached over to Churot¡¯s head, brushing his hair gently. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that my twins adore their papo so much, so he can¡¯t protect you from them.¡± Elder Zijin frowned slightly, causing even Adam to pause. ¡°I deserve whatever they say of me. I called you hear because I wished to speak with you, and now that the mess has been settled, I finally had time to apologise to you.¡± ¡°For taking me away from my kids?¡± Adam asked, unsure of why Elder Zijin was taking it so seriously. ¡°When it came to the outing, I had planned it thoroughly. I sent Rajin and Jarot with the twins, thinking they would be enough. I did not imagine that the Count would dare to attack them. It was my mistake.¡± Elder Zijin bowed his head. ¡°Ah, well, I mean, it¡¯s my fault too,¡± Adam said, raising his hands, trying to get the Elder to stop bowing his head. ¡°I should have been more wary myself. It¡¯s not like they were hurt anyway, so, please, Elder Zijin, you¡¯re making it awkward.¡± ¡°Adam, if any harm had befallen them, I would not have advised the Rot family against taking action, and then once the matter was settled, I would have given up my position.¡± ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to do that, Elder.¡± Adam frowned, suddenly feeling his body grow cold, especially at the Elder¡¯s serious look. ¡°Look, uh, Jirot said that I need to tell you off, so let¡¯s keep it at that.¡± ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Please take this seriously.¡± ¡°I am,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I promised Jirot I would tell you off for taking me away when I promised to take it easy until the birth of her younger sibling, and then the next day you called me? Seriously, Elder Zijin. Do you know how much she cried before I left? That adorable little brat, how could she cry, even though she didn¡¯t poop her pants?¡± ¡°Is there anything I can do to make it up to you.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam thought for a long moment. ¡°Actually, there is? Recently, Merry was born, uh, Nobby¡¯s son. He was born a little early, and well... I just want to say, if a child ends up dying while I¡¯m gone, would you be willing to... help out?¡± ¡°The Iyr¡¯s ability to bring back children are reserved for children of the Iyr.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Is there any way you have the ability to preserve their bodies, so that, say, the time for resurrection can be delayed?¡± ¡°Before he left, he asked me if Jirot, or Jarot, could name a child after him.¡± ¡°It is a good name,¡± Fakrot said, smiling. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam fell silent again as they continued. Fakrot reached up to scratch beneath his eyepatch once more. He had already promised his father he would become stronger, and yet... ¡®...¡¯ They approached the business with little fanfare, with many of the people having finished their evening meals and having returned to their shared estate. Before Adam made his way back to the inner area, where his family awaited, he made his way towards the shared estate. ¡°I hope you all didn¡¯t miss me too much, especially you, Elsie, that would break my heart,¡± Adam said. Elsie smiled, squirming shyly, before she hid behind Cobra. ¡°No...¡± Adam smiled. ¡®I didn¡¯t even notice that they had become this close.¡¯ He stifled a sad sigh. ¡°George, come here.¡± George eyed up Adam suspiciously, but he rushed up towards the half elf, staring up at him. For a moment, he frowned, thinking perhaps he¡¯d finally be in trouble for stabbing the half elf previously. ¡°Here,¡± Adam said, holding out a thin necklace of silver with a tiny blue gem connecting the two pieces near the bottom. ¡°I¡¯m lending this to you for now.¡± Adam latched it onto the boy¡¯s neck. George reached down to touch the necklace. ¡°Cold.¡± ¡°Yeah, just a little, eh?¡± Adam said, noting the gem glowing for a moment. ¡°Yeah,¡± George replied, nodding his head emphatically, since he couldn¡¯t talk. Fred¡¯s eyes grew wide, snapping up to the half elf. ¡®What?¡¯ A ripple of shock filled the air, before George finally noticed, his eyes also snapping up to the half elf. ¡°I¡¯m only lending it to you for now, since I need to return it back to the Iyr, but you can have it until the Enchanter makes something for you, alright?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± George¡¯s voice flowed out from the gem, causing him to tense up. ¡°Huh! Huuuuuh! Haaaa!¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll leave you all to your business,¡± Adam said, turning to leave, before pausing a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to mention it, since I trust everyone here, but the necklace still belongs to the Iyr.¡± Adam let his words sink into the air, before he walked away. While Adam caused trouble within the business, the one place he was allowed to cause trouble, Fakrot sat opposite his sister, having handed her the letter which the Iyr had received from the Countess. She had heard a letter had passed through into the Iyr, even moving through while she was within the business. ¡®...¡¯ One she finished reading the letter, she glanced at the writing on the note. ¡®The Rot family may deal with it as they see fit.¡¯ ¡®Agreed.¡¯ ¡®I, Mulrot, as the Family Elder of the Rot family, will agree with Sonarot¡¯s wishes.¡¯ The first was definitely the Chief. The second was the definitely Elder Zijin. Sonarot continued to stare at the note. It was rare for the Chief not to advise on how to handle the situation. It was also rare for the Elder to do the same. Then, finally, the Family Elder, had given her ultimate freedom to handle the situation as she pleased. A sliver of fear entered her. To give an Iyrman freedom to act as they please was... The woman let out a long sigh, calming herself. She couldn¡¯t do as she wanted. Though Mulrot had given her permission, even going so far as to ignoring her title, and instead addressing her as an individual, it meant that her mother trusted her completely. She couldn¡¯t make a mistake, not when this matter was so important. Even so... ¡®How dare they ask for justice,¡¯ the woman thought. ¡®You should have begged properly.¡¯ ¡°Make it clear, for I will be the one to go,¡± Fakrot said. ¡°I should go,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°No. It has to be me.¡± Fakrot caught her gaze and held it. ¡®Are you angry you were not able to do anything?¡¯ Sonarot thought, before relenting to him. Of course, that just meant she was able to write a little more than she should. ¡°Sister...¡± Fakrot then asked Sonarot about that. He could see it within her eyes. She knew why he reacted like that. He let the matter drop, since his sister knew about it, knowing that she had allowed him to go deal with the nobles. While imminent death brewed nearby, Adam returned back to his house, almost falling down as his children swarmed him. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± Jirot cried aloud, grabbing him tight, hugging his leg so much, it was like Adam was wearing her. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± ¡°I did not, I did not, smelly boy,¡± Jirot said, though she continued to hug his leg tight, refusing to let him go. ¡°I was thinking, isn¡¯t it nice to be rich, but it¡¯s nothing compared to being a father,¡± Adam said, catching Vonda¡¯s eyes, a wide smile painted across his face. Isn''t our Adam so cute? [979] – Y04.079 – Fathers I [979] ¨C Y04.079 ¨C Fathers I ¡°Come home safely!¡± the children shouted towards Fakrot and the others. They had only remained at the fort that night, before leaving a short while after dawn. Cirot and Sirot watched their father leave, remaining silent. They had wanted to go too, but they needed to stay here, just in case. ¡®Where are they going?¡¯ Adam thought, but he decided against asking. He assisted Dunes with his work, so the pair could finish their business early. He spent much of his time making the rounds, showing his face, before going to play with his children. ¡°Papa, even if you not have horns, I still love you,¡± Jirot said, holding Karot, the pair embracing one another. ¡°You are not smelly boy.¡± ¡®That¡¯s not the way you¡¯re meant to say that,¡¯ Adam thought, but he wasn¡¯t going the ruin the delicious dessert that was all for him. Each of the children remained in their groups, but he would often see them playing together, which warmed his heart. ¡®If only I could get Konarot to accept Vonda...¡¯ Lucy and Mara trained by themselves, not wanting to bother the businessfolk, though sometimes Rick and the porters would speak with them, much to their wives¡¯ chagrin. However, they weren¡¯t there when the pair of demons constantly assisted them through their journey. Jasmine remained close with Morkarai, understanding, somewhat, why the Prince had asked her to remain within the business. The shock of Adam defeating Sir Magpie had washed over her. Though she was from further east, sometimes the Order made its way towards the east, and they were always considered great warriors. To think that a boy had managed to defeat even the weakest, that was surprising, but beyond that... ¡°The First Hope?¡± ¡°So it is said.¡± Jasmine had also heard more of their tales. She had assumed Jaygak was one of the weakest, considering how she constantly mentioned it, but Jaygak was certainly among the strongest of the business. Even within her land, Jaygak was considered strong, definitely greater than a typical Expert. Her story was impressive, but the story of her companions? Jurot and Kitool were alarmingly powerful for their age, even more so than Jaygak. Of course, considering Jurot¡¯s ancestor, it made sense, but Kitool too? Jasmine dared not covet the woman, but she would have been a great bodyguard. ¡®With her and Siten...¡¯ Then there was him. ¡°No! Daddy no! How you can do this?¡± Jirot asked, throwing up her fist. ¡°What do you mean? I rolled the dice, the dice! It¡¯s not my fault!¡± ¡°I do not like it!¡± ¡°Me neither! How dare you, mister dice, fail my daughter like this, you punk?¡± ¡°Fat!¡± ¡°Jirot!¡± Adam raised his brows, and the girl flushed, quickly retreating to her mother. ¡°I did not say!¡± ¡°Alright, fine, but I don¡¯t want to hear it again, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± ¡°Good girl. Now, come on, let¡¯s make you a new character.¡± ¡°Okay! I am going to be Demon Load again!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to try something new?¡± ¡°I am Demon Load!¡± ¡°Of course, how silly of me.¡± ¡°Smelly boy.¡± Adam raised his brows, and the girl pulled back. ¡°Sorry, daddy.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam assisted her in making a new character, meanwhile the other children were assisted by their aunts, uncles, and their elders. ¡®He beat the First Hope?¡¯ Jasmine blinked. One evening, Adam played with his children, one by one. He lifted little Jirot up above him and she clapped. ¡°I am flying! I am flying, daddy!¡± She squealed excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I am going to learn magic, daddy!¡± ¡°You are, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°I going to fly all the places.¡± ¡°Will you enchant too, my dear?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes. I learning enchant and I going to fly.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam pulled her close to his chest, brushing her long hair. ¡°Should daddy cut your hair?¡± ¡°No. I want it like kaka.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Daddy, I can have silver hair?¡± ¡°Maybe one day, but I like your hair like this, dark and curly,¡± Adam said, brushing through her thick hair. ¡°Okay...¡± Jirot smiled and hid her shy face into her father¡¯s chest. ¡°I like your hair too, daddy.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam kissed her forehead. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Papa,¡± Lanarot called, yawning. ¡°Reading a story?¡± ¡°I can read a story, sure.¡± As the first days of nightval passed, it happened. Jurot had been discussing with Kitool and Jaygak a set of matters relating to the business when Bilal dropped down nearby. Jurot¡¯s body almost blurred, charging in while his mother and others within the business assisted Pam. Adam, who had been flying around with the children, dropped down, letting Lanarot out of his arms, before she noted everyone gathered around. ¡°Kaka?¡± Lanarot called. ¡°Come on, Lanababy,¡± Adam said, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He realised how awkward it was for him to be here, while his brother and his wife were currently in the middle of something. He lifted the girl up and patted Jurot on the back, a small smile on his lips. ¡°It¡¯s at this time you should hold her hand.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, taking his place beside his wife, holding out his hand for her. He wasn¡¯t sure what to do, his heart thundering in his chest, his throat dry. As Adam stepped away, a small commotion took his attention. He glanced to the side, the world around him blurring, and his focused fell to his wife, who was blocked off by others beginning to tend to her. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. Adam barely recalled what happened during the time, before he came back to reality. There they were. A little boy. A little girl. The pair were so tiny. ¡°Look,¡± Jirot said, pointing to the girl within her mother¡¯s arms. ¡°Is my kaka!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vonda said, glancing down at the bundle of yellow, and the girl within. ¡°Virot...¡± ¡°Virot?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Do you like her name?¡± ¡°I love it, mummy! I love it! So ¡®dorable!¡± The girl giggled and squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. Konarot stared at the little girl. She could see how tiny she was. Her eyes then fell to her sister¡¯s leaf shaped ears, the same leaf shaped ears they all possessed. She looked up towards her father, then the woman, and then to her youngest sister. She could smell the scent of her father on the girl, but also the scent of that woman. Adam remained almost frozen, his eyes glued to the little. This was the first time he knew that he was there during the child¡¯s birth. Knowing it was his child. The others had come to him as surprises, but Virot? She wasn¡¯t a surprise. No, she was a surprise. It was a surprise that she was so healthy. ¡®What do I do?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I should kill a dragon. No, I should beat up a dragon. Yeah, I should beat up a dragon and gift it to my daughter.¡¯ So ''dorable! [980] – Y04.080 – Fathers II [980] ¨C Y04.080 ¨C Fathers II Morkarai let out a sigh of relief beyond the estate, leaning back in his chair. He reached up to his eyes, rubbing around them gently, massaging away the stress. ¡®Kazadin will poke fun at me if I return with so many wrinkles.¡¯ ¡®Is he that relieved for someone else¡¯s child?¡¯ Jasmine thought, eyeing up the Prince. ¡®He said he felt guilty about a mistake he had made, but even so...¡¯ In the estate, Vonda offered Adam to hold his daughter. ¡°How can I?¡± Adam said, though his hands had already betrayed him, and he held the girl, supporting her neck with a hand. Just like Jirot and Jarot had been, she was so tiny. So light. So fragile. The girl squirmed slightly, hacking lightly. He held her as though she were made of the most brittle clay in the world. He almost shook, feeling the sudden swirl of emotions, the burning within his eyes, the rush within his heart, the flashes of warmth and joy within his body. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°My girl. Look at you. Oh how cute you are. Why do you have to be born so cute? This is all your mother¡¯s fault, how can she do this to me?¡± Adam wanted to crush her in his affection, but he restrained himself. His eyes fell to Jurot, who stared at his little boy. ¡®Small. Ugly.¡¯ Jurot remained silent, lost within his thoughts, the boy within his mother¡¯s arms. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°What an adorable little boy,¡± Adam said. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± ¡°Damrot.¡± ¡°Dam, son of Pam,¡± Adam joked. ¡°How cute.¡± ¡°Virot is a good name,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Virot, who fought back...¡± Jurot thought deeply, but he could barely recall the story. ¡®Virot...¡¯ ¡°Virot, because her mother is Vonda, and her sisters are similar,¡± Adam said, before pausing. ¡°Hold on, Vonarot is pretty good too.¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°Virot is a good name.¡± ¡°Yeah, Virot is the best name.¡± Adam stared down at his tiny girl again, whose eyes were shut tight, refusing to even acknowledge the world. ¡°They were both born on the same day. Tenth of the tenth.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Jurot remained staring at his boy. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯re twins? How cute. How cute, these little children of ours. How can they do this? I love them so much already. How can they do this?¡± Jurot understood that Adam was holding himself back, but his thoughts remained focused on the babies. ¡®They look just like Lanarot.¡¯ He remembered when Lanarot was born, she was so small, so fragile, so ugly too. ¡°Cutest In The Whole World.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam almost exclaimed. ¡°Cirot, Sirot, watch over them,¡± Sonarot said, the young Iyrmen standing proudly, at the ready to assist watching over them that day. ¡°You should rest tonight, my daughters.¡± Pam raised her brows in surprise at the woman¡¯s words, glancing aside to Jurot, who didn¡¯t seem to react. ¡®It¡¯s an Iyrman thing, but...¡¯ Vonda remained silent, her eyes flashing with surprise for a moment, having not expected the woman to call her daughter so outright. That was when her eyes snapped aside to Adam, who seemed to be ignoring the embarrassing phrase, but also lamenting on the fact he had to give up his daughter so soon. ¡°Thank you,¡± Pam said, still unable to call the woman mother. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± Vonda let out a sigh. Adam held his wife¡¯s hand, brushing it gently, while hearing Jirot threaten her aunts. ¡°Is my kaka and my kaza!¡± Jirot said, holding out her finger. ¡°You are looking after good, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the twins replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Jirot said, leaving it at that, though she followed the women. ¡°You must stay behind.¡± ¡°No! I am kaka!¡± ¡°You must stay behind because you are the kaka.¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°I stay behind. I am kaka.¡± The girl stepped after them for a moment, but she stopped. ¡®I stay behind. I am kaka.¡¯ The girl looked aside. ¡®Hmph. I am kaka.¡¯ She crossed her hands behind her back and walked, deep in thought. ¡®I am kaka.¡¯ ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Isn¡¯t this bad? Aren¡¯t my kids too cute? What am I saying? They have to be this cute, since I¡¯m so stupid.¡¯ As Adam made the joke for the umpteenth time that year, the old one armed Iyrman remained sitting outside, having seen the children as they had left the estate. ¡®They were born healthy. Good.¡¯ The children gathered around Adam, even Jirot, who had long forgotten what she was contemplating so deeply. ¡°You! You all understand, right? You cannot bully them, since they¡¯re so young, your little sister and cousin. You have to love them as much as you can, you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the children replied excitedly. ¡°No bully!¡± Jirot confirmed. ¡°Jirot, do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the girl replied, puffing out her chest. ¡°Konarot...¡± Adam brushed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re the eldest.¡± Adam picked her up and kissed her cheek. ¡°You need to watch over her too.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl¡¯s tail swayed gently. ¡°No, what am I saying? They¡¯ll stay small and cute forever.¡± Though Adam¡¯s cringe was heavy upon the air, they forgave him, just this once. ¡®Seven children,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Seven...¡¯ Adam remained beside Vonda, who put their youngest to sleep, and allowed Cirot to watch over her. ¡°You need to take the month off, same with Pam. It¡¯s required by the business, the same as Amira, and the others. Understand?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Vonda replied, holding his hand. ¡°I will need to train once I am rested. I feel I have grown weaker.¡± ¡®And...¡¯ Vonda didn¡¯t want to admit it, but the heaviness that had taken her body, which had once been rather lean, had worn her spirits down. Adam continued to hold her hand, rubbing her knuckles. ¡°What do you want for our baby girl? What do you want her to become?¡± ¡°I wish for her to become a Priest.¡± ¡°If she wants to, she can. If she doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°I will not restrict her.¡± Adam leaned in, nuzzling against her neck, before wrapped an arm around his wife. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, don¡¯t be afraid to ask, alright?¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Damrot is so cute too, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Ranya. Merry...¡± Adam tutted. ¡°These kids, they think because they¡¯re so cute, I¡¯ll spoil them. They¡¯re right, but still, they should show me mercy, shouldn¡¯t they?¡± Vonda smiled, squeezing his hand, allowing Adam to rant to her, while she rested against her husband. Lord Morkarai met with Adam, pouring him a drink. ¡°Congratulations.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad she is born with such great health,¡± Morkarai said, smiling, the guilt a shadow upon his face. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. The half elf smiled, reaching over to pat the Prince¡¯s knee, before the pair drank together. ¡°Are you heading back soon?¡± ¡°Soon,¡± Morkarai confirmed. ¡°I should begin my journey before the month passes.¡± ¡°Stay until the end of the month at least! You need to see how adorable my kids are, and I know you guys take a while to gather information!¡± Morkarai smiled, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°I will do just that. I will journey home, and within a few years, I shall send an appropriate gift for your daughter. For...¡± For a moment, Morkarai wondered if he was allowed to say her name. ¡°For Virot.¡± ¡°A gift?¡± Adam asked, also noting how he hesitated for saying Virot¡¯s name, but he poured the giant another drink. Morkarai smirked, not allowing his guilt to slip him up in that regard, since they were different matters. ¡°Are you keeping me in suspense?¡± Adam asked, glaring at the Prince playfully. ¡°I am certain it will not displease you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam replied, chuckling. He sipped his wine, narrowing his eyes. ¡°It can¡¯t be too good, though. You can¡¯t outshine me, since I¡¯m her father.¡± ¡°How can I outshine you? It will be great, but it will be just one gift, when you will spoil her many times, and certainly with greater gifts.¡± ¡°What slick words... you really are a Prince!¡± Adam poured the fire giant another drink, laughing. Morkarai chuckled, the pair conversing for some time, before Morkarai finally asked. ¡°Will you watch over Jasmine?¡± ¡°Are you asking me to do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Do you wish to know more?¡± ¡°Is it dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t tell me. I want the plausible deniability, just in case.¡± ¡°I will inform her of the good news.¡± While the Prince and Adam chat away, Jaygak lay on the wall, staring up at the sky. ¡®She has such lovely ears, but shouldn¡¯t she have horns?¡¯ ¡°Jaygak...¡± Kitool said from the shadows. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to, since my niece was just born!¡± Kitool allowed her to think her stupid thoughts. Double chapter today courtesy of a new patron! Interlude: A Father’s Worries Interlude: A Father¡¯s Worries The stars twinkled over the business. Outside, beyond the bridge, Jarot poured his grandson a cup of wine. The trickling of the wine broke the silent, before Jarot placed down the bottle, and he held up the cup, raising it with his grandson, before the pair sipped it. A moment of silence swallowed them. ¡°You are a father now,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°I... have a son,¡± Jurot replied, his voice unsure. ¡°Is it so easy to be a father?¡± Jarot asked. He leaned back in his chair, staring up at the dark sky. ¡°You are no longer free as you once were. When it was just your nieces and nephews, you could still journey as you pleased, but now? Now you have a son.¡± Jurot could see his grandfather was looking into another time. ¡°He was that small too. Your father. In my heart, I did not like it. I did not like the feeling I could not do as I pleased. Father and mother, they picked him up. He was so light. Their first grandchild. From me? It surprised them. They did not believe I would return. They did not believe I would marry before my brother. They did not believe I would give them a grandchild so soon.¡± Jarot closed his eyes, seeing the faces of the pair when they had picked up his son. ¡°Surot was so easy to raise, just like you were so easy to raise for him.¡± Jurot sat up a little prouder, his lips twitching into a smile. ¡°Mirot¡¯s birth was more difficult. I knew she would be troublesome.¡± The old man let out a sigh, a sigh which had denoted how old he had become thanks to his daughter. ¡°Farot...¡± Jurot could hear the deep sadness within his grandfather¡¯s voice. ¡°I could have journeyed elsewhere. Those islands the Aldish conquered? They could have been mine. I could have had ten women. Twenty. Fifty. I could have had hundreds of children. Thousands of grandchildren. I was that wild! I was that strong!¡± Jarot growled, but quickly quietened down, not wishing to wake the people within the fort, even so far as he was. ¡°No...¡± Jarot smiled. ¡°No. I would not give this life up for another. How is it that it is my Mirot who troubles me the least? My Farot, dead. My Surot, missing.¡± The old man drank the rest of his wine from his cup. ¡°It is you who have given me my first grandson, the first of the main family.¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Not the first.¡± Jarot¡¯s lips formed a small frown. ¡°First in the eyes of the Iyr.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, glancing down at his cup of wine, which his grandfather then filled to the brim once more. ¡°Damrot son of Jurot,¡± Jarot said. ¡°You should have named him Durot.¡± ¡°Cousin Durot would be overshadowed,¡± Jurot joked. Jarot chuckled, sipping away at the peach wine. ¡°Kurot? Vurot? No...¡± The old man sighed. ¡°Damrot is a good name. Damrot, son of Jurot. Virot, daughter of Vonda.¡± Jarot motioned his hand out to his grandson, who leaned in. He rubbed the boy¡¯s head. ¡°I remember your birth too. My first son¡¯s first son. My first grandchild. You were small too. Your father did not cry much, but you? I know you would grow well, because your cries were so strong. Your father did not change much, but he was always good. I did not dote on him as I should have, but he saw how I treated Farot, and he treated you that well. Not the same, no, but well. He took you to your outings. You hated wolves for some time after.¡± Jurot remained silent, allowing the silence to fall over them. The old man finished the cup of wine, inhaling deeply, before letting out a long sigh. Jarot stared at the sky, noting the stars, noting all those which remained, and all those which had dimmed, even over his own time. The silence allowed Jurot to think. He thought about what he had done that year. He thought about his journey with Prince Morkarai, and what little of a story which he had returned with. He thought of the time within the Undersea Kingdom. Adam, who had fought the Coralguard. Adam, who had fought the Prince, and not just fight, he beat them both. He thought of the return, where there were few who were worthy enough to defeat. Urtas? He supposed. No, urtas weren¡¯t good enough. Lord Marshal Royce, the previous Knight of Death, who was considered King Merryweather¡¯s peer, a man who would even call Sir Robin, one of the Paragons of Aldland, a little girl? He, too, had been Adam¡¯s. The forest drake? No, that had been far too disappointing. Then what was next? An ancient Lich they had allowed to roam free because they were too weak? In the first year Adam and Jurot had met, what had they done? They had adventured slightly, but upon their return, they came across him. Balrog. Balrog the Bane. Jurot no longer felt the rage for Balrog as he once had. They had met upon their return, and though Jurot had wanted to face him, the Iyrmen did not involve themselves in such business. It was difficult, for the Iyr was both neutral, and yet so friendly with the villages. Against the undead, the beasts? They would assist. Against bandits? That was different. Jurot, as an Iyrman, had to step back from facing Balrog. Yet, he recalled the words which spurred him forward. They were the words in which his now brother had spoken, allowing him to regain the honour he had lost and had washed away the shame. Balrog had dared to use him against his own father, and they had to return back home. He had not harmed the boy, however, and so, technically, the Iyr didn¡¯t need to slaughter them all. It was then, perhaps, Adam had managed to worm his way into Jurot¡¯s heart. However, it was when his mother had stated Adam was his brother, that Adam became his brother. When his mother spoke, words were true. What else did Jurot need to think? Adam, who knew of Lanarot before them. Adam, who had made sure, at least in this life, that the boy could meet the sister he never knew existed. If he had died against the herbearvore, he would have never known his sister, and now, he¡¯d have never known his son. Lanarot, when she had been born, had known two brothers, each with great victories. Damrot? Adam had done enough for him, but what of Jurot, his own father? ¡°Jurot,¡± the old man finally said. ¡°Fail, if you must, but try. Try to raise your son well, and fail as many times as you must, for the Iyr never forgets. The Iyr never forgets its debts. The Iyr never forgets its children. From those who die within its borders, to those who die outside. For those who return, and for those who turn to ash.¡± ¡®Ash,¡¯ Jurot thought, his heart sinking. He closed his eyes, and felt it, the pain in his heart upon thinking his son could turn to ash. Even though he was a member of the Rot family, this was too much. ¡°Adam does not have such a luxury,¡± Jarot whispered, not wishing to speak the words, but he had to. He knew it in his heart, that whatever may come, the children, those children who adored him so much, would not know of the Iyr¡¯s warmth as he had. ¡°Adam has we of the Rot family,¡± Jurot said, his voice clear, his eyes meeting his grandfather¡¯s. Jarot could see it, within his grandson¡¯s eyes. There was a murkiness to the clarity of those eyes. A murkiness even he couldn¡¯t dispel, for they both knew it to be true. The old man sipped the rest of his wine. ¡°Yes. So he does.¡± Triple chapter because I forgot there was an interlude. [981] – Y04.081 – A Father’s Worries [981] ¨C Y04.081 ¨C A Father¡¯s Worries ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called. ¡°Let us fight in the nightval tournament.¡± ¡°You want to go to the tournament this year?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I wish to win the tournament for my son,¡± Jurot replied simply. Adam closed his eyes. ¡®Isn¡¯t my brother the cutest?¡¯ His eyes then opened, falling upon his wife, and his sister in law. The pair were still tired, and needed the time off, but also, wouldn¡¯t they need their husbands at this time? ¡°Vonda,¡± Adam said, a while later, needing some time to think before could give Jurot a firm reply. ¡°What do you think? Jurot... he wants to win the tournament. He can do it, but...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I mean, I came third, and I want to get first place too, but... you just gave birth, you and Pam.¡± ¡°I will be fine in the Iyr, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah, but, if we go now, we can make the tournament. We can win, sure. Travelling back during the Twilight Month? It¡¯s dangerous. I don¡¯t think we should travel back during it, and...¡± Adam frowned deeper. ¡°What kind of husband would I be if I missed our first anniversary? What kind of brother would I be if I allowed Jurot to miss his first anniversary with Pam? What kind of brother would I be if I didn¡¯t help him go?¡± Vonda reached out to Adam¡¯s face, brushing it tenderly, smiling warmly towards him. ¡®How can my husband be this cute?¡¯ ¡°Vonda, you should be thinking I¡¯m handsome,¡± Adam said, fairly certain she could understand her eyes. ¡°You are always so handsome, dear.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, huffing with pride. ¡°I am handsome.¡± ¡°You should go. I will be fine here, in the business.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You must win and bring back glory for your children. Jirot, she often mentions how you are third place, what will Virot think as she listens to her sister¡¯s words?¡± Vonda joked, smiling wide. ¡°You¡¯re right. If Jirot keeps bullying me like this, Virot will also bully me. It¡¯s already difficult enough to handle one, but now, there are two of them!¡± Adam said, changing his voice slightly, smiling wide, only to frown. ¡®Right. I should explain my references to her when they come up.¡¯ ¡°What an interesting story,¡± Vonda said, seeing how much joy the tale brought to her husband, even if he wasn¡¯t explaining it that well. ¡°So the father, to protect his son, killed the greatest evil and redeemed himself? Did he not kill thousands, upon thousands, of people? He was almost as evil, but because he killed the greatest evil to protect his son, he was considered good?¡± ¡°Okay, I get that he killed a lot of people, and... okay, so he killed them all, the men, the woman and the children too, but... then he kept killing more children, but look, it was the...¡± Adam paused. ¡°I completely agree with you actually, but it¡¯s still a cool universe.¡± Vonda wasn¡¯t certain she could trust such a force of magic that was so... weird. ¡®I should make one in this world,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No, that would be silly, and difficult.¡¯ Adam realised how many things he had done that were already silly and difficult. ¡®Yes, but this is different. It would be cool, though.¡¯ Adam spent his time walking through the business, mulling over his thoughts. The silliness within his thoughts faded, and a seriousness overtook him. ¡®Seriously, my seventh child is the only one I don¡¯t really need to worry about, except for all the people that was to kill her because she¡¯s a half elf.¡¯ Adam groaned. ¡®Seriously, how is it that my child, a half elf, is the one least likely to be hunted?¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s thinking of such thoughts again?¡± Korin shook his head lightly, unsure of how Adam could do it. ¡°He is always thinking such thoughts,¡± Dunes said. ¡°He will think himself to death.¡± Korin chuckled, but stopped upon seeing the harsh look within Dunes¡¯ eyes. Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Sending ¡°Lord Marshal Royce, we will be heading to the North soon. May I send word to the King for the favour he owes? Thank you.¡± ¡®You may.¡¯ Mana: 22 -> 19 Spell: Sending ¡°King Merryweather, I am messaging you for the promise owed. Please make it illegal in your Kingdom to kill goblins and demons. Thank you.¡± Adam had felt the spell leave him, but he heard no response. ¡®Ah, right, Jurot did say he may have been warded.¡¯ Meanwhile, Lucy bothered Jurot. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t refu-, what?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°We can go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Lucy exchanged a look with Mara, before looking back at Jurot. ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± Jurot nodded. Adam finally met with Jurot. The pair stared into one another¡¯s eyes. Adam and Jurot clasped forearms. ¡°First place,¡± Adam stated. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I need to... I need to finish up with a few things first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam invited Morkarai to his personal house within the inner fort, pouring the fire giant a drink, before flavouring it with his magic. Morkarai sipped along it, before smiling, tasting the fruit from slightly north of his mountains. ¡°Lord Morkarai, I have another request for you.¡± ¡°If it is within my power.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Adam smiled. Once he was done asking Prince Morkarai for his request, the same request he had made of the giant for his daughter, Adam went to his Aunt, before pausing. He turned his head, looking to his eldest daughter, who was lazing about in the cool air of nightval, the girl peeking towards her father. Upon noting he was looking at her, she began to stand, and shuffled her way to him, her younger siblings following her. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Just grow up slowly, happy and healthy.¡± Adam held the boy close, kissing his forehead. ¡®What am I to do with you?¡¯ ¡°...¡± Adam also said goodbye to the rest of his companions, teasing them all. He also said goodbye to the children, including Ranya and Merry, even though they wouldn¡¯t remember him. ¡°I don¡¯t give you permission to grow up too quickly either, but I¡¯ll forgive you, since you¡¯re so cute,¡± Adam said to both, minutes apart. ¡°Mister Adam,¡± called the stilted magical voice. ¡°Good luck.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied, ruffling George¡¯s hair. George flushed, glad Fred had encouraged him to say goodbye. ¡°Fred,¡± Adam called, before nodding his head. Fred returned the head nod. ¡°Elsie...¡± Adam dropped to a knee before her. ¡°We¡¯re going to head to East Port first. Is there anything you want us to bring back?¡± ¡°Um.¡± Elsie thought. ¡°Rammy.¡± ¡°Rammy?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can bring Rammy back, but is there a gift you want?¡± ¡°Um.¡± She thought. ¡°I want...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get you something nice, don¡¯t worry.¡± Adam winked, before checking on his companions. Prince Morkarai and Adam also shared a moment, clasping each other¡¯s forearms. Adam bowed his head, and Morkarai returned it. ¡°Make sure you invite me to your wedding too.¡± ¡°I will,¡± the Prince assured. As they finished their preparations to leave, Adam paused. ¡°Jirot.¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot charged up to her father, standing tall and ready for mischief. ¡°I will definitely come first place.¡± ¡°Smelly boy,¡± Jirot replied, cackling. ¡°You are third place!¡± ¡°I might be third place in your heart, but... daddy will be first place! I¡¯m going to win, okay?¡± ¡°Daddy! You must bully babo when you go!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one whose meant to ask you that!¡± Adam lifted the girl up, smothering her with kisses. ¡°Daddy...¡± Little Jarot stared up at his father, with those large and round amber eyes. ¡°You too!¡± Adam smothered his son with kisses too, while the triplets watched. Lucy allowed him to adore his children another time before they left, since he was going to be cringe if he didn¡¯t get his fill of them now. ¡®Since I got to say goodbye to them already, I¡¯ll allow it.¡¯ ¡°Jirot, you must bully your babo too, okay?¡± Jirot looked to her greatfather, who held out his hand, and the girl rushed over to grab it, giggling delightfully. ¡°Jababy! You have to bully your babo!¡± Little Jarot looked up to his greatfather shyly, before hiding beside his leg, hugging it. ¡®Et tu, Jarot?¡¯ Adam reached for his heart. ¡°I¡¯m only forgiving you this once because you¡¯re so cute!¡± The old Jarot¡¯s laughter almost drowned out the well wishes of the children. ¡°Come home safely!¡± shouted the children, except for the usual suspect. ¡°You must say it,¡± Jarot said, ruffling her hair. ¡°You must.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Sonarot called. ¡°Come home safely!¡± the girl screamed, causing even Jarot to wince, though he was proud of her lungs. ¡®Yes! She is my greatdaughter!¡¯ As the group made their way out, with the wolves taking turns in the cart, Adam stared out at the sky. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going to take it seriously. Just for this season, I¡¯m going to take it seriously.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. He glanced to the side, to the half elf staring at the world ahead of them. He noted how dark his eyes were, and how focused they had become. ¡®...¡¯ Adam remained focus on the text before his eyes. ¡®...¡¯ XP: 16 700 -> 16 000 What? They''re leaving, this late in the year? Where''s my slice of life? No! [982] – Y04.082 – Level Up! [982] ¨C Y04.082 ¨C Level Up! XP: 16 000 -> 0 Level Up! Level: 7 -> 8 HP: 91 -> 104 Gained: Feat/ASI Constitution: 16 -> 18 HP: 104 -> 112 Adam was unsure if he would regret levelling up, but he took it as a sign that it was a good idea when they had managed to arrive within East Port swiftly, and more importantly, safely. Unfortunately for him, he had no idea the storm that raged within the business. ¡°Adam...¡± Lucy glared at him, as they settled themselves within the Guild, not noticing that Mara was also glaring at the half elf. ¡°We should spend a few days in East Port.¡± Adam slowly nodded, understanding that their journey had been rather rough. They travelled about fifty miles a day with their magical steeds, and even their wolves were beginning to feel the burden on their bodies, even when they had allowed Sky to stay within the carriage with Jaygak and Kitool. ¡®My ass hurts so bad too,¡¯ the half elf thought. ¡®Only my wife-, no, I said I wouldn¡¯t be cringe, so I need to get rid of any cringe thoughts too.¡¯ ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, before blinking. ¡°Kitool, can-,¡± Adam glanced towards the Iyrman, blinking again. ¡®No. I should take Jurot with me, since I said I¡¯d behave.¡¯ ¡°Jurot, would you mind coming with me to cause a mess?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®Didn¡¯t you tell us that you weren¡¯t going to do that?¡¯ Lucy and Jaygak thought, though the pair held very different facial expressions about the matter. ¡®Oh dear,¡¯ Mother Priest thought, noting the appearance of the figure within the puthral plate armour, and the young man who wore the tattoos of those who wrought death upon the world. ¡°I apologise for showing up unannounced, I thought about sending word, but I thought to surprise you,¡± Adam said, accepting the tea from the Priest. He smiled politely to the woman, who smiled politely in return. ¡°It is certainly a surprise to see you,¡± Mother Priest admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve come to inform you of a few matters, the first being of which, that my child was born healthy,¡± Adam said. Mother Priest smiled. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Congratulations. I hope that your child only knows great health.¡± ¡°Well, her mother is a Ray,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly, though a hint of nervousness followed. ¡°I was rather worried, since I¡¯m a fool, but it seems she¡¯s so healthy, and of course she¡¯ll be happy, since her mother is so amazing.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the woman said, sipping her tea. ¡°Do you wish for us to anoint your child?¡± ¡°Ah, well, I didn¡¯t bring her along.¡± Adam continued to smile. ¡°Speaking of adorable children, Elsie is doing well within the business. She¡¯s gotten quite close with Cobra, a young woman from East Port, who she feels comfortable around. I didn¡¯t notice, because I was so busy working, and so stressed, but I¡¯m glad that I have such dependable workers.¡± ¡°If it is difficult...¡± Mother Priest noted the look Jurot gave her, and she sipped her tea. ¡°I wanted to mention those two things first to have you put down your guard, I actually have two other reasons why I¡¯ve come,¡± Adam said, holding up the shield he brought. He hadn¡¯t brought his red shield, Strong Shield, but a shield of fairly basic design. ¡°I¡¯ve come to donate this shield, and we set aside some coin from the business to donate as part of the business¡¯ religious tax, and I hope you will accept it for the business¡¯ workers. I also added in a little more, partly to apologise, but also for your kind words, and your thoughts for worrying over Elsie.¡± Jurot placed a large chest upon the table, one that could easily house a thousand coins. ¡®He brought a shield?¡¯ Mother Priest smiled, a far more genuine smile this time, first glancing at the shield, then towards the chest, which was no doubt full of copper and silver. ¡°Mother Soza praise you, Brother Adam. Your donation is far too kind.¡± ¡°This is a donation from the United Kindom, Mother Priest. I hope you will accept, otherwise what am I meant to say to my wife?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Certainly, we will accept the...¡± Mother Priest said, having reached up to brush along the shield, only to feel the light tingling sensation. ¡®???¡¯ Adam continued to smile towards the woman, the silence filling the room. ¡°... Brother Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is this the shield you wished to donate?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± ¡°Is it... magical?¡± ¡°Of course. We do deal with magical items, after all, and magical shields are a part of that.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam continued to smile innocently. ¡®Damn, it feels good to be rich.¡¯ Mother Priest remained silent for a long moment. ¡®Can I accept this?¡¯ Adam waved his hand, leaving after finishing his tea, letting out a relieved sigh. ¡®Damn, it feels good to be rich.¡¯ Jurot noted the repeated thought upon his brother¡¯s face. ¡®He likes to spend money so freely?¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you a noble?¡± Adam stopped, turning his head slowly to catch his brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jurot. That¡¯s too far.¡± ¡°To sponsor us for the tournament.¡± ¡°We should find a sponsor from the North.¡± ¡°Oh? Is that how that works?¡± ¡°It is best to find someone from the North. In every tournament, it is difficult when one is sponsored by an outside family, but in the North, it is more extreme.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°How are we going to do that?¡± ¡°We should meet with the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°Is it so easy to meet with the Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°No, but we have a token.¡± ¡°We do?¡± ¡°You received it from Lord Royce.¡± ¡®What did I receive from Lord Royce?¡¯ While the troublemakers remained within the Guild, the last remaining troublemaker, under escort from Kitool, the most sensible of the entire group, caused a larger mess. ¡°If the Duchess doesn¡¯t wish to see us, then please return this plaque to her,¡± Jaygak said, handing over the silver plaque they had received from the Duchess previously. She smiled politely towards the servant, while Kitool remained stone faced, her heart picking up wildly. ¡®Jaygak.¡¯ Kitool whispered deep within her heart. ¡®Jaygak!¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s returning the plaque?¡¯ the servant thought, staring at it. ¡®Can they do that?¡¯ They didn¡¯t have to wait long for the Duchess to make some time, changing almost nothing within her schedule to allow them to meet her swiftly. She had wanted to make them wait for two hours, but Jaygak¡¯s warning caused her to meet them with haste. ¡®No, no, it¡¯s fine, you can just take it. If the Iyr heard that I was waiting for an Eastsea, how much shame would I bring to my family? If my grandaunt heard, she would tell my niece, and she would never look at me the same again.¡¯ ¡®Your Grace, her smile was like that of poison,¡¯ the servant had said, at his wit¡¯s end. Kitool continued to internally scream, her heart pounding within her chest. ¡®Jaygak, how is this helping?¡¯ ¡®Iyrmen are so troublesome,¡¯ the Duchess thought, calling for them to approach into the garden, which had transformed since they had last entered. ¡®What a maze,¡¯ Jaygak thought, noting the entrances and exits within the garden, and counting the guards and servants. Kitool wasn¡¯t too bothered about the exits or entrances, since she would find it easier to dart around the hedges. However, she did note the guards and servants too, and considered all the things she had been taught to consider, from the direction of the wind, to the way the shadows drooped, to the lines of sight which could hold potential hidden foes, but she could also use if it was required. ¡°Executives, I heard you required a meeting urgently,¡± Duchess Dalia Eastsea said, waiting for the pair of women while already seated upon her large marble throne, sitting a step above where the remaining chairs lay. She wore a deep blue dress, with bits of armour splattered across her attire, connected by silver chains. A sapphicule dagger rested at her side, settled within white leather. Jaygak smiled, crossing her hand over navel, ignoring the knights who glared at the young Iyrman. ¡°We won¡¯t keep you long, Duchess. You must be very busy, and we appreciate you making time for us. I¡¯m here to discuss with you a matter that I¡¯d like to bring to your attention.¡± ¡°What matter is that?¡± The woman motioned hand for them to sit, and while Kitool reached for a chair, Jaygak remained standing, holding the woman¡¯s eye line. Jaygak smiled, feeling Kitool¡¯s hopeful gaze upon her. ¡®How much trouble would Jirot like?¡¯ Jurot noted the return of the pair of Iyrmen, catching Kitool¡¯s eyes. ¡®What happened to make you look like that?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, reaching for the letter, stamped with the Duchess¡¯ seal. ¡°Don¡¯t open it,¡± Jaygak said, catching Adam before he could do anything stupid. ¡°It¡¯s a letter of introduction for the Blacksnow from the Eastsea family.¡± ¡®Blacksnow?¡¯ ¡°The Grand Duchess¡¯ family,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Oh! Whoa! Jaygak, how did you manage that?¡± ¡°I threatened the Duchess. ¡°Of course you did,¡± Adam said, letting out a small sigh. ¡°You would threaten the...¡± Adam caught Jaygak¡¯s eyes. ¡°When you say threaten, do you mean... threaten?¡± ¡°What else does threaten mean?¡± Adam glanced towards Kitool, who, for once, let out a tired sigh. ¡®What the hell? Jaygak! Please don¡¯t! Not when I have no XP!¡¯ I really did roll no encounters all the way to East Port. Everything is moving so quickly, meaning nothing will go wrong. Right? Adam Sheet [982] Adam Sheet [982] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 8 XP: 0 STR: 20 (+5)[+8] DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 18 (+4[+7] INT: 16 (+3)[+6] WIS: 12 (+1)[+4] CHA: 16 (+3)[+6] SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Wraith, dwarven warhammer, Strong Shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, obsidian holy symbol of Baktu, Fine Battleaxe Blanket, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick clothes, (2) clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf, journal, quill, ink, Steel Tag: 6 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 Obsidian (10), Tiger Eye (10), Amber (5), Diamond (4) 1: Identify, Searing Smite 2: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon 3: Elemental Weapon, Protection from Energy 4: Fabricate, Wall of Fire Prepared (10): Goodberry, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Sending, Adam¡¯s Tower, Counterspell, Revivify, Fireball, Healing Word, Hex 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door COMBAT Health: 112/112 DEF: 21/25 Mana: 25/25 Wraith: +10, 2d6 + 9/10 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 5/7 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +6, 2d6 Fire Frosbite (60¡¯). DC14, 2d6 Cold Adam grabbed Elegance and then Level 8 and he has more stamps into his Steel Tag, and I think that''s all. [983] – Y04.083 – Confrontation I [983] ¨C Y04.083 ¨C Confrontation I ¡°Stop it! Stop it now! Smelly boy!¡± Jirot pointed a finger up at Danagek, who pouted, and made to cry, only to stop as his father pulled him up. ¡°Are you bullying your niece?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°Or is your niece bullying you?¡± His eyes fell down to Jirot. ¡°I am not! I am not!¡± Jirot frowned, pouting, and glanced around for support. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I did not bully!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Jirot asked, blinking. ¡°Okay.¡± Tonagek held out his hand for the girl, who waddled over and placed her small hand within his, feeling how rough his skin was. Jirot blinked at the old man, who was the brother of her grandmother, like how Jarot was brother to her. ¡°What happened?¡± Tonagek asked, gently rubbing his thumb along the back of the girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Papo is coming to play, but he cannot!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°We are playing with Jitool!¡± ¡°You will not play with Danagek?¡± ¡°It is not time for playing with Danagek,¡± the girl replied. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It is time to play with Jitool.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Tonagek fell into thought. ¡°Will you play with Danagek later?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to play with Danagek. We can play and then we can eat. Danagek always so lovely, he always give me fruit.¡± ¡®Ah?¡¯ Tonagek thought. ¡°Okay, I will play with Danagek.¡± ¡°Baba, you want to play too?¡± Tonagek blinked. ¡°I wish to play with you.¡± ¡°Okay! Baba and papo can play.¡± Jirot pulled the older man along with her to her twin brother and kako. ¡®Ah?¡¯ Tonagek thought. ¡®It is not that she does not wish to play, but it must feel right to play?¡¯ While Tonagek thought so deeply of his grandniece, who had finally returned to the Iyr, her father accidentally caused a mess elsewhere. ¡°That sounds too good to be true,¡± Jane said, a young woman with black hair and dark eyes. She wore breastplate over chain, and carried a blade at her side. ¡°A bunch o¡¯ poppycock!¡± another shouted, laughing. ¡°You¡¯d find a more believable story in the docks.¡± ¡°Like I said,¡± Adam began, glancing aside to the thick, drunken fellow whose laughter almost drowned out his voice, ¡°we work for the Enchanter, and they¡¯re the ones that allow these great, and generous, terms.¡± ¡°Yeah, and my mother owns the docks,¡± the drunken fellow said. ¡®What with him and the docks?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, if you¡¯re someone whose already Steel in the Guild, then we¡¯d start you out a little higher, twenty gold, but once you pass through the training, which should last three to six month, you¡¯ll get paid thirty gold a month.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not a terrible wage, especially if he¡¯s promising a magical weapon with it later on...¡¯ Jane thought. ¡°My brother wields a weapon that makes even mine look like... well, mine is like a tiger, while his is a... no wait, mine is a bear, and his is a tiger.¡± ¡°Are tigers stronger than bears?¡± Jane asked. ¡°I think so? I don¡¯t know. Anyway, what I mean is, mine is strong, but my brother¡¯s is stronger. Actually, you said you recognised me from the tournament, so you should know my brother. Jurot, he¡¯s the guy that placed first, and Kitool, who placed second, she also has a weapon from the Enchanter.¡± ¡°I thought Sir Roseia placed first.¡± ¡°In the martial only section.¡± ¡°Oh! The Savage?¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly.¡± ¡°Steel Kick Kitool, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet my axe.¡± ¡°We refuse.¡± ¡°You refuse? Do you understand the situation you¡¯re in, boy?¡± ¡°You do not know the situation you are in,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Together, our companions, can defeat you.¡± ¡°All six of you? The Iyrmen, the half elf, the demons?¡± ¡®Demons?¡¯ the thought passed through the inndwellers. ¡°We can defeat you,¡± Jurot said, his voice assured. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 11 (10) Health: 112 -> 59 It all happened so suddenly. In the time between the bead of sweat had fallen down from Adam¡¯s jaw and onto his shirt, leaving a trail of dampness along his clothes, the shaft of the axe had struck against Adam¡¯s elbow and side. Jurot had managed to block the magical steel with Phantom, barely deflecting it away from the half elf¡¯s skin. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Adam thought, crashing against the side of the counter, before swiftly scrambling up to his feet. His arm throbbed with pain, but he gripped Wraith tight in hand, pushing away his thoughts. ¡°Fine, then,¡± Adam said, inhaling deeply. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 59 -> 64 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) D20 + 11 = 23 (12) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 25 (6)(10) Damage resisted! 17 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical hit! Wraith: 3 -> 0 Mana: 24 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 12D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 102 (9)(48)(36) Damage resisted! 69 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 24 (13) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 20 -> 16 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 49 (14)(26) Damage resisted! 38 damage! Attack - Wizard¡¯s Axe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 28 (17) Hit! Mana: 16 -> 15 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 15 (4)(2) Damage resisted! 8 damage! Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 8 = 14 (1, 5) Health: 64 -> 78 Adam focused upon the Noskan, bursting red with rage. The half elf¡¯s axe carved through the air as he focused, clashing with the Rage Dancer, while Jurot flanked beside him, and Kitool¡¯s shadowy form blurred beside him. A pair of axes fell against the Noskan, and the staff crashed against him as Kitool willed her inner strength into the Noskan, trying to freeze him in place so they could defeat him. The Noskan¡¯s focus had been upon the half elf, who had spoken of this mythical business, one where they seemed to apparently look after their own. The flashes of memories, the charred buildings, the blade through his side, slipped through his mind. He roared, and though he had barely recognised the tattoos on the Iyrman¡¯s forehead, of the blue circle and diamonds, he cared very little. He wanted this half elf put down, and even if some crazy Iyrman¡¯s grandson struck him, he didn¡¯t even bother to think of much else. Except, he had also ignored the other Iyrman. As her staff crashed against him, the young woman also struck him through his side, at a particular point, exploding forth her inner energy. He had blocked it out. Once. Twice. Thrice. Eight times. That¡¯s how may times Kitool could force her inner energy into someone. It had been seven not long ago, but now, she could do so eight times. Piercing through his great fortitude had been difficult. The first time, she had failed. The second time, she had failed. The third time, the fourth time? Failure. The fifth time? The fifth time, the Noskan, as he swung his greataxe, threatening to bisect the half elf without his armour, froze in place. Jane and the Noskan hadn¡¯t realised that Kitool was not the same Kitool as she was within the tournament. In the tournament, the woman did not use the staff within her hands, the staff that had certainly would have allowed her to defeat even Jurot. ¡°Step back, Adam,¡± Jaygak said, noting how Adam had paused, unsure of what to do. ¡°The fight is over.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked, noting the way the frozen Noskan continued to rage, even after having been beaten. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± Jaygak drew her blade, and with a single swipe, she tore into the Noskan¡¯s frozen front, barely cutting through a layer of flesh as her blade swam through the air, while Kitool¡¯s staff crashed against him once more. The redness faded to white, almost like fresh snow, and the Noskan fell to the ground, still. Victory! XP Gained: +1000 XP: 0 -> 1 000 Adam could feel the way his heart pounding, and now that the adrenaline began to fade, he felt the ache at his shield arm and his side, which had been bruised so terribly. ¡°Adam, heal him lightly,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Alright.¡± Lay on Hands: 40 -> 39 Quest Complete: A Refusal of Death XP Gained: +100 XP: 1 000 -> 1 100 Well that escalated quickly. [984] – Y04.084 – Confrontation II [984] ¨C Y04.084 ¨C Confrontation II ¡®Seriously, they called me to deal with him?¡¯ the knight in the finely made plate armour thought. The blade at his side was wrapped in a scarf. The symbol of East Port, not the Duchess, had been engraved within his armour. ¡®I still get nightmares from when he beat me.¡¯ The old man¡¯s heart ached, his shoulder pulsing harder. ¡®If he hadn¡¯t been beaten before I got there, what did you expect me to do?¡¯ He was glad Raging Bull was now the Duchess¡¯ problem. ¡®Now I¡¯ve got to worry about those kids?¡¯ The dawn¡¯s rays began to greet the ships at the port. ¡°Eh?¡± Adam called out, noting the heavily armoured fellow, who wore a blade at his side, wrapped within a scarf. The silver medallion worn against his chest, pinned the long cloak he wore, which was almost unseen due to how similar the colour was to the plate armour. ¡°Commander Stone Sword? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Marshal Stone Sword, no, eh, Marshal Black,¡± the Marshal replied, clearing his throat. ¡°I¡¯m here to escort you to the North.¡± ¡°You¡¯re here to escort us? Why?¡± Adam asked, before feeling a strange sensation flow over him, glancing around as he noticed the way his companions were looking at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Did you forget?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I¡¯m certain I have,¡± Adam replied, sure of himself. If it was anything Adam was known for, it was being a fool of a father, being cringe, being a fool of a father, forgetting things, being a fool of a father, and only knowing the same jokes. ¡°We¡¯re passing East Fort on the way.¡± ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Adam, have you really forgotten.¡± ¡°Give me a hint at least.¡± ¡°You offended a noble last year.¡± ¡°Jaygak, do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?¡± ¡°It was one specific noble, who wanted to harm our VIPs.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam said, closing his eyes, thinking. ¡°The Marquess,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You beat up the Marshal of the East,¡± Kitool said finally, unable to contain herself. She inhaled and sighed, meditating to calm herself. ¡°Oh. Yeah. Right. The guy. He came with an army, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah, I vaguely remember that. I thought you meant the Prince.¡± ¡°The Prince?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You know, the Merman Prince.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t last year.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t?¡± ¡°No, that was this year.¡± ¡°Really? Wow. I don¡¯t know, it felt like it was last year. Then, when was it that I offended... you know what, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Adam waved his hand, dismissing the thoughts he had. ¡°What¡¯s the use of remembering stuff like that, when I can remember all my chil-,¡± Adam straightened up, catching Lucy¡¯s eye. ¡°I stopped myself.¡± Lucy smacked her lips together and shrugged her shoulders. He had managed to stop himself in time, so she allowed him this moment. Marshal Black¡¯s eyes fell across them all. He inhaled deeply and let out a sigh, joining Kitool in her meditation for a moment. His eyes then fell to Jaygak, who had caused such a mess at the Duchess¡¯ estate. ¡°Miss Jaygak, was it?¡± ¡°Marshal Black,¡± she replied. ¡°Do you fare well, this year?¡± Jaygak glanced aside towards Adam, before looking out to the sea. ¡°It has been a long year, Marshal.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the Marshal replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°I was hoping to meet you again.¡± ¡°You were?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I thought you were going to call me stupid.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was making a joke about how even though I¡¯m stupid, a stopped clock is right twice a day, because-,¡± Adam waved his hand. ¡°Filliam would have gotten it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jane felt regret for the first, but not the last time, that journey. ¡®He¡¯s married to a Ray?¡¯ Marshal Black thought. ¡®What in the Divine?¡¯ Mother Priest stared at the gem for a long while. ¡®You handed over a thousand gold to the small temple, but a hundred to us?¡¯ She smiled, leaning back within her chair. ¡®Virot.¡¯ The group continued along their journey, and Adam made the second smartest decision in his life. If the first was marrying Ray Vonda, the second was deciding to keep his mouth shut as they passed through the outposts and towns, and even the other Orders, doing his best to zone out from the world. He could hear Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak deal with the soldiers and the members of the Order, meanwhile, he and Lucy exchanged looks, sighing. Lucy was being targeted for the same reason as Mara. Adam was being targeted because he was an idiot who had picked a fight with the Marquess to protect Alex. Also, because he was a filthy leaf ear. Marshal Black glanced upon Adam, who assisted with forming a small camp, the half elf shifting the earth around, while the planks were placed into position. He had to step forward to protect Adam a few times, and with the Duchess¡¯ seal, it was, perhaps not easy or simple, but if the Marshal of the East himself didn¡¯t come, then it was going to be fine. While he was trying to understand Adam, it was the tower, which the half elf had chanted into existence, which gave the Marshal pause from his thoughts. ¡®Eh?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long after the Marshal¡¯s thoughts were broken. ¡°We step foot onto the first area truly considered the North and we¡¯re instantly surrounded by bears?¡± Adam asked, noting how large the bears of the north were. ¡°What are they feeding you?¡± ¡°They are much bigger in the North,¡± Jane said, hiding the smirk on her lips, drawing her blade. The next day the group arrived at the town, and truly, it was a town of the North. The town was set among the hills, the walls standing tall and proud, like the Northerners he had met so far. The guards were few in number among the walls, though Adam noted they were each tall and strong, wielding hefty spears and shields, and blades at their side. They wore thick furs and chain, and considering how chilly the month had become, Adam understood why. Adam blocked out most of the journey as they continued, before finally, they had passed by many towns, outposts, before they arrived at the Order before North Amber. The Order before North Amber was a particular Order. The Order of the Black Moon. Adam squinted his eyes towards the Order¡¯s walls, which were definitely made by the hands of the Northerners, because they were thick, sturdy, and almost brought as much relief as the walls of the Iyr. However, while the walls were truly impressive, it was the Order¡¯s members which truly impressed Adam. Adorned in heavy armour, built of well made steel, and wielding weapons made of not just any steel, but of true jagite from Jaghi, the Oathsworn of the Order of the Black Moon were truly well equipped. Yet, though they had not drawn their blades, but Adam could already feel it, their intense pressure poised like a guillotine over his neck. ¡®Hold on,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I definitely didn¡¯t do anything to these guys, did I? No, wait, didn¡¯t I beat up one of their members during the tournament? They wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge with us because of that, would they? That¡¯s silly, but they are Northerners, so maybe?¡¯ Jurot could feel his brother¡¯s thoughts from beside him, and surely, Adam had forgotten. ¡°Hey,¡± Jane whispered. ¡°What did you do to them?¡± ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s my fault?¡± Adam asked, also trying to recall what he did. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the stories about all your families, but half the stories you¡¯ve all told me about your adventures, you¡¯re the one who caused the most trouble.¡± ¡°It was a rhetorical question,¡± Adam replied, feeling the ache in his heart. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to think about what I did. I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t offend them too bad, but I do remember one of them being a butt to me, but... weirdly, I feel like I didn¡¯t pick a fight at that time.¡± ¡°Ray Vonda dealt with it,¡± Jurot replied, recalling the meeting with one of their members. ¡°They are not angry because of you, but because grandfather took an arm from their Vice Commander during the war.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Jane and Marshal Black thought. ¡°Ah, right, they¡¯re not mad at me, they¡¯re mad at the old geezer for taking their arm, that¡¯s right,¡± Adam said, his voice light and full of humour, all within ear shot of the Order. Jane and the Marshal exchanged a glance between one another. ¡®Finally,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®It¡¯s not my fault.¡¯ Finally, it''s his not fault. Double chapter thanks to a new patron! [985] – Y04.085 – Confrontation III [985] ¨C Y04.085 ¨C Confrontation III ¡°Babo, you fight so much?¡± the little Jarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the old one armed Iyrman replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I fought because I fought.¡± ¡°I will not fight.¡± ¡°You will not fight?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Jirot asked, reaching out to her brother¡¯s hand, holding it gently. ¡°I do not like it.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Jarot replied. He wanted to nip such a dislike in the bud, but even he could not defeat his greatson¡¯s adorable innocence. ¡°If you do not wish to fight, then you do not need to fight.¡± Little Jarot smiled, leaning in to rest his cheek against his greatfather¡¯s chest, feeling the way it shifted, like the way Lanarot did with Sky every so often. He sucked his thumb, his eyes closing half way, as his sister joined him, the pair smiling at one another. Jarot held his greatchildren close to him, a hand wrapped around the girl, who he couldn¡¯t dare to drop his guard around. ¡°When you were still young, your babo had to fight in the war. It was not the same fighting. That time, I fought for you, my Jirot, my Jarot. You were still so small, and troublesome,¡± Jarot said, noting the way Jirot peeked up at him, smirking, before returning back to sucking her thumb. ¡®Hehehe,¡¯ the girl thought. ¡°I went to bring you glory.¡± The old man frowned, leaning his head back so his children would be unable to see his face. He closed his eyes, his knee throbbing. ¡°Babo beat up Aldishmen,¡± Jirot said. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± The old man smiled. ¡°Daddy tell me you fight and fight, and you are so strong.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°Yes, daddy always telling me you are so strong!¡± Jirot said. The old Jarot glanced back down at the pair, a wide grin across his face. ¡°Do you know that your father is my grandson.¡± ¡°I know! I know! Nano tell me!¡± Jirot said, sitting up taller. ¡°Papo is your grandson too!¡± She cackled as though it was forbidden knowledge. ¡°Yes.¡± The old Iyrman smiled, kissing their foreheads. ¡°I helped the Aldish against the Florians, but I fought the Aldish too.¡± ¡°You take arm,¡± Jirot said, holding up her hand. ¡°You did not take my arm, because it is my arm.¡± The girl smirked. ¡°That is right. I took his arm, do you know why?¡± ¡°He is bad?¡± ¡°The brat from Black Moon, she was cheeky, so I took her arm!¡± Jarot laughed wildly. It wasn¡¯t the first time he had spoken the tale, but they had been so young back then. ¡°Babo, I am cheeky too!¡± Jirot cackled. ¡°You are cheeky, but you are my greatdaughter, so you are allowed to be so cheeky!¡± ¡°Kekekeke!¡± The little girl squealed with delight and covered her mouth as she shook within her greatfather¡¯s arm, while the little boy smiled. ¡°Not all the Vice Commanders were so cheeky,¡± the old man admitted. ¡°There was the Vice Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, Sir Kris Huntsmaster. He was not so bad.¡± ¡°He is good boy?¡± Jarot thought of the girl¡¯s words. He glanced down towards her. ¡°Are you going to bully him?¡± ¡°Why are you being so shy?¡± Adam asked, right on cue, causing Lucy, Mara, Jane, and the Marshal to stare at him. ¡°Jurot recently became a father, and I recently had my seventh child, so we¡¯ve decided to win the nightval tournament.¡± A silence fell across the air. An avalanche of laughter erupted, tearing through the silence. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. He had thought they were laughing at the group, but this was a different kind of laughter. ¡°So, you had children!¡± the Grand Commander almost shouted. ¡°Congratulations!¡± The North, whose entire numbers barely reached just the capital city¡¯s numbers, held children in high regard too. Jurot wasn¡¯t sure if he should have allowed Adam to uncover what he had sworn to hide for the season, but Adam, whose face was full of shock, glanced around like a deer in headlights, before smiling slightly. Quest Complete: A Northern Welcome XP Gained: +100 XP: 1 400 -> 1 500 ¡°Isn¡¯t it unfair?¡± Adam asked, sipping the drink, as the Northerners poured him cup after cup. ¡°How can he do this? He¡¯s already so strong, handsome, and smart. Having cute children was my thing, but he took that away from me too? My own brother betrayed me like this?¡± ¡®He¡¯s gone too far,¡¯ Jaygak thought, but she ignored how cringe Adam was being since he had behaved for so long, and they were so close to North Amber now. They were but a day away, by next evening, they would be at North Amber, the second greatest city in all of the North. Grand Commander Sebastian poured Jurot a drink, who raised his cup, sipping at the wine. The pair sat opposite one another, remaining silent for a long moment. The Grand Commander had already stated his congratulations, so there was nothing to talk about. Except for that. ¡°You are as strong as your grandfather at his age,¡± Grand Commander Sebastian said. ¡°Perhaps stronger?¡± ¡°Grandfather is stronger,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Even so, you have yet to cause as much as a mess as him, and for that, we should be thankful.¡± Jurot didn¡¯t want to mention the reason why he didn¡¯t cause such a mess, but he allowed the reason to continue to complain and to rant and rave about his children to the rest of the Order. ¡°I have come to win the tournament and leave. We will not stay long in the North.¡± ¡°Will you stay during the Twilight Month?¡± ¡°It is likely.¡± ¡°Allow me to warn you, for there has been some sightings of savagery across the land recently,¡± Grand Commander Sebastian informed. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jane and the Marshal remained silent, glancing between one another, while the half elf showed himself to be a fool. However, what could they say, when they had seen Jurot beat a rising star of the Order so swiftly, and yet, somehow, the fool was considered to be stronger? The next afternoon, as the group made their way north, the soft rain of nightval bouncing off the stone road, the carriages stopped. ¡°What are those?¡± Adam asked, squinting his eyes. ¡°Ice trolls,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°We¡¯ve come across bears, wolves, but ice trolls? So close to the Order?¡± Adam asked, as though he understood the significance of such a thing. ¡°They must have travelled through the mountains,¡± Jurot said, donning his shield. ¡°They are dangerous.¡± ¡°How dangerous we talking?¡± ¡°There are five of them, so we may die if we do not kill them quickly,¡± Jurot said, holding up Phantom, swinging it several times to warm himself. ¡®Why are they talking so casually when the ice trolls are charging at us?¡¯ Marshal Black thought, grabbing his sword, which seemed to be made of stone. ¡®These guys are fucking crazy,¡¯ Jane realised, having drawn her blade midway, pausing as the thought crossed her mind. The howling of the wolves filled the air, as the trio of awakened wolves eagerly awaited the impending death. These Northerners, they ain''t so bad. [986] – Y04.086 – Confrontation IV [986] ¨C Y04.086 ¨C Confrontation IV ¡°Adam, you must hold back,¡± Jurot said in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®They¡¯re going to kill us and you want me to hold back?¡¯ ¡°You cannot use your greatest spells,¡± Jurot warned, feeling the wave of confusion from his brother beside him. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You should Flame Bolt those which require it.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 5 (4) ¡®Five ice trolls!¡¯ Marshal Black thought, swinging his blade violently, his blade crushing a troll¡¯s side, before the warrior focused his strikes against the side of the creature¡¯s neck, repeatedly striking the same spot, the creature frozen in place, for some reason. His blade crushed the creature¡¯s neck with a great force, while another blade cut at its knee. ¡°Focus,¡± the Marshal said, his voice calm, even though his heart beat wildly within his chest. ¡°It will be fine.¡± Except, he was certain it wouldn¡¯t be fine, for there were five ice trolls, and though he¡¯d be able to deal with one, with some assistance from fire, what about the rest of the warriors around him? Jane could already feel the chill within her heart as she stepped beside the Marshal. ¡®I guess they want me to shoot that one then?¡¯ Adam thought, holding out his hand. ¡°Flame Bolt.¡± Trick: Flame Bolt D20 + 6 = 21 (15) Hit! 2D6 = 7 (1,6) The Marshal turned as the fire seared the troll, ready to assist the others, his blade ready to crush another troll. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Jurot inhaled as the troll dropped behind him, charging forward towards the frozen troll, slashing and hacking it apart, while Mara¡¯s axe through its ribs, and Kitool assisted with her staff. Meanwhile, Jaygak and Lucy dealt with the last, the group having already slain the two trolls they had come across. Their weapons moved smoothly in the air, with greater strength, greater accuracy, save perhaps Kitool, who had already reached the pinnacle of her natural abilities, and yet, she could feel a greater strength coursing through her. Though they were against such terrible foes, for even one troll had almost killed Jurot while he fought beside Kitool and Jaygak previously, their thoughts were not upon the creatures before them, but the sensation which ran through them. Victory! XP Gained: +2000 XP: 1 500 -> 3 500 ¡®Eh,¡¯ Jane thought, noting how quickly they had dispatched the trolls. ¡®Wasn¡¯t that a little quick?¡¯ ¡®Eh,¡¯ Adam thought, noting how quickly they had dispatched the trolls. ¡®Wasn¡¯t that a little quick?¡¯ While the pair were stunned by the scene before them, the Iyrmen and Demons tensed up, noting the approaching force, at least a dozen figures, each heavily armoured, and heavily armed. ¡°How dare you!¡± called a shout from the woman, who undid her helmet to reveal her beautiful face, her hair as black as the ocean depths, her eyes dark grey. ¡°Who are you to interrupt my hunt?¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me,¡± Adam said, taken aback by the viciousness within her voice, more vicious than even the trolls. Jaygak threw Adam a look, wondering if she needed to step forward, but his tone was rather gentle. ¡°I¡¯m Adam Fate, and I¡¯m sorry about that. We were attacked and defended ourselves.¡± The woman pursed her lips, the annoyance still upon her face, but she scanned the group, then the trolls, then the wolves. ¡°State your names.¡± ¡°Adam Fate,¡± Adam began, before the others introduced themselves, the woman bowing her head to the Marshal of East Port. ¡°The wolves are yours?¡± ¡°They belong to some of us, yes.¡± Jurot eyed up the group, noting each wore at least breastplate over chain, wielding great weapons, some carrying oils along their belts. Two remained near the woman, one of whom was a member of Black Moon, both no doubt Masters. He was fairly certain the young woman was one of them, so it made sense that she was surrounded by four other guards in full plate. The other guards remained fanned out, paying attention to their surroundings. ¡®Two Masters, four Experts in full plate, and four more Experts who are also heavily armed?¡¯ Jaygak thought. ¡®Count Westmoon didn¡¯t wield so many guards.¡¯ ¡°Well, we¡¯re sorry about the trolls. If you had already claimed them, then you can have them,¡± Adam said, feeling the pressure from the guards around them. ¡®She¡¯s probably a really high ranking noble if she can look down on the Marshal of a Duchess.¡¯ ¡°You will not claim them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the business of claiming other people¡¯s hunts,¡± Adam replied, smiling innocently. ¡°The North has treated us well so far, and I expect it to treat us well in the future, so consider it our gratitude.¡± The woman narrowed her eyes towards the group, glancing between them all again. While speaking with the group, several thoughts slipped through her mind. Ice trolls weren¡¯t exactly easy to deal with them, and they all seemed so relaxed after facing them, and not just that, they were all also unharmed. Unharmed. Even if they were all Grandmasters, they would have had some trouble, not a lot, but some. There would have been a fresh scrape or too along their bodies, and yet they were all as fresh as bluebells. ¡°What is your group¡¯s name?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a part of the United Kindom,¡± Adam replied. ¡°We are Fate¡¯s Golden,¡± Jaygak said, understanding what the woman meant. ¡°That is our party¡¯s name, but we also work for a business by the name of United Kindom.¡± The woman bowed her head. ¡°Then I will claim the creatures, and I will remember your gifts.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam bowed his head, while Jaygak placed a hand on his shoulder, motioning with a head, and the group entered their carriages once more. As they left, the woman eyed up the creatures, noting how they were killed. She spotted the searing flesh of a few of the wounds, the heavy axe wounds, and the excellent sword play. ¡®Was this... no, it must have been the young Iyrman.¡¯ The woman drew her own magical blade, holding it out in front of her, feeling the tingling through her gloves. She held the blade out for a long moment, and wondered if she should channel her magic through it, but let the thought pass. She felt the blade¡¯s balance, felt the air brush against the magical steel, while she lost herself within her thoughts, to the memories of using the blade to cut down beasts and people. She sheathed her sword. ¡®Jaygak, was it? She would make a good sparring partner.¡¯ ¡°Who was that anyway?¡± Adam asked as the group sped away. ¡°A Princess of the North,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It was an accident, of course, she didn¡¯t mean it. It wasn¡¯t her fault, it was all because-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You cannot speak so vaguely, they will misunderstand.¡± ¡°Oh, I just, well, yeah, I suppose...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway! I¡¯m definitely going to win this tournament! She knows the North is stronger, so if I get first place here, it¡¯ll be even better than winning the Noonval Tournament.¡± ¡°Alright, well, that¡¯ll be a silver for the lot of you, and a silver for the cart and the steeds.¡± ¡°The steeds are magical.¡± ¡°Oh? Yeah?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± The guard looked to the Iyrmen, who nodded, while Jaygak verbally confirmed, because it was best to be forthright with the Northerners. ¡°Take ten gold anyway,¡± Adam said. ¡°Since we are kindred spirits, and the North has treated us so kindly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to decline,¡± the guard replied with a chuckle. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Robert.¡± ¡°Robert, eh?¡± Adam reached out to shake his forearm. ¡°You¡¯re a much nicer Robert than I¡¯ve met previously.¡± ¡°What was he like?¡± ¡°He was from the South.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Marshal Black followed Adam in. ¡®Does he mean...? No, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ ¡®At least he didn¡¯t mention it was the First Hope,¡¯ Jaygak thought, impressed Adam had begun to grow up. It wasn¡¯t quite anything Adam could see that impressed Adam, but the feeling. As he stepped through the mountain town, he could feel it. The town held the aura of great pride, people walking about like they owned the North. Compared to the other Northern towns, Adam could spot an even greater numbers of heavy arms and armour, and greater walls. Adam¡¯s eyes darted to the side, where he spotted something he hadn¡¯t expected. Large, black, feathered birds. ¡°Rukhs?¡± ¡°Some like to nest nearby,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The town provides them food, and they deal with the wyverns.¡± ¡°Does North Amber need to worry about wyvern attacks?¡± ¡°Not any more.¡± ¡®What the hell?¡¯ The roads were large and wide, carved through the mountain and around it. In the same way the Iyrmen had sculpt the landscape of the mountains to form the Iyr, the Northambrians had sculpted the mountains to their liking, which just so happened to be to allow warriors to move swiftly through for war. The Northerners noted the appearance of the Iyrmen and the others, exchanging nods towards them. ¡°I noticed that the Northerners treat you guys pretty well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Though the North is outnumbered by the rest of the nation, they hold the greatest of warriors,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We like to adventure in their lands.¡± ¡°You know, I feel like you¡¯ve said this before.¡± ¡°I am certain I have.¡± ¡°You know, I feel like I¡¯ve said that I¡¯ve said this before.¡± Jurot shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise the North was so cool,¡± Adam said, before raising a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Jaygak smirked. ¡°What else would you expect?¡± ¡°You¡¯re better than that, Jaygak.¡± ¡°You should be careful.¡± ¡°You should have more self respect than to make a joke like that.¡± ¡°Hearing you speak about self respect hurts my lungs from containing all this laughter.¡± ¡°Why do I need self respect when I¡¯m so much stronger than you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Kav-,¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± This next arc is probably one of my favourites so far. I hope that my writing does it justice. Interlude: Memories Interlude: Memories Jurot spent a part of his evening outside, swinging his axe, completing a light set of training. The way his axe glided through the air, it was so different. He needed to get used to how his body had grown in the past few months. ¡®Not months,¡¯ Jurot thought, staring at his palm, before clenching his fist. Ever since they had left the Iyr to enter the tournament, his body had gone through an explosive change. They had fought a few beasts, but against the ice trolls, he had managed to realise just how much his body had changed. It wasn¡¯t just that the Iyrman had grown more powerful, for he had reached a particular height gained through experience, but something had been amplified. ¡®I have done it,¡¯ Jurot thought, surprised. Some time before becoming a Grandmaster, he would have reached the peak for his natural strength. Some time before becoming a Paragon, he would have reached the peak for his natural toughness. Then, beyond Paragon, with enough luck, with enough slaughter, he would have reached even greater heights, the heights known to great beings, giants, dragons. Except. Right now, before even becoming a Master, Jurot could feel it. The ceiling that was the natural peak of strength. His fist shook slightly as he tried to control his great strength, but it continued to shake. Kitool, too, sat and meditated within her room. She inhaled the crisp air of the north, feeling it fill her lungs, which seemed to be able to hold in slightly more air than previous, before exhaling. Yet, it wasn¡¯t just her physical toughness which had improved, not enough to truly effect her combat abilities, but her day to day life had certainly grown easier. Except, there it was. She could feel it. Not just it, but the world around her. She could feel the chill against her skin, the fibres of the cloth against her skin, and she could even smell the harshness of the North in the air. She might have even sensed Jaygak in the next room. ¡®What have you done, Adam?¡¯ Jaygak thought. She looked down to her hand, seeing the callouses of her skin, many of which she had earned when she was younger. When she had torn through the ice troll, her blade moved with a swiftness she hadn¡¯t expected. Her muscles strained less, her movement did not tire her as much, and her lungs accepted air in so easily, one might have thought she was born in the Rot family. Except, she still wasn¡¯t quite that nimble. The girl stared at her hand for a long while, her mind turning back to the time she was a girl. It was sunny that day. The sun dared to bear down against the Iyr, bringing with it a heat that one might have thought was unreasonable, even for the sun. Indeed, many of the children complained to Elder Zijin, telling them to speak with the sun so that it would not bully them so much. ¡°I will do my best to speak with the sun,¡± Zijin said, understanding it was borderline impossible. Not impossible, for there was a one in a lifetime opportunity that would never repeat itself for the Elder to speak to the sun, but it was not impossible. ¡°Father!¡± called the girl, who was slightly older than the others. ¡°Is there a way to defeat the sun?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not father, I am the Elder,¡± Zijin replied, though seeing the fury within his daughter¡¯s eyes, he glanced away. ¡°I know, I know,¡± the girl said, holding out a piece of paper. ¡°I have written my request!¡± ¡°...¡± Zijin stared down at the words. ¡°You should work on your handwriting.¡± ¡°I do not need for my handwriting to be well for you to take my petition seriously.¡± ¡°I will see what I can do,¡± the Elder replied, responding in a way that was satisfactory enough for the girl to leave. ¡®The children must be really annoyed if they are to trouble me like this.¡¯ Children. Trouble. The words caused Zijin to furrow his brows. He recalled all the children who had come to see him. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ The Elder made his rounds, starting with a particular estate. His eyes fell across the quiet girl, her hair cut into a bob, and always so well behaved. Then there was the boy, whose hair had been recently trimmed by his father, the boy sticking to him like glue. Of course, the other boy was probably in the other estate. Then he found... a boy, who was red of skin, with small horns. The boy was so young, so chubby, but even that didn¡¯t give him protection from her. ¡®Where is she?¡¯ ¡°Ten!¡± the girl said, marking down a piece of chalk, before running to the ball to pick it up. ¡°One!¡± she declared, tossing the ball again. ¡°She is not causing trouble today?¡± Zijin asked, standing with his arms crossed behind his back. ¡°Our Jaygak? Trouble?¡± Tangak asked, narrowing his eyes at the young Elder. ¡°I should invite brother to come and speak with you.¡± ¡°I have so much work to do, please...¡± ¡°Our Jaygak, trouble?¡± Tangak grumbled. ¡°I sometimes like my tea spicy, there is nothing wrong with it!¡± The Iyrman sipped his tea, wincing out of habit, before realising his tea hadn¡¯t been spiked. ¡®Ah, right. Perhaps I do prefer it without spice, but...¡¯ Zijin counted the marks on the floor, while the girl had marked another line. ¡°Ten tens,¡± Zijin said, causing the girl to snap out of her trance. ¡°How much is ten tens?¡± ¡°One hundred!¡± the girl replied. She was certain of that much, because that¡¯s what the adults always told her. ¡°Yes...¡± Zijin stared down at the marks, then glanced aside, to marks which had been marked recently, though not that day. ¡°You like to play with the ball?¡± ¡°Yes, I love it!¡± ¡°You are normally so lazy, but when it is hot, you are always so full of energy?¡± ¡°When it is hot, I am stronger than Jurot,¡± the girl said, smirking. ¡°That is because he has not learnt his family¡¯s way, and then, when he dances, he might be stronger?¡± ¡°I am not strong, I am not smart.¡± ¡°I think you are smart and strong.¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°...¡± Jaygak smirked. ¡°I am so strong and smart.¡± ¡°You do not have to worry, Jaygak, for you are an Iyrman.¡± ¡°Elder Zijin?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am so strong, I can beat the Aldish?¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°The Iyr will train you so that you will not lose against the Aldish.¡± ¡°I do not like them.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Zijin lifted the girl up, carrying her within an arm. ¡°You must promise me, Jaygak.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°You must promise me, that no matter what, you must try your best.¡± ¡°I will try.¡± ¡°Even if it is hard to learn, you must learn.¡± ¡°I know, I know! Daddy always tell me I must try, I try all the time, but not when I am tired.¡± ¡°You are tired most days. I know it is difficult, but you must try, even when you are tired.¡± ¡°I try.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°Now, you must promise me something else.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°You must promise me that you will stop hiding your father¡¯s boots.¡± ¡°Elder Zijin! How can you say? I going to tell dado!¡± ¡°Hmmm. Fine. However, you cannot hide them much, because he will be sad.¡± ¡°Daddy will be sad?¡± ¡°Yes. If you bully him too much, he will be sad.¡± ¡°Okay. I will hide mommy¡¯s shoes too.¡± Zijin blinked. ¡°I did not mean...¡± The girl yawned, resting her head against the Elder¡¯s shoulder, who carried her to his estate. He allowed her to nap, while completing his work. He stared down at the notes for a long moment, before glancing aside to Jaygak. The girl slept, her face full of innocence that her soul did not possess, or perhaps, possessed in too much abundance. ¡®Fakrot, please return to handle your father, and Chayrot, please return to handle your niece.¡¯ Zijin smiled, returning back to his notes, preparing to teach the girl how to count to a hundred. ¡®I should inform the warehouse to send Jogak a few more pairs of boots.¡¯ After all, the best way for Jaygak to learn how to count to one hundred was to reward her for stealing her father¡¯s boots. It was probably the second best, but should he need to justify himself, he could ask for assistance from the girl. ¡®You will help me, will you not, Jaygak?¡¯ Zijin thought for a long moment. ¡®I should just use the ball.¡¯ The girl continued to sleep, laying under the harsh sun. The young woman continued to stare, laying under the nightval moon. The chill of the night seeped into her, but she warded it off with her toughness, and the thick blanket she had bought from the first northern town they had stopped at. Jaygak sighed, making her way to the Guild¡¯s training area, grabbing Great Moon, before beginning her swings. She took a momentary pause after the hundredth swing. She stared at Great Moon for a long moment, recalling how she had learnt to count to a thousand. ¡®I should buy Elder Zijin a gift.¡¯ No wonder she loves Jirot so much. [987] – Y04.087 – Confrontation V [987] ¨C Y04.087 ¨C Confrontation V ¡®Am I meant to just... stay here?¡¯ Marshal Black thought, trying to understand his position within the group. ¡®So they¡¯re going to just... pay me to hang around with them now?¡¯ Jane thought. ¡®A gold a day, my food and housing taken care of, and I don¡¯t even need to defend them?¡¯ ¡°How much can I spend?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°On what?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Gifts.¡± ¡°As long as you write the receipts, as much as...¡± Adam paused. ¡°A hundred gold, but if you want to spend all of your own money, that¡¯s fine too.¡± ¡®A hundred gold?¡¯ Jane thought, her eyes wide. ¡®That much?¡¯ ¡®A hundred gold?¡¯ Lucy thought, her eyes narrows. ¡®He¡¯s holding back that much?¡¯ Adam joined Lucy and Mara, with Jaygak tagging along, to buy the gifts for the children. They were in North Amber, meaning they could buy blades made of amberite. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak warned. ¡°Come on, Jaygak.¡± ¡°You were the one who wished to stop being so cringe, just for this season.¡± Adam inhaled sharply. ¡°Can I buy one for myself then?¡± ¡°Of course you can buy one for yourself, and not for any of the children.¡± Jaygak¡¯s words stabbed through Adam¡¯s heart, causing the half elf to frown, and he decided against buying amberite items. ''They¡¯re only about one to five hundred gold each, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m spending that much.¡¯ ¡®Should I tease him more?¡¯ Jaygak thought, however, Adam had been so well behaved recently, and she didn¡¯t want to discourage him. ¡®Is that what it felt like for you, Elder Zijin?¡¯ Eventually, Adam made his way around the town by himself, needing some time to himself. He had been denied the right to spoil his children much, and though he could have started throwing gems worth hundred gold pieces, he needed to behave. ¡®Just for this season. One season. I can do it. I¡¯m only pretending to be cringe, I¡¯m not actually cringe, but why does it feel so difficult? Did I ingrain the habit of being cringe and now it comes naturally?¡¯ Adam frowned. ¡°You there!¡± shouted an older woman, with greying hair, the black dye beginning to fade, and dark grey eyes. Her skin held rivers of wrinkles, streams of marks of those who have lived far too long, and a simple necklace, which had been gifted to her family lifetimes ago. She carried a small dagger at her side, that was as black as death. She huffed, holding a sack over her shoulder. ¡°Are you going to watch this old lady do all this work?¡± ¡°No, of course not, miss!¡± Adam replied, swiftly approaching the woman, reaching out for the sack. ¡°What? Do you think this old lady can¡¯t carry a sack? Carry the rest, boy!¡± ¡°Right, right, of course, miss,¡± Adam said, lifting the two sacks to the side he hadn¡¯t seen. It wasn¡¯t so much they had been out of sight, it was that the woman¡¯s presence had filled his sight. ¡°Where to, miss?¡± ¡°Finally, a boy with manners,¡± the woman said. ¡°Just follow me, we¡¯ll be there sooner or later. Are you in a rush?¡± ¡°No, miss.¡± ¡°Lost in your thoughts, were you?¡± ¡°I was. I was thinking about-,¡± ¡°Did I ask?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± ¡°What were you thinking about.¡± Adam blinked. ¡®Is she a noble?¡¯ ¡°I was just thinking about my children. I thought...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The estate was burnt to the ground. Many were killed. Nobles and servants. Men and women. The Count spoke with the Iyrmen at the time, but instead of the Chief, it was Elder Peace who met with him.¡± She glanced towards the half elf. ¡°I¡¯m sure you understand what that means.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head. ¡°She was a younger woman, in her thirties, I recall, but she spoke with the older Count. To say he was tempestuous, is to say the Iyrmen like to partake in fighting. The Count wanted the Iyr to admit to their crime.¡± Adam¡¯s face remained taut, though he wished to smile. ¡°Do you know what the Great Elder said?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Retribution has befallen the Southlake family, perhaps it would be best for them to give up their name. She sipped her tea politely, with the same politeness as the Southerners. The Iyrmen refused to admit to their guilt, but everyone knew. The family go by Southfair now. It was a great shame to them, but they should not have killed the Iyrman. One might have thought that burning the estate would have been enough for the Iyrmen, or perhaps slaying the family completely, but the family changed its name, and they found little trouble. One must never forget what a name means to the Iyrmen, for it is more precious than the piles of gold they hoard within their mountains.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam smiled, though it was a sad smile. ¡®A name...¡¯ ¡°Here,¡± the woman said, to a small manor which had been built near the outskirts of the town, and the half elf spotted the number of guards in the distance patrolling. Adam placed down the sacks, noting the way the woman reached into her pouch, pulling out her gold coins. ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s alright miss. If anything, would you mind pointing me to the Grand Duchess¡¯ estate?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have some business with her.¡± ¡°What business?¡± ¡°Well, you see, I work for a business. The United Kindom, not to be confused with kingdom, we¡¯re not a country, yet.¡± Adam winked. ¡°We work near the Iyr. I have some business with the Grand Duchess to speak with her about... magical weapons, a friend of hers, and a sponsorship for the tournament.¡± ¡°A sponsorship for the tournament? The preliminaries have already begun, aren¡¯t you ashamed you¡¯re bothering an old woman like her this late?¡± ¡°Yeah, well, there were certain matters I had to deal with. Actually, we ended up deciding to join the tournament about half way through the last month. My brother and I, we both... well, our wives had children, and they gave birth, actually on the same day, and my brother...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure what he should say. ¡°You see, my brother¡¯s an Iyrman. He grew up in the Iyr, and when it comes to showing affection to his child, well, he¡¯s a little shy. He wants to win the tournament to bring back glory for his son, even though he already gained first place in the Noonval Tournament, while I managed to gain third place and... my daughter, she always bullies me about coming in third place, and this time, this time, I want to show her that her father is strong too, so I¡¯m going to win the tournament too.¡± ¡°You wish to place first in the magical segment, and your brother wishes to place first in the martial segment?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Come inside, and I¡¯ll pour some tea, and you can tell me your story. Bring in the sacks you were carrying, there¡¯s a fresh batch of ice leaves that make the most wonderful tea.¡± The woman picked up her sack and carried it within, without even confirming with the half elf. ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to refuse tea.¡¯ ¡°Thank you, miss.¡± Adam stepped in, noting the woman taking off her boots before entering the home. ¡°Take off your boots.¡± ¡°Should I take off my armour?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too old for you, boy.¡± ¡°Not a day over forty.¡± The woman¡¯s eyes snapped towards Adam. ¡°Tongue like an Aswadian, you.¡± She then shuffled away, stepping through the living room to the kitchen, the manor a long room, with a door on either side of the wall half way within. It was built of wood, but not any kind of wood, for this wood was grey, a deep grey, one that was certainly befitting the North. The furniture was all wooden too, with long blankets over them, knitted by a woman with all the free time in the world. Adam noted the weapons strewn all about, all within arms reach, and all which were made of everything but steel. Bronze. Brass. Silver. Gold. Jagite, and not just normal jagite, but true jagite. The amberite weapon, which was orange, with a blue hue when the light struck it, was the most impressive of all. History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 17 (14) ¡®Hey, isn¡¯t that-,¡¯ Adam jolted as he noticed the two heavily armoured statues beside him, his heart beating wildly in his chest. One wore a blade, the other held a glave, rested across its shoulder, which probably cost more than Adam¡¯s armour considering the runes across the blade. He could have sworn the statues were moving ever so minutely, as if breathing, but before he could check, the woman¡¯s voice broke the silence. ¡°Hurry up, boy! The left sack has the leaves, and I can¡¯t make the tea without the leaves!¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, miss.¡± Adam didn¡¯t notice the eyes through the visor following him. I''m sure nothing will go wrong. [988] – Y04.088 – Confrontation VI [988] ¨C Y04.088 ¨C Confrontation VI The woman listened intently to Adam¡¯s stories, pouring him more tea, bringing more biscuits from her crate as he spoke. He forced the boy to eat and drink, more and more. If she so wished to poison him, he would have been dead ten times over. Of course, poison was a Southerner¡¯s cowardice, so she wasn¡¯t going to poison him, but that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t keep some herbs within her sleeves. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, really. His family has helped me out so much, I mean, they¡¯re my family too, but you know, it¡¯s not like, I mean...¡± Adam sipped the iceleaf tea, which felt like ice against his numb lips, even if the water was fairly hot. ¡°I¡¯m not saying they¡¯re not my family, but I¡¯m not a Rot. I¡¯m Adam. Adam Fate. I¡¯m not Adamrot Fate, I guess. My children, they¡¯re definitely, you know... Rot and Fate?¡± ¡°You really are a fool. If your children call her grandmother, she is their grandmother. If they call him their uncle, your brother is their uncle. Do you need to think deeper on the matter?¡± ¡°I suppose not.¡± The woman continued to eye up the half elf, who had spoken of killing Vandra, another dragon, and even escorting a Prince along the land, and yet he was so worried about his home? ¡®If that brat is calling this boy his grandson, I must take this seriously.¡¯ Adam had kept many things a secret, even to this old lady, from his true abilities, to his children having more than just leaf shaped ears. He had let slip they were children, but he mentioned all his children were special, and he didn¡¯t need to act like a fool of a father, but perhaps she had managed to catch more into his words than he intended. ¡°You mentioned a friend of the Grand Duchess?¡± ¡°Yes. He left a message.¡± ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°He said...¡± Adam held the woman¡¯s gaze. ¡°He¡¯s sorry. He knows she won¡¯t forgive him for dying in the South, where flowers will grow on his grave. He also wanted me to return a weapon, the magical maul.¡± ¡°Have you brought it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the Guild.¡± ¡°Sir Wick, retrieve the item from the Guild.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Grace,¡± one of the statues said, before stepping out, allowing in the cold for only a moment. ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°You wish for me to sponsor you for the tournament?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I mean, yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Respond comfortably, boy. As long as you do not go too far, you will be safe. I am too old to be worrying about a boy¡¯s opinions, not too old to hold grudges, but I doubt you will offend me much, no matter how much nobles displease you.¡± Adam raised his brows. He had spoken quite cautiously about nobles, but to think she had managed to gather that much from his words, it was ridiculous. ¡®The greatest noble across the entirety of Aldland? You weren¡¯t kidding, Lord Marshal.¡¯ ¡°What is this matter of enchanting you promised?¡± ¡°We were to assist in making a weapon that could help the Knight of Death.¡± ¡°Since he wants me to look after his fool of a son, I will have to,¡± the Grand Duchess said, leaning back in her chair, thinking for a moment. ¡°He is already greater than a Grandmaster, but a magical weapon which matches even this little old thing, that would be useful to the North. What would a weapon cost?¡± ¡°That would depend on the specifics, though I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll pay a respectable amount, since the Iyrmen regard you so highly.¡± ¡°The feeling is mutual. The Iyrmen and we Northerners are very alike in some ways. Many follow Lord Sozain, the Son.¡± She eyed up his obsidian amulet. ¡°You follow the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death?¡± ¡°Baktu, Lord Sozain, I follow him.¡± ¡°Are they the same?¡± ¡°I believe they are.¡± ¡°You said he gave you the amulet. How did that come to pass?¡± ¡°I prayed, put in an obsidian, it melted into an amulet.¡± ¡°Have you met Lord Sozain previously?¡± ¡°In my dreams.¡± ¡°How else would you meet a Divine?¡± ¡°Well, a Major Divine? I don¡¯t know. A Minor Divine? There are a few of them walking about, it¡¯s not that hard.¡± ¡°Have you met one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Oh, man. I¡¯m terrible with names. Lady Elaveil¡¯s daughter, similar name.¡± ¡°Lady Ulaveil.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Lucy.¡± ¡°By Lord Asa¡¯s son?¡± ¡°Emperor Shama, yes.¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t manage to place first.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t manage to get first place, then we¡¯re not good enough to create a weapon for the Knight of Death.¡± The playful gaze within Adam¡¯s eyes stated it may have been a joke, but it still reeked of a merchant¡¯s threat. ¡°I will sponsor you all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grand Duchess. Ah, would you... would you be willing to read the letter from the Duchess? Jaygak managed to earn it for us, and it feels like it¡¯d be a waste if I didn¡¯t at least try to use it.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± She accepted the letter, even going so far as to undo the seal, scanning across the words, which were particularly respectful. Even if she had essentially retired, the woman still held massive amounts of sway across even the South, which was to say, everywhere else other than the North. ¡°Thank you again for sponsoring us, Your Grace.¡± ¡°You may leave,¡± the Grand Duchess stated, dismissing the boy with a wave of her hand, as though she was reshaping the landscape around her. ¡°I will send you word upon the weapon¡¯s specifics.¡± ¡°Thank you for the tea, it was delicious.¡± ¡°Of course it was.¡± Adam retreated away from the Grand Duchess¡¯ estate. He glanced around towards the guards, realising why so many were about this place. ¡®...¡¯ He swiftly returned back to the Guild to find his companions. ¡°What did you do?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°The Grand Duchess said she¡¯ll sponsor all of us, well, I mean, the Iyrmen and I.¡± ¡°Only Jurot and you are fighting,¡± Jaygak said, leaning back in her seat. ¡°If Kitool joins, Jurot may not be able to win.¡± ¡°What if Kitool fought without her magical weapon in the mundane segment?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She could beat them all, I think.¡± Kitool thought about it. It was true she was strong, but Rage Dancers were extremely difficult to deal with. If she didn¡¯t manage to charge first, she would have a rough time. ¡°I mean, Jaygak, if you fought there, you¡¯d win, and then...¡± Adam paused. ¡°No, hold on, then how will all four of us place first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only good with my magical weapon,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that...¡± Adam replied awkwardly. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Well, what if...¡± Adam thought about it. ¡®If she¡¯s resigned to losing, then...¡¯ ¡°Jaygak, what if you fought in the age segment above? Wouldn¡¯t you do pretty well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel like losing that much.¡± ¡°You¡¯d place at least top ten.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t feel like losing that much.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Then, what if you fought in my segment? With magic and blade?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose to you the most!¡± Jaygak replied, wincing at the thought. ¡°Hmph! Here I was going to offer you first place, but forget it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to win?¡± Jaygak asked, her lips still a smirk, but her voice not quite so light. ¡°I¡¯m sure if I said I helped you earn first place, Jirot wouldn¡¯t bully me too hard. I¡¯ll earn second, so that way, I¡¯ll be second place in their hearts, where I belong.¡± ¡°Who is-,¡± Jaygak began, quickly stopping herself, but it was too late. ¡°My gorgeous wife, of course!¡± Adam grinned wide. ¡°Cringe.¡± ¡°No, I definitely can¡¯t come second to you, it feels too bad.¡± Jaygak laughed. ¡°I¡¯ll fight on that side then, and I¡¯ll beat you good!¡± ¡°Bring it on!¡± Lucy and Mara glanced between one another. ¡®If all four of them are fighting, then...¡¯ They glanced to Marshal Royce and Jane, who still weren¡¯t used to their antics. Hold up. How did Adam meet the Grand Duchess and not get himself killed? [989] – Y04.089 – Gambling [989] ¨C Y04.089 ¨C Gambling Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Sending ¡°Hey dear, we¡¯re in East Port. No, North Amber. I hope you¡¯re all well. I love you. Send my love to our adorable children.¡± ¡®I am glad you are well. All is well. Virot is growing well.¡¯ Adam could feel his wife¡¯s smirk even through the spell. ¡®She loves to smile.¡¯ He could even see it grow within his mind. ¡®Jirot is taking care of me. So is Konarot.¡¯ ¡®Konarot?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is she saying that to make me feel better?¡¯ Adam thought to ask, but he didn¡¯t dare to find out the answer. He grabbed the pillow on the bed and held it within his arms, holding it gently, as though it were a child. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m missing my baby girl¡¯s first few weeks. I guess I should at least win if I¡¯m going to be missing it!¡¯ Mana: 22 -> 19 Spell: Sending ¡°I hope you are well. We will definitely win! Send all our love to our children, and to you of course, and to your daughter.¡± Adam smirked, something which Sonarot could no doubt feel. It was a shy smirk, but a smirk regardless. ¡®We are well. Jarot cries much because he misses you. Kirot wipes his face well. We love you too. Good luck.¡¯ Adam frowned, sitting up on his bed. ¡°Jarot, my boy, how can you cry for your daddy? No, what am I saying, it¡¯s all your stupid daddy¡¯s fault.¡± Adam¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, daddy¡¯s going to win, and even if daddy wins, I¡¯ll let you bully me as much as you want.¡± Mana: 19 -> 16 Spell: Sending ¡°Larot, are you well? Enjoy your time and grow well. I¡¯ll bring a nice weapon back for you. What would you like? An axe? Sword?¡± The spell faded before Adam could say much else. Adam heard it, like a hiss within his mind, for a moment jolting up off his bed, grabbing his axe. As the moments passed, his eyes darting around the room, he realised he didn¡¯t receive back any word. ¡®Oh. Ss? Ss for Sword?¡¯ It was the next day when Jaygak glared towards the half elf, raising his brow. ¡°Jaygak.¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°For the first time, I heard Larot speak, and he requested from me, his father, a sword.¡± Jaygak inhaled deeply, and glanced aside towards the amberite weaponry, each which required piles of gold. She picked up each, eyeing them up. The merchant watched the Iyrman, the middle aged woman not suspicious of the Iyrman, but more so she wished to see the sword play of the Iyr. Jaygak finished testing two of the blades, not even having swung them, when she reached for the third. Her eyes noted the symbol engraved against the flat of the blade, just above the hilt, lingering for a moment. ¡°May I?¡± The merchant nodded, and the young woman picked up the blade. She closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the blade, the way it fought against her, the way it gave in to her. She raised the blade, and cut down in front of her with a single slash. ¡°How much is this blade?¡± ¡°One thousand and two hundred gold.¡± ¡®Higher than expected, but within the range.¡¯ ¡°Okay.¡± Adam stood there awkwardly. He had done his best not to spend too much, but now, Jaygak was asking him to spend this much. ¡®Am I meant to thank you? What am I saying, of course I should!¡¯ ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°May we place a deposit and pay for it after we win the tournament?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You¡¯ll need to pay at least a hundred.¡± ¡°I will do it,¡± Jaygak said, reaching into her cloak, tossing out a gem, an amber which had been cut particularly to denote a hundred gold. ¡°Alright,¡± the merchant said, snatching the gem from the air. ¡°Hold on, shouldn¡¯t I pay for it.¡± ¡°You will not allow me to help buy the first gift for my nephew?¡± ¡°Even if I can beat you with a blade, I can¡¯t beat your golden, no, your ruby tongue, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak winked, before the pair made their way to the arena, where the sponsorship preliminaries were currently taking place. They watched those who had yet to be sponsored spar. Meanwhile, Adam thought about whether they should adventure, but he supposed, since they had two weeks, they may as well take the time off to prepare. ¡°A blade?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°He should use an axe.¡± ¡°What can I do? My son asked for a sword.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, allowing the matter to drop. ¡°When can we bet?¡± ¡°They will open the betting at the end of the month.¡± ¡°The last day?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So we¡¯ve got about a couple of weeks, a little under, to make some gold?¡± Adam fell into thought. ¡®I mean, we do have a lot of money, so, I can bet a lot, right?¡¯ ¡°How much do you wish to bet?¡± ¡°As much as I can. I know you and I are both going to win.¡± ¡°That sounds so scary,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°However, when it comes to magical items, I¡¯m pretty confident.¡± ¡°Do you still intend to take first?¡± ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll need to try a little harder, but...¡± Adam smiled wider, before wincing, feeling Jaygak jab him in the side. ¡°I¡¯m certain it will be quite difficult, but I intend to do my best, Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°My granddaughter will still wish to take the top four, along with Sir Roseia,¡± the woman sipped her tea. ¡°You will need to work hard, Jaygak.¡± ¡°I will do what I can to not disappoint the Iyr, or my siblings.¡± ¡°Your niece, either,¡± Adam added. ¡°I can¡¯t disappoint her, since I¡¯m not you.¡± ¡°It hurts because it¡¯s true,¡± Adam replied, jabbing her back gently. ¡°I will pray you do not face her immediately,¡± the Grand Duchess said. ¡°Me neither,¡± Adam said, understanding that, since she had spoken the words, he was probably going to face her first. ¡®The Nightval Blade?¡¯ Jaygak thought as the pair made their way out, having spent an hour speaking with the Grand Duchess, who had wished to listen to her family¡¯s tales. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect her to join.¡¯ The young Iyrman sighed, understanding how difficult it would for her to place in the top five. She was even more annoyed when more warriors of various Orders and nobility arrived, each of which swelled the tournament¡¯s numbers, and many of whom were quite talented. ¡®Is the world against me?¡¯ Jaygak thought, reaching up to her forehead, rubbing it gently. ¡®Raygak. Kavgak. Maygak.¡¯ The young woman frowned, before stepping out to train, feeling the crisp air against her skin. Adam waited until the bets were finally open, taking the rest of the Iyrmen with him. The bookkeepers each stared at the half elf, who placed down gem after gem, and chests of coin in front of them, with very specific bets. He noted the estimated odds of return for each of them to win, and noticed he was at roughly ten to one, just like Jurot, whereas Kitool, who had joined the upper range bracket, was somewhere closer to forty to one. However, Adam placed down so much coin, he shifted the odds for a great many of the bets. ¡®Who in the Divine is this guy?¡¯ ¡°No, what am I doing,¡± Adam said, shaking his head, before writing down more complete bets. ¡°Change it to five thousand each, and then I¡¯ll bet some match to match too.¡± ¡®Five thousand each?¡¯ The bookkeeper checked the bets, noting that this group bet almost as hard as some of the nobles. ¡®What a ridiculous tournament!¡¯ ¡°What?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°You bet on me to place in the top four?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Why am I crazy?¡± ¡°Top four, Adam? Don¡¯t you understand who is joining our segment?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s me, you, and a couple more strong people, then a bunch of people we can beat up.¡± ¡°Adam!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s so difficult, just use my shield, and I¡¯ll just keep using my magics for my armour.¡± ¡°Adam!¡± ¡°Plus, it¡¯s only five thousand gold, why are you complaining?¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Jaygak reached out and grabbed his collar. ¡°That coin, it¡¯s for the business, not for us to play around with!¡± ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam said, reaching up to hold the back of one of her hands. ¡°You need to come top four.¡± ¡°How can I do that? Adam, do you understand? I won¡¯t be fighting with magic. Compared to everyone else, I don¡¯t have much in that regards. Great Moon is powerful, but I can¡¯t, I can¡¯t keep up with some of the best.¡± ¡°Then, use Strong Shield, and let me borrow your shield.¡± ¡°My shield?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re going to place in the top four for your siblings, shouldn¡¯t I also do something for my adorable cousins?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you listening?¡± ¡°Jaygak,¡± Adam said, reaching up to grab her shoulder, squeezing it. ¡°The Jaygak that you know, and the...¡± Adam realised his point made no sense, so he waited. ¡°Show it to me. Show the Jaygak that little Kavgak sees. Show the Jaygak Raygak sees. In this tournament, show it to everyone, the grandniece of the Flame Brand. Show everyone what it means to be a Gak.¡± Adam about to lose himself to an addiction he should never flirt with. Gambling? No. Teasing Iyrmen. [990] – Y04.090 – Sorry [990] ¨C Y04.090 ¨C Sorry Omen: 13, 20 ¡®What? Do you think I¡¯d be tempted?¡¯ Adam asked the world. ¡®Just a little, but I¡¯m not that stupid.¡¯ The nobles gathered within the arena, a large circle, with eight large towers, connected by a ring of stone, each housing the various nobles. The nobles overlooked the commonfolk, who were assaulted by the snow and the brisk air. ¡°I see you have sponsored your eldest,¡± Baron Northriver said, pouring a drink for his companion. ¡°I see you have sponsored a mercenary,¡± Baroness Fifthpeak replied, sipping the wine that the Baron had poured her. ¡°My eldest, he¡¯s too bored of these tournaments, so he says,¡± the Baron said, smirking playfully, the pair exchanging a knowing look. ¡°Sparring with women, is he?¡± ¡°I am certain of it.¡± As the wine and cheese made its way about, the servants swiftly clearing their sections within the rings, there were many higher nobility who remained within their own sections, eating and drinking away, dealing with other matters than watching the fights. Indeed, for the higher nobles, the tournament was merely an excuse for business. ¡°Boy, come here,¡± Aeda Blacksnow, Grand Duchess of the North, dared to say to a figure, who perhaps should have commanded some respect. The Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, Sir James Greatwood, stood, approaching the Grand Duchess. He sat opposite her, flanked by two knights, each Masters, and each nowhere near his own strength. ¡°Have you decided to settle within the North?¡± Aeda asked, cutting a piece of cheese, placing it upon a cracker with her knife, before drawing back, allowing the Grand Commander to take it from her. ¡°I-,¡± ¡°Eat first, boy! You can¡¯t think right on an empty stomach.¡± The woman dared to interrupt one of the handful of Paragons across the entire land. James bit into the cheese and cracker, glad the cracker soothed the flavours of the harsh cheese, which almost caused him to wince. He sipped down the wine, which was also strong in the north, like its people. If it was not the Grand Duchess, he perhaps would have asked why it was the South which had raised a Paragon, that being himself, and not one of the many Northern Orders. However, even if the Grand Commander could dare to suggest such to the King, he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to suggest such a thing to the woman who had guaranteed the North¡¯s comfortable position for four generations, and perhaps five. ¡°I intended to settle under the King¡¯s guidance,¡± the Paragon finally stated, having finished an appropriate amount of cheese and wine for the Grand Duchess to feel like a decent host. ¡°In Central, then?¡± ¡°If His Majesty suggests.¡± ¡°Fine, then.¡± The Grand Duchess sipped away at her tea. ¡®I should have expected as much from a Southerner.¡¯ The crowd continued to cheer and shout as the fights continued, while Adam sat among a group of other fighters, each readying themselves for their bouts. ¡®Man, it sure is lucky that Jaygak fights on the off days,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Looks like my luck is on the rise?¡¯ ¡°Adam Fate!¡± called a worker. ¡°Come now!¡± Adam donned his shield, feeling the magic within it, and he stepped forward, leaving through the giant double doors, which the workers opened to a set of groans from those who weren¡¯t use to the cold, before he stepped out into the light, glancing all across the circular arena, smiling as he noted all the commonfolk near the bottom sections, who had paid quite the coin in order to sit for an hour, while the other, slightly richer commonfolk, sat further up, paying for sections of the day, one of the three four hour blocks. ¡°Coming from the South,¡± called the disembodied voice, which paused to allow the people to jeer at the half elf in puthral, who had waved his hand, but stopped upon the jeering. ¡°He placed third in the Noonval Tournament.¡± At the pause, the figures laughed. ¡°Third!¡± ¡°Not even first?¡± ¡°Hah! Sworddropper!¡± ¡°Axedropper!¡± Adam frowned, glancing around. ¡®Hey, you¡¯re not my daughter, you can¡¯t bully me.¡¯ ¡°Brother to an Iyrman!¡± the voice called out, pausing again. The crowd remained silent for a moment. Another moment passed. The chill filled the half elf, greater than the chill of the nightval air. ¡°Oooooooh?¡± the crowd replied, unsure of how to take the information. ¡°A brother to an Iyrman?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t that mean he¡¯s an Iyrman too?¡± ¡°No, maybe he¡¯s a Nephew?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± the crowed called out, a little more enthusiastically. ¡°Wielding his shield, Strong Shield, once used by the Mad Dog,¡± the announcer continued, allowing a moment for the thunderous shouts to fill the arena, some cheers, some jeers, but all excitement. As the arena threatened to shake, within the ring of stone, various nobles perked up upon the name. Indeed, for though many across Aldland may have heard of the Mad Dog, he was most active in the North, and so many of the Northern families each suddenly paid keen attention to the half elf in the Iyrman¡¯s steel. ¡°Mad Dog?¡± one asked. ¡°I never heard the shield was magical.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± She slowly bowed her head, holding the shield for a short while, before returning it back. ¡°My name is Sir Grace.¡± ¡°Adam Fate,¡± Adam replied, bowing his head, taking the shield. ¡°I will end this quickly, out of respect.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Sir Grace?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Turot. That¡¯s the name of the boy who gave me this shield, and that¡¯s the name I want you to remember when you wake up.¡± ¡°...¡± Though such a confrontation seemed somewhat mundane to most, the fact that Adam had allowed the Nightval Blade to hold onto his shield before their confrontation, and neither took the chance to betray one another, filled the air with a rising excitement. This was a bout between two true warriors, of blade, heart, and spirit. The pair stood opposite one another once more, blade drawn, shield donned, and still. The cool wind passed between them, and for a moment, it seemed as though the world had stopped just to watch them fight. A moment passed. A second moment passed. A third moment passed. ¡®Ah,¡¯ the pair thought. ¡®Now.¡¯ Battle Order D20 + 1 = 4 (3) Health: 112 -> 92 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 92 -> 97 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (7)(10) 26 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Hit! Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 16 (4)(3) 16 damage! Adam tried to force his body forward, but it had been rare for him to fight in the cold, and so his muscles, still not warmed up, fought against him. ¡°The strength of my conviction bears down like a mountain,¡± the woman said, stepping forward, raising her sword. It glowed with magic, a light blue mixed with white, before swinging it down with such force, one might have thought she was cutting the world in half. Adam raised Strong Shield, but even as he did, he let out a grunt as the pain filled him. As the woman prepared for another swing, Adam inhaled deeply and focused. Magical steel struck magical steel, ringing in the clear air, the crowd silent to hear such beautiful music. Adam¡¯s axe managed to strike against the young woman¡¯s armour, flashing hot, but the pair continued to engage. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Grace thought, realising the heaviness of the axe which struck her. It was unlike most weapons he had fought against, the great strength of the axe even managing to wind her. ¡®How terrifying.¡¯ ¡°How scary,¡± Adam said as the pair clashed. ¡®What?¡¯ Grace thought, hearing the tone of the half elf¡¯s voice. ¡®He isn¡¯t taking me seriously? Health: 97 -> 67 Strength Save D20 + 8 = 11 (3) ¡°My fury is righteous!¡± the woman chanted, filling her blade with her magic, which glowed blue and white once more. Adam raised his shield, but as he did, he felt the ripple of magic, and the thunderous explosion which flung him back five steps, the half elf grunting as he fell upon his back. ¡°Ah!¡± If she had chosen to do so, she could have struck Adam down at that moment, and have struck true with her blade, and yet... Adam panted, looking up, noting the woman waited for him, and the half elf stood, nodding his head towards her, before the pair engaged once more. Health: 67 -> 1 Adam inhaled deeply, but as the pair clashed again, and though Adam managed to raise his shield, the blade struck his shoulder with such force, he dropped down to a knee from the flash of holy fury which rocked this his entire body, causing the half elf to cough up. Alarm filled his body as he realised how close he was to dropping down. She was certain of it. That blow was one of the mightiest blows she had ever sent through someone, and yet, somehow, the half elf was still standing, though his legs shook wildly as he barely stood. ¡®You should not have underesti-,¡¯ the thought disappeared into the void as the woman darted backwards, her blade in front of her once more. She hadn¡¯t even realised her body had moved without her will, until she noted her blade in front of her, having taken the basic stance which had been beaten into her since she was young. Emanating from the half elf, she could sense the desperation, the same desperation the dragons had felt under her blade. The half elf also exuded the same level of danger. Omen: 13, 20 ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Adam panted. Uh oh. [991] – Y04.091 – Adam the Fool I [991] ¨C Y04.091 ¨C Adam the Fool I ¡°Mummy! Mummy!¡± Kirot shouted, carrying Blues within her hands, holding it up to her mother, the girl¡¯s tears streaming down her face. ¡°Boos is hurt.¡± ¡°How did Blues get hurt?¡± Vonda asked, calling out a prayer, the warmth of holy magics running through the bird. ¡°I did not!¡± ¡°I know. How did Blues get hurt?¡± ¡°Wall.¡± ¡°He flew into the wall?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± Vonda brushed a finger along the bird¡¯s back, feather light. ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Blues.¡± ¡°Teet!¡± Blues replied, dropping down, hopping about before glancing up towards the master¡¯s master. ¡°Teet!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Mummy speaking to Blues?¡± Kirot asked, no longer crying, while her mother cleaned up her face. ¡°Perhaps I can?¡± Kirot blinked. ¡°Good job, mummy.¡± ¡°Thank you, my dear.¡± Vonda brushed along the girl¡¯s cheek tenderly. ¡°Are you having fun?¡± ¡°Mummy!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Jirot is gone.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± ¡°Gone.¡± ¡°Where has she gone?¡± Vonda asked, feeling a rising sense of dread, though she remained smiling politely. ¡°Baba house.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Vonda replied, calming her heart. ¡°Do you wish to go too?¡± Kirot smiled shyly. ¡°Mmm...¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vonda glanced to Karot and Konarot, who rushed over, having made sure explain to all the Iyrmen why Kirot had to run with the bird. While Kirot, caused a rising panic within her mother, Adam caused a rising panic within his brother. Truly, she was her father¡¯s daughter. ¡®You should not use it,¡¯ Jurot had said over breakfast. ¡®I know, but, you know, just in case,¡¯ Adam replied, pouting sheepishly. ¡®I¡¯ll only use it in an emergency.¡¯ ¡®It is fine, since Aunt Mirot still has both eyes,¡¯ Jurot joked, which had caused Adam¡¯s eyes to widen, the half elf shutting up, withdrawing into himself. Jurot understood now why Jaygak and Jirot bullied others so much. ¡®Sometimes, it is fun.¡¯ Even from the audience, Jurot sensed it. Whatever modicum of hope the young half elf had held, had quickly dissipated into the air, like steam turning to frost in the nightval air. A bead of sweat ran down the side of Jurot¡¯s cheek, because he knew that Adam, with Wraith and his holy smites, could surpass even Phantom¡¯s great ability. ¡®Sorry?¡¯ Grace thought, holding her blade ahead of her. Mana: 23 -> 20 Spell: Searing Smite Attack - Wraith D20 + 10 = 22 (12) Omen: 13, 20 -> 13 20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! Wraith: 3 -> 0 Mana: 20 -> 17 4D6 + 12D6 + 8D6 + 6D6 + 9 = 104 (11)(33)(34)(17) 104 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 8 = 19 (11) Health: 1 -> 20 ¡°Just how strong are you?¡± a fellow asked, who wore a long black cloak, whose face reminded Adam of a raven, and whose eyes reminded the half elf of a hungry tiger. ¡°I¡¯ve only lost three times before. Once against my brother¡¯s grandfather, the very same fellow who once used the shield I possess,¡± Adam said, smiling politely. ¡°He was missing an arm, and he still beat me.¡± ¡°He was? Is he missing the arm no longer?¡± the noble joked, though he had yet to connect the dots of who the half elf was talking about until the next moment. His smile faltered slightly. ¡°No.¡± Adam glanced around. ¡°While there were many hiding within their walls, so beautiful, so mighty as they were, my... brother¡¯s grandfather, Jarot, the Mad Dog, as you might know him, he was out there, fighting. He fought Lord Asa, I believe they call him.¡± Adam paused, noting how everyone had suddenly tensed up upon the figure¡¯s name. ¡°He lost his leg during the war.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he still fights well.¡± ¡°Well, considering he almost slaughtered Count Westmoon earlier this year, and he fought not just, what¡¯s his name? Graceful Blade? Gentle Blade? Something like that. He fought a Master, and two Experts, and still almost killed the Count. If it wasn¡¯t for another Iyrman, my granduncle, who was once considered as great as the Chief, Aldland would have lost another noble to the Mad Dog.¡± The smile on Adam¡¯s face caused a few of the Northern nobles to smile too, though some, who had felt the sting of the Mad Dog¡¯s blade, frowned deeper towards the half elf. ¡°Mad Dog killed my brother,¡± another noble said, a woman in her fifties or so, who wore a long cloak too, except it was tied by a strap with a large medallion. ¡°So wipe that smirk off your face.¡± ¡®Count Westmoon tried to kill my children, so don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡¯ Adam thought, but he clenched his jaw. ¡°I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t have it coming.¡± The woman narrowed her eyes. ¡°Be wary of your words, for in the North, blades are eager to be drawn.¡± ¡°I¡¯m careful with my words in the Iyr, because they¡¯re strong enough that they can kill your brother and get away with it,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I¡¯m not so stupid I think I can do the same, regardless of whether I can beat the North¡¯s greatest genius, who is years older than me.¡± ¡°If you do not wish to be put down, you should choose your next few words carefully,¡± the Grand Commander said, his eyes taking in the sight of the half elf, his eyes full of darkness, and curiosity. Adam narrowed his eyes, feeling the great pressure from the figure. ¡°Are you the Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Adam snapped his finger, pointing towards the Grand Commander. ¡°You¡¯ve met my brother, haven¡¯t you? Jurot, the Savage?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve called me here, Grand Duchess?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I told you why I brought you here.¡± ¡°Just to talk?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Just to introduce me, or, is the North like the South, and the Grand Commander, just like with my brother, he¡¯s going to-,¡± ¡°Careful, boy/¡± The Grand Commander clenched his fists tight, focusing his entire gaze upon the half elf, the pressure intensifying. Adam remained focused on the Grand Duchess. ¡°I¡¯m really curious. You told me that you¡¯re the North. So very different to the South. I know what my brother said to the Grand Commander. I¡¯m not stupid enough to speak up about it, but... I am sponsored by you, Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°You mentioned you have lost multiple times,¡± the Grand Duchess said, ignoring Adam¡¯s words. ¡°The first was to the Mad Dog.¡± ¡°The second was to Lord Asa¡¯s son, Emperor Shama, who is commonly known as the Lord of Flames, who comes from a land which is so powerful, they can ignore even the Paragons across Aldland, and my third loss was to the combined forces of my brother, and two other Iyrmen, as well as a being that even Emperor Shama would not so easily draw his blade against,¡± Adam said, reaching down to sip his tea. ¡°I¡¯m really careful what I say in the Iyr, Grand Duchess, because my Aunt, Jurot¡¯s mother, dared to put Emperor Shama in his place, while Lord Asa, a dying old man, can put the entirety of Aldland in its place.¡± ¡°What gives you so much courage?¡± ¡°Have you ever heard the tale of the Southlake family, Your Grace?¡± The Grand Duchess remained focused on the half elf. ¡°You are no Iyrman.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly. ¡°However, the question really isn¡¯t whether I am an Iyrman or not. It¡¯s whether you¡¯re willing to bet.¡± ¡°What is the bet?¡± ¡°The Mad Dog calls me his grandson, and one of my children is named after him, my little Jarot. I know just how much he dotes on my children. So I¡¯m willing to bet, if I did lose my life due to some Aldish shenanigans, that he would come by again to remind Aldland why he was called the Mad Dog,¡± Adam stated confidently, as though it were fact. ¡°Also, obviously, any orders the North has placed with our business would be refused, because an Executive of the United Kindom was killed, and your family would take most of the blame, since I am under your sponsorship, Grand Duchess. Most importantly, I¡¯m willing to bet that the Blacksnow family is greater than a Southerner.¡± Adam let out a burst of laughter, glancing at the rest of the nobles, winking at them. The Grand Duchess let out a soft sigh, glad the half elf had realised how to defuse the situation, even if he was still dancing on a knife¡¯s edge. Except, she understood, that Adam, though laughing at the ridiculousness, spoke only the truth. ¡°Also, I really hope I don¡¯t die, not until I convince my eldest daughter to become closer to my wife, Ray Vonda, of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± Adam sighed, dropping the rank of his wife to save him. The confusion within the room spread through like wildfire, the whiplash of Adam¡¯s stupidity quickly disarming the tension. I rolled to see if he''d die here too. [992] – Y04.092 – Adam the Fool II [992] ¨C Y04.092 ¨C Adam the Fool II ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think she accepts my children as her own, and even if she doesn¡¯t, she acts like it.¡± The mood within the air completely shifted while the nobles spoke to the half elf, learning more and more about him, who had seemed to have no sense of self preservation as he continued to reveal his intimate details. ¡°Either way, she¡¯s too cute. How can she do this to me? Our little Virot, she is so adorable, and now... my brother, isn¡¯t he too cute too?¡± Adam asked, shifting the conversation over towards the young Iyrman, who had dared to shirk the Paragon in the room. ¡°He¡¯s come to win the tournament, all for his son. Isn¡¯t that so adorable? He¡¯s so strong, handsome, smart, and not just that, but his family are all terrifying. From Mad Dog, to even those stronger than Mad Dog, and that only includes all the Rot family members.¡± ¡°Are there others he is related to?¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s related to quite a few monsters,¡± the half elf replied, leaning back, crossing his arms as he fell into thought. ¡°Like who?¡± the raven faced noble asked. ¡°Like...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°No, no, that¡¯s too dangerous for me to speak about. I don¡¯t even want to think about it. Mad Dog, he¡¯s scary enough, that old man could probably clash with most of the greatest Aldishmen, I¡¯d even bet on him, but in the Iyr, they have people who will keep the old man in check. Like Kitool, Steel Kick, or whatever the Aldish called her, her grandaunt is one of the Ten Paragons of the Iyr.¡± The shock swam through the group like a wave. ¡°The Ten Paragons are not all Paragons,¡± the Grand Commander said. ¡°They only call it so.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to correct you in front of everyone, but it¡¯s the One Hundred Paragons who are not all Paragons,¡± Adam said, glancing towards the older Aldishman. ¡°The Ten Paragons of the Iyr are all Paragons.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what I know, and what I have heard, but perhaps the Iyrmen, who speak true almost all the time, maybe they¡¯re lying about this to cause Aldland to hesitate from invading.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°So many Paragons would cause the King to pause, but not for long, for even a hundred Paragons can be killed.¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Adam said. ¡°Paragons are easier to kill than one might expect.¡± ¡°...¡± Sir James Greatwood narrowed his eyes towards the smirking half elf, who winked towards the Grand Duchess. ¡®This young man wishes for death.¡¯ ¡°The Iyr is pretty scary, just like Aldland, but I call it my home, for now,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Enchanter provides so many benefits, one of them protecting me from light conspiracies and politics, and the other is the chance to explore Aldland, meet the various nobles, to fight figures I could only dream of fighting, and, perhaps most importantly, the pay, it¡¯s pretty good, but the magical weapons? They¡¯re some of the best.¡± ¡°What of your wolves?¡± the raven faced noble asked. ¡°My wolves?¡± ¡°Did the Enchanter gift them to you?¡± ¡°No, we gathered them during our journey,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Are they for sale?¡± ¡°Unfortunately not. They belong to...¡± Adam paused. ¡°The Iyrmen?¡± ¡°The Iyrmen?¡± ¡°I think so?¡± Eventually, having thoroughly bullied the half elf, the nobles dismissed him, and Adam returned back to inform the group what happened. ¡®Did he do it on purpose?¡¯ Jaygak thought. Adam had definitely made plenty of mistakes, but some of what he revealed was technically common knowledge, and he had essentially just confirmed it, or displayed that he was merely a fool who believed all the words he had heard. Except, Adam had also sprinkled a few extra details here and there, and though perhaps it did cause the nobles to grow more cautious of the Iyr, it also made them more cautious of Adam in turn. Jaygak thought more and more upon Adam¡¯s words. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the daily fighting,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Adam deserves to get beaten up daily, and then, when we fight, I¡¯ll take advantage of how tired he is.¡± ¡°Very wise. He won¡¯t learn unless it¡¯s beaten into him.¡± The Grand Duchess¡¯ eyes fell upon Jaygak for a moment. ¡°He may be exposed to assassins.¡± ¡°The North is the North, but Aldishmen are Aldishmen,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°If Adam is killed, it¡¯s a convenient excuse for us to react.¡± The Grand Duchess glared at the young woman, who spoke so openly about her political moves, the smirk on her face revealing how troublesome she was. ¡°Perhaps I should have been a little more at ease, but the nobles did hit a spore spot,¡± Adam said. ¡°There¡¯s only so much even I can endure, you know?¡± ¡°I should not have allowed you to go,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I believed it would be fine since the Grand Duchess had invited you, and no nobles would dare to misbehave, but it seems the Blacksnow family¡¯s name is beginning to fade with your retirement.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The names of nobles and we Iyrmen ebb and flow with the sands of time,¡± Kitool said, understanding her companions were taking too many swings at her pride. ¡°It was enough that you put a Paragon in his place.¡± The Grand Duchess understood Kitool was the wisest of them all, and she glanced towards the demons she was going to threaten, but decided to let it go. ¡°If you understand, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I appreciate your concern, Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°If you appreciate my concern, and my ability to protect you, then you should take it easy upon Sir Roseia,¡± the Grand Duchess stated. ¡°I believe I made my intentions to win quite clear,¡± Adam replied, trying to calm himself. ¡°I did not say you had to lose against her, but you shouldn¡¯t allow her to lose so easily. She is related to my family, and if you don¡¯t return the favour I show you, you should forget about any business you wish to have my family, and you should sleep beside all three Iyrmen.¡± Her eyes then darted to the demons. ¡°Since-,¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, stopping the woman from saying anything more. ¡°Alright. I got you. Go easy on the little noble lass, as fragile as a flower she is, since she was raised in the South. I got you.¡± Jurot tensed up, and Kitool¡¯s eyes darted to the side, the pair ready to react to the knights who were also tense. ¡°As long as you understand.¡± ¡°I understand, alright. I understand right now I¡¯m too weak. I don¡¯t have any influence. Even if I can go toe to toe with a Grandmaster, no one cares. I understand that I have to let the nobles walk all over me. I understand that, right now, I can¡¯t drink tea safely outside of the Iyr¡¯s land. I understand that. Everything thinks I don¡¯t know, but I do. However, there¡¯s only so much a man can take, before he explodes. Are you going to sit here and pretend that the nobles don¡¯t-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Jaygak! How much of this-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak said, reaching up to Adam¡¯s cheeks, holding his face. She stared into his eyes. ¡°I know how difficult it is to endure. I know it¡¯s worse for you, because unlike us, you can¡¯t stand up and slay whichever nobles you feel like. That¡¯s a good thing. Think of how much that would displease your wife.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, still shaking slightly, but he let out a soft exhale. He was still tense, but the rising tension began to fall. ¡°The Grand Duchess hasn¡¯t asked you to surrender the first position. If she does, you can cause a mess then, but until then, just accept whatever the nobles throw at you, and cut it down with your axe.¡± Jaygak pat his cheek gently. ¡°Think about how much you can spoil your children after you win.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Yeah.¡± Grand Duchess Aeda realised she couldn¡¯t ask more of the young boy now, and allowed him to leave with his companions. She understood, following the sight of his eyes, he wanted to speak of the glave, but he endured for the moment, and pulled away. ¡°Fine out everything you can about that boy,¡± the Grand Duchess said. ¡°Yes, Your Grace,¡± Sir Wick replied. Jaygak understands. [993] – Y04.093 – Adam the Fool III [993] ¨C Y04.093 ¨C Adam the Fool III His heart drummed excitement through his veins, pushing out the nerves. He gripped his magical shield tight in hand, feeling its great magic within. He gripped his axe tighter in hand, the axe which was far too dangerous to be used in his hands. As he closed his eyes, a flash of memories rushed through him. That of a child, so small, so ugly, who ended up crawling far too quickly. She ended up talking far too quickly. She ended up walking far too quickly. The dirt upon the twins. The scar upon the eldest girl, who protected her younger siblings. A red skinned baby who randomly appeared into existence one day. Then the pair of small, wrinkled, fragile babies. One with leaf shaped ears, the other, no doubt his son. ¡®Am I going to die?¡¯ The thought belonged to his opponent, who could feel the oppressive aura of the figure before him. The oppressive aura of a father who would rather die than lose. 13D6. ¡®Two hits,¡± Adam thought. ¡®And if he expends each charge, that¡¯s 13D6. The average damage is about forty five, or so? Then you add in Jurot¡¯s strength and his big angry bonus and the magical bonus, that should be what, eight, nine, additional damage per hit. If he rolls average, that¡¯s about... sixty? Sixty damage.¡¯ Yet, somehow, even though Adam assumed average damage, the foe stood, arms and legs shaking from Jurot¡¯s violent onslaught. The axe had threatened to break through his armour. Indeed, if the fellow was any normal figure, he would have probably fallen back from such a mighty blow, but this was no normal figure. ¡®So this is the Iyrman who beat Sir Gordan?¡¯ Mason thought, still feeling the aftermath of the heavy blows against him. ¡®Unfortunately for you, Iyrman, I¡¯m from the North!¡¯ Mason¡¯s greatsword, glowing a pale blue, cut through the air, and struck against his shield, the noise thundering. Adam made note there was no actual thunder. ¡®You¡¯re holding back?¡¯ Except, there was something different. Even as Mason¡¯s blade struck so viciously, so viciously he would have certainly dropped a typical Expert, he could still feel the chill down his spine. He managed to duck under a wicked blow that threatened to knock him out, even through his full plate, and the pair continued to exchange heavy blows, until finally, the victor emerged. Though Mason had certainly struck true, striking true against Jurot was still worse than striking him while he wasn¡¯t raging, and though the member of the Order of the Ice Blades had a good showing against the Iyrman, Jurot had also managed to strike true too. Jurot flexed, raising his axe, which shook ever so slightly. He had taken quite a battering, not quite at half Health, but he wasn¡¯t shaking because he had been struck, but rather, he wanted to keep fighting. ¡°Good fight,¡± Adam said, patting Jurot¡¯s shoulder once he returned. ¡°It wasn¡¯t quite as clean as my fight against the Priest, but it was still pretty good.¡± ¡°It is a shame our fights were placed in such a way,¡± Jurot said, since he was unable to watch the fights. XP: 3 800 ¡®It¡¯s not like he was worth much XP.¡¯ Adam took a moment to realise why. ¡®Oh. Right. Thank you.¡¯ [No problem.] With perhaps the politest conversation he had ever had with Bell, Adam wondered if he should speak to them more often. ¡®Maybe another time.¡¯ Since the arena had been quartered after the first day, multiple fights could be watched at the same time, and though Adam and Jurot were both fighters, they hadn¡¯t managed to take their place within the ring. Instead, they sat near the top of the general seats, watching the fights from above, though it was still awkward to see any fights that didn¡¯t take place in their quarter. ¡°Ah! Look!¡± Adam said, pointing out to a figure in full plate. ¡°Executive Jaygak!¡± called the announcer as the young Iyrman raised her blade within the air, circling around the arena. ¡°Executive Jaygak?¡± Adam asked, frowning. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she have a cool name?¡± ¡°You are also called Executive.¡± ¡°Yeah, but we all know that¡¯s boring. Shouldn¡¯t she have something cooler? Jaygak the Inferno. Jaygak, Death Incarnate. Jaygak the Horny.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know that was funny.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Fine. Be like that.¡¯ Jaygak awaited for her opponent, before he was introduced. ¡°Sir Rory Eastspear of the Golden Spears.¡± ¡®It¡¯s true...¡¯ Jaygak thought, trying to calm her heart. Of all the people she was coming to face against, it was him? ¡°We just earned a boat load of gold, and Jaygak beat some guy she hated?¡± Adam replied. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°You have heard the tale.¡± ¡°I have?¡± History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 12 (9) ¡°I¡¯m not sure...¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Sir Rory Eastspear is descended from Sir Hunter Eastspear, who held the title of The Young Hawk.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Jaygak will tell the tale,¡± Jurot said. Kitool continued to face against her own opponent, who was a Rage Dancer, and was a vicious fellow, a Master, she was certain. She almost regretted joining the older section of the tournament, but she fought hard. Even so, she left swiftly after her bout, to go to see Jaygak. As the four joined together, Adam wondered if he should have called for Lucy and Mara, who kicked it with the Marshal of East Port. Oh, and Jane too. ¡®No, I should leave them to watch the fights, since they¡¯re having fun.¡¯ ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so powerful,¡± Rory stated, as the group met at an inn in the evening. He had arrived with another Bronze Shield, but also a Silver Shield. ¡®Is she Sir Edith?¡¯ Jaygak thought, glancing aside towards the Silver Shield, before raising her cup of wine to Sir Rory. ¡°The blade I wield is truly great. Without it, I may not have been able to defeat you.¡± Sir Rory, who could still feel the ache of Jaygak¡¯s blade, understood how the blade was truly great, but the stitches he required as her blade slipped through the chinks in his armour, revealed that she was just being polite. ¡°I will take your kind words to heal my bruised ego.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the only thing that was bruised,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly, before noting Jaygak¡¯s judging look, and he quickly stopped. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°You mentioned that our families have a history?¡± ¡°Your ancestor, Sir Hunter Eastspear, the Young Hawk, made his name during the Demonic Devastation,¡± Jaygak said, catching the man¡¯s eyes, who held a deep pride within them. ¡°It was a turbulent time, and I can only be humbled by what my ancestor managed to accomplish,¡± Rory replied, sipping his wine, smiling slightly. ¡°My father¡¯s name is Jogak, but there is another Jogak I grew up hearing of. Jogak the Firestorm.¡± ¡°You did mention the name.¡± ¡°Jogak the Firestorm was active during the Demonic Devastation, along with his cousin, Gangak the Blade. My grandaunt is named after her, and she herself earned the title of Flame Brand in Aswadasad. She was...¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°This isn¡¯t about her. During the Demonic Devastation, our family had reached great heights. Jogak the Firestorm fought hard, slaying demon after demon. Gangak the Blade slew two of the Demon Generals, her bladework so great, they decided against adding a prefix to her title. They fought. They fought and they fought. They protected East Aldland, with many of the Orders which had been active during the time. The Fifty Red Blades, they were active then, I¡¯m sure you know, since your ancestor fought alongside a few.¡± ¡°He fought alongside Sir Leona,¡± Rory confirmed. ¡°The Red Lioness,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°He also fought alongside the Spear of the Breeze, whose son he eventually fostered, and he also fostered another young boy, who eventually became a local hero of South Aldland, now Floria. The Copper Sword of the South.¡± ¡°Sir Tommen, yes,¡± Rory replied, surprised that the young Iyrman knew of the hero, whose name was overshadowed by so many other legends. ¡°The Spear in the Golden Spears refers to Eastspear,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Some people don¡¯t wish to accept it, but we all know.¡± Rory smiled slightly. ¡°So it does.¡± He wanted to ask more, but waited, because the girl seemed to hold a serious look in her eyes. ¡°Jogak the Firestorm met the Young Hawk many times, and though the Young Hawk was, as you¡¯d guess, young, he was an impressive warrior. Jogak¡¯s words at the time spoke highly of the Young Hawk. They fought only a few times alongside one another, once every few months, but as the war neared its end, and the demons were all but defeated, my ancestor was killed by the treachery of Aldishmen. Stabbed in the back and through his throat. Near the end of the war, when many great heroes continued to fight, to earn greater fame and glory, to stamp their names within the history books of Aldland, it was the Young Hawk who returned the bodies.¡± Jaygak poured a cup of wine for the Order member, and she stared into his eyes. ¡°That is why I didn¡¯t hold back, Sir Rory.¡± The Oathsworn remained silent for a long moment. He had heard that his ancestor had, for some reason, shirked the last few months of the war. ¡®It was to return the Iyrmen?¡¯ He raised his cup. ¡°Thank you, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak bowed her head, sipping the wine. Adam glanced around between the pair. ¡®I didn¡¯t realise he was one of the good ones.¡¯ Sir Edith had wanted to speak up, but considering the mood in the air, that of comradery, she decided against it. ¡®Kids these days, honestly.¡¯ It feels a little late in the year to be busting out more lore drops. [994] – Y04.094 – Fools and Smiths [994] ¨C Y04.094 ¨C Fools and Smiths ¡®I should pay more attention to the Iyr¡¯s stories,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes following the Order members who left. ¡®Who would have thought that old lady was pretty strong?¡¯ Jaygak walked through the town in the evening. She inhaled the crisp cool air within her lungs, the heaviness of the chill relieving the burdens in her heart. She wandered aimlessly for a long while, ignoring the trailing shadow behind her, and though she thought to break away to tease him, she decided against it. ¡°The sky in the North is so much darker,¡± Jaygak said, having taken a seat upon the wooden bench. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. Their conversation was silent, unspoken, as the pair relaxed beside one another. Adam poured her a drink, and she poured him a drink, and the pair sat together. The alcohol warmed them up, allowing their thoughts to pass by. The half elf, who sometimes was possessed by genius, revealed the cheese he had brought, and the pair ate them slowly, until there was no more. Adam threw a look towards Jaygak, who remained focused on the sky. He pat his legs to break the silence, and hoisted himself up. ¡°See you at the Guild, Jay.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam left, still feeling an awkwardness within him, but he was glad they had a short while together. He had no idea of the other figure stepping out of the shadow who had taken his place. ¡°Okay?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied. Their conversation fell silent. The cool wind accompanied them, the critters of the night¡¯s liveliness, and their soft breaths. ¡°Kitool?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jaygak turned her head to look at the young woman who had been there with her since her memories began. ¡°I beat him?¡± ¡°You did.¡± Jaygak turned her head, staring ahead of her once more, recalling the fight earlier in the day. The intense focus. The thunder which rocked through her, the flash of holy magic, her body overcoming the magic with ease. Adam and Jurot, she was certain, were thinking of dying before losing. However, she was too weak to have such thoughts. She had wanted to put in a good show for her family, and somehow, somehow, she had managed to defeat someone like Sir Rory Eastspear, of the Golden Spears. Tears fell down her cheeks, but the silence continued between them. Finally, blowing her nose into her cloth, the young woman leaned over, staring down at the floor. She rested her head against the back of her backs, losing herself to her exhaustion and her thoughts. ¡°Let us return,¡± Kitool eventually said, holding out her hand. ¡°Kitool.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I think this is it.¡± Kitool felt her heart drop, but she fought off her feelings. ¡°Okay.¡± The tournament continued. Adam fought again, for the third time, and the crowd began to realise that he had no doubt offended someone, or, perhaps, he wished to fight daily for renown. They respected both reasons, since, either way, he was fighting more than perhaps any other within the tournament. Jaygak fought a Priest the next day, and though he oppressed her with his Spirit Sentinels, she shrugged off the invading magic which dared to strike her, and defeated him with her blade. Even now, she was still confused, since she was finding fighting far too easy for someone like her. Jurot almost crippled another figure with his great strength, and the others began to understand why he seemed so confident, and why the Grand Duchess had sponsored him. Unfortunately for the group, the returns on their bets began to quickly dwindle, even for those bets for Jaygak. ¡®At least Kitool is making us bank,¡¯ Adam thought, though it didn¡¯t surprise him one bit that she had beat all her foes. Jurot and Adam made their way through the town, towards the smoke in the distance where a smith still worked, even while the tournament was in full swing. The smithy was built into the side of the mountain, and the smith was an old man, too old, almost as old as the Grand Duchess, but built like a bear. He was slightly taller than Adam, but easily carried the weight of one and half Adams. Bald, with a bandanna to catch his sweat, a thick beard, charred at the edges. He was hairy, his hair white, but Adam noted the brand against the side of his arm, that of a circle with four dots within the centre. ¡®Whoa,¡¯ Adam thought, eyeing up the steel across wall. Each was like typical steel, but lighter in shade, with specks of what seemed to be frost within. ¡®Should I buy Larot one of these too?¡¯ The smith eventually stopped working on the small segment of steel, one which would take form of a dagger, and he placed it to one side. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°How much for one of your blades?¡± ¡°If you need to ask, this is the wrong smithy for you, boy.¡± ¡°You know, sometimes the North really does feel like the South,¡± Adam said, noting even Jurot threw him a look. The old man narrowed his eyes, inhaling sharply a moment. ¡°One fifty for the swords displayed on the racks, five hundred for the blade hung upon the wall.¡± ¡°Jurot, what do you think? A sword for Larot, a pair of axes for Virot and Damrot?¡± ¡°It would be best.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam thought, glancing around. ¡°Are you a weaponsmith, or do you also make shields?¡± ¡°I make shields, but I prefer working with icesteel.¡± ¡°Can, or rather, should icesteel only be used for weapons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Why?¡± ¡°Icesteel strikes harder than other steel.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯m a smith too, but I¡¯m not really familiar with all the different types of steel.¡± The bear smith narrowed his eyes towards the half elf, before his eyes fell to Jurot. ¡°Did you give the boy that shield?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How did he come to get it?¡± ¡°My cousin, Turot, gifted it to him.¡± ¡°I heard that the Mad Dog took a Vice Commander¡¯s arm, of the Black Moon.¡± ¡°He did.¡± The bear smith glanced towards the Iyrman, who nodded. ¡°So seventy gold now, six thousand one hundred and thirty later, and we will begin forging then?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll probably order once we win the tournament, if you have the items in stock, then please slip them aside.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the smith replied. He had handed over to Jurot a weapon that had been worth five hundred gold, but it appeared that he was going to make so much more in return. ¡°Oh! ¡°Adam said. ¡°Can you also make small scales out of icesteel, or whatever nice metals you have?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How much for each scale?¡± Adam asked, showing the vague size and shape he wanted. ¡°It would depend on the metal, but a few copper to a silver per scale.¡± ¡°Then please make a bunch of those, and I¡¯ll pay for those upfront. Say...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Depends on how many you can make per day. Wait, actually, please make them bigger, like.¡± Adam froze again, thinking deeply. ¡®...¡¯ Jurot eyed up Adam, who was definitely thinking something serious. ¡°Can you instead make little...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°Little items of metal are pretty bad to give to kids. They¡¯ll suck on them and there¡¯s a chance they¡¯ll choke.¡± ¡°What of bands?¡± ¡°Bands?¡± Adam replied. ¡°Sometimes the children like to wear bands over their arms.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°That is more in the realms of jewellery, but we can make them,¡± the bear smith stated. ¡°Then please, some of those, and make sure their edges are smooth.¡± ¡°Metalwork of the North is used to cut beasts, not children.¡± The old bear smith flexed his muscles, and the other smiths did similar, full of pride. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jurot, let¡¯s win, and buy the weapons, and then when we make our way back, let¡¯s kill a bunch more hydras!¡± ¡°Firesteel is better for dealing with hydras,¡± the old bear smith said. ¡°We have some too. Not enough for so many weapons.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam frowned. ¡®Damn. Firesteel sounds so cool.¡¯ ¡°Please make the swords out of firesteel,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will you be staying through the Twilight Month?¡± the bear smith asked. Adam glanced away, unable to respond, though Jurot nodded. ¡°Wyvern got your tongue, boy?¡± ¡°I got married last Twilight Month, and I¡¯ll miss our first anniversary, so that¡¯s why I have to win the tournament.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the old bear smith replied, vaguely understanding Adam¡¯s thoughts. ¡®He¡¯s a little queer, but he¡¯s got a Notherner¡¯s spirit.¡¯ ¡°We¡¯ll begin work soon on the weapons and shields we do not have in stock, and you can return some time during the Twilight Month for your work.¡± ¡°We might come by during the start of the next year instead,¡± Adam said. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Do you make rings too?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I can.¡± ¡°I would like a ring of icesteel.¡± ¡°It is quite cold.¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°You are right.¡± ¡°What about a box made of icesteel? Pam might like that.¡± ¡°Yes, that-,¡± Jurot began, only to pause into his thoughts. ¡°No. It must be a ring, for our anniversary.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Adam thought. ¡®Should I get a ring too? No, I can¡¯t get the same thing.¡¯ ¡°Wait, Jurot, should it be a ring? She is a baker, it might get in the way?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Jurot crossed his arms. ¡°A necklace?¡± ¡°Yeah. That makes sense. What should I get for Vonda? A ring? No. A bracelet. I¡¯d like seven bracelets made of whatever metal, fairly smallish, and a bigger bracelet made of, oh, not icesteel, but... something a little nicer.¡± ¡°Pay a hundred gold now and we¡¯ll consider it part of the order,¡± the smith said, before his thoughts fell on the most obvious thoughts one could think of in this moment. ¡®Are they really the Mad Dog¡¯s grandchildren?¡¯ What''s this? A shopping chapter in the middle of our tournament arc? The sheer audacity of our author! Just a reminder that I''m still posting up additional chapters for each new patron! Join for as much as a cup of coffee! What? Are coffees really that expensive now? Okay, a really bad cup of coffee? What? Really? Then how about some tea instead? Ah. You can always have faith in tea. [995] – Y04.095 – Fools and Honour I [995] ¨C Y04.095 ¨C Fools and Honour I Jaygak inhaled deeply. This was her third fight, and it was against another Oathsworn of an Order, a white scaled drakken woman from the Order of the Snow Storm. She wielded a blade made of icesteel, though certainly it was magical too, at least Basic, if not Greater. The pair engaged in a vicious battle, magical steel clashing against magical steel, ringing against the joy of the crowd. ¡®She is at least four years my junior, but she can go toe to toe with me?¡¯ the drakken woman thought, the pair clashing steel. ¡®Her ability is great, but...¡¯ Her blade flashed white, and though she did not wield a shield, their defensive capabilities were the same. The woman had called forth magics, her entire body glowing slightly as her conviction protected. Yet, even with her greatsword of icesteel, which had been enchanted with Greater power, she found herself dropped to a knee, a glowing blade resting against her shoulder. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Jaygak said, her heart pounding within her chest. It wasn¡¯t just that she had pushed herself to her limits during the fight, but something seeped within her heart. Certainly Adam, Sir Roseiah, and the Nightval Blade were great, but this young drakken woman was no slouch, and nor was Sir Rory. Yet, she had beaten the pair. Two contenders to place, and she had beaten them. ¡°You fight well, Iyrman,¡± the drakken said, clasping Jaygak¡¯s forearm, hoisted up by the Iyrman. ¡°I thought my magics could help me close the gap, but I was wrong.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°I was gifted with my magical blade, a blade which is one of the greatest which the Enchanter has made.¡± ¡°The Enchanter?¡± While Jaygak explained the Enchanter and the business to the woman, she couldn¡¯t help but think about what the woman had said. ¡®She thought her magic could close the gap with me?¡¯ It was a statement which followed her for the rest of the day. ¡®I thought my magics could help me close the gap, but I was wrong.¡¯ Someone else thought they were weaker than her? Her? Jaygak? ¡®...¡¯ Marshal Black remained silent as he noted the group had come together to eat, exchanging a look with Jane. ¡°You need to give us a better show,¡± Lucy said. ¡°If we slip up, we¡¯ll lose,¡± Adam replied. ¡°It¡¯s the best you¡¯re going to get.¡± ¡°The bets are so tiny now.¡± ¡°What can I say?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Did you bet on the first battle?¡± ¡°Yeah, and I almost lost it all!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t though. You should be happy that we¡¯re making you all this money, you know?¡± ¡°You need to let me complain because I can¡¯t get to fight.¡± ¡°Fine, but then I should be allowed to talk about my kids a little bit!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make the promise not to be cringe.¡± ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you made the promise.¡± ¡°You kept bullying me.¡± ¡°Deservedly so.¡± ¡®Ah,¡¯ Marshal Black thought, understanding what the word finally meant. ¡®I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t join the tournament,¡¯ Jane said. ¡®I wish I had more money to bet.¡¯ Jurot remained silent. ¡®I must win. I require three more tournament wins before I can claim the title of Champion. Champion.¡¯ Jurot closed his eyes, thinking of his wife¡¯s warm smile, sometimes tinged with anxiety from being so close to the Iyr, and his ugly son, who cried so loudly. ¡®Hey, Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®How come you¡¯re not giving me the XP for their wins if we¡¯re sharing mine?¡¯ [It will be granted after the tournament.] ¡®Oh. How are you doing, anyway?¡¯ [Well.] ¡®You, uh, want me to make you a body and transfer your consciousness into it?¡¯ [...] ¡®The offer¡¯s always there.¡¯ The next day, Adam fought against a warrior whose blade moved like a snake. It almost slipped through his armour several times, but somehow, didn¡¯t manage to slip through the chinks of his armour. Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: 4 200 -> 4 500 ¡®Eh? That much?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®That¡¯s a lot!¡¯ [...] Adam walked away from his opponent, who wielded a blade coated with a terrible poison, oblivious to how close h e had flirted with Baktu. As the group gathered together, Adam noted the Order members who joined them, invited by the Iyrmen. He remained quiet, allowing the group to mingle, understanding he couldn¡¯t give too much away this time. ¡°Are you planning on staying for the Twilight Month?¡± Rory asked. Adam¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t in the next attack, it glancing off his brother¡¯s skin too quickly for him to harm him. The half elf quickly gathered himself, and focused, swinging his blade more violently towards his brother. Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Wraith: 0 -> 1 Wraith: 1 -> 0 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 28 (9)(10) Damage resisted! 14 damage! Jurot could feel something greater within that blow, feeling the ache through his bones, though after a moment, the feeling passed with his rage, and he flexed his muscles. Adam blinked. He had done about enough damage to almost knock himself out, and yet his brother was pretty much fine, as though it had been barely an inconvenience. ¡°You know, Jurot...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so scary too.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, his lips almost twitching. ¡°Did it work?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam let out a soft sigh. ¡°Jurot. Would you believe me if I told you that I thought about this before and somehow forgot?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have mixed feelings about that.¡± ¡°It is okay.¡± Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder and squeezed it. ¡°Please help me raise my children. If their daddy is this stupid, I¡¯ll worry for them.¡± Jurot blinked, uncertain of whether he would do much better. ¡°They will be fine.¡± Adam sighed once more. ¡®Damn it. How did I not realise that? Aren¡¯t I even more powerful than I realised. Also, Jurot, why did you tell me now?¡¯ The tournament continued, with the four racking up victory after victory, against all manner of those who belonged to the Orders, mercenaries, adventurers, and worst of all, noblefolk. Jaygak fought against an Oathsworn who was considered weaker than both Rory and Eliza, and yet, as their blades clashed, she could feel how heavy her arms had become. For a moment she fought Jaygak would fail to defeat her, a young woman roughly her own age, who was no doubt just barely above an Expert, and yet somehow was pushing Jaygak this far back. Then, somehow, Jaygak¡¯s blade managed to strike her though a chink in her armour, causing a grave wound that would have killed her, if not for her own timely magics, and the Priest who swiftly rushed over. Jaygak panted. ¡°A great fight!¡± The Oathsworn remain on the ground, knelt, but grunted as the Priest tended to her wound, and the Iyrmen retreated. ¡®I have to be careful not to let down my guard.¡¯ ¡°You worried me,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I almost lost a thousand gold!¡± ¡°A thousand gold? Did you lose faith in me?¡± Jaygak teased. ¡°A thousand gold is my limit now, just in case I mess up,¡± Adam replied, flushing slightly, taking the words too close to his heart. Jaygak winked. Adam, Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak, all had managed to remain undefeated, even as the second week began to pass. Then it happened. ¡°Ah?¡± Adam said, smiling wide. Omen: 9, 18 ¡®No crit? I guess I can¡¯t do that again.¡¯ A servant approached Adam within the room, the other fighters all glancing towards the half elf. It wasn¡¯t right for a servant to be here, but upon seeing the Grand Duchess¡¯ symbol upon the servant, the fighters glanced away. ¡®Right, if it¡¯s the Blacksnow family, it¡¯s okay, since they¡¯re good.¡¯ Good? Powerful. Adam checked the note, and as the servant pulled away, the other fighters quickly glanced towards him. Why? Because Adam had dared to speak up. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam called. ¡°I believe I informed the Grand Duchess I intend to win.¡± ¡°That has not changed,¡± the servant assured, tossing a note into the fire, a fake note, just in case someone used magic to reform it. ¡°If you are able, with your own strength, to win, then win.¡± The fighters blinked, shocked, for the Grand Duchess was saying he could win? Then what was the note about? ¡°Good,¡± Adam replied, as his name was called out, and he stepped up, donning his shield. Adam almost ignored the announcer, but he raised his axe and shield, circling around the arena. Then she stepped out. She was adorned in full plate, silver and red. Her armour was no doubt magical, due to the tiny runes along the trim. A heavy cloak, which fell to her knees, billowed even in the slightest breeze, glistening as though it was made of the blood. ¡°Sir Roseia Drakkenslayer!¡± the announcer shouted, to the eruption of cheers. ¡°Have you come for your revenge, leaf ear?¡± Sir Roseia asked, wielding her greatsword within her hands. ¡°...¡± Adam smiled from behind his helmet, feeling the butterflies in his stomach. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking forward to this.¡± ¡°There were distasteful rumours previously. This time I shall dispatch you with ease.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡®Uh oh.¡¯ Jaygak, Jurot, and Kitool were all ready to fight that day, therefore they weren¡¯t watching the fight, much to their chagrin. However, Lucy and Mara exchanged a look. ¡°He¡¯s not going to...¡± Mara was uncertain of how to respond to Lucy¡¯s worries. ¡®He is fortunate to be so close with so many Iyrmen.¡¯ Uh oh. [996] – Y04.096 – Fools and Honour II [996] ¨C Y04.096 ¨C Fools and Honour II ¡°Baba,¡± the little girl called, her tiny face barely peeking through her hat and thick coat. ¡°I am hungry.¡± ¡°If you are hungry, then you must eat,¡± the old man replied, reaching out to strap the crimson blade at his side. He reached out a hand, holding out his pinky and ring finger for the girl, who grabbed them, and followed after her grandfather. ¡°I miss daddy,¡± the girl said, pouting. ¡°Your father is working hard,¡± the old man replied. ¡°When he returns, he will spoil you.¡± ¡°I do not want spoil, I want daddy.¡± The old man sighed, wondering how the Mad Dog dealt with his greatdaughter. ¡®How can I speak back when she is so cute?¡¯ He lifted the girl up, planting a kiss on her forehead, while the girl smiled shyly. ¡°Baba...¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love baba.¡± ¡°I love you too, my Chisen,¡± the old man replied, wondering if he should spill more blood with his blade. Meanwhile, another old man played with a little girl, though her younger sibling was also nearby, drawing away with a dagger like grip upon the pencil. ¡°Babo, you are so fat now!¡± Jirot accused with her chubby, accusatory, potato eating, mischief causing, fingers. ¡°I am bulking, my dear, bulking!¡± the old man¡¯s heart throbbed with pain, as though he didn¡¯t wish to gain such weight, his grandson had informed him of the best way to gain strength so many years ago. ¡°Mummy is bulking too?¡± Jirot asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Even though they call me Mad Dog, not even I can say such,¡± the old man said, pulling the girl to his chest, planting a firm kiss on her forehead. ¡°You cannot say such things, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl smirked. ¡°Jirot, you cannot, or I will tell nana.¡± ¡°No! I did not say it! I did not!¡± Jirot gasped, clutching his shirt tight in hand. ¡°If you lie I will tell mummy!¡± ¡°I will not lie, and you cannot say it, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl calmed down, still partly afraid of the old man telling her grandmother. After all, if he told her grandmother, then she would not be able to eat two potatoes, only one. ¡®How can she do this?¡¯ ¡°Your babo is working so hard.¡± ¡°Good job, babo,¡± little Jarot said, reaching out to pat the old man¡¯s forearm, before feeling how squidgy it had become. He squeezed it gently. The older man wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about it, but since his greatson was enjoying himself, he decided to allow it. Just this once. ¡°Babo, daddy is working hard, so I must wait,¡± Jirot said. ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°Even though I miss daddy, I am waiting for him.¡± ¡°You miss your daddy?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot replied, but she pouted. ¡°I am waiting because I am such a good girl.¡± ¡°You are your mother¡¯s daughter.¡± The girl smiled. ¡°I am daddy¡¯s dohtur too.¡± ¡°You are my greatdaughter too, so sometimes, you can cause a mess, but only a little.¡± ¡°Only little bit,¡± Jirot confirmed. ¡°I will cause mess later.¡± ¡°Later? What will you do?¡± ¡°I will...¡± The girl thought. ¡°I will tell daddy he is smelly boy.¡± She cackled with delight. ¡°Oh?¡± Jarot replied. The girl stopped cackling, upon seeing her greatfather¡¯s look, but as he smirked, she returned back to cackling. ¡°With how much trouble you cause, you are certainly your father¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Daddy is always making such mess, mummy always cleaning up. How can he do this?¡± The girl shrugged, utterly exasperated. ¡°He is my grandson, after all,¡± the old Iyrman said, brushing the girl¡¯s cheek with his thumb. ¡°He must make a mess, since he is my grandson.¡± ¡°Yeah! Come on then! Come on then!¡± the half elf shouted, punching the air repeatedly, causing the crowd to shout and cheer louder. He rushed over to one side of the crowd, raising his axe towards them. ¡°Yeah!¡± He rushed to the other side, raising his shield. ¡°Yeah!¡± He spun around with his shield and axe out, and continued to fight the air in celebration. It was only when the Priest and the guards appeared, that Adam stopped, but for a moment, the guards reached for their blades upon seeing how Adam feinted towards them, his shield and axe up, the half elf coaxing them to fight him, before he sheathed his axe and laughed wildly. ¡®Is he an idiot?¡¯ one of the guards thought, reading to attack. ¡°Mm mm mm mm mmm! I am eating good tonight!¡± Adam laughed as he walked into the winning section, where the winners glanced his way, surprised to see the half elf. ¡°I hope none of you bet wrong, because damn, I bet right!¡± ¡°How much you bet?¡± ¡°A few thou,¡± Adam replied, wiggling his shoulders. ¡°A few thousand?¡± the older fellow asked. ¡°I sure did!¡± Adam said, bouncing from one side to the next. ¡°Then drinks are on you?¡± ¡°Drinks are on me, they¡¯re on Kitool,¡± Adam said, shuffling his way over to the young Iyrman who had stepped out of the shadows when Adam started to talk about money. He continued to bounce from one side to the next, reaching out to high five Kitool. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t leave me hanging! I was finally allowed to beat her up!¡± Kitool slapped his hand gently, before crossing her arms again. ¡°Stop acting the fool, or you will be in great trouble with the Grand Duchess.¡± ¡°Ah, come on!¡± Adam snapped his fingers as he bounced. ¡°I finally got my revenge after all these years and put-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Kitool warned, her voice stern. Adam stopped snapping his fingers, though he continued to bounce and shimmy his shoulders slightly. ¡°You can¡¯t stop me from dancing, though.¡± ¡°Stop it, you queer fool,¡± another victor said. ¡°Win with some decorum!¡± ¡°Decorum? She was-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Kitool warned again. Adam inhaled deeply, crossing his arms, finally stopping. ¡°Fine.¡± He hummed quietly to himself, nodding his head lightly. ¡®Hoo! Baby! What a rush! Yeah! Wear your good knickers, because I¡¯m gonna-,¡¯ Adam jolted slightly, inhaling deeply. ¡®Whoa. Alright. Relax. Come on, bro.¡¯ ¡°Kitool?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Man, I want to win so bad.¡± ¡°Do your best.¡± ¡°Yeah. You too, Kitool. You need to win your segment.¡± Kitool glanced towards the figures around her, some of whom she would still need to face, from the Delirious Sword, to the others who would prove difficult. ¡°I will do my best.¡± It wasn¡¯t long until Jurot and Jaygak both appeared, the pair having won their bouts, Adam greeting them all with a shake of the forearm, and the smile upon his face revealed more than enough to them. ¡°Congratulations, Adam,¡± Jaygak said, smiling towards him. ¡°Congratulations? Didn¡¯t you guys also bet as much as me?¡± Adam winked. Jaygak smiled, winking back. Jurot and Kitool exchanged a look, understanding that Adam was causing trouble for them, but luckily, they were Iyrmen. They took in the sights of the older group, each of whom would cause them the most trouble. As the group left the victor¡¯s stadium together, a voice called out. ¡°Executive Adam, the Grand Duchess wishes to speak with you.¡± ¡°Ah? With little ol¡¯ me?¡± Adam asked, before he turned. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I will come too,¡± Jurot said. ¡°The Grand Duchess requested only his presence.¡± Jurot stared down at the servant. ¡°I will come too.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Adam closed his eyes. ¡®Oh. I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ Even his celebrations are cringe. [997] – Y04.097 – Fools and Honour III [997] ¨C Y04.097 ¨C Fools and Honour III ¡°They wish to crown the victor for your segment soon, since the omens are poor for the Twilight Month,¡± Grand Duchess Aeda said, sipping her tea. Even now, Adam could feel the intense pressure falling down upon him. Before him he could really see it, that she was truly a Blacksnow, wearing her heavy furs, her pearl necklace, a simple ring, and her oppression as though it were fashionable. He glanced aside towards her guards, each of whom were famous for being quite strong, among the strongest across the land, each adorned in their full plate, each wielding great magical weapons. ¡°Since our Nightval Blade dropped out, the top four are yourself, Jaygak, Princess Adda, and, though she was defeated, Sir Roseia.¡± Adam¡¯s lips dared to twitch upwards, though he quickly stopped it from spreading, since he could still feel there was more to say. ¡°So...¡± ¡°The tournament will end once each of you have faced one another,¡± the woman said. ¡°Jaygak will face Princess Adda tomorrow, you will face Jaygak the day after, while Princess Adda will face Sir Roseia first, and then you will face once another for the final placings.¡± ¡°Are you okay with me placing first?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want your great granddaughter to come first?¡± ¡°If Princess Adda defeats Jaygak and Sir Roseia, then she comes to face you, if it ends with a draw, both of you will place first.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Adam hadn¡¯t thought of it that way. ¡°I bet quite a large sum to place first, so how will that come to play?¡± ¡°You will receive your money, one way or another,¡± the Grand Duchess stated. ¡°It is only tens of thousands of gold.¡± ¡°Does the Princess know of this? I¡¯m sure she has the pride of a Northerner, so how does she feel about me holding back to allow her to take first place alongside me?¡± Jurot wondered why the half elf was picking a fight with the Grand Duchess, but he remained silent, since he hadn¡¯t gone too far. He also wished to speak about that too. ¡°It does not matter. You will do as you are told.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Grace,¡± Adam said. ¡°Now, say that Jaygak defeats Princess Adda, what happens then?¡± ¡°Jaygak will not be able to defeat her, since it is not a fair fight,¡± the Grand Duchess replied, simply. ¡°Alright.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Then, if she has to lose against Princess Adda, then,¡± Adam began, pausing. He thought for a long moment. ¡°If Sir Roseia manages to beat Jaygak, will she come second or third?¡± ¡°Third.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The bets to be paid out if she came second would be too much.¡± ¡°How much?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A few thousand gold, perhaps tens of thousands.¡± ¡°If Jaygak beats Sir Roseia, she places second, and you can use my winnings to pay for that position,¡± Adam said. ¡°If Sir Roseia wins, then you can say that...¡± Adam paused. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. If Jaygak wins, she comes second. If she loses, she places third, and I¡¯ll pay for it through my winnings.¡± ¡°This is North Amber, boy.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam leaned back. ¡°Since you want me to step back, that¡¯s...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Hold on. No, I won¡¯t pay anything from my winnings. You want me to give up my position for first to allow your great granddaughter to come first alongside me, and that¡¯ll be my condition.¡± ¡°...¡± The Grand Duchess wondered if Adam understood he was being threatened, but seeing the look in his eyes, it seemed as though he didn¡¯t seem to care one bit. ¡°What makes you so fearless?¡± Adam raised his brows and leaned back. He turned his head. ¡°What do you think?¡± Jurot remained silent for a long moment. ¡°My name is Jurot.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I am a Rot, so I am related to the, Kan, Gak, and Ool families too. From my father¡¯s side, I am the grandson of the Rot and Fev families. Through the Fev families, I am related to the Mak, Laf, and Zys families.¡± History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 6 (3) Adam sat up slightly upon hearing that Jurot was technically related to the Mak family. ¡®What? What the hell, Jurot? You¡¯re related to two crazy old men?¡¯ ¡°From my mother¡¯s side, I am the grandson of the Gek and Fan families,¡± Jurot dared to say, revealing more than most Iyrmen should. ¡°Through the Gek family, I am related to the Nuu, Ooj, and Sen families. Through the Fan family, I am related to the Kat, Var, Wir families.¡± ¡°Come on, Jurot! I gotta-,¡± Adam said, before catching Jurot¡¯s eyes, which were busy glaring at other figures. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re paying for your own drinks, we¡¯ll lose our streak!¡± Jaygak shouted, catching the people¡¯s attention, dropping a pouch of silver and gold. ¡°Drink! Drink up! Drink and cheer!¡± ¡°Ah¡¯ve always said yous Iyrmen were good foke,¡± a half drunk patron said, raising her glass in the air. The inn filled with the drunken joy paid for by Adam¡¯s victory. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam said, half leaning against his brother. ¡°First place.¡± He gently punched his brother¡¯s arm. ¡°You gotta win-, god damn, bro. Leave some muscle for the rest of us.¡± Jurot assisted his brother to the baths, understanding that Adam would want to bathe first. Adam eventually began to sober up within the bath. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too big.¡± ¡°I have been training well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about, you punk,¡± Adam replied, reaching up to hide his eyes. ¡®You¡¯re already so big, so why are you training your muscles?¡¯ ¡°I feel sorry for Pam.¡± ¡°She likes how big my muscles are,¡± Jurot said, flexing them. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure she does like how big you are.¡± Jurot paused. He narrowed his eyes. ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ ¡®Damn it, Jurot! This isn¡¯t fair! At least let me win at one thing, damn it!¡¯ ¡°...¡± Jurot allowed his brother to act the fool while in the tub. ¡°Heh,¡± Adam managed out. ¡°Right. Don¡¯t I have more cute kids?¡± ¡®Cringe.¡¯ ¡°Even if you are stacked in every way, you punk, at least this brother of yours has more cute adorable children. Yeah, right, right, that¡¯s what I have.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°...¡± Adam leaned back into the tub, the water pressing down against his entire body. He threw a look towards Jurot, who caught Adam¡¯s eye. ¡°Two bros. Chilling in a hot tub.¡± Adam smiled slightly. He shook his head, and looked away to the side. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t get it. No one would.¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡°Sometimes, I¡¯ll say something, and understand no one understands. It hurts, a lot.¡± Adam reached up to wipe his wet face. ¡°Then I think of all I have. My family. My friends. All this gold.¡± Jurot wished Adam stopped mentioning his wealth all the time. ¡°Even without all the gold, I wouldn¡¯t trade this for anything else.¡± Jurot nodded. ¡°I¡¯m gonna face Jaygak soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam looked to the side, feeling the brisk cold air even through the walls of the bathroom. He didn¡¯t wipe away the wetness on his face. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Jurot allowed his brother to act the fool, allowing the half elf to ease his heart. CRINGE. [998] – Y04.098 – Fools and Honour IV [998] ¨C Y04.098 ¨C Fools and Honour IV It was a song of fire and ice. The glowing blade struck against the blade of frost, the magical steel ringing in the air. Jaygak¡¯s heart beat wildly, the adrenaline pumping through her veins, her entire body hot, as though she was walking through fire. Her muscles strained as her blade met with the Princess¡¯, the holy magics bursting into her. Even with the initiative, she hadn¡¯t been able to set the pace of the bout, while the Princess had managed to wrestle control of the tempo with ease. ¡®One swing at a time,¡¯ Jaygak thought, panting for the cool air, which chilled her lungs. She had realised within their fight that the Princess¡¯ greatsword, which she was borrowing from her family no doubt, was greater than even Great Moon. Though they both possessed similar abilities, the greatsword, which was useful in tournament, and not against many of the creatures within the North, struck harder and deeper with its chill. The pair had drowned out the crowd as they danced, blade striking armour, blade striking shield. One blade left a trail of a glow, another a chill of death. As Adam watched, he frowned. He did not frown because he was about to lose a thousand gold, but that Jaygak, somehow, was being forced back with ease. The Iyrman, whose blade had moved with such swiftness in the beginning, had barely managed to wind the Princess. ¡®Jaygak...¡¯ Adam frowned, clasping his hands together in prayer. ¡®Please! She just needs a little more luck, that¡¯s all. Just a little more luck, and she can win.¡¯ ¡®I overestimated you, Jaygak,¡¯ Adda thought, her blade flashing white hot with holy magics. ¡®You were still a good fight.¡¯ The greatsword struck against Jaygak¡¯s stomach with such force, the young Iyrman stumbled backwards, before she fell onto back. She gripped her blade in hand, and though she was conscious, she was unable to fight the blurry vision which seeped all around her. Jaygak coughed out, doing her best to move her limbs, but her body refused to listen. She closed her eyes and let out a soft breath. She relaxed. The cheering around Adam almost deafened, and though he clapped his hands, he remained frowning. ¡®Damn.¡¯ Adam waited a short while before making his way down, waiting in the hallway, his hands in his pocket. Jaygak eventually stepped out of the loser¡¯s area, nodding her head towards Adam. ¡°Okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied, smiling slightly. ¡°It was a bad showing.¡± ¡°Everyone has those days,¡± Adam said, reaching out to pat her shoulder. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll pay for the cheese.¡± ¡°With your winnings?¡± ¡°I lost a lot of gold.¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to say.¡± ¡®Did you really bet a thousand?¡¯ Jaygak thought, following the half elf out. Kitool and Jurot joined them a short while later, having realised she must have lost, the group drinking together. ¡°My second tournament and I¡¯m going to place?¡± Jaygak said, raising her brows slightly. ¡°Not quite as good as your tales, but it is enough for me.¡± ¡°Place? You should come second.¡± ¡°Second?¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m taking first, you should come second.¡± Jaygak furrowed her brows, glancing towards Jurot, before sipping her drink. ¡°Sir Roseia isn¡¯t so easy to defeat either.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adam said. ¡°You can beat her.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t, Jirot will call you third place.¡± Jaygak blinked, suddenly filled with a sickness. ¡®Jirot, you wouldn¡¯t, would you?¡¯ Deep within her heart she understood that her favourite niece would certainly bully her. ¡®Second place?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jaygak, when I face her tomorrow, I¡¯ll definitely win,¡± Adam said. Jaygak exchanged a look with the other Iyrmen, before her eyes met Adam¡¯s. She understood Adam had misunderstood something. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°We¡¯re fighting tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam stared into her eyes, the awkward silence filling the room. ¡°I¡¯m still going to beat you.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Jurot almost laughed, a smile across his lips. He had been taken aback by Adam, who had somehow shocked him, even after all this time. Jaygak raised a cup. ¡°If I beat you, then I¡¯ll face her again, and I¡¯ll take first.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Adam said, raising his cup. They drank and ate that evening, though the noisiness stopped within the inn when she appeared. Her hair as black as the ocean depths, her eyes dark grey, and at her side, her typical blade. The guard behind her was familiar to all of them, for his name spread far and wide, and even drew fear from the half elf in purple. ¡°May I join you?¡± the Princess asked. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not just my best friend, but like a brother to me.¡± Adam closed his eyes tight. ¡°Jaygak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t hold back,¡± Jaygak said, clasping her shield tight in hand, pointing her blade towards the half elf. ¡°And I know you won¡¯t hold back either.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam¡¯s throat shuddered slightly, trying to find his voice, but he couldn¡¯t find his words. He raised his axe towards her. Battle Order: D20 +1 = 10 (9) Mana: 25 -> 24 Spell: Shield Defence: 25 -> 30 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Hit! Wraith: 3 -> 2 Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 31 (5)(12)(5) 31 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 20 (10) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Wraith: 2 -> 1 Mana: 23 -> 22 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 34 (11)(6)(8) 34 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical hit! Wraith: 1 -> 0 Mana: 22 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 74 (18)(13)(34) 74 damage! Jaygak and Adam stepped forward, Jaygak¡¯s blade and Adam¡¯s axe tearing through the air. Great Moon threatened to carve into Adam, but Adam let out a shout, and her glowing blade clattered off the magical shield. Jaygak, feeling the magical force deflect her sword, smiled. Adam focused completely on the young woman before him. He thought back to when he originally asked her to join he and his brother on their adventure. ¡®Great! Let¡¯s aim for Gold Rank together then!¡¯ Adam¡¯s axe flashed white hot, and blue cold, battering against the young woman¡¯s blade. ¡®Gold Rank won¡¯t suit me,¡¯ Jaygak had said. ¡®Steel will be high enough for me.¡¯ Jaygak tried to defend herself with Great Moon, but she could feel it, each strike with the might of an auroch¡¯s full charge. ¡®Well, I mean, Jurot and I are aiming for Gold Rank, so you can just join us.¡¯ The third blow, which had been enough to knock out any typical Expert, finally dropped the young Iyrman, who stumbled backwards and crumpled like paper. ¡®Damn it, Jaygak,¡¯ Adam thought, before his thoughts were drowned out by the cheering of the crowd. The only thing that felt worse than losing another thousand gold was the taste of victory. Adam raised his shield and axe up, letting out a cry into the air, which disappeared into the roar of the crowd, and the cold of nightval. Even the knowledge that Sir Roseia had been soundly beaten by Princess Adda didn¡¯t lighten Adam¡¯s heart. ¡°You lost another thousand gold?¡± Jaygak asked over their drinks. ¡°What can I say?¡± Adam replied, letting out a small sigh. ¡°If I won, then I won. If I lost, then I won.¡± Jaygak raised her brows in surprise, since even she had bet on herself to win, but it was only a few gold pieces. ¡°Sometimes you¡¯re smarter than you look.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel good to bully him when he¡¯s like this,¡¯ Jaygak thought, before blinking. ¡®I¡¯m the one who lost!¡¯ ¡°Jaygak...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t lose against Sir Roseia.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam sipped away at his wine. He wanted to offer his shield to her, but understood he couldn¡¯t. ¡°You need to beat her with your sword and shield, so you can give them to Kavgak and Maygak.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jaygak replied, smirking slightly, before thinking of her small sisters, who were each so big for their age. Adam went for another walk that evening, the chill of the North invading him again, sobering him up. ¡®Damn. Damn, damn, damn. Damn.¡¯ He turned towards the two shadows following him. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s drink,¡± Lucy said, holding up the casks, while Mara revealed the mugs she had brought. Adam let out a small sigh. He smiled at the pair, glad that he had such great friends. ¡°Alright.¡± Sad. [999] – Y04.099 – Fools and Honour V [999] ¨C Y04.099 ¨C Fools and Honour V Omen: 6, 9 "Are you feeling lucky?" Jurot asked. "Not that kind of luck," Adam replied, glancing aside to Jaygak. "What about you?" Jaygak shrugged her shoulders, staring down at her potato, the steam rising from the slit she had cut through. "Just fine." Adam inhaled deeply. Today was his last fight, and it was Jaygak¡¯s last fight too. Adam and Adda were currently undefeated, just like Jurot and Kitool, and they were each contenders for first place. Jaygak had lost twice, once to Adda, once to Adam. The King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, Sir Roseia, had also lost twice, once to himself, once to Adda. If Jaygak managed to beat Roseia, then she would manage to gain, as the Grand Duchess had promised, second place. ¡®Jaygak, please.¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡®What am I talking about? Jaygak¡¯s going to win, and if she doesn¡¯t, then it means her weapon wasn¡¯t good enough to keep up with Roseia. She¡¯s...¡¯ Adam understood the maths behind Sir Roseia and Jaygak, and though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, not only did the young lady have a better Defence, she also had a better offensive capabilities. ¡®If only we were three Levels higher...¡¯ Adam approached the arena, the damp scent of the snow on the stone filling his lungs, waking him up. His morning bath had been tense, but thankfully hot enough to warm his bones during nightval. ¡®The cold in the North really is different.¡¯ Adam and the others made their way to a section of seats, sitting among the crowd. Somehow, Adam, Jurot, and Kitool, each had their fights during the evening, whilst Jaygak¡¯s was during the morning. Jurot and Kitool didn¡¯t need to think about the Grand Duchess¡¯ influence, since it was great enough for them to assume it. To display some of the best fights during the evening was pretty normal for the masses, but the nobles preferred morning fights, so typically the fights would be mixed. However, today, all the best fights were during the evening. ¡°How much are you betting?¡± Adam asked. ¡°A hundred gold,¡± Jurot replied, with Kitool nodding. ¡°Only a hundred?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°It is a good amount to bet,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I¡¯ll bet a hundred too,¡± Lucy said, Mara bowing her head slightly. ¡®How much should I bet?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I did lose two thousand gold.¡¯ ¡®A hundred gold?¡¯ the Marshal of East Port thought, reaching up to scratch the side of his jaw. ¡®The rich really live different lives.¡¯ He, who also held hundreds of gold, still remembered the days of his youth. Jaygak sat within the cold room, along with the other arena¡¯s fighters, each of different segments while their opponents remained elsewhere. She was glad she could be alone from the rest of the group. She held her blade tight in hand, feeling the great magic within. She understood the woman used a greater blade than her own, until Jaygak called forth greater magics within, and that her armour was magical, Greater, meaning their Defence was roughly similar. ¡°Nervous?¡± Sir Rory asked, daring to approach the Iyrmen, who was deep in thought. ¡°No,¡± Jaygak replied, unsure if she was telling the truth. ¡°You defeated me,¡± Rory said. ¡°I¡¯m certain you¡¯ll have a good showing.¡¯ Jaygak smiled. ¡°A good showing, I have no doubt.¡± Jaygak rested her forearm between her hilt and waist. ¡°I am going to place in the top four whether I win or lose. My cousin will be delighted of the news, she¡¯ll reach over to pat me, tell me that I did good. I can already see my brother¡¯s face light up upon hearing my placing, I¡¯ll see the pride in his eyes. My sisters, they¡¯re too young, but they¡¯ll be swept away by the air around them.¡± Rory slowly nodded his head. ¡°Is that why you fight?¡± ¡°I am an Iyrman,¡± Jaygak replied, the only answer she could give to Rory. ¡°If I win or lose, my cousins and my siblings will all hold only pride for me. My niece, Jirot...¡± Jaygak let out a long sigh. ¡°If I lose, she will bully me for it.¡± Rory narrowed his eyes slightly. He had heard that the Iyr had a special relationship with its children, but to see the young Iyrman make such a face, he had no idea they adored their children so much. ¡®War is one thing, but affection is another.¡¯ ¡°I will not be able to retreat from her words if I lose,¡± Jaygak said, donning her helmet, while one of the workers stepped into the room. ¡°Jaygak! You¡¯re fighting next!¡± ¡°Then, for your own sake, win,¡± Rory said. Jaygak bowed her head and stepped out into her quadrant, raising her blade into the air. Her heart beat wildly, but soon she blocked out everything. She blocked out the cheering. She blocked out the jeering. She blocked out the throbbing within her ears. She even blocked out the presence of the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, who was so powerful, only the likes of Adam and an Adda wielding such a great blade, could defeat her. ¡®I am Jay of the Gak family.¡¯ She repeated the names of the Gaks who had gone through misfortune, from Jogak and Gangak, those who held the same name as her father and grandaunt, to even the young woman who she had been named after. ¡®Will I die for defeating her?¡¯ Jaygak thought, a small smile upon her face. ¡®It¡¯s not a duel to the death, and...¡¯ She thought of the trio whose eyes were no doubt glued to her. ¡°Two thousand gold.¡± ¡®More than ten tens.¡¯ ¡®Okay, mamo. I will do it.¡¯ ¡®Would you like a smoke of my pipe?¡¯ ¡®You cannot trick me, mamo! I am not allowed to.¡¯ ¡®You are not allowed to hide my sword, but you always hide my sword too?¡¯ ¡®I think mama is calling me,¡¯ Jaygak had said, quickly trying to retreat away. Even all those years ago, she had felt the same as Taygak, that she was too weak. Now? She had defeated Sir Rory of the Golden Spears. She had defeated Sir Eliza of the Snow Storm. She had remained near undefeated, save for the two ridiculous figures. One, a Princess of the North, and the other a fool. Just like the Princess, this figure, the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, had the strength and the background to defeat Jaygak. Even so, Jaygak refused. She couldn¡¯t step back, not even as the thunder rumbled through her, causing her to spit up blood into her helmet. ¡°One swing,¡± Jaygak panted. She stepped forward and swung once towards the stumbling knight. Her blade did not strike as hard as it had previously, but it struck with enough force to cause the knight to drop her blade. The magical sword Sir Roseia used slipped out of her grasp, clanging down beside her as she fell to the earth. In the North, it was not right to strike a figure who had been disarmed, nor one who had fallen and could still get up. Jaygak waited. And waited. Her body tensed up at the sound, like that of the thunderous explosion which threatened to drop her, but it was not from the great magic of the knight, but the cheering of the crowd. Her entire body filled with an electricity as her heavy arms exploded upwards into the air, the tears dropping down her cheeks. She couldn¡¯t pick out the words from a particular young man, but it was fine, since it was no doubt cringe. ¡°That¡¯s our Jaygak! If Jaygak has ten thousand fans, I am among them! If Jaygak has one fan, it is me! If Jaygak has no fans, then I am dead! Fuck yeah!¡± It was a short while later when Adam almost tackled Jaygak, embracing her tight. ¡°Jaygak! You did it! You did it!¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised?¡± Jaygak asked, wincing as the pain within her body still rocked through her. ¡°Damn it, Jaygak. Damn it!¡± Adam held her in a bear hung, swinging her from side to side, howling with laughter. ¡°You did it, damn it!¡± ¡°Let me go before I beat you,¡± Jaygak groaned, feeling the ache within her body flood through her. ¡°You should prepare for your own fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m prepared,¡± Adam said, finally dropping her, placing his hands on her shoulders. ¡°Keep my seat warm, won¡¯t you?¡± Jaygak smiled. She pushed him away lightly, before glancing towards Jurot and Kitool, who clasped her forearm. ¡°It was a good fight,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°Yes,¡± Jaygak replied, nodding her head back. ¡°Congratulations on your placing,¡± Kitool said, shaking her forearm, holding it for a moment longer. Jaygak smiled, holding a hint of sadness. ¡°You need to earn first place too.¡± ¡°Make sure you bet on each of us, alright? Ah, well, except me,¡± Adam said, wondering if it was right to bet on him, or if they could get away with it. ¡°Make sure you bet for me too, alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely bet on the victors,¡± Jaygak teased. LET''S GO, JAYGAK! LET''S GO! [1000] – Y04.100 – Fools and Honour VI [1000] ¨C Y04.100 ¨C Fools and Honour VI Adam inhaled deeply, the chilly air filled his lungs, waking him further. He had half expected the Grand Duchess to poison him at this point, since the last match was about to begin, but sitting within the fighter¡¯s area, he glanced around to the others who were still waiting for their fights, and one by one, they stepped out. ¡°Worried?¡± a Northerner asked. He an older man, in his late forties or so, with pale skin, black hair and black eyes, which was so common in the North. He wore a breast plate made of darker steel, and he carried on his back a large blade made of jagite. Not the same kind of jagite Adam had bought previously, but true jagite. History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 23 (20) ¡°No, not...¡± Adam furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly. ¡°Black Blood?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Eddard, Black Blood, replied, reaching out to shake Adam¡¯s forearm. ¡°How have you been?¡± ¡°Yeah, good, you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been well.¡± ¡°What about your group?¡± ¡°Fine enough.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Fancy that. I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the other segments, but if I had known you were around, I would have bet on you.¡± ¡°Ah, shouldn¡¯t bet on me. I¡¯m fighting old Bear Tusk next, and...¡± Eddard shrugged his shoulders. ¡°How about you, young man?¡± Hearing the words young man caused Adam¡¯s hair to stand on end, though the feeling quickly passed. ¡°Yeah, well... I¡¯m about to face Princess Adda, and the Grand Duchess and I came to an understanding. As long as I get first place, I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°So... you¡¯re coming first?¡± ¡°There might be a few of us coming first.¡± Adam winked. ¡°Ah.¡± Eddard slowly bowed his head. He glanced down at Adam¡¯s steel tag from the Guild, noting the stamps. When he had first met Adam, he had a bronze tag, and very quickly after, he had risen to Steel. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy?¡± ¡°Some hydras didn¡¯t know their place,¡± Adam said. ¡°I heard some rumour about the Marshal of the East.¡± ¡°Lord Benjamin, right?¡± Adam replied, thinking back to the clash he had trying to protect Alex. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You had some trouble with the Marshal?¡± ¡°He had some trouble with us, and my brother dealt with it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure the Iyrman could have stopped the Marshal just like that.¡± ¡°Well, we fought, and then the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, or rather, the First Hope, guaranteed the Marshal¡¯s life, so what could I do?¡± Eddard furrowed his brows slightly, thinking upon Adam¡¯s words. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ ¡°Plus, you know, I got to show off in front of my wife by beating up so many people, so what can I do other than to let them go?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Your wife?¡± ¡°Adam!¡± called the worker. ¡°Get ready!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get some drinks tonight,¡± Adam said. ¡°Where are you staying?¡± ¡°Four Corners, by the bend.¡± ¡°See you then,¡± Adam said, tapping his forehead as a quick salute, before donning his shield, the same red shield Eddard had recognised all the way back during their fight. ¡®I wonder how strong he¡¯s become after nearly two years,¡¯ Eddard thought. Adam stepped out onto the stone floor, holding out his hands, basking in the attention of the crowd, who cheered, shouting out his name. ¡°... Sure?¡± Adam replied, having not heard of such a thing before. ¡®I guess Slasher won¡¯t be active then?¡¯ He understood the young woman had used an ability to allow her to strike him with Advantage too, while Slasher imposed Disadvantage upon her whenever he managed a Critical against her. They cancelled each other out, but Slasher only lasted for a moment or two. The young woman clasped her hands together and healed herself, before she bowed her head, healing herself. She chanted the words to a spell, bowed her head, and stepped forward to clash with Adam once more. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 13 (5) D20 + 10 = 22 (12) Hit! Wraith: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 15 (3)(3) 15 damage! Attack - Wraith (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 23 (15) D20 + 10 = 29 (16) Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 20 (2)(9) 20 damage! The pair clashed once more, blade meeting axe, but Adam focused once more, and managed to force the young woman back, striking harder and harder, while the young woman tried to defend herself. She almost dropped to a knee as Adam forced her back. She was used to striking hard, as hard as Adam would, but she was rarely on the receiving end of such abuse. Adda continued to push forward, barely able to gather her strength. She chanted the words to a new spell, understanding that Adam was able to strike through her great defence, and she just needed one good hit. Just a one good hit, and then she would be able to set the pace. Her magical blade glanced off of the tip of Adam¡¯s shield, then struck him against the side of his helmet. Health: 112 -> 42 Strength Save D20 + 8 = 25 (17) The explosion of a Thunderous Smite almost burst his ear drums as Adam flexed his muscles, his neck straining as the heat of the holy magic, and the chill of the woman¡¯s blade, coursed through him. ¡®Yes!¡¯ Adda thought, about to step forward, to follow the half elf¡¯s body as the thunderous force would knock him back. Except, she couldn¡¯t. Adam stood tall and strong, his head tilted as the blade tried to cut through his helmet. He could feel the hot drips of blood against his cheek and neck. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said. ¡°If you think I won¡¯t offend the Grand Duchess of the North by beating your ass, you¡¯re sorely mistaken. I told you, I made a promise, so if you don¡¯t step back now, I¡¯ll beat you so hard, you won¡¯t be able to look at the colour purple without shivering.¡± Adda remained frozen in shock, while Adam peeled the woman¡¯s blade away from his head, reaching up to rub the sore spot. ¡®What?¡¯ Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 8 = 12 (4) Health: 42 -> 54 ¡®If she attacks again, I¡¯ll just beat her,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®That really fucking hurt.¡¯ Adda stared at Adam. Just one more good hit like that, and she would win, but at the same time, everyone could see it by now. Adam was holding back. Adda stepped backwards, clutching her blade tight in hand, staring at the man in purple. ¡°I am near spent, and yourself?¡± Adda asked, raising her voice to the quietened crowd. ¡°Me too,¡± Adam replied, also raising his voice. ¡°You fight as well as any man I¡¯ve seen,¡± Adda said, cautiously, before standing a little taller. ¡®So this is why...¡¯ ¡°You hold the might of giants. You hold the vitality of dragons.¡± Adam remained silent, unsure of what she was doing. It was when she slowly bowed her head, and Adam noted the expectant look within her visor, that he cleared his throat. ¡°Ah, right, excuse me. I was stunned by your... wisdom, which matches your... great strength.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t talk about her beauty, since, obviously, my wife is the most beautiful.¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +200 XP: 5 200 -> 5 400 Quest Complete: First Place XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 5 400 -> 6 400 Quest Complete: A Noble Quest XP Gained: +200 XP: 6 400 -> 6 600 Quest Complete: A Northern Welcome XP Gained: +200 XP: 6 600 -> 6 800 Quest Complete: A Father¡¯s Wish XP Gained: +200 XP: 6 800 -> 7 000 The cheering erupted throughout the crowd, almost drowning out all the annoyance of the XP Adam had gained. ¡®What¡¯s all this XP for?¡¯ Sometimes you need to beat the days out of a noble to remind them of their place. Interlude: The Last Days of Nightval Interlude: The Last Days of Nightval ''You''ve got to be kidding me.'' Adam let out a long defeated sigh. He had calculated the group could, if they left swiftly, return back home by the end of the year. ''We need to wait until the twenty second?¡¯ ''The Grand Commander is leaving, but if we remain...'' Jaygak thought, noting Adam''s expression, the half elf certainly annoyed he couldn''t return back home. "What should we do for the next week?" "We can help prepare the defences.¡± "For the Twilight Month? I guess we could..." Adam sat beside Jaygak, who refused to speak of Jurot and Kitool and their fights. ''What''s taking them so long?'' The North shifted its attention to the oncoming onslaught that was the Twilight Month throughout the last two weeks of nightval. The food stores were triple checked. The farmers worked upon their homes, readying themselves for the Twilight Month. "Jimmy, Brown Boots?" an older farmer asked, carrying a large sack of grain over his shoulder. Jimmy reached into his cloak to reveal a large silver medallion, stamped with the scales of Lady Elaveil. "Thought you were volunteering?" "I was gonna, but Knives got sick." "They still got you anyhow?" Limes shrugged his shoulders. "Least you got the silver." "Yeah." The smiths kept their hours open for any smithing required by the town during the last few weeks of nightval, just in case, as inscribed within its laws. Adam and his companions also assisted, taking on the role of Brown Boots, those who volunteered to assist, shoring up the defences of the town and the nearby outposts, making sure items were stocked, and whatever else was required of them by those who made demands of them, mostly those from the clergy. "You going to be fighting?" Limes asked. "Probably," Adam replied, before Jaygak threw him a look. "I mean, yes, we are." "Say, by any chance, are you the purple fellow?" "Are you asking if I''m Executive Adam?" "Aye, that''s it." "I am, yes." "Thought so. Your axe and shield, recognised them from the fighting. Lost a gold on you when you fought against our Blade. I would have sworn she was going to win." "She was the toughest fight for sure," Adam admitted, flashing an awkward smile. "I almost lost my bet, and man, my wife would have killed me. Well, not kill me, because, you know, she''s from Life''s Rose, but figuratively speaking." The farmer nodded his head, throwing the Iyrmen a look, considering Adam''s ridiculous words. "Life''s Rose?" "That''s right, she''s-," "Limes! Sammy''s callin'' for you!" "Must be wonderin'' where I left the salt," Limes said. "I always tell her, in the back, third bag. In the back, third bag." The old man grumbled and peeled himself off the bench, shuffling through to find Sammy. Adam''s eyes fell across the mass of people, all in their furs and heavy cloaks, moving about in small squads. The Northerners moved with practised efficiency, not quite as efficient as Iyrmen, Adam thought, but they moved as though they were familiar with the situation. "What''s with all the kids?" Adam asked, noting some teens nearby, who were currently being instructed by some individuals Jaygak had pointed out to him. They were those who used to fight in the tournaments, or nobles of some renown, the warriors old and grizzled, the nobles young, but disciplined. "It''s a right of passage," Jaygak explained. "They''ll sign up to fight during the Twilight Month, and if they survive, most do, they are considered men and women." "What''s the survival rate like?" "They only die if grave mistakes are made, which is extremely rare," Jaygak said. Fate''s Golden continued to assist throughout the week, with Lucy and Mara assisting with the labour, alongside Jurot. Kitool also assisted with her swiftness, while Jaygak and Adam remained beside one another, the half elf assisting with his magic. Then it was time. The arena was full to the brim, with all the fighters who had decided to remain, and those who won and placed. Though there were tens of thousands sitting in the crowd, and standing all around the arena, all were silent. The white snow engrossed the people, but not as much as the sight of the old man. He was lean, speckled all over with venerability, and the only sound which echoed through the arena was his cane striking the floor as he approached the wooden stand. A pair of knight escorted him from behind. The old man was glad that the podium hid most of his body, allowing him to lean against it. He glanced around, barely able to spot the faces ahead of him, but he raised his hand, and the cheering began, applause filling the stadium. It was as though he had won the tournament only moments ago, the hollering and the cheering. He basked in it for a long moment, before raising his shaking hand, dismissing the sounds, which petered out over the course of another long moment. One of the knights brought a small horn over, which he placed over the old man''s neck. "Is everyone. Quiet?" he asked, his voice carrying far along the breeze. "These old ears. They''re not. What they. Used to be." The old man smiled, allowing the crowd to chuckle for a few moments, before they settled down. He glanced from side to side, smiling at them all. He focused his attention upon the stand, rubbing the wood. "Northern ash. Strong." He raised his hand, clenching it weakly, smiling wider. "Northern built." The crowd hollered at his words, shouting and clapping their hands, before falling silent. He pointed out with a shaking finger. "S''over there. I was beaten. By the Noskan. Wind." He pointed to another spot, reliving the memory. "By the. By the." He swallowed, gathering his thoughts. "Old William. Yes. Old William." He nodded his head, smiling. "Great Boar. No. Great Bear. Then Mark. Mark. Great Wolf. Bastards. The pair. Of them. So great. They put it. In their name." The chuckling began once more as the old man smiled, his eyes slowly gazing from side to side, before he raised his hand again. The Grand Duchess realised Adam wasn''t kidding when he said he wanted a while for his speech, but even though she received various looks, she shook her head. "I want to thank my brother, Jurot. I can''t say anything which can truly honour him, so I won''t even try. Kitool, who is so scary. I want to thank Jaygak, for..." Adam shrugged his shoulders. "What can''t I thank you for? Keeping me alive? I want to thank Lucy and Mara, who bear with me, even though I''m an idiot. Last, but not, well, I want to thank... I want to thank the Mad Dog, and the Bearded Dragon, Jarot and Rajin, for putting Southerners in their place earlier this year. Grandaunt Gangak, Flame Brand as some of you might know her, for being my children''s favourite nano." Adam smiled cheekily. "Now, I know I took a long time, but, for the sake of all the pouches I filled, allow me one more moment. I want to thank my wife, Ray Vonda. Truly, I am the luckiest husband in the world. Thank you." Adam bowed his head, realising he had so many more people to thank, but he couldn''t impose himself for too long. The crowd cheered and clapped, though some were mostly confused, they accepted his sincerity, while Adam stepped away from the podium, only to stop. "Oh!" Adam said. "I want to thank the Iyr, the Enchanter, and the business of United Kindom, for the opportunity that they''ve given me. If it wasn''t for the weapon which was gifted to me by the business, I would not have done so well. Once again, that''s the business, United Kindom, which works alongside the Iyr, and has provided the Duchess Eastsea with magical items, and is currently working for the stellar, the most magnanimous Grand Duchess Blacksnow, on creating a weapon for the Knight of Death. If you have need for magical weapons, Basic or Greater, plain or Enhanced, such magical items can be bid for at all sanctioned auctions, which will also come with a token that one can redeem to procure more magical items directly from the business, sometimes creating custom, boutique weapons to your specifications. Thank you." Then Adam quickly pulled away, approaching the noble, a much lighter set of clapping following him. He bowed his head to allow the noble to place the golden medallion upon him, partly annoyed by the gesture, before he stepped up beside Jaygak. Jaygak smiled, and though she was about to speak up, she paused. She smiled warmly. "It was a good speech." "I know it was bad, but thank you." "I thought it was good." "Then it was definitely bad." "The ending was terrible." "It''s paying for my kid''s college," Adam joked, shrugging his shoulders. The Princess gave her own speech, speaking far more regally, but Adam only half paid attention to it. He half paid attention to most speeches, up until a particular tall, strong, handsome, long haired fellow took to the stage. "Damrot, son of Jurot," Jurot began. "I have won for you." Jurot raised his axe, and after a moment of silence, he realised he should continue. "This weapon was granted to me by United Kindom! Without it, I, Jurot, would have found it difficult to face against such great foes. The Iyr has raised me, and I will bring it glory. Mother! I have not shamed you! Father! I have not shamed you! Grandmother! I have not shamed you! Grandfather! I have not shamed you!" Jurot paused. "Granduncle Sarot! I have not shamed you!" He paused again. Jurot could have only come this far thanks to his family. From all those who remained in the Iyr, to the brother who had come with him all this way, even so far as sacrificing his own joy. Yes, no doubt, Adam was glad to have won the tournament, but that was nothing compared to the joy he would have enjoyed spending the last day of the year with his wife and his children, especially since it was going to be his anniversary. Adam had given it up for him, simple because he asked. He turned slightly, ignoring everyone, but one particular young man. "Adam! I have not shamed you!" Adam smiled slightly, feeling his heart stir. He nodded his head to his brother, who brimmed with pride, and glory. "Pam, I have not shamed you!" Jurot paused once more. "I! Am the luckiest husband in the world!" ¡®That punk...¡¯ Adam smirked. Jurot sauntered off to allow the noble to place the golden medallion upon him, before taking his place among those he had defeated. He closed his eyes, and thought of the sensation of victory. The man who had come second had almost defeated him, since he wielded a magical blade that dealt damage to the mind, but with his shield, and with Phantom, Jurot had managed to secure the win. He felt the tingling in his heart. ¡®The sensation of victory... has not dulled.¡¯ "Damn," Adam whispered. "That was a much better speech than mine." "It''s unfair that he''s so good at speeches when he''s so handsome, strong, wise, and has such a great family," Jaygak joked. "Amen." Once the segments for their age range concluded, the next act began, with various performers appearing on stage, while the group made their way out, waiting for their last companion. "I am Kitool. I have not shamed my family. I thank the Iyr for raising me well, and for my companions, Jurot and Jaygak, who I grew up alongside. Lucy and Mara, who are great warriors, and I hope the world will accept your softness." Kitool then paused. "I want to thank you, Adam. You are the one who gave me this opportunity, and I will not forget it, even in death." Kitool hadn¡¯t ever imagined she would have claimed victory in the greater segment of a tournament, especially not the Nightval Tournament. Adam smiled, ignoring all the XP he had earned during the culmination of the speeches. "I hope I have not shamed you, Katool. I hope I have not shamed you, Maool. I hope I have not shamed you, Minool." Kitool then bowed her head, stepping off the stage to accept her own gold medallion, to a cascade of applause and cheering which drowned out even the most cringe of thoughts of a fool of a father who thought of what his children were up to at this time, especially one who caused the most trouble. Of course, it was that little girl. Jirot gasped, hot potato within her mouth, her head snapping to her mother, then to her older brother. "Karot!" "Jirot, you should eat first," Vonda said, reaching down to clean the potato which had fallen out of the girl''s mouth. "Mummy! Mummy! We have to give gift to daddy!" "Daddy is not here." Jirot reached up to her forehead. "Oh no!" "Let''s prepare the gift for when he returns, shall we?" "Mummy! Karot drew the gift! He must give it today because it is Gift Giving!" "..." Vonda blinked, and within the span of the blink, Vonda recalled the scene with her son, who pouted up towards his mother upon remembering himself. ''You remembered that?'' It was only then did Vonda truly realise the trouble her daughter could cause. As Adam had once said to Jurot, daughters are truly the scariest. There is one more interlude and then I''ll be taking a break from uploading until Monday! Did I make these chapters into interludes so I could end up on chapter 1000? Yes. Yes I did. Interlude: Days of Twilight Interlude: Days of Twilight ¡®It¡¯s so much easier than I expected.¡¯ Adam made the wise decision to keep his thoughts to himself. They were a few days into the Twilight Month, and though though the aura before the season had turned had been tense, the first days of the month, still a touch awkward, was far lighter than he expected. ¡®Should I really be killing this many animals?¡¯ ¡®I expected more,¡¯ Lucy thought, her heart not quite into the month any longer. Her blade had cut through so many bears, she had lost count. Once per day, a large skirmish would ensue, as though the world had turned against them, but outside of that skirmish, there was little to do. ¡°The sixth and seventh days of each week hold greater threats,¡± Jurot informed. ¡°Sometimes the day before or the day after.¡± ¡°I hope...¡± Lucy stared down at her soup, feeling all the glares. A bead of sweat trickled down the contour of her cheek. ¡°I hope we can return home safely.¡± While the group were assisting the North with the slaying, the businessfolk were also busy with their work. Fred wiped his blade clean, nodding his head to Aria, Theo, Thomas, and Alfie, each of whom had come with him to assist the village. ¡°Good work.¡± ¡°Yes, Leader,¡± the four replied, causing Fred to smile slightly. Fred allowed the Iyrmen to claim the creatures on their behalf. ¡®Since the Manager said we should let the village claim the creatures too...¡¯ Fred also thought back to when Dunes had informed the group to state the titles clearly, making sure the lines had been drawn between he and the other workers. ¡®If we are too oppressive, they will hate us, but if we are too friendly, they will not respect us,¡¯ Dunes had informed Fred. ¡®They need to trust us, so we can¡¯t trek harshly into either path.¡¯ ¡®How difficult,¡¯ Fred thought, returning back to the business, where he found that man sitting near the fire. His silver hair was long, his beard thick, and he seemed almost entirely relaxed. His forehead was held no tattoos, but the man had married into the Iyr, and his dark skin betrayed his heritage from Aswadasad. ¡®I guess it¡¯s fine,¡¯ Ashmir thought, noting the little girl to the side, who lay upon her mother¡¯s chest, cooing lightly. Freddie eyed up the dark skinned Aswadian, eyeing up the long spear upon his back. ¡®He¡¯s the Lion King?¡¯ ¡°Should we kick him out?¡± Korin joked, eyeing up the Lion King from the gate, biting into a hard vegetable. It was bland, but the salt brought out a depth from the vegetable. He held it out to Dunes. ¡°No,¡± Dunes replied, to both offers. He kept an eye on the Lion King, whose eyes sometimes peered towards his daughter. The complicated emotions brewed within him. He had decided against forcing a distance between his daughter and the Lion King, since he was quite a monster, and if he ended up taking a liking to the girl, then it was only a boon. He let out a defeated sigh. ¡®Is this what he meant by daughters being the scariest?¡¯ It was during this month he had decided to step out to assist with the clean up. ¡°Must you come to ruin our fun?¡± Jarot asked, huffing slightly as he swung his axe, warming himself up. ¡°Shall I return and spoil them without you?¡± Gangak asked, the smirk upon her lips outmatched by the smirk within her eyes. ¡°Hmph.¡± Otkan stretched out her arm, feeling the blade¡¯s magic tingle against her hand. She missed the feeling of wielding a heavier blade with both hands, and though she longed for such a day, she pushed away the thought. ¡°We should return,¡± Gangak said, pressing her blade through the skulls of the various beasts, making sure they were sent to Baktu. Jarot followed the heavily armoured woman alongside Otkan, able to match her pace with his metal leg. ¡®Should I return home? My greatchildren, they must miss their greatfather so much.¡¯ Gangak kept an eye out through the hilly forested area of the Iyr, though for a moment, her thoughts fell to the slaughter she had witnessed from the old man limping after her. ¡®Is he waking up from his slumber?¡¯ As the weeks of the month passed by, the land continued to fight against the people. In the North, the people grew further on edge. ¡®Why were they so worried?¡¯ Adda thought, sitting beside both Kitool and Jaygak, with Sir Wick settled nearby, each resting within the fort. It was the first day of the third week, the twenty second day of the month, and since it was the first day of a week, the group had been forced to rest. She glanced to the side, towards Jaygak, then to Kitool. Kitool, who had claimed first in the tournament, in a greater segment than her own. A horn blew in the distance, causing a silence to befall the fort. Adam threw a look to Jurot. In the last three weeks, the horn had not been blown, or rather, it hadn¡¯t been blown in such a way, low and long. ¡°Fate¡¯s Golden¡± Black Blood shouted, charging through the fort to the party. ¡°Bone dragons.¡± ¡°That sounds bad,¡± Adam said, standing up from his seat, stretching out his body. ¡°I was feeling bad that I was resting here more than I rested at work.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Lucy said, hopping to her feet, flexing her muscles. ¡°Bone dragons!¡± ¡°Should we grab Jaygak and Kitool?¡± Adam asked, sending a mental note to Zeus. Jurot thought for a moment. ¡°I will trade places with Kitool.¡± ¡°Kitool?¡± ¡°She will face a bone dragon with greater might than any of us.¡± ¡°Yeah, but, we should take the glory for ourselves,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I will trade my place with her.¡± ¡°No, no, you should come, since we need to bring back the best story for our children.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot slowly nodded. ¡°You¡¯re going with just the four of you?¡± Eddard asked, raising his brow. ¡°No, no, we¡¯re not that stupid,¡± Adam replied, while Jurot blew his whistle, three wolves howling in the distance. ¡°There¡¯ll be seven of us.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate...¡± Eddard closed his eyes, sighing. ¡°Good fortune to you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adam replied, upon noticing he had returned back to the fort, meeting the Princess¡¯ eyes. ¡°Sorry, what was that?¡± ¡°How did you defeat it so easily.¡± ¡°Is a bone dragon that strong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°...¡± The Princess blinked. She turned to face Kitool and Jaygak, who returned a look. ¡®Adam is Adam.¡¯ ¡°I would like to face a dragon myself,¡± the Princess admitted. ¡°One day maybe we could fight one together,¡± Adam offered, only realising after that it was a good idea to make such an offer. ¡°...¡± As the night came to them, Adam stared at the ceiling, trapped under his blanket. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I wish I could have a warm...¡± Adam fell silent, stopping his stupid joke. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam closed his eyes, and fell asleep. ¡®...¡¯ Jurot closed his eyes and also fell asleep. The morale of the North increased, the blood lust growing within the region. Unfortunately for them, the undead began to rise. Defeating the undead proved to be little trouble for the likes of the figures which had come to assist North Amber, however. ¡®The Grand Duchess probably made a bunch of moves to make sure the Princess wasn¡¯t in danger,¡¯ Adam thought, throwing a look to Sir Wick for a moment. ¡®That¡¯s fine by me, since I¡¯m just farming XP.¡¯ As the last day of the month approached, Adam thought of casting a spell, but he decided against it, since it was the Twilight Month. ¡®Konarot...¡¯ It was the last day of the year, when the little girl rushed up towards the Ray before breakfast. ¡°Mummy! Mummy!¡± Konarot called, holding up a letter to her mother, placing a hand on the woman¡¯s knee gently. ¡°What is this?¡± Vonda asked, plucking the letter from the girl. ¡°Daddy write the letter.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± Vonda undid the seal and began to read the letter, taking in the sight of each word and how it had been written, memorising her husband¡¯s handwriting. She smiled as she read the letter. She reached down to brush her daughter¡¯s hair and cheek gently. ¡°What will your father say when he returns?¡± ¡°Daddy coming?¡± ¡°It seems your father might return in noonval instead,¡± Vonda replied, still rubbing the girl¡¯s cheek. She recalled when the girl first had come to her, bringing her a glass of water, and calling her mummy out of the blue. Somehow, the girl had accepted the woman into her heart. ¡°Is my turn to read?¡± Jirot asked, holding up her hand for the letter. ¡°This letter was for mummy,¡± Vonda said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair tenderly. ¡°Do you wish to read to Virot?¡± Jirot smiled. ¡°Yes! I will read!¡± The girl shuffled down from her seat, rushing out to find a book to read, her brother darting after her. ¡°Mummy,¡± Konarot called, rubbing her mother¡¯s knee gently. ¡°Comfortable?¡± ¡°I am comfortable,¡± Vonda replied. Konarot smiled, before she shuffled her way to her aunt, and asked the same question to her. Vonda leaned back in her chair, looking down at the letter. ¡®Should I tease you for working too hard when you return?¡¯ Vonda had no idea whether Adam had won or not, but she was certain he was still alive. She thought about whether to send word to him, but it was the Twilight Month. She caught Pam¡¯s eye, the young woman smiling lightly, while Konarot went to bring her a cup of water, since she needed to make sure the pair were comfortable, as her father had taught her. Daughters are the scariest, but it''s not the daughter we expect. Thus ends Y04! 1000 chapters, finally! I want to thank you for your support, and I hope to continue to see your names in my feed as the chapters reach tens of thousands of chapter. Just a note that I will be editing some of the earlier chapters, Y0 at least, maybe even as far as Y02, though the story won''t change much. Also, I''m abandoning the 100 chapter limitation per year, I realised just how much it goes against my original philosophy of writing this novel, however, the novels I''ll be writing and publishing in the near future might follow that limit. I''ll have another post after this that will be another QNA. Last thing, which is very important! I want to inform everyone right now that Y05, the next 100 chapters or so, probably will be the most important part of the story. I highly recommend sticking for the next year, and committing to reading all of it, because I think it will be better than any other year previous, and... Well, if you subscribe to patreon, you''ll see why. [1000.1] Y04 Completed – QNA [1000.1] Y04 Completed ¨C QNA I had a lot of fun writing Year 04, but I have huge regrets. One of those regrets as limiting myself to 100 chapters, because I felt like I had so much to write for it, a lot of it fluff, that''s for sure, but a lot of really important scenes between various characters. Unfortunately, some of the characters didn''t get to shine, and though I could have written more 2-3K chapters, it was rather draining to write so much for a single chapter. I''m still working on my health, and very recently I''ve seen quite a few changes! I say that while having accidentally cut my finger, so writing is rather painful... If you read the last chapter''s end segment, you''ll see that I said Y05 is the most important year for the entire story. It is. The first half of Y05 is very slow, for a multitude of reasons, and you''ll notice that the story''s tone will shift pretty early on, and Adam'' priorities are shifting. I won''t say any more, because I don''t want to spoil the most important year, but patrons, who are about 40 chapters ahead, will know why. Anyway, enough of my shilling, thank you all for your support, truly. Even if you don''t/can''t spend a penny, the comments that you leave really do fuel me to keep writing. I have been honoured that some of you have felt to use my world for your own campaign, and though I have thought about making a little pamphlet on information about my world, I''m not entirely sure what to do for it, so that may take a few months or years as I figure something out for you. If you have any questions, go ahead and post them! I''ll spoiler my answers for anything with a spoiler, and if it''s a big spoiler, I might choose to be vague about it. I love to answer questions, but sometimes they are answered in the next few chapters, but now that the book''s over, I''m sure there are some unanswered questions! The "Goals, Promises" post should be up! [1001] – Y05.001 – Dangerous I [1001] ¨C Y05.001 ¨C Dangerous I The first rays of dawnval spread across the land, even daring to peek through to North Aldland, where the jagged mountains were said to be as hardy as their people. The frost endured, for the frost of the North rejects even noonval¡¯s rays, so the commonfolk would state. The chill seeped through the fort and into Adam¡¯s bones, who sat upright immediately, blinking rapidly. His bones cracked and ached as he hoisted himself up onto his feet, reaching over to his purple armour, made of the Iyr¡¯s puthral, a pale imitation of the elf¡¯s mithril, though a pale imitation of mithril was still greater than most steel. As he lifted his breastplate up, the half elf paused. ¡°Jurot?¡± The Iyrman, tall, lean, handsome, with dark hair which fell down to his shoulders, had been focused upon the ceiling, glanced towards his brother with his dark, knowing, eyes. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°Happy birthday.¡± ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Adam dropped his breastplate, reaching up to his obsidian amulet, marked with the symbol of Baktu, Lord Sozain. ¡°Want me to send word to Pam?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Sending ¡°Happy birthday, Vonda. Please tell Konarot,¡± Adam began, feeling the magic course through his veins, and escape through his lips. A thought passed through his mind, but he continued, ¡°Kirot, and Karot, happy birthday too, and send everyone my love. Do you want anything from North Amber? I-¡± Adam felt the spell fade from his lips, and he flushed red awkwardly. ¡®I should have at least said I love you to her.¡¯ ¡°Happy birthday, darling. I will. I hope you will return home safely soon. Should we expect you in dawnval or noonval? I love you too.¡± Adam¡¯s lips twitched into a smile. ¡®Good job, Konababy. I knew you¡¯d be able to do it.¡¯ ¡°Jurot, should I tell Vonda if we¡¯re returning in dawnval or noonval?¡± Jurot blinked. ¡°Did I not tell you?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Oh. I wrote a letter before I left.¡± ¡°You did not speak of it.¡± ¡°Oh. I thought I did. My bad.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®I guess we did leave in a rush?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not that, well, it is important, but isn¡¯t there something more important? Should I also send word to my adorable little babies? I told Vonda, but shouldn¡¯t their father also send them congratulations too?¡± ¡°They are too young.¡± ¡°Right, they¡¯re too young,¡± Adam agreed. Jurot could hear it within his brother¡¯s voice. It was that kind of tone, the tone which implied he would refuse ever acknowledging his children growing up. However, Jurot couldn¡¯t speak up, since Adam was only flirting with being cringe, so he allowed his brother his moment. The pair quickly donned their gear, Adam in his puthral, Jurot in his thick clothing, and made their way out of their cold stone room. A river of warriors streamed out towards the courtyard of the outpost, many injured, all eager to leave. Adam followed Jurot, his eyes darting around to see if he couldn¡¯t find any familiar faces among them, trying to find Eddard. ¡°You know...¡± Lucy said as the pair approached, pulling away from her wolf. ¡°I thought we¡¯d do more during the Twilight Month since everyone was so worried.¡± ¡°Lucy, stop trying to tempt things like that,¡± Adam said. ¡®Especially since you¡¯re you, you can¡¯t be saying things like that.¡¯ ¡°You got to fight in the tournament,¡± the demon replied, frowning. ¡°I thought the North would allow me to act up a little.¡± She could feel it even now, the glares from the various Orders around them. Fortunately for her, she stood beside a particular pair of Iyrmen, from Jaygak, who was red of skin and horned like her, though tattooed with the symbols of her family, and then there was Kitool, an Iyrman too, though she looked like Jurot, that was to say, not red of skin, and hornless. Humans, as fools would say. ¡°We should leave the fort,¡± Jaygak said, glancing aside towards the various figures of the Orders, each keeping a keen eye upon the group, specifically the pair of horned ones within their group. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep the Marshal waiting.¡± ¡°Marshal?¡± Adam asked, his mind going to Lord Benjamin, before recalling the figure who had accompanied them all this way. ¡°Oh, right. Won¡¯t they be annoyed that we¡¯re leaving like this?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t been asked to remain so we can leave,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°The Orders will remain to watch over the labourers, but if we help out, there will be less work for the workers, who will wish to fill their pouches of silver.¡± ¡°Should we go greet our friends before leaving?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Plus, we should probably greet the Princess before we leave.¡± ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, I meant... did you enjoy your time here?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be leaving soon, so did you want to come with us to the business?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve treated me right so far, so I¡¯d like to at least visit before I give you a proper answer.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam replied, before yawning. ¡°Alright, I need to go wake up in a bath, then we¡¯ve got a meeting with the-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, stopping his brother from saying more, such an ability almost as refined as his ability to slaughter beasts. ¡°What?¡± Adam replied, oblivious to how close he had come to causing trouble, for he was his daughter¡¯s father. ¡°We should go bathe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Jaygak exchanged a look with Kitool, the pair understanding they still had so much more work to do to make sure Adam didn¡¯t get himself killed. ¡®You can¡¯t just casually mention that the Grand Duchess wants to speak with you.¡¯ The Grand Duchess readied her tea to receive her guests, while Sir Grover cleaned his glave, upon the Grand Duchess¡¯ instruction. The old man stared longingly at the glave he had used for all these decades, dragging a finger along the flat of the blade. His eyes darted to the side as the steps echoed within the manor. ¡°Did he request to bathe before meeting me?¡± the Grand Duchess asked. ¡°... Yes,¡± Princess Adda replied, staring at the old woman, who commanded more respect than even the King of Aldland. ¡°He truly is a fool,¡± the Grand Duchess said, cleaning the cups. ¡°So?¡± ¡°He would not wish to marry me.¡± ¡°She may not be a Princess, but she is a Ray,¡± the old woman said, checking the biscuits she had placed within the oven, moving with a careful swiftness, one that was tempered by time. ¡°The Iyr has chained him, the Order of Life¡¯s Rose has managed to place a blade within his bed, all we can do is offer him a rose.¡± ¡®Even this rose has a thorn, Grand Duchess.¡¯ ¡°Did you think I meant you?¡± the Grand Duchess asked, not even turning back to judge the young woman¡¯s face. ¡°Not a rose, but honey.¡± ¡°Honey?¡± ¡°What does he want?¡± ¡°He wants to impress his daughter.¡± ¡°Which daughter?¡± ¡°Jirot.¡± ¡°What did you learn about her?¡± Princess Adda thought about how easily Adam gave up almost everything about his children to her, to the point she was uncertain that anything he said was true. Yet, the Iyrmen had confirmed his words, so she could only believe his words to be true. ¡°She likes to tease him.¡± ¡°What else did you learn?¡± ¡°She¡¯s smart for her age, and her brother was named after the Mad Dog.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve learnt more, but everything he has told you, he has already said to me. Even if he is a fool, he has informed me of greater details than he would have revealed to you.¡± ¡®Then why did you send me to-,¡¯ ¡°That boy and his companions are more dangerous than you have realised,¡± the Grand Duchess said, turning to face the Princess, her grey eyes full of a fierceness that the Princess hadn¡¯t seen in some time. ¡°The Iyrmen are difficult to deal with, and though he is chained by the Iyr, it is a fortune that he is not an Iyrman. I will teach you how to deal with him.¡± While the Grand Duchess dealt with how to deal with the brat, that brat enjoyed his time within the baths, unaware of all the blades wishing to point his way, for though many blades could point his way, what was a greater shield than being Jurot¡¯s brother? I''m going to warn you now, this year does not have a lot of action in the beginning, but is extremely, and I mean extremely, important for the story. It''s probably going to be around 100 chapters or so, so if you want to wait for it to have about 40 chapters before you start, that''s probably a good idea. If you want to know why, well, Chapter 40 is out on Patreon! This year is definitely focused on relationships between characters, and Adam trying to grow up. It''s definitely my favourite year thus far, for one reason or another. Also about the new aesthetics for the year, I just like the colour combination of black and red. Adam Sheet [1001] Adam Sheet [1001] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 8 XP: 24 400 STR: 20 (+5)[+8] DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 18 (+4[+7] INT: 16 (+3)[+6] WIS: 12 (+1)[+4] CHA: 16 (+3)[+6] SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Wraith, dwarven warhammer, Strong Shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, obsidian holy symbol of Baktu, Fine Battleaxe Blanket, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick clothes, (2) clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf, journal, quill, ink, Steel Tag: 6 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 Obsidian (10), Tiger Eye (10), Amber (4), Diamond (4) FEATURES: Darkvision, Fey Blooded, Multicultured. Battlecaster, Slasher 2: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon 3: Elemental Weapon, Protection from Energy 4: Fabricate, Wall of Fire Prepared (10): Goodberry, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Sending, Adam¡¯s Tower, Counterspell, Revivify, Fireball, Healing Word, Hex 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door COMBAT Health: 112/112 DEF: 21/25 Mana: 25/25 Wraith: +10, 2d6 + 9/10 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 5/7 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +6, 2d6 Fire Frosbite (60¡¯). DC14, 2d6 Cold Someone remind me to post up Jurot, Kitool, and Jaygak''s stats up at some point, please. Thank you. If you want to see other people''s stats, levels and attributes, then subscribe to Patreon! [1002] – Y05.002 – Dangerous II [1002] ¨C Y05.002 ¨C Dangerous II ''Damn,'' Adam thought, feeling the pressure of the Grand Duchess, and her heavily armoured guards, Sir Wick and Sir Grover. ''What did I do this time?'' "Drink!" the Grand Duchess commanded, her dark grey eyes glaring at the group. Her hair, white, like fresh snow, fell down her shoulders. Her wrinkles streaked her face with time, like falling grains of sand in an hourglass. The Iyrmen drank their tea without worry, while Lucy peeked at the liquid for a moment, before cautiously sipping it. Mara wanted to speak up, but she decided against it, sipping the tea. Adam, of course, drank without a moment of hesitation, with only half a thought of poison. ''I''ve got enough Health to deal with most poisons.'' Constitution Save D20 + 7 = 17 (10) Adam hissed slightly, feeling the chill of the tea. He blinked towards the Grand Duchess, wondering when she had decided to betray him like this. ''So this is the real ice tea?'' "I wanted to thank you personally for watching over my great granddaughter," Grand Duchess Aeda began, raising her hand, and a servant emerged from the shadows. He held a chest, and gently placed it upon the table, the group hearing the jingle within. Jurot narrowed his eyes towards the wooden chest, made up of whiteoak of the North. His eyes darted up to meet the Grand Duchess'' gaze, though her eyes were closed as she sipped her tea. ''...'' ¡°It was a pleasure,¡± Adam replied, before throwing a look to Kitool. ¡°I have sent parcels of dragon bone to the Guild under the name of your party, enough to craft a weapon or two, and some fragments which you can gift to your siblings and children.¡± ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Adam replied, sitting up a little taller, smiling wide. ¡®Nice.¡¯ ¡°Did you have any other requests before you leave?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam glanced towards Sir Grover and his glave. ¡°If you¡¯re willing, I was interested in returning the glave to the Iyr.¡± ¡°What is your offer?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what would be acceptable, since the weapon is such a great weapon, and holds sentimental value to a family within the Iyr.¡± ¡°What relation do you have to the Bak family?¡± ¡°None, I think.¡± ¡°Why are you so interested in returning the glave?¡± Aeda asked, certain he was just a sentimental fool, but confirming it was always a good idea. ¡°I just thought it would be a nice gesture to the Bak family.¡± The Grand Duchess sipped her tea, falling into thought for a moment. ¡°If you come with an acceptable offer, I will naturally accept.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so familiar with how much I should offer, so what do you guys think?¡± ¡°You wish to procure a Greater Enhanced weapon, and we wish to procure a Greater Enhanced weapon,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°It is a fair trade.¡± ¡°It is heavily weighted in your favour,¡± Grand Duchess Aeda said. ¡°It is not.¡± ¡°To craft a weapon for our family is a great honour.¡± ¡°To receive a weapon from our Enchanter is a great honour.¡± ¡°Can it be compared?¡± ¡°This time we allowed your direct descendant to draw against our Wraith,¡± Jurot replied, sitting tall and proud, and with the arrogance afforded to him by his grandfather. The Grand Duchess¡¯ eyes darkened as she held the young man¡¯s gaze. ¡°I understand my brother¡¯s words, but at the same time, I don¡¯t want there to be any hard feelings,¡± Adam said, feeling his hairs stand on end. ¡°I appreciate you entertaining our offers, so allow me to add onto my brother¡¯s offer. We¡¯ll also add three Basic weapons.¡± ¡°One Greater Enhanced weapon for a Greater Enhanced weapon is acceptable,¡± the Grand Duchess said. ¡°Consider it my respect for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Jaygak?¡± ¡°Jaygak informed me that among her companions, she was the weakest. Even within the Iyr, she is considered only average at best. Average at best, and yet she defeated Sir Roseia?¡± Aeda turned to her great granddaughter. ¡°Do you understand now?¡± ¡°The Iyr is dangerous?¡± Adda replied. ¡°We must treat it that way. Allies, perhaps, but that is only as long as we do not point our blades towards them.¡± ¡®Why would we point our blades towards them?¡¯ ¡°How can I die when that fool is King?¡± Aeda almost growled, causing even the Princess to raise her brows in alarm. ¡°You need to think since I can¡¯t depend on your father, the fool that he is, just like the King.¡± She reached over to rub the young woman¡¯s back. She continued to fight off the cold that threatened to invade her old bones. ¡®I don¡¯t get why she showed them so much favour,¡¯ Adda thought. ¡®Giving them the glave was a little too much. If the other families find out, what will they think?¡¯ ¡°You have to keep them in mind. Adam, Lucy, and Mara too. Their cousins, Amokan and Timojin, are also making a name for themselves. You have to keep them in mind for the future.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Taygak too.¡± ¡°Taygak?¡± Adda asked, blinking slightly. ¡®The girl¡¯s cousin?¡¯ The Grand Duchess had noted the compliments the group had given to Taygak, who was the oldest of the children. However, it was the speech in which she was mentioned that had cemented the young Iyrman¡¯s name into the Grand Duchess¡¯ mind. Meanwhile, Fate¡¯s Golden made their way through North Amber, from the large estate of the Blacksnows, through the long winding roads within the mountain town. ¡°We should check with the smiths,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡®I should check the sword too,¡¯ Adam thought, his thoughts then falling to Jaygak. Jaygak made her way to the outskirts of the Black Snow¡¯s estate, though still spotted the various guards, some whom kept an eye on the Iyrman. She approached the stone building, knocking on the wooden door. She spotted the mark etched into the stone door frame, that which had been marked by an Iyrman¡¯s hand many years ago. ¡°What?¡± called the old, raspy voice from within. ¡°Peter the Ram, I am Jaygak! I have brought tea from the Grand Duchess.¡± She heard a grunt, the start of an argument, then unhurried steps, accompanied by a cane striking the floor. Tall and lean, speckled with time. He swam within heavy furs, his hands within thick gloves. His dark eyes, mostly unfocused, fell upon Jaygak¡¯s red skin, and her tattoos, a red x in the centre of her forehead, with three yellow tilted kites emanating from each side. ¡°Ha. Yes. Jaygak.¡± The old man smiled, revealing a yellowed smile, and his pale gums. ¡°Come in. Come in.¡± Jaygak smiled, bowing her head to Peter, and then to his servant, a young teen, who went to go brew some tea. The room within was warm, with a fireplace in the corner crackling away. The room within was bare, save for the many books lined upon the desk and the shelf to one side. Three doors quarantined the rest of the house from Jaygak. ¡°Gak. Gak. I remember,¡± Peter said, dropping down to his seat with some effort, before sinking into it. ¡°I remember.¡± Jaygak smiled slightly, brimming with pride. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not intruding.¡± ¡°No. No. Others? They intrude. You? I wanted. To meet. You.¡± The old man¡¯s breaths came laboured, though his voice was strong, holding only the hint of a rasp. ¡°Jaygak. Jay. Gak.¡± He nodded his head approvingly. ¡°Your fight. Sir Roseia. Great fight.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips continued to twitch into a wider smile. ¡°It¡¯s my honour to meet you.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The old man laughed, almost hacking. ¡°Honour? Me?¡± ¡°I heard tales of you when I was a girl,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Greatfather spoke of you often.¡± ¡°He was. Great.¡± Peter smiled wider. ¡°Shame. We only fought. Few times.¡± ¡°Greatfather said the same.¡± Jaygak smiled even wider, upon the fact she could show off to the others by meeting Peter the Ram without them. Jaygak getting the flowers she deserves, finally. [1003] – Y05.003 – Dangerous III [1003] ¨C Y05.003 ¨C Dangerous III The salty sea air whipped Adam, but the sickness in his gut was not because of the scent upon the air, or the noise of the docks that drowned out his thoughts, but the sight of the beautiful woman opposite him. With hair as black as the starless night, and eyes which were more blue than they were grey, but betrayed her relation to the North¡¯s duchal family. ¡®Must we travel with them?¡¯ Sir Roseia thought. ¡®I should have requested Sir Karra¡¯s company.¡¯ She stood beside her distant cousin, Princess Adda, her eyes darting between the Iyrmen, and the leaf ear. ''Divine take them.'' "The Savage, wasn''t it?" the Captain of the ship asked, reaching out to shake Jurot''s forearm. He was middle aged, though his thick beard held streaks of white, as though salted by the wind. He wore all black, save for his cloak, a deep blue, like the ocean, pinned to a bronze medallion weathered with patena. "Yes." "They say yer the Mad Dog''s grandson." "Yes." "Good thing, that! Bet fifty gold on you winning the tournament." He whistled, raising his brows with delight. "Got my wife a new fur coat, and my mistress, a silver necklace." He cackled with delight, patting Jurot on the side. Another sailor, a woman in her thirties, shuffled beside Kitool. She wore her insecurity like an Iyrman wore their lust for blood, and her outfit, grey, was pale and worn. "I bet ten gold on you, miss." Kitool bowed her head. "I hope you enjoy your winnings." The sailor smiled, looking out to the sea. "I bought a potion, and a new blade. Keep it in my bunk, for nows." Kitool slowly bowed her head, glancing around to notice few sailors wore blades at their side, though all carried clubs. Adam and Jaygak glanced between one another, shrugging their shoulders. Though they placed well, they did wear full plate during the tournament, and right now, the pair were unarmoured, since they were upon a ship. "Let''s pray the wind carries us," the Captain said, patting Jurot''s side again, before bowing his head, and tipping his hat to the Princess and Sir Roseia, then finally, to Sir Wick. "Shall we take to our quarters?" Roseia asked. "We should speak with our companions," Adda replied, eyeing up the eight. "Iyrmen, elf, and..." Sir Roseia glared at the pair of demons. ''Divine take them.'' Adam stared out at the sea as the ship made its way southward. ''No trouble until West Fort?'' Adam glanced towards Sir Wick, who, like the rest of them, decided against wearing armour. ''The Grand Duchess didn''t assign more to the Princess and the King''s Sword''s daughter?'' As the ship sailed onto the open sea, escorted by two ships, each belonging to the navy of the North, considering their deep blue sails, emblazoned with the symbol of the Blacksnow family, that of a black rose, outlined in white. "Adam?" Jaygak asked. "Yeah?" "Did you tempt Fate?" "No?" Adam replied, following her eye line, squinting his eyes. It wasn''t hard to see it. ''Oh. Come on.'' The Captain peeked through his spy glass. ''Ah, damn it. Let''s hope it''s not one of them.'' The bronze scales shimmered under the noon sun, the mighty wings still as it glided towards the ship, laughing wildly, its roars rumbling all across the sailors as it circled up around the ship. "Captain! May I come aboard?" the deep, gravelly voice called, before it continued to chuckle. "I won''t refuse you, good Lord." "Lord?" The bronze dragon laughed once more, before its wings shifted, and it slowly began to fall onto the ship. Its body grew smaller and smaller, until it finally took the shape of a dark skinned drakken, with bronze scales, and a set of large horns upon his head. His eyes darted between them all, before they rested upon the young woman before him. "I smelt a familiar scent, so I thought to say hello." "Many blessings upon you, Lord Keswing," Sir Roseia greeted the bronze dragon, before bowing her head lightly. "You must be his daughter?" Keswing said, her scent familiar, but mixed with another. "Granddaughter, perhaps? No, you''re too old to be his granddaughter?" "I was just wondering," Adam replied. "He always treated me nicely." "You have met?" "Yeah. We chatted at the Front Iyr. He tried to buy this axe from me, but it belongs to the Rot family, so I couldn''t give it up." "That sounds just like him," Keswing joked. "Did he also meet your companions?" "Yeah, though we had to keep Lucy from him, because she''s always so..." Adam inhaled for a long moment. "You know. Horny." Lucy frowned, letting out a sad sigh, and Jaygak shook her head, disappointed that he had decided to say it even after thinking twice. "I see." ''If he let you live, then...'' "A pleasure to meet you all, but I think I''ve interrupted your voyage long enough. I''ll keep an eye on your ships for the rest of the day and leave you at night." "Thank you kindly, Lord Keswing," the Captain said, tipping his hat. "What a nice guy," Adam said, wondering if the dragon could hear him from so high up. "He wished to kill you all," Jurot replied in the Iyr''s tongue. "What? Why?" Jurot shook his head lightly, not wishing to speak the words out loud, just in case. ''Hold on. the three of us?'' Adam thought. "Oh." Jurot nodded. "I forgot about that." ''We should be careful since the dragons can pick up that we''re foreigners.'' "The Wings and the Iyr have no issues with one another," Jurot said. "Is Keswing related to..." History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 11 (8) ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°What was her name?¡± ¡°The Princess of the Red Desert.¡± ¡°That was it, yeah.¡± ¡°They are siblings.¡± ¡°Siblings?¡± Jurot noted the way Adam¡¯s thoughts fell to his own children and left the half elf be. The Princess watched as the dragon continued to soar above them, still in awe of the being. Even though the dragon was fairly young, nowhere near as old as the Princess of the Red Desert, or Queen Silvari to the North, the dragon held a might which could fairly easily dispatch armies, unless they were equipped with magical weaponry. ¡®How terrifying.¡¯ The days on the ship passed by uneventfully, reaching the outpost, then the coastal Northern town. Days continued to pass, until finally they were approaching that place. Rather than heading to the town or the outpost, the ships sailed towards the fort, cutting the journey down by a few days. The same fort which was watched over by Marshal of the East, Lord Benjamin Gravesea, the same Marshal of the East whom had tried to claim Adam¡¯s life. ¡®You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡¯ Adam thought, blinking at the large dark spot in the sea which grew darker until the water gave way to its might form. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Jurot thought, staring at the grand figure before them. Ok, I know I wrote that the year was starting off slow, but I completely forgot that there was a dragon appearing in three chapters, and then one of those appearing in the fourth. [1004] – Y05.004 – Dangerous IV [1004] ¨C Y05.004 ¨C Dangerous IV The creature roared, causing the waves around the ships to shudder, the ships violently shifting from side to side. Its roaring maw could swallow a ship whole, its shell formed of jagged mountains, its skin scaled blue and green, like that of algae seen through a clear sea. Each tooth was larger than even Adam in his full plate, and no doubt, could crush him with ease. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± the dragon turtle snarled, its tone threatening. ¡°I am Princess Adda Blacksnow, great one,¡± the Princess called, feeling the creatures eyes focus upon her. ¡°May I request your name?¡± ¡°I... am Urkina.¡± ¡°Great Urkina, have we displeased you?¡± Princess Adda asked, before she tensed up as Jurot stepped forward. ¡°Great Urkina, this is not the Western Roshan Ocean.¡± ¡°It is not?¡± ¡°This is the Crimson Sea.¡± Urkina remained silent for a long while. ¡°Is it dawnval?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Urkina let out a low groan of understanding, but even it unsettled the sailors. ¡°I will leave you in peace.¡± ¡°Great Urkina,¡± called a voice, causing the Princess and Sir Roseia to glare at her in utter shock. ¡°Please accept this blade as a gift.¡± Jaygak tossed Great Moon over the ship, the blade spinning, before Urkina opened its maw and began to swallow the sea, spraying it out once the sword was safely within her. Jaygak peeked to the side to see Adam make the same face others often made for him. ¡®Jaygak! What are you doing?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Is she crazy?¡¯ Adda thought, her eyes glued to the young woman, whose blade almost matched the magical blade of her own family. ¡°What is your name?¡± Urkina asked. ¡°I am Jaygak!¡± Jaygak declared proudly. ¡°What is your epithet?¡± ¡°I do not possess one, but Flame Brand is my grandaunt.¡± ¡°I accept your gift, Jaygak.¡± ¡°Would you also accept a gift from our business?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Business?¡± ¡°We are from a business called the United Kindom, which works upon the Iyr¡¯s land, but is not part of the Iyr,¡± Jaygak explained, hoping Urkina would understand her words. ¡°That blade was also created by our business, but that was a gift from the Gak family to you. Would you also accept a gift of gems from our business?¡± ¡°I will accept it,¡± Urkina replied. ¡®So this is a separate matter to the offerings?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, nodding her head. ¡°How much?¡± the half elf replied, still shocked that the young woman had thrown away such an amazing blade, but she was an Iyrman. ¡°At least an amber.¡± ¡°One moment,¡± Adam said, having almost reached into his cloak, before thinking it was best not to reveal that sort of thing. He quickly retreated away, making his way to the tiny shared room, and after grabbing some of his gems, he returned back to the deck. ¡°You may place your tribute within the chest,¡± the sailor whispered, who had followed after the half elf with their own chest. ¡°Not a tribute, a gift,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°Great Urkina does not take tribute from this sea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Captain said, recalling the names of all those who were allowed to accept tribute within this particular sea. However, if Urkina wanted to, she could dare to break the various treaties, because there were so few who could dare to stop her upon land, air, or sea. ¡°Still, you should not forget, we still provide some safety to the Iyr.¡± Lucy¡¯s eyes darted to Adam, who closed his eyes and began to meditate after hearing the words. ¡®You¡¯re really growing up?¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t laugh. Don¡¯t laugh. Don¡¯t laugh.¡¯ Adam was not laughing as night began to fall, and the ship approached East Fort. Five ships set out to meet them, each with light blue sails, emblazoned with the symbol of the East Aldish navy, that of a stylised eagle. One ship, mightier than all the others, carrying hundred soldiers on deck easily, sailed beside the Swift Sand Eagle, before the figures began to board. He was tall, his eyes deep blue, his hair dark grey. The scar across his face spoke more of his identity than the silver blade at his side, or the medal which pinned his white cloak. His presence was almost overwhelming as he stepped onto the ship, accompanied by a pair of soldiers, each adorned in lighter chain armour, carrying blades at their sides. ¡°Lady Blacksnow,¡± the man greeted, bowing his head lightly. ¡°How do you fare?¡± ¡°I fare well, Lord Gravesea,¡± Adda replied, bowing her head lightly in return. ¡°Have you come to escort us.¡± ¡°Among other matters,¡± Benjamin Gravesea said, before his eyes fell to Sir Wick. ¡°Sir Wick.¡± Sir Wick remained silent for a moment, keeping the Marshal¡¯s gaze. ¡°Lord Gravesea.¡± The Marshal¡¯s eye then fell to the other Marshal, though unlike himself, he was but a Marshal of a city, rather than a Marshal of a region. ¡°Marshal Black.¡± ¡°Marshal Gravesea.¡± Benjamin then stepped forward towards the Iyrmen, and the three. However, Sir Wick stepped forward, blocking his way. ¡°Sir Wick?¡± ¡°If you have business with the escorts, you may speak with me,¡± Sir Wick said. ¡°Are you aware your escorts are criminals?¡± ¡°What crime did they commit?¡± ¡°They attacked nobles.¡± ¡°Speak truth.¡± ¡°I speak true.¡± ¡°Speak Northern truths, not Southern truths.¡± ¡°What lies have I spoken?¡± Sir Wick tilted his head upwards slightly. ¡°Do you believe the Grand Duchess would hire criminals to escort the Princess?¡± ¡°The Grand Duchess is wise, but I cannot expect her to know the situations of East Aldland,¡± the Marshal replied. ¡°The Iyrmen, the half elf, and the demons, are asked to speak with the Marquise.¡± ¡°You have not grown so old that you have forgotten the appropriate channels,¡± Sir Wick replied. ¡°If you have such business, you may send a letter to the Grand Duchess, and should Her Grace feel the want, she may read the letter, and should she wish to show appropriate respect, she may reply within the year. A simple Marshal wishes to make requests of myself?¡± ¡°You should remain respectful, for I am owed such respect.¡± ¡°Do not speak of what is owed, Southerner,¡± Sir Wick stated. ¡°If it was not for my father¡¯s blood, you would have no land to claim your title.¡± ¡°I should remind you we are within East Aldland¡¯s waters.¡± ¡°I should remind you that you lack the ability to deal with even the Duchess of East Port,¡± Sir Wick replied, leaning in to whisper into Lord Gravesea¡¯s ear. ¡°You should thank the Divines for the fortune of not meeting me upon Northern soil.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes widened, darting towards his brother, who seemed unphased by the pair¡¯s confrontation. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ Shouldn''t have messed with his dog. I made it so come up with something else yourselves. [1005] – Y05.005 – The Road to Home I [1005] ¨C Y05.005 ¨C The Road to Home I The City of a Thousand Colours greeted the group as the ships sailed towards the docks, the commonfolk bustled like ants, each adorned with colours Adam could only dream of knowing. As the ship sailed to port in the late afternoon, a ship with a light blue flag with the eagle of East Aldland escorted them to the docks. A dockguard, adorned in lighter chain, wearing a club at his side, and a long blue cloak, skimmed through the manifest, along with the notes from the various nobles. His eyes then darted to the heavily armoured knight to the side. ¡®Is that Sir Wick?¡¯ ¡°It is my honour to escort you,¡± the Captain on duty said. She was tanned, with dark hair and dark eyes, adorned in breastplate. She wore a longsword at her side, assuredly silvered. She smiled politely towards the Northerners who arrived, from the Princess, who was but a Lady within East Aldland, and the daughter of the King¡¯s Sword, and finally, Sir Wick. ¡®These Southerners and their hospitality,¡¯ Adda thought, filling with annoyance. ¡°Appreciate the assist,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake Marshal Black¡¯s forearm. ¡°Please thank the Duchess for her grace, and inform her that we will not forget all that she has done for us.¡± ¡®I didn¡¯t even do anything,¡¯ the Marshal thought, having done little to deal with the Marquise while they passed through her territory. ¡°I¡¯ll let her know.¡± ¡®I guess I¡¯ll need to figure out some gifts for her.¡¯ Adam could already feel the looks he would receive for working once he was at the business. ¡°Adam,¡± Princess Adda called. ¡°How long will you spend in East Port?¡± ¡°A few days at most.¡± Adda bowed her head. ¡°That offer, with the dragons. Did you mean it?¡± ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You should know by now that I don¡¯t have the best memory,¡± Adam said, his eyes far too innocent to slip away from his words. ¡°You said you¡¯d help me hunt a dragon.¡± ¡°Ah, right. Yeah, sure. If you need help against a dragon, let us know.¡± ¡°I will keep it in mind.¡± Adda reached out a hand. Adam smiled, shaking the woman¡¯s forearm. ¡°You know, there are few nobles I get along with, but I¡¯m glad that we get along, a little, at least.¡± ¡°It was certainly interesting,¡± Adda said, before greeting the rest of the Iyrmen. ¡°I hope one day I¡¯ll have the pleasure of meeting the Mad Dog.¡± ¡°We may accept a visit,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Thank you for your assistance during the Twilight Month.¡± Kitool bowed her head. ¡°Thank you too, and I hope to see the rise of the Gaks soon.¡± Jaygak shook the Lady¡¯s forearm, a small smile across her lips. ¡°You will see it.¡± Adda held Jaygak¡¯s gaze for a long moment, before nodding her head. Fate¡¯s Golden made their way through the docks with their carts, drawn by the magical steeds, parting the commonfolk as they made their way to an inn. The wolves remained laying down within the carts, under their masters¡¯ stretched out legs. ¡°I always thought the Iyrmen were a cheat code, but a Princess is pretty good too,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I guess Sir Wick was the one to really push around his weight?¡± ¡°It is Sir Wick,¡± Jurot stated simply. He didn¡¯t even think about how Sir Wick had managed to put the Marshal of the East in his place. Though the Marshal of the East commanded great respect in the region, the entire country even, Sir Wick was still favoured by the Grand Duchess of the North. ¡°Right.¡± Adam threw a look towards Jane, who wanted to empathise with Adam, but she had already felt the vast difference between herself and Adam, never mind herself and an Iyrman. ¡°Let¡¯s find a nicer inn, nothing too far, but we do have money to burn.¡± ¡°Why would you burn money?¡± Jane asked. ¡°You know, now that I think about it, that really doesn¡¯t make sense in this land. We¡¯ve got silver to... spend? Silver to melt? Gold to toss?¡± The group made their way to an inn, a large inn that was more like a noble¡¯s estate, with large manors which could house several parties within. The walls were roughly as tall as Adam, made of stone, while the buildings were made of wood, stylised simply, but with various engravings all along the trim, and the roofs. ¡®I expected it to cost more,¡¯ Adam thought, though he had become numb to spending so much gold. Kitool, Lucy, and Mara had slipped away to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild to stable the magical steeds and the carts, while dealing with their inventory, while Jurot slipped away to complete his Iyrmanly business. ¡°How much spice did they use?¡± Jane asked, poking the food with her fork. ¡°Meat should be red with blood, not orange with...¡± ¡°Nothing wrong with a little spice,¡± Jaygak said, bringing the orange meat to her lips, chewing it slowly. ¡°Needs more heat.¡± ¡°Yeah, you would say that,¡± Adam joked, cutting into his potato, pausing a moment as the steam rose. He took a bite, feeling the salt against his tongue. ¡®Acceptable. I should bring them here one day.¡¯ ¡°I need to say it? Our yellow, best in all Aldland.¡± The merchant¡¯s smile grew wide, revealing his white teeth, gilded with greed. ¡°Who can say otherwise?¡± Adam laughed. Jane glanced back once they were done with their business. ¡°Who is Yellow Turban?¡± ¡°He¡¯s from the Confederacy, and he¡¯s quite a...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure how to describe him. ¡°I like him, and his son is quite the character.¡± The devilkin watched as the trio left, followed by a tail of walkers. One of the guards reached up a finger and placed it upon his nose. ¡°They know of us,¡± the merchant replied in their tongue, still eyeing up the group as they left. ¡®I should send someone to escort them.¡¯ His eyes fell onto the Iyrman, then to her sword, and decided against it. The group spent only the evening in East Port, much to Lucy¡¯s annoyance, but she had long gotten used to Adam¡¯s drive. ¡°Why is he in such a rush?¡± Jane whispered, as though Adam could hear her from a wagon away. ¡°Adam came North for Jurot.¡± ¡°Not to win the tournament?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°He wanted to remain at the business to celebrate his first anniversary with his wife.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s really married to a Ray.¡± Jaygak chuckled. ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± The group made their way through the various outposts and towns of Central Aldland, paying the appropriate fees and taxes along their way. The wolves caused some issues, but Kitool was able to smooth things over with an additional sum of gold. As the group passed through the Deadwood, the forest, not the town, a commotion caught their attention. ¡°Gemtroll!¡± Jaygak exclaimed from the wagon ahead. Lucy¡¯s head poked out from the wagon, glaring back towards the wagon. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it!¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Adam replied, sticking out his hand from the wagon behind. ¡°It¡¯s attacking a caravan!¡± Jaygak¡¯s voice rung through the air. ¡°Oh? I guess we should go save them then.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t get used to how casual you all are about this,¡¯ Jane thought. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°This?¡± Adam asked, holding up a pair of diamonds. ¡°Diamonds.¡± ¡°Why do you have diamonds?¡± ¡°Just in case any of them are dead.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Jane hasn''t spent enough time with Adam if she can still be surprised. Also! I''m not saying this is the best time to subscribe to Patreon, but I''m definitely saying that. It''s definitely a great time because I posted up my goals recently, which are as follows. 20 Paid Patrons = 8 Weekly Chapters Total 40 Paid Patrons = 9 Weekly Chapters Total 60 Paid Patrons = 10 Weekly Chapters Total 80 Paid Patrons = 11 Weekly Chapters Total 100 Paid Patrons = 12 Weekly Chapters Total 120 Paid Patrons = 13 Weekly Chapters Total 140 Paid Patrons = 14 Weekly Chapters Total Also, for this entire month, November 2024, for each new patron, of Silver or higher, I will post up an additional chapter. This also stacks with the Patreon goals which I''ve recently posted up. Obviously, if you can''t afford to subscribe, don''t. That''s why my minimum tier is ¡ê5 a month, because I don''t want someone who can''t afford it to feel like they need to subscribe. Thank you all for your support, and I hope you''re excited for the next chapter, because I am! [1006] – Y05.006 – The Road to Home II [1006] ¨C Y05.006 ¨C The Road to Home II ¡°Hoo!¡± Lucy exhaled, flexing her body as it cooled from her rage. ¡®What a great fight!¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: 24 400 -> 24 700 ¡°Noorshakar,¡± the older man said, his dark skin revealing him to be from Aswadasad, and his dyed beard revealing more, though not to Adam. ¡°Always, I say it. Iyrmen, wonderful people, wonderful people.¡± ¡°It is fortunate you were not harmed,¡± Jaygak said, her eyes taking in the sight of the caravan guards, each heavily armoured in chain, wielding spears and shields. Another, the leader of the guards, wore heavier armour, plate, and carried a longsword. Their cloaks were white, and held the symbol of the sun, a typical symbol of Lord Noor. ¡°Rather, you are well skilled, you had no need of our assistance.¡± ¡°Always welcome, always. We part the loot? Half and half?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take three parts in ten, since we really didn¡¯t do much,¡± Adam said, throwing a look to Lucy, raising his brows. The demon smiled in return, nodding her head back, glad Adam hadn¡¯t joined the fray. ¡°Considering the way you look, I mean, the dyed beard, and the turban, and the sun, are you from Aswadasad?¡± ¡°I am blessed, born in Aswadasad.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°What do you sell?¡± ¡°Cloth.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Very nice. What kind of cloth?¡± ¡°Come, I show.¡± The pair of groups ate together, and upon the Aswadian¡¯s insistence, Adam accepted the gift of cloths. ¡°I¡¯ve always said it, Aswadians are wonderful people,¡± Adam said, clasping the man¡¯s forearm, allowing the merchant to pat his forearm gently with his freehand. ¡°Noorshakar,¡± the older man said, smiling wide. ¡°It is our blessing to meet you all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our blessing to meet you.¡± The group continued along their way through the forest, coming along to a fork in the road. One road was thick, cobbled, the other flat, and though as wide, it was far smoother. ¡°A new road?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is the road from the new forts,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°They completed it recently.¡± ¡°They managed to complete this road even as far as the Deadwood?¡± Adam asked, almost unable to believe it. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s got some competition when it comes to efficiency, eh?¡± ¡°This road is fine,¡± Jurot replied, though he knew the Iyr could create the road better, or faster, should they need to. ¡°Does that mean we can skip Red Oak?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Eh?¡¯ Jane thought, feeling the ache of the road in her bones. ¡°We could.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that then,¡± Adam said, glancing up to the darkening sky. ¡°Let¡¯s speed up to the fort.¡± ¡°Do you not want to claim the gemtroll?¡± Jane asked. ¡°The Guild would pay you.¡± ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t really care that much about it,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°The quicker we can go home, the happier I¡¯ll be.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve never met a guy who missed his family this much.¡¯ ¡®He doesn¡¯t want to head to Red Oak?¡¯ Jaygak thought. She patted the blade at her side, wondering if she should tell him. ¡®No, it¡¯ll be funnier if I don¡¯t.¡¯ The vehicles continued to barrel their way towards the minor fort, a fort created to house a few hundred soldiers at most, mostly used to assist with the border, and to deal with the threats of the wild. Of course, the Iyrmen understood this was part of the King¡¯s plan to deal with the Tribesfolk, and perhaps, to put pressure on the Iyr. The Commander of the fort stood upon the walls, which seemed deceptively tall thanks to the slope and the ditch beneath. His eyes remained focused on the figures as they stepped out of the carts, and the wolves. ¡®Iyrmen, purple armour, devilkin, and wolves?¡¯ He was reminded of the previous Commander¡¯s words. ¡®Let me give you some advice.¡¯ ¡®What is it?¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s a group that should pass by. Iyrmen, accompanied by two, what they call, devilkin, and a half elf in purple armour, they might also have wolves with them. The Order might tell you to apprehend the devilkin, saying they¡¯re demons, but whatever you do, don¡¯t trouble the group.¡¯ ¡®Demons?¡¯ ¡®Whatever you do, you should not trouble them.¡¯ ¡®Why not?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve written you a note, but in case you don¡¯t read it, that particular group... they have no view of common sense.¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®Just trust me.¡¯ The Commander¡¯s eyes remained focused on the group as they approached the walls. ¡°What brings you here so late?¡± ¡°We wish to return back to the Iyr,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°It¡¯s awfully late. Did you get into any trouble on the road?¡± ¡®You damn fool, why are you trying to fight me?¡¯ ¡°Am I to understand that the Ray remains near the Iyr, and has tasked you with watching over the demons?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam tilted his head slightly. ¡°That is... correct?¡± ¡°Then, Sir Esme, you should send a letter to the Order of Life¡¯s Rose to request permission to deal with the demons, or am I misunderstanding the dealings between the Orders?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡®Check out this guy,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s an Aldish Commander whose helping us out. He must not be a noble?¡¯ Esme remained focused on the young man before her, who held the same tattoos as the old man that had taken her eye previously. Though her eye pulsed, it was the laughter within her mind which seared itself upon her heart. It had been decades, but she had not forgotten that particular Iyrman. Upon hearing that he had left the Iyr the previous year, and had caused another mess, she had requested to move to this fort, so she could catch him if he dared to step out again. ¡®What am I doing? Picking a fight with a boy?¡¯ ¡°Since that is the situation, I will step back, for the sake of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡®If it¡¯s not my brother, it¡¯s my wife,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®One day, my name will protect you too.¡¯ ¡°I preferred the North,¡± Lucy finally said once the group were within one of the tents of the fort. ¡°Yeah, well, it¡¯ll all be over soon. If we rush, we can make it back in a single day, probably?¡± ¡°No, that hurts too much,¡± Lucy said, already feeling the ache in her body from the thought of the wagon shaking so much. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Adam said, smiling, though he stared at the top of the tent. ¡®Damn it. I can¡¯t really move around in Central Aldland or the South, but Lucy and Mara?¡¯ ¡°One day, Lucy.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Unfortunately for Adam, he was unable to wallow in his thoughts for too long. The next day, as the carts followed the cobbled road, shaking slightly, the group stopped, still some ways away from the first village. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted, staring at the creature before them, which stared at the group. It seemed almost like a wolf, except it was made of blood, and parts of it seemed to be made of shadow. . ¡°Creatures of blood and shadow,¡± Jaygak whispered, having drawn her blade. ¡°I... don¡¯t remember which tale exactly, but...¡± ¡°Bad news?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It feels weird,¡± Lucy whispered, holding Great Destroyer in hand, the large greataxe glowing lightly with heat. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam whispered. The creature blurred, and like a loosened bolt, darted towards them. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 28 (17) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical hit! Wraith: 3 -> 0 Mana: 25 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite Improved! 4D6 + 12D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 88 (10)(40)(29) 88 damage! Attack: Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 21 (10) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Mana: 21 -> 20 Wraith: 0 -> 1 Wraith: 1 -> 0 Mana: 20 -> 19 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite Improved! 2D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 35 (10)(4)(12) 35 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 19 -> 16 Wraith: 0 -> 3 Wraith: 3 -> 0 Mana: 16 -> 12 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite Improved! 4D6 + 12D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 99 (13)(41)(36) 99 damage! Attack: Wraith (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 11 = 21 (10) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Mana: 12 -> 11 Wraith: 0 -> 1 Wraith: 1 -> 0 Mana: 11 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite Improved! 2D6 + 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 30 (4)(6)(11) 30 damage! Adam inhaled deeply, focusing completely on killing the creature. As it blurred towards them, his axe flashed cold and white hot, exploding with magical force, crashing through the creature¡¯s body. He bisected the creature in half as he met it in battle, the two halves of the creature flying past him. ¡®Damn! Over two hundred damage?¡¯ Adam thought, before he heard it. It was a wet noise, as though a seal dancing upon land. He turned his head to watch as the two halves of the creature, the wolf made of blood and shadow, began to reach out to one another, and knit itself back together. ¡®What?¡¯ Adam remained frozen from the shock. 252 damage. That¡¯s how much damage Adam had managed in a single round, perhaps more than he had managed ever before. 252 damage. That damage could have killed even Keswing. Uh, excuse me? Also, I find so much joy in making a chapter title sound really innocuous and having the most insane things happen in them. The Path to Red Oak VI = Adam almost dies to Shama. The Road to Home II = Adam meets something insane. It probably makes more sense to clickbait, but I think that some of these cliffhangers are already enough. [1007] – Y05.007 – The Road To Home III [1007] ¨C Y05.007 ¨C The Road To Home III Jurot¡¯s axe flashed purple, leaving a gash against the darkness, while Kitool¡¯s staff blurred through the air, poking holes through its almost incorporeal body, as though water struck by cannonballs. Lucy and Mara both tore into the creature, fire bursting from its wounds. Jaygak remained at bay, with the thought that her mundane blade would not even mark it. All in all, they had dealt enough damage together to kill even the mightiest of beings, like Urkina. Finally, the creature dissipated into a pool of blood. Victory! XP Gained: +2 000 XP: 24 700 -> 26 700 ¡®Whoa!¡¯ ¡°That thing was crazy dangerous,¡± Adam said, feeling a bead of sweat running down the side of his neck. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, staring down at the pool of blood. ¡°We should bring some of the creature for the Iyr, and burn the rest.¡± Kitool did as Jurot requested, dipping a piece of string into the blood, before sealing it within a vial, slipping it away into her tunic. Fire burst out from Jaygak¡¯s hand, marking the stone with blackness, while Adam held out his hand and cast his trick, Flame Bolt, repeatedly upon the blood, just in case. ¡°Hey...¡± Adam whispered. ¡°We met a dragon, a dragon turtle, and now...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said. ¡®Too much is happening,¡¯ Jaygak thought, understanding Adam¡¯s point. ¡®Even travelling beside Adam, things like this... they only happen throughout an entire year, not within the first month of dawnval.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go check on the village,¡± Adam said, quickly, feeling his heart beat quicker. Jane stared at the group, which had easily dispatched such a creature, and yet her body, which was mostly calm, understood the creature had been terrifying. It wasn¡¯t that it made her feel in any particular way with its presence, but rather, it held no presence. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, motioning with his head to one side, taking Adam away from Jane. ¡°Will you send word to the Chief?¡± ¡°Sure. What should I say?¡± ¡°We met with a powerful creature of blood and shadow which was difficult to kill.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Adam glanced aside. ¡°I don¡¯t have much Mana, so if we fight again, I won¡¯t be able to help much.¡± ¡°I understand, but you are strong without your magic.¡± Adam smiled, though it was an anxious smile. Mana: 10 -> 7 Spell: Sending ¡°Chief. Powerful creature of blood and shadow near Lipetal. It was difficult to kill, even for us. Jaygak says bad news.¡± The long silence caused Adam¡¯s heart rate to rise. ¡®Understood. Be careful.¡¯ The wooden wall surrounded the village, but it was more like a fence, considering the true walls the group had seen across the land. The guards, wearing their light chain, leathers and scale, greeted the group as they stepped out of the wagon. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Aye, all fine,¡± the guard replied, eyeing up the group. ¡°Trouble on the road?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, though his body relaxed. ¡®We must have killed it before it did anything.¡¯ The Chief of the village greeted the group, adorned in heavy furs and scale armour, carrying an axe at her side, and a crossbow upon her back. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to come back so soon!¡± ¡®Eh, what happened to the old Chief?¡¯ ¡°We have ill news,¡± Jurot said, before explaining the situation to the Chief. ¡°You... don¡¯t know what it is?¡± the Chief asked, the worry in her voice only matched by the worry upon her face. ¡°Welcome back!¡± the old woman shouted. She was short, barely reaching Adam¡¯s chest with the top of her head. She wore thick furs around her body, as well as a set of scale around her chest, which fell down towards her waist, a belt wrapped around her front to keep her armour pinned to her. An axe hung against her belt, though she carried her trusty spear upon her back. ¡°Chief Merl, how are you faring?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Well, well, and you?¡± ¡°Much better now that I¡¯m almost home,¡± Adam admitted, allowing the woman to greet the rest, while his eyes darted to the large figure. He was tall, almost as tall as Adam, but about as wide even without full plate armour. His face was still boyish, though the beginnings of the beard tried to keep the boyishness at bay. ¡°Nobby, my boy, how are you?¡± ¡°Good,¡± he replied, almost sheepishly. ¡°Welcome back, mister boss.¡± ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Merl, the younger, beautiful, and almost equally as short woman, said. ¡°We are, we are,¡± Adam replied, eagerly. ¡°Where¡¯s Merry?¡± Merl blinked. ¡°What? I¡¯m just making sure the future Chief¡¯s growing well, that¡¯s all! Plus I brought a gift...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Oh. I mean. There is a gift, but it¡¯s back at the Guild.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, you don¡¯t need to bring him a gift,¡± Merl said. ¡°He¡¯s sleeping.¡± ¡®I bet he¡¯s such a chonky boy,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I¡¯ll let him sleep peacefully, I¡¯ll spoil him another time. I mean, I won¡¯t spoil him, but I should do a little bit since he¡¯s our Nobby¡¯s son, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Adam could feel Merl¡¯s judging eyes, trying to keep the half elf at bay. ¡®Come on! It¡¯s not like I got him a magical weapon, or anything!¡¯ ¡°Ah! Actually, we ended up saving a merchant and managed to get some cloth. It¡¯s pretty good cloth, from what I saw, so why don¡¯t we gift him that? That¡¯s more sensible than what I got him.¡± ¡°What did you-, no, never mind,¡± Merl said, having realised she probably shouldn¡¯t ask. ¡®Damn, I can¡¯t believe you of all people are bullying me like this,¡¯ Adam thought. While Adam annoyed Merl and Nobby, the Iyrmen spoke with the Chief, informing her of the various matters. ¡°There are a few more Iyrmen in the fort, and your cousins joined our scouts,¡± Merl said, reaching up to her chin, rubbing it gently. ¡°Is it that dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you¡¯ve returned then. Your boys, Fred and Jonn, they¡¯ve been assisting us too, but it¡¯s good to see you all are back.¡± Merl then glanced between the Iyrmen. ¡°So...¡± ¡°We will return to the fort first and speak of our tale there,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will speak our tale tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Merl beamed up at the group. ¡°I¡¯m sure you all placed well.¡± ¡°I will bring you your bets tomorrow upon speaking our tales.¡± Merl winked at them, allowing them to leave. The group continued through the village, finally taking the bridge towards the fort, which stood tall and mighty upon the islet, splitting the river. The islet, like the fort, was made by the hands of the Iyrmen. The fort loomed over the nearby village. The thick stone walls were easily an Adam and a half tall, with several watch towers on each side. The large river also providing the walls protection on each side. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Jane thought. ¡®When they said fort, they really meant fort!¡¯ The carts pulled to the side, and the group stepped out, slightly fenced away from the small fields, which lay in front of the estates which formed the businessfolk¡¯s living quarters, at three stories tall. They were rectangles, with large open archways in the centre of each side for the pathways within, with an inner courtyard reminiscent of those of the Iyr¡¯s estates. While most of the children in the business were kept at bay by the adults, there were a handful who dared to break away. The leader of the break away children squealed with delight, charging the returning figures. To the business, these figures were the Executives, but to her? ¡°Papa!¡± Lanarot squealed, followed by five more children, each of whom darted after their aunt. ¡®What?¡¯ Jane blinked. Her eyes remained glued to the children behind the little girl. Some who would have called the girl a human, but she understood this girl was an Iyrman. However, the children behind her, they were definitely not Iyrmen. Were they? The best arc begins? I am very sorry for not posting up this chapter yesterday, I forgot. I want to thank everyone for your support and for 300K views! Jurot Sheet [~1000] Jurot Sheet [~1000] Name: Jurot Race: Iyrman (Human) Background: Iyrman Class: Barbarian (Totem) Level: 8 XP: Error STR: 20 (+5)[+8] DEX: 16 (+3) Features: Tough, Slasher. Adam¡¯s Chaos: +2 CON Martial Features: Rage, Unarmoured Defence, Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, Bear Totem (Resistance all but psychic damage), Extra Attack, Bear Token (Carrying capacity doubled, adv on strength checks for push, pull, lift, breaking object), +2 STR HP: 116 DEF: 17/20 Phantom: +10, 2d6+7 (+2 Rage) (+3d6 psychic, 1 charge) Battleaxe: +8, 1d6+1d3+5/6 (+2 Rage) SLASHER: On a hit, reduce speed by 10. On a crit, they have disadvantage on attack rolls. I''ll forgive you for not reminding me since I accidentally didn''t post up yesterday. Kitool Sheet [~1000] Kitool Sheet [~1000] Name: Kitool Race: Iyrman (Human) Background: Iyrman Class: Monk (Open Hand)(???) Level: 8 XP: Error STR: 12 (+1)[+4] DEX: 20 (+5)[+8] CON: 15 (+2) Adam¡¯s Chaos: +2 Wis Martial Features: Mobile, Unarmoured Defence, Martial Arts, Unarmoured Movement, Dedicated Weapon, Deflect Missiles, Ki Strike, Way of the Open Hand, +2 DEX, Slow Fall, Quickened Healing, Extra Attack, Stunning Strike, Focused Aim, Empowered Strikes, Wholeness of Body, Evasion, Calm Mind, Crusher (CON) HP: 75 DEF: 19 KI: 8 Tiger: +10, 2D6+7 Shortsword: +8, 1D6+6 Martial Arts: +8, 1D6+6 The amount of times I had to check and double check their Health scores... Jaygak Sheet [~1000] Jaygak Sheet [~1000] Name: Jaygak Race: Iyrman (Devilkin) Background: Iyrman Class: Fighter (Champion) Level: 8 XP: Error STR: 18 (+4)[+7] DEX: 8 (-1) Feats: Tough, Slasher, Athlete, Adam¡¯s Chaos: +2 CON Features: Darkvision, Hellish Resistance, Devilkin (L3: Burning Hands, L5: Flame Arrow) Martial Features: Blind Fighting, Second Wind, Onward Soar, Improved Critical (19+), Tough, Extra Attack, Slasher, Remarkable Athlete, Athlete HP: 99 DEF: 18/20 Great Moon: +9, 2d6/3d6+6 Longsword: +7, 1d6+1d3+4/5 Jaygak might be the weakest, but she''s still so damn strong. [1008] – Y05.008 – Home I [1008] ¨C Y05.008 ¨C Home I ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± cried the little girl with utter delight, almost tackling her father, who dropped down to his knees and held out his arms. ¡°Ah!¡± Adam called out, embracing all of his children, his entire body rushing with joy as his children charged him. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot cried with delight again. ¡°You are back, daddy! You are back!¡± Adam allowed his five children to almost swallow him whole. He hugged his little Jarot first, holding him close, feeling the boy¡¯s warmth, smelling the oils of the Iyr. He peppered his son¡¯s green cheek with light kisses, swaying from side to side as his entire body filled with a father¡¯s joy. Jane blinked, shaking her head, unsure of what she was looking at. ¡°Jarot! Jarot, my boy! Did you miss daddy?¡± ¡°I missed you, daddy,¡± the boy replied shyly, clutching his father¡¯s shirt, smelling his gentle scent. ¡°Jirot!¡± Adam nuzzled into the girl¡¯s neck, kissing her cheek too, before pulling her close, feeling her warmth against his cheek. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot¡¯s breath tickled against his neck, her tiny hands clutching at his collar and shoulder to hug her father back. ¡°You!¡± Adam wanted to tease her, but he had missed her too much, so he held his twins closer, almost bursting with love. He peppered their green faces and their leaf shaped ears all over. Their amber eyes sparkled with the joy only children understood. ¡°What a silly daddy I am! Leaving such adorable children home! Why did I even leave?¡± ¡°To fight!¡± Jirot said, raising her fist in the air, though her free hand clutched at his collar, refusing to let him go. ¡°Ah, right, well first, I need to say...¡± Adam glanced down at his triplets. ¡°Hmm?¡± The trio stood expectantly, each ready to embrace their father. Their silver eyes remained focused on their father, their silver tails swaying shyly behind them. Just like their father, and their siblings, they also had leaf shaped ears, though they also had tiny nubs which formed horns at the corners of their foreheads. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Konarot, his eldest daughter, was still small, not quite as small as Jirot or Jarot, but she stood taller upon realising what her father was doing. She held up an accusatory finger, wielding it like a blade. ¡°No. Not allowed.¡± ¡°This firm voice...¡± Adam began, doing his best not to give in to his daughter just yet. However, the guilt ate away at him, and after taking in the sight of the scar near her eye, he pulled his his triplets in close. He embraced them tight, peppering each of them with kisses all over their faces. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to grow up? Who gave you permission to turn four years old?¡± Adam swayed from side to side, holding each of his children close, nuzzling against his triplets¡¯ horns. ¡°Are those...¡± Jane asked, turning to ask Jaygak. ¡°They¡¯re his children,¡± Jaygak replied, smiling ever so slightly. ¡°They¡¯re my nieces and nephews too.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Jane¡¯s eyes held more questions within them, but she dared not to ask, not when the woman glared at her so threateningly. ¡°Daddy is sorry for missing your birthdays.¡± Adam planted firm kisses on his triplets¡¯ foreheads. ¡°I brought so many gift, but they¡¯re at the Guild.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± Konarot¡¯s tail swayed from side to side, while Kirot nuzzled against her father¡¯s neck, and Karot buried his head against his father¡¯s side. ¡®My kids! Aren¡¯t they the cutest?¡¯ ¡°Where are they?¡± called a voice. ¡°My greatchildren, how could they leave my arm?¡± Jane¡¯s eyes darted to the side, noting the appearance of an old man. He was tall, with short hair, one arm, and a wooden leg. At his side was an axe, and upon his forehead, was a tattoo she was familiar with. A blue circle, with blue diamonds emanating from each side. ¡®Who is he?¡¯ ¡°Old geezer, you¡¯ve gained weight,¡± Adam replied, grinning wide towards the old man who stepped forward. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°What am I doing here? What are my greatchildren doing here? They should be within the Iyr! Why are you making me walk all this way to come visit them?¡± Jarot, the one armed, one legged Iyrman, growled towards the half elf, shuffling forward to try and steal his greatchildren away from their father. ¡®Wait,¡¯ Jane thought, taking in the sight of the Iyrman. ¡®He¡¯s the Mad Dog?¡¯ The disappointment quickly pushed away the confusion, as he saw what seemed to be the twilight of an old warrior. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, come,¡± the old Jarot called. ¡°No! I am hugging daddy!¡± Jirot declared, climbing atop her father, to wrap her tiny arms around his neck, refusing to let him go. ¡°Smelly daddy! Always working! Always working!¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Little Jarot cuddled up to his father¡¯s chest. ¡°Ah, well, daddy needed to fight in the tournament, right?¡± ¡°Always! Working!¡± Jirot continued to bully her father. Other Iyrmen approached the returning group, while the businessfolk watched from the fire. An old Iyrman, with red skin and horns, adorned in plate, reached out to rub Jaygak¡¯s head. ¡°Where is your sword?¡± ¡°It was...¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot. ¡°Jurot will explain.¡± ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Something, yeah.¡± ¡°These old bones of mine are becoming cold,¡± Jarot growled. ¡°Let us warm ourselves at the fire.¡± As the half elf approached the fire, nodding his head towards the businessfolk, from the farmers, to the Leads, to the Managers, his eyes then fell to a particular figure, who held a hornless red skinned babe within her arms. She wore a black modesti from head to toe, only revealing her face, tan, save for the lightness of the burn marks on her lower jaw. The silver symbol of the sun lay beneath the holy symbol, denoting her rank within the Order. ¡°Welcome back,¡± Vonda greeted, her smile radiating warmly. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, sitting down beside her, before intertwining his fingers with hers. He leaned in to nuzzle her cheek, but did no more since they were in public. ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡°I missed you too.¡± Her hazel eyes staring deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ah, and who is this adorable little, I mean, big boy?¡± Adam asked. Larot chose to ignore his father, staring blankly at the world ahead. ¡°Why are you bullying your father like this? Look at this guy, he turns two and suddenly he¡¯s a big man?¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°I got you such a lovely gift!¡± Larot remained staring at the world ahead. ¡°Look, your kako has it right now,¡± Adam said, motioning to Jaygak, who handed the blade to Adam. The half elf unsheathed it, revealing the dark blade, speckled with the yellows and oranges of amber. The flat of the blade held a particular symbol, though it held no significance to the half elf. ¡°It might not be magical, yet, but daddy, and your aunt, bought it just for you.¡± Larot¡¯s eyes fell down to the blade, noting the symbol for a moment, before eyeing up the rest of the blade. ¡®It is acceptable.¡¯ ¡°Your aunt slew a gemtroll with it. Gemtrolls are pretty strong, you know?¡± Adam sheathed the blade, and placed it to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll have it sent to the Iyr, and I¡¯ll place it in your hoard.¡± ¡®My what?¡¯ Jane closed her eyes, reaching up to rub her forehead. Her heart threatened to falter from all the stress. ¡®Did he just give a fine blade like that to a baby boy?¡¯ ¡°Miss?¡± a boy called. ¡°Are you joinin¡¯ the business?¡± ¡°I was thinking about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good business,¡± the boy said, nodding his head. ¡°Are you strong?¡± ¡°I like to think so.¡± ¡°You stronger than the Zecutives?¡± ¡°I¡¯m...¡± Jane smiled innocently. ¡°No, not quite, but I am Steel Rank.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± The boy¡¯s eyes beamed up towards her. ¡°That¡¯s strong, that is!¡± Meanwhile, Jurot and Pam embraced one another, before the Iyrman took his place beside his wife. He crossed his arms, doing his best not to acknowledge it. He threw a look to the side, noting she was looking at him still, and he decided to close his eyes and enter a meditation to keep himself calm. Adam waved his hand to the rest of the businessfolk, his eyes darting around the place. ¡®I guess everything went fine if Dunes hasn¡¯t spoken to me?¡¯ ¡°Hmph!¡± Jarot groaned. ¡°Will you begin the tale, or will you wait until I have fallen asleep?¡± ¡°Jaygak, why don¡¯t you tell the tale?¡± Adam asked, leaning back. He took in the sight of all the familiar faces. He felt the weight of his twins as they climbed onto his lap. He squeezed his wife¡¯s hand gently. ¡®Man. It¡¯s good to be home.¡¯ However, his heart yearned to see her too. His youngest daughter, who certainly had grown up far too much while he had been gone. ¡®Is no one going to acknowledge that...¡¯ Jane then looked towards Lucy. ¡®...¡¯ Lucy remained sitting still, tears falling within her soul. ¡®I thought you loved me too...¡¯ ¡°Kako!¡± Jirot called, reaching out to Jaygak. ¡°You come sit next to me, okay?¡± A tear slipped down the side of Lucy¡¯s cheek. ¡®I¡¯ll forgive you this once.¡¯ Poor Lucy... [1009] – Y05.009 – Home II [1009] ¨C Y05.009 ¨C Home II Jirot gasped from within Jaygak¡¯s lap, bits of potato falling out of her mouth, her head snapping to her father. ¡°First place?¡± Adam smirked ever so slightly. ¡°Hmm? It looks like I came first place in the tournament?¡± Jirot remained staring at her father, her amber eyes, like giant marbles, in utter shock. ¡°First place, daddy, first place? You are first place?¡± ¡°I came first place?¡± ¡°You did not?¡± ¡°I did, though?¡± ¡°Daddy is so strong?¡± ¡°Daddy is a little bit strong, isn¡¯t he?¡± Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m first place, so am I strong?¡± ¡°So strong, daddy, so strong!¡± Jirot reached out to grab her father¡¯s arm, clutching his shirt tight within her hand. ¡°I forgive you, daddy.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Thank you, my dear. Isn¡¯t my daughter so kind and lovely? She forgives even this fool of a father.¡± Jaygak leaned down to blow a raspberry into the girl¡¯s neck, causing her to squeal in delight, tossing the potato. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Oh no! My potato!¡± Jirot gasped, glancing up towards Jaygak, her eyes filled with betrayal. ¡°How can you do this to me, kako?¡± Adam brought a potato up to his daughter¡¯s lips to stop her from causing trouble, or worse, from crying so adorably. ¡°Daddy is so full, so you have to finish the potato.¡± Jirot inhaled deeply. ¡°I do it for you, daddy.¡± She pat her father¡¯s forearm gently and ate out of his hand, before Adam leaned further in to feed his son too, who accepted the potato so eagerly. Jaygak continued to speak the tale of their tournament. She had come second, only to Adam and the Princess. Jurot had won in his segment, and Kitool... Eyes fell onto the unassuming Iyrman, who was leaner than any of her companions, and was usually silent as a shadow. She was pretty, but fairly plain, and carried a staff with her. The staff, Tigerstaff, was one of the greatest the Enchanter had ever created, to the level of Phantom. Even so, her victory would be written in the history books for generations to come. The older Iyrman each glanced between one another, containing their excitement and pride for the moment. Jarot threw a look to the one armed Otkan, whose grandson was still making a name for himself. The woman rubbed Kitool¡¯s back gently, bowing her head lightly. ¡°Mummy, you are comfohtable?¡± Jirot whispered to her mother, having scrambled down from her aunt¡¯s lap. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Mummy, you must eat,¡± Jirot said, holding up her half eaten potato. ¡°I already ate, dear.¡± ¡°No more?¡± ¡°No more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot pat her mother on her knee gently. ¡°You must tell me when you are hungry, okay?¡± Jirot held up her finger, raising her brows towards her mother almost threateningly. ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda replied, reaching down to brush her daughter¡¯s cheek, before wiping her face with a cloth. ¡°Are you finished with the potato?¡± ¡°I am finished. Jarot, you are finished?¡± ¡°Finished,¡± the boy confirmed with a whisper. ¡°You smelly little girl and boy, kako is still telling the story,¡± Adam said. ¡°We¡¯re at the gemtroll bit!¡± ¡°Papo already kill gemtroll!¡± Jirot accused, pointing to her uncle. ¡°The story is almost done!¡± Jirot stood firmly against her father. She inhaled deeply, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Toilet!¡± ¡®You dare to use your finishing move against me?¡¯ ¡°I can go myself,¡± Jirot said, before darting away, followed by her twin brother. Adam darted after them, followed by Kitool, motioning her hand to an Iyrman in the shadows, allowing them to remain behind. ¡°Daddy, you must wash your hands too,¡± Jirot said after finishing with her business, offering the soap to her father. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have left the soap in the Guild,¡¯ Adam thought, slowly growing with annoyance. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are first place now, so you are strong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You can beat up the moon?¡± Jirot stared up at her father with her expectant eyes, and little Jarot also stood beside her sister, the same expectant gaze falling upon his father. Adam blinked. Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Fly Trick: Flame Bolt Miss! Adam held his daughter within his arm, glad that his son was too scared of flying, though he sat upon his aunt¡¯s shoulders, watching as his father and sister flew into the air. Adam clenched his fist, and called forth the words of magic. ¡°Flame Bolt!¡± His fist turned aflame, and a fist shaped flame shot outwards into the dark sky, towards the moon, dissipating in the sky. ¡°You see? I am trying to fight, but the moon does not wish to fight me because I am so strong.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°She is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Adam reached out to shake Dunes¡¯ forearm. ¡°If you need anything, let me know.¡± Dunes smiled, bowing his head lightly, before glancing down. ¡°I...¡± He glanced around, noting most people around them were far enough away, engrossed in their own conversations. ¡°The Lion King spent some time here.¡± ¡°Ashmir?¡± The Priest nodded. ¡°He...¡± Dunes fell silent for a long moment. ¡°He seems to want to dote on Ranya.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, noting how awkward Dunes had become. ¡°How does that make you feel?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He is a stranger to me, but to Ranya? She may know him from her birth. I...¡± Adam reached over to Dunes¡¯ shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°You know, it¡¯s only a good thing for your kid to be doted on by crazy powerful old men.¡± ¡°I am not sure they can be...¡± Dunes paused. ¡°No, they may be comparable after all.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°You can say that again. We ended up meeting someone who lost their eye to the old geezer.¡± ¡°He truly is like the Butcher.¡± ¡°By the way, did you know Jurot is related to the Butcher too?¡± Dunes blinked. ¡°I am not surprised.¡± ¡°Yeah? Insane, right? This guy, isn¡¯t he too perfect? He¡¯s so strong, handsome, strong, smart, born into such a great family, and his kid is so cute too! How can he do this to me?¡± Adam huffed, reaching out to grab the gourd, only to stop, not wanting to drink when Dunes couldn¡¯t. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s all so ridiculous.¡± Dunes smiled. He wondered if he should tease Adam, but decided to allow Vonda to tease him instead. ¡°Where¡¯s Ranya anyhow?¡± ¡°She¡¯s being watched over by the Iyrmen in the estate,¡± Dunes said, motioning his head into the second section of the fort. ¡°Since the other children are being watched over by the Iyrmen, I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°Yeah... it is hard to refuse the Iyrmen, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam sighed out. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking.¡± ¡°Perhaps I should drink?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re a Manager, Dunes.¡± Dunes smirked playfully, the Aswadian¡¯s pearly white teeth gleaming with a cheekiness only an Aswadian knew. ¡°Yes. So I am.¡± ¡°How could you have another child so quickly? You should have let Amira have some rest!¡± Dunes smiled even wider. ¡°I wanted to have more children to spoil.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you since you¡¯re so wise,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, approaching the pair, before sitting beside them. He crossed his arms. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Pam is pregnant.¡± ¡°Jurot!¡± Adam slapped his brother¡¯s shoulder, grabbing it tight. ¡°You dog, you, how could you do this to your wife? She needs to rest, you punk!¡± Jurot peeked at his brother, noting the sheer joy on the half elf¡¯s face, since he had another child he could spoil so freely. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot decided against telling his brother. ¡°I have gained first place twice. I would like to gain it again.¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Adam smiled wider. ¡°Let¡¯s get another first place!¡± ¡®So what? We¡¯ll head to West Port in duskval? That should be after the kid is born. If Vonda and I...¡¯ Dunes and Jurot exchanged a look, the pair realising they each knew, and Adam hadn¡¯t noticed. Vonda bathed her children, along with the children¡¯s grandmother, who dealt with the triplets, while Larot sat in his little tub, relaxing. ¡°Mummy, daddy said he can beat the moon,¡± Jirot said. ¡°Yes?¡± Jirot smirked. ¡°He cannot beat the moon, it is too far away.¡± Vonda smiled, rubbing behind the girl¡¯s leaf shaped ears. ¡°He cannot beat the moon?¡± ¡°He cannot, but is okay, because he is first place.¡± The girl smiled bashfully, her amber eyes glistening with pride. ¡°Daddy is smelly boy, but I love daddy so much.¡± Vonda leaned down to kiss her daughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You cannot tell daddy, mummy! Is a secret, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda whispered, holding her daughter against her bosom. ¡°Okay.¡± Our kids are the most adorable. [1010] – Y05.010 – Home III [1010] ¨C Y05.010 ¨C Home III ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, blinking at his wife. His entire body froze in place, while she brushed her daughter''s hair, the girl smirking at her father. "Really?" "Yes." Jurot placed a hand on Adam''s shoulder. "Congratulations." "Vonda, how can you do this to me?" Adam asked. "I went to go and fight for first place, but how can you outshine me? What am I saying, of course, since you''re my wife." Even though his voice was light, Adam''s heart beat wildly within his chest. "I''m sorry," Vonda joked. "Jarot," Adam called, the boy scrambling onto his father''s lap, while the half elf brushed his hair. It was dark, thick, and curly. "Did you hear that?" "Yes?" "You''re going to have another papa or kaka soon." Little Jarot''s canines, which always peeked out, just like his sister''s, seemed to grow larger as his lips twitched upwards. "Like Virot?" "Like Virot." "Is going to be baby?" "That''s right." "Small?" "Yeah." Adam pulled the boy into his chest. "Small like you." "I am big, daddy..." Jarot refuted, but he cuddled up to his father''s chest. "I guess I''ll need to get first place again?" Adam let out a feigned exhausted sigh. "Oh dear, oh dear." "Always working," Jirot accused, pouting up towards her father. "Well, daddy will spend some time spoiling you." "Spoiling me?" Jirot asked. "Yes." "I forgive you, just this once, okay?" "Okay." Adam reached out to tickle her nose. "Where are Virot and Damrot, anyway?" "They are sleeping in the children''s estate," Sonarot said, the woman applying oils onto the triplet''s faces. "I will return to them soon." "If they''re sleeping, I guess I''ll have to let them go, just this once," Adam rubbed his thumb along his son''s chin tenderly. "Have you been watching after Virot?" "Yes." "I read to kaka," Jirot said, sitting up taller. "I read all the stories." "Which stories?" "All of them." "Which is your favourite?" "Mmm,¡± Jirot hummed in thought. ¡°Babo''s stories." Adam smiled awkwardly. "How about we read to her mummy''s stories?" "Mummy does not have stories." "What are you talking about, mummy has many stories." "I cannot read them?" "Ah, of course. Since my daughter is so sensible, she left it there to make sure it was safe." Jirot furrowed her brows. "Daddy, you are smart too?" Almost instantly the girl smirked, before cackling. The Iyrmen left the half elf, the Ray, and their children be, leaving to their own area within the inner section of the fort. Adam pulled up the blanket over himself, while Jirot and Jarot each lay atop him. Though he wanted to sleep beside his wife, he couldn¡¯t refuse his children, not when they were clutching at his shirt so desperately. In the morning, the screaming and crying filled the air, before it finally stopped. The girl¡¯s eyes remained almost unfocused, before she finally saw the face of her mother, half tan, half white from her burns. She smiled, tears still falling down her face, but they were quickly wiped away. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Adam asked, crossing his arms. ¡°Only my daughter can scream that loudly.¡± ¡°Cringe,¡± Lucy said. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to pat his ears, pretending as though he had been deafened. His eyes then fell onto the girl, whose skin was slightly tanned, her eyes hazel, like her mother¡¯s, while her hair was a lighter almond, like her father¡¯s. Her leaf shaped ears matched those of the triplets and the demon. ¡®You¡¯re so much bigger now, my Virot.¡¯ ¡®Finally, a normal baby.¡¯ Jane ate her porridge silently, her eyes taking in the sight of the six other children, three of which were half dragons, two of whom were definitely... She rubbed her eyes again, as though they had been playing tricks upon her. The last was definitely a demon. ¡°She is growing up too quickly, too quickly,¡± Jirot complained, crossing her arms. ¡°How can she do this?¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help but smile, before his smile dropped. ¡®Oh no. If she copies me too much, she¡¯ll end up being stupid. Still, isn¡¯t my daughter so cute?¡¯ ¡°That is right,¡± the older Jarot said. ¡°How can she do this?¡± Jirot shook her head, her hair bouncing slightly, before she ran her fingers through her hair to get her hair out of her face. ¡°I forgive you, but only this once, you smelly girl.¡± Meanwhile, the chubby form of Damrot, who stared up at his father, remained still. He blinked now and again, but remained mesmerised by his father¡¯s face. ¡°You have grown,¡± Jurot said. The boy blinked. A shadow formed over Jurot¡¯s heart. He reached up to brush his son¡¯s cheek, feeling how warm the boy¡¯s cheek was, how soft his chubby cheek was. ¡®So light...¡¯ Even so, he recalled how much lighter his son had been just a few months ago. ¡°Your eyes are more clear. Can you see me now?¡± The boy blinked. Jurot continued to stare at the boy. He looked so much like his mother compared to himself, even now. His heart thundered in his chest, taking in the sight of the boy. ¡®I should have killed a dragon.¡¯ ¡°Normally I¡¯m meant to spoil the youngest the most, but aren¡¯t we having our seventh too quickly?¡± Adam asked. Vonda raised her brows towards the half elf. ¡®Whose fault is that?¡¯ ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll just need to spoil you twice as hard, right?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes then fell to Vonda¡¯s, as though asking for permission. Vonda sighed, leaning back in her chair, understanding that her husband was going to be an idiot for a few more days, since he missed his children so much. ¡°Should I tell you my story?¡± Jurot asked. The boy blinked. ¡°He won¡¯t understand, but it would be a good for him to hear them now,¡± Pam said, although after realising what kind of stories Jurot had, she realised her mistake. ¡°I will tell it to you.¡± Jurot continued to stare down at his son, holding his gaze. ¡°Okay, now that I¡¯ve completed my cringe quota this morning, I¡¯ll go give my greetings properly to the businessfolk.¡± Jirot¡¯s head snapped to her mother, pointing at her father with her whole hand, meaning she was at her wit¡¯s end. ¡°Would you like to greet them with your father?¡± Vonda offered. ¡°I should go because I am the Little Boss,¡± Jirot said sagely, before hopping onto her feet. She placed a hand on her mother¡¯s knee. ¡°Comfohtable?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Vonda reached out to tickle her daughter¡¯s ear gently, before the girl quickly pulled away to snatch her father¡¯s hand. ¡®He really is crazy,¡¯ Jane thought. ¡°Jane,¡± Adam called, having no idea he had almost given her a heart attack. ¡°Why don¡¯t you come along and meet everyone too?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Jane still entirely befuddled. [1011] – Y05.011 – Home IV [1011] ¨C Y05.011 ¨C Home IV "Rick," Adam reached out to shake the guard''s forearm, glancing over his shoulder, before smiling wider. "Looks like there''s something in the water?" "Yes?" Rick replied. His face was heavily scarred, his beard neatly trimmed to almost Aswadian precision. He wore chain mail, carried a blade at his side, and a shield upon his back. "Nothing," Adam said, nodding towards Ivy and Charley, who were joining Rick on the rounds. ¡°About the bets...¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll stay with us now that you¡¯re rich.¡± ¡°Of course, Executive,¡± Rick replied, smiling slightly. Even if he was buried in a mountain of gold coins, he¡¯d remain at the business. ¡°I¡¯ll inform Manager Dunes later about the money situation, and he¡¯ll let you know about the exact figure for each of you. I did my best with the numbers, but I¡¯m not Churot.¡± Rick tilted his head slightly, but nodded once more. ¡°Of course, Executive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed there are a few more babies about in the business, and a few bumps. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ve done it already, but make sure a Manager knows about the exact date they were born, so we can deal with certain administrative tasks. Also, anyone who gave birth, they should take at least four weeks off, paid of course, and they should only work lightly for another eight weeks, still paid. Any fathers should...¡± Adam paused. ¡°You know what, I¡¯ll speak with Manager Dunes about it first, and he¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Of course, Executive.¡± ¡°You are doing good work?¡± Jirot asked from beside her father, her hands wrapped behind her back, her eyes curiously glaring towards the farmer guard. ¡°I like to think so,¡± Rick replied. ¡°He is doing good work?¡± Jirot asked her father, her eyes full of judgement. ¡°Of course he does, it¡¯s mister Rick.¡± ¡°Mistuh Rick...¡± Jirot slowly nodded her head. ¡°Good work, mistuh Rick. I give you more money, okay?¡± ¡°How much should we give him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Hmmm.¡± The girl glanced to her brother. ¡°Jarot, how much we give?¡± ¡°One coppuh, one silvuh, one gold?¡± ¡°Wow! You¡¯re so generous, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ll be sure to give mister Rick that as a bonus. Whose going to pay for it?¡± ¡°I can!¡± Jirot said. ¡°I can pay myself!¡± ¡°I can pay too!¡± little Jarot added. ¡°Should we give everyone a copper, a silver, and a gold?¡± Adam asked. ¡°They are all doing good work?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Jirot reached up to her chin to think. ¡°Okay. We can give all.¡± ¡°Wow! My daughter is so generous!¡± ¡°Daddy, I am doing good work?¡± ¡°Of course you are my dear.¡± Jirot held out her hand. ¡°You must give me now.¡± Adam blinked, throwing a look to Rick. Rick had noticed the girl¡¯s ploy immediately, but seeing the look within Adam¡¯s eyes, it seemed the fool of a father hadn¡¯t caught on. ¡°There¡¯s a new woman by the name of Jane,¡± Adam said, handing the coins to his daughter, who greedily clutched them to her chest, cackling lightly to herself. ¡°She¡¯s going to be joining us. I want you to keep an eye on her, see if she fits into the culture of our business.¡± ¡°As you say, Executive.¡± As the twins revealed their coins to one another, the troublesome fool of a father let out a low sigh. ¡®The world must envy me, for I have the cutest children.¡¯ Adam made his rounds through the fort, through each section, beginning with the section for the Executives, which housed six stone buildings. There were four buildings on the walls in front and behind, homes for the Executives, and one on either side, the warehouses. ¡°One day, when you¡¯re both Executives, you can live here.¡± ¡°I not Zecutive, I am Demon Load!¡± Jirot declared, standing defiantly. ¡°Of course, right,¡± Adam replied, a small smile creeping upon his lips. ¡°I am babo,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°No, no, you should be my little Jarot, not the smelly old geezer,¡± Adam said, hoisting his son up to kiss his cheek all over. ¡°No?¡± Jarot cackled lightly, before trying to reach out for his sister, who also cackled. Stepping through the gate, they then made the rounds to the Manager¡¯s section, which held two warehouses towards the Executive¡¯s area, then small fields, gardens almost, finally the large estates for the Managers and the Leads. One of the estates currently held all the newborn children, who were watched over by the small army of Iyrmen. ¡°Just a bit of water, okay,¡± Adam said, assisting his children in watering some of the plants. ¡°Looks like mister Gimon already watered the plants.¡± ¡°Smelly mistuh Gimon,¡± Jirot huffed. ¡°What are you saying? He¡¯s doing such good work, which means we can play for longer.¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°Good work, mistuh Gimon. We give more money, okay?¡± ¡°Maybe, maybe,¡± Adam said, hoisting the pair up into each of his arms, before stepping through the next gate to find the estates for the farmers, and the fields beyond. The estates barely held the remaining members of the business. ¡°Ah, look, it¡¯s mister Gimon.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Jirot called out from her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Oh, hello there,¡± Gimon said, the old man tall and lean. He removed his flat cap, and smiled warmly towards the pair. ¡°How are you doing today, Little Bosses, Executives?¡± ¡°Good work!¡± Jirot shouted, holding up a thumbs up for the old man. ¡°Ah, right?¡± The old man continued to smile warmly. ¡°I do not know either,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°Jasmine has stated she is an Expert, and Siten is more powerful than a Grandmaster.¡± ¡°Damn, really? I suppose that does make sense, considering we met her out at sea. Do we know what Siten looks like?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Adam leaned back in his chair. ¡°Not like I can do much more, since Lord Morkarai vouched for them. I guess we could have her work as a teacher? He called her Lady, so I assume she¡¯s at least a minor noble, but knowing my luck, she¡¯s probably a higher ranking noble, or like the son of a great warrior.¡± ¡°Son?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She would be a daughter.¡± ¡°Right, my bad.¡± Adam chuckled lightly, before glancing to the side. He remained quiet for a little longer, before he Dunes¡¯ gaze waiting for him. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about the business. No, not quite the business. I¡¯ve been thinking about me.¡± ¡°Yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve acted like an idiot for so long, I think I actually became one.¡± Adam reached up to cover his eyes, closing them as he leaned back into his chair. ¡°Sometimes, I feel like I¡¯m untouchable. I¡¯ve realised I¡¯ve been leaning on the Iyr for a long while. They¡¯ve done so much for me, and time and time again, I can¡¯t keep my stupid mouth shut. I know Jurot¡¯s got my back, but what happens if I go too far, and not just Jurot, but everyone else gets drawn in? I don¡¯t want to trouble the Iyr, much, any more.¡± ¡°For seventy thousand gold, I¡¯d let you trouble me more,¡± Dunes joked. Adam pulled his hand away, glancing down towards Dunes, the pair smiling stupidly. ¡°Be wary of cursed gold, Dunes.¡± ¡°If you hand me the gold, I will accept it, cursed or otherwise.¡± ¡°Is seventy thousand gold that much?¡± ¡°That is not what I mean,¡± Dunes replied, chuckling lightly. Adam smiled wider. ¡°You know, Dunes, I bought a gift for Ranya.¡± Dunes¡¯ smile quickly dropped. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°A magical sword?¡± ¡°Why would I buy a magical sword?¡± ¡°You are that troublesome.¡± ¡°Dunes.¡± Adam motioned around him. ¡°I have no need to buy a magical weapon.¡± ¡°Ah. Right. My mistake.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mundane sword, actually.¡± ¡°Just a sword?¡± ¡°What? Is my sword not good enough for your daughter?¡± ¡°I did not mean it like that, it is just... that is so... normal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a normal sword.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s made of gemsteel.¡± ¡°That is strangely moderate of you.¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam smiled awkwardly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, you know, I gave Ranya a gift for her birth and... you¡¯re about to have another child, so...¡± Dunes reached up to rub his temples, feeling them pulse. ¡°Lady Arya, save me.¡± ¡°Speaking of spoiling your children, I was speaking to Rick.¡± ¡°About spoiling my children?¡± ¡°In a roundabout way, yes.¡± ¡°Roundabout?¡± ¡°You have no idea how funny it is for you to ask about that to me.¡± Adam flashed a wide smile, shaking his head lightly, before pouring more water for them, flavouring it with his magic. ¡°I want us to have a policy about working while pregnant, and taking time off after childbirth, both for the father, and the mother.¡± ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± ¡°I was thinking four weeks off for the mother, then half time for another eight weeks, all at full pay. I want the father to also get some time off, maybe... I don¡¯t know, half work for twelve weeks too?¡± ¡°Why so much for the father?¡± Adam smiled, raising his cup, sipping his flavoured water lightly, feeling the taste dance along his tongue. ¡°When I left, all she could do was cry. The first time she saw my face, was today. I mean, with real clarity. When I left, I had to hold her head up constantly, but now, she can push herself up and hold her head up gently. I know it¡¯s stupid, but... I want the fathers to spend time with the children during the first few months too.¡± ¡°Are you not afraid of the rules being abused?¡± Adam tapped the table with his finger. ¡°It might be abused. Even if it does, what does it matter? We need more guards, that¡¯s for sure, and as long as not everyone gets pregnant at the same time, it should be fine. If we need to take away some of the benefits, sure, whatever. If we need extra farm hands, we¡¯ll ask Chief Merl, and we¡¯ll pay the villagers a pretty set of coins. I mean, it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll be doing nothing during that time, right?¡± Adam kept tapping his finger on the table. Dunes checked the numbers in Adam¡¯s book, and noted how the half elf had also thought about the lack of guards. ¡°I agree with whatever rules you wish to form.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Oh. Wait. We should change it so that instead of what I said, it¡¯s the person who gives birth gets whatever time off, and whoever ends up becoming the parents of the child, but didn¡¯t give birth, get to take...¡± Adam paused, already imagining a way that might not be sufficient. Adam inhaled deeply, wondering how far he should over think this. ¡°You know what, let¡¯s get a mostly good set of rules, and then show our workers some leniency.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Dunes couldn¡¯t help but smile, taking note of Adam¡¯s notes once more. ¡®I hope you do not change much.¡¯ Adam... not being cringe? [1012] – Y05.012 – Business I [1012] ¨C Y05.012 ¨C Business I ¡®By the Divine, they¡¯re back?¡¯ the Commander thought, feeling the glare of the Vice Commander of the Floral Sun¡¯s eye. The woman stepped out of the cart. She was thick, mostly with muscle, with dark eyes and dark hair, freshly cut by her daughter, the baker. Upon her forehead was the same tattoo that caused the Vice Commander¡¯s eye to throb. She wore the Iyrman¡¯s furs, carried a shield upon her back, and an axe at her side. Most importantly was the small pouch she held within her hand, holding it up to the Commander. ¡°Greetings, Iyrman.¡± ¡°Greetings, Commander.¡± The Commander stepped forward towards the Iyrman, leaving his guards behind him, though felt a figure follow him. He opened up the pouch, noting all the gold and silver coins within, for the people and the carriages. ¡°Are you his daughter?¡± the Vice Commander asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Esme slowly bowed her head, her eye meeting the young Iyrmen¡¯s she had met earlier. She walked between the carriages and reached down to her amulet, which glowed gently. ¡°Why have you brought the demons?¡± ¡°They wished to come,¡± Sonarot replied casually. ¡°What is your justification?¡± ¡°What justification do we need?¡± ¡°For us not to draw our blades, you will need appropriate justification.¡± ¡°We would not wish for justification to refuse such fun,¡± Sonarot stated, flashing the smile of an Iyrman, filled with arrogance and delight. ¡°You might be his daughter, but you are still a girl compared to me.¡± ¡°We must be on our way,¡± an Iyrman said, his voice low. He sat upon the driver¡¯s seat of the cart, his arms crossed. He was old, with greyish skin, tusks, a thick beard, braided, and shoulder length hair. Upon his back he wore a greatsword, which had been gifted to him recently. His granddaughter, who was sleeping peacefully, sat upright upon hearing his voice, blinking away the sleepiness. Sonarot bowed her head lightly, flashing a polite smile to the Vice Commander, before returning back to the cart. ¡°What if I must insist?¡± Esme reached down to her blade, the members of her Order reaching down for their blades too, waiting for her command. ¡°If you must insist, then you must insist,¡± the Iyrman said, slowly standing, stretching out his muscles before hopping down. The other driver sighed, dropping down from his cart, before approaching the Iyrman. He placed a hand on his shoulder, stating something clearly, though in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. The bearded Iyrman closed his eyes, falling into thought for a moment. He replied with a statement in their tongue. ¡°Speak openly, Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Koyah, wishes to take your other eye, but I have refused,¡± the bearded Iyrman replied simply. Sir Esme remained silent for a long moment, staring at the pair of Iyrmen. Her forehead pulse. ¡°You must know who I am.¡± ¡°Sir Esme. Vice Commander of Floral Sun.¡± ¡°Since you already know who I am, who are you?¡± ¡°I am Rajin, the Bearded Dragon.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Rajin remained silent, his eyes falling upon the Commander, who stared up at the Iyrman questioningly. ¡°Rajin is more well known in the North,¡± Koyah explained, doing his absolute best to remain silent. ¡®If I haven¡¯t heard of him, then he must...¡¯ The Commander closed his eyes. ¡®Bearded Dragon?¡¯ The name seemed familiar, and as he continued to wrack his mind, he had the strange suspicion he had read about the name recently. ¡°The Bearded Dragon is the reason why Count Westmoon is still alive,¡± called a voice from the carriage, the young Iyrman smiling innocently. She had red skin, horns, and a mischievous smile upon her face. ¡®Ah!¡¯ The Commander blinked. ¡®That Bearded Dragon!¡¯ ¡°I have heard there was some trouble last year.¡± ¡°Trouble?¡± Rajin reached up to scratch his beard. ¡°I did fight Gentle Heart, or was it Majestic Blade?¡± Rajin spoke as though he wasn¡¯t sure which of the warriors he had almost killed. ¡°I would have liked to have faced them both, but I had to keep Mad Dog from killing the Count.¡± Uwajin stared at her grandfather, who rarely spoke so much, especially not with so much strength in his voice, that was to say, at a normal volume. ¡°You speak so arrogantly,¡± Sir Esme said. ¡°What is so arrogant about defeating a pair of Masters?¡± ¡®Stop it!¡¯ The Commander¡¯s heart began to pound violently within his chest. ¡®You damned Iyrmen, why are you making my job so difficult?¡¯ ¡°Aunt?¡± Jaygak asked, raising her brows for support, while Lucy leaned back into the cart, wanting to turn invisible. ¡°See? Not even Jurot can guarantee it.¡± Adam chuckled, reaching out to punch Jurot¡¯s bicep gently. ¡°Don¡¯t be so down, you punk. If you threatened the Iyr, they¡¯d kill you too.¡± ¡°I would not threaten the Iyr,¡± Jurot replied simply. ¡°You wished to stop business with Red Oak?¡± Amira asked. ¡°Since the Countess doesn¡¯t want our business, what can I do?¡± Adam asked. ¡°How will it be replaced?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°I mean, we can¡¯t really do Deadwood.¡± ¡°What of Ever Green?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Ever Green? I wasn¡¯t thinking about it since it¡¯s a part of Floria.¡± ¡°We should continued auctions within a town.¡± ¡°Not here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It may bring trouble to the villagers if we auction weapons here, and nobles would find it troublesome to come, and you would be unable to squeeze the gold out of their purses,¡± Vonda said, smiling so innocently towards her husband. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know you¡¯re playing me like a fiddle?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Shall I stop?¡± ¡°No, definitely not.¡± Adam flushed slightly, clearing his throat. ¡®Obviously you can manipulate me all you like, darling.¡¯ ¡°Why don¡¯t you flirt with me like that?¡± Amira asked, her eyes glaring at her husband. ¡°It is Ray Vonda who is flirting with her husband,¡± Dunes replied, throwing his wife a look, a playful smirk upon his lips. ¡°Executive Adam, do you see the kind of husband I have? He¡¯s lucky he¡¯s so handsome.¡± ¡°Right, isn¡¯t he?¡± Adam replied. He frowned. ¡°Hold on. Dunes, aren¡¯t you strong, handsome, and wise?¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too perfect, so I should fire you.¡± ¡°Fire me?¡± ¡°You should be removed from the Manager position.¡± ¡°My wife is also so beautiful, strong, and wise?¡± ¡°How can you flirt while we¡¯re in an important meeting?¡± Adam asked, tutting, writing down a note. ¡°This is going to come up during your quarterly report.¡± ¡°Quarterly report?¡± ¡°Damn it. You guys have no idea how funny these jokes are.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s stop messing around and actually do some work, yeah? Alright, so Ever Green? What about Eagle Wing? That¡¯s about roughly as far, and it¡¯s Aldland.¡± ¡°We should place auctions in both,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Eagle Wing is close to the capital of West Aldland, and is not so far away from the capital of Aldland. Ever Green is prestigious, and though it is smaller than Red Oak, the people are wealthier, and it holds much prestige. King Merryweather is from a village close to it, and it is also close to the Florian Fort near the border to Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Aswadasad...¡± Adam tapped the table. ¡°Aswadasad¡¯s pretty far, but we should figure something out for there later.¡± ¡°We should stabilise our positions with Aldland and Floria first,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Through Floria, we can make dealing with Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Floria and Aswadasad hold some tension from their generational grievances, but King Merryweather fought for them. Few Aswadians would care for revenge due to their respect of the previous King¡¯s Sword.¡± Jurot glanced towards Dunes. ¡°I would think the Aswadians are so wise,¡± Dunes stated, flashing a charming smile. ¡°Though, I have left my Order to join your business.¡± ¡°You make it sound like it was a bad idea,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I¡¯m sure Sara and Korin will temper the Priest Commander, but I will find myself at the mercy of a club one day.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to try and ask for leniency.¡± ¡°I will ask Jurot to assist at that time, so that you do not change the club to a blade.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that bad, am I?¡± Adam asked, before glancing between his friends and family. ¡°Okay, don¡¯t all of you hurry to defend me...¡± Is he? [1013] – Y05.013 – Business II [1013] ¨C Y05.013 ¨C Business II The carriages shook lightly as they followed the road through the forest, which grew sparser as they continued towards the Front Iyr. In the distance they could see the giant wall, which stretched from the horizon to the north to the horizon to the south, the watchtowers like tiny caps, spread wide and far across the entire perimeter. ¡°Do you see?¡± Adam asked, holding the basket as though it were a baby. He tilted it forward, allowing Virot to see the landscape around them. ¡°This is the Iyr¡¯s land.¡± ¡°Goo,¡± Virot replied, sucking her hand. It was near midday when they approached the gate, which opened as they neared, the slabs of wood pushing to the sides as they revealed the tunnel, then the large walls, which almost blocked out the heavens with how tall they were. ¡®The Valley of Death,¡¯ Adam thought, imagining how many tens of thousands of soldiers would need to die to assault even the Front Iyr. The pathway sloped for a half mile, approaching another set of heavy gates, where an Iyrman awaited, flanked by four of his aides. Four of them wore Steel tags, like those of Adam and his companions, while the leader wore Mithril. He was a silver fox of a man, with greyish hair which fell to his shoulders. He wore a flail at his side, that which was granted to all those in his position. Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the Front Iyr. The walls so jagged and mighty, like peaks of a mountain, contained the sprawl that was the Front Iyr. Hundreds of large estates welcomed them, the ground floors made of stone, and the floors above made of wood. Only a handful of buildings were three stories tall, each made of stone, and each important for the defences of the Front Iyr. ¡°Look,¡± Adam said, holding the basket close to him. ¡°The Front Iyr used to be a small little village, and now it¡¯s... it¡¯s Iyrmanlike.¡± ¡°Pppuf,¡± Virot stated, snatching the air above her. ¡°You can¡¯t say that, Virot. They worked so hard making this into a place that could house dragons and giants.¡± Adam carried the basket to an estate near the centre, around the main fire, several roads emerging out to other fires, spokes within a wheel. Many within the Front Iyr were old, though the various families had begun to return to the Front Iyr once more after the Year of Silence. Jurot led the group to an estate, allowing them to claim it. It was empty, but large enough for the likes of even Adam¡¯s family, even supplemented by the families of his brother, Sonarot, the other Iyrmen, and even the Aswadians. Dunes let out a small sigh as he noted their neighbours, tensing up slightly. The man was older, of average height, with a muscular form, forged from his days as a gladiator, and maintained by living in the Iyr. He had long hair, like that of a mane, with two braids which fell down in front of his shoulders. He had dark skin, not quite as dark a Dunes, littered with scars by the many battle. His eyes were dark, and tired of a great number of things in life, and of course, tired due to the young children who tugged upon his hair so gleefully. ¡°Hey Lion King,¡± Adam called, waving towards him. ¡°How do you do?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Ashmir replied, throwing a look towards the half elf, who was also surrounded by his children. ¡°Nine children?¡± Adam asked, throwing a nod to Ashmir¡¯s various wives, including one which was still far too young, even if she was an adult. ¡°Lord Noor blesses me, or perhaps it is Baktu?¡± Ashmir joked, throwing a look towards the rest of those around Adam, including Dunes and Amira, and the tiny chubby form of Ranya in her own basket. ¡°Hello!¡± Jirot called from beside her father. ¡°Do you remember who this is?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Is Ashmir.¡± ¡°Who is Ashmir?¡± ¡°Lion King,¡± Jirot replied confidently. ¡°So strong! So strong!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, he is so strong, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°My daddy is strong too,¡± Jirot said, smirking towards the old Aswadian. ¡°Daddy is first place.¡± ¡°So they allowed you to come first?¡± Ashmir joked. ¡°Smelly girl, how could you spoil the story?¡± ¡°Ope!¡± Jirot reached up to her mouth, her head snapping up to her father. ¡°Sorry! Sorry, daddy, sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you, just this once, since you¡¯re so cute.¡± Adam ruffled her hair, letting her hug his knee. ¡°Will you speak your tales to us?¡± Ashmir asked. ¡°I won¡¯t, but my-,¡± ¡°You did,¡± Vonda confirmed, rubbing her thumb along her daughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°He should listen to you more often.¡± ¡°Yes, I say it.¡± Jirot nodded her head, her hair bouncing lightly, letting out an exasperated sigh, one that could only be given if one was the child of that fool. ¡®Wait, is he actually going to kill me?¡¯ Adam thought as they made their way around the outer road of the Front Iyr, to a place where his death would be masked by shadows. ¡°I was informed you shifted Fate,¡± Lykan eventually said. History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°I don¡¯t think I did.¡± ¡°What of against the Nightval Blade.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Yes. Yes I did. Sorry.¡± ¡®He must have forgotten,¡¯ Lykan thought, for Adam was a fool, but he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to lie to him about something so easily confirmed. "You have grown more powerful.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°About the time I left.¡± ¡°Are you a Master now?¡± ¡°No, though I can fight above my weight class. I can probably take on a Master pretty well, and I, if I¡¯m lucky, can take on Grandmasters decently well.¡± ¡°What of Paragons?¡± ¡°With more luck, I could hold my own. I need less luck than other people, but I still need the luck. Actually...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted to the side, as though reading something invisible. ¡°Oh. I could become a Master pretty soon.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°I should wait though, since there¡¯s a penalty.¡± Lykan crossed his hands behind his back and straightened up from Adam¡¯s ridiculous. ¡°You refused the Grand Duchess¡¯ offer?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The Grand Duchess is the most powerful noble in Aldland.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she is, but the Iyr...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulder. ¡°The Iyr is the Iyr.¡± ¡°The Iyr is great, but if it was weak, would you remain?¡± Adam fell silent, glancing around at the walls. He couldn¡¯t imagine the Iyr being weak, but he supposed nothing was impossible. ¡°The Iyr is the home of my family. I was adopted, in a way, into the Rot family. Though I may not be a pillar of the Rot family, I¡¯m still aiming to become a forest.¡± Lykan slowly bowed his head. ¡°Welcome back, Adam.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam walked alongside the Front Iyr Elder. ¡°Oh, Elder Lykan, I know we¡¯re meant to stay here for a week, but...¡± "Adam, did you-," "Yeah, probably." [1014] – Y05.014 – The Iyr I [1014] ¨C Y05.014 ¨C The Iyr I ¡°Kavgak,¡± the boy called, causing his younger sister to glance up towards him, the boy wiping her face. ¡°You can eat the porridge, but you should not wear it.¡± The girl blinked at her older brother, before she smiled, reaching up to grab his collar. ¡°Pawidge?¡± ¡°You wish to eat more?¡± Raygak asked, the young Iyrman, red of skin and horned, stared down into his younger sister¡¯s eyes, which were dark, tinted red. Her cheeks were chubby, chubbier than most children her age, but she was also so much taller than them too. Her hair, black and curly, was cut short into a bob. ¡®She has already eaten the snack, but...¡¯ The boy glanced around, noting how the adults were busy in the early evening. ¡°Wait here.¡± Jogak¡¯s eyes trailed after his son, who disappeared into their home, and after creeping up to the window, he glanced inside to see his son within the cupboard, grabbing the green pouch. ¡®...¡¯ Raygak stepped out, almost walking into the wall that was his father. ¡°Sorry, father.¡± Jogak smiled innocently. ¡°It is okay.¡± Jogak casually passed his son into their home, noting his son¡¯s sleeves were wet. Raygak glanced back to check if he had shut the cupboard, and upon confirming he had, he quickly rushed to his sister, dropping down beside her. He reached into tunic and slowly pulled it out. The girl almost jolted with delight. ¡°Peppa!¡± ¡°Ssh!¡± Raygak brought the pepper to her lips to quieten her down, the girl biting into the pepper with a crunch, slowly chewing the pepper. Some of the seeds fell down her lips, but her brother picked them up, ignoring the saliva, and fed the small seeds to her. Kavgak¡¯s lips tingled slightly as the spice danced within her mouth. She allowed her brother to feed her, and once the girl was done, she sighed and panted. ¡°I will bring you some water,¡± Raygak said, getting up, while noting his father sighing as he stepped out of the home. ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Raygak.¡± Jogak placed a hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What am I to do?¡± ¡°...¡± Raygak blinked. ¡°Someone has taken my favourite pepper.¡± Raygak slowly bowed his head, his brows raising in alarm. ¡°Your favourite pepper?¡± ¡°I was looking forward to eating it,¡± Jogak said, doing his best not to smile. ¡°Have you seen it?¡± ¡°...¡± Raygak noted his father¡¯s closed eyes, and his slumped shoulder. What he didn¡¯t notice was the smallest gap between his father¡¯s eyelids. ¡°Sorry. I took it.¡± ¡°You took it?¡± ¡°I took it.¡± ¡°Did you eat it?¡± ¡°... I took it.¡± ¡°My favourite pepper?¡± ¡°Sorry, father.¡± Jogak continued to stare down at his son for a long moment, the boy pouting meekly. ¡°If you have taken it, then you have taken it. You must be thirsty, so I will bring you a drink.¡± ¡°Yes, father...¡± Raygak watched his father step back into the home, and return with a pair of glasses. He accepted a glass, while his father made his way to Kavgak. ¡°Kavgak, are you thirsty?¡± ¡°Thustee, daddy,¡± the girl confirmed, while her father dropped to a knee to feed her the water. Raygak sipped his water guiltily, understanding his father had caught him out. He remained silent, glancing away to the side. ¡°Are you still thirsty?¡± Jogak asked. ¡°More?¡± Kavgak asked. ¡°Raygak, fill the cup,¡± Jogak said, offering his son the cup, the boy quickly snatching it and retreating away. Raygak returned, feeding his sister some more water, the girl holding onto his wrist with her small hands, her grip like a vice, gulping down the water before letting out a satisfied sigh. ¡°What do you say to your brother?¡± Jogak asked. ¡°Okay...¡± Jirot pouted, wanting all the cloths. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your father must have brought you something special too, since you are his daughter.¡± ¡°Yes. I am daddy¡¯s dohta, not them, they are not.¡± Pam watched as the children queued up for the trio, accepting the gifts from her husband¡¯s hands. ¡°Damrot, look.¡± The boy stared out to the world as his mother held him, still supporting the back of his head. He blinked, noting all the colours and shapes in front of him, which he would not remember moments from now. There was one which seemed vaguely familiar, however, the form of his father¡¯s large back. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Adam said, retreating from his spot, allowing Kitool to take his place. ¡°I give too?¡± Lanarot asked. ¡°If you want to, sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°Me too!¡± Jirot said, climbing down the carriage, only to be hoisted up by her father, who tossed her in the air lightly, before placing her down on the floor. Jarot, who had followed his sister, paused, staring up at his father with a pout. His heart beat quickly as his father picked him up, but it slowed when his father gently placed him on the floor. ¡°Daddy?¡± Konarot asked. Adam smirked towards Vonda, the kind of smirk Adam gave, the one which said he wasn¡¯t going to show off to the world about his children, but the smirk itself was showing off to the world about his children. ¡®My kids... are so cute!¡¯ The shared estate held the four families, that of the Ool, Kan, Gak, and Rot families. Like every other shared estate, it was three stories tall, with four pathways in the centre of each wall, the inner courtyard large enough for all the children to play within. All the main members of the families, from the Family Heads and their siblings, and their children, all spent their days here. Kavgak held the sliced vegetable within her hand, the centre cream in colour, the rind purple. The flavour of the vegetable was plain, but the light spices on the vegetable danced along the girl''s tongue. "Water." Raygak held the cup up to her lips, feeding her water, before Maygak reached out to grab her brother''s sleeve, panting for water. Raygak fed her water too. "Slowly, Maygak. You must eat slowly." The girl blinked, before smiling shyly, sticking another piece of vegetable into her mouth, returning her attention back to her food. Raygak let out a small sigh. ''What a silly girl.'' He kept an eye on his sister for a moment, before he gave up thinking about telling her off. ''Since you are so cute.'' The boy, several years older than both girls, almost in his teens, glanced all across the area. His eyes fell to his aunt, who continued to cook, even though everyone was eating their share of food, and there was already enough food for extra meals should they want to eat more. It was only upon the squealing did Raygak understand why his aunt continued to cook, though she had to stop for a moment, since they had come to attack her. The tiny forms of green charged towards Mirot. "Nana! Nana!" the twins called out, each grabbing a leg of hers, hugging her so tight. However, Raygak remained focused on one figure, standing tall and proud within the armour, and his eyes fell down to her side to her blade, the great magical blade known as... "We have returned," Jurot said, while the children all shouted with delight, getting up from their seats to charge their siblings and cousins. Jurot embraced the children of the Rot family, his cousins who he hadn''t seen in so long, the four brothers smiling so brightly towards him. Their eyes, full of joy and expectation caused the Iyrman''s heart to stir, the addiction of wanting to please his family engraving itself within his bones. Jaygak brushed her brother''s hair gently, before embracing him close. Her sisters and cousins each stared up at her expectantly as she greeted them, one by one. Her father''s eyes fell to her side, where the magical blade should have been, but she wore a different blade at her side. He glanced at the other weapons, each of which were the same. ''...'' He refrained from frowning at the thought. Kitool also embraced the eldest of her siblings, a little girl whose hair was cut into a bob, as always, and no doubt influenced the rest of the children. She also embraced her younger siblings and her cousins softly. The children of the Rot family were greeted by Jurot. Those of the Gak family were greeted by Jaygak. Those of the Ool, by Kitool. Then there were the children of the Kan family. ''It''s fine, right?'' he thought to himself, though by the time the thought had finished, he had already picked her up. "Kaza!" Inakan cried out with delight, the girl so much smaller than even the younger children. Her eyes beamed through the magical glasses, allowing her to see the half elf in clear detail. Her skin was bronze, like that of her family, and her short hair was dark, with small clips keeping her hair out of her eyes. "Inakan!" Adam peppered her forehead with kisses, the half elf brushing her hair behind her ear tenderly. "Who gave you permission to grow up this much?" Mirot brought the stool for the twins to allow them to wash their hands, while her eyes fell to Sonarot. "Father left to the extended estate?" "He is at the business," Sonarot replied, holding Mirot''s gaze. ''What?'' Our little Raygak has grown up so well. [1015] – Y05.015 – The Iyr II [1015] ¨C Y05.015 ¨C The Iyr II The shock rippled through the Iyrmen, the serenity broken by the pebble that was their tale. All the Iyrmen had gotten used to hearing the tales of this particular group, which always went beyond sense. Yet, they could feel it now. The tingling within their hearts. Even now, this group could still shock them so. Jogak¡¯s heart thundered within his chest. ¡®What?¡¯ Raygak¡¯s eyes shone with awe towards his sister, the boy¡¯s mouth forming a tiny circle. He glanced aside towards the rest of the children, each a painting of delight, the older children also shocked and full of awe. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished the tale yet,¡± Jaygak said, feeling the gaze of all her aunts and uncles, and all the children around. Since she rarely got to feel such, she basked in it for a moment, before continuing the tale. Citool¡¯s heart also thundered within her chest, though she did her best to calm herself. ¡®What?¡¯ Katool¡¯s head snapped to the side, towards her elder sister, who held their youngest sister in her lap. ¡°Sister?¡± Kitool glanced down towards her sister, who had suddenly become so shy and nervous. She rubbed Katool¡¯s head tenderly. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are so strong!¡± Kitool continued to rub the girl¡¯s head, trying to calm the tornado of emotions within her. ¡°You will grow this strong too.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Katool smiled slightly. ¡°You will, but you must eat all your vegetables.¡± Katool frowned. ¡°Maybe less vegetables?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± Katool winced. ¡°Okay.¡± Kitool wasn¡¯t sure if she should embrace the girl and encourage her, or to laugh. She pulled her sister in closer, the pair swaying slightly in their embrace. Minool used the opportunity to slip out of Kitool¡¯s grasp to flee to her mother. Jitool watched her youngest sister dart around and she sighed, shaking her head, turning to glance towards both Jirot and Jarot, before being distracted by them sharing their potatoes with her. Sonarot reached over to brush her son¡¯s hair, tucking it behind his ear. ¡°Well done.¡± Jurot¡¯s lips twitched slightly, and he glanced aside, his ears turning slightly red. ¡°Did you hear, Damrot?¡± Sonarot reached down to brush her thumb along the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°Your father placed first.¡± The boy squirmed slightly, turning his head away, shoving his hand into his mouth shyly as his grandmother doted upon him. ¡°Sister!¡± Raygak called, whispering loudly. ¡°Good job.¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°I should have aimed for first, but I did not have magic.¡± ¡°That is right! If you used magic, you would have placed first!¡± Raygak¡¯s eyes continued to beam brightly, before he hugged his sister tight. Adam decided to ignore the boy¡¯s words, reaching up with a slice of banana to Inakan¡¯s lips. ¡°Do you like salya?¡± ¡°I like it,¡± the girl replied, chewing it slowly, nodding her head lightly. ¡°My daddy is so strong,¡± Jirot said, pointing at her father. ¡°Daddy, you are first place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Kako, you are strong too,¡± Jirot said, holding her hand out to Jaygak. ¡°You are second place, but you are so gorjus, okay?¡± ¡°Adam is strong, but he must be, since he has no horns,¡± Jaygak joked. Jirot reached up to her head. ¡°I do not have horns?¡± ¡°You do not have horns, but you will become the Demon Lord, so it¡¯s okay,¡± Jaygak assured. Jirot smirked, sitting up taller. ¡°Yes.¡± Dunes felt Amira¡¯s gaze upon him, but the young Aswadian kept his eyes closed, relaxing within his seat. ¡°You know...¡± Adam began, reaching up to rub his chin playfully, doing so since it felt right to be this dramatic. ¡°Didn¡¯t Sir Roseia come first place in the Noonval Tournament?¡± ¡°Yes! I know!¡± Jirot said. ¡°She is first place, and daddy is third place.¡± Adam winced slightly from how full of joy her daughter was at him coming third. ¡°Who came second place?¡± ¡°Sir Karra!¡± Jaygak decided against speaking up about him interrupting the story, since he was in the middle of spoiling Inakan. Even she couldn¡¯t help but to spoil Inakan, since it was little Inakan. Raygak and Saygak each gasped upon hearing what Jaygak had done, their eyes filling with greater shock and awe. Jogak wasn¡¯t sure he could be any more shocked by his daughter, but upon hearing the gift she had given to Urkina, he reached up to rub his brow. A mixture of pride and melancholy filled the father, who exchanged a look with his wife, who smiled warmly in return. ¡®It seems it is too late.¡¯ Upon the completion of the story, the children clapped their hands excitedly. Jaygak peeked and noticed the Gak children still holding such joy within their eyes. A small smile slipped across her lips. ¡°Now that the story is done, let¡¯s give the gifts,¡± Adam said, far too excitedly, meaning certainly he had brought something ridiculous. He noted the looks from his aunts and uncles, and the half elf smiled proudly. ¡°None of them are even magical.¡± ¡°Even if they are not magical, they must be more than what they should,¡± Sonarot replied carefully. ¡°This time I didn¡¯t go too far,¡± Adam said, with a certainty that almost disarmed the Iyrmen around. ¡°This time both Jurot and I went too far.¡± Jurot nodded his head, before the group undid the large packs, revealing their gifts for the children. They each handed out the items for the children, greatswords to the Kan family, staves for the Ool family, and one for Saygak, axes and shields to the Rot family, and swords and shields for the Gak family. The weapons were all made of icesteel, save for the weapons handed to the Gak family, including Saygak, which were made of firesteel. The shields, thankfully, were made of typical steel. ¡°I missed some of your birthdays, but I hope you forgive me,¡± Adam said, embracing each of the children one by one, spending extra time embracing the youngest children, especially Minool who wished to flee from his arms. ¡°I brought back a great story, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°We will forgive you, just this once,¡± Raygak joked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot said, reaching out to grab the handle of the axe her father had gifted to her, though Sonarot scooped it up, gathering the weapons together and tying them up. Adam flashed a large smile, unable to contain it. ¡®How can these kids be so cute?¡¯ Raygak threw a look towards his sister. His sister, who had not only beaten the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, but had gifted Great Urkina such an amazing weapon. It was then the boy truly understood the meaning of the word Adam sometimes used. ¡®My sister is the coolest!¡¯ ¡°I need to go for a walk,¡± Jaygak said, hoisting herself up, deciding to ignore her parent¡¯s gazes. ¡°I will come too!¡± Raygak said excitedly. Jaygak reached over to ruffle his hair. ¡°You should stay and explain to our sisters the significance of my gift to Great Urkina.¡± ¡°They understand.¡± ¡°They do not because it hasn¡¯t been explained to them,¡± Jaygak said, brushing along the boy¡¯s forehead, which was bare for now. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I can do it!¡± Raygak assured, beaming up at his sister, seeing her in a new light. Jaygak smiled even wider, basking in the look, before she turned and continue out of the estate. For a moment, she regretted passing her weapon, but eventually understood it was the right thing to do. Her tale was more than sufficient, and would soon be outmatched by the younger Gaks. Mirot¡¯s eyes fell upon her nephew, who fed his sister from his fingers. Then her eyes fell to Adam. ¡°Jurot, Adam. You did well.¡± Jurot bowed his head in return, and Mirot reached out to rub his head tenderly, before she reached up to Adam¡¯s head. Adam paused for a moment, before bowing his head for the woman, allowing her to rub it. ¡®Eh?¡¯ The shared estates of the Iyr were made up of three rows of three estates, though only the three outer estates housed the Iyrmen. The central estate was different, due to it holding the estate of an Elder. The Elder had pale skin, tinged with grey, dark eyes, and had long hair, also dark, with a pair of braids which fell in front of his shoulders. He wore a long fur cloak over his thick clothing, also dark. A greatsword lay near him, though it was more like a handle stuck within a slab of metal. However, perhaps his greatest weapon was the teen sitting beside him, with red skin and a pair of horns atop his head, who remained focused within his calculations. ¡°Are you still working our Churot too hard?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Churot works as hard as he wishes,¡± Zijin said, noting the look within Jaygak¡¯s eyes. ¡°Churot., you should go greet your cousins. I¡¯m sure Adam wishes to spoil you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy replied, slipping a piece of paper into his book to mark the page for the Elder, before he hoisted himself up. ¡°Welcome back, cousin Jaygak.¡± Jaygak smiled, hugging him gently, resting her cheek atop his head. ¡°Have you been well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If I had known that you were here, I would have called for you when I spoke the tale.¡± ¡°The story was good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then it was good,¡± Churot stated, before walking away, stalked by another of the Elder¡¯s aides. Zijin leaned back in his chair, motioning a hand for Jaygak to sit opposite him. The table was covered in papers, the papers of the first month of dawnval, which were required to make sure the rest of the year remained smooth. ¡®I did not expect us to have this conversation so soon.¡¯ How adorable. [1016] – Y05.016 – Responsibilities I [1016] ¨C Y05.016 ¨C Responsibilities I ¡°I hear you have returned with good news,¡± Elder Zijin said, pushing forward the dried dough snacks, the dried fruit, and poured her a cup of water. Jaygak helped herself to one of the dried dough snacks, feeling the light crunch against her molars, before chewing the dried fruit, wincing slightly at the harsh flavour. She sipped the water to temper the flavour, the young woman, reaching out for another dough snack. Finally, she leaned back in her chair, her eyes trailing across the courtyard, taking in the sight of the greenery within, some of the flowers forced to bloom, while others were still in the early weeks of growing. ¡°I am... almost a Master,¡± Jaygak said, keeping her eyes glued to the small tree in the corner. The leaves were already in full bloom, as one might have expected. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Jaygak remained silent for a long moment, staring at the leaves. She sipped her water, still tasting the sourness of the dried fruit. ¡°I did not expect to reach this height so young. I am twenty three, the same as Jurot, Kitool... Adam. He bought me a new sword for my birthday, and a new staff for Kitool.¡± Jaygak smiled slightly, patting the blade at her side, finally catching the Elder¡¯s eyes. Adam had forced her to wield Larot¡¯s sword to wet it for him, he had still gifted her a blade for her birthday while they travelled in the first month of dawnval. Zijin slowly nodded, sipping his drink, keeping his eyes upon hers. He could see how resolute her gaze was, though her body remained tense. ¡°I did it, Elder. I am Steel. The goal I strived for, which I would have reached in my thirties, with some luck, I have already completed, a decade too soon.¡± Jaygak reached up to her chin, scratching the itch, feeling the tingling up against her skull, wanting to scratch that itch too, but she reached down to hold the cup again. Her eyes darted around the desk, looking at nothing in particular. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°I...¡± Jaygak bit her lower lip for a moment as she collected her thoughts. ¡°I can feel it, Elder. Soon, I can reach the heights of a Master. I don¡¯t know how I can feel it, but deep within me, I can feel it. Jurot, Kitool, they can feel it too. I¡¯m sure Adam understands it, somehow.¡± Zijin poured more water for the pair of them, hearing the gentle tapping as the young woman tapped the table, her thoughts overwhelming her. ¡°Second place? In my first tournament, I was... but a footnote, as Veisswing would say. A footnote. My second tournament, I placed second. I beat her, the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter. The future King¡¯s Sword lost to me, Elder. To me. Jaygak.¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips formed a wide grin, unable to contain the sheer joy which rocked through her. ¡°I may have lost to Adam, I may have lost to the Princess, but I can say that I defeated the future King¡¯s Sword.¡± Zijin reached down for a pair of small cups, before lifting the gourd up, grabbing the cork which sealed the it shut, his body flashing red as he undid the sealed cork. The wine trickled into the cups slowly, the liquid a deep red, with darker sheen. He raised the cup, and Jaygak did the same, before the pair sipped. The spice of the wine struck along through his tongue. Jaygak smiled, feeling the gentle warmth against her throat, which was definitely burning the Elder, to the point of causing his eyes to tear up. ¡°You have access to such wine?¡± ¡°This wine, I asked for it... almost twenty years ago, when I first became an Elder.¡± Zijin coughed to the side wincing as the tears threatened to pour down his eyes. ¡°You should have kept it shut.¡± ¡°No,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Today is the day.¡± Jaygak furrowed her brows slightly, but she smiled, raising her cup again, and the Elder poured her another shot, doing the same for himself. She sipped it, feeling the spice tickle her throat. The silence followed for a long moment. The Elder coughed once more, wiping a tear from the side of his eye. ¡°I¡¯ve done all I¡¯ve ever wished to do, and more. This is as high as I go.¡± Zijin kept her gaze. Though he know it was futile, he had to speak up. ¡°You could do so much more.¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll give myself to the Iyr. Whatever the Iyr needs of me, if it is to become a Master, to become a Grandmaster, even if it is to marry someone without horns. Whatever the Iyr needs of me.¡± ¡°Even to marry someone without horns?¡± Zijin replied in shock, though his lips formed a wide smile, his eyes slightly narrowed, tempered by sadness. Zijin watched her leave, noting her form disappear as she stepped through an archway. He reached up to wipe the tears which forced their way through. Flashes of the little girl¡¯s face appeared, the same girl who would hide her father¡¯s boots, and could only be controlled by her aunt. It was after her aunt¡¯s death the young girl stopped hiding her father¡¯s boots, or her grandaunt¡¯s sword. He remembered when the Mad Dog had left in such a fury. The Mad Dog¡¯s rage had almost taken his life, and had forged a great number of scars upon his body, but it was still the tears of a little girl which hurt him most. Another little girl squealed with delight, before her father disappeared. ¡°Peekabo!¡± Adam said, revealing his face to Virot, who squealed again, her toothless grin lighting up the estate. Jaygak stepped into the estate, her eyes darting across the children, taking in the sight. Raygak sat and read a tale to the children, while most of the youngest children listened. Inakan asked a thousand and one questions to Jurot, and the young Iyrman replied earnestly. Minakan sat by herself in the corner, drawing within her book. Minool, for once, also remained with the rest of the children. It was this sight that the Iyrmen saw whenever they stepped into the estate, a sight which forged their bodies and hearts into the followers of Baktu. ¡°Kitool, Elder Zijin wishes to speak with you.¡± Kitool approached the estate, finding Zijin sitting at his desk, which was still full of paper and books, neatly stacked, but it was the black plaque on the table which caused the young woman to tingle with excitement. ¡°My request has been granted?¡± Zijin stared up at Kitool, whose eyes remained glued to the plaque, showing uncharacteristic surprise. ¡®If only Jaygak¡¯s dream had changed too.¡¯ ¡°Yes.¡± Kitool reached for the plaque, slowly, cautiously, as though the plaque was not made of obsidian, but of dreams. ¡°Are you certain?¡± Zijin asked, causing the young woman to stop. ¡°You are skilled. Even now, you could become a Paragon with your own strength, alongside Jurot.¡± ¡°I wish to be of service to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Would you allow me to suggest something as your Elder?¡± Zijin asked, and upon the bow of Kitool¡¯s head, he swallowed. ¡°I ask that, after your training, you continue as you have done thus far. Go out, adventure, become a Grandmaster, or a Paragon, if you are able, and return then to give yourself to the Iyr. If you can do so, I will give the recommendations to the Great Elders.¡± ¡°What if you are not an Elder when that time comes?¡± Kitool asked, holding the Elder¡¯s gaze. Zijin reached for a piece of paper, and began to write, taking his time to write it, making sure his handwriting was decent, unless the memories of his daughter come to plague him. He finished writing the letter, folding it carefully, before sealing it with his Elder¡¯s seal in black wax. ¡°Why?¡± Kitool asked, staring down at the letter, a letter which none of the Great Elders could dare to ignore. Elder Zijin thought for a long moment. He had many excuses, most of which could convince Kitool, who need very little convincing. She had already accepted the task, he was certain of it. ¡°I do not wish to see two stars dim today. Giving yourself to the Iyr is a glory I cannot over praise, but there is so much you can still do.¡± Kitool stared down at the letter, which held her wishes, the wishes which would allow her to become like her grandaunt. Five years ago, she could only dream of it, and now, on the cusp of becoming a Master, she could give herself to the Iyr. It was something which would only bring great glory to her family. Meanwhile, a figure stepped into the shared estate, causing the children to turn his way. He was an older man, with long hair, streaks of white breaking up the red of the dye. A strong jaw, clean shaven, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes. His lean form walked with the grace a butterfly, the silks almost rippling like waves, black as the starless night, golden threads darting along the hem. At his side was a longsword made of a fusion of bone and metal. ¡°May we speak, Adam?¡± the old man asked. ¡°Of course, Chief,¡± Adam replied, feeling his hairs stand on end upon seeing the gaze within the Great Elder¡¯s eyes. The Rise of Taygak ETA 1000 Chapters [1017] – Y05.017 – Responsibilities II [1017] ¨C Y05.017 ¨C Responsibilities II ¡°At least let me say goodbye to my kids before you kill me,¡± Adam said, sipping the tea lightly, sitting opposite the Chief in his gazebo, in the centre of his estate. ¡°I will not kill you today,¡± Chief Iromin assured, his voice smooth and reassuring. He sipped his tea too, noting the smirk upon the half elf¡¯s face. ¡°I gathered as much since Jurot didn¡¯t come along.¡± Adam placed the cup on the table, not spending the effort to judge the Chief¡¯s face. Iromin raised a finger, before it was joined with the rest of his hand, as though about to slap the half elf. He waited a few moments. ¡°You wished to speak with me.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, shuffling awkwardly in his seat to try and get comfortable, but the bench, though covered with a large plush blanket pulled taut, was still far too rigid. After unsuccessfully finding a comfortable spot to calm himself, the half elf inhaled. ¡°I first want to say, thank you. For everything.¡± Iromin bowed his head lightly, allowing the half elf to continue. ¡°In my first life, excuse me, my second life, I managed to survive about a year. I didn¡¯t get to see Lanarot grow up. Now she... her lungs know no bounds when it comes to her sheer... want for blood and death.¡± Adam reached up to hold the bridge of his nose, rubbing it gently. ¡°My poor Lanababy is growing up well, even if she¡¯s been corrupted by the Iyr.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I made a promise that I wasn¡¯t going to be cringe as much, but that only lasted for nightval,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Still, I probably should mature. First, let me be cringe a little more, Chief.¡± Iromin bowed his head once more, sipping his tea, waiting for Adam to complete his rant. ¡°In this life, I¡¯ve done more than my first two lives. I mean, other than the, well, the thing, I have done so much more. I¡¯ve made a business. I¡¯ve made a friend of a giant Prince, though this time it¡¯s fire and not ice. There¡¯s a story about a song of ice and fire, but that¡¯s a story for another time.¡± ¡®Is he speaking of the story with the throne?¡¯ Iromin thought. ¡°I¡¯m a married man. Well, I was a father before I was a married man, but...¡± Adam leaned back upon his seat, closing his eyes. ¡°If I retire now, I¡¯ll be satisfied. I have everything I would want, everything I would need.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± Iromin asked, as though he didn¡¯t know the answer. Adam smiled slightly. ¡°No. I¡¯m just lying to myself. I¡¯ve made promises I need to keep. Promises from my past life, promises from this life. In order to complete those dreams, I need to mature, and I need to pick some fights I probably shouldn¡¯t pick.¡± Iromin narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°I owe the Iyr so much. You¡¯ve protected me and my family. Even though it¡¯s your duty to look after Lanarot, you¡¯ve done so much in looking after my children too. With Jirot and Jarot, when I found them in the dirt. Hell, I didn¡¯t even know my triplets existed until their granduncle found them. Then there¡¯s Larot, who, just like my first five, just sort of popped up into my life. Now Virot, the first child I knew was coming, and my seventh.¡± Adam fell silent, unsure of how to continue. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It is not the Iyr you should thank, but those you call your aunts and uncles,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°Yeah, but ultimately it¡¯s the Iyr which allows it.¡± ¡°They have broken no rules, so we will not stop them. It is up to the the families of how they treat you and your children. If in the eyes of the Rot, Kan, Ool, Gak families, and even the other families which have accepted your children, view your children as one of their own, we cannot stop them.¡± ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam stared into Iromin¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°As long as no rules are broken, and they are able to justify any transgressions, we cannot stop them.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, yeah?¡± Iromin reached beneath the table, and held out a small vial filled with a clear liquid, save for a black spot. ¡°Drink it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, undoing the cork, before shooting back the drink, tasting the bitterness. As he swallowed it down, he felt the liquid invade through his body. He blinked as a shape blurred in front of him. Health: 112 -> 105 ¡°Do not resist,¡± Iromin said calmly, as a trickle of blood slipped down the side of Adam¡¯s neck while the Chief kept a knife to him. Constitution Save: Voluntary failure! Once the liquid invaded through him, his body tensing up repeatedly, before the feeling passed. Adam panted for the air, wincing slightly at the dagger against his neck. The Chief pulled back, staring deep into Adam¡¯s eyes. ¡°What was all that?¡± ¡°I needed to confirm you were not an imposter.¡± ¡°Why would you think that?¡± ¡°You would never put your children in danger.¡± Adam reached placed his hand down on the table. ¡°I... know that it¡¯s a mistake, but... if anything happens to the Iyr because I made a mistake, it¡¯ll end up worse for them. I¡¯m close with the Rot family, and the other families, and though I¡¯d lay my life down for the Iyr, I want you to be able to toss me away if you need to survive. If my children are in danger, I know the Iyr will take good care of them, and if something happens to me, I know the Iyr will look after them. Whether it¡¯s the Rot family, or whether it¡¯s the Iyr itself, I have that much faith in you.¡± ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± ¡°I realised I¡¯ve leaned on the Iyr far too much recently. It¡¯s made me cocky and arrogant. I¡¯ve been busy picking so many fights, I mean, I haven¡¯t been picking them, but you know how the nobles are.¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°There¡¯s a reason Jaygak and I get along, even though I don¡¯t have horns.¡± ¡®It truly is Adam if he is willing to joke even now.¡¯ ¡°The Iyrmen can get away with it in Aldland, but I can¡¯t. I keep flirting with death, and my brother, Jaygak, Kitool, they¡¯ve been on the edge with me, ready and willing to fight. I didn¡¯t want anything to happen to them before, even though it didn¡¯t seem like it, but now? What...¡± Adam paused for a moment. ¡°Chief, what do I tell Damrot if something happens to Jurot?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What...¡± Adam shook his head, covering his eyes, rubbing his pulsing temples. ¡°Chief, what will Jurot have to tell my children, if something happens to me, because I was an idiot? What will I say to them, if something happens to their aunts and uncles, because they ended up risking their lives because I did something stupid? I can face down all kinds of threats, but I can¡¯t deal with the children. Even now, I¡¯m afraid of what to tell my kids when I tell them I want to raise them in the fort. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine, they¡¯ll still have some of their family around, but...¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Thank you, Chief. For everything. For all that you¡¯ve done. For me. For my family.¡± Iromin bowed his head, but remained silent. He thought for a moment and realised that Adam being able to surprise him like this meant it must really be Adam. Sometimes you just gotta check with a stab. [1018] – Y05.018 – Responsibilities III [1018] ¨C Y05.018 ¨C Responsibilities III ¡°Dead?¡± Adam whispered, the confusion rushing through him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wh-,¡± Adam began, only to blink. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Blood and shadow,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°The creatures form from the world and bring chaos.¡± ¡°They form from the world?¡± Adam asked, all while hoping he didn¡¯t hear that particular word. ¡®Is this why he called me?¡¯ ¡°As you and I live and breathe, so does the world. Very few disasters arrive without warning. Some may miss those warnings, but they are foretold. Creatures of blood and shadow herald a disaster known as the Reavers.¡± ¡°Reavers?¡± Adam vaguely recalled the beings. ¡°There are old stories, stories from even before the Iyr''s existence, of the Reavers appearing multiple times throughout history. The last time, it was during the conception of the Iyr, before we were truly formed with the rules and laws which we inherited.¡± ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°So they killed Sky?¡± ¡°The creature of blood and shadow corrupted Sky, taking his form for itself. It killed many villagers, before it was finally put down by the villagers and the Iyrmen.¡± Though the Chief knew it was mostly the Iyrmen, he had to pay the appropriate respects to the villagers who lost their lives. Adam remained silent, taking in the words of the Chief. ¡®He was corrupted? Our Sky?¡¯ Adam placed his head in his hands, inhaling deeply, flashes of the memories with Sky filling his mind, before he recalled the Chief they had lent Sky to. ¡®I¡¯ll need to do something to help the villagers out.¡¯ He exhaled, letting go of his thoughts, and the darkness that entered him. ¡°These Reavers, how dangerous are they?¡± ¡°The stories suggest their average strength is that of an Expert. They numbered in the thousands, and there were hundreds who reached Grandmaster or greater. They remained together, and struck with such viciousness, they caused a great blood bath across the land. However, many years have passed, it is not certain they may hold such few great warriors.¡± ¡®Hundreds who reached Grandmaster or greater, but he¡¯s saying that¡¯s not a lot? Man, the Iyr¡¯s sense of this sort of thing is so warped.¡¯ ¡°We of the Iyr have chosen to overestimate their threat. We will consider them to possess a hundred Paragons.¡± ¡°A hundred Paragons?¡± Adam replied, his brows shooting up in alarm. ¡®A hundred Paragons?¡¯ ¡°Aldland has its armies, but so do the Reavers. They will not come upon just our land, but they will come as a calamity for the nearby lands. Drakkenlen, Noska, Aldland, Floria, Aswadasad, Aswabayad, the Confederacy, and perhaps beyond.¡± ¡°Are the Confederacy and the Empire still at war?¡± Adam glanced to the side, trying to imagine how they could deal with a threat like the Reavers if they were serious enough for even the Iyr to speak so cautiously. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since they¡¯ve been warring but it¡¯s still going on?¡± ¡°The tides have turned for both sides many times,¡± Iromin stated. ¡°What¡¯s the state of the nearby countries?¡± ¡°The nearby lands are recovering from their wars, and while Aldland is aiming to explore the islands soon, the other countries do not have such a luxury.¡± ¡°How are we going to deal with the Reavers if everyone¡¯s all spent?¡± ¡°The long military traditions of the nearby lands will provide some respite against the Reavers. Aldland and Floria have already begun their military reforms. While Floria¡¯s force is defensive in nature, Aldland has twenty legions, and are planning to form between two more each year until they reach thirty legions.¡± ¡°Whoa, two hundred thousand soldiers already?¡± ¡°No. Each legion is five thousand soldiers.¡± ¡°Oh. One hundred thousand is still pretty good.¡± ¡°It is a large army, though the King is focusing on training a few legions at a time into true, professional soldiers. The Reavers will come with great many warriors soon, after a Great Twilight.¡± ¡°You know, I thought Great Twilights were meant to be rare, but I feel like...¡± Adam noted Iromin¡¯s accusatory look and he quickly shut his mouth. ¡°We Iyrmen have already prepared for such disasters, but we will send word to the nearby lands to prepare themselves. We intend to form a forum for the nations to come together and discuss the threat.¡± ¡°Will they believe you?¡± ¡°If we Great Elders move, they cannot ignore us,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Will Elder Gold need to leave?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She will not.¡± ¡°Good, I need to speak with her.¡± Adam let out a long sigh. ¡®Damn it. If the Reavers are coming, should I really have my kids stay at the fort? Still, I need to make sure to create enough distance, otherwise the Iyr will really kill me.¡¯ ¡°How will the Iyr fare against the Reavers?¡± ¡°I was thinking about Teleportation Circle and Steel Storm Strike.¡± ¡°They are great choices.¡± ¡°Thank you. I heard that Fifth Gate spells were outlawed, so I thought, maybe I should take something a little more... I don¡¯t know, subtle? Teleportation Circle is something that I could learn without many people knowing, right? Steel Storm Strike, well...¡± ¡°It would be dangerous for you to reveal you possessed such spells,¡± Elder Gold agreed, though she was still trying to understand the half elf. ¡°You do not require permissions to learn such spells since you are not of any of the temples within the nearby lands, but Sixth Gate spells will cause much distress.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam hadn¡¯t realised he could still learn Fifth Gate spells, having thought it crossed the line. ¡®So it¡¯s Sixth Gate spells?¡¯ ¡°You should still keep it a secret,¡± Elder Gold said, noting Adam¡¯s expression. ¡°I was thinking about maybe making an item that could cast the spell as a way to dispel any rumours.¡± Adam smirked slightly at his joke. ¡°Get it? Dispel?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Elder Gold replied, her face completely neutral. Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I was thinking of making a Teleportation Circle in the fort.¡± ¡°That is too dangerous.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°You wish to create a Teleportation Circle upon our land?¡± ¡°One that you can destroy with ease.¡± ¡°You would create a Teleportation Circle so close to your children?¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What if another gains knowledge of its existence?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Adam frowned, feeling his hair stand on end. ¡°Alright, maybe not. What about one of the villages?¡± ¡°That is more acceptable.¡± ¡°It does take a whole year to make it permanent, but I could probably speed it up with some money. Still, a year of casting to make it permanent? That¡¯s rough. I was thinking about making an item and letting someone else cast it to make a permanent circle for me. Jonn, probably.¡± ¡°You will gain knowledge of two circle upon learning the spell,¡± Elder Gold said, opening her book to write down some notes. ¡°It is likely you will gain access to the circle within Jaghi and East Port.¡± ¡®Oh?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°They¡¯re both so far away...¡± ¡°The circle within East Port is fine, for they are open to mages of great power, but the circle of Jaghi is more dangerous, they will likely trap you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Elder Gold stared at her book, catching her thoughts. ¡°The Iyr will assist in building a circle within the second village of Sev. It has suffered greatly due to the attack, and will owe us that much. You may use that Teleportation Circle if you need to return swiftly.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Gold,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly, though his heart still ached for Sev. ¡®I¡¯ll figure something out for them too.¡¯ ¡°Due to the arrival of the Reavers, would you pluck Greater Enhanced weapons for the Iyr?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°We will provide the materials and gems, and we will pay you one hundred gold for each day you enchant.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°That much money?¡± ¡°It is a small price to pay,¡± Elder Gold replied, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡°Right, I guess so...¡± ¡®I don¡¯t really need the money, though. Should I ask for something else?¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elder Gold paused. She reached down under the table and drew out a bell, ringing it lightly. She waited a moment. ¡°Call the Chief.¡± Poor Sky! We... didn''t know you well. [1019] – Y05.019 – Responsibilities IV [1019] ¨C Y05.019 ¨C Responsibilities IV Chief Iromin floated gracefully towards them, half expecting to protect Adam from getting himself killed. He took his place beside the half elf while Elder Gold raised her finger, and made the same gesture once more, dismissing her aides. ¡°I wish to understand how you are able to count how many enchanters you can Awaken.¡± ¡°Uuuh, it¡¯s just an ability I have,¡± Adam said, looking to the Chief. ¡°Just the reasoning behind the number,¡± Iromin said. Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he had explained it to any of the Great Elders. ¡°So, I have these uh... beads? Let¡¯s say I go out and fight, I gain some beads that only I can understand and utilise. Not exactly, because we all sort of gain these beads. Experience, right? The more dragons you kill, the more powerful you become. I, uh, can count how many beads I have, and I can utilise them in ways that other people can¡¯t.¡± ¡°How many beads do you possess?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say twenty six, almost twenty seven.¡± ¡°How many beads does it take to Awaken an enchanter?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say if I want to Awaken them with everything, no limits, but without the ability to enchant passively, the first of a month is one, the second of the month is two, then the third is four, so on and so on. If it¡¯s one each month, just one bead. If you want specific enchantments, then it¡¯s one bead per enchantment, and if you want passive enchanting, another one, I think.¡± ¡°You mentioned to Elder Lykan you could become a Master,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°How many beads does it require?¡± ¡°Twenty something, but if I wait, nineteen.¡± ¡°Why is it different?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a penalty from doing it too quickly.¡± ¡°Doing what?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Adam thought about how dangerous this all was. ¡°Well, you know how you have people who...¡± Adam glanced upwards. ¡®How do I explain this?¡¯ ¡°So, you know how a, Elder Gold, you¡¯re a Oathsworn, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright, so, from what I remember, you gain the ability to Lay on Hands, the healing magic, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Level One. Now, Level Two, you gain the ability to smite your enemies, and the ability to cast spells, right?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Then Level Three, you swear your Oaths, and you gain the specific abilities of the Oath that you swear, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Level Four, you gain some training, you get either stronger with your natural abilities, or training, right?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elder Gold slowly began to nod her head. ¡°Then Level Five is what we call an Expert, where you can strike much more effectively, and I think Oathsworn gain Second Gate spells, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Elder Gold narrowed her eyes and continued to nod. ¡°So, I can understand the world in that view. Levels. I also, whereas you don¡¯t really know when you¡¯re going to slip between, you know, Lay on Hands, and then gaining spells, well, I know. Not only do I know, but I have the ability to-,¡± ¡°You are able to gain such abilities as you please, but you are also not restrained to one path,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Exactly.¡± Elder Gold narrowed her eyes at the way Adam spoke so formally to her. ¡°You should also rest and spend time with your family. Your youngest daughter will wish to hear your stories.¡± ¡°You are so wise, Elder Gold,¡± Adam joked, but he bowed his head towards her. ¡°Thank you.¡± The pair continued to iron out the details of Adam¡¯s requests, before allowing him to leave. As Adam returned back to the shared estate, he paused. He took a moment to gather himself. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot each walked up to the archway as their father stepped into the shared estate. Adam stared down at them, reaching down to hold out his hands, allowing Kirot and Karot to take them, before he allowed Konarot to lead him forward. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Vonda asked. Adam dropped down beside her, shaking his head lightly. His eyes then fell to Lanarot, who sat beside her mother, who spoke a tale while knitting. ¡°Bad news.¡± ¡®I should have spent more time with Sky. He was mine first, and all I ever did was bully him.¡¯ Lanarot stared up at her brother, pouting after hearing the news. ¡°Sky is gone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Baktu has taken him.¡± Lanarot looked to Jurot, before looking back to Adam. ¡°Baktu already has puppy. Sky is my puppy.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam reached out to embrace the girl. He felt her begin to shake, before he prepared himself for the scream, the girl wailing into the darkening sky. Adam kissed her cheek, before passing the girl to Jurot, who silenced the screaming with ease, the girl half snoozing upon his chest a moment later. However, another child began to cry. ¡°Karot, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam lifted his son up. ¡°No dying, daddy!¡± the boy cried, sobbing and shaking. ¡°No, no, daddy¡¯s not going to die,¡± Adam said, leaning down to kiss his forehead. ¡°Babo will not let me die, right?¡± ¡°Huu!¡± The boy clutched his father¡¯s shirt, hiding his head into his father¡¯s chest. Adam continued to hold his son, brushing his hair tenderly. He continued to kiss his son¡¯s cheek, swaying side to side. ¡®Damn. How can my son be this cute? You don¡¯t have to worry at all, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to die. I¡¯m going to behave from now on, I promise.¡¯ Once the children were taken away to prepare them for bed, Adam revealed the news to Jurot and the others. ¡°Reavers?¡± Jurot replied, his voice betraying his excitement. ¡°Yeah, apparently.¡± ¡°It is said they come from the stars to test their mettle,¡± Jurot said, like a boy speaking a fantastical tale. ¡°They come to fight and slaughter, and they grab people and take them to their home, lands unknown.¡± ¡°They sound like bad news.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed, slowly nodding his head. Dunes sat awkwardly between them both, vaguely recalling learning about the Reavers, but he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to threats of a bygone era. ¡°Chief Iromin says they probably have a hundred Paragons,¡± Adam said. ¡°He¡¯s not certain, but he wants to prepare for the worst.¡± ¡°We Iyrmen always prepare for the worst.¡± ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Kitool anyhow?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She left before I did, and she¡¯s still not back?¡± ¡°She may be required elsewhere,¡± Jurot replied simply. ¡®Reavers...¡¯ Dunes thought. ¡®I should send word back to the Order.¡¯ Explaining how the remote works to your grandparents, except they actually manage to understand. [1020] – Y05.020 – The Gift of Children I [1020] ¨C Y05.020 ¨C The Gift of Children I "You think you are so handsome, I will forgive you?" Jirot accused, holding up her finger like a blade. "Yes," Adam replied, standing taller than his daughter, and yet her presence loomed over him. Jirot inhaled deeply, her chest rising as she did, clenching her fists as though ready to brawl. Her eyes narrowed, the girl tilting her head slightly as she thought of how to deal with her father. She shook her head and walked over to her mother, placing a hand on the woman¡¯s knee, sighing. "I do not like it when daddy is right." Adam closed his eyes, doing his best not to crack. Vonda reached down to rub the top of her daughter''s head, while Virot stirred within her bosom, glancing up towards her mother, before smiling her toothless smile. Adam hoisted his daughter up, planting a firm kiss on her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. Daddy needs to work for the Iyr.¡± Jirot huffed, looking away from her father, though she grabbed his collar to trap him. ¡°You are helping?¡± little Jarot asked, who clutched at his father¡¯s collar a moment later once Adam hoisted him up. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°I help too?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already helping by behaving so much, aren¡¯t you?¡± Adam planted firm kisses on his son¡¯s forehead, nuzzling against the boy¡¯s nose, feeling the warmth of his face against his own, the boy¡¯s gentle breath against his neck once little Jarot nestled his head against it. ¡°You are always working!¡± Jirot accused, holding up her finger at her father once more. ¡°Ahaha, I¡¯m helping the Iyr, dear...¡± ¡°You cannot work tomorrow, okay?¡± ¡°Not tomorrow?¡± ¡°You cannot!¡± Jirot warned, her eyes glaring deep into her father¡¯s eyes. She even went so far as to cross her arms, punctuating her threat. ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Adam glanced aside, pretending to close his eyes while he peeked at his younger sister, who stared over towards their commotion. ¡°Okay, okay, I will not work tomorrow.¡± ¡°I will not forgive you.¡± ¡°Oh dear, oh dear, even though I am this handsome?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, fine. Daddy is going now so he needs his goodbye kiss.¡± Jirot grabbed her father¡¯s head and planted a firm kiss on his cheek, but let go of his head and crossed her arms once more. Jarot kissed his father¡¯s cheek gently, before the rest of the children did so. ¡°Larot, kiss,¡± Konarot said, but the boy remained frozen still, like a statue. ¡°Larot!¡± Jirot called, rushing over to her youngest brother. ¡°You must kiss daddy.¡± ¡®Just kill me already,¡¯ Larot thought, but thankfully his father had some sense, and only ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Virot, will you kiss me twice as much for your papa?¡± Adam asked, while the girl yawned, squirming as Adam nuzzled against her cheek, and she twitched, glaring at her father. She was finally distracted by her mother¡¯s finger. ¡°How he can do this, mummy?¡± Jirot asked once her father had left to work. ¡°He is working hard for you, my dear Jirot.¡± ¡°I want to help daddy with birthday...¡± The girl¡¯s leaf shaped ears slumped, and she pouted up at her mother. ¡°Let¡¯s ask him when he comes back?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Jaygak called, picking the girl up, tossing her up, catching her with ease before holding her close. She hoisted Jarot up too, pinning the pair to her. ¡°Jarot, are you causing trouble for your mother?¡± ¡°No...¡± The boy flushed slightly, smiling innocently towards his aunt. ¡°Well done, Jirot.¡± ¡°Kekeke,¡± Jirot replied, taking her granduncle¡¯s hand with both of her own, shaking it hard, though it did little to his arm. Konarot clapped excitedly upon her sister¡¯s win, joined in by the rest of her siblings. ¡°Well done.¡± Jarot smiled wider, clapping his hands furiously, half cackling as he did. ¡°Do you want to play against Konarot?¡± Tonagek asked. Jirot¡¯s smile instantly dropped, and the girl blinked. ¡°I... I bored now!¡± She then started to scramble down from her seat. ¡°Jirot,¡± Tonagek called, reaching out a hand. The girl stared up at him meekly but walked over to him, allowing him to ruffle his hair. ¡°Come, watch Konarot play against me.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl smiled sheepishly. Jaygak raised her brows, having never seen this side of Jirot before. The girl hoisted herself up beside the woman, pressing her side against Jaygak¡¯s. Her small legs dangled under the bench, while little Jarot climbed up beside the girl, holding his sister¡¯s hand. Dunes finished his tale, the young Iyrmen children clapping their hands. He threw a glance towards the other children, who hung around with their granduncle. The man stood up and limped away to retrieve a sheathed sword, before speaking of its tale to the children, who were considered his sister¡¯s grandchildren. As dinner was prepared, a plate crashed onto the floor. Jirot gasped, glancing up towards the Iyrmen who looked her way. She glanced aside to her brother, whose face contorted as he made to cry. ¡°Sorry,¡± Jirot said, hugging her brother, also feeling a coldness begin to rise within her. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Jaygak said, lifting the pair up, her eyes scanning across their hands and their bodies, feeling for any wet spots. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Jirot replied once more, her tears streaming down her face, though she did not sob like her brother. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Jaygak held the pair close to her, allowing them to soothe themselves against her. She rubbed her cheeks against theirs, before leading them to one side to eat with them, while the rest of the families prepared the light meals. Adam returned in the late afternoon, finding Tonagek had come to join them for their evening meal, along with Danagek, who sat beside Gurot, the pair of chonky boys listening to Lanarot reading a book to them. Mirot continued to cut away at the vegetables, while Sonarot and Tonagek assisted with cooking the meal. ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Adam held Jirot in his lap, glancing aside to Lanarot for a moment, the girl offering each of her cousins a piece of sliced vegetable. While other children may have refused to eat such vegetables, Gurot and Danagek eagerly accepted whatever food put in front of them. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later, secretly, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot pat his shoulder gently, before throwing a look to her mother. ¡°You can¡¯t cause trouble,¡± Jaygak teased, reaching up to pinch the girl¡¯s nose. ¡°You already broke a bowl.¡± ¡°You broke a bowl?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Sorry.¡± The girl pouted slightly, her smile suddenly disappearing. Adam brushed through her hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sure it was on accident, right?¡± ¡°It was on accident!¡± Jirot confirmed, nodding her head wildly, causing her hair to fall down in front of her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Adam tickled her nose, before the girl squirmed out of her father¡¯s arms. She grabbed her brother¡¯s hand and fled away, towards their aunt, who shared the sliced vegetables to them, much to boy¡¯s dismay. ¡°She did not break the bowl,¡± Dunes said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°She did not do it. Jarot dropped it.¡± ¡°Jarot?¡± Adam asked, glancing to his twins, to Jirot who was feeding her younger brother, the boy eagerly accepting food from her fingers. ¡°It was not on purpose.¡± ¡°Of course, my children would never drop bowls on purpose,¡± Adam said. ¡°Sure, maybe a cup or ten, but a bowl?¡± ¡°It was Jarot?¡± Jaygak asked, before her eyes fell to Jirot and Jarot once more. She smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m blessed to see Jirot behave in such a way. She has surprised me twice this day.¡± She smiled even wider upon feeling¡¯s Adam glare. Ah, how can our Jirot be this cute? [1021] – Y05.021 – The Gift of Children II [1021] ¨C Y05.021 ¨C The Gift of Children II ¡°Papa...¡± Lanarot called, adorned within the Iyr¡¯s typical attire. She wore a tunic with a sash around her waist, a set of trousers, and thick boots. Her mother had dabbed the girl¡¯s forehead with the vague shapes of her family¡¯s tattoos for the day. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Adam replied, dropping down to embrace her within his strong arms. He held the back of her head, gently running his fingers through her hair. ¡°Happy birthday, my Lanababy.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± the girl giggled, her arms wrapping around her brother, feeling his large back. Once he allowed her to escape, she rushed to her other brother, hugging him tight too. ¡°Happy birthday,¡± Jurot said, holding the girl within his arms. He thought of how small she had been even the previous year, and yet now her arms could swallow more of his body. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re turning three today,¡± Adam said. ¡°Nooo.¡± Lanarot smiled coyly towards her brother. ¡°Four?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Nooo!¡± Lanarot giggled wildly. ¡°I am five!¡± ¡°Five?¡± ¡°Five!¡± The girl held out her hand, revealing all five digits, still giggling wildly. ¡°Five...¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that older than Katool?¡± ¡°What?¡± Katool called, furrowing her brows towards the half elf. ¡°What do you mean, what?¡± Adam asked, his eyes falling upon the girl. For a moment, he saw the small girl who used to cry whenever he bullied her, and even when he didn¡¯t. Then he saw the girl, so much taller, her voice far more confident and clear. ¡°Aren¡¯t you only four years old?¡± ¡°I am nine!¡± Katool replied, sitting up taller. ¡°Right, I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam stated, quickly reaching down to brush his sister¡¯s hair, ruining her hair. ¡®Oops.¡¯ He brushed it down with his hands, awkwardly. ¡°What is it that you want for your birthday this year, Lanababy?¡± ¡°I want Sky.¡± ¡°You want me to fly you around?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No. I want Sky. My puppy, Sky.¡± ¡°I...¡± Adam could feel the expectant gaze pierce through his heart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lanababy.¡± Lanarot pouted, before her mother quickly scooped her up, brushing her hair gently with her brush, fixing her hair. The girl allowed her mother to distract her. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Elder Zijin for one of Sky¡¯s puppies, and they can grow with you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Lanarot continued to pout, holding her mother¡¯s collar, leaning in to hide within her bosom. ¡°Papa will beat up a Reaver for you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Lanarot,¡± Jurot called, holding out his hands for the girl. She reached over and allowed him to hold her. ¡°Do you see Damrot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The girl looked down at the little baby, who was within his mother¡¯s arms, relaxing after his meal. ¡°He is your nephew, like Karot and Jarot. You must be strong for them.¡± ¡°I am so strong!¡± Lanarot replied, pulling back slightly to puff out her chest, holding up her arms. ¡°You see? I am so strong, like you.¡± Jurot reached up to rub her ear gently, before sitting down with her, allowing the others to hand their gifts. ¡®A pup during these turbulent times? It will be difficult.¡¯ ¡°Lanarot!¡± Taygak called, her voice firm, clear, like water rushing against a rock. ¡°You are growing up well.¡± ¡°Speak in the Aldish tongue,¡± Kaygak said, glancing aside towards Pam and Vonda. ¡°Lanarot. Growing well.¡± Taygak embraced the girl tight within her arms. She, as the oldest of the children, had watched over Lanarot since her birth. She, who was going to become a teen soon, understood her responsibilities increased as she grew older. The oldest of the children reached down, undoing the furs beneath her chair, revealing a shield. ¡°Look.¡± Lanarot smiled at the shield, which was large and round, allowing her to hide beneath it with ease. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Babo?¡± Jirot looked around, her eyes scanning the area. Konarot sniffed the air. ¡°Babo, not here?¡± ¡°That old fool, how could he not return?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°When he returns, you must tell him off.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot exclaimed gleefully. Mirot and her children all returned from visiting the other family estates, having heard the commotion from the nearby estate. Turot and Asorot rushed over to their cousin, holding within their arms a large, round bundled within heavy furs. ¡°Papa?¡± Lanarot glanced towards Adam, her hands upon the red shield. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? It was Turot who gave me this shield. Now it¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Mine?¡± ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± Adam assured. ¡°We¡¯re gifting it together.¡± ¡°Baba give kaza. Kaza give papa. Papa give me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Your baba wielded this shield, and your brother managed to place first place because of it, and now... it¡¯s yours.¡± Lanarot stared down at the shield, seeing all the dents within, feeling the great tingle of magic within. She smiled bashfully, tiny dimples forming to one side. ¡°Hehe.¡± ¡®If I can¡¯t stop them from corrupting you, then I have to at least make sure you¡¯re safe.¡¯ ¡°Now that your cousins and I have given our gifts, I think it¡¯s time you get your gift from papa Jurot and your nieces and nephews.¡± Jurot undid Phantom, and held it near its blade, offering the handle to his sister. ¡°Phantom is yours.¡± ¡°We give it!¡± Jirot said, smiling wide towards her aunt. ¡°Yes, it is our gift,¡± Jurot confirmed. Lanarot looked to her mother for support, who bowed her head, and the girl threw a suspicious look to her brother, who hung around with Jaygak, who would sometimes place peppers within her bread. ¡°Mine?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We giving it,¡± Jirot said confidently, as though she had done anything but to tease her uncle to hand it over. ¡®I give my papa food all day and you cannot give axe?¡¯ she had asked, smirking at her uncle. Lanarot reached out to it, grabbing the handle with her small hands. She held it tight, while her elder brother assisted her in holding it. The girl could feel the tingle within her hands. Jurot had been unsure of whether to give the blade to his son or to his sister. However, it made sense to give her the axe since she was older, and his son would have his shield, since the boy needed the shield more than the axe. No, it made no sense at all, but he was an Iyrman, so it made sense. The girl had inherited not just one of the best shields Adam had enchanted, a Greater shield, but also one of the best, if not the best, Greater Enhanced weapons he had enchanted. Sonarot watched her daughter show off the axe and shield to all the other children, while the tales of the weapons were spoken. Her eyes fell to Adam and Jurot, the half elf smirking towards his brother, while beaming with pride. He had gotten away with managing to gift his sister two extremely powerful items, and no one had called him out for it. She glanced towards Adam¡¯s side, noting the axe at his side. Jurot was gifting away both his axe and his shield. Adam retired his axe and gifted away his shield. Within her heart, Sonarot hoped their era was not over. It was when the sun had passed its zenith, and was making its way towards the horizon, that the woman understood there was still an ember burning between the pair yet. ¡°What do you mean, you old geezer?¡± Adam growled back. ¡°Do I need Wraith to beat you?¡± ¡°Even with that shield of mine, you could not beat me?¡± the crippled Iyrman grinned wide, holding the twins against his chest, which had sparked Adam¡¯s annoyance. ¡°You didn¡¯t even bring Lanarot a gift!¡± ¡°I did not bring her a gift?¡± The old Iyrman grinned wider. ¡°I have brought the best gift!¡± Wow. It seems like their era is over. There certainly won''t be any insane fights this year it seems. Four shadows? I only have the one. [1022] – Y05.022 – The Gift of Children III [1022] ¨C Y05.022 ¨C The Gift of Children III ¡®Damn it, you old geezer!¡¯ Lanarot held the axe in her lap, the blade wrapped within a thick hide of a beast the old man had killed. The axe was a blade that was not like most axes, it''s blade a deep red, like that of blood. Bloodsteel, as the Iyrmen had dubbed it, a metal that was found rarely in the Iyr, and was rarer outside of its borders. The Sen family¡¯s weapon, the Bloodblade, was made of such a steel, though it had been magically enchanted. This axe, Heartkiller, was not like most axes made of bloodsteel either, for it was crafted so masterfully, it was considered a mundane blade almost equal to that of a Basic blade. "That axe, isn''t it too much?" Adam complained, though he did so quietly, barely above a whisper as he glared at the old man. "Too much for my granddaughter?" The old Jarot grinned wildly, for though his axe was not considered magical, in the eyes of the Iyr, it was equal to the shield Adam had passed along. Why? It was because though Jarot had used the shield for a while, it was this blade he had used more often. The shield had protected the old man during his journey, but it was that axe which had claimed the lives of many nobles. "What about Gurot and Murot? You should spoil them too, so if you give too much to Lanababy, Gubaby and Mubaby will be so sad." Jarot noted the annoyance within Adam''s voice, causing him to smirk even wider at the half elf. "Do you think I have but one or two axes which have claimed the lives of Aldishmen?" "Not just any Aldishmen, but nobles," Adam retorted. "Axes which have killed nobles?" Jarot thought, leaning back, taking the thought far more seriously than anyone expected. "I own at least one axe for each nickname I possess." ''Damn, how many axes does this old man have?'' Adam reached up to rub his brow gently, glancing aside. ''Should I use multiple weapons too? I could pass them on to my...'' Adam stopped the thought there, not wanting to even imagine his children growing up. "You do not have to envy me, since you will grow even more powerful," Jarot said, his lips twitching slightly. "One day?" "I''m going to give them all weapons that are equally as good." "You should give weapons which are greater." "I can''t do that, I can''t go around killing nobles." "Why not?" Jarot asked, sitting up a little, almost offended by the words. "Jirot, your babo is trying to bully your mummy," Adam called, while Jirot''s head snapped towards them, her eyes narrowing towards her babo. "Does this old man bully your mother?" Jarot asked. Jirot narrowed her eyes towards her father. "Babo does not bully mummy?" "He said I should kill nobles, even though I am married to mummy?" Adam stated. Jirot''s eyes fell back onto her babo, the girl raising her brows. ¡°Your babo misspoke because he is so old,¡± the old one armed Iyrman said, reaching out a hand, the girl rushing over to him to hold onto his hand, scarred and rough. ¡°It is okay, babo. You are so old now.¡± Jirot brushed the old man¡¯s hand tenderly with her free hand, while little Jarot also stumbled over, climbing up to his babo, sitting beside him, his large amber eyes staring at the old man curiously. The older, one armed Jarot, reached down to ruffle his greatson¡¯s hair, brushing his thumb through those thick, curly locks, before pinning the boy¡¯s head to his chest, allowing little Jarot to climb onto his lap. ¡°Yes. This babo of yours is so old, so you must stay with him to take care of him.¡± ¡°I take care of you, babo,¡± Jirot assured, patting his thigh gently. ¡°Will you take care of me too?¡± An Iyrman called. He was old, tall and lean. His head was smoothly, freshly shaved that morning, his thick moustache white as snow, hiding his lips, while his long beard fell down to his chest, tapering towards his abdomen. An aura of gentleness emanated from him. Upon his back, he wore a spear, the tip wrapped in leather. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot called, smiling wide, giggling in delight as the old man appeared. The old Iyrman reached down to brush Jirot¡¯s hair gently, before his eyes fell down to the other tiny girl, who looked up at him expectantly. ¡°I was told it was your birthday?¡± ¡°Hello, dado,¡± Lanarot said bashfully, while she bowed her head as the old man ruffled her hair. ¡°Are you enjoying your gifts?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the small girl replied, rubbing the hide gently, before trying to undo the string to reveal the axe, only to be stopped by Adam tickling her hand. ¡°Smelly girl, you need to leave it in there. Tell your dado the name of the weapon, he¡¯ll know.¡± ¡°It is Hutkiller.¡± ¡°Heartkiller,¡± Adam stated, sounding it out slowly for his little sister. ¡°Hahtkiller?¡± Lanarot smiled innocently. ¡°You handed over Heartkiller?¡± The old man asked, settling himself beside Jarot. ¡°What else would I hand to my granddaughter?¡± ¡°Do not forget, Lanarot, you are also of our family,¡± the elderly bald man said. ¡°Hello, Konarot.¡± Malfev brushed the top of her head, doing the same for each of the triplets. Konarot smiled, shuffling closer to the old man who smelled so much like her greatmother. The triplets stayed with their father and their babos, while Lanarot, Jirot, and Jarot each went with Dunes and the demons for him to give his gifts. ¡°Do you know who I pray to?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Wahtu!¡± Lanarot replied. ¡°I know it too!¡± Jirot stated. Dunes smiled awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s right. I pray to Lady Arya, or Wahtu as you call her. Do you know which Order I am from?¡± ¡°Black Mountain!¡± Lanarot replied once more, and Jirot nodded her head, while Jarot stood there, also nodding his head lightly. ¡°I have gained certain spells,¡± Dunes said, bowing his head to Sonarot, who bowed her head in return. ¡°I will cast them upon you now.¡± Dunes chanted the words to his spell, holding his amulet within his hand, before motioning with his hands, and the magic began to swirl within the children. It was after the children gasped with delight, that Dunes felt many of the Iyrmen gaze elsewhere, allowing him to relax. Lanarot, Jirot, and Jarot each felt the warmth in their body as the magic fell through them. As they were quite young, they were quite literally more than twice as resilient under the effects of the Second Gate Priest spell. ¡°I also have another spell I wish to show you,¡± Dunes said, throwing a look to Sonarot to confirm once more. He drew his blade and chanted the words to his spell, before running a finger along the blade, filling it with magical energies. He then held out the hilt of the blade to the girl. Lanarot took the blade into her hand, with Dunes holding the blade with her hands. She felt the tingling of magic through the blade, causing her to gasp. ¡°Can you feel it?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I can feel it!¡± ¡°This blade was the blade I used when I met your brother,¡± Dunes said, assisting the girl in swinging the blade gently. ¡°It was gifted to me by my Order, and has helped me for many years. I do not use it any longer, because your brother has gifted me greater blades. This blade is my gift to you.¡± ¡°For me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am Roh! I do not use sword.¡± ¡°I know. I would like for you to have it, and if you wish to gift it to another, perhaps a Gek, like your uncle¡¯s family, then you may. My story with this blade has ended, and your story with it has begun.¡± Lanarot looked up at Dunes for a moment, her eyes curious, judging the Priest, before she smiled. ¡°Okay!¡± Lucy frowned, annoyed that he had given such a great gift. ¡®Should I gift Great Destroyer?¡¯ Dunes looked down to Jirot and Jarot, who eyed up the blade with great admiration. He sighed lightly, pulling back, allowing Lucy and Mara to assist the girl and the twins. While the party continued, Mulrot eventually took her place between her brother and husband, holding her greatchildren upon her lap, while Konarot sat upon Malfev¡¯s lap. Jarot only allowed this because he could feed the children from his hands. ¡°Do you think I cannot beat you?¡± Jarot growled towards the old man, who had dared to try and take the fruit from his hand to feed his eldest greatdaughter. ¡°You may beat me, but I will ask brother Marmak to deal with you,¡± Malfev replied, his voice light. ¡°Hah? What will he do to me?¡± ¡°He can beat you.¡± ¡°I will take an arm from him at least.¡± ¡°An arm or a leg?¡± Malfev asked. Jarot grinned wider, almost like a hyena. ¡°Both!¡± ¡°Why are you talking about that sort of thing in front of my adorable kids?¡± Adam asked, his arms crossed, annoyed he couldn¡¯t hold any of his children, nor feed them. Malfev reached up to brush his beard, his moustache wrinkling slightly as he smirked beneath his beard. ¡°Do you wish to talk of the Orders?¡± ¡°What about them?¡± Adam asked, his eyes glued to the old man. Malfev held his greatniece¡¯s hand within his own, brushing his thumb along the back of her hand. ¡°It will be a turbulent time for them now.¡± ¡°They have lived peacefully for so long, now they can earn their keep,¡± Jarot stated, still grinning wide, already feeling the excitement rush through him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Adam asked, glancing between the trio of old Iyrmen, two Family Elders, and the other Mad Dog, and yet each held the expression of Iyrmen, that was to say, excitement to kill. How can he run up the walls when they''re playing tag? That''s cheating! [1023] – Y05.023 – The Gift of Children IV [1023] ¨C Y05.023 ¨C The Gift of Children IV ¡°The Reavers will cause trouble,¡± Jarot replied, understanding his grandson was an idiot. "Once they arrive, the Orders will rally to face them, if they wish to keep their Oaths." ¡°Oh! Right, yeah, I forgot about that." Adam looked down at Konarot, who slowly chewed the fruit, while Malfev rubbed her face. ''It should be alright since they''ll be in the Iyr, right? Ah, right, I said they should stay at the fort...'' Adam reached up to rub his pulsing brow. ''Should I have them stay in the Iyr?'' Adam felt the shamelessness fill through him. ''Reavers.'' Jarot clenched his fist, doing the same for the ghost of an arm within his mind. ''Baktu, is this your message to me?'' "It seems we''ll be busy, brother," Mulrot joked, causing Malfev to smile from behind his beard. "I''ll need to work hard too," Adam said, letting out a soft sigh. "It''s a good thing Elder Gold spoke with Jirot, otherwise I don''t think I could survive." Jarot laughed, grinning like a fool. ¡°Do you see? One grandson will become a Great Champion, and the other is helping the Iyr.¡± Malfev reached up to tickle Konarot¡¯s nose, closing his eyes from Jarot''s beaming eyes. ¡°He is my grandnephew too.¡± ¡°Whose grandnephew?¡± Jarot snarled towards the Family Elder, clenching his fist even tighter. "Marmak is too far away for you to claim my grandson as yours." "Whose grandson?" Adam replied. ''How dare you steal my joke, you old geezer.'' ¡°If you do not wish to hold Konarot, or feed the children, then Adam may do so,¡± Mulrot warned. Malfev brushed Konarot¡¯s cheek, catching the girl¡¯s eyes, before smiling from beneath his beard, though Konarot could see his eyes and brows were full of joy. Jarot held up a piece of fruit Adam had cut, offering it to Karot, who ate from his greatfather''s hand. ''Strong,'' Konarot thought, noting how her greatmother had dealt with the two so simply with her words. Jurot returned with a tray of food, from bread buns and butter, to fruit and vegetables, which he and Adam made short work of with their knives. As the pair cut their fruit, a pair of boys approached, each drooling slightly. "Murot, Gurot, you have already eaten," Jurot said, only for Adam to bring pieces of fruit to their lips a moment later. "..." "Our cousins are only growing so strong because we''re feeding them properly," Adam stated, feeding the pair the fruit. "This is why I''m their favourite cousin, isn''t that right Gurot?" "Nana," Gurot replied, looking up towards his grandmother, before smiling innocently. "Gurot," Mulrot replied, smiling back towards him, reaching up to rub her thumb along his cheek. Meanwhile, little Murot remained distracted by the fruit, the boy chewing his food slowly while Adam wiped his face clean. "You dote on the children so much," Malfev said. "Will you not dote upon the children of the Fev family too?" "Is it my birthday too?" Adam asked. "Are you, the Family Elder of the Fev family, giving me permission to spoil the children of the Fev family too?" "You should do so now and then, since you are my grandnephew." The old man''s beard shifted as he smiled, ignoring Jarot''s glare. "Did you hear that, Family Elder? Your brother has given me permission to spoil all the Fev family children! You need to tell the Great Elders so they won''t complain!" "Family Elder?" Mulrot pulled Kirot and Karot up. "You must tell your father to call me appropriately." Adam flushed slightly, clearing his throat, also feeling Jurot staring at him expectantly. "Anyway, anyway..." Adam tried to find something to talk about. "Right, now that you''ve given up Phantom, and Jaygak''s given up Great Moon, we''ll need new weapons. I was thinking about making a new weapon too, though I wasn''t sure what..." "You have given up Wraith?" Jurot asked. "I was planning on retiring it for now, since I want to have a few weapons too..." "Okay." ''Three new weapons. Is there something I could make that will be good for all of us? I probably don''t need something like it being able to channel magic, since I have Battle Mage, so it''s not a big deal. I should keep the ring enchantment, and then the bonus damage. Should I increase the range of the Critical Hits? No, that might be too strong, and I don''t want to give the Iyr any reason to think I''m that much of a threat.'' Sonarot and Mirot approached the group, causing Konarot and the triplets to glance their way, their tails swaying. Sonarot took her place beside her son, while Mirot sat beside her uncle, Konarot glancing up towards her. After a short conversation, Malfev glanced between his sister and his nieces. Sonarot bowed her head. ¡°Jurot, if you disagree with her actions, you may take the position from your aunt.¡± Jurot remained silent. He had married, and had a child, meaning he had more than enough qualifications to fight for the position, though that would mean he¡¯d no longer be able to aim for Diamond Rank in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. His eyes fell to Mirot, who remained focused on Sonarot, then his eyes fell to Adam, who remained stunned. Jurot could see the expression on Adam¡¯s face as the stability the half elf once knew fell under his feet. It was how his children would feel once they found out their new living arrangements. ¡®Mother will remain at the business with Lanarot? Would she go without?¡¯ Mirot understood her sister¡¯s threat, though she looked down at the floor for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. Then her eyes fell to Gurot, who held onto Jurot¡¯s shirt tight in hand, the boy resting his head against the young Iyrman¡¯s chest, while his younger brother remained focused upon the half elf¡¯s hand. ¡°I will take Lanarot to the business, and she will be taught by myself, and her brothers. Gurot and Murot will learn the way of the Rot family, and may remain within the walls of the Iyr.¡± Mirot looked to Mulrot, whose eyes were firmly shut as she thought deeply. As the Family Elder, she could veto the ridiculousness that Sonarot stated before them all. It was not done, to take a child of the Iyr, one of the main family, and raise them outside of the Iyr¡¯s walls. Even if the business was upon the Iyr¡¯s land, this was not done. Still, Mulrot was stuck between the point of a blade and the tip of an arrow. She could allow it, and take the criticism of the Iyr, but if she refused, then a greater crack would form. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ Adam thought, understanding that this was all his fault. ¡°You do-,¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Mulrot said, cutting the young half elf off. Even though she hadn¡¯t finished thinking through the matter enough as a Family Elder, she would have regretted allowing Adam to finish his words. ¡°Okay,¡± Mirot said, noting the stress upon her mother¡¯s face for a moment, before the old woman allowed the stress to flow through her. She, too, possessed the tranquillity her brother possessed, since she was married to the Mad Dog. ¡®Too many things are changing,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Damn it. Why is everything changing so quickly?¡¯ Jarot¡¯s lips remained grinning wide, though he could feel it from his wife and daughters, the feeling of uncertainty. ¡°You brat, how could you tease your grandfather like this? I have to travel so far to the fort to meet with my own granddaughter and greatchildren?¡± ¡°Whose my grandfather?¡± Adam returned, though his heart was not within it. As the evening passed, the children were taken to bed, Virot and Damrot already falling asleep. As the children retired for bed, a figure stepped within the estate, causing many to glance his way. The fellow limped into the estate, holding his son¡¯s hand as they walked into the estate. ¡°Papo!¡± Lanarot charged the man, allowing Tonagek to lift her up. ¡°I have brought your gifts,¡± Tonagek said, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head. ¡°I take it all!¡± Lanarot cackled, before Tonagek placed her down and revealed all the items within the pack. Lanarot gazed down at all the little trinkets, each with their own story. She called the rest of the children around, including her nieces and nephews, handing out all the gifts from the Gek family. ¡°Uncle is waiting outside,¡± Tonagek said, staring down at the children as they dealt with the gifts, each taking one. ¡°If he does not wish to step within, then he does not wish to step within,¡± Sonarot replied, also staring down at the children, especially her grandchildren. ¡®He waited all this time?¡¯ Tonagek thought, frowning slightly, his eyes falling down to his grandnieces and grandnephews. He thought of the news that the Reavers may step onto the land once more, and what his uncle had said when Tonagek had confronted him. Tonagek sighed. ¡°Is it difficult?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°No,¡± Tonagek replied. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You do not need to thank me, sister.¡± Lanarot soon found herself cuddling up to her mother, sleeping in one of the empty rooms of the Rot family estate. Her brothers slept in nearby rooms, each with their own families, allowing Lanarot to sleep with her mother alone. ¡°Mama.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When I am big, I will have many stories, and Jirot will read them.¡± Sonarot smiled. ¡°Yes.¡± She reached down to brush her daughter¡¯s cheek, the girl smiling bashfully, before she held her mother¡¯s hand and closed her eyes. What''s with all this family politicking? In my wholesome fatherhood simulator? [1024] – Y05.024 – Inheritance I [1024] ¨C Y05.024 ¨C Inheritance I The early morning rays of sunlight fell upon the Iyr. The Iyrmen made their way to their assigned tasks, tending to the fields, chopping down trees, crafting everything from shoes, to bows, to books. From the young, who were studying, those who were older who taught the youth, and those between. "Okay," Churot said, passing the slip to the Elder, who checked his notes. The Elder nodded, reaching down to ruffle his hair for only a moment, before allowing the young Iyrman leave. "His skills are so good, one might thing it is magic," the Elder said, glancing aside to her aide. It was times like this she thought to ask the Great Elders to allow Churot to remain as her own aide, but she understood just how many Elders coveted the boy too. ''I should thank Zijin for lending the boy this much.'' Once the warehouses'' inventories were checked by the young teen, he returned back to the Elder''s estate, where he found Zijin staring down at his book. It was not the black book he sometimes wrote within, but another, plain, book. He rarely wrote within the book, but was beginning to write within it more recently. "Ah, Churot. Come." Zijin motioned with a hand, before clasping the shaft of an axe. The shaft was made of dark wood, wrapped in a long, thick leather, the blade made of quality steel. "Do you know of this axe?" "It is granduncle''s axe." "How did you remember?" "Grandfather spoke of granduncle when he left," Churot replied. "He held the axe and spoke of its tale." Zijin smiled. "I have a few requests of you today, and once those requests are complete, you may remain at the shared estate." "Okay." While Churot continued to assist the Elder, his cousins prepared themselves for their own work that morning. "Retiring?" Adam asked, furrowing his brows. "I have done all I wish to do, and more. It is time for me to step back." The young red skinned Iyrman sipped at her tea. "What are you talking about? You''re not even a Paragon yet, why do you need to step back?" Jaygak raised her brows, smiling slightly. "If I become a Paragon, I will overshadow Taygak." "No, no. You can be a Paragon, and I''ll make Taygak into an Idol." Jaygak almost snorted, though her lips formed a wide smile. "That''s why I should retire, so you moderate yourself." "I''ll make her stronger than all the Idols if you quit now." "It seems the Gak family is on the rise," Jaygak joked, staring down at the water within her cup. It was a cup that had been roughly formed, from one of the first which the girl''s hands had made. "I have requested the Iyr to allow you to train Taygak." "Me? Jaygak, you should be the one to train her." "It has to be you." "I don''t even use a sword!" "I know, but you find the sword the most romantic." "That''s beside the point." "The point is that I have reached the height I want to reach. I will keep training, cultivating my abilities within the Iyr, for the Iyr. I am almost a master, by the end of the year, I may reach such a great height." Jaygak let go of the cup, staring at her rough palms, noting all the calluses. She clenched her fist, as tightly as she could, before relaxing her hand once more. "You really want to stop here, when you can become a Paragon?" "Yes." Adam frowned, and he glanced down at his own cup, also roughly formed, though not quite as badly as Jaygak''s cup. It had been one of the first gifts he had received in the Iyr, a gift he could no longer receive in such a state since she had learnt well within the Iyr''s walls. ''Damn it.'' "Adam?" "Yeah?" "Will you promise me something?" "Why would I promise you something when you''ve broken my heart like this?" Adam asked, sipping his flavoured water, peeking at the young Iyrman as he did. "If Taygak begins training with you now, she will become an Expert by the time she leaves the Iyr. She can fight in the younger segment with mundane equipment, and she can win. With you, she could join the older segment, and with the magical equipment her cousin can make for her, she will be able to win that segment." "So what''s the favour?" "She has to win." "Yes, but what''s the favour?" "Adam. She must win." ¡®Did they ask her to sub in while I wasn¡¯t working?¡¯ ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± Adam said. Kiara only nodded her head, before she returned to the Rot family estate. Her eyes darted towards the Iyrman who escorted her, but she returned her gaze back to the ground. ¡®If they had her miss Lanarot¡¯s birthday, these Reavers must be a big deal.¡¯ Adam glanced down towards the three weapons which had been assigned to him to pluck an enchantment upon. He could start the enchantments, and the Iyr¡¯s enchanters could continue them. Due to his ability as a Chaos Enchanter, he could enchant essentially any and all enchantments, with some effort. Thankfully, the Iyr asked him to enchant the weapons with something simple, a Greater Enhanced enchantment. ¡®A plus two and a couple of charges to deal extra damage?¡¯ Adam tossed the paper into the fire, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡®I suppose it¡¯s time to start enchanting then. Wait. Hold on. Where¡¯s Filliam?¡¯ Thus Adam¡¯s routine began the second month of dawnval. Taygak followed Adam and the rest of her companions in the morning as they ran along the perimeter of the estate complex, following the outline of the nine shared estates. They first walked a lap, then ran a lap, followed by another half lap before they began the light routine Adam had formed, consisting mostly of a full body routine with weights, completing a light set to warm up, followed by two working sets. ¡®How else should I train her?¡¯ Adam thought, though he decided against introducing any swordplay too soon. ¡®I¡¯ll have her keep training with the Gak family while I figure something out. If only I...¡¯ Adam blinked, his eyes glancing to the side towards the Aswadian pair who had joined him in his training. ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Would you mind training Taygak with swordplay while I figure something out?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Dunes replied, though a moment later wondered if he was allowed to train the young woman. It was during the first week of the month Adam thought about it. He brought the blended fruit to Ranya¡¯s lips, the girl sucking the food off the spoon. The girl was still small, though larger than his own Virot. She was warmer, though, apparently due to her devilkin nature. As he finished his thoughts, he continued to feed little Ranya, allowing Amira a break. ¡°Look at you, so adorable,¡± Adam cooed once he was done feeding her. He gently tickled the girl¡¯s nose with a finger, causing her to squeal with delight. ¡°What, you think just because you¡¯re so cute, I¡¯ll spoil you on my day off? Of course I will!¡± Ranya brought her hand up to her mouth, sucking against it as she smiled up towards Adam. She reached up to grab at him with her hands, trying to grab at his face. ¡°Ranya,¡± Amira called, noting how disappointed Adam¡¯s own children were. The girl turned towards her mother, and upon spotting her, reached out for the woman. ¡°Adam, may we speak?¡± Dunes asked once the half elf had surrendered the girl. The pair stepped out, while Dunes glanced around the Iyr, noting the long wall around him, and the other Iyrmen who moved about, busying themselves with work. ¡°I should return soon.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°Could I leave Amira and Ranya here, until you bring your children to the fort?¡± ¡°Of...¡± Adam paused, humming quietly to himself. As much as he wanted to say yes, he was no Iyrman. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Jurot.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Are you willing to surrender Ranya to me finally?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t deny me my rights, though.¡± ¡°What rights are those?¡± Dunes replied, raising a brow towards the half elf. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Aren¡¯t we friends?¡± Dunes chuckled, before turning to return back to the estate. He had half expected the half elf to call after him, though as he turned back, he noted Adam was staring at the floor. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Ah, right. Remind me to ask Jurot when I return.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Dunes watched as the half elf made his way out, motioning an Iyrman to escort him. He returned back to the estate, where he found a child¡¯s eyes upon him. ¡°Daddy is gone?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°He is...¡± Dunes replied awkwardly. Jirot huffed, turning to her mother. ¡°You see? Daddy is always working. I always tell him. Today he must not work, but he is working again?¡± ¡°Elder Gold said that there is trouble, so your father must work,¡± Vonda said, rubbing the top of the girl¡¯s head. ¡°I said I will not cause trouble!¡± Jirot stated proudly. ¡°I will not!¡± ¡°You are not the trouble.¡± Vonda couldn¡¯t help but laugh at her daughter¡¯s words, glad she understood she did cause so much trouble. ¡°Just a little bit, okay mummy?¡± ¡°Just a little bit,¡± Vonda confirmed. Meanwhile, Adam¡¯s brow trickled with sweat. ¡®Should I wait for the Chief to return? They won¡¯t kill me for this, will they? No, what am I saying, if they wanted to kill me because of this, they would have killed me last time.¡¯ You thought Ranya was safe? He''ll make her into an Idol before she steps out of the Iyr. [1025] – Y05.025 – Inheritance II [1025] ¨C Y05.025 ¨C Inheritance II ¡°Daddy!¡± Jarot gasped, before turning up to look towards his mother. Jirot, who had wanted to bully her father, also turned to look at her mother, her eyes full of shock. Konarot frowned, rushing up to her father, while Kirot and Karot followed. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Adam called out, wincing, reaching down to hold onto his children¡¯s hands. The half elf was as pale as death, his veins dark and pulsing. He spotted Amira¡¯s gaze upon him, but the half elf just smiled. ¡°Daddy just needs a little time to rest, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Daddy, you are okay?¡± Jirot asked, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°Daddy is fine, daddy is fine, daddy just needs to sleep for a while,¡± Adam assured, dropping down to embrace his daughter tight. ¡®I forgot how much that hurt!¡¯ XP: 23 700 Exhaustion: 2 Dexterity: 11/12 Intelligence: 12/16 Health: 79/112 ¡°Daddy, you must be okay, because you are first place.¡± Jirot clutched at his shirt, hiding her face within his chest. ¡®Okay, maybe I should have rested a few days instead. How could I worry my children like this?¡¯ Adam planted a firm kiss atop her head, feeling her thick hair tickling his cheek and nose. Sonarot forced Adam to take the entire week off, even though he felt much better half way through. ¡®Even if you are young, you need to rest.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go play in the park?¡± Adam offered one morning, grabbing a small pack, filling it with snacks, gourds of water, and a set of balls. ¡°Vonda, do you want to come with?¡± ¡°I will remain with Virot and Damrot,¡± Vonda replied. ¡®Now that I think about it, we haven¡¯t really gone on a date in a while.¡¯ ¡°Alright.¡± Adam smiled warmly towards her, his thoughts written upon his face, causing his wife to smile. ¡°Churot, do you want to come along too?¡± Adam led his children to the park, Jirot and Jarot each holding a hand, while the triplets followed him out. Jogak and Citool brought along the rest of the children, including Larot, who held Jazool¡¯s hand as she led him forward, while another group of teens from the extended family estate escorted them. As they made their way, Churot glanced towards Elder Zijin¡¯s estate, noting he wasn¡¯t within his estate. Elder Zijin sat opposite Elder Gold, who poured him a cup of tea. He sipped the tea, tasting the gentle flavour of berry, before he reached into his inner tunic, and brought out the book, placing it down onto the table between them. Elder Gold continued to sip her tea for a moment, before she took the book, flipping through it. ¡°The Reavers will arrive soon,¡± Elder Gold stated. ¡°It is best to complete this matter swiftly so we are prepared,¡± Zijin replied. Elder Gold bowed her head, before skimming through a few of the pages, picking them at random, before closing the book. She held the book out towards Elder Zijin, who reached out for it, but she kept it within her hand for a long moment. ¡°It is best for Churot to return to work quickly.¡± ¡°I will not request such of the new Family Head.¡± Elder Gold let out a soft exhale. ¡°Okay.¡± Ultimately, Zijin understood the situation best, so she needed to trust in his knowledge in this matter. ¡®Kiara is still working, but now that we have another Chaos Enchanter, we are able to spare Adam once more. Losing Churot¡¯s mathematical abilities is a shame, but he can still complete some before and after his enchanting.¡¯ ¡°I hope you will consider his age,¡± Zijin said, still holding the book. ¡°He is young enough to work hard.¡± ¡°I hope you will consider his grandfather.¡± Elder Gold let go of the book, clasping her hands together. ¡®How is it that the Rot family possesses all three Chaos Enchanters?¡¯ ¡°Since it is Elder Gold...¡± Jirot said, her lips pursed together, her head tilted forward, her accusatory eyes following her father. Adam approached the Great Elder within her gazebo, sitting opposite her. She had cut her hair shorter, revealing her ears more clearly, and the piercings within. She closed her book, tossing it onto the pile beside her. She then raised her hand, in the same motion she had previously, and after a moment she eyed up the half elf. ¡°Elder Gold?¡± ¡°I wanted to thank you for Awakening Churot. Another Chaos Enchanter in this trying time is a boon we could have only prayed for.¡± ¡°Ah, well, I was the one who wanted to Awaken him, so I¡¯m glad you accepted.¡± ¡°Even if we cannot publicly announce such, please understand we shall not forget this favour.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam smiled slightly, bowing his head lightly. ¡°Is there anything else you needed?¡± ¡°Since you have gifted Churot the ability to enchant weapons in a similar manner, I ask you to protect the second village.¡± ¡°The one where Sky was killed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is there anything wrong?¡± ¡°Not as of now, but we cannot be sure if a greater dangers lies beyond the horizon.¡± ¡°Alright. Uh, would you mind if I donated some money and some magical items to them as an apology?¡± ¡°You may.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam smiled awkwardly. ¡®I really should have enchanted something for them.¡¯ ¡°Do you wish to take your children to the fort?¡± Elder Gold asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t think the Iyr views them the same way as the Rot family, and I don¡¯t want that to become an issue.¡± Elder Gold held the half elf¡¯s gaze for a long moment, before she bowed her head. ¡°Okay.¡± She watched the half elf go. ¡®You will age quickly if you carry so much stress.¡¯ I thought it was going to happen soon, but apparently it''s a ways off. At least that thing will happen soon! [1026] – Y05.026 – Newcomers I [1026] ¨C Y05.026 ¨C Newcomers I ¡°You cannot miss me so much, okay?¡± Jirot said, hugging her nana¡¯s neck, their cheeks squishing together in their embrace. ¡°I will try not to miss you, but it is difficult,¡± Mirot replied, planting a kiss on Jirot¡¯s forehead. The girl let out a small huff, before hugging the woman¡¯s head against her chest. ¡°It is hard, but you must try, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Mirot also embraced little Jarot too, pulling the boy into her bosom, planting a firm kiss on his forehead. The boy flushed with the gentle warmth of the woman, who held the twins so tender and close to her. Jazool hugged Larot tight, the girl rubbing along his back gently. ¡°Happy, okay?¡± ¡°...¡± Jazool hugged the boy again, while Ikool, her mother, ate the adorable scene for dessert. ¡®They are not too upset,¡¯ Kaygak thought while hugging Lanarot tight, brushing her hair gently, swiping the girl¡¯s hair over her ear, before tickling the girl¡¯s cheek with her thumb. Konarot hugged Kavgak, the pair rubbing foreheads together, before letting one another go. ¡°Safe,¡± Kavgak stated. ¡°Safe,¡± Konarot replied. ¡°Inakan! I should at least take you with me, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Adam asked, blowing a raspberry into the girl¡¯s neck. ¡°Nooo!¡± Inakan squealed, squirming out of his grasp, before the girl fled, hiding behind Vonda. ¡°Kaza Adam! So silly!¡± ¡°Just a little bit, but how can they leave you here? You should come with me so you can go see daddy, right?¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adam smiled mischievously, but Mirot¡¯s hand upon his shoulder distracted him. ¡°I was just kidding.¡± Mirot kept his gaze, noting how he surrendered under it. A long moment of silence passed between the pair before she squeezed his shoulder. ¡°You should visit often, so that we do not miss you or the children.¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought, staring up at the woman, who brought him in for a hug. He pat her back gently, still unsure of what she was doing, before she finally let him go to say her greetings to her other nephew. Tavgak grabbed onto Lucy¡¯s collar, staring up at the woman for a moment, before she threw her head away shyly. ¡°Cousin Lanarot, you must behave,¡± Turot said, embracing the girl. ¡°I will!¡± Lanarot declared. ¡°Cousin Lanarot, you must watch over your nieces and nephews,¡± Asorot said, also embracing her. ¡°I am the best kako.¡± Lanarot hugged the boy tightly. ¡°If kaza bully you, you can tell me, and I will tell papa.¡± Turot smiled slightly. ¡°I will not bully my brother, but you must bully yours.¡± Lanarot smirked slightly, before going to embrace her younger cousins, the chonky boys who allowed her to smother them in her affection, as she had learnt from her elder brothers, one in particular. Amira waited for the goodbyes to complete, glancing aside to the dark Ashmir, who had been assigned to escort them out. ¡°Come home safely!¡± shouted the children as the gates shut, the carriage leading the group out towards the Front Iyr. While the greetings had passed, an annoyance passed to those who hadn¡¯t managed to say their goodbyes in the extended family estates. ¡°How could your grandson take them away from me?¡± Malfev asked, sipping his tea. ¡°He is his grandfather¡¯s grandson,¡± Mulrot joked, though she noted the way her brother swallowed the thought along with his tea. Even now she wondered if perhaps somehow her husband had managed to lay with an elf. ¡°Should I ask to visit the fort?¡± ¡°You are a Family Elder, your place is here,¡± Mulrot stated. ¡°It is my right as their family to visit them too.¡± ¡°Then you may send word to the Elder.¡± Malfev sighed, deciding against wasting their time with that sort of nonsense when the Iyr was moving with such a purpose. ¡°It was only a few years ago we had shut our gates.¡± ¡°Now we are preparing for the Reavers.¡± Mulrot sipped her tea, allowing it to warm her heart, but it was nothing compared to the joy of her greatdaughter¡¯s mischief. ¡°How is it that our youngest were born during the time of two events which should have occured once in a lifetime?¡± Malfev joked, and though his heart was soothed by the aura of peace around him, a tingle spread through his spine. ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°You able to use them freely?¡± ¡°Some spells cost some coin, but I¡¯m not spell shy.¡± ¡°Well, you know how Priests can get.¡± Mork slowly nodded his head, letting out a pained sigh which held its own stories. ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how well you fit into the business and its culture. Manager Dunes will explain the rules to you, and I should warn you, breaking the rules comes with consequences. Don¡¯t think Lady Tempest will save you from an ass whooping, or worse, if you act up.¡± ¡°No Northerner is stupid enough to act up on Iyrman¡¯s land,¡± Tork stated. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, before escorting them across the bridge to the business. ¡°Do you both know how to read and write?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Mork replied. ¡°A little,¡± Tork replied, though not as confidently. ¡°Brother Mork, are you willing to teach?¡± ¡°No need for the Brother, Executive. I¡¯m willing to teach. It¡¯s why I came here, since I need to retire.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Adam replied, noting how young he was to be retiring. ¡®Oh. Right.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t mind a good fight, though,¡± Mork assured. Adam chuckled, while leading them into the business, where he introduced the pair to the workers. ¡°This is Mork, who may end up as a new teacher, and this is Tork. Just like Jane, they¡¯re under probation, and after a short while, we¡¯ll figure out their places in the business. Mork, Tork, come on, I¡¯ll show you your rooms.¡± ¡°Executive?¡± Mork called out, confusion within his voice. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pair of goblins following us?¡± Adam glanced back to see Jirot and Jarot following them, with Jurot and Nirot escorting the pair. ¡°What are you two doing?¡± Jirot blinked, surprised she had been caught. She looked up towards Jurot, furrowing her brows slightly, before looking back to her father. ¡°Toilet.¡± ¡°I thought you could go by yourself?¡± ¡°I can! I can go by myself!¡± The girl huffed, before storming off to the toilet, her brother following after her. ¡°...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t my daughter so adorable?¡± Adam asked, smiling politely, the kind of politeness the Southerners often showed. ¡°Aye, she is.¡± Tork glanced aside to his brother, elbowing him int he side. ¡°Cheer up. Little bit o¡¯ green skin didn¡¯t hurt nobody.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Mork said, his voice neutral. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have to warn you, but in case you get any ideas, their great grandfather is the Mad Dog.¡± The brothers blinked. ¡®What?¡¯ Adam returned back to the campfire, dropping down beside his uncle, who cut fruit for the children. ¡°Any trouble, Director?¡± ¡°No,¡± Shikan replied. Adam reached down into his tunic, pulling out a small yellow ribbon. ¡°With the President here, you¡¯re able to return.¡± Shikan plucked the ribbon from his nephew¡¯s fingers, feeling its softness within his hand for a moment, before he slipped it into his tunic. ¡°Did you read to her?¡± ¡°A few times.¡± Shikan bowed his head, and returned back to cutting his fruit. He switched his words to the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Did the Great Elders send you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Shikan had been glad the business had been peaceful. He threw a glance to the Lion King, then to Kamrot, who had been assigned to the business indefinitely, the same as a few teen Iyrmen, and of course, the Silver Fate Squad. ¡®Should I truly return?¡¯ Extra chapter today since I got a new patron, and wow, what a time to get a new patron... Sheet [1027] Sheet [1027] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 8 XP: 23 700 STR: 20 (+5)[+8] DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 18 (+4[+7] INT: 16 (+3)[+6] WIS: 12 (+1)[+4] CHA: 16 (+3)[+6] SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy Steel Tag: 6 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 Obsidian (10), Tiger Eye (5), Amber (3), Diamond (4) FEATURES: Darkvision, Fey Blooded, Multicultured. Battlecaster, Slasher MARTIAL FEATURES: 1: Identify, Searing Smite 2: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon 3: Elemental Weapon, Protection from Energy 4: Fabricate, Wall of Fire Prepared (10): Goodberry, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Sending, Adam¡¯s Tower, Counterspell, Revivify, Fireball, Healing Word, Hex 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door COMBAT Health: 112/112 DEF: 21/25 Mana: 25/25 Wraith: +10, 2d6 + 9/10 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 5/7 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +6, 2d6 Fire Frosbite (60¡¯). DC14, 2d6 Cold [1027] – Y05.027 – Newcomers II [1027] ¨C Y05.027 ¨C Newcomers II ¡°Papa, you must fight well,¡± Lanarot said, holding up the axe within her hands. ¡°I will,¡± Jurot said, taking Phantom from her hands, feeling its familiar magic run through his fingers. ¡°Papa, you must fight well,¡± Lanarot repeated, this time to Adam, while holding the crimson shield with her mother¡¯s support. ¡°Of course I will!¡± Adam¡¯s heart almost melted. ¡°You must take Wraith too!¡± Lanarot said, holding her finger up threateningly. ¡°If you do not, I will hug you.¡± ¡°You will not hug him,¡± Sonarot said. Lanarot pouted. ¡°Huh? No, I hug papa, of course, mama!¡± ¡°Mother,¡± Sonarot corrected now the girl was old enough. ¡°If you hug him, he will not take Wraith.¡± ¡°Is okay, you have shield, because you are my papa,¡± Lanarot stared up at her brother with her glistening eyes, her lips forming a small smile. ¡°Of course! I don¡¯t need Wraith when I have the shield, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Adam lifted Lanarot up, holding the girl¡¯s head to his chest, nuzzling into her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, papa will beat up lots of big strong things, even without Wraith!¡± ¡°Yes! Fighting!¡± The girl threw up a fist. Jirot frowned, glancing up to her mother, but she crossed her hands behind her back. ¡®Daddy is telling babo to come back. I forgive you, just this once.¡¯ Once Adam had peppered his children with as many kisses as he could, he embraced his wife, rubbing his cheek against hers. ¡°I won¡¯t kill anyone.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Do you want me to bring back anything?¡± ¡°Just come home safely.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Adam hugged her, feeling her warmth spread through him. He reached down to her stomach slyly, rubbing it gently, causing Vonda to flush red. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t use any Omens, so just grow up safely.¡¯ Jurot stared down at Damrot, his eyes curious as they stared up at his father. ¡°I will return soon.¡± Adam planted a gently kiss on Virot¡¯s head. ¡°If you grow up too quickly, I won¡¯t forgive you. You and I both know that I¡¯ll forgive you anyway, since you¡¯re so cute, but I won¡¯t forgive you, do you understand?¡± Virot blinked at her father, daring him to not forgive her. ¡°What would you like?¡± Lucy asked. ¡°Bring back babo!¡± Jirot said, clasping Lucy¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°I will bully daddy.¡± ¡°Deal!¡± Lucy grinned wide, causing the girl to cackle. ¡°Kako?¡± Jarot called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Lucy replied, unsure if she could accept the title. ¡°Come back safely, okay?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Lucy tossed the boy up. ¡®Why are they acting like this is the last time they¡¯ll see each other?¡¯ Mork thought, sipping his waterskin, glancing down at it as though it had betrayed him. ¡®Right. Got to keep it full of water, for now.¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going without the funny one or the strong one,¡± Lucy said, checking on the carriages the Iyr had gifted the business. ¡°I¡¯m funny, and Jurot¡¯s strong,¡± Adam replied. ¡°I guess Jurot is strong.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Who were the other two?¡± Mork asked. ¡°Jaygak and Kitool.¡± ¡°Executive Jaygak? The one who placed second?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Kitool...¡± Mork narrowed his eyes, certain the name was familiar. Why was it so familiar? ¡°The one who placed first in the higher age segment?¡± Tork asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Mork exchanged a look with Tork, before sipping his waterskin again. ¡®I need a drink.¡¯ The group swiftly made their way out. Jurot and Adam sat upon the driver¡¯s seat of the first carriage, the carriage filled with their supplies. Jane drove the second carriage, though Jurot¡¯s magical steed didn¡¯t need much guidance as it followed the carriage in front, with the demons and Aldish brothers sitting together in the second carriage. ¡°Adam?¡± Jurot whispered. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Will you smith Damrot an axe made of the gem?¡± ¡°Of course. We can head to Jaghi and grab some jagite, or North Amber, and grab some amberite from there?¡± Jurot switched to the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°The gem ore within the Iyr.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m allowed to.¡± ¡°They¡¯re probational members of the business,¡± Adam explained. ¡°Mork, Priest of Lady Tempest. Bork, warrior. They¡¯re brothers, twins.¡± ¡°Twins?¡± Jarot glared down at the pair of them, one very obviously a human, the other very obvious horcish. Then his eyes fell down to Adam and Jurot, who were brothers born upon the same day. ¡°Did I kill any of your families?¡± ¡°Fortunately not,¡± Mork said, his heart pounding wildly within his chest, staring up at the old crippled Iyrman. Even old as he was, with only one arm and one leg, he could feel the hair on his neck stand on end. ¡®He¡¯s really that Mad Dog?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re never going to guess what we ended up fighting on the way here,¡± Adam said. ¡°A trikro,¡± Jarot said with full confidence. ¡°How did you guess?¡± ¡°We slew one recently, and since you are my grandson, you should at least kill a trikro.¡± ¡°Whose grandson?¡± Adam replied, while the old man howled with laughter again, before he stepped aside to greet his grandaunts. ¡°Where is Jaygak?¡± Gangak asked, refusing his handshake to hug him tightly, only letting him go once she got to ruffle his hair. ¡°She¡¯s in the Iyr, doing some Iyr business,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders, sweeping his hair to the side. ¡°Grandaunt Otkan, you should be retired in the Iyr too, spoiling little Inakan.¡± Otkan ruffled his hair first, before shaking his forearm. ¡°I must work.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Iyr has you working. Do you want me to-,¡± Adam quickly stopped, clearing his throat. ¡®Seriously, I¡¯ve gotten way too lax.¡¯ ¡°Two trikros?¡± Gangak let out a soft sigh, already feeling the air of trouble within her old bones. ¡°Should I pray for another?¡± Jarot pondered, noting the looks of the nearby villagers, before he howled with laughter again. ¡°Do not worry, I will kill it myself!¡± Adam greeted the other Iyrmen, a group of Iyrmen who were slightly older than himself, each at least Experts. Then he spotted the Village Chief. He cleared his throat, before he felt a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You should inform Manager Dunes of the danger,¡± Gangak said. ¡°Okay.¡± Mana: 24 -> 21 Spell: Sending ¡°Danger. Everything is chaotic. Be careful. Keep everyone within walls. Tell village. Leave Nobby and Fred with them. Jonn¡¯s steed to lookout too.¡± ¡°Understood, I will send word.¡± There was a small pause. ¡°The children are playing well together. Konarot is teaching the others dragonchess.¡± Adam crossed his arms behind his back, letting his entire body tense up for a moment, before he relaxed. ¡®Of course, since she¡¯s our dependable Konababy.¡¯ ¡®I need a drink,¡¯ Mork thought, glancing aside to Tork, who was still eyeing up the Mad Dog. ¡®He¡¯s still alive?¡¯ Tork thought, swallowing down his nerves. ¡®Should I ask him for his tales? Would it be too rude?¡¯ ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, motioning with his head. Jurot returned a nod. Adam and Jurot stood opposite the Chief within his cabin, near the centre of the village. It was wooden, as one might have expected, with one large room that acted as a dining room, kitchen, and living room. There were two doors, one which led to his bedroom, and another to a bathroom, Adam assumed. The room was lightly furnished, though everything was almost new, with very little wear and tear, like the weapon holder upon the wall, which held either an invisible blade, or air. The chilly air brushed against Adam¡¯s face, and he could smell the faint scent of dawnval, that was to say he could smell a vague floral scent he couldn¡¯t put his nose to. Jurot placed the wooden chest upon the table, causing the table to shudder slightly. The Chief, a young man by the name of Terry, glanced at the chest, and then to the Iyrman and the half elf. ¡°We of the business, wanted to apologise for the...¡± Adam bit his lower lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Sky, and what he did. I heard that he was corrupted and he killed some of your people.¡± ¡°Dozens,¡± Terry confirmed, his eyes falling onto the Iyrman for a moment. ¡°It slipped through and killed those without weapons, before it was finally put into its place by the Iyrmen. We tried to deal with it, but it ignored anything we did to it, save for some fire.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for what happened, really sorry. Sky, he wouldn¡¯t have done that, he knew better. The Iyr informed me that he was cremated until only dust remained, which hurts my heart, but the loss of those lives also hurt.¡± The Chief nodded, keeping his tongue at bay, feeling the rage rising within, but he knew better now that he was the Village Chief. ¡°We can¡¯t apologise enough, so please, I hope that this coin can go some way in helping the families of those who were harmed. It¡¯s not enough, obviously, we only brought a thousand silver this time, but we¡¯re working on figuring out something else. The Enchanter heard what happened here, and though they¡¯re currently busy with all this news, they hope to right this wrong.¡± ¡°You placed Sky here to protect us, but it was a misfortune that something had overcome it. It was not your fault.¡± ¡°Either way, if you have anything you need. Weapons, equipment, let us know.¡± The Chief looked to Jurot once more, who nodded. ¡°If you have any shields, that would be great. It¡¯s hard to find good steel around here, and we don¡¯t get much from the merchants that come by. Red Oak has some nice steel, but sometimes its dangerous to send our own out the village.¡± ¡°Shields? No problem. We¡¯ll bring a few shields, some enchanted shields too.¡± ¡°Oh, no, we can¡¯t afford that.¡± ¡°Chief, it¡¯s not about what you can and cannot afford. I¡¯ll be sure to send a few shields your way, some of them enchanted.¡± Adam scratched his chin. ¡°You, uh, often get surplus of fruits and vegetables, that sort of thing, right?¡± ¡°We do. We send some away for tax, and we make some goods to trade. Ale, wine, desserts, oils...¡± ¡°How about, look, we need food, and ale, all those sorts of things. I will bring to the Enchanter word perhaps of renting some weapons to you for some monthly produce. That way you don¡¯t need to spend hundreds, thousands of gold, and instead can send a few goods our way, and you get some magical items you can borrow, until you feel like you don¡¯t need them any more. I know that most of the trouble you get is dawnval, especially with the undead, so I¡¯ll be sure to get some staves, that sort of thing.¡± ¡°That would be mighty grand,¡± the Chief said, letting out a soft sigh, raising his brows slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll send word back, and we can figure something out later, but for now, please, accept the donation, and we¡¯ve personally come, Jurot and I, along with a few of our members, to assist. Obviously, we¡¯re no Mad Dog, but we can hold our own too.¡± The Chief bowed his head. ¡°About the donation, you don¡¯t need to do anything like that.¡± ¡°Chief,¡± Adam said, reaching up to clasp his hands, pushing out his amulet of Baktu with his chest. ¡°Whoever is responsible for that darkness, I¡¯ll be sure to get revenge for those lost, so they can pass on without worry.¡± ¡°Th-thank you, Brother,¡± the Chief replied, a chill running down his spine with how warm the young man¡¯s eyes were. Adam bowed his head, before stepped away, feeling the chilly air of dawnval strike his cheeks once he was outside. He inhaled deeply, before letting out a long sigh. ¡°When the Reavers come, let¡¯s beat them up.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. That evening, a shooting star fell across the sky. It was not just any shooting star, but a shooting star which brought disaster for a particular figure. I find the stupidest things so funny. [1028] – Y05.028 – Newcomers III [1028] ¨C Y05.028 ¨C Newcomers III He was tall, handsome, so handsome one could almost refer to him as it. He wore white as armour, not white armour, but the colour itself, soaking in dawnval¡¯s rays. His pupils were golden, spoked like stars, swimming in a sea of blue and purple, like the night sky. Those eyes were focused, resolute, upon a particular figure. The Iyrman stepped forward. It was not Mad Dog, Flame Brand, not even Otkan, known as Silver Drake. It was a Priest of Wahtu, Lady Arya, who was heavily armoured in full plate, and carried a blade at her side. She did not wear her helmet, revealing her short hair, and the tattoos upon her forehead, that of the Tol family. ¡°We are honoured to meet you,¡± the Iyrman greeted, her voice clear as she stared at the being. ¡°I have come for you, cursed one,¡± he said, his voice equally as divine as it was sinister. ¡°I¡¯m not cursed,¡± Adam replied, feeling the gazes which had fallen upon him. Lucy¡¯s eyes dared to look away from the being only for a moment, darting to Adam, before returning back to the divine being. Mara crossed her hands over her navel, standing taller and prouder. Jurot, too, stood a little taller. ¡°A rot upon this world, one I intend to deal with.¡± Adam swallowed. He could feel it. His heart pounded like a beating drum. Sweat formed upon his brow, a cold sweat, while he bones grew chilly. The flashes of flames obscured his vision for a moment. ¡°Deal with... how?¡± the half elf asked, though he knew. Everyone knew. ¡°Execution.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very direct,¡± Adam replied, his throat dry. He felt the pressure build upon his shoulders, growing stronger with each passing moment. His mind was blank, not even cursing his misfortune. ¡°You have caused enough suffering.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Adam recalled the faces of his children in that moment, and the wish of his wife. He felt his throat constrict. ¡°Your meddling of Fate has caused two civil wars.¡± Adam cleared his throat, lowering his head slightly. He closed his eyes. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ ¡°It has also led to the death of...¡± The being paused, his eyes darkening as he took in only the half elf within his sight. A pressure fell upon the half elf, one that felt heavy, and burnt with righteous fury. ¡°Prince Aksak.¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam gasped, blinking rapidly, his mind falling blank once more. The half elf could feel it, the heavy weight of being drowned within the void of shame and uncertainty. How could it be? ¡®Prince Aksak? He... died? Just like that? Because of me? I can¡¯t believe... What, who-, no. No. If it-.¡® A hand grabbed the back of Adam¡¯s head, his cold sweat sticking to it. ¡°What are you thinking of so deeply?¡± Jarot asked, bringing the half elf¡¯s head to his chest. ¡°What business do you have with my grandson?¡± ¡°Jarot,¡± the Priest called in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°If you have business with my grandson, you may speak with I, Jarot.¡± Jarot¡¯s lips formed a wild grin as he stared at the being, almost salivating at the mouth to fight. ¡°This does not concern you, Deathsinger.¡± ¡°Has he come for you?¡± Jarot asked, brushing the back of Adam¡¯s head. ¡°My friend, what are you doing so far south?¡± Crowseer asked, his innocent smile beaming through the veil. ¡°You should be keeping watch at the Northern-,¡± ¡°Why have you come?¡± Third Guardian Star asked. Crowseer continued to smile, tipping his hat once more, Maurice pulling back to not appear as though she were bowing. He opened his lips to speak in a language long dead, and thankfully for him, no one here could understand. ¡°He is...¡± Crowseer tightened his grip upon his cane, placing a hand in front of his eyes, which peeked through the cracks in his fingers. ¡°My prey.¡± Suddenly the pressure lifted off the half elf, his lungs screaming as the breath rushed in so much easier, his heart thundering even up to his ears. ¡®God damn!¡¯ The figure remained silent for a long while. Crowseer, the weakest of all Thirteen Stars, was daring to fight against him, the third strongest? The flash of heat rushed through his body for only an instant, though the rage cooled away, disappearing from existence like those forgotten to time. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we could come to an agree-,¡± Crowseer began, only to be cut off as the figure pointed towards the sky. Crowseer slammed his cane onto the ground as magic pulsed through the air, rippling out towards Adam and the others in the blink of an eye. Yet, even in the blink of an eye, light could travel around the world. Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 10 (9) Health: 112 -> 68 Tiny, almost needle thin, beams of light fell down from the heavens like the rain of retribution. They fell through the air, even slamming through Adam¡¯s heavy armour with their sheer force. Though the pain filled through his shoulders, it was the sounds from behind which drew Adam¡¯s attention. Adam was nearly a Master. Jurot, Lucy, Mara, they too were nearly Masters. Mork and Tork were Experts at least, and so were the other Iyrmen, some reaching as high as Grandmaster. They were tough, extremely tough, and even if they weren¡¯t able to defend themselves against the beams of light, they could take a blow, or two, perhaps even three. A symphony of thuds echoed through the area. The Chief¡¯s body fell onto the earth, joined by many other villagers, none of whom could have survived the rain of light. A silence fell upon the land. It was broken by villagers dropping to their knees, the retching, and then the screaming. The screams of the villagers who lost their families, of brothers who lost their sisters, of mothers who lost their children. Health: 68 -> 67 Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 31 (31) 31 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 22 -> 19 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 29 (29) 29 damage! ¡°You goddamn son of a bitch!¡± Adam shouted, feeling the burning within his eyes, the half elf clutching his die so hard, it cut into his hand. The heat flooded through his body as he pushed through more of his magic through his veins, summoning forth his greatest technique. ¡°I¡¯ll fucking kill you!¡± A bead of red fell from the heavens, before exploding into fire, engulfing the Third Guardian Star, followed closely by another. Adam grit his teeth, his jaw cracking, barely able to see through the tears in his eyes as the shadow emerged through the flames, before the flames dissipated. The last time Adam had come across a figure like this, his Fireballs had been worthless. So why was it that, even though Adam had dealt that much damage, enough damage to make him think twice, the figure stood tall and proud, still pure white, with not even a speck of black char? Those eyes stared at him. Eyes as expansive as the night sky, with the starry pupils. Yet, all the half elf could see reflected within those eyes was disinterest. Just like his. Sorry about not posting up yesterday. I was pretty sick and spent most of my time in bed. Feeling better today, but still not 100%. [1029] – Y05.029 – Newcomers IV [1029] ¨C Y05.029 ¨C Newcomers IV ¡°May I recommend we take a moment?¡± Crowseer asked, his voice light. Adam stepped forward, only to feel the pressure against his throat as a cane pressed against him. ¡°You are no match for him,¡± Crowseer warned, his voice still light. ¡°Step aside, Crowseer.¡± ¡°What do you think you can do alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not alone, though?" Lucy¡¯s entire body filled with the heat of hatred, the rage filling even through her core, Great Destroyer almost weightless within her grip. Her mind was almost completely blank as she stepped forward, ready to burst along with the other figures who had prepared themselves to face the mountain in front of them. Jurot¡¯s body was equally as hot, holding Phantom tight in hand, while Mara held Destroyer. Even so, it was the pressure from the three older Iyrmen which pressed upon the Third Guardian Star the most, the bloodlust from them almost drowning him. However, it was the smiles on their faces which caused him to pause. ¡°Jane, Mork, Tork,¡± Adam called, his body cooling down from the rage which had almost overcome him. Tork pat the shaft of his greataxe against his palm. ¡°I don¡¯t know what one of you Thirteen Stars is, but you seem like good hunting.¡± Mork drew his blade, though held his shield up ahead of him, trying to hide behind it. ¡®One more of those and I¡¯ll die, but I¡¯ve already drunk some alcohol, and now it¡¯s time to work it off.¡¯ ¡°Step back,¡± Adam said, holding his axe in hand, feeling the emptiness within it. ¡®If only I had Wraith.¡¯ ¡°Back?¡± Tork asked. ¡°This has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°If we step back now, we¡¯ll be laughed out of the North,¡± Tork said. ¡°I¡¯m not joking, Tork. Step back, now.¡± Adam stared up at the figure in front of him, who was stood tall and proud, and so damn regal. Jane sheathed her blade, letting out a sigh of relief, glad she wasn¡¯t going to die that day. Mork hesitated, waiting to see what Tork would do. The horc ground his teeth, his face scrunching up in annoyance, but he stepped back, though held his greataxe within his hands still. ¡°Adam, you should leave too,¡± Lucy said, though she heard no response. ¡°Even together, you will not be able to harm him,¡± Crowseer informed. ¡°You do not even have Wraith.¡± ¡°Gangak,¡± Jarot called out, far too gleefully. ¡°We were attacked.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gangak replied. ¡°Otkan. We were attacked.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Lamtol...¡± Jarot bared his teeth into the most wild grin once more. ¡°We were attacked.¡± Lamtol finished strapping her shield upon her arm, and drew her blade. ¡°Yes. We had no qualms with you, great one, but we thank you for this opportunity.¡± ¡°Even together, you mortals cannot face me,¡± the Third Guardian Star stated, as though it were fact. Yet, he could sense all the magical weapons in their possession, meaning they could at the very least make him bleed, and the smiles upon their faces definitely meant they would do anything they could to make sure of it. ¡°Always so adorable, and polite. Karot¡¯s been learning to draw, and Kirot...¡± Adam thought about his daughter. ¡°She¡¯s got her own interests too? Konarot¡¯s been learning dragonchess.¡± ¡®Kirot, what do you want?¡¯ ¡°I am glad your eldest is healthy now.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°How is Virot?¡± Crowseer replied innocently. ¡°So adorable, and troublesome since she¡¯s as beautiful as her mother.¡± ¡°How is Damrot?¡± ¡°He is eating well,¡± Jurot stated, with a tone that suggested, politely, for Crowseer to shut his mouth. Crowseer cleared his throat, considering how the Iyr had let him be even after his previous indiscretions. ¡°I need a drink, how about you all?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much about these Thirteen Stars, but you aren¡¯t so bad, Crowseer,¡± Mork joked, still feeling the unassuming greatness within the figure. ¡°Were you not taught at the Temple of the Great Lady of the High Seas?¡± Crowseer asked. Mork blinked. ¡°How...¡± The day passed by awkwardly, though the villagers quickly completed their tasks. Lamtol spoke with the Chief, before Jarot appeared to threaten him. Thankfully, Gangak and Otkan had been assigned to deal with him, so his outburst hadn¡¯t lasted long. As night fell, Adam stared at the stars above. ¡®Did I really cause two civil wars? There¡¯s no way my Omens can do that, right? I mean...¡¯ Jurot could feel his brother¡¯s thoughts from beside him. He also stared at the stars, while Lucy and Mara walked around the area, keeping an eye out. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How strong do you think that guy was?¡± ¡°He could clash with Emperor Shama,¡± Jurot said, only realising the name he had spoken after the name had left his lips. ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, closing his eyes, the flames flashing through his mind again. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam¡¯s lips quivered slightly, and he closed his eyes, covering them. ¡°Do you think... it¡¯s better for me to d-,¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, tensing up. ¡°...¡± Adam sniffled. I find the stupidest things so funny. Interlude: Rage Interlude: Rage He swung his axe through the air, cutting through the form of the man in white. In his mind, he killed Starsword countless times, beginning with removing his limbs one by one, all the while his own body grew riddled with holes from the Third Guardian Star''s swordplay and magic. Jarot snarled as Otkan appeared within his sight, his axe poised to strike her. He glared at her, though as the daydream broke, his axe grew heavy within his hand and he sheathed it. The redness in his body faded, replaced by the tan of the Iyr, lined with a layer of sweat, formed through his rage and frustrations. ¡°...¡± Otkan stared at the Iyrman who continued to pant. ¡°Who gave him such rights?¡± Jarot asked, still feeling the pulsing in his forehead, and the heat which threatened to cloud his mind. ¡°Who gave him such rights? To threaten to kill my own grandson in front of me?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°A Guardian Star? Do they think they can survive this wrath of mine?¡± ¡°He can.¡± ¡°I will take his arm!¡± Jarot gripped his axe tighter, but did not unsheathe it, allowing it to calm his rage. His eyes narrowed, the skin wrinkling further as he hovered on the edge of his dance. ¡®Who can take my grandson from me? Not even the Divine can take him from me!¡¯ The darkness crept closer. The shadow of doubt tickled at his heart. When he was young, no one would dare to covet his grandchildren. Time had formed dust over his name, but it was written so massively upon history, there were many who still remembered. Except, time had also wrinkled his body, and dust had grown upon his axe. For the last decade, just how little had he drawn his blade? If he had continued to swing his axe, this wooden leg of his would have been flesh still. ¡®I... have grown old, Sarot.¡¯ No matter how much rage she could hold for Starsword, it could not surpass the rage she held for herself. ¡®I can only blame myself for being so weak,¡¯ Gangak thought. It was easy to accept she was weak. It was also easy to accept that she would have died if Starsword had killed Adam, for she could not bear to face her greatchildren if their father was killed. She prayed they were safe and sound, and prayed for them to remain in the Iyr¡¯s gentle warmth always. Unfortunately for her, her greatdaughter was currently fuming at the thought of her father. ¡®How can daddy always work and work and work?¡¯ Jirot huffed within the darkness. ¡®Always working! I always miss you so much but you always go! You make me so angry, daddy!¡¯ The greyish face of her sister appeared in front of her, Konarot crawling over to her younger sister, laying down in front of her. ¡°Okay?¡± Konarot whispered. ¡°Okay,¡± Jirot whispered back, closing her eyes for a moment as her sister kissed her forehead. Konarot reached up to brush along her sister¡¯s cheek, before she cuddled up to her, while Kirot and Karot lay above and under their twin siblings. ¡°Sleep time, now,¡± Konarot whispered, nuzzling her sister¡¯s nose gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot snuggled her head against her sister¡¯s chest. ¡®Smelly daddy! Since you are not here, I will protect mummy and kako!¡¯ Vonda remained silent, nestled within her pillows and blankets, her eyes barely able to see her children all cuddled together on the other side of the room. Her lips formed into a wide smile, thankful to The Mother for gifting her such wonderful children, and a sight which she could use to tease her husband upon his return. Expect the next chapter soon! [1030] – Y05.030 – Newcomers V [1030] ¨C Y05.030 ¨C Newcomers V ¡°If you could give my regards to Larot,¡± Crowseer said, tipping his hat, bowing his head lightly, Maurice once more pulling her head back. ¡°I will,¡± Adam replied. ¡®I can do at least that much, since you did me a solid.¡¯ ¡°Ah, and for little Jarot,¡± Crowseer said, holding out a small smooth stone, almost like a marble. ¡°I picked up this stone during my journey and I thought he would enjoy it.¡± ¡°What about for Jirot?¡± Adam asked, accepting the stone, noting how dense it felt, not too heavy, but noticeably heavier than it appeared. It was also as smooth as silk, the half elf rubbing it between his fingers. ¡°I will do my best to find something for her during my travels,¡± Crowseer promised, tipping his hat. ¡°You make it sound like we¡¯ll cross paths again...¡± Crowseer smiled from behind his veil, and Adam let out a defeated sigh, watching the back of the Idol as he left. An Idol, like Shama, and Starsword, even though he was considered far weaker. He was considered stronger than Marmak and Shaool, never mind the Mad Dog. The Idol stopped. ¡°You should be careful, Adam.¡± Crowseer glanced back over his shoulder, holding the brim of his hat once more. ¡°If it was his sister, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to save you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, thanks.¡± Adam watched as the Idol walked off to the horizon, already feeling the chill seeping into him once more. ¡°You wanted to retire here,¡± Tork said, raising his brows at his brother, sipping the water. ¡°I should have prayed before I made the decision.¡± Mork threw looks towards the rest of the figures around. He could feel the tension in the air, the awkwardness of the villagers that stared at the group suspiciously. He could see how they kept at a distance from him and his brother, as well as the others of the United Kindom, but especially Adam. Jane smiled slightly, understanding how she had been when she had first met Adam only a few months ago. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get used to it.¡¯ She continued to lie to herself, half pretending what she had seen had been all a dream. ¡®Marshal, I wish you were here.¡¯ ¡°Executive,¡± Mork eventually called. ¡°I need to complete my prayers in nature, would you accompany me?¡± ¡°Sure, Jurot and I will escort you.¡± Mork bowed his head, since Jurot¡¯s presence didn¡¯t ruin his plan. Once the group had slipped away, a few minute walk away into the forest, Mork stopped. ¡°The air around the villagers is awkward.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, having not understood that Mork wanted to speak with, but Jurot nodded. ¡°You need to be careful.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°They definitely blame you, so you should be careful.¡± Adam narrowed his eyes, throwing a look to Jurot, who nodded, before the half elf smiled, though it was an empty smile. ¡°Thank you, Mork. I¡¯ll be sure to stick with Jurot at all times.¡± Mork nodded, before dropping down to a knee, holding his amulet as he muttered a quick prayer, before standing up. ¡°Thank you for escorting me, Executives.¡± ¡°Any time.¡± ¡®What a guy. I should keep him in mind for a magical weapon sooner or later.¡¯ Jurot had also noted all the looks of the villager, sticking to Adam like lacquer on wood. As long as Jurot was nearby, the villagers wouldn¡¯t dare to take a step forward. As they returned, he noted the look his grandfather gave him, the old man gesturing, Jurot returning back a gesture, only to realise he had informed his grandfather, the Mad Dog. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, before leading the half elf to speak with Gangak, gesturing towards her. ¡°Okay,¡± Gangak replied, simply. ¡°We were discussing the matter. It would be best for you to return back to the business on the first.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, before the woman ruffled his hair to distract him from his thoughts. ¡°To survive against one of the Thirteen Stars, it is a good story,¡± Gangak said, beaming with pride down towards the young half elf. ¡°Your children will understand its glory.¡± Adam was glad that his relatives were around. The heaviness in his body and mind soothed slightly with their words. In the evening, Jarot accosted the half elf, dragging him away to eat and drink, showing him off to the villagers. They had partly heard the stories, though hadn¡¯t heard the full story of Adam¡¯s antics from the Iyrmen, who had seemingly downplayed not only their own stories, but also the stories of the half elf. Perhaps, instead, it was Jarot who was overplaying the stories, but it was Jarot, who was almost a Demon Lord to many of the travellers who passed through. ¡°What should I do?¡± Jarot asked, opening his jaw wide as he swallowed down the wine, before wiping the little splashed across his lips. ¡°My grandsons are beginning to outshine me. Should I kill another dragon or two?¡± ¡°You do not have enough limbs to sacrifice for glory,¡± Gangak said, reaching out for the wineskin, only for Jarot to pull it away. ¡°You should remain and spoil your greatchildren, who miss you.¡± Jarot grumbled quietly, surrendering the wineskin to the woman. He glanced towards the villagers, who had listened to his tale, partly out of awe, partly out of fear. ¡°We will see how many fools will try to claim the lives of my grandsons!¡± As though he were a prophet, the old man stood at the gates, eyeing up the singular figure in the distance, approaching the village from the east. Very few figures could walk around alone through the forest, even Grandmasters would be wary doing so. ¡°What¡¯s your business with the Iyr, anyway?¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for... a friend.¡± ¡°A friend? Who?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you once I have that axe, or once I work for you.¡± ¡®Who the hell is this guy?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Bael.¡± ¡°Bael?¡± Adam replied. ¡°That¡¯s a cool name.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Adam.¡± ¡°Adam?¡± Bael tilted his head slightly, closing his eyes as he tilted his head. ¡°Adam Fate.¡± ¡°Huh? Then, do you know of a Jurot.¡± ¡°I am Jurot,¡± Jurot said, narrowing his eyes once more. ¡°So you¡¯re Jurot, and you¡¯re Adam,¡± Bael said, smiling wider. ¡°You sound like you know me, and that I should know you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fight!¡± Bael stated, suddenly brimming with battle lust. ¡°If you want to keep talking, then give me a good fight, otherwise I¡¯ll be disappointed that I¡¯ve come all this way for nothing.¡± ¡®What? Did he come for me?¡¯ Adam could see the playful grin on his face, filled with excitement. ¡°Alright, but instead of this axe, I¡¯ll let you order a Greater Enhanced axe from the Enchanter. Also, no killing.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to kill you, I¡¯m just here to fight,¡± Bael said, pulling back, before stretching out his neck from side to side. ¡®He¡¯s just a kid, so I¡¯ll hold back.¡¯ Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®So he just wanted to fight me? Who the hell is this friend of his?¡¯ Bael waited for Adam to prepare himself, the half elf swinging the axe around. The axe was dark, and held a powerful enchantment, that much was for certain. ¡®Greater Enhanced? That¡¯s acceptable.¡¯ Bael also noted the crimson shield was magical too, holding a Greater enchantment upon it. ¡®Do all kids of the Iyr own so many magical weapons? Ah, no, they¡¯re too big to be kids, so they¡¯re adults, aren¡¯t they? So they¡¯re... twenty to fifty years old? No, they get wrinkles at forty or fifty, right?¡¯ While Bael tried to understand the situation he was in, Adam tried to understand the situation he was in. It was after a single thought he realised it was futile, and all he needed to do was swing his axe. ¡°Hey, Bael, you ready?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Bael held up his hand, before beckoning Adam towards him. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Unfortunately for Bael, Adam had held the axe which once belonged to Jarot. It was not just any axe, but an axe he got to use once last year. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 11 (1) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Phantom: 3 -> 2 Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 3D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 35 (3)(16)(7) 35 damage! Attack: Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 25 (15) Hit! Phantom: 2 -> 1 Mana: 24 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 3D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 29 (6)(10)(4) 29 damage! Adam concentrated as he stepped forward, and allowed his body to move as it pleased. The pair clashed, with Bael defending himself using his body, managing to stop the heavy blows with his forearms, but the divine magic flashed through him, and the magic assaulted his mind. Adam had dealt enough damage to knock out a typical Expert. but as a trickle of blood fell out of Bael¡¯s nose, the drakken grinned wider. ¡°Oh,¡± Bael said, feeling the warmth flowing down from his nostrils, his eyes wide almost as wide as his smile, full of sheer delight. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were so strong!¡± ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought as Bael wound up his clenched fist, stepping forward to lay a beat down on the half elf with the largest grin on his face. The chance of one of these three figures appearing was tiny. The chances all three appeared so quickly, is ridiculous. The amount of hype I''ve held because I rolled these encounters could not be contained, but unfortunately, it''ll pay off in about 1000 chapters. [1031] – Y05.031 – Newcomers VI [1031] ¨C Y05.031 ¨C Newcomers VI ¡®He is holding back,¡¯ Jarot thought, watching the fight intently, wondering if he was also that embarrassing when he was young. He decided against looking at either Gangak and Otkan, who would probably tease him about it. He was fairly certain Bael was one of those. However, he didn¡¯t step forward because Bael didn¡¯t seem to want to kill Adam, just fight. For now. Also, because his grandson hadn¡¯t done that yet. Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 26 (16) Hit! Phantom: 1 -> 0 Mana: 23 -> 22 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 3D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 33 (7)(8)(9) 33 damage! Attack: Phantom (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical Hit! Mana: 22 -> 21 Phantom: 0 -> 1 Phantom: 1 -> 0 Mana: 21 -> 20 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 6D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 66 (16)(25)(16) 66 damage! As Bael wound up his fist, ready to punch that puthral armour, Adam flexed his muscles, forcing himself forward, as Phantom flashed white hot and dark with its innate strength. Even though he was desperate to win, the half elf held back, taking Crowseer¡¯s warning to heart. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have-,¡± Bael said, feeling the magic pour into his body, through his flesh and bones, piercing into his mind. He punched Adam with terrifying force, but as he stepped forward, he missed Adam¡¯s head, the half elf noting a crackle tickling his ear, before the stranger slammed against him, finally slumping within his arms. Victory! XP Gained: +500 XP: 25 000 -> 25 500 ¡®Phew,¡¯ Adam thought as he held Bael, the fellow heavier than he expected. ¡®Hey, Bell, you should have shared the XP with everyone.¡¯ [I did.] ¡®Nice!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Oh. So this guy is really strong? I¡¯m glad I went first then.¡¯ Lay on Hands: 35 -> 34 Adam¡¯s magic gently healed the young man, who jolted awake, ready to fight. His body remained frozen, and since no one had come to attack him, he relaxed. ¡°The old man was right, I shouldn¡¯t let down my guard.¡± ¡°Are you making excuses already?¡± ¡°Me, the great Bael, make excuses?¡± Bael chuckled, hopping onto his feet. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me keeping my word.¡± ¡°I got the raw end of the deal, but I guess an extra hand to clean up the toilets, or to fetch the dirty laundry, is still useful,¡± Adam joked. He was pretty sure he heard a snap right beside his ear, which could have come from only a particularly vicious punch, or magic that was ready to burst, but had no chance to thanks to him knocking Bael out too quickly. ¡°I heard your abilities were strange, but I didn¡¯t understand how. Now I know.¡± Bael eyed up the others nearby, from the Iyrmen to the villagers. ¡°Hey, where are those drinks I ordered?¡± ¡°Drinking on the job?¡± Adam teased. ¡°I already paid for them.¡± ¡°So, how do you know about me?¡± Bael glanced around, his eyes crossing the figures around, before his eyes fell to the sky. ¡°Just this person and that person.¡± ¡°I thought you¡¯d tell me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too weak for me to tell you right now.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I beat you up?¡± ¡°In this land, I¡¯m strong, but in other lands, there are those who could kill me with a sneeze.¡± ¡®Who is this guy?¡¯ Adam frowned, unsure of whether he accepted a gift or a poison. Once the drinks arrived, Bael offered to pour some for those around him. ¡°Since I¡¯m working, I can¡¯t drink too much.¡± Mork accepted a drink from the fellow, still eyeing him up suspiciously. He sipped the drink slowly. ¡°Are you from the Far East?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from far away,¡± Bael replied, sipping more of his drink. ¡°I travelled westward for a short while and arrived here.¡± ¡°Are you trying to sound suspicious?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Everyone has their secrets.¡± Bael smirked slightly, sipping the grain wine slowly. ¡°I¡¯m just a fellow making my way across the lands, looking for good fights.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what my hero did.¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not heroic to say their name.¡± ¡°You should pay your dues.¡± ¡°The old man used to tell me stories about the Iyr.¡± ¡°The old man?¡± ¡°My great grandfather.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? What did he say?¡± ¡°He spoke of it highly, and told me that even he couldn¡¯t cause trouble there.¡± ¡°Is your great grandfather a big shot?¡± ¡°A big what?¡± ¡°Sorry, I mean, is he important?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯s my great grandfather,¡± Bael said, smiling warmly, closing his eyes as he thought of his memories with his great grandfather. ¡°Unlike my father, who lucked his way into great fortune, my great grandfather earned his title.¡± ¡®This guy is definitely some kind of noble drakken, or half dragon, or dragon?¡¯ Adam thought, reaching up to rub his forehead. ¡®At least he¡¯s not stupid, and he respects the Iyr, unless it¡¯s some kind of act? I can¡¯t really read him.¡¯ Due to Bael¡¯s appearance, Gangak decided to escort the group back to the Iyr, taking the carriages, with Jurot and Adam sitting opposite Gangak and Bael. ¡®So this is the business?¡¯ Bael thought, his eyes falling across the walls. ¡®Is this meant to be an impressive fortress?¡¯ Adam inhaled deeply, still trying to figure out what he was going to tell his wife. He reached up to rub his pulsing forehead, before glancing to the side. ¡°Hey, Nobby.¡± ¡°Executive Adam.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the Mister Boss title?¡± ¡°I have to show respect,¡± Nobby replied simply, while Merl rubbed his arm gently. ¡®How dare you flirt in front of me!¡¯ Adam thought, inhaling deeply. As the fort entered his sight and mind, he turned his back towards it. ¡°Where¡¯s Merry?¡± Merry sat up, sucking his hand, and when he noticed his mother, the boy smiled. He stopped smiling when Adam appeared, and as the half elf reached down for the boy, he paused. ¡®Hold on. Is this weird?¡¯ ¡°He is growing well,¡± Jurot said, seeing how big the boy had become. ¡°Yeah. I was a little worried, since he was born a little early, but I¡¯m glad to see he¡¯s alright,¡± Adam stated. ¡°If, uh, he needs anything, let me know.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Merl assured, while Adam stood there awkwardly, though she noted how Adam lost himself to his thoughts for a moment. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Merry. I¡¯ll make sure you grow up healthy and well, alright? I¡¯ll make sure your old man becomes a Paragon too.¡¯ The business¡¯ gates opened to welcome the carriages, and then... ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought, stepping out of the carriage, glancing around. ¡°...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Bael asked. ¡°The world is so grey,¡± Adam replied back, before he reached out to shake Dunes¡¯ forearm. ¡°Welcome back, Executive,¡± Dunes said, noting the appearance of the stranger. ¡°Yeah. Where¡¯s...¡± ¡°I asked them to return back to the Iyr due to your warning,¡± Dunes said, holding onto Adam¡¯s forearm, while his eyes took in the sight of the stranger. ¡°Just in case.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Adam smiled slightly, bowing his head, before leading Bael forward, introducing him to the rest of the business. ¡°This is Bael. He has decided to join us up until the next noonval. He will be tasked with general guard duty, and not much else.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Bael called, waving his hand towards the rest of the business, who eyed up the drakken fellow for a moment. Adam threw a look to Bilal, motioning his head to Bael. Bilal bowed his head, before returning to wiping Mustafa¡¯s face, who drank more milk, causing Bilal to wipe his face again. ¡°Your daughter is so sensible,¡± Dunes said, pouring Adam a cup of milk. ¡°Of course, since she¡¯s my eldest.¡± ¡°I was speaking of Jirot.¡± ¡°Jirot?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow to the Aswadian, who smiled politely. ¡°She would not return unless it was with her mother and aunt.¡± If you''ve read my story from the beginning, do you recognise Bael? [1032] – Y05.032 – Their Responsibilities [1032] ¨C Y05.032 ¨C Their Responsibilities It was a few days previous when Jirot had revealed her sensibilities as the Little Boss. ¡°Mummy, we must go now,¡± Jirot said from within the carriage. She held out her hand to assist her mother into the carriage. ¡°I must stay.¡± ¡°Stay?¡± Jirot replied, raising her brow. ¡°Mummy, you cannot stay. It is time to go to Front Iyr now.¡± ¡°I must stay to work.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jirot said, beginning to climb down from the carriage. ¡°Jirot, you must go to the Front Iyr,¡± Sonarot said, causing the girl to glance back to her grandmother. ¡°Nana, I must protect mummy,¡± the girl replied, still climbing down until she was beside her mother. Sonarot¡¯s face turned taut as she tried not to smile. ¡°You must protect mummy?¡± ¡°Mummy is pregnant, so I must look after her.¡± Jirot then glanced around. ¡°Where is kako?¡± ¡°Kako is going too,¡± Sonarot assured. ¡°Good! I must look after mummy and kako! Kako is comfortable?¡± ¡°Kako is comfortable,¡± Sonarot replied, only to realise which aunt Jirot was talking about. She tilted her head slightly, before looking down at the girl, who stood so defiant, reaching up to hold her mother¡¯s pinky finger. Dunes watched from the side. He had encouraged Vonda to send the children back with Sonarot and Lanarot, except the Ray would stay here with Virot, and Pam would stay with Damrot. That way the business would understand it was only because they needed to send the children most in danger, but made sure some remained to not decrease morale, or cause a panic. Except, Jirot would not leave without her mother or aunt. Eventually, Sonarot gave in, staying with Lanarot, while allowing Vonda, Pam, and all their children to return back to the Iyr. Upon hearing the tale, Adam resisted the urge to burst out into laughter. ¡°Of course, since my daughter is the most sensible.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me Jirot caused you the most trouble?¡± Bael asked, having listened intently to the tale. ¡°What are you talking about? Jirot? Troubling me? She only troubles me because she¡¯s so cute!¡± Adam sat, brimming with pride. ¡®How can I worry about my children when Konarot and Jirot are so sensible?¡¯ ¡°Where is Lanarot?¡± ¡°She has returned to the Front Iyr,¡± Sonarot informed, having only realised her mistake the day after. ¡°It is best she is raised with her nieces and nephews.¡± Jurot stared down at his drink, unsure of how he felt with all this politicking. He sipped the water, before returning to his bread and jam. He had returned, excited to reveal the trikro he had assisting in slaying, but Damrot was gone. His nieces and nephews, gone. Even his sister, who would smile so gleefully at his stories, gone. Lucy could hear the words within her mind, the sweet joy of the little girl who loved to tease her, welcoming her back, eager to listen to her tales. ¡®Jirot.¡¯ She sighed, mixing her porridge together. The girl, too, loved her porridge, not as much as her potatoes, but she wouldn¡¯t refuse a spoonful of porridge from the demon, nor her brother. ¡°I should take my walk before it rains,¡± Bael said, hoisting himself up, rolling his shoulders before he sauntered off. As the others spied him, Bael stepped up onto the wall, and before the Iyrman called out to him, he hopped off the wall and casually walked out of the business. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kamrot asked, his hands clasped behind his back. ¡°I heard so much about the Iyr,¡± Bael admitted, his eyes scanning across the woods, then along the distant hills. ¡°I just wanted to look at it properly.¡± Kamrot allowed Bael to reminisce as he stared at the lands of the Iyr, taking them in as strangers often did. ¡®Don¡¯t cause a mess in the Iyr!¡¯ Bael recalled the words as if they had been said a moment ago. He could feel it within his heart, the urge to cause just a little trouble. Then he glanced aside, noting all the figures focused upon him, many of whom remained unseen. The next day, Bael understood part of the Iyr¡¯s ridiculousness. The valley before the gates of the Front Iyr caused him to raise his brows in surprise. He hadn¡¯t seen such a thing in the mortal lands. He stared up at the sky, eyes glancing about for a moment as he imagined a flying army, though recalled the Iyr¡¯s sky defences. ¡®The Front Iyr, was it?¡¯ ¡°Hoh!¡± Jirot gasped upon seeing the returning group, her eyes darting to her mother for a moment, her mind processing what she was seeing, before she charged her father. She stopped, her eyes darting to the other figure, adorned in full plate. ¡°Oh! Nano! Nano!¡± ¡°Nano!¡± Little Jarot squealed, rushing up to Gangak. Gangak scooped the pair into her arms, their squeals like music to her ears, soothing her aching heart. She planted firm kissed upon their foreheads, feeling the warmth of their skin against her own, the woman clutching at them greedily. ¡®Oh, how I¡¯ve missed you, my greatchildren.¡¯ Konarot narrowed her eyes at Bael, smelling a familiar scent on the man. She hid behind her mother, her siblings behind her. Larot completely ignored the returning group, while Lanarot rushed up from the side to tackle her brother, leaving her uncle behind. Bael sniffed the air lightly, noting the vaguely familiar scent on the children, before his eyes fell down to the green skinned children with their adoring amber eyes. ¡°Goblins?¡± ¡°My children,¡± Adam replied, reaching out to brush his children¡¯s hair tenderly, but leaving them with their nano, before going to greet his wife. Adam held her hands for a moment, squeezing them gently, before he smiled, though the smile said more than anything he could say. He dropped down beside his wife, allowing Konarot to climb onto his lap, the girl cuddling his chest. ¡°Nano, I miss you so much!¡± Jirot said, nuzzling into her greataunt¡¯s neck. ¡°When you are gone, my heart is so cold.¡± ¡°Some people have called me strong,¡± Bael replied. ¡°I¡¯ve defeated my share of great warriors.¡± ¡°I always share too.¡± Bael smiled wider. ¡°How well behaved.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied, smirking even wider before sitting up taller. ¡°I¡¯m strong too, aren¡¯t I, dear?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Daddy is so strong!¡± Jirot held up a thumbs up for her father. ¡°First place. Uncle is so strong too! Uncle is first place two times!¡± The girl held up a pair of her fingers. ¡°Two times! Uncle Jurot does not share first place, he keeps it all for himself, smelly papo!¡± She cackled with delight, hugging her nano tight to hide. ¡°Daddy even beat Bael,¡± Adam said, mirroring his daughter¡¯s smirk. Jirot¡¯s eyes fell onto Bael, judging the man within her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m stronger than you at least,¡± Bael said. ¡°No!¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°I am strong!¡± Jirot flexed her muscles. ¡°I am Demon Lord!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Demon Lord?¡± Bael asked, tilting his head slightly. ¡®Do children behave like this here too?¡¯ ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Then you must be very strong,¡± Bael said, gasping lightly. ¡°I am so strong! I protect mummy and I protect daddy!¡± ¡°What about your brothers and sisters?¡± Adam asked, eating all this dessert for his heart. ¡°I protect Jarot and Larot and Virot.¡± ¡°What about Konarot?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Adam asked, wondering if her answer was the same as his thoughts. ¡°Kaka protect me because I am little sister,¡± Jirot said, as though it were obvious, and for once, it was. ¡°If you¡¯re the Demon Lord, then I want to fight you too,¡± Bael said. ¡°I want to fight all the strongest people.¡± ¡°I am too strong, so we cannot fight,¡± Jirot said, letting out a small sigh. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear.¡± ¡°I see. If you¡¯re too strong, it can¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°How I can help it?¡± Jirot shrugged her shoulders, letting out another small sigh. ¡°I am just too cute.¡± ¡®When did she become aware of how scary she is?¡¯ Adam thought, crossing his arms in order to stop himself from acting cringe. Though Jirot had softened the mood, the awkwardness stained the air, like laundry that needed to be washed sooner rather than later. As the purple hue of the sky welcomed them, Adam and Vonda walked around the perimeter of the Front Iyr, before slipping into another building. Vonda listened intently to her husband¡¯s words, holding her hands within his own. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vonda,¡± Adam whispered, bringing the backs of her hands to his forehead. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have played with Fate so much.¡± ¡°How could you have expected one of the Thirteen Stars to hunt you?¡± Vonda asked, doing her best to keep her heart calm. ¡°I should have known better. I mean, as far as I know, he¡¯s probably really close to the Lord of Order, and...¡± Adam inhaled deeply, rubbing her knuckles against his forehead, before he kissed the back of her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, though. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°I knew when I married you that I would worry at least this much.¡± Vonda¡¯s gentle smile radiated towards the half elf. She could see how he was still stressed, but he tried to push it away to not worry her. She held his hands, allowing him his silence. The Front Iyr remained both busy and yet so calm, with a particular Iyrman meeting with the Front Iyr Elder. The Front Iyr Elder listened to the Iyrman¡¯s words intently, taking them seriously. He wondered how Bael could seem familiar to the young Iyrman, before a thought popped into his mind. He wrote onto a piece of paper, and planned the way to confirm the matter. Lykan was pretty sure Bael was one of them. I''m beginning to think Bael is one of them. Jirot is growing up too quickly! How can she do this to us? [1033] – Y05.033 – Husbands, Fathers [1033] ¨C Y05.033 ¨C Husbands, Fathers Adam began to work, having almost forgotten that he had taken on a set of new orders from the previous year. Lykan sent Bael back to the business, with some minor trouble. ¡°You lost the bet and now you want to hang out in the Front Iyr?¡± Adam asked, judging him with his eyes. ¡°Do you see this, Jirot? You and I are working so hard, but this guy, we beat him up, and now he doesn¡¯t want to work?¡± Jirot tutted at him, causing him to retreat back to the business, with Lucy, Mara, and even Jurot. ¡°Working?¡± Jirot accused the half elf, with her brows pointing upwards. ¡°I will take a day off on the seventh, like always,¡± Adam assured, planting a kiss on her forehead, before going to enchant. Jirot pouted, but allowed her father to go, since he allowed her to read to him every night. They even played Warriors and Wanderers, with the children rolling their little wooden dice their uncle had crafted for them. The days passed like this, with Adam trying to understand his place in the world. He kept his stress to himself as he enchanted. ¡®He¡¯s probably not going to stick around to kill me, right? What am I thinking, he didn¡¯t come all this way just to not kill me. Still, he seems to have some work up north? Does that mean we¡¯ll get to meet him again? Should I try and talk to him, tell him I won¡¯t mess around any more?¡¯ The waters around Adam were turbulent once more, but the half elf exhaled out his worries. ¡®At least the baby should be born fine.¡¯ Adam met the girl¡¯s eyes. She was so small still, and her hazel eyes and dark hair matching her mother¡¯s. Adam tickled her nose, causing her to squeal. ¡°You smelly girl, you worried so much back then, and now you¡¯re acting all cute?¡± ¡°Daddy, it is time for reading,¡± Jirot said, holding her book against her chest, waiting for her father to follow her. ¡°Of course, my dear.¡± Adam carried Virot to the side where all the other children had gathered, most of whom Adam didn¡¯t recognise. Damrot lay within a basket to one side, where a teen Iyrman from another family watched over the boy. Adam sat beside the Iyrman, who slowly nodded her head, the half elf returning the nod. ¡°She reads so well,¡± Okvar said, dropping down beside Adam. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, flashing a small smile to the Iyrman, whose head had been shaved bald, his thick beard covering his tusks. ¡°She does.¡± Okvar listened the girl as she read so confidently, her brother sitting beside her, sometimes reading out portions himself, though the boy often glanced towards his father and Okvar. Okvar smiled at the boy, who had been so small when he was first born, he had fit within the Iyrman¡¯s hand. He recalled the feeling of the boy¡¯s skin against his chest, those weak breaths against his chest. Once they were done reading and listening, the children scattered back home. Okvar picked up Damrot¡¯s basket, dismissing the teen with a smile, before escorting Adam and his children back home. He remained silent on the walk home, placing the basket to one side, next to the boy¡¯s mother, who smiled and thanked him. Okvar bowed his head simply in return before he stepped away, still half in thought about what to say. ¡°Adam?¡± Okvar called out. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam nodded his head. Okvar bowed his head in return and walked off. Adam had already gone through a similar experience before, but this time it was different. This time, Adam had a family to worry about, and unlike Okvar, he was no Iyrman. He thought of the twins, who were so full of life. ¡®You have both grown so well.¡¯ ¡°You met with him?¡± Rasam asked once she completed her rounds. Okvar eyed up the woman, who had gained some weight since their last outing together, though most of it fuelled the objects she lifted every morning. ¡°I did.¡± ¡®Should I go too?¡¯ Rasam thought, before dismissing the thought. ¡®He will need time alone.¡¯ Once Adam was done enchanting his weapon, he began work on enchanting the shields. ¡®I still need to enchant my weapon, but I should focus on paying my debts first.¡¯ However, once he finished enchanting the shields, he took the next week off for the festival. The Front Iyr was full of life, the music in the distance providing a gentle atmosphere, while Adam walked around with his children. Konarot glared at the basket from afar. She held the little pouch full of beans, those which would later be used for fertiliser for the land. She tossed it towards the inner basket, though missed, instead managing to land the pouch in a slightly larger basket outside. She stood tall, her tail swaying from side to side. ¡°Haha!¡± the old one armed Iyrman shouted. ¡°My greatdaughter is so good at throwing!¡± Konarot smiled shyly towards her babo, who had returned from his work. Her tailed swayed slightly once more as he continued to praise her, and the rest of the children, even Karot who had missed the basket, and Larot, who didn¡¯t even bother to participate. The old one armed Iyrman then fed his greatchildren, feeding them the pizza their father had introduced into the Iyr. ¡°Jirot, Jarot,¡± Gangak called, feeding the pair from her fingers, each taking a bite of the bread. Otkan sat silently beside them, watching over Larot and Virot, allowing Adam and Vonda to sit to one side. ¡°It¡¯s not as... scary.¡± ¡°Is the Iyr scary to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It should not be scary to you, but the world.¡± ¡°I come from the world which finds the Iyr scary.¡± ¡°You are now a part of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can be.¡± ¡°You are,¡± Jurot replied, as though that was the end of the matter. Even now, if the Great Elders wished to do anything to Pam, they would need to go through him and the rest of the Rot family. Pam smiled, squeezing his hand again, before bringing it up to her cheek. She watched as her husband¡¯s ears turned red and she smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve gained a little weight.¡± ¡°I will train more.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jurot glanced aside, having lost to his wife so easily. ¡°Is it still dangerous for your brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you be staying here all year?¡± ¡°No. We will be leaving soon.¡± ¡°Where will you go?¡± ¡°North.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that where... Starsword?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will it be dangerous.¡± ¡°It is always dangerous.¡± Pam sighed, before intertwining their fingers together. ¡°I will pray for your safety, and your brother¡¯s.¡± ¡°I will bring him back safely,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Then I will pray you grow stronger.¡± Pam rested her head against his shoulder. Jurot didn¡¯t want to tell her that her prayers would send greater foes to him to make him stronger, only increasing the chance for their death. ¡°Okay.¡± When did our Jurot become so shy? How cute. [1034] – Y05.034 – The Festivities Continue [1034] ¨C Y05.034 ¨C The Festivities Continue ¡°Kekekekeke!¡± Jirot cackled. ¡°Uncle Jurot, you are so silly!¡± ¡°I am?¡± ¡°How you can lose when you are so strong?¡± Jurot remained silent, picking up the pouch. ¡°It is because you are stronger.¡± ¡°Damrot, do you see how strong your cousin is?¡± The old Jarot reaching down to brush along the boy¡¯s cheek. ¡°It is no dishonour to lose against her.¡± The boy squirmed slightly, before letting out a whimper, until his mother lifted him up, bringing him to her bosom. Jarot almost spoke up against the young woman, but quickly shut his lips, since she was an Aldishwoman. The awkwardness remained for a moment, until an older Iyrman called out to Jarot to greet him and his family. Jarot grinned wide, eager to show off his grandson and his greatchildren. ¡°Jirot, do you want to play with me too?¡± Lucy asked, while the girl glanced up her way. ¡°I am too tired now.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Lucy sat down beside the girl, letting out a small sigh. ¡®I¡¯ve been so busy but since it¡¯s your grandfather...¡¯ ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°You are working hard?¡± Jirot asked, holding up a potato she had bit into. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Good work,¡± Jirot said, holding up the potato. ¡°You must eat so you can work hard.¡± Lucy smiled, leaning down to take a bite, before the girl then took a bite. Little Jarot opened his mouth for another bite, and the girl brought it to his lips once more. Mara sat opposite, waiting for her turn, which only came once Lucy called the woman to Jirot¡¯s attention. ¡°You are working hard too?¡± Jirot asked, offering the potato to the Demon Maid. ¡°I try to work my hardest,¡± Mara replied. ¡°Do or do not, there is no try,¡± Jirot said, quoting her father. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Is okay. I think trying is good,¡± Jirot whispered, reaching out to pat the woman¡¯s knee gently. ¡°If I try, will I be as strong as you?¡± Mara joked. Jirot smiled, in the way that an older man might patronise a younger man who dreamt too high, patting the woman¡¯s knee once more. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear. You can try.¡± Mara reached up to poke the girl¡¯s nose, causing the girl to squirm away, before she retreated away to Lucy. Mara was still unsure of how much to play into the girl¡¯s joke, especially considering there was a high chance that Adam would allow her to become a Demon Lord. Perhaps not in essence, but the title itself could certainly be gifted to the girl. Adam wondered what happened to their children. He had wanted his children to grow up with them, but the Iyr had been using the wolves for their own purposes. Since Sonarot allowed it, the half elf didn''t bother to speak up against the Iyr. "I have my own wolf too!" Lanarot declared, grabbing onto the hem of her brother''s shirt. "Her name is Sun!" "You have a wolf?" "She is so small, but she is my puppy. She is so cute, papa, I will show you her later, when she is big, because she is too small, so we cannot trouble the puppy, and the puppy is so cute, she is my puppy!" Lanarot smiled wide, having only just learned about the puppy that afternoon. ¡®Is the Iyr fixing all my issues one by one? How dare you take away my joys from me. I suppose I¡¯ll have to forgive you since you¡¯re so scary.¡¯ Adam picked up his sister and kissed her cheek, holding her head to his neck as they embraced, before letting her go to play. Konarot rushed up to her father, climbing onto his lap, before cuddling up to his chest. Her tail swayed slightly beside him, while Kirot and Karot each lay down around their mother and father. ¡°Did you all eat too much?¡± Adam asked, though upon his daughter¡¯s innocent smile, he decided against saying anything more. ¡®Should I send word back to the business? I should probably check to see if Bael¡¯s causing a mess, though Bilal, granduncle, and Jonn should be able to deal with him together.¡¯ The gentle music rumbled through the Iyr, while a pair of figures watched on from a distance. The beardless dwarf drank away at the casks of ale, feeling the sting of the sourness of the wine the Bearded Dragon had brewed. Beside her, the drakken woman, with her large horns like scimitars and her blue scales, sipped away at her drinks lightly. ¡°I will miss the Iyr¡¯s drinks when I go,¡± Lord Stokmar admitted, before drinking down another cask. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since you¡¯ve spent time in the Iyr,¡± Umbra said, staring out at the Front Iyr from the top of the peak. ¡°I¡¯ve already spent too long in the Iyr.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been a few years.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind staying for a decade, but a decade for the mortals is a generation.¡± ¡°Two to three decades is closer to a generation for them,¡± Umbra said, thinking back to her adorable little mortals who she could no longer see. She hoped the weapons and armours she had crafted for them would be enough to keep them safe. Lord Stokmar eyed up the young woman, who was only a few thousand years old, even with the years she had felt in the other world. ¡°If you feel beset by the Dragon Fever, you may call for me and I will kill you painlessly.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Umbra replied, smiling slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± ¡°I know, but I will trust my aunt with the task.¡± Lord Stokmar let out a small huff. ¡°How sentimental.¡± ¡°I should walk before it rains.¡± Umbra stood, stretching out her body, before she hopped off the wall. She casually walked along the lands of the Front Iyr, daring to act up when even the Lord of Earth could not. She could still feel the gaze upon her skin, the unseen Iyrmen who even she could barely sense. ¡®You downplayed their insanity, father.¡¯ When you remember all the sleeping giants in the Iyr have nothing to do... Interlude: Business and Festivities Interlude: Business and Festivities The Manager double checked the ledgers, noting the silver and gold which flowed through the business. Though the United Kindom had greater reserves than what he wrote down, he was still calculating it based off of a conservative estimate for the reserves, and a liberal estimate of the expenses. It was this week, however, which required an even greater amount of coin to spend. ''How is it that I teased Adam about working so much and now I''m working all through the festival?'' Dunes smiled to himself, leaning back in his chair as he closed his eyes, thinking of his family within the Iyr. ¡®Are you causing trouble by crawling? Since you¡¯re your mother¡¯s daughter?¡¯ Dunes felt his body tense up as he thought of how the cringe had slipped into his thoughts so easily. He let out a long, aching sigh, hearing the gentle, muffled, thrum of music outside the estate. It wasn¡¯t that far, near the camp fire, where the businessfolk gathered. There were few Iyrmen who were celebrating that day, roughly one third of the Iyrmen who had arrived, while the last two thirds remained on watch. The candle burned lightly, some of the many items procured by the various Executives on their journeys, all accounted for within his book. The candle gently flickered in the silence of the room, the dim light providing a dim warmth upon the Aswadian¡¯s skin. Though the festivities continued, Dunes remained within his estate, his thoughts keeping him company. A knock at the door broke his attention. ¡°Who is it?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°Jonn,¡± the half elf replied. ¡°Come in, Lead.¡± Jonn opened the door, the gentle light flickering off his breastplate, and he stepped within the estate of the Manager. He wore his trusty blade upon his back, while another blade dangled at his side. He approached the Manager, and placed down a small clay pot of grain wine, as well as a pair of cups. ¡°As the highest ranking member on duty, I cannot.¡± ¡°Lead Fred is on duty today,¡± Jonn stated simply. ¡°I am to lead, for the example.¡± ¡°I will inform Executive Adam.¡± Dunes let out a defeated sigh, before untying the string around the skin, removing it and the lid of the pot, before pouring the pair the alcohol. Thankfully, it had been watered down, and the cups Jonn had brought were small, so even if the pair drank a few cups, they would still keep their wits about them. Dunes eyed up the half elf in his breastplate, then his eyes fell to the weapon upon the Lead¡¯s back. It was a Greater Enhanced weapon like his own, and from what he recalled, it was quite powerful. It held the ability to strike true easier, something quite invaluable for a figure like Jonn, but it was the other enchantment which truly defined the weapon. ¡°I met Adam five years ago,¡± Dunes said, pouring the pair more grain wine. ¡°Then, we met a short while later. You have known Adam and I for the same time.¡± ¡°...¡± Dunes held Jonn¡¯s gaze, the Priest thinking upon his words. ¡°If there was one half elf within this group I should find myself a friend to, it should have been you. You and I, we both joined our Orders in a similar manner. You are Aldish, Florian, you do not know the warmth that is Aswadian loyalty, and so we met.¡± ¡°From a certain point of view.¡± ¡°We both hold a similar position within the business, and within Adam¡¯s circle of companions. I, a Manager, and you a Lead. I, a friend, and you, his most loyal aide.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Your position is a noble one, for I have sworn myself to Lady Arya, but is it so different?¡± ¡°From a certain point of view,¡± Jonn repeated. ¡°Our armours, well made. Our weapons, Greater Enhanced, both with great abilities to strike true. Both, foreign in the eyes of the Aldish. We have lived a life so similar, and yet so different.¡± Jonn fell into thought for a moment, feeling the alcohol slip into him. He lived his days only one at a time, with little thought for the future. He needed to complete his tasks, that¡¯s why he woke up every morning. He thought of the past rarely, keeping himself too busy. ¡°I am grateful for this life of mine, but what of you, Lead Jonn?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Dunes smiled slightly, nodding his head. He raised his cup, bowing his head lightly, before sipping his wine. He swallowed it, feeling the warmth of the alcohol within him. ¡°When will you marry?¡± ¡°...¡± The businessfolk enjoyed their grain wine, the children enjoying their porridges full of milk, their platters of fruit, and the wrestling of the guards and Iyrmen, as well as the Iyrmen¡¯s tales. Today was Nirot¡¯s turn, and the businessfolk remained eager to listen. Most had only heard the tale, while Rick and the other farmer guards, and the porter guards, each had lived to see the tale. Even now, they could recall the ground shaking from the giant pythons. They recalled the Iyrmen, so unafraid of death. It was said that Rick and the others were about as strong as the Silver Fate Squad, but they didn¡¯t believe it one bit. There was a vast difference between themselves and the Iyrmen, and that was that Rick wanted to live to see tomorrow, while the Iyrmen wanted to kill as many as they could before they fell. Rick¡¯s eyes fell upon Nirot, a young woman much younger than himself. By all accounts, the young woman should be dead. She fought a giant python, completely by herself. Yes, her companions had fought pythons near, pythons who could easily swallow any of them whole, but the woman had fought the giant python completely by herself, the other Iyrmen hadn¡¯t so much as glared at the python. The young woman had fought for so long, and her weapons had almost given up before her body, which still carried the marks of facing the python. Nirot pointed to the marks of her body to prove her tale, the scar against her thigh, the venom against her shoulder, and some of the businessfolk still couldn¡¯t believe. ¡°Why-,¡± Fred asked, before quickly tensing up, ¡°did you, I mean, why are you here at the business? I don¡¯t mean no disrespect, I just meant, you¡¯re so strong, but you¡¯re here at the business, instead of making a name for yourself, or at the Iyr, enjoying your retirement.¡± Kamrot stared out at the lands, realising Fred had let down his guard, and had awkwardly tried to save himself. ¡°Do you know why I do not cut my hair?¡± ¡°No,¡± Fred replied, glad he had changed the topic of conversation. ¡°When I was younger, a man, my hair fell to my shoulders. My wife, she liked my hair long, so I keep my hair long. My wife, she was stronger than me, but she said she wanted me to keep healthy, to keep my axe sharp. Sometimes I will go out to wet my axe, for the Iyr, for my wife.¡± Fred slowly nodded, finding the air awkward, since the old man was still grieving over his wife¡¯s death. Fred was fairly certain she had been considered a Grandmaster, though wasn¡¯t sure if he was imagining it. After all, to have multiple Grandmasters in a family was scary, though if it was the Rot family, he supposed that it could be true. Except, he was pretty sure the Mad Dog¡¯s younger brother had been one too, and he was certain Adam had talked about Mad Dog¡¯s youngest brother, who had apparently gone to train to become a Grandmaster too. ¡®The Iyr is so scary!¡¯ ¡°You have a nice blade at your side,¡± Kamrot said. ¡°Why do you draw it.¡± ¡°I draw it for the business.¡± ¡°Is it your home?¡± Kamrot asked. Fred frowned, staring out at the dark lands beyond. ¡®Home?¡¯ ¡°Fifteen years,¡± Kamrot said. Fred closed his eyes, tensing up slightly. ¡°Fifteen years you lost your home, and I lost my son,¡± Kamrot said. ¡°In the Massacre?¡± ¡°My son was one of the three hundred.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It was difficult to lose my wife, but a child? My heart still aches this day, but I know he died a good death, because I see you standing here, before me, standing tall and proud.¡± Fred glanced aside, his eyes wide, unsure of how to take the old man¡¯s sentiments. He had no idea that the King had sent Kamrot¡¯s son to death. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kamrot smiled slightly, allowing the young man his awkwardness. ¡°The Order of the Thousand Hunts is blooming brightly this generation. You must be glad.¡± ¡°I am...¡± ¡°Do not forget why they are so powerful, and why the Iyr is so powerful. They have sworn their Oaths, and we have sworn ours. You, too, must finding something which allows you to draw your blade freely.¡± Fred slowly bowed his head. ¡®Something which allows me to draw my blade freely?¡¯ Fred fell into his thoughts. About how he met a member of the Thousand Hunts, who had been kicked out during the time of Rock Hill. How he met Adam, under similar circumstances as Jonn, not long after. Though Adam, he had met with two people who had lost their families to the Massacre, one way or another. It was almost like Fate. ¡°Granduncle!¡± Haytam called, her voice threatening. She hoisted herself up with ease upon the walls, her large blade jangling upon her back. She had short black hair, and a pair of scars across her face, one from her ear to her neck, and another claw mark across her cheek, which narrowly missed her eye. ¡°You should return, I will take your place.¡± ¡°I wished to-,¡± ¡°I will tell grandfather to speak with you,¡± the young woman warned, causing the old man to sigh, before he began to shuffle away, leaving the pair alone. ¡®Tam, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ Fred thought, eyeing up the woman once more, recalling she was related to Nirot through her father¡¯s side. ¡®They said her grandfather, or her granduncle, used to adventure with the Chief.¡¯ ¡°Why are you here?¡± Haytam asked, her voice threatening, but Fred had found out she always spoke in such a way. She reminded him a lot of the Iyrmen who always spoke seriously and harshly. ¡°I¡¯m on duty.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the woman replied, before crossing her arms, staring out into the distance. She was shorter than the average Iyrman, which only amplified the muscles she had forged through the Iyr¡¯s training. The greatsword upon her back was slightly too large for her, so Fred thought. The pair stood in silence, watching guarding over the business, allowing Mork and Tork to drink peacefully into the night, while Jane went to bed early, her thoughts upon the teen Iyrmen¡¯s tales, and just how ridiculous the Iyrmen were. Gasp! Minor characters getting screen time? In our fatherhood simulator? [1035] – Y05.035 – Good Work [1035] ¨C Y05.035 ¨C Good Work ¡°Boo boo ba bo ba,¡± Virot said, staring up at her father from beside him within her basket. ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± Adam replied, holding onto the soft little pillow, squeezing it within his hand, waiting for his daughter to get bored of talking. ¡°Bobobo?¡± ¡°What? She did?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°Goo!¡± ¡°Wow! I can¡¯t believe she said that.¡± ¡°Aboo,¡± Virot confirmed, her smile growing wide, revealing her pink gums. She threw up her hands in delight, before suddenly distracted by the flash of colour in front of her face. She reached out to grab at the pillow before it dropped onto her stomach. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Adam said, holding the tiny pillow up to her once more, allowing her to grab at it with a hand, the girl squeezing it slightly. She giggled and squealed, holding it up above her, her body jolting slightly, before she dropped the pillow beside her and it disappeared from her view. ¡°I¡¯ll find you something else to play with,¡± Adam assured, reaching down to tickle her nose, distracting her once more, as the existence of the pillow disappeared. "Is it fine?" Jurot held Damrot on his lap, the boy''s head against his chest. Damrot remained silent as he stared at his father, but every time Jurot spoke, the boy smiled shyly, sucking on his hand. "You must eat well to grow big." ''You''ve got the spirit, Jurot.'' "Will you swing your axe well?" Jurot asked, causing the boy to smile once more. "Yes. You will." As the rays of noonval fell upon the land, Adam continued to enchant. During his first breaks, he spent time with his children. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot each lazed about near him. Jirot and Jarot were excited to play Warriors and Wanderers. "No! Daddy!" Jirot gasped. "That''s the way the die rolled, my dear." "Daddy..." Jarot pouted. "I know, I know, but look, even though they''ve run away, you still managed to find the Stick of Doom, didn''t you?" "Stupid stick!" Jirot huffed. "I want to beat him up!" "You can beat him up later, maybe you can use the Stick of Doom to beat him up?" "No! I beat him with my fists! My own two hands! I tell Lucy I did it!" Virot squealed with delight at her sister''s declaration, the girl dribbling lightly, before her father cleaned up her face. Vonda smiled, reaching down to tickle the girl''s hair, before she glanced aside to find her mother. The girl fell still for a moment, before she threw up her fists, her gumfilled smile completely engulfing Vonda''s sight. "Okay," Adam replied, almost sadly, before he cautiously stood and carried the boy to his mother. He felt the boy squirm upon seeing his mother, reaching out for the woman, before surrendering him to her. "I guess I''ll take Virot to eat too..." Once Adam was done, he decided to take a walk around the Front Iyr, holding his twins'' hands, Jirot excited to lead her father around, talking his ear off about this family and that family. She waved at some of the Iyrmen who had visited the estates to speak of their tales to the young, and even pointed to one of the Iyrmen who was teaching the children. Adam dropped down and lifted his children up in each arm, planting firm kisses on their foreheads once more, before cuddling them while standing. Jirot and Jarot smiled, hugging their father''s neck from each side. Meanwhile Adam stood, losing himself in their warmth. ''I won''t be able to enjoy this for long,'' Adam thought. It wasn''t long before the month passed and Adam could no longer delay an adventure. The business welcomed the carriages once more, with Jirot storming off, screaming for her nano, with little Jarot following after her. Gangak picked up the twins, smirking towards the old one armed cripple, while Jogak glanced aside to the old man to see how he¡¯d react. "Good evening, everyone. I hope I''m not interrupting anything?" Adam smiled towards the group who were eating around the courtyard of an estate. Adam waved his hand to all the workers, glad to see they were all doing well. He could spot Rick wanted to speak with him. "We''re going to be leaving tomorrow to deal with some business in the North,¡± Adam explained, standing tall in front of the business. ¡°Jane, Mork, and Tork, you''ll be coming along with us, but otherwise, it should be business as usual." Adam peeked to one side, checking in on a particular girl, only to find her crawling from her mother to a set of blocks. ¡®What?¡¯ Lucy, who had missed Jirot and Jarot, smiled slightly at the half elf, whose heart ached. Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, reminding him of his task. "Good work!" Jirot exclaimed towards Jeremy, holding the sword, while her grandmother kept a finger upon the strap to ease its weight for her granddaughter. "Thank you, Little Boss," Jeremy replied, taking the blade from the girl, only for his eyebrows to raise. ''Oh!'' Remy noted his cousin''s reacting, before accepting the blade from the shyer Jarot, who quickly retreated to his sister and grandmother. His brows raised in surprise too, feeling the tingle of magic. "They''re swords because I expect that much of you," Adam said, doing his best not to let the scene overwhelm him. Rick eyed up his own sword, and Greg and Charley accepted their own large weapons. "John, Ivy, we''ll be figuring out bows for you another time, so please accept our apologies at this moment." "S''alright, Executive," John replied, throwing a look to Rick, smiling slightly. Ivy nodded. "I have complete faith that you will all be able to defend the business if something happens," Adam said, eyeing up the group. They were each Experts, and with Jonn and Fred and their fantastic weapons, they would be in decent hands. If nothing else, there was Sonarot, who would guide them. He threw a look to the remaining Iyrmen, many of whom were going to disappear into the Iyr. A chill fell within Adam, a chill which whispered within his ear, telling him this was a mistake, but he pushed it away. There was only really one issue Adam sensed with leaving the business without all the Iyrmen''s support. "Isn''t the North dangerous?" a voice called. "Are you going to take me too?" So many chapters of build up to make a business purely for the sole purpose of spoiling his children. That''s why this is a fatherhood simulator. [1036] – Y05.036 – The Journey Forward [1036] ¨C Y05.036 ¨C The Journey Forward Vonda rested her head against her husband¡¯s shoulder, squeezing his hand tenderly. She wanted to ask him more about his thoughts, but Adam had already told her it was nothing to worry about. She couldn¡¯t help but feel he wanted to free her of the stress for their child¡¯s sake, and though it caused her more stress, she allowed it to escape through her sigh. ¡°Once we¡¯re done with the North, I¡¯ll head down to East Port, and donate the money properly,¡± Adam assured, squeezing his wife¡¯s fingers, which had swollen recently. ¡°Yes, darling,¡± Vonda replied, hearing the words not for the first time even that day, but each time, Adam always said something new. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to ask them about how many shields they want. I¡¯ll take their order and add in another shield. I¡¯m sure they already know, but I¡¯ll send word about the Reavers and my own personal experience. I¡¯ll buy some books, some paints, Damakian, I remember.¡± Adam closed his eyes, wondering what else he could do. ¡°Did you want me to give anything to your mother?¡± Vonda narrowed her eyes, her cheeks flushing slightly. As much as Mother Florence had raised her, she was still far too shy to call the woman her mother. ¡°She likes tea.¡± ¡°Well, I can do that much at least,¡± Adam said, smiling towards his wife, who smiled back at him, and the pair rested their heads together. ¡°Blues,¡± Konarot called, holding out a seed for the bird, allowing it to peck from her hands. The small bird continued to eat each seed the girl fed her, one by one, while Konarot gently brushed the bird along its back with the back of her finger, as gently as she could, as her granduncle taught her. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot,¡± Gangak called, holding a pair of sleepy children within her arms. Little Jarot pulled away slightly, staring at his greatfather, who smile at him, before the boy returned to his nano¡¯s bosom. Konarot carried Blues as they followed their nano to clean up and go to sleep, allowing their parents some time alone, though Vonda excused herself a short while later. Adam stood up, but paused, noting the look on Jarot¡¯s face. ¡°Come,¡± Jarot called, motioning a hand to the seat beside him. As his grandson dropped down beside him, the old man leaned back, staring up at the darkened sky, the first stars beginning to appear. ¡°We will join you to Deadwood.¡± ¡°Why Deadwood?¡± ¡°We must train, and Deadwood is fun.¡± ¡°We? ¡°Gangak, Otkan, and I.¡± ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± ¡°We are too weak,¡± Jarot stated simply. ¡°If you¡¯re too weak, then I don¡¯t have much faith in anyone.¡± ¡°You should have faith in the Iyr,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Well, yeah, I meant people though.¡± ¡°We are Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Individuals.¡± ¡°We are Iyrmen,¡± the old man repeated once more, smiling slightly. ¡°Are the Reavers that dangerous that you of all people need to train?¡± ¡°We will survive the Reavers, but how many of us will be sacrificed? I still wish to see my greatchildren grow.¡± ¡®Holy,¡¯ Adam thought, his hairs standing on end. ¡®An Iyrman who doesn¡¯t want to die?¡¯ Jarot reached up and placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must train too.¡± ¡°I know, but, I can¡¯t...¡± Jarot squeezed the young man¡¯s shoulder, staring into his eyes, noting the look within Adam¡¯s eyes, before pulling his hand back. ¡°Live as you wish.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s just that...¡± ¡°If you cannot say it, then you cannot say it,¡± the old man reassured. Adam eyed up the old one armed cripple, the way he sat, so relaxed, and the way he stared at the sky, lost within his thoughts. Had he seen the old man this wistful before? The terrifying Mad Dog who had beaten him, no longer within his sight. The next morning, they prepared to leave within their carriages, each which could carry six people comfortably, and eight less comfortably. ¡°Be safe, mister Fred,¡± George said, the gem glowing white with each moment he spoke, his magical voice clear, consistent. ¡°I will,¡± Fred assured, throwing a smile back towards the boy. ¡°Will you meet the Order?¡± ¡°I pray I do, but it is difficult at this time,¡± Fred admitted. ¡°Maybe you can meet them when they go to south?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°Mister Adam?¡± a voice called sheepishly. She was short, lean, and had curly dark hair that fell to her shoulders, and shy, dark eyes. Adam beamed down towards the girl, dropping to a knee. ¡°Elsie. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Blues, be good for our Konarot, okay?¡± Adam said, tickling the bird¡¯s head gently with the back of his finger, before letting him go. ¡®Bring as much good luck for my children as you can, and I¡¯ll be sure to feed you until you¡¯re almost bursting.¡¯ Adam embraced his children one by one, kissing them, and letting them kiss him. From Konarot to Karot, from Jirot to Jarot, and of course, Larot, who allowed his father to pepper his head with kisses, but refused to return the kiss. Adam then brushed his hand along Virot¡¯s forehead, the girl staring up at him for a moment, before smiling. ¡°Goo boo,¡± the girl said. ¡°Yes, yes, my dear!¡± Adam replied, before sneaking off to go see Damrot and Ranya, doting on them too. Jurot embraced Pam close for a moment, inhaling the scent of bread, before letting her go. ¡°I will return soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t return too late,¡± Pam teased, squeezing his hands gently, feeling how gentle they were at this moment. ¡°I will try.¡± ¡°Do or do not, there is no try,¡± Pam quoted her niece. Jurot blinked, having heard this phrase so many times, all originating from one fellow in particular. ¡°Okay.¡± While her father and uncle said their goodbyes, Jirot noted one figure to one side, and she rushed over to him. ¡°Baba, you are going?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Jogak replied. ¡°Kako is not?¡± ¡°No, she is not.¡± Jirot blinked, pouting slightly. ¡°Why you are going?¡± ¡°I must go, because I am a Director.¡± Jirot blinked, before glancing aside to her brother, and then looked back up at her granduncle. ¡°Baba...¡± ¡°What is the matter?¡± Jirot held up her arms, and the confused Jogak picked her up, letting her hug his neck tight, while her brother did the same. He remained standing there, unsure of why they were so upset. ¡°You must come back safely, okay?¡± Jirot said, daring him to deny her words. ¡°I will. I will return safely with your father.¡± ¡°Daddy is so troublesome, so you must look after him,¡± Jirot said, with wisdom she had inherited from her mother. Jogak smiled. He planted firm kisses on their foreheads, before allowing those glaring at him a chance to say their goodbyes too. ¡°You cannot cause trouble for your mother or grandmother,¡± Gangak said, embracing the pair close. ¡°If you wish to cause trouble, you may!¡± Jarot assured, embracing the pair tight. ¡°Eat well,¡± Otkan said, ruffling their hair. The triplets also said their goodbyes, each embracing all those who were leaving. ¡°Tell me if Ranya wants me to buy her anything,¡± Adam said, shaking Dunes¡¯ forearm. ¡°I will,¡± Dunes replied, shaking his head lightly. He watched the group enter their carriages, before they made their way out, their magical steeds driving them into the village, then towards the horizon. He glanced aside to Vonda, who caught his eyes, and the pair let out gentle sighs. The pair of Priests prayed the group wouldn¡¯t get into any trouble. ¡®I didn¡¯t get a chance to thank him,¡¯ Chief Merl thought, knowing Adam was the one behind pushing for the Enchanter to enchant them magical weapons. She thought she could have said her thanks when Adam said goodbye to Merry, but he hadn¡¯t taken the time to say it. Adam only remembered once he could see the walls of the when they were at the second village, but by then, there was something even more important to deal with. ¡°I want to apologise again for the trouble I have caused,¡± Adam said, bowing his head towards the young Chief, who couldn¡¯t help but notice the obsidian amulet upon Adam¡¯s chest. ¡°Please, Brother Adam, there is no need for this,¡± Terry replied, feeling the cool grip of fear clutching at his heart. ¡®How can I make a Brother of Death bow for me?¡¯ ¡°We are currently in the process of making our way to deal with business in the North, and though we¡¯re only renting two of the staves to the village, I hope the coin and the magical equipment are good enough to ask for your forgiveness.¡± Adam could feel the slight sickness enter him as he apologised like the rich. ¡°It¡¯s enough, Brother, it¡¯s enough,¡± Terry said, with rising panic within his heart. ¡®So please, enough with this!¡¯ Adam apologised once more, before they continued eastward, making their way to Red Oak, approaching the last village to hand them the magical staves for rent too. ¡®Is he trying to form relationships with the villages?¡¯ Bael thought. ¡®He should aim for the nearby towns and cities instead.¡¯ Adam let out a sigh as he stared at the sky. He worried about the apology to Chief Terry and his people, and hoped that money would tide it over, as well as the magical equipment for their Chief. He had half thought to leave behind Mork, who had cast spells for the villagers already, and casting more could have gone further to assist in mending the wounds Adam¡¯s existence caused. However, it was tomorrow which worried the half elf more, as his eyes fell to another figure within their group. Of course it was him. The old one armed Iyrman yawned, oblivious to the stress his mere existence caused his grandson. ¡®I should kill a few hydras for my greatchildren, and let a few others go for the sake of their mother.¡¯ Why would Jarot be a reason to worry? ... Adam Sheet [1036] Adam Sheet [1036] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 8 XP: 25 500 STR: 20 (+5)[+8] DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 18 (+4[+7] INT: 16 (+3)[+6] WIS: 12 (+1)[+4] CHA: 16 (+3)[+6] SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Hope, dwarven warhammer, Strong Shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, obsidian holy symbol of Baktu, Fine Battleaxe Blanket, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick clothes, (2) clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf, journal, quill, ink, Steel Tag: 6 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 Obsidian (20), Tiger Eye (10), Amber (5), Diamond (5) Forge Spells: 1: Identify, Searing Smite 2: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon 3: Elemental Weapon, Protection from Energy 4: Fabricate, Wall of Fire Prepared (10): Goodberry, Shield, Spiritual Weapon, Sending, Adam¡¯s Tower, Counterspell, Revivify, Fireball, Healing Word, Hex 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door COMBAT Health: 112/112 DEF: 21/25 Mana: 25/25 Hope: +10, 2d6 + 9/10 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 5/7 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +6, 2d6 Fire Frostbite (60¡¯). DC14, 2d6 Cold That''s a lot of XP! [1037] – Y05.037 – A Talk [1037] ¨C Y05.037 ¨C A Talk Jogak stood, tall and proud opposite the Commander, holding out a cut gem. The Commander stared at the gem, before his eyes darted up to meet Jogak¡¯s. The pair remained silent for a long while, Jogak slightly worried about that particular man, even while dealing with the Commander. ¡°What is the position of Director within the business?¡± the Commander asked. ¡°We assist in advising the President,¡± Jogak replied. ¡°We hold greater authority than the Executives.¡± ¡°Your tattoo matches that of another Executive.¡± ¡°My daughter, Jaygak,¡± Jogak stated, his eyes bursting with pride. ¡°Is it a business of the Iyr?¡± ¡°It is a business the Iyr has great interest in.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± the Commander said, clutching the gem tight in hand. ¡°Who are those within your carriages?¡± ¡°Those who assist with our business.¡± ¡°The demons?¡± ¡°Managers Lucy and Mara are also assisting.¡± The Commander bowed his head, leaving it at that, but the Director was not quite so lucky as a figure stepped towards the carriages. ¡°I will confirm the matter,¡± Vice Commander Esme stated, the one eyed woman approaching the carriages. ¡°If the Commander wishes to confirm it, he may,¡± Jogak said, taking a half step to block the Vice Commander. Esme narrowed her eyes at the Iyrman, who dared to speak up against her. ¡°Director Jogak, was it?¡± ¡°Vice Commander Esme,¡± Jogak replied. ¡°Why do you intend to block my way?¡± ¡°You are not the Commander of the fort.¡± ¡°You are not the President of the business.¡± Jogak smiled slightly. ¡°I have the authority granted to me by the business.¡± ¡°I, too, have authority granted to me.¡± ¡°By your Order, not the military.¡± ¡°Are you not the same?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jogak said. ¡°I was requested to possess such authority by the business.¡± ¡°So, too, was I requested to possess such authority.¡± Jogak smiled wider. ¡°Yes, but my authority was not given to me so that the Iyr may keep me leashed.¡± ¡°Watch your tongue, Iyrman.¡± ¡°I hope you find your home soon.¡± Esme tensed up slightly, reaching down for her blade, only pausing as the carriage doors opened. Out stepped a woman in full plate, carrying a blade at her side. She undid her helmet to reveal she wore the same tattoos as the Director. ¡°My nephew, is there an issue?¡± Gangak asked, barely glancing towards the Vice Commander. ¡°The Vice Commander wishes to overstep,¡± Jogak replied. Jogak almost smiled. ¡®I am used to dealing with troublesome children, so do not worry, my Jigak.¡¯ Jogak let out a short sigh, thinking about which gifts he should buy his grandnieces and grandnephews. ¡®Jaygak, you brat! When will you give me grandchildren?¡¯ The pair of guards were adorned in the chain mail of the guard, red tabards covering their chain, the symbol of a tree imprinted against their tabards. They wielded long spears in hand, a shield within arm¡¯s reach and a pair of blades at their side. They guarded the town, though one would be far more impressed with the walls, made of heavy stone, around three Adam¡¯s tall, with several towers running along the perimeter, unless, of course, you were used to the sight of the Iyr¡¯s walls. Jogak once more dealt with the guards, paying the appropriate fees, though they were in Central Aldland now, and so neither the plaque of the ducal families of the North or East could allow them to pay but silvers. As the carriages made their way through the busy roads of Red Oak, the group eventually came to an inn, the Red Wood Inn. It was not made of the town¡¯s titular wood, but rather a cherry wood that seemed more pale pink than red, though Adam noted the gate that closed the inn off was made of Red Oak. ¡°Is the wood any good?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, before speaking of the particular qualities of the cherry as they walked into the inn¡¯s estate, which revealed a large front garden, surrounded by walls on three sides, and the inn proper against the last. The main path led towards the building, while smaller paths wound away, leading to small pavilions, each like leaves on a branch. Jogak stepped forward to deal with the payment, while the rest of the group settled themselves near a pavilion, sans Otkan, who had stepped away before entering the inn. ¡°Adam,¡± Jarot called, placing a hand upon Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come.¡± He limped away, his wooden leg striking against the floor. Adam followed the old man to another pavilion to the side, one which was far too large for only the pair of them to sit within, but the old man sat upon the circular bench. The wooden roof atop them provided them shade, while a worker wearing pale blue, almost grey, clothing approached the pavilion. ¡°A bottle of wine, two cups, two baked potatoes, six eggs, butter, salt, and a pot to boil milk,¡± Jarot demanded, placing down gold coins to the side, mostly to pay for the wine. Adam remained silent while Jarot thought deeply. ¡®What¡¯s up with him?¡¯ Jarot continued to think, even as the worker brought their food, the old man washing his hands using the basin they brought, before drying his hand by shaking the water off, and patting his hand against the towel. He allowed Adam to salt his food first, before pinching it and sprinkling it over his potato and eggs, before cutting into the butter, buttering his potato, salting it once more. Jarot remained silent for a long while as they ate. The old man then undid the seal of the cask, pouring the wine for the pair of them, the cups far larger than those within the Iyr, but that was because alcohol in the Iyr needed to be drunk moderately, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t be able to fight upon a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°I still remember when my younger brothers looked up to me,¡± Jarot said, sipping the alcohol lightly. ¡°Now, one is dead, and though I am training, the other will grow stronger than me.¡± ¡°...¡± Even now, Jarot wasn¡¯t sure if he could ask. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jarot hesitated for a moment, swallowing the question into his heart. ¡°Little Jarot wishes to become a Rage Dancer, like his greatfather. He pouts when I tell him I wish for him to stay small and cute, to remain within my arm. Will you allow my brother to teach him when he is old enough?¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you teach him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°With this arm and leg of mine?¡± Jarot closed his eyes, before shaking his head lightly. ¡°No. He should learn well.¡± ¡°I was going to ask Jurot too, but if granduncle wishes to teach him, that¡¯s okay, that¡¯s good, too.¡± Jarot smiled sadly, before closing his eyes. Again, he wanted to ask the question, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Will you assist me in buying gifts tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± Adam replied, feeling a chill run through him as the old man spoke so softly to him. ¡°From Red Oak?¡± ¡°Should we buy gifts in Deadwood? It treated you poorly.¡± ¡°Obviously, but Red Oak dared to treat my children poorly!¡± Adam huffed. ¡°The towns have treated my grandson and greatchildren poorly...¡± Jarot thought to ask then too, but he clenched his jaw. ¡°My children are more precious than me,¡± Adam replied, almost as a joke, but he meant it with his entire heart. Jarot smiled, but he closed his eyes, for how could his grandson say such a thing in front of him, when they were all so precious to him? Jarot''s scenes always make me so sad. [1038] – Y05.038 – So It Begins I [1038] ¨C Y05.038 ¨C So It Begins I The journey to Deadwood passed by uneventfully. Adam and Jurot assisted the elder Iyrmen in procuring gifts. Jarot allowed Adam to spend far too much money on the gifts, while spending his own coin eagerly too, buying as many gifts as he could for all the children, from those of the Rot family, to all those in the surrounding families too. Gangak did the same, spending her gold as easily as Adam caused chaos. The trio of elder Iyrmen stood at the front gate as the carriages darted away, having said their goodbyes. ¡°You endured well,¡± Gangak said, placing a hand on the old man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What must I endure?¡± Jarot asked, dismissing the words. His eyes remained focus on the carriages. ¡°My grandson is in danger, but I am having fun in Deadwood?¡± ¡°Even if he dies, he had brought glory to his family.¡± ¡°He is no Iyrman,¡± Jarot replied, simply, feeling the ache within his heart. He could imagine Jurot dying, and his heart swelled with pride, but upon thinking of the death of his other grandson, he who was not an Iyrman? ¡°You must have faith in him,¡± Gangak stated. ¡°Does it look like I have no faith?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Not even the Iyr could kill him without my permission, so the world cannot!¡± ¡°You should have more faith in your grandnephew.¡± ¡°Do you want me to beat you?¡± The guards glanced aside to the Iyrmen, hearing the growling of their tongue, hoping they wouldn¡¯t cause any trouble, but this was the first time they had seen a group of Iyrmen this old all moving together. While their elders worried over them, the younger fellows each relaxed now that they had more space within the carriages. Even though the space was still slightly cramped, it was far more open, with four people still driving the carriages, or rather, sitting on the driver¡¯s seats at the front of the carriages while the magical steeds pulled them along. ¡°How quickly can we make it to Eagle Wing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We will pass through the first fort, but we should stay within the second,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Will we be alright, what with, you know, the Managers?¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot crossed his arms. If they still had the elder Iyrmen, it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue, though the forts nearby were under heavy influence from Eagle Wing. ¡®If there are members of the Order of Eagle Wing, we should be able to pass by, since we do not have such bad blood.¡¯ ¡°We could pass through to Eagle Wing, though we will arrive late at night, and our bodies will ache.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The walls were long and wide, wrapping around the layered town, built upon the hill. The guards stood at attention, adorned in their breastplate, stamped with the symbol of an eagle, their dusky tan cloaks shifting slightly under the noonval wind. Spears in hand, they carried short blades at their side. It was their helmets, which reminded Adam of the Order of the Wings, for small wings emerged from the sides of their helmets. ¡°Halt!¡± shouted the guards, before Jogak stepped forward to deal with them. Once the matters were resolved, from the gate fees, to the myriad of questions Jogak answered, revealing the plaque of Blacksnow to answer some questions more vaguely than the guards would have liked, the carriage were allowed within. The pathway smooth and wide, allowing fifty people to march through the road if needed. The buildings to the side made of smooth stone or wood, each of them small cubes. Eagle Wing knew three colours, tan, cream, while the last was a colour which was rarer now, sanguine. Most within Eagle Wing walked about with a small blade or axe at their side, few also walking around with a staff in hand. The next tier of the town began almost a half mile ahead, with its own set of walls and guards, but the bustling people blocked their view. ¡°You know,¡± Adam said within the carriage. ¡°We didn¡¯t really come across many issues, did we?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°The forts may be dealing with the matters, or it may be the influence of the Reavers.¡± ¡®Reavers...¡¯ Adam frowned, unable to help that perhaps he was responsible for them appearing. ¡®Starsword said that I was at fault for the civil wars. The Iyr probably knows, but they still let me leave? If I was the Iyr, I¡¯d have chained me up forever.¡¯ The group stayed within an inn of the town, though noted the wide berth most people gave to them. They were far too colourful for Eagle Wing, the group sticking out like sore thumbs in the town. ¡®I feel like this place didn¡¯t like me either, but it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll stay too long.¡¯ Mork yawned lightly, sipping his mug of ale slowly, before taking a bite of his cracker, which was topped with cheese and jam. ¡°The guards around Eagle Wing sure are something.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not so bad, for Southerners,¡± Tork agreed. ¡°Are we passing through the Order?¡± Mork asked. ¡°The Order¡¯s to the east, but we¡¯ll be heading north,¡± Fred replied, sipping his own mug of ale, while ordering another drink. ¡°Is the business really payin¡¯ for all our food?¡± Tork asked. ¡°Aye,¡± Fred replied, leaning back in his seat, having a mind to order another dessert, but he was already feeling a little too heavy. ¡°I¡¯m not good at understanding that sort of thing, but Jonn told me that I¡¯m a step above an Expert, but he¡¯s a step above me, but he¡¯s not a Master yet.¡± ¡°Jonn?¡± ¡°He¡¯s another Lead. He¡¯s got a-,¡± ¡°Lead Fred,¡± Mork said, interrupting the young man from saying too much. ¡°We need to grab Tork before he causes trouble.¡± Fred glanced aside to Mork, his eyes curious. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to sit with you all, but I¡¯ve got to stop my brother from causing trouble. He must be on his sixth drink by now, and I don¡¯t want him to cause us to lose our job.¡± ¡°Whose going to lose us our job?¡± Tork asked, grunting, carrying a small tray of cheese. ¡°I came all this way to get you some cheese and you¡¯re speaking so darkly about me?¡± Somehow, it was a different set of brothers causing trouble this time. Somehow, as the group continued forward, there was little trouble. During one break at lunch, Adam glanced up to see crows flying overhead. He frowned. ¡°It just had to be on the thirteenth, huh?¡± ¡°Misfortune?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Something like that.¡± Adam stared up at the crows as they continued to fly towards the direction of the fort. ¡®Seriously, why do I always over think about those sorts of things.¡¯ ¡°At least it isn¡¯t raining.¡± Bael yawned, feeling the first of the rain beginning to fall onto him, the young man smirking towards the half elf. ¡®How does he do it?¡¯ Adam thought, noting how the cloud so suddenly changed above them. ¡®It¡¯s really impressive.¡¯ The rain fell across the land. From the path to West Wood the group were travelling, to the south, where the Orders had gathered together in the fort, where King Merryweather gathered with the Orders, from the Orders of Aldland, to the Orders of the newly blossomed kingdom of Floria. They, too, were at the fort. The rain fell upon the tent, the rhythmic patter filled the space within. It was then, the tension in the air rose, the candles flickering, casting shadows against the walls. Chief Iromin stood. ¡°I must leave.¡± ¡°What is so important that you must leave your task here?¡± Elder Peace asked, rubbing along her prayer beads. ¡°I must return to deal with Adam.¡± Elder Peace stopped rubbing her beads for a moment. ¡°Okay.¡± Meanwhile, it was the calm before the storm within the Iyr. Elder Zijin stared at the slip of paper, and for once, his face betrayed his emotions. His eyes widened, before he clenched his fist around the slip. He stared ahead of him, but saw nothing. ¡°Churot, return to the shared estate,¡± the Elder said, standing up carefully, as though his bones were made of sand. ¡°Okay,¡± the young Iyrman said, placing a ribbon he had received from Adam into the book, before getting up and walking back to the shared estate, oblivious to the Elder¡¯s worries. ¡°Come,¡± Zijin said, holding out his plaque, as the aide accepted it from his hand, before the Elder stormed off, allowing the aide to deal with his responsibilities. Though it was important to deal with Adam at this moment, he needed to deal with the matters of the Iyr¡¯s future first. ¡°Elder Zijin?¡± Jaygak asked, surrounded by the books, the young woman staring up at the Elder with surprise. ¡®Wasn¡¯t I meant to be studying alone?¡¯ ¡°Follow me,¡± Zijin said, causing the young Iyrman to stand at attention, marching after the Elder, who crossed his hands behind his back as he led the young woman towards one of the cave complexes. ¡°You will study in solitude.¡± Jaygak remained silent, not yet taking a step within the cave, which would isolate her for an indefinite time. Of course, since the Elder had told her to do it, she would do it. ¡°Is it Adam?¡± ¡°I will inform you of the matter before it is too late,¡± Zijin assured. ¡°You should study without distractions so that you can assist.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak replied, her entire body tensing up, before she relaxed. ¡®Elder Zijin wouldn¡¯t allow him to die so easily.¡¯ Elder Zijin¡¯s thoughts were upon the pair. ¡®Adam will find out the day after tomorrow, but Jarot will learn of the matter today or tomorrow. Otkan and Gangak may be able to deal with him for now, but I need to send someone before he causes too much destruction.¡¯ Elder Zijin blocked out the dark thoughts, dealing with the tasks at hand, but even then, he could feel the grief and the rage build deep within him. Uh oh. What did he do this time? [1039] – Y05.039 – So It Begins II [1039] ¨C Y05.039 ¨C So It Begins II The walls were large, made of earth, with several grey towers of wood basking in the evening sun. The West Wood guards wore scale of grey, with the symbol of West Wood against their tabards. Long grey cloaks fell down over their shoulders. In one hand they gripped a long spear, also made of grey wood, a small shield and a quiver full of arrows set beside them. At their hips they wore short blades, and behind their cloaks, Adam could see a small bow made of a darker wood. ¡°Hullo,¡± the guard called out. ¡°Lovely evening, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Jogak replied, handing over the fees. ¡°Business with the North.¡± ¡°What sort of business?¡± ¡°Magical weapons.¡± ¡°Aye. Terrible times, I hear. Best of look to ye,¡± the guard said, tipping his helmet. ¡°I¡¯ll have to see some of these weapons, mind.¡± Jurot stepped out, holding the long wooden box, before revealing the finely made blade. ¡°How strong¡¯s the magic?¡± ¡°Greater Enhanced,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°North, you say?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the guard tipped his helmet once more, allowing them within the town. The wooden buildings were small, but stacked three high, with large open spaces all about the town. Even the main road was twenty steps wide, lush gardens scattered around like petals. Each building, no matter how small or big, grew some form of fruit, vegetable, or herb. Half of the town was set against the hills, with large estates overlooking the town, and a large castle overlooking them. The group swiftly made their way to an inn, settling within, while Jogak dealt with the payment, and Adam dealt with bathing, Jurot left to make his rounds. He made his way down a particular road, to a particular building, and for once, it was not a tavern or an inn. ¡°I am looking for dark clothing for nightwear, that which deals with the chill¡± the Iyrman said. ¡°We have such kinds, Iyrman,¡± the worker replied, eyeing him up. ¡°You got the gold?¡± ¡°I have some gold,¡± Jurot assured, before following the fellow into the wooden building. The worker brought to him a selection of ten different cloths, and Jurot felt each under his finger tips. ¡°Only half are good.¡± ¡°I have more in the back,¡± the figure said, before making his way to the cellar of his business. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Jurot.¡± The figure reached into a set of of cloths, before finding a set of blues. He passed the bundle over to the Iyrman, who placed down the gem to pay for the cloth, before he stepped out, making his way to the inn. He placed the cloth into the carriage, quickly scanning the letters at the bottom of the roll, stained black. The letters were stained black. Death. Jurot read the letters. He paused for a moment, and continued as though he hadn¡¯t read what he had just read. He made his way to the inn, sitting down beside Jogak. He glanced to the side, noting the other Iyrmen, who were spending their time relaxing in the inn, and he turned back to stare at the table before him. ¡°Is it hard to kill hydras?¡± Bael asked. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s a little bit hard, I mean, not for us, but it¡¯s hard for the normal person,¡± Adam explained. ¡°We have other obligations.¡± ¡°We must return to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Is it so serious?¡± The Iyrman stared into Jurot¡¯s eyes, and after a moment, he stood, followed by the other Iyrmen. It had taken only moments for the Iyrmen to return the coins, and the group acquired a new carriage, while one of the Oathsworn Iyrmen tied their steed to the carriage. Adam watched as the Iyrmen worked with such efficiency, he understood why it was called Iyrman efficiency. He watched them, his body growing cold and hot, the tingling running up through his skin. His heart beat quickly, and he closed his eyes. He stared up at the sky. ¡°Jurot,¡± Lucy called out. ¡°Hey, Jurot.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes met hers for a moment, and the pair held the gaze for a long moment. ¡®Jurot.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Jurot!¡¯ No matter how much Lucy begged with her eyes, she could see how resolute the Iyrman remained. It wasn¡¯t quite that he was resolute, but that the Iyrman was trapped, unable to move. Lucy clenched her fists together, glancing between the Iyrmen. There was Jurot and Jogak, but with the other Iyrmen, it was too difficult. Bael was apparently strong, and he¡¯d fight on Adam¡¯s side, but what of the others? They¡¯d probably step back, not wanting to fight the Iyrmen. Fred? Fred might fight on their side. ¡°Lucy.¡± The word broke Lucy¡¯s thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Adam smiled politely, having already resigned himself. ¡°If you would, please complete the tasks in my stead.¡± Adam reached into his tunic, flipping through to the middle of the book, before tearing out the sheets, handing them to the demon. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the gold, the business will pay for it.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Lucy urged. ¡°Don¡¯t skimp out, they need to be good, since they¡¯ll be going to my k-ids,¡± Adam said, his voice shaking slightly. Fred stared at the scene before them, glancing between Lucy, the pages in Adam¡¯s hands, and finally to Adam. His eyes grew wide, and it was then the rest of businessfolk understood. They didn¡¯t know exactly what, but if they were betting men, they would bet on Adam. ¡°Okay,¡± Lucy said, taking the paper from his hands carefully, slipping the pages between her tunic. ¡°I trust you to escort the Director safely.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you want me to come along?¡± Bael asked, his grin wide, the drakken eager for the trouble he could smell upon the air. ¡°It¡¯s fine, you can-,¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said. Adam furrowed his brows, only filled with more confusion. ¡®I guess he¡¯s confident since they¡¯re the Iyr. Well, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to fight anyway, so it¡¯s not a big deal.¡¯ Just like that, they left. Jurot sat opposite Adam, while Bael sat beside the half elf, eyeing up the Iyrman before him, while the remaining two sat on the driver¡¯s seat of the carriage. The business, rich as it was, dropped the coin required for the carriage. ¡®They¡¯ll show me mercy since I paid for the carriage, right?¡¯ Adam smiled to himself, even now, able to make his stupid jokes. ¡®I promised I wouldn¡¯t pick a fight with the Iyr, but I also promised to help him,¡¯ Bael thought. ¡®Heroes keep their word, don¡¯t they?¡¯ While the group left, Jogak couldn¡¯t help himself. He made his way through his own channels, finding out it would not be fine. It was only a matter of time. [1040] – Y05.040 – The Death of Adam I [1040] ¨C Y05.040 ¨C The Death of Adam I The Iyrmen spoke their tales as they made their way back to the Iyr, along the forested hills, then through the plains, then the hills, passing through Eagle Wing. From Eagle Wing, they made their way south west, and it was upon that road, Adam could feel his breathing grow difficult. It was only then he realised how close he was to death. At the fort, the thought of escaping came to him. The Iyr would do nothing to his children, he knew that much. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®They might not want to kill me, maybe they want to talk about it first? I mean, they could have killed me already.¡¯ Jurot remained silent, the heaviness of the guilt, the shame, and the grief filling him. Even now, he couldn¡¯t speak to his brother. Adam hadn¡¯t spoken to him either, and Jurot understood it was for the Iyrman¡¯s sake. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to pray to Baktu. Terry watched as the carriage approached, his eyes falling to the Iyrmen, who had been waiting patiently. He had no idea what the Iyr¡¯s business was here with the carriage, but they had all but locked the village down for it. ¡®May the Divine help us.¡¯ The village left the Iyrmen to their business in one section of the village. Adam sat opposite the fire, staring at it. He hadn¡¯t worn his armour, but carried his axe at his side. He clutched at the axe, feeling its magic tingle through his fingers. Hope. He hadn¡¯t realised how much solace he was going to find within it so shortly after naming it. It was his granduncle¡¯s axe, Sarot, who had left abruptly to die. ¡®At least I¡¯ll get to see you again soon, eh?¡¯ Adam understood he wasn¡¯t going to die that day, since he didn¡¯t see the Chief, but one of his aides. He was certain the pair of them would be present for his death. Jurot, of course, would be there, since he trusted his brother the most. ¡®I hope Jaygak and Kitool will be there too,¡¯ the half elf hoped. As rays of dawn came, the carriages left. ¡°Hey,¡± Bael said, as they rapidly approached the Iyr¡¯s land. ¡°Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t really hear many of your stories.¡± ¡°My stories?¡± ¡°You mentioned some of it, the start, the end, but you didn¡¯t tell me much about the middle.¡± ¡°Ah, well, maybe I¡¯ll tell you another time,¡± Adam said, a sad smirk across his lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me now?¡± ¡°If you want to know, my brother will tell you,¡± Adam said. ¡°The brother you won¡¯t even talk to?¡± ¡°Do you want me to beat your ass again?¡± ¡°Once next noonval comes and you¡¯re still alive, I¡¯ll show you what it means to be so cheeky to the great me!¡± Bael howled with laughter, but even he could feel it brimming from the Iyrmen. The carriages approached the village, but instead of entering it, they went around the walls, all the way to the bridge, and continued over it and onto the Iyr¡¯s land. Within the fort, steps approached the temple, that which doubled as her home. ¡°A carriage has come. I will stop it, and you can speak with him.¡± The figure remained upon his knees, praying deeply. He continued to chant, even ignoring his wife¡¯s words. He did so, even knowing she was pregnant. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I will continue to fight for you.¡± Adam could hear something darker within the Chief¡¯s voice. He smiled, understanding the Chief¡¯s hands were tied. ¡°I know. I appreciate that, Chief.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I should be the one to thank you.¡± The carriage moved swiftly through to the Front Iyr, appearing at the Front Iyr far too quickly, the gates already opened for the group, while they continued through the Front Iyr and then through the hills to the mountains, and finally to the Main Iyr. ¡®Damn, it feels quicker than before.¡¯ Adam could feel his stomach stir, but he closed off his thoughts. ¡°Oh, right, I want to see Vonda too, if it¡¯s not too much.¡± Iromin bowed his head. ¡°You will meet your family.¡± ¡°Yeah. My family.¡± Adam winced hard, reaching up to cover his eyes. ¡°Would you mind, uh, if I put on my armour? I don¡¯t really want to go down without a fight.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Iromin said, allowing them to stop, so Adam could slip on his armour, delaying the inevitable. ¡°Will Jaygak and Kitool be there?¡± ¡°That would be difficult.¡± ¡°Could you, uh,¡± Adam said, sniffling, wiping his eyes, blowing his nose into a handkerchief. ¡°Would you tease her for me, for not being there to beat me up?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Once Adam was fully adorned in his equipment, he reached down to his axe, laying it on his lap. ¡°This was my granduncle¡¯s axe.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I made him a promise, that if Jirot or Jarot had kids, they would name a child after him. I haven¡¯t really told them of it, so could you tell them?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Jirot, I don¡¯t think she wants children, so it¡¯ll have to be Jarot, my dependable, sweet Jarot.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Iromin replied, unsure of how much more he could take, but he couldn¡¯t break now, for he was the Chief of the Iyr. Adam followed the Chief, whose steps were not quite as graceful any longer, the Chief prepared to fight. He entered into a tunnel he hadn¡¯t seen before, lit by the gentle glow of orbs embedded within the walls. It was cold, though Adam was already cold enough he could barely feel it. ¡®I guess it¡¯s a short cut? Or is a secret thing? As long as I get to see my cute kids before I go, it¡¯s going to be okay. I mean, I died twice and came back, third time¡¯s the charm?¡¯ His heart beat quicker, thundering within his chest, the half elf stopping for a moment to brace himself. The tunnel finally gave way, the glowing brighter, and it was then he could feel the intense pressure of the Chief and Shaool, press upon him. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 19 (15) F Interlude: The Son Interlude: The Son The figure wore chain as the night wore black, his steps heavy with the burden assigned upon him. He approached the river, green with death. For a moment he paused, thinking upon his duty, who bestowed such upon him, and how little power he truly possessed to complete it. He stepped into the river, feeling how cool it was against his legs, and waded through the river, and after a hundred or so steps, he climbed up the bank and found the fields of Damnation, a greyed gold, spanning across the entire horizon. He inhaled deeply, taking in the crisp air, almost smelling the ash. He didn¡¯t count the tens of thousands of steps as he made he way through the region, finding another river, before he followed it towards the nearby mountain range, that which had been carved out of grief and darkness. As he approached the summit of the mountain, a figure adorned in shadow greeted him, standing tall and proud, still as a statue. The oppressive glare burdened his shoulder greater, and though he held a similar title of its master, the figure would have found himself struggling to face the creature with his own curved blade, formed from raw divinity. He reached up to place his open hand upon his heart, owing respect to another whom held a similar title as his own, and its master. The shadow stepped aside, allowing him to step through, towards the large garden, which greeted him with thousands upon thousands of different flowers, no two flowers the same. He followed along the path, which wound around the mountain top, the gentle breeze flowing through him, the warmth of the sun above, closer to an orange than it was yellow. He did not stop and smell the roses, instead approaching the back of the throne, which was made of jagged bones. He stopped an appropriate distance away from the throne, standing at attention, like a soldier waiting for his commands. ¡°Do you remember your father?¡± the boy asked, still turned away from the armoured figure behind him. ¡°My father herded goats,¡± Zaladhin replied. ¡°He bred many great goats, those which were gifted to the guards of our town.¡± ¡°I have vague memories of my mother,¡± Sozain said, opening his eyes, taking in the sight of the flowers, the memories of these flowers almost taking his vision. ¡°I was too young to remember that time. I spent much of my time with Elaveil, she watched over me as I grew. Noor, he often took mother¡¯s attention away, so I¡¯m told, and as I grew, I spent more and more time with my siblings. Noor would often play with me, and so would Klaus. I remember all my siblings, save for one. As I try to recall him, I find a tension upon my forehead, but it is not the same for when I try and recall father. When I recall father, I can recall only death. Death. An all consuming death. Then, a warmth. A warmth that is so strange to me, but it eases my heart. It must be that feeling, I am certain. The warmth of my father¡¯s affection.¡± ¡°I have come to request their souls,¡± Zaladhin said. ¡°You have domain over those of the Iyr, those who die within its land. I have domain over the souls of all others.¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± Sozain replied simply. Zaladhin remained silent for a long while. Even until that point, Sozain had yet to turn to face him. However, what could he do? If it were not for Sozain, Zaladhin would have been one of the many workers within the field of Damnation, rather than the Lord of Souls. The third figure approached, following along the winding path, before stopping before the pair, the heavily armoured God of Souls, and the boy upon the throne, the God of Death. He dropped the helmet of the shadow who stood watch over the garden. ¡°I have come to maintain Order,¡± the Lord of Order said. ¡°You must surr-,¡± Sozain lifted a hand, dismissing the Lord¡¯s words, his throne lifting above the ground. ¡°This garden is my most precious place. I do not wish to ruin it.¡± ¡°I have not come to fight,¡± the Lord of Order stated. The boy floated away upon his throne, he who was the youngest child of the Goddess of Life, showing no respect to the Lord of Order, a Major Divine who held no relation to them, as far as the Major Divine knew. ¡°My deepest apologies,¡± Sozain said, his eyes glancing aside towards the Lord of Souls he had personally forced into the pantheon during the Demonic Devastation. Zaladhin remained silent for a moment, unsure if he was able to accept the burden of the Lord of Death¡¯s apology. ¡°I understand. Thank you for your time.¡± Once Zaladhin left, surely uncertain of whether he had offended the Lord of Death, the orb of blackness began to crack as beams of light broke through, and a single blade pierced through the orb, exploding the black orb as the Lord of Order revealed himself, adorned in the whitest of whites and the lightest of lights. There was a darkness the Lord of Order carried upon him as he wielded his blade of white, though it was unseen, within the heart and mind of the Lord. ¡°Now that he is gone, we may begin,¡± Sozain said, raising a finger, wrapping a single black thread around the Lord of Order¡¯s hands, and the hilt of his blade, feeling the struggle of the Major Divine who was not a sibling of his. ¡°If you wish to surrender, just drop your sword.¡± The Lord of Order flexed, trying to force apart the thread that had wrapped around his hands and the hilt of his blade, for even if he dropped his blade, it would not fall to the earth, not that he had any intentions of surrendering. He would need to remind the boy just who and what he was. Except, Sozain had no intentions of allowing the Lord of Order to drop his blade, not that he would, thankfully. He flung the Lord of Order through the air, slamming him between the mountains, while beams of light tried to pierce through his barrier, which blocked out even the tiniest of needles of light. ¡°I do not care that you are not one of my siblings, I allowed you to complete your tasks, as were assigned to you by forces I could not dare to recall,¡± the Lord of Death said, keeping much of his annoyance short, not wishing to waste his breath for this fool. ¡°How dare you? How dare you come to my domain, and kill one of the precious children I raised. Since you are so ignorant, I will show it to you, a father¡¯s rage.¡± For a moment, Sozain¡¯s heart skipped a beat, as the heat spread through him like wildfire, pouring through the depths of his body. During which, he needed to shut himself to the world for a short moment, a moment which was far too long, and would cause great trouble for his sister, and his protege. He could not even accept the prayer of a grieving father. The moment was felt throughout Damnation, throughout the Celestial Realms, and even the realms connected to it, in one way or another. The Lord of Chaos, bit into an apple, pausing for a moment as he felt the pulse. ¡®Yoho? There¡¯s fun I¡¯m missing?¡¯ Yet, he could feel the cold sweat upon the back of his head. ¡®¡±Ah, I¡¯ll go save you later?¡± While the Lord of Chaos plotted to annoy the Lord of Order, Lady Elaveil, who was expecting her niece any time now, paused. It had been so long since she had felt such a rage, an emotion her youngest brother had sworn off in order to complete his role. She stood from the table she had prepared, feeling the duty of keeping anyone from panicking, which would surely fuel the Lord of Chaos, and strode towards the throne. As she sat upon it, she felt the surge in her power, reaching dangerous levels, but she slammed her staff onto the ground beside her, her scales balancing. If her youngest brother had allowed such a moment to pass, it must have meant that someone had made the mistake of killing one of the children her brother had raised, meaning the Lord of Order had come to cause trouble about a particular matter. She could only hope the Lord of Time would be willing to assist her in this matter, not that she had the time to message him. Hopefully he would be of sane mind enough, or someone else, other than Fae or Klaus had gone to speak with him, though, knowing just how much Chaos had seeped into the world, she was certain her sibling, or brother, had gone to meet with him. You really shouldn''t have killed his children. [1041] – Y05.041 – The Death of Adam II [1041] ¨C Y05.041 ¨C The Death of Adam II Adam reached up to undo his helmet, painfully slow. He pulled it up, revealing his pale face, the tears falling down his cheeks out of his wide eyes. Jurot, who could feel the pressure of the strange woman, focused completely upon his brother, seeing how small he had become, but from the corners of his eyes, he could see it. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered, his voice ghost quiet. His jaw ached, and he could feel his body grow lighter, and heavier. He couldn¡¯t even remember if he had said his brother¡¯s name. ¡°Jurot.¡± Jurot remained silent, unable to speak, almost choking on his shame. Adam couldn¡¯t bring his eyes from the bodies. He reached into his tunic, reaching for the diamonds, but the Chief placed a hand on his shoulder. The half elf, the boy, froze in place. ¡°I am sorry, Adam.¡± ¡°Chief,¡± Adam coughed, feeling the heat in his stomach rise. ¡°Chief. Why?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t use it. So... why?¡± Adam asked, as though the Chief could possibly have the answer. ¡°The Orders passed through. Jirot was harmed, but Jonn was able to save her. Jarot. Larot. They were...¡± Adam was prepared to die, but he was not prepared for worse. Even seeing that they had been run through clean, a quick, painless death, hadn¡¯t managed to soothe his heart. Adam remained staring at the bodies, of the greyed green and red. He wasn¡¯t sure if the room was cold, or if he was cold, or if the room was hot, or if he was hot. He wasn¡¯t even sure he was awake or asleep, but though he wished it was all a dream, he understood it couldn¡¯t be. ¡°Is... Vonda... okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The baby?¡± Adam¡¯s lip quivered, biting his lower lip, as the world around him grew blurred through his wet eyes. ¡°Fine.¡± Adam closed his eyes shut tight, the tears slipping down the contours of his cheeks. He was barely able to swallow, his neck taut, the half elf nodding his head slightly, like tiny tremors. He reached up to cover his eyes, squeezing at his skull, barely feeling the pain. ¡°Can I... have a few minutes, alone?¡± Adam asked, as the tears continued to fall down the sides of his cheeks, the half breathing through his gritted teeth. ¡°Okay,¡± the whisper floated in the air, before his steps echoed through the tunnels. Jurot, with his eyes shut tight, turned his head, too ashamed to even look at Adam through his eyelids. He wanted to ask to stay, but his throat tightened once more, and the Iyrman turned, bumping into the wall, before he reached out for the cold wall, leaving a trail of sweat against the stone as he stumbled away. Adam was certain he was alone, even if he hadn¡¯t heard the other pair of women step away. The half elf, began to strip out of his armour, letting it fall to the floor, but his body remained heavy. He tossed away his shield, the crimson shield scraping against the floor. He dropped his axe to the side, against his armour, the clang filling the air, before the echo of a small die fell upon the floor, skipping along the floor until it fell silent. Adam dropped to his hands. ¡°How much?¡± [I¡¯m sorry, Adam.] I¡¯m sorry. Jurot turned, unable to bear hearing the words. The Iyrman allowed his steps to lead him back to the shared estate, only realising he was back upon stepping through the archway, where he found them. His eyes fell to his mother, then downwards, to the children, noting his sister was asleep within her mother¡¯s bosom. The little green skinned girl sat right beside her grandmother, leaning up against her, before she sat up upon seeing her uncle. ¡°Unko Juroh!¡± the girl coughed out, her voice so quiet and raspy, pointing to the Iyrman. ¡°Is unko Juroh!¡± Jurot tensed up upon hearing the girl¡¯s words, recalling the Jirot from years ago. His eyes then fell down to Kirot, whose silver eyes stared up towards him, full of shock, and lost, mirroring his own. Then his eyes darted to the side, to Pam, who sat beside Vonda, the young woman sandwiched between his wife and his mother. Karot sat in front of her, with Konarot sitting in front of Jirot, as though they had all grouped up to protect Vonda and Jirot from the world. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jurot,¡± Pam whispered, while Vonda closed her eyes, praying lightly. Jurot remained silent. What was he to say to his nieces and nephew? What was he say to his sister, who had lost two of her children? What was he to say to his mother, who had lost two of her grandchildren. ¡°Unko!¡± Jirot whined, reaching out with a hand, the girl¡¯s face contorting as she made to cry. Jurot forced his body forward, picking the girl up, holding her within his arms. His entire body tensed up, shaking lightly, before he calmed himself. He couldn¡¯t hear her crying, but quickly, within his arms, the girl stopped sobbing, falling asleep. He held her for a long moment, feeling her cheek, warm and wet, against his own. She was so small. So light. He could feel the multiple layers around her waist, and the Iyrman shook for a moment. ¡®Jirot,¡¯ Jurot thought, holding the girl close to his chest. ¡®Jirot!¡¯ It was upon feeling the tug at his leg, that the young Iyrman glanced down, taking in the sight of the young girl, who stared up at him with a look no child of the Iyr should ever hold. ¡°Daddy?¡± Konarot asked, clutching the young Iyrman¡¯s leg, gripping his trousers tight in hand. Jurot dropped to a knee, pinning Jirot¡¯s head to him with his cheek, before reaching up to rub the top of his eldest niece¡¯s head. He stared into her eyes, which remained questioning, and so full of fear. Jurot could feel the darkness clutch so tightly around his heart, seeping deep within. The Iyrman swallowed, before his eyes took in the gaze of Kirot and Karot, the pair also full of apprehension, while his sister slept away peacefully within their mother¡¯s arms. Jurot tensed up again, before looking down at Jirot, brushing along her cheek, wiping away her tear. ¡°I...¡± Jurot whispered. ¡°I will bring him.¡± ¡°Papo,¡± Konarot whispered, clutching his trousers still. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jurot shut his eyes tight, fighting away his tears, before handing the girl out to Lavgak, Jaygak¡¯s mother, who accepted the tiny girl. He turned, and stepped away, before pausing. ¡°How are... Virot? Damrot?¡± ¡°They¡¯re well,¡± Pam replied. ¡°They can crawl now.¡± ¡°Ad-,¡± Jurot tensed up, unable to say his brother¡¯s name, even to lighten up the mood. He swallowed, marching out of the shared estate, passing the shared estates, the Elder¡¯s estate, and he made his way to a group of estates to one side. An aide stepped in front of the path to block the Iyrman¡¯s way. ¡°The Great Elders are busy.¡± Jurot inhaled deeply, his entire body flashing hot red, as the Iyrman shouted, finding whatever voice of his remained. ¡°Children of the Rot family were killed!¡± These chapters were some of the hardest to write. [1042] – Y05.042 – The Death of Jurot [1042] ¨C Y05.042 ¨C The Death of Jurot The Iyrmen nearby tensed up, surging with killing intent, but the moment passed. The Iyrman stepped aside, allowing Jurot to step through. The Iyrman marched forward, noting the appearance of the Great Elders, with Elder Shaman sitting among them in place of Elder Peace, while the most obvious Great Elder remained missing. ¡°Who was killed?¡± Elder Shaman, adorned in her heavy, deep green cloak, asked. She was the visage of time, wrinkles falling across her face, carved through decades of thought. ¡°My nephews,¡± Jurot said, unable to speak their names. ¡°They are not Iyrmen,¡± Elder Shaman stated, her voice clear, not just speaking to Jurot, but also the Great Elders around her. ¡°They are my nephews,¡± Jurot stated through his gritted teeth, feeling the rage boiling within him, trying to beat out the hopelessness which had gripped his heart. ¡°We have our rules, young Iyrman of the Rot family,¡± Elder Shaman stated, her voice falling upon the Iyrman¡¯s ears like a rushing waterfall, pressing down upon him with the great weight of responsibility. ¡°Under the laws of the Iyr, they have no such rights.¡± Each word battered Jurot deeper than any blade he had faced, even the blade of King Merryweather. ¡°I have my rights,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I have rights afforded to me.¡± ¡°Even if you were to die, we would not bring you from Baktu¡¯s embrace, for you are no child.¡± ¡°I know my rights,¡± Jurot stated firmly. ¡°I am a Master soon.¡± ¡°Soon, but not yet,¡± Elder Forest said, the woman¡¯s voice full of regret. Jurot could feel it. He was on the cusp of Masterhood, just a little more, and he would be able to reach such a height. Once he was a Master, he could use his rights to help, he was certain of it. He continued to shake, his fists clenched, to the point his nails dug into his rough palms. ¡°You should return,¡± Elder Shaman said. Jurot remained standing there, trying to think of a way to help in that moment. Even if he could bring them back a second earlier, he would do so. As an aide placed a hand on his shoulder, he refused to move. The aide raged, causing Jurot to flash red hot with rage too, but the young Iyrman was unable to resist, as the aide dragged him away. Jurot let out a sigh, relaxing, dropping his rage. As they dragged him away, he reached up to pat the aide¡¯s shoulder, who let the young Iyrman go. Jurot inhaled deeply, standing taller. ¡°I am an Iyrman. You cannot deny me my rights. I will pay the price, a life for a life.¡± Chief Iromin raised his brows in shock. ¡°Which life?¡± ¡°Larot,¡± Jurot replied, without hesitation. ¡°You would leave Jirot without her twin brother?¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes towards the Chief. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He was not with the dead. He was not with Jirot. Where is he?¡± The sky over the Iyr was darkened with grief. Within the side of the mountain, a path led to small caves, which had been carved thousands of years ago. A woman walked along the length of the path, while another sat in front of the cave, pouring salt into the water, before pushing the pot forward. ¡°I still owe him a favour,¡± Otkan said. ¡°You may ask on his behalf.¡± Jarot remained silent, reaching down to pick up the pot, sipping the salted water. He refused to ask, for he could not ask more of her, who had given her arm to make sure he would see his greatchildren grow. However, how could he come to face them now, after allowing them to die? Was he so shameless, he, who had urged them to leave the business to train? A set of graceful steps approached the cave, where the Iyrmen sat, only separated by the invisible wall of shame. ¡°Did I not tell you, Chief?¡± Jarot asked, clenching his teeth, and though he smiled like a hyena, there was little light within his smile. ¡°He is my grandson!¡± The stars twinkled in the sky, darkness not yet looming over the Iyr, but growing deep within. Adam jolted upon hearing the striking of the staff, the overwhelming pressure of the Iyrman almost causing him to choke, bringing him out of his grave thoughts. ¡°Babo!¡± Jarot clutched around his neck, feeling the heat of his greatfather¡¯s rage warming him up, as Jirot hugged his bicep, also warming herself up. Larot let out a soft sigh, before Jirot then grabbed him into a huge too, brushing through his hair. ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± Jirot asked, holding him close, planting firm kisses on his cheek. ¡°You! I tell you not to come! You come and push me?¡± Larot remained silent. Adam closed his eyes, trying to keep his tears from flowing out. He and Vonda held one another, the half elf rubbing his cheek against hers. It was only then could he feel the relief set within his heart. When he heard the Chief calling for him, he dared to let the woman go, holding her hands for a long moment, staring deep into her eyes, which remained uncertain, for how did her children return to her? ¡°We must speak,¡± Iromin said. Adam nodded, following the Chief, followed by his Aunt, whose steps were urgent, but remained a short way away. ¡°Chief,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°The Iyr has brought them back.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°Whatever you say, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Iromin turned to throw a look to Sonarot, before pausing. ¡°Your children must be raised as Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°They will grow under the Iyr¡¯s care. They will learn our secrets, which they must keep, even from you.¡± ¡°Chief, you...¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°You need to ask Vonda for their permission too. She¡¯s their mother, and I can¡¯t promise it alone.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Iromin promised. ¡°Is it the only price to be paid?¡± Sonarot asked, her eyes focused upon the Chief. ¡°Yes.¡± Sonarot let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing as she closed her eyes, steadying her emotions. ¡°Chief Iromin?¡± Adam called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with them being raised in the Iyr, as Iyrmen, but...¡± ¡°You need not worry,¡± Iromin said. ¡°We have prepared those who we will send to kill you.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, wiping his eyes, the itch within them growing. ¡®Man, I love the Iyr. Damn it.¡¯ ¡°There is another important matter to discuss,¡± Iromin said. ¡°What is it?¡± Iromin remained silent. He did not wish to speak the words, but the blood had been spilled. His neck grew taut, and the Chief flashed crimson, thirsty for blood. ¡°Someone has killed a child of the Iyr.¡± The Iyr told you that you cannot do one thing. Also shout out to the two new patrons. I forgot to mention that for all of December I will also post up an additional chapter for each new patron! So expect double chapters today and tomorrow! [1043] – Y05.043 – A Mother’s Grief [1043] ¨C Y05.043 ¨C A Mother¡¯s Grief Adam could feel the heaviness press upon him once more, and though he had felt it many times, this time it was meant for someone else. ¡°What would you have us do?¡± Iromin asked, his eyes piercing Adam¡¯s gaze, not allowing the half elf to look away. ¡°What would be your typical response?¡± Adam asked, feeling a bead of sweat run down the side of his cheek. ¡°We would demand justice,¡± the Chief stated, trying to calm himself. ¡°Those who have killed our children must be handed over, or we will slaughter their entire Order, and those who would try to stop us.¡± ¡°The entire Order?¡± Adam could see the darkness within the Chief¡¯s eyes. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean war with the Orders? The entirety of Aldland?¡± ¡°If it must come to it,¡± Iromin stated, as though it were that simple. ¡°Even with the Reavers?¡± ¡°Even with the Reavers,¡± Iromin confirmed, his eyes remaining focused upon Adam¡¯s. ¡®I can¡¯t let the Iyr go to war with Aldland, not when the world is about to change,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Not just the Reavers, but there are so many other threats, and I¡¯m sure there are threats I¡¯m not even aware of.¡¯ ¡°Who was it that killed...¡± Adam tensed up for a moment. ¡°The Order of the Thousand Hunts.¡± ¡®Those guys?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Hold on...¡¯ ¡°Was it their Grand Commander?¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°They¡¯re the ones that kill monsters, right? Why are they going around killing...¡± Adam couldn¡¯t bear to say it. ¡°Goblins and demons are no different to monsters within their eyes.¡± Adam flashed with heat again, but he shut his eyes tight. Even through his rage, he understood that he couldn¡¯t have the Iyr cause such a mess, not when everything was already going to hell, and not when it still existed out there somewhere. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it alone.¡± ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Children of the Iyr were killed,¡± Iromin said, the air around them growing colder. ¡°This is a matter of the Iyr.¡± ¡°This is a matter of the Rot family,¡± Sonarot said, reaching up to place her hand upon Adam¡¯s shoulder, pulling him closer. ¡°We will handle it.¡± ¡°Will the Family Head agree?¡± ¡°She will,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡®We have already broken so many conventions,¡¯ Iromin thought, bracing himself for all the criticism he would receive. ¡°I will leave it within your hands.¡± ¡°Once Vonda gives birth, we¡¯ll discuss more then,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t want to stress her out.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thank you again, Chief.¡± ¡°You should not thank me, but your grandfather and your brother.¡± ¡°What did they do?¡± ¡°They petitioned.¡± ¡°So they¡¯ve lost their rights?¡± Adam recalled the Chief mentioning something about it earlier, though couldn¡¯t quite recall what he had said to Sonarot. ¡°No.¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ Adam dared not to ask. ¡°I won¡¯t ever forget what you¡¯ve done for me.¡± ¡°Those children, if they are Iyrmen, then we did not do this for you, but for the sake of the Iyr,¡± Iromin stated, before leaving them. Adam returned back to the shared estate with his Aunt, finding his twins glued to their greatfather, who held them so close, refusing to allow them to leave his grasp. Adam¡¯s eyes grew wet, the young half elf clenching his fists tight, unsure of when the last time he had seen his twins suck their thumbs. Adam sat beside his wife, who took his hand within her own, the pair sitting beside one another, speaking no words. Sonarot checked on the children, brushing her hand across Larot¡¯s cheek, staring into the boy¡¯s eyes. He yawned, before leaning back to sleep, ignoring them all. ¡°It was his children who were killed.¡± Mulrot blinked, and as a moment of silence passed, the Iyrmen dealing with the confusion between one another. She placed a hand on Sonarot¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it for a moment, before allowing her to take command once more. The Family Elder of the Ruk family stood, holding his sheathed sword in one hand, before resting it against his chest. He bowed slightly. ¡°I misunderstood the situation, I apologise. We of the Ruk family will assist if called upon.¡± Following the lead of the Ruk family, the other Elders and Heads stood, bowing slightly, before taking their leave, allowing the Rot family to deal with the situation as they pleased. Though they wanted to draw their blades, it was not within their rights to ignore the will of the family if they were going this far. Only a handful of families remained, those Sonarot had expected, and those she had hoped to remain, like those of her uncles and aunts, and those who were related to her sister by marriage, but there were more than she expected. She hadn¡¯t realised the Var and the Sam families would stay, nor a few of the others, but she glanced across towards the Gek family, where her uncle sat, along with her brother, who had no doubt forced to take the role of Acting Head. The relief filled her, though she was uncertain if she could forgive her uncle in this moment. ¡°Those of you who remain may speak with Adam,¡± Sonarot said, unsure if she should refuse so much assistance, but she understood Adam may have had his own plans. One Family Elder hopped onto the stage with ease, his hands clasped behind his back, gripping his staff tight. He was bald, with a long beard. He reached out to his niece first, rubbing the top of her head, before rubbing his sister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You should come visit,¡± Mulrot said. ¡°I will come tomorrow,¡± Malfev assured, smiling from behind his thick beard. Dogek remained still for a long while, until everyone else had given their condolences, before he stood. He approached the podium, taking the step up, before he reached out to touch her shoulder, squeezing it once, before he stepped away. Sonarot bowed her head slightly, glad the man hadn¡¯t said anything, unsure if she could speak with him at this time. ¡°Let us return to our estates,¡± Mulrot said, after a long while of allowing Sonarot to think. ¡°Okay.¡± Sonarot returned back to the shared estate, finding her grandchildren preparing for bed, the others having already been put to bed. She took Jirot and Jarot within her arms, embracing them tight, her heart swelling with joy and relief, the kind only an Iyrman could feel thanks to the existence of their home. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What did I do for such thanks?¡± Jarot asked, reaching out to pat Adam¡¯s back for a moment. ¡°Do you wish to sleep with your babo?¡± Sonarot asked. Little Jarot looked to his greatfather, then his father, then to his grandmother. ¡°...¡± ¡°Jirot, Jarot, you may sleep with your babo, and I will sleep with Larot,¡± Sonarot said, making the choice for the boy. ¡°If you do not, your babo will cause a mess.¡± ¡°So troublesome,¡± Jirot accused her greatfather, smiling wide, the redness around her eyes amplifying the amber within her pupils. ¡°I can cause this much trouble at least!¡± Jarot cackled, pulling the twins close to him once more, peppering them with kisses. Sonarot leaned in to whisper to Jarot¡¯s ear. ¡°Jirot has awoken with nightmares. You must rock her to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jarot replied, feeling his neck pulse, the old man gritting his teeth as he grinned wide. ¡°This greatdaughter of mine does not need to worry within this arm of mine!¡± Adam reached out to grab Jurot¡¯s arm, squeezing it tightly for a moment. ¡°Jurot. Thank you.¡± Jurot felt the squeeze against his arm, and though he had spoken the words many times before, he was unable to say them. The Iyrman stared into his brother¡¯s eyes, recalling the half elf¡¯s words. ¡°Any time.¡± Adam swallowed, blinking away the wetness, before nodding his head. He lifted Larot up, bringing the boy to his chest, planting more kisses. He glanced down at his daughters and son. ¡°Stay with nana tonight, okay? Daddy needs to sleep with Larot.¡± ¡°I have to kiss,¡± Konarot said. ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Adam said, dropping down to kiss his daughter¡¯s head, while she leaned in to kiss her brother¡¯s cheek, hugging him close. ¡®You knew who to kiss? Right, you are your sister¡¯s sister too, aren¡¯t you? My Konarot, you are too smart!¡¯ Kirot and Karot hugged their youngest brother, kissing him too, and Lanarot also embraced and kissed each of her nieces and nephews, hugging both Jarot and Larot for a while longer, before finally surrendering them. ¡°I will sleep with Larot too!¡± Lanarot stated. ¡°You must sleep with me,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Okay!¡± The girl held her brother¡¯s hand, allowing him to take her away. Vonda watched as Adam took Larot to another room, holding the boy close to his chest. She took her eldest triplets away, each who cuddled up near her, but giving her enough distance so that they didn¡¯t accidentally trouble her during her sleep. Konarot stared at the ceiling, recalling how her father appeared. ¡®Small.¡¯ Adam wanted to sleep beside Vonda that evening, but he couldn¡¯t contain his rage. He slipped away to a nearby cabin, holding his youngest son close to his chest, allowing the boy to feel his father¡¯s rage. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam whispered, his voice quiet and dark, just like the Iyr that evening. You have no idea how excited I am. [1044] – Y05.044 – Unwanted Apologies [1044] ¨C Y05.044 ¨C Unwanted Apologies ¡°Sorry,¡± little Jarot said that morning as his father changed him, out of the ruined shirt he had thrown up upon, and his clothy. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Adam whispered, planting a kiss on his son¡¯s cheek, washing the boy clean. ¡°You smel-, silly boy, you don¡¯t need to apologise for this.¡± Adam tensed up once more, the ache of his words spreading from his heart. Jirot pouted slightly, but her father quickly distracted her with her own set of kisses against her cheek and forehead, helping the pair to wash their hands. Once the pair were adorned in their clothies once more, with little Jarot having chewed his teethleaf, Adam held their hands, leading them back to the courtyard of the shared estate. The older children had already left for their schooling that day, but they were still surrounded by their grandaunts, granduncles, and more. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot pointed towards Malfev, but remained holding her father¡¯s hand, allowing her father to escort her to him. ¡°My greatniece,¡± Malfev called, before his eyes fell upon his greatnephew. The old man smiled, patting his lap, but rather than leaping onto him, the pair remained glued to their father. He reached out to ruffle their hair, his heart pained due to the reason of their refusal rather than the refusal itself. ¡®To calm this raging storm within, I will need to give up my position.¡¯ ¡°Daddy?¡± Jirot called. ¡°Where is Lucy?¡± ¡°Lucy is working,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Working?¡± Jirot¡¯s lower lip quivered. ¡°She is coming home soon?¡± Adam shut his eyes tight once more, feeling them grow hot and wet once more. His daughter, who had been so predictably troublesome, had become so shy. ¡°I¡¯ll tell her to come home quickly after her work, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl glanced down, before her greatfather quickly distracted her by brushing her hair, the girl smiling. Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Sending ¡°Complete your tasks as quickly as you can and return back soon, Jirot, and Jarot, miss you so much.¡± ¡®Adam!¡¯ Lucy¡¯s voice boomed within his mind, full of shock, and relief. ¡®You¡¯re such a slave driver! Why can¡¯t we rest up?¡¯ Adam stepped away, but he heard Jirot and Jarot whine behind him. ¡°I just need a second to tell Lucy to come home quickly, because she¡¯s bullying daddy, I¡¯ll be back in just a bit!¡± Adam smiled towards his children, though the wrinkles around his eyes and the tense jaw revealed how little joy the half elf possessed. Mana: 22 -> 19 Spell: Sending ¡°Jarot and Larot were killed. The Iyr brought them back. Jirot was hurt too. She wants to see you.¡± ¡®Adam!¡¯ The voice was full of anger and shock, and had come out too quickly for the young woman to process what he had said. A long moment of silence passed as Lucy contemplated how much of a fool Adam truly was. ¡®Okay.¡¯ Adam remained outside for a moment, bracing himself, before returning back to the shared estate. Virot crawled towards her mother, clutching at her trouser, the girl babbling to cuddle up to her mother. Adam closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, before lifting the girl up, sitting down beside his wife, Virot upon his lap. The half elf poked her nose, planting a firm kiss on her forehead, before brushing back her hair. The girl radiated warmth, her innocent eyes staring up towards her father, her smile melting away at his cooled heart. ¡°Did you want to surprise your daddy by learning to crawl?¡± Adam asked, his voice low, and though he smiled, his eyes remained tired. He pulled her up to his chest, allowing her to lay upon his chest, the girl babbling away slightly, before sucking her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Vonda,¡± Adam eventually whispered. ¡°Did you tempt Fate?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Even if you did, you would have no reason to apologise,¡± Vonda said, clasping his hand in her own, brushing along the back of his knuckles with her thumb gently. Adam glanced aside towards his wife, who smiled warmly towards him, but he could see that the light within her eyes was forced. He smiled in return, frowning a moment later, before leaning down to press his head against her neck, nuzzling against it. He pulled away slightly, tilting his head slightly, and she placed her head against his shoulder and neck, her breath tickling against his skin. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Adam said. ¡°Everything is going to be okay.¡± Zijin stepped before Larot, who sat beside Jazool, the girl staring up at the Elder. Zijin smiled, reaching down to rub both of their heads gently, before brushing a hand along the boy¡¯s cheek, who allowed him to do so, before he drew his hand away. Zijin reached out and placed a hand upon little Jarot¡¯s head, smiling towards the boy. ¡°If they bully you, you must tell me.¡± Little Jarot clutched his babo¡¯s shirt, trying to hide from the Elder, while Jirot also did the same once he had finished brushing her hair. ¡°I have come to speak with your father, little Jirot. I will tell him he cannot work, and that he must play with you for the rest of the week, but I must speak with him of another matter. May I?¡± ¡°No work?¡± ¡°He cannot work this entire week, I will not allow it,¡± Zijin promised. ¡°You must tell daddy,¡± Jirot said, reaching out to pat the Elder¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must tell daddy off, he does not listen to me.¡± The laughter burst through the estate, causing the children to glance around, though the Iyrmen took great care in ruffling their hair, to make sure they were not frightened by the noises. ¡°I will tell him,¡± Zijin assured, before nodding his head to Adam, who stood. The Elder then brought his attention to Vonda. He held out his hands, and the young woman reached out to hold them. ¡°If you have any requests, please make them freely, I will handle the matters personally.¡± ¡°You have already done so much, Elder, I have need for little.¡± ¡°Little or much, speak your requests, and they will be dealt with.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Zijin led Adam out of the estate, towards the central estate that Zijin called his own. The Elder stepped towards the desk, but stopped, causing Adam to stop behind him. The half elf noted the Elder¡¯s back, which was wide and strong, like that of a Jin. ¡°There are few Iyrmen who have not lost a child,¡± Zijin said. ¡°Yet, few know the grief of losing a child who had not yet grown.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I, too, have lost a child, but she was older,¡± Zijin said, bowing his head lightly, the Elder shutting his eyes tight. ¡°After the previous year, I should have declined your requests. I should have left more Iyrmen near the business. I am sorry, Adam.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault, Elder.¡± ¡°You understand why I blame myself,¡± the Elder stated, more an accusation against the half elf. ¡°...¡± ¡°You are not to work for the rest of this week, I have disallowed it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You should remain with your son, and assist in his feeding. When you are ready, return to me, and I will have prepared you the steel,¡± Zijin said, still unable to face the half elf. He was one of the few Iyrmen who understood Adam, for the half elf had trusted him that much. He understood not just what Adam was, but who he was, for the half elf had trusted him that much. Zijin understood. Zijin understood it wasn¡¯t a matter of if, but when. ¡°Okay.¡± It wasn¡¯t a matter of if, but when. [1045] – Y05.045 – Depression and Gambling [1045] ¨C Y05.045 ¨C Depression and Gambling "Papa..." Konarot placed her hand onto little Jarot''s leg, glancing up to her greatfather her brother was named after. ¡°It is time to eat.¡± ¡°Mnn,¡± little Jarot shook his head, burying his head within his greatfather¡¯s chest once more. ¡°No?¡± Konarot asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°Jarot, we must eat.¡± Little Jarot whined, and his greatfather brushed his hair, holding the boy against his chest. The warmth of his greatfather soothed the boy, who could feel a tightness within his gut, the boy sucking against his thumb. ¡°Jarot will eat later,¡± Adam said, returning from the Elder¡¯s estate, brushing Konarot¡¯s head as the girl hugged his leg. ¡°How about we drink some milk first?¡± Adam¡¯s heart continued to ache, and the chill of worry slipped through into his heart. His son refused to eat, and when he did, he threw up moments later. Other than water, the boy refused to consume anything. ¡®Milk¡¯s basically water, isn¡¯t it? If he can drink that, it should be okay.¡¯ Adam stared down at the cup of milk for a moment, bracing himself, before lifting it up. He sipped the milk lightly, tasting the the slight tang. ¡°Mmm. I love milk so much.¡± Jarot blinked towards his father. ¡°This milk is a special milk, because it¡¯s only mine and my Jarot¡¯s milk.¡± Adam beckoned the boy with a finger. ¡°It¡¯s our special milk, no one else can drink it.¡± ¡°I cannot?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Jarot, what do you think?¡± ¡°Kaka can drink.¡± Jarot returned his head against his babo¡¯s chest, who brushed his head once more. Adam placed down the cup to one side, reaching down to the baked potatoes, cutting into it. ¡®Slowly.¡¯ ¡°Jarot, come to daddy¡¯s lap, babo needs to eat.¡± ¡°I can eat without-,¡± Jarot began, stopping when he noted Adam¡¯s dark glare. ¡°Jarot, go and sit upon your father¡¯s lap.¡± ¡°I want to cuddle you too, Jarot,¡± Adam called, patting his lap, reaching out for his son. Little Jarot reached out his arms and Adam lifted the boy up onto his lap, while Jirot climbed up beside her father, cuddling against side. Adam sipped the milk, bringing it up to his daughter¡¯s lips, before handing the cup to her. ¡°Make sure Jarot drinks, okay? I¡¯ll cut up your potato.¡± ¡°I do not want cut potato.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll put salt on it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The girl smiled, sipping some of the milk, before offering it to her brother¡¯s lips. ¡°Jarot, milk.¡± Jarot reached over to the bottom of the cup, sipping the milk lightly, before pulling away from it. ¡®The magic within the berries?¡¯ Zijin narrowed his eyes. They hadn¡¯t thought of using the berries this way, and he was unsure if the magic would work if the berries were destroyed, but if one could chew the berry and then swallow it, then if they ground it into the milk, wouldn¡¯t that still work? ¡°I will requisition a mill.¡± ¡°I can prepare the spell tomorrow,¡± Adam said. ¡°We can prepare it,¡± Zijin said, rereading Adam¡¯s notes. ¡°May I take your notes?¡± ¡°Alright, but some of the words are probably not something you¡¯ve come across before,¡± Adam said, before explaining the concept of the various dietary concepts. He had already explained calorie counting vaguely to the Iyrmen before, telling them how to gain and lose weight, and which foods could assist in either task. ¡°Even if it works, I¡¯m not sure if the magic will be enough, so I¡¯ll try and introduce more foods to him over time. He might be able to eat a spoonful of solids now and again, but we¡¯ll do it slowly, very slowly, over time. Just a little bit, I¡¯m talking bits of food. I¡¯ll think of any foods from my previous life which could help.¡± ¡°He will need to eat thick food to grow,¡± Zijin said, writing within his own notes to prepare the appropriate food. ¡°Not entirely,¡± Adam replied, presuming he meant solid food. ¡°Thick food is for the teeth, and my son has amazing teeth. Right now our goal is to make sure he gains weight properly as he grows, and, I¡¯m not really sure how quickly he¡¯ll keep growing, but he¡¯ll need more calories, even if he is just sitting around all day. The secret to gaining weight is to do the opposite of losing weight, so that means it¡¯ll be easier for Jarot to drink his calories. If solid food doesn¡¯t work, we might have to lean on drinks to keep him fed, though it¡¯s not the best, it¡¯s better than the alternative.¡± ¡°Will you teach this to us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no expert, but I¡¯ll try.¡± Adam reached up to his head, rubbing his pulsing forehead. ¡®I should be worrying about dragons and monsters, not if my son is able to eat food.¡¯ Zijin looked down at the notes. His heart ached, hoping more than anything else in the world, that Adam was right. ¡°Adam, come with me.¡± Adam followed Zijin to his estate, where he motioned with his hand, and after a moment, he leaned back, staring down at the half elf¡¯s notes. Adam remained silent, allowing the Elder to ponder his thoughts. ¡°It is rare for one of our children to die by a blade,¡± Zijin said. ¡°It is less rare for a child to die from other maladies. There are many which take our children, for some children are not born living, some children, they are born seemingly healthy, but gain maladies as they grow. Sometimes, there are children who grow well for a year, two, but they stop eating. They will sip water, they may sip water, but they will refuse other food, and they will spit it out if they are forced to eat. If your thoughts are correct, you will have brought us a boon we cannot repay.¡± ¡°Consider us even.¡± ¡°No,¡± Zijin said, catching the half elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°The Iyr always pays its debts.¡± ¡°You could have kept that to yourself,¡± Adam teased. ¡°I could have, but I will continue to bet upon you, Adam.¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Well, then, I hope that you¡¯ll take good care of my wife and my children.¡± Zijin smiled lightly in return, slowly nodding his head, having expected Adam¡¯s request. This particular chapter was the most difficult for me to write. [1046] – Y05.046 – The Elder Sister [1046] ¨C Y05.046 ¨C The Elder Sister The stars in the sky illuminated the Iyr in their gentle light, the darkness seeping through into the hidden paths of the Iyr. The pair of figures reached for their cups, gently sipping on the tea. One should have left already, but seeing his sister trying to keep herself together for her family, it broke his heart. ¡°Father found it difficult to deal with how swift of foot we were,¡± Malfev said. ¡°No wall, even one and half of my height, could stop me.¡± ¡°He found it easier to deal with me, since I could not become too small for his keen eyes,¡± Mulrot said. ¡°He did not need to dance to find me.¡± ¡°Father could always spot you, since you were his favourite.¡± ¡°Could you run from mother?¡± Mulrot accused. ¡°No. I could not.¡± Malfev smiled, staring down at his tea, looking back to another time, a time he could not run to. ¡°As I grow older, I notice how cold the noonval winds have become.¡± ¡°You should not speak of that now,¡± Mulrot stated, staring down at the dark liquid of her tea. She bit her lower lip, the tea unable to soothe the deep ache within her heart. Malfev closed his eyes, recalling the past once more. When he was a boy, there was so much he was able to do in the Iyr during noonval, most of his memories including his mother and father. He remembered sitting beside the stream, the water rushing over his legs. He remembered taking a walk through the lush fields of the Iyr, the softness of the blanket beneath as they ate their snacks, much of which were made by their grandmothers and grandfathers. Malfev finished his cup of tea, grabbing his staff, holding it behind his back so it ran from his left calf to his right shoulder. He clasped his wrist with his free hand, providing greater support, but mostly because it was how he had seen his own greatfather hold his staff all those years ago. ¡°They miss you,¡± Malfev said. ¡°Do not make them wait for long.¡± ¡°Would they miss me?¡± ¡°You are their greatmother.¡± ¡°I? Who refused them?¡± ¡°In their hearts, who else can they call their greatmother?¡± Mulrot could name Gangak, but she decided to let her brother leave without arguing. A tear streamed down her cheek, and her brother dared not to look back to see, silently leaving into the shadows of the Iyr, where he could unleash his own rage and grief, out of sight of his younger sister. It was that night Adam awoke, hearing the muffled crying, but it was the calls for her father which awoke the half elf, who almost shot up, only to catch his eldest daughter as she fell onto his lap. She squirmed, the girl glancing upwards in confusion as she awoke, but she slumped back to sleep as her father peppered her cheek with kisses. Adam stepped out, sans the accessory of his eldest, who like to clutch him close when she slept. ¡°Huu! Daddy! Huu!¡± Jirot called, rushing over to her father¡¯s leg, clutching at his trousers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, daddy, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adam dropped to a knee, feeling the knife within his heart, twisting with every time his daughter apologised. ¡°You silly girl, it¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, you don¡¯t have to apologise.¡± ¡°I do not want to eat,¡± little Jirot said, pulling her head away from the food. ¡°I drink milk too.¡± Adam smiled, pouring Jirot some milk, but he leaned in to her ear. ¡°Jibaby. Listen to daddy, this is a secret, so you must keep it secret, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the girl whispered back, her brow raised to let her father know she definitely wouldn¡¯t keep it a secret. ¡°Little Jarot, he¡¯s... a little sick right now, so could you do me a favour?¡± ¡°I do it!¡± Jirot assured. ¡°My papa is sick, I look after him!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He doesn¡¯t want to eat, so it¡¯ll make him sicker, but you must eat. When you eat, make sure you offer him some food. If he wants to eat, he¡¯ll eat it. You must eat the food. The last bite, you should offer it to him, okay?¡± ¡°I eat food, Jarot does not eat food?¡± ¡°The first bite, offer it to him. The last bite, offer it to him. Okay? Can you do that?¡± ¡°I can do it, daddy, I can.¡± ¡°Hopefully, Jarot will get better soon, but you have to do this, because you are his big sister.¡± ¡°So big!¡± Jirot nodded her head emphatically. ¡°I do it, daddy, I do it.¡± ¡°Okay, but, if he says no, don¡¯t force him. Just offer it, and if he says yes, feed him, if he says no, eat it.¡± ¡°I know! I can do it!¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on his daughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°I know you can. You¡¯re so well behaved, my Jirot. You¡¯re so good, such a good big sister, I know.¡± Jirot smiled, enjoying her father¡¯s affection, not noticing just how much pain her father swallowed to speak such words. ¡°Such a good big sister!¡± Adam watched as Jarot slowly sipped at the milk, hoping the magic continued to work even through the crushed berries. Turot glanced towards the group to the side, wanting to go speak with them. He noted how Konarot perked up, and he followed her sight to an entrance as a heavily armoured figure stepped into the estate. Our Jirot is never troublesome. Since I received such a lovely review, please enjoy an additional chapter today! What do you mean style is a 4.5? It''s at most a 3. I''m still working on it. [1047] – Y05.047 – Family Matters [1047] ¨C Y05.047 ¨C Family Matters Little Jarot picked up the piece and placed it down where his eldest sister requested, the boy staring down at the board. The squares alternated in colours and the various pieces, each different, were formed of similar colours. Tonagek¡¯s finger curled across his lip, Konarot also doing the same as the waited for her granduncle to move his piece. ¡°You have learnt well,¡± Tonagek said, moving one of his knights forward, finally bringing him into the skirmish for the centre of the board. Konarot¡¯s tail swayed under her, while Jirot focused completely upon the board. The pair continued to work together, while little Jarot lifted up the pieces one by one. Kirot and Karot cuddled up with their grandmother, snoozing away in the heat. Tonagek¡¯s eyes then fell to the side, to the pair of babies who were snoozing away, the first son of his nephew, and the youngest daughter of his other nephew. As they continued to play, Jirot managing to spot her granduncle¡¯s ploy immediately, the girls managed to claim a two piece advantage, before their granduncle finally surrendered. Tonagek reached out a hand, rubbing Konarot¡¯s head, then Jirot¡¯s, and finally little Jarot¡¯s. ¡°You did well.¡± The children smiled, and squirmed slightly at their granduncle¡¯s affection. After waiting a moment to hear his grandniece¡¯s cheek, Tonagek realised it would not come. ¡°Adam, come, walk with me.¡± "Okay.¡± Adam stood, reaching out to tickle the back of his twins¡¯ hands. ¡°Daddy will be back soon. You can bully babo while I¡¯m gone, just a little bit though, okay?¡± ¡°No, I will not,¡± Jirot replied, holding her father¡¯s hand with her own, the girl clutching at it tight, her amber eyes staring up at him, a small pout upon her lips. ¡°Daddy needs to go speak with baba for a bit, okay?¡± Jirot blinked towards the older Iyrman, her grandmother¡¯s brother, pouting further, her ears drooping. He did not give in to her pout, so the girl bowed her head lightly, and Adam followed the heavily armoured man out. Konarot watched her father leave. ¡®Daddy...¡¯ Even now she could see how small his shadow was, almost as small as him. Adam¡¯s eyes fell down to the sheathed blade at the man¡¯s side, which dangled slightly with his gentle limp. All Iyrmen carried weapons at their side, daggers mostly, but most also carried their family¡¯s weapon, or the main weapon they preferred to use. That was the kind of life his children would live, if Vonda gave her blessing. They stepped away from the shared estates, towards the cabins to one side, where a few teen Iyrmen worked, cleaning the area. As they stepped out towards the outer edges of the outer most shared estates, Tonagek led them to a small area where the Iyrmen lined up their crates of vegetables. He stopped at a particular set, those marked with the Rot family¡¯s symbol. He stared down at the crate, where long spirals of stems flowed out, brown flowers blooming, revealing the potatoes were soon ready for harvest. The Iyrman¡¯s eyes remained glued to the vegetables, which had been so eagerly buried by their tiny green hands. His sister had shown off the pair to him when they had buried the potatoes within the soil, this year and the last. It was difficult enough to stop them from eating the earth, but now... ¡°When you go, I will come with you,¡± Tonagek said. Adam swallowed, glancing down at the wooden crate full of earth, with stems flowing upwards, and the brown flowers revealing how they were ready to be plucked. The half elf remained for a long moment. There were some Iyrmen who were difficult to refuse. His Aunt, Sonarot, was definitely the hardest. Gangak, too, was difficult, since she had accepted his twins so readily. He had thought to repay her by assisting Jaygak, but the debt he owed passed down to Taygak, who so patiently waited for her training. Then there was Tonagek. If not for him, Adam wouldn¡¯t have known his triplets. Though Adam had adopted his twins first, his triplets had found him not long after, all thanks to the Iyrman before him. He, who had lost his own son, and had found hope, only to lose it to Adam a short while later. ¡°Would you deny me my rights?¡± Tonagek asked, noting Adam¡¯s long silence. ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, his throat dry. ¡°Okay.¡± The pair remained at the crates for a long while, with an Iyrman taking note of the pair, but leaving them be. If it was a half elf, then it must have been that particular figure, and considering the plot he stood upon, he was not out of place. While the pair stood silently over the crates, Vonda and Pam remained within the shared estate, the pair at one side. Most of the children were currently being schooled elsewhere, while their own children remained at the shared estate. Virot and Damrot were doted upon by their grandmother, who held the pair to her bosom. ¡°Adam¡¯s finally resting, but now Jurot¡¯s working harder,¡± Pam joked, reaching out to rub the back of Vonda¡¯s hand gently. ¡°Should I tell him to stay?¡± Vonda smiled, and though she usually beamed with joy, or gave a polite smile to throw around the weight of her title, this smile held a sombreness. ¡°It is a difficult time for him. We should give him the time and space he requires.¡± Within the Iyr, though there was a darkness, the Iyrmen continued to work. Some Iyrmen would come by the shared estate, but the Iyr needed to continue moving towards the future. Within the nearby woods, an Iyrman raged, slamming his axe into the trees, his arms aching from the force. Even as the trees fell, he pushed them over with his shoulder. The other Iyrmen chopped away their trees calmly, allowing the young man his space. Their eyes darted towards him now and again, making sure he remained out of danger, but though many were decades his senior, he was still stronger than any of them. It made sense, of course, considering who he was related to. Another Iyrman approached, following the trail towards the woods. He was tall and lean, and a face his wife appreciated so much, she married him for it. His hair fell down to his shoulders, hanging free. At his side he wore his axe, which he had adopted when he married into the family, and upon his forehead, the blue circle and diamonds. He stopped some ways away from the young Iyrman and waited. Jurot continued to rage and thrash, until finally his rage slipped away, leaving him with his body full of pain. He stared at the trees around him, at the mess he had caused. His lungs burned with effort, before he turned to face the Iyrman who had patiently waited. Jurot swallowed, still panting, his eyes catching the eyes of the other Iyrmen, who nodded, and the young Iyrman left them to deal with the woodcutting in peace. ¡°She did.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± Gurot asked, watching his father leave. Murot had already rushed over to his mother, the boy crying and squealing for attention, but Gurot stared up at his father with hopeful eyes. ¡°...¡± Gorot picked him up. ¡°Come. We will go see nana.¡± ¡°Nana?¡± Gorot glanced back towards Mulrot, pointing towards her. ¡°Nana Tam.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± The boy smiled. ¡°Nana!¡± Gorot carried the boy away, the boy staring up at his father, taking in the sight of his face. His muscular jaw, the hair that fell down to his shoulders, just like his cousin¡¯s. Gurot rested his head against his father¡¯s shoulder, staring at his neck, clutching at his father¡¯s collar, before the world around him turned familiar. ¡°Nana!¡± Once his father placed him on the floor, Gurot charged towards his grandmother, the old woman lifting the boy up onto her lap, before kissing against his cheek and neck. ¡°My Gurot, you have come? You have brought your father, who does not come to see his mother?¡± Gorot threw a glance across his distant relatives, before taking his place beside his mother. ¡°Can you sit here so freely?¡± Loktam asked, tickling the back of her grandson¡¯s head, the boy giggling and squirming against her. ¡°You remained during the talks,¡± Gorot said. ¡°We did.¡± Gorot remained silent for a long while staring at the ground. He glanced aside towards his son, who cuddled up to his nana so eagerly. ¡°I have come for Shark.¡± ¡°You are Rot now.¡± ¡°I am more comfortable with Shark.¡± Loktam reached out to brush her son¡¯s hair tenderly, rubbing along his forehead, and then his cheek. ¡°My greatnephews are so cute.¡± Gorot only bowed his head. ¡°How could they name him after the Mad Dog when he is so shy?¡± Loktam joked. ¡°Jurot named him.¡± ¡°It is a good name,¡± Loktam said, noting the awkwardness in her son¡¯s tone. If he spoke in such a way, then surely it was because of the rumours from years ago. ¡°If you wish for Shark, I will speak with the Family Head.¡± ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± ¡°You should come visit me more often,¡± Loktam snapped, reaching out to pinch her son¡¯s cheek. ¡°The Rot family will need someone stronger in your generation, so train hard.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Gorot replied. ¡°I will become a Grandmaster when my sons are of age.¡± ¡°You should aim to become a Master first.¡± Gorot remained silent. Unfortunately for his cheek, his silence spoke enough to his mother, who could always tell his thoughts, just like with his father. He''s not a step uncle, but the uncle who stepped up. [1048] – Y05.048 – Small Hopes [1048] ¨C Y05.048 ¨C Small Hopes When the first rays fell across the Iyr, Elder Zijin made his rounds. He made a detour that day, as he had done the previous morning, making his way to the watermills of the Iyr. There were many which were worked this morning, in the early shift of Iyrmen. He stepped up to one he had requisitioned, for this mill did not work paper or grain, but berries. Zijin noted the eyes of the nearby Iyrmen, the Elder pouring the milk into the pot, his eyes glancing aside to see the Iyrmen within the other mills glancing his way. Once the pot was full of milk, the Elder tied the skin over the lid, taking a moment to judge their gazes. ¡°The boy drinks,¡± Zijin said, turning as the Iyrmen each puffed out their chests, in the way only Iyrmen could. ¡°Of course he drinks, since I cleaned the mill well,¡± an Iyrman said. ¡°Of course he drinks, since I checked the wheel,¡± another stated. ¡°Of course he drinks, since I drain the milk,¡± a third said. The Iyrmen nearby, spurred by the news of the child drinking well, worked with their heart that morning. Though the Iyrmen¡¯s joy was quiet, it was focused, and though they had been tasked with providing only a certain amount of pulp, paper, and wheat, the Iyrmen annoyed the Elders and their aides by filling more crates and sacks than expected. Thankfully, they were assisting in plugging the hole created by the lack of one of their mills. Once that particular mill was used, it was cleaned, and the Iyrmen, tasked with grinding the berries into milk, were sent home. The other Iyrmen nearby kept an eye on the mill, making sure no one else used it, or even approached it without permission. It had been used to mill wheat, but had been quickly cleaned out to grind the magical berries, and only the magical berries, until the crisis was averted. Zijin brought the pot to the shared estate, ruffling little Jarot¡¯s hair gently, feeling how thick it was within his hand. He then ran his fingers through Konarot¡¯s hair, feeling the difference against his skin, the girl¡¯s hair so thin in comparison, but also a touch heavier. ¡°I will request for a pot of shampoo for little Jirot and Jarot, since their hair is similar to my own.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, what do we say?¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the twins said, hiding themselves against their father¡¯s chest. Zijin smiled warmly, stepped out of the Iyr, allowing the rage to flash through him for a moment, before he returned back to the central estate to deal with his typical matters. ¡°How about we all go on a little picnic today at the park?¡± Adam asked, reaching over to pinch his son¡¯s nose, smiling down at the boy. ¡°Picnic?¡± Little Jarot asked. ¡°It¡¯ll be mummy, daddy, and all of our adorable little babies, except Virot.¡± ¡°Why not Virot?¡± Jirot asked, tilting her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. ¡°Daddy wants to tell you all secrets, and Virot, she¡¯s always babbling away about this and that, and she¡¯s a little young to understand what I want to tell you.¡± ¡°Virot is so smart,¡± Jirot stated, raising her brows expectantly to her father, though not in the way she used to, when she dared him to deny her words. ¡°I know, I know, but she¡¯s still a baby.¡± Adam leaned down to nuzzle against his daughter¡¯s cheek. Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Of course she¡¯s so smart, since she¡¯s your sister.¡± Jirot hid her face into her father¡¯s chest, the girl giggling against it, and her father pulled her even closer. Adam felt the warmth of her body against his own, but the chill seeped further into his heart. As they finished their breakfast, Adam sat to one side, holding onto Virot. Vonda sat beside him, the side of her boot pressed against his. ¡°Boobooboo,¡± Virot babbled. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Virot squealed with delight, before reaching up to explore her father¡¯s jaw with her fingers, poking and prodding at his face. ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t die,¡± Karot whined, pouting up to his father. ¡°I think two times is good enough,¡± Adam assured, wrapping an arm around his eldest son, kissing his ear gently. ¡°Daddy won¡¯t die.¡± Adam spoke to them of his tale, from his first life, to his second life, and finally his third life. He spoke of his love for prawn cocktail crisps, to various different drinks, mostly fizzy, but also the mango juice he would often flavour their water to taste like. He spoke of many innocuous things, many of which did not exist in this world. He even spoke of showers, which he vastly preferred over baths, much to Vonda¡¯s surprise. ¡°I really wish mobile phones existed in this world,¡± Adam said, holding up an imaginary phone, tapping at the screen with his thumb, snapping an imaginary picture of his children, having not yet gained the habit of snapping a selfie, which would have made more sense. ¡°Although, we can do without social media.¡± As Adam continued to speak of his tale, and made jokes only he understood, the loneliness returned, only to be pushed away by the warmth of his children. He was a man of three worlds, and though his time in the second had been short, and alarming, it had shaped him to who he was. Adam¡¯s heart continued to ache, but the weight upon his shoulders lightened by a feather. Vonda reached out to hold his hand at some point, and the half elf smiled at her. Vonda rested her head against her husband¡¯s shoulders, tears slipping against his clothing, before she quickly wiped them clean, blowing her nose into a handkerchief. She would cry later, when they were alone, or perhaps, when she was alone. She understood what Adam was doing. The half elf, who perhaps was often a fool, was someone who liked to lay down the foundations slowly, and it had begun today. Even as evening came, she watched her husband from the opposite end of the shared estate, the half elf sitting beside his brother. ¡°Jurot?¡± Adam called, finally breaking the silence. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°I need you to, uh...¡± Adam blinked rapidly for a moment. ¡°If you could, please find out what happened. I want you to.. make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I mean... I don¡¯t want you to blame any of them. It was my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have...¡± Adam sniffled. ¡°Just, you know, train them, and make sure they¡¯re...¡± Adam shook his head again. ¡°Just, find out what happened, and deal with it as you see fit. It was all my fault, but just, you know.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, closing his eyes to calm himself. He was certain he understood what Adam was asking of him. ¡°I... would do it, but... I don¡¯t want to know. Larot pushed Jirot out the way, that¡¯s all I know, it¡¯s all I need to know.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes burned as they glistened. ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jurot.¡± Jurot swallowed. It was in times like this he wished Jaygak and Kitool were here. The only way they wouldn¡¯t be here was if they didn¡¯t know, so such a burden fell upon his shoulders. Even if he was a member of the Rot family, he wasn¡¯t sure he was strong enough to carry it. ¡°You can go after Damrot begins to crawl, but you should come back for the festival.¡± Jurot closed his eyes again. He was glad that Adam was still Adam, even after all that happened. While Vonda watched the pair, seeing the way Jurot tried to calm himself, she understood Adam had already begun to settle things. She glanced away, only to find a tiny, warm hand against hers. She glanced aside to see Larot, the tiny demon boy staring up at his mother. He rubbed the back of her hand gently. Vonda, certain the boy was not just a boy, still pulled him to her bosom, holding the back of his head. ¡°Larot.¡± The boy could hear the pain within her voice. He reached up to brush along her cheek. ¡®You damn fool! How can you worry your wife like this?¡¯ Damn. The next arc is pretty long, and pretty depressing. Someone subscribe to my patreon so all these depressing chapters pass quickly! The next person to subscribe to even my lowest tier, I''ll post up an additional two chapters, not one. [1049] – Y05.049 – Readiness [1049] ¨C Y05.049 ¨C Readiness ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Adam whispered into Vonda¡¯s ear, holding her hand. They sat to one side, in the shadows of the shared estate, each sipping their flavoured water, having finished their meal of potatoes and eggs. Vonda glanced aside to her husband, intertwining her fingers with his. Since when had her husband kept such a keen eye upon her? No, that was a silly statement, since it was Adam. The real question was when did he learn to read her so well? They watched the Family Heads greet the children, the nearby Heads already familiar to the children due to Sonarot often taking them out to play with the children of the other estates. They had all accepted that Sonarot viewed them as her own grandchildren, as was her right, though it was only now that many had come to accept the children as Children of the Iyr. ¡°Everything is changing,¡± Vonda whispered, squeezing his hand. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I think it is for the better,¡± Vonda said, but there was something else within her voice. An apprehension for the unknown. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Adam repeated, slowly nodding his head. He glanced aside to her, taking in the sight of her face for a moment, stopping himself from committing her face to memory so obviously, and instead glanced down towards her stomach, reaching down to rub it gently, feeling the movement within. ¡°Are they still kicking?¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°How could you do that, you silly boy, you silly girl, how can you kick your mother like that?¡± Adam cooed to the stomach, feeling the movement against his hand. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear, what a fool of a father I am, riling you up.¡± Vonda rested her head against Adam¡¯s shoulder, inhaling deeply as she dealt with the sharp pain of their child moving so harshly within her stomach. She was no stranger to blocking out the pain, though usually she was able to use her magic to heal herself, but with a child, it was awkward to use any magic. Pam stared at the young woman from nearby, wearing a blanket over her shoulders, while her husband whittled away nearby, blowing the wood to one side, collecting the scraps and dust into a basket. He remained completely engrossed within his work, having shut off the world. Her eyes then fell to the children, who remained with their grandmother, and were showered in the attention of the various Iyrmen around. Little Jarot, who was so sweet and gentle, and used to love her bread, and Larot, who remained eerily silent. ¡°Okay?¡± called a gruff voice from beside her. The young woman jolted slightly, glancing aside to the one armed, one legged Iyrman, who called the young woman his granddaughter. ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Do not be afraid to speak,¡± Jarot said, the old man sipping his milk, this milk more sour than any other milk he had drunk before, even though he had caused so much trouble for it. ¡°Okay...¡± Pam glanced aside to her father, who had recently returned back to the Main Iyr, though sat awkwardly to one side, unsure of what he should do. He had returned in order to remain near Pam for the birth of his second grandchild, but the thoughts of his face also focused on what to do in this situation. He stared at the children, with their green skin and amber eyes, still unsure of how to treat them. It was one thing to marry into the Iyr and accept half dragons as family, but another to accept goblins and a demon. ¡°I love kako¡¯s bread, but your bread is nice too,¡± Jirot said, giving him a thumbs up, the girl¡¯s eyes so innocent and sweet. Bam smiled awkwardly, slowly nodding his head. ¡°I taught my daughter well, then.¡± ¡°I am daddy¡¯s daughter, and daddy is not teaching, he is always working.¡± Bam smiled slightly. ¡°A father should work hard.¡± Jirot pouted, nestling her head against her father¡¯s shoulder, groaning lightly. ¡°Daddy is so smelly.¡± The girl jolted up slightly staring up at her father, who leaned down to kiss her forehead. ¡°Daddy is so silly, always working, but he¡¯s working hard, right? So you should spoil daddy since he¡¯s working hard,¡± Adam said, noting the guilt in his daughter¡¯s eyes. ¡°Daddy...¡± Jirot pouted. Bam glanced down at the boy, who was named after the one armed Iyrman who stood patiently nearby. ¡°Good night.¡± ¡°Good night,¡± little Jarot replied, also retreating to his father¡¯s chest. Adam¡¯s heart continued to ache, even as the last days of the month passed, and they welcomed the sixth month of the year, the last month of noonval. He had spent his days with his children, playing dragonchess, playing wallball, drawing, reading with his twins, and just sitting alone with Larot, who was often with Jazool. She was too young to understand why he had been missing for a few days, or why the aura within the Iyr had changed. It was the last evening of the month, and while the one armed Jarot spoiled the twins, speaking of his tales, not mentioning any deaths, but rather speaking of all the figures he had met, from Flame Blade to even the likes of the Vice Commanders of the various Orders, Adam sat beside his youngest son. The red skinned boy blinked sleepily, thinking of nothing in particular. ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, let me know,¡± Adam whispered, rubbing the boy¡¯s back gently. ¡°I wish I could play with you all more. To walk the fields, lifting you up to my chest because you got tired. To kick the ball against a wall, and bring the cup of water to your lips because you¡¯re parched. To draw alongside you, making sure you don¡¯t eat the vibrant crayons. To read to you, until you finally yawn, and I can put you to bed. I wish I could give you all the life you deserve.¡± The silence accompanied the pair into their thoughts. Elder Zijin hadn¡¯t expected him so soon, upon the start of the sixth month. It was too soon, and the half elf had not yet spoken to the people he needed to speak to. Even so, the half elf approached the Elder, who had already prepared it. ¡°No Churot?¡± Adam asked, noting the Elder was alone. ¡°No,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°You are ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given Asorot his gift,¡± Adam confirmed, taking his seat opposite the Elder, smiling sadly. ¡°This isn¡¯t the kind of thing I can be ready for.¡± What is he ready for? [1050] – Y05.050 – Darkness Rising [1050] ¨C Y05.050 ¨C Darkness Rising It was black. Not like the night, but like that of ominous death. The various blacks each swirled across the blade¡¯s edge, leaving streaks like the night sky upon the blade. The handle of the axe was also made of a black wood, which Jurot would be able to surmise, and the dark leather around the handle clung to it like a second skin. ¡°Deathsteel,¡± Adam said, keeping his fingers clasped together, too afraid to reach for the axe. Even from where he sat, he could feel the oppressive aura of the blade. ¡°Once enchanted, those slain by such steel cannot be revived with simple spells,¡± Zijin stated firmly, his voice dark. Adam stared at the blade, swallowing slightly. His eyes met the Elder¡¯s. ¡°Enchant it with whatever you wish, and once you have completed your task, the Iyr will retain the blade.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, reaching for the handle, feeling the soft leather against his hand, his hand almost sticking to it, through a supernatural property of the leather, or through his own greed, the half elf wasn¡¯t certain. ¡®It¡¯s heavy.¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°This matter is within the purview of the Rot family. My hands, as the Elder, are tied. Though I wish to do more, the Reavers will soon be upon us. I am sorry, this is all I can do for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Zijin. This is already enough.¡± Adam stared at the blade, before his lips twitched into a frown. ¡°No, there¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°As long as I am an Elder, you do not need to worry of your family.¡± ¡°Then I hope that you remain the Elder for a long while,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will also inform my successor of how to treat them too, you do not have to worry.¡± ¡°Your successor is going to have some large boots to fill,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly. He smiled as Zijin tried to understand the idiom. ¡°I should get to work, Elder.¡± ¡°I will escort you.¡± As they made their way to the shrine, Adam could feel the chill against his hand, and the burning of his muscles working to carry the blade. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how much time I have...¡¯ The shrine was tucked some ways away from the Main Iyr, through a winding tunnel, in its own intimate corner. It was made of six sturdy standing stones, encircling a large patterned floor, the entire area engraved with ancient symbols Adam still couldn¡¯t comprehend. The sun shone from above, providing them with light and warmth, and its power. Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the different symbols, the stones, and the floor. He closed his eyes, recalling the past. ¡°It was a little after we first met,¡± Adam said, recalling the scene. ¡°I remember being in awe of these stones. I remember being really cheeky to you about the Iyr and its secrets too.¡± Zijin smiled, also recalling the scene. The pair stood for a short while, enjoying the moment together. The Elder placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it tenderly, before leaving the half elf alone, or rather, under the watchful eye of another Iyrman. Adam dropped down to his knees, holding onto his amulet. ¡°This time, it¡¯s different.¡± Adam felt the chill of his obsidian amulet run through his fingers, the half elf shuddering lightly as the sharp chill ran through even to his bones. A small smile crossed his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. Baktu¡¯s attention returned back to the world, and Adam began his enchanting. It was just the one axe, for the Iyr could not risk multiple copies of such a blade to exist. Once he applied the first day of enchantments upon the weapon, Adam returned in the early evening, with Konarot almost tackling him as he stepped through the archway. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Adam asked, his eyes following her darting tail. He pulled her up, kissing her cheek, and carried her within an arm as he ruffled the hair of the younger pair of his triplets. Kirot and Karot each reached for the hem of his shirt as they walked alongside him. ¡°Turot, speak calmly to the children,¡± Sonarot said, taking the crying twins from her nephew¡¯s grasp, soothing them calmness. ¡°I did not mean to make them cry.¡± ¡°I know. Jirot, Jarot, he did not mean to shout. Turot...¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± Turot blushed slightly, the annoyance building within him. ¡°Look at our Turot,¡± Adam called, reaching over to ruffle his hair. ¡°Do you see, Gurot? Your brother, even though it was an accident, he still apologised. Asorot, do you see how amazing your brother is?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Asorot replied, smiling slightly, the boy beside his elder brother. ¡°Of course, since you¡¯re Nirot¡¯s brothers, you¡¯re all so well behaved, just like her,¡± Adam said. ¡°Should I call her back from the business?¡± ¡°Sister is working hard at the business!¡± Turot replied eagerly once more, his eyes beaming with pride. ¡°I will work hard in the Iyr to watch over my nephews!¡± ¡°Do you see that, Jirot, Jarot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Your papo, he¡¯s growing up so well. I¡¯m so glad, since my cousins are so dependable in watching over my children, I don¡¯t have to worry at all, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Shikan threw a look to Sonarot, raising his brows, and the woman slowly bowed her head, causing him to sigh. ¡®Adam...¡¯ ¡°Will you watch over Virot and Damrot the same?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Turot assured. ¡°Damrot, my boy, should I read to you?¡± Adam asked, throwing a look to Damrot, who glanced up towards the half elf upon hearing his name. The boy blinked, smiling slightly, before leaning forward, onto all fours, crawling over to the half elf. Adam gasped, frozen in place as the boy crawled to him, babbling and squealing at the half elf. ¡°Damrot! You¡¯re crawling? How amazing! Look at you, crawling so confidently!¡± ¡°He crawled after his nap,¡± the older Jarot said, doing nothing to hide the smirk upon his lips. ¡°No one told me?¡± ¡°Who would dare to tell you when I wish to tease you?¡± ¡°You! Damrot, you kept this a secret from me too?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the boy, whose smile was so pure and innocent. Adam hoisted him up, planting kisses all over his cheek. ¡°You! I forgive you, because you¡¯re so cute, and because you¡¯re my adorable son.¡± ¡°Will you steal him when his father is not here?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Adam asked, his eyes darting about. ¡°Where¡¯s Jurot? Where¡¯s your daddy, Damrot?¡± Damrot smiled innocently, before glancing around, finding his mother, squealing with delight. ¡°Close enough, I suppose.¡± How can Damrot keep it a secret? Of course we''ll forgive him. [1050] – Y05.050 – Darkness Rising I [1050] ¨C Y05.050 ¨C Darkness Rising I It was black. Not like the night, but like that of ominous death. The various blacks each swirled across the blade¡¯s edge, leaving streaks like the night sky upon the blade. The handle of the axe was also made of a black wood, which Jurot would be able to surmise, and the dark leather around the handle clung to it like a second skin. ¡°Deathsteel,¡± Adam said, keeping his fingers clasped together, too afraid to reach for the axe. Even from where he sat, he could feel the oppressive aura of the blade. ¡°Once enchanted, those slain by such steel cannot be revived with simple spells,¡± Zijin stated firmly, his voice dark. Adam stared at the blade, swallowing slightly. His eyes met the Elder¡¯s. ¡°Enchant it with whatever you wish, and once you have completed your task, the Iyr will retain the blade.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, reaching for the handle, feeling the soft leather against his hand, his hand almost sticking to it, through a supernatural property of the leather, or through his own greed, the half elf wasn¡¯t certain. ¡®It¡¯s heavy.¡¯ ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°This matter is within the purview of the Rot family. My hands, as the Elder, are tied. Though I wish to do more, the Reavers will soon be upon us. I am sorry, this is all I can do for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Zijin. This is already enough.¡± Adam stared at the blade, before his lips twitched into a frown. ¡°No, there¡¯s something else.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°As long as I am an Elder, you do not need to worry of your family.¡± ¡°Then I hope that you remain the Elder for a long while,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will also inform my successor of how to treat them too, you do not have to worry.¡± ¡°Your successor is going to have some large boots to fill,¡± Adam said, chuckling lightly. He smiled as Zijin tried to understand the idiom. ¡°I should get to work, Elder.¡± ¡°I will escort you.¡± As they made their way to the shrine, Adam could feel the chill against his hand, and the burning of his muscles working to carry the blade. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how much time I have...¡¯ The shrine was tucked some ways away from the Main Iyr, through a winding tunnel, in its own intimate corner. It was made of six sturdy standing stones, encircling a large patterned floor, the entire area engraved with ancient symbols Adam still couldn¡¯t comprehend. The sun shone from above, providing them with light and warmth, and its power. Adam¡¯s eyes fell across the different symbols, the stones, and the floor. He closed his eyes, recalling the past. ¡°It was a little after we first met,¡± Adam said, recalling the scene. ¡°I remember being in awe of these stones. I remember being really cheeky to you about the Iyr and its secrets too.¡± Zijin smiled, also recalling the scene. The pair stood for a short while, enjoying the moment together. The Elder placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it tenderly, before leaving the half elf alone, or rather, under the watchful eye of another Iyrman. Adam dropped down to his knees, holding onto his amulet. ¡°This time, it¡¯s different.¡± Adam felt the chill of his obsidian amulet run through his fingers, the half elf shuddering lightly as the sharp chill ran through even to his bones. A small smile crossed his lips, but it did not reach his eyes. Baktu¡¯s attention returned back to the world, and Adam began his enchanting. It was just the one axe, for the Iyr could not risk multiple copies of such a blade to exist. Once he applied the first day of enchantments upon the weapon, Adam returned in the early evening, with Konarot almost tackling him as he stepped through the archway. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Adam asked, his eyes following her darting tail. He pulled her up, kissing her cheek, and carried her within an arm as he ruffled the hair of the younger pair of his triplets. Kirot and Karot each reached for the hem of his shirt as they walked alongside him. ¡°Turot, speak calmly to the children,¡± Sonarot said, taking the crying twins from her nephew¡¯s grasp, soothing them calmness. ¡°I did not mean to make them cry.¡± ¡°I know. Jirot, Jarot, he did not mean to shout. Turot...¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± Turot blushed slightly, the annoyance building within him. ¡°Look at our Turot,¡± Adam called, reaching over to ruffle his hair. ¡°Do you see, Gurot? Your brother, even though it was an accident, he still apologised. Asorot, do you see how amazing your brother is?¡± ¡°I know,¡± Asorot replied, smiling slightly, the boy beside his elder brother. ¡°Of course, since you¡¯re Nirot¡¯s brothers, you¡¯re all so well behaved, just like her,¡± Adam said. ¡°Should I call her back from the business?¡± ¡°Sister is working hard at the business!¡± Turot replied eagerly once more, his eyes beaming with pride. ¡°I will work hard in the Iyr to watch over my nephews!¡± ¡°Do you see that, Jirot, Jarot?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Your papo, he¡¯s growing up so well. I¡¯m so glad, since my cousins are so dependable in watching over my children, I don¡¯t have to worry at all, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Shikan threw a look to Sonarot, raising his brows, and the woman slowly bowed her head, causing him to sigh. ¡®Adam...¡¯ ¡°Will you watch over Virot and Damrot the same?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Turot assured. ¡°Damrot, my boy, should I read to you?¡± Adam asked, throwing a look to Damrot, who glanced up towards the half elf upon hearing his name. The boy blinked, smiling slightly, before leaning forward, onto all fours, crawling over to the half elf. Adam gasped, frozen in place as the boy crawled to him, babbling and squealing at the half elf. ¡°Damrot! You¡¯re crawling? How amazing! Look at you, crawling so confidently!¡± ¡°He crawled after his nap,¡± the older Jarot said, doing nothing to hide the smirk upon his lips. ¡°No one told me?¡± ¡°Who would dare to tell you when I wish to tease you?¡± ¡°You! Damrot, you kept this a secret from me too?¡± Adam asked, staring down at the boy, whose smile was so pure and innocent. Adam hoisted him up, planting kisses all over his cheek. ¡°You! I forgive you, because you¡¯re so cute, and because you¡¯re my adorable son.¡± ¡°Will you steal him when his father is not here?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Adam asked, his eyes darting about. ¡°Where¡¯s Jurot? Where¡¯s your daddy, Damrot?¡± Damrot smiled innocently, before glancing around, finding his mother, squealing with delight. ¡°Close enough, I suppose.¡± How can Damrot keep it a secret? Of course we''ll forgive him. Interlude: Such Terrible News Interlude: Such Terrible News The gazes fell upon the Iyrman as he stepped out of the carriage, noting some of the workers still within the estate, though mostly the young children remained. He approached the group, making his way to the two Managers who waited for him. ¡°You must tell me,¡± Jurot said simply. Once Jurot was informed, he remained silent. He could envision the scene within his mind. The Iyrman tensed up several times, beating away the rage which dared to overwhelm him. He could only wonder what the children felt at the time. His own thoughts fell back to when he was a child, and the most danger he had been, held hostage by Balrog the Bane, and the shame which had filled him since. His father and aunt had let them go peacefully in order to protect him, but... Where had he been when his niece and nephews were in trouble? ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman said, his voice cold. ¡°Gather the workers.¡± ¡°Jurot,¡± Kamrot called, approaching his grandnephew as he took command of the business. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, his voice holding a slight rasp, informing Kamrot of his true feelings. ¡°Thank you for watching over the business.¡± Kamrot rubbed along his freshly shaved head, glancing aside for a moment. ¡°It was my mistake. I should have watched over them, as their babo.¡± Jurot shook his head. ¡°It was the mistake of the Order.¡± ¡°It is a matter of the family?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kamrot slowly nodded his head. ¡°I will go.¡± Jurot closed his eyes. ¡°Adam will decide.¡± ¡°I must go,¡± Kamrot stated. ¡°I will speak with him.¡± ¡°Adam will come,¡± Jurot promised. ¡°Will you remain at the business and watch over it?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kamrot promised, shaking the young Iyrman¡¯s forearm, before clasping the boy¡¯s hand within his own. ¡°Are they well?¡± ¡°Jarot does not eat.¡± Kamrot shut his eyes tight, feeling the chill run through him. He contained his rage, the old man having decades of practise in dealing with such emotions. ¡°I will not be able to face Rirot if I cannot slaughter them.¡± ¡°Adam is dealing with the matter.¡± ¡°Can he?¡± ¡°Adam is Adam.¡± Kamrot slowly nodded his head, and pulled away, leaving the Iyrman be. He returned back to the wall, his sharp eyes demanding the nearby Iyrmen to keep on guard, though none required such a look. The businessfolk gathered before the Iyrman, the Iyrman who held the same tattoos as many of the Iyrmen nearby, the blue circle flanked by blue diamonds. The Managers, the Leads, and all the other businessfolk waited for the Iyrman to speak. Bilal stood behind the Aswadians children, Jasmine stood beside her fully clothed companion, and Bael sat to one side, leaning his jaw against his fist. The air hung heavy within the air. The businessfolk could feel it on the air. It was that kind of feeling, the feeling that someone wanted to cut you down, and it was only a matter of time for them to draw their blade. ¡°The Iyr will assist in our defences indefinitely.¡± Jurot closed his eyes, tensing up slightly. Though he could feel the knot in his heart and throat, Adam had made it obvious that he needed to ease their worries. ¡°We, the Executives of the United Kindom, are sorry to have caused such distress to you. We made a mistake, and it will not happen again.¡± Dunes could feel the air grow heavier around them. He felt a hand against his, and he squeezed it gently. He took in the sight of Jurot, whose nephews had been killed. Jurot usually stood so tall and proud, carrying an aura of confidence, which delved into a practised arrogance. He once stood like a tiger, but now he was a house cat. ¡°Our business will close its gates for a short time,¡± Jurot began. ¡°I will begin the training once more. Lead Jonn will train you once I return to the Iyr.¡± The words cut deep as Jonn swallowed. He swore his Oaths to Adam, not his brother, but the half elf¡¯s heart remained heavy with the burden of failure. He, who had meant to protect the children, had allowed them to be killed right beside him. ¡°Bilal, Siten, thank you for your assistance. I will inform the Enchanter of your contributions.¡± Bavin approached Jurot, the young Iyrman, who was almost like Nobby in his stature, and even held the same boyishness, though he was the previous Elder Wrath¡¯s grandson. ¡°May I come?¡± ¡°You should remain,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I owe Adam...¡± ¡°I know.¡± Bavin bowed his head lightly, accepting the words, the young Iyrman making his way to Laygak, placing a hand on his shoulder, tapping it gently. Laygak sniffled, wiping his eyes, before they made their way to the estate. When evening came, Dunes stepped out towards the courtyard to one of the empty estates. He drew his blade and began his nightly routine, swinging his blade. He had waited for Amira to fall asleep, having promised at least the nights to her. He taught, prayed, and trained, but he needed to spend some time with his wife. As he finished his blade prayer, he turned to the side, taking in the sight of the Iyrman. He bowed his head, and Jurot returned a bow of his head. The pair remained silent for a long while. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head towards the Priest, who had wasted two of the business¡¯ diamonds, but that was not why he was sorry. ¡°If only I was a little...¡± Dunes shook his head, his blade suddenly feeling so heavy. ¡°It is not your fault, Dunes.¡± ¡°I... remember when they were born. The rain on my skin. The mud beneath my boots. The chill from the glare.¡± Dunes swallowed, staring at the past. ¡°I can feel the shame of my thoughts at the time.¡± Jurot slowly nodded, noting the gleam that fell down the Aswadian¡¯s cheek. Then, their eyes met. Jurot stared into the Aswadian¡¯s eyes. He bowed his head and joined the Aswadian in his prayers, swinging his axe until the pain distracted him from a touch of his grief. It was around this time when he finally received word too. ¡°...¡± The Princess fell silent as the Prince opposite held up a hand, furrowing his red brows in concentration. It was only upon the blink, which transformed his face from a gentle curiosity to a sudden stupor that she understood her betrothed had received a most terrible message. ¡°I understand,¡± the fire giant replied, reaching up to cover his eyes, rubbing his pounding forehead. ¡°Thank you for informing me.¡± ¡°What is the matter?¡± the Princess asked, who was only a foot shorter than her betrothed. Her skin was the colour of the ocean, with small gills around her neck, her fingers slender and webbed. She had long hair, curly, like silver kelp. The woman was adorned in sea silk, with bits of scale armour across her body, though it was the blade that rested at the table that would have caused people to think twice to bother with her. Morkarai closed his eyes, shaking his head lightly. ¡°I need to send word back to the Iyr once I have collected my thoughts.¡± ¡°Did they kill that friend of yours?¡± Merza asked, smiling slightly. He had long curly hair, adorned in golden scales, with a golden trident within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°No,¡± Morkarai replied. ¡°They let him live?¡± Merza joked, before feeling a stab against his foot, pulling away his feet to under his chair, crossing his legs as his eyes darted to his sister. ¡°I must request that you send my blade to the Iyr,¡± Morkarai eventually said. The mermen Prince and Princess raised their brows in surprise towards the fire giant Prince. Just what was it that had happened in the Iyr for him, a member of the Rai family, to entrust their blade to the mermen, and to send it alone to the Iyr? Morkarai remained silent, lost within his thoughts. News that Adam had died would have troubled him, but not this much. He reached down to his red beard, clasping it within his large, dark hand. He recalled the tiny green fists which would tug upon his beard, their innocent curious eyes mesmerised by his fiery red hair, their babbles of delight as they caused him to wince. Morkarai closed his eyes. He could think of no words to say to his young friend, whose heart had been torn, like the fire giants of old when they had been exiled from their homeland. No. This was much worse. Sad. [1051] – Y05.051 – Darkness Rising II [1051] ¨C Y05.051 ¨C Darkness Rising II Adam held onto the watch, hearing the gently ticking as the seconds passed. It was heavy within his hand, his daughter reaching out to grab at it, but unable to take it from him. Adam planted a firm kiss upon her forehead as she complained, the girl babbling and grumbling, before finally giving into her father¡¯s affection, giggling lightly. Adam had accepted the watch with Filliam¡¯s condolences, allowing the tinkerer to return once the awkwardness overcame the young man. His eyes fell to Kiara, who sat opposite the half elf awkwardly, her silver eyes glued to the table before them. She was still quite thin and small, her silver hair recently cut short. ¡°Is the Rot family treating you well?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Kiara replied, swallowing awkwardly. She was glad to finally be out of the shrine, but hearing the news that the children had been killed, she wished she was still working. ¡°Good. You let me know if they¡¯re, uh, you know...¡± Adam inhaled deeply, trying to gather his thoughts, but his mind remained clouded with darkness. Kiara nodded, allowing the silence to befall them again. She watched the father as he lifted his daughter up, standing her upon his lap, wrapping an arm around the girl¡¯s back. He nuzzled against her nose, and stared into the girl¡¯s hazel eyes, the baby staring deep into her father¡¯s eyes in return, before she smiled. ¡°Look at those adorable little teeth peeking out,¡± Adam said, rubbing his cheek against his daughter¡¯s, feeling her warmth against his own. ¡°Mummy is telling me you like to bite your dummy, mm? Is that right?¡± ¡°Ogoo,¡± the girl replied, her innocent tone like that of a babe, but she was also her sister¡¯s sister, so Adam did not allow her to fool him. ¡°Okay, but you can¡¯t just nibble everything, okay?¡± ¡°Boo,¡± Virot confirmed, before her she sucked against her thumb, resting her head against her father¡¯s shoulder. Adam leaned back, his eyes falling to the rest of the children as they played in the extended estate. The Rot family children had all gathered around the pair of boys, eager to play with them, though they left Larot alone after a short while. They played ball with the twins, making sure to pass the ball to the pair often. Adam inhaled sharply, noting all the glances from his twins, checking to see if he was still there. He smiled at them each time, nodding his head, and the twins smiled at him, before continuing their play. ¡®Just a few more days,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Once I¡¯m done enchanting, I¡¯ll... I just need to do a little more, and then we can play together.¡¯ Kiara remained focused on the half elf for a long while, uncertain of what to say to him. She had already given condolences, but the awkward air hung in the air. ¡°Are you still enchanting?¡± Adam asked, as though he didn¡¯t know the answer to the question. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Good. Good. It¡¯s good to keep busy. You¡¯ll lose your mind if you have nothing to do, but make sure you take it easy too, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Can you make Basic Enhanced weapons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Greater Enhanced?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Mother Priest?¡± Adam threw a look to his wife. ¡°What do you want me to tell her.¡± As Mother Priest heard the message from the half elf, first annoyed by his audacity, but forgiving him due to the contents of the message. She remained silent for a short while, mostly because she had tied her own hands. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to deny Adam, not when Vonda had put him up to it, and not when she, herself, had raised Vonda into the position of a Ray. There was only a half thought as to why Vonda didn¡¯t send word, realising it was most likely due to the fact she was pregnant. ¡®I am sorry for your loss, Adam. Please inform Ray Vonda of the same. I will pray on the matter and message you soon.¡¯ Vonda listened to the words through her husband as her proxy. She slowly bowed her head to the half elf, before leaning her head against his shoulder. Thus, she had involved the Order of Life¡¯s Rose into the matter. Whatever small assistance they could provide may be enough between life and death. No matter what the situation was, one would have to take Life¡¯s Rose seriously. It was the benefit of being one of the most prestigious Orders of the land. Of course, there was the fact that Adam and the First Hope, the strongest Hope, were quite antagonistic to one another. ¡®I can¡¯t regret it now,¡¯ Vonda thought, letting out a low sigh of relief. There were others who also let out such sighs. Mulrot sat opposite Zirot, the pair of women sipping tea late in the night. It was the kind of tea which soothed one¡¯s heart, and allowed them to sleep with ease. ¡°I can ask Steel Strike to assist,¡± Zirot offered, understanding her sister¡¯s grief, for her heart hung heavy with the fact that their little boys had been killed. ¡°If Tarot returns in time, he may go.¡± Mulrot knew how unlikely it was for Tarot to return. She wanted to refuse Zirot, but considering that she was a Rot, how could she do so? Even as the Family Elder, she couldn¡¯t dare to deny her sister such a right. ¡°How could I not go?¡± ¡°You are the Family Elder,¡± Zirot said. ¡°Your place is here. They will wish to see you when they go.¡± ¡°...¡± Mirot¡¯s heart continued to ache, her hands tied by her duties in the Iyr. When she became the Family Elder, she had been warned of the pain of the title, and now she understood what her predecessor had meant. The stars twinkled overhead, keeping the Iyrmen company. Chief Iromin¡¯s vision began to blur slightly, and he closed them, glancing aside. He reached out towards the lantern, pulling it closer, while his ears twitched. ¡°What need do you have of me this late?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°I have come to make a request,¡± the figure said from within the shadows, her voice low, like the dimness of the lantern. Iromin opened his eyes, throwing a tired look towards the bald woman, who clutched a staff in hand, using it as a walking stick, not that she needed it. ¡°What is it?¡± Though he spoke the question, his tone implied he already knew. ¡°I request to take a leave until the matter is settled,¡± Shaool said, placing down the piece of paper. It took only a moment for the Chief to read the request. He hadn¡¯t expected Shaool to request to leave her duties, for she was one of the Ten Paragons. If he declined her request, she would accept it, he had no doubt about that. She was a Paragon, freedom was a luxury she could not afford, and with the Reavers soon to arrive, the chance of her leave to be granted was close to nil. There was a reason why she had come to him, and not the other Great Elders. Iromin signed the slip, allowing the Paragon to step away in order to complete her personal work. ¡°Thank you.¡± Shaool bowed her head and left into the darkness. ¡®It is beginning,¡¯ Iromin thought. It was sooner than he expected. The moment Shaool stepped out of her position, the Iyr would need to react accordingly, and thus world may react to the Iyr, and with the Reavers upon the horizon... ¡®We must move carefully.¡¯ The stress filled with Chief, but it was tempered by his rage. Even if they would coax the Reavers to arrive quicker, the Iyr would not regret their actions. Uh oh. [1052] – Y05.052 – Darkness Rising III [1052] ¨C Y05.052 ¨C Darkness Rising III ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. Theo raised his brows inquisitively, though his heart eased. It had been almost two brutal weeks of getting beaten, even though it was Jurot who put himself through the gauntlet. Theo always fought him first, for the chance to earn the twenty silvers. It was just twenty silvers, but since they could fight daily, it meant that he could earn more coin than the typical hundred silvers they earned monthly. It was Theo¡¯s duty to tire him out enough for the rest. However, they would only earn twenty silvers if they won, otherwise it was half, split between the five. He would fight first, followed by Thomas, then Alfie, then Aria. If they could not defeat him, then it would be up to Dunes. In his heart, there was a hope. The hope of being able to get lucky and all that coin for himself spurred Theo on, but they all ignored that particular offer, since there was no way they could defeat him before even the fourth person stepped forward. Unfortunately, it seemed those days had come to an end. ¡°The four of you should attack me all at once,¡± Jurot finally said, feeling the heat of the rage fill him. There was only a moment of the four blinking, before they charged forward, staves in hand as they assaulted the Iyrman. He, too, used a staff, beating them each senseless with surgical precision. His skin was like iron, threatening to break any staff which did not know its place as struck him. As the four fell before him, the heavily armoured Dunes charged forward, his magical longsword in hand, clashing with the Iyrman. Dunes struck true six times within their bout, pushing his body to its limits as he swung his magical blade, shrugging off the clattering staff against his armour. He used his blade to strike true three times, while naturally striking true another three times, each time healing himself from Jurot¡¯s onslaught. This day he pushed Jurot further he had previously. While Dunes did not use his magic, Jurot did not wield his axe, nor held any shield. Dunes was fighting a weaker Jurot, and he himself repaid that in kind, though still used his magical blade so as to assist the workers in earning a greater pay. Yet, somehow, the Aswadian who had been trained at the Order of the Black Mountain, fell to his knees, panting wildly, feeling the sweat seep through his clothing from within his heavy armour. ¡®Is this why Brandon the Great warned us?¡¯ Jurot remained red hot with rage, feeling it pulse through his body, filling every pour with the intense need to kill, before it finally dissipated. He closed his eyes, allowing the breeze to cool his skin. ¡°You did well. I almost fell.¡± Dunes stared up at the Iyrman, who stood tall, his skin bruised, his side slightly bloodied. He inhaled deeply, sighing out, before standing, cracking his back. He tried to recall who he was meant to slip his silvers to that day. ¡®Was he always that strong?¡¯ Amira thought, the woman sitting to one side, with a few of the other mothers, each who were busy dealing with their own work, from teaching, to knitting, to repairing clothing or maintaining the business¡¯ equipment. She had accompanied Jurot for some time, but she didn¡¯t remember him being so monstrously strong, or her husband for that matter. ¡®He¡¯s not so bad,¡¯ Bael thought. ¡®Is he as strong as his brother, though?¡¯ Even so, Bael wasn¡¯t sure he could beat the Iyrman, fighting with only his fists. Cobra also peeked at the fight, taking a small break during her work, with Viper and Python covering for her. ¡®You are acceptable,¡¯ Jurot had informed her when she had asked for training. ¡®Acceptable?¡¯ Cobra had already seen the difference between herself and Adam, but it appeared to her that the distance between herself and Jurot was equally as fathomless. Then, of course, there was Kitool. ¡®Will she come to train us too?¡¯ Her eyes darted to the side, to find her cousins, one in specific. The Silver Fate squad remained at the business, assisting the group in their training. While Jurot assisted the new set of figures, Nirot and the rest assisted Cobra and the others. Their training was far lighter, though still quite difficult, training an hour every morning and an hour every evening as part of their duties. Even though they were all training this way, Cobra could feel it. There was something else in the air. It was unspoken, but she understood. Though Jurot had called her acceptable, it meant she did not require harsh training as the others. While she was someone who could be refined into a true Expert, the others still needed to master the basics. Jurot¡¯s training would quickly beat the others into shape, while also assisting Dunes. ¡®Are they planning to use us for revenge against the Orders?¡¯ Cobra thought. She wouldn¡¯t have thought it, but when it came to them, she couldn¡¯t rule anything out. ¡®What am I meant to tell the children?¡¯ The days continued to pass by, one day at a time. Amira finally approached Dunes during a prayer. The Aswadian sat upon his knees, praying before the magical blade. The woman sat down on a stool, also bowing her head to pray a lighter prayer. ¡°You should go see him,¡± Amira finally said. ¡°He will want to see you.¡± ¡°Did you both say thank you to nana for taking you out to see the statue?¡± ¡°I said it!¡± Jirot confirmed, while little Jarot nodded. ¡°We are so polite, daddy!¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re all so good.¡± Adam¡¯s voice cracked slightly, pulling the pair closer to his chest. ¡°My wonderful children, who are all so well behaved.¡± As evening approached, the old, one armed, one legged Iyrman sighed. His body ached from his training, though the bath had soothed his muscles. He sat at the round table alone, the venerable Iyrman lost within his thoughts. He glanced around at the empty seats, before closing his eyes. ¡®I am a Grandmaster now,¡¯ Sarot had revealed, his voice low. Jarot remembered how his brother¡¯s eyes had been awkwardly focused upon him. ¡®I will take that role.¡¯ Churot had sat upon Jarot¡¯s leg, the same leg which remained. He could still remember the weight of the boy, even when he was still a toddler, and yet so quiet, so well behaved. Though he ate slowly, he still ate well. ¡®Do you think Rirot will allow it?¡¯ Jarot had joked, causing Tarot to laugh, before the old man stopped, noting Churot look up at him. Tarot beamed down at the boy, reaching out with a thick finger, rubbing the boy¡¯s nose. Jarot¡¯s thoughts fell away as steps approached him, and the bald Iyrman, with the thick beard, sat opposite him. Jarot let out a small sigh, as though complaining at the old man for interrupting his thoughts. The old Iyrman poured himself a cup of wine, but stopped as Jarot shook his head. ¡°I will drink my milk.¡± ¡°Milk?¡± Rajin whispered. ¡°It is my favourite,¡± Jarot replied, simply, sipping the milk lightly. ¡°...¡± A moment of silence accompanied the pair. ¡°Mad Dog,¡± Jarot said, before chuckling lightly. ¡°Undying. The Kid.¡± He inhaled deeply. ¡°It was because I am so weak, my brother is dead, and the youngest is training when he is needed here.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°They should burn my tales,¡± Jarot growled, feeling the heat of the rage filling him, though it was kept at bay by the chill of his grief, the old man too tired to allow the grief to fuel his rage. ¡°I do not regret it,¡± Rajin finally said, watching as the old crippled Iyrman froze in place, before their eyes met. Jarot slowly smiled, sipping his milk. ¡°Let us share a drink when we return.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rajin replied, as though the pair truly would return. It''s still many chapters away, but I think it''s worth the wait. [1053] – Y05.053 – Darkness Rising IV [1053] ¨C Y05.053 ¨C Darkness Rising IV She was beautiful, her skin deep red, like fresh blood, a pair of horns flowing back over her head, as though shaped by a breeze. Upon her forehead, a purple tilted cross was flanked by six hollowed hexes of the same purple. She wore a heavy cloak of dark green, with a golden hem, and wore two amulets of Baktu against her chest. The Shaman checked upon the children¡¯s teeth with her flat silver utensil, like a flat spoon, her ring glowing, providing light. She spoke to her apprentice with words that didn¡¯t seem to make any sense, her voice so soft and smooth, while her apprentice swiftly dotted the words within her book. Once she was done checking the four sets of double canines within Jirot¡¯s mouth, she reached up and brushed the girl¡¯s hair tenderly, as she had done with her younger brother. ¡°You are still brushing your teeth so well.¡± Jirot smiled wide. ¡°I brush it so good. My mummy says how can I be the best, but of coase I am the best, I am her daughter.¡± Lokat smiled brightly down at the young girl, brushing her cheek tenderly, before checking upon her elder siblings, starting with Karot, then Kirot, and finally Konarot. She brushed the eldest sister¡¯s forehead with her thumb. After removing the artefact from the girl, she seemed to hold a greater colour within her, the girl¡¯s innocent eyes holding no hint of the kind of girl who would almost kill her mother. ¡°You may go,¡± Lokat informed her apprentice, allowing the young woman to leave with the book, expecting her back in a few hours once the contents had been copied. Shikan showed the Shaman to the room she would stay in, that within the Kan family, since the Rot family had no space to house the Shaman. Adam watched as the Shaman left to deal with her belongings, wondering just how far the Iyr would go for his children. ¡®Did you pick my break on purpose?¡¯ Adam exhaled, his joke unable to lighten the debt upon his shoulders. ¡®Just how much do I owe you already?¡¯ ¡°Nano!¡± Jirot gasped as her nano appeared, the older woman smiling warmly towards the twins, allowing them to tackle her. She scooped them up within her arms, and pulled them close to her chest. ¡°How are you my greatchildren?¡± Gangak asked, before noting Lokat¡¯s appearance, bowing her head towards the Shaman. The children distracted their nano by speaking of their day, how they had drawn with their mother and father, how they had been checked up, and how they had read to little Virot and Damrot. While they babbled away, she pulled them closer to her chest, planting kisses against their foreheads. ¡°Nano?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are listening?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°I am listening.¡± ¡°Even if you do not listen, I love you so much, nano,¡± Jirot assured, smiling bashfully. ¡°I love you too, my Jirot, my Jarot, I love you too,¡± the old woman assured, her heart swelling with sheer love for the pair. ¡®Even if your names are Rot, you are my greatchildren.¡¯ ¡®How many visitors are we going to get?¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes glancing towards the thin, old woman, her hair cut into a bob, who tapped the floor with her staff every few steps. ¡°Nano?¡± Jirot called, looking up at the old woman, who was so short, and held a gentle smile upon her face. ¡°I came since my granddaughter is not here, but was it not needed?¡± Kamool asked, the old woman bowing her head to Gangak, who returned the bow. Then the old woman glanced aside to her niece, smiling towards her, while the Shaman bowed her head. Kamool squatted down and lifted up Minool, the girl smiling brightly at her grandmother for a long moment, but once she was kissed, she squirmed to try and flee back to her mother. Jitool rushed up to her grandmother too, Maool waddling her way over with her confident steps, while Jazool pulled Larot with her. Kamool lifted the little red skinned boy, pulling him close to her chest, while greeting all her grandchildren, doing the same for all the other little children who came to greet her. She sat down, allowing them to badger her all they wanted. ¡®I really don¡¯t have much connection with the older Ool family members, do I?¡¯ Adam thought, though the old woman held Larot upon her lap, with Jazool cuddling up to her bosom too. Gangak¡¯s eyes darted to Lokat, then back to Kamool, wondering if the old woman had anything to do with the Iyr assigned the Shaman to the estate. However, even if she didn¡¯t, the fact that she had come to visit the children meant enough. As Adam continued to enchant, taking the next week to enchant a few weapons, he heard about a slight issue within the business. Jurot finished bathing in the stream when they appeared, a group of seven heavily armoured figures, each riding upon their steeds towards the village. Jurot approached the village, strapping his shield upon his back. The Silver Fate Squad accompanied the Iyrman, each ready for combat. The strangers were heavily armoured and armed, each adorned in at least chain mail, while the leader wore full plate, their cloaks floating behind them. They carried with them an assortments of weapons, but it was the flag of their liege which provided them their greatest defence, the red and brown revealed their affiliation as a family from within Red Oak, though Jurot was uncertain as to which family they belonged to. It wasn¡¯t Redoak, or Crimsonbranch, or Scarletwood, that much was for certain. The seven trotted up into the centre of the village, ignoring the typical decorum, though the leader reached to his side, and tossed over a pouch towards the Chief of the village, who caught it. Noting the heft within the pouch, she gathered the coins were no doubt silvers, meaning the group probably skimped on the appropriate amount of tax. ¡°Are you-,¡± the leader began, only to be interrupted. ¡°Get off your horse,¡± Jurot demanded. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Get off your horse.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes remained vicious as he glared through the knight¡¯s visor. The knight undid his helmet, revealing a face full of youth, unmarked by blades, except for the daily shaving, not that he needed to shave daily, since he was that young. He had short chestnut hair, and hazel eyes. Jurot¡¯s eyes softened, since the young man seemed even younger than himself. ¡°I am S-,¡± ¡°You are a noble, so you should show a noble¡¯s prestige,¡± Jurot said, his eyes darting along the other guards, each no doubt stronger than the young man before him. They were no doubt well trained, though were they Experts? One, two perhaps, the one who wore a bronze medallion that kept his cloak together, since the others wore iron medallions. ¡°I have heard so much about the Mad Dog, would you be willing to speak to us of his tales?¡± Albie asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, but the sound of a blade being drawn filled the air. Silence followed for a long moment, as Jurot slowly turned to see Joshua pointing a blade towards him. The fury in his eyes was evident enough, but Jurot understood it was a fury that was born from a misunderstanding. If it was the Redfield family, Jurot could only think that the blade was drawn because of imagined issues, the kind born from frustration of a failing family. However, a blade had been drawn. ¡°It seems Sir Joshua wishes to spar,¡± Albie said, smiling awkwardly towards the Iyrman. ¡°Okay.¡± The figure approached as Sir Joshua fell upon his bottom for the third time, panting for air. Jurot stood over the young man, noting the guards dripping in trepidation, unsure of what to do. He glanced towards Albie, slowly bowing his head, while Joshua stood, holding his blade with both hands, it shaking and shuddering almost as badly as him. However, they all turned towards the figure, who stood proudly, his hair falling down to his shoulders, unarmoured, save for the furs of the Iyr. It was the blade upon his back which caused the Iyrmen to pay special attention to him in particular. ¡°The resilience of the Redfield family is astounding,¡± he said, his voice neutral, his eyes dark. Albie could feel a chill run through him, the Aldishman smiling politely. The tattoo was the same, blue circle and blue diamonds, but Jurot and Nirot both wielded axes and shields, the same as their grandfather. ¡®He must have married into the family.¡¯ ¡°Executive Jurot, what happened?¡± Jurot explained the situation to the Iyrman, who listened patiently. ¡®I see.¡¯ ¡°Executive Jurot, Silver Fate Squad, you may return to the Iyr and inform the Enchanter of the request, and I will remain here.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot wanted to speak up against his words, but he wasn¡¯t going to allow the Aldishmen to hear them disagree. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Joshua asked, his eyes cautiously staring at the Iyrman. ¡°I am Gorot. I am the brother to the President, and I am here on behalf of my wife, taking her role as the Acting Director of the United Kindom.¡± Nirot¡¯s eyes remained glued to Gorot¡¯s greatsword, a greatsword she had seen a few times at her paternal family¡¯s estate. It was the same weapon which propelled her aunt after her elder brothers failed to make a name for themselves, while her elder sister died trying to earn a name for herself. It was a blade that was heavy, far too heavy for most to use. The blade was blue, with waves forged all across, but it was the edge of the blade, like shark teeth, which allowed it such infamy. ¡°Nirot,¡± Gorot called, not wishing to look at his daughter. ¡°You should return. I will complete my duty.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Nirot replied, her throat flexing against her words to refuse it, but she wouldn¡¯t let the Aldishmen hear her complain. She turned, allowing Gorot to deal with the situation. It was upon their return to the Main Iyr, that Adam heard what happened. He threw a look to Damrot, who stared up at his father, taking in the Iyrman¡¯s sight. ¡°So what¡¯s their request?¡± ¡°Five Basic longswords, five thousand.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, ending the matter there. ¡®That¡¯s only about six days worth of work, with a Basic weapon or shield leftover.¡¯ ¡°So, uncle Gorot is the Acting Director?¡± ¡°You did not know?¡± Jurot asked, surprised. Adam waved his hand, glad he wasn¡¯t stressed out about it. ¡°I¡¯m sure our President and Director knew, so that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ¡°Are you still enchanting?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The business also requires equipment,¡± Jurot said, sliding forward a book to the half elf. Adam flipped through it. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to distract Jirot during the day.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure of the significance of all these actions, but if the Iyr wasn¡¯t going to tell him, it meant that it was the Iyr¡¯s business. He inhaled deeply, leaning back in his chair. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to...¡¯ Adam closed his eyes, blocking out the thoughts. ¡®Turot keeps stealing the children from me when he returns, so I¡¯ll need to spoil them more during my breaks. Thankfully, the festival is coming up.¡¯ Classic. Shout out to the new patron! I didn''t forget my promise so expect a double chapter today and tomorrow! [1054] – Y05.054 – Noonval Festival I [1054] ¨C Y05.054 ¨C Noonval Festival I ¡°Nano, I look so booteafull?¡± Jirot asked, her amber eyes so bashfully gleaming towards the old woman, her lips puckered up so expectantly. ¡°You always look so beautiful,¡± Gangak confirmed, brushing the girl¡¯s cheek with a thumb. ¡°Just like mummy,¡± the girl whispered shyly, her lips forming a long smile. Jirot wore a blue, sleeveless dress, the frilly skirt like ripples in a pond. Atop her head she wore a long hat, made of light straw, with a ribbon she had picked out sewed to the wide brim. A gourd hung at her side, full of water. Little Jarot beamed up towards his grandmother, within his blue sleeveless shirt and his grey shorts, cut at the knee. He also wore a pair of gourds at his side, one that was full of water, and the other, with the black lid, full of chilled berry milk. His father had already warned the boy that the milk would taste different during the noonval festival. ¡°I almost did not recognise my little Jarot, but you are always so handsome, like your father, yes?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± The boy flushed, hugging his nano¡¯s knee, the woman pulling the twins close. ¡°Buu,¡± Virot grumbles, strapped within the leather and cloth contraption, worn against her father¡¯s front. ¡°What¡¯s this? You love me so much? I love you too, my Virot.¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on her forehead, but the girl glanced over to her mother, who checked the triplets gourds, making sure they were full. ¡°You silly girl, mummy can¡¯t wear you, she¡¯s already got a baby in her tummy.¡± ¡°Huu,¡± Virot complained, but she squealed with delight as her father blew a raspberry against her neck, kicking out her legs. Jurot threw a glance down at his son, who stared up at the man shyly, before hiding his head against his father¡¯s chest. After a few moments the boy glanced upwards again, smiling, before hiding his head against his father¡¯s chest once more. Jurot wrapped an arm around his son¡¯s back, holding onto the back of a leg, rubbing it gently. He held the boy close to him, lost within his thoughts. Pam smiled sadly as Jurot held their son so close. Jurot, who previously found it difficult to understand, only knew what to do after the deaths. The gentle thrum of music guided them all through the roads of the Iyr, until it was eventually replaced by the smell of food. Snacks of heavily fried dough, skewers of meat and vegetables, thick, fluffy bread. Thankfully, many Iyrmen offered cool drinks. Gangak carried a basket of food, adding little bits of the various foods into it, while some of the children nibbled on the food as they walked. ¡°Jarot,¡± Jirot called, holding up her little wrap, but the boy glanced away. ¡°You do not want to eat?¡± ¡°No...¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot bit into the food, trailing her brother¡¯ side as they followed their nano through the festival. A mass of Iyrmen remained near the stream, sitting beside it, resting their feet within the water. It was no deeper than a pinky at its deepest, and to one side, the Iyrmen pulled up the buckets from the wells, filling the gourds for the children. ¡°Don¡¯t drink the stream water, it¡¯s too dirty to drink, okay?¡± Adam said, allowing the children to rest near the stream, each sitting at the edge of the stream and relaxing. The triplets all lay around their mother, who sat within a large chair, the ends of their tails dipped into the water. Lanarot tore a piece of bread and shoved it into her mouth, chewing it slowly. She glanced up towards her sister, holding up a piece of bread for her. ¡°Kaka Pam.¡± ¡°Lanarot,¡± Pam called, reaching down to hoist the bread from the girl¡¯s fingers, before bringing it to the girl¡¯s lips. ¡°You should eat this bread.¡± ¡°Kaka, you must.¡± ¡°I will eat later,¡± Pam assured, while Lanarot gave in to her, eating from her fingers. ¡°Mmm. This bread is so good, so yummy, but I like kaka¡¯s bread more.¡± Lanarot continued to eat the bread, dipping it into the red sauce, which was sweeter than it was spicy. Pam smiled, reaching down to wipe the girl¡¯s face clean with a cloth, using some water from her gourd to wet the cloth to wipe away the sauce from the girl¡¯s lips. ¡°I will make you bread later.¡± ¡°Your father will make bread too?¡± Pam smiled slightly. ¡°I will ask him to make you bread.¡± ¡°With jam?¡± The purple threatened to invade the sky as the Iyrmen gathered together in the evening. The children painted their papers, each assisted by their elders, from their siblings to their grandparents. Lokat assisted little Larot, who drew a simple curve across the paper, before Lokat tied the paper to the sticks, and formed the lantern. ¡°Oop!¡± Adam said, snatching his daughter¡¯s hand, dunking it within the water. ¡°That¡¯s not for eating, you silly girl.¡± ¡°Haa!¡± Virot gasped, before the swirls of blue within the water distracted her. ¡°You are doing so well!¡± Turot praised, helping little Gurot while Asorot helped little Murot. ¡°Papo, I do good too?¡± Little Jarot¡¯s expectant eyes met Turot¡¯s. ¡°You always do so good,¡± Turot assured, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair, before he turned his attention back to his younger siblings. Nirot helped the triplets, each who painted the papers lightly, though Karot remained focused upon the paper, holding the brush like a dagger. Nirot waited for him to begin painting, but the boy remained completely focused on staring at it, as though a viper poised to strike. ¡°Booboo,¡± Damrot said, staring at his father. Jurot placed a hand upon the boy¡¯s bottom. ¡°You wish to talk?¡± Damrot stuck his hand inside his mouth shyly, before he turned onto all fours, crawling away to his mother. Jurot remained uncertain of what to feel, but in his heart, he understood his son crawled so well. ¡°Brother!¡± Lanarot exclaimed, holding up her lantern. It was completely blue, save for one face, which was plain, the lantern always containing a single blank side. ¡°You see?¡± ¡°As vast as the sky, as deep as the ocean, my sister¡¯s smartness knows no bounds,¡± Adam said. Lanarot blinked. ¡°It is blue, silly brother.¡± ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Adam said, resisting the urge to hug his sister and spoil her with so many kisses. Instead, he picked her up and kissed her forehead, hugging her tight. ¡°What a lovely lantern you have made. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°I have so much fun,¡± she confirmed. ¡°Daddy, look,¡± Jirot called, showing off her lantern, which was covered in lines of all manner of colours, and little dots within of more colour. ¡°I use all the colours!¡± ¡°Wow! Amazing! My daughter is an artist too?¡± ¡°No, I am not artist, I am your daughter.¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± Jirot reached out to her father¡¯s leg. ¡°Daddy, you are lucky you are so handsome.¡± ¡°I am?¡± Jirot huffed, glancing over to her mother, who returned a tired smile. ¡°So lucky.¡± ¡°Kaza,¡± Mokan called, the boy pouting. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mokan?¡± Adam asked, placing his sister down, before rubbing the boy¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Tolleh.¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± Ah, of course. [1055] – Y05.055 – Noonval Festival II [1055] ¨C Y05.055 ¨C Noonval Festival II The next day, the twins were stolen away by their babos and nanos. Tonagek took responsibility over the triplets. Nirot held Lanarot¡¯s hand as the girl led her to watch a fight, the young woman preparing her ears. Turot and Asorot each held their younger brother¡¯s hands, who were often distracted by the smell in the air which enticed them in. Adam and Vonda remained to one side, the half elf holding his daughter to his chest, the girl sucking her little dummy. While Adam cradled the girl with one arm, his free hand brushed along the side of his wife¡¯s hand, the pair holding hands for a moment. Jurot sat beside Pam, who watched him with curious eyes, impressed by his ability to slice a potato so thinly. Jurot peeled a set of potatoes, slicing them thinly as he had been requested, eventually scooping them into a large bowl of water, covering them to allow them to soak. He cleaned the purple knife, placing it into the leather, tying it to his side. His eyes fell down to Damrot, who remained snoozing away within his basket, the dummy sometimes bobbing up and down. ¡®Did I sleep so well as a boy?¡¯ An old Iyrman stepped into the estate the group were relaxing within. He was strongly built, as Iyrman were, and carried an axe at his side, as though he were a member of the Rot family. He had short dark hair and stubble, as though he had shaved the day before the festival. At his forehead was a blue square, flanked by pairs of red crescent moons which almost touched tips at the top and bottom. As he noted the sleeping children, the Iyrman took his place opposite the pair of husbands and wives. Adam bowed his head, and the Iyrman returned a bow. Eventually, Virot stirred, the girl pushing herself off of her father¡¯s chest, her eyes blinking slowly before she noted her mother to the side. She sucked her dummy with a smile, before she reached over to her mother, but was quickly distracted by her father¡¯s affection. Pam also woke Damrot up to feed the boy. ¡°Are you enjoying the festival?¡± Bovin asked, the Iyrman leaning back in his chair, his eyes glued to the half elf. ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam gently nodded his head. ¡°Yourself?¡± ¡°My heart yearns for blood, but I must remained content with the heat,¡± Bovin said, the Iyrman reaching up to scratch his chin and neck. He glanced towards Vonda for a moment, his eyes darting away since she was feeding her daughter, who reached up to clutch at her mother¡¯s hair. ¡°Have you thought of a name for your seventh?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it. So far it¡¯s Zirot or Zarot, depending on if it¡¯s a girl or boy.¡± ¡°Would you like a girl or a boy?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. As long as I can spoil them, I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡°Will you be unable to spoil them?¡± Bovin asked, holding Adam¡¯s gaze. Adam replied with an awkward smile, before shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be able to spoil them as much as I like.¡± Bovin let out a soft sigh. He reached down to his tunic, revealing a small piece of metal, that was about the width of a finger, and about half as long. He held it out for the half elf. ¡°What is it?¡± Adam asked, taking the piece of metal from the Iyrman. It was made of silver, and held the warm of someone who had kept it close to his chest. There was an inscription in the Aswadian language, the large and beautiful flourishes somehow engraved so cleanly into the metal. ¡°The silver was once a part of Sulayman al-Walid¡¯s hoard,¡± Bovin said, almost coyly. ¡°Should I know who that is?¡± ¡°The Shen of Shens,¡± Jurot explained. ¡°Ah!¡± Adam said, his brows suddenly raising in shock, his heartbeat beating a little quicker. ¡®Damn!¡¯ ¡°I have come to gift it to your unborn child,¡± Bovin said, smiling slightly, though his eyes held no light. ¡°Thank you.¡± Bovin slowly nodded his head once more. ¡°It is all I can do, since I am no longer allowed to leave the Iyr.¡± ¡°Well, I appreciate it.¡± Adam stared down at the silver, trying not to broach that topic. ¡°Do you know what the inscription says?¡± ¡°He came for me, but I denied Him.¡± ¡°He?¡± ¡°Presumably it means their Divine Lord, Noor, but for us, it refers to Baktu.¡± ¡°I like it,¡± Jirot said. ¡°It is so yummy.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam smiled, leaning in to kiss her forehead. ¡°Daddy loves it so much, too.¡± The older Jarot winced slightly at the flavour, noting the explosion of sourness against his tongue. ¡®Rajin will enjoy this.¡¯ ¡°Daddy,¡± little Jarot called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°More?¡± ¡°More?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Poan caktell?¡± ¡°You want more crisps?¡± Adam asked, blinking. ¡°Mm.¡± Adam blinked again. His heart throbbed slightly, the half elf rushing with a deep warmth, before he leaned down to kiss his son¡¯s forehead. He brought the boy¡¯s head to his chest, for a moment, swaying slightly. ¡°Of course! Of course, my boy!¡± Adam¡¯s throat trembled, the half elf reaching out to snatch more crisps, placing them upon a plate, before he cast his spell. ¡°You can have as much prawn cocktail crisps as you want. This is how I know you¡¯re my son! Who else but my children could appreciate prawn cocktail?¡± Adam planted firm kisses all over his son¡¯s forehead, the tears trickling down the sides of his cheek. ¡°Make sure you thank papo for cutting the crisps so well, yeah?¡± ¡°Thank you, papo,¡± little Jarot called, the boy¡¯s eyes meeting Jurot¡¯s. Jurot nodded, keeping his emotions at bay, not wanting to feel anything before he saw it. ¡°You eat so well, Jarot.¡± Though the Iyrmen had cautiously ate the crisps with curiosity, they pulled away from the snacks, allowing the little boy to eat as much as he wanted. They watched as Jirot picked up a crisp and brought it up to her brother¡¯s lips, letting the boy have the first bite, before she ate the second, and allowing him the last third of the crisp. She repeated this with each crisp, brushing her brother¡¯s hair and cheek with each bite. ¡°You eat so well, Jarot,¡± the girl said, confirming her uncle¡¯s words. The boy continued to eat, crisp after crisp, eating dozens upon dozens, before only the crumbs of the crisps remained. The boy sipped away at his milk, before leaning back against his father, cuddling up to him. The other Iyrmen had all snuck glances towards the boy, but it was Jurot who had watched every bite. The Iyrman felt the wave of relief rush through him, the pride that he had assisted in feeding his nephew, though it was marred by the fact the situation called for such relief. Vonda covered her face as she sobbed as quietly as she could. Pam also began to cry, hiding her face within her own hand. Jurot reached out for her shoulder, squeezing her shoulder lightly. ¡°Mummy?¡± Jirot called out, while she and her brother, as well as the triplets all rushed up to their mother. ¡°Mummy, you are hurting?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Vonda assured, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands, before blowing her nose into a handkerchief. She reached down to rub her children¡¯s heads, rubbing along their cheeks. ¡°Did you enjoy the crisps?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied. ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Yummy, mummy,¡± Jarot confirmed. The older Jarot threw a look to his wife, before he closed his eyes, concentrating on dealing with the sudden surge of emotions filling him. Larot let out a small sigh, the boy leaning back against Mirot, closing his eyes to fall asleep. ¡®A child should eat freely.¡¯ The ripples of joy expanded out from the shared estate, through the Iyr as the news spreads. It wasn¡¯t just joy, but hope. A hope that finally they could fix the one issue which plagued them for millennia. A hope which Adam would soon dash right to the Great Elder¡¯s faces. I teared up just reading this chapter. I didn''t do it justice. [1056] – Y05.056 – Noonval Festival III [1056] ¨C Y05.056 ¨C Noonval Festival III ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this,¡± Adam said, noting the looks of the Chief, Elder Teacher, Elder Forest and Elder Gold. The four Great Elders had come to check on the children, before whisking Adam away to one side, clearing an estate to speak with the half elf. A myriad of aides stood within each archway, while several watched from the rooftops. Adam glanced between the Great Elder¡¯s eyes, noting their expectations, tempered by the wisdom of their age. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee something like this will happen. There were plenty of ways this could have gone wrong. My little Jarot, he loves me so much, but he might not have wanted to try the food. He loves potatoes, but maybe he wouldn¡¯t like crisps. I love prawn cocktail as a flavour, maybe he wouldn¡¯t. I tested him with salt and vinegar, but it was too strong, and who knows, that could have been the end of it. There were so many factors. The taste, the texture, the temperature, his temperament, the way it was introduced, who was around. Somehow, it all worked out, but it was luck more than anything.¡± Chief Iromin didn¡¯t want to hear such words, his eyes meeting the other Great Elder¡¯s gazes. ¡°How is it that you know so much about this matter?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t...¡± Adam fell silent for a long moment. ¡®I can¡¯t say it¡¯s obvious, since it isn¡¯t.¡¯ ¡°I knew someone who went through something similar. It was a little worse in a lot of ways, there were other issues which couldn¡¯t be solved. Unfortunately, milk and crisps isn¡¯t the best diet, but right now, it¡¯s better than air. We can begin to introduce different types of foods later. I¡¯m not sure why he isn¡¯t eating porridge, it was his favourite, but I assume it might be because he ate it in the morning when-,¡± Iromin could see the way the half elf winced, the way his throat stopped, his jaw pulling taut. The Great Elders waited for Adam to gather himself, the half elf having rambled himself to his heartache. The half elf sniffled, blinking away the tears which threatened him. ¡°Around duskval, I¡¯ll be testing out to see if he wants to eat more. Stuff like baked potatoes, pizza, the, uh, Aswadian food that Dunes sometimes cooks. Unfortunately, Korin made his way back. I¡¯m not sure how Jarot feels about spice, but seeing as how he¡¯s close to the Gaks, he might want to emulate them.¡± ¡°We will come to you to speak of such matters in the future,¡± Iromin said. ¡°While I¡¯m still here, feel free to ask those kinds of questions. If I can help the Iyr by making sure no one starves, I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± ¡°We appreciate your assistance in this matter, Adam.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°I appreciate all that the Iyr is doing for, well, everyone.¡± ¡°We have also received word from Prince Morkarai,¡± Iromin said, before reaching into his pocket, placing down a round gem. He placed a finger upon the gem, the gem slowly shifting from a gem to a giant blade, one which would been impossible for any man to wield. It was too big, more like a slab of iron, than a blade. Adam raised his brows, throwing a look to the Chief, who returned an innocent gaze. ¡°I shall send word to Lord Morkarai, but I hope you can send the sword back.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± It was the next morning when Adam decided to message the Prince. Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Sending ¡°I appreciate the gesture, Lord Morkarai, but my family uses an axe and shield.¡± ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Adam.¡¯ ¡°Jirot, Jarot, Lord Morkarai is thinking of you,¡± Adam said, holding little Jarot upon his lap, holding the boy¡¯s cheeks, leaning in to nuzzle his nose. ¡°What should I tell him?¡± ¡°Hello! How are you?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Well, daddy can¡¯t have a long conversation with him, so why don¡¯t we think of something nice to tell him?¡± Jirot thought deeply as her father brushed her hair in the morning, while he glanced aside to his son, who yawned and rubbed his eye, before catching his father looking at him. The boy smiled slightly, radiating an innocent warmth that caused Adam¡¯s heart to ache further. ¡°Shall I tell him that you like the festival?¡± Adam offered. ¡°The audacity to set your sights on Shama,¡± Lord Stokmar said, their voice low, like shifting gravel, yet so clear. ¡°You can¡¯t even protect your childr-,¡± ¡°Lord Stokmar,¡± called a raspy voice, ghostly quiet. She was short, and wore thick clothing, black as the void. She was older than time, the wrinkles on her face like ripples within a lake. A medallion hung against her front, shaped in the symbol of Baktu, made of the blackest wood, and clutch a staff made of the same black wood. The tattoos upon her forehead were black, small, hollow circles, each uniform, smaller than any other Iyrman tattoo. The central circle held a symbol of Baktu, that of a stylised skull. Stokmar glanced towards her, deigning to show the old woman the slightest respect. ¡°You are granted, by the grace of Elder Story, to roam freely within the Iyr,¡± the old woman warned. ¡°...¡± Stokmar raised out their hand, flattening the earth they had used to punt the poor half elf. ¡°Is it because they are goblins?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought a fool of a father like you would have already left for revenge.¡± Adam frowned slightly, swallowing. ¡°They¡¯re Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Stokmar replied, throwing the nearby Iyrmen an accusatory look. ¡°I may have fallen asleep for a long while, but do you think I have forgotten your tales? Konagek spoke of them often enough.¡± ¡°We are still waiting,¡± Jarot snarled back, glaring at the entity before him. His eyes remained vicious, and as Stokmar met his eyes, the pair stood off against one another. ¡°My son is finding it difficult to eat,¡± Adam said, drawing the Lord of Earth¡¯s attention. ¡°Thankfully we¡¯re able to make sure he can live, but if you could, would you be willing to spend some time with my twins? I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll greatly appreciate it, since they are children of the earth.¡± ¡°Are you in a place to make such a request?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just checking to see if-,¡± Adam began, only to realise how close he was to flirting with death. ¡°Please, Lord Stokmar. Your presence might give him the courage to eat again.¡± ¡®The boy is finding it difficult to eat?¡¯ Stokmar thought. ¡®How old is he? Just a year? Ten?¡¯ ¡®Do I need to get on my knees?¡¯ Adam thought. Vonda watched as they appeared into the estate. The twins glanced upwards towards their father, before noting the figure to one side. Their amber eyes remained completely focused on the Lord of Earth as they shifted the earth to form a seat for themselves, almost melting into it. ¡°Is there anything to drink?¡± Stokmar asked, recalling how the dwarves shirked them, before suddenly growing with annoyance. ¡°I will find Rajin,¡± the old Jarot said, stepping away, his metal leg striking the ground as he left. ¡®Rajin?¡¯ Stokmar wondered why that name sounded so familiar. ¡°Daddy, you are in trouble?¡± Jirot whispered. ¡°You really are your mother¡¯s daughter,¡± Adam replied, unsure of how his daughter could be this scarily smart. Lord Stokmar casually doing enough damage to almost kill an Expert... [1057] – Y05.057 – Noonval Festival IV [1057] ¨C Y05.057 ¨C Noonval Festival IV ¡°Daddy makes my heart feel so warm,¡± the little girl said earnestly to the Lord of Earth. ¡°I love daddy so much, but sometimes, he is always working and not playing with me, how he can do this to me?¡± ¡°Is he always working?¡± Stokmar asked, sipping the sour wine, recalling who Rajin was, not upon seeing him, but upon tasting the alcohol. ¡°Always working,¡± the girl replied, letting out a long sigh, running her fingers through her hair, utterly exasperated. ¡°Daddy thinks I will forgive him because he is so handsome...¡± The girl blinked, rubbing her forehead, as though a worried mother. ¡°Just this once.¡± Adam could feel the heaviness within his heart lighten. Seeing his daughter so comfortable, even if it was due to someone else, brought him a joy. As long as his daughter and son felt better, it didn¡¯t matter to him that it was because of a stranger. ¡°Your father is... handsome?¡± Stokmar asked. ¡°Daddy is so handsome,¡± Jirot replied, nodding her head sagely. ¡°He is handsome, because he is my daddy.¡± ¡°Mummy is beautiful too...¡± Little Jarot added. ¡°So bootiful!¡± Jirot agreed with greater passion. ¡°How can she be so bootiful?¡± ¡®Should I take them both as my own?¡¯ Stokmar thought. ¡®I should destroy the Order and return to take them.¡¯ Lord Stokmar thought of destroying the Order as if they were about to go for a stroll. Of course, Lord Stokmar was the Lord of Earth. ¡®I will have to do it soon, in the next few years, otherwise they¡¯ll die of old age before I can get my revenge.¡¯ ¡°Mummy,¡± little Jarot called, before climbing down to make his way to his mother, who stood with some effort. Jirot also peeked up at her mother, completely shirking the Lord of Earth. ¡°Mummy needs to... pray.¡± ¡°I can go pray too?¡± Jarot asked, holding his mother¡¯s hand. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go pray and bathe, shall we?¡± ¡°It is not bath time, mummy,¡± Jirot said. ¡°I would like to bathe,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°Shall we bathe together?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot held her mother¡¯s free hand. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to talk to Lord Stokmar?¡± Adam asked. ¡°If they wish to leave for a week or two, it does not matter,¡± Stokmar replied, before noting the look from the half elf. ¡°Days?¡± ¡°Jirot, Jarot...¡± Adam glanced towards his twins, who stared up at their father expectantly. Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to say to their adorable faces. ¡°Make sure mummy is comfortable, okay?¡± ¡°I can do it!¡± Jirot assured, before helping her mother away. Sonarot also followed, while Mirot remained with the Lord of Earth. She needed to remain here since her father remained, even if he was sitting in the corner talking with Rajin. ¡°Is that young woman their mother?¡± Stokmar asked. ¡°She is,¡± Adam replied. ¡°She¡¯s my wife, Ray Vonda.¡± ¡®Ray?¡¯ Stokmar thought deeply. ¡°Of White Rose?¡± ¡°Life¡¯s...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Yes, I mean, no, it¡¯s Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°They worship the Mother?¡± ¡°They do.¡± ¡®Soza, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ Stokmar closed their eyes, feeling the vibrations through the Iyr, of the nearby Iyrmen, that of the young woman, who was considered old within the Iyr, as well as the number of, what did the Iyr call them? Grandmasters? However, it was that presence that bothered the Lord of Earth most. Jirot and Jarot both snapped out of it upon hearing their father¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°You do not need to thank me!¡± Jogak sheathed the blades and strapped the belts around their waist and their thigh, allowing the children to wear the belts for that day. ¡°You cannot play with the daggers, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Jirot replied back, staring up at her baba. Jogak undid the belts. ¡°I will give the dagger to your grandmother to watch over them, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The girl pouted, almost defeating Jogak, but she was quickly distracted as the Iyrman lifted the twins up, embracing them once more. ¡°You must thank kako too, because she paid for the daggers with the money she earned,¡± Jogak informed, keeping the twins close to his chest. ¡°Okay!¡± Jogak¡¯s eyes darted around, wondering where his fool of a daughter was. ¡®How could you leave the two of them after they were...¡¯ Lucy had seen it a few times. She had seen it when Jogak had forced them to continue to work. She had seen it when Jogak had found the blades. She had seen it when Jogak threatened the Front Iyr Elder, ready to die. Jogak, who was certainly one of the weaker Iyrmen among his peers, and was considered with a touch of foolishness, was an Iyrman too. ¡°They really...?¡± Lucy whispered. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, allowing the woman to think in her silence. ¡°Some time next month, my Xirot or Xarot is going to be born.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lucy replied, having not heard that the named had been changed either. Jogak eventually surrendered the twins, understanding he wasn¡¯t the only one who had worried for them. He crossed his hands behind his back, trying to calm himself. He threw a look to Adam, before approaching the half elf, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently, before doing the same for Vonda. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say even after thinking on his words for the entire month, so only squeezed their shoulders. ¡°Lucy!¡± Jirot hugged her tight, while Mara held her brother. ¡°Jirot!¡± Lucy replied, holding the girl close. ¡°Did you bully your daddy?¡± ¡°I did not! I did not!¡± The girl replied, huffing. ¡°Why not?¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°Daddy is always working, how can I bully?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right! It¡¯s all his fault!¡± Lucy held the girl close to her chest, brushing the back of her hair, as the tears slipped out. Mara held Jarot close to her chest too, brushing along his cheek tenderly, feeling how light the boy had become. She threw a look to the side, noting Lokat, the Shaman, was around. ¡®Jarot.¡¯ ¡°If you want, you can bully me all you want, okay?¡± Lucy said. ¡°Since you¡¯re the Demon Lord!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot hugged Lucy tighter. Jogak caught his aunt¡¯s eyes, and upon seeing her shake her head, he glanced away. He clenched his fists together. ¡®You cannot deny me my rights, aunt.¡¯ Lavgak noted how tense her husband had become, placing her own hand upon his. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman replied, still feeling the heat of the rage within him. He rested his jaw against his fist, digging it hard against his jaw as the anger continued to radiate through him like an inferno. His eyes darted to the side to Larot, who was snoozing away so peacefully. ¡°Daddy is always working, how can I bully?¡± This is as funny as it is sad... Interlude: Business Festivities Interlude: Business Festivities The darkness blanketed the land, the stars twinkling above. The gentle music at the business could not calm the Lead¡¯s heart. He stood upon the wall, staring out to the nearby village, illuminated by its celebrations for the end of noonval and the arrival of the harvest season. He closed his eyes, hearing the gentle drumming of Rock Hill instead, his heart thrumming within his chest to that same beat. He could hear the laughter of his youth, the innocence before he became an adventurer, and the hope for when he could return home. ¡®Pak¡¯s gone all soft on us,¡¯ she had said back then. ¡®Swear he¡¯s changed after meeting some kinda gal.¡¯ Fred opened his eyes, returning to the present. ¡®What¡¯s all this I¡¯m thinking about now?¡¯ The young man circled around the walls, going from looking over the village, to the river, to the Iyr¡¯s land, to the river, and then finally back to the village, lost within his thoughts. He stared at the village for a long while, focused on nothing in particular, but also on the most important thought within his mind. He closed his eyes, finding himself face to face with a particularly confident little girl. Her eyes were narrowed upon him, the girl¡¯s hands behind her back, her shy little brother gazing up at him with such sweet, innocent eyes. ¡®Good work?¡¯ she had asked. ¡®I¡¯d like to think so.¡¯ ¡®You are working hard?¡¯ ¡®Working hard, or hardly working?¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡¯ the girl replied, nodding her head slowly, not understanding the joke. ¡®You have to work hard, because you are Lead, okay?¡¯ Fred¡¯s heart swelled slightly. ¡®I will do my best, Little Boss.¡¯ ¡®I am not Little Boss, I am Demon Load.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®You understand?¡¯ ¡®Yes, Little Boss.¡¯ She had raised her brows as though daring him to pick a fight with her. She inhaled deeply, shaking her head as though she were an old grandfather disappointed by the youth of the day, before she sauntered off. ¡®So smelly, so smelly.¡¯ As the girl sauntered off, the boy had turned back towards the Lead, and smiled, waving at him, before following his sister to go and bother other workers. Fred and Jonn had caught one another¡¯s eyes, and nodded, before the half elf stalked the children, making sure they didn¡¯t get into trouble. Fred opened his eyes once more, staring at the village where it had happened. A flash of Jonn¡¯s face appeared to him, the farmer letting out a small sigh. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°You are thinking so deeply,¡± called a voice, causing Fred¡¯s hair to stand on end, his heart beating rapidly. She had short black hair, a pair of scars across her face, and was well built, wider than even the typical Iyrman. The greatsword upon her back was slightly too large, not that Fred would say such a thing to her. ¡°Aye,¡± Fred replied, followed by a long moment of silence. ¡°Haytam, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard that... the children, Adam¡¯s children, they¡¯re... Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Haytam replied. ¡®Okay?¡¯ Fred thought, though he had no courage to look at her. ¡°They¡¯re... your nieces and nephews?¡± ¡°Their granduncle is my uncle,¡± Haytam confirmed. ¡°Acting Director Gorot?¡± ¡°Yes. He is my mother¡¯s elder brother.¡± ¡®Gorot?¡¯ Fred thought about how many times he had met the Iyrmen. Other than brief greetings, and condolences from the Iyrman, they hadn¡¯t talked much. ¡®Is he a somebody in the Iyr?¡¯ ¡°Will you go?¡± ¡°Go?¡± ¡®Bael, if you¡¯re that smart, you should-,¡¯ ¡®Oh, did you hear that? I think I need to go beat up someone.¡¯ ¡®Who will you beat up today?¡¯ ¡®Hmm. Pops, what¡¯s that turtle¡¯s name?¡¯ ¡®Which turtle?¡¯ ¡®The one in the Lower Realm.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t really remember many of their names.¡¯ ¡®Yoopina?¡¯ ¡®Urkina?¡¯ ¡®Yeah, that old drake. I¡¯ll be back in a year or two, ¡®kay?¡¯ ¡®Okay,¡¯ the old man had said, allowing Bael to leave. It was a few weeks later when the old man realised Bael wasn¡¯t allowed to head to the Lower Realms. Bael smiled wide, recalling the memories, of how much stress he caused his father. ¡®I wonder if he¡¯s figured out if I¡¯ve left yet, or is Aina bothering him?¡¯ Bael glanced out towards the village once more, his smile slowly fading. He stood up, feeling the chill run through him deeper. As the melancholy struck him, he hopped off the wall, and walked around the perimeter of the fort, every so often glancing back to the village, imaging the scene. He knew exactly where it happened too. He stared at the scene, where it had happened, his eyes glazed over as the scene repeated itself before him within his thoughts. ¡°Oogoo,¡± the boy called, clutching at his father¡¯s shirt. Nobby glanced down towards Merry, meeting the boy¡¯s eyes, which remained unfocused for a moment, before they caught his gaze. The baby smiled shyly, giggling lightly, before hacking. Nobby reached over to tickle the boy¡¯s nose, causing him to sneeze. ¡®...¡¯ It was late in the night when the hushed voices filled the corner of the business. ¡°This is ridiculous!¡± Harriet whispered angrily. ¡°Why do you have to go?¡± ¡°I have go,¡± Rick replied, as though it were that simple. ¡°You don¡¯t! You¡¯re not a Manager, this has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s expected of me.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°So I have to go.¡± ¡°Why you? Greg can go!¡± ¡°Harriet,¡± Rick said, his voice lowering, his brows raising. ¡°What? It just makes the most sense! We have four children, and he doesn¡¯t even have a wife!¡± ¡°Whatever happens, I have to be the one to go,¡± Rick stated, his voice carefully firm. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Fine? Fine? Are you crazy? Has the Lord of Chaos meddled with your mind? You¡¯re talking about going to fight the Orders! The Orders, Rick! Are you a damn fool? The Orders of all things!¡± Rick reached out to hold the woman¡¯s shoulders, staring deep into her eyes. ¡°When I get back, let¡¯s take a month off, together, just you and I.¡± Harriet slapped her husband¡¯s chest and grabbed his collar, before the pair embraced, Harriet burying her head into his chest. ¡®You damn fool, Rick!¡¯ Rick knew it in his heart. He had to go. If he didn¡¯t, what would Lady Elaveil do to him and his family? Since he had received so much from the half elf, he needed to repay the debt. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Ri.¡¯ This... isn''t a cult, is it? [1058] – Y05.058 – Noonval Festival V [1058] ¨C Y05.058 ¨C Noonval Festival V Shikan poked the wood, adding in another wedge to the fire, his sweat sizzling against the open flames. The crackling of the fire gave way to the chattering of the nearby Iyrmen, who enjoyed the last day of the festival calmly. They ate the food they had brought from the nearby stalls, all save one little boy, who enjoyed the meal of crisps and milk. ¡°You must from my fingers today,¡± the old Iyrman said, feeding his greatson from his fingers. The boy alternated with his sister and his greatfather as the trio ate their crisps and drank their milk. ¡°My greatchildren, they eat so well.¡± ¡°You eat so well, Jarot,¡± Jirot said, brushing her brother¡¯s hair tenderly, kissing his forehead. ¡°Do I eat well?¡± the older Jarot asked. ¡°So well, babo, so well,¡± Jirot assured, patting his stomach gently, causing the old man to snort slightly, sitting up taller. ¡°Babo, you have same name as Jarot, and you eat as good as Jarot.¡± ¡°That is right, since I am Jarot.¡± ¡°That is right,¡± the girl agreed sagely. Meanwhile, Adam lay on the ground, staring up at the clouds, holding the tiny form of Inakan, who also stared at the sky. The sun was still rising, but was thankfully hidden by the large estate wall. ¡°Is a bird,¡± Inakan said, pointing at the cloud. ¡°Oh yeah? I can see that.¡± ¡°It is not a bird, it is a cloud,¡± Inakan stated before she cackled with delight. ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡°Kaza Adam, you are so silly.¡± ¡°That I am, cousin Inakan,¡± Adam replied, ruffling the girl¡¯s hair, which had been freshly cut for the festival. ¡°Kaza Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When I am big, I am big as you, but I am not going and I will stay all day, and I will not see the sky, because I am drawing.¡± ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Adam said, brushing her hair. ¡°When I am big, I will be big?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Not small and cute?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll always be so small and cute to me, my Inakan.¡± ¡°Silly kaza Adam, how I can be small, when I am big?¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡°Of coas,¡± Inakan agreed. Adam could feel how small the girl was still, not quite as small as his twins, but about as small as the younger toddlers. His eyes fell to the other children, each who lazed around together, with his triplets leading the lazing by snoozing away during noonval. ¡°Kaza Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Where is kaza Jaygak and kaza Kitool?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You do not know?¡± Inakan asked. ¡°I do not know what I do not know,¡± Adam replied. Inakan blinked. ¡°Do not know what I do not know...¡± The girl thought upon her cousin¡¯s words. ¡°How I can know when I do not know?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Good,¡± the girl said, nodding her head, while beginning to lay down the machinations of play. It was almost idyllic, save for the darkness hanging in the air. Adam eventually gave up playing with the children, realising he had grown too old, unable to match the stamina of children who had not yet learnt what the word tired meant. He dropped down beside Vonda, the half elf panting for air. ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam poured water into a cup, bringing it up to his wife¡¯s lips. She sipped it lightly, before allowing her husband to finish the rest of the water. ¡°What wonderfully troublesome cousins I have.¡± ¡°Troublesome?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°I¡¯m so troubled by how wonderful they all are,¡± Adam admitted, reaching out to hold her hand within his own, almost melting into the chair. Vonda glanced towards her husband, seeing the bags under his eyes, noting how heavy his breathing had become. He was the kind of man to march twenty miles each day, and now playing with children tired him out. She said nothing, however, understanding that it would stress him out if she were to speak with him now. ¡°Should I get you something to eat?¡± Adam offered. ¡°I can cut some fruit.¡± ¡°Yes, please.¡± Vonda smiled even wider, allowing her husband to spoil her. While Adam stepped away to cut some fruit, his eyes darted around the area, noting all the Iyrmen about. Yet, there was no Jaygak, no Kitool. They had yet to greet the twins or his youngest son. On his return, he scooped Larot into an arm, and settled himself beside his wife, offering to feed her using the fork Jurot had carved for him. Vonda allowed it, only because she held Larot¡¯s small red hand, feeling his warmth against her hand. Once evening approached, the group gathered together around the fire, Jirot and Jarot staring up at their father, their aunt also pouting up at the half elf. ¡°I know, I know, but we have to, to guide them back home,¡± Adam said, noting how tightly the children clutched at the lanterns. ¡°I make light and they can come home, daddy,¡± Jirot offered. ¡°Normally you¡¯d be right, my dear, but this time... it¡¯s for the festival.¡± Jirot looked up to her grandmother, pouting towards the woman. Sonarot met the girl¡¯s eyes, and for a moment, she thought about relenting, especially since little Jarot was pouting too. She dropped to her knees, pulling them both in for a hug, before also wrapping an arm around her daughter. ¡°We must burn the lanterns to guide the souls home,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°If you do not, how can Surot return?¡± ¡°Father?¡± Lanarot asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Baba?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I do it for baba!¡± Jirot said, her face contorting. Tears flowed down her face freely, but she tossed the lantern forward, while Jogak picked it up from near the fire, tossing it into the flames properly, helping little Jarot toss his lantern too. Konarot tossed the lantern forward, but it landed right in front of her, the girl blinking at her lantern as though it had made a mistake, while Kirot and Karot¡¯s lanterns each fell into the fire. ¡°I did it!¡± Inakan said, having tossed her lantern within the flames. ¡°Nana! You see?¡± Jirot asked, tears flowing down her face, the girl¡¯s lips pushed out as she continued to cry. ¡°I saw,¡± Sonarot confirmed, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Silly baba! You must come home!¡± Jirot hugged her grandmother tight. ¡°How baba can do this?¡± A smile slowly encroached upon Adam¡¯s lips. ¡°Of course he¡¯ll come home, since my children wish for it.¡± Jurot remained silent, staring at the flames, hearing the sniffling of the twins, and his younger sister. Jurot reached down to tickle the back of Lanarot¡¯s head, before he retreated away from the fire, picking up his son, and his niece, bringing the pair to his chest. Tariel¡¯s eyes fell to the twins, seeing how they cuddled up against their grandmother. Their amber eyes remained completely focused on their grandmother, the pair brimming with adoration for the woman. She thought, perhaps, that goblins weren¡¯t so bad after all. Oh. They weren¡¯t goblins? Adam continued to stare at the fire, watching the lanterns disappear into ash. It was deep within the night, the half elf holding Larot against his chest, his triplets sleeping nearby, his wife¡¯s gentle breath breaking the silence. He thought of his twins, his precious little Jirot and Jarot, who were within the gentle embrace of their greatparents, of Jarot and Gangak. The half elf closed his eyes. ¡®Bell?¡¯ [...] Uh oh. [1059] – Y05.059 – The First Rains of Duskval [1059] ¨C Y05.059 ¨C The First Rains of Duskval The rain fell across the Iyr¡¯s lands, a gentle rain, that eased in the season of duskval. The businessfolk dotted the nearby landscape, the farmers already out early in the morning. Greg¡¯s massive form remained within the business, chopping up all manner of vegetables, preparing the early morning meals of porridge, grilled vegetables, meat stew, and bread. After Korin¡¯s disappearance, he had taken the role of the head chef, his knife work almost as good as the Aswadian¡¯s. Dunes checked his notes, marking the matters clearly, before he shut the book. He sipped his water, tasting how different it was to the water back in Aswadasad. He thought of the sharp flavour of blackcurrant, and closed his eyes. His shoulders grew heavier, his legs falling asleep, trying to stop the Manager. Dunes stood. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Amira asked, reaching out for his hands. ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes replied, allowing his wife to take his hands. She held them for a long moment, the pair feeling how rough their partner¡¯s hands were. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long.¡± ¡°I will return soon,¡± Dunes assured, embracing his wife within his arms tenderly, the pair sharing a tender kiss. Amira watched as her husband stepped away, making his way to the gate, escorted away by Gorot. ¡®Dunes...¡¯ Amira sat back down, meditating, doing her best to deal with the rising stress. ¡®How could you bring such stress when I¡¯m with child? What a fool I¡¯ve married!¡¯ ¡°I will leave the business in your care for now,¡± Dunes said, handing the book to Jonn, before his eyes darted aside to the man who stood opposite. ¡°I am certain you two will be able to manage during my short absence.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Fred replied, unsure of what to say to the Manager, who had suddenly sprung this upon them the last evening. ¡°The Manager is leaving?¡± George asked, his gem glowing lightly. He stabbed his grilled potato slice, biting into it as his eyes trailed after the Manager. ¡°Yeah,¡± Fred said. ¡°He¡¯s going to do some important business.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t the important business here?¡± ¡°Most of it.¡± ¡°Is he going to see Executive Adam?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the boy said, blinking out to the Manager. ¡°He could have taken our gifts.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stop him now.¡± ¡°Aaw.¡± Fred let out a small sigh, smiling slightly. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get back to the others.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Dunes and Gorot trekked through the land, heading out to the Front Iyr. Gorot wasn¡¯t sure if what he was doing was right, but since it was a request from Manager Dunes, he had to take it seriously. ¡®I¡¯m sure you understand,¡¯ Dunes had said. Gorot could feel how heavy the blade upon his back had become, and he understood that the Manager¡¯s blade weighed equally as heavy. As the sun rose over the Iyr, Adam brushed little Jarot¡¯s hair, sweeping it to the side, flicking it near the end of the brushing. The half elf smiled, standing his twins side by side, having brushed Jirot¡¯s hair up and back to her left, while brushing his sons hair down and to his right. ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam rubbed his chin lightly. ¡°So troublesome, so troublesome. How can my children look so adorable?¡± Jirot reached out to place a hand on her father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Is okay, daddy. We are mummy¡¯s children.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam said, nodding his head lightly, before allowing the twins to dart away, brushing his son¡¯s hair. As Larot sauntered off, Adam glanced to the side, noting the towering form of Kavgak, the girl holding out her brush. ¡°Brush,¡± the girl demanded. ¡°How do we ask nicely?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Brush, please.¡± ¡°How well behaved,¡± Adam replied, smiling so brightly, before brushing the girl¡¯s hair, noting the queue forming beside him. Adam brushed their hair one by one, tying their ribbons, slipping on their hair pins. ¡®My cousins, how can you be so adorable?¡¯ ¡°Kekekeke,¡± Jirot squealed as Lucy tossed her up, catching the girl as she came back down. ¡°Again! Again!¡± Little Jarot pouted at Mara as she held him, the woman bringing him to her side, deciding against tossing him up. Jarot cuddled up to her chest, wrapping his arms around her, allowing her to hold him so tenderly. ¡°Today?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°What will you do today?¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°I must play with daddy today, okay? You must tell him.¡± Sonarot smiled slightly. ¡°I see. You must play with your father today.¡± ¡°I must, nana, I must!¡± ¡°You must if you must,¡± Sonarot said, before her eyes darted to Adam, who held Minool, and pretended to struggle as the girl fled from his arms. ¡°Gosh! How can she be so fast?¡± Adam thought, reaching up to rub his head, as though it had taken so much effort from him to contain the girl. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot called, holding her brother¡¯s hand, pointing at her father with the other, wielding her hand like one might wield a blade. ¡°You must play with me today!¡± ¡°I must play with you today?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What about Lucy and Mara?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What about papo Jurot?¡± ¡°Papo?¡± Jirot asked, blinking. She looked towards her uncle, who remained silent, the Iyrman holding his son within his arms, the boy staring up at his father¡¯s silhouette. ¡°Papo, you will play?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Iyrman replied, reaching down to brush his son¡¯s hair. ¡°Papo is going to play too!¡± Jirot gasped, her eyes meeting her brother¡¯s, both filled with equal parts surprise and joy. ¡°Papo!¡± Little Jarot called. ¡°Mummy! Papo is going to play too!¡± Jirot said, rushing up to her mother¡¯s side, placing a hand on hers. ¡°I not going to bully, just a little bit, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda replied, brushing the girl¡¯s hair, swiping it backwards so she didn¡¯t ruin her hair. ¡°Hoo! Mummy!¡± The girl reached up to her hair, pouting. ¡°What are you saying? Your mummy is so much better than daddy at brushing hair. You look even more beautiful now!¡± Jirot glanced towards her father, before standing up tall, letting out a small huff. ¡°Of cuhs, since mummy is mummy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam decided against working that month, up until the children were born. They had gotten to that time when the children were due any day now, and the half elf didn¡¯t want to miss their births. During the first week of duskval, Damokan and Kalokan each turned twelve, the pair accepting the gift from their cousin. Adam spent a little bit of time each day casting his spells to forge various items, though made it clear that anyone could interrupt him to stop him. He gifted them both a pair of near identical blades, save one held a blue hint and accents, while the other held red. Adam hugged them both. ¡°You two, why are you both so tall now? You¡¯re growing up a little too quickly, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Cousin Adam...¡± the pair replied, allowing him to embrace them. They had already expected it, but as the half elf held them so tightly, they understood he would be unable to keep his promise to them. Even so, they could no longer complain to their elder sister. ¡°Look what Minakan and Alykan made for you,¡± Adam said excitedly, revealing the paintings the girls had made for their elder siblings. ¡°It is very good,¡± the pair stated together. Minakan and Alykan both smiled, while their elder twin siblings hugged them so tightly. Halikan watched as her children all embraced one another, while Rokan exchanged a look with his sister, Arokan, before he glanced down towards Konarot. The girl waited so patiently for her father to return, before she finally held up the gifts she and her siblings had prepared, a pair of bracelets made from painted hydra scales. It was later that evening when Rokan stepped out, only to stop when he noticed the other figures who had stepped out so late too. ¡°Duskval is so chilly this year,¡± Jogak said, smiling slightly, as though he had made a joke, though the words struck through the hearts of the nearby Iyrmen who could not sleep. What a wholesome, sweet chapter about a birthday, with no undercurrent of things to come. Interlude: Family Matters Interlude: Family Matters Danagek and Gurot played together, the boys taking turns to kick the ball, while Dagek and Murot each sat beside one another. The boys shifted the blocks to form all manner of patterns, sometimes toppling over their towers. Sonarot poured her brother some tea, the pair sipping the warm tea lightly, basking in the quietness of a child¡¯s play. They continued to sip in the quietness, Sonarot warming the tea again, pouring a second cup for each of them. ¡°The first, you must kill for me,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°Is it so easy to kill such great warriors?¡± Tonagek replied. ¡°Since it is you, I am sure it is easy.¡± Sonarot smiled slightly, sipping her tea lightly, though she was still unable to taste the light berry flavour within. ¡°You do not have to worry,¡± Tonagek assured, also unable to taste the light berry flavour within. ¡°How can I not worry when my younger brother is going fight such great warriors?¡± ¡°Since it is me, it will be easy,¡± Tonagek joked. ¡°...¡± Sonarot wanted to speak up, to tell him that he didn¡¯t need to go. Yet, how could she deny her brother? He had done so much for the Gek family, and he had done so much for them too, for she had stolen such a wonderful trio of grandchildren from him. ¡°Danagek, Dagek, come,¡± Tonagek called, the pair of boys glancing towards their father, before quickly shuffling their way over. ¡°Your aunt will take you to pick the colours for the duskval festival. Gurot, Murot, come, I will take you.¡± Murot smiled, glancing towards his brother, noting a moment of hesitation upon his elder brother¡¯s face, but it was quickly dealt with as Tonagek held out a hand, and Gurot reached out to hold his uncle¡¯s hand. The gentle rain fell across the Iyr, the families within the extended family estates each enjoying their time in the warm rain, but for some Iyrmen, the rain felt far colder. Shasen sat opposite Shagek, the pair pouring each other drinks, sipping the weak wine. The pair had been named after their grandfather, and thought he pair had been close when they were young, their paths had led them on different journeys. ¡°Aldland seems to have grown since I left,¡± Shagek said, having left when he had first become a grandfather. It had been almost a generation ago since he had gone to make a name for himself in the far east. ¡°Is Javiti different now?¡± Shasen teased in return, causing his cousin to smile slightly. ¡°I did not spend much time in Javiti before it was taken over,¡± he admitted. ¡°I had heard the rumours of the distant Goddess, but I was too busy in the Wastes to check upon her. I hear she is an Idol, and her greatest commanders are similar.¡± ¡°I understand why the Confederacy is having such trouble.¡± Shagek continued to sip the wine, feeling the tingle against his tongue. Though the wine was only slightly alcoholic, it still held a sharp flavour, one that was too sweet for his liking. ¡°Are the children weighing down your heart too?¡± Shasen asked, causing Shagek to sigh, the old man closing his eyes as he leaned back. ¡°It has not been long since I returned, but my heart has become so heavy from their worry and grief.¡± ¡°What of our worry and grief?¡± Shasen joked, sipping his wine, also sighing. ¡°How can we worry and grieve at this age?¡± Shagek joked back, pouring his cousin a drink, allowing Shasen to do the same for him. The pair hadn¡¯t spoken much, but after the death of their niece¡¯s grandchildren, the pair had begun to speak again, as though they were young again. ¡°Did greatfather worry like this?¡± Shasen asked. ¡®Little Dogek, how can you cry?¡¯ Shogek asked, embracing his younger sibling close to his chest, brushing the back of his head. ¡®Papa! My bread!¡¯ ¡®I know, I know,¡¯ Shogek cooed to his younger brother, the boy barely seven himself. ¡®It is too late to cry for the bread, since the river has eaten it. Come, let us go ask mother for more bead.¡¯ ¡®Huu!¡¯ Dogek cried, while his brother wiped away his tears. Tonight, his brother could not wipe away his tears, and he allowed them to fall, the tears disappearing into the fibres of his clothing. The stars shone brightly in the night sky, the myriad of colours distracting the Elder. He let out a low sigh, closing his eyes, wanting a moment of rest. ¡°If you are so tired, you should sleep,¡± called the voice, as quiet as a mouse. ¡°How can I rest when there is so much work to do,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°Thus, the work of an Elder,¡± Rajin said, sitting down opposite his nephew. He placed down a small clay pot. ¡°I have brought a drink to wake you.¡± ¡°Do you have another which can help me to sleep.¡± Rajin flexed his muscles. ¡°I can help you to sleep easily without a drink.¡± Zijin raised his fingers, shaking his head lightly. ¡°I can sleep fine enough.¡± The pair fell silent for a long moment. It was a quiet night in the Iyr, like most nights in the Iyr. Since Zijin could dare to doze off during the night, it meant that things were proceeding smoothly at the fort in the south. Rajin poured the sword wine, the kind of wine that could awaken someone by stabbing their throat so harshly. It was even greater than the sour wine he was well known for. ¡°The children miss their aunts,¡± Rajin said. ¡°Did the Mad Dog send you?¡± Zijin asked, noting the guilty look upon his uncle¡¯s face, though he was glad that the Mad Dog was being so kind to him. ¡°When I first became Elder, I used to look to my father to help deal with him. Father spoke to Mulrot, and the Mad Dog fell quiet for a short while. It was one of the first lessons I learnt as Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°If you learnt that lesson, why did you ask me to speak with him?¡± Rajin asked, leaning back in his seat, feeling the ache from all the scars he had gained from the crippled Iyrman before he was crippled. ¡°In order to understand those who caused trouble, I had to cause trouble,¡± Zijin joked. ¡°So, it was back then?¡± Rajin asked. Zijin looked through his uncle and to the past. To the little girl who would cry to him about her father and mother bullying her, even though she was the one who caused such trouble. To the girl who stopped causing so much trouble after her aunt was killed. To the girl who would swing her blade so late into the night, counting to a hundred repeatedly, even though she knew how to count to a thousand. ¡°I will not regret it,¡± Zijin said. ¡°I know,¡± Rajin replied, picking up his cup, waiting for his nephew to raise his own, the Elder quickly moving his papers to one side, before the pair sipped the wine, coughing and hacking together, as though they had been stabbed in the throat. I should have made this year 200 chapters so I could show so much more! [1060] – Y05.060 – Father and Son I [1060] ¨C Y05.060 ¨C Father and Son I ¡°Apple?¡± Adam offered to little Danagek, whose eyes darted up to his cousin. The boy blinked innocently before reaching up to the piece of fruit. The pair sat within the shared estate of the Gek, Sen, Ooj, and Nuu families, though many of the children left the pair be to one side. ¡°Thank you,¡± the boy said, shoving the half slice of apple into his mouth, chewing it slowly. ¡°Do you like apples?¡± ¡°I like apples,¡± the boy confirmed. ¡°Do you like apples?¡± ¡°I like apples too. I prefer salya, though.¡± ¡°Is too mushy,¡± the boy replied. ¡°I like salya, and I like apple, and I like bread.¡± ¡°You like bread too?¡± Adam asked. ¡®You really are your cousin¡¯s cousin.¡¯ ¡°Mm. I like daddy¡¯s bread. I like mommy¡¯s bread.¡± The boy blinked. ¡°I do not like kako¡¯s bread.¡± ¡°I see. Why do you not like kako¡¯s bread?¡± ¡°Is too soft.¡± ¡°You like hard bread?¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± the boy confirmed, while accepting the next slice of apple from Adam. ¡°Kaza Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Sometimes you like bread?¡± ¡°I like bread most times.¡± ¡°Do you like shields?¡± ¡°Not to eat.¡± ¡°Daddy said shields are not for eating,¡± the boy confirmed. ¡°Why shields taste so good?¡± ¡°If they tasted badly, would we make shields?¡± Adam asked. Danagek blinked. ¡°No?¡± ¡°Whose to say?¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. The boy blinked. ¡°My papa has shield.¡± ¡°Dagek has a shield?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Why does a baby need a shield?¡¯ Adam ignored how many shields and weapons he had gifted to children. ¡°No, papa Tanagek.¡± ¡°Tanagek?¡± Adam asked, recalling the deceased elder brother of the boy. He flushed slightly, unable to help the feeling he was partly responsible, considering how it led to his triplets being found. ¡°When papa come back, I can play with shield?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you can, but you cannot eat it,¡± Adam said, before noting the look of betrayal on the boy¡¯s face. ¡®How he can say this?¡¯ Danagek pouted, before Adam held out another apple to him. The boy glanced away, refusing it, before looking back towards the apple, noting its curved shape, like that of the moon that was eaten, and already he could feel the flavours dancing upon his tongue. He reached out and accepted it from his cousin. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Tanagek should return soon,¡± Tonagek said, limping over towards the pair, holding a sleepy Dagek within his arms, the boy sucking on his thumb. However, even he was unsure of when his son would return, especially when his younger brother had passed. ¡®You should come to greet your younger brothers soon.¡¯ ¡°Are you excited to meet your older brother?¡± Adam asked, brushing Danagek¡¯s hair. ¡°Yes...¡± The boy flushed as his eyes darted downwards, his smile so shy and bashful. ¡®Our Danagek is so adorable too, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Adam thought, reaching up to ruffle the boy¡¯s hair, before fixing it with gentle brushes. ¡®You punk, how could you not spoil your brother when he¡¯s waiting for you?¡¯ ¡°Daddy, daddy!¡± Jirot called, dashing towards her father, her younger brother¡¯s little legs stomping towards him, while Gangak trailed behind the pair. ¡°Is kako!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam asked, watching as his daughter panted for air. The pair held one another¡¯s gaze, before Adam shot up. ¡°Oh!¡± The shared estate of the Rot, Gak, Kan, and Ool families held a tense air, the children each feeling the heaviness within the air. The Iyrmen acted as though everything was normal, though kept the children to one side, while the Rot family dealt with their matter within their home, the Shaman assisting them. ¡°Adam,¡± Gangak called, motioning to a seat. ¡°No one can stop them,¡± Jurot said, holding out a hand to beckon the children. Pam lay within the bed of blankets, the exhaustion on her face only kept at bay by the adoration for her rather chubby baby, whose eyes remained glued shut, the girl¡¯s lips opened to reveal her pink gums. ¡°Kek! Kek!¡± the girl coughed, causing Adam to swoon, wanting to spoil the girl already. Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to the girl, and though he stood tall and strong, he had insisted on being the one to call Adam due to the heaviness within his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close,¡± Adam said, placing a hand on Jirot and Konarot, stopping the rest of them by stopping the leaders. ¡°Look. It¡¯s your cousin.¡± Jirot¡¯s eyes remained focused on the baby, who was so small, even smaller than her. ¡®So small! The baby is so small!¡¯ Konarot¡¯s tail sway lightly behind her, the girl staring at the baby too, taking in her sight, and the weird scents upon the air. She glanced up towards Pam and Jurot, who the baby smelled so similarly to. ¡°Adam,¡± Pam called, weakly, smiling towards the half elf. ¡°I would like to name her Monarot.¡± ¡°I would like to name the girl Pamarot,¡± Jurot added. ¡°Will you choose?¡± Pam asked. Adam¡¯s heart beat a little quicker within his chest. ¡°Well, I mean...¡± The tingles rushed through the half elf, who looked towards Vonda, the young woman smiling tiredly towards the half elf, her belly still full. ¡°Normally I¡¯d agree with Jurot, but he¡¯s not the one who spent so long giving birth. Monarot is a good name, and the next daughter you have, she can be called Pamarot.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, his eyes falling upon the half elf, who no doubt wanted to hold the newborn girl. ¡°Jurot, you punk, how could your daughter be so adorable?¡± Adam asked. Jurot was unsure of how to respond, his heart still aching, the heaviness pressing through his entire body. ¡°Gosh, papo, how you can do this?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°My kaza is so gorjus, is all your fault.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kako¡¯s fault too, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jirot blinked, looking towards her aunt, whose exhausted eyes slowly fell shut. ¡°How you can say that, daddy? Kako make such lovely bread, how it can be her fault?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, his voice hitching within his throat, the half elf¡¯s eyes filling with tears, doing his best not to burst out in laughter. ¡°Of course.¡± As the Rot family welcomed another child into their life, still waiting on the other, a figure made their way to the shared family estates. It was not rare of him to sit within the shared family estate, since he had joined one of the four families. He sat opposite an Iyrman half his age by the name of Wahruv, whose greatsword remained leaned against the wall beside them. The pair glanced to the side, towards the do who stepped into the shared estate. ¡®He is here?¡¯ Gorot thought. Dunes stepped towards pair, pausing a moment, his eyes falling down to the dark skinned Iyrmen who sat nearby, each staring up at the Priest. ¡°...¡± The dark skinned figure waited for the Priest to speak up. ¡°We need to talk,¡± Dunes said, staring down at the older Aswadian. ¡°Okay,¡± Ashmir replied, the pair of Aswadians following Gorot to the cabins outside of the estate. ¡°Gorot,¡± a voice called, and the trio turned to find an Iyrman who wore a familiar set of tattoos. The Iyrman glanced at those he had grown up alongside, and then back to Gorot, who he had known for about as long. ¡°Her name is Monarot.¡± The excitement rushed through the estate, while the Aswadian Priest glanced to the floor. He clenched his fist, feeling the guilt rush through him. He tried to meditate as they stepped out towards the cabins. Once the short conversation was over, Ashmir returned back to the shared estate, and Dunes made his way back to the main gate of the Iyr. ¡°Adam¡¯s child will be born soon,¡± Gorot said. ¡°I should return back to the business,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Gorot replied, escorting the Priest back, after his very short conversation with the man who had been adopted into the Mir family. ¡°Do you not wish to remain?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°We each have our duties we must complete,¡± Gorot said, thinking over Dunes¡¯ conversation with the man. The Priest¡¯s words had been brutal, hammering at the old man with a viciousness Gorot didn¡¯t expect. It was not because Dunes had blamed the old man for anything, but because he came to the old man without any pride. ¡°I am sure you understand.¡± Dunes stopped. The guilt of taking Gorot away from the births of the children overwhelmed him for a moment. However, it was but a drop when it came to the guilt of his greatest failure, and so he continued walking. More children to spoil? Why is there no fatherhood simulator tag? [1061] – Y05.061 – Father and Son II [1061] ¨C Y05.061 ¨C Father and Son II Omen: 9, 11 ¡®You have got to be kidding me,¡¯ Adam thought as he awoke. Once he was finished working out, assisting Taygak in her weightlifting, he caught Jurot¡¯s eyes over breakfast. ¡°Bad luck?¡± Jurot asked in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°In a certain sense,¡± Adam replied, already feeling the pressure of the numbers upon his shoulders. ¡®The bad luck from my first life won¡¯t carry over to now, will it?¡¯ Vonda glanced between the pair, wondering what they were saying, but if they were speaking in the Iyr¡¯s tongue, her husband might not have wanted her to know. ¡®Is it bad luck?¡¯ Adam remained beside Vonda the entire day, confirming her thought. The triplets drew beside their parents, Konarot drawing the open sky with a sun, Kirot drawing a mountain, and Karot drawing an axe. Jirot and Jarot played with Lucy and Mara within their sight, their giggles almost as noisy as their troublesomeness. When the children were sent to nap, Lucy and Mara left to train in the nearby fields, their moods heavy. Sonarot knitted away, creating a blanket for her youngest grandchildren. She remained beside Adam and Vonda, sensing the air around the pair. As the children awoke and began to play around them, Virot crawled over towards her mother, the girl giggling wildly as she climbed to a standing position beside Vonda, reaching out to grab at the woman¡¯s trousers. ¡°Teebee!¡± Virot declared, before babbling away with delight at her mother, the girl¡¯s eyes beaming. ¡°Are you enjoying duskval?¡± Vonda asked, reaching down to rub the girl¡¯s cheeks, the girl giggling, turning around as she stumbled away. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Four. She finally dropped down upon her fifth step, while Adam blinked rapidly, glancing between his wife, to Sonarot, to Jurot and Pam, to his triplets, then to Jirot and Jarot. Jirot¡¯s lips formed a small circle of shock, her brows raised in utter surprise. ¡°Virot!¡± Jirot called. ¡°You are walking?¡± She stared at her father, as though this was the greatest magic she had ever seen. ¡°She walked away from her mother for her first steps...¡± Adam reached up to rub his forehead. ¡°Of course, since she¡¯s your sister.¡± ¡°Virot! Come!¡± Jirot called, holding out her arms. Virot blinked at Jirot, before smiling even wider, the girl crawling towards her elder sister, threatening to charge her. ¡°Virot, you must walk, you silly girl!¡± Jirot said, squatting down to pick her sister up, hugging her tight. ¡°How you can walk away from mummy?¡± The girl shuffled slightly, helping Virot up to her feet, holding her youngest sister up. ¡°You must walk to mummy now.¡± ¡°Virot, come to mummy,¡± Adam called, holding out Vonda¡¯s hand. Virot squealed and reached out for her mother¡¯s hand, before she stumbled out of Jirot¡¯s arms, and towards her mother. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Upon the fourth, the girl clutched at her mother¡¯s hand, and cackled with joy, her entire body shaking. As she threatened to fall, Vonda held the girl¡¯s hands within her own, lifting her up slightly to help her stay up. ¡°She walks so well,¡± Jurot said, his arms crossed, the Iyrman feeling the tingling against the back of his neck, flexing as he tried to contain the burst of emotions. ¡°Will you walk soon?¡± Pam asked Damrot, whose innocent smile warmed her heart, and she wrapped her arms around her son, pulling him close. ¡°You can take as long as you need to walk, my little Dam.¡± ¡°Ah bah bah,¡± the boy replied, sucking his hand shyly, pressing his head into his mother¡¯s bosom to hide himself from the world and its expectations. Adam hoisted his daughter up onto his lap, nuzzling her nose, hugging her so tenderly. ¡°You were already so difficult when you crawled everywhere, and now you¡¯re walking everywhere?¡± ¡°Buh!¡± Virot replied, the girl trying to squirm away from his arms, reaching out for her mother. ¡°Omama!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah...¡± As night fell upon the Iyr, Gangak scooped both twins into her arms. She carried their sleepy forms away, but only once they had prepared for bed, by saying their greetings, giving and receiving their kisses. ¡®Looks like everything¡¯s going to be okay?¡¯ Adam thought, while a shadow formed behind him, and he glanced back towards the figure. He was thankful it wasn¡¯t an Iyrman, otherwise he would have yelped. ¡°Have you come to say good night to my adorable twins?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ashmir said, unsure if it was the truth, but he waved his hands towards the twins, who waved their hands towards him, the pair smiling shyly towards him, before they disappeared with their nano. The Aswadian bowed his head to the trio of elderly Iyrmen as they left. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I wished to speak with you,¡± Ashmir admitted. As the pair sat down to one side within the courtyard, Adam poured them tea using his special clay tea pot, and the tea he had received from the Grand Duchess. ¡°When I fought in the arena, I dreamt of owning a Persevian tea pot,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°I once drank from it when I refused a Faro.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®A Faro? A Duke, right?¡¯ ¡°You sure have some courage.¡± ¡®Courage?¡¯ Ashmir thought, sipping the tea, feeling the chill invade through his body. ¡°Is this from the north?¡± ¡°It is,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°Hmm,¡± Ashmir replied, nodding his head gently, before sipping it again. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The pair basked in the silence for a long moment. Adam eyed up the old man. His hair, stark white. His beard fell down to his chest, thick, and no longer as wild as it once was, now well groomed and full of tiny beads. Adam thought about whether he should grow a beard, though he¡¯d need to wait until nightval. ¡°Chimir no longer tugs on my beard, but my youngest, Samir, he likes to grab at the beads, and tries to eat them,¡± Ashmir said, reaching up to brush through his beard. It had grown stark white thanks to the stress that came with many daughters. ¡°How old is he now?¡± ¡°Six months?¡± ¡®Ah, so he was born earlier this year then?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Six months is a cute age.¡± ¡°Is there an age where our children stop becoming so cute?¡± ¡°No, I suppose not,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly. Ashmir fell into thought again, but before he could ask, the door to the Rot home opened up, and Sonarot stared at the pair for a moment. ¡°Adam!¡± Sonarot called. ¡°It is time.¡± ¡°Time?¡± Adam asked. Time for what? [1062] – Y05.062 – Father and Son III [1062] ¨C Y05.062 ¨C Father and Son III ¡°Who gave you permission to be so cute?¡± Lanarot asked, her hands upon her waist, tutting at the little boy. ¡°Is always daddy¡¯s fault,¡± Jirot accused, shaking her head lightly, letting out an exhausted sigh. ¡°What am I to do with you?¡± ¡°I understand you two want to bully me, but isn¡¯t it all mummy¡¯s fault for being so beautiful?¡± Adam replied, feeling the intense pressure of the two children he had corrupted to bully him so deeply. Jirot blinked, furrowing her brows, her eyes falling upon her mother, who smiled so warmly. ¡°How it can be mummy¡¯s fault? What are you saying, daddy?¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Little Jarot pouted up at his father, his lower lip quivering. ¡°How can I say such a thing, of course it¡¯s my fault,¡± Adam said, the pain of his son¡¯s pouts now far more real. Jirot¡¯s eyes remained glued upon her youngest brother¡¯s ears for a long moment in the dawn¡¯s lights, while the eldest of Adam¡¯s children sat nearby, her tail swaying behind her so joyfully, her siblings¡¯ tails also doing the same. Their youngest sibling smelled so much like their mother and father, just like their youngest sister. The children didn¡¯t notice their mother and father sharing a look. ¡°I¡¯m... going to go do some work,¡± Adam admitted, feeling the intense glare of his daughter. ¡°Mummy!¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°Must you work?¡± ¡°An order came in recently for some... noble. I want to make sure it¡¯s... dealt with before...¡± Adam paused, feeling the tightness within his chest. ¡°I should...¡± Vonda reached out to Adam¡¯s hand, noting the way the half elf continued to tense up. ¡°Of course, darling. Jirot, your father must finish his work, and then he will return and play with you.¡± Jirot pouted, her leaf shaped ears drooping. ¡°Okay...¡± Adam finished enchanting that day, returning back to find Jirot almost tackling him along with her eldest siblings. He hoisted the twins up, allowing them to smother him, spending the entire evening with them. Every so often, Xarot would awaken, the boy cackling lightly, but Lokat made sure to check upon him and his cousin multiple times a day, along with the Iyrmen who had been sent over by the extended estate. Cirot and Sirot had forced their way into the shared estate to watch over the newborns, while also playing with the little twins. ¡°Weren¡¯t you two meant to be-,¡± Adam began, only to realise how his words could have sounded. ¡°We were tasked with completing our duties before we were allowed to work,¡± Cirot said. ¡°We found out today.¡± ¡°We regret not fighting against it,¡± Sirot admitted, her heart aching deeply. ¡°No, you did the right thing,¡± Adam assured, suddenly feeling awkward. ¡°How¡¯s your father?¡± ¡°He is still meditating.¡± ¡°Meditating?¡± ¡°The deaths hurt father deeply.¡± Adam blinked. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was that close to Fakrot, or if Fakrot was that close to his twins, but hearing that his uncle was meditating so deeply caused his heart to dampen. ¡®Should I go see him?¡¯ ¡°Jurot said to ask you,¡± Cirot whispered. ¡°About what?¡± The pair remained silent, feeling the heaviness within the air. They glanced towards Jirot and Jarot, who were both reading to little Virot and Damrot, the babies giggling and squealing each time Jirot acted out the scene. Adam shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± ¡°...¡± As the days passed, Adam continued to enchant, only stopping upon the thirteenth, where he spent the day spoiling his cousin, Churot. ¡®He really is the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson,¡¯ Wahruv thought, closing his eyes, realising the difference of himself and the Iyrman today Finally, Adam had completed his enchanting. He remained at the shrine for a long while, sitting, his thoughts keeping him company, as well as the Iyrman who had been tasked with watching over him. ¡°Daddy, I counted, and you are done today,¡± Jirot said. ¡°Who do you think you are? Counting so well?¡± Adam asked, planting a firm kiss on the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°I am Jirot.¡± The girl brushed her hair behind her ear confidently. ¡°I am so good at numbers and letters. I am too smart for you, daddy.¡± ¡°You are.¡± Adam rubbed his cheek against Jarot¡¯s cheeks, the boy cuddling up to his father¡¯s chest. ¡°You are finished now?¡± Jirot asked, narrowing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m finished, but I need to speak with the Chief.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about...¡± Adam looked down into Jirot¡¯s amber eyes, seeing his own reflection within them, noting the bags under his eyes. ¡°Daddy is a little sick, and the Chief is going to help, because he is so nice.¡± ¡°The Chief is always so nice. We must bring him a gift.¡± ¡°What should we bring him?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The best gift!¡± ¡°Oh yes? What¡¯s the best gift?¡± ¡°Yummy food.¡± ¡°You really are so smart,¡± Adam said, kissing her forehead. ¡°Should we bring him some crisps?¡± ¡°No, all the cips are mine and they are Jarot¡¯s.¡± ¡°Then what should we bring him?¡± ¡°Potato.¡± ¡°Crisps are potato.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The girl glanced up towards her father. ¡°What are you saying, daddy? Cips is cips and potato is potato.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the secret, dear, they¡¯re always potatoes.¡± ¡°Cips are potatoes?¡± ¡°Always have been.¡± Jirot blinked, before giggling wildly. ¡°Daddy! You are so silly! Cips are not potatoes! You cannot trick me.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Then, shall I show you how to make crisps?¡± ¡°You can make cips, daddy?¡± Jirot asked, her eyes growing wide. ¡°Pizza and cips? Wow! You are so talented!¡± Adam glanced aside to little Jarot, who stared up at him innocently. ¡®Is she still bullying me?¡¯ Even now, with the limited time Adam had, he wouldn¡¯t have had it any other way. Jirot is brutal. [1063] – Y05.063 – A Father’s Grief I [1063] ¨C Y05.063 ¨C A Father¡¯s Grief I Adam focused upon his son¡¯s nails, brushing the black onto them slowly, as though painting the most magnificent portrait. The boy remained still, frozen like a finely carved statue, his red face as typical as always, though filled with the deep, unwavering annoyance of an ancient being forced into a rebirth as the son of a foolish father who had let him die. Now, however, his nails were black, all thanks to the whims of his siblings. ¡°Look!¡± Jirot called out to her grandmother, revealing the nails her father had painted. ¡°Nana, is black and red and blue.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Sonarot asked, noting the blackness against her granddaughter¡¯s nails. ¡°Have you allowed them to dry?¡± ¡°Yes, I did it.¡± The girl held out her hands in front of her, staring at her nails. Little Jarot also remained mesmerised by his nails, noting all the colours which swirled against the blackness, like a storm of light. Konarot¡¯s fingers had each been painted silver, but her mother added in small circles within the centre of her nails, each black, like her sister¡¯s. Kirot and Karot also wore similar styles, except Kirot¡¯s were small flowers, and Karot¡¯s were tiny diamonds. ¡°You have to let them dry,¡± Adam said to his now second youngest son, understanding he didn¡¯t need to, though he held the boy within his lap anyway. Larot had almost made to move, but understood his father wasn¡¯t going to allow the boy to leave his lap just yet, so sat with his father. Adam held his son¡¯s hands within his palms, staring at the black nails. The half elf brushed his thumbs along the back of the boy¡¯s small hands, which were now so much bigger than when he was a babe. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay.¡¯ The shared estate glanced to the side, as an Iyrman in grey appeared. She was older, and stood with a dignity one might have expected from her station as an aide. A bow remained hung upon her back, a quiver with ten arrowed at her side, above her short blade, another quiver hung at her thigh, with alongside a dagger. Her forehead was tattooed with a red eight pointed star flanked by purple ovals. The woman¡¯s eyes met Mirot¡¯s, and the pair of women bowed their heads. ¡°I will escort you,¡± the old woman said, her voice clear and commanding. Adam and Vonda followed the old woman to the Chief¡¯s estate, the Great Elder finishing up with a fraction of his work, The Iyrman¡¯s eyes then fell upon the pair as they sat opposite him within his gazebo. Iromin pushed forward the fried dough snacks, along with the dried fruit. He held up a finger, then the rest of his hand, pausing for a beat. Vonda glanced between the pair of men, each of them wallowing in the silence. From under the table, she could feel Adam¡¯s pinky hooking with hers. ¡°It is time to discuss the matter,¡± Iromin said, pouring the pair a cup of tea. Vonda remained silent, turning her head to meet her husband¡¯s gaze, only to find his eyes glued to the cup of water. ¡°The Iyr... saved our boys,¡± Adam said, controlling his voice to remain neutral, though his tone was tinged with sadness. ¡°I owe them a lot, but... I can¡¯t make this decision without you. They¡¯re... you¡¯re their mother too.¡± ¡°When we married, I had a thought that the children may come to be raised as Iyrmen,¡± Vonda admitted, her eyes glued to the steam rising from her tea. ¡°When it happened, the Iyr took great care of myself, of our children, and of Xarot. I owe much to the Iyr, Chief Iromin, but...¡± Vonda closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t want to accept or refuse, she wanted to leave it to her children. Yet, each of them held the name Rot. Already, the children had been told they were Iyrmen. Tears fell down the woman¡¯s cheeks, recalling what Sonarot had repeated to her, when the children had originally visited Red Oak the previous year. ¡®Nana. They do not like me because I am goblin?¡¯ ¡®That is right.¡¯ ¡®Is okay, I am daddy¡¯s dohta.¡¯ If only she had taken it more seriously. ¡°...¡± Konarot pouted slightly, confused by all this talk, frustrated that she didn¡¯t understand. ¡°You do not have to worry,¡± Vonda said, brushing her eldest daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°The gem will belong to you, even if you are an Iyrman.¡± ¡°As was promised,¡± Iromin assured. ¡°Daddy also has a special surprise for you all,¡± Adam said, rubbing his cheeks against theirs. ¡°Daddy won¡¯t be working any more, but before he goes to finish up some work later, daddy is going to teach you how to use magic and how to enchant. Since you¡¯re all Iyrmen, it means you won¡¯t abuse this power, daddy will make sure you can be the best enchanters ever!¡± ¡°Enchanting?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°With the magic?¡± ¡°With the magic!¡± Adam smiled wide, kissing each of his children¡¯s cheeks one by one. ¡°When you grow up, you¡¯ll be able to enchant anything you want. I¡¯ll start with Konarot first, but the rest of you, I¡¯ll make sure to Awaken you all!¡± ¡°Silly daddy, I¡¯m already woke!¡± Adam burst out into laughter, causing the girl to laugh, and to close her eyes as her father kissed her face all over. Iromin remained silent, trying to catch Vonda¡¯s eyes. The young woman noted his gaze upon her, but she remained focused upon Adam. She glanced down at her children, each of whom who smiled at Adam, not understanding that their father was passing on their inheritance. She met Iromin¡¯s eyes, before a small smile encroached upon her lips. ¡°Since you have stolen away my children, you should allow at least that much,¡± Vonda dared to say to the Chief. ¡°...¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start a little later, I still need to speak with the Chief. Do you all want mummy to take you to go see babo Malfev?¡± ¡°Mummy! We can see babo?¡± Jirot asked, her amber eyes sparkling up with excitement towards her mother. Vonda smiled warmly, reaching out to brush the girl¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Okay, I will take you.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Larot glanced aside to his mother and father, noting the awkwardness between them, before he followed the rest of the children out. Adam¡¯s smile remained on his face as they left, the half elf wiggling his fingers at his children as they left. He had taken advantage of the situation to push through the last of his wishes into the world, and his chest swelled, understanding that he was no doubt the luckiest husband alive. He had no idea how he had met someone who allowed him to cause so much trouble, nor how she also managed to be a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose, with enough power to let him get away with so much. ¡°I know that I¡¯m causing you trouble Chief, and I hope that you¡¯ll forgive me, but would you mind discussing the most important matter first?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The smile remained on the half elf¡¯s face, but his forehead strained, his face beginning to turn red. ¡°Which bastard was it?¡± So it begins? [1064] – Y05.064 – A Father’s Grief II [1064] ¨C Y05.064 ¨C A Father¡¯s Grief II It had taken a long moment for Adam to recall why the name sounded so familiar. He had thought Jarot¡¯s zeal in training was because of what happened to his greatchildren, but Adam understood that the old man¡¯s rage and zeal were spurred by a greater guilt than he originally thought. ¡°How strong is he?¡± ¡°We consider him to be of Silver, if he was to be ranked within the Guild.¡± ¡°Do you know where they are?¡± The Chief remained silent for a long while. Adam hadn¡¯t asked about this since it had happened. However, if he had been informed from the very beginning, perhaps the half elf would have changed his mind on how to approach the matter. Even so, the Iyr was still willing to accept the decision of the Rot family, and so the Chief had already written up the commands should they change their mind. ¡°They are present within the meeting with the various Orders in Floria. I expect they shall remain until dawnval, but I cannot be certain.¡± ¡°The meeting...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Near Ever Green, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard that, uh... all the Orders, the new ones from Floria, are also there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How many are there, roughly?¡± ¡°From each Order, at least a dozen. The Order of Wings has also sent a representative, Sir Dunnock.¡± ¡°Who is the strongest there?¡± ¡°Lord Marshal Royce.¡± ¡°He¡¯s there too?¡± Adam asked, feeling the weight upon his shoulders grow heavier and heavier with each passing moment. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°King Merryweather may be present if you are unfortunate, but there are many Masters and Grandmasters.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many of them there are, Chief. I only need to kill two.¡± ¡°...¡± Iromin slowly bowed his head. ¡°What kind of force would you send to kill the two?¡± Adam asked, trying to prepare himself for the task at hand. ¡°To kill the Vice Commander and his apprentice, we would only need to send five, each at least Masters, but we would send four Grandmasters and one Paragon. We would not expect them to survive, but we but we would bring their bodies to bury them within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Will you bury me within the Iyr?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What if they don¡¯t let you?¡± ¡°They will.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t?¡± ¡°If they kill Elder Peace, they would need to worry of we Iyrmen, and not the Reavers.¡± Adam smiled slightly, feeling the tears sting his eyes. ¡°The axe, you can destroy, but will you make sure that, uh... Asorot, that he gets my shield?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You can keep my armour. I¡¯ve already split the money. The business should be okay for a few years, with Kiara, and the other enchanters. Once the children are older, Konarot, Kirot, Karot, they can enchant to help the business out. Jirot, well..¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°There¡¯s about, a hundred, close to two hundred thousand, that¡¯ll be about seven or eight years, not including Kiara¡¯s enchanting.¡± ¡°Will you use your beads?¡± Adam smiled, the pair relaxing beside one another, allowing the day to pass by, like romance in noonval. It was later that night, the half elf and his Iyrman brother, poured one another drinks. Adam stared at the cups, filled with the peach wine the Rot family adored. He raised the cup to Jurot, the pair bowing their heads, sipping the wine lightly, allowing the flavour to dance along their tongues, but the wine had never tasted quite so bitter. The stars twinkled above them, their myriad of colours would have mesmerised the twins, but for the half elf and the Iyrman, the stars were but the colour of broken men. ¡°Lanarot can count so well,¡± Adam said. ¡°Her spelling, you know, but her numbers? She¡¯s definitely Churot¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°She can spell colours well,¡± Jurot said. ¡°With a U?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam waved his hand lightly. ¡°It was a bad joke for home, too.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, the pair sipping away in silence. The two continued to drink, the flushness of their cheeks providing them a warmth. ¡°You know...¡± Adam thought about the words he wanted to speak, but realised Jurot already knew them. He didn¡¯t need to tell Jurot how important it is for a father to complete the most basic of duties, especially not how eager the Iyrmen become for death if the duty was not met. ¡°I¡¯m going to butcher them, Jurot.¡± Jurot remained silent, noting the tears upon Adam¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m going to slaughter them like animals, and anyone who tries to stop me,¡± Adam whispered, staring into his cup, feeling a deep heat rise within him. ¡°King Merryweather. Lord Marshal Royce. Starsword. No one¡¯s going to stop me.¡± Jurot poured the last of the wine, half in his own small cup, half within Adam¡¯s. ¡°Okay.¡± That night, Jirot awoke screaming within her babo¡¯s chest, causing him to awaken, the Iyrman rubbing the top of her head tenderly. It was the guilt which washed away his rage, and the Iyrman let out soft huffs, while little Jarot cried too. ¡°Huu!¡± Jirot cried, sobbing within her greatfather¡¯s chest, feeling the gentle taps against his back, while Otkan gently pat little Jarot¡¯s back. Gangak took the pair to one side once they had calmed, changing their clothies, washing the pair clean. Jirot sniffled. ¡°Nano.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I am going to waken.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°When I am waken, I am going to be Demon Lord. I am-,¡± the girl hiccuped slightly, sniffling and wiping her eyes. ¡°Big axe and big shield, and I going to fight.¡± ¡°Yes, my dear.¡± Jirot glared down at the floor. ¡°No one can kill me, nano.¡± ¡°Yes, my Jirot,¡± Gangak said, pulling the girl close to her bosom, embracing the twins. ¡°I am going to kill them,¡± Jirot whispered. Gangak held the girl close, closing her eyes. ¡°What of your mummy?¡± Jirot gasped, staring up at her greatmother. ¡°No! I will not kill mummy!¡± ¡°Of course not, my dear, but she is a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose. She does not like killing.¡± ¡°I...¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°Is our secret, nano?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Gangak assured, planting firm kisses on their foreheads. ¡°It is our secret.¡± Our Jirot is definitely going to become the Demon Lord. [1065] – Y05.065 – Mistakes Were Made I [1065] ¨C Y05.065 ¨C Mistakes Were Made I ¡°If you would have told me that cuddling my daughter would have been this painful, I would have called you a liar,¡± Adam said, his voice hoarse. He lay upon his bed, his skin pale as milk, his veins like rivers of black. Vonda sat beside him, holding the back of his hand, feeling how cold her husband had become. She brushed along the back of his knuckles as the half elf stared at the ceiling, his eyes half glazed over with exhaustion. ¡°I was warned that it was going to be rough,¡± Adam admitted, closing his eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, though.¡± "You promised to take Lanarot to play with the pups,¡± Vonda said. ¡°I¡¯ll take her... at the end of the month?¡± Adam replied, hoping his body would heal up. A scramble at the door revealed who the children were trying to enter into the room. The pair of children, with grass green skin, and eyes like amber, cackled mischievously as they charged into the room to cause trouble, only to stop upon seeing their father. ¡°Daddy!¡± the pair called out, their eyes darting towards their mother for support. ¡°Daddy is feeling a little sick after teaching Konarot,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Daddy, how can you be sick?¡± Jirot asked, climbing onto the bed, only to be pulled away by her mother, who pulled the twins onto her lap. ¡°You¡¯re right. How can this silly daddy of yours get so sick?¡± Adam smiled slightly, glancing aside to his daughter, his smile slowly fading. ¡°Are you sad?¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Jirot¡¯s lower lip trembled, the girl¡¯s leaf shaped ears drooping. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, my precious little babbies. Daddy is going to be sick just for a few days, but then...¡± Adam inhaled deeply, mustering up his strength. ¡°You¡¯re all going to have such special abilities, just like daddy!¡± ¡°Huu! Daddy!¡± Jirot sniffled. ¡°Do you know what kind of abilities you¡¯ll have?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Magic?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, smiling towards his daughter and his son, reaching out to trail a finger along a strand of their hair. ¡°You¡¯re going to know magic.¡± It was during this time, Chief Iromin sat silently, allowing the Great Elders to interrogate him. He couldn¡¯t blame them, since he had made a decision about the half elf unilaterally, without informing them. Though it was within his powers, it was just not done, the convention was that he should at least hold some decorum, some decency. ¡°Who?¡± Later that evening the Great Elders gathered together. It was also that evening when the Great Elders realised just how scary Adam could be. The half elf allowed his cousin to sit first within the gazebo, opposite the Great Elders, before he took his place beside her. ¡°Comfy seats, eh, Taygak?¡± Adam asked, speaking in the Iyr¡¯s tongue, as though he hadn¡¯t just declared war against the Great Elders. ¡°The seats are comfortable,¡± Taygak agreed, sitting tall and proud. She did not wear any armour, but the young Iyrman was no doubt excited at the blade at her side, crafted by the hands of a particular Emperor, forged out of a dragon¡¯s Spark. It was considered one of the best weapons within the Iyr, both in terms of its story, and its abilities, even though much of each were still widely unknown. An awkwardness took the air as the Great Elders eyed up the pair, the Nephew of the Rot family, whose children were now considered Iyrmen in the eyes of the Iyr, and the other an Iyrmen who had been born in the Iyr, knowing only a life as an Iyrman. It was then the Great Elders understood Zijin¡¯s note to them. The note had been only two words long, and they realised it had been written full of mercy. How shameless. ¡°So...¡± Adam began, the anger in his eyes kept at bay by the mischief that revealed he was close to Jaygak. ¡°What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?¡± The Great Elders remained silent, unsure if they could speak up, especially not because of the young Iyrman before them. It was one thing for Adam to bring along Stormdrake, the weapon he had won from the Emperor, but had gifted away to the Gak family since he was a Nephew of the Rot family. It was another to bring a Gak. It wasn¡¯t just that Adam had gifted such a grand weapon to the Gak family, but it was that of all the children he had brought along, it was Taygak. Taygak, daughter of Kaygak. Taygak, the grandniece of Gangak. Taygak, the cousin of Jaygak. How shameless. The half elf wanted them to confirm whether the Elder¡¯s words were true, and if they would dare to speak the words in front of a Gak. ¡°It is our mistake,¡± Elder Gold said, bowing her head. That''s messed up, Great Elders. Interlude: Politics Interlude: Politics ¡°It was your fault,¡± the Chief said, peering at the expressions of the other Great Elders before him. It plagued him that he was unable to see Elder Peace¡¯s reaction. ¡°It was our mistake,¡± Elder Gold admitted, staring down at the notes before her, writing down a thought. She had made plenty of deals with Adam, and she should have kept it in mind that the half elf had proved a boon to not just the Rot family, but also the rest of the families. ¡°You should not have threatened his family.¡± ¡°Is that how he viewed it?¡± ¡°It is, because it is Adam.¡± Elder Gold remained silent for a long moment. No one could truly criticise her or the rest of the Great Elders. They needed to think for the Iyr, not just today, but the next year, ten years, one hundred years, and even a thousand years into the future. There was always the tiniest chance that the Rot family could end up betraying the Iyr¡¯s rules, and they needed to make sure they didn¡¯t give the Rot family such tools. It was easier to make a deal with Adam personally, and if the Rot family had an issue with it, it could have been raised to them. The logic was sound, and they had also considered Adam. Adam, who brought back so much to the Iyr, though he was no Iyrman. His offerings to the Iyr, in some instances, were unmatched by other great figures the Iyr had some relations with, from the likes of giants, to dragons, to other great beings. Lord Stokmar had rearranged the Front Iyr with their powers, but they had not gifted them Scribe Mages, or a Chaos Enchanter. No, two Chaos Enchanters, and perhaps soon, more. It wasn¡¯t just the Rot family which had benefited from Adam¡¯s touch, but even weight all the good and the bad, there was something even more important to consider. The Rot family was still a part of the Iyr. Those who were inheriting Adam¡¯s great abilities were not just members of the Rot family, but the Iyr. They were Iyrmen doted upon by Iyrmen, even those who had known only misfortune for a thousand years. ¡®We will need to...¡¯ Elder Gold glanced aside, noting the appearance of the Elder. Zijin approached the Great Elders, their aides daring not to stop the Elder. He glanced between them all, anger and annoyance emblazed within his eyes. ¡°How dare you. You have no right. No right.¡± ¡°It is our mistake,¡± Elder Gold said. ¡°We will continue to apologise for our behaviour and it will not happen again.¡± The Great Elders would take the criticism from all the Elders, and even the Family Elders and Family Heads. Each of the Great Elders could in fact invoke their rights, for each, in some way, could justify their actions. Chief Iromin, as the Chief, could have invoked his general right, but he supported Adam and the Rot family. Elder Peace was not here, but her words could have assisted in the situation for the other Great Elders. Elder Forest, as the Elder of the Iyr¡¯s wealth to be used within its borders, could have invoked one of her rights, since it did deal with the wealth of the Iyr within its borders. Elder Gold, as the Elder of the Iyr¡¯s wealth to be used outside of its borders, could have invoked one of her rights, and no doubt, she had a great right as the Great Elder which could deal with the United Kindom, and it was connected to the United Kindom. Elder Wrath, with the approaching calamity, could have invoked such a right to deal with Adam too. It was obvious enough for him to be able to deal with Adam with such a looming threat. Even Elder Teacher, possessed the ability to deal with Adam in this regard, as his domain was the education of the children, which Adam had assisted with previously. However, even with all the power granted to them by their titles, they still needed permission from the Estate Elders, and the Family Elders and Family Heads to act in certain regards. After the Estate Elders and the families each deliberated, they would come to criticise the Great Elders. Zijin peeked towards Elder Teacher, who was deep in thought. He had half a thought to speak with the Great Elder, since he could assist Adam, but right now, it was important the Great Elders understood the wrongs of their actions, and he didn¡¯t want to muddle the situation by speaking with Elder Teacher. Also, his hands were tied, since the Rot family had already said they were going to deal with it internally. ¡®If you understand how much stress Adam causes, why cause greater stress?¡¯ Meanwhile, while the Great Elders accepted their reprimanding by the Elder, and prepared for the future reprimands, Elder Teacher thought the most dangerous thoughts, which would have turned the situation from a crackling ember into a blazing inferno. ¡®Shall I use a key?¡¯ If you can''t keep up about the politics, don''t worry, me neither. Also, sometimes I wish I didn''t keep things a mystery because you''d pop off the same way as me knowing what Elder Teacher means by that, and the rolls I made... [1066] – Y05.066 – Mistakes Were Made II [1066] ¨C Y05.066 ¨C Mistakes Were Made II ¡°No, no, I won¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Adam assured. ¡°Even if I had the convenience of being mad at them, I understand where they¡¯re coming from.¡± ¡°Shall I speak with them?¡± Vonda asked, placing her hand upon his, brushing along it tenderly. ¡°No need for that, mummy,¡± Adam teased, flashing a smile and a cheeky wink at his wife, which only pained her heart as she could see the bags under his eyes. ¡°I feel a little guilty bringing Taygak, but they should realise I showed them mercy, since I didn¡¯t bring along Raygak or Saygak, right?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda admonished, intertwining their fingers together, before resting her head upon his shoulder, feeling his cool skin against hers. ¡°The Iyr¡¯s helped me out a lot. I¡¯m indebted to them so much, more so than any other entity. I mean, you could make an argument for... the pair of them, but, the Iyr? I don¡¯t know. They¡¯ve done a lot for me constantly, and the fact they¡¯ve kept me alive this long with all the trouble I¡¯ve caused?¡± Adam rested his head against his wife¡¯s, just basking within the warmth of his touch. The pair sat alone within the room, the room which Adam had become familiar with, having spent half of his time resting within it during his sickness. They were only allowed short moments before the guilt took them, and they went to check upon their children. Yet, every moment Adam treasured more than all of his gold, not willing to trade even seconds from his wife for thousands of gold. The rains brought in the grey of duskval proper, the farmers ready and eager to harvest their fields. Adam hadn¡¯t expected the figure to come visit him, especially when they had such little interaction. He was preparing for the next day, in which he¡¯d awaken another of his children, but he wasn¡¯t going to refuse a Great Elder. The Great Elder wore thick furs, and carried with him a maul, one that one might not have expected considering his position. His skin was a paler red, but his horns curled up almost like a ram. The Great Elder sipped the tea Adam poured from his Persevian tea pot he had painstakingly bought when he was not wealthy, exactly, but still too poor to be spending so much on such a luxury. ¡°How¡¯s the tea?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Delicious,¡± Elder Teacher assured. ¡°Persevia makes the finest tea pots.¡± ¡°That they do,¡± Adam confirmed, though he had drunk from very few tea pots in this life, only in the dozens. ¡°Did you have need of me, Great Elder?¡± ¡°I have some matters to discuss with you. Firstly, I would like to apologise for overstepping our rights. We made a mistake.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It is not,¡± Elder Teacher said firmly. ¡°You cannot allow us to overstep our rights. It is why the Iyr has lasted through the transition of Aswabayad to Aswadasad, and the return of Floria and Aswabayad to prominence.¡± ¡°Well, either way, all is forgiven.¡± Elder Teacher bowed his head. ¡°I wish to make a request of you.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Upon your return, I would like to speak of you of how you would teach Taygak, and if you would be willing to teach some of the other children.¡± ¡°Upon my return?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Your return to the Iyr, once you have completed your task.¡± Adam glanced towards Kitool¡¯s mother, narrowing his eyes slightly. A small smile encroached upon his lips. ¡°Aunt, do you remember?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°There was a time when Katool, when she was still a little girl, maybe three, four, five. I told her one day she¡¯d grow up, or something like that, and she ended up crying?¡± ¡°I do not recall.¡± ¡°I recall it, vaguely. I remember looking at everyone, since I wasn¡¯t bullying her, for once, and you allowed her to think I was bullying her. I¡¯ll never forget.¡± Citool smiled slightly, hiding the sadness away from her expression from seeing the glint of joy emerge from the darkness upon Adam¡¯s face, before it was finally swallowed away. ¡°I will be sure to tell Katool you are bullying me today.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Please forgive me, aunt.¡± Citool reached up to brush along his cheek for a moment, her rough fingers trailing along the contours of his face, before she pulled her hand away. ¡°I will discuss it with Katool.¡± Adam slunk away to his wife, settling himself beside her, their fingers hooking together, the pair drinking their tea to calm Adam¡¯s feigned tortured soul. ¡°Daddy, you are bullying nana?¡± Jirot asked, raising her brows towards her father. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Jirot glanced towards her mother, and after exchanging a look, the girl returned back to her book. ¡°Okay, if you say it.¡± ¡®Seriously, my daughter, how can she be so cute?¡¯ Adam thought, sipping his tea, barely tasting the berry flavour. The half elf continued to watch as his children napped and played, his thoughts falling to the Kan and Ool families. He would need to finalise the matter later soon, but as he continued to think, what had he done for the Kan and Ool families? They had done so much for him, watching over his children with such affection, and yet he did very little for them in return. For the Ool family, he had assisted Kitool slightly, but what of the Kan family? He did so little for the two compared to how much he had done for the Rot family. The Gak family had received some magical weapons, one of which was apparently quite powerful, something along the lines of Legendary Enhanced, or perhaps greater. That was still nothing compared to the eight treasures he gifted to the Rot family. Adam let out a soft sigh, feeling the ache within his shoulders. ¡®I should do something for them before I leave, but... I have no time. I need to make sure that my children have their inheritance sorted out. Should I leave the other families some inheritance too? The business has more than enough, and I could at least throw around at least ten thousand to each family, and to my darling wife, and still have at least forty thousand left...¡¯ ¡°Kaza Adam!¡± Inakan called out, grabbing the half elf¡¯s sleeve, tugging it. ¡°You must read!¡± ¡°What am I to read, Inababy?¡± Adam replied. The girl blinked through her magical glasses. She placed her hands onto her waist, inhaling deeply. ¡°Book!¡± ¡°Ah, of course.¡± It was in moments like this that Adam understood he was still one of the luckiest people alive. Unfortunately for him, that ran out after he awoke a child, and he had to meet with her. Jirot making sure her nana is okay. She''s definitely her father''s daughter! [1067] – Y05.067 – Mistakes Were Made III [1067] ¨C Y05.067 ¨C Mistakes Were Made III It was raining that day. The sky began to darken, painting the Iyr purple. The pair stared up at the darkening sky, taking a small break for themselves that evening, having washed away all the marks and paints their children had assaulted them with their play. ¡°The old man says that Jirot and Jarot, they¡¯re sleeping a little better,¡± Adam said. ¡°He said that Jirot¡¯s sleeping better, so that means Jarot is sleeping better.¡± A small smile crossed Vonda¡¯s lips, the woman closing her eyes, squeezing her husband¡¯s hand. ¡°I pray every night.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam whispered, slowly nodding his head. His prayers were similar, save there was another prayer upon his lips each evening, in the middle of his prayers for the safety and health of his children. Unlike his wife, he was no Priest of Life. ¡°It¡¯s painful. Not just why they dream, but...¡± Adam fell silent for a long while, allowing his eyes to burn, before he calmed himself. ¡°I can¡¯t even...¡± Vonda brushed the side of his knuckle with her thumb tenderly. ¡°I haven¡¯t dreamt the entire time I¡¯ve been in this world, other than the meeting with the Divine. I don¡¯t even know if the way I remember dreaming is the same way you dream. Do nightmares work the same way? I remember dreaming in my first life. I remember I had a dream where I knew I was dreaming and I could control my dream. I remember trying to fly, but it was pretty slow flight, even when I knew. In fact, it was about as slow as my flight now with my spell.¡± Adam managed the shadow of a smile. ¡°Still, is it the same? Do Ja-...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°Do they dream like I remember? Is it different? If they...¡± Adam glanced away, clenching his jaw, allowing his tears to fall, before he wiped the sides of his eyes against the back of his sleeve. ¡°They won¡¯t even let me have nightmares, Vonda.¡± Vonda wasn¡¯t sure who the they was, but she squeezed her husband¡¯s hand. She fought off whatever burning came to her eyes, wanting Adam to have his time, wallowing in feelings she could barely understand. A long silence accompanied the pair. It was a silence filled with the chill of duskval, the breeze picking up for a moment, before fading away. ¡°You know...¡± Adam whispered, swallowing slightly. ¡°When I was a kid, my mother used to make me sandwiches. I took a packed lunch to school, in a little lunch box. I had this one that was kinda long, thin, and it was double layered, a lunch box stacked on a lunch box. It clipped at the side. It had a... green lid? Blue? Grey. It might have been purple, I¡¯m not sure. What I am sure about, is that my mother, she made these sandwiches. A little bit of butter, or margarine, probably, because we didn¡¯t really use much butter until I was in my... teens? I was seven, probably, when I was eating the packed lunch that I¡¯m thinking of. Anyway, butter, then... cheese? Or it was crisps, then cheese. Do you know which flavour she would buy specifically?¡± ¡°Prawn cocktail.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam said, his eyes widening. ¡°No. I mean, yes, it was, but I remember now! She¡¯d make a cheese sandwich. Usually, grated cheddar, pretty mild grated cheddar, not like the strong cheese that we have here. She¡¯d cut off the crusts from the sandwich, that¡¯s how you know your mother loved you, and she¡¯d put some juice in for me, I¡¯m pretty sure, not in the sandwich, in the bag that I kept the pack lunch in. Anyway, she¡¯d cut off the crusts, and she¡¯d put a full crisp packet in the bad. I¡¯d open it up, and there I¡¯d see it. Pink.¡± ¡°Pink?¡± ¡°Prawn cocktail crisps, the one¡¯s that my mother bought, they came in pink packets.¡± Adam smiled, recalling the memories of when he was so young, before he had married, before he had children, before he had been killed, before he paid taxes, and before he had to get in debt to go to university, when his parents¡¯ generation went free, back when a single parent working as a janitor could buy their own house, only to then call the younger generation entitled for wanting some of the same fortune. ¡°I used to open the packets,¡± Adam said, miming how he used to open his crisp packet. ¡°The smell was so good. I¡¯d open up my sandwich, I¡¯d pour the crisps in, then I¡¯d squish the bread together, crk crk.¡± Adam mimed the action. ¡°I¡¯ll say this, sandwiches taste better when they¡¯re squished, but they feel better to eat when they¡¯re not. Sometimes, you need to pick which one you want. Usually, I¡¯d squish it just a little. I don¡¯t remember the colour of the packed lunch. I don¡¯t remember the drinks. I remember the sandwich though, and I remember when my mother used to put in the crisp for me later, but I asked for the packet because sometimes, and I¡¯m not saying anything against my mother, let me be clear, but I¡¯m pretty sure she didn¡¯t use the entire packet, and if I didn¡¯t use the entire packet, I could still eat out of it, you know?¡± Adam¡¯s laughter caused Vonda to smile wider, as tears formed again, but they were not the typical tears of despair, although they held a melancholy for a time long gone. ¡°I don¡¯t know... if the memory of my taste is right. When I ate the crisps that I made, I thought they tasted the same. They might have been slightly off, but you know, not bad for a mimicry, right?¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure if he used the right word, but let that drop. Vonda squeezed his hand. ¡°I think they taste wonderful.¡± Adam didn¡¯t dare to look at Vonda, staring off to the side, chewing on his thoughts. ¡°Vonda?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that my children will be able to eat the same sandwich as me. Sitting at the same kind of table, in the same kind of hall, taking the same kind of lunch box, with the same kind of worries, even if you cut the crusts,¡± Adam¡¯s voice had fallen to a quiet whisper. Vonda frowned, shuffling closer to her husband, pulling his head to her chest, holding him so tenderly. ¡°They Iyr should know how the crisps taste, and I¡¯m sure some know the magic, so they¡¯ll be able to flavour it.¡± Adam fell silent. ¡°You have to remember to cut the crusts, okay?¡± ¡°I will keep my promises,¡± Elder Gold said, reaching into her robes to reveal a piece of paper, sliding it towards the half elf. Adam scanned through the list of names, furrowing his brows slightly. It was longer than he expected. His eyes darted up to Elder Gold. ¡°Are you sure this was the deal?¡± ¡°I am certain we made such a deal,¡± Elder Gold said. Adam tilted his head slightly, trying to imply his confusion to the woman, but she remained sitting tall. Adam slid back the paper, having confirmed the deals. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I am willing to listen to another deal you wish to make.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t afford it,¡± Adam said. ¡°The price may not be as steep as you expect.¡± Adam stared into her eyes for a long moment, before leaning back in his seat, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°You know, Elder Gold. In this life, I am blessed with so much. If I ask for any more, I¡¯d be getting greedy, and I¡¯d be tempting powers beyond what we could possibly imagine. I¡¯m content knowing that the trust I placed in the Iyr was right, not that I ever doubted it.¡± Elder Gold remained silent for a long moment. ¡°You have chosen to leave the matter to the Rot family?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been really worried, you know? That uh...¡± Adam sniffled slightly. ¡°When...¡± Adam¡¯s throat clogged up, and though Adam¡¯s eyes threatened him with wetness, he did not shed a tear. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve to be their father. After what I let happen. After... I told Vonda, you know? I said, look, when I was thinking about it. I knew, I know I¡¯m not worthy of being their father. Those children, they¡¯re too good to be my kids. I don¡¯t deserve to be so lucky. I planned on going there, and killing the bastards, and then accepting my Fate. Even then, I would not deserve to call myself their father. I made a promise to my wife. If I go and I kill them, I¡¯m going to try and come back alive. Then, and only then, can I work to deserve the title again.¡± Elder Gold remained silent for a long moment, noting the shadows of the tears streaming down the half elf¡¯s face, and yet, the pain within him must have been a greater burden than to just allow silent tears in front of her. ¡°So, if I had a request to make, it would be this. Whoever goes with me, please make sure they come back okay. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, I¡¯ll sort it out, somehow. Jurot. My...¡± Adam paused. ¡°The rest of my family, whoever else comes along, please.¡± ¡°What would you be willing to offer?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t offer you anything more than I am already willing to give you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Whatever the Iyr asks of me, I will give. The things I don¡¯t want to do are things that will lead to endangering the Iyr.¡± ¡°I will think upon the matter.¡± ¡°I appreciate that.¡± Adam wiped his eyes and cleared his nose with his handkerchief. ¡°Also, just wanted to let you know, I¡¯m Awakening Vonda as a Chaos Enchanter too.¡± ¡°That would place us in a difficult position.¡± ¡°If you have a problem with it, you can take it up with Jirot, or her greatfather.¡± Elder Gold noticed the smile upon the half elf¡¯s face, far more genuine than she had expected. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam stood, staring down at the woman. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget what you¡¯ve done for me, Elder Gold. The Iyr. You. If, I mean, I¡¯ve been in bad situations before. An army? I made it out. I might be able to make it out this time too. I¡¯m making the mistake of getting my hopes up, but... if I do, just know that I will always have the Iyr¡¯s best interest in my heart. If you need me to die for the Iyr, whether it¡¯s to put me down, or whether I need to face Shama, Starsword, doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll do it. Hopefully nothing in the sea, that¡¯s really scary. Sky? Land? That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°I wish you the best of luck. If you change your mind, please tell me,¡± Elder Gold said, shaking his forearm, watching as the half elf left, with renewed vigour. Her eyes remained on his form, which still slunk so low. It was watching the half elf go that Elder Gold realised something. Perhaps, in all the history of the Iyr, there was no one who was as unhinged as Adam when it came to their children. Yet, even Adam thought of the Iyr first, upon not requesting support from her. It was that wound which would cut her deeper than even the Mad Dog¡¯s axe. Kill them with kindness. Also with your axe. [1068] – Y05.068 – Birthdays I [1068] ¨C Y05.068 ¨C Birthdays I ¡°You don¡¯t have to take it all yourself,¡± Vonda said, holding her husband¡¯s hands, as the pair, near nude, embraced one another. ¡°There is no way...¡± Adam leaned in to kiss his wife¡¯s lips, feeling the roughness of her lower lip against his own, before squeezing his wife¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯s a husband¡¯s romance to take all the pain for his wife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a wife¡¯s romance to ease her husband¡¯s worries.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re romantic, my darling, but right now you shouldn¡¯t seduce me, because...¡± ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°Vonda...¡± Adam had taken advantage of the situation to have Vonda sit upon his lap, though it wasn¡¯t required for the Awakening. However, how could he not want to embrace his wife tenderly when they were about to spend a few hours together, out of sight of anyone else, other than perhaps Baktu. ¡®You better not be watching!¡¯ Mana: 25 -> 15 XP: 19 500 -> 18 500 Health: 112 -> 62 Exhaustion: 0 -> 1 Mana: 15 -> 5 Health: 62 -> 29 Exhaustion: 1 -> 2 ¡°Did you two have fun?¡± Lucy asked as the pair returned once they were done embracing one another whilst half nude, each feeling exhausted after hours of such an activity. ¡°A gentleman never tells,¡± Adam replied, while holding his wife¡¯s hand. Vonda refrained from rolling her eyes, instead squeezing her husband¡¯s hands gently, feeling how cold they had become. Adam¡¯s entire body ached, the heat having run through his body like a fire, while his Mana had drained into his wife, beginning to unlock certain capabilities for the woman. 100 Mana. That¡¯s how much he needed to expend for him to Awaken his children and wife. Each time, he would assist them over the course of the day, once before lunch, and once a short while after. He had decided to complete it this way to reduce the days required, allowing himself to unlock the abilities over the course of five days, allowing him to rest another five. Adam didn¡¯t ask Bell why he only needed 2 000 XP to Awaken his children with his magic, and to allow them to enchant the same way he did, or why it was only 1 000 XP for his wife. Though he didn¡¯t speak to Bell often, he trusted Bell that much, because of all the entities in the world, Bell was the one who understood the most when it came to how far Adam would go for his children. Bell had been there from the very beginning, and, Adam assumed, would be there once he was gone. Adam continued to Awaken his wife, though midway through, there was another important matter to deal with. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Adam asked, holding the girl close to his chest. ¡°Working? I¡¯m always working! Shouldn¡¯t I take the day off in order to spoil my Inakan?¡± Inakan cackled lightly against her cousin¡¯s chest as the half elf held her, the girl clutching at his shoulders as they hugged. ¡°We must take her for to the family estate,¡± Arokan said. ¡°Inakan, come.¡± Inakan glanced back over her shoulder, blinking through her glasses. She looked up towards Adam, her eyes filling with mischief. The girl thought deeply about who she wanted to cause mischief to most. ¡°Inakan, come,¡± Otkan called, and the girl quickly scrambled away from Adam to her grandmother. ¡°Nana!¡± She climbed onto her grandmother¡¯s lap, hugging her tight, before she was whisked away to the shared estate. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lucy asked, feeding Jirot a cucumber from her hand, though the girl had offered it to her brother girl, before he shook his head, allowing her to bite into the food. ¡°I need to go give my gift.¡± ¡°You already have a gift.¡± ¡°What about second gifts?¡± Adam replied. ¡°...¡± ¡°For once, that was a good reference.¡± Adam smiled sadly, before he made his way to the Kan family estate. He reappeared several times to the Kan family estate, even after spending his time Awakening his wife, each time with the same excuse that he hadn¡¯t given all his gifts. Adam left a little after the joke became stale, as the fifth time he had appeared, he didn¡¯t give a gem worth ten gold, but a gem worth fifty, causing Arokan to smile, for it was quite the Adam joke. Repeat a joke so many times, it becomes unfunny, before subverting it slightly. None of the Kan family ruined his fun, for the little joy that gifting Inakan gems brought Adam softened his expressions each time, even as tired as he was. It was after he had Awakened his wife, the half elf forced himself up from his bed. Even with Lokat¡¯s medicine, the half elf still had enough Exhaustion to keep him in bed for most of the day. However, today was today. ¡°No,¡± Maygak said, clutching Adam¡¯s collar tight. ¡°Bed.¡± ¡°Maygak, how can you say that to me?¡± Maygak glared up at the half elf. She turned to her elder sister, Kavgak, who glared up towards her cousin. ¡°Bed!¡± Kavgak said, pointing to where he had come from. ¡°Okay, okay...¡± Adam peeked down to Faygak. ¡°Do you want me to leave too, my Faygak?¡± Faygak blinked at Adam, the girl smiling shyly, before giggling and hiding her head against her elder sister¡¯s, Tavgak¡¯s, arm. ¡°Even though you¡¯re the ones being so naughty and growing up when I told you to stay small, I¡¯m the one in trouble?¡± Adam asked, before reaching into his tunic, withdrawing a pair of vibrant orange gems. ¡°Hmph! Since you¡¯re both so naughty, I¡¯ll only give you one gem!¡± The girl pouted, causing Adam to back away, handing the gem to her father instead. Somehow, the Kan family knew peace that day, but it was not the Kan family which Adam intruded upon that day. ¡°My granduncle said I could spoil Rowajin!¡± Adam said. ¡°What right does your granduncle have to allow you to spoil my Rowajin?¡± Mojin yawned towards the half elf, his eyes filling with life for a moment. ¡°Wow! Just because he gave up the position of your Family Elder, doesn¡¯t mean you can treat him like that!¡± Adam gasped. Mojin raised his brows, his eyes darting over to his father, before he smirked slightly. ¡°Fine, but you should at least draw your axe.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the one I¡¯m going to draw my axe for right now,¡± Adam replied simply, and with his words, the temperature dropped. He stepped up to the little girl, whose hair was braided, her wide eyes staring up at the half elf. ¡°I hear you play with Alykan a lot.¡± The girl smiled, looking up to her father, who smiled back at his girl. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you like playing with Alykan?¡± Adam asked, while the girl responded with a nod. ¡°Good. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s very happy to be your friend.¡± ¡°I like being her fend too.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled. He reached into his tunic. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°Amber!¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°My kaka bring me amber.¡± ¡°Uwajin?¡± ¡°She is come home?¡± ¡°Where is she?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She is working in foat.¡± Adam frowned slightly. ¡°She didn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°No. Kaka is gone.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell her to come back, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Rowajin smiled wide, the girl¡¯s eyes darting to her mother¡¯s, the woman flushing slightly with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have told your kaka to come back before. Will you forgive me?¡± Adam asked, holding the girl¡¯s hand within her own. ¡°Okay!¡± Adam¡¯s heart still sank. ¡°Your sister is very strong.¡± ¡°I know! My kaka is the stungest!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Sending ¡°What the hell are you all playing at? Return home immediately so you can spend time with your siblings on their birthdays.¡± ¡®We are at the fort to protect it,¡¯ Uwajin¡¯s sleepy voice came back. Mana: 19 -> 16 Spell: Sending ¡°Nirot! You all need to come back right now. It¡¯s my fault for not noticing, but you should have known to come back already!¡± ¡®We need to defend the fort,¡¯ Nirot replied. Mana: 16 -> 13 Spell: Sending ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think you need to do, you all need to come back immediately.¡± ¡®It is the Iyr¡¯s request of us.¡¯ Adam inhaled sharply, glancing aside to the Iyrmen looking at him casting spells. However, it was thanks to Rajin¡¯s presence that the half elf remained unbothered by the nearby Iyrmen. ¡®Damn it. I must have been out of my damn mind to not notice.¡¯ ¡°What is the matter?¡± Rajin asked, his voice low, barely a whisper. ¡°The kids will want to see their elder siblings, but I¡¯m told the Iyr requested them to stay at the business.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Rajin replied, slowly nodding his head. Then again, Adam could message him. Adam might be depressed and grieving, but he still knows what''s up. [1069] – Y05.069 – Birthdays II [1069] ¨C Y05.069 ¨C Birthdays II Little Murot hugged his elder sister tightly, so tightly, Adam was sure Nirot was going to explode. The boy chortled with a ballad joy, it almost washed away the guilt within the young Iyrman. She lifted the boy up with ease, holding his round form above her, causing Murot to clap excitedly. ¡°Kaka! Kaka!¡± ¡°I have returned,¡± Nirot said, having delayed her return to the shared estate until her brother¡¯s birthday, upon the first day of the ninth month, the last month of duskval. She pulled him close to her chest, brushing the back of his head, feeling how thick his hair had grown. ¡°Have you eaten?¡± ¡°Porridge, and fruit, and cips.¡± ¡°Cips?¡± ¡°Cips,¡± the boy say. ¡°Bahbeko cips.¡± ¡°Barbecue crisps,¡± Adam explained. ¡°I thought he might want something bursting with flavour since he was eating some pretty plain stuff, before uncle Bam here brought over some jam donuts.¡± Bam sat to one side, lost within his thoughts, even when his name had been called. He kept replaying the scenes over in his mind, Jarot rejecting everything he made, only ever smelling the food, sometimes touching it with his hands. Nirot nuzzled against her brother¡¯s cheek. She and the other teens had gone to the fort while Adam was busy, having thought they could use the opportunity to try and find a way to go out to fight. She held Murot within her arms, still unable to bear looking at the twins, or the little red skinned toddler. Murot twitched within his sister¡¯s arms, his eyes glued to the man who was walked in. He was lean, with shoulder length hair, and carried a large blade upon his back with a serrated edge, like shark teeth. The man reached out his hands, and his daughter passed along his youngest son to him. ¡®You could message her father,¡¯ Rajin had said that evening. ¡®Yeah, but...¡¯ Adam had replied, falling into thought. It was then the next words escaped his lips as part of the spell. ¡®Granduncle.¡¯ Gorot still wasn¡¯t sure what Adam had told Kamrot, especially considering how the old man had threatened to cut his neck clean off. His blade had barely managed to save him as the old man almost cut him down where he stood out of the blue. It was the grief, however, which had caused him to return with the young Iyrmen, from Naqokan to Faool. ¡°Daddy...¡± Gurot looked up to his father. ¡°Come,¡± Gorot called, lifting his eldest son up, the pair of boys a year apart, and yet they were almost identical in how much they enjoyed eating. He held them close to his chest, allowing them to hug him tight, clutching at his tunic. Adam approached the shared family estate beside their own, finding little Tinajin, the girl¡¯s curly hair flowing out like the sun, ¡°No magical weapon this time,¡± Adam assured, holding out a small amber for the girl. ¡°Is it an amber this year?¡± Tijin joked. ¡°This year,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I could only return Uwajin this time, and not Timojin, but I¡¯ll be sure to give him a good talking to when I next see him, okay, Tinajin?¡± The girl blinked at the half elf, before glancing towards her father, reaching out for his hand. ¡°Do not turn away, Tinajin,¡± Tijin said, holding the girl¡¯s hand with his finger and thumb. ¡°He is Adam, Mokan¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°Mo kaza?¡± Tinajin asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re growing well, Tinajin.¡± Adam flashed a smile, before waving his hand to the rest of the Iyrmen, including Rajin. Adam continued to spoil the children, with Faool feeding Maool, Naqokan holding Minakan, then visiting Majin and Mijin, who were named confusingly, considering their family¡¯s typical favourite vowels. He sat down and read to Majin personally. ¡°You fight dragons?¡± the boy asked. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°My papa not fight dragons?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he¡¯s very strong.¡± Majin smiled, glancing down at the book, before swiping his hand through his hair. ¡°Papa is coming back soon?¡± ¡°Do you want me to ask him?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s what my cousin wants,¡± Adam assured, the half elf feeding the birthday children. He snuck some food for Murot too, but Gurot began sharing some food with his younger brother by himself. ¡®How adorable!¡¯ Turot and Asorot both watched as the half elf fed their younger brother, and like when he had fed Murot, they said nothing though they wanted to feed their brother too. Adam made his way to the Gek family estate around noon, finding his uncle there, who glanced over towards him, and the trio who rushed up to him. ¡°Sorry, but they were a little upset because I didn¡¯t bring them last time,¡± Adam said. ¡°You do not need to apologise,¡± Tonagek replied, hugging each of the triplets, before allowing them to take their place beside him. ¡°Do you mind if I give my gift and go?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I need to get to work.¡± ¡°You may,¡± Tonagek said, standing up, his eyes shooting to the side, to a figure who remained still and motionless, almost like a statue. Adam handed Danagek a gem, picking the boy up, groaning. ¡°Oof! They¡¯re feeding you well, eh?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Danagek replied with a smile. Adam hugged the boy, before letting him down. ¡°You make sure you eat as much as you want today, and if anyone tells you off, you tell me, and I¡¯ll tell cousin Jurot, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°I will escort you,¡± Tonagek said. ¡°Konarot, Kirot, Karot. Your grandaunt will watch over for you now.¡± ¡°Nana?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tonagek assured, bowing his head over towards his wife. ¡°I will return soon.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Dogek watched them go, noting how sick the young half elf looked. He hadn¡¯t known the boy had become beset by such a sickness. Adam was like the picture of feebleness. Adam didn¡¯t speak up as the Iyrman took him in a particular direction. They came across the extended family estate of a particular family, and as Adam¡¯s eyes darted to the corner, he realised why. ¡°This is awkward.¡± ¡°It is?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°I already sent my gift to the business.¡± ¡°She has received it,¡± Tonagek said, as though he knew. Adam approached the Mir family estate, glancing down at the children, waving his hands, before greeting the appropriate pair first. ¡°I¡¯m surprised to see you here.¡± ¡°We have only just arrived,¡± Amira said, while Ranya stared curiously at the half elf. She was adorned in red, with yellow trim. Her hair had been freshly cut so she was bald, but Adam had made sure to send a gem to her too, which should have been more than enough for the girl¡¯s first birthday. ¡°Happy birthday to you,¡± Adam said, dropping down to a knee, holding her hand, rubbing it gently. ¡°Did daddy say happy birthday too?¡± "Aba!¡± The girl squealed, before looking around, unable to find her father. She spotted Ashmir and the girl hid behind her mother. ¡°Oh my! You can talk already? Aren¡¯t you so smart!¡± Adam tickled the girl¡¯s cheek, causing her to squeal and retreat behind her mother further, Adam making sure she didn¡¯t accidentally knee her mother¡¯s stomach. ¡°Where is he anyway?¡± ¡°Returning to the business,¡± Amira replied. ¡°He wished for Ranya to meet her family, but did not wish to be away from the business for too long.¡± Adam glanced around at the Mir family, noting their eyes upon him, then upon the others. Ashmir bowed his head to the half elf, who returned a bow. ¡®I guess he made his decision about Ashmir then?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t want to take up too much of your time,¡± Adam said, tickling the girl¡¯s nose once more, before stepping back. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± ¡°I need you to tell Dunes not to have me move so much while I¡¯m pregnant,¡± Amira said. ¡°If you can¡¯t stop him, there¡¯s no chance in me stopping him,¡± Adam joked. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know, though.¡± Amira smiled slightly, but Adam didn¡¯t note the sadness within her smile, as he waved and said his goodbyes to the Mir family. His steps were a little quicker, and though he was still feeling the ache within his body from Awakening Jirot, the joy in his heart forced it away. Ranya was the last child he needed to say happy birthday to, until it was the seventh day of the ninth month. I miss Ranya. [1070] – Y05.070 – Birthdays III [1070] ¨C Y05.070 ¨C Birthdays III ¡°Gosh, mummy, how can I be so beautiful?¡± Jirot asked, as though plagued by a curse. She stared at the mirror, silver polished finely, definitely by the hands of an Iyrman. ¡°Would you like me to braid a strand on your hair?¡± Vonda asked, already parting a small section of the girl¡¯s hair with her finger and thumb. ¡°I can part it at the side, like your kako Jaygak likes to sometimes, or I ca-¡° ¡°I want it like kako,¡± Jirot said, her head darting up to her mother, who brushed her cheek, and began to brush her hair, back and to the left. She pulled the girl¡¯s hair back, sliding a hair band to keep her hair in place, before slipping a pin within the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Mummy...¡± Little Jarot stared up at his mother expectantly, before he wore a similar band and pin, though mirrored his sister with its placement. ¡°You are so handsome,¡± Jirot said, hugging her brother, kissing his cheek. ¡°Kaka, you are so beautiful,¡± Jarot replied, hugging her sister back. ¡°Of cuhs.¡± Jirot nuzzled her brother¡¯s nose. ¡°Come. We must bully daddy.¡± ¡°Just a little bit,¡± little Jarot confirmed. ¡°Just a little bit,¡± Jirot agreed, grabbing her brother¡¯s hand to lead him outside with eager steps. The eagerness in her steps began to fade as she approached her father, finding him within his chair, the half elf slumped within, his chest breathing heavily, his skin pale, around the day when he was done with teaching. In this moment her father looked so... ¡®Small,¡¯ Konarot thought, staring at her father from the side, her tail slumped behind her. Though they had played with their father over the last few months, he had mostly been too tired, save for a few days each month. Virot did not seem to mind, spending most of her time with her mother, whereas Xarot was still too young to truly understand. He had yet to even begin smiling, though his eyes could meet his eldest sister¡¯s gaze, though he still found it hard to track her silver tail. ¡°Boo!¡± Virot barrelled her way towards her mother, who lifted her up, the girl cackling delightfully. ¡°Ohbogoboo?¡± ¡°We will eat soon.¡± ¡°Oo!¡± The girl let out a satisfied sigh, nodding her head, clapping her hands with satisfaction, before throwing them up into the air, screeching lightly. Damrot glanced over towards her, before he was swiftly distracted by his mother, who picked him up, and placed a thumb across his cheek, rubbing it gently. She had forgotten if she had applied his lotion, but she felt the light layer of softness which remained from the lotion. ¡°Papo, daddy is sleeping?¡± Jirot whispered. ¡°He is resting his eyes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Is not time for resting, is time for joking.¡± ¡°Shall I wake him?¡± The girl looked to her father, as pale as he was, and how sharp his features looked compared to usual. ¡°I forgive daddy, just this once, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, reaching out to pinch her cheek gently, causing the girl to squeal and dart away to her nano. Adam shuddered awake, feeling the chill in the air, before the smell of breakfast awoke him. The half elf¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly, fighting away the sharpness which struck his eyes, rubbing around them, letting out a pained yawn. ¡°Hoi hoi hoi. Seems I¡¯m still tired from all my work. I might just take the day off today, for no reason in particular.¡± Jirot raised her brows towards her father, who mimicked her. The girl¡¯s eyes darted to her mother, before she returned back to her meal, offering the potato to her brother, and upon his refusal, she bit into it. She knew it was best to ignore her father at this time. Adam stared at the pair for a long moment. He hadn¡¯t joked about not knowing the children for most of the year. He glanced down at his lap for a moment, before fighting away the exhaustion. ¡°Jirot. Jarot. Come.¡± Jirot glanced over to her father once more, noting how tired he looked. ¡°You come here, daddy!¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Adam said, hoisting himself up, the half elf almost limping towards his children, before dropping down beside them. ¡°Daddy¡¯s going to give you both a great gift. One of them, I¡¯m already giving you, Jirot. The other, will come soon.¡± ¡°Is my gift?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Today is the last day daddy needs to teach you. We¡¯ll play all day, and then I¡¯ll finish the teaching with you later tonight. Jarot...¡± Adam stared at his boy, feeling the gazes of the other people around. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you both the best gift ever, but you just need to wait, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Until then, you¡¯re going to have to make do with some ambers. I saved the shiny ones for you.¡± Adam planted kisses across their foreheads, and refused to let them go. Little Jarot turned his head upon his father offering him jam from the jam doughnut Bam had worked so hard to bake. ¡°Just a lick,¡± Adam said, his tired smile radiating downwards over his son. Persuasion Check (Advantage) D20 + 6 = 19 (13) D20 = 6 = 23 (17) 23! Jarot leaned in to lick the spoon, tasting the sweetness. He winced slightly, but Adam quickly distracted him by hugging the boy tight and kissing his face all over. ¡°Wow! My son, you eat jam so well!¡± Adam planted noisy kisses all over his son¡¯s cheek. ¡°Even though it¡¯s your birthday, you¡¯re giving me such a good gift? I¡¯m the luckiest father alive!¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Jarot flushed, hiding his head against his father¡¯s chest. Adam refused to give up his children. He waited for the others to give their gifts, from their aunts and uncles, to their siblings. Konarot, Kirot, and Karot had each painted a pair of stones, and handed them to the twins. Even Adam¡¯s ambers, as shiny as they were, were worth less than such amazing treasures. It was only until the old Mad Dog complained at the extended family estate did the half elf eventually give them up, napping in the corner as the children played with their uncles and aunts. When he awoke, Adam noted all the other Iyrmen who were making their way through the Rot family estate, each from different families. Most of them were the Family Elders he had seen before, but some were older Iyrmen who were not Family Elders, but legends who had lain dormant in the Iyr since their retirement. ¡°Look! My papo give me dice!¡± Jirot said, revealing the two large six sided dice, each roughly the size of her fists. Except they were not truly dice, as she pushed against the middle of the five dotted side, and the adjacent, single dotted face, opening up to die to reveal the amber gem. ¡°Is my daddy¡¯s gift.¡± ¡°Nano you are comfortable too?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°I am,¡± Mulrot confirmed. ¡°You must call me, okay?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Jirot pat her knee gently too, before the girl waddled away with her brother in tow, the girl clasping her hands behind her back like she was an old man. ¡°Should I give up my position too?¡± Malfev joked. ¡°That is not your role,¡± Mulrot replied simply. Malfev smiled sadly. ¡°What sweet children your greatchildren are.¡± ¡°They have learned well,¡± Mulrot said, watching over the twins as they continued to play with their relatives. ¡°Larot is still quiet?¡± ¡°He is still quiet.¡± ¡°Virot walks so well,¡± Malfev said, pointing out the girl, who waddled over to her mother, with a cup within her hand. She held it up for her mother, complaining for a drink. ¡°Sonarot says she walks too much and tires herself.¡± ¡°She must sleep well.¡± Mulrot smiled. ¡°She does.¡± A silence fell between the pair for a moment. Malfev reached up to his beard, rubbing it gently. ¡°I am ready.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± It was later in the evening when Adam began the first of the two sittings with his daughter, filling with a deep exhaustion, and yet he still had another sitting to go. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± Adam asked, coughing gently, before furrowing his brows at the large pouch. ¡°Gifts for the twins,¡± Vonda explained, feeding Xarot to one side. ¡°The business sent them over.¡± Adam peeked within, noting all the handmade bracelets, the scales, and all the little notes of the children¡¯s drawings. The half elf¡¯s lips trembled into a smile. ¡°What adorable kids we picked up, huh?¡± ¡°They are very cute,¡± Vonda agreed, the young woman brushing along her son¡¯s forehead gently. Adam stared down at the gifts for a long while, before Jurot sat beside him, carrying a tired Lanarot, who climbed onto Adam to hug him. Adam held the girl within his arms, the pair rubbing their cheeks together, before Vonda finally stepped away, taking the girl with her, who awoke upon hearing the mention of jam doughnuts. ¡°Are they asleep?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot confirmed, having used his abilities on Damrot and Virot. ¡°One month,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Just one more month.¡± ¡°If we leave soon, we can return before their birthdays,¡± Jurot offered. Adam smiled, before catching Jurot¡¯s steely gaze, the half elf¡¯s smile dropping. He swallowed, glancing to the side. His heart beat quicker, his body flashing cold, then hot, then cold. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I will bring Jirot and Jarot.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± That evening, Adam held his twins close to him. Gangak waited with the half elf, while Jarot and Otkan remained just outside their cabin. ¡°Did you have fun today?¡± ¡°So much fun,¡± Jirot replied, rubbing her eyes. ¡°I play with Jitool,¡± Jarot said, smiling tiredly. ¡°Today is the last day of this teaching, and then, daddy will need to rest.¡± Adam kissed their cheeks. ¡°So you cannot bully daddy for a few days while he rests, okay?¡± ¡°Just a little bit?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Just a little bit,¡± Adam surrendered, beginning to take off her top. Again, he looked away from her torso, holding her to his bare chest, and finished his last sitting with her, Awakening the magical and enchanting abilities within her. As the children were whisked away, and before Adam felt the darkness around his eyes swarm his vision, the half elf saw the scar on the girl¡¯s back, small and round, where the crossbow bolt had struck against her gut. The sight of the scar killed the hesitation within the half elf, who faded into the void of slumber. Uh oh. [1071] – Y05.071 – I’ll Be Back I [1071] ¨C Y05.071 ¨C I¡¯ll Be Back I She was pale, time forming rivers of wrinkles upon her face. Her modesti covered her from head to toe, even her hands were hidden away from his sight. An amulet of Life¡¯s Rose lay against her front, not betraying the true rank she held within the Order. ¡°I welcome your return,¡± Mother Priest said, pouring the Iyrman a cup of tea. She recognised the Iyrman from the previous year, when he had escorted Mother Florence and the Seventh Hope back to Life¡¯s Rose after Ray Vonda¡¯s marriage. She recalled what Mother Florence had informed her of, and later, the Seventh Hope. Seeing the darkness within the Iyrman¡¯s eyes, she realised whatever they thought of Shikan was true. ¡°I have come with a donation to the temple, and a note from my nephew,¡± Shikan said, reaching into his tunic, causing the nearby Priests to stir, each reaching up for their amulets. They sat within the small, bare room, a pair of Priests on duty at the door, while Mother Priest and Shikan sat opposite one another around a small table. They sat upon plush cushions, which lay on the floor. The Iyrman placed the note upon the table, and Mother Priest picked it up, to the Priests¡¯ chagrin, and unfurled it. Her tentative eyes scanned across the note, reading the half elf¡¯s words, before clasping the note shut. Silence accompanied them. ¡°It is a lot of gold, but we cannot accept money marked for death,¡± Mother Priest said. Shikan reached into his tunic and placed down another note, watching as the old woman read it, taking great care for these particular words. The old woman inhaled deeply, letting out a long exhale. She thought over the words. The words of Adam¡¯s apology, and the words of Vonda¡¯s plea. ¡°I prayed for them,¡± Mother Priest said. ¡°I prayed to the Mother to watch over the two children, who were so innocent. Our Ray was far more innocent, and I never would have thought she would have had to deal with...¡± ¡°The Mother tests us all,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Can you stop him?¡± ¡°I would not.¡± Mother Priest slowly nodded her head, understanding that it was a near impossible task to stop the half elf who spoke so much of his children. ¡°Are they Iyrmen children?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mother Priest inhaled sharply, as almost all hope gave away. ¡°If he kills them, the Orders will not stand for it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°He is your nephew,¡± she urged. ¡°He is a father.¡± Mother Priest bowed her head gently. ¡°I will recall the Second Hope and the Rays we sent.¡± ¡°Their lives will be guaranteed,¡± Shikan assured. ¡°Would you kill them?¡± ¡°If they tried to stop us.¡± Mother Priest stared into Shikan¡¯s eyes for a long while, before bowing her head, dismissing him. The silver was one thing, but the Mother appreciated that Adam had sent two shields. She couldn¡¯t help but think on the significance of sending two shields. Was it about his children, or the lives he was about to take? Shikan made his way out as quickly as he had arrived, heading out of the Order and to the carriage, and the Mother who had waited for him so patiently. ¡°Is the matter dealt with?¡± Mother Florence asked. ¡°It will be.¡± Mother Florence frowned. ¡°Will you tell me now?¡± ¡°Three children were attacked, and two were killed,¡± Shikan said, fighting his throat from closing. Mother Florence¡¯s expression went from slightly warm to full of shock, her eyes glued to the Iyrman. ¡°Which children?¡± ¡°Larot and Jarot were killed, Jirot was injured,¡± Shikan explained. Florence¡¯s eyes remained glued to the Iyrman¡¯s, her heart racing, her mind blank. ¡°Mother save us.¡± Shikan reached into his tunic, and held out a small comb. ¡°Adam wished for me to pass this to you. His brother carved it.¡± ¡°A comb?¡± ¡°He thought you might like it,¡± Shikan said, allowing the woman to take the comb, noting her eyes were still full of shock. He still wasn¡¯t sure what she thought of the situation, but Vonda was almost like a daughter to her, and to Vonda, the children were her own. ¡°They were innocent children who wanted for nothing but love. Those children, who will wear upon their foreheads tattoos of their family.¡± Florence met his eyes once more, holding the comb, still stunned. She remained stunned even as Shikan excused himself, the Iyrmen taking their carriage over the bridge of light, heading out into the town to find an inn. She remained frozen for a long while, her mind still, quiet. ¡®The children?¡¯ Florence eventually managed to think, the flashes of little Larot glaring at the world filling her mind, as well as the shy amber eyes of both Jirot and Jarot, who always treated her with such politeness. Her eyes fell down to the comb. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Promise!¡± came the confident response from his children. Adam held them close for a long moment, closing his eyes, before letting them go, and quickly snatching Virot to shower her with his affection before she complained for her mother, reaching out for her, babbling away wildly. Adam tickled Xarot¡¯s nose, the boy twitching and kicking out a leg, before staring up at the block of purple. Adam took in his sight, as well as Damrot, brushing the boy¡¯s hair tenderly, and finally Monarot, tickling her nose too, the girl beginning to cry until she was soothed by her father¡¯s hug. Adam glanced to the rest of the children, from Taygak to Inakan. He could see the expectations within their eyes, that the half elf would say his goodbyes one by one, but Adam understood if he did that, he may not return. ¡°You all stay in school, and don¡¯t do drugs, okay?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± they all mumbled in response. Mirot wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was doing, considering she had requested some additional time for the children that morning in order for him to say goodbye. Adam lifted Lanarot up, holding her close, feeding her a bit of bread. ¡°I suppose I should leave you all here to finish your breakfast.¡± ¡°We must go with you, cousin Adam,¡± Katool said. ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few weeks, so it¡¯s okay.¡± Sonarot noted all the looks she was getting, the woman falling into thought for a moment. ¡°Okay.¡± Turot gave his aunt a curious look, for this was not done, but as he glanced around, he noted none of the adults complained. ¡°Cousin Adam?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you use Strong Shield?¡± ¡°I will. I¡¯ll use Strong Shield, and then I¡¯ll come back, and I¡¯ll tell you the story of what happened. Will you gift it to Asorot?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Turot replied with a proud smile, though he glanced around to the adults, noting their apprehension. Could he not give it to his brother? ¡°Huu!¡± Jirot sniffled, though Gangak wiped her face, kissing her cheek. ¡°You¡¯re always so good at taking care of the children,¡± Adam said. ¡°Will you stay to watch over them?¡± Gangak inhaled sharply, her brows raised towards the half elf, who smiled innocently, though was overwhelmed by the guilt. ¡°Today, I will remain. In the future, I will not.¡± ¡°Jirot. You have my permission to bully nano Gangak and nano Otkan until I come back, okay?¡± ¡°I will not bully nano, silly daddy,¡± Jirot replied, placing her hands upon her hips, glaring at her father. ¡°Just a little bit?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Just a little bit,¡± Jirot confirmed. Adam smiled, reaching down to trail her hair with a finger, before tickling her ear, doing the same to Jarot. Adam held the boy¡¯s gaze, seeing the sadness within those large, innocent, amber eyes. He tickled Jarot¡¯s ears with both of his fingers, causing the boy to giggle, before he ruffled Larot¡¯s hair, and made his way to his wife. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, flashing a small smile towards her. ¡°I hope to see you soon, darling,¡± Vonda said, reaching up to place her hand upon his. ¡°Me too.¡± Adam winked, leaning in to kiss her cheek. ¡°I will return soon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Okay,¡± Pam replied, squeezing his hand. She could feel how rough they were today, the fresh marks against his skin coarse, like iron. Jurot glanced at Adam, and for half a moment thought about kissing his wife¡¯s cheek, but decided it would be best for him to kiss her upon his return. His ears burned a deep red. The pair stepped out, strapped with their packs and long cloaks, making their way to a nearby shared estate. Adam stopped before entering it. ¡®Should I go back and do it properly?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No. No. I gotta come back and do it properly then.¡¯ ¡°Are you ready?¡± Tonagek asked, adorned in his full plate, wearing his blade at his side, and his shield upon his back, over his pack. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, letting go of his cousins¡¯ small chubby hands. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± The group made their way out of the Iyr, heading to the Front Iyr. They sat within the carriage, pulled along by a magical steed. Adam looked around, noting the four of them. ¡®I feel like we¡¯re missing a few people...¡¯ It''s happening! [1072] – Y05.072 – I’ll Be Back II [1072] ¨C Y05.072 ¨C I¡¯ll Be Back II ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Tonagek asked, resting his arm between his hilt and his side. ¡°If you are going to die, I should watch,¡± Mosen joked, revealing a toothy smile, dawn¡¯s rays glinting off of the silver hilt of his blade. ¡°I will not die, so you may return.¡± ¡°If I do not go, sister will beat me,¡± Mosen replied, raising his brows towards his best friend. ¡°You can beat them.¡± ¡°I would not dare to,¡± Mosen replied, throwing Adam a look with a large smile across his face, winking at the half elf. He shook the young half elf¡¯s forearm, before doing the same for Jurot. ¡°Are you not a child of Bloodblade?¡± ¡°Bloodblade, not Stupidblade.¡± Adam wondered why he wasn¡¯t closer to Mosen. His eyes darted between the pair while they argued, unsure of what to say or do. After all, the Iyr couldn¡¯t carelessly act, not since the Rot family had already denied most of them. Then again, Mosen was related to him, in a roundabout way. ¡°I will watch so that you do not die, and if you die, I will return with your story, and your bones,¡± Mosen finally said. Tonagek let out a small grunt, stifling a growl. If Mosen was going so far to speak those particular words, he had to relent. Rajin and Jarot exchanged a look, before the pair stepped into the long wagon, the magical steed ready to pull them all along. Adam and Jurot remained within the second carriage, the tarp hiding the rest of the equipment beneath. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, but his tone was low. ¡°You know, now that I think about it, I never heard Larot speak.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°If he trusts me that much, then I should return that trust, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot agreed. The walls of the business stood tall and strong, the gates opening to allow the long carriages within. Adam gathered himself for a moment, inhaling deeply, before stepping out, feeling the cool chilly winds of duskval against his skin, and the gazes from the businessfolk. With the appearance of the carriages, the mood had shifted. Upon seeing the half elf adorned in purple, a deeper chill than duskval invaded the business. Adam removed his helmet, revealing his pale face, the dark bags under his eyes, and the smile upon his face, devoid of warmth. The half elf took in another sharp breath, pausing for a moment as a thought crossed his mind, and a gentle light returned to his eyes. ¡°Hello there.¡± Rick wasn¡¯t sure why Adam was smiling quite so deeply, the half elf sharing a look with Jurot, before he shook his head. He understood there was something to the words, but he had no idea what it could be, his thoughts disappearing upon seeing the half elf¡¯s face turning cold once more. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to interrupt dinner,¡± Adam said, sniffing the air, barely able to smell. ¡°Smells good. Did Korin come back?¡± There was something about the jokes which caused Rick¡¯s hair to stand on end. He felt a gaze upon him, a pair of gazes, from the porters who shared knowing looks. Adam stepped over towards the group, pausing a moment upon seeing Lucy and Mara, having not realised he hadn¡¯t seen them in a few days. He bowed his head towards them, and they returned the bow. He then took in the sights of the faces of the businessfolk. He had wanted to come here without acknowledging what happened, but feeling how awkward the air was, he realised he couldn¡¯t just walk in and act like nothing happened. ¡°Lead Jonn?¡± Adam called. ¡°Executive?¡± Jonn replied. ¡°Step forward,¡± Adam said, before nodding his head to Jurot. ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be leaving. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± Adam said, holding the half elf¡¯s gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll be heading out to speak with someone you¡¯re familiar with, and no offence, you don¡¯t look very presentable.¡± The half elf accepted the helmet from his brother, holding it out to the half elf. ¡°Try this on.¡± ¡°...¡± Jonn reached down for the helmet, feeling how heavy it was compared to his typical helmet. He donned it, before noting the rest of the armour Jurot handed to his brother, who then handed it to him. ¡°This armour looks far more presentable, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Jonn stared down at the breastplate of the full set of plate armour, emblazened with the skull of Baktu. ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± ¡°Thank you, Executive,¡± John said, with Ivy mumbling the words, nodding her head. Adam sat down near the fire, looking across the businessfolk, each eating their meals quietly. The air was still so quiet, so awkward, until a particular Iyrman began to drink, speaking of his tales of killing nobles. Adam looked over to the children of the business. Alex ate his porridge full of milk. Elsie asked her sister, Cobra, to pass some fruit. George spoke using his magical necklace to Fred, eyeing up the armour, touching the symbol. Finally, there was Ranya, the girl sitting beside her mother, glaring at her bread and soup. She dipped her bread into the soup, before biting it slowly, complaining to her mother, who wiped her face, and the girl decided to drop her complaints, like how she dropped her bread onto the table in front of her. It was in this moment Adam understood the word peace. As his eyes darted between the faces of all his workers, many of whom pretending not to look at him, and when he caught them, they awkwardly nodded towards him. ¡®When I get back, I¡¯m going to spend some time enjoying this.¡¯ Adam ate very little, excusing himself quickly to walk along the walls, nodding to the various Iyrmen who greeted him. He stopped beside a particular figure who lay along one side of the wall, seemingly napping. ¡°Working hard, or hardly working?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It will rain soon,¡± Bael said, ignoring the half elf¡¯s words. ¡°Do you have some kind of sixth sense for that?¡± ¡°It is not the sixth.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°You coming along tomorrow?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head as he stared out towards the village, before looking down at the wall, unable to bring himself to imagine where it had happened. ¡°You can stay if you prefer.¡± ¡°I heard there are going to be strong ones there.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t go, the Demon Lord will beat me.¡± Bael chuckled lightly, causing the half elf to smile. ¡°I see the wolves are having fun in the village,¡± Adam said. ¡°They¡¯ve been surrounding the village for a few months now.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Have they been fed well?¡± ¡°Dunes feeds them well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Manager Dunes to you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t work for the business, I work for you.¡± ¡°You should still call him Manager Dunes.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t, so that way the business won¡¯t get involved when I fight. You¡¯re not a noble, are you?¡± ¡°Well... I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Then you were a terrible noble.¡± ¡°I sure was,¡± Adam said, smiling even wider. Bael stared out at the village, to a particular spot. He closed his eyes, recalling the fight he had with the Emperor. Back then, even as a little child, Bael was untouchable, thanks to his great grandfather¡¯s name. No one would have dared to harm him, including the Emperor. That was the difference between Adam and his great grandfather. ¡®No,¡¯ Bael thought, feeling the various gazes upon him. There was another difference between his great grandfather and Adam. Bael doesn''t get enough screen time considering how powerful he really is. [1073] – Y05.073 – I’ll Be Back III [1073] ¨C Y05.073 ¨C I¡¯ll Be Back III ¡°My granddaughter keeps causing me trouble at this age,¡± Jarot groaned, pouring his cousin the grain wine of the business. ¡°She returned without complaint,¡± Kamrot replied, the pair raising their cups, before the men sipped the wine. ¡°She should have complained a little at least!¡± Kamrot shook his head lightly, taking his turn to pour the wine. The pair sipped the peach wine, so sweet, and yet never quite so bitter. They leaned back in their seats, staring up at the stars. ¡°I should go too.¡± ¡°Your place is here.¡± ¡°What will Rirot think of me?¡± ¡°She would wonder why you are not spoiling those precious children who showed such adoration for her,¡± Jarot replied simply, letting out a tired sigh, though his eyes teased Kamrot with a playful look. Kamrot chuckled lightly, throwing a look to his cousin. He had slimmed down quite a bit from the last year, even with his recent weight gain. There was a sharpness around the old man, crippled as he was. He recalled the Jarot of old, the wildness in his eyes, and though the old man had lot so much of himself after the death of his children, there was a rage within the old Iyrman¡¯s eyes, born anew. ¡°You must bring them home safely,¡± Kamrot said, surrendering to the old man¡¯s words. ¡°I still have one arm and one leg,¡± Jarot replied, and though the pair chuckled, Kamrot understood the old man would die before his grandsons. ¡°Did Rajin bring sourwine?¡± ¡°He will brew sourwine upon our return,¡± Jarot stated. ¡°Okay.¡± Kamrot smiled, staring up at the sky. ¡°It will be the most delicious.¡± Jarot grunted in affirmation, staring up at the twinkling stars, noting all the stars his greatdaughter pointed out to him, as though he wasn¡¯t the one who had taught her them. His body tensed up, but he quickly calmed himself. Kamrot noted Jarot¡¯s body tensing up, but said nothing, as the old man¡¯s eyes filled with sadness. It was only the second day he had spent away from the children, but Jarot could hear the phantom screaming within his ears. There were those in the Iyr who prayed, and those in the business who did the same. Mork felt the wind against his face as he prayed before the wooden shrine which had been built for Lady Tempest. He had placed his coppers within the box, full of coppers the businessfolk sometimes placed whenever it rained. Since it duskval had begun, more coppers would flood the shrine, and sometimes, during particularly terrible rains, silvers. ¡®A storm will soon befall this land,¡¯ Mork thought, quietly praying. ¡®Lady, please watch over us.¡¯ Another pair prayed in the evening before the statue of the Lady of War. After their formal prayer, the pair repeated a statement a hundred times. ¡°Lady¡¯s strength,¡± Amira said. ¡°Lalala,¡± Ranya prayed. ¡°Lady¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°Lalala.¡± Amira brought Ranya in for a tight hug, kissing her forehead, brushing the girl¡¯s head, feeling the prickly hair which regrew atop her head. ¡°Well done, Ranya.¡± ¡°Mama!¡± The girl beamed with pride, giggling wildly. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I have to go,¡± Dunes finally said. ¡°You may die.¡± ¡°If I do not go, how can I call myself her father?¡± Dunes asked, reaching out to brush Ranya¡¯s cheek with the back of a finger. ¡°Aba!¡± Ranya squealed with delight, throwing up her arms, before clapping excitedly. ¡°I will be back.¡± ¡°If you do not return, I will ask Lord Sozain to throw you into the fires,¡± Amira warned. ¡°If I do not return, Lord Sozain may return me to you, so that I can suffer worse.¡± Dunes wrapped his arms around his wife, nuzzling against her neck. ¡°You were always so foolish, Morn.¡± ¡°You married me.¡± ¡°You married me,¡± Amira corrected, pinching his cheek, and not even Dunes¡¯ beard dared to prick her hand. Meanwhile, within the Iyr, the Chief brushed his beard with a hand, deep in thought. It was all too much. Adam. The Reavers. The deaths of the children. An aide approached, slipping the Chief a slip of paper. The Chief¡¯s eyes scanned the several notes within, from the other Great Elders, and the other Elders. He reread the slip of paper again, writing it within his book, before placing the note to one side to be archived. ¡°Hmm,¡± the Chief mused aloud. ¡®They are correct. I should return to deal with the Reavers.¡¯ ¡°Baztam, do you wish to retire soon?¡± ¡°I have no such intentions,¡± Baztam replied. He had long white hair, green eyes, and was shorter than the average Iyrman, though he was no less muscular. ¡°Baztam,¡± Iromin called once more. ¡°Do you wish to retire soon?¡± Baztam furrowed his brows to the Chief. ¡°Retirement? Retirement? You always take all the glory for yourself, Iromin.¡± ¡°What glory will I take this time?¡± ¡°How many drakes have you killed?¡± Baztam asked. ¡°A dozen?¡± Iromin joked. ¡°Eleven,¡± Baztam said. ¡°Eleven you killed. How many have I killed?¡± ¡°Twenty three.¡± ¡°Twice your number, but do they call me Drakebane? No! They call me Black Shark. Black Shark. My weapon is not black. I walk on the land with my two feet.¡± ¡°The shark is for your sword. The black is because-,¡± ¡°I kill so many that the land looks black, but it looks red! They should have called me Red Shark!¡± Baztam complained. ¡°Now I am here, stuck as your aide, as you push all this work upon me.¡± ¡°So you will retire?¡± ¡°I will retire if you let me kill a Grand Commander.¡± ¡°Which Grand Commander?¡± ¡°Greatwood.¡± ¡°He is not your prey.¡± ¡°Whose prey is he if not mine?¡± Iromin raised his brows. ¡°You see? I ask you a question and you will deign me an answer. You think you are too good. Ack! I should have killed you when I had the chance.¡± ¡°When was the chance?¡± ¡°In my dreams, where your beard is silver and not orange.¡± ¡°Will you retire?¡± ¡°Ack! I will retire, just to shut you up,¡± Baztam growled, pretending as though he didn¡¯t want to kill a Vice Commander or three. ¡°Thank you, Baztam.¡± When morning came to the business, Adam glared at the trio. His eyes darted between each of them, the half elf¡¯s mind buzzing with annoyance. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It just so happens that Mara and I are going the same way,¡± Lucy replied. ¡°Lucy. Mara. This is serious. It¡¯s a bunch of Orders. They¡¯ll want to kill you more than...¡± Adam glanced around at the other businessfolk about. He raised his brows to the pair of demons. ¡°I am coming too,¡± Dunes said, distracting the half elf from the Demons. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I have debt to repay.¡± Dunes threw a look to Lucy, nodding his head knowingly. Adam glanced between the trio again. He chewed on his lip for a moment. ¡°All the Divine damn you.¡± Dunes reached down to his amulet, rubbing it gently, raising his brows to the half elf. ¡°I¡¯m not taking it back,¡± Adam said, before reaching into his tunic and holding out two diamonds. ¡°Yeah, exactly. If you didn¡¯t feel that awkward looking at them, I wouldn¡¯t let you come with.¡± Adam marched his way to the carriages. There were three, each long and wide, each pulled by a magical steed. Adam¡¯s own Zeus, Jurot¡¯s summoned steed from the statue, and Jonn¡¯s summoned steed. ¡°Mister Adam,¡± called a small voice, and Adam glanced down towards Elsie. ¡°Will you play dragonchess with me?¡± Adam stopped, his face quickly going from annoyance to confusion, before he smiled, noting Cobra quickly approaching. ¡°Of course.¡± Dragonchess (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 4 (1) ¡°You¡¯re not very good at dragonchess, mister Adam,¡± Elsie teased. ¡°No. I suppose when I get back, you¡¯ll have to teach me.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m the one who failed you. So just wait until I get back, because when I cause a mess, I¡¯ll need you at tip top shape, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam pat the young man¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to train your cousin, and the others who are training in my brother¡¯s way while we¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± ¡°This year everyone¡¯s gotten all formal,¡± Adam groaned, letting out a sigh. He greeted Merl on the way out, before making his way to the carriages, which were ready to leave. ¡°Adam,¡± Kamrot called, before hugging the young man close. ¡°When you pass by Red Oak, will you buy me tea?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°I would ask Jarot, but he will forget. I would ask Jurot, but he does not appreciate tea as much as you, my grandnephew.¡± Kamrot brushed Adam¡¯s cheek with his old, war worn hands. Adam smiled wider. ¡°Of course, granduncle.¡± Kamrot glanced aside to Haytam, who glared at the old man with expectant eyes. Kamrot then brought Adam in close again, holding the back of the half elf¡¯s head as he brought the young man¡¯s head to his chest. ¡°Whatever you do, it is the consequence of their actions, not yours.¡± Kamrot ruffled the back of his hair. ¡°Swing your axe without guilt, and paint the land red, as is your right.¡± Adam swallowed as he was let free again, feeling the strong hands pat at his shoulders gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Kamrot nodded, allowing the half elf to leave. He watched the half elf go, his thoughts no doubt muddled for a moment, but soon they would calm, and he would understand. ¡°Oh, granduncle?¡± Adam called, throwing a look over his shoulder. ¡°Your new hair suits you.¡± Kamrot reached up to rub his bald head lightly, smiling slightly as the half elf and the others climbed into their carriages. ¡°Blues, you need to stay here too,¡± Adam called out, patting the side of the carriage, as the little bird remained atop the carriage, right beside a particular owl. ¡°Teet?¡± ¡°Next time.¡± ¡°Uncle,¡± Haytam called out, reaching out her forearm. ¡°You must kill one for me.¡± Gorot shook her forearm. ¡°I will complete my duty.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Haytam squeezed his forearm. ¡°If you do not, granduncle will beat you.¡± Gorot said nothing, nodding his head once, before he stepped away into the carriage. Lucy, Mara, Dunes, Bael, and Gorot, sat in the third carriage. Adam and Jurot sat alone within the second carriage. Jarot, Tonagek, Mosen, Rajin, and Jonn, each sat in the first, with Jonn driving the lead carriage forward. The villagers and the businessfolk watched as the carriages made their way out of the village, heading eastward along the road. Most of the businessfolk watched from the walls, while Rick and his companions went to work, waiting for the others to join them. Brittany walked around the perimeter of the walls, frowning as none of them had greeted her personally. She reached down to her blades, unsheathing them, feeling the tingle of magic within them. She stared down at them for a long moment, the steel so finely crafted, and so finely enchanted, her thoughts upon her journey so far. She closed her eyes. She could still remember the flames she had seen that day. She opened her eyes. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Fred asked, making his rounds. ¡°I need to go see Nobby,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to talk to him.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Fred said, nodding his head to the woman, before continuing on his rounds. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯ Brittany made her way to the nearby village. ¡°Brittany,¡± Nobby called upon seeing her. ¡°Nobby.¡± Brittany eyed up the village around her. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Meanwhile, Rick whistled, calling for the wolves, who rushed over towards him. He brushed their fur gently, eyeing up the Awakened Wolves. ¡°Did the Managers ask you to do anything in particular?¡± ¡°Business as usual,¡± Mighty replied, while Wolfy shrugged. ¡°Okay.¡± Rick motioned with his head, allowing the wolves to return back to hunting around the land, while he returned, throwing a wave to Ivy, who nodded her head in return. Rick tipped his helmet to Haytam, who bowed her head lightly, before he made his way back to checking on the businessfolk. Haytam noted Fred staring out of the fort, towards the east. ¡°What consumes your thoughts, so?¡± ¡°I should have gone with them,¡± Fred said, replaying the scene within his mind. He, who had taken responsibility for Larot from Uwajin, and yet had been unable to save him. ¡°...¡± Haytam left the Lead be. It was later in the evening when Amira, Fred, and Rick met together to discuss the matters of the business. They allowed the heavily pregnant Amira to leave quickly, while the pair of young men finished their evening meals quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Rick asked. Fred shook his head lightly. ¡°I should have gone with them.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I should have.¡± ¡°You¡¯re needed here.¡± ¡°I just...¡± Fred shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s done so much for me, and I didn¡¯t even try.¡± ¡°Fred,¡± Rick called, catching the young man¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve known him longer than I, so I don¡¯t want to speak out of my position, but if you were gone, who would manage the business?¡± ¡°There would be you and Manager Amira.¡± ¡°I became a Lead a day ago. Manager Amira? She is with child, and needs to complete the duties of Manager Dunes while he is away. When they return, you can speak of paying your debts then, but until then, we need you to focus on the business, as was asked of you.¡± ¡°Do you really think they¡¯ll return?¡± Rick raised his brows, because of all the people to ask, he didn¡¯t expect Fred to ask. ¡°Were you there?¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Meeting the Divine.¡± ¡°The Divine?¡± Fred asked. ¡°It was when... Manager Dunes was trying to find Manager Amira. Around that time, he sent you and Lead Jonn, do you remember?¡± ¡°I remember,¡± Fred confirmed. "Jonn went missing for a little while.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Rick said, slowly nodding his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened there, but Jonn appeared to us. We...¡± Rick paused, unsure of what to say, since he wasn¡¯t sure Fred knew what had happened in the other world. ¡°He¡¯ll come back. He said he would.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll come back because he said so?¡± ¡°He always does.¡± ¡°This time, it¡¯s different. He¡¯s facing the Orders. The Orders, they...¡± ¡°Fred, do you remember two years ago, when Executive Adam stared down the Marshal, Lord Benjamin Gravesea?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°On that day, when I saw the First Hope, in that beautiful armour of his, wearing his amulets, riding his mighty steed, I thought he had come to save us. The First Hope, strongest of all Hopes, had come to save us in our greatest time of need. A few days later, I saw something I didn¡¯t think possible, even after knowing Adam, the Executive, for that long. On that day, I realised we did not need the First Hope to save us.¡± Fred fell into thought. He recalled what happened back then, when the Marshal of the East had come for Alex. He remembered how fearless the half elf had been, along with his companions, to protect a random child he had met through chance. Then, he remembered how the Seventh Hope had spoken so poorly of the half elf¡¯s family, and how the half elf had dared to even defend his family¡¯s honour from the First Hope. This time it was different. This time, it was not the Marshal of the East, nor the Order of Life¡¯s Rose, but most of the Orders. Except... This time, his companions were not the same. Instead of Jaygak and Kitool, there was the Mad Dog and the Bearded Dragon. This time, they had not spoken poorly of his family. This time, there was no hope. Adam had gone through impossible scenarios again and again, and he always managed to come out ahead. Even during that evening, the half elf came face to face with a being that was nearby impossible to see again, partly because Adam was pretty sure he had killed them with his own two hands. Happy New Years! What are your goals for 2025? Just a cheeky little cliffhanger to start off the year :) [1074] – Y05.074 – Gone I [1074] ¨C Y05.074 ¨C Gone I ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed, glaring at the figure, who was adorned in full plate, but it was not just any full plate, but armour of the night sky, with a large glave that almost reached the sky with its presence. Bael tilted his head, smelling a vaguely familiar scent. The scent of ash and iron, a certain sharpness to the scent, which filled his nostrils. ¡®He must be...¡¯ Jarot growled towards the large figure, while Rajin placed a hand upon his shoulder. The pair exchanged a look, and Jarot huffed, limping away. ¡®We do not need a stranger¡¯s help! This is a family matter!¡¯ Rajin wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about this figure assisting them, but if the Chief had shirked the Rot family¡¯s authority, it must have been for a good reason. However, he was still annoyed, considering how Uwajin wasn¡¯t allowed to come, even though she had a greater reason to fight. The amount of complaints the Great Elders would receive by the end of this situation would drown them. Rajin wasn¡¯t sure if any of the Great Elders could be forced to retire since the Reavers were upon the horizon, but they wouldn¡¯t be the Iyr if they couldn¡¯t handle that little. While the group settled themselves in that evening, within the Iyr, preparations continued to be made. While the Iyr had begun to prepare for the Reavers, one particular family still needed to deal with an additional worry. Sonarot clasped her hands together, thinking deeply. Though she no longer held the position of Family Head, she still held the greatest authority in this particular matter. There was one way she could all but guarantee the survival of her boys. The extended estate was near silent, but the woman¡¯s steps broke the silence. She stopped, a wave of nostalgia striking her. Her eyes drooped towards a corner where she had fallen and scraped her knee. Her father had rushed over to her and cleaned it with a cloth, though it had hurt so terribly. That evening, he cut pears for her, and spoke his tales to her, her twin sister, and her younger brother. ¡°Sonarot,¡± called a quiet voice, the older woman smiling. She wore a simple pair of robes, and carried a pair of shortblades at her side, that of her family¡¯s before she married into the Gek family. ¡°You cannot sleep?¡± ¡°I have come to speak with the Family Elder,¡± Sonarot admitted. Laygek narrowed her eyes slightly towards the woman, but instead of seeing the Sonarot that was once the Family Head, she saw the Sonarot who would climb the nearby fences to play with the goats, much to her mother¡¯s chagrin. ¡°Okay.¡± Laygek allowed the woman to enter, lighting the candles her husband made for her earlier in the year, before taking her seat opposite her niece. ¡°Shall I pour some tea.¡± ¡°No,¡± Sonarot replied. The pair sat in silence for a long moment, and Sonarot waited and waited. Then the woman blinked. She stared at Laygek, tilting her head slightly. Laygek made no move to go find her husband. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Laygek smiled, seeing the confusion upon Sonarot¡¯s face. The next day, greater trouble greeted Adam and his companions, for once more, they were stopped by the Commander of the fort. Tonagek passed over the pouch full of silver and gold coins, and as he turned, he stopped. He turned, noting the appearance of that woman. She was easily in her sixties, her hair near silver. She wore full plate, a blade hanging at her side, but it was the amulet of the sun within the blooming flower which provided her with her greatest power. ¡°I can feel demons within the carriage,¡± Esme said, staring at the carriage with her one good eye. ¡°Come!¡± the Iyrman switched to their tongue. ¡°Come! Come and avenge your Vice Commander! Come, so that I may gift my greatsons your heads. My greatdaughter, your hearts!¡± The Order members stepped back, glancing between one another, for they never would have expected they would have lost their Vice Commander so easily, especially not to an Iyrman who limped at them with a wooden leg. ¡°Come!¡± Jarot growled. ¡°Control your man, or-,¡± Rajin¡¯s head snapped to the Commander, who stood far too closely for him to make demands of the Iyrman. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Father,¡± Gorot called. ¡°It is done.¡± ¡°Done?¡± Jarot asked, glaring at the man who had married his daughter. Jarot looked down at his axe, seeing it covered in red and bits of the Vice Commander, turning to look at the remains of the woman. He could see it was not the Vice Commander he had thought, but a stranger, a woman with one eye. He turned back to face Gorot. ¡°No. It is not done.¡± The Commander shuddered, not because of his words, but because though the Iyrman had spoken such words, he limped his way to the carriage, leaving them in peace. ¡°You are fortunate this day,¡± Rajin whispered to the Commander. ¡°This is madness, Iyrman.¡± ¡°No,¡± Rajin replied. ¡°It is knowledge.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A lesson.¡± ¡°...¡± The Commander watched as the Iyrman with the sharktooth blade picked up the Vice Commander¡¯s blade, bowed his head lightly to the Order members, before slipping into the carriage. The group pulled away to Red Oak, before the Commander¡¯s eyes fell to the form of the Vice Commander of the Floral Sun. Esme was well known as one of her Order¡¯s strongest warriors. Yet, just like that, she was gone. The scariest part was that she Crit him three times and he rolled pretty poorly to hit. [1075] – Y05.075 – Gone II [1075] ¨C Y05.075 ¨C Gone II Adam stared at his reflection, the surface of the water rippling with every breath he took. He could see it. The fire. He could feel it against his skin, cutting him like a thousand knives. He could see it. The fire. He could hear the screams of those he killed. He had tried to recall their names, he had made that promise to himself. He could not remember their names, even though he had made that promise to himself. He could see it. The blood. The gore. The crushed skull of a Vice Commander. He could feel it against his skin. Thick sludge, weighing down his shoulders. He scrubbed against his skin, red raw from the hour he had spent in the bath. The water had grown cold, but he had yet to noticed. As he stared into the reflection of his eyes. ¡®Five rounds,¡¯ the half elf thought. Five rounds. If they were as strong as Adam expected. If the fight went about as well as he expected, he had estimated the fight to last five rounds. If he could complete his task within five rounds, he had enough time and Mana to flee. He could grab Lucy. Mara? The Iyrmen could help her, he was sure of it. Rajin sat in the corner, illuminated by the gentle candlelight. He sipped at the alcohol lightly, feeling the gentle warmth dancing through his blood. He continued to sip away at the alcohol, before the one legged Iyrman, dropped down opposite him with a grunt. Jarot placed down two gold coins and tapped the table twice with two fingers, before he leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes, feeling his back crack. He enjoyed the silence while the workers brought over a platter of food for the pair, who had ordered lightly the entire evening, but were about to feast. ¡°Bordor,¡± Rajin said. ¡°Grey Claw?¡± ¡°Grey Claw,¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°I have not heard that name in a long time.¡± ¡°His nephew joined the Three Hundred Blades.¡± ¡°Grey Claw¡¯s nephew?¡± Jarot asked, raising his brow questioningly. ¡°Twelfth Blade.¡± ¡°Bordor¡¯s heart must bleed every night,¡± Jarot said, sipping the wine Rajin poured for him, taking a moment since it tasted so poor, only to recall it was not made by Rajin. ¡°His brother retired, and his son, he joined...¡± Rajin waved his fingers, having forgotten which of the various guards the man had joined. ¡°No one has a sword arm like Grey Claw, not even his brother,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Maybe his brother,¡± Rajin said. ¡°Maybe,¡± Jarot said. ¡°Millions of farmers, but only a dozen like Stonesword and Grey Claw.¡± ¡°It would be difficult for the King if there were more like Stonesword and Grey Claw.¡± ¡°They leash them well enough, the Grand Duchess, the Order.¡± Rajin smiled slightly. ¡°What can the Aldish do, but to leash their people like dogs?¡± Jarot shook his head lightly, cutting into the meat now that it had cooled down, tasting it, before sprinkling more salt atop it. He ate the food slowly, only accepting the smallest of morsels. He could barely taste the meat, even after salting it so heavily, barely tasting the salt. The candle flickered beside them. ¡°The King¡¯s Blades were refused,¡± Rajin said. ¡°Less to kill.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± Jarot stopped cutting into his meat, his eyes slowly tailing upwards to meet Rajin¡¯s. ¡°I am not so old you need to worry of my rage.¡± ¡°If you cannot control it, your grandsons will die.¡± Jarot stared deep into Rajin¡¯s eyes. ¡°You have grown old, Rajin, that you have need to worry of my rage.¡± ¡®To cloud one¡¯s mind.¡¯ ¡®Clouds belong in the sky, not in the mind,¡¯ the boy stated. ¡®Yes.¡¯ Tonagek ruffled his son¡¯s hair lightly. Mosen allowed the Iyrman to reminisce upon days long past, his eyes glued to the figures around. A small urchin approached cautiously, holding out her hands in front. Mosen flicked her a silver and a copper before the girl slipped away, while other urchins gave him a questioning look, but the Iyrman shook his head and they dispersed. ¡°Any problems?¡± a guard asked, tipping his helmet towards the Iyrman. ¡°No,¡± Mosen replied. The guard and the Iyrman exchanged a look for a long moment, before the guard tipped his helmet, and continued his rounds. ¡°What did I say about talking to the Iyrmen?¡± his companion whispered, the woman keeping her voice low. ¡°Just checking in on them,¡± the guard replied. ¡°Do you know who they are?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Tonagek.¡± ¡°Tonagek?¡± ¡°His great grandfather used to fight dragons for fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, and my great grandfather used to-,¡± ¡°Rule the rivers, I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m serious, and you see the other Iyrman?¡± ¡°The one in armour?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s Tonagek, the other one¡¯s Mosen.¡± ¡°Mosen?¡± The guard asked. ¡°What kind of name is that?¡± ¡°The kind of name that says he¡¯s related to Bloodblade, you son of a ox.¡± ¡°Who the fires is Bloodblade?¡± ¡®Oh my gods, he really is stupid,¡¯ the woman thought, glancing aside to the nearby merchants, who noted the look of shock within her eyes. ¡°Did you smoke some moonleaf?¡± ¡°No, I just had a little drink before I started my shift. Also, it¡¯s not a ox, it¡¯s an ox.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be my fist in your throat if you don¡¯t shut your stupid mouth.¡± While the marital argument between the two guards continued, Mosen caught the eye of the urchin he had slipped his coin to. He shook his head, and the urchin shrugged her shoulders, before slipping away back into the shadows. The next morning, Dunes cleaned the blade, eyeing his reflection within the blade. It was a blade that held an enchantment which was identical to one given to a dragon. It was a blade that stated his intentions to his wife, or so he had hoped. ¡°Dunes,¡± Jurot called, catching the Priest¡¯s eyes. ¡°May I join you in prayer.¡± ¡°Do you have a sword?¡± Dunes joked, before the pair joined together in prayer. The pair prayed quietly upon their knees, clasping the hilt of their weapons with one hand, their knee with their free hand. The prayers lasted a minute at most, before Dunes turned his head to the side, blowing out a puff of air. ¡°We will stay at the fort tonight,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will make it to the meeting by tomorrow¡¯s noon.¡± ¡°Noon would be best,¡± Dunes agreed, smiling slightly. ¡°Lord Noor will be our shield, and Lady Arya, our sword.¡± ¡°Baktu, our right,¡± the Iyrman added. ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes said, smiling a sad smile. We are so close. I can taste the blood. [1076] – Y05.076 – Gone III [1076] ¨C Y05.076 ¨C Gone III ¡°What brings you this far south?¡± the guard asked, noting the appearance of the Iyrmen. The guard was adorned in full chain, and wielded a spear in one hand, and held a shield in the other. ¡°We have business at the gathering,¡± Tonagek replied. ¡°What kind of business.¡± ¡°Iyrman business.¡± ¡°You helping the Duke?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Alright, well, be careful on the way. A Hope made their way back up this way, so the travels won¡¯t be quite as safe.¡± ¡°Thank you for the news.¡± Tonagek returned back to the carriage as they made their way towards the Florian fort set upon the hills. He was a handsome man, adorned in full plate of finely crafted steel, and at his side he wore an ornate blade. He was flanked by two others, each also in well made full plate, with fine blades at their side. There was little issue with the Florians, who allowed the group in, but as the Commander, Alexander Silversky, noted the appearance of the familiar faces, he approached the group. ¡°What brings you to our fort?¡± the handsome Commander called, his eyes firmly glued upon the young man in purple and his brother beside him, rather than the demons. ¡°Iyrman business,¡± Tonagek said, stepping before him, blocking his sight. ¡°We are headed to the gathering.¡± The Commander and Tonagek exchanged a long glare between one another. ¡®This Iyrman, who does he think he is?¡¯ ¡°Do you understand you are in Floria now?¡± ¡°Do you understand we are headed to the gathering, led by your King?¡± Commander Silversky narrowed his eyes, bowing his head lightly. ¡°I shall expect no trouble from you Iyrmen?¡± ¡°If you wish for no trouble, do not invite it.¡± ¡°None from the elf or the demons?¡± ¡°He is only half an elf,¡± Tonagek corrected. ¡°You will receive no trouble from them, as long as you do not invite it.¡± ¡°Commander Silversky,¡± a voice called, and the pair turned to face him. ¡°I¡¯d like to speak with you privately for an... importantish matter.¡± ¡°What is this important matter?¡± the Commander asked once they were within the stone building which made up the Commander¡¯s office, the room mostly bare, save for the carpet and the weapons along the walls. ¡°I have...¡± Adam paused, glancing between the two Knights who kept a pair of eyes, like hawks, upon the half elf. ¡°Recently, I have suffered a great... Commander, I lost some people very close to me recently to some wicked fiends, and I would really appreciate it if you would allow me to summon a tower so that I can bathe in peace.¡± ¡°You wish to summon a tower?¡± ¡°Two floors, each baths. I want to bathe, and I will clean up the baths, and allow your soldiers to bathe in the hot water. In exchange, I will donate some gold coins to the fort, to the officers, and to the soldiers.¡± The Commander remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Is this a joke?¡± ¡°Like I said. I¡¯d really appreciate it if you¡¯d allow me to summon a tower, and in exchange, I will donate some coin, and once we¡¯re at the gathering, I hear the Lord Marshal and the King will be there. Once we speak of business, I¡¯ll be sure to mention how... you treated us very well.¡± ¡°What kind of business do you have with the Lord Marshal and the King?¡± Silversky asked, blinking, recalling what had happened last year, only then remembering that Adam was far more dangerous. ¡°The kind that deals with magical weapons,¡± Adam replied. ¡°King Merryweather, I¡¯m sure, has need for some magical weapons, Basic, Basic Enhanced, Greater, Greater Enhanced, and we can provide such to Floria, and of course, to those who have treated us well.¡± ¡°What misfortune has befallen you?¡± the Commander asked, noting how thin Adam was, and the darkness under his eyes. ¡°Monsters killed my sons,¡± Adam said, keeping the Commander¡¯s gaze in his own, the half elf¡¯s eyes burning. Commander Silversky didn¡¯t dare to blink as Adam¡¯s eyes surged with an unexpected fury, taken aback by the half elf¡¯s words. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings.¡± ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings,¡± Adam replied, reaching up to the cool obsidian amulet. ¡°I hope that my request does not cause you trouble, and if it does, please send word to our business, and we will explain the situation. I just wish for some... grace, in this trying time.¡± The Commander remained silent for a long moment, before he slowly bowed his head. ¡°I will assign a few soldiers to watch over the tower.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Nano is working?¡± ¡°She must complete her duties,¡± Sonarot said, reaching down to wipe the girl¡¯s face clean. ¡°How can they do this to me?¡± Jirot asked, letting out a long sigh. ¡°Daddy is back?¡± ¡°Your father will return soon.¡± Sonarot smiled, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°I going to bully daddy so much,¡± little Jarot said, before sitting up taller, his eyes darting to his grandmother to see if she¡¯d tell him off. ¡°You can only bully him a little,¡± called a voice from nearby, and the handsome older man approaching, wearing a greatsword upon his back, a wore a seriousness upon his face. ¡°...¡± Halikan eyed the figure who wore the same tattoos as her. ¡°What brings you here, uncle?¡± ¡°I... am bored,¡± the Iyrman replied with an accusatory look. ¡°Babo?¡± Jirot called. ¡°Yes?¡± Tarukan replied. ¡°If you are bored, we can play today?¡± Jirot asked, her brows raised expectantly. ¡°Okay,¡± the old man said, dropping down beside his grandniece, whose eyes bulged from through her glasses, only surpassed by her toothy smile. Tarukan reached down to brush Inakan¡¯s hair. ¡®How could they not allow me to go?¡¯ ¡°Babo,¡± little Karot called, offering the old man one of his slices of cucumber. ¡°Thank you.¡± Tarukan plucked the cucumber from the boy¡¯s hands, before feeding him with it. ¡°Should they call me Silver Strike instead of Steel Strike?¡± Karot blinked at the old man, unsure of his joke, though the nearby Iyrmen chuckled, causing him to smile shyly. ¡°I know your stories!¡± Jirot declared. ¡°You are fighting so far away!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tarukan replied. ¡°You are so strong, babo, so strong!¡± Tarukan¡¯s lips twitched upwards slightly. ¡°I am... acceptable.¡± ¡°You are second place?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Babo tell me you cannot beat...¡± The girl thought of the name. ¡°Skull.¡± ¡°Skullcrusher,¡± Tarukan said, reaching up to his head, rubbing the phantom pain. ¡°I could not defeat him, because he is too strong.¡± ¡°Is okay, babo.¡± Jirot pat his knee. ¡°My papo is first place.¡± ¡°...¡± Tarukan blinked. ¡°What of daddy?¡± Vonda asked, smiling gently towards her daughter. ¡°Hmm? Daddy?¡± Jirot asked, before closing her eyes. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear, I don¡¯t ¡®member?¡± The girl glanced away from her mother. ¡°Daddy is first place too,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°I remember now,¡± Jirot said, reaching up to brush her brother¡¯s forehead. ¡°Daddy is strong too.¡± ¡°When your father returns, he will tell you a greater tale,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°When daddy come back, I will bully him, only a little bit?¡± Jirot said, partly asking the old man who had appeared. ¡°You should bully your babo, Jarot, more,¡± Tarukan said, still annoyed that the old man had told him that tale of all tales to his greatdaughter. ¡®You have not changed at all, cousin Jarot.¡¯ ¡°I will not bully babo,¡± Jirot said, before glancing towards her grandmother. ¡°Just little bit.¡± Just a little bit. [1077] – Y05.077 – No Justice I [1077] ¨C Y05.077 ¨C No Justice I It was raining that day. The light rains of duskval fell upon the roofs, the melancholic melody providing the group company as their carriages shuddered onward. The newly built road wound this way and that way around the hills, but swung generally straight towards the wide river. Adam remembered taking the river years ago, accompanying the Iyr down south, where he met Lucy for the first time. The carriages slowed to a halt, and the half elf inhaled deeply. He stared out to the hill, which were so different to the hills of the Iyr, so... unsafe. He stepped out, furrowing his brows in confusion, seeing the fort was still a ways away. His heart quickened for a moment, only for it to slow as he stared at the pair of figures in front of him. One was bronze of skin, with long hair, dark like the night, which fell to his upper back. His square jaw was thick with hair, wild and ragged. The young man wore a large greatsword upon his back, but it was the yellow five pointed star and the purple flowers, inversely coloured to the Gek family, which was his greatest weapon. The other was grey skinned, his hair having grown, untamed, as though it had grown over the last season, his face also thick with a beard that had grown in as long. Just like his companion, he also wielded a greatsword upon his back, but it was the tattoo on his forehead which was his greatest weapon, a weapon which was identical to another within Adam¡¯s company. The pair stood, each adorned in the thick furs the Iyrmen often wore in the Aldish lands, for the theatrics of it all. Their furs were worn, roughed from months of remaining upon the road, not just any road, but this road in particular. ¡°The sheer audacity of you two being this close when you should have returned a few weeks ago,¡± Adam said, shaking his head at the pair. Amokan smiled for a moment, but it quickly dropped, as though he had been stabbed. ¡°We expected you in nightval.¡± ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± Adam asked. Amokan eyed up the group, noting all the familiar faces, save for the figure in the armour, and the drakken, who was no doubt one of those. ¡°Waiting.¡± ¡°...¡± Amokan stepped towards the half elf, and embraced him, patting his back. ¡°I am sorry, Adam.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± Timojin called, before taking the half elf¡¯s forearm in both hands, squeezing it gently. Timojin shook his head slightly. ¡°Yeah.¡± Amokan shook Jurot¡¯s forearm, the pair holding one another¡¯s gaze, speaking an entire conversation with their entire gaze. ¡°They do not know?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°They would not have let you come without them if they did.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, as the pair of Iyrmen greeted each of the others within Adam¡¯s company. ¡°Hmm,¡± Rajin groaned quietly as his grandson shook his forearm. ¡°What are the chances it¡¯s him?¡± The heavily armoured fellow chuckled. Rajin continued to lead the group forward, through the large fort, which was more like a village than a fort, a heavily guarded village filled with hundreds of Order members and soldiers. He just needed to get to the Iyr¡¯s section, speak with Elder Peace and her aides, and figure out a way to end this cleanly. Rajin stopped. He hadn¡¯t heard the wooden leg striking the stone beneath for two steps, and he glanced backwards. It was then he followed the Iyrman¡¯s eyeline, but he had already understood upon seeing Jarot¡¯s gaze. There he stood. In his breastplate, wielding a blade at his side, and though he did not wear his full plate, his amulet provided his greatest shield. His salt and pepper hair was cut short, his neatly trimmed beard had been worked that morning, and he wore a smile he did not deserve. It was him. The First Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts. ¡°Ja-,¡± ¡°Sir! Kris! Huntsmaster!¡± Jarot exclaimed, his voice blasting through the air, bringing many gazes to him. His wild grin spread across his face in an instant, but it was his eyes which held a greater wildness within, the wildness that had thought to have died so many years ago, of a Mad Dog whose name had begun to fade. Kris turned, noting the appearance of the Iyrman, whose wild grin spread a darkness over him, but he smiled upon recognising the face, a smile which only caused Jarot¡¯s grin to spread further. ¡°What have I done to have such good fortune? What is it that brings the great Mad Dog to our camp?¡± ¡®It¡¯s really him? The Mad Dog?¡¯ The young man quickly glanced aside. Jarot¡¯s grin had grown so wide it caused his eyes to narrow. A flash of heat spread through him and his skin began to turn red. ¡°So,¡± came a whisper upon the wind, causing the old man to tense up, ¡°it¡¯s him?¡± Jarot turned his head slowly to see the heavily armoured half elf beside him, standing completely tense, doing his absolute best to remain still. ¡°I will speak with him.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied. Kris paused for a moment, feeling all the attention fall to him from the entire group, noting the glares from the entire group. ¡®Why do they always look as though they want to slaughter?¡¯ ¡°We have come... to complete our duties,¡± Jarot said, his neck pulled taut as he smiled at the First Vice Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts. He could feel the itch at the back of his skull, telling him he could do it now, and it would be the end of it all, but though the boys were his greatsons, there was another with a greater right. Timojin stepped in front of the demons, noting how Mara had stood, crossing her hands over her navel, while Lucy¡¯s fists strained to the point he could see her veins. Amokan pressed his pinky against his cousin¡¯s elbow, his words low, almost drowned out by the gentle rain. ¡°Wait.¡± Jurot closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, before exhaling. The shadow gripped at his heart. He also wanted nothing more than to behead the Vice Commander, but if he did that, then what of his brother? As the rain fell, the water dripped down his visor, blocking his vision. The half elf swallowed, feeling the burning in his eyes, and the burning in his heart. He closed his eyes, understanding that if he saw the man for a moment longer, he would be unable to control himself. We''re going to eat good in January. [1078] – Y05.078 – No Justice II [1078] ¨C Y05.078 ¨C No Justice II ¡°So, this is the Mad Dog I have heard so much about?¡± the woman in breastplate asked, wearing her amulet, that of a red blade pointed downwards within a circle. She also carried at her side a well made blade, one that was no doubt tinted pink or red. She was pretty, the scar across the side of cheek only adding to her rugged beauty, while her short hair curled over her ears, which were studded with silver. ¡®Mad Dog?¡¯ the other thought, also wearing a breastplate, and wearing a familiar amulet they had seen a few days ago, that of a sun within a flower. He was plain faced, and if not for the tattoo of a sun upon his chin, he would have seemed like any John in a city. ¡°Careful with your tone, Sir Iris, for there are few Iyrmen I would rather have at my side than the Mad Dog,¡± Kris said. ¡°If not for him, perhaps you would not see me this day.¡± Jarot inhaled sharply, almost grinding his teeth, as his eyes darted to the side, towards Sir Iris. His eyes remained focused, like a tiger who had spotted a lion within his territory, though for a moment, they held something else. Was he a boy who had been admonished? ¡°You did not tell me about his wooden leg,¡± Sir Iris said, eyeing up the Iyrman, though she saw how he stood, ready to pounce at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°He lost his leg in the civil war against the Blood Knight,¡± Kris stated, clearing his throat lightly, before smiling towards the Iyrmen before him. ¡°Fate has brought us together it seems, for-,¡± ¡°You should lower your gaze,¡± the voice, gentle as a feather, called to them. ¡°Was your previous Grand Commander not also crippled?¡± Iris¡¯ eyes darted to the Iyrman with grey skin, who wore a large greatsword upon his back, and a glare within his eyes. ¡°Who might you be?¡± ¡°You should ask Sir Maxwell who I am.¡± ¡°Unfortunately for me, the Keeper of the Blades remains within the capital, mister...¡± ¡°Rajin.¡± ¡°Rajin?¡± the woman replied, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡®Who in the Damnation is that?¡¯ ¡°Grandfather fought Sir Maxwell in his youth,¡± Timojin said. ¡°He is known as the Bearded Dragon.¡± ¡°You are the Bearded Dragon?¡± Iris asked, suddenly straightening up, her eyes suddenly glued to his. She was certain she had heard the name before. ¡®Was it not...¡¯ ¡°How is his arm?¡± Rajin asked. ¡°Cold,¡± the woman replied, still holding the Iyrman¡¯s gaze. ¡®Bearded Dragon?¡¯ Sir Hugo thought, glancing between the Mad Dog and the Bearded Dragon. There was no coincidence that the pair appeared together, Sir Hugo was certain of it, considering how many tales they had both earned a generation ago. The Mad Dog, who had taken his best friend¡¯s eye, and Rajin, who had fought figures who were now Vice Commanders, if not Grand Commanders, of the various Orders gathered here today. He thought of the other Iyrman who had come to the gathering, including the two Great Elders, who were also active during that time. ¡®The Iyr is taking the threat seriously if they have brought so many great warriors.¡¯ ¡°You will never guess who I spoke to earlier this year,¡± Kris said, smiling a smile that almost killed him. ¡°I met Flame Blade as I made my way to the gathering.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Jarot grinned wider, baring his teeth to the Vice Commander. ¡°It is a shame it is the fifth year, or the Blades would have made an appearance here! It would have been your great fortune!¡± ¡°Right...¡± Kris replied, smiling awkwardly, feeling a hostility from the Iyrman¡¯s words. ¡°Shall I leave you to go and greet your-,¡± Kris saw Jarot lick his lips, the old man chewing on his thoughts, far more unnerving than he had been a few years ago. ¡®Did losing his leg bring him such pain?¡¯ ¡°After some time, coddling against my chest, who can dare say they are my greatchildren¡¯s favourite babo?¡± Jarot laughed once more, a laugh full of such delight, though quickly his eyes filled with his wildness again. ¡°They adore me, and I? I adore them. I adore them, Vice Commander.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°What of you?¡± Jarot asked, his voice almost a whisper. ¡°Where is she, that... apprentice of yours? Melinda, yes?¡± Kris smiled, motioning a hand to one of the nearby women who had sat with the other warriors, playing dice in the rain, and drinking lightly. ¡°Sir Melinda, come and meet the Mad Dog. It¡¯s a shame that you hadn¡¯t met last time, but fighting side by side against the Reavers? I¡¯m certain it is a greater honour than facing against our old brothers and sisters.¡± Melinda stood, bowing her head lightly, the woman in her early thirties or so, adorned in breastplate over a light chain, carrying a blade at her side, and an amulet that denoted her Order. ¡°I have heard a great many stories of your exploits, Mad Dog. Your courage in facing against Lord Asa has spread through our Order, and your tale of killing the Azure Terror has spread further.¡± The nearby figures threw looks towards the older Iyrman, he who had one arm and one leg. He killed the Azure Terror? Suddenly, his erratic behaviour made much more sense, since he was strong enough to be that mad. ¡°I did!¡± Jarot licked his lips again, tasting the light rain that matted his hair. ¡°He killed my son, my daughter, and my grandson. So I killed him by my two hands.¡± Jarot blinked, staring down at his scarred hand, clenching it into a fist, warming it up for what was to come. ¡°I did what I had to, as a father. The Iyr did not deny me my rights.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kris said, seeing the look from Jarot¡¯s eyes, which caused a chill to run through his spine. ¡°Every father should gain his vengeance, especially against such wicked beasts.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Jarot growled, feeling the rage stir deeper within him, spreading through his old bones, warming his body. ¡°Those who kill children are no better than wicked beasts.¡± Standing beside Melinda, Martha narrowed her eyes towards the figure in the purple armour, then his brother, and finally the red skinned figures nearby, one of whom had caught her gaze. ¡®Aren¡¯t they...¡¯ Kris narrowed his eyes slightly. His instincts told him something was amiss, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure, and he couldn¡¯t bring his eyes away from the old Iyrman who he had fought beside during the civil war. ¡°My Jarot. My Jirot. I love them so much. I wish to teach my Jarot our ways, but he is too soft, and I... am too weak. My Jirot? She is fierce. I am too weak to her, for she bullies me so viciously, though she is only four.¡± The tears slipped down the side of his cheeks. ¡°I have more greatsons. Another is Larot. Quiet. Well behaved. He was born later, after the war.¡± ¡°Perhaps you can tell me about him over dinner?¡± Kris offered, flashing a charming smile towards the Iyrman. ¡°No,¡± Jarot almost growled, his neck pulsing, his smile causing him to bare his fangs. ¡°I wish to ask you one thing, Vice Commander. I told you so much about my greatchildren. I told you how much I adored them. So why did you do it?¡± Kris furrowed his brows. ¡°Do what, Mad Dog?¡± ¡°Why did you kill them?¡± Jarot¡¯s voice shook, and the rage threatened to overwhelm him. ¡°Excuse me?¡± At least he finally mentioned Larot. [1079] – Y05.079 – No Justice III [1079] ¨C Y05.079 ¨C No Justice III ¡°You!¡± Jarot snarled, stepping forward, only kept at bay by a hand upon his shoulder. ¡°You killed my greatsons!¡± The Vice Commanders had reached for their blades from the sudden outburst, only keeping them sheathed thanks to the bearded Iyrman who kept a hand upon the crippled Iyrman¡¯s shoulder. The sudden outburst, brought the attention of those around, word spreading out, the shouting already alerting those a short distance away. ¡°What?¡± Kris replied, his face contorted into confusion, mixed with his annoyance. ¡°You killed my children,¡± Adam managed through heavy breaths, pulling up his visor to reveal his dark eyes, and the murderous glare. ¡°What is this madness?¡± Kris asked, standing taller, his eyes narrowing. ¡°You killed my children!¡± Adam shouted, no longer able to contain himself, almost shaking with the rage that overwhelmed him, the grief hiding away into the depths of his heart. ¡°My sons! Jarot! Larot! You killed them!¡± ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± called a gentle voice, which pressed upon them like a blanket. He was older, seemingly in his sixties or so, though was actually older, having aged gracefully, holding a touch of handsomeness, white hair which flowed back like a river. He was clean shaven, having shaved that morning, a routine he had adopted since he had taken adopted his title. The older man wore full plate, and carried a blade at his side. His eyes darted between the figures, noting the young man in puthral, which caused his mind to tingle in recognition. For some reason, a pair of heavily armoured figures walked beside him, not that he needed them. ¡®What are they doing here?¡¯ Dunes thought, staring at the armour, which was of Aswadian design, but it was their blades, forged by dragon breath, which revealed who they were. ¡®What¡¯s he doing here?¡¯ Another other figure thought, stepping beside the old man who had aged gracefully. He was adorned in full plate, and he carried a giant maul upon his back, though not the trusty maul he had once wielded. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Adam thought, before his eyes darted to another figure, with red skin, wrinkled by time, two horns that curled upwards, and a familiar tattoo, not that she could refer to herself as one of the Kats any longer while she held such a position. The old woman held her beads, rubbing them gently. Any one of them would have demanded their attention, but together, King Merryweather, Lord Marshal Royce, and Elder Peace, forced a silence to take hold to the scene without asking for it. Even as various other Grand Commanders and Vice Commanders appeared, the presence from the trio completely overwhelmed any other. ¡®Isn¡¯t that...¡¯ Sir Dunnock thought, staring at the puthral armour, the flashes of memories returning to her. Sky Commander Sienna remained silent, her eyes also upon the half elf. ¡®What are they doing here?¡¯ ¡®Oh?¡¯ Bael thought, staring at the trio who had appeared, feeling his heart stir within his chest. ¡®So he must be King Merryweather? I thought they were overestimating him, but...¡¯ ¡°May I request an explanation as to the commotion?¡± King Merryweather asked, holding a gentle smile upon his face, which was genuine, since he was strong enough to hold a genuine smile at this time. ¡°They killed my children,¡± Adam said, his eyes burning, realising how hopeless the situation had turned now that they were surrounded. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Excuse me?¡± Adam pointed to Kris and then Melinda. ¡°They...¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°They killed my children. My sons.¡± ¡°You are suggesting two noble knights of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, killed your children?¡± His voice remained calm, collected, and full of doubt. ¡°Adam,¡± King Merryweather called, remembering the boy from years ago, and the sheer audacity he had displayed then. ¡°I do not know what you are doing, but you should return.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving until they¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°In front of us all?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied. ¡®Five rounds.¡¯ ¡°You are surrounded. You would die trying. You, your companions, from your brother to your grandfather, and all those beside you. The Iyrmen might be able to leave unscathed, some of them, but there is no need for this.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find that we¡¯re harder to kill than my defenceless children,¡± Adam replied, glaring at the King through his visor. It was the look in the half elf¡¯s eyes that caused King Merryweather to pause. Whatever Adam felt, it was real, and whatever it was, Adam was prepared to die for it. ¡°I¡¯m going to take their heads, and then I¡¯m going to walk away,¡± Adam whispered, still holding the King¡¯s gaze. ¡°You are as delusional as I remember,¡± Sir Dunnock called, the woman glaring at the half elf. ¡°You should stay out of this, Sir Dunnock. Last time, I was kind enough to let you go, but this time...¡± ¡°I remember it differently.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you do,¡± Adam replied, his eyes darting to the woman who held a special place even within the Orders here. ¡°I could take you then, and now, when I¡¯m stronger?¡± ¡°Which lands did these deaths take place upon?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam swallowed. ¡°The lands of the Aldish,¡± Jarot said. ¡°There is no law against killing demons and goblins,¡± King Merryweather stated firmly, pausing a moment to allow them to correct him. He was not waiting for a correction upon the laws, he knew them intimately, but there was something he was still partly uncertain of. ¡°You are outnumbered. Surrender, and you will be allowed to leave peacefully, I swear it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think any of you understand,¡± Adam said, his voice full of pain. ¡°I¡¯m not even going to invoke the Lord of Death, whose amulet hangs upon my chest. I didn¡¯t come here for the justice of broken laws. I came here for the vengeance of a father, as by my right.¡± King Merryweather could see it in the half elf¡¯s eyes. His eyes met Sir Kris¡¯ for a moment, before the King let out a sigh. There was only one way to solve this. ¡°Elder Peace, what is this farce?¡± Even King Merryweather knows who to ask. [1080] – Y05.080 – No Justice IV [1080] ¨C Y05.080 ¨C No Justice IV ¡°If they do not step aside, shall I take it as the Iyr no longer wishes to cooperate against the Reavers?¡± King Merryweather asked, having stood uncorrected, and running out of options when he considered how eager the Orders seemed. Elder Peace held her beads in one hand. She rubbed them gently, rubbing each of the beads, one by one. There were over a hundred, a hundred and two to be precise. One hundred beads were rounded, but two were cubes. One, white, which she currently thumbed, and another, red, which she avoided, and had avoided since she had inherited the beads. ¡°If it is true that these children were killed upon the Aldish lands, a demon, and a goblin, then I, as Elder Peace, shall declare that this group before us, stand without the blessing of the Iyr, and shall be subject to whatever the King of Floria shall declare.¡± King Merryweather tensed up slightly, noting the wording of her statement. He stared at her long and hard, while she remained rubbing her white bead, her eyes closed, the woman completely relaxed, standing calmly with no aides beside her. Elder Peace stopped rubbing the white bead, feeling the edge of the red bead against her fingers. Slowly, the woman opened her eyes, catching the eyes of a particular Iyrman. ¡°A demon and a goblin have no rights.¡± ¡°My Jarot. My Larot. They are Iyrmen.¡± The old one armed Iyrman stared into the Great Elder¡¯s eyes, refusing to allow her to draw her eyes away. ¡°When I left to assist in the gathering, they were not, in the eyes of the Iyr,¡± Elder Peace said clearly, making sure to speak each word clearly. ¡°They are Iyrmen, like my Farot.¡± Elder Peace stopped rubbing her beads, narrowing her eyes slightly. Even though they were engaging in such theatrics, for the Aldish loved their justification, the threat Jarot held in his voice was very real. ¡°They are truly children of the Iyr?¡± King Merryweather remained focused on the Great Elder. He gathered there was something off about the situation, but he couldn¡¯t quite place what. Except there was more than one thing that didn¡¯t make sense. It just couldn¡¯t be the case that a child of the Iyr was killed, and the Iyr hadn¡¯t declared anything in months. ¡®Chief Iromin...¡¯ ¡°They are,¡± Jarot declared, a silence creeping into the fort. Sir Dunnock inhaled sharply, feeling a deep chill set within her, the woman standing completely still. Even her companions remained frozen. ¡®That is impossible.¡¯ Another Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts had crept closer, taking his position nearby, but his eyes remained focused on a particular half elf. ¡°This has gone far enough,¡± Kris stated, trying to catch the King¡¯s eye, but the King remained completely focused on the Great Elder. ¡°The rules are clear,¡± Elder Peace said, brushing her thumb along the red bead. ¡°The heads of the accused must be offered to the Iyr, or we will escalate this matter.¡± ¡°War? At this time?¡± King Merryweather urged, hoping she would change her mind. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, for though he had exiled the Orders, he still commanded a great respect from them, and for them, but the Iyr had also been pivotal in him forming the current Floria. ¡°The war will disrupt so much. Floria. Aldland. The Iyr.¡± ¡°The rules are clear,¡± Elder Peace stated firmly. ¡°This is a matter for the Rot family,¡± Jarot stated, as though Elder Peace didn¡¯t know that already. Adam¡¯s eyes burned, and he grew heavier and heavier, drowning in the hopelessness of the situation. ¡®I dragged Jonn all the way here, but what about Dunes? What¡¯ll happen to Ranya? Lucy, Mara? They¡¯re demons surrounded by Oathsworn who want nothing more than to slaughter them.¡¯ He had already failed Lucy once, and Mara, a dragon¡¯s heart was cheap enough for her life, but were Kris and Melinda worth as much as a dragon heart?¡¯ Amokan, Timojin, they had come without being asked, and he had barely spoken to either of them. They had come for Jurot, no doubt. Tonagek, his uncle, had gifted him his triplets. Gorot, though he and Adam rarely spoke, had come. Rajin, he had helped last year with his twins, but this time, there wasn¡¯t just a Master, there were too many of them. Bael had offered his life, sure, he was here to have fun, and then there was that other guy he still wasn¡¯t sure about. Adam remained silent, slowly falling deeper into the pit, feeling the guilt weight upon his shoulders. In his second life, he had been killed because he had been way too stupid. He had let Jurot die back then, would he allow Jurot to die again this time? What about the old man, his own grand- ¡°One hit.¡± The two words struck the air like a hammer, and Adam turned his head to the sight, the light entering through his visor, and there he stood. This entire time, Jurot had remained silent. He had replayed his life, from winning the tournament, going back to slaying all the hydras, going further back to winning another tournament, and facing more hydras, the dragons, and then back all the way to when they had first met, when he had almost drowned in despair. He remembered when his mother had told him that Adam was his brother, and he had accepted it just like that. Except, before that, Adam had risked his life for him, ready to face the point of the Iyr¡¯s blade, as well as the blade of Balrog. Jurot had recalled the words which had allowed him a chance of redemption for his greatest shame, and recalled the strength to speak them. ¡°We will guarantee it,¡± Jurot said. ¡°One hit.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes burned once more, the half elf¡¯s lips trembling. All was silent. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 10 (9) The roars deafened the fort. I have been waiting for this chapter since Year 0. I have only written those two words together once in chapter 32, Balrog, and chapter 86, when Jurot thought of it. I don''t think there was a better time for everyone to understand just how ride or die Jurot is. [1081] – Y05.081 – Vengeance I [1081] ¨C Y05.081 ¨C Vengeance I ¡°Come here, you silly boy!¡± Lanarot called, holding out her a cup towards her nephew. Karot blinked, walking over to her, sipping from the cup as she held the back of his head. ¡°Thank you, kako.¡± Lanarot brushed his hair and his cheek. ¡°My handsome boy, how can you make me worry like this?¡± ¡°Sorry...¡± Karot looked up towards the sky again. ¡°Is beautiful cloud.¡± Lanarot nodded her head as she stared at the cloud, which darkened. ¡°It will rain?¡± ¡°It will rain, it will rain,¡± Lanarot said, clasping her hands behind her back. ¡°Is a good day for fighting.¡± ¡°I do not want to fight...¡± Karot pouted. ¡°How you cannot fight? You are Iyrman!¡± Lanarot pulled the boy to her chest, brushing his hair. ¡°If you do not want to fight, I will fight.¡± ¡°Kako, you will be safe?¡± Karot asked, his lower lip quivering. ¡°You silly boy! You know who I am?¡± Lanarot planted a kiss on his forehead. ¡°I am papa¡¯s kaka.¡± ¡°Kako!¡± Konarot called, before pointing towards the ball to the side. ¡°Nana say we can play with ball.¡± ¡°If nana say it, nana say it,¡± the girl said, feigning wisdom beyond her years, before the girl charged towards the ball and picked it up. ¡°Who will go first?¡± ¡°Karot, you go first?¡± Kirot asked. ¡°I want to look at cloud,¡± the boy admitted. ¡°I look at cloud too?¡± Kirot asked. Karot smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I look at cloud,¡± Konarot said. Lanarot sighed. ¡°How you can all be so cute?¡± Fonasen smiled, watching over the children who played so well together. ¡°He has corrupted his sister this much?¡± Sonarot couldn¡¯t help but to smile, beaming as she sipped her tea. ¡°She will grow up to cause so much trouble.¡± ¡°She takes after you,¡± Fonasen agreed, doing her best to hide her smirk. ¡°You should bring Jirot and Jarot.¡± ¡°I cannot take them from their mother...¡± Sonarot placed down her cup. ¡°She worries for Adam.¡± ¡°Does she know?¡± ¡°I cannot tell her.¡± ¡°She is your daughter too.¡± ¡°Do I need to worry when father is there?¡± ¡°Since your father is there, you should worry further.¡± Sonarot smiled wide, the woman revealing the exhaustion upon her face finally. ¡°You do not know it, sister.¡± Fonasen fell silent. ¡®I do not know it?¡¯ As Sonarot teased her sister, her daughter finished her prayers with her twins. She held the pair upon her lap as they each spoke the words of the light prayer, placing a bead into the small tub with each light prayer, until their hands were finally empty. ¡°I am done!¡± Jirot declared. ¡°Shh,¡± Vonda hushed the small girl. ¡°Jarot is almost done.¡± ¡°Ope!¡± Jirot clasped her hands over her mouth. ¡°Sorry, mummy.¡± Her voice was barely a whisper, her ears drooping slightly, but they raised upon seeing her mother¡¯s radiant smile. Jarot glared at his beads as he prayed, slow and deliberate, each word thought upon. He closed his eyes, seeing the faces of his father, his greatfather, and his uncle. ¡°Mother¡¯s blessings upon you.¡± ¡®Mother¡¯s blessings upon you. Mother¡¯s blessings upon you.¡¯ It was only after he had said and thought of the prayer three times that the boy placed down the beads. He thought of Lucy and Mara too, and the others who had left. The boy closed his eyes, clutching his beads tighter in hand. ¡®I did not say it! Come home safely!¡¯ They were completely oblivious to the explosion within the fort so many miles away. Vice Commander Hugo hesitated for a moment, his eyes looking through time. In that moment of hesitation, he had lost his chance to step forward to meet the Mad Dog, and the song of steel striking steel echoed through the air. The Vice Commander blinked, unsure of what that had to do with using an axe or shield. ¡°Little Jarot... he calls me baba,¡± Gorot said, holding his shark blade over his shoulder, as though carrying a sack. He closed his eyes, recalling the boy¡¯s amber eyes staring up at him so shyly. Though his name was Jarot, he was so unlike the old man. The boy, he was too small, too sweet, and too shy. ¡®It is your baba,¡¯ Mirot had said. Jarot hid herself within his nano¡¯s bosom. ¡®Baba?¡¯ Jirot asked. ¡®How you can be baba?¡¯ ¡®He is my husband.¡¯ Jirot gasped, almost dropping her bottle of milk. ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®I married him?¡¯ ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡®He is so handsome.¡¯ Mirot smiled in the beautiful way that she did, and Gorot¡¯s heart had stirred once more. Jirot stared up at Gorot long and hard, judging him. ¡®Baba is handsome?¡¯ ¡®I think he is.¡¯ ¡®Baba is strong?¡¯ ¡®He is a little bit strong?¡¯ Mirot said. ¡®Baba is little bit handsome.¡¯ The girl cackled, causing her brother to cackle too, before the boy gasped, staring up at Gorot, before beginning to cry. ¡®You should smile more,¡¯ Mirot had warned him later that evening. ¡®You prefer it when I do not.¡¯ Mirot let out a defeated sigh, one of the very few within their marriage. ¡®Since my Jarot is so cute when he cries, I will allow it.¡¯ The Vice Commander wasn¡¯t sure what Gorot was talking about exactly, but the one thing he did know, was that whatever the Iyrman was thinking, it had enraged him so much, he almost chopped the Vice Commander¡¯s neck clean with his jagged blade. Sir Hugo barely managed to catch the blade with his own, his blade nestled within the teeth of the wicked blade. ¡°Remember the name of Jarot!¡± Gorot snarled. ¡°For it was Jarot who has sent Esme to Baktu¡¯s embrace, and my Jarot who will send you to meet with her.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Hugo thought, his eyes growing wide, feeling a sharp pain flowing through him. The tears streamed down Gorot¡¯s face, his eyes pure white, his entire body red hot. ¡®Cucumber,¡¯ Gurot had said, chewing it slowly. ¡®Where did you find it?¡¯ ¡®Kaza give me cucumber.¡¯ The boy smiled so radiantly, as he always did when speaking of his cousin. ¡®Do you like cucumbers?¡¯ ¡®I like cucumbers, but I like kaza more.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ Little Gurot smiled even brighter. ¡®Daddy?¡¯ ¡®Yes?¡¯ ¡®I like daddy more than cucumber.¡¯ ¡®I love you too, Gurot.¡¯ Of all the memories Gorot could recall while risking his life, there were so many greater than the half eaten cucumber his son had shared with him. Well... It was the most delicious cucumber, and the tears which followed when Gurot realised there was no more cucumber left, was the most delicious dessert. It was a dessert he could only appreciate because his nephew had been raised so well. ¡®He is definitely the Mad Dog¡¯s son!¡¯ Sir Hugo thought, seeing the wild grin upon Gorot¡¯s face. When a man''s wife prays for him, it''s scary. When a man''s wife prays for his enemies, it''s terrifying. [1083] – Y05.083 – Vengeance III [1083] ¨C Y05.083 ¨C Vengeance III ¡®How many years has it been?¡¯ King Merryweather thought. ¡®Five? Six? Just what has happened in that time?¡¯ Standing before King Merryweather was not just any Iyrman, but an Iyrman he had faced once before. The memories of facing the Iyrman had returned to the King in an instant, though it had taken a half moment due to how different he looked. When he was still barely a boy, he had impressed the King with his great tenacity, and greater than his tenacity, his great strength. ¡°Allow me to stop this, Jurot, son of Surot, and I will ensure no harm comes to your brother.¡± Jurot remained standing tall in front of the wall known as King Merryweather. King Merryweather, who was a legend among legends, surpassing even his own grandfather¡¯s fame. The old man had made a name for himself long before Jarot, and had continued to make a name for himself. Harold Merryweather, once referred to as Sir Merry, was the one. He was the one. Who else could stand up for his age old foe of Aswadasad? Who else could draw their blade against their liege? Who else could split Aldland, the Aldland, in two, and claim the title of King? It could only be King Harold Merryweather, the greatest King¡¯s Sword to date. Except, Jurot was the one too. There was no one else who could claim the title granted to Jurot, a title even the King had acknowledged. ¡°I am... Uncle Jurot.¡± King Merryweather could feel the weight of those words press upon him. Standing before the King was no longer the baby faced Jurot, who had only been an Expert. The King wasn¡¯t sure how powerful Jurot was, but if he had to take a guess, he would place his strength around the level of a Grandmaster. Even he needed to be wary of Grandmasters, though he had reached the level of a Paragon long before the young man before him had been born. Last time they had met, Merryweather held particular thoughts. Thoughts of delaying the fight, not wishing to bully his junior. This time, however, he had no liberty to hold such thoughts. The Jurot before him today held a similar gaze as back then, he who had wanted to face the King¡¯s Sword. It would have been a dream to defeat Sir Merry, which had almost become a reality because his axe was just that vicious. This time, Jurot had another goal, not for the story of wanting to face the King, but for the sake of living. ¡®What a scary young man.¡¯ It was a thought he had back then, but it was especially true today. ¡°I hope you can forgive me, Jurot.¡± The King¡¯s blade shook violently with thunder, and he swung the blade downwards. Royce watched from the sideline, glued to the rematch between Jurot and his friend. ¡®Are you really going to hold back this time? Didn¡¯t I warn you?¡® ¡®Five rounds.¡¯ Jurot had that thought too, even as the blade, full of thunderous might struck his shield, while the rage began to fill him. The blade had not glowed blue and purple, meaning he had a chance. Jurot was strong, and his greatest ability was to take on almost all of the elements in his rage. This time, the King probably hadn¡¯t expected to face against Iyrmen, so perhaps he didn¡¯t have that particular spell prepared? Even if Jurot had taken the thunder to his body without his rage, he still had a chance. Five rounds. Everyone gets lucky once in twenty rounds. Jurot was an Expert, so he could strike twice as much as the average warrior, so that would bring it down to once in ten rounds. Jurot was a Rage Dancer, and could throw all caution to the wind, so he could get lucky in five rounds. ¡®Five rounds, Jurot. With average luck, I can probably survive for five rounds against them both. I just need to kill them in five rounds, and it¡¯ll be okay. Five rounds, that¡¯s my limit.¡¯ As thunder exploded against his shield, and out of it towards the King¡¯s Sword, for Jurot wasn¡¯t holding back even the slightest, the knowledge that he only needed five rounds spurred him forward. He could already feel the weight of King Merryweather¡¯s blade against him, but he could still fight. His limit was also only five rounds against such a being. Jurot could feel the magic of his shield, but it was the intense magic of his axe that spurred him forward. ¡°Lord Marshal Rose?¡± ¡°Lord Marshal Royce,¡± he corrected. ¡®Isn¡¯t that what I said?¡¯ Bael thought. ¡®Rose? Roise? Royce?¡¯ ¡°I may be the Lord Marshal in the South, but I¡¯ve still got a Northerner¡¯s pride. No Northerner worth his salt is going to draw his blade today.¡± ¡°I heard you Northerners were strong, though?¡± Bael asked, grinning wider. ¡°Why are talking like a weakling?¡± ¡°A father has every right to avenge his children!¡± Lord Royce exclaimed, managing to catch a time between the rumbling of thunder. Bael could feel the mood shift, and while there were those who continued to fight, he noted how many of the Aldishmen had shifted their position. It was only about a quarter of the Aldishmen around, those who came from three Orders in particular. ¡®It feels weird picking a fight with him now...¡¯ The Northern Orders shared the same thoughts. ¡°Why do you draw your blade today, Aswadian?¡± an Oathsworn from the Cherry Blades asked, holding up his blade, though his voice remained soft and gentle. ¡°If I did not draw my blade today, I will be unable to call myself a friend, or a father,¡± Dunes replied, raising his own blade. ¡°I will not apologise for blocking your path.¡± ¡°I will not apologise either,¡± Dunes said, inhaling deeply, feeling the great magic within his sword. Unfortunately for Dunes, he needed to keep his mind focused on someone else. ¡®Five rounds.¡¯ Thunder¡¯s Triumph Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. Three time per day, on a hit, choose to Critical Hit instead. On a Critical Hit, deal 2D6 lightning or thunder damage. ¡°Do you speak?¡± Vice Commander Joshua of the Cherry Blades asked the figure before him. The figure was large, taller than himself, and slightly wider. He wielded a glave in hand, but he understood the weight of that glave was unlike any glave he himself had wielded. The tower wearing armour of the night sky remained silent, causing the Vice Commander to sigh, and the pair engaged in a terrifying battle. Timojin glared at those who held the title of Warriors, his glare causing them to shirk, memories flooding into their minds of having already lost to the Iyrmen. No, what had happened to them could not be called something as gentle as simply losing. ¡®How annoying. I must step back since I have tusks?¡¯ ¡°Will you draw your blade?¡± Amokan asked, glaring at the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts. Vice Commander Harrison narrowed his eyes, feeling his fingers twitch to his blade. ¡°I cannot step back today.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Amokan said, gripping his Basic Enhanced blade tight in hand. ¡°This time, I will take an arm for Jaygak!¡± ¡®I want to fight too,¡¯ Bael thought, standing between Timojin and Mosen, his arms crossed, feeling the annoyance rising from one side, while Mosen stood within the chaos completely relaxed. Timojin kept his eyes upon Amokan and Jurot, while Mosen watched over Tonagek, having promised to bring back his tale, and Royce kept his eyes upon the fight between the King and the Iyrman. Bael¡¯s eyes darted to one side, where he could smell the sword, before they finally fell to the fight. The one fight which mattered more than any other, and hopefully, with average luck, would only last five rounds. Mana: 25 -> 24 Spell: Shield Defence: 25 -> 30 Health: 122 -> 68 Strength Save D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Let''s go! Adam’s Sheet [1083] Adam¡¯s Sheet [1083] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 8 XP: 16 500 STR: 20 (+5)[+8] DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 18 (+4[+7] INT: 16 (+3)[+6] WIS: 12 (+1)[+4] CHA: 16 (+3)[+6] SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Vengeance, Strong Shield, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, obsidian holy symbol of Baktu, Blanket, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick clothes, (2) clothes, (2) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf Steel Tag: 6 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door COMBAT Health: 112/112 DEF: 21/25 Mana: 25/25 Vengeance: +10, 2d6 + 9/10 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 5/7 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +6, 2d6 Fire Frostbite (60¡¯). DC14, 2d6 Cold I wonder what Vengeance does? [1084] – Y05.084 – Vengeance IV [1084] ¨C Y05.084 ¨C Vengeance IV The heat of rage filled Vice Commander Kris Huntsmaster, rising within his heart, flowing beyond into every pore of his body. This place was a place full of hope, and though the figures from Life¡¯s Rose had stepped away recently, it was with the promise to send the First Hope instead. This place, which was a stone¡¯s throw away from Rock Hill, was to remind them all what was at stake. That stake did not include the likes of a goblin or a demon! ¡°Sir Melinda, with me!¡± Kris shouted, as their blades moved in unison, ready to strike at the half elf. ¡°Yes!¡± Melinda shouted, her body having already moved from the words of her master, who had trained her since she was a little girl. Under his guidance, the guidance of the First Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts, she had gained great insight and abilities, to the point that those who stood beside her could feel a warmth which guarded them from the might of great magics. She was certain she would have landed a blow, but it bounced off against an invisible force, but thankfully her master¡¯s blade struck true, the glowing blade exploding against the young man¡¯s side, thunderous force rocking through his body, the flash of holy magics bursting through his body. Had the young man been the average Expert, he would have surely fallen from such a mighty blow, though he at least stepped back, coughing out. ¡°You should have stepped back when you had the chance, boy,¡± Kris stated, pressing forward, swinging his blade, which clattered against the half elf¡¯s armour and magic. ¡°You know what really hurts?¡± Adam asked, his voice barely a whisper. ¡°My daughter has a really good memory...¡± Kris¡¯ magic flowed through his blade, a slight confusion filling him, a chill running through his spine. ¡°So make sure you watch carefully,¡± Adam stated. Adam inhaled deeply, focusing, before he swung his axe. This was not just any axe he swung. It was Vengeance. The axe was the most dangerous weapon he had created, so dangerous, he had promised to return back to the Iyr once he was done. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 68 -> 73 Attack: Vengeance (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) The Divines were truly poking fun of Adam. The young woman, Melinda, was wearing breastplate over lighter chain. The Defence of such an armour was one higher than chain mail, chain mail itself was 16. The Divine could not laugh, however, for Adam could feel another hand upon his, and pushed his axe forward. ¡°Where are you looking?¡± His cherry blade locked within the Priest¡¯s blade, feeling a slight annoyance that his opponent had dared to glance to the side. ¡°I have guaranteed it,¡± Dunes said, before his entire attention fell to the Oathsworn before him, who hadn¡¯t realised just how much Dunes had held back. It was then the Priest of War decided to Critical Hit twice, once with a typical attack, another spurred by the will of his Lady, but each Critical Hit was thanks to the blade within his hand. D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Ability: Lady Arya¡¯s Blessing 16 + 10 = 26 Hit! Ability: Vengeance (Weapon) Mana: 24 -> 21 Ability: Divine Smite Mana: 21 -> 20 2D6 + 6D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 45 (6 + 19 + 11) 45 damage! Attack: Vengeance (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 24 (14) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Ability: Vengeance (Weapon) Mana: 20 -> 17 Ability: Divine Smite Mana: 17 -> 16 2D6 + 6D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 44 (7 + 23 + 5) 44 damage! Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 88 -> 93 Attack: Vengeance (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 24 (1) D20 + 10 = 27 (17) Ability: Vengeance (Weapon) Mana: 13 -> 10 Ability: Divine Smite Mana: 13 -> 9 2D6 + 6D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 46 (10 + 16 + 11) 46 damage! Attack: Vengeance (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 24 (2) D20 + 10 = 27 (18) Ability: Vengeance (Weapon) Harm: 3 3D6 = 4 (1, 1, 2) Health: 93 -> 89 Ability: Divine Smite Mana: 9 -> 8 2D6 + 6D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 44 (7 + 25 + 3) 44 damage! ¡°Give Lord Zaladhin my apologies, and Baktu my regards,¡± Adam said, his heart beating slowly, his entire body full of a deep warmth. A calmness filled the half elf as he focused, and his blade struck with such a might, Kris stumbled backwards. Adam thought to add more fuel to the fire, but he exhaled. As his axe slipped through the gap between the First Vice Commander¡¯s armour, Adam closed his eyes, feeling the gently pain which slipped through him, the flow of his Mana, and the memories. Time fell still. There was only a lightness against his chest. A lightness formed of the two bundles, each of whom sucked their thumbs. They held one another¡¯s hands, for without Jirot, there was no Jarot, and without Jarot, there was no Jirot. He could feel the lightness against his lap. It was that of a boy who glared at the world in annoyance. Even so, he ate from the spoon so peacefully. Yet, even as the body piled against the other, would that stop the nightmares? Would Jarot begin to eat again? Adam had replayed the scene a thousand times in his head. No matter what happened that day, he was going to kill Melinda first. He had done it. Not only did he kill Melinda, he had killed Kris too. Even as the words of prayer tried to bring Kris back, there was no way, for he was certainly dead. Wisdom Save D20 + 4 = 14 (10) The emptiness filled Adam. A heaviness pressed against his shoulders, pushing down his chest, his gut, his legs, and his feet began to sink. He knew it. He knew that killing them wouldn¡¯t make things better. Elder Peace stared at the half elf, who had fallen still, while the battle raged all around him. It only stopped when Adam¡¯s grief filled the air, the half elf screaming into the void that swallowed him, falling onto his knees, with the understanding that no matter what he had done, it didn¡¯t change the fact that his children had been killed thanks to his negligence. Death could not wash away his shame. The fighting paused for a moment, and the shock filled the air. It hadn¡¯t been long since the fight had started, and many had focused upon the other fights, those of King Merryweather, the Bearded Dragon, and the Mad Dog. There was something else Elder Peace had realised during the fight, something, to her, which was even more terrifying. Dunes, you''re a real one. [1085] – Y05.085 – Despair I [1085] ¨C Y05.085 ¨C Despair I ¡°Did you finish your prayers?¡± the Elder asked, his smile blanketing the children in a gentleness. ¡°Yes! I pray so good, and my papa, he prays so good, good boy,¡± Jirot said, hugging her brother¡¯s head, kissing the side of it, brushing his thick hair back. The boy flushed under his sister¡¯s affection, smiling with a childish joy, the kind that melted the Elder¡¯s heart. ¡°I am sure you pray well, since your mother is a Ray.¡± ¡°Mummy teach me so good! Mummy, you are so good too!¡± Jirot pat her mother¡¯s leg gently. ¡°You are good girl too.¡± ¡°I am?¡± Vonda asked. Jirot blinked, before her lips fell to a pout. ¡°How you can say that, mummy? You are always so good!¡± Vonda smiled, brushing her daughter¡¯s cheek tenderly, before pinching her nose. ¡°So you must behave too?¡± ¡°Mummy!¡± Jirot inhaled sharply, freezing in place for a long moment, before she glanced aside. ¡°I forgive you, just this once.¡± ¡°Kekeke,¡± little Jarot cackled, his sister joining in, before Vonda smothered them both in her arms. Zijin stared at the boy, steeling his heart. He was thinner than his twin sister, who had gained a little chubbiness over the course of the last few months. He closed his eyes, hearing the voice of a different time, a time before he was marred by death. ¡°Did you pray to Baktu and Wahtu too?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°Today is prayer to Mahtu,¡± Jirot replied, as though it were obvious. ¡°I see...¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°Will she hear your prayers?¡± ¡°Mother Soza hears even when she sleeps.¡± ¡°She is sleeping?¡± Zijin asked. ¡°The Mother is sleeping, but she can hear, she is The Mother.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Zijin stared down at the pair, who stared up at the Elder expectantly, blinking so innocently. ¡°Do you know which Divine watches over the Iyr?¡± ¡°Baktu!¡± ¡°Do you know who else watches over the Iyr?¡± ¡°Umm... Mahtu?¡± Elder Zijin shook his head. ¡°Only Baktu.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Jirot huffed, pouting up at the Elder. ¡°It is only Baktu. We have given ourselves to Baktu, because he has given himself to us.¡± Zijin noted the furrowed brows of the children as they tried to process what he was saying. ¡°Baktu is Baktu. He favours we Iyrmen the most, because we favour him so much. It is he who grants us many privileges which have allowed us to live as we do.¡± ¡°Daddy is Baktu¡¯s favourite?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Baktu also favours your father too,¡± Zijin assured, reaching down to rub the top of her head, before doing the same to Jarot. He hadn¡¯t expected the question, a smile crossing his lips at realising just how precious the girl was. ¡°Do you understand why Baktu favours your father?¡± ¡°Daddy is always working?¡± Jirot wondered. Zijin fell silent for a moment, glancing towards Vonda, whose eyes had softened slightly at her daughter¡¯s answer. ¡°Yes, but it is because of something else.¡± ¡°Daddy is strong,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°Yes?¡± Zijin asked, having quickly calmed himself. ¡°I... am I allowed to know when they will return?¡± ¡°They will return when they return,¡± Zijin replied. ¡°Will they... really return?¡± Zijin fell silent for a long moment, noting the expectant looks of the four women, before his eyes fell to the four children. The boy had gasped upon seeing the Elder, and had quickly rushed to his mother, who picked him up. Zijin couldn¡¯t help but wonder where the boy gained his shyness, since his greatfather was such a terrifying beast. Zijin blocked out the thought of what would have happened if Damrot would have died instead of Jarot or Larot. No doubt they would have wielded the full privileges afforded to them by Baktu, but since it didn¡¯t happen, the Elder refused to allow the thought to enter his mind. ¡°You know that your husband is the grandson of the Mad Dog, but do you know the name of Tanagek?¡± ¡°That¡¯s... his cousin¡¯s name?¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°Once he returns, he will tell you the tale of Tanagek the Dutiful.¡± Pam was fairly certain she knew of the name, recalling a vague story about an Iyrman who had requested a dragon to step down. ¡®What does that have to do with anything?¡¯ ¡®Duteous Dogek has done well to live up to his grandfather¡¯s name...¡¯ Zijin paused, considering the recent events. ¡°Do you think they will die?¡± Pam¡¯s body jolted slightly, the woman staring up at the Elder in shock. ¡°I...¡± ¡°They will return to us alive, because they said they would, but you should understand...¡± The Elder fell silent for a moment, gathering his thought. ¡°Adam and Jurot already died earlier this year.¡± Elder Zijin of all people understood that much. Each time an Iyrman left and returned, even if they crossed the river, and returned immediately, the Iyrman returned as a different Iyrman. He let out a sigh, the kind of sigh that his successor would one day learn. The Elder had forgotten one thing. Adam was full of surprises, and those at the gathering had just learnt it. The grief filled the air, only to be taken over by shock, for even King Merryweather had only clashed with Jurot for a few moments, having then unleashed his aura within his blade, before the half elf¡¯s cries had called him out of his trance. Two rounds. That¡¯s how long it had taken Adam to kill not only Sir Melinda, but Sir Kris Huntsmaster, the First Vice Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts. Still, only Elder Peace understood the depths of the truth. The half elf remained upon his knees, the rain falling against his armour, and though the handle of his axe remained against his palm, his hand was open, no longer gripping his weapon. Despair engulfed the half elf¡¯s mind and heart, for though he had killed the pair, it still hadn¡¯t changed the fact he did not deserve to live. As a husband, or a father. The shock in the air was quickly overtaken by the sense of urgency, for they only had precious few moments. The fighting continued fiercely, but this time the other Orders around understood they needed to end this matter quickly. The first to act was a Vice Commander from the Order of the Purple Blades, though as he drew his blade, it rang against a red blade. ¡°Step aside, Iyrman.¡± ¡°Can you make me?¡± Mosen asked, before his entire body flashed red hot, and he grinned like a beast, though the smile did not reach his eyes. The group that had lowered their gaze towards Timojin quickly darted towards the weeping half elf, blades in hand. The crackle of lightning filled the air in a moment, and their cries filled the air. Most had managed to barely dodge aside, but a pair fell to the earth. ¡°Has the real fight begun?¡± Bael asked, an Iyrman¡¯s grin upon his face, his fists crackling with lightning. Our children utterly oblivious to the danger their father is in. How adorable! [1086] – Y05.086 – Despair II [1086] ¨C Y05.086 ¨C Despair II ¡°Gorot!¡± Jarot shouted through the air, unsure if Adam could make it out alive now that the other Orders had begun to step forward. ¡°You have worked hard enough to die today!¡± Gorot and Hugo remained in a clash with their blades, but Gorot paused for a moment. The shock of the Mad Dog¡¯s words filled him, suddenly melting his anxiety, and the wild grin on his face softened, mixing with pride. ¡°We will clear a path,¡± Jarot assured, roaring with rage, while Rajin swung his blade towards the Sun Sword, and Jarot engaged with Sir Iris. Gorot understood what he needed to do. The old man had made sure he had heard the words, so that the old man could die knowing he had at least rewarded Gorot for his unseen efforts. ¡°I must go to my nephew.¡± ¡°I cannot allow you that,¡± Sir Hugo replied, for he, too, had duty to the alliance. ¡°Brother Tonagek!¡± Gorot called, ducking, while the blade cut through the rain, forcing Hugo back. ¡°Go,¡± Tonagek replied, urging Gorot onward. Quiet Rain clashed with Sir Hugo¡¯s blade, who could feel how heavy the Iyrman¡¯s duty was, while his own spurred his blade forward. ¡®Is he taken by grief?¡¯ Jarot thought, glancing towards Adam, whose heart had not been forged within the Iyr. ¡°Adam!¡± ¡°Do you have the liberty of looking away from me?¡± Sir Iris snarled, her blade ringing with magic, a red wave bursting against the Iyrman¡¯s body.No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Jurot!¡± Jarot grunted, feeling the flames against his skin. ¡°You must-,¡± The sound of a bubble bursting echoed through the air, as the King held out a clenched fist, and where Jurot once stood, was nothing but the falling rain. The King no longer had the freedom to hold back. ¡®Ra!¡¯ Jarot could not think of the words which described his hopelessness, but his body pushed onwards as he clashed with Sir Iris¡¯ cherry blade. ¡°Adam!¡± Lucy shouted, before the explosion of thunder rocked through her bones, and as someone who wasn¡¯t a member of the Rot family, it battered her. ¡°I will remain,¡± Mara said, her voice far too calm considering how her axe threatened to cleave her heavily armoured opponent in half. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Lucy panted for air, wincing as her body ached, but this was nothing compared to the might of Zirot¡¯s axe. ¡°We need to beat them quickly!¡± ¡°He must be brought before the King,¡± the Bellflower Sword replied, her hands tied now that the King had given the command. She was the Grand Commander of one of the three new Florian Orders, and if she stepped back here, then the privileges she had gained from the King would fall to someone else. Unfortunately for these Iyrmen, their nephew would need to become the fertiliser which allowed Floria to bloom. The Primrose Sword also moved into action, approaching the half elf who had lost himself within his stupor. She, too, needed to complete her duty now that the King had given the command. She had expected the three Orders to manage to deal with their own issues, especially one as ridiculous as this. ¡®All this because of a demon and goblin?¡¯ Sky Commander Sienna reached or her blade. As the leader of her Order, she could no longer stand back, the same as the Platinum Shield. If she didn¡¯t step forward, things would become far too complicated for them, especially in such a trying time. It pained her heart that the King of Floria, who she had looked up to all this time, even after going to war with him, would come under scrutiny from the King of Aldland. He would come under the criticisms of the other Orders too, if they didn¡¯t want to make the King of Aldland, their liege, into a vicious enemy. ¡®At least we should be able to get something out of this,¡¯ the Sky Commander thought, unsheathing her blade. In an instant, the Sky Commander wondered how many battles she had fought in. She stared at the purple half elf, surrounded by his companions, who were now too busy dealing with the other great warriors from the various Orders. Thousands of battles, she was certain of it. That¡¯s why when her body told her she needed to turn and swing to the side, her body moved by itself. The force of the blow almost forced her back, as her glowing blade shook violently. ¡°We should clean this up quickly so we can return to- huk!¡± The Platinum Shield had begun to step forward, and as she was certainly among the top five strongest figures in the Orders here today, and perhaps the top five among all the Orders across Aldland and Floria, she could force the other Orders to move with her actions. Edith watched clearly as the Platinum Shield, the Grand Commander of her Order, who she knew to be on the cusp of reaching the level of a Paragon, crumpled to the earth after taking only a single step forward. Her head slowly turned to the side, and it was then Sir Edith understood why the King had tried to claim the boy. Sir Dunnock, of the Order of the Wings, had been one of the few who hadn¡¯t stepped forward, because she understood what it meant to step forward at this time. Though the Order of the Wings had sworn to remain neutral, that wasn¡¯t why she didn¡¯t step forward, even as the demons continued to rage onward. It was because of that. Bear Mother, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Steel Bears, remained frozen still. Many years ago, she had travelled the land, and had gained much experience. Part of that experience was travelling with Iyrmen, one of the Iyrmen who had made a name for himself, and yet disappeared out of the blue. However, the time she had spent with him had confirmed one thing, and she, too, had remained still, even as the figures beside her stepped forward. It was because of that. When it came to a death of their children, when was the Iyr so merciful? ¡°I knew you couldn¡¯t stay out of trouble,¡± her voice cut through the air, her magical sword striking against the blade of the Primrose Sword. Adam¡¯s body jolted as he heard the voice, and his eyes fell to the armour, but it was the blade that had caught his attention. The hilt was made of a beautiful red gem, with a yellow cloth tied around it, matching the family tattoo. He had last seen it in Taygak¡¯s hands, for it was her blade now, due to the trouble Jirot¡¯s aunt had caused. Bloodseeker You gain a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. When you reduce a creature to 0, your next hit deals 2D6 slashing damage. Our children utterly oblivious to the danger their father is in. How adorable! [1087] – Y05.087 – Despair III [1087] ¨C Y05.087 ¨C Despair III ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Rory thought, his eyes wide as the young woman caught the blade of the Primrose Sword. ¡°Young lady,¡± the Primrose Sword called, feeling the strength of the young woman before her. ¡°Do you intend to involve yourself?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten because I am wearing my helmet?¡± the Iyrman replied, clashing with the Primrose Sword. ¡®Your horns are the prettiest, kako,¡¯ she had said. ¡®So beautiful,¡¯ he had confirmed. The Primrose Sword stepped back, feeling the pressure of the Iyrman before her. The Grand Commander was barely able to contain the young woman¡¯s blade as the Iyrman soared forward, her blade filled with the rage of an Iyrman. There was one reason why she could be glad to be facing the Iyrman before her, because out of the two women, she was definitely the weakest. The sound of a bubble bursting filled the air, as Jurot returned back to the land, arriving right beside Timojin and the Honeysuckle Sword, the Iyrman tensing up for a moment, before he spun on his heel to face the King once again, only to find the King stepping back away from the woman. She was lean, her hair cut short, darker than Jurot recalled. Her eyes were darker too, not just her pupils, but the bags under her eyes, but even though she looked as though she had marched a hundred miles to the fort, her eyes remained focused upon the King. If not for the staff within her hands, she was certain she could not have brought Jurot back from his banishment. Tigerstaff You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 bludgeoning damage. Contains 3 charges. Spend 1 charge to make an additional attack. Regains 1D3 charges every dawn. ¡®Kako, you can help me?¡¯ the boy had asked, trying to add the numbers together. He had asked her, because his sister had asked her, and the reason why his sister had asked her was because she knew that this particular aunt was smart, much to their horny aunt¡¯s annoyance. The King was glad he had healed himself before stepping towards Adam, otherwise he was certain he would have fallen. He, who barely fought Jurot and Kitool, had almost fallen to the two young Iyrmen. ¡°You are late,¡± Amokan joked. ¡°Be quiet,¡± Kitool snapped back, still glaring at the King, her heart beating quickly, her eyes heavy. Her body was still suffering from the after effects of the treatment, the woman only able to stand so firmly against the King due to the rage which overwhelmed her. It had only been a few days since they had learnt of the situation, and she had refused to see her nephews and her niece before she had saved their father. ¡°Who dares to harm my grandson?¡± The woman asked, slamming the butt of her spear against the stone floor, causing most of the fighting to waver, but it was not her voice which stopped the fighting. ¡°Put away your spear,¡± Elder Peace demanded, her voice heavy, full of authority. ¡°You have no right to fight here today." ¡°I-,¡± Mulrot said, only for the blades clashing to cut her off. All had stopped fighting, except a single pair. It was not even the pair one might have expected, for Bael paused, glancing aside towards the young woman with the sword, who stood beside the other young woman, Adam¡¯s grandmother. The blade crackled with great power within her hand, though she had yet to step forward, watching her grandniece take on the Grand Commander of an Order. ¡°Duteous Dogek, you have no right to-,¡± Even though Elder Peace was going through the theatrics, and even though typically, of all the Iyrmen they had brought, Dogek should have obeyed, she watched as he so viciously assaulted the Sky Commander with his blade in hand. Except, that wasn¡¯t the only thing wrong about the situation, but it was Tonagek who had noticed it first. Even now, Jaygak wielded a sword and shield, as was the way of her family. Even Gangak, who wielded Stormdrake in hand, wore a shield upon one arm, ready to step forward to fight. Tonagek wielded a blade in hand, and carried with him a shield, which had assisted him against Sir Hugo, who had stepped back in the pause. Dogek, who was like his grandfather, not just an Iyrman, but the personification of an Iyrman, to the point he had earned a similar nickname to his grandfather, wielded his blade in both hands. ¡°You have no right!¡± Dogek shouted back, still battering the Sky Commander, who could barely defend herself with her blade. ¡°Uncle!¡± Tonagek shouted out, taken by the shock of seeing his uncle completely battering the Sky Commander, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Eagle Wing. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You did well, my grandson,¡± Mulrot said, a small smile appearing on her face, the woman dropping onto her knees before Adam, wrapping her arms around his head, pulling him to her bosom as she would the twins. ¡°You can leave now. We will handle the rest.¡± ¡°Do you think you can leave so easily?¡± Vice Commander Harrison asked, panting, though in his heart he had doubts he could truly defeat Amokan before him. He also noted that the one armed woman beside Adam was glaring at him in particular, for obvious reasons. ¡°Who can stop my grandson from leaving?¡± Mulrot asked, the woman noting how her husband was on the edge of bursting into laughter. Upon hearing the woman¡¯s words, Dunes sheathed his blade. He looked at his opponent, who stared at him, eyes full of confusion, partly offended. Dunes shook his head lightly, certain that there would be no more bloodshed today. ¡°We cannot allow it,¡± Sun Sword said, bowing his head apologetically. ¡°I have a duty to the Order of the Thousand Hunts, as promised to their Grand Commander.¡± ¡°Even if that fool was here himself, he could not stop us,¡± Mulrot replied, doing her best to keep herself calm, bringing her grandson¡¯s head to her neck. ¡°No one can harm my grandsons now that I am here.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Jarot growled quietly, glancing aside. ¡°Jurot, come.¡± Jurot sheathed his axe, but kept a tight grip upon his shield as he walked through the fort, the figures all around him allowing him to walk through. Their focus was mostly upon the older Iyrmen, who held a presence that they could not ignore. ¡°Unlike your grandfather, you fought so well,¡± Mulrot said, brushing through the boy¡¯s hair, smiling so proudly. ¡°I held the Sun Sword at bay.¡± ¡°Are you comparing the Sun Sword to King Merryweather?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°Even Dogek dealt with a second rate Grand Commander so well! Sun Sword? Sun Sword? Rajin, do you believe the words?¡± ¡°I do not.¡± Rajin agreed, his voice barely a whisper. ¡°You beat him yesterday, but today you cannot?¡± Jarot huffed quietly, while the Sun Sword remained silent, understanding the kind of woman who could tame the Mad Dog. However, the Orders were quickly gathering themselves, readying for the fight to come. The Iyr¡¯s antics had provided a moment of respite, but soon, it would come to pass. This was merely the calm before the storm. King Merryweather sheathed his blade. ¡°Chief, you must explain yourself.¡± Iromin brushed his beard, having kept an eye on who had dared to act and react to the Iyrmen, before he finally stepped forward, the Iyrman walking out towards the scene without any aides. ¡°Florians, Aldishmen, you should feel reassured,¡± Iromin said, the Iyrman smiling warmly. ¡°I can guarantee that, without permission to kill you for the sake of our dead children, we are unable to draw our blades.¡± It was today when the land understood the sheer audacity the Iyrmen held, for the Chief walked through the fort as though he was not under the threat of a dozen or so Orders for the murder of two of their knights, upon the land which was guaranteed by King Merryweather, the King Merryweather. ¡°Though, I will not refuse if you wish for us to draw our blades,¡± Iromin said, nestling his arm between the hilt of his blade and his hip, his blade, a fusion of bone and metal, ready to sing. The Iyr may be outnumbered and outmatched, but you can''t call them divided. [1088] – Y05.088 – Despair IV [1088] ¨C Y05.088 ¨C Despair IV ¡°This is insanity!¡± Vice Commander Harrison shouted. ¡°You must answer for this, Iyrmen! Our First Vice Commander, slaughtered like an animal before us! His life remains in Lord Sozain¡¯s hands!¡± ¡°What must I answer for?¡± Chief Iromin asked, as though it were not at all obvious. ¡°This is no game!¡± Harrison growled, having caught his breath from his bout with Amokan. The young Iyrman was impressively powerful, but thanks to his magic, Harrison had managed to go toe to toe with him. Unfortunately, going toe to toe with someone around half his age, and someone who had yet to reach the strength of a Master, was already a great loss for him. The shame of the Orders gathered here today could only be contained if they managed to gain something to keep it at bay. ¡°Chief Iromin, you understand the situation clearly, so please illuminate us,¡± a woman in heavy armour called out. She wore full plate, and unlike most of the figures here, she did not wear an amulet. At her side she carried a blade, formed seemingly from silver. It was not any blade, but Rolling Thunder, a Greater Enhanced blade, one that surpassed most other blades. She had dark eyes, dark hair that was short, but curly, and her skin was pale, like milk. Iromin stared into the woman¡¯s eyes for a long while, trying to gather insights from her stone like face. As much as he wanted to cause trouble, the Chief decided against it, since she was one of those. ¡°Why are you asking me to answer for this matter?¡± ¡°I merely wish to understand the situation,¡± Sir Jessica replied, the Fifth Blade of the Order of the Three Hundred Blades. ¡°Adam¡¯s children were harmed and killed by those he has killed,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°Are you saying the responsibility does not lie with the Iyr, but with the man in purple?¡± Iromin remained silent. ¡°If that is the case, then he must pay for the crimes he has committed.¡± Iromin continued to remain silent. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ Sir Jessica thought. ¡°This is a matter of the Rot family,¡± Mulrot said upon noticing the silence between the pair. ¡°Elder Peace and Chief Iromin have no right to speak upon the matter.¡± ¡°Do you understand why we must draw our blades?¡± Sir Jessica asked, her eyes darting to the old woman who spoke, she who wore the same tattoos as the Mad Dog. ¡°It is because you believe my greatchildren, children not yet four, are worth less than those who kill children,¡± Mulrot replied simply, her eyes filled with a terrible glare. The Order tried to understand just what the Iyr was trying to achieve out of this situation. They could end the matter here cleanly if they handed over one man. Surely they didn¡¯t want to die for the sake of one young man? ¡°You said Adam is your grandson?¡± King Merryweather asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If we wish to claim him, you will fight for him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He must answer for his crimes.¡± ¡°What crimes has my grandson committed?¡± ¡°They were guests under my protection.¡± ¡°What of the children who were killed? My Jarot? My Larot? Even my Jirot, who bears the marks of a bolt through her stomach?¡± Mulrot¡¯s eyes moistened with shame, before she narrowed her eyes towards the King, suddenly burning with anger. ¡°Those children. Were they were truly Iyrmen?¡± King Merryweather asked, cautiously. ¡°Yes,¡± Mulrot stated, but her voice was nearly drowned out by the rest of the Iyrmen who responded, all save for the Great Elders. King Merryweather¡¯s eyes then met the Chief¡¯s. ¡°If they were Iyrmen, why did you bring so few?¡± ¡°Did we need to bring more for the sake of three Orders, banished from their homes?¡± Iromin asked. King Merryweather had hoped the Chief wouldn¡¯t pick such a fight with all the Orders, especially since he was currently responsible for them. However, could he push further against the Iyrmen considering their role in allowing Floria to take root? ¡®Why are they going to far for this...¡¯ King Merryweather stopped the thought as quickly as it appeared. It was obvious why they were trying to save Adam. He was a young man who had managed to slay a Vice Commander and his apprentice, an impressive feat only matched by one other within the fort, who just so happened to be on the same side. ¡°King Merryweather,¡± Iromin called, breaking the King out of his thoughts. ¡°We are the Iyr.¡± King Merryweather held the Chief¡¯s gaze. ¡°You are thinking too deeply,¡± the Chief stated. ¡°Are you truly saying that you caused all this trouble for the sake of two children, Iyrmen, in the forms of a goblin and a demon?¡± ¡°Adam, stand up,¡± Iromin commanded. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°He is too big for you,¡± Bael warned, grinning wildly. King Merryweather glanced towards the drakken fellow, who was no doubt a dragon. ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°Bael.¡± ¡°I do not recognise your family...¡± ¡°I¡¯m too big for him,¡± Bael replied, motioning his head to the figure in the dark armour. ¡°The Iyr defends them, but only out of preserving your Kingdom,¡± Iromin warned lightly, but the smirk upon his face revealed the truth of the matter. King Merryweather was not in the business of ignoring the Chief¡¯s warning, especially now, but he still needed to assist the Orders, otherwise... ¡°The Iyr defends demons, and who knows what kind of monstrosity hides behind that armour,¡± Vice Commander Harrison said. ¡°We were brought here to fight against a threat which the Iyr thought to be so important, and yet my comrades have died, slaughtered like animals! Tell me, my friends! Where is the justice in this?¡± ¡°Who is it that speaks of justice today?¡± shouted a voice, as a figure marched forward. He had long white hair, green eyes, and was shorter than the typical Iyrman, but the large black blade, with a blade like a row of shark teeth. He stormed onto the scene, wearing annoyance on his face as ready as he wore the lust for blood. Iromin sighed, having hoped that he would have resisted the urge to step forward until they were truly cornered, rather than when they had finally gained permission to act freely. ¡°Who are you?¡± Baztam asked, marching up to the Bellflower Sword, barging past even the members who had tried to step in his path. ¡°Is she bullying you?¡± Gorot remained silent as his uncle ruffled his hair, flushing slightly. ¡®Not in front of the Aldishmen...¡¯ ¡°Wyvern got your tongue?¡± Baztam asked, smacking his nephew upon his back, and for a moment, his eyes flashed with pride towards the young man. ¡°This is what happens when you allow the Aldishmen to run amok, Iromin! Look at their gazes! How are they not begging for their lives?¡± ¡°Who are-,¡± Harrison began, only to be stopped as Baztam growled, though the Iyrman wasn¡¯t growling at him. ¡°Why did you have to beat her?¡± Baztam asked, glaring at Shaool, ready to fight the old woman for daring to take such a great prey from him. ¡°She wished to harm my grandnephew,¡± Shaool replied, narrowing her eyes towards Baztam. Baztam clicked his teeth, but let the matter drop, since the Platinum Shield was about to harm their grandnephew. His eyes then darted to the Fifth Blade. ¡°Will you draw your blade?¡± Jessica remained silent, unsure of how to respond to the Black Shark, though he seemed ready and eager for a fight, even surrounded by so many figures. ¡°I no longer care for this play,¡± Baztam declared, his eyes darting around the figures around him who had suddenly shifted their attention upon him. ¡°Come quickly and teach them some manners, or I will start killing.¡± ¡°You should have waited for the Chief to handle it,¡± an Iyrman said, stepping forward beside his nephew. ¡°Did she trouble you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Mosen replied, the pair having fought too little for them to have a definitive answer to a winner. Bloodblade Shasen glared down at the Vice Commander, before his eyes fell upon a more powerful prey, a different Vice Commander from another Order. ¡°Okay?¡± called a voice as he approached his cousin. ¡°Okay,¡± Dogek replied. Shagek, Silver Sword of the Wastes, slowly nodded his head. He had never expected that his cousin would give up the Family Elder position. However, it was the beating of the Sky Commander, which had been especially vicious, which had surprised him most. ¡®It was for the best?¡¯ ¡°Sister Mulrot, you should have called us out earlier,¡± Marmak called, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°It is not embarrassing to struggle against Sun Sword, but to struggle against Sir Iris?¡± Rajin threw a look to Marmak, before his eyes darted over to the other Marmak. The woman was of average height, and was well built, and she too carried a greatsword upon her back. ¡®Isn¡¯t she the woman who earned Taygak¡¯s cup?¡¯ Adam thought, noting that her tattoos matched the Butcher¡¯s, before he noticed the other pair. ¡°You¡¯ve come too?¡± ¡°We have come as the Chief¡¯s aides,¡± Okvar replied, smiling innocently, though how could he remain in the Iyr when he had held the twins against his bare chest when they had been born? ¡°Even if the Iyr has not accepted responsibility, we can fight too, since we cared for those children?¡± Rasam asked, the woman trying to find a worthy prey. The various Orders each eyed up the figures they recognised, and worryingly, if they swallowed their pride, they would recognise how many were considered equivalent to the Grand Commanders of their own Orders. The King had originally thought some of them would stand by, but Rasam had stated the words that caused a great pain to his heart. Even knowing the great might the Iyr had brought, the King had thought it was too little. Yet, if it was truly the case the Iyr had only prepared to deal with three of the Orders, then it made sense, since this many would have certainly dealt with the members of the three Orders here. ¡®What are the chances they would all fight?¡¯ King Merryweather thought, but the blood lust in the air answered his question. As much as the Iyr was an incredible force, they were still vastly outnumbered. Every Iyrman here has some relation to the situation, but... Baztam is mostly here for a good time. [1089] – Y05.089 – Despair V [1089] ¨C Y05.089 ¨C Despair V ¡°I see you have brought many great warriors,¡± Fifth Blade Jessica said, noting Baztam smirking slightly, certain she was about to fight him. ¡°Do you think we would step back under such a threat?¡± ¡°Though I hope you do not, I believe you will,¡± Iromin replied, not wanting Baztam to escalate the situation in the way he liked. Unfortunately, his tone had implied it were a matter of fact. ¡°Why are you so certain?¡± Jessica didn¡¯t need to ask, but she wanted to hear the reasons from Iromin¡¯s mouth. There was the matter of justification in times like this, and through Iromin¡¯s words, causing trouble right before the Reavers appear, the Orders could potentially ask the Kings to pressure the Iyr. If nothing else, the word that they had tried to fight against the Iyr was good enough, especially considering the Iyr¡¯s recent failings. ¡°Fifth Blade, what are we?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°Iyrmen?¡± ¡°We are of the Iyr,¡± Iromin confirmed, his eyes darting around, before he smiled tenderly, as though a father teaching his daughter. ¡°I can see it in your eyes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You are Aldish, Florian, Aswadian. The Aldish Orders, you are beholden to the King, but even so, you understand your position. Once, you had the ability to make demands of the King, and you are losing such powers with the recent laws. Florians, your country has only just formed, and you cannot allow the Aldish Orders to behave with impunity upon your lands. It is why half of the members in this fort belong to Florians, though you form up only three, nascent, Orders. You also worry that your King will take criticism for allowing two members of the Thousand Hunts, whose Grand Commander is a Paragon, to die. Aswadians, you worry that you will need to take responsibility for the King¡¯s fight with our Jurot.¡± Iromin smiled even wider, for there were other issues he could address, but he could not reveal he knew of such. ¡°We are Iyrmen. Aldishmen, rejoice. Florians, Aswadians, you have no need to worry. The Iyr takes all the responsibility for what has occurred today. We will accept responsibility before the Reavers arrive, we will accept it once they are dealt with. We are Iyrmen!¡± Baztam slowly nodded his head, causing Jessica to glance his way, before she returned her gaze to the Chief. ¡°You intend to take all responsibility?¡± Jessica asked, confused. ¡°King Merryweather, should King Blackwater blame you, you may inform him we of the Iyr take full responsibility. Aldishmen, for those whose Grand Commanders are not present, you may inform them that we of the Iyr take full responsibility for what has occurred here today. For the killing of the two Oathsworn, for allowing demons to roam here, for bringing a half elf here, so close to Rock Hill, though he has nothing to do with the Massacre.¡± Iromin smiled wider as he spoke the words, beaming like Lanarot in a bakery. The Orders remained confused, unsure of what the Chief was doing. ¡°We brought you here to warn you of the Reavers, because the Reavers will devastate your lands. While you complain about who should deal with the Reavers, how few can you send while hoarding your wealth, we Iyrmen will assist, for we will enjoy the hunt. We Iyrmen enjoy sharing the sport, for we will claim more than our fair share. We are Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Baztam growled, while Jarot howled with laughter. Iromin fell silent, his smile fading, his eyes meeting Vice Commander Harrison¡¯s, the darkness reappearing. The Vice Commander could feel it, the intense pressure against his back. Thirty foes, with the Mad Dog considered average among them. Five per Order they may face, and their goal was simple, to simply escape. They could certainly kill a handful of their youth during the escape, and considering so many of them were Rage Dancers, and some seemed to be Martial Artists, they were swift. ¡°Is this the justice I expect from comrades who we have fought side by side in countless battles?¡± Sir Harrison asked. Lord Marshal Royce glanced aside to King Merryweather. The Iyr had taken responsibility, but unfortunately, it still meant that Harold would need to do something against the Iyr for the matter to be resolved properly, otherwise the trust in Floria would crumble, even from the Aswadian side. ¡°It is a shame blood was spilled today,¡± Royce said, gaining the attention from everyone around, for just like King Merryweather and the Great Elders, Royce carried a legendary status, rivalling the best of the Grand Commanders, and some would say he surpassed them. ¡°I have met this young man a few times, and though is a queer fellow, I noted his heart was good. I see that, due to the deaths of his children, he sought justice. I may live in the South now, but my bones carry the coldness of the North. I cannot blame a father for wanting to seek vengeance for his children.¡± Even the Vice Commander of the Black Snow, who wanted to step forward to deal with Jarot, had to agree with the Lord Marshal¡¯s words. After all, the old man was once their Knight of Death. ¡°Merryweather, Your Grace,¡± he said, causing a few of the Northerners to chuckle. ¡°The first time you met this boy, did his love for children not impress you?¡± ¡°I do not recall,¡± King Merryweather replied, having only learnt about Adam¡¯s children from Royce himself recently. Royce waited, glancing between King Merryweather, and then Adam. Upon seeing that neither of them had understood his words, the Lord Marshal rubbed his face, shaking his head slightly. ¡°I recall you offering him your favour for saving a boy¡¯s life?¡± Adam gasped, while Merryweather¡¯s eyes snapped to Royce, who understood the King hadn¡¯t realised just how much his Lord Marshal had helped. Iromin¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, only then realising that Adam hadn¡¯t kept his favour with King Merryweather for something else, but had altogether forgotten it. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam said. ¡°You owe me a favour, Your Grace!¡± ¡°What madness is this?¡± Harrison asked. ¡°I... do recall owing him a favour.¡± ¡°Then I want to call it in now. A pardon for myself, my companions, and the Iyr, for what happened here today.¡± King Merryweather caught Iromin¡¯s eyes, wondering what he thought, but upon seeing the Iyrman¡¯s eyes, he bowed his head. Even the King could feel the pressure from the Chief¡¯s completely disinterested gaze, for either way, the Iyr would accept the result. ¡°Very well.¡± Before Harrison could complain, the guards blew their horn, bringing the attention of those within the fort to the gates. Indeed, for such a matter could not be resolved so easily, not when it dealt with the Iyr. However, neither Elder Peace or the Chief had planned for the arrival of the figure stepping towards them. You''re not so bad, Roy. [1090] – Y05.090 – Despair VI [1090] ¨C Y05.090 ¨C Despair VI It marched into the fort as though it were the fort¡¯s owner, wearing a long cloak, dark as death. It was adorned in full plate of the deepest of blacks, and at its sword rested a blade, ready and eager to be drawn. Upon its breastplate, carved into the armour, treated with magical flames, was a the symbol of a skull. The symbol of the God of Death. However, it was not the reason why the various Orders glared at it, for the stench of undeath clung to the creature like a stain. ¡°What are you?¡± King Merryweather asked, feeling his entire body burn with righteous fury. It continued to walk towards them, even as several knights of the various Orders stepped forward to block its path, until it was only a few steps away from them. ¡°I have brought a list of the Iyr¡¯s demands,¡± it said, its voice raspy, low, and calm. Dogek tensed up, and Shagek narrowed his eyes, while Tonagek tried to place why the voice sounded so familiar. Jarot¡¯s eyes remained firmly fixated on it, which smelled of undeath, like one of those beings. ¡°The Orders of the Thousand Hunts, the Floral Sun, and the Cherry Blades, in the form they take today, or the form they take in the future, will return to their stronghold, and to close their gates for one hundred years. Any members who steps outside the gates will be subject to our Right to Hunt.¡± ¡°Only I have the authority to state such a demand,¡± Elder Peace stated firmly, her eyes focused completely on it. ¡°Your authority is overruled,¡± it said, reaching into its cloak, before revealing a token made of obsidian. Elder Peace almost floated towards the being, ignoring the complaints and demands of the Orders around her, before taking the token, closing her eyes as she listened intently. Upon hearing the advice of the Great Elder, Elder Peace bowed her head. ¡°Explain yourselves, Iyrmen! What is this creature which defies the will of the Divine?¡± Sun Sword Zachary asked. ¡°I am a Harbinger,¡± it replied, overruling even the Chief¡¯s authority. ¡°Why do you wreak of undeath?¡± King Merryweather asked. ¡°Baktu has blessed me.¡± ¡°You are from the Iyr?¡± ¡°I am a servant of the Iyr,¡± it said, not even pretending to play politics. ¡°First demons, and now abominations?¡± Fifth Blade asked, reaching for her blade. ¡°Before you leave today, you must explain yourself, Chief.¡± ¡°What is there to explain?¡± Iromin asked. ¡°You spit on the Divine!¡± ¡°We are blessed by Baktu,¡± called a gentle voice, and there she stood, upon the roof of a building, appearing from nowhere. She was a woman as old as time, adorned in thick clothing, black as the starless sky. She wore a medallion made of black wood, shaped into the skull of Baktu, and wielded a staff made of the same wood. Upon her forehead were small hollow circles, also a deep black, and unlike most of the tattoos in the Iyr, these tattoos were small and uniform, while the central circle held the symbol of Baktu. ¡°We thank his grace for our existence.¡± ¡°How utterly profane!¡± Suddenly, the Orders, who had hesitated to draw their blades, readied themselves, if not to slay demons, than to slay the undead which had caused them problems for millennia. ¡°You cannot,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°What?¡± Sun Sword asked. ¡°If you wish to face them, do so under the understanding that even I will be unable to stop the Iyr from taking action. They are under Elder Story¡¯s command.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± King Merryweather commanded, a shiver running through his spine. ¡®Elder Story?¡¯ Adam raised his brows in alarm, noting the look upon the Iyrman¡¯s faces. Even they didn¡¯t understand what was happening, and the confident Baztam, had withdrawn slightly, his eyes falling to the Chief, who also held an uncertainty. Jurot¡¯s breath hitched within his throat, feeling the gaze of the being before him focused solely upon the young man. Even though the being held no ill intent, Jurot could feel the gap between them, which was perhaps even greater than the gap between himself and King Merryweather. ¡°Those who arrived with the Bearded Dragon, come,¡± it said. ¡°We will escort you away.¡± ¡°Will you allow the abomination to leave?¡± Vice Commander Harrison asked. ¡°Do you have the ability?¡± Amokan asked, his voice light, the Iyrman barely able to contain his vitriol. ¡°When I am the Chief, I will not allow you to speak with such confidence.¡± ¡°If nothing else, I will claim the leaf ear¡¯s head!¡± Harrison¡¯s blade hummed to life, and steel rung against steel, as Amokan caught the Vice Commander¡¯s blade, the young man growling in pain as the thunder exploded against him again. However, the Vice Commander brought up his blade, clashing against another blade, as Otkan, her body hot with rage, almost cut through his throat. It drew its blade, formed of the blackness known as deathsteel, the scent of death filling the air, as it held its blade with both hands. The old woman, too, held out her staff, ready to chant her spells. ¡°I¡¯m never going to forget,¡± Adam called out, his voice cutting through the air. ¡°Those of you who dared to deny me my justice! Those of you who dared to harm my friends and family! Those of you who killed my precious children! I won¡¯t forget it! When the Reavers come, and you have a need for magical weapons to defend yourselves or your homes, the United Kindom¡¯s doors will be closed to you. Greater Enhanced? Greater? I wouldn¡¯t even piss on you if you were on fire!¡± As Adam¡¯s voice filled with life, Jurot gripped his axe tighter, while his companions prepared themselves. Even Dunes, who had thought they wouldn¡¯t fight, realised that he should have expected it, since it was Adam. ¡°Will you fight?¡± Malfev asked. ¡°No,¡± Bear Mother replied. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Sir Dunnock, is the abomination not under your jurisdiction?¡± Sun Sword asked. Sir Dunnock remained deep in thought, her eyes shut tight, while her companions remained at bay. She remembered it. The first time she had met Adam, he had worn puthral then too. It was only upon hearing the name of the business that Sir Dunnock realised why Adam sounded so familiar to her recently. He had donated to the Order of the Wings, to Sir Magpie, who had spread the silver and gold to the rest of the Order. However, she had also warned the other members of the Order. ¡°Sir Dunnock, have you forgotten your Oaths?¡± ¡°I will not draw my sword against it,¡± Sir Dunnock stated firmly. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°You must be, since it is a wonderful sword.¡± ¡°Can you dare to covet the blade?¡± Bael sighed, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Since it is in your hands now, I can¡¯t.¡± Gangak smiled. ¡°I will tell you the story of how we gained this blade.¡± Bael smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°The Honeysuckle Sword stopped me from facing the King,¡± Timojin said, teasing Amokan, who had only fought a Vice Commander. Amokan glanced aside, before his grandmother ruffled his hair, and the young Iyrman smiled like a little boy. Lucy let out a long sigh, feeling her entire body ache. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I struggled against such a weakling!¡¯ Mara escorted Lucy to the carriage, deep in thought. Even now, after the deaths of those who had harmed the children, her heart still ached. ¡°You may leave,¡± Iromin said to the figure. ¡°I must escort them back.¡± ¡°I will take that role.¡± The figure turned its gaze towards the Iyrmen nearby. Its eyes fell upon Dogek, then Shagek, then Tonagek, and finally to Jurot. It almost turned away, but stopped. Then its eyes fell upon Adam. ¡°You cannot,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I know.¡± The figure remained still for a long moment, before it turned to face Jarot, whose shoulder pulsed, recalling the heavy blow he had taken. ¡°Chief Iromin.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is this an Iyr worthy of pride?¡± Iromin looked out to the group who embraced one another, from Mulrot holding her grandsons close, to the older Iyrmen each praising their children, and their children¡¯s children. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You have worked hard.¡± It reached out its hand for Iromin¡¯s head, and ruffled his hair, as though the Chief were a boy. Iromin smiled slightly, for who wouldn¡¯t have wanted to be praised by such a figure. ¡°Not as hard as you.¡± ¡°I do not agree.¡± Iromin refrained from smiling so boyishly. ¡°Thank you, Harbinger.¡± Harbinger. It thought of the word, and then turned back to look at the Iyrmen before it. He smiled from beneath his helmet. ¡®They have grown up so well.¡¯ ¡°I will stay with Elder Peace,¡± Dogek said. ¡°You should go with him,¡± Shagek said. ¡°I cannot.¡± ¡°You have earned that right.¡± ¡°I have not.¡± ¡®Shall I beat him?¡¯ Shagek thought. ¡®Can you?¡¯ Shasen thought. ¡°I will go!¡± Baztam declared, already charging into the carriage, only to find the half elf slumped to the side, while his grandmother held the boy¡¯s head against her bosom. Baztam stepped away, to his nephew in another carriage. ¡°You should sleep too,¡± Amokan teased Kitool. ¡°...¡± ¡°Sleep,¡± Jaygak said, and Kitool bowed her head, closing her sleepy eyes, instantly falling asleep. ¡°You fought well,¡± Jarot said. Jurot¡¯s lips twitched slightly upwards. ¡°Next time, it shall be your third time to face him. You should defeat him then.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Victory! XP Gained: +1000 XP: 16 500 -> 17 500 Quest Complete: A Father¡¯s Vengeance XP Gained: +1000 XP: 17 500 -> 18 500 Quest Complete: Survive XP Gained: +1000 XP: 18 500 -> 19 500 Elder Story out here causing more trouble than Adam for no reason. [1091] – Y05.091 – Small [1091] ¨C Y05.091 ¨C Small ¡°Babo? Nano?¡± Jirot asked, her eyes glistening towards her nana, her lips forming a slight pout. Sonarot brushed the girl¡¯s hair gently with a hand, fixing the hair pin. ¡°They will return soon, my Jirot.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± The girl¡¯s lips puckered slightly, trembling, before her face contorted as she made to cry. Sonarot held the twins until they stopped crying, wiping their faces clean. Jirot sucked on her thumb as she cuddled up to her grandmother, her sleepy eyes slowly closing. Jarot also sucked on his thumb, glancing up to his grandmother, who smiled so tenderly, causing the boy to flush red, before he nestled his head against her bosom. Lanarot led the triplets around the festival, escorted by Nirot. Karot stood in the centre, holding his sister¡¯s hands on either side of him, the boy¡¯s eyes blinking as he spotted all the stalls which offered them so much food. ¡°Lanarot, come,¡± Nirot called, the girl glancing up towards her elder cousin, who pointed out towards a particular stall. ¡°Hello, uncle!¡± Lanarot called out, almost drooling as she stared up excitedly at him. ¡°...¡± Even this little girl terrified the man, who began to sweat from the pressure of her eyes, and not the heat of the oven beside him. ¡°Hello, Lanarot. Are you enjoying the festival?¡± ¡°I love it!¡± Lanarot smiled even wider, her toothy grin almost wicked. ¡°Bread?¡± ¡°I have some,¡± Bam assured, piling up the bread within the basket. ¡°I have some food for your nephew as well.¡± ¡°Karot, come!¡± ¡°Not Karot. Your younger nephew, Jarot. I made him some pizza, and some jam doughnuts too.¡± ¡°Jarot does not like eating,¡± Lanarot informed him, smiling innocently, and slightly confused. ¡°I know, but can you bring him the food, please?¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn Lanarot furrowed her brows towards Nirot, whose eyes returned an expectant look, and the girl nodded. ¡°I can do it.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Bam said, breaking apart a bread bun, before buttering it, handing it to the girl. ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°This is why you are my favourite,¡± Lanarot whispered loudly, biting into the bread, while Nirot held the basket in her hand. ¡°What of my father?¡± Nirot asked. Lanarot blinked towards her cousin. ¡°It is time to feed Jarot, cousin Nirot. Come.¡± Unfortunately, even with Jirot trying to feed Jarot, the boy did not eat even a single bite of the food. The girl enjoyed the pizza, offering the boy a bite of the crust, but he shook his head. He sipped the milk from his gourd, which had been painted with the Rot family symbol, his name etched along the rim. Once the boy finished his milk, it grew heavier after a short while. Zirot poked little Jarot¡¯s nose, the older woman rubbing her hand along his cheek. The boy smiled shyly, narrowing his eyes slightly, before hiding within her bosom. ¡°Nano...¡± ¡°My little Jarot.¡± Zirot smiled, nuzzling against the boy¡¯s forehead, where he would one day take on the tattoo, the blue circle, and the blue diamonds. For a moment, the woman¡¯s throat shuddered, her eyes glistening, but she leaned down to plant a firm kiss against his neck. ¡°You are named after brother, but you are sweeter than even my husband.¡± ¡°Babo?¡± ¡°Babo Tarot,¡± Zirot said. ¡°Do you remember him?¡± ¡°Babo always smiling?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes. He loves to smile, and when he sees you, he smiles so much.¡± ¡°I like smiling too,¡± the boy said, revealing his doubled canines, his smile so bright, even now. Vonda held Xarot within her arms, the boy¡¯s head against her neck, her hand gently brushing the back of his head. She stared at Adam, as though he were a ghost, before her face contorted between a mixture of wanting to cry, and wanting to smile. The relief rushed through her as she hid her face against her son¡¯s head, the boy giggling with delight. Adam sat down beside her, the half elf¡¯s heart beating quickly. He swallowed, and dared to reach out to his wife¡¯s hand, brushing it gently. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Vonda managed, tears pouring down her cheeks, before she rested her head against her husband¡¯s shoulder, feeling his lips against her forehead. ¡°Eeeeyuh!¡± Virot complained, glaring at her father, before climbing up beside her mother, reaching out for her shoulder. ¡°Mama! Mama!¡± ¡°Virot,¡± Vonda called, sniffling slightly, before wrapping an arm around her daughter, pulling her close. ¡°Obobobosh!¡± Virot warned her father, holding up a finger towards him. ¡°Ababa!¡± ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m sorry, my Virot.¡± ¡°Bab,¡± Virot replied, before reaching out to her father¡¯s face, grabbing at his chin and his nose, before letting him go. ¡®Oboboo.¡¯ ¡°Is that the first time she called you mama?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°She called me mama upon the first day of the festival, in the morning.¡± ¡°I guess I deserve that,¡± Adam joked, smiling wide. ¡°She really is her sister¡¯s sister.¡± Vonda let out a sigh, leaning back, holding her youngest children within her arms. Her heart continued to beat wildly, still unsure if the Adam before her was real, or if she was dreaming. He had left for such a short time. This Adam was so Adam, so it was easy to dream him up, but also, it was so Adam, it could have very well been her Adam. Jurot had waited outside the estate for a short moment, unsure of what to say or do. However, he realised the awkwardness that came with his absence, and stepped forward. He allowed Jirot and Jarot to greet their elders, and once Adam was done with his triplets, the Iyrman reached down to ruffle their hair. ¡°Papo...¡± Konarot hugged his leg tight, refusing to let him go, while Kirot did the same for the other, and Karot pouted up towards him. Jurot sat beside Pam, wearing Karot around his front, with his nieces holding onto each arm. ¡°I have returned.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fortunate you have,¡± Pam replied. ¡°Monarot has left you a gift.¡± Jurot remained silent for a long moment, before the corners of his lips twitched upwards. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam sat to one side, watching the scene before him, with his family greeting one another upon their return. He soaked in the sight, engraving it deep in his heart, before he looked aside, noting Vonda peeking at him, their eyes meeting once more. ¡°You may take the gold back, darling.¡± ¡°Gold?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows. ¡°The ten thousand gold.¡± ¡°Ten thousand gold?¡± Adam asked, inhaling deeply, furrowing his brows deeply. ¡°Ten thousand gold. Ten thousand gold. I don¡¯t exactly recall what ten thousand gold you mean.¡± Vonda sighed, before gently pressing her elbow against his arm, then leaning against her husband. Virot shifted slightly, checking whether her father was trying to steal her mother from her, before she returned back to sucking her thumb peacefully. ¡°You¡¯re going to need at least that much to spoil our children,¡± Adam joked, leaning in to nuzzle her cheek, before he held out his hand for Xarot. ¡°Ha!¡± Virot began, ready to complain, before her mother held her up, causing the girl to blink at her, until Vonda brought the girl to her chest, brushing her cheek, gently hushing the girl to soothe her. Xarot squinted up at his father, taking in his sight, before the boy smiled, sucking against his hand shyly. ¡°I haven¡¯t really played with you much, have I?¡± Adam whispered, before resting the boy¡¯s head against his chest. ¡°Well, now I¡¯ve got all the time in the world to spoil you.¡± Adam almost believed his words. I forgot how funny Pam was. [1092] – Y05.092 – Shame [1092] ¨C Y05.092 ¨C Shame Jirot and Jarot stared up at their greatfather with awe as he regaled the tale. The twins listened intently, each gripping their father¡¯s shirt, sucking their thumb, only stopping now and again to gasp upon their greatfather¡¯s words. ¡°Your father, how could he kill them too quickly?¡± Jarot growled, gritting his teeth, feeling the rage build within him. ¡°He is too strong!¡± ¡°Too strong!¡± Jirot complained, glaring up at her father, before returning back to sucking her thumb. ¡®How he can do this?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Jibaby. I didn¡¯t mean to be too strong. Can you forgive this father of yours?¡± Adam asked, leaning in to nuzzle her nose gently. ¡°Just this once,¡± the girl replied, leaning in to kiss his chin. She clutched at her father¡¯s collar and hoisted herself up, Adam assisting her by pushing up her bottom, before she was finally standing on his lap. The girl stared up at her father, judgement in her eyes. ¡°...¡± Adam blinked at his daughter, feeling the pressure of her gaze. ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± Jirot huffed, exhausted from her father¡¯s behaviour. ¡°Daddy! How you can be so strong and so handsome? So ridiculous!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, but isn¡¯t it your mummy¡¯s fault? She is so strong and beautiful too!¡± ¡°Mummy is mummy,¡± Jirot replied, narrowing her eyes at her father. ¡°How you can say that?¡± Little Jarot pulled his thumb out of his mouth, pouting up at his father. ¡°Daddy...¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, of course.¡± ¡°Of coas.¡± The one armed Jarot watched their act with peace in his heart, the old man almost smiling. His heart still ached, for the innocence that his greatchildren could no longer know, but the joy they held for their father, it hadn¡¯t dampened in the slightest. ¡°The bad people will not come back?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Those two won¡¯t come back again,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly, though his eyes held a sadness. Vengeance Requires Attunement You gain a +2 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with this weapon. Deals 2D6 slashing damage. On a hit, you can spend 1 Mana to deal an additional 2D6 necrotic damage, up to a maximum of your Trained Bonus. On a hit, you can choose to deal XD6 damage to yourself, to deal 2XD6 necrotic damage to an enemy. The limit of X is the your Level. Those killed by this weapon can only be revived with spells of Seventh Gate or greater. ¡°Good.¡± Old Jarot¡¯s eyes darted to the side, his glued to the particular figure. She was an older Iyrman, about Jarot¡¯s age, wearing simple Iyrish attire. She had short hair, greyed from age, her wrinkles lighter than the scar under her eye, and at her side, the woman wore a rapier, a rare weapon in the Iyr. Upon her forehead was a red hollow kite, flanked by blue crescent moons, the tips pointed downwards. She held a basket in one hand, and walked gracefully towards the group. However, Adam was too busy looking at the glare In Jarot¡¯s eyes. It was filled with a sight Adam hadn¡¯t expected, for had the old man ever looked at an Iyrman with such scorn before? Even now, Adam could see it, the old man was riling himself up. ¡°You must be Adam, the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson,¡± the woman said, politely, causing Jarot to clench his fist, the old Iyrman ready to draw his axe. ¡°My name is Adam. Adam Fate.¡± The old woman smiled a gentle smile, before revealing the basket, which held three columns of small bread balls. ¡°I am Keiwyj. I have brought food for your twins. This third column, they are for your grandfather, but these two are for our Jirot and our Jarot.¡± ¡°Bread balls?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°I do not make them as well as my father, but my grandchildren enjoy them.¡± The old woman smiled gracefully. ¡°Baba brings yummy bread balls. They have cheese, and they are so good.¡± Jirot¡¯s covetous glare loomed over the bread balls. ¡°You should eat them quickly, they are best when warm,¡± Keiwyj said, still beaming at the children. ¡°...¡± Adam sipped the milk, tasting the light sourness. ¡°The Mad Dog speaking so cryptically? I¡¯m so afraid!¡± ¡°Keiwyj complained that your children could not be considered Iyrmen,¡± Jarot said. ¡°She has accepted them now, so you must forgive her, and you must forgive Dogek, since he drew his blade.¡± Adam swallowed slightly. ¡°Have you forgiven her?¡± Jarot sipped the rest of his milk. He inhaled deeply, and perhaps, when he was still the Mad Dog everyone knew, the kind of Mad Dog that made the Aldish cower, he would not have forgiven her. ¡°Since she knows her shame, I have.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll forgive her too.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡®So, the Iyr still has people like that?¡¯ Jarot slowly nodded his head, seeing the disappointed thoughts upon his grandson¡¯s face. ¡®Should I beat her?¡¯ ¡°Is your heart at ease now?¡± ¡°A little, but at the same time...¡± ¡°You cannot stop thinking about it,¡± Jarot said. ¡°The next time.¡± Adam bowed his head, staring at the Iyrman. He wondered how Jarot must have felt, his son had been killed, but he was too old to bring back to life. ¡°My grandsons are both so strong, but there are many stronger still,¡± Jarot whispered, frowning slightly. ¡°How can you worry your grandfather like this?¡± ¡°I want to become stronger, but...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°If I do that, there¡¯s going to be something worse.¡± ¡°One man becoming too strong will not bother the world, for even now, the Reavers have come, and though you are strong, you have not brought the Reavers upon the world,¡± Jarot assured. Adam wasn¡¯t sure if that was true. ¡®I mean, what are the chances that I appear and cause trouble and then the Reavers appear coincidentally?¡¯ ¡°I cannot say it will not happen again, but it will not happen so easily,¡± Jarot stated, his voice firm. The pair remained silent for a long while. Jarot couldn¡¯t help but think of how weak he had become. Adam couldn¡¯t help but think how terrifying the world was. ¡°Hey, old man?¡± ¡°Did you not call me grandfather earlier?¡± ¡°When did I do that?¡± Jarot grumbled quietly to himself, pouring them both milk once more. ¡°How can you say it? I will tell Jirot!¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°Thank you. For everything.¡± ¡°You named your son after me, so of course I will help,¡± Jarot said, peeking at his grandson, waiting for it. ¡°What if I didn¡¯t name him after you?¡± It was the shock of Adam¡¯s answer that caused the Iyrman to raise his brow, but then this too was very much like Adam. ¡°He is still my greatson.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡®In his heart, it was he who named his son after me,¡¯ Jarot thought, smiling slightly. It was one grandson¡¯s brain, and the other¡¯s heart, which had named his grandson after the pathetic old man. Then, for a moment, the rage slipped through his body once more. ¡®Should I kill the Grand Commander?¡¯ He still won''t call the old man grandfather. How unfilial! [1093] – Y05.093 – The End of Duskval [1093] ¨C Y05.093 ¨C The End of Duskval ¡°What is wrong?¡± Jaygak asked, catching Jarot staring at her, the boy flushing slightly as he hid his head against her shoulder. ¡°Is there something on my horn?¡± ¡°No...¡± The boy sucked on his thumb while she held him so dearly, while Jirot ate from Lucy¡¯s fingers, the girl reaching out to tug on her brother¡¯s shirt to offer him food, but Jarot shook his head, and continued to hold onto his aunt. Lucy wiped Jirot¡¯s mouth, the girl leaning forward to allow her Demon General to do so easier. Lucy fixed a strand of the girl¡¯s hair, sweeping it behind her ear. Lucy smiled a sad smile, for although the pair were enjoying themselves, the scars remained, like mirrors pieced back together. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Gangak asked, her eyes glued to the twins, who enjoyed their time with their aunts. ¡°It does,¡± Mulrot admitted. ¡°You gave up your position and fought.¡± Mulrot inhaled deeply, and though Gangak¡¯s words made sense, her heart still ached. How had she refused such sweet children when they first came to her? She should have accepted them more deeply after her refusal, then this could have been avoided. It was her failure not just as the Family Elder, but as their greatmother. ¡°Babo...¡± Karot called, the boy reaching up to his greatfather¡¯s hand. ¡°My Karot! What is it that you need?¡± Jarot asked eagerly, rubbing the boy¡¯s knuckles gently with his thumb. The boy looked down at his greatfather¡¯s hands, feeling how rough they were, noting the scars which painted his hands with his tales. The boy felt a gentle coolness in his tummy from holding his greatfather¡¯s hand. ¡°I want to sit with babo...¡± ¡°You wish to sit with me?¡± The boy nodded his head shyly, and within the blink of an eye, Jarot hoisted the boy up with a hand, and sat the boy upon his lap. The boy squirmed slightly as his greatfather planted a firm kiss upon the tip of his ear. ¡°If my greatson wishes to sit with me, who can stop him?¡± Jarot asked, as though daring the world to refuse. ¡°Babo,¡± Konarot called, yawning, before the girl climbed up to cuddle against the old Iyrman¡¯s arm. Kirot stared up at her greatfather questioningly, climbing up to cuddle her greatfather, using his muscular thigh like a pillow, her tail curling up behind her. ¡®How can you cuddle with your greatfather? How merciful can you be?¡¯ Jarot leaned back, allowing his greatchildren to cuddle with him, because not even he could refuse his greatchildren. Konarot nestled against his arm, holding it tight. Her horn gently pressed against his tricep, the girl nuzzling against his bicep. ¡°Babo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I love you, babo.¡± ¡°I love you too, my Konarot.¡± Jarot leaned down to plant a kiss atop her head, feeling the softness of her silky hair against his cheek. His heart throbbed, swelling with sheer delight from the girl¡¯s words. Once, she had bared her teeth so eagerly towards him, but now she was such a gentle little girl. Otkan and Rajin remained to the side, allowing the triplets to cuddle with their greatfather. They surrendered the children since they had played with them for so long already, while Jarot had waited patiently. ¡°So you¡¯re a funny guy, huh?¡± Adam teased, the Iyrman chuckling before him. ¡°Monarot,¡± Jurot called, causing the girl to stare into his eyes. ¡°That is your name. Do you understand?¡± The girl sucked on her dummy, squirming shyly. ¡°Your mother named you. I wished to name you Pamarot. She wished to name you Monarot. Monarot is a good name. Your ancestor, Monarot, is one of the greatest in our family. She fought and slew many dragons. She did it so that our family could be safe. Her greatfather, Jarot, was the one who brought so many to the Iyr. The dragons did not forget, and they attacked our families, but Monarot, she slew so many dragons so we could live in peace.¡± The girl smiled up at her father, revealing her toothless smile to him, her dummy almost falling out of her mouth, but her father¡¯s reflexes were too fast. ¡°You do not need to slay so many dragons. You may stay in the Iyr. Grow well. Grow happy. You must eat your mother¡¯s bread, though.¡± The girl¡¯s fists raised up towards her father, before she squirmed within his lap, and began to groan. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± Jurot asked, after checking her clothy with a hand. ¡°Since you drink your mother¡¯s milk so well, I know you will eat her bread well. Just like your kako.¡± ¡°Ababababa!¡± Virot pointed to the wall, glancing towards her mother, as though it had the sheer audacity to block her path. ¡°Wall,¡± Vonda confirmed. ¡°Bah!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Virot huffed. She charged back towards her mother upon her feet, grabbing her mother¡¯s dress to steady herself. ¡°Kekeke.¡± Damrot lay peacefully on his mother¡¯s lap, staring up at the sky above, which darkened. He closed his eyes, sucking his dummy lightly, only to be rudely awoken as his father held him, though in an instant he was asleep once more. ¡°How are you able to do that?¡± Pam asked, brushing her daughter¡¯s face, before bringing the girl up to feed her. ¡°Father held me this way,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Your father really was so impressive,¡± Pam said, before her brows shot up in alarm, staring at her husband. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, not bringing attention to the word. ¡°When he returns, you will see how impressive he is. Father is stronger than mother. If he does not return, I will go search for the shield, and to return his body to the Iyr.¡± Pam flushed slightly, glancing down to her daughter, who drank her milk so peacefully. Kiara remained to the side, the other Rot family children eyeing her up. Sometimes they would bully her by telling her all their family¡¯s tales, which terrified the young woman to her heart. She had lost count to the number of dragons, serpents, hydras, demons, and all manner of wicked creatures the Rot family alone had slain in the Iyr, putting it among some of the greatest families within the Iyr. For although there were at least a hundred families, the Rot family was counted among the top ten, along that of the Gek, Kan, and Jin families, which were some of the only families which lacked a true dark age. Then there was the Gak family, which had yet to truly rise in the last thousand years, but she had heard plenty of tales from them too, many which were already too much. ¡®What a terrifying place!¡¯ Thus the festival continued, with a mood of merriment, soured by a darkness no one could swallow. This has nothing to do with the story, but thick slices of soft white bread is delicious. Interlude: The End of Duskval Interlude: The End of Duskval It was a time before the land knew the Chaos that was Adam. The winds were cold, especially those which bounced against the hills outside of Jaghi, though that was to be expected, considering the dragon which slumbered in the nearby mountain. ¡°The Aldish are shivering too much,¡± Zarmak joked, biting into her jerky, chewing it slowly. ¡°How much are you eating?¡± Jonlaf replied, raising his brow towards the woman. ¡°Are you with child?¡± ¡°Whose child, yours?¡± ¡°You are too weak to have my child.¡± ¡°Weak?¡± Zarmak, reached down for her dagger, only to find Jonlaf¡¯s axe ready to swing towards her, his brows raised expectantly. ¡°Stop,¡± Lozys snapped at the pair, causing the pair to withdraw their blades, meanwhile his eyes fell towards the Aldish, who had prepared their tents for the night, while one of their own accompanied them at their fire. ¡°Why did she have to choose him?¡± Malfev complained, sipping away at the alcohol. ¡°He will get himself killed in Aldland, how will I console her?¡± ¡°Is he so terrible?¡± Anne asked, the woman sipping the last of her stew, warming her cold body in the night. ¡°There are few as wild as him,¡± Malfev admitted, already recalling the wild look in the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°She is strong enough to cast her own shadow!¡± ¡®Is his younger sister also as strong?¡¯ Anne thought, hearing nothing but praise from the Iyrman. ¡®Our cousin, Shayfev, she cried so much. I worry she will not follow our path unless we have cleared it. We bullied her so much, so we should at least clear the path!¡¯ Anne wasn¡¯t sure what madness this Iyrman was talking about, but the Iyrmen had to be this mad if they were this strong. Her eyes darted to the side, towards Zarmak and Jonlaf, then the heavily armoured Iyrman to the side was equally as powerful, if not greater, yet each were barely twenty. ¡°Does she not know what you Aldish call him? Mad Dog? Mad Dog! This is the problem with you Aldish, you do not see the threat before you until the blade is already at your neck! You should beat him properly so my sister can live freely!¡± ¡°If you feel so strongly, you should stop her,¡± Anne said, unsure of why this was such an issue for him. ¡°You could marry her off to someone else.¡± Malfev huffed, sipping his wine, feeling the warmth that flowed through his body. ¡°Even drunk, I cannot have such Aldish thoughts.¡± Anne narrowed her eyes slightly, understanding that he used the word in a way that made his tongue feel dirty for even mentioning their name. However, considering his strength, and the plethora of stories, some of which seemed outlandish, and yet held hints of truth, she couldn¡¯t help but be fascinated with the Iyr. ¡°Do you know what they call my sister? The Rising Swallow! If she is rising, she should continue rising!¡± ¡°Rising Swallow and Falling Swallow, at least your epithets are similar.¡± ¡°That is right, I should be the one to fall,¡± Malfev agreed, having taken the meaning to his heart. ¡°What of your cousin, Marmak? You said he could beat Jarot? Why does your sister not wish to marry her?¡± ¡°He could match Jarot,¡± Malfev agreed. ¡°They are both filled with madness, but my sister, she says that Jarot is...¡± ¡°...¡± Anne waited as Malfev riled himself up, then after an angry sigh, Malfev¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°She is right.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She does not need to hold back when she beats him.¡± ¡®If half the rumours of the Mad Dog are true, then there is no doubt about that...¡¯ Jonn had filled with such guilt as a boy, and horror, for what kind of idiot drops the blade of such a wonderful hero? He who had slain all manner of monsters, from dragons to even the most pathetic vermin. Vermin like... ¡®Goblins are like rats. It is best to exterminate as many as you can. If you leave one or two alive, within a handful of years, you will find a plague of them at your door.¡¯ ¡®Vermin?¡¯ Jonn thought. ¡®You have such handsome ears!¡¯ Jirot had declared, throwing up a thumbs up. Little Jarot had reached for his own, while staring at Jonn¡¯s. The boy flushed slightly, but smiled so adorably. ¡®You have such lovely ears, so you must cause trouble!¡¯ Jirot snickered, causing her brother to snicker too. ¡°Manager Jonn,¡± Dunes called. Jonn tensed up, his eyes darting to the side, meeting the Manager¡¯s questioning gaze. He then glanced down towards his hands, firmly glued to his blade, that he had drawn so mindlessly. He sheathed it, tensing up, before relaxing. Dunes slowly bowed his head towards the Manager, noting the relief, and the guilt, that continued to haunt him. ¡°There is a waterfall within Black Mountain. Ice Fall, we call it. My mentor, Kal Samra, when I was often deep in though about my anxieties, she would threaten me. Dunes, ahmuk, if you keep thinking of useless thoughts, I will send you to Ice Fall. If it was not the cold of the waterfall, it was the threat, that stopped my thoughts. When I left Aswadasad to find Amira, she forced me into Ice Fall, the water falling on my skin like daggers. It was not to stop my thoughts, but to urge me forward. Even then, I thought, this is very cold, please stop.¡± ¡°What does ahmuk mean?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°Fool.¡± Jonn smiled. ¡°Kal Samra sounds like a wise woman.¡± ¡°I fear anything else would get back to her, so I must say I agree.¡± Mork sipped away at his wineskin, for it was a rare occasion he could. Bael had informed him it would not rain that day, so his mood soured, almost as sour as the wine. As he continued to drink, it soothed the clouded thoughts, the darkness within his heart. ¡®He killed them too quickly? What does that mean?¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t believe he did not take me with him,¡¯ Tork thought, sipping away at his sour wine. ¡®He met the Lord Marshal?¡¯ Bael let out a long, annoyed sigh, the warmth of the alcohol reaching the tips of his fingers. He stared at a particular spot within the village. He reached up to his nose, and the heat of the lightning flowed through him, steam escaping out of him, before floating in the wind as he sobered up. ¡®I thought it would be a fun fight. How disappointing.¡¯ In the village, Nobby ate his bread. His son slowly chewed from his own bun, the boy looking up at his father, before offering it to him. Merry was still so small, and barely babbled, but he ate well, just like his father. Nobby looked down at the boy¡¯s face, who stared up at him, before his eyes fell to the bread in his father¡¯s hand. He stared at it longingly, even though he held bread in his own hand. Once the boy was chewing on his father¡¯s bread, Nobby returned back to his thoughts. ¡°Nobby?¡± Merl called. Nobby turned his gaze to meet hers. ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nobby replied, before looking to Anne, who ate her stew slowly, but her cheeks were no longer quite as thin. He furrowed his brows, annoyed at the world, and himself. ¡®No.¡¯ Under the same sky, within the large, expansive walls of the Iyr, the two sat together. Rajin poured in the sour wine, which was not like the weak sourness of the Aldish wines, but proper, Iyrish sourness. Jarot stared at the wine. Though he promised to drink with Rajin, he was uncertain if he could. ¡°I can bring the milk,¡± Rajin offered. Jarot reached for the cup and held it up. ¡°My greatson nibbled upon the tip of the pizza. He eats so well.¡± ¡°He eats so well,¡± Rajin confirmed, the pair drinking their sadness long into the night. Our Jarot, he eats so well... :'') [1094] – Y05.094 – The Start of Nightval [1094] ¨C Y05.094 ¨C The Start of Nightval The first week of nightval passed peacefully. The half elf awoke in the morning and worked out lightly along with the children, practising far more harshly alongside Taygak, who joined the half elf during his proper workouts. After breakfast he would take a walk, and sneak away to work lightly, using his spells to create items, as he had done so with the various weapons and armours he had gifted away. ¡°How can you do this to your daddy?¡± Adam cried, blowing a raspberry into his youngest daughter¡¯s neck. ¡°You! You are always with mummy, but you don¡¯t want to spend time with me?¡± ¡°Mama!¡± Virot squealed, before beginning to groan, reaching out for her mother, who hoisted her up with ease and quietened her down in an instant. Adam huffed, before his head darted down to Damrot, who glanced up towards his uncle, the boy blinking. ¡°At least you adore playing with me, your father, don¡¯t you, my Damrot?¡± The boy blinked once more, before smiling so brightly, stopping as Adam lifted him up. He squirmed lightly, before clasping his hands together as his uncle kissed his neck and cheek all over, the boy giggling. Xarot and Monarot remained to one side, under the watchful eye of Pam, who knitted a pair of scarves. She sometimes stopped to look down at the pair. They had grown so much in so few months, and the pair smiled whenever they saw her. Her eyes fell to the boy¡¯s ears, so small and leaf shaped, and then to her daughter, whose features were rounder. The children slept so peacefully. She looked around the shared estate, her eyes falling to the figures all around, mostly the young children, and a handful of the adults, the teenagers from the extended families, and then, of course, the likes of Adam. ¡®Iyrmen.¡¯ Pam looked down to the children. It was then she realised why the two felt so different to Virot and Damrot. It was because Xarot, since the day he was born, was considered an Iyrman. The air around Virot had still been slightly awkward, but now, that awkwardness had disappeared. It was a thought that had appeared randomly, all because Pam had challenged herself to admire the babes for a few moments each time she thought of them, to engrave them into her memory. Even then, she did not know what it meant to be an Iyrman¡¯s child, or rather, a child of the Iyr. Then, a large form sauntered her way to the babes, her arms tied behind her back. She stood so tall, so firm, like the statues in front of the Main Iyr. She glared down at the children, taking in the sights of the babes. Her eyes darted to the woman who knitted beside the babes. The girl reached out a hand and held up a thumbs up, nodding her head firmly. Pam returned a nod to Kavgak, whose hands returned to her back, crossed once more, and watched as the girl sauntered off again, deep within whatever thoughts she held. Then she glanced aside, realising she hadn¡¯t seen Jaygak since the festival, though Kitool remained with the children, watching over them. ¡°Mama,¡± Damrot called, reaching out a hand, while Adam held the boy close. ¡°Damrot,¡± Pam called. The boy blinked at his mother, before hiding within his uncle¡¯s chest, giggling to himself. ¡°Damrot, you little troublemaker,¡± Adam whispered, nuzzling against the boy¡¯s ear, which caused him to squeal again. It was during the second week when it happened. It was finally nightval, the harvest season all but over, so many within the fort had begun the preparations to relax. However, some were unable, as within the estate, which had been cleared out by the Iyrmen, it was happening. The tiny red skinned girl hacked and coughed, while the Iyrmen swiftly cleaned her, before handing the girl to her mother. Amira¡¯s eyes narrowed from exhaustion as she held the tiny form within her arms. The girl was so small, her skin mostly red, slightly darker than the typical devilkin, her horns still tiny nubs at the corners of her forehead, unlike her elder sister¡¯s, which had grown slightly. The girl¡¯s eyes remained shut tight, as though refusing to allow the outside world to bother her. ¡°Ranya, look,¡± Dunes said, holding his daughter close, as she stood upon his lap, staring at her mother, and the new red skinned babe. ¡°Enisa.¡± ¡°Neah?¡± Ranya asked. ¡°Enisa,¡± Dunes confirmed. ¡°That is your little sister.¡± Adam smiled, understanding that Dunes hadn¡¯t yet realised the depths of Adam¡¯s depravity when it came to gifts for his adorable cousins and children. ¡°When it¡¯s her first birthday, I¡¯d like you to tell her that it¡¯s a gift from myself and my family. The Rot and the Gak.¡± Dunes could feel how heavy the blade became as he held it. He spied the beautiful red gem, the yellow cloth, and then it filled his mind. It was the image of an Iyrman holding off the Primrose Sword, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Primrose. Adam wasn¡¯t just gifting the little girl a sword, but something far greater. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to work hard to gift her something so great too,¡± Dunes said, sighing in defeat. ¡°No. You¡¯ll gift her something even greater than this sword.¡± Adam reached over to gently pat Dunes¡¯ shoulder. ¡°Also...¡± His eyes darted around, and he realised there were too many people around. The half elf winked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it for now. We¡¯ll talk about it another time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Right now there¡¯s something more important I need you to do. I know that Enisa was just born, beautiful name by the way, but...¡± ¡°It means good friend.¡± Adam held Dunes¡¯ sight for a moment, his cheeks turning slightly red, a small smile appearing on his face. ¡°It¡¯s a good name.¡± Dunes smiled, slowly nodding his head. ¡°It is.¡± Adam continued to small, but it slowly twitched away. ¡°I need a favour.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tomorrow... I want you to come with me.¡± Dunes inhaled deeply. If Adam was asking Dunes to leave his newborn child, and his wife who had gone through labour, then it was important. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Before the half elf left, he picked up Ranya, pinching her nose and hugging her tight, before she complained and reached out for her father. Adam forgave her, of course, since she was so cute. ¡®I need to spoil her more often,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the ache within his heart. She had become so big so quickly, and he had been so busy this year that he had been unable to watch over her. Manager Jonn watched the carriage leave. Adam had apologised profusely to the half elf for not being able to take him, which only made Jonn feel sick to the stomach. Why did Adam apologise to him, when he was to blame? Dunes had always found the Iyr to be terrifying, but it was today, when they cleared the entire distance to the Main Iyr, all for the sake of two children, that he realised the Iyr was clearly insane. His eyes turned to Adam, who barraged Dunes with all the stories of his children. No, perhaps the Iyr was pretty normal after all? Dunes, don''t worry about it. You won''t understand, no one can. [1095] – Y05.095 – First [1095] ¨C Y05.095 ¨C First ¡°Ooo!¡± Virot complained, while her mother dabbed her forehead with a paintbrush, painting on the seven blue marks. A circle, followed by three simple lines on either side, matching the same painting upon the foreheads of her elder siblings, and her cousin. ¡°I am sorry, Adam,¡± Sonarot said, holding the half elf¡¯s hand. ¡°Please, Aunt.¡± Adam squeezed her hands, feeling the roughness that came with her upbringing. Would his children, whose hands were like marshmallows, grow this rough too? ¡°You don¡¯t have to stress at all. I have no intention of holding it against the Iyr, or the Rot family. My children have already inherited so much, and being the fool of a father I am, they won¡¯t be left with nothing from me.¡± Sonarot frowned, squeezing his hands harder. Though the Iyr had accepted his children as their own, it was Jurot¡¯s children who would be considered part of the main family, with Damrot and Monarot inheriting the Rot family¡¯s will, and the strict rules which came to her from the Gek family. Adam smiled, seeing how much it weighed upon his Aunt, and he brought the back of her hands to his forehead, feeling her motherly warmth. ¡°It¡¯s easier for me too. I can¡¯t imagine how much work it would be if Jirot held so much power in her hands.¡± The woman smiled slightly, before she leaned up to press her forehead against his, and she brushed his cheek. The gentleness within his eyes washed away any of her worries, and she let him go, allowing him to spoil his daughter and nephew. ¡°Boo!¡± Virot stared down at the shield, rubbing along the steel. It was so new, so shiny, she could see her reflection through it. The shield was formed of decent enough steel, with a wooden board within that had been crafted by her uncle. She felt the smooth ridges of the slightly engraved circled, and the six diamonds which floated around the circle. Damrot stared at his own reflection within the shield, his own nearly identical to his cousin¡¯s. However, there were two ways they were different, the colour of the leather which lined the inside of the shield, as well as the message which Adam had written upon the wood hidden behind the supple leather. The children continued to gift the babies, who eagerly accepted the attention and the affection. Lanarot handed them each a cup. The triplets handed them each a gem they had received from their father, though they were quickly scooped up by Sonarot to make sure the pair did not eat them. The twins gifted the pair a book each, which they had managed to procure thanks to Elder Zijin¡¯s grace. ¡°It is babo¡¯s stories! He is your babo too! Babo is your greatfather, not like daddy. Bigger, older, too old now! I will read it to you, okay?¡± Jirot said, hugging the children one by one, planting firm kisses on their cheeks, swiping her sister¡¯s hair back before realising she had ruined it,. Thankfully she did not make the mistake with Damrot. Jarot also kissed their cheeks, and smiled, beaming so proudly that the children had turned one. ¡®So big now!¡¯ Larot handed the children a gift with Jazool, the girl having drawn them a picture, while Larot had coloured it, with precision that could only come an Iyrman, or a baby that had lived many hundreds of years, long before any of them had been born. The rest of the children handed their gifts, little bits and bobs, and Adam revealed the gifts from all the children at the business, who had prepared the gifts and had sent even more along with Adam on the way back. ¡°I finally managed to give a gift on their first birthday,¡± Amokan said, beaming so proudly at himself. Adam stared at the wyvern¡¯s stinger, narrowing his eyes slightly. He looked up to Amokan, then the rest of the Iyrmen around, before he looked back at the stinger and the wyvern¡¯s skull. ¡°Yeah.¡± It was fortunate for Amokan that Timojin¡¯s gift was far more reasonable, a pair of large greataxes. ¡°At least my gifts are better,¡± Amokan said. ¡°They are Rot.¡± ¡°They will grow to reach the roof and they will wield their greataxes with one hand,¡± Timojin replied. ¡®Is he starting a fight?¡¯ Adam thought, before catching Timojin¡¯s gaze, seeing the twinkle within. ¡®Should I beat him up?¡¯ Adam had sworn they weren¡¯t meant to get their pictures done like this, but he remained silent as the entire families, including Sonarot and Lanarot, each sat to get their pictures taken. The old man who sketched them said nothing, taking slightly longer to do their picture. Finally, they could make their way to the family estate. ¡°You took too long!¡± Jarot exclaimed, huffing as his metal leg struck the ground, the Iyrman dropping down to scoop Virot and Damrot within his arm. Virot complained lightly, but she was only set free after they nuzzled, and Damrot remained within his babo¡¯s arm, staring up at him with joy. Adam held Vonda¡¯s hand, smiling towards her as she caught his gaze, smiling in return. She noted the way Adam smiled, the way his eyes narrowed. It was not that kind of smile, or that kind of look, but one full of relief. ¡°I feel like my gift was worth nothing compared to yours, darling,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°A shield is very good.¡± ¡°Compared to a prayer book?¡± Adam asked, shaking his head lightly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll forgive you for showing me up in front of our own children?¡± ¡°Will you punish me?¡± Adam smirked slightly, his eyes twinkling. ¡°Adam...¡± Vonda raised her brows, flushing slightly, before intertwining her fingers with his. ¡°You will forgive me.¡± ¡°Always.¡± Adam stared at his wife, who continued to flush, the woman¡¯s eyes glued to her youngest child, the son who slept so peacefully to one side. Eventually Virot stormed her way towards her mother, who allowed the girl to relax within her arms. ¡®I don¡¯t have to worry about you, do I?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Other than that you look like a half elf, you should be alright. You¡¯re still my daughter though, so you¡¯ll still be troubled...¡¯ ¡°Dada,¡± called a small voice, as Damrot clutched at Jurot¡¯s knee. ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot lifted the boy up. ¡°Dada!¡± Damrot kicked out his legs and cackled with delight. Jurot pulled the boy to his chest, kissing his cheek lightly, since Adam had taught him to shower his son in affection. ¡°Damrot. Son of Jurot.¡± ¡°Oo?¡± ¡°Jurot, how can our sister be so cute?¡± ¡°Cutest In The Whole World,¡± Jurot confirmed. Adam smiled, hugging his sister close, who hugged him back equally as close, before she squirmed out to rush to her mother. Vonda also excused herself, going to Pam, who seemed so lost within the Rot family, as per usual. ¡°I should have paid more attention to Damrot and Virot,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°They¡¯re... already one. It feels like yesterday they had been born.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head. ¡°It has been... a difficult year.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you name Damrot after me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. What a cute name for a cute boy.¡± ¡°Did you only realise it now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jurot inhaled deeply, letting out the breath in one go. Right. His brother was an idiot. As the hours passed, and the various figures appeared in the estate, from Tonagek, who came to greet everyone, as well as the children, to Filliam, who handed over a pair of pocket watches to the children. Adam noted how healthy Filliam looked, the young man definitely walking around daily, and sleeping properly. ¡°You should take it easy too, Kiara,¡± Adam said, pouring the silver haired woman a drink, who awkwardly accepted it. ¡°I¡¯ll keep confusing you for a child if you don¡¯t take care of yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working too much to be treated like a child...¡± Kiara caught Adam¡¯s eyes, and for a moment she tensed up, but as the half elf chuckled, she filled with relief. Unfortunately for her, the Reavers were upon the horizon, so she needed to work hard. Finally, he arrived. ¡°Do you know who this is?¡± Adam asked, crossing his arms, with Vonda standing beside him, the woman, also standing firm. ¡°Manager Dunes,¡± Jirot said, noting the air of seriousness around her father and mother. ¡°That¡¯s right! Manager Dunes, he¡¯s like your uncle. If you treat him poorly, daddy will be very disappointed in you!¡± ¡°How I can treat him poorly?¡± Jirot accused. ¡°Manager Dunes fight all the bad people!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam said, glad his daughter remembered the tale, and understood that pretty much everything her father was saying was directed towards her. ¡°Where I come from, we call Manager Dunes a real one. He is so nice and so helpful!¡± ¡°Good job!¡± Jirot gave him a thumbs up, causing Dunes to flush. The Aswadian had no idea that Adam had already prepared their meeting so deeply, for even Jirot wasn¡¯t teasing him. He was uncertain if he could accept such a gaze from the girl, whose eyes were filled with awe and delight upon seeing him. ¡°I... am glad you have both grown up so well,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°You were so small, and now...¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Jirot said, smirking slightly, before noting the raised brows of her father. ¡°What I say? I saying I know, daddy!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± Adam replied. ¡°Stop calling him Manager Dunes. You have to call him uncle, so that way Ranya will call me uncle too! You have to bully him only in this way, okay?¡± ¡°How can I bully?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°If you do, I will give you a really nice present!¡± Adam whispered loudly to her, placing a finger on his lip. Jirot inhaled deeply. She narrowed her eyes slightly. ¡°Uncle Dunes, you must read to me.¡± Dunes reached up to his forehead. Of course she would trouble him this much, since she was her father¡¯s daughter. Now that Dunes and the children had met, Jurot placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. Since evening had approached, it was time to speak with Adam. Noting Jurot¡¯s gaze, Adam slowly nodded, and the pair stepped away. Our Jirot is so smart! [1096] – Y05.096 – Memories [1096] ¨C y05.096 ¨C memories jurot poured the wine into adam¡¯s cup, peach no doubt, a favourite of the rot family. the liquid, dark, yet holding a purple hint, like puthral armour stained in blood. jurot remained silent for a long while, staring at the cups, holding his between his finger and thumb. he stared at the liquid for an age, looking to the past. ¡°my first memory was of grandfather,¡± jurot admitted. ¡°it was raining that day. i did not understand what had happened at the time, but he was full of rage. he was so... big. red. strong. as a boy, i knew grandfather was strong before i knew the meaning of the word. grandfather had learnt that uncle farot had died.¡± adam remained silent as jurot fell silent again, closing his eyes to recall more of his memories. ¡°i remember when he returned. he returned with a baby, so red, but not like his red. at the time, i didn¡¯t realise it was grandfather. he looked so different when i saw him, with his one arm, and...¡± jurot fell silent again, not wanting to say the word. ¡°he looked so... small. i only realised when i was older that the men were the same. i have grown older. i am grandfather¡¯s age when he rampaged across aldland. last year, when i won the tournament, and i spoke upon the podium, i felt so big.¡± ¡°you are pretty big.¡± ¡°i feel small.¡± adam refrained from making the joke. ¡°when... your mother sees you, i¡¯m sure she sees you as small, because you¡¯ll always be her little boy. same with your grandfather. damrot? monarot? my children? whenever they see you, they¡¯ll think you¡¯re big.¡± jurot inhaled deeply, before letting his worries go with a sigh. ¡°what was your first memory?¡± ¡°red. blue. soft.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°it was my blanket. i used to... sleep on the floor with this blanket. i was really young, maybe two years old, and i remember sleeping on the floor. i had this blanket. red. blue. soft. i had it for so long, it had a little hole in the corner, and eventually we gave it to charity. i regretted it later, but i hope whoever received it, and i hope someone received it and we didn¡¯t get scammed, i hope they find the same kind of comfort it provided me.¡± ¡®a blanket?¡¯ jurot thought. of all the things he knew about adam, this was something he wouldn¡¯t never have guessed. he would have sworn adam¡¯s first memory would have been about his family, considering... ¡°jurot?¡± ¡°adam?¡± ¡°are you happy?¡± jurot fell silent for a long while. ¡°i am angry.¡± ¡°yeah?¡± adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°me too, but today? i¡¯m happy. virot looks so cute in her dress, with the clip in her hair, and damrot, my damrot, what a handsome little boy. even though you¡¯re his uncle, he spent all day with you, but i¡¯ll forgive him because he¡¯s so adorable.¡± ¡°he is my son.¡± ¡°what? you¡¯ll steal my own son from me? even today? i¡¯ll forgive you since you¡¯re so handsome, you punk.¡± adam smiled wider, before reaching out his fist. jurot bumped fists with adam, before closing his eyes, seeing as adam was playing the fool again. ¡®was he joking about the blanket?¡¯ ¡°jurot,¡± adam called, and though the half elf held a smile upon his face, it was tempered. ¡°thank you.¡± jurot held the half elf¡¯s gaze, which was filled with the uncertainty that was the future. ¡°any time.¡± while jurot and adam spent their time to one side, the older jarot caused a mess, embracing the birthday children so affectionately, refusing to give them up, all while they squealed and giggled. ¡°they must sleep!¡± mulrot warned. ¡°if they wish to sleep, they may sleep within my arm!¡± ¡°how about we go for a walk tomorrow?¡± adam asked, brushing his thumb along his wife¡¯s palm, feeling her breath against his chest. ¡°that sounds wonderful, darling.¡± ¡°it¡¯s going to get cold, shall i buy you a coat?¡± ¡°i still have the heavy coat from last year.¡± ¡°yeah, but...¡± adam nuzzled against her cheek. ¡°how can i spoil you with my gold when you don¡¯t want for anything.¡± ¡°there is much i want for,¡± vonda replied, her voice turning low. ¡°do you know my heart, or is it just my body you are so familiar with?¡± ¡°you want me to stop causing trouble?¡± adam replied, his cheeks turning red. ¡°how could i dare to make such a grand request?¡± ¡°you want me to...¡± adam thought for a long moment. ¡°spend more time with our family?¡± ¡°yes. you have spent so much time with us recently. i would like more...¡± ¡°i do need to work, but i¡¯ll try and spend more time with our family, and with you.¡± ¡°what would you like from me, darling?¡± vonda asked, dragging a finger along adam¡¯s chest, feeling his soft skin against her finger tip. ¡°what would i like?¡± adam replied, before falling silent. ¡®what would i like?¡¯ adam thought to himself, furrowing his brows. ¡°i don¡¯t know. i mean... i have everything i want and more.¡± vonda had half expected him to joke, but seeing the half elf thinking so deeply, she smiled. she continued to rest her head against his chest, feeling the warmth of his body, hearing the thrumming of his heart. ¡°i¡¯d like a really powerful magical weapon,¡± adam said. ¡°i might make myself something later...¡± ¡°shall i enchant you a magical weapon?¡± vonda asked, before hearing how quickly his heart began to beat. ¡°i suppose i would like to be spoiled by you...¡± adam admitted, his cheeks turning red. adam had already admitted it to her during a particular intimate moment, but vonda being able to put the half elf in his place always stirred his heart. vonda reached up to his neck, rubbing along it gently with her rough hand. ¡°adam?¡± ¡°yeah?¡± ¡°...¡± vonda climbed on top of him, cradling his head against her bosom, her fingers trailing through his hair, rubbing along his cheek and ear. ¡°i...¡± vonda wasn¡¯t sure what to say to the half elf, especially in this moment. ¡°i love you.¡± adam turned red hot, the half elf smiling, wrapping his arms around his wife¡¯s waist, cuddling up to her. ¡°i love you too.¡± the pair shared a tender kiss. the weight flowed against the half elf, pinning him down, and soothed him to sleep. vonda swallowed her thoughts. it was still too soon to speak about it. i can write romance pretty well, i swear. [1097] – Y05.097 – Gratitude [1097] ¨C y05.097 ¨C gratitude adam stood tall before the great elders, who gazes oppressed upon his shoulders. he had no idea what to do with his hands, so crossed them over his navel, like mara whenever she was ready to fight, though adam instead clasped his left wrist with his right hand, feeling that was the least threatening way to stand. ¡°i want to thank the great elders for their assistance in this matter. i know that without you, things would have been more difficult, and i probably wouldn¡¯t be standing here today, so truly, thank you.¡± ¡°you do not need to thank us for matters of the iyr,¡± iromin stated. ¡°i know, but still. i wanted to apologise too. i... didn¡¯t want things to escalate for the iyr. i know that things will be difficult for you now, and it was my fault that i... allowed my children to be in-,¡± adam¡¯s voice cracked, and the half elf blinked away the burning in his eyes. even now, the half elf couldn¡¯t bear to think of it. ¡°i¡¯m sorry. if you need to, you can offer me up, though i would appreciate it if you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°we will need to discuss the matters of education,¡± elder teacher said, bowing his head lightly. ¡°you must also speak of the theories behind the children¡¯s appetite,¡± elder forest added. ¡°of course,¡± adam replied. ¡°you should have allowed the iyr to handle the situation,¡± elder wrath said. ¡°we would have dealt with the matter cleanly.¡± ¡°it had to be me,¡± adam said, catching the great elder¡¯s eyes, the iyrman slowly nodding his head. ¡°the rot family has allowed us to handle the fallout created,¡± iromin said. ¡°we will take responsibility, for the actions that day, and whatever will come in the future.¡± ¡°if you need any help, i¡¯m always open to help.¡± adam bowed his head, unsure of what else to say, before glancing between the great elders. ¡°i¡¯ll never forget your help.¡± ¡°even if you do, the iyr never forgets,¡± elder gold stated, half a warning, half a reassurance. ¡°with the matter of the reavers... is there anything you need me to do?¡± adam asked. ¡°we are still preparing for the threat of the reavers, and the lack of care the nations will take when trying to handle the reavers,¡± iromin replied. ¡°we may require your assistance in the future.¡± ¡°you have no need to worry of your family,¡± elder gold stated, meeting adam¡¯s gaze, holding it with her oppressive aura. ¡°no harm will come to them.¡± adam smiled slightly, and bowed his head. ¡°thank you again.¡± once the half elf stepped out, the great elders exchanged glances, their eyes darting to elder peace, who rubbed her beads, praying lightly over them. she noted their looks, but said nothing, since what had come to pass, had come to pass, and whatever came upon the horizon, would be dealt with as efficiently, maximising the most joy, and the most safety. ¡®he returned the axe immediately,¡¯ elder peace thought, who had long decided to rid of the weapon. it was an axe that was too dangerous to remain upon the land, for it was already so strong in the hands of a nobody, but it was terrifying within the hands of someone like the chief of the iyr. it was such a powerful axe, she was certain adam had wanted to keep it. elder wrath leaned back in his chair, cracking his back lightly. he closed his eyes, recalling the scene before him. ¡®i have to go,¡¯ ashmir had said, having gone to see the great elder, to ask his permission to go. ¡®why have you come to me?¡¯ ¡®i am a member of the mir family now.¡¯ ¡®whether you are a member of the mir family, or the ban family, or the rot family, it does not matter. i will not treat you any different because the family you have joined, was once a family i claimed to be a part of.¡¯ ¡°please awaken another enchanter, one who will possess all your enchanting abilities.¡± ¡°already planning to kill me off?¡± adam asked, but he noted zijin¡¯s look, and his smile dropped. ¡°sorry.¡± ¡°the reavers are a great threat, and if you are to do, then the iyr shall only possess two others, both of the same family. it will be difficult to ignore the iyr¡¯s complaints if the rot family continues to hold such treasures for themselves, so we wish to awaken another enchanter.¡± ¡°sure. who?¡± zijin smiled, sadly. he had wanted to awaken saygak, who would have been the perfect candidate, but the gak family was too close to the rot family, and if it was saygak, zijin wouldn¡¯t be able to show the gak family favour in ways that could lead to their rise in the near future. ¡°shamezi.¡± ¡°oh, that makes sense,¡± adam replied. ¡®i mean, they are enchanters, so...¡¯ zijin smiled slightly. ¡°romaezi is still annoyed you did not marry into his family.¡± ¡°tell him to get in line, i still get that from granduncle rajin.¡± zijin smiled wider, unable to control it. ¡°i know how he can become.¡± ¡°he says the same about you.¡± zijin¡¯s laughter filled the estate, the elder reaching up to wipe his eyes. ¡°even through you, it is difficult to face him.¡± it was times like this, zijin understood he had made the right decision, even now, as he planned his retirement. he had already planned to send away raygak and saygak for more intense training, and by the time they returned, he would no longer be their elder. ¡°when do you want me to start?¡± ¡°when i informed jirot, she raised her brows towards me, and i could see it in her eyes. for a moment, she thought to speak to her greatfather. if you started today, i could not handle the trouble. you may start tomorrow.¡± adam smiled. ¡°you know, elder zijin. i¡¯m glad you¡¯re our elder.¡± ¡°if you are glad, do not cause me such trouble!¡± zijin roared with laughter again, this time joined in by the half elf. once adam returned back to the estate, he lifted up his twins, with jirot raising her brows expectantly at him. ¡°let¡¯s play warriors and wanderers!¡± adam declared. ¡°yay!¡± jirot hugged her father¡¯s head and kissed his cheek, before they went to continue their tale, wanting to face even more hydras. elder zijin hadn¡¯t expected to see vonda that day, especially not within minutes of sending adam away. ¡°how may i help you?¡± ¡°i require your permission,¡± vonda said, revealing her paper, which had been signed by the family head, not to give the woman permission, but to state that she had read the request. zijin stared at the request form. he glanced up towards vonda, holding her gaze for a long moment. ¡®you truly are adam¡¯s wife.¡¯ the elder wondered if adam understood how lucky he was to have vonda as his wife, but before the thought finished, he was certain adam understood, considering how much he flirted with his wife, and with how many times all his companions would inform the elder of such, even as they adventured. imagine flirting with your wife. cringe. [1098] – Y05.098 – Good Job [1098] ¨C y05.098 ¨C good job ¡®do i tell him?¡¯ zijin thought, sitting opposite the half elf who had spent the last couple of weeks awakening an iyrman and resting. ¡°i know, i know, but look, it¡¯s not as insane as some other weapons i¡¯ve used,¡± adam offered. ¡°if that¡¯s too much, then we could do something where it holds one charge, and i can deal more damage, and each charge is recharged daily, or through a second or third gate spell?¡± ¡°i can allow the second,¡± zijin said, noting the numbers adam had laid out before him. ¡®it is stronger than wraith in some ways, weaker in others.¡¯ ¡°i was also planning on finishing the formula for the fire swords too, i should have that done by the end of the year. i¡¯ll hand it over to the iyr, as promised.¡± ¡°okay.¡± ¡°hoo! mummy is working! daddy is working! always working!¡± jirot complained finally, sobbing against her greatfather¡¯s chest. she held out a fist, growling, before returning back to his chest. ¡°how they can do this.¡± ¡°i will speak with your father and mother,¡± jarot assured, brushing her hair gently. ¡°little jarot, do you miss your father and mother too?¡± little jarot nodded his head, sucking against his thumb lightly as he nestled against his greatfather¡¯s shoulder. ¡°your father and your mother, they work so hard. your mother always plays with you, and as a mother, she watches over your younger siblings, yes?¡± ¡°mummy does not! she is working now!¡± ¡°she used to watch over them, but she wishes to work for a short while for...¡± jarot paused, before leaning down to plant a kiss on the girl¡¯s head. ¡°your mother always works so hard for you and your siblings. your father, he works hard for you all too, but he must watch over the business too.¡± ¡°i do not like business!¡± ¡°the business, you will one day become its executives, so you must care.¡± ¡°zecutives?¡± jirot asked. ¡°you are the little boss, yes?¡± ¡°i am not little!¡± jarot cackled lightly, before nuzzling against her cheek. ¡°your father is working hard now so that you can all play later. when you are an executive, you will work hard too, and then you will play with your father so much, yes?¡± ¡°i play with you, babo, not silly daddy!¡± jirot huffed, returning back to his chest, grabbing the old man¡¯s shirt tight in hand, sucking on her thumb as she snuggled up angrily with him. thankfully, vonda did not need to work for long, and the children stuck to her like glue when she remained rather than going off to work. ¡°i love you mummy!¡± jirot urged, holding her mother¡¯s neck tightly, the woman wearing the twins since they refused to let go. even the triplets remained with her, for when had their mother left them for this long to work since she had become their mother? though adam continued to work, he spent plenty of time spoiling the children in the evenings. he played with them as it began to snow lightly in the iyr, with the triplets snoozing in the cold, while jirot and jarot waddled in their thick clothing, each wrapped like green burritos. ¡°kaza!¡± inakan called, holding up the snowball between her hands, staring at the half elf. she blinked, realising she was meant to throw the snowball first. she dropped it and fled, squealing with joy, leaving adam confused. ¡°you cannot eat the snow,¡± gurot explained to murot, though it pained him to say such words. ¡°no?¡± ¡°no!¡± gurot urged, though he pouted. he hugged his brother close. ¡°we can play, not eat, okay?¡± ¡°okay...¡± murot glanced down at the snow. if he could not eat the snow, why did nahtu make it look so yummy? as adam continued to enchant the fire swords, he spent his breaks with his family, as well as the rest of the children. ¡°oho! what¡¯s this? majin, tinajin, what are you two doing here?¡± adam asked, placing his hands on his hips, as though he were completely surprised to see the pair. except, it wasn¡¯t the pair he was surprised by, but the iyrman whose beard was full of beads. ¡°playing,¡± majin replied, staring up at the half elf. ¡°are you happy that your brother is back?¡± adam asked. majin¡¯s eyes darted to timojin, and the boy smiled shyly. ¡°yes...¡± ¡°kaza...¡± tinajin called, her eyes peering up at the half elf, her nose and cheeks red from the chilly air. ¡°yes, my tinajin?¡± ¡°hello.¡± ¡°hello, tinajin. ah, let me introduce you to my cousins! samfev, ramfev, shofev, kifev, come.¡± adam revealed the trio of boys, while mulrot held the youngest, a girl, within her arms. amokan should have expected adam there, while watching the young children run around and play together. ¡°ah! you¡¯ve finally come?¡± adam asked, holding out his arms as inakan and mokan rushed towards him, allowing the half elf to scoop them up. it was one particular evening, when jirot crossed her arms and turned away from her father. it was the day when adam was meant to take a break, but he had spent so much time with the other children recently, he wasn¡¯t sure if jirot could forgive him. ¡°jirot. jarot. come. we¡¯re going for a walk, just us three.¡± ¡°i will not go.¡± ¡°then i will only take jarot,¡± adam said. jirot gasped, her head snapping to her father, before her eyes darted to her mother, the girl¡¯s entire being filled with shock. ¡°how you can say that, daddy! you cannot!¡± ¡°this walk is very important,¡± adam said. jirot¡¯s brows remained raised in alarm, but seeing how tall and sturdy her father remained, she rushed up to his side. ¡°i walk with you, daddy.¡± adam held their hands, their gloved hands wrapped around three of his fingers, the pair shuffling slowly beside him, kicking the snow around as they walked. adam stopped, before dropping down to his knees, pulling the pair in for a deep hug. the children giggled and hugged their father back. ¡°daddy!¡± the pair cried together in delight, while adam peppered them both with kisses. ¡°i know i¡¯m working too much,¡± adam whispered into their ears, holding them close. ¡°i just want to make sure you¡¯re all okay.¡± ¡°i am okay!¡± jirot said, planting a quick kiss on her father¡¯s cheek. ¡°i am okay so no more working!¡± adam smiled slightly, before he peeked at jarot, whose amber eyes remained focused upon his father¡¯s face. adam scratched at his cheek, having let a small beard grow during nightval. ¡°daddy wants to work hard today so that tomorrow... i want you to succeed in life, even without me.¡± ¡°you are going?¡± jirot asked, narrowing her eyes, glaring at her father. ¡°i¡¯m not going anywhere for now, my dear.¡± adam planted a firm kiss on her forehead. ¡°even if i go, mummy will take good care of you, and so will your nanas, babas, nanos, and babos, yeah?¡± ¡°yes!¡± ¡°that¡¯s why you need to give mummy lots of love!¡± ¡°every day!¡± jirot said. ¡°i give mummy all my love every day!¡± ¡°i know,¡± adam pulled up the pair, holding them close for a long while. ¡°daddy is working hard, but... i will always make time to play with you all. there are so many children, but only one daddy, you need to be nice to him!¡± ¡°i always nice to you!¡± jirot exclaimed, holding up her fist, threatening her father. ¡°ah, yes, of course,¡± adam said, leaning in to kiss her fist. the girl smiled bashfully, and wrapped her arms around his neck, her cheek glued to his. ¡°oh my gosh, daddy. i love you so much!¡± ¡°i love you too.¡± ¡°daddy...¡± jarot called, before adam nuzzled his nose. adam carried the pair back to the estate, playing with all the children that day, over the course of several games of warriors and wanderers. ¡°wow! jitool! you did so well!¡± katool gasped, hugging her sister from behind. ¡°good job!¡± jirot said, holding up a thumbs up, while jarot beamed. jitool smiled from all the attention, and she marked off the spells on her sheet, with her elder sister¡¯s help. ¡°is my sword now?¡± ¡°it is your sword now,¡± adam said, handing out the little card with the sword¡¯s details, though the name of the blade was blank. (longsword) [+2] deals 2d6 slash on hit, expend 1 charge to deal +2d6 fire on crit, regain 1 charge ¡°what do you want to name it?¡± adam asked. ¡°fire sword!¡± jitool declared proudly, before writing down an f, followed by a picture of flames, and then a long arrow, that was no doubt a sword. ¡°who but our jitool could think of a perfectly appropriate name?¡± adam asked. ¡°how amazing!¡± elder zijin watched from the doorway, his arms crossed behind his back. he closed his eyes, and saw the days of his youth, when he was a boy, and he would play with his cousins. they were all older now, and though they still met now and again, it was nothing like this. yet, how often did the eldest siblings play with their younger siblings like this? this game of warriors and wanderers, it not only brought the children together to form their own stories, but it taught them what they would learn over time, not just their numbers and letters, but their abilities, and the difference between someone with a magical weapon and without, and of course, the most important subject of all, fate. ¡®it is too dangerous for you to covet those children from adam, elder teacher.¡¯ elder teacher better back up. [1099] – Y05.099 – Beautiful [1099] ¨C y05.099 ¨C beautiful ¡°it¡¯s so beautiful when it¡¯s snowing,¡± adam whispered. ¡°it is,¡± vonda agreed, her head upon her husband¡¯s shoulder, their fingers intertwined together. the thick clothing of the iyr warmed the pair, the snow falling all around them so gently, blanketing the iyr with a white serenity. the half elf poured tea within the cup, and for the fear of burning his wife, he decided against holding the cup up to her lips. he stared out towards the canvas of white, then he took in the sight of the sky, hiding so shyly behind the fog. ¡°after my prayers, i would draw in the snow,¡± vonda said. ¡°long winding branches, leaves curling outwards. sometimes i would draw a repeating pattern along the snow, slowly, carefully, until i was called to assist. the next morning, it would be gone, taken by the snow, i would have a blank canvas once more.¡± ¡°when i was a boy, i would do the same. then, we bought a computer, and outside of playing a bit of footie now and again with my cousins, i¡¯d stay inside, playing games, exploring the internet, watching videos. it¡¯s weird. i never thought i¡¯d be able to stop and enjoy nature like this again, but...¡± vonda nestled her head against her husband¡¯s neck, wrapping her arms around his arm, her fingers resting against his biceps, clutching at him gently. though her husband flushed at her touch, she was certain he did not understand the fear which gripped her heart. she closed her eyes, pinning the half elf close, not allowing him to escape from her clutches, not that he seemed to mind. adam could feel the ache within his arm, but since it was his wife, the ache was not annoying in the slightest, but rather, the ache of their love. the half elf smiled, resting his cheek atop her head, remaining trapped within his wife¡¯s adoration. the snow continued to fall upon the iyr, and though the chill renewed aches of old bones, it hardened the bones of the young. ¡°do you see it?¡± jurot asked. ¡°see?¡± damrot asked, glancing up at his father, the tip of his nose and his cheeks red like a rose. his innocent eyes blinked up towards the iyrman, whose eyes remained glued to the landscape in front of him, and the boy looked back out at the white world in front of him. ¡°so?¡± ¡°snow,¡± jurot confirmed. ¡°when i was a boy, i would come and sit here, and watch the snow fall. do you see it?¡± ¡°see,¡± the boy replied. ¡°this... is the iyr.¡± jurot hoisted the boy up and placed him upon his lap. ¡°this... is the iyr. it is our home. mine. yours. your mother¡¯s.¡± ¡°mama?¡± damrot asked. ¡°yes. it is now.¡± ¡°so.¡± the boy leaned back against his father¡¯s chest, though his small legs sunk into the snow, his thick boots still too light to sink against it. ¡°baybaybayboo?¡± jurot fixed the boy¡¯s hat, and wrapped an arm around his front. ¡°i do not understand what you said, but know that i listened.¡± ¡°bibi,¡± damrot stated. ¡°bee?¡± damrot looked up at his father, the boy cackling lightly, clapping his hands excitedly. ¡°dada!¡± ¡°are you bullying me?¡± ¡°bi!¡± ¡°i see.¡± jurot reached down to hold his son¡¯s chin, holding his son¡¯s gaze. the boy smiled, but his smile dropped, only to return as he saw his father¡¯s gentle smile. ¡°bibi!¡± the boy¡¯s words remained full of delight, even as the shadow of his father engulfed him, their warm foreheads pressed together. ¡°i know you do not understand my words, but you must know this. i am not as good as adam when it comes to showing my affection, but when it comes to love for you, he can only match me.¡± ¡°dada!¡± jurot had so many things he wished to say to his son, but he understood it was not the right time. he held the boy¡¯s head to his chest, before bringing the dummy to his son¡¯s lip, for a gloved finger was no good. as they embraced so tenderly, jurot wondered if his father had held him like this as a boy during nightval. as nightval continued to pass, the children bullying adam further, all the while he continued to flirt with his wife, the iyr continued to prepare. ¡°will he kill me?¡± ¡°no.¡± ¡°then it¡¯ll be fine,¡± adam said, shrugging his shoulders, as though it were truly that simple. ¡°jurot will make him think twice about doing anything too bad.¡± dunes let out a low sigh. ¡°he will be interested in meeting you...¡± ¡°yeah?¡± adam smiled. ¡°what have you told him?¡± ¡°not enough, and too much.¡± dunes shook his head. ¡°i informed my mentor that i was going to...¡± dunes paused. he blinked. ¡°i forgot to message my mentor that i was alive.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°we should probably go another year,¡± adam joked. dunes chuckled, the pair continuing to drink away at their tea, eating their snacks. ¡®should i switch to a sword?¡¯ adam thought, thinking of his new axe. ¡®if i keep acting up, the rot family and the iyr will be...¡¯ he reached up to scratch his cheek. he glanced aside to his twins, who were playing with their nano from the tam family. his eyes fell to his son, who smiled so adorably. jarot joined in on their morning training, but he also copied his uncle, squatting in such a way that adam couldn¡¯t help but think his son was the cutest. ¡®ooofookurkuh!¡¯ jarot would groan aloud whenever he finished his squats, holding onto his hamstrings. ¡®what am i thinking? i should use an axe...¡¯ adam sipped his tea with a smile. ¡°pahpuh,¡± damrot called, rushing up to adam, his hands swinging wildly as he urged himself forward. ¡°damrot?¡± adam lifted up damrot onto his lap. ¡°what¡¯s the matter?¡± damrot smiled up at adam, before his eyes darted to dunes, his smile quickly dropping. he withdrew to his uncle¡¯s chest shyly, while adam wrapped an arm around him. ¡°how can my son call me papo? am i that terrible of a father?¡± dunes raised his brow, sipping his tea. ¡°you should say something encouraging, manager!¡± adam lifted damrot up with his bicep, planting a firm kiss on his warm forehead. ¡°damrot, you see? he thinks he is a big man now that he survived certain death!¡± ¡°ooo!¡± damrot cooed. ¡°where is your dada?¡± adam asked. ¡°dada...¡± damrot peeked over his shoulder, furrowing his brows. his father had told him to come to see his papo, but he was gone? elder zijin leaned back in his chair, raising his brow at the iyrman. ¡°are you certain?¡± ¡°yes.¡± ¡°...¡± zijin thought for a long moment, his thoughts falling upon jaygak, who continued her intense training. ¡®it may be best for them to go this year.¡¯ ¡°okay.¡± ¡°i am sorry for coming so late.¡± zijin raised a hand, bowing his head lightly, before dismissing the iyrman. ¡®you have all grown so much.¡¯ our adorable iyrmen are all growing up! [1100] – Y05.100 – Leaving [1100] ¨C Y05.100 ¨C Leaving The older Jarot carved into his baked potato, biting into it, tasting the blandness that was the soft, pillowy potato as it melted in his mouth. He reached for his cup of milk, sipping it lightly, his eyes peeking to one side. Little Jarot licked his lips, glancing up towards his greatfather, noticing he had moved on to his cup of milk, so the boy did the same. As the older Jarot poked his potato once more, little Jarot did the same, chewing the meat of the potato slowly, swallowing it quickly, in tiny amounts. ¡°Would you like some butter too, my boy?¡± the crippled Iyrman asked, spreading a tiny sliver of butter within his potato. When little Jarot shook his head, the older Jarot sprinkled the tiniest pinch of salt upon his own potato. ¡°Salt?¡± ¡°Soht?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°I want soht!¡± Jirot called, her brows arching upwards expectantly, the girl puckering her lips. ¡°Of course, my Jirot.¡± The old one armed Iyrman sprinkled a healthy dose of salt for his greatdaughter. ¡°Would you like just a little bit?¡± ¡°Little bit...¡± Adam kept an eye on them from the corner, swallowing his nerves, allowing the old man to test his son¡¯s limits. Jarot picked up the tiniest amount of granules, less than ten individual granules, before sprinkling them across a half of the baked potato. ¡°There. Just a little bit.¡± The boy continued to poke at his potato, eating tiny slivers, about a finger nail¡¯s worth with every bite. Adam reached out now and again to warm the potato using his magic, making sure it didn¡¯t grow too cold, as the boy continued to nibble away at the potato before almost a quarter of it was gone. Once dinner was done, Adam held his twins within his arms, while his eldest trio all curled up around him. ¡°Gosh. Who eats as well as my Jirot and Jarot?¡± Adam rocked from side to side gently, against Kirot and Karot, whose tails swayed to the beat of their father¡¯s joy. ¡°How you can be so lucky, daddy?¡± Jirot joked, cuddling up to her father¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Adam whispered, smiling wider, before rubbing his cheeks against their foreheads, his heart threatening to burst. ¡®I¡¯m definitely the luckiest man in the whole world!¡¯ Little Jarot smiled, sucking his thumb lightly, while his free hand gripped at his father¡¯s shirt, gripping it tight. He did not wish to let his father go in this moment, and deep within his heart, the boy hoped they could stay together forever. As the snow engulfed the Iyr in white, the triplets charged towards their baba, who reached down to tickle their ears with his coarse hand. ¡°This time is is your mother who has brought you?¡± ¡°Daddy still working,¡± Konarot replied, before picking up the small wooden container from her waist, opening it up. ¡°I bring snacks.¡± ¡°What lovely snacks,¡± Tonagek replied, before noting the expectation in her eyes. ¡°May I have one?¡± ¡°Baba, you must eat one,¡± Konarot confirmed. ¡°If I must then I must,¡± Tonagek replied simply, before reaching down to pluck one of the small nutballs, chewing it slowly, feeling the way the ball stuck to his teeth. ¡°It is good. I will pour the tea, you can set the board.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Vonda smiled, watching her eldest daughter play with her baba, meanwhile Danagek and Dagek glanced her way, smiling up at her. She sometimes played with the pair, but they were always so excited to see her since she was their kaza¡¯s wife. ¡°Eeeeeeehuk!¡± Xarot cried, his tears flowing down his face, before his mouth was suddenly occupied, and he slowly sucked the milk out of his aunt¡¯s teet. He stared up at the woman, recognising her, before he relaxed, his eyes half closing. ¡°If your father finds out you cried while I was watching over you, he¡¯ll tease me,¡± Pam said, brushing the boy¡¯s thin hair, before noting his leaf shaped ears. She tickled them gently with her finger tip, and the boy shuddered awake. ¡°Sorry!¡° ¡°Oobooboo!¡± Virot exclaimed, motioning her hand to the snow, as though it had the audacity! ¡°It is too cold?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Ha!¡± Virot continued to point at the snow with her entire hand, the same way her elder sister would. ¡°It is often cold in nightval,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Hu?¡± Virot¡¯s brows raised in alarm, the girl staring up at her uncle, frozen in shock. Her hazel eyes took in the sight of the her uncle, who would sometimes feed her berries, and she turned to face Damrot, who glanced up at his father, smiling slightly. The girl looked down at the snow, and squatted to pick some up, before holding it up to her uncle. ¡°...¡± Jurot accepted the snow, and the pair stared into one another¡¯s eyes expectantly, and Virot¡¯s lips turned into the most wicked smirk, the tiny girl sauntering off, satisfied with her mischief. Damrot blinked at Virot, before cackling lightly, rushing after her, tripping over into the snow, hoisting himself up, following after his cousin with his front and side coated in white. Jurot stared at the snow within his hand, following after the pair. He caught Nirot¡¯s eyes, the young woman¡¯s eyes darting down to the snow within Jurot¡¯s hand, which he had carried for the last ten minutes. ¡°Virot! Damrot!¡± Jirot called out, darting away from Laygak, the girl hugging her younger sibling and cousin. ¡°You are causing trouble for papo?¡± ¡°Oboo.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Jirot said, brushing the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Only a little bit?¡± Adam greeted each of the other children, glancing around for Jaygak and Kitool, then Raygak and Saygak. ¡®Seriously! How could they work this much?¡¯ Adam allowed the Iyr to blind and deafen him as the chariot pulled him away to one side, to a lake he had never seen, before he noted the pair who had been waiting for them. ¡°Who are these strangers?¡± ¡°Still not funny,¡± Jaygak said, shaking his forearm, doing the same for Jurot. ¡°One last time?¡± ¡°One last time,¡± Jurot confirmed, the pair sharing a knowing look. ¡°We can just keep doing this,¡± Adam offered. Jaygak laughed. ¡°You didn¡¯t bring anything magical did you?¡± ¡°The only thing magical is this bracelet,¡± Adam said, revealing the bead bracelet Elsie and her siblings had made for him. ¡°I didn¡¯t even bring my amulet.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jaygak glanced aside to Jurot, Kitool, and then Adam. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure why they couldn¡¯t bring anything magical, but he decided against asking, following Jurot into the lake, alongside Jaygak. They waited knee deep within the lake for a moment, before it began to glow, and Jurot submerged, followed quickly by the other three, and the trio left. As the stars in the night sky twinkled, the brothers clasped forearms. ¡°I should leave soon,¡± Tarot said, the Iyrman smiling sadly. ¡°You should greet them before you go.¡± ¡°I am too weak.¡± ¡°They are your greatchildren too,¡± the old one armed Iyrman grumbled. ¡°I am too weak,¡± Tarot repeated, smiling sadly. ¡°I am glad they are... Iyrmen now.¡± ¡°They have always been Iyrmen,¡± Jarot stated firmly. Tarot slowly nodded his head, but he could feel the chill within his heart. ¡°They will be raised without me.¡± ¡°You asked for a child to be named after you, so return quickly, you brat!¡± Jarot growled. Tarot chuckled, sipping the rest of his tea. He waited, for there was still some time left for him to speak with his brother. ¡°Diamond?¡± ¡°Diamond! With a brother who wishes to claim Diamond within the Guild, how could he not reach such a height?¡± Jarot howled with laughter. ¡°Is our family growing too strong?¡± ¡°We must. Our family has those many wish to kill.¡± ¡°The Iyr may not allow it.¡± ¡°They must.¡± ¡°Let us hope.¡± ¡°Hope?¡± Jarot inhaled deeply, narrowing his eyes. ¡°There is no doubt.¡± Tarot nodded affirmatively. He swallowed, feeling his eyes well. ¡°I was gifted the chance to become a Grandmaster, but I could not help my greatchildren.¡± ¡°Let us hope you will never have to.¡± Jarot poured his brother one last cup of wine, the pair raising their cups, before sipping their wine. ¡°You should see them.¡± Tarot smiled slightly, seeing as how his brother was pressing the matter. ¡°I will not see them before I am strong enough to take them from you.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I must?¡± Tarot replied, his voice light, and their laughter fell into the darkness of the last night of nightval. Then it came. The Twilight Month. It was not just any Twilight, however. He''s always working! Interlude: Arrival Interlude: Arrival ¡°Pizza?¡± little Jarot asked. ¡°Pizza?¡± Jirot replied, placing a hand on her brother¡¯s back, rubbing it gently. ¡°You want pizza?¡± ¡°I want pizza...¡± ¡°I get some pizza.¡± ¡°I want daddy¡¯s pizza...¡± ¡°Daddy is gone.¡± Little Jarot pouted, but gave in to his sister¡¯s hand as she brushed along the top of his head. Jirot, noticing how her brother¡¯s ears drooped, wrapped her arms around him and kissed his forehead, brushing his hair back tenderly. ¡°When daddy come back, I tell him to make pizza,¡± Jirot promised, nuzzling her brother¡¯s nose. ¡®You smelly daddy!¡¯ Jirot gasped, glancing aside, her heart thundering in her chest. ¡°I did not say it! I did not!¡± Vonda glanced towards her daughter, tilting her daughter. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°I did not say it, mummy!¡± ¡°What did you not say?¡± ¡°I did not say it...¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°Okay,¡± Vonda replied, reaching out a hand, allowing the girl to rush to her, so they could embrace. Vonda smiled, lifting the pair up, holding them so close. ¡®Silly daddy! You come back soon!¡¯ It was not the terror of the little Jirot the half elf needed to worry about upon his return. Eastward, the heavily armoured figures rode upon their steeds, the forest surrounding them on all sides. The gentle rain fell upon their armour, a melody that accompanied their thoughts. The leading figure wore full plate, while the others wore heavy chain over their thick clothing. Upon their shoulders the blue that represented the East, while the symbols upon their back revealed their affiliation, and was perhaps their greatest defence against almost all foes. His blade had never felt so light within his hands. It charged him with a speed that betrayed his size, but Stonesword waited patiently, the rain slipping between the gaps of his visors. He held his blade with both hands tight, readying himself, before finally the silence gaze way to the ringing of stone against steel, and steel against steel. Stonesword pushed through his limits as he clashed with the creature, striking true several times, while it bore upon him with a heavy blade. As they clashed, Stonesword stepped forward, managing to gain the upper hand. His blade moved through the air like lightning, and the weight of the blade struck like thunder. He forced the creature back, but even as he grunted and panted for air, it did not utter a single noise. Even as Stonesword struck harshly against its body, or its armour, or whatever it was, it remained silent. ¡°Hwa!¡± Stonesword grunted as its blade through against his front, the blow striking deep within the Marshal. The pair continued to clash, Stonesword¡¯s muscles burning with effort, and he noticed it began to slow, and now, he could hear it. The ragged breathing. Stonesword inhaled deeply, battering it with all his might, as though he were wielding, not a blade but a club. The Marshal roared with effort, feeling the ache within his muscles, the bruises pulsing all over his body. Their shaking blades continued to crash against their opponent¡¯s weapon and body, trying to slay the other. A final burst of a roar filled the air, not just the roar of a desperate man, but another, of a beast facing death. Stonesword stepped back away from the creature, glaring at it, his grip loosening on his blade. He glanced down to his side, where the blade had cut through his armour. Liquid sanguine dropped onto the stone, washed away by the rain. Stonesword¡¯s legs grew heavy but he remained standing, gripping his blade tight in hand, and as it approached him, he swung it, but it stepped aside, and the Marshal fell. ¡°Ah. Grah. Tchah.¡± He panted, groaning out, trying to force himself to stand, pushing against the stone floor, as a shadow swallowed him. He grunted out in pain again, the Marshal rolling onto his back, staring his death in the face. ¡°Lord So-,¡± Thus the Marshal was silenced forever. The Reaver inhaled sharply, smelling the sweet smell of blood within the air, feeling the ache within its body. Was there anything greater than the art of death? It looked down at the blade made of stone. A low growl of disappointment filled its core, before it turned, glaring at where the guards had fled. It slunk back into the forest, leaving the still form of the Marshal behind, the blood soaking the stone, washing away into the mud. The hunt had begun. Stonesword was so close.No?v(el)B\\jnn [1100.1] – Y05.100.1 – The Realms Beyond I [1100.1] ¨C Y05.100.1 ¨C The Realms Beyond I WARNING: I did not read through or edit this at all. It is a massive chapter and I am currently too sleep deprived. The same is said for the next few chapters Y05 is done. Thank you for your understanding. I would say this content is optional, but I highly recommend reading it because... you''ll see. Adam gasped as he emerged from the lake, clasping at the nearby bank as he crawled onto soft, sweet land. ¡°Why does it always have to be in water?¡± Adam asked, rolling over to the side, panting for air. His eyes fell upwards, towards the grey peaks which threatened the heavens. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°It is a world we use for training,¡± Jurot said, glancing around. ¡°I have wished to train within this world since I was a man. Now that we are near Masters, we are able to train here.¡± ¡°How long?¡± Adam asked, spotting the greenery around them. They were in a small alcove, as Adam had become accustomed to. ¡°One year. Longer, if we wish. Each season is a week. We may remain longer, if we wish.¡± Adam groaned quietly, before following Jurot and Kitool through the nearby cave, which swallowed them with darkness. Adam checked his abilities, noting they were all there, though much of his magic seemed faint, for he did not have his book, or his amulet. ¡°You should be wary of casting Third Gate spells or higher for now,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°Alright.¡± As the group made their way out of the tunnel system, they followed the rough terrain of the mountains, before coming across a road as they stood over the edge of a cliff. Athletics (Strength) D20 + 8 = 21 (13) 21! Adam landed with a grunt, rolling over as his chain armour jangled, before he hopped onto his feet. They followed the road for a few hours, before coming across a small village, holding a hundred or two people at most, dispersed among a dozen or so longhouses. The Chief, an older man wearing a leather shirt, narrowed his eyes at the approaching folk, but upon seeing the tattoos, he nodded. ¡°Which village is this?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Three Star.¡± ¡°The nearest city?¡± ¡°Kozovi. A week to the East.¡± ¡°What happened to Mavi?¡± ¡°Lost in the war. Burnt down by the Shogur. Terrifying peoples they were. Their Warking died, though, and they retreated a year ago. They have yet to return. Who is this one?¡± ¡°My brother.¡± The Chief noted Adam¡¯s lack of tattoos, but nodded. ¡°Is there work?¡± ¡°Bears.¡± ¡°Okay. We will stay and the night and deal with them in the-,¡± As expected, the horns blared, and Jurot glanced aside towards where he heard the horns. Victory! XP +100 XP: 19 500 -> 19 600 Lay on Hands: 40 -> 35 Adam¡¯s warmth filled the young woman, who watched as her wounds knitted together. She stared up at him in shock, and for a moment, Adam wondered if he had made a mistake, but as he glanced to his brother, he didn¡¯t seem to acknowledge the magic. ¡°You may keep the bears,¡± Jurot offered, cleaning his axe, having dealt with one bear mostly by himself, while Jaygak and Kitool had easily dispatched the other. Adam had barely punched Jurot¡¯s bear, and had left his brother to have his fun. ¡°Thank yous.¡± ¡°We need copper and silver for the road.¡± ¡°I can fill a pouch.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The next morning, the group made their way out, following along the mountain path. Omen: 5, 10 ¡®Bell?¡¯ [Yes?] ¡®Will my Omens here affect my children?¡¯ [No.] Adam smiled. ¡°We headed east, then?¡± ¡°North.¡±No?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Wyverns.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam stopped. ¡°You mean there¡¯s wyverns in the north?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought you meant, I just wanted to be sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°Can you summon your warhorse?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t have my...¡± Adam paused, checking his spells. ¡°Oh.¡± Mana: 25 -> 23 Adam chanted the words to his spell, motioning with his hands, and summoned forth Zeus, who took the form of a warhorse. ¡°Hey, Zeus.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Let me sit up front,¡± Jaygak said, climbing on top of the warhorse, before Adam hopped onto him, sitting behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll remind you, I¡¯m married.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remind you, you don¡¯t have horns.¡± Adam chuckled, Zeus trotting along the road, following Jurot and Kitool¡¯s speed, rather than Jaygak and Adam¡¯s. During their breaks, eating the bits of fruit and cooking the critters Jurot managed to catch, the Iyrman whittled away at the wood. ¡°So what have you been up to anyway?¡± Adam asked, nibbling on the sour fruit. ¡°Kitool I see now and again, but you? You all but disappeared.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working,¡± Jaygak replied, spinning the spit as she roasted the poor creature. ¡°Working?¡± ¡°Working.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Jurot blew on the symbol, offering it to Adam. ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°My, my, my. A gift for me? Wasn¡¯t yesterday technically our birthday, if it was the first of the first?¡± ¡°You may use it for a holy symbol,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t- oh.¡± Adam felt how heavy the wooden symbol was, then turned it over, noticing the silver the wood clung to. ¡°That should do it.¡± ¡°Adam...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, noting the tone in Jurot¡¯s voice. Jurot¡¯s jaw tensed up. ¡®I cannot say it.¡¯ ¡°We should be careful.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam replied, noting Jurot had thought better of saying what he truly felt. ¡®How can I ask him to buy slaves?¡¯ As the week passed, they found an alarming lack of wyverns, but plenty of wolves. As they rode to the small stone walled town, Jaygak and Adam sat upon piles of wolf skins. The half elf noticed the town was smaller than even the village from the other world, with this town, though fairly developed, numbering perhaps a few thousand strong. Jurot held out one of the few silvers he had for the guard. ¡°Weapons sheathed,¡± the guard warned. ¡°Don¡¯t act a hero here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, bowing his head. They stabled their warhorse at the side of the inn, Jurot holding out a silver to the stable girl, who tipped her hat towards the Iyrman, before coaxing the magical steed to a pile of oats and a bucket of water. As they stepped within the inn, the warmth blasted Adam, who almost melted. ¡°For the love of all the Divine, please tell me there¡¯s a bathhouse nearby.¡± ¡°Three corners to the left,¡± the innkeeper called, the man nodding his head. He wore fairly simple attire, but it was the suspicion in his eyes at these heavily armoured strangers that stepped in. He noted the rags upon their foreheads, wondering if that was their trademark. ¡°You mercs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You any strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Baronness is lookin¡¯ for mercs. How strong are you?¡± ¡°You can follow us and see.¡± The innkeeper nodded, tossing his towel over his shoulder, motioning his head. He stepped out, grabbing a crossbow, the dagger at his side much larger than a typical blade. He led the group to an impressive estate, for a small town. It was smaller than an extended family estate, though the walls were greater, and the towers formed a grand defence. The Baronness eyed up the four as they approached. She was short, her face marked by wrinkles, her hair as white as snow. She noted the four before her. One adorned in chain mail, one in full plate, and two without armour, but were no doubt the kind that were quick and nimble, and perhaps, savage. Adam glanced towards the nearby guards, four in chain who stood at the attention with spears in hand, the fifth in full plate, a large sword hanging at his hip. ¡°If you are to come under my coinage, there is a matter of bandits.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The Baroness narrowed her eyes. ¡°We will complete this matter,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Is there a reward?¡± ¡°A hundred gold coins upon the end of the matter,¡± the Baroness assured. ¡°We will set out in the morning,¡± Kitool said, before the group were dismissed. ¡°I think we should let Kitool do the talking,¡± Adam said. ¡°You do not with to speak?¡± Kitool asked. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like dying.¡± ¡°My son is growing up,¡± Jaygak whispered. Adam threw her a look, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Watch it, missy. You¡¯re on thin ice.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Omen: 12, 15 The next morning, Kitool and Jurot led them through the nearby woods, skirting around traps they spotted, before coming across a rock that was covered in vines across one face. Kitool nodded to Jurot, who gripped his axe, and as Kitool flicked open the vines, Jurot charged in, Kitool following swiftly within. They had leapt in silently, before a yelp brought Adam and Jaygak¡¯s attention, and they charged in to find Jurot and Kitool in the middle of a melee with almost a dozen figures. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 9 = 23 (14) D20 + 9 = 26 (17) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 7 = 11 (2)(2) 11 damage! Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 9 = 23 (12) D20 + 9 = 26 (16) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 7 = 14 (5)(2) 14 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 9 = 23 (4) D20 + 9 = 26 (18) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 7 = 9 (1)(1) 9 damage! Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage)(Flanking) D20 + 9 = 27 (18) D20 + 9 = 28 (19) Critical Hit! 2D6 + 2D3 + 7 = 20 (8)(5) 20 damage! ¡°That was quick,¡± the Baroness said, her eyes peering at the four who had dragged along the ten bandits, each tied by the rope, with the four ready to beat them. Kitool had already made an example of one who had tried to slip away, darting after her and beating her senseless, causing another to carry her. ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Adam muttered to himself, having beaten four of them himself with a single blow each. ¡®I forget how weak people are sometimes...¡¯ The feast before them revealed the Baroness¡¯ favour, the ale bland, the chicken supple, the fruits juicy. Adam ate slowly, savouring each bite, hoping to take a few for his evening bath. ¡°I can only appreciate wine,¡± the Baroness said, smiling towards the four. Adam threw Jurot a look, and as he opened his mouth, he noted Jaygak¡¯s raised brows, and the smirk upon her face. He frowned. ¡®You know what? I¡¯ll think twice about saying it.¡¯ Jaygak¡¯s smirk grew. ¡°Now that you have proved yourself, there is another heavy purse of gold. There are small skirmishes upon the border with the various savagekin. You will assist for a month, your pay the sum of two hundred gold for your little group.¡± ¡°We would like a letter of recommendation,¡± Kitool said. ¡°If you complete your task in a satisfactory manner. You may sleep within the barracks, and you shall leave in the morning to the outpost.¡± ¡®Gotta let her think she¡¯s important for the letter,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®The sheer gall of a Baroness thinking we aren¡¯t close to royalty. The gall, I say!¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t chuckle like that,¡± Jaygak said, cringing upon seeing his smile. ¡°Bring to me your strongest,¡± he called, his voice low, calm, and filled with a quietness that unsettled the noblemen. ¡°A wicked beast,¡± one of the twins whispered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t know its place,¡± the other added. Adam inhaled sharply. He glanced aside towards Jurot. ¡°What?¡± ¡°He has asked for our strongest.¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He¡¯s talking about you.¡± ¡°You are stronger.¡± ¡°Most of my strength comes from my magical items, and...¡± Adam shook his shoulders, his armour jangling. ¡°I don¡¯t even have plate. You? You¡¯re strong because you¡¯re you.¡± Jurot¡¯s ears turned red slightly, but he stepped forward, donning his shield, and hoisting up his axe. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°Jurah. I am Ka¡¯al.¡± ¡°Ka¡¯al.¡± Jurot bowed his head. ¡°You are the strongest?¡± ¡°I am one of four who can face you.¡± ¡°Who are the others?¡± ¡°Adam, Jaygak, and Kitool.¡± ¡°You may send them to face me too,¡± Ka¡¯al said before a beastkin barked. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Ah. You are the one who defeated some of ours yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They say there was a force of four who had defeated half the army.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I have not heard of such a thing happening in this generation. You seem... young?¡± ¡°I am twenty three.¡± ¡°How did you become so powerful?¡± ¡°I have fought a lot.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I am almost twenty four.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Ka¡¯al drew the greatsword, readying himself to fight. He inhaled deeply, grumbling a prayer to himself, seeing as how Jurot was waiting. ¡®Finally. A true warrior.¡¯ Jurot could feel it. His opponent wasn¡¯t a nobody. He was strong, that much was for certain. He was stronger than the beastkin he fought yesterday, and stronger than any of the others they had met in this world. ¡®Bully Guy is going to lose,¡¯ Adam thought. The pair fought recklessly, and while the bullkin¡¯s axe was mightier than Jurot¡¯s smaller axe, Adam understood just how powerful it was to have a brother like Jurot. Jurot was nimbler than the bullkin, but he was also tougher. Then, of course, there was the shield. Though it was a simple enough shield, a simple shield was often times the difference between life and death. Even Adam, when he wielded his axe in both hands, only dealt one additional point of damage, in exchange for two points in his Defence. The two points in his Defence was just enough to denote which person was going to live or die. Except, Jurot wasn¡¯t just anyone with a shield. Jurot was nimble, far more nimble than the average guy. He was also tougher than the average guy. Except, for a Rage Dancer, both of these together formed their Defence. Adam¡¯s Defence was 16 from his armour, 17 from Defence, 18 from his magic, and 20 with his shield. Jurot¡¯s Defence almost matched his own, 18 or 19, though he wore no chain, like Adam, and did not enhance it through magic. Jurot¡¯s Defence was that high because he was a Rage Dancer, and he was crazy strong. Unarmed, unarmoured, Jurot was the second most terrifying figure within the group, perhaps in some ways, he was the most terrifying figure. However, Adam hadn¡¯t expected that. As the pair fought, Adam realised why he had thought so soon. Though Jurot and the bullkin fought with great passion, Ka¡¯al was not fighting like Jurot. The greataxe sometimes missed Jurot, but every time it struck, it struck with twice the force of Jurot¡¯s own blows. He fought as viciously as Amokan, who always threw caution to the wind, and used his blade to bisect his opponents. ¡®Come on, Jurot.¡¯ Adam bit his lower lip, regretting not going ahead. With his Shield spell, he could increase his Defence to 24, meaning the bullkin would need a Critical Hit, a one in ten chance considering the way he fought. His smites would have also quickened the battle, but Jurot? Jurot fought not with magic, but by something even greater. Rot. One of the greatest weaknesses of the Rot family was that, against other Rage Dancers, they did not possess anything special. Their abilities were great against other warriors, but more importantly, Oathsworn, who could still bypass the resistances of most Rage Dancers, save the Rot family¡¯s way of dancing. ¡®If I had gone first...¡¯ Kitool was fairly certain she could have won if she had managed to go first and stunned the bullkin in place. If she hadn¡¯t, then she would have fallen quickly, since she was not as tough as her companions. Meanwhile, Jaygak was under no illusions, for she understood she wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle the bullkin. The only time she truly thrived was against magical foes when they were unable to use magic, in the dark, in complete blackness, and, wherever there was fire. Though she was watching the fight, her mind wandered. She thought of her younger brother, who had so excitedly held Stormdrake. She thought of Taygak, who had given up Bloodseeker to Enisa. Then she thought of Kavgak and Maygak, each who were still so small. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s Fate,¡¯ Zijin had said. ¡®What?¡¯ Jaygak replied. ¡®You... retired.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ Zijin stared at the wine before him. ¡®It was always my biggest regret, that I was unable to help the Gak family. In the last couple of years, I thought if I could help Taygak, she could inspire Raygak, and he would have a fair chance in becoming a Master. I always thought Raygak held the most potential when it came to his generation of Gak children. I am certain that when Taygak leaves, she will do well, but she will stop, like you, for Raygak. I thought, for the last few years, Raygak would be the one to raise your family¡¯s name...¡¯ Jaygak recalled it, the smile on Zijin¡¯s face. It was not the smile of trouble, like her niece¡¯s smiles, nor was it a smile of joy, as one might have expected. It was the smile of hope. ¡®In twenty years, when my hair and bears are white, when perhaps your hair will whiten from the stress, we will see it.¡¯ ¡®See... what?¡¯ Zijin smiled, pushing his personal notebook in front of the young girl. It was a book only meant for Elders. Jaygak had tentatively reached for it, and there she saw it. Four names. Kavgak. Maygak. Tavgak. Faygak. Jaygak had read the notes in the Elder¡¯s handwriting, each letter written with care, each word thoughtfully constructed. Then came the recommendations. ¡®Will they allow it?¡¯ ¡®That is for my successor to worry about,¡¯ Zijin joked, for he had done all he could to pave the way for the Gak family. Jaygak hadn¡¯t been blind to it. She had seen Kavgak lead the four year olds. She had seen the way not even Maygak relented to her elder sister when it came to her sweets. She had seen the way Tavgak played so graciously with the children. She had seen Faygak, though so shy and sweet, refuse to surrender her toys with her grip, even to the likes of Taygak. The four letter word known as hope had been buried deep within, for all she could do was have faith that the children would grow well. They would need an Elder who would push them forward, and the Iyr to do what was expected of it, and they needed another four letter word. Fate? Luck? Jaygak¡¯s eyes fell to the figure beside her, who tapped his bicep lightly, the gentle jingling of chain sounding like the gentle rain. Adam let out a relieved sigh as the bullkin dropped to a knee, causing the beastkin to fall silent. Their hollering almost inspired a win, but their leader had been unable to bury the wall known as Jurot. Just like that. Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: 20 800 -> 21 100 Due to the appearance of four figures, the borders had been secured, by the clashing of armies, and by the clashing of two monsters. The beastkin retreated, and for the next month, they remained in the shadows. Though the armies were sent out, the beastkin were nowhere to be seen, or rather, some were seen, and upon seeing one of the four figures, they returned to the shadows. Quest Complete: Noble Duties XP Gained: +200 XP: 21 300 -> 21 500 ¡°What of the letter of recommendation?¡± Kitool asked, accepting the pouches full of gold and silver. ¡°That requires some time,¡± the Baroness replied simply. ¡°Do we need a recommendation?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is useful to have.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s at least go back to working with royalty. I mean, no offence to your good self, Baroness, but our circle is usually a little more... prestigious, back where we¡¯re from. We should have gotten a letter of recommendation from our friend if it was going to be a big deal, but hey ho, that¡¯s life. Come on. Let¡¯s head out before they accuse of something and we have to burn down another castle for causing trouble.¡± ¡°Why do we always have to burn down their castles?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°It looks back upon some of us more than others.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it works. They accuse us of something, I get mad, then we end up killing them all, taking our recompense, then leaving. It¡¯ll be up to their ruler to put in another noble family that knows its place, not ours. If the ruler has a problem, then, well, I mean... we¡¯ve probably killed more Kings than we¡¯ve put onto a throne, right?¡± ¡°That happened so far away, they probably haven¡¯t heard of it,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°Not my fault they couldn¡¯t see how strong we were while holding back against the beastkin. If they want to get rid of us, they¡¯ll need two hundred soldiers to protect their lands, and more to kill us. She¡¯s smart enough to know that, aren¡¯t you, Baroness?¡± Baroness Fyrtwick blinked, glancing towards her eldest son, who returned a confused look. ¡°Look, you¡¯ve confused them. They think you¡¯re making it up.¡± ¡°Once she accuses us of something, we can just show her.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to wait?¡± ¡°Well, obviously. I¡¯m a civilised man, I wait to defend myself rather than, you know... whatever they do here.¡± Adam waves his hand dismissively. ¡°I mean, look, they haven¡¯t even gotten rid of slavery. What else do you expect from such a... folk.¡± ¡°Are you going to mess with these people too.¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don¡¯t call them people, that¡¯s... that¡¯s offensive. I mean... sure, they have... rhythms. Customs. Very, tiny castles, and...¡± Adam eyed up their attire, ¡°colourful rags. Just because someone has decent armour or weaponry, does not allow them to sit at our table.¡± Jaygak glared at Adam, who glared at her in return, and before either of them could break, Jurot and Kitool escorted them out. ¡°I really appreciate that,¡± Adam said, fist bumping Jaygak. ¡°I really, really needed that.¡± ¡°It felt refreshing to me too,¡± Jaygak admitted. ¡°I¡¯m almost impressed by how noble you could act.¡± ¡°No one could it better than Greyland,¡± Adam said, almost too proudly. ¡°Should we wait for them to arrest us? I can drop a Fireball or two and we can head out.¡± Almost like clockwork, the knight and four guards appeared, staring at the four, two of whom remained straight faced, while the other two beamed from behind their helmets. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t burn down the castle, the commonfolk could probably use it,¡¯ Adam thought, already preparing to cast his magic. ¡®Why did they bring only four though?¡¯ As they rode away to the next city, Adam sighed. ¡°I feel almost like a thief.¡± ¡°Do thieves usually gain an additional hundred gold for threatening a noble¡¯s life?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I guess not. Plus, if I¡¯m stealing from a thief, is it really theft?¡± ¡°Are they thieves?¡± ¡°The root of nobility is theft, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I thought it was murder they call killing?¡± ¡°Yes, but also theft.¡± Jaygak narrowed her eyes. ¡°Think about how the Aldish-,¡± ¡°You really are smart.¡± Adam smiled, all the while sitting while facing the back of the road, the least romantic way of riding. ¡°Do you think Vonda makes exceptions for nobles?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°This is the problem with having such a perfect wife. I need to be better to meet her expectations.¡± ¡®Do you feel that bad?¡¯ Jaygak thought. ¡®Should I pick a fight with nobles?¡¯ Jurot thought, wondering how he should cheer his brother up. ¡®We should adopt a few children,¡¯ Kitool thought, who was no doubt the wisest of them all. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call them Fartwick?¡± ¡°I do have some class, Jaygak.¡± What? Intelligent nobles? In my story? [1100.2] – Y05.100.2 – The Realms Beyond II [1100.2] ¨C Y05.100.2 ¨C The Realms Beyond II PART TWO ¡®Man, it feels like my first year in Red Oak,¡¯ Adam thought as he finished writing the paper, who probably wouldn¡¯t pass the general lore of the world, but he had done his best with what the trio had taught him since they had arrived. However, the numbers section, which dealt mostly with questions about taxes, fees, and expenses, was reminiscent of his questions from when he was a boy. ¡°You know, there really are people out there buying fifty seven oranges, and then replacing them with apples, at a price of three pence more for each apple, but using a budget of a tenner, and then calculating the leftover amount.¡± Jaygak panted for air as she dropped the stone, gasping before staring at the half elf, who slowly placed down his own stone. ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is why I¡¯m Churot¡¯s favourite cousin.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not even Churot¡¯s tenth favourite.¡± ¡°Who comes before me?¡± ¡°Gurot and all the others.¡± ¡°Of course, since our Churot is so smart.¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you fresh sheaths to be so good,¡± the adventurer said, wearing a simple breastplate, as well as lighter chain, a blade at his side. He was slightly tan, from working outdoors, and across his cheek was a long scar, from a dagger that had almost killed him, but he had caught between his now chipped teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll test to see if you¡¯re any good with your weapons, or if they¡¯re just for show.¡± He eyed up Jaygak, who was probably just some noble lass who had a wealthy family, while the rest were her retainers. ¡°I¡¯ll start with you first, big man in the chain.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 7 (6) Health: 112 -> 90 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 90 -> 95 Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) D20 + 8 = 12 (4) Miss! Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage) D20 + 8 = 20 (12) D20 + 8 = 23 (15) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 7 = 12 (4)(1) 12 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage) D20 + 8 = 9 (1) D20 + 8 = 16 (8) Miss! Attack: Battleaxe (Advantage) D20 + 8 = 20 (12) D20 + 8 = 26 (18) Hit! 1D6 + 1D3 + 7 = 14 (5)(2) 14 damage! Adam winced as his opponent managed to press him back, striking against his pit, though thankfully his armour bore most of the brunt. He inhaled sharply, swiping his axe wildly, and pushed himself past his limits, managing to strike two well placed blows. ¡°Oh!¡± Barry¡¯s eyes grew wide, taking a moment to gather himself. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You¡¯re C Rank already?¡± ¡°Am I?¡± Adam asked. ¡®Just what kind of place do they come from?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re at least as strong as I am.¡± Barry didn¡¯t want to admit that Adam was certainly much stronger than himself. ¡®Does that mean we¡¯re B Rank?¡¯ Adam thought, having held back to not embarrass Barry, since he had treated them politely so far. ¡°Jurot, was it? Come on up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Barry began to sweat, feeling the throbbing within his axe, not realising Jurot was equally as strong as Adam. ¡®Ah, he¡¯s a Barb? I should have expected.¡¯ ¡°I need to call Tim.¡± Tim appeared, the dust haired fellow with pale skin, and eyes that were dark, not quite black, but a dark grey. ¡°These guys are C Rank at least,¡± Barry whispered. ¡°B Rank, probably.¡± ¡°Seriously? They look like kids.¡± ¡°They¡¯re twenty three.¡± ¡°Babes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling ya, they¡¯re not nobodies. I think they¡¯re some nobles from a distant land, probably spend all their time in war. Test out the girls, I need to put some ice on my arm.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± ¡°That bad.¡± Tim eyed up the pair. ¡°Alright, you, with the staff.¡± He motioned Kitool closer with his sword. It was only after coming face to face with the terror known as Kitool that Tim understood what Barry was talking about. ¡®Save me some ice.¡¯ ¡°It was my honour,¡± Kitool said, retreating beside Jurot. She frowned, annoyed she had only managed to strike only one good blow with her four attacks, but they had all promised to hold back now that they were in the larger city. ¡®Oops,¡¯ Jaygak through, having struck true, and pushed through her limits temporarily to strike him thrice with heavy blows. ¡°Well done,¡± Tim said, flexing his muscles, wincing slightly. ¡°You¡¯ve definitely earned the E Rank title, but we¡¯ll see what we can do for you to earn the D Rank title quickly.¡± ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Adam beamed towards the adventurer, whose heart grew weary from having to deal with mysterious foreigners who completely shocked the entire land. ¡®I¡¯d only have two coppers, but it¡¯s weird it¡¯s happened twice...¡¯ Tim went to go put some ice on his side, where both Kitool and Jaygak had struck, as though his side had offended them somehow. Barry quickly signed them tasks to deal with their quests. They needed to complete seven to become official adventurers. It started with rats in a basement, which the figure in chain was particularly excited about. ¡®Classic!¡¯ Adam had exclaimed. Then wolves, bears, and other such beasts nearby that had been giving them trouble. They should have completed menial tasks, but Barry understood they were much better utilised actually fighting. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, surprised at the large pouch before them. ¡°We¡¯re not meant to pay you for these quests, but...¡± Barry smiled politely. ¡°Since you helped the merchant out with a bind, she decided to add some gold and silver, and...¡± ¡®And I don¡¯t want to die if you feel offended.¡¯ Adam stared down at his name, etched within the slab of iron, as well as the ranking on the opposite side, a giant E. ¡°E Rank...¡± Adam looked to Jurot. ¡°This feels so cool.¡± ¡°It is like Iron Rank from the Guild.¡± ¡°Yeah, but... it¡¯s like those...¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°I read a lot about these kinds of stories.¡± ¡®These guys, they really killed a cave bear like it was nothing!¡¯ Barry¡¯s sweat dripped down the side of his forehead, not realising just what kind of monsters he was dealing with. ¡°So you¡¯re the newcomers everyone has been shouting about,¡± she called. She wore full plate, with a greatsword upon her back. Her hair, sun kissed, her eyes like the ocean, and the scars across her face faint, like forgotten memories. ¡°Are you the Guild Master?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m Zephrine, the Guild Master of this city.¡± ¡°I hear you¡¯re A Rank,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Jurot, you want to face her, right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, flexing his muscles. ¡°Will you fight?¡± ¡°...¡± Zephrine glanced aside to Barry, who nodded his head, and the woman led Jurot to the field outside the building, the stone wall keeping prying eyes away from them. ¡°Hey,¡± Adam called. ¡°Ten gold on my brother.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Barry replied. ¡®Vicious Sword, you need to teach these kids the terror that is the world.¡¯ Jurot inhaled deeply, feeling the pressure from the woman. ¡®She is at least a Master.¡¯ They remained silent and still. Jurot had taken a few blows earlier in the day, but he had regained his strength after a rest. He had still danced once, but he had another ready, so he could still fight at full strength against her. The clash of steel rang through the air. Barry watched in amazement as the young man held his own against Vicious Sword, who was A Rank. If she had continued a decade ago, she would have been an S Rank for certain. Yet, somehow, the A Rank adventurer, who continued taking quests now and again, to slay all manner of unimaginable creatures, was being matched by the young man whose body was red as fire. She could see it again, the explosion of blood. It replayed within her mind as she saw them fight. Kitool closed her eyes, recalling the way her grandaunt stood above the Platinum Shield. It was the way of the Ool family, the pinnacle of their ability, just like the Fev family. However, she could no longer carry such a torch. She, who had given herself to the Iyr in a particular way. Now, her fists were full of Baktu¡¯s will. When she had fought against the soldiers, she had felt it. Baktu¡¯s sweet affection after beating a creature down, the strength that filled her body, the taste of iron upon her tongue. It was different. Jurot, however, fought in the way of the Rot family. He would always fight in the way of the Rot family. Even if it was more beneficial to fight in the way of the Jin or Kan families, Jurot could not let go of the path that his father had followed. So even now, even as the warrior before Jurot rained down steel upon him, and the Rot family way had no special ability to assist him against his opponent, Jurot fought with the pride of his family upon his chest. ¡®Should I have followed my family¡¯s way?¡¯ Kitool thought, though she could no longer regret it. ¡°You¡¯re strong,¡± Vicious Sword finally said, stepping back, her forearms burning, her blade shaking slightly. ¡°Thank you,¡± Jurot replied, feeling the burn in his body, before his body turned tan, and he cooled off into the air. ¡®Who is this kid?¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +500 XP: 22 500 -> 23 000 ¡°Ten gold,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°...¡± Barry didn¡¯t want to say that technically Jurot didn¡¯t win, slipping the half elf ten gold pieces. ¡°You all must be... B Rank, maybe A.¡± Barry raised his brows in alarm, the gold dropping out of his hands, clinking upon the floor. ¡®A?¡¯ ¡°B is good enough for me,¡± Jaygak said, smiling. ¡°You are slightly weaker than the Guild Master,¡± Jurot said. ¡°B Rank,¡± Jaygak confirmed. ¡°I feel bad if you compare yourselves to me...¡± Zephrine frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad,¡± Adam reassured. ¡°These three were raised to become monsters.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from your mouth, Adam!¡± Adam cackled lightly, just like his twins, smirking wide at their horny kako. ¡°I will upgrade you all to C Rank, but that¡¯s as much as I can do,¡± Zephrine said, still feeling the ache within her arms. ¡°You should head to Pitcastle. This place, it¡¯s way too small for you.¡± Quest Complete XP Gained: +300 XP: 23 000 -> 23 300 Adam stared down at the new plaque, forged of similar iron, but this time with bits of silver, the giant C far more detailed than the E. ¡®What a nice plaque.¡¯ ¡°Are you sure you should increase their rank so quickly?¡± Barry asked in the late evening, noting how tired the Guild Master was after all that paperwork. ¡°Once they reach the capital, they¡¯ll understand how big the world truly is. They probably have never met anyone that¡¯s S Rank.¡± Zephrine wondered if she should have stopped at A Rank. ¡®The gap between A and S is so wide...¡¯ The group left the next day, after procuring a set of saddlebags, and a saddle, heading along the Emperor¡¯s Road. The capital of Pitcastle was along the road, though they heard the journey was going to take at least a month. ¡®We should farm some more XP.¡¯ As they travelled, they came across many beasts they dispatched, and many travellers. A scream had alerted Adam, who had managed to save the child who had dropped down the cliff with his Feather Fall spell. Once he had seen the cliffs along the road, he had changed into the spell, but believed he wouldn¡¯t need it. ¡®Seriously? Saving a kid using a spell that I just switched to? It¡¯s like it was written just for me.¡¯ It was half way through their journey, overlooking from the mountain to the forest all around them, that Kitool sat beside the half elf. ¡°You have not spoken of your children in some time.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°They are safe in the Iyr.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know much, but I know at least that much,¡± Adam replied, smirking towards Kitool. Kitool bowed her head, though she knew Adam only pretended to be stupid. ¡°Hey, Kitool?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If anything happens to me, will you watch over them too? If Jurot watches over them, they¡¯ll grow up tough. If Jaygak watches over them, they¡¯ll grow up with a proper sense of humour. Vonda, she¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re wise. You? You¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re bad ass.¡± ¡°Bad ass?¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Kitool slowly bowed her head. ¡°You did not need to ask.¡± ¡°I know, but...¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Will you treat my children like how you treat Jurot¡¯s?¡± ¡°If you want me to.¡± ¡°I do not know how to show such affection.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen you with Katool. You can.¡± ¡°Jurot finds it difficult, but so do I.¡± ¡°Firstly, how can we even say that it¡¯s difficult for Jurot? Damrot was born, and the first thing he said to me was let¡¯s go win a tournament. If that isn¡¯t affection, what is?¡± ¡°I am unable to do the same.¡± ¡°You can, you do, and they see it. Everyone has their own way of showing it, but they all can see it.¡± ¡°I wish to give myself to the Iyr,¡± Kitool stated, staring down at the bowl. ¡°I will not have much time for them.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Will you play with them?¡± ¡°Always. Though, they¡¯re not allowed to grow up. I can¡¯t believe your sister betrayed me by growing up.¡± ¡°I cannot promise that.¡± ¡°You certainly are Katool¡¯s sister, bullying me like this...¡± Kitool smiled. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Jirot.¡± ¡°She will say you deserve it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell Jarot.¡± ¡°Jirot will tell him you deserve it.¡± ¡°Okay, if they learn from you, they¡¯ll be too scary.¡± Thus the days passed by. ¡°Oh my, oh my,¡± Adam whistled, eyeing up the guards, his eyes then falling upon the large keep overlooking the city. ¡°Now this is a city.¡± Pitcastle was smaller than Red Oak, in some ways, but it held the bustle of a city. The guards each wore breastplate over chain, thick helmets, and carried longswords and shortswords at their sides, while walking with spears in hand. After paying the fee, they stepped within, no comment made to their weaponry or equipment. As they made their way inside, Adam could smell it, the city scents, that of the grime and dirt only a city could hold. As they approached the Guild, Adam stopped. He blinked. ¡°Jurot, why is there a massive hole in the middle of the city?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is the dungeon.¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°The dungeon.¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡®A dungeon?¡¯ ¡°I guess...¡± ¡®We haven¡¯t really explored many dungeons.¡¯ They made their way to the large Guild, ignoring the large gaping hole that had been fenced for safety. As they stepped within the guild, the large wooden building housing dozens of different parties. Adam noted the tokens they wore, noting most were C Rank. He made his way to the job board to one side, eyeing it up. There was one thing he noted upon each of the requests. ¡°Step aside, kid.¡± Adam remained annoyed even the next day, up until they came across the boss room, which held a skull with two blades pointing out like ears. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re ready?¡± Jaygak asked, rolling her shoulders as she prepared herself, before drawing her blade. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, swaying his upper body, stretching out his hips and his thighs, trying to warm up his hamstrings to make sure he didn¡¯t pull a muscle. He could still feel a slight twinge from having faced the minotaur. As the doors opened, it revealed the large room, one which even Kitool would find difficult to clear in a single round. Near the end of the room was a slim figure, adorned in robes as black as death. The room here was cold, like the rest of the floors, but the cold here set deep within their bones. The bones scattered all across the floor began to shift, but as they did, Adam bolted forward, while the being begin to chant words of an ancient language, holding out its boney hands. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the mage.¡± Battle Order D20 + 1 = 18 (17) Action: Dash Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 4 (3) Omen: 15, 19 -> 19 15 + 1 = 16 16! Success! Health: 126 -> 109 Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Success! Health: 116 -> 110 Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 15 (14) Success! Health: 110 -> 104 Dexterity Save D20 + 1 = 13 (12) Failure! Health: 104 -> 90 The flash of blue engulfed Adam, who raised his shield ahead as he charged forward, but as he stepped upon the ground, it glowed and flames exploded across him. As the heat of the lightning and fire filled him, feeling like a thousand needles jabbing at his skin, he continued forward, only to find more flames exploding across him. As the bones rattled behind him, meeting the fists and heel of his companions, it spoke in an ancient language as the smoke filled its sight. It brought up its hands to call forth greater magic, but it jolted in shock as the shadow emerged from the smoke. ¡°That really hurt,¡± Adam said, gritting his teeth as he swung his axe in front of him. Thankfully, he was a Forge Priest, rather than a true Death Priest, so the flames, while vicious, did not strike him quite as harshly. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 90 -> 95 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) Miss! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 20 (9) D20 + 11 = 23 (12) Hit! Mana: 31 -> 30 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite improved! 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 31 (10)(12) 31 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) D20 + 11 = 28 (17) Hit! Mana: 30 -> 29 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite improved! 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 21 (2)(12) 21 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Mana: 29 -> 28 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite improved! 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 32 (7)(16) 32 damage! Adam¡¯s axe, Lightaxe as Adam had dubbed it, tore through the creature viciously, even with the magic trying to deflect his heavy blows. He didn¡¯t mind that the axe was like Hope, in that his weapon dealt as much as a typical greatsword, rather than a battleaxe, and held a Greater bonus, for it reminded him of home. Adam panted lightly as the bones fell before him, the cloak hiding the bones, before the creature began to reform in front of him. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 11 = 22 (11) Health: 95 -> 117 ¡°The sheer audacity of getting back up in front of me.¡± Constitution Save D20 + 8 = 12 (5) Failure! Health: 117 -> 84 Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Health: 84 -> 89 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) Miss! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 20 (12) D20 + 11 = 23 (16) Hit! Mana: 28 -> 27 Ability: Divine Smite Divine Smite improved! 2D6 + 3D6 + 9 = 22 (3)(10) 22 damage! The cold blasted Adam, almost threatening to force him way. Due to the flash of heat moments ago, the cold was like a dagger as it jabbed away at Adam. He grunted in pain, but focused through it, carving through the creature with his axe. A shadow formed over them, and a staff battered the undead mage down, before Kitool finished it off by smashing through its skull with her boot. Victory! XP Gained: +1000 XP: 7 500 -> 8 500 ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam panted aloud, shaking his body, trying to warm himself up. Kitool panted too, shaking off the frost from her body. ¡°It must have been a lich?¡± Jaygak mused, remembering the last time she was blasted by such a spell. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s dead.¡± Adam slammed his boot through its head again, just in case. ¡°Dead dead.¡± As the treasure chest emerged, the sound of clapping filled the air. The four turned to find a figure in all red, his hair fiery red, his beard neatly trimmed, also red, his nails red, and his lips, black. ¡°Oh my, my, my. You can always trust Iyrmen to...¡± The being then glanced to Adam. ¡°Is the half elf with you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°With... you?¡± He emphasised. ¡°He is my brother.¡± ¡°Ah! You can always trust Iyrmen to exceed expectations. Only C Rank, though? Hmm. I shall watch your descent with great anticipation. Perhaps you¡¯ll be able to...¡± He smiled, clapping his hands, disappearing into nothingness. ¡°Who was that?¡± ¡°A Demigod?¡± Jurot replied, unsure. ¡°Alright, well...¡± Adam turned back to the treasure chest, unimpressed by meeting a Demigod. ¡°This is bigger than all the other chests.¡± The loot was definitely worth it. Hundreds of copper coins, thousands of silver, over a thousand gold. A cloak, a staff made of bone, a circlet. Three potions, three spell scrolls, and an assortment of rings made of various gems. Jaygak picked up the rings to examine them each. ¡°Ten gold at least, some more. Fifty? One hundred?¡± ¡°Kitool, you can have the cloak and the circlet since you were last to get anything cool,¡± Adam offered. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you want to use a bone staff, but it might be okay?¡± Kitool, without a thought they could be cursed, donned the robes, the circlet, and even the staff. ¡°Do I look imposing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m always scared of you,¡± Adam admitted, glancing aside. ¡°The circlet would feel uncomfortable against my horns,¡± Jaygak said, frowning. ¡°You look sinisterly regal,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Ew,¡± Adam said, before blinking. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°...¡± Once they were done with their looting, they made their way to the eleventh floor from the boss room, where they found a large town waiting for them, where goblins walked about freely, most tending to the various stalls or building. ¡°...¡± Adam exchanged a look with the rest of his companions, but he said nothing, for the forlorn sigh said enough. They dodged the merchants, goblin and human alike, making their way to a nearby inn. The inn charged two gold per head, plus a gold for breakfast, and while Adam thought it was a blatant rip off, he soothed himself by soaping up and enjoying his hot bath. ¡°Potatoes...¡± Adam whispered, picking at his food, slowly eating the potatoes, eggs, and fried meat. Though the inn was run by goblins, it was still human sized, though Adam had thought the seats could have been a touch wider. ¡°We will need to report to the Guild.¡± ¡°The Guild is here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®How does that work?¡¯ Adam thought, finishing his meal, before following Jurot to the Guild. ¡°We faced the Lich,¡± Jurot said. ¡°You did?¡± the A Rank Guildmaster, an older man with a bald head, asked. ¡°How many died?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± he asked, writing down what Jurot told him. ¡°You expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°I do not expect it, but it is true.¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re C Rank?¡± ¡°I have defeated an A Rank in combat previously.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°We¡¯re a little stronger than average, due to certain circumstances,¡± Adam said. The Guildmaster eyed the pair up. They were the only C Ranks who had managed their way here so far, and it had been especially rapid. Typically, even the best C Ranks would make their way in three days. ¡°Do you boys thing it¡¯s easy to achieve A Rank?¡± ¡°We¡¯re already that strong, we just don¡¯t have the recognition,¡± Adam said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°Do you think you can beat me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied. ¡°Jio will be on duty tomorrow. Why don¡¯t you come back and we¡¯ll see if you¡¯re any good?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°We deal with him, we get some recognition, maybe a promotion to B Rank?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but I¡¯ll make sure to write something down for you.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± The next day, with the sun above them, Jio stood tall and strong in his full plate. His horns were ready to skewer whichever young brat thought they were tough enough, while his full plate was ready to deal with any little stick they were going to use. The minotaur grinned wide, revealing his lightly yellowed teeth, and the greenery he was chewing. ¡°Yer tha boy who thinks ¡®e can beat me, ay?¡± Jio rested his maul over his shoulder. ¡°Aye,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Go a¡¯ead.¡± Adam nodded his head, throwing a quick nod to Jurot too, who had allowed him to take the fight. Adam grabbed his battleaxe, ready to fight. Jurot allowed his brother to fight, though he was excited to fight the minotaur. However, he had begun to see the cracks within Adam. The annoyance that the half elf held, the sombreness, the darkness that had begun to set within the young man. ¡®He takes great care of his horns,¡¯ Jaygak thought, before they were hidden behind his helmet. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 18 (17) 18! Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 13 (2) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Mana: 34 -> 33 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (9)(8) 26 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 32 -> 29 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 60 (15)(36) 60 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 29 -> 26 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 53 (17)(27) 53 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 30 (17) D20 + 11 = 31 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 26 -> 25 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 4D6 + 9 = 39 (17)(13) 39 damage! ¡®He has grown more powerful,¡¯ Jurot thought, trying to understand how Adam had defeated the minotaur with such great ease. The minotaur was at least a Master, perhaps closer to a Grandmaster, and yet Adam easily dismantled him like he was butchering a goat. ¡®I probably should have held back,¡¯ Adam thought, hearing the gasps of those around who had witnessed the massacre. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Jaygak let out a soft sigh. ¡®What a monster...¡¯ ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Adam said, dropping down a knee, placing his hand upon the minotaur¡¯s neck. Lay on Hands: 45 -> 40 The warmth filled the minotaur who gasped back to life, his eyes darting around, before he sat up, the ache rocking through him. ¡®What just happened?¡¯ ¡®That should be fine, right?¡¯ Adam thought, stepping back, glancing aside to George, the Guildmaster. ¡°Is that-,¡± A shadow formed over Adam, who quickly raised his shield, as the minotaur¡¯s maul dented his shield, forcing him to his knees. Adam inhaled sharply. Fighting Spirit: 2 -> 1 Attack: Fist D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = (14) Hit! 1D6 + 7 = 12 (5) 12 damage! Adam twisted his body, his fist flying upwards, beating through the plate to strike the minotaur¡¯s jewels, before he stood, allowing the minotaur to fall before him. Victory! XP Gained: +500 XP: 8 500 -> 9 000 ¡°There was no need for that,¡± George grumbled. ¡°Weird. Why am I hearing complaints when I showed him mercy? Should I kill him since he tried to attack me from behind?¡± Adam stared down at the minotaur, reaching down for his axe once more. ¡°You should stop while you-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, interrupting the Guildmaster. Adam remained silent. ¡°Do you wish to kill him?¡± ¡°If I do?¡± ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Vonda would not like it.¡± Adam slipped his axe back into its sheath. ¡°What should I do with him since the Guildmaster doesn¡¯t know how to thank me?¡± ¡°There is no need to trouble them. If we do, they will trouble us when we reach the lower floors.¡± ¡°I guess, since that¡¯s just how they are,¡± Adam replied, his voice full of exhaustion. ¡°Alright. I shouldn¡¯t disrespect my elders like this anyhow.¡± ¡®Entitled prick.¡¯ ¡°We have shown you mercy here today,¡± Jurot whispered to George. ¡°I do not like stopping my brother from killing, but sister would dislike it.¡± ¡°...¡± George could see it in the Iyrman¡¯s eyes, the depths of disappointment, from not allowing the death to unfold. ¡®He really believes they¡¯re that strong?¡¯ George¡¯s eyes fell to Jio, who was the strongest across this floor, and was a powerful A Rank adventurer. ¡®They really are, I guess?¡¯ ¡°We should really figure out what these items do, eh?¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°Can we buy a pearl?¡± ¡°We may be able to buy one here,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Jaygak, Kitool, will you find one?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jaygak said, and almost as quickly as she had left, she returned. ¡°It was one hundred and fifty. They probably did that on purpose.¡± Adam could see it was slightly larger than a typical pearl. ¡°It¡¯ll come out from my share.¡± ¡°We will all pay for it,¡± Jaygak said, and before Adam could respond, she placed a finger on his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re going to Identify them for everyone, and when you get back, you can hand the pearl to Larot, since you already have a pearl.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Everyone was glad the items were identified. Magical Hefty Axe +2 Deals 2d6 slashing damage. Lightaxe +2 Deals 2d6 slashing damage. Cloak of Bravery Gain +1 to checks against being Frightened. Mage¡¯s Cloak +1 to DEF. Gain the ability to cast Chill Touch. You may use your Constitution as your Spellcasting Modifier. Circlet of the Princess +1 to DEF. +1 to all Attributes. ¡°Holy!¡± Adam interspersed while informing Kitool of what her circlet did. Jaygak frowned as Kitool passed it to her instantly, but she couldn¡¯t refuse, since even with this powerful magical item, she was still weaker than them all. Staff of Sunder Gain Advantage on all attacks against Monstrosities. ¡°I feel like these magical items are a little too good considering how many floors we¡¯ve passed through...¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°You think that Demigod had something to do with it?¡± Jurot shrugged. ¡°Perhaps.¡± The XP farming is going great! [1100.3] – Y05.100.3 – The Realms Beyond III [1100.3] ¨C Y05.100.3 ¨C The Realms Beyond III ¡®Should it feel this easy?¡¯ Adam thought, wiping Lightaxe. They had slain the beastmen upon the floors with ease, slaying the humanoid, and yet rabid, dogfolk and wolves, as well as the snakefolk and snakes. ¡®They don¡¯t seem much stronger than the skeletons either. I should be careful, just in case it¡¯s meant to keep our guard down.¡¯ Once they were done with their third rest, they made their way forward, coming across a giant python within the large jungle that existed within the floor. Adam wasn¡¯t sure how large each floor was, for even as they trekked miles within for the stairs leading down, the floors were far more massive, to the point they only spotted one or two adventuring parties within. ¡°Is it strong?¡± Adam asked, staring at the giant python which hid among the trees, though the four and it had met eyes. ¡°I will see,¡± Jurot said, stretching his neck, stepping forward in order to meet the creature. He had to be careful with his Rages, since they were so limited. He could only dance four times each day, the limits of his body, though he had already felt it. His rage had become more powerful, and whenever he struck true, his axe dug deeper. Thankfully, unless they were in a spot of bother, Jurot did not dance, and the floors had yet to challenge them so. ¡°I will support,¡± Kitool said. She could feel it. She was slightly weaker than the day before, not just from losing some Defence from the tiara, but something else. The pair darted forward, engaging with the python, ready to tear it apart, while the python readied itself for the meal that decided to deliver itself into its fanged maw. ¡°Adam,¡± Jaygak called, glancing aside. Adam followed her gaze to find adventurers, two different groups. As they spotted one another, Adam narrowed his eyes, donning his shield as the groups readied themselves opposite, drawing their bows and crossbows, their warriors up ahead, each of them focused upon Adam and Jaygak. ¡°Nice and easy now,¡± one called out, readying herself, drawing her blade. ¡°Just give us your things, and we¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°Adam, do you want to give them your things?¡± ¡°Not particularly.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± Jaygak flipped her blade over the back of her hand, glaring at the figures in front of her. ¡°Do you want us to gut you?¡± The adventurer swallowed, having waited for them to be distracted by the python. Even though Kitool and Jurot had noticed, they remained engaged with the python, so this was the best time for them to act. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Mana: 21 -> 18 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 31 (31) Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Mana: 18 -> 15 Spell: Fireball 8D6 = 28 (28) Unfortunately for the adventurers, Adam¡¯s pool of Mana had increased enough that even if he did use his Mana as he had done so previously, he still possessed three Fireballs worth of extra Mana. As the Fireballs rained down upon them, the adventurers scrambled, glancing around to see if it was perhaps a trap, even as Adam had chanted the words to the spell. ¡®We¡¯ll have to kill them,¡¯ Jaygak thought, now that Adam had revealed his greater magical abilities. She was upon them like a beast, her blade cutting through those that had barely managed to survive the Fireballs, her blade slicing through each of them with ease. ¡°No! P-please! I didn-,¡± the last cried aloud, before he was silenced forever. ¡®Fuck,¡¯ Adam thought, the chill taking root within him, his sweat seeping through his clothes. ¡®I thought they¡¯d be stronger... I didn¡¯t expect them to die from just two Fireballs.¡¯ Victory! XP Gained: +300 XP: 10 000 -> 10 300 Victory! XP Gained: +700 XP: 10 300 -> 11 000 ¡°We should skin the python¡¯s remains,¡± Jurot said, rubbing the side of his neck, while Adam and Jaygak looted the bodies, before Adam began to Identify each of the items. ¡°Whoa!¡± Adam gasped. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Finally! A Cloak of Protection!¡± Once Adam was done Identiying, they split the items. Jaygak and Kitool traded the Circlet for the Cloak of Protection, for Kitool wanted to test out if the Circlet had granted her enough toughness, while Jaygak was happy to wear a much better Cloak than the Cloak of Bravery. She also accepted the sword, which, while a Basic sword, was still better than her mundane blade. Jurot donned the Bracers of Minor Defence, which increased his Defence slightly. Jurot glanced back to the shallow graves they had buried the bodies within. ¡®They were... only C Rank?¡¯ The next day, they came across another giant jungle, where they found a larger snake, the small boss of the floor. ¡°I thought it would be a wolf or something,¡± Adam thought. Victory! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 11 200 -> 12 200 To call it a slaughter would be to understate just how easily the group defeated the small boss. It had dared to swallow Kitool, who stunned the creature from within, and it died swiftly thanks to the four¡¯s great strength. Viper Fang (+1) Deals 1D6 slashing + 1D6 poison. Once per day, on a hit, you can deal +4D6 poison. This ability recharges at dawn. ¡°Will the scale give me more Defence?¡± Adam asked, holding up the magical scale armour which held a Basic bonus. ¡°You should stick with heavier armour since you¡¯re a special Priest,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Your Defence, it¡¯s increased when you wear heavier armour.¡± Jaygak swung the sword in front of her. It was made of bone, curved, more a scimitar than a typical longsword. However, Adam had informed her of its abilities, and she was excited to use them once they were done with this set of floors. The group continued onward, resting right before the boss of the twentieth floor. They readied themselves to face against the boss, that surely would have proved a challenge. ¡°This may be more difficult,¡± Jurot said, feeling the air tickling his skin. The snakekin shaman hissed towards the group as they prepared themselves as the edge of the path. She wore scale armour, and carried a large staff, with snake skulls dangling from it. However, the snakekin royal guards, each taller than even Adam, and almost as wide as Jurot and Adam standing side by side, seemed far more imposing. Their large greatswords were curved, like Jaygak¡¯s sword, their scale armour thick, their shields, painting with skull, held the stench of death. The foliage around them hid the stone beneath, but the standing stones around were no doubt of some religious significance, but Adam spent no time admiring the land. He wasn¡¯t here to admire the world, the people, or even to loot the place. He was here because he wanted to farm XP. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 8 (7) Mana: 34 -> 33 Defence: 20 -> 25 Health: 126 -> 111 Kitool¡¯s body burst forth, striking viciously at a royal guard, and while he was distracted with her, she ducked, allowing Jaygak¡¯s blade to cut slice through his side, the royal guard falling. The four remaining guards blocked off each of them, allowing their shaman to cast her magics uninterrupted. To allow their shaman to cast her magics, they would each grow more powerful, and all they had to do was keep the four at bay. They may have slain a single one of their guards, but it required the might of two of their warriors, who did not hold back. Even as Kitool panted for air, barely able to block the blow, and as Jaygak winced as the mighty glave struck her shield with so much force, she could feel it against her elbow, they had yet to feel the great magic of their shaman flow through them. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 111 -> 116 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 20 (5) D20 + 11 = 23 (18) Hit! Mana: 34 -> 33 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 16 (4)(3) 16 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 28 (17) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 33 -> 29 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 58 (18)(31) 58 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 29 -> 25 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 66 (15)(42) 66 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 20 (1) D20 + 11 = 23 (14) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 Ability: Divine Smite 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 27 (7)(11) 27 damage! Constitution Save D20 + 8 = 21 (13) Success! Health: 116 -> 112 Unfortunately for them, they were born as the boss monsters of the twentieth floor, meant for the likes of C Rank adventurers. A glave met a longsword, another a staff, and a third met an axe. That axe then carved through the royal guard as though it was painting a landscape, but that landscape was of death, for as the fourth glave met the axe, it was a different axe. That axe was of death. ¡°You can handle the shaman,¡± Adam said, having slain the two royal guards, resting his axe against his shoulder, blocking off the retreat of the last two royal guards currently engaged with Kitool and Jaygak. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, his violent axe clashing with the shaman, whose eyes grew wide. Even as the beams of light fell upon them all, including those of the royal guards, her opponents did not even flinch. Victory! XP Gained: +2 000 XP: 12 700 -> 14 700 Adam whistled, having Identified many of the items, from the necklace, to the shields, to the special eye she possessed, not that he had noticed. Even the annoyance of finding several pearls didn¡¯t overcast just how many magical items they had come across, from the daggers, to the scale, to the glaves, and that didn¡¯t include the various magical scrolls or potions. ¡°Truesight too,¡± Adam said, holding up the eye. ¡°Anyone want to give up their eye for it?¡± ¡°It is a good trade,¡± Jurot said, reaching for the eye. Adam quickly held it up. ¡°You¡¯re not going to take out your eye, are you?¡± ¡°... I cannot?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t! Damrot and Monarot would be so sad, and what would Pamarot say?¡± ¡®Pamarot?¡¯ Jurot thought. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Jaygak, you can hold it, and you can¡¯t give up your eye either,¡± Adam said, glancing aside to Jaygak, who had her fingers dangerously close to her eye. ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Do you want me to beat you up?¡± ¡°Ah. You wanted to be the one to take it from me?¡± The twenty first floor was similar to the eleventh, except it was far more green, and full of wooden buildings along the jungle like terrain. The guildhall was particularly large, with another A Rank adventurer taking the role of the Guildmaster, except she was much younger than Zephrine or George. ¡°You killed nine adventurers?¡± Samantha asked, raising her brow. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Why did you tell me?¡¯ Samantha thought, annoyed by the amount of paperwork she¡¯ll need to do. ¡°Did they try to attack you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Explain the situation.¡± After the party explained what happened, each allowing themselves to go under a spell to speak the truth, one by one since they didn¡¯t entirely trust the Guild, they paid the fee for killing the adventurers. ¡°We should have over one of the scale armours,¡± Adam said, holding onto the shield. ¡°We have too many shields.¡± ¡°Yeah, but we actually use the shields. The armour?¡± ¡°The amour is considered among the best for armour that is not heavy.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± Adam frowned. ¡°What if we gave up a dagger instead? I mean, it¡¯s only a plus one, I mean, Basic dagger.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The group traded their items, the scrolls and some of their coppers and silvers for various health potions, and the next day, they continued. ¡°Orcs?¡± Adam asked, the floors once more ruined stone, but greyer than the first ten stone floors. The rapid orcs roared and charged them. ¡°It is rare to see full blooded orcs,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They are gone from our world.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam said, raising his shield. ¡®Oh. Yeah. They¡¯re all horcs, aren¡¯t they?¡¯ The next day, the group came upon the small boss, that of an orc warchief, who was surrounded by four warriors, each wielding mighty weapons. Victory! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 16 100 -> 17 100 ¡°I mean...¡± Adam stared down at the greataxe. ¡®I guess it¡¯s an okay axe?¡¯ The loot from the warchief shamed them from beyond the grave. ¡°The rings are worth more,¡± Jaygak said, noting the eight silver rings, and ten gold rings, with the gold rings being worth at least fifty gold each, considering their intricate designs and small flecks of gem. The traps upon the floors proved a greater threat, some even bringing Adam below 100 Health, if he decided to push through without resting. They came upon a room full of panting adventurers, each who stared at the group in shock, grabbing their weapons quickly as they stood. They were a B Rank party, but were heavily wounded, and easy pickings. ¡°The floor is treating you rough, eh?¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Be careful, guys. You only have one life. Good luck.¡± The adventurers watched the group leave, confusion filling the group. They waited. Waited. Waited. Yet, the four did not return, too busy enjoying their baths several rooms away. ¡°The baths are helping, but I think you driving us so much during our adventures has helped us keep up this pace,¡± Jaygak joked. ¡°We might reach the A Ranks if we keep this up.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Let¡¯s stick with B Ranks, since we can easily deal with them if they want to attack us.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. Finally, they came across the boss room. The group glanced between one another, with Adam stretching out his muscles, before they stepped within. ¡°Oh, come on now. You¡¯re the bosses but you can¡¯t afford clot-,¡± The roars filled the air, though somehow, the four did not need to make Wisdom Saves. Opposite them stood four mighty figures, each towering over the group, and each adorned in near identical attire, save one item apiece. Each orc was tall, large, and their chiselled physiques caused even Adam to pause. One orc wore a tunic made of scale, with large discs of silver and gold, each engraved with faces of all emotions, and he was slightly taller and wider than the other orcs. Another wore a large gauntlet upon their left arm, with the face of an angry orc, and his arms were certainly slightly wider and thicker than the others, save one. Adam winked, flashing a smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Kim replied, noting the look from one of his own, but he shook his head at them. ¡°Why are you so interested in gems?¡± ¡°My twins, they love gems, and so do my eldest triplets.¡± ¡°You have children?¡± Kim asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, smiling, but saying no more. Thus, Jurot, Jaygak, and Kitool, each understood just how lost Adam felt. Blue Drake Sword (+2) Deals 1D6 slashing + 1D6 lightning Once per day, increase the damage to 2D6 slashing + 2D6 lightning for one minute. Recharges at dawn. ¡°Nice,¡± Adam said, before letting Jaygak claim it. Kim stared at the tower, still not used to it. Right now, the group had spent most of their power, after facing the small boss, and after spending so much magic on Identifying and forming this tower. Yet, they seemed mostly at ease around Kim and the others, though not entirely letting down their guard. As they continued, they approached the boss door of the fortieth floor. ¡°Damn it!¡± Kim frowned. ¡°I thought this was going to happen, but I didn¡¯t realise it was going to...¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°It¡¯s two drakes.¡± ¡°Two drakes?¡± ¡°Probably bigger drakes too...¡± Kim scratched his beard. ¡°It¡¯s going to be hard.¡± ¡°Do we know which kind of dragons?¡± Adam asked. ¡°White,¡± Kim said, motioning to the symbol, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to look at specifically, so just let it go. ¡°I brought a couple of Potions of Frost Resistance, but we¡¯ll probably need to use the others too.¡± ¡°How many potions do you have?¡± ¡°Ten.¡± ¡°Mind if we borrow three? We¡¯ll pay you back by killing them quickly.¡± ¡°Better to use it than for us to die because you all got yourselves killed.¡± Kim handed over three, with Adam, Kitool, and Jaygak taking them from him. ¡°You want one too?¡± ¡°I do not need it,¡± Jurot replied, his arms crossed, the Iyrman closing his eyes. ¡®What?¡¯ Kim thought. Meanwhile, Jurot could feel Adam¡¯s gaze upon the back of his head, while the pair shared the same thought. ¡®How cool!¡¯ ¡°We should split our groups slightly,¡± Adam said. ¡®I¡¯d like to fight one myself, but I don¡¯t want to chance it.¡¯ ¡°Kim, mind if I join you?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Would you send two of yours to help ours?¡± ¡°Two?¡± ¡°You can send one, it¡¯s just, Jaygak doesn¡¯t really like the cold,¡± Adam half joked. Jaygak grumbled quietly, saying nothing in particular, but they all understood she didn¡¯t want to admit that Adam was right. ¡°Sure...¡± Adam checked his Omens, just in case. Omen: 8, 16 ¡®Not bad.¡¯ The doors opened up to reveal the white room of snow and frost within, with icy pillars everywhere, while the two shadows stalked through the mist. ¡°We should hide behind the pillars, and once they step forward, we can engage them,¡± Kim whispered, leading his group forward, Adam following behind. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Adam whispered back, flanked by two others. Jurot stalked within the snow, feeling the chill of the air against him. They didn¡¯t have the right clothing for this area, feeling the chill already invading them, but as long as they didn¡¯t spend more than a few minutes, they would be fine. ¡®Are they already fighting?¡¯ Kim thought, filling with shock as he peeked to the side, seeing the blurry forms of the three as they rushed to one of the drakes, which roared, and blasted snow and ice at them. ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s too damn cold!¡± came a shout from nearby, the chattering teeth only silenced by a roar, and a blast of cold air and snow. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 16 (15) Constitution Save D20 + 8 = 9 (1) Omen: 8, 16 -> 8 16 + 8 = 24 Success! Health: 126 -> 110 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 110 -> 115 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) D20 + 11 = 30 (19) Critical hit! Mana: 34 -> 30 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 60 (13)(38) 60 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical hit! Mana: 30 -> 26 4D6 + 10D6 + 9 = 72 (19)(44) 72 damage! Onward Soar: 2 -> 1 Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 26 (10) D20 + 11 = 31 (15) Hit! Mana: 26 -> 25 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 14 (3)(2) 14 damage! Attack: Lightaxe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 17 (6) D20 + 11 = 20 (9) Hit! Mana: 25 -> 24 2D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 26 (10)(7) 26 damage! Victory! XP Gained: +700 XP: 21 000 -> 21 700 ¡®What?¡¯ Kim thought, staring at the half elf. He had gone on ahead, without the rest of them, and within the span of moments, while Kim and his companions were readying themselves to assist, the white drake fell to the earth, still. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, wiping the frost of himself. ¡°Let¡¯s split the loot real quick and make our way. You can have all the copper for free, but let¡¯s split everything else half and half.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kim said, noting that his companions had barely attacked the dragons from either group. ¡®Who are these kids?¡¯ ¡°Jaygak,¡± Jurot called, allowing her to check the gems, while Kitool unfolded a handkerchief, that continued to unfold until it covered the floor like a blanket. She stared at it for a moment, before placing a coin atop it, which sunk into the blackness, disappearing. ¡°Is that a...¡± ¡°Mobile Sheet,¡± Kitool confirmed. ¡®Oh. Is it the same thing?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°The swords they left behind are beautiful.¡± The pair were white, and were identical, save the designed were slightly mirrored. Both were katanas, white as snow. ¡°We will give you all the coin and gems, we would like the items,¡± Jaygak offered. ¡°Do you want some of the gems too?¡± ¡°We will offer you two of our magical greataxes for the gems.¡± Kim glanced to his allies, and they nodded, allowing them to take the items and the gems, while leaving them the gold. Adam leaned in to whisper into Jurot¡¯s ear. ¡°Let¡¯s give them the Cloak of Bravery and the Bone Staff, and the other spell scrolls we had.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°What about the drake scales?¡± Gin asked. ¡°We¡¯ll split them half and half like we did with the blue drake.¡± Since they had slain the white drakes, the snow was not quite so fierce, the chill kept at bay. Thus, upon entering the forty first floor, and to the large fields full of hope, the entire area more like a series of villages than a large town, the group took in a breath of fresh air of crisp air. The A Rank adventurer, an old man who wore a rapier at his side, eyed them up. He had a long beard, covered in tattoos all across his hands, snaking into his shirt, where the rest of his tattoos remained hidden. ¡°You want to rank up, but you do not?¡± Sir Radun asked, glancing between the youngsters and the middle aged adventurers. ¡°We¡¯re not ready yet,¡± Kim admitted. ¡°Even though you¡¯d made it to the fortieth floors for the first time?¡± ¡°The youngsters did most of the work.¡± Sir Radun looked towards Jurot and the others, with Adam smiling innocently towards the old man. ¡°Alright.¡± Whatever it was that had happened, Sir Radun didn¡¯t get paid enough to deal with it. Even when he found out that the group had become A Rank adventurers within the matter of months. Adam noted the amount of silver used within the plaque. Adam looked towards the open sky, almost purple from the evening. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ ¡°Now we can travel more freely,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is the start of noonval, and we have plenty of time to do as we please.¡± ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s stick around, trade some items, and make out way out.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Somehow, their fortunes picked up further, for they were able to find a great many number of magical items that suited their particular needs, from the blazing sword that Adam found cool, to the gauntlets which set one¡¯s Strength to 16. Adam held onto the gauntlets, a small smile upon his face. It had been easy, too easy, to gather these gauntlets, but he understood why they were not wanted by the adventurers. Adam pressed his forehead against the gauntlets, thinking of the child¡¯s smile. ¡®Yeah. It¡¯s all worth it.¡¯ Jurot thought of his brother¡¯s smile upon them collecting those gauntlets. He had guesses as to why Adam smiled so much at the thought, and he was certain they were all correct. ¡®Cousin Jurot!¡¯ Nirot had cried back then, wrapping her arms around Jurot, tears pouring down her cheeks. ¡®Cousin Nirot, what is wrong?¡¯ ¡®Huu! Mother! Mother is too strong?¡¯ ¡®Good.¡¯ ¡®How! How I can be stronger if mother is too strong?¡¯ ¡®You will grow strong.¡¯ Jurot ruffled her hair. ¡®You are only eight, but one day... you will grow strong too.¡¯ ¡®It is mother¡¯s gloves!¡¯ ¡®What?¡¯ ¡®They are too strong!¡¯ ¡®They are not gauntlets.¡¯ ¡®They are not?¡¯ ¡®No.¡¯ Nirot eyed Jurot up incredulously, but her tears stopped flowing as she fell into thought. ¡®Mother is strong because she is strong?¡¯ ¡®Yes.¡¯ ¡®Why is father so weak if mother is so strong?¡¯ ¡®He has not fought in so long.¡¯ ¡®I will fight. I will find them, the gauntlets, and I will fight mother.¡¯ Jurot recalled it was one of the last times she had cried while wanting to hug him. Is that what it meant to grow up? To stop crying and to stop hugging? To endure the world so that you could find gauntlets to gift to a child, who knew not the worth of the gauntlets, for they were surrounded by insane wealth, and yet, doing so anyway? Jurot thought of his father. There was a point in time Jurot had thought about gaining such gauntlets, for he wanted to help his father. Kitool lay in her bed. She stared at the ceiling. ¡®There is such little loot for me to gift.¡¯ Don''t worry, Kitool. Adam casually soloing a drake because there''s no Iyr in this world. You love to see it! [1100.4] – Y05.100.4 – The Realms Beyond IV [1100.4] ¨C Y05.100.4 ¨C The Realms Beyond IV ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, realising how people could travel out so easily to and from the dungeons town floors. ¡®Teleportation circles...¡¯ For some reason, Adam thought there was something he was forgetting. The Guildmaster checked their levels, full of shock, since they were each certainly A Rank now. There was no way they could have bought their way in, especially since Sir Radun was the current Guildmaster watching over that floor. ¡®How did they... in a matter of months?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long before Adam and his companions were called upon by a knight in heavy armour, wearing a cloak as bright as the sun. She wielded a magical blade at her side, one that suited her station. ¡°The Count has called for you,¡± the knight said. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡®I should at least hear them out.¡¯ The manor was larger than the Baroness¡¯, and certainly to others, far more impressive. Adam, on the other hand, admired the food, that he picked at slowly, while the Count and Countess spoke with Kitool. ¡°I have heard your abilities are impressive,¡± the Count said. ¡°Your rapid ascension to A Rank has sparked quite the interested.¡± ¡°We wished to gain the position earlier, but the Guild would not grant us the rank before we proved ourselves,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Where are you from that you grew so powerful at such a young age?¡± ¡°We are from far away.¡± ¡°A convenient excuse,¡± the Countess accused. ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool replied simply. ¡°However, you have proved yourselves capable. My husband and I will soon form a team for the Expeditions to the New World. We would like for you to represent our interests there, along with a few other adventurers. After dealing with the local wildlife, and the savages, you will be-,¡± ¡°No,¡± a voice interrupted. ¡°We won¡¯t do it.¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head. He had expected as much, considering what this sounded like. Adam had already ranted enough about his first life for him to take on such a mission. ¡°The wealth in this new continent is unimaginable, the dungeons there, unclaimed yet by any family. If you-,¡± ¡°No.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted towards his companions. ¡°We¡¯re not doing that.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied simply. The Countess fell silent, her cheeks flushing slightly, though the white of her make up hid her anger. ¡°You may even gain status as a noble.¡± ¡°If I wanted to be a noble, I¡¯d become a noble. I¡¯m sick of that life, and I don¡¯t intend to return to it any time soon. We refuse this particular task.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯s wise to show us such disrespect?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of nobles who want A Rank adventurers on their payroll. Barons, Counts, Dukes, I''m sure even a King would look out for such. We''re resting at the moment, but I''m sure we can complete a few requests in the next year to bring us to S Rank. If nothing else, we can just go to the fiftieth floor.¡± ¡°Is it so easy?¡± ¡°The amount of times I have been asked that question would surprise you. Usually it''s about me defeating someone. In fact, I''m pretty sure that the A Rank fellow said it too before I beat him. I healed him and when he stabbed me in the back, I beat him again.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Look, Countess. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a somebody in this land. I¡¯m sure you and your husband hold a lot of power, have a lot of respect from all kinds of people, but from where I¡¯m from, you¡¯d barely be considered a Village Chief. You aren¡¯t the first noble who has thought to try to oppress us, and your castle probably won¡¯t be the last one we have to burn down to teach you nobles a lesson.¡± Jaygak smiled, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®Is it that bad, Adam?¡¯ ¡°Allow me to do the talking,¡± Kitool said. Adam exhaled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got no plans to kill any nobles. This time.¡± ¡°Killing nobles is an offence punishable by death.¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t nobles of this land, and it¡¯s fine, since I was a higher rank than them anyway.¡± Adam dismissed the words with a wave of his hand. ¡°You were a noble?¡± ¡°A... royal?¡± Adam glanced aside to Jurot. ¡°I was a Duke, if it¡¯s so important.¡± ¡°You... were?¡± ¡°I killed too many Kings not to be at least a Duke,¡± Adam said. ¡°I decided against taking the title of King after the conquests, and put someone else on the throne before I left.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What?¡± Adam asked once they were back at the Guild. ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯d believe me.¡± ¡°It is not impossible,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Since it is plausible, they may think twice. They may still send the guards to kill us.¡± ¡°Should we head to the capital?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°I thought this was the capital.¡± ¡°This is the duchy¡¯s capital.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the group to decide to head out. They journeyed for almost ten days towards the capital of the kingdom, which was larger than Pitcastle by quite a large amount, though the population was only slightly larger. Though the city was home to a grand citadel made of glass, a large tower that appeared to be almost a giant spear that had fallen into the earth, a giant bronze statue, a stone dragon, and so many more mysterious and unique landmarks, Adam cared little for them. Once within The Silver Fool, an inn that held certain luxuries, but did not hold the riff raff of the higher class, the group checked out their items, noting all the dragon scales, bones, and all the other magical items they possessed. They had changed most of their silver to gold, in order to keep their rings light, and even bought various gems. Jaygak had also noted some gems were worth slightly less in this world, so if they bought them here, they could make a greater profit within their own world. Adam took the opportunity to buy massive amounts of such gems, with little intention to sell them. Adam, upon Kitool¡¯s advice, decided to go for the alchemy exam with Jurot, but upon seeing their attitude, he decided against it. ¡°A goblin enchanter?¡± Adam asked, having passed by a group of adventurers to his room. ¡°Mind your own business,¡± the adventurer replied, before noting Adam¡¯s rank. Adam placed down a handful of gold. ¡°Drinks on me. Now, about this goblin enchanter, please.¡± His genuine smile disarmed the adventurers, who informed him about the enchanter. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s hard to meet them, not unless you have a lot of renown, and your purse is heavy with gold, maybe more.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about renown, but...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted to Jurot, who nodded, and the pair stepped back out. Gord¡¯s Enchantery. The sign was large, the wood carved and painted with a deft hand, well placed within the rich part of the city, Adam noting the guards following the pair as they approached the enchantery. It was a rather large estate, more like a castle of wood, with walls that were easily two stories tall, with runes carved throughout. Standing outside was a particularly large warrior adorned in full plate, and as they undid their visor, Adam noted they were a beastkin, a lion. ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± ¡°Oh. No.¡± ¡°Why have you come?¡± ¡°I wanted to chat with the enchanter.¡± ¡°If you have no business with the enchanter, you should leave.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯d like to chat, but we¡¯re not opposed to ordering a magical item or two. Please give the enchanter my greetings.¡± Adam reached into his cloak, pulling out a gem worth fifty gold, and another worth a hundred. ¡°One for you, one for the enchanter. Please inform them that our party, the Platinum Fate Troop, wishes to chat.¡± As the days passed, they heard of the two S Rank parties which made their home within the capital, the Golden Dragons and the Black Tigers. ¡°The Black Tigers were formed from members who were kicked out of the Golden Dragon for being... not quite their image,¡± a slightly tipsy adventurer explained upon his fourth drink. ¡°They¡¯re both vying for the top spot.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam feigned interest in the politics of the city. ¡®I guess we could speak with both, potentially?¡¯ As the days passed, Adam realised something. ¡°We... get to take the items back with us, right? All of them?¡± ¡°All of them,¡± Jurot promised. ¡°Then I should buy a few gifts while I¡¯m here.¡± Jurot could feel the joy radiating out of his brother as he bought gift after gift for the children, threatening to fill up a whole ring. He bought small trinkets, weapons, shields, and so much more. When it came to buying gifts, surely the half elf was S Rank. Adam reached down to rub the bracelet at his wrist, staring down at it. It was the first bracelet Elsie had given to him, the one she had made with all her siblings. ¡®I should have at least brought something from my own children...¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long until they heard word back. Gord¡¯s Enchantery may have been a large castle on the outside, but within, it was almost a garden, with greenery all abound. One might have thought the enchanter was an alchemist. Sitting at a gazebo, with another guard, was the goblin enchanter, green of skin, green of eyes, wrinkled by time. She was adorned in simple attire, but wearing all manner of jewellery, and bits and pieces of armour. ¡°Good morning, Master Gord,¡± Adam said, bowing lightly. ¡°Just Gord,¡± she replied, her voice low, almost toad like. ¡°Not no miss. Not no lady. Just Gord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Adam, an A Rank adventurer, and this here is my brother, Jurot.¡± She nodded her head to Jurot, before noting his tattoos, feeling a sense of familiarity with the tattoos. ¡®Is he one of the tattooed ones that love to kill?¡¯ ¡°Why did you wish to speak with me?¡± She snapped her fingers, and cups floated over, and she poured them a broth of soup, rather than a cup of tea. ¡°I wished to talk about enchanting with you, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± ¡°I meant how you enchant.¡± ¡°You want to see me enchant?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I just... wanted to ask. I have a friend who knows how to enchant, and he invited me to see him enchant, but it¡¯ll be a while before we see each other again.¡± ¡°You know an enchanter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Halt!¡± The Commander glanced up towards Jurot, who continued to circle around the air. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°It is difficult to stop,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll drop down,¡± Adam said, his brother letting go of him, allowing the half elf to plunge into the water. There, Adam noted more seafolk, as well as the missing people, who were within large bubbles, each dishevelled. He resurfaced, panting for air. ¡°What happened?¡± the Commander asked, his eyes towards the Captain of the ship. ¡°A skirmish. We didn¡¯t hear the war restarted.¡± ¡°Terrible luck.¡± The Commander eyed up the rest of the group. ¡°Is this all?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Do you have the paperwork?¡± ¡°On the ship.¡± ¡°In the black chest?¡± the Commander asked. ¡°In the gold chest.¡± ¡°Ah. From the South?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± With that, the seafolk assisted the overlanders, their seacarriages taking them to their underwater kingdom. The buildings of coral, wood, and stone were taller than most cities Adam had seen, easily reaching twenty stories tall, many at least five to six stories. The group were eventually brought to a dry section of the land, though the gentle mist of water sprayed through the air, only stopping outside the walls of the various stone buildings which made up the castle. ¡°Terrible luck,¡± Jaygak said, rubbing her thumb along the bandages around her knee. ¡°Sorry, Jaygak. I didn¡¯t notice,¡± Adam apologised, flushing slightly, seeing the way the woman looked at her knee. Her eyes were filled with annoyance. ¡°There was little we could do,¡± Jaygak said. ¡°It was Fate. At least we can finally return home soon.¡± ¡°Soon?¡± Jaygak glanced around, before smiling. ¡°Once we¡¯re on land, we can head home.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The soldiers kept them in for a few days, checking on each of the passengers, keeping them imprisoned within the castle, before finally escorting them up to a nearby island where they could charter a ship. ¡°Thank you again, Commander,¡± the Captain said, shaking the Commander¡¯s forearm. ¡°The currents guide you,¡± the Commander replied, before the seafolk soldiers returned back to the sea. ¡®I had no idea the people were so...¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure what to think of this land. It was so full of people he despised, but then also people so eager to help one another. The seafolk may have kept them imprisoned, but they had, seemingly without cost, put them up for days, and had even brought them to land, without taking even a copper. Thankfully, Adam and his companions had kept their belongings within their rings, and the soldiers had even assisted in finding their armour for them, which hadn¡¯t taken them long. Adam eyed up his chain mail, glad he had taken it and not his puthral. ¡®I should really enchant my armour. It needs to be Greater, at least. Should I enchant it with a Legendary enchantment? Will the Iyr allow it?¡¯ They travelled upon the seas towards a nearby continent, going from port to port. Jaygak stared at the ceiling of her tiny room, that which she shared with Kitool, who was stretching her legs upon the deck. ¡®At least it was my leg and not theirs.¡¯ Jaygak reached up to her eyes, covering them. Though she was glad her leg had been crippled, since she had already decided to retire, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel that, even in this world, the Gak family was not allowed to rise. ¡®Jaygak,¡¯ Kitool had called, offering the girl her pepper. ¡®It is your pepper, Kitool,¡¯ Jaygak had replied, before her eyes fell to her father to see if he was looking, the girl quickly eating the pepper from Kitool¡¯s hand. ¡®Jaygak! How can you eat Kitool¡¯s pepper?¡¯ ¡®No!¡¯ The girl gasped, shaking her head. ¡®I did not! Kitool said I can have it!¡¯ ¡®Kitool, did you say Jaygak could have it?¡¯ Jogak asked, raising his brow. Kitool looked at Jaygak, who pouted towards her. Kitool¡¯s lips quivered, before she began to cry, only for Citool to place her hand upon Kitool¡¯s bob. ¡°Kitool.¡± Kitool¡¯s tears fell, but she did not groan or whimper, instead bowing her head slightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Jaygak¡¯s lips quivered, almost threatening to cry at Kitool¡¯s joke. ¡°You see, daddy?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jogak said, ruffling his daughter¡¯s hair, before returning back to his own meal. He peeked towards his wife, before letting out a sigh. ¡°How can I help it when my daughter is so cute?¡± Lavgak shook her head lightly, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®This is why she always bullies you.¡¯ ¡°Come, Kitool,¡± Citool called, taking her daughter to the extended family estate. Feeling the girl¡¯s small hands against her own, she smiled. Sometimes, her daughter would cry to cause more trouble, but in front of her, it was futile. ¡°If you cry, your cousin will learn to cry so much too.¡± Kitool blinked. ¡°I will not cry.¡± ¡°You may cry if you wish to cry.¡± ¡°I will not.¡± The girl stood a little taller and prouder. ¡°Mama?¡± ¡°We can go to the toilet.¡± Kitool narrowed her eyes towards her mother. ¡®How you know?¡¯ She was many years older when she walked upon the deck, recalling the memories of old. She stared out towards the sea, which could swallow them up at any moment, for no reason at all. She was but a girl, barely out of her clothy in her memory. She closed her eyes, feeling the cool wind of the sea, and the cool wind of that day. Kitool clutched his shirt tight, though she had no need to, for her grandfather held her so close to her chest. He skipped through the land with ease, as though floating from cloud to cloud, then, as they came upon the river, he ran upon the surface, before leaping onto the other side. He turned, reaching down with a finger to tickle her nose. ¡°Did you see?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Shall I walk upon the water again?¡± Kitool stared up at her grandfather, pouting slightly, but she slowly nodded her head. ¡°If you are too afraid, you can say no, my Kit.¡± Zaool leaned down to nuzzle her nose. ¡°If you soil your clothy, your mother will tell me off.¡± ¡°I do not wear clothy any more.¡± The girl sat up taller. ¡°I do not need it.¡± ¡°Wow! You have grown so much, my Kit! You are... three?¡± ¡°I am four now, baba.¡± Kitool narrowed her eyes at her grandfather. ¡°You are just joking.¡± ¡°Haha! You really are so big now!¡± Zaool chuckled. She could still remember her grandfather then. It was one of the last times she had met him. The last time she had seen him, it had been raining. The rain was cold then, she could remember it even as a child. ¡°You let him leave?¡± Zaool shouted. ¡°Do you know what kind of mess he¡¯ll cause?¡± ¡°Could you stop him?¡± Shaool asked. ¡°You could!¡± ¡°It is not my place to stop him.¡± ¡°Shaool!¡± ¡°You must understand my position, Zaool.¡± Zaool clenched his fists. He quickly turned and left, sprinting towards the main estate. Kitool had remembered just how tenderly he had held her, and had wished her aunt¡¯s pregnancy well. ¡°You must watch over your cousin well,¡± Zaool said, brushing the girl¡¯s hair gently. ¡°I know,¡± Kitool assured. Kitool was too young to understand the meaning behind Zaool¡¯s soft smile, the smile of an Iyrman who was about to leave the Iyr, with the understanding it may have been the last time. However, she was old enough then to understand. She opened her eyes to stare out at the sea. She understood why her grandfather, who was barely a Master back then, had gone to stop Jarot. She understood why he and Tangak had died during the fight with the Azure Terror. ¡°Did you enjoy the fresh air?¡± Jaygak asked as Kitool returned to their room. ¡°Jaygak,¡± Kitool called. ¡°...¡± ¡°I will continue to adventure.¡± Jaygak smiled, unsure if she had ever seen Kitool thinking so deeply, so resolutely. ¡°Now I can rest easier knowing those fools won¡¯t get themselves killed so easily.¡± ¡°Your expectations are too high.¡± ¡°You can do it, since it¡¯s you.¡± Kitool¡¯s jokes were so easily dealt with by Jaygak, the young Iyrman understanding why Adam found it difficult to deal with her. ¡°I am sorry, Jaygak.¡± Jaygak just smiled, letting out a defeated sigh. ¡°It was Fate.¡± Thus the party made their way back to the continent, and from the continent, to the West once more, to find the magical whirlpool which would send them back home. Their journeys were full of fights, but since they were all Masters, and outside of a few wyverns, they had very little to worry about. A greater threat loomed on the horizon. I skimmed some of this chapter and it made me sad. Sorry, Jaygak. [1101] – Y06.001 – The First Day of Dawnval I [1101] ¨C Y06.001 ¨C The First Day of Dawnval I As the first rays of dawnval blanketed the land, forcing away the Chaos of the Twilight Month, the Iyr began the new year as it always did, with Iyrman efficiency. The Chief sat within his gazebo, checking over his notes. Due to the imminent arrival of the Reavers, the Iyr was already so full of noise, from the farmers heading into the fields, to the larger number of warriors who took to their borders. Due to the expansion of the land during the Twilight Month, the Iyr was quick to claim their new land, though only those which did not break their original treaties, and did not fall out of their immediate reach. ¡°Just the hills?¡± Baztam asked. ¡°Just the hills,¡± Chief Iromin confirmed. Baztam scratched his neck, against the month¡¯s growth. The shorter Iyrman glanced aside, letting out a huff into the air. ¡°It is not like you to to be so loud when you pretend to be quiet,¡± Iromin said, scanning the words upon the page. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°You should have told him about his boy.¡± Iromin¡¯s eyes darted towards Baztam. ¡°It is best to take it slowly.¡± ¡°Will he think of it that way?¡± ¡°He needed to spend the week resting,¡± Iromin stated firmly. ¡°The Orders?¡± Iromin¡¯s eyes returned back to the words, the words which informed him of the Order¡¯s movements. ¡°Order.¡± ¡°Ah. Order.¡± ¡°He will find out soon enough. Today, he should enjoy himself, since it is the first of the first.¡± Baztam cracked his neck from side to side. ¡°We should have killed them all when we had the chance.¡± ¡°The opportunities to kill the Aldish are endless.¡± Baztam let out a low sigh, before standing up, bored of annoying the Chief. He hoisted his greatblade up over his shoulder, the jagged teeth edge, like shark teeth, threatening the world. Baztam sauntered his way out of the Great Elder¡¯s estate, and for a moment he thought about annoying the other Great Elders, but since the year was already shaping up to be so full of death, he decided against it. ¡®This year is chaotic enough without me.¡¯ The cool air swept through the Iyr, from the Great Elders¡¯ estates, all the way to the shared estates of the Main Iyr, those shared by the various families of the Iyr. While the wind swept through the mountain town of the Main Iyr, there was a greater whirlwind of Chaos that filled a particular estate. ¡°Pizza!¡± Jirot screamed, for only her lungs could scream so loudly on the first day of the year. ¡°I want pizza! Daddy make pizza!¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Vonda called, reaching out for the leaf eared girl, whose skin turned from green to red as she screamed and cried. ¡°When your father returns, he will make you pizza, but today, I can make it.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot stood tall and defiant, already reaching most of her height at the age of four, barely coming up to her mother¡¯s knee. She clenched her tiny green fists tight, her large amber eyes narrowing, her tears flowing freely as the rivers through the Iyr¡¯s hills. ¡°I want daddy¡¯s pizza! Not your pizza! I want daddy¡¯s pizza! Daddy!¡± ¡°Jirot...¡± ¡°No!¡± The girl pointed towards her mother with a threatening finger. ¡°Mummy! I do not like you!¡± Her twin brother¡¯s brows shot up in alarm, his eyes darting towards their grandmother, who was already beginning to stand to deal with the girl. Vonda frowned slightly, but did not take her daughter¡¯s words to heart. Whatever pain it caused the woman, there was no doubt a greater pain swirling within the girl¡¯s. Even as her little Jirot screamed and cried, the nearby adults, Iyrmen and Aldishmen alike, could only try to soothe the girl with their open hearts. ¡°Jirot,¡± Sonarot, her grandmother, called. Sonarot¡¯s voice was sweet and gentle, not wanting to blame the girl for her outburst. ¡°Oh my, oh my,¡± called a voice, breaking through the tension. ¡°Who is it that is bullying my poor wife?¡± Jirot¡¯s amber eyes darted towards the western archway, and from the shadows cast by the long walls of the shared estate, the four figures stepped within. Three were Iyrmen, their tattoos displayed proudly upon their foreheads, but the last, with his leaf shaped ears, wore a smirk across his lips. Sonarot¡¯s eyes darted towards the returning four, noting how her son¡¯s face was not as gaunt or pale as she expected, before her eyes darted towards Adam, who continued to smirk, but there was a heaviness within it. ¡®Did they return before the month¡¯s end?¡¯ Little Jarot shook his head, clutching his father¡¯s shirt tight, resting his head against his father¡¯s chest, while his sister mirrored him. ¡°Haha! Okay, but daddy¡¯s going to eat some!¡± Just like that, the storm known as Jirot ended. ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam stared down at the triplets, their silver hair falling down to their shoulders, neatly cut by their grandmother¡¯s hand. He eyed up each of them, from their tiny little horns, to their silver scales down the sides and back of their necks, and their silver eyes which stared up at their father with such delight. Konarot, the eldest of the trio, frowned upon realising what her father was doing. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± Adam asked, feigning surprise. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t tell me! This powerful glare! These adorable children! Standing so tall and proud! Who else could they be but my eldest?¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Konarot pouted, but soon her father embraced her, swallowing them all with his affection. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t recognise you because you all became so big!¡± Adam tried to hoist each of his triplets up, but pretended as though he couldn¡¯t pick them up. ¡°My my my! Why is it that I can¡¯t pick you up?¡± Jirot wiped her face with her hand, before glancing up towards her mother, as though she didn¡¯t know what she was going to do with her father. ¡°So troublesome.¡± ¡°So troublesome,¡± Vonda agreed, allowing her husband to greet his children before he greeted her. He could see it on his face, and upon his shoulders, the great stress which pinned him down. The shadow of their children¡¯s deaths still weighed so heavily upon his shoulders. Vonda reached up for her amulet, feeling the ridges of the silver sun beneath the rose, denoting her title as a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose. While Vonda, a Priest of Life, stressed about how much death would follow her husband this year, the older Iyrman eyed up the four returning figures. He had sensed it first, but the others were also beginning to notice. There was something about the four which was different, but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. ¡°Kako! Your leg!¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I hurt my leg during my training,¡± Jaygak replied. ¡°No! How you can be hurt? I heal you, okay?¡± The girl reached out her hands, straining as she willed her mighty powers to heal her aunt. ¡°Is better now?¡± ¡°It feels a little better now,¡± Jaygak admitted, a small smile encroaching upon her lips. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°How you can thank me?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°You are my kako!¡± Jaygak reached down to pinch the girl¡¯s cheek gently, before sharing one of her peppers with the girl, who furrowed her brows. Deciding against bullying her niece, Jaygak replaced the pepper with a block of cheese, causing the girl to smile. While the group began to exchange their gifts, for so many shared the same birthday on the first day of the year, an Elder approached the Great Elders¡¯ estates, one in particular. ¡°The girl troubled us for a whole month to feed her brother pizza,¡± Elder Zijin, the Elder of these shared estates, informed. ¡°It is only the greatdaughter of the Mad Dog who could cause such trouble, but remain justified in causing such trouble,¡± Iromin joked, before scanning the piece of paper the Elder handed him. He signed the paper, before writing a letter, signing it and stamping it with his seal, handing both to the Elder. ¡°In this matter, I will trust you to act freely.¡± ¡°Thank you, Chief Iromin.¡± Zijin had thought to ask, but decided not to rock the boat, especially with the Reavers upon the horizon. Reavers. Aldishmen. Killing came easy to the Iyrmen, regardless of whether it was the mythical Reavers, or their longstanding allies, the Aldish. However, when it came to the hearts of children, who was better than the fool of a father that caused as much of a mess as Jirot and the Mad Dog? ¡°Shall I inform him of the Order?¡± Elder Zijin asked, ready to leave. ¡°No. Let him enjoy the day. He will head to the business soon, and it will not be too late, even when they appear.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zijin left, allowing the Chief his fun. However, the Elder wrote within his book, making sure to prepare his own back up for the half elf, just in case. So it begins. I can''t wait for this year to be just a slow paced slice of life with zero consequences for any actions Adam had taken in the previous years. [1102] – Y06.002 – The First Day of Dawnval II [1102] ¨C Y06.002 ¨C The First Day of Dawnval II Pam decided not to ask her husband what he had been up to the last month. She understood within her heart that the Iyr had its secrets, and though she had married the Iyrman, she still preferred to know less about the monster that was the Iyr. She was a baker, the wife of an Iyrman, and the mother of two children, and that was all she needed to know. ¡°Dada,¡± Damrot called, his eyes glued to his father. As their eyes met, the boy squealed, clapping his hands excitedly. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Jurot asked, reaching down to brush his boy¡¯s dark hair, noting how thick it had become, feeling the difference even after not seeing the boy for months. ¡°Dada!¡± Damrot giggled wildly, his bright smile stretching all the way to his eyes. ¡°Monarot has begun to eat from a spoon,¡± Pam informed, the girl sucking away at her dummy, her eyes glued to her mother. ¡°She likes bananas, salya, the most.¡± ¡°She is eating well,¡± Jurot said, noting how chubby his youngest daughter had become. She had grown so much during the one month, which was much longer for him, and almost an instant for the girl. Her hair slightly longer and thicker, her eyes clearer. ¡°You are growing well, Monarot. I will whittle you another spoon. Eat more.¡± Pam smiled slightly, realising how hard her husband was trying, feeling the urge to tease her husband rise. ¡®You¡¯re so good at going to fight, but when it comes to spoiling your children...¡¯ ¡°Did you slay a few dragons while you were gone?¡± The shadow of a smile encroached upon Jurot¡¯s face, causing Pam¡¯s smile to drop. ¡®You were only gone a month!¡¯ ¡°Kako...¡± Konarot called, pouting up at her aunt, strands of her silver hair slipping down the sides of her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Your leg is hurt?¡± Konarot placed a hand on her aunt¡¯s, her lower lip quivering. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It was hurt during the journey.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Bad luck.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jaygak smiled. ¡°Sometimes bad luck strikes us.¡± ¡°Bad luck strike Jarot and Larot?¡± Konarot asked, her silver eyes not quite full of the childish innocence she should posses. ¡®You really are your sister¡¯s sister!¡¯ Jaygak smiled sadly, before reaching down to brush her hair. ¡°Yes.¡± Konarot blinked. ¡°I do not like bad luck.¡± ¡°I do not like it either.¡± Jaygak tucked the strands of silver behind her ear, rubbing the girl¡¯s nose with her thumb. She rubbed along the scar across the girl¡¯s eye, while the girl gave in to her aunt¡¯s rough hand. ¡°Did you like the ring your father gifted you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Konarot smiled wide, revealing the gem ring on her necklace, which was matched by a second ring of silver Jaygak had gifted. ¡°I thought about gifting you a sword, but you¡¯re a Rot, so you should use a shield and axe...¡± Jaygak pulled the girl to her chest. ¡°Should I steal you away from your father? You can be a Gak, and you can use a sword and shield, just like your baba.¡± ¡°Baba?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Jaygak whispered, before she felt a hand against her shoulder. ¡°Stop troubling her,¡± Jogak growled. ¡°Troubling my Konarot? Konarot, am I troubling you?¡± Jaygak asked, smirking down at her niece. ¡°Kako! You are bullying my kaka?¡± Jirot asked, peeking from the side, holding up the bread bun for her brother, who refused the first bite. ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Jirot raised her brow incredulously. ¡°You are not?¡± ¡°Konarot...¡± Jaygak pleaded. Konarot reached up to pat Jaygak¡¯s head. ¡°It is okay, kako. You can trouble me, since you are so lovely.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just troubling you a little bit?¡± ¡°Perhaps not.¡± ¡°Then he should at least aim for Paragon.¡± Zirot smiled wide, for if he wasn¡¯t the grandson of Jarot, he was surely the grandson of her husband. ¡°I will tell him.¡± ¡°No, no. He shouldn¡¯t bother himself too much, we can always ask the Bearded Dragon,¡± Adam said, jaw tightening as he refrained from cracking a smile. ¡°You should have mentioned Shaool.¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Adam replied, thinking of the bald woman, the images in his mind flashing of all the blood. ¡°That makes more sense.¡± ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot squealed as an older man appeared, bald, with a thick beard that was cut horizontally at his collarbone. ¡°My Jirot, what are you doing here today?¡± Malfev asked, brushing along his moustache, curling it up at the side, as though he hadn¡¯t expected to see the child that day. ¡°Konarot? Kirot? Karot? You are here too?¡± ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot groaned, before giggling wildly and charging him, little Jarot following after her. The older Jarot glared at the Family Elder of the Fev family, but he was trapped beneath the triplets, who cuddled up to him, wanting to nap in the warm noon sky. The triplets peeked up towards the old man, and for a moment, they stirred to get up, but they heard their greatfather huff quietly, glancing away, not wanting to see his triplets betray him, and Konarot, being her sister¡¯s sister, paused in thought. However, she decided not to tease her babo, so instead held out a hand and beckoned the old man towards them. Meanwhile, as the extended Rot family filled with more familiar faces, there was one which had been notably missing that day. ¡°I am watching Duteous fight,¡± Tokan said, his voice low. He could feel the sweat drip down the side of his cheek. ¡°Mnn,¡± Gorot agreed, watching the fight between Duteous and the creature made of shadow and blood, that which would give Grandmasters trouble. Duteous was no Grandmaster. ¡°Is that why you came despite their fifth birthdays?¡± ¡°Will our relationship change if they call me baba or granduncle?¡± ¡°Granduncle? They call your wife grandmother, they should call you grandfather too.¡± ¡°My wife dotes upon them.¡± ¡°You dote upon them in your own way.¡± ¡°Soon, I will earn such a right.¡± ¡°Soon?¡± Tokan asked, before his eyes narrowed. ¡®Ah.¡¯ ¡°Soon you may.¡± Once Duteous Dogek finished slaying the creature, which would have wreaked havoc upon any other land, he held his blade against the fire, the leftover shadow and blood burning to a crisp. He saw his reflection against the blade, Quiet Rain. Those eyes of his, no longer cold and distant, but the eyes of a stranger, filled with the passion of an Iyrman¡¯s rage. ¡®Duteous,¡¯ the Chief had called the old man within the last week. ¡®The Order of High Garden will come within the first weeks of dawnval. They will demand justice.¡¯ ¡®Justice?¡¯ ¡®Justice for their Vice Commander and his apprentice.¡¯ ¡®They... will demand it?¡¯ ¡®Their Grand Commander will come,¡¯ the Chief warned, leaving the words unspoken. Duteous understood what was being asked of him. The Grand Commander was one of a handful of Paragons in the Aldish lands, not like the Sky Commander he had brutalised the previous year. He was the Grand Commander of one of the most prestigious Orders, one that had merged with two others to form an Order that surpassed any other within the lands. An Order which would find its home at the Iyr¡¯s doorstep. Yet, he dared to step forward to demand justice? Dogek understood what the Chief was asking. Adam was strong, there was no doubt about that, but could he face the Grand Commander? ¡°Duteous,¡± Tokan called, stretching out his neck, ready to fight any other creatures of blood and shadow alongside Gorot. ¡°We must continue.¡± ¡®Okay,¡¯ Duteous had replied. Dogek is a little too casual about beating up those shadow and blood creatures that gave the party trouble... [1103] – Y06.003 – The First Day of Dawnval III [1103] ¨C Y06.003 ¨C The First Day of Dawnval III The children¡¯s eyes beamed towards the figures who sat within their estate, from Bearded Dragon Rajin, to Falling Swallow Malfev, and Bloodblade Shasen. The trio were around Mad Dog¡¯s age, and though they had not caused as many messed, they were considered at the very least around the same tier. Tonagek was there too, Sonarot¡¯s brother who had retired recently, but was ranked among the strongest in his generation. Even in his retirement, it was only last year he had almost slain a Vice Commander of an Order within a single round. Tonagek held his finger curled over his lip, mirroring his grandniece, who stared at the board with a focused intensity. His eyes took in the sight of her face, falling to the scar across her cheek, then to her horns, and finally her leaf shaped ears peeking through her silver hair. ¡°I cannot,¡± Konarot said. ¡°Do you surrender?¡± ¡°Mmm...¡± Konarot replied with a hum, but she thought of what her greatfather would always say. She moved her knight forward. The pair continued to play until Konarot finally lost the game, but she had at least taken an arm, before they made their way to the side, coaxed by the smell of pizza. The half elf focused intently on the pizza, making sure it was cooked perfectly to how he liked it, before cutting it into pieces. ¡°Wait for it to cool first,¡± Adam said, helping his twins wash their hands, even though Jirot complained. ¡°When pizza burns your mouth, the betrayal hurts too deep.¡± ¡°How can pizza betray?¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°I know, I know.¡± While Vonda continued to cook the other pizzas, she glanced aside towards her daughter and son, watching with the others as Jirot held the pizza to her brother¡¯s lips. The boy pulled away at first, causing his father to let out a pained gasp, the half elf quickly stifling it before smiling at his son. Jarot blinked, leaning in slightly, before nibbling on the tip of the pizza. Like a rabbit, he nibbled on the tip of the pizza, before finally pulling away, but it was there, the unmistakeable sight of a nibble sized hole at the tip. ¡°How is it? Is daddy¡¯s pizza good?¡± Adam asked, taking a bite of his own slice. ¡°Is good.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a small bite, just a little bit, of mummy¡¯s pizza, and then you have to tell us which is better okay?¡± Little Jarot shook his head, causing his father to laugh and pick him up, the pair embracing one another tenderly. The boy felt his father¡¯s lips against the top of his head, so soft and tender, as his father¡¯s affection always was. ¡°You already know mummy¡¯s pizza is better, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to compare, isn¡¯t that right? My son is so sweet and so well behaved.¡± Adam brushed the boy¡¯s cheek, his fingers brushing as soft as a feather, winking at the boy. Little Jarot smiled shyly and hid his face against his father¡¯s chest. ¡°Abababa!¡± Virot cried aloud, pointing at the pizza, before glaring at her mother. ¡°Mama!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Vonda asked. Virot pointed to the pizza and continued to babble. ¡°Hoo!¡± ¡°Your father will feed you.¡± Virot glanced towards Adam, before tossing her head to the side, babbling away at her mother again. She huffed, sucking on her thumb and resting her head against her mother¡¯s bosom. While Adam¡¯s children continued to bully him, the older Iyrmen relaxed to one side, having noted just how much of the pizza their little Jarot ate. ¡°Do you see? My greatson eats so well.¡± The old man grinned wide, though they could see it in his eyes, the unbridled rage he kept at bay, but only because he would be allowed to unleash it soon. ¡°They should have named him Tarot since he is so well behaved,¡± Zirot joked. Jirot read to her twin brother, as well as her youngest sister, Virot, who listened so eagerly to her sister. ¡°Look. Is nana¡¯s name. Sonarot. Nana has name, but it is not your name, your name is Virot. Mummy has name too! Her name is Vonda, but you must call her mummy, and all other people, they call mummy Ray Vonda, because she is a Ray.¡± Virot giggled up towards her sister. ¡°Mama?¡± ¡°Yes! Mummy is Ray, and daddy, daddy is a Priest! Daddy is also Executive, and I am Demon Lord.¡± Jirot blinked, feeling a chill within her. She closed the book and shuffled over to her sister, hugging her tight, before kissing her cheek, brushing the girl¡¯s hair to the side. ¡°You are my little sister, so I will protect you, okay?¡± ¡°Eee!¡± Virot confirmed, sucking on her thumb as she cuddled up to her elder sister¡¯s chest. ¡°I protect you too!¡± little Jarot promised, reaching out to pet his youngest sister¡¯s head gently. His lips quivered slightly, the boy feeling a wave of darkness flood through him. Fortunately for him, Malfev poked his cheek. ¡°I have caught you,¡± Malfev said, smiling down towards the boy. ¡°Since I have caught you, you must-,¡± Malfev¡¯s eyes darted to the side, though there were many other Iyrmen who glanced to the side, and after taking in the sight of the shorter Iyrman, they returned back to their task. ¡°There are so many here?¡± Baztam mused, sauntering his way towards the triplets, reaching down to pinch their noses and cheeks. ¡°You keep them from me for so long, they must have forgotten my face!¡± ¡°You met them last week, Black Shark,¡± Jarot replied, grinning wildly towards the aide. Baztam growled slightly. ¡°Do you think I will not beat you now that you are crippled, Mad Dog?¡± ¡°Black Shark, will you draw your blade, Black Shark?¡± Baztam winced each time Jarot said his epithet, for the crippled old man was one of a handful the Iyrman disliked saying his name, another also among his company. For years he had slaughtered his way through Aldland, and while his peers gathered names like the Drakebane, Deathhand, Bearded Dragon, and even Jarot had managed to collect several, Undying, Mad Dog, Crimson Shield, Bloody Jarot. Yet, he had earned the title of Black Shark? Even though he had killed more drakes than Iromin? ¡°Konarot, should I draw my blade?¡± Baztam asked, lifting the girl up, pressing their foreheads together, doing the same for her younger siblings. ¡°Babo...¡± Konarot blinked towards the old man, and then to Jarot. She pouted, her eyes darting to her mother. Vonda smiled warmly, offering out her hand, and the triplets rushed towards her, swarming their father, who sat beside her. They climbed onto their parents¡¯ laps, Konarot taking a moment to check if her mother was pregnant, before embracing the woman tight. ¡°Jirot, babo is bullying your sister,¡± Adam said, noting where his daughter was looking. ¡°Your other babo, Baztam.¡± Jirot¡¯s eyes met Baztam¡¯s, which sparkled with life and mischief, before she turned to look towards her grandmother for support. ¡°I am not,¡± Baztam said, reaching into his tunic, within the large pocket, revealing three silver discs, larger than the typical coin, flatter, with inscriptions upon them in the drakken tongue. ¡°I have brought gifts.¡± ¡°She Who Rules Silver, Immortal in Memory?¡± Adam read the words aloud, noting each disc has the same inscription, but on the other side, each held a different engraving, one of a mountain, another of a tower, and the last a sword. ¡°These discs were once part of Antalia¡¯s hoard.¡± ¡®...¡¯ Adam wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about that, but seeing the old man¡¯s gleaming eyes as the children accepted the discs, he decided against saying anything. ¡°Black Shark, prepare your neck,¡± Jarot snarled, hoisting himself up, reaching for his axe. Jirot, you would have been right to look at that old geezer nine times out of ten, but just this once, it was someone else. Does anyone remember who Antalia was? [1104] – Y06.004 – The First Shadows of Dawnval I [1104] ¨C Y06.004 ¨C The First Shadows of Dawnval I ¡°Sit down,¡± Rajin called, his voice low, barely above a whisper. However, even though the Bearded Dragon had tried to settle the Mad Dog, the old crippled Iyrman continued to snarl, axe in hand. Adam whispered into Kirot¡¯s ear, who slid off her father¡¯s leg, before rushing towards her greatfather, her silver hair billowing in the warm dawnval evening. Jarot glanced down at his greatdaughter, who held out her small hand. He held out the handle towards the girl. ¡°Do you see? My greatdaughter will fight for me!¡± The old man roared with laughter, grinning wide like a beast, though his eyes remained focused upon the short Iyrman. ¡®He has regrown his claws,¡¯ Baztam thought, remembering the Jarot who had returned with one leg, and before that, a single arm. Now? Now he was more like the younger Jarot who used to cause such large headaches for the previous Great Elders, the Jarot who had caused so many nightmares for Aldland. ¡°Babo, it is time to go back,¡± Kirot said, blinking innocently at her greatfather. ¡°Virot is sleepy.¡± Jarot groaned quietly, but upon seeing Kirot¡¯s pout, he sheathed his axe, allowing the girl to take his hand. Her small hand wrapped around three of his fingers, and her silver tail swayed side to side in joy. The old man glared at Baztam for a moment longer, before letting out a soft sigh. ¡°I will stay in the shared estate with my greatchildren.¡± Virot yawned, resting her head against her mother¡¯s shoulder, the girl¡¯s eyes slowly beginning to narrow as slumber lulled her ever closer, Damrot also doing the same against his mother¡¯s shoulder. Little Xarot remained fast asleep in his basket, Sonarot carrying her grandson back home, while Jurot carried his youngest daughter. The last of the youngest children, Larot, remained within the older Jarot¡¯s arm, the old man holding the boy close, while his triplets led him back to the shared estate. The older Iyrman held his greatson close, while the hornless red skinned Iyrman rested his head against the old man¡¯s chest, feeling the way it shifted with each breath, feeling his heartbeat through even the layers of clothing, though it was low and gentle. Even as Adam fought off his children to try and take a bath with Vonda alone, Jarot clutched Larot close to him, not allowing anyone to steal the boy from him. ¡°Babo! How can daddy do this?¡± Jirot huffed, pouting up at the old man. ¡°Daddy take mummy for bath!¡± ¡°He wishes to give a gift?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Yes! Why did daddy not give it here?¡± ¡°Your father is too shy.¡± ¡°Shy?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°Yes. You must be happy, because he loves your mother so much.¡± ¡°How he can love mummy so much when I love mummy so much?¡± ¡°It is because is so troublesome.¡± ¡°So trouble,¡± the girl agreed, walking away with her hands tied behind her back, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°So troublesome. What am I to do?¡± Meanwhile, Adam had placed the circlet upon his wife¡¯s head, thin, silver, with a small blue gem set within the centre. ¡°There! A circlet for my queen.¡± ¡°This kind of circlet, lighter, is fit for a baroness.¡± ¡°Hey, if I say it¡¯s for a queen, it¡¯s for a queen, and if I need to change the laws in Aldland to make it so, I¡¯ll do it, one way or another,¡± Adam joked, wrapping his arms around his wife, pulling her close. ¡°I feel something from the circlet,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Is it magical?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°It uh...¡± Adam thought about how to explain it. ¡°Oh. It increases your Defence by 1, and your Attributes, by 1 too.¡± ¡°My...¡± Vonda furrowed her brows, before tilting her head. ¡°Is it similar to in Warriors and Wanderers?¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s exactly like Warriors and Wanderers. It only helps if they¡¯re odd numbers, otherwise it doesn¡¯t do much.¡± Vonda¡¯s lips formed a wider smile, realising it was a very Adam gift for him to give. ¡°I also have a gift for you.¡± Adam held the small blade within his hand, unsure of Vonda was messing with him. It was white, the symbol of Life¡¯s Rose etched against the smooth white handle of the dagger, which was just long enough for Adam to hold it within a single hand, while the blade was two finger lengths, made of silver steel. There was also the unmistakeable electricity of magic within it. ¡°A magical dagger?¡± ¡°I enchanted it.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, flashing a smile back. ¡°Now that I think about it, Jurot, I didn¡¯t give you a gift today, did I?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Want to trade axes?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I like Lightaxe more.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± They traded their axes back, Jurot also preferring his own axe. ¡®I should figure something out...¡¯ As the evening passed, the families began to turn in for the night. ¡°Daddy! You must sleep with me!¡± Jirot said, pointing at her father, the girl standing tall and defiant. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I sleep with mummy, or at least your elder siblings?¡± ¡°I missed you so much!¡± The girl frowned, bowing her head slightly, her lips quivering. ¡°Ah! Then I¡¯ll sleep with you tonight, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot smiled wide, revealing her pearly white teeth, and her four pairs of canines in the brightest of smiles. Little Jarot also smiled so brightly, the pair disarming their father with their joy, and the half elf hoisted them both up, smothering them with his kisses. ¡°I will remain,¡± the older Jarot said, holding Larot still, who could feel sleep call to him. ¡°Alright...¡± Adam noted just how tired the old man looked, before looking down at his children, who clutched their father¡¯s shirt and sucked their thumb. He leaned down to kiss their foreheads, carrying them to the cabins outside of the shared estates, followed by the children¡¯s nanos. In the middle of the night, the children cried and screamed several times, but quickly quietened down within their father¡¯s arms. The half elf tensed up several times, doing his best not to allow the torrent of emotions overwhelm him. The heat of rage. The chill of grief. Jarot stared up at the ceiling above within his room, having chosen a nearby cabin. He was barely close enough to hear the screaming in the night. He could feel Larot awaken each time too, though the boy did not complain, quickly returning back to sleep. The old man brushed along the boy¡¯s hair tenderly, noting how the boy did not stir upon his touch. As the boy awoke for the third time, Jarot planting a kiss upon the top of his head. ¡°It does not matter who you were,¡± Jarot whispered. ¡°You are my greatson now. If you wish to cry, you may cry.¡± ¡®A Deathsinger asking me to cry?¡¯ Larot thought. ¡®Now I¡¯ve heard it all!¡¯ ¡°Churot was also as quiet as you...¡± Larot could hear the pain in Jarot¡¯s voice, the rage which continued to seep through him. The boy rolled onto his front, before reaching up to the old man¡¯s head, rubbing it gently. ¡°...¡± Larot could see it through the darkness with his sight, the smile upon the old man¡¯s face. ¡°My greatson is so well behaved,¡± Jarot whispered, wrapping his single arm around the boy¡¯s back gently. Larot showing affection? This year is going to be insane! [1105] – Y06.005 – The First Shadows of Dawnval II [1105] ¨C Y06.005 ¨C The First Shadows of Dawnval II During bath time, Adam washed his face multiple times, doing his best not to look at the scars on their bodies, and by the time he and the twins entered the courtyard, the families had almost finished their breakfast. Jirot offered her brother a bite of her food, but the young boy shook his head. ¡°What about some crisps?¡± Adam offered, holding a small crisp to his son¡¯s lip. Persuasion Check (Advantage) D20 + 3 (Charisma) + 4 (Trained Bonus) + 1 (Elegance) = 19 (11) D20 + 8 = 28 (20) 28! The boy smiled shyly, before taking a small bite from his father¡¯s hand, and Adam rubbed his back gently. ¡°There we go! My son, he eats so well, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Adam peppered his son¡¯s cheek with kisses. ¡°Which flavour do you want me to flavour them?¡± ¡°Pawn cocktail.¡± Adam continued to pepper his son with kisses, pulling the boy onto his lap, Jirot furrowed her brows expectantly, before she was smothered in her father¡¯s affection too. Vonda smiled, her eyes upon her son as he continued to slowly eat the crisps his uncle had cut and fried for him. ¡°Brother, I am going to learn now!¡± Lanarot said while Adam ate his own breakfast. ¡°Have fun, okay?¡± Adam picked her up, hugged her tight, the pair kissing one another¡¯s cheeks, before she did the same with Jurot. ¡°I love learning so much!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam glanced towards the triplets. ¡°Where are you three going?¡± ¡°They must learn too,¡± Sonarot informed. ¡°What? It¡¯s... they¡¯re going to school?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What! It¡¯s their first day?¡± Adam gasped, jumping onto his feet. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise!¡± ¡°They are five now.¡± ¡°Damn it! Didn¡¯t I tell you three not to grow up?¡± The complex emotions invaded through the half elf. Though he was mostly joking, seeing the three would soon be learning and spending time away from the rest of their family, it hurt his heart. ¡°I¡¯ll take them.¡± Adam followed Sonarot, who led the half elf towards the large buildings near the shared estates, not far from the creative district. The buildings here was made of hard stone, far more expansive than the shared estates, with roughly a dozen children to one teacher, as well as several teens who assisted. Adam dropped to his knees, brushing his children¡¯s cheeks, planting a kiss on their foreheads. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know you were going to school today. I should have known.¡± ¡°Daddy...¡± Konarot hugged her father, unsure as to why he was so sad, but she held him tight. ¡°I will learn good.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam embraced his triplets one by one, nuzzling their noses, before pressing their foreheads together against his. ¡°Have fun, okay? I¡¯ll make some pizza in celebration.¡± ¡°Yes, daddy!¡± Adam watched as they shuffled their way to the outdoor class of young children, the half elf noticing how Kirot and Karot stuck together, right behind their eldest sister, while Sonarot led them forward. Adam¡¯s heart sank, the half elf reaching up to rub his burning eyes. ¡°Brother, will you walk me too?¡± Lanarot asked, her innocent eyes shooting through his heart. ¡°Of course,¡± Adam promised, taking her hand within his own. ¡°Should we wait for... your mother?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lanarot beamed up at her brother, squeezing his hand gently. It wasn¡¯t long until Adam was saying his goodbyes to his sister, waving his hand as she quickly rushed up to find her friends, the girl pointing back and showing her brother off to everyone, the half elf smiling to the children. ¡°Okay?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, turning to look towards his aunt. ¡°I uh... I think I need to speak with Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Sonarot sighed, glancing aside as the pair returned back to the shared estate, though Adam continued down the road to the Elder¡¯s estate. She could see it. The heavy burden still upon the half elf¡¯s shoulders. The woman narrowed her eyes slightly. It felt just like that. Just like last year. The calm before the storm. Adam approached the Elder¡¯s estate, the courtyard open and clear, the centre holding a gazebo made of wood. The trees were in full bloom, and sitting beside the Elder was Churot, the boy glancing up towards the half elf. ¡°Yeah. I miss it a lot. There¡¯s a lot of magic here that replicates it, but... I mean, I came from a very peaceful country. I mean, not a peaceful country, but the wars we fight are in someone else¡¯s home, and sometimes, sometimes, they were justified, or so I think. The one I¡¯m thinking of that happened in my life time? That one? Not so much.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it because then you¡¯ll think my country is stupid, and as much as I criticise it, I do rather love it.¡± Elder Zijin slowly bowed his head. ¡°You were unmarried?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°No children?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I recall before you had children. You... seemed so different, but also so similar, to the way you are now. You are still as... cringe? Is that the word?¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You were... far more immature, but now. With your strength. With the wisdom of... a Ray as a wife, and not age. No. With your age too.¡± Elder Zijin poured the half elf more tea, noting the half elf flushing from the praise. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Elder Zijin remained silent for a long while. ¡°I heard you wished to head to Aswadasad this year.¡± ¡°I was planning on it, yeah.¡± ¡°It is very warm.¡± ¡°So I heard.¡± ¡°It is a shame you decided to go when Jaygak decided to retire. She would have liked to go.¡± ¡°She can come with. We¡¯ve got our steeds, so... not a lot of walking, hopefully.¡± ¡°Will you take Taygak?¡± ¡°Probably not... I hear it¡¯s going to be dangerous.¡± ¡°I believe you will be able to protect her.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not that strong. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a... Paragon or anything.¡± Zijin smiled. ¡°You are stronger than a Grandmaster, at least.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Zijin raised his brow, recalling all of Adam¡¯s feats. ¡°With your enchantments.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s cheating.¡± ¡°I will request that you do not work for this week at least.¡± ¡°A whole week?¡± Adam gasped. ¡°Elder Zijin! Isn¡¯t that too much? What else am I meant to do? Spoil my children? Take my wife on a bunch of dates? Train Taygak?¡± Elder Zijin laughed. ¡°If you know what to do, why do you not do it?¡± The half elf smiled. He supposed Elder Zijin had the right idea. ¡°I always feel better after talking to you, Elder. Thank you.¡± ¡°You should not thank me yet,¡± Zijin said, a gentle smile appearing on his face. ¡°You will know when to thank me.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It is going to be a good year, this year.¡± The Elder smiled a knowing smile. Larot showing affection? This year is going to be insane! [1106] – Y06.006 – The First Shadows of Dawnval III [1106] ¨C Y06.006 ¨C The First Shadows of Dawnval III Omen: 1, 20 ¡®Is this a sign?¡¯ Adam thought, having decided to check his Omens that day on a whim. His Omens, which could shift Fate to allow him an opportunity to replace a roll. Life was full of fortune and misfortune, though it was Adam who held a deeper connection than any other with such a system. ¡°No!¡± Jirot cried aloud. ¡°No! Daddy, no!¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Adam said, realising he probably should have told the girl the previous day, though he hadn¡¯t expected they were going to leave the first thing next morning. ¡°No! Nana! Daddy is not good!¡± Jirot declared, motioning to her father with a finger, though it was almost a blade with the way she was ready to use it. ¡°We must go,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°We are all going. Babos and nanos too.¡± ¡°Babo? Nano?¡± The girl blinked, the tears already threatening to spill out. ¡°Nana, you coming too?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Nana?¡± Jirot looked to Mirot. ¡°I am coming too,¡± Mirot assured, wiping the girl¡¯s face clean with a cloth. The one armed Jarot ruffled the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°Fort is not good!¡± Jirot said, hugging the old man¡¯s good leg, hiding her face within it. ¡°Are you... afraid?¡± The old man stretched out his neck, feeling the itch of his rage tickle against the back of it. ¡°I am not afraid!¡± The girl continued to hide against her greatfather¡¯s leg, the old man ruffling her hair, while little Jarot was too shy to sob, the boy¡¯s tears gently slipping down his face. ¡°I should stay with Virot and Xarot,¡± Vonda said. ¡°Virot should come too," Jurot said. ¡°I am taking Damrot.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit awkward, but... I don¡¯t think Virot will be happy with that,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I will watch over her,¡± Sonarot assured, lifting up the girl, who smiled with such delight at her grandmother. ¡°Nana!¡± Virot giggled wildly and clapped her hands. She grabbed her grandmother¡¯s face and kissed her cheek, babbling excitedly. ¡®I should watch over you more often,¡¯ Sonarot thought, pinching the girl¡¯s nose before the pair exchanged adoring smiles. As the Iyrmen prepared the carriages for the children, the Elder, the Family Heads, and the Iyr making the arrangements within minutes of Zijin thinking of the idea, the rest of the Iyrmen gathered together to assist with the children. With all the children who were coming along, at least an Expert from the families came to escort them, including for Adam¡¯s children. However, the half elf didn¡¯t expect so many of the older Iyrmen, from the likes of the Bearded Dragon Rajin, to Bloodblade Shasen, and even Black Shark Baztam. ¡®Damn. I guess the Reavers are around the corner, so...¡¯ The carriages began to lead the group out, with Adam holding onto Larot, while Jirot and Jarot remained with Jarot and Gangak. The other children also sat along with their siblings and cousins, who kept them company the entire ride to the Front Iyr. ¡°The Iyr has big walls, but the business walls are smaller,¡± Lanarot informed her brother, staring out the window, pointing out to the large walls. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°Stachoos,¡± Kavgak called out, glancing towards her sister as she pointed out the six statues which guarded the main gate of the Iyr, the gate closing behind them. ¡°They are,¡± Jaygak said, holding her sister upon her lap, feeling how heavy she had become, already like a five or six year old, even though she wasn¡¯t even half way through four. Beside her, Jogak, her father, held Maygak, who was only three and a half. The girl was quiet as always, but she yawned, looking up at her father, narrowing her eyes slightly. ¡°The river is so big, papa,¡± Inakan said, noting the way the water sprayed around the rock. ¡°Yes,¡± Amokan replied. ¡°We catch the fish often within this river.¡± ¡°You can find fish in rivers, and the lakes, and the seas, and the oceans.¡± ¡°Do you know the difference between seas and oceans?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Oceans are bigger.¡± Amokan smiled, before his eyes darted down towards his youngest brother. ¡°Mokan, do you know the difference between seas and oceans?¡± ¡°I can see it,¡± Mokan said. ¡°Look! Papa! Hills!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Shikan held Lykan¡¯s gaze. Lykan bowed his head. As Shikan made his way to leave, Lykan cleared his throat. ¡°You must kill one for me.¡± Shikan glanced back towards Lykan. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but slowly bowed his head. The Elder¡¯s words had all but confirmed it was happening soon. Shikan had thought there was something, since there were so many great old warriors who were escorting them on their trip to the business. If it was just a simple trip, they would have sent only Experts, not the likes of Shagek or Baztam. He had thought the Iyr was being sensitive due to the deaths of the children, but after his cousin¡¯s words, he was certain of it. Tarukan watched from the side as his nephew informed the rest of the adults, making their preparations for the time to come. The older Iyrmen sat to one side, sipping at their tea, eating their fruit. ¡°Did they just figure it out?¡± Baztam asked. ¡°How could you raise your children like this?¡± ¡°They know what is expected of them,¡± Tarukan replied, sipping his milk. ¡°Hah!¡± Baztam shook his head, leaning back in his chair. ¡°They should have understood.¡± ¡°Does it matter?¡± ¡°Does it not?¡± ¡°We will go to the business. If we are asked to draw our blades, we will draw our blades. Do you need to think so much before you draw your blade?¡± ¡°I must think as the Chief¡¯s aide.¡± ¡°How did you become an aide?¡± ¡°What can I do, when Iromin cannot sharpen his own blade?¡± ¡°...¡± Baztam cackled at the Iyrman, his eyes full of mischief. He poured himself a small cup of wine, doing the same for the other elderly Iyrman around him. ¡°Baztam,¡± Malfev finally called. ¡°Malfev?¡± ¡°Why did you gift such treasures to the triplets?¡± ¡°Can I not?¡± Baztam replied, staring into Malfev¡¯s glare. ¡°Do you think it was an inappropriate gift?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°At this time, it was inappropriate.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Speak the words, Family Elder Malfev,¡± Baztam teased. ¡°You had other treasures,¡± Malfev stated calmly. ¡°You should not have gifted those.¡± Baztam sipped his wine, finishing the cup. ¡°Do you know what they call my nephew?¡± Malfev remained silent. ¡°They call him baba. Not dado, baba.¡± Baztam held Malfev¡¯s gaze. ¡°They do not call the dead Dragon Empress their nana.¡± ¡°It was not right.¡± ¡°It is within my right to gift them what I please, and it is their right to accept the gift, for they are Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Their position is special.¡± ¡°Their position is like any other child of the Iyr. They are Iyrmen. That is it. That is where the matter begins. That is where the matter rests.¡± Malfev sipped his wine, falling silent. He still didn¡¯t like how Baztam had gifted such troublesome gifts, but what else could he say? After all, Baztam had come along with them, and he would draw his blade. Baztam does a little trolling. [1107] – Y06.007 – Unfinished Business I [1107] ¨C Y06.007 ¨C Unfinished Business I Manager Dunes stared out at the procession of carriages, a larger number than any he had seen come from the Iyr previously. The carriages were well built, simple in design, but more importantly, were driven by an Iyrmen Oathsworn. However, it wasn¡¯t just the number of Oathsworn, but the familiar faces that soon filled the fort¡¯s walls, which brought more questions to the Manager¡¯s mind. ¡°Manager Dunes,¡± Adam called out, reaching down to shake the Aswadian¡¯s forearm. @@@@ The Manager was well built, with the dark skin of the Aswadians, and piercing green eyes. His hair was short, his beard trimmed down to only a finger digit thick, but lined fresh that morning during his prayers. He wore an amulet with the symbol of Lady Arya, Goddess of War, over his breastplate, while the armour was stamped with the symbol of the United Kindom, a circle with a thick cross in the centre, and a thinner tilted cross which ran behind it. ¡°Executive Adam,¡± Dunes replied, his tone light, though his green eyes held a curiosity, and the fear of asking. The last time Dunes had seen most of the older Iyrmen was when he was surrounded by all the Aldish Orders, and though they were on the same side, he couldn¡¯t push away the nerves. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Adam asked, glancing around the business, scanning the faces of the few figures which remained within the fort under the afternoon sun. ¡°Well,¡± Dunes replied, narrowing his eyes slightly upon seeing Adam¡¯s dark smile. ¡°Are you...¡± ¡°We can talk later,¡± Adam whispered, smiling awkwardly, before turning to motion to his twins. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, look who it is!¡± Jirot and Jarot clung to Gangak, while the older Jarot stretched out his neck. The pair¡¯s amber eyes darted up towards Dunes, whose white smile contrasted his skin, and the Priest dropped to a knee before them. ¡°Jirot, Jarot. What is this? Have you come to surprise me?¡± The Aswadian smiled wide, reaching out to rub the tops of their heads, the Aswadian noting how they clutched their nano¡¯s legs so tightly. ¡°No...¡± Jirot replied, a deep frown encroaching across her lips. ¡°Then I am blessed by Lady Arya, Wahtu, and Baktu this day?¡± Dunes continued to smile wider, causing the girl to peer at him curiously, before a small smile began to form across her thin lips. Dunes continued to smile, even seeing the thinness upon little Jarot¡¯s face. ¡°Should we pray together for such a blessing?¡± Jirot¡¯s smile dropped, and she hid behind her nano¡¯s leg. Gangak tickled the back of her head, doing her best to calm the girl. ¡°Come,¡± Gangak called, offering her hands to each of the twins. ¡°We must show our respect to Wahtu too.¡± ¡°Nano...¡± Dunes led the twins, and their babo and nanos, further within the fort, where the Managers¡¯ estate lay, and also held his temple. The inner gate opened to allow them through, while the rest of the Iyrmen began to settle themselves within the outer estates. ¡°Uh, you all need to settle in the inner estates,¡± Adam called, noting the way the Iyrmen were making themselves at home within the two superblocks of the first section of the fort, where most of the workers made their home. ¡°It is best we settle within these estates,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say anything against the President, but... it¡¯ll be annoying for the workers to move all their stuff without warning.¡± Sonarot bowed her head. ¡°Okay.¡± She motioned her hand towards the second section of the fort. The fort of the United Kindom loomed over the nearby villages. The thick stone walls were easily an Adam and a half tall, with several watch towers on each side, manned by young Iyrmen. The large river also provided the walls protection on each side, before rejoining the river further down. Compared to the newly made forts they had come across, which were made to house soldiers who defend the land, and to assist in defending the land, this fort was made to impose upon the land. The gate within was equally as large as the gate that led to the first section, the heavy, thick, wooden doors opened by a crank within the fort, revealing the large dirt path heading to the next sections. Within the first section of the fort were two fields, each already tilled and worked, outlined by the fruit trees, up until the dirt road which crossed from side to side in the centre of the first section of the fort, drawing a line to the super blocks, which towered three stories tall. They were rectangular, with large open archways in the centre of each side for the pathways within, with an inner courtyard, the estates reminiscent of those within the Iyr. It was by the Iyr¡¯s hand in which this fort was created. Considering the business¡¯ security was mostly Iyrmen, and most of the highest ranked figured were Iyrmen, one might assume this was a venture spearheaded by the Iyr itself, and not a fool of a father who kept giving the Iyr reasons to kill him. Adam spotted the children of the business standing to the side, kept at bay by the three sisters, Cobra, Viper, and Python. He spotted a large number of younger children too, those only a couple of years old at most that he had yet to familiarise himself with. ¡®Damn. If I, of all people, can¡¯t remember the names of those children, then...¡¯ Adam waved towards the children, before his eyes darted towards the other figures which required his attention. He nodded towards the mysterious Aswadian, who bowed his head in return, before his eyes then fell upon Bael. ¡°What are so many Iyrmen doing around here,¡± Bael asked, and deciding to show some wisdom, he asked in the tongue of the dragons. ¡°They¡¯re here to make sure the kids are okay.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Bael asked, his eyes darting between the Iyrmen, and though they all seemed to be acting as queerly as Iyrmen usually did, there was something else. He glanced down towards the silver scaled half dragons, who smelled of that particular family, and they looked up at the blue scaled half dragon, who smelled so much like a particular figure they recalled. Then Bael¡¯s eyes darted towards the sword upon Gangak¡¯s hip, which quickly disappeared out of sight. ¡®If she feels the need to wield Stormdrake...¡¯ Bael grinned wide, smelling the winds of a good fight. Unfortunately for them, Adam wasn¡¯t privy to the Iyr¡¯s thoughts. Dunes¡¯ eyes darted towards Jurot, Kitool and Jaygak, each of whom held the rank of Executive, surpassing his own rank. There was something they were hiding, which was confirmed when Jaygak smirked slightly, but she shook her head, allowing Dunes to sigh in relief. If Jaygak was telling him it was going to be okay, then he had to believe it. Dunes caught Adam¡¯s eyes, and the meeting continued, until finally the rest of the management made their way out. Dunes poured the half elf some tea, while the half elf poured some water for each of them, casting Tricks, a weak magical spell to flavour the water. ¡°It hurt, bringing them here,¡± Adam admitted, staring at the liquid within his cup. He sipped it, the burst of flavour filling his mouth. Blackcurrant was always so sour to him, and sometimes, far too sweet, just like life. ¡°They¡¯re so scared, Dunes.¡± ¡°It is painful, but it is the right thing to do. How will Jirot conquer the world if she cannot step out of the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just go conquer it for her,¡± Adam replied, and the pair smiled. ¡°I mean, Lucy can do it.¡± ¡°Once she is back with the wolves, I¡¯m sure the twins will smile from ear to ear.¡± ¡°Is she out scouting?¡± Dunes nodded. ¡°The wolves wished to stretch their legs, and most of us wear armour, so we cannot ride them.¡± ¡°Yeah. How¡¯s the armour anyway? Does it fit right?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It is great. I did not expect to be gifted full plate.¡± ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t going to let you die to all the Orders.¡± ¡°You did not know I was going.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me out like that, okay?¡± Adam flushed slightly, sipping his flavoured water. ¡°You deserved the plate mail, after all you¡¯ve done for me, and after coming with me, I should make you a Legendary Enhanced weapon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the Enchanter is too busy,¡± Dunes said, raising his brows towards the half elf, who flushed slightly after letting it slip. ¡°I must decline. Greater Enhanced is good enough for me.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam said. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Are you still pretending our relationship is transactional?¡± Dunes asked. Adam smiled wider. ¡°Until I speak with your Priest Commander and convince him to steal you away from your Order, yes.¡± Dunes frowned. He reached up to rub his forehead. ¡°Ah. Right.¡± Adam laughed, seeing the stress upon the Manager¡¯s forehead. ¡°Do you want me to bring Jirot along?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Dunes replied, far too seriously, and far too panicked. Even as a joke, Dunes wasn¡¯t sure if he would want Jirot to run amok in his Order. After all, if Jirot was coming, it meant Jarot was coming, and if Jarot was coming, it meant that the Mad Dog was coming. ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Amira joked with me about spoiling Ranya, and I said I¡¯d give her something like a Greater Shield...¡± Adam looked into Dunes¡¯ eyes sheepishly. Dunes rubbed his forehead again, and for a moment regretted asking Adam to come along to his Order. Dunes was no longer naive enough to doubt Adam¡¯s words, even if they sounded like a joke. Adam... [1108] – Y06.008 – Unfinished Business II [1108] ¨C Y06.008 ¨C Unfinished Business II ¡°Good evening, everyone. I hope you¡¯ve all been well.¡± Adam flashed a heavy smile towards the rest of the businessfolk around the fire. He could see all the familiar faces, those who had worked the fields around the business and upon the Iyr¡¯s land across the bridge to the west, as well as those who patrolled the nearby Aldish village across the bridge to the east. Adam let out a soft sigh, nodding his head to the familiar faces of Greg and Charley, the two figures who were built tall and wide, all the way to young Lucas, who worked the fields while the younger Tommy and Isaac learnt basic weaponry from the the business. ¡°I know it¡¯s an important time, what with it being the beginning of dawnval and all, so I don¡¯t want to take up much of your time. I¡¯m sure working the fields so early in the year is rough on your bodies, so don¡¯t push yourselves too much, especially since...¡± Adam¡¯s smile faded slightly. ¡°I have heard that the Reavers are coming, and soon at that. I¡¯m not sure when, it seems that it¡¯s likely to be this year or the next, and as much as some of us can fight, and others of us can really fight, I hear the Reavers are strong.¡± The news hit the business with a wave of anxiety, and so soon after the last wave which had struck them, when the Executives and others left. Eyes shifted to meet, while other eyes shifted to avoid. ¡°Obviously, I¡¯d be rather sad if something happened to any of you, so I made sure to stress how important the matter was and the Enchanter, in their wisdom, prioritised the business''s needs. Last year, we sent ahead a few of the weapons the Enchanter had crafted, Basic Enhanced longsword, Flameblades, though not quite as good as the eponymous Flame¡¯s Blade¡¯s Flame Blade, I think they¡¯ll serve you well for a few years. Mork, Tork, Jane, am I right?¡± Adam flashed a smile towards the Priest, his horc brother, and the adventurer who was stronger than either of them, though the brothers were Experts themselves. ¡°I may be no Priest of Noor, but I can appreciate a fiery sword,¡± Mork admitted, throwing a look to Bael, before the Priest bowed his head towards the half elf. ¡°I will not complain,¡± Tork stated, his voice almost a growl. Though he preferred a bigger weapon, he was not one to complain about a magical item lent to him, especially not a Basic Enhanced weapon which dealt as much damage as his preferred weapons. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Jane said, letting out a soft sigh. Even with such a fine blade, she understood that it would do nothing to close the gap between herself and the half elf and his family, full of such monsters. Her eyes slowly trailed to the side, towards an older crippled Iyrman, who could tear her to pieces without breaking a sweat. ¡°This time we¡¯ve brought quite a few items for not just the heavy hitters within our business, but anyone who can hold a shield, because, well, we brought a bunch of shields. Once more, we are only lending the shields out, and these shields are not just Basic either, they¡¯re Greater, so if you dare to lose them, or lose them conveniently while your purse grows heavier, then you are going to be in trouble with not just me, but the likes of Executive Jurot, Executive Jaygak, and if you¡¯re unlucky, Executive Kitool.¡± Adam¡¯s laughter broke up the awkward air, before the businessfolk followed Adam¡¯s arm, which arced dramatically towards the side, as though he had thrown off a cape. Jurot pulled a large cart himself, for what need did they have of oxen when he was so strong, and once he stopped, he allowed his mother to take point. Sonarot was tall, almost as tall as her son, and heavily built, though had recently begun to slim down to forge her body back into the bringer of death she was in the past. She carried an axe at her side, and a shield upon her back, the same as Jurot. Her skin was lightly tanned from hard work and spending her youth adventuring, her black hair falling down to her shoulders, and her eyes dark, clear, imposing. ¡°Be wary of the Reavers,¡± Sonarot stated firmly, not quite as light as Adam, not quite as verbose. ¡°The Reavers are a threat even we of the Iyr take seriously. The Iyr will assist with the business''s security, and once it is confirmed they have arrived, you may be moved into the Front Iyr for safety. Prepare yourselves for that eventuality swiftly, for you will not have the time to pick up all your effects. Until then, take these shields, each Greater, lent by the business, but they are your responsibility to keep safe.¡±@@@@ The cloth hid away the shield, but soon covetous gazes reflected against the shields, each formed of steel over wood and leather. They were each seemingly near identical, adorned with the symbol of the United Kindom, to show that these items were not those they had once sold, but had been forged to protect the business. ¡®Good shield,¡¯ Taygak thought. ¡®Greater.¡¯ ¡°Manager Dunes,¡± Sonarot called, causing the Manager to raise his brows. Dunes had been briefed by Adam¡¯s audacity, but it seemed as though it was not Adam¡¯s audacity which would stress him this time, but the audacity of the Iyrmen, the Iyrman who had fought her way into the Mad Dog¡¯s family. ¡°Thank you, President,¡± Dunes thanked, bowing his head lightly towards the woman, before stepping away. It was obvious those figures were going to gain the shields, the businessfolk thought, though they had no idea the madness Adam had originally planned. Rick, a Lead, was next to go, who accepted the Greater shield with a polite thanks, feeling the tingling of the shield within his hand. He had already received a magical blade the year before, though a Greater shield was far and away greater than a simple Basic, and perhaps even a Greater, weapon. Next was Nobby¡¯s turn, the young man tall and wide, thick with muscle. Though he did not hold the official position as a Lead, the young man earned as much as one, and was trusted about as much by the half elf. If not for his simpler mind, and the position of being the future Chief Merl¡¯s husband, then he would have surely have been at least a Manager. ¡°Thank you, President,¡± Nobby said, accepting the shield, feeling the great magic at his finger tips. It was a greater magic than his own shield, the one Adam had gifted to him years ago. This shield, however, was one lent to him, holding the symbol of the United Kindom, the two crosses, within the face of the shield, taking up only the centre. Now, the young man possessed both a Greater axe and a Greater shield, something which belonged to the likes of the Vice Commanders of the Orders, and yet Nobby was barely a man, having reached twenty only recently. It was obvious that these figures were going to receive the shields, and no doubt, Jane, Mork, and Tork would receive their shields next, each Greater, worth their weight in gold. ¡°Jeremy,¡± Sonarot called. Jeremy blinked. ¡®Eh?¡¯ "Is the story predictable or unpredictable?" "Yes." "Did you forget to put this chapter up?" "Yes." [1109] – Y06.009 – Unfinished Business III [1109] ¨C Y06.009 ¨C Unfinished Business III When the first of dawnval had arrived, with its cool winds blowing across, the businessfolk made their way to the fields, ready and eager for work. The end of the Twilight Month brought forth a freshness to the world, the soil infused with life once more, and the farmers would need to begin preparing the soil for the planting of the seeds before the undead arose. The Iyrmen had already begun their scouting that morning. Kamrot, who rubbed his freshly shaved bald head, still not used to the process, took charge as he always did. The younger Iyrmen, that was to say the Iyrmen who were anywhere between twenty and fifty, each obeyed, circling the land around, checking for tracks, speaking to the villagers across the bridge, and as one might have expected, they also hunted. ¡°Scouting?¡± Rick asked the pair as he made the rounds around the farms. ¡°Demi needs to stretch his legs,¡± Lucy replied, ruffling the back of the wolf¡¯s head, the wolf growling with delight at Lucy¡¯s touch. The grey skinned woman then climbed on top of her wolf, while her companion did the same, climbing on top of Mighty, before they led the other wolves out. Rick watched as the Managers left, heading out upon their awakened wolves, and the dire wolves. He waved at Cloud, who bowed his head at the Lead, before drawing up the rear of the pack, bounding into the forest beyond the village, leaving the Iyr¡¯s land to the Iyrmen. The Lead continued to make his rounds, checking upon those who farmed the Iyr¡¯s land, before making his way back to the fort. As Rick made his way to the fort, to the large walls which loomed over the land, the gates opened to reveal three figures in full plate. ¡°Lead Rick,¡± Tork grunted out, nodding his head to the man. ¡°Tork,¡± Rick replied, his eyes darting towards Jeremiah and Jeremy, or Jeremy and Remy as they preferred, scanning their plate mail. He slowly bowed his head towards the trio, and allowed them their peace, watching as they made their way out towards the village. ¡°Thank you again for helping with the armour,¡± Jeremy said, feeling how the armour pressed upon his body. ¡®It¡¯s still heavy...¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s no issue,¡± Tork replied. ¡°You will get used to it in time.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realise full plate was so much lighter than kurabara armour,¡± Remy admitted, though his body was still not used to the full form of the armour pressing upon his body. ¡°Only mad men make armour from kurabaras,¡± Tork said, causing the cousins to exchange a look, each smiling slightly. ¡°There many kurabara up north?¡± Jeremy asked. ¡°A few. We¡¯ve more wolves than the south, and bears, and wraiths, and dragons, drakes, wyverns, all sortsa of mean creatures.¡± ¡°Is that why northerners are so hardy?¡± ¡°Aye, an¡¯ because it¡¯s cold.¡± ¡°Does the cold made you hardy?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t cool down metal to shape it,¡± Tork replied, grinning slightly. Jeremy raised his brows at the point, slowly nodding his head, since the reasoning made so much sense. The trio made their way across the large stone bridge and onto the land of the Aldish, approaching the wooden walls of the village, calling out towards the figures near the gates. ¡°Nobby!¡± Remy almost exclaimed, hugging his nephew, built like an Iyrman¡¯s dream. ¡°Anne has been asking about you for the last week. Where¡¯s Nobby? Can we play? Isn¡¯t it dangerous? Why doesn¡¯t Nobby go to school too? You could have at least come visit the business, it¡¯s only fifty steps away.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best not to cause trouble in the Twilight Month,¡± Jeremy said, elbowing Remy gently, their armour clanging lightly, causing the pair to glance towards where the sound emanated from. ¡°Besides, it wasn¡¯t Nobby she was most excited about.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Nobby replied in his quiet voice. ¡°Lent to us, aye. Given? I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve earned it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°Aye, and our families will know the boon of the United Kindom. Boon¡¯s the word, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I think so. Might have to ask Rick.¡± ¡°Lead Rick,¡± Remy corrected, while the clash between Nobby and Tork began to ring out further, each of them pushing themselves to their limits in the bout. The cousins remained silent as Tork began to push Nobby back, something they had thought impossible. ¡°Reavers are coming.¡± ¡°They say they¡¯re like demons?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Demons don¡¯t seem so bad...¡± The words came out a whisper. Remy thought of the Managers who were most likely riding their wolves, scouting the lands. ¡°Aye. Not so bad at all.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯ll led us something magical. Might enchant our armour so we can fight proper like.¡± ¡°You want to fight in the front?¡± ¡°Hannah¡¯ll be behind me, so I¡¯ll have to.¡± Remy¡¯s eyes darted to the side for a moment, before his lips formed a small smile. ¡°Suppose I¡¯ll have to as well, what with Erin behind me.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind one of the blades,¡± Jeremy admitted, his eyes glued to the magical longsword within Tork¡¯s hand, the very same which was glowing red as it pushed Nobby back, forging the young man into a greater warrior. ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Tork huffed, glaring at the young man, trying to catch his breath. He exhaled and Nobby relaxed, before the horc grinned wide. ¡°You¡¯re not so bad, Nobby.¡± ¡®I¡¯d have killed a normal fellow twice over, even if he was Bronze.¡¯ ¡°Thank you,¡± Nobby replied. ¡°It¡¯s scarier that you don¡¯t talk much,¡± Tork admitted, before stretching out his body. Even with his magical blade, that which struck with a fiery might, he was unable to defeat Nobby, when he surely would have defeated the likes of other Rage Dancers. He had struck true several times, but the wall known as Nobby stood ever tall. ¡®He learnt the same way as the Mad Dog? Divine take me.¡¯ It was on that day that Nobby gained the respect he deserved from the northerners, and the northerners from the business. Jeremy was annoyed, for when Tork had stepped back from the fight, he had wanted to make a bet with his cousin, that they would receive a magical item that year, and not even that year, but during the season of dawnval. It was just a single gold, but that single gold would have been worth more than the other, for he earned it with his wisdom. Losing it to the bad luck of forgetting was bad, but the feeling of the shield within his grasp made it go away, because he hadn¡¯t expected a Greater shield. He glanced aside to Remy, who stared down at his Greater shield. With full plate, they were hard to go down, but with full plate and a Greater shield, they would have been hard for all but the greatest of creatures to maim. Though the shields were merely lent to them, the fact that these shields, worth thousands of gold, had been lent to them meant more than just thousands of gold. It also meant there was a threat that required them to wield such shields. Adam is Mr. Beast confirmed? [1110] – Y06.010 – Unfinished Business IV [1110] ¨C Y06.010 ¨C Unfinished Business IV ¡°I hope you enjoy the shield, and I wanted to speak to you about full plate,¡± Adam said, pouring the Priest a cup of tea. ¡°I know you¡¯re a follower of, uh...¡± ¡°Lady Tempest,¡± Mork replied, sipping the hot tea, feeling it almost burn his lips. His skin was pale like snow, his chestnut hair tied into a bun. He wore his brother¡¯s breast plate over chain, which required a little adjusting with an extra layer of clothes, but otherwise fit him quite well. Dangling over his chest was an amulet stamped with a lightning bolt, and half a cloud towards Mork¡¯s left. He carried two blades at his side, one more familiar to Adam, for he was the one to forge and enchant it, while the other was a shorter blade. @@@@ ¡°You¡¯d think after all these years I¡¯d get better at remembering names, especially of the Divine.¡± Adam chuckled, sipping the tea, and though it was hot, Adam only felt a gentle warmth from it. ¡°They are the first names I learnt, like most children,¡± Mork replied, a glint in his eyes speaking more than his words, but he didn¡¯t dare to pry further. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born around these parts, if that wasn¡¯t obvious,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°Still, I know my basic manners. We were planning on forging some full plate for you, since the symbol of the business will be front and centre, I wanted to ask you if you¡¯re comfortable with that, or if there are any modifications we can make that would make it more comfortable for you.¡± Mork continued to sip his tea in thought. It wasn¡¯t every day that someone told you they were going to make you full plate, armour worth over a thousand gold, and depending on the smith, sometimes reaching up to ten thousand gold. There was the small issue of the symbol, since he was a follower of Lady Tempest, and having someone else¡¯s symbol so prominently displayed was rather awkward. ¡°How prominent?¡± ¡°Well, about as prominent as the others,¡± Adam admitted. ¡®The lines are engraved with exquisite detail, but if I were to wear such, it would not be right,¡¯ Mork thought, sipping his tea. ¡°The armour, it would be mine?¡± ¡°It will be lent to you for a period of time. After a decade, it will be yours, though I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll gift it to you quicker. With the Reavers coming, and with how hard you¡¯ll need to work, we will reduce the time required.¡± ¡°What of the blade?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be yours after an additional ten years of service, but, again, you¡¯ll probably get it before the twenty years are up. I mean, a Basic Enhanced weapon after ten years of service, with what we pay you is nice, but, I don¡¯t think I can buy your loyalty through full plate, a Greater Shield, and a Basic Enhanced blade.¡± ¡°If you are trying to buy my loyalty, you are very good at it,¡± Mork joked, flashing a wide smile and the pair chuckled together. ¡°Let me know about the armour whenever you¡¯re free, and I¡¯ll let the smith know, and we can figure something out.¡± ¡°If the smith is able to engrave the lines with a lighter touch, it would be acceptable,¡± Mork said, finishing the tea. ¡°Alright, we can do that,¡± Adam replied with a quick nod, before pouring the Priest more tea. ¡°How is the shrine to Lady Tempest? Do you have everything you need? Is there a particular material she would like, or any particular designs?¡± ¡°The shrine is acceptable,¡± Mork replied, smiling politely. ¡°After a few years I¡¯ll see about converting something to a proper temple, and build Lady Tempest something worthy of your hard work, but for now, please accept the shrine. We¡¯ve set aside some donations for the good Lady, and after a few years, we¡¯ll send them to a proper temple. If you¡¯d like, I¡¯ll let you choose which temples can accept the gold until we finally make our own proper temple, and...¡± Mork watched as the half elf fell silent, his eyes looking through space into his mind. ¡®And what? Is the business going to have its own congregation for Lady Tempest?¡¯ Adam furrowed his brows, before reaching into his robe, taking out his book, jotting down his notes, before slipping it back into his robe. ¡°I¡¯ll... figure something out. If you have any ideas, please, let me know.¡± ¡°That might be a good idea,¡± Adam admitted, rubbing his chin. Spears were spears. The most basic weapon of all, and a weapon which was the most humble of all. A spear would keep them in check, not for the business¡¯ sake, but to keep them alive. ¡®Even though Jurot and the others trained them, they¡¯re still not Iyrmen. They weren¡¯t born with the love of death, they need to live a long life, and not for a story.¡¯ ¡°Could the Enchanter... make these spears Basic Enhanced, perhaps... decently powerful? Nothing too powerful, but... more than just Basic?¡± Adam looked at his Aunt with a hopeful gaze. ¡°It is wise to begin with Basic, then once they have proven themselves, they may be gifted the spears when they are Experts, and lent greater, Greater or Basic Enhanced, spears.¡± ¡°We really need to come up with new words, because I¡¯m confused half the time whenever I use basic or Basic and greater or Greater.¡± ¡°The business may be able to do so,¡± Sonarot said with a small smile upon her face. ¡°The business may influence the world in greater capacities.¡± ¡°Greater or greater?¡± Adam joked, and as Sonarot raised her hand, Adam bowed his head out of instinct, the woman rubbing the top of his head. ¡°Are you still so afraid of the Iyr?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°There is no need.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. I¡¯d like to stay on the Iyr¡¯s good side, and if I ever get in trouble with someone else, I hope the Iyr will help me, not that I expect it.¡± Sonarot smiled wide. ¡°I cannot ask you to stop causing trouble. You are Adam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing if you say it, Aunt.¡± ¡°What if I say it as the President?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t cut my wages.¡± Adam smirked slightly. ¡°Ah, right. Speaking of enchanting great weapons, or rather, Greater Enhanced weapons, could the Enchanter enchant some soon?¡± Sonarot could see it upon his face, for she knew Adam wanted to enchant some to gift to the children. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Adam said, noting the slight twitch of his Aunt¡¯s brow, like that of a mother knowing her son was about to cause trouble. ¡°You think I¡¯m saying it because I want to spoil the children. Actually, I think, with the Reavers coming soon, it might be best that the others and I are equipped with such items while we travel through Aswadasad.¡± ¡°You will gift them to the children in the future,¡± Sonarot said, and as Adam blinked, feigning surprise, about to ask if he was so predictable, she continued. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Jirot you¡¯re bullying me,¡± Adam said. ¡°Okay,¡± Sonarot replied, understanding even with his own children, she held the upper hand. Adam overthinking useless stuff is always funny to me. [1111] – Y06.011 – Unfinished Business V [1111] ¨C Y06.011 ¨C Unfinished Business V ¡°How you can worry nana like this?¡± Jirot asked, her hands upon her hips, her head tilted downwards while she glared up at her father. ¡°I hear you are worrying nana one more time, and I will tell nana...¡± Jirot blinked, furrowing her brow slightly. ¡°I will tell mummy.¡± ¡°Dear, but, I¡¯m the one that¡¯s being bullied,¡± Adam said, pouting slightly. ¡°You think I do not know you deserve it?¡± The howling of laughter filled the air, as the old Mad Dog slapped his knee, catching the stub with his finger tips. ¡°She knows! She knows! Bahahaha!¡± ¡°You think this is funny, babo?¡± Jirot¡¯s eyes darted to her greatfather, who continued to laugh. She reached up to slap her forehead, rubbing down her face. ¡°What am I to do with you? You always make my head hurt.¡± ¡°Does your head hurt?¡± Adam asked, hoisting his daughter up quickly, planting kisses all over her forehead. ¡°Does it feel better now?¡± ¡°It feels better,¡± Jirot replied, wrapping her arms around her father¡¯s neck. Adam squatted down and lifted up little Jarot, peppering his forehead with kisses too. ¡°How can daddy make your heads hurt? I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll be good now, okay? Will you forgive me?¡± ¡°I forgive you, just this once, okay?¡± Jirot planted a firm kiss on her father¡¯s cheek, brushing his hair gently, as her father would for her. ¡°You silly, silly boy.¡± ¡°Thank you for forgiving me, my magnanimous little girl,¡± Adam brought the pair close to his chest, constantly kissing the tops of their heads, as the pair held onto their father tightly. The gates of the fort opened, allowing in the wolves and the Managers riding them, who spotted the group immediately. ¡°Jirot! Jarot!¡± Lucy exclaimed, the Manager hopping off her wolf, before charging the green skinned Iyrmen. ¡°Kako!¡± Jirot reached out her arms for the woman, her father letting her go, the pair embracing tight. ¡°Kako...¡± Little Jarot called out, while Mara picked him up. The boy beamed, his eyes almost shut tight from his joy. ¡°Jarot.¡± Mara brushed his cheek, leaning in to nuzzle his nose, before holding him close to her chest.@@@@ ¡°What are you two doing here?¡± Lucy asked, rubbing Jirot¡¯s ear gently with a thumb. ¡°Did you cause trouble for your father to come?¡± ¡°No! I did not!¡± Jirot huffed, glancing towards her father for support. ¡°I am not trouble! I do not trouble daddy!¡± Adam smiled, but hearing the distress in the girl¡¯s voice, he reached out his arms and lifted her out of Lucy¡¯s, pulling her close. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t trouble me, everyone knows that.¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot sniffled, clutching at her father¡¯s shirt. She stopped as little Jarot embraced her, the pair hugging within their father¡¯s arms. ¡°Sorry,¡± Lucy whispered, flushing red. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Adam replied, swaying with his twins within his arms, while his triplets hurried over to say hello to the Demons, while Lanarot charged at the wolves. ¡°Cloud! You are back!¡± Lanarot exclaimed. ¡°You had fun hunting?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Cloud half growled out, letting the girl rub the top of his head, the wolf allowing sweet whimpers to escape his throat. ¡°I will ride you, okay?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the young Iyrman confirmed, dropping to a knee, reaching up to tickle his brother¡¯s nose. ¡°I have brought many gifts, and many tales for you.¡± Danagek remained frozen still in shock, though retreated to his father once Tanagek began to greet the other Iyrmen. ¡°I pray I am not intruding,¡± the Aldishwoman said. She was pale of skin, with short grey hair which was once black, and dark eyes full of apprehension. She wore full plate, and dark furs which fell down to her ankles, along with her two companions, and each wore a helmet fashioned in the style of an angry bear. ¡°It is our honour to host the Bear Mother,¡± Sonarot said, greeting the Grand Commander of the Order of the Steel Bears. ¡°We were not expecting your company.¡± ¡°I met the young Iyrman coincidentally, and seeing that I had some light business with the Iyr, I thought to visit before I continued back to the Order,¡± the old Bear Mother said, before her eyes darted to the Iyrman beside her, then fell back to Sonarot. ¡°Are you by any chance the daughter of the Mad Dog?¡± ¡°I am his daughter by marriage,¡± Sonarot confirmed. The old woman nodded her head. ¡°I came with my condolences.¡± ¡°You may give them to the children if you wish.¡± ¡°The... children?¡± Bear Mother asked. ¡°Bear Mother,¡± Malfev called, approaching the woman. ¡°Malfev,¡± she replied, the pair shaking forearms, before Malfev did the same for the other Order members beside her, each Masters, no doubt. He was surprised she had brought such few figures, though he figured she may have left the rest within the nearby village. While others greeted the Bear Mother, Mosen wrestled his son to the ground, all the while Tonagek and Tanagek completely ignored them. ¡°How dare you come back so late! Chisen has been wishing to meet you for years!¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Chosen replied, trying to wrestle with his father, but thankfully, Shasen reached down to grab Mosen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let me greet him.¡± Mosen, knowing better than to refuse his uncle, letting his son go so the pair could greet one another. ¡°Jurot!¡± Tanagek called out as he clasped Jurot¡¯s forearm. ¡°Tanagek,¡± Jurot greeted, the pair, patting one another¡¯s shoulders gently. ¡°You have returned?¡± ¡°I wished to return in nightval, but I was caught within Red Oak during the Twilight Month,¡± the Iyrman admitted. ¡°I was far north, in Drakkenlan, when I heard of the news. I tried to return as quickly as I could.¡± ¡°It is good that you have returned.¡± ¡°Where are the children?¡± Tanagek asked, his eyes darting around, spotting the girl who stared up at him while she ate her piece of bread. ¡®Those who were killed were boys?¡¯ ¡°Let me introduce you to my brother. It was his children who were killed.¡± ¡®Brother?¡¯ Tanagek thought, before the pair met face to face. The pair were almost identical in height and build, while Adam had dark copper hair and hazel eyes which were nearly emerald in the right light, Tonagek had darker hair and darker eyes. ¡®Why¡¯s he looking at me like that?¡¯ Adam thought, as Tanagek glared into his eyes. What! Returning NPCs and new NPCs? [1112] – Y06.012 – Unfinished Business VI [1112] ¨C Y06.012 ¨C Unfinished Business VI ¡°Hello,¡± the triplets greeted, their silver eyes full of gentle affection. ¡°Hello,¡± Tanagek replied, his eyes falling to the girl¡¯s scar across her cheek, before his eyes darted to his father. ¡°Do you know who this is?¡± Tonagek asked. ¡°Baba¡¯s son,¡± Konarot said, the girl sniffing the air, catching how Tanagek smelled so similar to Danagek and Dagek. ¡®Baba?¡¯ Tanagek thought. ¡°That is right,¡± Tonagek said, smiling slightly. ¡°Tanagek is my eldest son. He is as old as your papo, and your father, they were born on the same day. He shares the same birthday as you.¡± ¡°Happy birthday, papo,¡± Konarot said, smiling up at him her uncle. ¡°It was my birthday earlier in the year, but thank you. I have brought you a gift.¡± Tanagek reached into his robes and held out three scales. ¡°These are wyvern scales from Drakkenlan.¡± ¡°Drakkelan?¡± ¡°It is far to the north, beyond Aldland. It is ruled by Queen Silvari, a silver dragon.¡± Tanagek handed the scales to the children, who accepted the scales from their papo¡¯s hands. He brushed their hair gently, before his eyes darted to the goblins to the side. ¡°Hello!¡± Jirot called, reaching up to shake Tanagek¡¯s wrist. ¡°I am Jirot! Daughter of Adam!¡± ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°This is my papa, Jarot.¡± ¡°Jarot?¡± Tanagek asked, reaching out to shake the boy¡¯s wrist gently. ¡°Were you named after the Mad Dog?¡± ¡°Yes! My papa is named after babo!¡± ¡®Babo?¡¯ Tanagek thought, his eyes darting between the children and the Iyrmen around. ¡°This is my little papa. His name is Larot. He does not speak, but he is my papa, and I love him so much.¡± Jirot hugged her red skinned brother, kissing his forehead. ¡°Jazool always plays with Larot, but I always read to Larot, and I read to Virot, but not now, she is sleeping.¡± ¡°Is Virot your sister?¡± ¡°Yes! She is so small, she is one years old, she will turn two years old this year, and my youngest brother is Xarot, he will turn one years old, but he is so small, and he is at home with mummy.¡± ¡°Where is your home?¡± ¡°My home is Big Iyr. Nana Mirot is gone back home because she is Family Head. Nano is not home, nano is here, she is watching Virot, because Virot is so silly, and she is sleeping.¡± ¡°I must speak with your papo,¡± Tonagek said, patting his son¡¯s shoulder, pulling him away from the children, while Larot completely ignored them, the boy staring at nothing in particular. Seeing as to how chatty she was, Tanagek was certain Jirot and the girl were close. He watched the pair lead their greatmother away, the old woman ruffling Tanagek¡¯s hair, before taking the children away. Tanagek¡¯s eyes soaked in the sight of the fortress, before his questioning eyes fell to his father. Tonagek sat down at a table within the courtyard, leaning back in his chair. He nodded his head to Gimon, who smiled, tipping his hat as he finished watering the plants, and stepped away to the other estate. ¡°It is all so new,¡± Tanagek admitted. ¡°The walls. The people. The children.¡± ¡°Much has changed since you have left,¡± Tonagek confirmed, with so much to say to his son, and yet rather than speak of the Iyr, or the business, there was something more important he needed to inform his son. He had so much to tell his son too. ¡°The three children, the eldest. I found them after... the death. I thought they were gifts for me from Baktu for my loss. I had to surrender them to their father. Konarot¡¯s scar, did you see it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When we first met, she wore the scar,¡± Tonagek said, looking to the past, where he met the triplets when they were just little dragons, and cuddled up to him so affectionately. ¡°Do you understand why they call me baba?¡± ¡°They are Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Like Danagek and Dagek,¡± Tonagek confirmed, but his gaze fell to his eldest son, who sat up under such a heavy gaze. It was a gaze which continued to grieve. ¡°I heard the news late. What happened?¡± ¡°Jurot will tell you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tanagek replied, though listened to his father as he spoke the tale of when he had left the Iyr with Tonogek and returned with the triplets. Many of the businessfolk eyed up the newcomers, those of the Order, the Bear Mother feeling many gazes upon her. She sat beside Malfev, while the little green skinned girl read the book so confidently to the elderly around, and to her siblings. However, she could feel it. There were other gazes mixed in to watch her, not just those of the business, but those of the Iyr. ¡°Babo, look,¡± Jirot said, pointing down at the book. ¡°Babo Sarot is in this story!¡± ¡°Are you surprised?¡± ¡°Oh my! I am so surprised, babo, I am so surprised!¡± Jirot held up the book for her greatfather to see Sarot¡¯s name better. ¡°Babo Sarot is gone, but he loved us so much.¡± ¡°That is right,¡± Jarot said, his heart filling with guilt. ¡°Even though he is gone, he loved you so much!¡± Adam could see the pain in the old man¡¯s eyes, but he sighed, hoping he had done well in making sure his children understood. No matter how the Rot family had originally treated them, what mattered was just how far they had gone to welcome the children, and how far they were still going to make sure they were okay. ¡°Look! Your papo has come back to speak his tales!¡± Jarot called out, planting a kiss on Jirot¡¯s forehead. Tanagek flushed slightly, and though his freshly torn heart spilled grief into his core, he bowed his head. ¡®You must take special care of the six. The scars run deep for Jirot, who saw, and Jarot, who knows the chill of Baktu¡¯s embrace. Larot is special, he prefers to be left alone.¡¯ ¡°Okay,¡± Tanagek stated, unable to refuse the girl¡¯s hopeful gaze. These kids are the most adorable. [1113] – Y06.013 – Unfinished Business VII [1113] ¨C Y06.013 ¨C Unfinished Business VII ¡°Oh my gosh! Isn¡¯t papo Tanagek so amazing?¡± Adam asked, clapping his hands. ¡°Papo Tanagek and papo Chosen are so amazing!¡± ¡°So amazing!¡± Jirot called out and the twins cackled together with delight as they clapped their small hands, yet surely their applause was the loudest. Tanagek blinked. He noticed the approving gazes of the Order members to the side, for his story was rather impressive. A group of Iyrmen who went northward and fought all manner of beasts and monsters, even the likes of a wyvern? He was only twenty four, like Jurot and Adam, and he was greater than an Expert, though not yet a Master. Even if he was just an Expert, he would be slightly younger than the average Expert, impressive in its own way. As Chosen began to mingle with the figures around them, keeping them busy with his charm, Tanagek¡¯s curious eyes remained glued to Adam. He studied the half elf, who picked up his twins and blew raspberries into their stomachs, before the three fought with their affection. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Tanagek thought. ¡®What is it?¡¯ There was a prickling of heat against the back of Tanagek¡¯s neck. As he studied Adam, it grew. As he studied Jurot, it grew. As he studied Kitool, it grew. Then, when he studied Jaygak, as the woman stole away the twins from Adam, it reached a boiling point, and he realised what he needed to do. ¡°You must tell me your tales,¡± Tanagek finally said, holding his cousin¡¯s gaze. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Brother¡¯s tales are so good,¡± Lanarot said, smirking slightly at her cousin, who rubbed the top of her head, causing her to flush slightly. The children were finally taken away to the central estate, though Adam¡¯s children, along with Damrot, were taken to the third section of the fort, which held buildings for the Executives, as well as other, more secretive areas, which a select few were privy to. ¡°Did you like listening to papo Tanagek¡¯s stories?¡± Adam asked as he brushed his daughter¡¯s hair before bed. ¡°Yes! I love it so much! He is so strong, daddy, but not as strong as you, because you are first place, and he did not fight in the tournament, but you fight and you win, and papo Jurot win, and kako win, and kako Jaygak is so strong too.¡± Adam smiled, though he had noticed how talkative Jirot had become recently. He kissed her forehead, before brushing his son¡¯s hair, preparing them for bed. Jaygak helped Konarot, Kirot, and Karot, while Kitool assisted Larot, Virot, and Damrot. ¡°Did you say goodnight to Blues?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Konarot replied, her tail swaying lightly, the girl smiling to herself. She had spent so much of her time with the bird, though even now she couldn¡¯t speak with the bird. ¡°Daddy, why did you not see papo Tanagek? He was so close!¡± Jirot asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°Ah, well, I didn¡¯t know he was in the town beside us. If I had known, maybe I would have gone to see him. It¡¯s my first time meeting him today too.¡± ¡°It is your first time?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jirot asked, beginning the bombardment of questions. ¡°Jibaby, do you think I don¡¯t what you¡¯re doing?¡± Adam asked, lifting her up onto his legs. ¡°What I am doing?¡± Jirot asked, her eyes glancing aside with guilt. ¡°You always ask why why why whenever you want to stay awake,¡± Adam said, planting a firm kiss on her cheek. ¡°You did not need to ask.¡± ¡°Then I will ask you to watch over them.¡± ¡°You did not need to ask such either.¡± ¡°I hope there will not come a day when you need to remember my words.¡± Tanagek wondered what Jurot was so worried about. The Iyr had accepted the children as Iyrmen, no one could deny that now. As much as Tanagek was uncertain about Adam¡¯s relationship with the Iyr, the children¡¯s relationship was clear. Unless Jurot was asking him to go above and beyond? ¡°I will remember your words,¡± Tanagek promised. Since Jurot had asked the favour, Tanagek engraved the promise within his heart. It was not a favour he could refuse, not from Jurot, since he would accept a similar promise. Whatever his cousin was afraid of, Tanagek would step forward if the time came to it. The pair drank, speaking of their past, before they finally made their way back to the estates, in the second section of the business, where the children remained. Tanagek noted the figure at the gate towards the third section, and he approached the young Iyrman. ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± Tanagek asked. ¡°I am waiting,¡± Chosen replied, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, his eyes closed, focused on his other senses. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You will find out soon.¡± Tanagek did the same, mirroring Chosen, the both as still as statues. Seconds passed by. Minutes passed by. Then, upon the gentle breeze, they could hear it. It was quiet, near silent, but it was the unmistakeable sound of a cry piercing the air. Tanagek inhaled sharply, before stepping away. ¡°Do you think she cries for her brothers?¡± Chosen asked. Tanagek stopped, turning slowly to face Chosen. ¡°...¡± Chosen opened his eyes, meeting Tanagek¡¯s gaze. A long moment passed between the pair, before Tanagek continued to walk away. ¡®You did not need to say it,¡¯ Tanagek thought. ¡®I know,¡¯ Chosen agreed. Bael listened from the wall, hearing spoken words, feeling the unspoken words, and understanding that soon, words would no longer be enough. I kind of feel sorry for all the Iyrmen born in this generation since they need to make stories alongside Adam. [1114] – Y06.014 – Unfinished Business VIII [1114] ¨C Y06.014 ¨C Unfinished Business VIII As the rain gently fell upon the land, the workers of the United Kindom shuffled out to tend to their fields. The guards walked around the perimeter, checking upon the threats of the land. Laying upon the gate, a particular half dragon gazed out to the rest of the land, following the distant dots which worked the fields, from those of the business, to those of the village. ¡°Bael, I heard you didn¡¯t eat breakfast,¡± Adam called. ¡°I don¡¯t feel hungry.¡± Adam let out a sigh. He wouldn¡¯t have mentioned anything, but since little Jarot was struggling to eat, it was awkward to allow this kind of behaviour. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to ask you to have some food.¡± Bael yawned out of boredom, a playful smirk appearing on his face, but before he spoke, Kamrot struck his shield with a gentle fist. The half dragon met the older Iyrman¡¯s gaze, and as Kamrot dared the half dragon to act up, Bael glanced down to Adam. He hopped onto his feet and leapt onto the ground, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°Thank you,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯ll only remain until the end of next month,¡± Bael warned. ¡°We¡¯ll call it even by the end of this month.¡± Bael raised his brow. For a moment, he took offence, for what kind of person would allow Bael to slip through their fingers so easily? Then his eyes darted to Kamrot, who rubbed the top of his bald head, the old man having shaved it fresh that morning, and still enjoying the novel sensation. ¡°Are you going to adventure through Aswadasad?¡± ¡°Yeah, some time early this year.¡± ¡°I would like to come along.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Just like that, the pair settled for breakfast, where the children eagerly awaited. They had eaten a small breakfast earlier in the day, but Adam had decided to cook pizza for them that morning. The smell of the food filled the air, but thankfully Adam had decided to bake away from the rest of the children, who were currently in the middle of their education. ¡°My daddy makes the best pizza,¡± Jirot informed her papo, holding up the pizza to her brother¡¯s lips. ¡°Jarot, you must eat first.¡± Adam almost spoke up, but tensed up, while little Jarot leaned in for a small nibble of the pizza, causing the half elf to smile wide. The girl raised the pizza for her uncle, who was about to eat his own slice. She blinked, opening her mouth for Tanagek¡¯s pizza slice as he fed her, and he leaned in to bite the pizza slice she offered to him. ¡°My greatchildren are the cutest,¡± the one armed Jarot said, sipping his milk. His eyes fell onto the nearby old Iyrmen, each rising with annoyance that the old man continued to show off the children, but also because he was right. ¡°Jijin, will you feed your babo too?¡± Rajin asked, his voice low and quiet. ¡°Jijin?¡± Jarot snarled. ¡°You cannot steal my greatchildren from me! They love their babo too much! Jirot, Jarot, come!¡± ¡°Leave them alone so they can eat, you old geezer!¡± Adam snapped at the one armed old man. ¡°I can feed them! Will you refuse eating from my-,¡± Jarot quickly fell silent, gritting his teeth, feeling the rage overwhelm him for a moment before the shame quickly washed it away. ¡°Is the pizza delicious?¡± ¡°So delicious!¡± Jirot confirmed, taking another bite of her pizza, while Jarot pulled his head away from the pizza within Tanagek¡¯s hand, the young boy sipping from his magical gourd. ¡®He does not eat much...¡¯ Tanagek thought, keeping his frown from marching across his lips. ¡°So delicious!¡± Chosen agreed. ¡°Your ability to cook is as good as your ability to fight?¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Adam replied, the smirk slowly widening. ¡°My daddy is so strong!¡± Jirot agreed. ¡°Daddy is first place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not first place in your heart though, am I? Mummy¡¯s first place, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°I love mummy so much,¡± Jirot agreed, distracted by the slice of pizza as Tanagek fed her, before focusing his attention upon the triplets. The old one armed Iyrman let out a small sigh, his eyes focused upon his twins. For a moment he glanced to Larot, but the boy ate his pizza slowly, staring down at his slice of pizza. ¡®...¡¯ After breakfast, the twin¡¯s cries filled the air. The old Jarot pulled them close to his chest, before surrendering them to Gangak. ¡°It is Gimon.¡± ¡°What does he do?¡± ¡°He is a gardener.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s a gardener, so why don¡¯t you help him garden?¡± Lanarot blinked. ¡°I water the plants?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Why don¡¯t you water the plants?¡± Adam offered, before ruffling her hair. ¡°Gimon!¡± ¡°Executive,¡± the old man called, flashing a warm smile. ¡°How may I help?¡± ¡°Lanarot here is trying to work hard for her pay,¡± Adam said, brushing the girl¡¯s knuckles gently with his thumb. ¡°She¡¯s going to help you water the plants with Tanagek, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lanarot said. ¡°I will find cousin Tanagek.¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± Lanarot glanced aside, and her eyes shot upwards, for Tanagek stood but ten steps away. ¡°Cousin Tanagek! We must water the plants!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tanagek replied, having followed the girl since the beginning, with her forgetting all about him as she went to tease her brother. ¡®I see.¡¯ Adam smiled, watching the little girl pour the water over the plants, using the wooden can her brother had made out of wood, the water coming out in tiny drips out of the myriad of holes. ¡®How does he do it?¡¯ ¡®My brother is a genius at fighting and with children,¡¯ Jurot had said. Tanagek realised what Jurot had meant, watching the half elf easily navigate with all the children, including his own brothers, teasing them but also willing to allow them to tease him. He had no pride when it came to the children, or rather, his pride were each of the children. However, just how strong was he that even Jurot would call him a genius? Each time he had asked Jurot just how strong Adam was, the Iyrman replied the same way. ¡®You will see.¡¯ Adam let out a small sigh, relieved that Tanagek was watching over Lanarot, as the Iyrmen tended to do with their children. ¡®I need some stronger guards that aren¡¯t Iyrmen around for when the Iyrmen are too busy for the fort, and for those who I can send out. I can¡¯t keep bothering the Iyrmen.¡¯ Mana: 34 -> 31 Spell: Sending ¡°Good... afternoon? Sorry to bother you, Vasera, but are you looking for stable work?¡± Adam asked, sending out the words into the air, and to Vasera. ¡®Not yet. We are currently employed in Aswadasad. We may come to you in a couple of years.¡¯ Mana: 31 -> 28 Spell: Sending ¡°I hope you¡¯re well. If you need any magical equipment, please let us know, we¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± ¡®We¡¯re doing great! Drinks! Women! Men! Gold! I¡¯ll keep your offer in mind when we come back to Aldland!¡¯ Adam chuckled as the woman¡¯s voice grew quiet within his mind. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll need to advertise across the kingdom?¡¯ As the day passed, more Iyrmen appeared, those with familiar faces. Tanagek¡¯s eyes remained firmly fixated on a particular Iyrman. His eyes darted to his father, his brows furrowed. ¡°Uncle gave up his position,¡± Tonagek said, noting the look within his son¡¯s eyes. The confusion within Tanagek grew, his eyes darting around, revealing an uncharacteristic shock, the young man struck by the words as though they were a hammer. Duteous Dogek. Gave up his position? The Duteous Dogek? ¡°You have returned,¡± Dogek said, reaching out to rub Tanagek¡¯s head. He was older, with greyed hair which fell to his cheeks, and cold eyes, which remained focused. ¡°Yes,¡± Tanagek replied, even more shocked by the affection from the older Iyrman. ¡®Just how much has the Iyr changed?¡¯ Everything''s so peaceful... [1115] – Y06.015- Unfinished Business IX [1115] ¨C Y06.015- Unfinished Business IX ¡®I guess they¡¯re here for the Reavers?¡¯ Adam thought, but within his heart, there was a grain of doubt. The last time he had seen all these figures together, the likes of the Mad Dog Jarot, Butcher Marmak, Duteous Dogek, Bearded Dragon Rajin, and even Silver Sword of the Wastes Shagek, he was surrounded by the Orders, seconds away from death. Then the Iyrmen began to greet the Bear Mother, and Adam let out a soft sigh with a deep relief entering him. ¡®Oh! Of course! It¡¯s the Bear Mother!¡¯ Towards the evening, more Iyrmen began to arrive into the business, many Adam had only met once or twice. They each approached the Bear Mother to greet her and began to tell her of their tales, greeting the other Order members, those which Sonarot had invited inside. Lucy stared out towards all the muscled hunks. As much as it was a feast for her eyes, she could feel her hair stand on end. She swallowed, her eyes going to meet Adam¡¯s, but the half elf picked up his youngest daughter and bullied her stomach by blowing against it, the girl squealing and crying out in delight. Her eyes then fell to Jirot and Jarot, who were currently being spoiled by all the older Iyrmen who had arrived. ¡°Do you remember me?¡± an Iyrman asked. ¡°I remember! You are Vovol! You shot the arrow at the big rukh!¡± Vovol smiled wide, her eyes darting to the one armed Jarot. ¡°What a great memory your greatdaughter has!¡± ¡°You and nano were in Aswadasad, and when they told nano to leave, you were travelling the caravan and you saw Veisswing flying and you said hello and he gave you a quill because you are Vol and your great great babo from all the time ago helped when Veisswing was just a little boy!¡± Jirot said, giggling at the old woman. ¡°Yes?¡± Vovol asked, narrowed her eyes, before her eyes fell to Gangak. Gangak narrowed her eyes too, trying to recall how long ago she had been forced away from Aswadasad, while Vovol also tried to remember when she had met the dragon. She recalled the quill, but she was certain she hadn¡¯t told that story to the girl, only the story where she shot the rukh. ¡°How do you know about Veisswing gifting me the quill?¡± ¡°I read it to Virot,¡± Jirot replied, smiling so brightly towards the old woman. ¡°My Jirot is so smart,¡± the old Jarot cackled, pulling the girl closer to his chest, nuzzling into her hair. ¡°You will make a great Scribe Mage, like your papo Churot. He is your favourite papo, yes?¡± Jirot glanced around, trying to spot Jurot, before she leaned in to whisper. ¡°Yes.¡± The trio cackled, while the older Iyrmen around grew green with envy. Somehow the old man had managed to catch himself quite the grandson, but the children were the greatest treasures of all. The Bear Mother was surprised by the reception, speaking with all the Iyrmen. However, knowing that they were on their way, she couldn¡¯t help but think these Iyrmen were for a different Grand Commander. Dunes kept an eye on the scene before him. All the Iyrmen who had arrived in the evening. ¡®It is not just those with ties to Adam. It must be due to the Bear Mother, or the Reavers have arrived? No, if the Reavers had come, they would have said such. No. It may not be due to Adam. Not everything is because of him.¡¯ Meanwhile, Tanagek was trying to understand the most pressing situation. ¡®For Duteos Dogek to give up his position as Family Elder to become one of the Ten Paragons, it is understandable...¡¯ Tanagek thought. However, there was a problem. ¡°I have delayed taking the position,¡± Duteous Dogek stated, as though he was the kind of Iyrman to speak of delaying his duties. A deep chill grew within Tanagek, freezing his heart with a darkness he never thought was possible. His granduncle had claimed the title of Duteous after his own grandfather, Tanagek the Dutiful. Tanagek had been named after him, but it was Dogek who had taken after the old man, the legendary Iyrman who would made the Mad Dog look like a puppy. The older Tanagek had made the Mad Dog look like a puppy before the young Iyrman had been born. Yt, that Duteous Dogek was speaking of delaying his duty? Whatever was happening to the Iyr, Tanagek did not like it. The next morning, Dunes came to the understanding how the situation could be because of Adam. ¡°We probably can¡¯t gift a Legendary Enhanced weapon, right?¡± Adam asked, reading through his notes. ¡°We can¡¯t gift a Legendary weapon either, probably. A nice Greater Enhanced weapon? Something really nice. I don¡¯t know...¡± ¡°I am certain whichever Greater Enhanced weapon you gift the King, it will turn out well,¡± Dunes assured. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right about that.¡± Adam reached up to his forehead. ¡®As much as his ego probably wasn¡¯t hurt, I did end up causing a mess for him. I need to show him that I wasn¡¯t trying to cause a mess for him specifically, but that things ended up that way because of bad luck.¡¯ Adam read the letter, with Kirot and Karot pointing out their names, causing Adam to fuss over them affectionately. ¡°Even when she¡¯s not here, she¡¯s telling me off about working too hard. I haven¡¯t even been working that hard, so let¡¯s tease mummy once we are back home, yeah?¡± ¡°No teasing mummy,¡± Konarot said. ¡°It is not nice.¡± ¡°Just a little bit of teasing, just like how she teases me,¡± Adam said, folding the letter into his shirt. ¡°Mummy wrote in the letter that I should spoil you all a lot. How should I spoil you?¡± ¡°I can work?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°You want to work? Oh ho ho! Well, daddy has been thinking about what kind of magical weapon he should gift King Merryweather in order to apologise for a mess he made. What do you think?¡± ¡°Cold?¡± Konarot asked. ¡°Big sword?¡± Kirot added, throwing up her arms to show just how big. ¡°A big cold sword? We can do that. Karot, will you help daddy draw it? Then daddy can let the Enchanter know and they can enchant it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the boy said, smiling shyly. Tanagek thought about the rumours, and the epithet Adam had earned outside of the Iyr. It was beginning to make sense. ¡°Come on,¡± Adam said, lifting up his triplets, sneaking more kisses on their heads, before stepping out with his children, leaving Dunes in his peace. ¡°Let¡¯s go steal Ranya too.¡± Ranya looked up towards the half elf as he approached, though she swiftly ran back to her mother. Unfortunately for her, Adam picked her up, groaning loudly. ¡°Look at how big you¡¯ve become, Ranya! I can¡¯t even pick you up!¡± Adam rocked her from side to side, letting her down to charge her mother, the girl squealing loudly. ¡°Enisa, are you eating properly?¡± The baby girl lay on her back, babbling and cooing quietly, her eyes rolling over to Adam as she took in the sight of the familiar face. Her eyes followed his face as the half elf swayed from side to side, before he grinned wide, causing her to smile back. ¡°If you are so eager to play with her, you may change her,¡± Amira said, checking over the books of the business. ¡°I can go change her if you need me to.¡± Amira laughed. ¡°She is your aftel, you may do it.¡± ¡°Aftel?¡± Adam asked, wondering why the word sounded so familiar. ¡°It means like one¡¯s own child.¡± ¡°She¡¯s cute enough to be my daughter. Her ears are too round, though.¡± Adam reached down to tickle the girl¡¯s ears, causing her to laugh again. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡± As the day passed, Adam finalised the weapon he needed to craft for the King, but also showed his face around the business. It was during the late afternoon when he walked the walls his daughter within his arms, before noticing Bael standing in the village. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Adam asked, trying to dodge his daughter¡¯s hands as she tries to shove her fingers into his mouth. Jurot noted the specific spot Bael was standing in, and then the horizon, where he saw the figures riding on their horses, making their way towards the village from the east. Jurot¡¯s eyes narrowed, his entire body itchy with rage. ¡°Working.¡± Adam furrowed his brows towards Jurot, before noting the figures on the horizon. Then his eyes fell down to the spot Bael stood, as though claiming it for himself. His eyes returned back to Jurot, who simmered with rage, and the half elf¡¯s throat clogged up. His jaw clenched, while his daughter, grabbed at his ear. ¡°Virot,¡± Adam pretended to eat her ears, causing her to giggle and squeal, while the half elf quickly marched away, making his way down. ¡°We have visitors.¡± What is that I smell on the horizon? Is that... trouble? [1116] – Y06.016- Unfinished Business X [1116] ¨C Y06.016- Unfinished Business X ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ the newcomer thought. He was a towering figure even without his warhorse, his eyes pressing upon the half dragon¡¯s shoulders. The heavy armour hid him from sight, intricate engravings patterned all throughout his beautifully crafted armour, most of which were in respect of the Divine. The blade at his side was one of the greatest across all the lands, and yet this half dragon stood tall and proud against him. He must have been one of those. ¡°Many blessings to you,¡± Sir James Greatwood said, his voice deep and full of power. It was that kind of voice, the kind that knew he was one of the strongest across all of Aldland. Bael remained silent, his eyes staring deep into the eyes of the Aldishman. ¡°I am Sir James Greatwood, Grand Commander of the-,¡± ¡°I know who you are,¡± Bael replied, his lips slowly forming a grin towards the Grand Commander. ¡°May I ask your name?¡± ¡°You may.¡± ¡°...¡± Bael smiled even wider, raising a brow towards the Grand Commander, coaxing him to ask right in front of all these heavily armoured warriors of the Order. They all wore cloaks, but while some wore cloaks of dark green, others wore cloaks of dark gold, and the last, a darker shade of cherry. The Grand Commander himself wore a cloak of dark green. ¡°Did we offend you?¡± James asked. ¡°I had planned to slay several hydrae last year,¡± Bael replied. ¡°...¡± Bael did not expand, the playful glare within his eyes turning darker as the seconds passed. His eyes remained glued to the Grand Commander¡¯s, not allowing him to look away. ¡°What is the name of your respected family?¡± James asked. ¡°You would not know it.¡± ¡°We know much.¡± ¡°No,¡± Bael replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°Do you intend to block our path?¡± ¡°Something like that?¡± Bael tilted his head. ¡®Why did he fight against us last year?¡¯ James thought. ¡®How did he join up with that fiend?¡¯ Bael continued to glare at the old man, ignoring the various gazes falling upon him. The Grand Commander was a Paragon, and though Bael was certain the heavily armoured Oathsworn was strong enough to clash with him, even surrounded by the rest of the Grand Commander¡¯s Order, the half dragon did not show a hint of fear. ¡°May I ask you to step aside?¡± James asked, though his tone was no longer quite as respectful, holding the whisper of a threat. ¡°If I refuse?¡± ¡°You will leave me no choice.¡± ¡°We all have a choice, young man,¡± Bael replied, grinning even wider. The crackle of energy broke the silence. It had lasted a moment, but the sound of steel being drawn filled the air, though the Grand Commander did not react. Even surrounded by dozens of blades, the half dragon did not flinch, nor take his gaze away from the Grand Commander. Fortunately for the pair of them, a group approached the half dragon and the Grand Commander, led by a woman. She wore blue tattoos upon her forehead, that of a circle flanked by three diamonds on either side. Another had also followed her, a figure the Grand Commander had not expected. ¡°Grand Commander James,¡± Sonarot greeted. ¡°I am President Sonarot of the United Kindom.¡± ¡°You were to return the bodies, but you were not involved?¡± ¡°If I was able to draw my spear, your Vice Commander would not have returned,¡± Malfev said. ¡°Though our Amokan, half his age, fought him well enough.¡± ¡°Did you hear?¡± Amokan whispered to the twins, reaching out with a finger to tickle the boy¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°I fought their Vice Commander well.¡± James ignored the provocation, his eyes falling to the nearby figures, each Iyrmen he held a slight familiarity with, save for two. ¡°Duteous.¡± ¡°Sir James,¡± Dogek replied. ¡°Black Shark.¡± Baztam grinned wide. ¡°I prayed to Baktu you would come.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°If you come with your own two feet, how can we deny you your rights?¡± Baztam asked, holding out his hands in front of him before praying lightly. ¡°Baktu, it is my privilege to accept your blessing.¡± The threat did not go unnoticed by the Grand Commander, but he remained silent in the face of it. After all, he was here for one man, and one man only. ¡°Huu,¡± Jirot whimpered, before clutching at her nano¡¯s collar. ¡°Nano! Nano! I must tell mummy!¡± Her voice was barely a whisper as she urged Gangak to return back to the fort, and hopefully, back home. ¡°Do not cry,¡± the old Jarot said. ¡°There is no need to cry now. You are safe. Do you see? You are within the village, but they do not dare to draw their blades.¡± James had noticed just how many of them had smirked at him. From Bael, to Malfev, to Jarot. Each had tried to rile him up, in order to cause him to make a mistake. Outside of the twitchy blades drawn for Bael, the Order had given no reason for the Iyr to spin the situation into their favour. Jarot began to howl with laughter. ¡°Do you see? Jirot! Jarot! Do you see? These are the warriors of the Orders, and even upon their King¡¯s land, no, the Aldish King¡¯s land, outnumbering us so, they dare not to attack you. They know you are of the Iyr, and they know the consequences.¡± ¡°You consider the goblins Iyr-,¡± ¡°Iyrmen,¡± the Iyrmen corrected, their voices clear, even alarming the twins as they hid their faces within their greatmother. Gangak pulled back slightly, stepping away from the others, with Baztam and Dogek stepping away with them. They understood why, for after the deaths, the children required clothies. It had been brave of them to not soil themselves on the way. ¡®Give me a reason,¡¯ Jarot prayed. ¡®Do it!¡¯ The Iyr would not make the same mistake as they had the previous year. Though Jirot and Jarot were upon Aldish lands, it would have been difficult for any of them to try to kill the children. Thankfully, there were three great shields in the way. Duteous Dogek and Black Shark Baztam, each who could clash with their greatest warrior, and finally, the third figure, who invited in all the glares. ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± James asked, staring past the two heavily armoured figures, to the young man in puthral. ¡°You were the one to murder my Vice Commander.¡± ¡°No,¡± Adam replied, inhaling sharply, flexing away the nerves. ¡°No?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t murder Kris or Melissa, whatever her name was.¡± ¡°Melinda,¡± James stated, calming his heart, not allowing the young man to bewitch his heart. ¡°Murder implies it was unlawful.¡± ¡°I should have killed you all those years ago.¡± Adam undid his visor, and with the audacity that could only come from the grandson of the Mad Dog, a small smirk appeared on his face. ¡°Heh.¡± ¡®Oh, Adam.¡¯ Jaygak sighed, feeling the intense pressure in the air, as Adam did what he did best. Court death. This might be cringe of me to say but I think Bael is cool. [1117] – Y06.017- The Request I [1117] ¨C Y06.017- The Request I ¡®...¡¯ Fred began to sweat within his full plate, reaching for his magical longsword as the Order members around readied themselves. Jonn remained silent and still within his full plate, for though he hadn¡¯t expected this from Adam, he had gotten used to not expecting Adam¡¯s actions or reactions. ¡°It is my duty to end your wickedry,¡± James said, far too casually for someone within the range of the Mad Dog¡¯s axe. Jarot growled, but before he could speak, someone cut him off. It was one of the few people who would dare to cut the Mad Dog off. ¡°You have no duty here,¡± Sonarot stated, her voice full of uncharacteristic vitriol. ¡°You who have been kicked out of Floria due to your cowardice, Aldishman.¡± The open visor revealed Adam¡¯s shocked face as his eyes darted to his Aunt, but it made sense, since his children were her grandchildren, not by the blood which flowed in their veins, but the blood that had been spilled to make sure everyone knew it. ¡°Now you have come, whimpering yelps, to cause trouble upon our border?¡± Sonarot¡¯s eyes narrowed towards the Grand Commander, who could put her down with some trouble, since though she was about half as powerful, she was still an Iyrman. Jurot had settled himself beside Bael, but both of their eyes fell to Sonarot, who seemed to be ready and eager to draw her axe. ¡°I once thought you Iyrmen knew of duty, but after aligning yourselves with demons and undead, I am not quite so certain,¡± Sir James replied, his voice heavy. ¡°One cannot trust the eyes of the Aldish, or the venom which slips through their lips when they open their mouth.¡± ¡°There is no need to start a fight, Iyrman.¡± ¡°I would not start a fight with so few of you,¡± Sonarot stated firmly, knowing that though they had brought an entire Order¡¯s worth of great warriors, this was but one third of the newly formed Order. A horn blew in the distance, and another blew from within the fort. Sonarot let out a soft exhale as she calmed herself, the group patiently waiting for the appropriate figures to approach, crossing the bridges. He was a man who wore his wrinkles well, the long hair dyed red falling down like streams of blood, broken up by streaks of wizened white. He was clean shaven, with a strong jaw, a wide, flat nose, and small eyes full of the calm of a still lake. He was dressed in the finest of silks, black like starless night, with golden thread darting along the hem, forming a myriad of the Iyr¡¯s patterns. At his side he wore a longsword, made of a fusion of bone and metal. ¡°My apologies, Grand Commander,¡± Chief Iromin said. The confusion within everyone grew once they noted the joyous smile on the Chief¡¯s face, the older man reaching out a hand to shake the Grand Commander¡¯s forearm. ¡°I had not expected you to arrive so soon to speak of the matter so soon.¡± The Grand Commander narrowed his eyes slightly, shaking the Chief¡¯s forearms, but decided to fall into the Great Elder¡¯s pace. ¡°I apologise for not sending word ahead. It is a rather immediate issue which needs to be dealt with for our Order. I hope you understand.¡± ¡°It is understandable,¡± the Chief said, still smiling so brightly towards the Grand Commander, ignoring the growing bloodlust behind him from a particularly crippled Iyrman. ¡°I had thought you would have sent a proxy, for the matter may take some months to discuss. However, it is our honour to host the Grand Commander, and such fine companions. It is good to see the Aldish are taking the Reaver threat so seriously.¡± Rajin held Jarot¡¯s shoulder, feeling just how eager the man was to leap forward with his axe, but he couldn¡¯t embarrass the Iyr in front of the Aldish. However, Rajin¡¯s eyes fell upon the Chief¡¯s aides, and then to Baztam, whose eyes sparkled with mischief, and Rajin understood. ¡°However...¡± the Chief¡¯s eyes darted between the Grand Commander and Sonarot, who had composed herself, but then they fell upon the Mad Dog, who was kept at bay by Rajin, Sonarot, and Shaool, who had arrived with the Chief. ¡°Is there an issue?¡± ¡°It was you, Chief, who stated that I should come personally to speak with you in this matter,¡± the Grand Commander said. ¡°I did?¡± the Chief replied, holding onto his chin as he pretended to think deeply, as though he had no idea what the Grand Commander was referring to, though he certainly did. ¡°I do not entirely recall with full confidence exactly what you may be referring to.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Jarot snarled. ¡°If it is a duel, I will fight!¡± ¡°No,¡± a voice broke through, causing even the Chief, to pause. ¡°I will fight.¡± Adam¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion, as the Iyrman stood tall, glaring at the Grand Commander. He was one of the few who could hold such an audacity. The Grand Commander and the Iyrman kept one another¡¯s gaze. ¡°What relation do you have with the fiend?¡± ¡°My niece is their grandmother,¡± Duteous replied, glaring at the Grand Commander. Tanagek¡¯s eyes remained glued to his granduncle, his mind blank. It wasn¡¯t that this was particularly a surprise, for if the Iyr was going to have someone fight the Grand Commander, Dogek was one of the few who would have been sent to deal with him, but that was it. The Iyr would send him, and Duteous Dogek would reply with the Iyr¡¯s favourite word. ¡°Do you think I will allow you to take it from me?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°Do you think you can stop me?¡± Dogek replied, causing even more panic for the Iyrmen around, who hadn¡¯t expected the Iyrman to speak out of line, especially not in front of the Aldishmen. Sonarot and Tonagek exchanged a glance between one another. Tonagek asked his sister to stop their uncle with his eyes, but Sonarot, though feeling the awkwardness in the air from their uncle acting up, could only think of her grandchildren, who nestled within their nano¡¯s bosom, and not hers. Unfortunately, Sonarot would not step forward to stop it, especially since Dogek¡¯s guilty heart was trying to protect Adam. Jarot glared at Dogek. The last time they had fought, Jarot, who still gave various Aldishmen nightmares, had been so brutally defeated. The pity he had seen in Dogek¡¯s eyes back then only caused him to fill with the heat of rage. Back then, Jarot had yet to regrow his fangs, but now? ¡°Jirot,¡± a voice called in the air, breaking through the silence, ¡°your babo is stealing my prey. How can he do this?¡± The complicated relationships between the Iyrmen who stood here, each wishing for a particular end for the situation. They were all unique ends, some with the survival of the figures in question, and others with the deaths of the figures in question, and others with only very specific kinds of survivals or deaths. Such ends sprang from a web of Chaos from one figure in particular. ¡°You need to tell babo Dogek off for stealing daddy¡¯s prey,¡± Adam said, though Jirot¡¯s whimper caused his body to tense up, and the half elf¡¯s jaw clenched tight. ¡°That is right! Your grandfather will deal with him! I will take his arm!¡± Jarot howled, grinning wide, but his entire body flashed red hot with heat, eager to step forward, and if he needed to, fight immediately. ¡°It has to be me,¡± Adam said, and while the old man began to speak up, he was silenced by the last of Adam¡¯s words, ¡°grandfather.¡± The shock from the half elf¡¯s words rippled through the figures throughout. The Grand Commander hadn¡¯t expected Adam to agree, but a small satisfied smile slipped across his lips. The Chief had hoped he could send Baztam out, though Dogek stepping forward was equally as good. Elder Peace had wanted to ask Adam if he wanted to step forward, and it would have been best if he had fought, but she hadn¡¯t expected it like this. Tanagek had never expected Adam to step forward, having only known the half elf for a few days, and yet he knew that the half elf was a fool of a father, who held some strength, but enough to defeat the Grand Commander? Even if he did end up clashing with Lord Royce, the previous Knight of Death, how could he dare to duel to the Grand Commander, who had specifically come to kill him? His eyes darted to his cousin, Jurot, who was staring at the half elf with surprise too. Jurot, Jaygak, Kitool, and a few others were shocked due to Adam¡¯s words, but not because the half elf accepted the fight. For Adam, that was almost expected. The old crippled Iyrman¡¯s rage dropped due to the shock, the old man freezing in place for a moment. His heart beat quicker, and a warmth and redness filled his face. The old man stood up taller, his body filled with a sudden lightness. ¡°I will let you go for the sake of my grandson,¡± Jarot said coyly towards the Grand Commander. Whoa! Let''s go! [1118] – Y06.018- The Request II [1118] ¨C Y06.018- The Request II ¡°Then he said, it has to be me, grandfather. Bwahahaha! My grandson! How can he be so cute?¡± Jarot howled with laughter, pouring another drink for the Iyrmen around, who listened so engrossed to the tale. ¡°Did you hear? It has to be me, grandfather!¡± The older Iyrmen around humoured the Mad Dog, though only a handful truly realised why Jarot was so full of joy, to the point he was busy drinking and not causing a mess for the Aldishmen who remained but a stone¡¯s throw away in the nearby village. Except, they could see it. On his face. The darkness of the Mad Dog, who had been forced to step back. If it had been almost any other figure, the Chief, Elder Peace, even his daughter, Sonarot, he may not have been able to step back. Was there anyone with a greater right to vengeance than him, though? Gangak understood why he couldn¡¯t step forward. It wasn¡¯t just because Adam had asked, but it was the way he asked. Gangak leaned back in her chair, reaching up to her forehead, trying to rack her mind on how to save Adam from death. Even if he was strong, the chances of dying to the likes of the Grand Commander were too high for her to accept. Even if Adam was twice as powerful, even if the chance was a single percent, it was too much for her. There was another woman listening to the bragging from nearby. An older woman, wearing simple Iyrish attire, with short grey hair, and a rapier at her side. Upon her forehead was a red hollow kite, flanked by blue crescent moons, the tips pointed downwards. A thought popped into her head, that she could now sit a little closer since he was so happy. However, feeling the shame within her heart, she remained sitting to one side, allowing the old man his peace to show off about his grandson who adored him so much. ¡®Will there come a chance to draw my blade?¡¯ Keiwyj thought, while her companion, Vovol smirked at her, reading the thoughts upon her face. As the old man continued to show off his grandson, drowning the sorrows in his heart with pots of grain wine, his daughter approached her uncle. Dogek sat alone in the corner, his eyes closed tight as he reminisced his childhood. He opened them as she sat down opposite him, first seeing the little girl who used to tease him when she was young, and then the fine woman she had become, for even the ghost of her father continued to praise her within his dreams. ¡°Thank you,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°I still have much to apologise for,¡± Dogek admitted. ¡°You no longer have any need to apologise,¡± Sonarot replied, deepening the cut within his heart, before removing the blade to fix it. ¡°If he has made the choice, then he will win, or he has accepted his Fate.¡± ¡°I can still fight on his behalf.¡± ¡°You can no longer do so. It is not longer a matter of life and death, but something greater.¡± Dogek let out a sigh. He knew he shouldn¡¯t have offered just then, but he had to. His niece was right, though, for this was beyond the matter of life and death for Adam, but a matter of a greater burden. ¡°Brother would have liked Adam.¡± Sonarot raised her brows slightly, for this Dogek was different to the uncle she knew. A small smile appeared on her face, and she nodded. ¡°Yes, I am certain.¡± Fred sighed, sipping the grain wine, trying to calm his heart. He stood in the face of death and survived. If the Orders hadn¡¯t let them go, he would have lost his life, he had no doubt about it. The tingling sensation of the grain wine filled him. ¡°Why do you hold such a dark expression?¡± Haytam asked, sitting beside the Lead. She was shorter than the typical Iyrman, with black hair cut into a bob, and a pair of scars across her face. One went from her ear to her neck, the other a claw mark upon her cheek which narrowly missed her eye. She was strongly build, though, as Iyrmen often were, especially one who wielded such a large blade. ¡°I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°You are sad about such?¡± ¡°No,¡± Fred replied, letting out a small sigh. ¡°I just thought... it would be over.¡± ¡°With the Aldish, it is never over.¡± Fred threw her a look, causing her to raise her brow. ¡°I¡¯m Aldish too.¡± ¡°You would be considered Florian,¡± Haytam replied. ¡°Oh. Is... there a difference?¡± ¡°One is Aldish, the other, Florian.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that a few years ago. Only heard of Floria in legends when I was a boy. Back when...¡± He tried to remember the name of the Florian who had bent the knee, but he shrugged. ¡°If you are worried like this,¡± Haytam said, her curious eyes taking in the sight of the Lead¡¯s relief, and the shame that came with it. ¡°The workers will feel troubled. You are their Lead. You cannot allow them to see you this way, or morale will fall.¡± ¡°Is this what he means when he says it¡¯s lonely at the top?¡± Fred joked, chuckling softly. ¡°It is not lonely at the top. My granduncle has the Chief as company, they do not feel lonely. Mad Dog, too, has the Bearded Dragon, and many others. With the Butcher¡¯s return, he is less lonely.¡± ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Fred let out a soft sigh. He stared up at the darkening sky, feeling the burden of the title upon his shoulders. ¡°The Divine keep testing me to see if I am able, but... I don¡¯t think I am.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t beat dragons. Dragons beat dragons.¡± ¡°Some people can.¡± ¡°Yeah but they¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°Mister Adam¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Yeah, but so¡¯s the Grand Commander.¡± ¡°Mister Adam is going to win,¡± Elsie finally said, the girl staring down at her porridge. ¡°He told me he was going to win.¡± ¡°If Mister Adam says he¡¯s going to win, then Mister Adam¡¯s going to win,¡± Alex said. ¡°He never lies.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t have to worry about a thing,¡¯ Adam had told Elsie. ¡®I¡¯m not that weak, am I?¡¯ Adam did not tell her he was going to win. Meanwhile, Adam carried his children back from changing them, with Sonarot following, along with Lanarot and Jurot. ¡°You were both so brave today,¡± Adam said, peppering their foreheads with countless kisses. ¡°You must get that from your nana.¡± ¡°Nana is so brave,¡± Jirot confirmed, recalling how vicious the woman had been to the Grand Commander. ¡°You are brave too, my little Demon Lord. Jarot, you were so brave too. I worry since your sister always protects you, but you are so strong too!¡± Adam rubbed his cheek against his son¡¯s, the boy smiling so shyly, before burying his head against his father¡¯s neck. ¡°Daddy... you are going to duel tomorrow?¡± Jirot asked, her voice almost a whisper. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Daddy needs to be brave too, right?¡± Adam smiled wide, but his eyes remained shut tight, the half elf clutching at his twins tighter. ¡°Daddy...¡± The girl frowned, wrapping her arms around his head. ¡°You are going to win?¡± ¡°Jirot, how strong is your daddy?¡± Adam asked. ¡°First place!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Your daddy is first place, so leave it to daddy, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot clutched at his head harder, before planting firm kisses all over his forehead, but even she could feel it, the cold sensation gripping at her heart, before the girl started to burst into tears, causing Jarot to do to the same. The pair stopped crying upon seeing the Great Elder who approached the half elf. Meanwhile, Dunes rubbed his beard lightly, scratching his chin. ¡°Did I run out? Was it that they were stolen? Considering what I know from your brother, did you have anything to do with this?¡± ¡°How could you accuse me of stealing?¡± Jaygak asked, leaning against the doorway, having waited for the Manager to complete his comedy routine after he had noticed her. ¡°Why are your eyes full of such sombre troublesomeness?¡± Dunes joked, though he had hit the nail on the head accidentally. ¡°I¡¯ve come to ask a favour.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m married.¡± Jaygak winced. ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s corrupted you too.¡± Jaygak, it gets much worse. [1119] – Y06.019- The Request III [1119] ¨C Y06.019- The Request III Adam sat opposite the Great Elder, hearing the sounds of the beads clacking together as she prayed, chanting the prayer a hundred times. She opened her eyes and took in he sight of the half elf, with a gaze that had suggested to Adam she had tried to pray him away. She reached down to the tea Adam had poured her as she began her prayers, and after three minutes of prayer, it had cooled to the perfect temperature. Adam remained silent. He had little interaction with Elder Peace, but all he knew was that she was firmly in the camp of wanting to kill him to protect the Iyr. At the very least, she had been. He wasn¡¯t quite so sure any more, considering how she had so many opportunities, and yet had made sure to protect him. Then again, Adam knew just how unhinged the Iyr was when it came to the deaths of their children, and the lengths they were willing to go. They were, perhaps, the only entity willing to go further than him in that regard. Once the pair finished their tea, Elder Peace closed her eyes, rubbing the white bead, contemplating the questions she had for the half elf. She had so many she wished to ask, some which would betray the Chief¡¯s trust, and some which were inconsequential to the matter at hand, but would have satisfied her curiosity. However, right now, was there any more important than that question? ¡°Can you do it?¡± Elder Peace asked. Adam furrowed his brows for a moment, before coming to the realisation of what she was asking. The half elf swallowed, his eyes trailing away, before he looked through the stone to another time. He could feel it again, the chill, or the heat, he wasn¡¯t quite sure. The cold, greyed bodies resting upon the slabs of obsidian. When their eyes met again, Elder Peace thought of how many Adams she knew. The Adam the world had come to know was the fool who was stronger than he should have been. It was partly an act, but he was also just that much of a fool sometimes. Then there was the Adam who had the audacity to go against the likes of Emperor Shama, a figure whose singular presence would change the course of the histories of the Lower Realm, like that of Lord Asa in Floria, who, even in his limited involvement within the war, had guaranteed the victory of King Merryweather. Then there was the Adam who was being hunted by one of the Thirteen Guardian Stars, Starsword, and protected by another, the weakest of all, and yet the most mysterious, Crowseer. His involvement with Crowseer was enough to consider his death, but this was an Adam she knew too, one who defied the death that should come to him. However, had she ever seen this Adam before her? The Adam, who held a murderous glare in his eyes? The Adam whose eyes then filled with regret? ¡°Yes,¡± Adam replied, his voice low, trembling, a single tear running down his cheek. ¡°I have a favour to ask, though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Elder Peace asked, for this was the Adam she knew too, the kind that would ask for something ridiculous. She did not know of an Adam who would ask for the right thing at this time, for with just a word, the Iyr could deal with this matter cleanly, as was their right. ¡°Will you tell Vonda I had no choice?¡± Elder Peace held no doubt that this Adam, beyond any other Adam, was the truest Adam of all. Adam, the fool of a father, and the fool of a husband. Elder Peace approached the Chief, who stared out towards the village from the walls. ¡°I can see why you like him so much.¡± ¡°What did he say?¡± Iromin replied. ¡°He wished for me to tell his wife he had no choice in the matter.¡±@@@@ ¡°That does not surprise me.¡± ¡°Is that why you are so soft on the boy?¡± Elder Peace asked, though the accusation hung heavy within the air. Iromin smiled in response, causing Elder Peace to narrow her eyes. His silence spoke a thousand words, but they were the kind of words she had trouble parsing through. Even after all these years, Iromin was difficult to understand, and when it came to Adam, it was even more difficult to understand the Chief. Still, she had made her displeasure known, and he would need to consider it. ¡°I thought you were joking when you told me he was an idiot,¡± Tanagek admitted, staring out at the half elf, who was going around acting a fool for the business. Adam complained about losing to Elsie in dragonchess, before praising the girl for being a genius, disarming the children. ¡°It is mostly untrue.¡± ¡°Untrue?¡± Tanagek doubted, since it seemed mostly true. ¡°What is he thinking? He should allow granduncle to deal with him, or his...¡± Jurot watched as Tanagek finally caught on to it. It was perhaps the most surprising thing of all. ¡°I thought you said he refused to call the Mad Dog his grandfather?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°You okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I am fine,¡± Jonn replied. Adam slowly nodded his head, letting the silence engulf them for a short while. ¡°Are you going to be okay with me killing him?¡± Jonn remained silent for a while longer. He had seen so many familiar faces in the crowd, those who had worn the dark green cloaks, but they had all been different to those they had met in the fort last year, and different to the one he had clashed blades with. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said, hoisting himself up, patting Jonn on his shoulder, before making his way to prepare his children for sleep. Unlike most others within the fort, Jonn didn¡¯t doubt Adam¡¯s words, even if the fool of a father barely believed in how casual he spoke the words. Adam, who, but six years ago, had been barely a man, a man who could have died to a wolf. Now he was going up against the Grand Commander, one of the few Paragons in Aldland? Within the village, a few Iyrmen had decided to watch over the Orders. The Bear Mother had also needed to stay within the village, otherwise it would have been awkward for her Order¡¯s relationship with the new Order that had formed. The three who had been forced away from what was now Floria. They were technically on the same side, and since the Order had trouble with the Iyr, she couldn¡¯t stay within the business any longer. ¡°Is your grandnephew really going to fight the Grand Commander?¡± ¡°No,¡± Malfev replied. ¡°Then who will do it?¡± ¡°He will kill the Grand Commander.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°My grandnephew.¡± Anne furrowed her brows, taking a moment to understand what the Iyrman meant. It had taken a moment since, though she had seen Adam create a miracle in the last year, him defeating the Grand Commander was an even greater miracle. ¡°A Vice Commander and his apprentice are different to the Grand Commander,¡± Malfev agreed, understanding the woman¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Watch carefully.¡± ¡®Have I grown too old?¡¯ Anne thought, since within her heart, she doubted the words of the Iyrman, but the doubts were not quite as heavy as she expected. Elder Peace finally made her way into the village, having discussed the duel¡¯s conditions with her aides and the Chief. ¡°Noon?¡± James asked. ¡°We must consider the children within the time of the duel,¡± Elder Peace said, containing all her killing intent by rubbing the white bead, since all but two of the children could have made dawn, but of all the children who needed to watch the duel, it was those two in particular who needed to watch the duel. ¡°We accept the terms,¡± James replied. ¡°Grand Commander,¡± a Vice Commander called, his eyes glued to the Great Elder as she left. ¡°Is it truly a good idea to accept all those conditions?¡± ¡°I will slay him, the Iyr will claim his body, and our gates will no longer remain closed,¡± James replied, still sour they had the audacity to even ask in the first place. ¡°Even the Iyr understood how ridiculous their demands were.¡± ¡°If were to lose, they will claim your body, and we will have to remain as hostages?¡± another Vice Commander teased, his cloak dark gold, his cheeky grin pearly white. ¡°Do they have the courage to claim my body?¡± James joked, entertaining the notion he could die. ¡°The Iyr understands it had made a mistake. They wanted to make it a big deal since they keep losing their wars, but they understand, and now that we have brought so many great warriors, each eager to draw their blades, they understand they are in trouble. It is why they brought out the likes of Duteous Dogek, but who else could they bring? A crippled Mad Dog, whose fangs are chipped?¡± He didn¡¯t even think of the Iyr¡¯s request to hold them as hostages. It was late in the evening when the children had been taken to bed, Adam¡¯s triplets each cuddling atop him, for even though the half elf was going to fight to the death tomorrow, he couldn¡¯t refuse his children¡¯s affection. He had seen it in Konarot¡¯s eyes, for the girl was too smart, too wise, and if he had refused, she would have thought something terrible was going to happen. ¡®If you lose, you will die, but more importantly, we will have to allow them to walk freely across the land,¡¯ Chief Iromin had informed the half elf earlier. ¡®Will you allow them to step out so soon?¡¯ Adam, it''s all up to you now. [1120] – Y06.020- The Request IV [1120] ¨C Y06.020- The Request IV ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Anne asked, the rays of light illuminating the pair of dice within her hands. The wood was red, a beautiful deep red, but a red that only few could truly admire, especially a particular set of twins. ¡°Red oak!¡± Jirot declared excitedly, her amber eyes sparkling as she stared at the wood, which was near uniform, but she could note every tiny swirl, and while Anne saw only three or four different reds depending on the light, Jirot was mesmerised by the dozens of different reds. ¡°Papo likes red oak, but he cannot buy it, because the town is so mean.¡± ¡°One needs to be quite special to procure red oak, or items made of red oak,¡± Anne informed the girl, smiling slightly. ¡°I am quite special and so I was able to buy these dice from a fine craftsman.¡± ¡°My papo is special...¡± The girl¡¯s eyes fell to Jurot, who bowed his head lightly, his ears turning almost as red as the dice. ¡°I know he is. Perhaps the town will see it too, one day.¡± ¡°One day,¡± the girl agreed. ¡°In the future.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Anne replied, smiling slightly, trying to understand why this situation made her think so deeply. ¡°I bought these dice for you, you and your siblings. I have bought three, one for each of you. I did not know about your other siblings, but I have bought one for you and your brothers.¡± ¡°I have four brothers, and there are three dice, but I am fifth?¡± Jirot said, trying to do the numbers in her head, her eyes squinting slightly. ¡°She gets her ability with numbers from her mother,¡± Adam joked. Anne glanced aside towards the half elf, taking a moment to see the glare within the half elf¡¯s eyes. His face twitched, and quickly he bowed his head respectfully, having realised his suspicion had been caught. ¡°I have heard that their mother is a Ray.¡± ¡°Ray Vonda,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°It is a fortunate thing for you to have married a Ray, and for their mother to hold such a position,¡± Anne said, wondering if that had something to do with the Hope retreating right before the half elf appeared to cause a mess. ¡°I¡¯m very lucky to have such a beautiful wife, and such adorable children,¡± Adam replied, with a genuine smile that almost disarmed the Bear Mother. Anne handed the dice to each of the children, Jirot excitedly clutching her die, while little Jarot held it up to show it to his aunt, Jaygak, meanwhile Larot glared at the die, before Adam plucked it from the Bear Mother¡¯s hand. ¡°He doesn¡¯t really talk,¡± Adam said. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, what do we say when someone-,¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Jirot exclaimed towards the woman, holding up her die. ¡°You give such lovely gifts! You are so amazing, Bear Mother. Babo, your friend is so nice.¡± Malfev brushed his beard, and though his moustache and beard was so thick it covered his lips, the smile reached his eyes. ¡°It is because I am very good at choosing friends.¡± ¡°Yes. You are so good at choosing friends, babo. Good job!¡± Jirot held up a thumbs up for her babo, the old man smiling even wider. The Bear Mother went to greet the other Iyrmen, thanking them for their hospitality, and for allowing her to hear their tales, and to speak her own tales to the business. ¡°Adam,¡± Malfev called, grabbing a fistful of his beard as he switched to the Iyr¡¯s tongue, his voice lowering. ¡°Would you gift them a chest of silver?¡± Adam raised his brow towards the older man, who had made the request so shyly. ¡°Of-,¡± Adam began, before realising how he could tease the old man. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, what word do we use when we ask someone for something?¡± ¡°Please!¡± Jirot stated, her brother¡¯s quieter voice echoing. Malfev snorted slightly, the old man brushing his beard to hide his smile. ¡°Would you gift them a chest of gold, please?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, raising his brows towards the old man, and though he had caught the difference, he didn¡¯t refuse. ¡°A chest of silver is fine,¡± Malfev said, seeing that Adam had caught on to his words, but was challenging the old man to see if he would allow Adam to do something so ridiculous. ¡°I¡¯ll have Manager Dunes hand it over,¡± Adam said. ¡°It would be nice for their Orders to get along.¡± ¡°That would put him in a difficult position,¡± Malfev stated. ¡°If you are too shy, Jaygak should do it.¡± ¡°A chest of silver will only hold a few hundred silver coins at most, right? They might use that against her. Filthy red skin, how dare she only hand over-,¡± Adam paused, noting the shock in Malfev¡¯s eyes as the half elf spoke out. Adam furrowed his brows, tilting his head slightly. ¡°You should not speak such spiteful words.¡± The older Iyrman placed a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. ¡°Not you, Adam.¡± ¡°What? I wasn¡¯t the one, I mean, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. It¡¯s just an example of what the Aldish would think, not something I¡¯m saying.¡± ¡°I know you do not mean it that way, but what of the others? If they hear you speak such a way, your children who may not understand, they will hold such thoughts.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam gasped, flushing a deep red. ¡°You¡¯re right. Sorry.¡± Malfev bowed his head, seeing how embarrassed Adam was, and since the half elf understood, he decided against harping on about it.@@@@ ¡°I¡¯ll fill it with some gold too, so that way they can¡¯t say anything,¡± Adam said, clearing his throat, shuffling away. Anne accepted the chest with gratitude, before greeting the Grand Commander of High Garden, the previous Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts. ¡°Is the duel not entertaining enough for you?¡± Sir James joked. ¡°We already know how it will end, and we should return to prepare for the Reavers. I hope justice is victorious today.¡± ¡°I shall make sure of it,¡± James replied with a small smile upon his lips, seeing as how coy she was with her words, leaving the matter vague. The Order of the Steel Bears made their way northward, finding Malfev waiting for them at the gate. ¡°It was good to see you again, Malfev.¡± Panic rose within the adult Iyrmen around, who had been too late to stop Adam from saying something so ridiculous. They had let down their guards, for the half elf was hours away from potential death, so they had expected him to at least worry about it instead of making such a ridiculous joke. ¡°Daddy, that is a terrible gift,¡± Jirot said. ¡°What?¡± Adam replied, taken aback by his daughter¡¯s words. ¡°Kako uses a staff, not a sword,¡± Jirot informed her father, as though he were a fool. ¡°My gift is so much better, kako, look!¡± The twins revealed their gifts to their aunt, a letter that was written by the hands of a pair of twins who held their styluses like daggers, with a picture drawn by a pair of four year olds with tiny hands, certainly of Katool, considering the bob was so well drawn. ¡°We made it for you!¡± Jirot said, allowing Jarot to hold it up for their aunt. Katool accepted the letter from the twins, hugging them both tight, kissing their foreheads. As the gifts continued to pile onto the girl, she glanced aside to her mother, who was waiting for the question. ¡°Mother?¡± Katool called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is cousin Adam really going to gift me Sentinel¡¯s Rest?¡± Citool remained silent for a long moment. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are going to gift Katool Sentinel¡¯s Rest?¡± ¡°Can I not?¡± ¡°Please do not.¡± Adam, seeing Katool¡¯s frown, thought about the two paths ahead of him. One was to continue teasing Katool, seeing her frown which fuelled his heart, and then the other path... ¡°Grandfather,¡± Adam called. ¡°They will not allow me to gift my cousin Sentinel¡¯s Rest.¡± The old one armed Iyrman inhaled deeply, doing his best not to burst out in laughter. Even he had thought Adam was joking, but if Adam was going to invoke his title, then it must have been serious. ¡°Who dares to deny my grandson?¡± ¡°If I do?¡± the Chief asked, feeling the stress rising up in the business, even noting the way the businessfolk were staring out towards them, full of shock. ¡°Do you think I will not-,¡± ¡°Father,¡± Sonarot warned, not wanting the businessfolk to see Jarot picking a fight with the Chief, especially since she was certain it wasn¡¯t a joke. ¡°No one can stop my grandson from giving such a gift to my grandniece,¡± Jarot said, his eyes darting to Shaool, and upon their eyes meeting, the woman understood Jarot was ready to spill blood over it. ¡°Why are you all acting like this is the first time Adam has given away a great weapon?¡± Jaygak asked. ¡°It is different this time,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Jirot is right, the Ool family uses a staff or a spear.¡± Jonn blinked. Even though Adam had asked him if he was okay with killing his previous Grand Commander, his heart had remained calm. However, Sentinel¡¯s Rest was a completely different matter, and to speak of it as though one were trading a bundle of cloth, it pained his soul. Dunes and Amira both decided to ignore Adam. Dunes refused to acknowledge the mention of Sentinel¡¯s Rest, while Ranya slapped the paper in front of her, glancing up at her father questioningly. ¡°Harold.¡± ¡°Hara?¡± Ranya asked. ¡°That is the name of the King of Floria.¡± ¡°Foyah?¡± ¡°That is right,¡± Dunes said. Ranya returned back to the paper, staring at the letters, before glancing up at her father as though he were a fool. ¡°Pep oh ay ya ya yah.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get used to his troublesomeness,¡± Dunes assured. ¡°Mama?¡± Amira sighed. ¡°I think your father is right.¡± ¡°Okeh.¡± ¡°What is Sentinel¡¯s Rest?¡± Lucy whispered to Mara. Mara smiled. ¡°Jirot, will you tell Lucy what Sentinel¡¯s Rest is?¡± Jirot threw a look to Lucy, before wiping down her face, the girl gasping, before checking her painted nails. ¡°Phew!¡± Adam, it''s all up to you now. [1121] – Y06.021 – The Duel I [1121] ¨C Y06.021 ¨C The Duel I ¡°I had a dream today,¡± Dunes whispered, sharing tea with the half elf, who had almost completed his preparations for noon. ¡°I dreamt of Ahmed. He teased me for marrying Amira. What? You just got married? Do you see it, Morn? I have blot out the sun, but all you have done is have a child. Is she even yours? She is too cute.¡± Adam coughed, doing his best not to snort, his lips forming a wide smile. ¡°You did tell me he was a genius.¡± ¡°I did no such thing!¡± Dunes almost snapped, his eyes almost a glare, if he wasn¡¯t too busy holding back his own laughter. ¡°I have a favour to ask of you, Adam.¡± ¡°You should ask me after I win.¡± ¡°It must be asked now...¡± Dunes fell silent for a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. The half elf waited, since Dunes had done so much for him. Even if it was the last hour he had on this world, there wasn¡¯t much more he¡¯d rather do than speak with Dunes. ¡°Last year, I walked alongside you towards certain death. I wielded this blade against...¡± Dunes waved his hand. ¡°He was from the Cherry Blades, but I did not see him among the group here. His name, perhaps it will go down in history, but... compared to the Grand Commander?¡± Dunes looked Adam in the eye, who kept his gaze. The Priest tried to gather what Adam was feeling, and he could see it. If he did not speak up, there was a chance Adam would not return. ¡°To defeat the Grand Commander, it is a good story. My story, it¡¯s not good enough for this blade.¡± Adam stared down at the blade. He recognised the blade, which may have been in Dunes¡¯ hands, but it did not belong to him. ¡°Please kill the Grand Commander with this sword.¡± ¡°A sword, Dunes? What would my grandfather say?¡± Dunes sighed, sipping the rest of his tea. The Manager stood, grabbing at the hilt of the sword, though did not pull it away from the table. ¡°If you refuse, what can I do? I will tell Ranya that you did not wish to give her a good tale because you were too afraid of some teasing.¡± ¡°Well, hold on now,¡± Adam began, reaching out for the blade, having fallen for the trap almost instantly, the half elf flushing red. ¡®How could he say that?¡¯ ¡®I have done all I can,¡¯ Dunes thought, hoping it would be enough, but since Jaygak said all he needed to do was this, he ended the matter there. He needed to have faith in them, just like how they had faith in him. After meditating with the weapon, Adam donned his armour, the purple reflecting the rays of sun which peeked through the window. His puthral full plate barely jangled as plate usually did, and though not quite as light as mithril, even a pale imitation of that metal was great. He prayed over it in the morning, as he always did, increasing its protection. He rubbed along the edge of Strong Shield, the source of one of his grandfather¡¯s many nicknames. It was no longer his shield, having been gifted to Turot, who then, upon Adam¡¯s advice, gifted it to his younger brother, Asorot. His fingers tingled as he touched the red shield. Then there was Phantom. Adam held the axe within his hand. It was perhaps his greatest weapon to date, and as long as he could manage just a single Critical Hit, it would be fine. Phantom which held three charges, and each struck so terribly, and as long as he could just land a single Critical Hit, he could bring a terror upon the Grand Commander, something to make him feel regret before Adam could kill him. Phantom (+2) Requires Attunement Deals 1D6 slashing and 1D6 psychic damage. Can store up to 3 charges. 1D3 charges are regained at dawn, or by expending Mana whilst holding the axe, at a rate of one Mana per charge. Charges can only be spent when holding the weapon, but require no action. Spend 1 charge or more to regain 3D6 health for each charge spent. On a hit, spend 1 charge or more to deal 3D6 psychic damage for each charge spent. With his puthral, Strong Shield, and Phantom, Adam had a chance. He thought of Vengeance, the axe he had made. He had requested for it, but the Chief had informed him it was in the process of being destroyed, if it hadn¡¯t been destroyed already. Vengeance (+2) Requires Attunement Deals 2D6 slashing damage. On a hit, you can spend 1 Mana to deal an additional 2D6 damage, up to a maximum of your Trained Bonus. On a hit, you can choose to deal XD6 damage to yourself, to deal 2XD6 damage to an enemy. The limit of X is your Level. Those killed by this weapon can only be revived with spells of Seventh Gate or greater. ¡®Yeah, it is pretty dangerous.¡¯ His eyes then fell to Thunder¡¯s Triumph. The sword was a blade Adam was intimately familiar with, for it was a blade he had forged through magic, and then enchanted. It was a blade that had been part of a set he had enchanted. One went to the Iyr, because Adam didn¡¯t want to die. The other went to Karza, a dragon friend of Prince Morkarai. This one went to Ranya, who had worked so hard to be born so healthy and adorable. A blade fit for a death cult, a dragon afraid of the death cult, and a baby. ¡°If Kavgak asks me to win, then I¡¯ll have to win, eh?¡± Adam said, holding the girl close for a long moment, before allowing her to try and tie the ribbon on his wrist, only for Taygak to help. All the children embraced the half elf, each showering the half elf in their affection, while Adam did the same, ruffling their hair. Even Minool, who fled from his arms, held the half elf close. ¡°Jazool, make sure to watch over Larot, okay? He might get a little scared.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jazool replied, the girl grabbing Larot¡¯s hand, causing the red skinned boy to narrow his eyes at the half elf. As Adam made sure to play with the children, Elder Peace dealt with the Order. ¡°How can we trust you?¡± Vice Commander Harrow asked, smiling his pearly white smite towards the Great Elder. ¡°We are not Aldish,¡± Elder Peace stated firmly, before turning to lead the Order across the bridge, towards the Iyr¡¯s land, beyond even the islet. The rest of the Iyrmen waited to escort them, the Order wondering if the Iyr was truly serious about holding them hostage. However, they followed the Iyrman, since they had accepted the terms, even if the Iyr wasn¡¯t going to hold them to it. As the last of the warriors stepped over the bridge, Bael approached the end of the first bridge, blocking off the exit, the half dragon keeping the warriors within his sight. He grinned wide, already smelling the scent of a good fight in the air, the blood soon to come. Then, he smelled it. His ears twitched, his hair stood on end, his scales grew itchy. The smell was so... familiar? Then, he felt it. An overwhelming pressure over his shoulders, a cold sweat growing over him. ¡®Am I too close?¡¯ a figure standing on a distant hill, staring eastward towards the duel. ¡®If that kid is there, they probably don¡¯t need my help.¡¯ A crimson snake slithered near the shadow¡¯s feet. Two figures stood behind the pair, one clutching a staff made of dark wood, the other adorned in full plate. They would watch, for today, regardless of who won, would be a turning point. They were here, just in case. As the Grand Commander approached the spot for the duel, the open field beside the small village the Iyr had created for a particular set of weddings, he dropped to a knee. He placed a hand over his chest, and the Order began to chant a prayer. The chanting threatened to shake the world with their fervour, while the Iyrmen watched silently. The businessfolk working the fields stopped, clasping their hands together as they prayed. Adam inhaled sharply, hearing the chanting from the fort, the half elf standing behind the gate. Jirot and Jarot held each of his hands, while his triplets stood in front of him, glaring at the gate, not wanting it to open. Konarot understood something was happening since her father looked so... small. Adam had yet to speak with the businessfolk about the duel, nor did he speak with his friends or family. All he needed to do was go out, kill the Grand Commander, take his sword, then come back. One. Two. Three. Four. Just like that. Then the prayers stopped. All fell silent. Jurot broke the silence by opening the gate, the creaking filling the air. The dread filled the business as the gate opened, and Adam stepped forward, stepping out of the fort, seeing the river ahead of him. He stopped, glancing over his shoulder to his six children, each of whom were staring at him while their babos and nanos tried to take them to the top of the wall. ¡°Watch carefully, okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Okay!¡± came the emphatic cries of two of the girls, while his two boys replied so meekly, and Kirot pouted up at her father, reaching out a hand. Adam smiled, reaching out, clenching his fist. He bowed his head towards his second eldest daughter, who bowed her head in return, and followed her baba, Shikan, away to the wall. ¡°I love you,¡± Adam called out to his children, almost desperately. ¡°I love you!¡± the children replied, and with that, they burst towards their father like water having torn through a dam, causing their babos and nanos to sigh. After a quick embrace, Adam¡¯s body filling with a deep warmth, he let them go. He stepped out once more. His eyes then fell to the village, where he saw a few familiar faces. He waved towards it, before his eyes finally fell to the west, to the hills of the Iyr, and finally, the heavily armoured warriors and Iyrmen waiting for him. ¡®I should have asked them to play some music for my entrance,¡¯ Adam thought, donning his helmet. As though to prove he was really the old man¡¯s grandson, Jarot shouted out from atop the walls. ¡°Where does the wind flow?¡± the old Iyrman shouted alone. He''s actually doing it? [1122] – Y06.022 – The Duel II [1122] ¨C Y06.022 ¨C The Duel II ¡®You must understand, Adam,¡¯ Jarot thought as the Iyrmen shouted out their song, a song which all children of the Iyr learnt. Lanarot shouted the song, as was taught to her by her family, but even Jirot and Jarot shouted out the song, taught by their greatfather. ¡®Even if you do not call me your grandfather, you must understand!¡¯ ¡°Through my home!¡± the rest of the Iyrmen replied. ¡°Brisk!¡± Jarot said alone, alternating with the rest of the Iyrmen. ¡°Cold!¡± ¡°Where do the hills flow?¡±@@@@ ¡°Along the horiiiizon!¡± the children shouted, holding up their arms and swaying them lightly. ¡°Tall!¡± ¡°Wide!¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± the old Jarot shouted, hoping Adam understood. ¡°I call it my home!¡± Jirot shouted, staring out towards the west, towards the hills that hid her home, feeling the emptiness within her heart. ¡°Where the wind flows.¡± ¡°Where the hills flow!¡± Little Jarot¡¯s eyes darted towards the hills too, the hills which were so large, near endless. A cold shudder ran through his spine, but he continued to shout out the song, for the words of those around him filled him with courage. ¡°Brisk!¡± ¡°Cold!¡± Konarot shouted, feeling the chill enter her, the girl¡¯s eyes glistening. Perhaps out of all the children she knew. She knew why her father stepped forward that day, just as she had stepped forward to protect Kirot and Karot when they had been born. ¡°Tall!¡± Jarot shouted, standing taller upon his wooden leg. ¡°Wide!¡± Kirot shouted, thinking of her father¡¯s wide back as he crossed the bridge, the same kind of back she had grown up seeing thanks to her elder sister. ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡°I call it my home!¡± Karot¡¯s tail swayed behind him a moment before it stopped, the boy¡¯s eyes firmly glued to his father¡¯s back. He was used to it too, this sight. ¡°The path outside is treacherous!¡± Jarot exclaimed, the pain in his voice evident to the rest of the world. ¡°Brutal!¡± Lanarot exclaimed, far too excited. ¡°Bloody!¡± Jarot exclaimed, feeling the heat of rage fill his body. ¡°Where do we march?¡± the rest of the Iyrmen asked. ¡°To war!¡± ¡°To war!¡± ¡°What are we?¡± Jarot shouted, throwing up a fist. ¡°Ready for death!¡± the Iyrmen replied, each throwing up a fist. ¡°To whom does death call?¡± ¡°To all!¡± Nirot exclaimed from ahead of the fort, glaring at the warriors before her, those which had tried to deny them their justice. Even if she should have stayed in the fort, this time they would be unable to stop her. ¡°To all!¡± Jarot confirmed. ¡°I walk the treacherous path!¡± the Iyrmen each shouted, and even in the rare instance the Iyrmen thought of the individual, it was shouted together. ¡°Brutal!¡± ¡°Bloody!¡± ¡°I am ready to be called!¡± Jarot exclaimed. ¡°Death!¡± the Iyrmen cried. ¡°Death!¡± ¡°Call to me!¡± they all cried, most of the children not understanding the words, but feeling the joy in their hearts. ¡°Brisk!¡± ¡°Cold!¡± Jaygak lifted Kavgak up, allowing the girl to throw up her arms, for even she did not speak so promptly when it came to this song. ¡°I call it my home!¡± ¡®Baktu, please!¡¯ Jarot begged within his heart. ¡°I call it my home!¡± Jurot¡¯s heart stirred, and it was in this moment, he understood why his grandfather had begun the prayer. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Jaygak thought, seeing a particular figure on the field. ¡®What are you doing there?¡¯ Tanagek followed the Iyrman, while another shouted behind him. ¡°Cousin! You are running away?¡± Lanarot smirked, the girl crossing her arms, as her brother had. ¡°I will return with the gold,¡± Tanagek promised, before swiftly making his way out. ¡®How cute.¡¯ Tonagek glared at his son, who rushed up beside him, the jangling armour adding a gentle rhythm to the Great Elder¡¯s words, informing the Aldish of the promises made. ¡°You should remain in the fort.¡± ¡°My sword is crying,¡± Tanagek replied in their tongue, and then his eyes darted to Chosen. Chosen smirked at Tanagek, in the same way Lanarot had barely a minute ago. He had given the smirk to his father until then, because the heavily armoured figure with the sword as red as blood stood beside him, so Mosen couldn¡¯t beat his son. ¡°I thought you would arrive sooner,¡± Amokan said, his eyes teasing the Iyrman, but Tanagek ignored him. His eyes fell back, towards Jaygak, who was creeping her way along quietly onto the scene, before they darted back to the half elf, who stood so close, and yet so far away. Adam had stood still for a long while. The pair remained alone for quite some distance, the river behind Adam¡¯s back, with the Iyrmen and the Aldish blocking his path, while the Grand Commander had the hills of the Iyr block off his retreat. ¡°I did not expect the Iyr to hand you to me so easily,¡± James finally said, breaking the silence. ¡°...¡± ¡°I had thought they would have sent another. The Mad Dog? No, he is too weak. Duteous Dogek? I heard he caused a mess for the Sky Commander.¡± Adam remained silent, though recalled how viciously Dogek had beaten the Grand Commander of the Order of Eagle Wing. The scene had engraved itself into each who had watched the beating, but the Grand Commander before him had not seen it, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have dared to speak Dogek¡¯s name so lightly. ¡°Perhaps, Shaool, was it? One of the Iyr¡¯s many Paragons? I heard she used some kind of wickedry to defeat the Platinum Shield?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darkened beneath his visor. The half elf swallowed, feeling the heat rise within him. ¡®Fucking Aldishmen. You always do that sort of thing, don¡¯t you? You can¡¯t accept it, so you make shit up?¡¯ ¡°Why are you so silent?¡± James asked. ¡°...¡± ¡°You should at least speak your last words.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, and let out a long sigh. He strapped his shield onto his left arm, having already spoken the only last words he was allowed to. ¡®Five rounds,¡¯ the half elf thought. Five rounds. That¡¯s how many rounds he thought he needed against the Vice Commander and his apprentice. He had managed to end it cleanly at two, but five rounds, with typical luck, was about what he expected. With Phantom or Vengeance, he just needed to Critically Hit once, and he could make almost anyone regret coming against him. Even though he wanted to torture the Grand Commander slowly and painfully, how dare he refuse the half elf¡¯s mercy, but, if he did that, what kind of lesson would his children learn? Vonda would be disappointed. Did she even know? The Iyr must have told her, right? Should he have sent her word? He hadn¡¯t even written her a letter this time. No. She knew. She definitely knew. Not that Adam was duelling, but she knew the most important thing of all. Adam reached down to the magical blade at his side. Adam drew Thunder¡¯s Triumph. As he drew the blade, the tingling sensation filled him. The world fell silent. James Greatwood drew Sentinel¡¯s Rest, the Legendary Enhanced weapon passed down through the history of the Order of the Thousand Hunts. ¡®Two rounds,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling how light Thunder¡¯s Triumph was within his hand. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Ranya. I¡¯ll make sure you can show off.¡¯ Elder Peace clapped her hands, shouting out a word that was drowned out by the silence of death. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 13 (12) The Grand Commander was quicker. Sentinel¡¯s Rest threatened to cut the half elf down. Adam had been prepared to fight, but unfortunately for both of them, a stronger force threatened to overwhelm him. Elder Peace flinched, feeling it in the air, her eyes darting to the half elf, the old woman¡¯s hands turning black as she prepared to kill Adam as the Rage Fever threatened to overwhelm him. Adam''s theme song is now the Iyr''s war cry. [1123] – Y06.023 – The Duel II [1123] ¨C Y06.023 ¨C The Duel II ¡°You must pay for your sins, you vile demon,¡± the Grand Commander chanted, his blade glowing deeply. Green and brown strands of magic swirled around Sentinel¡¯s Rest, which gleamed even brighter under the noon sun. The half elf remained frozen as James charged forward, glad the half elf had accepted his fate. The screaming pierced through the air as the young audience began to cheer and cry for the start of the duel, one particular child screaming loudly, distracting her cousin for a moment, who dared to glance back for a moment. ¡®She certainly is aunt¡¯s daughter,¡¯ Tanagek thought, whose eyes quickly darted back to the fight, as the Grand Commander pressed forward. There was also another set of cries, which pierced through the noise, almost drifting away with the cheering of their aunts and uncles. ¡°Daddy!¡± Wisdom Save D20 + 5 = 20 (15) The world returned to Adam, who noticed the Grand Commander had teleported right in front of him, having lost his senses for a moment. That moment was too long against the likes of a Paragon. Unfortunately for Grand Commander James Greatwood, Adam had never lost in front of his sister or his children before. Mana: 34 -> 33 Spell: Shield Defence: 24 -> 29 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 16 (15) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 3 -> 2 Critical Hit! Mana: 33 -> 28 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 69 (14)(5)(41) 69 damage!@@@@ Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 24 (13) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical Hit! Mana: 28 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 73 (15)(8)(41) 73 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) Miss! Omen: 12, 17 -> 12 17 + 11 = 28 Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 2 -> 1 Critical Hit! Mana: 23 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 75 (11)(7)(48) 75 damage! Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 19 (8) Miss! Omen: 12 -> 0 12 + 11 = 23 Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 1 -> 0 Critical Hit! Mana: 18 -> 13 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 58 (15)(6)(28) 58 damage! The fool of a father, who would allow his children to bully him, was unable to resist. One might have wondered why he allowed his children to bully him so much. The Iyr knew. He, who had lost his family, once, twice, and then, even though the Iyr had brought them back, thrice. One might have wondered what made Adam so dangerous. The Iyr knew. Adam wore the purple known as puthral, fashioned into full plate, an item one could only be granted through killing an Iyrman, or by having a special relationship with the Iyr. Adam did not have the courage to kill an Iyrman, but was it his special relationship with the Iyr that made him so dangerous? No. Victory! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 24 000 -> 25 000 Adam wasn¡¯t dangerous because he had something no one else in the world really understood which allowed him to possess all these various abilities which should have gotten him killed. Adam wasn¡¯t dangerous because he blocked out the world, or from allowing the joy and relief of killing the Grand Commander to fill his heart. For even as the Grand Commander¡¯s headless corpse fell into the earth, Elder Peace was certain of it. Adam, surpassing all expectations, had certainly held back. What she wasn¡¯t so certain about, was whether Adam himself had understood he had held back. Adam was dangerous because there was a chance. She stared at the half elf, whose head hung down, needing a moment to collect himself. It was tiny. Minuscule. Nearly impossible. It would not even appear if his life was in danger. It was not something, but nothing. The half elf reached up to wipe his eyes, for though the young half elf had spent time in the Iyr, and though he worshipped Baktu so dearly, he did not like killing, and not just because his wife was a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose. It was that. ¡®I¡¯m glad it was quick,¡¯ Adam thought, hoping he hadn¡¯t corrupted the children, even if the Iyr wanted to show them something more gruesome. If nothing stopped restraining Adam, he would be too dangerous to allow to live. The silence filled the air. The hundred of eyes upon Adam remained completely focused on the purple half elf. Tanagek remained frozen, unable to draw his eyes away to see the shock upon his father¡¯s face. One moment he had been looking at Lanarot, and the next moment, he saw the half elf spin and cleave the Grand Commander¡¯s head clean off. Though Tonagek had gone along with Adam, watching him create a miracle, he hadn¡¯t expected the half elf to kill the Grand Commander this quickly. Even in his heart, he was only half sure Adam would kill the Paragon. The laughter broke the deafening silence, causing Adam to return back to the world. He heard the crying and squealing of joy from afar, and the half elf flexed his shuddering body, before letting out a soft exhale. He sheathed his bloody sword, before reaching down to grab the magical sword, not thinking about the sheath as he turned around, coming face to face with the shocked expressions of the Iyrmen and the Aldishmen. The old man continued to howl with laughter, before he was joined by a chorus of cheers and shouts. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot cried aloud, tears flowing out from her eyes. ¡°My daddy is stronger than the Stars!¡± Adam filled with guilt, before he inhaled sharply once more, and he raised his shield and Sentinel¡¯s Rest. However, as he did, the Aldishmen reached for their blades. When you remember that Adam is perfectly balanced. [1123] – Y06.023 – The Duel III [1123] ¨C Y06.023 ¨C The Duel III ¡°You must pay for your sins, you vile demon,¡± the Grand Commander chanted, his blade glowing deeply. Green and brown strands of magic swirled around Sentinel¡¯s Rest, which gleamed even brighter under the noon sun. The half elf remained frozen as James charged forward, glad the half elf had accepted his fate. The screaming pierced through the air as the young audience began to cheer and cry for the start of the duel, one particular child screaming loudly, distracting her cousin for a moment, who dared to glance back for a moment. ¡®She certainly is aunt¡¯s daughter,¡¯ Tanagek thought, whose eyes quickly darted back to the fight, as the Grand Commander pressed forward. There was also another set of cries, which pierced through the noise, almost drifting away with the cheering of their aunts and uncles. ¡°Daddy!¡± Wisdom Save D20 + 5 = 20 (15) The world returned to Adam, who noticed the Grand Commander had teleported right in front of him, having lost his senses for a moment. That moment was too long against the likes of a Paragon. Unfortunately for Grand Commander James Greatwood, Adam had never lost in front of his sister or his children before. Mana: 34 -> 33 Spell: Shield Defence: 24 -> 29 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 16 (15) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 3 -> 2 Critical Hit! Mana: 33 -> 28 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 69 (14)(5)(41) 69 damage! Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 24 (13) D20 + 11 = 31 (20) Critical Hit! Mana: 28 -> 23 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 73 (15)(8)(41) 73 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 15 (4) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) Miss! Omen: 12, 17 -> 12 17 + 11 = 28 Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 2 -> 1 Critical Hit! Mana: 23 -> 18 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 75 (11)(7)(48) 75 damage! Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 19 (8) Miss! Omen: 12 -> 0 12 + 11 = 23 Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 1 -> 0 Critical Hit! Mana: 18 -> 13 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 12D6 + 9 = 58 (15)(6)(28) 58 damage! The fool of a father, who would allow his children to bully him, was unable to resist. One might have wondered why he allowed his children to bully him so much. The Iyr knew. He, who had lost his family, once, twice, and then, even though the Iyr had brought them back, thrice. One might have wondered what made Adam so dangerous. The Iyr knew. Adam wore the purple known as puthral, fashioned into full plate, an item one could only be granted through killing an Iyrman, or by having a special relationship with the Iyr. Adam did not have the courage to kill an Iyrman, but was it his special relationship with the Iyr that made him so dangerous? No. Victory! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 24 000 -> 25 000 Adam wasn¡¯t dangerous because he had something no one else in the world really understood which allowed him to possess all these various abilities which should have gotten him killed. Adam wasn¡¯t dangerous because he blocked out the world, or from allowing the joy and relief of killing the Grand Commander to fill his heart. For even as the Grand Commander¡¯s headless corpse fell into the earth, Elder Peace was certain of it. Adam, surpassing all expectations, had certainly held back. What she wasn¡¯t so certain about, was whether Adam himself had understood he had held back. Adam was dangerous because there was a chance. She stared at the half elf, whose head hung down, needing a moment to collect himself. It was tiny. Minuscule. Nearly impossible. It would not even appear if his life was in danger. It was not something, but nothing. The half elf reached up to wipe his eyes, for though the young half elf had spent time in the Iyr, and though he worshipped Baktu so dearly, he did not like killing, and not just because his wife was a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose. It was that. ¡®I¡¯m glad it was quick,¡¯ Adam thought, hoping he hadn¡¯t corrupted the children, even if the Iyr wanted to show them something more gruesome. If nothing stopped restraining Adam, he would be too dangerous to allow to live. The silence filled the air. The hundred of eyes upon Adam remained completely focused on the purple half elf. Tanagek remained frozen, unable to draw his eyes away to see the shock upon his father¡¯s face. One moment he had been looking at Lanarot, and the next moment, he saw the half elf spin and cleave the Grand Commander¡¯s head clean off. Though Tonagek had gone along with Adam, watching him create a miracle, he hadn¡¯t expected the half elf to kill the Grand Commander this quickly. Even in his heart, he was only half sure Adam would kill the Paragon. The laughter broke the deafening silence, causing Adam to return back to the world. He heard the crying and squealing of joy from afar, and the half elf flexed his shuddering body, before letting out a soft exhale. He sheathed his bloody sword, before reaching down to grab the magical sword, not thinking about the sheath as he turned around, coming face to face with the shocked expressions of the Iyrmen and the Aldishmen. The old man continued to howl with laughter, before he was joined by a chorus of cheers and shouts. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot cried aloud, tears flowing out from her eyes. ¡°My daddy is stronger than the Stars!¡± Adam filled with guilt, before he inhaled sharply once more, and he raised his shield and Sentinel¡¯s Rest. However, as he did, the Aldishmen reached for their blades. When you remember that Adam is perfectly balanced. [1124] – Y06.024 – The Skirmish I [1124] ¨C Y06.024 ¨C The Skirmish I Fred met Rick¡¯s eyes, the pair staring at one another, and through one another simultaneously. ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ Mork thought, his fingers shifting from position to position to ask for forgiveness from Lady Tempest. ¡®Did he hold back against me?¡¯ Bael thought, frowning. Even though Adam had beaten him in a single round, it wasn¡¯t quite as clean. ¡®Is that why she asked the Priest hand over his blade? Too bad it¡¯s so stormlike, otherwise we could have a more enjoyable fight.¡¯ ¡°It must be some... dark magic,¡± Vice Commander Harrow said, unable to believe his eyes. He tried to force away the illusion, for there was no way that the Grand Commander who he liked to annoy had died so easily to some foolish leaf ear. ¡°I hope you keep your word, Vice Commander Harrow,¡± Elder Peace said, though she noted there were several who were more powerful than him around, but since he had spoken up, he would need to take responsibility for his words. ¡°You cannot be serious!¡± Harrow exclaimed, clutching at his blade¡¯s hilt tightly, but he tensed up and slowly relaxed. Ah. Of course. He should have expected his much from the Iyr. ¡°Do you intend to go back on your word, Oathsworn?¡± Elder Peace asked, her voice as neutral as possible, since them keeping their word was still good for the Iyr, and she needed to live up to her title. ¡°You must answer for this, Elder Peace,¡± Harrow stated firmly. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°What dark magic did you use, leaf ear?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you have nothing to say for yourself? Does the guilt overwhelm you? You should not have plotted as such.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pin this on me, Aldishman,¡± Adam began, clearing his throat. ¡°Everyone here knows you¡¯re just trying to break your word, Aldishman. How pathetic, Aldishman. Aldishman, Aldishman.¡± Harrow narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you have no excuse, you must be guilty.¡± ¡°I just used the powers bestowed upon me by the great Lord Sozain,¡± Adam almost shouted, glaring at the Vice Commander. ¡°Do you have something against the Divine, Vice Commander Harrow?¡± ¡°Do not twist my words!¡± Harrow snarled, suddenly filling with the want to kill the leaf ear, more so than before. ¡°Do you intend to draw your blade?¡± Elder Peace asked, her eyes narrowed slightly, the woman still rubbing along the white bead, but her thumb brushed along the edge of the red bead. ¡°You cannot possible think we would accept this... this... farce!¡±¡± ¡°They will not attack you.¡± Adam rested Sentinel¡¯s Rest against his shoulder, the half elf¡¯s eyes glancing between the faces before him, seeing all the familiar faces of his family and his family¡¯s family. After a breath for courage, the half elf began to walk forward, away from the beheaded corpse of the Grand Commander. Harrow cleared his throat. ¡°Sentinel¡¯s Rest belongs to the Order.¡± ¡°It belonged to the Order of the Thousand Hunts,¡± Elder Peace said. ¡°It was then lost when the Grand Commander of High Garden lost it to we of the Iyr.¡± ¡°We are still discussing the matter, but I understand the half elf is not an Iyrman.¡± ¡°The discussion may be discussed when you tied within our prison, while Adam is allowed to gift the item to the Iyr with his own hands.¡± Harrow finally drew his sword, pointing it to the earth, but the threat was clear. ¡°Do not misunderstand my mercy for weakness, Elder Peace.¡± Hammer Hand clicked his teeth, annoyed the fool had drawn his blade. It had escalated the situation more than he had expected, and considering it was the Iyr, even if they were still trying to twist their arms, they weren¡¯t fools. Unfortunately for the Aldishmen, as the Vice Commander drew his blade, Elder Peace stopped rubbing the white bead. ¡°Ehm!¡± Hammer Head tried to gather their attention. ¡°I see that-,¡± ¡°Kill them,¡± Elder Peace finally said, feeling the expectant gaze of the Chief at the back of her head. The entire time, the Chief had been waiting. Though peace would have been a good solution, especially to show the Iyr¡¯s good faith after what happened the previous year, what was she meant to do when the Iyrmen begged for death? As the blood lust increased within the area, blades were drawn, and the song of death began. Wandering Spear spun her spear around herself as the Iyrmen leapt into battle, her spear clashing against another. Wraith Blade drew his blade, which turned ghostly, the Aldishman grinning wide. ¡°I told you, did I not? You cannot negotiate with savages.¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Shade Dagger replied, holding both of her daggers, which turned black as the shadow beneath her. Wind of the Tempest clashed her glaive against another who also wielded a glaive, the pair glaring into one another¡¯s eyes. ¡°It is a shame it has come to this, but what else did you expect?¡± ¡°You have made a mistake,¡± Hammer Hand said, sigh towards the Iyrman. ¡°Once the King hears of your treachery, you will find his mercy as short as your patience.¡± Elder Peace smiled. ¡°Are we of the Iyr considered impatient?¡± ¡°From what I have seen, it is the case.¡± Hammer Hand drew his large blade, which hummed to life, the blade pulsing with great power. ¡°So, are you my opponent?¡± Rajin stretched his neck, the Iyrman drawing his own blade, stepping towards Hammer Hand. ¡°I must kill you cleanly, for my Jijin.¡± ¡°I told the Grand Commander we should have requested for the King¡¯s assistance,¡± Hammer Hand groaned, preparing to face the Iyrman. We''re eating good for this week! [1125] – Y06.025 – The Skirmish II [1125] ¨C Y06.025 ¨C The Skirmish II Mana: 13 -> 10 Spell: Fly ¡°Do you need assistance, Elder Peace?¡± Adam asked, ready to carry the Great Elder back to the fort as death surrounded them. ¡°I am grateful for your kindness, but I do not require your assistance,¡± Elder Peace stated, and as the fighting raged around her, she turned and approached the river, skipping along the river towards the fortress. She approached the gate, even though she could have ran up along the walls. Adam flew overhead, towards the top of the wall, before dropping down upon it. He held out his arms, allowing his children to swarm him, all save Larot, who watched the onslaught with his hands tied behind his back. ¡°You silly girl!¡± Adam dropped to his knees, embracing his green skinned daughter, the girl¡¯s tears dripping down her cheeks, though her smile was so bright. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I do not know!¡± Jirot squealed, clutching her father¡¯s head, kissing the top of it. Little Jarot clutched at his father¡¯s collar tight in hand, the boy also crying while smiling, his eyes full of such delight. Adam coughed lightly, his chest growing heavy as the relief set within him, the half elf struggling to breathe. He planted firm kisses all over their heads, before he nuzzled his triplets, whose tails swung so ecstatically behind them, threatening to break apart their babo¡¯s wooden leg. ¡°You are so strong, daddy!¡± Jirot stuck her thumb into her mouth, though even her thumb could not hide the wide smile on her face. ¡°Am I?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows questioningly towards the girl, who blinked up at him then giggled so adoringly. ¡°Daddy...¡± Karot pouted, his hands over his ears, the boy¡¯s tail and ears drooping. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Adam asked, trying to put Jirot and Jarot down, but the pair clutched at him tighter. ¡°Huu...¡± The boy¡¯s face contorted as he made to cry, only for his father to embrace him close. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, you must watch,¡± the old Jarot said. ¡°We should go away from all the death,¡± Adam said, his son¡¯s tail curling slightly as his father swallowed him into his armour. ¡°No,¡± the old Jarot said, his voice heavy, his eyes glued upon the battlefield. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, you must watch. Your nanos, babos, nanas, babas, kakos, and papos are fighting for you. You must watch.¡± ¡°I watching, I watching, babo!¡± the girl retorted, very obviously not watching. ¡®...¡¯ Adam decided against asking. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, make sure you look. Karot...¡± Adam reached down to cover the boy¡¯s ears, pulling the boy close to his chest. ¡°Daddy! We are too far away! We are too low!¡± Jirot huffed. ¡°Come,¡± Gangak called. ¡°No!¡± Jirot cried aloud, completely meaning the word, but her arms had already reached for her nano. She clutched at her father¡¯s collar for a moment, the girl frowning, but she eventually let go. Little Jarot held his father¡¯s neck tightly, his eyes shut tight. ¡°Jarot, you must watch,¡± the old Jarot said. ¡°Huu...¡± the boy complained. ¡°You must watch.¡± Adam held Karot against his chest, blocking his sight, while the boy continued to cover his ears, and little Jarot peeked over his father¡¯s shoulder, sucking on his thumb, his eyes glued to the battlefield, watching all the figures fight. ¡°Do you understand now why your father is so strong?¡± Chief Iromin asked. Jirot glanced up towards the Chief. ¡°My daddy is strong because he is strong.¡± Tavgak blinked towards the half elf, before she looked up towards her elder sister, Taygak. Taygak had almost reacted identically to Kavgak, though due to her height, she slapped the half elf¡¯s breastplate. It was a good thing her younger cousin knew how to praise well, but of course she would, since Taygak had guided over her well. As the children gathered around the half elf, the adults held onto their tiny hands, not allowing them to watch so close to the edge without support. It would have been awkward to leap down to save them from the water, and there was a small chance the day would be marred by their negligence, for falling into the stream was the best outcome if they were to fall. ¡°Ah,¡± Adam said, before reaching out to the sword beside him, the same sword Maygak had tried to reach for. ¡°Katool, here.¡± Katool blinked at the sword, her eyes glued to it. She looked up towards her sister, who plucked the sword from Adam¡¯s hand, since it was unsheathed. ¡°It is mine, cousin Adam?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Katool furrowed her brows. ¡°It is!¡± ¡°You are not joking?¡± ¡°Why are you making it sound like I bully you?¡± ¡°You bully me all the time!¡± ¡°The only one who bullies me as much as my daughter is you!¡± ¡°I do not bully you, cousin Adam!¡± Katool clenched her fists tight. ¡°Sister, you must tell him.¡± ¡°I cannot lie,¡± Kitool replied. Katool flushed, but was quickly distracted by Kitool offering the blade¡¯s hilt. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Take it carefully, and hand it to uncle Shikan. He will hold it while mother is fighting.¡± ¡°Mother is fighting?¡± Katool asked, her eyes instantly darting away from the Legendary Enhanced blade to the battlefield. Kitool¡¯s heart pulsed slightly, glad her sister had understood which was most important. ¡®Should I go fight too?¡¯ Chief Iromin watched the commotion settle down as the children¡¯s eyes turned to the battlefield. He was glad Elder Zijin had allowed the older children, the likes of Taygak and Katool, to watch the inevitable duel, and the almost equally as inevitable slaughter. ¡°Why are you sighing so deeply?¡± Elder Peace asked. ¡°Today, it has changed, but we will not see it for years to come. The victory, the slaughter, will engrave within their hearts. The youngest children, they are too young to remember, but if Elder Zijin is right, a few of them might remember today as their first memories. I pray it is.¡± ¡°Today is a good first memory...¡± Elder Peace narrowed her eyes. ¡°Will you take the Elder¡¯s proposal seriously?¡± Iromin smiled, his small eyes narrowing down until they were almost shut tight. ¡°I wonder, did the previous Chiefs feel the same way? Ah, yes. I have planted the trees, but I will not know the shade.¡± Elder Peace¡¯s eyes fell to the children who watched the battlefield, almost mesmerised by the dance of death. Murot, who stood so tall and wide. Maygak, who clutched at her sister¡¯s hand tightly, who was strong enough to accept the grip. Faygak who hid slightly behind Maygak, half hiding from the world, and yet she was just as tough to accept the grip. Mokan, who held his sister¡¯s hand, his eyes sometimes drifting away to check upon Inakan. Alykan, who held each of her elder twin sibling¡¯s hands, while her slightly older sister stood in the corner by herself, and an Iyrman who watched over her, of course. Then there was Minool, who was uncharacteristically still, though the Iyrman in her was no doubt the reason why she was so still. Finally, there was Jazool, who stood beside a hornless red skinned Iyrman toddler, whose arms were tied behind his back. What did their eyes see, she wondered. ¡®Hmm,¡¯ Larot thought, musing upon the half elf¡¯s strength. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ He wondered. At the height of his strength, could he have done the same? Certainly, he was much stronger than the half elf, but could he, with a singular focus, defeat a Paragon so quickly. ¡®You are acceptable.¡¯ You thought it was going to be a chapter about death and destruction, but it was actually a weirdly wholesome chapter! [1126] – Y06.026 – The Skirmish III [1126] ¨C Y06.026 ¨C The Skirmish III ¡°We should have expected this treachery from the likes of you!¡± the Order member snarled, his cherry blade glowing brightly as the waves of magic struck outwards. ¡°Do not speak of treachery to me!¡± Jogak snarled, his blade shaking as he clashed with the Aldishman. ¡°You have no right!¡± ¡°Whatever plot you have conjured, it will not play out as you wish, savage!¡± ¡°Plot? How dare you!¡± Jogak flexed his body, pushing through his limits as he clashed with the Aldishman, who stepped backwards from the force of Jogak¡¯s rage. ¡°How dare you kill those precious children of mine and speak to me of plots!¡± ¡°There is nothing wrong with killing vermin.¡± ¡°I agree!¡± Jogak snapped, clashing wildly against the Aldishman. ¡®Are you watching? My Jarot! My Jirot! You have to see!¡¯ The Aldishman grunted, but as the fight continued, he could see it. The Iyrman before him had grown winded far quicker. He shouted out the words to a spell, and as thunder rumbled through Jogak, the Iyrman flew backwards away from the Aldishman. ¡°Gah!¡± Jogak gasped for air, swinging his blade even though his arms screamed at him for trying to lift his blade to defend himself, barely deflecting the Aldishman¡¯s blade. ¡°Do you surrender?¡± the Aldishman called, panting slightly. ¡°Surrender?¡± Jogak panted, glaring at the Iyrman through his visor. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°May Lord Zaladhin watch over your soul, Iyrman,¡± the Aldishman said, swinging his blade down cut at Jogak¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m afraid Lord Zaladhin will have to wait,¡± said a voice, as steel rang against steel. The yellow cloth fluttered in the air, as the woman forced the blade away. Jogak¡¯s eyes fell to the blade, but he recognised that voice anywhere, in his dreams, and even in his nightmares. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I wanted to look cool in front of my sisters,¡± Jaygak replied simply, spinning her blade over the blade of her hand.@@@@ Jogak grunted as he stood, the chaos around them loud, and yet not as loud as his duty. ¡°Step back, Jaygak! It is dangerous here!¡± Steel rang against steel as Jaygak clashed with the Aldishman, the woman and the man engaging in a fierce clash, far fiercer than Jogak¡¯s clash. ¡°It is dangerous! I had to cut down an Aldishman on the way to save you!¡± Jaygak shouted, trying her best to reply as she fought the Oathsworn before her, who was no doubt close to a Master. Close to a Master. Her father had done well enough, considering he was an Expert. He had been lucky enough to survive this long, but Jaygak was lucky too. If he had been a Master too, she would have had far greater trouble. ¡°What is your name?¡± the Aldishman asked, struggling against the woman before him. ¡®My eyes are too old to see that far,¡¯ Tarukan had replied. The girl removed her glasses, the large glasses with thin frames, apparently in a popular style from Adam¡¯s land. ¡®Here, dado.¡¯ The Iyrmen, each possessing great titles across Aldland, noted just how red Tarukan had become, the old man threatening to lose his mind, and his blade blurred, threatening to cleave the Aldishmen in half. ¡°You are truly as strong as the rumours stated,¡± Hammer Hand panted, his hand throbbing wildly for one of the first times in his life, his greatsword shaking within his hands. ¡°If you die too quickly, Jajin will not see,¡± Rajin said, his voice barely a whisper, but his throat strained with rage, his voice coming out more insidious than he expected. ¡°Jijin may not watch, since she likes to trouble me.¡± ¡®How are they so damn strong?¡¯ Hammer Hand thought, unable to give a thought to his companions as he engaged with the Iyrman once more, his magic exploding outwards, and yet the old Iyrman did not react, threatening to bisect him. ¡°You are more impressive than the last Vice Commander I faced,¡± Tonagek admitted, barely letting out a pant as he clashed with the Vice Commander wearing the cherry cloak. ¡°My heart is still so heavy, so please, do not fall so easily.¡± ¡°You will need to try harder to unnerve me, savage,¡± the Aldishman replied, easily ten years the Iyrman¡¯s senior, but so evenly matched with the Iyrman. ¡®Who is this?¡¯ Tanagek cried out, pushing back the Aldishman who was almost twice his age, and though the Aldishman was a Master, the Aldishman could feel the duty behind every blow. ¡°Why is your blade so heavy, Iyrman?¡± the Aldishman asked as the pair clashed, and they both took a chance to speak. ¡°I met them a few days ago, those nieces and nephews of mine,¡± Tanagek admitted, his eyes glaring at the Aldishman through his visor, while the grief filled his heart. ¡°It is a shame, for little Jarot, unlike the Mad Dog, is so sweet.¡± ¡®Mad Dog?¡¯ the Aldishman tensed up slightly, for who didn¡¯t know the name of the Mad Dog in Aldland, especially someone from his generation. ¡°What is your relationship to him?¡± ¡°My aunt married his son,¡± Tanagek stated. ¡°While my nephew does not match his name, I do.¡± ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Tanagek. I was named after the Dutiful.¡± ¡®Who?¡¯ the Aldishman thought, but for some reason, he was certain he had heard the name before. Unfortunately, if he was wise enough to remember the name, he wouldn¡¯t have been here. ¡°Step back,¡± a voice called, causing Tanagek to pull away from the Aldishman without thought. ¡°What are you...¡± The Aldishman panted, his eyes darting to the Iyrman nearby, who rested his silver sword over his shoulder casually, with the body of Vice Commander Harrow slumped to the side. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Shagek, Silver Sword of the Wastes,¡± the Iyrman replied, followed by a pause. ¡®Who?¡¯ The Aldishman thought, certain he had never heard of such a name before. Poor Shagek. [1127] – Y06.027 – The Skirmish IV [1127] ¨C Y06.027 ¨C The Skirmish IV ¡°I was active in the Confederacy,¡± Shagek explained upon seeing the Aldishman¡¯s face, before pointing his silver blade at the Aldishman, who held a name in these lands, but Shagek didn¡¯t mind killing him first before learning it. ¡°Are you stronger than the Sparrow?¡± ¡°...¡± The Aldishman realised far too late the mistake they had made, for if this Iyrman spoke so dismissively of Vice Commander Harrow, also known as Harrow the Sparrow, there was no way he had any chance to defeat him. Dogek cut off Wraith Blade¡¯s arm, the Aldishman grunting in pain as he swung his blade with his one good arm, but Dogek¡¯s sword swung down with the grief in his heart. Perhaps, after actually killing Wrath Blade, he could be worthy of their affection? The Iyrman¡¯s eyes then fell to the fight nearby. Her rapier carved through the air, her body moving as though she herself was a rapier, but flexing far too much considering her age. Her rapier narrowly slipped through the Shade Dagger¡¯s weapons, then pierced through within the woman¡¯s throat. Dogek reached up to his neck, where the Iyrman had stabbed her the previous year, it pulsing. Even though he had beaten her so viciously for her words, she hadn¡¯t been quite so easy as most might have expected. Shade Dagger dropped her daggers, before she followed after them. Keiwyj panted, feeling the burn within her chest, before she glanced aside to find Dogek staring at her. She stood up taller, still panting for air, unable to form words. Dogek bowed his head slowly, and the woman returned the bow, and with Dogek¡¯s acknowledgement, most of the guilt and shame slipped away. ¡°Bloodblade, eh?¡± someone famous from Aldland said, her voice light and playful. ¡°You do not remember me, but I remember you.¡± ¡°I remember you,¡± Shasen replied, his blade, which was as red as blood, holding the woman at bay. ¡°You are the sister of Dire Destiny.¡± ¡°Could I request you allow me to step back?¡± the woman asked, smiling, but the nerves in her eyes were evident. ¡°You may request it, but...¡± Shasen¡¯s tone implied all she needed to know, for things had escalated too far, and Shasen had been asked to clean it up. The moment they had drawn blades, it was over. ¡°I see...¡± The pair paused their clash, Shasen allowed her to step back and compose herself. ¡°My sister always warned me. She told me to be careful, since you are all so... awe inspiring.¡± ¡°I apologise.¡± Shasen bowed his head, seeing the look upon her face through her visor. ¡°Would you prefer it was another¡¯s blade?¡± ¡°No, no. If it was another¡¯s blade, I would die with regrets. I have a favour, though...¡± She waited for Shasen to nod, and when he did, she glanced around, towards the lifeless bodies around her, all Aldish. ¡°Will you return my body to her?¡± Shasen inhaled sharply at the request, but seeing the look in the woman¡¯s eyes, the last light of hope, he bowed his head. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The pair engaged in battle once more, but the outcome was obvious. However, even to Bloodblade, she refused to fall without at least scarring the Iyrman, leaving a mark he would never forget, but it was not the scar against his shoulder which hurt the most. Chosen panted, leaning over to rest his elbows over his knees, the Iyrman glancing aside to his father. ¡°You should not have fought! You fought the last year.¡± ¡°Last year, it was a Vice Commander of the Purple Blades, this time it was...¡± Mosen decided against saying more, since his son would certainly complain he stole all the fun. ¡°Let us drink.¡± ¡°Who was it?¡± Chosen complained, gritting his teeth, but what could he do to his father, who rose alongside the likes of Tonagek? Kamrot groaned in pain, the Iyrman dropping to a knee, having barely defeated his opponent. He was moments away from passing out, but he had done it. ¡®My eyes are still so keen, even after all these years! Did you see, my greatchildren? Your babo is strong!¡¯@@@@ ¡°You fought well, uncle,¡± Gorot said, also taking to a knee, the Iyrman resting his greatsword over his shoulder, the shark teeth edge wet with crimson, with sprinkles of the pink of Aldish flesh. ¡°You should have used an axe!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Rajin said, approaching beside Blessed Blade, having decapitated Hammer Hand. Out of respect, he had held back, resisting the urge to take the man¡¯s arms. ¡°Did I not ask to fight him?¡± Koyah asked. ¡°I wanted to show off in front of Asorot.¡± ¡°He may have defeated you...¡± Rajin replied, letting the matter of Asorot drop, since though he was a member of the Rot family, Koyah was no doubt still saddened by the boy¡¯s movement. At the very least, he accepted it, calling the boy by his proper name, so he didn¡¯t need to beat Koyah. ¡°So? What if he defeated me? It would have been a good fight!¡± ¡°You do not have permission to lose today.¡± Koyah let out a loud sigh, the older Iyrman glaring at the world before him. ¡°I should have fought to become a Paragon...¡± ¡°You fought well.¡± ¡°Only the likes of...¡± Koyah glanced down at the Aldishman, who probably had a wonderful epithet too. She did, but unfortunately... ¡°Why are you looking when you are so terrible with names?¡± Rajin asked. ¡°I remember some names,¡± Koyah retorted. ¡°I remembered King¡¯s Sword, Sir... Harold Merryweather.¡± ¡°Everyone knows of King Merryweather.¡± ¡°He is a King now?¡± Koyah joked, standing over the dead body whose name he still didn¡¯t know, but at least Rajin did. ¡°Vibak, if you take this long, it is a shame to those who returned your glaive,¡± Rajin said, his quiet voice barely carrying over their clash. Vibak silenced Wind of the Tempest forever. ¡°Sorry.¡± Vovol yawned, surprised none of the Aldishmen had made a run for it, the woman slipping her arrow back into her quiver. ¡®Why did they bring so few?¡¯ ¡°Haa...¡± Keiwyj half limped her way back to the fort, rubbing her back, feeling the twinge that had plagued her for decades now. ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± Vovol asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Keiwyj admitted. ¡°Did they see?¡± ¡°I am sure they saw,¡± Vovol said. ¡°Mad Dog would have done that much.¡± The pair held one another¡¯s gaze. Wouldn¡¯t he? Poor Shasen. Baztam needs to chill. He''s 2/0/3 just in this battle. [1128] – Y06.028 – Reasons to Live [1128] ¨C Y06.028 ¨C Reasons to Live ¡°Okay?¡± Jirot asked, rubbing her babo¡¯s knee gently. ¡°I am okay,¡± Malfev replied, leaning back in his chair, feeling the various old aches pulse through him from age. ¡°You must be comfortable babo,¡± Jirot stated, raising her brows at the older man. ¡°You must tell me if you are not, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Daddy, come,¡± Jirot called, the girl beckoning her father with her hand, and waited for him to get up before she turned and sauntered her way towards the other old Iyrmen who were relaxing. @@@@ ¡°Did you see?¡± Otkan asked, the woman reaching out with a hand, brushing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°I see, nano! I see!¡± Jirot promised, before clasping the old woman¡¯s wrist with her hands, rubbing her cheek against the back of her nano¡¯s wrinkled hand, speckled with the spots of age, and the scars of battle. ¡°Did you see me too?¡± Jogak asked, the Iyrman wincing as he leaned back in his chair. ¡°I see you too, baba,¡± the girl confirmed, since Taygak had pointed Laygak and Jaygak out, and they were near Jogak. Jirot caught Jaygak¡¯s eyes, who smiled at the girl, and the girl smiled back, before she followed Jaygak¡¯s hand motion towards her baba. The girl skipped her way to Jaygak, who whispered into her ear. ¡°Baba...¡± Little Jarot pouted up at the Iyrman, who pinched the boy¡¯s nose gently. Jarot smiled, his amber eyes full of such a sweetness. Jirot sauntered over to Jogak, placing a hand on his knee, the girl sighing, shaking her head. ¡°You are too old now, baba. You cannot. No more, okay?¡± Jogak picked the girl up, blowing raspberries into her neck, causing her to squeal and cry out, before he let the girl down, letting her flee away from him. His eyes darted to his daughter, who was busy looking at nothing in particular. ¡°Were you going to tell me you were a Master?¡± ¡°Is that so important?¡± Jaygak asked, smirking wide towards her father, who continued pretending to be annoyed, but he couldn¡¯t hide the pride within his eyes. ¡°Babo, you fighted too?¡± Jirot asked, patting the old Iyrman on his knee gently, feeling the cool steel against her hand. ¡°I also fought,¡± Dogek confirmed. ¡°How you can take it from my daddy?¡± Jirot tutted, but her lips formed a wide smirk, the girl winking, before she crossed her arms behind her back and sauntered away from the likes of Duteous Dogek, checking upon the rest of the Iyrmen. ¡°Come on,¡± Adam said, ruffling his children¡¯s silver hair. ¡°You need to check on your elders too!¡± Tonagek met Karot¡¯s gaze, the boy pouting, before rushing up to climb up beside his grandmother, the boy hiding within her bosom. ¡°Okay?¡± Konarot asked, holding out her hand. ¡°Okay,¡± Tonagek replied, accepting the girl¡¯s hand, feeling how small it was. Not the scaly talons she once possessed, soft, unlike his own hands, hardened by his life as an Iyrman. ¡°Did you see?¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Tonagek pulled the girl close, planting a kiss atop her head, allowing her to rejoin her siblings near her grandmother. ¡°You fight so good!¡± Jirot said, holding up a thumbs up for her uncle. ¡°Thank you,¡± Tanagek replied. ¡°You must work hard because you are young!¡± Jirot pat his knee, before marching her way to Chosen, giving him the same compliments, and continuing along. Little Jarot hopped along beside her, letting his sister guide his way. Tanagek followed the girl and the boy with his eyes, before he glanced aside towards all the older Iyrmen, some of whom had taken heavy wounds from fighting their opponents, others taking heavy wounds for fighting the young Iyrmen¡¯s opponents too. ¡®The Iyr... is the Iyr.¡¯ ¡°You finally learnt how to think?¡± Chosen teased, before he chuckled, only to cough in pain. Tanagek smiled. ¡°Bo bo bo!¡± Virot complained, holding out her hands questioningly. ¡°Nana! Bobobo!¡± ¡°They had to fight,¡± Sonarot replied, glancing down to Karot, who continued to hide behind her arm. ¡°It had to be done. It was to protect you, and your brothers and sisters.¡± ¡°Wa?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Keh,¡± the girl replied, before she heard her sister call out to her, and Virot smiled so brightly. ¡°Virot! You silly girl! You are bothering nana?¡± Jirot asked, holding out her arms, and Virot instantly gave in, hugging her sister. ¡°What I am saying? How you can bother nana? You are too cute.¡± Virot squealed under her sister¡¯s kisses, Jirot brushing the girl¡¯s hair behind her leaf shaped ear, and held her hand. Meanwhile, Adam stepped within his house, sitting opposite the Chief, reaching for the cup. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel you trespassing in my home to make me tea. It feels weird.¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± ¡°Did you knock?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then.¡± ¡°Do not worry. I would not have entered unless I knew it was empty, or if there was an assassin.¡± Adam¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t send assassins after me, would they? Whoever... they are?¡± ¡°You have survived several attempts already,¡± Iromin said. ¡°I did?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Adam blinked, unsure of how to feel about that. ¡°How?¡± ¡°You beat them.¡± ¡°Oh. I did?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you know they were assassins?¡± ¡°We know.¡± ¡°Man, you Iyrmen are always so scary.¡± Iromin smiled, sipping the tea. ¡°It has been some times since I was able to see such a great display. It was greater than last year.¡± ¡°Like I said, you Iyrmen are scary.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam sipped his tea, his tongue numbing slightly at the heat, but no doubt it would have scalded him years ago. He stared down at his reflection within the dark liquid, only just seeing the depression in his eyes. ¡°Was it a good idea to kill them?¡± ¡°It would have been best to keep some alive, but none were so young to adopt into the Iyr. They broke their word, there was nothing else to be done. Elder Peace will discuss with the Countess, and if she must, the King.¡± ¡±This is going to be quite the issue, you sure you should be so...¡± Adam stopped before he said something too stupid even for him. ¡°There is no issue. We killed them on our lands. The Aldish laws do not apply.¡± ¡°Are you underestimating the Aldishmen?¡± ¡°We will simply close our gates for a few years if it must come to that. If we are to war, then we will slaughter a few thousand Aldishmen, allow them to retreat and lick their wounds. We will impose a harsher treaty among them, one where we will not hand over any soldiers during war.¡± ¡®Why are you talking about it like it¡¯s a picnic?¡¯ Adam thought, sipping his tea. ¡°What about taking land from them?¡± ¡°We have our land.¡± ¡°You could claim more, to the river and beyond.¡± ¡°We prefer our hills.¡± Adam nodded his head lightly. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, drinking tea and all, I¡¯d like to discuss some business matters with you.¡± ¡°Privately?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Iromin noted the look from his aide, but he gestured with a hand. Even if Adam wanted to do something, he was only half as strong as he typically was at this time. Also, he had doffed his armour already, which made him easier to kill. Iromin caught Adam¡¯s eyes, and could see the boy held similar thoughts, the half elf understanding his position. Iromin smiled. The Iyr scares me. [1129] – Y06.029 – Reasons to Kill [1129] ¨C Y06.029 ¨C Reasons to Kill ¡°I was thinking about forming a guard to protect my children, not just my children, but the children of the business, not just those who are children of the Iyr.¡± Chief Iromin remained silent, taking in the sight of the half elf before him. He had just slain one of the strongest figures in Aldland, but he was almost a little boy as he spoke of the topic. The Chief recalled the promise Adam had Elder Peac e make to him, and at first he thought it was serious, but humorous, but the Chief understood it was far less humorous than he originally realised. ¡®I did not think it would take such a toll upon you.¡¯ ¡°I was thinking to expand the business with more enchanters too. Then, I want to create a unit of guards, not just typical guards, but Experts at least, maybe greater. They¡¯ll be loyal to the business, which means they¡¯ll be loyal to the Iyr, since, you know...¡± Adam smiled knowingly. ¡°I was also thinking about asking for more land for the business. I want us to have a more diverse spread of... well, everything. Resources from the nearby forest, preferably the Iyr¡¯s forests, which we¡¯ll take good care of, and the river, and so on.¡± Chief Iromin remained silent, concentrating on Adam¡¯s request. Upon seeing the half elf was waiting for permission to continue, the Great Elder motioned with his hand. ¡°I was thinking about how many Iyrmen are around the business too. It¡¯s not that I dislike it, but I do feel a little guilty about it. Still, I thought about it from your point of view, so I won¡¯t ask you to reduce the number, even though I think I¡¯m being a burden, I understand you get a large benefit from keeping a watchful eye on us. I was hoping that the Iyrmen might be able to assist in training the guards, perhaps watching over them, keeping their loyalties in check too.¡± Iromin thought about Adam¡¯s request. Considering just how light the half elf tried to be, sometimes his requests were so heavy. Adam would go from over thinking something small, to then making a request like this. Iromin sipped his tea, hiding his smile. ¡°You... may expand your business as you wish. Pay the appropriate compensation and the matter will be dealt with. You should speak with Elder Gold to understand the limits.¡± ¡°I have a favour to ask, and it¡¯s a favour I can only ask you for.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want the Iyr to take the business in if something happens. Say the King marches an army to the border, or... the Reavers start showing up. I know you¡¯ll know in advance, and I¡¯d like for you to protect the workers.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that-, okay?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡± Adam fell silent for a long moment, trying to gather his thoughts. ¡°Right, well... I was planning on unlocking a few more enchanters over the next few years anyway. Some Iyrmen. Some... not.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I, uh... I was thinking about picking up some people from Aswadasad, mercenaries, or younger people, and to train them up to guard the children. I was hoping the Iyr would train them in Jurot and Kitool¡¯s way.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°We will consider the matter.¡± ¡°Thanks. We¡¯d pay the Iyr, obviously.¡± ¡°What would be the compensation?¡± ¡°Gold. Magical items. Enchanters. What else would you like?¡± Chief Iromin sipped the tea, falling deep into thought. He poured them both more tea. ¡°You are now able to defeat the likes of a Grand Commander of an Order, a Paragon.¡± Adam flushed slightly, having blocked out the thought from his mind. He smiled bashfully, but sipped his tea, knowing the tragedy that comes with being so strong. ¡°Your strength may even rival King Merryweather, and our Great Elders, or our Ten Paragons. Without your equipment, perhaps not, but you are still more powerful than a typical Master.¡± Iromin took in the eyes of the half elf. ¡°You are powerful. A great threat. To defeat you, we would require a great many resources.¡± ¡°You need at least two people who know Counterspell,¡± Adam began, keeping the Chief¡¯s gaze within his own. ¡°At least two Grandmasters that know the way of the Rot family, two more Grandmasters that are like Kitool, and then however many more in order to put me down properly. You also need those who know certain spells, Fireball, Cone of Cold, so on, to bypass my great armour. I¡¯m quite, very, weak to magic. It¡¯s my kryptonite, you might say, which is a great reference, I assure you.¡± The Chief shook his head lightly, for Adam had not yet told him everything from his first life. ¡°Plus... you have so many of my weaknesses. I mean, I¡¯ve never defeated my wife, and I don¡¯t dare to go up against my Jirot.¡± Iromin took in the look within Adam¡¯s eyes, one of the few reasons why the half elf was still alive. ¡°We cannot use your children against you.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°They are too young, and even if they come of age, we promised we would not.¡± ¡°You still have Kavgak,¡± Adam joked, flashing a wide smile. Iromin smiled slightly, bowing his head lightly. ¡°If I¡¯m going to get tattooed, should I ask Vonda?¡± ¡°You should not.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°She is a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ Adam sighed. ¡°My wife should trouble you that much at least.¡± Iromin began to smile. ¡°So she should.¡± ¡°As always, if the Iyr needs me, I¡¯m always up to help.¡± ¡°The Reavers will come soon. The land has expanded during the Great Twilight, and we have claimed our land, but the Aldish may take issue.¡± ¡°The land has expanded? What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Sometimes, land is born anew, or it springs up from the sea beneath. Such an event is rare, and is usually temporary, but this time, it may be more permanent. Due to the death here, Aldland may wish to take the lake from us.¡± Chief Iromin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, a smile growing wide upon his lips. ¡°They can try.¡± ¡®Damn...¡¯ Adam let out a sigh. ¡°You know, have you thought of creating your own mercenary group? You could send them out to do your bidding, while pretending you¡¯re keeping your hands clean. It¡¯s a very popular tactic, and I haven¡¯t heard the Iyr using it.¡± ¡°That may be what you are,¡± Iromin joked. ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯d rather not get sent to my death, especially to the Aldish.¡± ¡°We have considered it, but it is dishonest, and if we refused such fun, the Family Elders and Family Heads would rebel.¡± ¡°Even more fun!¡± Adam joked, laughing wildly at his joke. Iromin furrowed his brows, but his lips twitched slightly. ¡°We can only have fun if the Iyr is safe.¡± ¡°Yeah. I suppose you have underground connections, though?¡± ¡°All countries do.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I, uh... I find that I love the Iyr. It¡¯s my... home. Though I¡¯m no Iyrman, and I¡¯ll never be an Iyrman, and though I don¡¯t agree with everything you guys do, it¡¯s... it¡¯s got my family. It has welcomed me. It...¡± Adam¡¯s eyes burned up slightly. ¡°Thank you, Chief. Really.¡± Iromin placed a hand upon Adam¡¯s head, rubbing the top of the half elf¡¯s head. ¡°Do not worry, Adam. Your children are safe. Your wife is safe. You are safe. You have defeated the Grand Commander lawfully before the eyes of the Divine. It was a fair, just duel.¡± ¡°You know how the Aldish are.¡± ¡°We know, that is why we will take full responsibility.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It has always been the Iyr¡¯s responsibility, and... if I refuse the fun, the Family Elders and the Family Heads will rebel.¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I suppose so.¡± ¡°Though, it may be different to travel within Aldland for this year.¡± ¡°Yeah, well... I was planning on heading through Floria to Aswadasad anyhow.¡± ¡°A wise decision.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Perhaps I should stab you again to see if you are truly Adam.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Adam overthinking things and the Iyr offering to stab him. Some things never change. [1130] – Y06.030 – Reasons to Accept [1130] ¨C Y06.030 ¨C Reasons to Accept Virot slumped against her grandmother¡¯s arm, which woke her up, the girl sucking her dummy angrily, before she slowly drifted off once more. Her uncle picked her up, causing her to fall deep into the warmth depths of slumber, and as he reached for Damrot, the Iyrman paused. Adam caught Jurot¡¯s look. ¡°What? You can hold my daughter but I can¡¯t even hold my own son?¡± ¡°He is my son,¡± Jurot whispered in return. Adam winced in offence, planting a feather light kiss upon the boy¡¯s forehead. ¡°Try and take him from me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°No, wait, never mind, I¡¯ll forgive you.¡± Adam hoisted himself up to carry the boy away, while Sonarot and Mulrot followed. The pair placed the children down onto the thick blankets, while Sonarot and Mulrot prepared for sleep. Adam planted gentle kisses on their foreheads. ¡°Mother Soza, please watch over my adorable twins. Baktu... you know. Maybe just... you know.¡± Jurot exchanged a look with the half elf, who smiled innocently. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot charged her father as he returned back to the courtyard grabbing his hand, the half elf allowing his daughter to drag him away. Adam dropped down where his daughter wanted, before she climbed atop his lap, clutching his collar tight. The smell of fresh bread filled the air, as dinner was cooked for the workers, their clothing stained with the sweat of effort. Adam smiled towards the awkward glances. Jirot stuck her thumb into her mouth, before rubbing her cheek against her father¡¯s. ¡°Daddy, I am going to be strong as you.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± little Jarot agreed, cuddling against his father¡¯s bicep, which was larger than most of the Iyrmen, whose bodies were more efficient. ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Adam wrapped his arms around his tiny green bundles, each who provided the half elf with endless joy. He rocked with them from side to side, his eyes glued to their amber eyes, which beamed with a happiness only they could know. Jurot remained focused upon his brother, while he engulfed the twins in his affection. No one in the entirety of the Iyr, not even his own grandfather, had treated their children with such affection. Mad Dog¡¯s adoration for his youngest son was well known through the Iyr, and yet Adam¡¯s adoration shone brighter. ¡®I should have taken him into my family when I had the chance,¡¯ Rajin thought, but the thoughts were similar to the other older Iyrmen nearby, even those distant to Adam. ¡°You two, you have to be good for the Iyr, okay?¡± Adam urged. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°You must listen to the Iyr, and you need to listen to mummy too.¡± ¡°Mummy is the strongest,¡± Jirot confirmed, nodding her head. Adam smiled wide. ¡°That¡¯s right. Daddy has never beaten mummy before. She¡¯s too beautiful, I can¡¯t defeat her.¡± ¡°So beautiful!¡± Little Jarot smiled wider. ¡°Daddy! I always beat you up too!¡± Jirot cackled, causing her father to laugh too, before Adam brought them closer to his chest. Jasmine stared at the half elf from the side, her eyes glued to his form. She turned to face Siten, who was covered head to toe, even his eyes. She thought about what she had seen, something beyond possibility. A man younger than herself had managed to slay a Grand Commander of an Order, and not just any Order, but the man who was once the Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts. ¡®Prince Morkarai... is this why?¡¯ Rick could feel the gazes upon his skin, but he ignored them, tipping his helmet as he walked around the fort, eventually taking his place to one side. He exchanged a look with Fred, who raised his brows in a particular manner, and Rick slowly nodded his head. ¡®Damn, eh?¡¯ ¡®Damn, eh.¡¯ The whole conversation they spoke with their look said more than just the four words, but they were enough. Rick recalled his time in the other realm, where they had almost died to a dragon, only for the half elf and his companions to beat her. It was about the time when he met one of the Lesser Divine, Lady Ulaveil, Lady Elaveil, the Goddess of Balance¡¯s daughter.@@@@ Rick let out a sigh, allowing the surprise to flow through it, his shoulders relaxing. ¡®No need to think about it.¡¯ There were others who had seen Adam¡¯s ridiculous feat, many who hadn¡¯t met one of the Divine. Chief Merl stared up at the ceiling within her room, her entire body almost frozen. She blinked, shuddering at the sight, recalling what the previous Chief had told her. ¡®Beware a crimson river,¡¯ the previous Chief had warned. ¡®It looked pretty damn crimson to me.¡¯ As the day passed, the Iyrmen stripped the equipment off the dead bodies. Shasen carried the woman to the side, away from every other body. He placed her down, praying lightly over her body, to both Lord Sozain and Lord Zaladhin. ¡°May you fight in Damnation for eternity,¡± Shasen finished, sipping the sour wine Rajin had gifted him. He winced as he continued to sip the wine over the corpse, his heart weighed down by the grief, only tempered by his duty to the Iyr. ¡°I should have remembered we were going to be tasked with this,¡± Laygak said, holding up the dead body of one of the figures, while Faool unstrapped the armour. ¡°It is our honour to fight and clean up,¡± Faool stated, before peeking up at Laygak¡¯s face, the horned Iyrman letting out a sigh. ¡°We are also able to claim some items.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t complained more!¡± As the Iyrmen cleaned up the land, the businessfolk finally retired for the evening, having completed their extended shift, having found it too awkward to remain within the fort. ¡°What! How you can do this to me, kako?¡± Jirot asked, clenching her fists as she glared up towards the Demon Lord. ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡± the Mad Dog asked, but he forgave the Bearded Dragon since their little Demon Lord cackled at the joke. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, Konarot hugging a sheathed blade. ¡°Why do you have...¡± ¡°Fresh Snow Zephyr,¡± Konarot replied. ¡°Right, right, why do you have it?¡± ¡°Papo give it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s give it back since we¡¯re about to sleep,¡± Adam said. Konarot pouted, her ears and tail drooping. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Daddy will get you a nicer... axe? You¡¯re a Rot, you silly girl!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Konarot affirmed, her leaf shaped ears quickly perking up once more. Tanagek sat opposite Jurot, who continued to speak the tales to him, and though the Iyrman spoke the tales more in depth, there was still so much he was leaving out, that much Tanagek was certain. Chosen opened an eye towards the half elf and his silver haired children. ¡°Go on, Konarot,¡± Adam said, waving his hand towards Chosen, who nodded his head in return. ¡°You would refuse my gift?¡± Tanagek replied, with a dark tone that made Adam raise his brow. ¡®What¡¯s his...¡¯ ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Fresh Snow Zephyr. I have gifted it to Konarot, since she likes it. I have no intention of accepting a gift I have already parted with.¡± Tanagek crossed his arms, leaning back within his chair. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°So you¡¯re a pretty cute guy too?¡± Tanagek furrowed his brows. ¡°I prefer the company of women.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Tanagek¡¯s eyes darted to Jurot, raising his brow curiously. ¡°...¡± ¡°Konarot, did you say thank you for the gift?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Thank you, papo.¡± Tanagek smiled slightly. ¡°You did say thank you, but you are always welcome, my niece.¡± Konarot smiled brighter, her tail swaying from side to side. ¡°Of course my daughter already said thank you, since she¡¯s so well behaved,¡± Adam replied, ruffling the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°How lovely is your papo? Hmm?¡± ¡°So lovely!¡± Konarot replied. ¡°Thank you, Tanagek.¡± Adam held out a hand, shaking the Iyrman¡¯s forearm. ¡°You are all so lucky to have such a wonderful papo. Come on, let¡¯s go sleep, and we can...¡± Adam lowered his voice to a whisper, ¡°think of a way to show our gratitude, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± the triplets replied loudly with a whisper, following their father away. ¡®Father was right,¡¯ Tanagek thought, waving towards Kirot, who had looked back and waved at him with a smile that made Tanagek want to kill a dragon. Jirot and Jarot cuddled up to their babo, each holding hands, sucking on their thumbs. Gangak lay nearby, while several Iyrmen took watch around the buildings, keeping an eye out during the night. The children were too tired to talk to their babos, but they were not tired enough to remember the sight earlier in the day. They fell asleep to a particular thought. Adam eventually dropped down into the furs, while his triplets climbed atop of him. Konarot climbed atop his chest, while Kirot and Karot each claimed an arm. The half elf stared at the ceiling as his children cuddled him and slowly fell asleep. Konarot¡¯s tail swayed lightly within her thoughts before it fell still. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Adam thought, blinking. ¡®I¡¯m alive?¡¯ Quest Complete: My Daddy is the Strongest! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 25 000 -> 26 000 Quest Complete: Daddy is so Strong! XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 26 000 -> 27 000 Quest Complete: Acceptable XP Gained: +1 000 XP: 27 000 -> 28 000 I forgot how cool Tanagek was. Yes, I did have a lot of fun thinking of the names for the quests, how could you tell? Interlude: The Shen and The Faro Interlude: The Shen and The Faro The river split the golden hills in half, like a trail of blood carving through the land. The distant mountains, grey as death, welcomed the young Faro as he marched up towards the top of the hill, followed by four of his guards. One and four, that was how it was always done. The rays of noon sparkled off their armour, for though promises were made, promises were like people, of lofty ideals, but easily broken. The older Shen sat at the table, pouring tea within his cups of silver, adorned in heavy steel, decorated with inlays of gold, defying his once master¡¯s will. Yet, what could the Shen of Aswadasad do to the likes of his family, even when he was once a Faro? Even his helmet, inscribed with the words of Noor, were of beautiful gold, the kind which even Lord Musa would covet. His beard was thick, neatly trimmed, and fiery red, like the passion within the older man¡¯s heart, which raged with a burning fury. The younger Faro sat opposite the Shen, placing down his cup of wood, while boiling his tea pot beside him. The Faro wore blue scale, that of a dragon which his family had slain centuries ago, and his helmet was forged of the firedarksteel of the fire giants, inlayed with words of Noor in silver. His head was wrapped in a scarf of deep red, like that of blood, slipping out from the sides of his helmet, hiding the chain beneath. His own beard was a deep black, not yet aged by time or stress. Their guards were also adorned heavily in steel, like walking fortresses, each ready at the command of their Lords before them. It was not the first time they had seen one another, and it wouldn¡¯t have been the last. Once the Faro poured himself his tea, and the Shen finished pouring a second cup, the discussion was allowed to begin. ¡°Noor bless you, Faro,¡± the Shen began. ¡°Noor bless you, Lord,¡± the young Faro replied, daring to poke at the figure before him. ¡°I have come with an offer,¡± the Shen said, ignoring the young Faro¡¯s obvious provocation. ¡°Marry into my family and swear yourself to me. Rather than a leader among seventeen, you shall be a leader among five. I will help you regain your land, all the way to the Dragon¡¯s Spine with my armies, and you will assist me in taking control of Eastern Aswabayad.¡± ¡°This hill,¡± the Faro motioned with his hand towards around them. ¡°Do you recall what happened on this hill?¡± The Shen of Aswabayad remained silent, narrowing his eyes slightly. ¡°Generations ago, Faro Rashidun bin Wazim, once ruled these lands,¡± the Faro began, seeing the recognition in the Shen¡¯s eyes. ¡°He had two children. Raeez the Falcon. Faraz the Wise. The pair assisted their father in keeping control of this land for the Shen. They were instrumental in keeping the region in check. They were so great, even today, your rebellion could not succeed without them, with their strategies and administration.¡± ¡°We, who are sons of Rashidun, of the Wazim family. We are the same people. We pray to the same God, the greatest above all, Lord Noor. We speak the same language, the language most beautiful of all, for even the dragons favour our script. Do you know the difference between us?¡± Shen Akbar inhaled sharply, preparing himself for the boy¡¯s outburst. ¡°I would kill the man who killed my son before I came begging for help,¡± Yarek stated, his eyes full of venom as he glared at the fool before him. He stood, holding his cup for one of his guards, as Akbar did the same. ¡°My shendom outnumbers your ejirates six to one.¡± ¡°Three to one without my Shaiks,¡± the Faro corrected. ¡°Two to one when you realise they, too, are descended from the loyal branch of Wazim.¡± ¡°You are still outnumbered.¡± ¡°How any soldiers do you possess? One thousand? Then I, too, have one thousand. Ten thousand? Then I, too, have ten thousand. One hundred thousand? Then I, too, have one hundred thousand. Bring them. One thousand. Ten thousand. One hundred thousand. Bring them. I will push you back to your mountains and claim the land of my father¡¯s father, and the stars will never be as beautiful as the stars of that night. I will claim the land to the south too, and I will take the title of Suzerain, and it will flourish under my rule.¡± ¡°You are mad to think you can defeat me,¡± Akbar said, standing tall and proud. ¡°I will take it all from you,¡± Yarek replied. ¡°You, son of Faraz, sit upon a throne of silver and gold, while I, son of Raeez, sit upon a throne of steel and blood.¡± ¡°Noor bless you, Faro,¡± Akbar said. ¡°Noor bless you, Faro,¡± Yarek replied. The next arc is extremely slow and will probably feel repetitive. If you want to take a month break, go ahead. Due to that, every new subscriber to patreon will mean an additional chapter for the month to speed things along. However, the arc after? It might be the best arc in the entire series. Also I forgot how hard this chapter went, damn. [1131] – Y06.031 – Wonderful [1131] ¨C Y06.031 ¨C Wonderful ¡°The Mad Dog is so lucky to have such wonderful greatchildren,¡± Vibak, the Sun Dragon, said. ¡°She is so cheeky,¡± Bibak, the Moon Dragon, replied. The older Iyrmen each paced around the fort, remaining near the buildings with the twins and triplets, in the inner most section of the fort. The sky above them, painted by streaks of stars, accompanied them on their watch, the gentle breeze casting a gentle chill upon the people. ¡°We should claim them for ourselves,¡± Vibak said. ¡°Jibak and Jabak. They are good names. They would hold the name of...¡± ¡°Jibak the Wise,¡± Bibak replied, not impressed by the title, but by the accomplishments of Jibak. ¡°Black Claw Jabak?¡± ¡°Gold Claw?¡± Vibak mused. ¡°Gold Claw,¡± Bibak confirmed, realising she had confused Jabak for another. The pair remained silent for a long while, in thought of the future children who would adore them so tenderly. ¡®I know you!¡¯ Jirot had declared so proudly, before going to speak of their stories. ¡®Babo read your story to me!¡¯ The Mad Dog glanced aside, pretending to ignore them, meanwhile his twin greatchildren each fussed over the old women, making sure they were okay. ¡°Thank Baktu, for though he takes, he gives,¡± Bibak whispered. Vibak froze in place, her eyes darting to the side, towards her twin sister. Then she thought of the Mad Dog, and the reason why he lost his arm, as well as the reason Otkan had lost hers. It wasn¡¯t spoken of, but there were rumours. To think the Mad Dog had almost decided to give himself to Baktu. ¡®You must be glad you did not.¡¯ Early in the morning, Adam awoke, the half elf glancing down towards his triplets, who continued to snooze. After an hour, his children finally stirred, allowing him to help them bathe and change. They returned to find the rest of the businessfolk already eating their meals and readying for work. ¡°Ehem,¡± Adam called out, trying to gather their attention. ¡°I hope you all slept well.¡± Not even Adam¡¯s playful smile, awkwardly wrought upon his lips, could ease the hearts of the businessfolk, who wished for nothing more than to work their fields, so as to not think of what happened the day before. ¡°I understand that many of you held positive associations with the Order, and if there was a way we could have resolved it without death, I would have preferred that. I can¡¯t blame the Grand Commander for what he felt was justice, I mean, I went for mine last year, but I couldn¡¯t just... you know?¡± Adam glanced between everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°I hope this hasn¡¯t broken your faith in us. Also, the Iyr said they will take full responsibility, so... it should be fine.¡± Seeing as that he was inspiring no hope, Adam just smiled and waved, before settling himself beside his triplets. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ Taygak¡¯s eyes remained focused on the half elf. She had praised Adam for his hard work the day before, but there was something about the situation that caused her mind to inflame with curiosity. What was it? There was something which she was missing. Something obvious. She recalled the words of the half elf, about the important of playing with the children. What did it have to do with being so strong? As Adam mixed his porridge together, his eyes darted to the side, to find his twins cackling their way towards their father. Adam smiled, placing his porridge down, before he lifted his twins up, kissing their cheeks. ¡°Daddy!¡± the pair cried aloud. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Adam asked, wrapping an arm around them. ¡°Why are you up so early?¡± ¡°We woke up!¡±@@@@ ¡°Yes, I see that!¡± ¡°They slept better,¡± the older Jarot stated, dropping down nearby, letting out a low grunt. Adam glanced around, noting the good mood within the older Iyrmen that morning. He looked down to Jirot and Jarot, who snuggled up to his chest. ¡®Maybe today...¡¯ Persuasion Check (Charisma)(Advantage) D20 + 8 = 14 (6) D20 + 8 = 19 (11) 19! Adam tried to feed his son his porridge, and after three bites, the boy pulled away to drink at his milk. However, three spoonfuls of porridge was more than typical for the boy. Adam leaned down to plant a kiss on little Jarot¡¯s head. ¡°You have gifted us a Basic sword and full plate, and lent us Greater shields,¡± Rick informed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound right. When did the business become so cheap. At the very least, you should have a Fireblade. I mean, all three of you are Experts, and it¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t...¡± Adam paused, glancing around, before realising they were all those he trusted. ¡°I mean, you know, after how many of my secrets you know, a Fireblade isn¡¯t out of the ordinary.¡± ¡°We appreciate your thoughts, Executive.¡± ¡°I bet you appreciate the magical weapons more,¡± Adam replied, a coy smile upon his lips, the half elf flashing a wink. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. I¡¯ll send word back to Manager Vonda, to have her let the Enchanter know.¡± Rick waited for Adam to mention that too, but the half elf did not speak of it, and the Lead decided against bringing it up. Surely Adam had thought of the consequences of killing the Grand Commander. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called in the Iyr¡¯s tongue, as the half elf made his way to Jaygak¡¯s house within the fort. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°May I tell Tanagek?¡± ¡°Tell him what?¡± ¡°Everything.¡± ¡°If you trust him, go ahead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡®I guess I should forge a few weapons...¡¯ Adam thought, rolling his shoulders, before heading through Jaygak¡¯s home into the basement, spilling his blood onto the mirror to access the Iyr¡¯s enchanting shrine so many miles away. ¡®Oh. I forgot about the undead too...¡¯ Adam thought an hour later, eyeing up the weapons he forged through magic, none which were staves. ¡®Oops.¡¯ Adam appeared slightly later than usual, having finished the first day of enchanting, the half elf almost out of Mana. Dinner was served later in the day, and the half elf winced. ¡®I forgot to cast Sending to Vonda!¡¯ ¡°Poj?¡± Virot asked up towards her grandmother. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Even if you are your sister¡¯s sister, you must eat the porridge,¡± Sonarot stated firmly, bringing the spoon up to the girl¡¯s lips. ¡°No!¡± Virot began to cry and complain, but quickly quietened down as Sonarot fed her the spoonfuls of porridge, eventually letting the girl feed herself. ¡°My niece eats so well,¡± Lanarot said, smiling proudly. ¡°Virot, you want bread?¡± ¡°Bed?¡± Virot asked, her leaf shaped ears perking up. The days began to pass by, with Adam eventually remembering to send word to Vonda. He remembered by reading it within his book the next morning. ¡®Ah,¡¯ Adam thought after finishing enchanting the four Basic weapons. ¡®I should probably get to work on the new weapons. What should I make this time? If I make something nice for Tanagek too, they won¡¯t be too mad... right?¡¯ I think this next arc is slow but not quite as repetitive as I originally thought. [1132] – Y06.032 – What’s Tomorrow? [1132] ¨C Y06.032 ¨C What¡¯s Tomorrow? ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called, having decided to be troublesome for the Iyr. ¡°Do you know what Aswadasad looks like?¡± ¡°I know of its general terrain,¡± Jurot admitted. He borrowed Adam¡¯s journal, sketching within it. ¡°It is more than a thousand miles wide, and four hundred miles tall along most of its land. Almost half of the land is mountains, and it is split so.¡± As Jurot drew the rough estimate of the mountains, Adam¡¯s brows raised. It was split diagonally by the mountains, but the mountains almost swallowed the right half of the country. ¡°This area now is Aswabayad.¡± ¡°Whoa! Aswadasad lost half of its territory? The northern forest too?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Eastern Aswadasad has formed into Aswabayad, though they gained the northern forests, and the newly formed ejirate lost the mountains to the west. We should be careful when we travel through Northern Aswadasad, for the Faro may still feel the hurt of losing much of her territory, while Central Aswadasad and Southern Aswadasad have both expanded their own.¡± ¡°Alright...¡± ¡°Most of the mountains were formed by Lord Stokmar. Central Aswadasad is this large desert and hill area. These mountains here,¡± Jurot motioned to a small group of mountains near the north, ¡°they belong to the Shen, for the capital is slightly southward. Through the hills, and to the eastern side of the mountain, is the Order of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Is that a map of Aswadasad?¡± Dunes asked, holding Enisa, taking the girl away to nap, though he was distracted by Jurot¡¯s map. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®I thought they only followed the southern coastline?¡¯ Dunes thought, surprised at how accurate Jurot¡¯s geography was of Aswadasad. He spotted a few dots within the map. ¡°Are these dots to represent the dragons?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dunes noted how few there were considering the large number of dragons within Aswadasad, however, they were placed with terrifying accuracy. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Why did you mark off this area?¡± Adam asked, motioning towards the area closest to what was now Floria. ¡°It is the land of the halfzers.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, I remember them,¡± Adam said. ¡°The Mongolian halfzers, right?¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°I mean, they ride boars and shoot with their bows.¡± ¡°Yes. Many are also Rage Dancers.¡± Adam snorted slightly. ¡°That¡¯s so adorable! I should have a halfzer kid, since they¡¯ll stay so small and cute forever, like my twins.¡± ¡°They would be an Iyrman child.¡± ¡°You know what I meant!¡± ¡°Aswabayad has almost as much land as Aswadasad,¡± Jurot said, beginning to draw more towards the land¡¯s east. ¡°The mountain continues around the north, all the way like a dragon¡¯s tail, before stopping near the coast. This area here was also once part of Aswadasad, but now forms the Western Confederate States. It was once one state, but split into four. Even all this was once under the rule of a Shen¡¯s family, during a time when there were multiple Shens. After a civil war, the land was divided between two Faros. One declared independence, and since then, their family was unable to lose its influence over the region. Here, the Blood River splits the land.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a river that goes straight down?¡± ¡°Yes. It is where Azhar¡¯s Roads stop.¡± ¡°Azhar?¡± Adam furrowed his brows, vaguely recalling the name. ¡°The Faro of the land which had formed the roads so he could war with his cousins to the west,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Oh yeah, you mentioned something about a web?¡± ¡°Azhar¡¯s Web, another name for the roads.¡± ¡°Man, that place sounds so cool,¡± Adam whispered, staring at the map. ¡°King Merryweather has always held the respect from our people, and I am glad to say it was rightly given,¡± Dunes said. ¡°With the union between Floria and Aswadasad, Aldland may find it difficult to claim the islands so easily.¡± ¡°King Merryweather¡¯s army is defensive in nature,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Aldland¡¯s army is not large enough to threaten Floria, yet. King Justinian has made several blunders, but they are rare. He will not risk his navy when he still needs to claim the islands truly, and King Merryweather still possesses Garan¡¯s Wrath.¡± ¡°Garan¡¯s Wrath?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The greatest ship to exist,¡± Dunes said, almost breathless. ¡°It was kept within Gold Port for a long while, but the King has placed it in active duty once more.¡± ¡°What makes it so great anyway?¡± ¡°It is one of the most powerful ships and one of the quickest,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°It is one of the reasons why Aswadasad lost its bid for the islands,¡± Dunes said. ¡°However, if the union between Floria and Aswadasad continues to grow, Aldland may find itself in trouble.¡± ¡°The bad blood between Floria and Aswadasad may take time to soften.¡± ¡°Not as long as you might expect,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Even as a boy, I was taught many stories in the Order. As much as Aldland has always been our rival, sometimes to the point of us holding a shadowed heart for the Aldish, as they might for us, we were taught of the sun known as Sir Harold Merryweather. I dare to say, Aswadasad still holds today because it was King Merryweather who kept his word. Even if Aldland did not attack, even if another had drawn their blade for us, a union may not have been offered, but for King Merryweather?¡± ¡°It is ill news that Blackwater¡¯s influence is falling,¡± Sonarot said, the woman holding Virot, who glared at her father. Virot then smirked. ¡°It is?¡± Adam replied. ¡°He was only allowed to expand the army upon the relinquishing of many age old traditions,¡± Sonarot informed. ¡°Many soldiers will come under his authority, however, the ducal families are now able to increase their own soldiers in return, and now they have permission to create their own Knightly Orders. Aldland could field many thousands, a hundred thousand with ease, but they were conscripts. Farmers forced to wield spears, adorned in a helmet, and thick clothing. No longer shall they send farmers to battle, but true soldiers, those adorned in thick armour, wielding spears, marching in formation. The Knightly Orders will supplement the army with greater warriors, like those of the Orders, which must still hold their obligation to the King.¡± ¡°The Florian Defence force will hold for now,¡± Dunes said, rubbing his chin. ¡°Though, once the King of Floria passes...¡± ¡°If there is even a play for the throne by those of his family, Aldland will claim Floria again,¡± Sonarot said. ¡°King Merryweather is... old.¡± Dunes shuddered slightly. King Merryweather was a legend even by the time of his Priest Commander¡¯s childhood, and the now King¡¯s beard had begun greying by the time the Mad Dog had left the Iyr to make a name for himself. ¡°He is still healthy...¡± Sonarot glanced towards Jurot. ¡°Do you agree?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Jurot said, recalling how his arm throbbed. ¡°When I fought him last year, I was only able to keep him at bay due to luck.¡± ¡°You kept him at bay pretty good though,¡± Adam said, holding out a fist, Jurot bumping it gently, the Iyrman holding the shadow of a smile upon his face. ¡°The splitting of Aldland and Aswadasad...¡± Dunes began, only remembering he was meant to be the wise one as his eyes darted to Adam. Adam thought back to Starsword¡¯s warning. His hair stood on end as he thought of the figure, which made the Grand Commander look like a puppy. ¡®Is it... really my fault?¡¯ ¡°Daddy! Why do you look so sad?¡± Jirot asked, charging up towards him. ¡°I was just thinking.¡± ¡°Silly daddy, how you can think? Stop it!¡± Jirot grabbed her father¡¯s hand. ¡°Come! I will make you happy, daddy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already happy now that you are here.¡± ¡°I know, because I am so amazing,¡± the girl said, as though it were her burden to bear. ¡°Daddy, we have to make it now.¡± ¡°Make it?¡± Adam asked. Jirot blinked. ¡°Stop joking, daddy. We must make it for tomorrow.¡± ¡°What¡¯s tomorrow?¡± Jirot huffed, her eyes falling to her grandmother for help. As Sonarot smiled, the girl wiped her hand across her face, letting out a long sigh. ¡°What I am to do with him?¡± I think this next arc is slow but not quite as repetitive as I originally thought. [1133] – Y06.033 – The Day [1133] ¨C Y06.033 ¨C The Day ¡°I suppose I need to take a day off today for no reason in particular,¡± Adam said, but he had already lifted Larot up, and pressed his cheek against the boy¡¯s. ¡°Kekekeke!¡± Jirot cackled, also swarming the boy, trying to clutch at him. ¡°Larot!¡± Adam surrendered the boy, allowing his siblings to swarm him, the other children also embracing the tiny hornless red skinned toddler. The children handed over their gifts while Jirot held him close, brushing his hair. She continued to hold him tight for a long while, finally giving him up at the behest of her grandmother. Jazool handed the boy a bracelet, hugging him tight and planted a firm kiss on his forehead. ¡°Jarot,¡± an older Iyrman called. ¡°Give up your grandson to me.¡± ¡°Draw your blade and I will consider taking only an arm,¡± the Mad Dog replied. ¡°You cannot covet my grandson. He loves me too much.¡± The older Iyrmen continued to brim with envy upon seeing how the children behaved, for which children were as affectionate as these? Mosen smirked, since Chisen had learnt well from the time she had spent with Danagek and Dagek, while the half elf spoiled the boys. ¡®I should have brought my Chisen.¡¯ One might have wondered what Adam had brought for the boy. There were many guesses, from the likes of Sonarot, Jurot, to even the older Iyrmen who had met him a handful of times, with shiny silvers ready to slip from palm to palm upon the half elf¡¯s gift. Mana: 34 -> 31 Spell: Fly Mana: 31 -> 28 Spell: Fireball ¡°How did you know?¡± Rajin whispered, eyeing up the crippled Iyrman.@@@@ ¡°I know my greatson,¡± Jarot replied simply, not wanting to admit he was joking, more than ready to lose his gold piece. The old man had a thought as he watched his grandson fly around with his greatson, flinging out Fireballs to kill the mass of skeletons, all the while his pouch grew heavy with gold. Had milk ever tasted so sweet? Mana: 28 -> 25 Spell: Fireball Mana: 25 -> 22 Spell: Fireball ¡®Oops,¡¯ Adam thought, realising he had cast four Third Gate spells, the half elf making his back to the fort with a stone faced Larot, who held only the shadow of a smile upon his face. ¡®Heh.¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, but I¡¯m going to make you a-,¡± Adam began, only to freeze in place, still floating down towards the fort, the half elf finally landing, but he blinked. ¡®Couldn¡¯t I have given Sentinel¡¯s Rest to Larot?¡¯ Adam sighed, bringing his son to his chest, whispering into his red leaf shaped ears. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a nice sword, alright?¡± ¡°...¡± Adam stood facing the wall for some time, staring at it. Most of the time, when he said he had pretended to be stupid for so long that he might have actually become stupid, he was kidding. Now? It felt more true than ever before. Larot stood beside his father, his hands tied behind his back, though instead of standing in shame, the boy stood with nothing in particular in mind. ¡®Did he give the pearl?¡¯ Jaygak thought, fairly certain Adam had forgotten. Bael stood upon the gates, watching the skeletal army march towards the village, while the Iyrmen dealt with the issue. Jurot, Kitool, and a handful of the older Iyrmen fought. He stood out of the way, understanding he couldn¡¯t ruin the fun for Iyrmen, though eager as he waited on standby in case the skeletons began to cause trouble, in which case he could start blasting. Noon peered overhead, the rays falling upon the villagers as the sorted the bones. Much to Bael¡¯s chagrin, the undead had not yet overrun the village, in no small parts thanks to the business, which sent Tork and Jane along to assist. The gates opened, welcoming the carriage within, and as the doors opened to allow the women to step out. ¡°Mummy!¡± the children shouted, one shouting louder than the others, as they swarmed their mother. Even Larot, who had stuck to his father like glue, sauntered his way towards the woman. ¡°How can he do this,¡± Vonda agreed. ¡°Daddy... used a sword?¡± Jirot tutted, looking up at the sky, as though Adam had brought home his results, revealing he had failed all his subjects. ¡°Seriously, what am I going to do with you? Silly daddy.¡± ¡°I did it for Ranya,¡± Adam replied, flushing slightly. ¡°It¡¯s a good story for your cousin, who is uncle Dunes¡¯ daughter.¡± Jirot blinked. ¡°I forgive you, just this once.¡± ¡°Thank you, my dear!¡± Adam lifted her up, peppering her face with kisses. Jirot threw a look to her mother, the kind Vonda would sometimes give to her whenever Adam did something foolish, but she had to accept it, since she loved him so much. As late rays of the late afternoon sun filled the fort with its warmth, Adam and Vonda sat to one side, holding hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I had no choice,¡± Adam whispered, noting her raised brow in response. ¡°You know what I mean. It was him and me, or him and someone else.¡± ¡°Why did you not allow someone else?¡± ¡°He came for me. What if... I couldn¡¯t let someone else die fighting for me.¡± Vonda sighed, but intertwined their fingers together, her thumb brushing along his. ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± ¡°No. I... made sure to end it quickly, so the children didn¡¯t... well, they did end up seeing a slaughter anyway. The old geezer wanted them to watch.¡± ¡°They do not call him Lovely Dog.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair that my grandfather has such a cool name but I get stick with The Purple.¡± Vonda pulled her head away, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°Grandfather?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah...¡± Adam flushed slightly. ¡°Did I miss the first time?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but... oh come on, you get to see their first time crawling, their first steps, and they all always call for you first.¡± ¡°You wish for them to call me first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s beside the point.¡± ¡°I did not wish to miss your firsts.¡± ¡°Well, you-,¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda jolted upright, the woman¡¯s brows raised, her face red as the half elf smirked towards her. She pulled her husband in close, whispering how he was a fool, but Adam allowed her to cuddle him so tenderly. Jirot always cheers me up. [1134] – Y06.034 – Strong and Scary [1134] ¨C Y06.034 ¨C Strong and Scary ¡°Okay?¡± Pam asked, reaching out a hand towards her husband. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, accepting her hand, feeling the softness of those hands which baked bread. Damrot slumbered against his mother¡¯s front, his head resting upon her shoulder, the boy clutching at her sleeve with one hand, the other dangling at their side. He was completely defenceless to the world, but so full of warmth, his heart surely soothed by his mother¡¯s affection. Jurot stared against the back of the boy¡¯s head, his hair so much thicker now. ¡°Is Monarot well?¡± ¡°She is,¡± Pam replied, a soft smile slowly encroaching upon her lips. ¡°The Family Head is watching over her.¡± ¡°She is your aunt too.¡± Pam smiled nervously, unsure of how close she was to the Iyr, but whenever she was beside her husband, she felt the intensity of his name bear upon her. He felt almost like a nobleman, like the Lords and Ladies within Aldland, except it appeared to be the case all those within the Iyr were like the nobles of Aldland. Did that mean she, too, was similar? Like the Lords who married into the Lady¡¯s family, or the Ladies or married into the Lord¡¯s family? ¡°Is Bam well?¡± Jurot asked, breaking his wife out of her thoughts. ¡°He is still troubled.¡±@@@@ Jurot slowly nodded his head, feeling the softness of her palm against his fingers. He trailed along the creases, his thumb memorising the side of her hand to memory. ¡°I understand it is difficult for you to call mother your own.¡± Pam frowned slightly, lowering her gaze, but as the Iyrman squeezed at her hand, she met his eyes, and the pair exchanged a knowing look. The next morning, Adam thought of whether he should take the day off. ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s one of the children¡¯s birthdays...¡¯ ¡°A silver token?¡± Jaygak asked, noting the symbol upon the silver token, of the pairs of crosses, which was different to the typical silver tokens Adam handed out. ¡°Yep. I thought it would be a nice gift.¡± ¡°Are we children?¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want a free Greater Enhanced weapon from the business, give it back!¡± Adam snapped, and calling his bluff, the Iyrman held out the token. He almost snatched it from her hand with annoyance. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you won¡¯t design a weapon with your sisters for the Enchanter to enchant.¡± ¡°That I can accept,¡± the Iyrman replied, holding out her hand. ¡°It¡¯s too late now! My heart is broken.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling Kavgak you won¡¯t-,¡± Jaygak began, but she stopped when Adam held the token back out for her. ¡°Thank you, Adam. It is a lovely gift. I almost feel bad for not gifting you something for your birthday.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, since you should focus on my little babies instead.¡± Jaygak shook her head lightly, but she couldn¡¯t help but smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s not as good as your children¡¯s gifts to me.¡± ¡°Of course, since my children take after their mother,¡± Adam replied, having forgotten to help his children with their gifts, but thankfully, his daughter was so smart. ¡°You cannot blame daddy since I am too smart,¡± Jirot stated, shrugging her shoulders. Jaygak smiled even wider, picking the girl up, nuzzling her nose, before she hoisted little Jarot up, and smothered the pair with affection. She knew the children didn¡¯t understand the real gifts the pair had given her, for Jirot was back to her confident self, and little Jarot ate the pepper from her fingers. Kitool remained silent, holding onto the bracelet Jirot had gifted her. ¡®You cannot rub the red cube, okay?¡¯ Jirot had informed, as though Kitool hadn¡¯t understood what the bracelet was meant to mimic. Adam went to work that day, thankful his wife had come to protect him from Jirot, though unfortunately for him, it didn¡¯t last long. Lanarot rode upon Sun, the half awakened wolf, or rather, she sat upon her mother¡¯s lap as the woman rode upon Sun. As the girl hopped off, she could hear trouble, which had a familiar name. ¡°Pick up your axe,¡± Jirot glared at her father, her stance wide and powerful, her fists clenched together. ¡°Dear...¡± Adam replied nervously. Jirot held out her whole hand, revealing her annoyance, pointing at her father¡¯s axe. ¡°Pick it up. We must fight now.¡± ¡°Why must we fight?¡± ¡°You-, you-, you-, always I-!¡± Jirot huffed, placing her hands upon her waist, before she looked up towards her mother, this time not for support, but for the empathy of someone who had to deal with the half elf. ¡°You always promise! Seventh! Fourteenth! Twenty first! Twenty eighth! You have worked all this time, and you promised all the time you would play with me, but you do not!¡± ¡°Dear, I had a break on Larot¡¯s birthday, didn¡¯t I? We played Warriors and Wanderers with Larot, I mean, you even killed the hydra!¡± ¡°It does not count! It is twenty first today, and you did not play!¡± Jirot accused with her entire hand. ¡°We are fighting now! Draw your axe!¡± ¡°Just... a few more days, Jibaby, and I promise to play with you lots!¡± ¡°No! We are fighting today!¡± ¡°Please, Jibaby!¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Jirot,¡± Vonda called, holding out her hand. The girl pouted up at her mother, but quickly scampered to the woman, holding her hand. The pair cuddled, whispering into each other¡¯s ears, with Jirot almost covering her entire mouth as she whispered into her mother¡¯s ear. The pair continued to barter between one another, with Jirot furrowing her brows, and hiding her head into her mother¡¯s neck shyly. ¡®Everyone is scared of you?¡¯ ¡®That has something to do with it,¡¯ the old man chuckled, ruffling Bael¡¯s hair. ¡®Gramps! My hair! Mother spent so much time on my ribbons!¡¯ ¡®Ribbons get in the way of fighting!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m gonna be so strong, even when I wear ribbons, I¡¯m going to win!¡¯ ¡®What are your father and mother teaching you?¡¯ The old man tossed Bael off the island, before smiling towards his companion, who remained still as a statue to one side. ¡®...¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ The giant hopped off the side of the island, falling through the air to the cackling Bael, who did not hold even a touch of fear within their heart. ¡®Do you see?¡¯ the Emperor asked. ¡®Shara¡¯s the one that caught me!¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re beginning to understand.¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Your Grace, Bael is not Aina.¡¯ The Emperor furrowed his brows towards the storm giant, who remained frozen still. ¡®...¡¯ ¡®...¡¯ ¡®I thought Aina wore the red ribbons?¡¯ ¡®Bael also enjoys wearing them.¡¯ ¡®They¡¯re both so crazy, I forget which one is which.¡¯ ¡®Your Grace, please,¡¯ Shara began. ¡®Your Grace, this, Your Grace, that!¡¯ Thunder rumbled in the distance, almost threatening the world. ¡®Your great grandfather used to-,¡¯ ¡®Cleave mountains in half trying to kill you, I know, Your Grace,¡¯ Shara interrupted. The Emperor smirked slightly, noting the complete neutrality upon the woman¡¯s face, his thoughts falling to his old companion. ¡®Your great granddaughter is not so bad, Otto.¡¯ ¡®Stop making that face!¡¯ Bael complained. ¡®You need to teach me the lesson!¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s the rush? You¡¯re still too young to know.¡¯ ¡®You do this every time!¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t! That¡¯s why your father always complains to me!¡¯ ¡®Then just beat him up!¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t beat up a kid like him!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll beat him up when I¡¯m bigger then!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s strong too!¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s fine! I¡¯m going to be even stronger! I¡¯m going to be as strong as you!¡¯ ¡®You should aim to be stronger than me, at least!¡¯ ¡®Fine! I¡¯m going to be even stronger than you!¡¯ Bael returned back to the present, the rain washing away the tears on his face as he reminisced of the past, a past he could no longer return to. ¡®If I¡¯m not careful, I might lose my position to one of them.¡¯ However, Bael was fairly certain he understood his great grandfather¡¯s lesson. He had seen it around him almost his entire life, but it was only upon seeing a grieving father smiling so genuinely that he understood his great grandfather¡¯s point. However, it was upon seeing Adam¡¯s relationship with Jirot, Bael realised something just as important. Just how much his great grandfather adored him when he was just a little troublemaker. ¡®You¡¯re even scarier than I remembered, old man.¡¯ No wonder Bael and Jirot are homies. [1135] – Y06.035 – Working Hard [1135] ¨C Y06.035 ¨C Working Hard ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot,¡± his voice broke through the silence that was his noisy chattering. ¡°The business didn¡¯t pay off the weapon last year.¡± The half elf rubbed his forehead, pulsing not because of his daughter¡¯s scream as she found him sneaking a kiss onto the back of his wife¡¯s hand, but because his stupidity was beginning to pound deep into his skull. ¡°We did,¡± Vonda said, reaching out a hand, brushing her finger tips along his cheek, though quickly brought it to her daughter¡¯s face as the girl sat up and narrowed her eyes, ready to complain. She truly was her sister¡¯s sister. ¡°We did?¡± Adam asked, unable to contain the doubt for his wife, but quickly sitting up taller. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t recall.¡± ¡°It was paid,¡± Vonda stated, smiling slightly towards the half elf, who narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to believe you because I probably did forget, but could you write it into the book?¡± @@@@ ¡°I will.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t remember that at all,¡¯ Adam thought, scratching the side of his cheek, picking at his skin lightly, but stopped once Vonda hooked her finger with his. ¡°Eyah!¡± Virot complained. ¡°No,¡± Vonda stated firmly. ¡°No more.¡± ¡°Eyah!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Eyah?¡± ¡°No.¡± Virot blinked up at her mother, though surrendered to sucking her thumb, the girl hiding within her mother¡¯s bosom. As she glanced back up at her mother, the woman beamed down at her, and Virot smiled back at the reassurance, cuddling up closer to her mother¡¯s bosom once more. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s monopolising her like this,¡¯ Adam thought, to both his wife and daughter. ¡°Vonda must have paid it,¡± Jurot eventually said, the pair of brothers sipping away at their grainwine, watered down by water and the fruit of a juice. ¡°Aaaah,¡± Adam replied, having thought far too deeply for a solution that was truly so simple. ¡®Right. I need to stop forgetting she can enchant now.¡¯ ¡°...¡± Jurot stared expectantly. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking, isn¡¯t my daughter too smart? She¡¯s warning me about working too hard. Truly, she is so wise.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I so lucky to have such a great wife too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So why am I always trying to get myself killed?¡± Adam asked, letting out a low groan, the half elf sipping at his grainwine, the flavours dancing against his tongue, the sourness contrasting against the sweetness of the fruit. ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°I should stop.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They all say I¡¯m an idiot,¡± Adam huffed, but before he could continued, Jurot replied. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t rush to defend me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh, crap.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I forgot to... ask the Enchanter to enchant the weapons for Black Mountain.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Jirot is going to be so mad.¡± ¡°I can protect you.¡± ¡°From Jirot?¡± ¡°...¡± Jirot caught Jarot¡¯s eyes, the boy¡¯s eyes also filling with the realisation. ¡°I will work harder than daddy and I will annoy him!¡± Jurot blinked. He wasn¡¯t sure how to deal with Jirot, so decided to keep as quiet as a mouse as the girl huffed and complained, plotting the way to become stronger, which held various implausible ideas. The only issue with Jurot¡¯s thought was that she was her father¡¯s daughter and her greatfather¡¯s greatdaughter. Jurot explained to Vonda about the conversation, while Jirot peppered her little sister with kisses, making sure she was okay. Virot squealed loudly, the girl holding her sister¡¯s hand, trapping her. Damrot waited for Jirot¡¯s affection in the meanwhile, his eyes falling to Jarot, who hugged the boy, not realising that he did so because he was reminded of himself. ¡°Jirot, are you going to work hard to annoy your father?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°Yes! I will work so hard, mummy!¡± Jirot declared proudly, as proudly as only an Iyrman could. ¡°Then you will need to work hard at school.¡± Jirot blinked, her resolute eyes filling with betrayal, but the girl inhaled deeply. ¡°I will do it, mummy!¡± Jurot had slain a number of dragons, but he side eyed the Priest beside him, far more impressed by her ability to deal with children, and not just any children, but Jirot, of all children. The next morning, Jirot gasped, for her hard work had paid off before she had even begun. It was the last day of the month, and the children all gathered to eat in the morning. Little Jarot had begun to eat more than a third of his potato, and his sister finished it off. ¡°Kavgak, the wyvern has picked up Jirot, what are you going to do?¡± Adam asked, motioning towards the red skinned girl, whose brows furrowed in thought. ¡°Bullying niece?¡± Kavgak asked. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kavgak inhaled deeply, her eyes turning to a glare, the girl shaking her head. The girl picked up her twenty sided die, clenching it tight in hand. ¡°Cannot!¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Adam replied, as the girl tossed her die forward, bouncing off the side of the leather, before coming to a halt. ¡°What number is that?¡± ¡°One.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Four.¡± ¡°Which makes?¡± Jirot inhaled, but upon seeing her father¡¯s keen eyes the girl grabbed her cup of juice and sipped it innocently. ¡®I was not going to say it! I was not!¡¯ ¡°One. Four.¡± Kavgak stared deeply at the die. ¡°How old is Taygak turning this year?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Thirteen!¡± the girl said confidently. Jirot cackled, reaching up to her forehead, rubbing it gently. ¡°Silly kako! It is not thirteen, it is fourteen!¡± Adam reached up to cover his eyes, feeling the pain of the words, for how could Taygak turn fourteen this year of all years? No, she was still eight, wasn¡¯t she? ¡®You do not need to work hard to hurt your father,¡¯ Jurot thought. Once the game was over, Adam picked up Jirot. ¡°Guess what?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Daddy is going to work for just a little bit, and then, before lunch, he¡¯s going to come back.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jirot asked, raising a brow. ¡°Really. In fact, daddy is going to...¡± Adam glanced around, before leaning in to whisper into her ear. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone, but daddy is...¡± Adam quickly realised just how little he could tell his daughter, who would definitely blabber accidentally. ¡°Hmmm. Daddy is working so he can cause trouble like you.¡± ¡°I do not cause trouble!¡± Jirot replied, before placing a hand on her father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just a little bit?¡± ¡°It might be more than just a little bit,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°What am I to do with you?¡± Jirot asked. Adam kept his word, working not for very long, but by the time he had returned, the business had swelled. His eyes darted from side to side, noting the large number of Iyrmen who had appeared, each at least in their thirties, and some he recognised. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Adam whispers to Jirot he''s going to cause trouble. The Iyr suddenly sends a bunch of Iyrmen. Jirot is a snitch? [1136] – Y06.036 – Doubt I [1136] ¨C Y06.036 ¨C Doubt I ¡°Hey! Hey! What the hell are you doing?¡± Adam asked, his voice strained with shock, the half elf reaching for his die, motioning with his hands as he called out the words of magic. Mana: 22 -> 19 Spell: Fly The half elf leapt off the wall, flying down towards the Iyrmen, though he did his best to avoid looking at the heads staked into the ground. ¡°We are setting up the warning,¡± Baztam said, watching over the Iyrmen in place of the Chief. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°To protect the Iyr,¡± Baztam replied, dealing with Adam¡¯s questions effectively, contrasting the way he fought. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You will see.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± Adam replied, swallowing, as his eyes met Baztam¡¯s, which were full of curiosity. ¡°...¡± The Iyrman hadn¡¯t expected Adam to fight him so overtly. ¡°If you wish for us to stop this, speak with the Chief.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do just that,¡± the half elf stated, flying over to the fort, where the Chief awaited. Hearing Adam¡¯s exasperated words, the Chief¡¯s eyes drifted over to the side. It was awkward, of course, considering one of the figures nearby, adorned in her modesti, the long clothing which covered her entire body save for her face, and then his eyes fell down to her silver amulet, that of a rose emerging from the silver sun. ¡°It is temporary,¡± Chief Iromin assured. ¡°Temporary? Chief, it shouldn¡¯t be a thing for seconds, never mind temporary!¡± ¡°My responsibility is to the Iyr, Adam,¡± the Chief stated firmly, holding the half elf¡¯s desperate gaze. Adam clenched his fists together, before splaying out his hands in front of him, and for once he was lost for words. The frustration grew within the half elf, who typically went along with the Iyr¡¯s shenanigans, but this time, they had gone too far. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°You will see.¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Adam did see, along with many others who swarmed the walls as Bael called out. As Adam climbed the walls, with the evening sun falling upon the fort, he looked eastward, towards the small army which approached the village. Adam counted at least two hundred within heavy armour, while almost as many followed along, those who did not fight, but worked to assist the army with miscellaneous matters. ¡®Is this...¡¯ ¡°Come, Adam,¡± Iromin called, escorting the half elf towards the village, his aides trailing after them. As the small group stepped out of the business, several others joined. Iromin had already slowed down for Adam to keep up, but it also helped the likes of Tanagek and the one legged Jarot, while other Iyrmen also accompanied the half elf. The Countess rode upon her steed, flanked by two of her Oakguard, while the other five remained with their small companies. She wore a lighter breastplate, emblazoned with the titular tree of her family so proudly, the long cloak hiding much of her form away from the Iyrmen. Her Oakguard were similarly adorned in their own armour, full plate, with long cloaks, the colour of dried blood, while the blades at their side were far more vibrant. The Countess almost floated off of her horse, her cloak parting to reveal the rest of her armour, fluttering in the gentle wind, revealing the blade at her side. She removed her helmet, revealing her stark white hair, her light wrinkles, and the look of exhaustion within her dark eyes, which came from the recent dealings with the Iyr. ¡°Chief Iromin.¡± ¡°Countess Redoak,¡± Iromin replied, while his aides stopped, causing the others to freeze behind him, while the Chief approached and greeted the noble. ¡°The ill blood between yourself and the Order of the Thousand Hunts, the Order of High Garden, how did it come to be?¡± Merrick asked cautiously. ¡°They killed my sons.¡± ¡°So, it was you? You¡¯re the Crazy Father?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That is what they call you, the one who slew the Vice Commander for... the demons.¡± ¡°Iyrmen,¡± called the symphony of Iyrmen glaring at the Oakguard. ¡°Perhaps I am a little crazy when it comes to my children, since they¡¯re so cute,¡± Adam replied, his cheeks flushing red, only matched by the bright white smile. ¡®How quickly you have grown...¡¯ Merrick thought, recalling how weak he had been all those years ago, but even back then, he had faced Vandra with too much courage. ¡°I did not expect you to defeat the likes of the Grand Commander.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the magical equipment the Enchanter has gifted me with,¡± the half elf replied. ¡°Oh, and my darling niece.¡± ¡°You are an... Executive, was it?¡± ¡°Yeah. Since I¡¯m a decent enough alchemist, I was given the position of High Alchemist.¡± ¡®Was he that good at alchemy?¡¯ Merrick thought, recalling the issue with the High Alchemist of Red Oak. ¡®That boy?¡¯ Countess Redoak thought, finally recalling Adam properly. ¡®The crazy half elf who abandoned Sir Harvey in order to face Vandra. However, how did he kill the Grand Commander? He was not so strong that he would be able to...¡¯ The Countess recalled the rumours, realising there was something with Adam¡¯s name, and seeing him in his purple breastplate, she began to remember more. ¡°Adam is no Iyrman,¡± Countess Redoak said, her voice accusatory. ¡°He is not,¡± the Chief confirmed. ¡°That makes the situation complicated.¡± ¡°Is it so?¡± Countess Redoak remained silent. It would be difficult for her to leave the Grand Commander¡¯s body, but she needed to claim something for the price of that body, and to try and clear the situation between Aldland and the Iyr. Since it had happened so close to Red Oak, she was partly responsible, and if she didn¡¯t manage to deal with the situation, the King might try to claim even more influence over her region. ¡°There is some doubt between how a young man such as this half elf was able to slay the Grand Commander.¡± ¡°If there is doubt, there is doubt.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Countess Lottie Redoak narrowed her eyes slightly at the Chief. ¡®Are you going to... over this young man?¡¯ The Chief remained a statue before her, imposing and unyielding. ¡°Are you able to accept such trouble during such a time?¡± Countess Redoak stated firmly, hoping the Iyrman would relent, not just for her sake, but for the sake of the Iyr, especially considering just how eager the King was to test his new army. ¡°Okay,¡± Iromin said, after a long moment. ¡°We will hand Adam over.¡± Adam straightened up, as though he had been slapped in the face. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ It''s your own fault at this point... [1137] – Y06.037 – Doubt II [1137] ¨C Y06.037 ¨C Doubt II ¡°Huu...¡± Konarot¡¯s tail drooped, her body filling with a warmth, but not the kind of warmth that came from her father¡¯s affection, but the kind of warmth of a noonval day which caused her to tire out too quickly. A hand ruffled her hair, causing the girl to bow her head and she quickly fixed her hair so she could see her father once more. ¡°Watch carefully,¡± Jaygak said, her eyes falling down to her father, who wore Fresh Snow Zephyr at his side. ¡®I didn¡¯t need to say it since you¡¯re so smart, but...¡¯ Kirot¡¯s eyes remained glued to the scene, the girl completely focused upon her father, who looked so small from this far away, and for some reason, looked even smaller in that moment. ¡®Daddy,¡¯ Karot thought, his eyes also falling upon his father. He pouted slightly, but the girl at his side made him unable to pout. ¡°What they saying?¡± Jirot whispered loudly. Mulrot¡¯s eyes had swayed slightly, from her greatson, to her husband, and seeing how Baztam had slapped the side of the one armed Iyrman¡¯s shoulder, it no doubt meant the Chief had said he would give up Adam. ¡°Jirot?¡± ¡°Nano?¡± the girl called, reaching up a hand to hold her greatmother¡¯s hand. ¡°How strong is your father?¡± Jirot furrowed her brows, before smirking at her greatmother, as though it were obvious how strong her father was. ¡®The strongest,¡¯ little Jarot thought, clenching his fists slightly. ¡®Daddy! You are the strongest!¡¯ ¡®Here I thought you would remain so... Iyrly. You Iyrmen, you are always so difficult when you do not have to be.¡¯ The Countess rushed with relief, her shoulders no longer burdened by the insanity of the Iyr, but its great wisdom which had allowed it to exist for millennia beside the grand dragon that was Aldland. ¡°The Iyr has no need to worry, for I am certain justice will be dispensed.¡± Iromin held out a finger, pointing it towards a particular figure, and as he spoke, he pointed to each individual. ¡°Sir Juge Cherrytree. Sir Louis Rubybeech. Sir Ethan Cherryash. Sir Tobias Carminewood. Sir Chloe Crimsonash. Sir Robin Scarletwood. Sir Merrick Crimsonbranch.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Baztam raised his brows at Jarot, whose tension gave way like a rushing river, replaced quickly by the excitement which grew among the Iyrmen. The other Iyrmen remained silent too, but the shift was noticeable, for though they had arrived so relaxed, not expecting a fight. As Adam was offered, many of the Iyrmen tensed up, but as the Chief pointed out the particular figures, they went from one form of tension to another. The girl¡¯s silver eyed had pierced deep into Jogak¡¯s heart. She had carried the longsword all the way to him, the sheathed blade resting between her elbows, her tail having swayed behind her shyly. ¡®Baba, you are Gak. You must use a sword.¡¯ Jogak wanted to mention he already had a sword, but how could he refuse his Konarot, who was not quite as mean with her affection as Jirot, but who could deny that their Konarot was not so sweet of heart? ¡®You do not need to worry, Konarot. You may use a sword too, you have no need to worry of that.¡¯ ¡°May Baktu watch over your blade, Countess.¡± Iromin bowed his head lightly, reaching a hand out to Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it gently, his eyes threatening each of the Oakguard, before he turned and led the Iyrmen away. ¡®...¡¯ ¡®Ho?¡¯ Baztam thought, sharing a look with the Chief, who let out a sigh that meant he had almost allowed them to have their fun. ¡®You almost went that far?¡¯ ¡®Holy!¡¯ Adam thought, following after the Chief sheepishly, the half elf not daring to look back. As they approached the fort, the Chief stopped, holding out a hand to stop the half elf, while the others continued towards the fort. Iromin led the half elf to the Iyr¡¯s land proper, across the river, their shadows cast long towards the fort and the village behind them. His aides flanked the bridge, allowing the Chief to remain alone with the half elf, though their eyes remained glued to the fool of a father. Adam swallowed, wanting to thank the Chief, but he understood he should remain quiet for a short while at least. Then, the seconds continued to pass. The silence upon the air grew heavier, and the awkwardness filled the half elf. ¡°Thank you, Chief.¡± Iromin remained staring ahead of himself, the sun prickling his skin, while his eyes took in the sight of the hills and the trees, and he stared at the mountains ahead, the mountain which held his home. ¡°There is much we plant in the Iyr,¡± Iromin began. ¡°The Iyr bears grains which build our bodies. The Iyr bears delicious fruits which build our hearts. The Iyr bears more, for in the Iyr, we plant even emotions, the seeds of rage, grief, joy, pleasure, duty.¡± Adam remained silent, for the Chief continued to stare at the Iyr, seeing his own version of the Iyr, the Iyr he grew up with, which was so similar and yet so different to the Iyr Adam knew. ¡°There is one seed we cannot allow to take root,¡± Iromin said, before his eyes turned to Adam. ¡°It is the most insidious killer, more dangerous than even you, Adam.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When your children look at you, do you see it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Iromin turned to look back to the mountain. ¡°When the Order of High Garden came to us, I had no plans to war with Aldland. Today, when the Countess spoke to us, there was a moment. I could feel their gazes. You felt it too, did you not? They looked upon their mothers, their fathers, their aunts, their uncles, their sisters, their brothers, their cousins. Their gazes were upon me too, the Chief. They do not know it, what it means. Chief. They know what a mother is, what a brother is, but a Chief?¡± Adam watched as the Chief sighed, and he realised why the Chief was speaking this way, but he was too afraid to confirm his thoughts. ¡°When I...¡± Iromin fell silent again, and before the half elf, he could see Iromin, not as the Chief, not as an Iyrman, but a mortal. ¡°When I look into their eyes, I can see it.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It is doubt, Adam,¡± Iromin whispered. ¡°Doubt.¡± The Countess is lucky she rolled well. [1138] – Y06.038 – Doubt III [1138] ¨C Y06.038 ¨C Doubt III ¡°Daddy!¡± Konarot held onto her father¡¯s leg, the girl¡¯s tail swaying behind her excitedly, before it fell still as her father picked her up. ¡°Oof,¡± Adam groaned, before peppering the girl¡¯s faces with kisses, reaching down to ruffle Kirot and Karot¡¯s hair. ¡°It is time to nap,¡± Konarot said, her eyes hopefuly. ¡°I want to nap with daddy...¡± Kirot said, her eyes beaming up at her father expectantly, coming to assist her elder sister. ¡°Daddy does feel a little tired too,¡± Adam faked a yawn which turned into a real yawn, causing Karot to yawn, the boy rubbing his eyes. ¡°Where are you going, daddy?¡± Jirot asked, storming her way towards her father once she was done greeting her nanas and babas. ¡°We¡¯re going to nap.¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°Daddy! You are napping too?¡± ¡°I am.¡± The girl charged towards her father, grabbing his hand. ¡°Okay! You said it, daddy, you said it, so you must do it now!¡± Meanwhile, the girl stared suspiciously towards the Chief, before she pulled back towards her mother. Virot wrapped her arms around her mother¡¯s neck, not allowing the Chief to steal her mother away. ¡®At least she does not doubt,¡¯ Iromin thought, as the girl cooed towards her mother. ¡°Chief!¡± Jirot called, holding up a thumbs up at the older man, stopping her father to greet the Chief. ¡°You are big strong boss man!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I am strong too, Chief,¡± Jirot said, flexing her arm. ¡°Jarot, come. You show Chief how strong you are.¡± Little Jarot hid behind his father, causing the girl to rub her forehead, but she didn¡¯t say anything, deciding to forgive him for being so cute. ¡°I have heard of your great strength,¡± Iromin joked. ¡°Yes! I am the Demon Lord!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Iromin thought about how Lucy might have felt, but he recalled just how close the pair were, to the point the Demon Lord had risked her life for vengeance. ¡°I protect the Iyr too when I am big,¡± Jirot said. Adam thought to reply, but he kept his joke within him, while Iromin stared down at the girl. The Chief dropped down to a knee, reaching out to brush the girl¡¯s hair, ruffling it gently. Indeed, for though Jirot caused the most trouble, even he knew just how much affection the girl gave. She was truly her father¡¯s daughter. ¡°You are so well behaved,¡± Iromin said, his voice clearly full of pride. Jirot returned a smirk that revealed she was her greatfather¡¯s greatdaughter. ¡°Of course. I am always such a good girl.¡± ¡°Ah, but your brother is such a good boy too?¡± Iromin mused. ¡°Yes! My brother is so good! He eats so well, Chief, do you see?¡± ¡°I see,¡± Iromin confirmed, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°One day, will you be as strong as your babo?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Little Jarot flushed slightly, but within those shy eyes, there was a pride, the pride of being named after his babo. ¡°Hopefully you are more well behaved?¡± Little Jarot flushed again, hiding behind his father¡¯s leg, while those around him laughed. ¡°Stop bullying my greatson!¡± the old Iyrman growled, reaching out an arm, and little Jarot rushed up to him, the pair embracing. ¡°Yes,¡± Iromin replied. Bael sighed, thinking back to what his great grandfather used to tell him, before his lips curled into a large smile. ¡®They really are a bunch of crazy bastards.¡¯ As Adam dropped down to the furs, the children swarmed over him, pinning their father under them. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Jirot cackled, holding onto her father¡¯s head. ¡°I should have brought mummy too, because there¡¯s only one of me, and so many of you!¡± ¡°No! I do not want to nap with mummy, I want to nap with daddy!¡± Jirot declared, though Jarot and Karot yearned for their mother too, they cuddled with their father joyfully regardless. ¡°Okay, okay...¡± Adam melted against the furs, allowing his children to completely pin him down. ¡°Daddy, it is nap time now, so you must be quiet,¡± the girl said. ¡°If you speak, you will wake up the babies, and my kakas and papas.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Gosh, daddy, why you are always so...¡± Jirot shook her head, before brushing through the half elf¡¯s hair with her tiny hand. ¡°So what?¡± ¡°What am I do with you?¡± Jirot tutted at the half elf. ¡°Nap, my dear. We must nap.¡± ¡°You can be smart at times like this?¡± Jirot asked, her brow raised, the girl¡¯s eyes full of annoyance, but beneath them, Adam could see it. ¡°Okay, now it feels like you¡¯re bullying me too much,¡± Adam said, snatching the girl, who squealed as he blew raspberries into her neck. ¡°It¡¯s nap time, so be quiet!¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± the girl squirmed, but she eventually gave up, clutching at her father¡¯s shirt. ¡°Do you know how strong daddy is?¡± Adam asked, pinching her nose. ¡°The strohges!¡± the girl replied, giggling loudly at the sound of her voice. ¡°That¡¯s right! Daddy is the strongest! I¡¯m first place, you know, first place!¡± Adam said, pulling the girl to his chest. ¡®That¡¯s why, you should keep looking at me just like that!¡¯ ¡°Daddy,¡± Konarot called, the girl blinking. ¡°Mummy is stronger?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Adam and Jirot both replied, the girl giggling. ¡°Of course...¡± Konarot repeated quietly, her eyes glued up at the half elf, who was such an enigma to her still. All the while, the others bullied the girl¡¯s baba. ¡°You are all just jealous that she lent me the sword and not you!¡± Jogak complained, clutching the sword to his chest. ¡°I will not allow you to take this blade from me!¡± ¡°Since she has lent you the sword, you should allow it,¡± Shikan stated. ¡°I didn¡¯t even show it off because I cared for your hearts, but what of mine?¡± Jogak grumbled. ¡°What a nice sword it is,¡± another said. ¡°It is a good sword, one that was fine to gift. Those who gifted it, are they not the best children?¡± Shikan¡¯s eyes fell to Tonagek, who sat beside his sister, and though he sat with his eyes closed, sipping away at his tea, no one was blind enough to miss the pride that emanated from the Iyrman. Amokan felt his hair stand on end, and quietly, he slipped away into the shadows. Timojin followed him, the pair exchanging looks, and as always, Timojin was glad his grandfather was the quiet Bearded Dragon. Amokan and Timojin running away before they get hitched... [1139] – Y06.039 – Answers I [1139] ¨C Y06.039 ¨C Answers I ¡°She wants to see me?¡± Adam asked, tapping the table with a finger, while rubbing his chin lightly. ¡®On today of all days?¡¯ ¡°I won¡¯t be able to, though?¡± ¡°It would be difficult to refuse,¡± Jurot replied, his arms crossed, the Iyrman tapping his bicep in thought. ¡°I want to go see,¡± Lanarot said, her eyes beaming up towards her brother expectantly. The girl pouted before her brother could respond, but her eyes revealed her excitement. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here and I¡¯ll go invite the Countess here?¡± ¡°It would be difficult to invite the Countess,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I have a title too, you know?¡± ¡°It is not the same.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the one who wants to speak with me, isn¡¯t she?¡± Adam replied, with the audacity that came from wanting to bully the Aldish. ¡°She should put in the effort to come and see me then!¡± Jurot fell silent, allowing his brother to act so audaciously, especially since it was that day today. He peeked down at his sister, who remained mesmerised by her elder brother, the girl giggling lightly. His eyes fell to the girl¡¯s forehead, painted with the tattoos of her family, adorned in the thick attire of the Iyrmen. ¡®Although, I guess it is a little awkward to bring the Countess here, since she¡¯ll be surrounded by so many guards, and the kids might be a little sca-,¡¯ Adam thought about how frightened his children may have been, only to recall the appearance of all the Iyrmen around. ¡®I probably should go since otherwise the Countess will be scared.¡¯ ¡°I will come too,¡± Vonda said, approached the half elf, the woman adorned head to toe in her modesti, her silver amulet sparkling lightly under the dawnval sun. ¡°If you come along, I¡¯ll want to show off,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You will show off if I am there or not, but I will have to calm you before you go too far,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°It is a little scary how you know me so well.¡± Vonda smiled innocently, before she and Jurot exchanged a look, both understanding how hard they¡¯ll need to work to keep Adam alive when meeting the Countess. As they stepped out, Kamrot approached the group, exchanging a look with Jurot, who just nodded in return. The older Iyrman watched them go, before sending word along the grapevine until it reached Sonarot, who already knew for her son was not such a fool. Jurot, Adam, and Vonda were enough to protect Lanarot from the likes of a Countess. The guard stared down at the little girl, who stared up him expectantly. Those small eyes were full with the pride that was often found in noble children, except he could see something even deeper within the surface of those eyes, something only Iyrmen children possessed. ¡°The Countess requested a meeting only with the half elf,¡± a guard said, before tipping his helmet slightly towards the Ray. ¡°I mean no offence, Mother.¡± ¡°Please send our apologies in advance,¡± Vonda replied calmly, smiling warmly towards the guard. With no other response, the guard slipped away to inform the Countess, not wishing to offend a Ray. ¡°I am not allowed?¡± Lanarot asked, pouting up towards her elder brother. ¡°So what? You met an Emperor, a Queen, a Prince, and someone who is even greater than all of those.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders far too casually. ¡°Really, you should be meeting with a Duke or Duchess, since that¡¯s about the level of a Prince, and then a Marquis, then a Count, and finally a Baron.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda and Jurot both said, causing the half elf to stop. ¡®This will be difficult,¡¯ the Countess thought, already cursing her terrible luck. ¡°I wished to speak to you about the matter with the Grand Commander.¡± ¡°What would you like to know?¡± ¡°Did you truly kill the Grand Commander?¡± Countess Lottie¡¯s eyes pierced deep into Adam¡¯s, judging his eyes to see if he would lie. ¡°It was a lawfully sanctioned duel under the eyes of Sozain, one that was to the death. The winner got to keep their life, and as you can see, I¡¯m alive, and he¡¯s dead.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°How did it come to pass?¡± ¡°He wanted to kill me because he was angry. I was forced to defend myself for protecting my children.¡± ¡°Will you explain how you defeated him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Priest of Death.¡± ¡°I would like to hear the tale in greater detail,¡± the Countess replied, slowly growing more annoyed by Adam¡¯s vague answers. Who did he think he was? A noble like her? ¡°Jurot can tell you the tale.¡± ¡°I wish to hear it from you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Adam replied, his voice clear, growing louder, causing the Oakguard to straighten slightly. ¡°Especially not in front of my wife, Ray Vonda of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± The Countess glared at the half elf, her mind racing as she thought upon his words. It was already foolish enough of her to believe his words, but there was so much of the situation which made little to no sense. The Village Chief had informed the Countess of what she had seen, and it was one thing for the Chief of the Iyr to speak of Adam, no doubt emphasising his tale for his own plots, but it was another for the Village Chief, supposedly loyal to Aldland, to speak of such a farce. Except, it was true enough the half elf had slain the Vice Commander and his apprentice. It was a stretch for him to be able to slay the Grand Commander though, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Would you be willing to spar with my Oakguard?¡± Countess Redoak asked, motioning a hand to the Oakguard beside her. ¡°Sir Juge Cherrytree, First Branch of the Oakguard of Red Oak. It would be your honour.¡± Adam furrowed his brows lightly, before a small smile crept upon his face. The smile turned into a light chuckle, before it grew into a laugh, the crescendo a cackle, which proved he was his daughter¡¯s father. ¡°Jurot! Jurot, did you hear that?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Jurot replied, though uncertain of what Adam meant exactly. The Countess remained silent as the half elf continued to laugh, the young man slapping his knee, while his sister also began to laugh, unsure of why she was laughing, but she clapped her hands excitedly. ¡®Oh, Adam,¡¯ Vonda thought. Adam being able to troll the nobles is peak. [1140] – Y06.040 – Answers II [1140] ¨C Y06.040 ¨C Answers II ¡°Man, you guys are so funny,¡± Adam said, reaching down to ruffle Lanarot¡¯s hair. ¡°You are in the presence of the Countess,¡± the First Oakguard stated. ¡°What? You think I¡¯m wearing some kind of helmet so I can¡¯t see?¡± Adam replied, his eyes narrowing towards the First Oakguard. ¡°Are you some kind of Paragon, talking to me like that?¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda said, reaching out a hand, placing it upon Adam¡¯s. Adam¡¯s eyes darted towards his wife¡¯s, and the half elf¡¯s demeanour relaxed once more, the young man smiling wide. ¡°It is really funny, though. I mean, I showed you guys, Red Oak, so much favour. It was... it is a beautiful town. I remember walking into it for the first time and just being in awe. Vice Master Paul, he¡¯s always been nice to me, so I did my best to show your town favour, Countess.¡± ¡®What kind of connection does he have with the Vice Master?¡¯ the Countess thought, the flashes of that bronze skinned fellow filling her mind, his gaunt face, his exhausted eyes. ¡°When we formed the business, I was the one to make sure Red Oak received the Enchanter¡¯s favour, sending all those weapons to be auctioned. Even after how poorly I was treated by the High Alchemist. Man, I...¡± Adam sighed, as though already exhausted of the Aldishmen. ¡°I remember, I wanted to buy some wood, the titular red oak. I wanted to buy it for my handsome brother here. Each time I was rebutted, rebuked, rebutted and rebuked. I thought, fine, you know, I haven¡¯t done enough for Red Oak, that¡¯s fair. I remember, though, we had that situation, you remember Jurot?¡± ¡°I remember,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°I was trying to buy... I want say it was saddlebags for my horse. I went to buy some, and after taking my money, the woman wouldn¡¯t make them for me. Someone had been going around, making sure I couldn¡¯t buy stuff, but thankfully, I was able to procure something eventually, I think in Ever Green, but it might have been someone else in Red Oak.¡± ¡°What an unfortunate circumstance,¡± the Countess replied, narrowing her eyes slightly at the half elf. ¡°What does that have to do with my request?¡± ¡°I... wanted so much from Red Oak. I wanted to give so much to Red Oak. I was constantly... rebuked, rebutted. Rebutted, rebuked.¡± The half elf¡¯s eyes glazed over slightly as he reminisced, before a smile slipped across his lips once more. ¡°Now? Now the Countess herself comes. All this way. Wow. Just for little old me?¡± ¡°I came for the bodies of the great warriors.¡± ¡°Hmm! Right, of course! How could I forget!¡± Adam grinned wider. ¡°The Countess herself, she came for the bodies of the great warriors of the various Orders, sorry, the one Order now isn¡¯t it? High Garden, what a beautiful name for an Order too, might I add. Anyway, you came for the Order, and then you heard something interesting. This young kid. This no good, filthy leaf ear that I kept hearing-,¡± ¡°Be wary of your words,¡± Chloe interrupted the half elf, taking a step beside the Countess. ¡°That I kept hearing about!¡± Adam raised his voice lightly, glaring at the Oakguard. ¡°Huh! Who is this brat? This punk? He keeps showing up again and again, and now I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s killed the Grand Commander? Isn¡¯t he just twenty something? Twenty four, to be exact, like my wife, and my brother.¡± Jurot held onto his sister, fairly certain the half elf was joking, but even he was shocked. If Adam was going so far as to speak such words, it was bad. No, it¡¯s wasn¡¯t bad. It was terrible. ¡®What?¡¯ the Countess thought, unsure of how to take it, for she had no idea who the Frech were. ¡°Watch your tongue, young man,¡± Juge stated firmly. ¡°You are no Iyrman.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Adam replied, his lips forming a gentle smile. ¡°You are just a Paragon?¡± Lanarot went from shock to incredulity, smirking slightly towards the Aldish fellow, the girl cackling lightly up towards Jurot. ¡®...¡¯ Juge filled with annoyance, but he knew better than to draw his blade, especially not in front of the child. The Countess had warned him well enough. ¡°You¡¯re smart enough to know you need a bigger army if you want to take a shot at me, Lady Redoak. The Marquess learnt that lesson the hard way.¡± ¡°If I were to deal with you, I would plan appropriately.¡± ¡°Double it,¡± Adam said. ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda raised her voice, her face stern, the woman glaring up at her husband. Her eyes then darted towards Countess Redoak. ¡°Lady Redoak, I expected this much from Adam, but you have allowed this joke to go too far. Adam, I expect you to respect the customs of my culture, as you would your brother¡¯s.¡± Adam turned beet red, the half elf¡¯s face full of the heat of shame. ¡°Right... sorry.¡± ¡°Adam must step back because he is no Iyrman, but you may do as you wish,¡± Jurot said, ruffling his sister¡¯s hair. ¡°I know! It is because I am an Iyrman!¡± Lanarot exclaimed, cackling with delight, not a single hint of fear filling the woman. As the girl exclaimed, a horn blasted in the distance, and Jurot stood, reaching for his axe, while Adam reached down for his dagger, and Vonda stood swiftly, the pair of blades before her not deterring the woman. Sorry for missing the last two days, I''ve been going through some health issues recently. Interlude: High Noon Interlude: High Noon ¡°Son of a cat!¡± the devilkin exclaimed, reaching up a hand to slap the back of his son¡¯s head, but the boy brought his hands up as the older man tapped the back of his hands. ¡°Defending yourself from your father? The youth of this day!¡± ¡°You are too old to be striking me now, and I am too old to be struck,¡± the boy replied, shuffling away beside the other. ¡°You think you are so old now, you can eat more bread?¡± ¡°We will reach the city soon! We can buy more bread, fresh and fluffy, not like the way you cook!¡± ¡°Grab him!¡± the man ordered, though the boy slipped further back. Even as he did, he soon found himself within his father¡¯s arms, the devilkin pinching his son¡¯s cheek. ¡°When grandmother hears, she will teach you your place!¡± the boy exclaimed, still struggling against his father, before he was set free once more. ¡°Are we so poor we cannot afford more bread?¡± ¡°You think we became this rich by spending all our silver and gold?¡± ¡°When I am the Yellow Turban, you will see,¡± the boy replied, his eyes darting up to his father¡¯s turban, a yellow turban, the same one that denoted him to be the eponymous figure. ¡°You think you can have my turban?¡± Yellow Turban replied. ¡°When I am Yellow Turban, they will say I am the best,¡± Kalid stated. ¡°You? You are... five? Six?¡± ¡°You are so old you cannot remember I am eleven?¡± Kalid teased his father, raising his brows. ¡°This is why I should have it now.¡± ¡°Eleven is still too young.¡± ¡°Eleven is old. I am almost a man.¡± ¡°Almost a man, but not a man yet.¡± ¡°The women, they love me. If I want to be a man, I will go to the city and find five, six women.¡± ¡°Too many women and you will lose all the gold.¡± ¡°I will earn so much I can have one hundred women!¡± the boy declared, flashing the most charming smile, dodging his father¡¯s slow hand. ¡°You are too young. When you are...¡± Yellow Turban continued to smile that charming smile that he had inherited from his own father and had passed on to his son. His eyes lowered for a moment, noting the motion Jalal made. He didn¡¯t look, trusting his friend¡¯s instincts. ¡°You are too old,¡± Kalid snapped at his father, chewing on his bread. ¡°They say this Kalid is so good! This Kalid, he can sell snow to Noskans, blood to Iyrmen, and fire to the Rai.¡± Yellow Turban pulled up his turban, revealing his long hair, tied into a knot, and held out the turban to his son. Kalid smiled even wider, bowing his head, but his smile dropped as his father placed the turban onto his head, his face going from playful mischief to grave concern. The Reaver listened intently to the figure¡¯s words, trying to understand what he was trying to say. ¡°I am Jalal. Son of my mother. Father of my daughter.¡± He spun his blades over his hands, the sun of high noon gleaming across the steel, of blue and red, before pointing his blades downwards. The silver eyed Reaver¡¯s attention turned to him, smelling how powerful the figure was in comparison to his merchant companion. ¡°Do not look away,¡± Basim warned, before willing the magic through his hilt, which formed a blade of wind. ¡°I did not become Yellow Turban because of my good looks, but I still have such good looks, so when you look away it hurts.¡± ¡°...¡± Jalal stepped forward, and as the silver eyed Reaver stepped forward, it spun to the side to clash against Basim¡¯s Windsabre. ¡°Ah? Can you feel it?¡± Basim smirked at the Reaver, whose disappointment quickly washed away as the devilkin filled with the heat of rage, and suddenly forced the being back. Jalal clashed with one Reaver while the other remained back, but he quickly lunged for the remaining Reaver, who barely managed to deflect the devilkin¡¯s blades. ¡°Why must you feel so lonely?¡± Jalal asked. Jalal forced the two back with his great strength, who quickly stepped beside one another, ready to face the Rage Dancer, whose blades hummed with delight. Basim inhaled deeply as he clashed with the silver eyed Reaver, the pair¡¯s blades singing the kind of song one could only hope for. However, as he fought the silver eyed Reaver, he had already felt it during their first clash, but it was further confirmed. Basim could have fought either one of the other Reavers to victory, but not this silver eyed Reaver. Jalal beheaded one of the Reavers, its head falling behind him. He heard a struggled cough behind him. ¡°You may go first, Basim. I will follow.¡± ¡°Noorshukhur,¡± Basim replied, and though his body was red hot with rage, and he was stronger than he had ever felt before, the silver eyed Reaver stood tall and unmoving. ¡®Kalid! You must avenge this worthless father of yours! I dare to lose your inheritance, and leave your uncle to die alone?¡¯ Jalal heard the light thump, followed by the heavier thump, but as he continued to force the remaining Reaver back, his blows turned light, and the devilkin stopped within his tracks, looming over the remaining Reaver, who almost greeted death. The Reaver remained silent and still, before slowly pulling out of Jalal¡¯s shadow. The silver eyed Reaver reached down towards Yellow Turban¡¯s chest, inhaling deeply as its entire body glowed, before it picked up the hilt, claiming the prize of its victory. The other Reaver placed a hand on the dead Reaver¡¯s body, gasping lightly before pulling away. ¡°...¡± The silver eyed Reaver reached out to Jalal¡¯s chest, grunting in discomfort, and drew out Jalal¡¯s spirit, before tossing it into the air. While it could not claim it, for they did not earn the victory, at least it would not be claimed by the beasts which would pick at its bones. As the pair of Reavers left, Basim and the dead Reaver¡¯s bodies turned to dust, while Jalal stood, holding onto his blades still. The silver eyed Reaver smiled. These lands were truly full of treats. It stopped smiling, as across the horizon, a figure approached them. He stepped towards the Reaver pair, striking his cane lightly upon the earth as he walked ever onward. Sitting atop his hat was a large crow. I wish I had showed Yellow Turban off more! [1141] – Y06.041 – Answers III [1141] ¨C Y06.041 ¨C Answers III ¡°Drawing your axe in front of the Countess,¡± Sir Chloe said, her blade pointed towards Jurot¡¯s neck. ¡°Who allowed you such courage?¡± Jurot glared at the woman, but he remained still, and as Juge began to speak, the horn blasted once more, rumbling through the village. ¡°Lanarot, to your brother.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lanarot said with the fearlessness of an Iyrchild, the girl waddling to her brother. Health: 126 -> 125 She felt something hot and wet upon her head, the girl reaching up to wipe it off, before noticing the streak of red. She glanced up, her body jolting lightly, as she saw her brother, who was no Iyrman, make a face which she saw upon Iyrmen. ¡°Hey, you fu-,¡± The horn bellowed through once more, cutting off the rest of Adam¡¯s words, but Juge did not need to hear the words, not see Adam¡¯s lips moving, for if looks could kill, he understood how the Grand Commander had lost his life. However, he at the very least appreciated that the foolish half elf had grabbed his sword, since he had almost pointed it at the girl, and at that point, things would have been difficult. His eyes then met Vonda¡¯s, which held the same glare as when she had told her husband off for almost getting himself killed. ¡°We must return to the fort,¡± Jurot said, his hand firmly glued on the handle of his axe. ¡°You may leave,¡± the Countess said, and as their eyes met, the woman slowly bowed her head, the sense of relief washing through her as the Iyrman returned the bow of his head. As they stepped outside, three figures blurred towards them, and as the guards prepared themselves, the Iyrmen ignored them. ¡°Lanarot, come,¡± Mulrot called, motioning towards Kitool, who picked up the girl, while Citool stepped opposite them, closing the circle around the girl. Rajin and Kamrot met them on their return, the guards allowing them to slip away, since they had been warned of the Bearded Dragon. ¡®What the hell is going on?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°The Reavers have come,¡± the Chief explained once the group were back, while the figures within were already in the process of packing away to leave. ¡°What happened to your hand.¡± ¡°I caught a blade that tried to aim for Lanarot,¡± Adam replied, who straightened up upon seeing Iromin¡¯s eyes turning to meet Jurot¡¯s, who shook his head. Iromin remained tense for a moment, but quickly the lust for blood simmered down, though a gentle glare remained. ¡°Adam, come,¡± Iromin called, leading the half elf away, towards the inner section of the fort. ¡°You must send word to Elder Lykan to send a hundred Experts to this fort.¡± Mana: 34 -> 31 Spell: Sending ¡°Elder Lykan, Chief Iromin says to send a hundred Experts to our fort.¡± ¡®Okay.¡¯ ¡°Please send word to Prince Morkarai, Queen Silvari, and Lady Shamia. Inform them the Reavers have come, and we of the Iyr warn them to brace themselves.¡± ¡°Absolutely, but who is Lady Shamia?¡± Adam replied, and once Jurot arrived to tell Adam, the half elf nodded his head, barely remembering the woman. ¡®Understood,¡¯ came the response from Prince Morkarai, though there was a tone that wished to say more. ¡®You messaged me just for that?¡¯ Queen Silvari replied. ¡®I will send word to my father,¡¯ Lady Shamia replied. ¡®Please ask the Chief if the Iyr would be willing to extend our deal.¡¯ Iromin thought for a moment, with how far the Confederacy was, and with the business those Iyrmen were currently tasked with. He nodded. Jirot placed her hands upon her brother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You have your bottle?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± little Jarot replied. ¡°Good! We must leave now because it is dangerous, you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Of course, since you are my brother,¡± Jirot said, kissing her brother¡¯s head, before checking upon Virot, who stared up questioningly to her mother. ¡°Odobo?¡± ¡°We must go.¡± ¡°Go?¡± ¡°We must.¡± ¡°Mus?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Virot sighed. ¡°Virot,¡± Jirot called, holding her hand, and the little girl charged over, grabbing her elder sister¡¯s hand. ¡°Good girl. We must go now.¡± ¡°Go!¡± Virot struck the air with an excited fist. Adam finished donning his armour, tapping the axe at his side, and the dagger over his heart, the half elf then grabbing his shield, that with the symbol of the United Kindom. He stared at it for a moment, noting the vague shape of the half elf in purple. ¡®...¡¯ As Adam prepared himself, the older Iyrmen argued for who would remain behind to watch over the area. That was until someone put their foot down. ¡°Babo, good luck,¡± Jirot said, holding Dogek¡¯s hand, caressing the back of it so tenderly. ¡°You must take good care of yourself and stay comfortable, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Dogek replied. ¡°Babos, nanos, come! We must go now!¡± Jirot stated firmly, pointing out to the entrance of the fort. Gangak scratched at her chin, finding it awkward to refuse her greatdaughter, who adored her so much. She glanced aside to Mulrot, Rajin, and Shasen, each of whom had also fought to stay behind. Mulrot had gone so far as to tease her husband, who wished to remain with his children, but had tried to get her to come along. Dogek¡¯s eyes darted to the side, finding his niece smiling at him, bowing her head lightly, and Dogek returned the bow, the relief setting deep within the Iyrman. ¡°Little Jijin, I must stay,¡± Rajin said. ¡°There should be two Paragons.¡± Jirot placed her hands on her hips, glancing aside to her brother, and let out a sigh. ¡°Okay, okay, since you have said it. Babo, you must be safe, okay? If you are in danger, you tell daddy, and daddy will come help.¡± Rajin blinked, throwing a look to the other Iyrmen beside him, each of whom smirked playfully at the Iyrman. ¡°Okay.¡± Jirot hugged his leg, patting him upon the side of his knee, before sauntering off. As she walked away, she glanced up towards Gangak, who glanced down at the girl. ¡°Babo is too cheeky. My name is Jirot.¡± Those who began to guard the business due to the incident, mostly those of the extended Rot families and those tangentially related to a particular set of children, each circled the fort from atop the walls, their eyes focused keenly upon the environment around. Kamrot was the only figure who moved, his attention moving from the environment, to the guards atop the walls, and those within the fort. ¡°Open your eyes! Steel your hearts! There is evil afoot!¡± Kamrot exclaimed, rotating the phrases as he stopped within the centre of each wall. Jurot directed the businessfolk in place of his brother, assisting the children and the pregnant women within the carriages, while the able bodied were adorned in their heavy armour and their weapons. Harriet held onto a staff, ready to walk alongside the carriages which held her children, but her eyes slipped aside towards Rick, who waited patiently beside the Iyrman. His hair was neatly trimmed, his beard trimmed lightly, lined with almost Aswadian precision, his heavily scarred face scrunched in intense concentration, so much concentration he didn¡¯t realise someone was eyeing him so intensely. Where once he wore a large axe, he wore a blade, and not just any blade, a magical blade. His body was hidden behind heavy armour, full plate, that kind of armour knights wore, emblazened with the symbol of the United Kindom. The look within her eye was not full of envy, but the opposite, for though the armour, the magical shield, the sword all belonged to him, he already belonged to her. Charley inhaled deeply, flexing her body within her heavy armour, glancing aside towards Greg, who was also hidden within his heavy armour. The pair exchanged nods, ready to wield their greatblades if it came down to it. The cousin porters turned guards also stood at the ready, standing in front of the trio of archers. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve all gotten together like this,¡¯ John reminisced, his mind flashing with the images of the hydras. Back then, they had been escorted by one of the Hopes and several Rays, but this time... ¡°By the Divine, where is that boy?¡± Adam asked, glancing all around, having counted the heads of each of his children. ¡°Which boy?¡± Vonda asked, her brows furrowing curiously. ¡°My adorable little Damrot,¡± Adam said, his entire body turning with his head as he tried to find the tiny little boy who never caused him trouble. ¡°Adam,¡± Vonda said, placing a hand upon his shoulder, before the other brushed along Damrot¡¯s cheek, the boy¡¯s attention turning from the half elf to his aunt. ¡°Oh,¡± Adam said, blinking at the boy within his arm. ¡°In all fairness, that¡¯s actually a fairly common phenomena, where you are looking for something that¡¯s right in front-, Jirot, please, don¡¯t give me that look.¡± Jirot¡¯s brows remained raised as she slowly shuffled to the side, pretending as though she wasn¡¯t with her father, the girl approaching beside her nano, who ruffled her hair. Little Jarot smiled up at his father, cackling lightly. Our kids are growing up too fast! [1142] – Y06.042 – Answers IV [1142] ¨C Y06.042 ¨C Answers IV ¡°Nobby,¡± Ted called, the older man embracing his son, patting the boy¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°Take care of yerself, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, pa,¡± the large auroch of a man replied. ¡°If you need any help, you make sure you ask the Executives, alright? They don¡¯t want to invest all that gold into you just to waste it because of some... whatever they call themselves.¡± ¡°Yes, pa. ¡°Who¡¯ll help Freddie if something happens to you?¡± ¡°Yes, pa.¡± Freddie remained quiet as Ted continued to tell off the large fellow that was his son, though the older man brimmed with pride. The young man¡¯s eyes darted around, taking in the sight of all the figures preparing to leave. He narrowed his eyes, looking at all those who had gathered that day, ignoring most of the Iyrmen. The Executives from Adam to Kitool, the Managers from Dunes to Mara, the Leads from Fred to Rick, then the likes of Nobby and Brittany, who were among a similar level. Then he looked to the others, from Ivy, all the way to Mork. They numbered greater than twenty, and though there were newer guards, like himself, ignoring them, everyone he saw was at least an Expert. It was only when he saw them all standing together, ready for battle, that Freddie suddenly filled with the tingling sensation in his stomach. It was a strange feeling, both warm and cold, both excitement and dread, and both pride and shame. ¡®I need to work harder...¡¯ The memory of Jurot beating him during training caused him to wince. ¡°Bilal!¡± Adam called out, approaching the older Aswadian. ¡°Are all the kids within their carriages?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bilal replied. His white hair remained hidden within his turban, his beard thick and lined by an Aswadian hand, orange thanks to Charley. He wore the attire of the United Kindom, fairly typical shirt and trousers, and with well made heavy boots, and at his side the Aswadian carried a scimitar he did not need. ¡°Alya and Asya too?¡± ¡°They are watching over Ranya and Enisa,¡± Bilal replied. Adam smiled slightly, glancing aside, noticing he couldn¡¯t see Amira anywhere. ¡°Yeah...¡± Bilal remained silent, allowing the half elf to take in the sight before him, before the Executive took a step closer. ¡°If something does happen, I hope you¡¯ll step forward,¡± Adam said. ¡°I will,¡± Bilal promised, and with that, the half elf stepped away, and Bilal could once more feel Baztam¡¯s gaze upon him. ¡®If Bael and Bilal are around then it should be...¡¯ Adam paused. ¡®Where¡¯s Bael?¡¯ ¡°If the Iyr needs my help, it must be terrible,¡± Bael said, standing in front of one of the figures who could judge his fate. ¡°We do not need your help,¡± Iromin stated. Bael laughed, rubbing the side of his neck, before his eyes darted around, noting the unseen eyes upon his skin. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Will you remain or do you wish to leave?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to explore the Iyr yet, so I¡¯d like to stay.¡± ¡°Your exploration is limited.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± Bael replied, and the Chief bowed his head. ¡°I won¡¯t trouble you much.¡± Iromin¡¯s eyes remained full of doubt, recalling the trouble his family had already caused the Iyr recently. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It is always an honour to host one such as yourself.¡± Bael groaned, tutting lightly. He inhaled sharply, letting out his mischief. ¡°If the Reavers start causing you trouble, you can call for me.¡± ¡°Many things have changed since the Iyr first formed. We, who were brought so low, to a handful of children, and now...¡± Iromin looked out towards the fort to the side, before his eyes fell to the hills and the distant mountain. ¡°We are not the Iyr of old, Prince.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Prince when I¡¯m trying to speak to you from my heart,¡± Bael replied, almost gagging. ¡°I¡¯m a hero.¡± ¡°I regret to inform you, you may need to find another calamity to make your name,¡± Iromin replied. ¡°You¡¯re that confident?¡± ¡°Even if you were to explore the Iyr freely, you would not know of its true strength.¡± Bael raised his brow, surprised to hear the Chief speak so brazenly to confirm the Iyr dealt with smokes and mirrors. ¡°You trust me enough to tell me that?¡± ¡°Outside of your great grandfather, there has been only one other who has treated us appropriately from your family,¡± Iromin dared to say. ¡°There was another?¡± Bael asked, more surprised to hear that. As far as he was aware, everyone within his family despised the relationship and duty they held towards the Iyr. Iromin smiled, but decided to say anything more. ¡°I will trust you with another matter.¡± ¡°You want me to kill him if he turns.¡± ¡°...¡± Iromin¡¯s eyes darted to the figure who was still in his half dragon form. He had thought Bael picked up on things quickly, but to think he knew the favour he was going to ask almost immediately... ¡°I¡¯ll have to burn my Spark to beat him,¡± Bael said, yawning, before smirking so obviously. ¡®He has a Spark?¡¯ Iromin thought, suddenly uncertain of Bael¡¯s true strength. ¡®How...¡¯ At first, it was impossible, but then Iromin thought about what the Iyr had received only years ago. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Chief. As sad as it is to say, I have a greater loyalty to the Iyr than even my own home.¡± ¡°The Iyr is your home too.¡± Bael scoffed lightly, before meeting the Chief¡¯s gaze. The look within the young Iyrman¡¯s eyes struck deep into Bael¡¯s heart. ¡°A home I¡¯ve never stepped within? The old man was right. You¡¯re all more insane than I could imagine!¡± At the fort, Adam eyed up both Charley and Greg. ¡®Why aren¡¯t they wearing full plate? Didn¡¯t I...¡¯ Adam tutted at himself. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°Blues!¡± Konarot nuzzled against the bird¡¯s nose. ¡°You take care, okay?¡± ¡°Teet!¡± the small bird replied. Konarot frowned, still unable to speak with the bird. ¡°Sorry, Blues...¡± Seeing her ears fall and her tail sway, Jurot placed a hand upon the girl¡¯s shoulder. ¡°When we return, I will speak with Blues for you.¡± ¡°Blues can come?¡± ¡°No.¡± Konarot pouted, but she nodded her head, allowing the bird to remain behind. She climbed into the carriage, Tonagek entering with her, keeping an eye on the girl and the rest of the triplets. Jaygak sat with Jirot and Jarot, the pair cuddling her close as they talked the girl¡¯s ears off. As the carriages made their way towards the Front Iyr, Dogek and Rajin watched them go. Kamrot continued to circle around the wall, the guards remaining at the business, trusting in the Iyrmen who had come to assist to escort the children back. Some of those who had come to kill the Order members remained too, with Keiwyj and the Bak twins settled within the fort, waiting for support. Duteous could feel it burn against his chest, the plaque the Chief had handed to him, denoting him as the Chief¡¯s representative. ¡®Do I deserve it?¡¯ As the carriages made their way, the small army accompanying them remained alert, with the businessfolk keeping an eye out. Many of the Iyrmen remained near the children they were assigned to watch over. However, as they made their way to the Front Iyr, they came across a small army of Iyrmen, at least two hundred. Chief Iromin greeted the leader, and after a moment, the army split into two, one half escorting the carriages, and the other half making their way after checking on the children. Most who approached the fort were younger, in their late twenties and early thirties, while those accompanying the carriages were in their late thirties and early forties. The giant wall stretched out before them, all across the horizon, following the curves of the hills. The bottom of the wall was made of earth and rock, and was about as tall as Adam. At the top of each hill was a tower, though it was covered by cloth, coloured similarly to the walls. Part of the path beside them gently sloped further downwards, save for the path which led right to the gate. The gate itself was made of a giant slab of wood, twice as tall as Adam, and six Adams wide. The slab of wood began to shift as it opened up horizontally, only to reveal another slab of wood, which was moving in the opposition direction, before they met half way and the light peeked through. The gate was about twenty to thirty paces deep. The carriages continued along through the pathway, surrounded by sheer walls on either side, each which was slightly taller than the wall behind them. The path gently sloped upwards for roughly half a mile, towards another set of heavy gates. ¡°So this must be The Valley of Death,¡± Mork joked, but though he joked, he was unable to hide the awe. ¡®This kind of place... it¡¯s more heavily fortified than even Jaghi!¡¯ ¡°No,¡± Tork replied, knowing what his brother¡¯s expression was saying. ¡°This place¡¯s more.¡± Mork couldn¡¯t refute the words. The gates at the top were already open by the time they arrived, where another path led forward to the village some quarter mile away from them. Tanagek stared out towards the Front Iyr, meeting Jurot¡¯s gaze for a moment. Where once he had seen the open plains which hid mysteries to outsiders, there were large walls of jagged rock, like those of mountain peaks. Where once a sparse, expansive village of wooden cabins dotted across the land lay, now were replaced with hundreds of large estates. The ground floor of each estate was made of hard stone, and for the few buildings with more than one story, the upper stories were made of wood. Tanagek spotted a handful of buildings which reached towards the sky, three stories tall, made completely of stone. ¡®This must have happened during the Year of Silence,¡¯ Tanagek thought, before his eyes fell to the Chief, who led them ever forward. The businessfolk quickly understood just why even their Executive feared the Iyr. ¡°Lord Stokmar made all the walls,¡± Jirot informed her youngest sisters. ¡°Lord Stokmar is the Lord of Earth. You were too small, so you cannot remember, but Lord Stokmar played with us at our birthday party last year.¡± ¡°Loh?¡± Virot asked. ¡°Yes. Lord Stokmar is very strong, but it¡¯s okay, because I am the Demon Lord, and I will be stronger!¡± No wonder Virot is so mean to her father... [1143] – Y06.043 – Busy I ¡°We must go?¡± Konarot asked, her ears and tail drooping, her lips half forming into a pout. ¡°Apparently so, my dear,¡± Adam replied, dropping down to a knee, pulling his eldest daughter in close. He had yet to take off his armour, but he could feel her hair tickling his cheek. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Iyr wishes to take all of you back home.¡± ¡°You are not coming?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot called, rushing up to her father, before the pair embraced tight. ¡°We are going now!¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You must come!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°We are fighting now?¡± Adam chuckled, stopping when he saw Jirot¡¯s pout. ¡°I¡¯ll come by soon, okay?¡± ¡°You are always working, daddy...¡± ¡°This time I¡¯m working for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Since your father is working for the Iyr, let us support his decision,¡± Vonda said, carrying Virot towards them. The girl glared at her father, but allowed him to nuzzle her cheek, before the pair exchanged kisses upon their cheeks. ¡°Daddy! I am going to help the Iyr too! You must come see, okay?¡± Jirot stood tall and proud, clenching her fists. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Kako, you will come?¡± Jirot asked, the girl¡¯s amber eyes hopeful, amplified by her brother, who stepped beside her and stared up at the red skinned Iyrman. Jaygak had just said her goodbyes to her sisters and cousins, but with the gaze of the twins shooting up at her, and seeing as what they were doing, their elder siblings also stepped close, their leaf shaped ears and tails drooping. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°I may not be able to return with you,¡± Jaygak replied, smiling innocently. Jirot pouted, the girl slowly tilting her head downward, before she started to twitch. ¡°Okay...¡± Seeing the girl¡¯s tears, Jaygak dropped to her knees, and pulled her close. Little Jarot¡¯s shaking sobbing body quickly melted against her side as the Iyrman held her niece and nephew within her warm embrace. There had been a small part of her that wished the children had only been joking, that Jirot would tease her, but she knew these tears were real, for Jirot, for once, had accepted her fate. ¡°My Jirot, my Jarot... I will return with you. I will come.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Lanarot pointed towards Jurot with an accusatory finger. ¡°We must go now.¡± ¡°You must watch over Virot and Damrot,¡± Jurot said, holding out his hand, allowing his sister to shake it. Lanarot groaned. ¡°Virot is such big trouble, brother, but... what can I do? I must watch over her!¡± The shadow of a smile encroached upon the Iyrman¡¯s lips, before he let her go, allowing Lanarot to charge her other brother. ¡°Lanababy!¡± Adam caught the girl, tossing her up, causing the girl to squeal, catching her and kissing her all over her face. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Be good for mummy, okay?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Will you watch over Virot and Damrot?¡± ¡°I know! I will do it!¡± ¡°What about Xarot and Monarot?¡± ¡°I will!¡± ¡°Make sure to give them kisses for me!¡± ¡°I will!¡± Lanarot held up a thumbs up for a brother, before the pair attacked one another with kisses again. Pam held Jurot¡¯s hand, brushing along his knuckles with a palm. ¡°Take care, Jurot.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Jurot wrapped an arm around his wife, reminding her just how strong he was, before letting her go. ¡°Send Bam my greetings.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Vonda embraced her husband tight, swaying within his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t cause too much trouble for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Who? Me?¡± Adam smiled, leaning down to nuzzle her nose, thinking about stealing a kiss, but decided against doing it so publicly. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, darling.¡± ¡°You have to, otherwise Jirot is going to...¡± Vonda raised her brows threateningly. ¡°I know, I know.¡± Adam chuckled, letting his wife go. He helped her into the carriage, then picked up his children up one by one, exchanging kisses on their cheeks, finally placing them within the carriage. ¡°Are you excited kako is going with you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot replied, her reddened eyes now gleaming with a brightness which melted her father¡¯s heart. ¡°You have to bully her a lot, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot cackled, and little Jarot smirked. Jaygak pat Adam¡¯s shoulder, the half elf returning the pat, before she slipped into the carriage. Her head darted out. ¡°Adam?¡± ¡°Vonda already made the joke,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Was it a joke?¡± Jaygak winked at the half elf before slipping within the carriage once more. As the carriages prepared to leave, Shikan glanced back, letting out a sigh. He approached the Elder, shaking his forearm. ¡°You did not kill any for me?¡± ¡°Mother did,¡± Shikan joked. ¡°Inakan threatened to cry.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lykan replied, forgiving his cousin. ¡°The time for vengeance has... been delayed.¡± ¡°Let us hope it has passed.¡± ¡°You say that because you were able to watch.¡± Shikan smiled slightly. ¡°You will lead during the time of the Reavers.¡± ¡°There is less honour in this.¡± Shikan shrugged his shoulders, before the pair crossed forearms, and Shikan returned back to the carriage, leaving his cousin with a lighter heart. Lucy watched the carriages go, wearing a frown upon her face, and plagued by her weary heart. ¡®I should have gone with them. They¡¯ll miss me.¡¯ Mara also looked longingly towards the carriages, but the woman closed her eyes, crossing her hands in front of her navel. She opened her eyes a moment later, only after killing the longing within her heart. There was work to be done. Adam approached the Front Iyr Elder, his eyes matching those of Mara¡¯s. ¡°So... they¡¯re finally here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lykan replied, the silver fox of a man leading the half elf away. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Adam whispered, though silence kept him company until Lykan took him to a place which was out of sight, and was perfect to kill the half elf without anyone knowing. ¡°You can create four Basic weapons in three days, four Greater weapons in six, and four Greater Enhanced in twelve.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Lykan decided against saying he wasn¡¯t asking, but he turned to face the half elf. ¡°Enchant as many Greater weapons as you are willing. The Iyr will provide the weapons, the gems, and will pay a thousand for each.¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise, but he slowly nodded his head. ¡°I can... do that, yeah. If you need me to craft any weapons too, I can also do that.¡± ¡°We have crafted many thanks to your advice.¡± ¡°What advice?¡± ¡°The specialisation.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°The assembly line.¡± ¡°Oh! Yes, right, yeah. Oh yeah, I forgot about that.¡± Lykan sighed, before bowing his head. ¡°Instead of weapons, would you craft full plate?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, absolutely. I need to make some for Charley and Greg too, but I can craft at least.. four a day, as well as enchanting?¡± ¡°You must be careful, unless you come under a magical fever once more.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind coming under a...¡± Adam paused. ¡®If I¡¯m sick, I¡¯ll be out of commission if something might happen.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s keep it to two every other day?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lykan reached out a hand to Adam¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°You have shown yourself to be a great ally to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Thanks. I try.¡± ¡°We will never forget.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Adam replied, noting the look in Lykan¡¯s eyes, the half elf smiling. ¡°The Iyr never forgets.¡± ¡°What is it that you wish to request?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same request it¡¯s always been.¡± ¡°We will look after your family.¡± Adam motioned a hand towards the centre of the Front Iyr. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound like a cult, but my family is much bigger than you might think.¡± ¡°Do you consider them your family?¡± ¡°In a certain sense of the word.¡± ¡°I will make sure they are taken care of in the Front Iyr, if they cannot be taken care of in the Main Iyr.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll get to work right now then, shall I?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chosen walked along the perimeter of the new Front Iyr, which seems to be a wheel with eight spokes, the central fire joining them all together. He stopped in front of a particular figure. An older man, with dark skin, littered with scars. A lean muscular form, that had grown slightly chubbier thanks to his retirement within the Iyr. He had long hair, like a mane, with two braids falling down his shoulders. His eyes were dark and tired, mostly of his daughter who bullied him so much, though thankfully she had returned earlier in the day with the rest of the children. Ashmir met Chosen¡¯s eyes, the old man bowing his head lightly, the younger Chosen bowing his head in return. ¡°You are a Sen?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Chosen replied. ¡°Bloodblade¡¯s?¡± ¡°He is my granduncle.¡± Chosen narrowed his eyes slightly. ¡°You are Lion King?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Chosen smiled, bowing his head lightly. ¡°It is an honour.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Ashmir smiled slightly, hoisting himself up. ¡°Did you return today?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°Have the others returned? From the business?¡± ¡°They have,¡± Chosen replied, tilting his head slightly. ¡®Is he related to the business?¡¯ He doesn''t know! [1144] – Y06.044 – Busy II The old man brushed the red girl¡¯s cheek, the girl squealing, her giggled a gentle melody which soothed his heart. ¡°Jaja!¡± ¡°Jad,¡± the old man replied. ¡°Jad.¡± ¡°Jaja!¡± Ranya clapped her hands excitedly, before hiding her face within his chest shyly as she continued to giggle. The old man continued to brush a finger along her cheek, feeling how warm her skin was in comparison to all the other children. His eyes fell upon her horns, the tiny nubs which were displayed so proudly, the girl¡¯s curly hair cascading around them like black waterfalls. ¡°You will find trouble in Aldland, my Ranya. You will find trouble in Aswadasad too, if you go near the South. In Central and in the West, it is best for you.¡± ¡°Wes?¡± Ashmir smiled gently, the Lion King leaning in to nuzzle against the girl¡¯s nose. ¡°Aswadasad has been kind and unkind to those with pretty red skin and beautiful horns. Since you are the most gorgeous, they will be unkinder.¡± ¡°Jaja...¡± Ashmir wondered if the girl understood, but he wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to sink further against him. ¡°I knew many devilkin. When I fought in the arena, I fought many, and I fought alongside many. There was... Micah. We called him Four Horns, do you know why?¡± ¡°Foh?¡± ¡°It is because he had two horns on his head like you,¡± Ashmir said, reaching up to rub the girl¡¯s horns with his thumb tenderly, ¡°but his fists, they hurt much more.¡± The girl smiled wider up at her grandfather, clapping her hands excitedly. She continued to shake and giggle within his arms as the old man smiled, revealing his white teeth towards the girl. ¡°I fought him many times. Until, one day... he did not wake up. He was too tired. You? You do not get tired, do you? Is it all the fire within your blood?¡± ¡°Kekeke!¡± ¡°I fought many in my time. For the last decade I fought, they called me the strongest, the greatest ever. The one who taught me devilkin, many years ago, it was Tamin. Tamin Big Fist. Tamin the Strong. Tamin the Great. Tamin the Suleimun. Do you know they called him the Suleimun? It is from Sulayman al-Walid, the Shen of Shens. They said if you died a farmer, you died with your weight in silver. If you were a merchant, you died with your weight in gold. Sulayman, he died with his weight in copper, because he gave all his gold away. Most to his sons!¡± Ranya began to cry out loud in laughter since her grandfather began to shake with such laughter, his laughter low, baritone, filling the girl with the warmth of safety. ¡°His sons fought for a short while, but the youngest, he was put in charge of the East, because his elder brother could not dare to kill him. Even after they fought, the blood spilled in armed rebellion, the eldest still loved his younger brother.¡± ¡°Love,¡± the girl said, her eyes staring up at her grandfather curiously. ¡°Yes.¡± Ashmir smiled. ¡°I was taught by Tamin the Suleimun. Before me, they called him the greatest ever. I was still young when he retired. He was strong. So strong. He would fight with cannon balls. They were lighter, but, when they hit you, the Priests had appear quickly or you would die. I once saw him sink a ship with his cannon balls. The Priests, they cast their spells, yes, but... he was still that strong. Before him, there was Jaroh, you know that name, yes?¡± ¡°Jaroh!¡± ¡°Yes. You know of the Mad Dog, and his greatson? Their name is the same. Jaroh. Jaroh the Black. Do you know why they called him Jaroh the Black? It is because he was as pale as the Aldish.¡± Ashmir chuckled. ¡°They called him the greatest ever because no one could hit him, he was too fast. His feet were like lightning, his fists like thunder.¡± ¡°Thun!¡± The girl threw up her fists. ¡°You are in the Iyr now, but you must remember. The world, it will hate you. They see your red skin, your horns. When they are cut, what colour is their blood? Hmm? Do they not have bones? Do they not play dragonchess? They say it is civility to play dragonchess, but who was it that cut the pieces together? Hmm? Who was it that fought against the blue dragons? They will not remember this, the humans of Aldland, of Aswadasad, but you must not forget.¡± Ashmir leaned down to kiss the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°Your grandfather, he is old now, but if someone bullies you, you must tell me.¡± ¡°Jaja!¡± ¡°Who is it that bullies you?¡± ¡°Mm... Mama?¡± ¡°Your mother is difficult for even your father to defeat. He was wise to marry her, and she...¡± Ashmir thought of how to describe the girl, the woman, who had married the Priest. ¡°She causes your father so much trouble...¡± ¡°Kekeke!¡± Ashmir smirked slightly. ¡°If anyone else bullies you, you can tell me.¡± ¡°Ahm?¡± ¡°Ahm?¡± Ashmir closed his eyes. ¡°He bullies me too.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°It is fine, since he gives us many gifts...¡± Ashmir tickled the girl¡¯s nose. ¡°If he keeps bullying you, you must tell your cousin. Jirot, she is able to defeat your uncle and father so easily.¡± ¡°Jiwoh?¡± Ashmir smiled, thinking of the girl and her brother. He sighed, leaning back within his seat, holding the girl close to his chest, rubbing her cheek tenderly. The girl stared up at him with innocent eyes full of love. ¡°They...¡± Ashmir paused, realising how dangerous his words were. ¡°Jaja...¡± A small, sad, hopeful smile appeared on his lips. ¡°No. Their people, too, have many great stories.¡± ¡°Ranya, come,¡± Amira called, the woman approaching the old man and her eldest daughter. ¡°I must take her to sleep.¡± ¡°No!¡± Ranya defied, only to yawn immediately, and she reached up her arms for her mother. ¡°I should change her, since she has left a gift for me,¡± Ashmir joked, groaning as he stood, feeling the ache within his old bones. ¡°I can¡¯t let you, elder.¡± Ashmir let out a groan, but he didn¡¯t dare to rebut, since it was already awkward enough. ¡°Ranya. You must sleep well.¡± ¡°Bye bye, Jaja,¡± the girl said, opening and clenching her hand towards her grandfather, before Amira carried her away. Ashmir crossed his hands behind his back, watching the pair go until they were out of sight. He turned, trailing within the Front Iyr as the stars loomed overhead, the old man calming his worried heart, pacing away his worries. He stopped. He held out his hand, noting the scars, the wrinkles, and the slight trembling thanks to the cold, and his old age. He clenched his fist tight, stopping the shaking, feeling the heat against his palm, before he opened his hand once more. As the stars twinkled overhead, Chosen leaned back in his chair, sipping at his milk. His eyes darted to the side, catching Tanagek¡¯s eye. ¡°Does your brother wish to conquer the world?¡± Tanagek joked. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°He could carve a piece of Aswadasad,¡± Chosen mused, a little too seriously. ¡°He would not wish for it.¡± ¡°He may be forced to,¡± Chosen said, before sitting upright upon Jurot¡¯s glare. ¡°The Iyr would not allow it,¡± Tanagek stated, catching Jurot¡¯s eye once more. The Adam he saw was, as Jurot had explained, cringe. Tanagek understood the word after only a single example, and almost everything he had seen of Adam seemed to exemplify the word, all save for that. ¡°He should have used an axe,¡± Chosen joked, smirking towards Tanagek. ¡°...¡± When dawn crested the Iyr, they did not see the half elf, though there was no doubt he was still alive. A few hours after breakfast, the half elf approached the gentle fire, where Jurot was entertaining his cousins. ¡°Oh man, oh man! Working so late into the night is killer!¡± ¡°You should not push yourself,¡± Jurot said. ¡°When the Reavers are dealt with, I¡¯ll sleep easy,¡± Adam replied, dropping down beside the Iyrman, the half elf stretching out his shoulders and back. ¡°Plus, sometimes they don¡¯t really see me working hard, so I¡¯ll need to do it in front of them.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The workers. They might think I¡¯m just relaxing when I¡¯m actually working.¡± ¡°They cannot think so when you work so hard.¡± ¡°Yeah, but they don¡¯t see that. They might think I¡¯m those faceless elites that sit around thinking about how much I should be milking...¡± Adam glanced aside to Tanagek and Chosen, who stared at him curiously. ¡°I¡¯m a down to earth, salt of the earth, kinda guy, you know?¡± ¡°You have explained it to me, but you are rich now, Adam.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Adam raised a finger at the Iyrman. ¡°Not cool, Jurot.¡± ¡°It is true.¡± ¡°Yes, but...¡± Adam swallowed nervously, his eyes darting between the Iyrmen, before his eyes turned towards Amira, who carried Enisa towards them. The half elf smiled, though his tilted head betrayed his confusion. ¡°What is the issue?¡± Amira asked, holding Enisa out to the half elf, who quickly took the tiny baby girl, bringing her head to his chest. ¡°I heard you had awoken, and thought you would want to hold her before you left to work.¡± ¡°You know, you guys keep attacking me today, but there¡¯s a bigger issue here,¡± Adam replied, and for once, though he was smiling, his confused tone implied he wasn¡¯t entirely joking. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Jurot asked. The bigger issue here is a bigger issue. [1145] – Y06.045 – Busy III ¡°Ranya, Ranya, Ranya,¡± Adam called, the girl¡¯s head darting up to the half elf, her smile widening as the half elf picked her up. Adam made loud kissing noises, while holding the girl to her chest. ¡°Ahm Adam is so happy to see you!¡± ¡°Ahmatam!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, my dearest Ranya,¡± Adam cooed aloud, swaying with her from side to side as he made his way to Dunes, who sat and drank his tea, awkwardly ignoring the glances from the Lion King who sat so far away. ¡°Good morning,¡± Dunes greeted. ¡°Yeah, yeah, good morning,¡± Adam said, dropping down before the priest, standing Ranya on his lap, the half elf narrowing his eyes suspiciously at her. ¡°Ranya, are you going to pick a fight with me?¡± The girl smiled wider, before reaching out to her father, calling for him. The half elf surrendered her, and as Dunes stole her from him, the Priest noted the look within the half elf¡¯s eyes. ¡°You, uh...¡± Adam began, clearing his throat. ¡°It¡¯s kinda awkward for you all, isn¡¯t it? I mean, the business, right? You guys, you worked in a particular place, but now...¡± Dunes heart had begun to quicken at his words but it slowly calmed, though he could see in on the half elf¡¯s face, the questioning remaining. Dunes was pretty sure Adam was going to ask him that question soon. The Priest slowly nodded his head in response. ¡°You know... the Iyrmen, they took all the children away. I know they probably won¡¯t take Alex and the others, but... Ranya and Enisa, they...¡± ¡°I do not wish to impose,¡± Dunes replied. Adam froze still for a moment, his eyes quickly shooting downwards onto the table, finding his voice weaken to silence. The half elf felt a deep chill invade through him, a cold sweat forming upon his back. He knew what Dunes was saying. The Executive slowly nodded his head in response. Adam made his way to work, continuing his enchanting that day, enchanting the four weapons he had begun enchanting the previous day. It was the second day of the enchant on the second day of that month, having started on his sister¡¯s birthday. Once he was done, it was late in the evening, though he had still finished earlier than the previous day. The half elf remained within the basement for a long while, surrounded by the darkness, and his own thoughts. ¡®I do not wish to impose.¡¯ That was what Dunes had said. The sentiment took root deep within the half elf¡¯s heart. At first, he had thought Dunes was being a fool, and he had almost berated the Priest playfully, but he had froze in place. The Iyrman escorting the half elf waited patiently, seeing the young man fighting a battle within his heart. As the evening fires raged, the businessfolk gathered around. Elder Lykan had eased the businessfolk, allowing them to take the first week off, but informed them they would take a minor role in assisting the Iyr in the near future to keep themselves busy. Within the Iyr, it all felt so... Different. The Iyr was not just different, for even the feeling of different was different. Though the Reaver threat was to be taken seriously, so seriously that the Iyr had forced the businessfolk into the safety of the Front Iyr, the Iyrmen were acting as queerly as usual, that was to say, it was business as usual. As one might expect, they left early in the morning and returned in the evening, but the way they moved, there was a greater gravitas to them going to work, and even when they relaxed, it seemed more efficient. Rick could feel the gazes of the others upon him, their expectant gazes crushing his shoulders. As his eyes fell to the side, he noticed his father give a look towards him, and then as he noticed his mother¡¯s gentle smile, the Lead sighed. Rick approached the Manager, who wiped his daughter¡¯s mouth, the girl picking up her cup to drink from it, with Dunes holding his pinky against the bottom to help her stabilise it, before letting go. ¡°It feels so strange staying so still while earning our silver,¡± Dunes said, motioning a hand to allow Rick to sit down nearby. ¡°I sat with my daughters. I read to them. We walked around the Front Iyr. She played with... her grandfather. Then, a gold coin fell into my pocket.¡± Rick let out a relieved sigh, raising his brows towards the Priest, bowing his head lightly. He didn¡¯t know how Dunes did it, but as always, he spoke to soothe the Lead¡¯s heart. ¡°It does feel awkward, especially for my father. He never liked staying still. He worked the fields all his life. It¡¯s all he knows to do. He worked them so much, even when he retires, he¡¯ll keep working the fields.¡± ¡°Your father has worked hard enough not to work the fields,¡± Dunes said. ¡°You Aldishmen, you are so strange. Once your father turns sixty, he should retire.¡± ¡°Sixty five,¡± Rick corrected. Dunes shook his head, tutting lightly. ¡°You Aldishmen, you are so strange. In Aswadasad, when you turn sixty, you are to retire soon after. You are no longer taxed, and you should live your life. In Central Aldland, the King hands out grain to each family, but in Aswadasad, you walk into a temple and you eat. The old, the poor, if they allow you to be poor in Aswadasad, the sick, there is no need to pay the tax. In Aldland, they ask you not to sneeze on the silver, on the gold, which you must pay.¡± ¡°It has been so long since we had to pay the tax, I forgot it existed,¡± Rick stated. ¡°The business takes good care of you.¡± ¡°We had a small chance to spend our gold, but...¡± Rick shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much the business earns to allow us to live so freely.¡± ¡°Do you wish to know?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rick replied, before trying to recall the phrase the Executive used. ¡°It is above my...¡± ¡°Pay grade?¡± Dunes said, recalling the joke Adam always made whenever he talked about the Iyr¡¯s secrets. ¡°Mighty fine pay it is,¡± Rick stated. ¡°More than I thought I¡¯d earn.¡± ¡°Thirty gold is a lot of money, even in Aswadasad. Is it called...¡± Dunes began, trying to recall the phrase. ¡°Big beht?¡± ¡°Big beht?¡± ¡°As a farmer, you pay one gold each head, and as a crafter, you pay double.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Rick stated. ¡°I would pay... twice as much.¡± Rick raised his brows in surprise, having just realised he had gone from the lower social class to the middle social class, something borderline impossible, not unless he was a powerful adventurer. As the thought crossed his mind, Rick realised he had crossed into the class a while ago, the moment he had become an Expert. ¡°What is it?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I...¡± Rick took in a deep breath. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m just... the son of a farmer. Adventuring, it was to provide a better life for my family, but... I didn¡¯t, we didn¡¯t aim to become greater, just... better than a farmer, not quite an adventurer, not a proper adventurer...¡± ¡°I do not know how difficult it was for you. My role, my responsibility, it was different. In the Order, we are considered as those above the commoners. I can, if I wish, be called Kal Dunes, but I am Brother Dunes, and if I ask for it, I could earn the title of Father. This kind of role that I have? It is unexpected, but not because it is too great a station for me.¡± Dunes let out a guilty sigh, smiling awkwardly towards Rick, who bowed his head. ¡°Hello hello,¡± Adam called, nodding towards Dunes and Fred, dropping down beside them. ¡°We getting all friendly together?¡± Though the half elf was joking, Dunes could see the weight upon the half elf¡¯s shoulders. ¡®What is bothering you such?¡¯ Adam went to bed slightly earlier that evening, staring up at the ceiling. The flashes of the fire. The grey bodies. They kept him up for a long while. As the rays of the sun began to fall upon the Main Iyr, Jirot held her spoonful of porridge up to the boy, who alternated with his sister as the pair ate an entire bowl of porridge together. ¡°Wow! I am so lucky today! My papa is eating so good!¡± Jirot said, revealing whose daughter she was. The boy flushed lightly, leaning up against his sister, feeling the weight in his stomach. Though he felt the gurgling within his stomach, he kept his mind occupied elsewhere. He noticed his eldest sister¡¯s head darted to the side, followed by his elder sister and brother, and he followed their gaze. ¡°Ho ho! I am so lucky today! My son is eating so well!¡± the half elf called, revealing whose father he was, his eyes full of delight. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot shouted, darting up to tackle the half elf. Adam smiled towards the rest of the figures around, waving a hand towards his aunts and uncles and his cousin, before he dropped down to pepper his children with kisses. ¡°Look who I brought!¡± ¡°Uncle Dunes!¡± Jirot smiled brightly at the Aswadian, who smiled awkwardly in return. ¡°Call him Ahm Dunes, so I can spoil Ranya more.¡± ¡°Ahm Dunes!¡± Jirot almost exclaimed, reaching up to shake her uncle¡¯s forearm. Adam raised his brows to Jurot, who nodded, the Iyrman approaching the Family Head to speak with her. However, Mirot did not need any convincing. ¡°We will not refuse Brother Dunes,¡± Mirot assured, not needing her nephew to mention just how much Dunes had done for their family. Even if he was not a member of Black Mountain, he had gone to die alongside her nephew, so it wasn¡¯t as though he was a stranger. ¡°Daddy, you are back so soon?¡± Jirot asked as he returned to her. ¡°I still need to work, but...¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on her forehead. ¡°I need to work properly. I¡¯m making sure to take every seventh day off, like I promised.¡± ¡°We are going to have so much fun!¡± Jirot cackled, hugging her father¡¯s head so tight. ¡®You complained so much and now...¡¯ Vonda thought, smiling to herself, as who else could match the love she held for Adam other than their children? I missed you all my little babbies! Also I think I''ve caught up, but I owe an extra chapter due to a new patron that joined up this month. Shout out to Big V! [1146] – Y06.046 – Passing Nights I ¡°You would like them,¡± Tanagek said, pouring his younger brother a drink, before pouring himself a drink under the stars. The young Iyrman was illuminated by the magical lantern in the night, the gem glowing faintly. He sipped the peach wine, his cousin¡¯s favourite, feeling the warmth fill him. ¡°Konarot is responsible, and she likes to play dragon chess with father. Kirot is quiet, but she helps her older sister with her responsibilities. Karot... he reminds me of you.¡± Tanagek sat before the marker set within the earth, carved from a dark gem, engraved with a name and a set of dates. The young Iyrman poured himself another cup, drinking away as he continued to speak of what his brother had missed, and about all the children born by the time he had returned. ¡°They would have liked you,¡± Tanagek said, reaching up to cover his eyes. ¡°You should have at least said hello to them before you left.¡± The young Iyrman fell asleep before the grave while his father sat off to one side upon a bench. Tonagek had come to speak to his son, but seeing as his elder brother had arrived before him, he allowed the brothers their time together. Once he had placed a blanket over his son¡¯s shoulders, he returned to the bench to fall asleep. As the sun¡¯s rays fell upon the Iyr early in the morning, Adam began his morning routine, taking his younger cousins along with him. He noticed Jaygak was missing, and realised he hadn¡¯t seen Raygak and Saygak in a long while either. He was surprised to see Kitool wasn¡¯t missing, but decided against mentioning anything, since the Iyr was probably rather busy with all the Reavers about. ¡°Look at you!¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on his son¡¯s forehead, the boy squirming within his father¡¯s arms, beaming up with such delight. ¡°You silly boy! Who gave you permission to be cute?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Jirot stated, the girl narrowing her eyes at her father. ¡°Xarot is not a silly boy, he is a good boy!¡± ¡°Ah? Is that right?¡± Adam asked, his eyes peering curiously as his daughter, who glared at the half elf. ¡®She slept so much better and now she¡¯s bullying her father so brutally? I suppose I¡¯ll have to forgive her, just this once, since she¡¯s so cute.¡¯ ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot snapped, huffing towards her father. ¡®How you can say such things about my good little papa?¡¯ Xarot opened his mouth to allow his father to feed him, the boy sucking the blended fruit off the spoon. Monarot also ate from her father¡¯s hand, Jurot scooping some blended fruit into her mouth, though the girl reached out for the sliced banana, trying to grab at it. Unfortunately for her she easily crushed it between her fingers. ¡°You are too strong,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is the curse of being my daughter.¡± Jirot gasped, her mouth forming a circle as the girl slapped her knee and began to cackle like an old man, her eyes shooting to the older Jarot, who howled deeper in laughter, since she had mimicked his exact reaction to the beat. Pam¡¯s lips formed a coy smile, her eyes falling upon her husband¡¯s face. ¡®He has corrupted you too?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s annoying that you¡¯re so strong, smart, handsome, funny, and have such adorable children,¡± Adam grumbled, the half elf bringing Xarot up to kiss the boy¡¯s cheek, and the boy kissed his father excitedly, getting his saliva and food all over the half elf¡¯s cheek. ¡°In some ways, you are smarter than me,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah? Like how?¡± ¡°I am certain it is true, but it is difficult to think of it at this moment,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It may take me some time to think of it too,¡± Kitool said. ¡°Damn, you guys are so brutal. I understand it from Kitool, since she¡¯s jealous she doesn¡¯t have a beautiful wife and adorable children, but Jurot... I guess since Jirot doesn¡¯t bully you as much as she bullies me, you¡¯re jealous?¡± ¡°I do not bully...¡± Jirot closed her eyes, wincing slightly, since she couldn¡¯t lie about something so obvious. Adam¡¯s eyes darted to Vonda, who let out a sigh, with Adam¡¯s obvious flirting causing her to roll her eyes, before she caught Adam¡¯s gaze. She raised her brows at the half elf, who wiggled his own in return. ¡°If you are going to flirt so obviously in front of me, at least give me another greatchild!¡± the older Jarot snarled, reaching out to little Jarot¡¯s head, rubbing it gently. ¡°Do you wish for another brother or a sister?¡± ¡°Mmm... both?¡± little Jarot asked. ¡°Do not look at me with such hopeful eyes, look to your mother and your father!¡± The older Iyrman cackled. ¡°Mummy...¡± Little Jarot¡¯s eyes pierced Vonda, the woman reaching out to wipe his face clean. ¡°Daddy, I can have one more papa?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°It looks like your father will have to work hard in the day and the night,¡± Adam said, doing his best not to burst into laughter. ¡°I will help you, daddy!¡± ¡°You can help me during the day.¡± ¡°I can help in the day and I can help-,¡± ¡°Ope!¡± Adam said, covering his daughter¡¯s mouth, before lifting her up and tossing her into the air. ¡°If you want to help me, then I need to be alone with mummy all night long.¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°No! She is my mummy! You cannot steal mummy, daddy! What are you saying?¡± ¡°Do you want a papa or not?¡± ¡°You! Daddy! You are first place! How you cannot do this?¡± Adam blinked, letting the girl down, who huffed up at him, widening her stance, though she remained as small as ever. As always, Jirot, like her mother, was right. ¡°Dear... I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Jirot reached up to her father¡¯s knee and pat it gently. ¡°Since you are so smart, you can do it. I believe in you, daddy.¡± ¡®Even though you bully me the most, you also adore me the most, don¡¯t you?¡¯ Adam looked to the rest of his children, realising that, outside of his youngest three, all the others adored him so much. ¡®I¡¯m the luckiest dad alive.¡¯ Though Adam wished to spend more of his time with his family, the half elf went right to work, ready to enchant Greater magical weapons for the Iyr. At the Front Iyr, Bael yawned, feeling the heaviness set within his body. ¡®I¡¯ve been awake for a few years now...¡¯ The half dragon, who was definitely a dragon, made his rounds around the Front Iyr, taking a walk to stretch his legs. He noted the various Iyrmen who kept an eye on him, especially those who reeked of death. ¡®I should take a nap.¡¯ The Iyr had been nice enough to allow him to remain within a guest estate, large and expansive, engraved with all manner of runes which allowed the half dragon his privacy. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was completely hidden away from all prying eyes, but the typical Iyrmen would have difficult to peek within, at least. There was another who was escorted to her own estate. She was darker of skin, like those of East Port or parts of Aswadasad, or those beyond, with black hair and dark eyes. The woman wore the attire lent to her from the Iyr, those which allowed the Iyr to move freely for work and for battle. At her side she wore a blade, but it was her companion beside her which was her most powerful defence. ¡°Can you believe it?¡± the woman asked in a tongue that was from far east. Siten, adorned head to heel in black, did not reply. He remained silent as ever, and as still as a statue. His four blades, two upon his back| and two at his side, remained within arms reach at all times. ¡°The Reavers...¡± Jasmine let out a long sigh. Within the last few years of her life, she had suffered through a war from one enemy, and travelled through the lands engulfed by other wars. For the ejirate to be engulfed in war, that was not a deep surprise, but for Aswadasad of all countries to fall into a civil war, it was unimaginable. The name of Aswabayad had been revived, and as it did, Floria had returned to the world too. One war against a cultish empire, a second and third set of civil wars bringing back names long buried to history, and a fourth war against myths that should remain buried to history. A knock at the gate called her attention, and the woman sat up quickly as Elder Lykan called out to her. As the Elder entered, with her permission, he bowed his head, while his aides took watch outside the gate. ¡°I hope the estate is to your standards, Lady Jasmine,¡± Elder Lykan said. ¡°It is.¡± Lykan¡¯s eyes fell down to the Lady for a moment, the woman his children¡¯s age, then his eyes fell to Siten, who was hidden from his keen eyes, though nothing escaped the eyes of the Iyr upon their own land. ¡°I wish I could show you greater gratitude, but at this moment...¡± ¡°You are considered under our protection now, due to our word with the President, who guarantees your life,¡± Elder Lykan replied simply. ¡°Yours, and... its.¡± ¡°His,¡± Jasmine corrected. ¡°He is my friend.¡± Elder Lykan bowed his head. ¡°I am sorry. I meant no offence.¡± ¡°I know, and there is none taken,¡± Jasmine assured. ¡°Thank you again, for your assistance last year, Lady Jasmine, Siten.¡± ¡°Our assistance?¡± ¡°If not for Siten¡¯s blades, a third child may have passed.¡± Lady Jasmine swallowed, bowing her head lightly. The relief suddenly rushed into her heart, the dam of stress within her heart bursting. ¡°It was our honour.¡± Elder Lykan bowed his head. ¡°While the Reavers ravage the land, we will keep you safe. When they leave, you may remain within our protection.¡± ¡°The tales of the Iyr¡¯s honour were always so grand, but I fear, they were not as grand as they should be.¡± Elder Lykan smiled, nodding his head to the woman. ¡°I shall assign a few Iyrmen to you to assist you.¡± ¡°I thank you, but... I am no longer...¡± Jasmine buried her hopes. ¡°Consider it a courtesy, and for your safety, just in case.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Siten is one of my favourite characters but I never get to show him off because I''m a FoolBot. Interlude: Front Iyr ¡®They made all this during that year?¡¯ Rick thought, his eyes scanning all across the wooden buildings, many of small estates which could house a small family, but there were others which could house a number of families. The towers loomed over them, and above the jagged peaks, which formed a giant wall the area, he could spot Iyrmen walking near the peaks from their side of the wall now and again. The Front Iyr was about as large as the village near its border, except one would never confuse the two, since this particular village was more like a fortress than a village. ¡°Lead Rick,¡± Fred called, waving a hand as Rick returned back to the large estate they were currently settled within. ¡°Lead Fred,¡± Rick replied, the pair raising their brows towards one another knowingly. ¡°Good walk?¡± ¡°Good walk,¡± Rick replied, shrugging his shoulders lightly. Fred expected as much. They didn¡¯t understand the intricacies of the Iyr, and while a wall looked like a wall to them, there was no doubt something about the way the Front Iyr was formed that spoke more to Iyrmen. ¡°The temple¡¯s to the west, isn¡¯t i?¡± Fred asked. ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°I might go pray.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you,¡± Mork said, the Priest hopping onto his feet, before stretching out his body. Tork had stood wordless, the horc also feeling the same itch his brother held. The temple was similar to the larger estates, though made of stone, with a long building towards the western wall. It was filled with older Iyrmen, and the younger Shamans of the Iyr, who eyed up the newcomers. Mork glanced to the side, where he had saw a tree in the previous evening, but now stood an obelisk made of coral, with an amulet of Lady Tempest dangling over the front. The Priest bowed his head towards the Shamans, dropping down before the obelisk, holding out his hands in a prayer. While Tork settled beside his brother, Fred dropped down before the small statue made of stone, of a boy sitting upon a throne of jagged bones. ¡®Lord... Sozain, Baktu.¡¯ A young Shaman stood nearby, short and thin, with a look of death about her. Her skin was ghostly pale, her hair as black as obsidian, and though she was certainly beautiful, there was a gloominess which pressed down her obvious beauty. She wore an amulet of Baktu over her dark scale cuirass. ¡°Are you...¡± Mork eyed up the woman, once he finished his prayer, the man spotting her tattoos. ¡°Are you related to Inakan?¡± ¡°I am her cousin,¡± the woman replied. ¡°Izyakan.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Sister Izyakan.¡± ¡°It is an honour to meet you, Brother Mork.¡± ¡°This obelisk...¡± ¡°We apologise for not placing it within the temple earlier,¡± Izyakan replied, bowing her head lightly. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just... I didn¡¯t expect it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Mork could feel a chill run through her as the woman glared into his soul. ¡°I did not expect... I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You are under our protection now, Brother. There is no need to worry.¡± There was something about the tone of her voice that did not seem reassurring. ¡®Tempest, take me,¡¯ Mork thought, quickly thanking the Iyrman, before fleeing with his brother. ¡°She was intense, eh?¡± Tork whispered. ¡°The Iyrmen always are.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Tork cackled, elbowing his brother. ¡°Reminds me of Aine.¡± ¡°You mean Laine?¡± ¡°...¡± Tork paused a moment, trying to recall the woman¡¯s name. ¡°The one with the black hair?¡± ¡°Laine.¡± ¡°Who is Aine?¡± ¡°Aine¡¯s the one with the big-,¡± ¡°Smile,¡± Tork said, laughing. ¡°Oh, yes, yes. I remember. I remember her father¡¯s glare.¡± ¡°It was your own fault.¡± ¡°How was I meant to know she was married?¡± ¡°The tattoo on her finger.¡± ¡°Women are allowed to tattoo their fingers.¡± ¡°You should have known since she was Terry¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°She was Terry¡¯s wife?¡± Tork replied, his head snapping to Mork. ¡°You sword dropper! You knew, all this time?¡± ¡°I thought I told you, but I must have forgotten...¡± ¡°Tempest take you, you no good, sword dropping, sea drinking...¡± Tork grumbled to himself, rubbing his knuckles against his forehead. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? The things I said to her. How¡¯m I meant ta look at Terry now?¡± ¡°He knows,¡± Mork said, deciding to keep it a secret that he had already taken his revenge on Terry¡¯s behalf. ¡°Aye, but Aine, Laine? Laine, now she...¡± Tork let out a long sigh. ¡°If only her father wasn¡¯t a wealthy merchant.¡± ¡°Let her go, Tork.¡± Mork pat his brother¡¯s shoulder, but the thought came to him. ¡°No, no, hold on a moment. You¡¯ve got yourself some plate, a nice magical sword, and you¡¯re making a... decent sum of coin. All you need to do is... gain some renown, and you could probably try to court her.¡± ¡°Aye, but... her father¡¯s that wealthy, ain¡¯t he? Her escort, what¡¯s her name? Brass Sword, or something? She could beat me with an arm tied behind her back, and if she woke up, I¡¯d have bigger trouble. Sleeping Sword! That was it.¡± Mork glanced over his shoulder, noting Fred hadn¡¯t come out with them. ¡°Remember, eh? Jeremy and Remy, they were just porters before they joined this place. Then they became Experts, like us. I say, give it a few years, we work hard, earn a better position, we could introduce the businesses together, and you¡¯ll be a Master and what¡¯s her old man going to say?¡± ¡°You think?¡± ¡°If nothing else, I¡¯ll try and figure something out. A Brother of Tempest is still a somebody, so leave it to me.¡± Mork pat his brother¡¯s shoulder, for it was an elder brother¡¯s responsibility to watch over his younger sibling. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can find myself a nice horc lass, maybe an Iyrman lass, it¡¯d be easier...¡± Tork sighed, not wanting his younger brother to worry about him, since it was an elder brother¡¯s responsibility to watch over his younger sibling. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out, Tee. You need to find someone for me, though. You¡¯ve a... way with words.¡± It took Mork all his effort not to make a face. ¡°You could try for that girl.¡± ¡°She¡¯s your type, not mine.¡± ¡°Nawna," Tork replied, shaking his head. ¡°My type¡¯s Laine. The Shaman¡¯s too...¡± ¡°Scary,¡± Mork said. ¡°Aye.¡± Jonn watched the pair of brothers step back into the estate, having lightened their purses, and lightened their hearts in prayer. The half elf remained to one side, unsure of what he was meant to do as the only Manager in the Front Iyr, now that everyone else had gone. He just had to... sit there? Not only did the Iyr take care of their security and their food, but they had also taken over the education of the children. He sighed, feeling the stress of being so useless. ¡°Mister Dogek!¡± Daryl¡¯s voice boomed once more. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they just fight? Dragons are strong, and there¡¯s so many of them, couldn¡¯t they just take over the lands?¡± ¡°Some dragon¡¯s wish to fight,¡± Dogek replied. ¡°Some dragons wish to rule. Some dragons wish to trade. Some dragons wish to fly. Not many dragons wish to die.¡± ¡°How come they¡¯d die?¡± Matt asked. ¡°If they joined together, couldn¡¯t they just beat all the armies?¡± Penny added. ¡°There are few dragons who work well with others,¡± Dogek explained. ¡°The Talia family is one such family. Entalia is Queen Silvari of Drakkelan, thanks to the efforts of her mother and father. There are other dragons which work alongside her, not just silver dragons or those of the Talia family. It is a rare instance in which dragons have worked alongside one another so closely, but even she has trouble reigning in her comrades. However, there are many dragons who still hold grudges of old, from the time before even we Iyrmen.¡± ¡°If they did, wouldn¡¯t they be richer?¡± Daryl asked. ¡°If they did join together, we Iyrmen would have fun hunting, and so would many others,¡± Dogek replied. Daryl stared up at Dogek curiously. ¡®Are Iyrmen stronger than dragons?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m gunna, goin¡¯, going to be a dragon when I¡¯m bigger!¡± Ginny stated. ¡°It is hard work, and very dangerous, to become a dragon,¡± Dogek replied simply. ¡°I can do it!¡± Dogek remained silent. ¡®Rajin, you should have returned instead...¡¯ ¡®Was he always this talkative?¡¯ Fred thought, staring at Dogek, who was one of the strongest in the entire Iyr, and yet sat here to teach the children, rather than defending the border as they had originally thought. Later in the day, Dogek followed the pair out, following the young woman and the boy. He remained focused upon the area around them as Brittany taught Max how to use a bow, though she struggled to shoot. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Max asked, eyeing up the young woman curiously. ¡°I¡¯m fine...¡± Brittany¡¯s heart continued to beat. The stress of not embarrassing herself in front of Dogek filled her entire body, causing her to miss repeatedly. After all, Dogek was Dogek. Brittany had seen the Iyrman cleanly kill Wraith Blade, the Wraith Blade! ¡®I almost didn¡¯t believe it when they said he had almost killed the Sky Commander last year, but...¡¯ The young woman walked shamefully back to the Front Iyr with Max, who had shot his bow well enough. It was a small bow with a weaker draw, and was used mostly to allow the boy to have fun whilst he learnt. ¡°Welcome back!¡± George¡¯s magical voice filled the air as the pair returned. ¡°How was the shooting?¡± ¡°It was good!¡± Max replied, the boys chatting away together. Brittany¡¯s eyes darted to Ivy, who ate with Charles, the pair of women almost always together. ¡®Should I ask Ivy to...¡¯ Upon recalling the handful of words she had ever heard from Ivy the past few years, Brittany understood it was a stupid thought. However, the woman tilted her head slightly, noting Ivy¡¯s hair. ¡®She... dyed her hair?¡¯ What''s this? Side character development? In our Demon Lord Troublemaker Simulator? [1147] – Y06.047 – Passing Nights II ¡°They are still planning to leave to Aswadasad?¡± Marmak asked, pouring his companions warm milk, filling all five cups. ¡°They are,¡± Gangak replied, staring at her cup, the memories of the past filling her mind. The warm winds, the gentle sand, the terrifying Aswadian warriors who had almost killed her. Ah, yes. Those were the days. ¡°If they wish to go, should I escort them?¡± Marmak pondered. Even though he had recently retired, it hadn¡¯t been long since he left Aswadasad, the Iyrman having left a trail of blood that was only matched by a handful of other Iyrmen. ¡°Should I kill you?¡± Jarot snarled at Butcher Marmak, who was to Aswadasad, what he himself was to Aldland. ¡°You have retired in the Iyr, so stay here!¡± ¡°I can escort them,¡± Gangak offered, mostly as a joke. ¡°My promise was fulfilled long ago.¡± ¡°If old women like us travel with them, they will not be able to have fun,¡± Mulrot said, sipping the warm milk, which did not warm her heart as much as her greatchildren¡¯s smiles. ¡°Have fun?¡± Gangak asked. ¡°They are married!¡± ¡°Adam would not have his fun, but Jurot,¡± Jarot began, and they all noticed the instant in which Jarot understood the mistake he had made. ¡°Since he is grandson, he will remain loyal, as I have!¡± ¡°I meant to fight,¡± Mulrot glared at her husband, who sipped away at his milk, his lips forming the smallest of smirks. His words had shocked her slightly, only to recall that Adam was not from this world, so there was no way he had slept with an elf. ¡°It is dangerous with the Reavers,¡± Marmak stated, and though he understood it was futile to argue, he still wished for his fun. ¡°So they need your help?¡± Jarot asked, his voice full of his greatdaughter¡¯s incredulity. However, even his heart fell at the thought of his grandsons leaving the Iyr at such a turbulent time. ¡°What of... Taygak?¡± Otkan asked, the one armed Iyrman finishing her milk, pouring herself another round, doing the same for the others. ¡°She is too young,¡± Gangak stated firmly. ¡°Adam has promised to train her,¡± Otkan replied, deflecting the finality of the woman¡¯s statement. Gangak¡¯s gaze remained firmly fixed upon her cup of milk, which she had yet touched. Her eyes slowly trailed to the side, to meet Otkan¡¯s gaze, which was as cold as ever, revealing none of her thoughts. The last burst of emotion from the woman had been when she had given up her arm in exchange for the Mad Dog¡¯s life. ¡°It may be best to allow her to go,¡± the one armed woman stated. ¡°She is still a child.¡± ¡°Alongside Adam, no harm shall befall her, and you will gain the justification to escort them.¡± Gangak returned her attention to her cup of milk. The matter between herself and Aswadasad¡¯s Orders was perhaps the greatest tale she had earned, however, could she return to the land that had banished her away? The land which had stopped her rise? No. It was her own fault for being so weak to allow them to banish her, and to allow the doubt to creep into her heart back then. ¡®Taygak cannot see me wallowing in pity.¡¯ As the days passed by, Adam spent much of his time with his children, as well as the young cousins. ¡°Virot, you cannot bully daddy too much,¡± Jirot said, hugging her younger sister, who returned the hug with twice the vigour. ¡°Sometimes daddy feels too sad.¡± ¡°Jee woh!¡± Virot said. ¡°Yes! I am your kaka so you must listen!¡± ¡°Kaka!¡± Jirot inhaled sharply, unsure if the girl was listening, but as she stared down into those beautiful eyes, the girl planted a kiss upon her sister¡¯s forehead, letting her go. ¡°I must go for a walk now.¡± ¡°Wohk!¡± Virot reached out to hold her elder sister¡¯s hand, reaching for her elder brother¡¯s hand too. Jirot let out a defeated sigh as she led her younger siblings away. ¡®My heart always feels so warm when I see my kaka! How can I discipline her?¡¯ ¡®Virot...¡¯ Little Jarot stared at his younger sister, who clutched at his hand, the girl beaming brightly at the world as she walked with her siblings, her giggles like music. Adam¡¯s eyes trailed after the trio until little Xarot distracted him with a yawn, the boy rubbing his eyes with the back of his small hand. ¡°Are you tired, Xarot?¡± ¡°Googoo...¡± The boy replied as his eyes narrowed, opening slightly as his father placed the dummy within his mouth. ¡°Okay.¡± Adam also picked up Monarot, rubbing his cheek against hers, kissing her forehead, before stopping as Damrot stared up at him from the side. ¡°Do you want to come too?¡± Damrot responded with a shy smile, instantly defeating the half elf. As Adam placed down Xarot and Monarot, he nodded towards the teen of the Rot family who assisted in watching over the babies, then slipped away with Damrot. The boy held his uncle¡¯s hand, following the older half elf with his waddling legs. Adam noted the side eyes he received from a few of the Iyrmen, but upon seeing who was escorting the boy, they nodded their heads. ¡°Uh oh,¡± Adam said, picking the boy up, holding Damrot close to his chest. ¡°It looks like your papo is in trouble?¡± ¡°No,¡± Chief Iromin replied, reaching out a hand to ruffle Damrot¡¯s hair. ¡°I wish to speak with you.¡± ¡°Alright. Okay, Damrot, let¡¯s go back to mama.¡± ¡°Mama?¡± Damrot asked, perking up instantly. Iromin was about to say there was no need, but Damrot was already glancing over his uncle¡¯s shoulder to find his mother. Iromin waited for the half elf to surrender the boy to his mother, leading the young man to the Chief¡¯s estate to one side. The familiar gazebo welcomed Adam, who nodded towards the Iyrmen, while Iromin raised a finger, which was joined by the rest of her hand, dismissing his aides. He placed his dry dough snacks upon the table. ¡°The Great Twilight has revealed new land, to the east of Aldland, along Aswadasad¡¯s northern borders,¡± Iromin said, noting Adam drawing the map with his eyes in his mind. ¡°It is stated the land reached further east.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty big.¡± ¡°It is. We assume it is the Reaver¡¯s land. Chaos is overtaking the Aldish and Florians, and their neighbours.¡± ¡°Damn...¡± ¡°We have not yet confirmed their true force, and there are rumours that several great warriors have gone missing recently in Aldland and Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Missing?¡± ¡°They are most likely dead.¡± ¡°Damn...¡± Adam whispered, reaching up to rub his chin. ¡°It really is that bad...¡± ¡°We are uncertain of their true strength for now. It is not unlikely several great warriors may pass during the war, but to go missing before the lands have gathered their forces, it is ill omens.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the King make his new army?¡± ¡°He has sent several of his legions to the islands, but Aldland and Aswadasad are no strangers to raising their banners. The Reavers have arrived at an ill time, for Aldland had already begun to reorganise their armies, Aswadasad has trained their blades against the Aswabayds, and even Floria has prepared their defences.¡± ¡°Oh? So...¡± ¡°If they had appeared only a few years earlier, or a few years later, they may have found a land ripe for the taking. Even with their preparations, the lands need to be careful, since they are not Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Yeah. I mean, I see how quickly you guys move. It¡¯s pretty insane how...¡± Adam swallowed, shuddering lightly. ¡°I am so glad I¡¯ve been grovelling to you.¡± Iromin bowed his head lightly, for though Adam had given them plenty of reasons to kill him, him understanding his position within the Iyr has saved his life countless times. ¡°Aldland has taken the initiative to formally declared war against the Reavers.¡± ¡°That quick? Did they finally move quicker than the Iyr for something?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows, the half elf smirking, though it quickly disappeared due to the small smile on the Chief¡¯s face. ¡°You know King Blackwater as the one who lost an entire town to the elves and lost the civil war, which tore one fifth of his land. Ignoring the great success within those words alone, we of the Iyr know King Blackwater as the one who bound a rising Aswadasad, could dare to challenge the elves, and the one who may finally rid the land of the Tribesfolk. His loss to the elves was expected, for the elves hold great defences, and had moved uncharacteristically quick. His loss to King Merryweather was slim. Blackwater fought against Floria and Aswadasad, while he was worried of the islands, and was against the likes of Lord Asa.¡± Adam remained silent for a long while. It wasn¡¯t exactly rare for the Iyr to praise the King, and as he thought back to each time he heard of the current King, he furrowed his brows. ¡®Looking past the surface, the King is pretty damn impressive.¡¯ ¡°If not for those blunders, without a doubt, he would be considered the greatest alongside Kal Blakvatr, and to we Iyrmen, Solomon the Wise.¡± ¡°You know, now that I think about it, I haven¡¯t really heard much about Kal, outside of him having a really nice sword. Drakkenslayer, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®I should ask Jurot about it...¡¯ ¡°Since Aldland has declared war against the Reavers, the Union shall also declare war, and Noska may also do the same due to their dealings with Aldland. The Confederacy will defend themselves, but the Empire is a bigger threat to their land than the Reavers.¡± ¡°Is the Empire a bigger threat?¡± ¡°To them? Yes.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡®How strong are they?¡¯ ¡°Since Aldland has declared war, we will send a hundred soldiers to assist, as is our duty,¡± Iromin said. ¡°Who are you going to send?¡± ¡°The families will discuss among themselves.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam tilted his head slightly. ¡°Right, I forget how... democratic you guys are.¡± ¡°We must return trust in kind.¡± ¡°Oh? I trust you guys, so do you trust me?¡± Adam joked, chuckling lightly. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam stopped chuckling, and pulled back as though he had been punched in the face. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam blinked, still reeling from the blow of the words, and how bluntly the Chief had spoken them. ¡°Lord Stokmar will enjoy facing the Reavers on their own terms, but we have already called in our own favour to assist the Iyr.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You.¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m not exactly good enough to be a favour, am I?¡± ¡°We called Prince Morkarai during the Year of Silence. You are of similar abilities with your power and crafting.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s pretty strong and his ability to craft items is great, especially magical items.¡± Iromin raised his brow expectantly, causing the half elf to flush at the realisation. ¡°Well, I mean... I guess you''re right?¡± Adam flushed red in embarrassment, but he could feel the chill in his spine. ¡®Didn¡¯t Crowseer warn me about becoming too strong? Will Starsword come after me? No, he¡¯ll go after the Reavers since they¡¯re...¡¯ Iromin wondered what Adam was thinking about, especially since the half elf was making such a disgusted face. ¡®Is he thinking of nobility?¡¯ ¡°Who else have you called in?¡± ¡°We call in favours to protect the Iyr. We do not call in favours when it comes to fun.¡± ¡®You don¡¯t have to sound so scary...¡¯ ¡°You may continue your business, but you should spend time with your family,¡± Iromin said, reaching into his cloak, and withdrawing a small slip. He placed it down on the table, allowing Adam to read it. The half elf almost cried from how hard he was laughing, since only his daughter could trouble the Chief this much. I really hope one day I can show you all just how terrifying the Iyr really is. [1148] – Y06.048 – Passing Nights III Konarot peeked up at her papo, who held his finger curled over his lip, just like her baba. She mirrored the Iyrman unknowingly, seeing into his intense gaze as the Iyrman stared down at the board before him. The Iyrman had originally found himself cornered, but with a few risky plays, he had managed to earn back his position, and held a slight lead. However, he was uncertain of how to progress forward. ¡°It was a good game,¡± Tanagek said, holding out his hand, and the girl took it to draw, since she was pretty sure within a couple of rounds he would have been able to swing the lead further within his favour. Kirot held Tanagek¡¯s hand, leading him to the park, since he promised to play with each of them individually, though Konarot and Karot followed behind. Tanagek tossed the ball to Kirot, and immediately the girl tossed it to her brother, the thought not even passing within her mind that she could play without her siblings. ¡®They all wish to remain beside one another...¡¯ Tanagek wondered what kind of effects that would have upon their future when they would need to split apart, but he decided to leave the matter to their parents and the Rot family. Konarot was about to toss the ball to Tanagek when she stopped, sniffing the air, and she turned to face the direction of the familiar scent, her tail swaying excitedly. ¡°I returned but could not find you,¡± Tonagek said, reaching down to rub the girl¡¯s head, doing the same for her sister and brother. ¡°I wished to play with them today,¡± Tanagek replied. ¡°Are you having fun with your papo?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the triplets replied, their tails still swaying as they embraced their baba. ¡®In the Iyr, are any children as affection as them?¡¯ Tanagek thought, as the five began to toss the ball to one another. It was finally Karot¡¯s turn, and the boy asked for Tonagek to read them a story, having completely forgotten that Tanagek was the one who promised to play with them, but the older Iyrman couldn¡¯t refuse. Karot sat upon his baba¡¯s lap, following the words with his eyes, while Konarot and Karot cuddled beside their papo. ¡®No. No children are as affectionate as you.¡¯ ¡°Kako!¡± Jirot rushed towards Kitool, with Jarot following after her, followed closely by Jitool, who almost tackled her sister. ¡°Kaka...¡± Jitool called, smiling innocently. Kitool dropped down to hug each of them in a single embrace. ¡°What is the matter?¡± ¡°How you can leave your kaka alone like this, kako?¡± Jirot held up a finger. ¡°She miss you so much, so you must play with her!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± Jirot asked, crossing her arms. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Seriously, kako. Your sister is so cute, so how can you leave her alone like this?¡± Jirot asked, only confirming whose daughter she was. ¡°Yes. I am sorry.¡± Kitool lifted Jitool up, pulling the girl¡¯s head to her chest, brushing along the back of her head. ¡°I forgive you just this once, okay?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What can I do? I am so magananimus.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Kitool replied, while the girl sighed as though she was so exhausted by her kindness. ¡°Do you wish to play with me too?¡± Jirot gasped, the sparkle in her eyes revealing she really was just a little girl, and she almost tackled her aunt, grabbing her by her hand. ¡°Since you have said it, we must play now!¡± Little Jarot also beamed with delight up towards his aunt, defeating the woman, who had just come back from her duties for the day. ¡®I am glad I bathed before I returned,¡¯ Kitool thought, allowing the twins to guide her away, so they could play. The twins took her to the nearby estate, where they went to play with the the Fev family, and by the time they returned back to the shared estate of their family, a familiar face had coincidentally arrived. ¡°Babo!¡± Jirot went to tackle her babo, the bald Iyrman brushing through his thick beard innocently. ¡°Ho! My Jirot, my Jarot, you have returned? I was about to leave!¡± Malfev hoisted the pair up, embracing them almost as tightly as they embraced him, the bundles of joy marking his skin with how hard they were holding him. ¡°Leave?¡± the older Jarot growled. ¡°You only just arrived! How dare you try to leave before greeting my greatchildren!¡± ¡°I did not wish to intrude.¡± ¡°If you did not wish to intrude, you should not have come!¡± Jarot clenched his fist, but Jirot squirmed out of Malfev¡¯s grasp and hugged her babo. ¡°That is right! You should have come to me first!¡± ¡°Babo! How can you be so greedy?¡± Jirot asked, frowning with disappointment. ¡°You are Iyrman, so you must share with other Iyrmen too.¡± ¡°How can I share you?¡± Jarot peppered them each with kisses, as little Jarot also cuddled up to the old man¡¯s side. Indeed, his greatchildren were too precious to share. Malfev peeked aside to Kitool, who he had stolen the children away, only for them to be stolen away by their greatfather. Even so, the old man smiled, waiting for the children to return to him, his heart full of warmth. Upon Adam¡¯s return in the late afternoon, the half elf, after allowing his children to swarm him, then his cousins, settled himself with his wife, letting out a long sigh. ¡°Working hard, darling?¡± Vonda asked, holding Virot against her shoulder, the girl sucking away lightly at her dummy. ¡°I¡¯m working so hard, my darling¡± Adam replied, leaning down to nuzzle his son¡¯s nose. ¡°Do you hear that? Daddy is working hard, so you need to reward him, right?¡± Xarot, who clutched at his teddy tight, turned his attention to his father. The boy sucked on his dummy twice before smiling up towards his father. ¡°What a great reward!¡± Adam planted a firm kiss on his son¡¯s forehead, pulling him closer against his chest, while the boy cooed and cuddled up towards his father. ¡°I feel like I can take on the world!¡± ¡°Adam, please do not...¡± Vonda replied, and though she was joking, even Adam could hear the realness within her plea. ¡°Conquering the world is dangerous business,¡± Adam replied, waving his hand dismissively at the idea. ¡°I mean, if the Reavers can¡¯t do it, there¡¯s no way I can, right?¡± ¡°Can they not?¡± Vonda asked, smiling warmly, though within the back of her mind, she knew the Reavers were going to cause great havoc across the land. Her instincts told her that such creatures brought great death upon the world, and it surely had already begun. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure,¡± Adam replied, reaching out to intertwine his fingers with hers. He noted his wife¡¯s eyes looking through space and he brushed his thumb along her knuckles gently. ¡°If they start acting up, I¡¯ll head to the front lines to deal with them! You don¡¯t have to worry, since I might not be very smart, but that just means I¡¯m strong enough to not be smart!¡± Vonda sighed, turning her head away from her husband, rubbing her cheek against Virot¡¯s. The girl mumbled to her mother through her dummy, and as she tried to take it off, Vonda held a finger up to it, before smiling at the girl, who smiled and giggled in return. ¡°Popo,¡± Damrot called, the boy shuffling up to the half elf, holding up his cup. ¡°Joos.¡± ¡°Okay, sure,¡± Adam said, standing up with a groan as though he were an old man, while Xarot stirred, looking up at his father questioningly at first until he broke into a gentle fit of giggles. Damrot followed the half elf, and as they passed his mother, the boy smiled. ¡°Mama...¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Pam asked, reaching out to brush her son¡¯s cheek. ¡°Joos.¡± Pam smiled, motioning to Adam. ¡°Go on then.¡± ¡°Mama...¡± Pam sighed, but followed her son as the four made their way to the Rot home, and the half elf began to pour the boy a drink from the casket, then he remembered to chill both. Damrot drank it greedily, the juice dripping all across his face and his front, the boy letting out a satisfied sigh. ¡°Joos!¡± Damrot held out his cup with both hands. ¡°What do we say?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Joos peas!¡± ¡°Our Damrot is so polite!¡± Adam reached down for the cup, pouring a drink for the boy once more, before pouring himself and Pam a drink too. ¡°How have you been? I hear Vonda¡¯s working so you¡¯re stuck with all the children.¡± ¡°Since pa¡¯s baking, I don¡¯t have much else to do,¡± Pam admitted, sipping the juice slowly, the chill soothing her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m just glad I can help.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, as though he understood her plight, while Pam did her best to keep her expression neutral. ¡°I hear the Reavers are a big deal, but you don¡¯t have to worry in the Iyr.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried, but... we don¡¯t have much family, but I do have a few cousins in Red Oak. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine, since Red Oak always been fine.¡± ¡°Did you sell off the bakery?¡± ¡°We let someone else buy the license,¡± Pam replied. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°I guess that¡¯s how that works? I really should have known that. Well, if you need anything, let Jurot or I know. I¡¯m sure you will, but... just in case you¡¯re as stupid as me and you think you¡¯re imposing, or something like that, just letting you know, you¡¯re not. As a husband, Jurot wants to look good for you, and as his brother, I want to help him as much as he¡¯s helped me. So... don¡¯t be shy.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Pam replied, taking a moment to stare at the half elf, who quickly returned to dote his son and nephew in his affection. ¡°Let¡¯s bring Virot and kako some joos as well, yeah?¡± ¡®No... he wouldn¡¯t...¡¯ Pam thought, burying the doubt deep within his heart. ¡°Now that I think about it, where¡¯s Monarot?¡± Adam said, holding a cup of juice as he walked over to his wife, it over. Vonda glanced aside to Damrot, as Adam held the cup up to her lips. ¡°That¡¯s yours, Virot¡¯s is...¡± Adam looked down at the boy, who wore an innocent smile on his face up towards his aunt and uncle, his clothing freshly wet from drinking up all of the juice meant for Virot. Tricks: Trick Meanwhile Jurot stood alongside Tanagek and Chosen, while Monarot stared up at her father. She was on all fours, and she tried to punt herself forward to crawl up to her father. ¡°My daughter is trying so well,¡± Jurot said, repeating the words of his grandfather. ¡°She does,¡± Tanagek replied, wondering if Jurot had come all this way just to show off his daughter trying to crawl. ¡°You are doing so well, Monarot!¡± Chosen called out, clapping his hands lightly, certain Jurot had come all this way just to show off his daughter trying to crawl. You can do it Monarot! I think I posted up an additional chapter and now I''m one chapter ahead of where I''m meant to be... What can I do? I am so magananimus. [1149] – Y06.049 – Passing Nights IV Adam panted, feeling the burn within his thighs. The half elf squatted with the sack over his shoulders, leading the workout. The workout had begun as it always had, a light walk into a light jog, followed by stretching. The younger Iyrmen followed suit, some of the children also doing the same, though they did not squat with the sacks over their shoulders like their older siblings. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Taygak to you again,¡± Adam said, holding out his fist. ¡°Okay,¡± Tanagek replied, gently tapping Adam¡¯s fist with his own as Jurot would. ¡®Man I hate leg day,¡¯ the half elf thought, though thankfully he was able to sit for most of the day with his enchanting. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Taygak called towards the evening, the teen having completed her training and duties for the day. ¡°You will not spar with me?¡± ¡®If she¡¯s speaking in the Iyr¡¯s tongue...¡¯ ¡°I have trouble drawing my sword against you, Taygak.¡± The half elf could see the woman preparing for his joke. ¡°It just... I can¡¯t do it. It pains me too much.¡± Taygak had expected a very different joke, but seeing the tiredness in Adam¡¯s eyes, she nodded her head slowly and left the half elf be. The days continued to pass by with Adam enchanting all throughout the week, save for every seventh day, when he would spend time with his family. Gurot chewed his vegetables slowly, the boy glancing up at his cousin, noticing the half elf reach for his food. He twitched, as though he had been slapped in the face by Adam¡¯s betrayal. ¡°You silly boy, I¡¯m sneaking you some more food, look,¡± Adam whispered, holding up a disc of his sliced vegetable up to the boy¡¯s lips. Gurot reached up for it and forgave the half elf in his heart. ¡°Murot, you saw me giving him the food, didn¡¯t you?¡± Adam asked, while Murot opened his mouth, but not to speak. Adam surrendered instantly, forgiving the boys as he fed them. ¡°You two are always so troubling since you¡¯re so cute...¡± Adam didn¡¯t surrender just to his Rot cousins, since there were other children he was unable to defeat. Kavgak climbed up onto the half elf¡¯s lap, handing her cousin a book, the girl waiting to be read to. ¡°How do we ask people nicely?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the half elf replied, opening the book to read it to the rest of the children who gathered around. At the end of the tale, they broke for snacks. Kavgak reached up a hand to grab Adam¡¯s, her grip tight. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course, my dear Kavgak.¡± The half elf smiled wide, feeling his heart fill with the expectations from the children. ¡®Should I beat up a dragon this year?¡¯ Maygak waited for the half elf, wanting to thank him too, the girl bowing her head to allow him to ruffle her hair, smiling shyly up towards him. She sat down beside her elder sister, who placed the food onto her plate, and kissed her forehead. ¡°Papa Say?¡± Tavgak called, the little girl pouting up towards the half elf. ¡°Papa Saygak? He¡¯s... studying right now, but he¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Adam picked Tavgak up, the girl glancing around for her elder brother who she hadn¡¯t seen in so long. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your papa is so well behaved. If it was kaza Raygak, then you might need to worry.¡± ¡°Papa...¡± Adam could spy from the corner of his eye the little, or rather, the large Faygak, who remained as quiet as the wind. The half elf hoisted her up, the girl blushing slightly from the attention, before he let her go, allowing her to return back to Maygak. ¡®Seriously, how could she be Taygak¡¯s little sister when she¡¯s so shy?¡¯ Adam glanced between the four Gak children. Kavgak was the leader of the first group of children, those of the older toddlers. As Jaygak¡¯s sister, Adam worried slightly, but the girl took after Taygak. Meanwhile, the younger set of toddlers were led by Kavgak¡¯s younger sister, or rather, Kavgak through the proxy of Maygak. ¡®It looks like the Gak family is on the rise?¡¯ Adam joked within his mind, with no idea that his words were truer than he realised, and not realising the impact he was having upon the children. ¡°Mokan!¡± Inakan called, rushing all around the estate. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Inababy?¡± ¡°Mokan! He is gone!¡± ¡°Gone? Where?¡± ¡°I do not know, cousin Adam! What I am to do?¡± Inakan pouted up at the half elf, her eyes growing even wider within her magical glasses. ¡°Let¡¯s ask around to find him, shall we?¡± Adam smiled reassuringly. ¡°When did you last see him?¡± ¡°He was with daddy!¡± ¡°Where is daddy?¡± ¡°Daddy is...¡± Inakan looked around, before she reached up to clutch her head. ¡°Oh no! Cousin Adam! Daddy is missing too!¡± ¡°Your father is always causing us such trouble, isn¡¯t he?¡± Adam let out a long sigh. ¡°Always causing such trouble!¡± Adam did his best not to burst out with laughter as the girl let out an equally long sigh. He reached down with a hand and Inakan took it without thinking, the pair making their way out to try and find the pair. Adam did the round around the nearby superblocks. ¡°We must check the Elder¡¯s estate too!¡± Inakan said, pointing towards it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure we can trouble the Elder with this but... if a Kan can¡¯t trouble him, who can?¡± Adam joked, before leading the girl towards the Elder¡¯s estate. An aide stood in front of the shared estate, and as she looked down at the pair, she nodded. ¡°Hello, little Inakan.¡± ¡°Hello, miss aide! Elder Zijin is inside?¡± ¡°The Elder is. Do you have business?¡± ¡°It is an emergency! My brother is missing!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± the aide replied, feigning shock. ¡°This is an emergency.¡± ¡°Your daddy is missing too, isn¡¯t he?¡± Adam added. ¡°My daddy is strong, but Mokan is just a little boy!¡± Inakan replied, her head darting up at the half elf. ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡°Of coas!¡± The pair entered the Elder¡¯s estate, finding Elder Zijin double checking his notes for the season. The Elder¡¯s eyes darted up to glance upon the pair, and he folded his notes away, hiding them away within the various books. ¡°Elder Zijin! My brother is missing!¡± Inakan exclaimed. ¡°Your brother is missing? Oh dear. Where did he go missing?¡± ¡°He went missing with daddy.¡± ¡°I see. It makes sense since it is to do with your father...¡± Zijin smirked slightly. ¡°What can we do? We must send someone to find your brother and your father.¡± ¡°Phew,¡± Inakan said, letting out a deep sigh. ¡°Thank you, Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°You are most welcome, Inakan.¡± ¡°Uh oh, Inakan,¡± Adam said. ¡°I think Churot is missing too.¡± Inakan gasped, looking around, trying to find her cousin. ¡°Cousin Churot is missing too? No! How can it be? Cousin Churot is not missing!¡± ¡°He¡¯s not?¡± ¡°How cousin Churot can go missing when Elder Zijin is looking after cousin Churot?¡± Inakan asked, her eyes darting up at her cousin, almost side eyeing him. ¡°Oh. Of course.¡± ¡°Of coas.¡± Elder Zijin chuckled, waving a hand as Inakan guided the half elf out. He reopened his book, checking upon the next note. ¡®Oh! I should have informed Adam...¡¯ ¡°Mokan!¡± Inakan exclaimed, charging her brother once they returned to the shared estate. ¡°You silly boy! How can you go missing like this?¡± ¡°I went to change your brother,¡± Shikan said. Inakan blinked. ¡°Inakan, I told you.¡± ¡°... No?¡± Shikan raised his brows. ¡°Were you too busy looking at the flowers?¡± Inakan blinked again, turning to the half elf for support. ¡°Our Inakan, she was so worried, and tried her best to find Mokan. Aren¡¯t you so sweet, Inakan?¡± ¡°Of coas!¡± Inakan replied, holding up her fist towards her cousin for backing her up, and Adam returned the gesture. ¡®Inakan...¡¯ Shikan sighed, glad she was so thoughtful, even if she was so absent minded. ¡°Kaka...¡± Mokan hugged his sister, understanding that she had worked hard, and understanding he would need to work hard to watch over her. ¡°Mokan!¡± Alykan called, rushing over towards the boy, showing off the block in her hand to the boy. Adam glanced around towards Minakan, who remained off to herself, as always. ¡®What am I meant to do with you, Minakan?¡¯ Minakan yawned, the girl rubbing her eyes, before deciding she had enough with drawing, so she quickly packed her things and went to go read, making sure to wash her hands and dry them off before she grabbed her book. As the shadow engulfed over her, the girl threw up a glare, sighing slightly as the half elf picked her up, and the pair embraced lightly, until she was left alone once more. ¡°Minakan,¡± Adam called, waving his hand at her. Once she waved back, he left her be, allowing the girl her peace. Adam spent a lot of time with Jitool specifically, since she was so close with Jirot and Jarot, adoring the girl almost as much as her own sister, who began to look after the twins more often too. ¡°Kako!¡± Jirot called, reaching up to grab her hand. ¡°Come! Jitool has surprise!¡± ¡°...¡± Kitool followed the girl, and as they approached Jitool, the little girl held up her drawing shyly. ¡°Look! Is a gift for you, kako! Kako Jitool is so amazing! Do you see?¡± Jirot asked, her amber eyes filled with such awe at Jitool¡¯s ability to draw, which was exactly as a four year old would draw. ¡°I see,¡± Kitool replied, looking down at the picture of four blobs, two green, one small, and the other much taller. ¡°It is amazing.¡± Jitool¡¯s beaming smile melted the woman, who lifted the girl up, and held her tightly. The pair embraced one another affectionately, sharing their warmth. Kitool kissed Jitool¡¯s forehead, causing the girl to squeal, Jitool grabbed her sister¡¯s head to kiss her forehead, right upon her tattoo. ¡°My heart is so full...¡± Jirot looked to her brother and the pair embraced one another too. ¡°I love you so much, Jarot.¡± ¡°I love you, Jirot.¡± Little Jarot rubbed his cheek against his sister¡¯s. ¡°Kako, do not worry, we love you too,¡± Jirot assured Jitool, turning to Kitool. ¡°Kako, we love you so much too.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± little Jarot added. ¡°I love you all too,¡± Kitool promised, feeling her throat clench tight for a moment, before she calmed herself. ¡°You must put the picture away safe, okay?¡± Jirot informed the woman, as her father had taught her what they needed to do with such great treasures. ¡°I will,¡± Kitool assured. The woman¡¯s mind wandered for a moment. ¡°Ho?¡± Adam looked to the trio as they approached him. ¡°I thought you wanted to spend the time with kako Kitool?¡± ¡°Kako is going to speak with Elder Zijin.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam replied, reaching out to rub their heads, while little Xarot stirred within the half elf¡¯s arms. ¡®Kitool speaking with the Elder?¡¯ How could our children be so cute? [1150] – Y06.050 – Passing Nights V ¡°Take a seat,¡± Elder Zijin said, writing his notes for the day, stacking them up beside him. He did not cover the notes, since Kitool¡¯s eyes would not stray, and even if they did it was no issue for her to know. After completing his second note, the Elder pulled back, placing snacks and drinks onto the table. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Elder... when their amber eyes look at you, do you feel it too?¡± Kitool asked, keeping the Elder¡¯s gaze. ¡°I bury it deep within my heart.¡± ¡°Is it so easy?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How do you do it?¡± ¡°The past is the past. There is nothing you or I can do to fix it. We must remember what has happened and continue to step towards a greater future. A greater future for yourself, and for those children who look up to you with such pure hope.¡± Kitool stared down at the table, seeing the image of the black plaque within her mind, the same plaque she had all but begged for. ¡°It will be difficult to kill him.¡± ¡°Difficult,¡± Zijin agreed. ¡°You will do it, since he has asked for you to do it.¡± ¡°He asked for me?¡± ¡°He did.¡± Kitool remained silent for a long while, looking through the Elder. She chewed on her thoughts for a long while, flashes of the past few years slipping through her mind. From seeing the ridiculousness of the half elf in full force, from him facing against a dragon so early, to then killing one of the strongest across all of Aldland. It was Adam with his children, however, that was the most impressive to the woman. Not just his own children, but her own siblings, and their various cousins. ¡°Okay.¡± Elder Zijin would need to write down Kitool¡¯s doubts, and his recommendation. However, since she said she would, Elder Zijin placed his trust within her. He waited to see if she had more to say, but she bowed her head and made to leave. ¡°There is a matter which requires your presence,¡± Zijin said. ¡°...¡± Kitool waited for the Elder to continue. ¡°You will hear of it soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kitool didn¡¯t need to wait long, for the evening before Adam¡¯s day off, the half elf was called by the Elder. ¡°What¡¯s this? Some kind of party?¡± Adam asked, flanked by Sonarot, Jurot and Kitool. ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯m about to die, but you haven¡¯t brought enough people, and Jurot looks too relaxed.¡± ¡°It is equally as important,¡± Zijin assured, shutting his book and standing, motioning a hand for the group to follow him. ¡°I had thought to ask Jaygak, but she replied she was too busy, and wished to return to see her nieces and nephews, and not you.¡± ¡°What is she busy with anyhow?¡± Adam asked, before suddenly twitching. ¡°No, no, no, nevermind!¡± Zijin smiled at the half elf, continuing to lead him through the various tunnels of the Iyrmen which ran within the mountains, the gentle glow of the magical orbs leading their way ever onward. The temperature dropped all around them, and Adam¡¯s shins began to burn lightly as they made their way down a gentle slope. As they turned through various intersections, each a room that seemed almost a rest stop, with beds and some lighter provisions, they finally approached a circular staircase. ¡°Is anyone else feeling their hair on edge?¡± Adam asked, feeling something was off in the air. There was an electricity in the air, the kind that pricked the half elf¡¯s back and neck constantly. The half elf¡¯s eyes continued to dart all around the dim light, though his eyes saw through it as though it were day light, searching for... something. ¡°It is normal,¡± Zijin assured, leading the half elf forward, with Jurot, Kitool, and Sonarot each bringing up the rear, their footsteps echoing across the wall. Adam glanced aside towards the various markings along the wall, each growing more and more numerous as they made their way down at least a hundred steps, before they reached an open room, one that led in all four directions. The room itself was bare, save the engravings on the wall, and though the pathways led outward, several doors blocked their path. ¡®Man, why is everywhere always so cold?¡¯ Adam thought, rolling his shoulders and rubbing his hands together, shooting a look towards Jurot, who seemed completely unphased by the chill in the air. Adam let out a breath, watching the vapour rise, though his eyes darted towards the open door, having missed Zijin¡¯s actions. They travelled all throughout the maze that was the Iyr¡¯s underground tunnels, Adam smelling all manner of scents in the air, from blood, to greenery, to death. That was until they approached a small room with only the single entrance, and a large copper basin which lay in the centre of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s full of blood,¡± Adam said. Zijin raised his brows in surprise. ¡°I will not tell you.¡± ¡°Aw, man. Did you bring me all this way to bathe in blood as some kind of ritual?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°It was either that, an alchemic concoction, or a bunch of bones. I thought it couldn¡¯t be as nice as a medicine bath, probably not as terrible as piles of dead, so blood it is.¡± Adam sighed, frowning slightly. ¡°So what¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°You are to be tattooed.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam raised his brows in shock, glancing between the others around him. ¡°Oh. This makes way more sense now. I guess Vonda couldn¡¯t be exposed to the secrets, so we couldn¡¯t bring her along?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright. So... do I need to...¡± Adam motioned to his clothing. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Like... butt naked?¡± ¡°If you uncomfortable, not so far.¡± ¡°Okay, well... Aunt, Kitool, could you two... look away? It¡¯ll feel weird if you¡¯re looking.¡± Sonarot smiled, turning around, Kitool doing the same, allowing the half elf to strip in peace. They could feel just how much Adam was doing his best not to make several jokes, for there was that kind of feeling in the air. A yelp filled the air before the wet sloshing sounds echoed within the room. ¡°Why¡¯s it so cold?¡± Adam asked, shuddering within the barrel of blood, the half elf clutching at his dagger over the edge, not wanting to defile the blood within. ¡°Isn¡¯t blood meant to be warm? Isn¡¯t that it¡¯s thing?¡± ¡°This blood is of ancient Iyrmen,¡± Zijin said. ¡°The likes of Jarot, from the Blackwater Crisis, and even Brandon the Bold.¡± ¡°Eugh,¡± Adam groaned, glancing aside to his brother¡¯s face, which twitched. The smell of the blood was far fainter than he expected, but it still smelled, a lighter smell of burnt metal. ¡°I don¡¯t mean any disrespect, it¡¯s just... you know. This isn¡¯t really common back where I¡¯m from. We don¡¯t mind dropping bombs on a few thousand kids, but bathing in blood? That¡¯s barbaric.¡± ¡°I am glad you are able to joke for now, since it will be painful,¡± Zijin said, reaching into his robes, retrieving a brush and a disc of steel. ¡°Painful?¡± ¡°The typical process was refined through generations, but this... is new.¡± Zijin held out the disc. ¡°Sonarot, your blood is required.¡± ¡°I will do it,¡± Jurot said, stepping forward, assuming they needed an Iyrman¡¯s blood, and even though it was an honour, he did not wish to see his mother bleed before him. Zijin bowed his head, allowing the Iyrman to step forward. Jurot cut himself using his dagger, spilling his blood within the disc, the wet crimson pooling towards the centre, where it sunk a hair¡¯s breadth compared to the rim. ¡°You must remain still and quiet, Adam.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Adam replied, feeling his heart beat quicker as the Elder stepped forward. Elder Zijin inhaled deeply. Instead of exhaling, the Elder began to mutter a prayer, and he dipped the brush within the blood, mixing it repeatedly, the blood seeped into the white of the brush, turning it sanguine. Once it was completely gathered within the brush, Zijin brushed across Adam¡¯s forehead, painting his forehead with a light blush of blood. The blood began to quickly gather around the half elf¡¯s temples and dripped down into the barrel, but Adam could feel the warm blood pooling towards the centre of his forehead. ¡°This will hurt and you will easily bleed,¡± Elder Zijin said, handing the brush and disc to Jurot, who held both, staring at his brother. Zijin reached within his robes once more, pulling out a needle, and finally, a vial full of what seemed to be crushed gems, a blueish white gem. ¡°Allow your blood to spill freely, and keep still.¡± Health: 126 -> 120 Adam gasped, flexing his entire body as the needle pricks at his skin, the flash of pain filling his forehead for a moment, passing away moments later. Adam winced lightly, before looking up towards the Elder, who dipped the needle into the gem dust once more, muttering a light prayer. Health: 120 -> 113 Jurot watched carefully as his brother was constantly pricked with the needle, the half elf¡¯s blood dripping down and began to mix with his own, while the diamond dust embedded within the half elf¡¯s skin with each prick. It was similar enough to his own ceremony, in the sense that almost nothing was the same, except for that feeling. Health: 113 -> 105 Sonarot watched carefully as the father of her grandchildren was pricked by their Elder, the blood beginning to drip down the sides of his face and into the barrel. Her heart beat quickly, seeing Adam commit to the Iyr in a way she hadn¡¯t expected. Health: 105 -> 96 Kitool¡¯s eyes remained fixed to the half elf, out of respect not for the Elder or her aunt, but for the one figure who should have stood here, and yet remained studying, as was her duty. The half elf who had suddenly appeared within her life, and within six years, had managed to reshape her dreams to something grander than she could have expected. Health: 96 -> 94 Zijin continued to prick the half elf¡¯s skin with his needle, implanting the diamond dust within the half elf¡¯s forehead. The amount of diamond dust required was easily worth thousands of gold, far more than the typical tattoo, but that was the price of not using the traditional method. Finally, Adam couldn¡¯t feel the pricking any longer, while his forehead continued to thrum with pain, as though he had been punched repeatedly. ¡°In order to complete your oath, you will need to cut your palm,¡± Zijin said, circling around behind Adam, holding onto his shoulders. ¡°An oath?¡± ¡°It is what you have promised the Iyr already,¡± Zijin stated. ¡°Seriously, with how I¡¯m plucking all these Greater Enhanced weapons?¡± Adam joked, looking down at his palm, then to his white dagger. ¡°Can I use my dagger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam pulled it out of its sheath, the half elf ready to cut his palm, though, Zijin quickly grasped his wrists, calling for Jurot, who took it from Adam¡¯s hand. The half elf felt the strong hands on his shoulders, inhaling sharply, barely smelling the blood, and he finally brought the dagger to his palm. As Adam cut along his palm, a sudden chill ran through him, and his body fell limp within the Elder¡¯s grasp. Health: 94 -> 0 WARNING: EXTREME DAMAGE THRESHOLD REACHED! Death Save D20 + 3 = 3 Failure! I don''t have that many cliffhangers, do I? [1151] – Y06.051 – The Iyr’s Duties I ¡°Mummy! You are always gone, and now daddy, daddy is always gone!¡± Jirot huffed, throwing out her entire hand to emphasise her point, revealing how truly annoyed she was. The tiny girl sat beside her mother, eating her porridge, alternating between feeding herself and her younger twin. She brushed her hair behind her ear, the stress of it all causing her to tut and shake her head. ¡°Nana said your father needed to do something important, did she not?¡± Vonda replied, and the girl twitched, staring up at the woman as though she had been betrayed. After all, how could she invoke the name of her grandmother to shut her down so quickly? ¡®You are so silly daddy! Just you wait! I am going to bully you so much!¡¯ As the day began to pass, the children scattered to their various activities. Today the older children finished their schooling quickly, Elder Teacher having shifted the hours so that there was a single hour of education every weekend too, while he was in the process of shifting so many other matters within the Iyr. ¡°Kako,¡± Konarot called, almost skipping to her aunt, stopping before her and bowing her head to allow Lanarot to brush her silver hair. ¡°Did you miss me? Hoi hoi hoi! How can I do this?¡± Lanarot asked, hugging her niece and planting firm kisses on her cheek, doing the same for the younger Kirot and Karot. Tanagek glanced between the four, noting just how much Adam had influenced even his own cousin. ¡®Since they are siblings, it is fine.¡¯ Jurot could see the way Tanagek looked at the children, the slight conflict plaguing his cousin. He said nothing, allowing the young man to deal with things at his own pace for now, while he spent time with his younger cousins. Unfortunately, Gurot charged towards Danagek, the pair almost tackling one another as they hugged, while Murot rushed over to Dagek, who offered the boy a cucumber. ¡°My Konarot, you have come?¡± Tonagek called. ¡°Your Konarot? I am her favourite?¡± Mosen stated, the Iyrman holding out a hand for the girl, though she rushed up to her baba first. Thankfully for Mosen, Kirot went to offer her head to him first. ¡°It is difficult to be the second child, yes?¡± Kirot blinked before smiling slightly, causing Mosen to ruffle her hair until it was more of a mess, the older Iyrman laughing as Tonagek started to fix it. ¡°Unlike you, my Kirot is so well behaved,¡± Tonagek stated firmly, glaring at Mosen. ¡°Do not look at me like that, unless you are willing to draw your sword properly again.¡± ¡°Do you think I cannot?¡± Mosen noted the glare within Tonagek¡¯s eyes, and as he was about to retort, he paused, recalling the viciousness he had recently seen from Tonagek. When he had so brutally defeated the Vice Commander, and then the Vice Commander of the Cherry Blades. Could he truly say this was the same Tonagek who used to sit and drink alone in the rain? ¡°It is my mistake.¡± Tonagek lifted Konarot and placed her upon his lap. ¡°Come. Let us beat dado Mosen in chess.¡± Mosen frowned, letting out a low groan, but he reached out to Kirot and Karot, asking them for their support, only for them to shyly retreat to their baba. ¡°Is it fair that it is four against one?¡± ¡°Are you so weak?¡± Tonagek replied. ¡°...¡± Mosen played against the Iyrmen, losing quickly, though it did not taste quite as bitter as when he lost against Tonagek. Fonasen returned back to the estate after her shift, finding the triplets already charging her. The woman smiled, lifting each of them up. ¡°Did sister send you to me because I missed you so much?¡± ¡°Nana, we have come to play,¡± Konarot replied, hugging the woman¡¯s head, allowing the woman, who looked so much like her grandmother, to pamper her. ¡°Your father is not here?¡± Fonasen asked. ¡°Daddy is busy today.¡± ¡°Busy? Today?¡± Fonasen raised her brows. ¡°Kaka is...¡± Konarot gave Fonasen a look which said enough. As the trio played within the shared estate, Jirot and Jarot remained patiently within their shared estate. ¡°Shall I take you to the Rot family estate?¡± Amokan offered the twins, having heard of something in the extended family estates. Unfortunately, he held his sister within his arms, the girl¡¯s eyes widening. ¡°Okay!¡± Inakan replied excitedly, shuffling off her brother, going to find her younger brother who was currently in the middle of stabbing at a piece of paper with colours. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, would you like to come to the Kan family estate?¡± Amokan offered the pair instead. ¡°No!¡± Jirot replied, pointing up at her uncle. ¡°I am waiting for daddy.¡± ¡°He is busy today?¡± Amokan replied, half teasing the girl. ¡°Daddy said he would play with me today so daddy will play with me today,¡± the girl replied, all the while throwing looks towards the various entrances of the estate. Amokan chuckled, almost bursting into laughter upon seeing a figure emerge, causing the girl¡¯s eyes to widen with delight, only to quickly darken with disappointment. ¡°What did I do?¡± Timojin asked as the girl and the boy stormed away to their mother. ¡°You are not their father.¡± ¡°He has not returned?¡± ¡°No.¡± Timojin groaned out in bemusal, but he dropped down opposite Amokan, allowing little Majin and Tinajin to join Inakan and Mokan in play. ¡°I did not expect younger siblings to tire me out,¡± Amokan admitted, flashing a wide smile. ¡°Inakan always wishes to play and when she is tired Mokan comes to play.¡± ¡°I have tried to play with Majin and Tinajin together, but sometimes they wish to play separately,¡± Timojin replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°It may be time for us to leave,¡± Amokan admitted. ¡°Dawnval is a good time to leave.¡± Timojin slowly nodded his head. It had been a few months since they had returned, and they would need to leave soon if they wished to keep a good pace in forming their strength and their stories. ¡°Should we leave next week?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Whose leaving?¡± called a voice, though he was making his way elsewhere, going to greet the tiny little grey skinned children. ¡°Majin, Inakan, you can¡¯t allow it! How can they leave so soon when they¡¯ve only just returned?¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot called, rushing towards the half elf, but she stopped, staring up at his face. For a moment, the glint upon his forehead distracted her, but it was the paleness of his skin and the bags under his eyes which caused her to freeze in place. ¡°See? I told you I¡¯d come back, didn¡¯t I?¡± Adam dropped down to hoist up his twins, the ache in his entire body spreading like a wildfire through him. He planted firm kisses on each of their cheeks, before he nuzzled their noses. ¡°Did I make you wait long?¡± ¡°No...¡± Jirot stared up at her father¡¯s gaunt face, but her eyes darted up to his forehead. ¡°What? Does your daddy look more handsome today?¡± Adam asked, raising a brow, a smirk quickly spreading across his lips. ¡°Daddy... it is different?¡± Jirot accused, staring up at her father¡¯s forehead. Adam wore a tattoo on his forehead, like the Iyrmen, but as his astute daughter noted, different. Like those who smelled of death, but different. Upon his forehead was a circle with a diamond within. It was dark, grey blue rather than the blue of the Iyr, but the twins could see far more colours sparkling from it, and the gem dust which could not be seen by the human eye, but by the Iyrmen who were do adorable? Of course they could see it. Vonda eyed up her husband¡¯s forehead, which had been so bare previously, and did not hold a particular stench about it. One could no longer deny Adam¡¯s connection to the Iyr, though as always, he would confuse everyone by his connection, among other ways he often confused others. ¡°Do I look handsome, darling?¡± Adam asked, bowing his head lightly, the half elf holding a mischievous look within his eyes as he fought off the exhaustion. ¡°Yes. You always do.¡± Adam flushed lightly, letting out a chortle, before peppering his twins with kisses all over their faces. ¡°Daddy is feeling a little sick since getting the tattoo hurt so much, so you have to be nice to him, okay?¡± ¡°I am always nice, daddy!¡± Jirot stated, the girl wrapping her arms around his neck tight, nuzzling against her father¡¯s cheek. It felt so cold, not like the cold of her siblings, but a different kind of cold. Little Jarot clutched at his father¡¯s collar, the boy staring up at his father¡¯s face with curiosity within his eyes. The boy blinked a few times, but as their eyes met, Jarot smiled shyly. Indeed, for though his father¡¯s face was gaunt in a familiar yet unfamiliar way, and though he wore a tattoo was that familiar yet unfamiliar, the look of love within his father¡¯s eyes was the same as always. ¡°Do you forgive me, my little Jarot?¡± Adam asked, planting a kiss on his son¡¯s forehead. ¡°Yes...¡± The boy hid his head within his father¡¯s chest, grinning so boyishly. ¡°Good, because this thing almost...¡± Adam whispered, before thinking the rest. He had barely survived the procedure, though he was fairly certain the Iyr would have brought him back since they didn¡¯t warn him. ¡®At least warn me if it will potentially kill me!¡¯ ¡°Daddy...¡± Jirot stared up at the tattoo. ¡°Does it look so pretty?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Do you know what it means?¡± ¡°It means you are Rot but not Rot?¡± ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°Well, yeah... basically? It means I have duties for the Iyr.¡± ¡°I have duties too.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°What are your duties?¡± Jirot smirked. ¡°It is in my clothy.¡± Little Jarot gasped, before the pair roared with laughter, squealing and giggling with joy, their father shaking as he tried not to laugh too loudly. ¡°Jirot! You just don¡¯t miss! Holy!¡± Adam peppered his daughter and son with more kissed as they laughed together. ¡°Mama!¡± Virot called, rushing up to her mother, panting hard. She stared up into her mother¡¯s eyes and babbled desperately, pointing away, towards Damrot. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Vonda asked, standing up, and following the pair. However, her mind raced with what the tattoo meant for her husband. ¡®Duties?¡¯ Jirot is so hilarious! [1152] – Y06.052 – The Iyr’s Duties II Adam blew into Xarot¡¯s stomach, causing the boy to squeal with joy. The tiny boy threw up his fists excitedly before returning back to his fit of giggles as his father continued to bully him with his affection, the melody of his laughter dancing through the air. Though Adam was still sick from the process of receiving his tattoos, the half elf still needed to work, or so he thought. However, he decided to work closer towards noon, since he was so exhausted in the morning and wanted to sleep right after enchanting. Of course it was also because of them. ¡°Karot?¡± Maool called, the girl reaching up a hand towards the half elf¡¯s knee, blinking up at him innocently. ¡°Karot is at school, my Maool.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°He is, but it¡¯s okay,¡± Adam said, lifting the girl up beside him, wrapping an arm around her. ¡°Why don¡¯t I play with you today?¡± ¡°Papa?¡± ¡°Faool? He¡¯s.... I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s around, I think. Shall we go find him?¡± ¡°I find,¡± Maool assured the half elf, climbing down from the seat, waddling away to find her elder brother. ¡®Damn it! Why is your sister so cute?¡¯ Adam thought, before being distracted by the little girl shuffling upon her bottom towards him. ¡°Da!¡± Monarot called, reaching up towards the half elf, before beginning to groan and whimper, until Adam finally picked her up. ¡°Oh gosh! Monarot! What are they feeding you, hmm?¡± Adam kissed the girl¡¯s cheek gently, and pulled her close to his chest, allowing both Monarot and Xarot to cuddle up to his chest. ¡°Ooo,¡± Monarot replied. ¡°Monarot, isn¡¯t it unfair for Jurot to hog you? You need to spend time with me too!¡± Adam leaned in to nuzzle her nose, causing the girl to twitch and almost sneeze, but she smiled up at him delightfully, revealing the white of her teeth, some of which were still trying to peek through her gums. ¡°Boo!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying!¡± Vonda eyed up her husband from the side, having left him alone the previous day, though he seemed equally as tired today. Thankfully the colour had returned to his skin. She had thought to go enchant that day too, though decided against it, since the children might be hiding their distress to their father¡¯s appearance. Her children were smart, too smart, and she had to be careful when dealing with them. Adam yawned, trying to plan what he needed to do that week. ¡®Since it¡¯s the last week of the second month, maybe I should make something nice for us? Ah, I should probably make something for them too? What about...¡¯ Adam had received the proper payment for the Greater weapons he had enchanted for the Iyr, equalling in piles of silver and gold. The Iyr then had shifted his work to plucking Greater Enhanced weapons daily, the half elf enchanting the first aspects of the enchantments upon the blades, allowing the Iyr to finish them with their own enchanters. He had been paid appropriately for those too, each earning him a pretty penny, though he had put a large amount into the business. ¡°Kaza Adam,¡± Maool called, breaking the half elf¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Little Maool? Ah, you brought kaza Kitool, did you?¡± Kitool stared at the half elf, who almost lay back in his seat, the two children almost swallowing him as they nestled within his arms. ¡°How are you so affectionate?¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted to Vonda, the half elf smiling wider. ¡°Sorry, Kitool, but I¡¯m already married.¡± Kitool¡¯s eyes darted to Vonda, who apologised with a bow of her head. ¡°It is an impressive ability to constantly forget your promises.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°What promise?¡± ¡°You said you would not be so cringe.¡± ¡°...¡± Adam flushed, filling with embarrassment. He half sat up, pulling the little boy and girl up with him, before planting kisses on their head. ¡°Sorry. I shouldn¡¯t be cringe in front of you at least, otherwise you¡¯ll grow up to be as stupid as me.¡± Maool reached over and pat Adam¡¯s shoulder gently, returning back to her cousin, glancing up towards her with such sweet eyes. Kitool slowly nodded her head to the girl, who smiled shyly, and they cuddled together. ¡®Have I made the right choice?¡¯ Kitool thought, closing her eyes, letting out a short sigh. ¡°I should probably start heading to work now, I think,¡± Adam said, feeling the itch to work. His eyes fell to the returning twins, the half elf smiling, greeting the pair, though he stole away their grandmother. ¡°You are going now?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°I should,¡± Adam replied, seeing the way the girl¡¯s ears drooped. ¡°Then when I come back, I¡¯ll play with you. In fact, why don¡¯t you pick a book and when I come back, I¡¯ll read a chapter.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Aunt, can we have a quick chat?¡± Adam asked, before glancing around to find Jurot, who was whittling away at his wood. He gathered the pair and as they stepped outside, the half elf¡¯s steps shortened and he hunched over slightly. ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah, just... tired.¡± Adam yawned as though to emphasise the point. ¡°Anyway, I wanted to speak with you about the offerings and gifts. I was thinking about a new weapon potentially as gifts for people, the Order and so on, but also I was thinking about forming better relations with Floria and King Merryweather, especially after the whole killing knights under his protection.¡± ¡°What do you wish to gift?¡± ¡°After checking how many weeks I have left until the end of dawnval, I was thinking Basic Enhanced, since I need to make about eight different weapons. Also, I was planning on making a few rings and cloaks that would protect us. I can make around eight of each, I think.¡± Sonarot remained silent, having forgotten Adam could enchant such items, and with a swiftness that was unmatched by most other figures. Jurot also remained silent, understanding that this was just Adam being Adam. ¡°So... is a Basic Enhanced weapon good for a King?¡± Adam asked, holding doubt within his voice. ¡°Yes. Not even a King can refuse a Basic Enhanced weapon so easily.¡± ¡°We really do need to change the way we call those weapons,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°What enchantments will the weapon hold?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Well, I was thinking about what would be good for a bunch of different people, since I don¡¯t want to make it uniquely for him, we don¡¯t have that kind of time. I was thinking something similar to what I¡¯ve already made. Plus one, I mean, a Basic bonus, obviously, with... it hits harder, plus there will be three charges, which all need to be spent to increase the damage for a minute, and you can expend magic equivalent to a Third Gate spell to recharge it, or it¡¯ll recharge around dawn.¡± ¡°It is a great Basic Enhanced weapon,¡± Jurot said. ¡°See, that¡¯s what I mean. It¡¯s...¡± Adam noted the expectation within his brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Was that a joke?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Adam held out a fist and Jurot bumped it. ¡°You see this, Aunt? He¡¯s so handsome, strong, and funny. It¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°He takes after his father,¡± Sonarot replied. ¡°Seriously, how can your entire family be so...¡± Adam paused. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because you need to be since your grandfather always worries you.¡± ¡°He is your grandfather too,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Whose grandfather?¡± Adam replied back lightly, the half elf smirking slightly. ¡°Alright, well, that¡¯s the plan this time. I should probably enchant my armour, but... the rings and stuff are more flexible. Anyone can wear them and, plus, we¡¯ve got those cool cloaks we haven¡¯t handed out yet, right? I made some rings, they look fine, but those cloaks?¡± ¡°Have you chosen which colours you prefer?¡± Sonarot asked. ¡°Not yet...¡± ¡°You should ask those who are most suitable.¡± ¡°I was thinking about asking Vonda, but she¡¯d pick the one I look most handsome in, and not the one that might be suitable for everyone else.¡± ¡°There are others...¡± Sonarot¡¯s eyes held a gentle mischief in them. ¡°Do you have someone in mind?¡± The woman smiled in response. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave it to you then...¡± Adam couldn¡¯t resist even his Aunt¡¯s beaming smile. ¡°I was thinking about offering the Grand Duchess some weapons, but I won¡¯t be around to do it.¡± ¡°The other enchanters may be able to assist.¡± ¡°Yeah, but... I just thought you¡¯d feel uncomfortable in case they¡¯re ever used against the Iyr.¡± ¡°If they are used against the Iyr, it does not matter whether you enchanted them or the Iyr enchanted them.¡± ¡°I guess. I was planning on auctioning some weapons too, but I¡¯m going to be busy, so I¡¯ll leave that to everyone else to deal with that. Whatever you say goes anyway, President.¡± ¡°I will consider it,¡± Sonarot promised. ¡°You already have so much money. You should take pause for a short while.¡± ¡°I should work hard since I hold such a high position,¡± Adam replied, rubbing the side of his neck awkwardly. ¡°Plus, I¡¯ve got to make sure the workers can eat in peace.¡± ¡°We of the Iyr will take good care of them.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll stockpile more money in case there¡¯s an emergency. There aren¡¯t enough enchanters yet, so I¡¯ll need to work harder. I¡¯m the only...¡± Adam paused. ¡°No, wait, aren¡¯t there two... Greater Enchanters? No, no, isn¡¯t there another?¡± Sonarot was glad Adam decided to use that particular term rather than Chaos Enchanter. ¡°There are currently three in the business¡¯s employ.¡± ¡°Me and...¡± ¡°Vonda and Kiara.¡± Sonarot was surprised Adam had forgotten about Vonda considering he was the one to Awaken her and she had gifted him at the beginning of the year, but she was equally as surprised as the half elf forgetting Kiara once more. ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°I even wrote in my book not to forget that sort of thing...¡± Adam is not escaping the stupid allegations. INT: 16 (+3) Excuse me? WIS: 12 (+1) This doesn''t make any sense at all! [1153] – Y06.053 – The Iyr’s Duties III ¡°Gosh, they both look so beautiful,¡± Jirot said, her finger curled over her lip like her elder sister whenever she played dragonchess. Little Jarot mimicked her actions, the pair staring at their mother and aunt wearing each cloak. They were both extremely dark, near black, except one held a red hood with a blue body, while the other held a blue hood and a red body. ¡°This is so difficult because you are both so pretty!¡± Jirot accused, huffing aloud at her mother and grandmother. The hint of a smirk encroached over her lips, until she broke into a cackle. Vonda smiled even wider, picking Jirot up, the pair nuzzling one another, doing the same for little Jarot, who nestled his head against his mother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must pick since it is for the business.¡± ¡°If we are working for the business you must pay the gold!¡± Jirot stated, narrowing her eyes suspiciously towards her mother. ¡°How much do you wish for?¡± ¡°One copper, one silver, one gold!¡± ¡°For this much work? You wish to make more than me?¡± Vonda raised her brow. ¡°Daddy is not paying you well?¡± Jirot retorted, furrowing her brows in annoyance. ¡°Just you wait, daddy! I will tell you off when you come back!¡± ¡°How are you so smart?¡± Vonda asked, planting a kiss on her forehead, before rubbing her cheek against Jarot¡¯s forehead. ¡°It is because I am your daughter, mummy.¡± Jirot shrugged her shoulders. ¡°It is all your fault.¡± ¡°I am at fault?¡± ¡°How can you say that mummy? It is daddy¡¯s fault, of course!¡± Jirot leaned in to plant a kiss on her mother¡¯s cheek. ¡°You will be paid well so you must work hard.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jirot hugged her mother¡¯s head. ¡°I will work hard so mummy you must stay!¡± ¡°I must work hard too.¡± ¡°Aaw...¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°Today I will take the day off to play with you and help you work.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot also displayed her wisdom by bringing the matter to her greatfather¡¯s attention. ¡°You see, babo? My mummy and my nana are so beautiful, how I am meant to choose?¡± ¡°Jirot, you sound too much like your father now!¡± the old one armed Iyrman complained. ¡°I sound too much like your grandson?¡± Jirot asked, tilting her head. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ The old Jarot burst out into laughter. ¡°If I am to help, will you pay me too?¡± ¡°You are so old but you are asking me for gold?¡± Jirot furrowed her brows, causing the old man to continue howling with laughter, snatching up his greatdaughter to kiss her face all over. ¡°My greatdaughter! You are too smart! Too smart!¡± Jirot squealed and cackled, before dragging her brother along with her for their greatfather to shower in affection. ¡°It is easier to hide the blood if they wear red, but since it is difficult to harm your father, and your uncle likes to show off his wounds, perhaps blue is better?¡± Jarot mused as he cuddled the twins against his chest, refusing to let them escape. ¡°Papo is so amazing too!¡± Jirot said, reaching up to her lip, curling her finger in front. ¡®Will it look good for papo?¡¯ ¡°Blue,¡± little Jarot said, pointing to the cloak his grandmother was wearing, his eyes glued to the blue. The boy quickly retreated to his greatfather¡¯s shoulder, the boy clutching around his powerful neck tight. ¡°If you like the blue, then it must be the blue,¡± the older Jarot said, rubbing his cheek against his greatson¡¯s, the boy clutching at his neck so tightly. ¡®What is wrong, my Jarot?¡¯ ¡°What am I to do, babo? My brother is so strong, so handsome, and so strong?¡± Jirot complained playfully, leaning in to kiss her brother¡¯s cheek, brushing his hair gently. The boy peeked out from his greatfather¡¯s shoulder, smiling slightly, and the pair hugged one another tight. As the last week of the month passed by, Adam continued to enchant, feeling slightly better with each passing day. During the last week, Elder Zijin called for the half elf, who approached the Elder within his estate. ¡°Churot,¡± Adam called, shooting finger guns at the boy, causing him to tilt his head. ¡°Elder Zijin, I heard I was in trouble.¡± ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Why else would you call me?¡± Adam asked, dropping down opposite the Elder, who poured the half elf tea. Elder Zijin stared at the stream for a moment, which rose upwards and unfurled like an awakening dragon. ¡°Jirot and Jarot, they grow quickly. Within the Iyr, they will grow well, but children do not grow as quickly as them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I noticed too...¡± ¡°They mature at twice the rate and will live half as long as their typical counterparts, though your other children, due to your heritage, will live long lives, around two centuries, more if they are so lucky.¡± Adam swallowed. He didn¡¯t want to think about his children dying before him, again, but it was true enough that out of all his children, two of them didn¡¯t have the same blood flowing through their veins. ¡®I guess, in spirit, the triplets have my blood flowing through them? I don¡¯t really know how it works with them, but Jirot and Jarot, they...¡¯ ¡°We may be able to use a similar process upon the twins to bless them with longer lives, those like the Ool, the Gaks, or the Jins.¡± ¡°A similar process?¡± ¡°I have declined it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There are three ways. One, I declined, because it required their deaths, and for them to change from such adorable little ones into something else. You would not allow it, and I do not wish to die to the Mad Dog, yet. The second, I have declined because it is likely they will die. The third is through magical items, which I have written for.¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°I appreciate that, Elder.¡± ¡°We Elders are currently assisting the Great Elders with various tasks, so I appreciate that you are not causing much trouble at this time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Iyr is evolving.¡± ¡°Evolving?¡± Adam asked, leaning in slightly, his voice lowering. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You will see soon enough.¡± ¡°Why is it evolving?¡± ¡°In order to deal with such threats, the Reavers, as well as to deal with the likes of you, we must evaluate our rules and laws, and discard with those which restrain us, or change them for the times. If we do not, like water, we will grow stale.¡± ¡°Stagnant water rots, eh?¡± Adam smiled slightly. ¡°I really am in the wrong genre.¡± ¡°Adam, when you leave for Aswadasad, be careful.¡± ¡°It feels weird to be told that by an Iyrman,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no way for me to die a good death, so I should stay alive?¡± ¡°Are you joking because you do not understand the severity of the situation?¡± Zijin asked, taking Adam¡¯s eyes with his own. ¡°I¡¯m joking because otherwise I¡¯ll be too scared to go,¡± Adam replied, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°The Reavers will wish to hunt you if they find you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°There are two groups of Reavers. One group, they are currently taking over the new land which has appeared to the east, and another group, those who are hunting great warriors across the land. They leave commoners and the like be, but when they come across those who are Masters or greater, they hunt.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam crossed his arms. ¡°Looks like the Reavers are more of an issue than I originally thought. I expected them to be monsters, but could it be that they¡¯re people instead with their own culture?¡± Zijin remained silent, taking in Adam¡¯s face, the half elf focused on his thought. ¡®You instantly thought such?¡¯ ¡°I wonder if they can be reasoned with then?¡± Adam rubbed the side of his cheek. ¡°Although, if they are that kind of warrior people, then...¡± ¡°They are not like the Iyr,¡± Zijin said. ¡°They may not accept such.¡± ¡°We can always try, but... if they don¡¯t want to, then they don¡¯t want to, right?¡± Adam sighed. ¡®I hope I don¡¯t meet with any...¡¯ As Adam spoke with the Elder, there were others also making preparations for the future. ¡°You should join us in Aswadasad,¡± Jurot said, pouring the milk for his cousins. He sipped the cool milk, a gentle kind of coolness that soothed his tongue. ¡°Is there a need of us to join you?¡± Tanagek replied, chewing on the dried fruit, trying to judge the look within Jurot¡¯s eye. He chewed slowly, deliberately, trying to catch the nuances within Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡°You have seen much already,¡± Jurot admitted, closing his eyes, trying to think of how to word it better for his cousin. ¡°It is too little.¡± ¡°Can you say such a thing?¡± Chosen joked, throwing back the milk, pouring himself more. ¡°The milk in the Iyr is much better than the milk in Aldland, hmm, Tana?¡± Tanagek remained staring at Jurot, who had asked them to stop their current trajectory and to follow him and his brother. Usually, it was disrespectful to ask, but it seemed like at this time, Jurot himself was requesting it for his own sake. ¡°I wish for you to see him as I do,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do I need to come too?¡± Chosen grumbled. ¡°I wish to travel north to kill a wyvern.¡± ¡°There are wyverns in Aswadasad,¡± Tanagek stated. ¡°Not like the North¡¯s wyverns.¡± Tanagek bowed his head in response, since the wyvern¡¯s in Northern Aldland were truly grand. ¡°You should come too, to watch over Tanagek,¡± Jurot said, peering at Chosen. Chosen smirked, letting out an exaggerated sigh full of feigned defeat. ¡°Then I must come.¡± Tanagek exchanged a look to Jurot, who shrugged his shoulders in response. ¡®It is not he who looks after me.¡¯ ¡®Okay.¡¯ At least Jirot knows her worth! Also I thought this year was going to be front loaded with Adam defeated the Grand Commander... I''m reading some of the recent chapters I''ve written and oh boy... Just to remind everyone I''m still posting additional chapter up for new subscribers! [1154] – Y06.054 – The Iyr’s Duties IV [1154] ¨C Y06.054 ¨C The Iyr¡¯s Duties IV ¡°Taygak?¡± Adam replied, confused. His eyes fell to Xarot, who sucked away at his dummy quietly, but stopped as he saw his father¡¯s eyes upon him. The boy smiled with a childish joy, the kind that only a child could have for their parent. Adam leaned down to nuzzle his son¡¯s nose, the boy giggling, reaching up to his father¡¯s collar with a chubby hand. Adam leaned back within his chair, his eyes taking in the sight of his brother¡¯s stone cold appearance. It was contrasted by Monarot, who looked up at the half elf with curious eyes, and as their eyes met, the girl smiled in the way only a child could have for their parent, and if their uncle was Adam. Jurot waited for the half elf to return back to the topic at hand, allowing him to act Adamly for a moment, since it was his day off. If he didn¡¯t, he was certain the girl nearby, who was in the middle of reading to her youngest sister, would come and tell him off. ¡°Is that... a good idea?¡± Adam asked cautiously. ¡°We are able to deal with Aswadians with Dunes¡¯ title as a Brother of Black Mountain. Brother Mork and Tork wish to come too, and I have requested Tanagek and Chosen to travel with us. We may also travel with the Silver Fate Squad. Bavin¡¯s relation may help us too.¡± ¡°Right, but... Taygak¡¯s still considered a child?¡± Adam could feel a chill run through him, the half elf shuddering, revealing his thoughts so easily to his brother. ¡°Isn¡¯t she too young to be going on such a dangerous journey?¡± ¡°We will protect her.¡± ¡°With the Reavers on the land...¡± ¡°We will work hard to keep her safe,¡± Jurot said, his words pressing down upon his brother¡¯s shoulders. The Iyrman could see the worry on the half elf¡¯s face, since Adam was thinking such Adamly thoughts. Jurot understood, since Adam was Adam, for the half elf was surely thinking of what happens whenever he travels, and the insanity of the current decade. However, he probably wasn¡¯t thinking about how they had overcome so much already, in no small part thanks to the boundless luck they had so far. ¡°I¡¯m still not sure, but... if you think it¡¯s fine, then I can¡¯t really refuse, now can I?¡± Adam¡¯s heart ached, filling with the familiar chill. ¡°If you are uncomfortable, you may decline.¡± ¡°No. You¡¯ve placed so much trust in me, what kind of brother would I be if I didn¡¯t return it in kind? We¡¯ll take Taygak, and we¡¯ll assign proper guards to her. Everyone should understand that her safety is our first priority. Dunes and the others too.¡± ¡°Kitool and I will deal with the preparations,¡± Jurot assured, seeing the half elf¡¯s mind already racing, but the Iyrman was certain this was considered work, therefore Adam could not do it today. ¡°It is our honour to make such preparations as Iyrmen.¡± Adam could see the twinkle in Jurot¡¯s eyes, just like when he first faced King Merryweather. It threw him off, since it was so rare for Adam to see it, perhaps once a year or so, and usually it appeared whenever Jurot was able to live his dreams as an Iyrman. ¡®Is it that import-,¡¯ Sometimes Adam had to remind himself to think for a few seconds before speaking, but he also needed to think a few seconds before having such thoughts too. ¡°I¡¯ll let you deal with it, but...¡± ¡°I will not.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I will not surrender Monarot.¡± ¡®Damn! I really am that predictable!¡¯ Adam turned red slightly, the half elf¡¯s ears drooping slightly. ¡°Please?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°That easy?¡± Adam replied, wrapping an arm around Monarot, who squirmed slightly, but upon seeing her uncle¡¯s face, she smiled once more, with the look of a child to her parent, or of course, Adam. The half elf returned a smile as his entire body grew hot, ready and eager to slay a dragon all for the sake of the little boy and girl within his arms. He leaned in to nuzzle the girl¡¯s nose gently, cooing towards the girl, who giggled in return, returning back to sucking her dummy a moment later. ¡°It is because you asked appropriately,¡± Jurot replied simply. ¡°You¡¯re so Iyrmanly.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot said, the shadow of a smile encroaching his lips. ¡°If Taygak is going to come with us, then...¡± Adam frowned slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll need to rethink my gifts. I want something nice to gift them after all they¡¯ve done for me, but it feels... I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You could gift two fire blades to them, for they will still hold the same weapon.¡± ¡°Yeah but... I don¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t feel good enough for what they¡¯ve done for me. Plus, it feels so cheap, considering his gift.¡± ¡°You will owe a greater blade in the future.¡± ¡°Do you mean greater, Greater or Greater Enhanced?¡± ¡°You may gift a Greater Enhanced blade in the future.¡± Jurot could see that too, Adam plotting to gift the children many weapons. ¡°Jurot?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Adam tried to hold out a fist but he was trapped under Xarot and Monarot. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to explain it, but I feel so... happy. The days are passing by, and... I¡¯m trying to enjoy them. Day by day. This kind of life, I...¡± The constant pauses gave more than Adam intended, but Jurot left it be. ¡°I like it a lot more than when I¡¯m travelling and fighting this and that. Konarot rolled really well the other day, and she managed to get the last hit on the hydra that was threatening the village. The way her face lit up, man...¡± Jurot watched as the half elf shook his head, his smile so bright. The half elf leaned back into his seat further, closing his eyes, falling deep into his thoughts. Jurot wondered just what the half elf was thinking to smile so peacefully. He knew it was about the children, but he wasn¡¯t sure what it was exactly. ¡°Karot was a little sad. Poor guy, failed all those checks to try and tame the thing. Kirot did her best to help him, but man, I can¡¯t believe my son has almost as much bad luck as me. Jirot tried to hold it but she¡¯s not a high enough level, though Jarot managed to roll so well to keep it pinned. Even though it had a better bonus because he was so small, he managed to keep it down, my little Jarot, what a cute punk!¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes fell down to Monarot, the girl sucking away at her dummy lightly, her eyes staring up at her uncle, taking in the sight of his jaw and neck. Her eyes trailed all along Adam¡¯s face as though spotting something new each time. Sometimes she would look towards his collar, grabbing it and tugging it every so often, which Adam allowed without a second thought, though he¡¯d sometimes rub his cheek against the girl¡¯s hand, causing her to withdraw. She stared up at her uncle for a long moment before bursting into a fit of joyful giggles. Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to the side. Kitool sat with Jitool upon her lap, allowing her younger sister to move her pieces against Katool, who thought so deeply about each of her moves. There was something about this situation which caused Jurot to pause. His eyes then darted to the side, where Amokan and Timojin sat, each also holding their siblings upon their laps while they chatted away. ¡°They are so strong?¡± Inakan asked. ¡°They are,¡± Amokan replied. ¡°But, papa, you are going?¡± Inakan tilted her head to the side, trying to understand. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°We must go because we are Iyrmen.¡± ¡°I must go too?¡± ¡°You are too young.¡± ¡°Cousin Ilyakan is not going?¡± ¡°She is a Priest. She cannot go, she is needed here.¡± ¡°You are not?¡± Inakan asked, narrowing her eyes slightly, though they appeared so large to Amokan due to her glasses. ¡°I follow our family¡¯s way. I dance with our rage and swing my greatsword. Perhaps you will too, one day, but today, I do so. Though some of our cousins dance like me and swing a greatsword like me, I must go because I wish to become Chief.¡± ¡°Kaza Timojin, you wish to become Chief too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Timojin replied. ¡°If papa is Chief, then kaza, you cannot be Chief?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°You are going too because you want to be Chief?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oooh,¡± the girl said as though she understood, for they were both trying to become Chief, so they must go, even if only one could be the Chief. Of coas. ¡°The Reavers are so strong?¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°If they are so strong, how can you win? You are as strong as kaza?¡± The girl raised her brow incredulously. ¡°...¡± Amokan smiled wide. ¡°Am I as strong as kaza? Am I stronger? Am I weaker? It does not matter, does it? I am an Iyrman who wishes to become Chief. I cannot allow Reavers to stop me.¡± ¡°Oh! Papa! You sound so strong!¡± Inakan¡¯s eyes widened, the girl¡¯s eyes darting to Timojin. ¡°Kaza Timojin, you sound strong too?¡± ¡°I fought against the Aldish. Did you see?¡± ¡°I saw! I saw with my glasses, I was wearing them so I could see!¡± The girl said, holding around the edges of her glasses, adjusting them upon her nose. ¡°I see so well!¡± ¡°Your grandmother came. She did not come to save me, but so that I could save Uwajin.¡± ¡°You fought so well, kaza.¡± Inakan reached out and pat the Iyrman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must be careful to come home safely.¡± ¡°If I die, then I die,¡± Amokan said. Inakan gasped. ¡°No?¡± ¡°You should not be sad. You should be happy, for I died a Kan.¡± Inakan¡¯s lower lip began to tremble. ¡°Kaza! Kaza Adam!¡± ¡°What!¡± Adam called from the side, standing up instantly, Xarot and Monarot clutching at his shoulder as the half elf stormed away. ¡°Who was it? Who made my Inakan cry? I bet it was you, Amokan! Do you think because you¡¯re so handsome that I¡¯ll forgive you?¡± ¡°Do I need your forgiveness?¡± Amokan replied, flashing a playful smirk. ¡°Don¡¯t embarrass yourself in front of your sister,¡± Adam shot back, causing even Amokan to raise his brows. ¡°Are you no longer pretending to fear us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to fear you, but if you make Inakan cry, I¡¯ll need to teach you a lesson.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes fell down towards his son. ¡°Do you hear that, Xarot? He thinks he¡¯s a big man making his sister cry. Even if Inakan looks so cute when she cries, how can he do it? Does he think papo Jurot won¡¯t beat him up?¡± Xarot replied with a bright smile, the boy clasping his hands together, clutching at his father¡¯s collar once more. ¡°Monarot, you need to tell your daddy, no, your papo to tech your other papo a lesson!¡± Adam planted a kiss on the girl¡¯s forehead, causing her to squeal, the girl clapping her hands together. ¡°Inakan, do you want me to teach him a lesson?¡± ¡°Kaza Adam!¡± Inakan giggled, her tears retreating as joy swiftly engulfed her eyes. ¡°Nooo!¡± ¡°Do you forgive your brother?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My papa is so handsome!¡± Inakan cackled. ¡°No, no, you have to forgive him because you love him! Even if he¡¯s handsome, you can¡¯t forgive him!¡± Adam smiled, though the stress appeared on his face as he realised what a terrible precedent he had established into the girl, and all the other children. ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Do you love your papa?¡± ¡°So much!¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°All this much!¡± Inakan held out her arms wide, causing her brother to lift her up to a stand upon his lap, and he held her close in a tight hug. ¡°I love you too, Inakan. That is why I will try to return alive.¡± ¡°Since you are so strong you can do it,¡± Inakan assured, the girl holding the top of his head, brushing his hair tenderly, the girl¡¯s tears drying against her brother¡¯s cheek. ¡®What a scary brother you have, Jurot...¡¯ Adam might be cringe, but at least he''s also very cringe. [1155] – Y06.055 – The Iyr’s Duties V [1155] ¨C Y06.055 ¨C The Iyr¡¯s Duties V The first stars twinkled in the sky, the gentle rain falling upon the Iyr like a sweet melody, the scent of food floating all around, and the general noisiness of the end of the month filled the air. Amokan poured his companions drinks, from the cousins he grew up alongside, to the cousin he had met during his adult life. However, the half elf sipped the watered down wine lightly, deciding against drinking too much, sticking to his milk. ¡°I refuse,¡± Amokan said simply. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Just like that?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I understand why you wish for it. Her safety is paramount, but Timojin and I, we have faith in your abilities. You will prepare enough to guarantee her safety.¡± ¡°I just feel more comfortable with you two monsters at our side,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°We have chosen our path,¡± Amokan said. ¡°Taygak has chosen hers,¡± Timojin added, sipping the wine. His eyes turned to meet Amokan¡¯s, who slowly bowed his head. Though the Kan family grew up alongside the Gak family, the Jin family was in some ways closer to the Gak family. However, neither the Kan and Jin families could understand, for very few families suffered in such a way that the Gak family had. To watch as the light was snuffed out every century, from the likes of the Jaygak of old, to Gangak, Flame Brand, the most recent figure who had befallen misfortune. Jurot had asked, but they had to refuse. Even if Adam had asked, or Kitool, even if the Chief himself had asked, the pair would have refused. There was only one family who could ask them for support in this matter, and they had not asked, and out of respect for them, the pair did not act. ¡°Where¡¯s Jaygak anyway?¡± Adam said, leaning to one side, resting his cheek upon his fist as though tiring of the world. ¡°She should come along to show off in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°She has retired,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Oh... right.¡± Adam frowned. ¡°Well that doesn¡¯t explain why we haven¡¯t seen her, right? Where is she?¡± ¡°She is working hard for the Iyr,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Doing what?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam¡¯s ears perked up slightly. ¡®So even Jurot doesn¡¯t know? Damn...¡¯ As night approached, Jogak brushed his daughter¡¯s hair. Kavgak yawned, having held up her brush to her father and with a particularly harsh politeness, asked her father to brush her hair in a way that stated he couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Maygak,¡± Kavgak called, holding out her arms. Maygak waddled her way to her elder sister, and after a hug, Kavgak guided the girl to their father. ¡°Brush, please.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jogak said, brushing Maygak¡¯s hair for the evening. It had become a habit for him to brush their hair, since Jaygak had left to complete her duties elsewhere, and while Raygak and Saygak were receiving their special education, it was left to the girls¡¯ mother and father. ¡°You look most handsome like this,¡± Lavgak said, lifting up Kavgak, who hugged the woman and kissed her cheek almost angrily, but Lavgak understood the girl was just serious in her affection. ¡°Mama! Pretty!¡± Kavgak assured, brushing her mother¡¯s hair, before her eyes darted to her father. ¡°Yes, always,¡± Jogak assured, letting out a small sigh. ¡®Boys are easier.¡¯ ¡°Dada, handsome.¡± Kavgak held up a thumbs up towards her father. ¡°Maygak, gojus.¡± Maygak bowed her head and shyly smiled, while Kavgak charged her to hug her head and brushed her hair back with a hand, ruining her father¡¯s work. As they hugged one another, Lavgak smiled a soft smile, taking in the sight of her youngest daughters. They were the envy of nearly all the Iyr¡¯s families, for good reason. ¡®I should go,¡¯ the older one armed Iyrman thought, though he recalled the words he had spoken earlier. He inhaled deeply, reaching up to rub his brow, glancing aside towards Gangak, who could see the old man had riled himself up about something. ¡®What is wrong?¡¯ Gangak¡¯s brows asked. ¡®Nothing,¡¯ Jarot¡¯s eyes replied, though she understood his response as something, but he did not wish to speak of it. ¡°Finished now,¡± Jirot said, causing her younger sister to complain, but she was quickly silenced as Jirot hugged her and kissed her forehead, little Jarot doing the same. The girl giggled and squealed, little Jarot taking her hand so they could follow Jirot, who wished to place the book away. As the day ended, Adam assisted his children with their baths, drying them off, changing his twins and his youngest two. ¡°Make sure you give babo and nano lots of kisses for sleeping with you, okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Jirot glanced up to her father, her amber eyes in thought for a moment. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We can come and sleep with daddy and mummy later?¡± ¡°Later,¡± Adam assured. ¡°I will try to sleep good and then you can give me a reward, okay?¡± Jirot smiled shyly, her ears drooping slightly. ¡°Do or do not, there is no try,¡± Adam joked, nuzzling his daughter¡¯s nose. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear. Daddy will sleep with you some time next week.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Adam promised. Little Jarot raised his brows in surprise, his eyes darting towards his elder sister with such reverence, for she was so able to trick her father into sleeping with them. ¡®Wow! Kaka! You are so amazing!¡¯ ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been sleeping better recently, so it won¡¯t be too long now.¡± Adam pulled the pair close to him, feeling the warmth in his chest, and the chill within his spine. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have shown them mercy.¡¯ The twins planted kisses on their father¡¯s cheeks, with no idea they had managed to dampen their father¡¯s darkness. However, it was something which one might have expected of them, for would Adam dare to deny Jirot such affection? Adam watched the pair leave with their babo and nano, quickly joined by the one armed Otkan. Adam bowed his head towards her and she returned the bow of her head. The half elf returned back to the main building, where Vonda was brushing Karot¡¯s silver hair. ¡°Your hair is getting so long,¡± Vonda said, glancing aside towards Konarot and Kirot, their hair also falling well beyond their shoulders, towards the middle of their back. ¡°Shall we cut your hair soon?¡± Karot frowned slightly. ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want your hair cut, you just need to say it,¡± Adam said, dropping down to his knees infront of his son, brushing his son¡¯s cheeks tenderly with his thumbs. ¡°If my son doesn¡¯t want his hair cut, then he doesn¡¯t want his hair cut, and that¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I want long hair like kakas...¡± ¡°Then you can have long hair,¡± Adam assured, reaching around towards his son¡¯s ears, rubbing them gently, causing the boy to squirm and giggle. ¡°Daddy!¡± ¡°Even though you¡¯re normally so shy, you can¡¯t be shy when you show your love to daddy, okay? Come here!¡± Adam lifted his son up from his wife¡¯s lap and he peppered his son all over with his kisses, though quickly surrendered some of his kisses to his elder sister. Meanwhile, Konarot was in the middle of some important business. Konarot pulled the blanket over it. It was white, like snow, its blade hidden beneath the sheath. The girl double checked to see if the handle was upon the pillow, before she pulled back. Adam threw a look to his wife, who smiled in return, the pair watching as the girl carefully tucked her sword into bed, before she shuffled over towards her mother and father. ¡°Did you put Zephyr to bed?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you brush his hair?¡± ¡°Zephyr does not have hair, daddy,¡± Konarot replied, tilting her head. ¡°Ah, of course.¡± ¡°Zephyr is a girl,¡± Kirot said. ¡°She is our best friend.¡± ¡°I see. I thought it was a boy, since Karot is a boy, and there¡¯s already two of you.¡± Konarot and Kirot exchanged a look, before turning to look towards their brother, who blinked innocently at them. ¡°Zephyr is a boy?¡± Konarot asked Kirot. ¡°Zephyr...¡± Kirot blinked, thinking upon the matter for a moment. ¡°Zephyr is a boy.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Konarot said. ¡°Karot, you can carry Zephyr, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Karot¡¯s tail jiggle lightly behind him as the boy¡¯s cheeks burned slightly with delight. ¡°Darling,¡± Adam called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Perhaps we should go have a bath?¡± Vonda let out a soft sigh, reaching up to her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s a little too late to have a bath now, darling.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for me if we don¡¯t have a bath.¡± ¡°We can have a bath in the morning.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes slowly darted towards his wife, who stared back at him with a defiant gaze. ¡°If it¡¯s a no then it¡¯s a no. I need to go take a walk to cool off, though, since you¡¯ve warmed me up.¡± ¡®Eugh,¡¯ Larot thought. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Vonda replied, feigning as though she had done something wrong, while smirking up at the half elf. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Adam slipped away, allowing his children to claim their mother as they began to fall asleep. The half elf stepped out into the courtyard, where he found Amokan swinging his sword. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ The pair¡¯s eyes met and they nodded towards one another. Adam could see Amokan was working through something, his mind preoccupied with something else. The half elf took a walk around the block, cooling himself off quickly, before he returned back to his room, his triplets almost tackling him down. Romance? In my fatherhood simulator? CRINGE! Interlude: The Sibling’s Duties The rays of noon fell upon the Iyr. It was the first day of the third month, so the rays held a greater warmth within him, the prelude for the next season. Amokan had waited until noon for his task since his sister held the most energy around noon, though crashed a few hours later, at the perfect time for their return. The Iyrman led his sister through the tunnels of the Iyr, passing from one place to the next, with Inakan asking a thousand questions along the way, until she was too tired to walk beside her brother, who picked her up and carried her, allowing her to regain her strength to ask another thousand questions. They finally came across tunnels which had been etched with letters. K. He made his way through that tunnel, finding the first tunnel marked with another letter, A. He made his way through that tunnel, until he stopped. ¡°Which letter is N?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Papa, you said no more questions!¡± Inakan declared, the girl crossing her arms, glaring at her elder brother. ¡°You asked too many, but now I asked one, so you may ask another.¡± ¡°It is that one!¡± Inakan pointed towards the letter, which she had often written, sometimes the right way round. ¡°Nnn! Nuh! En!¡± ¡°K. A. N. Do you know what it spells?¡± ¡°Kan!¡± Inakan replied almost instantly. ¡°I know because I write it every morning with daddy!¡± ¡°I saw,¡± Amokan said, clutching his sister a little tighter. ¡°You write so well.¡± ¡°You must be so troubled because I am so cute and smart, but it is okay,¡± Inakan assured, reaching up to pet her brother¡¯s head. ¡°Even if I am cute and smart, I will not leave you behind.¡± Amokan smiled slightly, shaking his head, before leaning in to nuzzle against the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Knowing mercy is a virtue.¡± ¡°Yes! I am so merciful!¡± Amokan led the girl through the last tunnel, approaching the large wall. It was plain save for the forty slots within. Amokan reached into his pocket and began to slip his coins into ten of the slots one by one, not caring if Inakan saw, the girl most likely not going to remember, and even if she did, she was a Kan. ¡°Father said he took you here last year. Do you remember?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°You must remember that this is a secret. You can tell no one about the family vault. Those who know, know, but even if they know, you still cannot speak of it.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The wall shuddered and fell, revealing the large room within, full of crates, pouches, weapons, mostly greatswords, and all manner of other treasures. They were all illuminated by small gems, which sparked to life as the door opened. The room was easily a hundred steps from side to side, and fifty steps deep, with another doorway ahead leading to another room. ¡°This is our family¡¯s vault,¡± Amokan said, carrying Inakan within, his eyes glancing around to see how neatly everything had been laid out, and how clean it was. ¡°Cousin Izyakan must have cleaned before she left to the Front Iyr.¡± ¡°Kaza Izyakan is working hard,¡± Inakan said, nodding her head. ¡°She cannot feed me peaches because she is working.¡± ¡°I will feed you peaches when we return,¡± Amokan promised. Inakan smiled wide, wrapping her arms around her brother¡¯s thick neck. ¡°You are the best, papa.¡± Amokan smiled wider, before heading towards a particular pouch which sat upon the shelf. It was a typical pouch, but Amokan stepped towards it with a particular intent. He grabbed the pouch and sat down, Inakan sitting upon his lap, and he undid the knot, pulling the pouch open to reveal the particular treasures within. ¡°Gems!¡± the girl said, without her brother pulling them out. She could see the gems clearly with her glasses, even though they were barely dimly lit within the pouch. ¡°Yes,¡± Amokan pulled out a gem, holding it up for the girl. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Tiger eye,¡± the girl replied, noting the swirls of oranges, browns, greens, and blues. ¡°They are worth ten gold!¡± ¡°Who taught you that?¡± ¡°Jarot teach me.¡± ¡°You must call him dado Jarot.¡± ¡°Not dado, you silly boy! Nephew Jarot!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Amokan ruffled the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°I am sorry. That is right, he and his sister know their gems.¡± ¡°Kaza Jaygak teached them.¡± ¡°Yes, cousin Jaygak learnt how to deal with silver and gold and gems.¡± ¡°Jaygak is so smart! I want to be as smart and strong as Jaygak too!¡± Amokan raised his brows, smiling slightly, though his smile quickly dropped. ¡°It will be difficult for you.¡± ¡°I know. It is because I am born so small.¡± Amokan could feel the wave of sickness fill him. He pulled the girl closer to his chest, planting a firm kiss on the top of her head. ¡°If you wish to grow more powerful, you need to bully cousin Adam so he will spoil you with great magical items. Then you can fight when you wish.¡± ¡°No, no, no! Papa, I am too cute and troublesome, if I am strong too, it is unfair for everyone!¡± Inakan sighed, as though burdened by perfection. ¡°I must give everyone else a chance.¡± ¡°Did cousin Adam teach you this?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°Yes. He said I might be more troublesome than Jirot. It is because I am so amazing.¡± Amokan chuckled lightly, pulling the girl even closer to his chest. He nuzzled against the top of her head gently, before rubbing his cheek against hers. ¡°You are so amazing, my sister.¡± ¡°I cannot apologise for that.¡± Amokan¡¯s laughter filled the vault, pulling Inakan even closer to his chest, the pair embracing tightly. Amokan could feel the weight of the title that was an older brother as they embraced. He had understood it long ago, but now, with Inakan within his arms, the girl tightly embracing him, showering him in equal affection, he understood to a greater degree. ¡°Do you know who brought these gems?¡± Amokan asked, revealing the rest of the gems to the girl, from the favourites used by the Iyr, obsidian, each worth ten gold, and onyx, each worth fifty, along with all the other cheaper gems, such as azurite, malachite, and so many others. ¡°Hmm...¡± Inakan stared at the gems. ¡°Kaza Jaygak?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Kaza Adam?¡± Amokan wasn¡¯t sure how he felt that the girl had picked the half elf even before her other cousins, but it made sense, since the half elf spent so much time with the children. ¡°No. It was me. I travelled all through the land and adventured with Timojin. We fought many creatures and turned our silver and gold into these gems to bring back to the Iyr.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°We brought many more, but we gave half to the Iyr, and this half, it was for our family.¡± ¡°You are so amazing, papa! Good job!¡± Inakan reached up to brush her brother¡¯s hair gently. ¡°You worked so hard so you must rest hard, okay?¡± ¡°I am resting, I am resting,¡± Amokan promised, still holding his sister. He put away the gems, before opening the crates, revealing the silver coins and gold coins within, allowing the girl to pick a coin of each, slipping another to replace the one she had taken. ¡°All these silver coins, all these gold coins, they were earned by Iyrmen of old. Some of these, father earned. Some of these, grandmother earned. Some of these earned by their fathers and grandmothers, and mothers and grandfathers, and their parents and grandparents before them.¡± ¡°Wow! They are so old!¡± Inakan gasped. ¡°Everything in the Iyr is so old! It is so amazing!¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Amokan thought. ¡°Why is it amazing?¡± ¡°It means the Iyr has a long hairytim!¡± ¡°Heritage?¡± ¡°Ope!¡± Inakan reached up to her head, wiping her face. ¡°Hairytaj.¡± ¡°Who taught you this?¡± ¡°Kaza Adam!¡± ¡°How should I feel that Adam is teaching you all these things even though it should be me, your brother?¡± ¡°You snooze you lose!¡± Inakan cackled at her brother, recalling what Adam had taught her to say when she was confronted by these words. ¡°...¡± Inakan continued to cackle, before grabbing her brother¡¯s head, hugging it tight. ¡°Even so! Papa, I love you the most! You are an Iyrman, and kaza Adam...¡± Inakan tried to recall what Adam had said, but the half elf had stayed silent for a long while. ¡°Kaza Adam loves you too,¡± Amokan assured, causing the girl to remember the words, which were those words too. ¡°Yes! I am so lucky!¡± Amokan let out a sigh, though he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®It seems I was worrying for no reason?¡¯ ¡°What are those?¡± Inakan asked, pointing towards the various silver and gold objects. ¡°These are currency from other countries that are sometimes used. They are worth different sums of silver and gold. The beht from Aswadasad, the fida from Western Confederacy.¡± ¡°They are different?¡± Inakan asked, slightly confused, since they both looked like silver flowers, the centre heavy, with the lighter petals flowing out at an angle. ¡°Aswadasad and the Western Confederacy share the same roots, and though much of their customs, and even their currencies, are the same, they like to pretend they are different. This, the golden dragon, comes from further east, beyond even the Empire that has invaded the Confederacy. I do not recall the name of the currency, but it is worth a hundred gold.¡± Inakan gasped. ¡°Why do they not use coins?¡± ¡°They do, but sometimes, there is a need for different values. The beht has a story behind it and so do the golden dragons, but usually, the nobles like to carry such items to feel important. One could carry two onyx gems, or ten obsidian gems or tiger eyes, but sometimes...¡± Amokan picked up the golden dragon, his hand tensing, his arms flexing. ¡°To pick up something heavy feels pleasant.¡± Inakan tried to pick up the golden dragon, but the girl groaned, and even as she used both hands, she could barely lift it. Amokan helped her, holding the dragon up by its base, which made up about half of the gold, while the upper half was a long dragon which curled around as it lay atop the throne of gold, peeking an eye open. ¡°This one is designed not to stack, but others are often designed to stack,¡± Amokan said, picking up a silver flower, the fida, and placed it upon the beht, which was near identical, and revealed to the girl how they could stack, turning it slightly atop the beht, so that as they continued to stack, the petals spiralled. ¡°Oooh!¡± ¡°I brought you hear to show you all the treasures, but there are a group of treasures which may be the most important.¡± ¡°The swords!¡± Inakan declared, pointing towards the wall of swords, with twenty greatsword, and as many other blades, most of which were longswords, while others were shortswords and daggers. Amokan chuckled. ¡°You are smarter than even cousin Jaygak!¡± Inakan giggled delightfully, the girl clutching at her brother¡¯s collar to brace herself, not that her brother would allow her to fall. ¡°These blades, they are the magical blades of our family. They are also Enhanced, though some are not, but they hold a greater significance.¡± Amokan motioned towards an empty spot within the wall. ¡°That is where our greatest blade used to lay.¡± ¡°Oooh!¡± Amokan smiled, recalling the name of the blade. ¡°There are other great weapons around, but that was our greatest weapon.¡± ¡°It is gone?¡± ¡°It is not within our vault,¡± Amokan confirmed, though he hadn¡¯t checked the rest of the vault¡¯s rooms for it. However, his father had told him it was no longer within their vault, even though he had seen it as a boy. ¡°Here, one of our greatest weapons used to lay.¡± ¡°It is gone too?¡± ¡°Grandaunt Anakan died with it.¡± ¡°Oooh! Grandaunt died in the Year of Silence!¡± ¡°Yes. She was grandmother¡¯s younger sister. Grandmother has one more sister, but she is not a Kan, she is a Rot now. We are blessed with many great warriors in our family. Grandmother¡¯s generation was certainly one of the greatest, for even her cousin, granduncle Tarukan, carries our name well.¡± ¡°Yes! Our family is so amazing!¡± ¡°Our tales are among the greatest in the Iyr. Our treasures are among the greatest in the Iyr. Our weapons are among the greatest in the Iyr. Fire Song, Storm Caller, and even the Zhale, though it is the Second Zhale, and not the First Zhale, it is still a Legendary Enhanced weapon. Do you understand, Inakan? This what we have inherited, and this is what we must pass on to the next generation.¡± ¡°I give it to Mokan!¡± Inakan promised. ¡°Not just Mokan, but your children, his children, and their children. I will carry it during my generation, so you do not need to worry, but when you grow older, when you are my age, and when you have children, or Mokan has children, you must teach it to them. The stories of our family, the responsibilities that come with our name, and most importantly, the love that we hold for the Iyr. For though our tales, our treasures, and our weapons are among the greatest, it is only because of the Iyr we are able to claim such a great heritage. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand!¡± Inakan replied confidently, her eyes gleaming up at her brother. Amokan stared down at the girl, whose eyes suddenly filled with confusion and apprehension at the seriousness she saw within her elder brother¡¯s gaze. However, Amokan¡¯s eyes quickly softened and he pulled his sister in for another tight hug. ¡°Inakan, hold no worries within your heart. I will make sure you do not need to worry. Father and mother, they will do so too. Your older cousins, they will do so too. So do not worry, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Inakan held her brother¡¯s head, kissing his cheek. ¡°How can I worry? I am so lucky!¡± Amokan had so much he wished to speak with the girl about, but she had already known so much. He closed his eyes, thinking of who had dared to corrupt his sister like this, and decided to forgive the half elf. For a moment, doubt crept within his heart. If he had done this much for his family, shouldn¡¯t he return the favour? ¡®No,¡¯ Amokan thought. ¡®I must become the Chief. It is the only way to return this favour.¡¯ Amokan took too long, but at least Adam taught her well! [1156] – Y06.056 – The End of Dawnval I ¡°Jurot, I need some help,¡± Adam whispered, glancing towards the Iyrman to his side. The first week had passed, and Adam had promised to spend the seventh day with his children. It was still early in the morning, the group all eating together. This time breakfast had only been delayed by an hour, as Jirot broke the bread for her brother, offering it to his lips. Jarot took a bite, returning to his own meal, nibbling away at it, and his sister continued to eat her own meal. ¡°What is it?¡± Jurot asked, holding Damrot close to his chest, the boy sucking his thumb as he cuddled up to his father¡¯s large chest. ¡°I am probably going to need to work through the festival this time...¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Jurot replied, understanding Adam¡¯s apprehension. He was right to be so worried, since his children had spoken so excitedly of the festival, and how much they wished to explore it. Adam wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it unless it was important. ¡®He is making the rings?¡¯ Adam could feel how heavy his brother was thinking about his words. It was that kind of topic and Adam wasn¡¯t just asking for protection, the stress of enchanting so much was beginning to weight heavily upon his shoulders, as well as the stress that came with neglecting his family. The last month had passed him by just like that, and this week had passed by almost as swiftly. ¡°Will you be able to spend the evenings with them as usual?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What of the mornings, if you are to delay your enchanting?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Jurot thought about the festival, before he stopped thinking about it as another thought popped into his mind. ¡°The festival this year is changing.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Adam asked, his eyes darting aside to stare at his brother. He leaned in slightly, and for once, wasn¡¯t pretending to steal Damrot from the Iyrman. ¡°What do you mean changing?¡± ¡°Elder Teacher and Elder Forest have decided to change the festivals going forward.¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°They shall remain during the last week of each month, but the activities and the meanings are to change,¡± Jurot said, but in a tone that suggested this was perfectly normal, and not something that happened less than even once per generation. ¡°They can do that?¡± ¡°Yes. Due to the chaotic times we live in, with the Year of Silence and the Reavers, the Great Elders have decided to change certain matters within the Iyr. We cannot fall into old habits during such a time. We must understand the importance that is the turn of the millennium, and the time we live in.¡± ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adam felt the chill run through him again. He glanced aside towards the rest of his family, from his wife, to his children, to his cousins and his aunts and uncles. The older Iyrmen must have known, and yet they didn¡¯t inform him about it? Did that mean it wasn¡¯t a big deal? No, wasn¡¯t it a big deal? They just didn¡¯t want it to seem like a big deal? ¡°It is within their rights,¡± Jurot said, trying to reassure his brother, noting the shock upon his face. ¡°That sounds like a big deal, though...¡± ¡°It is a big deal, it is a small deal.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Kitool can explain it better than I.¡± Kitool approached the pair after Jurot called for her, the woman having returned with Jitool, who needed to be changed. Jitool joined Jirot and Jarot, eating with them, the girl sharing her fruit with the siblings, her bright smile feeding Adam¡¯s heart. ¡°It is within their rights,¡± Kitool began to explain, but seeing as that Adam was still shocked, and assuming Jurot had already explained such, the woman fell silent for a moment to think. ¡°It is a large shift in regards to the Iyr, but it is not unprecedented. The Great Elders have decided it is time to change. It is a signal to the Iyr. You are surprised, but rather than surprise, you must accept it, as we all have, and to follow the Iyr¡¯s lead. If you do not, you will find yourself sinking behind the ship.¡± ¡°I guess...¡± ¡°The Iyr is changing, but the Iyr is the Iyr. The Iyr you see today is almost unrecognisable to the Iyr from a thousand years ago. That Iyr is almost unrecognisable to the Iyr a thousand years before that. Almost.¡± ¡°Almost?¡± ¡°We follow our ways. An Iyrman a thousand years ago will draw their blade at the Iyr¡¯s request. An Iyrman today will draw their blade at the Iyr¡¯s request. That has not changed. When the Iyr was first founded, it may have been different, but we Iyrmen have decided to follow this way, and that will not change, or it may lead to the Iyr¡¯s destruction.¡± ¡°Right... so how¡¯s it changing?¡± ¡°We will find out the week before.¡± ¡°You said it was Elder Forest and Elder Teacher, right?¡± Adam said, thinking about their duties. ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡± ¡°Elder Forest will take the lead, since Elder Teacher is also changing the curriculum, again.¡± ¡°Again?¡± ¡°He changed it in the last few years. It is typical for it to change, at least once every generation, though usually it is once a decade. Rarely is it twice a decade, but this time, Elder Teacher changed it thoroughly, only for the Reavers to arrive.¡± ¡°Why is that relevant?¡± ¡°It is required, just in case the Reavers remain for long. The next generation must know of their threat, so all the Iyr knows of the Reavers must be passed on. We, too, have been briefed on the Reavers. Elder Teacher will also increase the physical education, to make sure we remain safe for the next generation. Even if we defeat the Reavers, it may come at a great cost, a cost that is to be born by the next generation.¡± ¡®Damn,¡¯ Adam thought, his eyes darting between Jurot and Kitool. ¡°If the Reavers do cause a bigger mess, I guess we¡¯ll have to do something about it.¡± ¡®If he is making a joke, I must have assuaged his worries,¡¯ Kitool thought. ¡°We should probably take Bael with us to fight the Reavers, unless he wants to kick it? Oh! What if we take Bael with us to Aswadasad? He might like that, right?¡± ¡°He may,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°We should ask him. He¡¯s probably bored at the Front Iyr, since he¡¯s a battle maniac. Seriously, what a guy, who is bored in the Iyr?¡± Adam tutted, crossing his arms in thought. It felt weird to cross his arms, and Adam glanced around, realising why. ¡°No!¡± Virot complained, rushing up to her mother. ¡®Virot, it¡¯s getting a little hurtful now...¡¯ Adam frowned, watching as Damrot followed her away. ¡®Seriously...¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, watching as his son abandoned him, leaving him with a pained heart. He thought to tease his brother about it, but since Adam had entrusted him, he decided to forgive him, just this once. ¡°There is a way to deal with the situation.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You must ask him.¡± Adam let out a sigh. He had hoped Jurot would help, but if he felt like he couldn¡¯t handle it, then it was a big deal. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll need to ask him.¡¯ ¡°What is he doing?¡± Tanagek asked, watching the half elf approach the Mad Dog, bringing Danagek and Dagek with him to the shared estate. ¡°He is asking for help,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Ah,¡± Chosen said, placing Chisen down. ¡°Why does he look like that?¡± Tanagek asked. ¡°He is making the same face you make when you ask me for help,¡± Chosen informed. ¡°Ah.¡± Adam approached the one armed old man, who growled quietly as the triplets quickly rushed away from him towards their papos. ¡®Damn it! What terrible timing!¡¯ ¡°Ha! My grandson has come to replace my greatchildren!¡± Jarot pat his lap. ¡°Come! Sit!¡± ¡°You old-,¡± Adam began, though quickly flexed his muscles. ¡°Grandfather, I need help.¡± Jarot exhaled. ¡°You are going to work through the festival?¡± ¡°No, I...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Do you think I do not my own grandson?¡± Jarot growled. ¡°Since you have come to me, it must be because of that.¡± ¡®Come on,¡¯ Adam thought, flushing slightly. ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Old Jarot looked to Jirot, who washed her mouth and wiped it clean, checking on Jarot and Jitool, making sure their mouths were clean too. The old man felt a squeeze at his heart. ¡°You brat! How could you-!¡± Adam raised his brows in shock as the old man flashed red with anger, though it quickly passed. He flushed harder, and though he may have been cringe, he had enough shame to realise what he was doing and how wrong it was. ¡°What is so important that you would even work through the festival at this time?¡± ¡°I need to make some Rings of Protection.¡± Jarot remained silent, holding his grandson¡¯s gaze. ¡°Do you think we do not have enough rings to hand our own children?¡± ¡°You should use them for those who will fight against the Reavers.¡± ¡°Are we so poor we cannot afford such items?¡± ¡°You should save the money, especially at a time like this.¡± ¡°We have already bought many such rings!¡± ¡°It¡¯s always good to have more, though, and plus... these are rings for the business.¡± Jarot could have pushed for more, but seeing the half elf¡¯s ears drop, his hands crossed sheepishly in front of him, the old man let out a sigh. His eyes met Gangak¡¯s, who told him that he had done enough, and the old man reached up to rub the side of his neck. Of all the things Adam was doing, this was probably one of the best reasons to work through the festival. ¡°You have come to me since you could not ask your wife,¡± Jarot accused. ¡°Since I will take the rage, you should spend more time with her. You are lucky enough to marry a Ray, you brat! Shower her in gold if she does not like blood!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that any time we¡¯re alone...¡± Adam cleared his throat, hiding his red face. Jarot flashed red hot with rage again, but this time it was to stop himself from bursting into laughter. Gangak was glad the old man had decided to keep his wits about himself. ¡°I will inform the children.¡± Jarot¡¯s anger turned more real as he aimed it towards the woman. ¡°I will do it!¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Gangak replied, having distracted the old man so her grandson could flee, except, as always, he hadn¡¯t taken the hint. ¡®Should I go with them to Aswadasad?¡¯ Gangak understands Adam can''t be left on his own. [1157] – Y06.057 – The End of Dawnval II Adam sighed, holding his twins within his chest. He had spent the entire day playing with his children, playing at the park, then at home, playing Warriors and Wanderers. It was towards the evening when the old Jarot informed the children, taking the anger and complaints upon himself, though very quickly Jirot and Jarot showered him in their affection, half ignoring their father. That was until Adam had revealed his hidden card, something he had kept close to his chest. The two snoozed upon his chest, with Jarot and Gangak sleeping in the other room of the cabin. The half elf stared at the ceiling, feeling their bodies shift with every breath. They were both still so light, one still lighter than the other. ¡®Right now, I can¡¯t grow stronger, but... one day.¡¯ Adam swallowed, feeling the stress fill his body. He felt the prickle of heat against his skin. His eyes shut tight, trying to force away the light which threatened to engulf him. It had only been a short time before he had found Jirot and Jarot. Adam had come across the figure known as Shama, a figure who was definitely among the strongest he had met in this life. Strom, or Emperor Hadda he was more likely to be known as, was equally as strong, apparently. Lord Stokmar, the Lord of Earth, may have been considered greater. Adam had met them all within the span of a couple of years of arriving within this world. Shama had been a terrifying foe, and even now, he was uncertain if he could even scratch the Lord of Flames. If he stood side by side with all his companions, could they do much more this time? No. He couldn¡¯t. He was certain of that much. ¡®Lady Ulaveil, right?¡¯ Adam thought, recalling one of the Lesser Divine he had met. ¡®They say she¡¯s strong too...¡¯ Somehow, though Adam had met the Divine, she hadn¡¯t tried to kill him. It was another figure, Starsword, one of the Thirteen Guardian Stars, who had tried to kill him the previous year. ¡®Starsword¡¯s strong...¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®If there are figures like Shama, Stokmar, and Starsword, couldn¡¯t I...¡¯ The dangerous thought gripped at his heart and the half elf tensed, feeling the chill invade. ¡®No! I can¡¯t think like that! Even if they¡¯re strong, there¡¯s a reason why Starsword came to hunt me!¡¯ Adam thought back to his fight with the Paragon earlier in the year. He had used his Omens twice, and he hoped nothing bad happened because of him. It hadn¡¯t been a year since he had met Starsword and yet he used his Omens? ¡®A year to Starsword is probably, what, a few minutes? He¡¯s lived...¡¯ Adam tried to recall how many years Starsword had been alive, but as he did, he heard Jarot¡¯s breath hitch within his throat, and the half elf rubbed along the boy¡¯s leg, forcing away the nightmares. ¡®Not yet. I just need to wait. Just a little bit longer. Slowly. I need to grow stronger slowly. I don¡¯t care who you are. Shama. Starsword. Hell, even if you¡¯re the Lord of Order, you discount Divine, not even a proper member of the Greater Divine. You think you¡¯re a big shot?¡¯ Adam recalled his meeting with the Divine, the only time he had dreamt in this life. He recalled how the Lord of Order had tried to cut him down where he stood, though in front of the God of Death, who was he? Not even the Lord of Order had permission to kill him from Lord Sozain, known to the Iyr as Baktu. ¡®I wonder how strong the Divine are...¡¯ Jirot whimpered, causing her father to pull her closer, and as he kissed her forehead, the girl stirred, hearing him call out to her. ¡°Daddy?¡± ¡°Oh dear, oh dear. Did daddy wake you up?¡± ¡°Hnn!¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. Go back to sleep. I just missed you, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I miss you too daddy.¡± Adam planted a kiss on her forehead, allowing the girl to return back to sleep, the little green skinned girl sucking on her thumb as she did. The half elf smiled sadly, leaning his head back onto the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Slowly, his smile dropped, and he glared at the ceiling and the stars beyond. Larot opened his eyes, his eyes turning to the side, feeling the it slip out. It was the kind of killing intent that was being contained, but a strand leaked out, waking the boy. ¡®What kind of dangerous thoughts are you having now?¡¯ As Adam woke the next morning, he peered down at his twins. ¡®Eh?¡¯ He remained frozen under his children until they finally awoke, and the half elf, lifted them up within his arms, allowing them to wake up within his arms as he carried them out towards the baths. ¡°Daddy?¡± Jirot called out, confused, the girl rubbing her eyes. ¡°Mmm?¡± Jarot yawned, the boy clutching at his father¡¯s collar, tilting his head. ¡°You two slept so well last night, ho ho!¡± Adam smiled wide, planting kisses on their heads. ¡°I¡¯ll tell mummy that she has to sleep with us tonight, okay?¡± Jirot remained focused upon her father¡¯s face, trying to understand how she wasn¡¯t in the cabin, and why her babo wasn¡¯t carrying her. Meanwhile, little Jarot¡¯s face brightened, and he rested his head against his father¡¯s neck, and though he was still tired, he was glad that he could sleep with his father and mother tonight, even though he would probably forget by evening. The old one armed Iyrman had stolen away the pair after their morning baths, the twins having arrived early enough to eat along with the other children that morning. ¡°You both slept so well last night! Did your father protect you all night?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot replied. ¡°Of course, since I¡¯m first place,¡± Adam stated proudly, the half elf smiling wide. ¡°Yes! Since your father is first place, it is the case that he can protect you all night!¡± The old Jarot leaned in to nuzzle into his greatchildren¡¯s necks. ¡°Jirot, Jarot, my father has made you some jam buns this morning,¡± Pam called, the woman placing down a jam bun for each of them. ¡°Will you each try it?¡± Little Jarot peeked down at the jam buns, though he recalled they were among his father¡¯s favourites. ¡°Daddy, we can share it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try not to eat it all since I love jam buns so much!¡± Little Jarot smiled. ¡°It is okay, daddy, since you need to eat to be big and strong.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m bigger and stronger, everyone will be jealous!¡± Adam sighed, crossing his arms. ¡°How can I be so strong and handsome?¡± ¡°It is because you are-,¡± Jirot blinked, quickly catching herself from saying something too mean, ¡°not very smart!¡± Adam noted the hiccup in her words, realising she was showing him mercy that morning. ¡°Yes but mummy is so smart and pretty and strong!¡± ¡°Mummy is mummy,¡± Jirot replied simply. Vonda smiled, reaching down to brush the girl¡¯s forehead gently with a thumb, before returning her attention back to Virot, who complained when her mother pulled away from her. Virot complained again as Nirot brought Xarot from one of the outer cabins, the boy having just awoken, and she offered him to his mother. Nirot then stole Virot away, who complained louder, until Sonarot pinched her nose, causing the girl to quieten as she stared up, eyes full of betrayal, before quickly filling with a shyness. Little Jarot nibbled into the jam bun lightly, but offered most of it to his father, his amber eyes shining. Adam smiled, taking a bite of the jam bun, offering it to Jarot¡¯s lips, but the boy shook his head. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought as his son refused. This time, Jarot wasn¡¯t pulling away, and he didn¡¯t look uncomfortable. Adam didn¡¯t want to push his luck, so decided to slowly eat the rest as Jarot watched, the boy smiling brightly towards his father as the jam bun disappeared. ¡®Eh?¡¯ ¡°Was it yummy, daddy?¡± ¡°It was, yeah. Did you like it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s ask granduncle Bam to make us some more tomorrow, yeah? Let¡¯s have one each?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡®Eh?¡¯ Adam thought, trying to understand why Jarot seemed so eager to eat a jam bun. However, Jirot brought the jam bun to his lips, and the boy nibbled on it lightly, before the girl offered it to her father, and the trio shared the last jam bun together, though Jirot ate most of it as Adam only nibbled at it himself. As the week passed and Adam enchanted, the half elf managed to sneak some time away for himself and his wife. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Von... da.¡± Vonda raised her brow questioningly as the pair walked, hand in hand, through the Iyr. ¡°I thought about calling you Von, and then it sounded weird,¡± Adam admitted, chuckling lightly. Vonda smiled slightly. ¡°What are you so sorry about, darling?¡± ¡°I just... you know. After everything that¡¯s happened, I should be spending more time with you, and the kids, and you. I tried not to neglect you, but at the same time, I¡¯m a little confused on how to take you out for dates since... there¡¯s not really a cinema around these parts, and I can¡¯t buy snacks or anything, or... I guess I could buy clothes, but I¡¯m not sure how to go about that? There¡¯s no clothing shop around these parts, so...¡± Vonda tried to recall what the cinema was, but she understood the gist of Adam¡¯s words. ¡°It is difficult.¡± ¡°Once I¡¯m back from Aswadasad, I promise to spend more time with you, and not just at night.¡± Adam winked, wincing slightly as his wife elbowed him gently, the half elf chuckling. ¡°You will have to spend a lot of gold in Aswadasad to make it up to me,¡± Vonda joked, flashing another smile towards the half elf. ¡°I¡¯ll spend so much gold they¡¯ll call me the Adam of Adams,¡± Adam joked back, the half elf¡¯s grin quickly encroaching across his face. ¡°Is there anything specific you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like some more books,¡± Vonda admitted. ¡°They have some lovely paper in Aswadasad, especially near the south, but you could find some in the capital for certain. I¡¯d like some scarves too, and some of the Aswadian attire, which feels the best to wear during noonval.¡± ¡°What a terrible time for me to go,¡± Adam joked, since he was certain they¡¯d leave right at the start of noonval. ¡°I¡¯ll try and come back quick.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wear it next year, perhaps during a date in a city?¡± ¡°Well, I mean, it is dangerous now, darling, so... I¡¯ll try and find the perfect time.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s too dangerous for long, you will need to rid of the Reavers yourself?¡± Vonda half joked, but considering it was her husband, he probably could fight them well enough. ¡°You¡¯re joking but if you ask me to, I¡¯ll go and beat them up.¡± ¡°Not kill?¡± ¡°Would you ask me to kill them?¡± ¡°I might, since there are limits we must respect...¡± Vonda sighed. She squeezed his hand. ¡°Just return to me safely, my dear.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes darted to meet Adam¡¯s, the woman smiling wider. ¡°Since you have promised.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied awkwardly, recalling the last year, when he couldn¡¯t utter the words. He stopped, pulling Vonda close to him, staring into her hazel eyes. ¡°I promise.¡± Vonda rested her head against his chest, allowing the half elf to hold her so tenderly, even with curious eyes focused upon them. She let out a large sigh of relief against his chest, the stress from worrying about the half elf escaping through her. The guilt filled the half elf, who clutched at the woman tighter. He leaned down to nuzzle her neck. ¡®Damn it! I need to spoil her more! What kind of worthless husband am I?¡¯ Vonda had no idea just how much gold Adam was about to spend to try and make it up to her. Vonda, do you know how much this guy has made betting on himself in tournaments? Adam is about to buy so much property in this fantasy world where it''s actually affordable. It truly is a fantasy. [1158] – Y06.058 – Dawnval Festival I Adam continued to enchant as the last week of dawnval approached ever closer. The gentle showers provided soft relief for those under the heat of the late dawnval sun, which bore heavily upon their shoulders. The first day of the festival was as Adam would have expected. He finished tying the pink belt around little Larot¡¯s waist, the boy old enough to wear such. Each of his children wore blue clothing, for one day they would wear tattoos of the same colour. They were adorned in a blue vest over a white shirt, the sleeves cut off at their forearms. Their trousers fell right above the top of their boots. The attire itself was only slightly different than Adam was used to, but the pink belt was entirely new. ¡®Pink for dawnval?¡¯ Adam thought, watching as the children¡¯s grandmother applied paint to their forehead, though she did not do it for the likes of Virot and Xarot, Elder Shaman having advised against it from this year onward. ¡®How cute!¡¯ Adam hugged each of his children, spending the morning with them as he fed each one, little Jarot eating from the half elf¡¯s fingers. ¡°Make sure you eat a lot this week, okay? It¡¯s the festival so you all need to eat a lot, otherwise you won¡¯t have enjoyed the festival enough!¡± The Family Heads brought out the candles for everyone before they set off towards the rest of the festival. ¡°Do you see these candles?¡± Adam asked, holding them all within his hands, enough for each of them save for the youngest children. ¡°Elder Forest said that we need to light these candles in the evening for an hour. They each last seven hours so we can only light them for an hour each day since the festival is... oh gosh, daddy is so bad at maths! How many days is the festival?¡± ¡°Daddy you know it is seven days!¡± Jirot¡¯s brows raised pointedly towards her father. ¡°You are so silly sometimes.¡± ¡°Ah! Yes, indeed! Though daddy is really bad at maths most of the time.¡± ¡°It is okay, daddy.¡± Jirot reached up to pat his knee. ¡°You can do it.¡± ¡°Thank you, my dear.¡± Adam did his best not to cuddle his daughter, though it didn¡¯t last long, as the half elf hugged his adorable twins, which caused him to hug his adorable triplets too. He even snuck a kiss onto Virot¡¯s cheek, the girl twitching as she glared at her father, but she smiled coyly towards the half elf, reaching up to her cheek where he kissed her. ¡°Make sure you enjoy the festival properly!¡± Adam peppered each of his children with more kisses, before allowing them to leave to explore the festival, the half elf¡¯s heart aching. Jirot was about to tease her father, but the one armed Iyrman lifted the girl up, patting her back gently. ¡°Babo!¡± ¡°You cannot tease him today, since he is working hard for the Iyr,¡± Jarot informed the girl. ¡°I wanted to play with daddy,¡± the girl admitted with a pout. ¡°I know. I will speak with him next time, but this time, you must allow him to leave. Okay?¡± ¡°Okay...¡± ¡°Bam, do you wish to accompany us?¡± the Mad Dog asked the baker. ¡°I must assist the baking,¡± Bam replied, not wanting to outright refuse the Mad Dog. Bam was a thickly built fellow, the thickness born through eating bread his entire life, his large forearms driving envy even within Iyrman. He was clean shaven, as always, and he wore a scarf around his head almost like a pony tail. ¡°Okay,¡± Mad Dog said, taking the twins away. Bam let out a soft sigh, still uncertain of how he became a member of the Mad Dog¡¯s family. His eyes darted to Sonarot, whose son his daughter had married, the woman escorting the triplets away, with Lanarot assisting them. Jurot, his son in law, guided his daughter, Bam¡¯s own grandchildren, away. Bam stepped away, taking a longer route to where he said he was going to be. As he did, the man fell into deep thought. He glanced around all the buildings, each large and yet densely packed. The Iyr wasted very little space, though he noted they allowed efficiency to fall when it came to certain types of buildings, like those of the playgrounds, parks, and anything to do with physical activity, like the nearby gymnasiums, which were more often than not large fields with a few buildings and items nearby. Bam stopped, glancing aside towards the Iyrmen, who had begun to explore the festival. Most of the roads were lined with stalls, each built of wood, most temporary, and covered with food. As the Iyrmen reached for the food, not a glint of copper, silver, or gold was tossed, spilled, or dropped to pay for it. The Iyrmen had split the duties among themselves, with every fifth or so Iyrman working hard for the day in order to provide the other four a greater day. Tomorrow, the faces would change, and perhaps the food on offer would change too, though this festival, almost identical to every other festival he had seen within the Iyr, was still so different. ¡®How did he do it?¡¯ Bam thought, staring at the buns on offer as an Iyrman child bit into it. It was a miniature version of a typical bun, for the children would explore the festival and its wide variety of games for the entire day. However, instead of the little girl, he saw a tiny green skinned boy, and instead of an elder sibling who remained nearby to watch over the child, he saw the adoring father who continued to pamper his children. ¡®Why am I even...¡¯ Bam wondered why he cared so much. It had been almost a year since the boy struggled to eat. However, though Jurot was his son in law, Adam was... Jurot¡¯s brother? The Iyr thought so, but they weren¡¯t related by blood. A half elf was slightly difficult to accept, purely due to the matter of Rock Hill. However, his children, two in particular, three including the red skinned babe, how could he accept them as part of his family? Goblins and a demon? Anyone who would hear him in Red Oak would surely laugh in his face, since who could believe that goblins of all things could be someone¡¯s children? Goblins? He could already hear the harsh words, the jokes, the laughter. It was laughable that his daughter had accepted them too. However, Bam recalled it. He saw the paleness on the half elf¡¯s face, the dark eyes, and the grief which had taken him. There was something about that sight, more than just a grieving father, that made his hair stand on end. Pam had asked him to help, and almost every week, Bam had thought deeply about the situation. From baking all the bread, to trying to find out what worked. He had even kept track with various symbols within his book, a book he had received from the Iyr. He had been unsure of how to pay for it, but the Iyr hadn¡¯t asked him for payment, and when he tried to deal with it, the Iyr sent him away. ¡®What a strange place,¡¯ Bam thought, and as he closed his eyes, seeing the image of the half elf watching over his goblins, it only further cemented that the Iyr was indeed a stranger place, full of queerness, unlike Red Oak, sweet Red Oak, which he missed so dearly. ¡°What makes you think so deeply?¡± called a familiar voice. Bam turned to face the dark skinned Aswadian, who had spotted the Aldishman in thought. ¡°I was thinking of home.¡± ¡°Have you not accepted this place as your home?¡± Ashmir asked. ¡°Don¡¯t think I ever can.¡± Ashmir let out a soft groan of understanding, bowing his head lightly. ¡°Your home must be a wonderful place if you cannot accept the Iyr.¡± ¡°Is this place your home?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bam blinked, taking in the sight of the muscular Aswadian, who had defeated the previous Elder Wrath, earning his freedom and a place within the Iyr. Unlike the Aswadian, Bam had joined the Iyr thanks to his daughter, and the extreme lengths the Iyr was willing to go in order to look after him. He blinked again, wondering if anyone in Red Oak had ever gone to such great lengths for him. He thought of his grandchildren, who he would often watch over, along with their cousins, Virot and Xarot, who stuck to his grandchildren like glue. ¡°You are thinking dangerous thoughts,¡± Ashmir said, narrowing his eyes slightly. Bam stood up taller, as though he had been caught by the Aswadian. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Bam bowed his head lightly. ¡°I should be getting to work.¡± ¡°I have heard you work too hard,¡± Ashmir said. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°When he would come to visit Ranya, he would complain to me that you were gifted so much gold, and that you still work.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one whose working through the festival,¡± Bam replied, frowning slightly. ¡°Besides, the gold is my daughter¡¯s.¡± Ashmir smiled. ¡°He said you would say such a thing, since you are a father too.¡± Bam flushed lightly, before excusing himself, and as he stepped past Ashmir, he stopped. ¡°You¡¯ve... been retired for some times.¡± Ashmir groaned in response affirmatively. ¡°Are you... can you still fight?¡± ¡°I can, but I am too cold.¡± ¡°Are you what they call a Paragon?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Hearing the response, Bam was too frightened to ask his real question. If Ashmir had replied in the past tense, he was still unsure if he wanted to ask who could win between the pair of them. He could already hear the laughter if others knew his question, for how could a young man like him defeat the likes of someone legendary like Lion King? ¡®At least he isn¡¯t as scary.¡¯ Bam trying his best to live amongst monsters. [1159] – Y06.059 – The End of Dawnval IV ¡°Karot, make sure you drink it all up,¡± Mulrot said, the old woman pouring her greatson a drink. ¡°Thank you, nano,¡± Karot replied, sipping away at his milk, a white foam bubbling atop his lips. He licked it away, distracted by a piece of bread his aunt brought to his lips, which the boy chewed without a second thought. ¡°Bread is always delicious,¡± Lanarot stated, her tone very much like her teacher¡¯s, as though imparting upon her nephew a wisdom which came through being almost a whole year older. ¡°Yes,¡± Karot replied as he chewed his bread, the boy opening his mouth as his elder sister brought up a slice of fruit to his lips. He enjoyed the attention from all his elders, the boy¡¯s heart full of warmth from them spoiling him. He picked up a piece of fruit for his elder sisters, feeding Kirot, Konarot, and even his aunt. ¡°What a good little nephew I have!¡± Lanarot reached up to brush his hair, gasping, before trying to fix it with her hands, accidentally getting bits of food within it. She paused, her eyes darting towards her elder sister as she began to pout, her lower lip quivering. ¡°Let us clean up,¡± Vonda said, stopping the girl from crying, taking Lanarot and Karot away to fix them up. ¡°I told him! I told him! He is such a good nephew and I brushed his hair because! Because he is a good nephew!¡± Lanarot cried out, trying to defend herself. ¡°I know, Lana. You did not think of the crumbs on your hand.¡± ¡°I am sorry, sister! Sorry!¡± ¡°I know, Lana.¡± Vonda brushed along the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Let us wash our hands and our hair quickly and return to our bread.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lanarot flushed slightly, but she smiled shyly at the Ray. ¡°You are my favourite sister!¡± ¡°What of Pam?¡± ¡°She is my favourite sister!¡± ¡°What of Adam?¡± ¡°He is my favourite brother!¡± ¡°What of Jurot?¡± ¡°He is my favourite brother!¡± ¡°What of Tanagek?¡± ¡°He is my cousin. I like cousin Tanagek, and I like cousin Chosen, they tell me their stories. Sister, will my stories be so good too? I am too little to fight dragons, but one day I will be big, will I fight dragons too?¡± ¡°If you wish to fight dragons, you may fight dragons, but you must work hard.¡± ¡°Mummy, I can fight dragons too?¡± Karot asked, his silver eyes so sweet as they gazed up towards his mother. ¡°You will need to work hard too, my karot.¡± Karot nodded. ¡°I am going to school today?¡± ¡°Not today, my dear.¡± Vonda brushed the boy¡¯s cheek, who was still so sweet and innocent. ¡°Once the festival is over, you will return to schooling. It is time to enjoy yourself with your friends and family.¡± ¡°It is Luminescence?¡± Karot asked. ¡°Bloom,¡± Vonda said, drying her son¡¯s hair, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. ¡°Luminescence is in the middle of noonval. Bloom is the last day of dawnval.¡± ¡°We are going to pray?¡± ¡°Do you wish to?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We will. Shall we plant a flower too?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The boy¡¯s tail swung behind him, his eyes beaming up, quickly closing as his mother smothered him, the pair embracing tight and sharing their warmth. Though the boy disliked the heat, the warmth of his mother¡¯s affection was better than even laying in snow. ¡°I want to plant a flower too!¡± Lanarot called out, and she, too, was quickly swallowed up by her sister¡¯s adoration. ¡°We can plant a flower together,¡± Vonda promised, the trio all hugging tight, before finally returning back to the extended family estate. Little Karot rushed up beside his siblings, who were almost finished with their meals. As though he hadn¡¯t just left, Konarot and Kirot turned their attention upon their younger brother once more, feeding him again. ¡°Kako! You are okay?¡± Jirot asked, her head turned away towards her aunt, while her body faced her grandmother, causing some of the nearby Iyrmen to smile at her prying into the situation. ¡°I am okay,¡± Lanarot replied, holding up a thumbs up for her niece, who returned a thumbs up, accidentally flinging porridge back into her bowl. Jirot gasped, letting out more than just a gasped, and her eyes darted towards her smiling grandmother. ¡°I did not poopoo! I did not!¡± As the night sky began to expand over the Iyr, the older Iyrmen within the extended estate tensed up, before they relaxed, some of their gazes remaining upon the figure. ¡°Hello, hello! Having fun without me, are you?¡± Adam called, the half elf flashing a smile, though his face strained with discomfort. He hoisted his triplets up, who had waited for their father to appear before they tackled him, while Jirot and Jarot remained upon their babo¡¯s lap. Adam greeted the Rot family, adored his children, and planted a kiss on four sleepy babies before allowing them to head to bed. Once he was done with his greetings, the half elf settled himself beside the guests of the Rot family who spent most of their time at the estate, since he had at least that much duty to them. ¡°You been working hard?¡± Adam asked, pouring Kiara a drink, the silver haired woman nodding her head lightly in response. ¡°What? Cat got your tongue?¡± Kiara tilted her head slightly in response. ¡°I¡¯m just... tired.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head, furrowing his brows in thought, staring down at the drink he poured in for the silver haired Kiara. ¡®Oh, right, she¡¯s not a young kid, she¡¯s a grown adult.¡¯ ¡°How¡¯s the Rot family treating you?¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Found a nice guy, or gal, to marry?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kiara replied, flushing red from the alcohol and the awkwardness of the topic. Adam, seeing the woman¡¯s eyes, slowly pulled back. ¡°Hey, you know. No rush, if you want that for yourself. If you don¡¯t, no pressure, and if anyone does try to pressure you, you can tell me or my grandfather, and we¡¯ll take care of it, alright?¡± Kiara¡¯s brows furrowed further in confusion. ¡°Your grandfather?¡± ¡°Jarot, the Mad Dog.¡± Kiara¡¯s eyes remained focused upon Adam¡¯s, the question within her eyes evident, though she did not ask of it. From what she gathered, the Adam that she knew did not call the old man his grandfather. ¡®Is he... okay?¡¯ ¡°And you, Filliam? Found yourself a nice guy or gal.¡± ¡°I do not know what you are trying to accuse me of, Adam, but I do not have time for such,¡± the young man replied, adjusting his spectacles, which were small, two round glasses with a triangular bridge connecting them. ¡°What do you mean accuse you of? That¡¯s the kind of question you should expect from a leaf ear like me.¡± Filliam flushed red, his eyes growing wide from Adam¡¯s blatant cursing. ¡°I do not wish to speak of these topics, if you would not mind.¡± ¡°Well, what we can speak of is how healthy you¡¯re looking! You¡¯ve filled up, got yourself a tan. You¡¯re positively glowing!¡± ¡°I must admit your advice has been rather impactful...¡± Filliam adjusted his glasses again, unsure if he should broach the topic. ¡°You got enough money for your experiments?¡± ¡°The Iyr provides, as long as I pay the due taxes.¡± ¡°They got you paying taxes?¡± ¡°One in five watches.¡± ¡°Oh. Not gold or anything?¡± ¡°No, no. A fair price, since they watch over me, allow me to experiment, feed me, clothe me, shelter me, and with the appearance of the Reavers, protect me.¡± ¡°Yeah, these Reavers, did you know about them?¡± ¡°I thought they were tales to be told to children when they did not listen,¡± Filliam admitted, the young tinkerer slowly leaning downwards, making himself appear smaller, and all his thoughts about asking if he could join their journey to Aswadasad slipped away. ¡°To hear that such beings are real, and that the lands have united to form a defence against them...¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still planning to go eastward?¡± ¡°Yeah. Dunes, we uh, we got to speak with his mentor, his Grand Commander...¡± Adam paused, recalling they were two different people. ¡®Eh, well, we still have to speak to both of them, so that¡¯s fine.¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s joined us, but you know hot it is. Politics.¡± ¡°It is more than just politics. Many are worried for Dunes, and rightly so. Dunes joined your business without cleanly cutting off his Order, and...¡± Filliam fell quiet for a moment, feeling his throat dry up like the Red Desert. "He surely has sworn his Oaths, which bind him to his Order. It is a surprise they have not sent someone here to retrieve him already.¡± ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam smiled, causing Filliam to adjust his glasses once more. ¡°Filliam? How long have you known me for now?¡± ¡°Almost six years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, almost...¡± Adam paused, trying to calculate within his mind. ¡°Almost six years? Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I met you when I first came to this land?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn, what the...¡± Adam crossed his arms, leaning back in thought. ¡®I¡¯ve known him for that long?¡¯ ¡°Oh. Then I don¡¯t really need to explain to you that I¡¯ll just create another miracle?¡± ¡°You should take it seriously.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°A few magical weapons won¡¯t smooth things over so simply.¡± ¡°A few magical weapons won¡¯t, but it¡¯ll help, as well as all the piles of gold and silver I¡¯ll drown them in, and if push comes to shove, I¡¯ll just ask Lady Arya for her help.¡± ¡°You are a Priest of Baktu, and if we are to be polite, Lord Sozain. Lady Arya may be one of the Major Divine, but that doesn¡¯t mean she will hear your prayers due to it. If you were perhaps one of her own, then you may be worthy of her attention, especially considering your great might.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not worthy of her because I don¡¯t pray to her or because I was too weak, then she-,¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Filliam quickly called out, his heart pounding wildly within his chest, feeling the heat fill through him, followed swiftly by the chill of shock. Adam shrugged his shoulders, throwing a look to Kiara, winking at her, the woman¡¯s eyes darting to meet Filliam¡¯s. Though she was not of this world, she understood that the Divine were not to be trifled with. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re missing someone,¡± Adam said, glancing across from himself. ¡°Since Prince Morkarai has left, then that means... Tariel?¡± See! I do remember them! I had more planned with them originally but everything was awkward for them because of... you know what. [1159] – Y06.059 – Dawnval Festival II [1159] ¨C Y06.059 ¨C Dawnval Festival II ¡°Karot, make sure you drink it all up,¡± Mulrot said, the old woman pouring her greatson a drink. ¡°Thank you, nano,¡± Karot replied, sipping away at his milk, a white foam bubbling atop his lips. He licked it away, distracted by a piece of bread his aunt brought to his lips, which the boy chewed without a second thought. ¡°Bread is always delicious,¡± Lanarot stated, her tone very much like her teacher¡¯s, as though imparting upon her nephew a wisdom which came through being almost a whole year older. ¡°Yes,¡± Karot replied as he chewed his bread, the boy opening his mouth as his elder sister brought up a slice of fruit to his lips. He enjoyed the attention from all his elders, the boy¡¯s heart full of warmth from them spoiling him. He picked up a piece of fruit for his elder sisters, feeding Kirot, Konarot, and even his aunt. ¡°What a good little nephew I have!¡± Lanarot reached up to brush his hair, gasping, before trying to fix it with her hands, accidentally getting bits of food within it. She paused, her eyes darting towards her elder sister as she began to pout, her lower lip quivering. ¡°Let us clean up,¡± Vonda said, stopping the girl from crying, taking Lanarot and Karot away to fix them up. ¡°I told him! I told him! He is such a good nephew and I brushed his hair because! Because he is a good nephew!¡± Lanarot cried out, trying to defend herself. ¡°I know, Lana. You did not think of the crumbs on your hand.¡± ¡°I am sorry, sister! Sorry!¡± ¡°I know, Lana.¡± Vonda brushed along the girl¡¯s cheek. ¡°Let us wash our hands and our hair quickly and return to our bread.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Lanarot flushed slightly, but she smiled shyly at the Ray. ¡°You are my favourite sister!¡± ¡°What of Pam?¡± ¡°She is my favourite sister!¡± ¡°What of Adam?¡± ¡°He is my favourite brother!¡± ¡°What of Jurot?¡± ¡°He is my favourite brother!¡± ¡°What of Tanagek?¡± ¡°He is my cousin. I like cousin Tanagek, and I like cousin Chosen, they tell me their stories. Sister, will my stories be so good too? I am too little to fight dragons, but one day I will be big, will I fight dragons too?¡± ¡°If you wish to fight dragons, you may fight dragons, but you must work hard.¡± ¡°Mummy, I can fight dragons too?¡± Karot asked, his silver eyes so sweet as they gazed up towards his mother. ¡°You will need to work hard too, my karot.¡± Karot nodded. ¡°I am going to school today?¡± ¡°Not today, my dear.¡± Vonda brushed the boy¡¯s cheek, who was still so sweet and innocent. ¡°Once the festival is over, you will return to schooling. It is time to enjoy yourself with your friends and family.¡± ¡°It is Luminescence?¡± Karot asked. ¡°Bloom,¡± Vonda said, drying her son¡¯s hair, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. ¡°Luminescence is in the middle of noonval. Bloom is the last day of dawnval.¡± ¡°We are going to pray?¡± ¡°Do you wish to?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°We will. Shall we plant a flower too?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The boy¡¯s tail swung behind him, his eyes beaming up, quickly closing as his mother smothered him, the pair embracing tight and sharing their warmth. Though the boy disliked the heat, the warmth of his mother¡¯s affection was better than even laying in snow. ¡°I want to plant a flower too!¡± Lanarot called out, and she, too, was quickly swallowed up by her sister¡¯s adoration. ¡°We can plant a flower together,¡± Vonda promised, the trio all hugging tight, before finally returning back to the extended family estate. Little Karot rushed up beside his siblings, who were almost finished with their meals. As though he hadn¡¯t just left, Konarot and Kirot turned their attention upon their younger brother once more, feeding him again. ¡°Kako! You are okay?¡± Jirot asked, her head turned away towards her aunt, while her body faced her grandmother, causing some of the nearby Iyrmen to smile at her prying into the situation. ¡°I am okay,¡± Lanarot replied, holding up a thumbs up for her niece, who returned a thumbs up, accidentally flinging porridge back into her bowl. Jirot gasped, letting out more than just a gasped, and her eyes darted towards her smiling grandmother. ¡°I did not poopoo! I did not!¡± As the night sky began to expand over the Iyr, the older Iyrmen within the extended estate tensed up, before they relaxed, some of their gazes remaining upon the figure. ¡°Hello, hello! Having fun without me, are you?¡± Adam called, the half elf flashing a smile, though his face strained with discomfort. He hoisted his triplets up, who had waited for their father to appear before they tackled him, while Jirot and Jarot remained upon their babo¡¯s lap. Adam greeted the Rot family, adored his children, and planted a kiss on four sleepy babies before allowing them to head to bed. Once he was done with his greetings, the half elf settled himself beside the guests of the Rot family who spent most of their time at the estate, since he had at least that much duty to them. ¡°You been working hard?¡± Adam asked, pouring Kiara a drink, the silver haired woman nodding her head lightly in response. ¡°What? Cat got your tongue?¡± Kiara tilted her head slightly in response. ¡°I¡¯m just... tired.¡± Adam slowly bowed his head, furrowing his brows in thought, staring down at the drink he poured in for the silver haired Kiara. ¡®Oh, right, she¡¯s not a young kid, she¡¯s a grown adult.¡¯ ¡°How¡¯s the Rot family treating you?¡± ¡°Well.¡± ¡°Found a nice guy, or gal, to marry?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kiara replied, flushing red from the alcohol and the awkwardness of the topic. Adam, seeing the woman¡¯s eyes, slowly pulled back. ¡°Hey, you know. No rush, if you want that for yourself. If you don¡¯t, no pressure, and if anyone does try to pressure you, you can tell me or my grandfather, and we¡¯ll take care of it, alright?¡± Kiara¡¯s brows furrowed further in confusion. ¡°Your grandfather?¡± ¡°Jarot, the Mad Dog.¡± Kiara¡¯s eyes remained focused upon Adam¡¯s, the question within her eyes evident, though she did not ask of it. From what she gathered, the Adam that she knew did not call the old man his grandfather. ¡®Is he... okay?¡¯ ¡°And you, Filliam? Found yourself a nice guy or gal.¡± ¡°I do not know what you are trying to accuse me of, Adam, but I do not have time for such,¡± the young man replied, adjusting his spectacles, which were small, two round glasses with a triangular bridge connecting them. ¡°What do you mean accuse you of? That¡¯s the kind of question you should expect from a leaf ear like me.¡± Filliam flushed red, his eyes growing wide from Adam¡¯s blatant cursing. ¡°I do not wish to speak of these topics, if you would not mind.¡± ¡°Well, what we can speak of is how healthy you¡¯re looking! You¡¯ve filled up, got yourself a tan. You¡¯re positively glowing!¡± ¡°I must admit your advice has been rather impactful...¡± Filliam adjusted his glasses again, unsure if he should broach the topic. ¡°You got enough money for your experiments?¡± ¡°The Iyr provides, as long as I pay the due taxes.¡± ¡°They got you paying taxes?¡± ¡°One in five watches.¡± ¡°Oh. Not gold or anything?¡± ¡°No, no. A fair price, since they watch over me, allow me to experiment, feed me, clothe me, shelter me, and with the appearance of the Reavers, protect me.¡± ¡°Yeah, these Reavers, did you know about them?¡± ¡°I thought they were tales to be told to children when they did not listen,¡± Filliam admitted, the young tinkerer slowly leaning downwards, making himself appear smaller, and all his thoughts about asking if he could join their journey to Aswadasad slipped away. ¡°To hear that such beings are real, and that the lands have united to form a defence against them...¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still planning to go eastward?¡± ¡°Yeah. Dunes, we uh, we got to speak with his mentor, his Grand Commander...¡± Adam paused, recalling they were two different people. ¡®Eh, well, we still have to speak to both of them, so that¡¯s fine.¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s joined us, but you know hot it is. Politics.¡± ¡°It is more than just politics. Many are worried for Dunes, and rightly so. Dunes joined your business without cleanly cutting off his Order, and...¡± Filliam fell quiet for a moment, feeling his throat dry up like the Red Desert. "He surely has sworn his Oaths, which bind him to his Order. It is a surprise they have not sent someone here to retrieve him already.¡± ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam smiled, causing Filliam to adjust his glasses once more. ¡°Filliam? How long have you known me for now?¡± ¡°Almost six years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, almost...¡± Adam paused, trying to calculate within his mind. ¡°Almost six years? Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I met you when I first came to this land?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn, what the...¡± Adam crossed his arms, leaning back in thought. ¡®I¡¯ve known him for that long?¡¯ ¡°Oh. Then I don¡¯t really need to explain to you that I¡¯ll just create another miracle?¡± ¡°You should take it seriously.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°A few magical weapons won¡¯t smooth things over so simply.¡± ¡°A few magical weapons won¡¯t, but it¡¯ll help, as well as all the piles of gold and silver I¡¯ll drown them in, and if push comes to shove, I¡¯ll just ask Lady Arya for her help.¡± ¡°You are a Priest of Baktu, and if we are to be polite, Lord Sozain. Lady Arya may be one of the Major Divine, but that doesn¡¯t mean she will hear your prayers due to it. If you were perhaps one of her own, then you may be worthy of her attention, especially considering your great might.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not worthy of her because I don¡¯t pray to her or because I was too weak, then she-,¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Filliam quickly called out, his heart pounding wildly within his chest, feeling the heat fill through him, followed swiftly by the chill of shock. Adam shrugged his shoulders, throwing a look to Kiara, winking at her, the woman¡¯s eyes darting to meet Filliam¡¯s. Though she was not of this world, she understood that the Divine were not to be trifled with. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re missing someone,¡± Adam said, glancing across from himself. ¡°Since Prince Morkarai has left, then that means... Tariel?¡± See! I do remember them! I had more planned with them originally but everything was awkward for them because of... you know what. [1160] – Y06.060 – Dawnval Festival III The harsh rays of noon fell upon the Iyrmen within their fields, the children wearing their wide brimmed hats, some grabbing at their hats to pull them off, like one particularly noisy child did. ¡°Eyah!¡± Virot complained, groaning and whimpering while she fought her mother, taking off her hat, only for her mother to put it back upon her head. ¡°Virot, you must wear your hat,¡± Vonda said, holding the top of Virot¡¯s hat on her head as the girl grabbed at the brim and tried to pull it off. ¡°Look, Xarot is wearing his hat well.¡± ¡°Xa!¡± Virot called out, looking towards her brother, who sat quietly while staring at the brim of his own hat from the corner of his vision, mesmerised by the way the light darkened suddenly, for seemingly no reason at all at the edge of this curious object. Virot glared back towards her mother, babbling away with her complaints. ¡°Mama,¡± Damrot called, lifting his head further back, his eyes falling downwards to see his mother¡¯s face properly. The boy smiled wide, blinking as the hat fell further upon his brow, and cooed for his mother. The woman pulled it over his hair line, jiggling it lightly so it stuck upon his head. ¡°Is that better?¡± ¡°Beh!¡± ¡°Can you see your father?¡± ¡°Dada?¡± the boy asked, before throwing his head over his shoulder to try and spot his father. He followed where his mother was pointing and even from this distance, the boy could see the form of the Iyrman. He was tall and strong, strong enough to carry a tree. It was a smaller tree, but the Iyrman carried his tree with little effort, for he was his son¡¯s father, and his father¡¯s son. The Iyrman was shirtless, sweat trickling down the crevices formed between his powerful muscles. As he trekked his way through the field, his body glistening under the sun, he made sure to show off his powerful back towards his family. ¡°How did you forge it?¡± Chosen asked, eyeing up Jurot¡¯s forearm. He flexed his own, showing the exactly line he was speaking of, and while there was a faint line which ran up towards his elbow, Jurot¡¯s line was far darker, the shadow far more prominent due to the walls of muscles on either side. ¡°He wields his axe in one hand, while you wield a blade in both hands,¡± Tanagek replied simply. ¡°What is your excuse?¡± Chosen asked. ¡°I must grow muscle all over to remain swift within my armour, while you do not have to carry all this weight, and you wield a blade with both hands.¡± Tanagek¡¯s words dug deep within Chosen¡¯s heart, far closer to home than he originally expected. The Iyrman cleared his throat, returning back to lifting a tree. He spotted his sister, and exhaled, ready to carry the tree as though it was the only thing he was made to do. ¡°What of my neck and shoulders?¡± Jurot asked, flexing his back and neck towards the pair. ¡°You take after Mad Dog,¡± Tanagek assured. ¡°Your neck and shoulders may be even greater,¡± Chosen added, huffing as he hoisted the tree over his shoulder. Jurot let out a small groan of approval, the shadow of a smile encroaching upon his lips as he felt the phantom touches of his wife¡¯s hands against his neck, upper back, and shoulders. ¡®I should build them greater.¡¯ Tanagek and Chosen wondered why the Iyrman was smiling so proudly, though how could they, with their chest bare and glistening, understand as unmarried men the deepest of joys when it came to glistening in this manner? The Silver Fate Squad also showed off to their younger siblings, while Taygak spent most of her time with Kavgak and Maygak. ¡®Where is cousin Jaygak?¡¯ the teen thought, her eyes darting around. ¡®She is working too hard.¡¯ ¡°Babo! Look!¡± Jirot pulled back from the hole she and her brother had dug, pointing towards it as though it were hard to miss. ¡°You have dug such a great hole!¡± Jarot exclaimed, showing off the hole to the nearby Iyrmen, various distant relatives of the Rot family. While showing off the hole his greatchildren had made, the old man reached down towards the belt that kept his metal prosthetic attacked to him, fiddling with it lightly. Due to him constantly shifting around upon a knee, the leg dug into his skin, and the leather around his thigh and knee slipped. ¡°Do you wish to plant the seed?¡± Mulrot asked. ¡°We can do it?¡± Jirot asked, raising her brows mischievously, causing her greatmother to raise her brows in return. The girl¡¯s mischievous smile faltered, transforming into a gentle flush, and before she could defend herself, her greatmother wiped some dirt off her cheek. ¡°Jarot, we can do it, yes?¡± ¡°We can do it,¡± little Jarot agreed. ¡°Yes,¡± the one armed Jarot confirmed. Jirot blinked towards her greatfather and began to cackle with laughter, the old man joining in, tickling their noses. They each planted in a large sapling into the earth, joining the other Iyrmen in planting more. Kitool assisted by keeping an eye along the perimeter of the field, just in case any of the children tried to make a break for it. The woman¡¯s eyes fell down towards the hornless red skinned child who sat nearby. The boy stared out at the rest of the Iyr, taking in the sight of people working hard, and the Iyrmen watching over their children. It was a mixture of a picnic and a tree planting ceremony. ¡®I see,¡¯ Larot thought, the boy sitting with his arms crossed. ¡®Your lives are so short, and yet...¡¯ ¡®What is he thinking of so deeply?¡¯ Kitool wondered. She recalled the trouble his presence had caused the Iyr, not that many would have thought of such considering how easily the Iyr accepted the boy. ¡®Since it will effect me...¡¯ The boy stood, crossing his arms behind his back, approaching the sight of one of the plantings which had been sectioned away. The boy reached for a small shovel and began to work. An Iyrman approached him, but stopped. ¡°Larot is well behaved,¡± the grey skinned woman said. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am his... aunt.¡± Lucy could feel the awkwardness rise within her. After all, she was a Demon Lord, and this young boy was mostly likely a reincarnated figure with such a title. However, since he was the younger sibling of those who called her an aunt, didn¡¯t that make her his aunt too? The Iyrman remained silent, though stood nearby, until Kitool approached, signalling with her hands, dismissing the Iyrman. ¡°I will watch over him,¡± Mara said, crossing her hands over her navel. ¡°I should work too.¡± ¡°Today, you should eat dessert,¡± Mara said. Lucy inhaled sharply. Her eyes fell to Mara, who stood firm and proud. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It is my pleasure.¡± Later towards the evening the children returned back to the estates, each bathing within the tubs to wash them. It was during this time when the adults missed Adam, for his ability to warm and cool water near instantly was even greater than the magical gems which required more time. ¡°What!¡± Adam complained once he had returned. ¡°You guys planted trees? Jurot, did you take your shirt off?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Iyrman replied. ¡°Damn it!¡± Adam grit his teeth, exaggerating his displeasure. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that Lucy not only got to play with my kids, but she got to oggle such handsome hunks? Are you telling me I could have taken my shirt off for my wife to oggle me?¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re right, stop being so cringe!¡± Lucy replied angrily, though the smirk on her face spurred the flames within Adam¡¯s heart. ¡°Daddy, stop being so cringe!¡± Jirot called out to the half elf, noting the look upon her mother¡¯s face, the kind that was her thinking twice about her marriage to the half elf. ¡°This time, you have to forgive me, because it hurts so much,¡± Adam replied, reaching up to his heart. ¡°Daddy!¡± Jirot called out, but seeing the pain on her father¡¯s face, the girl frowned. It was feigned, but there was a realness to it. She rushed up to her father. ¡°Daddy, you can plant trees now. Come, I tell babo.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine...¡± Adam lifted the girl up, nuzzling her nose gently, the pair embracing tight before Adam hoisted little Jarot up too. ¡°Did you two plant a lot?¡± ¡°I planted five!¡± Jirot called out proudly. ¡°I plant five too...¡± ¡°My children planted the best five I¡¯m sure!¡± Adam peppered them all with kisses once more. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Pam asked, reaching up to brush her fingers along her husband¡¯s shoulders and neck. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, since ache and pain were two different things. ¡°It definitely hurts,¡± Adam said. ¡°It does not.¡± ¡°It definitely hurts,¡± Adam said, meeting Jurot¡¯s gaze. The half elf raised his brows, causing Jurot to narrow his eyes, wondering what secrets the half elf knew. ¡°It aches and you would like some help in applying lotion, am I right?¡± Jurot let out a long exhale, acknowledging Adam¡¯s genius. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you plant trees too, dear?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No,¡± Vonda replied. ¡°You carried the children, didn¡¯t you?¡± Adam replied. ¡°I do not need assistance with lotion.¡± ¡°Damn it! This is the worst day ever!¡± the half elf complained, though his eyes remained fixated upon his wife¡¯s. The pair continued to stare at one another long and hard, until Vonda finally gave in, since the half elf would only grow more cringe if she refused him. ¡°Daddy! I will use magic and pick up the trees!¡± Jirot said. ¡°Jarot grow up strong and he will carry trees too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Adam said. ¡°One day, Jarot, you will get a wife and you¡¯ll understand the pain in my heart.¡± ¡°Does it hurt, daddy?¡± Jarot asked. ¡°It hurts a little but maybe if my children give me a kiss on my cheek, I¡¯ll be healed?¡± Adam replied, peeking down at his children. Jirot rolled her eyes, but she still kissed her father¡¯s cheek, giving permission for the rest of the children to do the same. Fellas is it gay to think about your wife if you''re showing off your muscles to the boys? [1161] – Y06.061 – Dawnval Festival IV ¡®Should I take my shirt off today?¡¯ Adam thought, the later afternoon sun still illuminating much of the Iyr. His eyes darted to the side, where he spotted Vonda with their children, sitting upon their blankets as Konarot read a book to them, sneaking bites of a sandwich from her mother¡¯s hand. His eyes then fell back to the topless Iyrmen, each who wore only shorts, their wooden blades threatening to break one another¡¯s bones as they beat one another black and blue. ¡°Kaza,¡± Kavgak called, throwing a look to Adam beside her as she pointed at the figures in front of them. ¡°Fighting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, while little Maygak, who had sat silently upon Adam¡¯s lap, stirred and looked to the side, towards her elder sister. The girl¡¯s eyes remained glued to Kavgak for a long while, taking in the sight of the toddler who watched over her so dutifully. She smiled shyly, glad her sister was beside her, for that was the joy of a child so young. The trio sat upon the wooden seats, which were sectioned off by large wooden trays, allowing them to sit two and a half aside, the perfect amount of space for two grown adults and a child between them, with easy access to their snacks on either side. Maygak had sat beside Adam, but whimpered and cried without Adam and Kavgak on either side of her, though she settled on sitting upon Adam¡¯s lap so her elder sister was right beside her too. ¡°Big. Strong.¡± Kavgak stared at the fighting, as though engraving it within her heart, though she had seen a great many Iyrmen fight, some of whom were red skinned and horned like her. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Kaka Jay.¡± Adam smiled. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s big and strong too.¡± The girl blinked, slowly bobbing her head up and down, her attention returning completely upon the fight, the sounds of the fights filling her ears. Adam could see the innocence within the girl¡¯s eyes still. She was so young, not yet five. The girl was quiet, and though she could speak well as any of her peers, she spoke so much like her cousin, Taygak. In the Iyr¡¯s tongue, she spoke more confidently, though even then she was efficient with her words. His eyes fell down to Maygak, who was always so shy with her elder sister, though was so confident with the younger set of toddlers. The girl would often look beside her as though to check if her elder sister was still around, and though Adam kept an arm around the girl, she felt safest beside her older sister, the four year toddler who watched the fights with great intensity. Adam blinked hard, feeling his heart swell at the girls, wishing at first that they were his children, then for them to be his sisters, only to then recall they were his cousins and were close enough to sisters to him, cursing himself for not enchanting them more magical weapons. It was after the immediate cringe, the half elf began to feel a chill sombreness encroach within his heart. ¡®Jaygak, you picked a terrible time to retire.¡¯ The seriousness of Adam¡¯s words filled his heart. ¡®No, isn¡¯t it the perfect time? Is that what it is? That this is the perfect time, so that they can grow up hearing all about it? So you can stay here and watch over them?¡¯ Adam thought of Jaygak¡¯s story. Indeed, in the Iyr, it was one of the best. She had gone from someone who knew she could not reach a greater height, to gaining a story that would be enough for the likes of the Rot, Kan, and Jin families. Her story was even greater when considering the context behind such stories. She was a Gak, plagued by misfortunes. In her first tournament, she dropped out around the preliminaries. It was a tournament Adam hated too, not because he had lost, but because he had lost in such a way against the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, Sir Roseia. Then, years later, Adam and Jaygak joined another tournament. In that tournament, the pair had left a great mark within the North. Adam who had come first, allowing the Princess to draw with him, but there was another story, a greater story, which had been born at that time. Adam recalled it, the feeling of beating down Jaygak with his blade. The same Jaygak who had defeated Sir Rory of the Golden Spears, and the same Jaygak who had defeated Sir Eliza of the Snow Storm. It was that Jaygak who had come face to face against the mountain known as Sir Roseia, daughter of the King¡¯s Sword, the same young woman who had placed first in the noonval tournament all those years ago. That Jaygak who swung her blade one swing at a time, and had managed to claim second place. Adam reached up and laid a hand upon Kavgak¡¯s hat. He brought the children¡¯s heads to his chest, hiding the wetness of his eyes. ¡°Kavgak, Maygak. Even though your elder sister is being so silly and letting me steal you away, know that she loves you. Even though I love you so much, you have to remember, kaka Jaygak loves you both so much.¡± ¡°Love kaka too,¡± Kavgak assured, holding onto the half elf¡¯s neck as she hugged him. Maygak cuddled between her sister and her cousin, the fuzziness filling the girl, who almost burst from her joy. Adam¡¯s heart began to lighten, for Raygak, who he hadn¡¯t seen in some time, had grown up hearing the tales of misfortune. The boy¡¯s grandfather who had passed away when the Mad Dog went for his vengeance. His grandaunt who had burned brightly in Aswadasad, and was forced away before she could stamp her name in history. The names of all his ancestors, one by one, plagued by misfortune going back almost a millennia. Yet, though Raygak had heard all these stories, Adam could still see how his eyes shone brightly, for the first half of his life he may have heard such misfortunes, the second half of his life was brightened by the sun known as Jaygak. The half elf smiled, pulling both girls onto his lap, hugging them even tighter, spreading his warmth through them. ¡°You two, you can¡¯t bully your brother, okay? You two are too lucky, because you¡¯re growing up at a time... Jaygak, your kaka, she is so amazing!¡± Adam¡¯s heart swelled once more. ¡®You two! How lucky can you get?¡¯ Raygak had grown up during a time when the Gak family had only a single hope to succeed, the hope known as Taygak, but even she did not believe in herself. Kavgak and Maygak, along with Tavgak and Faygak, however, grew up in the Gak family which had a very different Taygak, and a very different Jaygak. ¡®Grow up slowly, my little cousins,¡¯ Adam thought, embracing the girls even tighter. ¡®Make sure you watch your elder cousin. Make sure you listen to her tales. No matter what comes her way, Jaygak and I, we¡¯ll clear a path for her. Then, when it¡¯s your time to shine, Jaygak and I, and your cousin too, we¡¯ll clear a path for you.¡¯ Adam counted the years within his mind. ¡®I¡¯ve got at least... twelve? Thirteen years? In that time, I¡¯ve got to make sure you can travel the land peacefully. Not peacefully, but at the very least, without worrying about Aldish blades to stab you in the... who am I kidding, not even I¡¯m that strong.¡¯ The screaming distracted the half elf, who jolted upwards, before his eyes fell to the side, where so much attention fell upon a particular girl. She held a half eaten flatbread in one hand, and held up her other fist, the girl screaming with delight as blood was finally spilled. ¡®You really are an Iyrman,¡¯ Adam thought. The fighting and wrestling continued, though Kavgak and Maygak eventually called out to return to their family. Adam carried the pair against his chest, bringing them to their grandmother, an older Iyrman, with a thin nose and broken horns. As he made to hand them over, he found his arms unable to open, wishing to keep the girls within his arms. ¡°Kavgak, Maygak, do you wish to sit upon my lap or upon your cousin¡¯s lap?¡± Jigak asked. ¡°Nana lap!¡± Kavgak declared, and her sister, who was uncertain, decided to follow along too. ¡°That¡¯s right! You two, you¡¯re both so well behaved! You know whose lap you should return to!¡± Adam peppered their foreheads with kisses, before letting them escape his arms, though his heart ached as they quickly embraced their grandmother. ¡°Are you still working so hard?¡± Jigak asked, her narrow eyes full of an accusation Adam had gotten used to. ¡°Who else if not me?¡± ¡°You and Jaygak, you both bring such honour to our family.¡± ¡°I bring honour to your family?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Since you call sister your grandmother, is it not so?¡± Jigak teased, causing Adam to flush lightly. She allowed him to leave. She had seen how tired those shoulders had been when he came to collect the girls, but now those shoulders were not quite as low, instead taut with burden. Jigak thought about her granddaughter, who would often trouble Gangak with her antics when she was a girl. She thought about how much she had changed, and how much she had not. She let out a low sigh. ¡®You are all growing up too fast.¡¯ Jigak raised her brows as Adam approached once more, this time coddling a different pair of children, but an expected pair. ¡°Did you two miss me so much?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot and Jarot both replied, before scrambling up beside her to hug her so tightly. Jigak smiled, feeling the affection of the four children who adored her so much. She thought back to the births of the goblins. She was glad she had thought to adopt them back then, and though the Rot family eventually accepted them, no one could deny how much affection the twins held for the Gak family, nor the affection the Gak family held for the twins. ¡°Do they not hug you so?¡± Jigak teased, noting Adam staring at them, though he almost twitched, returning back to the present. ¡°How can they hug me like that when they love you that much?¡± Adam joked. The woman smiled towards the half elf, bowing her head lightly. She had no idea what the half elf was thinking, but surely it was troublesome, since he was his daughter¡¯s father. ¡°You see, nano? Daddy is always bullying me!¡± Always bullying! [1162] – Y06.062 – Dawnval Festival V ¡®Everything feels like a blur.¡¯ The half elf stood outside of the shared estate, his eyes taking in the sight of the countless stars up ahead, the night sky painted with a now strangely familiar sight, a sight so different than his first life. The sky up above was, almost, comforting. ¡®I should spend more quality time with each of the children,¡¯ Adam thought, having spent almost all his time with groups of the children, or with them as pairs. ¡®Gurot and Murot are my chonky boys, but aren¡¯t they chonky in their own ways?¡¯ The thoughts filled Adam¡¯s heart. As the end of the month drew closer to the end, the regret bloomed within his heart, the thorns within his heart weighing him down. ¡®Damn it! I should have spent more quality time with them! I should have taken Vonda out for more dates! We should have walked under the stars! We should have painted something, anything, together! I should have spoiled her properly!¡¯ Adam continued to curse himself within his heart, the half elf¡¯s entire body tensing up with rising annoyance, and the anger which he bludgeoned against himself like a hammer. ¡®Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You stupid idiot! How many times are you going to joke about being an idiot? How many times are you going to be serious about how you¡¯re an idiot? What are you doing?¡¯ The half elf stepped back into the inner courtyard, catching the Iyrman pacing outside. He nodded towards his brother, who nodded in return, and the pair, speaking a thousand words within their nods, returned back home to sleep. The next day it was time for that. It was something which the Iyrmen passively completed as weeks passed, and often times Iyrmen did complete the task during the festivals, but this time Elder Teacher and Elder Forest recommended the task as part of the festival. Rajin stared at the various barrels and casks he had kept within the underground storage. There was a particular cask he was staring at, the same cask each of the Great Elders had requested. How could they ask for such a cask? Even if the Iyrman only had a hundred casks of such a wine, those he was saving for generations to come, how could they ask for it? ¡®An important festival?¡¯ Rajin grumbled within his mind, keeping his hands clasped behind his back, trying to stop his body from giving in to the Great Elder¡¯s request. Even though they were right and he would give in, he would not give in immediately, for some times an Iyrman¡¯s efficiency should be placed aside when it came to handing over such treasures. Little Majin reached up to rub his eyes, but Timojin stopped the boy from scratching at his eye, instead bringing a cloth for the boy, rubbing it around his eye, allowing the cloth to brush against the boy¡¯s eyelids and lashes to draw away the dust. ¡°Careful,¡± Timojin said, placing the boy down, checking upon his eye to see if there was more dust. ¡°I will dust the top shelves, you may clean the others.¡± ¡°Okeh, papa,¡± the boy replied, dropping down to his knees with an exaggerated grunt, the same his grandfather and grandmother would often display, before he brushed the cloth along the bottom shelf which Timojin had already cleaned. ¡°Papa!¡± Tinajin called, reaching up a cloth for the Iyrman, revealing all the grey and brown which had gathered upon it. ¡°You clean well,¡± Timojin praised, the Iyrman reaching to brush the girl¡¯s head gently. ¡°Yes!¡± Tinajin¡¯s eyes sparkled with pride, the girl darting off to continue to clean up, swapping out cloths. ¡°Papa!¡± Majin held up his arms. Timojin instantly caved as he helped his brother clean up the upper shelves and cabinets. Tinajin brushed along the floor and looked up towards Timojin and Majin. ¡°Papa! I am faster than Majin, I will do it!¡± ¡°There are some things which are more important than speed,¡± Timojin replied. ¡°Why?¡± Timojin placed down Majin beside the girl, dropping to his knees before them. He gazed deeply into his sister¡¯s eyes and then to his brother¡¯s. ¡°I am faster than you and Majin at cleaning, but I wish for you to clean with me. Do you know why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Tinajin asked, her brows furrowed, wanting to complain since she was obviously so much faster than her elder brother at cleaning. Their mother and father always praised her with such. ¡°How will you gain the experience if you do not clean? How will you clean properly without my oversight? How will you remain safe if I do not watch?¡± Timojin placed a hand on their heads, rubbing their foreheads with his thumbs. ¡°You need not worry, Majin, TInajin. You may clean slowly. You may fail to clean. I am your elder brother, so I must watch you. Tinajin, you are Majin¡¯s older sister, so you must watch him. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Tinajin affirmed, the girl hugging her brother, kissing his forehead. ¡°Majin, did you hear? I am your kaka! You must listen!¡± ¡°Yes, kaka,¡± Majin replied, wincing slightly as his sister kissed him again, and the pair hugged once more. ¡®They are so affectionate too...¡¯ Eventually Tinajin relented the boy, going back to brushing the floor. Majin returned back to his brother¡¯s arms, hugging the larger Iyrman. ¡°Majin,¡± the approaching Iyrman called. He looked nothing like Timojin, who took after his mother, but was far more muscular. ¡°Come.¡± Majin held out his arms and Timojin relinquished the boy to his father. Then, a moment passed, and Timojin could see the sparkle within his father¡¯s eyes, the Iyrman returning the boy back to him. However, before the pair could start arguing, a storm appeared within the shared family estate of the Jin, Zel, Ruk, and Baj families. ¡°Baba!¡± the tiny green skinned girl called out, glaring towards the grey skinned Iyrman. ¡°Daddy said we are too loud so we must annoy you today!¡± Tijin glanced between the pair, before his eyes darted up towards their uncles, who had escorted them to the shared estate and were tasked with watching over them. Laygak smiled innocently, while Faool bowed his head respectfully. ¡°Good! I was getting bored without you, my Jijin, my Jajin!¡± Tijin let out a wild laugh, causing the children to laugh too. Jirot and Jarot both greeted Majin and Tinajin, who each hugged them tight and planted kisses on their heads, since the two Jins were considered the elders. ¡°Baba, I help you cleaning, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I am the best at cleaning,¡± Jirot said, following the Iyrman to the side, pulling along her brother. ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Yes! Mummy says I am best at cleaning! My papa is the best too!¡± ¡°How can you both be the best?¡± ¡°We are the best because we are the best.¡± ¡°Ah. I see.¡± The old Iyrman smiled, helping the children clean up, while Laygak and Faool cleaned the harder to reach spots. ¡°Baba?¡± Jirot called as she wiped her brow, panting for air, though she had barely cleaned a single counter. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why are you so loud but your daddy is so quiet?¡± Jirot asked. ¡°It is because I am too strong,¡± Tijin replied, flexing his muscles towards the children, letting his pecs dance to his chuckles. ¡°Babo is stronger.¡± ¡°Is he?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jirot replied with firm conviction, her innocent eyes unable to doubt those words. Tijin stared down at those amber eyes which had seen the Bearded Dragon fight. It had been a couple of months ago when she had seen the Bearded Dragon slaughter Hammer Hand, but she had also seen the old man fight a couple of years ago in Red Oak, protecting the girl and her brother. ¡°Hmph! If father had allowed me to fight when the Aldish had come, you would have seen me slaughter them too!¡± ¡°Why you did not come, baba?¡± ¡°Father beat me so I could not come.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jirot pouted. ¡°I wished to fight for you and to tease Shikan, but I was not allowed.¡± ¡°That is your own fault, baba! How you can tease baba Shikan who is always so nice?¡± ¡°Always so nice? You do not know how vicious he can be with his words! You do not know it because he is so gentle to you, but he is rough with me!¡± ¡°You cannot handle it?¡± The girl replied with a smirk and raise of a brow that reminded the Iyrman of her red skinned aunt. ¡°You are so vicious to me too!¡± Tijin lifted the girl up and tossed her into the air, causing her to squeal and cry out in joy. He caught the girl and placed her down, his large arms quickly snatching Jarot up to his chest. ¡°My Jajin, you are always so sweet to me! Come, you can be my twin brother!¡± ¡°Baba...¡± Jarot flushed slightly but his wide smile brimmed from leaf shaped ear to leaf shaped ear. ¡°What! Baba! How you can say that?¡± Jirot gasped. ¡°My brother is so handsome and you are...¡± The girl held out her hand towards the old man, as though ready to cut the mountain known as Tijin in half from shoulder to hip. However, the girl froze up as her father¡¯s words came to her. It was one of the few times she had seen her father so serious, almost a different person. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Tijin thought, noting the way the girl froze in place. Jirot blinked. She tied her hands behind her back like her other babo. ¡°If you can steal my Jarot from me, we will see.¡± Laygak punched his thigh to stop himself from bursting into laughter, the Iyrman¡¯s facing turning redder as the tears welled in his eyes. ¡°Jirot, are you really your father¡¯s daughter?¡± Faool asked. ¡°Papo!¡± Jirot gasped, this time her mouth forming a tiny circle in shock, the most genuine she had been all day. ¡°How you can say that?¡± ¡°How can you be his daughter when you are so funny?¡± Timojin, Majin, and Tinajin each paused for a moment, the younger two wincing, as the howling laughter distracted them from their task. New month, new cringe. I will continue my offer. Every new Silver/Gold patron means an additional chapter, and if I have more paid patrons, I''ll offer up to 14 chapters weekly rather than 7. Also I''m checking the latest chapter I posted up on Patreon and... is Adam the bad guy? [1163] – Y06.063 – Dawnval Festival VI Shikan poured drinks for Jogak and Tijin, who graciously hosted the pair within his shared family estate. The pair accepted the pour, the trio holding up their cups for a moment before sipping the wine. The sweet alcohol danced along their tongues and tickled the back of their throats, wetting their tongues for conversation. ¡°Why did she not marry him when she had the chance?¡± Jogak complained. ¡°Their children would look so adorable! With their beautiful red skin, their horns, and their cute ears! My little Jirot and Jarot, they would have loved those siblings the most! I could call them my grandchildren without any doubt!¡± ¡°Can you still doubt it even now?¡± Shikan asked, sipping the wine lightly still, his eyes peering curiously at the Iyrman. ¡°I do not, but others may.¡± ¡°What does it matter if others may? You do not. They do not.¡± Jogak grumbled quietly to himself, filling with a greater annoyance, which made sense since it was from his daughter, as usual. ¡°You should have seduced him when you had the chance!¡± Tijin smiled towards Jogak, though looked down at the dark liquid in his cup. While Jogak continued to complain about his daughter, the Iyrman thought of his own son, who had fought earlier in the year. When Timojin returned, Tijin had seen how different the boy had become. When he heard that the Iyrman had waited for the half elf at the fortress, he couldn¡¯t help but feel an immensity of pride for his son. ¡®You will make a great Chief,¡¯ Tijin thought, almost catching Shikan¡¯s eye, though he remained within his thought. Yet, the Timojin which had returned to him felt so different. He was always mature for his age, but this time, unlike Amokan who was still so playful, Timojin had grown quieter. Even as he drank, the Iyrman did not become more playful than even his best friend. ¡°I have thought about stepping outside once more,¡± Tijin admitted once Jogak had quietened down, and after the words, Jogak fell even quieter. ¡®You are thinking about stepping outside once more?¡¯ Jogak thought, his eyes then slowly moving towards Shikan, noting it was the first time he had heard about it too. Tijin¡¯s thoughts fell to his son, the son who had fought in his place at the border. Timojin had remained deathly quiet for a long while upon his return, and once evening approached, the pair had finally spoken. ¡®I need to grow stronger,¡¯ Timojin had said, the Iyrman¡¯s eyes simmering with anger. It was that kind of anger, the kind an Iyrman knew deeply. ¡®When I fought, I could not defeat them.¡¯ ¡®You faced a great foe,¡¯ Tijin assured, having placed a hand on his son¡¯s strong shoulder. ¡®It is already good enough at your age.¡¯ ¡®No,¡¯ Timojin replied. ¡®I must grow stronger.¡¯ It was then Tijin understood why Rajin had beaten him so brutally, even going so far as to threaten to kill him. Just like when Tijin was that young, his father had allowed him to leave and bloom, even when it meant getting beaten. It was due to that, the Iyrman was able to reach the heights he had reached, even surpassing the likes of Shikan. ¡®You must have seen it too,¡¯ Tijin thought, recalling the look upon Timojin¡¯s face. The anger in his eyes, the annoyance on his face, the constant flexing of his muscles. The boy was a prodigy, one of the golden children, as the Iyr called them. Among his peers, he was part of that group that would go on to change the Iyr for the next generation. He would become the Chief, or an aide, or a great warrior, inspiring the Iyr¡¯s families, and the future Jin children. ¡®If you were so serious about that kind of thing, why did you become the Family Elder instead of the Chief¡¯s aide?¡¯ Tijin let out a long sigh, returning back to the present. ¡°If I leave, will you not be lonely by yourself?¡± Shikan smiled, noting the gleam in the Iyrman¡¯s eye, and he poured his friend a drink. ¡°Why would I be lonely without you?¡± ¡°Are you still jealous?¡± ¡°Why would I be jealous?¡± ¡°Your name is not sung as loudly.¡± ¡°You are jealous of my relationship with the children.¡± ¡°Do you think they adore you more than they adore me?¡± Tijin asked, his body flashed with heat, the Iyrman tensing up, as though ready to draw his blade. ¡°They do.¡± Jogak¡¯s eyes darted between the pair. Though Tijin certainly had made a grander name for himself while Shikan retired earlier, it was true enough that Tijin was envious of his relationship with the twins. ¡°I should have taken them when I had the chance!¡± Tijin snarled. ¡°Not even I could take them from the Gaks,¡± Shikan admitted. Jogak smiled, beaming proudly. ¡®Even now, they would come to...¡¯ Jogak recalled just how much Jirot liked to tease him too, just like his own daughter. ¡°You two! Stop showing off in front of me!¡± ¡®You are the one showing off in front of us!¡¯ the pair thought, glaring at the Iyrman, who certainly recalled just how troublesome Jirot was. ¡°How can you say something like that?¡± Tijin growled. ¡°Did your daughter not have the best showing?¡± Shikan asked. ¡°Showing?¡± Jogak asked, noting the raised brows. The Iyrman thought for a moment, before he smirked. ¡°My daughter is the greatest! Of course she had the best showing!¡± Tijin and Shikan exchanged glances between one another, before they continued to sip their wine, allowing the Iyrman to beam in pride. It had been so long since the Gak family had someone who had succeeded this well. The last time was within their living memory, having heard tales from their aunt, but Jaygak was different. It seemed as though she would go beyond her own limits to become a Master eventually, but she had surpassed even that, and perhaps had reached even the likes of Flame Brand. ¡°Is Taygak leaving to Aswadasad?¡± Tijin asked, catching Jogak¡¯s eyes. ¡°She is.¡± ¡°Will you join them?¡± ¡°What need of I to join them?¡± Jogak replied, smirking slightly. ¡°Who will go if you do not? Will Flame Brand? The promise has passed.¡± Even Tijin could feel his heart stir at the thought of Flame Brand going back for revenge. After all, if it was anyone who could put the Gak family on the map, even at this time, it would be her. ¡°Are you so afraid?¡± ¡°After what happened to your aunt, how can I not be afraid?¡± Tijin replied, far too seriously for the other two. They could see how his body had suddenly shifted, his body taut and tense, like a statue. ¡°Are you worried history will repeat itself?¡± Jogak asked, keeping Tijin¡¯s gaze. He closed his eyes. He thought of his daughter, when she was small and chubby. ¡®Father!¡¯ the girl called through her tears, and though she cried, she held the anger upon her face. ¡®I will become a Master!¡¯ Jogak remained silent, squeezing the girl¡¯s hand. She had remained silent as the bodies were buried, even the one armed Mad Dog had remained silent, watching as the bodies disappeared out of sight. It had surprised him that he had remained silent, but it had also surprised him that the Mad Dog had paid as much respect to Chayrot. ¡®I will do it, father! You cannot stop me!¡¯ The girl managed to blubber out as her entire body shook as she sobbed. ¡®Okay,¡¯ Jogak had said, holding her sobbing face to his chest. ¡®Chayrot, what am I to do?¡¯ A year before the girl received her tattoos, she had promised her father. ¡®I will become a Master, or I will die trying.¡¯ ¡®If you cannot become a Master, it is fine. You do not have to die.¡¯ ¡®For this generation, it will be me.¡¯ At first, Jogak had smiled, until he realised what she had meant. It had been one of the many times he had been left speechless, but it was the only time he had felt such a chill. ¡°You are speaking so highly... but even Amokan placed third.¡± Tijin and Shikan both raised their brows in surprise, the Iyrmen filling with rage, but that was only to stop themselves from bursting out into laughter. ¡°I did not expect to hear such a thing from you, Jo,¡± Shikan admitted. ¡°What are you saying?¡± Tijin complained. ¡°At least he mentioned your son placed third.¡± ¡°What can I do when my son is so amazing?¡± Shikan replied, his eyes full of mischief as they twinkled towards Tijin. ¡®Timojin! You have to win the next tournament! At least beat Amokan soon!¡¯ ¡°Since Jaygak has retired, we will leave it to Taygak,¡± Jogak stated in a light tone. It was too light, revealing his nerves to the pair. ¡°What of Laygak?¡± ¡°Laygak does not wish to die an inglorious death.¡± ¡°He could-,¡± Tijin began, though quickly fell silent, suddenly filling with shame. ¡°It is a wise choice to make. Stepping back for his... younger sister.¡± Shikan slowly bowed his head, smiling slightly at how awkward Tijin had become. Jogak poured each of them drinks. ¡°I will bring the wine next time. Since my daughter is succeeding so much, I should be the one to treat you.¡± ¡°It feels strange to hear you say it,¡± Shikan said. ¡°Yes,¡± Tijin agreed. Jogak flushed slightly, but he smiled. ¡°You will become used to it soon.¡± This probably should have been an interlude, oops. [1164] – Y06.064 – Dawnval Festival VII ¡°Jirot, Jarot, who is your favourite baba?¡± Jogak asked, the trio of Iyrmen surrounding the twins. Each sat down in front of the twins, making sure not to pressure them, though their eyes remained pleading. ¡®What are those fools doing?¡¯ Gorot thought, keeping an eye on the three, just in case they were up to no good, which they were most certainly up to during breakfast. ¡°Favourite baba?¡± Jirot asked, glancing between the three faces. She furrowed her brows, her eyes going from Jogak to Shikan to Tijin. Jirot closed her eyes, falling deep into thought, for deep within her heart she under, this was a golden opportunity. Little Jarot pouted, the nerves filling his heart. The boy¡¯s eyes darted between them all before he leaned towards his sister, who wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer. The girl opened her eyes, surprising the three men, who waited patiently as the little green skinned girl smirked. ¡°My favourite baba is...¡± The trio watched as the girl glanced between them all again. She hopped onto her feet, helping her brother up, holding his hand as she led little Jarot around. She walked to each of her babas, each of the men peeking down at the pair curiously. ¡°Baba, I love you,¡± Jirot would say to each of them, hugging each one, suddenly making them think about trying to aim for the strength of a Grandmaster. One by one, the twins hugged their babas, until there were finally only the three left. ¡°Hmm,¡± Jirot hummed to herself. She held out her hands, offering each of them to hug her, and they each hugged the girl, who said she loved them. ¡°You love us all, but who is your favourite?¡± Jogak asked, brushing the girl¡¯s hair gently. ¡°It is obvious!¡± Jirot declared, her eyes beaming proudly. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Is it all of them?¡± Adam asked, waiting to see what his daughter would answer. ¡°No, daddy! You know who it is! My favourite baba!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°Your favourite babo is babo, so your favourite baba is... it must be... is it nana¡¯s husband, baba Gorot?¡± ¡°Nooo!¡± ¡°Then if it¡¯s not baba Gorot, is it nana Mirot?¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot cackled loudly towards her father. ¡°It is nana Sonarot!¡± ¡°How can she be your favourite if she is your nana?¡± Jogak asked, raising his brows at little Jarot, trying to get the boy to pick him. ¡°I love nana so much she is my nana and she is my baba!¡± Jirot and Jarot charged towards their grandmother, who lifted them up and kissed their cheeks tenderly. Lanarot let out a snort, reaching up to her forehead. ¡®What am I to do with you?¡¯ Meanwhile their father¡¯s laughter bounced off the walls, the half elf tearing up, tears streaming down his face. Adam stole his children from their grandmother, unable to contain himself as he kissed and blew raspberries against his children¡¯s faces. ¡°Nana...¡± Konarot looked up towards her grandmother expectantly. ¡°Kona?¡± ¡°You are my nana.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Always?¡± ¡°Always.¡± Konarot hugged the woman¡¯s leg, which led to the younger triplets to do the same. Sonarot¡¯s smile widened, and she pulled the trio in closer. Her heart swelled at the warmth of the children, who were most certainly the most affectionate of all the children in the Iyr. ¡°They are growing up so fast,¡± Lanarot whispered to herself, the girl¡¯s arms tied behind her back. Lucy smiled, meeting Dunes¡¯ eyes, who shrugged his shoulders in response. The Priest glanced aside towards Ranya, who stared down at her porridge questioningly, scooping up the porridge with the slightest dribble of honey, and sucked it down. Her face sparked to life, her lips forming a tiny circle of shock, and she shovelled more porridge into her gullet. As the porridge slipped down onto her shirt, the girl not noticing, Dunes understood. In every way, Adam thought his children were the best. The over the top, loud, love he had for his children, not even the tiniest amount of it was exaggerated. For as Ranya complained to her mother, holding up her spoon, unable to find more honey, Dunes understood. ¡°Ranya,¡± Dunes called out, in a tone the girl had never heard before. Ranya shot a look to the side, her eyes meeting her father¡¯s gaze, the girl confused at first, but she quickly smiled her bright white smile, a smile which reached all the way to her eyes, and radiated across her face. Her father was smiling at her so she smiled at him. It was that simple. Dunes reached over to wipe the girl¡¯s face. ¡°Did you like the porridge.¡± ¡°Like!¡± Ranya confirmed, showing off her spoon to her father. Dunes regretted that he did not braid her hair that morning, too busy praying early before the rays of dawn, then going on to assist with some light preparations for the festival. At the very least, he could change her into her festival attire, and if he was lucky, she may have even left a gift in her clothy. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Seeing the coy smile on her face meant he was quite lucky that morning. The festival continued, filling the Iyr with its joy. Kitool escorted her sisters through the Iyr, until Katool finally pointed towards one of the many stages, playing one of the many stories of the Iyr. ¡°This is the best part! Watch carefully!¡± Katool stated, holding both Jirot and Jarot upon her lap. The twins gasped as the flames filled the air, the large group of red skinned Iyrmen shooting out flames from their fingertips, revealing themselves to be at least Experts. ¡°Amazing!¡± Jirot called out. ¡°Wow!¡± Little Jarot blinked. Jitool dropped her snack from watching the flames, though Kitool¡¯s hand blurred, bringing the fried piece of dough to the girl¡¯s lips, allowing the girl to eat from her fingers. ¡°Kako?¡± Little Jarot whispered, the boy¡¯s ears drooping. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Where is kako Jaygak?¡± The boy blinked up at the young woman expectantly, as though she held all the answers in the world. ¡°She is... working hard.¡± ¡°Working hard?¡± Jarot frowned. ¡°It is good...¡± ¡°She is working hard for the Iyr.¡± ¡°Daddy is working hard for the Iyr too.¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Kitool watched as Jarot withdrew like a turtle. ¡°It is because they work hard we can enjoy ourselves.¡± ¡°I am going to work hard so daddy can enjoy himself,¡± little Jarot whispered, soon trapped within his sister¡¯s arms and chest, the girl smothering him in affection. ¡°How can you be so cute?¡± Jirot asked, the girl rubbing her cheek against his. ¡°Jirot...¡± Jarot hugged her back. ¡®Adam and Jaygak are working hard...¡¯ Kitool thought, frowning slightly, though her frown was so tiny, only an Iyrman could perceive such. Little Larot stared out ahead at the play, ignoring the moment beside him. He opened his mouth as Jazool fed him some of her own dried bread. He stared at the play, of a story from centuries ago, of a time forgotten to most. ¡®Your accuracy is impressive,¡¯ Larot thought, deciding against acknowledging how scary it was that the Iyr even managed to know the gist of the conversations between all the great figures during the Demonic Devastation. As evening approached, Adam returned to spoil the children. Once he was done spoiling his children, and flirting with his wife constantly, he finally pulled the children away to sleep. Jirot and Jarot slept with the older Iyrmen, as they always did, while Virot and Xarot were taken away by the teen Iyrmen. Kitool remained outside, feeling the cool air against her skin. She spun her staff in front of her, beginning her warm up and her stretched. It was after completing a full set of her routine that Jurot stepped out into the courtyard. ¡°You cannot sleep?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°No. You cannot?¡± Jurot inhaled the crisp air, waking his body up. He could still feel the ghost of his son¡¯s head against his shoulder, the drool, and even the gentle breaths. ¡°We will leave soon. My body cannot wait.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What worries you?¡± Jurot asked, noting how the young woman stared at the tip of her staff, forming her thoughts. ¡°The expectations weigh upon my shoulders.¡± ¡°Are you so worried?¡± ¡°I fear I will crumble upon them,¡± Kitool admitted, closing her eyes, feeling the ache against her shoulders and neck. ¡°You will not,¡± Jurot stated firmly. ¡°I will not?¡± ¡°You cannot.¡± ¡°I cannot?¡± ¡°You cannot,¡± Jurot confirmed. Kitool remained silent for a long moment. Within Jurot¡¯s voice, she could hear it. Confidence. It was that kind of confidence, the kind that came from having a grandfather with the title of Mad Dog. Kitool closed her eyes, thinking of her own grandfather. Just like Jurot, her first memory was of her grandfather. Whereas Mad Dog¡¯s grin was wild, untamed, and ready for slaughter, her grandfather¡¯s smile was warm, playful, and always made her smile as a girl. That old man who had not hesitated in the slightest to go against the likes of the Mad Dog, even though Mad Dog could bury him with half a thought. He was, in a way, more Iyrmanly than even the likes of Duteous Dogek, for Dogek had only ever known duty with his great strength. Except, what was she? ¡°Why?¡± Kitool finally dared to ask. ¡°Adam is not the only one afraid of you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The pair trained silently under the stars. Jirot is right, of course. So is her uncle. [1165] – Y06.064 – Dawnval Festival VIII ¡°This is the best part! Watch carefully!¡± Jirot stated, clutching at her father¡¯s chest, tugging at his shirt as she pointed towards the colourful skinned Iyrmen, most red, gathering together. The twins gasped as the flames filled the air, the large group of horned Iyrmen shooting out flames from their fingertips. Their eyes took in the sight of the flames, the light, feeling the heat brush against their skin, and as the flames spread upwards, the way the red, yellow, and white illuminated the world, mesmerised the twins. ¡°It really was the best part,¡± Adam whispered, reaching up to brush the girl¡¯s hair, while his son leaned further back against his chest. ¡°Did you see? That woman was named Jirot too and she was so strong.¡± ¡°How can she lose to the Demon General?¡± Jirot replied, letting out a small huff. ¡°I will not lose to no Balakazor!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Balkazor.¡± ¡°It is Balakazor, daddy,¡± the girl stated, raising her brow incredulously. ¡°Is it?¡± Adam asked, leaning down to nuzzle her nose. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It is, daddy,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°Oh. You know that daddy is bad with names. I¡¯m so bad with my name, I might forget my name.¡± ¡°How can you forget when your name is so lovely?¡± Jirot tutted at the half elf, reaching up to pat his shoulder with her tiny chubby hand. ¡°Right, right.¡± Adam pulled his children closer, before the play finally ended, and the half elf had to find his triplets. He held his twins around his front as he approached the triplets, who were playing in the area closest to the Gek family estate. Konarot had completely focused upon her basket, but as she tossed the pouch, she smelled her father approaching, and the momentary distraction caused her pouch to fly off course. However, since she normally did not throw very well, as the pouch veered to the side, it landed in the middle basket, that which was the smallest and worth the most points. ¡°Oh! Would you look at that!¡± Adam called out, dropping his twins down so they could charge their baba. ¡°Daddy...¡± Konarot smiled brightly towards her father, her tail swaying behind her. Kirot threw her pouch next, followed by her younger brother, the pair managing to toss them into a basket near the centre, though they did not manage as well as their eldest sibling, who stood proudly. Adam tossed his pouch casually as they played together, including as they kicked the ball against the wall, which was marked with overlapping ovals, each worth different points. ¡®The triplets and twins are both active. Jirot and Jarot prefer more story related activities, while my Konababy, Kibaby, and Kababy don¡¯t mind it if there is no story. Karot loves to draw, but what do his elder sisters like? Oh, right, dragonchess for little Kona, but Kirot? Kirot, my dearest, what do you like?¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes remained to his second eldest, the girl following along her elder sister, keeping Karot¡¯s hand within her own. The half elf¡¯s heart soothed as he watched them play so sweetly, his eldest daughters watching over his son well. ¡®My sons are all too meek, while my daughters are so vicious,¡¯ the half elf thought. ¡®Konarot, she¡¯s tough. Kirot is pretty tough too. Jirot... is Jirot. Virot takes after Jirot. Karot? He¡¯s too sweet. Jarot? Jababy, I don¡¯t mind if you aren¡¯t like your babo. Xarot... I can see how sweet you are already, my boy. I guess there¡¯s Larot, who...¡¯ The half elf¡¯s eyes darted aside, trying to find his red skinned son. Larot would often allow his older sister to do as she pleased, though spent very little time with the triplets. ¡®Is it because Jirot showers him in affection? It makes sense, since she likes colourful skin colours...¡¯ Adam frowned slightly at the thought. ¡®It¡¯s not like she¡¯s racist or anything, she just likes bright colours and contrast! She likes uncle Dunes too!¡¯ Tonagek noted Adam was currently fighting himself within his mind and left the half elf be. He pinched Jirot¡¯s nose gently, the girl stopping her ranting, her eyes questioning her baba. ¡°Do you think...¡± Tonagek noted the way the guy peered up at him. Her eyes began to soften slightly upon seeing the harshness within his eyes, causing the older Iyrman to blink it away, pressing his forehead against hers. ¡°I have not slept well recently.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The festival tires me. I am too old now, my Jirot.¡± ¡°Like baba Jogak, you must retire too,¡± the girl said, patting his shoulder gently. ¡°I may,¡± Tonagek said, smiling ever so slightly. ¡°Will you take care of me once I am retired?¡± ¡°I watch over you, baba,¡± the girl assured, patting his shoulder again. ¡°Yes, Jarot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy agreed. ¡°I should not worry you until you are older,¡± Tonagek said, brushing their foreheads, which would one day be tattooed with his sister¡¯s family tattoos, if they so wished for it. ¡°Daddy!¡± Konarot called, holding up a chess piece. ¡°You want to play some dragonchess?¡± Adam asked, his daughter replying with a head nod. While they played together, Kirot and Karot watched, though did so upon their father¡¯s lap. Adam had them alternate turns in moving pieces for him. ¡®Wait, wouldn¡¯t this feel like...¡¯ Karot and Kirot sat beside their elder sister a moment later, helping her move her pieces, so the trio were against their father. ¡®He is thinking too much,¡¯ Dunes thought, while Jirot and Jarot charged at Lucy and Mara. Ranya sucked her thumb, her head resting against the Priest¡¯s chest, but as she noted the half elf, she stirred, sitting up within her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Ranya! My adorable little girl! How was the festival?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to tickle the girl¡¯s nose. Ranya squealed, hiding her face within her father¡¯s chest. She turned back towards the half elf and babbled at him noisily, hiding within her father¡¯s chest once more. ¡°You can¡¯t be saying that sort of thing!¡± Adam laughed. ¡°Checkmate,¡± Konarot said, stopping her father¡¯s laughter. Adam stared at the board, his brows furrowed as he took in the sight of the pieces and their positions, eventually giving up since he wasn¡¯t any good at the game. ¡°Good game, well played.¡± ¡°Geegee, daddy.¡± The half elf smiled slightly, shaking his daughter¡¯s hand. He brushed along it tenderly with a thumb, before letting the girl go. ¡®Aren¡¯t I so lucky to have such an adorable daughter?¡¯ Jurot arrived not a short while later with Damrot, while Pam held Monarot, and Vonda held Virot, who sucked her thumb, her eyes half glazed over. Damrot¡¯s eyes quickly awakened upon seeing his uncle, the boy smiling wide and reaching out a hand towards the half elf. ¡°Oof! My Damrot, my Damrot, did you enjoy the festival?¡± Adam asked, taking the boy within his arms, kissing his cheek and blowing into his neck. The boy squealed and squirmed, until Adam could finally steal Virot, who stared up at her father, tired from being so troublesome all day long. She let out a sigh before smirking, though as Adam checked her clothy, he realised she didn¡¯t leave him a gift. ¡°Are you being nice to me today since it¡¯s the last day?¡± ¡°Boo,¡± the girl replied, rubbing her sleepy eye. ¡°Xarot, Monarot, you both are too chubby!¡± Adam said, the two staring at the half elf with large smiles, before returning their attention to their mothers. ¡°No. What am I saying? You¡¯re both not chubby enough!¡± The older one armed Jarot huffed quietly, though as Mulrot raised her brows towards the old man, he settled down. ¡®I had to surrender them for the week! I will have to forgive you. Just this once. Since you are so cute.¡± ¡°Did you rush your play today?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I had to, since... you know.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I feel so tired, so I might call it an early night once the sun starts setting.¡± ¡°You look tired.¡± ¡°I feel much worse,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I should be fine after a few days though. Working that much does take a toll on my body. I¡¯m surprised I haven¡¯t gotten sick again.¡± ¡°We can take a few days to allow you to rest.¡± ¡°Nah. We¡¯ll spend a day or two extra in each town, but we should get a move on quickly. Once the Reavers get a foothold, it¡¯ll be more difficult to leave. I have a few regrets still, but there¡¯s not much I can do about that. I¡¯ll have to figure something out for the gifts for them another time.¡± Dunes¡¯ eyes darted towards Vonda, raising his brow towards her for a moment. ¡°What was that?¡± Adam asked, noting the way Dunes threw a look to his wife. Adam¡¯s eyes darted to his wife¡¯s, not that he needed a reason to look into her eyes. The look within her eyes was innocent, meaning she definitely did something. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I have been working hard too.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, you have. Karot was saying, though he didn¡¯t know what you were up to...¡± Adam stared at his wife for a long while. The half elf blinked. ¡°Oh?¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°I should have told you to save you the stress, but I wanted to be certain I could complete them.¡± ¡°My wife is too amazing!¡± ¡°You are lucky to have married her,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I whisper a prayer every morning to Baktu. I tell him it would be too unfair if he took me too soon, when my wife is so amazing and doesn¡¯t deserve something like that.¡± Adam noted the winces on the pair¡¯s faces. ¡°Hey! That wasn¡¯t a joke, that time!¡± ¡°Oh, Adam...¡± Vonda sighed, feeling Xarot stir within her arms. Vonda is too good for him. [1166] – Y06.066 – Dawnval Festival VIII Her callused hands were rough against his palms, though the half fae¡¯s hands had become coarser as the years passed by. As they stepped through the roads of the extended estates, under purple sky, the gentle music and chattering of the various estates accompanied them. ¡°I really am so sorry,¡± Adam whispered, his fingers intertwining with hers. ¡°I should have spent more time with you.¡± Vonda smiled slightly, the woman brushing along her husband¡¯s knuckles with her thumb, feeling the ridges between his bones. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I just...¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam pulled his wife towards him, his large arms swallowing her whole as the half elf hid her from the world, As they hugged, he brushed his cheek against hers, nuzzling against her neck, his breath tickling her skin, taking in her light scent. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky to have you, Vonda.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the woman replied confidently, revealing where Jirot found her confidence. ¡°You are so lucky.¡± ¡°If... there¡¯s ever an issue, let me know.¡± ¡°An issue?¡± Vonda replied, tilting her head slightly, allowing her husband to plant a firm kiss against her exposed neck, the woman reaching up to his shoulders, keeping him at bay. ¡°Just... if you feel sad or anything like that. If you need to talk about whatever, you can speak with me, or Pam, obviously, and Aunt Sonarot.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Vonda reached up to brush his cheek gently, wondering where this was coming from, but not worried enough to ask. ¡°Right, you can speak with Dunes too, you couple of Priests, you.¡± ¡°Yes. Fortunately, there is someone who listens to me without causing a mess.¡± Vonda smirked up at her husband, her eyes twinkling with mischief. ¡°It¡¯s not an issue, but... Dunes is a handsome guy, so I might be a little jealous if you keep sneaking out with him.¡± Vonda¡¯s brows shot upwards, the woman slapping her husband¡¯s arm gently, only managing a gasp as her mind raced, her heart pounding within her chest, her cheeks becoming almost as red as their third son. Adam cackled at his wife, pulling her in close, almost pinning her against a wall as he kissed her passionately, their lips crushing together, their tongues exchanging greetings. Adam broke the kiss, and though liquid courage flowed through his veins, the half elf kept most of what little wits he had about him. ¡°I guess if you two keep sneaking off, it¡¯ll give me a reason to show you just how much I love you?¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda glared at the half elf, her face strained with anger, annoyance, and the other kind of annoyance which only Adam could rile up. She grabbed the half elf¡¯s face, keeping it at bay as the half elf tried to kiss her face and neck. ¡°You are the one leaving for months at a time!¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not fair! How many women are there in the world who are as beautiful as you? How many of them aren¡¯t related to me?¡± Adam complained, rocking from side to side with his wife within his arms, only gently pushing against her hand. ¡°There are many beautiful flowers blooming in Floria, and there is an eternal dawnval upon the land.¡± Vonda could feel those strong arms around her, those which had grown since they had first met. ¡°In Aswadasad, there are many beautiful women, as there are stars in the night sky.¡± ¡°Is there anything more beautiful than the rose known as Vonda, she who bloomed under the full moon?¡± Adam whispered against her ear. Vonda flushed a deeper red, her brows raising further, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, the warmth spreading all through her. Adam blinked, sobering from how decent his words were. However, when it came to his wife, words slipped through his lips so easily, as easily as others bullied him. The pair remained in silence for a long moment, trying to gather themselves, in case they made a mistake in public. ¡°Anyway...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m a one woman kind of guy. My heart. My body. My everything.¡± ¡°How will you deal with your urges?¡± Vonda joked, glad the half elf didn¡¯t push her further, otherwise she might have allowed certain liberties for her husband. ¡°I¡¯ll only cheat on you with my right hand, and if I want to feel special, I¡¯ll use my le-,¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda gasped, very quickly dispelling any reasons to allow her husband to seduce her, the woman slapping his arm again, though grabbing his bicep to steady herself, which quickly ignited something else. Adam laughed, flexing his arm for his wife, causing her to grow a deeper shade of red. ¡°You never have to worry about my, my love. Especially thanks to this tattoo.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Vonda replied, trying to beat Adam in his own game, but she could barely think. ¡®How am I like this without a drop of wine?¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t do it, and you can¡¯t do it either. It¡¯s really that simple, my darling.¡± Adam rubbed his forehead against hers, allowing her to feel the slight coarseness of the tattoo brushing along her skin, which remained wrinkled with annoyance. Vonda was about to reply, but he disarmed her with the intense look in his eyes, the kind of intensity she hadn¡¯t seen in a very long time. She flushed coyly, the woman slowly wrapping her arms around his muscular neck, feeling his broad back with her hands. ¡°Of course, my darling.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± called a voice from along the wind. Adam¡¯s entire body jolted as he sobered up, his head darting to the side, his eyes wide and like a deer which had been caught by an Iyrman. Tanagek¡¯s eyes darted to Chosen, bowing his head in thanks since it felt too awkward for him to call out to Adam. ¡°Adam, I wish to clash blades with you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would...¡± Adam whispered, his cheeks burning bright red, the half elf glad that the Iyr¡¯s shirt fell down quite some ways. ¡°Why do you want to fight me?¡± ¡°I want to feel the weight of your axe.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that in a situation like this,¡± the half elf replied with a groan, reaching up to his forehead, covering his eyes. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°I wish to confirm your strength with my own body.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, stop saying it like that!¡± Adam shot back, glancing down at his wife, who was trying to compose herself. ¡°I¡¯m not gay!¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes grew wet, the woman beginning to laugh and cry, slapping her husband across his chest lightly, before sobbing into his chest, unable to contain her laughter. Adam brushed the tears away from her eyes, winking down at her. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let you head back, and I¡¯ll be back in a little while.¡± ¡°I wish to watch,¡± Chosen said. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to need a witness with what I¡¯m about to do to Tanagek.¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ the pair of Iyrmen thought. ¡°How dare you interrupt my alone time with my wifey, you bas-, bra-, punk!¡± Adam stumbled over his words, not wishing to offend Tanagek too deeply, or sound like his grandfather. ¡®Damn it! This so embarrassing.¡¯ Tanagek led the half elf away, with Chosen bowing his head to Vonda respectfully, following along. ¡°It must be important if you needed to interrupt me with my wife, and on my day off of all times,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am sorry, but the thought had taken my heart.¡± Vonda returned to the extended estate, where the children tried to find their father, but Vonda informed them of what happened. ¡°Fighting?¡± Lanarot asked, her eyebrows shooting up in expectation. ¡°Yes.¡± Lanarot waited, trying to melt Vonda¡¯s heart with her puppy dog eyes, but Vonda brushed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡®Tanagek,¡¯ Jurot thought, letting out a sigh. ¡®Okay.¡¯ As the last evening of dawnval passed, many enjoyed their time. There were those in the Front Iyr who were enjoying the festival, from Fred, who played with George, to Bilal, who did his best to deal with the devilkin twins who complained loudly, wishing for more peppers, and Rick, whose heart remained unsettled due to the fortune that was the United Kindom. Jane sat, staring at the magical blade she had been lent. She had barely joined and yet had been gifted a magical blade? ¡®Huh?¡¯ Bael yawned, stretching out his arm and back. ¡®I thought the old lady would want to come and speak with me since...¡¯ For a moment he thought about starting a fight for the end of the festival, but he ended up tossing a bottle and zapping it with lightning, laying within his estate. Meanwhile, at the Main Iyr, a pair sat down together to drink for the end of dawnval. ¡°You should go visit your sister,¡± Timojin said, having not yet seen Amokan leave to see her. ¡°I will go see her once I am Chief,¡± Amokan replied, almost hissing out in pain. ¡°I asked Tanagek to plant flowers.¡± Amokan smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Should we also explore Aswadasad?¡± ¡°Our tales have intertwined enough.¡± ¡°It would be fun.¡± Amokan let out a groan, almost seduced by the prospect. ¡°They will use it against me when I try for the Chief position.¡± Timojin let out a low growl. ¡°Tanagek has requested a fight from Adam.¡± ¡°What?¡± Amokan asked, dropping the bottle of wine, which crashed against the floor and spilled liquid crimson all over the floor. ¡°When?¡± ¡°It must be over now,¡± Timojin replied. ¡°Why did you not tell me?¡± ¡°You did not wish to fight me this entire week,¡± Timojin said, reaching for his blade, and the pair turned red with rage as they danced together. At the end of dawnval, there was no rain, but small blasts of lightning shot upwards, and within a particular field, thunder rumbled. Romance? In my Demon Lord bullies her father simulator? [1165] – Y06.065 – Dawnval Festival VIII [1165] ¨C Y06.065 ¨C Dawnval Festival VIII ¡°This is the best part! Watch carefully!¡± Jirot stated, clutching at her father¡¯s chest, tugging at his shirt as she pointed towards the colourful skinned Iyrmen, most red, gathering together. The twins gasped as the flames filled the air, the large group of horned Iyrmen shooting out flames from their fingertips. Their eyes took in the sight of the flames, the light, feeling the heat brush against their skin, and as the flames spread upwards, the way the red, yellow, and white illuminated the world, mesmerised the twins. ¡°It really was the best part,¡± Adam whispered, reaching up to brush the girl¡¯s hair, while his son leaned further back against his chest. ¡°Did you see? That woman was named Jirot too and she was so strong.¡± ¡°How can she lose to the Demon General?¡± Jirot replied, letting out a small huff. ¡°I will not lose to no Balakazor!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Balkazor.¡± ¡°It is Balakazor, daddy,¡± the girl stated, raising her brow incredulously. ¡°Is it?¡± Adam asked, leaning down to nuzzle her nose. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°It is, daddy,¡± little Jarot said. ¡°Oh. You know that daddy is bad with names. I¡¯m so bad with my name, I might forget my name.¡± ¡°How can you forget when your name is so lovely?¡± Jirot tutted at the half elf, reaching up to pat his shoulder with her tiny chubby hand. ¡°Right, right.¡± Adam pulled his children closer, before the play finally ended, and the half elf had to find his triplets. He held his twins around his front as he approached the triplets, who were playing in the area closest to the Gek family estate. Konarot had completely focused upon her basket, but as she tossed the pouch, she smelled her father approaching, and the momentary distraction caused her pouch to fly off course. However, since she normally did not throw very well, as the pouch veered to the side, it landed in the middle basket, that which was the smallest and worth the most points. ¡°Oh! Would you look at that!¡± Adam called out, dropping his twins down so they could charge their baba. ¡°Daddy...¡± Konarot smiled brightly towards her father, her tail swaying behind her. Kirot threw her pouch next, followed by her younger brother, the pair managing to toss them into a basket near the centre, though they did not manage as well as their eldest sibling, who stood proudly. Adam tossed his pouch casually as they played together, including as they kicked the ball against the wall, which was marked with overlapping ovals, each worth different points. ¡®The triplets and twins are both active. Jirot and Jarot prefer more story related activities, while my Konababy, Kibaby, and Kababy don¡¯t mind it if there is no story. Karot loves to draw, but what do his elder sisters like? Oh, right, dragonchess for little Kona, but Kirot? Kirot, my dearest, what do you like?¡¯ Adam¡¯s eyes remained to his second eldest, the girl following along her elder sister, keeping Karot¡¯s hand within her own. The half elf¡¯s heart soothed as he watched them play so sweetly, his eldest daughters watching over his son well. ¡®My sons are all too meek, while my daughters are so vicious,¡¯ the half elf thought. ¡®Konarot, she¡¯s tough. Kirot is pretty tough too. Jirot... is Jirot. Virot takes after Jirot. Karot? He¡¯s too sweet. Jarot? Jababy, I don¡¯t mind if you aren¡¯t like your babo. Xarot... I can see how sweet you are already, my boy. I guess there¡¯s Larot, who...¡¯ The half elf¡¯s eyes darted aside, trying to find his red skinned son. Larot would often allow his older sister to do as she pleased, though spent very little time with the triplets. ¡®Is it because Jirot showers him in affection? It makes sense, since she likes colourful skin colours...¡¯ Adam frowned slightly at the thought. ¡®It¡¯s not like she¡¯s racist or anything, she just likes bright colours and contrast! She likes uncle Dunes too!¡¯ Tonagek noted Adam was currently fighting himself within his mind and left the half elf be. He pinched Jirot¡¯s nose gently, the girl stopping her ranting, her eyes questioning her baba. ¡°Do you think...¡± Tonagek noted the way the guy peered up at him. Her eyes began to soften slightly upon seeing the harshness within his eyes, causing the older Iyrman to blink it away, pressing his forehead against hers. ¡°I have not slept well recently.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°The festival tires me. I am too old now, my Jirot.¡± ¡°Like baba Jogak, you must retire too,¡± the girl said, patting his shoulder gently. ¡°I may,¡± Tonagek said, smiling ever so slightly. ¡°Will you take care of me once I am retired?¡± ¡°I watch over you, baba,¡± the girl assured, patting his shoulder again. ¡°Yes, Jarot?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the boy agreed. ¡°I should not worry you until you are older,¡± Tonagek said, brushing their foreheads, which would one day be tattooed with his sister¡¯s family tattoos, if they so wished for it. ¡°Daddy!¡± Konarot called, holding up a chess piece. ¡°You want to play some dragonchess?¡± Adam asked, his daughter replying with a head nod. While they played together, Kirot and Karot watched, though did so upon their father¡¯s lap. Adam had them alternate turns in moving pieces for him. ¡®Wait, wouldn¡¯t this feel like...¡¯ Karot and Kirot sat beside their elder sister a moment later, helping her move her pieces, so the trio were against their father. ¡®He is thinking too much,¡¯ Dunes thought, while Jirot and Jarot charged at Lucy and Mara. Ranya sucked her thumb, her head resting against the Priest¡¯s chest, but as she noted the half elf, she stirred, sitting up within her father¡¯s arms. ¡°Ranya! My adorable little girl! How was the festival?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to tickle the girl¡¯s nose. Ranya squealed, hiding her face within her father¡¯s chest. She turned back towards the half elf and babbled at him noisily, hiding within her father¡¯s chest once more. ¡°You can¡¯t be saying that sort of thing!¡± Adam laughed. ¡°Checkmate,¡± Konarot said, stopping her father¡¯s laughter. Adam stared at the board, his brows furrowed as he took in the sight of the pieces and their positions, eventually giving up since he wasn¡¯t any good at the game. ¡°Good game, well played.¡± ¡°Geegee, daddy.¡± The half elf smiled slightly, shaking his daughter¡¯s hand. He brushed along it tenderly with a thumb, before letting the girl go. ¡®Aren¡¯t I so lucky to have such an adorable daughter?¡¯ Jurot arrived not a short while later with Damrot, while Pam held Monarot, and Vonda held Virot, who sucked her thumb, her eyes half glazed over. Damrot¡¯s eyes quickly awakened upon seeing his uncle, the boy smiling wide and reaching out a hand towards the half elf. ¡°Oof! My Damrot, my Damrot, did you enjoy the festival?¡± Adam asked, taking the boy within his arms, kissing his cheek and blowing into his neck. The boy squealed and squirmed, until Adam could finally steal Virot, who stared up at her father, tired from being so troublesome all day long. She let out a sigh before smirking, though as Adam checked her clothy, he realised she didn¡¯t leave him a gift. ¡°Are you being nice to me today since it¡¯s the last day?¡± ¡°Boo,¡± the girl replied, rubbing her sleepy eye. ¡°Xarot, Monarot, you both are too chubby!¡± Adam said, the two staring at the half elf with large smiles, before returning their attention to their mothers. ¡°No. What am I saying? You¡¯re both not chubby enough!¡± The older one armed Jarot huffed quietly, though as Mulrot raised her brows towards the old man, he settled down. ¡®I had to surrender them for the week! I will have to forgive you. Just this once. Since you are so cute.¡± ¡°Did you rush your play today?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°I had to, since... you know.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I feel so tired, so I might call it an early night once the sun starts setting.¡± ¡°You look tired.¡± ¡°I feel much worse,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°I should be fine after a few days though. Working that much does take a toll on my body. I¡¯m surprised I haven¡¯t gotten sick again.¡± ¡°We can take a few days to allow you to rest.¡± ¡°Nah. We¡¯ll spend a day or two extra in each town, but we should get a move on quickly. Once the Reavers get a foothold, it¡¯ll be more difficult to leave. I have a few regrets still, but there¡¯s not much I can do about that. I¡¯ll have to figure something out for the gifts for them another time.¡± Dunes¡¯ eyes darted towards Vonda, raising his brow towards her for a moment. ¡°What was that?¡± Adam asked, noting the way Dunes threw a look to his wife. Adam¡¯s eyes darted to his wife¡¯s, not that he needed a reason to look into her eyes. The look within her eyes was innocent, meaning she definitely did something. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°I have been working hard too.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, you have. Karot was saying, though he didn¡¯t know what you were up to...¡± Adam stared at his wife for a long while. The half elf blinked. ¡°Oh?¡± Vonda smiled. ¡°I should have told you to save you the stress, but I wanted to be certain I could complete them.¡± ¡°My wife is too amazing!¡± ¡°You are lucky to have married her,¡± Dunes said. ¡°I whisper a prayer every morning to Baktu. I tell him it would be too unfair if he took me too soon, when my wife is so amazing and doesn¡¯t deserve something like that.¡± Adam noted the winces on the pair¡¯s faces. ¡°Hey! That wasn¡¯t a joke, that time!¡± ¡°Oh, Adam...¡± Vonda sighed, feeling Xarot stir within her arms. Vonda is too good for him. [1167] – Y06.067 – The Start of Noonval I ¡°If you must go, you must go,¡± the girl said, holding her father¡¯s head to her chest, her tiny, green, chubby fingers holding his jaw. ¡°When you come back you must play with me, okay?¡± ¡°I promise, my dear,¡± Adam promised, while his son¡¯s breath tickled his neck, the boy clutching around his father¡¯s neck tightly. ¡®Daddy...¡¯ Jarot thought, keeping his arms tight around his father¡¯s neck. Even though his body grew cold, his heart pounding in his chest, the boy remained silent. ¡°Daddy needs to go see ahm Dunes¡¯ family, and he needs to go see a King or two. It¡¯s very important that daddy goes, otherwise he¡¯s going to be in such big trouble.¡± The half elf sighed, as though speaking of someone else other than himself. ¡°Daddy! You are so strong! It does not matter!¡± Jirot gripped her father¡¯s hair, kissing his forehead tenderly. ¡°I am strong, but I¡¯m not an Iyrman. I have to make sure people like me.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, letting out a defeated sigh. ¡°Huh?¡± Jirot replied. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You are not an Iyrman, daddy?¡± Jirot asked, her eyes darting up towards her father¡¯s forehead, glancing around to see how different it was compared to the Rot family¡¯s tattoo. ¡®Huuuh?¡¯ ¡°No, I¡¯m not an Iyrman.¡± The sensation of familiarity filled the girl, who could recall a similar conversation previously, but the shock still rocked her. Jirot¡¯s head shot towards her mother, meeting her mother¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because daddy is daddy,¡± Adam replied, brushing the girl¡¯s cheek, planting a firm kiss against it as she continued to soak in the shock. The girl stared up at her father questioningly, since though he was certainly taking a lighter tone, there was something deep within his voice that suggested he wasn¡¯t joking. Her eyes darted between her father, her mother, and her greatfather, the girl checking upon each of their foreheads, before her eyes met her twin brother¡¯s, noting the lack of a tattoo on his forehead. ¡®Daddy is not an Iyrman?¡¯ the pair thought, while Jirot thought deeper about the issue. ¡®Daddy is so strong! Mummy is strong too, but mummy is mummy. Why daddy is not an Iyrman?¡¯ While the twins were thinking about their father, he pulled his triplets in to his chest, planting kisses all over their heads. After fussing over each of them, Adam pulled Konarot aside, the half elf upon his knees as he held the girl¡¯s cheeks in hand. Her cheeks were so soft and chubby, so warm, the scales around her horns so smooth. The half elf brushed along the scar upon her cheek. ¡°Daddy is going for a while. You¡¯re five years old now, so... you have to go to school and there¡¯s a few more things, but one thing you need to start doing is...¡± Adam continued to brush along the girl¡¯s cheek tenderly. ¡°My dear. My sweet Konarot. While daddy¡¯s gone, that means you¡¯re going to be the... you¡¯re going to need to help mummy by watching over her. Usually daddy is the one to look after her, because he really likes to look at mummy, but now you have to do it.¡± ¡°I can do it, daddy,¡± Konarot confirmed. ¡°I know. You are... so mature. So...¡± Adam pulled the girl to his neck, holding her close, shutting his eyes tight, feeling the ache within his heart. ¡°Daddy trusts you. You, my sweet Konarot, who behaves so well, always. Except for, you know, but that doesn¡¯t count since you were affected by a magical item.¡± Konarot hugged her father close, not quite understanding what he was talking about, forgetting that she had almost killed her mother when the woman tried to marry her father. ¡®It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t remember,¡¯ Adam thought, smiling to himself. ¡°Kirot, as always, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll help your elder sister, won¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kirot replied firmly, the girl nodding her head so emphatically, her hair danced in the wind. ¡°Karot...¡± Adam smiled at the boy, who smiled in return, the half elf certain he didn¡¯t need to ask Karot to do anything. He opened his arms, and swallowed his son within them, swaying from side to side. ¡°I will watch over mummy too!¡± Jirot assured, the girl looking to her mother for support, causing the woman to pick her twins up and hold them close. ¡°You always take such good care of me,¡± Vonda agreed, nuzzling her twins, who nuzzled her back. However, her eyes darted to her husband, doing her best to hide her worry. The way he was completing his greetings, it seemed as though... ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam promised, the half elf hugging Larot tight, before stealing his daughter from Sonarot, little Virot complaining, but allowing her father to kiss her cheek, before the half elf cuddled his youngest son. ¡°You! I bet you¡¯re going to crawl once I¡¯m gone, huh? I can see it in your eyes, you cheeky boy!¡± Xarot cackled, reaching up for his father¡¯s face, and as he was smothered with his father¡¯s affection, the boy sucked at his hands. As he drools all over his hands, his father surrendered him to his mother, the boy clapping his hands excitedly. ¡°Brother!¡± Lanarot huffed to her elder brother, the girl glaring at him. ¡°You must buy lots of gifts because our family is so big!¡± ¡°I will,¡± Jurot promised. ¡°Okay,¡± the girl replied, giving in instantly to her brother¡¯s words, the pair hugging tight, exchanging kisses on their cheeks. ¡°Damrot, Monarot, come! You must kiss your father now!¡± Jurot held his son within his arms, almost causing the boy to fall asleep, catching himself as he pinched his son¡¯s cheek gently. ¡°You must listen to your mother.¡± ¡°Mama.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mama!¡± Damrot called, reaching out with his arms, hiding away from his father. Jurot planted a kiss upon Monarot¡¯s head. ¡°You may crawl as quickly as you please. I will deal with Adam when he bullies you.¡± ¡®Jurot,¡¯ Pam thought, almost smiling. The pair hugged one another tenderly. ¡°Do not buy me too much jewellery.¡± ¡°It is difficult,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Aswadasad is the Land of Gold.¡± ¡°Jurot, there is no need. I have plenty here.¡± Pam raised her brows towards her husband, daring him to refute her words. ¡°Hmm...¡± Jurot replied, his eyes turning to meet Adam¡¯s, his wife¡¯s eyes following his gaze. Adam smirked wide. It was the kind of smirk which said there was no way Adam would allow Jurot not to buy a mountain of gold for his wife. Adam slowly nodded towards Pam and Jurot, and Jurot slowly returned a bow of his head. Adam continued to say goodbye to all the children, from his sister to his cousins, promising each child to buy them particular gifts. It wasn¡¯t just Adam, for his cousins were saying their goodbyes too, the Silver Fate Squad each hugging their siblings and younger cousins. Taygak stood tall and strong, adorned in her magical full plate, that with the symbol of the United Kindom displayed upon her chest. She glared down at the four Gak girls, each of whom hugged and kissed her. The teen could feel something within her heart, for their eyes gleamed up at her with such brightness, the same eyes which she would be unable to see for months to come. When had she spent this much time apart from the four girls? Since they had been born years ago, she had seen them near daily, and for the first time, she would be unable to see her younger sisters in the morning, no longer brushing their hair, or feeding them porridge, or reading them the tragic tales of the Gak family. ¡®Should I leave?¡¯ Taygak thought, but she plunged her blade deep into the thought, not allowing it to creep into her heart. ¡®I must go!¡¯ Kaygak watched her daughter fight herself. They had exchange a quick greeting, allowing the girl to say goodbye to her siblings. However, it was more so for the girl¡¯s heart, rather than because Kaygak believed this to be the last time. Taygak was a child of the Iyr, after all. The woman almost smiled at how tightly Taygak embraced the girls. ¡®Does she feel it? The Iyrheart?¡¯ ¡°Do not cause too much trouble for father,¡± Tanagek said, the Iyrman ruffling his younger brothers¡¯ hair. ¡°Since you are going to Black Mountain, you should buy swords,¡± Tonagek told his son. ¡°Okay,¡± Tanagek promised, the young man having earned a heavy sum of gold on his journeys, enough for at least two decent blades. His eyes then fell to the triplets, who readied to hug him tight, and the Iyrman wondered if he had enough to buy more blades. ¡°Papa...¡± Chisen called out to her elder brother, pouting at him. ¡°I must go,¡± Chosen stated firmly, ruffling her hair. ¡°If I do not go, who will watch over cousin Tanagek?¡± Chisen pointed to Jurot, causing Chosen to laugh, the young Iyrman lifting his sister up and tossing her into the sky, the pair cuddling together affectionately. ¡°You must be careful, papa!¡± Inakan stated, holding up her finger threateningly as her niece would. ¡°I will,¡± Amokan assured. ¡°Since kaza Adam is not protecting you, it will be difficult,¡± the girl said, patting her brother¡¯s shoulder innocently, though the smirk on her lips stated she was eager to fight. Amokan winced slightly, but pinched her cheek, before pulling his younger brother in closer. ¡°Hey, Tagak, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said, noting the glare of the Iyrman. ¡°Since my grandmother said I should take you with me, I¡¯ll take you with me, but you need to listen.¡± ¡°Is she your grandmother?¡± Tagak replied, the Iyrman¡¯s eyes glaring at the half elf. ¡°Since my children call her greatmother, that must mean she is my grandmother,¡± Adam replied as though it were that simple, and within the Iyr, it may have been so simple. ¡°My priority is Taygak,¡± Tagak stated firmly. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me.¡± The old Jarot inhaled sharply, for it had taken so long for the half elf to call him grandfather, and yet he had given such an honour to Gangak so simply? Except, since it was her, he had to let it slide. He peeked towards the twins, who were saying their goodbyes to Taygak. ¡°Adam! Jurot! My grandsons! Marmak has annoyed me with his tales, so slay a dragon or two before you return!¡± ¡°You old geezer, don¡¯t say something like that! How can you talk about slaying in front of my wife?¡± Jarot huffed, his eyes darting to Vonda¡¯s, the Iyrman reaching up to scratch his cheek, letting out a gentle groan. ¡°I misspoke.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be meeting any dragons. We¡¯ve been pretty unlucky so far, but this year, I feel lucky!¡± ¡°It is easier to meet dragons in Aswadasad,¡± Dunes said, the Priest waiting for his turn to say goodbye to his nieces and nephews. ¡°It is?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Adam blinked. He frowned. ¡°Damn it.¡± Silence followed, and the Iyrmen around understood that the group would meet a dragon on their journey. However, as they took in the sight of Adam¡¯s companions, especially Taygak, they were certain their adventure would be safe of such dangers. ¡°Ahm, I will trust you to watch over daddy,¡± Jirot said, shaking Dunes¡¯ wrist gently. ¡°I know daddy is trouble, but I love him so much, so please watch over him.¡± Dunes did his best not to burst out into laughter as he greeted the twins. ¡®Should I steal Ranya?¡¯ Adam thought, holding the girl within his arms. ¡®No. I¡¯ll let it slide just this once.¡¯ Dunes threw a look to his wife, bowing his head, the woman returning a bow of her head, and soon, her eyes were upon his back. ¡°Come home safely!¡± the children all cried as the gates began to close behind the disappearing forms of the large group. ¡°Daddy! I love you!¡± Jirot shouted. ¡°I love you!¡± Adam shouted back. ¡°I love you!¡± The chorus came muffled from over the heavy gates. ¡°I love you!¡± returned their father¡¯s voice, as they volleyed their affection back and forth, even as the sounds could no longer reach one another. ¡°Mummy, does daddy know?¡± Jirot asked, pouting up at her mother. ¡°He knows,¡± Vonda assured. ¡°It is because he is so silly, I am so worried...¡± The girl stared at the gates, like a mother worrying over her foolish son. ¡®I should have stolen them when I had the chance,¡¯ Rajin thought, throwing a look to the other Iyrmen nearby, each who thought the same. Ashmir stared at the gates long and hard, having remained beside a building as the group completed their greetings. His eyes fell upon the two girls who held their mother¡¯s hands, each making their way back to the shared family estate. He thought back to the nightmare which had awoken him that morning. As the first rays of noonval fell down upon his shoulders, the Aswadian felt the chill of misfortune. I''m sure nothing will go wrong during their journey. They''re just going to be going through Aldland and Floria, and it''s not like they have any issues within those kingdoms. [1166] – Y06.066 – Dawnval Festival IX [1166] ¨C Y06.066 ¨C Dawnval Festival IX Her callused hands were rough against his palms, though the half fae¡¯s hands had become coarser as the years passed by. As they stepped through the roads of the extended estates, under purple sky, the gentle music and chattering of the various estates accompanied them. ¡°I really am so sorry,¡± Adam whispered, his fingers intertwining with hers. ¡°I should have spent more time with you.¡± Vonda smiled slightly, the woman brushing along her husband¡¯s knuckles with her thumb, feeling the ridges between his bones. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I just...¡± ¡°I know.¡± Adam pulled his wife towards him, his large arms swallowing her whole as the half elf hid her from the world, As they hugged, he brushed his cheek against hers, nuzzling against her neck, his breath tickling her skin, taking in her light scent. ¡°I¡¯m so lucky to have you, Vonda.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the woman replied confidently, revealing where Jirot found her confidence. ¡°You are so lucky.¡± ¡°If... there¡¯s ever an issue, let me know.¡± ¡°An issue?¡± Vonda replied, tilting her head slightly, allowing her husband to plant a firm kiss against her exposed neck, the woman reaching up to his shoulders, keeping him at bay. ¡°Just... if you feel sad or anything like that. If you need to talk about whatever, you can speak with me, or Pam, obviously, and Aunt Sonarot.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Vonda reached up to brush his cheek gently, wondering where this was coming from, but not worried enough to ask. ¡°Right, you can speak with Dunes too, you couple of Priests, you.¡± ¡°Yes. Fortunately, there is someone who listens to me without causing a mess.¡± Vonda smirked up at her husband, her eyes twinkling with mischief. ¡°It¡¯s not an issue, but... Dunes is a handsome guy, so I might be a little jealous if you keep sneaking out with him.¡± Vonda¡¯s brows shot upwards, the woman slapping her husband¡¯s arm gently, only managing a gasp as her mind raced, her heart pounding within her chest, her cheeks becoming almost as red as their third son. Adam cackled at his wife, pulling her in close, almost pinning her against a wall as he kissed her passionately, their lips crushing together, their tongues exchanging greetings. Adam broke the kiss, and though liquid courage flowed through his veins, the half elf kept most of what little wits he had about him. ¡°I guess if you two keep sneaking off, it¡¯ll give me a reason to show you just how much I love you?¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda glared at the half elf, her face strained with anger, annoyance, and the other kind of annoyance which only Adam could rile up. She grabbed the half elf¡¯s face, keeping it at bay as the half elf tried to kiss her face and neck. ¡°You are the one leaving for months at a time!¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not fair! How many women are there in the world who are as beautiful as you? How many of them aren¡¯t related to me?¡± Adam complained, rocking from side to side with his wife within his arms, only gently pushing against her hand. ¡°There are many beautiful flowers blooming in Floria, and there is an eternal dawnval upon the land.¡± Vonda could feel those strong arms around her, those which had grown since they had first met. ¡°In Aswadasad, there are many beautiful women, as there are stars in the night sky.¡± ¡°Is there anything more beautiful than the rose known as Vonda, she who bloomed under the full moon?¡± Adam whispered against her ear. Vonda flushed a deeper red, her brows raising further, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, the warmth spreading all through her. Adam blinked, sobering from how decent his words were. However, when it came to his wife, words slipped through his lips so easily, as easily as others bullied him. The pair remained in silence for a long moment, trying to gather themselves, in case they made a mistake in public. ¡°Anyway...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m a one woman kind of guy. My heart. My body. My everything.¡± ¡°How will you deal with your urges?¡± Vonda joked, glad the half elf didn¡¯t push her further, otherwise she might have allowed certain liberties for her husband. ¡°I¡¯ll only cheat on you with my right hand, and if I want to feel special, I¡¯ll use my le-,¡± ¡°Adam!¡± Vonda gasped, very quickly dispelling any reasons to allow her husband to seduce her, the woman slapping his arm again, though grabbing his bicep to steady herself, which quickly ignited something else. Adam laughed, flexing his arm for his wife, causing her to grow a deeper shade of red. ¡°You never have to worry about my, my love. Especially thanks to this tattoo.¡± ¡°Are you certain?¡± Vonda replied, trying to beat Adam in his own game, but she could barely think. ¡®How am I like this without a drop of wine?¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t do it, and you can¡¯t do it either. It¡¯s really that simple, my darling.¡± Adam rubbed his forehead against hers, allowing her to feel the slight coarseness of the tattoo brushing along her skin, which remained wrinkled with annoyance. Vonda was about to reply, but he disarmed her with the intense look in his eyes, the kind of intensity she hadn¡¯t seen in a very long time. She flushed coyly, the woman slowly wrapping her arms around his muscular neck, feeling his broad back with her hands. ¡°Of course, my darling.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± called a voice from along the wind. Adam¡¯s entire body jolted as he sobered up, his head darting to the side, his eyes wide and like a deer which had been caught by an Iyrman. Tanagek¡¯s eyes darted to Chosen, bowing his head in thanks since it felt too awkward for him to call out to Adam. ¡°Adam, I wish to clash blades with you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would...¡± Adam whispered, his cheeks burning bright red, the half elf glad that the Iyr¡¯s shirt fell down quite some ways. ¡°Why do you want to fight me?¡± ¡°I want to feel the weight of your axe.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that in a situation like this,¡± the half elf replied with a groan, reaching up to his forehead, covering his eyes. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°I wish to confirm your strength with my own body.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, stop saying it like that!¡± Adam shot back, glancing down at his wife, who was trying to compose herself. ¡°I¡¯m not gay!¡± Vonda¡¯s eyes grew wet, the woman beginning to laugh and cry, slapping her husband across his chest lightly, before sobbing into his chest, unable to contain her laughter. Adam brushed the tears away from her eyes, winking down at her. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll let you head back, and I¡¯ll be back in a little while.¡± ¡°I wish to watch,¡± Chosen said. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to need a witness with what I¡¯m about to do to Tanagek.¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ the pair of Iyrmen thought. ¡°How dare you interrupt my alone time with my wifey, you bas-, bra-, punk!¡± Adam stumbled over his words, not wishing to offend Tanagek too deeply, or sound like his grandfather. ¡®Damn it! This so embarrassing.¡¯ Tanagek led the half elf away, with Chosen bowing his head to Vonda respectfully, following along. ¡°It must be important if you needed to interrupt me with my wife, and on my day off of all times,¡± Adam said. ¡°I am sorry, but the thought had taken my heart.¡± Vonda returned to the extended estate, where the children tried to find their father, but Vonda informed them of what happened. ¡°Fighting?¡± Lanarot asked, her eyebrows shooting up in expectation. ¡°Yes.¡± Lanarot waited, trying to melt Vonda¡¯s heart with her puppy dog eyes, but Vonda brushed the girl¡¯s hair. ¡®Tanagek,¡¯ Jurot thought, letting out a sigh. ¡®Okay.¡¯ As the last evening of dawnval passed, many enjoyed their time. There were those in the Front Iyr who were enjoying the festival, from Fred, who played with George, to Bilal, who did his best to deal with the devilkin twins who complained loudly, wishing for more peppers, and Rick, whose heart remained unsettled due to the fortune that was the United Kindom. Jane sat, staring at the magical blade she had been lent. She had barely joined and yet had been gifted a magical blade? ¡®Huh?¡¯ Bael yawned, stretching out his arm and back. ¡®I thought the old lady would want to come and speak with me since...¡¯ For a moment he thought about starting a fight for the end of the festival, but he ended up tossing a bottle and zapping it with lightning, laying within his estate. Meanwhile, at the Main Iyr, a pair sat down together to drink for the end of dawnval. ¡°You should go visit your sister,¡± Timojin said, having not yet seen Amokan leave to see her. ¡°I will go see her once I am Chief,¡± Amokan replied, almost hissing out in pain. ¡°I asked Tanagek to plant flowers.¡± Amokan smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Should we also explore Aswadasad?¡± ¡°Our tales have intertwined enough.¡± ¡°It would be fun.¡± Amokan let out a groan, almost seduced by the prospect. ¡°They will use it against me when I try for the Chief position.¡± Timojin let out a low growl. ¡°Tanagek has requested a fight from Adam.¡± ¡°What?¡± Amokan asked, dropping the bottle of wine, which crashed against the floor and spilled liquid crimson all over the floor. ¡°When?¡± ¡°It must be over now,¡± Timojin replied. ¡°Why did you not tell me?¡± ¡°You did not wish to fight me this entire week,¡± Timojin said, reaching for his blade, and the pair turned red with rage as they danced together. At the end of dawnval, there was no rain, but small blasts of lightning shot upwards, and within a particular field, thunder rumbled. Romance? In my Demon Lord bullies her father simulator? [1168] – Y06.068 – The Start of Noonval II The girl glared at the large gates, which fell beneath the platform, the statues beyond the walls almost as large as the gates themselves. They were thick, heavy, opened by the Iyrmen¡¯s might. She had seen it that morning, the strong arms and backs of the Iyr, which forced the doors open to allow her father to leave. ¡®Daddy is outside,¡¯ Jirot thought. ¡®The walls are so small outside. They are no good. No good!¡¯ The girl¡¯s heart weighed heavy at the thought of her father leaving the comfort and safety of the Iyr. ¡®It is so dangerous daddy.¡¯ The girl¡¯s mind wandered towards the other walls of the Iyr, but none had left with her father. No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. There were many walls who had left with her father, even if two would not adventure with him. ¡®Since kako is going, it is okay,¡¯ the girl thought, though she wiped her face, still overwhelmed by the stress of her troublesome father. She thought about her papos and kakos who had gone with her father, for while her papos and kakos protect her father, who protects her papos and kakos? ¡®Mummy is not going, so daddy cannot lose.¡¯ As the girl worried for her father, her twin brother, babo, and nano, each waited for her. Since she had asked so politely to stay, the older Iyrmen decided to stay with her. ¡°Okay?¡± the one armed Jarot asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Gangak replied. ¡°Do you wish to go?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°No one will criticise you.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Jarot let out a light grunt, for the woman¡¯s eyes were not upon the gate, longing for adventure, but towards her greatdaughter, longing for her attention. Jarot had brought up the topic a few times, to cut away at the forest of regret binding at the woman¡¯s heart, but she refused. He had seen the spark of curiosity burn to life within her eyes, but it burned brighter as she saw the young Taygak within her new set of full plate, her new shield, and her new sword, each magical, and each gifted by a Ray. ¡®Life¡¯s Rose must be proud they had claimed such titles.¡¯ Gangak stared at the little girl, who stood with her arms tied behind her back, her amber eyes glued to the gates. ¡®Why do you trouble me with how cute you are, my Jigak? Is it because you are your father¡¯s daughter? Your sister¡¯s sister? Your aunt¡¯s niece?¡¯ The older Iyrman continued to stare out towards her greatdaughter, who remained so focused upon the gates, with no clue to how important this was for her families. ''You are growing up too quickly, my Jigak. You should remain within my bosom for years to come.¡¯ ¡°Babo...¡± little Jarot called, the boy hugging his grandfather¡¯s side, the large arm swallowing the boy whole. ¡°My Jarot, my Jarot!¡± Jarot held his greatson close to his chest, rubbing along the boy¡¯s tiny side. ¡°Babo...¡± Little Jarot held his greatfather, burying his head into his greatfather¡¯s neck, embracing him tightly. ¡°Daddy is going to be safe?¡± ¡°Safe?¡± The old man grumbled to himself quietly. ¡°Your father is always in danger since he is my grandson.¡± The boy pouted, hiding his head further against his greatfather¡¯s neck, causing the old man to shake with laughter. ¡°Jarot, my Jarot! Your father has promised to return, so you must wait. Since he has promised, he will return, yes?¡± The old man continued to chuckle while his greatson cuddled up within his chest. The boy¡¯s timidness was unlike his sister, who was so confident, most of the time. His greatson, named after him due to politics, but it was the old man¡¯s greatest source of pride to have such a boy sharing his name. ¡°Your father has gone to Aswadasad. He will bring back much salt, spices, and many other foods, for his pouches and chests weigh heavy, not in silver, but gold. When your father returns, you must eat the foods he has brought, for he has bought them for you, my Jarot.¡± Little Jarot sniffled. ¡°You must reward your father who returns home safely,¡± the old man said, pulling his greatson in closer, sharing his warmth with the boy, planting a firm kiss upon his soft cheek, which was still far too thin for his liking. ¡°Okay, babo...¡± Little Jarot¡¯s voice was so light, but the words he spoke were not. ¡°You do not need to worry of your father, my Jarot. My grandsons are each as powerful as I was at their age, and I-,¡± the old man said, before he was interrupted. ¡°More powerful,¡± Gangak corrected, raising her brows towards the one armed old man. ¡°I caused great trouble for the land, but I am here before you, my boy!¡± Jarot rocked the little boy, nuzzling against his ear, showering the boy in his affection. ¡°Your father will return,¡± Gangak assured, a reassuring smile upon her lips. ¡°He has defeated one of the greatest warriors in Aldland. Those who are considered great in Aldland are also great within Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Whoever dares to harm my grandson in Aswadasad, I will cut their necks with my axe!¡± the Mad Dog promised, almost with a snarl. ¡°We will send Marmak instead. Butcher Marmak is more well known in the land, it is why he is called The Butcher too.¡± ¡°How greedy! He should only have one nickname!¡± Gangak furrowed her brows at Jarot, who had caused such a great mess in Aldland, even now Aldland was uncertain for the man had earned so many nicknames in each region of the country. Jarot¡¯s laughter echoed through the air, causing little Jirot to rush to the old man to laugh with him, forgetting her worries, and her stress, but not her silly father who caused such within her heart. The walls of the Front Iyr welcomed the group within, Jurot, Kitool, and Dunes each greeting the supervisor and speaking with her. Meanwhile Adam settled within the estate, packing away his items to the side, before flipping open his journal to see what he needed to do. ¡®Oh!¡¯ Adam blinked, staring at the largest note. For once, it wasn¡¯t about spoiling his children. ¡®I thought I did that already.¡¯ Fred bowed his head towards the half elf, who stepped towards the group, carrying a large stack of boxes upon his back, each rather long, and were most definitely filled with those. ¡°Lead Fred,¡± Adam greeted, shaking his forearm, nodding his head playfully. ¡°Executive,¡± Fred replied, taking a moment to judge if the half elf was playful because he was worried, or playful because he had no worries. ¡°Rick and I have collected the notes as you had requested.¡± ¡°Good, good. I realise I have something else I need to get done, so if you could gather everyone...¡± Adam glanced over his shoulder. ¡°It looks like everyone¡¯s here, actually.¡± ¡°Since you are leaving upon the first, we gathered to greet you all.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t all have to do that, but... I do appreciate it.¡± Adam smiled even wider, eyeing up the businessfolk who were still greeting the others. ¡°I trust you and Rick to take care of everything here, hold down the proverbial fort as they say. If I take everyone with me, it¡¯ll feel weird not leaving someone in management behind. You and Rick, you should be good enough for everyone to feel at ease. Some people might prefer to go to you, some to Rick, but...¡± Adam furrowed his brows, eyeing up the businessfolk, and then the Leads he had planned to leave behind. He wanted to take Brittany along with him, since he had promised her adventure, and due to that, there wasn¡¯t going to be anyone in a senior position that they could rely on that was a woman. ¡®I need to make sure there¡¯s at least one...¡¯ Adam scratched his chin gently, his eyes scanning across the group, before coming across someone. ¡®Jasmine? No, no. I barely know her, even though she did me a solid. Plus, I¡¯m meant to be looking out for her. Who am I to... oh?¡¯ ¡°Executive,¡± Cobra called, nodding his head. ¡°Cobra, how are you doing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we last spoke. Sorry about that, I¡¯ve been...¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologise to me, Executive. The kids, though...¡± Adam chuckled, nodding his head playfully, his eyes darting towards the group of children, each who excitedly buried the Iyrmen in a thousand questions. ¡°Look, uh... I was planning on heading out soon, and I was going to leave behind Fred and Rick. They¡¯re both uh... well, I wanted to give you the Lead position since you¡¯ve been solid so far, and Amira and Vonda are elsewhere. Lucy and Mara... they¡¯re already Managers, but they¡¯re not talking to me right now since... they¡¯re you know whats and Dunes said it would be best to leave them behind.¡± ¡°It would be my honour.¡± Cobra bowed her head lightly. Lucy and Mara, each who were on the level of Jurot and Kitool, had helped the business a fair amount with their scouting, and their raw strength when they went on their suicide mission the previous year. If they weren¡¯t allowed to go to Aswadasad, Cobra was fairly certain the women would be sparring with Zirot. ¡°You know what to do, I¡¯m pretty sure, so I¡¯ll leave you to it. If you need to take a break, give Viper and Python the duties, actually, yeah, I want you three all to be Leads. We¡¯ll be heading out for a while, and since everything¡¯s going to be hectic, and most of our top brass are going to be gone, we¡¯ll need at least a few to watch over the business.¡± Cobra blinked. ¡°Shall I call them?¡± ¡°Yeah, you should. I should have brought more magical weapons.¡± Adam shook his head, disappointed in himself. ¡®Of all the overthinking I did...¡¯ Cobra blinked again. ¡®More magical weapons?¡¯ I hope I have children who are as cute as our Jirot and Jarot. I''m posting up an additional chapter for good luck. [1169] – Y06.069 – The Start of Noonval III ¡°Lead Rick, We want to thank you for your hard work thus far,¡± Adam said, shaking the man¡¯s forearm. ¡°To show our gratitude, the business passes to you this silver token, crafted by yours truly.¡± The silver token was wide and heavy, more a plaque. It was engraved with gentle lines, only a hair¡¯s width within, but each line accompanied another, emphasising the other, like a married couple. The lines formed a particular symbol, that of a rose, upon the surface. ¡°You might be thinking, can this be used to call in a small favour from the business? Yes, yes it can. You might be thinking, is this worth twenty silver with how much silver was used? Yes, yes it is.¡± The half elf smiled, holding out the silver for the Lead. ¡°Thank you, Executive,¡± Rick replied, accepting the silver from the half elf¡¯s hands. Though he already had so much silver and gold, to the point he had no idea how to spend it all, the Lead couldn¡¯t help but feel the tingling sensation of pride running through his body. He glanced aside towards the others who applauded him, catching his wife¡¯s eye for a moment, and he straightened up, a small smirk encroaching upon his lips. ¡°I want to also congratulate Cobra, Viper, and Python to their roles as Leads. Since most of the other management are heading out, and the rest are busy dealing with other matter due to the threat, I¡¯ll leave you with five Leads. That should be enough for you all to deal with whatever issues, and if you do have need of the other Managers, please send word through the Iyr. Don¡¯t be shy in annoying them, I¡¯ll take on the burden of repaying them.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted around the businessfolk. ¡°I will repeat myself. Don¡¯t be shy in annoying them, I¡¯ll take on the burden of repaying them. I would rather you annoy them than risk any of you being harmed in some way. It¡¯s easy to prevent something than it is to fix something.¡± ¡°Yes, Executive!¡± Cobra replied, causing the others to reply back in an awkward symphony. ¡°Since you have been promoted on such short notice, please accept this silver,¡± Adam said, holding out the silver tokens to the trio of women. ¡°Oh, and, Rick, Remy, Jeremy, for your great work, we will be lending you one of the fire swords we typically auction off. Whilst the Reaver threat is under way, we will entrust you to fight if there is an emergency, and once the threat has passed, well, whose to say you won¡¯t be able to keep the weapons?¡± The half elf winked at the trio, handing out the swords to each of them. As Rick accepted the blade from Adam¡¯s hand, he noted the half elf kept a tight grip upon it, the half elf¡¯s eyes looking through him, regretting the handing of the weapon. ¡°I should have made this a bigger deal,¡± Adam whispered to Rick, reaching up to pat his shoulder. ¡°Rick... I am passing, I mean, we of the business, the United Kindom, are passing this blade onto you. This blade represents not just a reward, but a duty we entrust you with. This blade, it¡¯s a decent blade. Sure, it¡¯s not as grand as Vengeance, or Hope, or Phantom, but it¡¯s a blade many covet. If sold, one could earn one, two, three, maybe as much as five thousand gold. That is how much we of the United Kindom, from the Executives, to even little Enisa, who doesn¡¯t even know your name, believe in you.¡± Rick felt a chill run through his spine with how quickly Adam switched upon him, the Lead standing taller. ¡°Yes, Executive!¡± Adam held out the fire blade towards Remy, the man almost stumbling towards the half elf, mumbling words of gratitude. The man felt the clear glare of the half elf pierce through him like a blade. This Adam was so different than the other Adams he knew, the Adam which allowed his children to tease him until he was almost a sobbing mess. The Adam who no longer wore a mask, or perhaps, wore another mask, in order to complete something greater than himself. ¡°Thank you, Executive,¡± Jeremy said, accepting the blade from the half elf. His eyes darted to meet with his cousin¡¯s, the pair suddenly feeling their arms burn, not from the magic of the blade, or the weight of its steel, but the expectations of duty that was suddenly sprung upon them. Adam remained quiet for a long moment. He had seemed a fool for so long, he worried the businessfolk would not take him so seriously. It was at times like this he almost regretted his behaviour. Almost. The half elf let out a long sigh. ¡°I... will pray for you all while I am gone. Although, maybe I should ask my wife to pray instead?¡± The half elf cut the tension in the air as easily as he had cut down the Grand Commander of High Garden. He smiled, winking at the group, though he held the stress upon his face as he pulled away. He noted the others around, nodding his head, as well as some familiar Iyrmen, though he made his way towards the brothers. ¡°How many of those swords do you possess?¡± Brother Mork asked, raising a playful brow. ¡°You are handing them out as Iyrmen hand out death.¡± ¡°We¡¯re a little more reserved than that,¡± Adam joked, smirking slightly. ¡°That may be true.¡± Mork chuckled in response, burying the fear within his heart. ¡°How is the plate mail treating you?¡± ¡°It is treating me well, Executive. I had not expected the armour so soon, and I¡¯m grateful it was finished before we had to leave. Thank you for that.¡± ¡°We had a lot of help from the Iyr, so it wasn¡¯t all our doing,¡± Adam replied with a charming wink. ¡°It isn¡¯t rare to be treated so well by someone who needs the help of someone like me, but seeing as you already have yourself, Brother Dunes, and Ray Vonda, I am...¡± Mork glanced around, lowering his voice. ¡°I¡¯m not suspicious, but... I start thinking of questions.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Why we are being treated so well when you are already so strong, so powerful, and already have so many other powerful figures around you.¡± ¡°For one reason or another, you and your brother find yourself at the business, though you once had a temple to call your home. Do I have questions about why you, a Priest, have decided to leave a cushy place like that with your horc brother to retire in some random place in the South? Sure. Am I going to ask? Nah.¡± Adam glanced down towards the Priest¡¯s holy symbol and the symbol of the United Kindom. ¡°Last year, when Starsword tried to kill me, you and your brother, you both drew your blades for me. When I went to fight the Orders, you wanted to come along. Either you both have a death wish, or you are proper Northerners, like those the Iyr often speak of. Full plate and a Basic Enhanced weapon are a cheap price to pay for good people like you.¡± Mork slowly bowed his head. He hadn¡¯t spoken to Adam about wanting to come along during that time, but if he knew, that was fine by him. ¡°The answers were simpler than expected.¡± ¡°They always are.¡± ¡°I do not have the privilege of having a death wish, though.¡± Mork kept the half elf¡¯s gaze for a long while, before bowing his head, and Adam returned the bow of his head. ¡°Why are you two talking about that sorta thing?¡± Tork grumbled, reaching out to shake the Executive¡¯s forearm. ¡°Executive, if my brother¡¯s troubling you, you just have ta tell me, and I¡¯ll beat him into proper properness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can beat him up well enough.¡± ¡°Aye, but if you do it, I¡¯ll have ta help him.¡± Adam grinned wide, shaking lightly as the laughter threatened to overwhelm him, the half elf patting Tork on the side. ¡°Damn it, Tork. I knew I liked you for a reason.¡± ¡°Shame you aren¡¯t queer, though you have great taste in men.¡± Tork grinned wildly, almost cackling with his laughter. ¡°Are you?¡± ¡°Not any more.¡± ¡®You can stop being gay?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Actually, that was rather inappropriate of me to ask. Whatever you do with your business, I mean, that kind of business, I mean, you know, the...¡± Mork and Tork watched as the half elf inhaled deeply, falling deep into thought, which flashed upon his face, until he realised it was better to shut up. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to it,¡± Adam said, his eyes focused upon another. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s as dull as a shadow, or as bright as the sun, but he sure can kill a bastard, can¡¯t he?¡± Tork said, watching the half elf step away to another. ¡°Adam is Adam,¡± Mork said, finding the wisdom in the words. His eyes remained glued to Adam, who held such worries for small things and big things, and held no worried about small things and big things at the same time. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have quit drinking.¡± ¡°I told you to drink with me in the evenings. S¡¯no good giving up the drink like that. A man¡¯s bones grow right with alcohol.¡± ¡°Only cherry wine, and only those from the fruits born high of mountain, and distilled in casks dwarven low.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t understand a word they say, but damn, they make the best alcohol,¡± Tork replied, letting out a low sigh as he thought of dwarven brandy. ¡°Aswadasad¡¯s got some dwarves, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Not many.¡± Tork clicked his teeth. ¡°We should have stayed in the north.¡± ¡°Return your sword and we can go back.¡± ¡°Naw, naw, the blade¡¯s already comfortable my side.¡± Tork cleared his throat, resting his forearm between his hilt and hip. ¡®Did he have to go speak with that crazy guy?¡¯ Mork thought, watching as Adam approached him. Adam slowly becoming Mr. Beast. [1170] – Y06.070 – The Start of Noonval IV ¡°Do you want to come along too?¡± Adam asked, while the half dragon sipped away at his clay bottle, eyeing up the half elf who had approached him. ¡°You¡¯re heading to Aswaba...¡± Bael paused, trying to recall what the modern name was, especially since it had split into two. ¡°Aswadasad?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Did you not already let me go?¡± Bael sipped his wine, keeping Adam¡¯s gaze within his own. What he didn¡¯t do was hide the wide grin upon his face, as one might when they were pretending to be coy. ¡°I was just wondering, since there¡¯s probably going to be some decent fighting sooner or later.¡± ¡°Do you think I will leave for just that much?¡± ¡°I thought you were a crazy battle maniac, but you¡¯re actually an onion with layers, are you?¡± Adam replied, wincing at his cringe. ¡°That was bad, even for me.¡± ¡°Does it make it better if you recognise such?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t bully me,¡± Adam replied, returning a coy smile back to the half dragon. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± ¡°A lot of drinks, and for a weapon as good as the one you used to cut off that brat¡¯s head.¡± ¡°The brat?¡± ¡°The Grand Commander.¡± ¡°Bael...¡± Adam did his best to keep his face completely neutral, his eyes burning as he tried not to laugh. ¡°Well, I guess I can figure something out for you from the Enchanter.¡± Bael smiled knowingly, bowing his head. ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me.¡± ¡°While we¡¯re out, the business will be paying for things, moderately.¡± ¡°Moderately for you, or moderately for me?¡± ¡°Moderately for me,¡± Adam stated. ¡°How cheap!¡± ¡°I prefer the term frugal, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Bael waved his hand in the air. ¡°I don¡¯t want to speak about stuff like that. Words are words, and we both know what you mean.¡± ¡°Do we?¡± ¡°Are you someone who throws out piles a gold?¡± ¡°I¡¯m someone who gifts magical weapons like Iyrmen hand out death.¡± ¡°They hand out more death than you hand out such weapons,¡± Bael said, before the thought flashed within his mind. ¡°You aren¡¯t quite that cheap.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only seen one other person toss away a Legendary Enhanced weapon so easily.¡± ¡°Yeah? Who?¡± Bael let out a pained sigh, feeling his chest close in upon his heart. ¡°An old fool of a...¡± ¡°You must have loved them a lot.¡± ¡°Like how Jirot was your favourite, I was his.¡± ¡°Jirot isn¡¯t my favourite!¡± Adam replied. ¡°I love all my children equally, some more equal than others!¡± ¡°At least you admit it. Otherwise I would have...¡± Bael paused, glancing around towards the Iyrmen who kept an eye upon him. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I love them all equally, though... it¡¯s a little hard to show it to Larot, since he¡¯s some kind of Demon Lord whose reincarnated.¡± ¡°Is he a reincarnated Demon Lord?¡± Bael asked, feeling something was off with the boy, though he wasn¡¯t sure entirely what. ¡°If he is...¡± ¡°If he is?¡± Adam asked, almost innocently. A moment passed and Bael waved his hand, dismissing the heaviness around Adam, feeling his hair stand on end. ¡°If I was going to do something, I would have killed Lucy and Mara.¡± ¡°You think you can?¡± ¡°I can, but I might not be able to survive,¡± the fellow admitted. ¡°Why would you go after them anyway? They haven¡¯t done anything to you.¡± ¡°Promises were made. Those promises need to be kept. Luckily, I didn¡¯t make any of those promises, so you don¡¯t need to worry about me!¡± ¡°If anyone else had made a joke like this, I would have been annoyed, but you came to die with me, so I¡¯ll let it slide.¡± ¡°Give me another life for keeping your secrets too,¡± Bael said, peeking up at the half elf, sipping at his wine. ¡°Are they my secrets or the Iyr¡¯s secrets?¡± Adam replied. Bael smirked slightly, bowing his head, allowing the half elf to leave. ¡®If we¡¯re travelling through Aswadasad, I might be able to meet that old lady.¡¯ Adam could still feel Bael¡¯s gaze upon his back as he stepped away. ¡®I wonder why he feels so familiar. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s Bandlor, but... I mean, maybe an aspect of him, or something?¡¯ Bael continued to hold the half elf within his sight, looking back through to another time. He recalled the stone walls of the Stone Giant¡¯s Kingdom, the Emperor blasting his way through the ceiling, his ominous laughter echoing through the halls. ¡°The King is under attack!¡± shouted one of the bodyguards, though as she drew her giant maul, a blast of lightning flung her out. ¡°Get out here, you bit-,¡± the old man shouted, though upon seeing the figure sitting upon the throne, he blinked. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Your Grace, I am-,¡± ¡°Blast ¡®em, you old geezer! It¡¯s an imposter!¡± Bael exclaimed, pointing at the man upon the throne of marble. ¡°The late Queen passed away ten years ago!¡± the King quickly replied as the crackle of lightning filled the air, not sure if the Emperor would blast him, but since it was him, there was a small chance he might have really done it. ¡°Dead? Ten years ago?¡± The Emperor looked down at Bael. ¡°I knew it was your fault!¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± Bael replied in shock, though already swinging a fist at the Emperor. ¡°You, watch over this brat, I¡¯ll be back in a week or two.¡± The Emperor tossed Bael to one side, before flying away. The confusion in the room was heavy as Bael, with arms crossed, eyed up the warriors all around. Surrounded, the progeny of such a great figure could easily be taken hostage, at least, that was what a few of the guards thought. The King, on the other hand, realised his life was suspended in the air, ready to be cut down should the child be harmed. ¡°Hey, you!¡± Bael shouted at the King with an annoyed expression. ¡°Yes, Your Grace?¡± ¡°Sorry about your mother.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Grace.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the old man doesn¡¯t kill you,¡± Bael promised, nodding at the King. Bael had caused such a mess for the Stone Giants, but, somehow, it was all worth it as the Emperor returned and pulled Bael away, half killing several of the guards who Bael had pointed out. ¡°Old man! Why did you leave such fine weapons to them?¡± ¡°I promised the old bit-, lady I would.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she stab you in the back?¡± ¡°She stabbed me through the front.¡± ¡°So why¡¯d you give them all those weapons?¡± ¡°I was meant to hand them over when she passed.¡± ¡°Gramps...¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m amazing, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± Bael recalled how much it hurt when he crashed into the statue, the closest he had come to death. ¡®You aren¡¯t as strong as the old man, so you can¡¯t go around causing a mess like that.¡¯ ¡®Who am I meant to hand out all these items to?¡¯ Adam thought, counting how many items he had made. He had switched from making too many rings, since they took too long, whereas the cloaks provided as much, and yet took less time. ¡®How come the rings are considered better even thought there are so many magical rings? Is it because they¡¯re easier to keep on than cloaks?¡¯ ¡°You are worrying already?¡± Jurot asked, noting the way his brother concentrated on the wall, holding his chin as his daughter did when playing dragonchess. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking about what we have, how we¡¯re transporting it all, and just how many damn chests of silver do we need? They¡¯re so heavy!¡± ¡°It is best to carry such chests.¡± ¡°Why couldn¡¯t we-, I know, I know! Gold looks like it doesn¡¯t hold enough, and we can give a bunch of silver so they feel good about themselves...¡± Adam huffed to himself. ¡°At least they aren¡¯t coppers, those coins are bigger than they have any right to be.¡± ¡°They are worth less, so they are bigger to keep their worth.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. At least gold coins are tiny too, even if they¡¯re a little heavy...¡± Adam scratched his neck. ¡°Carrying all these magical items... I guess since I¡¯m about to hand half of them out, it should be fine.¡± ¡°We will have three carriages?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That is enough...¡± ¡°We might have, what, about seven people in each one? I think that¡¯s right, since we¡¯ll be taking Jonn, Brittany, Jane, and Nobby.¡± ¡°Brittany and Jane?¡± ¡°Jane should come along since Mork and Tork are coming along, and I promised Brittany adventure, so...¡± Adam sighed loudly, staring up at the evening sky. ¡°I forgot to tell her, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Damn it. I should go tell her first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Brittany,¡± Adam called a moment later, having found her near instantly thanks to the businessfolk remaining together. ¡°Do you want to come along to Aswadasad with us?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Brittany asked, furrowing her brows questioningly at the half elf. ¡°You said you wanted adventure.¡± ¡°Is it not too dangerous?¡± ¡°Well, you know, it¡¯s always dangerous. You¡¯ll be in the least danger since you¡¯ll be pretty far back.¡± ¡°Oh... I wish to go too.¡± ¡°Alright. Prepare yourself. Take whatever you remember and anything you forget or need, we¡¯ll pick up on the road since we¡¯ve given you such short notice. If you need anything, let Kitool or I know, and we¡¯ll write it down in our books, and we¡¯ll keep track of how much everything cost.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes darted around, the half elf leaning in. ¡°You don¡¯t really have to worry about paying much, we¡¯ll just use the business funds for the most part, alright?¡± ¡°Okay?¡± Brittany bowed her head lightly. ¡®How much coin should I bring? It is not as though...¡¯ Brittany¡¯s mind fell silent. Eh? Brittany tried to recall how much money she made. She was on the Lead¡¯s rate, even though she did not hold the title. She glanced aside to Cobra and the others who had managed to take the role of Lead, though they had joined after her. However, she had been earning for a long while, and outside of a couple of instances when she spent some of the coin, she had been earning the Lead rate for about a year with no chance to spend it. ¡®Am I... rich?¡¯ Brittany forgot she''s now middle class. [1171] – Y06.071 – The Start of Noonval V Elder Zijin hadn¡¯t expected to meet with anyone that day, especially not the domineering presence of a particular Iyrman. However, he offered his snacks, and allowed her to take her seat, those amber eyes glaring up at him so confidently. ¡°Elder Zijin!¡± she declared, pointing her green finger towards him, as though he did not know his name or title. ¡°You are the Elder!¡± ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°So you are important!¡± ¡°In some ways, yes.¡± ¡°I am an Iyrman!¡± She pointed to herself, as though he had no idea who she was, but considering how much he had aged due to her, he certainly knew of this particular Iyrman. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So I can speak with you!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I know that,¡± Jirot said, reaching up to her chin in the same way her elder sister would when playing dragonchess, a finger curled in front of her chin and lip. She closed her eyes, falling into thought for a moment. She let out an exasperated sigh, the girl glancing up towards the purple sky. Elder Zijin allowed her to get distracted, since the girl was able to bring herself back home by herself. He assisted her by sipping his tea, causing the girl to jolt lightly. ¡°Elder Zijin!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°My name is Jirot. I am daughter of daddy and mummy. Daddy is always working. Mummy is always working. I want to work too!¡± ¡°You are still a child. Your work is to play and go to school, once you are of age.¡± ¡°I want to go to school now, Elder Zijin!¡± Jirot declared, her eyes narrowing into a half glare. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I want to go to-,¡± Jirot began, though quickly stopped as she processed what the Elder said. She blinked. She furrowed her brows towards the Elder, who smiled. ¡°We will test you this week and next week you will begin your formal education.¡± Jirot blinked again. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Jarot, do you wish to go to school too?¡± Elder Zijin asked. ¡°I am too old,¡± the Mad Dog stated. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°How embarrassing,¡± Jirot whispered, rubbing her face, glancing up at her greatfather with a smirk upon her lips. Once the little Jarot As the Mad Dog hoisted himself up, grunting slightly as he righted himself upon his metal leg. He ruffled his Churot¡¯s hair, and as the twins helped one another, sharing their snacks, he caught Zijin¡¯s eye. He bowed his head, the Elder bowing his head in response. ¡®How could I deny you when the Mad Dog would have killed me?¡¯ Zijin joked within his mind. He let out a long sigh once they left, leaning back within his chair. The little girl had appeared so confidently before him, ready to argue, but she left so excitedly. ¡®Should I delay my retirement?¡¯ As the Elder dealt with one child of the Iyr, another was currently deep in her thoughts. Taygak remained silent as her half elf cousin made his rounds to the various businessfolk, checking upon them as he always did. Those tense shoulders, his strained smile, they continued to grow with each passing moment, only broken by the innocence of the children¡¯s gifts to him, much to the chagrin of the parents. As the nerves began to fill her, the teen stepped aside, drawing her blade. The tingle of magic ran through her fingers, the magic of a Greater weapon, a weapon she had been gifted by a Ray. To be gifted such a weapon, a Greater sword, by a Ray of Hope of all things, it was a story in and of itself, a story very few all across the Iyr could dare to claim. She had done nothing to earn such an honour, however. ¡®Is this what it is to be an Iyrman?¡¯ Taygak thought, swinging the blade in front of her once with all her attention, but once her blade fell, so did her motivation. The young Iyrman approached her cousin, who was checking the carriages within the Front Iyr, his eyes both admiring the wood of the carriage, while also checking the various hinges, hooks, and even the leather which would be strapped to the magical steeds, and if push came to shove, to himself. ¡°Cousin Jurot,¡± Taygak called. ¡°Cousin Taygak,¡± Jurot replied, his eyes slowly drawing towards the young woman. ¡°I do not like it,¡± Taygak stated in their tongue. ¡°This armour, this sword, this shield.¡± ¡°You must wear it,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Yes. I wish for you to write it down.¡± Jurot remained silent for a long while from her words. He stared at the side of the carriage, the girl waiting beside him. A small smile appeared on his face, not quite the shadows previously, something far larger, still barely noticeable. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Okay,¡± Taygak replied, stepping away from the Iyrman. ¡®Jaygak, do you see?¡¯ Jurot thought, for Taygak was an Iyrman. Then the Iyrman thought of the situation. ¡®Hmm. She is still a child...¡¯ ¡°Will you write it down?¡± Kitool asked, stepping from the darkness. ¡°I have promised, so I must.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It feels too soon,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°You sound like Adam.¡± ¡°Is this what he has felt when seeing them? I have felt it with Lanarot. She was once like Damrot, so small, unable to speak her feelings. Now, she speaks to me. She tells me I must eat my bread in Aswadasad, and brush my teeth, and even wash my hands. Damrot is now, what Lanarot was. Lanarot is now, what Taygak was. Taygak is now...¡± Kitool placed a hand upon his large back, which seemed to cast such a wide shadow in front of the children, and yet they had no idea that the back which blotted out the sun, stood in front of another mountain which covered the sky. ¡°Taygak is wise. She knows she is still a child. She, of all the children, will cause the least trouble. She knows of her role.¡± ¡°Her... role?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°She is still a child. When she is tattooed, she understand the freedom which comes from it, but until then, she must abide by the rules.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Jurot inhaled deeply, feeling the relief run through him. ¡°It is our responsibility. We must return her to the Iyr safely.¡± ¡°We do not have the liberty of failure.¡± ¡°It will be difficult for harm to meet Taygak.¡± Kitool wondered if Jurot worded it that way specifically, though knowing him, it was what he meant anyway. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The carriage is prepared,¡± Jurot said, staring at the carriages, his eyes trailing the lightly carved designs. They were the simple designs the Iyr often placed upon their carriages, familiar, of home. Kitool remained silent for a long moment, her eyes trailing the carriages, seeing the same carriages, feeling the same feelings of familiar and homely, but her thoughts were not like those of the Rot, but of the Ool. ¡°Yes.¡± As the pair of Iyrmen reminisced upon their childhood, the times they had stepped out of the Iyr, even the times when their parents took them out when they were teens, Adam did what Adam did best. ¡°What? This little old thing?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his tattoo. ¡°The Iyr thought they might lose me to the Aswadians so they tattooed me.¡± ¡°It looks kinda like Executive Jurot¡¯s tattoo,¡± Ginny said, her hazel eyes staring curiously up at the half elf. ¡°It does!¡± Adam laughed at the young girl. ¡°Since my family is the Rot family, my tattoo was inspired by them.¡± ¡°You ain¡¯t... you¡¯re not an Iyrman, though?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not an Iyrman, I¡¯m just me.¡± Adam flashed a smile towards the children, whose eyes remained fixated on their Executive¡¯s tattoos, each whispering their own theories and conspiracies. The half elf, rubbed along the bracelet, not the first he had received from the children, and more than likely, not the last. His eyes then fell to the teen, who he had barely recalled in quite some time. ¡°Hey, you,¡± the young man called, with sun kissed hair, bright blue eyes, which did not match the Ool¡¯s appearances one bit, and yet the boy was certainly called Ool. ¡°Fazool?¡± Adam replied, narrowing his eyes slightly at the teen, and seeing how annoyed he looked, Adam realised he had said the name wrong for sure. ¡°Wazool?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± The teen glared at the half elf, though not with as much audacity as one might have expected. ¡°I have been informed of your great feat.¡± ¡°My great feat?¡± Adam asked. ¡°You defeated the Grand Commander of... High Garden, is it now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You should speak with more...¡± Wazool fell quiet, dropping the matter as quickly as he had brought it up. ¡°Sir James Greatwood. Every boy from Aldland knows that name, regardless if they live within the alleys, or live like a Prince in their manor.¡± ¡°Yeah? How many Princes are there in Aldland?¡± ¡°Many,¡± Wazool replied confidently. ¡°Each of the Dukes and Duchesses have many children, each considered a Prince or Princess, and their children could also gain such a title, if they are considered the heirs of the family instead of their parents, for one reason or another.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°The Iyr, if it is as wise as it seems, must have covered the story. Many will not believe someone like you, with your youth worn upon your face, even though you are a fae, could have defeated the likes of the Grand Commander, a powerful figure who was officially recognised as a Paragon within Aldland. It is typical of fools not to see the truth before their eyes, no matter how obvious it is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how it is.¡± ¡°You have a greater power than I realised, it is no wonder you were able to face against the Marquise. However, though some may continue to underestimate you, there may be others who are beginning to paint a portrait of you that is clearer than the murky portrait one might expect.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, I know my place in this world, for now, and I know not to stir up trouble while Taygak is with us.¡± ¡°Why did you choose the Iyr to give yourself to?¡± Wazool asked, his eyes meeting up the half elf¡¯s. Adam remained silent for a short moment, trying to understand what Wazool was really talking about. Adam had his own assumptions about the young man, who was no doubt a fallen noble who the Iyr was watching over, and there was something almost familiar about his appearance, not that Adam put too much thought into it. ¡°The home that I once had is dead,¡± Adam said, his words blunt, his eyes overwhelming the boy. ¡°And to it, so am I.¡± Wazool¡¯s blue eyes dropped down, the teen staring at the floor. The teen turned, stepping away into the darkness of the Front Iyr with a heavy heart, weighed down by the broken expectations, and the dreams which weighed so terribly on his shoulders. ¡®Poor kid,¡¯ Adam thought. Sorry, Wazool, but... Also sorry to you all because I forgot to post this up yesterday. [1172] – Y06.072 – The First Rain of Noonval I Jasmine¡¯s eyes fell to the boy, who was roughly half her age, with his beautiful sun kissed hair, those clear blue eyes, like the clear skies of noonval above. The woman wondered why the Iyr had asked her to watch over the boy, and though she had her own assumptions, she decided against assuming much more since it was far too dangerous. Wazool stared at the flickering flames, though his eyes did not look into the light, but the darkness of his past. The flames. The steel. The blood. ¡®Now, I am shackled in the Iyr, like a beast,¡¯ Wazool thought, the teen letting out a low sigh. He thought of his home, the large stone walls, the warmth of the fire, the sweet taste of the desserts he would sneak out of the pantry. Jasmine could see a familiar sight upon his face, for his face was the same as hers. She glanced aside towards her companion, Siten, who was still covered from head to heel, hidden from the world. Siten bowed his head towards the woman, the woman returning a bow of her head, before she returned back to her thoughts. No. Unfortunately for him, he was not like her. Adam dropped beside Bilal, shaking the Aswadian¡¯s forearm. ¡°How¡¯s the Front Iyr treating you?¡± ¡°The Iyr treats us well.¡± ¡°Yeah. Did you finish the...¡± Adam asked, accepting the piece of paper from the Aswadian, his eyes scanning across the paper. ¡°What¡¯s an uthur?¡± ¡°It is a type of fragrance. Brother Dunes will know.¡± ¡°Yeah? Alright.¡± Adam continued to read the paper, finding what he might have expected, but Bilal had added a number of prefixes, or symbols, which Adam did not recognise, which made sense since it was addressed to Dunes. Adam then noted the number. ¡°Isn¡¯t this pretty much all your money?¡± ¡°It is close. It is my duty to watch over the children. It is the least expected of me.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re matching everything you¡¯re going to spend, so that¡¯s a lot of money.¡± Adam whistled, trying to calculate how much the business was going to spend. Thankfully, most of the workers hadn¡¯t spent all their coin, otherwise it would have been a major issue. ¡°I can spend less, if it pleases you.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Adam glanced aside towards the Aswadian children, who were eating peacefully together. He glanced aside to the other children, Elisa and the others. ¡®If they¡¯re sitting apart from one another like this, they¡¯ll end up thinking they¡¯re different...¡¯ ¡°I will watch over them,¡± Bilal stated firmly, his eyes pressing upon the half elf, who was thinking far too deeply about the children. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°It is not your duty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who asked me to make sure they were okay, so what are you talking about, buddy?¡± Adam fired back, full of confusion. ¡°That was not what I was speaking of,¡± Bilal replied calmly, noting how offended the half elf was. ¡°Yeah, well, so far I¡¯m doing a pretty good job, so let me keep doing what I¡¯m doing. If you keep this up, they¡¯ll feel like they¡¯re different than the other children, and they¡¯ll grow up being prejudiced against each other.¡± ¡°They are different.¡± ¡°They are children of the business. The same as Elisa, the same as Anne, the same as any of the other children around.¡± ¡°They are different, so you have promised.¡± ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re different in that way, but they¡¯re not different in the other way,¡± Adam said, realising how stupid he sounded. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Alright, so, in the way that they are the same, they should mingle with the other children. In the way that they are different, they will have certain freedoms that I have promised, and the business will keep.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Anyway, for the sake of these children, who are different, but the same, I will treat them different, but the same. I will personally make sure that for every gold you want to spend, there will be two gold on offer.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The other children have two parents who are paid for each of them, while our adorable Alya and Asya...¡± Adam called out to them, wiggling his fingers, the girls blinking up at him, smiling shyly up towards the half elf. ¡°Are you two okay? Is Uncle Bilal being mean to you? If he is, I¡¯ll beat him up, okay?¡± Bilal¡¯s eyes fell upon the half elf. He would have dismissed the words, for he was no slouch, but considering the madness he had seen over the last few years he had known Adam, he was uncertain if he could defeat the fool of a father. Could he have defeated the Grand Commander of High Garden? Kal Yamas of High Garden? ¡°So that¡¯s why I¡¯ll be sure they¡¯re taken care of.¡± ¡°What of the siblings? They only possess six elders among themselves, and there are many children, another with Elisa.¡± ¡°Oh... yeah. I guess you¡¯re right about that. We pay the trio pretty well, but with the other three, they¡¯re on a pretty typical wage...¡± Adam rubbed his chin. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to Cobra about it, and I¡¯ll tell her the same.¡± ¡°Thank you, Executive.¡± ¡°Any time. Also, if there is anything else you need that you think of while we¡¯re out, let us know through one of the Priests. They can send word to Vonda, who can send word to Dunes or myself.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Adam spoke to Cobra and the others, informing them of the situation, and once he was done, he spotted a set of eyes glancing towards him. Adam motioned his head, allowing the young man to step towards him. ¡°Executive,¡± Gilbert greeted. ¡°Gilbert, what can I do you for?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°How can I help you,¡± Adam said, smiling innocently. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a... it¡¯s a somewhat common phrase from where I...¡± ¡°Right, of course. I, uh... I was just wondering if you needed an extra hand to come along. To... help with portering, that sort¡¯uv thing.¡± Gilbert cleared his throat. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t need someone like that, but we are all booked up right now. We¡¯re at the limits of taking who we need, and also, I can¡¯t let you take Jeremy and Remy¡¯s role.¡± Adam flashed a smile, before reaching out a hand, patting the young man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Besides, the Reavers are out and about, so it¡¯ll be difficult to take too many people who we need to watch over. There¡¯s no need to rush right now, I told you, if you want to be a Master or Grandmaster, I¡¯ll definitely carry you that high.¡± ¡°Right. Thank you, Executive.¡± Gilbert bowed his head, stepping away with his head hung low. The gap seemed to widen between him and everyone else, though at least he was able to join in the training with the others. ¡®I might have taken you along if I had known and I could have prepared, but...¡¯ Adam watched Gilbert step aside, before finding another figure trying to catch his eye. ¡®Man, I¡¯m popular today.¡¯ ¡°Executive,¡± Ted said, bowing his head lightly towards the half elf. ¡°You¡¯re heading out to Aswadasad, I hear. Takin¡¯ Nobby...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that... Anne¡¯s missing him, and her nephew, and what with the Reavers about, his mother¡¯s a little worried is all.¡± Adam noted the look upon the man¡¯s face. He was still quite thin, though far more full from the first time they met. His hair had thinned slightly, however, and had grown even more stark white, like the snow up north. Those eyes, dark, were full of worry. ¡°As his parents, I understand the worry you have for him. The thing about Nobby, though, is that he¡¯s as tough as Damnation.¡± It was long after noon when Merl approached her husband in the village, so far from the Front Iyr, the young woman carrying their son, whose cried filled the village air. Nobby plucked the boy from Merl¡¯s arms, and as he pulled the boy to his chest, the father and son pair stared into one another¡¯s eyes for a long moment, the boy squinting up at him suspiciously. After a moment, the boy smiled shyly, no longer crying, while the trail of tears reached down to his chin, dripping against his father¡¯s shirt. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t wish to eat, and it¡¯s not his clothy, then it¡¯s your business,¡± Merl said, smiling up towards her husband. Nobby nodded his head slightly, seeing the look upon her face. He wiped his son¡¯s face clean, and after a moment of the pair cuddling, he returned the boy to his mother. Nobby followed Merl back towards the centre of the village, and as she placed her son down to play with one of his many cousins, the pair began to make their rounds, partly to hide the woman¡¯s condition, but also because of that. ¡°I have a bad feeling,¡± Merl admitted. ¡°I can feel it in the air.¡± Almost as if to accentuate her point, the first rain of summer began to fall, the clouds rolling in from the distance. Nobby bowed his head, and within a short few minutes, he and a handful of villagers began to make their rounds into the forest, checking upon the perimeter. Even if nothing was wrong, and even if the Iyrmen had completed the rounds an hour ago, it was a good idea to check. ¡°Strange,¡± one of the villagers said. ¡°Don¡¯t say it,¡± another whispered in response. ¡°It¡¯s too quiet,¡± the third said, causing the other two to look at her. ¡°What?¡± Thunder rumbled in the distance, causing the three to yelp out, their voices echoing through the silent forest. ¡°Go back,¡± Nobby said. ¡°Nobby?¡± ¡°Go back.¡± One was about to argue, but Nobby donned his shield, and very suddenly, the other villagers who had stepped out to assist, were not quite so confident. The villagers threw glances to one another, and as quick as lightning, they bolted back towards the village. Nobby turned slightly, his shield raised slightly, his other hand free, clenched into a fist, the young man glaring into the woods. The seconds began to pass. The rain splattered off his shoulders. His hair stood on end, the electricity running through his spine. Then, he saw it. Tall. Red. Dark. The figures numbered two. I keep forgetting how strong Nobby is. I doublecheck his sheet every time... [1173] – Y06.073 – The First Rain of Noonval II ¡°Huwaa!¡± the boy cried, the tears streaming down his face, washed away by the rain. ¡°Merry,¡± Merl called, the woman wiping her son¡¯s face tenderly, the woman smiling warmly towards him. Though her son cried so loudly, disrupting the world around them, Merl was glad the boy could cry so loudly for a boy who was so small. ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡± the boy howled into the air, smothered by his mother¡¯s bosom, the pair embracing one another tightly. His cries continued to soak her away, his muffled voice soothing the woman¡¯s heart. ¡°When your father returns, he will hold you,¡± Merl promised. ¡°You have to wait.¡± ¡°Daddy!¡± the boy cried, his voice drowned out by the thunder rumbling in the distance, and as lightning flashed, a shadow formed over the village. The rain continued to poor, pitter pattering, drowning out the world. It stood opposite the tall, strapping, sturdy wall of a man, whose eyes were cold, harsh, and deadly, the kind forged at the edge of an Iyrman¡¯s blade, his muscles forged by the Iyr¡¯s training. This held a good look, but was this large, bull like, a man? Is that what they called this soft, fleshy creature? Was this man any good to wet their blade? ¡®Two,¡¯ Nobby thought, unable to hear the footsteps which had faded behind him. Were there more of these Reavers? What would happen to those that had come out with him? They always argued to come along with him, since Nobby was just a little townboy and they were proper villagefolk, and though he had married their future Chief, he had yet to earn their trust. No. That wasn¡¯t important now. It was up to Fate as to whether Mother Soza or Lord Sozain would bless them that day. How was it that he had come across two Reavers? Nobby, who had been born within Red Oak, the son of a porter, whose distant family were porters. One day, just like that, an Iyrman plucked him. He trained hard, coming across all manner of powerful creatures. He won his first tournament. He came face to face with one of the Divine. He married the daughter of a Chief, one who would become Chief herself, and now he would come face to face against a Reaver. No. That wasn¡¯t important now. He felt the gentle weight within his arms. The soft skin against his neck, the shallow breaths, and the innocently squealing of his son, who cried so loudly, one might not have expected him to have been born weeks too early. The heat of rage filled the young man, his entire body turning red, the fire rushing through his forearm as he swung his axe. It was up to Fate as to whether Mahtu or Baktu would bless him that day. ¡®Oh?¡¯ the Reaver thought, its blade meeting Nobby¡¯s axe, feeling the weight of the young man¡¯s might. All of a sudden, the disappointment was cut to pieces as they began their dance of death. Their steel sang a song of viciousness, and though Nobby prepared to dance with both Reavers, one stood to the side, waiting and watching. The rain sizzled off of Nobby¡¯s skin, the mist in the air hiding their fight from the world. The clash of steel, muffled by the thunder, the flash of lightning illuminating the figures. As the pair fought, the thoughts swam through their minds. Heavy. As the Reaver fought against Nobby, that¡¯s what it thought. Nobby¡¯s axe was heavy. Nobby¡¯s might was heavy. Nobby¡¯s heart was heavy. It was a pleasure to fight against someone like Nobby, for he was stronger than expected, meaning the disappointed had dissipated into the air, but more importantly, he was strong enough to give the Reaver a good fight. It was that kind of fight, one which it could truly enjoy. If Nobby had been any typical Expert, the Reaver would have killed him, and yet the young Nobby remained standing tall, like an immovable wall. As they clashed, Nobby forced the Reaver back with his great strength, the auroch of a man slamming like thunder against the creature. While the Reaver thought about the joy, the thrill, Nobby¡¯s thoughts remained purely on a single task. No matter what, Nobby had to step forward. Even if it was a single step, he had to take it, putting distance between the Reavers and the village. While his mind thought of pushing forward, the thought within his heart was very different. Nobby was going to lose. With each clash, with each red mark they painted one another, Nobby could feel it creeping within his heart, along the periphery of his vision, the darkness that was defeat. His shield arm throbbed as he caught the blade, but the force crashed through his side, almost causing him to fling away his shield. If Nobby had been a typical Master, he surely would have died, but Nobby was not a typical Master. Perhaps if he had been a Master, he would have been able to defeat the creature before him, whose red eyes seemed to gleam with delight as it slowly chipped away at the wall known as Nobby. A thought crossed the young man¡¯s mind. How many years ago had it been? Was it the last year? No, it was the year before that, when Freddie had joined the business. Among the business, Nobby was certainly one of the strongest in its employ. Outside of those particular Executives, Nobby could call himself as someone in the tier below. There was one Executive, however, who he was certain he could defeat. She knew it too, for she admitted as such. ¡®I¡¯m not sure any of you have the capability to become as strong as Nobby, he¡¯s stronger than even the monsters I grew up with,¡¯ Jaygak had said, and this was before she had her impressive showing at the tournament. ¡®Jurot is too strong for any of you to think about defeating, maybe in your dreams, but... I can train you so that you become stronger than me, at least?¡¯ Nobby had understood those words, for they had been spoken by an Iyrman so full of humour, and who held no delusions. Jaygak had long accepted her place in the world, that of an Iyrman who could not break the shackles which bound her family. Nobby, on the other hand, may have lost to the likes of her companions, but they understood that Nobby was stronger than Jaygak. Yet... ¡®If you want to become stronger than Nobby, then train twice as hard as him. Fight twice as many hydras, twice as many dragons, then maybe you¡¯ll be able to defeat him,¡¯ Jaygak had stated to the businessfolk who were so eager to train towards better lives. ¡®I don¡¯t know if I can train you to become stronger than Nobby, but...¡¯ The smile Jaygak had shown, it was the kind of smile only an Iyrman could possess. It was the kind of look all Iyrmen possessed, for the Iyrmen were raised with that kind of look. Nobby had understood why Jaygak could give it, but the problem was, why did the others give that kind of look? The Mad Dog, he too gave such a look, that kind of look, when he was such a monster. It was now Nobby understood. He was strong. That¡¯s what they all said. He, who had been taught the way of the Rot family, who Adam entrusted to deal with a great number of threats, including these Reavers. However, Nobby was only strong when compared to the strongest of the weak. The Grand Commanders of the Orders, they could defeat him. The Vice Commanders, they could defeat him. Out of all the Iyrmen he had met, there were easily a hundred who could beat him, and countless more who could do so with an arm tied behind their back. There was almost no chance for him to defeat the likes of this Reaver. Nobby was weak. The Iyrmen, those who could bat away Nobby without a sweat, there was something that made them look weak too, but they had it. The look of the Iyrmen. It was the look of the weak that was embodied by Jaygak¡¯s words, which all Iyrmen possessed, and which had sparked something within the businessfolk. ¡®I¡¯ll train you to become strong enough to at least take an arm.¡¯ Nobby¡¯s blade swung through the air, no longer poised to take the creature¡¯s neck, but poised to make it easier for the villagers. For though he would die here today, he would not make it so easy. He would struggle as a weakling, and take the price that came from killing the weak, the same kind of price that the strong took because they were strong. Nobby swung with all his might, the might that came with a final burst before death, his heart pounding within his chest, like the war song of the Iyr which had spurred a fool of a father earlier this year. Nobby, a father too, understood just why Adam¡¯s back looked like a mountain. The Reaver¡¯s blade cut across the young man¡¯s front, the giant form crashing against the nearby trees, the splinters breaking off of the young man¡¯s skin, forged as tough as iron. The Reaver stared down at its arm, the magical axe stuck within. As it flexed, the axe dropped to the earth, and it turned to face its companion, a bemused expression upon its face. It thrashed like a weakling, the look said. You did not feel the axe, the other replied. No! Nobby! Not like this! [1175] – Y06.075 – The First Rain of Noonval IV Konarot turned the page, her tail rubbing from one of her greatfather¡¯s shoulder to the other, the Iyrman pulling back slightly from the habit. The girl¡¯s eyes followed along each word, her words following a moment later, as she read to her family. She read to her babos and her nanos, her sisters and brothers who sat patiently and listened intently, save for one whose lips were mouthing the words of the tale. ¡°The dragon was... Slumbering Claw!¡± Konarot gasped as though she didn¡¯t know the dragon¡¯s title, and her siblings each gasped at the same time, as though they hadn¡¯t known who it was, even Jirot, who had mouthed the name along with her elder sister. ¡°Ohohoho, my greatdaughter reads so well,¡± the older Jarot gushed, pulling the girl¡¯s head to his chest, planting a firm kiss atop her head. ¡°Now that you have read so well, you must be so hungry, yes?¡± ¡°Yes, babo,¡± the girl replied back, her tail swaying from side to side playfully. ¡°Kaka is hungry because she is hungry,¡± Jirot replied, rubbing her forehead in worry over how silly her greatfather was. ¡°She worked hard reading so well, so she has grown hungry.¡± Jirot blinked at the rebuttal, finding no way to argue against her greatfather¡¯s words. The girl¡¯s eyes remained glued to her greatfather, full of a peculiar sight, the kind that meant she had no idea her greatfather was actually smart. ¡°Ah! Of course!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Jarot exclaimed with laughter, the old man drawing his greatchildren in closer. Lightning fell, thunder crashed, and the triplets cuddled their greatfather as they ate, the soothing sounds of the rain accompanying their meal. ¡°Babo...¡± Konarot held up the spoonful of porridge for her greatfather, who pretended to be busy holding Karot close to his chest to eat, allowing his greatchildren to feed him. ¡°My greatdaughter is too sweet,¡± the old man praised, not for the first time that day, not for the last time, and no one could stop him. ¡°Eat lots of food and you will grow big and strong,¡± Konarot informed her greatfather with complete earnestness. ¡°You eat lots and food and your arm will come back?¡± ¡°I do not think that...¡± Jarot began, but upon seeing how innocently his greatdaughter was staring up at him, with this adorable silver eyes of hers, the Iyrman¡¯s closed his eyes and accepted his defeat with a greatfather¡¯s peace. ¡°There is such magic?¡± ¡°I find it for you babo,¡± the girl assured, patting the old man¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡®Hmm...¡¯ The old man held onto his greatdaughter closer, and against, he understood the wisdom of the previous generations. As the old man pondered the vast magics of the world, many miles away, the village welcomed the five¡¯s return. The villager¡¯s relief blanketed them with a warmth that one could only find in prayer. Adam spotted the eyes of the villagers, whose faces were painted with worry, but he nodded his head casually, but in the way that was trying too hard. He met Dunes¡¯ gaze, and he motioned his head to the side, doing the same to Mork too. They made their way to one side, allowing Jurot and the others to deal with the villagers and their curiosity. ¡°Do you two, uh...¡± Adam began, inhaling deeply before letting out a defeated sigh. ¡°Do you have your diamonds?¡± Dunes held Adam¡¯s gaze for a long moment, for it hadn¡¯t been the first time Adam had asked, even in the last two days, but this time there was something different about the way he asked, something which couldn¡¯t allow Dunes to make the joke he had made last time. ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Mork stated, nodding his head, also noting the seriousness upon the half elf¡¯s face. He had no idea Adam¡¯s eyes could hold such a serious glare. Adam slowly nodded his head towards them, reaching up to pat his inner pockets, feeling the remaining diamonds within. He shuddered lightly, before stepping to one side, taking a moment to gather himself. ¡°With this blade, I will no longer need a blade from you for accompanying you,¡± Bael said, resting the sheathed sword over his shoulder. The sword was as straight as an arrow, black and blue, like the Reaver once Bael was done with it. The figure, who still appeared as a drakken or a half dragon, could feel the power of the blade, which had increased since it had bonded to him. ¡°We can discuss something another time,¡± the half elf replied, letting out another sigh. ¡°Oh?¡± Bael called out, his tone full of sarcasm. ¡°You are more reasonable than I thought.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite reasonable as long as you don¡¯t mess with me,¡± Adam replied simply, catching Bael¡¯s deep blue eyes. The pair exchanged a glare before the half dragon grinned wide and burst out into laughter. Meanwhile, Jurot informed the Iyrmen of the matter, and of the warning Adam and Bael had given to him. ¡®These guys... they¡¯re tough.¡¯ ¡®It was a decent enough fight.¡¯ While Adam had wiped his axe clean, staring at the creature questioningly, Bael had been wounded during his bout. It wasn¡¯t easy to wound someone like Bael, even Jurot was uncertain of how he would fare against the man. If he was using Phantom, he felt he could defeat Bael, with more than his share of luck, but without it, he thought Bael had the edge, unless he stopped holding back. ¡°The other blade must be buried,¡± Jurot informed, handing the wrapped blade to an Iyrman. While the other blade had shed its wickedry, this blade remained as vile as ever, sapping away at Jurot¡¯s motivation with every passing moment. ¡°Okay,¡± Kamrot replied, feeling why Jurot had not buried it where they had fought. Merl rushed towards Nobby, the woman grabbing at his forearms, staring up into his eyes, which were full of thought. ¡°Nobby...¡± ¡°Merl...¡± Nobby embraced his wife tight within his strong arms, though quickly let up after feeling her push at his chest, though a hand remained gripping his collar tight. Adam approached the pair, though his attention quickly fell to the boy who stomped his way towards his mother and father. ¡°Little Boss!¡± Merry stopped, the boy¡¯s eyes darting up to the half elf, squinting. The boy coughed, but remained standing tall and proud, without a single care in the world, even as Adam lifted him up. ¡°Ah, right. They stole you away from the business, didn¡¯t they, Little Chief?¡± Adam teased the boy, smiling brightly at him, while his heart ached. ¡°What am I to do? I¡¯ll have to spoil you to steal you back, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Merl eyed up the half elf, noticing his lips forming such a wide smile, and yet his eyes, though shining, were marred by a darkness she hadn¡¯t seen in a while. He had seemed far more cheerful earlier in the day, but now... ¡°You need to grow up well, yeah?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°If you''re as smart as your mother, and as strong as your father...¡± The boy blinked at the half elf, before squirming, reaching towards his mother with a hand, even though he had cried so loudly for his father not long ago. ¡°You can¡¯t be handsome! Are you trying to seduce my daughters? You punk! How can you do this to me?¡± Adam surrendered the boy to his mother after his rant. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, approaching the group, sans the Reaver¡¯s blade. ¡°You wished to be serious this year.¡± ¡°Let me be an idiot in front of the Little Chief for a little bit at least...¡± Adam frowned, feeling his heart grow heavier. ¡°Ah, you''re right.¡± Merl remained focused upon the half elf, before her eyes slowly returned back to her husband, who stood tall and silent. However, within her sight, he almost seemed... small? ¡°You cute punk, how can you do this to me?¡± Adam whispered to Merry. ¡®When I get back, I should spoil them a lot.¡¯ ¡°Executive...¡± Merl called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam replied, before noting the look within the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m... it¡¯s o-,¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss,¡± Nobby said, cutting the half elf off. ¡°Of course, I-,¡± ¡°Thank you, mister boss,¡± Nobby repeated, stopping Adam, catching the half elf¡¯s eye. Adam paused a moment, seeing the look within Nobby¡¯s eyes. He was so different now, not the Nobby who he had first met all those years ago, not the boy who knew so little of the world. This Nobby who stood before him was someone who had gone through so many near death experiences at his side, and now had a family to worry about. The half elf bowed his head, understanding the young man¡¯s true meaning. ¡°Any time.¡± Merl glanced between the pair, understanding something was up. She reached over towards Nobby¡¯s arm, clasping around the thick cloth which made up his clothes. Her eyes darted around towards the cuts and tears within his clothing, and then to the skin, which was difficult to bruise or bleed, but... Nobby remained silent, with the understanding he couldn¡¯t tell her. He didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d say, but he¡¯d rather face that unknown than admit to her what happened. This would be a secret he¡¯d take to the grave. Our Nobby has grown up. Adam Sheet [1170] Name: Adam Race: Half Elf Level: 9 XP: 27 200 STR: 20 (+5)[+9] DEX: 12 (+1) CON: 18 (+4)[+8] INT: 16 (+3)[+7] WIS: 12 (+1)[+5] CHA: 16 (+3)[+7] SKILLS: Athletics, Perception, Arcane Lore, Investigation, Persuasion, Intimidation TOOLS: Smithing, Alchemy, Enchanting, Jewellery LANGUAGES: Aldish, Elvish, Dwarven, Drakken, Iyrspeech WEAPONS: Simple, Martial ARMOUR: Light, Medium, Heavy INVENTORY: Puthral plate, Seventh Sky Axe, UK Shield, (2) handaxe, dagger, wizard¡¯s die (spell focus), spellbook, obsidian holy symbol (Baktu), lovely stone, bracelet Blanket, backpack, bedroll, mess kit, waterskin, (50¡¯) hemp rope, thick clothes, (2) clothes, (4) pouch, soap, brush, teethleaf, (3) journal, quill, ink, Steel Tag : 6 CURRENCY PP: 1 GP: 100 SP: 10 CP: 10 Obsidian (20), Tiger Eye (10), Amber (5), Diamond (5) FEATURES: Darkvision, Fey Blooded, Multicultured. Battlecaster, Slasher MARTIAL FEATURES: Martial Arts. Strikes = 1d6+str damage, +2 if no weapons or shields. Tough Spirit. BA, heal 2d6+lvl, 1/SR Onward Soar. Extra Action and BA, 1/SR Bonus Proficiency. Extra language (Iyrspeech) Warrior Spirit. BA, +5hp, advantage on all attacks for 1 round, 3/LR Improved Criticals. Critical hits now apply on a 19 or 20. Fighting Style: Defence. +1 DEF when wearing armour. Fighting Style: Dueling. +2 damage when wielding a weapon in only one hand. Elegance. +WIS Save (or INT/CHA Save). +WIS to Persuasion. MAGICAL FEATURES: Spellcasting, Spellbook, Arcane Recovery Diviner. (1/2 price and time for Divination spells). Omen. Roll 2xD20 to be used per day. Divine Smite. 2D6 + 1D6 for each additional Mana, up to 5 Mana. Lay on Hands. (Healing 5x Level) Divine Health (Immune to Disease) Blessing of Forgia. Once per LR, +1 to mundane weapon or armour. Weapon Bond. Forge bond with a weapon. Connected to wielder on the same realm. BA to summon. Artisan Blessing. Create items which have some metal up to 100gp. Soul of the Forge. Resistance to fire damage. +1 to Def when wearing heavy armour. Forge¡¯s Magic. Gain access to the prepared Forge Priest spells. Passive Enchanting. Enchant passively. 10+Modifier. Multi Enchanting. Enchant as many weapons equal to your trained bonus. Expert Diviner. Casting spells of Second Gate or higher returns back half Mana, rounded up for Divination Spells. TRICKS: Stabilise, Guidance, Flame Bolt, Tricks, Frostbite, Control Flames, Mould Earth, Shape Water Forge Spells: 1: Identify, Searing Smite 2: Heat Metal, Magic Weapon 3: Elemental Weapon, Protection from Energy 4: Fabricate, Wall of Fire Prepared (10): Goodberry, Shield, Sending, Adam¡¯s Tower, Counterspell, Revivify, Feather Fall, Healing Word, Fly, Dimension Door 1st Gate Comprehend Languages, Healing Word, Hex, Identify, Shield, Summon Familiar, Cure Wounds, Sleep, Thunderwave, Bless, Chaos Bolt, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite, Heroism, Alarm, Create or Destroy Water, Detect Magic, Detect Poison and Disease, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Goodberry, Hunter''s Mark, Inflict Wounds 2nd Gate Mirror Image, Suggestion, Blur, Spiritual Weapon, Find Steed 3rd Gate Adam¡¯s Tower, Revivify, Counterspell, Fireball, Fly, Tiny Ward, Sending 4th Gate Divination, Dimension Door 5th Gate Raise Dead, Steel Wind Strike COMBAT Health: 126/126 DEF: 21/25 (+Shield) Mana: 34/34 Seventh Sky: +10, 2d6 + 8/9 Unarmed: +8, 1d6 + 7/9 LS/WH/BA: +8, 1d6 + 1d3 + 7/8 Dagger: +8, 1d3 + 7/8 Handaxe/Mace: +8, 1d6 + 7/8 Flame Bolt (120¡¯). +7, 3d6 Fire Frosbite (60¡¯). DC15, 3d6 Cold I''m pretty sure this is right. Also if you''ve noticed Adam always has the same amount of money, yeah, he makes sure replenish once he''s at the Iyr. I have several sheets each time he leaves to keep track of all these items and all his money. Yes, I know, I need to explain this stuff more in depth. I''m just so busy writing the actual story but I will get to it. [1177] – Y06.077 – The Journey Begins I ¡°I¡¯m sorry for stealing your husband away,¡± Adam joked, bowing his head respectfully towards the future Chief. ¡°Since you gifted him to me, you may steal him,¡± Merl replied, the beautiful woman letting out a small sigh, her eyes falling upon her husband, who was busy giving the villagers his greetings. They had all come to rely on Nobby, who worked as hard as any of them, not that they would admit such for a townboy like him. Especially after what happened last night, when the young man had held off two Reavers to allow the others to flee. ¡°Please return him to me safely.¡± ¡°He might return a little rugged, but I¡¯m sure someone as tough as Nobby will return, otherwise the rest of us stand no chance,¡± Adam said, noting the woman¡¯s face quickly turning to displeasure at the thought. ¡®She¡¯s usually better at controlling her facial expressions.¡¯ ¡°Mommy,¡± Merry called, the boy rubbing his eye as another brought him forward. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not too upset that I¡¯m stealing your father,¡± Adam joked, tickling the boy¡¯s nose, who retreated to his mother¡¯s bosom. ¡°Daddy...¡± Merry glanced towards his father, whose shadow swallowed him whole until he himself was finally swallowed within his father¡¯s large arms. Nobby¡¯s heart pounded wildly within his chest, but he slowed it with an intense focus. ¡°I will return.¡± ¡®Nobby¡¯s shyer than Jurot, Merl¡¯s more courageous than Pam, but it¡¯s like looking at the two whenever I see them...¡¯ Adam smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure Nobby spends a lot of money to spoil Merry and you.¡± ¡°That would be wonderful,¡± Merl replied, a small smile encroaching across her lips. Since the half elf had all but promised to return Nobby to her, she was certain it would be fine, or there would be many families who would grieve. Later in the day, as the sun reached its zenith over the carriages, Adam gasped. ¡°Oooh!¡± Adam called out of the blue, reaching up to rub his forehead. ¡®She looked a little sick, but she¡¯s gained weight? Either she¡¯s depressed, or...¡¯ ¡°Okay?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°We need to work hard in order to spoil all the children,¡± Adam said, his eyes taking in the sight of the large auroch of a man nearby. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Nobby?¡± ¡°Yes, mister boss,¡± he replied, thinking nothing of Adam¡¯s words. ¡°You realised it now?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you not tell me?¡± ¡°It is fun to see you realise it eventually,¡± Jurot admitted shamelessly. ¡°We¡¯re only a day into our journey and you¡¯re already bullying me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The carriages rolled into the second village, which hadn¡¯t expected visitors from that side, especially one that was three carriages long. Chief Terry barely recognised the flags the carriage flew, only realising who they were once the peculiar fellow stepped out. Adam clasped the Chief¡¯s forearm, before handing him a small wooden box, that was about the size of his gauntleted fist, easily containing a hundred coins, but with how little the coins jangled, it was certainly filled near to the brim. However, the Chief¡¯s eyes remained completely focused upon the half elf¡¯s forehead. ¡®He¡¯s no Iyrman, is he?¡¯ ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind that we only brought a few silver and gold,¡± Adam said, bowing his head apologetically. ¡°We¡¯ve been... a little busy.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Terry replied. ¡°You already pay so much, I¡¯m sure you have overpaid this time too.¡± ¡°Well... just a little?¡± Adam flashed an awkward smile, his heart riddled with guilt still. ¡°I, uh, anyway... I wanted to warn you about the Reavers. Be especially careful because each Reaver is strong. Extremely strong.¡± ¡°Yes, we were informed by the Iyr,¡± Chief Terry replied, flashing an awkward smile in return. ¡°Thank you for your warning.¡± Amokan noted the Iyrmen nearby, the Grandmaster, the Master, and the three Experts. ¡®If they have sent this few...¡¯ The group handed out their gold coins to the villagers who had offered their own homes for them, and though the coin was the business¡¯s coin, Adam had made sure everyone handed it out from their own hands, making sure the villagers felt positive both about the business and the individual people of the business. Brittany let out a low sigh, feeling the stress of handing out a gold coin. Even though she earned a gold each day, closer to a gold and a silver each, her heart trembled when she parted with the coin. Even though this gold wasn¡¯t actually hers, but the business¡¯s coin that Adam had spread out towards each of them, she couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of poverty which had been so thoroughly engraved within her heart. Even spending silvers caused her to sweat, but a whole gold? It didn¡¯t cost a gold to... The woman winced, tensing up, her eyes shut tight. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and she glanced down towards her bow. Deadwood. The dark wood was called deadwood, or rather, deadwood minor, since it was not the true form of the wood. She had received it when she assisted Jurot. When was it? Brittany tried to recall exactly when it had happened, but she supposed it didn¡¯t matter, since she could always ask Jurot. It was unlikely it happened within the first year they met. Her thoughts fell back to her youth. ¡®Outsiders pay more gold because they have more coin.¡¯ Brittany was still surprised at the gulf between them all. Villagers did not earn much metal, for their taxes were not paid in coin, but produce. Since there were only a handful of villages across all of Aldland, it mattered little that they did not earn coin, for as long as they handed out their sacks of grain to Eagle Wing and Red Oak, Aldland did not make a fuss over them. It was the Iyr, however, who cared for them, and took over an almost parental role over the villages. Brittany didn¡¯t ask too many questions about that, even after she left the village. Though the fort was not so far away, she did not see any soldiers in this village, but she did see Iyrmen, as always. The woman¡¯s thoughts fell to the town they were heading to, Red Oak. It was a smaller town, that was true enough, however, a small town in Aldland was still a great town comparatively to other towns across the lands, Brother Dunes had said as much. Whereas the villagers of her village dealt with copper, if they dealt with coin at all, In Red Oak the people dealt in silver. Yes, the commoners still handed out coppers and the like, but their wages were paid in silver. Nobby had told her how he could earn multiple silvers each day as a porter, though often times his coinage was two silver for each day, a princely sum for a young man, and yet how many days did he need to work to call for a Priest for his father? An entire year or so, after all the taxes? Then there was the gulf between commoners and nobles. Brittany recalled how easy it was for Adam to spend gold. He passed chests to the brim of silver, and even the chest of coin he had given to the Order of the Wings, which had been full of mostly silver, but also held stacks of gold, and even gems! She was no longer a villager. She was no commoner within the town, who made roughly ten gold each month if they were lucky, and more if they were fawned upon by a wealthier patron. She earned thirty gold each month. Thirty! Even as she handed a single gold to the villager, the face that looked back towards her was the face of a younger Brittany, full of delight to see the glint of gold. Now? Now she carried a deadwood bow. At her sides she carried a pair of magical shortblades. Her pouch, made of hydra leather which she had assisted in slaying, was full of gold, and not even her own, yet she could spend it freely, and she would still hold such a massive hoard within the business. Was this... right? Her village was full of labourers who worked from essentially sun up to sun down, if not upon the fields, at home, and they lived day to day. Meanwhile, she would work for half a day, and that included a light guard duty around the Iyr¡¯s land, along with teaching a child how to use a bow, and... that was pretty much it. ¡°Your thoughts are heavy,¡± called a voice from the darkness. Brittany¡¯s heart pounded, her entire body flashing hot with fear, and if it wasn¡¯t for her body reminding her about the familiar voice, she would have died from a heart attack or by attacking someone as terrifying as Kitool. ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°Do you wish to speak of them?¡± ¡°N-no, it¡¯s alright, it¡¯s just...¡± Kitool remained silent as the young woman calmed herself, though as she did, the awkwardness in the air grew. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Executive.¡± Kitool bowed her head, dropping down in the corner of the room to begin to meditate. Kitool was used to it, since she was an Iyrman, and because she was a much higher rank than the woman, there was a resistance against Brittany¡¯s throat. They should have brought along someone like Charley for Brittany to speak to, or perhaps Nobby would work? The next day, the group made their way out, making their way to Lipetal, the village closest to Red Oak. Brittany stared out towards those walls. They were familiar to her, even after all these years. Her eyes fell to the nearby woods, cleared and replanted, for the next generation to harvest. It had been a short while since she had passed by here, nor seen the rest of her village, the people she had grown up alongside. What was that she felt within her heart? Regret? Guilt? Pride? Even after all these years, she can''t shake it off. [1178] – Y06.078 – The Journey Begins II Adam handed out the chest of silver to the Chief, a woman by he name of Poppy, whose eyes quickly darted up towards the half elf¡¯s tattoo. ¡®He¡¯s not an Iyrman, is he?¡¯ Timojin bowed his towards the Iyrman Grandmaster, who wore a tag of mithril as a necklace, revealing his general level of power, as well as his rank at the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Timojin reached up towards his own tag, steel, denoting him as two ranks below, and his general estimation of power as above an Expert, and potentially a Master. His eyes then drifted towards Adam, Jurot, and Kitool, each of whom also wore steel, though they were barely stamped, and yet they held the power of those almost ready to move up to Silver officially. Except, they were already able to clash against those who wore mithril tags? ¡®I must train harder,¡¯ Timojin thought. Brittany remained near Kitool, her hand clenching the piece of gold tight. Her eyes darted to a familiar face, and she hid the frown that almost crept upon her face, though the displeasure in her eyes was evident enough. ¡°Brittany...¡± Her heart pounded hard within her chest as she narrowed her eyes towards him. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Why are you giving me that kind of look? Wasn¡¯t I the one who-,¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Brittany stated. He could hear it. The slight tremble within her voice. Like a viper, he struck, stepping forward as he wore the mask of an apology. Unfortunately for him, a shadow formed over him, and the man twitched, glancing over his shoulder. ¡°Okay?¡± Nobby asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Brittany replied. ¡°We should go find a place to stay.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°A place to stay? Are we strangers?¡± the man replied, letting out a soft laugh, breathy and full of nerves. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t have to take care of me any more,¡± Brittany stated, marching away, leading Nobby away. ¡°You¡¯re still one of us,¡± the man called out, and seeing the way Brittany flinched at the words, he smiled. ¡®Do you think cause you¡¯re dressed all fancy, wearing all those fine weapons, that you aren¡¯t born from soil?¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Nobby said as they stepped away. Brittany glanced aside towards the massive mountain that was Nobby. He was someone whose uncles were Experts, and he had been personally plucked by Jurot to train in his way. Brittany? She had to beg, and beg, and beg, and even after shooting thousands of arrows, Adam had almost refused. He¡¯d never understand. Adam sat opposite Jurot, the pair within the home of a villager they had paid off with a small bag of silver, enough to pay for a modest inn¡¯s stay, and more than enough for the villagers. ¡®It feels baller to hand over a single gem, but it also feels really cool to hand over a box of silver.¡¯ Jurot was fairly certain Adam was thinking of something stupid, but quickly the half elf¡¯s face turned to more serious matters. ¡®If we keep spending this much coin...¡¯ Adam was keeping track of how much coin they were spending daily, around forty gold each day they had travelled thus far. ¡®Forty times, what, three hundred? Twelve thousand gold for travel for the rest of the year? That doesn¡¯t include all the gifts or anything. Plus, we¡¯re handing over thousands of gold of magical items too...¡¯ The half elf¡¯s heart swirled with emotions, though he was quickly distracted a Jurot poured them each a small cup of grain wine. ¡°Jurot...¡± Adam began, letting out a small sigh. ¡°Have I become... rich?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it and... it feels really good to be rich.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why if I start acting all rich, all... noble towards people that don¡¯t deserve it, please...¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jurot stated, bowing his head, and the pair shared a drink. The sky had begun to darken, the fire illuminated the centre of the village, and the music bounced off the walls. Many villagers gathered at the centre, more than usual for obvious reasons, hearing the tales of the Iyrmen who had appeared, and often passed through their village. It was because every time they left, they would tell a tale the villagers had almost forgotten, or perhaps a tale they had yet had the chance to speak upon their return last time. ¡°So then he drew his trident against me so I had to teach him a lesson, you know?¡± Adam complained. ¡°So what if you¡¯re some kind of Prince! I was so worried for my wife and my unborn child! Shouldn¡¯t you leave a worried father be? Don¡¯t you have a conscious? If you¡¯re going to pretend to be all noble and regal, then act like it!¡± The villagers cheered, for if it was any other situation, they may have held fear within their hearts, around Iyrmen, such words could be spoken openly. Even if the half elf was not a true Iyrman, the tattoos upon his forehead lulled them into a sense of security, for without a doubt they were placed upon his forehead by the Iyr. ¡°So what did I do?¡± Adam paused for a moment, burying the shame within his heart. ¡°I... beat him up a little bit and let him go for the sake of my friend. Even though he was a Prince too, at least he was one of the good ones. He even spoiled my children properly! So that¡¯s why I let that merman guy go!¡± The laughter within the village filled the air, though there were those who weren¡¯t drinking and they understood just how crazy it was for Adam to speak like that. ¡®Was he... always that strong?¡¯ Chief Poppy thought, her eyes darting aside towards the other Iyrmen near him. She had recalled the scene last time they had left and returned, and the heavy air around them. Unlike the other villagers, she did not have the liberty to forget just how terrifying it all was. Even if half of what Adam had said was true... then there was the matter of what happened in the previous year, and... The Chief poured the half elf the grainwine, filling his cup halfway, as was per the custom. It was how it was, a small cup, and an even smaller pour, so that the wine could last forever. Though she had spent only a few seconds pouring the cup, it felt an eternity to her, the sounds of the liquid trickling down, while her mind raced with thought. As she poured the wine, so did the words pour out of her lips. ¡°The Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts,¡± the woman began, but she stopped, upon seeing the darkness within the half elf¡¯s eyes, and though it had only lasted a moment, it had felt an eternity to her. ¡°The Grand Commander of High Garden,¡± Adam said, forcing away the alcohol, his eyes forming a gentle glare. ¡°You should... if anyone comes asking about that, tell them to speak with the Chief of the Iyr.¡± ¡®What happened?¡¯ The thought plagued Poppy, through the night, and even as she watched the carriage slip away in the morning. She thought back to Adam¡¯s glare. She had no idea Adam could invoke such a darkness, for he was always such a fool. As the sun crested above, falling towards the Iyr, the Commander sighed. The flags were strange, and he was certain he hadn¡¯t seen such a design previously, but if there was an Iyrman riding up front, and it was those particular Iyrmen, then it meant that this group could only be that group. He only prayed it didn¡¯t hold those old monsters, and if he was especially fortune, it didn¡¯t hold that young man. ¡°Why do you sigh so heavily?¡± the Vice Commander asked, their breastplate emblazoned with the stylized portrait of a wolf. Commander Theodore¡¯s eyes darted to the side, having half forgotten about them within his worries. ¡°It is noonval, but the winds I feel are too cold.¡± ¡°If the Northerners heard your words, they would try to bury you within the snow and speak to you of how many words they have for cold. This word means the kind of cold on a sunny day. This word means the kind of cold you feel when it¡¯s snowing lightly. This word means the kind of cold you feel when it¡¯s snowing heavily.¡± The Vice Commander shook his head, flashing a frightfully charming smile, which caused the Commander to raise his guard. ¡°Though, it looks like the winds bring trouble.¡± ¡®If you did bring him, at least bring an old monster!¡¯ Commander Theodore thought, but as they stepped out, and he noted the old man they had brought wore no tattoos, his heart sunk, and the older man cursed his terrible luck. ¡®As long as he does not bring the coin himself, it should...¡¯ Adam eyed up the figures on the fort, and upon the unfamiliar face on the wall who grinned at him so frightfully charming. The half elf¡¯s lips formed a gentle smirk in return. ¡®You think you¡¯re the only handsome one around, eh?¡¯ Adam is the reason why so many people will die young of stress. [1180] – Y06.080 – The Journey Begins IV ¡°Why didn¡¯t we let Vonda speak on our behalf if it was so easily to deal with them?¡± Adam asked, rubbing his pounding forehead. ¡°She did,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°She was successful,¡± Kitool added. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam replied, trying to recall all the times his wife stepped forward. ¡°We still got into that much trouble?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied, while the others all looked towards the source of that trouble. ¡°Damn...¡± Adam whispered sheepishly, his cheeks flushing. ¡°I really nerfed her after she married me, huh?¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly, fairly certain Adam had used the word before. ¡®It means... weaken?¡¯ ¡®Sorry, Vonda. I¡¯ll better myself for you.¡¯ Adam thought back to all the times she had stepped forward to protect him. ¡®Why is my wife manlier than me?¡¯ ¡°We must be careful here,¡± Jurot said, his voice not quite a whisper. ¡°Wolf Father is considered a Paragon in the Shadows.¡± ¡°Does that mean he hasn¡¯t stated he¡¯s one but you¡¯re fairly certain he is?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Man, you guys are so poetic sometimes.¡± Jurot resisted the look of awe upon Adam¡¯s face, which was tempered by the fear he held for the Iyr. ¡°Father Boar is considered a Paragon too.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°He was considered so a decade ago,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°Whoa! Really?¡± Adam rubbed his chin, his brows raised in alarm. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, he might even be Level 18 or 19? He might even be Level 20.¡± Jurot tried to recall what those numbers meant, but considering Adam¡¯s thoughts, they were more than likely true. ¡°He is a Rage Dancer.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam furrowed his brows. ¡°Huh? Not an Oathsworn?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°The North and the West have different traditions with their Orders,¡± Kitool explained lightly. ¡°Their Orders developed in a different manner, though they also swear their Oaths, and many are still Oathsworn.¡± ¡°Father Boar is one of the few grandfather was unable to defeat during his journey,¡± Jurot said, recalling one of the few tales in which Jarot was unable to gain his revenge, and not for the lack of trying. It was one of the times Jarot had almost died after he had grown powerful. ¡°Whoa...¡± Adam whispered. ¡®The old geezer was only really stopped by a handful of people, wasn¡¯t he? Father Boar, Ice Guy, and some dragons or something?¡¯ As Adam tried to recall all those the Mad Dog complained about, the other Iyrmen remained on duty, keeping an eye out upon the soldiers around, who gave them a wide berth. ¡°The time for the fight has passed,¡± Timojin stated. ¡°I was merely going to request a spar,¡± Amokan replied innocently. ¡°Once we depart the group in Red Oak, we may return to request a fight.¡± Amokan grumbled quietly to himself, but Timojin had a point. They couldn¡¯t pick a fight now, not when everyone was on edge, and they were still in Adam¡¯s company. ¡®We cannot allow them an excuse to draw their blades when we recently took our justice.¡¯ The Commander had taken Mork and Dunes to one side, escorted by Tork and Jonn, to share tea with the Brothers. Since Mork had personally stepped forward, he needed to react accordingly, and since he had mentioned Brother Dunes, the Commander couldn¡¯t ignore the Aswadian. However, the Commander had wished to share tea with one figure in particular. ¡°I hope all is well in the fort, Commander,¡± Mork said, sipping his tea lightly. ¡°If you require, I may lead a prayer for the soldiers as gratitude for your hard work in watching over this area.¡± ¡°How could we ask for such a thing, Brother?¡± Commander Theodore was certain he wasn¡¯t allowed to spend so much gold upon the Brother, especially if he was allowing Adam to slip through his fingers. Mork smiled politely, realising he couldn¡¯t press upon the Commander, who was certainly thinking of his budget. ¡®I was trying to pray for you freely, Commander.¡¯ ¡°It is rare for Aldland and Aswadasad to fight alongside one another,¡± Dunes said, smiling brightly, his white teeth contrasted further by his black beard. ¡°It is an honour to see such within my life time, and if it would be appropriate, I would like to offer a prayer, to thank Lady Arya for such an honour.¡± ¡®Lady Arya?¡¯ Theodore thought. ¡°Are you by any chance from Northern Aswadasad?¡± ¡°I am Brother Dunes of Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Are you from the Order?¡± Theodore asked, barely able to recall the Priest. ¡®Was he with the half elf last time?¡¯ ¡°It is my honour to say that I am,¡± Dunes confirmed. ¡°I had no idea. Please forgive my rudeness for not greeting you properly, Brother Dunes of Black Mountain.¡± Theodore bowed his head, clasping his hands together. ¡°Had I known I was in the presence of the esteemed Black Mountain, I would have humbled myself before you.¡± ¡°You honour me enough with your words,¡± Dunes replied, flashing another wide smile. ¡°I had the privilege of travelling through Aldland, and though the war raged between our countries, I was left be and was treated respectfully.¡± Dunes decided against mentioning how the Aldish had treated Amira, nor that he was treated respectfully because the Aldish were too busy troubling the Iyrmen and the half elf who he travelled with. ¡°I am ashamed to say that your prayer may not be appreciated by my soldiers, who find themselves preferring a good drink, rather than listening to such great divinity.¡± ¡°I was hoping to ease the relationship between the United Kindom and Aldland through my prayer, for I currently find myself a Manager within the business, and I know there is some matter between the Executive and various Aldishmen.¡± ¡°You are a... Manager?¡± Theodore thought about the other Manager he knew from the United Kindom, a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose. Yet, there was another Manager who was from Black Mountain? ¡°I am returning to Black Mountain in order to speak with the Priest Commander about my role within the business,¡± Dunes stated, smiling politely towards the Commander. The Aswadian¡¯s smile and eyes let slip more towards the Commander. ¡°It is my hope to bridge the misunderstanding between the Executive and the Aldish.¡± The Commander remained in thought for a long moment, trying to understand Dunes, not his words, but his position within the business. ¡®How did...¡¯ ¡®This much should be enough?¡¯ Dunes thought, hoping he hadn¡¯t stoked the flames of curiosity too much. Just enough, and the Commander could think about the matters himself, and if he was as wise as Dunes had thought, then there wouldn¡¯t be much trouble. Dunes wasn¡¯t sure how he felt as the Commander invited the half elf to drink. He let out a guilty pair of eyes towards the Iyrmen, who tried to understand what had happened for the Commander to request for Adam. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot said, causing Adam to glance his way in surprise, however it made sense as to why Jurot allowed Adam to step into the lion¡¯s den, since he remained glued to his brother¡¯s side. The half elf sat opposite the Commander. He was an old man as pale as time, who wore his wrinkles with pride, like the medals over his breastplate. He wore full plate armour, a long dark cape draped over his shoulders, and at his side he wore a long blade, a blade heavy with death. As the Commander poured him a cup of tea, the half elf smiled, letting out a gentle sigh. ¡°Thank you for the tea, Commander.¡± ¡°You are welcome, Brother, or would you prefer the title of Executive?¡± ¡°I would prefer the title of Executive,¡± Adam admitted, smirking playfully towards the old man, seeing how much his words were already causing the old man stress. ¡°It¡¯s my honour to receive a cup of tea from you.¡± Theodore wondered if all this speak of honour was more sarcastic he was picking up on, but seeing the delight on the half elf face as he sipped the tea, he was uncertain. ¡°Do you enjoy tea?¡± ¡°Yeah. It reminds me of home.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes stared into the dark liquid, and he wished he had some milk and sugar to mix into the tea. ¡®This isn¡¯t so bad, though...¡¯ ¡°Where is your home?¡± ¡°Now, now, you don¡¯t think I¡¯ll give up all that information so easily, do you?¡± Adam joked, sipping his tea lightly, the fruity flavours dancing along his tongue. ¡°I was thinking this tea isn¡¯t so bad, but it¡¯s better and better after each time I sip it. I suppose if I¡¯ll want to know more about it, I¡¯ll have to ask permission from the Divine.¡± The Commander held the half elf¡¯s eyes, and though the half elf¡¯s lips were a smirk, those eyes dared for the Commander to ask him. ¡°Is it knowledge which requires permission of the Divine?¡± ¡°Whose to say?¡± Adam smiled wider, before placing down the cup of tea, taking a moment to inhale the vapours, which cleared his chest, and the tightness within his heart. As the half elf¡¯s body relaxed, so did his eyes. ¡°So, you want to know if it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°...¡± Theodore remained silent. ¡°Whether this idiot before you was the one who cut the Grand Commander¡¯s neck clean off?¡± Jurot let out a soft sigh, feeling the stress burden his shoulders, the kind only his brother could bring to him. The audacity of this leaf ear. [1179] – Y06.079 – The Journey Begins III ¡®I suppose I¡¯ll have to be the one to bring-,¡¯ the Vice Commander thought, the thought cutting off as a slap struck him across his future self¡¯s cheek. His smile remained upon his lips, though it quickly faded from his eyes as the warning rocked through him. ¡®If it was so simple, then...¡¯ He had almost forgotten the mess the half elf had caused, but there was something even stranger about the situation. ¡®Did the Iyr deal with the Order? Why did they do it before the half elf was killed? They wouldn¡¯t cause that much trouble, would they? Elder Peace has gone to beg for the King¡¯s forgiveness, but should she expect it if the half elf is still alive?¡¯ As the group approached the walls, revealing the box, a thousand thoughts constantly fought within the Vice Commander¡¯s mind. There was no way the Iyr would allow him to walk out so soon. There was no way they would have dared to kill the Order and act up while not sacrificing the half elf. So why was he out? What was he missing? Did the Iyr think it was so powerful it could begin to take on Aldland? No, there was no chance of that... So... what was the issue? What did the Iyr have planned? Should he draw his blade and try to arrest the boy and figure it out later? He could ask the Commander for his support, but... if Sir Katherine of all warriors couldn¡¯t do it, how could he? Was there a need to involve themselves on that level? It wasn¡¯t as though they had any issues with the half elf. It was those Southern Orders, those of High Garden, which had issues with the half elf. It was only then the Vice Commander realised what he was doing. ¡®Am I... is this...¡¯ The shock rocked through him as he realised the root of his words. He clenched his fist, and reached for his blade, only to be stopped by the voice of the Commander. ¡°Halt!¡± The Commander¡¯s voice thundered in the air, half a warning to the fool of a Vice Commander beside him, and half a warning to the rest of the fort to prepare themselves. ¡°State your business!¡± ¡®Why¡¯d he have to shout so loud?¡¯ Adam thought, and as he opened his mouth and spoke, Adam realised why Jurot and Kitool had given him a look when he said he would hand over the chest of silver to the fort. Oh, right. ¡°Lovely weather we¡¯re having, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam called his voice almost cracking as he realised how much of an idiot he was. He chuckled lightly, though the nerves began to fill through ever pore of his body. ¡°We¡¯re just passing on by, heading to Aswadasad.¡± ¡°What business do you have in Aswadasad,¡± Adam said, while a Priest stepped forward beside him, but not the Priest he expected. ¡°Commander, isn¡¯t the weather so lovely?¡± Mork called out, flashing a polite smile towards the Commander. While Adam may have worn an obsidian holy symbol, the problem was that it was the Iyr¡¯s Baktu, and not the Aldish Lord Sozain, even if they were the same entity, at least within the Iyr¡¯s mind. However, the sun shone brightly on the Priest¡¯s holy symbol, that of Lady Tempest, the Lady of the Storms, also known as the Storm Lord. ¡°It is such lovely weather, Brother,¡± the Commander replied with a bow of his head, gesturing with his hand in respect of the Lady. ¡°May I ask your name?¡± ¡°I am Brother Mork, of the Temple of the Great Lady of the High Seas,¡± Mork replied, smiling politely towards the Commander, the kind of smile that revealed he was from the North. ¡°Many blessings to you, Brother Mork. I am Commander Theodore Barrenhill, and I hope you are willing to forgive me when I ask you for your intentions.¡± ¡°Many blessings to you, Commander Barrenhill. What is there to forgive? Who does not know of the great Commander Theodore Barrenhill, who fought in the Tariff Skirmish?¡± The Commander¡¯s brows raised in shock, almost matching Mork¡¯s brows, who was so glad he had listened to Laygak¡¯s tales on the way to Aswadasad, which certainly was coincidental, wasn¡¯t it? The Commander fell silent for a moment, allowing the Priest to speak up. ¡°We are currently heading to Aswadasad for certain matters to do with the Divine, business, and the war against the Reavers.¡± ¡°With such honourable intentions, I hope the winds fill your sails, and bring you a swiftness through these troubled times.¡± ¡°Your words provide me respite this day, Commander. It is my pride to say that we were the first to declare war against such wickedry, and we, those of the business of the United Kindom, are further proud to pay the appropriate sum for the war.¡± Mork motioned a hand to the box Adam was carrying, the half elf standing equally as stunned as the Commander. ¡®If only you weren¡¯t here...¡¯ the Commander thought, but he couldn¡¯t make the Priest wait for too long. ¡°Open the gates at once! Cursed be those who make a Brother wait!¡± Since Mork had stepped forward, it was far more difficult for the Commander to make a move. However, that didn¡¯t change the situation for the Vice Commander, for though he was a Vice Commander, he was not someone of this fort, or the army proper. Adam held out the chest for the Commander, who felt just how heavy it was. Though it was small, it held more than enough coin to pay their dues. In fact, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there was close to fifty gold in silver. As he opened the chest, he realised it wasn¡¯t just silver, but there was one entire stack of gold, meaning the amount of gold was probably closer to seventy or eighty. No, perhaps it was closer to one hundred? ¡®If it¡¯s this much...¡¯ The Commander nodded towards Adam, who returned a nod of his head. ¡°How is the Ray?¡± ¡°She¡¯s well,¡± Adam replied, flashing a small smile towards the Commander, who seemed far more relaxed now. ¡°I pray for her health,¡± the Commander stated, recalling how troubled the situation was previously. He was glad that he had been rotated out last year, since it all happened, though perhaps if he hadn¡¯t been rotated out, the situation may have gone differently? ¡°Your prayers helped,¡± Adam replied, winking at the Commander. Meanwhile the Vice Commander remained to one side, surrounded by several of his own warriors. Each were heavily armoured, adorned in full plate, and carried blades at their side which were worth well over a thousand gold. Yet they remained at bay, noting the glares of the Iyrmen whose attention was entire fixated upon them. Each of the Iyrmen were younger, in their twenties or so, but the aura they gave off was oppressive, to the point even the Vice Commander could feel it. Not that he needed such great senses to notice the hunger within their eyes, nor the smirks upon their faces. ¡®Will they step forward?¡¯ Amokan thought, ready and eager to draw his blade, as he had done so previously. ¡®Can I claim the Vice Commander?¡¯ Timojin thought, hoping Jurot would allow him to fight the greatest of them, though there was a small issue... Tanagek glared at the Vice Commander, his entire body tense, but like a spring ready to burst forward. He no longer wielded Fresh Snow Zephyr, and in order to keep his nickname, he needed to be at the ready. Chosen frowned slightly, his eyes falling across the other members of the Steel Wolves. ¡®They¡¯re only Experts. Should I fight two at once? Even if I lose... no. I can¡¯t lose, so I¡¯ll have to surrender some to the others too.¡¯ Tagak¡¯s eyes fell across each of the Order members. He was fairly certain he was weaker than any of them, but that didn¡¯t matter to him, for if they wanted to pick a fight with Adam, and even if he didn¡¯t like the half elf, how dare they act up after what the Orders did? However, the pressure wasn¡¯t just from the older Iyrmen, for the Silver Fate Squad also glared at the Order members. ¡®We could claim them,¡¯ Nirot thought, glancing aside towards her cousin, who remained at his brother¡¯s side as he spoke to the Commander. Then her eyes darted to the Vice Commander of the Steel Wolves, one of the few Vice Commanders of the Order. ¡®If he smiles like that, is it the Smiling Wolf?¡¯ Kitool could also feel the aura from the other Iyrmen, from Naqokan, who was also eager to ask her cousin to surrender the Vice Commander to her, all the way to Bavin, who stood tall and alert, but even quiet Bavin¡¯s hair stood on end, ready and eager to fight. The only issue was... ¡®The Steel Wolves...¡¯ Kitool thought about what she knew of the Order. ¡®If it is the Steel Wolves, Wolf Father is thought to be as strong as the Grand Commander of High Garden. Should we fight them here? Should we allow them to step back?¡¯ Tork blinked, his eyes falling from Iyrman to Iyrman. ¡®My brother stepped forward, so why are you guys trying to pick a fight?¡¯ Sometimes in a chapter, all that happens is Adam spends a bit of money and says hello. Almost always, someone wants to kill someone around. [1181] – Y06.081 – The Journey Begins V ¡°Babo! You are so sick, but you are still moving?¡± Jirot complained, the girl¡¯s eyes full of fury, her finger pointed out like a blade poised to strike. ¡°I am not sick! It is the changing of the season which brings a wetness to my throat!¡± the old one armed Iyrman replied, though he winced as his arm and leg pulsed. As he tried to stand, he could feel the leg dig into him harder than typical, his skin more sensitive to the air that day. ¡°You! You ol¡¯ geezer! How can you worry me like this!¡± The old Jarot burst into laughter, falling back onto his seat, his laughter quickly shifting towards a hack as he coughed and almost spluttered out his guts. ¡°You see? What did I tell you?¡± Jirot huffed at the old man, her face turning slightly red with annoyance. ¡°It is just a cold!¡± ¡°You were defeated by the cold before, so you must rest today!¡± ¡°When was I defeated by the cold before?¡± Jarot¡¯s brows shot up questioningly, threatening his daughter with tickles if she dared to lie to him. ¡°You think I do not remember? You lost to Ice Emperor so badly and even nano tell me that she was worried! You always worry us, babo! How can you do this to us?¡± Jirot shot back, the girl holding out both of her hands, revealing just how annoyed she was. Jarot growled out, but her words struck true within his heart. ¡°The Ice Emperor, he was truly powerful! Even your father would not defeat him!¡± Jirot¡¯s jaw dropped, the girl¡¯s eyes squinting nearly shut as a wetness grew within them. ¡°How you can say that! Daddy is the strongest! Daddy is first place!¡± The old man remembered how brutally the Ice Emperor had defeated him, but did it hurt as much as when his greatdaughter cried? Such defeats could not compare, as the old man lifted the girl to his chest, allowing the other little one to embrace him close too. ¡°This old man has grown so old! You must allow me to make such slip of the tongue, since I am so old now!¡± the old crippled Iyrman complained, embracing his greatchildren tight within his arm. He planted firm kisses on their foreheads, stopping upon the way his eldest greatdaughter glared at him, her pout piercing even deeper within his heart. ¡°I am so sick! I do not understand the words I speak! How can I say such words? I am sorry, my little ones! This old man is a fool now, you must not cry!¡± Malfev leapt into the shared estate, having appeared from the shadows. ¡°Who is it who dares to make my greatdaughter cry?¡± ¡°Whose greatdaughter?¡± Jarot growled, but he let the twins escape from his arms to Malfev, who brushed his beard in thought for a moment, before accepting the twins and their affection. ¡°My Jifev, my Jafev, who is it that makes you cry?¡± Malfev asked, wrapping his arms around the twins, hugging them tight to his chest. ¡°Babo! Babo is smelly!¡± The girl gasped. She burst further into tears. ¡°Yes! Your babo is silly!¡± Malfev agreed, allowing the girl to make such a slip, since she instantly regretted it. He held the pair as they continued to cry for a long while, before they finally calmed down, allowing him to greet the other children, all while holding the pair as they sucked their thumbs. The older Jarot grumbled, stifling his coughs, until he finally hacked out again. He drank his honeyed tea, while Konarot walked over and placed a hand upon his knee, the girl rubbing along it. ¡°Babo...¡± ¡°Is this foolish old man worrying you?¡± Jarot asked, ruffling the girl¡¯s silky silver hair. ¡°You do not need to worry, my dear, for a cold cannot defeat me! I am too strong!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Konarot rubbed the old man¡¯s knee further, while a pair of eyes watched the girl. ¡°Since your greatfather is sick, we should take good care of him,¡± Malfev said. Jirot glanced away, still sucking her thumb, but her head darted back towards her greatfather, who rubbed his head with his only hand between drinking his tea. ¡°Jarot, you old fool! What did you say to make our little Jiji cry?¡± Malfev huffed, feigning annoyance. ¡°Hoo! I am so sick, I do not recall exactly what I said...¡± Jarot glanced aside, rubbing his forehead further. ¡°Babo say daddy cannot win!¡± ¡°It would be difficult for your father to defeat your greatfather,¡± Malfev said, allowing the old man to save some face, though he wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was true. ¡°No! Babo cannot beat up Ice Emperor, but daddy is the strongest! Daddy is first place! Daddy can beat up Ice Emperor! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!¡± Jirot declared, her lips trembling as she threatened to cry. ¡°The Ice Emperor?¡± Malfev asked, wondering why the girl was thinking of that fellow. ¡®Ah?¡¯ ¡°Who does he think he is!¡± said a tiny voice, causing Jirot, Malfev, and the old Jarot to look his way. Little Jarot glared with teary eyes, the boy¡¯s eyes narrowed with resolution. ¡°My daddy can beat him up!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Jirot agreed, holding up a fist, and the pair bumped fists. The old one armed Iyrman let out a soft sigh, for though Adam had certainly defeated the Grand Commander with relative ease, in a shocking display of might, the difference between someone like the Ice Emperor and a typical Paragon was almost night and day. Yet... Adam, as an enchanter, in the far future, perhaps after the old man had passed, could forge a set of equipment that would allow him to face the Ice Emperor. Indeed, for though the Iyrman had fought the Ice Emperor, even with that rage of his, the Ice Emperor¡¯s abilities were too grand for him. His grandson, however? While the old man pondered about one of the only figures who had defeated him soundly even after reaching the great height that he had, his grandson decided to reveal how they were related. ¡°Did he do it? Does the glove fit?¡± Adam asked, smiling with such mischief, even Jurot had to pay attention to the half elf¡¯s smile. ¡°Did this fool of a half elf, with his pointy ears, his stupid smirk, his insanely annoying voice, his beautiful wife he doesn¡¯t deserve, did he do it?¡± The Commander held Adam¡¯s eyes, the half elf still glaring deep into them, as though looking through into the old man¡¯s mind. ¡°Last year, you made your way through this area towards Ever Green. I had heard it was because... a child of yours was killed. A child of the Iyr, the rumours suggest.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t believe every rumour that you hear,¡± Adam replied, sipping the rest of his tea. ¡°Did I kill the Vice Commander? Absolutely. I cut his neck clean off. Did I kill his apprentice so he could see? Oh, absolutely. Did I take pleasure in it? A little, sure, but only because I wanted him to feel what I felt. I wanted him to see his apprentice torn in front of him, helpless to act. I wanted him to watch as her head hit the floor, and when it did, splattering the mud all about our boots, I went for his neck. I slaughtered him, like the pig he was.¡± The Commander¡¯s hair stood on end, for the half elf¡¯s eyes were full of viciousness, and his voice, full of rage, but not the loud rage one could nitpick, but the kind of rage which would incite nightmares into one¡¯s heart. ¡°I killed those two, that much was for certain. I killed them before their own, before those of the Orders, before the King, rendered helpless by my brother¡¯s axe.¡± Adam pat Jurot¡¯s shoulder, squeezing it gently, and the Iyrman could feel just how much control the half elf was trying to keep, for his hand nearly trembled. ¡°No one could deny me my justice that day. Not the Orders, not the King, not even the Iyr.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, pulling back as he groaned, trying to rid himself of his anger. An exhaustion filled the half elf, but it was the kind that made him smile. ¡°The Grand Commander, though? Could this little leaf ear fuck kill someone as strong as that? I heard he was a Paragon, which is rather impressive, isn¡¯t it? Could I kill a Paragon though?¡± Jurot wasn¡¯t sure how much he should allow Adam to speak of it. They had spoken of it, that the half elf should keep it vague, but... could he stop his brother from speaking of such a great tale, one which the Iyr had inked into their books, a tale which would go down in history? ¡°I could tell you I was wearing this armour. I could tell you that I wore that red shield, gifted to me by my cousin, not at his sister¡¯s side. I could tell you that I used the sword at Manager Dunes¡¯ side. I could tell you the spells I used, the way I swung my blade, the way it felt as I cut through his neck, the way his head dropped beside my foot, the way I took his blade and gifted it to my adorable cousin Katool, who always bullies me so much, but I forgive her each time, because like the Rot family, like the Gak family, I would die for the Ool family. I would bathe Aldland red, even if it would break my wife¡¯s heart.¡± Adam held the Commander¡¯s gaze, his eyes full of a not so silent fury. ¡°I could tell you so much, but would you believe me? I don¡¯t think so. I think you would think the Iyr was at fault, and you would cause problems for them. Who am I to deny the Iyr their fun?¡± That''s right, our little Jarot! You tell them! [1182] – Y06.082 – Red Oak I ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Adam groaned, rubbing around his eyes with the knuckles of his thumbs. ¡®Hopefully I played it off properly like I¡¯m some kind of idiot, but...¡¯ Jurot could feel Adam¡¯s self pity resonating out towards him, the Iyrman remaining silent as Adam continued to ponder on his mistakes, surely not to learn from it for at least another ten or twenty times, since it was Adam. ¡®I¡¯ve got to be careful since we¡¯re leaving for Dunes,¡¯ Adam thought to himself, berating himself again and again. ¡®Why do I have to be such an idiot?¡¯ ¡®If he was born within the Iyr, he could hold his head with pride,¡¯ Jurot thought. He closed his eyes, thinking of his family¡¯s stories, and even the Gak family, which was a name all but forgotten within Aldland for a thousand years, could act so brazenly due to the fact they were Iyrmen. These complicated emotions swirled within Jurot¡¯s heart, but he killed each strand of emotion one by one. ¡®Adam will be fine, since he is Adam.¡¯ ¡°I hope my prayer managed to smooth things before we left,¡± Dunes said, flashing a warm smile. ¡°Perhaps I should do the same for the upcoming fortresses?¡± ¡°Yeah, that was a great idea,¡± Adam admitted, letting out another small sigh of annoyance, directed wholly towards himself for being a fool. ¡°For the rest of the forts, we... I guess? If you want to pray, who am I to stop you, and I won¡¯t stop someone who prays to Lady Arya either.¡± Dunes smiled, for though Adam held a particular affinity for Lord Sozain, or Baktu as the Iyr would call him, the half elf was someone who dared to take shots at the Divine. However, Lady Arya was someone the half elf also held respect for, and in some ways, he treated her more respectfully than even Lord Sozain. The Priest beamed with a bright smile towards the half elf. As the gates of Red Oak, a pair of guards stood, adorned in their chain and wielding their spears. Their faces were covered by their helmets, but there was no doubt they wore smiled upon their faces, for the sun rose in the east, and they were on duty at the West Gate, the best place for guard duty during noonval. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this?¡± Marie called, eyeing up the carriages approaching Red Oak from the west. ¡°So many carriages?¡± ¡°From the west?¡± Mary asked, surprised. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be the ones to mark down a decent sum of silver!¡± ¡°If they¡¯re coming from the west, that means they didn¡¯t head to Eagle Wing? So will they even have enough silver?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t snuff my lantern like that!¡± Marie rolled her eyes, before they snapped upon the flags of the carriage, then down towards the drivers of the carriage. ¡°Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Are they sending people to help our their Chief?¡± ¡°Was it the Chief who went east?¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I thought it was the other one. Elder... Peace?¡± ¡°Oh is that so? Oh that is so.¡± Mary thought back to the serene woman she had seen. ¡°The Chief, he¡¯s the one with the sword, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°The one that¡¯s bone and steel?¡± ¡°Aye, that¡¯s the one,¡± Mary stated, recalling seeing the beautifully horrifying blade up close when the Chief had made his way through previously. Marie stood a little taller as the carriage approached closer, her sister doing the same, and the carriage coming to a stop before them a short while later. Marie exchanged a look with Mary, who allowed the woman to step forward to inspect the carriages. ¡°Iyrmen, what¡¯s your business,¡± Marie called out, stepping towards Tanagek, who hopped off the carriage, and reached into his cloak, holding out the noisy pouch. She accepted the pouch, noting the glint of silver, and she eyed up the steeds and carriages. ¡°Jurot,¡± Tanagek called out, knocking upon the carriage. ¡°What¡¯s your business?¡± Marie asked as Jurot loomed over her. ¡°We of the United Kindom have business in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°Aswadasad? What are you going to be doing there?¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot fell quiet for a moment in thought. ¡°We have business in Aswadasad as the United Kindom, and we have business there as Iyrmen.¡± ¡°...¡± Marie slowly bowed her head. ¡°What are you carrying in all these carriages?¡± ¡°People, and goods to gift,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Who will you be gifting these goods to?¡± Marie asked, since she would need to write the report. ¡°We wish to gift these items to various leaders in the lands, to form good relations, and to assist against the Reavers.¡± Marie inhaled sharply, gently nodding her head, since the Iyrman had spoken so firmly. If an Iyrman was telling her something, she believed it. ¡°It¡¯s a gold for the caravan, a silver per head.¡° ¡°There is forty silver.¡± ¡°How many people?¡± ¡°Over twenty.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to check.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Marie slipped her head into the carriages, noting the figure in purple, raising her brows since that was something which tickled the back of her brain, but upon seeing the holy symbols, she bowed her head, and nodded towards each of the other figures. She did the same within each of the carriages, and did her best to take into consideration everything out of the ordinary within the carriages, before they allowed the group within. ¡°Trouble?¡± Mary whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t think so... a lot of Iyrmen.¡± ¡°How many?¡± ¡°At least half were Iyrmen, maybe more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of Iyrmen...¡± ¡°They¡¯re just going about giving gifts, probably due to the...¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Marie narrowed her eyes, for while recalling what had happened in the previous year, she remembered mention of purple armour. ¡°I need to inform the Captain.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Mary nodded to her sister, letting her step away, another guard quickly replacing her as the carriage made its way through the bustling town. The news of their arrival quickly made its way to the Countess, who left the group be that day, too busy with other matters to try and meet with them. The stone walls around the inn provided the group much comfort from the world outside, while the wooden buildings stood tall, easily five stories tall, with the corners at least six stories. While the rooms were small cubes, they were well furnished, and provided a greater security from prying eyes, while the centre of the inn was spacious, a large garden in which they could enjoy the open air. It was almost like the shared estates of the Iyr, though bigger in many ways, and smaller in other ways. Plus, it was affordable. ¡®Thank the Divine,¡¯ Adam thought, for it was a reasonable price of a gold per head, though Adam spotted Jurot handing over a small gem easily worth an additional ten gold. He decided he didn¡¯t see the trading of the gem, though he didn¡¯t see what else they had traded as the Iyrman made his way out, travelling through Red Oak to complete his Iyrmanly business. The food was simple, plain, but the drinks, which were not including within the gold per head, were far greater. ¡°I did not expect us to stay here,¡± Amokan admitted, catching Kitool¡¯s eyes. ¡°The rooms, fine. The food, fine. The drinks...¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Timojin stated, but not in the same way one might state the word when they were feeling upset, but rather the way one might describe wine. Kitool placed down a gem, but not any gem, for this was an onyx. It was more than what she made monthly as an Executive, for the gem was worth fifty gold. The workers swiftly brought the group bottles of wine, one for each group. Tagak poured Laygak a cup of wine, and offered the bottle to the Iyrman, who poured his younger sister her own cup of wine, while Taygak poured her elder cousin, Tagak, a cup. The trio raised their cups and sipped the sweet wine, Tagak and Laygak exchanging a look, while Taygak ruminated in the moment. This was the first time she had come out as a teen, and she was able to go out and adventure alongside her elder brother. Her elder brother who had slain giant pythons and had fought in a tournament! This was the best! Her elder cousin and brother continued to eat and pour her wine, while Bael remained to one side, eating his potatoes, chicken, and vegetables. He wanted to drink the wine too, but since he had promised the Gaks to take watch in the night to allow them to eat and drink with Taygak, he kept his tongue dry. ¡®Is this what it means to have an older brother?¡¯ Bael thought, thinking to his own siblings. The lightning flashed in front of Bael¡¯s eyes, and the memory of the searing pain across his skin sobered his thoughts. ¡®If only my siblings had been so sweet...¡¯ Meanwhile, at another inn, Jurot dashed a cup of wine to the side after eating his meal. ¡°The wine is no good.¡± A patron glared at the Iyrman, whose eyes darted to the side to meet hers. The woman stood, reaching for her blade, but the worker quickly bowed her head. ¡°Apologies, mister Iyrman, I shall call the owner!¡± the annoyance rose within the worker, but she fought it away, since the woman had stood up ready to fight an Iyrman on her behalf. ¡®How heroic!¡¯ There''s no way Adam will get into trouble now. [1183] – Y06.083 – Red Oak II As the darkness fell across the sky, Jurot poured them each drinks while Adam reached up with a piece of fruit and fed it to Blues, allowing the bird to eat out from the palm of his hand. The bird remained silent, a request from the inn owner so it didn¡¯t disturb the rest of the patrons, and since she hadn¡¯t asked the Iyrmen to find another inn, they made sure to repay her trust in kind. ¡°To drink in the Red Manor Inn...¡± Amokan began. ¡°It is good,¡± Timojin completed. ¡°Is there something special about the Red Manor Inn¡¯s drinks?¡± ¡°They are good,¡± Amokan replied simply. ¡®I guess they are pretty good, even though everything else is pretty okay?¡¯ Adam thought, sipping the wine which burst with flavour all across his tongue. ¡°It was created by one of the Redoaks, long ago. She promised the people their own Red Manor, and stated it would not be as opulent as her own, but the drinks would be fine indeed.¡± ¡°It was not as opulent as her own, but the drinks are fine indeed,¡± Timojin confirmed, the pair drinking lightly. ¡°Are you two sure yo-,¡± ¡°We are sure,¡± the pair replied, cutting the half elf off. ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Adam huffed, still annoyed they wouldn¡¯t come with him to slay a dragon or two in Aswadasad. ¡°You still need to visit more often! If you make your little brothers and sisters cry... I¡¯ll drag you back myself!¡± The Iyrmen laughed at the half elf, even Jurot let slip a chuckle, causing Adam to furrow his brows towards his brother, wondering just what was so funny. As the laughter died down, they all mellowed within the silence after a good laugh. Amokan glanced aside towards the blade he had placed against the table. It was well built, similar to the blade of his father, which he had practised with when he was a teen. The design cues were inspired by his father¡¯s blade, but the magic within the blade was different. It was the same as the others around him, for Adam had apparently enchanted it to hold an identical effect to his own axe, something which all Iyrmen could utilise with great effectiveness, although if one was an Oathsworn, or a Priest of certain Divine, they would find the blade much more effective within their hands. Timojin also eyed up his own blade, a blade gifted to him from the half elf, whose enchantments were identical to the blade of his best friend, though its design cues had been taken from his father¡¯s blade. His father, who had made quite a name for himself while young, like Tonagek, and yet had retired rather early within the Iyr. One would have thought he would have followed Rajin¡¯s footsteps, but he had delayed his adventures for quite some time, so much time, Timojin wasn¡¯t sure if his father could step out again so easily. Didn¡¯t that just mean the pair of them had to fight for the sake of their families? Since the previous generation had paved the way for them, they would need to travel across such a clear road. Dunes continued to sip at the wine, and made a mental note to have the half elf bring them to stay here whenever they were about. He didn¡¯t mind the simplicity of the ambiance, but the drinks truly were great. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Dunes thought, glancing around the area, before his eyes fell upon his empty plates. ¡®Are the drinks so good because everything else is so plain?¡¯ It was later in the evening, the half elf¡¯s cheeks flushed with red, settled within his bed, that he thought of his home. He thought of the air within the Iyr which could sober one up with its harshness. He thought of the sun¡¯s rays which beat so heavily upon one¡¯s skin. He thought of his wife, who soothed his heart with just a look, and sometimes riled it up with the same look. He thought of his children, one by one, from his eldest to his youngest. He thought of the other children too, from Gurot who allowed the half elf to feed him so easily, to little Minakan who preferred to keep to herself, whereas the younger Minool liked to escape his affection. Then, their faces flashed across his mind. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, my little Ranya, my little Enisa. I¡¯ll bring him back home safely, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡¯ The next morning, everyone gathered together over breakfast, eating their simple porridge, potatoes, and chicken, and though the food was plain, they were able to taste a particular flavour of chicken thanks to the half elf. ¡°I realised you didn¡¯t get to have a taste last night, so tell me what you think!¡± Adam eyed up the pair as they bit into the chicken. ¡°Hmm...¡± Tanagek replied. ¡°It is better than plain chicken.¡± ¡°Better than plain chicken,¡± Chosen confirmed. ¡°It tastes like it should be wet.¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise at Chosen¡¯s words. ¡°Well, you¡¯re right about that, which is scary good. Who are you? Korin?¡± ¡°Korin?¡± Chosen asked, though he felt as though he knew that name from Adam¡¯s stories. ¡®Ah! The Oathsworn who could cook?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m disappointed that you don¡¯t like it that much, but at the same time, everyone is entitled to their opinions, no matter how wrong they could be.¡± Adam crossed his arms, revealing just how annoyed he was with their lack of praise for such a flavour. ¡®Seriously, if only your taste was as good as the way you swung your swords!¡¯ After giving the half elf a chance to calm down, the group began to discuss their plans now that they were in Red Oak and were losing two of the Iyrmen. ¡°Should we drink?¡± Nirot asked, wishing to order another bottle for the start of the day. ¡°We might have to leave today,¡± Laygak replied. ¡°Would we really...¡± Nirot let out a defeated sigh, since they were travelling with Adam, who wasn¡¯t known for his ability to rest. ¡®At least we are taking carriages this time.¡¯ The Iyrmen could recall the blisters which had plagued them when they travelled with the half elf, though it was the wounds of the good fights that made it all worth it. Mana: 34 -> 31 Spell: Sending ¡°Lord Marshal! Good morning! We wish to make our way to Floria. We have a gift for the King to make things right.¡± ¡®What gift is this?¡¯ Mana: 31 -> 28 Spell: Sending ¡°The good kind! A lovely magical weapon, though that is just to start, since we have a greater offer.¡± ¡®Very well.¡¯ Laygak glanced aside to the half elf who had finished casting his spell, with the workers glancing towards the half elf, but leaving him be due to the Iyrman¡¯s warnings, and the fact that Adam was still technically a Priest, which soothed some of the workers, who were glad to see a Priest casting spells. Upon seeing their reactions, Adam smiled. ¡°Brother Dunes, Brother Mork, would you care to lead a prayer this morning?¡± Mork made a motion with his hand which looked exactly the same as how Adam would gesture a mobile phone, the excitement filling the half elf, though it quickly dissipated when he realised what Mork was asking for, and Jurot nodded to promise the Priest. Tork grumbled towards his brother, who held the bottle of wine to his cheek, rubbing along it tenderly. ¡°We are working, Mork!¡± ¡°Are we?¡± Mork replied, raising his brow. ¡®At least you waited until we were within the carriage before acting the fool.¡¯ Tork glanced aside towards Ashmir, who wore a skin full of water, and another full of wine. ¡®I should have filled a skin with wine too...¡¯ ¡°You guys, I¡¯m serious!¡± Adam grabbed their forearms and shook them. ¡°Alright?¡± ¡°We will consider it,¡± Amokan promised. ¡°It will be difficult,¡± Timojin replied more pragmatically. ¡°Seriously!¡± Adam slipped each of them a gem worth fifty gold a piece. ¡°You won¡¯t refuse a gift from your cousin, will you?¡± ¡°We will be sure to spend them upon gifts for the children,¡± Amokan replied. Adam let out a huff, though he smirked slightly, shaking his forearm. ¡°At least you know how to spend it wisely!¡± ¡°Iyrmen are always good at spending gold,¡± Timojin stated. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam laughed with them but as the laughter died down, the half elf tensed up, trying his best to let them slip through his fingers. He caught their eyes, the half elf inhaling sharply. ¡°Thank you... again.¡± Amokan placed a hand one of Adam¡¯s shoulder, as Timojin did the other. ¡°Please give the Priest Commander our greetings,¡± Amokan said. ¡°If you want to give it to him, you can come along!¡± ¡°It would be awkward for us to come along, since grandfather crippled one of their greatest warriors when they were travelling through Aldland,¡± Timojin said. ¡°What? You didn¡¯t tell me that!¡± Adam thought about Uwajin who was coming along, the woman no doubt already snoozing away within the carriage. ¡°It was her own fault,¡± Timojin said, but let the story drop, especially since he was taking someone else with him, who had crippled one of their greatest warriors during her time in Aswadasad. Full of stress, the half elf left within his carriage, the group making their way southward towards the fort. Amokan and Timojin watched the three carriages slip out of the southern gate, while the guards glanced towards the pair, vaguely recognising the pair. ¡°Can we do it?¡± Amokan asked. ¡°...¡± ¡°Can we reach for the title of Chief while returning to the Iyr?¡± ¡°It would be an impressive feat,¡± Timojin replied. The pair remained silent for a long moment, ruminating upon the thought. They smiled. They better spoil their precious little siblings! [1184] – Y06.084 – Trouble in Floria I The fort walls loomed tall, the walls far more impressive than when they were first made, for the stone walls had replaced the wooden logs which had been staked into the earth, and the soldiers upon the walls held a keen edge. ¡°Halt!¡± shouted a soldier from atop the walls. ¡°What is your business here?¡± ¡°We are making our way to Gold Port,¡± Tanagek replied. ¡°What is your business within Gold Port?¡± ¡°We are travelling to Aswadasad.¡± ¡°What is your business in Aswadasad?¡± ¡°It is our business.¡± The soldier glared at Tanagek, who returned the glare back towards her. ¡°Do you possess the fees?¡± Tanagek held the pouch, full of silver, more than enough to pay the one silver per head, plus the ten silver for the caravan. They had yet to increase the price to include an additional ten silver, but since they were upon the border, the group had paid the additional ten silver. The soldier felt the heaviness of the coin within the pouch and she nodded, checking within each of the carriages, while a group of other soldiers trained their crossbows upon the drivers. She raised her brow in shock at how many individuals were within the carriages, and as her eyes passed Adam, they darted back towards him. ¡®Purple armour?¡¯ ¡°Hello,¡± Adam said, smiling politely, trying to motion towards his holy symbol. ¡®Oh? Is that a threat since it¡¯s Baktu?¡¯ ¡°You...¡± the soldier began, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Are you the Crazy Father?¡± Adam¡¯s smile dropped, the half elf¡¯s cheeks turning a gentle pink, though quickly turned a deeper shade of red as the laughter from the other carriage filled the air. Her eyes snapped towards the rest of the figures within, her heart pounding in her chest, her hand firmly gripping the hilt of her blade, while the others within the carriage remained completely relaxed, save for one, though Adam pressed his elbow against Jonn¡¯s arm to try and pin him. ¡®Come on, man! Read the room!¡¯ It wasn¡¯t long before the soldier slipped away, her heart still pounding wildly within her chest. A moment later the Commander of the fort appeared, surrounded by a handful of knights, followed by another twenty soldiers, while others lined the walls of the fortress. Jurot¡¯s eyes darted to the soldiers, each adorned in chain shirts, carrying a spear and a shield, meaning they were those who were still going through basic training or who had finished it, though judging by the lack of wear upon the armour, they were certainly a newly formed company. However, the knights surrounding the woman were adorned in full plate, each wearing long cloaks that demanded respect, while the woman herself wore finer armour, whose equipment was entirely magical, if he was a betting man. The woman removed her helmet to reveal her pretty face, fashioned into a stern expression. Her chestnut hair was cut short, her hazel eyes holding a glare focused upon the half elf, but it was the blade at her side, made of red oak, but the hilt was lined with silver, meaning she was from that family. ¡°I am Commander Lottie Cherryoak,¡± the woman called, already telling the Iyrmen enough of who she was, her relationship to the Countess, but also far more than most others could pick up. ¡°Are you the one who murdered the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts?¡± ¡°Murder implies it was unlawful,¡± the half elf replied. ¡°I killed them upon another¡¯s land, subsequently pardoned by the ruler of that land.¡± While Adam paid attention to the young noble, who was roughly their age, but was certainly at least an Expert, Jurot¡¯s eyes fell upon one of her knights, standing tall and strong. She held her greatblade within her arms, cradled almost like a babe over her shoulder. That blade of hers was more infamous than her, and she was already a terrifying monster of a woman, a Grandmaster by the age of forty, something which was impressive even for an Iyrman. For a moment, the thought slipped into Jurot¡¯s heart. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be too bad if a fight broke out? The woman held out a hand towards the group. ¡°I command you to disarm yourselves at once!¡± ¡®Ah,¡¯ Jurot thought, realising he may have willed such into existence. ¡®How stupid do you think I am?¡¯ Adam thought, before his eyes darted towards Mork, who side eyed the half elf with a small smirk upon his face. ¡°We refuse,¡± called a voice, but not Mork as one might have expected, for Jurot stepped forward. ¡®Should you have stepped forward?¡¯ Tanagek thought. ¡®I should have stepped forward instead,¡¯ Chosen thought. ¡®Jurot...¡¯ Kitool thought. Nirot¡¯s lips twitched into a smirk, though it quickly dropped as Naqokan caught it, the young woman raising her brows towards Nirot. ¡°Just who do you think you are?¡± the Commander snarled towards the Iyrman, but her knight leaned in to whisper something into her ear, and the Commander fell quiet in thought. Jurot and the knight glared towards one another, the pair locked within their own battle of glares, a conversation playing out with their gazes. ¡®If you wish for vengeance, I stand before you,¡¯ Jurot said with his eyes. The response was an annoyed silence, not that the Iyrman seemed to mind. ¡®Why are they glaring at one another so much?¡¯ Uwajin thought, the woman yawning lightly, her eyes falling upon the mountain of a woman. ¡®She rests her blade over her shoulder?¡¯ ¡°You have such courage to stand before me,¡± the giant of a woman finally said to the Iyrman. ¡°Is it courageous to stand before you?¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Ah!¡± Uwajin finally let out a gasp. ¡°You must be Rock Bear¡¯s daughter!¡± It was then the Iyrmen remembered, it wasn¡¯t just the Mad Dog who had caused a mess within Aldland. ¡°Do I know you?¡± ¡°Grandfather killed your father,¡± Uwajin said, rubbing her eye, before catching the woman¡¯s eyes through her visor with a tired look, though a smile crept upon her face, one that was too innocent. Adam reached for his axe, but a hand at his shoulder stopped him, and because the half elf was surrounded by all those he trusted, his body naturally obeyed. As the well built man held the half elf, his brother stepped out, arms held out, literally welcoming the large blade with open arms, which missed him by a hair¡¯s width, the blade landing into the earth. No Iyrman had made a move, though Uwajin had drawn her blade, without realising, in order to face the Rock Bear¡¯s daughter, but she had stopped as the body blocked her. ¡°It is such wonderful weather we¡¯re having, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mork said, smiling so innocently towards the woman who had almost cleaved Uwajin in half. ¡°Brother... do you intend to step forward to protect her?¡± the woman asked, her voice full of a growl. ¡°Indeed, I do!¡± Mork laughed playfully, doing his best to lighten the mood within the air, since it had suddenly gotten so awkward. ¡°I am certain that your Commander did not ask me to disarm myself, but just in case, I made sure not to draw my blade against you.¡± ¡°Certainly not,¡± the woman confirmed. ¡°I should ask that you show some mercy here today, for I believe this is all a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°A misunderstanding?¡± ¡°Uwajin suffers from a condition which causes her to remain sleepy throughout the day, and I am certain that she has nothing but respect for you, since the Iyr holds no ill will when it comes to fights which are fought fairly.¡± ¡°Was it a fair fight?¡± The way she had spoken was as though she had placed a blade over the Brother¡¯s neck, and suddenly, Mork had wished he had heard the tale from Uwajin. ¡°Yes?¡± Uwajin replied. ¡°Grandfather said of all the Aldishmen, it was the Rock Bear who fought honourably. At that time, grandfather and he fought over a misunderstanding. Grandfather wished to kill the Lord, and Rock Bear fought on the Lord¡¯s behalf. It was upon the ending of the duel, Rock Bear accepted the death, and grandfather let the Lord live out of respect. It is why grandfather returned your blade to you.¡± The woman remained silent. It wasn¡¯t for an Iyrman to lie, and considering how the young woman was ready to draw her blade to fight, she also wasn¡¯t trying to avoid a fight. Though her yawned filled the woman with annoyance, there was something she said which made her think deeply. ¡®It is why grandfather returned your blade to you.¡¯ It had taken quite some time for her to retrieve her father¡¯s blade from the brigands, though? Uwajin remained at the ready, however, since there were few warriors who had impressed her grandfather, especially someone who had fought him with a single arm, thanks to the Mad Dog. Nirot side eyed Uwajin curiously, having forgotten that Rock Bear had been killed by the Bearded Dragon a few years later, only after the warriors almost killed the Bearded Dragon. The problem was, however, that the young woman wore full plate armour, meaning he hadn¡¯t passed on his rage dance to her. ¡®What a shame...¡¯ The Iyrmen worried little for how they were still surrounded by so many soldiers, rather focused upon the tale that would be told in the future. These Iyrmen have such high body counts. [1185] – Y06.085 – Trouble in Floria II Mountain Bear leaned in to the Commander¡¯s ear, whispering a few words, and the Commander flushed slightly. This was the perfect chance to finally make a name for herself after all, but as her eyes took in the sight of the various Iyrmen, and the viciousness within their eyes, she realised mistakes could be made if she handled this situation poorly. ¡°You will need to remain outside the walls, for this is a troubling matter,¡± the Commander finally said, which was still a failure on her part, but at the very least, she had gained valuable information about the Iyrmen here. ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied, realising this was the best they could do, however that didn¡¯t mean the trouble was already over. They would need to somehow smooth things over, otherwise the Aldish may make this small issue so much bigger, and that would be troublesome for his brother, and the business. ¡°We appreciate your graciousness, but we will settle ourselves within the hills,¡± Kitool informed the Commander, bowing her head lightly towards the woman. The Commander let out a small sigh of relief, and she bowed her head, allowing the group to continue on their way. Uwajin smiled towards Mountain Bear, bowing her head respectfully, gaining a small bow of acknowledgement. ¡®It is a shame we cannot share tales, since she does not know the truth?¡¯ ¡°Just how many people did the old geezer kill?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Many,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°He crippled almost as many as he killed.¡± ¡°Damn, that¡¯s crazy...¡± Adam whispered, reminded of his grandfather¡¯s reign of terror once more. ¡°Rock Bear was a great warrior,¡± Jurot recalled. ¡°Grandfather took his arm, but it did little to slow down the old warrior. Even without his arm, he almost killed granduncle.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked, his voice full of awe. ¡®Damn! The Aldishmen have some crazy monsters themselves, huh?¡¯ ¡°That blade is also a great blade, which has helped his family,¡± the Iyrman stated. ¡°It¡¯s just a Great blade, but they¡¯re still that strong?¡± ¡°No, it is Greater Enhanced.¡± ¡°I thought you-, oh, right, I got you.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡®I really do need to change those terms somehow...¡¯ ¡°The blade is Greater Enhanced, but wielded by those who inherit its will, it is Legendary Enhanced.¡± ¡°Oh! Whoa! So it¡¯s sort of like Gentle Rain?¡± ¡°Quiet Rain,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn...¡± ¡°It is greater than Quiet Rain.¡± Adam whistled. ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°It hurts.¡± ¡°It hurts?¡± ¡°Brother Mork may have died.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Adam glanced aside towards the other carriage, which contained the Brother, who had apparently been so close to death. ¡°I saw my life flash before my eyes,¡± Mork admitted. ¡°Why did you step forward?¡± ¡°Since they brought me a drink, I should step forward,¡± Mork stated simply, causing his brother to blink. ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± ¡°Must you ask?¡± ¡°Right...¡± Tork rubbed his forehead. ¡®What am I going tah do with you?¡¯ Meanwhile at the fort, the Commander wondered if she should have let him go. Instead of dwelling on it, she wrote a report and quickly sent it off back to Red Oak. It was only after she had noticed the young teen that she had realised just how wise her decision she had made, since technically she had threatened a child of the Iyr, though since they hadn¡¯t mentioned anything, it should be fine. Right? Mana: 28 -> 25 Mork blinked, recalling how the half elf had already cast two Third Gate spells that day, and yet this was certainly a third. No, that wasn¡¯t the biggest issue, since this spell was not a Priest¡¯s spell, as far as he was aware. ¡°Alright! I¡¯m going to be taking a bath first...¡± Adam glanced aside towards Taygak. ¡°No, wait. Taygak, Nirot, Naqokan, Uwajin, you four have your baths first, I¡¯ll go in... after everyone else has already taken a bath.¡± Mork watched as the half elf¡¯s face went from shame to shame, before finally accepting the worst time to bathe, if nothing else so that his heart remained soothed by the lack of guilt. ¡®Why are you worried about that when...¡¯ Tork placed a hand on Mork¡¯s shoulder, and as Mork glanced over his shoulder, he followed Tork¡¯s gaze to meet Dunes¡¯ gaze. The Aswadian Priest shook his head lightly, and returned back to cooking the meal for that day. Mork decided to follow the Brother¡¯s advice and decided against thinking too deeply about Adam and the ridiculousness which surrounded him. The half elf had already shocked him with how quickly Adam had formed a ditch with his magic, casting his trick about to shift the earth around, while the Iyrmen had staked the earth with nearby trees they had swiftly cut down. Even Taygak had assisted, the teen having kept in rhythm with her cousins. ¡®It is no wonder the Iyrmen are so eager for war when their youth are so well prepared...¡¯ Adam waited for his turn to bathe, the half elf staring up at the darkening sky. It had been a while since they had camped out in the open, the others telling him he couldn¡¯t form a tower within the last fort in order not to draw any attention to themselves. Thankfully he had requisitioned a water basin for himself, or rather, Mork had done so in order to clean himself for prayer, which Dunes and Adam had also used. ¡®Should I send word back to-,¡¯ A horn blasted through the air from nearby, and though the half elf filled with a tension, he let out a small sigh of annoyance. An arrow fell towards the group, landing firmly within the earth, with a small note attached to the back of it. Adam eyed up the strangers who had shot it, before quickly realising just what they were, adorned in their chain, riding their horses, and wielding their bows. Kitool read the note, nodding towards Jurot, and the pair approached the soldiers. After a small conversation, the riders followed along towards the large group, and seeing the number of Iyrmen, they bowed their heads. They then glanced down towards Adam, noting the half elf and his tattoo, before glancing back aside towards the rest. ¡°You should be careful, there are Reavers about,¡± one of the soldiers said. ¡°There were some further west in Aldland,¡± Kitool replied. ¡°They were further in Aldland? Where?¡± the soldier asked, suddenly far more interested in this information than the people. ¡°Near the Iyr¡¯s land, towards the west of Red Oak.¡± ¡°Near the Iyr¡¯s land?¡± ¡°Near it, but not upon,¡± Kitool stated firmly. The soldier quickly jotted it down within her book. ¡°Is there anything else you can tell us?¡± ¡°They are strong. It is estimated they were at the level of a Grandmaster, Mithril.¡± The soldiers could feel the chill creep within their hearts, and as the Iyrman volunteered no more information, they eyed up the area. ¡°It seems you aren¡¯t ill prepared at least.¡± The soldiers politely greeted the Priests, and made to leave, up until they greeted the half elf with the symbol of Baktu. A half elf who wore the symbol of the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death? ¡°Are you...¡± ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± the half elf replied. ¡°Adam, was it?¡± the soldier asked, keeping the half elf¡¯s gaze upon her own. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s me,¡± Adam replied, letting out another small sigh of annoyance, smiling that kind of smile that did not mean he was happy. ¡°Let me guess, I¡¯m not welcome here?¡± ¡°You are not.¡± ¡°Oh... really?¡± Adam asked, half surprised at the very expected answer. ¡°You are banned from entering this land.¡± ¡°I am? I didn¡¯t hear this from Lord Royce when we chatted earlier in the day.¡± ¡°You spoke with Lord Marshal Royce?¡± the soldier asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. ¡°I¡¯m a Priest. I cast Sending to speak with him.¡± The soldier blinked, realising that it checked out, and she flushed lightly. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Well, I told him we came bearing a gift for the King, as well as an offer.¡± ¡°What is this gift, and what is this offer?¡± ¡°The gift is a magical weapon. The offer is to procure more, during a time when the Reavers are rampaging across the land.¡± Adam smiled innocently, with that kind of smile and that kind of innocence, towards the soldier, who was currently calculating the matter within her mind. The soldier pulled away upon her horse, whispering to the others, eyeing up the group. If they hadn¡¯t been full of so many Iyrmen, there was no way they would have risked even conversing with them. However, if the Crazy Father was there, this was an entirely different matter. However, however, if the Crazy Father had come to do business, then could they really refuse him? ¡°Do you represent a business?¡± the soldier finally asked. ¡°I do. I am Executive Adam, High Alchemist of the United Kindom, and if someone doesn¡¯t want me around, that¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll take our business to Aldland, where it is more welcome.¡± Adam smiled innocently. ¡°Is what he says true?¡± the woman asked, her eyes firmly fixated upon Kitool¡¯s. ¡°Yes,¡± Kitool replied, since technically everything Adam said was true, from a certain point of view. ¡°What business is this?¡± Once Kitool explained the business to the soldier, and their roles within them, with a heavy implication that if they refused Adam, they wouldn¡¯t do business with Floria. The soldier thought deeply on the matter, since losing access to an Enchanter like this was a terrible idea. ¡°I will speak with the Commander,¡± the soldier eventually said. ¡°Remain here, and we will arrive at noon with our answer.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Kitool replied. Adam let out another annoyed sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise killing a child murderer was going to bring so much trouble. I would have at least had some fun.¡± He killed them too quickly, too cleanly. [1186] – Y06.086 – Trouble in Floria III The stars twinkled above, one of the brighter stars leading their way back towards the fort, though one might have thought it was the path their horses were following which led them back to their fort. The soldiers kept an eye upon the surrounding trees, in case the Reavers leapt out to attack them, especially after hearing that the Reavers had managed to slip through their land as far as towards the Iyr. ¡°Sister, shouldn¡¯t we have-,¡± ¡°Captain,¡± the soldier corrected. ¡°Sister Captain, shouldn¡¯t we have-,¡± ¡°Captain!¡± ¡°Alright, alright! By the Divine!¡± the young woman huffed, shaking her head as she rode up towards her elder sister. ¡°Cap! Tain! Should not, I dare suggest, we have arrested him?¡± Seeing as how she was being so annoying, the Captain inhaled deeply, bracing herself to berate her younger sister. ¡°Our duty is to scout the lands, not arrest every random fellow who stumbles their way upon the border.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just any random fellow, now is he? He¡¯s a leaf ear.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°After what happened in Rock Hill, how could he have the shame to come to our land?¡± The younger sister glanced back towards the other scout, each who nodded their heads subconsciously, since she did have a point. ¡°Why are you so worried about what happened to Rock Hill? We were not the ones who lost our family.¡± ¡°But-,¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! Who is to say he was there when it all happened? It was the elves who massacred the town, not the half elves who travel this land.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what they want you to think! How else could they-,¡± ¡°Enough about Rock Hill!¡± the Captain snapped, glaring back towards the rest of the soldiers. ¡°You all need to think about what you saw, and not think about the future that shouldn¡¯t happen! Must I be the one to remind you they were escorting one of their children?¡± ¡°They were escorting a child?¡± ¡°The horned one who sat within the circle of all those other Iyrmen! She wore no tattoos upon her head, what do you think that means?¡± ¡°How do we know she¡¯s an Iyrman?¡± ¡°The Divine have given you eyes to see, but you cannot see, a brain to think, but you cannot think, a mouth to speak, at least have the decency not to speak!¡± ¡®An Iyrman child?¡¯ the younger sister thought, not caring that her sister was ranting so viciously at her, not for the first time that day, and probably not the last. The other soldiers sobered up as they rode back towards the fort. If the teen was truly an Iyrman¡¯s child, then their Captain¡¯s actions suddenly made far more sense, and the presence of three different Priests probably made up for the lack of powerful figures. Although, then again, who was the old Aswadian man? Was that half dragon someone like Vasera? What about the Crazy Father? Was he really as strong as the rumours said? ¡°Hey, Captain...¡± the younger sister whispered, riding up until she was beside her elder sister. ¡°You really think his children are... you know?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a rumour,¡± the Captain replied. ¡°You know how the Orders are, they¡¯ll say anything to justify what they did.¡± ¡°So you think they killed his children?¡± ¡°Goblins and demons as children? I doubt it. Still, I heard the children were Iyrmen, but...¡± The Captain wasn¡¯t sure. If the children were Iyrmen children, then they would have caused an even bigger mess. ¡®They did say that the Order went to greet them and they were all slaughtered. Does that mean they really did kill Iyrmen children? Why would an Order do that? They know how crazy the Iyrmen are...¡¯ The fire crackled and as Adam returned after his bath, wearing his pyjamas, though his axe remained at his side, and his shield within arm¡¯s reach. The half elf dropped beside the rest of his companions, letting out a low sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we were going to camp out tonight, that¡¯s my bad,¡± Adam apologised, smiling awkwardly to the Priests beside him. ¡°We expected as much,¡± Dunes said, though upon seeing Mork¡¯s eyes, the Priest apparently hadn¡¯t expected such. ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡°Once we get to Gold Port, let¡¯s find a nice place to stay! I¡¯ll be sure to find some nobles to rip off too, so we can continue funding our journey.¡± Adam chuckled, taking a bite of the porridge, leaving his cheese and cracker for later. ¡°It has been a while since we camped out like this...¡± Dunes tried to recall the last time, realising when it was, and he cleared his throat. ¡°Though I can¡¯t say that I have missed it.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, we may camp out,¡± Jurot said, recalling the map within his mind. ¡°We may camp north of Ever Green and continue east to the Order.¡± ¡°The Order?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Order of the Blooming Bellflower, which has taken over the land of the previous Order when they were exiled,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Do we have any issues with the Bellflower Order?¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot glanced aside to Kitool. ¡°It is uncertain.¡± ¡°Did I kill any of them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s fine then.¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡®Seriously, just how much trouble am I going to...¡¯ ¡°Yes?¡± Jurot asked, noting the way Adam was looking at him. ¡°Did your old man kill any of them?¡± ¡°The Order did not exist when grandfather travelled through the land,¡± Jurot replied, though his eyes glancing aside suggested that there was something. ¡°Are we going to be in much trouble once we meet them?¡± ¡°The matter of trouble is up to them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Before we continue, did any of your grandfathers, grandmother, granduncles, grandaunts, fathers, mothers, and so on, kill any of those related to the new Orders?¡± Adam asked, trying to gather how much trouble they¡¯ll face while in the land. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± The chorus of responses from the Iyrmen beat the half elf like a hammer, causing him to shrink further, while his heart ached. ¡°The newly formed Orders are not quite like the Orders of those from Aldland,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°They are smaller, weaker, and the King will likely form more. However, they are still a force to be reckoned with, for the King may have restricted them in some way, he will surely shower them in his favour so they will be able to deal with the established Orders of Aldland.¡± ¡°Seriously...¡± Adam sighed, before his entire body jolted, the half elf wide awake. For a moment, such an action forced the rest of the Iyrmen into a state of alertness one could only expect from the Iyr, but upon seeing how Ashmir and Bael were both still relaxed, it mostly likely wasn¡¯t because Adam had spotted a threat. ¡°Hold on!¡± Adam reached out to Jurot¡¯s shoulder, staring at his brother, but also staring through the Iyrman. ¡°Hold on! Wait! Wait!¡± Adam could feel it. There was something within Jurot¡¯s words that had caused the half elf¡¯s mind to stir to life. What was it? What was it? Dunes furrowed his brows as the half elf¡¯s mind raced, for he had acted such a fool for so long, that when a spark of brilliance finally burned brightly, it needed a long while to burn. ¡°Wait, wait, wait!¡± Adam snapped, reaching up to his forehead, rubbing it as to try and coax out the geniusness that was dancing through his mind. The others hadn¡¯t seen Adam like this before, but almost all of them understood what Adam was doing. Dunes remained silent, watching as Adam tried to force the thought through, almost certain he knew what Adam was thinking about, the only problem being that Adam was insane, so he may have been thinking about something else entirely, like how to spoil his children, rather than the obvious thought which was how could he try to use that knowledge to try and propel the business forward. ¡°Couldn¡¯t we help out with that?¡± Adam finally spluttered out, the excitement filling the half elf, a wide grin spreading across his face, the light reaching even his eyes. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Dunes thought, impressed that Adam had finally acted as one might have expected a reasonable and intelligent person to act. ¡®My son has grown up!¡¯ As noon welcomed the group, who had enjoyed another bath that morning, the large number of soldiers marched from the path towards them, led by a figure upon horseback, at least a dozen other mounted soldiers, followed by close to a hundred soldiers, each of whom glared at the group. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ the Commander thought, approaching the half elf, who wore a smile which completely disarmed the Commander, which only piled onto the stress. ¡°Oh!¡± Adam called towards the Commander, who was adorned in full plate of finely crafted steel, with a familiar ornate blade at his side. ¡°Commander Silvercloud, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Silversky,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Oh, right! Sorry about that, I¡¯m still no good with names.¡± The half elf continued to beam at the Commander with the brightest of smiles. Commander Silversky froze in place. Ever since he had met the half elf, his hair had begun to whiten rapidly. If it wasn¡¯t the ancient evil which had awoken after their first meeting, which happened after the half elf had gone blow for blow with the Lord Marshal, it was the fact he had passed his fort in order to kill the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts the previous year. Except, in each of those times, the half elf had been a little bit of a troublemaker, or completely serious, but this time, surrounded by mounted soldiers, outnumbered at least four to one, the half elf was completely relaxed. ¡®What misfortune do you bring this day?¡¯ He certainly is his daughter''s father. [1187] – Y06.087 – Trouble in Floria IV The old man continued to huff as his metal leg struck the stone beneath, with a single arm wrapped around his back, while he continued to shuffle about from side to side. The estates continued to swap places as he shifted around upon his good foot, not wishing for his ire. ¡°Mad Dog,¡± called an Iyrman, waving a hand towards the one armed and one legged Iyrman. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I am walking!¡± the Mad Dog replied, full of annoyance. ¡°Yes?¡± the Iyrman dared to ask, refusing the hint from the Mad Dog¡¯s tone. The old man let out a long sigh, feeling the rage simmer within him, but he forced it away. His knee pulsed from how the metal leg still dug into his flesh through his clothing, though the leather straps around his leg and waist pulled away much of the stress. ¡°I have fought for the Iyr for decades! Is this old man not allowed to walk?¡± The Iyrman chuckled, waving a hand towards the old man, who bowed his head, and the Iyrman pulled away, glancing aside to another. ¡°Why is he walking around?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± the other admitted. ¡°He has paced for some time now.¡± The various bells rung in the air and the old man straightened up, no longer pacing, waiting patiently as the children began to swarm onto the road. ¡°Babo!¡± cried a voice who had instantly found the Iyrman, the pair charging towards the old man. ¡°Ho! My Jirot, my Jarot, you were here?¡± the Mad Dog called, as though he hadn¡¯t spent the last half hour walking around nearby waiting for them. Jirot and Jarot hugged their greatfather close, pulling apart for a moment, and before the excitement could burst forth, the old man reached out a hand and accepted the triplets, who embraced him close. ¡®So that is why they were so distracted,¡¯ the Iyrman teacher thought, watching the triplets hold onto their babo. ¡®I will have to inform the Family Head to...¡¯ The Iyrman¡¯s thoughts dropped there for obvious reasons. ¡®To think the Mad Dog would behave like this,¡¯ the nearby Iyrmen thought, as the old man showered his greatchildren in his affection, before limping away with them, each of the children yapping away about their day excitedly. ¡®To think someone who caused so much trouble could behave so...¡¯ The Mad Dog¡¯s stories were well known, indeed, for they were among the best of his generation. Many of the children had grown up hearing his tales, and even those that were his grandchildren¡¯s peers grew up hearing of such tales. So it was a surprise to hear how meek the Iyrman could behave. Had it not been for the mess he had made at the fort in the previous year, and him slaying a Vice Commander on the way to cause such a mess, one might have lost he had lost his fangs. Who could match the chaos caused by the Mad Dog? ¡°Sure,¡± Adam said, causing a wave of confusion. The soldiers had half expected Adam to put up a fight, and even his companions glared curiously at the half elf. What was most peculiar was that even his own brother was giving him a queer look, though the stone face quickly returned back to the Iyrman. ¡°If that¡¯s what you gotta do, that¡¯s what you gotta do, right?¡± Adam replied playfully, flashing a warm smile towards the Commander. ¡°You¡¯ll allow yourself to be arrested?¡± ¡°I only ask that my brother remain at my side the entire time, and I wouldn¡¯t like to be chained up, if that¡¯s not too much to ask?¡± The Commander blinked, trying to catch up to Adam¡¯s pace. He had been ready to negotiate down from the refusal, but the fact that the half elf had accepted had suddenly caused his mind to go blank. ¡®Is this not for the best?¡¯ ¡°What am I going to do if the King broke his word to me? What am I going to do if he doesn¡¯t want our magical weapons to assist him against the Reavers? What am I going to do when our customers are all Aldishmen? Surely once the Aldish are done with the Reavers, those magical weapons will be put to rest, for they don¡¯t have business in Floria, do they?¡± Adam¡¯s tone continued to provoke the Florians, the half elf speaking so lightly, and yet the threat remained knocked like an arrow. Dunes reached up to brush his beard, trying to still his pounding heart, as Adam was definitely being annoying on purpose, but what could the Florians do? He had accepted their request, and if they refused Jurot, then... would the Iyr let Adam remain in captivity for long? ¡°I came here for some business with the King and the Orders, I heard that they were interested in procuring magical weapons, and since our business has provided so many great weapons, sorry, wonderful weapons, to the Duchess of East Port and even the Grand Duchess of the North, I thought perhaps the King would be interested, but if he¡¯s not...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Is this some manner of trick?¡± the Commander asked. ¡°You are surrendering yourself to us?¡± ¡°That depends...¡± Adam kept the Commander¡¯s gaze, even as the half elf began to smile wide. ¡°Can you take responsibility?¡± ¡°...¡± The second threat hung in the air, an axe ready to cleave at their neck, but whose neck? The temperature fell slightly, the electric anticipation filling the air. Though the half elf was surrounded by at least a hundred soldiers, it felt as though he was still the predator. ¡°Commander, may we speak privately?¡± Adam asked, raising his brows. The Commander recalled the last time the half elf had asked him to speak privately. In that moment, all the tension fell away, and the Commander hoisted himself off his horse, and stepped to one side, the half elf stepping towards him and the pair leaned in to speak in hushed whispers. ¡°What do you want?¡± Adam whispered, raising his brow towards the Commander, who was certainly thinking far too much. ¡°I wish to escort you across the land to Gold Port, so the King may deal with you as he pleases.¡± ¡°What are the terms?¡± The Commander hadn¡¯t expected the half elf to speak terms, not in this kind of setting. As the Commander opened his mouth, he saw the half elf¡¯s eyes widen, wishing to speak first. ¡°Look, Commander, we of the United Kindom have no issues with Floria. Last year, it was... it was awkward, that¡¯s for sure, but I have a lot of respect for the King, and Floria, and Aswadasad. If you want to take me in chains, you¡¯re free to do it, but you have to understand what that means for Floria, and for my family, and through my family, the Iyr. I don¡¯t want that mess. You don¡¯t want that mess. So tell me, honestly, is all you want that I, Adam, am in Gold Port, with little to no trouble, so that the King himself can deal with me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great, because I wanted to speak with the King too, so how about we do it this way. The army, just you know, twenty or so, take me to Gold Port. You will escort us, not as prisoners, but as guests. I don¡¯t want to be in chains, and I want to be able to bathe, and I want certain freedoms, in exchange, I¡¯ll not cause a mess or trouble, and I promise I won¡¯t escape.¡± ¡°How can I trust your word?¡± ¡°Commander, how many times have I broken my word to you? You don¡¯t have to think about it, it¡¯s been zero. I make no airs, even when it troubles me.¡± Adam raised his brows, as though to dare the Commander to suggest otherwise, because he was ready to argue. ¡°You caused me great trouble last year.¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m making it up to you, so give me that chance. I¡¯ve got no problems with you, the King, anyone else in Floria at this time, and hopefully for decades to come. You get the credit for escorting me to Gold Port, and I won¡¯t cause any trouble as long as no one causes me trouble, and whose going to cause trouble when we¡¯re being escorted by you?¡± Adam glanced over his shoulder towards the rest of the soldiers, noting some of them were looking at him while others were staring at the rest of the large group. ¡°Look... I¡¯m a Priest, right? I¡¯ve got to be afforded certain respects. Let¡¯s, you know, keep everything respectful and proper. There¡¯s no need to get the Iyr involved. You don¡¯t want that, I don¡¯t want that.¡± The Commander could already feel the stress flow through him, his entire head pulsing as he tried to follow along Adam¡¯s words. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t take me in chains, my grandfather will cause trouble. The Mad Dog, you know how he is. The old man¡¯s going to start killing everyone again in order to make sure my children know no one can mess with them, and my wife, Ray Vonda, is going to be upset. I can¡¯t have that, Commander Silversky, please. So...¡± Adam held out his hand, ready to shake the Commander¡¯s forearm. ¡°Let us hand you over a chest full of silver and gold, you escort us to Gold Port with no issues, and everyone¡¯s happy.¡± Adam hoped the dice would roll in his favour. Yeah, there''s no way anyone is going to trouble him. Right? [1188] – Y06.088 – Trouble in Floria V ¡®Man, I don¡¯t know how I did it either, so don¡¯t give me that look,¡¯ Adam replied with his eyes, making the smart choice not to speak a single word, at least for the next half hour. He sat within the carriage, his arms crossed, his back straight, his eyes firmly fixated upon a knot within the wood, and what fine wood it was, he was certain, though he wasn¡¯t going to ask Jurot or Laygak about it. ¡®I assume the chest of gold helped,¡¯ Dunes joked back with his eyes, causing the half elf¡¯s face to twitch as he tried not to break. As the carriages travelled along the road, the figures within each of the carriages thought about what had happened. Tanagek slipped Chosen a silver piece, having bet they would have fought, and the Florians would have fallen back. Chosen, on the other hand, had bet the half elf would have talked his way through, and Tanagek had offered him ten to one odds for a single copper. Even Chosen was surprised the half elf had managed to smooth things through with his words, for he recalled the story of the last time he had been surrounded by a hundred soldiers. ¡®Why did he not do this last time?¡¯ Chosen thought, though he supposed it was because Alex was a Blood Mage that the Marquise coveted might have been the reason why, but even that seemed wrong. Bael yawned, glancing out of the window, towards the trees which passed them by. He had half expected to blast the soldiers with his lightning, but after he caught the Commander¡¯s eye, the Commander lost all thoughts of wanting to fight, recalling something as their eyes met. Ashmir glanced aside towards Mork and Tork, who spoke in hushed whispers between one another, though their voices carried to the rest of those within the carriage. ¡°I suppose we¡¯re prisoners then,¡± Tork grumbled quietly. ¡°In a certain sense,¡± Mork replied. ¡°Shoulda fought our way out.¡± ¡°No need for that, this time...¡± Tork smirked, catching his brother¡¯s eye. ¡°This time?¡± ¡°We¡¯re escorting the girl, aren¡¯t we?¡± Tork¡¯s smile quickly dropped. ¡°Ah, right. Forgot about that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget that! It¡¯s the most important thing!¡± ¡°She keeps talking about how she wants to kill, I keep forgetting she¡¯s just a girl.¡± Mork supposed he couldn¡¯t blame his brother, not when even that girl, from a family that was on the decline, spoke of eagerly wanting to slaughter too. ¡®You Iyrmen are...¡¯ The Commander led the way back to the fort, though even he was lost within his thoughts, trusting his soldiers to keep an eye out. ¡®That Aswadian... is he not...¡¯ Bael, who was most likely a dragon in disguise. The Aswadian, who was most likely Lion King Ashmir from Aswadasad. Just one of those figures would have caused the Commander to pause, but both of them together? Plus there was the matter of the Iyrman child. If the Commander had caused too much trouble, he¡¯d find even his head on a spike, if he was lucky. The group gathered at the fort, with the Commander thinking about how to progress forward. They remained within their carriages, thankfully, since he was certain he¡¯d need to get to the next outpost today, for the quicker they were in Gold Port, the quicker he could return back to the simple duty of watching over the border for a secret attack by the Aldish, which was much easier to deal with than dealing with the Iyrmen. ¡®He promised not to cause trouble...¡¯ Commander Alexander Silversky leaned his head back, closing his eyes as he thought about the foolishness which had entered his mind. ¡°Sir?¡± one of his retainers asked, puzzled by the number of soldiers leaving. There were only twenty of them, each mounted upon horseback, but they were still outnumbered by those within the carriages. ¡°The Iyrmen have given their word to behave,¡± Commander Silversky replied simply, and with that, they made their way forward. They could clear a large number of miles, even reaching the Order if they wished, but there was the matter of dealing with all the various outposts on the way, and unfortunately, the politics of the situation were difficult. ¡®As long as he stays within the carriage, it should be fine.¡¯ The Commander realised how troublesome this was going to be as Adam stepped towards the Commander of the next outpost, that which had been quickly formed over the last season, and would soon become permanent. It held only a single company of soldiers, but it was still considered a military outpost, and therefore would be interested in the half elf¡¯s situation. Yet, somehow... ¡°It¡¯s so amazing to see how hard Floria is working,¡± Adam said, handing over the chest to the Commander, a young woman who was eyeing up the half elf peculiarly, since certainly he should have been hiding in the carriage to allow her to search them to nitpick. She opened up the chest, taking a peek to see all the silver within, as well as the single stack of gold, quickly snapping the lid shut. Her eyes fell to the Commander, who held the position she coveted, and then towards the Iyrmen who rode up front, and finally to the pair of Priests approaching her to ask if they could lead a prayer for the Florians. The strangeness in the air tempered the woman¡¯s behaviour, and she allowed them to stay the evening, and thankfully Adam didn¡¯t push her, deciding against asking if he could cast a spell within her fort, instead bathing within the basin the soldiers brought over for the Priests. Even as the sun rose the next morning, and a light shower began to fall upon Floria, the half elf caused no trouble at all. Commander Silversky rode ahead, leading the carriages, unsure if everything was meant to be proceeding this smoothly. That was until he saw the walls of the next fort, which was not a simple fort. It was once known as the fort of the Order of the Floral Sun, which watched over the sprawling village around it. The fields were large and expansive outside the fort, and the villagers each glanced towards them as they made their way towards the Order. The other outpost which had once housed two hundred soldiers, remained at the edge of the village, flying a familiar flag, white with seven pink petals spiralling to form a circular flower. The Commander had decided to make the best that the Order itself was better than the outpost, so led the group towards the large Order. The large gates shuddered open, revealing a large number of heavily armoured figures, each staring at the Commander as well as the trio of carriages. Leading the heavily armoured figures was her. She wore full plate, emblazoned with what one might mistake was a star, but was the beautiful form of a blooming Bellflower. As she marched towards the Commander, they could feel it, the pressure exuding from the woman, who glared upon the soldiers. Commander Silversky hopped off his horse, not wanting to offend the woman, before bowing his head lightly in respect. ¡°Commander Silversky,¡± the woman greeted, shaking the Commander¡¯s arm gently. ¡°What do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°I am escorting this group to Gold Port on behalf of the King.¡± ¡°On behalf of the King?¡± Commander Silversky inhaled deeply, bowing his head rather sheepishly, causing the woman¡¯s eyes to fall upon the carriages, especially as the doors opened and out dropped a fellow in purple. He held up a hand to try and stop her, but the woman had already reached for her blade, and the figure in purple frozen upon seeing the scene before him. Before Adam could make a joke and get himself killed, another called out to call the attention to herself. ¡°Bellflower Sword,¡± the young woman said, her eyes almost a piercing glare as she stared at the woman in full plate. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ the Bellflower Sword, Grand Commander of the Order of the Blooming Bellflower, thought. She could vaguely recognise the young woman, and yet gave off such a grave aura. Nirot grinned wildly towards the woman, and it was then she recalled the face of the Iyrman she had fought the previous year, the Iyrman who wore a blue circle and blue diamonds, and wielded a terribly horrible blade with shark like teeth. She recalled just how terrifying that Iyrman had been, even after facing Vice Commander Hugo. The worst part was, she didn¡¯t even know the Iyrman¡¯s name, who hadn¡¯t made much of a name for himself. A hand gripped at Adam¡¯s shoulder, and had it not been for that hand, Adam would have certainly gotten himself killed, for if looks could kill, the glare within Adam¡¯s eyes would have killed the Bellflower Sword. ¡°You must allow her the pleasure,¡± Jurot said, doing his best to make sure his brother didn¡¯t ruin their cousin¡¯s fun. ¡°You must be his daughter?¡± ¡°I am Nirot,¡± Nirot said, feeling the tingling fill through her body. ¡°It was my father, Gorot, who stopped your path.¡± ¡°Could-,¡± the woman began, only to see the way the woman¡¯s eyes twitch with excitement, ready to exchange words. She had almost fallen into the Iyrman¡¯s trap, which had been so obviously telegraphed, she had wondered how she could have possibly fallen for it so easily. She would have looked towards the source of the reason, but the young woman¡¯s eyes seemed so passionate, the Bellflower Sword could only stare into the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nirot,¡± the reason finally called, having been unable to keep his mouth shut. ¡°Stop bullying the Bellflower Sword!¡± Yeah, there''s no way anyone is going to trouble him. Right? [1189] – Y06.089 – Trouble in Floria VI ¡®Stop it!¡¯ Commander Silversky thought. ¡®You fool! Stop trying to get yourself killed!¡¯ ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t be so rude to those about to take care of us,¡± Adam said, letting out a soft chuckle. The Bellflower Sword remained silent, not impressed by the half elf¡¯s words, though her blood boiled with shock, and a slight tinge of shame. Was this fool truly the same half elf she had seen the previous year? Ah, it must be, since he was as audacious back then too, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°Sorry about my cousin. You know how Iyrmen are, always wanting to show off!¡± The half elf laughed, accepting the small chest from his brother, holding it out to the Bellflower Sword. ¡°I hope this is enough for us to stay the night?¡± The woman motioned her head, allowing another to accept the chest, noting the glint of silver and gold from the corner of her eye, estimating the sum at over twenty gold. ¡°It is acceptable.¡± ¡°I hope so, there¡¯s fifty gold in there, and well...¡± Adam glanced aside towards the soldiers. ¡°We¡¯re paying for their stay too, but if you require more...¡± The Bellflower Sword caught the gem Adam had flung, an onyx, worth fifty gold coins, and she narrowed her eyes towards the half elf. ¡°What is this game?¡± Adam¡¯s brow pulsed. ¡°If you¡¯d like to talk, perhaps we should do it inside?¡± ¡°...¡± The group made their way within the Order, a giant fortress, with large sections within for their training, gatherings, and other activities. They were led to one side of the fortress, where the Order could keep an eye on them easily, trapping them within. ¡®Damn it,¡¯ the Bellflower Sword thought, hearing the bells ring lightly, revealing there were more guests. As the group unpacked their belongings, a figure approached. She was well built and ready to fight. Her hair was cut short, her wrinkled face unmarked from any scars, though her armour hid much of her body. The blade at her side seemed normal, except the hilt was made of what looked like brass. ¡®Hmm,¡¯ Adam thought, fairly certain he recognised her. ¡®What was her name again?¡¯ ¡®Why did it have to be her?¡¯ Alexander Silversky thought, feeling a drip of sweat run down the side of his neck. ¡°Sir Gladys,¡± the Bellflower Sword greeted. ¡°Sir Bella,¡± the newcomer greeted. ¡°How may I be of assistance?¡± ¡°I recently procured some tea, and though to share it with good company,¡± Sir Gladys Grovepetal said, the woman bowing her head gently, though her eyes said far more. ¡°I am ever honoured you thought of me,¡± Sir Bella, the Bellflower Sword, replied, flashing a polite smile that held the hope she would leave soon. Gladys¡¯ eyes swiftly darted to the side, and not towards the half elf who was still trying to remember what he recalled of her, certain she was strong, but towards a particular teen whose eyes burned as they glared at the older woman. ¡®...¡¯ ¡°Taygak, stop staring so hard,¡± Laygak said, patting his sister¡¯s back gently. ¡°Sorry,¡± Taygak replied, her eyes darting away in embarrassment, all the while her elder brother chuckled. ¡°Do you wish to speak with her?¡± Laygak asked, and as Taygak tried to refuse, the Iyrman held up a hand. ¡°Sir Gladys!¡± ¡°Iyrman,¡± the woman replied, narrowing her eyes slightly as she took in the sight of his tattoos, certain she had seen them before. ¡®The red skin. The horns. The tattoos...¡¯ ¡°It is an honour to see you again,¡± Laygak said, flashing a bright smile. ¡°Taygak, greet the Blazing Petal Knight.¡± ¡®That was it!¡¯ Adam thought, vaguely recalling the woman from a few years ago, when they had passed by this way during the civil war. Taygak flushed a deeper red. ¡°Hello! I, Taygak!¡± ¡°Hello, Taygak,¡± Sir Gladys replied, beginning to recall the young woman she had met previously. ¡°I met your... elder sister previously?¡± ¡°Cousin Jaygak,¡± Taygak confirmed, her eyes beaming with pride, the teen shaking slightly with excitement. ¡°We have some other connection, though I do not quite recall,¡± the woman admitted, her eyes holding the girl¡¯s gaze expectantly. ¡°Yes! Lord Oscar kill Rogak! Good fight!¡± Taygak stated. ¡°Grandaunt also wished to face you,¡± Laygak added, patting his sister¡¯s back gently once more. He could even feel Tagak¡¯s delight from nearby, the trio full of excitement to speak with such a legend that was the Blazing Petal Knight. Even though Laygak had met her previously, he had let Jaygak speak, but since she wasn¡¯t here, he took on that role for Taygak. The Iyrman whispered something, causing Taygak to stand taller. Taygak reached down to her sword belt and undid it, offering the hilt of her blade to the woman. ¡°Draw, please!¡± Seeing the eagerness in the teen¡¯s eyes, the old woman allowed herself to be swept away in the moment, and she reached out to clasp the blade. She paused for a moment, feeling the tingling of the blade through her gloved hand, before drawing it, holding it up to see her own reflection within the steel. Taygak¡¯s excitement only grew, the girl¡¯s eyes twinkling, utterly starstruck. The Blazing Petal Knight drew her sword! She couldn¡¯t wait to go back home and show off to her younger brother and sisters. ¡°This blade is a fine blade,¡± the woman said. ¡°How did you come to receive it?¡± ¡°Cousin Adam gift!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Adam said, flashing a wider smile towards them all. ¡°I did not gift you that sword, did I?¡± Taygak narrowed her eyes, since Adam had certainly- Oh! ¡°Ray Vonda!¡± the girl declared, standing taller and prouder. ¡°That¡¯s right! Ray Vonda gifted you your magical items, didn¡¯t she? So beautiful! So kind! So wise!¡± Adam exclaimed, doing his best not to lose himself within the moment, his cheeks flushing lightly. ¡®Magical items?¡¯ Sir Gladys thought, noting Adam¡¯s words, especially the plural. ¡®Ray Vonda?¡¯ Sir Bella thought, wondering why that name sounded so familiar to her. ¡®A Ray? Why would a Ray gift an Iyrman multiple magical items?¡¯ ¡°Yes! Ray Vonda is best!¡± Taygak confirmed, the girl¡¯s voice heavy with pride. It wasn¡¯t just heavy, it was full and deep, as though threatening to bludgeon all those around her to make sure they all knew how amazing Ray Vonda was. Sir Gladys swung the blade through the air once, the air giving into the blade, before offering it back to the young Iyrman. Taygak plucked the blade from the woman¡¯s fingers, slowly sheathing it back, feeling the woman¡¯s warmth against the hilt of the blade, the young Iyrman still brimming with delight, like a child who got to see their babo for the first time in months. Laygak thought to ask for Sir Gladys to also draw his blade, but his blade was just an ordinary blade, so he decided against it. If Taygak got to show off her magical sword, that was good enough for him. ¡®So this is how he feels? I now understand why he wants to constantly show off...¡¯ ¡°Which other items did Ray Vonda gift to you?¡± Sir Gladys asked. Taygak¡¯s lips pursed together, the girl no longer willing to part with any more information. ¡°Her full plate and her shield!¡± the fool exclaimed eagerly, giving far too much information, far too easily. ¡°They¡¯re all Greater too!¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes fell to Adam, who couldn¡¯t help but show off about his wife. He exchanged looks with Kitool, but the pair sighed, since they couldn¡¯t ask Adam to stop being a fool when it came to his family. ¡°Greater full plate and a Greater shield?¡± Sir Gladys glanced down towards the young woman, who stood tall and proud. The woman didn¡¯t need to check, since though the Iyr wasn¡¯t confirming or denying it, would a fool like Adam lie so brazenly? ¡°It seems there are a great many expectations upon you.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Taygak stated firmly, clenching her fists tight. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Sir Gladys thought, noting the pressure emanating from such a young teen. She had half stated the words as a joke, but seeing the serious response from the teen... ¡°I always said that the Blazing Fire Knight was the best,¡± Adam stated proudly. ¡°Blazing Petal Knight,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°I might joke around whenever I pretend to be cringe, but I really am bad with names,¡± Adam admitted, the red splashing his face with the heat of embarrassment. Though he was acting the fool, the eyes of the Bellflower Sword no longer fell upon the half elf. Sir Bella caught his eyes, and the smirk upon his lips caused a cold sweat to pool against her back. The half dragon, with his arms casually crossed, didn¡¯t seem to pay any of them heed, too busy smirking playfully as the scene befell them. The woman¡¯s eyes then fell onto the figure of black, the Aswadian who carried a spear upon his back, and seemed almost as haughty as the half dragon. She recalled his presence, having spoken to him lightly in the previous year. The sheer audacity he had in speaking so playfully with the King replayed within her mind. He, who chose to step forward, for the sake of his... ¡°It is our pleasure to host Aswadians,¡± Sir Bella stated. Ashmir exhaled and though he disliked all these theatrics, he nodded. ¡°It is a pleasure to be hosted.¡± It seemed as though the worst of it was over, and since Dunes wanted to pass through peacefully, he would need to keep his mouth shut. If only Adam would do the same. ¡°So, is there going to be a fight?¡± the half elf asked. This is one of my favourite chapters. I really am so excited for chapter 3000 and something when the Gak family will start to rise, as long as Adam doesn''t get himself killed. [1190] – Y06.090 – Trouble in Floria VII ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it that way...¡± Adam grumbled quietly, feeling the disappointed gazes of the other two Priests. ¡°I just meant, since we¡¯re in the Order, and obviously Nirot and Laygak want to show off to Taygak, maybe they could... never mind.¡± Laygak and Nirot exchanged glances, and for once, Adam had said something smart, but unfortunately he had to be all Adam about it, so their chances were ruined. Sir Bella wondered if Adam was trying to pick a fight with them, but seeing how annoyed the others within his group were, she realised he was more than likely a fool. A fool who was powerful enough to face the likes of a Vice Commander, but a fool regardless, one kept in check thanks to the large Iyrman beside him. The very same large Iyrman who had kept the King at bay while the half elf cut the head of the Vice Commander clean. Her heart filled with a darkness, wondering if this was truly fine, but at the same time, the Order of the Thousand Hunts had made their decision to abandon Floria during the civil war, so should she feel so harsh against the young man? Except, they were still Florian, so... The complicated hurricane of emotion swirled within the woman, but she forced it away, instead focusing upon the Iyrmen once more. ¡°Nirot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Nirot replied, standing tall and proud, a wild grin encroaching her lips. ¡°Your father... what is his relation to the Black Shark?¡± ¡°Black Shark.¡± Nirot smirked wider. ¡°He is my father¡¯s uncle.¡± ¡°You are a Roh too?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°What is your relation to the Mad Dog?¡± Sir Bella asked, causing most of those about to suddenly pay more attention to the young Iyrman. ¡°He is my grandfather,¡± the Iyrman stated, raising her voice so all those around could hear it clearly. ¡°He is my mother¡¯s father.¡± ¡°By marriage?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nirot¡¯s lips formed a wider grin, the kind of grin that suggested she knew exactly just how much she troubled the Order. ¡°Mother is his second child, his first daughter.¡± ¡°Are you the son of his first son?¡± Sir Bella asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, the Iyrman¡¯s eyes sparkling with pride. ¡°Then what of your brother?¡± ¡°Adam is grandfather¡¯s grandson and he is my brother.¡± ¡°Whose grandson?¡± Adam joked, flashing a wide smile. ¡°I am very fortunate to have such a brother, and such a sister, and such a grandfather. Jurot¡¯s mother, Aunt Sonarot... I¡¯m also lucky to have her in my life.¡± ¡°Why do you call her Aunt Sonarot?¡± ¡°Am I, a fool of a half elf who is only weak enough to kill the Vice Commander of an Order, worthy enough to be her son?¡± Adam replied, his lips forming a wide smile, but his eyes were full of danger, warning the Bellflower Sword. ¡°You should show respect to the dead.¡± ¡°I showed respect by sending him cleanly away.¡± ¡°You-,¡± Sir Bella began, only to find Jurot step in front of the half elf, blocking him from her sight. She paused not because the Iyrman had interrupted him audibly, but because his eyes held a simmer rage, a warning to her to stop before she went too far. ¡®Do not forget,¡¯ Jurot¡¯s eyes said. ¡°Taygak, you may speak our tales tonight,¡± Kitool said, catching the Grand Commander¡¯s eyes. Sir Bella eyed up the young woman, whose tattoos were the same as that old woman¡¯s, before her eyes fell to Taygak, whose forehead was free of tattoos. The woman inhaled sharply, bowing her head lightly, before motioning with a hand for some of the warriors about to keep an eye on them, but she retreated, taking the threat to heart. ¡°This is the trouble caused when you show mercy,¡± a voice called, breaking through the air, causing the Grand Commander, the Bellflower Sword, to stop. Sir Bella¡¯s head snapped to the one who called out, his tattoos were almost identical to another within his group. Those tattoos, a purple five pointed star, flanked by yellow flowers, denoted his family, whereas the woman nearby held the same tattoo with the colours inverted. Mosen threw a look to Kitool, and the pair exchanged an understanding of their roles and how difficult it was. ¡°The Aldish do not learn unless you beat them properly,¡± Tanagek said, standing casually with his arms crossed, as though he wasn¡¯t picking a fight with the Grand Commander of the Blooming Bellflower. ¡°I do not recall you, nor your family.¡± ¡°It was my father who assisted Nirot¡¯s father, since uncle took too long to defeat Sir Hugo,¡± Tanagek said, shooting a look to Nirot, the Iyrman doing his best not to crack a smile. ¡°My granduncle almost took the life of the Sky Commander.¡± The Bellflower Sword froze in place, for though she was ready to throw back the words, she paused. Suddenly, the situation made more sense, and simultaneously, less sense. The flashes of the images returned to her, as a bald old woman, who wore the same tattoos as Kitool, struck the Platinum Shield so viciously, the Platinum Shield, among the top five Grand Commanders across Aldland and Floria, almost lost her life. Then there was that man, who had fought the Sky Commander so viciously. Even the Iyrmen were almost unable to control him, and yet they say he was the same man known as Duteos Dogek, the figure who was, as one might describe him, an Iyrman¡¯s Iyrman, and he had almost killed the Sky Commander out of his rage. The woman¡¯s eyes fell upon Tanagek, whose father had been unable to control Duteous Dogek, and then to Jurot, who had managed to stop him. However, hadn¡¯t he called the old man his... what was it, his granduncle? ¡°What is your relation to Duteos Dogek?¡± Bellflower Sword asked, her eyes full of feigned confidence. ¡°He is my mother¡¯s uncle,¡± Jurot replied, truthfully, as an Iyrman did. The Bellflower Sword¡¯s eyes fell upon each of the Iyrmen before her, catching sights of their tattoos, recalling them as familiar one way or another. Mosen¡¯s tattoos were familiar too, for they were certainly the same as the one called Bloodblade, but then what of the other Iyrmen around? Yes, even the likes of Uwajin, who wore the same tattoos as the grey skinned, tusked Iyrmen, who had arrived with the Mad Dog. The two grey skinned Iyrmen who wore her tattoos were impressive, for one was about the young Iyrman¡¯s age, and yet he came steel to steel against her peer, the Honeysuckle Sword, and kept him at bay for a short while, but the other... The other first fought Sir Iris casually, but then, when things turned more serious, he turned to face the Sun Sword. The Sun Sword. The very same Sun Sword who once called this fortress his home. He was considered something else in High Garden, but in the Order of the Floral Sun, he had been its Sun Sword, the Grand Commander of the Order, and... Certainly, Sun Sword was stronger than her. Then there was Naqokan, who had been related to that handsome bronze skinned Iyrman who had fought Vice Commander Harrison to a stalemate. She recalled an older woman with one arm who had gone to help him, not that the young Iyrman needed such help, for his eyes were full of such fury, Sir Bella was certain he would have fought even after his heart gave out. There was only one she did not recognise, for his tattoos weren¡¯t at the scene, not to her recollection. ¡°What is your name, young man?¡± ¡°Bavin.¡± ¡°Bavin?¡± Sir Bella wondered why that name sounded so familiar. ¡°Were any of your family at the scene?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Are you not close to the family?¡± ¡°Grandfather said I should help when the Aldish would come later,¡± Bavin said. ¡°I did not fight well.¡± Sir Bella swallowed, and in her heart, she knew she¡¯d regret asking the next question. ¡°Who is your grandfather?¡± ¡°Bovin,¡± the young Iyrman replied, standing a little taller. ¡®Bovin?¡¯ Sir Bella¡¯s mind raced, because she had heard the name before, but where? ¡°Wildheart?¡± Sir Gladys asked, and once more, the warriors around glanced towards an Iyrman, this time towards a sheepish Iyrman. ¡®Wildheart!¡¯ Sir Bella stared at the young Iyrman, who was built like a damn auroch, and yet held a meekness that made him seem smaller than he really was. This shy boy was Wildheart¡¯s grandson? Sir Gladys glanced between all the Iyrmen, each of whom carried themselves with pride, even the sheepish Iyrman who had said he was Wildheart¡¯s grandson. How was it that in a group of such Iyrmen, it was the child adorned in entirely Greater equipment worth thousands of gold, the kind one might expect of a Vice Commander to wear, was the least impressive of them all? ¡°Even if Adam is not worthy of my aunt, my father¡¯s sister, you cannot speak so disrespectfully to him,¡± Tanagek stated, glaring at the Bellflower Sword, for as much as Adam wasn¡¯t worthy of his aunt, no one here in the Order was as worthy as him. It all made so much more sense to Bellflower Sword, who realised the Iyr was threatening them through each of these Iyrmen. So many Iyrmen around a single half elf? It was all to make sure they didn¡¯t cause the half elf trouble. It was a threat to tell them to back off, which is how he was able to hold his head high across this land, to walk freely without worry of the soldiers. There was no way she could believe she was entirely incorrect. I keep forgetting how stacked Iyrmen are. I keep checking on random Iyrmen, and the connections they all have with each other are insane. [1191] – Y06.091 – Trouble in Our Hearts I Due to Taygak not wishing to speak well in the Aldish tongue, Laygak spoke the tales instead. He spoke of Rogak, who had been slain by Lord Oscar, the man who was the first Blazing Petal Knight so long ago. He spoke of their greatest tales, for their greatest tales were among the best, and unfortunately, were from a time almost forgotten, a thousand years ago. As Commander Silversky listened to the tale, his gut began to sink with the realisation. Certainly, the Gak family was one of the weakest families in the Iyr, and in fact, they themselves considered themselves among the bottom five, and had done so for tens of generations. Yet, even these Iyrmen, so called the weakest of them all, held such terrifying relations? Flame Brand herself would be enough to forge a legacy within Aldland, and her descendants would be treated well. Perhaps not in Aldland, the Commander thought, but in certain parts of Aswadasad, certainly. Sir Gladys had recalled Laygak¡¯s cousin informing her about how her own ancestor had killed theirs, and though anyone might have held some animosity towards her as the descendant of the man who stopped the rise of their family, the trio of Gaks were all more than excited to speak with her and speak of the same tale to her. Apparently, their grandaunt, Gangak, was married to someone called Rogak too, which made it more of a surprise that such a wound didn¡¯t seem more fresh. The Blazing Petal Knight eyed up the trio of Iyrmen, taking in their sight, and taking a moment to understand them. She, who was considered their grandaunt¡¯s contemporary, and was spoken of so highly by a warrior who wished to face her and spoke so highly of her, without even knowing of it... The woman¡¯s heart fluttered slightly, and for once, she thought... perhaps the Iyrmen were not so bad after all? ¡°Taygak,¡± Sir Gladys called, holding out her the hilt of her blade towards the young woman. ¡°You may draw my sword.¡± Taygak¡¯s head snapped to her brother, her eyes filled with the question her throat could not speak, for she was too full of excitement. Laygak smiled, nodding his head, and the teen almost leapt to her feet. ¡°Yes! Thank you!¡± The young teen reached out with a shaky hand, trying to still the rest of her nerves, but as she gripped the sword, the excitement spread like wildfire, and she drew the blade, raising it high into the air. In this moment, Taygak could feel and see all of the details, and yet as she acknowledged them, she all but forgot them, for the feeling within her heart was an excitement which was nearly unmatched. The tingle of the great magic within the blade, the sensation of being able to wield the blade that cut down Rogak, and the blade which had once been enchanted by a brass dragon, gifted to the Nadar family, which had all but faded from history. Adam¡¯s eyes remained fixated on his cousin, who had frozen with shock and awe. She had already held Sentinel¡¯s Rest, one of the greatest blades in all the land, as well as many other blades which held such pedigree and power, and blades which held more pedigree and power, and yet had she ever shown such a childlike wonder? The Blazing Petal Knight made no move to retrieve the blade, noting the girl¡¯s eyes, so full of awe as she wielded the sword. No doubt this moment felt both like an instant and an eternity. She knew the Iyr would return the weapon if the girl made the mistake of taking the blade, since that was what it meant to be the Iyr, to be an Iyrman, so she allowed the girl to hold it until she had her fill, which wasn¡¯t as long as she had thought, for the girl, with a trembling hand, returned the blade to its sheath and returned it with profuse gratitude, the kind that made the old woman flush from the attention. ¡®At least the Iyrmen appreciate such a history...¡¯ Adam reached into his robe and pulled out his journal. He wrote down the date and the time, and after a checking with Jurot, a note. Sir Gladys Grovepetal, the Blazing Petal Knight, let Taygak play with her sword. As he slipped the journal back to his inner robe pocket, the half elf inhaled the crisp air, and resolved himself. ¡®I guess not all Aldishmen are bad, eh?¡¯ It was later when he recalled Sir Gladys was a Florian, and therefore she was far more decent than the Aldish. Laygak swallowed, unsure if he should ruin the moment between the pair, but after seeing his sister so full of joy, he worked up the courage. ¡°Sir Gladys, would you exchange a blow with my sister?¡± ¡°Would you not like to exchange a blow instead?¡± Sir Gladys asked, feeling the gazes of the others about, those who would criticise her for striking down a girl. ¡°I hold no such greed in my heart for myself,¡± Laygak replied simply, his voice full of hope. The woman thought for a beat, unsure if she could give in to such a request, not when surrounded by the eyes of the Bellflowers. ¡°In such bouts, accidents may occur, and I would not wish to harm a child of the Iyr.¡± Laygak let out a small sigh, but her refusal made him smile, since though perhaps not entirely sincere, it was full of respect of understanding what may happen. ¡°We thank you for your consideration.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Taygak stated once more, far too loudly, though no one could deny that the young woman wasn¡¯t at least grateful. Meanwhile, the various members of the Order peeked towards the large group, full of figures who were legendary, or would soon gain such a status. ¡°The fools that are the Iyrmen... do they believe they are able to hold their heads so high when we defeated them back so soundly?¡± one asked. ¡°If you feel so strongly about it, surely you can speak your mind to their faces,¡± another replied, holding a smirk across his face. The other fell silent, though his eyes took in the sight of the group, as well as the soldiers who remained within the walls of their Order. ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s all true?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°All the... stories.¡± The pair thought of the stories of the Iyr, tales which were so obviously untrue, for who could think an Iyrman could make a dragon step back by politely requesting such? Who could believe that the Platinum Shield could lose to just a touch from an Iyrman? Surely the Sky Commander had a greater showing than what the rumours suggest, for though she was among the weakest of the Grand Commanders, she was not so weak that an Iyrman could savagely beat her to near death so easily. Surely. However, there was one thing which they knew to be true, and that was the one who held the most power within the fort in this moment was the red skinned teen whose forehead was currently bare. Taygak lay upon the floor, staring up at the ceiling, her entire body tingly as she had not only allowed the Blazing Petal Knight to draw her sword, she had also been able to draw the woman¡¯s blade! The sword known as Suns Fall, though not to be confused with Sun Fall, or Sunfall, or the other Suns Fall, for this blade was called Suns Fall for short, its full name was Suns Fall Fires Rise, a name granted by the dragon who had enchanted it. She stared at her callused fingers which had gripped the blade, the very same blade which had killed Rogak. Her heart throbbed and she frowned. That blade had cut the rise of her family, in its tale, so incidental, and barely a footnote, but within the Gak family, it was a serious matter. Though they spoke of it sadly, there was a respect for the Blazing Petal Knights and Suns Fall Fires Rise, for it was almost like Fate. Perhaps one day the shining sun would fall, and the Gak family would rise, but that day would not come in her lifetime. She let out a small sigh, letting the heartache slip through her sigh, and she thought of her younger cousins and siblings. ¡®Raygak, you must do it. Saygak... you must work hard.¡¯ The teen thought of the youngest four, from the leader of the eldest children, Kavgak, and then to Maygak. Tavgak, her own sister, missed her brother so greatly, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if she would become a Blood Mage. Faygak... she was too shy, even if she grew up so big. Kavgak, though? She was growing well, and she was just like Taygak in the sense that she was stern and Iyrmanly. Taygak thought of the youngest four, who she recalled were only crawling, what felt like, just the other day, and now were bullying Adam with such ruthlessness. ¡®You must do it, Kavgak.¡¯ I''m so excited for chapter 10000! [1192] – Y06.092 – Trouble in Our Hearts II The next day, the group left after saying their goodbyes, Adam being kept at bay so he did not pick a fight, leaving it to the Iyrmen to pick a fight. As they made their way out, Brittany glanced to the side, recalling that the Gaks were in the other carriage, and her eyes fell onto the hills and trees outside. She recalled the scene of the teen drawing the blade, her eyes full of such a brightness she had never seen from her. ¡®Stop thinking about something so stupid,¡¯ Brittany thought to herself. ¡®I¡¯m no Iyrman.¡¯ Nirot had wished to speak with the Bellflower Sword, and though she had shared some of her tales, she had made sure Taygak and Laygak had met the woman. It was more important for them to meet with the woman, in order to pave the way for their future success. Nirot thought of the half elf cousin who she had disliked upon their first meeting, and the promise he had made to them all. If it was him, then surely... She returned her thoughts to her cousin who she had watched grow into such a wonderful Iyrman. ¡®Taygak, this outing shall be the best!¡¯ The group made their way towards the next outpost, at the end of a newly formed road the King had invested in. Such a stay passed by uneventfully, partly due to the Blazing Petal Knight escorting them to the next town, that of Petal Grove. The next outpost, one that hadn¡¯t been there the last time they had made their way, was full of soldiers who paid respects to the Blazing Petal Knight, and the day after, they finally arrived at Petal Grove. The town had a large fence around the outer fields, which spread out from the town almost like a spiral, just like the large walls around the town proper. Once more, they spent very little time within, and made their way to the Order of the Preserving Primrose, which, to Adam, wasn¡¯t the most inspiring name, though as he thought about it, it charmed him. ¡®What the...¡¯ Adam thought as they approached the fort atop the hill. It was quickly formed, that much was for certain, for it was unlike the Order of the Bellflower, which had entrenched itself upon the land. This particular fortress was utilitarian in design, no flourishes upon its wooden walls at the moment, but was it the walls which protected the fort, or the warriors within who gave off such an oppressive aura? The Commander approached the gates, which opened to reveal a woman adorned in full plate, with a blooming flower upon her breastplate, something which made Adam wonder if she was from Mount Hua, and at her side she wore a magical blade. After a small conversation, the woman finally gave the group her full attention, but the glare in her eye told them how unfortunate that was. Laygak saw who the glare was pointed towards, and quickly, he pat his sister upon her shoulders, grabbing the young woman as he dragged her forward. ¡°Taygak, greet the Primrose Sword!¡± The Primrose Sword¡¯s full attention full upon the teen, a heaviness falling upon the girl¡¯s shoulders, and yet she seemed almost entirely resistant to the heaviness as the girl stood tall and proud, huffing slightly as she gathered her breath. ¡°Hello! I, Taygak!¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Silversky wondered why the girl seemed more defiant against the Primrose Sword, when she had been far more well behaved to the Blazing Petal Knight and the Bellflower Sword. ¡°Good afternoon, Taygak,¡± the Primrose Sword, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Preserving Primrose, replied. ¡°Cousin Jaygak! Fight!¡± Taygak stated far too enthusiastically. ¡°Taygak, you must use your words,¡± Laygak said, chuckling lightly as he pat his sister¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°What she meant was that our cousin, Jaygak, clashed against you previously to protect our foolish cousin, Adam.¡± ¡°Yes! Cousin Adam, fool!¡± Taygak said far too proudly, her eyes half beaming with pride, half glaring at the Primrose Sword. Sir Paige, the Primrose Sword, was uncertain of what the pair were trying to do, for they spoke with a mixture of reverence, but also the kind of tone that implied that they wanted to fight. However, she did recall a young Iyrman who had blocked her path, one who had seemed so ridiculous, a playful joker within the fort, until she finally bore her fangs. ¡°That young lady was your cousin?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the pair replied. Commander Silversky wondered just how many connections these Iyrmen had forged, for apparently they knew everyone, though he supposed it made sense since in the last year, certain Iyrmanly families with connections to a particular fool had been particularly active, but this was getting out of hand. ¡°Where is she?¡± Sir Paige asked. ¡°Cousin Jaygak retired!¡± ¡°Retired? How old was that young lady?¡± the woman asked, since though she had the edge in their bout, the young woman, who was certainly in her early thirties or so, had an impressive showing. ¡°Twenty four.¡± ¡°That young lady was twenty four?¡± Sir Paige replied, bewildered, for she had thought the woman was a young looking early thirties, not a slightly older looking mid twenties. ¡°Our cousin, Jaygak, became a Master at twenty three, when she clashed with you, but chose to retire within the Iyr,¡± Laygak said, emphasising her achievements and age. ¡°What a shame, for she is so young, and had a great future,¡± the Primrose Sword stated, though she was glad the young woman had stepped back, since she would have shown up all the warriors in her Order. A young woman like her, no doubt forged because she was the greatest in her family, would have been a terrifying figure in the future. The Primrose Sword glanced aside towards the trio of red skinned Iyrmen, only then realising Taygak had no tattoos, and she was suddenly glad she had remained rather polite. She eyed up the other two, who each held that woman¡¯s tattoos. ¡®They must be of the Gak family too.¡¯ Tagak smiled politely, while cursing Jaygak within his mind with a heavy heart. ¡®Jaygak! You should have...¡¯ He thought of his grandaunt, who had formed a great name for herself, but her story had been cut short. He had even thought of his own grandfather, who had managed to become a Grandmaster over time, but then had to die during the Year of Silence, for Fate remained unkind to the Gak family. ¡°Is becoming a Master at twenty three impressive?¡± said a voice, and since he had been well behaved, they hadn¡¯t expected him to speak up with such a statement. ¡°If Jaygak can do that much, then our Taygak can do even more!¡± The eyes fell upon the fool of a half elf, surrounded by those who especially disliked him, the half elf wonderful prey for those who were so close to Gold Port. ¡°I was a little annoyed by the look you gave to our Taygak, but seeing as how you understand, I suppose I can forgive you,¡± Adam said, flashing a cheeky smile towards the Primrose Sword, she who had tried to cut him down when he was overtaken by his grief, ready to die. Except, it wasn¡¯t the grief that spurred his words, but the annoyance he was feigning instead of the respect he held for Jaygak for facing against such a monster to save him. ¡°Our Taygak will carve her name into this land soon, and I applaud your good senses for recognising her.¡± Tanagek threw a look to Mosen, for the half elf held the same audaciousness as either of them, but it wasn¡¯t the audaciousness that made the pair raise their brows, but the fact that the half elf seemed seconds away from wanting to fight the Primrose Sword. ¡®Cousin Adam...¡¯ Taygak thought, flushing lightly from the expectations, and from how the half elf seemed so assured of his words, as though they were going to come true, regardless of Fate. Thankfully, there was someone who had inherited the wisdom of Jaygak. Laygak yawned loudly, holding his fist in front of his mouth as he thought about what he should say to save the half elf¡¯s life. ¡°You talk too much, Adam.¡± Taygak¡¯s heart cooled as she came back to reality, lowering her gaze as she blushed even harder, having been swept away by her teenage heart. ¡°Why do you have to say the obvious?¡± Laygak asked, glaring at the Primrose Sword, taking her attention with the vicious look in his eyes. ¡°You should remember my sister, Taygak, since in the future, when you and yours cross your blades with her, it shall be this sister of mine, Taygak, daughter of Kaygak, who will break our family¡¯s curse!¡± Tagak inhaled sharply, feeling his heart pound within his chest, while Taygak¡¯s mouth opened in sheer shock from her brother¡¯s words. The fact that her brother had spoken the words so openly... no one could have expected him to cause more trouble than even Jaygak! ¡°Taygak, raise your head!¡± Laygak stated firmly, bringing all the heat upon himself. ¡°Do not forget, it was the Primrose Sword who raised her blade against our cousin! She who tried to deny us of our justice, after what happened to our Jarot and Larot! You cannot lower your head before them!¡± Faool had almost stepped forward to try and stop him, but Laygak¡¯s words had frozen the young Iyrman to his spot, since there was no way he could stop Laygak at this time. This was no longer about the life of the fool of a father, but something beyond, something which forced all the Iyrmen to step back. ¡°You can speak such words, Iyrman,¡± Sir Paige said, taking a moment from his harsh words. She hadn¡¯t expected him to speak to her like that. ¡®Is he trying to protect the fool?¡¯ ¡®Though you are one of us, I cannot allow you to encourage my sister more than I,¡¯ Laygak thought, his heart beating wildly, the heat within him flooding through his body. ¡®I am a brother too.¡¯ Faool flexed, gritting his teeth as he stopped himself from speaking up. ¡°Hah?¡± Laygak called out towards the Florian Grand Commander dismissively. ¡°Do you think I, Laygak, will not draw my blade? Do you think I hold any fear of you, Florian?¡± Even Commander Silversky was taken aback by the Iyrman¡¯s words, and his eyes darted towards the rest of the Iyrmen, hoping they would stop him. Yet, each of the Iyrmen had crossed their arms, and stood silently, their jaws clenched tight, and even Taygak stood with her arms crossed, for the young teen had realised what her brother was doing, but her eyes trailed towards Adam. Somehow, for once, Adam was pretty sure he understood what was going on. However, could he speak up? In this situation where Adam had asked to fight, and now it had turned to Laygak asking for death? ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Laygak. I¡¯ll definitely step...¡¯ Adam was pretty sure he could feel a pair of gazes upon his back. As much as he didn¡¯t want to fight either of them, since they had adventured this far, he couldn¡¯t let Laygak die. Jurot threw a look to Kitool, who was ready to stop the half elf if he stepped forward, but the pair were certain they could stop him with his words. The only one that could allow Adam to act was the young teen, who stared at her brother in a mixture of pride and apprehension, unsure which filled her greater. ¡®Today is a good day to die,¡¯ the Iyrmen thought, though it was only for Laygak. Well, that escalated quickly. [1193] – Y06.093 – Trouble in Our Hearts III ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ Sir Paige thought, for at first, the Iyrman had certainly been rather respectful, but at some point in their conversation, he had begun to provoke her to fight. No... It wasn¡¯t to fight. The Iyrman was asking for death. Of course, it was entirely within her right to grant him his wish, but she could see the way the teen was staring at her elder brother in shock, and turning her head to try and catch the half elf¡¯s attention. It was enough to inform her just how close they all were, and that the half elf was so beloved, and perhaps respected enough, that he could try and beat the Iyrmen out of their Iyrmanly behaviour. No, she was the adult here. ¡°Sir Karrabelle, step forward,¡± Sir Paige called, and with that, the tension in the air fell. ¡°Taygak,¡± Laygak said, his neck flexing taut, as the Iyrman reached for his blade. ¡°You must not look away.¡± Taygak could hear it within her elder brother¡¯s voice. Within his mind, he had already accepted his defeat, but he would draw his blade anyway, since he could not step back in this situation. ¡°I commend your courage for trying to provoke me, Iyrman, but you should not expect such simple provocation to work. Consider it a mercy, for I have no want to kill a foolish brother in front of his well behaved sister.¡± Laygak let out a small snort, but stopped, feeling a heavy hand upon his shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder, to see the glare within the half elf¡¯s eyes, so intently focused upon the Grand Commander. ¡°Taygak, give me your sword,¡± Adam said, causing Laygak to let out a sigh of relief. The half elf¡¯s eyes remained full of fury, and as Taygak undid her sword belt, offering the blade to the half elf, she could feel how her cousin¡¯s hands shook. As Adam pulled the blade from her hand, the blade still shaking lightly from his fury, it slowly began to calm, as the half elf held the blade out in front of him for Laygak. Laygak reached for the blade, though paused, unable to take the blade in a way which wasn¡¯t awkward, and he couldn¡¯t draw his eyes away from the half elf¡¯s glare. Then the glare began to fade, and the half elf let out a frustrated sigh, a sigh so full of frustrations, everyone around understood what it meant. Commander Silversky reached up to his forehead, noting how the Iyrmen remained standing with their arms crossed, allowing the situation to play out as it may, since it had come to this. Adam rested the sword over his shoulder, the gentle tapping noise almost echoing through the silence. ¡°You know, what really annoys me isn¡¯t just how you-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot said, finally interrupting his brother, since the half elf was about to get himself killed. ¡°What really annoys me... is that... I don¡¯t mind, no, I am forever grateful that the Gak family has done so much for me. After all, who else adores my children as much as them? The Rot family? Of course. Still, it¡¯s the Gak family who accepted my children so... affectionately.¡± Jurot swallowed, and Nirot¡¯s throat grew dry with shame, but the pair steeled their hearts, doing their best not to show anything to the Florians. ¡°I owe them so much that I call Flame Brand my grandmother, since she calls my children her greatchildren. I owe the Gak family so much, and I¡¯m always willing to pay them back, whatever they might need, but... it really annoys me that I owe Jaygak, you know? Jaygak, she can steal my kids away from me! Jaygak, whereas my tongue is silver, her tongue is gold! My twins say she¡¯s the prettiest, so even though I¡¯m their handsome father, they adore their aunt so much since she¡¯s so pretty! The one thing I had was that I¡¯m monstrously strong, but even then, who was it that protected me from your blade? When you pointed your blade at me, I had accepted my death, but the alternative, with Jaygak saving me...¡± The half elf couldn¡¯t say the rest, even as a joke, but his wide grin said enough. ¡°I understand why they call you the Crazy Father,¡± Sir Paige said. ¡®No,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ ¡®What a wicked young man,¡¯ Sir Paige thought, the glare within his eyes almost suffocating her. ¡°If there¡¯s going to be a fight here today, I might as well pay back my debt to Jaygak, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Adam asked, his voice full of a coyness that implied he didn¡¯t take this seriously at all. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to bring me to your King? So how about this... if you win, I¡¯ll let you take the credit for bringing me in cuffs to His Majesty.¡± The tone in the half elf¡¯s voice when he spoke of their King caused the woman to narrow her eyes, and she reached for her blade. It was so infuriating, if the woman drew her blade, she might have ended up killing him on accident. ¡°If I win, I get to put you in your-,¡± Adam began, full of fury, and only growing in anger after the woman disrespected the Gaks so brazenly in front of him. ¡°No,¡± Kitool stated firmly, slamming Tigerstaff into the ground, the sound silencing the half elf and bringing the attention to her. ¡°You have already fought a Grand Commander.¡± ¡°Kitool!¡± Adam growled back, saying more than enough as his neck pulsed, his teeth almost gritting together. ¡°It has to be me, Adam,¡± Kitool replied, holding the Primrose Sword¡¯s eyes with her own uncharacteristically vicious glare. ¡®Ah!¡¯ Sir Paige recalled that glare, for it had been the same glare the young Iyrman had held against the King. However, the young Iyrman had also displayed plenty of decency to the King when she had used that staff of hers to all but defeat the King, and- Ah! Those tattoos! ¡°I have offered Sir Karrabelle the opportunity to face against yours, and I will not deprive her of such an opportunity,¡± Sir Paige stated firmly, holding the Iyrman¡¯s gaze. ¡°Laygak, you may face Sir Karrabelle,¡± Kitool said, gripping her staff tighter, taking a step back as she held her staff out respectfully towards the Grand Commander. Within her heart, she mourned the opportunity to facing against the woman, but she understood it was best to allow the situation to defuse. ¡°It would be a good opportunity to bond,¡± Jurot said, saying enough for the Order to understand this was a friendly bout. He glanced aside towards Adam, who had most likely forgotten he was here to try and form good relations with the Orders, which would need their magical equipment. He couldn¡¯t blame the Primrose Sword for her ego, but at the same time, she really shouldn¡¯t have taken a swing towards the Gak family in front of his brother. ¡°Do you wish to face her, or shall I?¡± Tagak whispered in their tongue. ¡°I will do it,¡± Laygak replied, before reaching out for the Greater blade, but paused, deciding instead to reach for his own blade. He would not sully the blade with a loss. The Iyrman stepped forward, donning his shield, drawing his own blade. They made their way within the fort proper, the wooden walls boxing them in. Taygak remained firmly fixated upon her brother, the woman¡¯s eyes staring at that large back, which seemed to cast such a large shadow. Adam stepped beside her, his eyes also focused on the Iyrman who had stepped forward towards a doomed bout. The spar began with the Primrose Sword¡¯s command, and Laygak burst forward, like a thunderbolt. The pair stumbled due to the swiftness, but soon Laygak¡¯s blade struck true, the Iyrman forcing the woman back. The pair clashed, their steel singing together, and at first, Laygak held the advantage, but quickly Karrabelle began to force the Iyrman back with her mighty blows. Laygak¡¯s growl almost echoed within the walls of of the Order, the woman sliding backwards as she barely managed to fend the savage Iyrman off, her heart pounding within her chest, surprised he was able to push her back this much. However, whatever burst of strength the Iyrman had possessed had disappeared. Her blade glowed brightly with magic as she chanted her words, the air filling with a floral scent, and the lilac petals floated in the air, following the arc of her blade. She struck his chest with the point of her sword, and an instant later the petals exploded, the thunder rocking through the fort as Laygak fell back, his armour screeching as he slid. ¡®What a heavy blade!¡¯ Sir Karrabelle thought, her entire body screaming at her from the effort of their bout, for though it had lasted only a minute, her clothing stuck to her. Laygak groaned, rolling onto his side, his front pulsing as though he had taken a hammer to the chest. He slowly gathered onto his feet, flexing his muscles, the Iyrman grunting as he forced away the throbbing, and with that, he stood, firm, like a tree. ¡°Your sword is as beautiful as it is deadly,¡± Laygak said, holding the hilt of his sword against his heart. ¡°Thank you for the bout, Sir Karrabelle.¡± ¡°Your sword is as heavy as your duty,¡± Sir Karrabelle replied, sheathing her blade, bowing her head lightly. ¡°Thank you, Laygak.¡± Kitool and Jurot are the mom and dad stopping their kid from causing a mess. Good fight from Laygak, though! [1194] – Y06.094 – Trouble in Our Hearts IV With the great display from Laygak, who had shown the nearby figures his resolve, the young Expert managing to clash against one of their great warriors, the air lightened. The Primrose Sword hadn¡¯t expected Laygak to have such a great showing considering his words, but no one could deny the Iyrman¡¯s spirit. ¡°I apologise for the harshness,¡± Jurot said, hoping to clear the air. ¡°Though our Order may be new, you should still show us the appropriate respect,¡± the woman replied, her tone holding the slightest bit of annoyance. ¡°Have we shown a lack of respect?¡± Adam asked, crossing his arms as he stood a little taller. ¡°Your jokes go too far.¡± ¡°What jokes did I make?¡± Adam asked innocently. ¡°That becoming a Master at twenty three isn¡¯t impressive? Do you know how many people I know that became Masters at that age?¡± The woman narrowed her eyes at the half elf, feeling the heat of annoyance fill her, a common experience that one expected of the half elf. ¡°If not that, then... is it that Taygak is going to carve her name into this land? That¡¯s just a fact. So is it that you, the Primrose Sword, failed to bring my head to the King? Was that a joke? That if I lost, I would have allowed you to take me the King, cuffed? That was true too.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, raising a hand to stop the half elf for a moment. He leaned in to whisper into Adam¡¯s ear, covering his mouth so no one could read his lips. Adam glared at the woman, but let out a sigh. ¡°We, of United Kindom, did not come to fight. I certainly acted inappropriately, due to the slights I felt you had displayed towards my family. I¡¯m still not used to speaking with you noblefolk, I am but a humble Executive of a business dealing with magical items, its High Alchemist, who is better known for winning tournaments, well, one tournament, and killing a Vice Commander.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, whispering into his ear. ¡°You must take it more seriously, and show sincerity.¡± The half elf¡¯s eyes glanced aside towards the rest of the figures all around them, noting the faces of the Order, who he had met for the first time that day, and had, from their point of view, picked a fight with their Grand Commander. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Sir Paige kept an eye on the half elf as he inhaled deeply and let out a deep sigh, so obviously releasing his frustrations, before he stood taller and held a particular glare within his eye, not the enraged glare he had tried to intimidate her with, but one that was far more serious. ¡°We of the United Kindom know that the Order of the Preserving Primrose has its duties, and those duties at one point had us cross blades. However, as I was pardoned by your King, and with the greater threat having befallen our lands, I would like to declare that we of the United Kindom would like to form better relations with you. It is...¡± Adam paused, trying to formulate the words properly, pushing away whatever negative emotions he had. ¡°Sometimes, we might make mistakes on our end, and sometimes you might make mistakes on your end, but I hope we can both navigate the relationship in a way that trends towards positivity. Towards that end...¡± Sir Paige watched the half elf¡¯s hands carefully, for at first he reached towards his inner robe, causing the figures around to grow on edge, but his hands slowed and he purposefully reached into his robe calmly, before taking out a small silver plaque, about the size of one¡¯s finger, a rather wide and narrow finger. It was easily worth tens of silver, but she noted the engravings within the silver, that which was near identical to the symbol upon the Brother¡¯s breastplate, a cross with a tilted cross behind it. ¡°I hope you are willing to accept this token of our friendship,¡± Adam said, holding the silver with one hand, and his wrist with his free hand, bowing his head lightly. ¡°What is it?¡± Sir Paige asked, keeping Adam in the submissive gesture, though not for her ego. ¡°It is a favour. If you bring it to our business, you may return it and we will grant you an appropriate favour, or, if you would prefer, a Greater Enhanced weapon that we may discuss the specifications of.¡± ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ the woman thought, blinking towards the half elf. She took in his sight, and though for a moment he could see the annoyance within his eyes, he forced it away to try and seem neutral. ¡°It is our hope you will accept the gift,¡± Jurot said. The woman took the Iyrman¡¯s hint and plucked the silver from the half elf¡¯s fingers, feeling the weight of the metal within her gloved hand, staring at the polished silver, and the engravings within. ¡°Did you say this would grant us a Greater Enhanced weapon?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s-,¡± Adam began, but he cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± ¡°...¡± Sir Paige looked into Jurot¡¯s eyes, the Iyrman nodding his head, before she returned her attention back to Adam. ¡®If I had known you came bearings gifts...¡¯ ¡°Could we speak privately?¡± Jurot asked, noting the woman trying to think about how to navigate the situation. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Adam, come,¡± Jurot said, motioning with his head once the Primrose Sword had begun to guide him away. The pair followed the Grand Commander of the Primrose to the central hut, made of wood and mud, though Adam spotted it was not simple wood, but it was Jurot who understood this wood was quite extraordinary, and that it was once used in the making of the thrones of the various nobles across the lands. The room she brought them to was fairly bare, with cabinets to one side, a round wooden table in the centre, five seats around the table, a lit fireplace, and another door leading out beside the banner. The banner held their symbol, that of the round primrose, lilac upon white, similar to Petal Grove¡¯s design and colours. There was also a small bowl full of earth, which held a stick of incense, the woman lighting the incense to allow the gentle aroma to fill the air. The oppressive figure opened a cabinet and brought out three cups, and as she placed the short, fat kettle upon the table, it began to hiss lightly, warming the water within. ¡°Let us speak without airs,¡± Jurot said. Sir Paige bowed her head, her eyes snapping to the half elf. ¡°You wished to form a positive relationship with us?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did you behave with such hostility?¡± Adam groaned quietly, reaching up to scratch his itchy face, doing his best to fight away the annoyance. ¡°Look, I uh... when it comes to my family, I¡¯m very... I mean, my name is the Crazy Father, you know? I don¡¯t mind if you draw your sword on me, but if you come for my family, I get a little... passionate.¡± ¡°Did you expect me to treat you with respect if that is how you behaved?¡± ¡°Right back at you,¡± Adam replied. ¡°You¡¯re the one who started acting all uppity when talking to a man half, a third, your age.¡± ¡°You spoke so dismissively of a high achievement.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called a joke, and I was praising our Taygak, who you need to keep an eye on, because she¡¯s going to take the world by storm.¡± ¡°Did your man, Laygak, not bare his fangs towards us?¡± ¡°Laygak was right, though. You¡¯re acting like you didn¡¯t try to cut me down last year, or did you forget?¡± Adam huffed, wanting to press the issue, but he could feel Jurot¡¯s eyes upon him. ¡°Laygak¡¯s just proud that one of his family managed to keep you at bay, a young lady of twenty three at the time, who you struggled against in your clash. Something like that... you should have just let him show off!¡± ¡°I showed enough mercy today.¡± ¡°Mercy?¡± Adam asked, feeling his body flash white hot, but Jurot slapped his hand against the table. ¡°Do not speak of mercy, Primrose Sword,¡± Jurot said, his voice laced with venom. ¡°You forget yourself.¡± ¡°Is that what you meant when you said you wished to form a good relationship?¡± ¡°You must remember,¡± Jurot said, leaning forward towards the woman. ¡°If not for my brother¡¯s mercy, my grandfather, the Mad Dog, would have come to take your head.¡± ¡°Do you-,¡± ¡°My grandaunt, Flame Brand, would not allow grandfather to rampage alone. My granduncle, the Bearded Dragon, would have charged alongside them. My granduncle, Duteos Dogek, would have wished to beat another Grand Commander. My granduncle, Butcher Marmak, would have not allowed them to have their fun without him. My granduncle, Tarukan, also regretted not being able to fight the previous year. You have forgotten, Florian, that though we do not have the same relationship with Floria as we do Aldland, the land in which we may act as we please, that we Iyrmen care little for those who deny us our justice,¡± Jurot stated firmly, feeling the heat prickle at the back of his neck as he battered the woman with the names of those he was related to, each grand figures. Sir Paige clenched her fist tightly, though relaxed as Jurot pulled away, calming himself. ¡°There is no need to speak of mercy, for we travel with Taygak, and you would not harm us so, because you are wiser than your Aldish counterparts,¡± Jurot said, striking the woman with a back handed compliment, but making sure she understood her place in all this. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop bullying the Primrose Sword now,¡± Adam said, finding the conversation had turned dangerous, since there was the most minuscule chance they could accidentally cause Taygak to die by wounding the woman¡¯s pride too much, and if nothing else, Adam was able to grovel for the sake of his family¡¯s safety. At the beginning Jurot tried to stop Adam from getting himself killed, and by the end... Also this is what I mean. I keep forgetting how many crazy monsters the Iyrmen are related to, especially in the way they consider themselves related. Jurot mentioned at least five different names, and he had at least a few more he could pull out of his pocket, and each of them would if not outright beat the sense out of the Primrose Sword, could at least clash with her. No wonder Jurot always wants the smoke. [1195] – Y06.095 – Trouble in Our Hearts V ¡°I caught you!¡± Jirot declared, grabbing onto Lucy¡¯s leg, the woman having fallen, accidentally most certainly, and coincidentally within arm¡¯s reach of the girl. ¡°You caught me!¡± Lucy gasped, feigning such a deep surprise and awe. ¡°You are too amazing, Jirot!¡± ¡°Yes! How can I be so amazing?¡± Jirot asked, the little girl running a hand through her curly hair, throwing her head up, exhausted by just how amazing she was. ¡°Kako...¡± Jarot panted, for though Jirot had caught Lucy first, it was not because she was quicker than her brother, but rather because Mara wanted to draw out more of his potential. ¡°You did well,¡± Mara assured, ruffling the boy¡¯s hair. ¡°Ah! It seems you¡¯ve caught me, since I couldn¡¯t resist your cuteness?¡± Jarot flushed lightly, the boy holding onto his finger shyly. He allowed Mara to hug him, and as they cuddled, he couldn¡¯t help but think of how warm it was within her embrace. ¡®You¡¯re a little quicker than your sister already, even though you¡¯re still not eating well.¡¯ Mara hoped the boy wasn¡¯t hiding his exhaustion in order to play. ¡®I will need to watch over his eating habits.¡¯ Konarot eyed up the demons as they played with her twin siblings, her tail swaying from side to side. Her greatfather caught her attention by ruffling her hair, the girl groaning as she tried to fix her hair, causing the old man to laugh. ¡°Sorry, sorry, my Kona!¡± Jarot continued to laugh heartily, while little Kirot stirred against his chest, the girl¡¯s sleepy eyes glancing up towards the old man. Even little Karot began to stir against the old man¡¯s side from how hard the old man laughed. ¡°Ah! Sorry, my Kirot, my Karot, did I wake you? Go back to sleep, my greatchildren. Konarot, you must sleep too, or you will grow tired under this noonval heat.¡± ¡°Watching,¡± the girl replied, but she was quickly overtaken by a yawn. Little Jirot stretched out her arms as she yawned, before getting up to begin a small stretching routine her greatuncle taught her, trying to wake herself so she could continue playing. Little Jarot followed the routine too, and once the pair were done, they sipped upon the water the demons brought them. ¡°Kako?¡± Jirot called. ¡°Yes?¡± Lucy replied. ¡°Babo is very strong!¡± the girl declared. ¡°He is!¡± Lucy confirmed. ¡°A-and I¡¯m strong too!¡± ¡°No!¡± Jirot huffed. ¡°Babo is very strong!¡± ¡°So am I, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Kako, you do not understand.¡± Jirot wiped her face. ¡°Babo is so strong... but how come he always loses?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Lucy flushed lightly, the woman reaching up to her mouth to hide her smile. ¡°Your greatfather is strong because he always loses.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± the girl replied with an almost exaggerated tone, tilting her head towards her aunt. ¡°Your greatfather is strong because he lost so many times. There might be few who have lost as much as your greatfather, but he never stayed down. Every time he was knocked down, he stood back up and continued to fight.¡± ¡°Babo is strong because he loses and then he stands up?¡± Jirot furrowed her brows. ¡°It is called tenacity,¡± Mara informed the girl. ¡°Though your greatfather lost again and again, he stood up and grew stronger, and because he never gave up, he grew to become strong enough to defeat those who beat him. Your greatfather fought almost daily for years, and grew to become a Master by a young age, just like kako Jaygak.¡± ¡°Kako Jaygak is so strong...¡± Jirot agreed, rubbing her chin in thought. ¡°So if I lose, I have to keep trying, and then I will grow stronger?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Me too?¡± Little Jarot¡¯s eyes beamed at the woman. ¡°Yes, you too, Jarot.¡± Mara rubbed his leaf shaped ear gently. ¡°I am never going to give up!¡± Jirot declared. ¡°I am going to become the strongest Demon Lord in the whole world!¡± ¡°Ehehehe.¡± Lucy smiled awkwardly. ¡°Perhaps you can be the second strongest, after me?¡± ¡°How can you be the Demon Lord when you are my Demon General?¡± Jirot asked, wagging her finger as she informed Lucy of her place once more. Mara wondered how much cheek she should allow towards her liege, but since it was Jirot, she decided to let her off, for now. Although, could she ever dare to speak up against her, when her father was so insane, and she owed him so much? ¡®Politics.¡¯ Meanwhile, at the Order, the fool of a father was currently causing trouble, though that wasn¡¯t new. ¡°I forgot we¡¯re meant to be acting in the business¡¯ capacity,¡± Adam admitted, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing so much trouble for you, Sir Paige. As an Executive, I should have remembered my role within the business, and the directives I was meant to follow, especially due to the relationship the business wishes to have with you. Although I am a bit of a troublemaker, rest assured, the silver token I handed you is very real, and if it pleases you, we can discuss the specifications of the weapon.¡± Jurot glanced aside towards his brother, who was finally acting the part of an Executive. If the half elf had finally calmed down, this would move smoothly enough. Sir Paige wasn¡¯t sure what this tactic was, to act so hot and so cold, constantly shifting the conversation one way or another. In order not to lose herself, she focused completely upon the matter at hand. ¡°Which enchantments could one provide for this blade?¡± ¡°Typically, we specialise in more damage, with most elements. Fire, cold, radiant, so on.¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure just how much he could offer. It would need to be enough so that they didn¡¯t feel ripped off, but not too much that they felt like they were getting a steal of a deal due to how subservient the business was acting towards them. ¡°If you are willing to hear my recommendation, I did have something in mind, since I am somewhat aware of the Enchanters capabilities.¡± ¡°This Enchanter...¡± Upon seeing their eyes, Sir Paige dropped her curiosity. ¡°I would be willing to hear your recommendation.¡± ¡°A longsword, one that strikes as hard as a greatsword...¡± Adam wasn¡¯t sure which way he should go forward, so took a moment to think. ¡®That would be a decent weapon,¡¯ Sr Bella thought. ¡®If it strikes as hard as a greatsword, but I can still wield a shield, that would be great.¡¯ ¡°Also... it will hold three charges, which will be regained at first light, and each charge can be expended...¡± Adam thought about it, and if he made a blade like that, he could make several at once he could pass on. However, should he make such blades for just her, or all the Orders? No, he certainly should make it for all three Orders, and the fourth can be sent to the Iyr. ¡°One charge can be expended during a strike, and it will strike as harshly as a typical smite.¡± Sir Paige reached up to hide her lips, trying to hide the shock of the blade on offer. It wasn¡¯t the greatest blade in the world, but it was more than great for her, especially since she was an Oathsworn. Essentially, it was a Greater greatsword which could be used in one hand with three free smites daily, but that was more than enough for the typical Oathsworn, even for the likes of her. Such a blade might be surpassed by some of the more prestigious blades across the land, but it was without a doubt a wonderful gift, one she hadn¡¯t expected from the half elf or his business. In fact, if they had offered the blade without the three charges, it would have made a fine gift by itself. So the question she needed to ask herself was why they picked a fight, only to hand them thousands of gold immediately after? ¡°I hope that is acceptable,¡± Adam said, growing slightly nervous, though Jurot placed a hand on the table once more, gently tapping it with his finger tips to reveal it was fine. ¡°I am... surprised at such a wonderful gift.¡± ¡°I hope you understand just how much we are wishing to form great relations with your Order, as well as all those within Floria, a kingdom formed to fight against tyranny. Though we started off on the wrong foot, and surely I have caused you trouble with Aldland, I want you to know that I still hold Floria well in my heart, and that last year was just... a misfortune that should never have happened.¡± The woman wasn¡¯t sure how to take Adam, who had gone from glaring at her, to holding such a deep sadness within his eyes. ¡°I wish to ask... the children who were...¡± ¡°My little Jarot and my little Larot?¡± ¡°I wished to know their names,¡± the woman stated, though that wasn¡¯t all she wanted to know, for she had heard the children were... special. ¡°Jarot was named after my grandfather, the Mad Dog, while Larot was named after...¡± Adam turned to Jurot. ¡°My greatuncle slew the dragon known as Black Hyena,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He was the one who inspired my grandfather.¡± ¡°I thought there was a Priest of Mahtu?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Hmm,¡± Jurot replied, recalling the conversation. ¡°Yes, he was named after an ancestor who became a Priest of Mahtu.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t he have something to do with Life¡¯s Rose?¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Jurot tried to recall, but he shook his head, unable to remember exactly. ¡°Well, anyway, since my wife is a Ray, I had to name him properly,¡± Adam said. ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ Sir Paige thought. ¡°Ah,¡± Jurot gasped, realising who they were talking about. ¡°He did not use an axe.¡± I miss our adorable kids. [1196] – Y06.096 – Trouble in Our Hearts VI ¡°Okay?¡± Tanagek asked. ¡°Okay,¡± Laygak replied, letting out a small breath of relief. ¡°Why did you not force away your wounds during the bout?¡± ¡°I... forgot,¡± Laygak admitted, his cheeks flushing. ¡°You should not-,¡± ¡°It was a good fight, Laygak!¡± Chosen stated, patting Tanagek¡¯s back far too harshly, while letting out a giant grin. ¡°Taygak, did you see your brother fight?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Taygak replied, sitting up taller, her eyes beaming towards her elder brother. ¡°Brother, strong!¡± ¡°That is right! Your brother¡¯s blade was called heavy as duty. That is how they described granduncle Duteos¡¯ blade. Your brother¡¯s blade is like that, do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Taygak continued to beam towards her elder brother, who flushed lightly from all the attention from his little sister, his heart aching with mixed emotions. Tanagek didn¡¯t say anything else since Chosen had decided to speak up and bind him like that. However, he couldn¡¯t say anything to Chosen either, since Taygak was so full of excitement, and her heart soaring with an Iyrman¡¯s joy. Still, did he have to hit his back so hard? As the pair stepped to one side, Tanagek eyed up the soldiers and the warriors of the Order, nodding his head towards them, finding stilted nods in return. He had thought he needed to step forward, but when Laygak had wished to die by the sword, he found himself bound, and when Adam stepped forward... ¡°I did not expect Adam to grow so red with rage for the Gaks,¡± Tanagek admitted in their tongue. ¡°You are quick to draw your blade, if only your mind was half at quick at picking up the hints laid before your feet,¡± Chosen replied. For a moment, Tanagek thought to draw his blade. ¡°Their acceptance into the family seemed to be dirtied,¡± Chosen said, having picked up bits and pieces, though no one had told him the full picture. ¡°Are you saying they were not accepted?¡± Tanagek asked. ¡°The triplets were accepted well, but the twins...¡± Tanagek narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you saying...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°It is not our way.¡± ¡°It is the conclusion from what I heard.¡± ¡°I have seen the way the children embrace the Family Head, this one and the last, and the way they embrace the Family Elder, this one and the last.¡± ¡°I do not expect them to know.¡± Tanagek turned to face Chosen, his eyes wide with shock at the realisation, his head snapping back to the world ahead of them. As he saw the soldiers and warriors glancing his way, he fought away the shock and the fury. ¡°...¡± ¡®Still, it¡¯s the Gak family who accepted my children so... affectionately.¡¯ The phrase replayed within their minds. Did it mean that... Tanagek didn¡¯t want to think that the Rot family he knew would have stooped so low. No, it was impossible, wasn¡¯t it? That Rot family? Would they truly refuse the twins because they were considered goblins back then? It wasn¡¯t done previously, but... are they not the Iyr? ¡°If it plagues your heart, you should ask,¡± Chosen advised. ¡°Do you not wish to know?¡± ¡°I have seen the way the children embrace the Family Head, this one and the last. I have seen the way the children embrace the Family Elder, this one and the last.¡± Tanagek wasn¡¯t sure if he could just accept that. How could they do it? How could they of the Iyr behave so... Aldishly? At least when his granduncle fought against their acceptance, it was not based on what they were, but rather, the murky relationship between the children and the Iyr. The moment he had found out the children had been officially considered Iyrmen, he went to assist, and almost kill the Sky Commander in his rage. Chosen allowed his cousin to boil with his thoughts, since he had already gone through it himself. ¡®The past is the past. We can only step forward now.¡¯ As the day passed by, the rage within Tanagek¡¯s heart continued to simmer, until finally he approached Jurot. The Iyrmen sat to one side, with Tanagek shaking his leg lightly for a small while, until he could finally gather his thoughts. ¡°Jurot, tell me the truth,¡± the Iyrman said in their tongue. ¡°When Adam brought his children, the twins...¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes revealed that he knew where the conversation was going, and even without speaking, his eyes had already betrayed the truth to Tanagek. ¡°You must tell me, Jurot,¡± Tanagek stated firmly. ¡°I must know.¡± ¡°Grandmother did not wish to accept them into the family, for they were goblins.¡± ¡°That is not right.¡± ¡°At the time... they were viewed as goblins.¡± ¡°It is not right.¡± Jurot flexed, feeling the wounds he thought long healed begin to open up. However, he could see within Tanagek¡¯s eyes, the fresh wounds of betrayal. Tanagek, who disliked Adam so, and yet he was still an Iyrman. ¡°Grandaunt Mulrot... she would... not deny them,¡± Tanagek stated, for how could he accept that the old woman who showed him such tender affection as a boy could do such a thing? No... there was something else, surely. ¡°Granduncle Sarot... also did not welcome them originally.¡± ¡°It is not right!¡± Tanagek growled, barely able to contain himself. ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡± called a voice, causing Tanagek to stand, the Iyrman so full of rage. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± ¡°It is not right your children were refused.¡± ¡°Refused?¡± Adam asked, confused. ¡°Who refused my kids? I¡¯ll teach them a lesson!¡± ¡°They were refused by the Rot family.¡± Adam fell silent, staring into Tanagek¡¯s eyes. The pair stared into one another¡¯s eyes long and hard. ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°Were they not? Little Jir-¡° ¡°Hey,¡± Adam said, the half elf¡¯s jaw tensing, his eyes filling with an Iyrmanly rage. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Do they know?¡± Adam¡¯s fist flew threw the air, but Jurot stepped between the pair, the fist stopping nowhere near him, though it shook violently. ¡°We cannot fight in front of the Florians,¡± Jurot said. ¡°They can¡¯t see through walls.¡± ¡°They will hear of it.¡± ¡°You need to tell your cousin not to talk about this ever again,¡± Adam snapped, glaring into Tanagek¡¯s eyes. ¡°Tanagek fought for them too,¡± Jurot said, calming the half elf. ¡°He is worried for your children.¡± ¡°Whatever happened back then, it doesn¡¯t matter. The children are named Rot, and they love every single member of the Rot family, and every single member of the Rot family loves them too. Granduncle Sarot died for them during the Year of Silence, the same as any other Iyrman. Like Jurot said, even you, who had known them for days, drew your blade for them at the beginning of this year. That¡¯s all they need to know.¡± Tanagek held Adam¡¯s gaze, so full of anger, pain, and guilt, but there it was, gleaming on the surface of Adam¡¯s eyes, a threat. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Adam asked, emanating that kind of aura, the guillotine pressed cool against the Iyrman¡¯s neck. Tanagek thought for a long moment, for the twins called him their papo, but... if their father had gone so far to bury any grievances... ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Jurot was glad the pair had dropped it, filling with relief. Adam stepped away, going off to cool down, while Tanagek took his place opposite Jurot once more. ¡°He... will never forget,¡± Tanagek whispered. Jurot nodded, the Iyrman feeling the shame of his silence filling him once more. ¡°We have spilled much blood to remind the Aldish... and to remind ourselves.¡± Tanagek had no idea he had fought to remind the Iyr of its own rules and laws, and suddenly, his heart was tarnished by the betrayal. He had thought that Jirot and Jarot had received extra attention, but it had been confirmed, and justified. ¡°Even if you cannot forget, you must forgive. It plagues their heart, it does not need to plague yours.¡± ¡°When I returned, I thought the Iyr had changed. It wounded me. Then, when I fought alongside father, granduncle, I realised the Iyr had not. Now...¡± ¡°The Iyr always changes and evolves.¡± ¡°It cannot change that way,¡± Tanagek stated firmly. ¡°It cannot! It is the only rule, the only law, that can never be compromised! Not by breath or by breadth, can we compromise what makes the Iyr the Iyr!¡± ¡°If we have inherited a broken Iyr, it is up to us to fix it, or will you complain that this home of ours, which has protected us from birth, which has fed up from babes, which has spilled blood to make sure we are never without, has betrayed us?¡± ¡°If the Iyr cannot keep its first promise, it should be destroyed,¡± Tanagek stated firmly in response to the Iyrman. ¡°It has not broken such a promise, and we must make sure it never does during our time,¡± Jurot replied simply. Tanagek sighed, covering his eyes, the betrayal still so fresh, and yet so deep. ¡°...¡± ¡°You are not watching properly if it hurts you so.¡± ¡°What must I watch?¡± ¡°Have you not seen their faces? The faces of my nieces and nephews? The faces of my cousins? Do you not see how they look upon my brother?¡± ¡°Must we trust an outsider when it-,¡± ¡°He is my brother,¡± Jurot interrupted the Iyrman firmly, glaring at his cousin. ¡°I misspoke,¡± Tanagek replied, filling with shame. ¡°However, he is no Iyrman.¡± ¡°If he makes them smile so, we must work harder.¡± Tanagek stepped out of the tent, feeling the chilly noonval air upon his skin. He stared up towards the sky, taking in the sight of the darkening sky, so expansive, almost infinite. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Chosen asked, and though the response was silence, it was the silence of uncertainty, rather than the silence of a no. Say what you want about Tanagek, but he is an Iyrman. [1197] – Y06.097 – Trouble in Our Hearts VII Sir Paige watched the carriages slip away as the morning sun bore upon the Order. The Priests had offered to pray for them, and since they were a Priest of Lady Arya and a Priest of Lady Tempest, the Order accepted eagerly, especially since the business offered to pay for the service, paying themselves to provide others a prayer. That offer had surprised her, but it was the offer to deal with their Order which surprised her more, especially considering just how great the deal was. ¡®Alright then, how about this?¡¯ Adam had begun, after a long moment of thinking, but certainly not thinking enough. ¡®For this particular order...¡¯ The woman waited for the half elf as he grumble to himself about how words had different meanings in such a context. ¡®For this particular... offer, the first request, for the Primrose Order, if you procure Greater Enhanced weapons, for each Greater Enhanced weapon, we will also hand over a single Basic weapon, of the same kind, too. The limit will be...¡¯ The pair exchanged a look, and she had no idea that Adam was asking Jurot how much he should enchant, while Jurot replying that since the half elf was going to be the one enchanting, then it would be up to him, and Adam frowned, since he was certainly going to be in great trouble with his daughter if he worked too much. ¡®Hold on!¡¯ Adam gasped. ¡®Won¡¯t it be a little too difficult for newly formed Orders to afford such pricey items? That was my mistake on thinking you should be focused on procuring weapons when you should be more focused on establishing yourself here!¡¯ The half elf had said it with such joy, Sir Paige was certain he was trying to pick a fight with her. ¡®Then how about this? Basic Enhanced! Essentially, think about the sword we¡¯re gifting you, but Basic Enhanced instead of Greater Enhanced. We¡¯ll hand over... a Basic spear for each that you procure? Up to a maximum of... five? No, no, since we¡¯re trying to form good relations, let¡¯s say a maximum of ten.¡¯ Sir Paige was entirely uncertain of the half elf. He always spoke as though he wished to fight, and yet he offered them a deal with was unmatched by any other she had ever received. Even as she trained and took the position of the Primrose Sword, her life had been a give and take, a fair deal from one side, and often times, she had to give a little extra to those she dealt with. However... This half elf had come to the Order, picked a fight, and then gifted their Order a Greater Enhanced weapon. Then, after speaking so openly about their poverty, offered a free Basic spear with each Basic Enhanced weapon they procured, a weapon that smote thrice per day, allowing her warriors to keep their spells for other matters? Such weapons were worth thousands, and he was offering Basic spears, each worth in the hundreds, if not a thousand, for each of those fine Basic Enhanced weapons she would order? She would buy? Up to a maximum of not one, or two, or three, but ten? ¡®Just how much influence do you think you can buy?¡¯ Sir Paige thought, and though she should refuse such an offer, if she brought the matter with the nearby town, couldn¡¯t she negotiate a better deal with them? For there was quite a lot she had to sacrifice to the nearby town, and though the southern town had been a decent enough counter balance, it still didn¡¯t match Grove Petal, but with the United Kindom also willing to invest within them, she¡¯d finally be able to balance each of the various forces, and claim a greater position for herself and her Order within the land. ¡®If I had known your intentions were to invest within us, I would have treated you far politer,¡¯ Sir Paige thought, reaching towards the silver token. ¡®Ah!¡¯ ¡®Now that you¡¯ve cashed it in, you need to return the token so we can begin working on the gift,¡¯ Adam said, holding out his hand expectantly. ¡®Does he have an inability to remain polite?¡¯ Sir Paige thought. ¡°Sir Primrose Sword,¡± one of her aides called. ¡°Where do we put the chest?¡± ¡°The chest?¡± Quest Complete: Order of Business XP Gained: +100 XP: 27 200 -> 27 300 ¡®Oh?¡¯ Adam thought, smiling to himself. ¡®Nice!¡¯ ¡°Adam, from now on, we must step forward in the proper way,¡± Jurot said. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You must wash your hands, show your gratitude to the Divine, show your gratitude to the cook, then you may eat. When we arrive at the outposts, we should pay the silver and gold, show our respect, and behave appropriately.¡± ¡°Right, right...¡± ¡°When we arrive at the Order of the Heroic Honeysuckle, we must hand over the silver, speak politely, and inform them of our intentions to discuss business between their Order and our business. If you had handed over the chest of one hundred gold to the Primrose Sword, she would not have been so hostile towards us.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the half elf replied, throwing up a quick salute to his brother. ¡°Will you take it seriously?¡± Jurot asked. Adam raised his brow. ¡°Yeah? I will.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As the group continued along within their carriage, they came across the large river which wounds its way along the plains between the hills, all the way to Gold Port. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam noted the new road heading northward as they stopped to refill their water. ¡°A new road?¡± ¡°Floria is forming outposts upon the hills to provide a bulwark against Central Aldland,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Investing in his security so he doesn¡¯t lose his land?¡± ¡°The King is sparing no expense to protect his land,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Sparing no expense?¡± Adam whispered, smiling wider. ¡°I see. Well, well, well...¡± ¡°We must remain polite so we can draw many concessions from the King, and the various Orders.¡± ¡°I was wondering if my previous deal was good enough.¡± ¡°It was too good.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam raised his brow. ¡°Your original offer was too good, but you also offered free Basic weapons with every Basic Enhanced weapon, which was too much.¡± ¡°Only up to ten!¡± ¡°If it was a single free Basic weapon, it would have been enough.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Adam raised his brows. ¡°Everyone always calls me too generous, I didn¡¯t realise they weren¡¯t joking...¡± ¡°It is also to give this much, for she will feel your sincerity.¡± ¡°Right! I¡¯m just being sincere, that¡¯s all. Aren¡¯t I that kind of guy? A sincere kind of guy, whose heart is so full of generosity.¡± ¡°...¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes met with the Priest¡¯s eyes, and Dunes smiled politely, bowing his head in understanding. ¡®That is why they pay you the big bucks, Executive,¡¯ Dunes thought, smiling to himself. As they stopped for a break, Adam allowed them to refill one of their barrels, the half elf warming the water using his magic, letting them boil it under his orders, before finally chilling it. ¡°Haa!¡± Adam sighed after drinking the cold water, his eyes falling upon the soldiers, the half who were taking a short break. The half elf could feel the noonval sun already searing him, so he wondered how the soldiers felt in their heavy armour under the bare sun. ¡®What is he doing now?¡¯ the Commander thought, standing up, doing his best to fight off the saddleache upon his groin. ¡°Hello, hello,¡± Adam called, waving his hand towards Commander Silversky. ¡°I was just wondering if, under this wicked noonval heat, you¡¯d like for me to cool down your water with my magic.¡± ¡°That would not be necessary,¡± the Commander replied. ¡°No?¡± Adam asked, glancing aside towards the soldiers, noting the way they eyed him up. ¡°I merely thought, as a Priest, I should do my duty to assist those in need. I hate the heat. A lot. So I can only imagine how you feel, for the carriage provides me shade, and I can use my magic to cool us down, your brave soldiers must be cooking under this heat, especially in that armour of theirs.¡± ¡°We appreciate your concern, but we have trained to endure such heat, as is our duty.¡± Adam inhaled sharply, his eyes taking in the sight of the sweaty soldiers, each growing more ragged as they travelled through the heat. ¡°Alright, well... I suppose what am I worrying about? I¡¯m a Priest of Death, aren¡¯t I? Please do inform me if they die of heatstroke, I shall lead the prayers to guide them towards the next realm.¡± Commander Silversky blinked while the half elf shambled away, his shoulders heavy with annoyance. ¡®Seriously! I¡¯m just trying to look out for them, but they still can¡¯t trust me?¡¯ The half elf continued to fume. ¡°Adam, does the heat not effect you?¡± Dunes asked as they continued their way. ¡°I have been thinking, the heat isn¡¯t that bad recently...¡± Adam admitted. ¡°The heat is barely acceptable,¡± Dunes admitted, meaning it was quite hot here, and yet the half elf, who used to complain about the heat all the time, was barely acknowledging it outside of chilling their water now and again. ¡®Now that he mentions it...¡¯ Adam glanced aside, towards the middle of the air, as though reading something. ¡®Oh!¡¯ Soul of the Forge Resistance to fire damage. +1 to DEF when wearing heavy armour. ¡®Oh, right. I keep forgetting I¡¯m a Forge Priest.¡¯ ¡®How can he chill the water?¡¯ Commander Silversky thought. Oh, right. [1198] – Y06.098 – Trouble in Our Hearts VIII The group managed to arrive at the outpost without much bother, and with Jurot¡¯s words looming over the half elf¡¯s mind, and with Mork taking the lead once more, the group found no bother. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Adam thought, for it had gone so easily, but it wasn¡¯t just because it had gone too easily... ¡°Many blessings to Lady Tempest and to you, Brother Mork,¡± the Commander of the small outpost called out with joy, patting Mork¡¯s shoulders. She was short, but strongly built, in her mid forties or so, though it was hard to tell since her hair was almost as white as her scales. Upon her brow she wore a dozen tiny piercings which curled down the side of her face, forming a crescent moon. ¡°Ahahaha,¡± Mork replied, gritting his teeth slightly, for though she was short, as she pat his shoulder it was as though thunder rocked through him. ¡®How are you so strong?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s no wonder the river has been flowing so heavily recently, since you must have been praying so hard, the Lady has been blessing the hills with more rain!¡± the woman almost cackled, half dragging the Priest about with her strong grip. ¡°Ahahaha, who is to say?¡± Mork thought, gritting his teeth harder, his shoulders beginning to bruise. ¡®I should have worn my armour!¡¯ Tork¡¯s eyes shone brightly towards the woman, who was so loud, proud, and though she was small of stature, was almost tossing her brother about. ¡®Lady Tempest, once I am in Gold Port, I will donate an additional gold!¡¯ Adam watched the scene with a small bemused smile. ¡°It seems... there are plenty of things which bloom in noonval?¡± ¡°Adam, we cannot cause trouble,¡± Dunes said, placing a hand on the half elf¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Oh, come on! It¡¯s not trouble!¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Just a little bit?¡± ¡°You promised Jurot.¡± ¡°How could you invoke my brother¡¯s name like that right away?¡± Adam sniffled. Tork screamed within his heart the next morning, for he had been too cowardly to approach Commander Caydra. He had the opportunity when Mork offered to pray, and even though she had accepted their prayer since it was going to be free, before they even mentioned it was free, he had let the opportunity slip. ¡°She had such pretty horns,¡± Laygak mused aloud within their carriage. ¡°Yes,¡± Taygak replied. ¡°Not as pretty as yours!¡± Laygak assured, ruffling his sister¡¯s hair, the teen flushing slightly. ¡®My horns are nicer...¡¯ Bael thought, resting his chin over a fist, half asleep after his micronap of only six or so hours, as they continued to make their way towards the next outpost. The small fortress welcomed them towards midday, the sun still high in the sky as they cast their shadows towards the Order. It had been built around the river, the large village around it expanding out like a flower. Though the banners were of white and what seemed to be a purple with a hint of orange, it was once the home to the most famous Order within these lands. Jonn stared at the walls of the order, the walls he once called home, but a boy when they had adopted him. His eyes gazed across the fields he had worked, noting the specks of the villagers. He eyed up the walls, now manned by unfamiliar faces, even the little boys and girls not those he would have taught. ¡®I hope the apple trees remain.¡¯ The warriors stood at attention as they waited for the carriages, and out of respect for Commander Silversky, the Honeysuckle Sword, the Grand Commander of the Heroic Honeysuckle, stood at attention to greet him. As the pair greeted one another, hushed whispers darted through the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll be good,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°We should allow Uwajin to lead.¡± ¡°I know Kitool can-, Uwajin?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Uwajin?¡¯ Adam thought. The young Iyrman stood at attention, no longer quite as slumped in her tiredness, but full of Iyrmanly spirit. The woman glared towards the Honeysuckle Sword, holding the small chest within her hands as she waited for permission to approach. ¡®Why is she- ah!¡¯ the Honeysuckle Sword thought, recognising the tattoos upon her forehead, the hollow oval of purple, and the green vertical infinities that flanked outwards from it. He raised a hand towards the young woman, allowing her to approach him. ¡°I am Uwajin!¡± the woman declared, holding out the chest, which jangled lightly, meaning it was packed to the brim of silver, easily hundreds of silver within. ¡°I had the pleasure of meeting one... two of your family.¡± ¡°My grandfather, Rajin, the Bearded Dragon, and my cousin, Timojin, who is still forming his name.¡± Sir Harold had not managed to become the Honeysuckle Sword because he had the same name as the King, but because he was strong and wise, wise enough to recall the name Bearded Dragon, and wise enough to recall the strength her cousin displayed in clashing against him. Certainly, he would not have lost, but to deny the terrifying force that was Timojin, who had stated his intention to become the Chief, would have been a great folly. The tension in the air remained as the Honeysuckle Sword held onto the chest, and as the seconds passed, he let out a small sigh, bowing his head lightly. ¡®Did they really have to pack the silver so tightly within this chest?¡¯ The name of the Bearded Dragon, the presence of his granddaughter, and the chest of silver had allowed them to enter the Order without trouble. However, was there such a thing as without trouble when it came to that half elf? ¡°Sir Honeysuckle Sword,¡± called a voice, full of feigned respect, before he let out a grunt as his brother slapped his shoulder. ¡°If you would be willing to make some time, we would like to speak of some business between the United Kindom and the Order of the Har-... Heroic Honeysuckle.¡± Sir Harold narrowed his eyes slightly, for those who misspoke the name as Harmonic Honeysuckle always annoyed him terribly. ¡°What business is this?¡± ¡°The business of a gift of a Greater Enhanced sword, as well as the offer to procure magical items from our business, the United Kindom, during this turbulent time full of such wicked creatures as the Reavers.¡± Sir Harold blinked. ¡®I suppose that is quite some business.¡¯ As the half elf and the Iyrman followed the Grand Commander of the Order, Adam paused. ¡°Jonn, you alright?¡± ¡°Yes, Executive,¡± Jonn replied, though the complex emotions continued to swirl within his chest. His eyes fell to the side, towards the apple trees, which remained rooted firmly within the ground, filling his heart with relief. Adam followed Sir Harold to a small wooden cabin, where they found a single room, furnished with a bed, a table, a desk and various cabinets against one wall. Adam spotted the lush carpets and walls full of tapestries, each with the designs of Floria, a myriad of pink, purple, and gold flowers upon white, heavily influenced by the nearby towns, and by Gold Port. Then there was the bowl above the fireplace, with a single stick of incense, which Sir Harold lit, the gentle floral scent filling the air. He brought out a small kettle, and as he placed it upon the wood, the water began to squeal. As the pot boiled, a servant brought a platter of biscuits, which were stamped with a honeysuckle, and as Adam bit into it, he could taste the gentle flavour of honey which danced on his tongue, as though a single drop had been spread across the entire biscuit. ¡°These biscuits taste delicious,¡± Adam complimented, throwing a look to Jurot with surprise and delight, while he continued to nibble them. ¡°Tastes a little bit like shortbread, with the tiniest bit of honey. Definitely one of the best I¡¯ve had in years.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Sir Harold replied. ¡®At least he is polite?¡¯ ¡®He looks pretty handsome,¡¯ Adam thought, noting the Grand Commander¡¯s appearance, the man a silver fox, his hair white and burnt amber, his eyes a beautiful green, like the reflection of the leaf upon its dew. ¡°We have come to speak with you of a matter...¡± Jurot nodded to Adam. ¡°Right! I am Executive Adam, of the United Kindom, though... I believe we¡¯ve partly met before.¡± Adam smiled innocently, already going off script. ¡®A Greater Enhanced sword?¡¯ Honeysuckle Sword thought once Adam had explained his offer. He calculated what the half elf was offering, and what was expected in return. ¡®Such a wonderful weapon gifted so freely? Why?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re offering each of the Florian Orders such a gift, so don¡¯t feel too burdened,¡± Adam said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°We¡¯re also here to ask if you would like to order... I mean... procure? If you would like to procure some magical items in exchange for money. Buy. That¡¯s the word I was looking for, buy.¡± ¡®Is he an idiot?¡¯ ¡°We¡¯re currently offering a deal to the Florian Orders,¡± Adam began, explaining the deal to Sir Harold, who was even more baffled by the half elf¡¯s words. ¡°You wish to offer us the chance to buy ten Basic Enhanced weapons, and you will also offer an additional ten Basic spears?¡± Sir Harold¡¯s eyes scanned into the half elf¡¯s eyes, trying to find the trickery within. ¡°No, no. You can buy magical items from us. However, we are offering the opportunity of additional magical spears, Basic, if you order, uh, buy, Basic Enhanced weapons from us, up to a maximum of ten. I mean, you can buy twenty Basic Enhanced weapons, but we will only offer the free Basic weapons up to ten.¡± Adam sipped the tea, which held a far more powerful taste, causing him to wince, and quickly reach for another biscuit. Sir Harold remained silent as curiosity. ¡°We wish to form good relations with the Florian Orders,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We will speak with the King separately about our relationship with him.¡± ¡°You will speak to the King?¡± ¡°It is why we are heading to Gold Port.¡± ¡°...¡± Sir Harold waited for the request, but it never came. ¡®You do not want me to write a letter to the King? Are you waiting for me to offer such? I may be able to, but...¡¯ ¡®Man, these biscuits are great,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I wish I had some tea instead of this kind of tea. A little bit of milk and sugar and this would be perfect.¡¯ The rumble of thunder filled the air. Adam sighed, but paused. The rumble of thunder was followed shortly by another. ¡°Oh? It¡¯s not Bael this time?¡± It was going far too well. [1199] – Y06.099 – Trouble in Our Hearts IX ¡°What are they doing here?¡± one of the younger warriors of the Heroic Honeysuckle grumbled. ¡°They should know better than to walk with their heads held so high in our fort.¡± ¡°They must think they¡¯re somebodies because they¡¯re Iyrmen.¡± ¡°Iyrmen are not so bad, but...¡± ¡°Yeah...¡± Several eyes glared upon the half elf, but he did not pay them any mind, too busy eyeing up the long walls he used to trek, the open grounds which had forged him into the warrior he was, and the apple trees, which held the most delicious apples across all of Floria, and to a little Jonn, the entire world. ¡°What are you trying to spy?¡± called a voice, of a handsome Florian, whose hair was chestnut, his eyes hazel, with a touch of trouble. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t expect you to admit to it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a reason why you aren¡¯t welcome here, leaf ear.¡± Jonn inhaled deeply, but let out his sadness through his sigh. ¡°There was a time when I was welcome here.¡± ¡°Before the Massacre,¡± the warrior stated. ¡°During the sixth week of dawnval, usually towards the end, we would open up the barrels.¡± Jonn motioned with his hand towards the wall in front of him. ¡°From corner to corner, we would line up the barrels. There would be alcohol of all kinds, those from the Order, and those from the villagers around. From seven to ten, we would work the fields. They told us we would grow strong bodies if we worked the fields, so we worked the fields, from dawn until dusk, with several breaks, one before noon, one during midday, and the last, a few hours before dusk, where we would eat and drink with the rest of the Order.¡± ¡°You were... from the Thousand Hunts?¡± ¡°We swore our Oaths to the southern forest, deep within the hills. You could hear the birds tweeting. You could hear the insects chittering. We swore our Oaths during the sixth week of dawnval. Our Oaths, which forever bonded us as brothers, sisters, a family. I believed them, those Oaths. Then the King, the King of Aldland, he decided to provoke a hornets nest, and over a single night, those Oaths meant nothing to my brothers and sisters, and I was forced away. Away from the South, away from my home, away from this land now known as Floria.¡± ¡°It is our home now.¡± ¡°I hope the cider is still smooth,¡± Jonn said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that any more, leaf ear.¡± Jonn¡¯s eyes fell upon the handsome fellow, who was roughly his age. As he stared into those hazel eyes, the half elf smirked slightly. ¡°Is it so funny to lose your home?¡± ¡°My friend, Fred, is from Rock Hill, so I know when a man worries for Rock Hill honestly.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Jonn narrowed his eyes, his own eyes now filling with a troublesomeness towards the warrior opposite him. ¡°You can¡¯t insult my honour in my own home, you cur.¡± ¡°Is this your home?¡± Jonn asked. ¡°I bet you do not know of all the tunnels which the children of Thousand Hunts played within.¡± ¡°If you wish to exchange blades, let us do so,¡± the warrior growled. ¡°I have my duties,¡± John replied, ¡°but I am free enough to teach you a lesson.¡± Nobby stood awkwardly to one side, uncertain if he should speak up, but he followed Jonn as they made their way to one of the open grounds for training. ¡®Once more, Jonn! With all your effort!¡¯ ¡®Ra!¡¯ Jonn had growled, but the wooden sword slipped out of his fingers, his hands aching so terribly, almost bleeding from swinging his blade countless times. ¡°We will spar until surrender,¡± the warrior said. ¡°Okay,¡± Jonn replied, drawing his blade, the blade which was so large, gifted to him by another half elf, who had forged it long before he had sworn his Oath to the father. It was the same blade he had wielded against his mentor in the previous year in order to keep that Oath. Nobby hadn¡¯t seen Jonn use Oathkeeper in a long while, but he noticed just how comfortable the half elf looked as he wielded it within his hands. ¡®You should have known your place,¡¯ Sir Finn thought, feeling the tingle of his own magical blade, a Basic blade which had been gifted to him thanks to his position as greater than an Expert. ¡®I¡¯ll show you mercy and take just an eye since you¡¯re not using it properly.¡¯ The silence accompanied Jonn, who could feel the warm noonval breeze. As it swept through the Order, he felt the familiar caress of the wind. Yet, though it was familiar, it was not the same. Once, the wind could travel freely through the spaces between the buildings, but now, because of all the tapestries and paint upon the walls, the wind came to him battered and bruised. ¡°If you do not wish to step forward...¡± Sir Finn charged forward, his blade whipping through the air. Jonn opened his eyes, glaring at the warrior intensely, causing him to shift and swing his entire body to the side, even though Jonn had yet to swing his blade. However, by the time Sir Finn had returned to his senses, he brought his blade up to defend himself from a terrifying blow, which flashed white hot. ¡°You! By the Oaths I have sworn, my duty shall soar!¡± Sir Finn chanted, his blade glowing purple and orange as the petals floated all about them, exploding with thunderous force, catching the attention of the entire fort as the pair clashed. ¡°Though you speak poorly of my leaf ears...¡± Jonn began, willing forth his magic, ready to chant his spell now that he had marked his foe. He recalled the words of the twins, who thought his ears were handsome, though not as handsome as their father¡¯s, okay, just a little bit. ¡°As it is my duty, I cannot stumble.¡± The explosion of thunder rocked through Sir Finn, who crashed against the training dummies, while the warriors of the Order quickly leapt to his side, including those who had just emerged, noting the appearance of the figure in full plate, and the large auroch of a man. ¡°Finn! What happened?¡± one whispered, his eyes darting to the side, asking the trainees about what happened here. ¡°Okay?¡± Tanagek asked, taking his place beside the pair, along with his other companions. ¡°Okay,¡± Jonn replied simply. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± boomed a voice, as the Honeysuckle Sword marched onto the scene, finding the Iyrmen to one side, and his own to the other, who were ready to fight. ¡°That leaf ear picked a fight with Sir Finn!¡± a younger trainee exclaimed, pointing at Jonn with an accusatory finger. ¡°Yeah! What was that all about?¡± an even younger trainee exclaimed, while a six year old crossed their arms, glaring at the half elf, thinking thoughts that a six year old shouldn¡¯t have about another, no matter how stinky the no good leaf ear was. ¡®If he fought Finn...¡¯ Sir Harold thought. ¡°What trouble do you have with Sir Finn, young man?¡± Jonn glared at the Honeysuckle Sword, recalling how he had drawn his blade against Adam in the previous year. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll punish your man accordingly,¡± Sir Harold stated firmly, glancing back towards Jurot and Adam. ¡°Now, now,¡± Adam said, holding up a hand, before motioning for Jonn to approach. ¡°Manager Jonn, what happened here? Don¡¯t be vague about it, I want to know exactly what happened.¡± Jurot could see the annoyance rise on Adam¡¯s face, but at the same time, the half elf held quite the cheeky smirk upon his face, one which meant trouble, because unlike the Honeysuckle Sword and Sir Finn, Adam and Jonn were close, and understood one another, including how unlikely it was that Jonn would have started trouble. ¡°Ah? So Sir Finn, was it? He picked a fight with you because you¡¯re a no good half elf? There¡¯s got to be more than that, right? He was probably feeling inadequate, since these guys took over your old home while its master was out, with the help of their King, so it¡¯s not like they earned it, and they probably wanted to take it out on you so they could feel like they were somebodies, so you taught them a lesson and defended your honour, and now they¡¯re trying to blame you for it?¡± Adam asked, his voice light and playful, the half elf¡¯s wide grin domineering his face. Jurot could see the smile, that was plagued by annoyance, but also mischief, as the half elf was already prepared to fight. As much as Jurot had made his brother promise, what was he meant to do when the Florians wanted to behave in such a manner? ¡°I hope you are more careful of your words, or people may misunderstand,¡± Sir Harold stated firmly, filled with annoyance. ¡°Please keep your man in line.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯ll punish your man accordingly,¡± Adam replied, smiling innocently towards Sir Harold. ¡°Do you think my men would lie about what happened here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know? All I know is that I believe Jonn, since my man wouldn¡¯t lie about what happened here since he knows we can just cast a quick Zone of Truth, and he¡¯s lying to me, I¡¯ll beat him up. Though, I suppose that¡¯s a good idea, isn¡¯t it? We could cast a Zone of Truth to see if he¡¯s lying. It¡¯s only a Second Gate spell, so one of yours could cast it, and one of ours could cast it, and we can get to the bottom of this.¡± ¡°You are within our home,¡± Sir Harold stated, his voice deep, and full of authority. ¡°I ask that you show proper respect.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam replied, closing his eyes slightly, his brows pulsing. ¡®Adam...¡¯ Jurot thought, preparing himself for the half elf¡¯s outburst, and yet... Seconds passed as the half elf continued to groan, keeping himself from burning down the place, verbally, though no one would have been surprised if he cast a few Fireballs just to clear his mind. May the 4th be with you and I hope you enjoy this additional chapter! [1200] – Y06.100 – Trouble in Our Hearts X ¡°You know...¡± Adam began, his eyes still closed as he tried to keep his heart calm. ¡°I remembered something the Primrose Sword said. She said, though our Order may be new, you should show us the appropriate respect. Jurot, too, asked me to show the proper respect. People keep asking me to show them respect, but...¡± Bael grinned wide, seeing the way the half elf grit his teeth in a distorted grin, the kind that was seconds away from causing a mess. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any of you show me or mine the appropriate respect?¡± ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ Sir Harold thought. ¡°They are still trying to establish their place in this land,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Please be...¡± Adam turned to face Jurot, his eyes full of a glare, but as he blinked, the glare disappeared, since there was no way the half elf would glare at his brother. Adam inhaled deeply once more, feeling the stress rise in his chest, before letting it all out, the guilt in his heart from glaring at his brother in such a way. He clenched his fists against his biceps, his arms still crossed, his entire body still tense, though began to relax slightly. He eyed up each of the figures around, noting all of his people were about, from Mork to Dunes to Taygak, and Commander Silversky kept his keen eye upon the half elf, but had yet to step forward since Adam was giving such an aura. ¡°Let me tell you the story about how Jonn and I met,¡± Adam began, smiling politely, beaming towards them all, as though he hadn¡¯t been moments away from kicking off and laying a beat down that would go down in history. ¡°It was a few years ago, about... six or seven years ago now? Six? Six sounds about right. I met him, and let me tell you, he was utterly worthless as a person.¡± Dunes had never heard Adam speak about anyone in such a way, the Aswadian looking to Kitool and Jurot for support. He was certain he knew what Adam meant, since he and Adam had also met shortly before the half elves met one another. ¡°We fought, and he thought, because I was a young kid at the time, and he was a fancy pants member of an Order, well, he wasn¡¯t a member of the Order at the time, but he thought he could have a go at me. I beat him so hard, day became night, you know what I mean?¡± Adam chuckled, noting just how displeased the figures around were. ¡°Anyway, we had made a bet, and he didn¡¯t want to keep his word to me, but he followed me around like a kicked puppy. We went on all sorts of wonderful adventures, but he was still a worthless person.¡± Jonn turned slightly red, not of anger, but of shame, for though the half elf was speaking harshly, he was speaking the truth. ¡°Years passed, then, one day, he finally chose to swear himself to me, as he had promised years before. He promised to protect my children, for that was the one thing which was most important to me, my beautiful children, each worth more than this entire land. Last year, he... he failed his duties. My son, Jarot, named after the Mad Dog, was killed.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes began to water, his throat shuddering. ¡°My boy, Larot, named after an ancestor close to Life¡¯s Rose, and who did not use an axe, he was killed too. Jonn, he failed, and more importantly, I failed.¡± The half elf cleared his throat, his eyes darting between the figures all around, for the shame within his eyes was quickly replaced with anger. ¡°So he waited. He waited. Then, when it came time for me to die, he accompanied me, as well as many other brave souls, Manager Dunes included. They accompanied me to certain death, surrounded by all the Orders. There, we found those who committed the most heinous of sins.¡± Adam grit his teeth, trying to find his voice as tears trickled down his cheeks. He had no shame shedding these tears, for there were those here who should be ashamed, and it was not he who had gone to die. ¡°Who kills children, those who have yet to turn even five?¡± The words were spoken in a whisper, by a half elf whose tears fell freely, and yet, had those here heard anything more threatening in their lives? ¡°Those who committed such a sin once made their home here, in these very walls. Jonn fought his mentor, the very man who raised him, for the sake of keeping his Oaths, for the sake of my children. He who was abandoned by his Order, betrayed by his brothers and sisters, chose to fight alongside me to his certain death. Jonn is a Manager of the United Kindom. That alone should tell you what he is to the business, but Manager Jonn, whose ears are shaped the same as mine, the handsome fellow that my children adore because he looks like their father, is like family to me.¡± Adam pointed at the other half elf, his entire body growing stiff with anger, his finger, almost like a blade poised to kill, remained focused on Jonn, but it was not a blade poised to kill him. ¡°Manager Jonn is a man. He is someone who was given a chance to go from a worthless sack of shit, to a person worthy of the world, and he did it. He made something of himself, he is something great, he is someone great, worthy of respect, a true man of duty. He¡¯s not someone who picks a fight with someone with the wrong ears, skin, hair, horns, all while adorned in his full plate, wielding a blade that¡¯s probably magical, and yet worth more than a thousand of him.¡± Adam¡¯s glare fell upon Sir Finn, as though ready to kill him. ¡°Enough of this,¡± Sir Harold whispered angrily. ¡°I will not have you disrespect us within our own home.¡± ¡°You know!¡± Adam said, his finger ready to kill as he held it up, the half elf¡¯s grin turning stiff. ¡°I remember something from last year. Surrounded by all those Orders. I took my vengeance, justice one might call it, with my own two hands, and, of course, with the help of my family. From my brother here, who stood against your King. From Manager Jonn, who held off his mentor. From Uwajin¡¯s cousin, who I consider my own cousin, Timojin, who held you off, Sir. Honey. Suckle. Sword.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes accused the man, the veins within his eye bursting, causing his eye to twitch, the half elf constantly closing his eyes to deal with the annoyance. ¡°You are beside yourself, young man!¡± ¡°I came to you today with a chest full of silver and gold! I promised you a Greater Enhanced blade! This is how I am treated in return? You are-,¡± Adam shouted, though he flexed, feeling the rage rising within him, his cheeks red hot, and though his entire body grew stiff, after clenching his fists and flexing, the half elf exhausted the frustrations through him. Bael raised a brow towards the half elf, who was so obviously trying to regulate himself, the half dragon¡¯s eyes falling upon the Iyrman who was ready to step forward, and yet had stopped to allow his brother to compose himself. ¡°Manager Dunes, please pass me your blade.¡± Dunes blinked, throwing a look to Jurot, who nodded. The Aswadian stepped forward, and he placed the sheathed blade onto Adam¡¯s open palm, the half elf slowly clasping his fingers around the sheath of the blade. The tingling sensation filled the pair, and soon, that sensation danced only upon the half elf¡¯s palm. Adam tutted quietly, and as he opened his eyes, the half elf seemed almost too relaxed. He smiled warmly, tempered by an exhaustion, no doubt from keeping himself from causing a mess, and it was such trouble, for he was without a shadow of doubt, his daughter¡¯s father. ¡°Here,¡± Adam almost whispered, his voice strained, ¡°Sir Honeysuckle Sword. I would like you to hold this blade.¡± Sir Harold reached over towards the hilt of the blade, slowly taking it from the half elf, feeling its great magic tingling through his gloved hand. ¡°As you can tell, it¡¯s a Greater Enhanced blade. It¡¯s name is Thunder¡¯s Triumph. It is one of the best weapons the Enchanter has made to date. It¡¯s a beautiful blade, isn¡¯t it? A blade like that? Fit for a dragon, one that accompanied us on our journey and protected us on the way back, one might say.¡± Sir Harold wasn¡¯t sure what that specific statement meant, but as he held the blade, it was truly magnificent. It was forged so beautifully, one might have thought it was forged through magic, but it was the tingling sensation which ran through his fingers which caused his heart to pulse with greed. ¡°There is something rather interesting about that sword,¡± Adam said. ¡°Something which you would be interested in hearing.¡± ¡°Do you think this will distract me from the matter at hand?¡± Adam smiled, wondering just how coy he should be. ¡°That depends, for that blade, earlier this year, beheaded a particular individual, and I wonder if you can guess.¡± ¡°You have sung your tune long enough, young man!¡± ¡®How boring,¡¯ Adam thought, letting out a sigh as Sir Harold held the blade out towards the half elf. ¡°That sword took the head of the Grand Commander of High Garden, Sir James Greatwood.¡± No matter how cringe Adam is, at least he knows it, and at least he looks out for his people. Also! If you want double chapters, this entire month I''ll be posting up an additional chapter for anyone who subscribes to Silver, and an additional two for anyone who subscribes to Gold on Patreon! [1201] – Y06.101 – Trouble in Their Hearts I The wave of shock filled the air, and all of a sudden, the thought of wanting to strike down this half elf escaped the minds of all those about. ¡®Seriously,¡¯ Adam grumbled within his mind. ¡®If you hadn¡¯t have rushed me, I could have had so much more fun.¡¯ ¡®What did he just say?¡¯ Sir Harold thought. ¡°I wonder who took the life of the Grand Commander with such a blade?¡± Adam half whispered, his fingers curling around the hilt of the sword, tugging it out of Sir Harold¡¯s grip, the man letting go of the blade due to his thoughts currently overwhelmed by the half elf¡¯s words. ¡°The reason why Manager Dunes has this blade with him is because this blade belongs to his daughter, our lovely Ranya. She¡¯s my niece, you see. She¡¯s turning two this year, and she¡¯s so adorable, you have no idea.¡± Adam smiled warmly as the warriors around him reeled from their surprise, finally returning back to the world. ¡°Now, all of you are probably thinking... why is this stupid half elf talking so much? Some of you might even be a little bit smart, I¡¯ll give you that much credit, that you¡¯re soaking in the information I¡¯m telling you. Knowledge is power, isn¡¯t that what they say? Some of you might think that I¡¯m a fool for telling you all of this, for you could use it against me, sure, and that¡¯s why you¡¯ll keep letting me talk, and talk, and I¡¯ll continue to bury myself, but... why is it that this stupid half elf talking about that? How is it that he understands that, but he keeps talking?¡± Adam raised his brows, flashing an even wider smile towards them all. ¡°That¡¯s because I know. I know that even though I¡¯m telling you the truth, you won¡¯t listen. You won¡¯t believe my words. That¡¯s why I worry for my dear Ranya, my niece who smiles so brightly, whose heart is full of innocence. My niece who complains when I try to steal her peppers, complaining to me, her ahm, her uncle. That¡¯s why I did all I could to make sure the Enchanter enchanted such a blade for our dear Ranya. I know something will happen to her, my sweet Ranya, who is too pure for this world.¡± ¡®He... requested such a powerful blade for a babe?¡¯ Sir Harold was uncertain of what he saw. For the half elf stood tall and proud, the trail of his tears dry, his eyes still gleaming with a light wetness, filled with fury. ¡°I wonder. If I told you who decapitated the Grand Commander of High Garden, a Paragon, with this blade...¡± Adam held out the blade in front of him, his eyes trailing along it, and yet he saw none of its details, instead he saw the scene before him. He closed his eyes, feeling the resistance against his hand as he cut through the thick powerful neck. ¡°No. Obviously you wouldn¡¯t believe me. That¡¯s why I worry for my Ranya. For my Enisa. For my children too, who have lived through such suffering, when they should have been coddled within my arms. My sweet. Innocent. Babies.¡± Though there was a father¡¯s grief in his words, there was something deeper lurking within his voice, a terror beyond the trembling of his voice. ¡°So the question is, how do I navigate these complex waters. Of course, I can do what I usually do. Kick up a fuss, and then have you criticise me for being disrespectful, but I promised my brother I wouldn¡¯t cause trouble.¡± Adam smiled again, though there was little joy within the half elf¡¯s smile, who rested the blade over his shoulder, gripping it tightly until his knuckles were white. ¡°However, I¡¯m sure you understand, I can¡¯t go around letting you pick fights with my people and not doing something about it, for otherwise you¡¯ll continue to disrespect us. Not just that, you might end up killing someone you shouldn¡¯t, and then telling me to control my man.¡± Adam tutted, his eyes darting up to meet the Honeysuckle Sword¡¯s eyes. ¡°My, my, my, how complicated all this politicking is. If I was dealing with Iyrmen, this would be so much easier, since we can speak openly and honestly, for though they have their pride, their ego, they know when to speak of pride, and they know when to speak of honesty.¡± ¡°Do you believe we do not speak honestly?¡± Sir Harold almost growled through his gritted teeth. ¡°There you go again! You see? You think I won¡¯t call you out? Why?¡± Adam pointed at the Grand Commander with the sword¡¯s hilt. ¡°It¡¯s because you think I¡¯m weaker than you. You think we, of the United Kindom, are weaker than you, of the Heroic Honeysuckle.¡± Even Dunes was impressed with the lack of vitriol he spoke of the Order¡¯s name, but though Dunes did not like how he had spoken of Ranya in front of them all, even he couldn¡¯t speak up, for the pressure Adam was exuding was something... indescribable. ¡°How can I show off my strength, so you know how to respect us for our strength, but in a way that all sides feel like they¡¯ve gained something, because I promised Jurot I would do my best to be polite, and respectful, and to form a good relation with you, of the Heroic Honeysuckle.¡± Adam let out a small huff, almost frowning as he held Sir Harold¡¯s gaze. ¡®What is he...¡¯ Sir Harold had been unable to keep up with Adam¡¯s words. He had never spoken to anyone as erratic as the half elf, for he was truly living up to his epithet. ¡°I think...¡± Adam said, narrowing his eyes as he leaned back, almost looking down at Sir Harold. ¡°I may know of a way, if you are so willing to indulge me, Sir Harold, Sir Honeysuckle Sword, of Heroic Honeysuckle.¡± Sir Harold narrowed his eyes. ¡°I wish to ask you a question, once I have indulged you.¡± ¡°Sure, and I promise to answer it truthfully, or I won¡¯t answer it at all,¡± Adam replied. ¡°What is your idea?¡± ¡°Aha!¡± the half elf snapped, pointing the hilt of the blade towards the Grand Commander, with such a violent swing, the warriors reached for their blades. ¡°That is a great question, Sir Honeysuckle Sword! My, my, my! No wonder you are so respected! Is that why you came into the possession of this fine fort? Since you are so wise, the King has, in his infinite wisdom, placed you in charge of the greatest Order of all Floria, which is but a day¡¯s journey from the greatest city of all, Gold Port!¡± The half elf¡¯s laughter filled the air, and they all felt the annoyance within them rise. ¡°My idea is simply this. You. Me. Sundown. We will spar, a friendly spar, at sundown, so that whatever happens, we can say that we weren¡¯t able to see clearly because it was so dark, and you¡¯ll be able to say the same too. If you win the spar, I will hand this blade to you, Thunder¡¯s Triumph, my niece¡¯s blade, the very same blade which took the head of the Grand Commander of High Garden, who was once the Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts, who stood where you stood, who commanded where you commanded, who shit where you shit.¡± Adam held out the hilt towards the Grand Commander, still holding a wild grin towards him. The rage filled Sir Harold, but he kept it at bay, because... ¡®If I win, I get that blade?¡¯ ¡°If I lose, I will gift this blade to you, Sir Honeysuckle Sword.¡± Adam pulled the hilt back to his shoulder. ¡°However, if I win... well, what can your Order give me that I can¡¯t get from any other Order? From the Order of the Blooming Bellflower? From the Order of the Preserving Primrose? What is it that your Order can hand over to me that no other Order can give?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°I had a couple of ideas, but... no, no. I could ask you to change your name, because being able to say I was the one who did it, does sound amazing, but... that would only build resentment from your Order, and I did promise my darling brother that I would try to be nice, as long as you don¡¯t annoy me too much.¡± ¡°I have heard enough of you, half elf!¡± a Vice Commander snarled, reaching for her blade, but she was kept at bay with a wave of Sir Harold¡¯s hand. Adam kept Sir Harold¡¯s gaze. ¡°You and me. A friendly spar at dusk. What would you offer, Sir Honeysuckle Sword?¡± ¡°If you will offer your blade, I will offer mine,¡± the Grand Commander replied, the greed entering deep within the depths of his heart. Adam smiled wide, reaching out a hand. ¡°Put it there! Go on!¡± The deal was sealed with a handshake, but what no one expected was just how annoyed Adam would be after agreeing, the half elf fuming while in the guest quarters, pacing from wall to wall. ¡°What is wrong?¡± Dunes asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t even bet anything, the prick!¡± ¡°He bet his sword?¡± ¡°Dunes, come on! I can¡¯t take his sword from him once I win! They¡¯ll get mad at me for winning even though he offered it! I¡¯ll have to return it right away, but knowing them, they won¡¯t appreciate it!¡± Dunes blinked. He didn¡¯t like this version of Adam who was actually smart and wise, for it caused the cold grasp of fear to grip his heart. ¡®I need to beat him up properly!¡¯ Adam suddenly gaining +10 INT and WIS for the end of the chapter is the biggest cliffhanger. [1202] – Y06.102 – Trouble in Their Hearts II ¡®I didn¡¯t say too much, did I?¡¯ Adam thought, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡®They could probably figure out I¡¯m the Enchanter, but... there¡¯s no way that would make sense. I can¡¯t be so strong I can take on their Grand Commander, and also be the Enchanter, especially since I spent so much of my time adventuring. Should I adventure more and set out more weapons to be sold so they don¡¯t figure it out?¡¯ ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called once his brother had stopped thinking so deeply. ¡°You should hold back.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Adam replied firmly, more firmly than he had previously replied to his brother. ¡°You should not reveal your strength at this time.¡± ¡°I have to.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°What am I meant to do about Jonn? Would they apologise? There¡¯s no way! Just because Jonn tried to defend himself, they¡¯d blame him! Then what? Jonn, who swore his Oaths to me! What do I do, Jurot? Do I just abandon him?¡± ¡°He would understand.¡± The Iyrman remained silent, allowing his brother to sit in his thoughts as the sun began to set. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t!¡± Adam winced slightly, and though he cringed, it was not the kind of cringe in which Adam was acting a fool, but the graver wound, the kind that struck at his heart. ¡°He swore his Oaths to me, so I need to be the kind of guy worthy of swearing Oaths to! If I abandon him now, who can anyone trust, huh?¡± Jurot understood Adam¡¯s words, for they were, as one might describe them, Iyrmanly. Was that why they were so close? Though the half elf was not an Iyrman, and though he disagreed with the more extreme, a word his brother would describe it, aspects of the Iyr, the half elf was not far off from an Iyrman himself. ¡°If I don¡¯t...¡± Adam swallowed, staring at the wall opposite him. It was growing later and later, but he had already meditated with the sword. ¡°They¡¯ll think they can come for my family again. I know it¡¯s stupid to reveal how strong I am, especially now, I know that, Jurot! If I don¡¯t... I don¡¯t want to lose the sword, but I don¡¯t want to lose Ranya even more.¡± Jurot understood it wasn¡¯t just about Ranya, though the half elf¡¯s fears for Ranya were still real. ¡°They looked at Jaygak a similar way. Even with Jonn and I nearby to take all the heat, they still glared at her. Kitool sometimes felt it too, but you, Jurot? You got a different type of look, the kind that was just basic Iyrman hatred, the kind that comes from being so proud of your grandfather. Jaygak? There were people glaring at her, with thoughts of tearing her limb from limb. Ranya will get those thoughts too, but she won¡¯t have a tattoo stopping them. So at the very least, she should tell them all who her uncle is. I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s an Expert before she steps out on her own. She¡¯ll have Greater items, this sword, and a name that strikes fear into everyone.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The darkness of the sky began to welcome them, the group gathering around within the large courtyard. Even now, whispers of the previous Order tickled Jonn¡¯s ears, who stared out towards the half elf he had sworn himself to. He could hear it too, the last thing the half elf had said to him before stepping away. ¡®Watch carefully.¡¯ The half elf stood within his puthral, like a purple statue. That red shield, Strong Shield, held the same power as his new shield, but he borrowed it from Nirot all the same. Since it now belonged to the younger Asorot, Adam wanted to make sure it had an even better story. The small stones within the wall illuminated the figures around, their businesses folk, the soldiers assigned to escort them, and the various warriors of the Order, outnumbering them at least two to one, with a great many holding names from their mercenary days, and others throughout the various tournaments they had fought. ¡®Why did he offer to face me?¡¯ Sir Harold thought, staring at the half elf before him, who was as still as a statue. The obsidian holy symbol at his chest caused the Honeysuckle Sword pause, for the Grand Commander recalled the beast he had seen in the last year. Back then, he had no idea this half elf would have slain the Vice Commander, and with such a swiftness too. He had been too focused upon other fights, and the words spoken after describing his fight was unbelievable. Then there was that. The rumours that had begun to spread, about the Order of the High Garden, and the Grand Commander, Sir James Greatwood, who had gone seeking his justice, but then? Silence. The Iyr had slain them all, through treachery, it was said. Surely, the Iyr must have done something underhanded, but something like that? Something so obvious? Is that why they did it? They thought no one could believe it if they did something so outrageous? Or was there something else involved? ¡°Are you ready?¡± called the gruff voice, almost bored. Sir Harold glanced aside, towards the dark skinned Aswadian, who he had chatted to in the previous year. It had taken a short while to realise who he was back then, and even after he had cut his hair short, and his beard was far neater, the Florian recognised the fellow, who continued to hold a heavy presence even standing as casually as he was. There was no doubt about it. The Lion King was stronger than him. ¡°I am,¡± Sir Harold replied, grasping his blade with both hands, the longsword brimming to life with the urge to sing for blood. Adam drew his blade, which tingled through his hand. Except, it was not the fight he was focused upon, but the memory. ¡®No! No ahm, no! No!¡¯ Ranya cried aloud, gasping, quickly grabbing the pepper with both hands. She had cried and complained so loudly, the others glanced towards her, watching as the girl shook her head towards Adam, her face still full of shock, bringing the pepper to her chest to hold it as her precious pepper. ¡®I see,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Since I only defeated one Grand Commander, you would not share your pepper. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll beat up another one, so you can feed this ahm of yours from your own hand.¡¯ Though Adam¡¯s thoughts were playful and light, as he opened his eyes, peeking through his visor, and through the Honeysuckle Sword¡¯s own visor, their eyes meeting, the Grand Commander could see it, just how seriously he was taking this fight. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You may begin,¡± Ashmir said, wasting no time. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 3 (2) ¡®You will find that I am not as easy to defeat as a simple Vice Commander,¡¯ Sir Harold thought, as his blade shimmered with purple and orange, and all around them, they could smell the sweet scent of the flower. Though the scent invoked the sweetness of a noonval day, it held within the might of a Fourth Gate spell, one threatening to tear the half elf asunder, spurred by the chant of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Heroic Honeysuckle. The magic exploded as the Grand Commander¡¯s blade struck heavily upon the crimson shield, a shield which was once wielded by a terrifying foe who had made his name across Aldland, and another who had used it to create an even greater story. The blade struck with such force, it dented the shield, with the will of a quick, clean victory, and yet, somehow, the blade scraped across the front, sending sparks into the air, and the purple and orange continued to hum and throb through the blade, rather than sending the half elf¡¯s mind into two pieces. Full plate was a great thing. It granted a wonderfully high Defence, one that would make all people envious. Defence: 18 However, Adam had also prayed over his mundane armour, with his Blessing of Forgia, though it was Baktu he prayed to. Defence: 19 Then there was his ring, borrowed from one of his companions. Defence: 20 His beautiful cloak, the colours picked by the most adorable children in the world. Defence: 21 Adam was also adept at wearing armour, providing even greater protection from his more defensive oriented Fighting Style. Defence: 22 Not only did he have the Blessing of Forgia, he had increased his defensive capabilities with the Soul of the Forge. Defence: 23 Indeed, Adam¡¯s Defence was among the greatest, matching even the likes of great dragons, and yet... Then there was his shield. Red as blood. Filled with stories one could only dream of. Defence: 25 The Mad Dog, who had gained another nickname based on the shield had gifted it to his grandson, Turot, who had gifted it to Adam. Adam had enchanted it, not wanting to die, no matter what one might think considering how often he provoked the nobility, and though he had gifted it to Turot back, he hinted at Turot to hand it to his younger brother, Asorot, who handed it to Nirot, to make sure she survived to return. Defence: 27 To say it was difficult to strike Adam would be an understatement, for the half elf hadn¡¯t even spent a single point of Mana to increase it further, for Sir Harold, the Honeysuckle Sword, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Heroic Honeysuckle, one of the greatest warriors in all the land, with his ability to cast Fourth Gate spells, and to clash with even King Merryweather himself, had not been able to strike through such a great Defence with either of his terrifying blows, which would have killed an Expert outright. ¡°I suppose... it¡¯s my turn then?¡± the voice whispered with the most sinister tone. Any time Adam does this, I always think he''s so cool, and then I remember he''s cringe. [1203] – Y06.103 – Trouble in Their Hearts III The businessfolk watched. It was unlike the way the soldiers watched. They, too, did not watch in the same way the warriors of the Order watched. For the businessfolk watched a vicious beating, but they had seen it before. The soldiers were watching a monster tearing into one of the greatest warriors of their land. The warriors of the Order, they could only watch. They could only watch as their greatest warrior, their leader, their Honeysuckle Sword, was beset by a beast wearing the face of a half elf. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 18 (7) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 3 -> 2 Critical Hit! Mana: 34 -> 31 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 72 (20)(11)(32) 72 damage! Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 22 (11) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 2 -> 1 Critical Hit! Mana: 31 -> 28 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 65 (17)(6)(33) 65 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Thunder¡¯s Triumph (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 23 (12) D20 + 11 = 26 (15) Hit! Thunder¡¯s Triumph: 1 -> 0 Critical Hit! Mana: 28 -> 25 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 57 (18)(3)(27) 57 damage! Adam raised his sword for a fourth blow, but he paused, for the Honeysuckle Sword had certainly almost fallen unconscious, but had forced himself up, in a similar manner to certain Rage Dancers. ¡°So?¡± Adam called out, his voice low, almost playful, as though this was just any other day for him, but they could see the sword shaking as the half elf tempered himself. Sir Harold hacked, coughing out blood, the Grand Commander keeled over upon a knee. His entire body flashed hot and cold, the ache setting deep within him, for he hadn¡¯t taken such a terrible beating since he could remember. No... had he ever been beaten so viciously in his life? Had it ever been so easy? Even when he was beaten by his mentor as a boy, he had put up a greater fight. ¡°I... cannot surrender,¡± Sir Harold replied, gasping and panting for air, still clutching his sword as he tried to will himself to stand. ¡°It¡¯s just a friendly spar,¡± Adam had the audacity to say, staring down towards the knelt Grand Commander, for this scene would be engraved upon the hearts of the Order forever, even if they did try to draw their blades to attack. Sir Harold stared at the half elf, catching his eyes through their visors, and there he could see it. It was not hatred. It was not audacity. It was not even pride. It was not even one might expect, of a better beating their inferiors into their place. It was just pity. Pity for him? The Grand- The thought stopped there, for everyone had seen it, and even in the darkness of sundown, the gentle glow of the stones embedded within the walls, it was clear as day. Sir Harold held out his blade with both hands, still knelt before the half elf. Adam sheathed Thunder¡¯s Triumph, and even as he reached for the magical blade, clasping his fingers around it, finding the blade was a Greater Enhanced blade with the magic it was giving it off, he was still prepared for the inevitable betrayal. The half elf lifted the sword into the sky, letting out a roar full of frustration and anguish, and to those keen of hearing, guilt and shame. ¡®Do you see? Jarot! Larot! Jirot! Ranya! Do you see? No one can trouble you as long as I live!¡¯ The half elf continued to roar loudly into the air, the roars echoing through the fortress. The warriors prepared themselves, while the businessfolk heard the pain within those roars, even Tanagek and Chosen, who had only known him for a handful of months. Brittany stared at the half elf, who had defeated a second Grand Commander, and yet with each roar, she understood. Even though he was strong, even though he could defeat the likes of Grand Commanders, to all those around, he acknowledged he was too weak. Whereas Adam was strong enough to defeat the Grand Commander, he was too weak to defeat the Order, and it hurt him so. Abruptly, the roaring, the crying, stopped. The half elf let out a low sigh, and he held the blade upon his palms, staring down towards it, seeing the face of a weak fool staring back at him through the blade¡¯s steel. Then, beyond it, he saw the boots of the Grand Commander, and he closed his eyes once more, understanding what needed to be done. ¡°At the edge of this blade, I felt it,¡± the half elf said, his voice dead, but filling with as much life as he could muster. ¡°I could feel the great strength of the Honeysuckle Sword, for his sword was deep, full of brightness, and indeed, heroic.¡± Everyone could hear the emptiness within Adam¡¯s words, for all he could do, surrounded by the Order, shackled by the weakness that was not wanting to cause trouble for his friends and family, and the weakness of not wanting to escalate the matter further. It was the acknowledgement that he was still weak, and could not face the system that surrounded him, even if he was certain he could drop several Fireballs and survive. ¡°I can this with complete honesty, at least! The Honeysuckle Sword lasted against this sword of mine, this sword of Ranya¡¯s, which was wielded by my hand, than even the Grand Commander of the Order of the High Garden!¡± Adam¡¯s voice filled with life with each passing word, the half elf exclaiming the words almost as loudly as he had roared. ¡°Out of respect for your Grand Commander, and out of the hope that in the future, this meeting will bloom into a beautiful flower of friendship, I hope you will consider accepting this blade as a token of our friendship.¡± Adam bowed his head, bowing so deeply, he held the blade higher than his head. The scene of the half elf bowing in surrender to the Honeysuckle Sword engraved itself within the hearts of the businessfolk. Commander Silversky stared at the scene before him, for though Adam had submit before the Honeysuckle Sword, it was still after he so brutally beating the greatest figure in the Order, the greater hope who should have led them to decades of prosperity. Even then, there was something even more important. ¡®It¡¯s true,¡¯ they thought. ¡®He was the one who defeated the Grand Commander!¡¯ ¡®I need to inform the King,¡¯ Commander Silversky thought, his eyes darting towards the other soldiers, who were certain this matter needed to reach the King¡¯s ears. They would need to watch for the blades of the business, but also the blades of the Order. As the Commander retreated into his cabin, he paused, glancing towards the Iyrman. ¡°May I help you?¡± ¡°Sleep well, Commander,¡± Tanagek stated. ¡°I will take the first watch.¡± ¡°...¡± As the half elf stared at the wall in front of him, he emptied his mind of the constant barrage of berating. ¡®Didn¡¯t I already know I was dumb? It¡¯s not like this is the worst thing I¡¯ve done...¡¯ Dunes watched as the half elf finally fought off the pity, his shoulders relaxing with relief. ¡®Adam...¡¯ ¡°You fought well,¡± Jurot said, sitting down beside the half elf, with wine he had procured from the Order, who certainly would have wanted to poison it, but what would they do if they only poisoned three of them? ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Adam replied, letting out a soft sigh. ¡°I held back.¡± Jurot blinked, for only Adam could viciously beat the Grand Commander so, and still say he held back. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Third Gate,¡± Adam whispered back in their tongue, winking at the Iyrman. ¡®I could have done, what, an extra six... so twenty one? Eh, I pretty much did about two hundred anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Jurot was certain the half elf had still revealed too much, but this was the first time Adam had decided to reveal his true strength in front of the world. He had shown enough to the Iyr, but across this land? Though Dunes was certain the Iyrman was worried, he wondered if Jurot had to smile so proudly. ¡®Have I ever seen him smile so brightly before?¡¯ Jurot poured the drinks for Dunes and Adam, allowing Adam to pour his tiny cup. The Iyrman stared down at his drink, unsure of what to say to finish the day. ¡°Dunes,¡± Adam said, holding up his cup. ¡°I promise you. One day, there will come a day when the United Kindom will become a force the lands will have no choice but to respect. Not just because of me, but because of all the monsters that it will hold.¡± ¡°If you are working so hard... for only forty gold each month? Will you reduce our payments since we are not working as hard?¡± Dunes asked, raising his brows towards the half elf in worry. Adam let out a small groan. ¡°So that¡¯s what it feels like when I make a stupid joke during a serious moment?¡± ¡°If you know it now, do not forget,¡± Dunes said, raising his cup of wine, sharing a knowing look with Jurot, before they both drank to such sentiments. Thank you for teaching him a lesson, Dunes. Also it''s crazy to think Adam still held back. [1204] – Y06.104 – Trouble in Their Hearts IV Konarot groaned as she awoke, sitting upright, her tail swaying behind her. She blinked, for her mother had stepped out, and the lack of her scent woke the girl. She rolled over to the side, onto all fours, and leapt up, her tail balancing her as she gathered her bearings that morning. Kirot jolted awake, rolling over to the side, reaching out to wake her younger brother, who rubbed his eyes and cuddled against her chest as he awoke from his slumber. The triplets walked around the courtyard once, waving at the adults, and once they completed a lap, they turned and completed another, greetings the adults once more. ¡°Working hard?¡± Turot asked, ready to begin his workout that morning. ¡°Hardly working?¡± Asorot added, and the brothers smiled as the triplets cackled and chuckled, before joining them in their workout. ¡°Daddy coming home?¡± Konarot asked, panting after her workout, quenching her thirst. Though it was said that working out would fill her with energy during noonval, she was pretty sure it only made her more tired, but the best time to nap was right at noon, so she forced herself to remain alert, as alert as she could while the wicked sun bore upon her pale skin and her silver scales. ¡°He will return later,¡± Turot replied, ruffling the girl¡¯s silver hair. He smiled, beaming down at his niece, who was so well behaved, his heart filling with the dessert that was a child¡¯s adorableness. ¡°Kaka! Papa!¡± called a tiny green storm, who posed as the second workout for her aunts and uncles, for her chaos always limbered them up. Asorot smiled as Jirot and Jarot kissed their elder siblings. ¡®I need to work hard today!¡¯ As dawn welcomed those of the Iyr, it had already welcomed those further east, especially the Priest who had requested a basin politely, the other Priest who wanted to feel water against his pale skin to soothe him in the noonval heat, and the last Priest, who wanted to bathe the most, since he was he. ¡°The next time we meet, I¡¯ll allow you to choose the future of our relationship,¡± Adam said, offering his forearm to Sir Harold. The older man clasped the half elf¡¯s forearm, slowly bowing his head, and kept an eye upon the carriages which made their way southward to the city. The half elf had caused no trouble, and his brother had confirmed that the gift would still make its way towards them, and had even offered another chest of silver, easily holding another fifty gold, which would be gone by the time he blinked since running an Order was expensive business, but such coin was always welcome. However, he couldn¡¯t think of the coin at the moment, for there were already various Vice Commanders making plays towards his position. ¡®Surrounded by vipers, and yet I¡¯m looking out towards outsiders...¡¯ Sir Harold thought, recalling the half elf¡¯s words. ¡®My, my, my, how complicated all this politicking is.¡¯ The half elf had spoken far too openly about matters that should remain in the dark, but even he felt relieved for it to be spoken in the air. ¡°Damn it!¡± Adam complained within the carriage. ¡°Just you wait, Dunes! One day the United Kindom will blot out the sky!¡± Dunes wondered when the half elf would finally burst once they were out of the walls, but to think he would do it after a whole hour? Adam had certainly grown. ¡°One day! We¡¯ll be so powerful! Then I won¡¯t have to bow my head to some stupid Grand Commander!¡± Adam tensed up and flexed, feeling the rage fill him. ¡°I should have beaten him up even harder! Why did I end it too quickly? I should have made him as red as my shield! That punk! How dare he not realise how merciful I was! He didn¡¯t even say thank you to me!¡± Tanagek narrowed his eyes slightly, growing more confused, since he had been informed that Jarot hadn¡¯t slept with an elf before, and yet Adam was undoubtedly his grandson. ¡°One day! Ranya, she¡¯ll be able to walk to Gold Port and the King himself will greet her! Just you wait!¡± Adam snarled. ¡°She does not need that!¡± Dunes snapped back at the half elf, finding himself unable to join in the fun. ¡°What do you mean? Since she¡¯s my niece, she needs to make at least a King bow his head! If nothing else, at least a Duke or a Duchess!¡± ¡°Why does she need such to bow their heads?¡± ¡°Even if there¡¯s no need, they should do it!¡± Adam felt the heat of rage fill him once more, the sparks and embers growing into an inferno. ¡°Damn it! Jonn! If anyone bullies you, make sure you get me justification to fight again! I need to beat at least three or four more! I need the XP! This time I¡¯ll split it with even more people! I need a hundred more to level it out.¡± Jonn wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was talking about exactly, and as his eyes met Jurot¡¯s, he understood he shouldn¡¯t take Adam¡¯s words too seriously. Since the half elf said to listen to Jurot as much as himself, then he¡¯d heed the warning in the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Adam...¡± Jurot called. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam huffed. ¡°You should have used an axe.¡± The half elf suddenly sat up straight. ¡°Jurot.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Jurot!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Not like this, Jurot!¡± As the carriages tumbled their way towards the city, the businessfolk within reeled from Adam¡¯s ridiculousness. Brittany stared at the wall ahead, for once, her village had been considered a part of Southern Aldland, before the civil war. After the civil war, it had been swallowed into Central Aldland, but she still felt a kinship with the Honeysuckle Sword, as one might do even when there was nothing else binding two people, save a tiny connection, like their favourite colour. ¡®Sir Harold is strong but...¡¯ Brittany¡¯s body shuddered as she recalled the scene from five years ago. The flames engulfed her vision, as they had swallowed the half elf whole. Just like that, Adam had defeated the monstrous figure known as the Honeysuckle Sword. ¡®Does that mean... he¡¯s as strong as that monster too?¡¯ In her heart she knew it. Even though Adam was the kind of monster who could, within moments, defeat the likes of a Grand Commander, and yet he was still weak compared to the monster known as Shama. Her heart throbbed. Her skin grew cold, a sweat beginning to form along the surface. The chill gripped at her body as she froze in place. ¡°Brittany?¡± Nirot called. Brittany coughed in response, finding her breath hard to come by, her heart pounding heavy within her chest. Her breath came to her quickly, too quickly, and the woman¡¯s eyes began to close, her vision growing dark, but not yet swallowed by blackness. ¡°Is it poison?¡± Nirot asked, and as Brittany dropped to the side, she banged the wall, Naqokan stopping the carriage. Mork grabbed onto his holy symbol, chanting a prayer, and as his holy symbol glowed, his eyes crackled with magic, and storms appeared across the surface of his eyes as they darted around. ¡°I cannot detect any poison.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± Adam called, storming onto the scene, noting Brittany gasping for air, her eyes full of alarm. He heard her panting gasps, trying to form words of an apology. ¡°It is not poison,¡± Mork stated. ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam said, before holding up his arms. ¡°We¡¯re taking a break! You guys, go cook some food. Jurot, Mork, Dunes... no, Dunes, you help cook. Kitool, you stay with me too.¡± The others pulled away, and since Adam had said to cook food, they left to do just that. ¡°You alright?¡± Adam asked, dropping down beside Brittany, holding out a hand. She grasped at it tightly, and the half elf smiled reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Brittany.¡± ¡°Sa!¡± the woman replied, unable to form the words, feeling the tightness in her chest. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I... don¡¯t... know,¡± the woman managed, feeling the throbbing in her chest. ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± Adam asked, and the woman¡¯s eyes grew wide, flashing back to another time, and she grew colder. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s going to be alright.¡± ¡°Sha... ma,¡± the woman managed, glancing to the side, her entire body shaking as the fear overwhelmed her. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam held the woman¡¯s hand, allowing her to grip as tightly as she needed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about him. He can¡¯t hurt you. He didn¡¯t last time, and I¡¯ll make sure he can¡¯t in the future.¡± Bael remained quiet, standing near Taygak, and though most of his attention was on the surrounding area, after hearing the Emperor¡¯s name, his ears perked up. ¡°I owe him one, a really nice beating, don¡¯t I?¡± Adam joked, feeling the way Brittany clenched at his hand at the thought of the terrifying foe. ¡°One day, I¡¯ll be so strong, and I¡¯ll beat him properly. Since he¡¯s an Emperor, he probably hasn¡¯t been beaten properly.¡± Bael huffed, though kept silent as he listened from afar, catching Taygak¡¯s attention as the teen glared up towards him, wondering why he was sighing so heavily. ¡®Just because you can beat up some children, it doesn¡¯t mean you can beat that old man,¡¯ Bael thought, though at the same time, he recalled Adam¡¯s age. ¡®Maybe... in a few more centuries?¡¯ Adam sat with Brittany, speaking with her calmly, no longer speaking of Shama, but talking about how much silver and gold they should spend within the cities. He allowed her to hold his hand until she had calmed down, and as though nothing had happened, they ate and continued along their way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Brittany said, feeling the heaviness in her chest beginning to grow once more. ¡°Sorry? We should be th-,¡± Adam began, but paused, unsure if he should be that nonchalant. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Brittany. You don¡¯t have to worry at all. I¡¯m just glad you weren¡¯t poisoned, otherwise I would have gone back to kill the bas-,¡± Brittany watched as the half elf cringed. ¡®I¡¯ve been cursing way too much...¡¯ Adam thought. Adam is a real one for sure. [1205] – Y06.105 – Gold Port I The walls of Gold Port were tall, thick, and beautiful, adorned in the banners of the Floria, white upon purple. The guards matched such, adorned within their breastplates over chain, with long cloaks of purple falling over their shoulders, long spears in hand, the shafts white, their spears tipped in purple, but not like the purple of puthral, but the deeper purple of coralsteel. One might have wondered which protected the city better. Thankfully, Commander Silversky dealt with the guards, and though he had offered to bypass the tax, Kitool held out the pouch of silver for the guards, informing them of their business within Gold Port. ¡®Eh?¡¯ one of the guards thought, glancing aside to their companion, and then to the Commander. The Commander just nodded, and gave them a look that informed them that of course this was all complicated, they were dealing with Iyrmen. The Commander led the group to a small outpost within the city¡¯s walls, muttering a few words to the soldiers within, greeting the other Commander, who instantly realised the gravity of the situation as several Iyrmen stepped out of the carriages. ¡°Brother Adam,¡± Commander Silversky called, having dealt with the smaller issue of keeping these fellows all but locked up. ¡°You promised you would not cause trouble.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Commander Silversky swallowed, unsure how much he should trust this half elf. He glanced aside to the other soldiers, who spied up the new group, noting the large number of Iyrmen, and each whispering between one another. ¡°Then... your companions may travel as you please within the city, but you, Brother Adam, must take a soldier with you if you are to leave the outpost. I hope that you will not spend too long out, and will return for roll call every morning and evening.¡± Adam tilted his head lightly, but smiled, holding out his hand. ¡°Thank you, Commander. From now on, whenever we swing by a fort you¡¯re involved with, I¡¯ll be sure to be on my best behaviour.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Commander Silversky hoped he wouldn¡¯t regret the faith he was placing in the half elf, for this was political suicide if Adam caused even a hint of trouble. Unfortunately, there were more important matters to deal with, the Commander swiftly retreating towards the palace. ¡°Alright, guys, you hear that?¡± Adam called, placing his hands upon his waist as he eyed up the businessfolk all around. ¡°No trouble! Commander Silversky has been nothing but decent to us, so we can¡¯t betray his trust. You hear me, Taygak? No beating up Florians.¡± Taygak flushed lightly. ¡°Cousin Adam...¡± Jurot and Kitool exchanged a look, almost certain the half elf was going to cause a massive issue, resolving themselves to also escort the half elf wherever he may go. ¡®Seriously! We¡¯ve got to deal with these fools? I didn¡¯t join the army just to watch over some savages!¡¯ The soldier quickly straightened up as he approached, the figure they needed to pay the second most attention towards. ¡°Hello, hello,¡± Adam said, holding up a small chest. ¡°I was wondering who I needed to hand this chest full of heavy silver to, since your other Commander seems a little busy.¡± ¡°I will take it,¡± the soldier said, accepting the small chest, and since she didn¡¯t seem to react at how heavy it was, Adam supposed she had either carried large chests before, or was well trained in not showing her emotions. It was certainly the former, because the vitriol in her eyes had been rather evident as the half elf approached her. ¡°Right, and uh...¡± Adam reached into his inner robe, holding up a small pouch. ¡°I wanted to donate this to the soldiers, for the trouble of looking after us. Just something to add to the drink fund, or whatever you might have here.¡± ¡®At least he knows how to bribe!¡¯ The soldier smiled, taking the small pouch of silver. ¡®Hmm? I guess it¡¯s only about ten silver? What a stingy guy! Why didn¡¯t you give me a gold coin instead of making me carry a pouch as well as a chest?¡¯ Once the soldier returned, she beamed with joy as she nodded towards the half elf, for those eyes of hers had not seen the glint of ten silver coins, but ten gold. ¡®I¡¯ll keep handing over about twenty gold, no, thirty gold each day they keep us, so that way they don¡¯t get too mad at us. I¡¯ll leave them with an extra pouch of silver once we leave too.¡¯ Adam sighed, stressed by how much silver and gold they were spending, but at the same time, he couldn¡¯t help but smile, since he was able to spend so much money and feel like he was someone important. The outpost was like a large estate, walled off from the rest of the world with stone walls, while most of the buildings were wood, with a section full of stone buildings. There were towers at each corner, but it was the tower which was most impressive of all, for it loomed within the centre of the complex, and split the outpost into three. It was roughly one and a half times as tall and as wide as the other towers, with the chain of command forming their base in the centre. Adam and his companions remained within a single section, a smaller section full of buildings with a small yard. A couple of soldiers patrolled the walls of their section and a handful of soldiers remained within, keeping to themselves mostly, but focused on keeping an eye on the group and the half elf. Sometimes they would glance towards the figure with the highest priority, who sat beside her brother and cousin. The Commander of the fort eventually approached, having dealt with his matters. He was tall and muscular, his hair a burnt amber, his skin rough and worn, darker, revealing his Aswadian heritage, but he fashioned his beard into a goatee, not like a respectable Aswadian. As he approached the group, he first made his way to the Priest. ¡°Brother, Lady¡¯s blessings upon you,¡± the Commander said. ¡°Many blessings upon you,¡± Mork replied, glancing aside towards Dunes, bemused. ¡°This noonval heat bears so terribly this year, do you not agree?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°It must be due to the Reavers, who have brought chaos to this land.¡± ¡°It must be so,¡± Mork half agreed, eyeing up the Commander, though as he did, he spotted Chosen eyeing the man curiously. ¡°I am Commander Joseph the Black, for my beautiful skin,¡± he said, smiling wide. ¡°Though my father says it is because of our family¡¯s merchant company, the Black Sea Company.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Mork said, raising his brows in surprise, for who had not heard of the Black Sea Company? ¡°Is your uncle Black Sea Sword?¡± Chosen asked, furrowing his brows further in thought. ¡°My uncle is named so.¡± ¡°My granduncle is Bloodblade.¡± ¡°Your granduncle is...¡± Joseph seemed almost unbothered, until the name clicked within his mind, and he smiled brightly, the brightness reaching his eyes. ¡°Bloodblade Shasen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Chosen replied, the Iyrman full of pride, though that was to be expected, since he was an Iyrman. ¡°How many blessings come to me this day?¡± Joseph laughed, his laughter rippling out like a wave. ¡®Damn! You Iyrmen really know everyone!¡¯ Adam¡¯s brows remained stuck as they were raised, for the Iyrmen continued to surprise him, in a way that shouldn¡¯t have been surprising in the slightest. Joseph sat with Chosen, speaking with the young Iyrman, as well as Brother Mork, for quickly they realised the Commander worshipped Lady Tempest deeply, more so than any of the Divine. ¡°They have me stuck upon land, but I hear the sea whispering sweetly to my ears,¡± Joseph said, his ears twitching. ¡°There I may find my own Bloodblade, who will cut me deeply and leave me for dead, and when we see each other next, we will drink!¡± Chosen laughed alongside Joseph, glad he could finally show off his family too, not that he didn¡¯t have the opportunity, but this time the Commander held a greater connection to his family. ¡°I have come to accompany my cousin, Adam,¡± Chosen admitted as they finally fell upon that matter. ¡°He is quite the fool, but I grew up with his brother, and I am to see the madness he brings with my own two eyes.¡± ¡°What madness does he bring?¡± Joseph asked, only then recalling what Silversky had told him. ¡°He is the Crazy Father,¡± Chosen replied simply. ¡°That is too much madness,¡± Joseph said, tutting as he poured the Iyrman another drink. ¡°I must watch over him carefully.¡± ¡°He promised to behave, so please watch over him lightly.¡± ¡°I have my position to consider.¡± ¡°I will deal with him if he misbehaves,¡± Chosen stated firmly, catching Joseph¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will afford to him what I have promised, but he is under my eyes now, my eyes which can spot a single copper within a sea of bronze, a single silver in a sea of platinum, and an Aswadian ass in a sea of Aldish, but the last is least impressive, for their woman are built thickly, while ours are built too thin.¡± Chosen took a moment to see how the Commander viewed himself, and he smiled, bowing his head. ¡°We will head to Aswadasad soon, and I will see for myself.¡± Joseph slapped the Iyrman across his thigh, howling and cackling with laughter, glad that this young man was more his speed. I really like this next mini-arc in Gold Port. Although, if you want to see some insane stuff, you might want to subscribe to Patreon because today''s chapter... ends on a cliffhanger? Oh. Tomorrow would be a better time to join. Though if you join today, I''ll do something? I don''t know. [1206] – Y06.106 – Gold Port II "Silly daddy, I miss you so much,¡± Jirot whispered to herself, rubbing her eye as she readied for breakfast. ¡°Darling, enjoy yourself within Gold Port,¡± Vonda said. ¡°If you are in Gold Port already, then you must not have taken time for yourself, or your companions.¡± Jirot gasped, her tiny mouth forming a circle. ¡°Mummy! Are you talking to daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mummy! You must tell daddy! I miss... Jarot misses daddy so much.¡± The girl glanced to the side, but her puckered lips, and her sad eyes told her mother everything. ¡°Your father asked what he should buy for you.¡± ¡°Daddy should buy some decency,¡± the girl said, sipping her cup of milk in annoyance, but she gasped upon seeing her mother¡¯s shock. ¡°No, mummy! No! I did not say it! I said, I said, I said... Jarot, what daddy should buy?¡± Little Jarot raised his brows in shock. ¡®Kaka! How you can involve me like this?¡¯ ¡°Jirot, you cannot speak of your father in such a way,¡± Vonda said, holding out her hand, the girl pouting as she took it. Vonda brushed her thumb along her daughter¡¯s knuckles tenderly. ¡°That was too far, do you understand?¡± ¡°Sorry, mummy...¡± Jirot¡¯s lips trembled and her cries pierced the air. Having no idea that his daughter was bullying him, the half elf flushed. He had prayed early in the morning, and after working out with the soldiers, he finished his bath and prayed once more, though ended up sending word to his wife. ¡®How can you call me out like that, darling?¡¯ Adam thought, flushing lightly. ¡®I guess she¡¯s right though...¡¯ ¡®Darling, Jirot and Jarot said they would like some ribbons.¡¯ ¡°If my little Jirot and Jarot want ribbons, I will get them some ribbons!¡± Adam promised as the words slipped out to his wife¡¯s mind. ¡®I¡¯ll buy a thousand ribbons!¡¯ ¡®Please enjoy yourself. Xarot and Monarot have begun to crawl. You should buy them something to congratulate them too.¡¯ Adam dashed out, finding Jurot and his companions sitting with the soldiers. ¡°Jurot! Xarot and Monarot are crawling!¡± Jurot blinked, nodding his head. ¡°My daughter must crawl so well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll miss her goofy little shuffle, but I bet she crawls so cutely too!¡± The soldiers eyed up the half elf and the Iyrmen, who glowed and spoke of their children so tenderly, before finally giving them a chance to breathe. ¡°Let¡¯s go buy some cloth and stuff!¡± Adam declared, suddenly putting the soldiers on high alert, the half elf grabbing onto Jurot and Dunes. ¡°Let¡¯s spend some gold!¡± A soldier accompanied them as they made their way through the business of the city, which the half elf hadn¡¯t taken in until that day. Though he had passed by and passed through this place a handful of times, Adam never had the chance to soak things in. However, he spotted the difference between Gold Port and East Port immediately. They were both port cities built upon the end of a river towards the open sea, but with the hills behind Gold Port, the land was packed a little tighter in the capital of Floria, the buildings reaching towards the sky. Adam hadn¡¯t expected the port of Gold Port to be so large either, for the port district reached out and across the sea too, with thousands of fishermen like ants on the sea, bringing in their fresh fish throughout the day. The colours in this city were not quite as numerous as those within East Port, though the pinks, purples, yellows, or rather, some of the yellows, and whites all held a greater depth, for Adam saw at least ten purple buildings in a row, and though they were only purple, they were each so different, especially to his half fae eyes. The market was massive too, starting from the port district, flowing into several other districts. They passed by several bridges on their way towards the market, paying their coppers, the guards and soldier greeting one another with a tip of their helmets. The market held thousands of stalls, with small districts forming within based on the items they sold. As they walked about, dodging and weaving through the market, Adam spotted a handful of children, each standing at the ready to assist for coin, while a handful of town guards patrolled around the perimeter, there were many other private guards which kept an eye on their stalls. ¡°Alright! Form a queue!¡± Adam demanded, reaching into his robes, slipping out a silver coin. ¡°I need whoever knows the most to speak up right now!¡± All the children spoke up at once, ready to accept the shiny silver coin within the half elf¡¯s fingers. Adam blinked. ¡°Alright, well, never mind that then! How much do you charge?¡± ¡°One silver!¡± the children replied, with varying levels of excitement. ¡°You there!¡± Adam said, pointing to one, causing the other children to scatter. ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Get back here! I need more than one of you!¡± The children swarmed them once more, about a dozen of them, each curiously eyeing the half elf. ¡°Alright, look, listen, firstly... damn it, what was I going to say?¡± Adam whispered to himself. ¡°Oh, right. How many hours do you work for a silver!¡± ¡°As long as it takes, boss!¡± the child Adam was pointing at said. ¡°Okay, well, firstly, I need everyone to bathe before we start our little marketeering. I will be paying you more than one silver, and for each question you answer, wait, scratch that, I¡¯ll tip you depending on how helpful you¡¯ve been with answering my questions. Right now, you¡¯re the Head Answerer, and you can take this silver as payment upfront.¡± Adam reached down and placed the coin within the child¡¯s palm, unsure of whether they were a boy or a girl, considering they all looked the same, with their thin bodies, dishevelled hair, each adorned in rags. Dunes noted the terseness of Adam¡¯s face, whose eyes kept the pain at bay from seeing the children in such a manner. ¡®Adam...¡¯ ¡°Alright, so... if you do a good job, I¡¯ll be giving you each a gold coin, never mind a silver, you understand?¡± ¡°Yes, boss!¡± the children replied with varying levels of excitement, for some of the older children exchanged looks, unsure if they could accept a gold coin. ¡°For now, you all need to wash up, but first... we need to buy some soap.¡± The half elf allowed the Head Answerer to lead them towards a stall with soap, the half elf spending a silver piece to buy a few bits of soap, while also buying some teethleaf for the urchins to chew. The half elf used his magic to dry off the children¡¯s clothing, who gasped in shock and awe, while the soldier and Adam¡¯s amulet saved him from scrutiny. ¡®If you¡¯re going to cast magic, warn me!¡¯ the soldier thought, his heart pounding wildly. ¡°Alright, now that¡¯s done, let¡¯s get to work!¡± Adam said, waiting for the children to grab their packs, each wooden backpacks with half sacks cut in half and tied to the wood. Some of the older children, who had worked within the market for years, wore fully wooden packs, which hid the contents within. ¡°I need some cloth,¡± Adam said, and the Head Answerer led the half elf towards a section of the market. Some days, the urchins would take their charges the wrong way in order to allow them to be extorted, but on this day, with two Priests, one of Death, and an Iyrman, and a soldier, the group of four did not suffer from such a fate. Adam eyed up the cloth, while Dunes spoke with the merchant, a dark skinned Aswadian, the pair chatting away, while the merchant reached over to hold Dunes¡¯ hands and bowed their head reverently. ¡°I guess we can¡¯t buy any yellows, since we should head to East Port for them...¡± Adam whispered to Jurot. ¡°We could buy them from Yellow Turban,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°We will need to find a ribbon maker,¡± Jurot said, before asking the Head Answerer about such. ¡°Aye, boss! Tara Ribbons, she makes ¡®em right good, she does! Just round the way, but a ten min¡¯t walk, tha¡¯s all!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Do you sell sheets of cloth?¡± Adam asked, glancing aside to Dunes to translate. ¡°One sheet, one silver,¡± the Aswadian said, unfurling his cloth with grace, revealing a roughly arm¡¯s length of cloth for the half elf. ¡°I¡¯d like one sheet from every roll,¡± Adam said. ¡°Every roll, kal?¡± ¡°Every roll,¡± the half elf confirmed. ¡°What does kal mean?¡± ¡°Sir, like Sir Harold of the Heroic Honeysuckle, or as a soldier may respond.¡± Dunes glanced back towards the soldier. ¡°Yes sir, Brother.¡± Dunes winked, flashing a charming smile towards the soldier. ¡°One of each?¡± ¡°One of each,¡± Adam said, placing down a small pouch of twenty gold. ¡°This is too many, good kal.¡± ¡°Take the extra as a tip, and if you can, throw in an extra sheet of your ten favourite colours, I¡¯d like to give a gift to our hosts.¡± ¡°Many blessings to you, good kal,¡± the Aswadian said, bowing his head lightly, before beginning to unfurl the cloth, further and further, much more than Adam expected. ¡®Oh, what the hell?¡¯ Jirot is absolutely right, though? Poor Jarot, he''s beginning to understand what it means to be Jirot''s twin brother. [1207] – Y06.107 – Gold Port III ¡°One gold for each sheet, Brother,¡± the woman said, eyeing up the half elf, handsome, pointed ears, who wore fairly simple attire. However, the dagger at his side, the steel tag which lay beside his obsidian amulet, and the dagger shaped bulge beneath the obsidian and steel caused her to pause. ¡°A gold?¡± Adam raised his brows, eyeing up the sheet. ¡°How many ribbons would each sheet make, exactly?¡± ¡°At least fifty, but you can get up to one hundred if you wish for them smaller, Brother,¡± Marie replied, revealing ribbons of different lengths. ¡°Oh, those are a little too thick, and those are too long, but these here, are just right,¡± Adam said, motioning towards one of the sizes. ¡°Sixty, and if we are lucky, the cloth does not break, seventy.¡± ¡°Perfect! I understand I have brought quite a large number of sheets, so... how long will it take for you to...¡± Adam glanced to the hundred or so sheets, carried by the myriad of urchins, each of whom were eager to earn the promised gold. ¡®Actually, isn¡¯t this too much work?¡¯ Dunes watched as Adam fought within his mind about this and that, the half elf taking the matter of the ribbons far too seriously. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve brought too many sheets?¡± Adam let out an awkward chuckle, feeling guilty for bringing so much work to the woman. ¡°If there is an immediacy to your request, we can work upon a few sheets so you are able to take them with you, or if you are willing, we could send the ribbons to a temple, or the Adventurer¡¯s Guild,¡± Marie said, suddenly lucid when it came to matters of burdening her purse with silver. ¡°Oh? You can do that?¡± Adam¡¯s mouth formed a small circle at the very obvious way to deal with the issue. ¡°I¡¯m not in a huge rush, and if you can send it over to the Guild, that would be great. I¡¯ll leave my contact information, and I¡¯ll send someone to let them know.¡± ¡°A gold per sheet, and you will need to pay for the fees the Guild places upon the request,¡± the thin woman stated, staring up at the Brother curiously. ¡°Sure, that sounds fine to me,¡± Adam said, nodding towards Jurot, who took out a small pouch. It was large enough to hold roughly fifty coins, but the woman¡¯s keen eyes noted the various lumps within. As she opened the pouch she realised why, for though there was the unexpected glint of silver and gold, there was also the black of the gems, obsidian, each worth at least ten gold. As she counted the coin, there was almost two hundred gold! ¡°If you could pay the fees with the coin there, you can keep the rest,¡± Adam said, waving his hand dismissively, since he had just procured close to six thousand ribbons, enough gifts to last a lifetime, and in Adam¡¯s hands, at least a year. One could buy a ribbon for anywhere between one copper and a silver at the market, so paying about three or so copper for each ribbon didn¡¯t bother the half elf one bit. After revealing a few designs, Adam tossed another hundred gold, and for the sake of keeping the numbers simple for him, handed over three hundred gold total, so each ribbon cost him close to half a silver, and yet the half elf only beamed with joy. The woman stared up at the half elf, who had paid a several years worth of gold for some ribbons. ¡®The life of the rich is truly...¡¯ ¡°Marie Ribbons, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Adam said. ¡°Yes, Brother,¡± the woman replied, bowing her head quickly. ¡°Whenever I¡¯m in Gold Port, and I need some ribbons, I¡¯ll be sure to come to you from now on.¡± Adam continued to beam with joy, for he had ordered quite a few ribbons with extra designs, those which held a hundred different threads, each of different colours, for a handful of the ribbons. ¡°It is always a delight to find someone who appreciates ribbons, Brother,¡± the woman replied respectfully, her feelings complex due to Adam¡¯s position as being rich, a fool, and a Priest of Death. ¡°Oh! If you could, please deal with the extra sheets first, and send them over to the military outpost,¡± Adam said, turning to Jurot to let the woman know which one it was. ¡°The soldiers are currently hosting us, so I¡¯d like for you to gift them these ribbons so they can hand them over as gifts to their children, and their families, and their friends.¡± ¡°As you say, Brother!¡± Adam stepped out of the shop with a satisfied smile, his heart fuller, his pouch lighter. ¡°Let¡¯s go spend a few more hundred gold!¡± ¡®Adam...¡¯ Dunes thought, trying to recall just how much money the business possessed. He was already spending thousands each month on the businessfolk¡¯s wages, but to think he was spending an equal amount in gifts, so many which were going to go to the children of the business, and yet the piles of the gold their parents had sent along were untouched. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that kind of look,¡± Adam said, leading the group onwards. ¡°It¡¯s either this or causing trouble for the soldiers, so let me deal with my frustrations by buying gifts and stimulating the economy, so the King understands I¡¯m here to be a good little boy.¡± The soldier hadn¡¯t heard it, but Dunes and Jurot had, the threat which hung within the half elf¡¯s voice. ¡®He is so annoyed?¡¯ Jurot thought. The half elf had, somehow, hidden his frustrations well enough for not even Jurot to notice, but thankfully was still managing it well. Adam continued to enjoy market, buying gifts by piles of silver and gold, including a large number of wooden figurines, taking the shape of various items, from flowers, to dragons, some with the symbols of various factions, from the Florian Orders, even to noble families. Jurot glanced aside to one market stall, in which they kept a stack of coins in a particular manner, and he met the merchant¡¯s eyes for a moment, but their gazes did not linger. However, he took a half step closer to his brother, since the Biodi operated in this area. Adam spotted a few weapons, noting the green dancing upon the steel as the light hit it, and though the half elf wasn¡¯t that big of a fan of the colour, there was something about the green that mesmerised his eyes. ¡°What is this?¡± Adam asked, stepping towards the stall, though rather than just a stall, it was a small complex within the district. ¡°It¡¯s a sword made of the prettiest steel,¡± the merchant stated, snapping his fingers as a guard stepped forward. The guard, an older man, picked up the blade and whipped the blade within the air with a flourish, allowing the light to dance upon the steel, the green pulsing like a heartbeat across the steel. ¡°They call it foreststeel, it is from a small village in Aswadasad, but it¡¯s true name is hardrasteel, in Gold Port, and in Aswdasad, khadrasteel.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Dunes said, flashing a wide smile. ¡°You know how to speak it true? I wondered where you got this steel, for it is hard to slip out of the village.¡± ¡°You know of the steel?¡± ¡°It is forged in a village near our Order,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Not that one, Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Ah! You are from Black Mountain, Brother?¡± The merchant stood, and with his wide grin, revealed the silver tooth within his mouth. ¡°I may have a blade you may be interested in, but that depends on if you can afford it.¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°Five thousand gold.¡± Dunes frowned, holding out his hand apologetically. ¡°It is a shame I do not possess such a sum.¡± ¡°Now, now...¡± Adam raised a hand to interject. ¡°If it¡¯s worth the price, the business is more than happy to procure such a weapon for our esteemed Manager.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Dunes called out, but the look in his eyes told Adam to back down. ¡°I will show you the blade, and you may make the choice,¡± the merchant said, a wide smile upon his lips, and he snapped his fingers. The guard placed the blade upon the stand, slipping away between the colourful fabrics, hidden from sight, and after a few moments of shuffling, most of it to add to the illusion of importance, the guard brought out a wooden box. It was a deep mahogany, but with a tinge of green all across it. ¡°Is that some nice wood?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°It is good,¡± Jurot confirmed with a nod. ¡°You know your wood, Iyrman?¡± the merchant asked, brushing along the top of the box with a far too sensual touch. ¡°Yes. I know of most woods in the Iyr, Aldland, and many from Aswadasad. I recognise ahdarwood when I see it.¡± ¡°Khadra and ahdar both mean green,¡± Dunes whispered as the merchant slowly nodded his head, impressed the Iyrman knew of the wood. ¡°Like, green, or different types of green?¡± ¡°Just green.¡± ¡°Why are there two different words for green?¡± Adam whispered in return, furrowing his brows. ¡°One is masculine, the other feminine.¡± ¡°Why do colours have genders, man?¡± Adam huffed, but before Dunes could respond, the guard finished drawing in the curtains behind them to block them out of sight, and the merchant opened the box to reveal the blade within. It was straight as an arrow, sheathed within a deep green sheath with copper accents. Dunes and Jurot tensed up lightly, for there was no detail more important than the copper hilt. It was not that it was copper, but because it held such colours, which were not rare at all, but the hilt was that of a triskelion, revealing what the blade was. ¡°Five thousand gold,¡± the merchant said, understanding that Dunes had little choice in the matter. ¡°It is worth twice as much.¡± Dunes glared into the merchant¡¯s eyes. ¡°How did you come to acquire this blade?¡± ¡°Misfortune,¡± the merchant replied apologetically. Uh oh! Mystery! I bet it''ll take 5000 chapters until we find out what it is! [1208] – Y06.108 – Gold Port IV No matter how dense Adam was, he understood the situation was rather grave, considering the aura Jurot and Dunes were giving off, but the thing that confused him was that the merchant and the guard, were completely unphased. Adam had never met anyone with such audacity, for the merchant knew Jurot was an Iyrman and Dunes was a Priest of Black Mountain. ¡®I need to keep my mouth shut,¡¯ Adam thought, in a moment of wisdom. ¡°What misfortune was this?¡± Dunes asked, his voice firm. ¡°A shipwreck,¡± the merchant replied. ¡°Does that satisfy you?¡± ¡°It does,¡± Dunes replied, staring down at the sword. He remained focused upon it for a long while, for even Jurot understood the meaning of a green and copper blade, especially one with such a hilt. The only issue was, as much as it would typically be quite terrible luck for them, in this instance, it was extremely fortunate for the Priest, but he needed to play it off as bad luck. ¡°I will sell this majestic blade for only five thousand, out of respect,¡± the merchant said, motioning with a hand to allow the Brother and the Iyrman to touch it, to confirm the weapon with their own hands. Although any merchant would be in trouble if they sold a fake, for even knowing this weapon was in his possession was dangerous, and the information itself was worth piles of silver and gold, Jurot took his bluff and picked up the blade, feeling the great magic within, something one could not fake. ¡°Greater Enhanced,¡± Jurot confirmed, holding the blade out towards the half elf, causing the merchant to sit a little upright, and the guard to shift slightly as they focused upon the half elf, who wore certain tattoos, but was not an Iyrman. ¡°Ooh,¡± Adam said, holding the sheathed blade, feeling how heavy it was with the sheath, but the heavy tingling sensation tickled through his palm. ¡°Feels as good as Phantom.¡± ¡°Five thousand,¡± Dunes said, hesitating for a moment as he reached for the blade. As Adam held it out, ready to pass it on, Dunes pulled his hand away, feeling as though he were about to commit a taboo. ¡°How much is the other sword?¡± ¡°If you buy this sword, I will hand that blade too.¡± ¡°Five thousand,¡± Dunes said, thinking as Adam handed the blade back to Jurot, letting the merchant and guard relax. Adam crossed his arms, waiting for the two to make a decision, and seeing how well behaved he was behaving, Jurot held the blade out towards the merchant, allowing him to place it within the box to hide it from the world again, as though the blade was made of sin. ¡°Five thousand gold is a lot of gold for a blade we will never draw,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°Is it some kind of-,¡± Adam coughed, managing to catch himself before he made a joke nobody would get. ¡®I can¡¯t believe my only good jokes are those no one can understand.¡¯ ¡°We will buy it,¡± Jurot said. ¡®A blade we can¡¯t even use?¡¯ Adam thought, but he nodded, since Jurot had already said they would buy it. ¡°I would also like two daggers made of hadrasteel, for my niece and nephew,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Consider them gifts,¡± the merchant said, motioning a hand to his guard, who stepped aside to procure two daggers, each with mahogany handles, each identical, and the merchant wrapped the other longsword in a scarf for them, placing it within a simpler box. As he did, he motioned his hand towards Jurot. ¡°I am Jurot, son of Surot and Sonarot, and the grandson of the Mad Dog,¡± Jurot said, noting the merchant¡¯s eyes suddenly fill with surprise at his grandfather¡¯s epithet, even the guard crossed his hands lightly in front of him. ¡°You will receive your payment tonight.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Jurot reached for the large box, and as Adam reached to help carry the others, the merchant snapped his fingers, and the guard stepped forward. ¡°The Iyrman must pick them up,¡± the merchant said firmly. ¡°He is my brother,¡± Jurot replied. The merchant¡¯s eyes narrowed, for now, it all seemed too suspicious. He narrowed his eyes, and eyed up the holy symbols upon the Priests chests, and then his eyes fell upon Adam¡¯s forehead, as well as Jurot¡¯s, which seemed to match in a way. ¡°Brother Dunes, why do you not wear your black robes?¡± the merchant asked. ¡°I am Manager Dunes of the United Kindom while in Gold Port,¡± Dunes replied, flashing a white smile towards the merchant. ¡°When I step onto Aswadian soil, I shall be Mo Dunes of Black Mountain.¡± The merchant, upon hearing the appropriate level of threat within Dunes¡¯ voice, bowed his head and let them go. Jurot allowed Adam to pick up the items, and followed the Iyrman out, with Dunes bowing his head in greeting towards the merchant, and stepped out after Adam. ¡°Alright! We¡¯re going to be heading out to grab some food, and you can all eat with us, and once we get to the fort, I¡¯ll pay you.¡± Adam noted the suspicious gazes of the older children, so he slipped a silver coin to each of them. ¡°Consider that a tip. Once we¡¯re at the fort, you¡¯ll earn ten times as much, but at the very least, you¡¯ll have a full tummy and the proper wage anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, boss!¡± Adam glanced around, noting none of them had escaped. ¡®Good kids.¡¯ As they ate dinner, Adam inviting the soldier, who politely refused, Adam continued to ponder what had happened. ¡°How come he sent his guard to do everything?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t he meant to be... guarding?¡± ¡°He had magical defences.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s kinda baller.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, understanding the word to mean something positive, like how Adam was spending all this money. Adam, somehow, made the wise decision not to talk about the sword, for the soldier had waited patiently outside out of respect, and in exchange, Adam rewarded that trust by not getting him implicated into something so grave. Thankfully, the presence of an Iyrman, two Priests, and a soldier had allowed the children to eat in peace, though Adam had to fume silently that they had to eat on the floor against the wall. ¡®Seriously...¡¯ Once they were back at the fort, Adam handed the gold coins to each kid, giving them a thumbs up for their hard work. ¡°Alright! Tomorrow, I want to see you all ready for work! I¡¯m going on a spending spree while I¡¯m in Gold Port, since I can¡¯t explore it, I should at least spend my money! If you don¡¯t see me, you¡¯ll see one of these fine folks going on my behalf, so if you see them, help them out and they¡¯ll also pay you a gold for the day¡¯s work, alright?¡± ¡°Yes, boss!¡± ¡®These brats are making more in a day than me,¡¯ the soldier thought, slightly annoyed, though upon recalling how much Adam had handed over to the fortress that morning, he let his annoyance fall, since the half elf had paid some coin to the fortress, and to the soldier¡¯s fund separately. ¡°Bael, please keep this box with you at all times, and the blade within,¡± Jurot said, handing the azure scaled fellow the box. ¡°It smells good.¡± ¡°It must remain within its box.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even play with it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bael groaned, but he nodded, tying the box to his back, glancing aside towards Taygak. ¡°Must I keep an eye upon her too?¡± ¡°Taygak is more important.¡± Bael huffed, but let the matter go, since Jurot was being so serious about it. Once Jurot was done with that, he made his way out with Bavin, heading to the bank to deal with the transaction, borrowing from the Iyr¡¯s line of credit, which would be paid by the business once the Iyr received word. ¡°You know...¡± Adam said once Jurot had returned and the group were within the quarters, playing dice and cards, drinking lightly in the evening. ¡°It is kinda crazy he just let you take something worth five thousand gold without any guarantee.¡± ¡°It was guaranteed,¡± Jurot replied, pointing up to the tattoo on his forehead. ¡°Yeah, but... if you were pretending to be an Iyrman, how would he know?¡± ¡°Those who pretend to be Iyrmen are quickly found and dealt with,¡± Jurot said. ¡°In a similar manner to those who sell copies of such a fine blade are quickly found and dealt with,¡± Dunes whispered. ¡°What¡¯s so special about that sword anyway?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do you wish to check its enchantment?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Am I allowed to?¡± Jurot thought for a moment. ¡°It is awkward to draw the blade and use it, but to check, it is fine...¡± Adam could hear the slight uncertainty in Jurot¡¯s words, but if Jurot said it was mostly fine, then it was mostly fine. The half elf held out his hand for the pearl and Jurot placed it within his palm, as the half elf then began to chant the words to his spell over the course of ten minutes, with Kitool informing the soldiers that Adam was praying, and that Mork would have liked to lead the prayer for the soldiers. As Adam chanted the words to the spell, Tork eyed up the sheathed blade, having felt the excitement running through the air, certain he recognised the description of the blade from somewhere. Spell: Identify ¡®Holy!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®We bought this for only five thousand?¡¯ I really thought we were going to learn about it this chapter. Since it''s a mostly filler chapter, I''ll upload another one tomorrow to make up for it. [1209] – Y06.109 – Gold Port V Unity Blade (+2) Requires Attunement Deals 2D6 slashing + 2D6 psychic damage. Once per day you may cast Psychic Blast. Psychic Blast. Each creature within 10 metres must make a DC 16 Wisdom Save, taking 8D6 psychic damage on a failed save, or half damage on a success. After using Psychic Blast, the slashing and psychic damage dealt by this weapon increases by 1D6. In the hands of one who is worthy, this weapon is empowered. ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the blade¡¯s magic run through his hands. ¡°It is a blade used by the Guardians of the Union of Emerald and Copper,¡± Jurot said within their tongue, noting the shock upon the half elf¡¯s face, for he had understood the blade, and how he was unable to conceive the depths of the blade. ¡°It¡¯s an amazing sword, I mean, it does what my axe does, but always, and it does so much more.¡± Adam stared at the blade, beginning to understand more about the word of magical weapons. ¡®The Psychic Blast is amazing, but to think that it grows stronger after using it...¡¯ ¡°Only those truly worthy of the blade can draw out its secret abilities,¡± the Iyrman said, noting the way Adam stared at it. Not even for a moment did Adam seem to covet the blade, but it made sense, since the half elf was a Chaos Enchanter. ¡°I get that it¡¯s amazing, and man, is it amazing, but...¡± ¡°It is because it belongs to the Guardians,¡± Jurot stated, his voice low and heavy, and though he continued to speak in their tongue, he was still careful. ¡°Who are these Guardians?¡± ¡°Like those of the Order of the Wings, but more secretive, and it is thought, more powerful.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered, swallowing lightly. ¡°So, we can¡¯t use this blade?¡± ¡°No. We must return it.¡± ¡°I guess so. Five thousand gold for this kind of blade is a great deal, but if we have to give it up, then we have to give it up.¡± ¡°We will earn a great favour with the sword.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± ¡°Once it is returned, it will confer upon us a great favour with the Guardians.¡± ¡°What kind of favour?¡± ¡°A favour,¡± Jurot replied, saying no more of the topic, for it was dangerous enough to speak of the Guardians, even in hushed whispers, and in a language others could not understand. ¡°They are assisted by, it is assumed an emerald dragon, but also Slumber Claw.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Adam raised his brows in shock. ¡°The ancient dragon that likes dragonchess?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He assists them?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn.¡± Adam didn¡¯t know much about Slumber Claw, the ancient brass dragon, except for that he loved dragonchess a lot, kept out of the world, and slept so much they called him Slumber Claw, and also he was considered almost an equal to Jaeryael. ¡®Damn!¡¯ ¡°Did he speak of the blade to you?¡± Dunes whispered once Adam surrendered it back to Bael, who eyed it up with greed, but wrapped it away without a word. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°If you...¡± Dunes paused a moment to think. ¡°If you are willing to gift it to Black Mountain, we can steal away Korin and Sara too.¡± ¡°This blade is worth that much?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Damn!¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°If only we could speak more privately,¡± Dunes whispered, his eyes darting to the walls, unsure of how many were listening in on their conversation. ¡°Do you speak elvish?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What a shame. Dwarven?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You do?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dunes sat up straighter. ¡°I had forgotten you also spoke the good salt tongue!¡± ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± Adam replied awkwardly, hoping Dunes hadn¡¯t caught on to what he really meant. ¡°So...¡± ¡°Adam, I can speak with the Priest Commander, and with this blade, we can ask for a great favour. Perhaps it may not be enough, but I should be able to convince the Priest Commander to concede in some way. No, no, it is certainly enough, he isn¡¯t that prideful.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Adam rubbed the side of his neck. ¡°Well, I guess we only got it because of you, but the Iyr was the one to pay for it, I mean, they helped pay for it, and he trusted Jurot with it, so... I don¡¯t know, it feels awkward just to give it up to your Order, but if it means we can steal you away, then that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It is truly that great,¡± Dunes said, glad Adam had talked himself into it. ¡°If the Priest Commander asks for my life, it could save me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You do not have to worry, for I doubt it will come to that, but just in case,¡± Dunes joked. Adam¡¯s heart pounded harder in his chest. ¡°Seriously, Dunes, you¡¯re going to be the death of me.¡± ¡°I do not wish to hear that from you!¡± Adam chuckled lightly, falling into thought about the blade. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about handing over the blade as part of the negotiations. It felt too transactional, though that was how their relationship would be with the Order. However... ¡°Let¡¯s hand the blade over to them right away, and then you can discuss with the Priest Commander,¡± Adam eventually said. ¡°That would also be a good way, but you should keep it until the end. I believe I can convince him without the blade, and then we, the United Kindom, may be able to earn the favour.¡± Adam remained silent for a long while, causing Dunes¡¯ smile to fade, for he could see just how deeply the half elf was contemplating the matter. It was rare to see Adam so serious, the half elf letting out small sighs as he continued to think. ¡°Dunes. I have no greed for the weapon, or the favour. I just want you, Korin, and Sara. We can keep this blade, but I would feel like I betrayed you, and Black Mountain. Do I want to pay the coin for you and your friends, and then be done with Black Mountain? Can we deal with it so cleanly? What about Ranya? Won¡¯t you want to take her to Black Mountain? What about our business? Couldn¡¯t we work closely with Black Mountain? I¡¯ll pay whatever I have to if it means both Black Mountain and you can be at ease. If it costs me this sword and the favour, that¡¯s fine by me. If it costs me a hundred thousand gold, that¡¯s fine. If it costs me a million gold, I¡¯ll work that hard during all this Chaos, and I¡¯ll earn the coin to make sure Black Mountain is satisfied giving up one of their own. There¡¯s still going to be some resentment from their end, since their pride will be hurt, but if I pay enough coin, they¡¯ll look the other way, and once I become strong enough, they¡¯ll have to put in the same effort to make sure I don¡¯t resent them too.¡± Adam¡¯s ramblings came out with half thoughts, but Dunes could understand each thread, and though it looped around, the Priest understood what Adam was talking about. He hadn¡¯t expected Adam to think so far ahead, since what Adam was thinking of was not the United Kindom and Black Mountain of today, but the United Kindom and Black Mountain of tomorrow. ¡°I did not think you wanted such a relationship with Black Mountain.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t realise how much I owe Lady Arya,¡± Adam said. ¡°No, is it just because I owe her? The Iyr, they respect Black Mountain. You¡¯re from Black Mountain, your wife¡¯s from Black Mountain. Korin, Sara, well, not Sara, but doesn¡¯t Korin have family too?¡± ¡°Lani.¡± ¡°Right, Lani, so it¡¯s not like we should just cut our relationship off. We need to cultivate it with them. Hopefully they¡¯ll accept us, and we¡¯ll do our best on our side, and I know you¡¯re stressing out on your side, so you¡¯ll probably speak with your mentor to try and smooth things over. I¡¯m already prepared to give up as many Basic, Greater, Basic Enhanced, Greater Enhanced, swords, other weapons too, but I assume swords, because, you know, as many as I need to in order to make sure no one bullies my little Ranya when she goes back in about twenty years after I¡¯ve trained her into a Master, but what am I saying? She¡¯ll never grow up since she behaves so well.¡± Dunes had realised in their conversation just how seriously the half elf was taking this, but not just that, how much it was stressing him out. To see Adam take it all seriously, even so much as to only joke towards the end once it had overwhelmed him, the Manager smiled slightly. ¡°Adam?¡± Dunes called in the Aldish tongue. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°When we are in Aswadasad, we should buy books for the children,¡± Dunes said. ¡°The paper from Al Tasad is wonderful for writing, for ones hand will glide upon the page, and I am sure Ray Vonda will wish for books from Zufar, for colour is not colour without Zufar.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what that means, but...¡± Adam paused, checking his journal, finding which type of paper Vonda had asked him for. ¡°Oh, yeah. Al Tasad and Zufar. I wrote that they were expensive and underlined it a few times.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be as expensive in the capital, and there are plenty of other books with quality paper,¡± Dunes assured, reaching up to place a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Leave your worries to me, Adam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s why I pay you the big bucks,¡± Adam said, rubbing his forehead. ¡°I should pay you more, but I¡¯d feel too guilty.¡± ¡°Then hand over-,¡± Dunes began, realising he was making a great mistake. ¡°You pay me well enough.¡± Adam warned Dunes, for if given the chance, he would crush the Aswadian under a mountain of silver and gold. Just kidding I will post up an additional chapter tomorrow... or the day after? [1210] – Y06.119 – Gold Port V ¡®I guess I can¡¯t really explore the place freely,¡¯ Adam thought, the half elf walking out with Tanagek and Chosen, the trio exploring through the market, which was almost its own little town. With the presence of the two Iyrmen and the soldier, they were left in peace, and thanks to the Iyrmen placing copper coins around the area, flicking silver coins here and there, they would remain in peace. ¡®Jurot did not joke,¡¯ Tanagek thought. They had travelled for such a short while, and up to Gold Port from the Iyr, and yet the half elf had gotten into so much trouble. ¡®The Crazy Father is the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson, so this should not be such a surprise. Hmm? Clothing stalls? Shall we pass them by upon this side or the other?¡¯ As Adam spotted the clothing stalls, he approached, only to stop as a small group of Noskans stepped in front of his path. The pale skinned figures, with their long blonde hair, their piercing blue eyes, were as lean as Iyrmen, and across the lands, equally feared. They were lean with deathly efficiency, like the Iyrmen, and each were adorned in very little, wearing large weapons, and the tattoos upon the sides of their faces and down their necks revealed the relation to their families as well as their personal tales to the world. As the stare off began, the soldier stepped forward, crossing his arms over his front. His cloak pinned to his shoulders by a medal in the shape of a flower, engraved with his rank, which caused the Noskans to continue along their way, still glaring towards the Iyrmen and the pretty boy. The Noskans grumbled out in their tongue, before laughing at all the things they would do to Adam. The half elf just smiled, brushing a finger along the cool obsidian holy symbol on his chest, winking at the Noskans as they stepped away. ¡°I¡¯m glad the Iyrmen aren¡¯t as pathetic,¡± Adam said, tutting out loud, leading the group forward once more towards the stalls. As Adam perused the various cloths, an urchin shuffled their way towards the half elf. ¡°Mister half elf boss, oi¡¯ve got a message for ya,¡± the urchin said, standing confidently, clutching her fists so tight, one would have thought the silver in her palm was actually gold. ¡°There¡¯s a fella who wants to meet ya at the Saltmaster¡¯s Seahouse at dusk!¡± ¡°Who is this fellow?¡± ¡°A guard with a bizniz opportunity, he is,¡± the urchin said. ¡°Can you point him out to me?¡± ¡°He¡¯s...¡± The urchin looked back but shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s gone, he has.¡± ¡°Alright, well I appreciate you letting me know,¡± Adam said, reaching into his robes to tip the urchin a silver coin. ¡°Oh, thanks boss! If you need anyfing, you let me know boss, but nuffing like takin¡¯ liberties, or the King¡¯ll gut ya.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a little too young for my tastes, but I appreciate the warning,¡± Adam said, and though he chuckled at his joke, his head pulsed. ¡®I hope there¡¯s none of that going around these parts...¡¯ ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Chosen thought, feeling the oppressive aura which fell off the half elf for a moment, before it passed. ¡®He really is the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson.¡¯ ¡°This kind of blue, wouldn¡¯t Danagek and Dagek look so cute in it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°This pink, no, no, this red, no, wait...¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Chosen wondered as Adam glared at him intently, only for the half elf to find two fabrics, each matching the blue and silver of the Sen family tattoo. ¡°Should we do blue and silver, or red? I bet Chisen would look so cute in this blue and silver, and with the Bloodblade at her side, wouldn¡¯t she look like such a little Amira?¡± Adam joked, but the others could hear just how much he was contemplating the thought. ¡°I agree,¡± Chosen said, not caring that it made no sense. ¡°My sister looks good in every colour.¡± ¡°Then should we buy something in every colour?¡± ¡°No. If we buy too much, Danagek and Dagek would be jealous.¡± ¡°Then should we buy every colour for them too?¡± ¡°There are too many children and too many colours. Let us limit ourselves to three here, and as we continue on our journey, let us buy another from each town and city.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Chosen.¡± ¡®I am glad he is so easy to deal with,¡¯ Chosen thought, glad he had asked Kitool on how to keep him in check. Feeling Tanagek¡¯s rising annoyance, Chosen elbowed his friend in the side, returning back to eyeing up the rest of the world around them. ¡®You should allow him to spoil your brothers if you are terrible at it.¡¯ Tanagek could feel the terrible thoughts from Chosen, glaring at him from one side, before returning back to his duties, allowing the half elf to continue to buy piles of clothing for the children. The half elf was far too joyful for buying clothing, for Tanagek had never seen anyone with such delight from spending gold upon cloth. Once Adam was done, sending the cloth to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, allowing the Iyrmen to deal with the processing and delivery, he thought about the urchin¡¯s words. ¡®Who wants to speak to me? I guess I should take Mork and Jurot with me. Should I take Kitool too? The soldier will be enough to deal any issues, right?¡¯ Adam weighed their strengths. ¡®I¡¯m, what, close to a Paragon? Then we have Jurot and Kitool who can beat Grandmasters, and are pretty close to Paragon with their weapons. Mork¡¯s an Expert, but his status as a Priest of Lady Tempest, a Priest of Aldland, is probably good enough. Just in case it¡¯s an Aswadian, should I take Dunes too? He could deal with anything else. Should I take Bael too, just in case? No, Ashmir?¡¯ Saltmaster¡¯s Seahouse was exactly as one might have expected, equally gaudy as it was rough, for the Saltmaster was someone who had wanted to spend all the gold they made from their salt, but they were still a man of the sea. The building was made of coral and wood, and to Jurot¡¯s eyes, coralwood too, though some might mistake it for the various other similar woods, and the bronze littered throughout held a patina of an era long past. The guards at the door were adorned in dark scale, wielding shorter blades at their side, with long cloaks of bright purple, almost pink, with threads of green which sparkled even under dusk. One of the guards held up a hand, eyeing up the figures, though she bowed her head towards the trio of Priests. ¡°Are you Adam, Brother?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, feeling his heart begin to beat harder in his chest from the uncertainty. ¡°We did not hear there would be so many,¡± the guard said, eyeing him up. ¡°I hope that isn¡¯t an issue,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pocket, palming the guard a small gem. Her brows raised in alarm, and understood the half elf to be a fool, since who slipped so much coin to a guard, but since he had a gem like this to palm, she smiled and bowed her head. ¡°No issues at all, Brother.¡± Adam smiled, nodding his head as the guard led the group inside, the stone slabs on the floor covered by rugs, the bronze metalware, greened with time, the walls of stone yet weathered by time, holding a certain shine to them through monthly applications of a special oil. The large tables, some square, some rectangular, some round, and a few even hexagonal, were almost all filled, the people blocking much of the air, each of a certain class of wealth, rich sailors or poorer merchants. Not quite the gold of middle class, not quite the bronze of poor, but the silver sliver between. The smell of their dishes permeated the air, along with the salt. As they approached the corner, to a particularly long rectangle table, Adam could see the four. One motioned with a hand, clearing his throat as he stood, and he glared at the approaching group, not with anger, but of an intensity Adam hadn¡¯t expected. However, considering their attire, and their small weapons at their side, and their rough appearances, Adam was sure these guys probably couldn¡¯t afford this place, and yet, here they were. Adam leaned over to whisper to his companions. ¡°You guys, uh... I¡¯ll take Jurot and Kitool with me, I think that¡¯ll be enough. The rest of you can eat and drink nearby, and I¡¯ll handle the payment.¡± ¡°Here I thought we¡¯d get to have some fun,¡± Tork grumbled, though Mork was glad they were able to relax for the evening. Dunes tried to catch Adam¡¯s attention, but the half elf was busy approaching the table, so the Priest sat down at the table with the twins, and the older Aswadian man who drew attention. The soldier stood to one side, nodding his head to the keeper, who nodded their head in return. As long as the etiquette was kept, that being the group spending enough coin, there was no issue, and with the guard at the front motioning with a hand, the keeper relaxed. ¡®Damn it, you had me all worried for nothing,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Do you know how much gold I spent because I was so worried?¡¯ Just kidding I will post up an additional chapter tomorrow... or the day after? [1210] – Y06.110 – Gold Port VI [1210] ¨C Y06.110 ¨C Gold Port VI ¡®I guess I can¡¯t really explore the place freely,¡¯ Adam thought, the half elf walking out with Tanagek and Chosen, the trio exploring through the market, which was almost its own little town. With the presence of the two Iyrmen and the soldier, they were left in peace, and thanks to the Iyrmen placing copper coins around the area, flicking silver coins here and there, they would remain in peace. ¡®Jurot did not joke,¡¯ Tanagek thought. They had travelled for such a short while, and up to Gold Port from the Iyr, and yet the half elf had gotten into so much trouble. ¡®The Crazy Father is the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson, so this should not be such a surprise. Hmm? Clothing stalls? Shall we pass them by upon this side or the other?¡¯ As Adam spotted the clothing stalls, he approached, only to stop as a small group of Noskans stepped in front of his path. The pale skinned figures, with their long blonde hair, their piercing blue eyes, were as lean as Iyrmen, and across the lands, equally feared. They were lean with deathly efficiency, like the Iyrmen, and each were adorned in very little, wearing large weapons, and the tattoos upon the sides of their faces and down their necks revealed the relation to their families as well as their personal tales to the world. As the stare off began, the soldier stepped forward, crossing his arms over his front. His cloak pinned to his shoulders by a medal in the shape of a flower, engraved with his rank, which caused the Noskans to continue along their way, still glaring towards the Iyrmen and the pretty boy. The Noskans grumbled out in their tongue, before laughing at all the things they would do to Adam. The half elf just smiled, brushing a finger along the cool obsidian holy symbol on his chest, winking at the Noskans as they stepped away. ¡°I¡¯m glad the Iyrmen aren¡¯t as pathetic,¡± Adam said, tutting out loud, leading the group forward once more towards the stalls. As Adam perused the various cloths, an urchin shuffled their way towards the half elf. ¡°Mister half elf boss, oi¡¯ve got a message for ya,¡± the urchin said, standing confidently, clutching her fists so tight, one would have thought the silver in her palm was actually gold. ¡°There¡¯s a fella who wants to meet ya at the Saltmaster¡¯s Seahouse at dusk!¡± ¡°Who is this fellow?¡± ¡°A guard with a bizniz opportunity, he is,¡± the urchin said. ¡°Can you point him out to me?¡± ¡°He¡¯s...¡± The urchin looked back but shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s gone, he has.¡± ¡°Alright, well I appreciate you letting me know,¡± Adam said, reaching into his robes to tip the urchin a silver coin. ¡°Oh, thanks boss! If you need anyfing, you let me know boss, but nuffing like takin¡¯ liberties, or the King¡¯ll gut ya.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a little too young for my tastes, but I appreciate the warning,¡± Adam said, and though he chuckled at his joke, his head pulsed. ¡®I hope there¡¯s none of that going around these parts...¡¯ ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Chosen thought, feeling the oppressive aura which fell off the half elf for a moment, before it passed. ¡®He really is the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson.¡¯ ¡°This kind of blue, wouldn¡¯t Danagek and Dagek look so cute in it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°This pink, no, no, this red, no, wait...¡± ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Chosen wondered as Adam glared at him intently, only for the half elf to find two fabrics, each matching the blue and silver of the Sen family tattoo. ¡°Should we do blue and silver, or red? I bet Chisen would look so cute in this blue and silver, and with the Bloodblade at her side, wouldn¡¯t she look like such a little Amira?¡± Adam joked, but the others could hear just how much he was contemplating the thought. ¡°I agree,¡± Chosen said, not caring that it made no sense. ¡°My sister looks good in every colour.¡± ¡°Then should we buy something in every colour?¡± ¡°No. If we buy too much, Danagek and Dagek would be jealous.¡± ¡°Then should we buy every colour for them too?¡± ¡°There are too many children and too many colours. Let us limit ourselves to three here, and as we continue on our journey, let us buy another from each town and city.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Chosen.¡± ¡®I am glad he is so easy to deal with,¡¯ Chosen thought, glad he had asked Kitool on how to keep him in check. Feeling Tanagek¡¯s rising annoyance, Chosen elbowed his friend in the side, returning back to eyeing up the rest of the world around them. ¡®You should allow him to spoil your brothers if you are terrible at it.¡¯ Tanagek could feel the terrible thoughts from Chosen, glaring at him from one side, before returning back to his duties, allowing the half elf to continue to buy piles of clothing for the children. The half elf was far too joyful for buying clothing, for Tanagek had never seen anyone with such delight from spending gold upon cloth. Once Adam was done, sending the cloth to the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, allowing the Iyrmen to deal with the processing and delivery, he thought about the urchin¡¯s words. ¡®Who wants to speak to me? I guess I should take Mork and Jurot with me. Should I take Kitool too? The soldier will be enough to deal any issues, right?¡¯ Adam weighed their strengths. ¡®I¡¯m, what, close to a Paragon? Then we have Jurot and Kitool who can beat Grandmasters, and are pretty close to Paragon with their weapons. Mork¡¯s an Expert, but his status as a Priest of Lady Tempest, a Priest of Aldland, is probably good enough. Just in case it¡¯s an Aswadian, should I take Dunes too? He could deal with anything else. Should I take Bael too, just in case? No, Ashmir?¡¯ Saltmaster¡¯s Seahouse was exactly as one might have expected, equally gaudy as it was rough, for the Saltmaster was someone who had wanted to spend all the gold they made from their salt, but they were still a man of the sea. The building was made of coral and wood, and to Jurot¡¯s eyes, coralwood too, though some might mistake it for the various other similar woods, and the bronze littered throughout held a patina of an era long past. The guards at the door were adorned in dark scale, wielding shorter blades at their side, with long cloaks of bright purple, almost pink, with threads of green which sparkled even under dusk. One of the guards held up a hand, eyeing up the figures, though she bowed her head towards the trio of Priests. ¡°Are you Adam, Brother?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Adam replied, feeling his heart begin to beat harder in his chest from the uncertainty. ¡°We did not hear there would be so many,¡± the guard said, eyeing him up. ¡°I hope that isn¡¯t an issue,¡± Adam said, reaching into his pocket, palming the guard a small gem. Her brows raised in alarm, and understood the half elf to be a fool, since who slipped so much coin to a guard, but since he had a gem like this to palm, she smiled and bowed her head. ¡°No issues at all, Brother.¡± Adam smiled, nodding his head as the guard led the group inside, the stone slabs on the floor covered by rugs, the bronze metalware, greened with time, the walls of stone yet weathered by time, holding a certain shine to them through monthly applications of a special oil. The large tables, some square, some rectangular, some round, and a few even hexagonal, were almost all filled, the people blocking much of the air, each of a certain class of wealth, rich sailors or poorer merchants. Not quite the gold of middle class, not quite the bronze of poor, but the silver sliver between. The smell of their dishes permeated the air, along with the salt. As they approached the corner, to a particularly long rectangle table, Adam could see the four. One motioned with a hand, clearing his throat as he stood, and he glared at the approaching group, not with anger, but of an intensity Adam hadn¡¯t expected. However, considering their attire, and their small weapons at their side, and their rough appearances, Adam was sure these guys probably couldn¡¯t afford this place, and yet, here they were. Adam leaned over to whisper to his companions. ¡°You guys, uh... I¡¯ll take Jurot and Kitool with me, I think that¡¯ll be enough. The rest of you can eat and drink nearby, and I¡¯ll handle the payment.¡± ¡°Here I thought we¡¯d get to have some fun,¡± Tork grumbled, though Mork was glad they were able to relax for the evening. Dunes tried to catch Adam¡¯s attention, but the half elf was busy approaching the table, so the Priest sat down at the table with the twins, and the older Aswadian man who drew attention. The soldier stood to one side, nodding his head to the keeper, who nodded their head in return. As long as the etiquette was kept, that being the group spending enough coin, there was no issue, and with the guard at the front motioning with a hand, the keeper relaxed. ¡®Damn it, you had me all worried for nothing,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Do you know how much gold I spent because I was so worried?¡¯ Just kidding I will post up an additional chapter tomorrow... or the day after? [1211] – Y06.111 – The Father I [1211] ¨C Y06.111 ¨C The Father I ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Brother,¡± the fellow said, who seemed to be the youngest, for he was a fresh faced youth, perhaps in his late teens. His hair was cut short, his face freshly shaved, his dark eyes holding a clarity from beyond his years, and yet an audacity one could only have when they were either noble, ignoble, or a young man. As the younger fellow held out his hand, Adam could see all the callouses, and the wear that came from a man born in poverty. Adam held out his own hand, much softer, thanks to his fae ancestry, but still rough from knowing the life of wielding axe and blade. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too,¡± Adam said, shaking the young man¡¯s forearm, holding the young man¡¯s gaze for a long moment. His companions were a young woman and two men, each older, though still in their early twenties, and each holding a roughness. They wore simple clothing, freshly pressed that evening for the dinner, the trio all greeting the Brother and the Iyrmen with firm forearm shakes. Though Adam noted quite a few features, the Iyrmen beside him noticed far more. Jurot¡¯s eyes seemed almost greedy as he eyed up each of them, though one was less impressive than the other three. ¡°My name is John,¡± the youngest said, still holding an intensity within his eyes. ¡°Adam,¡± Adam replied, though he raised his brow, for how many Johns had he come across? ¡°Are you the one they call the Crazy Father?¡± ¡°So I am.¡± ¡°A half elf who is in the company of Iyrmen, wearing an obsidian amulet with their Lord of Death, and...¡± John paused a moment, as though unsure if he was young and stupid enough to continue. ¡°And who killed the Vice Commander of the Thousand Hunts for his sins.¡± ¡°At least you know the proper story,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly, though a darkness glazed across the surface of his eyes. ¡°So, John, Esther, Samuel, Amos, what do I owe the pleasure?¡± ¡°I wished to ask you if you require the services of guards,¡± John said, still holding Adam¡¯s gaze. ¡°I may.¡± ¡°We¡¯re well known in these parts, Brother, so if you have need of guards, we wish to offer our services.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but why come work for me? You can work for plenty of people I¡¯m sure, but you sent someone to find me, and caused me quite a bit of stress might I add.¡± Adam¡¯s tone remained playful as he smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I was on duty, and could not speak with you personally. I thought it would be best to speak over dinner.¡± John could already feel how annoyed his companions were, for this dinner was going to cost them dearly. ¡°Shall we order first?¡± ¡°Well, since you invited me, I assume you¡¯re going to be paying, but that puts me in a difficult spot,¡± Adam said. ¡°A difficult spot, Brother?¡± ¡°You see, I¡¯m meant to be banished from this land, but you see me walking around in broad daylight in Gold Port. The King and I have some issues, due to the sins of a particular Vice Commander, and if he hears that I am allowing the hardworking folk of Gold Port pay for my dinner, he might use it as an excuse to force me out. So, for taking the initiative, allow me to pay for the meal, especially since it may go quite some way in warming relations with the King.¡± John realised just how out of his depths he was, for who would dare to criticise King Merryweather of all people? His fervent following was almost cultish, even John had to tense up to stop himself from defending the King, who is still considered the greatest King¡¯s Sword to date in Aldland, and held the greatest of respects even in Aswadasad. ¡°So let¡¯s order, and don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not so poor that I need to watch over a few handfuls of gold. I¡¯ll eat what you recommend, and I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± Adam then motioned a hand to a worker, leaning in to whisper into their ear, and once he found out the price, he nodded. ¡°Please order a bottle for each table.¡± ¡°Each table, Brother?¡± Adam reached into his robes, taking out a small pouch, and the worker, stared at it in confusion, until she felt the shape of the gems. Her eyes grew wide, since the small pouch contained at least ten gems, at least a hundred gold within. Once the matter was resolved, for the gems were not just obsidian, but also held tiger eyes and more, enough to pay the worker¡¯s entire year¡¯s worth of wages and more, the bottles quickly appeared upon the various tables, and the half elf and his companions and the four rough fellows before them each ordered all manner of dishes. ¡°I heard rumours previously that you were looking for workers, guards and others, and my friends here, as well as a few others, have experience in the role. One of ours is also exceptionally smart, if he were born with a silver spoon, he would be taken into an academy to learn magic. The rest of us, we¡¯re better in the fighting role, and we have worked in Gold Port, and across Aldland. They say that your offer was like that out of a dream, too good to be true, but it isn¡¯t just that, Brother. They said you fought the Vice Commander for your children, who...¡± John fell quiet. ¡°Who?¡± Adam asked. John remained quiet for a long moment. ¡°Brother, I am a father too.¡± ¡°You?¡± ¡°I have triplets. It¡¯s difficult to raise them upon a temporary guard¡¯s wage, though escorting caravans has helped, but I would do anything to raise them right. If something happened to them, even if it was a Vice Commander...¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m turning nineteen at the end of noonval.¡± ¡°How old are your children?¡± ¡°Turning two at the end of duskval.¡± Adam blinked, trying to figure out when he had gotten married and had children. ¡°You had children really young, huh?¡± ¡°Slightly on the younger side, they say,¡± John confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m still young, I¡¯ve got years still. We¡¯re all fairly young, and if your business is looking for guards that¡¯ll be working for years and years, we¡¯re hard working, loyal.¡± ¡°Hard working. Loyal. Those words sound good, but I want to know how you¡¯re so hard working,¡± Adam said as a medley of dishes began to cover the table, and though a bottle of wine was placed in the middle of the table, neither of them reached for it. Though the salty smell had hung heavily upon the air, it was quickly replaced by the smell of roasted meat, and Adam swallowed, unable to resist as he began to sneak certain bits as the young man replied. ¡°Every morning, we run two miles, and complete a whole routine expected of us. I am the first one in, the last one out. I start work an hour before other guards and finish up an hour later.¡± ¡°Why is it that you work so hard?¡± ¡°My wife died giving birth to my sons.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Adam replied, almost choking on the meat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± ¡°My children are...¡± John paused. ¡°They¡¯re half elves. In Floria. The King, he¡¯s growing old, Brother.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam replied, suddenly understanding it all, and seeing the desperation within the man¡¯s eyes, as well as his willingness to do what it took. Adam was unsure if he had ever felt anyone glare at him with such intensity, with the willingness to throw themselves into a den of beasts. ¡°Who is looking after your triplets?¡± ¡°My friends and their families,¡± John said, motioning to his companions. ¡°There are ten of us who can guard, and another who is good with numbers.¡± ¡°Do you have any other family?¡± ¡°No, Brother.¡± ¡°You can call me Executive if that¡¯s more comfortable for you,¡± Adam joked. ¡°Also, you¡¯re young, nineteen, huh? Your wife... what was her name?¡± ¡°Emilia.¡± ¡°A beautiful name.¡± ¡°She was-,¡± John said, wincing slightly, forcing away the tears. ¡°She was a half elf?¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really pulling my heartstrings here,¡± Adam whispered, unable to taste the meat. ¡°Are you all working as guards now?¡± ¡°We work as part of the pool guard, they call us. The merchants, they call us up daily. We get up, wait in line, and hope there¡¯s enough work for us. Some know us by name and try to grab us.¡± ¡°Mostly John here,¡± Esther said. ¡°He¡¯s in high demand, so they pay him a few extra silvers here and there for¡¯im.¡± ¡°How much do they pay you daily?¡± ¡°Five silver, sometimes six. If you work extra hours, help set up before, stay a little while after, they pay an additional sum. Sometimes they give out additional pay at the end of the month too.¡± ¡°How many days do you normally work?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°Do you take any days off?¡± ¡°You have to take a day or two off each month, for taxes, duties, tithes.¡± ¡°Are you willing to relocate?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°The rest of your friends?¡± Adam asked, motioning to the trio. ¡°If the offer is good enough,¡± Esther replied, nodding her head, though her eyes still seemed so full of suspicion. Adam pulled out his journal, writing down notes within, trying to calculate everything, while also trying to jot down important information for later. He then reached into his pocket and placed down one gold in front of each of them. ¡°I appreciate the answers to my questions. They are relevant to me, to the business, but also, mostly, they¡¯re for my personal satisfaction. With that said, I¡¯d like to know how much you make, and how much your companions make, in a typical month.¡± ¡°I make around fifteen, my companions, they make around twelve, but if we¡¯re escorting, more than that, but it all goes to other expenses usually.¡± ¡°How much are taxes each month?¡± ¡°Two gold.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam was surprised it was so little. ¡°How much is your rent? Ah, wait, never mind that. How much are you able to save each month, if you are able to save any coin at all?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m lucky, five or six. If I¡¯m unlucky, or there are lots of expenses for the month, none at all, but usually at least one gold.¡± ¡°It is impressive to save so much,¡± Jurot said, slowly nodding his head, and as he spoke, alarm flooded through the four, though it lasted only a moment. ¡°Are you working tomorrow?¡± ¡°If you do not have need of us, yes.¡± ¡°Take the day off. I¡¯ll pay you each a gold. I¡¯d like to meet your families and speak with you all properly. Let¡¯s eat for now, and tomorrow I¡¯ll interview you, your families, and we¡¯ll discuss a lot from your abilities, to your dreams, expectations of work and pay, and so on. Though, I will say, so far, I¡¯m liking everything I¡¯ve heard, to the point I¡¯m almost suspicious, but...¡± Adam thought about the warmth within his heart, and he thought of his children who remained for him at home. ¡°You caught me at a point in my life that I want to believe in you, so be glad of your fortune.¡± John swallowed, trying to keep his expectations in check, but the half elf kept his word, and ordered so much food and alcohol, and even sent them away with an escort with the Priest and the horc, as well as a whole pouch of silver each, easily more than a week¡¯s wage. Once they returned to the fort, Adam settled to one side, and then raised his brows towards his brother, who had been eager to talk with him for a while. ¡°John, Esther, and Samuel each have good builds for dancing,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Dancing? Why do we-, ah! Dancing!¡± Adam slowly nodded, the warmth of the alcohol flowing through him. ¡°Amos is strong, and he could dance well, but he would be more suitable for typical fighting.¡± ¡°John is extremely talented,¡± Kitool said. ¡°He holds greater talent than Jurot or I.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all too perfect, isn¡¯t-,¡± Adam blinked. ¡°What? More than you two?¡± ¡°I perceived it too,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡°If we must accept others who are not so talented, it would be worth it to procure the four.¡± ¡°Well, damn.¡± Tomorrow there should be two chapters! I might even post up an additional two the next day since this next arc is a little slow. Also when I say this guy''s stats are good, they are good! I''ll say it like this. Jurot, after levelling to 9, having a total of +5 from his level ups and Adam''s cheat, still has worse stats than John. I just checked, and they are basically on part with Nobby''s stats. [1212] – Y06.112 – The Father II ¡°This is insanity, John,¡± Esther finally snapped at him. ¡°You can¡¯t be believing him and that foolishness he says!¡± ¡°Priests of Death are not known to lie.¡± ¡°Priests of Death are not known to lie,¡± Esther mocked, her face turning beet red. ¡°He¡¯s a Priest of the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death, and he killed good men for the sake of goblins, demons, and foul creatures of the night!¡± ¡°Aye, ah don¡¯t know about this,¡± Samuel said, flushing slightly as his eyes fell to the side towards Esther, before quickly darting downwards. Amos scraped the whetstone along the edge of his blade, completing a single scrape from each side, waiting a long moment before rubbing the edge of his blade with a cloth, applying the oil. ¡°It¡¯s too late now.¡± ¡°I was too full of good food and good drink to mention it last night!¡± ¡°Food and drink paid for by the Priest,¡± John noted, causing Esther to snarl at him, ready to grab at his sleeve, only for Samuel to cautiously approach as he spluttered out for her to calm down. ¡®Is this the place?¡¯ Adam thought, noting the collection of buildings, and the pathway leading towards the back garden, where he could smell the heavy musk of goats and their accompanying filth, though they were quickly swept to the side. The wooden buildings were divided smaller and smaller to increase the number which could live within more privately, and coincidentally, allowing more money to be funnelled to those who owned the buildings, bleeding more from those who sweat and toiled to live and for their amusement. As Adam stepped into the garden, escorted by a young teen who had waited for a handsome half fae wearing the obsidian symbol of the Iyr¡¯s Lord of Death, who also wore a tattoo upon his forehead that was different to those who may be accompanying him, who were more than likely Iyrmen. Amos had prepared, just in case, but he understood from meeting them yesterday how futile it had been, and though the half elf appeared without the Priest and the terrifying old man, the young woman and man were both greater than any of them still. Adam spotted the group all gathering together hurriedly, the teen having forgotten to shout, since Adam had distracted her by tipping her a gold coin! Adam smiled, waiting for them all to quickly gather, from the elderly, to the men and women, to the children, even the three toddlers who stood beside their father. ¡°Seriously, this guy, showing off his adorable kids to me so proudly,¡± Adam said, throwing a look to Jurot, who slowly bowed his head, though far more casually than they expected. ¡°You have some guts, huh?¡± ¡°I am proud with how we have raised them so far.¡± ¡°This guy! He¡¯s really good with his words! How suspicious that you know how to say all the perfect things to pique my interest.¡± Adam tutted at him, but as his eyes fell to the triplets, each staring up at the newcomers in awe, his heart stirred. ¡®Can I put it in his contract to let me spoil them? Would that be weird? Of course, but come on! Isn¡¯t that why I made all this money? To spoil the children of the business?¡¯ Jurot cleared his throat, interrupting the half elf¡¯s cringe thoughts. ¡°Right, right,¡± Adam said, noting their gazes darting from the side towards him. As Adam¡¯s eyes fell to the side, he realised why there was a tenseness in the air. ¡°Tork, would you mind circling around the building?¡± ¡°I do mind a little, but-,¡± Tork began, before his brother half punched him in the side, glaring at him. ¡®We¡¯re meant to act professionally!¡¯ Mork glared. ¡®If we were meant to act professionally, he wouldn¡¯t have brought both of us,¡¯ Tork replied with his eyes. The others glanced aside to a pair of their own companions, who ignored their gazes, and as Tork, one of two figures in full plate, stepped away, suddenly the air began to lighten. ¡°Sorry about that, I forgot how scary Tork looked in his full plate,¡± the half elf said, smiling, though his smile quickly dropped. Then his eyes fell to Mork¡¯s side, and he quickly regained his composure. Even to these commoners, who could not read any books, could still read Adam¡¯s face as though it was the easiest book in the world. Suddenly, they were filled with the sense of ease and troubledness that came from the same source, and of course that source was Adam, who was the river of all worries. ¡°However, Tork was a great example of someone who came to us recently, showed his loyalty, and was duly rewarded,¡± the half elf said. ¡°He¡¯s a horc from North Aldland, forgive me for not recalling where, I¡¯m terrible at geography, recalling names, and if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that we had a companion called Jonn, I¡¯d have half forgotten your name. The only thing I¡¯m good at remembering is how adorable my children are, how beautiful my wife is, and how stu-,¡± Jurot cleared his throat to help Adam from being cringe. ¡®I can¡¯t believe I was smart enough to tell him to stop me by clearing his throat,¡¯ Adam thought. ¡°Anyway, as you can see, I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a horc, a devilkin, a drakken, and if you recall my friend, the handsome Priest from last night, and of course the terrifying old man beside him, Aswadian, I¡¯m not someone who judges a person from the colour of their skin, eyes, if their ears are round or leaf shaped, or even if they have horns or tentacles coming out of their heads, okay, I do judge you a little if you have-,¡± ¡°Ehm.¡± Adam cleared his throat after his brother, flashing a small smile. ¡°That is to say, that... I am here to offer anyone that works hard, and though I hold a slight preference towards Iyrmen, for obvious reasons, I won¡¯t discriminate. This I promise as a Brother of Death.¡± The moment Adam swore upon his title, suddenly the air filled with a greater seriousness, and even Esther, who had been full of suspicion, was suddenly upon high alert. ¡°I see that there are quite a few elderly people here, and as I mentioned, I am also interested in making sure your parents, your grandparents, and perhaps a few others, are well taken care of in the business. If they are able to work, I expect them to work, lightly of course, and if they are sick, well, as long as you promise to work for quite some years, it¡¯s a small issue to care for them. I am a Brother of Death, but-,¡± Adam spotted just how each of them reacted to his title in that moment, the half elf flushing lightly, but quickly smiling, causing an even greater anxiety to flow through them, before the half elf finally burst out in laughter. Kitool sighed slightly, and slammed her staff into the ground, and though the ground was made of softened dirt, her strike hit with such a precision, the noise filled the air and silenced even the animals, which stood up at attention, staring at the group. ¡®You scared the crap out of me!¡¯ Adam thought, his heart pounding in his chest, and the younger children began to blubber and bluster. Brittany scanned the faces of the commoners, and for a moment, all she could see were the faces of the villagers, and upon some of their faces, her own. She eyed up the triplets for a moment, their father calming them down by hushing them quietly, ruffling their hair gently, and after ignoring them for a few moments, they calmed down completely, their tears still upon their faces. ¡°What I wanted to say was that we have a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose who works within our business, and so you don¡¯t have to worry, for we will show such respects.¡± John clenched his throat tight, doing his best not to give off his surprise, though the others had betrayed their thoughts. A Ray of Life¡¯s Rose? ¡°If you¡¯re going to be shocked by that, then this is going to go real easy,¡± Adam said, chuckling towards them. ¡°Anyway, like I said, we¡¯ll take good care of them. I suppose I¡¯ll speak of the benefits first, just so you know what we¡¯re offering, or... well, I have been talking a little too much already, so let me finish off what I was saying about Tork?¡± Jurot glanced aside towards his brother, who had written down a quick summary and guide to what he wanted to say, and yet almost instantly had veered off course. ¡°Tork joined us last year, I think. That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it? So much happened, I can¡¯t exactly remember...¡± ¡°Yes, Executive,¡± Mork replied, though held no hard feelings, because that had happened. ¡°Yeah, but even so, we¡¯ve adorned him in full plate, and wields a magical blade, gifted to him by the business. Well, it¡¯s not exactly gifted to him exactly, we¡¯re renting it out, for free, and after a few years, and hopefully once this Reaver business is dealt with in the next decade or so, he can keep it. Why did he receive such weapons? That¡¯s not the question you should be asking. Pretty much all of our guards have received such fortunes, some quicker than others, and some are still waiting since they don¡¯t use swords, and we¡¯ve mostly made swords for the guards, but soon they¡¯ll receive their magical weapons. Why did they all receive such weapons?¡± Adam looked towards John, raising his brows. ¡°They worked hard and were loyal,¡± John replied. ¡°Essentially, yes. Tork, Mork, and Jane, someone we didn¡¯t bring along, each stared death in the face, and were ready to die beside me. Brother Dunes had forced his way to do such a thing last year when we came across the Orders, and King Merryweather, who my brother here clashed with so I could take my vengeance,¡± Adam said, giving great praise to his brother, but also battering them with such fear and anxiety, the others wondered if Adam truly wanted to hire them at all. ¡°Executive, please stop speaking like a noble,¡± Mork said. Adam¡¯s breath hitched in his throat, and for a moment, they could all see it. Adam was obviously hurt by the words, and Mork was glad he was a Brother and there were so many witnesses around. I hope you enjoy this chapter of Adam being an idiot, but look! There are so many new children to spoil. Speaking of monstrous stats... [1213] – Y06.113 – The Father III ¡°Sorry, right, well, he didn¡¯t fight the King because he hated him or anything, and it wasn¡¯t the first time they clashed either, for the King was quite generous, and a few years ago, when I brought a-,¡± Adam paused, unsure of how much he should say. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t mention Starsword or anyone either, right?¡¯ Jurot leaned into his ear and whispered something in their tongue, causing the half elf to nod, since it was pretty much exactly his thoughts. ¡°Anyway, what I mean to say is, Tork and Brother Mork, they were rewarded not just because they were Experts, but because of their loyalty and hard work. If you show to me the same level of loyalty, the same level of hard work as Tork, Brother Mork, Dunes, Rick, Jane, Remy, Jeremy, another John, and then also another Jonn whose name is spelled slightly differently, and all these other figures who worked hard in our business...¡± Adam paused, inhaling deeply, scanning their faces. ¡°I promise you, we will take good care of you. We will house you, clothe you, pay your taxes, deal with your health issues, teach you how to read and write, how to use simple weapons to defend yourself, equip you with appropriate weapons and armour, maintain those weapons and armour, all on our own coin.¡± The townsfolk all around remained focused entire on the half elf who spoke such sweet words, so unbelievable, surely they were dreaming. ¡°These are the simplest things we offer, but there is far more, so much more. Those of you who are guards, if you work hard and show your loyalty, you will find yourself adorned in full plate and wielding a magical weapon, just like Tork, Rick, and so on. Some of you may think I''m lying, so I''ve brought the perfect example!¡± Adam stepped aside, placing a hand on Brittany¡¯s shoulder, before realising it could be seen as a little inappropriate, so pat her shoulder and stood proudly beside her. ¡°Brittany here is someone who is like John, your John, not our John, or Jonn with two Ns. She was in one of the villages near Red Oak on the way to the Iyr, we¡¯ll pass by it and you¡¯ll see, and she charged right up to me, and with a glare, she said she wanted to come with us, no matter what it took. She wanted freedom, strength, the power to choose her own Fate. Very quickly, within six years, less actually, she became an Expert. Within those years, she has received so much silver, she could drown in it. Within those six years, here, Brittany, may I borrow your shortswords?¡± ¡°Yes, Executive!¡± Brittany almost exclaimed, quickly hoisting up the shortswords, though she had panicked, and hadn¡¯t managed to pull them out with the gusto she wanted to show, but thankfully didn¡¯t drop them. ¡°It was seven years ago you met,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Seven? Ah, right, because of the zero. Anyway, here, John, come and feel them for yourself,¡± Adam said, holding out the shortswords to the young father. John stepped forward, taking the swords, feeling their gentle magic. ¡®They must be Basic?¡¯ ¡°Basic shortswords, two of them, each worth easily about a thousand gold, just hanging around at her waist. The reason why she still has them and hasn¡¯t been gutted in the middle of the road is because we have a strong recommendation, almost a rule, that says you should go out at least in pairs, just in case, because I know how cruel the world is. I¡¯m a half elf walking around in Floria, the King wants me exiled, and I walked right through Thousand Hunt¡¯s old fortress, and I¡¯m probably not allowed to mention how Tork and Brother Mork have earned my trust because we came across an unimaginable evil you couldn¡¯t believe that wanted me dead, but don¡¯t worry about that, I¡¯ll deal with him, so yeah, I know how awful this world can be. Yet, here I stand, and here my companions stand, and back at the business, the people are all fine, safe within the walls of the Iyr, what with all the Reavers.¡± The group could hear Adam¡¯s words, but only a few of them listened to his true words. ¡°Go ahead, pass them around, feel the truth of my words with your own two hands,¡± Adam said, motioning with a hand, and the group all passed the pair of weapons, though Adam quickly stopped them, sheathing the blades so the children could handle the blades too. ¡®He really is crazy, and a father,¡¯ they thought, but quickly their thoughts were distracted by the magical blades. The tingling of the blades brought such an excitement within them all, who believed what they could see and feel within their hands and hearts, rather than what they heard with their, mostly, rounded ears. Once the blades were returned, Adam personally handed them to Brittany, who tied them around her waist. ¡°On top of all that? We will also pay you ten gold at the lowest end, and more, for someone like Mork and Tork are...¡± Adam paused, trying to recall the number, and he turned to face Mork. ¡°Twenty gold.¡± ¡°Twenty gol-, twenty gold?¡± Adam asked, shocked. ¡°What? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Not thirty?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Brittany, what are you at?¡± ¡°Thirty.¡± ¡°Thirty? Yeah, that sounds about right, but Mork, you¡¯re at twenty?¡± ¡°Yes, Executive.¡± Adam tapped his amulet, winking at the Priest, before continuing. ¡°Why are you at twenty, though? I guess...¡± Mork could see how deeply the half elf was thinking about it. ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense, since you¡¯ve only been working with us for a year, and we haven¡¯t really let you do much.¡± ¡°You said we were on probation before we joined, and now we have joined, but we have done little work.¡± ¡°I¡¯m paying you more for coming with us though.¡± ¡°I do not believe so.¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s a thing. Your pay increases when you¡¯re travelling around the land, doing dangerous stuff, plus, I mean, we are paying for all your inn stays and food and drinks, and drink,¡± Adam repeated, motioning his head to where Tork stepped out. ¡°That you do!¡± Mork grinned wide, patting his wineskin. ¡°Anyway, only twenty, huh? I guess... I think we only pay Bael twenty too, and that feels weird. Bael making twenty, but I guess he¡¯s not really a member of the business, plus we owe him a magical weapon still, and we¡¯re paying for all his stuff still, so...¡± Adam returned his attention back to the townsfolk, but he turned back to Mork again. ¡°Really? Twenty? We¡¯ve given you bonuses though, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Full plate, magical weapons, you¡¯ve built a shrine for us, so has the Iyr, and you have handed out bags of silver, Brother.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, that sounds right,¡± Adam said, feeling a little better about himself. ¡°Sorry, Brother Mork, I really thought we paid you more.¡± ¡°I have no complaints at all, Brother,¡± Mork said, patting his armour. ¡°You gifted me this full plate without promising such, and... from what I have seen, I believe I will have no complaints in the future, either.¡± ¡°See that? This guy just earned himself another bottle of wine, with that beautiful, charming mouth of his,¡± Adam said, bursting into laughter, before quickly clearing his throat, and laughing even harder. ¡®He really is crazy.¡¯ ¡°Sorry, uh, sorry. Usually, when you become an Expert, we push you immediately up to twenty gold each month. Also, every so often, we do hand out some extra silver now and again, usually about a hundred silver, to each person. I think, at least once a year, but it could be as much as every season, but either way, like I mentioned, we pay for pretty much everything, and we have, what, four Priests, one of them a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose, so if you¡¯re sick, it¡¯s best to be sick in our business, and you won¡¯t have to pay a single copper for it. Whatever you all spend your money on usually, you won¡¯t. That ten gold that we¡¯re paying you, which is less than you make at your guarding, I think you make thirteen, but two of that goes to taxes, which we will pay for, and then... the rest of it also goes to duties, tithes, other taxes, food, clothing, weapons, education, and more, and at the business, we pay for all of that. Of course, as you might not be able to eat all the wide varieties of food you¡¯ll find here, in a city as magnificent as this, but we¡¯re currently in the process of figuring out logistics for spices, which, hey, that might be something we leave to you, once you¡¯re all Experts.¡± Adam¡¯s words were honeyed, but to many of them, seemed almost like a poison that was too good to be true. How could they believe the half elf¡¯s words, for he spoke far too much, as though he had something to hide. ¡°That ten gold you make,¡± Adam said, pointing to them with each word. ¡°That¡¯s all for luxuries. That¡¯s why, the biggest thing we ask for, is that you move from Gold Port to the business, and bring whoever you want. The business is at the border of the Iyr¡¯s land, which sounds scary, but I promise you, though it is a little, for sure, but they¡¯re some of the kindest people you will ever meet, and our business is protected by them too. You¡¯ll have to move form the rest of your friends and family who don¡¯t want to join, to become part of the business proper. The contracts will last for quite a long while too, that¡¯s why we pay so much, that¡¯s why we look after you so well, that¡¯s why I want to make you all Experts and more. No one in this entire world, or at the very least, no one in Gold Port, will treat you as well as I treat my people.¡± His silver tongue was indeed such a sweet poison. Adam doesn''t yap, he YAPS. [1214] – Y06.114 – The Father IV ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to make a choice now,¡± Adam said, still speaking far too much. ¡°Instead, I want John, and only John, to follow me for the next few months. I¡¯ll pay you ten gold each month, sorry, we¡¯ll pay you ten gold each month, the business of the United Kindom. We¡¯ll pay for your gear, your housing, your food, your drinks, gifts you want to bring back for your friends, family, your friend¡¯s family, so on. I¡¯ll also pay an additional ten gold each month to you all, that is to say, in total, to make sure his children, and yours, are taken care of, and I¡¯ll even pay three months upfront, and all I want you to do, John, is to follow us and make a judgement with your own two eyes. Whatever you see, well, not everything, just in case we come across something secretive that would put your lives at risk, not that, but everything else, you can tell them.¡± John remained silent, unable to keep up with the half elf, because ultimately, there was one big question that went unanswered. ¡°Brother Adam,¡± John called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How does this all benefit you?¡± ¡°How does it all benefit me?¡± Adam replied, as though he hadn¡¯t considered it. The half elf paused, falling into thought for a long moment. ¡°I told you about Brittany, but let me tell you about Nobby. Nobby here, we met him when he was young, and we were all weak and not quite as rich. This was back when we weren¡¯t quite so close, and not brothers, about six years ago ago, at the turn of the millennium. Jurot, before we were so close, he looked at Nobby and said he had a great build. Nobby, he needed the money, his dad was sick. He was also worried that I¡¯d eat him, apparently elves eat people, I still haven¡¯t really heard about that, but anyway, I¡¯m only half an elf, and he needed a hundred gold to help his sick father. Jurot wanted to train him to become a warrior. In one of our first fights, he threw a javelin, and it hit me. Then, pretty quickly after, he joined his first tournament and won. His sick father, I healed him, because I¡¯m a Priest, and I could. Why?¡± Adam fell quiet again. He stared at them, and for a long moment he thought, trying to understand why. No. He knew why. ¡°Life is unfair and I hate that. I was lucky and I hate that. I was unlucky and I hate that. However, I am luckier than I am unlucky. I wouldn¡¯t be here today if it wasn¡¯t for the Iyr, for Jurot, and, probably the biggest reason why I¡¯m alive, his mother, Aunt Sonarot. I stand here before you, strong, very strong, stronger than you might expect. I stand here before you, rich, very rich, richer than you might expect. I stand here before you, a father of the most adorable children in the world, married to a Ray of Hope, yeah, I can see the surprise on your face, let me tell you, I¡¯m even more surprised. Everything that comes out of my mouth is the truth, or I just forgot and I was wrong, but since Jurot and Kitool haven¡¯t stopped me, I think I¡¯ve gotten it all right so far. Listen, am I insane? Yeah, absolutely. I¡¯m outright unhinged. I, my children, they... I¡¯m the guy that went to kill the Vice Commander of an Order, sorry, forget all that, Sir James Greatwood, the Grand Commander of High Garden, who was once the Grand Commander of the Thousand Hunts, came to the Iyr and requested a duel to the death with me, because one of his people killed my kids, and he got mad at me! Well, I accepted. I fought him. Last I checked, I¡¯m here talking to you, and he¡¯s not. You¡¯re the smart one, right?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± the thin Aswadian replied, eyeing up the half elf. ¡°You¡¯re good with numbers?¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± ¡°Okay, well if I tell you that the Grand Commander requested a duel to the death with me, and we both fought to the death, and I¡¯m here before you, and you¡¯ve heard he died, then who do you think killed him?¡± ¡°You did, Brother?¡± ¡°Do you believe that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Aswadian admitted, and the rest also could not believe it, for the fresh faced half elf seemed so young, even in fae years. ¡°There¡¯s one thing you should know about me. Yeah, I am the Crazy Father. Yeah, I¡¯m insane. Yeah, I love my children, and my wife, a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose, as I¡¯ve mentioned. Yeah, my brother is an Iyrman. Yeah, I maybe should be exiled from this land after the trouble I caused your King. Yeah, the soldier is right behind me and listening to every word, probably very shocked about what he has to report to the King, but you know the one thing you can¡¯t call me? You can¡¯t call me a liar.¡± The moment of seriousness sobered the others around, who stared at the half elf in shock. ¡°That¡¯s why, John is going to come visit us, because he¡¯s going to see how I am, and I might exaggerate some things in front of him, I might draw back a little in front of him, but I won¡¯t lie, and then when he comes back, you can believe whatever you hear from his own mouth.¡± ¡®He¡¯s insane,¡¯ was the thought that fell through them, but they remained mesmerised, because who could lie about something so insane while surrounded by Iyrmen, a Brother, and escorted by a soldier. ¡°My brother said to me that John has a great build. That he has a greater talent than...¡± Adam paused. ¡°Sorry, Kitool here, Executive Kitool, whose grandaunt, never mind, I probably can¡¯t say that either. Anyway, she said that John here, is talented. The four that we saw, Esp.. Esther? Sam...uel? And... I remember your name was my favourite, because you had an amazing name, but...¡± ¡°Amos.¡± ¡°Yeah, Amos! That was it. Amos. Amos. Well, you should be lucky, because my brother, Executive Jurot, and Executive Kitool, both said that all four of you were exceptionally talented. John, Esther, and Samuel, it was Samuel wasn¡¯t it? Yeah, right, all three of you have great builds, like Nobby, for the way they fight. I was told that John, specifically, holds the greatest talent, and that he might even have greater potential than our Executives, which I am quite interested in. I was told that if we had to accept the others, it would be worth it for all four of you specifically, and if the good Aswadian is half as talented as John made him out to be, then great, we¡¯ll have someone else I can teach in alchemy, or magic, and perhaps we can allow him to become an enchanter too, who knows?¡± The words out of Adam¡¯s mouth kept growing more and more ridiculous, but the Iyrmen had yet to stop him. ¡°So what benefit does it have for me? Is it that I want to allow my family to have fun and train you to become monsters? Sure. Is it because I¡¯m insane? Yeah, a little. Is it because I think if I manage to show you how unhinged I am when it comes to protecting my own, that you will return the favour if the business is ever in trouble? Maybe. Pick whatever reasoning makes sense to you, because in some small part, it might be true. Is it because I¡¯m no better than the nobles I so dislike? Perhaps, although please don¡¯t say that. I¡¯ll say this, because as much as all of these things are true in some way, for me...¡± The townsfolk waited. Their eyes remained upon the half elf, whose face was no longer quite so passionate, now mellowed out into a melancholy. ¡°I really do hate how the world is so unfair. You, by no fault of your own, find yourselves barely able to thrive, all because you weren¡¯t born with a silver spoon in your mouth. I don¡¯t deserve the fortune I have, but I have it. Now? Now I¡¯m strong. I¡¯m rich. I have some power, at least. Though I have experienced my fair share of ill fortune, I¡¯m still perhaps the luckiest man alive. That¡¯s why, now that I have this power, this wealth...¡± Adam paused for a long while, as though searching the answer within his heart. Meanwhile, those around him tried to understand what he was. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I help others? Does it make me feel good? Of course! However, it¡¯s not just about feeling good, is it? I... if... if it had been one of your children, John. If you were one of mine, like Rick, and if it had been one of your children, or his...¡± Adam let out a small sigh, then he smiled sadly to himself. ¡°Ah, what am I saying? Of course I¡¯d have done the same thing, because I¡¯m the crazy bas-, guy, who decided to raise his sword against the Lord Marshal Benjamin Gravesea of East Port, all for the sake of some random boy I had just met because I said I would. Well, he turned out to be a little special, but that doesn¡¯t matter to me, as you¡¯ll soon find out.¡± ¡°He is Marshal of the East, not Lord Marshal,¡± Jurot corrected. ¡°Oh, is that a different title?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, anyway, if you want to find out if it¡¯s true, send word to Life¡¯s Rose, because the First Hope came and saved Lord Benjamin from my brother¡¯s wrath.¡± ¡°I would have lost,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Today, I do not think I would lose so easily,¡± Jurot stated firmly. Adam, the Crazy Yapper. [1215] – Y06.115 – The Father V ¡°Now, enough of all that,¡± Adam said, sipping from his waterskin, calming down from having riled himself. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you believe me now, since John will confirm everything with his eyes in the next few months, but let¡¯s pretend that you do join us. John, what is your dream?¡± ¡°I would like my children to grow up well and to marry,¡± John said. ¡®This guy, seriously...¡¯ ¡°What about for their work?¡± ¡°That is their decision to make, but I hope they live their lives safely, and with honour.¡± ¡°Seriously, you¡¯re almost as cringe as me,¡± Adam grumbled, though he felt satisfaction bloom within his heart. ¡°He is not,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Not even close,¡± Kitool added. ¡°Executive, did you not say you spoke no lies?¡± Mork stated, unable to help himself. ¡°Mork, you don¡¯t know me like that,¡± Adam said, raising his brows towards the Brother, whose smile only grew wider. The half elf also smirked slightly. ¡®Damn it! Northerners are so cool! Literally!¡¯ Jurot cleared his throat. ¡°Seriously, man. I don¡¯t know what the Divine are doing, but to think you¡¯ve come into my life at this exact moment when I needed you. It¡¯s all so suspicious. You¡¯re like me, if I was slightly less handsome, but also much smarter. You might find whatever I said unbelievable, but all of you are almost unbelievable to me too.¡± Adam began to laugh once more, letting out a long sigh at the end of it. ¡®Is this your way of apologising to me? Did you think I would cause a bigger mess? Seriously, the Divine shouldn¡¯t be interfering so much for a little leaf ear like me.¡¯ ¡°Since Adam has spoken so much and has given you much to think about, Jurot and I will discuss with you of your wants and needs,¡± Kitool said. ¡°I didn¡¯t bully them that much, did I?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Brother, at a time like this, it is best for the least intimidating to take the lead,¡± Mork said, before glancing aside to the rest of his group. ¡°I guess I should have said less, but with the soldier behind me, I thought it would be good to let the King know some of our dealings,¡± Adam said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t admit to that.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s suspicious.¡± ¡°Right, I guess so... King Merryweather knows me though? I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand.¡± Jurot and Kitool listened to the others, while Adam spoke with John, and through some sheer ridiculousness, John allowed the half elf to fawn over the triplets, with his keen supervision. ¡°What are their names?¡± ¡°Garaeth, Owaen, and Tristaen,¡± John said. ¡°Oh? How come you named them all with the aen sound?¡± ¡°Emilia said it was good fortune for elves to be named in such a way.¡± ¡°I should have been Adaem, then,¡± Adam grumbled quietly, all the while the triplets cuddled their father, while peeking up towards the half elf. ¡°Hello, hello, my little half elvish friends! Look, I¡¯m a half elf too!¡± As the half elf motioned to his ears, the children smiled, though remained clutching their father. The half elf¡¯s heart soothed, and he beamed towards John. Adam held up a thumbs up, and winked at John approvingly, who wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, and wondered if he needed to rebuke the half elf¡¯s advances. ¡°I can see just how much they love their father, and with how they¡¯re clutching at you, it seems you haven¡¯t been spending enough time with them!¡± Adam tutted, crossing his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can say anything, since they¡¯ll hate me for stealing you away for so long.¡± ¡°They are used to me leaving for so long, and I hear they only cry a little while I am gone,¡± John said. ¡°They look so well behaved, but I bet they¡¯re actually trouble, since they¡¯re so cute! It¡¯s the cutest children who are the most troublesome. Even though all my children are so cute, Jirot and Virot, they trouble me so much! You¡¯re so lucky that you have all sons, daughters are so vicious!¡± Adam almost winced from the memories of his daughters bullying him. ¡°I would not have minded a daughter,¡± John admitted, noting how the half elf almost seemed normal in this moment. ¡°My eldest are triplets too,¡± Adam said, glancing down at the children. ¡°The eldest, Konarot, she is so well behaved. I mean...¡± John could see the half elf recalling a moment when she was not quite as well behaved as he let on, but he didn¡¯t catch Adam¡¯s real thoughts. ¡°Konarot, she¡¯s so well behaved,¡± Adam stated again, this time more firmly, but his forehead pulsed, as though pushing away the memory of when she had almost killed her mother in a fury. ¡°She protected her siblings well. Kirot, she¡¯s so good at being her sister¡¯s second in command, though she is her own girl too, but she... I need to make sure she also lives her own life. Karot, he... he¡¯s meek, like my other boys, except Larot, but Larot is Larot. Karot, he takes after his mother, and he¡¯s so sweet, and he likes to draw, and...¡± ¡°How old are they?¡± ¡°They turned five earlier this year. Actually, we have the same birthdays, in fact, pretty much all of us do. Jurot, me, Jurot¡¯s wife, my wife, and my triplets, we all have the same birthdays.¡± Adam had forgotten Pam shared the same birthday as Lanarot. ¡°So they started schooling in the Iyr, because they¡¯re Iyrmen, and Iyrmen at five begin heading to school at that age formally. Seriously, those punks, who gave them permission to grow up?¡± ¡®He¡¯s... really a father.¡¯ John blinked. ¡°Your wife is a Ray?¡± Adam blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me about that. I decide not to question it myself. I¡¯m the luckiest man in the whole world, I... I still don¡¯t know how I did it, man.¡± ¡°She truly is a Ray?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did you meet?¡± ¡°How did we meet? How did we meet...¡± Adam tried to recall. ¡°It was... six, seven years ago? It was... Fate. She was looking for someone dependable to help her Order with something, it¡¯s a secret, you see, and we just so happened to be there. We helped out and when I was in danger, she jumped in after me, and she ended up stealing my first kiss one day, and she stole my heart too, and... I disappoint her daily, but she forgives me for being a fool, since I¡¯m so handsome, and because I have a good heart, that¡¯s why she stole it, you see?¡± The joy in Adam¡¯s eyes almost seared John, up until the awkwardness filled Adam¡¯s face, and the young half elf flushed. ¡°Ah, and... well, right, anyway. Thankfully, Life¡¯s Rose made the wise decision in investing in our business, so they freely gave up Vonda in order to form a connection with us, and ever since then, we¡¯ve been handing over quite some coin.¡± Adam smiled wide, unable to contain his delight, until his expression grew far more wicked as he grinned wide. ¡°Seriously, how could they be the only Order with good sense? I guess the Order of the Wings also accepted our gifts, but they did cause us some minor trouble back then...¡± John could see Adam thinking of another crazy time that he wouldn¡¯t be able to believe. ¡°Still, they were... they stepped back properly each time, so we can continue to have a good relationship. My granduncle has a good relationship with the Steel Bears, up in West Aldland, he¡¯s good friends with their Grand Commander, the Bear Mother. My grandfather, though, he¡¯s so troublesome. He¡¯s killed so many Aldishmen, apparently he¡¯s killed at least one of each Order, but don¡¯t quote me on that.¡± ¡°Your grandfather?¡± ¡°Yeah, the Mad Dog.¡± ¡°The Mad Dog? The Mad Dog is your grandfather?¡± John asked, barely able to believe the words slipping out of Adam¡¯s mouth, and yet, out of everything he said, was this the most believable nonsense he had said? ¡°Yeah, he is. Our grandfather is the Mad Dog. My son is named after him too, my little Jarot, but he¡¯s still so meek. I¡¯m glad about that, though, because I don¡¯t think I could handle it if he took after his greatfather. His twin sister, Jirot, the troublemaker, she inherited his troublesomeness. Though, she¡¯s so much cuter, so we have to forgive her, but my grandfather, he...¡± John could see the annoyance flash on the half elf¡¯s face. ¡°Seriously, he¡¯s so annoying, but I can¡¯t criticise him, because if anything happened to my children, he would cause a mess in the Iyr just to be able to cut the neck of the basta-,¡± Adam cleared his throat, noting the way the triplets drew closer to their father as he raised his voice. ¡°Is... is the Mad Dog, is Jarot, related to the Undying Jarot too?¡± ¡°Oh, that? All those nicknames belong to my grandfather.¡± John¡¯s eyes remained glued to the half elf, and even as Adam apologised to the triplets, rather meekly, John couldn¡¯t draw his eyes away from the half elf. ¡®Oh. He¡¯s the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson.¡¯ Oh. Now Adam makes sense. [1216] – Y06.116 – The Ridiculous Offer I John remained deep in thought as he trekked through the market district, meanwhile Garaeth and Owaen held onto his hands, as Tristaen held his father¡¯s neck, though he was tied to the man. However, while he was still reeling from the shock of meeting Adam, the soldier was also reeling from the shock. The Silver Fate Squad assisted in escorting the soldier and the ten others who worked as guards, and their families, through the market. ¡®He¡¯s the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson?¡¯ Esther thought, which was unbelievable, but if it was true, then it would make everything else seem far more believable. ¡®The Mad Dog is the same as all those other men too? The Undying? Jarot the Kid? Bloody Jarot? That¡¯s unbelievable too!¡¯ ¡®It is pretty weird that I talked about all that and then did this, right?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Still, I¡¯m being sincere, and I did pretty much admit why, so...¡¯ As the various potential guards stepped through the market, eyeing up the various stalls, they were still uncertain. It all felt like a trap, Adam offering to pay for whatever they wanted, even to the point the Iyrmen leaned in to whisper into his ear, and he stated there was a limit of ten gold for each of them, well over a hundred gold for the eleven. ¡°Adam, they feel uncomfortable with how excessive you are,¡± Jurot warned. ¡°Yeah, I gathered.¡± Adam reached up to rub his forehead. ¡°I should have held back a little... a lot?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Jurot approached John, who showed his triplets a smoothed figure of a boat, carved by wood. It was not the wood which coaxed the Iyrman forward, for it was typical wood, and the craftsmanship was barely acceptable, but it was because there had been a question upon Jurot¡¯s mind. ¡°Do your children like to play with wooden toys?¡± Jurot asked, though it was not his question, but he could feel the stress rise in the father as he approached. ¡°They do,¡± John replied. ¡°My son likes to play with them too, but he offers them to his cousin often, and she plays with them as he watches.¡± ¡°Does he offer them, or does she take them?¡± John joked. ¡°Most of the time it is offered, sometimes it is taken, but they hug and make up,¡± Jurot replied, and though he was the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson, not even he could dare to face against the likes of his niece. John had no idea his joke would have revealed such a face from the Iyrman, who seemed almost human in that moment. ¡®He¡¯s a father too.¡¯ ¡°They play with the toys I make the most,¡± Jurot admitted, doing his best to hide his pride, which was not so difficult, though he did tense up more than he wished. ¡°As a boy I learned such from the Iyr. I crafted many objects from wood. Mother keeps them safe.¡± John could sense the pride brimming from the Iyrman, though he had tried to hide it, and as he spoke, the Iyrman stood a little taller with each word, his ears turning a little redder with each memory. ¡°I was born and raised in the Iyr. I do not know what it means to work in the way of the Florian. You work for coin, we work for our families. You are beaten, abused, for silvers. We are beaten, abused, for the Iyr. You will work fifty years, if you are lucky, and earn enough to pass on a pouch of silver. I will work for fifty years, and earn enough to pass on a pouch of gold.¡± ¡°You are surrounded by death, Iyrman.¡± ¡°Not even the dragons can escape Death,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°When you die, you, John, will become an Expert. You may die a Master, a Grandmaster, a Paragon. You can do it because you are special. How many Florians will reach such a height? If there are one hundred Florians who I pass within he city, one may become an Expert, and if they are lucky, a Master, luckier still, a Grandmaster, luckier than any other Florian? A Paragon. I cannot understand that.¡± ¡°We are a simple folk, who live simple lives.¡± ¡°Within the Iyr, when I pass one hundred Iyrmen, one, two, three, four, or five, may not become an Expert because they will die too young, one because they are ill. If an Iyrman reaches forty years of age, all but one in one hundred will become Experts.¡± John swallowed. He had heard the rumours of the Iyrmen, and if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the Iyr had survived beside Aldland for thousands of years, and that in each battle, the Iyrmen fight like beasts, and all those who fight alongside them may fear them, but often times that fear is tempered by respect. Though the last few years have been a dark mark upon the Iyr, indeed, only the Iyrmen could walk into a meeting of the Orders and cause such a mess. Indeed, only the Iyrmen could face the likes of the Order of High Garden and deal with their great warriors. However, could such a place exist? Where all those, by the age of forty, could become Experts? That was impossible. ¡°I am the same age as my brother, twenty four. Kitool is the same age, and so is Jaygak, our companion who had travelled with us. Each of us are Masters.¡± John¡¯s face surrendered into alarm. ¡°Masters?¡± ¡°Masters,¡± Jurot confirmed, holding out a finger towards one of the triplets, who stared up at him, and as the Iyrman smiled warmly, they shyly withdrew. His smile faded, and the Iyrman took in the gaze of their father once more. ¡°There are few places in the world with such wealth, power, and privilege as the Iyr. In many ways, the United Kindom falls short. Nobby, he was trained because I wished for it. I wished for it, because he held such talents. His talent was greater than mine when we met, and I coveted the chance to train him, because I am an Iyrman, and such is a right afforded to me. It was my brother who afforded me the chance, and though it was the Iyr which facilitated the opportunity to a depth, it was my brother who encouraged me. It was my brother who dealt with the matters of health and the matters of wealth, for these are Florian worries, Aldish worries, but not worries of Iyrmen.¡± John felt beaten down by each of the words, but the way the Iyrmen spoke, it was certainly not to belittle him. Still, it felt rough to his heart that an Iyrman spoke ill of his people and culture. ¡°If one was to join the Iyr, they would need exceptional talent, or they must marry within the Iyr, and that is usually born through exceptional talent. My wife is good at baking, but we married because I...¡± Jurot¡¯s face turned red, his ears almost boiling with blood, but the Iyrman calmed, utilising the techniques he had been taught, the Iyrman pushed away his embarrassment. ¡°I adored my wife.¡± John could hear how difficult it was for the Iyrman to say it, who struggled to speak such sweet words, but could no doubt slay a dragon if his wife asked him to. ¡®They really are brothers.¡¯ ¡°I do not know if she wished to marry me at the time, but she named her price to leave the life she knew behind. It is rare for an Iyrman to pay such a price, for someone who is not an Expert, but I would have paid it, if my brother had not. Otherwise, to join the Iyr, one must hold at least the strength of an Expert, or accrue a debt from an Iyrman, or to have such a story, we wish to covet it into our family, we, who drove the dragons away from the nearby lands.¡± ¡°It is difficult to join the Iyr,¡± John said, bowing his head lightly, for that much was obvious enough. ¡°In this world, one can gain such power, wealth, and privilege with extreme fortune. To take the eye of the Iyr, the nobility, the military, the clergy. It is difficult. If you are taken in by the Iyr, your needs are taken care of, for while silver and gold rules Floria, blood and steel rules the Iyr. You work, because you feed yourself, your family, and all others within the Iyr, not for coin.¡± Jurot paused, realising he was beginning to repeat himself, and that he needed to get to his point properly. ¡°The Iyr will invest within you if you are born talented, like myself, and Kitool. We were considered among the Golden Children, the children who were among the greatest of their generation, but which child within the Iyr starves? Which child would we allow a Florian to kill, without slaughtering them in kind? Even the elves consider losses when they wish to save their children, for an elf matures over the course of fifty to one hundred years, while humans mature over the course of fifteen to twenty. Within a hundred years, two elves become ten, and two humans becomes two hundred. Within the blink of an eye, the world around the elves had changed.¡± Jurot¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as the hair on John¡¯s neck stood on end. ¡°In this world, it was true to say that only the Iyr would fight for any its child, for the elves may have the courage to commit such a massacre, but they would never dare to do such to we Iyrmen.¡± It was in this moment, John knew that it was true, that this Iyrman before him had clashed with King Merryweather. John didn¡¯t even dare to swallow. ¡°It is no longer true, though, for within the blink of an eye, the world are the Iyr has changed. In this world, there are now two places which would not allow such a travesty to befall so easily, and they are both found within the Iyr¡¯s borders.¡± Jurot felt tired speaking so much. ¡®He would not understand the gravity from the brevity.¡¯ ¡°The United Kindom?¡± Jurot bowed his head, for he had seen it. He had seen his brother act in such a way that suggested he would not allow such a travesty to go unpunished. That was what it meant to be a VIP within the business, and though it had taken a moment for the Iyrman to understand, he realised that the term simply meant to treat a VIP the same one would treat a child of the Iyr in terms of defence. ¡°It is unbelievable.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, bowing his head. ¡°...¡± ¡°I did not mean to speak of such, but we wish to hire you because of your potential.¡± ¡°My potential?¡± ¡°You could choose to become a typical warrior, but you could also dance with rage, or fight with your inner strength, but there is another option afforded to you since you have met my brother. If you wished, you could train as an Oathsworn.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Esther had been standing nearby, listening to the Iyrman speak so passionately, and while most had minded their own business, every so often someone had stopped by to feel the aura emanating off the Iyrman. She had been slyly listening as she bit into her grilled vegetables, but as Jurot spoke the words, she choked and coughed out in shock. Jurot, thank you for your help. I''m sorry about your brother... [1217] – Y06.117 – The Ridiculous Offer II ¡°You see? What did I say? I knew they would come back, for I acquire only the finest of weapons!¡± The merchant laughed, his silver tooth almost sparkling with greed. As the chattering behind gave way once the curtains were drawn, the children standing at attention outside, making sure no one could eavesdrop. ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam cleared his throat, doing his best not to roll his eyes. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m looking for a really nice spear, and a nice sword. The spear should be of decent steel, something that is much better than a typical spear, and the sword? The sword should be nice to train with, and even better to use once someone has learnt it and mastered the way of the blade.¡± ¡°There is little money in spears, but...¡± The merchant motioned a hand towards the guard, a man in his late thirties who wielded a silvered blade with a blue handle, the kind that made Jurot bow his head lightly. The guard bowed his head in return, and slipped into the back. Jurot continued to try and place the sword to the man, but was unable to recall him, as the fellow stepped out with a scarf wrapped around a spear, as well as three long boxes. The guard revealed the spear, with its almost black wood, and its spear tipped in sanguine. ¡°bloodsteel?¡± Adam asked. ¡°bloodsteel,¡± the merchant confirmed. ¡°I know the Iyr enjoy its bloodsteel, but this is forged from the anguish born in Aswadasad.¡± ¡°How poetic,¡± Adam said. Jurot leaned in to whisper into his ear. ¡°It is forged literally from anguish.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam replied, raising his brows. ¡®Damn.¡¯ ¡°It is a good thing the metal is still hard to form and forge and that there are many steels like hardrasteel, which are favoured, but because it is less favoured, and because it still holds a fortuitous viciousness, it is well suited for a spear, and arrows.¡± ¡°Arrows, huh? You got any bloodsteel arrows then?¡± ¡°I have a few. Ten bloodsteel arrows for ten gold.¡± ¡°Hoo, boy,¡± Adam replied in surprise. ¡°Ten arrows for ten gold, eh?¡± ¡°Ten bloodsteel arrows,¡± the merchant replied with his brows raised. ¡°One gold for each arrow, and when they strike true, you are happy for such. There are arrows of firesteel, icesteel, which are of similar quality and similar price, and though they are always so useful, sometimes, when you can only shoot one arrow, and you must pray to the Divine, there is no other arrow you may wish for than this bloodsteel arrow.¡± ¡°How many?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°For you?¡± The merchant eyed up Adam and the rest. ¡°How many do you wish to procure?¡± ¡°As many as we are able.¡± ¡°Ten, twenty, more?¡± ¡°More.¡± ¡°Fifty?¡± ¡°More,¡± Jurot said. ¡°I could sell you them all, but I I must keep a few, in case someone of high importance appears to procure a few, and I do not wish to offend. If it is acceptable, fifty?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Jurot bowed his head. ¡°The spear, an appetiser of one hundred gold. Fifty arrows, for fifty gold? A dessert. What I have for you, Iyrman, and Iyrman¡¯s brother, will make your stomachs burst!¡± He snapped his fingers, motioning a hand towards the boxes. One was a blade, its quality noted by the three, but only truly appreciated by Jurot and Adam, and the merchant did not speak, allowing them to admire it. A long blade of a pale silver, almost white, its handle a red wood the Iyrman appreciated, with a beautiful silver hilt formed in the shape of a blooming flower, and a pommel of silver, that of a rose. Jurot and Adam noted the white of the blade was not like that of a typical silver blade, nor those of truesilver, moonsilver, or even the other silver blade on offer, that of quicksilver. ¡°Divinesteel,¡± Jurot whispered, causing John to raise his brows slightly. ¡°Well, damn,¡± Adam said, stopping as Jurot grabbed the half elf¡¯s forearm, for he could not speak of this. The next longsword held a slightly longer and thinner silver blade, almost a rapier, though still thick enough to be considered a longsword, with a green wooden handle Jurot admired, and a silver hilt in the shape of an S, and a pommel that was smooth an almost perfectly spherical. The last blade, however, was slightly different, and had caught Adam¡¯s eye in the same way the blade made of divinesteel had. This blade was golden, with a golden hilt, which was a solid block engraved with intricate details, a plain black handle, and a solid gold block of a pommel, also engraved with intricate details. ¡®Oh,¡¯ Adam thought, feeling the tingle within his heart, revealing he was still very much a boy. ¡°The one who commissioned such a blade passed and so I was able to procure it,¡± the merchant whispered, meeting the Iyrman¡¯s questioning eyes. ¡°They will confirm the matter.¡± Jurot nodded his head slowly, for if he was able to procure such, legally, from that temple, then he was quite the figure, and it made sense as to how this figure had come to find such fine weapons within this little spot. ¡°If you wish to buy them all, one thousand and eight hundred,¡± the merchant offered. ¡°Okay, sure,¡± Adam said, motioning a hand towards Jurot. ¡°All three?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°I mean, are they worth it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, which should we gift to John?¡± Adam asked. ¡°For now, none. He should gain such a fine blade once you have trained him into an Expert, so he is not so easily killed wearing such a blade while walking through the towns and cities.¡± Jurot spoke the words so matter of factly, even Adam¡¯s boyish heart quickly dropped. ¡°Ah... right.¡± ¡°We will procure one another weapon of simpler details,¡± Jurot said, and the merchant smiled, motioning for the guard to step within, finding a fairly basic, but well made longsword. Jurot took a moment to unsheath it, feeling its balance, and after a single swing, he nodded to the merchant, and handed the blade to John, who calmly plucked it from the Iyrman¡¯s hands. The merchant glanced between the trio and he motioned to the guard. ¡°Bring another bloodsteel spear, and two silver daggers.¡± The three blades lay within their sheaths, within the simple, identically crafted boxes, the two spears within scarves, the simple longsword clutched tightly within John¡¯s hands, the fifty arrows, each tied together within their own scarves, and finally, two silvered daggers of simple designs. The merchant raised two fingers towards the Iyrman, who nodded, for the three swords and two spears were worth at least that much, so the silvered daggers, fifty arrows, and the longsword were essentially gifts to them. Jurot picked up each item, handing them over to Adam and John, and he bowed his head to the merchant, who hid the blades in scarves for them, and allowed them to step out with such prizes. ¡°You may speak,¡± the merchant said once the group left, not handing over a single gold. ¡°I was just wondering why,¡± Ruben admitted, shrugging his shoulders lightly. ¡°Do you know who their grandfather is?¡± ¡°The Iyrman seemed familiar, but I don¡¯t recall.¡± ¡°The Mad Dog.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ruben whispered, suddenly finding the merchant¡¯s actions made more sense. ¡°So even you fear the Mad Dog?¡± ¡°No. The Mad Dog has many tales, but the rumours of him threatening merchants is overblown. He has troubled us with words, but he never drew his axe, never threatened to kill us. If you were a merchant, you were safe from Mad Dog. You? He would have killed you where you stood.¡± ¡°I hear he¡¯s a cripple. I think I could take him.¡± ¡°No. You could not.¡± The merchant¡¯s tone was soft, but in the way that was far more stern than if he had spoken sternly. ¡°The Mad Dog¡¯s fangs have dulled, and with one arm and one leg, he is weaker, but...¡± Ruben followed the merchant¡¯s gaze, to where the Iyrman¡¯s eyes once met his before he left. Ruben had recalled Jurot had given him a respectful nod, with some recognition, though his eyes had been stuck upon his sword instead, which made sense. ¡°How old was that young man?¡± the merchant mused. ¡°Twenty three?¡± ¡°I think so too. Twenty three, twenty four, twenty five. Not a man of thirty, but a young man in the middle of his third decade. If he, the grandson of the Mad Dog, fought you, Ruben, wielding the blade you wield, who would win?¡± ¡°You should visit the temple,¡± Ruben said, flashing a wide, cheeky smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lose to a boy like him.¡± ¡°I would bet upon him.¡± ¡°You would lose your gold.¡± ¡°There is a reason I am the merchant and you are the guard,¡± the merchant replied, still staring at the ghostly outline of the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡°He saw you, looked at your sword, tried to recall you, but not once did I see him imagine himself losing to you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still young.¡± ¡°There are rumours he clashed with the the King.¡± ¡°I could clash with the King.¡± ¡°No, you could deflect the King¡¯s blow, but you could not clash with the King,¡± the merchant stated, still staring at the space. ¡°Last year, his grandfather killed a Vice Commander near Red Oak.¡± ¡°I heard the rumours.¡± ¡°They are not rumours. His brother, the half fae beside him, the Crazy Father, killed a Vice Commander too.¡± ¡°You believe those rumours too?¡± Ruben asked, though furrowed his brows. ¡®He was the Crazy Father?¡¯ ¡°When I look in his eyes, I see it. A man, not yet thirty, who, like the Mad Dog, like the Crazy Father, could kill a Vice Commander.¡± The merchant turned to look into Ruben¡¯s eyes, and after a moment, noticed Ruben¡¯s frown, for Ruben, the inheritor of the blade he wielded, could not clash with a Vice Commander, but he could not kill a Vice Commander. This merchant seems good at his job. Ruben? Stick to wielding your sword, buddy. Shout out to Big I who subscribed so enjoy this additional chapter! [1218] – Y06.118 – The Ridiculous Offer III ¡°It''s weird, isn''t it?¡± Adam said, sipping his cool milk. The sun¡¯s noonval head bore upon the world, but under the shade of the large blankets, each a soft lilac, they all sat and enjoyed their cool milk, chilled by the magics of the peculiar half elf. ¡°What, Brother?¡± John asked. ¡°Quicksilver is a beautiful steel, as you¡¯ve seen. They say a sword made of quicksilver feels like it floats in the air, and it¡¯s like moonsilver, in which under the moon, it feels as though your blade just... glides through the air. Except, with quicksilver, which costs more than twice as much, it¡¯s not just under the moonlight, but always.¡± Adam inhaled deeply. ¡°A blade of quicksilver goes for five hundred and fifty gold, give or take. Just one sword. It¡¯s not magical, it¡¯s a sword. It¡¯s got a nice metal, I guess, but even so, five hundred and fifty gold.¡± John could see the half elf staring up at the world, asking it so many questions, but receiving no answers. ¡°The average person could work four years straight, and if you didn¡¯t have to pay for anything, taxes, clothing, food, anything, you still couldn¡¯t afford that sword. Five hundred and fifty gold. If you had five hundred and fifty gold, what could you do, ey, John? Hire a nanny to watch over your children for at a few years, right? Send your triplets to an academy? Hire a tutor during the evenings for a little longer? Spend more time watching over your children while working fewer hours?¡± John stared at the half elf long and hard, beginning to understand. Adam had spent gold like someone who had a lot of it, but he thought of gold in the same way as someone who was not born with gold, for the rich did not think of gold as how many nannies they could hire, or if they could send their children to an academy, or to hire tutors, or to hire another person to bring them their favourite cup for tea, but by how many blades they could procure. ¡°I try not to think about it,¡± Adam said. ¡°I... I didn¡¯t have a lot of money until recently in my life. Now that I have it, I feel... dirty.¡± ¡°Dirty?¡± Adam shook his head, clearing his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I¡¯m a... you wouldn¡¯t get the joke. Though, let me say this. You don¡¯t have to worry about that sort of thing while at the business. You won¡¯t even have a chance to spend money on these three adorable little punks, not when I¡¯m here, or my name isn¡¯t the Crazy Idiot!¡± John furrowed his brows, fairly certain that wasn¡¯t his name, nor was it his ridiculous epithet. John could see in Adam¡¯s eyes, something he hadn¡¯t expected. Shame. Guilt. A loathing for one self that a Brother like him should not have. ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s go spend more coin! I need to apologise properly if I¡¯m going to be stealing you away for a few months, yeah?¡± Adam shot up, ready to bound forward, and ready to lighten the load of his purse. John had seen Adam his entire lifetime¡¯s earnings in a single afternoon, in a single transaction, and somehow the half elf was still spending a year¡¯s worth of wages upon them in a single day. How were there those who could... No, what was he thinking? His eyes glanced aside towards the rest of his companions, some of whom were still under the impression that the nobles deserved their position above them, to take their time and lives as they saw fit, while others believed their hard work would allow them to one day become like those who have now outlawed the ways in which they, once outlaws themselves, had taken their position. Just how much could he, a man who worked himself to the bone to earn silvers while his masters earned gold, rise within this world without a heavy amount of luck? Could he, too, spend gold upon each of his meals? There were many who were born in the slums, in the ranks of the commoners, who eventually made a name for themselves, but for each Jessie Iron Sword, born to farmers in Gold Port, how many rose alongside her who were the second, third, fourth, or fifth children of nobility? Jessie Iron Sword, whose epithet was born from how she had wielded a hundred different iron blades, which could not bear the brunt of her effort, before she finally came upon a magical blade, and then allowed her to rise in prominence? Leyla Silver Sword, who wielded her family¡¯s Silver Sky Sword. She, born as the second daughter of a family, joined the Order of the Three Hundred Blades. They were considered equals in power, though one might not have thought so considering how they were both treated. Jessie Iron Sword... How inevitable it was, a pitiful situation, in which she was forced to retire. Not by injury, not by duty, but because... If she had been free to continue to fight, to continue to rise up, would she have still equalled the current Second Blade of the Order of the Three Hundred Blades? John, too, was like that. Perhaps he had a rival within an Order. Perhaps he would have to destroy a hundred swords before coming across a magical weapon. Perhaps he could go blow for blow against his rival. Then, when he became a Master, would he too find only those offering retirement? To become a mentor of a household guard? The bodyguard for his betters? He would have to work twice as hard to gain half the respect, and then one day, they would write of his tale, and they would say that he would not be able to defeat his rival, for he was of common stock, unlike his rival who was born with noble blood. John stared at the half elf. The half elf, who spent gold so freely, who was a fool in every sense of the word. The half elf who had offered him a position, but was it not the same as those of noble blood? Was Adam not a master looking to pay silvers while he earned gold? However... Uf even half of what Adam offered was true, then it was more luck than Jessie had received. John thought of the blades Adam had bought, each which were worth more than his life to any and all who would come across them. John Quicksilver. John Divinesteel. John Dawngold. John let out a small sigh. ¡®John the Fool.¡¯ Adam continued to buy small gifts for the triplets, shaking the various toys towards them, before handing them over as he cooed. He was half glad they were half elves, for those around who not look at him so queerly, assuming he was their father. Adam glanced aside, towards John, who was so focused upon the gifts he wished to procure, while weighing their value in gold. ¡®How could anyone else think I am your father when he works so hard for you? You punks, you can¡¯t worry your father! He¡¯s almost as cute as you!¡¯ Jurot could see Adam begin to think of his own children, not in the cringe way, but in the way which weighed heavily upon him. Ah, and there it was. The cringe way. Adam eventually led them to an inn, allowing them to eat their fill, the half elf picking at his food lightly. He hoped they took his words to heart, but even he understood just how ridiculous this all was. ¡®If they think I¡¯m some kind of rich eccentric fool, that¡¯s fine, as long as they end up joining us. I¡¯ll need to work hard to impress John, otherwise... I guess if I spent a few hundred gold just for them not to grab my hand when it was offered, that¡¯s fine by me.¡¯ Eventually, once they were almost done with their meal, and ready to eat dessert, Adam made sure to inform them of the important matter. ¡°While we¡¯re gone, assume that you¡¯ll join us, so we can move things along swimmingly if you do. I would like to know what demands you have of the business in order to join us. How many people will we need to move? I¡¯ll accept your siblings, their children, and even your parents. If they can¡¯t work, that¡¯s fine too, we¡¯ll figure something out.¡± Adam could see the questioning looks they shot between one another, for truly, this was an offer that they would never receive, and therefore, it was extremely suspicious. ¡°As long as you put in effort into the business, even if you do less work than others, even if you can¡¯t work as long as others, we of the United Kindom will take care of you. If you bring someone that can¡¯t work, who isn¡¯t a child, and they don¡¯t have any abilities or anything, but they¡¯re your mother or father, that¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll figure something out that¡¯s fair.¡± Adam was about to mention he would reduce their pay, but if it meant they abandon their own parents under the wrong impression, then the guilt would eat away at him. However, the half elf could already hear the complaints from everyone else if he started showing special attention to others. No, isn¡¯t that normal? As long as he keeps his promises to them all, what did it matter if he treated them differently? Didn¡¯t he already do that? Should he keep doing it? Seeing the half elf bury himself in his thoughts, Jurot placed a hand upon Adam¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Okay?¡± Adam sighed. ¡°Yeah.¡± Jurot realised Adam was not okay from his tone of voice, but since his brother didn¡¯t want to talk about it, the Iyrman did not pry. Towards the end of their meal, a figure adorned in full plate, wearing a long cape of deep purple, a magical blade at their side, and an oppressive aura, stepped into the inn. He scanned the area, before finding their group. Alarming those trying to enjoy their meals, a fool of an Iyrman, wearing blue tattoos upon his forehead, blocked the Kingsguard. ¡°Step aside, Iyrman.¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± The Kingsguard remained silent, but only for a moment, as he noted the glare within the Iyrman¡¯s eyes. ¡®This must be...¡¯ John¡¯s eyes remained firmly glued to Adam, who was certainly the Kingsguard¡¯s target, and yet the half elf continued to pick at his meal, a cheeky smirk upon his lips as his brother blocked the path of the Kingsguard. His eyes then darted to Esther who finally admitted within her heart that Jurot was truly the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson, while her heart was seconds away from imploding. You''re not even the King, buddy, so why don''t you settle down? Once again, thank you to "I" for subscribing! I''m only 8 patrons away from posting up an additional chapter a week! [1219] – Y06.119 – The Ridiculous Offer IV The garden¡¯s air was clean and agreeable, compared to the air of the city, the smell gentle and sweet of serenity, rather than the harsh and sour of city business. Such a serenity would have eased their hearts, if not for the figure adorned in his breastplate upon his large, sturdy, almost throne of a chair, who, though holding a blank face of the older man, held an ominous pressure. He seemed to be only in his seventies, now looking more appropriately aged, the older man holding a handsomeness that might be portrayed to good Kings, shorter white hair, cut weekly, and a small beard, trimmed neatly at the same time. Adam recalled the first time he had met the rather playful Harold Merryweather, back when he had mostly retired to live out his days within a village near Ever Green. He had been an old man who was almost not of note, and he had spoken so casually to the man considered to be the greatest King¡¯s Sword, due to the fact he hadn¡¯t realised who the old man was. There were four guards, each Masters, two from Floria, two from the guards the Shen had lent to the King out of respect, but it was the man they were protecting, the man who sat upon the large chair, who exerted a pressure so heavy, even the trio of Iyrmen tensed up against it, who was the greatest threat. Adam had felt such a great pressure the previous year, but it was only confirmed, for truly, King Merryweather was the greatest King¡¯s Sword to live. The King allowed the four to take their seat opposite him, upon smaller chairs, though Jurot noted they were finely crafted, and upon the round marble table, sat trays of snacks, a well as a tea pot, which had been recently forged and gifted to the King from the Golden Dawn Temple of Her Great Craftsmanship, the very same place which had forged the fine dawngold blade. Recalling what Jurot had said, Adam remained silent, causing the guards to grow annoyed at them, for neither bowing, nor following the typical procedures, though the King picked up the pot to pour the tea. As Adam nibbled upon a biscuit, his brows raised, for it was similar to shortbread, with a gentle taste of fruit, though not something he could quite place. He smiled slightly to himself. ¡®Yo! This tastes pretty-,¡¯ ¡°I did not expect to see you within Floria,¡± King Harold Merryweather said, his voice calm, collected, yet full of authority. ¡°Oh?¡± Adam replied, his voice filled with too much playfulness for a half elf flirting so closely with one of the few people who could kill him with little consequence. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise we had some sort of issue, Your Grace?¡± ¡°It was my hope you would hide within the Iyr for a few years, and with the arrival of the Reavers, you would have been forgotten by the year¡¯s end.¡± ¡°I appreciate your concern, but I thought you might want some support during this time, so I sent a message to your Lord Marshal, who did not seem to mind?¡± Adam couldn¡¯t help himself, his voice so light and playful as he spoke to the King. It was the audacity afforded to him by those he held within his company. King Merryweather inhaled deeply, not because Adam had a point, but because of course it was Lord Marshal Royce who would cause him such trouble. Somehow, even after sending him to the front lines, the fool was able to cause him this much trouble, which he should have expected, but how could it be that from hundreds of miles away, the old man could bring this great trouble to him? ¡°I came with a gift to show my sincerity,¡± the half elf said, while a guard brought the sheathed blade towards the King, kneeling as he offered it to the King. It was of the Iyr¡¯s design, basic, functional, deadly, grey and silver, stamped with the skull of Baktu upon the bottom of the pommel. ¡°Though I normally would not build a bridge with someone who tried to deprive me of my justice, vengeance if it makes you feel better, I understand that, as part of being a member of a business, that I must compromise for the greater good, which in this case, is gold.¡± The King reached down towards the blade, assuming it was magical, but he could feel a greater magic within it, noting it was more than likely a Greater blade. He unsheathed the blade slightly to note the steel, which was finely crafted, and noted the engraving up the blade. How many times had he clashed with a blade with this engraving? ¡°It is a fine blade,¡± the King complimented, and none could deny his genuineness. ¡°Thank you, my wi-,¡± Adam began, though he heard Jurot clear his throat, and the half elf raised his brow. ¡°It¡¯s not cringe for me to show off my wife.¡± ¡°Adam.¡± ¡°What? She picked it out and I want to show off!¡± Adam complained, though tempered is feigned annoyance, which stemmed for a real place, since it probably wasn¡¯t a great idea to reveal Vonda was an enchanter. King Merryweather understood there was more to it, but he sheathed the blade, handing it back to his guard, who stepped to the side with it. Even if it was cursed, the King could have dealt swiftly with the guard, but he held no doubts of the blade, since Iyrmen were accompanying the fool of a half elf. ¡°I hope you will rescind your banishment, Your Highness,¡± Adam said, not allowing much annoyance from showing respect, though for someone like King Merryweather, it was quite deserved. ¡°It¡¯s not really in the spirit of our agreement, is it?¡± ¡°I pardoned you, but that does not mean you are granted to walk freely upon this land,¡± King Merryweather replied, certain the half elf understood why. ¡°Are you sure? The Iyr said they took full responsibility, but you¡¯re still going to banish me?¡± Adam asked, glaring at the King. ¡°At a time like this, don¡¯t you need magical weapons?¡± ¡°You would threaten me at a time like this?¡± ¡°If we are not welcome here, Your Grace, then we are not welcome here,¡± the half elf replied, holding up his hands innocently, shrugging his shoulders lightly, doing his best not to smile in the way that would end up with a typical noble wanting to cut his head clean off. ¡°I did not expect this from you, Adam,¡± the King admitted. ¡°Yeah? Well, I didn¡¯t expect for you to be like this either, King Merryweather.¡± The King sipped his tea, tasting the almost ashy flavour upon his tongue, noting the rising anger within the half elf, giving the young man a moment to calm himself. ¡°We¡¯re going to be heading to Aswadasad soon,¡± Adam began, sipping his tea lightly for a moment, barely tasting the ashy flavour, though it did cause him to pause for a moment, not expecting it. ¡°We¡¯re going to be paying a visit to the oldest temple to Lady Arya, to ask for her favour during the war with the Reavers. I also hope the Order of the Black Mountain would be open to doing business, since the threat this time seemed to be quite high.¡± ¡°Would you remain stubborn even during a crisis such as this?¡± ¡°Stubborn? I''m the one who wants to do business, Your Grace, but like I said, if we¡¯re not welcome to do business here...¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders once more. ¡°We weren¡¯t welcome in Deadwood or Red Oak, so we¡¯re not doing business their either, so don¡¯t take it too personally.¡± ¡°You are willing to prolong the suffering just so you can step onto the soil of Floria?¡± ¡°Suffering?¡± Adam narrowed his eyes slightly, unsure of how hard he should hit the King. ¡°How many will die because you are offended by a temporary banishment?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard Reavers killing any children yet,¡± the half elf replied. ¡°Is that why you despise them so much?¡± The guards tensed up, the Aswadian guards utterly baffled by the half elf¡¯s audacity, while the Florian guards felt the heat of rage begin to grow within them. Jurot, Tanagek, and Chosen each began to tense up, the pair having accompanied them due to Jurot¡¯s request, so that they could see Adam at such a time. Also to meet King Merryweather. ¡®He speaks like an Iyrman, but we do not have such a treaty with Floria,¡¯ Chosen thought, wondering if Adam thought he could kill the King and get away with it, like either of the trio, if this had been Aldland. ¡°Your words will lead you to an untimely demise,¡± King Merryweather warned. ¡°That bastard killed my children and now you¡¯re talking to me about suffering?¡± Adam whispered harshly in return, his forehead pulsing and pounding. ¡°He was still a noble.¡± ¡°A noble?¡± Adam¡¯s incredulity filled him so much, the half elf ready to burst, but the hand upon his chest stopped him. His heart beat wildly within his chest, and Jurot bowed his head lightly, not wanting Adam to get himself killed over a noble. ¡°His name was Sir Kris Huntsmaster, a man of noble...ness.¡± The King saw the sheer rage within Adam¡¯s eyes, as if the half elf was daring him to continue praising the deceased Vice Commander. ¡°He was...¡± Adam began with a wicked whisper, ¡°a no good, child murdering, piece of shit who was kicked out of his country for betraying it when you raised your sword against your liege against his tyranny!¡± The guards stepped forward, though paused, for Jurot, Tanagek, and Chosen remained sitting, Jurot held onto Adam¡¯s chest, applying a gentle pressure, reminding him not to get himself killed, but he trusted his brother not to go too far. ¡°You were best of the them, King Merryweather,¡± Adam whispered, his voice wounded by betrayal. ¡°The Sir Merry I met was the kind of man to think of the people before his own ambitions. I thought, since you had lost your own grandchild...¡± King Merryweather narrowed his eyes. ¡°I thought you of all people would understand,¡± Adam said, pulling away from the Iyrman. ¡°Thank you for the tea, Your Grace. It was not what I expected, but I did not dislike it.¡± King Merryweather bowed his head, dismissing the four, who stepped away. He had recognised their tattoos. Those of the Mad Dog, those of Duteous Dogek, and those of Bloodblade. However, he had heard the young woman had also come with the group, and he was disappointed he did not meet her. ¡®I could not ask about the Grand Commander.¡¯ As the thought slipped into the King¡¯s mind, another thought surfaced. ¡®That tattoo...¡¯ Being a King is hard enough without a fool of a father messing with you. [1220] – Y06.120 – The Ridiculous Offer V ¡°I really thought he¡¯d see the bigger picture,¡± Adam grumbled, huffing noisily as they marched through the city back towards the outpost, the annoyance still simmering upon his face. ¡°There is no need to speak of it at this time,¡± Jurot said, for the first time half admonishing the half elf, though it was almost entirely due to the fact that the soldier was still within earshot. ¡°Yeah, well...¡± Adam let out a sigh, the stench of the city soon overwhelming him, until he was used to it once more. The group made their way through the city, the people in front parting way since they wore weapons around their waists, and speeding further upon seeing the tattoos upon their foreheads. However, Jurot stopped, and not because the spicy scents of meats enticed him, but as his eyes drew towards such meats, he noted the tall spear a darker skinned guard carried, as well as the scarf that which he wore around his helmet. ¡°We must buy spears and scarves,¡± Jurot said, realising it was best to buy a handful from the city while they were here. ¡°How many?¡± ¡°Ten of each.¡± ¡°Will we procure more in Aswadasad?¡± Tanagek asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, the pair nodding to one another, apparently with a mutual understanding. ¡°Just normal steel?¡± the half elf asked, already feeling how light his pouch had become. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The half elf thought little of it since spears were cheap as chips, that was to say, more expensive than chips, but among the cheapest weapons. Even ten spears would barely dent their budget, considering how much they had spent so far. Adam pulled out his journal, writing down a note as the thought came to him. ¡®Oh? Can¡¯t I...¡¯ As Adam spent gold upon the spears, John was currently in the middle his training, as well as being gawked by several Iyrmen. Laygak eyed up the young man, a junior of his by a handful of years, and yet his body was as though it had been sculpted by the hands of the Chief. The young man¡¯s skin was weatherworn, coarse and rough, beaten to him by a life of struggle and trying to overcome such a struggle, but it was beyond that. His natural talent was such that, if he had been born within an Order, they surely would have raised him into the next Grand Commander, if they were wise, so he would have probably been a Vice Commander. ¡°Jurot is right,¡± Faool said, eyeing up the man as he continued to thrust his spear, counting to ten with each arm, completing at least five rounds, which he would repeat towards the end of his workout. ¡°He could make a fine Rage Dancer, a fine Fighter, but...¡± ¡°He would soar as an Oathsworn,¡± Laygak said, letting out an envious sigh, for if he had been born into the Gak family, there would have been no choice but for them to soar in this generation, even without Adam. His eyes glanced aside towards Nobby, who had been claimed by Jurot, then his eyes returned back to John. ¡®Since Jaygak is not here...¡¯ Although Laygak decided against coveting the man, since he was now one of Adam¡¯s, he still wondered if he could marry the man into his family somehow. ¡®If only he had horns, then Jaygak would have married him.¡¯ Laygak thought about the rest of his cousins, first his eyes fell upon Tagak, but that wouldn¡¯t work, for Tagak preferred women. His eyes fell to Taygak, for in a few years, she would be of age, but he thought of Adam, who certainly would protest, and then again, the children would have been too near her age. ¡°What are you thinking so deeply of?¡± Faool asked. ¡°If he marries into our family, then I would hold no doubts.¡± ¡°Do you still hold doubt, even now?¡± The tone in Faool¡¯s voice caused Laygak to frown, though the Iyrman eventually let out a small sigh of defeat. Faool was right, Laygak should not doubt, not when they had received such a fine privilege this generation. John finished his workout, hearing the various whispers between the Iyrmen, and even the soldiers who had noted what a fine body he held. He felt like a sheep within a den of wolves, and if it had not been Adam¡¯s ridiculous statement, perhaps others would have stolen him away. ¡®An Oathsworn? Yeah, sure.¡¯ ¡®I should marry him,¡¯ Nirot thought, her eyes glued to the man. ¡®It would be best if it was me.¡¯ ¡°Are you coveting him already?¡± Naqokan joked. ¡°It would be best, so they could grow as cousins to Konarot, who would watch over them well.¡± Naqokan smirked slightly, only to pause, for the words of the Iyrman, spoken so bluntly and so lightly, were heavy with reason. Naqokan furrowed her brows towards the Iyrman, who glared at John, noting just how fine his body was, for they had allowed Nobby to slip through their fingers, but John? Naqokan wondered if she should instead aim for John too, but her heart still ached from Adam¡¯s refusal. ¡®The triplets could marry into the various families,¡¯ Nirot thought. ¡®If they marry into the Gak family, then a second generation of Gaks would keep the tales aflame. A single generation¡¯s work can be outdone, but if they work hard in the upcoming decades, the Gak family will be known from Drakkenlan to the Confederacy.¡¯ While the Iyrmen plotted to steal John, the young man quickly retreated to bathe and once he was done, bathing with almost Iyrman efficiency, he returned to find the half elf and the others had returned. ¡°Hoo!¡± Adam let out a huff, reminded of what had happened earlier that day. ¡°My heart aches too much to talk about it! This treachery, can it even be healed?¡± ¡®What does that mean?¡¯ ¡°If only I could spoil my adorable triplets, and the rest of my children, but if I can¡¯t spoil them to soothe my heart, I wonder, what could I do.¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Kitool said, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. ¡°Jaygak is not here, so I must deal with you.¡± ¡°Alright, my bad,¡± Adam said, standing up straighter. ¡°John, let¡¯s head back to your place, and we can all eat out again.¡± ¡°It would be best not to return,¡± John said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There may be those who notice the attention you are giving us, and they might snoop around to see why, and if they find out you handed so much silver, they may bring harm to the family.¡± ¡°Silver? How mu-,¡± ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot warned, his voice stern, stopping the half elf in his tracks. The Iyrman¡¯s eyes did not give up why he had stopped Adam, but the Iyrman noted all the soldiers around, listening to their conversation. ¡°Alright, alright...¡± Adam scratched his cheek lightly. ¡°I guess, I probably should think about that. What if we hired some guards?¡± ¡°It would be difficult since we are leaving tomorrow,¡± Jurot said. ¡°We¡¯re leaving tomorrow?¡± Adam asked, only to recall he had heard the Iyrman mention it when they bought their spears. ¡°Ah, right, well...¡± ¡°We may put in a request to the Guild,¡± Jurot said. ¡°If there are Iyrmen and they are not busy, you could ask them,¡± Chosen mentioned. ¡°You may repay the favour in the future, as members of the Rot family.¡± Jurot nodded, understanding that was the best course of action, and considering the Reavers were about, and it was one of the largest coastal city, if not the largest coastal city for a thousand miles around, there should be a handful of Iyrmen around. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s head to the Guild and deal with it, then?¡± ¡°I will deal with it,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head to Nirot, who had given the Iyrman a message with her eyes, hoping they could talk. The pair left the group be, making their way through the city, and once they were confident they weren¡¯t being followed, they spoke quietly between one another. ¡°It would be best for me to marry him,¡± Nirot whispered. ¡°It is a good idea, but-,¡± Jurot began, only to realise midway through it was beyond a good idea, before continuing, ¡°he is still hurt by the loss of his wife.¡± ¡°It has been two years.¡± ¡°He knew her for so long, and two years is not a long time for such heartache,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Grandfather still drinks for Farot.¡± Nirot bowed her head, since she did not recall her uncle, who had died when she was so young, and yet she had heard the tales of her grandfather¡¯s love for the boy, who caused him so much trouble. She had heard he was like Jaygak, and considering he married Chaygak, the one who was closest to Jaygak, it was no wonder Jaygak adored the two so much. Of course, it made sense as to why the old man was so close with that particular menace. The young Iyrman frowned. It would have been best for her to marry the young man, if not a Gak, but the hearts of Aldish, and those who were now called Florians, were so. ¡°Nirot.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°As we travel, Adam will confuse his heart. I will leave the rest to you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The rolls for the Gak family have been shockingly awful. I have rolled so many times for their success and it''s been terrible, time and time again. John can''t spend any time being heartbroken if he''s always confused. [1221] – Y06.121 – The Windy Warhawk I ¡°Oho! Yarkez, huh?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to his chin, trying to recall the figure. He was certain he knew of that name somehow. History Check (Intelligence) D20 + 3 = 14 (11) 14! ¡°He uses a bow, right?¡± Adam vaguely recalled the figure within his mind. Dark hair, dark eyes, and a... goatee? ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied, impressed the half elf recalled such a figure considering how shortly they had met. No, it was even more impressive, considering they had met for but a moment years ago, and Adam, who struggled to recall such figures, had somehow managed to recall him? ¡°We met him a few years ago. He was travelling with his son at that time too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still travelling with his son?¡± Adam whispered, furrowing his brows towards the Iyrman. ¡°Rangers sometimes do so.¡± ¡®Ranger?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Oh? Rangers, huh? We should find a Ranger so we can move quicker. Plus, don¡¯t they know Goodberry too? Wait, do they also get to switch their spells?¡¯ While Adam thought deeply about things that did not really matter, the father and son duo sat within the estate, keeping an eye upon the commoners, each of whom spied the pair up. They were adorned in lighter clothing, though each wore blades and daggers at their side, they carried bows upon their backs. The older Iyrman wore a tag of Steel, while the younger man who a tag of Iron, but it was stamped quite some ways into it. ¡®Steel?¡¯ Esther thought, eyeing up the middle aged Iyrman. Even she understood what it meant to own a Steel tag, something she could only dream of. Bronze, which the son was close to reaching, was roughly at the level of an Expert. Steel? At the upper end, one would be considered a Master. Somehow two Iyrmen were guarding their families, one almost an Expert, one almost a Master. ¡°Don¡¯t see many wielding a bow,¡± Amos admitted. ¡°There are few, but the Kez family is such.¡± ¡°What do they call you?¡± ¡°Yarkez the Bow,¡± Yarkez replied simply. ¡°...¡± ¡°You may know of my wife, Raining Bow Sokikez,¡± Yarkez stated simply, while Warkez sat up a little taller, a smirk upon his face. ¡°Your wife is Raining Bow?¡± Amos asked, his brows shooting up in alarm. ¡°Mother is so well known?¡± Warkez joked, his lips twitching towards his father, the Iyrman crossing his arms as he sat with pride. ¡°Who is that?¡± Samuel whispered to a frozen Esther, her eyes glued firmly to the pair before her. ¡®His wife is Raining Bow?¡¯ Esther thought, clutching at her knees, trying to still her thundering heart. ¡°Raining Bow is...¡± ¡°They say she surpasses even Whirlwind Arrow with her skills,¡± Amos said, keeping Yarkez¡¯s gaze. ¡®Oh!¡¯ Samuel also raised his brows in surprise, since who in Floria did not know Whirlwind Arrow, who was considered among the best warriors across Floria period, not just one of the greatest archers. ¡°She is greater,¡± Yarkez replied simply. ¡°Greater than Whirlwind Arrow?¡± Amos asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Whirlwind Arrow is only a Grandmaster, and while I wear a tag of Steel, my wife wears a tag of Gold.¡± ¡®Gold?¡¯ Amos thought, his mind racing, for it was said those who wore tags of Mithril were considered Grandmasters, like Whirlwind Arrow, but those who wore Gold were greater. ¡®Is every Iyrman related to someone so powerful?¡¯ Esther thought, beginning to understand the ridiculousness which was the Iyr. ¡®How...¡¯ At the fort, as the group began to call it in for the night, Commander Joseph approached Mork, who had finished his prayers. ¡°It may be a little late, but the Windy Warhawk is leaving tomorrow in the morning. If your group is in a rush to leave, you may leave upon it.¡± ¡°The Windy Warhawk?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± ¡°Thank you, Commander. I will let the Executives know.¡± Commander Joseph winked at him, nodding his head, allowing the Priest step away. Since they were going to leave the next morning, it was a good idea to at least return the favour they had shown. ¡®I should ask for a morning prayer before they leave.¡¯ Mork did just that the next morning, though he kept his prayers brief, so the group could make a swift exit. The Commander and a pair of soldiers escorted them through the docks, the salty air striking them with a deep chill. The large buildings far more expansive than in other parts of the town. Various porters rolled their barrels, carried their crates, and shouted creative expletives, and as the Commander led the group through, some even tossed expletives towards him. ¡°Oi, you nightskin bastard!¡± shouted a sailor, throwing up an obscene gesture towards the Commander, who stopped. ¡°Racist Ho, I thought you would have drown in your sick, you worthless fishlover.¡± Hobert shook his head, spitting to the side. ¡°The swill they¡¯re bringing from up north, they¡¯ve got us paying an extra silver per bottle. I just stick with the lillies now, and there¡¯s enough ¡®col in to help my little Ceecee fall asleep, maybe.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Ceecee...¡¯ ¡°What, King banned four year olds from drinking did he?¡± ¡°I thought he was five?¡± ¡°No, Willie¡¯s...¡± Hobert thought for a moment. ¡°Aye, Ceecee¡¯s five, yer right. Willie¡¯s six, ain¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Ho, they¡¯re twins.¡± ¡°How am I meant to tell ¡®em apart then?¡± Hobert shrug his shoulders. ¡°What¡¯re you doin¡¯ around these parts anyhow?¡± ¡°Escorting the Iyrmen here.¡± ¡°Ah yeah?¡± Hobert eyed up the group, nodding his head lightly towards the Iyrman in the lead, tapping his chest. ¡°You blooddrinkers keeping your head out of trouble.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°My brother is not.¡± ¡°I also don¡¯t drink blood,¡± Adam said. ¡°They call you Racist Ho?¡± ¡°I ain¡¯t racist, I hate you all equally,¡± Hobert said, though he nodded towards Bael. ¡°Not you drakkens though. Ain¡¯t going to pick a fight with dragons.¡± ¡°No, just the people who hunt them for fun.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got a dragon on our side who yours can¡¯t hunt.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Lady...¡± Adam paused. ¡®No, wait, she¡¯s in the capital of Aldland, isn¡¯t she?¡¯ ¡°Lord Asa.¡± ¡°Oh! Right, yeah, Asa.¡± ¡°Lord Asa, leafy.¡± ¡°He¡¯s Lord Asa to you, to me, he¡¯s Asa,¡± Adam replied cheekily, not noting just how annoyed the soldiers were growing. ¡°You¡¯re playing with fire, you are,¡± Hobert said, suddenly feeling more alert upon the half elf¡¯s words. ¡°Don¡¯t I know it,¡± Adam said, flashing a gentle smile, but Jurot placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. ¡°Alright, you damned fishlover, I need to escort them to Windy Warhawk. Do you know where it is?¡± ¡°Those absolute,¡± a horn blasted to cover the next word, which Adam smiled at. ¡°Aye! Course I know! Buncha bastards are out there on the end, where they usually are, the pricks. Heard the deekays are picking a fight since they came so late.¡± Commander Joseph inhaled sharply, though if the dockguard were causing them trouble, that meant they wouldn¡¯t be leaving for a little while later. Even so, he nodded to Hobert, who motioned with his head, letting him go. ¡°I forget how racist people are,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°Racist Ho isn¡¯t racist, he¡¯s just a sailor,¡± the Commander replied. ¡°I guessed that was the excuse.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a rough bunch, but they don¡¯t care. Out on the sea, even if you hate a man¡¯s guts, you still help him. The sea doesn¡¯t see colour.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, still.¡± ¡°Then you can say all sailors are racist, but everyone knows elves are the most racist, Brother.¡± ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m only half as racist.¡± Joseph let out a loud holler of laughter, slapping the half elf upon his back, and the half elf smirked. The group approached the ship, and though they all admired it, for it was that ship in particular, Brother Mork was the one whose eyes soaked in the sight, especially the most important element. The Windy Warhawk was longer than many of the ships around, painted almost black, though more a deep blue. The three masts were contained within obsidian towards the bottom, the sails made of what seemed to be liquid silver, though they did not ripple in the wind. The same silver seemed to cling to the rails of the ship, leading towards the bowspirit, a warhawk¡¯s head, almost lifelike, glaring ever forward. However, though the ship was perhaps among the greatest across all the lands, it was not the ship itself which made the Windy Warhawk so spectacular. Was it the inasir, the drakken, or even the lyzard, each of whom glared at the dockguard, grumbling between one another. Was it the mermen Oathsworn, adorned in their scale, wielding their beautiful coralsteel spears, each an Expert, who flanked the Captain of their ship? No. Was it the Captain of the ship, a half elf with pale skin, kissed by the colour of the sea, who stood with such authority, he even dared to turn his nose up at the nobleman leading the dockguard? Yes. For the half elf was one from the sea, adorned in the various layers of his silks, each deep and dark as the depths of the sea, silver thread forming magical runes along the hems. He carried a blade at his side, made of what looked to be pure gold, worth its weight in platinum, gifted to the family by a great being. Though the half elf was dripping in magical attire, like another half elf, he was more so like the other half elf in another way, for such was not the reason why he was so terrifying. No. It was because he was from that family, a family that owned such a ship on such a deep level, that none but their blood held the privilege, from ancient magic of an Oath sworn long ago. ¡®Captain, please don¡¯t summon the wall this time,¡¯ one of the mermen thought, feeling the anger from his Captain rise. ¡®Please, Captain, let it be the wall this time,¡¯ another merman thought. ¡®If it¡¯s the lightning, we¡¯ll be wanted in this sea again! Do you know how many fine women make their home in this port?¡¯ ¡®I should bring down the lightning,¡¯ the Captain thought, ready to blast these annoying Florians for trying to check him, as though the daughter of the Marquise could dare to put herself upon the level of his family? A jest most foul, almost as terrible as city air. ¡°Adam, be careful,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He knows Fifth Gate spells.¡± ¡°Yo!¡± Adam gasped, forming a small circle with his lips. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That means it¡¯s going to be expensive.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± John stared at the ship, his eyes full of awe. He had heard of the Windy Warhawk, and after King Merryweather rebelled and formed Floria, it seemed many pardons had been given out, for there was no way it should have been here after what the Captain did last time. ¡®It¡¯s really the Windy Warhawk!¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s going to blast the Lady with his magic,¡¯ Commander Joseph was sure. ¡®Do I need to step in?¡¯ These half elves are really out of pocket. [1222] – Y06.122 – The Windy Warhawk II ¡°Captain Layla,¡± Commander Joseph greeted the woman, flashing a charming smile towards the woman, the kind that denoted he was of higher rank than her. ¡°Commander Joseph,¡± Captain Layla returned, flashing back a smile that suggested she was still nobleborn, and that she, as a dockguard, held greater authority here. ¡°How may I assist?¡± ¡°It is always a pleasure to admire the Windy Warhawk, though it has been quite some time since it has passed,¡± the Commander replied, still smiling so politely towards the woman. ¡°Is there some trouble?¡± ¡°Dockguard business, Commander.¡± The pair remained glaring between one another, each trying to formulate the best way to get out of this situation on top, for while one led their group to deal with a troublesome half elf, the other led their group to deal with a troublesome half elf. Cumulus eyed up the group, his eyes, as clear as the open sky, as deep as the oceans, and within an instant, he understood. Iyrmen, a pair of Aswadians, a half elf with a tattoo that almost matched a few of the Iyrmen¡¯s, a younger teen Iyrman, and the remaining few, each who seemed quite hardened. However, if most of them were Iyrmen, it meant it would be fine for them. Cumulus made a hand motion, offering his ship, and Jurot nodded. Cumulus held out his pinky, and Jurot returned with a nod, and thus the deal was made, the pair as silent as the wind. ¡°The King would prefer to allow them to leave as quickly as possible,¡± Joseph said, holding the woman¡¯s gaze. ¡°Do you make it a habit of assuming the King¡¯s wants, Commander?¡± Layla replied, raising her brow. ¡°I can inform him that you wished to delay their exit if you would like, Captain.¡± ¡®If he is not stepping back...¡¯ ¡°Who are they, for the King to wish of their swift exit?¡± ¡°The Mad Dog¡¯s grandsons,¡± Commander Joseph said, causing even the half elf aboard the ship to raise his brows upon hearing the name, since it had spread like wildfire decades ago, especially across this particular sea. ¡®Why does that name sound so familiar,¡¯ Layla thought, having not noticed the Captain¡¯s expression. ¡°Undying. Jarot the Kid. Bloody Jarot. Crimson Shield. Bloody Shield.¡± Jurot¡¯s tone was so casual, his face stone cold, yet all could see the burning pride within his eyes, while vague recognition filled the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡®Just let them on board, you gold spoon sucking cow!¡¯ Joseph urged, for they were but seconds away from being rid of such a terrible group, and of course it was the damned nobles who could not drop their pride. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like we need to go on this ship, right?¡± Adam asked, letting out a soft sigh, already feeling the annoyance rise within him. ¡°Yeah, the King wants us to leave, but if it¡¯s an issue to get on this ship, I think the King would probably want us to find another ship?¡± Captain Layla glared at the half elf, who returned a blink, since they weren¡¯t exactly involved in this matter, but Layla had grown far more interested. ¡®Seriously, these guys. Why are they involving us in their workplace drama and their little politics? There are Reavers about!¡¯ Adam let out a small sigh, crossing his arms, stretching out his neck from side to side. ¡®I¡¯m not getting involved.¡¯ ¡®Why does the King wish to rid of them? Is it because of their grandfather? Did he... Mad Dog?¡¯ Layla narrowed her eyes towards the group, suddenly recalled what she had heard from the previous year. Right! The Mad Dog! A viciously wicked Iyrman! And his grandsons were here? She eyed up the Iyrman who spoke the old man¡¯s epithets, who stood completely relaxed, and yet exuded a heaviness. ¡°Unfortunately, Captain O¡¯Shan, you must pay the appropriate fees.¡± ¡°I have paid for the services, and tipped well, but to extort us because we were slightly late, we, who soar upon the Windy Warhark?¡± Cumulus let out a flurry of noises which sounded like rushing water and the popping of bubbles, creative words that could, perchance, be polite. ¡°You were pardoned, Captin O¡¯Shan, but you should not push your luck so soon. Though we humans have short lives, our memories are not quite so short. You must pay the appropriate fees, or we shall consider this an act of piracy.¡± ¡°How much are the fees?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Fifty gold,¡± Cumulus said, eyes darting to the other half elf. ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll pay it, and then we can square this, right?¡± Adam asked, and upon seeing the confused look on the pair of Captains, he smiled innocently. ¡°I mean, we¡¯ll pay for it, and then this matter shall be resolved, is that not the case?¡± Layla narrowed her eyes at the half elf, her annoyance rising as the half elf slowly nodded. However, since he had offered to pay, the woman just bowed her head, and allowed her guards to deal with the matter of payment, and once the gold was paid, the guards stepped away. ¡°Brother,¡± Cumulus called, forming a gesture with his hand, sticking up a thumb pointed at himself, before sticking up only a pinky towards the Priest, with the Priest returning the gesture. ¡°Captain,¡± Mork replied, also bowing his head respectfully towards the Captain, who was an O¡¯Shan. ¡°Good fortune, I hope?¡± ¡°I would say so.¡± ¡°What brings you this way?¡± ¡°We¡¯re headed to Aswadasad. Brother Dunes of Black Mountain has some matters to deal with.¡± ¡°Black Mountain? It¡¯s difficult to head that way from the northern sea, due to all the new land, so it¡¯ll have to be Arisa.¡± ¡°I think that was the plan,¡± Mork replied with a nod of his head, the Brother following the Captain for a deeper conversation, as a pale blue skinned inasir approached. The inasir was well built, lean, but strong, like an Iyrman. His hair seemed to be made of water, fashioned into long tendrils tied together with a ribbon, his armour forged of coralsteel scales, and he carried a shortblade at his side, one forged of quicksilver, which matched the silver of all the jewellery he wore, as though he were the Faro of the ship. ¡°It is most gracious to meet you in this manner, for the stars are ever bright above the sky, and the sea as clear as crystal,¡± the insair said in the fae¡¯s tongue. ¡°The stars remain bright, the sky vast, the sea calm, all for your presence,¡± the half elf replied, with the most basic level of respect from a fae like him, causing the inasir to raise his brow. ¡°Sorry, I prefer speaking in Aldish, if you¡¯re able?¡± ¡°I speak it, little,¡± the Inasir confirmed. ¡°Aswadi?¡± ¡°Brother Dunes can, if you¡¯d like,¡± Adam offered. ¡°You pay the fine, you are decent. You wish to travel to Arisa? Take little time. For whole group, carriages, horses, one thousand.¡± ¡°A thousand gold?¡± Adam replied in shock, trying to calculate how much they were charging, and how long it would take, and how many there were. ¡°A good price,¡± Jurot said, nodding his head. ¡°For our meeting, good fortune,¡± the inasir said, flashing a white smile, his teeth large and wide, almost like a whale¡¯s. ¡°That¡¯s cheap?¡± Adam whispered. ¡°We should have expected one hundred gold for each head, and for our caravan,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Other ships? Ten, twenty days to Arisa. Our ship?¡± The inasir shook his head. ¡°Before the fourth night.¡± ¡°To Arisa?¡± Adam asked, raising his brow, for the last time it had taken at least two weeks. ¡°Just four days, really?¡± ¡°We are Windy Warhark,¡± the inasir said with a wide grin, a grin that suggested he needed to say nothing else, for it was the Windy Warhawk. Jurot nodded his head to the inasir, pulling Adam aside as the water man greeted the rest of their companions, the First Mate checking upon the new group his Captain had allowed on. ¡°We are fortunate they are here.¡± ¡°We are?¡± ¡°They possess one of the fastest ships, and if they wished to push themselves, we could arrive to Arisa in three days.¡± ¡°That quick?¡± Adam tried to complete the mental maths to recall the exact distance. ¡°It¡¯s what... seven, eight or so, hundred miles away?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Adam whistled, eyes darting around the dark ship. ¡°This is a fast ship!¡± ¡°It does not travel in the night.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Adam raised his brows in surprise. ¡°If it did, we could arrive in Arisa by tomorrow noon.¡± ¡°That is quick!¡± ¡°It is the Windy Warhawk,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°How does this compare to Garan¡¯s Wrath?¡± ¡°Garan¡¯s Wrath is... it holds more power.¡± ¡°Is it quicker?¡± ¡°That is for Captain O¡¯Shan to decide.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Adma asked. It wasn¡¯t that long later, once the carriages were tied down upon the deck by experienced hands, covered from the elements of the sea, when Adam understood what Jurot meant. ¡°Oh.¡± Taygak gasped as she lurched to one side, though Kitool caught her quickly, the excitement filling the young woman, who was on such a fine ship. It''s because it''s the Windy Warhawk. Of course. [1223] – Y06.123 – The Windy Warhawk III ¡°Chuh!¡± the girl sneezed, groaning as her head throbbed, as though someone where drumming upon it. Her entire body filled with a deeper cold, though the blanket kept the chill at bay. ¡°Do not eat your snot,¡± Lokat said, the Shaman wiping the girl¡¯s face quickly, trying to stop the girl from licking her lips to remove the fluid, which tasted much better than it had any right to. ¡°If you wish you eat your snot, you may!¡± Jarot snarled. ¡°Silly, babo, how you can say this?¡± Jirot said, slowly shifting her head to the side, narrowing her tired eyes towards her greatfather. ¡°Sorry Shaman Lok-,¡± As the girl fell into a small coughing fit, the old man brought up the cup, filled with a murky liquid. Once the girl was done coughing, she sipped from the glass, but instantly pulled back, making a face as though she had bit into a lemon, and at this point, she would have preferred that. ¡°Ock!¡± ¡°It tastes no good?¡± ¡°No good!¡± Jirot agreed, closing her eyes as her head pounding once more. ¡°You must drink it, my Jirot, and you will get better.¡± ¡°Hoo...¡± The girl whimpered, causing her twin brother to shuffle a little to the side from afar, the boy looking over towards them with droopy ears, staying far away so he didn¡¯t get sick. ¡°Jirot, you must finish it...¡± the old one armed Iyrman said. ¡°Jirot, you must drink it,¡± Lokat said, brushing the girl¡¯s sweaty head. ¡°Hoo...¡± The girl opened her mouth, drinking it all quickly, before hacking off to one side, her entire body squeezing together, trying to force the taste away. Quickly, Lokat fed her fruit juice, which caused the girl to wince further, until the flavour overwhelmed the bitter taste of medicine. ¡°¡±My Jirot drinks so well,¡± Jarot said, reaching over to brush her thick, curly hair, slick with sweat. The back of his fingers brushed from the towel on her forehead, and along the curve of her skull, so tenderly. ¡°Is there something my Jirot, who is so well behaved, needs?¡± ¡°Daddy?¡± the girl asked, her half glazed eyes, the amber dampened by her sadness. ¡°Your father... that brat! How can he leave you be like this! When he returns...¡± Jarot growled quietly, but reached down to pull a strand of hair from the girl¡¯s cheek, brushing it away to the pillow. ¡°Jirot is going to be okay?¡± little Jarot asked, following the Shaman out, leaving their babo to keep the girl company. ¡°The illness will pass and she will play with you soon,¡± Lokat replied, rubbing the top of the boy¡¯s head. ¡°You should remain strong for your sister, so I will feed you some porridge during dinner, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± A screech pierced the air. ¡°Kaka!¡± Virot cried in front of her mother, shaking her head as the woman offered to pick her up, one hand going to her mouth to soothe herself. ¡°She is sick, Virot.¡± ¡°No!¡± Virot cried, screeching and screaming, but she quickly stopped as Konarot hugged her, only to start again, stopping as the rest of the triplets hugged her. ¡°Jirot is sick. We must be good.¡± Konarot held the girl¡¯s head to her chest. ¡°Virot, come,¡± little Jarot said, holding out his small green hand for his younger sister. ¡°I will read to you.¡± The girl¡¯s tears still fell, a low groan escaping her lips, but she reached for her brother¡¯s hand, and followed him away, letting him read to her. ¡°Kaka?¡± Virot asked. ¡°Virot, we must remain strong for Jirot, so I will feed you porridge during dinner, okay?¡± Jarot said, hugging the girl, kissing her forehead, before wiping her face with a cloth, putting it in a basket to one side once it was done, so someone could wash it later in the day. ¡°Sick?¡± Virot asked, pouting. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No?¡± Virot¡¯s ears drooped down. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oki.¡± Thus, the little green skinned Iyrman read to his younger sister, taking on the role of his twin sister. Since Jirot was not there, he would need to fill the role. He let the girl sit on his lap and read to her, allowing her to suck on her thumb as she cuddled with her elder brother, feeling so warm within his arms. It was, many miles away, the Windy Warhawk continued to fly upon the ocean, its railing black as night, the silver wings floating behind, having swung once for the initial propelling, but now flanking the sides of the ship, gently fluttering as the wind tickled against them. The silver sails sparkled slightly, rippling light in the air, while the Captain, who spoke and concentrated on other matters, half danced, as though willing the wind towards him, and then around him towards the sail, the ship darting through the air rapidly, far more rapidly than most ships, or perhaps any ship, those on board had ever stepped upon. ¡°A bluetit?¡± a merman called, his arms crossed as he stood casually against the mast of the ship, the dark wood falling towards a band of obsidian near its base, though a thin net of obsidian ran up through the mast, as though grown within the wood. ¡°Yeah. Blues.¡± ¡°Blues is its name?¡± ¡°Yeah, his... her...¡± Adam turned to Blues, brushing along the back of the bird¡¯s neck. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Bluetits can change,¡± the merman said. ¡°I thought you would know, as an elf.¡± ¡°Only half, but what does that mean?¡± ¡°The elves, they...¡± The merman made a gesture with his hand which Adam didn¡¯t recognise, before glancing up at the bird. ¡°Are you selling?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°No? You like it?¡± ¡°Yes, but my children also adore Blues, especially my eldest.¡± Adam reached up to brush a finger along the bird. ¡°Bluetits are good luck.¡± ¡°Yeah, so I¡¯ve heard. Blues here, he¡¯s been a ball of luck for me. Isn¡¯t that right, Blues?¡± ¡°Teet.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t do much, but still, I appreciate you, that¡¯s why I buy you so much damn fruit, isn¡¯t that right?¡± Adam continued to brush a gently finger along the bird, who shuffled closer and rubbed its side against Adam¡¯s cheek. ¡°Do you carry anything with you for good luck?¡± The merman reached to his neck, pulling up the string to reveal a scale necklace, which held a single scale. ¡°My first kill. We were both six.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes raised in sheer alarm, causing the merman to laugh. ¡°The Cult of Kyrus, it was not a place for children, but what could I do?¡± He rubbed his finger along the scale gently, recalling the time, so long ago, a lifetime ago, but he could remember the scene clearly. ¡°Damn. Sorry.¡± ¡°I pray for her soul every night. It was I, or her. I was a moment faster.¡± The merman shrugged, having come to terms with it long ago, smiling at the half elf. ¡°I mean, damn. I was going to show you my dagger, but it feels weird now.¡± ¡°I am not gay.¡± ¡°Yeah, neither am I, and not that kind of dagger,¡± Adam replied, shaking his head. ¡°Get your mind out of the gutter!¡± ¡°You are not?¡± The merman blinked, as though he had been slapped across the cheek. ¡°No! I mean, nothing wrong with is, I just prefer women. Ok, maybe, you know, a pretty-, anyway,¡± Adam said, flushing quickly, the merman still shocked by his words. ¡°Look, this is what I mean. My dagger.¡± The merman eyed up the dagger, small, white, with the symbol of a sun and a rose, denoting Life¡¯s Rose, etched into the smooth white handle. The sheath was also white, fit snug, like a glove. ¡°I have not seen such a dagger before, not one from Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡°My wife gifted it to me,¡± Adam said, slowly smirking with pride. ¡°She¡¯s a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ The merman blinked, as though he had been slapped on the other cheek, though much lighter. ¡°I know, I know, you¡¯re thinking, how did this idiot get a Ray for a wife? Trust me, I ask myself that question everyday, and let me tell you, I still have no idea.¡± ¡°I was... thinking that,¡± the merman said, almost defending himself, but Adam was right. ¡°Why did she marry you?¡± ¡°Well, I mean... I¡¯m handsome? I¡¯m strong, I¡¯m smart, when I want to be, and I¡¯m a wonderful person, I think. I haven¡¯t killed many people, specifically, in this land, on the sea, or in the air, much.¡± Adam cleared his throat, and though he was joking, the merman could see the darkness in his eyes. ¡°They say you are the grandson of the Mad Dog too.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of him?¡± ¡°It was difficult to not hear of him so many decades ago.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Sixty.¡± ¡°Sixty?¡± Adam gasped, the merman shocking him once more. ¡°You don¡¯t look a day over thirty!¡± ¡°Thank you?¡± ¡°Damn, that¡¯s crazy. Mermen don¡¯t shermen, huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mermen don¡¯t... bourbon?¡± Adam asked himself. ¡°Oh! Mermen age like bourbon.¡± ¡°You know Berben?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a type of alcohol, right?¡± ¡°No, yes, but the family?¡± ¡°No, not the family.¡± ¡°They are the only family who can make bourbon, and you know of the drink, but not the family? Mad Dog did not teach you?¡± ¡°The only thing he taught me was how to get my ass beat,¡± Adam replied, recalling how terrifying his fight with the old man had been all those years ago. ¡®This young man is so queer.¡¯ ¡°Not like that, though.¡± ¡°No, not like...¡± The merman tilted his head slightly. ¡°Everyone makes that face when they realise I¡¯m weird.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Anyway, how the hell is this ship so fast?¡± Adam asked, approaching the edge of the ship, while Brittany and John remained near the merman who leaned against the mast. ¡®Is he stupid?¡¯ ¡°I guess, because it¡¯s the Windy Warhawk, and the Captain is O¡¯Shan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®Okay, maybe he is not.¡¯ ¡°Huh...¡± Adam looked out to the sea, and as he grabbed the railing tight, he peered over the edge to look at the gentle foam of the ship. It really did seem like it was flying upon the sea, barely disrupting it. ¡°Be careful, a seadrake might snatch you.¡± ¡°Oh? Killing a seadrake would be fun right about now!¡± Adam stretched his shoulder. ¡°Hello! Seadrake! Come on up!¡± ¡®He¡¯s an idiot.¡¯ ¡°Adam, do not tempt Fate,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Yeah, but if we kill a seadrake, we get a nice story.¡± ¡°Taygak is here.¡± ¡°What, is she not allowed to kill the seadrake with us?¡± Adam retorted, slightly confused. ¡°...¡± Jurot slowly nodded his head, since Adam made a good point, for once. ¡°Your brother is queer.¡± ¡°He is,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Be careful, a seadrake may appear.¡± The merman laughed, smiling wide, but as Jurot returned back to speaking with the other mermen, the merman smiled, since Jurot didn¡¯t seem like he was joking. His eyes darted back to the half elf. ¡°Just one, no, two of you!¡± Adam shouted towards the sea. ¡°I¡¯ll settle for three, though!¡± Yeah, he''s an idiot. [1224] – Y06.124 – The Windy Warhawk IV ¡°He¡¯s queer, Captain,¡± the merman whispered. ¡°Yes, I did notice his ears, Jan.¡± ¡°No, no, not like that. Aye, not like that at all, Captain. Says he isn¡¯t gay.¡± Captain O¡¯Shan made a face, as though an Aldishman had promised to pay on time. ¡°Don¡¯t speak such curses while we¡¯re out on the waves!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he said, Captain.¡± ¡°He must have spent too much time around the Aldish, but... didn¡¯t he say he was the Iyrman¡¯s brother? Does he just hate himself? His people? I didn¡¯t notice a terrible look in his eye, just a bow of kinship. What a shame to deny himself in such a way, his heritage, his culture.¡± Captain O¡¯Shan shook his head, mourning the half elf¡¯s pride. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, Captain. A half elf that isn¡¯t gay is like an Iyrman that lies. I ain¡¯t ever heard of it, and I never want to hear of it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how straight he is.¡± The Captain reached up to his silver necklace, though the merman grabbed his hands. ¡°That¡¯s not what I was talking about. I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°Yes, I did notice his ears, Jan.¡± ¡°Not like that. He knows of bourbon, but not the Berben family. He shouts for seadrakes to attack, more than one. He is the brother of an Iyrman, and from what I see, most, if not all of his companions, are as strong as our warriors, they could clash with our strongest too.¡± ¡°That strong?¡± ¡°You see them, Captain,¡± Jan stated. ¡°You know it to be true.¡± His eyes scanned across them one by one. Adam, the fool, who seemed to somehow carry a large amount of respect from his peers, not as a respectable fellow, but something else. Apparently the King wanted him to leave the city for one reason or another, and he had dared to go against a Captain, the daughter of the Marquise, which he may not have known. Then there was the Iyrman, who stood tall and strong, and all that needed to be said about him was that he was the grandson of the Mad Dog, and seemingly lived up to such a role. Then there was the other Iyrman, who held a certain aura about her, perhaps the leader in the shadows. Then there was the older Aswadian, who carried himself with the sharpness of a man who have lived through thousands of battles, wielding such a fine spear, magical without a shadow of a doubt. The half dragon was certainly a dragon in disguise, who seemed so bored, eager for battle. Even those of the fellows who wielded longswords, the half elf with the greatsword, and the large man with the boyish face, who had begun to grow a beard, and was an Iyrman¡¯s dream. No, not just them. The younger Iyrmen, each in their early twenties or so, held a certain sharpness to them too, each at least Experts, that much was for certain. Then there were the red skinned Iyrmen, who wore certain tattoos, no doubt related to that woman who they had heard of. Taygak smiled, feeling a light buzz upon the ship, while John, who remained near the mast, was glad all the rumours were true, that the ship could truly fly upon the water, while Brittany remained near the mast, not liking how swiftly the ship was moving. ¡®What are they truly doing here?¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan wondered, though he wasn¡¯t about to ask, since he was a professional. ¡°Oh yeah, we¡¯re just heading to Aswadasad,¡± Adam replied casually. ¡°We¡¯re hoping to do some business there, though most importantly, I need to go speak with the Priest Commander of Black Mountain, since I want to steal away some people from him.¡± ¡°Wow! The Priest Commander?¡± The young half elf said, who was in her late teens or so. She wore a scale cuirass, and carried a blade and a club at her side, though didn¡¯t seem like she was here to fight, having mostly spent her time keeping the ship clean. ¡°Yeah, I ended up stealing away Manager Dunes without asking for permission, but who could blame me! He¡¯s such a handsome guy, and so powerful, and his children are way too cute, so I can¡¯t surrender them,¡± Adam admitted, saying far too much, but he couldn¡¯t help himself since the young woman seemed so hungry for tales of adventure. ¡°How are you going to steal him away?¡± the girl asked, her brows raised in expectations. ¡°Gold,¡± Adam said. ¡°I¡¯m going to drown him in so much gold, they¡¯ll tell stories of the Adam of Adams in the future!¡± ¡°Wow! Are you rich?¡± ¡°Ah, well... not as rich as you might think, but... I¡¯m the kind of guy that, if I need the money, I can get it pretty quickly, and I¡¯m not afraid to spend it.¡± ¡°How much gold do you have?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say because it¡¯ll get me killed, but... I did earn more than ten thousand during a tournament by betting on myself.¡± ¡°What! You fought a tournament? Did you win?¡± ¡°Ah, well... my first tournament, I had to step back, since it was the King¡¯s Sword¡¯s daughter, and her cousin. So I decided to beat up Vasera and got third.¡± ¡°What?¡± The teen replied, furrowing her brows. ¡°Vasera? You mean Vasera the Savage?¡± ¡°The brass half dragon, yeah,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was back in... I don¡¯t know, almost four years ago now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re taking my water!¡± The half elf fumed, narrowing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not the smartest, but I know when I¡¯m being played the fool.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you should ask the Iyrmen. Just like the Iyrmen, I don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Yeah? You think you¡¯re so tough? I¡¯ll bet you a hundred silver you can¡¯t beat Ashuk.¡± ¡°Who is Ashuk?¡± ¡°The inasir who wields that longspear,¡± she said, pointing to the waterman who wielded a longspear, who wore only a pair of shorts, and the scars of battle. ¡°He¡¯s one of our Monster Trio, almost at the...¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°He¡¯s strong,¡± she said, smirking at him, quickly catching herself from saying too much. ¡°Is he a Rage Dancer?¡± ¡°A Storm Dancer,¡± she confirmed. ¡°I might have some trouble then,¡± Adam admitted, since Rage Dancers were difficult to beat, but he spoke about it so casually, as though he could truly face the terrifying monster. ¡°So? Are you going to run away?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind facing him, but not on the ship,¡± Adam replied, meeting the inasir¡¯s eyes, which had opened suddenly upon feeling the gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t wear my armour, and if I¡¯m not in my armour, I won¡¯t be able to give you a good show.¡± ¡°Captain!¡± the teen called, the Captain flashing a wide smile, since such a tone only meant one thing. ¡°A show?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan asked as he approached, revealing such a beautiful smile, one might have thought he was a half elf. ¡°He¡¯s strong in armour.¡± ¡°Who is to fight?¡± ¡°Ashuk.¡± ¡°Ashuk?¡± The Captain laughed. ¡°If you fight without armour, then he will fight without his Dance.¡± Adam¡¯s ears twitched, and a wild grin flashed across his face, his eyes darting to meet Jurot¡¯s. ¡®Did you hear that?¡¯ ¡®I heard that,¡¯ Jurot¡¯s eyes replied. ¡°Well, well, well, I can¡¯t say no if he¡¯s not going to Dance!¡± Adam said. ¡°Just to confirm, you mean he won¡¯t Rage during our battle?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Ho ho!¡± Adam rolled his shoulders, his heart suddenly taking flight. ¡°Well then, well then, ho ho! I suppose I¡¯ll have to don my shield and my axe!¡± ¡®Is he an idiot?¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan thought, eyeing up the half elf, who seemed to be acting as though he had already won. ¡°Even without his rage, he is a good opponent.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m holding back by using Seventh Sky,¡± Adam said, far too loudly, far too smugly. ¡°You? Hold back?¡± Ashuk asked, his voice low, almost gravelly. ¡°Well, what can I do, when it¡¯ll be dangerous for me if I beat you?¡± Adam replied, with a tone that was far too haughty when speaking to the likes of Ashuk. Ashuk¡¯s eyes then fell to the side, meeting the gaze of the fool¡¯s brother, and yet Jurot made no motion to stop himself. Ashuk¡¯s lips formed a wild grin. ¡°You are so fun?¡± ¡°Finally, someone who isn¡¯t a noble bastard,¡± Adam said, smiling even wider. ¡°Do not worry, I will only take an eye.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask you not to aim for my pretty face, for my wife¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°I cannot make a promise.¡± ¡°Please? I somehow managed to marry a Ray of Life¡¯s Rose, I don¡¯t want her to regret it.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Ashuk raised a brow. ¡°A Ray of Life¡¯s Rose? You?¡± ¡°Listen, man, I don¡¯t know how I did it, but I did!¡± Adam laughed with Ashuk, who continued to laugh as Adam continued the joke. ¡°You married a Ray, truly?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan asked, silencing Ashuk¡¯s laughter. ¡°I did.¡± ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°She wanted to be the mother to my adorable children, who treated her so well,¡± Adam joked, winking at the half elf. ¡°Adam, you must treat the Captain with respect,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Ah, excuse me,¡± Adam replied, quickly straightening up. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I suppose it¡¯s because I have a good heart, though my beautiful face helped, and, yeah, our children are really adorable. Also, I¡¯m rich enough to donate quite a lot of gold to the Order, and I¡¯m sure all the magical equipment helps.¡± ¡®Will you allow him to say all that?¡¯ Dunes thought, his eyes trying to meet Jurot¡¯s, but the Iyrman remained still. Captain O¡¯Shan began to understand what Jan meant, the only issue was, Jan had underplayed such words. Adam was one of those figures one could meet in a generation, who caused a storm wherever he went. Even now, the half elf¡¯s eyes remained confident, against the likes of Ashuk, whose pressure was almost overwhelming, to the point the human fellow¡¯s entire skin grew wet with sweat. ¡°How powerful are you?¡± the half elf Captain asked. ¡°Jurot,¡± Adam called, holding the half elf¡¯s gaze. ¡°Ashuk will understand when they cross blades.¡± ¡°How will you hold back against our Ashuk?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be using my armour, the greatest weapon we have in our midst, and I won¡¯t be using my greatest magic.¡± ¡°You are an Oathsworn?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m one of Baktu¡¯s favourites.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan¡¯s eyes darted to meet Jurot¡¯s, who remained complete unphased by what the half elf said. They don''t call him the Sane Father. [1225] – Y06.125 – The Windy Warhawk V ¡®What is that ridiculous dance?¡¯ one of the mermen thought. Adam swayed from side to side, beginning to limber up upon the ship, which had anchored for the next few minutes in order to allow the spar. The ship barely swayed upon the ocean, as though the waves parted to bow before it, allowing Adam to keep his balance as he stretched. ¡®Phew! I¡¯m not a sealubber, so thank the Divine the ship is that good,¡¯ Adam thought, swaying his entire body, rolling his joints. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ John thought. ¡°Taygak, make sure you watch carefully, okay?¡± Adam called. ¡°Okay,¡± the young Iyrman replied. ¡°John, you too, I want you to watch carefully.¡± ¡°Yes, Brother.¡± ¡®Should I split it with the pair of them?¡¯ the half elf thought. ¡®I should probably split it with the other four too. Seven ways? Aw, man. No, this time, it should be just for those two, so they can Level Up, then I won¡¯t feel too scared to leave them alone. If they¡¯re both Level 1, then it won¡¯t take too long.¡¯ ¡°Adam, hold back,¡± Jurot whispered in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Third Gate.¡± Adam inhaled sharply, since he was still facing a great warrior, but if he wasn¡¯t going to rage... Meanwhile, the Captain stared at the half elf, who continued his little dance. There was something off about him, that much was for certain, for he was a queer half elf. ¡°Ashuk, delay the fight as long as you may. Even if you must gift him the win. A few gold is a small price to confirm.¡± ¡°I will do as you command, Captain.¡± ¡°I do not command it, but I will request it,¡± Cumulus said, smiling towards the inasir, who inhaled deeply, stretching out his entire body with his breath, letting the air out long and slow. ¡®Consider yourself fortunate,¡¯ Ashuk thought, and he, Ashuk the Spear, reached for his weapon, spinning it before thrusting through the air, a move he had practised countless times, engraved deep within his body. ¡°Cousin Adam,¡± Taygak called. ¡°Win.¡± ¡°Our Taygak is so grown up now, bullying me like this,¡± Adam said, the half elf clenching his axe tighter, feeling the strain from the back of his hand, all the way to his forearm. ¡°What am I saying? Our Taygak always bullies me.¡± Taygak let out a small annoyed snort at the half elf, but she could see he stood ever so slightly taller, suddenly filled with a greater urge to beat the great warrior, Ashuk the Spear. She knew Ashuk was strong, stronger than even her grandaunt, but Adam was Adam. ¡®So much has happened though we have barely left Aldland,¡¯ Tanagek thought, for he had never expected to ride upon the Windy Warhawk, nor watch so many spars with such great figures. ¡°I will bet on our cousin,¡± Chosen said. ¡°One silver,¡± Tanagek replied. ¡°You are not confident in Ashuk the Spear?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chosen¡¯s laughter cut through the air, and while the bets began, the Iyrmen all betting upon Adam, the sailors checked with their Captain, who shook his head, allowing them only to bet a few silvers at most. ¡°Hey, shouldn¡¯t we make this interesting?¡± Adam asked, eyeing up the monstrous figure before him, his lips a playful smile. ¡°What do you wish to bet?¡± Ashuk asked, his heart suddenly stirring. ¡°I feel like we should bet so it¡¯s not boring. Something not too big, something not too small, something just right.¡± ¡°Your axe for my spear?¡± Ashuk teased, though he had heard it was only Basic Enhanced. ¡°That crimson shield of yours?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to steal your spear,¡± Adam replied back in the same tone. ¡°I¡¯d rather something that doesn¡¯t lead to any resentment.¡± ¡°I am not a lordling, boy.¡± ¡°Even I¡¯d feel annoyed if I lost a spear as good as yours, plus, I don¡¯t have any use for...¡± Adam paused, narrowing his eyes slightly. A thought passed through his mind. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s bet your spear.¡± ¡®Why did he change his mind?¡¯ ¡°In exchange, I¡¯ll offer something better than my axe or my shield. I will offer you a token you can redeem at our business for a Greater Enhanced weapon, as well as a small chest of silver, as thanks for allowing me to keep my axe, and my cousin¡¯s shield, for the adventure east.¡± ¡°Can I trust you to keep your word?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter though?¡± Adam replied, in a tone that would have gotten him killed if he was speaking to a noble, the half elf smirking to reveal he was his daughter¡¯s father. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Ashuk roared with laughter, feeling his body boil, his heart thumping harder within his chest with the excitement to put him in his place. ¡°Also, in case you have any weird ideas, I¡¯ll ask you not to hold back. Do you know how annoying it is for me to hear those excuses? Seriously, man!¡± ¡°I will hold back a little,¡± Ashuk said, gripping his axe tighter, before slamming his foot down, taking a wider stance, his body half turned, the spear ready and poised to burst the half elf¡¯s head. ¡°Oh yeah? I¡¯m the one who can¡¯t offend you all, so you don¡¯t have to, but I will,¡± Adam continued in the same teasing tone, his smile wide. ¡°I hope your axe is as good as that tongue of yours.¡± Adam grinned wider, gripping Strong Shield tighter in hand, and Seventh Sky in the other. The Captain glanced between the pair, seeing how they were both taught, sprung like coils ready to burst. He raised a hand into the air, the silence falling upon the ship, not even the sea daring to make a sound. Snap. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 21 (20) Health: 126 -> 103 Seventh Sky: 1 -> 0 Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 103 -> 108 Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 16 (6) Miss! Adam¡¯s entire body sprang forward, though as it did, he saw his life flash before his eyes, as he brought his shield up just in the nick of time, the spear glancing off the shield with a loud clang, cutting bits of his hair, feeling it almost scrape across the top of his skull, his neck straining, the half elf dropping to his knee. ¡°Not bad, boy,¡± Ashuk said, his eyes narrowed, his forehead creased, his wide smile, teeth like pearls, smirking down towards the half elf. ¡°Ohohoho-,¡± Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (2) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical Hit! Mana: 34 -> 31 Ability: Divine Smite 8D6 + 8D6 + 8 = 57 (22)(27) 57 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (4) D20 + 10 = 30 (6) Miss! Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 12 (8) D20 + 10 = 19 (9) Miss! Ashuk¡¯s entire body jolted, the old inasir leaping away from the terrible blow, barely managing to bring his spear up, the magical wood threatening to bend under the force of such a heavy blow, a blow which was among the strongest he had taken in his long life, for there were few across all the lands which could focus the might of two Fireballs, no, more than two Fireballs, into a single swing. The cut was quick, clean, but those who were above Experts could hear the depth of the quickness, the depth of the cleanliness. Any typical Expert would have fallen to such a blow, while Ashuk glared at the half elf in shock, flexing off the effort it had took to stave off the blow, and yet he could already feel the ripples of the smite flow through his watery body. ¡°I¡¯m getting used to seeing that kind of face,¡± Adam said, the half elf smirking as he stood before Ashuk. The inasir¡¯s face of shock quickly narrowed down into something else. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of face I want to see!¡± Ashuk inhaled deeply, feeling his body strain against him, for though their blades had clashed for just a moment, the smite had overwhelmed through him. He concentrated, and as the half elf stepped forward, his entire body unfurled, but not in the way of humans, half elves, or inasir, but that of water. Health: 108 -> 64 Strength Save D20 + 9 = 24 (15) Success! The spear struck with such explosive might, even through the half elf¡¯s shield, he could feel it rock through his bones, the half elf spitting up saliva onto the deck, having rarely felt such a heavy blow in his life. He had realised that not even his Shield spell could assist him against such terrifying blows of the inasir, but this blow had struck even deeper through him. ¡®He definitely didn¡¯t Crit, so what the hell?¡¯ ¡®He¡¯s still up?¡¯ Ashuk thought, his eyes wide, for he had used the magical effect of his spear, that which would have floored a typical Expert, even as he drove his spear forward with a leap, the half elf did not fall back, until his spear flexed under their might. Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Health: 64 -> 69 ¡®Nice.¡¯ Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 15 (5) D20 + 10 = 23 (13) Critical Hit! Mana: 31 -> 30 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 8 = 26 (14)(4) 26 damage! Attack: Seventh Sky (Advantage) D20 + 10 = 22 (12) D20 + 10 = 30 (20) Critical Hit! Mana: 30 -> 27 Ability: Divine Smite 8D6 + 8D6 + 8 = 63 (25)(30) 63 damage! ¡°That really hurt!¡± Adam exclaimed, swinging his axe wildly, the pair clashing violently, their weapons echoing, the ringing in the air clear, deadly, and most importantly, filled with the want to beat the smirk off the other¡¯s face, for the half elf and Ashuk both made the same face, their wild grins so eager for more. ¡°It is enough,¡± Jurot said, standing proudly with his arms crossed beside an O¡¯Shan, for though the half elf was one of the O¡¯Shan family, he was of the Rot family. He had thought about letting the fight to continue, but Adam had held back a little too much, having not taken the chance to regain his breath. However, even then, Jurot estimated Adam would win nine out of ten times in this position, but the issue was, that one in ten would have been too terrible upon Taygak, who had asked Adam to win. ¡°Ashuk!¡± Captain O¡¯Shan shouted as the pair made to try and kill one another, and as Ashuk¡¯s spear stopped, Adam struck his axe upon his shield. ¡®I should not have promised to fight without my rage,¡¯ Ashuk thought, feeling the regret within his heart, for the bout had ended far too quickly. ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam groaned, his entire body still tense, the half elf still ready to fight. ¡°It is best to stop it here, Adam.¡± ¡°Yeah, but... I really want that spear.¡± ¡°We do not use such spears, not even the Ool family use such longspears,¡± Jurot reminded him. ¡°I just wanted a nice gift for little Chimir,¡± Adam almost whimpered, as though here were a boy who couldn¡¯t keep playing with his favourite toy. The older Aswadian man inhaled sharply, tensing up slightly to not allow Adam¡¯s cringe to overwhelm him, burying it under his... not quite respect, but appreciation, for the half elf of thinking of his daughter. ¡°A draw?¡± Jurot asked the Captain, who nodded his head in return, eyes glued to the scene before him, an impossible sight to be sure. Ashuk let out a low sigh, his entire body flexing, but it hurt his heart deeply. The thought remained within his mind. ¡®If we both fought with all our might...¡¯ Chapter Title: The Windy Warhawk IV Contents: Adam beats the sense out of one of the strongest figures across the lands and impresses one of the most important families throughout history. Making chapter titles boring only to have insane stuff happening within is my favourite joke. [1226] – Y06.126 – The Windy Warhawk VI Tavi remained completely silent, the bronze scaled drakken, adorned in his scale, which was not quite as great as full plate, gave him the ability to fight upon the sea as well as the land. Shaya and Ashuk were considered equals upon the sea, for though Shaya wore full plate, she was an inasir, and not bound by the dangers of the sea. Upon this ship, Tavi was slightly weaker than either of them, but upon land? Upon full plate? He, Shaya, and Ashuk were considered equal, their bouts a flip of the coin. Even without his rage, Ashuk wore such beautiful bracers, but they were not any bracers, but those which gave him greater defensive capabilities than even himself in full plate, and not just in full plate, but with a shield. Somehow he, thanks to the grace of the Iyrman, simply drew against this half elf, who seemed so annoyed at the draw? Ashuk the Spear. Ashuk, who was considered almost a Paragon, and could clash with King Merryweather? That Ashuk? ¡°Sea¡¯s tits!¡± Tovi gasped, the bronze scaled drakken, who lazed about beside Jok, was so surprised, he almost dropped the dried snack within his fingers, his eyes darting to Jok, who spat out seamen¡¯s milk, an extremely weak alcohol that was milky and sweet. ¡°Was it a good idea?¡± Tanagek whispered to his cousin, the pair standing tall and proud with their arms crossed. ¡°It is fine.¡± ¡®What are you planning, Jurot?¡¯ Tanagek thought. Jurot nodded to Kitool, who nodded back at the Iyrman. The pair understood just how Adam should be utilised against people like O¡¯Shan. John¡¯s eyes fell upon the half elf, who seemed annoyed at stepping back, and then to the waterman, the inasir who wielded the spear, who seemed conflicted. In his heart, he understood he saw something that shouldn¡¯t be possible, but unfortunately for John, he was a simple commoner from Gold Port, who had spent most of his life thinking anyone in full mail lived in a whole different world from him, with the understanding that beyond the peak ahead of him, there were larger and larger mountains beyond, with no chance of him ever seeing the sun. ¡®How strong is Ashuk?¡¯ To someone like John, Tagak could defeat him as easily as any of the rest of their companions. Yet, apparently Tagak was the weakest in the group, if they didn¡¯t include Taygak. Laygak could apparently fight him well enough, but Jurot and Kitool could defeat him with ease. ¡°Executive,¡± John called. ¡°If you were to face Ashuk, would you be able to defeat him?¡± ¡°No,¡± came the response, not a single moment of hesitation from the Iyrman who was, at his young age, one of the strongest. Masters were typically almost forty years old, and yet here was an Iyrman, almost half their age, who could clash with them with ease, and most likely defeat them. Yet, here he was. The young Iyrman held no pretences, admitting he would be unable to defeat Ashuk? So... if Adam was the same age, how strong was he? ¡®Last I checked, I¡¯m here talking to you, and he¡¯s not.¡¯ The words replayed within John¡¯s mind, the very same words Adam used to speak about Sir James Greatwood, Grand Commander of the Order of High Garden, previously the Grand Commander of the Order of the Thousand Hunts, and someone who was confirmed to be a Paragon. Sir James Greatwood was to Ashuk, as Ashuk was to Jurot, so John thought. There was no way Adam could have defeated him. It was almost a prayer, the young man trying to refuse, for he was not ready to step into such a world. ¡®Damn, he took me down to half,¡¯ Adam thought, flexing his body, and then he did it, the fool. Tough Spirit: 1 -> 0 2D6 + 9 = 16 (7) Health: 69 = 85 Adam inhaled deeply, flexing his muscles, and revealed to the world he was still more than eager to keep fighting. In comparison to Ashuk, who looked as though he could take another hit from Adam, perhaps two at most, and yet Ashuk would need to work much harder to bury the half elf under his spear. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Adam thought, noting all the looks he received from the sailors and his own companions. ¡°Adam,¡± Ashuk called, unable to deal with the heaviness in his heart. ¡°Speak to me truly. If we fought, with my rage, your armour, who do you think would win?¡± ¡°My armour, my niece¡¯s sword, and I was allowed to use everything with my power?¡± Adam asked, reaching up to rub his chin, raising his brows lightly in thought. ¡°Considering you¡¯re almost a Paragon, you have quite a lot of abilities, but thankfully, I¡¯m not that weak, and I also...¡± Adam fell deep into thought about what he knew of Ashuk. He was Level 16, Adam was certain of that, since he had almost been forced to the ground with such a heavy blow. Meaning, his Health was around 160, though it was best to round that up to 180, perhaps even 200. Then, if he danced, Adam would need to consider him to have 300 Health, just to be safe, since he would need to double the Health, but then some of his magic could slip through it, it might even mean he would consider his Health to be slightly higher than that? Ashuk¡¯s Defence seemed to be around 21 or 22. Adam¡¯s own, with his full plate, and if he wore a ring and cloak, without his spell, he¡¯d be around 26. Then, with Shield, he would be 31. Health 300 and Defence 22. Health 126 and Defence 31. No, Adam could at least use Tough Spirit, which came him, on average, 16 additional Health, meaning he was closer to 140 Health. Health 300 and Defence 22. Health 140 and Defence 31. ¡®If I could go all out without worrying, Shield and Divine Smite. His bonus should be around, what, +13? He would need a 17 or higher to hit me, but he¡¯d be attacking in a way to roll with Advantage, giving me Advantage against him too. So, really, the question is, can I do more damage to him in a minute than he can damage me?¡¯ Adam realised that was pretty much how every fight went, but he meant something deeper than that. Ashuk remained silent as Adam considered his abilities, showing him the respect of thinking deeply about his ridiculous question. However, just the fact Adam was taking it seriously, meant the half elf had his own situation, his own secrets, to consider. ¡®Ah, right, he¡¯s also one of those, right?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®So he¡¯ll still do some damage, just because of the storm around him, if I remember that ability right. He¡¯ll be able to do about, what, 10 damage each round, guaranteed? Meaning even if he misses every single time, I have a time limit. I guess I could trap him in a Wall of Fire, that would help me, but then that might only last a little while.¡¯ ¡°Ashuk, are you able to resist fire?¡± Adam asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°How many times can your spear almost take my head clean off like that?¡± ¡°Once,¡± Ashuk said, deciding against keeping such a secret, since he was curious, and the half elf was revealing more than enough through his actions, and his words. ¡®Fire?¡¯ ¡°Then, if it¡¯s average luck, I have the slight advantage. Six to four, at most, but if I was smarter, probably seven to three?¡± If it had been another person, he would have laughed. If he hadn¡¯t just felt the great might of Adam¡¯s axe, he would have laughed. If he hadn¡¯t almost lost to the half elf, he would have laughed. Ashuk could see within Adam¡¯s eyes the same casualness he always held, but this time, Adam was not teasing him even slightly. Though he was a fool, the half elf responded with the thoughtfulness of someone who had crossed blades with him. ¡°I wish to face you again, upon land, without holding back,¡± Ashuk said, wanting to see it. If Adam was truly a monster, then he wanted to face that monster with his own two hands. The old man certain he was about to witness the birth of something insane. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to,¡± Adam admitted, his voice full of apprehension. ¡°It¡¯s scary enough to face you without you dancing, but after?¡± Ashuk couldn¡¯t believe Adam¡¯s words, especially since the half elf seemed to tense up at the thought of facing the Insair who wasn¡¯t going to hold back, a genuine fear. Adam had defeated Ashuk so soundly, and yet the moment he was able to fight with all his greatest abilities, to the point he still thought he could win, he no longer wished to fight? Ashuk clenched his jaw tight, trying not to laugh from the absurdity of it all, since Adam, without a doubt, wasn¡¯t kidding in the slightest. ¡°If you want, you can fight Bael, since you also counter him, and he likes fighting,¡± Adam offered. ¡°No,¡± Jurot said. ¡°Bael is to defend Taygak.¡± Bael nodded in response, this being one of the few times he had to step back, all for the sake of the little baby under his protection, as well as the piles of gold and silver he would receive. ¡°Ah, right, right,¡± Adam replied, glancing aside towards Ashmir. ¡°What about...¡± ¡®Oh, right, he didn¡¯t want me to reveal that.¡¯ ¡°If you face me, I will offer another spear, Greater Enhanced too,¡± Ashuk said. ¡°Is it as good?¡± ¡°No, but if you lose, I will accept only silver in exchange.¡± ¡°How much silver?¡± Ashuk didn¡¯t actually want any silver, he had more than enough silver, but if he didn¡¯t ask for something, the others would bully him. ¡°A thousand.¡± ¡°What kind of spear is it?¡± ¡°It is Nona¡¯s Tear,¡± Ashuk said, as though that explained what it was. However, Adam glanced aside towards Jurot, who furrowed his brows in thought, but a voice broke through the air. ¡°It is a good spear,¡± Kitool stated firmly. ¡°Alright,¡± Adam said. I hadn''t actually realised how strong Adam was until recently. [1227] – Y06.127 – The Windy Warhawk VII ¡°Though, do you want a good fight, or do you want to see the monster known as the Crazy Father?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I would like a good fight, and to see what kind of a monster you are, Crazy Father.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s do this. For the first round, you can dance, and I can use my smite, but we¡¯ll warm up. Then, from the second round, we¡¯ll stop holding back. That way, we can fight properly, to see the true limits of our abilities, or at the very least, we won¡¯t end the bout too quickly, without revealing our power.¡± ¡°I agree to these terms.¡± ¡°Also, no killing. I¡¯m saying that so you don¡¯t kill me and say it¡¯s an accident because you realise I¡¯m too strong to let live. You don¡¯t have to worry about me causing a mess against you, as long as you don¡¯t trouble me, and it¡¯ll be annoying to die right now.¡± Adam huffed, reaching up to his brow, as though the half elf had already gone through the awkwardness of dying multiple times. ¡®He really is crazy,¡¯ John thought, before noticing the look of Dunes¡¯ face, which was more so praying the half elf would stop being so cringe. It was then Adam looked to Jurot, raising a brow, with a certain question in his eyes, and for once, his eyes were clear, sparkling with intelligence. As Jurot took the look, he slowly bowed his head, and with that, Adam¡¯s worries quickly melted away. ¡®If Jurot says it¡¯s fine to reveal this much, then it¡¯s fine.¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan understood what the look meant, because he was stunned too, uncertain what the Iyrman was thinking. This was all too much, the half elf was a prize that the Iyr should be holding on to, so why were they revealing him to them? The Captain managed to catch Jurot¡¯s eyes, the Iyrman slowly bowing his head, the shadow of a smile upon his face. ¡°How is it that your name is not known?¡± Ashuk asked, wondering how much the half elf was willing to give up. ¡°I became a bigger deal last year, and an even bigger deal this year, but unfortunately, the Reavers have appeared, and it¡¯s all a bit of a mess,¡± the half elf admitted. ¡°You are the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson, but why do you not fight his way?¡± ¡°I became his grandson recently,¡± Adam replied, smiling awkwardly. ¡°It took this long because I¡¯m an idiot, but I¡¯m also related to a bunch of other monsters, like Butcher Marmak.¡± ¡°You are related to Mahmak?¡± Ashuk replied, his brows raising in alarm, somehow still able to be shocked by the half elf. ¡°He¡¯s my grandmother¡¯s cousin, who I believe was once called Rising Swallow Mulrot, and her brother is Falling Swallow Malfev. Then there¡¯s Rajin, the Bearded Dragon, who is Uwajin¡¯s grand... uncle?¡± ¡°Grandfather,¡± Uwajin said, for once completely lucid, her Iyramn instincts tickling her entire body. ¡°I remember the Bearded Dragon,¡± Ashuk said. ¡°He was spoken in the same breath as the Mad Dog, and those who have gained the title of Great Elder within the Iyr.¡± ¡°Yeah, but then there¡¯s my grandmother, Flame Brand, who was a monster in Aswadasad, so much so, they had to kick her out because she was too strong!¡± Adam beamed with pride, and though Tagak filled with annoyance, he didn¡¯t speak up. ¡°Flame Brand too?¡± Ashuk asked, suddenly slightly more alert, for Mad Dog was one thing, but Flame Brand too? ¡°You know her?¡± ¡°My younger cousin met her during the Tariff Skirmish when they were younger, almost a half century ago. I heard she made a name for herself after, but she disappeared.¡± ¡°Yeah, the Orders from Aswadasad joined together to kick her out, because they were so afraid,¡± Adam said, his tone as though he were asking for death. ¡°Anyway, our Taygak here, she¡¯s her grandniece, same as Laygak and Tagak, I mean, they¡¯re her grandnephews, obviously.¡± Ashuk bowed his head towards the Gaks, who returned a bow of their heads, especially Taygak, who almost headbutt the air. ¡°You should remember that name, though. Taygak.¡± Adam¡¯s eyes remained firmly fixated on the inasir, who could clash with King Merryweather. A sudden intensity emanated from the half elf, a rage that remained hidden, the kind that denoted he really was the Mad Dog¡¯s grandson. ¡°She¡¯s going to be tearing through Aldland and Aswadasad like nobodies business, and the Orders won¡¯t have a chance to stop her from rising.¡± ¡°Perhaps I will live long enough to hear the tales,¡± Ashuk replied, taken in by Adam¡¯s words, falling into the half elf¡¯s pace. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take too long. You¡¯ll only need to wait ten, maybe twenty years, so don¡¯t go picking a fight with other crazy idiot half elves, alright?¡± Adam joked, grinning wide. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Twenty four.¡± Ashuk blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know. I was a Master at twenty three, it¡¯s pretty impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You are not a Paragon?¡± Ashuk asked, certain the half elf was one considering his great might. In fact, he was on par with Shaya, who was almost a Paragon like himself. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that the Divine have given me abilities to match Paragons,¡± the half elf said, winking at him, reaching down to tap his obsidian amulet, that of Baktu. ¡°It¡¯s a little dangerous for us both if you think too much about it.¡± ¡°You are... truly twenty four?¡± ¡°Yeah, Jurot, me, Kitool, we¡¯re all twenty four, and Masters.¡± ¡°Are they as terrifying as you?¡± ¡°I would rather fight you than either of them,¡± Adam admitted, and seeing as how they could take offence, he let out a small feigned whimper. ¡°Iyrmen are crazy, you know?¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Ashuk raised his brow, still taking some offence. ¡°Ah, well. You¡¯re tough, but Jurot, against me, is equally as tough, even though he¡¯s almost two tiers below, since he¡¯s a Rot. Kitool? Kitool¡¯s scary. Really scary. Her grandaunt, also my grandaunt, almost exploded a Grand Commander, Platinum Shield I think is her title.¡± Jurot allowed Adam to let slip his own weaknesses, a gift to the O¡¯Shan, and mostly because Adam had the protection of the various families he had mentioned. If Adam was only close to the Rot family, and the Rot family were more isolated from the other families, he¡¯d have had to stop his brother, but Adam¡¯s children were doted upon by so many families, and he doted upon so many of their families children. If someone wanted to cause trouble for Adam, there was a high chance they would need to face all the monsters which the Iyr had revealed to protect him, the same monsters who had killed so efficiently, they couldn¡¯t send a message. ¡°Her grandaunt almost... exploded the Platinum Shield?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Adam replied, recalling the first time he had met her, with no idea she was so strong. She always seemed so serene, sweet, and yet with a single touch, she could explode him too. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, you know, she...¡± Adam motioned with his hand, stabbing the air with a finger, before twitching and convulsing and throwing his arms into the air, making the noise of a Fireball. ¡®So she is a Paragon?¡¯ ¡°Then there¡¯s my granduncles, Bloodblade, and also Duteous Dogek,¡± Adam said, motioning to Chosen and Tanagek. Tanagek noted that though the Gek family was quite close to Adam, the half elf had mentioned his granduncle¡¯s name second. Could he blame the half elf? At least he mentioned his granduncle¡¯s name. ¡°Bloodblade and Duteous Dogek too?¡± Ashuk asked, for those were figures he heard. There were quite a large number of Iyrmen who held a name, but very few held such a deep prestige as those in particular. From Bearded Dragon to Duteous Dogek, the sheer pedigree of the Iyrmen in front of him, each apparently related to such powerful figures, caused his mind to race. ¡®I probably shouldn¡¯t mention Ashmir or Elder Wrath, right?¡¯ Adam thought, before glancing aside towards Bavin, who stood tall, blank faced. ¡°Of course, Bavin here, takes after his grandfather.¡± ¡°His grandfather?¡± ¡°Bavin, what was it?¡± ¡°Wildheard,¡± the Iyrman stated. ¡°Wildheart?¡± Ashuk replied, realising he had heard that name too, since it was spoken alongside Mad Dog, Drakebane, and Deathhand. ¡°Did he also become a Great Elder?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bavin replied, his entire body tingling with pride. ¡°Elder Wrath.¡± ¡°Yeah, and Ashmir, uh, I mean...¡± Adam paused, having pointing at the dark skinned Iyrman. ¡°I mean, my cousin, I wanted to gift her the spear.¡± ¡°Ashmir?¡± Ashuk turned, his eyes quickly darting to the Aswadian man. ¡°Lion King?¡± Ashmir sighed, nodding his head. ¡°My cousin, Iznat,¡± Ashuk said, glancing aside towards the red skinned Iyrmen for a moment, ¡°met you in her youth.¡± ¡°An inasir?¡± Ashmir asked, trying to recall an inasir from his youth, but was unable to remember. ¡°I remember meeting an inasir, but the memory is like a blade covered in dust.¡± ¡°She wielded the sister spear of my own. They call her, in this tongue, Ten Blow Spear?¡± Ashuk said, trying to remember, translating the term loosely. ¡°I remember slightly, but the image is still vague. I remember how my body felt, screaming at me when we fought.¡± ¡°She is mostly retired, watching over her children, her grandchildren, mine as well, since they are such troublemakers,¡± Ashuk said, sighing. Ashmir let out a long, tired sigh of understanding, while Captain O¡¯Shan¡¯s mind raced, trying to process everything he had heard. ¡®Why...¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan decided against thinking more deeply about it for now, since it seemed as though Jurot and Kitool wished to speak with him. Suspicious. [1228] – Y06.128 – O’Shan I The gentle scent of sandalwood filled the air, the stick of incense lighting as the Captain clapped his hands. The room was small, made up of various cube cabinets and drawers, which could slide and spin around the room, leaving little want for more space. The Captain configured the room for guests, the various cubes and cuboids shifted around to allow the guests to settle, to place tea upon, and to hide away all manner of secrets. Jurot took in the sight of the personal effects of the Captain, but spent most of his time admiring the wood, especially since the workmanship was undoubtedly a combination of dwarven and elvish, and he was certain all the tiny tracks and hooks were of gnomish design, for very few could match the intricate detailing of the gnomes, who made even dwarves grumble with their ability. Kitool spotted a large number of items which intrigued her, and shamelessly eyed them up, from the spears, to the swords, to the sabres, to the daggers, then to the various small paintings, as well as the silverware placed neatly all about. A small army of rings stood at attention upon the wall, each made of various precious metals, woods, gems, many no doubt magical. One ring stood out in particular, for it was that ring, the Ring of Telekinesis, for many appeared the same, and there was no way someone like the Captain would be showing off a fake one just to show off. The Captain, as though to assuage such worries, reached out for the ring, which was almost brass in colour, with a gem set upon it in the shape of a mostly opened hand, though as the Captain used it to call forth the tea kettle and cups at his will, it was the fact there was a small line of red running all along the ring and the gem. ¡®Impressive,¡¯ Kitool thought. As the pair sat opposite the captain, tasting the harsh flavour of the tea, the Captain placed a hand upon the table, calming his heart, taking in the sight of the young Iyrmen before him. ¡°Are you planning on conquering a town in Aswadasad?¡± the Captain asked, half joking, but considering their great might, they could truly cause a giant mess in any of the small towns, and take over a small region of villages, all the while Aswadasad was busy with the Reavers. ¡°No,¡± Jurot replied, sipping the tea, the flavours invading along his tongue, punching his gums with its sharpness. ¡°Iyrmen,¡± the Captain said, his tone heavy, not quite threatening, but not far off, ¡°just what are you planning?¡± ¡°We spoke the truth,¡± Jurot replied calmly. ¡°You are going to meet with the Fariq of Black Mountain?¡± ¡°We wish to speak with the Shen too, and there are other smaller matters we wish to attend to, but our main goal is to meet with the Priest Commander of Black Mountain to speak of a matter with Brother Dunes.¡± ¡°What matter is this?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan dared to ask, though it was rude. ¡°Adam and Brother Dunes are close,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°Adam wishes to keep Manager Dunes at his side,¡± Kitool explained, deciding they may as well inform him of the matter. ¡°Manager Dunes wishes to repay his debt to Black Mountain, and wishes for the United Kindom to form a bond with his Order.¡± ¡®Are they saying they covet someone from Black Mountain? Is the Iyr so fearless?¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan remained quiet for a long moment within his thoughts. ¡°United Kindom, it trades in magical weapons? You have an enchanter?¡± The pair nodded, saying no more, and the Captain took the hint. ¡°What kind of weapons can they enchant?¡± The Captain¡¯s curiosity got the better of him, even though he was flirting with death before the Iyrmen. ¡°They can enchant such items which surpass even the Spear¡¯s spear,¡± Jurot replied simply. ¡°Can this enchanter of yours enchant a weapon greater than this?¡± The Captain placed down the blade, which looked to be pure gold, but worth its weight in platinum. It was short, for self defence mostly, and though it seemed to be made of pure gold, they could see the marks all across the blade, the kind that revealed how it had been forged, by dragon breath. ¡°What does it do?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°You know what it does,¡± Captain O¡¯Shan replied, voice dripping with the accusation, which caused Jurot to bow his head. ¡°It is Greater Enhanced?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Captain O¡¯Shan replied, speaking the truth, but there was certainly something more about the blade. Jurot stared at it long and hard, for it was certainly a Great Enhanced shortblade, a shortsword made of seagold, he assumed. It struck as hard as a greatsword, like Seventh Sky, but while Seventh Sky could draw greater might every so often, this blade was something else entirely. Seventh Sky was in its own league when it came to Greater Enhanced weapons, close to the top, alongside Phantom in many ways, but this sword? Urkina¡¯s Golden Dragon Fang. This blade was truly worth its weight in platinum, and it was such a heavy blade too. Ten thousand gold would be too little for this blade, especially for a half elf, for it was Greater Enhanced within the hands of most, but in the hands of those elvish folk, even those whom were of half elvish blood, it was a Legendary Enhanced blade. It was the kind of blade which one could use with their strength, but also their skill, that was evident enough due to it being a shorter blade, but this sword, that was so heavy, could press upon another with one of its abilities, and with the other, lighten the wielder, mimicking two particular Third Gate spells. What made this blade more terrifying was that the wielder did not need to focus upon these spells, and, upon drawing the blade, they could cast either or both of the spells in an instant, and still plunge the blade into their enemy. Even more terrifying was that such an ability was not as limited as one might expect, for when the sun was highest in the sky, and when it was the lowest, unseen for hours, the blade was able to cast such spells once more. That was what was mostly known of the blade, though there were many other secrets that it possessed, for all those who came across such a blade were unknown, for only a handful ever came across such a blade and survived throughout known history, each terrifying monsters of their own. ¡°A blade crafted and forged through dragon breath, that of Great Urkina, and many of the great crafters in its time,¡± Jurot said, complimenting the blade, for few blades were able to hold such a pedigree. ¡°A gift for the O¡¯Shan family. Perhaps the weapons crafted within the business, enchanted by the Enchanter, could not compare in many ways. I am certain if the Enchanter wished to create such a powerful blade, they would reach the status of one of the Platinum Fifty.¡± ¡®What a ridiculous thing to state,¡¯ Captain O¡¯Shan thought, their heart suddenly fluttering at the thought of another Great Enchanter living so close to them. ¡°However, since Great Urkina promised to hunt those who took the blade from the O¡¯Shan family, whether through barter or banditry, I am uncertain if the business can...¡± Jurot paused, thinking about the sword within Dunes¡¯ possession. ¡°No, it is certain we could compare in that regard too.¡± ¡°Do you have any one who could challenge the might of Great Urkina?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan asked. ¡°No, but we have many who are eager to hunt,¡± Jurot stated, speaking as one might expect for an Iyrman. However, Jurot fell deep into thought. ¡®If Adam could swim and breathe underwater, could he face the likes of Great Urkina?¡¯ Kitool was pretty sure Jurot was thinking something dangerous, and seeing her face, Captain O¡¯Shan also realised the Iyrman was thinking something dangerous. Meanwhile, Adam stared out towards the sea, his hands clasped behind his back. He kept humming in thought as they continued along their way, travelling far quicker than most ships he had the privilege of boarding, and apparently, still not at the peak of the Windy Warhawk¡¯s top speed. ¡°I should have brought more gifts in case we came across Great Urkina,¡± Adam said, letting out a soft sigh. ¡®Hmm?¡¯ Bael thought, before approaching the half elf, standing with his arm¡¯s crossed. ¡°You wished to bring more gifts for who?¡± ¡°Great Urkina.¡± ¡°That old drake?¡± Adam blinked, his eyes darting to the side in shock. ¡°Bael! What do you mean? Don¡¯t call her that!¡± ¡°What? She is an old drake. She¡¯s at least a thousand years old, no, almost two thousand?¡± Bael thought, trying to recall her age. ¡°Seriously, man! Don¡¯t scare me like that!¡± ¡°What are you so afraid of? She doesn¡¯t have the courage to annoy us.¡± ¡°Seriously!¡± Adam clenched his fist, ready to beat some sense into Bael, whose eyes remained focused on the sea. ¡°If she does appear, I¡¯ll consider handing over this sword,¡± Bael said. ¡°I want to see if she has the courage to accept it.¡± ¡®Just who is this crazy bastard?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®No! It¡¯s going to be too troublesome!¡¯ I always think Bael is such a goofy guy and then I remember who he''s related to... [1229] – Y06.129 – O’Shan II ¡°Why have you decided to reveal all this?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan asked, his nerves fleeing up through his spine, and then around his neck, like a noose. ¡°It would be good for our business to form a connection with the Windy Warhawk,¡± Jurot admitted. ¡®So not the Iyr and O¡¯Shan, but United Kindom and Windy Warhawk?¡¯ the Captain thought, keeping the Iyrman¡¯s gaze. ¡°My brother has already rocked Aldland, but it has not understood that,¡± Jurot stated. ¡°Killing a Vice Commander is impressive,¡± the Captain said, already understanding the half elf was someone special. ¡°To face Ashuk, he certainly is impressive, especially at his age.¡± ¡°My brother killed the Grand Commander of High Garden.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± The silence remained for a long while between them as the hammer of the Iyrman¡¯s words beat the atmosphere, the Captain¡¯s eyes wide, for he had never quite heard of something so terrifying. His eyes fell to the side, towards Kitool, who eyed up Jurot, wondering why the Iyrman had revealed something like that. ¡®You wish to form a deep connection with the Windy Warhawk?¡¯ Kitool thought, having not realised the extent in which Jurot was willing to go. ¡°What is your intention?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan asked. ¡°My brother will cause great trouble,¡± Jurot admitted, without a hint of doubt within his voice. ¡°There may come a time when we will not be able to assist him quickly. If you are able, please assist him.¡± ¡®Why would they be unable to assist the half elf?¡¯ the Captain thought, also under the assumption Adam would get himself into great trouble. ¡°My niece...¡± Jurot paused for a moment. ¡°My nieces and nephews too, if you are able to assist them. They are Iyrmen, but when they are older, no longer under the Iyr¡¯s protection, please assist them.¡± Kitool was pretty sure which particular child he was talking about, since she was the only one that could cause a bigger mess than her father. ¡°Are his children Iyrmen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He is not?¡± ¡°No.¡± Captain O¡¯Shan understood this was becoming more and more dangerous with every passing moment. He was sure he needed to stop the Iyrman from talking, but he already knew too much at this point. ¡°Six and a half years ago, I started my journey into Aldland,¡± Jurot began, his voice heavy. ¡°Adam and I were as strong as your putsul, and if we fought, I could have defeated him, six to four, seven to three.¡± ¡°Six years ago?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Six years?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan repeated, unable to believe the words from the Iyrman¡¯s mouth. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you mean to tell me, that your brother, the half elf, grew to such a height, to defeat not only Vice Commanders, but the likes of Ashuk, and even Paragons, within the span of six years?¡± Captain O¡¯Shan asked, feeling his throat ache from even suggesting something so ridiculous, so stupid, so impossible. ¡°Yes.¡± Captain O¡¯Shan remained glaring at the Iyrman, not with hatred, not with fear, not even with shock, but with an emotion that could only be described as trying to think, and trying to emote, and trying to keep living a life after learning of something so terribly dangerous. ¡®Lady Tempest take me.¡¯ Upon the deck, Ashuk stood, looking out towards the east, towards where they said the new land had emerged, a giant mass of new land that was ripe for the taking, if not for the horde of Reavers who were laying claim to it, and using it to harass East Aldland and North Aswadasad. ¡°Seriously, that guy!¡± Adam grumbled, quickly shuffling towards Ashuk, glancing aside towards Bael, who continued to smirk at the sea beneath. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Ashuk asked. ¡°Bael¡¯s being crazy,¡± Adam said. ¡°Crazy?¡± ¡°You know how he is.¡± ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°He¡¯s... insane. Yeah, more than me,¡± Adam stated, noting the inasir¡¯s gaze. ¡°He¡¯s a battle junkie who always wants to fight, and... I think he¡¯s a Prince of some sort?¡± Ashuk shook his head, not wanting to know more. ¡°There is much land that has emerged to the east. You could stake a claim, with your strength, and with the Iyr¡¯s backing, or with the backing of another noble you should have formed a relation with, if you were not a fool.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but that sounds like a lot of work,¡± Adam said, grumbling to himself. ¡°I could spend a few years warring and skirmishing, but I¡¯d rather just make a ton of gold and then buy the land once the nobles destroy themselves over it, or... I don¡¯t know, do I need the land? It¡¯s so far away from my family, and it¡¯s not like there are planes or trains about.¡± Ashuk wasn¡¯t sure what Adam was talking about, but hearing that heavy sigh, he understood the half elf was annoyed by something on a deep level. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise the ship was this fast,¡± Adam admitted, still feeling a pressure against him, somehow the ship travelling close to four times as quick as the typical ship, more or less, though Adam wasn¡¯t sure exactly how quickly. ¡°We like to travel two hundred miles during daylight,¡± Ashuk admitted. ¡°There are also twenty more who remain in their rooms until they are required to row if we are in such a place without magic, though that is rare, once or twice a decade, and not near the coast line, where we can ask for assistance.¡± ¡°The sea is so scary,¡± Adam said, taking a half step back from the railing. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever felt so safe.¡± ¡°You feel it too?¡± ¡°Yeah. What is it?¡± ¡°This ship is made of the ocean¡¯s essence.¡± ¡°The O¡¯Shan¡¯s essence? What did they do to it.¡± ¡°Not the O¡¯Shan¡¯s essence, the oceans, the seas, the water itself. There are not many ships which can match the closeness with the water. We may not know its true connection even after all these years. We may be too weak. We may be too unworthy.¡± ¡®This guy sounds like he¡¯s in a cult, and that look in his eyes, maybe he is?¡¯ Adam smiled at his little joke, shrugging his shoulders in response to him. They continued to speed along across the sea, the ship pushing even beyond the Florian town, and speeding further along towards the strait, where Merc City awaited them. It was almost evening by the time they had arrived at the Aswadian fortress town, which lay just west of Mercenary City. ¡®I think Big Ebony is right above is, right?¡¯ Adam thought, looking towards where the wasteland was, which had suddenly sprung forth, bringing him the gift that was Lucy. ¡®Sorry about not bringing you along, but apparently it¡¯s rougher in Aswadasad for you guys.¡¯ The Aswadian fortress town was no joke, as Adam would have put it, and though the town was rather large, it was the fortress which imposed upon the land. Adam spotted at least a hundred soldiers near the port, and the various ships, easily twenty ships, each large galleys at the ready to speed off. Each soldier wore well made scale, their spears long, their blades eager for blood. A small army sat at the ready, though Adam wondered if this was the entire army, since the Reavers were around. The Windy Warhawk settled into the busy docks, eyes full of suspicion upon it. The Captain paid the necessary fees, though the half elf passed on a pouch of silver which assisted. Dunes and Mork each wished to speak with the Captain, but left the half elf be, noting the aura which emanated from the Captain, who kept eyeing up the other fool of a half elf. ¡®Did Jurot inform the Captain of Adam?¡¯ Dunes thought, while Mork thought the Captain was just getting used to how annoying Adam was, especially since he had already begun to show off about his children. Ashuk wouldn¡¯t have minded if they continued on their journey, to the next proper town, but unfortunately he was feeling rather rough after the bout, and the Captain had spent much of his power propelling the ship to the fortress, so it was best to take it easy for the next few hours than to spend it trying to get to the town and exhausting themselves. They approached the dock inn, feeling the gaze of the various guards and soldiers upon them. The dock inn was as one might have expected, perfectly suited to deal with the issues of sailors, the desires of their stomachs, to the desires of their hearts, though Adam quickly retreated to his room, wanting to spend some time alone to himself. John remained silent, eating his meal, drinking his drinks, his eyes darted from side to side. His stomach felt the awkwardness of being out to sea. ¡®We¡¯re in Aswadasad already?¡¯ Once evening approached, Bael, settling himself atop the roof of the inn, held his black and blue blade, glaring at it. Lightning crackled all through it, as he had tried every so often during their journey. ¡°Why are you being so stubborn?¡± Bael asked, narrowing his eyes at the blade, still feeling something within it that he disliked. ¡®Should I just burn my Spark?¡¯ Bael is so casually unhinged, no wonder they are friends. [1230] – Y06.130 – Mo Dunes "Look at this handsome fellow,¡± Adam called out, as though he was praising his son for dressing up so adorably. Dunes shook his head slightly, running his fingers along the hem of his outer vestment, cut shorter than those of the Aldish, almost entirely pure black, save for the silver patterns across the front, letters of Aswadic script which spelled out the word for sword, written in a way so the word itself looked like a sword. Within the design, the clasp was hidden, but allowed the vestments to remain snug against the Aswadian, even over his full plate. Upon the back of his vestments, the symbol of Lady Arya displayed proudly in silver. ¡°I must wear it because I am from Black Mountain,¡± Dunes said, fixing an amulet under his vestments, so the sword pointed directly towards it. ¡°Why are you only wearing it now?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I did not wish to be seen in it without a freshly formed beard,¡± Dunes joked, running a finger along the outline of his beard, which had been lined by an Aswadian hand, his own, that morning. ¡°It is because we are upon Aswadian soil and I am upon official business of Black Mountain. You must call me Kal Dunes, Executive, or Mo Dunes, if it pleases you.¡± ¡°Mo Dunes?¡± ¡°Mo is closer to Brother, whereas Kal is closer to Sir.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Mo Dunes. Big Mo.¡± Adam chuckled to himself lightly, but saw the gaze within Dunes¡¯ eyes, serious, though still warm. ¡°Right, of course, Mo Dunes. You do look great though! The vestments suit you.¡± ¡°I must, since it is time to show off my home to you,¡± Dunes said, his lips trembling into a wide smile. Dunes looked towards the sky, the dawn¡¯s rays falling all upon them. ¡®It would be humorous if I were to return with the ability to cast Fifth Gate spells.¡¯ Dunes let out the thoughts within the sigh, falling away with the wind, understanding within his heart that he could do no such thing, not when their lives were still at stake. Even with the precious sword they came upon through sheer luck, would the Priest Commander, with his great pride, allow Dunes to leave for the business? John eyed up the pair, speaking so casually with one another, each an existence far above himself. He glanced aside towards the tip of his spear, perpetually bloody with the agony of death from long ago. A spear, a humble weapon, the humbles of weapons one could argue, and a weapon that felt so comfortable within his hand. He had practised with it that morning, as best as he could, quickly taking a dip to wash off his sweat before the group finished up their breakfast and made their way upon the ship. Brittany stared out to the sea, feeling the same pain within her heart as the father, though unlike the father, she carried a pair of shortblades that were worth more than the spear, and even if she did not wield either, she still carried a deadwood bow. Uwajin yawned, tasting the salty air, her lungs expanding as she breathed in deep, trying to wake herself up. She glanced aside towards Ashuk, who burned with the want to fight, to stretch his muscles, to face Adam at his strongest. It was that kind of feeling, the kind she understood well, for she was an Iyrman. Except, she had spent most of her time snoozing, with no real determination beyond the typical wish to fight and sleep. She felt the tingle of the magical blade upon her back, that which had been gifted to her. ¡®Once Amokan becomes Chief, I will need to support the family as the Head,¡¯ Naqokan thought, staring out to the ocean, watching the waves bobbing back and forth as she stood beside her half asleep companion. ¡®Damokan and Kalokan are growing well, Minakan and Alykan, the twins will guide their younger sisters. I will need to watch over Inakan and Mokan.¡¯ ¡°Should I step out too?¡± muttered the sleepy voice, the young woman yawning. Naqokan turned her head slowly to take in the sight of her yawning companion, who stood tall with her arms crossed, blinking away the bleariness. She, who often had to fight off her sleepiness until she was finally awake during battle, had never displayed much of a willingness to step out beyond her duties. A shame, considering she was the strongest of their particular group. From the Silver Fate Squad, Nirot, Uwajin, Naqokan, Faool, Laygak, and Bavin, there were quite a few who were considered Golden Children, in some ways. Nirot technically reached that status because of how difficult it was to kill her, but Uwajin and Naqokan, and even Faool, were considered such due to their natural abilities. Laygak and Bavin fell short, Bavin only slightly. Uwajin, however, was different. She was different even compared to Naqokan, for Naqokan had reached the peak of her strength right before she had become an Expert, but Uwajin had reached the peak of her natural strength before she stepped out of the Iyr. Even compared to the likes of Timojin and Amokan, Uwajin held the natural might that belonged to the likes of the granddaughter of the Bearded Dragon. If it hadn¡¯t been for her sleepiness, and her want to live an easy life, she would have left a mess in her wake that would make even the Mad Dog seem like a puppy. In all her years, Naqokan had hoped Uwajin would step forward, but she had long lost that hope when Uwajin brushed her off. ¡®It sounds tiring,¡¯ Uwajin had admitted, though she was more than eager to train to fight in case she was needed by the Iyr. It was not that she didn¡¯t want to grow more powerful, it was that she had no desire to make a name for herself across the nearby lands. ¡®What happened?¡¯ Naqokan thought. Even after she had faced Rock Bear¡¯s daughter, Uwajin hadn¡¯t felt the burning desire within her, but this morning, when the wind was so sharp, the air salty, the town so peaceful, Uwajin spoke such words. ¡°Naqokan, should I become the Chief?¡± Uwajin asked, as though she could make a play for it now, though considering how she was still Iyrmanly, she had the chance, though she would certainly lose to Amokan and Timojin, who were able to think more long term. ¡°It would be too tiring,¡± Naqokan replied, half a joke, but also because Uwajin wouldn¡¯t make a good Chief, so her efforts were wasted in that way. ¡°You are right,¡± Uwajin replied, burying that desire almost instantly, the young woman staring out towards the sea. ¡°Should I become a Paragon?¡± ¡°You should.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Uwajin flexed her entire body, filled with determination, allowing it to overwhelm her, and she overwrote the laziness within her heart. ¡°You have the sword, so you should use it,¡± Naqokan teased. ¡°I will ask Adam to gift you such a blade too,¡± Uwajin said. Naqokan laughed, but stopped as Uwajin marched her way to the half elf, the young Iyrman quickly grabbing at her friend. Unfortunately for her, her muscles hadn¡¯t awoken, and Uwajin had already committed to her new dream, and walked slightly quickly than Naqokan had expected. ¡°Hmm?¡± Adam asked, noting the glare within Uwajin¡¯s eyes, the grey skinned Iyrman flexing off the sleepiness repeatedly. ¡°Sure, I can get you a nice sword too, Naqokan. I¡¯ll send word back to my darling wife!¡± Naqokan was glad that the half elf had mentioned his wife, unable to take Adam¡¯s bullying, for her heart held the wound of a shock she hadn¡¯t expected, from Uwajin¡¯s proposal to become a Paragon, to asking for a sword for Naqokan. ¡°Now that you mention it, shouldn¡¯t we outfit you in some nice weapons?¡± Adam mused aloud. ¡°I¡¯ll think of some enchantments and I¡¯ll pass them along. Other than hitting harder, do you have any requests?¡± Naqokan wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to Adam¡¯s earnestness, while the half elf closed his eyes, no doubt thinking of his wife once more, since his lips twitched into a smirk. Nirot remained silent, watching the scene unfold before them, glancing aside to Laygak and Faool, who didn¡¯t say a word. She thought back to when she fought that python, a tale that she wasn¡¯t sure she could repeat even now. Somehow she had managed to defeat such a vicious python by herself, no magical axe, just her raw strength, raw fury, raw toughness. None of her companions had even begun to match such a feat, even Uwajin and Naqokan had struggled to face one together. If she had magical equipment, couldn¡¯t she also surpass the Nirot of all those years ago? Bavin remained silent, watching the scene without much of a thought. He thought of his twin sister, who had been so suspicious of the half elf, but upon his return, when he had somehow managed to defeat her, her eyes beamed with such a delight. ¡®We should bring Lavin next time...¡¯ ¡®What kind of weapons should I gift them?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®Greater Enhanced? I¡¯ll make them something like Seventh Sky, I guess?¡¯ John stared at the Iyrman who had suddenly claimed she was going to become a Paragon, and had asked for a magical weapon for her companion so shamelessly, and then the half elf who thought deeply about gifting them all magical weapons. ¡®The world is larger than I thought...¡¯ Man! I''m so excited for 1000 chapters from now when everyone does cool stuff. I''m sure nothing cool will happen in Aswadasad... [1231] – Y06.131 – Bael The Windy Warhawk followed along the coastline of Aswadasad, passing by other ships which made their voyage along the coast towards Aldland, and while some may have disguised themselves as merchant ships, there were few which would dare to trouble the Windy Warhawk. ¡°We¡¯re heading further today?¡± Adam asked, ready to roll his dice, eager to earn a copper. ¡°It would be nice to arrive in Arisa by noon or early afternoon,¡± Ashuk said. ¡°You will be able to settle yourselves easier if you have more time and spend most of the day resting from the journey before resting naturally.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense,¡± Adam said, losing more and more copper to each of the sailors during the game, without a single care in the world. As the ship travelled without a worry in the world, hundreds of miles away to the west, one of Adam¡¯s daughters was causing a small mess. ¡°You draw so well, my Virot!¡± Jarot exclaimed, reaching out to brush the girl¡¯s hair, though his heart ached, for he could not see his Jirot that day. ¡°Kaka, you always draw so well,¡± little Jarot said, kissing her forehead. ¡°Kaka?¡± Virot asked. ¡°Jirot is still sick.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Virot pouted, though quickly her pout disappeared, as she smiled so brightly, forcing herself up as she screamed and charged at her mother. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Virot, Virot, quietly,¡± Vonda said, lifting the girl up who assaulted her face with kisses, the woman realised she would need another bath, all the while the girl squealed with delight. ¡°Are you behaving, or are you causing a mess for your sister¡¯s sake?¡± ¡°Kaka sick!¡± the girl complained, hugging her mother, pouting so heavily, which was her usual expression whenever she tried to get out of trouble, but this time it was heavier, the worry for her sister filling her up. Perhaps it was not worry, but loneliness, for the girls were so close. ¡°Did you draw for your sister?¡± ¡°Dow,¡± Virot confirmed, before babbling away at her mother noisily, pointing back towards the exit so she could give her sister the dowing. ¡°My greatdaughter draws so well!¡± Jarot laughed wildly, grinning even wider than usual, though his eyes creased with stress. ¡°Virot, did you thank your greatfather for helping?¡± Vonda asked. ¡°What help did my greatdaughter require? She holds the gem so firmly, like a blade, and her art is greater than the art I create on the battlefield! My greatdaughter who draws so well!¡± ¡°Babo!¡± Virot reached out a hand, but as the old Jarot reached out for it, she pulled it back and cackled, causing her greatfather to laugh too. Little Jarot also smiled wide, the boy giggling, reaching his hand up to hold his mother¡¯s without realising. Vonda brushed along the back of his hand tenderly, before the pair embraced together, and Vonda greeted the rest of the children, checking upon her youngest, who was fast asleep to one side, the boy snoozing without a care in the world, sleeping like an adult. Gangak remained beside her greatdaughter, reading the girl one of her tales, wiping the tiny green girl¡¯s nose now and again. ¡°Veisswing is strong?¡± ¡°Veisswing is, he is a dragon.¡± ¡°Are all dragons strong?¡± ¡°All dragons are strong, and they grow more powerful as they age.¡± ¡°He has a big sister too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He is like Jarot! Jarot has a big sister! I am Jarot¡¯s big sister!¡± Jirot laughed and coughed, her greatmother helped her by patting her back. ¡°Yes, a big sister who causes as much trouble,¡± Gangak joked. ¡°Kekeke!¡± Jirot smirked wide. ¡°Veisswing¡¯s daddy does not look like him?¡± ¡°That is right.¡± Gangak smiled, seeing the way the girl was still working hard to learn more and more, even while she was sick. ¡°He plays with his sister?¡± ¡°Sometimes, but they leave one another be.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They are not close.¡± ¡°He is not like Jarot. I am so close with Jarot. I love my brother so much. I love you too, nano.¡± ¡°I love you too, my Jirot,¡± Gangak said, leaning down to kiss her sweaty forehead. She fed her greatdaughter soup and continued to keep her company. ¡°Nano, can I be as pretty as you?¡± Jirot asked, her eyes slowly shutting. ¡°You are already so beautiful, my Jirot.¡± ¡°Of course, since I am mummy¡¯s daughter,¡± Jirot whispered, yawning, the girl turned her head slightly to look at her greatmother. Gangak smiled, brushing the girl¡¯s hair repeatedly, soothing her to sleep. ¡°Daddy is a little bit handsome too...¡± ¡°Just a little bit?¡± ¡°Just a little bit,¡± the girl confirmed, smirking slightly. The day was so long, full of nothingness. But not for Adam. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Adam asked, staring out into the darkened sky, the sun setting behind the ship. The sailors rushed to their post, urgency spurring their feet forward. The half elf just watched as the giant mass fell. ¡°Is that a golem?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Bael said, tilting his neck from side to side, while the Captain shouted his orders. ¡°I will deal with it.¡± Thunder rumbled from the boat as the lightning crackled, and Bael, almost daring to burn his Spark, rushed forward in a mass of half dragon and half lightning, bolted towards the golem. He tackled the form from the side, the giant golem spinning slightly as Bael let out a pained grunt, far enough away to let it slip. He then shot upwards against the golem¡¯s front, holding out his arms, the entire weight of the golem upon him now as he tried to slow down its descent, lightning crackling all around him. The golem¡¯s falling body slowed as they approached the surface, and right before they fell into the depths, the lightning dissipated, and the fall rippled outwards towards the ship, the waves slamming against the Windy Warhawk, though not quite with the tsunami the world had originally threatened them with, and yet the Windy Warhawk rode the wave as though it were stuck to the water. ¡°Hey, would you guys mind picking him up for us?¡± Adam asked, glancing aside towards the mermen, who had no idea Bael was so powerful. ¡°Who is he?¡± Captain Cumulus O¡¯Shan asked, eyes darting towards the half elf, who had seemed far too calm. ¡°He¡¯s Bael.¡± ¡°Bael?¡± ¡°A friend.¡± Adam noted the look on the Captain¡¯s face. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about him, but apparently he and the Iyr go way back, or something.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ As the mermen returned back to the ship, carrying Bael, who inhaled the crisp air deep into his lungs. ¡°You alright?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Bael replied, glad he didn¡¯t need to burn his Spark, but he glanced aside towards the sea. ¡®What is one of those doing in this realm?¡¯ ¡°What was it?¡± ¡°Nothing important,¡± Bael replied, shaking his head lightly, meaning they didn¡¯t need to deal with it. ¡°A golem...¡± Jurot whispered. ¡°We should get ourselves a golem,¡± Adam said, rubbing his chin. ¡°It is difficult.¡± ¡°It is?¡± ¡°They are a relic from an era long past. Most believe none remain, but it is certain some do, though they are kept hidden away. That golem must have slipped through the Realms.¡± ¡°Slipped through Realms?¡± Adam asked. Jurot shook his head, since it was too dangerous to speak about this topic, especially since there were those who were not crazy monsters with the likes of the O¡¯Shan family or the Iyr backing them. Though, he supposed the others around did have Adam. ¡°So even the Iyr knows moderation?¡± Bael joked, grinning wide like a beast, dripping seawater all over the deck. The patsul were too busy staring at him in awe to be annoyed. ¡°We are too weak to deal with such matters,¡± Jurot replied simply, and with that, they dropped the topic. A moment later, a shout came from the sea, and the Captain peeked overhead, barking back towards them. He nodded his head to the unseen figure, and pulled back. ¡°The mermen had prepared for the event,¡± Captain O¡¯Shan informed. ¡°Now that I think about it, something like that, wouldn¡¯t it have destroyed the nearby lands if the tsunami, the tidal wave, just... you know?¡± Adam said, realising just how close they had been to death. ¡°Matters within the sea are dealt with by those within the sea,¡± Captain O¡¯Shan replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°They divine matters and deal with them so they do not effect the land,¡± Jurot said. ¡°It is our agreement. Land matters are dealt by those on the land. Undersea matters are dealt by those undersea.¡± ¡°What about on the sea matters?¡± Jurot shrugged in the way that told Adam everything he needed to know, and once more, the half elf recalled just how much he hated the sea. ¡®I need some kind of waterbreathing, natural swimming too.¡¯ Adam took a half step back from the edge of the ship. They arrived at the town towards the late evening, the ship docking, the group finding a dock inn to rest, before they awoke early in the morning. Hopefully there would be no golem falling from the sky, and somehow, there was nothing like that. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Adam said, letting out a small sigh. ¡°Just how many kids am I going to have?¡± Jan glanced aside towards the half elf curiously, though returned his attention back to the little girl who remained unconscious within his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sound racist, but do any of you know her?¡± Adam asked, pointing to the merman child. ¡°No,¡± Jan replied, raising his brow. ¡°She looks nothing like us.¡± Adam glanced between them all, doing his best not to burst out into laughter, or to make the inappropriate joke. ¡°Adam,¡± Jurot called, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Adam replied, his voice pained. I''m sure there''s nothing troubling about anything that happened within this chapter. Jarot is going to be so happy there''s another greatchild. [1232] – Y06.132 – Kizwolima Lay on Hands: 45 -> 44 The girl gasped awake, staring at the strangers above her, her brows furrowed in confusion. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and glanced around at those around her, noting all the strangers, from the mermen, to the inasir, to the half elves. The girl called out something that sounded like popping bubbles, the mermen glancing between one another, popping bubbles back towards her, causing the girl to gasp, before the drakken fellow slapped Jan upside the head, dropping down to his knees, the man laughing as he popped bubbles at her. The girl, who had almost made to cry, stared up at the drakken, pointing at his horns, saying something undoubtedly problematic, though Tovi just laughed, bowing his head as he showed off his horns, the drakken allowing her to touch his horns and scales, though the girl shook her head. ¡°So, what¡¯s she doing out here?¡± Adam asked. ¡°She does not remember.¡± ¡°Where is she from?¡± ¡°Fifth Rock,¡± Tavi said, sighing lightly. ¡°Where is that?¡± ¡°Everywhere,¡± Tavi rubbed the side of his neck while his younger brother made a joke towards the girl, causing her to cackle, letting down her guard. ¡°There are hundred, if not thousands, of villages called Fifth Rock.¡± ¡°There are thousands more even we do not know of,¡± Ashuk said, letting out a large sigh. ¡°Excuse me, Tovi, could you ask her the name of her ruler?¡± Adam asked. ¡°King Koffi?¡± Tovi replied, rubbing his chin. ¡®Which of the Undersea Kingdoms was his again?¡¯ ¡°At least it¡¯s one of Emperor Moto¡¯s,¡± Jan said. ¡°Oh? So is King Koffi related to Prince Merza?¡± Adam asked. ¡°The Prince would be one of his many nephews.¡± ¡°Should I send word to Princess Miza or Prince Merza?¡± ¡°You... can?¡± Jan asked, wondering how this half elf knew two of the mermen royal family. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°That would be a good idea...¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Mana: 34 -> 31 Spell: Sending ¡°Sorry to bother you, Prince Merza. We found a random merman child floating in the sea. They¡¯re alive, but don¡¯t remember much. We are heading-,¡± Adam felt the spell fade, slapping his forehead. ¡®Oh, right.¡¯ ¡®Is this a way for you to meet with us to discuss the Reavers? They are your problem, landfolk. Deal with them yourselves.¡¯ Adam blinked, turning to face Jurot, his eyes burning with annoyance, an annoyance he hadn¡¯t displayed in some time. ¡°Remind me to beat the days out of that Merza prick next time we meet. He¡¯s speaking to me like I didn¡¯t hand his ass to him, the nonce.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Jurot replied. Jan glanced between the pair, since Adam was certainly threatening one of Moto¡¯s family, while the Iyrman was encouraging it. ¡®Just how fearless are you?¡¯ Mana: 31 -> 28 Spell: Sending ¡°Prince, you watch your tone with me, pal. We¡¯re heading to Arisa, and then the capital. She says her ruler is King Koffi.¡± Adam glanced towards Jurot, who revealed his finger and thumb. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡®Watch your tongue, boy. I am a Prince. Since she is one of ours, we will collect her from Aria. Leave her with the Faro.¡¯ ¡°He¡¯s picking a fight with me, Jurot,¡± Adam said, slowly growing riled up. ¡°I¡¯m gonna beat him so hard, day¡¯s going to turn to night, man, I swear to Baktu.¡± ¡°He must still be angry you beat him so terribly.¡± ¡°It was two or three years ago!¡± Adam exclaimed back, defending himself. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have picked a fight with me when my wife was sick! He should be lucky I didn¡¯t kill him at that time!¡± ¡°You were surrounded by his guards,¡± Jurot replied. ¡°My axe was still at his neck, and he needs to remember that,¡± Adam replied, far too darkly, even he had to let out a small sigh. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have beaten him so quickly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Anyway, Prince Merza said we need to hand her over to the Faro, who is the...¡± ¡°Duchess,¡± Jurot translated for the half elf, who nodded in response. ¡°Though, does she speak Elementi?¡± ¡°She may,¡± Jurot said, though he wasn¡¯t sure. ¡°He didn¡¯t give us a time line, so chances are it¡¯s going to take forever. Also, I don¡¯t know, it feels weird leaving her to a noble. They probably don¡¯t know how to treat a child, plus when the rich get their hands on a kid...¡± Adam cleared his throat. ¡°I don¡¯t want Vonda to divorce me, but if something happens to the girl while we¡¯re doing what we¡¯re doing, the Shen¡¯s going to need to find another Faro.¡± ¡°That would be difficult.¡± ¡°You know how easy it would be for me to set up a situation like that,¡± Adam whispered to the Iyrman, threatening to kill the Faro right in front of the crew of the Windy Warhawk. ¡®Fearless is not the right word,¡¯ the merman thought. ¡°Look, all I¡¯m saying is, let¡¯s not put me into that situation in the first place. I assume you guys don¡¯t want to look after her?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Even though the Prince would take kindly to it?¡± ¡°Would he?¡± Jan asked, raising his thick brow. ¡°Okay, yeah, fair. So, does anyone with us speak Elementi?¡± Adam asked, rubbing the side of his neck. ¡°I do,¡± Tagak admitted. ¡°Would you watch over her?¡± ¡°Taygak is my priority.¡± Adam let out a small sigh, but said nothing, the half elf scratching his neck lightly as he thought. ¡°Give me a second.¡± Jurot noted the half elf¡¯s eyes glancing slightly to the side, as though reading something in the air, the Iyrman placing a hand on Adam¡¯s shoulder, taking him to one side so they could look out to the sea. ¡®Man, can anything give me Elementi? Doesn¡¯t...¡¯ Adam blinked. ¡®What? Heavy Armour? Smithing? I already had those, didn¡¯t I? What a useless pick! Hey, Bell, never mind, I¡¯ll check myself.¡¯ [Thank you.] ¡°Jurot, I¡¯m so stupid,¡± Adam whispered in the Iyr¡¯s tongue. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to get a whole less stupid, though. What do you think? I can take one more language, which should I take?¡± ¡°Elementi too?¡± ¡°Yeah, Elementi and one more.¡± ¡°Aswadic.¡± Adam remained quiet for a long moment. ¡°Okay, maybe I won¡¯t become a whole less stupid, but a little less. Also, I get to pick some knowledge, but I already have Arcane Lore, but I can take History, Nature, Religion, which should I take? Though, it does give me Mastery, which could help with...¡± Jurot noted Adam¡¯s look, wondering what it meant. ¡°You know, to make money.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Jurot replied, slowly nodding his head. ¡°Are you able to gain Mastery in another way?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°It may be best to take History and Religion, for if you are to speak with nobles often, knowing these matters would assist.¡± ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t want to take those then...¡± Adam frowned slightly. ¡°I was thinking Nature, to help with Alchemy, since I am the Head Alchemist.¡± ¡°That is also a good idea.¡± ¡°Nature and Religion, then?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± XP: 28 700 -> 27 700 Ability Unlocked! Blessings of Erudite Learn two languages. Pick two from Arcane Lore, History, Nature, Religion to gain Mastery in such Skills. ¡°You know, now that I think about it, I really know a lot of languages,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°It feels really cool.¡± ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Jurot agreed. ¡°I should take all the languages so I can spoil all the children in every language,¡± Adam whispered, mostly as a joke. ¡°Do you know of the Tongues spell?¡± ¡°No, but that is a decent spell.¡± Adam reached into his pocket for his journal. Jurot wondered if he should allow Adam to speak the languages he had just learnt. Jurot reached into his pocket and revealed a small ring he had brought for Pam. ¡°Wear this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jurot, but I¡¯m a married man, and we¡¯re brothers,¡± Adam replied, but he accepted the ring, plucking it from his brother¡¯s fingers, too embarrassed to allow the Iyrman to slip it onto his pinky. Jurot decided to show mercy, but he was beginning to think perhaps Adam was more of a half elf than he let on. ¡°You must keep the ring on until we are deeper within Aswadasad, without the crew.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Adam replied, returning back to the group, before understanding why Jurot had started with the theatrics. ¡°Hello.¡± The girl¡¯s head darted to the side, towards the half elf, even causing the drakken to raise his brow in alarm. ¡°My name is Adam, what¡¯s your name?¡± Adam asked. ¡°I am Kizwolima.¡± ¡°Oh? What a pretty name! Can I call you Kiz?¡± ¡°No, my name is Kizwolima,¡± the girl said, taking a half step towards the drakken Oathsworn. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Adam chuckled, dropping to a knee. ¡°Kizwolima, I sent a message to Prince Merza, and he said he¡¯s going to take you home soon, but for now, you¡¯re going to have to stick with us. Do you see my brother there, the one with the tatoo on his forehead.¡± ¡°Deathsinger,¡± Kizwolima confirmed. ¡°No, no, he¡¯s-,¡± Adam paused. ¡°Oh, right, yes. That¡¯s another word for them, but we call them Iyrman on the land, usually.¡± ¡°Are you a Deathsinger?¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not,¡± Adam replied, rubbing his forehead. ¡°I¡¯m a... I¡¯m his brother, but I have a special relationship with the Iyr. We have the same sister, that¡¯s why we¡¯re brothers.¡± ¡°Oh! I have a sister too!¡± ¡°Oh! Really?¡± ¡°Yes! I have three big brothers and I have two big sisters and I have one small sister and one little brother, he is a baby, so we have to be quiet when he sleeps,¡± Kizwolima informed the half elf, who felt the urge to spoil her rise within his heart. ¡®Let me adopt her, please!¡¯ Adam thought, though he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he noted the looks he was receiving from the nearby crew. ¡°Since she¡¯s all alone, I should be allowed to spoil her until she returns back to her family!¡± The outburst confused the others, Kizwolima gasping, retreating back to the drakken, who kept a curious glare upon the half elf, who was apologising so profusely to the little merman child. ¡°Adam is known as the Crazy Father,¡± Jurot said. ¡°She holds as much protection as Taygak now.¡± The warning did not go unnoticed. Manager Jonn stepped beside the half elf, while the other John glanced between them all, feeling the heaviness in the air, though it quickly dissipated as the crew realised what the Iyrman was saying. ¡®Why is he accepting another child when we must protect Taygak?¡¯ Tagak thought, deciding against thinking too deeply as to how the half elf could suddenly speak another tongue, nor speaking the words aloud within ear shot of Laygak, who would certainly wish to beat him. General Adam: A fine addition to my collection. [1233] – Y06.133 – Arisa I The countless ships scattered across the sea, fishing all across the sea, while a rather large and impressive galley floated its way to the crew. The Mulazim upon the galley glared at the half elf Captain, who remained completely silent and still, returning his own glare, before the galley slipped to one side and allowed the ship to continue on its way to the capital of Northern Aswadasad, Arisa. ¡°Red Port, or Noble Port, there are many names for Arisa in another¡¯s tongue, but you should know of it as the port which holds the best wine, or perhaps, the best soldiers,¡± Dunes said, though upon speaking of the best soldiers, he smirked slightly. ¡°If you are to include the halfzers north, they are,¡± Jurot said, his arms crossed as the ship sailed towards the port. ¡°If you include the halfzers, I would agree, without, they are as decent as any other,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°We should include the halfzers, whose lands the Faro returned to them, and the border between what is now Floria and Aswadasad was secured for generations.¡± ¡°It seems the King is eager to form relations with the Faro, though the Shen may be able to create a deeper relation,¡± Dunes said. ¡°The halfzers are secure, for the Faro would not give up such great warriors even for King Merryweather.¡± ¡°Do you not believe in greed?¡± ¡°There is greed, and then there are the halfzers,¡± Jurot replied simply. ¡°They¡¯re really that strong?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Though Aldland can pillage and loot Aswadasad, they cannot take the land of Northern Aswadasad, for they will not accept the rule of any who are not the Faro,¡± Jurot replied simply. ¡°You said it was something about them returning to their home, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jurot stated, the shadow of a smile appearing upon his lips as he recalled the story of the halfzers, and just how difficult they were to face in battle. ¡°The halfzers are Iyrmanly, that way. Though, they are not as autonomous as we of the Iyr.¡± ¡°Iyr or the halfzers, who wins?¡± Adam asked, flashing a cheeky smile. ¡°The Iyr,¡± Jurot replied with not even a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Of course you¡¯d say that, but then again, so would I!¡± Adam laughed, poking Jurot with his elbow lightly. The city sprawled across the horizon, the buildings flowing out like a wave across the land, the hilly terrain hiding much of the expansive city behind from the sea. The giant docks held hundreds of ships, though countless ships continued dotting the sea like bustling ants, but while the ships imposed upon their sight a wall ready to slaughter anyone about to sneeze the wrong way, the docks melted into the rest of the city, but not before the large cliffs, which separated the dock to the city proper, each mounted with large crossbows and ballistae, ready to fend off any army, or troublemakers. ¡°You know, I noticed we passed by the coast line, and there was a fort, villages, towns, all pretty packed in close, compared to Aldland,¡± Adam said as the Windy Warhawk waited for the smaller military vessel to confirm them. ¡°Aswadasad is home to more towns and villages than Aldland,¡± Dunes informed. ¡°The population is similar, but Aldland¡¯s are all focused upon their towns, while our villages and towns, we each share a culture, but we are also very different. Aldland has its tribesfolk, we have ours, but ours are also considered Aswadian, but...¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t say that around them?¡± Adam asked, noting the way Dunes slowly nodded his head. ¡°The tribesfolk in Aldland were brought to heel to hide many years ago. Aswadasad did not dare to try such, we formed our own relationships, and over time they are all but Aswadian.¡± ¡°There are many dragons in Aswadasad, and they would not have allowed any Shen to try to subjugate the tribesfolk,¡± Jurot said, exchanging a look with Dunes, who nodded his head slowly. ¡°I heard the dragons have become more neutral or allied with Aswadasad now?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Almost all of them, but the Shen of the Golden Desert, and another in the mountains near Aswabayad.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another one, right? Veisswing¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°Princess of the Red Desert, who makes her home within our mountain.¡± ¡°Oh? Really?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Dunes replied, certain he had informed Adam, though as the moment passed, the pair wondered if they had. ¡°Huh. I thought you were in Black Mountain?¡± ¡°She left the Red Desert, but still claims the title, and we sometimes send a few of our Order to check upon her land.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°There are many other great figures in Aswadasad,¡± Jurot said, exchanging a look with Dunes, who smiled slightly, since upon the Black Mountain, which was mostly owned by the Shen, there was another great figure within, though it was more of an open secret. ¡°Is the Princess of the Red Desert also a Wing?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Veisswing is special,¡± Jurot said. ¡°He was adopted by Slumber Claw.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The one who played dragonchess.¡± ¡°Oh! He¡¯s the really old dragon, right? Ancient?¡± Adam asked. ¡°He is the Ancient Brass Dragon,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Brass?¡± ¡°The Claw family are brass dragons, while the Wing family are bronze. Veisswing was adopted when he was still young.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s really nice of him.¡± ¡°Slumber Claw is...¡± Dunes began, unsure of how to describe him. ¡°Strong.¡± ¡°How strong?¡± ¡°He would be able to clash with Lady Jaeryael.¡± ¡°Man, that¡¯s crazy that she¡¯s so strong, we can benchmark other strong people against her,¡± Adam said, shaking his head lightly. ¡®That would be so cool...¡¯ ¡°Emperor Shama is of similar strength,¡± Jurot added. ¡°Yeah?¡± Adam asked, revealing an almost dangerous look in his eyes. ¡®So if I can beat Jaeryael, then...¡¯ ¡°Lady Jaeryael is well respected,¡± Jurot said, noting Adam¡¯s face. ¡°Adam, please,¡± Dunes called out, almost groaning at the half elf¡¯s expressions. ¡°A man¡¯s thoughts are his own!¡± Adam complained, flushing red. As the Windy Warhawk docked, the group walked down onto the docks, while the crew worked on getting the carriages onto the ground, the dockguard, adorned in their full scale, holding onto their spears, shortblades at their side, eyed up the group. The leader, an older woman, caught the sight of the Priest in black and silver. ¡°Mo,¡± she called, the older woman also adorned in full scale, spear, a long, dark cloak falling down to her calves, a medallion clasping her cloak over her scale, stamped with elongated Aswadic letters forming a symbol, wearing a blade made of gemsteel at her side. ¡°Mulazim,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°Are you with these foreigners?¡± The Mulazim asked, eyes scanning across the group, who were mostly Iyrmen. ¡°They are with me,¡± Dunes corrected, smiling wide. ¡°If you wish to take responsibility for them, you may, but if they cause trouble...¡± ¡°They welcome it, but they will not seek it,¡± Dunes assured. ¡°What is their business in Aswadasad at such a time?¡± The Mulazim eyed the Iyrmen up, each of whom seemed so confident, young children, yet to be beaten by the world and time, for though they were Iyrmen, they were too young to hold such a viciousness within their eyes. ¡°They are escorting me back to Black Mountain,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°That is all?¡± ¡°No, but it is their main task.¡± ¡°All of them are escorting you to Black Mountain?¡± Dunes looked back at the large group, taking them all within his sight for a long moment, before turning back to look at the Mulazim. ¡°Yes.¡± The Mulazim narrowed her eyes, unsure if Dunes was hiding something, and that charming smile of his all but confirmed it. The pair glared into one another¡¯s eyes for a long while, for the Mulazim wondered just how much she should press upon the young Priest, while Dunes remained steadfast, and completely unphased by her look. ¡°What other business do you have within Aswadasad, Mo.¡± ¡°We may wish to complete trade,¡± Dunes admitted, and as the woman raised her brows, suddenly far more intense, he smiled wider. ¡°They work for the United Kindom, a business near the Iyr, which deals with magical weapons.¡± ¡°Magical weapons?¡± The Mulazim reached into cloak, pulling out a small book, flicking it open as she wrote something with her stylus. ¡°Have they paid the fees for trade?¡± ¡°They are not trading at this moment,¡± Dunes replied. ¡°They may wish to speak with the Shen for a dealing, but for now, their main task is to escort me to Black Mountain safely.¡± ¡°What of the Faro?¡± ¡°What of the Faro?¡± Dunes replied, smiling wider. ¡°If the Faro wishes to procure magical equipment, then perhaps upon our return, we shall send word.¡± ¡°Are you in such a rush?¡± ¡°A small rush.¡± The woman remained silent for a long moment, slowly bowing her head. ¡°Why are there so many Iyrmen?¡± ¡°There is an Iyrman child.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the Mulazim stated, her eyes quickly darting along all the Iyrmen, before noting the younger red skinned, horned Iyrman in full plate, whose forehead was not tattooed. ¡®Thank Noor I caused no trouble.¡¯ Dunes, using the card of the teen Iyrman, smiled innocently, and with that, any trouble the Mulazim had wished to create, dissipated into the air, like lakes in the Golden Desert. When you realise Taygak is the most OP member of the party. [1234] – Y06.134 – Arisa II The salty air coated the inn with the smell of working bodies, those with calloused hands, those with alcohol running through their blood, those with pouches far too light for how hard they were working. The wooden inn had been built along the docks and out towards the rest of the city. It wasn¡¯t built like a normal inn, a square or rectangle, but spread out like a fungus trying to find water. The lower floors were dirty, the higher floors much cleaner, with guards in blue, each wearing coloured turbans, the men with neatly lined beards, the woman scarves which covered the lower half of their helmet, providing greater protection than their male counterparts. Workers hurried to and fro, carrying large baskets, crates, rolling barrels, eager to open up said barrels with their calloused hands for the sweet nectar within. ¡°Faz! Faz!¡± called an Aswadian, waving a hand towards the younger fellow, the teen who was yet to become a man, but whose hands were beginning to grow the hardiness of a working man. ¡°Ay, Murad! Murad!¡± ¡°Ahm Murad, you cowsucker!¡± ¡°Aya, ahm Murad, ahm Murad, what troubles you?¡± ¡°What troubles me is that the barrel¡¯s lid has red paint, you bastara,¡± Murad replied, his hands upon his waist as he took a cheeky break while telling off the younger fellow. ¡°Red paint?¡± Faz glanced down at the lid, staring at the mark upon the barrel, which needed to be cleaned away once it was stored, but he was fairly certain there was something about the red mark which meant this barrel was special. Faz looked up towards the Aswadian, who was almost ten years his senior, his eyes full of confusion. ¡°Red paint, red room.¡± ¡°Acha!¡± Faz slapped his forehead, shaking his head, turning the barrel around to take it to the red room, where they would need to keep the wine for a few weeks, since they had paid so much for the wine after all. This particular barrel was from Aldland, meaning it had become more expensive in the last few years, especially now, while those marked with green were from Floria, the tax for each barrel decreasing substantially. Which meant that the amazing Florian wine was so much cheaper, and the owners were more likely to slip them some at the end of the day. ¡°Faz! Remember! In the back, in the back, not the front!¡± ¡°Ahm! You cannot say such things, you are not my wife!¡± ¡°Bastara!¡± Murad threw an imaginary stone at the young man, chuckling to himself before noticing the large number of figures making their way to the inn. He narrowed his eyes, noting the large number of pale skinned figures, the tanned skinned Iyrmen, as well as the darker and the grey skinned Iyrmen, before his eyes darted to the dark skinned Aswadian wearing black vestments, fashioned in that way. Dunes nodded his head towards the Aswadian worker, reaching out to shake his forearm, clasping the back of the man¡¯s hand with another. ¡°Sa¡¯am, bless you this day.¡± ¡°Wa¡¯lay, always blessed, Mo, always blessed.¡± ¡°I do not know any decent inns in Arisa, brother, can I ask for your help?¡± ¡°There are many great inns, Mo. If you wish to spend one beht, there are some inns, but they are no good for a Mo, two beht...¡± The man smiled in the way that said they weren¡¯t good either. ¡°Three beht, there is, if you follow Sulay¡¯s Road, you will see it, it has a tower with a rough dome painted gold, maybe, thirty minute walk at most.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother,¡± Dunes said, reaching into his cloak, and as he revealed the silver coin, Murad shook his head and refused vehemently at least ten times, until Dunes placed a hand on his shoulder, raising his brows, as if daring him to refuse again. ¡°I bless you and your family for a thousand days.¡± ¡°Noo-,¡± Murad began, quickly clearing his throat. ¡°Praise be.¡± ¡°Praise be.¡± As Dunes dealt with the Aswadian, Adam handed over a large pouch to Captain Cumulus O¡¯Shan, flashing a wide smile towards him. ¡°I wanted to say thank you again for helping us out, and for speeding all the way to Arisa for us,¡± Adam said. ¡°It was no issue,¡± the Captain replied, taking the pouch from the half elf, before noting it was slightly heavier than he expected for the size of the coins within, meaning the coins were gold, at least fifty, he surmised. ¡°Just a little thank you, to buy some nicer drinks for yourselves today,¡± Adam said, winking. ¡°Are you running away?¡± Ashuk asked, inhaling sharply, his chest rising, the inasir flexing his muscles. ¡°No, no. We¡¯ll spar tomorrow in the evening, probably. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t leave until we have a good fight. I¡¯ll prepare everything properly too, and I need to figure out which weapon would be best to use against you, since we¡¯ll be giving each other a proper chance.¡± ¡°You said the sword was best?¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s only if you¡¯re not able to dance in time. If you do, this axe of mine might be better, due to how long it¡¯ll take for us to fight.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ashuk nodded his head, since their fight would take so long, it was better for Adam to fight with a weapon that did not explode with might, but held a sharper edge for longer. Seeing the half elf actually putting in effort, Ashuk smiled, almost feeling a warm, boyish flush appear on his cheeks, not that the half elf would notice. ¡°I¡¯ll swing by around later afternoon, early evening, we can hang out a little, and then... we¡¯ll get to business after. Don¡¯t wake up too early, just in case we¡¯re a little too tired at the end of the day.¡± ¡°Shall we fight in the morning?¡± ¡°No thanks, I don¡¯t want to feel like death all day,¡± Adam replied, groaning lightly, his entire body already feeling the ghostly itch of the ache from fighting someone as powerful as Ashuk. ¡®Is that The Spear?¡¯ Murad thought, his eyes darting between the others, realising they were part of the Windy Warhawk. ¡°Oh, actually, any chance we could borrow a merman woman for Kizwolima, so she doesn¡¯t feel too alone, and... I don¡¯t know how to take care of a merman, you know? Does she needs to like, sit in a bath tub in the day?¡± Adam¡¯s jaw tensed up as he did his best not to laugh. ¡°More seriously, though, I don¡¯t want her feeling too lonely until she gets used to us over the next couple of days. I¡¯ll pay, whatever, name a price.¡± ¡°Do you want to?¡± Ashuk asked one of the other mermen. ¡°I will do it,¡± one of the mermen replied, the woman nodding her head to the half elf. ¡°We¡¯ll only need you for a few days, but whatever you want, I¡¯ll pay it. Hopefully, less than a hundred gold, but if you want a hundred gold, sure,¡± Adam replied, shrugging his shoulders. It was fortunate John did not speak Elementi. ¡°Ten gold, and pay for my room and board, and I will watch over the girl,¡± the woman said, reaching out to shake the half elf¡¯s forearm. ¡°Make it twenty,¡± Adam said, reaching out to shake her forearm, and she shrugged, accepting the raise without bother. ¡°Jash, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jash replied, raising her brows lightly. ¡°Really?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Jurot, I remembered her name!¡± Adam stated excitedly, suddenly so chuffed he had somehow managed to get her name right. ¡°Well done,¡± Jurot replied, patting the half elf¡¯s shoulder. For Adam, this was perhaps more impressive than defeating Ashuk. Kitool could feel it, someone, something, was completely focused upon her, but she wasn¡¯t sure what. As she glanced aside, she spotted all manner of people, from the workers, to the guards, even to the nearby children, some of whom played near the docks, but none focused upon her. Yet, she did not notice the one child whose eyes remained focused upon the group, fairly certain he had seen them here a couple of years ago. ¡®Her eyes are still keen,¡¯ the boy thought, nibbling upon his skewer, not that he needed to eat to live any longer. However, as he spied the children, he also noted the half dragon, who was certainly a dragon in disguise, confirmed as their eyes met. ¡®Ho?¡¯ Bael thought, surprised to see one of those here. ¡®I cannot believe someone was so courageous to try it.¡¯ The child nodded his head, and Bael returned the bow of his head, acknowledging the monstrous boy, who was perhaps more insane than even himself. ¡°Lord Bael,¡± Taygak called, before trying to follow his line of sight, only for Bael to step in front. ¡°Young Taygak,¡± Bael replied, and he met Taygak¡¯s curious gaze, but though she was curious, she understood she was too weak to have such a curiosity. ¡®Even today, Aswadasad is home to a thousand monsters?¡¯ I wonder who this kid is. Also a reminder, I am still going to be posting up an additional chapter for each new patron! [1235] – Y06.135 – Arisa III Jirot coughed lightly, for that afternoon, she was no longer quite as hot, quite as sweaty, and though her throat hurt a little, it was more like a tickle. ¡°Nano, I am sick, will you get sick too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Gangak assured. ¡°Babo was sick, and now I am sick, but you cannot get sick,¡± the girl said, reaching over to pat her greatmother¡¯s knee tenderly. ¡°If you are sick, I will bully babo so much.¡± ¡°You should bully babo even if I do not get sick.¡± ¡°Ah, of course,¡± the girl replied, nodding her head lightly, as though this was merely how life was. ¡°My Jigak...¡± Gangak rubbed the girl¡¯s head gently, who sat upon the woman¡¯s lap, one of the old woman¡¯s arms wrapped around her as the girl slowly ate her porridge. ¡°Nano, I can be Jirot and Jigak?¡± ¡°You are Jirot, but in my heart, you are Jigak.¡± ¡°In my heart, I am Jirot and Jigak.¡± ¡°Then, I am happy.¡± ¡°You are?¡± The girl asked, almost gasping, smiling so bright. ¡°You must always be happy, nano! Daddy told me I must always make you happy, and to cuddle you all the time, and to be polite, but how can he say that, nano? I always make you happy, and cuddly you, and be polite, how can he say that?¡± ¡°It is because your father is sensible.¡± Jirot paused, glancing up towards her greatmother questioningly, the porridge suspended upon the spoon, as though it were shocked by the old woman¡¯s words. ¡°Sometimes, your father is a fool, but sometimes, he is a genius,¡± Gangak said, planting a kiss upon the girl¡¯s forehead. ¡°Nano, sometimes you joke too much.¡± Jirot tutted, waiting to see how her greatmother would respond, before smirking mischievously. Gangak held the girl in close. ¡°Do you know where your father is going?¡± ¡°Order of Black Mountain for ahm.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the woman replied, her lips forming a wide smile, one that the girl would not understand. ¡°Do you know where the Order is?¡± ¡°North of Aswadasad.¡± ¡°That is right. My greatdaughter, how can you be so smart?¡± Gangak brushed the girl¡¯s hair gently. ¡°It is so troublesome to be this amazing,¡± Jirot agreed. ¡°That is why I am sick.¡± Gangak snorted, peppering her greatdaughter¡¯s forehead. ¡°You must be less amazing, for I do not like it when you are sick.¡± ¡°I am sorry, nano, I cannot do such a thing,¡± Jirot joked. Gangak smiled wider, pulling the girl closer to her chest, filling the girl with a deep warmth, before allowing her to return to her meal. ¡°I was forced away in Aswadasad when I was younger, a little older than your father.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Jirot grumbled. ¡°I do not like Aswadasad!¡± ¡°It was only the Orders of Aswadasad which forced me away, my Jigak,¡± Gangak said, brushing along the girl¡¯s hair tenderly, reaching around to rub along her leaf shaped ear. ¡°It was unfortunate timing for my arrival. Had I arrived the generation before or the generation after, the Gak family you see today would have looked so different. In your heart, you would have been Jigak and Jirot, not Jirot and Jigak.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, nano, because daddy is here now,¡± Jirot said, the girl staring at her porridge, suddenly far more lucid. ¡°Daddy is first place, so he will help all my papos and kakos and if he will not... I will tell mummy.¡± The girl¡¯s voice grew with such a darkness, even Gangak¡¯s heart skipped a beat, the woman quickly peppering her greatdaughter¡¯s head with kisses. ¡°Do you not worry for your father? He is travelling the land that forced me away. There are many Orders with powerful warriors, especially that Order, the all female Order beside Arisa. Though it is officially considered the weakest because it is so small compared to the other Orders, which are also so small compared to the Aldish Orders, they possess two warriors who are Paragons, so we think.¡± ¡°Two Paragons?¡± Jirot thought. ¡°Two Paragons...¡± While Jirot pondered on her greatmother¡¯s words, those at the Front Iyr continued their daily life, working the fields around the Front Iyr, though they worked half shifts, each spending most of their time at home while the Iyr educated them with numbers. The tattoos of those that taught them were familiar, each from the four families of the Directors of the United Kindom. Rick glanced towards the others, taking a break from learning how to write. Anne remained alert, at attention, as she was personally taught by one of the Rot family, receiving personal training from one of the Family Elder¡¯s grandchildren. Meanwhile, the other children of the business were also being taught, one teacher among a handful of children, who would then go on to teach them more personally after the general education. Fred panted for air, feeling the noonval sun bear down upon his bare skin, glistening with the sweat of effort. Thankfully, his sword¡¯s magic was cool, so as the heat threatened to overwhelm him, he expended one of the charges, the chill bursting into the air, refreshing him. ¡®A sword fit for a Grand Duchess,¡¯ Fred thought, eyeing up the blade, which was well made, a little plain, with some flourishes around the blade, especially the silver of the hilt. ¡®Slightly stronger than an Expert,¡¯ Jurot had said, having beaten the young man viciously. Even with a Greater Enhanced sword, Fred couldn¡¯t defeat the monster known as Jurot. That was the difference between himself, born as the son of a farmer, dreaming of glory, and those born of the Iyr, blanketed in glory. ¡®Your natural talent is better than even Jaygak,¡¯ Jurot had said, as though reading his mind. ¡®You have reached the peak of your natural strength, now you must focus on gaining experience. Your way of fighting is similar to that of the Gak family. If you had been born in their family, they would have risen this generation even without Adam.¡¯ Fred flushed red at the thought of the Iyrman¡¯s compliment, before he returned back to swinging his magical sword. ¡®This sword is better than Life Blade,¡¯ Jaygak had explained. ¡®It is better to defeat your foe quickly, than it is to survive for a moment longer. If you were a Rage Dancer, Life Blade would have been better, but you and I fight the same, so it is better to beat our foe quickly.¡¯ Fred hadn¡¯t understood the look Jaygak had given him back then, but now, he understood. The Iyrman¡¯s heart ached, for she would be unable to reach the heights he would be able to, all because she had been born with a sickness as a child. ¡®I need to grow stronger,¡¯ Fred thought, recalling what had happened last year. ¡®Next time, if something happens, I¡¯ll fight too. No, next time, I¡¯ll make sure nothing happens!¡¯ While the hearts of the businessfolk grew heavier with every passing moment, Adam was busy tossing down a pouch of gold to pay for their stay at the inn, the inn with the tower with a rough dome painted orange, it had been a thirty minute walk, but thankfully, they rode through in their carriages. ¡®Fifteen silver per person per night?¡¯ Adam thought, noting the inn wasn¡¯t quite as modest as he had expected, far closer to a private room at a finer inn, like those which cost two gold nightly in Aldland, though perhaps not exactly as nice. ¡°We shall stay here for a few days,¡± Dunes said to the innkeeper, placing down a bag of silver, raising his bottom two fingers. The innkeeper nodded her head, sending an order to the cook to make a proper, hearty feast for the group, as the Priest returned with the rest of his companions to settle down. ¡°This place smells good,¡± Adam whispered, already smelling the spices of the meal, glancing aside towards the musicians in the corner, who played upon their instruments lightly, not loud enough to disrupt their conversations. ¡°Our land is full of spices, and spices from the Confederacy come all the way here, more easily than East Port and Gold Port.¡± ¡°How come?¡± Adam asked. ¡°We are closer.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Adam reached up to cover his eyes in shame for asking such a stupid question. ¡°Oh, you know, I noticed a bunch of buildings across the hills. They looked really different to all the tall buildings I saw, they had large domes. Are they mos-, uh, temples?¡± ¡°Temples,¡± Dunes confirmed. ¡°Our temples are... a part of our life, greater than even in Aldland.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Adam replied, with a tone that implied he wasn¡¯t sure if he liked that, but he didn¡¯t mention it. ¡°Actually, now that we¡¯re here, we should drop a pouch of silver or something for Lady Arya.¡± Dunes smiled. ¡°Let us go later tonight, I will take you.¡± ¡°Nice.¡± Kitool thought about how much gold and silver they still possessed, and after spending so much coin, they were running out of the metal. ¡°Jurot, we must replenish the coins.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I should order some wine,¡± Dunes said, having just remembered they were in Arisa, and as he raised a hand to gain the attention of a worker, one glanced his way, did a double take at his vestments, and quickly rushed up to help. ¡°Mo,¡± the young man called. ¡°A bottle of Arisian Silver,¡± Dunes said, before glancing around at the rest of his companions. ¡°Five.¡± ¡°Five?¡± Dunes placed down a pouch of gold, which was enough to cover some of the price of the alcohol. ¡°We will pay the total price before we leave.¡± ¡°Of course, Mo,¡± the worker said, hoping that was true, but the worker took the large pouch away. A few of the guests looked their way, but upon seeing the large number of Iyrmen, and the young Iyrman without her tattoos, their gazes fell away. Adam tensed up suddenly, the half elf smiling wide, glancing up towards the sky. ¡°I see. Well, I guess if she says so, then I can¡¯t. I love you, and I love our babies too, so please tell them!¡± ¡®Did Ray Vonda...¡¯ Adam sighed, reaching up to his forehead. ¡°Dunes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It seems I cannot lose to even two Paragons at once,¡± Adam said. Dunes smiled, before he stared at the half elf in shock, Jurot and Kitool, and the other Iyrmen also glancing at him in shock too. How was it that Adam could make a joke like that when that Order, the only Order within Aswadasad that held two Paragons, was nearby? Even if she bullies us so much, doesn''t she also praise us so much too? [1236] – Y06.136 – Arisa IV ¡°Oh my, by the Divine,¡± Adam whispered, inhaling the warm scents of the various spices within the meal, his mouth already drooling. ¡°I haven¡¯t had goat curry in... a lifetime, two.¡± ¡°It has been that long?¡± Dunes joked, only for his smile to falter, since Adam might have meant his words literally. ¡°Naan, goat curry, I¡¯m partial to the minced meat curry, or anything with chicken, personally, but boneless goat curry, gosht, goshth?¡± Adam paused, trying to recall how his friend had said it. ¡°Anyway, boneless goat curry is among the best, especially with peas. Oh, look at this naan too, so light, so fluffy, just like how I remember it.¡± ¡°You are familiar with our cuisine?¡± Dunes replied, surprised, for the last time Adam had passed by, the half elf had been too busy worrying about his wife, and his youngest daughter had almost caused trouble whilst still in the womb. Of course, of all the children to worry the half elf, it would be the child who was closest to Jirot. ¡°I may make a joke that we can¡¯t tolerate spices, but, I mean...¡± Adam leaned in to whisper in the dwarven tongue, only to realise that was probably a mistake, so quickly switched to Aldish. ¡°Listen, man, you don¡¯t go conquering a quarter of the entire world and not pick up some spices. Also, after the Second World War, we needed a lot of labour, so we invited a bunch of people from across the Commonwealth to come and help us, and when anything went bad, we could just blame them, well, the ones that are as handsome as you, if you know what I mean.¡± ¡°I do not,¡± Dunes said, for it was extremely rare for Adam to speak of his first life like this, and it was the first time he was hearing about this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Adam said, flashing a small smile. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s not like our business discriminates like that. As long as you aren¡¯t too weird, or hateful, and can put in effort, the United Kindom is the place for you.¡± Dunes kept an eye upon the half elf, for as Adam spoke, he could see all the memories flash within Adam¡¯s eyes, the pride, the shame, the relief, the worry, every word brought upon a new emotion, followed closely by a memory of something which contrasted the previous word. Adam tore apart the naan, watching the fibres within tear apart slowly, his eyes bright with delight as the steam rose as the fibres of bread broke, before he tore a thumbful of the soft bread, and he scooped the curry with the bread. ¡®He has eaten a lot of curry,¡¯ Dunes thought, noting how deftly the half elf scooped the food. ¡°Mm! Mm mm mmm mm mmm!¡± Adam shook his head lightly, smiling slightly as he chewed, the bread, the goat, the peas all melting away with each bite, the bursts of flavour tempered by how the goat gave way, the meat stringy as he chewed, before the strands of meat fell underneath his molars. Adam wagged his finger at Dunes, as though admonishing the Priest. ¡°Oh, Dunes, Dunes, Dunes.¡± ¡°Mo Dunes,¡± the Aswadian corrected. ¡°Mo, Mo, Mo,¡± Adam continued to wag his finger. ¡°You sly dog, you. I talked about curry all this time and you didn¡¯t tell me your land was full of it?¡± ¡°Such meals were developed in Aswabayad and beyond, even before the Shen of Shens, even beyond the Confederacy,¡± Dunes said, doing his best not to smirk at the half elf. ¡°That¡¯s messed up, Dunes, but all you need to tell me is that cheesy naan exists in this world, and I¡¯ll forgive you without a thought.¡± ¡°The goats in Black Mountain make the best milk,¡± Dunes replied, sipping the milk, taking a moment to appreciate the milk in Arisa. ¡°You know, you got to give it to magic. Sometimes, I just want to call my phone, maybe video in to see my kids, but also, I can do an entire pile of laundry in seconds, with barely more than a snap of my fingers. There¡¯s large cities with millions of people, there are ships that can travel two hundred miles a day, some more, apparently, and we can teleport a thousand miles in an instant, no checking in my luggage or anything, and I can conjure up a proper bath as long as I¡¯m not tapped out.¡± Adam sighed, his smile sadder than he realised. ¡°Do you think of home often?¡± ¡°Every day.¡± ¡°Every day?¡± ¡°Every day,¡± Adam confirmed. ¡°Would you go back?¡± ¡°No, never.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to take my kids,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°If you could?¡± Adam shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not about taking them home, but hypothetically, say they take the appearance of the only race back home? No. Here? I¡¯m, I¡¯m somebody. I don¡¯t mean that in a power tripping kind of way, I mean that as in, I¡¯m rich, Dunes. I might even be wealthy. I¡¯m strong, I¡¯m handsome, I¡¯ve got a beautiful wife and kids, the most wonderful family. If I was back home, if I had a problem, I wasn¡¯t rich enough to deal with it. I couldn¡¯t ring someone as high as a Grand Commander, I mean, what would the equivalent be? A high ranking-, no, that doesn¡¯t make any sense. I don¡¯t know, like the CEO of Apple, or another really big company. It¡¯s not even about my ego or anything like that, but... you know...¡± Dunes did his best to follow along, understanding the vague points using the half elf¡¯s tone. ¡°If Jirot wants to be a powerful mage, she can be a powerful mage,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°Little Jarot, if he wants to be a great warrior, I can do that for him. If Konarot wants to become one of the best dragonchess players in the world, I can at least give her that opportunity. Kirot, if she wants...¡± Dunes also thought about Kirot, who was pretty much like Konarot, save for the fact that Konarot also babied her too. ¡°Whatever Kirot wants, I can probably do that. Karot, if he wants to... I don¡¯t know, paint, he can paint. If Larot wants to Larot, that¡¯s fine too. In this world, I have a life, a proper future, for myself and my children. I can afford a proper home, a mansion, without a mortgage. None of my children need to work to live, they can pursue whatever they want, and I¡¯ll be able to afford it. If someone tries to mess with my children, I can take on all but the strongest of people. I¡¯m probably not top ten in Aldland, but top hundred? I¡¯ve got to be, right? In this world, in this life, I¡¯ve got everything, and I appreciate that every single day.¡± Dunes blinked, taking a moment to realise what Adam had said. ¡®I¡¯m probably not top ten in Aldland, but top hundred?¡¯ ¡°I think of home, because I can¡¯t forget. If I forget, Mo, you have no idea the monster I could be. The only reason why I don¡¯t go around killing anyone that pisses me off when I have all this power, it¡¯s because I was born in the country I was born in. In the neighbourhood I was born in. When I see someone, it doesn¡¯t matter what race they are, I went to school with so many different people, all pretty poor, but you know, that¡¯s just how it is.¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, taking a sip of his milk. ¡°I learnt a little bit of history. Not a lot, I¡¯m no expert, but I remember reading something about a man in the, whatever century, saying that no woman could ever be a doctor because their brains are too small, or whatever. In my generation, women were completely leaving men in the dust when it came to academic success. I heard it was because women test better for one reason, and another guy say that actually they¡¯re better at coursework for a completely different reason, but no one wanted to talk about how usually, the girls of a family help with chores, while the boys spend all night gaming and not getting enough sleep.¡± Adam realised the can of worms he had opened, but thankfully, he was in Aswadasad. ¡°Ah, right... I forgot Aswadasad is still... a little, you know, religious, we¡¯ll say.¡± Dunes furrowed his brows. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Well, you know, because in my...¡± Adam shook his head, chuckling nervously. ¡°Anyway, I remember reading something about someone saying that black people seemed to have an avoidance for life. The guy writing it was saying that because all these black people kept trying to kill themselves.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Dunes replied, recalling how many times Adam had made comments about his skin, uncertain what it meant exactly. ¡°They kept jumping off the side of the ship because they didn¡¯t want to be enslaved. He couldn¡¯t fathom they didn¡¯t want to be slaves. There were so many things a certain type of person, with a certain type of skin colour, tried to justify their behaviour against other types of people, if they even considered them people, and other skin colours, and I mean, this happens with every colour of person. It all goes back to one type of person though. Wars, slavery, all kinds of discrimination.¡± Adam inhaled deeply, glancing down at his cooling food. ¡°I know my country¡¯s history, some of it, and I know the true monsters aren¡¯t what creeps in the shadows. It¡¯s us, man. Man, as in mankind, humans, or rather, people. I can¡¯t forget that. The moment I forget that, that¡¯s it. The moment I become like them. The nobles, the elites, the people who formulate all this nonsense in order to distract us, then that¡¯s it, I¡¯m done. I need to be put down like a dog, because I don¡¯t want to be that kind of evil, I can¡¯t be, Dunes, but I know, I know I¡¯m meant to call you Mo, but that¡¯s the point.¡± ¡®The point?¡¯ Dunes wondered, though he didn¡¯t dare to think, for Adam¡¯s eyes remained fixated upon his own, no longer with the look of the fool he played, but someone sharper. ¡°I can become that evil. Anyone can. Even the sweetest soul can become evil, depending on the situation. The pain, the chaos I could cause, in order to bring my business to the forefront, to capture so much influence all across the lands. How much nonsense I could manufacture, not nonsense, that isn¡¯t as serious as I want it to sound, but the evil, Dunes, Mo. The evil I could manufacture, the symptoms, the disease I could manufacture, and then, I can sell the cure. It would be so easy. I could do it with a snap of my fingers. You¡¯ve already seen it, the way I threatened the King with the Reavers. I could do so, so much worse. I watched this movie. It was about slavery, but it was cool, the main character, Django, you know what he said? He said there¡¯s nothing worse than a black slaver, they¡¯re worse than the house... slave, but he didn¡¯t use the word slave, and that the house slave was pretty fucking low.¡± Dunes narrowed his eyes, suddenly alert by Adam¡¯s words, for perhaps in his world, the context meant something else, but as Dunes thought back to his own history, and to the history of all the various different tribesfolk in Aswadasad, and even across the Confederacy, he understood. ¡°Do you understand why I love the Iyr? Even with all it¡¯s death, it¡¯s weirdly democratic authoritarianism? In fact, I¡¯m probably going against my principles in many ways because of the Iyr, but, from what I¡¯ve seen of this... place, of these lands, it¡¯s the least evil place around.¡± ¡°Perhaps we disagree on the meaning of evil.¡± ¡°Everyone¡¯s got their own opinion, and I understand that you love Black Mountain, and I¡¯m sure Jonn, if he hadn¡¯t been kicked out, would have loved the Thousand Hunts, and in another life, he may have tried to come for my head, and in another life, perhaps you would have stood beside your Priest Commander after he killed my kids, because you would have-,¡± Adam stopped, quickly catching himself, the half elf pulling back lightly. ¡°I understand,¡± Dunes replied, barely able to force away the guilt. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is, when a communist death cult is the least evil place around, that¡¯s saying something,¡± Adam said, smiling slightly, only to realise Dunes probably understood half of what he said. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Hey, Mo,¡± Adam reached over to gently punch him against the arm lightly, only to realise he still had oil all over his fingers, so he gently rubbed his forearm against the Aswadian Priest. ¡°Don¡¯t you forget, you¡¯re the best ahm in the world.¡± ¡°Jurot is the best ahm in the world.¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s the best uncle, you¡¯re the best ahm.¡± ¡°Then... am I not the only ahm?¡± Adam shrugged his shoulders, smirking slightly at the Priest, winking playfully. Dunes smiled slightly, returning back to his meal. As much as Adam¡¯s rambled, the core of Adam¡¯s words were as he had expected, but it was only then Dunes had realised just how much of an issue Adam had with the nobles, the elites, of the world, especially since this was the first time Dunes had explicitly mentioned he was poor. Poor, and yet the half elf seemed to hold as much intelligence as though who had studied at an academy. ¡®What kind of world did you come from, Adam?¡¯ Adam has to be careful. [1237] – Y06.137 – Arisa V ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding, this wine is pretty good,¡± Adam admitted, tasting the fruitiness, the sharpness of the alcohol dancing on his tongue. ¡°Arisa was known for its wineries throughout history,¡± Dunes said, sipping the wine lightly, which activated the spice of the food in a way that caused him to wince lightly, for his food was far more fiery. He glanced aside towards Laygak, who sipped the wine, a wide smile upon his lips as the burning cooled the Iyrman¡¯s mouth. ¡®It is good the Gaks still appreciate Aswadasad.¡¯ ¡°This is the capital of Northern Aswadasad, isn¡¯t it?¡± Adam asked. ¡°That is right.¡± ¡°Though, I¡¯m trying to recall the mental map that I had, and isn¡¯t it really far west?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s territory stretched along this peninsula all the way to the strait, but the northern territory stretches along the forest, wrapping all the way around the forest to the mountains, or, it once did. Now the towns further to the east are under Aswabayad.¡± ¡°How much territory did they lose?¡± ¡°Almost the size of Floria.¡± Adam¡¯s mouth gaped open, his eyes darting to his brother in shock, before returning back to Dunes. ¡°What? That¡¯s crazy, man! Almost the size of Floria? Holy!¡± ¡°It is a great loss, though Arisa holds more people than the entire region,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°The people of Manamgabba were always more independent.¡± ¡°No one expected them to defect,¡± Jurot added. Dunes bowed his head lightly. ¡°The Shen must have made a great offer, for to hear that the Manammi joined Aswabayad, it was when I understood the war was not going well for Aswadasad. I do not wish to think what would have happened to Aswadasad if King Merryweather did not rise up to assist.¡± ¡°Whoa,¡± Adam whispered, glancing between Jurot and Dunes, unsure of just how important that was, but considering that even Jurot knew how shocking it was, it must have been terrible news for Aswadasad. ¡°It is a shame, for if the forest was still under Aswadian control, they would have no worries, but Aswabayad can now challenge them upon the sea to the north and to the south.¡± ¡°Everything always comes back to the military, eh?¡± Adam joked. ¡°Though...¡± Dunes thought for a moment. ¡°Laffscale is still an ally of Aswadasad.¡± Jurot narrowed his eyes, recalling the dragon. He furrowed his brows towards Dunes, still uncertain of what he meant. ¡°Laffscale lives upon the Aswabayad mountain range near the north, near the Manammi. She was very close with the royal family. Many generations ago, the royal family watched over an egg that they had found, and it turned out to be a child of Laffscale. As thanks, she settled upon the mountains nearby, and gifted the royal family three magical weapons, a spear, a sword, and a bow.¡± Dunes grew more and more confused about the situation as he spoke. ¡°What?¡± Adam asked. ¡°It makes no sense,¡± Dunes said, shaking his head lightly. ¡°Laffscale is one of the few dragons that no one dislikes. She is considered weaker than most of her peers, and though some may covet her treasure, there is no reason to fight a dragon like her. She has allied herself with Aswadasad, but outside of once instance, she is a mediator to the lands. She is close with the Manammi, offering them advice, but she wouldn¡¯t allow them to leave, not when she is so close with the royal family?¡± ¡°She could have mediated the terms between the Manammi and Aswabayad,¡± Jurot said. ¡°There was a great amount of death in the region due to the war, Laffscale would not wish for such.¡± ¡°That is most likely the case,¡± Dunes said. ¡°She still makes her home in the mountains, but if the Shen was smart, he would leave her be.¡± ¡°He would not make a move, for the nearby dragons would not wish for her death, and if he has pacified the dragons around his capital, he would not choose to cause trouble for her,¡± Jurot said, though the conviction in his voice was tempered by the folly of mortals. ¡°If something happens to Laffscale, I cannot imagine what could happen to Aswadasad,¡± Dunes admitted. ¡°If she¡¯s weak, they might want to fight her?¡± Adam said. ¡°No, no, she¡¯s not weak, she is weak compared to her peers, those roughly within a hundred years of her. She is still considered among the strongest dragons in Aswadasad or Aswabayad, even Veisswing would need to be wary.¡± ¡°The three magical weapons are great weapons,¡± Jurot said, his eyes meeting Adam¡¯s gaze. ¡°Only...¡± Adam paused, noting the look within Jurot¡¯s eyes. ¡°Legendary Enhanced,¡± Jurot confirmed. ¡°Who do you think you are, Jaygak?¡± Adam smiled wide. ¡°Anyway, I know we were talking about dragons and everything, but what kind of wood is in Manamgabba?¡± Dunes smiled, throwing a look to Jurot, who nodded lightly. ¡°There are many woods in Manamgabba, but it is the dreamwood which is prized.¡± ¡°Manamgabba means... dream forest?¡± Jurot asked. ¡°Yes. They are able to shape dreamwood into weapons and thanks to Laffscale, they are soaked in acid to strengthen them. They are weapons that are designed not to kill as effectively compared to steel weapons, but they hurt far more. They are popular for Priests who do not wish to kill, and I know Life¡¯s Rose sometimes orders such weapons.¡± ¡°Oh? I might need to grab some for my wife then,¡± Adam said, the half elf thinking of the woman, flushing lightly as he thought of her smile. ¡°Should I order more fruit for Kizwolima?¡± Dunes asked, noting the girl was almost done with her fruit, chewing noisily with her molars, her hands covered in the juices of various fruits, her eyes so full of delight from eating the sweet fruits. ¡°Yeah, and you know what, it¡¯s so strange to see fruits being so cheap. I mean, I expected them to be worth a lot, more than this anyway.¡± ¡°Is fruit expensive from your land?¡± ¡°No, ridiculously cheap actually,¡± Adam admitted. ¡°You could buy, I don¡¯t know, an entire bunch of bananas or apples for a copper, we¡¯re talking anywhere between four and ten of each depending on, you know, factors. I mean, they can get way more expensive, but they were about a pack or two for a quid, a copper.¡± ¡°Why would you think they would be expensive here, in the land of gold and fruit?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, you know, back in the day, a pineapple was really expensive, you know? It would cost about a year¡¯s salary or something. Here... I mean, a silver for an entire platter? That¡¯s so cheap.¡± ¡°There are luxury fruits too. Mangos are expensive, and those from Manamgabba are...¡± Dunes gave a look. ¡°How much?¡± ¡°I have heard that a mango was auctioned off for a hundred gold.¡± ¡°One mango?¡± Adam asked, his mouth gaped open as though he had learnt that Northern Aswadasad had lost land almost the size of Floria. ¡°That¡¯s insane man! Even I have to work more than two months to buy a mango like that.¡± ¡°You can buy cheaper mangos from what is now the Diyyabayt Ejirate, but it is the paper we wish for,¡± Dunes said. ¡°Is that the place that became it¡¯s own independent, ejirate is it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Paper and mangos? No wonder it could gain independence.¡± ¡°It lost much of its territory to its west, to Western Aswadasad and Central Aswadasad, though Southern Aswadasad was always such,¡± Dunes informed, recalling what he knew about what now the Diyyabayt Ejirate. ¡°It was fortunate it was rich, and its navy was considered the best. It still is.¡± ¡°Paper, mangos, navy. Yeah, that checks out.¡± Adam slowly nodded his head. ¡°So there¡¯s no Southern Aswadasad. Western Aswadasad and Central Aswadasad gained territory. Northern Aswadasad lost territory. Well, I guess Central Aswadasad technically lost some territory, since the Shen lost all of East Aswadasad?¡± Dunes chuckled lightly, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°So, the closest capital to us is currently going through some issues, and might need some help militarily?¡± Adam whispered, raising his brows. ¡°It does not, for it still has the halfzers,¡± Dunes reminded the half elf. ¡°Are they really that strong?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Damn,¡± Adam whispered. ¡°I mean, good for it, but-, Kizwolima, careful now!¡± Kizwolima coughed lightly, having not chewed the watermelon enough, Adam patting her back lightly, before bringing a glass of milk to her lips. ¡°Seriously, you don¡¯t have to rush, no one¡¯s going to steal the fruit from you, and if they do, I¡¯ll beat them up, or I¡¯ll just buy you some more! If you want more, just tell me, and I¡¯ll buy you some more, since I¡¯m rich!¡± Dunes wasn¡¯t sure what the half elf was saying, but he was certain he was speaking like a noble, perhaps not in manner, but at the very least with such an ego. ¡°Man, I really want some mangos.¡± ¡°The mangos in the capital are great,¡± Dunes stated. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get to the capital then!¡± The group eventually retired for the night, when Adam sent word to the Prince, figuring something out for Kizwolima. ¡®Seriously! They think they¡¯re so special, huh?¡¯ Adam thought, laying upon his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had sent Kizwolima to sleep in the same room as the merman, though asked Bael to watch over her, just in case. He then thought of his own children, his sweet children who would soon travel the world in only ten years, or twenty if he was sly enough. ¡®I need to make sure no one can flex on them like that,¡¯ the half elf thought. ¡®Should I raise them into Masters before they leave the Iyr? What am I saying, they won¡¯t ever leave the Iyr!¡¯ The half elf, full of spice and fruit, groaned lightly. He reached down to his stomach, rubbing it gently, before his eyes darted back up towards the ceiling, which was all grey in the darkness, but he could still see it with his keen fae eyes. ¡®Two Paragons?¡¯ Adam thought. ¡®I can¡¯t face two Paragons at once, especially if they¡¯re Rage Dancers. I need to reach Level 20 for something like that, right?¡¯ Bael continued to glare at his sword, wondering how much of his Spark he should burn to deal with whatever remained within his sword, and just how much he was willing to cripple himself. The two youngsters thought such terrifying thoughts, thoughts which should not have been displayed so early upon their arrival in Aswadasad, the land of gold, fruit, and dragons. Two Paragons at once is pretty crazy. [1238] – Y06.138 – Respecting Elders I Adam eyed up Jonn and Nobby, who were each eating their light breakfast of flatbread and a stew, though there were plenty of mixed vegetables and fruit on offer thanks to the business. His eyes darted to the merman woman, who chatted with the girl lightly, listening to her random babbling about this thing or that thing, Adam requesting her to entertain the girl during breakfast. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll need to watch over her for now, and then... should I ask Bael to watch over her? I¡¯ll watch over her for now and then I¡¯ll ask Bael when we travel?¡¯ Adam sipped the salty stew, chewing on the soft goat meat. ¡°Alright, you guys, you can spend your gold, and write down how much you spend so that the business can figure out what to expense, or at the least, refund to you. If you need money, you can ask any of the Executives to help you procure something, but you guys earn so much coin, you should be able to afford it, right?¡± Adam¡¯s laughter filled the air, only to instantly stop, the half elf realising he might be giving off the wrong impression. ¡°No, seriously, if you need more money, or want to buy something that¡¯s out of your budget, just ask us. We¡¯ll figure out a way to lend you the money, or just put it on the business¡¯ expenses, since I don¡¯t want you to find something amazing and not buy it since you can¡¯t afford it if it¡¯s useful to the business, or... you just really want it because it¡¯s something you¡¯ve dreamt of.¡± Adam hoped his ramblings made sense to the group, eventually allowing them to travel as they pleased, though moving at least in pairs, with at least one Iyrman in the group. Meanwhile, the half elf walked around with Kizwolima, allowing her to hold his hand, while Jash stalked them from behind. Dunes and Jurot also followed along, for at least a Brother of Black Mountain and an Iyrman were needed to make sure he kept out of trouble. John also followed, doing his best to seem almost invisible, except the Brother kept directing his attention over to the young father. ¡°What would you like, Kizwolima?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Do you want to buy any new clothes? Do you want some new clothes? You tell mister Adam what you want, and mister Adam will get you what you want!¡± ¡°Mm...¡± Kizwolima thought for a moment before nodding. Adam bought her all manner of items, with Dunes¡¯ presence allowing them to buy whatever they needed without much fuss, the half elf spending handfuls of silver and gold at a time, his heart lightening with his pouch. ¡®At this rate I¡¯ll need to top up again.¡¯ ¡°Wow! Look at that scarf! It¡¯s so pretty on you!¡± Adam reached down to rub the girl¡¯s head, but stopped, instead fixing her scarf. ¡®Ah, right, she isn¡¯t my kid. I¡¯ve got to be careful.¡¯ ¡°Hehehe!¡± ¡°What do we say when people do something nice?¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Our Kizwolima is so polite!¡± Adam chuckled. ¡°Should we get some food? What kind of food do you like?¡± ¡°Sharks!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they have much shark, but what about the goat meat that we had?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes, I liked the goat.¡± ¡°Ah, is there any food you¡¯re not allowed to eat?¡± ¡°Not allowed to eat people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Adam replied, smiling slightly. ¡°What else are you not allowed to eat?¡± ¡°Mm...¡± The girl thought for a moment. ¡°Can¡¯t eat coral. Can¡¯t eat metal.¡± Adam chuckled at her pout, eventually buying them a large platter of food, roasted vegetables and fish, the group sharing out of the platter as they rested up. ¡°Ah, Kizwolima, here,¡± Adam said, having all but forgotten, reaching into his cloak. ¡°This is a Ring of Protection. It will keep you safe. I got this from Laygak, who wanted to make sure you were okay.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Kizwolima gasped, feeling the gentle tingle, the ring shrinking upon her finger. ¡°It¡¯s magic?¡± ¡°It is! It will protect you, just in case. You have to keep it on at all times, okay?¡± ¡°Wow! Okay, mister!¡± ¡°Haha! You don¡¯t have to worry though, since your greatest protection is our businessfolk, who will watch over you!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a good girl.¡± ¡°I am not girl! I am Kizwolima!¡± the girl replied. ¡°Right!¡± Adam laughed. Dunes smiled slightly, glancing aside towards the merman, who wasn¡¯t sure why the half elf had handed over a ring. If there was something that dangerous that would harm her, she¡¯d be dead. Dunes shook his head lightly since there was no way Jash would understand, since it was Adam. The Priest reached up to brush his hair to one side, wondering if he should go get a hair cut, an experience that the half elf may enjoy too. ¡®Perhaps in the capital?¡¯ As the group made their way through the side roads, where the colourful clothing fluttered upon the lines, Adam heard they stepped past a certain inn, one which held a raised garden to one side where various folk enjoyed their time drinking and eating, watching over the masses beneath them. ¡°Young lady, don¡¯t you know who I am?¡± the young man asked, adorned in crisp clothing, the figure adorned in bits of gold, surrounded by two other companions, and four guards, each wearing long cloaks over their chain, keeping cool within the shade, which just so happened to allow them to blend in to the side if one was almost blind. ¡°Some merchant boy?¡± the woman replied, who stood rather tall, well muscled, her hands rough and scarred through effort. It was the spear upon her back that brought Adam¡¯s attention, however, for it was forged of a silversteel, quicksilver, he assumed. There was another upon her back which was wrapped up within a scarf too. ¡°The Flaming Spear Wyrm knows of me?¡± the young man asked, his pearly white smile contrasting his skin. ¡®Oh?¡¯ Dunes thought, shaking his head slightly. ¡®The young lady is in quite some trouble, but the young man is asking to be beaten.¡¯ It was rather unfortunate the guards in chain were under the command of the young merchant men harassing the young warrior. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, I just know that it¡¯s no good to speak with those who eat from a golden spoon from birth.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so envious!¡± the young man replied, causing his companions to laugh. ¡°I just want to share a drink with you.¡± ¡°You stink of silver and gold, but I like my men smelling of steel and blood,¡± the woman replied, growing more and more annoyed, but she understood she needed to be careful. ¡®It just had to be today of all days.¡¯ ¡°You should know that we¡¯re still being polite,¡± the merchant said, flashing a coy smile, though his eyes held a darker gaze. ¡°Isn¡¯t that you all you know?¡± the woman replied, tilting her head slightly. ¡°Politeness with those soft hands of yours.¡± ¡°If you like men who smell of steel and blood, then...¡± The merchant snapped his fingers. ¡°Wild Cobra Sword.¡± ¡®Wild Cobra Sword?¡¯ the woman thought, eyes darting to the side towards the man, who was adorned in chain, and wore a helmet that was covered with a scarf, allowing only his eyes to be seen. Her eyes darted to the blade at his side, the blades handle and hilt was that of a snake that coiled around the base of the blade. ¡®Shit!¡¯ ¡°You should come along quietly while the esteemed young master is still being polite.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of woman your young master can handle,¡± the young woman replied, sweating slightly. ¡®They won¡¯t go too far since they know who my grandfather is, but...¡¯ ¡°What woman can my young master not handle?¡± Wild Cobra Sword asked. ¡°Tell him to go hire some other shadowed bitch.¡± ¡°If you wish to do it the hard way,¡± Wild Cobra Sword said, reaching for his blade, the woman reaching for her own spear. ¡°The hard way?¡± called a voice, the figure stepping up the steps, a worker glancing his way, noting the trouble, and quickly shuffled towards the half elf, only to be stopped by a glare from one of those who wore tattoos upon their forehead. ¡°What¡¯s the hard way?¡± ¡°Make your way, young master fae,¡± Wild Cobra Sword said, his eyes taking in the sight of the tattoo, for a moment thinking Adam was one of them, but they did not wear such tattoos. ¡°Ah? My way? My way just so happens to be this way, though?¡± Adam replied, smirking slightly towards the figure opposite him. ¡°You should step aside while we are showing you politeness.¡± ¡°I was told to respect my elders, but isn¡¯t this too much?¡± Adam asked, tutting at the warrior. ¡°What¡¯s this treehead doing?¡± the young merchant asked, causing his companions to laugh. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m just a father, that¡¯s all, so what are you punks doing to someone¡¯s daughter?¡± Adam asked, smiling politely towards them, his jaw tensing. ¡°Hey, Wild Cobra Sword, teach that treehead a lesson.¡± ¡°I needed to warm up for-,¡± Adam began, only to be cut off by a sigh. ¡°Are you trying to show off in front of me?¡± the woman asked, glaring at the half elf. ¡°I¡¯m not showing off in front of you, but my brother, the Brother, another father, and of course, our adorable little Kizwolima,¡± Adam replied. ¡°Although, I am a little interested in you, since you can use a spear. What did they call you? Flaming Spear Dragon? That¡¯s a cool name.¡± The young woman narrowed her eyes towards the half elf, who was undoubtedly poking fun at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be beaten, you should step back. Wild Cobra Sword might be strong, but I¡¯m strong too.¡± ¡°Oh? You look pretty young though?¡± ¡°I¡¯m twenty two.¡± ¡°Right, just a kid. I¡¯m twenty four, so leave this to your elder, and I¡¯ll slap some manners into this guy. What was it? Wily Cobra Sword? You know, I know a Cobra, and she¡¯s a lot cooler than you, even if you do have a pretty cool nickname yourself.¡± ¡°You-,¡± Wild Cobra Sword began, only to be interrupted. ¡°Wait, did you say you were twenty two?¡± Adam asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How strong are you that you think you can take him on?¡± ¡°I am at least an Expert, so I don¡¯t need your help.¡± ¡°Really? An Expert at twenty two? What are you, an Iyrman? Why are you kids always in such a rush!¡± Adam huffed. ¡°Anyway, you seem pretty talented, so I want to hire you to train our hardworker during our journey in Aswadasad, so we¡¯ll discuss your wage, but right now, it looks like my dear elder can¡¯t wait until he gets his ass beat.¡± Wild Cobra Sword tensed up, ready and eager to kill this smarmy little half elf. ¡®Ah, wait,¡¯ Adam thought, realising his mistake. This Young Master is Courting Death!